Conor McGregor knows how to maximize his time in the spotlight.
From his ability to mastermind the most lucrative fights to his gift of gab, no fighter has been able to catch fans’ eyes and retain their focus the way McGregor has.
While that’s impressive, it oftentimes results in other fighters being forgotten. For all the hype surrounding the UFC’s first foray into New York City and all the amazing fights lined up for this Saturday, UFC 205 is still the Conor McGregor Show.
With that in mind, it’s worth putting the main event aside and paying homage to the many other interesting fights, fighters and storylines heading into the event. With that in mind, the dynamic duo of Steven Rondina and Nathan McCarter are here to look over the card and discuss some of the things being overlooked heading into the biggest event in MMA history.
Nathan McCarter: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Michael Johnson speaking to me right now.
And that’s a bit rare. I always enjoy Nurmagomedov, but it’s a rinse-and-repeat situation. He has long been the No. 1-ranked lightweight contender on the official UFC rankings (until recently), but injuries have kept him out of the public conscious.
His less-than-thrilling fighting style and absence have kept him from being a known commodity. His fight with Johnson, who is ranked No. 6, represents his chance to reassert himself as the leading candidate for the next title shot. After UFC Fight Night 98, Tony Ferguson could stand in the way of that happening, which could put more pressure on Nurmagomedov to perform at UFC 205.
We know he’s going to come in, grapple, throw opponents around and win a 15-minute decision. Maybe I’m bullish on Johnson, but that won’t be the tale of this fight—at least not early.
Johnson’s speed and athleticism will pose problems for Nurmagomedov. Add in Johnson’s power and a big upset could be brewing. If nothing else, Nurmagomedov is going to have to show more than he ever has inside the cage to get past Johnson, which is an exciting proposition.
Steven Rondina: I’m right there with you. I’m not sure if fans and pundits realize it right now, but the reason everyone is so interested in Nurmagomedov vs. Johnson is because we don’t actually know how good the Dagestani actually is.
There’s plenty of reason to believe he’s phenomenal, of course, but will he be able to work against a southpaw? Will he implement his game against a fighter with a wrestling base? Can he survive in the center of the cage?
How good is his chin? Is he recovered from his two-year layoff?
We don’t know! All of Nurmagomedov’s past foes have been favorable stylistic matchups, but Johnson absolutely isn’t. I’m excited to finally see if he has the skills and guts to make the necessary adjustments to take home the win.
That isn’t actually the fight I’m most interested in, though. That would be the co-co-main event—the strawweight title fight between Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Karolina Kowalkiewicz.
Jedrzejczyk is a darling to serious UFC fans and for good reason. She took the title by mauling Carla Esparza in 2015 and has rearranged the face of every contender who has dared to challenge her.
On Double-J’s presence alone, I’d be looking forward to this. Add a game opponent in Kowalkiewicz and the mystique of the champ’s move to American Top Team, though? I’m all in.
I don’t necessarily think it will be the most exciting fight on the card, but there are a lot of interesting stories hidden therein.
Nathan: I love both Jedrzejczyk and Kowalkiewicz. Remember when Joe Rogan described Anderson Silva’s style as a “ballet of violence”? That’s how I view the style of both of these women. It’s art.
However, my excitement for this fight comes from how much I enjoy watching them perform as individuals, not this particular matchup. Kowalkiewicz isn’t out of her depth, but the champion does what the challenger does, only better. The speed differential is going to be the real factor in not making this a five-round competitive masterpiece.
The most exciting fight on this card is likely to be Jim Miller vs. Thiago Alves.
Miller is one of the most consistent performers on the roster. He has quietly tallied eight fight night bonuses including five Fight of the Night awards. Alves may not have accrued the same bonus money, but he has nine Octagon finishes to his credit. He brings violent body kicks and some of the most vicious knee finishes in UFC history with him into the Octagon.
Alves has struggled against wrestlers, but Miller isn’t Jon Fitch. He isn’t as dogged in his takedown attempts and actually invites stand-up battles. That will make this fight fun to watch as one of the early bouts.
Miller isn’t going to shy away from a bloody donnybrook, which is exactly the type of fight Alves will bring to him.
This fight could echo the war that was Alves’ brawl with Chris Lytle in November 2007.
Steven: Miller is always a good bet when it comes to predicting the most exciting fight, but so is Donald Cerrone. Cowboy has been on fire at 170 pounds, and his most recent win over Rick Story is one of the prettiest things I’ve seen in recent MMA history. He’s been guaranteed entertainment for a while now, and that won’t change here.
His opponent, Kelvin Gastelum, doesn’t have a reputation for being an exciting fighter, but he’s not somebody who puts fans to sleep, either. Just as importantly, Gastelum is at a stylistic disadvantage here, and that should open the door for another frenetic, creative performance from the veteran.
On top of the potential for fireworks, though, it’s worth noting that this is a crucial matchup for Cerrone’s career. He has found a second life in the last year after a disappointing lightweight championship berth in 2015. If he can beat Gastelum, he’s probably only a fight away from a title shot, and if he continues to improve, it feels like there’s a real chance he can finally win a belt.
Not only is this my pick for the most exciting fight, but I would go so far as to say that Cerrone is potentially the most interesting competitor on the whole card.
Nathan: I was interested and excited about Rashad Evans’ move to middleweight, but with that fight off the card, I’ve had more mental space to be intrigued by Katlyn Chookagian.
Chookagian is still a bit of an unknown prospect, but she won her UFC debut over the ever-tough Lauren Murphy. She trains out of Team Renzo Gracie and has a good frame for the division. She has flown under the radar partly because she never stepped foot inside the Invicta cage where a lot of female talent first gets recognized by the vast MMA base.
I’m not sure Liz Carmouche is a step up in competition over Murphy. Thus, it will likely be a similar fight, if not a better showing for Chookagian. We may get to see more of her skill set and gain a better understanding of what her ceiling is in the UFC. If you are interested in prospects and the future of the bantamweight division, keep an eye on Chookagian in the first fight of the event.
Steven: Indeed, and you know what’s really wild? We’ve been talking this long and haven’t even discussed Tyron Woodley. Or Stephen Thompson. Or Chris Weidman, Miesha Tate or Frankie Edgar.
UFC 205 is such a deep card that I’m counting the hours until it starts.
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