T2 2024 Lightweight Division: Champion Craft
Although a 155lb title fight came to a resolution in the second tercile of 2024, many vital parts of the division remain in limbo. The division’s future is uncertain but highly anticipated.
1. FROM DIAMOND TO DUST
The first and most important fight of the division happened in the Garden State of America. The champion Islam Makhachev was to defend his title against Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier at UFC 302 in Newark, New Jersey. At this stage in his career, Islam was late into his prime and riding a 13-win streak and had 2 title defenses. Dustin Poirier on the other hand was nearing the end of his career, marked by some inactivity. During 2022 and 2023, he only had 2 fights against Michael Chandler and Justin Gaethje. In March 2024, he rebounded from his highlight reel loss to Gaethje by defeating Benoit Saint-Denis.
Normally, the rightful challenger to the belt would have been Gaethje in the first half of 2024 and the winner of Tsarukyan vs Oliveira in the second of 2024. The UFC had other plans in mind and intended to stack UFC 300 with highly sought after fights for short-term gain but potential long-term harm. This event included the official LW title eliminator between Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan. Gaethje risked his title shot for nothing as Holloway would soundly beat him and return to his own division. When Tsarukyan was unable to make the call to face the champion with 6 weeks preparation, the title shot went to Poirier by default. Having just 1 win since his last loss and being less deserving than 4 other LWs, this fight was projected to be a quash match for the #1 P4P champion. Another chance for an elite grappler to dominate the Diamond. This would turn out to be far from reality.
The wrestling of Islam Makhachev proved to be too much for Poirier throughout the fight. It only took a few seconds to get the first takedown.
Early in the fight, the P4P number 1 fighter made clear why he held such a status. In the opening seconds, a high-crotch and inside trip secure the first takedown of the fight. Poirier does not escape until the fighters are reset by the round ending horn. After the opening round, Makhachev found great success with his wrestling along the cage. The high single leg and body lock also scored takedowns while along the fence. Even in stalemate positions, Poirier found it difficult to generate any offense with his back towards the fence as Islam drove his head into the chest or hip of the Diamond. A notable sequence of events along the fence ended with enough pressure to shred Poirier’s left knee towards the end of round 4.
One of Makhachev’s most effective techniques of passing the opponent’s guard is using the threat of the Kimura to pass to side mount or the back mount.
The opening round also demonstrated the champion’s Kimura half-guard pass. By threatening with the double wrist lock grip, Makhachev was able to bypass Poirier’s defense and fully pass guard to the side mount. From there, he maintained the Kimura grip and completed a back mount entry.
Attempts along the cage didn’t need to be successful. In round 3, Poirier’s posture is systematically broken down until a hook initiated the back mount entry.
While Poirier had some success defending takedowns along the fence, Makhachev was still able to succeed in finding back mount entries without scoring official takedowns. The Diamond’s posture was systematically broken with an initial leg hook and inside wrist control. Within the first 3 rounds, Islam Makhachev worked himself towards the back mount twice.
The back mount was an important position during rounds 1 and 3. The two fighters settled in the belly-up position which made finding a finish more difficult because Poirier could dedicated both hands and his chin to stop Makhachev’s attacks.
From the back mount, Makhachev’s intentions were clear. Heading into the fight, he promised a spectacular showing that would conclude within the first 2 rounds. Watching the techniques of his back mount, his ideal conclusion to this tune-up title defense appears to be an armbar submission from the back mount. Poirier showed responsible defense from the champion’s attacks while suffocating in the back triangle. The champion showed new tricks in the back mount, including potential rear naked chokes that look like back mount entries. When the Kimura or armbar was denied, Islam looked to land elbows to the side of the head instead. Makhachev’s back mount showed improvement compared to the last time it was seen in round 4 against Volkanovski, but it didn’t manifest a finish as was intended.
Islam Makhachev holds an aptitude for his skillset in the clinch. Poirier proved to be well prepared as he defending and attacked well while controlled by the champion’s collar ties.
Another important frontier of the fight was the clinch. Poirier held his own while in the clinch and even split the champion’s face open with an elbow late into the 4th round. The champion made work with collar ties but was unable to even attempt a single trip or connect his hands for a rear body lock while in open space. Knees at times ravaged Poirier body but Poirier’s elbows upstairs were the most impactful shots within the clinch. Poirier’s alternating hooks to the ribs also appeared but the broken posture from to Islam’s collar ties prevented them from being too impactful.
One of the most surprising parts of the champion’s showing was his ever improving MMA boxing. Despite the southpaw vs southpaw matchup, Makhachev proved that he could at least compete in Poirier’s domain.
A notable dynamic of this fight was the southpaw vs southpaw stance of the challenger and champion. Poirier is one of the best boxers and strikers in MMA and had significant experience in the closed stance matchup. Islam Makhachev’s boxing showed substantial improvement over the years and peaked at UFC 302. The champion had an affinity for being a sharp and accurate counterpuncher, but this title fight became an opportunity to demonstrate how far his ability to lead the dance has reached. Combination work of 3 to 4 punches commonly landed to great effect on the challenger. The more sophisticated combos also worked as more reliable entries into the clinch, where Makhachev has repeatedly shown a great aptitude for.
Poirier had a difficult time getting the spacing of the fight. Makhachev often seems to be just outside punching or kicking range.
While the fight often stayed at range, Poirier found it difficult to land shots on the champion. It often seemed like the target was just out of range for the challenger but not the champion. Distance management kept the kickboxing and boxing battle in favour of Makhachev.
Less than 30 seconds into the 3rd round, an accidental headbutt breaks Poirier’s nose and significant adversity would pile up.
The full story of the fight cannot be said without exploring the status of both fighters. It was later revealed that Dustin Poirier injured his rib in sparring and missed a week’s worth of training. While Makhachev did win the opening 2 rounds on the scorecards, a nasty clash of heads in the opening of round 3 left Poirier with a broken nose. It’s impossible to say how much this negatively affected him but it was definitely a factor in the fight. Makhachev himself also had a staph infection entering this fight but claimed that it needn’t antibiotics and that it didn’t affect his performance on that June 1st night.
Being one of the best MMA boxers himself, Poirier found pockets of success within the pocket. The highlight of his success saw a clean 1-1-2.
The common sentiment entering this fight was that the +360 underdog Dustin Poirier was quash match for the champion and we’d see him lose his 3rd title fight. Unlike his previous 2 showings however, Dustin Poirier held his own in many ways. At range, he wasn’t deterred by the threat of Father’s Plan and attempted to crowd the champion throughout the fight. As early as round 2, he was able to avoid the cage grappling by controlling the center and marching down the champion. His best work in the entire fight arrived in the 5th with a 1-1-2 combo round behind the ear of Makhachev but to no avail – a strong contrast to speculation of the champion’s potentially weak chin.
If you needed any more proof that Islam is not on Khabib’s level, Poirier was able to escape full mount and completed the switch that didn’t work against Khabib.
Poirier also escaped difficult grappling positions unlike his title fights against Nurmagomedov and Oliviera. When Makhachev obtained the full mount in round 3, Poirier pushed off the cage to escape and end up on top. A notable grappling exchange in round 4 showed another contrast between Makhachev and his mentor Khabib. Poirier attempted a switch against Khabib in 2019 but couldn’t come close to completing it. Makhachev on the other hand conceded the switch and reinforced the perception that he was not on Khabib’s level. Ignoring this trivial comparison however, the central theme of Poirier’s defensive grappling against Makhachev vs against Khabib & Oliviera is that Poirier didn’t show lapses in judgement. His mistakes were very few and he’s finally flipped the switch and not mentally implode against elite grapplers.
The biggest pitfall of Makhachev’s performance was the open space wrestling. Despite significant regression in his athleticism, Dustin Poirier was able to fend off these off-the-fence attempts.
While both Makhachev and Poirier had a fantastic showing in their fight, the most prominent pitfall between the two fighters was Makhachev’s open space shots. His ability to complete shots in the open were much less compared to attempts along the fence. These attempts were subpar and primarily a poor reflection of the champion.
Even within this pitfall, the champion showed creativity and manifested a D’Arce choke finish by transitioning from the single leg to the front head lock.
Although he failed his open space shots beforehand, Makhachev adjusted his final takedown attempt that was initiated in open space. Instead of continuing the run through with the single leg, he swung Poirier’s leg around like a golf club and secured the front headlock position. From there, a guillotine choke is converted into a D’Arce choke with a modified grip. Poirier goes to sleep just as he taps out in the 5th round. A mismatch turned into one of the best MMA title fights of 2024 and Poirier’s best showing within a title fight well past his prime.
Islam Makhachev tied the UFC 155lb title defense record at 3 with Benson Henderson and Khabib. His next opponent is expected to be the deeply talented and hyperathletic Arman Tsarukyan but the date is not finalized. In the fight, Makhachev injured his hand and will be sidelined for some time.
In the following weeks, Poirier showed interest in ending his career with just one more fight. The potential opponent for this legacy fight could be Gaethje, McGregor, Holloway, or even Nate Diaz. Regardless of who, Poirier will end his career as one of the best MMA fighters to never win a UFC title. 3 losses in 3 attempts don’t capture the immense accomplishments he’s realized in the sport. It should go without saying that Diamonds don’t need gold to shine.
2. LIVERPOOL’S GOT TALENT
It can be difficult for fans to determine whether the UFC’s latest UK cash cow is a genuine talent or a protected hype job. This was the case for Paddy Pimblett until his fights against Jared Gordon and the animated corpse of Tony Ferguson. Despite affirmation of Paddy not being a top fighter, there was still the possibility of working his way towards a ranking with careful matchmaking. This opportunity arose against the #15 ranked Bobby Green at UFC 304.
Paddy Pimblett showed a mature awareness of his strengths and weaknesses with respect to his opponent. Knowing he cannot reliably win in the pocket, he stays outside kicking range and attempts to outkick Green.
In a fight that lasted only 3 minutes, Paddy demonstrated a thoughtful and effective strategy against Bobby Green. Knowing that he isn’t as good of a boxer, Paddy chose to remain on the edge of kicking range and pick Green apart with kicks, mostly targeting the thighs. By operating at this range, he didn’t have to worry about having his head boxed off.
One of these kicks eventually knocked Green to one leg and led to a showcase of Pimblett’s excellent chain submissions that ended with a successful triangle armbar.
One of these low kicks eventually knocked Bobby Green off balance and placed him in a position where he was primed to shoot for a takedown and into Paddy’s spider web. If there’s one part of MMA that Paddy excels at, it’s trap guarding. Because of how effective his guard is, he had no worry of having his kicks being caught and taken down. The grappling sequence that ended the fight began with a guillotine choke that smoothly transitioned to a triangle choke. From the triangle choke, key adjustments were made to secure the win. Paddy used the threat of the triangle armbar to tighten the triangle choke and tightened the grip with left hand while underhook Green’s near leg using his right arm. Green chose to tap as his back rolled to the canvas and Paddy hyperextends his arm to force a referee stoppage.
Paddy later reminded his doubters of his brand-new status as a ranked LW before calling out Renato Moicano. Despite being on the right side of age 30, Paddy’s body has a lot of mileage on it and it’s unlikely that he will make it far into the division. With that being said, his future opponents will almost certainly be among the division’s top 15.
3. THE UNRANKED PURGATORY
Prior to UFC on ABC 7 in Abu Dhabi, an interesting article covered Jai Herbert’s career in anticipation for his upcoming fight. Within the article, an insightful observation:
The lightweight division is like quicksand: Move too quickly or erratically, and it will swallow you whole.
The Georgian Viking Guram Kutatelatze finds himself in a similarity difficult but dynamically different situation in the unranked purgatory of his division. Unlike Herbert, Guram’s setback is primarily due to inactivity caused by repeated injuries. His losses to Ismagulov and Brener also kept his career at a standstill when he doesn’t have much time he can afford to waste. His original opponent at Abu Dhabi was meant to the perplexing but fragile Kareem Al-Selwady. An injury would force the foe out and a new signee, Jordan Vucenic from the Cage Warriors promotion, would step in.
Notable for his kicks from the lead leg, Guram elected to not throw many in this fight to reduce openings.
The lesser known Vucenic showed blinding speed in his basic boxing. This quickness caught Kutateladze by surprise and scores a round 1 knockdown.
Normally competing in 145lb division, Guram’s late replacement foe proved to be faster as he showed quick hands. From the closed orthodox stance, Vucenic’s jab, cross, and jab-hook combo initially flustered Guram. Towards the middle of round 1, a shifting right cross dropped Kutateladze as Vucenic staying on his downed foe. Despite the quickness of the events, Guram successfully recollected himself and demonstrated effective post breaking with the rubber guard and shoulder crunch to survive round 1.
In fighting, speed isn’t enough at the highest level. Guram’s solid fundamentals in blocking kept him safe from Vucenic’s predictable attacks and in better position to counter.
To overcome the speed advantage, Guram made lesser use of lead round kicks from previous fights and instead relied on fundamental blocks with a high guard and complementary rolls. These defensive fundamentals better positioned him to counter Vucenic’s quick but also predictable straights and 2-punch combinations.
Guram’s deep understanding of the clinch also gave him another tactical edge against Vucenic.
The clinch was also a battle of great interest for the Georgian Viking. Showing a high level clinch game from his previous fights, Guram re-demonstrated. He showed great positioning within the clinch. A persistent assault of knees in the clinch also followed even when pressed against the cage. A trip and an elbow to break the clinch was also shown.
Vucenic found it difficult to get the fight to the ground against Guram’s strong defensive wrestling.
Because Vucenic is a grappler first and foremost, the grappling sequences were anticipated. Guram’s takedown defense proved to be too sound for Vucenic’s entries. While pressed against the cage, Kutateladze demonstrated the effective use of the overhook to never settle in compromised position. Even when Vucenic was able to peel Guram from the cage and seek a back mount entry, Guram’s quadpod slid the foe right onto his back and with Guram on top.
In his most impressive highlight, Guram completes a creative back take in round 3 using the fence.
It was Kutatelatze who caught the most attention with his unique back mount entry of round 3. Initially too high on the back with double underhooks, Guram pushed off the cage to creatively establish the back mount and effectively steal the round and the fight.
Regardless how decisively he won, this fight was an unknown risk & low reward matchup. If Guram can stay healthy and active, it’s possible for him to finally rise to the status of top 15 in a division that is unforgiving like no other. At the age of 32, it’s now or never for this to happen for Guram Kutateladze. Vucenic’s future and the division he will continue competing in isn’t fully known. Unlike Jean Silva, Vucenic did not look small in the cage when paired against his 155lber opponent. More likely than not, he will compete in FW.
4. WHEN VIOLENCE MEETS PATIENCE
On that same evening in Abu Dhabi, another important LW fight occurred in the realm of the unranked. The 190 cm tall Spaniard Joel Alvarez faced Chute Boxe prospect Elves Brener. Having 34 finishes between their 20-3 and 16-4 records, this matchup proved to be remarkably violent. Alvarez was originally linked to a fight against Ludovit Klein and Mateusz Rebecki but was forced out due to visa issues. Being much less stringent on travel, Abu Dhabi was an opportunity for Alvarez to compete in the octagon after a 12-month layoff.
Since he was the shorter fighter, Brener attempted outfighting Alvarez with low kicks.
Being a Chute Boxe member, Brener was prepared as the shorter fighter and often lead with kicks against Alvarez. The legs were common targets, especially while Brener was in the southpaw stance. The round kick to the body was also a common option used by Brener. Despite the longer range afforded by these kicks, Brener was unable keep the initiative and allowed Alvarez to lead the dance.
Unlike previous fights, Alvarez did not concede takedowns and showed a willingness to remain upright rather than play the trap guard game.
One aspect of Alvarez’s game that showed notable improvement was his takedown defense. In previous fights, Alvarez inherited a Carlos Condit state of mind. Instead of even attempting to fend off takedowns, concede it and attempt a guillotine choke or work with a trap guard to sweep, elbow, or submit the foe. Although not a talented wrestler, Brener is a persistent offensive grappler and has shown how to secure takedowns with body locks against Guram Kutatelatze. Against incoming body lock takedowns, Alvarez kept his chest perpendicular to Brener and made great use of whizzer kicks to stop the incoming attempts.
Alvarez employed a sophisticated strategy while on the lead and severely limited what Brener could do.
The oppressive lead of Joel Alvarez in this fight is a tale itself. Because Brener conceded the backfoot, Alvarez controlled the center of the octagon and maintained the initiative of the fight. While cutting off the octagon, Alvarez intertwined specific techniques to keep Brener stuck on the cage where he can strike at a comfortable pace for himself.
Left hooks to the head and the body cut off or at least discouraged exits to Brener’s left
Teeps and right crosses kept Brener’s back to the cage and discouraged forwards movement
Right low kick and high kicks hampered exits to Brener’s right
The dynamic of this strategy made it very taxing for Brener and easy for Alvarez as the latter was able to compete at a comfortable pace. These leads weren’t potshots either as the impact of these shots were often visible.
Earning every one of his wins by finish, the end of round 1 made it clear why.
Conceding the backfoot against Alvarez could be mistaken for a strategic error rather than a forced necessity. Alvarez possesses a dangerous clinch game that often punishes foes who get too close. Within the clinch, Alvarez has a distinct aptitude for elbows and knees and overwhelmed Thiago Moises in their 2021 fight. Often being the taller man, the standing guillotine choke is also an available technique and was briefly shown in round 1. Being so long limbed, he also attempted to work a standing back mount entry against Brener. Alvarez established clear dangers early in the fight to force Brener on the backfoot.
Like many other tall men in combat sports, Alvarez showed significant limitations in defending himself against a swarming opponent.
The most success that Brener had with his punches was during blitzes off of the cage. Being a tall fighter, Alvarez had the habits of one and often leaned back to avoid incoming punches. Brener was unable to hurt or capitalize with these blitzes but it highlighted a serious potential weakness for Alvarez.
Alvarez keyed in on Brener’s blitzes with heavy counters.
Despite falling into the habit of “tall man defense”, Alvarez also keyed in on these blitzes and countered with straights and hooks as Brener entered in. This further discouraged Brener from moving forwards and made those lunging punches more predictable.
One of these counters - an uppercut - was enough for Alvarez to capitalize on the hurt foe and finishing them with a barrage of knees in the clinch and ground n pound.
In one of these blitzes late into the 3rd round, Alvarez landed an uppercut that marked the closing of the fight. Recognizing the big moment, Alvarez showed no change in his demeanor as he moved into the clinch to land a relentless assault of knees. Unable to defend himself after going down, Brener shells up and the fight is stopped.
Within Alvarez’s approach to MMA, violence meets patience. Violence by itself doesn’t lead to consistent finishes. Once patience is applied to his game, Alvarez manifested a finish. His now 6-2 UFC record is marked by inactivity caused primarily by visa issues. During his post-fight interview, he called out Bobby Green for a fight and is intent on maintaining a consistent level of activity in hopes of becoming ranked.
5. GAMROT’S GAMBIT
In August 2024, the #5 LW Mateusz “Gamer” Gamrot faced the dilemma of staying active but needing to do it against an opponent outside of the top 5. The big names within the top 5 were either unwilling or unable to give Gamrot an opportunity for a potential title eliminator. Instead, he gave Dan Hooker an opportunity to fight for his top 5 ranking. This fight would be booked just 3 weeks beforehand at UFC 305 in Perth Australia.
Gamrot had important questions surrounding himself upon entering this fight. Not only was it a high-risk and low-reward matchup, but it was also preceded by poor and bizarre performances. Since getting soundly beating by Beneil Dariush in Oct 2022, the Gamer picked up 3 wins in a row that all carried the central theme of being underwhelming. Despite a slow upward mobility towards a potential title shot, his wins became less and less impressive. Dan Hooker on the other hand also maintained modest 2-win streak with the most recent being over a year ago against Jalin Turner. The matchup dynamic, long ranged kickboxer vs wrestler, had intrigue to it, especially with Hooker’s alleged anti-wrestling.
Dan Hooker’s intentions were clear from the beginning of the fight. A pressure outfighting gameplan from both stances.
Dan Hooker’s approach was immediately visible as the fight started. Rangefinding was his initial objective and keeping Gamrot as far away as possible. From both the orthodox and southpaw stance, Hooker probed with his hands to find the range and draw potential reactions out of the foe. Being most comfortable at kicking range, Hooker often looked for roundhouse kicks after measuring his distance.
Hooker made the most of his length with teeps to the body. These teeps doubled down as cardio taxing shots that limited Gamrot’s wrestling entries.
Another technique that Hooker used to great effects was teeps towards Gamrot’s midsection. These shots often found their mark and kept Gamrot at the end of kicking range. Not only were they harder to catch, but they significantly taxed the wrestler’s cardio as the space was conceded. The cardio factor of both men was a question for concern as the West Australia Athletic Commission had reduced hydration times for MMA fights. Instead of the normal 40 hours of rehydration after weigh-ins, it was only 28.
A significant improvement from Gamrot that was shown was his combination boxing.
One notable area of improvement in Gamrot’s approach to MMA was his improved boxing. It was on full display in round 1 as he showed off great distance management. Jabs and crosses were thrown in the most sophisticated combinations shown to date. He was particularity effective when countering Hooker’s reckless entries into the pocket. One of the intercepting southpaw jabs from round 1 dropped Hooker to one knee. Some of the pocket exchanges even ended with Gamrot pivoting off of a hook.
Gamrot also demonstrated good ground and pound and a better controlling game while on top.
His grappling appeared with some minor improvements as well. His first notable exchange showed more persistent ground n pound with alternating hooks as Hooker shelled up in round 1. Some of Hooker’s kicks became takedown entries for Gamrot. During round 2, he demonstrated decent guard passing and some semblance of top game while in the side mount. From there, some heavy knees barrowed into Dan Hooker’s ribcage.
A knockdown for Hooker in round 1 turned the tides of the fight early on. Gamrot’s ability to instantly recover from big shots were nowhere to be seen.
As promising as some of these exchanges were for Gamrot, Hooker relentless swarming to get one back often kept him just arm’s reach away. With just 60 seconds remaining in round 1, Hooker lands a strong left hook to the temple and drops Gamrot, prompting a weak takedown attempt. When getting back to his feet, it was clear that Gamrot was not recovered from the blow – an uncharacteristic visual compared to his instantaneous recoveries from knockdowns of previous fights. The final minute of the opening round saw Gamrot’s dominant work erased and Hooker stealing the round on the scorecards.
Despite these improvements, Gamrot’s shortcomings remained apparent. His relentless grappling had no proper solution to his poor top control, especially along the fence.
While Gamrot improved his boxing like Makhachev did, his boxing did not fit into his game. It was a separate entity from his wrestling and didn’t improve his chances of beating opponents that he’s previously struggled with. Despite spending extensive time preparing at American Top Team, Gamrot showed no answer to Dan Hooker’s use of the fence to return to his feet. ATT had a strong affiliation for “wallwalking” and Gamrot showed a lack of evolution in the parts of his game that actually matter.
Dan Hooker demonstrated strong defensive wrestling and anti-wrestling thanks to his guillotine choke and sprawls.
Dan Hooker isn’t considered a premiere MMA antiwrestler, but he showed an intelligent approach to punishing Gamrot’s relentless pursuit of takedowns. The guillotine choke and ninja choke deterred one attempt each. A strong balance is also demonstrated while Gamrot attempted a treetop single leg. While along the cage or completely sprawled on, Hooker rained down heavy elbows to the side of the head and the ribcage, inflicting substantial damage as Gamrot hung on and generated no offence.
Hooker also demonstrated his grit as a longtime veteran of the sport in the final round.
During round 3, when both fighters were fatigued, Hooker demonstrated what Gamrot couldn’t. Grit. At 34 years of age and 15 years into his pro career, Dan Hooker has developed a reputation over time for being too tough for his own good. Since 2018 – a horrific kickfest from Barboza, a war against Poirier, a death-cut back to 145lbs, and broken bones against Turner. With both rounds 1 and 2 being in the air, Hooker stuck to Gamrot and swarmed with left and right hook combinations. Gamrot’s improved boxing imploded as he had little control on when these exchanges began or ended. Often getting the better of these exchanges, he decisively takes the 3rd round and earns his second split decision victory in a row.
More than 4 years after his initial entry into the top 5 rankings, Dan Hooker found himself back to where he was in mid-2020. Hooker recently claimed to have taken his profession much more seriously than he did a few years ago. It’s impossible to fully know how much of these is sincere and how much is coping with his many shortcomings against his elite opponents. Most likely, Hooker has made some serious improvement to his approach to MMA but at an age where is athleticism has declined since 2020. What’s next for the Hangman is open for speculation. Another top 5 opponent, a Conor McGregor payday, or a ‘BMF’ title fight. The options are opens for the Auckland native.
Gamrot on the other hand took a big Gambit in more than one way. He faced a high-risk low-reward opponent and lost his top 5 ranking. Although he showed improved boxing, it doesn’t fit anywhere in his wrestling approach to MMA. No jab feints to single legs nor casting punches to clinch entries, just longer 1-2 combos. He remains one of the most frustrating fighters in MMA today. A fighter who had dozens of paths to improving himself in important areas but choosing none that actually matter. Being as old as Hooker, the title aspirations of this once prospect are gone.
6. IN PURSUIT OF MAKHACHEV
In the previous summary of the 155lb division, it was uncertain how the division would resolve. Since then, the title picture has become even more unclear. There’s an obvious title fight to make – Makhachev vs Tsarukyan 2 – but a hand injury has forced October and November as possible dates off the table. With the days passing by, the need for surgery becomes greater and the champion’s next fight could even warrant an interim title fight.
What happens in 2025 will depend entirely on how the matchmakers pair the division’s top 6. Big fight news is anticipated for Oliveira, Poirier, and Chandler. Given historical trends, there will likely be 1 or 2 fights between the top 6 and probably rematches, continuing to restrict prospects’ ability to compete against top 5 opponents. Until next time… shine bright tonight.