Demetrious Johnson has a easy answer for followers uninterested in watching wrestling-heavy fights: Change the channel.
Throughout a stay YouTube response stream for UFC 319, Johnson gave his two cents on Saturday’s fundamental occasion and broke down how Khamzat Chimaev grappled his solution to a dominant resolution win over Dricus du Plessis to seize the middleweight title. Johnson then addressed viewer feedback, a number of of which have been essential of Chimaev controlling du Plessis for 25 minutes with out doing a lot vital harm.
Johnson sympathized, then reminded followers they’ve the ability to decide on what they devour.
“If you happen to guys don’t wish to watch grappling and wrestling and jiu-jitsu, don’t watch UFC,” Johnson mentioned. “Go watch ONE Championship, go watch Lion Combating, go watch Glory, go watch kickboxing, go watch Muay Thai, proper? It’s quite simple. You guys are complaining about one thing that’s a quite simple downside to repair.
“For instance, let’s say Khamzat’s about to battle once more, you don’t wish to watch his type, all you’ve received to do is go like this, you see this button proper right here, it’s referred to as ‘off button.’ You don’t need to see Khamzat wrestle, it’s a quite simple downside to repair. You guys are making it a much bigger deal than it’s.”
Watching the battle stay, Johnson was essential of Chimaev not discovering positions to land extra impactful ground-and-pound or to chase submissions. That didn’t matter in the long run as “DDP” failed to stop Chimaev from repeatedly taking him down and both smothering him or taking his again.
Johnson was on Chimaev’s facet when it got here to referee Marc Goddard calling for a standup and reset of place on a few events, choices that Johnson believes favored du Plessis.
“I disagree with this,” Johnson mentioned through the battle. “That ought to have by no means occurred as a result of the identical factor’s going to occur. Mainly, what the ref did, the ref gave DDP a greater probability to battle. What simply occurred with the referee’s resolution ought to have by no means occurred. There’s no purpose why the ref ought to have stood them up.
“This can be a battle. It’s as much as DDP to get to a greater place to have the ability to higher himself to have the ability to battle. The truth that the ref allowed DDP to get out of a really down place from Khamzat Chimaev is bullshit.”
No matter how entertaining Chimaev’s efficiency was or wasn’t, it’s clear the undefeated fighter and now UFC champion is a tricky puzzle for any middleweight to unravel. Reinier de Ridder, Anthony Hernandez, Caio Borralho, and Nassourdine Imavov are all within the combine to be the opponent for Chimaev’s first title protection, and as of now Chimaev has no choice as to who’s subsequent.
Whichever course the matchmakers go in, Johnson is aware of that challenger higher have their wrestling sneakers on.
“I truthfully thought Khamzat was going to have the ability to end DDP if he was in a position to take DDP down, however I additionally thought DDP was going to do a greater job of defending the takedowns and he wasn’t in a position to cease the takedown,” Johnson mentioned. “That was the story of that battle, so shifting ahead, whoever fights Khamzat, they should determine—like, Imavov or Borralho, they battle Sept. 6, whoever wins that battle, if they don’t include wrestling protection or an excellent jiu-jitsu attacking type like going after the legs, elevating Khamzat, they’re going to lose. I really feel completely snug saying that. They’re going to lose.
“As a result of Khamzat doesn’t wish to stand. He needs to indicate, present, shoot. Present, present, shoot. Present, present, shoot. So if these guys don’t have a floor recreation or have a solution for his wrestling, it’s going to be the identical precise factor that occurred to DDP.”
Inevitable. Khamzat Chimaev is the brand new UFC middleweight champion.
Nope. Jon Jones combating at UFC White Home? Dana White calls it ‘a billion-to-one’ probability.
Nope once more. And he’s not loving these 10,000-seat UFC APEX tales both!
Subsequent? Lerone Murphy smoked Aaron Pico at UFC 319 and he has the featherweight champ’s consideration.
How? One battle earlier than Murphy’s unbelievable spinning elbow knockout, Carlos Prates did nearly the very same factor to Geoff Neal.
Essential. Joseph Morales received The Final Fighter 33 to cap off yet one more magical season.
MMA Combating’s Mike Heck and Alexander Ok. Lee make their decide for who Chimaev ought to defend in opposition to first within the newest On to the Subsequent One.
UFC 319 post-fight scrums.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
I nonetheless can’t imagine he mentioned this.
That’s one solution to have a good time Premier League kickoff weekend.
All of us thought it will be Khamzat early, DDP late, however what we received was one thing fully totally different. Personally, I discovered the UFC 319 fundamental occasion mesmerizing, even when it’s a battle that I’ll by no means, ever watch once more in its entirety. Chimaev defied expectations and have become champion, that’s how I’m selecting to border it.
Now get again to smeshing, huge man.
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