MMA General Discussion and Fight Announcements 7.0

[Avs_19]

Dillashaw v Cejudo moved to main event the first ESPN+ card.

Surprising it got flipped there, but not surprising in that we talked about that being a good spot for it months ago.

Good main event for the first ESPN+ card. An odd way to get to that point since they were once again left scrambling to find a main event for an important card but it works out in the end.

Have to wonder what's next for UFC 233. 6 weeks out and needs a main event and a couple main card fights.

I actually like this card if they can find a good main event. Lawler vs. Askren, Cruz vs. Lineker, and Vick vs. Felder are good fights. Aldo vs. Swanson is rumoured but not official yet.

 

[m9]

Good main event for the first ESPN+ card. An odd way to get to that point since they were once again left scrambling to find a main event for an important card but it works out in the end.



I actually like this card if they can find a good main event. Lawler vs. Askren, Cruz vs. Lineker, and Vick vs. Felder are good fights. Aldo vs. Swanson is rumoured but not official yet.

Swanson already shot it down. But yeah, depends on the main event.

 

[pistolpete11]

Honestly, TJ vs. Cejudo is a little bit strange for the first ESPN card if you ask me. I mean, it's an interesting fight for fans that have been following the UFC, but for potentially new eyeballs that they will get from ESPN? Here's a fight in a division that no one cares about enough for us to even keep it around. Enjoy!

I don't know. Maybe in the long run it will help pump up TJ or Cejudo.

 

[m9]

Honestly, TJ vs. Cejudo is a little bit strange for the first ESPN card if you ask me. I mean, it's an interesting fight for fans that have been following the UFC, but for potentially new eyeballs that they will get from ESPN? Here's a fight in a division that no one cares about enough for us to even keep it around. Enjoy!

I don't know. Maybe in the long run it will help pump up TJ or Cejudo.

It was definitely not their first choice and I think they have just been forced to scramble (again) to fill their
schedule.

So what is going to headline 233? Options:
DC v Miocic
Conor v Nate/Poirer/Cerrone
Covington v Usman (interim belt)

I can't see anything else that works, and Covington v Usman is a very weak main event.

 

[pistolpete11]

It was definitely not their first choice and I think they have just been forced to scramble (again) to fill their
schedule.

So what is going to headline 233? Options:
DC v Miocic
Conor v Nate/Poirer/Cerrone
Covington v Usman (interim belt)

I can't see anything else that works, and Covington v Usman is a very weak main event.

DC-Brock? I think Brock is eligible to return Jan. 8th or something like that. Probably too big of a fight to not be in Vegas.

Can't imagine DC fighting Stipe unless something happens with Brock. Especially since he already turned down a short notice fight against Stipe.

When will Conor's suspension even be levied let alone when is it up?

Yeah, Covington vs. Usman would be very weak. This Woodley-Covington thing has been building up for a while now. It would be very stupid to not take advantage of that. They already risked it once with the Wooldey-Till fight. I think Usman would wreck Covington, so it's even riskier.

Rose-Andrade? Most of the other champs have fights booked already, are hurt, or in trouble.

Rebook Nate-Poirier? Nate-Gaethje? Tony would probably be stupid to accept it, but maybe Tony-Nate for the interim belt if Khabib (and Conor) get suspended for a while?

Are there any other big enough stars that could be passable for a PPV main event even if it's not for a belt? Obviously GSP isn't taking a fight on short notice.

 

[m9]

DC-Brock? I think Brock is eligible to return Jan. 8th or something like that. Probably too big of a fight to not be in Vegas.

Can't imagine DC fighting Stipe unless something happens with Brock. Especially since he already turned down a short notice fight against Stipe.

When will Conor's suspension even be levied let alone when is it up?

Yeah, Covington vs. Usman would be very weak. This Woodley-Covington thing has been building up for a while now. It would be very stupid to not take advantage of that. They already risked it once with the Wooldey-Till fight. I think Usman would wreck Covington, so it's even riskier.

Rose-Andrade? Most of the other champs have fights booked already, are hurt, or in trouble.

Rebook Nate-Poirier? Nate-Gaethje? Tony would probably be stupid to accept it, but maybe Tony-Nate for the interim belt if Khabib (and Conor) get suspended for a while?

Are there any other big enough stars that could be passable for a PPV main event even if it's not for a belt? Obviously GSP isn't taking a fight on short notice.

I think Rose isn't fighting until the Spring, not that she's really a main event either.

I really don't see any other scenarios. Even worse since this is the card going heads up vs Bellator.

 

[Brodeur]

DC-Brock? I think Brock is eligible to return Jan. 8th or something like that. Probably too big of a fight to not be in Vegas.

Not sure how Brock's WWE contract works, but WWE is running a big set of shows the same weekend as UFC 233. I'm not sure they'd let Brock out and have him possibly lose in a manner like the Cain fight, and then try to promote him as their world champion the next day as the ramp up for Wrestlemania. Last time WWE let Brock fight for UFC, it was a July card when they were kinda in the summer doldrums and Brock wasn't their champion. Plus it was an arguably more favorable matchup against Mark Hunt.

 

[m9]

Not sure how Brock's WWE contract works, but WWE is running a big set of shows the same weekend as UFC 233. I'm not sure they'd let Brock out and have him possibly lose in a manner like the Cain fight, and then try to promote him as their world champion the next day as the ramp up for Wrestlemania. Last time WWE let Brock fight for UFC, it was a July card when they were kinda in the summer doldrums and Brock wasn't their champion. Plus it was an arguably more favorable matchup against Mark Hunt.

I think the DC/Brock fight happens in the summer as well. Dana has already been talking about trying to get 3 fights out of DC, so I think they try to sneak one more in before the Brock fight at either UFC233 or UFC235. I would actually be intrigued by DC v JDS at either event, though DC v Miocic is more likely.

 

[pistolpete11]

I think the DC/Brock fight happens in the summer as well. Dana has already been talking about trying to get 3 fights out of DC, so I think they try to sneak one more in before the Brock fight at either UFC233 or UFC235. I would actually be intrigued by DC v JDS at either event, though DC v Miocic is more likely.

DC already turned down a short notice fight against Stipe. Why would he accept one now? JDS wouldn't be much better for him either.

Maybe for UFC 235, but especially by then, why wouldn't it be Brock? Did I miss something with Brock?

 

[m9]

DC already turned down a short notice fight against Stipe. Why would he accept one now? JDS wouldn't be much better for him either.

Maybe for UFC 235, but especially by then, why wouldn't it be Brock? Did I miss something with Brock?

As mentioned above, indications are Brock isn't going to fighting soon. I don't know if DC is going to wait until the summer to fight again, and the UFC is certainly going to try to get a fight out of him before then.

I don't know, I guess yeah 233 is too soon for DC but I'm sure the UFC would love to have the best HW in the world fighting the same day Bellator finishes their HW tournament. They're just so limited for options right now.. again.

 

[Avs_19]

I don't know if it's too many shows, poor planning, fighters being difficult, or a combination of everything but it's crazy how this is happening again. Going into a new year with a new TV deal and they're still scrambling for everything at the last minute. Having to move a fight in order to get a last minute main event for the very first ESPN show might be even worse than what happened with MSG last month. A few years ago, they would've had these main events locked down for months in advance.

We're back to interim title talk for 233 now. Covington vs. Usman is a fine fight but the interim title is meaningless and it shouldn't be a PPV main event. Covington likely isn't taking that fight anyways though so they might have to go even further down the list if they want Usman in an interim title fight at that event.

 

[pistolpete11]

As mentioned above, indications are Brock isn't going to fighting soon. I don't know if DC is going to wait until the summer to fight again, and the UFC is certainly going to try to get a fight out of him before then.

I don't know, I guess yeah 233 is too soon for DC but I'm sure the UFC would love to have the best HW in the world fighting the same day Bellator finishes their HW tournament. They're just so limited for options right now.. again.

What indications, though? All I see is speculation on a message board. Is it actually based on anything?

I don't know if it's too many shows, poor planning, fighters being difficult, or a combination of everything but it's crazy how this is happening again. Going into a new year with a new TV deal and they're still scrambling for everything at the last minute. Having to move a fight in order to get a last minute main event for the very first ESPN show might be even worse than what happened with MSG last month. A few years ago, they would've had these main events locked down for months in advance.

We're back to interim title talk for 233 now. Covington vs. Usman is a fine fight but the interim title is meaningless and it shouldn't be a PPV main event. Covington likely isn't taking that fight anyways though so they might have to go even further down the list if they want Usman in an interim title fight at that event.

I think it's a combination of it all and I'd add in having these champion vs. champion fights. The UFC always had some cards with kind of weak main events like Cyborg or DJ or someone like that, but at least it was a title fight. Now, they have 4 divisions locked up bewteen 2 events because of TJ-Cejudo and Cyborg-Nunes.

A fight that is starting to make some sense to me is Tony-Nate for the interim belt. I know the interim belt doesn't mean anything to Tony after what they did the last time he had one, but what happens if Khabib is suspended for a year? Is Tony really going to sit out for 9-10 more months? Why not take a huge payday against Nate, get his name out there even more for some of the more casual fans, and let's be honest, he should beat Nate. If Khabib only gets 6 months or something, then maybe it's too close for him and he'd just wait. But if it's a year or longer...

And for Nate, outside of the Conor trilogy, could there be a bigger fight than a main event for the interim belt? I mean, that's got to be more enticing than the Poirier fight he took, right?

 

[Peter Griffin]

Don’t be surprised if we see Askren/Usman at UFC 233.

 

[BGDDYKWL]

What indications, though? All I see is speculation on a message board. Is it actually based on anything?

No concrete evidence but I think the delay of the announcement of the fight/date was the first bad sign. Brock signing another contract with WWE was the second. And Brock still looking in the worst shape of his life months after the DC encounter was the third. I don't think he ever comes back.

 

[m9]

Don’t be surprised if we see Askren/Usman at UFC 233.

Yeah, that's one of the rumors for the interim belt. Very weak main event, though great fight.

 

[Avs_19]

UFC and TSN announced they've signed a new multi-year TV deal. 22 ESPN/ESPN+ fight nights and their prelims, PPV prelims, and Dana White's contender series will all be on TSN. That would mean the 8 remaining fight night cards will only be available on Fight Pass for Canadians. The early prelims also remain on Fight Pass.

Full details will probably be out sometime next week but it sounds like it's an exclusive deal this time so no more sharing with Fight Network. I like that part because I always had to find other ways to catch the prelims since I don't get that channel. I also might have to sign up for Fight Pass again now.

 

[m9]

UFC and TSN announced they've signed a new multi-year TV deal. 22 ESPN/ESPN+ fight nights and their prelims, PPV prelims, and Dana White's contender series will all be on TSN. That would mean the 8 remaining fight night cards will only be available on Fight Pass for Canadians. The early prelims also remain on Fight Pass.

Full details will probably be out sometime next week but it sounds like it's an exclusive deal this time so no more sharing with Fight Network. I like that part because I always had to find other ways to catch the prelims since I don't get that channel. I also might have to sign up for Fight Pass again now.

Nice, I figured they would announce it around the 231 PPV.

Will wait to see all the details but no Fight Network is a good thing for sure.

 

[pistolpete11]

No concrete evidence but I think the delay of the announcement of the fight/date was the first bad sign. Brock signing another contract with WWE was the second. And Brock still looking in the worst shape of his life months after the DC encounter was the third. I don't think he ever comes back.

Brock's in the worst shape of his life because he's off steroids so that he can fight again in the UFC, no?

I hope Brock doesn't come back to the UFC, though. The only reason I am a little bit in favor of it is for DC to get paid. But as a sport, it's silly that Brock would fight for the title in 2019.

 

[1specter]

No concrete evidence but I think the delay of the announcement of the fight/date was the first bad sign. Brock signing another contract with WWE was the second. And Brock still looking in the worst shape of his life months after the DC encounter was the third. I don't think he ever comes back.

Don't forget the new USADA rule where they don't have to announce violations publicly or something like that

 

[Rocko604]

With all this Askren/Usman talk, will the UFC just simply remove Lawler from that card?

 

[pistolpete11]

With all this Askren/Usman talk, will the UFC just simply remove Lawler from that card?

I for one don't really believe the Usman/Askren talk. I think it is just a way to put pressure on Woodley and Covingotn. But if it does happen, I'd imagine they would try to find a replacement for Lawler. The original rumor was Lawler-Wonderboy. As far as I know, Wonderboy doesn't have another fight lined up. I wouldn't mind seeing that fight still. I don't think many would. Lawler might not be happy considering Askren-Wonderboy are opposite ends of the striker-grappler spectrum, but he might be old school enough to not give a shit.

Taking someone off the card completely this far into a training camp is pretty shitty. Doing it to a former champ like Lawler would be a real slap in the face.

 

[Avs_19]

I think they're just making a bigger mess of that division if they do an Usman vs. Askren interim title fight. This exact scenario just played out recently. They badly wanted another title fight but Woodley wasn't ready when they needed him so they did the Covington vs. RDA interim title fight. Woodley was ready pretty soon after that and they once again badly needed a title fight to fill a card but Covington wasn't ready now so they stripped him of the interim belt and made the Till fight. Now the cycle will begin again if they make that fight for Anaheim. Usman may not be fully recovered and ready when Woodley wants to return and there's also the issue of Askren and Woodley not fighting each other because they're teammates. Woodley just fought three months ago and will probably be ready sometime in February so they should just wait. Instead of blaming Woodley, they should blame the ridiculous number of cards they have and their poor planning.

 

[m9]

The funniest thing the UFC could do would be to book Shevchenko/Eubanks to main event UFC 233. Straight up troll job on the fans.

 

[Avs_19]

The funniest thing the UFC could do would be to book Shevchenko/Eubanks to main event UFC 233. Straight up troll job on the fans.

That'd actually be kinda hilarious. Maybe Nicco Montano can save the day.

Another thought, they could've moved Cyborg vs. Nunes to Brooklyn or Anaheim beforehand. It's way too late now but they probably knew they had limited options well in advance of last week when they started moving things around. Jones is big enough to carry a card on his own and that'd still be a pretty good card overall without the women's title fight. Maybe that was too risky with Jones and Gustafsson's history of fights falling through.

 

[m9]

I think they're just making a bigger mess of that division if they do an Usman vs. Askren interim title fight. This exact scenario just played out recently. They badly wanted another title fight but Woodley wasn't ready when they needed him so they did the Covington vs. RDA interim title fight. Woodley was ready pretty soon after that and they once again badly needed a title fight to fill a card but Covington wasn't ready now so they stripped him of the interim belt and made the Till fight. Now the cycle will begin again if they make that fight for Anaheim. Usman may not be fully recovered and ready when Woodley wants to return and there's also the issue of Askren and Woodley not fighting each other because they're teammates. Woodley just fought three months ago and will probably be ready sometime in February so they should just wait. Instead of blaming Woodley, they should blame the ridiculous number of cards they have and their poor planning.

The plan (if Usman/Askren happens) from what I've heard is to book Woodley/Covington anyway, likely at UFC235.

If Usman wins, he can fight the Woodley/Covington winner. If Askren and Covington win, they would fight next.

The complicated scenario.. if Askren and Woodley win, Woodley would move up to 185lbs to challenge for the belt, and Askren would fight the next challenger at 170lbs.