UFC mailbag: Where does Israel Adesanya go from here? Plus some early UFC 312 talk

UFC Saudi Arabia is within the books, and now, it’s on to UFC 312.

This previous Saturday, Nassourdine Imavov scored the most important win of his profession when he knocked out former two-time champion Israel Adesanya within the second spherical of their principal occasion matchup. Imavov appears poised to battle for the 185 belt sooner somewhat than later and so the massive query is what is going to change into of “The Final Stylebender?” Let’s reply that and extra from this week’s mailbag.

Israel Adesanya

“What’s the subsequent finest transfer for Izzy, and (relatedly) do fighters danger damaging their legacy by remaining lively previous their prime?”

Heading into UFC Saudi Arabia my largest query was how a lot does Adesanya have left within the tank, and I feel we acquired the reply fairly definitively. Adesanya is an all-time nice, however he’s 35, been competing for 15 years, and has 115 skilled fights. That’s an unimaginable quantity of mileage, and it’s exhibiting. Adesanya’s reflexes aren’t as quick as they as soon as have been so he’s getting hit extra typically, and he can’t take injury the identical approach. There’s a purpose he’s been dropped or damage in his previous 5 fights: Izzy is ageing out.

So with that in thoughts, I personally imagine the perfect transfer can be for him to both retire or arrange a retirement battle. One thing he one hundred pc ought to win so he can exit on a excessive be aware earlier than he waits round for his Corridor of Fame jacket. Nonetheless, I doubt that occurs. And assuming it doesn’t, I feel the fitting transfer for Adesanya is a giant step again in competitors. Adesanya can nonetheless win fights, however he’s unlikely to beat up-and-comers or High 10 opposition. So if I have been in Izzy’s nook, I’d be concentrating on the legends kind of fights in opposition to different declining warriors with massive names. However extra on that in a number of.

So far as damaging his legacy, the reply is each sure and no. Within the case of Adesanya, what he’s achieved can by no means be taken away from him. He’s the second-greatest middleweight ever and a High 20 all-time fighter. No quantity of shedding will change that, solely different fighters surpassing him. However that’s solely the case for longstanding, hardcore followers. The reality of the matter is that newer followers not often choose fighters based mostly on their peaks however on the totality of the profession. That’s why fighters like Anderson Silva and B.J. Penn and Fedor Emelianenko are routinely omitted of GOAT conversations, as a result of they hung round lengthy sufficient to lose quite a bit, and shedding dulls the mystique.

So for individuals who know, Adesanya sticking round received’t matter, however for many who don’t, it most likely will.

Michael ‘Venom’ Web page

“Do you suppose MVP might sneak right into a title shot at WW or MW with yet another win? With the fitting matchmaking, particularly at MW, I feel he might stifle one other striker within the prime ten and use his restricted star energy to place his identify into the dialog.”

Within the co-main occasion on Saturday, “MVP” pulled off a small upset and acquired himself into the middleweight rankings by doing basic MVP stuff to Shara Bullet. It was a classic efficiency and one worthy of celebrating, however let’s not get out over our skis. This win didn’t make MVP a title menace at both weight class. It was only a good win over a succesful opponent who had no actual solutions to the confounding fashion of Web page.

The problem for MVP is that he’s not remotely close to a title battle, a lot much less one win away. At middleweight, there’s at the moment a backlog of contenders, that means Web page would wish a number of wins, and that’s exceedingly unlikely, and at welterweight, identical story. Web page is rarely going to battle for a UFC title and that’s nice. MMA isn’t a sport the place it’s title or bust. You’ll be able to have a protracted, productive, and memorable profession by simply being good at combating and making individuals care about you, and Web page is nice at that.

Matchmaking

“How briskly will Dana try and e-book MVP vs Adesanya and would Izzy even settle for it?”

My guess is Dana White doesn’t attempt to e-book this, however truthfully, that is precisely the battle Adesanya must be attempting to get. Web page is a giant identify, a battle between the 2 of them would draw a ton of curiosity, and Adesanya would have a extremely good probability to win this. Web page’s sport is fairly set at this level of on the lookout for a number of explosive photographs, and whereas Adesanya has fallen off, he can merely set a brilliant lengthy vary, chew up Web page’s leg with low kicks, and win. This must be a fairly good fashion matchup for Adesanya so if I’m Izzy, and I wish to preserve going, that is the one to name for.

Heavyweight

“How lots of the present UFC Heavyweight High 10 might Tom Aspinall defeat without delay?”

Within the characteristic bout, Sergei Pavlovich received a dreadfully boring choice over prime 10 heavyweight Jairzinho Rozenstruik, who the UFC then launched. This weight class is a wasteland.

As a result of it’s heavyweight, Aspinall couldn’t beat up even two of the High 10 without delay, it’s simply too arduous. But when he’s doing a king of the hill kind of factor the place it’s separately, there’s a respectable probability Aspinall might clear your entire heavyweight High 15 in a single night time.

Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez

“Zhang vs Suarez, must be a superb battle, nonetheless, neither fighter is sort of lively sufficient. I perceive Suarez with Accidents, I assume, however Zhang fights every year. Both approach how do you see the way forward for the division enjoying out publish 312?”

There’s a case to be made that Zhang’s lack of exercise is an effective factor as a result of the highest 15 at strawweight is principally the identical individuals it was 5 years in the past, which suggests if she was lively we’d be firmly within the “that is all boring rematches” zone that ladies’s bantamweight finds itself in. As an alternative, Zhang’s rare title defenses are not less than coming in opposition to new names, which brings some freshness to the state of affairs.

That being stated, I’m nonetheless becoming concerned concerning the lack of development of ladies’s MMA within the UFC. It was all the time going to be a tall order to search out one other Ronda Rousey however I’m not even certain the UFC has one other Joanna Jedrzejczyk, when it comes to star energy. Valentina Shevchenko doesn’t have for much longer, and Zhang is revered however by no means actually broke out in america. Each strawweight and bantamweight are floundering for brand new expertise. I don’t know easy methods to repair it, however issues should not the perfect for 115.

The lesser Topuria

“Jed… do you are feeling the UFC will put Topuria vs. Thicknesse on the principle card as a result of it’s now change into the third most attention-grabbing battle on the slate?”

Aleksandre Topuria, brother of featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, makes his UFC debut on Saturday in opposition to Colby Thicknesse. He was presupposed to face Cody Haddon however a late-notice change left him with significantly cooler, if much less well-known identify (I’m talking completely concerning the precise identify, not the fighter — Colby Thickness is a good identify).

Anyway, the UFC one hundred pc ought to transfer this battle to the principle card as a result of, outdoors of the 2 title fights, UFC 312 is likely one of the worst playing cards the promotion has put collectively in years, with no massive names and few compelling matchups. Topuria is not less than associated to someone nice and that truthfully makes this one of many higher bouts of the weekend.

Royal Rumble

“Which UFC fighter would you will have booked to make an look within the Royal Rumble?”

I’ll preface this by saying that I don’t watch skilled wrestling. I briefly loved it (or the concept of it) after I was a toddler however I by no means adopted it even passingly till I began working in MMA. The 2 are so intertwined it’s unimaginable to not have discovered some issues however I’m nonetheless woefully unschooled on principally something about WWE.

That being stated, I did watch the Royal Rumble this yr (I used to be working, and if an MMA fighter confirmed I wanted to have the ability to write about it) and I had three main ideas:

1. I undoubtedly thought John Cena was going to win, as a result of I had no thought who Jey Uso was, so once they swerved I believed that was neat
2. I do know that is scripted however iShowSpeed may need truly acquired damage in there. Yeesh.
3. Professional wrestling isn’t for me however this can be a enjoyable idea

It’s unimaginable to do something like that in MMA (although god love Dogfight Wild Event, they tried) but when somebody ever has the nice sense to rent me as head of artistic for his or her battle promotion, I promise to attempt. The countdown factor is thrilling and enjoyable.

Anyway, based mostly on my restricted understanding of professional wrestling it seems you want to be jacked, athletic, and have charisma, so my alternative can be Dricus du Plessis. The person nearly appears like a professional wrestler already, and NO ONE would’ve seen it coming what with him defending his title in Australia on Saturday.

Swerve of the century.

Thanks for studying and because of everybody who despatched in tweets (Xs?)! Do you will have any burning questions on issues not less than considerably associated to fight sports activities? Then you definitely’re in luck as a result of you possibly can ship your tweets to me, @JedKMeshew, and I’ll reply my favourite ones! It doesn’t matter in the event that they’re topical or insane, simply as long as they’re good. Thanks once more, and see y’all subsequent week.