1 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: Hi everybody. It is the tenth of April twenty twenty one. 2 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:09,960 Speaker 1: My name is Luke Thomas, and this, of course is 3 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: my UFC on ABC two reaction video, my Immdian reaction video. 4 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: Appreciate everybody joining me. I'm gonna get to the results 5 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: for UFC ABC two, but for today's video, just the 6 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 1: main event and a little bit of that comin event. 7 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 1: We're gonna save the rest of the card and some 8 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: of the bigger picture stuff plus Bellator for Monday's Morning 9 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: Combat of course, Morning Morning Combat airs Monday, Wednesday Friday 10 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: at eleven am in the East, live all three of 11 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:38,879 Speaker 1: those days, but just today, just a reaction video and 12 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 1: just sort of the top of that card. Please give 13 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 1: the video a thumbs up. Hit that subscription. And I'm 14 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:46,840 Speaker 1: assuming if you're here, you're not here because you're worried 15 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 1: about spoilers, But just in case you are, now's your 16 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: chance to get out of here because spoilers are on 17 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 1: the way. Yeah you ready, three? Two one, Okay, let's 18 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: get to it, all right, So, as I mentioned, there's 19 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: a lot to get to with the entire of the card, 20 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: the entirety of the Combat Sports Weekend. But let's start 21 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 1: and really just focus in on for this video that 22 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:10,680 Speaker 1: main event. So your winner, Marvin Vittori defeats Kevin Holland 23 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:15,119 Speaker 1: fifty forty four across the board on all three judges scorecards. 24 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:17,679 Speaker 1: He of course is your winner. Now, five wins in 25 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: a row puts them in an interesting position, which we'll 26 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: talk about here, But let's start with the fight itself. 27 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: How did he get it done? Listen, I mean, I 28 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:32,639 Speaker 1: don't know what you want to say, Like, Kevin Holland 29 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 1: took a gamble taking this fight right, and the gamble 30 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 1: was pretty obvious. Yes, if you take a fight three 31 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: weeks after you took your last fight, you may not 32 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 1: be that prepared for this one, and two losses in 33 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 1: a row could be pretty bad for you in quick succession. 34 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: Like that, best not to do it right, maybe don't 35 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 1: risk it. The other side is, yes, it is short 36 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 1: notice and the opponent is even tougher, certainly more highly 37 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: ranked than the last one. But if you win, it 38 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: could of course erase much or all of the damage 39 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 1: from the last loss. I mean, you'd be getting a 40 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: win of our top five competitor at that point. There're 41 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: gonna be huge value to getting that kind of an opponent, 42 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: and in a world where a lot of guys say 43 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:18,239 Speaker 1: no to opposition, you know, getting the chance to fight 44 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 1: someone that highly ranked would be pretty pretty good. But 45 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,440 Speaker 1: here's the problem with it. Man, you didn't just lose 46 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: three weeks ago. You lost in a way that enabled 47 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,919 Speaker 1: the person who beat you in that case, Derek Brunson 48 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: to write at something of a blueprint others could follow, 49 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:39,239 Speaker 1: especially if the time horizon between the first and second 50 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:43,080 Speaker 1: fights is three weeks. I mean, how much could Derek 51 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: Brunson repair excise me know, Derek Brunson, I should say 52 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 1: how much could Kevin Holland repair the damage that was done? 53 00:02:53,720 --> 00:03:03,800 Speaker 1: In terms of the basic question is this, how much 54 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:07,679 Speaker 1: better could Kevin Holland get in three weeks in such 55 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:11,119 Speaker 1: a way that I Vittori wouldn't be able to follow 56 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: the Derek Brunson game plan. And the answer is basically 57 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 1: not at all. I did not like Kevin Holland taking 58 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 1: this fight. I know there is a lot of belief 59 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: with good reason, that consistency is a thing that you 60 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 1: want to keep up. If you can get five fights 61 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:27,839 Speaker 1: in the year, take it. A lot of times guys 62 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 1: only get one or two. Three is a number that 63 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: a lot of them are satisfied with, but they often 64 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 1: want more, and so you know, getting that kind of 65 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 1: consistency can be good for you. Being a name that 66 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: the UFC can rely upon to call and have you 67 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: answer that call is very, very important for the organization. 68 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 1: They tend to look very favorably on that. Remember, they've 69 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: got this machine of content that they want to churn out. 70 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: The folks that can enable that machine to run more 71 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: nimbly and effortlessly, other kinds of guys that are going 72 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: to get opportunities in this organization more often than not. 73 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 1: So these are decent traits to have for the right circumstance, 74 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: But this was not the time to double down. Vittori 75 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: does not have a bad chin. He is huge for 76 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: the weight class, strong. I don't know that he's the 77 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: wrestler so to speak, that Derek Brunson is, but he 78 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: is plenty capable. You knew coming into this fight of 79 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 1: following the kinds of things that Derek Brunson did to 80 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: win against Kevin Holland, and by the way he trains 81 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: with a good team, he is a decent, maybe even 82 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 1: good striker in certain capacities. I just feel like it 83 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: was a really bad miscalculation on his part to put 84 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: himself here. Now again, it's not the end of the world. 85 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 1: He can take time to get a good camp, work 86 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 1: on some of his deficiencies, and then get an opponent 87 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: look great. You know, build back on that, take a 88 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: fight a month later, and then you know, some of 89 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:54,279 Speaker 1: this chapter of his career will be forgotten. But this 90 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 1: was not well managed. You just had to ask yourself, 91 00:04:57,200 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: what would be the value in taking a fight after 92 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 1: or three weeks when you got kind of audited in 93 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 1: that last fight and the guy you're saying yes to 94 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:12,040 Speaker 1: has the capability of following that audited path. I didn't 95 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 1: like the gamble for him, and it did not pay 96 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: off in this case. Now, how did VCTORI do it? 97 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:20,559 Speaker 1: Takedowns were key? Let me pull some of these numbers 98 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 1: up here while I'm talking if I can. He was 99 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: able to get the takedown basically whenever he needed it. 100 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:26,920 Speaker 1: I don't know how many of these were stuff. We're 101 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: gonna find out hero in just a second. Yeah, he 102 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 1: landed eleven of seventeen takedowns. I think that was tied 103 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 1: for the most takedown attempts in middleweight history. His control 104 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 1: time Marvin Vatori's control time twenty minutes. The fight's only 105 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: twenty five minutes long. He held it for twenty minutes 106 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:48,599 Speaker 1: and one second. That means less than a round was 107 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 1: at least neutral, or Kevin Holland had a better position 108 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:54,600 Speaker 1: or some kind of a controlling position on top or 109 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:57,160 Speaker 1: against the fence. They have it for three seconds. They've 110 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 1: got him in control positions three Marvin Vator win ten minutes. 111 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 1: They could have fought a three minute fight and he 112 00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 1: still would have had an entire another round after that 113 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 1: of control. That's insane, It's completely insane. Plus, he attempted 114 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: two hundred and fifty total strikes and he just landed 115 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 1: twenty four significant strikes, so not a lot there. But 116 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:21,239 Speaker 1: he attempted at sixty four. Kevin Holland attempting one hundred 117 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 1: and three technically, I should say, numerically outstriking Barbara Mactory 118 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: thirty seven to twenty four. But obviously that's not really 119 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 1: the story of the fight. Story of the fight is 120 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 1: he couldn't stay on his feet. Barbara Vittori I think 121 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 1: has very underrated takedowns along the fence line. I tweeted 122 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: to that effect. I think that we'll watch him. He'll 123 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:40,600 Speaker 1: pull people off, move him in a direction, and then 124 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 1: switch directions in the last second to get them to 125 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: go to the empty space he's now created. Plus, if 126 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 1: you know anything about wrestling and you changed directions through 127 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 1: a takedown, it's almost like chaining two takedown attempts together 128 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 1: a little bit. So he's really quite good at doing that. 129 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 1: On top, he has just great pressure. Kevin Holland is 130 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:04,200 Speaker 1: pretty good about not taking a ton of damage underneath, 131 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:08,039 Speaker 1: although that left eye got banged up. Kamara Uspin was 132 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 1: remarking about the corner work that they did not do 133 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 1: a good job to put endswell or otherwise address, you know, 134 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 1: a problematic vision. I don't have to go back and 135 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: see exactly, but you know, Marvin Vittori did everything that 136 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 1: he was basically supposed to. He did everything that listen 137 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 1: I said on the Morning Combat on Friday. This was 138 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 1: something of an IQ test. You just saw a guy 139 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 1: beat Kevin Holland with all of the skills you might 140 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: need and have to get the job done. Again, Brunson 141 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 1: is not Victori. Vittoria is not Brunson, but there's enough 142 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: overlap in the way which he got it done for 143 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 1: Victoria to be like, okay, well this is this is 144 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:49,680 Speaker 1: very doable. Was he going to make the appropriate choices, 145 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 1: the smart choices to do it? And that is exactly 146 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 1: what he did. I know. There is some criticism of 147 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 1: the Tori for not getting a finish over Kevin Holland, which, okay, fine, 148 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: you got a guy who came in, came in on 149 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 1: short notice, and and you know you couldn't put him away. 150 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 1: But I'd say a couple of things. One I just 151 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: mentioned Vittori. Excuse me, I'm Holland underneath doesn't take a 152 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 1: ton of abuse. He's actually pretty good about that. He 153 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:15,680 Speaker 1: gets taken down very you know, relatively easily, but underneath 154 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: he doesn't get beat up so badly. And you know, 155 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 1: I'm just I'm just sort of flabbergasted by the whole thing. 156 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: To be quite honest with you, I understand as I 157 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 1: mentioned criticizing Vattori for because he didn't get the finish. 158 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:37,839 Speaker 1: But in addition to being a case where Holland is 159 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:44,079 Speaker 1: a good underneath, we've often seen situations where headliners their 160 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 1: opponent falls out last minute and then they get real 161 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: risk averse or you know, they don't quite look like themselves. 162 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: They get the W but it's not like all that great. 163 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:57,960 Speaker 1: You know, DC against Silva is a great example of that, 164 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:01,199 Speaker 1: or you know John Jones against Ovid sant Prue. I 165 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: know there's some broader questions about potential drug testing issues there, 166 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,560 Speaker 1: but still, you know, it's not just cases where you 167 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 1: know people who might have run ins with you sad. 168 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: It's happened across the board in multiple weight classes. So 169 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 1: I tend to think this guy saw a path, and 170 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:21,320 Speaker 1: the path doesn't lead to like blinding excitement or easy 171 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 1: finishes or whatever, but it does lead to w's. By 172 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 1: the way, Kevin Hollins takedown defense is fifty one percent 173 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: not great. But the bigger story here is Marvin Vittori. 174 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: So I Vittori has now won every fight since the 175 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: ODA signa loss, which was only a split decision loss. 176 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: He had a drop with amri Akmedov before that, and 177 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 1: one loss to Antonio Carlos Junior, who's no longer even 178 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:52,079 Speaker 1: in the UFC. So since that lost to Ottasignia, he 179 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:56,560 Speaker 1: beat Mutanchi, saves A Fajera, Andrew Sanchez. He decisioned, he 180 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: stopped Carl Roberson, and then he decisioned his last fighters, 181 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 1: Jack Hermanson and Kevin Holland. So let's talk about some 182 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 1: of the good side here. For Marvin Vattori. You know, 183 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: he does scream a lot. He does seem to be 184 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 1: a bit of a bro slash meathead. But I gotta 185 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 1: tell you, I tend to think that the arguments about 186 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:21,439 Speaker 1: what that means for someone's fight IQ can sometimes be overstated. 187 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 1: He'd made a lot of really good, smart, calculated, level 188 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:28,719 Speaker 1: headed decisions. He even early had Kevin Holland kind of 189 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: gibber jabbering in his ear. He didn't let it deter him. 190 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:34,080 Speaker 1: He didn't try to fight fire with fire. He stuck 191 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:36,560 Speaker 1: to his game plan. This might seem too many to 192 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: be like, oh, that's what you're supposed to do. Well, 193 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 1: those are basic building blocks for folks who ultimately want 194 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:43,320 Speaker 1: to do great things. And I think, you know, as 195 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 1: generally speaking, a condition for winning. But you'd be surprised 196 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: how many fighters, including good ones, including high level ones, 197 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 1: that sometimes can't follow through on those kinds of missions. 198 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 1: It's not glamorous, it's not pretty, it's not easy, but 199 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 1: it's the way to get a w And you know, 200 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 1: I think following that in the way that he has 201 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 1: speaks highly of him. On top of that, again physical 202 00:11:03,800 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 1: for the weight class. On top of that, I think 203 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 1: his striking has come all around a long way. I 204 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:10,680 Speaker 1: thought for him the double jab to get inside was 205 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:12,679 Speaker 1: really working for him for the most part. He didn't 206 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: take a ton of big shots from Kevin ha Kevin 207 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaker 1: Allen got you know, he got a pound of flesh 208 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 1: off of them with some decent strikes, but in general, 209 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:22,960 Speaker 1: not really. In general, you saw good distance management, you 210 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:26,760 Speaker 1: saw good defense, whether he was slipping or using his 211 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:28,960 Speaker 1: feet or using his trunk movement, he was able to 212 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 1: get out of the way. And then once he was 213 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:32,680 Speaker 1: able to get along the fence line, as I mentioned, 214 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 1: he's got super underrated takedowns on all on the fence 215 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 1: and he passes guard, he moves to mount, he moves 216 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 1: to half guard. He makes the person underneath the work. 217 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 1: He knows how to advance that process both offensively and 218 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 1: then in a fatiguing way to add difficulty to what 219 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:52,079 Speaker 1: the opponent is already facing. So I have a lot 220 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 1: of respect for Marvinvatory. I think he's a very good fighter. 221 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 1: The question is would he deserve a title shot from 222 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:03,600 Speaker 1: this win? I don't think so. If you look at 223 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: the current rankings, it's not an you know, these could 224 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 1: be obviously quite subjective and ultimately the promoters win. But 225 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 1: if you just look at the rankings right now on middleweight, 226 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 1: here's the rankings as they stand. You've got Whittaker, Costa, Cannoneer, Brunson, Till, 227 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:21,600 Speaker 1: and then Vittori. Okay, Brunson's got the win. Till was out, 228 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 1: so Victoria is probably gonna pass him. So then you've 229 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 1: got Cannonear, Costa, and Whittaker. Now Whittaker is gonna be 230 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 1: fighting Kelvin Gaslom. If Whittaker wins, I just don't know 231 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: how he doesn't get that title shot. Let's say he loses, 232 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 1: So now it's a little bit more wide open at 233 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 1: the top. Costa won't get it. I'm not sure if 234 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 1: cannon Ear has a fight, but they might do cannon 235 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 1: Ear Brunson, or they might do Brunson versus Vittori, or 236 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 1: maybe they do cannon Eir versus Victory. But here's the point. 237 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:49,560 Speaker 1: He has at least one more fight, I think, to 238 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:52,200 Speaker 1: be in a space where he can be called a 239 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:56,320 Speaker 1: rightful top contender, maybe even two, depending on how it 240 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: all shakes out that that was not the win at 241 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:01,439 Speaker 1: as good as I think it was, and as much 242 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 1: as I understand why the finish may not come. Also, 243 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:05,719 Speaker 1: you look at his record, he doesn't have a ton 244 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:07,680 Speaker 1: of finishes. You could probably make the claim that yes, 245 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 1: coming and on short notice, your opponent changing can derail 246 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:14,679 Speaker 1: the best of efforts. At the same time, you might 247 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:16,559 Speaker 1: want to ask questions about Victoria, whether or not he's 248 00:13:16,679 --> 00:13:19,199 Speaker 1: enough of a finisher, But what we do always he's 249 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 1: enough of a winner to merit not a title shot, 250 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:27,280 Speaker 1: but you could maybe argue a number one contender fight, 251 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:32,079 Speaker 1: or certainly top three level opponent something like that. I 252 00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: think that's the space he is currently in. He's not 253 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 1: in top three, he's in top five, but you know, 254 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 1: somewhere a little bit above that is where he could 255 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:41,120 Speaker 1: probably set his sights on an opponent. But that's not 256 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:45,920 Speaker 1: quite number one contender situation. I guess the argument that 257 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:50,200 Speaker 1: I'm making is the prettiness of the win to me 258 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:53,200 Speaker 1: is not and it wasn't very pretty, but that's not 259 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:55,600 Speaker 1: the determining factor and whether or not I side with 260 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 1: Vittori in getting the title shot. To me, it's like, Okay, 261 00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: maybe I'd count that if you were close enough, but 262 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:05,960 Speaker 1: you're not close enough. There's another level here to get to. 263 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 1: As for Kevin Holland, he was ranked tenth. That's gonna 264 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 1: drop him outside of the Wideman Schavazian Omaro I was 265 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 1: actually I stould say it's gonna drop him into the Wideman, 266 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: Schavazi and Akmanov, Tavares and Strickland portion of that division, 267 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 1: which is still quite difficult. Candidly, like, do you like 268 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 1: Holland's chances against Chris Widman? God tell you, I don't 269 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: think that I do. I don't think I like that 270 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: at all. So that could get a little dicey for 271 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: him to be, to be honest with you, So keep 272 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 1: that in mind. And he just needs to work on 273 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 1: his game. Man, he needs to work on his game. 274 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:46,600 Speaker 1: It's ten rounds here of being held down by guys 275 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: in the division, and there's probably a lot of other 276 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:51,800 Speaker 1: guys who can do that. Wideman could do it. Maybe 277 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 1: you know, yes, you can get knocked out, but it's like, dude, 278 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 1: what does victory offer that Wideman offers. I mean, Wyman 279 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:00,120 Speaker 1: might be the better pure wrestler, but Vittori can do 280 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 1: most of that work, and he's in bigger and he's 281 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: more durable, Like that's a tough guy to beat. So 282 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:09,960 Speaker 1: maybe Widben's more beatable in that sense, but not by 283 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 1: a whole lot. Shabazian I think is still looking for 284 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 1: a recovery moment. That could be an interesting fight. Tavares 285 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 1: can wrestle if he wants to, Okmdov can wrestle if 286 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 1: he wants to. Strictling of course would be on the 287 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 1: feet as well, but that would be a fun fight there. 288 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 1: Still there's no easy outs for him. Middleweight is actually 289 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 1: tough still through fifteen. Used to be it was only 290 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:28,760 Speaker 1: like the first eight or nine. Now all fifteen are 291 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 1: pretty tough, especially if you've got glaring deficiencies like that. 292 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: Really really really think he's got to work on his 293 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 1: takedown defence. And you heard about the down block, and 294 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: we've talked about down blocking on dissected or technical difficulties. 295 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 1: A ton as relates to Israel out Asigna being out 296 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 1: of position, not being ready to down block. Colin's got 297 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 1: some of those issues too, actually much more pronounced. I 298 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: would say, out of Signa has very good take down 299 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 1: a defense along the fence line. So we'll see what 300 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 1: happens there. Let's get to that Comaine and in your 301 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:04,120 Speaker 1: co main event, Arnold Allen defeating Sadik Yusef U twenty 302 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 1: nine twenty eight across the board there as well, a 303 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 1: very nice win for Arnold Allen. Sadik Yusef Again, I'm 304 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:13,080 Speaker 1: gonna have that's one of those fights where I'm gonna 305 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: have to really go through the tape and see exactly 306 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 1: what the weapons were they were using and what the 307 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 1: strategies were. So this is just obviously my you know again, 308 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 1: my instant reaction off the cuff. But the way it 309 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 1: looked to me was that Sadik Yuseff is probably the 310 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 1: better athlete, certainly the harder hitter, faster, that kind of 311 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 1: a thing, and I think is a very thoughtful, smart, 312 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 1: you know, in your hard nosed kind of striker. He's 313 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 1: a little bit old school in that way, but he's 314 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 1: got a new school game still. Arnold Allen, I don't 315 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 1: think has those kinds of attributes in the way that 316 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 1: Yusef does, but he does have good modernity to his game. 317 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 1: He certainly knows slouch as an athlete, and the thing 318 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:53,200 Speaker 1: for me was he just had more weapons, you know, 319 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: he just had more choices to go with. It's not 320 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: that he was more skilled at the things they both do. 321 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 1: He just had more areas to go to in a 322 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:06,760 Speaker 1: fight that made him a little bit more unpredictable. He 323 00:17:06,840 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: had good timing. He was constantly timing off of the 324 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: cross or the straight punch of Yusuf, so he would 325 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 1: let it go, and as soon as he let it go, 326 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: he was either slipping and coming around it or you know, 327 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:21,360 Speaker 1: finding some other opening. He was waiting until Yusef was 328 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 1: completely committed, and then he was you know, finding an 329 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 1: option around that. But he had the takedown option. He 330 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: had a little bit more options to pick in through 331 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:36,440 Speaker 1: the ranges. Again, I thought Yuseff is more dangerous through 332 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:39,400 Speaker 1: those ranges, but he had He just had a lot 333 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 1: of different looks to give a lot of different weapons 334 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:43,879 Speaker 1: to go to. He slowed the fight down to his 335 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:47,200 Speaker 1: pace and then he used that diverse skill set to 336 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:48,480 Speaker 1: get the wins. If you look at some of the 337 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:52,440 Speaker 1: numbers from this fight, he got two of five takedowns. 338 00:17:52,440 --> 00:17:54,720 Speaker 1: Those takedowns came both in the first round, but he 339 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:59,720 Speaker 1: attempted a bunch in the third. The numbers are interesting 340 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:03,399 Speaker 1: because as Yusuff outlanded him basically two to one, numerically 341 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 1: ten to thirteen in the first one for Alan and 342 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 1: then Yusif, but after that it falls off a cliff. 343 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 1: Yusuf landed eighteen to nine for Allan in the second, 344 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 1: and the third really came on just two strikes for 345 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:15,159 Speaker 1: Alan Yusuf in the third. But what was kind of 346 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 1: interesting to me was that, like, even with those sixteen strikes, 347 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:18,879 Speaker 1: I'm not sure how many of them were really all 348 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 1: that impactful. No one really put their stamp on that 349 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:23,600 Speaker 1: third round was a lot of clenching, a lot of wrestling. 350 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:28,119 Speaker 1: I thought Yusf doing the most good work with the 351 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 1: way in which it was fought not especially exciting, but 352 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: you know, he's able to sort of sneaking, you know, 353 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: knees to the thigh, the occasional punch at range, that 354 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 1: kind of a thing. But it was the first two rounds, 355 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 1: especially the first round with the takedowns from Alan, that 356 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 1: kind of set the tone that showed he was able 357 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:45,680 Speaker 1: to controlf, he was able to find the clenching when 358 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 1: he needed to push me against the fence when he 359 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:50,159 Speaker 1: needed to, and then separate and reset. So it was 360 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 1: many situations where it was like, it's not like a 361 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:55,119 Speaker 1: case of smarts versus not smarts. That's really not the 362 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:56,639 Speaker 1: right way to look at it. It's a case to 363 00:18:56,680 --> 00:19:00,040 Speaker 1: me of yusf. I do think how old is he? 364 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,600 Speaker 1: He's not. I think he's pretty young, sidikiz. If I 365 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:05,080 Speaker 1: have to look this up to be sure, let's see 366 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 1: according to Wikipedia, he's twenty seven. Yeah, he's got a 367 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:10,680 Speaker 1: couple more years. I think to keep adding some stuff 368 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 1: because what he's got is incredibly potent. What he's got is, 369 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 1: you know, just really really really he's just a as 370 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 1: I mentioned in your face, barrels down on top of you, 371 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:26,760 Speaker 1: you know, Rob Caman kind of kickboxing a little bit. 372 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: They have very different styles, but he just reminded me, 373 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:31,119 Speaker 1: especially with that back lay kick he was going after. 374 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:37,600 Speaker 1: But I don't think he's really developed the other parts 375 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:40,119 Speaker 1: that he needs to as much as he can, Like 376 00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:44,359 Speaker 1: what other threats are there in close range that he has, 377 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:46,919 Speaker 1: What other threats are there for the takedown? What are 378 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:49,520 Speaker 1: the threats if you take him down from guard and 379 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:51,680 Speaker 1: there it's a lot of just resistance to get back 380 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 1: to that same kind of position, which you might say 381 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 1: about Israel alasignya. Okay, fine, you can do it if 382 00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:58,480 Speaker 1: you don't lose fights like this. But if you're in 383 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:01,199 Speaker 1: this division, Featherway Division, and you know you got to 384 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 1: become you just have to have more weapons because these 385 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:06,399 Speaker 1: guys like Alan dude, he's just a Swiss army knife. 386 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:10,440 Speaker 1: The blade isn't as sharp, you know, you know, maybe 387 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:13,320 Speaker 1: it's a bowie knife versus a pocket knife. But at 388 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:15,640 Speaker 1: the same time, if you can do more, if you've 389 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:19,040 Speaker 1: got scissors and a toothpick and tweezers and you know 390 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:21,159 Speaker 1: everything else, you're just gonna be able to find that 391 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 1: useful across many different circumstances. Plus, Arnold Allen already has 392 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:28,360 Speaker 1: very good decision making. He understands when to pressco when 393 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:31,879 Speaker 1: to press the break a little bit smart. Guy himself 394 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 1: hasn't competed a ton in terms of how long he's 395 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:37,400 Speaker 1: been around. He's eight fights over six years or something 396 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:40,640 Speaker 1: like that. But now the winds are undeniable Gilri Melendez, 397 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: Nick Linson and Sadik Yusuf in his last three. The 398 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 1: problem is they're just all decisions. He hasn't had to 399 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: finish since he beat Mad's Burnell back in twenty eighteen, which, 400 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:50,119 Speaker 1: by the way, that's a very good win. Mads Burnell 401 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: is a super good fighter, but there's just a little 402 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:55,720 Speaker 1: bit more activity we want to see from him in 403 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 1: terms of the arc of a calendar year and a 404 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 1: little bit more to it, but in terms of just 405 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:05,480 Speaker 1: managing rounds, managing the space, managing the extent changes when 406 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 1: you go first, when you go second, what you key 407 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 1: in on as a counter fighting tool and not. He 408 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:17,199 Speaker 1: is just exceptional at that. So it wasn't the most 409 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:21,920 Speaker 1: exciting night of fights or afternoon fights. You know, a 410 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 1: little surprised they went with what they went with to 411 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: open the show for an ABC show. But in the end, 412 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 1: Marvin Vattori gets his hand raised, as does Arnold Allen 413 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:33,840 Speaker 1: and Marvin VATORI I think he's on a collision course 414 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:37,600 Speaker 1: with Israel Atasnia, but just not yet. A little bit 415 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:39,960 Speaker 1: more proving he has to do, and for Kevin Holland, 416 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:43,679 Speaker 1: a major reset moment and I think is needed. Okay, 417 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:46,360 Speaker 1: we got a lot more analysis to get to. On Monday, 418 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:49,240 Speaker 1: it'll be me and Rashad Evans and you will react 419 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 1: to this entire card plus Bellator plus whatever else is 420 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:53,840 Speaker 1: on your mind. So please get the video of thumbs 421 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:57,159 Speaker 1: up hit subscribe. Join us again at eleven am in 422 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:00,720 Speaker 1: the East on Monday for morning combat. Okay until then, 423 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 1: see y'all later.