UFC 285: The Good, The Bad, And THE HOLY–
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March has started with a bang, and fans couldn’t be more ecstatic about it. The return of the greatest, the showing prospects and veterans alike gave, and the outcomes themselves of these bouts. The events that transpired hours ago still fresh on everyone’s mind as we segway into the next event. However, it’s very doubtful that anyone will forget this event any time soon.
Although, this does not mean every win, or loss, was created equal. To better seperate the event piece by piece, I have decided categorize the event into three different sections.
First up, the good.
THE GOOD
While many have criticized the young prospect for his personality, accusing him of copying polarizing figures such as Conor McGregor, his performance has shown that his skills do, in fact, pay the bills. After a rough first round, in which case the Irish prospect was dropped, he seemed to find his rhythm, timing his straight shots better and landing at will, which left Kenan Song with visual damage across his eyes and nose.
He would finish Kenan in spectacular fashion in the final round after landing a perfect shot which rocked Kenan, following up until he dropped him and finished him with punches on the ground.
While we can’t say for sure if Ian Garry is “The Future”, we can certainly say the hype IS real.
Cody Garbrandt also found his hand raised last night. After a tough last few bouts, he found himself faced against Trevin Jones. He would utilize his wrestling and a conservative gameplan on the feet in order to win a Unanimous Decision victory, bringing him back into the win column.
Finally, Bo Nickal put on a quick and dominant showing when he submitted Jamie Pickett in the first round, increasing his record to 4-0. Though there was controversy about his victory, he has shown that his skills are not a joke on the ground.
THE BAD
While every fight had moments for the fans, there were several negative outcomes from the showings of last night.
Although Brunson put on a good fight against the South African prospect, ultimately his corner decided to save him from any more damage, effectively ending any further chance for Derek to pursue title aspirations.
In a Twitter post, Derek Brunson thanked everyone who watched his career, hinting at the 39-year-old’s retirement from the sport.
And although Cody would get his hand raised at the end of his fight, the once explosive puncher showed a shell of his former self, relying on his wrestling and speed to avoid exchanges. While it was a smart gameplan that won him the first two rounds, it was a fight that displayed the worst of him.
THE HOLY—
Shavkat Rakhmonov is a prospect that has been on everyone’s radar for quite some time. An undefeated fighter going against someone who has struggled previously against lesser opponents as well as several medical issues, many expected the Kazakh fighter to breeze past Geoff. However, “Handz of Steel” is aptly named, and he made sure to make it a barnburner. Geoff was able to stuff all of Shavkat’s takedowns and even managed to rock him badly in the final round. However, Shavkat’s toughness prevailed and after badly hurting Geoff on the feet, he would wrap Geoff in a standing choke that would leave him unconscious, increasing Rakhmonov’s record to 17-0.
It was brutal too.
Valentina Shevchenko, the flyweight champion, found herself dethroned last night. Many viewed Grasso as a stepping stone, writing her off before the fight started. However, the Mexican fighter held her own on the feet against the champion and when the time came to strike, she used her best opportunity to secure the biggest upset on the card.
And she did where nobody would’ve expected her to do it.
Ladies and gentleman, you have ANOTHER Mexico-born champion.
Finally, we get to the best of the card for those who have been waiting. Jon Jones made his return to the UFC, and we finally got to see the youngest champion at a division he has teased the fans about for several years.
Many doubted his abilities after such a long layoff, and praised his opponent for his skillset, believing that the fight would be either high competitive, or a sad night for Jones fans.
What we did receive, however, was a dominant performance from the new Heavyweight champion.
In two minutes time, Jon Jones was able to force Ciryl Gane to the mat, and submitted him with a perfect guillotine to cement his place as the greatest of all time, and capture the vacant belt.
Love him, hate him, anything in between, one thing is certain about Jones, and that is his skillset has always been real, and not just anyone can step to his level.
Now, Jones looks to defend his new belt against another legend in the sport. Former champion Stipe Miocic will make his return against Jones at a pending date, in a GOAT vs Heavyweight GOAT match.
Shevchenko will likely get her chance at redemption against Grasso at a later date, and Rakhmonov, Garry, and Nickal will only improve and fight better competition in time.
Which fighter are you most excited to see in the cage next? Which future event are you hyped for the most? Let us know on Twitter or in the comments!
