UFC Fight Night 250: A Defining Moment for Fighters, the Middleweight Division, and the Future of MMA

UFC Fight Night 250Mixed martial arts has always been a sport of unpredictability. Legends rise and fall, new stars emerge from the…

UFC Fight Night 250

Mixed martial arts has always been a sport of unpredictability. Legends rise and fall, new stars emerge from the shadows, and the dynamics of divisions shift with every event. UFC Fight Night 250, scheduled for February 1, 2025, at the anb Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is no exception. This event is not just another fight night; it carries the weight of history, potential career resurgences, and the possible rise of future champions. With Israel Adesanya making his return against a hungry contender in Nassourdine Imavov, this main event has the potential to alter the course of the UFC middleweight division.

The UFC’s Middle Eastern expansion meets the development of fighting techniques while showcasing the complex relationship between seasoned fighters and young contenders in the sport. The co-main event showcases Michael “Venom” Page’s UFC middleweight debut against Sharabutdin Magomedov where viewers can witness two fighters displaying their distinctive striking approaches and their powerful technical abilities. Various matchups on the fight card show the unpredictable nature of the sport through weight-related issues and event cancellations.

UFC Fight Night 250 extends its impact outside the octagon. The fight business receives a transformation through international investment which creates opportunities for major MMA events to emerge in non-traditional markets. The upcoming fights at UFC Fight Night 250 will challenge established stars like Adesanya and test whether new contenders like Imavov can seize the opportunity. The evolution of MMA stylistic diversity emerges through this event because strikers now need to handle wrestling-heavy challenges and wrestlers face similar demands.

The upcoming UFC Fight Night 250 event shows all signs of becoming a historic milestone in 2025. These fights will determine future title contenders, reshape fighter legacies, and influence the UFC’s strategic direction for years to come. The event will deliver both unpredictable action along dramatic intensity that establishes MMA as the sport with the most surprising outcomes worldwide.

Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov

The Redemption Arc of Israel Adesanya

The UFC audience has known Israel Adesanya as a prominent figure since his rise in the organization began. His quick journey to the middleweight championship title demonstrated his exceptional striking skills along with his fight intelligence and entertainment abilities. His ability to feint and counter along with his fluid movement made him stand out as one of the most dangerous strikers in MMA. The recent losses to Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis have severely damaged the unbreakable reputation that Israel Adesanya once had.

The loss of a championship belt stands as one thing but the consecutive defeats in which opponents exposed his weaknesses represent a different level of challenge. Strickland overwhelmed Adesanya with his high-pressure striking while maintaining constant volume which prevented the champion from displaying his typical striking mastery. Du Plessis defeated Adesanya because he displayed better grappling skills than the champion while physically dominating him. The recent fights exposed weaknesses in Adesanya’s defensive system which created doubts about his ability to maintain dominance over a division that shows growing defensive diversity.

The break was essential for his continued success. Athletes who return to competition too quickly after experiencing major defeat usually find it difficult to reestablish their previous performance levels. Adesanya used his time away from fighting to think about himself both mentally and technologically. Before UFC Fight Night 250 Adesanya declared his training camp focused on developing essential changes.

“I’ve put more gas in the tank. That way I don’t run low. I’ve worked so hard in these 20 weeks or so. Different blocks have been worked on, but we are almost there.”

This statement reveals a fighter who has acknowledged his shortcomings and made the necessary corrections. Cardio has always been one of Adesanya’s strengths, but after visibly fading in his last fight, he understands that a return to peak conditioning is essential if he hopes to reclaim his place in the division.

Another key takeaway from his pre-fight mindset is his ability to stay present. While many are speculating about what a win would mean for his title hopes, Adesanya remains focused on the immediate task.

“I’m always in the title picture. That’s because I’m Israel Adesanya, and I’ve done so much in this game. Right now, I am just dealing with Imavov and then I will take things as they come. But for now, I have to take out Imavov.”

For Adesanya, this is about proving a point. The middleweight division has moved on without him, but a dominant win could remind everyone that “The Last Stylebender” is still one of the best fighters in the world.

UFC Fight Night 250 Israel Adesanya

The Rise of Nassourdine Imavov: A Star in the Making?

The next obstacle for Adesanya is Nassourdine Imavov who maintains solid skills despite being less recognized than his opponent. The French-Russian middleweight competes at middleweight while building his career by showing a balanced fighting style that poses challenges to his opponents. Despite his unpolished striking style, Imavov demonstrates technical skills and solid physical strength that allows him to defeat dangerous opponents.

UFC Picks delivers betting insights about the styles and recent fight performances of both fighters to help predict the match result. For those looking at this fight from a betting perspective, UFC Picks provides insights into how the styles and recent performances of both fighters may influence the outcome.

The Broader Implications of UFC Fight Night 250 for the UFC and MMA

The UFC’s Strategic Push into Saudi Arabia

UFC Fight Night 250 in Riyadh represents a strategic turning point for UFC’s worldwide expansion because Saudi Arabia demonstrates rising dominance in combat sports. The country has invested heavily in boxing events since the past few years while targeting MMA as its next cornerstone in mixed martial arts. This successful Riyadh event establishes a foundation that could enable the UFC to organize major events throughout the region where it can expand its audience base and give local fighters opportunities for growth.

The rise of MMA in Riyadh creates speculation about whether the city can become an equal competitor to Abu Dhabi as a UFC event destination. The strong financial support and strategic planning from Saudi sports initiatives creates a promising prospect for Riyadh to achieve the same status as Abu Dhabi in UFC events by offering bigger purses to fighters and premium production standards and attracting wider international fanbases. The region may welcome a new era of MMA development through this expansion which will lead to additional MMA investment.

Fans who want to bet on UFC Fight Night 250 can find various wagering options through UFC Betting including choosing winners and predicting how fighters will win their matches which enhances the excitement of the event.

A Shifting Landscape

The outcomes from UFC Fight Night 250 will determine how the middleweight division moves forward. A victorious Israel Adesanya will trigger speculation about his next title opportunity when he delivers a dominant performance. A victory against his opponent would restore Adesanya’s position to challenge for the title yet the growing number of competitors in the division could make his path to the championship more challenging. Nassourdine Imavov can advance his career by beating established middleweight fighters Khamzat Chimaev and Robert Whittaker if he manages to win his upcoming match. A successful victory would create major changes in the title race while establishing a new challenger to lead the division.

The middleweight champion continues to believe he holds a secure position in the title fight. His record and accomplishments stand on their own but he needs to demonstrate his divisional dominance to regain the belt according to his interview statements. His skills face the challenge of defeating numerous fighters who want to take his belt away.

The middleweight division continues to captivate fans with the developing story between Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland. The upcoming rematch between Du Plessis and Adesanya will be another close fight according to Adesanya’s predictions despite his assessment that the bout will be intense and competitive. If Adesanya defeats Imavov in their upcoming fight then the middleweight division will see exciting rematch scenarios between him and former opponents Strickland and Du Plessis which will keep the division exciting.

UFC Fight Night 250 Sean Strickland Dricus Du Plessis

UFC 313: A Future Test for Dan Hooker

While UFC Fight Night 250 is a major event, another huge test awaits in March at UFC 313, where Dan Hooker is set to take on Justin Gaethje in the co-main event. This five-round lightweight showdown is expected to be a war, with both fighters known for their relentless striking and never-back-down mentality.

Hooker, who has battled some of the division’s best, is looking for a statement win to propel himself into title contention. Meanwhile, Gaethje, the former interim champion, is aiming to solidify his status as the division’s most dangerous brawler. If Adesanya’s return at UFC Fight Night 250 is about redemption, Hooker’s fight at UFC 313 could be about survival in one of the toughest divisions in MMA.

UFC Fight Night 250 Dan Hooker

Final Thoughts: A Defining Night in MMA History

UFC Fight Night 250 serves as a critical test for Israel Adesanya while providing Nassourdine Imavov his first major UFC appearance and opening doors for upcoming fighters. The event showcases UFC’s worldwide growth strategies along with changing combat techniques and changing balances of power in their sport.

The card contains multiple narratives that show redemption alongside ambition and risks and their respective rewards. Before facing Imavov Adesanya has settled his differences with his former opponents Whittaker and Pereira which allows him to focus fully on the upcoming match. The octagon door will close on February 1, 2025, to change careers and bring new competitors while the UFC continues to define combat sports’ future.

For those looking to engage beyond just watching, Stake.com offers a platform to immerse themselves in the UFC experience.

No matter what happens, one thing is certain: UFC Fight Night 250 will be remembered as a pivotal night in the history of MMA.

UFC Fight Night 250 Adesanya vs. Imavov Preview and Odds

UFC Fight Night 250 Adesanya vs. Imavov Preview and OddsThe fans of mixed martial arts and the Ultimate Fighting Championship have a big reason to celebrate once again…

UFC Fight Night 250 Adesanya vs. Imavov Preview and Odds

The fans of mixed martial arts and the Ultimate Fighting Championship have a big reason to celebrate once again as the newest iteration of Fight Night is upon us. Next Saturday, February 1, 2025, the event’s latest edition will take place. There is a lot of excitement because of the fighters taking place. The main event, whose name the whole night will carry, is the middleweight clash between Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov. Apart from them, 22 other fighters will take the octagon as there are 11 more fights. 

Join us as we take a deep dive into this upcoming combat sports spectacle, which is also a great opportunity for the fans of online sports betting. Naturally, we will also make our predictions and UFC Fight Night 250 picks for the Adesanya vs. Imavov so that your bets are more accurate and with a higher chance for success. Between the total of 12 fights, there is ample opportunity for anyone to find what they like most and combine some parlay options across multiple bouts. 

Main Details

Adesanya vs. Imavov

The event is of course produced by the leading entity in the sport of MMA, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and its president and CEO Dana White. It is scheduled for *February 1 and will take place at the famous anb Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The country of Saudi Arabia has been investing in major sporting events over the last decade or so and is currently one of the top destinations for all kinds of sports. 

MMA and UFC have a particularly strong bond with the region and have held fights there before. This event marks the promotion’s second visit to the city of Riyadh, the first being in June of 2024 with the UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov. In the future, we can expect many more events of this magnitude, and bigger, to take place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), as it is officially known. 

Rumored and Cancelled Fights

Ikram Aliskerov vs Andre Muniz

As is usually the case, these 12 scheduled fights were not all the first options. Some were canceled in the lead-up to the event, and some rumored fights were thought to have been planned for February 1. Firstly, there was a middleweight bout between Ikram Aliskerov and Andre Muniz expected to take place. The two previously scheduled a fight for UFC on ESPN: Perez vs. Taira in June of last year, but Muniz had to cancel due to a foot fracture. Their fight was canceled once more due to visa issues for Muniz and his team, and should definitely take place at a future event. It is one of those bouts that both the experts and the fans want to see, so Dana White is bound to give it to us at some point.

There was also a lightweight fight planned for Riyadh this time around between Jordan Leavitt and Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady. Sadly, Leavitt withdrew from it but did not say why. Officially, he withdrew due to unknown reasons and was replaced by Bolaji Oki, meaning Al-Selwady will still get to participate in the event.

Another fight that was supposedly linked to this Fight Night spectacle was a rematch between former KSW lightweight and featherweight champion Mateusz Gamrot and Rafael Fiziev. The pair previously headlined an event, back in September 2023 at the UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs. Gamrot. Gamrot won by TKO due to Fiziev’s knee injury. Now they both get a chance for redemption and a complete fight at full strength. 

Preliminary Card Fights and Odds

Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady vs Bolaji Oki

There will be 7 fights in the preliminary card, 2 heavyweight, 3 lightweight, 1 women’s flyweight, and 1 featherweight. First on the schedule is the Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady versus Bolaji Oki lightweight fight. Here, the odds are in the Belgian’s favor as Oki gets 1.59 odds to USA’s Al-Selwady’s 2.33. Al-Selwady has a record of 15-4-0 so far while Oki is at 9-2-0. 

The second fight on the schedule is a very balanced one according to the odds. The heavyweight bout will see Hamdy Abdelwahab at 1.91 facing Jamal Pogues at 1.87, and it does not get much more uncertain than this. This also means that it should be a good fight to watch, apart from betting on it. Abdelwahab from Egypt has a record of 5-0-0 so far, while the American Pogues is at 11-4-0. 

Next up, Bogdan Grad and Alexander Lucas are facing off in a featherweight duel between two experienced fighters. Grad has a better career record of 14-2-0 and he is the favorite in this fight with 1.80 odds. The Austrian is the favorite but not by a large margin since his Brazilian opponent has 1.98 odds. Alexander has an 8-4-0 record and is the underdog, which does not always mean a lot in UFC and MMA. This will be another tough matchup worth betting on and watching. 

The fourth scheduled fight is a not very balanced or uncertain one when the sportsbook predictions are concerned. This is the lone women’s bout, a flyweight matchup in which the Canadian 12th-ranked Jasmine Jasudavicius takes on the Brazillian Mayra Bueno Silva. Jasudavicius has a record of 12-3-0 and her odds for this fight are set at 1.43. On the other side, Bueno Silva has a 10-4-1 record and her odds are 2.75. The bookies are not favoring the Brazillian, which could be a slight advantage overall.

*

After the only ladies’ fight of the night, Fares Ziam and Mie Davis enter the octagon for a lightweight bout. Ziam from France has partaken in more fights so far and has a 16-4-0 record, while Davis from the USA has an 11-2-0 record. However, it is Davis who is the favorite with 1.61 odds to Ziam’s 2.27. While it may seem it is anyone’s fight to take, it seems that the Frenchman will have his hands full against the American. 

How about some truly one-sided fights? According to the bookies, there will be three of them back to back to back. Starting with Terrance McKinney and Damir Hadzovic, the American has a big advantage over the Bosnian. Their records are quite similar, as McKinney has a 15-7-0 record while Hadzovic’s is 14-7-0. However, the USA lightweight fighter has 1.27 odds to the Bosnian’s 3.70. It will be hard for Hadzovic to make their records the same, but he will give it his all as he always does.

The second fight is slightly more one-sided as Shamil Gaziev got 1.26 odds over Thomas Petersen and his 3.75. The Belarusian has a superb 13-1-0 record and is ranked 14th, while the American is at 9-2-0 so far. The heavyweight fight is sure to be interesting, as they always are, but the fighter out of Belarus is the clear favorite as the more experienced fighter in a better form. 

The third one-sided duel according to the odds is a featherweight bout where two fighters with similar records will meet in the octagon. Muhammad Naimov is the favorite with 1.38 over Kaan Ofli with 2.95. The Tajikistan fighter’s record is currently 11-3-0 while the Australian has 12-3-1. They are evenly matched, but the Tajik is in better form and with more recent fights under his belt. That is why he gets the bookies’ advantage in this duel. 

If the previous three fights were one-sided when it comes to sportsbooks and their odds, this one is a sure thing. According to the odds, this is the most one-sided and unbalanced bout of the whole Fight Night event. Ikram Aliskerov is the absolute favorite in his middleweight fight against Andre Muniz. While Muniz is more experienced and with a record of 24-6-0, the Brazillian fighter only gets 5.40 odds for this highly-anticipated fight. On the other side, the Russian fighter has a 15-2-0 record and his odds are a staggering 1.15. That is how certain the sportsbooks including stake.com are in his victory. 

Said Nurmagomedov out of Russia is fighting Vinicius de Oliveira out of Brazil in a bantamweight duel as well. The Russian is a favorite of the bookies with 1.52 odds to the Brazillian’s 2.50 odds. Nurmagomedov has an 18-3-0 record while Oliveira has a 21-3-0 record, meaning he is more experienced and successful, but Nurmagomedov has a very impressive recent record that makes him the favorite in this bout. 

After this match, the next duel on the schedule will see Sergey Pavlovich, the rank 4 fighter out of Russia, take on the Surinam fighter, the rank 9 Jairzinho Rozenstruik. The heavyweight fight will see two colossal fighters with great track records take on each other as Pavlovich has 1.32 odds to Rozenstruik’s 3.30. The Russian has a record of 18-3-0, while the Surinamese is at 15-5-0.

In the final game before the headliner, it is another Russian, Sharaputdin Magomedov with 1.51 odds taking on Michael Page from Great Britain with 2.50 odds. The Russian fighter is ranked 14th, hence the advantage by the sportsbooks. His record is an amazing 15-0-0 as he is yet to lose. Could this be it when he meets the British fighter with a 22-3-0 record in the octagon? The odds say no, but Page probably has other plans. This middleweight bout should be the ultimate preview of what is to come in the headliner that succeeds it. 

Finally, there is the main event of the night and the chief reason why the Riyadh event was scheduled in the first place. In the headline bout, the two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is the favorite against Nassourdine Imavov. While the New Zealand fighter is the clear favorite, he does not get odds that are too surprising. The rank 2 fighter with a 24-4-0 record has 1.56 while his French opponent with a 15-4-0 record is sitting comfortably at 2.39. It will be a duel worthy of a headline event and a must-bet opportunity for the fans of the sport. 

Best Types of Bets to Make on UFC

Now that you are more familiar with what fights will take place next weekend and who the favorites are, it is time to talk about the types of bets that are typically made in UFC and MMA in general. While you can pick and choose whatever you want, certain bets should at least be given a thought with big events like this.

First and foremost, there is the moneyline bet, i.e. picking the winner. This is the basic wager in any sport where the bettor predicts which team, or in this case which individual athlete, will win the match. The odds are always given for this type of bet first, hence all the odds we talked about in the previous sections. Considering there are a dozen fights to evaluate, picking several moneyline bets and combining them in a single parlay bet is the ultimate way to do it for a Fight Night event like this. 

A parlay, for those who do not know, is a bet where you wager on multiple scenarios, all of which need to happen for you to win. So in this case, you would bet on more fights and the combined odds will equal a considerable payout should all of them happen for you. Of course, there are other bet types to evaluate and pick, some of the most popular being the over/under bet on the number of rounds. The limit is usually set at 2.5 rounds, and you bet either over or under, depending on the event and the fighters. For headline events, it could even be set at 3.5. 

Another big bet type is the method of winning where the bettors can opt for a knockout (KO), technical knockout (TKO), submission, or decision. It is a very exciting bet to make and it implies you know the history of the fighters, their current form, and whether or not they can knock out their opponent or force a submission. While reserved for a bit more experienced bettors, it could be the type of bet to choose for several fights scheduled for February 1 in Riyadh. 

UFC 310 Predictions and Analysis: What is to Come in the Latest Major MMA Event?

Pantoja vs AsakuraIf you consider yourself an MMA and UFC enthusiast, you are in luck because the next big event organized…

Pantoja vs Asakura

If you consider yourself an MMA and UFC enthusiast, you are in luck because the next big event organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship is coming in thick and fast. This upcoming weekend, all eyes in the realm of mixed martial arts and fighting sports in general will be pointed at Las Vegas, the unofficial home of the biggest fights in the world. With UFC 310 coming our way on Saturday, there are so many reasons to be excited. It did not take long to get right back to it as 309 has recently finished after some amazing bouts in multiple divisions and cards. Now, it is a new selection of 14 fights that will grace the screens of ESPN as well as thousands in attendance in the City of Sin.

Fans of the sport do not need a lot of introduction, but a guide is quite important at this time for those looking to place a few bets on these bouts. MMA is one of the best sports to wager on as it is straightforward, engaging, exciting, and above all full of suspense. Despite certain fighters being the favorites in their respective fights, all it takes is a single good punch or kick for a total knockout to take place. Therefore, it is important to get all the facts on your side as well as to examine the latest predictions and odds. What is more, why not take your attention to the Alexandre Pantoja exclusive interview with Stake where he reveals his predictions as well as talk about the sport in general?  

UFC 310 Pantoja vs. Asakura Details

Pantoja vs Asakura

The online gambling and sports betting platform Stake is already famous for its exclusive interviews with major sports stars. They always go out of their way to bring their users and players the latest and freshest information on upcoming events so that they can make better bets on their services and get a higher chance of winning. This time around, they got the fighter whose bout is headlining the whole event. The official name is UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura so the defending champion and favorite sat down with the sportsbook’s representatives for an insightful talk you need to know about.

As mentioned, it is once again Las Vegas as the home of the biggest fights in the world. The famous T-Mobile Arena in Paradise will host the 14 fights on Saturday, December 7, 2024. Pantoja is fighting the promotional newcomer, Rizin Bantamweight Champion Kai Asakura out of Japan. Their fight was supposed to be the co-headliner but it is now the main event as the other one, between Belal Muhammad and Shavkat Rakhmonov, was canceled. Muhammad, the current welterweight champion, was supposed to fight the undefeated contender Rakhmonov but suffered a bone infection in his foot. Nevertheless, we are still getting a great fight in the main card. 

As the defending champion and an experienced UFC fighter, Alexandre “The Cannibal” Pantoja Passidomo being the favorite makes sense. He stands at 5 ft 5 in (165 cm), weighs 125 lb (57 kg), and has a reach of 68 in (173 cm). His team is American Top Team and he has a black belt in Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu. He has been active since 2007 and has so far had 33 fights. In his 28 wins, there were 8 knockouts, 10 submission wins, and 10 wins by decision. He has lost only 5 times in the meantime, all by decision. Pantoja is a much more experienced and well-known fighter and should have advantages in certain areas. 

Out of Japan, Kai Asakura is a former two-time Rizin bantamweight champion and a promotional UFC newcomer, and therefore the underdog on paper. Fighting out of Tokyo, his team is Japan Top Team and he has been active since 2012. He stands at 5 ft 8 in (173 cm), weighs 134 lb (61 kg), and has a reach of 69 in (175 cm). This makes him taller and heavier and gives him a slightly longer reach. Asakura fought in 25 duels so far, winning 21 and losing 4. He won 13 by knockout, 3 by submission, and 5 by decision. Among his losses, there were 3 knockouts and 1 by decision. Apart from these MMA pro fights, he fought in 10 amateur fights, winning 8 (5 KOs, 1 submission, 2 decisions) and losing 2 (decision). 

What Was Said in the Interview?

Pantoja and Asakura

When Stake.com sat down to talk with the current UFC Flyweight Champion, there were many topics discussed. First off, he was asked about the current state of his division, especially after Dana White wanted to shut it down in 2019. Now, it is among the most popular divisions and Pantoja knows exactly why. 

“The flyweight division is the best it has ever been. The fighters before me such as Demetrious Johnson were the best fighters in the world for so many years.” Indeed, it was the big names that made the flyweight what it is today. He continued, saying, “Right now, everyone can tell you 5 or 10 names in the Flyweight division. If you go back to 2019, you wouldn’t be able to. Now everyone knows Brandon Moreno, Deiveson Figueiredo, Muhamad Mokaev, Kai Kara France, and even my opponent Kai Asakura.” 

Commenting on how UFC crossed over with other MMA talent and championships like with Japan’s Rizin and his opponent Kai Asakura. Of course, he agrees it is very good for the sport as he commented on being open to fighting Rodtang from One Championship or someone else from another franchise. “The Rodtang fight would be a great fight. However, we have rankings for a reason. Currently, we are already bringing another champion Kai Asakura to the UFC to fight me. After that, I think it will be better for me to fight someone within the rankings and give them a title shot too.” 

It makes sense for him to want to clash with other fighters from his championship, even though he has beaten a lot of them. The champ then added, without being too modest about his success, “I know I have beaten everyone in the division already, and the guys I haven’t beaten have been beaten by the guys I beat. Right now, I focus on UFC 310 with a great opponent.” This bold statement is sure to guarantee him a few upcoming fights, don’t you think? 

Touching on the legend of the division, Demetrious Johnson, Pantoja revealed that he was his dream fight. “If I can choose one fight to have it would be him. It’s a different time now. To fight me would be a great opportunity for him to test himself against the best Flyweights of the world.” However, he knows it is impossible as Johnson is enjoying his retirement, “ I understand he has a good life in retirement and the Flyweight division is much bigger now, it’s time for the new Flyweights to have that opportunity.” 

Pantoja also commented on the next potential challenger for his title and whether Brandon Royval or Brandon Moreno deserves the chance. Both have won since fighting Pantoja, so he gave his insight into who is currently in the front. “This is a hard question. It was meant to be Royval who has just come off two victories. Then you have Moreno who is a big star and the former champion doing a great job with Amir Albazi.” He then joked, “Maybe you have to bring back Demetrious Johnson and maybe the next will make sense.”

Finally, the Brazillian star commented on the success of his fellow countrymen and the whole of Brazil being so good and famous in the MMA and UFC communities. Charles Oliveira has recently beaten Michael Chandler and Alex Pereira looks to be fighting Jon “Bones” Jones soon, so he had to talk about it of course. Speaking about Pereira and Jones, he said it “will be a great fight,” adding, “Dana White doesn’t want to make that fight because one of them will lose, but that’s the fight to make [right now]. Jones looked incredible against Stipe Miocic and Pereira’s last three fights have been amazing.” 

When picking the potential winner, he did give Jones the advantage, saying, “I think Jon Jones has a 60-40 advantage over Pereira because of his long experience, wrestling, and very good striking too.” He then moved to Charles Oliveira and a rematch with Islam Makhchaev, saying he “had an easy job against Michael Chandler. Chandler and Islam Makhachev are two very different fighters. When Makhachev steps into the Octagon, he is ready for war and is coming to kill or die. You can see it in his eyes, if Charles can have these eyes too, he can beat whoever he wants.” High praise from one Brazillian to another. 

The interview came to a close as Pantoja reflected on being a Brazillian fighter right now, “It’s great to be a part of Brazil’s greatest fighters. When you talk about Oliveira, Minotauro Nogueira, Fabricio Werdum, Anderson Silva, and Jose Aldo, you see that we are the country of fighters.” He really enjoys it, as he explains, “We know how to fight and have the mentality to absorb every war, we have the ability to absorb Muy Thai, Jou-Jitsu from Japan, and now in America to train wrestling.” With one final piece of advice, Pantoja reveals, “I say to my fellow Brazilian fighters that you need to travel and find yourself and that is how you evolve.” 

UFC 310 Odds and Predictions

To Bet on UFC successfully and win money in the process, you have to know the latest odds that Stake gives the players. Between the 14 fights awaiting you, there is no shortage of action to be had. Starting with the headline event, it should be no surprise that Alexandre Pantoja is the clear favorite according to the experts. They give him the odds of 1.38 to beat Kai Asakura, who is stuck at 3.15 at the moment. The Japanese hopeful is hardly without a chance, but newcomers often come with slightly worse odds and big chips on their shoulders. 

In the other fights, Vicente Luque is the underdog with 2.35 odds against Themba Gorimbo with 1.63. A very lopsided fight will take place when Kennedy Nzechukwu faces off against Lukasz Brzeski, as their odds are 1.18 and 5.20, respectively. Still, that is not the most one-sided matchup. That would be Chase Hooper with 1.10 odds against Clay Guida with 7.40, as it is literally a sparring match for Hooper based on the odds. 

A more balanced bout will happen with Max Griffin and Michael Chiesa, as Griffin is at 1.79 odds at the moment while Chiesa is at 2.08. These are good odds for both which should mean a good fight. There is a slightly less even matchup between Joshua Van and Cody Durden with 1.66 and 2.28 odds, respectively. In case you are a fan of coin toss fights where anyone can win, then the Eryk Anders versus Chris Weidman bout is the right one for you. Weidman is at 1.91 odds and Anders is at 1.94. It can hardly get any closer than this. 

Bryan Battle has 1.44 odds against Randy Brown with 2.85 while Movsar Evloev is the heavy favorite against Aljamain Sterling with 3.15. Between Dominick Reyes with 1.30 and Anthony Smith with 3.65, it is clear who should take the bout according to the bookies. Similarly, Nate Landwehr is the favorite against Doo Ho Choi who is at 2.19 at the moment. In another lopsided affair, Bryce Mitchel (1.14) should have a walk in the park in his fight against Kron Gracie (6.00). 

In a battle of well-known names and experienced veterans, Alexander Volkov does not fair too well with 3.70 odds against Ciryl Gane who is at 1.30. Much the same can be said for Ian Garry and his odds of 3.90 once he steps into the Octagon for his duel with Shavkat Rakhmonov with 1.28. From the names alone it is easy why the odds difference is so large in this fight, but then again, UFC has surprised us many times before.

Why Khamzat Chimaev is the Clear Choice for the UFC Middleweight Championship

Khamzat Chimaev opens up about his battle with depression, health issues ahead of UFC 308Khamzat Chimaev or Sean Strickland are set to challenge Dricus du Plessis for his UFC middleweight title. Imagine you’re…

Khamzat Chimaev opens up about his battle with depression, health issues ahead of UFC 308

Khamzat Chimaev or Sean Strickland are set to challenge Dricus du Plessis for his UFC middleweight title. Imagine you’re sitting down for dinner at a restaurant. Before you sit two options; a freshly cooked steak, or an unspiced pile of stale bread. Which would you choose?

Khamzat Chimaev or Sean Strickland

South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis (22-2) was able to capture the UFC middleweight crown in a close split decision against the US-born Sean Strickland. Afterward, ‘Stillknocks’ defended this title against former champion Israel Adesanya by submission. Now, du Plessis is ready for a fight and has two potential opponents in front of him.

Sean Strickland (29-6), former titleholder, is option A. Or, the UFC can choose ‘The Wolf’ Khamzat Chimaev (14-0) is option B.

‘Tarzan’ Strickland believes that he is entitled to a rematch for the title due to his status as a former champion. The US-born athlete believes that his title shot is already agreed to for early 2025. But based on what Dricus du Plessis has said, it is not set in stone just yet.

khamzat rob
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – OCTOBER 26: Khamzat Chimaev of Russia reacts after a submission victory against Robert Whittaker of New Zealand in a middleweight fight during the UFC 308 event at Etihad Arena on October 26, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Khamzat Chimaev

‘Borz’ Khamzat Chimaev is a fan-favorite fighter known for his aggressive fighting style. He looks to finish his opponents whether on the feet or on the ground. Of his 14 wins, 12 have come by way of KO/TKO or submission, giving him an 85% finishing rate. Compared to Strickland’s 51%.

For what the UFC likes to see, Chimaev has to be their pick. He is popular among fans around the world and has exciting fighting capabilities. Strickland has neither of these skills. The US-born athlete is known for his trash talk outside the ring, aggressive fighting in sparring, and boring fights inside the octagon. His highlight reel leaves much to be desired.

Sean Strickland

Let’s compare recent wins. Strickland struggled to defeat Paulo Costa. Over five rounds, he landed 182 strikes. This means he performed worse than Marvin Vettori did against the same opponent, who landed 190. Despite having a close match against the du Plessis, no one is clamoring to see Strickland fight the South African once again. It was a plain fight. And in Strickland’s match right afterward, against Costa, he showed nothing new. So why would a rematch go any different?

Conversely, ‘Borz’ earned a quick first-round submission against the former champion Robert Whittaker. It only took him less than four minutes to put ‘The Reaper’ away. Skilled fighters such as Adesanya, Dricus du Plessis, and Yoel Romero, could not perform this feat. That was the fastest anyone has put Whittaker away in his UFC career.

gettyimages 2181229426 612x612 3
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – OCTOBER 26: (L-R) Khamzat Chimaev of Russia secures a submission against Robert Whittaker of New Zealand in a middleweight fight during the UFC 308 event at Etihad Arena on October 26, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Of course, ‘The Wolf’ is not without his flaws. He has bounced between middleweight and welterweight due to weight issues. At middleweight, he has hardly defeated any career middleweight aside from Whittaker. Plus, illnesses seem to plague his career.

gettyimages 1748811225 612x612 1
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – OCTOBER 21: Khamzat Chimaev of the United Arab Emirates prepares to face Kamaru Usman of Nigeria in a middleweight fight during the UFC 294 event at Etihad Arena on October 21, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

The popular Khamzat Chimaev is a breath of fresh air with an exciting style. To add insult to Strickland, Joe Rogan, Daniel Cormier, and Dricus du Plessis, have all said that ‘Borz’ should get the title shot ahead of him. For a good fight, Chimaev is your guy. But if you need a sensitive man to throw a fit over gay people or women, Sean Strickland is your guy.

gettyimages 2155669136 612x612 1
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – JUNE 01: Sean Strickland reacts after his victory against Paulo Costa of Brazil in a middleweight fight during the UFC 302 event at Prudential Center on June 01, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

UFC’s Home Run Sphere Debut Shows How They Can Continue To Innovate

Noche UFC Las Vegas SphereEven if UFC doesn’t head back to the Sphere again, there’s a lesson in their success debut at the location.

Noche UFC Las Vegas Sphere

After Saturday night, the big discussion coming out of Las Vegas wasn’t the fact that Merab Dvalishvili finally reached the top of the bantamweight division, or that Valentina Shevchenko regained her top spot at flyweight. The most talked about part of the show wasn’t even any of the fights, but instead, the way they were presented.

UFC 306 was arguably the top fight promotion’s most innovative event yet, seamlessly mixing storytelling and art into a high-profile MMA lineup. It was an experience that the sport had never seen before, and one it might never get again.

sphereeeee
Image Credit: UFC

The Sphere Overshadows Title Fight Evening

It’s incredibly rare that the theatrics of a UFC event outdoes the show’s fights. But on Saturday, that’s exactly what happened.

UFC 306 took place at the MSG Sphere, a venue which has gone viral seemingly every other week since its official opening in late 2023. The 18,000-seat-capacity venue took more than $2 billion to build, decking the building out with cutting-edge LED technology that has set itself apart from any other location on the planet.

In a city full of glitz and glam, The Sphere’s glowing exterior has made it stick out from the rest of Las Vegas. On the inside, a 160,000-square-foot LED screen powers one-of-a-kind experiences.

Clips of concerts from bands like U2 and Dead & Company showed the venue’s impressive visual capabilities in previous months. However, what had never been seen until recently was how the location could be used for a sporting event.

It was hard to properly set expectations for UFC 306. We knew what concerts at the Sphere looked like, and we were certainly familiar with what a good MMA card looked like, but we had never before seen anything like what was set to take place on Saturday.

From Underwhelming To Awe-Inspiring

Early in the evening, some started to worry that the show would be underwhelming. The Sphere’s towering LED backdrop provided some opening visuals that didn’t provide the stunning atmosphere that many had paid to see. However, anyone who wrote off the show’s potential in the first couple of hours would eat crow later that evening. UFC ended up saving the venue’s potential for the main card, which played out like one long story that climaxed with the main event.

UFC 306

By 7 p.m. local time, UFC 306’s presentation kicked into full gear. Over the next few hours, the Sphere stole the show and had the best performance of the night. In between each fight, the screen aired a six-part short film directed by Carlos López Estrada titled “For Mexico, For All Time.” López Estrada’s vision for the series was to show the history of Mexican people in a series of styles. The film starts by discussing early civilizations, later covering tradition and history, and eventually zooming past the current day and imagining what the culture’s future could look like.

Telling the story of Mexico’s rich history in roughly 12 minutes was the nearly impossible task that López Estrada and his team had to tackle. In that time they told an empowering and inspiring story of a culture that has overcome great adversity to survive. It explained the values and traditions of Mexican society, overall representing the country’s people in a way that should make them proud.

When the film wasn’t airing, the pay-per-view portion of the night took place in “worlds.” These animated backdrops teleported the fights into all-new atmospheres, coinciding with the chapters of the movie. The Sphere’s incredible picture quality made these settings look unbelievably immersive. Some online said the show was the closest thing we’ll get to real-life versions of Mortal Kombat characters fighting on different in-game maps, and it’s hard to argue against that.

By the end of the night, even the biggest UFC skeptic should have been willing to admit that the event lived up to the incredibly high expectations that the promotion set for it. 

Despite the top fights on the card being not entirely exciting—both titles changing hands due to un-competitive wrestling-heavy performances, something that doesn’t interest the average MMA fan—Saturday will be remembered as one of the biggest nights of this year in the sport.

What Can UFC Learn From The Sphere?

As enjoyable as UFC 306 was, there’s something bittersweet about the fact that UFC CEO Dana White has stated that it’s a one-and-done for the promotion. Due to their exclusive Vegas partnership with the T-Mobile Arena, plus the massive alleged eight-figure production cost that came with Saturday’s card, there’s fair reason to believe that they won’t head back to the venue despite their latest show being a massive hit.

Even if there will only ever be one UFC show in the Sphere, there’s an important lesson to take from Saturday night. So much of the anticipation swirling around the event was due to the fact that it would be something new, something different from the week-to-week churn that the brand produces. Shouldn’t they lean into breaking that repetition, even if it’s in smaller ways?

Over the past couple of decades, UFC has nailed down a formula on how to present their live events in person and on broadcasts. The way that most cards from the promotion are shown create a great atmosphere for audiences and hype up fans watching at home. But, sticking to a formula means that the shows have repetition. People know how the show is run every week, it’s always the same song and dance, and the only thing that really changes is who is fighting in the cage. For a sport that is arguably more linked to entertainment and professional wrestling than any other, why shouldn’t more avenues for storytelling and artistic expression be explored?

Part of what felt interesting about UFC 306 was the fact that it was simply something different. Whether or not the show would live up to expectations, we knew it was going to stray away from the run-of-the-mill broadcast format that we see on UFC cards.

With more than 40 events per year, so much of the UFC calendar blends together. And when the fights aren’t great, there’s nothing going for the shows. Instead of making cards solely about who is competing that evening, UFC should lean more into the entertainment side of the product and try more special-themed cards.

Home Run

Think of it this way: If it wasn’t for the Sphere, Saturday’s card would probably be considered one of the weaker PPVs of the year. Both title fights weren’t very competitive, the card was a shorter-than-usual 10 fights, and there were few ranked talents competing lower in the lineup. But the show having a unique presentation gave fans something else to enjoy as well, making the evening not just about the fights.

As much as renting out the Sphere and pouring millions into production is great, it wouldn’t even take that much to make UFC cards more special. Take for example Caposa’s idea to host a Pride FC tribute show in Japan, which could pay homage to a trailblazing MMA promotion that UFC owns the intellectual property of.

UFC 306 will be remembered as an absolute home run for the promotion, delivering the impressive mix of art and sport that they hoped to achieve. Nothing can match what they presented on Saturday at the Sphere unless, of course, they decide to head back to the venue someday. Here’s hoping that they will do something even a fraction as cool as this event in the future.

7 Positives & 4 Negatives From Noche UFC 306: Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili

On Saturday night, the mixed martial arts leader returned for its latest pay-per-view event. Noche UFC… I mean UFC 306… I mean Riyadh Season Noche UFC — that’s far too much choice for my brain to handle — was no ordinary MMA card. It was the very first live sporting event to take place inside […]

Continue Reading 7 Positives & 4 Negatives From Noche UFC 306: Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili at MMA News.

On Saturday night, the mixed martial arts leader returned for its latest pay-per-view event.

Noche UFC… I mean UFC 306… I mean Riyadh Season Noche UFC — that’s far too much choice for my brain to handle — was no ordinary MMA card. It was the very first live sporting event to take place inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere.

Dana White’s initial anger at the MGM for not alerting him to the PBC’s quick claim to the September 14 date to stage an always highly anticipated Canelo Álvarez outing birthed a new opportunity. The chance to put on an elaborate and expensive spectacle. The possibility to move beyond the arena setup we’re used to.

With great risk comes great reward. But with great superlatives — and boy did White and other UFC figures throw them around when describing what fans could expect — comes pressure to deliver.

Did they? More on that later.

Tasked with delivering in a different realm of entertainment were the fighters themselves, chief among them the four athletes entering the Octagon with gold on the line. The main event saw Sean O’Malley defend his belt against Merab Dvalishvili in a clash I’d have comfortably placed as the toughest to predict in 2024 in the lead-up. Oh, and the second toughest to predict came right beforehand as flyweight queen Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko completed their historic trilogy.

Elsewhere, the hottest rising name in the game Diego Lopes had his chance to climb into the featherweight top five against Brian Ortega, while Mexican standouts Daniel Zellhuber and Ronaldo Rodriguez looked to celebrate their nation’s independence in style.

But did all those names — and the $20 million Sphere show — come together to put on an exciting night of fights? Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from Noche UFC 306.

Negative – Not Even For The Sphere?!

Is getting value for money just not a thing in North America?

Best believe that if I’m spending thousands on cageside tickets to a UFC event (probably should have chosen a career other than MMA writer…), I’m not missing a punch, kick, eye poke, low blow, stance switch or damn syllable that comes out of Bruce Buffer’s mouth.

It seems my fellow Europeans largely feel the same. It is rare to see a super empty venue upon the start of any preliminary card on this side of the pond. In the US, however, it seems to be the opposite. Countless T-Mobile Arena-held PPVs have shown that even the top lineups and spectacles don’t draw those affluent enough for the top seats to the venue on time.

But for the very first live sporting event at the Sphere, that was bound to change. Right? RIGHT?! Miraculously, no. We had the usual selection of absent attendees.

Is it really too much to ask for fighting events to be watched by people who actually like and are there for fighting? Can we not have some sort of 20-question quiz to weed out the fakes? Perhaps that would have given the opening fight of Noche UFC 306 less of an Apex feel to it.

Some empty seats probably didn’t warrant a full negative here, I admit. But it pissed me off and, well, this is my editorial, so that’s that.

Positive – A Mexican Backfist

The talk of Las Vegas for the past week has been the famed Mexican fighting spirit and toughness. We didn’t get a strong display of that in fight one at Noche UFC 306, but boy did we in the second.

Mexicali’s Edgar Cháirez may not have had many bouts in the UFC, but he’s done his nation proud plenty of times. From going toe-to-toe with the undefeated Tatsuro Taira in defeat on just two weeks’ notice to a first-round triangle choke submission against Daniel Lacerda, “Puro Chicali’s” Octagon fights (no contest aside) haven’t been short on highlights.

Well, we can add the best yet to that after Saturday night. In fact, we can add one of the best highlights of 2024 to the end-of-year reels.

The Mexican produced that in his clash with Joshua Van inside the Sphere. Cháirez found himself in all sorts of trouble midway through round two when he was badly hurt to the liver and the victim of an absolute onslaught of hooks and uppecuts.

As he turned his back against the cage, Mark Smith looked a second away from stepping in. What happened next defied any and all expectation, as “Puro Chicali” uncorked a spinning backfist to rock Van and turn the tables.

Unfortunately for Cháirez, that moment of success wasn’t enough to carry him to victory on the scorecards. But when it comes to the “fight like a Mexican” saying, he fulfilled that and then some to bring some momentum back to the Sphere show alongside an impressive Van.

Positive – Club & Sub

We completed the trifecta of snoozefest, barnburner, and finish in the opening three fights of the night at Noche UFC 306. And when it comes to the first stoppage inside the Sphere, it was certainly worth the brief wait.

Ketlen Souza continued the trend set by Cháirez and Van by delivering utter violence. Poor Yazmin Jauregui essentially fell to both a knockout and a submission, first being flattened after falling on the much worse side of an exchange of left hooks.

As the Mexican barely woke back up and was probably filled with confusion about the spherical building she found herself in, her Brazilian counterpart met her on the ground, locked in a rear-naked choke, and rendered her unconscious again.

As far as the first finish to take place inside the Sphere, Souza couldn’t have delivered much better.

Now, a brief note on the release.

Souza definitely held on for an extra second, and that is not good to see. We’ve certainly seen more egregious instances of athletes not releasing submissions, but that doesn’t make the Brazilian’s decision to keep choking an unconscious opponent for longer than required any less disappointing.

Positive – A Mexican Warrior

This is the second positive that focuses on a losing Mexican. While a number of results went against the nation on Saturday’s preliminary card, the likes of Cháirez and Irene Aldana did not go down without a fight.

This could easily be a negative purely because of what a rough break it was for Aldana to be cut so badly from an inadvertent clash of heads in round two of her collision with Norma Dumont.

When I say worst cut in UFC history…

Off the top of my head, it’s certainly up there. But the former title challenger was not deterred, continuing her immense forward pressure through punches coming back her way that no doubt turned he cut from a bad blemish to a gaping wound in the final frame. Aldana’s commitment to throwing the kitchen sink in pursuit of a finish even saw her using her shirt as a blood towel in-between charges forward.

Aldana may not have gotten the result she wanted, but you won’t see many displays of toughness like that. And for that to come after a Fight of the Year contender in 2023, the Mexican is on a bloody run of brutality.

Of course, this fight wouldn’t have been a positive overall without the input of Norma Dumont, who showed her talents fighting off the back foot to actually outbox a boxing specialist in Aldana.

Her performance was impressive, and provided that her weight issues are a thing of the past, the Brazilian is well and truly in title contention at 135 pounds.

Positive – THAT’S How You Open

Raul Rosas Jr. did not really get the memo on what was required to enter bonus contention at the Sphere — or how to open the card at such a special event. Ronaldo Rodriguez and Ode’ Osbourne did.

Saturday’s prelims were strong aside from the dud of a first bout, which was quick to kill the immediate momentum that existed thanks to the intrigue surrounding the Sphere. But when it came to the PPV opener, Rodriguez and Osbourne put on a flyweight firecracker (yes alliteration was taught in junior school, and no, I won’t abandon it as I near 26) that only added to the occasion after the opening two chapters of “For Mexico, For All Time.”

Rodriguez was almost left with egg on his face after his confident walkout and in-cage dancing were quickly followed by a vicious right hand by “The Jamaican Sensation” that appeared set to see the Mexican finished in one round.

Somehow, someway, Rodriguez survived. And more than that, he went about delivering offense of his own en route to taking rounds two and three for the victory on the judges’ scorecards.

Speaking of the scorecards…

Negative – Consistency, Where Art Thou?

I really do hate having to include judging in the negative column because I’d like to avoid re-enforcing people’s often warped view of the scoring criteria and what constitutes a ‘robbery’.

But this can’t be ignored.

Two judges scored the main card opener 29-27 for Rodriguez, granting him a 10-8 in round two. The idea that the Mexican did enough for that and Osbourne didn’t in the first stanza is ludicrous.

The culprits? No prizes for correctly guessing Adalaide Byrd, who evidently has the job security of a worker walking in on their boss cheating on his wife with his assistant to still be judging at the highest level. She joined Ron McCarthy in turning in a real puzzler.

It would have been nice to emerge from such an incredible fight without a judging controversy. But nice things are difficult to come by in MMA.

Positive – The Fourth FOTN Of The Night

Whether down to the magnitude of the event — Sphere debut, Mexican Independence Day celebration, and all that jazz — or simply the fighters put on the lineup by the UFC, the sheer number of matchups that delivered fireworks on Saturday night was obscene.

The battle to secure Fight of the Night honors was already three contenders deep when Daniel Zellhuber and Esteban Ribovics entered the Octagon. They stole it in emphatic fashion and have likely left themselves as the current leaders in the race for 2024’s Fight of the Year.

The star of the show was round three, which began with the Mexican dropping his Argentine foe with a brutal elbow, transitioned to Ribovics pursuing a finish after putting Zellhuber on wobbly legs, and ended with both men trading bombs to the horn.

The fight was utter insanity and, incredibly, once again marked an instance of a Mexican displaying immense toughness and resolve but ultimately falling short when it came to the decision.

Positive – Lopes Lands In The Top Five

First and foremost, is there a better duo than Bruce Buffer and the name Diego? Secondly, how good is the Diego he was introducing at Noche UFC 306?

Diego Lopes 30-26’d a former two-time title challenger and longtime top-five featherweight contender in Brian Ortega to ascend from the lower steps of the rankings to a strong position in the title picture. That’s a sentence I would not have expected to be writing 16 months ago when the Mexico-residing Brazilian stepped in on late notice to share the cage with the undefeated Movsar Evloev.

But since then, Lopes has continued to impress more and more with each outing. And after doing so with his game attitude against same-day opponent Dan Ige in late June, the up-and-comer let his incredible skills do the talking inside the Sphere, first by dropping “T-City” early and then by dominating the remainder of the contest.

Does Lopes beat champion Ilia Topuria or UFC 308 challenger Max Holloway? Anything can happen, but I don’t think so. But will he give us an entertaining title fight against either man? Absolutely.

Negative – Shutout

I can’t remember the last time a fight I found impossible to predict turned out to be completely one-sided. After two competitive fights in 2023, Alexa Grasso simply had nothing for Valentina Shevchenko at Noche UFC 306.

The champion may well have been fortunate to escape last year’s Mexican Independence Day celebration with the title still in her possession, but that fight was the furthest thing from the shutout “Bullet” pitched inside the Sphere.

The main negative here is Grasso’s performance, which peaked at some submission attempts that were never really close to putting Shevchenko in too much trouble. And when it came to altering the course of the fight, not much of use came out of the Mexican’s corner, who appeared resigned to simply urging the champ to strike as if she was choosing for the bout to hit the mat.

Shevchenko’s performance was smart and unwavering, and does not contribute to this negative. But after a thrilling main card up to that point — and the expectation of a highly competitive clash — the first women’s trilogy in UFC history was a complete disappointment.

Negative – Welcome To The Sugar Snoozer

What a horrendous way for such an enthralling show and largely great card to end.

After Shevchenko controlled Grasso en route to a lackluster five-round decision, fireworks were also absent in a bizarre main event that was similarly odd to its title predecessor but for different reasons.

First and foremost were some strange antics from Merab Dvalishvili, who spent the opening seconds screaming at Sean O’Malley’s corner, where Tim Welch was evidently up to his old tricks again. Referee Herb Dean warned him for “excessive coaching.” Does ‘attempting to trick the opposition fighter’ really fall into that bracket? Also, what could have come from said warning should it have been ignored? Are we talking a WWE-style banishment to the back for the coach?

Speaking of Herb…

What on Earth was going through his head toward the end? The veteran official was throwing around some misplaced “keep working” comments during grappling exchanges but it was the final seconds when he went utterly mad, urging the pair to “work” as Dvalishvili circled to protect his guaranteed title win. When did referees’ job description include ‘try to force athletes into a Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje ending’?

Dvalishvili deserves credit for an impressive display of dominance. Wow is he relentless, and wow is his cardio legendary. But when the main talking points from a pay-per-view main event don’t include the fight itself, it has to go into the negative column.

Positive – The Sphere

It would be remiss of me not to conclude this by commenting on what was, let’s be honest, the main show.

It’s important to note the sheer number of prominent fans and pundits online who decided the Sphere experiment was a failure within five minutes of the prelims. Not only had we been told to expect the big stuff during the main card, but did they really expect one of the card’s main drawing points to be revealed prior to the pay-per-view? For free?!

I have my fair share of criticism for the UFC, but anyone who gave their review of the Sphere’s use on Saturday night during the opening fights was simply always going to be negative about the experience whatever they witnessed.

Sure, things started off slowly, but the increasing spectacle built anticipation heading into the PPV main card, and then things well and truly picked up. While I had little doubt that things would be impressive in-person, I was skeptical about the extent to which the experience would translate to television.

How did it translate? Well, very well.

Even on a desktop screen, the 90-second films had the kind of trippy effect I imagine those in attendance felt (amplified, of course). And the ‘worlds’ that the arena transformed into for each fight were spectacular. The final film wasn’t the strongest and felt like a slightly anticlimactic end, but that by no means takes away from the overall show.

And a word on the ring girls, whose attire matched each chapter of the main card film and provided a fantastic aesthetic. All eyes were on the Sphere, but small details like the selection of ring girls and their elaborate clothing made this even feel even grander.

Now, if you showed me the event without any knowledge of the cost that White and co. have long discussed and told me what we saw was the result of $20 million investment, I’d be shocked. But I admit to being out of the loop when it comes to the price of technology like this, and MMA media doesn’t pay well enough for me to have any grasp of what would be worth $20 million.

The other point to highlight is the UFC CEO’s pre-event remarks, which honestly set the bar to an unattainable level. The event was unbelievable, and I was in awe of the visuals in a way I never have been before when watching a sporting event. In that regard, mission accomplished for the UFC.

But I can’t help feeling the overall consensus would have been stronger had White not spent months on a tour of superlatives that only widened the chance for some detractors to feel underwhelmed.

Continue Reading 7 Positives & 4 Negatives From Noche UFC 306: Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili at MMA News.