The UFC is the largest MMA promotion on this planet, with the vast majority of the planet’s zenith opponents. One take a look at maximum pound-for-pound lists makes that sunny.
Alternatively, there are a ton of gifted opponents in alternative organizations. And over the time few years, many remarkable struggle athletes have emerged as champions in the ones firms, whether or not it’s Bellator, PFL or One Championship.
Bellator has a couple of occasions this weekend in Honolulu. On Friday, girls’s MMA pioneer Liz Carmouche defends her flyweight identify towards DeAnna Bennett. The Bellator Bantamweight International Brilliant Prix will conclude Saturday with a struggle between meantime champ Raufeon Stots and Patchy Mix. The victor can be awarded $1 million and get a shot on the winner of June’s bantamweight identify bout between titleholder Sergio Pettis and Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, the featherweight champion who’s shifting ailing a weight magnificence.
With all of this ability at the stand, Marc Raimondi breaks ailing the matchup and Ian Parker makes use of his having a bet insights to have a look at the most productive champions from out of doors the UFC and overview how they’d stack up towards their opposite numbers within the greatest MMA promotion.
Heavyweight: UFC champion Jon Jones vs. PFL champion Ante Delija
The matchup: Delija, a Mirko Cro Cop protégé, gained the PFL heavyweight identify closing time and was once a finalist in 2021. He’s injured and gained’t compete within the PFL season this time, however he’s the most productive heavyweight the promotion has and some of the highest no longer within the UFC. The consensus highest, in fact, is former UFC champ Francis Ngannou, who lately is with out a promotion and no longer integrated right here. Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader additionally was once a attention; on the other hand, he was once within the UFC and fought (and misplaced to) Jones ahead of, so the comparability isn’t just about as compelling.
Jones is bold. He’s probably the most completed MMA fighter in historical past. However there are nonetheless many unknowns for him at heavyweight. His lone struggle there was once a win over Ciryl Gane in two mins. It most probably can be more difficult towards Delija, who has knockout energy and will reserve his personal in wrestling and grappling. It’s a bummer Delija didn’t get to struggle within the PFL season this time, as a result of his first opponent would were UFC veteran and Jones sparring spouse Yorgan De Castro. That can have been a compelling matchup that may have confirmed extra concerning the Croatian and presented a glimpse into how he would possibly stack up towards “Bones.”
Absolute best bets: Jones to win within the distance. Over 1.5 rounds. Jones will be the having a bet favourite through no less than -500 towards Delija. Delija is a obese heavyweight with exceptional abilities and placing, year doing his highest paintings from zenith place at the grassland. Alternatively, he hasn’t ever fought a top-10 heavyweight. Each and every department the place Delija is excellent, Jones is best.
I’d means this guess in a few other ways. Taking into account how tactical Jones is, I don’t see him speeding in towards Delija, who can counterstrike. I believe Jones would snatch his future within the first around and sooner or later get the takedown and paintings from there.
Bright heavyweight: UFC champion Jamahal Hill vs. Bellator champion Vadim Nemkov
The matchup: Nemkov has a sound declare to being the most productive sunny heavyweight on this planet. He has crushed UFC veterans Corey Anderson, Phil Davis and Bader, all of whom have been contenders once they left the UFC as detached brokers. On zenith of that, Nemkov fought former UFC sunny heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka in 2015 in Rizin and was once profitable early ahead of he retired following a 10-minute first around.
If he’s no longer the zenith 205-pound fighter, Nemkov is true up there and would give Hill all he may maintain. Nemkov, a protégé of Fedor Emelianenko, is an skillful kickboxer who could also be a global grasp of game in struggle sambo, this means that his wrestling, judo and grappling are all good-looking gifted. The Russian is arguably a extra technical striker than Hill and doubtlessly higher at the grassland, even though Hill would have an edge in energy and dimension.
The most productive guess: Over 3.5 rounds. This could be an overly shrewd struggle as I’d be curious to peer if Hill can cancel the takedowns of Nemkov and if Nemkov can maintain the punching energy of Hill. Since he’s longer and has a wrestling edge, Nemkov can be a modest favourite. He has a tendency to regulate the life and make the most of his wrestling to neutralize stunning strikers and produce them to his global, the place he is taking over. We have now additionally perceivable Hill, who has fought extra well-rounded opponents, is now not strolling via population as he as soon as was once when he first hopped into the UFC. In Nemkov’s time 4 fights, one led to Spherical 3 because of a clashing of heads, however the alternative 3 going to Rounds 4 and 5. This could be a a laugh struggle and walk over 3.5 rounds.
The matchup: If there may be one conceivable hollow in Adesanya’s recreation, it’s wrestling. Presen the Nigerian-born Unutilized Zealand resident has finished nicely holding himself off the grassland in maximum of his fights, his first UFC loss got here towards Jan Blachowicz at sunny heavyweight in a competition the place Blachowicz was once ready to get Adesanya to the mat and secure him there. Eblen is smaller than Blachowicz, however he’s a much better technical wrestler as a former Section I starter on the College of Missouri, the alma mater of standout wrestlers Ben Askren, Michael Chandler and Tyron Woodley.
Eblen would most probably provide a problematic matchup for Adesanya. However, in fact, Adesanya is a stunning kickboxer with succeed in, who has revel in for years towards the most productive middleweight opponents on this planet. Eblen trains at American Govern Workforce and is a number one coaching spouse of Jorge Masvidal. It might be an interesting stylistic hit. Adesanya has no longer confronted a natural wrestler alternative than former Olympic silver medalist Yoel Romero, however Romero’s MMA recreation isn’t primarily based foundationally on his wrestling.
The most productive guess: Adesanya through determination. Eblen got here into MMA as a wrestler and has persisted to adapt together with his placing, making him a tougher problem for any individual. As excellent as Eblen is, and we’ve got but to peer him come alike to his possible, he would nonetheless be a sizeable underdog towards some of the largest middleweights ever. I’d put the percentages on Adesanya at -300 right here. Adesanya has run via virtually all the UFC’s middleweight department, and out of doors of Eblen, I don’t see any middleweight in Bellator that may give him a problem. If Eblen may combat on this untruth matchup, he may scouse borrow rounds, however Adesanya’s takedown protection continues to beef up, and he would have a plethora benefit at the toes.
9:58
What’s later for Leon Edwards?
Ryan Clark and Daniel Cormier talk about what might be later for Leon Edwards’ combating profession.
The matchup: This could be an interesting stumble upon and would possibly no longer glance too dissimilar from Edwards’ battles with Kamaru Usman, from whom Edwards took the UFC identify. Amosov is an oppressive wrestler and a four-time global struggle sambo champion. However he additionally confirmed a well-roundedness to his recreation in February, beating wrestling standout Logan Storley. The Ukraine local is 27-0 and has hardly ever been threatened in 11 years as a professional. Amosov is a little bit underrated through the loads, however he’s skillful.
Granted, Amosov has but to struggle any individual close the attribute of fighters that Edwards has, which is an obstacle for nearly everybody out of doors the UFC. Edwards seemed sensational and exact in beating Usman a 2nd future closing presen. His southpaw kickboxing is outstanding and his talent to oppose the takedown has considerably advanced. He’s additionally a excellent offensive wrestler and grappler in his personal proper. Amosov would have the brink in the ones grassland sections, however Edwards can be his hardest opponent at the toes. Attention-grabbing bout.
The most productive guess: Amosov to win at underdog odds. Oddsmakers would assemble Edwards the favourite (-250) because of his back-to-back wins over Usman. Alternatively, I’d incline towards Amosov if I’m getting underdog odds. Amosov’s placing continues to beef up; he would have the benefit within the wrestling and grassland branch and may push a life that may put on on Edwards.
The matchup: If any individual have been to sneak a digital camera into the fitness center at American Kickboxing Academy or in Dagestan in all probability, lets get some profound perception into how this struggle would play games out. Nurmagomedov, the cousin of all-time stunning Khabib, has been coaching with Makhachev his whole profession and Makhachev is normally in the more youthful fighter’s nook. Makhachev has extra seasoning at 31 years impaired and is solely some of the zenith opponents on this planet, if no longer the easiest. Nurmagomedov is handiest 25 and no longer in his top but. If the 2 fought, Makhachev would most probably win. He’s the extra bodily wrestler and grappler.
Nurmagomedov, even though, may doubtlessly overtake considered one of his mentors going forward. He’s higher now than Makhachev and Khabib have been at 25. His placing is extra smooth and flashier than that of his predecessors. And he’s from Dagestan and has educated with a majority of these wrestlers eternally, so clearly his wrestling and grappling are greater than as much as snuff, too. Optical how nicely Nurmagomedov develops in Bellator can be a satisfaction. On paper, there isn’t any individual within the light-weight department to check him. This is usually a long, humorous reign.
The most productive guess: Makhachev to win within the distance. Personally, Makhachev is the simpler striker and would have the brink at the grassland. On zenith of that, the revel in and stage of pageant bias Makhachev greatly. Makhachev would surely be no less than a -400 favourite, and I may see him completing Nurmagomedov within the distance.
Ladies’s featherweight: UFC champion Amanda Nunes vs. Bellator champion Cris Cyborg vs. PFL light-weight champion Larissa Pacheco
The matchup: Negative, this gained’t be a triple-threat fit. However all of the above names need to be identified top-of-the-line featherweight opponents on this planet. Nunes, in fact, remains to be the girl to overcome. She owns a knockout win over Cyborg, and Pacheco technically hasn’t ever gained a identify at featherweight. Pacheco was once the PFL’s champ at girls’s light-weight closing time and is now competing within the featherweight department.
Cyborg handled that 2018 loss to Nunes like a bump within the highway. She’s gained six immediately since next and has been the Bellator champion since 2020. It’s a embarassment there was once by no means a Nunes vs. Cyborg rematch. It might were arguably the largest girls’s struggle in UFC historical past. Each are all-time greats.
Nunes vs. Cyborg highest guess: Nunes to win. If those two have been to interact in a rematch, Nunes will be the favourite as she laws the area over two categories, year Cyborg has fought lesser pageant. It’s to not say that Cyborg wouldn’t have a anticipation, as she is unbelievably gifted in all boxes of the struggle recreation. I simply don’t see the place she beats Nunes at this level.
Nunes vs. Pacheco highest guess: Nunes within the distance. Pacheco surprised the MMA global along with her win over Kayla Harrison within the 2022 PFL light-weight ultimate. She has since dropped a weight magnificence to chase a 2nd identify within the PFL, the place she took on former Bellator champ Julia Budd on this season’s first around. Pacheco seemed much less dominant however was once nonetheless ready to get the verdict. Towards Nunes, Pacheco can be no less than a +300 underdog. As excellent as Pacheco is, Nunes is 2 steps forward of her in far and wide the struggle would walk and has the simpler fuel tank. The primary around can be explosive, however I may see Nunes taking Pacheco ailing and getting it finished later on.
Males’s featherweight: UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski vs. Bellator champion Patricio “Pitbull” Freire
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Why DC thinks Volkanovski merits zenith spot in pound-for-pound scores
Daniel Cormier discusses why Alexander Volkanovski remains to be ranked Negative. 1 pound-for-pound regardless of a loss to Islam Makhachev.
The matchup: Pitbull is Bellator’s franchise fighter, the most productive in promotion historical past. He’s some of the highest featherweights on this planet and has been for years. On zenith of that, he effectively moved as much as light-weight in 2019 and knocked out Michael Chandler to win Bellator’s championship in that department. Pitbull is as official because it will get. He’s a three-time featherweight champion in Bellator, holds virtually each and every primary promotion document and can attempt to transform a three-division champ in his later bout towards bantamweight titlist Sergio Pettis in June.
The one factor with this potential matchup — and it might be an absolute banger — is that the well-rounded Brazilian must walk up towards arguably the zenith pound-for-pound fighter on this planet in Volkanovski. We noticed how improbable the Aussie is in just about beating the larger Makhachev again in February at UFC 284. Those two would fit up nicely, even though. Each are bad, technical strikers with excellent leg kicks and tool of their fingers. Each can grapple and combat. Most likely greater than any alternative bout in this listing, Volkanovski vs. Pitbull would pit elite opponents towards one every other.
The most productive guess: Volkanovski to win. Out of all of the dream matchups, this will be the one I’d need to see maximum. Volkanovski will be the having a bet favourite, anyplace from -150 to -175. If the ones have been the percentages, I’d guess on Volkanovski. As super of a fighter as Pitbull is, I don’t see the place he’s higher than Volkanovski.
Ladies’s bantamweight: UFC champion Amanda Nunes vs. Invicta champion Talita Bernado
The matchup: Nunes’ highest department is bantamweight. She regained the identify closing summer time nearest a great loss to Julianna Peña in December 2021, and the rematch was once one-sided. Nunes and Peña will meet for a 3rd future in the primary tournament of UFC 289 on June 10 in Vancouver, Canada.
Bernardo has gained 4 immediately and earned the Invicta FC bantamweight identify through beating Taneisha Tennant in January. But if Bernardo fought within the UFC, issues didn’t walk her means. She was once 1-3 within the promotion, excused nearest a knockout loss to Viviane Araujo, a smaller fighter whose highest department is the only beneath at flyweight.
The most productive bets: Nunes within the distance. Nunes through KO/TKO. Bernardo will be the greatest underdog in this whole listing. As noteceable as her win streak is, she wouldn’t closing very lengthy towards Nunes, the GWOAT. From an odds point of view, it might be brittle to believe Nunes anything else not up to -1500 and even upper.
The matchup: It’s strange to believe Johnson in this listing as a bantamweight. However he does reserve the One Championship identify at 135 kilos. One has other department names for its weight categories than each and every alternative primary MMA promotion. So, for the sake of this piece, Johnson is regarded as a bantamweight since he competes at 135, even if his achievements at flyweight assemble him some of the largest opponents within the game’s historical past.
This comparability is arbitrary. Johnson is supremely professional in each and every department. He’s fast, agile and explosive. He’s about as alike to a great fighter as you’ll be able to get. There aren’t any holes in his recreation. That mentioned, Johnson would have an important dimension drawback right here towards Sterling. As excellent as “Mighty Mouse” could be and nonetheless is, Sterling would provide problem for him as a result of that extra and Sterling’s energy and skillful grappling. If Johnson have been nonetheless competing at 125 kilos, it might be tricky no longer to pick out him towards any individual, even UFC champion Brandon Moreno. It’s improbable to assume Johnson first gained the UFC flyweight identify as its inaugural champion 11 years in the past.
The most productive guess: Johnson to win at underdog odds. Johnson will be the underdog right here because of the dimensions drawback discussed through Raimondi, so give me Johnson. What he might surrender in dimension, Johnson may assemble up in quickness, velocity and struggle IQ. Everyone knows Sterling is a human backpack, but when he have been not able to snatch the again of Johnson, Mighty Mouse’s placing may select aside Sterling over 5 rounds.
Ladies’s flyweight: UFC champion Alexa Grasso vs. Bellator champion Liz Carmouche
The matchup: Carmouche isn’t any stranger to the UFC. She competed within the promotion’s first girls’s struggle in 2013, a loss to Ronda Rousey. Carmouche was once aggressive in that struggle, one thing she has been in virtually each and every bout she has been in. She competed towards former UFC girls’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko in a lackluster unanimous determination loss in 2019 and was once strangely excused thereafter. Since next, she has gained 5 immediately in Bellator and knocked off Julianna Velasquez for that promotion’s girls’s flyweight identify. Carmouche remains to be some of the global’s highest 125-pound girls.
Grasso, in the meantime, surprised Shevchenko at UFC 285 closing presen, beating her and profitable the identify through fourth-round submission. Carmouche can be a difficult opponent for her stylistically. Grasso is a stunning boxer, and clearly her grappling abilities have advanced — she beat Shevchenko at the grassland, nearest all. It’ll be attention-grabbing to peer if Grasso can replica that feat in a most probably rematch towards Shevchenko.
The most productive guess: Grasso to win. Grasso will be the having a bet favourite on this matchup. Carmouche is an skilled veteran, but when she couldn’t get Grasso ailing and reserve her there, Grasso’s placing would enter the because the struggle went on.
Males’s flyweight: UFC champion Brandon Moreno vs. One champion Jarred Brooks
The matchup: Brooks will have to be a usual title to UFC fanatics. He fought for the promotion in 2017 and 2018 ahead of being scale down, coming off a win, all over a length when the UFC regarded as dissolving its flyweight department. That didn’t occur — and excellent factor for that. The UFC saved its 125-pound weight magnificence, and from it emerged Moreno, the primary Mexican-born champion in UFC historical past and an absolute fan favourite the world over. Now not handiest is Moreno cherished, however he’s additionally some of the thrilling opponents at the roster.
Brooks, in the meantime, going to Japan’s Rizin and next One, the place he’s now the 125-pound champion. That department is named atomweight in One. Since being excused through the UFC, Brooks is unbeaten in seven fights. Brooks is somewhat excellent, as his competitive wrestling and grappling assemble him a difficult matchup for many. Moreno could also be excellent at each issues and has emerged as a deadly striker. Brooks had handiest two UFC losses; one was once by means of break determination in a alike struggle towards Moreno’s longtime rival, Deiveson Figueiredo. Moreno vs. Brooks would most probably be extra aggressive than some would assume.
The most productive guess: Moreno to win. Brooks can be a large underdog right here. If he couldn’t get Moreno to the ground, Moreno would be capable to push an overly taxing life and make the most of his placing abilities to neutralize the ability of Brooks. Moreno would most probably take a seat at -280 and would possibly even be capable to put Brooks away all over a five-round competition.
Ladies’s strawweight: UFC champion Zhang Weili vs. One champion Angela Lee
The matchup: Lee gained the One Championship identify at 115 kilos (atomweight in One) when she was once simply 19 years impaired. Speedy-forward seven years, and Lee remains to be the titleholder with 4 a hit identify defenses. She made a couple of strikes as much as 125 kilos with not-so-favorable effects, however there’s refuse dubiousness Lee is One’s queen at 115.
Zhang is a two-time UFC girls’s strawweight champion, nearest beating Carla Esparza to regain the identify closing November. Zhang has two losses to Rose Namajunas in identify fights, so she isn’t infallible. However she’s explosive, has knockout energy and will end at the grassland with energy and method. Lee is terribly sturdy and some of the thrilling opponents within the girls’s 115-pound department. She would wish to be towards the harmful Zhang. It might most probably be a Battle of the Night time candidate.
The most productive guess: Zhang to win. In response to energy of agenda, Zhang will be the having a bet favourite right here at round -200. I’d have my cash at the extra robust Zhang, as Lee would aim stylistically right here.
