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UFC Orlando ended up being a hell of a wild experience. The cardboard began with a bang, dragged a bit, after which wrapped up with seven straight finishes to make for a thriller all the best way to the ultimate body. Stephen Thompson and Kevin Holland placed on one of many UFC’s most artistic hanging wars, Rafael dos Anjos confirmed Bryan Barberena why he was once a champ, Sergei Pavlovich gave the heavyweight elite one thing to mull over within the coming months.
So, is Thompson ‘again’ as an elite fighter at 170 lbs? Is RDA actually going to persuade Conor McGregor to combat him? And can any of the highest 5 flyweights be keen to take a danger on going through Matheus Nicolau?
To reply these questions—and rather more—I’ll be utilizing the traditional Silva/Shelby combat reserving methodology from the UFC of years previous. Meaning pitting winners towards winners, losers towards losers, and equally tenured expertise up towards each other. Hopefully, by following that mannequin, just a few of those bout concepts will really make it off the web page and into the Octagon. Now, let’s get to the fights!
STEPHEN THOMPSON
In a whole lot of methods it’s laborious to know what to make of this combat as a marker of the place Stephen Thompson sits within the welterweight division proper now. He actually nonetheless has the improbable timing and footwork that has made him such a dynamic menace for thus lengthy. However Holland was additionally in a position to monitor him down with a whole lot of wild pictures, and take him down with some effectively timed responses to Thompson’s punch entries too. Had Holland wished to do extra grappling is that this nonetheless a combat Thompson would have received?
On the very least we all know that ‘Wonderboy’ can nonetheless be pure motion in fights that maintain him precisely the place he needs to be. The trick is to determine simply what these are. I wouldn’t thoughts seeing him tackle Jorge Masvidal once more, however getting Masvidal again within the Octagon looks like a whole lot of effort nowadays. The opposite identify then that springs to thoughts is Michel Pereira. He’s big and rangy and has sufficient energy to harm Thompson at any second, however has the identical sorts of technical gaps Holland confirmed in prolonged mixtures. And he’d in all probability maintain it standing. Thompson vs. Pereira looks like a enjoyable hanging battle for the previous title contender.
KEVIN HOLLAND
If it’s laborious to know what to make of this for Thompson, it’s doubly troublesome to see simply what’s occurring with Kevin Holland nowadays. The ‘Trailblazer’ has talked lots about retirement recently and if his efficiency right here is something to guage by, he was lots much less excited about successful than he was in having enjoyable. As soon as he injured his hand and the combat stopped being an excellent time, Holland appeared like he didn’t have a lot curiosity in competing in any respect. Is he going to come back again to MMA after months on the sidelines? Can he be a prime 10 welterweight if he’s not that involved about getting his hand raised? Time without work and a step again are so as. At any time when (or if) Holland does return, fights towards Michael Chiesa, Max Griffin, or perhaps even Khaos Williams all appear to be first rate concepts. Contemplating what sort of bouts he’s after, I’ll say e-book Holland towards Williams and allow them to throw arms.
RAFAEL DOS ANJOS
This second journey as much as welterweight for the previous light-weight champion acquired off on simply the appropriate foot for Rafael Dos Anjos. So long as the combat was standing, Barberena stored issues scrappy, however as soon as RDA began getting takedowns he turned it right into a landslide in a rush. Barberena simply couldn’t sustain with Brazilian’s grappling and tapped to a neck crank after giving up again management in spherical 2.
After the bout, RDA had only one factor on his thoughts: an opportunity to regain a previous promise, a bout towards Conor McGregor. The 2 males had beforehand been matched up again in 2015, again when RDA held the belt. An damage to dos Anjos put the brakes on the combat although. McGregor went on to combat Nate Diaz as an alternative, whereas RDA misplaced his title to Alvarez. So far as the 38-year-old Kings MMA expertise is anxious, the bout makes good sense. For McGregor, its any considered one of 10 totally different alternatives he can select from. I kinda doubt it’s the probably choice. I’d like to see RDA get McGregor, however a combat with Vicente Luque feels extra probably and in addition a ton of enjoyable.
MATHEUS NICOLAU
Matheus Nicolau couldn’t have adopted the sport plan higher if this combat had been scripted. He stored on the again foot, pressured Schnell to try to stroll him down, and caught him with heavy counters every time the American let his arms go. The consequence was a bevvy of knockdowns and an eventual KO on the again of an enormous overhand proper. That win places Nicolau squarely ‘within the combine’ on the prime of the flyweight division. Bouts with Kai Kara-France, Alexandre Pantoja, or Brandon Royval would all be smart subsequent choices. Pantoja might be ready for an opportunity at gold, and Royval simply acquired pulled from a combat resulting from damage, and Kara France is about to combat Alex Perez. Assuming KKF vs. Perez goes ahead then put Nicolau in with the winner. Whoever comes out of that with their hand raised will probably be firmly in title rivalry.
SERGEI PAVLOVICH
It appears to be like like we’ve acquired a brand new heavyweight contender on our arms. Tai Tuivasa might not have fairly made all of it the best way to the highest of the mountain but, however he had positively turned himself into considered one of heavyweight’s most harmful males. Pavlovich went on the market and bulldozed him prefer it was nothing in any respect. Sadly, with the best way the division is true now, simply what that strains him up for is anyone’s guess. Is Stipe nonetheless combating? Will Curtis Blaydes settle for a bout with one other lower-ranked opponent? Is Francis Ngannou ever coming again? Is Jon Jones going to make his heavyweight debut? All questions, few solutions. One individual I don’t have questions on, nevertheless, is Ciryl Gane. A combat between Pavlovich and Gane appears like it could completely be should see, and will make both man prime of the heap for every time the UFC figures out what to do with that belt.
ROMAN DOLIDZE
Even when it hadn’t been on brief discover, this felt like an enormous step up for Roman Dolidze. Jack Hermansson has earned his stripes on the prime of the middleweight division with years of managed, offensively numerous performances. He’s the type of fighter that not often makes large errors—an enormous ask for a fighter like Dolidze who tends to depend on creating chaos. That mentioned, Dolidze discovered his second within the second spherical. Hermansson took him down with a simple double however discovered an aggressive guard recreation that he wasn’t in any respect ready for. Armbar to triangle to leg lock to calf slicer, to again mount and GnP all within the span of about 20 seconds. Not lengthy after and the ref was waiving off the combat. An enormous victory for the Georgian that rockets him into the highest 15. After the bout he referred to as out Khamzat Chimaev. Any likelihood that combat occurs? No. However how a couple of combat with Andre Muniz? I’d purchase that.
PHILIP ROWE
For one thing of a stunning change, Philip Rowe really regarded nice popping out of the gate towards Niko Worth—exchanging the ‘Hybrid’’s wild combos for laser sharp 1-2s within the pocket. It’s the second spherical the place issues began to get a bit bushy, with Worth touchdown repeatedly as he pushed the tempo. Rowe had his personal large moments, however when Worth began hurting him in spherical 3 it appeared just like the combat was over. Rowe rode out the blitz although, and after they acquired again to their ft his opponent was solely gassed. Just a few big proper arms later and Philip Rowe walked away together with his third straight UFC win. That ought to maintain him completely on monitor for one more motion combat on his method up the welterweight division, and there’s one other lanky sniper on the market that I’d like to see him face. Ian Garry has been trying improbable in his brief Octagon profession. Garry vs. Rowe can be an incredible bout to see whose the rangiest man at 170 lbs.
ANGELA HILL
A spotlight efficiency from Angela Hill, who put her foot on the fuel early towards Emily Ducote and by no means let up for a second. Ducote discovered factors to land laborious 1-2s and catch Hill on the counter, however issues acquired particularly ugly within the clinch, the place Hill landed crushing knees time and again. That’s two straight victories for Hill who appears to be like to nonetheless be very a lot within the prime of her profession and prepared for one more excessive stage take a look at. Unforunately for her, except she needs one other newcomer like Luana Pinheiro or Piera Rodriguez there aren’t many prime 15 fighters Hill hasn’t already confronted. Rematches with Amanda Lemos or Michelle Waterson wouldn’t be a horrible concept, however I say give Hill an opportunity to tackle Mackenzie Dern. Dern nonetheless wants extra seasoning to really compete with the elite. For Hill, it’d be an incredible likelihood to make a title run. Hill vs. Dern is an efficient alternative for Hill to take one other cost on the prime of the 115 lb division.
OTHER BOUTS: Bryan Barberena vs. Francisco Trinaldo, Matt Schnell vs. Tim Elliott, Tai Tuivasa vs. Alexander Romanov, Jack Hermansson vs. Imavov/Gastelum loser, Eryk Anders vs. Dusko Todorovic, Kyle Daukaus vs. Wellington Turman, Niko Worth vs. Takashi Sato, Emily Ducote vs. Mizuki Inoue, Clay Guida vs. Ricky Glenn, Michael Johnson vs. Nasrat Haqparast, Marc Diakiese vs. Christos Giagos, Jonathan Pearce vs. Andre Fili, Darren Elkins vs. Charles Rosa, Natan Levy vs. Nikolas Motta, Genaro Valdez vs. Erick Gonzalez, Francis Marshall vs. William Gomis, Marcelo Rojo vs. Lucas Alexander, Yazmin Jauregui vs. Cory McKenna, Istela Nunes vs. Melissa Martinez
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