Hi all, welcome to this week’s Mania Mailbag where we, the writers at MMA Mania, answer your questions. The mailbag was a little light this week. That’s not a criticism, I get it. It’s been a slow news week coming off an APEX card and into a Canada card. Not much from either of those really caught your attention, as far as asking questions goes.
The questions we did get were great, though (they always are).
See below for our takes on elbows, Malcolm Wellmaker and how some of us are falling out of love with MMA.
Bonus points today if you can tell me the two fighters, and the event, featured in the picture up top.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 10: Alice Pereira of Brazil elbows Daria Zhelezniakova of Russia in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Meta APEX on October 10, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Mike Kirschbaum/Zuffa LLC)
Q: Why does it seem like so few do the big elbows esp in GnP? But even in close in the clinch, we see them on breaks a lot but not like Muay Thai where they will go nuts with them in close/in the clinch. We see it all on their promos on the dummy bag, but then we get into a fight and so few elbows get thrown. (Alice is a total exception). Seems like a game ender when they land. (LoneCowboy)
Andrew Richardson: There’s a general decline in ground and pound because athletes are generally so much better at scrambling back to their feet. Few are willing to posture and land one good elbow if it means the bottom guy escapes, because it takes so much energy to drag somebody down in the first place. If you don’t get to rest in top position afterward, most wrestlers will gas out.
Anton Tabuena: Yeah, it’s more on the meta game, since most fighters are really good at immediately trying to stand up when given space – and less people inherently focus on learning pinning (like Khabib) too these days. I do agree that elbows standing are under utilized though, but it’s common to just switch from striking in distance to wrestling from clinch instead of flowing better through them. I do wish we’d see more high level athletes that flow better at those in-betweens, like a modern version of Demetrious Johnson than can mix the martial arts better in this current era.
Tim Edwards: Andrew and Anton are the best here for technique talk. They both train and have fights under their belts. I’m tooting their horns here, since they were too humble to do that themselves.
LAS VEGAS – NOVEMBER 11: (R-L) Rich Clementi punches Din Thomas at The Ultimate Fighter 4 Finale at the Joint at the Hard Rock on November 11, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Question: Will my love for the ufc ever come back? I just don’t get excited for the events like I used to. I used to be a fan of so many fighters and now days it seems like I’m not a fan of hardly anyone. Am I just gettin old? (SRShelton)
Alex Behunin: I’ve heard this explanation before, so I’m not taking credit but essentially, MMA fandom comes in waves – You are a hardcore fan, then life happens, the product sucks, and then you just move along to something else.
I’m not sure MMA will ever get any better, especially if the sport continues to go down the path it is going. UFC’s roster is overbloated with shit, it’s on every weekend and there is no competition.
Ryan Harkness: No one can keep the raging fire alive that they had for MMA when they first started watching it. Just like any drug, there’s the honeymoon phase and then you’re just chasing the dragon, hoping the next ‘Holy s–t’ moment will trigger that dopamine response like it used to. The big fights? They can still hit, and hit good. They happen less often now in today’s corporatized MMA landscape. And once you realize your supply is getting stepped on for the sake of TKO shareholder value, it’s hard not to become bitter.
That being said, it is possible to keep the love. Don’t just consume whatever slop is coming from the UFC conveyor belt. Don’t just jones for super fights. Dig a little deeper. Keep track of the fighters you like and really back them. Engage in martial arts for better understanding of the sport and to improve your mental health. Shun the gross stuff like gambling, OnlyFans, and Influencer fighting. Don’t expect the algorithm to nourish your love of MMA. You’ll have to do that yourself.
Anton Tabuena: Like others said, fandom naturally fluctuates, but UFC execs really aren’t doing themselves any favors by being lazy. This era has been more about filling content obligations than putting up the best possible events. I feel bad for newer fans, as they have it rough and don’t even know it, because they’re already conditioned to tolerate slop.
Tim Edwards: I think it’s become a case of “he’s just not into you.” and the ‘he’ is TKO’s approach to MMA. They really aren’t interested in fans who liked this stuff before it became a billion dollar money maker. We’re seeing the same thing with WWE. The sport is currently designed for making highlights that go viral and fights which end quickly so we can loves lots of ads in-between. We’re long past the point where the UFC had to work hard to draw our attention, which great events and storytelling (done through showing us who these characters actually are and letting them display their personalities). I don’t think what we have right now will change anytime soon, if ever, sadly.
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – OCTOBER 25: Referee Marc Goddard takes a point from Hamdy Abdelwahab of Egypt for an illegal strike against Chris Barnett in a heavyweight fight during the UFC 321 event at Etihad Arena on October 25, 2025 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Q: Do you believe more refs are going to follow Goddard’s lead and start taking points for egregious fouls? (AllDayJ)
Andrew Richardson: Two for two on point deductions at UFC Vegas 122 was a great sign, but there are too many commissions to trust in consistent change. It’s a positive step!
Anton Tabuena: Hard to get our hopes up, but this should really happen more.
Tim Edwards: I’m going to keep banging this drum. The first warning should be in the locker room, everything from that point on is a point deduction. Give me those draws and funky scores, I don’t care. Fighters will adjust and we’ll get better fights.
EDMONTON, CANADA – OCTOBER 14: Joaquin Buckley and Mike Malott face-off outside Rogers Place on October 14, 2026 in Edmonton, Canada. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
Q: Was gonna put a couple bucks down on Malott. Reckon he’s gonna outwork Buckley and probably handle him on the ground. What do you reckon, has Buckley lost his shine or is it too early to write him off? (Saku’sMissingEar)
Andrew Richardson: Both. Buckley is too flawed to become champion, but he’s still an absolute beast of an athlete with real power in his hands. Malott is technically better everywhere but could still get cracked …
Tim Edwards: Buckley can’t stop takedowns. I think Malott is going to put him on his back and hold him there, just like Sean Brady and Kamaru Usman did before him.
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 23, 2017: Decorative stonework on the facade of Carnegie Hall in New York, New York. (Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty Images) Getty Images
The MMA Mania Light Orchestra proudly presents…
Q: You’ve been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall. Choose your instrument. Tuba, recorder or didgeridoo (gadgetsCA)
Jesse Holland: I’ve always wanted to learn how to play the piano.
Alex Behunin: I’m down to run the Tuba (gotta learn how to play first though)
Andrew Richardson: I’m straight ripping didge baby.
Tim: My dad is a professional french horn player, he could probably teach me enough to get by on a tuba.
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: Is that it for Malcolm Wellmaker? 3 losses in a row, appears to have lost his mojo, even with the camp change. (LoneCowboy)
Andrew Richardson: I thought Wellmaker looked a bit better with the new camp and lost to a good opponent. It’s over in terms of being a blue chip prospect/potential contender, but maybe not over in becoming a fan-friendly action fighter.
Tim Edwards: I think he’s got skills and I like his switch to ATT. I think we’re seen a confidence crisis at the moment. And this is the worst possible sport to have one of those.
Q: In light of Dana’s comment on Sean wanting to box, they’re probably never letting that happen again, right? Conor was the only guy with enough pull imo (cavemanoncomputer)
Andrew Richardson: Not unless Strickland somehow creates a matchup that also makes the UFC $100 million.
Tim Edwards: If Turki wants to do it, they’ll find a way.
It is April 17, 2013. How different would the UFC be if the fight made it to the end of round 1 and the ref/doctor noticed the toe? (gadgetsCA)
Andrew Richardson: Not that different? Jones would be even more angry about not technically being undefeated, and Chael would be even more over-the-top with his schtick.
Does Liz get a shot at Dakota with a win? (SRShelton)
Andrew Richardson: It’s overdue!
Tim Edwards: We really need to free Dakota.