What mattered most at UFC on ESPN+ 28 in Brasilia, Brazil? Here are a few post-fight musings …
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1. Behind closed doors
It was definitely a different experience watching an event without crowd, but at the same time it wasn’t, really.
The only difference between what we witnessed and, say, “The Ultimate Fighter,” is the fact there were production elements such as commentary and a ring announcer, more fights, and the majority of the athletes were of a higher talent level. Moreover, the in-fight experience of watching UFC events are all largely the same, so sans some crowd reaction, it wasn’t that different from what we normally see.
That may have not been the case for the fighters, who definitely get an adrenaline boost from an audience, whether they like to admit it or not. It’s hard to know whether that contributed to the record-tying stretch of nine consecutive decisions, but it’s certainly a possibility.
We don’t need to delve into another discussion about the optics of the UFC putting on the event at all with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, because my colleague Dave Doyle covered that quite well in his post-event column. But given how the situation is rapidly evolving, there’s a chance these closed-door fights become the norm for the near future. It also can’t be ruled out these were the last fights the UFC puts on until this crisis settles.
2. Oliveira amazes again
Charles Oliveira is breaking out of his shell in a big way. Nearly 10 years into his UFC career, “Do Bronx” is putting his skill set together in an impressive way. The third-round submission of Kevin Lee in the main event was brilliant, and now he’s won seven consecutive fights – all by stoppage.
Oliveira has a plethora of records to his credit, and fight over fight he’s proven to be one of the most exciting names on the roster. He got some well deserved shine with the main event spot against Lee in his home country, and now his trajectory only shoots upward in the loaded lightweight division.
The very top of the 155-pound weight class has long been a complicated mess. The UFC 249 title fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson (if it happens) will hopefully unclog some lasting congestion, but then the likes of Conor McGregor and Justin Gaethje will be in line to fight the winner.
Where that leaves someone like Oliveira remains to be seen. He’s absolutely deserving of something big, though, because Oliveira is bringing something to the table right now that’s unlike anyone else in the UFC.
3. Don’t lose faith in Lee
I have long put my faith in Lee as someone who has an extremely bright future in the sport, and in comparison to the career of most UFC fighters, he has already gone above and beyond. It always feels like he can be more, but perhaps the loss to Oliveira is where some begin to lose faith.
It wasn’t a great week for Lee. He missed weight by 2.5 pounds, then for the most part found himself on the wrong end of Oliveira’s assault in the octagon. Lee definitely had some shining moments in the fight, but as things progressed with Oliveira, it seemed his spirit had faded, and he was ultimately finished.
This has unfortunately been a somewhat common thread in Lee’s losses. In one instance he looks like a world beater, but then a shift in momentum occurs and he can’t recover. Does that mean it’s time to write him off, though? Absolutely not.
Despite an abundance of big fights and experience, Lee is still just 27. A strong argument can be made he hasn’t even hit his prime. Between his talent and his team, Lee seems to have a winning formula. He was unsurprisingly down after the bout, hinting that he could have an extended layoff before returning to the octagon.
Some of Lee’s post-fight comments were concerning, but he’d just experienced a difficult moment. If he can get his head right, there’s good reason to not abandon hope on Lee.
4. Maia’s moment passes
Whether the stoppage was a few punches too early or not, Demian Maia’s first-round TKO loss to Gilbert Burns felt like the end of his time as a relevant welterweight. And he basically admitted as much afterward.
Maia came into the bout with Burns on a three-fight winning streak. At 42, retirement has been a subject of discussion for several years. He said he was willing to postpone his timeline if the run of success continued, but instead it came to a screeching halt courtesy of a Burns left hook.
Now with just one fight remaining on his UFC contract, Maia has all but committed to hanging up his gloves after the next one. He’s got a perfect opportunity to ride into the sunset in glamorous fashion, too, with UFC 250 on May 9 scheduled for his hometown of Sao Paulo.
5. Moicano’s move
The decision to move up to lightweight appeared to be a good one for Renato Moicano, who dispatched of Damir Hadzovic with a submission in just 44 seconds.
Moicano had some strong moments during his run at featherweight, but also fell short in some career-altering opportunities. He believes the weight cut had a role in those performances, and now hopes to be his best self in the new division.
With all due respect to Hadzovic, he’s not exactly the best gauge of Moicano’s potential to be a player at 155 pounds. However, if you pair it with the flashes of brilliance displayed fighting down a division, there’s reason to be excited.
