Thanksgiving Special: Who are the biggest turkeys in MMA and what are we most thankful for?

Glad Thanksgiving!

The day that formally begins “the vacation season” in the US is historically loved with household, pals, and a laden desk, the place people collect to have fun what they’re most grateful for. And we right here at MMA Preventing have a lot to be pleased about!

Not solely do we’ve one of the best readers and followers on the planet, however we additionally get to spend our time protecting the wild, fantastic, and typically woeful sport of MMA. Personally, we wouldn’t commerce it for the world.

And so with 2024 winding down, Jed Meshew, Damon Martin, and Mike Heck gathered across the digital eating desk to share the issues we’re most grateful for this 12 months, and likewise admonish the largest turkeys.

Largest Turkeys of the Yr

PFL/Bellator merger

Mergers and acquisitions as an entire in MMA may get followers excited, but it surely’s usually a foul factor for fighters, as a result of it provides them much less choices/negotiating energy when it comes time to signal a brand new deal or probably simply discovering someplace to compete when for no matter cause the UFC may not be an choice. However there was typically lots of enthusiasm when PFL purchased Bellator — and acquired is a beneficiant phrase contemplating PFL principally simply took possession of a promotion shedding cash off the books from Paramount — as a result of it seemingly created a clear-cut No. 2 group behind the UFC.

Nearly precisely one 12 months later, the entire thing looks like an absolute mess.

First off, Bellator was stored as a separate entity for some unknown and complicated cause, maybe by way of a contractual obligation or possibly simply because PFL was so devoted to its season-long format that this was the one solution to ebook fights that didn’t contain a event and a weird level system to find out rankings. That simply made issues complicated for the informal fan when PFL would make a grand announcement like “we simply signed high prospect Paul Hughes” after which his first struggle truly occurred in Bellator.

However second and most essential, simply days away from PFL crowning an entire bunch of recent champions and handing out $1 million checks to every of them, a number of the most distinguished fighters on the Bellator roster are lashing out about inactivity. Patricio Pitbull, Patchy Combine and Corey Anderson all complained lately about not being booked for a number of months with no signal after they may truly struggle once more. Whereas it’s unimaginable to know for positive why these fighters are being iced, it’s troublesome to not assume it has one thing to do with cash as a result of all people’s contracts from Bellator had been nonetheless in impact after the PFL buy.

One thing must be fastened and quick as a result of PFL was in a uncommon spot to essentially make an affect within the sport with a formidable roster — that also doesn’t rival the UFC but it surely was a extremely good runner-up — and pleasure to see what the group might construct for the longer term. Proper now, it looks like there’s way more concern that PFL goes to be dismantled relatively than blossom after shopping for Bellator. – Damon Martin

Netflix

I believed lengthy and arduous about placing Conor McGregor right here given what a horrendous 2024 he’s had, but it surely’s the vacation season and albeit, I’ve written all I care to on the topic. And at this level it could be past beating a lifeless horse to deliver Jon Jones again up, so as a substitute let’s discuss Netflix and the catastrophe that was Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul.

When Tyson vs. Paul was initially introduced, most of us had the identical response: that’s terrible however streaming on Netflix is a reasonably large deal. And it was. Tyson vs. Paul was by far the largest fight sports activities occasion of the 12 months and really doubtless the largest fight sports activities occasion of the last decade by way of uncooked viewership numbers. Over 100 million folks tuned in to observe this grand occasion and what they acquired was largely terrible.

The struggle itself was the worst mixture of unhappy and uninteresting, with Paul both being unwilling or unable to complete off a virtually 60-year-old man whose legs didn’t work (thank Thor he didn’t although as a result of watching a senior citizen get killed was not on my to-do record). That will be dangerous sufficient but it surely’s simply the tip of the iceberg.

Not solely was the struggle dangerous, but it surely was so dangerous that lots of people thought it was rigged. These individuals are foolish geese, however there have been sufficient of them that Most Invaluable Promotions felt the necessity to tackle the accusations of collusion, and if you happen to’re having to justify your product to thousands and thousands of viewers, effectively, that’s not precisely splendid.

After which, after all, there have been the manufacturing points. Netflix, the most important streaming platform on Earth, was merely unable to face as much as the pressure of 100 million folks tuning in, resulting in the stream repeatedly crashing. As a lot as folks talked concerning the horrible struggle afterward, they had been all roasting Netflix through the occasion. The concept “all publicity is nice publicity” is silly and Netflix botching this massive of an occasion undeniably damage them sooner or later after they begin attempting to maneuver in on the NFL or NBA.

And once more, all of this was in service of a carnival sideshow occasion the place a 58-year-old man is fortunate to haven’t been significantly injured. Buncha turkeys, I say. – Jed Meshew

Merab Dvalishvili

Let me begin off by saying that I actually like Merab Dvalishvili. I used to be interviewing him effectively earlier than he was a top-15 fighter, and he didn’t have to present me the time of day, and since then, he’s all the time been extremely gracious and good to me. I respect the person to no finish, and it was a cool second watching him leap over hurdle after hurdle get to the proverbial promised land of the UFC bantamweight division.

Having mentioned that, Dvalishvili, perceptually, might have the worst two months of a title run in UFC historical past.

The MMA group needs to see if Umar Nurmagomedov is the dude at 135, and the overwhelming majority need to see him struggle Dvalishvili for the title. In actual fact, that’s a matchup followers have been calling on On To the Subsequent One since he nuked Raoni Barcelos practically two years in the past. The UFC CLEARLY needs the struggle, as a result of after Dvalishvili beat Sean O’Malley, Nurmagomedov was sitting cageside and when requested about giving the followers the struggle they need, Dvalishvili put over Dana White — who by the best way, has been publicly blasting him for years. Though it appeared dangerous, I considerably understood the no-sell.

However since then, it’s been, “Umar doesn’t deserve this,” and, “Sean O’Malley deserves a rematch” (he doesn’t), and if “Deiveson Figueiredo beats Petr Yan, he ought to get the shot” (didn’t completely disagree with that, however nonetheless would’ve favored Umar), to the man he completely ran over for 25 minutes 18 months in the past, he ought to get the shot. Don’t get me improper, Petr Yan is superior, however he’s 2-3 in his previous 5 fights, and his wins are towards our No. 15 and No. 7 ranked fighters. Nice wins, however not sufficient to get a rematch and a title shot.

There’s just one man that is sensible. It’s not O’Malley and it’s not Yan. To cite the nice Jed Meshew, Umar is coming, and Dvalishvili ought to embrace this problem to no finish. Additionally, going with the, “If the UFC needs me to struggle Umar, I’ll” mentality isn’t what followers need to see or hear from a fighter who scratched and clawed to a title shot, a championship win in a struggle that didn’t knock any socks off, and who has but to defend the belt. I, by no means, am accusing Dvalisvili of being “scared” to struggle Nurmagomedov, he’s simply doing the exact opposite of prize preventing.

Let’s simply take this newest instance as exhibit Q.

If this finally is a piece, or a troll job, please cease! Go struggle Umar, and if you happen to beat him, if he really has overachieved as you’ve led us all to consider, then show your self proper. Then, name for O’Malley, or Yan, or whoever you need. Simply please, please, please, pump the brakes on this complete factor. It’s not working. – Mike Heck

Factor You Are Most Grateful For

Max Holloway

They only don’t construct them like Max Holloway a lot anymore and that’s why he deserves all of the reward for his loopy 12 months in 2024.

A consummate skilled inside and outdoors the cage, Holloway constructed his recognition by way of sheer will energy as one of the vital thrilling and harsh fighters on all the UFC roster whereas staying out of destructive headlines. Holloway is simply an extremely likable man, who all the time goes on the market and fights his ass off whereas oftentimes taking up challenges that appear virtually too formidable to sort out. Keep in mind the time he volunteered to struggle Khabib Nurmagomedov on quick discover? Yeah, Holloway is simply that dude.

This 12 months was full of the very best of highs and arguably the bottom of lows while you have a look at Holloway’s document. At UFC 300, Holloway gave the game what I’ve known as the only most beautiful second within the historical past of the game when he pointed to the bottom with simply seconds remaining in his struggle towards Justin Gaethje after which he unloaded a shot proper earlier than time expired that face-planted the previous interim light-weight champion. It’s a spotlight for the ages and one that can virtually undoubtedly lead or end the reel when Holloway is inevitably inducted into the UFC Corridor of Fame.

However his return a number of months later didn’t go his manner when Holloway suffered the primary knockout lack of his profession after falling to Ilia Topuria with the featherweight title on the road. That struggle successfully ended Holloway’s profession at featherweight as a result of he knew getting again to the championship would take an entire lot of time that frankly he simply doesn’t have proper now. Nonetheless, Holloway’s need to leap into the hearth towards a younger, hungry champion like Topuria was precisely why all people adores this man. And he was giving nearly as good as he was getting proper as much as the ultimate blow.

Now he’s undoubtedly going to return to light-weight the place Holloway continues to be ranked among the many greatest within the sport and he’ll virtually definitely give us one other struggle for the ages when he returns in 2025. Holloway is particular and it may possibly’t be overstated sufficient simply how a lot he means to the game as a result of he can’t struggle ceaselessly and we’re going to overlook him fiercely when he’s gone. – Martin

Alex Pereira

UFC mild heavyweight champion Alex Pereira sits on the head of the desk, as a result of what this man continues to do for the UFC and — far more importantly — the followers of this nice sport ought to be celebrated.

“Poatan” won’t be my Fighter of the Yr in 2024. That distinction will go to Ilia Topuria, but when there’s a class for the UFC and MMA’s MVP, Pereira ought to win that one unanimously. The person stepped in to save lots of UFC 300 and created among the best moments of the 12 months when he booped Jamahal Hill in the principle occasion. He, once more, saved the promotion’s annual Worldwide Battle Week card to face Jiri Prochazka in a rematch at UFC 303, and once more, booping occured — this time with an unbelievable head kick.

Then, Pereira did it once more at UFC 307, saving a fairly tough pay-per-view slate to face Khalil Rountree, and regardless of the accidents, the considerably damaged down physique, the mileage he had amassed this 12 months, journey points, and so on., Pereira had a banger of a struggle with Rountree, overcame adversity, and placed on one of the vital vicious round-long beatdowns you’ll ever see within the fourth spherical.

I’m grateful for what Pereira has, and continues to perform, and I’ll even be grateful if he takes a well-deserved breather — as arduous as which may be for him. – Heck

UFC Class Motion Lawsuit Settlement

In mild of the vacations, we’re trying to hold issues optimistic and whereas I might spend literal days waxing on my points with the UFC and fighter pay, that’s not what this vacation is about. And whereas I’m definitely grateful for the likes of Max Holloway and Alex Pereira, what I’m actually grateful for is that this vacation season, over 1,000 fighters are going to receives a commission a giant chunk of cash.

Sure, $375 million is only a drop within the bucket for the UFC and sure, this settlement does nothing to curtail the promotion’s near-total management over the MMA market and its practices that I consider to be draconian and exploitative, however typically it’s not about that. Typically it’s nearly a whole lot of fighters who’re going through actual struggles and are in determined want of help. It’s about fighters who will see dramatic enchancment of their on a regular basis lives due to this settlement. And even for individuals who aren’t in monetary dire straits proper now, it’s about receiving slightly little bit of justice, a small order of recompense for his or her arduous work.

It’s definitely not sufficient, however even when it simply means a number of fighters that we watched put their lives on the road for our leisure get to have a barely happier holidays than they in any other case would have, I’m grateful for that. – Meshew