Pereira and Topuria drowning in bitterness + UFC 331 Preview: Van-Pantoja and Tsarukyan-Ruffy
Pereira, Topuria, Van-Pantoja and Tsarukyan-Ruffy: a packed show before UFC 331.
What is said in the show
The show opens with two technical breakdowns inside the cage: Jean Silva's one-arm rear naked choke on José Delgado and Tommy Gent's reverse triangle on Dracar Close. It then moves to the "sore losers' league" from UFC White House: Alex Pereira relaunches his heavyweight title bid by targeting Cyril Gane, while Ilia Topuria hints at foul play involving Justin Gaethje's gloves, a move seen as clumsy. Thomas Aspinal's situation, forced to relinquish the belt for medical reasons, is analyzed at length. For UFC 331, both hosts see Joshua Van as a slight favorite over Pantoja, who is injured and has been inactive for nearly a year, and believe Mauricio Ruffy is capable of pulling off an upset against Arman Tsarukyan, whose MMA inactivity and lack of exposure to strikes raise concerns. The rest of the card is previewed fight by fight. The Dana White's Contender Series debrief highlights Hugo Guillon's defeat, attributed to fatigue and the pressure of the event, and spotlights Akbar Abdouaev's stunning 19-second performance. The show closes with the rankings and the announcement of Scott Coker's Ki MMA tournament.
Chapters
- 0:00Intro
- 2:00Noche: technical breakdown with in-cage footage
- 5:10Pereira-Topuria, ridiculous sore losers? + Who faces Gane? + Jones teases a comeback
- 31:35UFC 331: No Moicano-Ortega + an extra bonus
- 33:30Can Pantoja reclaim the throne from new king Van?
- 40:55Can Ruffy deny Tsarukyan his shot at the title?
- 1:08:10Preview of the rest of UFC 331
- 1:28:00The Guillon disappointment, the Abdullaev sensation: DWCS debrief
- 1:51:15UFC rankings, Ki MMA and its tournament: the latest news
Questions raised in the show
Aldric Cassata : « He didn't beat Pantoja. So now he finds the context rather favorable for himself because he has been active - very active. » 34:33
Aldric Cassata : « You think Volkanovski is stupid? You think at his age he has time to waste? Why did he bring that guy onto his team? At some point, you also have to ask the right questions. » 55:11
Key moments
« He didn't beat Pantoja. So now he finds the context rather favorable for himself because he has been active - very active. »
Aldric Cassata · at 34:33
« You think Volkanovski is stupid? You think at his age he has time to waste? Why did he bring that guy onto his team? At some point, you also have to ask the right questions. »
Aldric Cassata · at 55:11
« It's very cynical but that's reality. You know that over the first 6 episodes, 28 contracts have been handed out out of 30 possible. You know why that's a record? Because your matchmaking is absolute garbage. »
Alexandre Herbinet · at 1:40:59
« Dana White says: that right hand sounded like a baseball bat hit. You might be the greatest talent in Dana White's Contender Series over the show's 10-year history. »
Alexandre Herbinet · at 1:50:25
« He re-injures his eye in sparring. Will we ever see Thomas Aspinal fight again? Maybe it's over. Maybe we never see him again. »
Alexandre Herbinet · at 15:40