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The UFC is amid a busy summer time schedule, coming off Worldwide Battle Week two weeks in the past. Subsequent up is UFC on ABC this weekend (Saturday, main card on ABC/ESPN+ at 2 p.m. ET, prelims on ESPN/ESPN+ at 11 a.m.), with a big-time major occasion between Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez. From there, the Octagon strikes to London for UFC Battle Evening after which Dallas for the Julianna Peña vs. Amanda Nunes rematch at UFC 277 on July 30.
There’s a lot occurring within the sport. Kamaru Usman desires to win a second belt, however at mild heavyweight? Talking of the 205-pound division, who ought to Jiri Prochazka combat for his first title protection? Plus, may Shavkat Rakhmonov be the following massive star at welterweight?
Listed here are 5 storylines I am pondering as we press ahead on the UFC calendar.
Brian Ortega or Yair Rodriguez? The important thing phrase at featherweight proper now’s ‘enchancment.’
Once I have a look at the UFC’s featherweight division — which, as I’ve made clear in earlier installments of “5 Rounds,” is my favourite weight class within the sport — the theme that involves thoughts is enchancment. The gold customary of that’s, in fact, champion Alexander Volkanovski. Essentially the most spectacular factor about Volkanovski during the last three years is how a lot he is improved. The model of Volkanovski who took the belt from Max Holloway in 2019 is nowhere close to nearly as good because the 2022 version. And Volkanovski managed these enhancements throughout a pandemic and a busy combat schedule (three title defenses) during the last 12 months.
However past the champ, this idea of enchancment has been great at 145 kilos. Ortega seemed positively misplaced in his first title combat towards Holloway in 2018. After that combat, he took two years off, blew up his complete coaching camp, discovered nearly all new coaches and coaching companions, and returned as Ortega 2.0. Rodriguez was affected by inactivity from 2019 to 2021, a lot in order that he went into his combat towards Holloway as a 5-to-1 underdog. However then we noticed enhancements to his sport in a five-round Battle of the 12 months candidate.
I recall all of this as a result of it is enchancment we’ll be on the lookout for when Ortega and Rodriguez meet in the principle occasion. Who has added extra wrinkles to his sport for the reason that final time we noticed them? Each of them have had time to do it. That is Ortega’s first combat in 10 months, Rodriguez’s first in eight months. These two have confirmed past a doubt they’re top-five on this division. In the event that they need to give Volkanovski a problem, they should present higher variations of themselves on Saturday.
Kamaru Usman desires to leap to mild heavyweight, and… I like it?
When Usman first talked about this concept, I did not put a lot inventory in it, as a result of why would I? A champion leaping two weight lessons has by no means occurred within the UFC. It would not make a ton of sense. Champions who rise in weight and win a second title are uncommon. They don’t seem to be as uncommon as they was once, but it surely’s nonetheless a feat that not many champions have completed. Transferring up two weight lessons is sort of asking to fail. The scale distinction between fighters at 170 kilos and 205 kilos is actually large. However after speaking to Usman more this week, I imagine he is critical about it.
This is the factor: I would not put it previous the UFC to let him attempt. For one, UFC president Dana White respects and admires Usman. There have been previous examples exhibiting White is open to what Usman desires to do together with his profession. He wasn’t excessive on the thought of Usman boxing Canelo Alvarez, however that is a unique state of affairs. Usman is, proper now, ranked No. 1 within the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings. He is been energetic, and he is taken on each challenger the UFC has thrown at him. He is purchased some goodwill with the corporate, which may enable him to do one thing outdoors the field.
And lightweight heavyweight, ever since Jon Jones left the division, has been fairly huge open. It is ripe for one thing like this. I am not saying we’ll see this occur, however I feel it is throughout the realm of chance. And you understand what? I prefer it. If Usman beats Leon Edwards, let’s have a look at what the 2 divisions appear like. A two-class soar would undoubtedly give us one thing to debate.
Jiri Prochazka desires Glover Teixeira in his first title protection, however what about Jan Blachowicz?
Prochazka has stated he’d prefer to combat Teixeira in a rematch in his first title protection, basically as a result of he wasn’t glad together with his efficiency when he took the title from Teixeira final month at UFC 275. I perceive this sentiment, which we at all times see on this sport, as fighters may be their harshest critics. It isn’t shocking to listen to Prochazka say one thing like, “I’ll present you why I am the champion.” He would not need there to be any doubt.
However I disagree with the decision. Teixeira was not a long-reigning champion who warrants an instantaneous rematch. Blachowicz’s file is simply as spectacular as Teixeira’s in recent times, if no more so (regardless that Teixeira obtained a victory over him final 12 months). As well as, it is a misguided choice by Prochazka. He stated Blachowicz is the harder matchup, and calling for a combat with anybody apart from the hardest matchup would not align with Prochazka’s professed code towards MMA. Blachowicz was fast to level this out, and rightfully so. The subsequent 205-pound title combat needs to be Prochazka vs. Blachowicz, and I will not be stunned if that is the route the UFC chooses.
Searching for a reputation to observe? It is UFC welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov.
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Shavkat Rakhmonov makes fast work of Carlston Harris with a powerful spinning wheel kick at UFC Battle Evening.
Whereas Khamzat Chimaev receives all of the “up and comer” love within the sport, some imagine Rakhmonov is equally good. The Uzbekistan-born welterweight is 16-Zero with 16 finishes. His supervisor, Daniel Rubenstein, believes the UFC may not have totally realized what it had in Rakhmonov initially, as he got here to the promotion as a part of an settlement with Russian promoter M-1 International. Rakhmonov was an M-1 International champion and was moved to the UFC after efficiently defending his belt in 2019. It took awhile for him to get a UFC debut due to the pandemic, however he is 4-Zero now.
Coming off final month’s end of Neil Magny, Rakhmonov is ranked No. 10. He would not carry a lot identify recognition, however the UFC signed him to a brand new contract earlier than his final combat, and his degree of opposition ought to enhance.
“Ability for ability, I might take him over Khamzat,” Rubenstein stated. “Magny is a superb barometer for any fighter; we have seen that during the last 5 or 6 years. Now, we’re on the lookout for fights towards Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson and Belal Muhammad. We’re prime 5 within the division. We have not been provided something, and who’s leaping up and right down to combat Shavkat or Khamzat proper now? No person. However he finishes guys. Although he would not discuss trash, the UFC will get behind him as a result of they’ll promote him as a killer.”
One combat I might prefer to see booked: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Miesha Tate
I am not overlooking Tate’s combat towards Lauren Murphy this weekend. Individuals have ignored Murphy prior to now, and she or he’s made them pay for it. However Murphy has already misplaced to Shevchenko, and there is no must see that combat once more. So, for the division’s well being, it would not be the worst factor if Tate went out in her 125-pound debut and seemed terrific.
If that occurs, Tate can have injected a lot life right into a division operating out of viable title challengers. And with Shevchenko coming off her closest combat in years final month towards Taila Santos, there’s a minimum of a path to victory towards Shevchenko laid out for Tate, if she will handle enterprise on Saturday. I need to see Shevchenko in an enormous, marketable combat, and this might qualify.
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