UFC 271 featured a middleweight title fight that had Israel Adesanya retain his title and another middleweight put himself next in line. Also, a warrior hung up her gloves and some heavyweights shook things up in Texas in the co-main event that made the pay-per-view fun enough. There was a lot to take away from…
UFC 271 featured a middleweight title fight that had Israel Adesanya retain his title and another middleweight put himself next in line. Also, a warrior hung up her gloves and some heavyweights shook things up in Texas in the co-main event that made the pay-per-view fun enough.
There was a lot to take away from UFC 271, here are some things that stood out.
Contracts
On Wednesday of fight week, many of the UFC regularly reporting entities had mentioned that before the fight, Israel Adesanya’s management had announced that he renewed his contract with the UFC for another multi-fight deal. Considering that he had yet to defend the title at the time and signed his end of the deal to face Whittaker the same week is either proof that fighters are getting more leverage, or his management is one of the best for athletes in MMA.
Per a release from @ParadigmSports, Israel Adesanya has signed a new multi-fight deal with the UFC, making him "one of the top paid athletes in the history of mixed martial arts."
During weigh-ins Friday morning there were some updates announced for UFC 271. William Knight came in 12 pounds over the contracted weight against his bout with Max Grishin. As a result, Knight had to forfeit 40% of his purse and the two will fight as heavyweights officially. Then, Alex Perez also missed weight as well and his match against Matt Schnell was canceled.
No Rogan
You might have missed it, but Joe Rogan has been in the news a lot in recent weeks. Some of it is due to the guests he has had on his podcast and the conversations they had about COVID-19, and most recently for footage of him using a racial slur years ago. ESPN, a company owned by Disney handles the broadcast and sells the UFC pay-per-views. So, on Friday-the day before the event, it was announced that Rogan would not be calling the event.
Per a UFC official, Joe Rogan had a scheduling conflict this week and will not be on the call for UFC 271.
He is scheduled to do colour commentary for UFC 272 in March.
Tomorrow's broadcast booth will consist of Jon Anik, Daniel Cormier and Michael Bisping.
While it was said that it was due to a “scheduling conflict,” given the current state of media, one has to wonder if that was the case. In the post-fight press conference, UFC President Dana White said he expects Rogan to work again when there are no conflicts that keep him from working.
The Happy Warrior
Roxanne Modafferi fought her last fight at UFC 271. She lost a split decision to Kasey O’Neill and while the judging of the fight was questionable, the heart of Modafferi has never left any doubt. Good luck to you and whatever you do in the future.
Jared Connonier Secures His Spot Amongst Middleweights
With the win he picked up at UFC 271 over Derrick Brunson, Cannonier made sure Dana White’s attention was on him in the cage in his post-fight interview when he said he wanted the winner of the main event of UFC 271. It’s hard to argue that he should be next in line for the middleweight crown.
Swangin and Bangin
Both Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa delivered on their promise to put on a show in the co-main event. With minimal clinching and a lot of swinging, fans were not disappointed in the fight these two heavyweights put on. While Lewis impressed with some takedowns in round one, it would be the resilience of Tuivasa in round two that would have him win the striking exchange and catapult himself up the heavyweight rankings.
To Beat The Champ…
Adesanya won his bout against Whittaker but Whittaker did a lot better than the first time they met. So much so, that he even felt he won the latter rounds and did enough to win. Given the odd judging in Modafferi and O’Neill’s fight, it’s no surprise that the result is sure to be a topic of conversation when the UFC updates their rankings on Tuesday.
There’s obviously more to take away from this event than what is listed here. The match between Adesanya and Connonier is all but booked and with things opening up, Dana White expressed interest in adding more locations to the UFC’s road schedule in 2022. Time will tell but hopefully, things get back to something close to normal.
We’ve got a full, comprehensive breakdown of all the storylines heading into tomorrow night’s UFC 271 event along with the final face-offs. UFC 271 goes down tomorrow night, February 12, 2022. The action kicks off at 6:00 PM ET on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass, followed by the ESPN prelims at 8:00 PM. The main card begins at…
We’ve got a full, comprehensive breakdown of all the storylines heading into tomorrow night’s UFC 271 event along with the final face-offs.
UFC 271 goes down tomorrow night, February 12, 2022. The action kicks off at 6:00 PM ET on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass, followed by the ESPN prelims at 8:00 PM. The main card begins at 10:00 PM ET on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
We’ve got a preview of the entire card and the storylines attached to each fight below capped off with the face-offs. And be sure to check out our staff predictions for the event right here!
Jeremiah Wells (9-2) vs. Mike Mathetha (3-0)
Jeremiah Wells enters the fight on a three-fight winning streak after having KO’d Warrley Alves in his debut and showing no trace of UFC jitters in the process.
Douglas Silva de Andrade (27-4) vs. Sergey Morozov (17-5)
Silva de Andrade is a 15-year fight veteran who has alternated wins and losses since 2016. He won his first Performance of the Night in his last fight with a KO of Gaetano Pirrello in the first round. de Andrade holds a quietly amazing record of 27-4.
Sergey Morozov is 8-2 in his last 10 fights, with the only two losses coming to the highly touted Umar Nurmagomedov and Movsar Evloev outside of the UFC. Morozov most recently defeated Khalid Taha via decision in July. You can peep some of Morozov’s highlightsright here.
Below, you can catch the final faceoff between these two athletes.
A.J. Dobson earned his UFC contract with first-round submission on Dana White’s Contender Series. Five of his six wins came via first-round finish, with three KO/TKOs and three submissions. You can watch AJ Dobson Contender Series, Next Level here.
Jacob Malkoun is 1-1 in the UFC after defeating Abdul Razak Alhassan most recently last April via decision. Prior to that, he lost to Phil Hawes. Of note, Malkoun attempted 24 takedowns against Alhassan. So hard-hitter A.J. Dobson may need to pack in his wrestling shoes for this one.
You can catch the final face-off between these two below.
Talented MWs step into the Octagon tomorrow at #UFC271!
Fabio Cherant is off to a rocky 0-2 start in the UFC, first being submitted by Alonzo Menifeld and then being knocked out by William Knight. To help turn his UFC fortunes, Cherant has been putting in time training at Sanford MMA and Fight Ready. You can learn more about Cherant via his LFA Diaries here.
Ronnie Lawrence comes in as one of the biggest favorites on the card at -305, with the comeback on Leomana Martinez being +240. Lawrence is on a four-fight winning streak and made the UFC’s “Fighters You Should Know” list for this card. He won his UFC debut via TKO in February over Vince Cachero. You can expect Lawrence to carry with him his wrestling, relentless takedown attempts, and a gas tank that never goes on empty.
Leomana Martinez is on a three-fight winning streak after being submitted on Contender Series in 2020. At UFC 271, Martinez will be competing in his hometown of Houston. So you can be sure he’ll be looking to leave a memorable impression, such as a KO like this one over CaseyJones.
You can catch the final face-offs between these fighters below.
Closing out the early prelims with ??????? and ??? ????
Maxim Grishin is 1-2 in the UFC and most recently lost to Dustin Jacoby via unanimous decision. Prior to his UFC debut, Grishin had not lost in his last nine fights and not since 2016. You can peep some of Grishin’s highlights here.
William Knight is 3-1 in the UFC after earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series.He knocked out Fabio Cherant to win Performance of the Night in August 2021 and most recently defeated Alonzo Menifeld via unanimous decision in December. He is coming into this fight on short notice.
You can catch the face-off between Knight and Grishin below.
In his last outing, Kyler Phillips lost to Raulian Paiva via unanimous decision in July 2021 in a Fight of the Night. Before that, he defeated prospect Song Yadong via unanimous decision. He is 3-1 in the UFC, including an impressive 2020 finish overCameron Else.
Marcelo Rojo is 0-1 in the UFC after being knocked out by Charles Jourdain in the third round. He’s 1-2 in his last three fights, with 14 of his 16 wins by stoppage. You can peep the best of Marcelo Rojo here.
At 43 years old, Andrei Arlovski still finds himself as the favorite (-145) going up against a younger opponent in 29-year-old Jared Vanderra. Arlovski has won his last two fights, first over Chase Sherman and then over Carlos Felipe. Here is a look back at some of Arlovski’s greatest moments as we await yet another Octagon walk for the legend tomorrow.
After earning a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020, Vanderaa has gone on to have a 1-2 record in the UFC. Most recently, he lost to Alexander Romanov via TKO in October 2021. Prior to that, he won Fight of the Night in a decision win over Justin Tafa.
You can catch the face-off of these two heavyweights below.
Bobby Green last won Performance of the Night in knocking out Al Iaquinta at UFC 268. This was his first stoppage since 2013. Prior to that win, he also won Fight of the Night in a loss to Rafael Fiziev at UFC 265.
We’ve seen Green compete in the UFC for nearly a full decade. After the UFC’s kind gesture of paying his brother’s funeral costs, Green maintains that he intends to remain loyal to the promotion throughout his career. Judging from his last performance against Iaquinta, that career may have many chapters to come.
The next one comes against Nasrat Haqparast, who most recently lost to Dan Hooker via unanimous decision at UFC 266. Haqparast is 5-3 in the UFC, with one of those wins being a vicious KO of Joaquim Silva in 2019.
You can catch the very fiesty face-off between these two fighters below.
Alexander Hernandez (13-4) vs. Renato Moicano (15-4)
Alexander Hernandez has alternated wins and losses since 2018. You couldn’t tell judging from his most recent performance, though, where he knocked out Mike Breeden last October. Hernandez owns two Performance of the Night wins and is 5-3 in the UFC. Hernandez was unhappy to be on the prelims, so now we’ll see what he does after being bumped up on the main card against Renato Moicano.
Renato Moicano is 2-1 at lightweight after once being ranked in the featherweight top 5. Most recently, Moicano submitted Jai Herbert in June 2021. His losses in the UFC have only come against killers: Brian Ortega, José Aldo, The Korean Zombie, and Rafael Fiziev.
Check out the face-off between these two competitors below, which includes Moicano leaving Hernandez hanging…
This weekend's must see matchup keeps the main card MOVING
If Brunson gets the win that he is clearly anticipating, he will have completed one leg of his retirement tour, which would include one final fight against whoever is middleweight champion.
This bout will also feature two top-50 athletes on The MMA News Top 100 Fighters of 2021 list. Brunson was ranked four spots ahead of Cannonier, so “The Killa Gorilla” can show that our panel was a little bit off in this key middleweight clash tomorrow night.
Here is the final face-off between these two top-5ers:
Derrick Lewis (#3) has won five of his last six fights. The UFC’s KO king most recently slept Chris Daukaus last December after losing an interim title fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC 265 in his own backyard. Now, “The Black Beast” is back in Houston and ready for redemption.
For Tai Tuivasa (#11), this is a massive opportunity. He’s on a four-fight winning streak, with all coming by KO. Not only that, but only one of his career wins has not come by KO. If Tuivasa adds Lewis to the list, he may very well crack the heavyweight top 5 and enter the world-title conversation.
It should come as no surprise that Whittaker isn’t a fan of comments like these, and he’s gone as far as to say that he flat out doesn’t like Adesanay’s character and the way he conducts himself.
Adesanya has also pinpointed what he believes to be the precise moment he will break Robert Whittaker’s spirit during the bout, which is when Whittaker learns that he can’t outgrapple him. Whittaker has addressed this assumption that this is what he will try to do, even unloading on the “Just Take Adesanya Down” brigade leading up to the fight.
The champion’s main motivation heading into tomorrow is to not only overcome those nerves but outdo his performance against Whittaker at UFC 243—and in so doing, send Whittaker back to that dark place.
Check out the final face-off between these two rivals below along with their closing remarks.
To view the full UFC 271 Ceremonial Weigh-in, you can do so right here. And please be sure to keep it locked on MMANews.com tomorrow for full, live coverage of UFC 271!
UFC 271 is now two sleeps away, and our staff is ready to get you even more amped up for the second pay-per-view event of 2022! UFC 271 will be available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view on Saturday, February 12. The main card begins at 10:00 PM ET, and the ESPN2 preliminary card kicks off at…
UFC 271 is now two sleeps away, and our staff is ready to get you even more amped up for the second pay-per-view event of 2022!
UFC 271 will be available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view on Saturday, February 12. The main card begins at 10:00 PM ET, and the ESPN2 preliminary card kicks off at 8:00 PM. The early preliminary card starts at 6:00 PM.
The main event will feature a rematch between two of the best middleweights to ever do it when Israel Adesanya faces Robert Whittaker again. Whittaker earned the rematch by winning three consecutive fights on his journey toward redemption. Will he get it? Our staff will dig into the predictions ahead.
The co-main event is quite the tricky bout to predict, as it will feature two men who can stop the show at any moment when KO king Derrick Lewis takes on Tai Tuivasa, who has won all but one of his 14 wins by KO, including every one of his four-fight winning streak.
Also on the main card, an unofficial title eliminator between Jared Cannonier and Derek Brunson is set to take place. We will also see Kyler Phillips try to bounce back from his first UFC loss against Marcelo Rojo and veteran Bobby Green return to the Octagon against Nasrat Haqparast.
UFC 271 Staff Predictions
MMA News is the place to be for all the latest UFC 271 updates. Harvey Leonard, Andrew Ravens, Ed Carbajal, and special guest Tyriece Simon have provided their picks for you.
Here is the full main card lineup for UFC 271:
UFC Middleweight Championship: Israel Adesanya (c) vs. Robert Whittaker
Heavyweight: Derrick Lewis vs. Tai Tuivasa
Middleweight: Jared Cannonier vs. Derek Brunson
Bantamweight: Kyler Phillips vs. Marcelo Rojo
Lightweight: Bobby Green vs. Nasrat Haqparast
Bobby Green vs. Nasrat Haqparast
Bobby Green, Nasrat Haqparast
Harvey Leonard: There is certainly more pressure on Haqparast in this one. The German’s striking speed is impressive, and if he can utilize his reach advantage and land at a high volume, he could edge a decision, like how Fiziev did against Green last year. However, Haqparast can often fall into the trap of becoming too predictable. Against an experienced campaigner like Green, it’s hard to picture that going unpunished.
The key for Haqparast will be variety and change-ups on the feet, something Green could look to stifle with takedowns and wrestling, similar to Hooker’s UFC 266 game plan, or a mixed striking approach himself. I give a narrow edge to “King.” (Prediction: Bobby Green)
Andrew Ravens: A tough fight for both guys as Green is always game and going to bring a fistfight to anyone who steps up to him, so it’s going to be a fun fight. Nasrat has a lot of upside and probably hasn’t even hit his prime yet. I’ll side with Hasrat by decision. (Prediction: Nasrat Haqparast)
Ed Carbajal: This opener should make for an exciting lightweight bout. Green’s experience could trump the youth and inexperience of Haqparast, but in today’s realm of combat sports, it’s never been more obvious that MMA is a young man’s game. Green certainly has the ingredients to put Haqparast away early, but if it goes longer than one and a half rounds, I’m going with the younger fighter. (Prediction: Nasrat Haqparast)
Tyriece Simon: This fight should be really entertaining. Bobby Green has good head movement and striking. He also has the wrestling that he can mix with his striking to create problems for Nasrat Haqparast. I think it will be a close fight, but Green gets the win. (Prediction: Bobby Green)
Final Scorecard: 2-2 Draw
Kyler Phillips vs. Marcelo Rojo
Kyler Phillips, Marcelo Rojo
Harvey Leonard: Phillips has impressed so far, and his win over Yadong should not be understated. He also shouldn’t have been handed a loss to Paiva. While he’ll be looking to get back on track, Rojo will hope to rebound from his debut defeat, with his place in the promotion likely on the line.
Unfortunately, I think it’s unlikely he’ll be able to outpoint the more well-rounded Phillips. And given that the 26-year-old has never been finished, it looks set to be a tough task for Rojo. If he can attack Phillips’ lead leg and slow his movement, and if Phillips pushes too hard for a battle on the feet and a KO, Rojo will have a chance, but I see it as a slim one. (Prediction: Kyler Phillips)
Andrew Ravens: This is going to be a real challenge for Rojo, who is making his second UFC appearance here. Kyler will likely never be a champion, but he is someone who is solid competition and everything I’ve seen makes it seem like this is going to be a one-sided beatdown with Kyler getting it done by submission. (Prediction: Kyler Phillips)
Ed Carbajal: Phillips is a bantamweight that came out of LFA, one of the places the UFC farms a lot of talent from that does very well once they’re signed. He is coming off a loss, but it was a decision loss, which means he was never out of the fight. Rojo came to the UFC from Combate Global and has had a few ups and downs. He’s coming off a loss, too, and while that should motivate both men for a finish, Phillips is more likely to get one. (Prediction: Kyler Phillips)
Tyriece Simon: Kyler Phillips wants to rebound from his majority decision loss against Raulian Paiva. Before his loss against Paiva, Phillips had won three fights straight, including a win over Song Yadong. Meanwhile, Rojo is looking to get his first win in the UFC. I think Phillips’ striking and speed will be too much for Rojo. (Prediction: Kyler Phillips)
Final Scorecard: 4-0 Phillips
Jared Cannonier vs. Derek Brunson
Derek Brunson Jared Cannonier
Harvey Leonard: There’s only so many times I can count Brunson out before I learn not to underestimate him. However, I’m going to try my luck one last time. Brunson’s game plan is clear. And if he executes it like he did against Till, he’ll win.
But against a middleweight as experienced and powerful as Cannonier, not to mention his strong takedown defense, I can’t see Brunson being able to turn this into a wrestling match, and anything but that favors “The Killa Gorilla.” (Prediction: Jared Cannonier)
Andrew Ravens: Brunson gets it done here. The longtime star has been on fire as of late and collected an impressive winning streak. Jared is a tough guy and one of the best in the division. His only loss since 2018 came against Robert Whittaker, and that should tell you all that you need to know. At 38-years-old, Brunson knows that if he wants to fight for a title, he needs to keep winning, so I think heart and focus will outperform Jared. (Prediction: Derek Brunson)
Ed Carbajal: This fight is pretty even despite the experience of Brunson over Cannonier in their MMA careers. Brunson has a slight height advantage but not enough to matter, and they’re pretty even in reach. Cannonier’s striking output seems to be greater than Brunson’s, so I would not be surprised if we see a lot of takedowns from Brunson, and that could get him a decision win. (Prediction: Derek Brunson)
Tyriece Simon: Derek Brunson has looked impressive, relying on his wrestling to win dominantly in his last four fights. However, Jared Cannonier has good takedown defense at middleweight (only been taken down once since moving to middleweight) and has power in his hands to knockout Brunson. I think Cannonier keeps the fight standing and beats Brunson. (Prediction: Jared Cannonier)
Final Scorecard: 2-2 Draw
Derrick Lewis vs. Tai Tuivasa
Tai Tuivasa, Derrick Lewis
Harvey Leonard: It’s pretty unique to have a fight where a KO/TKO is effectively guaranteed, but the winner is so hard to predict. This could well come down to whoever gets a clean shot in first. My gut tells me the more patient Lewis will be able to catch the fast-starting Tuivasa as he rushes in.
However, Tuivasa’s recent admission that he’ll have to fight “smart” has encouraged me about his chances. I see this one as pretty much a coin flip, but I’m leaning 51/49 in favor of “The Black Beast.” (Prediction: Derrick Lewis)
Andrew Ravens: Tai has been on a roll as of late while Lewis is looking to continue the ball rolling forward in his hometown. Most will side with Lewis to win here, and I think he gets it done by decision. Although Tai is a tough dude and will test the gas tank of the fan-favorite, I don’t think he has the skills to outstrike Lewis. (Prediction: Derrick Lewis)
Ed Carbajal: Up until UFC 265, Lewis was undefeated in Texas. That loss was to Ciryl Gane and his fifth time being T/KO’d. Tuivasa has only been T/KO’d once in his professional career, so if the chins are going to be checked between these two fan favorites, I would not be surprised if the underdog, Tuivasa pays off in this matchup. I don’t think home-field advantage matters anymore in combat sports. (Prediction: Tai Tuivasa)
Tyriece Simon: The last time Lewis fought in Houston, Texas, he lost to Ciryl Gane. I think Lewis wants to win at home, and he has the power to knock out any heavyweight. I also believe that Tuivasa will want to fight in close distance to knock out Lewis, and he will get hurt instead. (Prediction: Derrick Lewis)
Final Scorecard: 3-1 Lewis
Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker
Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya, Photo credit: Zuffa LLC
Harvey Leonard: Adesanya has grown into a unique position where I think he’s almost impossible to bet against, at least at middleweight. Having seen Vettori’s failed attempts to take the champ down last year, I can’t envision Whittaker being able to impose his will in the grappling department. Beyond that, how does he win? Can he outstrike Adesanya? Finish him? It’s tough to see.
But outside of his loss to Adesanya, “The Reaper” is unbeaten since 2014 and has looked unstoppable in his last three fights. If he’s at his best, and really is a “different beast” on the feet now, as his manager claims, there’s no one more likely to hand Adesanya his first blemish at 185 pounds. I expect a tight contest, but one “The Last Stylebender” edges. (Prediction: Israel Adesanya)
Andrew Ravens: Finally, the rematch that we’ve all been waiting for. The shine on Israel has started to fade compared to where he had been when he first won the title. On the flip side, Whittaker has done everything right to get back to this spot and fight for a title while also doing it in an interesting fashion.
Honestly, I wouldn’t be shocked if Whittaker wins here by split decision, as I think he’s going to give Israel a real challenge. However, I do think Israel is currently the best fighter in the division, so I’ll side with him getting it done by decision. (Prediction: Israel Adesanya )
Ed Carbajal: This main event doesn’t seem as hyped as the first time around. Probably because the first time went so well for Adesanya, it’s hard to think anything will go differently the second time around. But it’s fun to think it would, right? Whittaker did take some time off, so there’s always a chance, but not big enough for me to not go with the current champion. (Prediction: Israel Adesanya)
Tyriece Simon: This fight is tough to call because of how skilled both fighters are. In the first fight, Robert Whittaker returned after a year recovering from injuries against a very active Israel Adesanya. In his last three wins, Whittaker looked healthy and motivated to reclaim the UFC middleweight championship.
While Adesanya has looked sensational and unbeatable at middleweight, I think Whittaker has the skills to give him problems. He may be the underdog in the fight, but I believe Whittaker can pull off the upset. (Prediction: Robert Whittaker)
Final Scorecard: 3-1 Adesanya
That’ll do it for our UFC 271 staff picks! What do you think? Do your picks look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the UFC 271 undercard below.
At the start of the year, we published a piece differentiating between the terms GOAT and BOAT. As the GOAT, an athlete was able to achieve sustained greatness through their accolades, records, championships, etc. But what’s this talk about a BOAT? The BOAT is the Best of All Time. Unlike the GOAT, you aren’t bound by…
The BOAT is the Best of All Time. Unlike the GOAT, you aren’t bound by the laws of longevity. There’s no need to wait for a decade or more to begin a conversation that you can plainly see is going to happen anyway. Nope, you can strictly go by talent and the likelihood to win any given contest, no matter the circumstances.
This week in BOAT talk, Chael Sonnen tackles the debate of Anderson Silva vs. Israel Adesanya for middleweight supremacy.
Last week, Daniel Cormier gave his take on just who is the middleweight GOAT. Seeing as how the majority of people define a “GOAT” to be the man who has the most accomplishments in a given field, Cormier considered it an insult to rank anyone over Anderson Silva, who has the most successful title defenses in UFC middleweight history. Below, you can find Mr. Cormier’s argument.
“No. Dude, Anderson Silva existed. Anderson Silva existed. Like, I don’t get this recency bias that fans have,” Cormier said during a recent episode of DC&RC. “Honestly RC, I think the word ‘GOAT’ gets thrown around way too easy in fight sports. The only person that doesn’t get passed is Muhammad Ali and there have been some really impressive fighters, but people recognize what Muhammad Ali was. Anderson Silva was to MMA what Muhammad Ali was to boxing. No, [Israel Adesanya] has some work to do to catch Anderson.” (h/t SportsKeeda)
Chael Sonnen Takes Cormier To Task For MW GOAT Take
Chael Sonnen, Daniel Cormier
Chael Sonnen feels as strong about this debate as Cormier, only he is taking the opposite side. Both Sonnen and Cormier have competed against Anderson Silva before. Sonnen fell short twice while Cormier defeated Silva at UFC 200. Sonnen believes that victory is the most logical explanation for DC placing Silva over Adesanya despite the fact that he feels “The Last Style Bender” squashed The Spider’s place as MW GOAT.
“(Cormier) said that other people come up to him all the time and ask him about Adesanya. And then they, in their question about Adesanya, say to him, ‘Is he the greatest of all time?’ Daniel pushed back and said, ‘Time out. Recency bias aside, Anderson Silva existed. Anderson Silva is the greatest of all time.’ He then went on to talk about (how) we always do that. We always pass up somebody with somebody new, and the only sports figure in history that that hasn’t happened to is Muhammad Ali.’ What in the BLEEP is Daniel Cormier talking about?!” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel.
“There is nothing on that that is accurate. There is no way that Daniel believes it, except Daniel fought Anderson Silva and would like to pad his own résumé so he wants to have beaten the greatest of all time (is) all I can think. Or, he didn’t have enough time to think about the question. There is zero truth to it.”
Sonnen would also use Muhammad Ali as an example of erroneous usage of the “GOAT” label. Sonnen argued that if we were to poll trainers and boxers of 2022 who they watched film on to improve their technique and skillset, it wouldn’t be Muhammad Ali.
Sonnen would go on to shoot down common arguments found in GOAT debates where the losing fighter is granted an “out-of-prime” exception.
“Look, if we are at least down to Adesanya and Anderson, we’ve done a good and fair job as a community. Because those are the two. I will tell you this: they fought. And it was a good fight. Adesanya won two rounds to one. Everybody saw it the same as the judges. Adesanya won 1 and 3; Anderson won number 2. It was a valiant effort by Anderson. It was closer than any of us thought that it was gonna be. It was a great fight. But that still answers the question, if you’re being fair. If you want to be unfair and your side doesn’t win, you (say), ‘Well, he wasn’t in his prime.’ Shut up with all that. Just stop. Stop.”
Fabricio Werdum vs. Fedor Emelianenko, Image Credit: Associated Press
One person who is often granted an out-of-prime exemption is heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko. Those who argue he is the heavyweight or overall MMA GOAT dismiss losses to names like Dan Henderson, Fabricio Werdum, and Antonio Silva because Fedor (who was in his early-mid 30s at the time of those losses) was out of his prime. Sonnen appears to believe that Anderson Silva is being granted this same exemption when it comes to his loss to Israel Adesanya at UFC 234.
There is just one problem with Sonnen’s take. For the most part, the vast majority of people do not define GOAT the way he seems to. It is clear that what Sonnen is arguing is that Israel Adesanya is the BOAT. He is arguing that Adesanya is a better, not more accomplished, fighter than Silva. He believes that Israel Adesanya is more likely to win any given fight, and that Adesanya further proved his superiority by defeating Silva head-to-head, thus closing the door on any credible debate on the matter.
If Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen had a face-to-face debate on this issue, I can assure you that they would talk in circles. The reason being that they are debating two different things. Daniel Cormier is having a GOAT debate while Chael Sonnen is having a BOAT debate.
Folks, there are over 500,000 words in the English language. That number changes every year, and each year brings new additions. It wasn’t too long ago that “GOAT” was added to the English and sports lexicon. When there are so many words in just one language, this can only be possible when there are several words that have very similar meanings but with the slightest of alterations.
It is undebatable that “BOAT” is one of those words; that it has a clear difference in meaning than GOAT; and most importantly, that we need to finally add it to the English and sports lexicon.
At the start of the year, we published a piece differentiating between the terms GOAT and BOAT. As the GOAT, an athlete was able to achieve sustained greatness through their accolades, records, championships, etc. But what’s this talk about a BOAT?
The BOAT is the Best of All Time. Unlike the GOAT, you aren’t bound by the laws of longevity. There’s no need to wait for a decade or more to begin a conversation that you can plainly see is going to happen anyway. Nope, you can strictly go by talent and the likelihood to win any given contest, no matter the circumstances.
Last weekend, two men boosted their BOAT candidacy in their respective crafts. Francis Ngannou added a high-value name to his decorated résumé when he defeated Ciryl Gane, an undefeated man he was placed as an underdog against, via unanimous decision. In so doing, Ngannou took another step closer if not fully into heavyweight BOAT waters.
As for Patrick Mahomes, he racked up 378 yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and several BOAT-esque clutch plays that don’t show up on a stat sheet when he led the Kansas City Chiefs to a divisional playoff win over the snakebitten Buffalo Bills.
AP Photo/Ed Zurga
To the untrained ear, there is no difference between these two terms. That’s why the only term used in debates in the sports media and in any discussion platform is “GOAT,” even when the opposing sides are clearly weighing and discussing different criteria. But if you listen more carefully, you’ll notice that this distinction pops up all the time.
Such was the case earlier this week on FS1’s First Things First when Nick Wright was basking in the afterglow of the win of his beloved Kansas City Chiefs and the performance of their star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.
“And there is nothing more perfect than the best football weekend we have ever seen—because that’s what this weekend was—being punctuated by the best football player we have ever seen winning the day,” Wright said at the top of Monday’s program.
At this point, one of Wright’s cohosts, Kevin Wildes, briefly interjected to express his disapproval to such high praise for a 26-year-old who has only been in the NFL for five seasons. That’s when Wright started spittin’ that BOAT talk.
“Is he the most accomplished? No. All-time quarterback rankings, take all those, crumple them up, and throw ’em in the trash…because everybody knows this: There is not a person watching this show, not one, that if your life were on the line and you were asked, ‘You can have any quarterback (in) NFL history for one game, one drive, one throw, who ya takin’?’ The answer from everyone, from K.C. Wolf the Chiefs’ mascot to Gisele Bundchen, is Patrick bleepin’ Mahomes!”
Moments later, another show cohost Chris Broussard chimed in, unknowingly educating program viewers on the difference between the GOAT and the BOAT.
“I want to address what you said because a lot of people obviously gonna just blow off, ‘Oh, Mahomes (is) the best player ever? Not just the best player right now? You said the best player ever?’
“And it’s premature. However, people were saying Michael Jordan was the greatest basketball player ever long before he won six rings. In 1994 when they built that statue in front of (the) United Center, it says ‘The best there ever was, the best there ever will be.’ That was after three rings.
Michael Jordan, Bobby Knight, Image Credit: Basketball Network
“Bobby Knight, coaching Michael Jordan in the Olympics in 1984, said ‘He’s the best basketball player I’ve ever seen.’ Obviously, Bobby Knight saw all the greats. So I’m not gonna completely dismiss what you said. Obviously, when we talk GOAT, [Mahomes] has to win championships and all that.”
But as Wright alluded, when we talk BOAT, you break things down to even simpler terms: Who would you trust to come through and win based on their talent and likelihood to win on any given night?
Like Patrick Mahomes to Tom Brady, Francis Ngannou doesn’t have the amount of championship wins as the consensus GOAT of his division, Stipe Miocic. But just as Wright argued with Mahomes, if the fate of the world is on the line, your life is depending on it, and you have to choose one heavyweight fighter to win a fight, who are you taking?
If you’re smart, you’d put some serious thought into taking the 2021/2022 version of the greatest KO artist in heavyweight history who has added takedown defense and offensive wrestling to his game and who, when at his best, has steamrolled names like Cain Velasquez, Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos, and Stipe Miocic.
And then, when arguably his worst, he beat an undefeated next-generation phenom in Ciryl Gane while on a bum knee. Oh, and by the way, he’s never been dropped by strikes or finished in the most dangerous MMA division. That’s BOAT ish.
And I don’t know about you, but if my life is on the line, I’m riding to safety with the BOAT over any GOAT every time.
You can check out the full segment from the best sports talk show on TV, First Things First, Below.
Heading into UFC 270, the MMA world was on edge to see how one of the most stylistically intriguing and suspenseful heavyweight bouts of all time would play out.
In one corner, we had the undisputed champion, Francis Ngannou, looking to carve his …
Heading into UFC 270, the MMA world was on edge to see how one of the most stylistically intriguing and suspenseful heavyweight bouts of all time would play out.
In one corner, we had the undisputed champion, Francis Ngannou, looking to carve his name in the history books as the UFC’s one and only heavyweight king in 2022. In the blue corner stood Ciryl “Bon Gamin” Gane, a post-modern heavyweight maestro who moved with a tempo and pace like arguably no heavyweight before him.
The narrative surrounding this bout was that it was the ultimate clash of styles between the powerhouse KO artist and the technician who is the embodiment of heavyweight poetry in motion. While this perception was a major part of the story leading into UFC 270, it is far from the only time Francis Ngannou has been typecast and limited to being a glorified one-trick pony.
Like a horror flick barred from being considered for Best Film due to its niche appeal, no matter how well produced it is, Ngannou’s name hasn’t been mentioned much in regards to his candidacy as the best heavyweight of all time.
In this way, Ngannou’s uncanny ability to be a nightmare for slept opponents like Freddy Kreuger has worked against him. In some ways, he’s been cast aside as a freak show circus act, one whose most common adjective attached to him has been “scary.”
But as mentioned in a 2019 editorial, what Ngannou has accomplished is far beyond “scary.” It’s downright legendary. During his UFC run, he has defeated the following names: Stipe Miocic, Cain Velasquez, Curtis Blaydes (2), Andrei Arlovski, Junior dos Santos, Alistair Overeem, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and Ciryl Gane, nearly all of those wins coming by way of declarative, non-competitive knockout.
If you look at those list names and especially considering the manner in which he won, you can already put that résumé up against any heavyweight of all time in terms of top-heavy quality and at the very least open up a legitimate conversation about where Ngannou stands among the heavyweight greats.
As is, he may be lacking the title defenses to be the “GOAT,” but 2021/2022 Francis Ngannou may already have the top claim to being the BOAT at heavyweight given his list of elite victims who were treated like jobbers on archived episodes of WWF Primetime Wrestling in glorified squash matches.
But it was these last two wins for Ngannou that may have done the most for The Predator’s legacy.
The scouting report heading into the Miocic rematch was that, as usual, Ngannou had a puncher’s chance and needed to get the early KO to win with that “one big shot.” The thing is, although Ngannou got that one shot in the second round, he also landed several, well-paced shots before then. In fact, Nganno flat-out“outskilled” Miocic for the entirety of the fight, including in the grappling department, which captured the surprise and awe of the viewing audience.
And last weekend, after having wounded the narrative that he is merely a KO artist with his title win at UFC 260, Francis Ngannou landed the picture-perfect knockout blow to it at UFC 270 when he used wrestling to hand Ciryl Gane his first loss as a professional. And not only did Ngannou use his wrestling, but he apparently did so with an MCL tear and being down two rounds, thus showing endurance, heart, championship mettle, and yes, versatility.
Following UFC 270, now, more than ever before, the MMA world has no choice but to free Ngannou from being typecast as a one-trick KO pony and finally acknowledge what he has been all along and what can no longer be overlooked: one of the best winners the heavyweight division has ever seen.
Jeremiah Wells welcomes the debuting Blood Diamond! 
Sergey Morozov happens TOMORROW! 
