Evloev has been a force of nature since arriving in the Octagon and whilst he hasn’t had the finishes to really gather hype around his winning streak, his record speaks for itself.
Sterling has also not always received tons of praise for his fighting style but his high-level grappling combined with awkward striking, makes him a very tough test for his Russian opponent.
A fellow 145-pound contender on the UFC roster is excited to see how the two men match up with one another once the Octagon door closes.
Youssef Zalal Breaks Down Aljamain Sterling Vs Movsar Evloev At UFC 307
Youssef Zalal will look to secure back-to-back victories during his second stint in the UFC when he returns to face Jarno Errens on August 10.
In a recent interview with MMA News, the Moroccan fighter broke down how he sees the match-up of top contenders and grapplers going down in Salt Lake City.
Zalal made reference to how a clash of two grappling specialists often turns into a striking match between them as they cancel one another out on the floor.
He also provided the theory that based on what he has seen from both, this could be a wrestling versus jiu-jitsu affair.
“Those guys, I think it’s either gonna see a striking match the whole time and I think you’re gonna see one either wrestling and the other one jiu-jitsu. I feel like when the Russian fought Diego Lopes, you could see the jiu-jitsu kind of felt a little bit [off] right. I mean Diego Lopes’ jiu-jitsu is pretty good too so that’s why that, and I think Aljamain is a really good grappler obviously.
“so I think you’re going to see a little battle on that part or it’s going to be a full-on striking match whenever you put two grapplers together so I’m pretty interested to see how the match-ups and the styles go on that part.”
It appears that Francis Ngannou is gearing up for his long awaited return to MMA, after what has been a difficult year for the former UFC heavyweight champion.
A teammate of his said that “The Predator” appears to be building up some steam in training, and he’s doing it with fire in his eyes after what he has been through.
Tim Johnson Says Francis Ngannou Is Slowly Returning To The Gym With Motivation
Former UFC and Bellator veteran Tim Johnson is set to make his return in the main event of PFL 7 this weekend where he takes on Denis Goltsov.
During his training camp at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, he crossed paths with his teammate and fellow PFL fighter as he works his way back.
Johnson gave an update on Ngannou during a recent interview with MMA News, stating that one of the baddest men on the planet is slowly coming back to speed.
“He’s been in the gym, getting his wheels greased again. Kind of going slow but he’s in no rush like he doesn’t, it’s not like he’s fighting in eight weeks or anything but yeah he’s been back in the gym, feeling big, strong, like he always has.”
Johnson also said that Ngannou appears to be doing okay mentally from what he has been able to take away from their conversations.
He said that if anything, the heavyweight knockout artist is now in a position where he is using this difficult time in his life as fuel.
“He seems to be, yeah. I talked to him a little bit and as a father to father, I told him, me and my wife gave him our sympathies. I couldn’t imagine it, that’d be the worst scenario in any parents life and he seems to be harnessing it and utilizing it.”
On Saturday night, the mixed martial arts leader returned for its latest pay-per-view event, UFC 304.
For the past week, the promotion has been back in the United Kingdom. Why, then, was I still stating up until 7 AM, UFC? Dana White? Anybody? Pre-warning, I planned to do my best not to selfishly write that as a negative for my fellow Brits and I. Was I successful? No comment.
Regardless of the disappointing timings, nothing was disappointing about the lineup the UFC brought with it across the pond, topped by title defenses for welterweight kingpin Leon Edwards and interim heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall.
Before Belal Muhammad and Curtis Blaydes looked to bring shouts of ‘and new’ to the Octagon, Paddy Pimblett had his first opportunity at cracking the lightweight rankings against King Green, Arnold Allen attempted to snap his losing skid at the expense of Giga Chikadze, and Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape vied for potential number one contender status at 125 pounds.
Elsewhere, notable British names like Christian Leroy Duncan, Molly McCann, Nathaniel Wood, and Mick Parkin all looked to leave Manchester’s Co-op Live arena with victories. But did they come together to form an entertaining night of fights?
Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC 304.
I can’t remember the last time a fight at a UFC PPV event pitted two opponents against one another who quite clearly aren’t up to the standard that should be required for someone to compete on the sport’s biggest stage.
Excuse me, I should have said “couldn’t remember,” past tense. I now can remember: Shauna Bannon vs Alice Ardelean.
The Irishwoman arrived in the UFC as a promising prospect last year off the back of a win under the Invicta FC banner. But she flopped on debut, struggling to land any meaningful offense in a decision defeat to Bruna Brasil. Saturday’s opening bout gave her the opportunity to erase the memory of that result with a strong sophomore performance. In that sense, she didn’t exactly succeed.
“Mama B” was tasked with facing a late-notice replacement opponent in Ardelean. The Romanian’s signing raised eyebrows, with most acknowledging her fairly underwhelming record and skillset while suggesting a social media following was the leading cause of her UFC arrival.
The fight was ultimately a close one with about as much quality as the kind of food the fans inside the Co-op Live would have picked up from Manchester kebab shops in the early hours.
Ardelean is certainly not at the level the UFC should require. And given her struggles en route to a lackluster decision win, it’s hard to say that Bannon is.
With an 11 PM start time, the last thing the UK fans needed was a dud to start.
When these two entered the cage, it was perhaps still too early for an in-cage alarm to be required. But Parkin, in particular, sent one ringing around Manchester with a thunderous…forearm?!
Regular readers will know my feeling on the heavyweight division (and the UFC’s habit of placing the likes of Shamil Gaziev in main event spots this year). With that, it’s always a relief to see them early on a card. The home favorite on Saturday night, however, brought feelings of relief for a different reason.
Rather than the feared three-round heavyweight slog, Parkin needed less than four minutes to dispatch Łukasz Brzeski for UFC 304’s first finish. The damage was initially done by a clean overhand right that had “The Bull” on skates. While he survived the onslaught that followed for a time, his panicky evasive manoeuvers ultimately saw his head meet the forearm of Parkin, who had thrown a left hook.
Patterson subsequently gave us the triad of fight results, following Bannon’s decision and Parkin’s knockout with a submission victory over Kiefer Crosbie. Like his compatriot’s work beforehand, “The Future” needed just one round to have his hand raised, locking his Irish opponent in an arm-triangle choke for the quick tap.
The Englishman was highly touted prior to a disappointing debut in London last year. But having now won consecutive fights via first-round submissions, Patterson is well and truly back on the radar as one of the welterweight division’s most promising up-and-comers.
Negative – Wolf Tickets
To those who bought into Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape’s “bitter feud” and expected them to do away with their habit of putting on dull affairs at UFC 304, I’m afraid to say you were conned.
It took just a minute into the fight to see what was happening. After a hotel “brawl,” some “hold me back” energy at the ceremonial weigh-ins, and the apparent attempt to get at each other in the cage pre-fight, Mokaev and Kape stayed at range feinting.
The rest of the fight was predictable from there. And while some have turned their nose up at the scorecards, the rounds were so lackluster and absent of effective offense that I’m not sure there could be any logical fury over whatever the judges were to come out with.
But, we did have a real reason for fury in round two: Mike Beltran.
After getting Kape to the mat for the first time in round two, Mokaev displayed some of the most egregious cheating in recent memory by yanking “Starboy’s” shorts down and giving the cageside guests a view of his backside.
To not take a point is frankly diabolical. Congratulations, Mike, you can shout loud. Would you like a certificate? Why not do something actual consequential and take a point for such a blatant foul?
Not only was no point taken, Beltran wasn’t even going to pause the fight and take the position away from Mokaev until Kape practically spelled it out to him.
Whether it’s eye pokes, fence grabs, or de-clothing your foe, rules do not exist in mixed martial arts. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, why wouldn’t you cheat when such incompetence comes out of the third men inside the Octagon?
Positive – Bruna’s Brutal Body Blows
It was always going to take something special to write a Molly McCann loss in the positive section, but Bruna Brasil gave it to us on Saturday night. In fact, she gave it to us multiple times.
So, what was special, I hear you ask? Bruna’s body shots, that’s what.
The focus pre-fight was all on McCann and how she appeared to have reinvented herself as a strawweight when she submitted Diana Belbiță in her divisional debut this past February. Because of that, an accomplished striker in Brasil was a ridiculously big underdog given the holes we’ve seen in “Meatball’s” game.
But the Brazilian made a mockery of the betting lines in a round one that verged on a 10-8. “The Special One” delivered a relentless attack to the home fighter’s body, drawing out major reactions with a few vicious knees and kicks to the midsection.
While she found less success in rounds two and three en route to a comfortable decision, Brasil’s violent assault of McCann’s body early was enough to leave a lasting impression. And with two wins on UK soil under the UFC banner, perhaps England is her good luck charm.
Just as the early hours began to take their toll and the crowd inside the Co-op Live faded, Paddy Pimblett arrived to wake them up.
It’s been a difficult period for “The Baddy,” who has had his momentum stalled by injuries and a controversial win over Jared Gordon back in late 2022. His subsequent performance against Tony Ferguson did little to stifle his detractors given “El Cucuy’s” age and losing skid.
With that, Pimblett vowed to get the fans back on his side by running through King (still feels odd to write) Green at UFC 304 — a claim not many took seriously. While a win was never going to be a massive shock, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone predicting one-way traffic and a quick finish.
But that is exactly what we got in Manchester, with a composed Pimblett picking Green apart on the feet in the opening exchanges before punishing the American’s bizarre decision to shoot for a takedown.
After Green slipped out of a guillotine, Pimblett locked in a tight triangle choke, adding in an armbar to the equation just as the ranked contender lost consciousness, sending the home fans into a frenzy.
If Pimblett’s three UFC fights in the UK have taught us anything, it’s that he can always be counted on to create an atmosphere. And his latest triumph has certainly taught his doubters that they were wrong to dismiss his chances of earning a number next to his name on MMA’s biggest stage.
If it wasn’t already clear after he starched Sergei Pavlovich in 69 seconds last November to win the “interim” gold, it sure is now after he stopped Curtis Blaydes in just 60. Aspinall’s first clean shot sat “Razor” down, and the American wasn’t unable to show enough defense on the floor to avoid Marc Goddard’s intervention.
With the win, Aspinall not only defended his title but also made the most of his chance to right the wrong from 2022 when a freak knee injury opposite Blaydes handed him his only Octagon setback to date.
So, what’s next for Aspinall? Well, if it’s not a unification fight with Jones, both the former two-time light heavyweight kingpin and the UFC should get significant backlash from the community.
And if Jones does indeed fight Stipe Miocic in a “legacy fight” that will do nothing for his legacy before retiring, his deliberate avoidance of Aspinall will mark a sizable stain on the back end of his career.
Fight the man, Jones.
Negative – Silly
I hate to conclude things with a complaint, but seriously, what was the UFC thinking?
At my desk, I was struggling to stay awake for a hefty chunk of the UFC 304 main card. I can’t even imagine feeling like that while in attendance at the Co-op Live, and it’s no wonder the atmosphere was absent for much of it.
Of course, Paddy Pimblett’s entrance and the memorable wins for him and Tom Aspinall brought out the kind of cheers and reaction expected of a UK crowd. But just before that, Christian Leroy Duncan and Gregory Rodrigues fought out an entertaining and bloody battle amid complete silence.
Post-event, Dana White had the nerve to criticize fighters for not being motivated by the $100,000 bonuses, stating he’ll never raise them under pressure at press conferences ever again. How about never making athletes compete at 3, 4, and 5 AM again? Maybe that had something to do with it?
The likes of Edwards had to compete in the early hours because the idea of American fans watching an event at 4 PM instead of 10 PM was apparently too crazy to entertain. Do better, UFC.
What this guy said 👇
Whose dumb idea was it to have a UFC card at 4 AM in England? Why couldn't they have just pushed this main card up to 7 PM EST United States time? No wonder the crowd is exhausted #UFC304
There are plenty of competitors coming through that all hope to square off with Topuria down the line and the champ is certainly someone that Hyder Amil has got in his sights.
Hyder Amil Believes He Matches Up Well With Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria
Undefeated featherweight contender Amil maintained his perfect start to life in the UFC this past weekend, where he stopped Jeong Yeong Lee in the first round.
As he continues to climb up the rankings, he has a potential path to the top already laid out in front of him in his mind.
He spoke in a recent interview with MMA News about how once he makes it to title contention, after taking out England’s Arnold Allen along the way, he hopes that Topuria is still the champion.
Amil said that alongside a fight with Holloway not being ideal, he believes that he has the ability to cause the current titleholder some serious problems if their paths were to cross inside the Octagon.
“I need someone in top 30-20, then maybe another person or two, fight Arnold Allen, knock him out and then fight Ilia Topuria, Max Holloway. Ideally I fight Ilia Topuria. Max Holloway has kind of connections to my team, that would be a great fight also but stylistically, I would mess up Ilia Topuria. I don’t care what anyone says.”
The last two years has brought about a sea of change in some of the UFC’s weight divisions, with new champions such as Dricus Du Plessis, Ilia Topuria and Leon Edwards ousting some established names on their way to the top.
With this influx of new title holders comes a changing of the guard. Some former champions have to get back in line and attempt to climb the mountain once more, while some other members of the ‘old guard’ may be watching their last opportunities at claiming UFC gold slip through their fingers.
Today, let’s take a look at five fan favourites who should have won UFC gold, but most likely won’t.
Dustin Poirier
Poirier fell short of the mark during his third (and likely final) attempt at winning an undisputed UFC title when he was submitted by the pound-for-pound number one Islam Makhachev in the fifth round of their encounter at UFC 302 earlier this year.
https://youtu.be/V6qcxW2dwMc?si=3NFUKh2HZTy4c09x
“The Diamond” made his UFC debut way back in January of 2011 when he faced Josh Grispi at UFC 125. After originally competing as a featherweight, a defeat to Conor McGregor in 2014 convinced Poirier to make the switch to 155lbs. He won nine of his next ten fights to earn a title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019.
Unfortunately for him, he suffered the same result as every other fighter who has ever stepped into the Octagon to face Khabib: heartbreaking defeat. Undeterred, he worked his way back into title contention, memorably picking up two consecutive wins over his old foe Conor McGregor, before again suffering a submission loss in a world title fight when he faced Charles Oliveira in December of 2021.
To add insult to injury, Poirier was knocked out in spectacular fashion by Justin Gaethje when the pair fought for the vacant BMF title in 2023.
Back in 2011, “El Cucuy” knocked out three opponents to make it to the finals of The Ultimate Fighter Season 13, where he stopped Ramsay Nijem inside the first round to earn himself a UFC contract.
The UFC booked the pair to fight on five separate occasions between 2015 and 2020, but the match up seemed to be cursed and destined never to happen. A combination of injuries to both fighters, a global pandemic, and a bizarre incident with a TV studio cable that resulted in torn knee ligaments for Ferguson meant the fight never came to fruition.
The fifth and final cancellation (due to Covid pulling the plug on UFC 249 ) cost Ferguson a shot at glory, as by that time Nurmagomedov had won the 155lb title by beating Conor McGregor.
When the event eventually did take place, Ferguson found himself standing across from a new opponent: Justin Gaethje. He was soundly beaten in what has turned out to be the first of seven consecutive losses inside the Octagon.
Gaethje, much like his former opponents Poirier and Ferguson, is another fighter who will likely look back on his career when all is said and done and think “what if?”
The former World Series of Fighting world champion arrived in the UFC in 2017 with a reputation for a wild and reckless approach to fighting. After a mixed start to career inside the Octagon, he linked up with coach Trevor Wittman and refined his game, before embarking on an impressive winning run.
The dominant victory over Tony Ferguson at the height of the pandemic in 2020 earned him a title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov. Much like Poirier, however, he was submitted with relative ease by the Dagestani, who announced his retirement immediately afterwards.
A victory over Michael Chandler upon his return a year later was enough to earn him another shot at glory, and he took on Charles Oliveira at UFC 274. “The Highlight” fell short of the mark once again, as “Do Bronx” submitted him in little over three minutes.
After returning to winning ways against Rafael Fiziev, Gaethje took on Dustin Poirier for the BMF title at UFC 291. The second-round head knockout remains one of the finest moments of his storied UFC career and elevated him back into the number one contender spot in the lightweight rankings.
Gaethje put that ranking on the line when he agreed to defend his BMF belt against Max Holloway at UFC 300 earlier this year, and the gamble failed miserably. Gaethje was knocked out in the final second of the five-round match up, and fellow contenders Dustin Poirier and Arman Tsarukyan leapfrogged him in the title picture at 155lbs.
Thompson transitioned into MMA in 2010 after an insanely successful kickboxing career. Between his amateur and professional careers in the kickboxing ring, “Wonderboy” amassed a record of sixty-two wins and zero defeats.
Image: Stephen Thompson IG
After an unbeaten start to his MMA career, he announced his arrival in the UFC with a first-round headkick knockout win over Dan Stittgen in 2012. Thompson won nine of his first ten fights inside the Octagon, beating some notable names such as Johnny Hendricks, Robert Whittaker and Rory McDonald before earning a title shot against then-welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.
Their five-round clash at UFC 205 finished as a majority draw, a result which meant Woodley kept the belt, but many fans felt Thompson should have won. The rematch four months later was ruled a majority decision victory for Woodley, but again many observers had felt that Thompson should have been the one getting his hand raised.
Four wins and five defeats in the years since have meant Thompson being seen as somewhat of a gatekeeper in the welterweight division, and the 41-year-old will surely look back at those two title fights and wonder what might have been.
Nick Diaz
For younger fans of MMA, Nick Diaz’s younger brother Nate will be regarded as somewhat of a superstar in the world of combat sports. For the generation of spectators old enough to remember promotions such as Elite XC, Strikeforce and Pride, 40-year-old Nick Diaz will always be known as a true “O.G.” of the sport.
In two separate stints in the UFC between 2003 and 2011, the older Diaz brother beat legends such as Robbie Lawler and BJ Penn, while also racking up impressive wins over Franks Shamrock, Paul Daley and Takanori Gomi during his sabbatical in other promotions.
In 2012, Diaz lost an interim title fight to Carlos Condit, before losing to UFC welterweight champion George St-Pierre in a title fight the following year. His fight against Anderson Silva in 2015 was retrospectively changed to a “no contest” and a five-year suspension due to a marijuana violation followed.
Conor McGregor has been back in the headlines this week as he hosted his first press conference as part-owner of BKFC ahead of the company’s scheduled event in Marbella, Spain later this year.
The former UFC two-weight world champion was scheduled to fight in the Octagon for the first time in three years at UFC 303 recently, but a foot injury put paid to those plans. Speaking at the BKFC press conference, the Irishman revealed that he only has two fights left on his current contract with the UFC and said that he has ambitions to test the waters inside the bareknuckle ring once those commitments are fulfilled.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at five intriguing options we would love to see “The Notorious” face in BKFC.
Nate Diaz
The rivalry between McGregor and Diaz has simply refused to go away ever since the pair first met inside the Octagon at UFC 196 back in 2016. Diaz took the fight on short notice as a replacement for McGregor’s original opponent Rafael Dos Anjos and shocked the world by handing the then-featherweight champion his first defeat in the UFC.
https://youtu.be/G3ZsRG5gcNY?si=vAOP6EX4-yil60Ug
McGregor won an immediate rematch via majority decision just five months later and it seemed it would only be a matter of time before the pair would square off again. The rubber match never came, however, and Diaz fought out his UFC contract, finishing up with a submission victory over Tony Ferguson in September of 2022.
Although he failed to enter the title picture during his career inside the Octagon, Perry is now regarded as one of the biggest draws in combat sports outside the UFC.
Jorge Masvidal
“Gamebred” was a mainstay in the UFC’s lightweight and welterweight divisions between 2013-2023. He twice fought for the 170lb title against Kamaru Usman but was unsuccessful both times. After leaving the UFC (and temporarily retiring) in 2023 he recently made his first foray into the world of boxing when he faced Nate Diaz.
McGregor invited the former IBF and WBA welterweight boxing champion into his camp as a sparring partner in the lead up to his infamous boxing match against Floyd “Money” Mayweather back in 2017. After sharing multiple clips of McGregor knocking down Malignaggi during the workouts all over social media, tensions between the pair spiralled and rumors circulated that they would meet in a boxing match further down the line.
Malignaggi has carved out a career as a boxing commentator and analyst and has worked on BKFC events since his retirement from fighting. At 42-years-old, could we see him tempted into one more fight with his old rival?
After Nurmagomedov conclusively beat “The Notorious” at UFC 229 back in 2018 to claim the UFC lightweight championship, the Irishman campaigned tirelessly for a rematch. His disappointment at Khabib announcing his retirement just two years later was captured on camera during the filming of his documentary McGregor Forever, and the Dubliner has never missed an opportunity to berate Nurmagomedov when given the chance in the years that have passed.
The UFC has grown exponentially in the years since its inception way back in 1993. While the sport of MMA has come a long way since the days of groin strikes, headbutts and Tank Abbott, the demands placed on the global leader to satisfy an ever-growing audience in this social media-driven world has led to a swollen roster of contracted fighters.
The need to provide content to fulfil contractual obligations with TV networks has meant an increase in the overall number of events the UFC are pumping out these days. There are 53 shows scheduled to take place in 2024 alone, between pay-per-view events and ‘Fight Night’ cards, spread out over international locations such as Brazil, France, the United Kingdom, Abu Dhabi, Australia and of course, the United States.
With many of these events taking place in the relatively low-key surroundings of the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, some of these cards have become less about putting fans in seats and more about ticking off fights on some fighters’ contracts. The biggest names are being kept for the pay-per-views and the rest are being wheeled out with the sole purpose of filling in the gaps.
This Saturday’s Fight Night event (set to be headlined by a strawweight rematch between Amanda Lemos and Virna Jandiroba) is another card loaded with fights lacking in jeopardy and unlikely to have any telling effect on the title picture in any of the UFC weight divisions.
With that in mind, let’s look at five of the more underwhelming main events the UFC have offered up so far in 2024.
Roman Dolidze vs. Nassourdine Imavov, UFC Fight Night, February 3 (UFC Apex)
The UFC’ had a somewhat slow start to 2024. January brought us an underwhelming Fight Night card followed by a PPV event in Canada that lacked star names outside of the main event between Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis. Coming into February, UFC fans were desperately in need of some high-stakes entertainment.
The Apex middleweight showdown between Dolidze and Imavov was not it. A main card entirely devoid of ranked fighters (outside of the main event) offered up one draw and four decisions, with only Randy Brown’s first-round knockout of Muslim Salikhov managing to give viewers something to get them out of their seats.
https://youtu.be/Z6OLxve-G2Q?si=qRqf4ZqaM6mSHNkG
Both main event fighters came into this event in stuttering form. Dolidze hadn’t been seen in competitive action since losing to Marvin Vettori eleven months earlier, while Imavov was coming off the back of a difficult 2023. A decision loss to Sean Strickland early in the year was followed by his summer bout with Chris Curtis being declared a “no contest” after an accidental clash of heads.
A majority decision victory for Nassourdine Imavov after twenty-five less-than-inspiring minutes followed. Both fighters picked up victories last month and seem to be rising through the ranks at 185lbs, but their clash at the Apex last February is not one that will live long in the memory of many UFC fans.
Jack Hermansson vs. Joe Pyfer, UFC Fight Night, February 10 (UFC Apex)
A week later, with UFC 298 on the horizon and the MMA news cycle being dominated by the build-up to Alexander Volkanovski vs Ilia Topuria, fans were treated to another Apex event with a middleweight headliner. This time, admittedly, there was a little more intrigue surrounding the headline match-up as Joe Pyfer was coming off the back of an unbeaten start to his UFC career. “Bodybagz” had won all three of his fights inside the Octagon to that point, and finishes over Alen Amedovski, Gerald Meerschaert and Abdul Razak Alhassan had earmarked the 26-year-old as a fighter worth keeping an eye on.
Jack Hermansson looked like he was being positioned as the man to give up his place in the rankings to Pyfer. The Swede was returning from a year-long absence due to injury and had lost three of his previous five bouts at 185lbs. Against the odds, however, Hermansson derailed the Pyfer hype train and, after a strong opening two rounds from Pyfer, “The Joker” picked off his opponent from range over the remainder of the fight and walked away with a 48-47 scorecard from each of the three judges.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Shamil Gaziev, UFC Fight Night, March 2 (UFC Apex)
UFC 298 and the Fight Night that was held in Mexico City a week later gave fans a reminder of how good the atmosphere can be when big crowds and exciting fights are paired together. Ilia Topuria’s title victory in Anaheim, California followed by Brandon Royval’s win over Brandon Moreno the following week meant February had its’ fair share of entertainment inside the Octagon.
Fans were brought back down to earth with a bang on March 2nd however, as perennial heavyweight gatekeeper Jairzinho Rozenstruik was paired with Shamil Gaziev. Although Gaziev came into this event unbeaten at 12-0, the Bahraini fighter had only made one appearance inside the Octagon so far and many fans seemed perplexed at his positioning in the headline slot of a UFC event so soon.
Image: Jairzinho Rozenstruik IG
The gulf in class was evident as Gaziev was utterly dominated by “Bigi Boy” from the off. After four one-sided rounds, a bruised and battered Gaziev was deemed unfit to continue following an inspection by referee Marc Goddard. Not only did Gaziev pick up the first loss of his professional career, his positioning in the main event slot so soon after signing with the UFC drew plenty of criticism from fans and fighters alike.
Tai Tuivasa vs. Marcin Tybura, UFC Fight Night, March 16 (UFC Apex)
Just two weeks later, in the wake of UFC 299, the “new normal” resumed in the UFC Apex as heavyweights Marcin Tybura and Tai Tuivasa collided in the main event of an event that featured such names as Ange Loosa, Isaac Dulgarian and Brian Battle on the main card.
https://youtu.be/AAzOlhvQaNs?si=t5np0uJB0GkpTjjY
Tybura’s first-round submission victory would be his eighth win in ten fights helping the Polish fighter break into the top ten of the UFC’s heavyweight rankings. His opponent however was riding a three-fight losing streak coming into this bout and with the Australian taking significant damage in his defeats to Cyril Gane, Alexander Volkov and Sergei Pavlovich, the discussion among the MMA community in the wake of this defeat centred around whether or not “Bam Bam” should retire.
As it would turn out, Tybura made quick work of Tuivasa and the fight didn’t even see two minutes of action. Another underwhelming main event into the books, then.
Derrick Lewis vs. Rodrigo Nascimento, UFC Fight Night, May 11 (St. Louis)
April brought fight fans one of the most memorable fight cards in the history of the sport. UFC 300 was packed from top to bottom with current or former champions, and the knockouts delivered by Alex Pereira and Max Holloway during the main card will go down in history as two of the most exciting finishes inside the Octagon.
Lewis knocked out Nascimento in the main event but the fight failed to cause a ripple in the heavyweight rankings. “The Black Beast” had lost four of his previous six fights and is unlikely to enter the heavyweight title discussion anytime soon, while Nascimento had won three consecutive split-decision victories over unranked opponents prior to facing Lewis.
https://youtu.be/v5V07FuNqMw?si=CRsNMTozbW_T7h2r
It seems in the modern world of the UFC, for every title fight or number-one contender match-up fans are granted, they are doomed to sit through multiple filler events behind closed doors at the UFC Apex.
On Saturday, the mixed martial arts leader returned for its latest event, UFC Fight Night: Rose Namajunas vs. Tracy Cortez.
After a rare weekend off in the aftermath of the UFC 303 pay-per-view late last month, the promotion kicked off its schedule for July by bringing the Octagon back to Denver. The main event came in the women’s flyweight division, with surging prospect Tracy Cortez receiving a major opportunity to climb the ranks against Rose Namajunas.
“Thug Rose,” a former two-time strawweight champion, was originally set to do battle with top five contender Maycee Barber. But with “The Future” out injured, the #11-ranked Cortez filled in on short notice, looking to extend her undefeated UFC record by adding the biggest scalp to her résumé thus far.
Elsewhere on the card, prominent names like welterweight veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio, always entertaining lightweight Drew Dober, and middleweight knockout artist Abdul Razak Alhassan were among those making the walk inside Ball Arena.
But did those athletes come together to put on an entertaining night of MMA? Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs. Cortez.
For a while now, the strawweights have quite clearly made up the premier women’s division in the UFC. Before its demise last year, featherweight was virtually non-existent anyway. As far as bantamweight goes, aside from Kayla Harrison and a few names like Irena Aldana, underwhelming. Flyweight? Well…
Across a number of years, the 125-pound weight class could be summed up as Valentina Shevchenko destroying her competition and a group of largely uninteresting contenders battling for a second place that not many paid attention to.
Now, with a new champion at the helm, a fresh crop of actually high-level and intriguing contenders, and some seriously talented up-and-comers, the tide has firmly turned in the women’s flyweight division.
When it comes to the third of those groups, one of the leading names was in action on Saturday night as Luana Santos moved to 3-0 on MMA’s biggest stage. The Brazilian welcomed Mariya Agapova back to the cage after a two-year layoff. Just like her previous fight in 2022, the Kazakh was left getting the life squeezed out of her while locked in a gruesomely tight rear-naked choke.
Despite her best efforts to fight the hands, Agapova was forced to tap out. And with that, Santos has joined Natália Silva and Karine Silva as another Brazilian prospect threatening to shake up a flyweight title picture that already boasts rising names like Manon Fiorot, Erin Blanchfield, and Maycee Barber.
Oh, and a fourth category I forgot to mention: gritty flyweights who will just throw down. Thanks Jasmine Jasudavicius and the debuting Fatima Kline for reminding me with one of the night’s best fights.
Speaking of Jasudavicius, however…
Negative – Dirty
So are we just going to ignore what Jasudavicius did at the end of her fight?
Jasudavicius once again delivered the goods inside the Octagon, pitching a shutout against a highly regarded newcomer in Kline. Unfortunately, she pulled off a dirty and classless move to add a stain to the result.
After attempting a choke in the final seconds, the horn sounded. Instead of releasing the hold and returning to her feet following the conclusion of the fight, the Canadian released it and launched an elbow at her opponent’s head.
In a similar case earlier in the night, Andre Petroski had already began to throw his punch at Josh Fremd when the first-round horn sounded. Jasudavicius had not. Just like Kline was aware that the fight had ended when she was released from the submission attempt, Jasudavicius knew that the fight had ended when she opted to take a cheap shot at her opponent.
For whatever reason, not much was said by the commentary team about the illegal shot, and it wasn’t exactly a hot topic on social media either. Perhaps that’s down to Kline’s reaction, which saw her avoid any animosity and simply move on.
But having also pulled the hair of Tracy Cortez in their 2023 fight, Jasudavicius is going the right away about gaining a reputation for ugly antics.
Montel Jackson has something in his hands reminiscent of dynamite.
The 32-year-old Wisconsin native has long been one of the bantamweight division’s most intriguing prospects. But that’s been the case for years, with inactivity preventing him from rising the ranks toward those in contention at 135 pounds and fulfilling his potential.
Prior to Saturday’s event in Denver, Jackson hadn’t competed in 15 months since a statement knockout of Rani Yahya at the Apex. With those kind of gaps between fights, an emphatic performance is required in a return fight to remind the division.
That’s now five straight wins for Jackson and eight in his last nine. That form should bag a chance to climb the ladder next time out, providing that “Quik” is able to get back in the cage relatively soon.
For the sake of his own career and for the enjoyment of us, the fans, the quiker (intentional, again…) he makes the walk again, the better.
Positive – Uppercut From Hell
The term ‘turn up for the books’ comes to mind…
One of the most intriguing matchups on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card pitted the highly touted Joshua Van against former LFA champion Charles Johnson in the featured prelim. The Burmese prospect entered the Octagon with a perfect 3-0 UFC record in tow and many predicting big things for him.
And through two rounds, it appeared the unblemished nature of his Octagon slate and big forecasts for success down the line would continue. Van was simply too good for Johnson in most exchanges and should have raced to a lead on the scorecards (he somehow didn’t, with one judge instead having Johnson up two rounds).
In round three, though, tables turned in a gigantic way. “InnerG” came out from his corner to throw down, and “The Fearless” lived up to his moniker by obliging. That ultimately led to his downfall, however, as he found himself backpedaling after getting rocked.
From what we’ve seen, it’s hard to say that Johnson has the talent to make a real run up the 125-pound pecking order. But with three wins from three fights in 2024, and having turned away the challenges of promising prospects like Van and Azat Maksum, it’s easy to acknowledge “InnerG” as one of the flyweight division’s most entertaining names.
When it comes to setting the tone, the main card opener in Denver firmly failed.
The middleweight matchup between Abdul Razak Alhassan and Cody Brundage always looked likely to deliver a quick finish. And it was the Ghanaian powerhouse on track to finding it after putting pedal to the metal from the word go.
Unfortunately, “Judo Thunder” soon began losing control of his offense and finding the back of Brundage’s head. Despite referee Dan Miragliotta’s warnings, Alhassan threw another particularly egregious elbow to the back of the head, leading to an intervention.
Now, I neither want to guess the effect the blatantly illegal blows had on Brundage nor accuse him of looking for a way out. But as soon as the fight was paused, there was zero doubt in my mind that it wouldn’t restart. Perhaps that was due to the memory of Brundage’s disqualification win over Jacob Malkoun last year.
On this occasion, the American didn’t get a free win. And while it wouldn’t be ideal for him to have had another DQ win added to his record, I find it hard to see the logic in Miragliotta not ruling it as such. At one point do multiple illegal shots post-numerous warnings become not accidental? And even if the argument is that Alhassan was just careless, should that not be better punished?
The accurate and consistent enforcement of rules in MMA remains an uncrossed bridge toward absolute sporting legitimacy.
#UFCDenver Official Result: Abdul Razak Alhassan vs Cody Brundage is declared a No Contest (accidental blows) at 0:37 of Round 1
Some fights just can’t possibly underdeliver on how they appear on paper. Drew Dober vs. Jean Silva is among ‘some fights’.
Silva has had some two weeks. First, he had the disappointment of missing weight ahead of UFC 303, but that asterisk on his International Fight Week outing was largely erased when he put in a violent showing to knock out Charles Jourdain.
A move up to lightweight was not surprising, but just 14 days later to square off against a formerly ranked contender at 155 pounds like Dober? Yeah, that was a shock.
It’s hard to think of many assignments for a divisional debut that come tougher than Dober, but “Lord Assassin” did not make it look as such. From the very first seconds, he found a home for his shots, leaving his veteran opponent leaking from above the right eye in the first round.
In round two, Dober gave as good as he got at times, even landing the kind flush superman punch that brings out a joyous giggle from hardcore fans. But toward the end of the frame, a stiff spinning elbow from Silva (joyous giggle 2.0) further opened up the cut above the American’s eye.
Speaking of spinning elbows, the Brazilian landed another in round three, and that was all she wrote. The ringside physician rightly took one look at the gaping hole in Dober’s eyebrow and said enough was enough.
Alex Pereira’s recent successful defense of his light heavyweight title at UFC 303 has added the Brazilian’s name to the ever-growing list of fighters who have successfully changed weight divisions within the UFC.
Today we take a look at some of the most notable examples (along with a few that didn’t fare quite as well).
CONOR McGREGOR
The original ‘champ-champ’. The first man to simultaneously hold championship belts in two different weight divisions. “The Notorious” signed with the UFC back in 2013 having won both the featherweight and lightweight titles in Cage Warriors and within two-and-a-half years he knocked out Jose Aldo to claim the 145-pound belt.
Image: Conor McGregor IG
Less than a year later, he put on perhaps the best display of his career when he beat Eddie Alvarez at the iconic Madison Square Garden to claim the 155-pound strap. He has also competed in the welterweight division, fighting Nate Diaz twice and Donald Cerrone. His recent (now postponed) comeback bout against Michael Chandler had been set to take place over five rounds at 170 pounds.
DANIEL CORMIER
“DC” enjoyed huge success fighting as a heavyweight prior to signing with the UFC in 2013. He beat Antonio “Big Foot” Silva and Josh Barnett to win the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix in 2012 and began his UFC career with wins over former heavyweight champion Frank Mir and Roy Nelson, before making the decision to move down to 205 pounds as his teammate Cain Velazquez was the heavyweight champion at the time.
https://youtu.be/4NCHPFS7VzQ?si=PPthrGer2lHnEjBH
Cormier submitted Anthony “Rumble” Johnson in 2015 to claim the vacant light heavyweight title, and three years later, he made the decision to move up and challenge then-champion Stipe Miocic for the heavyweight title. He shocked the world by knocking out Miocic in the first round, although the Cleveland-born firefighter gained his revenge by beating Cormier twice in 2019/2020, retiring him from the sport.
Image: Robert Whittaker Instagram
ROBERT WHITTAKER
“Bobby Knuckles” signed with the UFC back in 2012 off the back of some impressive performances on The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes and had mixed results during his time competing in the welterweight division. He won three of his first five fights, but losses to Court McGee and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson convinced Whittaker to test the waters at 185 pounds.
What followed was an eight-fight winning streak, wins over the likes of Yoel Romero and “Jacare” Souza and the UFC middleweight title. Whittaker lost the belt to Israel Adesanya in 2022 but is still riding high in the division and finds himself in the title picture once again after his recent knockout victory over Ikram Aliskerov.
HENRY CEJUDO
The 2008 Olympic gold medalist won his first four fights inside the Octagon to earn a shot at then-UFC flyweight champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson back in 2016. Although Cejudo was knocked out in the first round, he soon worked his way back into title contention with some impressive victories over Wilson Reis and Sergio Pettis.
The rematch was a much closer affair, and “Triple C” ended Johnson’s record-breaking title reign and emerged victorious by way of a contentious split decision. A year later he moved up to 135lbs to challenge Marlon Moraes for the vacant UFC bantamweight title. He finished Moraes and then beat former champion Dominick Cruz in his first title defence in 2020, before relinquishing his belt and announcing his retirement, in what seemed like a power play due to contract issues with the UFC.
3 Fighters Who Moved Down A Weight Division…With Disastrous Results!
TJ DILLASHAW
TJ Dillashaw enjoyed two separate runs as UFC bantamweight champion. He shocked the MMA world when he destroyed Renan Barao at UFC 173 to capture the 135-pound belt. After losing the title to Dominck Cruz two years later, he regrouped and beat Raphael Assuncao and John Lineker to earn another shot at gold.
He knocked out former teammate Cody Garbrandt (who had won the belt from Cruz a year earlier), and after finishing “No Love” again in a rematch, made the decision to cut to 125 pounds to challenge Henry Cejudo for the flyweight title.
The decision proved disastrous. Dillashaw was knocked out after just 32 seconds, and a couple of months later it was announced he had been suspended for two years by USADA due to testing positive for EPO in the lead-up to the Cejudo fight.
He returned after his suspension ended and beat Cory Sandhagen to earn another shot at the 135-pound belt but went into the fight against Aljamain Sterling carrying a serious shoulder injury and was finished easily. He has since walked away from the sport.
CODY GARBRANDT
Cody Garbrandt came into that first bantamweight title fight with TJ Dillashaw unbeaten at 10-0 and riding high off the back of a career-best performance against Dominick Cruz. The two losses he suffered at the hands of Dillashaw seemed to affect him badly. He was also knocked out by Pedro Munhoz in his next fight, and although he would claim a highlight reel finish over Raphael Assuncao in 2020, a defeat to Rob Font soon afterwards convinced him a change was needed.
Image: Cody Garbrandt Instagram
With no discernible path back into the bantamweight picture, “No Love” decided to make the cut to 125 pounds for a fight against Australian flyweight contender Kai Kara-France at UFC 269. Another first-round knockout defeat followed, and Garbrandt stepped away from the spotlight for a much-needed break.
His return to the bantamweight division has been a little less calamitous. Wins over Trevin Jones and Brian Kelleher, followed by a submission loss to Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 300, have hinted that perhaps his future lies slightly outside of the title picture for now, but most definitely should be at 135 pounds.
DAN HOOKER
“The Hangman” picked up a string of impressive wins in the UFC’s lightweight division between 2017 and 2021, beating the likes of Paul Felder, Al Iaquinta, Gilbert Burns, and Jim Miller. His record at 155 pounds during that five-year spell sits at eight wins and four defeats, but losses against the biggest names in the division such as Michael Chandler, Dustin Poirier and Islam Makhachev convinced the Australian to think about a move down to featherweight.
Image: UFC.com
His featherweight debut against Arnold Allen in London, England ended disastrously. At six-feet tall, Hooker looked frail and weakened at 145 pounds and Allen destroyed him in little over two minutes. Hooker has since returned to the lightweight division and reeled off victories over Claudio Puelles and Jalin Turner.
One thing we know for certain: finding the right weight class is of paramount importance for a fighter. It can be the defining factor between a promising career and a championship legacy in the highly demanding world of the UFC.
Read More: Jon Anik Maintains Conor McGregor Has ‘An Itch That Can Only Be Scratched In The Octagon’ Amid UFC Return Uncertainty
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker expects his division’s title picture to soon have another Australian making waves.
Whittaker is one of the most experienced high level competitors in MMA today. He has been considered to be right at the top of the 185-pound weight class ever since 2017 when he became the interim champion by defeating Yoel Romero at UFC 213, and he’s still in the title picture to this day.
With that in mind, “The Reaper” is an excellent judge of whether fighters have what it takes to swim with the sharks. In his opinion, one of his close teammates and training partners is just waiting for the opportunity to live up to his potential…
Robert Whittaker Says Teammate Jacob Malkoun Has What It Takes To Fight The Best In The World
Speaking in an interview with MMA News, Whittaker was asked to name some of the fighters he will always tune in to watch as a fan favorite himself.
“Well, my teammate, Jacob Malkoun, he’s certainly one that I watch, obviously. But I think that he’s still flying under the radar,” Whittaker said. “I think he had a couple unfortunate weird losses but he’s back in that winning column now and he’s a guy that could fight someone in the top 10 tomorrow I think and like, handedly get his hand raised.”
The 28-year old Malkoun has had an up and down run so far in the UFC since debuting back at UFC 254 in 2020 with just four professional fights under his belt.
He has since secured four wins in seven outings, the latest of which came in March when he stopped Andre Petroski in one of the most unique endings to a fight in some time.
Whittaker believes that his teammate is more than equipped to compete at the top level of the division and hopes that he will get his opportunity to prove that in the near future.
“I think Jacob will beat a lot of people. Like, I cannot stress enough how much trouble he gives me in the gym and I think I’m the best in the world,” Whittaker continued. “He gives me trouble every single day, so the world’s his oyster. I want to see him get a top 10 fight and just cement that.”
June was a big month for the UFC’s middleweight division with several top contenders in action as the upcoming title fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya draws closer.
Former champion Robert Whittaker could have announced himself as the number one contender had Khamzat Chimaev not withdrawn from their main event in Saudi Arabia.
Whittaker ended up facing Ikram Aliskerov where he produced a dominant display to earn a first-round finish.
Earlier in the month, there was controversy in the division after Nassourdine Imavov stopped Jared Cannonier in a call that many believe was made too soon.
Referee Jason Herzog waved the fight off in the fourth round with fans believing that he stopped the fight too early despite some worrying signs from Cannonier.
Robert Whittaker Does Not Envy The Thankless Role Of Being A MMA Referee
In an exclusive interview with MMA News, Whittaker said that he feels some sympathy towards MMA officials for the thankless jobs that they do.
“The Reaper” didn’t agree with the stoppage of that fight but he also didn’t want to be too negative about the call that Herzog made in this instance.
He stated that he understands the frustration of being on the wrong end of an early stoppage and having faced Cannonier in the past, knows that there is no quit in him.
However, Whittaker said that he does not envy the role of the referees, specifically referencing how they never get credit but will always get criticized when a mistake is made.
“Mate, being a ref’s hard. It’s a hard gig and it’s easy to point the finger at a ref for being trigger happy or pulling a fight too late or pulling a fight too short but man, the reality is their job is so hard. So hard. Nobody talks about a ref doing a good job, they only get hammered when they make a mistake or when it’s not to the liking of the fans. It’s a hard gig and I don’t have an opinion on it.”
Here are the some of the other topics Whittaker discussed in the exclusive interview that you can watch in the video above:
Being upset with the media for misrepresenting his injury issue heading into the Aliskerov fight
Reacting to his first KO finish in seven years
On refereeing and how he would change judging in MMA
Explaining his decision not to weigh in at UFC 305 as the backup fighter
Discussing Sean Strickland, Bo Nickal, and Conor McGregor
Predicting how a rematch goes against Dricus Du Plessis
On Saturday night, the mixed martial arts leader returned for its latest pay-per-view event, UFC 303.
International Fight Week unfolded in Las Vegas across recent days, with the headline act taking place inside the T-Mobile Arena. The venue hosted a number of intriguing matchups on June 29, with the championship rematch between Alex Pereira and Jiří Procházka leading the way in main event.
Like those two, Brian Ortega and Diego Lopes were also scheduled to do battle on short notice. But the eventual co-main event matchup brought a whole new meaning to late notice, with Dan Ige stepping in just hours before to replace an ill “T-City.”
The main card was made up of some more prominent contenders like light heavyweight veteran Anthony Smith and bantamweight standout Mayra Bueno Silva, who followed a highly anticipated first bout on PPV between the undefeated and uber-confident Ian Garry and striking specialist Michael “Venom” Page.
Elsewhere, notable names like Joe Pyfer, Cub Swanson, Payton Talbott, and Michelle Waterson-Gomez all looked to leave T-Mobile Arena with victories. But did they come together to form an entertaining night of fights?
Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC 303.
I know empty arenas for the start events is nothing new — in the United States, at least. But it never becomes any less disappointing to see fighters make the walk on a major card, only to compete in the equivalent of a spread out Apex audience.
That’s especially the case when the opening matchup is as intriguing as Ricky Simón vs. Vinicius Oliveira, which pitted a formerly ranked bantamweight and headliner against one of the division’s most exciting up-and-comers.
More than just the fighters missing out on a proper atmosphere, I still can’t wrap my ahead around why those with tickets want to get less for their money.
Do you guys not actually like MMA, or something?
We are 1️⃣5️⃣ minutes away from the start of #UFC303
I can’t remember the last time an MMA fight had a grappling back and forth as entertaining as what Rei Tsuruya and Carlos Hernandez put on at UFC 303.
The pair engaged in submission attempts and the kind of scrambles that have you on the edge of your seat throughout. While Fight of the Night and Fight of the Year contenders are almost entirely made up of striking barnburners, Tsuruya vs. Hernandez was among the most entertaining of this year to date, even if it doesn’t get the widespread recognition.
And given that Tsuruya’s twister attempts came meters away from advertisements for the upcoming Twisters movie, the marketing team for that film no doubt couldn’t believe their luck.
It’s been a while, but it’s time to bring back an old favorite from this editorial surrounding the UFC’s past attitude toward the flyweights…
“Remember when the flyweight division was going to be abolished? Thank goodness common sense prevailed…”
I’ve been able to use that line in four of five event reviews, and each time I’m more and more thankful that one of the most exciting pool of fighters are still able to electrify on MMA’s biggest stage.
Rei Tsuruya & Carlos Hernandez
Image: Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports
Negative – Polar Opposite
Nothing continues the momentum from an enthralling, fast-paced, high-level flyweight fight like classic, unranked heavyweight slop.
Andrei Arlovski and Martin Buday’s heavyweight prelim being painfully dull was expected. But it’s still 15 minutes of my life that I’ll never get back, so it’s going down as a negative regardless.
Neither man appeared keen to engage, and before any sort of strike of note could be thrown, they tired themselves in action-less clinches against the fence.
At this point, it feels like about a decade since “The Pitbull” was in an exciting affair. But having already become champion and competed a countless number of times — not to mention him being 45 years old — it’s hard to send the legend too much criticism. Buday, however, is much harder to defend.
Outside of the rankings (and inside the rankings in some cases), the UFC’s heavyweight division is as bad as it gets. And yet, the likes of Shamil Gaziev find themselves in headline spots.
The silver lining on this occasion? It came so early on in the night.
Andrei Arlovski gets paid several hundred thousand dollars a fight to have terrible clinch-fests on the prelims. This man is the greatest prizefighter in MMA history. #UFC303
Daniel Cormier had his anecdote about betting on Yanis Ghemmouri cut off in violent fashion by Payton Talbott just 19 seconds into their fight. Turns out, -1600 odds were well and truly justified.
With that result coming off the back of a brutal beatdown against the highly touted Cameron Saaiman, it’s hard to find another rising prospect at 135 pounds who has established themselves as a future star quite like Talbott.
For some reason, Talbott appeared to get some hate from the fanbase this week when featuring in promotional material for the UFC and ESPN. I say “some reason” as if we don’t know said reason — insecure MMA fans getting flustered by somebody dressing differently to them and having some color to their nails.
Those same ‘fans’ will be the type who idolize Sean Strickland, whose style couldn’t be further from Talbott’s when it comes to entertainment and the pursuit of finishes.
The 25-year-old is unapologetically himself and has a dry sense of humor that makes his personality shine through on social media. Given how high his ceiling is, we can most likely expect his prominence to only increase each time he steps into the cage.
Some strikes in mixed martial arts — and combat sports as a whole — are just more satisfying than others. An uppercut is certainly in the top tier. Need I say more than Francis Ngannou vs. Alistair Overeem?
Unfortunately, “Lord Assassin” did miss weight. But while that may have hampered how we reflect on his immediate rise up the featherweight ladder following UFC 303, there’s no denying that he delivered one of the night’s top highlights.
The “be Joe Pyfer” movement took a brief pause this past February when veteran middleweight contender Jack Hermansson put in the desirable performance on the night of their UFC Fight Night headliner. But as far as rebound performances go, yeah, fighters would do well to “be Joe Pyfer.”
Before going the distance in a losing effort against “The Joker,” Pyfer was a destructive force in his opening Octagon appearances, stopping Gerald Meerschaert and Alen Amedovski with strikes. When matched up with Marc-André Barriault, it always felt like a similarly violent performance was on the cards, providing February’s setback wasn’t playing too heavily on his mind.
The jury is still out on whether Pyfer can excel against those inside the rankings. But when it comes to dispatching those outside of it, there’s no doubt about the 27-year-old’s ability to leave foes sleeping.
Maybe that heading is a bit harsh on Ian Garry, who had his hand raised over Michael “Venom” Page to kick off Saturday’s PPV card. After all, he survived a challenge from considerably lower in the rankings that he shouldn’t really have needed to face.
Unfortunately, the gulf in numbers next to their name and Page’s history as a longtime Bellator fighter led to the Irishman practically laughing off any suggestion that “MVP” could have success against him. That’s always a curious strategy, because even if that fighter is to back up their remarks by running through their opponent, how are fans supposed to see it as impressive after you’ve spent weeks trashing their abilities?
In the Irishman’s case, he did not back up his words. “The Future” was clearly outmatched on the feet, where Page’s speed edge was obvious and power on display in a second round in which the Londoner landed some big blows on the Dubliner.
I like Garry and I think he has a long future high up the welterweight ladder. But if I’m Leon Edwards, I’m sitting a little more comfortably on my throne after watching the #7-ranked contender’s latest triumph.
I went back and forth on how to categorize the UFC 303 co-main event. Up until it actually happened, this was going to be a negative about yet another change to the lineup and an extremely late issue on the side of Brian Ortega.
But after seeing the fight, the focus absolutely has to be on Dan Ige, whose heart and grit inside T-Mobile Arena brought an unlikely positive.
Ige woke up three weeks out from his return to action against Chepe Mariscal. By the end of the night, he was within the steel surroundings of the Octagon throwing down with Diego Lopes on just hours’ notice.
And his display was not what you’d expect from someone drafted in at such a late hour. He fought valiantly and competitively against Lopes, who also deserves an immeasurable amount of credit for how he handled a tumultuous few days that saw him go from a featherweight fight with Ortega to a lightweight fight with Ortega to a 165-pound catchweight fight with Ige.
The Brazilian ultimately got the job done by winning the first two rounds, but he was made to withstand some heavy blows in the final frame as “50K” threatened to mount a comeback.
When talk of Ige stepping in emerged, my immediate thought was that it shouldn’t happen. And had Ige suffered a difficult loss early on, perhaps that feeling would have stayed. But with a responsible team around him and a more than strong performance, it’s impossible to see Ige saving the day in the way he did as a negative — providing he got paid with a capital P.
It’s difficult to comprehend the position “Poatan” finds himself in. He’s knocking rivals out left, right, and center while in the midst of a second title reign in a second weight class. If somebody would have predicted that after the first round of his UFC debut against Andreas Michailidis, most would have laughed it off.
Of course, a discussion about the type of competition he’s faced is fair. Aside from a hard-fought battle with Jan Błachowicz, “Poatan” hasn’t had his grappling massively tested, and the Polish light heavyweight is by no means among the best on the ground.
But to be quite honest, that fact doesn’t affect Pereira’s status as a budding entrant into the group of all-time greats as much as it should. Perhaps that’s down to his finishing capabilities, continued habit of saving the promotion’s behind at major events, or a personality and humor that means even his lack of English doesn’t keep his star down.
On Saturday, Pereira took the next step toward undeniable greatness by repeating his feat from last November, this time in a fashion that left zero debate or controversy. While Jiří Procházka and many may have been unhappy with the stoppage at UFC 295, it’s a lot easier to look back on that and say with confidence that he wasn’t coming back after what happened at UFC 303.
At first, it appeared the horn to close out the first round had saved “BJP” after he was dropped by Pereira’s renowned left hook. Unfortunately, the extra time only served to send the Czech challenger to an even more brutal fate, as he was sent back to the canvas by a head kick and left wondering where he was by some vicious ground-and-pound strikes.
Enjoy “Poatan” while he’s here, folks, because he is one of a kind.
And in the aftermath of UFC 302, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.
Men’s Pound-For-Pound: While the MMA community remains in hot discussion over Dana White’s insistence that Jon Jones should be above Islam Makhachev, the latest shift in the P4P order has affected the other champion in Jones’ division, interim heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall.
Despite holding gold since knocking out Sergei Pavlovich, the Brit has dropped one place to #13. Benefitting from that is ex-lightweight champ Charles Oliveira, who has moved back up to #12 despite falling short against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300 this past April.
Women’s Pound-for-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Strawweight: No changes.
Women’s Flyweight: No changes.
Women’s Bantamweight: No changes.
Flyweight: Months on from suffering his second straight loss to Tim Elliott last December, Sumudaerji has been removed from the rankings at 115 pounds. In his place, Cody Durden has returned at #15. The American was submitted by Tagir Ulanbekov last time out but had previously won four straight.
Bantamweight: No changes.
Featherweight: No changes.
Lightweight: No changes.
Welterweight: No changes.
Middleweight: Sean Strickland remains the number one contender at 185 pounds following his victory in a lackluster co-main event at UFC 302. His defeated opponent, meanwhile, has slid further from contention, with Paulo Costa down one position at #8 as a result of his second setback this year. His slight fall has boosted Nassourdine Imavov up one place to #7 ahead of his headliner against Jared Cannonier this weekend in Louisville.
MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring the next fight for Mackenzie Dern.
With UFC cards being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.
In recent days, a couple of notable fights were made official by the UFC. For more information on those matchups, check out the links below:
And for more detailed information on one newly booked fight that may have flown under your radar between May 27 and June 2, scroll down and check out this week’s UFC Matchmaking Bulletin spotlighted fight.
Mackenzie Dern vs. Loopy Godinez – UFC Abu Dhabi (August 3)
Mackenzie Dern will look to bounce back from the first losing skid of her professional MMA career when she heads to Abu Dhabi to appear on the UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov undercard.
Dern (13-5) has struggled with consistency since winning four straight upon her return post-pregnancy. After losing her opening two main events to Marina Rodriguez and Yan Xiaonan, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist appeared to level up in an Apex headliner last May, with Dern putting in her strongest display to date against Angela Hill. But the 31-year-old has been unable to build on that, falling to a crushing TKO loss at the hands of Jéssica Andrade last November and a narrow decision opposite Amanda Lemos at UFC 298 this past February.
If Dern is to rebound in the Middle East on August 3, she’ll have to send Loopy Godinez (12-4) onto a losing skid of her own. The Mexican climbed into the top 10 at 115 pounds on the back of a four-fight win streak that included a decision victory over Tabatha Ricci at UFC 295 last November. But in her bid to further climb the ranks in Atlantic City this past March, Godinez was outpointed by Virna Jandiroba.
This strawweight matchup was announced by the promotion.
Headlining was lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev, who put his gold on the line against an established 155-pound contender for the first time. If he was to tie Khabib Nurmagomedov and Benson Henderson’s record for defenses in the division, the Dagestani had to prevent a potential fairytale ending to the career of Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier.
Intrigue was also on the co-headliner, which saw former middleweight champion Sean Strickland enter the cage for the first time since losing his title to Dricus Du Plessis this past January. In his way of a quick rebound victory was the always dangerous (and unpredictable, both verbally and physically) Paulo Costa.
Elsewhere, notable names like Kevin Holland, Randy Brown, Jailton Almeida, and Bassil Hafez all looked to leave Prudential Center with victories. But did they come together to form an entertaining night of fights?
Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC 302.
To the surprise of absolutely nobody, the promotion’s new glove design did absolutely (excuse my French) f**k all to solve the main issue that has long been visible at practically every event.
No matter how many adjectives and long, technical words the UFC put in its announcement of the new design prior to UFC 300, the absence of the word “poke” was immediately pointed to as a concern.
And in a story of irony that even Jim Carrey couldn’t have played up, poor Mitch Raposo had to absorb multiple eye pokes from André Lima.
Spending thousands on a new glove design that solves issues people hadn’t even thought of instead of, you know, just fixing the problem everyone is aware of is quite something from the UFC.
Also, you’re not getting away without a word, too, Herb Dean.
If I hear the words “hard warning” followed by no point deduction after another foul, I’m going to lose my mind. Not only did Lima deliver another poke, he then completed an egregious fence grab while Raposo attempted to take him down.
Superb start to the night.
Negative – Don’t Let It Go To The Scorecards
Whenever I write negatives on judging, I always starts with a note on how I’m among those more inclined to defend the work of those cageside than criticize and believe the debate surrounding judging is largely born out of the fanbase’s lack of understanding regarding the scoring criteria.
The idea that the American won that fight is ludicrous to me following initial viewing, and had another judge followed suit, it would have gone down as a sure-fire robbery — given that I usually mock those who cry robbery after decisions, I don’t use that word lightly.
One thing I will say, however, is the talented Aaron Bronsteter saw things a lot closer than us at home did. While sat behind a judge, the Canadian reporter perceived the bout as a tight affair, reminding us just how different the in-person experience can be.
From one angle cageside, judging isn’t an easy job. It seems like a major flaw of MMA that fights can appear so different depending on whether someone is watching from a judge’s seat or from home.
For what it's worth, I am sitting directly behind one of the judges' positions and not watching the broadcast.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) June 1, 2024
Hammering home the suggestion that UFC 302 fighters should have been particularly keen to find a finish were a pair of 30-27 scorecards for Bassil Hafez a couple of fights later. There’s no doubt in mind that Hafez won, but there’s also little doubt that Mickey Gall’s work in round three was enough to be rewarded.
Oh, and honorable mentions for 29-28 César Almeida, 30-27 Grant Dawson, and 49-46 Paulo Costa (Tirelli, again).
Thankfully, no fighter walked away with a wrong result. But it’s only a matter of time until someone does.
Positive – WAR
The UFC 302 preliminary card was held in decision city. Thankfully, while we did get an utter snoozefest in Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki, we got the opposite when Hafez and Gall did battle.
Topping the early prelims, Hafez proved that his surprisingly strong performance in a short-notice debut against the high-ranked Jack Della Maddalena was no fluke, walking Gall down and landing some heavy blows across the duration of three rounds.
And for Gall, while he may have lost a third straight fight, he was coming from a lengthy layoff following back surgery, and his late rally suggested that he’s set to be a tough out for up-and-coming welterweights moving forward.
The highlight of this fight was the third and final round, with the pair channeling their inner Max Holloway to throw down with reckless abandon in the dying seconds.
Violence was fairly sporadic throughout UFC 302. It was frequent in this clash.
I’m not a religious person, but I pray to whatever higher power may be out there when heavyweights enter the Octagon. What do I ask for? A quick finish and the prevention of a classic full-distance slog.
Of all the people to answer my prayers, Jailton Almeida was a turn up for the books.
That surprise is an exaggeration, of course. Prior to his showdown with Derrick Lewis last November, “Malhadinho” was a prolific and destructive finisher. But five rounds of nothing against “The Black Beast” and a similar strategy against Curtis Blaydes prior to being hammer-fisted to a defeat changed the narrative.
Having had no finishes up to that point and just witnessed close to 15 minutes of control from Dawson, Almeida’s finish was as needed to boost UFC 302 as it was to reinvigorate his career.
Death, taxes, Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier having no clue how fights are scored.
Judging is far from perfect in MMA. Dave Tirelli displayed that much with his work on Saturday night. But equally as worrying as some unjustifiable scorecards is the utter tripe spouted by the UFC commentary team.
It’s nothing new. For years, the likes of Cormier and Dominick Cruz have shown that despite their illustrious fighting careers, they still have zero idea on what the judges are actually looking for. That’s left the latter believing a cut sustained in a later round could influence the scoring of an entire fight.
“DC,” meanwhile, is a serial offender when it comes to nonsense about control time, along with Rogan. They were at it again during UFC 302, suggesting that a near fight-ending choke and clean elbow from the bottom on the side of Joe Solecki wasn’t enough to overcome Grant Dawson’s control time, which came with limited offense.
That is, of course, not true.
The frustrating part here was that only one judge rewarded Solecki for a clear advantage in effective offense that could lead to the conclusion of the fight — as is laid out in the scoring criteria. The immediate weighs more than the cumulative, and that made round one clear for Solecki, in my eyes. Even if you are going to justify the round going to Dawson, you simply can’t do so by mentioning control time.
Oh, but how Rogan and Cormier’s tune changed when it was a Russian laying on top instead of an American.
Roman Kopylov followed his early success in the striking realm by smothering César Almeida on the ground. It was during this exchange when the pair stated that control time wasn’t enough and began discussing standups.
Wouldn’t be clear and obvious bias would it, boys?
The sooner Laura Sanko — the only commentator who seems willing to do her job correctly — is made a permanent fixture cageside, the better.
Negative – Gasper Oliver
I’ve seen some shoddy refereeing in my time, but what Gasper Oliver did at UFC 302 really takes the cake.
The main card opened with Randy Brown vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos. And in a further advert for the promotion’s new glove design, the Brazilian was the victim of a deep eye poke in round one.
Referee Oliver correctly separated the pair and paused the action. Seconds later, though, he randomly insisted the fight continue, denying Zaleski dos Santos any time to recover. When the capoeira specialist endured another poke shortly after, Oliver didn’t even go as far as to stop the bout.
Jason Herzog was fortunately on hand to educate the third man inside the Octagon between rounds, but referees requiring in-cage tuition isn’t exactly encouraging.
Welcome, Gasper Oliver, to the Kerry Hatley tier of officiating.
Gasper Oliver is only reffing until his screenplay gets picked up.
I’m sure whoever decided to bump Alex Morono vs. Niko Price 2 to the main card had their reasons. What those reasons are, however, is unclear.
Originally set for PPV was Almeida vs. Romanov. I’d normally be praising a late switch that saw heavyweights taken off the main slate, but what we got instead was a second chapter to a matchup that delivered an unenjoyable 15 minutes of viewing.
At this point in their careers, power is not something either Morono or Price have in spades. With that, as the pair fatigued and actually resembled the kind of slog I was concerned about seeing from the heavyweights, any vulnerability was offset by what looked to essentially be pillow-fisted punches.
The main card started well with an entertaining scrap from a pair of high-level welterweights. Insert the opposites of “entertaining” and “high-level” and you’ll have an accurate description of the main card’s sophomore bout.
Nothing makes you question your own brain quite like putting a grim injury down as a positive. That’s MMA, folks…
Kevin Holland by way of submission was a strong possibility heading into his short-notice middleweight return at UFC 302. But Holland by way of one of the most gruesome armbars in recent memory was not necessarily on many people’s bingo cards.
Things looked a little scary for “Trailblazer” when he was dropped by a hard Michał Oleksiejczuk left hand. But after he quickly got ahold of the Polish fighter’s arm (to which Oleksiejczuk had the reaction time of a tortoise), he quickly transitioned from on the ropes to on the ascendancy.
I’ll be honest, as Holland twisted his opponent’s arm in unnatural ways, I looked away. Through a gap in my fingers, I did see the moment Oleksiejczuk’s arm bent, snapped, hyperextended — whatever form of mangled it was in. The fact he still didn’t tap is ludicrous.
On a card that had just one finish up to that point, Holland’s quick and violent submission was a welcome moment of shock.
Should we really expect anything different when Sean Strickland fights?
Strickland is a perennial point-fighter, yet we hear shouts of “get ready for a bloodbath” and “we’re gonna go in that cage and try to kill each other for your entertainment” at every press conference.
At this point, can fans just laugh instead of cheer? Because the notion of “Tarzan” going in and brawling anyone is as likely as Joe Biden getting a walkout alongside Dana White at a UFC event.
But, Strickland is extremely good at what he does. No matter what comes back at him (in this instance, not much), it’s impossible not to give him credit for creating a style and implementing it well time and time again.
It’s just a shame that style is among the dullest in the UFC.
Dustin Poirier may not have completed his story in the way he and many had wished for, but the UFC 302 main event was not a bad way to go out.
That’s if “The Diamond” has reached the end, of course. He was noncommittal post-fight as he came to terms with his third failed attempt at reaching the undisputed throne in the UFC lightweight division.
Of his championship performances, none were more impressive than his effort in Newark. “The Diamond’s” improvements since being submitted by Khabib Nuyrmagomedov and Charles Oliveira was evident, and he certainly had Makhachev on the ropes at times.
The Russian standout, however, proved to be too good. And while some choose to detract from his reign owing to the competitive nature of Saturday’s headliner, Makhachev’s performance was more than impressive.
That’s not least on the feet, where the champ pieces Poirier up at times with beautiful combinations. The Makhachev and Khabib debate rages on, but there’s little doubt who has the edge on the feet.
Ultimately, Poirier fell victim to an ankle pick and D’arce choke late on. But after a valiant performance in defeat, the Louisianan cemented himself as a legend of the sport who doesn’t need the undisputed crown on his résumé to deserve top plaudits.
Oh, and after a lackluster event, what a way to finish things off.
While the bantamweight gold was on the line at the venue 13 months ago, this weekend saw Islam Makhachev stake his lightweight title against fan favorite Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier.
Elsewhere on the lineup, Kevin Holland made a successful short-notice return to 185 pounds, Randy Brown made a push for the welterweight rankings at the expense of Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, and Jailton Almeida secured a rebound win following his first UFC loss earlier this year.
With the event concluded, see below for the best photos from UFC 302.
Headlining UFC 302, Poirier is tasked with bringing an end to the reign of Islam Makhachev, a feat that then-featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski failed to achieve in two attempts last year.
The co-main event also boasts considerable stakes, as former middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland looks to remain within touching distance of the belt. Having missed out on an immediate rematch with Dricus Du Plessis, “Tarzan” must stall the ambitions of Paulo Costa, who is facing the prospect of a long journey back up the ladder should he move to 0-2 in 2024.
Also on the lineup, fan favorite Kevin Holland makes the walk as a middleweight once again, top 10 heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida completes a quick turnaround following his first UFC loss this past March, and Randy Brown looks to open the PPV main card in style opposite Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos.
To prepare yourself for tonight’s event, catch up on the latest betting odds here, look back on the faceoffs from Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins here, and follow along with the results and highlights here, live from 6:15 PM ET.
MMA Community Gives Final Thoughts On UFC 302: ‘Poirier By Guillotine!’
UFC 302 will get underway shortly, meaning the buildup and time for talking is almost over.
The MMA community is sure to be locked in and engaged in hot discussion over the events that unfold in the coming hours, but throughout today, plenty have been getting in their late predictions and final thoughts on the momentous occasion.
Dustin could cause one of the biggest upsets in UFC history tonight – unlikely, but what a picture perfect finish to a hall of fame worthy career. #ufc302
Dustin knocks Islam out. Becomes champ for the first time. Leaves the belt and his gloves in the center of the octagon. Rides off into the sunset. #ufc302
Topping the lineup will be the returning Islam Makhachev, who makes the walk for the first time in 2024 having not competed since his second successful title defense against Alexander Volkanovski last October. In “Brick City,” the Dagestani must withstand the threat of fan favorite Dustin Poirier.
Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see former middleweight kingpin Sean Strickland back in action. If he’s to earn a potential shot at redemption against Dricus Du Plessis, the outspoken American will have to get past Paulo Costa.
Also in action on Saturday night will be the always entertaining Kevin Holland, top 10 heavyweight Jailton Almeida, and formerly ranked lightweight Grant Dawson.
Ahead of the event, you can get some help from the group of experts at MMA News by checking out their predictions for the UFC 302 main card here.
UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 302 (as of 5/31), courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Islam Makhachev (-600) vs. Dustin Poirier (+440)
Sean Strickland (-265) vs. Paulo Costa (+215)
Kevin Holland (-290) vs. Michał Oleksiejczuk (+235)
Niko Price (+210) vs. Alex Morono (-258)
Randy Brown (-180) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (+150)
Preliminary Card:
César Almeida (-118) vs. Roman Kopylov (-102)
Jailton Almeida (-325) vs. Alexandr Romanov (+260)
Grant Dawson (-520) vs. Joe Solecki (+390)
Phil Rowe (+136) vs. Jake Matthews (-162)
Early Preliminary Card:
Mickey Gall (+300) vs. Bassil Hafez (-380)
Ailín Pérez (-192) vs. Joselyne Edwards (+160)
André Lima (-285) vs. Mitch Raposo (+230)
Be sure to keep it right here on MMA News tomorrow for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 302!
UFC 302 is now only a couple of days away, and what better way to get hyped for the upcoming pay-per-view than with some MMA News staff predictions for the intriguing card?
The headline act will see gold on the line, as reigning UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev looks to defend his belt against an established 155-pound contender for the first time. After emerging from two challenges against Alexander Volkanovski with the crown still in his possession, the Dagestani is next tasked with stalling the ambitions of Dustin Poirier.
Setting the stage for them in the co-main event, meanwhile, will be two middleweight contenders hoping to secure title opportunities of their own down the line. Having had his calls for a rematch with Dricus Du Plessis fall on deaf ears, former champion Sean Strickland must bounce back at the expense of Paulo Costa if he’s to earn a chance at achieving two-time status.
Elsewhere, Kevin Holland will make a short-notice return to 185 pounds to square off against Michał Oleksiejczuk, Jailton Almeida will look to rebound from his first UFC defeat opposite Alexandr Romanov, and welterweights Randy Brown and Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos battle to kick proceedings off in style on PPV.
UFC 302: MMA News Staff Predictions
Ahead of Saturday’s UFC 302 event, Kyle Dimond, Ryan Jarrell, Thomas Albano, Tyriece Simon, and Andrew Starc have provided their picks for the five-fight main card, which you can see below.
Lightweight Championship Main Event: Islam Makhachev (C) vs. Dustin Poirier
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa
Middleweight: Kevin Holland vs. Michał Oleksiejczuk
Heavyweight: Jailton Almeida vs. Alexandr Romanov*
Welterweight: Randy Brown vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
*Almeida vs. Romanov has since been demoted to the prelims, with Alex Morono vs. Niko Price now set to go down on PPV
Welterweight: Randy Brown vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
Kyle Dimond: The battle of the welterweight top 15 hopefuls opens up the main card in Newark. The Brazilian has a ton of experience and some great wins inside the Octagon. To some extent, the same can be said for his opponent. Both men have been known to suffer defeats to the cream of the crop, so who rises to the top in this one?
For me, Brown has always jumped out as someone with bags of potential if he’s able to put a run together. This could be the moment for him but I’m expecting the durability of his opponent to hold up and for the judges to be required. (Prediction: Randy Brown)
Ryan Jarrell: This welterweight fight will be a really exciting one to kick off the main card. My immediate thoughts were to lean toward Brown due to his striking and five-inch reach advantage. But, Zaleski dos Santos is no joke and could very easily win this fight.
The Brazilian has some big wins earlier in his career over Sean Strickland and Benoît Saint Denis and is (10-3-1) overall in the UFC. I won’t be betting on this fight because I could see it going either way. Right now, I’m going with Brown to utilize his jab and length en route to a decision. But my opinion may change as the fight gets closer.(Prediction: Randy Brown)
Thomas Albano: The first thing that people will always note about Brown is his massive 78-inch reach. It is incredible of a reach for a fighter to have, and Brown knows how to use it well, managing distance while using his boxing. And while his jabs and his combinations are usually his key to success, don’t count out his grappling. Though he hasn’t had a submission win since UFC 261, “Rude Boy” knows how to handle himself on the ground if the time comes for that.
We have only seen Zaleski dos Santos three times since the end of 2020, but he’s 2-0-1 in that span, including a win over a younger Saint Denis. While Zaleski dos Santos has jiu-jitsu in his background, his specialty is his Muay Thai. That means we should be in for a back-and-forth striking battle – though it will be interesting to see, if this fight does go to the ground, how Brown’s long limbs will help him in such an instance.
The problem for Zaleski dos Santos is that he’s approaching 38, and while Brown is no Spring chicken either, his reach, energy, and momentum with more activity (wins in six of seven fights since the start of 2021), force me to give him the edge. (Prediction: Randy Brown)
Tyriece Simon: This fight should be a fun start to the UFC 302 main card. Brown and Zaleski dos Santos are coming into their matchup on two-fight win streaks and aiming to make a run in the welterweight division. That said, I lean toward Brown getting the win here. He has the height and reach advantage to stick behind his jab and utilize leg kicks to pick Zaleski dos Santos apart. If “Rude Boy” can stay at a distance, I think he can win decisively. (Prediction: Randy Brown)
Andrew Starc: Brown has won six of his last seven fights, having most recently knocked out Muslim Salikhov in the first round of their February encounter. Zaleski dos Santos, meanwhile, is undefeated in his last three, with his last bout against Rinat Fakhretdinov ending in a majority draw back in November. In what will likely be a mainly striking affair, I think the rangier and younger Brown will get the nod here. (Prediction: Randy Brown)
Consensus: 5-0 Randy Brown
Heavyweight: Jailton Almeida vs. Alexandr Romanov
Kyle Dimond: Heavyweights are up next and, once again, my money is on the favorite. Almeida did not have a good night last time out against Curtis Blaydes but he’s still proven himself to be in that mix. It was a humbling setback but one that should serve Almeida well going forward as he looks to crack that upper echelon of Blaydes, Ciryl Gane, Tom Aspinall, and Jon Jones.
I haven’t seen much from Romanov as of yet that makes me think he can break into that top group of heavyweights. So, while this isn’t the easiest matchup that is out there for Almeida, I think there could be a gap in quality once both men get tired, paving the way for the Brazilian to score a second-round TKO. (Prediction: Jailton Almeida)
Ryan Jarrell: Almeida will be too powerful and too dynamic for Romanov. I thoroughly expect “Malhadinho” to start fast and win quickly in this heavyweight bout. (Prediction: Jailton Almeida)
Thomas Albano: Big men going to the mat never seems to ring a desirable bell in MMA fans, but that’s exactly what we’re going to get here. If you’re a fan of wrestling and grappling, you’ll probably get a kick out of this one. Almeida was on a big win streak coming into his appearance on DWCS, and he’s continued to impress since then – despite getting knocked out by Blaydes. Almeida’s ground dominance can already be seen on the UFC stat sheets. He holds the UFC records for highest control time and top-position percentage. His 21-plus minutes of control time against Derrick Lewis is one for the UFC’s record books, as well as the nine takedowns he landed in the first round against Blaydes. If it isn’t obvious a
lready, it’s being the one to land the takedowns and unrelenting top-heavy pressure that is Almeida’s key to victory.
That said, his wrestling skills will be tested when he faces another talented man on the mat in Romanov. Like the Brazilian, Romanov, a freestyle wrestler, will also be aggressive and look for takedowns early. But while “King Kong,” has a little bit of a weight advantage (at least based on previous weights between these two fighters), how much success Almeida has had with grappling – in terms of both finishes and control time – might be too much for him to handle. (Prediction: Jailton Almeida)
Tyriece Simon: This is a must-win fight for Almeida. After a lackluster performance against Lewis and a knockout loss to Blaydes, “Malhadinho” needs an impressive win. However, Romanov is a tough opponent to defeat. Both fighters will want to take the bout to the ground, but the Moldovan is the bigger fighter and seemingly has the strength advantage. I also believe “King Kong” will be better in the clinch to get to a takedown. Although Almeida is the favorite, I think Romanov has the skillset to get the job done Saturday night. (Prediction: Alexandr Romanov)
Andrew Starc: Almeida’s rapid rise through the heavyweight ranks was cut short with a TKO loss to Blaydes in March. That was his first defeat in 15 fights, having scored wins against Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Lewis along the way. Romanov, meanwhile, got back in the win column against Blagoy Ivanov in July last year following two straight losses. Given Almeida’s grappling prowess and power, I think this will be an easy win for him. (Prediction: Jailton Almeida)
Consensus: 4-1 Jailton Almeida
Middleweight: Kevin Holland vs. Michał Oleksiejczuk
Kyle Dimond: Holland returns to middleweight in search of a win following back-to-back defeats to top welterweights. Despite going up, he is sure to have a considerable height and reach advantage in this fight. Holland is a dangerous finisher, too, and that’s concerning for Oleksiejczuk considering four of his five UFC losses have been submissions. Holland has got some tricky subs in his locker also, so I can see him hurting his opponent and putting him away early, maybe with a performance bonus in there for good measure. “Big Mouth” back with a big win. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Ryan Jarrell: Holland is back at middleweight and must feel the pressure to come out and look his best after his most recent performance against Michael Page. Oleksiejczuk boasts 14 KO/TKO wins in his career and made his UFC debut all the way back in 2017. We know this guy belongs and is a tough out for anyone. I do expect Holland to capitalize on his seven-inch reach advantage in this matchup and eventually find a club and sub to end the fight. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Thomas Albano: This is a sneaky fun fight that some people might be sleeping on. With 14 of his 19 victories coming by way of KO, we have seen Oleksiejczuk impress with some wicked finishes and powerful displays – just have a look at his finishes of Cody Brundage and Chidi Njokuani. That said, he hasn’t faced the same kind of competition that Holland has. And while “Big Mouth” has the talk (including inside the cage) that makes him either loved or hated, there’s no doubt he can hold his own with the middleweight contenders in the Octagon.
Holland has his own explosive power, and don’t ever count out his grappling. This will be a great experience for Oleksiejczuk and could prove to be a fun fight. However, Holland just has the experience and overall package that’s going to be too much to handle. A win here could also help Holland rebound from back-to-back losses to Jack Della Maddalena and “Venom” Page. Oleksiejczuk has four submission losses in his last five defeats, and “Trailblazer” should be able to take advantage of that with his previously mentioned grappling. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Tyriece Simon: Holland and Oleksiejczuk have the potential to be the Fight of the Night. I believe the critical factor in the matchup is whether Holland’s defense can hold up. Oleksiejczuk tends to swing big punches to try to get a knockout and has the power to do it. If “Trailblazer” can utilize his footwork and head movement to avoid the Polish fighter’s heavy strikes and fight him at a distance, he can finish him. Holland has to be patient and slowly pick Oleksiejczuk apart with jabs and leg kicks early, then ramp up his onslaught in later rounds. I think this will be his game plan, and he’ll outperform Oleksiejczuk to a decision or a knockout. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Andrew Starc: Holland, for me, might be one of the most frustrating fighters to watch. Since that outrageous KO of Ronaldo Souza back in 2020, which seemed to beckon a rise through the ranks, he’s lost six times in 11 fights, including his last two. Oleksiejczuk’s recent record is similarly patchy, but while Holland’s rangy boxing may cause problems, I think the Pole will get it done. (Prediction: Michał Oleksiejczuk)
Consensus: 4-1 Kevin Holland
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa
Kyle Dimond: Here comes the wildcard. Everything about this fight screams a Strickland decision win. He’s defensively aware and weaponizes his cardio, two factors that make him a tough fight for Costa. However, if there’s anyone that can out-crazy Strickland, it might be “Borrachinha.” Strickland’s recent losses, aside from the left hand of doom from “Poatan,” have come from the downsides to his style. Against Jared Cannonier and Dricus Du Plessis, he did well but saw rounds slip away, and with Costa not being intimidated by the jabs coming back at him, he might be able to win any round that’s competitive through sheer output and because his strikes are more eye-catching.
I’m not sure whether the pressure of Strickland is going to work as well against such an imposing figure in Costa, and without the former champion being able to make the Brazilian second guess himself, his toughness will keep him in the fight over five rounds and he may be able to take three of them on the cards. (Prediction: Paulo Costa)
Ryan Jarrell: This co-main event fight should be a very interesting stylistic matchup. I’m curious to see what kind of a gameplan Strickland has against the powerful Costa. If the former champion fights smart and doesn’t try to fight “Borrachinha” the way he did Alex Pereira, I think he will grind out a win. I believe this will be the Fight of the Night and end in a narrow decision leaving many bettors upset that their parlays were busted. (Prediction: Sean Strickland)
Thomas Albano: Strickland is going to have quite the test for his first fight back since losing the title. While I haven’t always been the biggest fan of Costa’s performances in the Octagon, he poses an interesting challenge in that he has power that Strickland has arguably never seen in the cage before. It’s also arguable to say “Tarzan” hasn’t had the greatest track record when facing upper-level competition at middleweight, but his upset of Israel Adesanya has landed him here.
This could be a fun battle, given how similar these two men can be in the cage. Both like to be aggressive in their striking and have strong wrestling backgrounds. I, however, give the edge to Strickland for two reasons. One, I see Strickland being the more aggressive of the two when it comes to his output. Two,
with this being a five-round bout, the American has more experience competing in these kinds of fights. Costa, in fact, has only gone 25 minutes just one time – when he and Marvin Vettori competed at light heavyweight in late 2021. Could Costa land some damaging shots? Maybe, but I see Strickland outlasting him in a fight that goes the full way. (Prediction: Sean Strickland)
Tyriece Simon: This matchup is intriguing as both fighters generally love to be the ones pressuring their opponent. Strickland tends to overwhelm his foes by outworking them with his striking activity, while Costa utilizes his power to shut down his competitors. The winner of this fight will be who advances and puts their opponent on the back foot.
Costa will possibly be the aggressor in the first round. If Strickland can weather the storm, use that variation of the Philly Shell that he has had success with, and counter with 1-2 combos, he can build momentum for the second round. At that point, I think “Borrachinha” will slow down and the work Strickland put in the previous round will pay off. I’m not sure the former champion can finish Costa, but he can outwork him to a decision. (Prediction: Sean Strickland)
Andrew Starc: While Strickland lost his middleweight crown in his last outing, it was by the narrowest of margins. His cardio and solid striking are going to cause problems for Costa. While having a good showing in his most recent loss to Robert Whittaker, the Brazilian doesn’t look to be a true threat to the elite of the division. Unless Costa lands something wild, I can’t see Strickland losing on points. (Prediction: Sean Strickland)
Consensus: 4-1 Sean Strickland
UFC Lightweight Title: Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier
Kyle Dimond: Gilly or no gilly, it’s hard to pick Poirier in this one. If he fought Makhachev 10 times, I’d imagine he’d win just a few times, and I don’t think Newark is going to be his night — not with the current form of the champion. “The Diamond” is far too good to be counted out and I’m not willing to write him off. But, the simple fact of the matter is it’s hard to favor anyone in the division over Makhachev right now.
There’s several names I think would be a tougher matchup for the champ, at least on paper. We ride into New Jersey as a silly gilly-jumping gaggle, but ultimately, Makhachev will come out on top with a tap of his own. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Ryan Jarrell: Poirier is one of my favorite mixed martial artists and I very much want to pick him here to secure a massive upset and finally become the undisputed champion. Unfortunately, my head tells me that Makhachev is just too well rounded for him.
The American is incredibly gritty and has the ability to stun and put out anyone. I just think the Dagestani will resort to his wrestling if he gets in any major trouble in this fight. I hate to say it, but ultimately I think the champ gets ahold of Poirier’s neck and finishes him with a gilly. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Thomas Albano: With Khabib Nurmagomedov’s fighting days now behind him, Poirier gets one more crack to be the UFC lightweight champion. Unfortunately for him, he’s going to be taking on Khabib’s protégé in Makhachev. Even more unfortunate? “The Eagle” has been working with Makhachev in training camp and will be in the champ’s corner on Saturday night. Khabib and Poirier met for the lightweight title back at UFC 242 in September 2019. While “The Diamond” gave Khabib a scare with his now-known jumping of the gilly, the then-champ controlled a significant amount of the action, putting Poirier away in the third with a choke. Khabib has noted in previous interviews and hype packages that he’s using what he knows of Poirier’s strengths and weaknesses in training the current lightweight king.
Granted, Poirier has evolved over the years. And one place he’ll have the advantage is on the feet. It sounds boring to say that this is a typical striker vs. grappler matchup, especially considering what we saw Makhachev do to Alexander Volkanovski in October. But, there’s a big difference between Volkanovski – who was coming up 10 pounds, fighting on short notice, and was a bit drained from all of his in-cage activity – and one of the best 155-pound fighters of the modern day. If Poirier can somehow keep this fight standing – and resist his desire to jump the gilly – then just maybe he can pull off the upset.
But that’s easier said than done; Makhachev is a smart man, and he will probably just takedown and wrestle Poirier in the same way his mentor did. (Note: Charles Oliveira even had plenty of control time on Poirier, even though he never landed a takedown on the stat books!) And if that happens, unfortunately for “The Diamond,” it could be the same as it ever was in his third undisputed title fight. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Tyriece Simon: In what is potentially Poirier’s last fight, I’m not sure he can defeat Makhachev. I believe “The Diamond” has the striking ability to give the UFC lightweight champion issues. However, the most significant factor of the fight will be the challenger’s cardio. Lately, Poirier seems to slow down quicker with heavy activity in a fight early as he has gotten older. I’m certain Makhachev is mixing up his striking and grappling to confuse his opponent and sap away Poirier’s energy.
It will be a tough night for the Louisianan if Makhachev can get Poirier backing up early and put his back against the cage. The veteran contender has to keep the fight standing to give himself a chance. It may also be beneficial to attack the body of Makhachev and not head hunt early on to slow him down. Poirier also needs to focus on trying to get up rather than going for a submission if he does end up on his back. As good as Poirier is on the ground, he’s less likely to get a submission win over Makhachev and would sacrifice control time to his opponent. Ultimately, I believe the champ will be too much for Poirier on Saturday. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Andrew Starc: I can’t see Makhachev losing this one. This is Poirier’s third shake at the title, and while he’s shown his elite caliber over the years, most recently with his KO of Saint Denis in March, I don’t think he has an answer for Makhachev’s grappling. I think this one might go the same way for Poirier as his first title shot against Khabib.(Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Consensus: 5-0 Islam Makhachev
That’ll do it for our UFC 302 staff picks! What do you think? Do your picks look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the UFC 302 undercard below.
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: César Almeida vs. Roman Kopylov
Lightweight: Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki
Welterweight: Phil Rowe vs. Jake Matthews
Welterweight: Niko Price vs. Alex Morono
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Mickey Gall vs. Bassil Hafez
Women’s Bantamweight: Ailín Pérez vs. Joselyne Edwards
Flyweight: André Lima vs. Mitch Raposo
Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com tomorrow for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 302!
It was the moment Kayla Harrison’s dream was shattered. Sitting cageside at UFC 269, the two-time PFL women’s lightweight champ watched in disbelief as monumental underdog Julianna Peña took the back of Amanda Nunes, sunk in a rear-naked choke, and forced the Baddest Woman on the Planet to tap.
For months, speculation had been rife that Harrison, at the time testing free agency, would soon sign with the UFC, face Nunes, and perhaps become the first to dethrone the seemingly unbeatable Brazilian. But as she watched Peña beat her to it, Harrison knew that the opportunity of her career—to defeat the GOAT and thereby claim the title for herself—had just passed agonizingly by.
Kayla Harrison’s hilarious reaction to Nunes getting beat #UFC269
Perhaps Nunes’ defeat factored into her decision. The massive spectacle (and payday) that a matchup with the Brazilian promised is now a far less attractive prospect. That aside, it seems there are other compelling reasons why Harrison may have made the right decision—both financially and for her long-term career.
Why Staying In The PFL Is Good For Harrison’s Career
As inexperienced Kayla is, the opponents thrown her way in the PFL are even more so. Her last opponent, Taylor Guardado, had a pro MMA career spanning less than two years and four fights when the duo met in October last year. Her opponent before that, Genah Fabian, had just five fights. And if Harrison’s opponents aren’t inexperienced, they have worryingly checkered records. When she fought Mariana Morais in May last year, the Brazilian was 16-10.
PHOTO: ESPN
Sure, Harrison has looked impressive, having ended seven of her twelve fights in the first round. But whether she can defeat someone like Amanda Nunes, whose 14-year, 26 fight career has mostly taken place in the UFC, is highly debatable. Fighting Nunes or Peña now would certainly be in their favor, and if Kayla were to lose, it would irreparably damage her star power. Fighting them after a few more years growing as a mixed martial artist in the PFL will surely be in Harrison’s.
And why not stay and work on her game in the PFL, where she’s made $2 million by winning the lightweight tournament in the last two years? And now with her new contract, Harrison is reportedly the highest-paid female mixed martial artist of all time. Despite the UFC offering Harrison a “first-of-its-kind” deal during her free agency, even its president, Dana White, believes the easy, more-than-generous paydays she earns in the PFL are too good to give up.
“They pay her an obscene amount of money to fight over there,” White said of Harrison’s PFL stint in October. “If I was her, I’d stay right where she is and keep picking off the people over [there]. When you come here [chuckles], Amanda Nunes is no joke; Shevchenko is no joke; Rose Namajunas—these are all the best women in the world, the best female fighters in the world.”
The Personal Reasons Keeping Kayla Harrison In The PFL
Part of the reason why Harrison made the decision, it seems, is because she’s motivated by conflicting ambitions. Yes, she wants to prove she’s the best. But having recently acquired legal guardianship of two children, her quest for GOAT status has become complicated by the need for financial security.
“Three years ago, I would have said legacy,” Harrison said of her ambitions in a February interview with ESPN. “That’s all I give a shit about. My advisers, they care about security. Obviously, I have two kids now, so for me, as hard as it is, security comes first. I have to make sure. There’s no guarantees in this life. There’s no certainties. I could snap my neck tomorrow and never fight again. Security is important. But if I can find a way to have security and continue to build my legacy, I think that’s a winner.”
The question is: can Harrison have her cake and eat it too?
Kayla Harrison (Image Credit: PFL MMA)
The Less Travelled Road To GOAT Status In The PFL
Having been given assurances by the PFL, Kayla Harrison earnestly believes that she’ll get the big, legacy-building fights while fighting in the promotion. And one matchup that she feels will help her on the road to GOAT status is with Bellator featherweight champ Cris Cyborg, which PFL founder Donn Davis has promised to aggressively pursue through a cross-promotion.
“When I talked to Donn, and one of the things that really sort of put my worries about my legacy to rest, was he was like, ‘Listen, ‘I don’t care if we have to do this on the Moon, I don’t care if we have to cross-promote, co-promote, we’re going to make this fight happen. This is the fight to make happen,’” Harrison told The Underground this month. “I was like, ‘Well, hell yeah, it is. Let’s go.’”
Unlike the UFC, which is notoriously unwilling to stage a cross-promotion fight, there’s a good chance that Bellator will, having previously done so with Rizin Fighting Federation in 2019. But even if Harrison were to land a big-money fight with Cyborg, defeating her would by no means confer GOAT status in the eyes of fans.
So, is Harrison sacrificing her prime years in a promotion that many, including Peña, regard as the ‘B-Leagues?’ There’s certainly an argument for that. But by staying in the PFL for a few more years, Harrison will emerge a much more complete fighter. And if she does enter the UFC in the future, she’ll undoubtedly have a much more realistic chance of becoming the greatest of all time.
What do you think? Was staying in the PFL the right move for Kayla Harrison?
Yesterday at UFC London did it yet again. It was another come-from-behind submission victory for the Scot, as he submitted Nikita Krylov in the very first round. However, on this day four years ago, we ran a column about Craig’s historic finish over Magomed Ankalaev.
Craig’s victory last night over Kyrlov not to mention his many other submissions wins helps support the argument in the following piece, which is that Craig was not at all lucky to submit Magomed Ankalaev years ago, even if it was on short notice. That’s because when you’re in a fight with Paul Craig, every second matters.
The following article was published on this day four years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form courses of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 20, 2018]
High school students in Scotland were used to staring at Paul Craig as the clock ticked on slowly. If Paul Craig’s classroom was anything like so many American classrooms around the country, you can be sure that regardless of how much they enjoyed Mr. Craig’s class, they would much rather be home playing video games, Netflix and chilling, or doing whatever it is Scottish teenagers do…STV and chill? In any event, I think it’s a safe bet that these students would count the minutes down to the seconds for when the class would be dismissed, and they would be free to go on about their day…if only that darn clock would just hurry up.
What was also considered a safe bet was betting on Magomed Ankalaev to defeat Paul Craig…so much so that Ankalev closed as a -700 favorite for the bout. In listening to the many different breakdowns and perspectives about this fight from various experts and analysts, one thing seemed to be unanimous: Not only was Ankalav a justified monster favorite, but Paul Craig stood next to no chance to win. In fact, when it comes to safe bets, Ankalev seemed to be arguably the safest bet of 2018 among both experts and betters, save Cris Cyborg.
What was peculiar to me was the extent to which every expert seemed to be overlooking Paul Craig’s submission game. It’s one thing to be going against a striker like Khalil Roundtree or even pounded out in less than a minute on the mat to Tyson Pedro after already taking many shots on the feet…but when you look at Craig’s body of work juxtaposed to Ankalev’s fighting style, a submission victory for Craig seemed like a very realistic possibility. That body of work, by the way, consists of eight of his nine victories coming into the fight being by submission. That’s right. Coming into this fight, all but one of Paul Craig’s victories were by submission, including one in his UFC debut against Henrique da Silva via armbar.
How is it even possible to overlook an incredible statistic like that, knowing that Ankalav more than likely was going to take this fight to the mat and try to pound out a victory? And although that incredible submission victory/ratio of 8/9 should be impossible to ignore on its own merit, just go back and watch Craig’s mat work on the regional scene, and an expert should have known that this fight coming in was much, much more competitive than the odds suggested, especially when we consider that Ankalav, though a prospect coming into the fight (and still a hot prospect in my opinion), was making his UFC debut! What evidence was there that Ankalav would be able to avoid a Paul Craig submission for an entire fight?
And let’s address one thing right now before I go any further. Paul Craig’s victory was not a fluke. The reasons for this are twofold:
The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 202, 2018, 3:05 PM]
1) All but one of the man’s victories are by submission. It’s what he does. It’s not like he landed a Hail Mary punch or did something out of his nature. On the contrary, he did something that his record and film should have made obvious to any expert that he was capable of doing, especially in what was predicted to be a mat war.
2) The biggest argument that it was a fluke will no doubt come from the fact that the submission came in the last second of the fight. How could that not prove it was a fluke when Craig was being dominated, right? This would make sense, but there’s just one problem: a submission only takes seconds to pull off. If we can agree that a submission such as an armbar or a triangle choke only takes seconds to be successful, then the time gap between 4:50 and 5:00, which is the approximate time frame the submission was locked in, is not at all out of the ordinary.
“To put this in perspective, imagine if, in the closing seconds of UFC 220’s main event, Francis Ngannou was able to knock out Stipe Miocic in the closing seconds after losing all four rounds. Would that be a fluke? Of course, some would say so, but they, too, would be illogical because Ngannou’s knockout style is that in which it only takes one punch. If it only takes one punch that means it only takes one second. If it only takes one second, then it makes no difference whether that second was at 2:25 in the first round or at 4:59 in the fifth. If someone achieves a victory in the final seconds by a skill they specialize in that takes seconds to pull off, it cannot be a fluke.
“So I hope the experts who let down their listeners with this overconfidence will not use this cop-out and instead accept the fact that they underestimated a submission expert in a mat war against a fighter making his UFC debut and, like Ankalav, just take the L.
Once again, Paul Craig’s former high school students were staring at Mr. Craig this past Saturday, and once again, time was not on their side. Only this time as they were staring at him, they weren’t hoping that time would hurry up. Instead, they were hoping that he could have just one more round…just a few more minutes…a few more seconds more than the final ticks he was provided as Ankalev laid on top of him. But as these students would soon find out, Craig didn’t need it. Like any good teacher, Mr. Craig made use of the time allotted to him, and he schooled Ankalev and every MMA expert within earshot of the MMA community of what a top-level jiu-jitsu practitioner looks like and, more to the point, just who in the hell they were disrespecting.
Although it was not fluky, it was certainly inspirational. It gave not only his former students a lesson, but anybody watching around the world: never give up. When the clock is ticking on a battle that could shift the outlook on your entire life, do not ever give up. As cliché as that may sound, if Paul Craig’s come-from-behind final second victory does not put a spark to those overused words, I’m not sure what could. As far as come-from-behind victories go, this has to rank in the top five, if not at the top of the list, of what I have ever seen…not just because of the final seconds but because of how many people did not give Craig a chance to win.
“Well, right when it looked like his UFC career was going to be thrown out like old lesson plans, Craig added a second Performance of the Night bonus to his resume to complement his 2-2 UFC record. In doing so, he didn’t just, in all likelihood, buy his UFC career more time…but much to the delight of his former high school students, whenever they turn on the TV on fight night with this Scottish hero on the bill, they will get what they took for granted in those dragging minutes in the classroom: more time to watch Mr. Craig do what he loves.
Paddy Pimblett is set to grace the famous Octagon at UFC London with an intention to ramp up his value with another win.
Ever since his victory at UFC Vegas 36, interest in ‘The Baddy’ has skyrocketed. Not only has his fighting ability caught the attention of fans worldwide, but also his unique personality.
His post-fight interview that night caused waves across social media with audiences who are not even remotely interested in the sport finding appreciation for Pimblett’s extraordinary personality.
Meanwhile, his own personal social media platforms’ followings went through the roof with fans purchasing a one-way ticket on the hype train. Pimblett’s Instagram rose from 28,000 followers to 700,000 on fight week alone.
He blitzed his way through Luigi Vendramini that night, in the 1st round, just how he predicted it. The Scouser even declared “I’m the new cash cow” in his post-fight UFC octagon interview.
All was not perfect in Vegas, however, as Pimblett had to deal with his fair share of adversity in the fight as Vendramini tested the chin of the former Cage Warriors champion early on. However, Pimblett did survive to score a memorable knockout victory in his UFC debut.
One loss early on in his UFC career could damage all momentum and see UFC fans question whether he has what it takes to go far in the organization. At the age of 27, Pimblett is still young in comparison to the age of his peers.
That said, ‘The Baddy’ has already had the experience of going through setbacks having lost three times in his career. Those could well be seen as learning curves for Pimblett to sharpen his tools, making him a more dangerous well-rounded prospect in the UFC.
The UFC lightweight tends to also have the knack of getting himself into heat on social media however which may well damage his reputation. While Pimblett may well see any PR as good PR, he will need to be vigilant that he keeps the fans on his side if he is to build a fanbase that will profit him into the UFC’s next cash cow.
Paddy Pimblett
The 27-year-old has already seen accounts of his banned on both Instagram and Twitter resulting in enormous amounts of followers lost in the process. Pimblett has since created new accounts, yet has struggled to gain the remarkable figures that were previously rolled in.
Pimblett is expecting an iconic UFC walkout when he makes his entrance to the octagon on Saturday as he takes on Rodrigo Vargas on the main card of UFC London. It appears that the Scouser could follow in the footsteps of Darren Till in doing so, who has previously built his legacy off of his beloved British fanbase’s support.
A successful first UFC appearance in front of fans could see Pimblett cause havoc. That will certainly be what ‘The Baddy’ is expecting to happen as he looks to steal the limelight once more with the hype train of Pimblett set to take center stage at UFC London.
Do you think Paddy Pimblett could become the UFC’s next cash cow?
UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski believes the recently incarcerated Cain Velasquez is “paying a crazy price” following his arrest.
While fights continue each weekend, trash talk flies, and signings and extensions hit the headlines, one story has gripped the entire MMA and combat sport community in recent weeks.
Velasquez, a former two-time UFC heavyweight titleholder and widely-respected mixed martial artist, was arrested on February 28 for attempted, premeditated murder. The arrest and charge came after Velasquez allegedly pursued and intended on shooting a man named Henry Goularte, who’s accused of molesting one of Velasquez’s young relatives.
After reportedly shooting and injuring the man’s stepfather, Velasquez was arrested, charged, and later denied bail by Judge Shelyna Brown, much to the fury of his attorney and supporters.
In recent days and weeks, a host of fighters, pundits and personalities have flocked to support the former UFC star. Per ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, the likes of Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Daniel Cormier, Scott Coker, Kamaru Usman, and Brandon Moreno have all penned letters of support for Velasquez to the Santa Clara County Superior Court.
Including UFC President Dana White and Khabib Nurmagomedov, there were 37 letters written to the judge on behalf of Cain Velasquez to allow him bail. Unfortunately, bail was denied.
Meanwhile, alleged child molester Harry Goulaerte was released with zero dollar bail. pic.twitter.com/4gORWnDIXv
Now, the UFC’s 145-pound kingpin has given his thoughts on the tragic incident. Like many, Volkanovski has highlighted what he perceives to be an injustice.
Volkanovski: Velasquez Case Shows The Law Can Be Pretty Messed Up
During an exclusive interview with MMA News, Volkanovski, who holds gold in the promotion Velasquez twice ruled in, suggested the Californian is paying a “crazy” price for his actions, something that he believes shows a clear double standard in how these cases are handled.
“Yeah, it is unfortunate. You see some people doing shit like that and they almost get (just) a slap on the wrist,” Volkanovski said during his conversation with James Lynch. “And then you see someone like that, who in the heat of the moment, you can see the emotions that would’ve been involved in something like that.
“Then he’s gonna be paying a crazy price, when these other guys get a slap on the wrist, which is just complete bullshit. Obviously, someone’s not gonna be thinking completely straight when some shit like that happens.”
According to Volkanovski, a father himself, White’s take was exactly right.
“This hits close to home. Anyone with a kid is gonna know. I think Dana hit the nail on the head,” Volkanovski further told MMA News. “He did exactly what everyone says that they would do if they were in that situation. That’s true. It’s ridiculous. Obviously, laws are laws, but, I mean, some things need to come into play.
“You can’t treat this as just a crazy act of madness. Let’s be real. He would’ve been emotionally unstable in that situation. That has to come into play, especially when your kid is involved… I’m hoping he doesn’t get in too much trouble for it. I don’t know. The law can be pretty messed up sometimes,” concluded Volkanovski.
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is eying a matchup with Conor McGregor before he eventually calls it quits.
Volkanovski is set to make his next featherweight title defense against Chan Sung Jung (otherwise known as ‘The Korean Zombie’) in the upcoming UFC 273 headliner. He’s coming off of a largely dominant win over Brian Ortega at UFC 266.
Volkanovski was supposed to face Max Holloway next before Holloway pulled out with an injury. Jung is the next man up, but a fight with McGregor remains on the 145-pound champion’s mind.
“Obviously, Conor’s always gonna get his name out there,” Volkanovski said. “You’ve gotta remember, he was a featherweight, he was a champion of my division. So, I’ve taken out the featherweight champs, so to take out, the only one left, isn’t he? Yeah, it’s just Conor. There was me, Aldo, Max, and Conor. So it makes a lot of sense. Obviously, it would be a dream. And then I’ve taken out all the other champs in my division. So that would be incredible.
Conor McGregor (Photo: Sportsfile)
“You talk about the payday and the circus around it would be great, but at the same time, when you talk about legacy that’s definitely—and he’s undefeated at featherweight, too. So that’d mean something.”
McGregor hasn’t competed at featherweight since he won the unified title over José Aldo at UFC 194. He went on to fight at welterweight and lightweight, eventually earning the 155-pound title over Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205.
Volkanovski fought at welterweight and lightweight to begin his professional career on the Australian regional scene, but a majority of his career has been at featherweight. Volkanovski went on to allude to the flexibility when it comes to the weight class that a McGregor fight would be competed at.
“I don’t think he’s making featherweight anytime soon [LAUGHS]. Obviously, with that fight, you’d do it at any weight. I’d do that at welterweight if I had to, whatever. We’ll see. I’ll just worry about Zombie, cause Zombie’s in front of me, and we’ll see. You might get some drunk tweets from Conor again and maybe we can ride off that, see what happens from there… 100% I would (fight McGregor at welterweight). I’d fight him at any weight.”
Volkanovski earned the featherweight title over Holloway at UFC 245, before winning a controversial split decision in an immediate rematch at UFC 251. He’s arguably one of the greatest featherweights in UFC history and continues to climb the ranks in the all-time great discussion.
McGregor is targeting a return to the Octagon later this year after a nasty leg break at UFC 264. It’s unclear what weight McGregor will fight at for his return, but a fight with Volkanovski may not be out of the cards as soon as this year.
You can view MMA News’ full interview with Alexander Volkanovski below!
Do you think we’ll ever see Alexander Volkanovski vs. Conor McGregor?
UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski has discussed City Kickboxing teammate Dan Hooker’s return to featherweight and the prospect of facing him down the line.
Volkanovski has ruled over the 145-pound weight class since dethroning Max Holloway in late 2019. In defending his title twice, first in a rematch with “Blessed” and then in a grudge match with Brian Ortega, the Australian has extended his win streak in professional MMA to 20 and his unblemished UFC record to 10-0.
While there remain a number of challenges for “The Great” to see off, including upcoming opponent “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung, Volkanovski will soon see a new name enter the shark tank at featherweight.
After a struggle for form at lightweight, Hooker, who, like Volkanovski, fights under the City Kickboxing banner, will be returning to 145 pounds this weekend. Soon after his transition down a class became public knowledge, “The Hangman” gave his thoughts on a potential meeting with teammate Volkanovski, suggesting they’d cross that bridge when they get to it.
Now, in an exclusive interview with MMA News, the champion has shared a similar sentiment to Hooker’s.
“It doesn’t really cross your mind until people ask you about it, really. At the same time, this is a sport,” Volkanovski told MMA News’ James Lynch. “You can’t expect these guys not to be in your division. Now he’s chose that division and he thinks that’s the best decision for his career, and I support that.
“Whatever happens, if further down the track we need to do it, then we’ll do it, you know. That’s just how it is. That’s fine. That’s all good. I wish nothing but the best for him and I’m sure he wishes nothing but the best for me. So, if our paths do cross, we’ll worry about that then,” concluded Volkanovski.
Hooker’s First Step To Contention Takes Place This Weekend
After a test weight cut appeared to confirm his departure from the lightweight division late last year, the announcement of a featherweight opponent hammered home Hooker’s return to 145 pounds.
