Happy Friday Maniacs. I hope you’ve had a good week and I want to send you onto the weekend with our latest mailbag post. As always, you all delivered with interesting questions for us to ponder.
We touched on Noche UFC 4, UFC 331 and the big news around Tom Aspinall. Check it out!
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Question: On a scale from 1 to 10, how f—ked up is that Tom Aspinall vacated his title, and the guy who caused the initial injury is rewarded by being promoted to “undisputed champion”? (Igl00Man)
Andrew Richardson: It’s at least an eight? Gane deserves props for beating up Poatan, but he’s still 0-2 (1) in actual title shots — to be champion with that record is lame.
Jesse Holland: This is a 10 in my book. It’s embarrassing for UFC and a really bad look for Gane. The UFC heavyweight division never really recovered from Francis Ngannou’s departure when you think about all the delays from Jon Jones, first from his injury then from his refusal to fight Aspinall. Now the Aspinall eyeball drama and all those delays – it’s just a mess.
Thomas Myers: Not sure whose fault it is – Dana White, Eddie Hearn, MMA referees, doctors, Aspinall, Aspinall’s father, Gane (Jon Jones even played a part) – but the once-promising career of Tom Aspinall has been completely derailed. His fighting prime totally wasted, in a division that needs it more than most. While Andrew wants to play Chris Lee or Adalaide Byrd here, I’m going to agree with Jesse and give this a full 10 on the “f—ked” scale.
Tim Edwards: I think this is a big indictment on the rule enforcement in MMA and the responsibility of that sits squarely on the shoulders of the referees. I’ve heard them say that the first warning they give, over fouls, happens in the fighter meeting/dressing rooms. If that’s the case, then the first foul should generate a point deduction. If that were the norm, I think we’d see far less fouls. We might end up with janky scores, but I can put up for that if we have less fights affected by groin shots, eye pokes and fence grabs (and there’s been quite a few of those over the past two years). If this measure also makes the possibility of athletes getting their careers sidelined, or even ended, then I think it’s an easy pill to swallow. So I’m not that mad at Gane and him being the champ. I’m just mad that refereeing has created a situation that means this is not at all shocking to any of us.
Jeff Bottari/ZUFFA Inc
Q: With Tom Aspinall vacating, simply who has the best case to now fight Ciryl Gane for the championship? (Neiljohnson37)
Andrew Richardson: It oughta be Hokit for the least likable (but still fun) championship fight in recent memory.
Jesse Holland: Gane should be fighting Alexander Volkov, who is ranked above everyone else at heavyweight (including Hokit), because the judges robbed “Drago” when he fought Gane at UFC 310. But can you sell Gane vs. Volkov 2? Probably not, so expect to see Pereira rematch Gane with UFC using the ILLEGAL BLOWS selling point.
Thomas Myers: Volkov deserves it, but with Alex Pereira raising such a stink after that “controversial” loss, I think that juicy angle – along with him chasing “Triple Champion” history – is ultimately where UFC matchmakers land. This is entertainment, after all. Give Hokit a shot against Volkov and let’s see if he really has the chops for Heavyweight or is better suited at 205 pounds long-term.
Tim Edwards: The Hokit certainly seems like the man of the moment. Though, I’d love to see Volkov get his rematch — since that decision loss to Gane is one of the worst, and most high profile, robberies we’ve seen over the past few years.
Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Q: Van or Pantoja? (LoneCowboy)
Andrew Richardson: It’s impossible to pick an older fighter coming off major injury over a young star with any level of confidence.
Jesse Holland: I think Pantoja’s injury was overstated and the promotion didn’t want to give him a rematch for whatever reason, but “The Cannibal” is only 36 and has wins over Manel Kape, Kai Asakura, and both of the Brandons. I’m not ready to jump ship just yet. Pantoja wins in a “Fight of the Year” candidate!
Thomas Myers: Pantoja is made of black box material and, along with Islam Makhachev, has the best back control in UFC. If and when he wraps his limbs around Van, who I don’t think can finish him on the feet, I think it will become pretty clear the first fight was a fluke.
Tim Edwards: Van showed me a lot in that Taira fight. I think his takedown and submission defense is cut out for what Pantoja will be throwing at him. For me, that means this fight will be spend mainly on the feet. And I think Van is just going to rack up crazy striking numbers and that will win him the rounds he needs.
Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Q: Did you find jean silvas win impressive? I think it just proves that he won’t be able to hang with anyone that has a killer instinct or good game plan if delgado was able to hurt him like that. I don’t see him have any answer for volk (DanASS)
Andrew Richardson: I favor Silva over Volk at this stage of their careers. Silva is a confirmed lunatic, which is always a liability. At the same time, he is a genius at the art of fighting, and he hits absurdly hard. He’s melting young guys with durable chins — it wouldn’t take many connections to sleep Volk.
Jesse Holland: A cerebral fighter with a good gameplan will make Jean Silva look like an amateur, that I agree with. Is Alex Volkanovski that guy? I know all the smart kids are already shoveling dirt on the Aussie’s coffin, but I’m not writing him off based on knockout losses to Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev – two of the best fighters in the world.
Thomas Myers: I found nothing about his recent “performance” impressive. He did what he was supposed to do, but nearly got finished in the opening frame against an unranked gamer. Definitely do not think he has earned a title shot … yet. I really, really want to see that rematch with Vallejos. I wish Volkanovski retired after defeating Lopes and rode off into the sunset and I hope he does the same after UFC 333, regardless of what happens with Movsar.
Tim Edwards: The finish was cool. But I’m a little sick of Silva’s act. I think he’s too committed to the bit and that almost cost him. I can see him ended up getting KO’d like Anderson Silva did against Chris Weidman in the first fight. I know his silliness is what makes him so interesting, but too often that crosses over into cringe territory for me. I agree that more polished or dangerous fighters are going to take advantage of his act, so long as he keeps playing it.
Jeff Bottari/ZUFFA LLC
Q: Am I alone in thinking that Tommy Gun with a very entertaining fight where he left a piece of himself in the octagon, has actually gone down from a legit prospect perspective? Sure he won, it was exciting and he’s got some goods things going for him but skills wise he’s really not that good. (Chucs)
Andrew Richardson: I always go back to the Jay Z quote: would you rather be overpaid or underrated? Tommy is making BANK and becoming a huge star. I never saw anything in him that looked like future champion material anyway, so why not entertain the people (while still being pretty good and winning fights)? This is prize fighting, and in that regard, he’s doing exceedingly well for a young pro with 12 fights.
Jesse Holland: Being a star is more important than being a winner and in some respects, better than being elite. The window for making money in this sport closes so quickly that you gotta chase that paper while it’s still in front of you. I hope he rides this hype train right off the side of a mountain.
Thomas Myers: He gives me Josh Hokit vibes. I keep waiting for him / them to lose and they don’t. I think I need to see Tommy fight someone with a strong ground game and/or an established veteran – like when Hokit beat Blaydes – to really form an opinion. He’s tough, he’s fun and I keep losing money betting against him so I guess time will tell.
Tim Edwards: I definitely don’t buy McMillen as a prospect, as in, someone who is going to fight for a title someday. He’s a very entertaining action fighter, repellent personality aside. I think he’s going to make a good living out of this game for the next ten years with wild fights and bonuses (and some TKO losses). I shudder to think about what he’s going to be like once the sport is done with him, though.
Jeff Bottari/ZUFFA LLC
What’s Next For Dan Ige?
Q: Time for Ige to hang em up or can he get a few more fights in from an earnings perspective? (Chucs)
Andrew Richardson: It’s time for Ige to stop fighting Top 10 guys. He’s gotten enough opportunities, but it wasn’t all that long ago that he beat Sean Woodson. I’d be interesting to see how he performs at Bantamweight against a good, unranked opponent.
Jesse Holland: Dan Ige is a valuable addition to any undercard. He fights hard and never pulls out – in fact, just the opposite. He answers the call on any notice. Guys like that you wanna keep on your roster.
Thomas Myers: I think Ige will hang around as long as he wants after his epic, unprecedented short-notice fill in to fight Diego Lopes. He’s 35 and just 1-5 since then, so he’s clearly in the twilight of his career here, but he’s not getting knocked out often. The move down to Bantamweight was a bit weird, but give the man credit for trying. At the very least, you know he’s going to come in and not roll over.
Tim Edwards: I don’t think Ige needs to hang them up right now. He’s not cut out for the top ranks of either Bantamweight or Featherweight, but few are. He’s not getting seriously hurt from fight to fight. He got caught by Melquizael Costa, but it’s only when finishes like that become the norm that I really want to see someone step away.
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Q: Does Paulo costa get extended? Or does he become the star acquisition for MVP that they need? (cavemanoncomputer)
Andrew Richardson: Costa is 35 now. I could see UFC willingly letting him go, because that physicality isn’t going to last forever. Although Costa in a promotion without any real drug testing could be very interesting …
Jesse Holland: Paulo Costa is not a star. A funny follow on social media? Sure. But stars headline cards and Costa has not seen a main event in over six years. The Brazilian also brings a lot of baggage wherever he goes in terms of reliability. That said, UFC will probably hang on to him just to limit the options for MVP and Ki MMA.
Tim Edwards: This isn’t the first time we’ve heard Costa saying he wants out of UFC. I think he might be playing ‘the squeaky wheel gets the oil’ game, though. He’s definitely a guy the UFC wants to keep away from their rivals, though. With his personality, look and ability to probably win fights against a row of cans, he could be turned into a big draw at MVP or whatever Coker is cooking up.
GLENDALE, CA – October 17: UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey works on the speed bag as coach Edmond Tarverdyan watches at the Glendale Fighting Club in Glendale,CA, Friday, October 17, 2015. Rousey will face Holly Holm during UFC 193, November 15, 2015 at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images) MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Q: Do you guys think ufc 332 is a good card and why they didn’t put paulo vs jiri in it (Icedrocket)
Andrew Richardson: No. And because Costa recognizes his leverage and has the audacity to take advantage.
Jesse Holland: UFC 332 is a good card. It’s on CBS and it’s free. What more could an MMA fan ask for? If this was a pay-per-view (PPV) event I would grab my pitchfork and light my torch, but it’s not. If you don’t like free cards with high production values then maybe you just like the drama more than the sport.
Q: Is Jesse a human or a T-800 masquerading as an “MMA writer?” (TommyMyers)
Jesse Holland: I’m not a T-800. I just have a dead cat in here.
Q: Best, not most popular, possible title fight for Justin Gaethje next and why? (Chucs)
Alex Behunin: Rematch with Charles Oliveira – it gives him a chance to get the win back and would be a crazy fight like the first one.
Jesse Holland: Charles Oliveira would have a better claim, based on his previous win over Gaethje, if he didn’t have that prior loss to Arman. I think Tsarukyan is currently the best fight – assuming Arman beats Ruffy at UFC 331.