What mattered most at Noche UFC at T-Cellular Area in Las Vegas? Listed here are a couple of post-fight musings …
Roman Kopylov is on the rise at 185
Within the crop of up-and-coming middleweights within the UFC, Roman Kopylov is starting to achieve some steam as one of the vital harmful strikers.
After starting his octagon tenure with back-to-back losses, Kopylov (12-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has now reeled off 4 consecutive wins – all by knockout – with the most recent being a nasty body-shot finish on Josh Fremd.
The one particular person with extra consecutive UFC knockouts at this second is Sergei Pavlovich, who is clearly a heavyweight and carries far more nature energy. Kopylov credit a change in staff and training employees for his shift in success, and it’s going to be attention-grabbing to see what extra the 32-year-old is able to, as a result of that is probably what must be thought of his prime years.
Chris Tognoni’s botched stoppage
Referee Chris Tognoni as soon as once more got here away with an issue round considered one of his fights when he prematurely declared a submission finish within the flyweight combat between Edgar Chairez and Daniel Lacerda.
The MMA group – and Dominick Cruz within the commentary sales space – had been fast to trash Tognoni, choose aside his historical past of questionable moments and solid doubt on his data of the grappling ingredient of MMA.
I’ll say, in Tognoni’s protection, that the angle of the Chairez’s (10-5 MMA, 0-1 uFC) submission in opposition to the fence was a tad awkward. Lacerda’s (11-5 MMA, 0-4 UFC) hand additionally did drop in a second that might’ve doubtlessly signified unconsciousness, however he didn’t examine it earlier than stepping in. What made it worse, nevertheless, was Cruz’s learn this second was coming – and it’s as a result of Tognoni has a observe file.
The upside right here is that the Nevada Athletic Fee has replay evaluation, so the right end result got here within the type of a no contest. However neither man received a win bonus, which is unlucky for names at this degree of the sport. The draw back is, nothing extra is more likely to come of it. Tognoni was again in there three fights later for Kyle Nelson’s win over Fernando Padilla, so he wasn’t even put in trip for his grave error.
Raul Rosas Jr.’s large rebound from first loss
18-year-old prospect Raul Rosas Jr. received lots of warmth from his detractors after suffering his first MMA loss in April. He introduced a few of it on himself, in equity, with daring claims that he was going to run by means of the competitors en path to being a three-division UFC champion.
He didn’t let all of the negativity rattle his confidence, although, and Rosas (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) was capable of go a giant take a look at in rebounding from the defeat with a 54-second TKO of Terrence Mitchell. His critics may say it was a mismatch, however that’s a ridiculous assertion once we’re speaking a few fighter who’s actually a young person.
If the UFC needs to maximise his the potential of the Mexican – and there’s professional expertise there – it wants to offer him a number of extra of those sort of fights. They’re no comparable to too gentle of matchmaking at his age, and even when he loses once more within the subsequent handful of bouts, that doesn’t imply it was the incorrect method.
We’ll see within the years to return what Rosas finally turns into in a stacked bantamweight division. This was an vital second for him to thrive in, although, and he greater than met the problem.
Who gained Jack Della Maddalena vs. Kevin Holland?
The welterweight co-headliner between Jack Della Maddalena and Kevin Holland might not have met the maybe lofty expectations place upon it pre-fight, but it surely did show to be a tactical and methodical affair that got here all the way down to the wire.
Della Maddalena (17-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and Holland (25-10 MMA, 12-7 UFC) stood in entrance of one another for quarter-hour and traded pictures, every touchdown some clear blows however exhibiting little problem absorbing something that related. There wasn’t a lot in the way in which of seen injury, both, which makes a combat like this robust to attain.
I noticed folks give scorecards that ranged from 30-27 for Holland all over 30-27 for Della Maddalena. So it made it no shock when the judges turned in a split decision in Della Maddalena’s favor, extending his general MMA successful streak to fifteen fights.
It’s onerous to throw a lot shade on the judges for handing in differing scorecards on this one as a result of it was so shut. Each males arguably deserved it, and neither man needs to be complaining in regards to the loss as a result of it felt like they may’ve accomplished extra.
Mike Bell’s result-changing scorecard for Grasso vs. Shevchenko 2
We may sit right here and debate the deserves of scoring every spherical within the Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko rematch till we’re blue within the face, however the actuality is, it was a really shut combat. Giving both fighter three rounds is completely acceptable and defensible, what however isn’t defensible was the 10-8 scorecard choose Mike Bell turned in for Grasso in Spherical 5.
It was the scorecard that swayed what would’ve been a cut up choice victory for Shevchenko (23-4-1 MMA, 12-3-1 UFC) to regain the ladies’s flyweight title into simply the sixth championship-fight draw in fashionable UFC historical past. Grasso (16-3-1 MMA, 8-3-1 UFC) stored the belt as the results of their being no winner, and when it turned identified that Bell’s inexplicable 10-8 for Grasso within the closing body was the deciding issue, the outrage started.
Often I attempt to be as understanding to the judges’ perspective on this scenario as potential. I’ve gone into element numerous occasions on this column that not all debatable selections are robberies, however this one is difficult to wrap the thoughts round. Sure, Grasso did win Spherical 5, for my part. She had a giant second when she threatened with a submission and abused Shevchenko with some ground-and-pound, however Shevchenko was by no means in actual hazard of being stopped and produced some efficient offense of her personal all through the five-minute body.
Even in a world the place judges are inspired to attain 10-8 rounds extra liberally, this felt manner off. And for it to occur in a spot when the stakes are as excessive as they are often within the sport, with a UFC championship on the road, it’s onerous to abdomen. Shevchenko would’ve left with the title round her waist had Bell accomplished his job correctly, and that’s essentially the most gut-wrenching a part of the entire thing should you’re on Crew Shevchenko.
With Shevchenko having suffered a hand harm within the combat, she may not return to the octagon earlier than her thirty sixth birthday in March. The UFC may decide to maneuver on with the division within the meantime, and who is aware of the place all the things will stand when she’s prepared to return again. For all we all know, this was her final title bout contained in the octagon.
All that’s to indicate an instance of how radically these judges can alter the profession of those athletes. Shevchenko is the one who has to take care of all of the fallout, too, whereas, just like the scenario mentioned above with Tognoni’s blunder, Bell goes to go house, not reply publicly for his scorecard, then be proper again in that chair subsequent weekend or shortly past turning in additional scorecards with zero accountability on the again finish.
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