UFC 300 takeaways: Pereira’s triple-champ aspirations, Holloway holds all of the keys

On a historic evening in MMA, UFC 300 delivered all through its loaded 13-fight card with massive finishes, sturdy debuts and drama all through the evening.

Alex Pereira leaves Las Vegas with little doubt as to who’s the UFC’s finest mild heavyweight. Zhang Weili and Yan Xiaonan made China proud with their historic second as properly with a five-round thriller within the co-main occasion. Plus, the BMF title battle allowed battle followers to witness one of many best knockouts within the historical past of the game. Additionally, what does Kayla Harrison’s debut imply for not solely her new division, however for ladies’s MMA as a complete? Andreas Hale, Brett Okamoto, Marc Raimondi and Jeff Wagenheim react to the largest moments of the evening.

Wagenheim: Let’s start with a tough fact: Alex Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill was not the primary option to headline the milestone occasion that was UFC 300. However as a result of the matchmakers couldn’t put collectively a star-studded blockbuster to headline, that is what we ended up with. And guess what: The followers gained.

They obtained an evening stuffed with championship-level fights, with 11 present or former UFC champions in motion. (Titleholders previous and current went 7-4.) The BMF gimmick had its best second, with Max Holloway delivering some of the legendary knockouts in MMA historical past. There was the much-anticipated debut of Kayla Harrison and a showcase for the game’s prime prospect, Bo Nickal. It was a thrill a minute via nearly the entire 13 bouts.

Would now we have gotten all that if the UFC had assembled a Conor McGregor or Jon Jones major occasion for 300? Not an opportunity.

And an amazing evening of preventing ended with an amazing first-round knockout, one which had each scary and comical components to it. The humorous half was when Pereira absorbed a shot to the groin (not humorous to him, I am certain), and as Herb Dean stepped in to pause the motion, Pereira pushed the referee apart so he may ship some punishment again. He then stepped ahead and landed a brief left hook that had Hill knocked out earlier than he even hit the canvas, giving Pereira the primary protection of the sunshine heavyweight title he gained in November. The top of the battle displayed the scary energy of a person competing at a weight class 20 kilos heavier than the division he known as residence earlier than final summer season.

It was Pereira’s eighth UFC battle, and he has been a champ in two divisions — mild heavy and middleweight. He got here to MMA after being a world champion in kickboxing. And he won’t be achieved in search of out greater challenges. In his interview after the battle, Pereira spoke of desirous to take a heavyweight battle. Would his energy observe him there? It certain has thus far.

Holloway raises iconic standing with dramatic BMF win

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Max Holloway submits candidate for KO of 2024 with epic BMF title win

Max Holloway knocks Justin Gaethje out chilly within the closing second of the BMF title battle at UFC 300.

Raimondi: Max Holloway is just probably the greatest fighters ever to placed on a pair of gloves.

He is one of many best featherweight champions of all time. Now he is the BMF titleholder after maybe essentially the most iconic knockout in UFC historical past. Holloway gained 13 in a row at one level at featherweight, the longest streak in division historical past. And now, 12 years into his UFC profession, he is nonetheless placing on performances such because the one he had Saturday evening, sleeping Justin Gaethje with one second left within the five-round battle. Legendary stuff. Iconic stuff. Corridor of Fame stuff.

Afterward, Holloway known as out Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev, two UFC champions. Topuria holds the featherweight title and Makhachev is the light-weight champ. The humorous factor is, after mollywhopping Gaethje, Holloway legitimately has a case for both title shot.

It is type of absurd to think about, particularly since individuals have been apprehensive about Holloway on this battle. They have been involved that Gaethje, an absolute monster of a striker with big-time energy, could be the primary to cease Holloway within the Octagon. After all, the alternative occurred. That is the battle Holloway wished, as he known as for it in October on social media. He obtained it and cemented his legacy as an all-time nice on one of many greatest playing cards of all time, UFC 300. That is storybook stuff. Film stuff. Blessed stuff.

Zhang retains, however Yan exposes potential cracks for future challengers

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Zhang Weili cruises to second straight title protection

Zhang Weili defeats Xan Yiaonan through unanimous resolution to retain the UFC girls’s strawweight championship.

Raimondi: Zhang Weili’s win over Yan Xiaonan at UFC 300 was a matter of perspective. She principally choked Yan out on the finish of the primary spherical. When the bell sounded, the 2 fighters obtained up, and Yan was visibly wobbled, barely in a position to keep on her ft. That might have been the tip, however referee Jason Herzog allowed the battle to proceed.

Within the second spherical, Zhang teed off on Yan from again mount, smashing her with massive punches to each side of the pinnacle. It was a dominant stretch. However then, Zhang appeared to have punched herself out. Or possibly her arms have been toast from the lengthy choke try. Yan knocked Zhang down a few instances and lasted the total 25 minutes.

Zhang gained by unanimous resolution, and it was largely a one-sided efficiency. But it surely wasn’t the spectacular efficiency that Zhang possible wished towards her Chinese language countrywoman. Curiously, Zhang appeared far more comfy on the bottom than on the ft, just like her battle towards Amanda Lemos.

Pretty much as good as Zhang can look throughout stretches — she’s as expert and explosive as any lady to ever battle within the UFC — she has vulnerabilities that may be exploited. If Tatiana Suarez can keep wholesome, a title battle between her and Zhang could be a must-see conflict.

Harrison 1, Scale 0

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Kayla Harrison submits Holly Holm in her UFC debut

Kayla Harrison locks in a rear-naked choke on former champ Holly Holm in her UFC debut.

Wagenheim: Kayla Harrison confronted a formidable opponent at UFC 300. It was the dimensions she needed to step onto at Friday’s weigh-in, the place she needed to make the 136-pound bantamweight restrict after competing for almost her entire profession 20 kilos north of that. As anticipated, Harrison appeared gaunt and depleted — however she made weight like the professional she is.

And when she stepped into the cage on Saturday, Harrison appeared to have rehydrated to an approximation of her previous light-weight self. Then she dismantled Holly Holm, a former UFC champion who turned a celebrity nearly a decade in the past by crushing Harrison’s previous judo teammate and fellow Olympic medalist, Ronda Rousey. Holm, 42, didn’t stand an opportunity on this evening. The 32-year-old model of “The Preacher’s Daughter” won’t have had a prayer towards Harrison, both.

If Harrison will get used to the burden reduce, there isn’t any stopping her. She’s too brawny for ladies’s bantamweight champ Raquel Pennington, and the identical goes for everybody else within the division’s prime tier. I wrote this the opposite day and nonetheless consider it: Harrison’s hardest competitors resides within the PFL with Cris Cyborg and Larissa Pacheco. However that ship has sailed, so there isn’t any stopping Harrison from taking on the UFC’s 135-pound division.

The non-champion storylines to look at after UFC 300

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Jiri Prochazka punishes Aleksandar Rakic for TKO win

Jiri Prochazka unloads a flurry of punches on Aleksandar Rakic for the large win within the mild heavyweight division.

Hale: On a star-studded battle card, not the entire greatest moments concerned a title belt. Listed below are a number of different angles to observe because the lights go down in T-Cellular Enviornment.

• Kayla Harrison put all of ladies’s MMA on discover: What Harrison did to Holm at UFC 300 shook up girls’s MMA in a number of methods. Harrison outclassed Holm, tossed her round like a ragdoll and appeared gigantic within the Octagon. One wonders if this efficiency paused Alexa Grasso or Valentina Shevchenko from the thought of climbing up a weight class for potential champ-champ standing. You may’t blame them for that, both. However, Harrison injecting adrenaline right into a weight class in determined want of it could possibly be the bait that lures Amanda Nunes off the sofa and again into the Octagon, which might convey a superfight for ladies’s MMA not seen for the reason that Ronda Rousey period. If Nunes passes, may the UFC chase down Larissa Pacheco and supply the one lady who holds a victory over Harrison a large enough bag to simply accept the battle? There are numerous prospects, and none of this occurs with out the menace generally known as Kayla Harrison.

• Jiří Procházka is way from achieved: Procházka is reduce from a distinct material. Probably the most distinctive personalities within the UFC is equally distinctive in his method within the Octagon. He is unorthodox and unrelenting. The person bun that sits atop his head signifies that he is in contrast to anybody you’ve got ever seen. And in his return after being stopped by Alex Pereira in November, he walked down Aleksandar Rakic, weathered a storm of leg kicks and hand grenades and finally smashed via his rival with a brutal second-round knockout. None of it made sense. He should not have been in a position to stroll via that type of punishment to his legs for so long as he did. He did not change his method and saved coming ahead till he trapped his prey. And in a division the place the champion has little interest in taking the battle to the bottom and a bunch of contenders wholly bored with the identical, Procházka may discover himself with an opportunity at gold round his waist once more.

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Diego Lopes wows crowd with one other electrical KO

Diego Lopes and his iconic mullet impress the Las Vegas crowd at UFC 300 with a vicious flurry of punches that forces a cease to the battle.

• Arman Tsarukyan’s tenacity could possibly be Islam Makhachev’s kryptonite: It is one factor to outlive a submission try by essentially the most prolific finisher in UFC historical past, however surviving two in the identical battle and successful with a break up resolution? That is precisely what Tsarukyan endured towards the chief for many submissions in UFC historical past, Charles Oliveira. The guillotine choke that opened the battle was deep, and the Brazilian’s arms have been recent. In some way, Tsarukyan muscled out of it and fought again. After which the tip of the bout got here, Tsarukyan discovered himself in a deep D’Arce choke with seconds left within the battle. Now, he was preventing towards exhaustion towards an opponent who made him work each second of their 15-minute affair. Guess what? He did it once more. In between all of this, he gave Oliveira hassle with takedowns, violent elbows and sharp stand-up. Tenacity will be the key to beating somebody like Makhachev, and if Tsarukyan manages to land the rematch, he definitely will not go simply. The followers would possibly boo him, however he deserves the entire respect for surviving twice towards a person who would not miss when he has his opponent lined up for the end.

• Diego Lopes is the brand new blood 145 kilos wants: Only a 12 months in the past, Lopes dropped a unanimous resolution to Movsar Evloev in his UFC debut. Nevertheless, the truth that he secured a Struggle of the Night time efficiency steered that the previous DWCS alum could possibly be one to look at within the featherweight division. He has since reeled off three consecutive first-round finishes, together with his newest coming courtesy of an absolute steamrolling of Sodiq Yusuff. These aren’t simply first-round finishes; they really feel like eviscerations ending in round 90 seconds. The featherweight division wants some new blood, and Aljamain Sterling’s debut helps, however Lopes is extra of a stay wire who can shake issues up and is extremely enjoyable to look at.

• Bo Nickal is human (type of): The hype was at all times going to be unfair to Nickal, who entered his battle with Cody Brundage as the largest betting favourite of the evening and landed a spot on the primary card forward of a number of former champions. There was destined to be backlash, and there was a smattering of boos within the crowd upon his entrance. He gained with a rear-naked choke within the second spherical however gave himself two thumbs down and mentioned he was “embarrassed” by his efficiency. He wasn’t as dominant as Lopes or Harrison, however he nonetheless made it look comparatively straightforward. The truth that he entered the second spherical for the primary time in his skilled profession possible helped greater than harmed. It did not look as straightforward to get the end because it had been in earlier fights, however whereas his inventory might have gone down barely from an astronomical excessive, it could have taken a bit of strain off of the Penn State wrestling champion. He nonetheless has all of the instruments of a future champion and is set to win followers over together with his subsequent efficiency. So long as the UFC is not in a rush to place him within the title image, he’ll be wonderful as he continues growing and including instruments to his recreation.

UFC 302: Makhachev should make due with what’s left at light-weight

Hale: If Islam Makhachev wished to battle in June, there was just one possibility: Dustin Poirier.

There was no probability that Arman Tsarukyan could be prepared after his grueling split-decision win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 300. Max Holloway’s vicious knockout of Justin Gaethje all however eradicated Gaethje from title rivalry. On the similar time, Holloway seems extra considering returning to 145 kilos to face Ilia Topuria than difficult for the light-weight title. That left Poirier because the final man standing, and he’ll get the prospect to dethrone Makhachev at UFC 302 in New Jersey.

Makhachev could also be appropriate that Poirier would not deserve the battle, however his choices are restricted if he needs to make sure that he competes in early summer season. He’ll get that probability towards a fighter who has come up quick twice in light-weight title alternatives. Might the third time be a appeal? Possibly.

Poirier appeared glorious in turning again Benoît Saint Denis at UFC 299 and shortly made himself obtainable for the June 1 card. However there is a vital distinction in talent and skill between Saint Denis and Makhachev. The previous was on the rise, whereas the latter is an authorized champion who’s a nightmare matchup for Poirier on account of his distinctive wrestling and at all times enhancing hanging skill. To not point out that Makhachev comes from the varsity of Khabib Nurmagomedov, who completed Poirier once they met in 2019.

However, Poirier is a fan favourite and UFC 302 has a major occasion worthy matchup.

First take a look at UFC 303: Largest questions, early bets, predictions for McGregor-Chandler