GDT: UFC 251: Usman vs. Masvidal

[Avs_19]

There is definitely a little bit of an F-U in there to PVZ for complaining about money, but it's a good opportunity to build Ribas, too. I hope they don't rush her up to Valentina, but she's young, talented, has an infectious personality, and she's kind fo cute, too. She could be a star in the UFC for many years to come.

I think and hope PZV is going to Bellator. Let's be honest. She doesn't suck, but she's never going to be champ in the UFC. She'll make more money in Bellator with sponsorships, the UFC has probably got what they can out of her and won't want to pay her much money, and she'd be one of Bellator's bigger stars. It's a win-win-win if you ask me.

Yeah, I agree with all of that. It’s definitely a good showcase for Ribas. Main card of a stacked PPV against a name people know.

 

[member 51464]

Hopefully everyone makes weight. That's the next potential f*** up spot.

 

[1specter]

That's an interesting point. I wouldn't put it past any fighter to break quarantine and then lie about it. But I also wouldn't put it past Max to say "f*** it, let's scrap". He said on JRE he took his first MMA fight on 2 days notice or something without any training and learned his striking on the UFC video game . So who knows. Maybe we'll find out the truth after the fight somehow.

Apparently DC said that Max has been training some grappling in this camp and there's also been some recent Videos of him doing pad work so I definitely call BS on the 'only zoom training' thing

 

[pistolpete11]

Mike Brown tested positive earlier this week, so he won't be able to corner Masvidal. Luckily for Jorge, Mike Perry proved to everybody that corners don't really do anything anyway.

 

[1specter]

Mike Brown tested positive earlier this week, so he won't be able to corner Masvidal. Luckily for Jorge, Mike Perry proved to everybody that corners don't really do anything anyway.

Hopefully Jorge doesn't end up testing positive in a couple of days himself. I know he's come back clean so far but it can take a few days...

That being said, if Jorge can pull this off still somehow it will be one of the most legendary moments in the sport.

 

[I am not exposed]

Hopefully Jorge doesn't end up testing positive in a couple of days himself. I know he's come back clean so far but it can take a few days...

That being said, if Jorge can pull this off still somehow it will be one of the most legendary moments in the sport.

Fingers crossed!

 

[Avs_19]

FWIW, Poirier says Masvidal has been training all along.

 

[member 51464]

Who do you all think the winners of the title fights say they want to see next?

 

[Avs_19]

Who do you all think the winners of the title fights say they want to see next?

Usman: Burns

Masvidal: Nate or Conor

Volkanovski: He has already said whoever separates themselves from that Ortega/Zombie/Yair/Zabit mix.

Holloway: Probably the same as Volkanovski except for the Ortega part since he already beat him. Hopefully no talk of Cejudo jumping the line.

Yan/Aldo: It has to be Sterling.

 

[m9]

Who do you all think the winners of the title fights say they want to see next?

Usman - Conor
Masvidal - Conor
Volkanovski - Nobody in particular
Max - Volkanovski 3
Aldo - Moraes
Yan - Sterling

 

[1specter]

Usman: Burns

Masvidal: Nate or Conor

Volkanovski: He has already said whoever separates themselves from that Ortega/Zombie/Yair/Zabit mix.

Holloway: Probably the same as Volkanovski except for the Ortega part since he already beat him. Hopefully no talk of Cejudo jumping the line.

Yan/Aldo: It has to be Sterling.

Yeah pretty much this. Only person I'd throw into the mix would be Leon Edwards for Usman, however Edwards has been stuck in the UK, I'm not sure how rules for UK citizens work now with this whole fight island stuff but he wasn't able to come to the U.S. because of covid restrictions. Usman has also beaten Edwards before though that was 5 years ago and both have improved tremendously since.

 

[ZDH]

Zero faith in Aldo vs Yan. Yan's takedown defense is spectacular and Aldo is nowhere remotely close to as polished a striker as Yan is. So Aldo wont be able to take the fight to the mat and he wont be able to stand there and throw with him. Aldo is totally f***ed.

Easy money, I'm betting my entire account on Yan. Then making some small bets on Volk and Usman and Mazvidal KO Rd1 with the profits.

 

[pistolpete11]

Who do you all think the winners of the title fights say they want to see next?

Who they say and what they end up doing are 2 different things. My guesses would be a combination of @Avs_19 and @m9

Usman : Says Burns. Gets Burns.
Masvidal : Says Nate (he's already said Nate and strangely Wonderboy). Gets Conor.

Volkanovski : Says whoever's next. Gets Zombie/Ortega winner.
Max : Says whoever's next. Gets Zombie or Volkanovski trilogy. Maybe gets Yair/Zabit winner if they can get that fight together, but I haven't even heard of any rumors on that front.

Yan : Says Sterling. Gets Sterling.
Aldo : Says Moreas. Gets Sterling.

 

[CDJ]

A Yan/Usman parlay pays out at even....pretty tempting if you believe in Yan like I do

tough call though, Aldo is still a beast

 

[m9]

Who they say and what they end up doing are 2 different things. My guesses would be a combination of @Avs_19 and @m9

Usman : Says Burns. Gets Burns.
Masvidal : Says Nate (he's already said Nate and strangely Wonderboy). Gets Conor.

Volkanovski : Says whoever's next. Gets Zombie/Ortega winner.
Max : Says whoever's next. Gets Zombie or Volkanovski trilogy. Maybe gets Yair/Zabit winner if they can get that fight together, but I haven't even heard of any rumors on that front.

Yan : Says Sterling. Gets Sterling.
Aldo : Says Moreas. Gets Sterling.

Yeah, who they actually get is the much more interesting question to me. Aldo winning would be interesting to me because that's a fight Cejudo wanted so maybe he comes back for that one.

 

[Avs_19]

Yeah pretty much this. Only person I'd throw into the mix would be Leon Edwards for Usman, however Edwards has been stuck in the UK, I'm not sure how rules for UK citizens work now with this whole fight island stuff but he wasn't able to come to the U.S. because of covid restrictions. Usman has also beaten Edwards before though that was 5 years ago and both have improved tremendously since.

Poor Edwards. He finally got the big fight he wanted against Woodley but it got cancelled because of the pandemic and Burns took his spot. Then he gets an offer for a title fight but he can't take it because he hasn't been able to train at all so Burns takes the opportunity again. On top of that, he's really good but there's nothing exciting about him as a fighter or with his personality so it's not like people are campaigning for him. He could fight Burns in a true #1 contender fight or Covington next. I could also easily see him being left out because Burns gets the next shot and they do the Woodley/Covington fight. If Masvidal wins then all of these contenders could be screwed because he might not accept a fight against any of them.

 

[pistolpete11]

Yeah, who they actually get is the much more interesting question to me. Aldo winning would be interesting to me because that's a fight Cejudo wanted so maybe he comes back for that one.

Yeah, you're right. He might say and get Cejudo. It kind of ruins the whole retirement angle if Cejudo comes back so quickly, but I could definitely see it.

Yan might say Cejudo, too, but I don't think Cejudo would come back for Yan. At least not yet, so I think he'll get Sterling.

 

[MD thaivuN]

the more i watch Yan, the more i realize I like his process more than his technique. The guy is the terminator; keeps going forward, attacks with volume and has that legit power. But boy, is he inaccurate with his shots and puts himself off-balance A LOT. I think Yan beats most Bantamweights, including guys like Aljo. But if Aldo can replicate the 2nd Frankie Edgar fight where he showed the best display of footwork and defense in an MMA fight, I see Yan having lots of problem.

 

[I am not exposed]

Who they say and what they end up doing are 2 different things. My guesses would be a combination of @Avs_19 and @m9

Usman : Says Burns. Gets Burns.
Masvidal : Says Nate (he's already said Nate and strangely Wonderboy). Gets Conor.

Volkanovski : Says whoever's next. Gets Zombie/Ortega winner.
Max : Says whoever's next. Gets Zombie or Volkanovski trilogy. Maybe gets Yair/Zabit winner if they can get that fight together, but I haven't even heard of any rumors on that front.

Yan : Says Sterling. Gets Sterling.
Aldo : Says Moreas. Gets Sterling.

I guess he wants revenge, as that was his last defeat.

 

[pistolpete11]

I guess he wants revenge, as that was his last defeat.

Sure, but he also wants to get paid. In money terms, you've got to at least put Conor and Nate in front of Wonderboy for obvious reasons. And with their histories, I'd also put Colby and Edwards ahead of Wonderboy.

There's nothing wrong with a Masvidal-Wonderboy rematch per se, but he's not the biggest draw nor the most deserving.

 

[member 51464]

Sure, but he also wants to get paid. In money terms, you've got to at least put Conor and Nate in front of Wonderboy for obvious reasons. And with their histories, I'd also put Colby and Edwards ahead of Wonderboy.

There's nothing wrong with a Masvidal-Wonderboy rematch per se, but he's not the biggest draw nor the most deserving.

Won't Jorge be guaranteed points off a PPV for any fight he is the champ for going forward, if he wins?

 

[pistolpete11]

Won't Jorge be guaranteed points off a PPV for any fight he is the champ for going forward, if he wins?

If he's champ, definitely. Although, from some of his recent comments, it sounds like he might be getting PPV points regardless.

But that's even more incentive then to try to get a fight with Conor or Nate.

 

[I am not exposed]

Sure, but he also wants to get paid. In money terms, you've got to at least put Conor and Nate in front of Wonderboy for obvious reasons. And with their histories, I'd also put Colby and Edwards ahead of Wonderboy.

There's nothing wrong with a Masvidal-Wonderboy rematch per se, but he's not the biggest draw nor the most deserving.

I agree. The only logical reason to fight Wonderboy again is for revenge.

 

[ZDH]

A Yan/Usman parlay pays out at even....pretty tempting if you believe in Yan like I do

tough call though, Aldo is still a beast

I'm all in on Yan.

 

[m9]

the more i watch Yan, the more i realize I like his process more than his technique. The guy is the terminator; keeps going forward, attacks with volume and has that legit power. But boy, is he inaccurate with his shots and puts himself off-balance A LOT. I think Yan beats most Bantamweights, including guys like Aljo. But if Aldo can replicate the 2nd Frankie Edgar fight where he showed the best display of footwork and defense in an MMA fight, I see Yan having lots of problem.

This is where I'm at with Yan as well and I agree it's good enough to beat most of the division anyway. My issue is still his competition level - he's been fighting guys a tier (or two) lower than the top of the division.

I don't think Aldo is the same guy as that 2nd Edgar fight, but does he need to be at that level to win this fight?

I hate doing the whole "MMA Math" thing but Aldo and Moraes basically fought to a draw and there's no way Yan would be favored in a fight here vs Moraes, much less by this much.

On the other hand, maybe the UFC knows what they're doing here and is just going to force Yan into stardom and my WEC-bias is kicking in again.