The MMA Season So Far
Biggest Upset: Darren Till +175 over Kelvin Gastelum, although their are some big ones set to come up based on reveiws of sportsbooks.
Notable New Champions:
- Invicta Fighting Championship Strawweight Champion: Kanako Murata
- WBO World Female Junior Welterweight Champion: Katie Taylor
- WBO World Light Heavyweight Champion: Saul Alvarez
- WBC Silver Lightweight Champion: Ryan Garcia
- Interim WBA World Female Flyweight Champion: Seniesa Estrada
A Few Storylines Going Forward:
- BMFASAP: It wasn’t an ideal outcome to Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz, and I’ve seen cuts so deep on fighters that I could see their thoughts, that were allowed to keep fighting. Give Masvidal credit, though, those cuts didn’t open from him wishing really hard, he was absolutely peppering Nate up, and I had it a very clear 30-27 for Masvidal after that third, so Nate would have needed a finish against a guy that was rocking him for fifteen minutes. Nevertheless, they both seem to want to run it back as soon as humanly possible, so I’m looking forward to it, but a fair win to Jorge, the new BMF champ.
- Cinnamon! Cinnamon! Again and again!: Saul Alvarez, better known to you as Canelo (spanish for cinnamon), is now a three-weight class world champion. Now what? Sergey Kovalev was much more game than I thought he would be, starting very strong, and was right there on the cards for most people until the eleventh-round, where Canelo left him a mess in the ropes. Is the siren song of a third Golovkin fight too much to ignore? Or maybe winning a true world title at super middleweight? Or maybe craving competition he finds his way to Artur Beterbiev? It’ll be a damned interesting matchup for sure, even if he just takes a breather fight.
- Johnny Walker Dead: Well, all the dancing, theatrics, and cartwheels had to come to an end sometime, for one Johnny Walker. Some of us thought it was going to be against Jon Jones, but Corey Anderson didn’t let that train get to that station, then very audibly let Walker know about it.
Fighters to Watch
1. Saul Alvarez: Alvarez is now a three-weight class world champion. Now what? Sergey Kovalev was much more game than I thought he would be, starting very strong, and was right there on the cards for most people until the eleventh-round, where Canelo left him a mess in the ropes. Is the siren song of a third Golovkin fight too much to ignore? Or maybe winning a true world title at super middleweight? Or maybe craving competition he finds his way to Artur Beterbiev? It’ll be a damned interesting matchup for sure, even if he just takes a breather fight.
2. Katie Taylor: After clearing out the lightweight division, the Irish gold-medalist is moving up to 140lbs and earned her first world title at it, the WBO’s.
3. Miguel Berchelt: And still WBC World Junior Lightweight champion after a fourth-round KO of Jason Sosa after opening him up and knocking him down twice within four rounds.
4. Jorge Masvidal: It wasn’t an ideal outcome to Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz, and I’ve seen cuts so deep on fighters that I could see their thoughts, that were allowed to keep fighting. Give Masvidal credit, though, those cuts didn’t open from him wishing really hard, he was absolutely peppering Nate up, and I had it a very clear 30-27 for Masvidal after that third, so Nate would have needed a finish against a guy that was rocking him for fifteen minutes. Nevertheless, they both seem to want to run it back as soon as humanly possible, so I’m looking forward to it, but a fair win to Jorge, the new BMF champ.
5. Kanako Murata: Is the new Invicta Strawweight champion, claiming the vacant title over Emily Ducote via split-decision after Brianna van Buren signed with the UFC. This title is essentially a ticket to the UFC.
6. Darren Till: Mustered up the biggest upset of the weekend, defeating Kelvin Gastelum in one of those weird judging decisions where at least one judge gave either fighter a 30-27 card. By the by, Till looked absolutely MASSIVE at middleweight. How the hell was he making 170?
7. Ryan Garcia: In just 98 seconds, Garcia dismissed Romero Duno, finishing him for the first time and proving that the 21-year old is ready to challenge for a world championship sooner than later.
8. Xavier Martinez: 21 seconds and three punches later, and Martinez was the victor of the main event of ShoBox Friday night, decimating Jessie Cris Rosales.
9. Tim Spriggs: Retained his Fight To Win Black Belt Heavyweight title with a decision win over Erberth Santos in the main event of Fight To Win 130.
10. Vanessa Porto: Porto was slated to defend her Invicta flyweight title against Karina Rodriguez, but, per usual, the scale was the most dangerous opponent in Invicta, and Rodriguez missed weight, turning it into a regular three-round bout and the co-main. Regardless, the two came to fight, with Porto taking a 29-28 x3 UD over the would-be challenger.
11. Soufiane Kaddouri: Defended the Enfusion 63kg title with a TKO over Hamza Essalih.
12. Nordin Ben Moh: Claimed a split-decision win in the main event of Enfusion 90 in Antwerp.
13. Corey Anderson: Well, all the dancing, theatrics, and cartwheels had to come to an end sometime. Some of us thought it was going to be against Jon Jones, but Corey Anderson didn’t let that train get to that station, then very audibly let Walker know about it.
14. Derrick Lewis: Was the underdog in a must-win against Blagoy Ivanov and escaped with a split-decision win on the PPV card.
t15. Stephen Thompson: Needed to bounce back after getting starched by Anthony Pettis and rebounded nicely, taking a wide decision in a dominant win over Vicente Luque.
t15. Jairzinho Rozenstruik: Turning off a former heavyweight champion’s lights in less than a minute with a jab is a hell of a way to get your name out there.
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