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I think it's a given that Ankalaev is being buried because of the complaining he's done about the refereeing and generally being a super boring interview.
You'd think that Dana would ding Rountree for the banned substance thing but I truly think he just wants a talker who can sell the fight and Rountree will at least throw bombs and get knocked out in a cool way for future highlights.
I think it's a given that Ankalaev is being buried because of the complaining he's done about the refereeing and generally being a super boring interview.
You'd think that Dana would ding Rountree for the banned substance thing but I truly think he just wants a talker who can sell the fight and Rountree will at least throw bombs and get knocked out in a cool way for future highlights.
Oh for sure. Its 100% intentional by the ufc. Not just because of the complaining but I genuinely believe they want to avoid having Pereira fight him while Pereira is one of the top names in the sport right now. Everyone knows Ankalaev is a very bad match up for him.
I think it's a given that Ankalaev is being buried because of the complaining he's done about the refereeing and generally being a super boring interview.
You'd think that Dana would ding Rountree for the banned substance thing but I truly think he just wants a talker who can sell the fight and Rountree will at least throw bombs and get knocked out in a cool way for future highlights.
Oh for sure. Its 100% intentional by the ufc. Not just because of the complaining but I genuinely believe they want to avoid having Pereira fight him while Pereira is one of the top names in the sport right now. Everyone knows Ankalaev is a very bad match up for him.
Roundtree can definitely throw hands tho. I think Pereira wins but he better be careful.
Yeah definitely but I think part of avoiding is that Anky can have some boring fights where he doesn't want to trade. Letting people pay for a Periera fight where he doesn't get to throw bombs would be bad since they definitely want to do a hw fight with him eventually.
I also suspect that at this point the UFC will always be happy to get an American champ no matter. If Rountree sleeps Periera I think Dana would take it.
I actually think DDP is a pretty great interview. Been watching quite a bit this week.
Izzy is massively corny, but his fighting style can be awesome to watch given the right match up, and I think this is one of those. DDP will not allow this to be a boring point fight. He even made a strickland fight compelling be just recklessly lunging at him for 5 rounds straight.
Givin the Africa banter, I think this is pretty damn juicy.
On another note, I can't believe they made Poatan vs Roundtree. That is a disgrace, and I suppose title shots mean absolutely nothing these days. Not to mention it snuffs out the potential of a massive Aspinall vs Pereira fight happening in 24. Was starting to wonder if that would happen in December.
That Pereira-Roundtree announcement is absolutely ridiculous. One of the worst title bookings the ufc has made in recent memory. Foeget Aspinall-Pereira... that was never happening anyway. I'm more upset Ankalaev got robbed. I mean, I know they're trying to protect Pereira from him but jfc. Ankalaev has one loss in his career (6 years ago) and is undefeated in his last 12 fights. He absolutely deserved to be next.
I dont want to forget pereira aspinall. This would have been perfect timing. Even though Ankalaev is the MOST deserving, he isn’t extremely deserving and I do believe it would have been fine for the division to wait 6 months since nobody in it is particularly deserving right now. Ankalaev vs Hill would have been nice to see. It would be nice to see him beat a top 3 guy for the title shot.
That Pereira-Roundtree announcement is absolutely ridiculous. One of the worst title bookings the ufc has made in recent memory. Foeget Aspinall-Pereira... that was never happening anyway. I'm more upset Ankalaev got robbed. I mean, I know they're trying to protect Pereira from him but jfc. Ankalaev has one loss in his career (6 years ago) and is undefeated in his last 12 fights. He absolutely deserved to be next.
I dont want to forget pereira aspinall. This would have been perfect timing. Even though Ankalaev is the MOST deserving, he isn’t extremely deserving and I do believe it would have been fine for the division to wait 6 months since nobody in it is particularly deserving right now. Ankalaev vs Hill would have been nice to see. It would be nice to see him beat a top 3 guy for the title shot.
Idk man, say what you want about his fight style (which btw is still more entertaining than others like Belal Muhammad who just got a title shot) he's pretty deserving imo. Like I said hasn't lost in 6 years and 12 fight unbeaten streak. And of course compared to Roundtree it's not easy close as far as who's more deserving.
I think Aspinall said his next fight will be for the undisputed HW title. He doesn't want to defend the interim anymore and I don't blame him. They should have never had that interim title defended. He should have fought Jones already but Jones rather fight a 65-year-old Stipe because it will add to his legacy or whatever.
I have mixed feelings on UFC contracts, but I totally don't blame Jones for doing what he's doing. He made the UFC a lot of money playing by their rules and now he has all the leverage. Aspinall-Jones is the fight to do, but Stipe is a much easier fight that will pay/sell just as well.
Dana should desperately want Aspinall to fight and beat Jones, and Jones knows that. So he's going to want a bag for that to happen or else he'll retire. Sucks for the fans, but I totally get the logic.
Post by thebluebus on Aug 17, 2024 14:33:41 GMT -5
I have no problem with Jones asking for a bag regardless of what fight he takes. My issue is that he's taking the far easier fight and if you're supposed to be the GOAT, I don't think that's the way to go.
Basically he just wants a W next to his name against Stipe, who many believe is the greatest HW ever in the UFC. Guess he thinks that years down the road people won't remember the age and current version of Stipe that he'll be fighting. But the reality is that beating Aspinall right now in his prime would do far more for Jones' legacy so idk.
Anyway, getting back to Pereira, that's why I don't think he'll move up to HW anytime soon. Jones-Stipe has to happen first, then Aspinall gets the winner. After all that, maybe Pereira moves up then.
I have no problem with Jones asking for a bag regardless of what fight he takes. My issue is that he's taking the far easier fight and if you're supposed to be the GOAT, I don't think that's the way to go.
Basically he just wants a W next to his name against Stipe, who many believe is the greatest HW ever in the UFC. Guess he thinks that years down the road people won't remember the age and current version of Stipe that he'll be fighting. But the reality is that beating Aspinall right now in his prime would do far more for Jones' legacy so idk.
Anyway, getting back to Pereira, that's why I don't think he'll move up to HW anytime soon. Jones-Stipe has to happen first, then Aspinall gets the winner. After all that, maybe Pereira moves up then.
In my dream world, it would go like this: Pereira vs Aspinall while Jones vs Stipe happens. Then Jones would fight Aspinall or Pereira. If it was Poatan vs Jones, it would be for all time goat status. I actually think this is still doable. All you would have to do is convince Tom that this would be the most hyped fight of the year, and that it's worth taking for that reason. Another route that could happen is that Jones could retire after the Stipe fight. Then Aspinall vs Pereira could just be for the undisputed belt.
The best career trajectory for Pereira would be:
1. Ankalaev to fully clean out the division and remove any questions about the variety of fighting styles he beat.
2. Aspinall to beat a true heavyweight, maybe the best outside of Ngannou in the last 5 years.
3. Jones to become the first ever triple champ and to beat the goat head-to-head.
4. Izzy at a catch weight to settle the score with his nemesis.
Then he would retire as the greatest ever. Without any of those first three, there are holes to be poked in his case for goat status. I know this is fantasy land, but at the same time it's kind of obvious. This Rountree detour is so frustrating. With Alex being 38 years old, he doesn't have time for fights that don't elevate his stock whatsoever. The only good that can come from this is for Alex to get an extra clip for the highlight reel.
I have no problem with Jones asking for a bag regardless of what fight he takes. My issue is that he's taking the far easier fight and if you're supposed to be the GOAT, I don't think that's the way to go.
Basically he just wants a W next to his name against Stipe, who many believe is the greatest HW ever in the UFC. Guess he thinks that years down the road people won't remember the age and current version of Stipe that he'll be fighting. But the reality is that beating Aspinall right now in his prime would do far more for Jones' legacy so idk.
Anyway, getting back to Pereira, that's why I don't think he'll move up to HW anytime soon. Jones-Stipe has to happen first, then Aspinall gets the winner. After all that, maybe Pereira moves up then.
In my dream world, it would go like this: Pereira vs Aspinall while Jones vs Stipe happens. Then Jones would fight Aspinall or Pereira. If it was Poatan vs Jones, it would be for all time goat status. I actually think this is still doable. All you would have to do is convince Tom that this would be the most hyped fight of the year, and that it's worth taking for that reason. Another route that could happen is that Jones could retire after the Stipe fight. Then Aspinall vs Pereira could just be for the undisputed belt.
The best career trajectory for Pereira would be:
1. Ankalaev to fully clean out the division and remove any questions about the variety of fighting styles he beat.
2. Aspinall to beat a true heavyweight, maybe the best outside of Ngannou in the last 5 years.
3. Jones to become the first ever triple champ and to beat the goat head-to-head.
4. Izzy at a catch weight to settle the score with his nemesis.
Then he would retire as the greatest ever. Without any of those first three, there are holes to be poked in his case for goat status. I know this is fantasy land, but at the same time it's kind of obvious. This Rountree detour is so frustrating. With Alex being 38 years old, he doesn't have time for fights that don't elevate his stock whatsoever. The only good that can come from this is for Alex to get an extra clip for the highlight reel.
If Jones retires yeah I could see that fight happening. But if not, I don't see Aspinall fighting anyone before Jones.
Pereira has been great for sure but no where near the GOAT status right now imo. If any of those 3 scenarios play out, his stock definitely goes way up. But thats a big IF. He's likely an underdog in all 3 of them and not sure he beats any of those guys. The first 3 weight champ would definitely be an all time achievement but people move weight classes so often now I can see it being repeated in the future. He never even successfully defended the 185 belt.
Completely agree on the Roundtree fight being a waste and unneeded risk. Makes no sense.
Post by thebluebus on Aug 17, 2024 20:10:28 GMT -5
Anyway, been going back and forth on the main event but think I'm sticking with Izzy. But his last performance is still concerning. If he fights anywhere near how he did against Strickland, he has no shot. Maybe that fight was an anomaly idk. Even tho DDP won't apply that same kind of pressure as Strickland he has more power to do damage.
$100 Izzy, Gamrot, and Tai parlay gets $600. I'll take that. And the odds on Tai are pretty crazy imo. +280 for Tai via KO/TKO. I'll gladly throw $350 on that for a $1k return. He could easily catch Roz.
Damn, Izzy is done. That was his fight to lose going into the 4th. What a horrible showing by him there to end it.
I thought that was the most lit fight ever. DDP is hilarious in how unskilled he seems. But i was on the edge of my seat.
I saw someone say he's the best and worst middleweight out there lol. He always looks gassed, isn't especially skilled technically, but finds a way to win. I really think Izzy lost that fight more than ddp won tho. Not sure what kind of defense he was doing there at the end. He was piecing him up and just had to avoid a big shot and/or takedowns.
So i guess we get DDP-Strikland rematch now. Still think Khamzat beats em all, if and when he actually fights.
Post by thebluebus on Sept 12, 2024 12:59:17 GMT -5
306 Sat... Kind of hope Merab pulls it out. Not that I dislike O'Malley but I don't like that he's already angling for fights at other weight classes and boxing matches. I get he's a star and all that but plenty of good challengers at 135 to take care of first. If he can avoid the takedown, it's definitely his fight to lose. But that may be difficult. I could see Merab grappling the shit out of him for 5 rounds and winning a decision. Aljo never really got a chance to get his wrestling going but I think Merab will be relentless trying to get it to the ground. We'll see I guess.
If Valentina wins it'll be 1-1-1 with Grasso. Could we see a 4th fight like with Moreno-Figueiredo? I think Valentina takes it this time but hope they avoid another rematch for now.
Ortega-Lopes is sick. Don't know how it will end up but probably the fight I'm looking forward to the most. Winner should be really close to title contention.
Definitely hope Suga wins. I don't dislike Merab or anything, but the sport needs guys with charisma. I feel a bit gross about lamenting the potential extinction of the stand-and-bang style, but Merab winning 5-round grappling match just isn't the best outcome for MMA.
Definitely hope Suga wins. I don't dislike Merab or anything, but the sport needs guys with charisma. I feel a bit gross about lamenting the potential extinction of the stand-and-bang style, but Merab winning 5-round grappling match just isn't the best outcome for MMA.
Can't say I care a lot about the co-main.
That whole swagger and braggadocio that O'Malley brings is usually something that turns me off, but I have to admit that I kind of like the guy. He's fun to watch and has backed it up, so far. Merab is fine, I have no reason to dislike him either, but I agree that O'Malley continuing to knock guys out is probably good for the UFC and for MMA. Just hoping for an exciting fight but the card is looking really thin for my liking.
Part of my fascination with Suga might be that we're about the same height but I outweigh him by 50+ pounds. I'm far from being in fighting shape at nearly 50 years old (yikes, when did that happen?), although it's hard to imagine cutting to anywhere near 135. How you can be almost 6' but weigh a buck thirty-five and not just be a feeble stick figure boggles the mind.
Definitely hope Suga wins. I don't dislike Merab or anything, but the sport needs guys with charisma. I feel a bit gross about lamenting the potential extinction of the stand-and-bang style, but Merab winning 5-round grappling match just isn't the best outcome for MMA.
Can't say I care a lot about the co-main.
That whole swagger and braggadocio that O'Malley brings is usually something that turns me off, but I have to admit that I kind of like the guy. He's fun to watch and has backed it up, so far. Merab is fine, I have no reason to dislike him either, but I agree that O'Malley continuing to knock guys out is probably good for the UFC and for MMA. Just hoping for an exciting fight but the card is looking really thin for my liking.
Part of my fascination with Suga might be that we're about the same height but I outweigh him by 50+ pounds. I'm far from being in fighting shape at nearly 50 years old (yikes, when did that happen?), although it's hard to imagine cutting to anywhere near 135. How you can be almost 6' but weigh a buck thirty-five and not just be a feeble stick figure boggles the mind.
Agree with all this.
I didn't like the swagger at first because it all seemed forced, but he's backed it all up.
And there's something special about a skinny guy from nowhere Montana fighting in a way that no one else does. It's a throwback to the earlier days of MMA, where there was stark uniqueness and character.
I just kind of fear that another grapple/gameplan heavy guy winning a title gets us another step closer to a blander version of MMA.
Post by thebluebus on Sept 13, 2024 6:50:24 GMT -5
O'Malley's persona doesn't bother me so much. At least he doesn't seem like a complete prick and he comes off more genuine than Conor was/is.
I don't deny someone like him being a champ is good for the UFC on a broader scale, I just personally don't care if the ufc "grows." Like, I can never see it completely failing or going out of business, so I could care less if we get more casual fans who only tune in when there's a Conor or O'Malley type fighter headlining. If anything, I enjoy the niche mma fandom.
Also, when you get stars like O'Malley, they tend to get special treatment and get the "money fights" or "superfights." I don't really like that. Clean out your division first like any normal champ would have to. In O'Malley case, there's still Umar (would be his biggest challenge and a huge fight imo), Figueiredo, Yan rematch (Sean definitely lost that first fight), Sandhagen, ect. Beat a couple of those guys first, then sure, go up and fight Topuria.
Anyway, I think I'm picking O'Malley, Valentina, and Lopes. Not super confident in any of those picks tho.
Post by Jake Jortles on Sept 13, 2024 13:09:18 GMT -5
I'm fucking hyped. I think this could be argued as the best possible fight in the UFC right now.
There is no other division that has as worthy of a contender as Merab. 10 fight win streak. Seems completely unbeatable, and for a while now it's seemed like he's actually the best fighter in the division. Then you have Sean, who is the most imaginative and aesthetically pleasing striker in the UFC. Probably the second-best striker behind Pereira. It's a perfect clash of styles where something has to give but you don't know what will. With a win, either fighter will be 1 or 2 fights away from being the clear GOAT of bantamweight.
I'm taking Merab. I will be rooting for Sean hard, but I just don't think Merab can be beaten for another 2-3 years. Hope I'm wrong. Guy is an animal.
Then we have the best possible WMMA fight available (although I am all aboard the Natalia Silva hype train). I think Valentina gets back on track.
I'm staying on board the Diego Lopes hype train. I'd love to see him become Champion in the next year or so.
This has been maybe the best card Ive ever watched so far
I didn't see everything because I was watching boxing, too (I'm a big Canelo fan), but what I did see didn't seem all that impressive. There were no "bad" fights but nothing that really got me excited on the edge of my seat. Merab was nearly perfect but his style just doesn't do it. There was no point when I thought O'Malley was about to flip the script.
This is all very subjective of course, and with all the stuff they did at the Sphere this would have been a cool event to see in person. FWIW, Canelo dominated in similar fashion to Merab, coming forward relentlessly and fighting on his terms, completely limiting Berlanga's effectiveness and preventing him from landing power shots (as with Suga), or even throwing many. Great technical fights from Merab and Canelo, if not the most exciting throughout.
This has been maybe the best card Ive ever watched so far
I didn't see everything because I was watching boxing, too (I'm a big Canelo fan), but what I did see didn't seem all that impressive. There were no "bad" fights but nothing that really got me excited on the edge of my seat. Merab was nearly perfect but his style just doesn't do it. There was no point when I thought O'Malley was about to flip the script.
This is all very subjective of course, and with all the stuff they did at the Sphere this would have been a cool event to see in person. FWIW, Canelo dominated in similar fashion to Merab, coming forward relentlessly and fighting on his terms, completely limiting Berlanga's effectiveness and preventing him from landing power shots (as with Suga), or even throwing many. Great technical fights from Merab and Canelo, if not the most exciting throughout.
For it to have been an all time card, the final 2 would have needed to be awesome, but they were both boring. There was a long stretch from the prelims through Diego that was absolutely killer. Huge momentum changes after it seemed like the fight was going to be called. To be clear I was also drunk. The only bad one was the womens prelim closer but there was also insane amounts of blood during that so it was entertaining I guess.
Anyways, I think Merab is going to end up being the best Bantamweight of all time. And it will be boring the whole ride.
I would be so hyped to see Diego vs Max for the belt. For some reason I think Ilia would destroy Diego.
Anyways, I think Merab is going to end up being the best Bantamweight of all time. And it will be boring the whole ride.
I can't find a way to counter either of these predictions. Unless he gets off the cocaine, or whatever gives him that insane energy level and unlimited pain threshold, it's hard to see anyone beating him for a few years. He's something well over thirty, and no one is unbeatable forever in MMA, but holy cow he's good. And yes, very boring.
And sorry for another boxing mention, but I think comparing Merab to Canelo is fair, if not downright obvious. They're both borderline unbeatable and around the same age. While Canelo used to be a knockout machine, he's doesn't seem to have the power he had when he was a bit younger and fighting smaller dudes than he is now. Merab is overwhelming but isn't going to make many dumb mistakes or get desperate looking for KO's either. You'd better find a way to knock these guys out or you'll be in for a very long night. They're both hard to hurt, dictate the pace without ever slowing down, and will happily take the decision every time. Neither is ridiculously exciting, at least at this point, but man they're good.
just saw Jon Jones is retiring after 306. i diddnt get into UFC until he was gone but this is ridiculous to duck Aspinall like this. Since I have watched thats by far the biggest and most interesting fight the UFC could possibly have. absolute mega fight to either solidify the goat or pass the torch.
