Brett Okamoto and Marc Raimondi react to the largest moments at Saturday’s UFC 291 in Salt Pond Town, Utah, and trade in ideas on what may well be forward for the standouts. Jeff Wagenheim provides his standpoint at the Bellator and Rizin co-branded match.
The Spotlight has choices: Makhachev or McGregor?
Raimondi: Justin Gaethje is now the UFC’s BMF champion. And his win over Dustin Poirier by way of vicious second-round head kick at UFC 291 would possibly have spread out extra doorways for him than we idea.
Proper next Gaethje received, he mentioned the observable. That he sought after a shot on the UFC light-weight identify nearest. Islam Makhachev will safeguard the belt nearest in opposition to Charles Oliveira at UFC 294 on Oct. 21. Gaethje, with out a lot of a debate, must get the winner next that decisive victory over Poirier. However within the aftermath of Gaethje’s win, Conor McGregor took to Twitter and mentioned, in incorrect unsure phrases, that if Gaethje needs to place up the BMF belt in opposition to him, it’s Gaethje’s clash. McGregor added “f— Chandler,” referencing the deliberate clash for him in opposition to Michael Chandler, which was once arrange in this season of The Endmost Fighter truth display. McGregor and Chandler are training in opposition to one any other.
There was once a pace when Gaethje sought after the McGregor clash greater than the rest. In January 2020, McGregor fought Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. Gaethje was once additionally an possibility on the pace, and he was once calling for it. However McGregor has misplaced back-to-back fights in opposition to Poirier, is coming off a damaged leg and his go back week continues to be up within the breeze. He’s no longer even within the USADA drug-testing lake. Gaethje mentioned endmost occasion to MMA Combating that if McGregor is on steroids, he’ll clash him if he’s allowed to importance steroids, too.
It’s in doubt if Gaethje could be involved in that clash presently. He has made it cloudless that he needs one endmost run on the UFC light-weight identify and he’s within the driving force’s seat now. However he’ll have to present a protracted have a look at the opportunity of a McGregor clash. Poirier was once ready to put together life-changing cash by means of beating McGregor, who’s the largest celebrity within the historical past of the UFC. Gaethje received’t be capable of bag that more or less money in opposition to Makhachev or Oliveira. And let’s say he does clash McGregor nearest and wins. A identify shot would nonetheless be there for him, simply love it was once for Poirier next he received his trilogy with “The Notorious.”
The alternative query this is, what about Chandler? He was once promised the McGregor clash and went via The Endmost Fighter season with him underneath the affect that it was once his clash. McGregor has more or less left him striking. Nobody is bound when McGregor is coming again. UFC president Dana White mentioned previous this week {that a} McGregor go back is simply too untimely to talk about. That may’t be a splendid signal for Chandler, who has been an organization guy for the UFC since coming over from Bellator. Now, McGregor is obviously calling for a clash in opposition to any other opponent.
Any other imaginable opponent, by means of the best way, that most probably doesn’t even need to clash him. McGregor, in his tweet, mentioned he cries the photographs. However it feels just like the ball — and the BMF belt — is in Gaethje’s court docket.
The UFC must prohibit El Cucuy
Okamoto: It’s no longer an unpopular hurry. Neither is it a brandnew hurry. However we’ve reached that time.
It’s been a slight since somebody felt actually excellent about Ferguson proceeding his profession. He’s misplaced a step. It’s OK to put together that statement and put it available in the market. In truth, it’s remarkable to put together that statement and put it available in the market. Ferguson’s profession has stuck as much as him, because it does for each and every fighter to place at the gloves. Ferguson is the type of man to learn this and hurry it as a private assault. He’s like that. It’s what has made him so frequent. Not anything is unimaginable for him. He believes in himself in any and each and every status, and I do incorrect indecision that Ferguson nonetheless believes he has plethora of years left on this recreation and is absolutely in a position to achieving the lead of the mountain.
That is why any person must inform this man to prohibit, and I believe it’ll must be the UFC. Think it’s his society, splendid. His control, that’s excellent, too. But when neither of the ones occur, I believe the UFC must make a decision that it received’t run Ferguson available in the market with lead skill and guard him get harm. If the UFC severs his assurance and any other promoter selections him up, that accountability for his condition and what the ones fights seem like will fall on anywhere he is going.
I’d like to look the UFC put together some announcement that recognizes the mythical profession Ferguson has had within the Octagon and possibly works with him on a method to finish his profession and to find one thing else. This isn’t a a laugh subject to discuss. It by no means is, particularly with an athlete as proud as Ferguson. However this dialog must occur.
Kevin Holland must keep not off course at welterweight — the place he simply is also a identify contender
Raimondi: Kevin Holland had one among his easiest profession victories, filing Michael Chiesa, a grassland specialist, with a d’arce choke within the first around.
Holland’s greatest disease were his wrestling, and he was once ready to prohibit a takedown from Chiesa, who got here in with the easiest takedown accuracy share in UFC welterweight category historical past (77.8%).
Holland has proven actual enlargement in his recreation since transferring to 170 kilos endmost occasion. And nearest, inexplicably, Holland mentioned he was once taking into consideration a exit again as much as middleweight. Confidently, he was once joking — as he has been recognized to do — or he’ll rethink. Most likely, he will also clash in each categories.
The Texas resident is on a two-fight successful streak at welterweight and appears to be an actual warning within the weight magnificence on the easiest reaches of the category. Middleweight could have larger foes who may be able to impose their will within the wrestling recreation. There are excellent wrestlers at welterweight, too, nevertheless it looks as if Holland has been figuring it out in that side of the category.
In spite of everything, Holland is must-see TV. He fights as regularly as imaginable. Jake Matthews mentioned Saturday next his win at UFC 291 that Holland challenged him to a clash Friday at weigh-ins for 2 weeks from now. That more or less process makes Holland a fan favourite in any category. And when he fights, it virtually all the time is going to a end. Holland has but to proceed to a call in 8 immediately fights, win or lose. His endmost choice win was once 11 fights in the past.
Holland is speedy motion and including him to the cardboard promises fireworks. But when he’s getting to be a identify contender, it’s almost definitely much more likely to occur at welterweight.
Okamoto’s what’s nearest for lead stars next UFC 291?
Justin Gaethje, light-weight
What must be nearest: Winner of Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira on Oct. 21
BMF titles are cool, needless to say, however this was once the true prize.
A light-weight identify shot. Gaethje has had two tries on the light-weight belt, and he’s arise snip on each. The latest one, a loss to Oliveira in his house climate of Arizona, gutted him. He didn’t really feel like he were given out of first tools. Now, he’s poised for one ultimate shot. And both one will probably be a immense problem.
Wildcard: Conor McGregor
After all, if McGregor begins tweeting about short of to clash you, you should take into accounts it. However I’d be shocked if this one were given any wheels. McGregor isn’t even on a timeline for the clash he was once meant to have in opposition to Michael Chandler, and now we’re getting to throw away that up and provides him a brandnew one? Gaethje’s focal point will stay at the identify.
Alex Pereira, sunny heavyweight
What Will have to be Later: Jiri Prochazka
It wasn’t good-looking, however on the finish of the occasion, Pereira were given it accomplished in opposition to a former sunny heavyweight champ. It was once an shrewd matchup since you knew moving into Blachowicz would take a look at Pereira at the ground. And even if he didn’t move that take a look at easily, he handed it enough quantity to get the win and turn out he’s very a lot proper on the lead of this brandnew weight magnificence. Blachowicz was once recreation, and Pereira discovered a method to win. He’s essentially the most deserving of a identify shot now in opposition to Prochazka, who was once pressured to leave the belt because of shock endmost occasion. Timing is the whole lot, in fact, and we’ll have to look when those two are in a position to proceed, however they appear to be on moderately alike timelines.
Wildcard: Magomed Ankalaev
If Prochazka isn’t in a position, you exit directly to Ankalaev. The UFC would possibly negative. President Dana White wasn’t overjoyed with Anakalev’s endmost efficiency, a fracture draw in opposition to Blachowicz. Ankalaev has but to clash in 2023, and there hasn’t been a lot information from his camp. I believed he did enough quantity to overcome Blachowicz endmost December, even though, and I nonetheless to find him deserving of a identify shot. However all indicators level to Pereira vs. Prochazka.
Kevin Holland, welterweight
Who must be nearest? Michel Pereira
Holland needs to proceed again to middleweight, on account of direction he does, who needs to short weight? Chopping weight isn’t a laugh. In the meantime, Pereira overlooked weight for a bout in opposition to Stephen Thompson at UFC 291. What if those two fought at 185 kilos, within the nearest a number of weeks?
Holland made fast paintings of Chiesa and he likes prevailing paydays. Pereira simply installed a complete camp and he’s wholesome, regardless of lacking weight. He’s no longer gonna effort to short weight once more in a year (or any pace quickly), so simply retain this one at 185.
I do know the UFC doesn’t love reserving fights for guys outdoor in their weight magnificence, however this can be a case the place it could put together sense and it’d be a laugh.
Wild card: Winner of Geoff Neal vs. Ian Machado Garry on Aug. 19
I used to be a modest shocked the UFC booked Neal vs. Garry, as it’s a fat step up for Garry. The winner of this clash must have some critical momentum, even though. It’s a a laugh, ranked clash on a fat card in Boston.
Holland will probably be ranked next this win over Chiesa, most likely even within the lead 10. Holland vs. the winner of that bout could be an ideal, high-profile clash for the category.
Bobby Green, light-weight
What Will have to be Later: Paddy Pimblett
Oh, let’s proceed.
Some will see this advice and assume, incorrect manner. Completely no longer. It’s residue for Pimblett.
However I don’t know. As a result of such a lot of felt he misplaced his endmost clash to Jared Gordon, it’s virtually like public are taking it too some distance, main to accusations of being overestimated. Pimblett continues to be a probability on this category with plethora of celebrity energy. And the pre-fight buildup between those two could be exceptional. If Inexperienced did turn out to be residue, OK. What’s the hurt in that? Inexperienced merits a clash that public need to guard. And if Pimblett have been to overcome him, it could legitimize him in some way he wishes on the month. This is usually a accumulation of a laugh.
Wildcard: Uros Medic
Medic fought at UFC 291 as neatly and collected a vital win over Matthew Semelsberger. Important victory for Medic, who has been the recipient of a few love all the way through his UFC profession, however he’s simply had a dried pace staying wholesome and lively. If he’s in a position to proceed, this one is sensible, with each guys selecting up a end on Saturday.
The experimentation of ‘interleague play games’ in MMA continues with Bellator x Rizin
Wagenheim: Co-promotion is refreshing, in all probability as a result of this can be a deficit in MMA. It has the texture of interleague baseball again when the majors first attempted out the idea that within the Nineteen Nineties.
Saturday’s Bellator x Rizin match on the vaunted MMA palace Saitama Tremendous Enviornment outdoor Tokyo was once the 2 corporations’ moment pace running in combination. The primary collaboration, endmost Brandnew Hour’s Eve additionally at Saitama, featured a first-rate card on which all 5 bouts pitted a Bellator fighter in opposition to one from Rizin, the main MMA promotion in Japan. Bellator went 5-0.
This pace there was once a lot much less interleague play games. The Bellator major match was once amongst only a handful of examples, and that one took place most effective as a result of Rizin light-weight champ Roberto de Souza was once referred to as upon right through clash year to interchange injured AJ McKee in opposition to former Bellator light-weight titlist Patricky “Pitbull” Freire in a quarterfinal of the Bellator Light-weight International Magnificent Prix. Freire received by means of second-round TKO to exit.
Next that bout, the motion switched from the Bellator cage to a Rizin ring, which in itself was once a a laugh twist on an ordinary match evening. And right through the Rizin portion of the cardboard, Bellator’s Juan Archuleta was once to stand Rizin’s Hiromasa Ougikubo for the vacant Rizin bantamweight championship. And in a late-notice bout introduced right through clash year, Bellator featherweight champ Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, brother of Patricky, was once to tackle Rizin’s Chihiro Suzuki. Those bouts have been to hurry park in the course of the evening, U.S. pace, which continues to be any other resignation from the norm for lovers in this aspect of the puddle.
All of this made Bellator x Rizin 2 really feel particular. After all, co-promotion comes with dangers, which Rizin skilled when ocular de Souza, its 155-pound champ, get ruled.
The chance is most probably why the industry-leading UFC steers cloudless. Two decades in the past, Chuck Liddell was once appearing off the ferocity that might put together him a sunny heavyweight Octagon legend, successful 10 bouts in a row. Next his streak resulted in a knockout loss to Randy Couture, “The Iceman” was once despatched to Japan to regain his mojo, representing the UFC in a Delight Middleweight Magnificent Prix. Liddell made it to the match’s moment around sooner than being smoked by means of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Any pretense of UFC top was once shattered — no less than briefly.
Since nearest, the UFC has no longer concerned itself in a co-promotion, alternative than Conor McGregor’s profitable foray into boxing in a 2017 bout in opposition to two-years-retired Floyd Mayweather.
Bellator, in the meantime, has now accomplished two co-promotions with Rizin. The PFL has attempted to enlist Bellator’s cooperation to place Cris Cyborg and Kayla Harrison in a cage in combination, to this point with out luck. But when this shuffling of the deck continues, I’m all in.
