2025 MMA General Discussion and Fight Announcements

[MMC]

Moreno vs Erceg March 29 main event confirmed

 

[pistolpete11]

I'm not as tuned in as I used to be, but this next stretch of cards is pretty brutal if you ask me. Gaethje-Hooker, Pereira-Ankalaev, and Edwards-JDM are about the only fights I'd be interested in and 2 of those have a high probability of sucking.

Maybe Cejudo-Song, too.

 

[I Hart Conor Garland]

I just watched Jones-Gustafsson(1). That fight could not possibly have been more of a draw. What a joke anyone scoring that 49 for Jones.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I'm not as tuned in as I used to be, but this next stretch of cards is pretty brutal if you ask me. Gaethje-Hooker, Pereira-Ankalaev, and Edwards-JDM are about the only fights I'd be interested in and 2 of those have a high probability of sucking.

Maybe Cejudo-Song, too.

I think the Seattle card is decent with some fun fights on there and the main card for 313 is good... not going to argue with you about the Kape card that thing sucks.

 

[pistolpete11]

I think the Seattle card is decent with some fun fights on there and the main card for 313 is good... not going to argue with you about the Kape card that thing sucks.

Disagree about the 313 being a good card overall. Main and co-main are good. I like Bobby Green, but he's a 38 year old, unranked, journeyman fighting a guy without a Wikipedia page, a low ranked flyweight fight, and a WMMA fight.

That's the type of undercard you can get away with if you have Conor fighting or Jones returning or something else like that. Pereira-Ankalaev is an important fight and the right fight to make, but it's not a a particularly exciting fight. They needed to make this a fight fan's type of card, but it's pretty bad besides Gaethje-Hooker.

 

[CDJ]

Disagree about the 313 being a good card overall. Main and co-main are good. I like Bobby Green, but he's a 38 year old, unranked, journeyman fighting a guy without a Wikipedia page, a low ranked flyweight fight, and a WMMA fight.

That's the type of undercard you can get away with if you have Conor fighting or Jones returning or something else like that. Pereira-Ankalaev is an important fight and the right fight to make, but it's not a a particularly exciting fight. They needed to make this a fight fan's type of card, but it's pretty bad besides Gaethje-Hooker.

Women’s fight does absolutely nothing for me

That Green fight is meant to be a showcase for Ruffy, he can do some flashy shit so hopefully he gets a KO

Bahamondes-Turner is guaranteed violence

In terms of stakes and name power it’s a very meh card, but I think it will overperform in terms of watchability

 

[MMC]

 

[bov]

Edit-^

Also saw Belal vs JDM , Shevchenko vs Fiorot, and apparently Brady steps in to fight Edwards. I didn't see the live announcement so maybe some aren't official but wow.

 

[MMC]

 

[CDJ]

very interesting card

Prime Chandler kills Paddy, idk about old Chandler tho

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Fell asleep putting the kids to bed and woke up to chaos what the hell?!?!

 

[MMC]

 

[bov]

Wonder if this affects Holloway's decision to commit to 155. Have to think Topuria gets an immediate title shot if he's vacating.

 

[Taytro]

Topuria vacating is absolute trash, 1 title defense and he moves up a weight class? Guys like Lopes and Evloev are just breaking into the top 5 would have set up at least 2 new/exciting matchups for him.

I want to see the best vs the best. I love Volk but he's 1-3 in the last 3 years, getting KOd twice. If he wins the title it would just reset the division to where it was a few years ago.

All that said, 155 is cloudy right now with Tsarukyan not being in Dana's good graces, and everyone else having already lost to Islam or coming off a recent loss. Have to think Topuria could be the next man up if not the winner of Gaethje vs Hooker.

 

[Tobias Kahun]

Topuria vacating is absolute trash, 1 title defense and he moves up a weight class? Guys like Lopes and Evloev are just breaking into the top 5 would have set up at least 2 new/exciting matchups for him.

I want to see the best vs the best. I love Volk but he's 1-3 in the last 3 years, getting KOd twice. If he wins the title it would just reset the division to where it was a few years ago.

All that said, 155 is cloudy right now with Tsarukyan not being in Dana's good graces, and everyone else having already lost to Islam or coming off a recent loss. Have to think Topuria could be the next man up if not the winner of Gaethje vs Hooker.

Him vacating is better than him holding up a division to challenge a second division title.

 

[Taytro]

Him vacating is better than him holding up a division to challenge a second division title.

I don't think it is when that division is kind of at a stalemate. If Lopes wins and has a bunch of new challengers he hasn't faced, then great. If Volk wins then there's literally 1 guy he can face in Evloev, other than that the division is dead.

He'll have beaten Max, Lopes, Yair, and Ortega. Other than Evloev were looking at a rematch or matching him with the 7/8/9th ranked guys, and those guys are all 1-2 in their last 3.

I'd rather wait the 5/6 months for Topuria to move up, challenge, then come back down and have fun matchups. Just like Volk did.... Twice...

 

[bov]

Topuria doesn't owe anything to the 145 division, he just destroyed the two best FWs of all time and should do whatever the hell he wants. His biggest challenges lie ahead at 155.

 

[I am not exposed]

I would like to see Topuria vs. Charles at 155.

 

[bov]

It's interesting that Dana didn't hint at an immediate title shot for Topuria, but at the same time it seems a bit ridiculous that he'd fight anyone other than Islam after what he accomplished at FW. I find it hard to believe he would vacate just to risk it all in a non-title bout. I've seen Oliveira and Poirier suggested, but that would shock me. I favor Ilia in both but would actually give Poirier a better chance. For me, it's gotta be Islam in the summer.

 

[Taytro]

It's interesting that Dana didn't hint at an immediate title shot for Topuria, but at the same time it seems a bit ridiculous that he'd fight anyone other than Islam after what he accomplished at FW. I find it hard to believe he would vacate just to risk it all in a non-title bout. I've seen Oliveira and Poirier suggested, but that would shock me. I favor Ilia in both but would actually give Poirier a better chance. For me, it's gotta be Islam in the summer.

Not being sarcastic but really what has he accomplished at FW that other champions in other divisions haven't? It's not like he's run through the whole division or anything. He had two wins over long time top FWs but other than that he's a relitively fresh face, he's only faced ranked competition for the last 2 years, and he's only been in the UFC for 4 years. He hasn't been one of these long reigning, division clearing guys. He has a lot more to accomplish.

That said, I do think he will fight for the LW belt in 2025 and I'm also suspicious if Islam will move up to 170 if JDM or Shavkat wins the belt sometime this year.

 

[bov]

Not being sarcastic but really what has he accomplished at FW that other champions in other divisions haven't? It's not like he's run through the whole division or anything. He had two wins over long time top FWs but other than that he's a relitively fresh face, he's only faced ranked competition for the last 2 years, and he's only been in the UFC for 4 years. He hasn't been one of these long reigning, division clearing guys. He has a lot more to accomplish.

That said, I do think he will fight for the LW belt in 2025 and I'm also suspicious if Islam will move up to 170 if JDM or Shavkat wins the belt sometime this year.

Point taken but personally I never cared for the idea that someone has to stay around in a division to "clear it out". Like, who is anyone to tell Ilia Topuria he should stay at 145, especially with the weight cut taking its toll. His ascent has been truly exceptional, albeit fairly rapid. He beat two of the all time greats in the sport in vicious fashion. Aside from maybe Lopes, there are no fresh faces in the division that seem like a threat. Beating Emmett like a rented mule and destroying Mitchell on the way up is nothing to sneeze at.

Evloev was losing to Sterling in the 3rd round imo until Aljo f'd up and lost position, thus edging out the round. I don't see him being a dangerous contender for Ilia at all. 145 just doesn't have a ton to offer besides Lopes and the usual suspects. I'd put Evloev in there, but Ilia is a horrible matchup for him style wise.

 

[pistolpete11]

I'm kinda indifferent. I'd rather Topuria stay at FW a little longer probably, but LW is full of bigger names and more fun fights. Not a bad fight to make with him up there, but gotta imagine he's getting the title shot to vacate the FW belt.

That UFC 314 card is kind of silly, but should be fun.