10 Things I Like at UFC 276
WIth a card as loaded and intriguing as Saturday's pay-per-view, keeping this to 10 is going to be difficult...
You don’t need me to say anything flowery and glowing about this card here because you already know what an excellent collection of fights this is from top-to-bottom, and if you’re anything like me, you’re already starting to get jittery and itchy and wondering why it’s not Saturday already.
Here’s what I’m most looking forward to this weekend.
Let’s go!
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All Things Israel Adesanya
The UFC middleweight champion is one of those rare competitors where I’m interested and transfixed from the second he’s set to make the walk, regardless of opponent or how the fight may play out.
If Israel Adesanya is fighting, I’m am at rapt attention, curious to see what he’ll do for an entrance, to see him go through his pre-fight routine in the corner, and to see how he will choose to fight the man standing opposite him in the Octagon. Once things get underway, I’m locked in on his movements and adjustments, feints and reads, attacks and slips; every single last detail because there is something undeniably magnetic about Adesanya.
As much as I get the argument for putting the trilogy bout ahead of Adesanya and Jared Cannonier this weekend because people have a much greater history with it, the truth is that “The Last Stylebender” is one of the few fighters with genuine superstar potential or superstar standing on the roster right now, and outside of competing on the same card as Francis Ngannou, should always be the last man walking to the cage.
The guy is electric, and I’m always pumped when he’s set to put on a show.
Chaos Potential
What I love about this matchup with Cannonier is that for the first time in a couple fights, I really believe there is the potential for chaos and the challenger to push the champion.
Now, Rob Whittaker did a terrific job of making adjustments last time out, and gets full marks for his performance, but I didn’t expect as close a fight as we got going in, since the last time they fought, Izzy clobbered him, and as good as Whittaker is, not much had really changed between the two fights. As aggressive and sturdy as Marvin Vettori is, did anyone really think “The Italian Dream” was going to beat the champ?
But this fight is one where there are some real question marks (at least to me) because Cannonier has proven power, shown improvements since his loss to Whittaker, the right mindset heading into a fight of this magnitude, and the lingering “this guy used to be a heavyweight” thing that feels like a real wild card factor in a fight like this.
Adesanya could still make this a route and I wouldn’t be surprised, but I also think this is going to be a more competitive, closer fight than most people imagine and I cannot wait to see how it all plays out this weekend.
Alexander the Greatest?
Before his fight with Chan Sung Jung earlier this year, I pondered aloud whether Volkanovski was the best fighter on the planet, sharing my reasoning and making the case for the featherweight champion.
He then went out and absolutely waxed “The Korean Zombie” in a way that said, “I’ve levelled up and I’m not fucking about with these fellas any more!”
Now he runs it back with Holloway for a third time, and I tell you what: if Volkanovski goes out and collects a dominant victory over the former champion in the rare third fight that isn’t a rubber match this weekend, that “Best Fighter on the Planet” conversation is going to need to be had again.
The Australian is a joy to watch because he’s just such a precise, aware, smart fighter in there, and he’s never bothered by anything, ever. You know that at Minute 23, if it gets there, he’s still going to be locked all the way in, looking to make the right reads, land the right shots, and do all the right things to either further cement his victory and bring him closer to wrestling the decision away from Holloway, depending on how the prior four-plus rounds have gone.
I’m been shouting for years that Volkanovski is criminally underrated and deserves far more recognition than he gets, but it feels like folks are finally starting to come around, and I wouldn’t be surprised if UFC 276 is where the rest of the stragglers turn into converts.
Mad Max
How can you not love Max Holloway?
Dude lands on the wrong side of an ultra-close split decision and what does he do in response? Comes back six months later and puts on an absolute clinic against an extremely tough, extremely skilled fighter in Calvin Kattar, styling all the way to the horn. And then as an encore, he out-hustles Yair Rodriguez, an inventive, dangerous striker who had his moments, but also seemed a step behind Holloway any time the Hawaiian really wanted to go.
Holloway is the pugilistic ideal for a volume and pressure fighter and an absolute joy to watch operate in the Octagon. He’s done away with most of the spinning and flying attacks that flecked his earlier days, and replaced them with sharp fundamentals and variety to all levels. His body work is still amongst the best in the game, his low kicks are punishing when he uses them regularly, and he can box the face off just about anyone in the division, while also being ridiculously durable and having his picture next to the word “indefatigable” in the Oxford English Dictionary.
Max is one of those dudes on the list with Izzy that I’m watching from the walkout (“Hawaiian Kickboxer” is still just so perfect) to the final horn, and it’s been that way for quite some time. Watching him grow into one of the best in the game has been an absolute joy and I cannot wait to see him back out there this weekend.
Middleweight Clarification
In addition to the middleweight title fight closing the show on Saturday, UFC 276 features three additional bouts in the 185-pound weight class that will help clarify how things line up heading into the second half of the year.
Sean Strickland and Alex Pereira are, for all intents and purposes, fighting to determine the next title challenger, provide we don’t need an immediate rematch.
Strickland has gone 5-0 since returning from his two-year absence, has never lost at middleweight, and while there is nothing flashing about his game and he’s kind of hard to put up with most of the time, the guy is a very good fighter and would merit a championship opportunity if he won this weekend. Pereira, on the other hand, has looked good, but not great in his first two UFC appearances (IMO), and can jump to the head of the line and into that fight with Adesanya he so desperately wants with a win over Strickland. I’m still not sold on him as a legitimate MMA contender, but he certainly presents some threats and looks the part.
Uriah Hall and Andre Muniz, who close out the early prelims, are battling for a place in the Top 10 and further up the list of potential contenders.
Hall thought he was close heading into his fight with Strickland last July, and looks to get back there by halting Muniz’ rise through the ranks, while the Brazilian grappling ace aims to collect the biggest win of his career while maintaining the form that has seen him go 4-0 in the UFC with three straight first-round armbar finishes.
Brad Tavares and Dricus du Plessis are the first middleweight tandem to hit the cage, and this one is all about defining where each man stands at the moment.
Tavares has been a fixture in the Top 15 for the majority of his career, but he’s a little older, coming off a knee injury, and has historically struggled against a certain level of opponent. We don’t know if du Plessis meets the criteria of those competitors because he’s just two fights into his UFC journey, but thus far, he’s got a pair of knockout wins, plus a terrific resume booster thanks to his win over Roberto Soldic, and a victory over the Hawaiian veteran this weekend would catapult him into the Top 15 and stamp him as one to watch going forward.
When things are all said and done on Saturday night, we should have a much better understanding of who’s got next and where all eight of these met stand in the middleweight hierarchy.
Late Blooming Bam Bam?
Bryan Barberena might be starting to put together a little run here.
After forging a career as a perennially tough out who gave everybody as much as they could handle inside the Octagon, the older, wiser version of “Bam Bam” has cobbled together a couple victories heading into his clash with former welterweight champ Robbie Lawler this weekend, and has the look of a guy in his early-to-mid 30s that could make a little noise in the 170-pound ranks in the next 12-18 months.
When we sat down for a chat ahead of this weekend’s event, we joked about how everyone gets super-excited (rightfully so) about young, emerging talents, but the best time for fighters (generally speaking) is in that 29-35 range where they may not have the athleticism they once had, but their Fight IQ is up, their experience is up, and they’re much more aware of themselves as fighters and people.
He’s in that zone right now, and while Lawler is certainly still a tough out, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised to see Barberena collect a third straight win and keep marching forward now that he’s healthy and firing on all cylinders again.
O’Malley’s Major Test
Sean O’Malley faces Pedro Munhoz in the main card opener on Saturday and I absolutely cannot fucking wait for this fight!
This is what we’ve all wanted to see from O’Malley, right? This is what we’ve been waiting for — a date with a proven, still dangerous, still sharp veteran that could absolutely put his lights out and will undoubtedly test him in ways that fights with the ghosts of Eddie Wineland and Thomas Almeida, or “El Teco,” or fucking Kris Moutinho, or Raulian Paiva never could.
Munhoz is the toughest, more dangerous opponent O’Malley has faced since he lost to “Chito” Vera, and this is a great big test for the flamboyant, flashy bantamweight because after all these layups, after all the “I’m not fighting top guys until I’m paid like a top guy” talk, this is the one where you have to go out and look as good as you did against the collection of has-beens and never-weres he’s beaten thus far in order to justify getting that “top guy” money and continuing to move forward.
It’s such a fascinating fight too because Munhoz has dropped two straight and four-of-five (though I’d say three of five because he beat Frankie Edgar), which makes him look like he might be in decline, but we also don’t know with any degree of certainty if O’Malley can actually hang with someone with as much experience, savvy, and grit as the 35-year-old Brazilian, even if he is in the midst of a decline.
God I can’t wait for this fight!
Lights Out Lightweight Contest
This week’s mandatory lightweight banger comes courtesy of Brad Riddell (pictured, left) and Jalin Turner, who close out the prelims in an intriguing clash of polar opposite fighters that could go any number of ways.
Riddell is compact and tenacious; good everywhere, but not great anywhere specific, coming from a great team, and with more experience against veteran competition. Turner is long and attacking; an emerging 27-year-old who hasn’t been in there with too many top names, but has won four straight and finished all 12 of his career wins. Riddell is going to want to fight inside (or on the canvas) and Turner is going to want to use his length, and whoever dictates those terms should have a considerable edge in the contest.
Lightweight is, as always, flush with talent, and the winner of this still isn’t likely to break into the Top 15 as a result. But with that said, the victory could be in line for a date with someone in the lower third of the rankings next time out, especially one of those veteran names trying to hold onto their place, and each have the skills to claim a spot for themselves and hold it if given the opportunity.
Another Step Up for Ian Garry
Every fight is another set of questions waiting to be answered, with previous results or recent performances forming the basis of those questions. Unbeaten in nine career fights and coming off a good, mature performance against Darian Weeks last time out, Garry takes another slight step up in competition on Saturday, facing off with Gabriel Green in a bout that should tell us more about where he’s at in his development and what to reasonably expect in the next one or two years.
If Garry is the ultra-prospect many think he is, this is a fight he could win going away — he’s longer, a better athlete, more fluid, and has a little more pop.
If Garry is not quite there yet, this could be close, because Green is a sturdy, experienced hand that will push the the 24-year-old Irishman and won’t necessarily fall the second he takes a good crack like Jordan Williams did in Garry’s debut at MSG.
I love the way he’s charting his path forward thus far, and appreciate the UFC bringing him along at a slower pace than they have other hyped new arrivals. Now it’s time to see if the approach is paying off.
More From Maycee Barber
Barber is a perfect example of why I shout about giving prospects time to develop and come along slowly all the goddamn time.
She raced out of the gates like a wrecking ball, got hustled up the ladder too quickly, caught a couple losses (and an ACL tear), and is now trying to rebuild… and she’s only 24.
A lot of folks bailed on Barber when she dropped those back-to-back contests to Roxanne Modafferi and Alexa Grasso, and she didn’t look particularly great in her debated return to the win column opposite Miranda Maverick after that, but she impressed in her win over Montana De La Rosa last time out and again she’s only 24!
How many fighters have we seen look like they might have a little something only to stumble in their first couple tough tests, then rebound and rebuild and become permanent contenders or even champions? Tons, I know, so why can’t Barber potentially do the same?
Saturday’s clash with Jessica Eye should have provide some clarity on whether that is still very much in play for the Team Alpha Male representative, because the former title challenger is in the midst of a slide and doesn’t present anything Barber shouldn’t be able to deal with in the Octagon.
I’m really curious to see how this one plays out because I honestly believe Barber could still reach that upside she flashed early in her career.