UFC 304 mailbag: Belal Muhammad silences the doubters, Tom Aspinall ascends, Paddy Pimblett delivers, plus more

UFC 304 went down this previous Saturday in Manchester, England, and a complete bunch of stuff occurred. Belal Muhammad pulled off the upset, dominating Leon Edwards to turn out to be the brand new welterweight champion; Tom Aspinall avenged his earlier loss to Curtis Blaydes with a 60-second obliteration; Paddy Pimblett arrived within the light-weight prime 15 by demolishing King Inexperienced; and Muhammad Mokaev discovered a method to get let go from the UFC regardless of being younger, undefeated, and unarguably probably the greatest fighters in his weight class

There are such a lot of speaking factors this week and we obtained a ton of questions, so let’s attempt to reply as many as we are able to with out writing Struggle and Peace.

Belal Muhammad, welterweight champion

“Is Belal on Paulo’s secret juice?”

To cite President Thomas J. Whitmore: “He did it! The son of a bitch did it!”

Belal Muhammad ate a rash of shit for years from what felt like everybody within the MMA group as he relentlessly campaigned for his shot on the title and redemption towards Leon Edwards, and in the end, he will get the final chortle as “Bear in mind the Title” made it so everybody must. He’s the welterweight champion of the world and nobody can ever take that away from him. It’s a outstanding story of perseverance and dedication, and you’ll’t do something however tip your hat to him, particularly given the way in which he did it.

Forward of the combat, I used to be fairly assured Edwards would win as a result of he’s youthful, sooner, stronger, larger, hits more durable, and has extra instruments for the matchup. All of that’s nonetheless true, however I didn’t account for the one factor that I feel made the distinction on this matchup: Belal needed it extra. Saying stuff like that in sports activities is normally very silly as a result of everyone needs to win. And maybe it’s silly right here as effectively, however on combat night time and after re-watching the competition, what stood out to me essentially the most was Belal Muhammad merely refused to be denied. Leon Edwards didn’t.

Muhammad got here out in that combat and instantly set the phrases. “I’m going to maneuver ahead, I’m going to placed on the tempo and the stress, I’m going to hit you till you defend, after which shoot. I’m going to interrupt you.” It was basic Belal, and whereas Edwards contested it early, he shortly misplaced the battle of wills, giving floor freely and getting bullied proper out of his title.

Belal didn’t win Saturday as a result of he was larger or stronger or extra proficient than Leon Edwards. He gained as a result of he willed it into being (and he’s very expert and sensible, and so forth.). Paulo Costa needs he had that secret juice.

Preventing at 6 a.m.

“Is it truthful to count on fighters to have the ability to carry out optimally combating at any time of day?”

After shedding his title, Edwards gave a post-fight interview the place he stated his physique by no means felt proper all week and that he couldn’t get going for the combat, and folks in fact instantly made the leap suggesting that was in all probability resulting from combating at 6 a.m. within the morning. And there’s a good probability that’s really true. I additionally couldn’t attainable care much less about this.

This was not some shock, last-minute combat that sprang up out of nowhere. Leon Edwards knew he’d be combating at the moment of the morning for months. If he failed to organize his physique correctly for combating, that’s completely on him. As a result of you understand who didn’t have any points with the time? Belal Muhammad. His physique labored simply high-quality!

To me, this complete scenario is rather like fighters competing at totally different altitudes. Sure, combating at 6 a.m. is totally different, but it surely’s the identical for each events and you’ve got time to organize accordingly. As a fan, my expectations — particularly for champions! — is that they go away no stone unturned for his or her fights. If Leon didn’t (and it’s an if, as a result of Leon didn’t blame the loss on the time, bear in mind), he’ll simply must stay with that one.

Belal’s first title protection

“Am I the asshole? Usman is the combat to make for Belal! Both Kamaru is again or a Belal win would legitimize his profession like few different issues would. I’d wish to see the brand new blood combat in 5 rounders/headline first. Ideas on this match up competitively and commercially?”

I don’t know when you’re an asshole, however you don’t sound like somebody I agree with proper now.

Kamaru Usman is a terrific fighter and an all-time nice. He has a case for being the second best welterweight of all-time (folks criminally disrespect Matt Hughes as a result of this fandom has the reminiscence of goldfish), he’s well-known, and he shouldn’t come inside six counties of a title shot at this cut-off date.

Name me quaint, however I like my title challengers to be guys who’ve gained related fights within the weight class in latest historical past. Except for the truth that Usman is on a three-fight shedding streak (which needs to be disqualifying for any title shot, frankly), he has not overwhelmed a presently related welterweight in additional than three years. Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal don’t rely as related, I’m sorry. Gilbert Burns is the newest opponent Usman’s overwhelmed who has significant wins this decade.

Muhammad ought to defend his title towards Shavkat Rakhmonov, who’s undefeated and has by no means been to a choice. If Usman needs a title shot, he must beat anyone at welterweight. There aren’t any scarcity of them. Get one win after which we are able to discuss.

Leon Edwards

“What are the probabilities Leon ever will get one other shot on the belt?”

I’ll be beneficiant and go along with 50/50, as a result of whereas Edwards has some fairly clear negatives on this regard, he has a number of issues going for him.

First, Leon remains to be comparatively younger. “Rocky” is just 32 years previous and he’s now a former champion. “Former champion” has cache and kind of perpetually retains you within the title dialog, as long as you don’t go on a Tony Ferguson-esque shedding streak. Edwards remains to be younger sufficient and tremendous proficient, so a number of wins (and a brand new champion) put him proper again in line, particularly as a notable determine in a market UFC caters to.

That being stated, the downsides are actual as effectively. Edwards was by no means a beloved champion by followers or the promotion, so he’s not like Usman: He gained’t get the “let’s throw him in for a title shot for no obvious motive” remedy. He’s not a very thrilling fighter neither is he overly charismatic, so he’ll must win significant fights to get again to a title shot, and that’s quite a bit to ask at welterweight, particularly for him. I’ve a ton of respect for Edwards as a fighter, however the mixture of not ending fights and having periodic lapses throughout fights means each bout is dangerous. You roll the cube sufficient and ultimately you roll a 12.

The margin for error is small on the prime and it’ll be attention-grabbing to see if Edwards can do it, but when I needed to guess, I’d say no.

Rocky 2

So the plain reply is Michael Web page in a battle for England, and whereas I like that concept quite a bit, there’s one other one that’s far sillier but in addition good. It’s time to settle the feud: Leon Edwards vs. Jorge Masvidal.

When Edwards was the champion, it could have been insane to present Masvidal a title shot. Now that’s not a difficulty and since Masvidal remains to be underneath contract with the UFC, it’s do or die time. There’s nonetheless sufficient warmth there to attract curiosity and it offers Edwards a much-needed rebound combat after the title loss. Let’s do it. The ‘MVP’ combat can wait.

Retreating is simply give up

“Has the previous couple of years proven {that a} willingness to again your self as much as the fence repeatedly is definitely the worst weak spot a champion can have? To date its been the loss of life of Leon, Israel Adesanya twice, Tyron Woodley, Anthony Pettis, and so forth…

I simply wish to put this right here as a result of it speaks to my largest pet peeve in all of MMA: On this sport, retreat is give up.

Merely put, there are solely a handful of fighters presently competing in MMA who can win whereas combating off the again foot. It’s a really particular talent set and it’s approach more durable to do. In the meantime, the checklist of fighters who’ve vastly overachieved relative to expertise as a result of they transfer ahead continually is just too lengthy to checklist. If you understand little or no about MMA, 99 instances out of 100, the man shifting ahead goes to win.

Edwards misplaced this combat from the opening bell when he consented to Muhammad’s stress, and issues solely obtained worse for him as he willingly moved to the cage. If I had been an MMA coach, I’d prepare with cattle prods and each time somebody within the gymnasium stepped backward, I’d zap them. You merely can not do it. Leon did and paid the value.

Science

“Can chickens be GOATs?”

No, they can not. You see, I’ve spoken to the scientists, I’ve accomplished the analysis, and it’s fairly clear: Chickens can’t be GOATs. In truth, they’re not even in the identical household, order, or class.

Chickens ≠ GOATs. Unfold the phrase.

Tommy Aspinall and Jon Jones

“If we because the MMA group get #TomBeatsJon trending, will Jon wish to (ultimately) combat Tom as a substitute of Stipe? *I’m not disrespecting Jon’s or Stipe’s resumes, in fact, I’m simply extra excited by a Jon-Tom combat.”

No. Jon Jones won’t ever combat Tom Aspinall as a result of he doesn’t need that smoke. You, sir, are late to the celebration. I’ve been pioneering the #GaslightJonJones motion for greater than a 12 months, and whereas I’m pretty sure he’s really caught wind of it, the person nonetheless ain’t combating Tom Aspinall but. As a result of he by no means will.

I wish to be extraordinarily clear: I’m disrespecting Jon and Stipe’s résumés. Jon has one good win prior to now six years and will have two losses in that very same time. He overtly ducked a rematch with Dominick Reyes, drug his ft on shifting to heavyweight when Francis Ngannou was nonetheless round, and now insists on combating a 42-year-old firefighter who has no wins over present UFC fighters and has not even fought in three years. In some other circumstance, the general public can be HOWLING at this absurdity.

Jon needs to combat Stipe Miocic for a similar motive Jake Paul needs to combat Mike Tyson: It’s a giant occasion that he’ll win and might inform himself that it’s particular and significant. It’s pure upside with no threat. And that’s high-quality, far be it from me to inform folks to not mislead themselves. However I don’t have to purchase it and neither do you.

Merely put, Jon Jones doesn’t need it with Tom Aspinall. He’s (rightly) involved that Aspinall will beat him and break the factor Jon’s made so central to his legacy: His “undefeated” streak. He gained’t threat it.

Show me mistaken, Jon.

Paddy Pimblett

“Has Paddy been extensively underestimated — might he combat for a belt some day?”

Each sure and no.

On the one hand, I feel many of the criticism surrounding Pimblett for his profession has been justified. The person easy is rather more standard than he’s proficient. In spite of everything, this can be a man who misplaced to Jared Gordon, who isn’t precisely a world-beater (sorry for the stray, Gordon). However however, the concept Pimblett was a completed product was fairly clearly silly.

Pimblett remains to be solely 29 years previous and he improves nearly each time we see him. And on this combat with Inexperienced, Pimblett regarded one of the best he ever has, each bodily and competitively. Was Pimblett an excellent fighter when he joined UFC three years in the past? No, completely not. Is he an excellent one now? Possibly. He’s definitely working towards it not less than.

Growth in sports activities generally, and particularly in MMA, just isn’t linear. It takes some fighters longer than others to place all of it collectively, and generally they by no means do. Generally a life occasion occurs and it modifications a fighter. Possibly having a child did that for Pimblett or perhaps his years and years of dedication and arduous work have lastly helped him flip a nook. That’s a part of the enjoyable of MMA fandom: You get to see the journeys unfold in actual time. And when you’re a Pimblett fan, you’ve been having an excellent week.

Muhammad Mokaev

“If the UFC chooses to not re-sign Mokaev, the place does he find yourself? ACA? Rizin? Does he problem Dodson for the BKFC title?”

In order it seems, the UFC did select to not re-sign Mokaev, which some folks have a difficulty with. I’m not one in every of them.

Mokaev had about as unhealthy of every week as attainable for a man who prolonged his undefeated resume to 13-0 (1 NC). He began a brawl, typically acted like an ass repeatedly, after which gained a tepid determination (that almost all media really scored for Kape) over a man he allegedly hated. He then simply confessed to sucker-punching Kape for the stupidest motive conceivable. A really baffling degree of unawareness.

I’ve been extraordinarily excessive on Mokaev for years, even saying he was a future two-division UFC champion. And whereas I nonetheless am excessive on him as a fighter, the reality is he has some rising as much as do. He’s 23 years previous and this week he acted like he’s 12. Bodily, he’s able to competing with anybody on the planet, however is that somebody you wish to hitch your wagon to promotionally? I wouldn’t.

If UFC had reduce him, perhaps that’s one factor. However to decide to not re-sign a fighter who has allegedly been tough to work with behind the scenes, isn’t particularly standard, and is now performing out in essentially the most infantile methods, that’s affordable. Mokaev is younger. He can go to another group and develop up a bit (although not BKFC, you must punch folks there), after which return to the corporate as an older and wiser man.

And hopefully as a greater fighter, too. As a result of for as a lot as I like Mokaev, he’s not exhibiting the identical progress Pimblett has time in and day out. He’s functionally the identical fighter he was when he joined the promotion. The person must spherical out each his folks abilities and his combating abilities whereas he’s outdoors the UFC if he ever needs to make good on all his potential.

Refereeing

“Does Mike Beltran yelling actually angrily forestall extra fouls than taking some extent?”

We’ll finish right here: I don’t usually say issues like this, however Mike Beltran shouldn’t referee anymore. A really shameful show from him on Saturday.

Mokaev cheated repeatedly and relentlessly and Beltran did nothing about it. Worse really, Beltran acknowledged that Mokaev was dishonest — egregious shorts grabbing, low blow, eye poke, the total gamut — and the one consequence was a stern speaking to. I want I used to be making this up however a direct quote from Beltran throughout that combat is, “Don’t put your self able the place I’ve to implement the principles.” Dude, that’s your job! When you get to some extent the place you’re yelling at a fighter, you’re effectively past when you must have intervened. Take motion!

Till referees begin implementing the principles, each single fighter ought to cheat their asses off. As a result of there isn’t actually dishonest in MMA. Each referee is unhealthy as a result of none of them wish to take factors (when in reality they need to take factors for every little thing aside from fence grabs, which ought to simply be giving place), however Beltran was on one other degree on Saturday.

Thanks for studying, and thanks for everybody who despatched in tweets (Xs?)! Do you’ve got any burning questions on issues not less than considerably associated to fight sports activities? Then you definately’re in luck, as a result of you may 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.