The Review and Preview
Review of UFC 284, Adam Azim and a look ahead to this upcoming weekend.
Morning All!
One small note before I start, this was due out at 09.00am but the below tweet got my interest and I had to look into it before pressing send!
First thoughts are these are big accusations, are they about Islam?
We are yet to have context but I am keeping my eye on it.
Maybe more on that on Wednesday!
Anyway, as I begin to write this at 11.30am on Sunday morning, I am still struggling to process what we have just witnessed.
Admittedly, in combat sports we have a tendency to overreact, I am sure every person reading this has done it.
Every week, somewhere on social media or a podcast we have a new candidate for;
The greatest fight ever
The new GOAT
The best prospect we have ever seen
The best coach in the game
and…the list goes on.
However, the levels shown by Alexander Volkanovski and Islam Mahakchev blew me away and we MUST appreciate both men without getting drawn into robbery debates.
For what it’s worth, I scored the fight to Islam Makhachev.
Some had it the other way around, with Volk winning by a round and I can understand that.
The problematic round is round 3.
I scored as follows;
Round 1: Makhachev
Round 2: Volkanovski
Round 3: Makhachev
Round 4: Makhachev
Round 5: Volkanovski (clearest round by a distance)
So, in my view, we have one problematic round that has swung the fight.
Now, here comes the problem.
One of the first things I seen on Sunday morning was a video of Joe Rogan & his friends watching the show live and claiming robbery (Link) and that has opened up the floodgates to everyone shouting robbery, even rapper Lil Wayne decided to distance himself from the UFC (Twitter is mental, isnt it?)
All jokes aside, narratives like this frustrate me more than I can explain.
Not only is it incorrect but it also dampens the impact when we see an ACTUAL robbery and more importantly, it takes away from everything that both Volk and Makhachev achieved.
Volkanovski proved he is a pound for pound great, he nullified the best wrestler in the promotion and to go up a weight division and compete the way he did is an achievement in itself.
Islam Makhachev, stood and traded with one of the most spiteful punchers on the roster and proved his stand up is far superior than anyone has ever given credit.
He also proved he has the heart of a lion, his best asset was neutralised and he adapted to still come out on top.
He IS as good as Khabib always told us.
He is a phenomenon.
The only logical next step here is a rematch.
Yair Rodriguez can take care of featherweight while Volk is gone and we have no clear contender at lightweight, anyway.
The rematch is a HUGE event either in the Middle East or back in Australia and both men deserve the opportunity to do it again.
Speaking of Yair Rodriguez…
WHAT A PERFORMANCE.
As I mentioned in Friday’s newsletter, he was once the big hope of Mexican MMA.
For a country with such heritage in Boxing, it is still waiting to explode in the world of MMA.
UFC tried for years to push Cain Valasquez but for one reason or another he never claimed a title at heavyweight.
We now have Brandon Moreno at flyweight, and plans for a huge performance institute to be built Mexico at the back end of this year to the UFC do want to expand in the country.
Yair Rodriguez feels like the man who can take it to a new level.
He is talented, enigmatic, charismatic and guaranteed entertainment.
If he can get a run at featherweight, or a huge fight with Volk, I feel like he can finally put Mexican MMA on the map with the big boys.
If we can get a conveyor belt of Mexican fighters, like boxing has, UFC and MMA in general will be a much healthier place.
Shoutout Josh Emmett too. The man is a complete warrior. Outgunned, out-skilled and outfought last night but he can still play a part in the 145lb division.
HOW ABOUT JDM!?
Jack Della-Maddalena - REMEMBER THE NAME.
The 26-year-old Australian could be my favourite fighter in the UFC and he did no harm to his growing reputation with yet another highlight reel knockout over Randy Brown.
Some fighters burst on the scene and secure knockouts against low level opposition but JDM has dismantled some really decent guys.
Ramazan Emeev was touted as a contender himself - Round 1 knockout
Danny Roberts a long term UFC vet - Round 1 knockout
Randy Brown UFC vet on a four fight win streak - Round 1 submission
To be putting on performances like this at 26 years old is so exciting and I believe he is the future of Australian MMA.
He has stayed loyal to his small Perth gym, Scrappy MMA, and he is improving all the time.
It’s time to get excited about Jack Della Maddalena, he is going all the way.
Board the train people…it’s leaving!!
Elsewhere on the card
The rest of the card was relatively quiet but two nice performances worth taking a note of and a call out that I think makes a lot of sense!
Joshua Culibao with a second round submission over Melsik Baghdasaryan.
I put this up as the fight to keep an eye on this weekend and it delivered (and then some!).
Melsik dominated the first round with some crisp kickboxing but Culibao, as I mentioned, is an improving fighter and his transition to secure the rear necked choke was nothing short of beautiful.
Go back and watch, if you missed it. These two guys will be in some great fights over the next few years.
Brazilian Kleydson Rodrigues with a sixty second finish over Shannon Ross.
I was really impressed by this and although he is a UFC newcomer (via The Contender Series), I feel like a missed a trick not researching him enough in fight week. He looks very exciting and keep an eye out, I will be doing some digging on him and will bring my finding to future editions of The Combat Club!
Jamie Mullarkey calling out Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett
Everyone wants a slice of Paddy, we all know that, but of all the recent call outs, I think this one makes a lot of sense for Paddy.
Mullarkey is a big enough name to create interest and he is very beatable. It would land on a big card and would give Paddy some credit after the Jared Gordon controversy.
Once Paddy is healed up, I think this fight could get made.
Overall takes
There was no robbery
Volkanovski Makhchev 2 is a MUST
Jack Della Maddalena is a future champion
Boxing
Boxing did get slightly overlooked this week but I actually enjoyed what I seen.
In the UK, our blue chip prospect Adam Azim gained invaluable experience over ten rounds against Santos Reyes. I thought Azim would blast Reyes out but after the early knockdown, he struggled to really work out the puzzle and that will be great experience for him moving forward.
His speed is terrifying and I have lost no faith in him because he went the distance this weekend.
I am told he is now out until June but when he is back, I would love to see him in with some domestic contenders, my suggestions below;
Lucas Ballingall - English super lightweight champion.
Kaisee Benjamin - Gave Dalton Smith a good fight for the British title recently.
Harlem Eubank - Unrealistic this one as Harlem is on a journey himself but I would love to see it and it would ask some questions of Azim without doubt.
On the undercard, I was really impressed with Zak Chelli in his victory over Anthony Sims Jr.
I mentioned on last weeks edition, I thought this was a great opportunity for Chelli but he grabbed it with both hands and I hope Boxxer now give him an opportunity and back him.
I don’t see him as a future world champion, but he is a solid fighter with a lot of value and he deserves some chances.
As for Sims Jr, as harsh as this sounds, he talks a great game but very rarely delivers.
During his short career, he has had two step ups and fell short in both.
The frustrating thing is he isn’t falling short because he isn’t good enough, it’s all mental, or he believes he is much better than he really is.
Either way, it’s a problem.
I would never force retirement on any boxer, that isn’t my place and I respect them too much but I would be surprised if another prominent promoter gives Anthony Sims Jr another shot.
In the USA, we crowned a new world champion O’Shaquie Foster and I said in last week’s edition, I fancied him but he was yet to prove he had what it takes a that level.
Turns out he does!
I still have some reservations, particuarly around his activity, but he has put himself in a great position now and there are some huge fights and pay days at super featherweight.
Moving on…
The beauty of combat sports is as soon as one chapter closes, the next one opens and this weekend boxing will take centre stage.
WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood will welcome dangerous puncher Mauricio Lara to Nottingham and I have to commend him because I think it’s a horrendous matchup for Wood, stylistically.
Most people will remember Lara from 2021 when he arrived in the UK as an unknown and obliterated Josh Warrington in nine rounds.
He obliged to a rematch with Warrington seven months later and, in my opinion, was on his way to registering another knockout defeat before an accidental head butt from Josh Warrington forced the fight to be waved off.
I have a lot of reservations about that head butt be Lara moved on and has registered to low key knockout wins before heading into this fight with Wood.
I will go into more detail later in the week on why I think this is a tough night for Wood but I look forward to digesting all of the fight week antics first.
I actually chatted about this fight with Jazza Dickens, who has beat Wood, just a few weeks ago.
I will leave the link here for anyone interested - My interview with Jazza Dickens
The undercard features Dalton Smith and late addition Sam Maxwell which is really interesting. They have been rumoured to be discussing a fight for later this year and I am told should they both come through, they will fight for the Dalton’s British title in April.
UFC
A quieter week in the UFC but still some fights for me to get excited about, there always is!
Erin Blanchfield returns since beating Molly McCann inside a round in November and her original fight with Taila Santos would have been a brilliant matchup.
Santos fell out this weekend and the UFC moved swiftly to replace her with Jessica Andrade, who is fresh off dismantling Lauren Murphy a matter of weeks ago.
I am HIGH on Erin Blanchfield but she is still improving in the stand up game and I think Andrade could definitely ask some questions in that department.
How fresh Andrade is remains to be seen but it’s a good fight over five rounds.
I like some fighters on the prelims too, more on that in Friday’s newsletter!
Looking forward
On Wednesday, I will be introducing the first feature of “Ten Questions with” as well as offering my opinion on some of the recent talking points.
If there is anything you would like me to cover, please leave a comment below.
The subscriber numbers have been unbelievable, I can’t thank you all enough but if you are enjoying these, please share on social media.
Thank you - see you on Wednesday!!