UFC 220 was a strange card.
It was like watching a movie that you expected to end with a bang, only to feature a conclusion that gradually unfolding before your eyes until you almost found yourself a little bored.
Stipe Miocic’s main event performance against Francis Ngannou to secure his title was impressive, even though it lacked style points. We learned we should never discount a champion or become too taken by the next big thing.
Here are 10 other things we learned from UFC 220.
Julio Arce is an Interesting UFC Newcomer
After an explosive performance on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, Julio Arce got an opportunity to show off his skills on Saturday.
He took on Dan Ige, another product of DWTNCS, and shut down his ground game while dissecting him in standup with outstanding striking. I loved what I saw from the 28-year-old and I’m interested in seeing more.
Abdul Razak Alhassan Reminds Me Too Much of Melvin Guillard
In a rematch with Sabah Homasi, Abdul Razak Alhassan eliminated the memory of the controversial ending to their first bout by scoring a teeth-rattling one-punch KO.
As dynamic of a performance as it was and as spectacular of an athlete ARA is, there’s still something concerning about his fighting style.
His striking defense leaves a lot to be desired. He has absorbed 4.17 strikes per minute since joining the UFC in 2016.
He’s had four fights in that time and registered a 3-1 record. All of his wins have come by way of first-round finish and the lone loss to Omari Akhmedov in May 2017 came via split decision.
Physically, he reminds me of a bigger version of Melvin Guillard and if that holds true, he could wind up delivering his share of memorable knockouts. However, when faced with elite-level counter strikers, he may find himself taking too many lumps.
Don’t Sleep on Rob Font
There are few bantamweights in the world who are more well-rounded and athletic than Rob Font. He has a tendency to get careless at times, but when he’s focused like he was on Saturday against Thomas Almeida, he is a force to be reckoned with in the Octagon.
With two more wins in 2018, is it crazy to think he could be in a position to challenge for the 135-pound title?
I don’t think so.
Thomas Almeida Needs to Be More of An Athlete and Less of a Warrior
A quote from Almeida ahead of his bout with Font struck me negatively. Almeida said he was willing to “kill or die” in the Octagon.
I’ve heard plenty of guys and girls say they were willing to die to win in combat sports. It’s always a ridiculous and misplaced mindset, in my opinion. But to say you’re willing to kill is something even more insane.
Don’t get me wrong, I know MMA is a violent sport and that fighters are sometimes separated from consciousness as they compete.
That said, it is still a sport and the willingness to kill or die for it sends the wrong message to fans and even to a fighter themselves.
Case in point, Almeida is one of the most skilled strikers and grapplers in the bantamweight division, but he seems to embrace the types of exchanges that he should be avoiding.
It led to a defeat against Cody Garbrandt and Font. It’s an overdose of testosterone and a lack of athletic intelligence.
Calvin Kattar’s Boxing Skills Must Be Respected
Shane Brugos has great boxing skills and that’s usually an advantage he holds over opponents. That advantage wasn’t apparent on Saturday as Calvin Kattar picked him apart with a snapping, well-placed jab throughout the first round.
Burgos came back with hard body shots in the second, but Kattar mixed in an overhand right and uppercut that led to an exciting KO win in the Fight of the Night.
Kattar is a real contender that fans should be watching whenever he climbs back into the cage.
Daniel Cormier is Better Than Every Light Heavyweight in the World, Except Jon Jones
In the co-main event, Daniel Cormier made Volkan Oezdemir look as if he had no business in the Octagon with him.
I admit, I thought we’d see Cormier fall off after his second crushing loss to Jon Jones. At 38 years old, Cormier proved he has a lot left in the tank and that Jones is still the only 205-pound man who can beat him.
Volkan Oezdemir’s Rudimentary Ground Game is Concerning
It’s amazing to me that Oezdemir came into a bout with Cormier so unprepared to defend himself on the ground. Oezdemir is a one-trick pony in the most embarrassing sense of the word.
Why? Because he brought that limited skill set into a fight with a champion whose specialty is gaining top control and grinding his way through opponents.
If Oezdemir wants to be a champion, he has to get better in this area.
Francis Ngannou Needs Better Trainers
Something tells me Ngannou’s trainers and team have bought into his hype a bit too much as well.
Where were his techniques to work off his back? Once Miocic took him down, Ngannou had nothing but brute strength and athleticism to depend on as he tried to get to his feet.
Also, uppercuts from distance are rarely a good idea. It’s a slow punch and it also begs to be countered. Ngannou needs to join an actual gym where he can get the training and reps in the areas of his game that are lacking.
He has too much talent to waste his opportunity to be a special champion.
His Lack of Cardio is Also Concerning
Ngannou didn’t demonstrate great techniques, but his lack of cardio was even more embarrassing than Oezdemir’s poor ground game. I’ve been covering MMA for 7 years and watching for more than 25.
I can’t remember ever seeing a guy that tired in a fight. That has to be addressed.
Stipe Miocic is the Greatest Heavyweight in UFC History
We can talk about what Ngannou lacks for an hour, but we must also give some attention to what Miocic brings to the table. He’s a better athlete than most know, he can take a punch, he’s a solid wrestler who can strike and he has a notable fight IQ.
It would have been nice to see him go for the finish, but as it was, he fought a smart fight against a very dangerous opponent.
With his record-setting title defense and another win over a respected opponent, there’s no question Miocic is the best heavyweight in the promotion’s history.
