UFC Vegas 34: Fights to manufacture
This week’s UFC card could presumably well also honest no longer were booked to pique followers’ interest from the outset, but it delivered a rock to find night time of action anyway. Jared Cannonier reasserted his claim as a member of the middleweight elite, Alexandre Pantoja put himself into flyweight title opponents, and Ignacio Bahamondes picked up a KO of the 365 days contender down on the early prelims.
So, can Cannonier certainly rely on the winner of Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2 to gain his title shot? Can Ticket O. Madsen round out his game ample to manufacture an impact on the gentle-weight division? And can Pantoja manufacture it 3-0 in opposition to Brandon Moreno?
To acknowledge these questions – but puny else – I’ll be the utilization of the standard Silva/Shelby fight reserving methodology from the UFC of years previous. That contrivance pitting winners in opposition to winners, losers in opposition to losers, and equally tenured capability up in opposition to every other. Optimistically, by following that mannequin, a few of these bout strategies will certainly manufacture it off the get page and into the Octagon. Now, let’s gain to the fights.
JARED CANNONIER
It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t repeatedly pretty, but Cannonier kept the fight on the feet and made his superior vitality rely in opposition to Kelvin Gastelum for a resolution bewitch. It’s a victory he absolutely needed to indulge in if he desired to contend with his space one of many division’s top contenders—even though that proper contrivance treading extra water as Adesanya and Whittaker rely on COVID restrictions to ease ample to enable them to compete all every other time.
After the bout Cannonier instantaneous he could presumably well also proper wait things out himself, and put together for a title shot in opposition to the Adesanya/Whittaker winner. However, given his private admission that he’s broke, that appears a puny bit no longer going to be the path he finally ends up taking. Especially given the ‘Last Stylebender’’s interest in going via Darren Till, could presumably well also honest restful Till gain a bewitch or two below his belt. All that talked about, Cannonier vs. the Brunson/Till winner isn’t precisely my opinion of a thriller, no longer with Marven Vettori & Paulo Costa space to fight. Jared Cannonier vs. the Costa/Vettori winner appears esteem surefire violence. Optimistically the UFC can manufacture it happen.
KELVIN GASTELUM
Gastelum is in an unenviable position in his UFC occupation. With recent competitive losses no longer absolute best to Jared Cannonier, but Darren Till and Israel Adesanya, he’s clearly shown that he’ll even be a competitive fighter at elite stages. Sadly he’s also bought losses to half of the fighters within the middleweight top 10 at this point. Even worse is the truth that all 5 of these losses indulge in advance within the Kings MMA fighter’s final six fights. Suffice to narrate, Gastelum’s UFC account has gotten pretty gruesome—but it feels esteem it’d be a puny bit abnormal to present him a wide step down in opponents.
The pure matchmaker in me says that makes this the absolute best conceivable time for a rematch in opposition to Uriah Corridor, eight years after they first confronted off within the TUF 17 finale. Alternatively the two males indulge in grown to be quickly chums since that first bout, so a 2nd fight is virtually certainly out of the ask. As an different, how just a few fight in opposition to Brendan Allen? It’s a winner/loser bout, I do know, but Allen has proved himself to be both an incredibly bad grappler and a competitive striker, who can restful be picked apart by extra technical opponents. Can Gastelum rely on his boxing to gain the bewitch, or will Allen power him to the mat? Seems to be esteem a proper step abet without being a wide step abet. Allen vs. Gastelum feels esteem the kind of fight Gastelum needs factual now.
MARK O. MADSEN
Madsen could presumably well also honest no longer were ready to out-wrestle Clay Guida to any loyal make, but he’s sharpened up his jab a ton due to the the final time we saw him within the Octagon. Guida used to be ready to land the better, better punches internal after they exchanged, but a lot of the fight ended up with Guida touchdown two low kicks to every three jabs he ate. Adequate to gain Madsen the bewitch and recount a new wrinkle in his game, but no longer certainly the kind of efficiency that declares the 36-365 days-old as a sudden title challenger.
After the fight, he called out Gregor Gillespie, but I mediate I’d indulge in to switch in search of to procure him inquire of a puny bit of additional bad within the cage sooner than I booked him in a bout esteem that. As an different, how just a few matchup in opposition to Mateusz Gamrot? The ‘Gamer’ is coming off a transient spotlight bewitch over Jeremy Stephens and is having a analysis to manufacture his private title saunter within the division. Gamrot’s love of lengthy low singles would likely be put severely to the take a look at by Madsen’s takedown defense. And in any other case it appears esteem the factual step to switch in search of to procure who has the extra compete standup game. Gamrot vs. Madsen to switch in search of to procure which man can encourage his contender hopes alive.
VINC PICHEL
A lovely first payment to and fro battle between Pichel and Hubbard, with ‘From Hell’ once extra proving that it takes better than toughness and can honest restful to beat him contained within the cage. He could presumably well also honest no longer be the most technical wrestler or striker, however the TUF Reside alumni appears to indulge in a lot of pure energy and a completely rounded (if awkward) skill space that dissuades opponents who can’t out-wrestle him from certainly going after him within the pocket. Hubbard tried, to his credit, but ended up being the particular person getting rocked in 50/50 exchanges.
That victory elevates Pichel to 7-2 within the UFC (14-2 total), and can honest line him up for a extra serious take a look at. Pichel called for a rematch with Gregor Gillespie, but gentle-weight is simply too deep for me to certainly feel esteem I certainly indulge in to switch in search of to procure that. How about matching him up with a top-shelf striker on the upward thrust as a replacement. I could presumably well verbalize Brad Riddell fits the invoice perfectly, but COVID restrictions likely manufacture that most no longer going. So how about Pichel vs. Fiziev. A loyal chance to switch in search of to procure if Pichel can manufacture his inserting work in opposition to a high stage kickboxer, and if Fiziev can continue forcing all individuals to trade shots with him to their detriment.
ALEXANDRE PANTOJA
Askar Askarov had perceived to me to be the powerful extra glaring title contender on the horizon for flyweight king Brandon Moreno. However with the Dagestani injured, then it’s traumatic to argue any person has a better claim to the factual than Pantoja. The Brazilian already has two definitive wins over the champ: once in 2015 and once in 2018. Moreno has clearly improved a lot since then. However is it ample to beat the one who, by all appearances, appears to indulge in his number? Feels esteem a immense legend-line for a title fight. And both males indulge in confirmed by now that every fight they take half in shall be a thriller. Moreno vs. Pantoja 3 is the flyweight title fight to manufacture with Askarov on the sidelines.
BRANDON ROYVAL
Royval fought precisely the fight he could presumably well also honest restful indulge in. Got here out pushing the tempo on Pantoja, scrambling traumatic at any time when the fight ended up on the mat, and peppering his shorter opponent with fixed jabs. However Pantoja is proper too proper a grappler to present abet encourage a watch on to as in overall as Royval did. He escaped a couple times within the first round, but couldn’t gain so lucky the following time round. That places Royval on a sudden two fight skid. However there are diverse top tier flyweights attempting competitive bouts, and there’s no ask that Royval is going to be a dwell contender in every fight he’s in.
There’s an different shall we even look for Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Royval; shall be charming to switch in search of to procure the contrivance their mismatched paces could presumably well also clash. The assorted possibility is a fight in opposition to Joe Benavidez. And that, to me appears esteem the particular bout to manufacture. Two busy, high output fighters with very capable scrambling video games. Benavidez needs to present he’s restful a power within the division. And Royval needs to present that he’s better than a flash within the pan. Royval vs. Benavidez appears esteem a immense fight for two males with a lot to present.
BRIAN KELLEHER
It wasn’t a gorgeous fight, but Domingo Pilarte certainly gave Kelleher a straightforward path to victory with his porous takedown defense and relentless utilize of a closed guard. Can’t blame Kelleher for taking the likelihood for a shutout victory. After the bout, ‘Progress’ made a callout for a fight I’ve advocated for several times sooner than: Sean O’Malley. It’s restful a proper match to manufacture, namely with O’Malley out having a analysis for un-ranked opponents to strive to kind on. However if it hasn’t took position but, I’m no longer certainly banking on it going down now. That talked about, Kelleher restful needs to procure these subsequent stage victories. Someone esteem Davey Grant or Casey Kenney. Or what about Julio Arce? Kelleher and Arce indulge in an ages old history in opposition to every other, with two bantamweight title fights in Ring of Combat, both of which Kelleher won. Are they restful the fighters they aged to be? Or will Arce’s ever extra scientific kickboxing provide a loyal drawback this time round? Arce vs. Kelleher 3 appears esteem a relaxing scrap with some proper history on the abet of it.
IGNACIO BAHAMONDES
Bahamondes came in to the UFC with a lot of hype as a longtime Roufusport practising accomplice with a high output inserting game. However he bumped into something of a wall in his debut in opposition to John Makdessi, who used to be ready to ascertain his output with better placed, extra noteworthy shots. Roberts tried to conclude the same and abet it up with a wrestling assault, but he didn’t indulge in the variety to successfully counter what Bahamondes used to be showing him, nor the straight shot wrestling to gain easy takedowns. The consequence used to be a unparalleled efficiency from Bahamondes on his system to a third round KO. A immense system to raise abet the pleasure for a fighter with a lot of notable encourage in his corner. Time to throw him into one more thrilling inserting battle on the bottom of gentle-weight. And to conclude that, I’ll advocate for a extra violent puncher with a extra dinky repertoir: Ottman Azaitar. Azaitar throws absolute bombs, Bahamondes isn’t traumatic to hit, but he has powerful extra to offer on the return. Seems to be esteem a recipe for distress for one man, but I’m able to’t verbalize I’m assured as to who. Azaitar vs. Bahamondes shall be an absolute thriller.
OTHER BOUTS: Clay Guida vs. Scott Holtzman, Parker Porter vs. Rodrigo Nascimento, Walk Sherman vs. Josh Parisian, Saidyokub Kakhramonov vs. Ronnie Lawrence, Trevin Jones vs. Khalid Taha, Austin Hubbard vs. Alex Da Silva, Austin Lingo vs. TJ Brown, Luis Saldana vs. Collin Anglin, Domingo Pilarte vs. Drako Rodriguez, Josiane Nunes vs. the Edwards/Clark winner, Bea Malecki vs. Zarah Fairn, William Knight vs. Gash Negumereanu, Fabio Cherant vs. Askar Mozharov, Roosevelt Roberts vs. Joaquim Silva, Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Philip Rowe, Sasha Palatnikov vs. Niklas Stolze