The UFC’s Biggest Championship Threats: Can Any Break Through The Door
The champion’s always going to be the hunted. And after three wins at UFC 265, the UFC’s biggest championship threats are ready to knock down that door. Or are they? Vicente Luque, Jose Aldo, and Ciryl Gane will all have a say in what goes down in their divisions.
Obviously Gane now holding the interim heavyweight strap has the most say, but let’s build up to him. Luque, doesn’t have your typical “ripped body” of a pro-athlete. But in MMA, it’s all about skill. And he has grown exponentially recently. He’s riding a four-fight win streak thanks in part to his closer than close friend Gilbert Burns. And while he doesn’t get the hype many others do, the fact is those four wins are all by finishes. There really is no one more blue-collar workmanlike than Luque.
But is he a threat to Kamaru Usman? Let’s see if he can first get past Colby Covington for a second time. Assuming he does, and we all know what they say about assuming; Burns knows Usman, better than even Luque does. That’ll be a key factor. Can “The Silent Assassin” withstand the drive of Usman? That’s where it’s tough to imagine that the welterweight strap makes it down to Brazil. He’ll need at least another win before he’ll get a crack at the belt. And in a bit of irony, his last two losses (Stephen Thompson, and Leon Edwards), also have the same argument. Usman hasn’t faced them either.
The Resurgent Jose Aldo
It seems Jose Aldo’s been around forever. Forget the WEC, he was a dozen fights into his career when he got THERE. And yet despite that, he’s still only 34-years-old. One can’t forget he’s had two mini-slumps, but he is focused on another title reign. Although he called out T.J. Dillashaw; which would be an insane firefight, it’s doubtful that’s next. Dillashaw will be out a while recovering from the Corey Sandhagen fight. So, unless he is willing to wait till early 2022, there has to be a different direction.
It was a good callout in that, that winner truly can claim to be number-one-contender for the 135 belt. And this version of Aldo is a lot more dangerous. He’s back to not looping his punches, and he seems quicker. But, he isn’t using the kicking game he used to. That might make one believe all those years of it has left a little too much damage on his legs. But he may not need that against Petr Yan or Aljamain Sterling; if he gets that far. And should he grab that belt, will be something to behold, as going down a weight class at an older age is nearly impossible.
UFC’s Biggest Championship Threats: The Future of the Heavyweight Division
Every once in a while, an athlete comes along and makes a quantum leap in the sport. And with Ciryl Gane, we may have it now.
The Frenchman has jumped to the head of the now top-heavy class by grabbing the interim heavyweight title. Yes, Stipe Miocic is a bad man, but he’s seven years older. And isn’t anything like Gane. People now compare “Bon Gamin” to an oversized middleweight. But what he looks like this early in his MMA career is a very, very large Georges St-Pierre. Not outstanding at one thing, but finely tuned everywhere. And what makes him the most deadly is his patience.
His lively footwork is something not seen in the division, which helps his hand speed. And his in-cage IQ is years beyond where it should be. Francis Ngannou does have the dim mak touch of death and has worked on his holes. But Gane has yet to have any holes exposed in muay-thai or MMA. He might very well be the next face of the company.
✨WINNING TEAM✨
— MMA FACTORY PARIS (@mmafactory_fr) August 9, 2021
Une fois de plus l’équipe excelle dans ce qu’elle entreprend. ?
Un nouveau trophée ? s’ajoute à ceux du MMA Factory : La ceinture intérimaire heavyweight de l’UFC. ? pic.twitter.com/ncFC7Xcw2B
Especially if he can keep the unification fight at kicking distance. But if they clinch up especially against the cage, it might be a quick night of #AndStill. And whether it’s all hype or real deal; it’s the fact. But don’t forget, Ngannou is the one who left the MMA Factory. If he admits it or not, there’s still guaranteed to be some feelings still.
