Monday Mailbag: The return of Jose Aldo and the Bryan Battle vs. Ange Loosa debacle

Nicely, UFC Vegas 88 occurred. It was positively a factor that occurred, placing us one step nearer to the majesty that’s UFC 300. These subsequent few weeks will likely be powerful, however that’s okay. Mid APEX playing cards construct character.

Talking of mid, some issues occurred on Saturday that truly are value speaking about. From absolutely the nonsense of the co-main occasion, to the sudden Jose Aldo comeback at UFC 301, let’s dive into the most important matters of the weekend.

Jose Aldo

Whereas this received’t be the factor that takes up essentially the most time (that’s subsequent query), undoubtedly the most important information this weekend was that UFC Corridor of Famer and featherweight GOAT Jose Aldo is coming out of retirement to struggle Jonathan Martinez at UFC 301 in Brazil. This was completely sudden and I’ve a variety of emotions about it.

First, Jose Aldo guidelines. He’s the clear featherweight GOAT and considered one of my favourite fighters of all-time. So him getting back from retirement at age 37 to tackle a younger, hungry fighter is a combined bag. On the one hand, I like to look at him struggle. However, this struggle is so, so dumb.

What does this struggle do for both man? If Martinez wins, he will get previous, retired Aldo on the résumé, and doesn’t even get a rankings increase. If he loses, it’s to previous, retired Aldo. And on the opposite facet, a loss means little to Aldo, however what does a win imply? He’s No. 14 within the UFC bantamweight rankings? Hooray? Plus, there’s a the extraordinarily actual risk that Aldo leaves the UFC after this struggle, which is the final one on his UFC deal (except he signed a brand new one). I’d say the most certainly state of affairs right here is that Aldo fights out his deal after which strikes on to different stuff. So actually, one thing was ventured right here however nothing gained.

What would have made infinitely extra sense, as Alexander factors to, is a struggle with Dominick Cruz. That is a kind of long-theorized superfights that we by no means acquired, and was even the rumor when it started to seem like Aldo was coming again. Not solely would that add some a lot wanted juice to UFC 301 (the cardboard is tough for a pay-per-view) it’s additionally the kind of legend struggle that doesn’t must result in something. Simply want success for the followers. God love Jonathan Martinez, however the one people who care about him preventing Jose Aldo are blood kinfolk.

That being stated, there may be one facet of this struggle that I like quite a bit: Aldo can win it. Certain, Aldo is 37 happening 59, however the final time we noticed him he was nonetheless rattling good. Have a look at the distinction between his struggle with Merab Dvalishvili and Henry Cejudo’s struggle with Merab. Aldo nonetheless has some tread on the tires, and Martinez is an opponent he can look good towards, since Aldo is considered one of 5 MMA fighters who can examine calf kicks. (Actually, 5 is likely to be overstating it.) If the day off and age don’t kill him, this might be one other masterclass from the best defensive fighter in MMA historical past. Signal me up.

UFC Vegas 88 Co-Major Occasion

In case you didn’t watch this previous Saturday (good for you, spend extra time together with your family members), the co-main occasion struggle between Bryan Battle and Ange Loosa was a complete fiasco. Battle was comfortably beating Loosa till the 2 clashed into one another, considered one of Battle’s thumbs went into Loosa’s eye, and the struggle was finally stopped by the physician when Loosa stated he couldn’t see.

Then, in a present of elite sportsmanship, Battle berated Loosa about “looking for a way out,” called him a bunch of names, gave a post-fight interview the place he stated extra of that, after which saved doing it after the struggle. Then, in a mind-boggling little bit of commentary, Dominick Cruz stated he agreed with Battle questioning “the place did all that vitality come from” concerning the close to post-fight brawl.

There’s quite a bit to unpack right here, all of it unhealthy, so let’s begin on the prime: It’s cheap for Battle to be pissed off; in any case, he was successful, and now he received’t get a post-fight bonus. That being stated, it was a deeply infantile response to what occurred. Loosa didn’t shove his thumb into Battle’s eye (he did head-butt him, however Battle didn’t appear to note). You probably did the unhealthy factor, Bryan. That sucks, dwell with it. Subsequent time don’t publish off on a dude’s face.

The one approach Battle’s response is even remotely acceptable (it really by no means is, be a grown-up) is that if Loosa is transparently mendacity. Battle clearly believes that’s what occurred, and I assume I can perceive him feeling that approach within the warmth of the second, nevertheless it’s an objectively silly concept. Sure, Battle was successful, nevertheless it wasn’t some cataclysmic ass-beating. (Statistically, it was no matter.) He received a snug 10-9 first spherical and we had been 60 seconds into the second. Loosa was removed from out of the struggle and perhaps he may have rallied. There’s genuinely no purpose to suppose Loosa was mendacity apart from you hate him personally, hate all fighters, or have merely put aside your skill to purpose. I imply, what does Loosa acquire by mendacity? It’s not like he will get his win bonus for a no-contest, and now he doesn’t even have the chance to win the struggle.

“Oh, however the place was that ‘I’ll kill you vitality’ when the physician was speaking to him, sensible man?”

I don’t know, man, have you ever ever been offended? It’s unbelievable what blind fury can do to overhaul sensibility, ache, mainly something. As soon as, once I was a child, I broke my collar bone, and I used to be taking part in with some pals and considered one of them was being tremendous annoying and I snapped and headlocked him. It was a very unhealthy choice and I paid for it afterward, however that’s with rage can do. In case you’ve by no means skilled that, congratulations, you’re a Vulcan. However for the remainder of us, there’s a world of distinction between being unable to see however selecting to struggle on regardless of the handicap, and private vendetta.

That’s BY FAR the most certainly state of affairs of what occurred. It’s is overwhelmingly extra seemingly that Loosa acquired poked within the eye, legitimately couldn’t see out of that eye, and communicated that to the physician, not that he’s a mendacity coward who didn’t need to struggle any extra after dropping one spherical. Critically, when you merely function from the idea that Loosa isn’t mendacity about his damage (which ought to be the naked minimal set of assumptions afforded to all fighters) then this complete scenario is extraordinarily apparent.

Which brings us to the actual difficulty, as a result of as a lot as I disliked Battle’s infantile response, I can no less than put a few of that all the way down to the warmth of the second. What I can not permit for — and what nobody ought to be OK with — is Cruz’s commentary on the scenario. When serving as a commentator, the expectation is for goal neutrality in the direction of all fighters, as a result of that’s what the occupation calls for and what the fighters deserve. Popping out and functionally saying, “Ange Loosa is a hen and didn’t need to struggle,” is an astounding error to be made by an worker of the promotion. (For what it’s value, Bisping tried to privately inform Battle he agreed however was caught on mic — additionally a nasty look, however no less than it was an error of execution and never a deliberate assertion from a promotional entity.) Think about Tony Romo masking a 49ers sport and saying, “Chase Younger is a wuss. He doesn’t need to be on the market.” He’d be fired earlier than halftime!

To not point out that Cruz is himself a fighter and will know the way insane of a place that’s to take. What number of instances has Cruz handled some belligerent fan questioning his integrity with none factual foundation? Hell, how many individuals are about to go on Twitter and name him scared for not preventing Jose Aldo in Brazil? Followers on Twitter feeling this fashion is one factor, however for a person who has lived it to simply utterly set that apart is unbelievable.

Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that Loosa was mendacity and was completely high quality: What’s gained by Cruz’s feedback? Little or no. Possibly a couple of followers really feel vindicated and Battle feels supported later. However what if he’s not mendacity? Now you’ve improve amplified the concept Loosa is a coward, and furthermore, Loosa now is aware of that. He is aware of that the subsequent time he’s preventing, one of many commentators is likely to be a dude who will trash him to followers on mic. Does that sound like nice enterprise?

My largest difficulty with all of that is that nonsense begets extra nonsense. UFC has utterly forgone any sense {of professional} decorum, which has created a spiral of negativity. Certain, Sean Strickland can say things we wouldn’t allow middle school children to say without recourse. Yeah, followers can hurl death threats or ask outrageously inappropriate questions at promotional occasions. After all our commentators can instantly query the integrity of a fighter below contract. Clearly our CEO can commit domestic violence on camera to literal zero repercussions. Who cares?

UFC isn’t some ramshackle, barely authorized struggle present placed on eBaum’s World for reasonable clicks. It’s a billion-dollar enterprise entity and knowledgeable sports activities league. It will simply be good if it may act prefer it.

Tai Tuivasa

In case you missed it, Tai Tuivasa misplaced his fourth struggle in a row on Saturday when Maricn Tybura choked him out in the primary occasion of UFC Vegas 88.

I’ll reply the opposite elements of this later, however for now I simply wished a quick phrase on Tuivasa. A pair years in the past when he was on that nice run, I believe most of us knew that it was a bit smoke and mirrors. Even so, it’s unhappy to see the drop off for the King of the Shoey. 4 losses in a row is sort of unattainable to beat in trendy MMA, even after they come towards good opposition. Tuivasa is just too restricted and now could also be dropping off bodily. However we’ll all the time have the great instances, and there’s a clear and apparent path ahead for him that ought to make everybody glad: BKFC.

Give me Tuivasa vs. Ben Rothwell in bare-knuckle boxing and take my $50.

APEX predators

I stated it on the prime, however the subsequent month is a troublesome cling. Two extra APEX playing cards and a really weak Struggle Night time providing. However that’s OK as a result of UFC 299 was wonderful and UFC 300 is the actual best card ever assembled (on paper). That is the price of doing enterprise and we should always all be alright with that.

As for a way I’d run issues, there are definitely elements to APEX playing cards I admire, particularly that it very clearly creates a tiering system for followers, like in golf. Some individuals watch golf each weekend. Others tune in for the majors and the opposite large occasions. Some simply watch the Masters. UFC has recreated this with APEX playing cards serving as random PGA Tour occasions, pay-per-views because the majors, and Struggle Night time playing cards as different high-profile, non-Majors, like The Gamers. And naturally some individuals will solely watch UFC 300. That’s actually not a nasty arrange, so I actually wouldn’t change something.

Nicely, that’s not completely true. I’ve stated it quite a bit over time, however 42 occasions per yr is just too many. It requires the UFC to maintain an enormous roster, leads to A LOT of subpar fights on undercards, and doesn’t permit any room for the product to breath. In 2023, when you take out the month-long break the UFC takes mainly yearly now between the top of December and mid January after they begin again up, there have been 42 occasions in 48 weeks. That’s an insane schedule. If I used to be given carte blanch for a day and will make one change, it could be that the UFC strikes to a 36-event schedule per yr. That’s three occasions per thirty days: One PPV, one Struggle Night time, one APEX card, one off week. That could be a close to excellent schedule however it’ll additionally by no means occur. Oh nicely.

Thanks for studying, and thanks for everybody who despatched in tweets (Xs?)! Do you’ve got any burning questions on issues no less than considerably associated to fight sports activities? You then’re in luck, as a result of you possibly can ship your tweets to me, @JedKMeshew, and I’ll reply my favourite ones! Doesn’t matter in the event that they’re topical or insane, simply as long as they’re good. Thanks once more, and see y’all subsequent week.