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Official Women's Division Discussion #26

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What do people think of the rumored Grasso v Esparza fight in Mexico City? My first thought was 'are they trying to ruin their young star by giving her an unfavourable matchup.' On reflection I think the UFC are just being refreshingly honest with Grasso and the fans. Hopefully her game has progressed to the point where she can handle the likes of Carla, if not then she's young enough to fill the holes in her game.
 
Askafan said:
What do people think of the rumored Grasso v Esparza fight in Mexico City? My first thought was 'are they trying to ruin their young star by giving her an unfavourable matchup.' On reflection I think the UFC are just being refreshingly honest with Grasso and the fans. Hopefully her game has progressed to the point where she can handle the likes of Carla, if not then she's young enough to fill the holes in her game.
Click to expand...
First time hearing this rumor, tbh
 
Askafan said:
Not even a rumor now

Click to expand...


Heck, not even too long ago, I would have been raging "Hurr! Singlets! Unfair rasslin!" and whatnot, but now this actually seems like a pretty cool matchup. Hopefully something has rubbed off from Cejudo to Grasso, and this will be more of a fight than the unfortunately onesided Grasso vs. Suarez was.

I guess Esparza has finally won me over.

@Xuh
tenor.gif
 
Some horrible news from Brazil. A news piece aired at the country´s most watched TV show, Fantástico, about former UFC fighter Ericka Almeida on a secret and very abusive relationship with her coach.
At the same time the coach was having a relationship with Ericka´s sister, who also trained and fought at for the team.

Some very strong videos and audio were shown like a video os Ericka with her face almost disfigured saying that if she goes missing or anything happens to her family it was the coach, she recorded this and sent to a friend after one of the many times he phisically assaulted her.

About a year ago Ericka left the team with her sister and brother and moved to Curitiba where she is now training and competing mainly in BJJ.

https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Ericka-Almeida-98419
https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Ellen-Almeida-266433

https://g1.globo.com/sp/sorocaba-ju...VR6dMXc9BMR_H829H4U9vHNN86MboJ1Wi2Oq2Ryp-525M
 
I don't understand Portuguese but for those who do the program is on you tube

 
Askafan said:
I know the UFC drop folk for negative fights and I haven't watched Gadelha v Markos but was Randa really that bad? Let's not forget she recently picked up a $50k bonus, has an interesting backstory and an attractive decolletage.

Anyway, noticed that starting this weekend there are 16 female fights in the UFC in just 5 weeks. That's as many as in the whole of 2013. I get the impression that after a succession of exciting title scraps the middle ground are beginning to see women's fights as a normal part of the game. Certainly the three upcoming bouts in Sacramento look promising.
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Gadelha moved to a new gym and stuck with stand up & testing her cardio. Markos didn't adjust effectively by pushing the pace or shooting for takedowns.

Thanks for the info about upcoming fights. All three this weekend in Sacramento are intriguing in their own ways.

Main card (ESPN+)
Women's Bantamweight Germaine de Randamie vs. Aspen Ladd
Preliminary card (ESPN+)
Women's Bantamweight Julianna Peña vs. Nicco Montaño
Women's Strawweight Livia Renata Souza vs. Brianna Van Buren
 
PurpleStorm said:
Gadelha moved to a new gym and stuck with stand up & testing her cardio. Markos didn't adjust effectively by pushing the pace or shooting for takedowns.

Thanks for the info about upcoming fights. All three this weekend in Sacramento are intriguing in their own ways.

Main card (ESPN+)
Women's Bantamweight Germaine de Randamie vs. Aspen Ladd
Preliminary card (ESPN+)
Women's Bantamweight Julianna Peña vs. Nicco Montaño
Women's Strawweight Livia Renata Souza vs. Brianna Van Buren
Click to expand...

My picks:
Ladd via GnP
Pena via Sub
Souza by Dec
 
It's a bit weird to think about that GDR's loss to Nunes in 2013 is only four fights ago for GDR. She fights very consistent for someone who supposedly trains part time and is often inactive/injured.
 


Our little Meatball is starting to get a push. I am happy for her.
 
thatdude21601 said:
It's a bit weird to think about that GDR's loss to Nunes in 2013 is only four fights ago for GDR. She fights very consistent for someone who supposedly trains part time and is often inactive/injured.
Click to expand...

She is a Police Officer so she doesn't have the ability to take off & fight whenever she wants
to like most of the fighters do that fight full time.
 
I'm not that happy they booked Carla vs Grasso but everyone called for it and I couldn't think of a logical other fight for them to book for Grasso to advance her after winning vs Canrolina.
Plus despite my below whining that follows it is a good and interesting match.

For Grasso's perspective, she is not far from removed from a very one sided fight vs Suarez, sure she'll be improving but maybe they could have found a softer threat to sample her progress than the 2nd best wrassler in the div.

Personally I'd preferred Grasso vs someone like Hill, or Casey, both of whom are reasonable tests she should pass but a challenge; but they are lower ranked and the UFC probably want her to move upwards.
That leaves Calvillo as the other choice, and it'd have been a decent one, worse takedowns but deadlier subs than Carla, seems like a suitable choice.

Meanwhile I'd rather have seen Carla vs Michelle Wateringcan, Canrolina Kowalacan, Candria Gadelha, or Tecia Torres (....I couldn't find a can pun). All good bouts.

Instead we get Bae Death Match. Nooooo :(

Mittens said:
Esparza has finally won me over.
@Xuh
Click to expand...

Carla bless
7e6c661845e3a60dcf55b973a9abcb57.jpg
 
Sakubaba said:
Some horrible news from Brazil. A news piece aired at the country´s most watched TV show, Fantástico, about former UFC fighter Ericka Almeida on a secret and very abusive relationship with her coach.
At the same time the coach was having a relationship with Ericka´s sister, who also trained and fought at for the team.

Some very strong videos and audio were shown like a video os Ericka with her face almost disfigured saying that if she goes missing or anything happens to her family it was the coach, she recorded this and sent to a friend after one of the many times he phisically assaulted her.

About a year ago Ericka left the team with her sister and brother and moved to Curitiba where she is now training and competing mainly in BJJ.

https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Ericka-Almeida-98419
https://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Ellen-Almeida-266433

https://g1.globo.com/sp/sorocaba-ju...VR6dMXc9BMR_H829H4U9vHNN86MboJ1Wi2Oq2Ryp-525M
Click to expand...

that sucks, I liked Ericka (she liked my tweet once! yea that's enough for me) even if her UFC run didn't go too well I hoped she could get some more XP in the regionals, level up and make a return one day.

At least it seems she and her siblings got out of that situation, relatively quickly (not sure how many years she was with that coach or if things were always that bad but it's surprising how long that stuff can go on with ppl just taking it) and relatively intact, and they're all together and still competing in sport that they love.
 
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