UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Ankalaev

The official Tapology discussion thread for the event!

@taybazza he definitely impressed me. I really did not think he would look good at all. I still want to see him beat a top 30 guy before I start calling him legit but he’s definitely got potential. Very well rounded, great tdd, great grappling, and great striking. Plus he’s a finisher with cardio. He does need some work defensively because Jones was landing some clean shots on him. Overall very impressed but I don’t know how well he would fare against the higher level guys

Was Basharat vs Trevin Jones fun? I only caught a few prelims

Not really. Bash just bounced in the center and tried to draw high energy strikes from Trevin. Trev hung against the cage and telegrammed his hooks. One of the least interesting fights of the night. 

Looking back at my mistakes on the card.

1. Moutinho 
Trusted Moutinho to actually be able to last 1 round against a known geriatric aged gasser. But I knew he was not UFC level and had been KOd before in the regional scene. Bad mistake, just should not have picked the fighter who was lower level regardless.

2. Dalcha
I expected Dalcha to be able to keep it standing with his judo and keep it on the feet against Brundage who I do not rate at all. I did not expect Dalcha to be a total moron and try to take down Brundage himself and give him his only route to victory. Simply put, Dalcha is a fool and he will not make a fool of me again.

3. Kirk
I expected too much from someone with too many holes and did not do my own due diligence. Heard how good he was on the mat as a grappler. He may be one of those fighters who is good in the training room but cannot perform in the octogan. I do not think I will ever bet Kirk again.

4. Roberson
More fool me. I expected Roberson to have a brain. He willingly wrestles and grapples with high level grapplers and kick boxes with high level kick boxers. I was expecting him to take this down to the ground regularly. I also heard James Krause describe his plan to have Roberson pressure Rountree, which is how he loses when he gets pushed onto the back foot and cannot land his kicks, Did Roberson do that? Of course not. Great plan by Krause, terrible implementation by Roberson. Again, never betting him again.

That's my reflection for this card, and I am changing my approach to the next.

I have realized I am good at picking winners, and terrible at picking over/unders or props. So will not be betting much more than money lines from now on.

Fell asleep through whole card 😂

One fighter that stood out for me on this card is Javid Basharat.  He looks like he is another star in an already stacked division.  Would love to see him against Adrian Yanez or Davey Grant or Jon Martinez next.

* Edited at 03.13.2022, 9:09 AM ET *

I hate being one of those guys calling for fighters retirement but I think Moraes should seriously consider it. If he wants to keep going in MMA then I think he needs to take at least a year off to "heal", and then go to another promotion (like Lineker did in ONE and just become their BW champ). He has been T/KO'd in 4 out of his last 5, and that one win is a fight he barely sc****d by to get a W on a split decision vs Aldo. Moraes is still a fantastic fighter, but not only has he been figured out by his opponents, he just can't seem to take their shots anymore. Honestly he's in a similar state that Cody is in, except Cody at least won a UFC belt so he at least made more money from all the damage. 

I think he should retire. The first round is his best round and he didn’t even look good. Song ate everything he threw and moraes couldn’t take any of the punches that connected 

Fun

People might disagree with this but I think McKinney fight the right gameplan, It just didn't work. Mckinney is one of the most powerful striker pound 4 pound I have ever seen in MMA, But the draw back is that he ain't winning a decision because if you can't go a minute at a fast pace, Your not going 15 at a good pace, And the thing is that if you want him to go slower, He lose the power, And it not like he didn't almost Ko'd Drew and most refs would of stop it

* Edited at 03.13.2022, 6:34 PM ET *

@duck Just about anybody not named Dober would have been put out by that damage.

I think what he should have done was stay on top the second he got that takedown and just started to rain elbows and punches. Even if dober didn’t go out it’s possible the fight could have been stopped

All ur picks were wrong

Also I changed my mind, I want to see Javid vs Kyler Phillips 

Thats a good fight yh

Bold prediction but I think Kyler would dominate Javid.

* Edited at 03.13.2022, 6:16 PM ET *

I fully agree. I mainly wanna see the fight because both have such a well rounded game 

id go javid to be bias but kyler would be a good fight and if javid can beat him we have a great prospect

Arce is a very tough fighter to get out of there. Song finished him and he’s always been undersized at 145. Implying he is drained from the cut would be like implying Edgar was drained when moving from 155 to 145. He is small. Either way when I have a hard time calling a fight and one guy is 24 I’m definitely picking that guy to win because they make so many improvements between fights. You have to assume that their opponent will be fighting an improved version of them. Made some money betting Canetti by KO. Moutinho wasted his bonus on getting high rather than on his camp and has lost to journey men outside the ufc. Have to assume a ufc journeyman is better than a normal journey man