Movsar Evloev, UFC 310 ceremonial weigh-in Credit score: Gabriel Gonzalez/Cageside Press
UFC London on March 22 acquired a brand-new fundamental occasion. Leon Edwards will now face Sean Brady as an alternative of Jack Della Maddalena, who was re-booked.
All the UFC 314 card taking place in Miami on April 12 was introduced. Alexander Volkanovski will face Diego Lopes for the vacant featherweight title as Ilia Topuria is formally shifting as much as light-weight. Michael Chandler will face Paddy Pimblett in a 5-round co-main occasion. Yair Rodriguez will welcome Bellator legend Patricio Pitbull to the UFC. Additionally on the cardboard is Geoff Neal vs Carlos Prates and Dan Ige vs Sean Woodson.
The UFC 315 fundamental and co-main occasions had been additionally confirmed. Jack Della Maddalena was pulled from his UFC London combat to as an alternative combat Belal Muhammad for the welterweight belt. Shavkat Rakhmonov was revealed to be injured at UFC 310 and his restoration time gained’t enable him to be prepared in time for Might. Valentina Shevchenko will face rightful no 1 contender Manon Fiorot within the co-main occasion. Additionally, Gilbert Burns vs Michael Morales was moved from UFC 314 to UFC 315.
Movsar Evloev
It’s simple to make the argument that Evloev wasn’t screwed of something right here, since he wouldn’t have been in a position to make the April 12 date attributable to Ramadan happening in March. And whereas that argument does maintain water when it comes to the timing of the vacant title combat, I’d argue Evloev belongs on this article for a couple of motive.
First off, we’ve seen Muslim fighters compete throughout Ramadan previously. It doesn’t occur usually, however to say it’s a very non-negotiable dealbreaker for all of them can be inaccurate. Nonetheless, it could be unfair to invest on Evloev’s willingness to compete throughout such an vital non secular interval. After his victory in December, the Russian did point out that he would’ve favored to compete as soon as extra earlier than the beginning of Ramadan. A fast turnaround adopted by one other win may’ve sealed the deal on him being subsequent in line, however he wasn’t granted his want and didn’t compete in both January or February.
Moreover, Patricio Pitbull is lastly making the leap to the UFC. At 37 occurring 38, you might say he made that leap a pair years too late, however he’s right here, however. In 2021 and 2022, when each he and Volkanovski had been on the peak of their powers, this was a combat that had followers speaking for months. Ought to Pitbull and Volkanovski be victorious at UFC 314, and figuring out the restricted time they each have, would anybody put it previous the UFC to have them combat one another earlier than calling Movsar? There’s a very actual state of affairs the place Pitbull is given a title shot if he defeats Rodriguez in April. Within the meantime, they’d almost certainly have Evloev combat another time.
Had he gotten his want and squeaked one other combat in earlier than Ramadan, Evloev may’ve made himself the simple no 1 contender. Nonetheless, he now faces a possible actuality the place, relying on some outcomes which can be out of his management, he could possibly be tasked with successful yet one more combat earlier than getting a shot on the title.
Shavkat Rakhmonov
Makhachev has stated greater than as soon as that he, like others from his camp, is pushed by legacy. He needs to turn out to be the best blended martial artist he could be, however the narrative round his title reign is that he’s solely confronted the identical featherweight twice and two arguably undeserving former featherweights. Going through one other 145-pounder, pretty much as good as Topuria is, would solely gas this narrative even when Makhachev had been to defeat him in spectacular trend. For that motive, it’s fully doable that Makhachev will look to simply look forward to the results of Muhammad vs Della Maddalena in Might. We all know that Muhammad and Makhachev gained’t combat one another out of respect for each other as teammates, however what if the Australian is victorious in Montreal?
Ought to the UFC fail to finalize and announce Makhachev vs Topuria earlier than Della Maddalena dethrones Muhammad, possibly the Russian fighter merely opts the transfer up. If that’s the case, then Della Maddalena would face Makhachev within the second half of the yr, leaving Rakhmonov and not using a dance accomplice. Given his current stretches of lengthy layoffs, it could be shocking if the Kazakh fighter is content material to simply look forward to the winner of Della Maddalena vs Makhachev. There have been 9 months between his Geoff Neal and Stephen Thompson fights, adopted by a full yr till his Ian Machado Garry combat. At 30, in the course of his prime, I can’t think about that he can be happy with sitting till late winter or spring of 2026 to compete once more.
Rakhmonov, who was initially meant to combat for the title final December, could be yet one more no 1 contender combat earlier than lastly getting the title shot he had already earned. Evidently, I’ve a hunch that “Nomad” will probably be a giant Belal Muhammad fan on Might 10.
Kai Kara-France
Misplaced on this flood of giant bulletins was the omission of Alexandre Pantoja. There had been rumours flying round that “The Cannibal” could possibly be combating Kara-France in Miami. If the April date didn’t work out, then certainly Might can be superb, proper? Because it seems, the Brazilian gained’t combat on both of those occasions.
Why is that dangerous for the Kiwi? Effectively, after Pantoja shortly dispatched of Kai Asakura at UFC 310, “Don’t Blink” was seen as the just about unanimous subsequent man up by the followers. Most followers believed he gained his combat with Amir Albazi, so following that up with a surprising first-round KO of Steve Erceg ought to’ve sealed the deal.
The truth that we now know Pantoja will defend his belt in June on the earliest means this provides Manel Kape an avenue. Kape was set to face Brandon Royval in a Combat Night time fundamental occasion on March 1, however will as an alternative conflict with Asu Almabayev after Royval pulled out attributable to concussions. The Almabayev combat isn’t as eye-catching a matchup because the preliminary one, however the Kazakh fighter continues to be firmly inside the highest 10 and is undefeated within the promotion. This might nonetheless signify a high quality win for Kape. If Kape has a powerful displaying in opposition to Almabayev, possibly even knocks him out early, then who’s to say the UFC wouldn’t fairly guide him in a title combat? Kape misplaced his promotional debut 4 years in the past to Pantoja, however has since proven flashes of brilliance (go have a look at his end of Ode’ Osbourne). You may suppose the turnaround from March to June is quick, however fighters have finished rather more for title alternatives previously. Moreover, Kape himself as soon as made a 35-day turnaround between his first two fights within the promotion. So three months needs to be loads of time, particularly if he will get a fast end in opposition to Almabayev, and particularly for a title shot.
Kara-France who was seen as the plain subsequent contender in line only a couple months in the past, may get handed over as a result of he couldn’t get on both of the Miami or the Montreal playing cards. Solely time will inform how issues shake out on that finish.
