UFC 294: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski 2

The official Tapology discussion thread for the event!

Thinking about this past weekend's fights. 
Was a really good card in general for entertainment.  If you came just for the main card you would have been very happy however the prelims were very difficult to get through. 

Yes, there were moments throughout the card that "entertained" but as a whole the fighting was all over the place. 
Numerous fouls and questionable decisions made it really a stop-and-go card. Gets really good but a foul would stop the momentum or lack of awareness of the foul that Dumas's hair pull was atrocious. Worse foul or none fighting moment has to be the ref telling Henry that he wasn't hit in the balls like damn you could see he was visibly in the shadow realm unwillingly. 

I think the biggest takeaway from the main event was that Islam had made better adjustments than Alex. Need to watch the fight again but one thing that was noticeable was that from the start Islam was planting those leg kicks if you watch Volk defended each leg kick the same with his guard almost pushing his forearms outwards as the body and leg kicks programmed him to look for the lower level leg kicks which left a gap for a high kick I am unsure if it was planned before or during the fight but was ana amazing gameplan by Islam. 

Very worried about Volk's post-fight press conference no fighter should be fighting if his mental state is compromised hope he gets the help and rest needed.

* Edited at 10.23.2023, 3:23 AM ET *

Volk is not done in terms of high level fights as of yet as the circumstances was very different compared to the first. 

Only time will tell if he really is done however I think his next bout is definitely going to be more discussed than it was before.
This was the risk the UFC was playing with though as now you have a markey champ out for the next few months and the talk of Ilia in Jan is gone. 

I really think the UFC should do a Max vs Ilia for the interim belt and have Volk return at UFC 300 against the winner as I feel Volk needs the rest. 

* Edited at 10.23.2023, 3:22 AM ET *

What the **** do we do about the fouls that are reoccurring more and more. 

I think this year especially fighters are doing it on purpose as they know a warning is coming at most until the third foul. I mean **** should coaches tell fighters to attempt one foul per round as refs won't penalize them. 

Besides the in-cage fouls, what about all these weight misses that just result in fighters being heavier and gaining an advantage over their opponent? 
Last week it was Christian Rodriguez and this week two fighters Mike Breeden and Victoria Dudakova both failed to make weight but won their bouts. Yes, they lose a percentage of their fight purse but long term they get length on their UFC run. We have seen fighters go 0-2 or 0-3 and released and losing via an opponent not coming as contracted should not just be swept under the rug. 

@Byakuya Kuchiki 

The UFC has become more of a television show than a legitimate sports organization.

I can say at least one fight would have been different with a point deduction sad, "REFS, JUDGES, higher officials are not held to any standard"
UFC has zero power over them, blaming Dana, Hunter or the bus driver does nothing to solve that problem.
This card and the Mexico day one were super dirty in regards to cheating and bad reffing, which affected the outcomes.
Weight misses are not cheating, one they are penalized two **** happens and three I guess it is kinda cheating if done on purpose..

Chimaev gets gifted a decision AND a #9 ranking as a UFC MW. That's after beating a WW that got the call on one weeks notice. if he beat Costa he would've been at #1, 2 at the lowest lol

He is 1 round fighter. I'd like to see him against Bobby Witakker

Gaethje won twice in 2023 against Fiziev and Poirier, Oliveira once against Dariush. Who gets next a title shot>?

then we have Gamrot and Dariush/Tsarukyan

* Edited at 10.24.2023, 7:20 AM ET *

@Vandal 

Oliveira defended the belt and finished everyone in the top 5 so I think he deserves the title shot. Gaethji has already had his two chances at the belt and he was finished in both of those. Maybe they can do Gaethji vs Gamrot and winner gets the shot next after they do Oliveira vs. Islam

It seems right just if Tsarukyan finishes Dariush he jumps over Gamrot and I think Gaethje will wait and not fight 

I don‘t think Khamzat deserves a title shot at middleweight or to be ranked as the number one contender. That being said ranking him #9 with Jack Hermansson and Roman Dolidze being higher in the rankings than him seems kinda unjustified to me. In my opinion he should be ranked at #5 or #6. 

Re-watching the knockout, so clean I can't believe Volk did not go completely stiff, but I have to say this is a career changer, now that I'm thinking about it we've seen it happen with Usman, Volk needs time off. That was a vicious headkick.