#ufc290

[theanticool]

I am not looking forward to anything about Izzy vs Dricus

[theanticool]

When MMA is good, it’s really good yall.

[theanticool]

ROBBIE LAWLER KOS NIKO PRICE IN THE 1ST!

Robbie Lawler retiring on TOP!

[theanticool]

Alexander Volkanovski stops Yair Rodriguez in the 3rd round!

We are watching one of the greatest of all time operate man. Another fantastic performance by the featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski. Volk broke Yair down a bit over the first two round with the wrestling attack. Got Yair down and wore on him from the top with GnP. Looked like he genuinely had Yair hurt at the end of the 2nd. Yair was able to build up some confidence over the 3rd. Started throwing more kicks. Volk wasn’t pressuring as hard so he had more space and started getting more and more aggressive with the kicks. Seemed like he had even hurt Volk at one point with a kick to the head. He came in with a power kick from his right side and was met by a mean counter hook that caught him clean. It sent Yair back. Dude was hurt. Volk swarmed him along the fence with punches and a knee before shooting the double and throwing Yair to the mat. From there, it was academic. Just laid into the man with clubbing GnP until Herb Dean stopped the fight.

Give me Volk vs Topuria.

[theanticool]

Alexandre Pantoja takes the split decision over Brandon Moreno. He’s the new UFC Flyweight champion!

Another classic for the flyweight title. I will never get over the fact that the UFC tried to cut this division. Terrible. Trash. Everyone involved with that decision should have had rotten fruit thrown at them.

An absolutely bonkers fight. It started with Moreno having a solid first half of the first round as the jab was working at keeping Pantoja at bay. Then Pantoja realized he could be Deiveson Figuieredo and just tank shots while firing back huge bombs. One eventually drops Moreno and he doesn’t recover for the round, ending it with Pantoja threatening for the RNC. Moreno bounces back in round 2 with some really crisp boxing. Pantoja looks like he’s fading but recover in the 3rd with a huge round where I thought he was getting chewed up on the feet but gets the takedown and is able to hold positions for quite a bit. Similar 4th round but Moreno is able to make it interesting with some heavy offense while they’re on the feet. Moreno starts the last round by landing some really clean combos with the lead hand as the two exchange in the pocket. He was doubling and tripling up on the lead hook as he pivoted out, attacking body and head. But Pantoja was able to use these pocket exchanges to basically muscle a takedown. He was able to climb to Moreno’s back and hold position for the vast majority of the round.

That’s my FOTY so far. Happy to see Pantoja finally get the respect and big payoff he deserves. And on a night where Robbie Lawler retired, I think it’s fare to compare Moreno’s 2nd stint to Robbie’s. Every fight has been magic. A nonstop blast.

[theanticool]

Pantoja hitting Moreno like he’s Figs. Moreno just cannot deal with Pantoja’s aggression and combos. Pantoja is loading up and throwing with Brandon. Moreno’s got to keep this at range and find a way to stop Pantoja coming forward

[theanticool]

The UFC going to Utah for Poirier-Gaethje 2 is proof the UFC is run by dumbasses

“Hey, we got two of the greatest action fighters in MMA history having a rematch of one of the best fights in lightweight history. You know what we should do? Have them fight at altitude!”

[theanticool]

Dan Hooker takes decision over Jalin Turner in war!

A tale of two fighter. Jalin Turner got off to the stronger start. He was the bigger, faster and more powerful strike for the first half of the fight. Hooker, a guy who likes to sit at the end of range and make guys pay when they step into mid range, really struggled with Turner’s size and speed. Turner was able to get strikes off from ranges Hooker is normally able to rest in. He was able to tag Hooker when he came forward. And Turner was able to get his legs up and threaten with head kicks, a thing Turner doesn’t often have to deal with. But Hooker realized he could take the air out of Turner by coming forward and pressuring. He eventually just stopped letting Turner operate at range and started trying to extend exchanges. He caught Turner big with some strikes in the middle of the round that obviously rocked Turner and sent him to the cage. The jab started landing more and more often and you could see Turner just have no idea how to defend as the energy got seeped out of him. Eventually Hooker dropped him clean in the 3rd (I think). Wasn’t able to secure the win but

For all the crap I give Hooker when he fights guy who can pressure and wrestle, when he gets these style of pocket kickboxing matches where his opponent can’t set range on him, he tends to shine. Happened against Poirier too.

FOTN thus far by a country mile. Absolute banger.