UFC Fortaleza: Assuncao vs Moraes 2 - Feb 2 🇧🇷

[AdamTH17]

That's true @wandshogun09 - I'm hardly thinking from a business standpoint in terms of building up challengers, because after having a look Featherweight is a bit thin on the ground at the moment with top contenders. I'd rather see them give Aldo another crack though than try and encourage Holloway going up for a crack at Khabib or whatever, though. Maybe we get the Edgar fight that we were meant to be getting ages ago next whilst the rest of the division figures itself out.

Aldo at Lightweight works beautifully with me. You could match him up with pretty much anyone in that top 10 rankings and you'd be guaranteed at the very least a solid, competitive fight. There isn't anything to prove for him at 145lbs, and as you say, even if he does win, he's very unlikely to get a third crack at someone who's decisively beaten him twice. Pettis is fighting Wonderboy, so that might rule him out of 237, but something against Poirer/Ferguson sounds the bomb.

[David]

A very good show I thought, although I completely skipped the prelims.

Jose Aldo still looks sharp as a tack. I'd like to see him fight Pettis, and if he wins that why not see if they can run back the fight between him and McGregor? It comes with a ready-made storyline and would be a fantastic way to end his career if he won, and if he didn't it would give Conor a much-needed win to get his shit together.

Johnny Walker looks legit, and although it goes against everything I believe in I'd be looking to hotshot him to a title shot as soon as possible. Maybe throw him in there with an older "name" to boost his CV a little, but after that book him against Jones in Brazil or something. Take advantage before either he loses or before Jones does something stupid.

[Panhead]

Manuwa or OSP would be ideal for Johnny Walker's next fight.

[wandshogun09]

He fought 5 times in 2018 and he was saying he wants to break that record this year and fight 6 or 7 times. He said ‘if anyone gets hurt and pulls out of a fight, I’m ready’. I doubt he gets 7 fights in but him wanting to be so active means he’s probably going to get the step-up sooner than most do. 

I mean, Rountree and Ledet are solid wins for anyone’s first two UFC fights, especially the way he did it. Could easily see him in with a Manuwa or OSP. Or maybe a Cutelaba or Latifi or even a Shogun by the end of the year. The one I really want to see though is Johnny Walker vs Thiago Santos. Just imagine the chaos that fight would bring.  

[d-d-d-dAz]

Shogun? When did you go native, Wandy?

What did Shogun do to you?

The idea of Walker doing to him what he did to that Gentlemen in the first clip of that highlights package you sent me genuinely makes me sad.

Oof.

Edited February 4, 2019 by d-d-d-dAz

[wandshogun09]

Oh I don’t want it Daz. I’d rather keep Shogun away from the Dancing Destroyer altogether. But I’ve long accepted it’s the way it’s going to be if Shogun keeps fighting. He’s still got enough that he’ll beat a few up and comers and fading names but he’ll catch a battering once every few fights. I could see them feeding him to Walker to get a name on his record. As much as it would sadden me to see.

[Carbomb]

I was just looking at Walker's record, and I see one of his losses was to a guy called Wagner Prado, who had apparently fought three times in the UFC and been cut already, having gone 0-2-(1), two of those fights with Phil Davis. But, aside from a loss to Magomed Ankalaev, he's on a bit of a streak, and his most recent win was at HW in KSW. Given how badly HW needs talent on a regular basis, I wonder if he's likely to be signed up again by the UFC, or if Bellator or One might go for him?

@wandshogun09, do you know anything about him?

[wandshogun09]

To be honest, I forgot Wagner Prado even existed until you mentioned him there. I only really remember him for the Phil Davis fights, mostly the first one which ended on an eyepoke and saw Prado do this face...

Aside from that, and him being a Team Nog guy, not much springs to mind. 

Although, looking up his record now, he is on a good run, as you say. And at 31, I could see him possibly getting another crack at the UFC yet.

The guy you mention who beat him, Ankalaev, is on the Prague UFC show in a couple of weeks. And he’s a handful himself so no shame losing to him. He’s 11-1 and was bossing the one fight he lost for all but one second of it, then got tapped at 4:59 of the third against Paul Craig. Funnily enough, Ankalaev is fighting a UFC newcomer called Klidson Abreu. And Abreu also has a submission win over...Johnny Walker. Small world, MMA. 

Edited February 5, 2019 by wandshogun09

[Egg Shen]

i aint ready to christen Johnny Walker the second coming just yet, but he's tons of fun to watch, what a maniac.

As for Aldo, after these last two wins i can't help but wanna see the McGregor rematch. Do it at 155lb. If he could somehow beat Pettis then finish his career by attempting to avenge his defeat to McGregor it could be perfect. I don't feel the need for a 3rd Holloway fight, that seems beyond Aldo's reach considering how decisive the other two were, but that McGregor loss is different, it's damaging to Aldo's legacy in a whole different way. I'd imagine the response to Aldo going in would be a lot kinder now given McGregor's recent antics.

Shout out to Marlon Moraes too, what an absolute beast. Not sure how the bantamweight title situation is gonna play out but you can't really deny him his shot after that. 

 

[WeeAl]

I know Aldo is calling out Pettis for May, but I'd be surprised to see the timing work out. Pettis is fighting Wonderboy in March, and that's a fast turnaround for a fight that he's unlikely to come out of unscathed. Maybe Aldo fights somebody else in May, Pettis fights Wonderboy in March and the two meet each other at the end of the year at 155.