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BY ANTHONY WALKER
JUL 28, 2019
Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media.
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The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday brought UFC 240 to Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta. With it came some good, some bad and some ugly.
THE GOOD: COUNT THE BLESSINGS
Max Holloway’s unsuccessful experiment at 155 pounds almost made us forget one very important fact: He is the undisputed featherweight champion of the world. With that being said, watching Dustin Poirier put heavier hands on him while slowing down his signature pressure attacks also made it easy to completely space on the idea of Holloway being arguably the greatest featherweight of all-time. Holloway did a fantastic job of stating his case against Frankie Edgar. Looking faster and more durable than you’d expect for a 37-year-old, Edgar seemed to confuse Holloway with his movement -- until the Hawaiian got a sense for his timing and went to work. Holloway, who is always sharp offensively, appeared to be much more defensive-minded this time around and avoided the wild wars and turbulent exchanges for which he has been known at times.
THE BAD: THE BUZZING OF FLIES
Much has been made about the flyweight division lately. Ever since the writing on the wall indicated that the smallest men’s weight class would be phased out of the UFC, the calls for saving it have been loud and consistent. As soon Henry Cejudo dethroned longtime titleholder Demetrious Johnson and set his sights on the bantamweight elite, all while “Mighty Mouse” jumped ship for One Championship, it seemed clear the 125ers would go the way of the dodo bird.
With Johnson gone, Cejudo occupied and the rank-and-file fighters in the division being unceremoniously dropped from the roster, it just seemed like the wheels had turned too much to go back. Somehow, the UFC appears to be reversing course and rededicating itself to the flyweights. Beyond Cejudo’s success in sending self-proclaimed killer of the division T.J. Dillashaw packing while claiming the vacant bantamweight belt much of that change in fortune is because of fights like Deiveson Figueiredo-Alexandre Pantoja.
THE UGLY: FEATHERS FLOATING AWAY
Despite two of the greatest mixed martial artists of all-time being at the top of the heap, women’s featherweights haven’t been given much of a chance to thrive. There just simply isn’t enough of them on the UFC roster to form anything resembling a real division. Well over two years after the 145-pound weight class was officially introduced, only the champion is listed for its rankings.
Read more at https://www.sherdog.com/news/articl...he-Ugly-of-UFC-240-159235#VDPXKlA5z8PwVkY2.99
