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UFC Noche is now in the record books, leaving behind a slew of different feelings. The acronym 'MMA' defined it's true meaning inside the Sphere, and the display was unlike any of it's kind seen in the sport. The night was unforgettable for some, and quite unfair for others. Injusto injusto. With the vocal telling that it was a one & done attempt in the Sphere; I'd say the UFC will feel more of the negative side of the domino effect to follow.
It was an unforgettable night for the new champions, yet unfair for the former champs who got utterly dismantled. The belts were ripped from grasp. The event seemed breathtaking and one of a kind for those who paid the coin to be apart of it inside the Sphere, but it was nothing but a long-long-long $90 movie for those who watched it through the screen. Frankly, it was pure hell for the viewers at home. Seeing Grasso and Shevchenko make the walk at 1ish eastern time, knowing it was going the full-25 was absolutely gutting. You had to be inside the Sphere for that event to feel anything worth your money.
I wasn't at the Sphere, but I could tell right away how remarkable it had to be from viewing content from those who were (content shows no justice). I wouldn't be surprised if they win some awards (film) for their efforts. TKO was made for events like this; we have seen the tremendous strides WWE have made regarding on-screen animations and such; UFC hit on that in a huge way for the viewers. The cinematography was tremendous. TKO (WWE/UFC) is a match made in heaven. The Sphere being their playground. The visuals were of the highest quality.
The tale of the tape 3D screening was great, and the team(s) did a good job with the camera angles to show the lightshow the live viewers were experiencing. Checkout the tale of the tape 3D display:
That is soo badass. It had to have been a remarkable event to witness live, jealous I couldn't- bravo to the UFC on that regard. It just wasn't the same for those watching at home. It was quite brutal when you consider the main-card was all decisions with the main-event and co-main being complete one-sided routes. Just felt like a long documentary with some fight scenes. Shoutout to Zellhuber and Ribovics for bringing the noise and puttin' the main-card on their back.
Bullet Valentina is back on top of the women MMA mountain as she dismantled, depleted, and victimized Alexa Grasso to claim redemption and her Flyweight title back. It was the perfect ending to the chapter outside of having a KO. Shevchenko ran through Grasso; surviving a few deep submission attempts to cruise in the striking department, on the ground, and in control time. Valentina becomes just the 4th female fighter to reclaim a UFC title that she had once defended and lost joining Rose Namajunas (SW), Carla Esparza (SW), and Amanda Nunes (BW).
It was a near flawless performance for Bullet. I questioned what else Grasso had to show Shevchenko after already spending 44 and half minutes in the Octagon against her; sure enough there wasn't anything left to show. Grasso was stumped and depleted quickly. The body language was pure depletion, despite having two very deep submissions applied. The only fault on Shevchenko was her finish game-plan. She spent way too much time looking for that arm-triangle. Shevchenko could have finished Grasso if she looked for the crucifix earlier into round-4 (got into position in final 20 seconds). She should have looked for the same finish she had on Andrade with the cut Grasso had on the upper eye lid. That frustrated me a ton. That cut could have finished the fight with either the said crucifix, or standing on the feet were she surprisingly outclassed Grasso. Alexa had zero confidence to force a conservative game-plan. Crucifix would have finished her.
Despite no finish, the rivalry with Grasso is likely finished. It was too dominant of a performance to think anything different in this moment of time. If you ask me, I am oh-so happy that Valentina is back on top of the mountain. That is in no shape or form a dig at Grasso. Alexa's career resurgence after switching to Flyweight has been massive for the women's division and the MMA scene in Mexico. I hope this loss doesn't define her and that she can return to winning form. Grasso is elite at Flyweight. I just wasn't ready for the sport to lose Shevchenko. Rather in general or in the title scene... she has fought for a UFC title in 11 straight fights dating back to 2018. I would have been gutted to see her prime end. We are not there yet, folks!
Now, Shevchenko is set to welcome in rising challenger Manon Fiorot with Grasso hopefully the one to challenge the winner of Namajunas/Blanchfield (11/2 in Edmonton). Shevchenko and Fiorot is a great next matchup for that strap. Natália Silva and Maycee Barber would be the perfect eliminator to book opposite of the winner of Rose/Erin facing a returning Grasso when that time is. The women's flyweight division is up. Bullet is back:
video via @WMMARankings//X
I was pretty into the Shevchenko/Grasso bout. It's funny people still call themselves "MMA Fans" when they don't seem to actually like MMA or know what MMA is. 50-45s are never fun in a title fight, but don't sit and call that a snooze fest. That was MMA. Watching Shevchenko do her work was a joy. Watching Grasso on her back almost sub her? Also a joy. Shevchenko showed what elite means in ground work and guard transitioning. It was a marvelous display of MMA. So was the display by the new Bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili. Rather we like it or not.
And New! Merab the damn machine... what a route he put on Suga Sean. Merab made Sean look like a normal fighter forcing confidence depletion on a very confident individual. Merab didn't just grapple O'Malley's confidence away... no, he stole it and used it himself as he taunted the champ numerous times throughout the domination. Shades of Nurmagomedov/McGregor, but in a cringy and different way.
Let me touch on the cringy before I salute the new champ. That fight was absolutely awful, perhaps the worst main-event of the year thus far. I don't say that because of Merab's game-plan or execution. I get what MMA is, don't you forget it. I say that rather due to the pure nonsense that happened on two to three occasions, plus the game-plan of O'Malley's; not Merab. The dorks saying Merab was running around... well yeah, of course he would. These leg huggers force the strikers in; it's trap mechanism. Working away from the opposition's strengths. Merab's game-plan was the winning GP. Methodical. Baby-back? Oh yeah, of high degree, but MMA is MMA. O'Malley could have gone on the attack...
Sean fought scared, depleted, and lazy. Which was odd considering how he fought Aljamain Sterling. The coaching by Tim Welch is beyond trash. Just as much to blame for the loss of the title than the lackluster performance of O'Malley. Sean would land his combinations when he slid in and out; but hardly did so. There was no instinct, no motor; it looked like he accepted defeat by the 2nd round. I blame Welch for that. Sean was not the fighter he can be. The fight had a bad taste from the very opening. This nonsense to start the fight was one of the worst acts of millennial I have ever seen:
video via @SpinninBackfist
Won't show Merab's response to this; it just speaks to how he acted. The fight was halted all because this guy didn't like an opposing coach talking at him/coaching him. Like there aren't thousands of Suga fans in the stands barking explicits. Never thought I would see some Russell Westbrook type of behavior in MMA, but go insert Merab. For the love. Herb Dean shouldn't have jumped in. That's on the fighter for letting something get to him; he should have been free game. Just like the second occasion after Merab kissed O'Malley's back multiple times and walked to his corner before the round was over. Why the hell does Herb Dean think he can step his body between them?
video via @BricksCenter//X
That's over-refereeing! Dean was perfect with handling the glove pull by O'Malley, but dropped the ball everywhere else. It was a brutal fight because of all that nonsense and the complete landslide on the scorecards (a non-biased card). O'Malley showed zero poise. Merab just cruised to a victory; wasn't quick on looking for a finish. Not an electric outcome; still impressive by Merab, however. That's now 11-straight for the machine after losing his first two UFC fights. Stopping the Suga Show is a big feat.
Booking the bantamweight division to close the year should be easy if everyone wants to fight (O'Malley already hints at a lengthy break...). Merab takes on Umar Nurmagomedov for the strap, then you have eliminators between Sandhagen/O'Malley & Figgy/Yan. Cut and dry; make it happen (unlikely)! Those are all major-major-major fights on the noise meter.
The first fall meteor has hit my P4P lists with two new champions being crowned at UFC Noche as well as risers executing slipstream maneuvers up the ladder. For the men side, only spots 6-10 & the early 30s felt major changes in the rankings. Insert Diego Lopes as Merab comes in on his spaceship:
Merab seemingly takes Sean's spot. The four-streak of Aldo, Yan, Cejudo, and O'Malley is ultra impressive; if he faces Nurmagomedov next, and fraud checks him, then he likely shoots higher on my list, especially with those above him scheduled for war. The win over O'Malley is big for him, but O'Malley putting in a bad performance hurts his stock. Merab still looks dominant & unbeatable in one facet, but his striking and chin are still up for testing. Just like Belal.
O'Malley didn't land one significant shot to the head of Merab, nothing to test that chin. The shot that hurt Merab, was a body shot. That alone keeps the flag a wave. Is Topuria strong in one facet (striking) like Merab & Belal? Yes, but his zero and flatline of Volkanovski is that shiny. Topuria has his seat at seven until Max beats him... unless he flatlines Max- which would blast him into the top-4.
The women side has some significant changes as Bullet Valentina returns to the top of the mountain... this time with no Nunes to run against. Shevchenko jumps Weili with the win over Grasso. There is no debating that Shevchenko and Nunes were in a league of their own. It seemed like Valentina was smacked down an echelon, but her statement win over Grasso says otherwise. Tatiana Suarez is the type of talent that if slayed, can give Weili that same level of prestige as Bullet. In my mind, Shevchenko is the best currently active female fighter on the planet. My updated Women's P4P:
Before logging off, just need to give a quick shoutout to the warriors of Noche. I gave Zellhuber and Ribovics their respected flowers, but a big shoutout to Brian Ortega and Irene f'n Aldana on going to WAR and refusing to be slayed; takin' major damage in the process. Both of them had some serious damage afterwards; Aldana's cut being one of the deepest we have seen (head clash). Shoutout to both of them for fighting through and going the distance. Warriors:
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