GDT: UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2/PFL 9

[I am not exposed]

I watched an interview Usman did with TMZ Sports after the fight. He appears so relaxed and almost relieved that I wonder if the pressure of being perfect had started to weigh on him personally. Now he gets to sit back, regroup and get back to training without all the pressure of the belt, the perfect UFC record etc. He gets to be a bit more "normal" now.

He's taken the loss well. Props to him. Not his biggest fan but he's overall dealing with it well.

 

[16Skippy]

I was busy this weekend, finally was able to watch it today.

Lost money on Aldo, won on Edwards.

I don't really want an immediate rematch. Edwards won decisively and there are a lot of good fighters at WW. Edwards vs Khamzat-Diaz winner should be next. The Brady-Belal winner could be next after that with Usman fighting the loser. If he's really the top P4P guy and close to GOAT considerations like everyone thinks he is (I don't) he shouldn't have trouble beating someone else in the top 10 and fighting for the title again by the end of 2023. Unless his knees are shot, which I'll admit is entirely possible.

The real loser though was the commentary team. Going on and on about Edwards being broken, just trying to survive, etc and then he gets a KO. I think he's just really calm and laid back, not sullen.

 

[I am not exposed]

I was busy this weekend, finally was able to watch it today.

Lost money on Aldo, won on Edwards.

I don't really want an immediate rematch. Edwards won decisively and there are a lot of good fighters at WW. Edwards vs Khamzat-Diaz winner should be next. The Brady-Belal winner could be next after that with Usman fighting the loser. If he's really the top P4P guy and close to GOAT considerations like everyone thinks he is (I don't) he shouldn't have trouble beating someone else in the top 10 and fighting for the title again by the end of 2023. Unless his knees are shot, which I'll admit is entirely possible.

The real loser though was the commentary team. Going on and on about Edwards being broken, just trying to survive, etc and then he gets a KO. I think he's just really calm and laid back, not sullen.

Yep. Agreed. Don't want an immediate rematch at all.

 

[m9]

I generally hate the "immediate rematch" thing as well unless the fight has some sort of controversy. Why should Edwards have to win twice? I don't think it's too much to ask for a guy losing his belt to go out and win a fight in between.

But it's where the sport is at, unfortunately. Hard to deny Usman getting a title shot when everyone else gets them and pretty much all of them are less deserving than Usman.

 

[Taytro]

I may be in the minority but I absolutely despise outcomes like the one we saw Saturday night. And don't get me wrong, everyone at the bar I was watching had the same reaction Rogan always does, and it's a reminder that "anything can happen in MMA", but I don't like seeing a guy completely dominate most of a fight and then get caught right at the end. It's not the "correct" outcome if you will.

And I don't wanna take anything away from Edwards by saying it was lucky or a fluke, but as the odds for the trilogy already indicate, Usman is the better fighter, and if they fought ten times my personal opinion is Usman would win nine.

Masvidal has no business anywhere near a title discussion. Really hope that doesn't even get entertained. And Colby still sounds pretty beat up so he's likely out of the conversation in the near future. If Usman and Chimaev win as expected that fight will be very interesting.

Personally I don't mind Usman. I think a lot of the "cringe" if you will gets brought out by guys with big mouths. When you're promoting and have to listen to everything that comes out of Colby and Jorge's mouths it's tough not to respond in kind.

But that's the thing.... This is the correct outcome. The same way as Toronto being up 4-1 and then losing 5-4, was the correct outcome. The fight is 5 rounds, if you win 3 of them and then get complacent or fooled and lose, then that's the correct outcome. It doesn't matter how many periods you scored more goals or how many rounds you're up 10/9, if in the end you lose, that is the correct outcome. So that being said, I disagree with you and I absolutely LOVE these outcomes, same way I would have loved if Nate KO'd Edwards at the end of their fight. . Overcoming adversity, last second bombs, Hail Mary's, or just guys who dig deeper, whatever it is, it's great and it's always the result of something. Maybe someone threw a perfect punch/kick, maybe someone got tired, or overconfident/complacent. There's always a reason for these endings and my opinion is it's always the right outcome.

 

[Taytro]

I generally hate the "immediate rematch" thing as well unless the fight has some sort of controversy. Why should Edwards have to win twice? I don't think it's too much to ask for a guy losing his belt to go out and win a fight in between.

But it's where the sport is at, unfortunately. Hard to deny Usman getting a title shot when everyone else gets them and pretty much all of them are less deserving than Usman.

I don't like it either but... I understand it. Especially in circumstances where the guy who lost the belt has several title defences before hand. Giving an immediate rematch has just become a bit of the norm in the UFC when a champ loses their belt. IMO if it's marketable due to a phenomenal back and forth fight or if theres real tension/build up? Sure, go ahead. But if not, just let them do their own thing for a fight or two and then rematch.

 

[pistolpete11]

I think you want there to be no doubt, or at least as little as possible, on who the best is. Fair or not, most people are coming away from that fight saying "Yeah, but Usman is still the better fighter." Instead of having that hanging over your champ, see if he can do it again. If he does, I think most people would accept that Edwards is just better.

I think they do too many immediate rematches, but this 1 is more than justified IMO.

But that's the thing.... This is the correct outcome. The same way as Toronto being up 4-1 and then losing 5-4, was the correct outcome. The fight is 5 rounds, if you win 3 of them and then get complacent or fooled and lose, then that's the correct outcome. It doesn't matter how many periods you scored more goals or how many rounds you're up 10/9, if in the end you lose, that is the correct outcome. So that being said, I disagree with you and I absolutely LOVE these outcomes, same way I would have loved if Nate KO'd Edwards at the end of their fight. . Overcoming adversity, last second bombs, Hail Mary's, or just guys who dig deeper, whatever it is, it's great and it's always the result of something. Maybe someone threw a perfect punch/kick, maybe someone got tired, or overconfident/complacent. There's always a reason for these endings and my opinion is it's always the right outcome.

I mean, hockey's not really the best comparison, though. They have an 82 game season followed by series of 7. If you dominate but make 1 mistake, even if it costs you the game, it's OK because you have 6 more games.

Football is a little closer because it's 1 and done, but even then ehhh. What Edwards did would be more like if a Hail Mary counted for 21 points instead of 7.

 

[Taytro]

I think you want there to be no doubt, or at least as little as possible, on who the best is. Fair or not, most people are coming away from that fight saying "Yeah, but Usman is still the better fighter." Instead of having that hanging over your champ, see if he can do it again. If he does, I think most people would accept that Edwards is just better.

I think they do too many immediate rematches, but this 1 is more than justified IMO.


I mean, hockey's not really the best comparison, though. They have an 82 game season followed by series of 7. If you dominate but make 1 mistake, even if it costs you the game, it's OK because you have 6 more games.

Football is a little closer because it's 1 and done, but even then ehhh. What Edwards did would be more like if a Hail Mary counted for 21 points instead of 7.

I agree but I think that's the problem with the UFC/MMA, often times people judge who is "better" by who controlled the fight longer, not by who won the fight. Leon Edwards won this fight about as fairly as possible regardless of how or the reason. That is all part of the fight, being able to catch someone last minute or being caught less second is part of the being better/worse calculation because it's part of the fight, people say lucky knockdown or got caught or whatever but it's all part of the fight. I think it's silly to go "but Usman is better because he won the middle 3 rounds and was up on the judges cards". Did he look better during those rounds? Sure. Did he lose the fight? Very clearly. If this happened in the 3rd or 4th I don't know if there would be as much doubt as it happening in the final minute, but in the end the result is the same. In my opinion there shouldn't be a doubt on who the better fighter was, there was no controversial ending and the fight ended with one man unconscious and one man with a title.

The second point was moreso just a reference to the fact that it's a 5 round fight, 3 period game, or even a 90 minute match. Just because someone is winning or dominating the first 4/5 rounds, 2/3 periods, 3/4 quarters, or 70 of 90 minutes doesn't necessarily mean anything. A team down 3-1 looking rejected can come back in the final 10 minutes just the same as a fighter can come back. The outcome is always up for grabs while there is time on the clock, especially in MMA.

 

[pistolpete11]

I agree but I think that's the problem with the UFC/MMA, often times people judge who is "better" by who controlled the fight longer, not by who won the fight. Leon Edwards won this fight about as fairly as possible regardless of how or the reason. That is all part of the fight, being able to catch someone last minute or being caught less second is part of the being better/worse calculation because it's part of the fight, people say lucky knockdown or got caught or whatever but it's all part of the fight. I think it's silly to go "but Usman is better because he won the middle 3 rounds and was up on the judges cards". Did he look better during those rounds? Sure. Did he lose the fight? Very clearly. If this happened in the 3rd or 4th I don't know if there would be as much doubt as it happening in the final minute, but in the end the result is the same. In my opinion there shouldn't be a doubt on who the better fighter was, there was no controversial ending and the fight ended with one man unconscious and one man with a title.

The second point was moreso just a reference to the fact that it's a 5 round fight, 3 period game, or even a 90 minute match. Just because someone is winning or dominating the first 4/5 rounds, 2/3 periods, 3/4 quarters, or 70 of 90 minutes doesn't necessarily mean anything. A team down 3-1 looking rejected can come back in the final 10 minutes just the same as a fighter can come back. The outcome is always up for grabs while there is time on the clock, especially in MMA.

I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone or something. As someone who doesn't like Usman, I was rooting for him to win so we didn't have to see a rematch and now I'm saying we need to see the rematch

It wasn't lucky. It was a very intentional kick that landed perfectly. He deserves credit for that....but it was flukey and there is a difference. We're not talking Derrick Lewis here who has a track record of waiting, waiting, waiting, and then landing a KO blow. There's a reason Usman's opening as a -350 favorite and it's because most people view him as the better fighter, again, fair or not.

 

[Suxnet]

MMA's in a sad state when you have lowlifes like Conor and Jake Paul and their legion of 16 year old fans making fun of one of the welterweight's GOATs getting KO'd.

 

[ColbyChaos]

MMA's in a sad state when you have lowlifes like Conor and Jake Paul and their legion of 16 year old fans making fun of one of the welterweight's GOATs getting KO'd.

Connor hasnt been relevant for 5 years now. His career has devolved to being a guy that everyone wants to fight because it would be an easy pay day because casuals still think he is one of the best. The only person he even beat was Cerrone who ended up having a 7 fight skid and retire

 

[Chaels Arms]

MMA's in a sad state when you have lowlifes like Conor and Jake Paul and their legion of 16 year old fans making fun of one of the welterweight's GOATs getting KO'd.

Ehhhhh Jake Paul has nothing to really do with MMA so I don't see how anything he says or does reflects on the sport. Edwards is repped by Audie Attar at Paradigm Sports who also reps McGregor so that's the connection there. Plus, McGregor hates Ali Abdelaziz.