UFC 291: 10 Things We Learned
Addressing everything that transpired inside the Octagon in Salt Lake City on Saturday night
Highlight City
Justin Gaethje knocked out Dustin Poirier with a mirror image of the kick that closed out the last pay-per-view at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, echoing Leon Edwards’ finish of his teammate and training partner Kamaru Usman last summer at UFC 278.
The first round was close and competitive, as expected, with Gaethje landing more volume and Poirier connecting with the heavier individual shots, every bit of the opening five minutes feeling as tense and captivating as anticipated. And then early in the second, Gaethje threw out the right hand and came behind it with a high kick, connecting through Poirier’s block attempt, sending “The Diamond” crashing to the canvas. It was the orthodox version of the shot Edwards landed, 100 percent.
Saturday’s win earned Gaethje a measure of revenge after losing to Poirier in their first meeting, as well as the symbolic BMF title, but most importantly, it put “The Highlight” back at the front of the line to challenge for the lightweight title once Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira in October. We spoke ahead of this fight of his need to stay technical and fight intelligently, and he did just that, producing a massive finish in a city that is quickly becoming haven for highlight reel efforts.
Pereira Puts Himself in Title Conversation
While it wasn’t the most exciting fight by any stretch, Alex Pereira did what he needed to do in order to edge out Jan Blachowicz and put himself in the title conversation in the light heavyweight division.
Blachowicz looked to grapple straight away and spent the first round on Pereira’s back, hunting for submissions to no avail. The effort seemed to take its toll on the Polish ex-champ, as Pereira was the more effective of the two on the feet over the next 10 minutes, working back to his feet quickly in the middle stanza and landing the sharper blows in the third. It wasn’t a pretty, nor was it a dominant effort, but a win over Blachowicz is a big deal, no matter how you get it, and it put the former middleweight champ in the mix straight away at 205.
We don’t know exactly what is happening at the top of the light heavyweight division at the moment, as Jamahal Hill has not officially relinquished the title, and there haven’t been any firm updates on when Jiri Prochazka is due back. Whether the UFC opts to put an interim title up for grabs while Hill is on the mend or the belt becomes vacant, Pereira and Prochazka feels like the obvious next title pairing, and that prospects of a scrap between those two monsters already has me salivating.
There is Only One Derrick Lewis
Derrick Lewis knocked out Marcos Rogerio de Lima in 33 seconds, snapping a three-fight losing streak while registering his 14th stoppage win inside the Octagon, but that was just the start of things.
Following the stoppage, “The Black Beast” took off his shorts and dance around the cage, chucking his shorts, his cup, and his gloves into the crowd before delivering another classic post-fight interview with Joe Rogan.
This was the last fight of the 38-year-old Lewis’ contract and his future is uncertain, as he’s no longer the gatekeeper he was a couple years ago, but also likely commands a hefty pay cheque. He said he’s like to re-sign with the UFC, but at the same time, there is no denying that he’d be the perfect opponent for Francis Ngannou over in the PFL next year, as the two have history and each would likely fancy a rematch after their first fight flopped.
Whatever happens, it was great to see Lewis with Kru Bob Perez back in his corner, enjoying himself and his work again. It’s been too long since we saw the one-of-a-kind heavyweight in good spirits. Hopefully we’ll get to see it again.
Enough is Enough
Tony Ferguson should not set foot in the Octagon again.
I do not say that lightly or hastily, but after suffering a sixth consecutive loss — and third straight by stoppage — this has to be the end of the line for “El Cucuy.” Folks can talk about the positive moments he had during his fight with Bobby Green and suggest a downgrade in opponent in order to get things moving in the right direction again, but he looked slow, got busted up, and isn’t someone that is going to accept going out there and facing promotional newcomers.
During the fight, Daniel Cormier mentioned that Ferguson “still wants to fight,” which he said as the former interim champ was coming forward, looking to press Green. He’s not wrong, but “want” and “is able to” are two different things, and at this point in his career, against this level of competition, he is simply unable to hang.
There is no shame in that — Father Time is undefeated — and somebody needs to protect Ferguson from himself at this stage. He talked about “five fights and a title” during his media availability this week, and I don’t doubt that he earnest believes that to be true, so I really hope that his family, his friends, his coaches, his management, somebody sits him down and explains that it’s time to move on to something different.
Still a Conundrum
Kevin Holland registered the biggest win of his career to kick off the main card, submitting Michael Chiesa via D’arce choke midway through the opening stanza. He looked sharp throughout, forcing big movements out of Chiesa and defending a couple early takedown attempts before finding the finish when the former Ultimate Fighter winner reached for a panic takedown.
And so how did he follow up beating a ranked opponent at welterweight? By saying he wants to go back to middleweight, of course.
I just don’t understand this dude. This was a tremendous performance and the kind of victory that should, in theory, propel him into the rankings and a matchup with another member of that exclusive group. While I understand not wanting to cut weight and that fighting at middleweight means he can compete more frequently, but Holland struggled against good grapplers at ‘85 all the advantages he has in terms of length and size disappear if he goes up.
Holland is going to do whatever he chooses, obviously, but I just don’t understand why you would look to go back to middleweight after consecutive stoppage wins over Santiago Ponzinibbio and Chiesa, especially when the last three up there ended without a victory. Make it make sense to me.
No Time Wasted
Gabriel Bonfim knows that he doesn’t get paid by the hour, and through his first two UFC appearances, he’s made sure to get out of the Octagon as quickly as possible. Saturday night, he ran through Trevin Giles, hoisting and flinging him to the ground early in the fight before grabbing onto a guillotine choke and securing the tap.
Through two fights against Mounir Lazzez and Giles, the 25-year-old Bonfim has spent two minutes and two seconds inside the UFC cage, registering a pair of guillotine finishes. He’s 15-0 overall with finishes each and every time out, and asked for a date with a ranked opponent next time out, name-checking Neil Magny.
Even though I’m not big on Lazzez or Giles, you can’t quibble with the quickness Bonfim is displaying dispatching these fighters. Personally, I would pump the breaks a little and keep him in this range, rather than hustling him into a matchup with a Top 15 guy because the division isn’t moving at the moment and I don’t want to see him languishing while folks avoid him, but at this point, you almost have to test the waters and see how good this kid really is at this point.
Head Shot, Dead
Apparently head kick finishes are a thing in Salt Lake City.
Roman Kopylov did his best Leon Edwards impression on Saturday, blasting Claudio Ribeiro with a left high kick similar to the blow that won Edwards the title last summer in the same venue. This was the kind of statement win that should further elevate Kopylov in the middleweight ranks, as he dealt with the pressure and big shots Ribeiro brought late in the first before picking up his third straight stoppage win with a highlight reel finish.
I was unsure what to make of Kopylov heading into this one as he was coming off two very impressive efforts, but lost his first two UFC showings, making this a real “wait and see” fight for me. Well, now I’ve seen, and I really like what we’re seeing. His striking is sharp, quick, and clean, and while I don’t necessarily think he’s going to be a champion, middleweight is the kind of division where a guy like Kopylov in a three-fight finishing streak should get a chance to face an established name next time out.
Matthews Remains An Enigma
Jake Matthews did what we always ask veterans to do in spots when they’re paired with short-notice newcomers, securing a second-round submission win over Darrius Flowers in the first televised UFC 291 prelim.
The 28-year-old Australian did well to deal with Flowers’ early pressure and find elements that worked, like the kicks and punches to the body that clearly bothered the DWCS grad. When he stuffed the takedown in the second, he immediately went on the offensive and worked his way to the finish, recognizing that Flowers was ready to get out of there before opening the door for him. It was a good victory for “The Celtic Kid,” but something about it still leaves me wanting more.
I don’t think Flowers lasts on the roster for very long — he earned his contract with a slam victory last year on the Contender Series, with his opponent suffering an injury and being unable to continue — and he was still able to push Matthews around the cage a great deal in those early stages, which doesn’t bode well for assignments against more seasoned foes. He’s shown flashes and I think from a talent and skill standpoint, he’s someone that profiles as an ascending fighter, but the application doesn’t feel there for me.
I know that’s weird to say after he went out and registered a second-round submission win, but what can I say? I’m still skeptical.
The Doctor is In
Uros Medic showed he can hang in the welterweight division on Saturday, debuting at 170 pounds with a third-round stoppage win over Matthew Semelsberger.
The two finishers got after it in the opening 50 seconds and throughout the first round, with Medic getting dropped twice while landing a heavy upkick on “Semi the Jedi” after one of those knockdowns. He seemed to get a better read on the former D-1 defensive back’s movement and speed in the second, sending it to the third all even, where Medic was able to sting Semelsberger in tight before connecting with a spinning attack that kicked off the finishing sequence.
Medic didn’t look out of place at all in the 170-pound ranks after moving up from lightweight. He has good size and uses his kicks well to maintain range, showing that he can deal with the big power of Semelsberger while showing he can crack a little too. He’s now 3-1 in the Octagon and 9-1 overall, and becomes an intriguing new addition to the division to track going forward.
Smart Decisions for Maverick
Raising her hand to fill in for Joanne Wood proved to be a wise decision for Miranda Maverick, who kicked off the evening with a third-round submission win over Priscila Cachoeira.
Making a hasty return to action after suffering a frustrating and scary loss to Jasmine Jasudavicius out here in Vancouver at UFC 289, the 26-year-old wanted to get back into the Octagon quickly and did well to jump her in here. She took full advantage of her edge in the grappling department, putting Cachoeira on the deck in all three rounds, roughing her up in the first and second before grabbing onto the arm and collecting a tap in the third.
This is a steadying win for Maverick, who has worked into the rankings in the past, but needs to show greater consistency and more complete performances to get back there and stay there. She has the athleticism and well-rounded skill set to be part of that pack of young flyweights making waves in the division, and a victory like this ensures that she continues to be mentioned alongside the likes of Casey O’Neill, Maycee Barber, and the ascending Natalia Silva.