10 Things I Like at UFC Vegas 37
Getting back into the swing of things with a prospect-rich fight card on Saturday night at the UFC APEX
Sorry I’ve been go so long.
I’d say, “It won’t happen again,” but it might, and I don’t want to lie to you.
I pressed pause because all the stuff I had dancing around in my head was critical and mostly pointed towards the media and I’m just sick and tired of feeling like the only one saying those things out loud, so I opted to focus on my commissioned work, hanging out with my dog, and watching a few movies.
Edge of Tomorrow?
More like Edge of My Seat! What’s up, Emily Blunt?
Anyway, I actually wrote another long-ish Spencer’s Soapbox piece yesterday as a way to purge my mind, but I didn't hit publish because, again, I’m sick of wanting to have critical discussions about this sport and the coverage of it and instead coming off like the whiny, “I know better than everyone” angry guy on the West Coast of Canada, so I binned it and have come up with a new approach.
I’m just going to write about everything I love, all the people I think deserve more shine, and try to provide greater context on bigger stories or talking points where it feels like the full depth of the situation isn’t being discussed.
I’m going to try to be the voice I really wish there were more of in this space, rather than just sitting here being salty.
I hope it works and I hope you like what comes to this space in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
Here’s what I like about this weekend’s fight card in Las Vegas.
The Anthony Smith Reset
I really wish more fighters were afforded the opportunity to have the kind of reset that Anthony Smith had over his last two fights because it’s clearly done “Lionheart” a world of good and kept things moving in the light heavyweight division.
Admittedly, the little two-piece that has put him back on track started with Smith filling in on short-notice opposite Devin Clark, but even then, I would love to see more ranked fighters in a little bit of a funk take those kinds of opportunities because the UFC doesn’t offer up “get right” fights these days like they used to in the past, and after three losses in four fights and a tepid showing against Aleksandar Rakic, Smith needed to get right. After reminding everyone of his jiu jitsu skills and his standing in the division in the fight with Clark, Smith went into his fight with Jimmy Crute as an underdog and came out on a two-fight winning streak after leaving the Australian prospect with drop foot following a perfectly placed low kick.
A year ago at this time, we were wondering if Smith was just going to be one of those fighters that caught lightning in a bottle, had a really great five-fight run (three wins, a title fight loss, and another impressive win) before falling back in the division and settling in as a veteran stalwart, but not a contender.
Now, he heads into this weekend’s main event pairing with Ryan Spann on a two-fight winning streak, looking like a guy that is still very much in the championship mix, and one of those “a cut above the emerging class” fighters guys like Crute and Spann and several others need to beat in order to prove they’re the real deal.
This was the right direction for Smith to take after a real rough patch and it’s worked out perfectly. More fighters should follow suit.
Ryan Spann’s Upside
Ryan Spann just turned 30 a couple weeks ago.
He’s six-foot-five with a 81.5-inch reach, 9-1 over his last 10 fights, 5-1 in the UFC, just turned 30 a couple weeks ago, and he trains at Fortis MMA.
What’s not to be excited about?
I know the two-time DWCS competitor needs to prove himself against an established contender like Smith before he can be considered one himself, but even if he doesn’t pass this test this weekend, I still think “Superman” is going to be a long-term force in this division for the next several years because he is the complete package in terms of size and skills; he just needs to put it all together.
We’ve seen glimpses of his potential already — the quick finish of “Lil’ Nog” in Brazil, the guillotine choke on Devin Clark, the first-round stoppage win over Misha Cirkunov last time out — but there have been some stumbles too, like the fight with Sam Alvey and the chaotic half a round he spent in the Octagon with Johnny Walker two fights back, and now it’s all about eliminating those blips and putting up nothing but positives.
I've spoken with Sayif Saud a lot over the years, including before Spann’s last outings, where we talked about the importance of a fighter hitting their stride at the right time, when everything is coming together for them.
I believe we’re at the very start of that “coming together” process for Spann, and I’m really eager to see how that translates on Saturday night in his first UFC main event.
Devin Clark: Ready to Take a Step Forward
It feels to me like Devin Clark is one of those fighters people have kind of given up on, at least in terms of viewing him as someone that can turn the corner, go on a nice little run, and become a constant presence in the Top 15 in the light heavyweight division. He’s just 6-5 in the UFC, has never won more than two straight, and had a seven-fight stretch earlier in his career where he was doing the alternate wins and losses thing, which is usually when folks decide “I know who this person is as a fighter” and call it a day.
But I think there is more to Clark than we’ve seen thus far, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that starts to show through this weekend when he takes on Ion Cutelaba.
In speaking with him ahead of this fight, we discussed how developing and getting comfortable in the Octagon is a process, how you almost need to go through some struggles in order to take one or two steps forward, and how fans and media need to pay closer attention at times to who fighters lose to and not just the results themselves because I tell you what — that win one, lose one stretch looks a lot different when you see the losses came against current champ Jan Blachowicz, top contender Aleksandar Rakic, and Spann.
Clark is only 31 and doesn’t have a ton of MMA miles on him, as this weekend’s bout with Cutelaba will only be his 18th professional fight, but also his 12th in the UFC. This is a guy who was thrown into the deep end before he had really started to round out his skill set, and despite some setbacks, he’s managed to stay afloat.
Two fights back against Alonzo Menifield, Clark showed a ton of toughness, grit, and heart to rally back and secure that victory, and I truly believe he’s poised to take a big step forward over the next year, beginning with this fight on Saturday.
Arman Tsarukyan: The New Islam Makhachev?
I kicked off this week’s Fighters on the Rise instalment on the UFC website with Tsarukyan, and made this comparison in the piece because it just feels so apt, and extra perfect because his debut loss to Makhachev was the moment I knew he was going to be a problem in the division, and run into Makhachev-like problems when it comes to getting fights.
In many ways, Tsarukyan feels like the successor to Makhachev in terms of emerging talents in the 155-pound weight class — a highly skilled grappler whose dominant, wrestling-heavy wins don’t necessarily generate highlight reel moments, but captivate hardcore fans and grappling aficionados, prompting both sets to speak highly of his upside and forecast him to be a perennial contender going forward. He’s sharp in scrambles, solid in his striking, and still developing as a competitor, but all the initial signs point to him being a tremendous talent who could potentially topple some more established names in the division if given the opportunity.
He’s not getting those opportunities though, because — and I can’t stress this enough — people don’t want to fight this dude, for good reason. He is a high risk, low reward option for anyone ahead of him in the rankings, and for a host of fighters that busted their asses facing killer competition in order to reach the point where they’ve got a number next to their name, signing on to face this 25-year-old menace who could potentially embarrass you on a random Saturday night is a no-win proposition.
I’ve seen a bunch of “well he only just beat Matt Frevola last time” when folks have wondered online about why he’s fighting Christos Giagos, a solid, but limited veteran, this weekend, and my counter to that would be that you can just see it with Tsarukyan the way you could just see it with Makhachev. They’ve each got that ineffable something that tells you, “This guy doesn’t need to grind through five, six, seven fights before facing a ranked fighter,” and I believe we’ll see that on Saturday.
Tsarukyan is the real deal.
Love the Main Card Placement
I absolutely love that Nate Maness and Tony Gravely (pictured left) are getting the opening slot on the main card this weekend for a few reasons:
(1) I think bantamweight is the most competitive, deepest division in the sport right now, and showcasing it is crucial
(2) Both guys are on two-fight winning streaks and the winner here gets a step up competition
(3) Too often, fights like this were relegated to the prelims in favor of shop-worn veterans or former TUF competitors
(4) It should be a really competitive, entertaining fight
(5) It’s an easy way to reward winning, rather than having a pair of fighters coming off losses in this spot
Maness is coming back off an injury, but has looked sharp in his first two UFC appearances thus far, weathering an early storm to finish Luke Sanders last time out, while Gravely has bounced back from losing his debut to Brett Johns with a pair of wins, including a second-round finish in his most recent appearance.
There are a lot of competitors I’m interested in up and down this fight card, and a bunch of matchups that intrigue me, but this one is right near the top of the list, and I’m happy to see the UFC reward their efforts inside the Octagon with a spot on the main card this weekend.
Early Crossroads Moment for Tafon Nchukwi
It’s not that I think this weekend’s matchup with Mike Rodriguez is a “do or die” fight for the 26-year-old Contender Series graduate, but after catching his first loss and looking just okay last time out, I believe Saturday’s fight is a crucial early moment in the young career of Tafon Nchukwi.
Now, let me be clear: I still think he has a world of upside and love — LOVE — some of the things I saw in his debut win over Jamie Pickett, and I’m happy to see him moving back up to light heavyweight, where I think his speed and athleticism can be more of a factor, even if he is a little undersized at just six-feet tall with a 77-inch reach.
But let’s also be realistic here: you still need to win fights in order to maintain your place on the roster (except, it seems, if you’re Sam Alvey) and falling to a guy that is 2-4 with one No Contest in his UFC career doesn't exactly scream, “We’ve gotta keep this guy around!”
Nchukwi is still raw and inexperienced, and that cost him last time against Jun Yong Park, and will continue to be a factor until he gets more reps under his belt, but it’s hard not to look at him and see what could be, which is why coming away with a win on Saturday is critical.
Pannie Kianzad’s Slow Burn
Remember what I said earlier about Devin Clark and how we can be too quick to judge athletes in this sport some times? Pannie Kianzad is a perfect example of why we shouldn’t do that.
After an 8-0 start to her career, the Iranian-born bantamweight went 3-5 over her next eight fights, losing each of her first two UFC appearances. At that point, I’m sure there were people that thought they knew exactly who Kianzad was and where she would fit in the 135-pound weight class going forward, and my assumption is that very few of them tabbed her as someone poised to put together a four-fight winning streak, climb into the rankings, and be a win this weekend away from cracking the Top 10, but here we are.
I love a lot of what Kianzad says in this little video clip with the UFC team above, especially the quoted bit and this being the fight where she breaks out because both are so true. She’s been a pro for nine years, fought some established names, and won four straight in the UFC, which isn’t easy to do, no matter who you’re fighting and how you’re getting it done, and yet she continues to fly under the radar.
This fight is perfect because Pennington is that veteran dance partner that everyone knows who can help Kianzad get the shine her recent efforts demand; a former title challenger, TUF contestant, rankings fixture who is a tough assignment for everyone and has only lost to really elite talent in the UFC.
The thing I love about Kianzad’s ascent is that it has been gradual, but recognizable from fight-to-fight. She didn’t take a massive leap forward or score a couple unexpected wins to reach this point — she patiently, methodically honed her skills, developed her boxing, figured out how to best deploy her talents, and then went out and handled her business; digging deep when she needed to, but mostly controlling things from start to finish.
And because she’s “been around for a long time,” as she said, you forget that “Banzai” is still only 29 years old, which means there is still more room to grow, improve, and really settle in.
The Montel Jackson Breakout is Coming
It may not be this fight.
It may not be the next one.
But in the next handful of fights, Montel Jackson is going to have that “lightbulb” moment where everything clicks and he goes from being an intriguing prospect to a real problem in the bantamweight division and I cannot wait.
I’ve been all-in on Jackson as a prospect since he showed up on Dana White’s Contender Series less than a year into his professional career and beat Rico DiSciullo to push his record to 6-0. Between his obvious natural gifts, his wrestling pedigree, and the clear room for growth, “Quik” was an obvious person to track as he entered the UFC, and so far, everything is still moving in the right direction.
Entering Saturday’s contest with JP Buys, Jackson is 10-2 overall and 4-2 in the Octagon, with his losses coming against far more seasoned, for more experienced fighters Ricky Simon and Brett Johns. While his solid wins over Brian Kelleher, Andre Soukhamthanth, and Felipe Colares all contained flashes of that upside, it was his first-round stoppage win over Jesse Strader last time out that really signalled his breakthrough moment is on the horizon for me.
Yes, Strader took the fight on short notice and missed weight, but Jackson did exactly what we always ask competitors to do in those situations — he stepped out, sat Strader down with a beautiful right hand out of the clinch, and then chased down a finish 30 seconds later, showing poise and composure all the way through.
Don’t be surprised if he’s in the Top 15 by this time next year; you heard it here first.
Welcome to the UFC, Erin Blanchfield
I’m really excited to see Erin Blanchfield finally make her way into the Octagon for the first time on Saturday because the 22-year-old is one of the best prospects to debut in the UFC this year.
Already 6-1 in her MMA career, the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt has wins over UFC fighters Kay Hansen and Victoria Leonardo, and her lone setback was a split decision loss to Tracy Cortez, who has added four more wins to her resume, including three straight in the UFC, since then. She was tabbed to face Norma Dumont on short notice earlier in the year, up a division, but the fight was scrapped when Dumont missed the bantamweight limit by 3.5 pounds.
Blanchfield has the talent and upside to join Maycee Barber and Miranda Maverick as dynamic, young talents in the 125-pound weight class, and Saturday’s clash with Sarah Alpar feels like a quality starting point for the New York native.
I know it’s easy to get too hyped about newcomers and expect too much of them, too soon, but Blanchfield looks like the real deal to me and I would be shocked if she doesn’t develop into a Top 15 fixture within the next three years, if not sooner.
The Continued Development of Impa Kasanganay
For all the jokes that always get made about “six months of sprawl training” when it comes to athletes from other sports theoretically transitioning to mixed martial arts, we are seeing a growing number of competitors move to the cage once their careers in other arenas wrap up, and there are going to be more than a few of them that pop in the not too distant future.
Kasanganay very much has a chance to be one of them.
The former football player is not even through his third full year as a professional mixed martial artist and he’s already 9-1 overall and 2-1 in three UFC appearances, making the successful transition to welterweight last time out and collecting a second-round, no-hooks, rear-naked choke finish of Sasha Palatnikov. The 27-year-old is the quintessential “has all the things you look for” guy when it comes to raw materials to work with, and he’s surrounded himself with an outstanding team of coaches and training partners at Sanford MMA, which should help expedite his onboarding process and speed up his developmental timeline.
Yes, he was on the receiving end of a highlight reel finish — the highlight reel finish of 2020 — but what does it say about this young man that he took that, switched gyms, switched divisions, and showed out six months later?
Like Jackson, I think Kasanganay has an abundance of talent and is more of a “when” than an “if” when it comes to him putting it all together and becoming an intriguing figure in the welterweight division.