Anybody who thought that UFC 332 was not going to be an entertaining card was sorely mistaken, given the best way the occasion performed out.
And actually? Maybe it’s time we cease doing this sort of early judgment factor. What number of instances have we checked out a card this yr, stated that it regarded unhealthy on paper, nevertheless it ended up delivering?
How did UFC 332 find yourself getting leisure worth? Check out the highlights.
Firstly, UFC 332 set a contemporary UFC report for many first-round KO/TKO victories with 9. This provides to what has already been a wild yr for the UFC, with information like these. UFC 329 had eight first-round finishes, solely to be surpassed by the ten from UFC Belgrade simply weeks later.
The 11 KO/TKO victories at UFC 332 surpassed the ten set eventually yr’s UFC Paris occasion. Moreover, UFC 332 set the trendy information for many consecutive first-round knockouts and most consecutive knockouts general.
Do you keep in mind final yr we had been having conversations about how the UFC felt cooked with the pay-per-view costs set via ESPN+ and the dearth of star energy obtainable to fill the playing cards – and the way playing cards ended up taking part in out? Possibly it’s simply me, nevertheless it seems like there’s been a bit of recent power, even when simply barely, for the reason that Paramount+ deal got here into impact at first of this yr.
Now, there must be an acknowledgement right here: as combat followers, we must always count on that numbered playing cards are going to be handled in a different way. We count on larger names on these playing cards. We count on ranked fighters and matchups between ranked fighters on these playing cards. We count on issues that make numbered playing cards larger than the Battle Nights.
The UFC schedule, nevertheless, makes it very arduous for issues like this to all the time occur. Because the UFC has turn into an increasing number of mainstream over time, stretching again to its signing with Fox in 2011, we’ve seen the variety of occasions develop and develop to the purpose the place there’s almost one each weekend. That bloated schedule has resulted in a bloated roster, and merchandise like Dana White’s Contender Sequence lead to extra expertise being simply reduce and changed with different expertise.
If you wish to argue this about fighter remedy and pay, completely. If you wish to argue this about making the rankings extra significant, by all means.
However right here’s the factor: the UFC has 7.7 billion explanation why one “miss” of a numbered card isn’t an enormous deal.
However there may be one other flip facet – the assorted quantities of favor combos, circumstances, prospects, veterans, and stress can create magic at any given second. That’s what helps make the combat recreation what it’s.
And prospects and rising names definitely helped to make UFC 332 as properly. Payton Talbott, Imanol Rodriguez, Damian Pinas, Anthony Wint, Jacobe Smith. These guys made probably the most of a significant alternative and delivered robust performances.
Performances like these, mixed with the beforehand talked about information, had been so robust that UFC CEO and President Dana White gave out 10 bonuses for UFC 322 – 4 Efficiency of the Evening bonuses of $100,000 to 4 fighters (with no Battle of the Evening chosen) and 6 extra $25,000 end bonuses.
I’ll give one other acknowledgement: maybe a few of this sort of leisure worth is purposeful unhealthy matchup reserving by the matchmakers. It might really feel like one thing out of DWCS if there’s a sure fighter the UFC REALLY desires to signal. And when that trickles its approach into the principle promotion, that’s not precisely nice.
You’ll be able to criticize the matchmaking if you’d like, however don’t confuse a weak-looking lineup with a assured unhealthy occasion. There are some playing cards that completely disappoint, however we are able to’t preserve persevering with to trash playing cards earlier than they occur, solely to be completely thrilled with the highlights that we see.
Typically on this sport, uncertainty is definitely the product. Bear in mind how folks had been going nuts when the closely favored Gable Steveson was utterly starched in 12 seconds? We had one thing like that when Roman Kopylov outlasted and completed Ateba Gautier. Heck, if Wang Cong had stepped on the fuel some extra late within the combat with Natalia Silva, and bought the belt wrapped round her waist, think about what that second might have been like.
A few of MMA’s attraction is that we don’t actually know what might occur. A combat appears like a mismatch? All of a sudden it turns into an upset. A rising prospect? He/She may very well be uncovered. A veteran can flip again the clock – have a look at King Inexperienced’s run earlier than his loss at UFC 332 to Esteban Ribovics. Talking of him, keep in mind the struggle he had with Daniel Zellhuber a few years in the past? The least anticipated fights might turn into Battle of the 12 months contenders. Heck, we noticed that with Josh Hokit and Curtis Blaydes earlier this yr.
Say what you’ll about how we must always view numbered playing cards within the modern-day, or the UFC’s schedule, or the pay and remedy of the roster. However what UFC 332 confirmed is that two issues might be true – we are able to have these criticisms and nonetheless be entertained by what we see on our screens within the Octagon.
