Matchmaking at 170 - What do you want to see next?

svmr_db said:
Belal Muhammad vs Shavkat Rakhmonov

Leon Edwards vs Ian Garry

Kamaru Usman vs Jack Della Maddalena

Colby Covington vs Gilbert Burns / Sean Brady winner


How do you see the matchmaking playing out at 170? Any ideas?
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I was gonna say the same thing, at least three of those can be made before the year ends
Colby's always gonna be a hard one to do however
 
I am watching Jack Della Maddalena with the most interest.

The dude reminds me of one of my favorite boxers of the last century +, Harry Greb. Flat nose, good instincts, loves to fight.

I think he did a terrific job with Gilbert Burns, out-smarting him in the grappling (a surprise!), and finishing him before the fight was over.

That was a big test in my eyes, and he passed with flying colors. Shavkat Rakhmonov may beat him, but I am hoping Jack KOs Shavkat.

Jack is a puncher and finisher, and he seems to be evolving very nicely. I'm not a big fan of Rakhmonov's style, to be honest.
 
I wouldn't mind seeing Belal vs Usman before Belal vs Shavkat.

I never want to see Colby fight again, but there's always the concern the UFC will give him yet another unearned title shot. I hope he's crying somewhere because he might have actually been able to take the belt from the Leon that came to fight last night, but he didn't have any more sparkling bullshit magic passes to leapfrog everyone else.
 
IronGolem007 said:
I am watching Jack Della Maddalena with the most interest.

The dude reminds me of one of my favorite boxers of the last century +, Harry Greb.
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Now that's a hell of a comparison. I'm going to have to pay more attention to JDM.
 
don't ask said:
I wouldn't mind seeing Belal vs Usman before Belal vs Shavkat.

I never want to see Colby fight again, but there's always the concern the UFC will give him yet another unearned title shot. I hope he's crying somewhere because he might have actually been able to take the belt from the Leon that came to fight last night, but he didn't have any more sparkling bullshit magic passes to leapfrog everyone else.
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what the fuck

Usman doesnt deserve a title shot
 
don't ask said:
I can't argue that, but I wouldn't mind seeing it.
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This is whats wrong with the sport. These are the roadblocks Belal had to get through to be champion

"hey i wanna see usman fight for the belt even though theres like 6 guys ahead of him"
 
HHJ said:
This is whats wrong with the sport. These are the roadblocks Belal had to get through to be champion

"hey i wanna see usman fight for the belt even though theres like 6 guys ahead of him"
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I agree with you completely.
 
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Islam vs Belal.

If we're gonna do that style of fighting -- let's just turn Fat Islam loose on Belal and see who is the Hump King.

Do it in 2024.
 
don't ask said:
Dominick Cruz' footwork always reminded me of Greb footage.
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Interesting comparison.

Both kinda feather-fisted too, but Greb was dirtier, and a savage, and would decimate even heavyweights with his pace and pressure.

Considered by many to be "the dirtiest fighter in ring history" ... and the only man (as a MW) to defeat Gene Tunney (LHW who moved up and beat Dempsey).

Harry Greb actually sparred Jack Dempsey, trounced him, and called for a title shot against him.

Jack Dempsey's manager, Doc Kearns, said of Greb, "No, we want no traffic with that sonofabitch."

There is actually a biography on Greb (of which I have a copy), called, "Give Him to the Angels," by then-reporter, James R. Fair.

It's worth the purchase and worth the read 👊
 
Oscar Madison said:
Islam vs Belal.

If we're gonna do that style of fighting -- let's just turn Fat Islam loose on Belal and see who is the Hump King.

Do it in 2024.
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Nah I think Islam's aspirations at WW are closed for the time being, he and Khabib helped train Belal and I believe they said they wouldn't fight each other.

Islam will probably have to wait until somebody else defeats Belal before he gets an opportunity (if he's even the LW champ by then.)
 
If we assume Shavkat vs Belal (not sure thats super safe assumption), then I think you have to do JDM vs Garry next because you don't want all of your prospects dethroned and having a conflicted situation with Usman and Leon or some other older guys.

I actually think they may consider going Garry vs Belal right now simply because he has the most name value, but I could also see them reaching for Khamzat and feeding him meth and water for two months to get the belt off Belal.
 
IronGolem007 said:
I am watching Jack Della Maddalena with the most interest.

The dude reminds me of one of my favorite boxers of the last century +, Harry Greb. Flat nose, good instincts, loves to fight.

I think he did a terrific job with Gilbert Burns, out-smarting him in the grappling (a surprise!), and finishing him before the fight was over.

That was a big test in my eyes, and he passed with flying colors. Shavkat Rakhmonov may beat him, but I am hoping Jack KOs Shavkat.

Jack is a puncher and finisher, and he seems to be evolving very nicely. I'm not a big fan of Rakhmonov's style, to be honest.
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I agree he seems to potentially be the most interesting prospect. I don't know how he's gonna handle Belal and Shavkat takedowns and grappling though.

Maybe someone else will emerge and surprise us all.. but all the guys at WW right now don't really get me too interested. They're either aging out or really boring . Would actually be a good time for Islam to move up. Could shake things up.
 
CrimsonFan said:
I agree he seems to potentially be the most interesting prospect. I don't know how he's gonna handle Belal and Shavkat takedowns and grappling though.

Maybe someone else will emerge and surprise us all.. but all the guys at WW right now don't really get me too interested. Would actually be a good time for Islam to move up. Could shake things up.
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Concur with this.

Jack seems slightly-fragile, not sure he can take big punches, not sure he can withstand a sustained-grappling onslaught.

That said, Jack's mind is right. He wants to finish, and he's always thinking of how to do it.

Burns tried to take him down, and Burns is a master-grappler — and Jack Della Maddalena handled it all, reversed Burns, and finished his ass in the end.

To me, that showed as long as Jack Della Maddalena is still awake, and still breathing, he will constantly be trying to finish you.

That is the mark of a real fighter, IMO.
 
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