UFC Vegas 104 delivered by way of motion with 9 stoppages and solely 4 selections, however UFC light-weight Renato Moicano noticed it as the right instance as to why the promotion ought to cease holding occasions on the UFC APEX.
The venue was essential for the UFC as a spot to carry occasions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, permitting the present to go on regardless of restrictions. Moicano fought threes instances on the venue, one being a pay-per-view throughout the pandemic again in 2020, and defends that it doesn’t make sense to maintain it going anymore.
“To me, it was a foul UFC [card],” Moicano mentioned of UFC Vegas 104 on a video posted on his YouTube channel. “Everyone’s saying it was a wonderful UFC, that there have been plenty of knockouts and submission. That’s true, there have been loads of knockouts and submissions … However why do I believe the cardboard was so unhealthy? As a result of the UFC APEX works to hype sure fighters that come from the Contender [Series].
“The APEX is that this space for the UFC in Las Vegas, subsequent to the UFC PI, in order that they don’t pay to make use of the area, so it’s an inexpensive card for the UFC. There’s no struggle week [activities], and that’s why I believe it’s so unhealthy after they’re on the UFC APEX. There’s no dynamic like different Combat Nights [on the road]. It’s good [when it’s elsewhere] as a result of all of the athletes go to a unique metropolis and so they name TV stations, radio folks, and also you do a Combat Evening with media day and open exercises and that makes folks excited to observe the fights. However no one cares when it’s the UFC APEX.”
UFC Vegas 104 was headlined by an surprising rematch between middleweights Marvin Vettori and Roman Dolidze. Moicano highlighted the performances of Andre Lima and Kevin Vallejos on the prelims, however suppose that being on the UFC APEX finally impacts the best way it may change the trajectory of their careers.
“UFC APEX playing cards should cease,” Moicano mentioned. “For instance, Carlos Vera beating Josias Musasa, what does that do for the bantamweight division? It adjustments completely nothing. F*ck it, ? They put fights on the APEX and f*ck it. Cool, good end, however the place can we go from right here? Will folks begin speaking about Carlos Vera preventing Felipe Lima or somebody hyped within the bantamweight division? They received’t, particularly as a result of it doesn’t make a distinction. That’s my level. You’ll be able to have a bunch of knockouts, like Waldo Cortes-Acosta on Ryan Spann. So what? The place does Waldo Cortes go? What’s he going to do? Who’s he preventing?
“The one man aside from Andre Lima that had some hype was Kevin Vallejos, and that’s due to a loss. He fought Seung Woo Choi at featherweight, he’s 15-1 now, however I believe he type of blew it. His solely loss was to Jean Silva and he will get to the UFC and knocks out this Korean and asks to struggle Jean Silva, a struggle that is not sensible. However I need to see what his child does within the division, as a result of the Jean Silva struggle was wonderful. I actually don’t know what his subsequent step might be however I need to watch his struggle. He acquired a little bit little bit of hype. Now think about if Kevin Vallejos was preventing on a pay-per-view and knocks this man out. The hype could be fully totally different. That’s my downside with the UFC APEX.
“I’ll provide you with one other instance to defend my level. Ignacio Bahamondes. He was preventing on the APEX on a regular basis and did a pleasant spinning kick knockout there, like [Mauricio] Ruffy’s, and no one cared. He submitted Jalin Turner the opposite day on a numbered card — Turner was clearly ranked, however the end didn’t examine to the spinning knockout he had, and now he has a f*cking hype and is within the high 15. Once more, these UFC APEX playing cards, the actual fact the construction is all there, it makes the cardboard worse even when they’ve good fights like Kavin Vallejos and Andre Lima.”
UFC Vegas 104 was the ninth UFC occasion of the yr, the fourth contained in the APEX, however solely three of the ten occasions between March and June 7 will happen on the APEX. The octagon goes again on the highway once more this week for a Combat Evening present in London, headlined by former champion Leon Edwards and Sean Brady on March 22, after which visits Mexico Metropolis the week after earlier than returning to the APEX.
