UFC 312 is within the books, and each Dricus du Plessis and Zhang Weili stay UFC champions.
On Saturday night time at Qudos Financial institution Enviornment in Sydney, du Plessis left little doubt about his dominance over Sean Strickland, battering the previous champion over 25 minutes to retain his middleweight title. Plus, proper earlier than that, Zhang fairly probably cemented herself as the best strawweight of all-time with a one-sided drubbing of the undefeated Tatiana Suarez to retain her title.
Apart from these two fights, not a lot else of word occurred for the most recent UFC pay-per-view providing, but it surely’s nonetheless an enormous occasion, so MMA Combating as soon as once more gathered the mind belief to interrupt down the most recent large UFC combat card.
1. What’s your blurb overview of UFC 312?
Lee: Precisely as marketed. And that’s not a praise.
Sure, there have been some early sparks on the present, and not one of the fights have been terrible, however not one of the fights have been electrifying both (with respect to Rongzhu’s Combat of the Evening win over Kody Steele, cosplaying as Michael Chandler for the night, apparently) and I’d be shocked if anybody is speaking about this occasion with yet one more APEX present simply across the nook.
Heck: Barely, and I imply barely higher than marketed, however the bar was VERY low!
Once we take into consideration total card influence, the principle card is the bar — and the PPV portion had two first rate early scraps, a brutal knockout, and two dominant championship performances. On prime of that, Aleksandre Topuria was the third-biggest story of the occasion, and the marginally older brother of Ilia Topuria is one to observe going ahead at 135. Plenty of not nice, however we have been ready for that, too.
Martin: A lackluster card that ended up being lackluster!
Whereas I respect trying on the brilliant aspect of issues, UFC 312 may go down as probably the most forgettable playing cards in current historical past outdoors of the 2 key fights on the prime, and even these didn’t give us a lot drama to speak about afterwards. This occasion may drag out just a few extra days of curiosity solely as a result of the UFC card on Feb. 15 isn’t precisely a banger both, however largely, the storylines popping out of this card are way more about what comes subsequent than what simply occurred.
Meshew: You bought what you paid for.
Heading into UFC 312, everybody was just about in settlement that this card had two excellent fights on the prime and nothing else, so when you dropped the $80 on this card, you knew what you have been shopping for, and you bought precisely that. Neither the principle nor co-main occasions have been thrilling, however they have been high-level fights between among the greatest on this planet. Certain, you purchased them on the prime of the market, however not all the things must be a deal.
2. Are you a Dricus du Plessis believer now?
Meshew: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Buddy, I’ve been a believer. I’m proud to say I used to be among the many earliest adopters of du Plessis, and it has been one of many nice joys of my MMA fandom over the previous two years to observe the ocean of haters and doubters slowly however certainly come to the sunshine. My medium grownup son, my lovely violence bozo, is among the greatest fighters on this planet and everybody lastly agrees. It’s wonderful.
Lee: I wish to say sure, however I’m additionally selecting Khamzat Chimaev to run him over in his subsequent title combat, so how a lot of a believer can I be?
There’s no questioning Dricus du Plessis is aware of the best way to win fights, even when at occasions it seems to be like he’s one step away from catastrophe. However you may’t argue with outcomes, and few middleweights in UFC historical past have seen their hand raised extra typically in large fights than du Plessis. He’s a deserving champion, and top-of-the-line pound-for-pound fighters on this planet, even when I don’t count on him to carry on to his present spot for lengthy.
Heck: I took a bit of longer than others who will weigh-in, however I’m all-in and have been for the reason that Robert Whittaker thrashing.
When you listened to my breakdown of this rematch with Sean Strickland, it went nearly precisely as anticipated. If Strickland implements the identical sport plan as the primary assembly, this combat received’t be shut — and boy, it certain wasn’t.
Look, I get why we did the rematch, however now we get to the combat all of us need, and that’s DDP vs. Khamzat, and there is probably not a extra attention-grabbing combat the UFC can put collectively proper now. This can be must-see TV, and if du Plessis could make it to the halfway level of Spherical 2, he’s going to be the primary at hand Chimaev a loss.
Martin: I’m proud to say I’ve been driving on the du Plessis bandwagon ever since he went scorched Earth on Robert Whittaker, and I’m not leaping off the prepare any time quickly.
Like most individuals who’ve watched du Plessis win combat after combat within the UFC with out totally understanding how he retains doing it, that awkward and unorthodox fashion he employs simply retains paying off. Technically, du Plessis isn’t an elite striker or a world-class grappler, however as my podcast co-host Matt Brown typically says on The Fighter vs. The Author — it doesn’t matter the way it seems to be as long as it really works. It’s working for du Plessis, and he regarded even higher within the second go-round with Strickland. Whereas the UFC 312 principal occasion wasn’t precisely Combat of the Yr materials, du Plessis deserves credit score for making an attempt his greatest to place Strickland away, and now we are able to all get actually enthusiastic about what comes subsequent with Khamzat Chimaev ready within the wings.
3. Is Zhang Weili the best strawweight of all time?
Lee: Yup. As unlucky as it’s that she has two losses to Rose Namajunas, we are able to look previous these setbacks provided that her total physique of labor is so robust. To not denigrate Namajunas an excessive amount of (I imply, she did obliterate Zhang with a head kick as soon as upon a time), however Zhang doesn’t have the blips on her report that “Thug Rose” does *cough * Carla Esparza *cough*. So it’s a matter of levels, however that’s sufficient for me to lean in direction of Zhang over Namajunas and Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
Heck: Sure, sure, and sure.
As AK form of laid out, the Namajunas stretch is an odd blip on an total excellent run, however generally a fighter simply has your quantity — plus, I additionally thought Zhang received the rematch, however that’s neither right here nor there.
Zhang entered this combat because the underdog, which was surprising to me. Regardless of being 35, she’s at the very best she’s ever regarded within the UFC. These fights are merely not aggressive in any respect, with Zhang being two steps forward of everybody. And the factor about this Suarez combat that stood out most to me within the lead, all the way in which as much as the stroll to the cage on Saturday, Zhang knew she was Suarez’s kryptonite. No person has finished that to Suarez, and it’s unlikely anyone else will be capable of.
I additionally imagine we noticed Zhang’s closing combat at 115, so I hope followers loved what they noticed on Saturday as a result of she has new challenges forward.
Martin: It definitely appears that approach.
She’s a two-time champion with 4 whole title defenses underneath her belt. Zhang beat Joanna Jedrzejczyk twice, and “Joanna Champion” in all probability the very best declare to GOAT standing at strawweight following her personal title reign. Zhang definitely can’t overlook the 2 losses she has to Rose Namajunas, who additionally has two wins over Jedrzejcyzk as nicely, however that doesn’t negate her total greatness. Zhang’s report at strawweight is de facto spectacular, and he or she simply continues to rack up high-quality wins over top-notch opposition. Her resume could not get a lot deeper now as a result of all indicators are pointing in direction of a transfer to flyweight, after which maybe Zhang might begin getting into that dialog as simply one of many biggest ladies’s fighters within the historical past of the game.
Meshew: I imagine so.
Earlier than UFC 312, I argued {that a} Zhang win would make her the strawweight GOAT and transfer her into the top-five feminine fighters ever group (together with Amanda Nunes, Valentina Shevchenko, Cris Cyborg, and Ronda Rousey, changing Jedrzejczyk), and never solely did she get that win, she dominated Suarez. Zhang has the identical variety of title combat wins as Jedrzejczyk, one fewer protection, can have the longest reign in a matter of months, and has the 2 wins over Jedrzejczyk. That’s loads in her favor.
That being stated, I feel there’s not less than some debate left (as these items at all times are debated) and that’s why I hope Zhang sticks round 115 for just a few extra fights, as a result of if she provides title defenses over Virna Jandiroba and like, Mackenzie Dern or one thing, it’s simple after which the query is how far up the GOAT listing does she climb.
4. Who’s the most important loser of UFC 312?
Lee: Following Tatiana Suarez’s humbling loss to Zhang Weili, the commentary staff speculated that Suarez nonetheless has loads of time to battle again to the highest. I don’t know if that’s true.
Suarez lately turned 34, not senior age by any stretch, however she’s put lots of mileage on a physique that has been racked by accidents, so it’s anybody’s guess what number of fights she has left in her and the way motivated she’ll be to combat for the title once more after such a deflating loss. Watching Saturday’s co-main occasion, she had few solutions for Zhang, and I’d wager she has lots of inquiries to ask herself going ahead.
Heck: AK is one hundred pc right, however I’ll make the case for Sean Strickland.
There’s an excellent likelihood that Strickland fought for a UFC title for the ultimate time on Saturday, and I do know, deep down, that’s going to bum Strickland out. Are there large fights for him nonetheless? Definitely. Might he combat Robert Whittaker subsequent? Sure. Is that what I’d do? Completely not, as a result of middleweight is getting higher and higher, and deeper and deeper. The Caio Borralhos and the Nassourdine Imavovs are right here. The “Fluffy” Hernandezs, the RDRs, and the Bo Nickals are coming, they usually’re getting right here fast.
Strickland, love him or hate him, overachieved massively, and regardless of getting dinged up by du Plessis for 25 minutes, confirmed great toughness and sophistication in defeat along with his post-fight interview. It doesn’t matter what, Strickland will go down in historical past as a UFC champion, and no one can ever take that away from him.
Martin: It’s Sean Strickland as a result of his days as a title contender are in all probability over now.
Let’s not child ourselves, Strickland already achieved excess of most individuals would have imagined as a result of he continuously fights like he’s gunning for a 48-47 scorecard. He takes only a few dangers, performs protection higher than offense, and his most viral moments have come from the madness he spews on the microphone excess of what he’s really finished within the octagon. Strickland shocked the world when he almost knocked out Israel Adesanya, however the important thing phrase there’s “almost” as a result of even in a lopsided combat, he nonetheless couldn’t get the end.
Whereas Strickland has develop into some form of folks hero to lots of UFC followers, Din Thomas had it proper when he known as out Strickland for speaking an excellent sport after which not backing it up within the cage. He’s able to combat to the loss of life, which for Strickland apparently means sticking behind his jab for 25 consecutive minutes. Now, with two losses to du Plessis and an infuriating fashion that simply screams, ‘That is going to a choice,’ it’s powerful to think about him climbing again up that championship mountain once more.
Meshew: I’m flabbergasted by y’all. None of you’re remotely right. Each Strickland and Suarez are one loss or title trip away from being proper again within the combine of their respective divisions. No, the most important loser on Saturday was somebody who didn’t even combat on Saturday: poor Manon Fiorot.
Fiorot ought to have essentially the most iron-clad title shot possible proper now, and but after Zhang’s unimaginable efficiency, instantly there’s a really actual world the place Fiorot will get handed over for a crack at Shevchenko as a result of enterprise is the foreign money of the realm as of late. Within the post-fight press convention, UFC CEO Dana White hinted fairly closely that Zhang could, in truth, be subsequent up for Shevchenko, and provided that combat was apparently already floated earlier than UFC 312 even occurred, and in some way a lady who has finished all the things proper could also be neglected within the chilly.
5. Exterior of the highest two fights, who was the hero of UFC 312?
Lee: Anybody who paid to observe this factor from starting to finish?
OK, that’s a bit harsh as a result of it wasn’t an terrible card, however I can’t think about anybody being utterly happy in the event that they shelled out $80 to see a handful of promising debutantes and a pair of one-sided title fights. What hurts is when you have a look at this lineup and this previous Saturday’s UFC Saudi Arabia lineup, you may image a implausible card comprised of the very best fights from each. Nevertheless, within the fashionable UFC panorama, content material is king, so we’ve to take care of the occasional lackluster card and, worse, the occasional lackluster PPV.
Heck: It’s a private alternative, however I’m going with Aleksandre Topuria. Let’s be actual, my pals, as soon as UFC Seattle rolls round, we received’t bear in mind something outdoors of what DDP and Zhang did on this card, however I’m invested in Topuria’s bantamweight future after what I noticed in opposition to a fairly proficient man in his UFC debut.
After I spoke with him a few days earlier than the combat, I used to be blown away by how calm, cool, and assured he was. He stated he felt no stress in any respect, and as a lot as he confirmed it — perhaps it was a poker face — there’s simply no approach he was pressure-free. How might he be? All of the discuss his brother and champ Ilia Topuria, Alexander Volkanovski within the nook, and the newer fan base who would’ve ripped Topuria to shreds if he misplaced on Saturday.
What Topuria did was win, and he did so convincingly. Because the outdated cliché goes, depart them wanting extra. As impressed as I used to be with Topuria, I’m extremely intrigued to see his sophomore look.
Martin: Perhaps heroes?
This wasn’t an excellent card. Don’t attempt to fake in any other case. However credit score to Rongzhu and Kody Steele for placing on a very entertaining three-round battle on the prelims. Steele, who’s a high-level grappler with loads of accolades on his resume, determined to simply throw warning to the wind and have interaction in a standup battle in opposition to Rongzhu. It didn’t work out too nicely for Steele past exhibiting that he can take a critical punch, however man, that combat was entertaining. On an evening stuffed with blowout wins or simply forgettable fights, Rongzhu vs. Steele was one to recollect past UFC 312.
Meshew: Aleksandre Topuria might be the “proper” reply, however since Mike already coated him, I wish to give a shoutout to the announcement that dropped throughout the pay-per-view broadcast: the combat between Israel Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236 can be inducted into the UFC Corridor of Fame this 12 months.
I used to be sitting cage-side for that combat, and I can say with out reservation that it was one of many prime 5 sporting experiences of my life and one of many prime 5 fights I’ve ever seen. It was such an unbelievable emotional journey that it utterly drained me simply watching it. I distinctly bear in mind watching the principle occasion after it — the rematch between Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway that was second in Combat of the Yr rankings that 12 months — and considering, “This combat can also be unimaginable, however I’m too emotionally spent to spend money on it the identical approach.
Each males and this combat completely deserve this honor, and when you’ve by no means seen the combat earlier than, I strongly encourage you to return and watch it. I promise you received’t remorse it.
