MMA General Discussion and Fight Announcements 7.0

[m9]

Those are some good cards, but I still think they are going to spreads things too thin. I mean, cancelling a PPV because you don't have enough fights to fill it up should be a major warning sign to the UFC. At this point, it's the right decision, but kind of embarrassing, if you ask me.

By the way, is UFC 234 still called UFC 234? Or does it become UFC 233?

Really embarrassing, agreed. Especially when the point of the show was compete with Bellator down the street. And yes, UFC234 is still staying as that. Likely not worth spending money on changing posters, promo, etc.

My only silver lining is that I do think there will be a ton of title fights ready for March/April/May. I think we'll see some big cards, as long as people stay healthy.

 

[pistolpete11]

Has anyone seen the cryptic teaser on the UFC's twitter? It pans across a gold belt looking thing with a blue with a white star, red, white lines on one side and white with a red maple leaf and 2 red lines on the other. It ends with '12.29.18' on the screen. Any thoughts?

I imagine the date is just when they are going to announce whatever this is.

I'm guessing the one side is the USA flag and the other is pretty clearly the Canadian flag. After searching it, someone on Reddit mentioned that below the USA flag, you can see something that looks like it could be the Irish flag.

At worst, this is something really stupid like they redesigned the belts. At best, they will announce a tournament for the 165lb belt.

EDIT: Someone else said that Brock now represents Canada? I guess it could be DC-Brock announcement if that's the case?

 

[pistolpete11]

Really embarrassing, agreed. Especially when the point of the show was compete with Bellator down the street. And yes, UFC234 is still staying as that. Likely not worth spending money on changing posters, promo, etc.

My only silver lining is that I do think there will be a ton of title fights ready for March/April/May. I think we'll see some big cards, as long as people stay healthy.

Yeah definitely.

Woodley-Covington
Hopefully Khabib-Tony
DC-Brock or DC-Stipe or DC-Jones
Hopefully Rose-Andrade. that division had some momentum going but has kind of stalled out with Rose being gone for so long.
Conor-Nate/Poirier/Cowboy/Max/anybody

All those fights could potentially happen first quarter.

 

[m9]

Has anyone seen the cryptic teaser on the UFC's twitter? It pans across a gold belt looking thing with a blue with a white star, red, white lines on one side and white with a red maple leaf and 2 red lines on the other. It ends with '12.29.18' on the screen. Any thoughts?

I imagine the date is just when they are going to announce whatever this is.

I'm guessing the one side is the USA flag and the other is pretty clearly the Canadian flag. After searching it, someone on Reddit mentioned that below the USA flag, you can see something that looks like it could be the Irish flag.

At worst, this is something really stupid like they redesigned the belts. At best, they will announce a tournament for the 165lb belt.

I am going to make a very underwhelming guess - the next season of TUF will be another "Nations" series like the Canada v Australia one and the belt/trophy is for that.

 

[pistolpete11]

I am going to make a very underwhelming guess - the next season of TUF will be another "Nations" series like the Canada v Australia one and the belt/trophy is for that.

Good guess. I hope it's wrong because teasing a TUF season is very underwhelming, but it is very plausible. As long as they don't do something completely asinine like make it for the 165lb belt, it wouldn't be the end of the world. Not exciting, but not terrible.

 

[m9]

With Aldo v Moicano being announced coming up, curious what people think is next for Holloway? He wants to fight again soon, and I do think he'll stick around at 145lbs.

I think it's the right time to have him fight Frankie Edgar. I think Holloway wins, but it should be a fun fight. I think then if Moicano beats Aldo he's up next, with the Mendes/Volkanovski winner being in the mix too. That's enough interesting fights to keep Max at 145lb and get him 3 fights there in 2019.

 

[pistolpete11]

With Aldo v Moicano being announced coming up, curious what people think is next for Holloway? He wants to fight again soon, and I do think he'll stick around at 145lbs.

I think it's the right time to have him fight Frankie Edgar. I think Holloway wins, but it should be a fun fight. I think then if Moicano beats Aldo he's up next, with the Mendes/Volkanovski winner being in the mix too. That's enough interesting fights to keep Max at 145lb and get him 3 fights there in 2019.

Yeah, as of now, Frankie is the only fight I want to see for Max at 145. I think he beats him and beats him rather easily, but Frankie has been such a staple in that division for so long and they've been scheduled to fight a couple times. If they never fought, it would just kind of feel incomplete.

IF Moicano beats Aldo, then that would be the logical next fight for Max after Frankie (assuming he beats Frankie). I think that's a big IF, though. Obviously no interest in seeing Max-Aldo again.

I think Mendes and Volkanovski should both be 2 wins away from a title shot. I guess it would depend on how badly Max wants to stay active and to stay in the 145lb division. If he really needs a fight for some reason, then OK. Otherwise, I think another win against an Ortega, Aldo, Moicano, etc. should be needed.

 

[Neutrinos]

I'd like to see Edgar drop to 135 and take on the winner of TJ/Cejudo

 

[Avs_19]

Pretty nice main event for the first ESPN card. It's an interesting match up because of the uncertainty surrounding Cain. It'd probably be an easy call if we knew he was the same guy but it's hard to imagine he will be after more injuries and two years off.

 

[pistolpete11]

Pretty nice main event for the first ESPN card. It's an interesting match up because of the uncertainty surrounding Cain. It'd probably be an easy call if we knew he was the same guy but it's hard to imagine he will be after more injuries and two years off.

I guess there is some uncertainty with Cain, but if he makes it to Fight Night, I think it's a pretty easy win for him. I mean, it's always possible Francis can catch him, but all Cain has to do is avoid the big shot, take him down, and he wins. It's Stipe-Francis or DC-Lewis all over again if you ask me.

Regardless, it's a big, exciting fight for ESPN. One of the best HW of all time coming off a long lay off vs. a guy with scary power.

 

[BGDDYKWL]

Boy that's a terrible fight for Ngannou. I probably would've attempted to pass on that one if I were him. Hopefully Cain is and stays healthy. The division desperately needs him.

 

[Avs_19]

With Aldo v Moicano being announced coming up, curious what people think is next for Holloway? He wants to fight again soon, and I do think he'll stick around at 145lbs.

I think it's the right time to have him fight Frankie Edgar. I think Holloway wins, but it should be a fun fight. I think then if Moicano beats Aldo he's up next, with the Mendes/Volkanovski winner being in the mix too. That's enough interesting fights to keep Max at 145lb and get him 3 fights there in 2019.

If we assume he stays at 145 then I'd go with Frankie. I would like to see him move up sooner rather than later though. There are a lot of good fighters at the top of 145 and potentially interesting match ups but I'd love to see him against the elite at 155.

I guess there is some uncertainty with Cain, but if he makes it to Fight Night, I think it's a pretty easy win for him. I mean, it's always possible Francis can catch him, but all Cain has to do is avoid the big shot, take him down, and he wins. It's Stipe-Francis or DC-Lewis all over again if you ask me.

Regardless, it's a big, exciting fight for ESPN. One of the best HW of all time coming off a long lay off vs. a guy with scary power.

Ngannou's best (only?) chance is if Cain is slow or rusty to start, which wouldn't be all that surprising considering the time off. That's what makes this fight kinda interesting to me. This is the worst possible match up for Ngannou if he can't get something done in the first round though.

 

[m9]

Interesting fight for sure. I always like when fights come out of nowhere.

I agree it's a bad fight for Ngannou, but other than hand-picking strikers for him at HW he's going to have to fight these wrestlers anyway. He's going to have all of the same questions if he was lined up against Cormier or Miocic. Same questions he just faced recently with Blaydes.

Might as well fight the one that has barely fought the last few years.

 

[pistolpete11]

If we assume he stays at 145 then I'd go with Frankie. I would like to see him move up sooner rather than later though. There are a lot of good fighters at the top of 145 and potentially interesting match ups but I'd love to see him against the elite at 155.



Ngannou's best (only?) chance is if Cain is slow or rusty to start, which wouldn't be all that surprising considering the time off. That's what makes this fight kinda interesting to me. This is the worst possible match up for Ngannou if he can't get something done in the first round though.

I can't really argue your point. It's entirely possible. I just think Cain is such an athletic, smart guy who's at one of the best gyms in the world. If he didn't look right, I don't think he'd come back and/or take a fight against a guy as dangerous as Francis.

Interesting fight for sure. I always like when fights come out of nowhere.

I agree it's a bad fight for Ngannou, but other than hand-picking strikers for him at HW he's going to have to fight these wrestlers anyway. He's going to have all of the same questions if he was lined up against Cormier or Miocic. Same questions he just faced recently with Blaydes.

Might as well fight the one that has barely fought the last few years.

Fights that come out of nowhere are fun, especially when they happen quickly after that.

 

[MD thaivuN]

It's a great gamble for Ngannou. Yeah, it's a bad fight for him if Cain is anywhere near to the Cain we all know. But there's a decent chance he's not. And so, is an old declined Cain Velasquez, that is probably rusty as hell, better than the Curtis Blaydes? Maybe, Maybe not. I doubt the current Cain is any better than Stipe.

Also Ngannou finally got back training in France with his coaches rather than the UFC Performance Institute in his last fight. The whole "Move to the US to train in the PI" thing just seemed like a really silly gimmick and felt like some weird attempt by the UFC to promote their substitution to MMA camps. If you're some sort of athletic freaks and want to move out to the US and become champ, join ATT or something, not the PI.

 

[BGDDYKWL]

That Mir fight was tough to watch. He needs to retire. I'll never understand why guys will have both dominant position and control, and decide to force mount and subsequently lose it almost instantly. Just not a smart risk IMO.

 

[pistolpete11]

That Mir fight was tough to watch. He needs to retire. I'll never understand why guys will have both dominant position and control, and decide to force mount and subsequently lose it almost instantly. Just not a smart risk IMO.

I didn't watch the fight, so I'm not commenting on it specifically.

But mount is a more fight-ending position to be in, IMO. Side-control is great to keep control, but unless you can pin them against the cage, I think it's hard to land enough ground-and-pound to stop the fight.

 

[BGDDYKWL]

Mir suffered an alveolar ridge fracture, essentially bone just behind/above your front teeth. The tap makes a lot more sense now.

 

[Le Tricolore]

Well beyond 1000 posts. New thread here:

MMA General Discussion and Fight Announcements 8.0