What mattered most at UFC on ESPN+ 16 in Vancouver? Here are a few post-fight musings …
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1. Justin Gaethje finds his happy medium
I’ll be the first to admit that when Justin Gaethje (21-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) talked about altering his style to favor accuracy over output, there were concerns about whether he would be moving too far away from what got him to the dance as a lightweight contender. But who can argue with these results?
Since dropping back-to-back fights and becoming more conscious of his approach to fighting, Gaethje has picked up three consecutive first-round knockout wins, with the latest, of course, coming at the expense of Donald Cerrone (36-13 MMA, 23-10 UFC) in their main event encounter.
Gaethje appears to have found the perfect balance to maximize his skillset, and that should be a scary proposition for everyone at 155 pounds.
2. Give Gaethje his shot … but not before Tony Ferguson
Gaethje against UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) is a fight that’s held my interest for quite some time, and after the win over “Cowboy,” I want to see it more than ever.
But still not more than a fight between Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC).
Gaethje gave all respect to Ferguson as the next title contender in the division, but in his post-fight scrum his did drop some undertones about jumping ahead. If something goes haywire with Ferguson and he’s unable to fight Nurmagomedov next then Gaethje is ripe to jump in to that spot, but the ideal situation would see him fight the winner.
3. Donald Cerrone’s title chances are grim
Over the past year Cerrone, has been quite vocal about his desire to win a UFC title and complete his legacy in the sport. He’s twice over had the chance to put himself in position to make that happen but could not come through.
Had Cerrone beaten Ferguson at UFC 238 in June, then he likely would’ve been next in line for the belt. It didn’t go his way, but he was given a golden opportunity to redeem himself against Gaethje. Unfortunately, that didn’t go his way, either.
Even after his loss, Cerrone vowed to get the title before it’s all said and done, but it’s hard to imagine him getting better opportunities than he’s been presented over the past three months. Perhaps something unforeseen comes up and he’s called on in a Michael Bisping-esque scenario, but that’s not what he should be banking on.
4. Tristan Connelly the feel-good story of 2019
The tale of Tristan Connelly (14-6 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is exactly what makes MMA such a remarkable and unique sport.
At the beginning of the week, Connelly wasn’t even part of the UFC roster, and in the span of one 15-minute performance, he’s now a fighter with a groundswell of fan support and a bank account that reads six figures higher than what he had earlier in the week.
At 33 and with a rather unspectacular record, Connelly may have never received his shot to fight in the UFC unless this week’s scenario played out exactly as it did. Michel Pereira (23-10 MMA, 1-1 UFC) needed a short-notice opponent, and the Canadian answered the call.
Connelly agreed to move up to welterweight from his natural weight class of 155 pounds and take on a dangerous opponent with a lot of hype around him. Not only did Connelly still take the fight after Pereira missed weight, but he executed his gameplan over three rounds to take a unanimous decision in the evening’s “Fight of the Night.”
This moment will hold up as one of the most memorable of the year, and whether or not Connelly has long-term success as a UFC fighter, this accomplishment will likely stand the test of time.
5. It’s good to have Daniel Cormier back
Daniel Cormier was in the commentary booth for the first time in several months, and it was nice to have the former two-division UFC champ back.
It’s been a tough few weeks for “DC,” who not only lost his heavyweight title in his rematch with Stipe Miocic at UFC 241, but also had to endure the passing of his step-father just days later.
I tried to set up an interview with Cormier during fight week in Vancouver, but, understandably, he’s not yet ready to speak with the media. He was out there on the broadcast, though, and there are few people who do a better job on the mic than Cormier.
We still don’t know what Cormier’s fighting future holds, but it’s good to see he’s not going anywhere as a broadcaster.
