UFC 314 mailbag: Alexander Volkanovski as an all-time great, Paddy Pimblett rises, and Jean Silva arrives

UFC 314 is within the books, and Alexander Volkanovski is as soon as once more the UFC featherweight champion.

Volkanovski delivered a classic efficiency towards Diego Lopes on Saturday to assert the vacant featherweight title and turn out to be the primary particular person older than 35 to win a belt in a weight class under 170 kilos within the UFC.

Additionally on Saturday, Paddy Pimblett broke via to the ranks of bona fide contender by beating the brakes off of Michael Chandler, Patricio Pitbull had a forgettable UFC debut, and Jean Silva made essentially the most of his large second. So let’s discuss all of it.

Curses

“Does Volk profitable imply the 35+ curse is beginning to lose validity, or is Volk simply that particular of a fighter, or is it simply that he had a uniquely poor matchup tonight?”

Most likely some mixture of the three.

The largest cause Volkanovski gained on Saturday is that he’s an distinctive fighter. Volkanovski is without doubt one of the 10 biggest fighters to ever lace up the gloves, and Saturday was affirmation of the very fact as a result of that wasn’t peak Volkanovski. However all of the all-time greats are in a position to decide up significant wins over prime opposition even after their primes are over.

However the second greatest cause Volkanovski gained on Saturday evening is that he’s a nightmare matchup for Diego Lopes. I do know everybody loves Lopes, and he’s undeniably enjoyable, however he’s not a technical or tactical savant. Lopes wins fights by being large and harmful and a bit wild, and that isn’t a superb model to fight one of many biggest tacticians and technicians in MMA historical past. When Lopes was in a position to land, he damage Volkanovski, however he’s a far cry from Ilia Topuria in the case of footwork and depth of expertise, that means Volkanovski may merely climate the storm, and Lopes rapidly ran out of concepts. In the event that they fought 100 instances, Lopes solely wins a few them. He simply doesn’t have the requisite expertise.

As for the Over 35 Curse, it’s not a curse, it’s only a knowledge level that speaks to a reality about sports activities and preventing on the whole: it’s a younger man’s sport. The older you get, the slower you get, and when your competitors isn’t slowing down, that results in one inevitable conclusion. However for each stat, there’s an outlier, and Volkanovski is now the one right here. That’s a testomony to him, even when it needs to be famous that this title has an asterisk as a result of he didn’t beat the champ.

Information

“This efficiency by Volk was nice, however he nonetheless seems beatable, which he by no means did pre Islam Makhachev.

“Do you foresee him having two extra defenses to interrupt Aldo’s document with what you noticed tonight? Big fan of his so I hope he does.”

Initially, two title defenses don’t break Jose Aldo’s document. Aldo had 9 consecutive title defenses; Volkanovski has 5. He wants 4 extra defenses to get there. I really feel like this can be a reality folks overlook (as a result of the UFC actively tries to erase Jose Aldo’s significance for some cause), however he solely has 7 UFC title defenses as a result of the UFC didn’t have a featherweight division. However he was the champion of the WEC — which was owned by the identical folks because the UFC — earlier than then and has 9 title defenses. He is also the youngest champion in Zuffa historical past by this similar precept.

Anyway, my guess is that Volkanovski doesn’t get two extra title defenses, although it’s not inconceivable. As talked about above, I believe Lopes was a uniquely nice matchup for Volkanovski, and whereas he fought brilliantly, he nonetheless seemed lesser than earlier than. If Topuria comes again down, I’d decide him comfortably to reclaim the belt, that means Volkanovski is simply champion by the grace of Topuria, and I don’t understand how lengthy that may even final.

That being stated, Volkanovski does take pleasure in respectable matchups forward of him. It seems like Movsar Evloev will get the subsequent shot at Volkanovski, and whereas Evloev is an effective fighter, he’s not the type of offensive dynamo that makes Volkanovski’s diminished sturdiness a significant concern. And the remainder of the division is in flux, so perhaps Volk sneaks in a Yair Rodriguez rematch or one thing. I’d say it’s doable.

GOAT dialogue

“Featherweight GOAT.”

Test again later this week as we’ll do a deep dive on this subject, however the reply is easy: Jose Aldo has 9 consecutive title defenses; Volkanovski has simply over half of that. You’ll be able to assume Volkanovski is a “higher” fighter than Aldo, however he undeniably has not achieved extra as a result of only a few fighters have. If he will get two extra title defenses, we will begin having the dialog.

Diego Lopes

“Though Lopes misplaced, is his inventory larger than it’s ever been?”

No? I imply, his inventory remains to be loads excessive, however his inventory was larger when half the MMA fanbase thought he was about to be champion. Now we noticed Volkanovski take him to highschool on Saturday, and Lopes isn’t a spring hen. He’s 30 years outdated, and there’s an entire new crop of featherweights coming. Lopes can’t relaxation on his laurels proper now.

Paddy Pimblett

“Who would you prefer to see Paddy struggle subsequent? Ought to Topuria struggle a prime LW earlier than preventing for the title? (…would a Paddy/Topuria no.1 contender’s struggle make sense?)”

Earlier than UFC 314, I used to be adamant that the winner of the Pimblett vs. Chandler struggle would go on to struggle Ilia Topuria, and whereas I nonetheless assume that’s what ought to occur, I’m now uncertain it should. As a result of after Paddy’s efficiency on Saturday, it’s very doable to see him preventing for the light-weight belt at some point, and if that’s the case, then the UFC in all probability desires to play for a Topuria vs. Pimblett title struggle. So except Islam vacates to maneuver as much as welterweight, that struggle is getting held up. Which is a disgrace as a result of if I had the pen, that’s the struggle I’m making subsequent.

But when that’s off the desk, I’d prefer to see Pimblett tackle Charles Oliveira. It’s no secret that I don’t assume a lot of Michael Chandler, however the best way Pimblett demolished him made me a believer in “The Paddy” as a reputable title contender. Nearly as good as Charles Oliveira is, he didn’t run over Chandler like that of their rematch, and I’m now genuinely to see Paddy tackle Oliveira. A number of years in the past, I’d have stated that might be a sanctioned homicide, however now I’m not practically so positive.

Paddy vs. Ilia

“Am I loopy to assume that Paddy’s dimension provides Ilia issues? Clearly I nonetheless would favor Ilia in the event that they fought however Paddy manhandled Chandler who, although having the struggle iq of a brick, nonetheless seems like he’s constructed out of them.”

By no means. Once more, like with the Oliveira struggle, a number of years in the past I used to be sure that was an execution. Now, Pimblett can positively win that struggle. Topuria wasn’t an particularly large featherweight, and whereas the world has collectively determined that dimension doesn’t matter and he ought to struggle for the light-weight title, I’m right here to inform you that’s not true. Dimension isn’t the one factor that issues nevertheless it’s rattling useful in a fist struggle and Paddy might be huge in comparison with Topuria. Sure, Topuria is an elite fighter, however Pimblett has turn out to be one himself. I’d nonetheless decide Topuria, however that’s instantly a matchup I’m very excited about.

Patricio Pitbull

“Does Patricio dropping to Yair within the unanimous manner he did show that the gulf in high quality from PFL/Bellator to the UFC is bigger than anticipated or was it simply too late for him to make the transfer?”

It was simply manner, manner too late for Pitbull to come back over. Take into consideration this: Michael Chandler made the transfer over at 34 and was nonetheless previous his greatest. Pitbull is three years past that. Pitbull hasn’t been elite elite for some time. Actually, Saturday extra made me assume Yair could be previous it as nicely, given how uninspiring his efficiency was.

However no, the hole between the UFC and different promotions is actual, nevertheless it doesn’t exist on the prime finish. The hole is within the center class. The UFC has a whole bunch of nice fighters. Bellator had dozens. However the prime guys have been all all the time elite. The identical manner they have been elite in WEC and Strikeforce and Satisfaction earlier than.

Jean Silva

“Do you assume Jean Silva wants 1 or 2 rounds to take the belt from Volk? Silva will pull the set off the place Diego didn’t.”

Look, man, Alexander Volkanovski is an all-time nice and deserves our respect. However I’ve been as excessive on Jean Silva as anyone, and he’s even by some means exceeding my expectations. I genuinely thought Bryce Mitchell may bother Silva on Saturday. As an alternative, that was one of many beatdowns of the yr thus far.

I don’t assume Silva is one of the best fighter to come back from the Combating Nerds camp (Caio Borralho doubtless holds that distinction) however he’s positively my favourite, and with the featherweight division as open as it’s proper now, he has an actual probability to vault right into a title shot sooner fairly than later. And this might simply be blatant homerism for my boy “Lord,” however I believe he’d have an important shot at beating Volkanovski.

Diego Lopes wasn’t near profitable on Saturday, however he did get Volkanovski in bother a few instances and easily didn’t have the instruments to complete the drill. Not solely does Silva have these instruments, however he’s additionally higher outfitted to harm Volkanovski within the first place. Silva has a lot craftier boxing and footwork than Lopes, is far faster, and nonetheless hits like a truck. I believe Silva might be a fairly powerful matchup for Volkanovski, actually.

Nonetheless, he nonetheless has to get there, and there aren’t any cakewalks at 145. I’d decide Silva to beat most featherweights, nevertheless it wouldn’t stun me if Lerone Murphy simply out-teched him over 25 minutes. Or Evloev or Aljamain Sterling may need extra success tackling him than Mitchell did.

If I’m the UFC, Silva is taking up Arnold Allen in a title eliminator this summer time. And if he wins, Volk higher be careful, as a result of Lord is coming.

Thanks for studying and due to everybody who despatched in tweets (Xs?)! Do you could have any burning questions on issues at the least considerably associated to fight sports activities? Then you definitely’re in luck as a result of you possibly can ship your tweets to me, @JedKMeshew, and I’ll reply all the nice ones! It doesn’t matter in the event that they’re topical or insane, simply as long as they’re good. Thanks once more, and see y’all subsequent week.