Ufc 310 Pantoja vs Asakura

[CDJ]

I’m going to take whoever the dog is in Belal-Shavkat

Pantoja is a motherf***er

Get ready to learn Chinese, Kron

Gane sucks and has regressed as a fighter, Volkov clearly won

Doo-Ho Choi looked great

Aljo-Movsar on prelims for a guard puller on the main card is sickening

Cleaned up tonight, even placed a live bet on main event ending by sub @ +200. Best card for me in like 6 months, desperately needed. It’s been a f***ing bloodbath for me since DWCS ended

 

[Taytro]

As for silly comments, your commentary above on Usman’s tenure as champion was the silly post in this thread. He was a dominant champion until Edward’s kicked him in the head. Yeah, I’m not sure why you’re so invested in this. Others have stated they didn’t like the fight in this very thread, others did. If you liked it, cool. I personally didn’t think the fight was great. We can move on dude lol..

I had no commentary on the fight, just that your comment was silly. Personally I think the fight was fine, nothing special. But clearly you're unable to move past a slight bit of criticism so it's funny for you to call others to do what you can't.

 

[h2]

I had no commentary on the fight, just that your comment was silly. Personally I think the fight was fine, nothing special. But clearly you're unable to move past a slight bit of criticism so it's funny for you to call others to do what you can't.

Have a good night.

 

[MMC]

 

[I am not exposed]

Predictions for a few of the fights:

Flyweight Championship bout: Alexandre Pantoja (c) vs. Kai Asakura (Pantoja should be too good in an entertaining fight).
Welterweight bout: bout: Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Garry (I think Shavkat is just better)
Heavyweight bout: Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov (This is a good match up for Gane. I recall Volkov getting really frustrated the last time they fought. Volkov doesn't have the wrestling/takedown experience that really exposes Gane)
Featherweight bout: Bryce Mitchell vs. Kron Gracie (I like Bryce to get back to winning ways here)


PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2, Sportsnet)

Light Heavyweight bout: Dominick Reyes vs. Anthony Smith (I think that last fight will give Reyes some confidence and he will get the win here)
Featherweight bout: Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling (Toughest fight to call for me. I'm leaning towards Evloev but it's a coinflip).

EARLY PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass)

Catchweight (195 lb) bout: Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders (Anders beats that meathead Weidman)
Welterweight bout: Michael Chiesa vs. Max Griffin (Griffin wins. Chiesa hasn't looked that good recently. I mean he beat Tony, but who doesn't beat Tony these days. Plus Tony is a lightweight)
Lightweight bout: Clay Guida vs. Chase Hooper (It's crazy that Guida is still fighting. I'm going for Hooper here in a close fight that goes the distance)



Yeah this is a really good card on paper. Shame it won't really sell.

Missed the main card due to an event I went to (no TV at the event). Out of my predictions, I only got one wrong. Although it sounds like Volkov was robbed.

 

[CDJ]

Hooper has now hit a RNC, heel hook, arm bar, and a D’Arce in the UFC. He’s getting better every time out, striking is good enough to compete at this level now. He's still so young but im starting to believe he has real upside and he’s more than just a BJJ guy

 

[Epictetus]

"I was the one beating the drum about Demetrios Johnson a long time ago" -Dana White

 

[16Skippy]

It's crazy how thoroughly Pantoja cleaned out his decision. I have no idea who is a good next up without him taking a fight a BW. He already has 2 wins over Royval and Moreno. Albazi is coming of a loss. Finished Kara-France who is only 1-2 since. Tara just lost.

The Shavkat-Gary was kind of boring but the positives are that Gary is better than most people thought, and that we have proof Shavkat has a gas tank.

 

[pistolpete11]

FLW is starting to feel like it did under DJ. Long reigning champ and the best of the rest just keep beating each other so there's no clear cut #1 contender and random guys get a shot because it's a fresh matchup.

Only got to see the final 2 rounds of Shavkat-Garry. I think Garry should have probably shut up a lot of people. I still don't like him either, but there's nothing you can say. Not only is he the first person to not get finished by Shavkat, he did it over 5 rounds and even had Shavkat in some trouble in a close fight. Props where props are due.

I'll get around to watching some of the rest when it's on ESPN+.

 

[Taytro]

FLW is starting to feel like it did under DJ. Long reigning champ and the best of the rest just keep beating each other so there's no clear cut #1 contender and random guys get a shot because it's a fresh matchup.

I understand you're comparing the divisions, not comparing Pantoja to DJ but I'm gonna use your comment to spread my own opinion.

I think it's important to be realistic about Pantoja. He's looked great but he has only had the belt for a year and half. He won it in a split decision and then has only defended it against an unranked guy from a different organization, the #10 ranked guy, and a top contender that he had already finished. Hard to build hype around his title defenses when those are the opponents.

The division has been weekend by Mokaev and Askarov leaving. And the UFC seems allergic to building any of these lighter weight guys. They need to stop using their top guys as gatekeepers because Moreno looks like he's back in line for the next title shot, and if Royval or Kara-France win their next fight then they're also right there. Lots of new talent in that division, they need to find a way to build it before selling it. I love watching the little guys and want there to be better/bigger fights.

 

[pistolpete11]

I understand you're comparing the divisions, not comparing Pantoja to DJ but I'm gonna use your comment to spread my own opinion.

I think it's important to be realistic about Pantoja. He's looked great but he has only had the belt for a year and half. He won it in a split decision and then has only defended it against an unranked guy from a different organization, the #10 ranked guy, and a top contender that he had already finished. Hard to build hype around his title defenses when those are the opponents.

The division has been weekend by Mokaev and Askarov leaving. And the UFC seems allergic to building any of these lighter weight guys. They need to stop using their top guys as gatekeepers because Moreno looks like he's back in line for the next title shot, and if Royval or Kara-France win their next fight then they're also right there. Lots of new talent in that division, they need to find a way to build it before selling it. I love watching the little guys and want there to be better/bigger fights.

I hear you, but he's beat #1 twice, #2 twice, #6, #8, #9, #15, and wherever they end up ranking Asakura. He's certainly not DJ, but that's pretty damn good and the only losses he has are to guys no longer in the division or the UFC.

I also don't know what you do about the gatekeeper part of it. If they don't let the new guys fight the gatekeepers, then it feels like they are throwing random dudes in there like Asakura or Erceg. If they do, then Royval and Moreno are beating them like Taira, Nicolau, and Albazi. That's what I mean by it feeling like DJ's reign again. It's a shallow division. It's hard to build a resume as the #1 contender without beating the top 2 or 3 guys, but nobody can beat them except for each other and they can't beat the champ

 

[Taytro]

I hear you, but he's beat #1 twice, #2 twice, #6, #8, #9, #15, and wherever they end up ranking Asakura. He's certainly not DJ, but that's pretty damn good and the only losses he has are to guys no longer in the division or the UFC.

I also don't know what you do about the gatekeeper part of it. If they don't let the new guys fight the gatekeepers, then it feels like they are throwing random dudes in there like Asakura or Erceg. If they do, then Royval and Moreno are beating them like Taira, Nicolau, and Albazi. That's what I mean by it feeling like DJ's reign again. It's a shallow division. It's hard to build a resume as the #1 contender without beating the top 2 or 3 guys, but nobody can beat them except for each other and they can't beat the champ

For sure, but he didn't beat them while he was champion. His record as a champion is good, but not spectacular.

I agree, I also don't know what you do, maybe something like how they got Topuria up there? Let him avoid Max until after he got the belt and the experience, then he was in better situation to beat that gatekeeper. If you have all them fight Moreno or Royval, you're never going to have fresh challengers that are worth anything. But if they avoid those guys, it's hard to build them up and you'll have the people saying they didn't deserve it. Weird spot to be in.

 

[pistolpete11]

For sure, but he didn't beat them while he was champion. His record as a champion is good, but not spectacular.

I agree, I also don't know what you do, maybe something like how they got Topuria up there? Let him avoid Max until after he got the belt and the experience, then he was in better situation to beat that gatekeeper. If you have all them fight Moreno or Royval, you're never going to have fresh challengers that are worth anything. But if they avoid those guys, it's hard to build them up and you'll have the people saying they didn't deserve it. Weird spot to be in.

Yeah, but all have been on the current win streak except the first Morneo fight and Schnell. Does anybody else in the division have more than 1 or 2 wins in a row?

I don't think they can do anything different was kinda my point. If the UFC is at fault, it's for not keeping guys like Askarov, but the matchingmaking is what it is. You keep throwing some of the guys that don't really deserve it but are fresh matchups in there until somebody beats Pantoja like Strickland beat Izzy. And the other guys you keep throwing into Moreno/Royval/KKF until somebody beats one of them like DDP beat Whittaker. If Moreno/Royval/KKF string a few wins together, give them another crack, particularly KKF since he hasn't fought him yet and Moreno because their second fight was great and really close. Not a whole lot else you can do.