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 fundamental occasion matchup. Imavov appears poised to combat for the 185 belt sooner slightly than later and so the massive query is what is going to turn out to be of “The Final Stylebender?” Let’s reply that and extra from this week’s mailbag.

Israel Adesanya

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

Heading into UFC Saudi Arabia my greatest query was how a lot does Adesanya have left within the tank, and I believe we received 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 displaying. Adesanya’s reflexes aren’t as quick as they as soon as have been so he’s getting hit extra usually, and he can’t take harm the identical method. There’s a motive he’s been dropped or harm in his previous 5 fights: Izzy is growing old out.

So with that in thoughts, I personally imagine one of the best transfer can be for him to both retire or arrange a retirement combat. One thing he one hundred pc ought to win so he can exit on a excessive observe earlier than he waits round for his Corridor of Fame jacket. Nonetheless, I doubt that occurs. And assuming it doesn’t, I believe the appropriate 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 type of fights in opposition to different declining warriors with large names. However extra on that in a couple 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 dropping 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 decide 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 ignored of GOAT conversations, as a result of they hung round lengthy sufficient to lose quite a bit, and dropping dulls the mystique.

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

Michael ‘Venom’ Web page

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

Within the co-main occasion on Saturday, “MVP” pulled off a small upset and received 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 risk 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 difficulty for MVP is that he’s not remotely close to a title combat, a lot much less one win away. At middleweight, there’s presently a backlog of contenders, that means Web page would wish a couple of wins, and that’s exceedingly unlikely, and at welterweight, similar story. Web page is rarely going to combat for a UFC title and that’s fantastic. MMA isn’t a sport the place it’s title or bust. You possibly can have a protracted, productive, and memorable profession by simply being good at preventing and making individuals care about you, and Web page is nice at that.

Matchmaking

“How briskly will Dana try to 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 combat Adesanya must be attempting to get. Web page is a giant title, a combat between the 2 of them would draw a ton of curiosity, and Adesanya would have a extremely good likelihood to win this. Web page’s recreation is fairly set at this level of searching for a couple of explosive photographs, and whereas Adesanya has fallen off, he can merely set an excellent lengthy vary, chew up Web page’s leg with low kicks, and win. This must be a reasonably good fashion matchup for Adesanya so if I’m Izzy, and I need to hold going, that is the one to name for.

Heavyweight

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

Within the function bout, Sergei Pavlovich gained a dreadfully boring determination 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 laborious. But when he’s doing a king of the hill type of factor the place it’s one after the other, there’s a official likelihood Aspinall might clear the whole heavyweight High 15 in a single night time.

Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez

“Zhang vs Suarez, must be a superb combat, nonetheless, neither fighter is almost energetic sufficient. I perceive Suarez with Accidents, I assume, however Zhang fights yearly. Both method how do you see the way forward for the division taking part in out put up 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 implies if she was energetic we’d be firmly within the “that is all boring rematches” zone that ladies’s bantamweight finds itself in. As a substitute, Zhang’s rare title defenses are at the least coming in opposition to new names, which brings some freshness to the scenario.

That being stated, I’m nonetheless becoming concerned in regards to the lack of progress of ladies’s MMA within the UFC. It was at all times going to be a tall order to seek out one other Ronda Rousey however I’m not even positive 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 spanking new expertise. I don’t know easy methods to repair it, however issues are usually not one of the best for 115.

The lesser Topuria

“Jed… do you’re feeling the UFC will put Topuria vs. Thicknesse on the primary card as a result of it’s now turn out to be the third most fascinating combat on the slate?”

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

Anyway, the UFC 100 p.c ought to transfer this combat to the primary card as a result of, exterior of the 2 title fights, UFC 312 is likely one of the worst playing cards the promotion has put collectively in years, with no large names and few compelling matchups. Topuria is at the least associated to anyone nice and that truthfully makes this one of many higher bouts of the weekend.

Royal Rumble

“Which UFC fighter would you may 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 thought of it) once I was a baby however I by no means adopted it even passingly till I began working in MMA. The 2 are so intertwined it’s inconceivable 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 12 months (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 positively thought John Cena was going to win, as a result of I had no thought who Jey Uso was, so after they swerved I assumed that was neat
2. I do know that is scripted however iShowSpeed might have actually got hurt in there. Yeesh.
3. Professional wrestling isn’t for me however it is a enjoyable idea

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

Anyway, based mostly on my restricted understanding of professional wrestling it seems you must be jacked, athletic, and have charisma, so my selection can be Dricus du Plessis. The person nearly seems 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 due to everybody who despatched in tweets (Xs?)! Do you may have any burning questions on issues at the least considerably associated to fight sports activities? Then you definitely’re in luck as a result of you may 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.