Taunting
VIDEO | Ian Machado Garry uses his son to taunt Colby Covington
Triple Take: Who should rightfully be next for a UFC heavyweight title shot?
Yeah, I know Jon Jones is going to get the next shot after Francis Ngannou. But the question above says “rightfully.” And before you jump me for disrespecting MMA’s all-time greatest pound-for-pound fighter, let me say I consider Jones just that. He’s the GOAT. I’m not a hater by any means.
With all of that said, I personally think a divisionally merit-based decision would also make business sense. When looking at the heavyweight division, no one competing there has done more to earn the next shot at the winner of UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic and next-in-line challenger Francis Ngannou than “The Black Beast,” Derrick Lewis.
On Saturday, Lewis (25-7 MMA, 16-5) knocked out clear-cut should-be title challenger Curtis Blaydes inside two rounds. The victory extended his winning streak to four. Lewis once again solidified himself as a must-see-TV attraction.
Not only is Lewis entertaining inside the cage with his brutal knockout abilities and unorthodox grappling escapes, he’s right up there with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson as the funniest fighter in UFC history. Every time the man opens his mouth, something viral comes out. He’s phenomenal.
All of this strengthens the case for Lewis to be next. But you also can’t forget he also has a win over a man who could end up being the next UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou. If Miocic defeats Ngannou, Lewis would be a fresh matchup.
So why not give Jon Jones a test at heavyweight before he sniffs gold? A warm-up seems like a good move. This would let him get his footing under him. Make “Jon Jones’ heavyweight debut” an attraction regardless of the opponent. Let Lewis fight the winner of Miocic-Ngannou in the meantime.
Then, Jones can fight whichever of those three fighters walks away with the title in a highly-anticipated showdown, that had months of build-up.
Maybe the UFC wants the sure-thing: Jones fighting for heavyweight gold. But I’m a risk-taker. Without risk, you miss out on rewards. Gamble, UFC. Gamble!
Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-opinion-analysis-who-should-be-next-heavyweight-title-shot-derrick-lewis-jon-jones-cyril-gane
MMA Junkie Power Index, Feb. 15-21: ‘The Black Beast’ moves into title contention
Make no mistake, Derrick Lewis is a legitimate title contender. With his entertaining, power-punching style, Lewis has always been a fan-favorite in the UFC heavyweight division, but perhaps wasn’t universally considered a serious title threat due to issues over his cardio and wrestling.
Well, that was then, and times have changed.
Lewis’ cardio has leveled up markedly, while his ability to keep the fight standing has also improved significantly. Matched with someone many thought would be a nightmare booking for Lewis, Curtis Blaydes, the Houston native faced an acid test of his all-round abilities, and he passed with flying colors, courtesy of a crushing uppercut.
The bout represented a win-or-bust scenario for both men’s title ambitions in the UFC, and it was “The Black Beast” rose to the occasion as he scored a huge knockout to starch Blaydes and leave no doubt that he’s ready for a title shot.
The imminent arrival of Jon Jones as a UFC heavyweight may mean Lewis has to wait – and probably beat another contender – before he gets another shot at the gold. But he’s right in the mix again, and he’s never looked better.
Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-derrick-lewis-tom-aspinall-chris-daukaus-top-power-index-feb-15-21
UFC Fight Night 185 reactions: Winning and losing fighters on social media
Since the early days when the sport was anything but a mainstream endeavor, the MMA industry has thrived and survived through various websites, forums, and – perhaps most importantly – social-media platforms.
Fighters interact with fans, each other and many more through the likes of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, which helps outsiders get a deeper look into the minds of the athletes.
Following Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 185 in Las Vegas, several of the winning and losing fighters, along with their coaches, training partners or family members, took to social media to react to the event or share a message with supporters.
Check out some of those reactions.
The defeated: Jared Vanderaa
The defeated: Drako Rodriguez
Just woke up from the ko nappy
— Drako Rodriguez (@DrakoRodriguez2) February 22, 2021
BTW I chose to take a nappy in the middle of the fight 😴🤓
— Drako Rodriguez (@DrakoRodriguez2) February 22, 2021
The defeated: Nate Landwehr
The defeated: Eddie Wineland
The defeated: Andrei Arlovski
The defeated: Nassourdine Imavov
The defeated: Ketlen Vieira
A post shared by Ketlen “Fenomeno” Vieira – UFC (@ketlenvieiraufc)
The defeated: Curtis Blaydes
The victorious: Serghei Spivac
The victorious: Aiemann Zahabi
The victorious: Julian Erosa
The victorious: John Castaneda
The victorious: Jared Gordon
The victorious: Tom Aspinall
The victorious: Philip Hawes
The victorious: Chris Daukaus
The victorious: Darrick Minner
The victorious: Yana Kunitskaya
The victorious: Derrick Lewis
https://twitter.com/Thebeast_ufc/status/1363828978516066309
The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.
Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-fight-night-185-reactions-winning-losing-fighters-social-media-twitter-instagram
UFC Vegas 19 Fallout: Derrick Lewis’s record-tying KO; Jon Jones’s move to heavyweight
MMAWeekly’s Jim “Gries” Grieshaber and Jeff Cain break down the weekly news in MMA and talk about the upcoming UFC events in Las Vegas.
The boys also wrap up the UFC Vegas 19: Blaydes vs. Lewis, where Derrick Lewis pulled off a huge upset with his record-tying knockout of Curtis Blaydes in the main event. What does Lewis’s knockout do to the division? Where does former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones land upon making the move to heavyweight?
(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)
TRENDING Gina Carano fires back on being canceled; Dana White expresses support for her
Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-vegas-19-fallout-derrick-lewiss-record-tying-ko-jon-joness-move-to-heavyweight
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