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Welcome back in to the B/R MMA Mailbag. Here's where we answer your questions about all the various MMA issues of the day.
UFC 272 goes down March 5 and is topped by the culmination of one of the most fiery and widely dissected feuds in recent memory. Accomplished welterweights Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington both trained together at American Top Team before a falling-out made them bitter enemies. Both are known for their skills on the mic and in the media, both mainstream and social. And they'll both have a chance at satisfaction when the main event begins in Las Vegas.
The whole thing got us to thinking. What are some of the sport's best rivalries? It could be now, it could be in the past. We asked you, the reader, for your takes, and the responses ran the gamut.
We picked several responses and will grade them here. Submissions may be edited for length or clarity. Ready? Let's get it on.
Chuck vs. Tito
@JeremyGordon
Play word association with any old MMA head and see how they respond to the word "rivalry." I'd be willing to wager that most would bring up Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz as the grudge match of the 2000s and beyond. You can't have this conversation without them. Even ESPN produced a 30 for 30 documentary devoted entirely to the beef between these two champions and Hall of Famers.
Both men were bruising light heavyweights. Liddell stalked down his opponents and finished them with kickboxing and that deadly overhand right, while Ortiz was a master of ground-and-pound, which back then was a fighting style unto itself.
Their personalities could not have been more different. Ortiz, heavily influenced by professional wrestling, was the loudmouth heel. Liddell leaned into his nickname, Iceman, his cool-headed demeanor belying a ferocious killer instinct underneath.
Drama followed the pair wherever they went. Ortiz, who held the light heavyweight title for three years, faced repeated accusations that he was ducking Liddell, taking the fight only after he lost the strap to Randy Couture. That allowed the rivalry to simmer for two years, with suspense building the entire time.
When they finally stepped in the Octagon together, Liddell won by second-round KO, but the result was marred by an eye poke in the fight's closing sequence—a dirty tactic associated with Liddell throughout his career.
The second contest, held at UFC 66 in 2006, ended with another Liddell knockout. It was Liddell's fourth consecutive defense of the title he won from Couture in 2005.
There was a third fight, but I refuse to seriously acknowledge their pitiful 2018 money grab under Oscar de la Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions, which saw a 43-year-old Ortiz knock out a 48-year-old corn husk doll that loosely approximated Liddell.
I could go on, but we'll leave it there. This rivalry between two decorated champions stands out as one of the best, most action-packed, most controversial and most sustained rivalries the sport has ever produced.
Grade: A
Jon Jones-Daniel Cormier will always be the best. They genuinely hated each other and still do.
@blahblahblah9
The hate was indeed real between these two light heavyweights. Witness the anguished tears Cormier couldn't stifle after his second loss to Jones.
The whole thing started as a bit of bravado gone awry and blossomed into full-on mutual hate. It wasn't a shock from the swaggering Jones, but it was a bit jarring to see the affable Cormier spewing invective all over the MMA news cycle. If it was all an act, these two thespians are in the wrong line of work.
To call out just a couple of examples from the full timeline, these two brawled on stage during a media event in 2010 and repeatedly traded pointed and personal barbs on national television.
In the first bout at UFC 182, Jones dominated the action for five rounds, outlanding Cormier 92-58 in significant strikes, per UFC stats, thanks in large part to the massive 12-inch reach advantage then-champion Jones held over the challenger. With his cornermen sporting T-shirts that read "Break Bones," Cormier simply could not get inside to work his wrestling game, eating clinch elbows and uppercuts for his troubles and landing only one of eight takedown attempts.
Their second bout, at UFC 214 in 2017, didn't go much better for Cormier. In fact, it was markedly worse, as he suffered a dizzying knockout in the third round.
But it wouldn't be a Jon Jones fight without a dose of malfeasance. The fight was later overturned to a no-contest after Jones failed a drug test. So it goes.
This one stands out for the sheer enmity and prodigious talent on both sides.
But it loses points for its one-sidedness in the cage.
Still, Jones and Cormier arguably go one-two as the best light heavyweights ever, and their rivalry was a gift to fans.
Grade: A-
Silva vs. Sonnen
@Chico_suave
@vince_flamingo
A little context: In 2010, Anderson Silva was the baddest man on the planet, repeatedly and easily defending his middleweight title and even destroying a few light heavies on the side just for fun. So it was notable when Chael Sonnen, accomplished but still just a 4-3 record in the UFC, raised his hand and essentially talked himself into a title shot.
Did Sonnen's trash talk cross the line at times, particularly his comments on Silva's wife and, you know, the entire nation of Brazil? It arguably did.
But he backed up the talk at UFC 117 when he came within two minutes of shocking the world for Silva's middleweight title. Instead, he famously tapped to a Hail Mary triangle choke that kept Silva from suffering a massive, legacy-altering upset. (Sonnen's subsequent drug test failure and lack of contrition also added to the drama around the bout.)
Their second bout in 2012 ended in a second-round Silva knockout, after Sonnen badly whiffed on a spinning backfist and fell on his backside, after which point Silva made short work of him.
So this one had momentum because of Sonnen's talk and a relative balance of action in the cage. If not for some of Sonnen's comments aging so poorly, this might be the best one ever.
Grade: A-
Cody vs. Sugar
@Speakez415
Time for a deep cut. The two fighters in question here are Cody Garbrandt, the former bantamweight champ and current flyweight glass cannon, and "Suga" Sean O'Malley, whose deceptively destructive striking has led to an 8-1 UFC record including a run of three consecutive bonus-winning knockouts.
The rivalry incubated on Twitter—nothing weird there.
But it escalated to the point that the two had to be separated at a news conference for UFC 269 last December—even though they were both fighting other opponents.
An intense rivalry to be sure, but sadly a grudge match doesn't appear likely.
First and foremost, Garbrandt would have to return to 135; who knows whether that's a possibility. Second, Garbrandt appears to be a diminished version of his championship-level self, even if he can still crack with the best of them.
Neither of these guys hesitated to verbally attack the other. We'll see what the future holds. For now, though, this one appears to have cooled off.
Grade: B-
Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko
@Donphilyon
There's no bad blood here, no social media jabs. Just two razor-close decisions between the two best female fighters on the UFC roster.
After Nunes' recent loss to Julianna Pena, some of the bloom came off of this rose. After laying waste to the flyweight division, Shevchenko appears ready to challenge Nunes, even if there's no longer a belt on the line. Shevchenko told me a little while back that she believed Nunes was ducking her.
Nunes took each of their bouts, both of which were punctuated by extended inactivity. In the first contest, Shevchenko and Nunes only landed three significant strikes apiece in the second and third rounds, respectively. That's a low number.
Judges awarded the second bout to Nunes, though Shevchenko pushed back hard against the decision.
With the controversial scoring, a third bout may be possible despite the two Nunes wins. However, the blemish on Nunes' record makes it harder to claim she's the GOAT or even the current best, not with Shevchenko and Kayla Harrison floating around.
This would surely move units, but not at the level of some of these other rivalries.
Grade: C-
Let us now close up the B/R MMA mailbag. See you next week for riffs on a new topic.
Welcome back to the B/R MMA Mailbag. Here's where we answer your questions about all the various MMA issues of the day.
This week we're focused on the UFC's heavyweight division, which is steeped in drama thanks to champ Francis Ngannou's extended absence and Tai Tuivasa's one-shot knockout last weekend of all-time UFC knockout king Derrick Lewis.
It's kind of a weird division right now, with top stars on ice and new stars, Tuivasa notwithstanding, slow to materialize.
We asked for your questions Monday. What did you want to know about this glamorous if depleted division?
Questions may be edited for length or clarity.
What about Stipe Miocic? Is Jon Jones really gonna fight? If so, when? —@Bear2327
Stipe needs a fight! —@Brundon
Miocic has been the odd man out lately at the top of this division, but if our readers are any indication, he's far from forgotten.
Miocic only competed once per year from 2019 to 2021, going 2-1 by notching two wins over Daniel Cormier before losing the title to Ngannou. The matchmaking gods simply haven't looked his way, perhaps in part because of his relative lack of marketability.
No question he's been quiet lately, but a single tweet recently landed him back in the spotlight. That tweet came from a person named Jon Jones.
You might balk at Jones' vague language in the tweet, but it gets a little less murky when you remember that Miocic holds the record for most consecutive UFC heavyweight title defenses with three. So, by at least one metric, Miocic is indeed the best heavyweight ever.
If one insider is to be believed, Miocic has been making the most of his layoff. ESPN and social media personality Chael Sonnen recently reported that Miocic, in an effort to compete with Ngannou and other fighters on the larger end of the spectrum, has put on 20 pounds of muscle and now clocks in at 249 pounds, much closer to the division's upper limit of 265. (For comparison's sake, Ngannou weighed in at 257 for his January bout with Ciryl Gane.)
There's plenty of momentum for a Jones-Miocic matchup. Cormier, a former champ and current broadcaster, has given the match his stamp of approval. It is in no way far-fetched to expect the winner to be named interim heavyweight champ, especially given the UFC's conflict with Ngannou over paying him a fair wage for his efforts.
But as with all things Jones, just getting him back in the ring is half the battle. Until the cage door closes, his future will be uncertain. But if it doesn't work out, Miocic and the UFC might have to move on. At age 39, Miocic has to be motivated to get back into action as soon as possible. If a Jones matchup doesn't pan out, a bout with the red-hot Tuivasa could make for a juicy consolation prize.
It has to be Ngannou or Stipe next for Tai, right? —@ProgressiveFlo
Is Ngannou coming back, and if he does who does he fight? —@EvilTexan88
If I answer your question, do I get discounted insurance for my RV? I certainly hope so.
Ngannou is on the shelf until the end of the year following knee surgery. His future in the UFC is mostly cloudy given his contract status and his stated desire to try boxing—a desire that's very much requited.
If Miocic vs. Jones doesn't move forward as an interim title match, Tuivasa might get a shot at Miocic.
My personal vote, however, is for Tuivasa vs. Gane. Gane has the more deliberate game, while Tuivasa has, well, the less deliberate game. Anyone who can crush Lewis with a single elbow strike deserves to be tested against the best.
Is there any new blood aside from Tom Aspinall being injected into the heavyweight division? —@Bear2327
Despite his recent loss to Lewis, I'm not ready to punt on Chris Daukaus just yet. If you can bully or wrestle him, you've got a chance. If not, you're getting starched. Ask Aleksei Oleinik, Shamil Abdurakhimov, or any of the other 11 guys he's knocked out in 16 pro fights. Is he a future champ? Probably not. But he can continue to make noise and has a puncher's chance against anyone.
If you're looking for a deeper cut, try Alikhan Vakhaev. Coming out of the fighting hotbed of Russia's North Caucasus region, Vakhaev is 11-2 on regional circuits, punctuated by an active seven-fight win streak. His last loss came to Volkan Oezdemir, who fights in the UFC's light heavyweight division. The 6'6" Chechnyan knows how to use his size and range to pick opponents apart.
Let us now close up the B/R MMA mailbag. See you next week for new topics.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones made a cryptic post Friday on Twitter pointing toward his potential plan for a return fight:
Jones, who last stepped in the Octagon in February 2020, didn't drop any hints about who he's referring to, but there are several possibilities.
Fedor Emelianenko is often viewed as the greatest heavyweight in MMA history, but the 45-year-old Russian has never fought in UFC. His most recent bout came at Bellator 269 in October when he scored a knockout victory over Timothy Johnson.
More UFC-centric options include Stipe Miocic, Daniel Cormier and current UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.
Jones and Cormier have already faced off twice. "Bones" won the first meeting by unanimous decision in January 2015 and delivered a knockout in the second matchup in July 2017, though that result was later changed to a no contest after Jones failed a PED test.
Ngannou is set to undergo knee surgery following his successful title defense against Ciryl Gane in late January. That seemingly takes him out of the equation as Jones' opponent in the short term.
So that leaves Miocic as the most likely candidate to fit Jones' description.
Miocic held the heavyweight title for just shy of four years across two separate stints. He last fought in March when he dropped the belt to Ngannou.
A clash between Jones and Miocic would certainly be a main-event level attraction as the heavyweight division awaits Ngannou's eventual return.
Amid speculation that he could move up to heavyweight, Jon Jones chimed in on his thoughts about Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane after their showdown at UFC 270 on Saturday night.
In a since-deleted post on Twitter, Jones wrote, "At the end of the day, I'm f--king them both up."
Ngannou defeated Gane by unanimous decision on Saturday night to win the undisputed UFC heavyweight championship.
There has been talk for a long time about Jones potentially fighting at heavyweight after dominating the light heavyweight division for years. The only loss of his career came via disqualification for use of illegal elbows against Matt Hamill in a 2009 fight he was otherwise dominating.
UFC President Dana White told ESPN (h/t MMAFighting.com) in 2015 that Jones was "definitely" planning on fighting at heavyweight.
Seven years later, Jones has yet to compete in any division other than light heavyweight. White did attempt to set up a match between Bones and Ngannou in 2020, but he told reporters talks broke down because Jones was seeking a massive payout in line with what Deontay Wilder was paid to fight Tyson Fury in a boxing match.
"I'll quote him and what he had said to my lawyer. He told my lawyer he wants what Deontay Wilder was paid (for his most recent fight)," White said. "I think it was $30 million, was what Deontay Wilder was paid."
Ngannou no longer sounds like he's interested in a fight with Jones.
"No, I'm done with that fight," he told reporters following Saturday's event. "I've been waiting for that fight for so long. After Stipe [Miocic], it was supposed to be Jon Jones, and that never happened. I don't know why. So I moved on."
Jones announced in August 2020 he vacated the UFC light heavyweight title. The 34-year-old hasn't fought since February 2020 when he defeated Dominick Reyes at UFC 247.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones said Thursday he continues to prepare for a potential debut at heavyweight against the winner of the likely unification bout between champion Francis Ngannou and interim champion Ciryl Gane.
Jones told ESPN's Marc Raimondi he's working to stabilize his weight around 270 pounds and he'd then drop five pounds ahead of the weigh-in to reach the heavyweight limit of 265. That's a 60-pound increase from the light heavyweight limit of 205.
"Going from light heavyweight to heavyweight is like jumping three weight classes," Jones said. "I just want to do it right."
Jones hasn't fought since UFC 247 in February 2020 when he beat Dominick Reyes to defend the light heavyweight title. He vacated the belt last August.
The 34-year-old New York native told Raimondi he's focused on making sure his body is on par with fighters who own more experience in the heavyweight division.
"I just don't want to feel smaller than any of the guys," Jones said. "I want to be more conditioned, more skilled and just as strong, if not the strongest guy."
After conquering the light heavyweight division, it always made sense for one of the best fighters in UFC history to take on a new challenge. Being able to dominate at heavyweight would be significant in terms of Jones building his case in the greatest of all time conversation.
While he's aiming for an immediate title fight, UFC President Dana White suggested a clash with Stipe Miocic might be the promotion's first choice for Jones' heavyweight debut.
Jones said he's "open to ideas" but noted he'd like a chance to prove himself in a championship fight right away, potentially in the second quarter of 2022, per Raimondi.
"I will admit Francis is a bigger one when it comes to the financial side," Jones said. "But it's all good. I want the belt, really. I want the belt. I want big money."
He's still one of the UFC's biggest draws despite the extended layoff, so the big payday should come regardless of who his comeback fight is against.
That said, having Jones fight for the heavyweight title without any experience in the division would be quite a spectacle and give him a chance to make a major statement.
The situation should become more clear once the date for the expected Ngannou vs. Gane bout is finalized.
