Definitely not Stipe vs Jones....It's uhh, a horrible fight. Stipe is 40 and has been out of the fight game for over 2 years and he's been through so many wars and was badly KOd the last time we saw him fight. This is a lame call out from Jones, I don't respect it. And Jones admitting he won't fight Sergei afterwards taints it even more.
Volk vs Yair is super exciting, Volk is the pinnacle of what MMA is in 2023 in terms of athletic ability, fight IQ and technical skills. Yair is a good foil though, big for the weight, lightning quick, super aggressive, athletic and the divisions most dynamic striker. Yair is flawed but an excellent risk taker.
Beneil vs Oliveira is the pinnacle of the sport for me too, two guys with...not the best chins or striking defense but very aggressive striking and forward pressure, good power from both men too. While Charles is known for his guard, Beneil has some of the best grappling in the sport and is secretly one of the best wrestlers in his division too. Beneil is the dark horse at 155lbs and a man who's been passed over too many times, it will be a shame if he loses but oh my God what an anticipated fight Islam vs Beneil will be if he defeats Oliveira.
Jamahal Hill vs Jiri Prochazka, the champ who had to give his title up due to an injury vs the current champ that never beat him. Hill is if anything, underrated. He has some of the cleanest hands and disciplined striking at 185lbs and up in MMA, along with solid takedown defense and lots of momentum in his prime. Jiri is the Samurai of Chaos and destruction, Hill is athletic but Jiri even more so. Perhaps the sports more erratic striker, defensively vulnerable and offensively torrential, it's a mystery to me how a fighter seemingly so defensively irresponsible in Jiri has won 13 straight at LHW at a high level.
Which one is the best? Hmm I'm really torn, those 3 are all fantastic.
