🥊 The UFC Info and Prediction Thread

[bbc.reporter]

https://x.com/HappyPunch/status/2087319164859891715

Islam Makhachev and Ian Garry had their first face-off. People had been talking about the height difference between the two fighters for days, but it didn’t seem as significant as mentioned in this video. Could Islam have been wearing high-soled shoes to avoid looking bad? In my opinion, that would be a good strategy to avoid looking bad in front of the press, but it would be impossible to do something like that inside the octagon...

Meanwhile, Ian’s son cried because he couldn’t meet Islam. Islam said he hadn’t saw him, but that he would make time for him after the fight... Ian’s son was very sympathetic. May God protect him from all evil...

Did you know that short actors like Tom Cruise and Al Pacino wore higher heels men's shoes and also placed lifting foam in these shoes when they had pictorials to make them appear more taller? They do this especially if they are beside their female costars in their movies.

It would not be very much shocking if Islam was wearing higher heels shoes or these thick clogs shoes for this pictorial heheheh.

[tokeweed]

Did you guys watch Dana White's Contender Series?  You check out this guy...  Bilal Hasan.  He's of Indonesian descent who grew up in the States.  He is pretty good.  Could be one of the UFC's stars in the making...  But we'll see.  Excited to see him in his first fight in the UFC.

https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/326683-bilal-hasan

Here's the degen parlay of the week.

Makhachev
Dern
Ochoa
Abdul-Malik
Ribovics
Njokuani
Turner
Johnson
Luque
Fernando
Brahimaj
Orolbai

10 bucks pays 1404.02 at the time I made the bet.

I was waiting for the list to see what the prediction for the main fight would be. I was expecting Garry, since he's the underdog. But I think Makhachev will break the record for most title defenses as well. He's the most obvious choice to bet on.

I got two underdogs in the parlay...  Njokuani and Luque.  I don't think is smart to fade the champ rn.  But maybe in a couple of years as he gets older and the competition gets better.  If it was Rakhmonov as the underdog, I'd def take him.  Too bad he isn't going back to the UFC anymore due to a bum knee.  

But yeah, anybody else have any thoughts on the parlay?

Anyway, here's media day for 330.

UFC 330:  Media Day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnxU8ddEtdI

[TopTort777]

https://x.com/HappyPunch/status/2087319164859891715

Islam Makhachev and Ian Garry had their first face-off. People had been talking about the height difference between the two fighters for days, but it didn’t seem as significant as mentioned in this video. Could Islam have been wearing high-soled shoes to avoid looking bad? In my opinion, that would be a good strategy to avoid looking bad in front of the press, but it would be impossible to do something like that inside the octagon...

Have a look on this:



Paddy made such stance on purpose. 1) to make fun 2) to try to confuse opponent with height and reach. If Paddy straighten up, Justin might think he is taller, however they are both 178. Why between Islam and Garry height difference wasnt that noticed, because IRL, when we are relaxed (or stressed )  we dont have same height. On the morning we are higher than in the evening btw Camera angle also play huuuge role on how tall people will look.

[Pumared]

https://x.com/HappyPunch/status/2087319164859891715

Islam Makhachev and Ian Garry had their first face-off. People had been talking about the height difference between the two fighters for days, but it didn’t seem as significant as mentioned in this video. Could Islam have been wearing high-soled shoes to avoid looking bad? In my opinion, that would be a good strategy to avoid looking bad in front of the press, but it would be impossible to do something like that inside the octagon...

Have a look on this:

Paddy made such stance on purpose. 1) to make fun 2) to try to confuse opponent with height and reach. If Paddy straighten up, Justin might think he is taller, however they are both 178. Why between Islam and Garry height difference wasnt that noticed, because IRL, when we are relaxed (or stressed )  we dont have same height. On the morning we are higher than in the evening btw Camera angle also play huuuge role on how tall people will look.

I don't doubt that Islam used some kind of shoe accessory as well. I remember months ago he was training on the beach and he looked much bigger than he is now. I don't remember exactly what happened, but these things are normal. If everyone noticed even the slightest difference in height, the bets would change completely. And in the end, this will only matter during the fight, so I'm betting on Garry.

[TopTort777]

That is a risky move that I admire If you bet on Garry, then how do you see this fight to happen in your head? Garry hasnt finished his opponents for a while already. All the fights against more or less good opponents (or former champ) have ended by decision. Garry has nearly lost against Prates, who gave him a good beating by end of 5th round, and if there more time, Prates would have finished him. Anyway, you think Garry would win by decision? That is a double impossible in a title fight, and against such titled opponent as Makhachev

[Pumared]

That is a risky move that I admire If you bet on Garry, then how do you see this fight to happen in your head? Garry hasnt finished his opponents for a while already. All the fights against more or less good opponents (or former champ) have ended by decision. Garry has nearly lost against Prates, who gave him a good beating by end of 5th round, and if there more time, Prates would have finished him. Anyway, you think Garry would win by decision? That is a double impossible in a title fight, and against such titled opponent as Makhachev

The point isn't whether he'll win by decision. He just needs to stifle Islam's game so he can't score points. He doesn't need a knockout, he just needs to know how to escape the clinch against the cage or at least know how to punish him when he does that. It's a risky bet, but as I always say: after a fighter takes a punch to the face, all strategy ceases to exist.

[OgNasty]

I think the UFC has a serious problem in that they don’t have a real big heavyweight superstar right now. Their highest paid fighter is a guy who showed up injured and hasn’t won a fight in over half a decade… They need somebody new to show up out of the woodwork and reinvigorate the sport.

[bbc.reporter]

@OgNasty. I reckon that uncle Dana is presently very busy finding a heavyweight superstar for Zuffa boxing heheheh. It will not be a shock for me if he will leave the UFC in 1 year. Boxing is his original dream, to become a promoter for this. I speculate that on 2027, he will make boxing great again hehehehe. There are already proposals for a unified boxing organization to fix the jumbled disorganization of the sport of boxing.

[TopTort777]

Did you guys watch Dana White's Contender Series? 

I havent watched it lately, but since you are the one who keep an eye on it, I will ask you. There is a new drama in social medias that I follow about Herb Dean another controversial decision in TUF. In short he let losing guy, who was knocked out, win... Because he stepped in, saved guy, then let fight go, it went to scorecards. I cant watch it right now, as youtube is blocked here. Can you spill light on this moment?

[BluebloodCXVI]

I think the UFC has a serious problem in that they don’t have a real big heavyweight superstar right now. Their highest paid fighter is a guy who showed up injured and hasn’t won a fight in over half a decade… They need somebody new to show up out of the woodwork and reinvigorate the sport.

The UFC heavyweight division has always historically had an advantage when it comes to producing crossover stars because of how obvious the physical stakes are, one punch can completely change a fight in an instant.

Yet now it seems to me that the current group of heavyweights no longer generate the same type of excitement or hype that used to be affiliated with the division before.

Aspinall is probably the only closest thing to a breakout in heavyweight right now but he obviously still needs a few more defining wins over recognizable opponents and, most importantly, the UFC needs to build his personality and story outside the cage because i don’t think that being an elite fighter alone is enough to make someone a star.

Right now, heavyweight has plenty of capable fighters, but nearly not enough characters or larger than life personalities to make the division feel very alive. And until someone finds a way to breaks through, it’s gonna be hard for the division to genuinely feel electric again.

[tokeweed]

That is a risky move that I admire If you bet on Garry, then how do you see this fight to happen in your head? Garry hasnt finished his opponents for a while already. All the fights against more or less good opponents (or former champ) have ended by decision. Garry has nearly lost against Prates, who gave him a good beating by end of 5th round, and if there more time, Prates would have finished him. Anyway, you think Garry would win by decision? That is a double impossible in a title fight, and against such titled opponent as Makhachev

If Garry wins high chance it would be via decision imho.  The guy has no powerrr in his hands and he'll never SUB a guy like Makhachev on the mat.  I mean he could but it would be like a fluke.

Did you guys watch Dana White's Contender Series?  

I havent watched it lately, but since you are the one who keep an eye on it, I will ask you. There is a new drama in social medias that I follow about Herb Dean another controversial decision in TUF. In short he let losing guy, who was knocked out, win... Because he stepped in, saved guy, then let fight go, it went to scorecards. I cant watch it right now, as youtube is blocked here. Can you spill light on this moment?

Meh...

Here's the pre fight press conference..  Haven't watched it yet but pretty sure Garry was annoying af again.    They guy just has an awful personality.

UFC 330:  Pre Fight Press Conference
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTkmJnLb7pU

Weigh In Show in 21 minutes or so...

UFC 330:  Morning Weigh In Show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_kKdYaqbyM

[Synchronice]

~
Ian Garry spent a few months in Georgia for improving his wrestling, he trained in a town that gave a birth to many amazing wrestlers from Georgia. Even though few months aren't enough, it will be interesting to see if he improved his wrestling skills.

Even with a Judo black belt, a few months of wrestling in Georgia will not be enough to compete against a lifetime of wrestling. Other than Ian potentially knocking Islam out in the first round, I cannot think of any other way he wins, unless there is an injury.

Judo black belt nowadays means nothing. Alex Pereira has a Judo Black belt too, which is funny. Of course, a few months of wrestling in Georgia won't make Garry professional but I'm simply interested to see if he gained any experience. He was in Gori, which is an interesting town. It gave a birth to legendary wrestlers and produced multiple Olympic and world champions in freestyle wrestling.

I decided to place a $100 bet on Gary. Honestly, I think that Islam Makhachev will beat him but this year is so cursed that I won't be surprised if Islam Makhachev loses and Gary wins.

[eaLiTy]

~
Judo black belt nowadays means nothing. Alex Pereira has a Judo Black belt too, which is funny. Of course, a few months of wrestling in Georgia won't make Garry professional but I'm simply interested to see if he gained any experience. He was in Gori, which is an interesting town. It gave a birth to legendary wrestlers and produced multiple Olympic and world champions in freestyle wrestling.

Alex Pereira was awarded his BJJ black belt by Plinio Cruz and Glover Teixeira after knocking out Jamahal Hill, and not a black belt in Judo. In the words of Islam Makhachev, they have diluted the reputation of awarding black belts in BJJ.

Ian Garry is over in Brazil training at Chute Boxe with Demian Maia as his grappling coach. If you look at the history, that gym is legendary. It produced crazy strikers like Wanderlei Silva and Shogun Rua back in the day, plus Anderson Silva and Charles Oliveira too. Fabricio Werdum is another massive name from there. Basically, the fighters out of that camp have elite submissions but they always prefer a wild stand up war.

Then Ian Garry trained in Georgia for his wrestling camp. They have a folk style that is mostly adapted from Judo, and how much he could learn in such a short period to go against elite, freestyle Dagestani wrestling is a big question.

I decided to place a $100 bet on Gary. Honestly, I think that Islam Makhachev will beat him but this year is so cursed that I won't be surprised if Islam Makhachev loses and Gary wins.

In my opinion, the only way Islam could lose is if he gets knocked out with a high kick to the head when trying to grapple. Other than that, it will go to the judges for a decision or a late-round submission win for Makhachev.

[Pumared]

I think the UFC has a serious problem in that they don’t have a real big heavyweight superstar right now. Their highest paid fighter is a guy who showed up injured and hasn’t won a fight in over half a decade… They need somebody new to show up out of the woodwork and reinvigorate the sport.

I still think they'll keep Poatan in the heavyweight division, justifying it as a rematch against Gane. But this time with a different referee. He's the biggest star in the UFC right now. However, with the few dismissals and the large number of fights in the Contender Series, I think he'll eventually get it right, it's just a matter of time.

[jeremypwr]

The UFC is doing just fine without a superstar heavyweight
The lower weights are the ones people are interested in watching anyway, not the heavyweights as much

[notblox1]

The UFC is doing just fine without a superstar heavyweight
The lower weights are the ones people are interested in watching anyway, not the heavyweights as much

I think they are missing a lot since Jon Jones retired and Ngannou left them.
Heavyweight is my favorite MMA category to watch and I dont think there are top heavyweight superstars currently in UFC.
Tom Aspinal is fine but far from being top class superstar like Jon Jones was.
I see some potential with young fighters, but nothing spectacular.

[tokeweed]

Aaalriiight...  Here are the weigh in results.  Looks like everybody made weight.  One of the fights is actually a 130 catchweight.  So I guess both camps agreed to it.

Islam Makhachev (170) vs. Ian Machado Garry (170) – for welterweight title
Mackenzie Dern (115) vs. Gillian Robertson (115) – for strawweight title
Kaue Fernandes (156) vs. Jalin Turner (156)
Mansur Abdul-Malik (186) vs. Dustin Stoltzfus (185)
Edson Barboza (156) vs. Esteban Ribovics (156)
Joel Alvarez (171) vs. Chidi Njokuani (171)
Charles Johnson (129.5) vs. Eduardo Chapolin (129.5) – 130-pound contract weight
Donte Johnson (184.5) vs. Eric McConico (186)
Tresean Gore (186) vs. Vicente Luque (186)
Lucas Fernando (205) vs. Rafael Tobias (204)
Ramiz Brahimaj (170) vs. Neil Magny (171)
Myktybek Orolbai (170.5) vs. Jeremiah Wells (171)

Here's the ceremonial weigh in vid.

UFC 330:  Ceremonial Weigh In
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIk3TtYBKt4

I'm hearing more and more stuff that the main event will end with an upset.  Lol.

[eaLiTy]

The UFC is doing just fine without a superstar heavyweight
The lower weights are the ones people are interested in watching anyway, not the heavyweights as much

The UFC never had an actual superstar in the Heavyweight division like PRIDE or Strikeforce. The only superstar they had was Brock Lesnar. However, when Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez were facing each other, there was a lot of hype in the heavyweight division. In recent years, Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier created that much interest as well, and again when Jon Jones moved up to the division.

~
I think they are missing a lot since Jon Jones retired and Ngannou left them.
Heavyweight is my favorite MMA category to watch and I dont think there are top heavyweight superstars currently in UFC.
Tom Aspinal is fine but far from being top class superstar like Jon Jones was.
I see some potential with young fighters, but nothing spectacular.

The heavyweight division was really interesting in PRIDE and Strikeforce, but we rarely have interesting fights in the heavyweight division in the UFC.

~
I'm hearing more and more stuff that the main event will end with an upset.  Lol.

Where are you hearing this, mate? All my feed is about Islam Makhachev.

[trendcoin]

At the press conference, Ian had words of praise for Islam. At one point, while he was once again praising Islam and Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, Islam told Ian to shut up because he couldn’t understand what Ian was saying. It was an interesting moment... :)

Khabib mocked him about it later: https://x.com/CagePulse_/status/2088275252526657669

That’s the story, but I think Ian did this to lull Islam into a false feeling of comfort. It’s not natural for him to suddenly act like Islam’s biggest fan. These two guys are going to nearly kill each other tomorrow. There can’t be that much love between them today. In my opinion, Ian is executing a clear strategy...

[Balmain]

When they came face-to-face before the match, Islam was very calm, knowing clearly that he would win to him, his opponent is simply the next target. He is ready and intends to make all these people happy tomorrow. Garry, on the other hand, claims that once he beats Islam, no one will be able to say a word, and everyone will acknowledge him as the best. Although Garry is confident, he falls short of Islam in terms of technique and power. While this is a historic fight for Garry, for Islam it is nothing more than the next bout.