Tag: Max Holloway

The UFC is On ABC Today and That’s a Big Deal

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So the UFC usually kicks off every year with a string of really big cards, or to be more accurate, a series of huge main events.

Believe it or not the whole quarantine thing kind of feeds into the next few UFC events because they are designed to feel like a series. it’s almost like a festival: three main stages, three huge acts over a week’s time.

In terms of that stage, the UFC has their whole island in Abu Dhabi. They’ve literally established their own Island to hold fights. As a fan who can complain?

Anyway today we have Max Holloway against Calvin Kattar. Calvin has been told with a win against Max Holloway he gets a title shot. That makes total sense considering he’s been steadily climbing up the leaderboard while knocking people out. Max is in an odd spot because he is now 0/2 against the current champion. He is not guaranteed a title shot despite possibly being the greatest featherweight of all time. The fight game, amirite?

What is wild about all of this build up surrounding the fight is that NONE OF IT MATTERS. Why? Well what matters is that this card is on ABC. The UFC will be on basic television, an insane moment in combat sports history. This is not the first time MMA has been on basic tv, but this feels different. Due to the UFC’s ESPN deal suddenly they get to televise their broadcast on a regular channel in the middle of the afternoon on a Saturday. That’s a big deal. that’s not hiding on a broadcast channel on a Saturday when no one’s looking. This is different. MMA has kind of made it.

As an aside- in case you want a prediction from The 300s, you know I want to pick MA’s Calvin Kattar. But I consider Max Holloway the greatest FW of all time. He’ll win a 5 round decision.

-Joey

The 300’s Official UFC 242 Preview

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What time is it? KHABIB TIME.

That’s right folks, our annual serving of championship-level Dagestani violence has just about arrived as Khabib Nurmagomedov is set to unify his undisputed belt with Dustin Poirier’s interim one. Both fighters have now made weight, with even Nurmagomedov making it look easy, so nothing stands in the way of us determining who is the best 155er in the world.

We haven’t seen “The Eagle” since he included in his post-mauling of Conor McGregor a hurdling of the cage in an attack of Conor’s team. HIS team then went INTO the cage to go after McGregor and were thus suspended for a year. The loyal 155lb champ swore to not fight until his teammates were also again eligible and so we went a year without seeing the most dominant fighter on the planet ply his trade.

Since then and in Khabib’s absence, Dustin Poirier has claimed the Interim Lightweight Championship in an unexpected and yet fairly one-sided beating of Max Holloway. Moving up to Lightweight has done wonders for the 30 year old Louisiana native and he looks to put the cherry on top of his slow and steady climb to the peak of MMA on Saturday by delivering Khabib Nurmagomedov his first loss.

The Main Event

Khabib Nurmagomedov (C) vs. Dustin Poirier (IC) For the  Undisputed UFC Lightweight (155lb Bout) Championship

We probably don’t need to get into too much detail about “The Eagle’s style, but it’s MMA porn so why not. The only way I can possibly explain it is that Khabib employs a encyclopedia-sized playbook of set ups to shoot in on his opponents, put them on their backs, and as he says himself, “smash” them until the ref steps in, they give up their neck, or leave their arm unattended and ripe for a kimura. In terms of the shot, The undefeated native of Dagestan has a violently explosive double leg that he sets up by winging overhand rights earlier in the fight. He’ll then use the same motion, pull the punch, and shoot in. He’ll also shoot a low single from wayyyy outside. Although he has successfully taken opponents down this way, he mostly uses this technique nowadays as a way of feeling out his opponents skill level and to judge their reaction of the attempt. This technique, after all, is how he set up the overhand right that he landed on McGregor in the 2nd round of their fight: using the same foot work as the outside low single shot, Khabib feigned like he’s going for it just as he had in the first, and then popped back up and threw the punch. With all of that said, it’s possible Nurmagomedov’s most effective takedowns happen along the cage, where he can isolate his opponents and use the trips he has perfected from his sambo background. Once he is on top, and especially if he is able to utilize his patented figure four on a foe’s ankles and lower legs, it is going to a long night for whoever is underneath,

Poirier has grown into quite the boxer over the last couple of years. He throws lightning fast combos aided by slick footwork, and he throws everything with some hate in his heart. Heavy shot after heavy shot comes at his opponents, and he has a particular ability and affinity to go to the body. When, not if, this fight goes to the ground, Poirier represents an interesting challenge. He is indeed a blackbelt in BJJ and has pulled off some nifty submissions in the past. If nothing else, he is a hunter and will not be content to just sit there and get pounded on.

I’m a big fan of both guys so this is a tough one to pick. In the end, Poirier just has not shown the takedown defense in the past for me not to think he winds up on his back early and often. With that said, his own grappling acumen and toughness makes me wonder how easily he’ll give up his back or arm.

The Pick – Khabib Nurmagomedov def. Dustin Poirier (TKO, RD3) and unifies UFC Lightweight Championship

Co-Main Event

Edson Barboza vs. Paul Felder – Lightweight (155lb) Bout

In the Co-Main Event we have a rematch of a July 2015 bout between fan favorites and perennial contenders Edson Barboza and Paul Felder. In the first bout, the UFC did Felder no favors by putting the still-green Philly native in the cage against the peaking and absolutely savage muay thai practicioner Barboza. Philly Tough is Philly Tough however, and “The Irish Dragon” was able to stick it out to lose a brutal unanimous decision.

As mentioned, Felder was a different fighter back then. Sure he came from a traditional muay thai background as well, but he was just as much a brawler at the time and relied on his toughness more than anything. Since then, we’ve seen him become a very technical striker with a high fight IQ who also has found some comfort in his grappling. Felder has seemed to have also found his power source as well, as he knocked out three straight opponents prior to his previous two fights, a decision loss to Mike Perry up a weight class on short notice and UD in arguably his best performance to date over James Vick.

Barboza is Barboza. He has the fastest switch kick in the UFC and will land it anywhere. He of course is known for his vicious leg kicks and has finished opponents by crippling them more than once. He also will throw an array of flashy spinning strikes (sorry Terry Etim) when things get boring to keep his opponents on his toes. I’m not going to lie, I have no idea what Edson Barboza offers on the mat but I don’t see the fight going there anyway.

I’m a Paul Felder stan, but I just think Barboza does what he does except better.

The Pick – Edson Barboza def. Paul Felder (Unanimous Decision)

The Other Russians

Islam Makhachev vs. Davi Ramos – Lightweight (155lb) Bout

Bro, Islam Makhachev is a stud. I think how good he really is is blurred by that loss on his record, a surprising flash KO at the hands of Adriano Martins. At the time however, Martins was perpetually underrated and Makhachev may have needed a wake up call. With all that said, I’m not the only one who has wondered that if Khabib didn’t exist, would his teammate ” ‘Slam” be at the top of the 155 pound heap. Although his wrestling is more finesse based and he is not as crushingly dominant, Makhachev is still completely befuddling once he gets you down.

Ramos is an accomplished BJJ blackbelt who has decided he prefers engaging in fisticuffs. The problem with that is he doesn’t really have the reach or footwork to get where he needs to be to throw sometimes. When he does employ his mat skills though, he’s a handful indeed.

This is interesting the say the least. Ramos is slicker than most and Mkhachev does not apply the same pressure as his champion teammate. Still, the young Dagestani is too hot to not pick.

The Pick – Islam Makhachev def. Davis Ramos (Unanimous Decision)

Zubaira Tukhugov vs. Lerone Murphy – Featherweight (145lb) Bout

Remember earlier when I said Khabb’s teammates joined him in causing mayhem post-UFC 229 and got suspended? Ya, Tukhugov was kind of one of the main perpetrators. As a matter of fact, Dana White’s immediate reaction was to say the prospect was going to be cut altogether. Needless to say that didn’t happen on “The Eagle”‘s watch. So after some USADA trouble and then yearlong suspension for trying to jump the most famous fighter in the world, Tukhugov returns to try and make good on his potential that was once put in question by a 2016 decision loss to a surging Renato Carneiro, his only appearance in the UFC so far.  Unlike his teammates, “Warrior” likes to keep things standing. He is awkward as hell and will hit you how- and from wherever he chooses.

I honestly don’t know much about Murphy except that he once survived getting shot in the face twice, he is a highly touted British (??) prospect, and is a gigantic underdog.

The Pick – Zubaira Tukhugov def. Leron Murphy (TKO, RD2)

So that wraps this one folks. You’ll also get to see Curtis Blaydes kick the shit out of a giant guy and Joanne Calderwood fight Andrea Lee for some semblance of relevance/the right to get demolished by Valentina Schevchenko should her next opponent get hurt last minute. A reminder this one kicks off at 2:00pm EST as it’s in Abu Dhabi. Let’s goooooooo.

-Joey B.

Conor McGregor Has Tweeted He’s Retired. Is He Really Though?

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So at 1:18am Eastern Standard Time Conor Anthony McGregor “broke the internet” with this tweet, his second of such a message. Remember, almost three years ago he dropped a very similar bombshell.

 

So is that it? Is “The Notorious” done fighting? It wouldn’t not make sense. He’s made boatloads of money and turned himself into an international brand in the process. If he is smart in his business ventures, which he seems to be, he can continue to grow his vast fortune without getting punched in the face.

But that’s where people get it a little twisted. You see, not many people enter a career where their source of income is to get punched in the face unless they enjoy the carnage, competition, and blast of adrenaline that comes with it. Sure, there are the Derrick Lewis-types who just have big, heavy hands, and see fighting as a much more lucrative alternative to changing tires. But for a lot of fighters, McGregor included, this is in their blood. Especially when, although he now has financial pursuits outside of the cage, he indeed can still make a hell of lot inside of it too.

Conor McGregor is not done fighting. It just isn’t in the cards, yet.

So what is he on about here? Why is he dropping this and what is he trying to accomplish? Well, I think the first question is simple enough to answer and the second could have a few possible explanations.

The problem with Conor the Fighter now is that the illusion of Conor the Fighter is gone. He was a Goddam world beater. For a time he was unstoppable. Mystic Mac. He knocked out one of the most dominant fighters of his generation in Jose Aldo, and he did it in mere seconds. But then came Chad Mendes, and some holes were exposed in an eventual victory. Then came Nate Diaz, and he got beat. Then came Nate Diaz again, and he slinked by. Then came Khabib Nurmagodmedov and he got steamrolled.  So instead of being a Demigod with two belts Conor McGregor is now a very talented, ultra charismatic lightweight with no belts. It is to the point where Dana White did not want McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone, a very popular fighter in his own right, to headline an event. Coming off a loss and without a belt McGregor may just have not been that kind of draw anymore.

So to answer the first question of “why?”, he is quite literally leaving us wanting more. He wants the fans and media to remember the good times and beg for him back. And when he does come back it will be with a heroes welcome and a roar of the crowd. He may have even seen the reaction to Gronk’s recent retirement and said, “hey, look at that.”

But what is his end game? Ultimately what does he seek in his return? Well, there’s a few possibilities.

1.) He wants a share in the UFC
Conor said, I’m pretty sure last week, that he really doesn’t care if he fights in the ME or on the pre-lims as long as he is paid what he is worth, which includes a partnership in the company. It makes sense in a way. Even if he is not the ME, a large number of those PPV buys will be for Conor McGregor, so he should get a cut of that. But this scenario is simply not going to happen in my opinion. For Dana White, this would just open way too much of a floodgate.

2.) He is luring out Nate Diaz
Even though Diaz vs. McGregor III would be the most financially lucrative fight for both men right now, Diaz has actually sounded like he is not as interested as of late. He tweeted/IG’d out something recently that he beat Conor’s ass twice already and that Dustin Poirier was, in fact, a pussy (Remember Poirier dropped out of a recent Diaz-Poirier match up. Beyond that I am not sure why he was caught in Nate’s cross-hairs. O well). So maybe Conor is walking away to get Nate’s attention? Maybe this sets off a patented Diaz social media attack and gets the fighters, the fans, the media, and the UFC bought into this third match up? It wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world and one that comes with a big pay day.

3.) He is taking a page out of Nate Diaz’s book and simply shelving himself until they desperately need him to save a card
This is 100% what Nate Diaz is doing by the way. The nixed Poirier fight aside, Nate Diaz is keeping in shape, talking some occasional shit, and waiting for a main or co-main to fall through on short notice so that the UFC needs a big name to save it and is willing to cut a big check to get them to do so. To that end, Conor is kind of back-dooring his old nemesis here. 9/10 if the 155lb division needs someone to step in the Irishman would be the first choice. Not always, however. If the Fight Gods smile on the upcoming Poirier-Holloway Interim Lightweight Title Fight in April, then the winner ostensibly fights Khabib when he returns in the fall for the real belt. This is a huge if by the way as both fighters have pulled out of past fights. Anyway, should Dagestan’s favorite son’s challenger fall out of the unification bout, I can’t see them giving Conor another crack after the mauling he took. Not before he wins again. So Nate could get that fight, although his dormancy is becoming more and more of an issue.

But that fight itself? Poirier-Holloway? Giving one of those guys a rematch against the phenom who slowed their ascent when they wore a younger man’s clothes? Sure. What about the Iaquinta-Cerrone fight? Imagine Conor saying “fuck it” and fighting on a Fox card to earn his possible, eventual rematch with Khabib?

Whichever way you spin it, I see either reason 2 or 3 as the most plausible for McGregor’s random tweet. Sure, he could have accomplished either end without tweeting out his retirement but this makes it all that much more dramatic.

If Jordan never came back with the 45, would it have been such a come back?

-Joey B.

The Fight Gods Care Little For Jesus of Nazareth, 86 Ferguson- Khabib For The Fourth Time On Easter

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Please sit back for a moment and close your eyes. Remember back to simpler time. It was last Thursday or Friday. And as you found any and all possible ways to not do any work or go to the gym thereafter, you possibly read yours truly’s blog proposing Strapping Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov to their own beds for the good of this fight. Well, they were not tied to their beds, and now that fight is again off.

Please review the following material as a brief interlude:

Thank you. Now, I’m sure what to say at this point. Apparently, Tony Ferguson slipped on a production set while doing media and tore his LCL. We know this because he released a statement detailing just that, with of course the first letter of every word capitalized because again, he’s awkward and tries too hard. But man, what a fight that would be if EVER ACTUALLY FUCKING HAPPENED.

Instead the Sort Of Interim 155 Pound Belt will be on the line this Saturday, and will be fought for by Khabib and 145lb Champ Max Holloway. “Blessed” is long and rangy and has even discussed a future move to 155 as the featherweight weight cut gets harder and harder. However, I can’t see him stopping the onslaught of “The Eagle”. Not on short notice. Not when Khabib is as dominant as he is. Khabib via UD or late finish is my guess here.

But back to the point of this, to close things out. Who knows why this fight is so jinxed or why they never make it to the cage. Both fighters have each pulled out twice so say they have to book it once more now at least to see if someone can even that score. It just sucks one of the best fights we could see this generation just seems 100% cursed.

Life is meaningless.

Brock Lesnar Probably In, Jon Jones Probably Out, And The State of UFC Headliners

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Sherdog – …During a hearing on Tuesday, the California State Athletic Commission revoked Jones’ license in the state and fined him 40 percent of his purse — $205,000 – from UFC 214. The revocation comes with a one-year period of ineligibility, meaning that Jones will not be able to reapply for a license until August at the earliest….“Let USADA give their discipline, when that’s completed, I’ll be inclined to support Jones in getting his license back,” CSAC Executive Officer Andy Foster said. “”I do not believe we should end Mr. Jones’ career today, but I do believe he should sit out for a while.”

sky sports – Lesnar is currently the WWE Universal champion but did not attend Raw this week…He was also absent from Sunday night’s Sky Sports Box Office event, Elimination Chamber, although he was not scheduled to appear, and was photographed in the host city Las Vegas with White…..That led to speculation that Lesnar will return to UFC after WrestleMania, and when asked on Sirius XM radio what the odds of that happening were, White said: “Very, very, very good.”

Express – Conor McGregor is reportedly in talks with the UFC to fight twice this year. That’s according to MMA Fighting’s Dave Meltzer, who last week revealed that negotiations between the UFC and their poster boy are going swimmingly. “The word is that negotiations with Conor McGregor are going well,” he wrote in his subscription-only newsletter.

It is surely a very odd time to be a UFC fan right now. It seems like the injury bug is biting everyone, including those at the top, and what seems to be compounding everything is that the few folks that could be counted on to carry a PPV simply aren’t around. In Brock Lesnar’s case, he hasn’t been for awhile, save a cameo at UFC 200. Jon Jones actually hasn’t been around much either, fighting once a year since 2014 and prefering weed, coke, hitting and running, and steroids to fighting, or so it seems. We’ll get to the man with the red panties later. What that makes for is this sort of holding period for the leader in MMA while they build up new superstars with peculiarly-placed headlining and co-headling bouts while biding their time with fan friendly duels between veterans and solid title fights that move divisions along the best they can.

There is a reason, after all, That previously barely-knowns Darren Till and Josh Emmett were both recently given quick turnaround, high profile fights (Till vs. Cowboy Cerrone, a success, Emmett vs. Jeremy Stepehens, not) after a noted highlight-reel knock out. The UFC is desperate to quickly build up names and star power, hoping to get one or more of the next generation of revenue generators into the title picture while they await Jones and Lesnar to cycle off and for Conor McGregor to stop slinging whiskey and shoes and get back in the gym.

This is the same reason behind Brian Ortega stepping in against Frankie Edgar in this weekend’s UFC 222 co-main event. Frankie Edgar has been a longtime top-10 pound for pound talent and has been breathing down the belt’s neck for awhile now, save for an admittedly lackluster performance against Jose Aldo at UFC 200. He could have either dropped from the card and waited for his title shot or faced a better known opponent, as it is rumored McGregor himself offered to step in to some capacity. However, Edgar has also proven to be willing and able to provide his services as the gatekeeper to the 145 top -3ish as well, e.g when he took on the highly-touted Yair Rodriguez last May. “The Answer” demolished Rodriguez, who was clearly not ready for what he had bitten off, and sent the prospect back home to catch up to the 36 year old veteran. Enter Ortega – coming off a convincing, if not a little sloppy, guillotine finish over perennial top-10 145er Cub Swanson. If Ortega is able to beat Frankie Edgar, it sets up a HUGE Featherweight Title fight between two of the best young fighters to come along in a who knows how long: Ortega and 145lb Champion Max Holloway. If he loses, it only cements Edgar’s claim to his title shot and his place among the featherweight elite. Either way, it clears the way for a big PPV headlining fight for the UFC; one less that they have to worry about.

Besides Till and Ortega, there are a few other guys you can be sure the UFC will try and build quickly over the next few months. At 170lbs with Till there is Santiago Ponzinibbio (Dana White doesn’t seem too pleased with the pace of a lot of Kamaru Usman’s fights and Colby Covington’s behavior is too erratic for the UFC to trust him yet; see Jones, Jonathan Dwight). At Middleweight, champion Robert Whitaker should be a household name soon if he can stay healthy, with stud Kelvin Gastelum, a 170-185lb tweener, always on the verge of stardom. There’s a bit of dearth in the heavier weight classes, but I could see Volkan Oezdemir sticking in the title picture and gaining popularity at 205. I could also see Aussie Tyson Pedro making the jump at some point, should he string together some wins. Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic should already be a star and the UFC is foolish to not have capitalized on his bankable skills and personality already. Up-and-comer Curtis Blaydes has star potential and pedigree and returning legend Cain Velsaquez has one more run in him should he stay healthy. In the lower weight classes, the Dillashaw-Garbrandt feud should be around awhile and a money maker. Jimmie Rivera and Marlon Moraes are also breathing down their necks at 135 lbs. 155lb is ready to blow up with Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez, and maybe some day Nate Diaz gunning for a part in the enjoyable feud between Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov, with McGregor soon returning to join the fracas.

That paragraph, if you stuck around for it, was probably a long, boring read of a list of potential superstars who you probably don’t care about yet. But it illustrates my point that the lack of RIGHT NOW star power is not so much of a problem for the UFC if they can capitalize on what they have on their AAA team. With Lesnar possibly coming back to fill in a space and McGregor supposedly fighting twice this year, the UFC may only need a Fox card and a high-PPV spot for a couple of these guys to be pushed into contention and headliner status. If you are as much of an MMA nerd as I am, you’re also excited to see how it plays out.

 

5 Different Professional Fighters in The Ultimate Fighting Championship Have Simply Refused To Fight Zabit Magomedsharipov.

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Image result for zabit magomedsharipov

(He’s the one in the air, in case you didn’t draw that conclusion)

Sherdog –  The former Absolute Championship Berkut competitor took to Twitter to call out the likes of Myles Jury, Arnold Allen, Yair Rodriguez, Andre Fili and Artem Lobov for turning down a potential bout with him on April 7. According to Magomedsharipov, of those five only Lobov agreed to a fight — only to have his team decline.

Fuckin Dagestan, man. They just don’t want to stop producing the most terrifying MMA fighters alive. It’s bad enough when you have Khabib Nurmagomedov calmly telling fighters they don’t have a shot in hell and they need to give up so he can fight for the title – while reigning down hellfire elbows on their skulls. Now you have this GIGANTIC featherweight who is already such a problem two fights into his UFC career that the entire 145lb division has just said, nah, fuck that. Someone else do it. I mean look at those names above. Myles Jury (a former 155er btw), Yair Rodriguez, Andre Fili. Not only are those guys up there in terms of divisional standing (Fili aside, but he’ll be back into the Top 15), but they make their living going to Goddam WAR. They bring it. They’re all “anywhere, anyone, anytime” guys. That’s what makes this guy Magomedsharipov so special. He’s the limit. He’s where the rest of these guys said yaaaaaa anyone but him.

A little more on the man himself. He’s 14-1 with 12 finishes. His last two opponents – as aforementioned his first two in the UFC – both met their end via rear-naked choke. Also already mentioned, he is from the MMA factory known as the Republic of Dagestan. By “Republic” I mean Dagestan is a subject of Russia’s that sort of operates as it’s own thing because it would be too much of a pain in the ass for Russia to try and control them as much as some of their other regions. Given Dagestan’s proclivity for MMA, you can probably imagine why. A 6’1 featherweight,  when he is stateside (I don’t how often/constant that is) Magomedsharipov trains out of Ricardo Almeida BJJ amongst the likes of Edson Barboza and Frankie Edgar. That gym is known as one of the most underrated in the sport and a great spot for a 26 year natural. Apparently, maybe it’s a little too good for him because now no one wants to fight him.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see how this plays out. It’s hard enough for foreign fighters to rise up the UFC pecking order sometimes, for various reasons, without the road block of not being able to find an opponent. Let’s hope someone rises up soon to accept the challenge because this guy could be a part of the new wave at 145 along with Holloway and Ortega.

(Note: I wonder if between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Zabit Magomedsharipov Dougie will start putting a quota on how much text I can waste of names. Hope note.)