'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
UFC 240 is in the books and to call it a letdown would be an understatement in my opinion. It was perhaps the worst pay-per-view main card of 2019 thus far – UFC 234 had less fanfare coming in but at least that show had some hot finishes. This one just felt like it dragged from start to finish.
Still, there were some positives to go along with the negatives. I just wish the UFC would really look at what they’re giving their fans on what should be their biggest shows, and consider more carefully some of their choices when it comes to that. This was a show that cost fans in the US and Canada upwards of $50. Was it really worth that much?
Here are the best and worst moments from UFC 240.
#1 Best: Holloway keeps on rolling
After his attempt to become a double champ in April ended unsuccessfully when he lost to Dustin Poirier, there were some fears that his wild fighting style and his pretty hectic schedule over the past few years would catch up to Max Holloway when he made his way back to 145lbs. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case last night.
Sure, it wasn’t his best performance – this was the least stirring fight from the Hawaiian since probably his 2015 win over Jeremy Stephens – but for the most part Holloway stuck to a gameplan of striking from distance and avoiding takedowns and picked challenger Frankie Edgar apart. His jab and his right uppercut were the most consistent weapons he had, and outside of some good leg kicks, Edgar didn’t really have much of an answer.
The New Jersey native’s toughness kept him in the fight throughout – Holloway never came close to a finish – but thankfully the judges saw it as a clear-cut win for Holloway, who retained his UFC Featherweight title. I say thankfully as I lived through the awful period of seemingly endless Edgar rematches at 155lbs from 2010 to 2012!
At any rate, Holloway should theoretically move on now to face Alexander Volkanovski – a nuanced striker who’s equally adept on the ground, and who has a winning streak to rival Holloway’s thanks to his recent victories over Jose Aldo and Chad Mendes. Hopefully that fight will be better than last nights, but regardless, it was a good thing for the division, and the UFC in general, that Holloway came out on top.
#1 Worst: Joe Rogan’s commentary
I’ll preface this by saying I have a ton of respect for Joe Rogan as a UFC commentator; he’s been doing the job for a long time, essentially the best part of 20 years, and he almost always brings knowledge, enthusiasm and fun into the booth. Unfortunately though, last night saw him displaying what has always been his biggest flaw – an attempt to force a pre-conceived narrative into the fights – on numerous occasion, and without another colour man like Dominick Cruz or Paul Felder alongside him and Jon Anik, it was jarring.
Sure, it was true that all the movement from Yoshinori Horie had the Japanese newcomer tired out midway through his prelim bout with Hakeem Dawodu, but to try to claim Viviane Araujo was exhausted midway through her fight with Alexis Davis – a fight she clearly won – was crazy. Crazier still was his attempt to push the narrative that Cris Cyborg was gassed after the first round of her fight with Felicia Spencer.
Speaking of the Cyborg fight, it was a largely one-sided one in favour of the Brazilian, with Spencer’s sheer toughness keeping her alive – but listening to Rogan would’ve had you believe that the Canadian was close to pulling off what would’ve been a hell of an upset. The same could almost be said for Frankie Edgar’s performance in the main event – it wasn’t a close fight but Rogan made it out to be.
Don’t get me wrong – I think Rogan should always be a staple of UFC commentary and I wouldn’t want him to go the same way as Mike Goldberg – but perhaps the UFC brass should always go with a three-man booth now in order to curb some of his more questionable calls.
#2 Best: Geoff Neal is a man to watch at 170lbs
Coming into UFC 240 Geoff Neal had been on a roll in the UFC, going 3-0 after submitting Brian Camozzi, knocking out Frank Camacho and picking apart the tough Belal Muhammad for a decision. But we hadn’t seen him in deeper waters and for all his potential, there was every chance that the wild Niko Price – an insanely aggressive opponent who hadn’t gone the distance in 8 Octagon appearances – could drown him there.
That wasn’t the case, though. Neal looked to be the sharper striker last night from the off and outside of getting hurt by what looked like a clash of heads, he kept his cool, didn’t let Price draw him into a brawl, and ended up finishing him off with some brutal ground strikes in the second round. On a disappointing night of action, this was maybe the high point on the main card in particular.
With a name like Price now under his belt it’s clear that Neal – who emerged from Dana White’s Contender Series – is a man to watch at 170lbs. He’s got all the tools to succeed at the top and I think the UFC should give him the push to match. Surely a top 15 opponent must be next for him.
#2 Worst: The opener between Barriault and Jotko
I can’t be alone in saying that I hated the opening fight on the main card last night between Marc-Andre Barriault and Krzysztof Jotko. Not only was the fight fought at a pretty slow pace, but neither man really came close to a finish, there was way too much clinching, and both men appeared to be gassed when all was said and done.
I won’t agree with those who felt Barriault did enough to win – I thought Jotko’s cage control clearly warranted him getting the nod – but I will agree with those fans questioning why this fight was on the main card of a pay-per-view, especially when neither man’s been putting on barnburners recently and exciting talent like Viviane Araujo, Hakeem Dawodu and Deiveson Figueiredo were left on the prelims.
If the UFC want to charge fans massive amounts for their pay-per-views – and bring in big buyrates despite limiting their audience due to their agreement with the ESPN+ streaming service – then surely they must look to put on stronger main cards than last night’s. And keeping fights that don’t sound like great ones on paper like Jotko vs. Barriault on the prelims would be a starting point.
#3 Best: Flyweight is back with a bang
After all the commotion at the start of 2019 that suggested the UFC was ready to can the Flyweight division altogether, things seem to have swung the other way recently. Some of the released talent – Brandon Moreno, for instance – has been re-signed and the UFC suddenly seems more willing to shine a light on the men’s 125lbs division again.
Last night’s prelim fight between Deiveson Figueiredo and Alexandre Pantoja showed exactly why that’s a great move by the promotion. I felt the fight was clearly the best of the entire card, with both men leaving everything in the cage and putting on some exciting sequences both on the ground and on the feet. In the end, Figueiredo got his hand raised, but Pantoja hung tough and both men likely have bright futures ahead of them.
With other exciting talents like Jussier Formiga, Joseph Benavidez and Kai Kara-France still kicking around, hopefully the Flyweight division can grow past its recent problems. If champ Henry Cejudo is willing to defend his belt at 125lbs that’d make things even better. Fingers crossed it happens – and the UFC can then expand the Flyweight roster past the current 13 fighters they have under contract.
