This card is stacked but its going to take forever to get through the main card lol. 6 fights, two titles...and rumor is Hooker and Islam are trying to get their fight to a 5 rounder.
Chimaev is fucking unreal. He took a game, tough opponent and completely dominated him. Picked him up, carried him over to Dana, start talking, slammed him, controlled him with one arm and one leg, and proceeded to choke him unconscious. He's absorbed 1 strike in his 4 UFC fights. He's landed 254. Thats fucking insane. Good win for Volkov. He'll beat everyone outside of the top 3 I think. Dude is a good fighter who doesn't have the skillset to be great, IMO. Islam Makhachev is the real deal. Completely dominated Hooker. It really is insane how good he is. These Russian/Dagestani/Chechyzan fighters coming up are insane. I'm calling it now. By the end of 2022, Ankalaev, Khamzat, and Makhachev will all be champs of their divisions.
At this point, is it terrible to say that I am concerned that the Russians are doping? Having so many guys coming in and just mauling the regular opposition is rare. Issues with doping in Russia are well documented.
I've wondered the same thing but I would think with how many there are in the sport, one of them would fuck up. USADA does blood testing, so thats a little more difficult to mask than just urine testing. I do think it is a different lifestyle obviously over there and the way they are raised does have a huge impact on it.
To finish the card... Petr Yan is the best fighter in that division, he's going to kill Sterling in the rematch. I like Sandhagen a lot but I'm starting to think he's one of those fighters who will always be a bridesmaid and never the bride. He's lost every big fight he's been involved in and doesn't seem to have the power needed to end fights quickly. I really like him; but maybe a move to 145 would do him well. Maybe adding some bulk onto his frame and fighting at a more natural weight will translate to more power. And congratulations to Glover! Holy hell I thought he was going to get steam rolled. WTF was wrong with Jan? I know he's 38 but dude looked like he was moving in quicksand. Glover didn't look much faster but he's 42. Jan's strikes looked slow, sloppy, and he didn't incorporate his leg kicks at all. Maybe just a bad night at the office or an injury...or maybe he just didn't take Glover serious and didn't really train. Either way; I wish them both the best in their next fights. Jan needs a good showing in his next fight and Glover is going to fight Jiri Prochazka. I think Jiri is going to be way to fast for Glover.