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We had clarification be dealt down across the world of combat this weekend that has left some in shock, but all in amazement. UFC 299 in Miami lived up to the hype and dropped some clarification gospel down on us when the Suga Show proved in the main-event that he was far superior than that of Chito Vera. Closing the book on what many consider a fluke win in their first meeting. The night before, boxing's heavyweight prowess, Anthony Joshua, star-struck Saudi Arabia and the combat world when he knocked Francis Ngannou out cold to cap off a dominant gospel droppin' performance.
Clarification was shown through domination, knock-outs, and pure violence. It was quite a dose of noise between the two nights. We never know what we will get, but we know to expect anything to happen. The beauty of combat sports. UFC 299 had a rollercoaster of a main-card and DAZN's heavyweight clash between AJ and Francis Ngannou ended in shocking fashion, considering Ngannou's debut performance against Tyson Fury. Joshua was on a mission. A case was proved. The heavyweight division was put on notice. By that, I mean Tyson Fury has been put on notice.
I will be honest, part of me thought Francis Ngannou was going to shock the world against Anthony Joshua. Shock the world once again, but with a different result as when he shocked the world with his unreal debut performance against arguably the best heavyweight on the planet in Tyson Fury.
We had seen the once great Joshua crumble under the pressure of greatness. We saw Ngannou's unreal jump of boxing skill in the Fury fight. All the stakes on Joshua, who I lost faith in for losing back-to-back bouts to Oleksandr Usyk. AJ faced the most pressured task of his career against Francis. Joshua had everything to lose. He felt like Tyson Fury towards the tail-end of Fury/Ngannou, but before the bell even rang. I don't believe I was out of pocket on predicting a Ngannou upset, but the former heavyweight king told me, Francis, and everyone else- that there is LEVELS to heavyweight greatness.
Straight up domination by Joshua. From the opening bell. The game-plan, the patience, and the boxing prowess. Plus the pure power and destruction. AJ was dialed in; with a mission accomplished goal being his only outcome. His power was something that Ngannou had never felt before. A man once proclaimed the baddest on the planet. A man who had never been slept or TKO'd. Faced his doom and the circle of life for a fighter. Ngannou faced what most of his opponents had faced. Stars and lights. I was in awe of the performance by AJ. He placed me in a shocked and silent bubble as an on-goer. Joshua worked Ngannou. He studied the weaknesses and knew the buttons to click. Francis started the fight much more laxed and comfortable compared to his debut bout with Fury. Things changed quick however; the moment he noticed AJ's skill, athleticism, and power. When Joshua dropped Francis inside the final minute of the opening round, from Francis' body language, I knew it was only a matter of time.
Joshua was (and is) in another stratosphere than Ngannou in terms of boxing skill. AJ finished his kill quick. Joshua thundered home a nasty combination to drop Francis in round two. When Ngannou got up from the canvas, he was half knocked out, defeated, depleted, and then walked right into a nuclear atom bomb... an AJ-bomb if you would:
video via theartofwar6/x - footage via DAZN
Watching that sequence live had left me speechless. The hook of the ankle, the slow-mo scorpo drop, ahh just bloody wild. Seeing Ngannou slept was something I didn't expect. To see him motionless, like how he had left many men inside the Octagon...sent shockwaves through my body. Joshua dropped his statement with a freakin' explanation point. Completely WALKED through Ngannou. Big league'd him. I talked about AJ studying the weaknesses, he literally spent his pre-fight warmups practicing the very right-hand that knocked Francis out. He knew Ngannou would keep that window open:
video via DAZNBoxing//X
Joshua worked his game-plan to fruition. The importance of tape and game-planning in sports proved yet again. It was cool to see Joshua talk with Francis after the knockout. Telling him he shouldn't leave/quit boxing. AJ is absolutely right on that. People who are degrading Francis because of being on the poor end of a brutal KO can go kick rocks. Ngannou is the definition of a badass. He entered one of, if not, the most difficult sports on the planet, and faced two of the very best in the game, in the most dangerous weight class of all-time.
People forget that Ngannou had terrible striking skill, accuracy, and technique in MMA. He had godly power and a chin. Like the football term "f it, my best receiver down there somewhere", that was Ngannou as a striker. He knocked cats out with his wild swinging technique, but it wasn't boxing skill. Ngannou decided to learn the art and sport to challenge two of the greatest heavyweight boxers of the 21st-century back-to-back. I commend Ngannou. Win or lose. What he has done is unreal. Joshua is just far superior as a boxer. Which leaves me with an important ponder. Why the hell was things more difficult for Fury in Ngannou's first fight, rather his second against AJ, who made things a walk in the park against Francis. Now, I have always asked for a Joshua versus Fury fight, feeling that Joshua was far beneath WIlder and Fury, but is he?
Fury looked like he saw a ghost as he sat in the second-ish row to watch Joshua KO Francis:
video via DAZNBoxing//X
Saw a ghost. Witnessed a crime. Saw a naked man. The dude was bamboozled. I'm a body language guy and let me tell ya. The Joshua we saw on Friday in Saudi Arabia; scares Tyson Fury to death. I can't believe I am writing that, but it's no cap. I am ultra-intrigued in the Fury/Usyk fight coming up. The undefeated Usyk beats Joshua twice and now finally challenges Fury. Gypsy King has fight for his life versus rookie Ngannou, but Joshua dismantles Ngannou. How will the stars in the sky align? A lot is to be told. A lot is to be found out. Boxing fans want to shade and hate Ngannou for making the jump from MMA and getting top name fights, but don't change your feelings when he is the man who may help us finally get Joshua versus Fury. Chew on that while you enjoy the three knockdowns from Joshua's slaying of Ngannou:
video via theartofwar6/x - footage via DAZN
UFC 299 ended the PPV-century with an awesome early-prelim as well as a thunderous main-card that fed the masses and the electric Miami crowd in attendance. The early-prelims gave off major noise as Joanne Wood went out in the best way possible (retirement), Robelis Despaigne announced his arrival to the UFC, and Michel Pereira got back to being an entertaining nut in winning fashion. The noise meter went down a bit with the main-card prelims, but that was ah-so-fine as the crowd needed some oxygen for the main-card's fireworks.
The card had a perfect starter pack with Petr Yan and Song Yadong blessing us with a slobber-knocker at 135. Yan spoke his words into existence, delivering a boxing masterclass of Song. Petr was stellar in what was a must win fight for him. Yan put the difficult losing skid in the rear-mirror view with the dub. Both Yan and Song proved again; how deep the bantamweight division is. Despite the loss, Song fought well and hard. He showed off his unreal iron-chin, eating monster upper-cuts and combos from Petr. Song's game-plan was just weak. He worked into Yan's strengths and foolishly challenged the boxing of Yan. Mental warfare and ego checks is a real thing in MMA, folks. The biggest killer: he didn't take advantage of Yan's PTSD (Merab fight).
Yan was like a fish baitin' on the hook whenever Song feinted, lowered his head, or fake shot. Petr showed obvious PTSD from the tough Sterling loss and the Merab onslaught. It could have been a major tool for Song to use, but he didn't. Yan getting back on track makes things interesting on the bantamweight ladder. We already know Merab Dvalishvili needs to be next up to challenge O'Malley for the strap; the rest of the ladder is quite interesting. Yan's dub over Corey Sandhagen really throws a wrench in things. Sandman has three straight dubs with wins over Chito, Song, and Rob Font, but lost to Petr. Yan got routed by Merab, but could have beaten O'Malley at the judges' table. With Aljo moving up, I'd say one of Sandhagen or Yan should be next behind Merab to challenge for the title. Here is how the ladder should play out in my opinion:
Yan's win over Song Yadong was massive in the bantamweight title picture and for Petr's career. He uses the win to keep his championship window open, creating a bit more light for him to use. The fight also ignited the card and the vibes in the room. Which is why I just laugh and shake my head when I see people complain about Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan opening up 300. You want a slobber-knocker starting an electric card. It's the tone setter spot! Leadoff hitter is one of the most important roles. Get adjusted, cha heard!
Michael Venom Page has officially arrived in the UFC. What an arrival it was. From the entrance, to his stance, to his unique striking- MVP's aura brings a new vibe and energy to MMA's grandest stage that could spark him into possible stardom. The fight against UFC vet Kevin Holland was quite lackluster, but a mixture of massive elbows with impressive speed, movement, and length kept the audience tuned in as many weren't too familiar with Page in MMA. Now they are. The debut was solid as Page won on the cards 29-28, but one thing is for certain: Page now understands why the UFC is considered the "big leagues".
Kevin Holland is as gritty a fighter you will come across. The work horse who will fight anyone, anywhere. Despite the loss and lopsided striking numbers, Holland showed Page why the UFC is the highest echelon. Page landed some devastating strikes on Holland, strikes that mirror the highlights of many of his past slayings. Those fighters aren't Kevin Holland. They weren't UFC rooted. The trailblazer has never been slept in 22 UFC fights against the likes of Khamzat Chimaev, Marvin Vettori, and Wonderboy Stephen Thompson. Known for eating some big shots, Holland did just that versus the debuting MVP. His biggest appetite was for a no-look spinning-elbow that happened so quick, and was ate so clean, that it took some time for notice to rise. It was tough to find a clean video, see if this does some justice:
video via AjDuxche//X
That video gives you a quick visual on MVP's style and demeanor. Chirpin' right into a spinning-elbow that knocks out many men. Holland eating that elbow definitely sprung some reality in MVP. These UFC guys can feast, and his newly joined division has many iron-chinners. What a strike it was, though. Such unique offense. MVP landed some nasty shots throughout the bout and his defense was remarkable on top of it. So remarkable it made Kevin Holland extremely frustrated. On top of being outclassed on the feet, Big Mouth got outclassed in the chirping department. MVP made it clear why he was such a pivotal free agent to reel in- the guy is a special entertainer.
Page's standing success and unique moniker aren't the only two factors that led to Holland's frustration. Not having a well-rounded game is what did him in. Page felt some trouble when Holland got him on the ground after Page lost balance. Holland started attempting subs as well as unleashing solid ground-and-pound that caused brief havoc and noise. You could see some fear and urgency in Page's face in the midst of the GnP. Luckily, he was able to get up and back to the feet. Which was all he needed to do as Holland once again showed no take-down skill. He couldn't strike with Page, nor could he get him down to the canvas to allow an opportunity for himself. Page has obvious work ahead in the grappling department. I was impressed in the fact that he mentioned that himself after the fight.
Page also spoke on a possible fight with Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson, who has a very similar stance, striking diversity, and movement. After seeing Page inside the Octagon, fans were quick to ask for that "dream" fight next. MVP speaking on it was great, as he pointed out some key notes:
video via ChampRDS//X
The quick trolls will say he is ducking Wonderboy; that's not the case. Page's honesty should be respected, because he is quite right. Nine times out of ten that fight is a boring three-rounder. Maybe do Neil Magny or Sean Brady next... unless JDM doesn't end up challenging Shavkat (hint hint). We will see what's next for Page, but it's good to have a specimen like him in the Welterweight ranks. Page's free agent value is now fully understood. MVP is going to be a fun fighter in the UFC. Welcome to the big leagues.
Poor Gilbert Burns. The guy got on one nasty rollercoaster when he faced young riser Jack Della Maddalena. Durinho was on cloud nine as he entered the 299 Octagon to a sea of cheers and love from his Miami fans. The vibes elevated his game as he came out the gate on a tear. Burns put his last loss aside winning the first two rounds against JDM, creatin' a path to a decision win... until the cart went off the racks.
Burns had the dub in the bag when he held top control on JDM with 90 seconds remaining in the final round. Knowing what the decision result was going to be, I was about ready to head out of the room to take care of anything prior to the next bout when all of a sudden JDM decided to show the heart of a lion. Jack escaped the ground control, got up, turned around, and then launched his knee with nuclear intent:
video via Wrestling__MMA//X
Chris Berman's "WHAP" in the sound of a flush knee to the ridge. Just unreal survival to kill instincts by JDM. How gutting for Burns. Shoutout to Durinho for not getting flat-lined by that knee, he ate it, but it didn't matter. It put the blood in the water and JDM finished it. Like a wounded lion. To make the story even more fascinating- Della Maddalena broke his damn arm in the first round. Clean break! Fought two rounds after, escaped against a jiu-jitsu maniac, and then ended him before the timer ran out. Oh, and who does he call-out to fight next? Shavkat Rakhmonov, of course. One of the most badass performances you will see. Comeback kid. Check out his X-Ray:
Everyone expected the Diamond's return to the Octagon to unleash a barrage of fireworks. That's exactly what transpired. Once again, Dustin Poirier delivered a performance that left fight fans in awe. A pure display of resilience, hand skill, and grit. Poirier is the definition of a warmonger.
The rising Frenchman, Saint Denis, brought the pain to Poirier right from the opening minute of the bout as the hungry lion worked Poirier with a rapid pace for the entirety of the first round. Benoit suffocated Poirier with his unique grappling and wrestling to win the round, which was a bit of a surprise and had Poirier's boxing coach Dyah Ali Davis asking the Diamond why the hell he was giving BSD the respect to out-work him. His coaches, unlike us (it's exciting), wanted him to stop jumpin' the gilly too.
Poirier took in his coaches' words as he finished the bout with his trademark boxing. The way he trapped BSD, who game-planned around the fence and clinch, was spectacular. Benoit walked right into Poirier's WMD:
video via CotyJitsu//X
Glad he didn't commit on another gilly attempt there, but the feint was part of the KO art. It set up the unaware head positioning to unleash his power-right to shut the door on the fight. The thunderous standing bomb helped too. What a performance; what a right-hand. Poirier's motives throughout the fight were frustrating from a coach's standpoint, but for a fan's it was well mannered. Seeing DP jump the gilly is ultra-exciting, but it was very bone-headed to do (especially over and over) and put him in deep waters momentarily. Deep waters that he shouldn't have survived to be frank.
The win was badass for Poirier and sets up a difficult "what's next". So what is next for Poirier? I think him asking for Islam and a title fight is outrageous. I'm not surprised one bit that the champ is entertaining it. I bet Islam was acting like a hyena when he saw Poirier attempt those gillies. Just licking his chops. Of course he wants that fight! I don't, nor do I think Poirier has earned it. You accepting and conquering a hungry lion is noble, brave, and impressive, but come on. This one win doesn't eliminate the Gaethje knockout, nor the Oliveira loss. Does it move Poirier back up the ladder? Sure does, but it doesn't create a title shot. I say you give the diamond Gamrot next, or the winner of Tsarukyan and Oliveria. Those four are next in the title eliminator. All hail the Diamond! Checkout his finish from the best seat in the house:
video via X//user unknown
Statement made. Clarification established. Sean O'Malley is far superior than Chito Vera and the books won't call it cap. One of the most dominant championship defenses we have seen; Suga Sean cruised to a 50-45 dub over Vera to close the book on their rivalry. Yes, so dominant that we shouldn't need a "trilogy" bout.
O'Malley proved that Vera had no business fighting for the strap outside of a rivalry created from a hapless moment four years ago. I am not one that will call the first meeting a fluke. When you're inside that cage- it's anything goes. It's warrior versus warrior. O'Malley got wounded in the midst of war and his opponent capitalized. The second fight had to happen. Clarity has to be made. I just wish it was done sooner and not for the bantamweight strap. What's done is done. Literally. O'Malley crosses his first defense off his list, crosses Chito off his memory, and does each in emphatic fashion.
We saw the Suga Show in it's most dangerous form in Miami. He was locked in, calculated, and just flat-out excellent across five-rounds of war. The best I have seen him. The fact he is only getting better and more confident is huge for his career potential. Sean pieced up Chito almost as bad as he pieced up Kris Moutinho. You think I'm exaggerating... nah. Suga landed the same amount of significant strikes (230) as he did against the off-the-street Moutinho. Only difference between the two onslaughts is the strike percentage. Sean hit on 64% (230/256) against Chito compared to 72% against Moutinho. Just an unreal masterclass of striking. Big kudos to Chito for being a warrior and having an iron-chin. Not only did Chito take a great deal of punishment, but the cat ate one of the nastiest, most flush knees you will see. Just hear the sound on it:
video via Mudryked//X
I don't know how the hell he a) ate the kick and b) stayed on his feet. That kick drops 99.94% of humans. No question. The timing, precision, and pure power. Three words that also describes O'Malley's overall performance. I mean, yo, the whiplash though. I bet his whole brain moved upon that impact. Straight up destruction. I think you need another look. Oh come on, just enjoy the destruction in every speed and angle as you can adore:
video via FanDuel//X
Unreal chin. Sucks that his game-plan and striking didn't follow suit. Vera's game-plan was horrendous. He was awful in the clinch and worked awful defense allowing Sean to piece him up like a punching bag. This is why we need to have importance in the rankings and book accordingly. Outside of the trash talk and sell value, the talent didn't matchup. Ultimately selling a poor fight. Merab Dvalishvili needs to be next to challenge the Suga Show. Plain and simple. With Cory Sandhagen and Petr Yan (2) next up on the board. O'Malley's callout for Ilia Topuria is stupid and tiresome.
Conor McGregor elevated the sport to unreal highs, while also ruining it in a sense. I shouldn't say ruining it, more like he has caused bad habits. Everyone wants to be like the Mac. They want to act like him, and they want double-champ status like him. Soon, a title will have no value, especially when you have a champion saying he is above the title and doesn't care for it after one defense. Both named Sean by the way. It's silly behavior and needs to stop. O'Malley reigns over arguably the deepest division in the UFC. You want a legacy? Time to run through that deep division. Fighters need 3-4 title defense and/or an empty division of challengers in order to seek double-champ status. Alexander Volkanovski made sense with how he and Max Holloway once had the featherweight division on lock down and Volk beating Holloway in three title fights. O'Malley makes no sense.
Sean's successful title defense forces some changes on my pound-for-pound list with the bantamweight champ moving up some spots (+3). Dominating on the grandest stage will do that. The Suga Show now holds the 7-spot over middleweight champ du Plessis and former champ Sean Strickland. Bones Jones drops out of top-10 for inactivity.
Two guys in my top-10 are fighting next on UFC 300: Oliveira and Pereira. The man challenging Poatan, former LHW champ Jamahal Hill, sits 19th and can move up in a big way by beating Pereira to regain his strap that was never lost. I am sure to be back in a couple weeks to update my rankings again. For now... the list is in stone until 300:
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