The MMA Thread

Are we sure 5 rounds favors Sean? Feel like it just gives Costa more opportunity to find a way through Sean's defense and fuck him up. I'm actually rolling with Costa here. Also getting very annoyed with Sean in all of his press conferences talking about how he's going to catch a body and we're going to bleed in there together when he puts on the most careful, boring performances time after time. I think Izzy was the perfect guy for Sean to beat, and I do think he was basically a fake champion. This is weird to say because he doesn't have a good recent track record, but I think Costa would beat both DDP and Sean. He's going to be willing to take hits to delivery big blows in a way that Izzy isn't. Feeling a statement win from him for whatever reason.

Dustin is probably my favorite personality in the UFC. Normal person stands out among a bunch of clowns. But I think Islam will win. The one variable I find interesting is that Islam hasn't fought someone with real 55 power in long time. And Charles can def punch the fuck out of someone but I'm still thinking about the fact that Islam was able to avoid Justin and Dustin on the way up. Will be interesting to see him take a big punch if Dustin can land something good.

What's your watch party looking like? I got a good amount of the boys back from UFC 300 and we are grilling out and getting after it. Will never be the same because the prelims don't start with Figgy / Garbrant, but I think we'll get inside maybe with 2 prelims to go.

I do think Strickland has better cardio, but not sure it will make all that much of a difference here. And yeah, Costa's track record isn't great recently but I feel he's going to put it on Sean. Then again, Strickland's defense is usually pretty solid so we'll see if he can avoid those big shots. But yeah, Strickland's rhetoric is kinda ridiculous given his style. Other than his personality, I also don't him to win cause I much rather see Khamzat instead of him to face the winner of DDP-Izzy.

Islam definitely hasn't been cracked by anyone with DP's power. Charles hits hard but doesn't have the pure boxing technique that Dustin has. Question is how much of the fight will actually stay on the feet. Don't think Islam wants any part of that, even with his "improved" striking, the Volk KO, ect. I think he tries to wrestle every chance he gets. Hoping the MMA Gods give up a Poirier upset tho.

I'll actual be missing the prelims and the first couple fights on the main card I think. We're going to see Shannon & the Clams tomorrow night and probably won't be out until 1030-1100 or so. But there's a sports bar that shows the fights right down the street so going there immediately after the show. Told my wife I'll just uber home cause I'm not chancing missing the main/co-main lol.

I am rooting for Poirer obviously but if you look at his age and who his wins have been over the last 5 years, it's really tough to make any case other than him landing one bomb.

They book fights like this a lot where they prey on your hopium, but realistically Islam (who I don't particularly like) has been competing at a much higher level for quite some time.

There's not an easy solution to it but it's just such a mess these days with guys pulling out or fights and angling for different fights. Maybe Khamzat is truly sick (again) but the cynic in me always assumes that it's 4d chess money related.

The cynic in me also thinks it will actually get worse one day when Dana leaves, not better.

But next weekend is kinda ruined with Khamzat pulling out

I'm taking: Jiri, Lopes, and Garry.

I think Jiri had a few bright spots in that first fight and had some success on the feet, especially on the ground where Pereira is the weakest. He should try to get it to the ground more. The fight was also stopped way too quick and who knows how it could have turned out if the ref let it go. I think Jiri gets the finish this time but can't be careless when coming in like he tends to be.

Excited for Ortega-Lopes. Hard one to pick, could go either way. It's kinda crazy when you look at Ortega he's only really lost to Max and Volk, the 2 best featherweights of all time. I just think the jujitsu will cancel out and Lopes will have more success on the feet. Hope I'm wrong tho. I like Ortega.

MVP is tough to figure out but think Garry gets the W. Betting big on Jiri/Garry parlay, so hope it works out.

Yeah... Jiri is a weird dude. And both are kinda crazy in a good way. 

You gotta savor Pereira’s walkouts since the fights are finishing so quickly.

Idk... looking forward to Topuria-Max, DDP-Izzy, the possibility of Jones-Aspinall, O'Malley-Merab to name a few. Interested to see how far undefeated guys like Khamzat and Rakhmonov can go.

UFC may be in a lull as far as "stars" go, but there's always fights and matchups that are intriguing for me.

Yeah, with McGregor's hiatus and Jones inactivity, there's really no big stars. O'Malley and maybe Pereira now are the biggest active ones. I do think someone like Topuria has a shot to be a big star too.

Personally, I just love the competition and good fights. I can even appreciate the dominance of someone like Islam who might not be the most exciting or have the best personality. But I admit it's important to get the masses/casual fans on board with big mainstream fighters. If not, the sport won't move forward. 

I'm really not interested in anything other than the main event, but boy am I interested in the main event.

My gut is that Izzy will catch DDP during one of DDP's wild entries where he's flailing a couple meaty overhands in a row.

Izzy is corny as shit. I hope DDP hits him with a diamond cutter. teh rest of the card is pretty ass though. Im sure the Erceg fight will be enjoyable but thats about it

I think it's a fun fight, but given the easily built in African storyline (with the weirdly inverse "real african" subplot) the promos havent gotten as hateful as I was hoping. It kind of makes me realize all of the heavy lifting Strickland was doing with his craziness.

It leaves me with the impression that both guys want badly to win for pride, but they're not selling me on any hate.

Had to do a double take on Roundtree getting a shot. I thought maybe I missed something, but it's a sad state of affairs if beating a washed Anthony Smith get you a shot. I suspect that maybe they think they're close on a HW title fight elsewhere and they needed to fill a PPV and Pereria was healthy and available.