UFC 265: Lewis vs Gane - Aug 7 🇺🇸

[David]

Personally, I don't see a mess in the heavyweight division. Ngannou won the title at the end of March. It's just a shade over 4 months since that happened.

For me, it should have been simple. Lewis challenging for the belt in a month or two, as Ngannou had planned. Six months off for a champion isn't crazy, it happens all the time.

It's Dana and his billy-big-balls antics that have caused this. Now whoever wins, we'll have to wait until November/December to see Ngannou fight them? Mental.

[wandshogun09]

That’s what I’m saying the mess is. Dana being a baby and letting his ego get in the way of making the real fights people want to see. When you’ve got the three biggest names in the division sat on the sidelines while they’re all healthy and ready to go, it’s definitely a mess however we slice it. 

[Carbomb]

Maybe I'm being all "you can't work me, I'm a wrestling fan", but I can't shake the suspicion that Lewis deliberately plays up this narrative of being unskilled and crude as part of his gameplan, that he's skilfully lulling the opponent into a false sense of security so that he can Pearl Harbour them. I say this because of that "puncher's chance" he has - if we were rating puncher's chances among fighters, looking at historic data, even among HWs, Lewis would seem to have a higher percentage than most, and after a point one has to start wondering just how much of that is the odds, and how much of it is tactical.

[wandshogun09]

I definitely think there’s something to Lewis playing down his own skills so people will take him lightly. You look back at his record and he’s got wins over Ngannou, Blaydes, Volkov, Tybura, Oleynik, Browne, Nelson and Gonzaga. Say what you want about the state of the Heavyweight division but that’s not too shabby a record by anyone’s standards. We all say ‘anything can happen at Heavyweight’ and there’s certainly truth to that, you don’t keep beating tough opponents like that unless you’ve really got something about you. I think it suits Lewis that a lot of people look at him as a bit of a novelty act.

I’d be chuffed if he wins on Saturday. It’d be a shame for it to come at the expense of Gane who seems like a top man himself but he’s got time to bounce back if he loses this one. Lewis getting that win, especially in Houston, would be a great moment. He’ll get battered when/if the top boys come back but it’d be nice to see him have his night in front of his home crowd. 

[Chunk]

Do we know that Ngannou isn't guilty of unreasonable requests? Serious question ... I haven't been paying attention. 

[Egg Shen]

The only thing i gathered from Dana talking about the situation is that its more an issue with members of Ngannou's team and management, one guy in particular i believe.

[Panhead]

https://www.mmafighting.com/2021/8/5/22611605/joe-rogan-skips-ufc-265-for-comedy-tour-broadcast-team-set-with-daniel-cormier-and-dominick-cruz 

 

Excellent news. 

Edited August 5, 2021 by Panhead

[wandshogun09]

22 minutes ago, Egg Shen said:

The only thing i gathered from Dana talking about the situation is that its more an issue with members of Ngannou's team and management, one guy in particular i believe.

His manager Marquel Martin. I put a bit about it in the opening post. I don’t even know if Ngannou has made any specific demands this time. I know he was backing Jones on the money thing when their fight was being talked about but I haven’t heard anything like that relating to this fight in particular. As far as I’m aware this was more a case of the UFC/Dana wanting the Ngannou vs Lewis rematch next but specifically on this card because it’s Houston and Lewis is from there. They were originally supposed to fight, I think in June, but Ngannou wanted it later so they tried for this card and never heard back from Ngannou’s team quick enough so just created an interim belt. I think it’s probably more Dana wanting to flex his power than anything but no doubt there’s money issues at the root of it, there always is. Dana seemed in love with Ngannou at one point until he lost the first Stipe fight but he was very quick to turn on him and publicly throw him under the bus after the loss. Then with Ngannou being more outspoken about money when the Jones thing went down, he’s probably not on Dana’s Christmas card list this year.

To be honest, I doubt Ngannou, or his management, have made unreasonable requests. If they had, Dana would’ve been screaming it to anyone with a camera within 2 minutes of that conversation happening. You know how he is. I think it’s as simple as, he clicked his fingers and Ngannou didn’t jump quick enough to his liking so he did this as a way to say to Ngannou that if he doesn’t play ball they’ll just crown a new champ. 

[wandshogun09]

Yes Derrick! 

[Kfogg1991]

1 hour ago, wandshogun09 said:

Yes Derrick! 

I genuinely fucking love derick Lewis and I 100% wish hope and pray he gets it done on Saturday night and wins the interim belt because that man has torn threw most of the bad ass division and got knocked right back down to the bottom and scratched and clawed his way back up 

[wandshogun09]

Been listening to this in the background doing bits and bobs this morning. Dan Hardy and Ollie Richardson break down the fights this weekend. Decent listen with some interesting little stories thrown in. If you’re not fussed with the prelims, the main card talk starts around the 53 minute mark;

 

[wandshogun09]

Manel Kape’s gone and missed weight. Came in at 129lbs for a fight at 125. His UFC run has been a right flop. Goes 0-2 then misses weight. So now even if he wins tomorrow night, and this is a fight I fancied him winning, there’ll be a cloud hanging over it. If he loses now I can see them just getting rid. 

[SBD]

The Greatest Hits (Verbally at least) 

 

[Egg Shen]

17 hours ago, wandshogun09 said:

Manel Kape’s gone and missed weight. Came in at 129lbs for a fight at 125. His UFC run has been a right flop. Goes 0-2 then misses weight. So now even if he wins tomorrow night, and this is a fight I fancied him winning, there’ll be a cloud hanging over it. If he loses now I can see them just getting rid. 

ahh that sucks. I like Kape though, he's clearly super talented, problem is he doesn't do a lot. I think he'd great over 5 rounds but in a 3 rounder he needs to learn to push the pace.

[Egg Shen]

anyone else think the main event had the potential to be a right stinker? im seeing some concerns online and i tend to agree.

The punchers chance talk sums up Lewis' chances but he's fighting a guy who already shown he isn't gonna be forced into taking risks. If Lewis' comes out slow to pace himself for the 5 rounds he's likely gonna be on end of a slow, methodical boo-drawing beating. If Lewis comes out like a nut he may catch Gane but if that doesnt work hes gonna be gassed and still get a beating. I aint fancying his chances.