UFC 273 takeaways — Can anybody beat Volkanovski? Can Sterling silence the critics?

Alexander Volkanovski stated he felt higher than ever. He stated his self-belief was at an all-time excessive. He stated he would cease Chan Sung Jung. And so it proved on Saturday night time in Jacksonville.

The Australian turned in a completely dominant show, feeding Jung with a sequence of heavy pictures to the top and physique, and even labored in a takedown for good measure.

Jung had no reply.

Now the time has come for Volkanovski to defend on residence soil. It has been greater than 4 years since he has had the pleasure of preventing in Australia, the final time coming in Perth in February 2018, and his star energy is as brilliant as ever. It is a fighter on the absolute prime of his recreation, among the best pound-for-pound within the UFC, and he now deserves the prospect to battle on residence soil, the place he’s amongst Australia’s elite athletes.

Volkanovski advised ESPN within the lead-up that he was conscious of discuss of one other occasion in Melbourne in direction of the top of the 12 months, and there’s no yet one more deserving of the headline spot for an occasion over 50,000 followers would attend.

May the event get to him? Unlikely. Arduous work and self-discipline are the cornerstones of Volkanovski’s success, a trait that endears him to his countrymen.

“It is simply drive, drive to be higher, at all times be higher in all places,” he stated contained in the Octagon after the battle. “You could be higher in all places.

“Have that drive, that motivation, and hold in search of methods to enhance, it is that straightforward…I am not probably the most athletically gifted man, exhausting work and drive acquired me to the place I’m, and look what I am doing.”

Hopefully, that can embody preventing Down Beneath earlier than the 12 months is out. That, and the UFC discovering a worthy challenger to the 145-pound throne. — Sam Bruce

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Sterling received honest and sq., however boos most likely will not stop

Aljamain Sterling is the respectable UFC bantamweight champion. Nobody can take that away from him. Sterling was panned as not an actual champ for greater than a 12 months. He solely received in March 2021 as a result of Petr Yan hit him with an unlawful knee and was disqualified. On Saturday night time at UFC 273, Sterling received honest and sq.. He went 5 rounds and beat Yan by break up choice. That is what it says within the rulebook.

This counts as a title protection for Sterling, technically. However for a lot of, will probably be Saturday, April ninth, because the night time he was genuinely topped as champion. Sterling did it after neck surgical procedure and greater than a 12 months of boos and social media abuse. And he and his workforce needs to be pleased with a powerful efficiency towards Yan, the favourite and the person many believed to be the most effective on this planet at 135 kilos.

With all of that stated, Sterling will not be capable of shake the boo-birds. It was an in depth battle — a break up choice — and a few thought Yan received. The gang in Jacksonville booed the choice and booed Sterling all through. When he had Yan’s again on the bottom, the gang jeered. In the meantime, when Yan had Sterling on the bottom, there was no such response.

Sterling might need firmly established himself as MMA’s equal of a “heel” by leaning into the fan resentment. For Saturday night time, it would not matter. He is a UFC champion and only a few ever get to say such a factor. However sooner or later, the bile from followers is one thing Sterling will possible proceed to need to climate. — Marc Raimondi

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Dern’s rise makes the ladies’s strawweights nearly as good as any division within the UFC

Mackenzie Dern reminded the world that her grappling means can rework a battle. Tecia Torres was valiant on Saturday night time and proved she’s unattainable to complete, however she fell quick towards Dern, who was only a bit higher. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu standout struggled to search out a gap for a takedown or submission try within the first spherical, however discovered success by utilizing the fence within the second. Within the third, her putting and stress helped her safe an in depth break up choice win.

Sure, Torres was in a position to hold her typical excessive tempo and putting quantity, however Dern was by no means in actual hazard, as her stand-up recreation continues to evolve in entrance of our eyes. After coming off a loss towards Marina Rodriguez, this was a giant win for Dern, even when she did not accomplish her objective of getting a end.

With Rose Namajunas defending towards Carla Esparza in Could and Joanna Jedrzejczyk returning in June for a rematch of former champions towards Zhang Weili, the highest fighters of the 115-pound division can stand tall in comparison with every other weight class within the promotion. Dern’s rise means we’ll have a sturdy set of fights to see within the second half of the 12 months.

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Pennington reminds world that she’s nonetheless prime of the category

A suspension took her out of the rankings for a time, however Raquel Pennington by no means actually left the highest of the bantamweight division. She made the most effective of a short-notice name to interchange Irene Aldana towards Aspen Ladd, successful by unanimous choice.

And Pennington will likely be again within the prime 5 of the division by Tuesday.

Pennington displayed stable combos and was in search of a end within the first two rounds towards Ladd, a extremely touted prospect who has misplaced two in a row and three of her previous 4.

It was a great displaying at a time when Julianna Peña and Amanda Nunes are about to face one another for the second time, and there aren’t many choices for the following contender.

A rematch towards Aldana, whom Pennington beat by break up choice in 2019, might make sense in the summertime when Aldana is likely to be prepared for a comeback after the damage that sidelined her from UFC 273. – Carlos Contreras Legaspi

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Garry is correct to stay affected person

Anybody hoping for a speedy ascent for Ian Garry was most likely dissatisfied watching his efficiency in a unanimous-decision win over Darian Weeks. One of many UFC’s prime prospects, Garry didn’t run by means of Weeks like many figured he would.

And that is high quality.

Maybe it is even higher for Garry’s profession in the long run. Garry has stated he desires to be affected person and slowly work up the welterweight rankings. Had Garry are available and smashed Weeks, it might need been tempting for the UFC to start throwing him to the wolves. Keep in mind, Garry is simply 24 years previous. He has the charisma and abilities to be a giant star in MMA, however he additionally has the arrogance that you do not wish to mess with at this stage.

Garry and his workforce have been adamant that they wish to take their time. He isn’t making an attempt to be the champion subsequent week or subsequent 12 months. If he does someday get to that degree, and he might, we is likely to be wanting again at this battle with Weeks as a studying second. Weeks gave him some hassle, although Garry was the clear winner. Garry confirmed flashes of brilliance together with his putting, a lovely jab, lightning-quick kicks and a artful proper hand. However he could not put Weeks away, and he additionally ate some pictures. And that is completely OK.

The UFC ought to give him one other opponent like Weeks subsequent. Any discuss of a ranked foe needs to be placed on the backburner. Garry idolizes Conor McGregor and what he is achieved within the sport, however the McGregor-like rise shouldn’t be for everybody. There’s nothing fallacious with taking it step-by-step. “The Future” is Garry’s nickname, nevertheless it would not need to be tomorrow. – Raimondi