UFC on ESPN: Jacare vs Hermansson - Apr 27 🇺🇸

[wandshogun09]

This is tonight in case you all forgot. And fuck, we’ve had zero discussion about this show in here for 3 whole weeks? My boy Yoel pulling out really hurt some feelings, didn’t it? I bet if we still had Yoel vs Jacare 2 tonight there’d have been more traffic in here. 

It’s still a very good card though. Yeah, Jacare vs Hermansson isn’t the strongest main event but it’s still an interesting fight. If it becomes a grappling battle I suspect Jacare will prove too much. Hermansson is good himself but Jacare is elite at world level not just in MMA. He should win that kind of fight against pretty much any man weighing 185 in the UFC so the Joker is going to have to mix it up here. He’s always game though and he’s earned a big name and some spotlight so I’m happy with this as a substitute fight in general. 

And there’s plenty to like about the undercard. Leaving the Wifebeater Greg fight aside because fuck him, you’ve got some serious potential wars on there like Teixeira vs Cutelaba, Oliveira vs Perry and Lineker vs Sandhagen. All brilliant fights on paper. Then you’ve got the old vet in Arlovski and the young prospect in Roosevelt Roberts on there. There’s more than enough to sink your teeth into. I think this card deserves a bit of love. 

Edited April 27, 2019 by wandshogun09

[Egg Shen]

its an excellent card.

I think losing Romero hurts it but i really fancy Hermannson for the upset in the main event, just think he has momentum and confidence going in and he's gonna be a handful for Jacare. At 17/10 at the bookies i may have to lay down a few quid.

All the fights you listed should be great too wand.

[wandshogun09]

So Jacare saved Mike Perry’s life then. 

“Jacare Souza is my hero. He is literally my hero man. I was playing around at the gym, I’m going to drop a story for you here. Alright, so there was like this rubber band hanging from the pull-up bar and this rubber band was like for workouts, it was a thick band. We were about to do filming with the ESPN crew and umm, I don’t know what I was thinking, but I put my head in this thing and was like I’m going to do a neck workout. And work on my ability to take a choke,” Mike Perry explained. “So I lean forward and it wraps around my neck and so I flex myself so that I could hold on. And in two seconds, as soon as lean forward (and flex), next thing I know Alan, from the UFC, and Jacare Souza are there. Alan is like slapping me and they’re pouring water on me. But, they say Jacare, this while he was filming for ESPN, he was hitting a bag and he sees me, and Danielle was right next to me – she thinks I’m playing around, so she’s like ‘Mike quit playing’. So within two seconds I pass out and swing and then she’s hears a bang and she looks up and says ‘Mike stop playing’. So I had hit my face against the metal pull-up bar and I’m passed out. Plus I’m still hanging from this thing. I’m hanging myself at this point and Jacare sees me and runs over quick and pulls me out of this thing. Then they were like waking me up. When I came too I was like ‘Oh man, it was a bad joke. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare everybody.’”

[neil]

Mike Perry should've won a darwin award for that

[WeeAl]

It's never dull when Mike Perry is around, that's for sure. 

This is a really good looking card. It's got lost amongst a sea of constant events and I think even Fitch Vs Rory has overshadowed it this week. There's some cracking fights there though. 

Jacare Vs Hermansson, Oliviera Vs Perry, Cutelaba Vs Glover and Lineker Vs Sandhagen. Fuck me. Every one of those fights has at least one ingredient in the recipe for a banger. 

[wandshogun09]

Only watched the main card. Jack Hermansson, fucking hell. Fair play @Egg Shen for calling it. I knew he’d bring it but I just never fancied him to actually pull it off against Jacare. Especially on short notice. This was a massive win for the Joker. Biggest name win of his career on the biggest platform and in the first main event of his UFC stint. He really rose to the occasion here and as nuts as it would’ve sounded just one month ago, he can’t be that far off a title shot now. Wins over Branch and Jacare within one month is bloody good going. You have to wonder where he’ll fit in next. Helwani tweeted that the plan was to rebook Romero vs Costa on one of the summer cards. But does this change things? Does Hermansson get one of them now? Myself I’d stick with Romero vs Costa, that needs to happen. And I’d do Hermansson vs Gastelum or maybe the Anderson/Cannonier winner. It’s going to be a while before the title shot comes anyway because we’ve got Whittaker vs Adesanya to come yet. 

Feel sorry for Jacare. He’s such a nice bloke and he’s come close a few times now to a UFC title shot and it just seems like it’s never going to happen for him. He spoke before the fight that he was being pressured by the UFC and Dana into accepting this fight and he said he only agreed to it because they promised him the next title shot if he won. He’s still good enough that I wouldn’t count out the possibility of him working his way back into contention but he’ll be 40 this year and 185 is a shark tank. Time is ticking. 

Fuck Greg Hardy. I’m not buying the hype. Yeah, he hits hard but that’s all he’s got, IMO. If he’s so good and he’s co-main event level, give him a co-main event level opponent next time. Don’t just rehire guys who went 0-2 in the UFC previously to get him a win and then act like he’s some killer when he does win. I know he’s only had a few fights but he’s either worthy of that high billing or he’s not. Enough with the babying, let’s see him tested. Black Beast him and see how good he looks. Or even someone like Juan Adams. He’s been repeatedly calling Hardy out on Twitter, to no response. Do that. Or something like that. 

Perry vs Oliveira was a hell of a fight. You knew it would be. Neither of these two ever really have a dud. The ingredients for a crap fight just weren’t there. Thought Perry actually looked better than he probably ever has, to be fair. He’s clearly working hard to close the gaps on his weaknesses. This was a wild fight though and the crowd were mega into it which just added to it. One of the best fights so far this year for me. 

And as much as I think Perry is a fucking nob, I will have to admit I did chuckle to myself at this; 

Glover vs Cutelaba was good. Every time I count Glover out and think Father Time might come knocking, he does something like this. I mean he’s definitely lost a step or two but here he is still showing the young lions how it’s done. He’s still got some ammo left. Cutelaba started strong as well. He was throwing with serious heat, was defending the takedowns well and had Glover badly hurt with that spinning backfist. Glover is hard as fuck though. That was where the experience came in. He regrouped and came out in the second and grabbed the fight by the scruff of the neck. I think Cutelaba might’ve been disheartened that Glover ate his shots and was still there and once it hit the floor he had no answer for Glover’s top game. It was a matter of time and Glover was on his neck like a pitbull. Great stuff and it’s always nice to see a good egg like Glover get the win.

Lineker vs Sandhagen was a good one. I don’t think Lineker has ever had a dull fight. Well, except against Dillashaw but Dillashaw was probably filled to the eyeballs with PEDs so we’ll forget about that. This was always going to be must-see due to the combination of Lineker’s power and aggression and Sandhagen’s toughness and will to win. Closely contested battle. Didn’t have a problem with Sandhagen getting the nod but it could’ve gone either way. Had them 1-1 going into the last round but that last round you could’ve argued for either man. Sandhagen got the better of more of the round but Lineker looked close to ending it in that last 30 seconds or so. Excellent fight either way. Felt bad for Sandhagen that the dickheads booed him. 

Was happy to see that Jim Miller won on the prelims. Sad to see Arlovski lost and Ben Saunders got stopped again though. 

Edited April 28, 2019 by wandshogun09

[WeeAl]

I thought this was a really entertaining show, top to bottom. 

Diego Lima and Court McGee had a good fight, and Lima continues to look improved. He always seems so happy too and a good dude. Glad he got the nod here. 

Jim Miller winning two on the bounce warmed the heart. I was worried for him when I saw how large and fast Gonzales looked, but Jim just didn't give a fuck. A rear naked from Miller and it's in the bag. 

Gilbert Burns is a monster. Some of those kicks sounded like a gunshot going off. Any wonder he's saying he struggled to get anyone to accept a fight with him on this show. He's trouble for anybody, on the mat or standing up. 

I'm fucking astounded that Arlovski lost that fight. How two judges managed to give two rounds to Sakai, I have no idea. I'm completely gutted for Andrei, as he won't that one clear as day. It's a shame too, as I felt he should have got the nod against Tuivasa, yet didn't, and this was a much clearer fight to score than that one. He was better than Sakai almost the whole way through. 

Sandhagen Vs Lineker was a fun scrap, as expected. I wanted Lineker to get the win as I love the wee maniac, but he lost the first two rounds, so I don't know why the crowd weren't giving Sandhagen any love. 

I've got nothing to say about Hardy, other than the first half way decent fighter he faces, with an intention of winning, will beat him. 

Glover and Cutelaba delivered exactly what you would have thought - just two big men throwing cannonball's at each other. Glover showed his experience and guts here, and he's still got a run in him. If he can beat Corey Anderson or some other fringe contender, and he'll get a title shot. 

Perry Vs Oliviera in a dance off! Amazing scenes. The fight was bloody brilliant too, but the pre-match antics were just a different level altogether. Perry deserved the decision and is getting better. I love Cowboy to bits though, and anytime one of these two men fight, I'll be watching. I'm quite happy for Perry to fight Darren Till and have one of them knock the other out, and I'd love to see Oliviera Vs someone like Vicente Luque. 

Hermansson really made a statement with this win. He's no joke with a win on his resume over Jacare Souza. Jacare may be pretty much 40, but he can end anyone's dreams on a given night. Hermansson just was so sharp with his strikes, landing constantly, using his length and mixing in his wrestling so well. It kind of was like Lineker Vs Sandhagen, with constant output from one man being met with loading up for power shots by the other. I feel awful for Jacare because he may have found motivation hard, after having the re-match against Yoel dangled in front of him, but he's not done yet. There's still a two or three fight run in him yet, in this division. If Hermansson gets Gastelum like @wandshogun09 mentioned, I'd match Jacare with Cannonier/Anderson and see what happens. I expect Jacare beats both. 

 

[wandshogun09]

Ooh I love that Oliveira vs Luque idea. But if Luque beats Neil Magny on whichever card that’s on (I forget) he might have gone past Oliveira for the time being. Perry vs Luque would be insane too actually. 

[WeeAl]

Ah I hadn't realised Magny Vs Luque was booked. Oliviera could fight the loser of that one, possibly. Either way, the man is never in anything dull. Has Ponzinibio got a fight at the moment? 

Lawler Vs Woodley, Usman Vs Covington, Askren Vs Masvidal, RDA Vs Lee are all booked/expected I think. Then as you mention, there's Magny Vs Luque. 

That leaves Till, Perry, Thompson, Maia, EZ Dos Santos, Leon Edwards, Cowboy Oliviera and Anthony Pettis all unmatched at the moment. If Pettis stays at 170 for now, I wouldn't mind seeing him fight Mike Perry or Ponzinibio. Both fights would be sure to be barnburners. 

[wandshogun09]

Nah The Ponz isn’t booked as far as I’m aware. I was thinking we were going get him against Woodley but then they threw that unexpected Woodley vs Lawler rematch in there. Really like the sound of Ponzinibbio vs Pettis if Pettis wants to take another fight at 170. I’ll cry if we don’t get that Aldo vs Pettis fight at 155 before Aldo calls it a day though. 

[Egg Shen]

Just caught up, excellent main card. Do wish id put some money on the Joker now though. Just had an inkling he was gonna win it, imagine if he'd submitted Jacare in round 1! theres a changing of the guard at 185.

Greg Hardys opponent looked terrified, i swear he was actually shaking as his name was read out.

Glover/Cutelaba was FOTN for me, cracking fight and seeing Glover rally from a tough first proved what a legend that bloke is, tough as granite. I dont think hes got many more of them in him but Glover is the man.

[wandshogun09]

It’s never happened before, doubt it ever will again but you know that phrase ‘even a stopped clock is right twice a day’? Well Brendan Schaub is spot on for me here on the Greg Hardy experiment. 

Even this dopey lummox knows what’s up when it comes to Domestic Abuse Greg. Dana White is on the bandwagon all by himself.