With UFC on ESPN 33 in the books, The Underground editor-in-chief John Morgan offers his key takeaways from the event that took place in Columbus, Ohio.
Give Curtis Blaydes his interim title shot
Following a statement victory in the main event of UFC on ESPN 33, Curtis Blaydes (16-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) made it very clear what he wants
Honestly, it doesn’t necessarily need to be against Gane. There are other options on the table. Stipe Miocic was in attendance at the card and certainly boasts a track record that makes him deserving. If Jon Jones ever does actually schedule his heavyweight debut, you’d be hard-pressed to say he doesn’t belong in the discussion, as well.
But as undisputed champion Francis Ngannou remains on the mend from knee surgery, if an interim belt is indeed created, it would seem wrong to exclude Blaydes from being one side of any matchup made.
I made that same statement in the immediate aftermath of the fight and was met with some resistance.
No chance. Tai Tuivasa and Aspinall are both more exciting prospects. As well as Gane and Stipe.
— Austin Kaner (@Austinfsk) March 27, 2022
He has 1 exciting fight and he deserves a title shot??? At best he's earned a #1 shot after the interim belt.
— El English Vato (@englishinaz) March 27, 2022
@bambamtuivasa knocked out lewis who on his turn knocked out Blade 2 fights ago.
Aspinall is on a 5 fight winning streak.
Both of these fighters are ahead of Blades in my opinion in terms of win streak and momentum right now.
— A-xel🈲💮⭕️ (@PilotKid1) March 27, 2022
I agree that both Tai Tuivasa and Tom Aspinall are also quite deserving competitors and two of the most exciting athletes in the heavyweight division right now, and they are absolutely in the conversation, as well. If you want, throw all those names in a hat and pull one of them out to fight for the title. Just put Blaydes on the other side of the cage.
While he’s received some criticism for his wrestling-first style in the past, he made a statement at Saturday’s event, and his track record is one of extended success at the highest level, standing at 6-1 in his past seven appearances – and just one Lewis uppercut away from a seven-fight winning streak. Give Blaydes his reward now. The others can follow.
Alexa Grasso a real force at flyweight
Alexa Grasso (14-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) has long been a been a highly touted prospect, and for good reason. Her crisp boxing is both a pleasure to watch and an impressive attacking tool, but she was only able to secure mixed results toward the end of her strawweight tenure, going 2-3 over her final five fights in the division, not to mention missing weight once along the way.
But since her move up to 125 pounds, Grasso is now 3-0, and she’s made it clear she feels like a new fighter.
I favored Grasso to win her matchup with Joanne Wood, so the result wasn’t a surprise, but the way she claimed victory was what impressed me the most. Sure, her boxing was on point, as expected, but so was her wrestling and jiu-jitsu, which she’s clearly been working on improving.
Grasso didn’t just happen into some “lucky” submission. She wrapped the body and executed a perfect takedown, maneuvered into excellent back control and had a slick adjustment on the choking arm she was using, all leading to a first-round submission win. Adding in these skills to an already excellent striking base makes Grasso an impressive contender at flyweight, even if it is ruled by a rather dominant champion in Valentina Shevchenko.
Matt Brown really is ‘The Immortal’
Even the most casual fan knew the moment Matt Brown (23-19 MMA, 16-13 UFC) vs. Bryan Barberena was announced, it was going to be an absolute banger, and it delivered as expected, taking home the evening’s “Fight of the Night” bonus.
Like judges Mike Bell and Eric Colon, I did score the fight for Barberena, but I was absolutely impressed by what Brown still brings to the cage at 41 years old. The man is an absolute warrior who simply doesn’t know how to put on a boring fight.
Brown says he wants to sign another eight-fight deal with the promotion and make a run for the title. I’m not so sure he’ll be able to reach those championship aspirations in an incredibly talented welterweight division, but I know that Brown remains a must-watch athlete, and there are plenty of exciting matchups that can be made. Hopefully the setback doesn’t sour Brown’s willingness to keep going.
Kai Kara-France is next – but just not next
What an incredibly gutsy performance from Kai Kara-France (24-9 MMA, 7-2 UFC), who survived a slow start against a very dangerous Askar Askarov to grind out a decision win by taking home the final two rounds – and nearly finishing it in the second.
To be fair, I did give Askarov the first and third rounds on my personal card – thus awarding him the fight, as well – but I have absolutely no problem with the result that was actually issued. That third round was razor-thin, and I was even second-guessing myself with my Askarov call.
I don’t know exactly where Kara-France will land in the updated official flyweight rankings this week. After taking out the No. 2 contender, will he rise all the way to that slot? It’s possible. But regardless of where he lands, Kara-France’s current run has earned him a UFC title shot, in my eyes. That said, I don’t think it should come at the expense of Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno IV.
I’ve said all along that I realize it seems weird to want to see any two fighters face off four consecutive times. There’s a reason it’s never happened before in UFC history. But this rivalry has been a unique one, and with them at 1-1-1, let’s see this thing through to the end.
Kara-France is up next, though.
Put some respect on Neil Magny’s name
It feels like Neil Magny (26-8 MMA, 19-7 UFC) is often a bit of an overlooked commodity, but against Max Griffin, he really showed his heart and tenacity, getting knocked down in the first round but battling back for a decision win, and bordering on a 10-8 in the third.
It’s nothing new, of course, if you’ve followed Magny’s career, but it was just the latest example of why he deserves more respect than he seems to receive. Then, to show even more character, he called out Khamzat Chimaev, a request he’s pursued for months when it seems many are ready to anoint “Borz” as a future champion.
Magny is now tied with Georges St-Pierre for most wins in the history of the UFC’s welterweight division. He has more fight time than any welterweight in UFC history. He may not be destined to wrap gold around his waist, but he’s a tough test for absolutely anyone who steps in against him. Overlook him at your own risk.
I’m on the Manon Fiorot bandwagon
It’s oftentimes tough to get too excited about prospects in the UFC women’s flyweight division just because Valentina Shevchenko is such a dominant champion. I’m not here to say Manon Fiorot (9-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) is absolutely the one to beat her, but I’m on the bandwagon.
With a nine-fight winning streak and a perfect mark in the octagon, Fiorot took out a former title challenger in Jennifer Maia and called for another in Katlyn Chookagian. That’s a solid matchup, or maybe she ends up drawing Grasso. Both are fantastic fights, and both might be enough to get her a crack at Shevchenko, especially considering the number of women in the division the champ has already dispatched.
I’d still take Shevchenko – I just don’t see how you pick anyone against her in her current form – but Fiorot’s combination of size, speed, power and aggression make her a real threat to anyone on the roster.
