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I didn't think Korean Zombie had any business getting a title shot, and the fight confirmed it.

Round 1 was like a nothing burger to me. Whenever there is a feel out round where almost nothing happens, I can't feel much sympathy. People know how flawed 10-9.

Win or lose that fight, I'm glad Aljo made a good showing, because people were expecting him to get absolutely steamrolled, and he showed he's still super elite to maintain that much control time and threaten Yan that much.

So whose next for everybody?

Reeko wrote:I didn't think Korean Zombie had any business getting a title shot, and the fight confirmed it.

Everyone in the division bar max is exactly the same. Night and day between them 2 and the rest of the division

Khamzat should of wrestled more. He could get burns down and was clearly was stronger

Duke4life831 wrote:

Jasen777 wrote:

Duke4life831 wrote:Crazy good fight, thought Burns won though.

Would have to watch the 3rd round again. But Chimaev looked like he was fresher at the end had Burns in big trouble earlier in the round. More visible damage on Burns might have cost him.

Ill gladly admit Im a big Burns fan, so no doubt watching it with a slight Burns tint on my glasses haha. Either way great fight.

Burns was on the verge of getting finished in the third. He won seocon half of the round though

I was actually so caught up in the fight I was thinking khamzats got this he’s got a better tank thinking it was 5 rounds and then it ended

Khazmat/Colby is a really good matchup for Khazmat. Let Usman/Leon happen and have the other 170 fight on the same card.

Reeko wrote:Great fight! It was close, but I think Chimaev's constant forward pressure and the visible damage he did to Burns, along with his stuffing of Burns' takedowns, won the judges over.

With that being said, I'm not sure how Chimaev fairs against Colby or Kamaru.

Easier matchups imo.

SichtingLives wrote:had that 48-47 Aljo. Round one was a close af but Aljo on volume strikes. Rd 2 was a borderline 10-8 but 10-9 works. 3 Aljo. 4 Yan. 5 was a literal coin flip, looked good with Yan in the last minute but Aljo grinded harder for the majority of the round.

Slow starts finally cost Yan

I’m not sure what the ufc does, if Chimaev steamrolled Gilbert, then colby would be a sure thing, but now that he didn’t, there’s a risk in a 5 round fight that colby wins.
If Colby wins what do you do? Your now at least a year-year and a half before Chimaev beats the 2-3 guys to get a title fight and Colby already fought Usman twice.

Headliner wrote:I’m not sure what the ufc does, if Chimaev steamrolled Gilbert, then colby would be a sure thing, but now that he didn’t, there’s a risk in a 5 round fight that colby wins.
If Colby wins what do you do? Your now at least a year-year and a half before Chimaev beats the 2-3 guys to get a title fight and Colby already fought Usman twice.

Chimaev has no interest in playing it safe and the UFC will oblige.

IMO Colby's striking isn't better than Burns and his wrestling isn't a threat to Chimaev, Khazmat offers the same thing Usman does (in albeit a much less refined package currently) but Colby's weaknesses against Usman are only getting worse against Khazmat considering his size + natural power combo. Borz just proved he's game as it gets.

Round 2 I think we saw Khazmat pressing to do something spectacular and Burns took full advantage of his recklessness and made him see god for a minute there. Round 3 he was clearheaded and back with a much more reserved gameplan and got the W over the best Burns I've seen.

You can't put the cat back into the bag, it's gotta be Colby then Usman next. I admire and appreciate the willingness to take this path over the lameness of say Sean O'Maley's self hype and caution while crushing cans.

Dupp wrote:

Reeko wrote:Great fight! It was close, but I think Chimaev's constant forward pressure and the visible damage he did to Burns, along with his stuffing of Burns' takedowns, won the judges over.

With that being said, I'm not sure how Chimaev fairs against Colby or Kamaru.

Easier matchups imo.

Usman/Chimaev is going to be a technical kickboxing match, I think Usman is more refined today to win this sort of fight considering Chimaev has had one fight in his life like this, but Chimaev could level up again and blow the doors off of Colby and I wouldn't be shocked. That'd set up one of the greatest fights of all time between prime Usman and the fastest riser in the sports' history in Chimaev.

Susan wrote:

Dupp wrote:

Reeko wrote:Great fight! It was close, but I think Chimaev's constant forward pressure and the visible damage he did to Burns, along with his stuffing of Burns' takedowns, won the judges over.

With that being said, I'm not sure how Chimaev fairs against Colby or Kamaru.

Easier matchups imo.

Usman/Chimaev is going to be a technical kickboxing match, I think Usman is more refined today to win this sort of fight considering Chimaev has had one fight in his life like this, but Chimaev could level up again and blow the doors off of Colby and I wouldn't be shocked. That'd set up one of the greatest fights of all time between prime Usman and the fastest riser in the sports' history in Chimaev.

I don’t think anyone is going to blow the doors off of Colby, and would be shocked if it were to happen.

As for Usman, I think Chimaev has him on output and speed, but Usman has the superior power and technique.

Jasen777 wrote:

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lol. it's nuts that he gave that away on camera.

I, too, can't grasp how anyone gave Sterling the first. But I'm wowed that anyone would be potently disgusted by the result unless they had some overriding reason to prefer Yan over Sterling. the question, then: why Dana like Yan over Sterling so much?

REDDzone wrote:INSPIRING.

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On this note, what did Chimaev say in Russian to "my country, Russia"? (He's a Swedish national.)

Susan wrote:

Dupp wrote:

Reeko wrote:Great fight! It was close, but I think Chimaev's constant forward pressure and the visible damage he did to Burns, along with his stuffing of Burns' takedowns, won the judges over.

With that being said, I'm not sure how Chimaev fairs against Colby or Kamaru.

Easier matchups imo.

Usman/Chimaev is going to be a technical kickboxing match, I think Usman is more refined today to win this sort of fight considering Chimaev has had one fight in his life like this, but Chimaev could level up again and blow the doors off of Colby and I wouldn't be shocked. That'd set up one of the greatest fights of all time between prime Usman and the fastest riser in the sports' history in Chimaev.

Yeah, I really want this to happen before the wheels start to fall off of Usman (considering the state of his knees, this could be sooner rather than later.) The UFC should not be scared that Chimaev takes a loss there, it would be totally inconsequential, as within another year or two, Usman would be gone anyway. And there's still plenty of ceiling for Chimaev (to go to MW).

Am I the only one that would favor Burns over Colby?

Susan wrote:Khazmat/Colby is a really good matchup for Khazmat. Let Usman/Leon happen and have the other 170 fight on the same card.

I'd be super impressed with Colby if he took that fight, I have to say. The upshot for him is simply to secure #2. I doubt he'd get another shot at Usman. But here's hoping. That fight would be **** huuuuge and could definitely co-headline a PPV, even with a mediocre title fight (say, Schevchenko).