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On Saturday night, the MMA leader returned for its latest pay-per-view event, UFC 285.
T-Mobile Arena has played host to some of the biggest events in sport, combat, and MMA’s premier promotion. On March 4, the latest chapter to the venue’s history came in the form of one of the most anticipated returns the UFC has seen.
In the main event, former two-time light heavyweight king Jon Jones made his comeback after over three years away from the Octagon. And having achieved immeasurable success at 205 pounds, he returned in a new environment in search of gold in a second weight class, a feat that #1-ranked heavyweight contender Ciryl Gane hoped to prevent.
Prior to those two behemoths sharing the cage, a number of intriguing bouts went down, including the eighth defense of Valentina Shevchenko’s flyweight title, the debut of wrestling great Bo Nickal, the latest bout on Dricus du Plessis’ journey to the top, and the return of former champion Cody Garbrandt.
So, with high stakes, big names, and championship belts on the line, did the promotion’s third PPV of 2023 live up to the hype? Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC 285.
Some honorable mentions: Farid Basharat joining his brother Javid in the UFC win column (positive), Amanda Ribas’ evolved display against Viviane Araújo (positive), Bo Nickal’s long-awaited promotional debut (positive), and the apparent missed low blow dealt to Jamie Pickett (negative).
Positive – Fences, Meet Swings
When an event is as hyped and highly anticipated as UFC 285 was, there’s one desirable early on in proceedings — a tone-setter.
On Saturday, that came in the opening fight of the night courtesy of Loik Radzhabov and Esteban Ribovics. While the bout was a late-notice one following Kamuela Kirk’s withdrawal, the pair didn’t let that hamper their commitment.
From the bell, both men swung for the fences, hurting each other on the feet throughout. In the end, it was the Tajik lightweight who earned the nod on all three scorecards, and as debuts go, he couldn’t have made much more of an impression without landing a finish.
As always, it’s a shame that T-Mobile Arena wasn’t busier. I’ll never understand low turnouts for the prelims. Do UFC attendees in the United States not enjoy the fights and are just there for names?
Nevertheless, Radzhabov helped reward those who did find their seats early doors. While “Jaguar Paw” is a newcomer to the Octagon, he’s certainly a familiar face owing to his time competing in the PFL’s SmartCage — something that received a heavy mention on commentary, as did the $1 million prize he competed for there. I suppose Joe Rogan or Daniel Cormier offering a comparison between that and the likely $14k/$14k he’s on now, without the possibility of a ‘milli’, was out of the question?
Given his previous exploits and status as a two-time PFL finalist, Radzhabov’s credentials are clear, and it’s good to see him showing it on a major platform. That stolen spot on The Ultimate Fighter will likely now be less frustrating for the 32-year-old…
Image: @ufc on Twitter
Positive – Prospects Continue To Rise
During the early prelims, a pair of promising names enhanced their stocks at strawweight and bantamweight.
First came Tabatha Ricci, who returned to action after a pair of cancelled dates in 2022 provided a brief stall to her surge towards the rankings. But against former title challenger Jessica Penne, “Baby Shark” (a great moniker, by the way) delivered a near-flawless performance.
After getting the better of exchanges in the first round, the Brazilian found the finish in the second courtesy of a perfectly executed armbar submission. With the likes of Piera Rodriguez, Yazmin Jauregui, and Jasmin Lucindo establishing themselves as ones to watch, the UFC’s leading women’s division is set to go from strength to strength.
And Ricci is leading the charge.
In the next bout, Saaiman said… groin kick.
South African prospect Cameron Saaiman made it two point deductions in as many fights in the UFC when he collided with Mana Martinez. That came courtesy of a pair of flush kicks that landed south of the border.
While gaining a reputation for fouls is notoriety that “MSP” will want to avoid, he’ll be more than pleased at becoming known as something else — one of the most promising newcomers at 135 pounds.
The 22-year-old looked incredibly impressive on debut, stopping Steven Kozlow in the final round at UFC 282. And in spite of the inadvertent indiscretions against Martinez, Saaiman’s talents were evident as he secured a majority decision.
Another exciting name to watch in one of the most stacked and entertaining weight classes? Yes please.
Positive – 11-0
At UFC 285, Ian Garry had a one-way ticket to the flow state.
The journey to one of the Irishman’s most impressive performances to date had a difficult stop at station knockdown in round one, with a clean check left hook from Kenan Song sending him to the canvas.
But as recoveries go, there hasn’t been many better. After surviving and making it back to his corner, the former Cage Warriors champion returned to the center of the Octagon ready to put on a show.
Having breezed the second frame to level the score, Garry turned the heat up in round three, launching a vicious combination to take Song out and extend his unblemished record to 11-0.
With his previous bout coming last July, it felt as if the hype surrounding Garry’s rise had somewhat dimmed following a pair of decisions and a decent gap between bouts. But with his latest performance at T-Mobile, which left his Chinese opponent close to unrecognizable, eyes are firmly back on “The Future.”
Ian Garry you little DAISY! ??— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) March 5, 2023
Negative – Smith, Anyone Home?
At UFC 285, referee Mark Smith was seemingly awaiting a letter of confirmation before saving Julian Marquez from a barrage of unanswered shots.
Opening the prelims were Marquez and Marc-André Barriault. In the past, “The Cuban Missile Crisis” has appeared slightly wild with his attacks. But on Saturday, he fought an opening round as a more technical and precise striker.
Is this the new Marquez, people cried? A second-round brawl provided the answer…
In frame two, the Canadian appeared to stun Marquez. From there, the pair essentially traded elbow for elbow in some wild clinch exchanges. When “Power Bar” pulled ahead and his opponent tired, the fight was clearly done.
But as much as Smith switched positions, his vision somehow didn’t bring him to the conclusion that the turtled Marquez was finished.
In the post-fight interview, Joe Rogan pointed out that Barriault had delivered a minute and a half of unanswered shots. If that’s not a damning assessment of Smith’s performance as the third man in the Octagon, I don’t know what is.
It’s a good job Smith wasn’t tasked with pulling Jake Gyllenhaal off Jay Hieron, that’s all I can say.
Positive – A Towel!
Sound the alarm, a corner has thrown the towel in a mixed martial arts fight. I never thought I’d see the day.
It’s long felt like coaches in MMA are allergic to protecting their fighters. Anthony Smith’s beatdown against Glover Teixeira and Max Rohskopf’s rejected calls to stop his fight proved as much.
With that, seeing Derek Brunson’s corner save the middleweight veteran as he ate repeated blows on the ground late in round two was great to see. Please, let’s make it a common occurrence.
And this positive was also hammered home by the continued rise of Dricus du Plessis. I was pretty high on “Stillknocks” before he arrived in the UFC, and apparently one of few able to recognize how effective unique and untraditional styles can be.
At UFC 285, the South African dealt another blow to those doubting his approach by likely securing his place inside the top five and title contention.
Negative – Nothing Learned
Despite the commentary team’s best efforts to convince us, the featured prelim did not see ‘vintage’ Cody Garbrandt in the Octagon.
One of the most intriguing storylines heading into UFC 285 was the return of former champion Garbrandt, who’s suffered quite the tumble from the top since winning the gold in 2016. On Saturday, he was granted a serious step-down in competition in what was essentially designed as a gift-wrapped rebound win.
On paper, it promised to provide some further context to the level he’s at. In practice, we got a sparring session that Joe Rogan attempted to frame as the second coming of Garbrandt vs. Dominick Cruz.
What on earth the color commentators saw from some cage-circling and well-timed takedowns to brand the Garbrandt we saw at UFC 285 as the world champion iteration of old is beyond me. At one point, Rogan even claimed that he was witnessing one of the best versions of “No Love” — really, Joe? Really?
Garbrandt wasn’t tested through two rounds, with Trevin Jones taking the William Knight approach to fighting with less than five significant strikes through the best part of 10 minutes. But when “5 Star” did switch the gas on with limited time remaining, Garbrandt was stunned before being left eating ground-and-pound shots on his back to end the fight.
Would world champion Garbrandt drop a round to a man riding a three-bout skid against a trio of unranked fighters? Not a chance.
This contest was a negative because Jones failed to provide any kind of test to Garbrandt, in addition to the commentary team doing a disservice to the former titleholder with some heavily misplaced praise.
Positive – Passed With Flying Colors
I’m not sure there’s a fighter in the UFC more entertaining and enthralling to watch than Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Comparisons between the Kazakhstani and Khamzat Chimaev have been pretty endless, and Rakhmonov doesn’t seem to enjoy them. Nevertheless, here’s another…
Chimaev firmly burst into title contention and proved himself as a legitimate star in a war against Gilbert Burns. Geoff Neal was to Rakhmonov what “Durinho” was to “Borz.” And like his Chechen peer, “Nomad” passed the test in style.
For the best part of three rounds, Rakhmonov and Neal traded blows. Given the latter’s striking credentials and renowned power, the fact that the rising Kazakhstani was able to shrug off the best he had speaks lengths about his toughness.
And in return, Rakhmonov dished out even more punishment en route to a late submission that was frankly scary. “Nomad” locked in a standing choke, using his hip to bend back Neal and increase the pressure before dumping his lifeless body after the tap.
The very first interview I conducted in MMA was with an M-1 Global commentator. For my final question, I asked him to name one individual who was unknown across the Atlantic but would become a star there.
His answer? Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Positive – The Mexican Hat Trick!
Entering 2021, there had been zero Mexican-born champions in the UFC. Fast forward three years, and the MMA community is reflecting on the crowning of the third.
Ahead of UFC 285, Alexa Grasso spoke about the motivation she was drawing from the successes of Brandon Moreno and Yair Rodríguez, with the former being crowned a two-time flyweight champion in January and the latter the interim featherweight titleholder last month.
On Saturday night, Grasso completed a hat trick of title wins for Mexican fighters at UFC PPVs in 2023. And, in doing so, she dethroned one of the most dominant champions the promotion has ever seen.
Through three rounds against Valentina Shevchenko, the challenger had created a competitive fight, carrying on from where Taila Santos left off last June when it comes to providing a new test to “Bullet.” In the fourth, Grasso capitalized on a moment of complacency from the champ, taking her back during an ill-advised spinning kick.
After a brief exchange on the ground, Grasso locked in a rear-naked choke, forcing Shevchenko to tap and the T-Mobile Arena crowd onto their feet in a similar fashion to Julianna Peña’s shock win over Amanda Nunes 15 months ago.
Upsets are almost always positives. But when they’re as seismic as what Grasso accomplished in the UFC 285 co-main event, there’s zero doubt.
Positive – Two-Weight King
Okay, so who had Jon Jones via submission inside a round without being touched?
At UFC 285, Jones returned to the Octagon with an incredible amount of uncertainty. Not only was the consensus greatest light heavyweight of all time making his comeback after over three years away, but he was doing so in a brand new division.
The question on everyone’s lips: would the Jones who tore through the competition at 205 pounds enter the cage at T-Mobile? If it needs saying, yes.
In quick time, “Bones” frankly decimated Ciryl Gane, a man many branded one of the, if not the, toughest tests to the veteran’s heavyweight desires. But as some predicted, Jones’ takedowns and wrestling proved to be the difference — to the point where the Frenchman’s striking wasn’t on display aside from the missed shot that sealed his fate.
Ultimately, an incredibly tight guillotine choke forced former interim champ Gane to tap, marking his second failed attempt to ascend to the heavyweight mountaintop. But while seeing the likeable “Bon Gamin” fall short again wasn’t enjoyable, it’s hard to deny the greatness that is Jon Jones.
The GOAT debate? Most likely done and dusted.
What were your positives and negatives from UFC 285?
On Saturday night, the MMA leader returned for its latest pay-per-view event, UFC 285.
T-Mobile Arena has played host to some of the biggest events in sport, combat, and MMA’s premier promotion. On March 4, the latest chapter to the venue’s history came in the form of one of the most anticipated returns the UFC has seen.
In the main event, former two-time light heavyweight king Jon Jones made his comeback after over three years away from the Octagon. And having achieved immeasurable success at 205 pounds, he returned in a new environment in search of gold in a second weight class, a feat that #1-ranked heavyweight contender Ciryl Gane hoped to prevent.
Prior to those two behemoths sharing the cage, a number of intriguing bouts went down, including the eighth defense of Valentina Shevchenko’s flyweight title, the debut of wrestling great Bo Nickal, the latest bout on Dricus du Plessis’ journey to the top, and the return of former champion Cody Garbrandt.
So, with high stakes, big names, and championship belts on the line, did the promotion’s third PPV of 2023 live up to the hype? Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC 285.
Some honorable mentions: Farid Basharat joining his brother Javid in the UFC win column (positive), Amanda Ribas’ evolved display against Viviane Araújo (positive), Bo Nickal’s long-awaited promotional debut (positive), and the apparent missed low blow dealt to Jamie Pickett (negative).
Positive – Fences, Meet Swings
When an event is as hyped and highly anticipated as UFC 285 was, there’s one desirable early on in proceedings — a tone-setter.
On Saturday, that came in the opening fight of the night courtesy of Loik Radzhabov and Esteban Ribovics. While the bout was a late-notice one following Kamuela Kirk’s withdrawal, the pair didn’t let that hamper their commitment.
From the bell, both men swung for the fences, hurting each other on the feet throughout. In the end, it was the Tajik lightweight who earned the nod on all three scorecards, and as debuts go, he couldn’t have made much more of an impression without landing a finish.
As always, it’s a shame that T-Mobile Arena wasn’t busier. I’ll never understand low turnouts for the prelims. Do UFC attendees in the United States not enjoy the fights and are just there for names?
Nevertheless, Radzhabov helped reward those who did find their seats early doors. While “Jaguar Paw” is a newcomer to the Octagon, he’s certainly a familiar face owing to his time competing in the PFL’s SmartCage — something that received a heavy mention on commentary, as did the $1 million prize he competed for there. I suppose Joe Rogan or Daniel Cormier offering a comparison between that and the likely $14k/$14k he’s on now, without the possibility of a ‘milli’, was out of the question?
Given his previous exploits and status as a two-time PFL finalist, Radzhabov’s credentials are clear, and it’s good to see him showing it on a major platform. That stolen spot on The Ultimate Fighter will likely now be less frustrating for the 32-year-old…
Image: @ufc on Twitter
Positive – Prospects Continue To Rise
During the early prelims, a pair of promising names enhanced their stocks at strawweight and bantamweight.
First came Tabatha Ricci, who returned to action after a pair of cancelled dates in 2022 provided a brief stall to her surge towards the rankings. But against former title challenger Jessica Penne, “Baby Shark” (a great moniker, by the way) delivered a near-flawless performance.
After getting the better of exchanges in the first round, the Brazilian found the finish in the second courtesy of a perfectly executed armbar submission. With the likes of Piera Rodriguez, Yazmin Jauregui, and Jasmin Lucindo establishing themselves as ones to watch, the UFC’s leading women’s division is set to go from strength to strength.
And Ricci is leading the charge.
In the next bout, Saaiman said… groin kick.
South African prospect Cameron Saaiman made it two point deductions in as many fights in the UFC when he collided with Mana Martinez. That came courtesy of a pair of flush kicks that landed south of the border.
While gaining a reputation for fouls is notoriety that “MSP” will want to avoid, he’ll be more than pleased at becoming known as something else — one of the most promising newcomers at 135 pounds.
The 22-year-old looked incredibly impressive on debut, stopping Steven Kozlow in the final round at UFC 282. And in spite of the inadvertent indiscretions against Martinez, Saaiman’s talents were evident as he secured a majority decision.
Another exciting name to watch in one of the most stacked and entertaining weight classes? Yes please.
Positive – 11-0
At UFC 285, Ian Garry had a one-way ticket to the flow state.
The journey to one of the Irishman’s most impressive performances to date had a difficult stop at station knockdown in round one, with a clean check left hook from Kenan Song sending him to the canvas.
But as recoveries go, there hasn’t been many better. After surviving and making it back to his corner, the former Cage Warriors champion returned to the center of the Octagon ready to put on a show.
Having breezed the second frame to level the score, Garry turned the heat up in round three, launching a vicious combination to take Song out and extend his unblemished record to 11-0.
With his previous bout coming last July, it felt as if the hype surrounding Garry’s rise had somewhat dimmed following a pair of decisions and a decent gap between bouts. But with his latest performance at T-Mobile, which left his Chinese opponent close to unrecognizable, eyes are firmly back on “The Future.”
Ian Garry you little DAISY! ??
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) March 5, 2023[/quote]
Negative – Smith, Anyone Home?
At UFC 285, referee Mark Smith was seemingly awaiting a letter of confirmation before saving Julian Marquez from a barrage of unanswered shots.
Opening the prelims were Marquez and Marc-André Barriault. In the past, “The Cuban Missile Crisis” has appeared slightly wild with his attacks. But on Saturday, he fought an opening round as a more technical and precise striker.
Is this the new Marquez, people cried? A second-round brawl provided the answer…
In frame two, the Canadian appeared to stun Marquez. From there, the pair essentially traded elbow for elbow in some wild clinch exchanges. When “Power Bar” pulled ahead and his opponent tired, the fight was clearly done.
But as much as Smith switched positions, his vision somehow didn’t bring him to the conclusion that the turtled Marquez was finished.
In the post-fight interview, Joe Rogan pointed out that Barriault had delivered a minute and a half of unanswered shots. If that’s not a damning assessment of Smith’s performance as the third man in the Octagon, I don’t know what is.
It’s a good job Smith wasn’t tasked with pulling Jake Gyllenhaal off Jay Hieron, that’s all I can say.
Positive – A Towel!
Sound the alarm, a corner has thrown the towel in a mixed martial arts fight. I never thought I’d see the day.
It’s long felt like coaches in MMA are allergic to protecting their fighters. Anthony Smith’s beatdown against Glover Teixeira and Max Rohskopf’s rejected calls to stop his fight proved as much.
With that, seeing Derek Brunson’s corner save the middleweight veteran as he ate repeated blows on the ground late in round two was great to see. Please, let’s make it a common occurrence.
And this positive was also hammered home by the continued rise of Dricus du Plessis. I was pretty high on “Stillknocks” before he arrived in the UFC, and apparently one of few able to recognize how effective unique and untraditional styles can be.
At UFC 285, the South African dealt another blow to those doubting his approach by likely securing his place inside the top five and title contention.
Negative – Nothing Learned
Despite the commentary team’s best efforts to convince us, the featured prelim did not see ‘vintage’ Cody Garbrandt in the Octagon.
One of the most intriguing storylines heading into UFC 285 was the return of former champion Garbrandt, who’s suffered quite the tumble from the top since winning the gold in 2016. On Saturday, he was granted a serious step-down in competition in what was essentially designed as a gift-wrapped rebound win.
On paper, it promised to provide some further context to the level he’s at. In practice, we got a sparring session that Joe Rogan attempted to frame as the second coming of Garbrandt vs. Dominick Cruz.
What on earth the color commentators saw from some cage-circling and well-timed takedowns to brand the Garbrandt we saw at UFC 285 as the world champion iteration of old is beyond me. At one point, Rogan even claimed that he was witnessing one of the best versions of “No Love” — really, Joe? Really?
Garbrandt wasn’t tested through two rounds, with Trevin Jones taking the William Knight approach to fighting with less than five significant strikes through the best part of 10 minutes. But when “5 Star” did switch the gas on with limited time remaining, Garbrandt was stunned before being left eating ground-and-pound shots on his back to end the fight.
Would world champion Garbrandt drop a round to a man riding a three-bout skid against a trio of unranked fighters? Not a chance.
This contest was a negative because Jones failed to provide any kind of test to Garbrandt, in addition to the commentary team doing a disservice to the former titleholder with some heavily misplaced praise.
Positive – Passed With Flying Colors
I’m not sure there’s a fighter in the UFC more entertaining and enthralling to watch than Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Comparisons between the Kazakhstani and Khamzat Chimaev have been pretty endless, and Rakhmonov doesn’t seem to enjoy them. Nevertheless, here’s another…
Chimaev firmly burst into title contention and proved himself as a legitimate star in a war against Gilbert Burns. Geoff Neal was to Rakhmonov what “Durinho” was to “Borz.” And like his Chechen peer, “Nomad” passed the test in style.
For the best part of three rounds, Rakhmonov and Neal traded blows. Given the latter’s striking credentials and renowned power, the fact that the rising Kazakhstani was able to shrug off the best he had speaks lengths about his toughness.
And in return, Rakhmonov dished out even more punishment en route to a late submission that was frankly scary. “Nomad” locked in a standing choke, using his hip to bend back Neal and increase the pressure before dumping his lifeless body after the tap.
The very first interview I conducted in MMA was with an M-1 Global commentator. For my final question, I asked him to name one individual who was unknown across the Atlantic but would become a star there.
His answer? Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Positive – The Mexican Hat Trick!
Entering 2021, there had been zero Mexican-born champions in the UFC. Fast forward three years, and the MMA community is reflecting on the crowning of the third.
Ahead of UFC 285, Alexa Grasso spoke about the motivation she was drawing from the successes of Brandon Moreno and Yair Rodríguez, with the former being crowned a two-time flyweight champion in January and the latter the interim featherweight titleholder last month.
On Saturday night, Grasso completed a hat trick of title wins for Mexican fighters at UFC PPVs in 2023. And, in doing so, she dethroned one of the most dominant champions the promotion has ever seen.
Through three rounds against Valentina Shevchenko, the challenger had created a competitive fight, carrying on from where Taila Santos left off last June when it comes to providing a new test to “Bullet.” In the fourth, Grasso capitalized on a moment of complacency from the champ, taking her back during an ill-advised spinning kick.
After a brief exchange on the ground, Grasso locked in a rear-naked choke, forcing Shevchenko to tap and the T-Mobile Arena crowd onto their feet in a similar fashion to Julianna Peña’s shock win over Amanda Nunes 15 months ago.
Upsets are almost always positives. But when they’re as seismic as what Grasso accomplished in the UFC 285 co-main event, there’s zero doubt.
Positive – Two-Weight King
Okay, so who had Jon Jones via submission inside a round without being touched?
At UFC 285, Jones returned to the Octagon with an incredible amount of uncertainty. Not only was the consensus greatest light heavyweight of all time making his comeback after over three years away, but he was doing so in a brand new division.
The question on everyone’s lips: would the Jones who tore through the competition at 205 pounds enter the cage at T-Mobile? If it needs saying, yes.
In quick time, “Bones” frankly decimated Ciryl Gane, a man many branded one of the, if not the, toughest tests to the veteran’s heavyweight desires. But as some predicted, Jones’ takedowns and wrestling proved to be the difference — to the point where the Frenchman’s striking wasn’t on display aside from the missed shot that sealed his fate.
Ultimately, an incredibly tight guillotine choke forced former interim champ Gane to tap, marking his second failed attempt to ascend to the heavyweight mountaintop. But while seeing the likeable “Bon Gamin” fall short again wasn’t enjoyable, it’s hard to deny the greatness that is Jon Jones.
The GOAT debate? Most likely done and dusted.
What were your positives and negatives from UFC 285?
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T-Mobile Arena has played host to some of the biggest events in sport, combat, and MMA’s premier promotion. On March 4, the latest chapter to the venue’s history came in the form of one of the most anticipated returns the UFC has seen.
In the main event, former two-time light heavyweight king Jon Jones made his comeback after over three years away from the Octagon. And having achieved immeasurable success at 205 pounds, he returned in a new environment in search of gold in a second weight class, a feat that #1-ranked heavyweight contender Ciryl Gane hoped to prevent.
Prior to those two behemoths sharing the cage, a number of intriguing bouts went down, including the eighth defense of Valentina Shevchenko’s flyweight title, the debut of wrestling great Bo Nickal, the latest bout on Dricus du Plessis’ journey to the top, and the return of former champion Cody Garbrandt.
So, with high stakes, big names, and championship belts on the line, did the promotion’s third PPV of 2023 live up to the hype? Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC 285.
Some honorable mentions: Farid Basharat joining his brother Javid in the UFC win column (positive), Amanda Ribas’ evolved display against Viviane Araújo (positive), Bo Nickal’s long-awaited promotional debut (positive), and the apparent missed low blow dealt to Jamie Pickett (negative).
Positive – Fences, Meet Swings
When an event is as hyped and highly anticipated as UFC 285 was, there’s one desirable early on in proceedings — a tone-setter.
On Saturday, that came in the opening fight of the night courtesy of Loik Radzhabov and Esteban Ribovics. While the bout was a late-notice one following Kamuela Kirk’s withdrawal, the pair didn’t let that hamper their commitment.
From the bell, both men swung for the fences, hurting each other on the feet throughout. In the end, it was the Tajik lightweight who earned the nod on all three scorecards, and as debuts go, he couldn’t have made much more of an impression without landing a finish.
As always, it’s a shame that T-Mobile Arena wasn’t busier. I’ll never understand low turnouts for the prelims. Do UFC attendees in the United States not enjoy the fights and are just there for names?
Nevertheless, Radzhabov helped reward those who did find their seats early doors. While “Jaguar Paw” is a newcomer to the Octagon, he’s certainly a familiar face owing to his time competing in the PFL’s SmartCage — something that received a heavy mention on commentary, as did the $1 million prize he competed for there. I suppose Joe Rogan or Daniel Cormier offering a comparison between that and the likely $14k/$14k he’s on now, without the possibility of a ‘milli’, was out of the question?
Given his previous exploits and status as a two-time PFL finalist, Radzhabov’s credentials are clear, and it’s good to see him showing it on a major platform. That stolen spot on The Ultimate Fighter will likely now be less frustrating for the 32-year-old…
Image: @ufc on Twitter
Positive – Prospects Continue To Rise
During the early prelims, a pair of promising names enhanced their stocks at strawweight and bantamweight.
First came Tabatha Ricci, who returned to action after a pair of cancelled dates in 2022 provided a brief stall to her surge towards the rankings. But against former title challenger Jessica Penne, “Baby Shark” (a great moniker, by the way) delivered a near-flawless performance.
After getting the better of exchanges in the first round, the Brazilian found the finish in the second courtesy of a perfectly executed armbar submission. With the likes of Piera Rodriguez, Yazmin Jauregui, and Jasmin Lucindo establishing themselves as ones to watch, the UFC’s leading women’s division is set to go from strength to strength.
And Ricci is leading the charge.
In the next bout, Saaiman said… groin kick.
South African prospect Cameron Saaiman made it two point deductions in as many fights in the UFC when he collided with Mana Martinez. That came courtesy of a pair of flush kicks that landed south of the border.
While gaining a reputation for fouls is notoriety that “MSP” will want to avoid, he’ll be more than pleased at becoming known as something else — one of the most promising newcomers at 135 pounds.
The 22-year-old looked incredibly impressive on debut, stopping Steven Kozlow in the final round at UFC 282. And in spite of the inadvertent indiscretions against Martinez, Saaiman’s talents were evident as he secured a majority decision.
Another exciting name to watch in one of the most stacked and entertaining weight classes? Yes please.
Positive – 11-0
At UFC 285, Ian Garry had a one-way ticket to the flow state.
The journey to one of the Irishman’s most impressive performances to date had a difficult stop at station knockdown in round one, with a clean check left hook from Kenan Song sending him to the canvas.
But as recoveries go, there hasn’t been many better. After surviving and making it back to his corner, the former Cage Warriors champion returned to the center of the Octagon ready to put on a show.
Having breezed the second frame to level the score, Garry turned the heat up in round three, launching a vicious combination to take Song out and extend his unblemished record to 11-0.
With his previous bout coming last July, it felt as if the hype surrounding Garry’s rise had somewhat dimmed following a pair of decisions and a decent gap between bouts. But with his latest performance at T-Mobile, which left his Chinese opponent close to unrecognizable, eyes are firmly back on “The Future.”
Ian Garry you little DAISY! ??— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) March 5, 2023
Negative – Smith, Anyone Home?
At UFC 285, referee Mark Smith was seemingly awaiting a letter of confirmation before saving Julian Marquez from a barrage of unanswered shots.
Opening the prelims were Marquez and Marc-André Barriault. In the past, “The Cuban Missile Crisis” has appeared slightly wild with his attacks. But on Saturday, he fought an opening round as a more technical and precise striker.
Is this the new Marquez, people cried? A second-round brawl provided the answer…
In frame two, the Canadian appeared to stun Marquez. From there, the pair essentially traded elbow for elbow in some wild clinch exchanges. When “Power Bar” pulled ahead and his opponent tired, the fight was clearly done.
But as much as Smith switched positions, his vision somehow didn’t bring him to the conclusion that the turtled Marquez was finished.
In the post-fight interview, Joe Rogan pointed out that Barriault had delivered a minute and a half of unanswered shots. If that’s not a damning assessment of Smith’s performance as the third man in the Octagon, I don’t know what is.
It’s a good job Smith wasn’t tasked with pulling Jake Gyllenhaal off Jay Hieron, that’s all I can say.
Positive – A Towel!
Sound the alarm, a corner has thrown the towel in a mixed martial arts fight. I never thought I’d see the day.
It’s long felt like coaches in MMA are allergic to protecting their fighters. Anthony Smith’s beatdown against Glover Teixeira and Max Rohskopf’s rejected calls to stop his fight proved as much.
With that, seeing Derek Brunson’s corner save the middleweight veteran as he ate repeated blows on the ground late in round two was great to see. Please, let’s make it a common occurrence.
And this positive was also hammered home by the continued rise of Dricus du Plessis. I was pretty high on “Stillknocks” before he arrived in the UFC, and apparently one of few able to recognize how effective unique and untraditional styles can be.
At UFC 285, the South African dealt another blow to those doubting his approach by likely securing his place inside the top five and title contention.
Negative – Nothing Learned
Despite the commentary team’s best efforts to convince us, the featured prelim did not see ‘vintage’ Cody Garbrandt in the Octagon.
One of the most intriguing storylines heading into UFC 285 was the return of former champion Garbrandt, who’s suffered quite the tumble from the top since winning the gold in 2016. On Saturday, he was granted a serious step-down in competition in what was essentially designed as a gift-wrapped rebound win.
On paper, it promised to provide some further context to the level he’s at. In practice, we got a sparring session that Joe Rogan attempted to frame as the second coming of Garbrandt vs. Dominick Cruz.
What on earth the color commentators saw from some cage-circling and well-timed takedowns to brand the Garbrandt we saw at UFC 285 as the world champion iteration of old is beyond me. At one point, Rogan even claimed that he was witnessing one of the best versions of “No Love” — really, Joe? Really?
Garbrandt wasn’t tested through two rounds, with Trevin Jones taking the William Knight approach to fighting with less than five significant strikes through the best part of 10 minutes. But when “5 Star” did switch the gas on with limited time remaining, Garbrandt was stunned before being left eating ground-and-pound shots on his back to end the fight.
Would world champion Garbrandt drop a round to a man riding a three-bout skid against a trio of unranked fighters? Not a chance.
This contest was a negative because Jones failed to provide any kind of test to Garbrandt, in addition to the commentary team doing a disservice to the former titleholder with some heavily misplaced praise.
Positive – Passed With Flying Colors
I’m not sure there’s a fighter in the UFC more entertaining and enthralling to watch than Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Comparisons between the Kazakhstani and Khamzat Chimaev have been pretty endless, and Rakhmonov doesn’t seem to enjoy them. Nevertheless, here’s another…
Chimaev firmly burst into title contention and proved himself as a legitimate star in a war against Gilbert Burns. Geoff Neal was to Rakhmonov what “Durinho” was to “Borz.” And like his Chechen peer, “Nomad” passed the test in style.
For the best part of three rounds, Rakhmonov and Neal traded blows. Given the latter’s striking credentials and renowned power, the fact that the rising Kazakhstani was able to shrug off the best he had speaks lengths about his toughness.
And in return, Rakhmonov dished out even more punishment en route to a late submission that was frankly scary. “Nomad” locked in a standing choke, using his hip to bend back Neal and increase the pressure before dumping his lifeless body after the tap.
The very first interview I conducted in MMA was with an M-1 Global commentator. For my final question, I asked him to name one individual who was unknown across the Atlantic but would become a star there.
His answer? Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Positive – The Mexican Hat Trick!
Entering 2021, there had been zero Mexican-born champions in the UFC. Fast forward three years, and the MMA community is reflecting on the crowning of the third.
Ahead of UFC 285, Alexa Grasso spoke about the motivation she was drawing from the successes of Brandon Moreno and Yair Rodríguez, with the former being crowned a two-time flyweight champion in January and the latter the interim featherweight titleholder last month.
On Saturday night, Grasso completed a hat trick of title wins for Mexican fighters at UFC PPVs in 2023. And, in doing so, she dethroned one of the most dominant champions the promotion has ever seen.
Through three rounds against Valentina Shevchenko, the challenger had created a competitive fight, carrying on from where Taila Santos left off last June when it comes to providing a new test to “Bullet.” In the fourth, Grasso capitalized on a moment of complacency from the champ, taking her back during an ill-advised spinning kick.
After a brief exchange on the ground, Grasso locked in a rear-naked choke, forcing Shevchenko to tap and the T-Mobile Arena crowd onto their feet in a similar fashion to Julianna Peña’s shock win over Amanda Nunes 15 months ago.
Upsets are almost always positives. But when they’re as seismic as what Grasso accomplished in the UFC 285 co-main event, there’s zero doubt.
Positive – Two-Weight King
Okay, so who had Jon Jones via submission inside a round without being touched?
At UFC 285, Jones returned to the Octagon with an incredible amount of uncertainty. Not only was the consensus greatest light heavyweight of all time making his comeback after over three years away, but he was doing so in a brand new division.
The question on everyone’s lips: would the Jones who tore through the competition at 205 pounds enter the cage at T-Mobile? If it needs saying, yes.
In quick time, “Bones” frankly decimated Ciryl Gane, a man many branded one of the, if not the, toughest tests to the veteran’s heavyweight desires. But as some predicted, Jones’ takedowns and wrestling proved to be the difference — to the point where the Frenchman’s striking wasn’t on display aside from the missed shot that sealed his fate.
Ultimately, an incredibly tight guillotine choke forced former interim champ Gane to tap, marking his second failed attempt to ascend to the heavyweight mountaintop. But while seeing the likeable “Bon Gamin” fall short again wasn’t enjoyable, it’s hard to deny the greatness that is Jon Jones.
The GOAT debate? Most likely done and dusted.
What were your positives and negatives from UFC 285?
On Saturday night, the MMA leader returned for its latest pay-per-view event, UFC 285.
T-Mobile Arena has played host to some of the biggest events in sport, combat, and MMA’s premier promotion. On March 4, the latest chapter to the venue’s history came in the form of one of the most anticipated returns the UFC has seen.
In the main event, former two-time light heavyweight king Jon Jones made his comeback after over three years away from the Octagon. And having achieved immeasurable success at 205 pounds, he returned in a new environment in search of gold in a second weight class, a feat that #1-ranked heavyweight contender Ciryl Gane hoped to prevent.
Prior to those two behemoths sharing the cage, a number of intriguing bouts went down, including the eighth defense of Valentina Shevchenko’s flyweight title, the debut of wrestling great Bo Nickal, the latest bout on Dricus du Plessis’ journey to the top, and the return of former champion Cody Garbrandt.
So, with high stakes, big names, and championship belts on the line, did the promotion’s third PPV of 2023 live up to the hype? Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC 285.
Some honorable mentions: Farid Basharat joining his brother Javid in the UFC win column (positive), Amanda Ribas’ evolved display against Viviane Araújo (positive), Bo Nickal’s long-awaited promotional debut (positive), and the apparent missed low blow dealt to Jamie Pickett (negative).
Positive – Fences, Meet Swings
When an event is as hyped and highly anticipated as UFC 285 was, there’s one desirable early on in proceedings — a tone-setter.
On Saturday, that came in the opening fight of the night courtesy of Loik Radzhabov and Esteban Ribovics. While the bout was a late-notice one following Kamuela Kirk’s withdrawal, the pair didn’t let that hamper their commitment.
From the bell, both men swung for the fences, hurting each other on the feet throughout. In the end, it was the Tajik lightweight who earned the nod on all three scorecards, and as debuts go, he couldn’t have made much more of an impression without landing a finish.
As always, it’s a shame that T-Mobile Arena wasn’t busier. I’ll never understand low turnouts for the prelims. Do UFC attendees in the United States not enjoy the fights and are just there for names?
Nevertheless, Radzhabov helped reward those who did find their seats early doors. While “Jaguar Paw” is a newcomer to the Octagon, he’s certainly a familiar face owing to his time competing in the PFL’s SmartCage — something that received a heavy mention on commentary, as did the $1 million prize he competed for there. I suppose Joe Rogan or Daniel Cormier offering a comparison between that and the likely $14k/$14k he’s on now, without the possibility of a ‘milli’, was out of the question?
Given his previous exploits and status as a two-time PFL finalist, Radzhabov’s credentials are clear, and it’s good to see him showing it on a major platform. That stolen spot on The Ultimate Fighter will likely now be less frustrating for the 32-year-old…
Positive – Prospects Continue To Rise
During the early prelims, a pair of promising names enhanced their stocks at strawweight and bantamweight.
First came Tabatha Ricci, who returned to action after a pair of cancelled dates in 2022 provided a brief stall to her surge towards the rankings. But against former title challenger Jessica Penne, “Baby Shark” (a great moniker, by the way) delivered a near-flawless performance.
After getting the better of exchanges in the first round, the Brazilian found the finish in the second courtesy of a perfectly executed armbar submission. With the likes of Piera Rodriguez, Yazmin Jauregui, and Jasmin Lucindo establishing themselves as ones to watch, the UFC’s leading women’s division is set to go from strength to strength.
And Ricci is leading the charge.
In the next bout, Saaiman said… groin kick.
South African prospect Cameron Saaiman made it two point deductions in as many fights in the UFC when he collided with Mana Martinez. That came courtesy of a pair of flush kicks that landed south of the border.
While gaining a reputation for fouls is notoriety that “MSP” will want to avoid, he’ll be more than pleased at becoming known as something else — one of the most promising newcomers at 135 pounds.
The 22-year-old looked incredibly impressive on debut, stopping Steven Kozlow in the final round at UFC 282. And in spite of the inadvertent indiscretions against Martinez, Saaiman’s talents were evident as he secured a majority decision.
Another exciting name to watch in one of the most stacked and entertaining weight classes? Yes please.
Positive – 11-0
At UFC 285, Ian Garry had a one-way ticket to the flow state.
The journey to one of the Irishman’s most impressive performances to date had a difficult stop at station knockdown in round one, with a clean check left hook from Kenan Song sending him to the canvas.
But as recoveries go, there hasn’t been many better. After surviving and making it back to his corner, the former Cage Warriors champion returned to the center of the Octagon ready to put on a show.
Having breezed the second frame to level the score, Garry turned the heat up in round three, launching a vicious combination to take Song out and extend his unblemished record to 11-0.
With his previous bout coming last July, it felt as if the hype surrounding Garry’s rise had somewhat dimmed following a pair of decisions and a decent gap between bouts. But with his latest performance at T-Mobile, which left his Chinese opponent close to unrecognizable, eyes are firmly back on “The Future.”
Ian Garry you little DAISY! ??
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) March 5, 2023[/quote]
Negative – Smith, Anyone Home?
At UFC 285, referee Mark Smith was seemingly awaiting a letter of confirmation before saving Julian Marquez from a barrage of unanswered shots.
Opening the prelims were Marquez and Marc-André Barriault. In the past, “The Cuban Missile Crisis” has appeared slightly wild with his attacks. But on Saturday, he fought an opening round as a more technical and precise striker.
Is this the new Marquez, people cried? A second-round brawl provided the answer…
In frame two, the Canadian appeared to stun Marquez. From there, the pair essentially traded elbow for elbow in some wild clinch exchanges. When “Power Bar” pulled ahead and his opponent tired, the fight was clearly done.
But as much as Smith switched positions, his vision somehow didn’t bring him to the conclusion that the turtled Marquez was finished.
In the post-fight interview, Joe Rogan pointed out that Barriault had delivered a minute and a half of unanswered shots. If that’s not a damning assessment of Smith’s performance as the third man in the Octagon, I don’t know what is.
It’s a good job Smith wasn’t tasked with pulling Jake Gyllenhaal off Jay Hieron, that’s all I can say.
Positive – A Towel!
Sound the alarm, a corner has thrown the towel in a mixed martial arts fight. I never thought I’d see the day.
It’s long felt like coaches in MMA are allergic to protecting their fighters. Anthony Smith’s beatdown against Glover Teixeira and Max Rohskopf’s rejected calls to stop his fight proved as much.
With that, seeing Derek Brunson’s corner save the middleweight veteran as he ate repeated blows on the ground late in round two was great to see. Please, let’s make it a common occurrence.
And this positive was also hammered home by the continued rise of Dricus du Plessis. I was pretty high on “Stillknocks” before he arrived in the UFC, and apparently one of few able to recognize how effective unique and untraditional styles can be.
At UFC 285, the South African dealt another blow to those doubting his approach by likely securing his place inside the top five and title contention.
Negative – Nothing Learned
Despite the commentary team’s best efforts to convince us, the featured prelim did not see ‘vintage’ Cody Garbrandt in the Octagon.
One of the most intriguing storylines heading into UFC 285 was the return of former champion Garbrandt, who’s suffered quite the tumble from the top since winning the gold in 2016. On Saturday, he was granted a serious step-down in competition in what was essentially designed as a gift-wrapped rebound win.
On paper, it promised to provide some further context to the level he’s at. In practice, we got a sparring session that Joe Rogan attempted to frame as the second coming of Garbrandt vs. Dominick Cruz.
What on earth the color commentators saw from some cage-circling and well-timed takedowns to brand the Garbrandt we saw at UFC 285 as the world champion iteration of old is beyond me. At one point, Rogan even claimed that he was witnessing one of the best versions of “No Love” — really, Joe? Really?
Garbrandt wasn’t tested through two rounds, with Trevin Jones taking the William Knight approach to fighting with less than five significant strikes through the best part of 10 minutes. But when “5 Star” did switch the gas on with limited time remaining, Garbrandt was stunned before being left eating ground-and-pound shots on his back to end the fight.
Would world champion Garbrandt drop a round to a man riding a three-bout skid against a trio of unranked fighters? Not a chance.
This contest was a negative because Jones failed to provide any kind of test to Garbrandt, in addition to the commentary team doing a disservice to the former titleholder with some heavily misplaced praise.
Positive – Passed With Flying Colors
I’m not sure there’s a fighter in the UFC more entertaining and enthralling to watch than Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Comparisons between the Kazakhstani and Khamzat Chimaev have been pretty endless, and Rakhmonov doesn’t seem to enjoy them. Nevertheless, here’s another…
Chimaev firmly burst into title contention and proved himself as a legitimate star in a war against Gilbert Burns. Geoff Neal was to Rakhmonov what “Durinho” was to “Borz.” And like his Chechen peer, “Nomad” passed the test in style.
For the best part of three rounds, Rakhmonov and Neal traded blows. Given the latter’s striking credentials and renowned power, the fact that the rising Kazakhstani was able to shrug off the best he had speaks lengths about his toughness.
And in return, Rakhmonov dished out even more punishment en route to a late submission that was frankly scary. “Nomad” locked in a standing choke, using his hip to bend back Neal and increase the pressure before dumping his lifeless body after the tap.
The very first interview I conducted in MMA was with an M-1 Global commentator. For my final question, I asked him to name one individual who was unknown across the Atlantic but would become a star there.
His answer? Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Positive – The Mexican Hat Trick!
Entering 2021, there had been zero Mexican-born champions in the UFC. Fast forward three years, and the MMA community is reflecting on the crowning of the third.
Ahead of UFC 285, Alexa Grasso spoke about the motivation she was drawing from the successes of Brandon Moreno and Yair Rodríguez, with the former being crowned a two-time flyweight champion in January and the latter the interim featherweight titleholder last month.
On Saturday night, Grasso completed a hat trick of title wins for Mexican fighters at UFC PPVs in 2023. And, in doing so, she dethroned one of the most dominant champions the promotion has ever seen.
Through three rounds against Valentina Shevchenko, the challenger had created a competitive fight, carrying on from where Taila Santos left off last June when it comes to providing a new test to “Bullet.” In the fourth, Grasso capitalized on a moment of complacency from the champ, taking her back during an ill-advised spinning kick.
After a brief exchange on the ground, Grasso locked in a rear-naked choke, forcing Shevchenko to tap and the T-Mobile Arena crowd onto their feet in a similar fashion to Julianna Peña’s shock win over Amanda Nunes 15 months ago.
Upsets are almost always positives. But when they’re as seismic as what Grasso accomplished in the UFC 285 co-main event, there’s zero doubt.
Positive – Two-Weight King
Okay, so who had Jon Jones via submission inside a round without being touched?
At UFC 285, Jones returned to the Octagon with an incredible amount of uncertainty. Not only was the consensus greatest light heavyweight of all time making his comeback after over three years away, but he was doing so in a brand new division.
The question on everyone’s lips: would the Jones who tore through the competition at 205 pounds enter the cage at T-Mobile? If it needs saying, yes.
In quick time, “Bones” frankly decimated Ciryl Gane, a man many branded one of the, if not the, toughest tests to the veteran’s heavyweight desires. But as some predicted, Jones’ takedowns and wrestling proved to be the difference — to the point where the Frenchman’s striking wasn’t on display aside from the missed shot that sealed his fate.
Ultimately, an incredibly tight guillotine choke forced former interim champ Gane to tap, marking his second failed attempt to ascend to the heavyweight mountaintop. But while seeing the likeable “Bon Gamin” fall short again wasn’t enjoyable, it’s hard to deny the greatness that is Jon Jones.
The GOAT debate? Most likely done and dusted.
What were your positives and negatives from UFC 285?
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