For UFC 312, the UFC went down beneath for the fourth time since 2023. Whereas, on paper, the Pay-Per-View card didn’t dazzle the followers, the occasion ended up producing some nice chunks of motion.
Jimmy Crute returned after a 19-month hiatus and fought Rodolfo Bellato to a attract a wild back-and-forth. The debuting heavyweight large Tallison Teixeira made fast work of Justin Tafa. And the 2 title fights noticed the champions retain their titles in dominant fashions.
Dricus Du Plessis
Dricus Du Plessis, UFC 312 Credit score: Joel Rasmussen/Cageside Press
This might need been essentially the most technically sound efficiency we have now seen from Du Plessis, to date. Though, whereas he shutout Sean Strickland on two of the judges’ scorecards, it’s not like he precisely blew him out of the water.
His subsequent opponent is clear, and this battle didn’t do quite a bit to show us something about the way it would possibly go down. We noticed no defensive grappling from the South African, which doesn’t precisely assist us perceive how he’ll navigate his subsequent problem: Khamzat Chimaev. It’s been the plain battle to make ever since Chimaev defeated Robert Whittaker again in October. Assuming the battle may be made with out too many travelling points from Chimaev’s camp, it ought to go down someday this summer season. The followers need it, Dana White desires it, and even Du Plessis desires it.
If Chimaev as soon as once more wants to attend till October to battle in Abu Dhabi, then Du Plessis can battle Nassourdine Imavov, within the meantime.
Du Plessis’ subsequent battle: Khamzat Chimaev
Zhang Weili
Weili Zhang, UFC 312 Submit-Battle ScrumCredit: Joel Rasmussen/Cageside Press
Tatiana Suarez was seen because the uncrowned champion for a few years whereas away with well being troubles. She closed because the betting favorite seemingly as a result of all of the followers who had picked her as a lock to develop into a champion many moons in the past needed to place their cash the place their mouths are. And who can blame them when the wrestling phenom had finishes over champions like Alexa Grasso, Carla Esparza and Jessica Andrade?
All this makes what Zhang Weili achieved on Saturday that rather more spectacular. She didn’t simply hand the challenger her first skilled defeat, she completely dominated her. Zhang defended 14 of 15 takedown makes an attempt and have become the primary fighter to take Suarez the the bottom. At 35 years of age, “Magnum” is exhibiting no indicators of slowing down and he or she deserves the prospect to seize a second belt. However first, Valentina Shevchenko has enterprise with Manon Fiorot to care for.
Zhang’s subsequent battle: Flyweight title shot
Tallison Teixeira
Tallison Teixeira, UFC 312Credit: Getty Pictures
Teixeira is 25 years outdated, 6’7”, and undefeated with a 100% 1st-round end charge. In different phrases, he’s a professional heavyweight prospect and people have been an endangered species on this sport for a while. The way in which he folded Justin Tafa in simply 35 seconds after touchdown only one elbow within the clinch is the kind of clip the UFC ought to be posting on all their social media accounts.
A part of me would’ve been curious to see him go up towards fellow 6’7” large Robelis Despaigne, however the Cuban was launched final 12 months. Some individuals are calling for Teixeira to be quick tracked to the rankings to breathe some life into the division. At simply 25, there’s no rush for him to be combating the Derrick Lewises of the world but, regardless of how enjoyable that matchup could be. As an alternative, I imagine the promotion ought to be trying to make Teixeira their Rookie of the 12 months and have him battle 4, possibly even 5 occasions this 12 months. The person has a mean battle time of 1:56, he should not have any drawback getting no less than one battle in each quarter of the 12 months similar to Carlos Prates did in 2024. For that, he wants an opponent who the promotion can anticipate to supply a comparatively low quantity of resistance. I went with Sean Sharaf, however Lukasz Brzeski and even the opposite Tafa brother are tremendous choices as effectively.
Teixeira’s subsequent battle: Sean Sharaf
Jake Matthews
Jake Matthews, UFC 312 Submit-Battle ScrumCredit: Joel Rasmussen/Cageside Press
The nonetheless solely 30-year-old Matthews obtained a consummate, skilled win on Saturday, soundly beating the younger Francisco Prado, who was making a transfer up in weight. It wasn’t essentially the most astonishing efficiency, however “The Celtic Kid” confirmed ranges towards a harmful teen with a 100% end charge, with 9 of his 12 wins coming within the very first spherical.
Matthews known as for a battle with Neil Magny. I don’t suppose Matthews deserves a shot on the rankings simply but, however now that Magny isn’t ranked anymore, that could be a matchup I can get behind. Beating the veteran Magny would give Matthews a 3rd consecutive victory after which he’d in all probability be a ranked opponent. And coming off back-to-back 1st-round KO losses to Michael Morales and Carlos Prates, Magny has by no means regarded as weak as he does proper now. Taking all of that under consideration, this was a wise and calculated callout from the Australian.
Matthews has been within the promotion for 11 years and is 10-4 in his final 14 fights. This is a chance he has earned the laborious approach, and I’m inclined to offer it to him.
Matthews’ subsequent battle: Neil Magny
The put up What’s Subsequent: UFC 312 Winners appeared first on Cageside Press.
