Ultimate Fighting Championship

This thread is strictly for UFC talk.



The Ultimate Fighting Championship is hands down the biggest MMA organization on the planet, based right here in the USA. They kicked things all off back on November 12, 1993, in Denver, Colorado.

THE BACKSTORY

So, how did this whole thing start? Some guy named Art Davie had this wild idea for a tournament where masters of different fighting styles would just go at it. He teamed up with Rorion Gracie and wow Promotions to get the ball rolling, which eventually led to them owning the UFC. Then, wow Promotions partnered up with SEG, a big pay-per-view outfit, to host that first event in Denver back in '93. Fast forward to April 1995, and Art Davie and Rorion Gracie decided they were done, selling their shares in wow Promotions over to SEG and shutting the whole thing down. Back in those early days? Man, it was basically a bloodbath. You couldn't bite or gouge eyes, but pretty much anything else went. Crazy, right?

Because it was so insanely violent, the UFC ran straight into a wall of trouble. They were getting hammered by TV networks refusing to show it and politicians trying to ban the fights in various states across the USA. To survive, they had to clean things up, tighten the rules, and actually start playing nice with the various state athletic commissions that regulate combat sports in America.

Then came 2001. That’s when Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, along with boxing promoter Dan White, stepped up with a massive offer to buy out SEG. It worked. In January 2001, they snatched it up for $2 million and formed Zuffa, LLC, the powerhouse that owns and runs the UFC today. They also made sure the rules lined up with the Nevada State Athletic Commission to keep everything legal in that state. Once Zuffa took the reins, the UFC started its slow, steady climb to the top, eventually leaving the old Japanese powerhouse Pride FC in the dust.

THE RULES

Every round lasts 5 minutes. If you're fighting for a title, you're going three or five rounds depending on the setup, but usually, championship fights go 5 rounds while standard bouts go 3. You get a 1-minute breather between rounds.

The fight happens inside an octagon—this eight-sided cage wrapped in black vinyl-coated wire. The distance from corner to corner is about 38 feet, and it's roughly 30 feet across. The fence stands about 6 feet high.

WEIGHT CLASSES

Right now, the men's side runs through 8 weight classes:

-Flyweight (up to 125 lbs)
-Bantamweight (up to 135 lbs)
-Featherweight (up to 145 lbs)
-Lightweight (up to 155 lbs)
-Welterweight (up to 170 lbs)
-Middleweight (up to 185 lbs)
-Light Heavyweight (up to 205 lbs)
-Heavyweight (up to 265 lbs)
There’s actually one more class in the books that isn't really being used lately:

-Super Heavyweight (over 265 lbs)
And for the women, there are two main divisions:

-Strawweight (105 to 115 lbs)
-Bantamweight (135 to 145 lbs)

CURRENT CHAMPS
As of 2018

Women:

Strawweight: Rose Namajunas
Bantamweight: Amanda Nunes

Men:

Flyweight: Henry Cejudo
Bantamweight: J. Dillashaw
Featherweight: Max Holloway
Lightweight: Khabib Nurmagomedov
Welterweight: Tyron Woodley
Middleweight: Robert Whittaker
Light Heavyweight: Daniel Cormier
Heavyweight: Daniel Cormier

Look, I’m basically a returning fan here. After spending years training and obsessively following the sport, I took a massive break—like, seven or eight years off.
I’ve been trying to catch up on everything chronologically (well, whatever I can actually find online).
I just wrapped up the Contender series, and the last thing I watched was TUF 25.

Out of those fights, I’d say the matchups with Kraus and Gallicchio, Diakiese-Kloses, and Lim-Taylor were all pretty solid.
That bout between Cannonier and Roehrick? Absolutely phenomenal.
But man, one of the best fights I have ever seen in my life—and easily fight of the night—was Johnson-Gaethje. Just pure perfection. That right there? That’s exactly why people love the UFC.

UFC Fight Night 144: Assuncao vs. Moraes 2 is happening tonight.



I’m honestly just dying to see how Sarah Frota performs. I caught her fight back when she was still climbing the ranks in the Contender Series and man, she left a massive impression on me.
Also, I’ve got my eye on Thiago Alves—wondering if he’s actually still got it—and then there’s Aldo, who is basically in a league of his own.
Such a damn shame he isn't ready for a full five-round war.

Honestly, I don't really find myself hanging out in this corner of the forum anymore. I was active here for about a year, maybe a little longer, but for the most part, everything felt pretty much dead. Things only started picking up once we began launching dedicated threads for specific events, but I really wanted to step things up and actually build something meaningful, you know? I had the drive to make it happen. I even reached out to one of the moderators with some actual suggestions, but I didn't get so much as a "hey" back—nothing at all. So, I guess I just gave up on the whole thing.

If you're interested, you should probably head over to where I am now. I'm a moderator there, and I've already set up discussion threads for all the upcoming UFC events that have been announced so far. It’s way cleaner because every event gets its own space for comments, which makes everything much easier to follow.

For the numbered events, check out this section: http://www.croportal.net/forum/ufc/
For the smaller shows and the UFC on ESPN broadcasts, they're right here: http://www.croportal.net/forum/ufc-fox-fuel-tv-fx/

And here is the thread for tonight's event: http://www.croportal.net/forum/ufc-f...aes-2-a-77305/

Rose Namajunas

It's a shame she went with the super short cut—honestly, she looked better with the long hair...😁

Alex Murphy3 said:I guess this is my final goodbye to this corner of the internet. I spent about a year or so hanging around here, and honestly, for most of that time, the place felt pretty much dead. Things only started picking up once we began opening dedicated threads for major events, but I really wanted to step things up and take on more responsibility as a moderator to keep that momentum going. I actually reached out to one of the admins with a few solid proposals on how to improve the community, but I didn't even get a simple acknowledgment—not even a polite nod. Since there was zero interest in helping me build something better, I've decided to just call it quits and move on.

It’s a shame you headed out; things were actually getting pretty interesting for a little while there. Unfortunately, there isn't much of an appetite for MMA on this forum, unless a massive fight comes up to stir the pot.
Is there much life on your forum, or does it actually host some decent discussions?
I thought about heading over to Sherdog, but honestly, their forums are such a cesspool of morons that I’d be embarrassed to even be seen reading them. I think I’ll just stick to following your posts for a while, and if things stay this decent, I might actually bother registering myself.

Anyway, just a few thoughts on this UFC Fight Night 144 card.

I’d say the Souza - Frota fight was a total toss-up. Frota landed some really sharp strikes and seemed to control most of the action, though I have to admit it was pretty reckless of her to walk in a few pounds over the limit; you could tell she had a massive size advantage over Souza because of it. Honestly, there were moments where it looked like Souza was struggling to defend the takedowns simply because Frota was just so much heavier and more powerful. At the end of the day, a split decision feels right, but man, it was an incredibly close one.

I find Walker to be a pretty captivating fighter to watch; there's just something about his style that keeps me hooked. He pulls off these really flashy moves, and from what I've seen, he doesn't spend half the fight overthinking or playing it too safe, which makes him a blast to follow. There isn't much to dissect regarding the fight itself since it wrapped up so quickly, but I have to say, watching Walker attempt that kick while Ledet was still down on the canvas felt a little uncalled for. I get that things can get heated in the heat of a scrap, but you really have to keep those impulses in check. It was a lucky break that he didn't actually connect.

Oliveira - Teymur was an interesting matchup, though I can't say I enjoyed all that eye poking; that kind of stuff just isn't my style. Teymur certainly wasn't some easy out, but Oliveira really took control of the pace, coming out strong in the second round and wrapping things up pretty quickly.

In my opinion, Maia - Good is easily the most tedious fighter in the UFC; I honestly don't enjoy watching him. That said, hats off to him for securing that quick win and for still being able to compete at this level at his age. Good didn't really stand a chance because he started moving in the wrong direction right from the opening bell. He got pinned against the cage and struggled to find any rhythm, which is exactly what Maia exploited to take him down and sink in that back control—which, for Maia, is basically a guaranteed victory. From what I've seen, the only way to defend that is to just pray you can survive the rest of the round in that position, because if you aren't incredibly explosive, strong, and flexible, getting loose is nearly impossible. Of course, trying to endure an entire round with Maia glued to your back is a tall order for anyone.

Aldo - Moicano. That was a solid showing by Aldo; I know people tend to overlook him lately, but he’s still an absolute elite fighter. Moicano definitely had his moments where a win was on the table, but honestly, Aldo just looked like the better man in there.

Watching Moraes vs. Assuncao was actually pretty engaging. It turned out to be a solid fight, topped off by a really impressive finish.

All things considered, there were some pretty interesting fights in there; I finished watching with a sense of satisfaction.

James Martinez71 said:honestly though: Daniel Cormier

😁

I honestly don't get how anyone could call Maia boring. Watching his ground game is like watching pure art unfold in the cage. If he’s had any real struggles throughout his career, it’s really just been against guys with elite-level takedown defense. I should also mention that, in my book, that decision between Griffin and Alves was a total robbery. Griffin clearly dominated the first and third rounds, but everyone knows how those judges in the States can sometimes lean toward the hometown hero.

That’s exactly my point. When you run into a fighter who’s nearly impossible to take down, the whole thing just becomes an exhausting grind, and if they’re facing someone with elite ground defense, those submission attempts feel like they go on for an eternity. I’m a fan of grappling, don't get me wrong, but watching Maia can be a real slog. Sure, he’s incredibly dominant at times, but he rarely actually finishes anything; instead, he just drags the fight out through the rounds.

Griffin definitely got robbed against Alves. He clearly owned the first round, and while Alves took the second, Griffin really stepped it up in the third. It’s true he wasn't exactly knocking anyone out or pulling off big sweeps, but he was the one controlling the pace and should have walked away with the win. Honestly, the worst part about combat sports is the judging. You see decisions like this way too often.

Alex Murphy3 said:Regrettably, I find myself making a final exit from this corner of the forum. I’ve been around here for about a year, perhaps slightly longer, and for much of that time, the community felt practically lifeless. It wasn't until we started launching dedicated threads for major events that we actually saw a surge in engagement, but to truly sustain that momentum, one needs the administrative tools to build something substantial. I had the drive; I genuinely wanted to contribute more. I even reached out to one of the moderators to present a series of formal proposals, yet I was met with nothing—not even a simple acknowledgment. When you offer your vision and receive total silence in return, what choice do you really have left? I’ve decided to walk away from it all.

To whom exactly did you direct that moderator message? It seems increasingly plausible that he has abandoned the forum entirely, given the absolute state of chaos currently unfolding here. 😁

Paul Anderson7 said:Maia - Good. If you ask me, Maia is easily the most tedious fighter in the UFC; I find watching him an absolute chore. That said, I have to offer my respect for securing such a quick victory and for the fact that he’s still competing at this elite level at his age. Good simply didn't stand a chance because he mismanaged his positioning from the very opening bell. He allowed himself to be pinned against the cage and lacked any meaningful movement, which gave Maia exactly what he needed to take him down and sink in that back control—which, for Maia, is essentially a guaranteed win. From everything I've seen, the only way to defend against that position is to simply weather the storm until the round ends, because if you aren't exceptionally explosive, powerful, and flexible, escaping is nearly impossible. Of course, one must wonder: how many people can actually survive an entire round with Maia plastered to their back?

I find myself struggling to comprehend why he didn't attempt anything more proactive while his opponent was positioned on his back. Instead of simply standing there, waiting to be choked out, why not attempt to roll him over into a ground game? It all seemed far too easy for the other guy, wouldn't you agree?

rapidstag2 said:I honestly don't get why he didn't try anything more aggressive while the guy was stuck on his back. He should have just flipped him over to get the fight to the ground instead of just standing there like a statue waiting to get choked out. It looked way too easy for the other guy.

The guy has a full body triangle locked in. There's no way he's flipping him, and once they hit the mat, he'll probably find an even easier path to a submission.

Yeah, getting out of that situation is a nightmare. At that point, you’re basically just playing defense and praying they trip up or try to pivot, though that rarely works unless you've got insane explosiveness and flexibility. Against someone like Mai, who's basically the gold standard at that, most people aren't walking away unscathed.