Sean O’Malley nonetheless reigns supreme. 4 years after his solely MMA loss, “Sugar” avenged that setback in fashion, outclassing Marlon Vera with a pillar-to-post masterclass at UFC 299. O’Malley’s first protection of his UFC bantamweight title headlined an action-packed return to Miami’s Kaseya Heart, which additionally included an announcement win from a light-weight legend, the rising of a number of new contenders, plus rather more.
With a lot to debate, let’s dive proper into our seven greatest takeaways from UFC 299.
1. Love him or hate him, Sean O’Malley continues to be a person of his phrase.
When the UFC bantamweight champ referred to as his subsequent shot after his two-round stunner over Aljamain Sterling, he promised his rematch with Marlon Vera could be essentially the most profitable bantamweight combat of all-time. Not solely was he right, however he really undersold how large it might actually be — UFC 299 drew the fourth-highest stay gate in UFC historical past. The one three increased? All headlined by a man named Conor McGregor. That’s spectacular nevertheless you need to slice it. When O’Malley promised to proper the wrongs of his previous and switch Vera right into a punching bag, not solely was he right once more, however he really undersold that one as nicely. The 230 important strikes he racked up on Saturday tied for the eighth-most ever landed in a UFC combat. His important strike differential of 141 (230-89) amounted to the second-best bantamweight mark of all-time (behind solely the 160 he slapped up on Kris Moutinho) and even clocked in because the fourth-largest placing differential ever seen in a UFC title combat.
In different phrases, the person put beating on “Chito” in a manner few have all through UFC historical past. Main credit score to Vera for gamely sticking in there, by some means consuming a knee delivered straight from the depths of hell that may’ve knocked out a rhinoceros, and in the end turning it right into a dogfight down the stretch, however that was a masterclass of approach and precision.
However let’s additionally get actual: UFC 299 was at all times going to be the warm-up for “The Sugar Present” period. Vera was right here for the storyline, not as a result of he deserved to skip the road.
However now? Oh, now the true challenges start.
I’ve zero curiosity in seeing Ilia Topuria vs. O’Malley in 2024. There are far too many deserving challengers in each divisions, and Merab Dvalishvili particularly has greater than earned his shot. He’s already tied for the longest UFC win streak within the historical past of the division. Not solely that, however he implausibly bought over with the fan base by turning Henry Cejudo into his personal private grappling dummy. Champ vs. champ fights ought to imply one thing particular, and throwing two dudes in there who personal one mixed title protection is just not it. O’Malley needs large fights, I get it. But when he beats the boogeyman of his weight class, the clear-cut No. 1 contender who’s virtually universally seen as his stylistic kryptonite? He’ll rocket to a distinct stage of superstardom whereas nonetheless doing his obligation as champ.
Give me O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili subsequent and let the meritocracy reign.
2. “That is the s*** that makes you a f****** legend.”
I don’t at all times agree with Dana White, however when a person’s proper, a person’s proper.
Dustin Poirier vs. Benoit Saint Denis is the kind of combat we merely don’t get within the light-weight division. That’s why everybody was so genuinely shocked when it was made. Light-weight has lengthy been MMA’s most talent-rich class, but it surely’s additionally the foremost division of rating squatters. When you claw your manner into that prime tier, you’re incentivized to virtually by no means combat anybody else however fellow top-tier guys for the remainder of your prime. It’s why most of the greatest lightweights solely compete a couple of times a yr — they’re locked right into a perpetual sport of rock-paper-scissors, beating up on each other whereas shutting out the subsequent technology. And you’ll’t blame them. With a lot expertise abound at 155 kilos, one loss to a periphery title might derail your title goals for years. Ask Beneil Dariush. The chance vs. reward simply isn’t there.
That’s why White’s phrases ring so true: Beneath no circumstance did Poirier have to combat Saint Denis at UFC 299. Phrase might’ve leaked that Poirier turned down the provide and nobody would’ve batted an eye fixed, due to course the ageing No. 3 light-weight contemporary off a knockout loss isn’t going to combat the No. 13-ranked ex-Particular Forces killer who’s leaving a path of damaged our bodies in his wake. Win three extra, younger fella, after which possibly we’ll have a chat.
However Poirier is a f****** legend, as White so aptly defined, and so he threw himself into the hearth in essentially the most high-risk manner attainable, if solely to seek out out if he’s nonetheless that dude.
And y’all, Dustin Poirier is actually nonetheless that dude.
We’ll save the résumé speak till Poirier decides he’s accomplished for good, however simply know that the sheer breadth of what he continues to drag off is beginning to attain a plain few lightweights can match from an all-time perspective. Extra importantly now, for our functions, is that Poirier might have simply improbably gilly-jumped his manner again to the entrance of the light-weight pecking order, if solely due to how badly the UFC mucked up this division with its short-term planning. Give it some thought. Islam Makhachev is probably going going to defend his title on the Saudi Arabia card on June 22. Each light-weight who has a greater declare than Poirier is already set to finish on April 13 at UFC 300. What are the probabilities any of Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira, Arman Tsarukyan, and even Max Holloway escape that massacre of a card wholesome sufficient to show round and combat once more in two months?
I’ll reply that query for you: Impossible.
That leaves Poirier — already the most important star within the division — as the obvious leftover title to swoop in and fill that summer time spot. The timeline works out too nicely and the UFC could be thrilled to present a beloved fan-favorite one final probability to win the belt.
Is Poirier essentially the most deserving? In all probability not. However don’t be shocked if it occurs.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25327824/2072427878.jpg)
Picture by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC by way of Getty Photographs
3. Talking of divisions awash in rating squatters, welterweight has primarily been a much less enjoyable model of light-weight over the previous few years with all of the retreads and matchup stalling we’ve seen on the prime. However I wrote after UFC 296 that Colby Covington’s flaccid closing hurrah ought to sign an finish to the previous guard’s stranglehold over the dialog, and UFC 299 was simply the newest instance of that enjoying out in real-time. On Saturday, two new — and really enjoyable — contenders arrived to the combo: Jack Della Maddalena and Michael Page.
By obliterating Gilbert Burns with one of the good knees humanity has ever seen, Jackie Three Names rinsed the stink off his previous two performances and separated himself from the crowded center pack of the 170-pound ranks. I’ve issues about how he’ll fare in opposition to the elite wrestlers of the division after watching Burns take him down seven occasions and management him for lengthy swathes of that combat, however then the madman went and referred to as out Shavkat Rakhmonov — and good lord, let me let you know, take all of my cash. I don’t assume that’s a sensible combat for him, however kudos to “JDM” for demanding a date with the reaper.
After which there was Web page, who lived as much as his showman fame by slowly sucking the soul out of Kevin Holland over the course of 15 more and more dispiriting minutes. Would much less antics and extra ending urgency have left a much bigger affect? Certain. However Holland appeared fully demoralized by the top of that combat, and I don’t blame him — “MVP” just about did no matter he needed in there. Guide the Stephen Thompson bout subsequent and let’s watch both essentially the most boring or most electrical karate showdown obtainable in trendy MMA.
Both manner, the way forward for welterweight stays brighter than it’s been in an extended whereas.
You like to see it.
4. I current to you instance No. 457 of why information don’t inform the total story in MMA: Petr Yan.
The previous UFC champ might have been flirting with a four-fight shedding streak heading into Saturday night time, however anybody who understands find out how to look past a Wikipedia web page knew his was essentially the most doubtful of skids possible. Yan got here inside a single spherical on a single scorecard of beating the previous two UFC champs back-to-back, Aljamain Sterling and Sean O’Malley (and overwhelmingly gained the media scoring in opposition to O’Malley by a staggering 25-1 tally on MMA Decisions). If solely by the regulation of averages, you’d assume at the very least a kind of two hotly contested break up selections would go his manner. After which? Yeah, certain, Yan bought stunted on by Merab Dvalishvili — however many, together with myself, take into account Dvalishvili to be one of the best bantamweight alive in 2024. There’s no disgrace in shedding to that man. Ten consecutive skilled fighters (and three former UFC champions) have accomplished precisely that.
All of which is a long-winded method to reiterate that every one shedding streaks should not created equal. Yan remains to be solely 31 years previous, so it was at all times untimely to write down off a expertise who simply two years in the past was being hailed as the subsequent nice UFC bantamweight champ, as some did.
I do know Henry Cejudo needs Brandon Moreno now, however that is mindless until Cejudo is dropping again to flyweight. Give me Yan vs. Cejudo subsequent, or throw Yan in opposition to the winner of UFC 300’s Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Cody Garbrandt scrap. Both sounds pleasant.
5. You know the way all of us have these random fighters we simply can’t appear to stop, even once they give us cause after cause to do precisely that? Mackenzie Dern is perpetrator No. 1 for me on the ladies’s aspect (someday she’ll determine a takedown … someday). However on the lads’s aspect? It’s unquestionably Curtis Blaydes. I’ve lengthy maintained — usually to my detriment — that Blaydes carries the best mixture of dimension, blue-chip athleticism, wrestling dominance, and sheer gameness to someday personal the UFC heavyweight division. Up till this level, he’s repaid that religion by repeatedly creeping to the precipice of title rivalry then completely crumbling as soon as the lights are the brightest, usually in baffling and inexplicable methods. (I’m nonetheless ready for somebody to elucidate why boxing with Sergei Pavlovich was the sport plan.)
However sequences just like the one we noticed on Saturday night time? Lordy lordy. That’s precisely why I’ll be holding onto my Blaydes inventory till the top of time. The person is a damaging drive when his head is screwed on proper. And if there’s ever a second when his dangerous luck might lastly break proper, it’s now. With Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic sidelining the belt for the foreseeable future, and the UFC badly in want of championship primary occasions, Tom Aspinall will quickly be referred to as upon to defend his interim strap (ahem, the *actual* UFC heavyweight title).
What higher B-side for Aspinall than the one heavyweight who technically owns a victory over him in his UFC run? Aspinall vs. Blaydes was the best combat to make in 2022 when it ended earlier than it started, and it’s as soon as once more the best combat to make two years later because the heavyweight division drifts aimlessly within the void. There’s nobody else who is smart.
Sure, the time has lastly arrived for that elusive Curtis Blaydes title shot!
Guide Aspinall vs. Blaydes 2 for UFC 301 or UFC 302 and let’s see if heavyweight’s final hard-lucker can lastly break by. The (interim) champ is already in.
6. Confession time: I am keen on Michel Pereira.
He’s greatest sort of lunatic.
If even 20 p.c of fighters on this sport had been as distinctive and ridiculous as him, MMA may very well be one of the in style sports activities on the planet.
(Additionally? If he’s actually been begging to do a choreographed walkout this whole time and it took till now to get cleared, that’s an indictment on every part that’s unsuitable with the UFC in the present day. We’d like extra personalities on this sport, not much less. When doubtful, at all times keep in mind the age-old adage: What would Satisfaction FC do? Abide by that and also you’ll by no means go unsuitable.)
However I digress. Our boy Pereira might have sneakily blossomed right into a respectable contender proper underneath our nostril! That’s seven UFC wins in a row now after his utter destruction of Michal Oleksiejczuk. He’s realized to completely toe the road between bananas shenanigans and reigned-in brutality. If there’s one factor I need most in 2024, give me Pereira in opposition to an actual middleweight contender and let’s see if we now have one thing sudden right here.
7. Look, I don’t know how far Robelis Despaigne can take this. He’s already 35 years previous and nonetheless very inexperienced. But in addition? Few people are able to bonkers sequences like this.
That proper there? That’s the second-fastest knockout for a debuting heavyweight in UFC historical past, behind solely the immortal Todd Duffee. It additionally lasted lengthy sufficient to push the typical time of Despaigne’s previous 4 knockouts as much as 9 freaking seconds. Certain, nobody will ever confuse Josh Parisian with Tom Aspinall, however Despaigne is a comically giant man (6-foot-7, 87-inch attain) with legitimately good placing credentials (2012 Olympic bronze medalist in Taekwondo), who waltzed into his big-show debut with a bevy of expectations on his shoulders and nonetheless styled on a sturdy 10-year veteran with ruthless effectivity.
Is Despaigne’s prediction of a four-fight run to the belt overly bold? In all probability. Did he arrive to MMA a smidge too late to do important injury on the highest ranges of the sport? Most certainly. However this man is already must-see tv, and if I’m Mick Maynard within the UFC places of work this week, I’m doing every part in my energy to grant his wish and discover him a heat physique to wreck for UFC 300. Solely the blood gods know what sort of weirdness and brutality will unfold as this literal big strikes up the ranks, however I’m already locked in to seek out out.
