UFC Edmonton mailbag: Brandon Moreno’s masterclass, Rose Namajunas at 125 and Erin Blanchfield’s ceiling

UFC Edmonton went down this past weekend and 2 very essential outcomes came about. Within the foremost tournament, Brandon Moreno broke his shedding drag, dominating Amir Albazi in a sensational performance for the extinct champion, whereas within the co-predominant tournament, Erin Blanchfield also bought relieve within the receive column, albeit by eking out a receive over extinct strawweight champion Rose Namajunas.

So with plenty to discuss, let’s dive excellent in to this week’s questions.

Brandon Moreno

“Concepts on the incontrovertible truth that Moreno positioned on a masterclass however didn’t even secure a bonus?”

“Masterclass” is the factual be aware for what Moreno did to Albazi on Saturday; he obtained that fight pillar to publish. Credit rating to Albazi who no matter being clearly outclassed silent hung tricky, even surviving just a few scares in there, however that used to be a form of 1-sided performances that for certain locations into perspective the gap between Albazi and the cease tier of the burden class.

It used to be also a stark reminder of how tiny the margins are in MMA. Moreno used to be on a two-fight shedding drag heading into this weekend and as such used to be nearly an afterthought. But these losses were contentious split choices and in a single other universe, Moreno is silent the UFC flyweight champion. On any given evening he can manufacture be pleased the most efficient within the enviornment.

As for no longer getting a bonus, it’s to be expected. Though “performance” is commence ended ample to intend one thing, the Efficiency of the Evening bonuses are derived from the broken-down Knockout and Submission of the Evening awards, and the UFC treats them as such, which is okay. Jasmine Jasudavicius, Dustin Stoltzfus, Charles Jourdain, and Youssef Zalal all doubtlessly may perchance perchance perchance also suppose the $50,000 bigger than Moreno.

Rose Namajunas

“If ‘Thug Rose’ didn’t secure to cocky and strive a takedown on the heavier grappler, would Blanchfield’s low Battle IQ lose her the fight?”

Man, I certain map it used to be going to.

It’s no secret that I’ve been extraordinarily high on Blanchfield as a prospect. I’ve bought a quantity of Grasp shut Equity kept up in her changing into champion one day. And for 10-plus minutes on Saturday, I used to be calling my Grasp shut Dealer to scout alternate options for dumping my stock.

Simply put, Blanchfield used to be hazardous for the first two rounds of that fight. I for certain don’t have any idea what the idea used to be, however I merely can no longer imagine the idea used to be “willingly make a choice in a lengthy-fluctuate, low-volume kickboxing match with Rose” on myth of that can perchance per chance perchance be among the many dumbest game plans ever created. And it’s no longer be pleased Rose used to be forcing Blanchfield out of her consolation zone, Blanchfield dazzling didn’t try to offer one thing instead of secure sniped. It used to be maddeningly unsuitable, and I silent can no longer resolve out why she did it.

HOWEVER, I beget command with the premise that Rose “bought cocky” alongside with her takedown strive. Rose bought forced into that takedown strive, on myth of within the third round, Blanchfield started combating. Namajunas has never preferred to be in fire fights, and after punting the first two rounds, Blanchfield determined to commence strolling into the road of fire and exchanging. Though she also bought hit a bunch, Blanchfield started touchdown and tagged Rose, leading her to discover an bolt route with the takedown. I don’t judge that used to be necessarily unsuitable Battle IQ from Rose, however a dazzling adjustment from Blanchfield.

That being acknowledged, there used to be one occasion earlier within the fight that I’ve re-map moderately plenty, and whereas I don’t judge it’s “unsuitable Battle IQ” per se, I produce judge it’s instructive of the put Namajunas is in her occupation and up at flyweight.

Within the 2d round, Rose hits a walk on Blanchfield and ends in facet alter, however as an different of maintaining the discipline and dealing, Namajunas straight stands up and retreats to placing fluctuate. Portion of me can understand the considering there of no longer participating with the grappler, however one other share of me believes that’s a note of a staunch command with Namajunas at this stage of her occupation: she doesn’t fight to receive, she fights to no longer lose.

When you drag relieve and watch the Carla Esparza rematch (don’t produce that to yourself, it’s unpleasant) that fight is for certain dazzling two females fully unwilling to possibility shedding, so neither does vital of one thing, and albeit, that’s no technique to be a educated fist fighter. I’m no longer pronouncing each person has to turn out to be Justin Gaethje, however passivity is a lethal sin in this game and Namajunas for certain appears to be like to have that in her now, especially when she’s going thru any person that can clearly threaten her.

I don’t know the put Rose goes from here, however if she will be able to’t secure that spark relieve, I judge we’ve doubtlessly considered the terminate of stress-free Namajunas fights and her title aspirations.

Erin Blanchfield

“She’s silent fully 25, however how lengthy till Blanchfield’s reliance on her toughness as in opposition to studying placing defense turns staunch into a subject?”

It’s already a subject, though no longer the finest one I for certain have at this moment.

Blanchfield is a unpleasant striker, plump live. It’s no longer dazzling her defense, it’s her offense as neatly. For as gay and effortless as Blanchfield appears to be like to be like on the ground, she appears to be like to be like physically depressed and uncoordinated placing. Like a newborn toddler deer stumbling round on legs it’s dazzling figuring out are hers, that’s Blanchfield when it involves placing.

Fair straight away, the fully motive Blanchfield’s placing may perchance perchance even be effective is, as you identified, on myth of she’s beautiful tricky and he or she’s willing to amass one to give one. But that form of brawling mentality goes a excellent distance, especially in a weight class the put there are perchance a half of-dozen of us that can for certain crack. Truthfully, if I were teaching her (and let me stress this: I’m no longer a coach, I am a moron) I’d work on building her offense on myth of that’s a extra crucial half of the puzzle excellent now. Give Blanchfield some true weapons she will be able to count on on the feet and the defense can secure sorted out later.

But the ingredient that nearly all concerns me about Blanchfield excellent now’s how disjointed her game is. Blanchfield is grappler and a solid wrestler and athlete, however none of it works together. She would no longer mix the martial arts, she engages in them individually at every stage and so both are lessened dramatically by that. No one would ever confuse Khabib Nurmagomedov with an elite striker, however he had ample instruments there to compete and his placing game used to be fully catered to assist his grappling. That’s what Blanchfield desires and as an different she has Notion A and restricted ways to impose it.

The upper bounds of females’s flyweight has of us that can match the physicality Blanchfield brings to endure. We seen that within the Manon Fiorot fight, and to some extent, we seen that on Saturday. Blanchfield is no longer the form of hyper-athlete that can dazzling scoot over even the most efficient warring parties, so she desires to secure a cohesive offensive sorted out sooner in discipline of later or she’ll never receive the title.

Callout

“Asking as a Blanchfield fan, how does a fight in opposition to Alexa Grasso drag for her? Became once that the mighty callout?”

Ought to you overlooked it, Blanchfield called for a fight with Alexa Grasso subsequent, and I whereas I originally preferred it, I’ve cooled on the premise with time beyond regulation to judge of it, no longer decrease than promotionally.

Fiorot has the following shot at Valentina Shevchenko, however after that, the title characterize is beautiful empty. A receive over Grasso would no doubt put Blanchfield in line for the following title shot, however if Grasso wins and so does Shevchenko, now the UFC dazzling killed off a contender for a fight that we for certain produce no longer have to hunt yet again.

Instead, Blanchfield should always fight Maycee Barber. Right here is clearly counting on Barber being wholesome ample to compete, and for the moment, that appears to be like be pleased it may perchance perchance perchance perchance also no longer be the case. But if she will be able to resolve no matter considerations she’s going thru, Blanchfield vs. Barber makes the most sense as a no-doubt-about-it No. 1 contender fight.

That being acknowledged, if Barber doesn’t determine and the Grasso fight is what occurs, that’s no longer a unpleasant consolation prize. And I’m in truth within the matchup. Historically, Grasso is a unsuitable defensive wrestler, which traces up neatly for Blanchfield, however Blanchfield is so one-discover at this level, that should always assist Grasso put together and produce things tricky on Blanchfield. Valentina Shevchenko took Grasso down a thousand million times on myth of she’s a bodily monster AND she’s hazardous on the feet. Blanchfield doesn’t have that same threat so Grasso has a extraordinarily dazzling chance in opposition to her.

Youssef Zalal

“How dazzling is Youssef Zalal? I admit I didn’t pay vital attention to his 1st scoot within the UFC however 3 subs in his closing 3 fights is impressive, in conjunction with the fact he took Ilia Topuria the space relieve in 2020…who would you book him in opposition to subsequent?”

Seems beautiful dazzling!

Zalal is a lock for making the 2024 All-Violence Team with three finishes and two bonuses in three fights, and it dazzling goes to divulge that customarily the most efficient ingredient for a occupation may perchance perchance even be to leave the UFC. Pattern isn’t linear and it’s no longer the same for every fighter, and the regional circuit may perchance perchance even be extraordinarily dazzling for building a fighter relieve up after a tricky scoot. Proper seek at Zalal.

As for who he should always fight subsequent, let’s drag in conjunction with the winner of the Nate Landwehr vs. Doo Ho Choi fight at UFC 310.

LONG TIME

“UFC playing cards for certain feel be pleased they’re getting longer, and in some cases, they’re. Your solution?”

Per the great Mike Bohn, UFC Edmonton ended with 3: 06: 38 of entire fight time, the third-longest in UFC historic past. And I’ll be factual, it felt be pleased that.

Fights were on for seven hours and Saturday frankly, parts of it felt be pleased an eternity. It’s no longer necessarily any person’s fault however a quantity of that card used to be competent yet unmemorable. It’s be pleased that line from Ocean’s 11 the put Brad Pitt tells Matt Damon the unsuitable guy desires to reminiscent of you after which forget about you straight. The UFC Edmonton undercard used to be the Linus of fight playing cards.

And in my mind there are fully two ways to “fix” this. The first is to carry pageantry relieve into the manufacturing to destroy things up and retain it feeling contemporary. But we know that’s never going to happen, so the different possibility is to have fewer fights.

13 fights is a quantity of fights. Hell, it’s a quantity of one thing (instead of rice). 10 fights is a nice round quantity that’s laborious to for certain feel unsuitable about. Portion of the motive I be pleased Contender Sequence so vital is that it’s 5 fights, and we’re carried out. Within the absence of pageantry, efficiency principles. And on Saturday, I used to be no doubt wishing for a minute extra efficiency.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for all americans who despatched in tweets (Xs?)! Put you may perchance perchance per chance also have any burning questions about things no longer decrease than severely linked to fight sports? Then you definately’re in success, on myth of you may perchance perchance per chance send your tweets to me, @JedKMeshew, and I will reply my favorite ones! Doesn’t matter if they’re topical or insane, dazzling as lengthy as they’re dazzling. Thanks yet again, and seek y’all subsequent week.