UFC 206: Holloway vs Pettis

[wandshogun09]

I don't know how it follows 205 but December 10th is the date, Toronto is the place, here's 206...

 

 

PPV MAIN CARD

Max Holloway vs Anthony Pettis - Interim Featherweight Title

Donald Cerrone vs Matt Brown

Tim Kennedy vs Kelvin Gastelum

Cub Swanson vs Doo Ho Choi

Jordan Mein vs Emil Weber Meek

 

FOX SPORTS 1 PRELIMS

Nikita Krylov vs Misha Cirkunov

Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs Drew Dober

Valerie Letourneau vs Viviane Pereira

John Makdessi vs Lando Vannata

 

FIGHT PASS PRELIMS

Rustam Khabilov vs Jason Saggo

Mitch Gagnon vs Matthew Lopez

Zach Makovsky vs Dustin Ortiz

 

I really, really like the look of this card. Sure there's no blockbuster mega fight on there but you can't have that every month. If they were that common they wouldn't be special. With bigger events sprinkled around it, this probably isn't smashing the PPV numbers out the park, but if you look at the quality of the fights themselves it's a very strong and deep card.

 

 

Pettis vs Holloway, what a fuck of a fight this is. Holloway's been building a case for his title shot for ages now and has been one of my favourite featherweights on the roster. If he can score a win over Pettis here that makes his calls for a title shot harder to ignore. And Pettis had a tremendous fight with Charles Oliveira in his featherweight debut in August. Hopefully that was the start of him getting out of his slump and making a splash at 145. Should be a killer fight this. Both are so active and slick in all areas that it should be non-stop Tekken shit.

 

 

Cerrone vs Brown is one half of a ***DOUBLE WAND'S ONE TO WATCH***. This booking actually makes me glad Kelvin Gastelum missed weight and his fight with Cerrone got binned. Because as good as that fight would've been, the Cowboy vs Matt Brown is way better IMO. When Cerrone decided to go up to 170 the three names that immediately popped into my head as ones I wanted to see were Robbie Lawler, Nick Diaz and...Matt Brown. Just can't go wrong with these two, they're cut from the same cloth in many ways in their styles and approaches and attitudes. Should be a wild ride however long it goes.

 

 

Let's try this again. Rashad Evans vs Tim Kennedy is back on. This was supposed to happen at UFC 205. Like I said when I previewed it then, I don't like the sound of a world where fuckface Kennedy holds a win over Suga Rashad. Sadly I've got a crappy feeling that's exactly what's going to happen. Hopefully the cut to 185 will bring out Rashad's 'eye of the tiger' and he pulls another Chuck Liddell or Sean Salmon style KO out of his arse. Come on Rashad, you can do it.

 

 

Cub Swanson vs Korean Superboy is UFC 206's other half of the ***DOUBLE WAND'S ONE TO WATCH***. I just couldn't choose one or the other and I'm absolutely giddy for both fights. This is a fight that I wouldn't have expected to happen yet. It almost seems too soon for Choi to step in with someone like Swanson but sometimes that's good. Sink or swim. And the Superboy might be ready, he could rise to the occasion or buckle under it. He's been great so far. Looks about 11 but he'll fuck you up and not think twice about it. He's 15-1 overall and 3-0 in the UFC with first round KO's of Juan Puig, Sam Sicilia and Thiago Tavares. Either way I can't see any way this doesn't deliver. Absolutely perfect way to kick off the PPV main card.

 

 

Krylov vs Cirkunov could be decent. Krylov's never going to be title material but he's developed into a pretty fun fighter to watch lately. His headkick knockout of Ed Herman a few months back is easily in the running for Best KO of 2016. Just bloody brutal. Don't remember much of Cirkunov.

 

The Fight Pass prelims actually look much better than the FS1 fights actually to me. Couldn't really give a shit about watching Aubin-Mercier or Laprise really.

 

 

Makdessi vs Vannata. Now we're talking! Love this fight. I'm hoping the card gets reshuffled for whatever reason and this ends up televised because I can see it being a cracker. Vannata won me over when he bashed Tony Ferguson all around the octagon like a pinball machine in his last fight. Interested to see how he looks with a full camp. And Makdessi matches up well for a real good fight. I like it.

 

 

Mein vs Meek is another potential barnburner that could end up as FOTN. Jordan Mein is maybe the most unassuming looking badass on the UFC's books currently. And Meek just looks like a lunatic, doesn't he? Should be some scrap.

 

 

Makovsky vs Ortiz is going to be one of those motion sickness causing fights. It's flyweight so it's likely going to a decision. We know that. But these two are entertaining in that style to me. They're like two little Tasmanian devils.

 

It's not 205 but don't hold that against them. Still plenty to like about this one.

[jimufctna24]

I'm conflicted with the Main Event.

 

D.C is by far my favourite of the two fighters. However, if he wins, who is going to be next for him? The contenders are sparse. Jones is out until July at the earliest, and I'm not exactly bowled over by their rematch anyway. Sure, it would be a massive fight, but I can just picture it being similar to the first fight, despite all that has happened since. D.C vs Gusty 2 would be the second rematch in a row for D.C, and it would come around 18 months after the first encounter. The first fight was superb, but I can wait a bit longer for a second bout. Elsewhere, Glover and OSP have just come off convincing losses. Bader is going to test free agency, and I hope he fucks off. 

 

If Rumble wins, it's likely he will face Gusty in his first defence. I know that's a rematch, but there's added juice to it - given that Rumble buried Gusty in his home country. I remember watching that fight, and the immense atmosphere being sucked out of the building in a heartbeat. Plus, the winner of this rematch would likely face Jones afterwards. The two fights I want to see most at 205lbs are Jones vs Gusty 2 and Jones vs Rumble. I can't stand Jones, but he's the heart of division still. There's few prospects coming though looking at the rankings, and the top 3 have already faced one another. The most interesting rematch, and the one sole fresh match-up both involve Jones. 

 

I liked the idea a few of you pitched in another thread of Weidman moving up. As I've already said, I don't think he's done at 185lbs in the slightest, but 205lbs needs him a heck of a lot more. 

[wandshogun09]

It's definitely a problem at 205, it feels like everyone's faced everyone already. It's part of what makes a potential Jones vs Rumble fight so attractive because not only is it fascinating style wise, it's a completely fresh fight between two of the legitimate best in the world.

 

But can you rely on Jones? It's really seemed like he's been determined to ruin his career the last couple of years. Obviously Jones vs the winner of DC/Rumble is the way to go. And it'd be ideal to do it in New York, given Jones is from there. But it just seems like every time Jones is booked these days, you're just waiting for it to fall apart and wondering what form of career self sabotage it'll be this time.

 

If you look at Jones' recent career he's only fought twice in nearly two years - against Cormier and OSP - and those fights had like a 15 month gap between them. He's wasting his prime by being a stupid reckless prick.

 

So even if they announce that the winner of Cormier vs Johnson will defend against a returning Jones, I won't be counting my chickens. I won't believe it until it's actually happening because Jones is a serial fuck up merchant.

 

And let's assume the worst and say Jones isn't available to fight the winner, whoever wins out of DC and Rumble you're looking at Rematch City for the forseeable. They've both already beat Gustafsson (although admittedly rematches there would be good) and they've pretty much beaten anyone else of note. In a way Rumble as champ in a Jonesless division would be even worse because he's beat everyone by brutal KO so rematches are going to be tough to sell. He's already cleared out the division and battered everyone worth beating bar Cormier and Jones. They could do the DC rubber match then but beyond that, it's not looking good. The only fresh title fights that spring to mind in this scenario are DC vs Glover and DC vs Bader. But Glover just got ironed out in seconds (again, by Rumble) and Bader's Bader.

 

Yeah they need Jones to get his shit together. Even then though, Jones has beat everyone bar Rumble. It's a weird division and it badly needs some new contenders in the mix. Cormier's late 30s now, you have to think he's not going to stay around too much longer. Jones is always one fuck up away from jail or worse.

 

It's going to get worse if no new blood steps up and makes something happen soon. It'll just be a big never ending circular round robin between the top three or four guys. In a couple of years we'll probably be posting in a thread titled 'UFC 235: Gustafsson vs Rumble 9' with them deadlocked at 4-4 going in. Sadly there's nothing interesting going on outside the top four or so guys. And one of them is never around because he's busy sniffing coke or crashing cars.

[Egg Shen]

**Unpopular opinion alert**

 

Outside of not having a mega fight on top, i like the main of this card more than the main card of 205.

[lambyUK]

**Unpopular opinion alert**

 

Outside of not having a mega fight on top, i like the main of this card more than the main card of 205.

Outside the headliner, none of the fights come close to Romero vs Weidman or Woodley vs Wonderboy in terms of anticipation or standard. I would say Tate Pennington and Jj and KK yes though.

[jimufctna24]

 

**Unpopular opinion alert**

 

Outside of not having a mega fight on top, i like the main of this card more than the main card of 205.

Outside the headliner, none of the fights come close to Romero vs Weidman or Woodley vs Wonderboy in terms of anticipation or standard. I would say Tate Pennington and Jj and KK yes though.

 

Pettis vs Holloway comes close. I'm looking more forward to that fight then the last two fights you mentioned, and almost on par with Romero vs Weidman. 

[lambyUK]

I admitted in my post you quoted the last 2 fights weren't as good as some if the fights on 206.

 

However, at least for me, Romero vs Weidman is on another planet in terms of quality, anticipation and excitement to Pettis Holloway.

 

That middleweight division really is thriving right now, and as elite fighters Romero and Weidman are on another level to Pettis and Holloway.

 

On top of that Holloway doesn't have the most exciting style and I'm still unsure just what Pettis we may be getting. I still don't think we will ever see the old Pettis again.

 

Don't get me wrong I'm looking forward to it, but I couldn't wait to see Romero and Weidman.

[jimufctna24]

Don't get me wrong I'm looking forward to it, but I couldn't wait to see Romero and Weidman.

I was looking forward to it more than anything else on the undercard. Even more than Woodley vs Wonderboy, despite it delivering massively on the night. 

 

I'm a fan of Pettis though, and I have a soft spot for Holloway. That probably blinkers my view somewhat. You're correct that there are few assurances that Pettis turns up on the night. Although, I usually enjoy watching Holloway fight, even if he doesn't possess the firepower that Romero has, or the star power than Weidman has. 

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

On top of that Holloway doesn't have the most exciting style and I'm still unsure just what Pettis we may be getting. I still don't think we will ever see the old Pettis again.

 

What?!?

 

Holloway's dynamic as all hell. Lanky, unorthodox striker, very good ground game. There's only a handful of fighters I'd put ahead of him in terms of exciting style actually. He might not be a 1st round finishing machine but he always brings the fight.

 

Agree on Pettis though. He submitted Charles Oliveira, which is big, but he seemed to be in a few dangerous spots himself during that fight. And I hate to say it, but he hasn't been the same fighter since USADA came in. Could be a coincidence, but...

 

UFC 206 has worked out beautifully. In a strange way, we should thank Gastelum for being a fat fuck, because it gave us a way better Cerrone fight on this card. And I'd love to see middleweight Rashad come in renewed and destroy that annoying fuck Kennedy... Kennedy.

 

14 fights though! Shit, it's gonna be a long day.

[lambyUK]

I'm not saying Holloway is terrible to watch. Im talking in direct comparison to the fighters I'm comparing to, with Romero in particular.

 

His style is unorthodox and he does come to fight. He can nullify his opponents with his range that can ultimately make it a one sided fight.

[wandshogun09]

Romero's such a weird cunt though. I fucking love him but he's exciting in a way no other fighter is. Because it's all in short bursts. If you look at pretty much any Yoel Romero fight, not much happens for large spells. He bounces about, he'll duck and tap your knee, feint a hundred times, he might do a little spin, then all of a sudden...CRACK. A big flying knee or a sledgehammer left hand or something. For big parts of his fights he's not exciting at all. But you always know something's around the corner.

 

Everything Romero does is a bit different. His movement, his timing, his stance, the way he sets up his offence. An MMA coach would probably say it's technically terrible but combined with Romero's freaky power, deceptive speed, unpredictability and his extensive wrestling base, it works for him.

[Egg Shen]

Romero's fights are boring for 90% of the duration, its just the anticipation factor that any second the fuckers gonna go off that keeps them interesting. The fact that he's so dangerous makes other guys hesitant to attack too, so you get lots of dead time while nothing happens.

 

I still take 206 over 205 though in terms of styles of matchup, the prestige of titles aint there but Cerrone/Brown, Superboy/Swanson and Pettis/Holloway are just great fights.

 

Lamby saying Holloway doesn't have an exciting style is one of the more baffling comments ive read all year.

 

...and to think just a couple of weeks ago this thing looked like a dead duck.

[lambyUK]

I've already explained above Egg that it's not that I think he's boring. He's a lanky rangy fighter without KO power and tends to be in one sided fights.

 

He comes to fight but again, this is in comparison to Romero. Don't take it out of context.

 

Personally, I find someone completely dismissing Mcgregor's chances against Alvarez more baffling than what I said.

[Egg Shen]

 

I didn't completely dismiss McGregor's chances, you can't dismiss anything in this crazy sport, i just favoured Alvarez to win, as did many other people. You can't come on here after the fact and claim that my prediction was baffling, that's just nitpicking.

[lambyUK]

 

I didn't completely dismiss McGregor's chances, you can't dismiss anything in this crazy sport, i just favoured Alvarez to win, as did many other people. You can't come on here after the fact and claim that my prediction was baffling, that's just nitpicking.

Sorry man, I couldn't help it.