I haven’t finished an evaluation submit shortly, and I’m fairly joyful that it simply occurred to be tonight that I obtained again on the horse. Like Daniel Cormier mentioned, I had already written Leon Edwards’ obituary. Actually. I had this all completed up, half manner by way of the fifth spherical, so I might submit it instantly after the cardboard ended. Clearly, it’s taken just a few extra minutes, as a result of I needed to delete the whole lot I wrote about the primary occasion and begin throughout. Due to one head kick. At 4:04 of the fifth spherical of UFC 278.
This was the right instance of why that is my favourite sport on the earth. You by no means know what’s going to occur. Edwards was really combating an amazing battle in opposition to Kamaru Usman – it simply occurred to be in opposition to the very best man on the earth. Properly, he WAS the very best man on the earth. However after a powerful first spherical, Usman put it on him for the following three and a half rounds. Edwards was going to drop a choice. However one nice feint and top-of-the-line head kicks ever and Birmingham (and Jamaica) have a world champion now.
There’ll clearly be a 3rd battle. And Usman may get his title again. However wow, that was a second I’ll always remember. That simply made Edwards’ whole journey price it. And Dana White mentioned they may do the third battle in Wembley Stadium. How loopy would that be? With all resulting from respect to Michael Bisping, that may be the largest battle in UK historical past. Wonderful.
- Luke Rockhold and Paulo Costa was one of many weirdest fights I’ve seen in a few years. Nevertheless it was additionally in some way extraordinarily fascinating. Rockhold’s nostril blew up instantly and it shot his cardio. Although his palms had been at his hips for half the battle and he regarded like he was barely alive, he nonetheless threw a ton of spinning assaults, staggered Costa on a number of events, and managed to reverse place on the bottom a number of occasions. Costa was visibly gassed as properly late within the second spherical, however he was nonetheless in manner higher form than Rockhold. Rockhold managed to take prime place with just a few seconds left within the battle, and as an alternative of hitting him, he simply wiped the blood from his face throughout Paulo’s face. Who does that? Regardless, whereas I’ve by no means been a giant fan of Rockhold in any respect, that quarter-hour of strangeness was one of many gutsiest issues in on a regular basis I’ve been a battle fan. I respect the hell out of you, Luke Rockhold. Get pleasure from retirement.
- I’m the world’s largest Jose Aldo fan, however I’m additionally a fan of Merab Dvalishvili. I didn’t actually need to see this battle as a result of I didn’t like the concept of both of them dropping. Properly, Scarface misplaced. As a result of he didn’t do sufficient. Merab couldn’t take him down a single time, regardless of making an attempt roughly 29 occasions. However Aldo was gunshy on the toes, displaying flashes of the Aldo of previous with just a few leg kicks and lethal knees however not doing almost sufficient to take rounds. He’s nonetheless a legend. Nevertheless it was simply a kind of irritating performances that makes you marvel how a lot he has left within the tank.
- Lucie Padilova was simply form of going by way of the motions, profitable most of her battle in opposition to Wu Yanan. Then out of nowhere, she took her down and become a maniacal killer, dropping savage elbows that ended the battle in only a few seconds. It was sort of scary however very spectacular.
- Tyson Pedro put it on an a really outmatched opponent and completed him in 65 seconds. Not a lot of a shock for a 7-1 favourite.
- Alexander Romanov had an enormous first spherical in opposition to Marcin Tybura, however he blew his gasoline tank. I personally thought the primary spherical ought to have been 10-8 Romanov and it ought to have been a draw, since Tybura did sufficient to take the ultimate two. However two judges didn’t suppose the primary was that dominant for some cause. Go Utah I suppose?
- Jared Gordon did what he needed to do to take out Leo Santos. It may need been essentially the most pedestrian battle of the night time, but it surely was fairly clear that Santos was finished cardio-wise fairly early. As is anticipated for a 42-year-old. Gordon didn’t precisely battle secure, however he didn’t put himself in peril both. Massive win for him.
- I don’t need to be too disrespectful of any fighter, however Luis Saldana is both loopy or dumb. Or each. He had Sean Woodson useless to rights, dropping him twice despite the fact that he began clowning after the primary knockdown. All he needed to do with nothing unlawful and land possibly two extra punches on the bottom and he will get a first-round win. As an alternative, he knees him within the head on the bottom, giving Woodson one other probability, after which does just about nothing for the following 11 minutes. It was ridiculous. And that was just like the third weirdest battle on the cardboard.
- Ange Loosa and AJ Fletcher was sort of unusual. Fletcher obtained off to an excellent begin, the Loosa began taking up. Fletcher rallied and landed a ton of pictures, after which…they each completely gassed out. The third spherical was completely ineffective. Loosa obtained the win as a result of he simply laid on Fletcher for the final 4 and a half minutes. A win’s a win, however that’s not the best way to impress a crowd or your bosses.
- Amir Albazi’s submission abilities are extraordinarily spectacular. He went from takedown to again to choke in much less time it took to write down this sentence.
- Aoriquleng is technically sensible. He did an amazing job of placing it on Jay Perrin for 2 and a half rounds, however he obtained badly buzzed within the final 30 seconds. He managed to carry on to take the choice, however Perrin confirmed so much in that battle too.
- Victor Altamirano was dropping, after which he wasn’t. After getting touched up by Daniel Da Silva early, he managed to rebound properly and the 2 males placed on a hell of a battle for 3 and a half minutes or so. Ultimately, Altamirano got here out on prime and I’m fairly to see what he can do within the flyweight division.
