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UFC 313 is in books, and for the first time this year, we have a new champion. Magomed Ankalaev finally captured the gold UFC, winning a unanimous decision on Alex Pereira In their long -awaited match.
The victory sent undulations not only through the division of light heavyweights, but also to heavy goods vehicles. So where are we going from here, and what about Saturday light performance? Let’s move on to your questions this week.
Jon Jones
“Jon Jones has nowhere to go now. No one thinks he’s going to take Tom Aspinall’s fight, but do you think Jon will hang him out so that Tom does not fight someone until November, wasting further? »»
My favorite game on Saturday was that everyone quickly realizing that the biggest loser of the night may be Jon Jones. If Pereira had won, it was even money that the UFC reserved Alex against Jon in a super fight later this year. Now, it is completely out of the table, which means that Jon Jones must either fight Tom Aspinall, or move away, and we all know which one he will choose.
I guess Jones tries to negotiate a little longer, asking for an exorbitant price and hoping that the UFC finally decides that it needs a mega fight to justify its negotiations on the diffusion rights. But I do not think that the promotion pays for Jon its requested price or anywhere nearby and therefore in the summer, I expect Tom Aspinall to defend his belt against Ciryl Gane while Jon withdraw from sport.
Fighters of the year?
Not a question, just crazy enough to think that the two consensus voters for Fighter of the Year 2024 (Ilia and Alex) are no longer champions before the first quarter of the year.
– BFTDMMA (@bftdmmatrix) March 9, 2025
“Not a question, just crazy enough to think that the two Getters of voting consensus for Fighter of the Year 2024 (Ilia and Alex) are no longer champions before the first quarter of the year.”
I hadn’t thought about it, but yes, it is wild that it was true. If you had asked someone to bet against you, he would have laughed in the face. Person I saw this one coming. 2024 was mainly dominated by Ilia Topuria and Alex Pereira, and although Topuria chose to leave her title, it’s always pretty crazy to think. And it talks about my favorite thing to exploit: how the defense of a title is the most difficult thing of the MMA.
One of the most convincing parts of MMA is that anything can happen, and that shows you how true it is. You have to bring your game “A” to the cage every time where you could lose the title. And even if you don’t do it, maybe the prospect of defending a belt over and over again, so you have to try to find something else to continue. The champions which have set up 5, 6 or 7+ defenses of titles in a certain number of years are the greatest fighters of all time, because if other people could do it, they would.
Big Ank Time
“In your opinion, who is the most difficult match for” Big Ank Time “at 205 other than” Poatan? “”
I am tempted to go with Jan Blachowicz here because we have already seen them fight and Ankalaev barely escaped with a shared decision victory. But Blachowicz is now a few more years and downwards, so the real answer should not surprise anyone: Jiri Proper.
It may be the home because now is one of my favorite active fighters, but there is a reason why man has lost against Pereira in the last decade – he is damn good. And while Pereira presents a unique style match for now ones, Ankalaev does not. In fact, now a good chance of overthrowing the new champion if he has the opportunity. He is faster and much more athletic, and while Ankalaev withdrew Perreira from his game with intelligent tactical decisions, Jiri is much more likely to force more eventful exchanges than Pereira.
I still prefer Ankalaev slightly, but nextzka is a very lively dog in such a match.
Lightweight
Who do you think of the next generation of LW (not counting Arman) has the highest ceiling as a fighter? Between Bahamondes, Ruffy, Alvarez, Rebecki, Orolbai, etc. I don’t know if one is future champions but are they funny
– Dylan Barth (@ dylaneb11) March 9, 2025
“Who do you think of the next generation of light weight (not counting Armen Tsarukyan) has the highest ceiling as a fighter?” Between Ignacio Bahamondes, Mauricio Ruffy, Joel Alvarez, Mateusz Rebecki, Myktybek orolbai, etc. I don’t know if none are future champions, but the boy are fun. “”
Yes. Yes, they are. Because the light was and will always be the best division of MMA.
First of all, shouting at the light weights of the UFC 313. Justin Gaethje delivered another immaculate feather in the cap of a career intended to be underestimated, Ignacio Bahamondes declared the real affair, and Mauricio Ruffy marked what I can only assume that it will be the reversal of the year. Damn of great work of all.
As for the next generation will be the best, I would go with a fighter that you left out: Usman Nurmagomedov. Yes, Nurmagomedov has just made a controversial decision in his latest fight, but he is also only 26 years old and he is probably the most talented of the Khabib team fighters. In addition, Paul Hughes is a hell of a fighter himself and also looking in the next generation.
But if you restrict this to UFC fighters only, the Bahamondes give me. Alvarez is not really in the next generation because he is 32 years old, Rebecki and Orolbai are better than they are fun (which counts at Lightweight), and although this is a more difficult sale given what he has just done, Ruffy is the fighting fighting guys that I like the least (which is like saying that he is the worse winner lottery ticket, it is always great).
Bahamondes always seeks to fight a little, but it is massive for the light, dangerous everywhere, and has the appropriate mentality. Give me Nacho for victory.
In addition, Luke Thomas spoke about it this week and I echo his feeling: the current elite weight harvest is a unique group. Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler have been at the top of this division for longer than possible, but almost whenever the next generation has had the chance to replace them, the old guard called “hold a minute”. Really special stuff.
Surprise
It sounds great! What was the most surprising moment of the UFC 313 for you?
– soni_saha (@soni_saha_) March 9, 2025
“What was the most surprising moment of the UFC 313 for you?”
It was to be a shocking retirement from Jalin Turner after being operated by Bahamondes in the fight of feature films on the main map.
I was extremely high on Turner as a perspective and despite his current bad form, he is still relatively young. But hearing Turner speaking later and it seems that it was something he considered and that his heart is no longer in sport. Nothing wrong with that and I wish him all the best, but certainly the most surprising result of the evening.
Jalin Turner
“If Jalin Turner retired for good, how do you remember her career?”
He will have to be recalled as a “and if”. He is a fighter who had all the potential in the world but who only scraped the surface of what he was capable of. We saw that when Turner was at his best, he was a problem for anyone against whom he intervened; However, it seems that Turner did not have something in the mental side of things to become a truly elite fighter.
Despite this, he had a solid race there and his sequence of five fights after Matt Frevola’s defeat was really fun. Happy trees, tarantula.
Thank you for reading and thank you to everyone who sent tweets (XS?)! Do you have burning questions about things at least somewhat linked to combat sports? Then you are lucky because you can send me your tweets, @JedkmeshewAnd I will answer my favorites! It doesn’t matter if they are topical or crazy, as long as they are good. Thank you again, and you see next week.
