UFC 244 Countdown: Masvidal vs Diaz, Gastelum vs Till

UFC 234 Full Countdown Episode: Whitaker vs Gastelum, Adesanya vs Silva, et al

Given all the talent plugged into ESPN+ cards, this one is frightfully lacking in depth. If you count Anderson Silva's retirement tour as being worthy of co-main event status, you've basically got 2 fights on this card. The fact that Rani Yahya is the fight before the 2 co-main's should prove that if nothing else. As a grappling fan, I'm excited to see him in action every time, but he is by no means a main card fighter based on excitement/style as in comparison with the names they've been plugging into ESPN+ spots, so I dunno if I'll be tuning into this one frankly. I'll spend the day watching my coach and friend, Jon Calestine hammer away at the ADCC trials, then probably watch the fight pass prelims and go to sleep early. Whitaker vs Gastelum and Adesanya are all great entertainment heavy names, but damn if the rest of the card isn't paper thin.

UFC 227 Countdown Full Episode: Garbrandt vs Dillashaw 2, Mighty Mouse vs Cejudo 2

The truth is, this card could be Dillashaw vs Mighty Mouse...but well, it's not. Mighty Mouse as a true to his core video gamer wants to rack up X amount of title defenses rather than risk losing by moving up a weight class or having Dillashaw come down and face him.....Mighty Mouse blamed fearing a failed weight cut, but oh wait, that happened when he faced a guy in his weight class, whereas Dillashaw hasn't previously missed weight...but I digress. It's okay Mighty Mouse, much like GSP opting to not move up to face Anderson Silva in his prime at 185, I get it. Mighty Mouse still remembers the day he lost to Dominic Cruz when he ventured plying his trade in a weight class up. Well, this is where we are. I'm tired of the instant rematches for champs when they get violently stopped inside of a round or 2. It just doesn't make sense....and especially not when guys like Cruz and Dillashaw lost the belt by the narrowest of margins, but then had to face murderer's row of top contenders to get another crack. But, again, this is where we are. I'm just incapable of being excited about watching Mighty Mouse face a guy he stopped so effortlessly last time out. The Garbrandt/Dillashaw fight is dangerous because as we saw last time, both men hurt one another....that being said, I trust in Dillashaw-Ludwig to craft changes in game planning and structuring training camp to best Garbrandt a second time around and to keep him guessing and missing and swinging.

UFC 170 Countdown Special: Rousey vs McMann, Cormier vs Cummins, Maia vs McDonald

I've put them in order of my interest to see the fights. I'm actually buying some of the hype/grudge match angle to see Cormier and Cummins fight. Call me a sucker. Call me an unabashed narrative/MMA fan. Whatever. Cormier has had some great wins to his credit. He won the Strikeforce Grand Prix Champion. Say what you will, at heavyweight, all of those guys on any given night are dangerous. Bigfoot, Kharitonov, Barnett, *ahem* Fedor, Fabricio Werdum.....it was kind of the best heavyweight bracket ever likely done in MMA history.



Rory wilted under Robbie Lawler's pressure as I expected and won me a whole boatload of fantasy money. I'm interested to see how Maia handles the longer-framed Rory who has a much more versatile standing attack when he decides to use it. It remains to be seen if Demian Maia can put him on his back and punish him and control him like he did when he out-Fitchd Jon Fitch.



Stylisticlaly, I'm interested to see Ronda face an elite level grappler as the rest of her wins have been over women with simply not the combat sports credentials necessary to have with Rowdy on the mat.

 

VIDEO DELUGE - UFC 166: Velasquez vs Dos Santos III - Full Primetime Episode & Countdown

Nelson vs Cormier

 

Melendez vs Diego Sanchez