A 14-fight card at UFC 304 in Manchester, England, was headlined by a pair of title bout rematches. Belal Muhammad dethroned Leon Edwards to develop into the brand new welterweight champion. Within the co-main occasion, Tom Aspinall made fast work of Curtis Blaydes, leaving little question that he is top-of-the-line strikers on the earth. To make sense of all of it, Brett Okamoto, Andreas Hale and Jeff Wagenheim supply their remaining ideas.
The stage was set for Leon Edwards to placed on a starry efficiency. It was early into Sunday morning — with the solar nonetheless down — however the followers at Co-op Dwell enviornment have been absolutely awake and able to cheer on a present after simply having watched two different native heroes, Tom Aspinall and Paddy Pimblett, rating rousing first-round finishes.
Edwards didn’t ship the locals house completely happy, although. It wasn’t just because he misplaced his UFC welterweight championship to Belal Muhammad. By the point the choice was being learn, the solar was rising in Manchester, however the vitality within the constructing had already been deadened. The principle occasion had primarily performed out with the challenger in dominant positions on the canvas or in clinches, as he piled up over 12 minutes of management time. Muhammad by no means significantly threatened a end, however he gave Edwards little alternative for a giant efficiency and the British followers little motive to cheer.
This was exactly what Muhammad had stated he was going to do. However it appeared unlikely, provided that Edwards’ previous three fights had been towards robust wrestlers — Kamaru Usman twice and Colby Covington — and the champ had largely saved these fights standing, the place he’s most harmful. Even when Edwards and Muhammad first met in 2021, in a bout that ended early in Spherical 2 as a no-contest after an eye fixed poke rendered Muhammad unable to proceed, Edwards had saved the combat in positions the place he may get the higher of it.
Not this time. Though Edwards had a giant third spherical, getting a takedown early and threatening a submission till the horn, and though he turned across the remaining spherical and landed a late elbow that left Muhammad’s face bloody, the soon-to-be-dethroned champ was unable to generate constant offense. His title reign simply petered out.
So now Muhammad is the most recent everyman to personal a UFC belt, following within the footsteps of men akin to Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis, fighters who placed on championship-winning performances however lack the star energy the UFC brass craves. Muhammad deserves all of the accolades for this victory, however will these accolades come his manner?
The UFC star-building machine has by no means precisely embraced Edwards. So good luck to Muhammad, who had waited a very long time earlier than being given his shot. He needed to go on a 10-fight unbeaten run earlier than getting a date with Edwards. He made probably the most of it on this evening, however the smothering fashion during which he secured his title would have made this combat a yawner even when it weren’t enjoying out in entrance of his opponent’s house followers and the sleepy hours of the evening. — Wagenheim
Is Jon Jones going to reply the telephone for Tom Aspinall?
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Tom Aspinall delivers message to Jon Jones after title protection
Tom Aspinall tells Jon Jones he is higher than him after his fast win over Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.
Hale: All Aspinall wanted was one minute to avenge the lone blemish on his UFC report by annihilating Blaydes. Outdoors of Ciryl Gane, there’s no person else left for Aspinall to combat who would current an affordable risk.
Except for the TKO loss resulting from harm, Aspinall has worn out the higher crust of the heavyweight division with little to no resistance. Aspinall’s previous three fights towards Blaydes, Sergei Pavlovich and Marcin Tybura have lasted a grand complete of three minutes and 22 seconds, with none going longer than 90 seconds. Aspinall entered the Octagon with a median combat time of two:10, the shortest in UFC historical past. The 60 seconds it took to dispatch Blaydes will prolong his lead.
For what it is value, Jones has each proper to disregard the decision and trip off into the sundown when he presumably beats Stipe Miocic in November. It most likely will not diminish his stature as the best combined martial artist, contemplating that he has rather more to lose than acquire in a combat with Aspinall.
Nonetheless, if he desires to show that he is nonetheless the perfect fighter on the earth, Jones must reply the hardest problem of his UFC profession towards a person who is greater, sooner and extra highly effective than anyone he has ever shared an Octagon with.
As massive as a combat between Jones and Francis Ngannou was regarded as, the specter of Aspinall has eclipsed that and made Jones-Aspinall the largest combat that may be made within the UFC, exterior of something Conor McGregor.
Paddy Pimblett was at all times this good
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Paddy Pimblett wakes up Manchester with big submission win
Paddy Pimblett electrifies the Manchester crowd with an unbelievable submission win at UFC 304.
Okamoto: Here is how Pimblett has executed his job with regards to getting folks to care about him — the overreactions to his performances.
When he beat Jared Gordon, in a combat many scored for Gordon, it appeared like followers and pundits alike could not wait to leap off the bandwagon. When he failed to complete a veteran in Tony Ferguson, the “overrated” narrative grew. After which, after one (albeit) incredible submission victory over King Inexperienced, abruptly social media is flooded with “Paddy is the true deal” feedback?
The game as a complete is swinging manner too large with each Pimblett efficiency. What did he do Saturday that we did not know he may do? We all know he has a harmful floor sport. We all know he tends to stand up when the highlight is at its brightest. This is not to downplay his previous exploits. The precise reverse, really.
It was the perfect win of his UFC profession thus far. However why are we treating it prefer it confirmed us one thing we have been oblivious to? I knew Pimblett may carry out like this, and I feel the UFC knew it, too. The highest of the division continues to be going to be powerful for Pimblett. It was at all times going to be. The query of how far he can go continues to be on the market. And maybe for some, this final efficiency exhibits he is for actual, however I used to be beneath the impression we already knew he was.