Tag: Mike Beltran

video review : Conor McGregor versus Max Holloway at UFC 329

video review : Conor McGregor versus Max Holloway at UFC 329

This is quite literally no contest, but MMA rules insist Conor McGregor limp away with another TKO loss. A self-inflicted knee injury does it at just over a minute into the first round, but perhaps the fans were spared. I rooted for him myself; I like Conor and never liked Max; but expected a beating. At least he leaves with his dignity intact.

He should definitely retire, but if he doesn’t, he should ditch the trilogy nonsense; Holloway does a cringy promotion for it in his post-fight interview; and go back to fighting Michael Chandler. It’ll be like his tune-up bout with Donald Cerrone; a chance to showcase himself against someone he actually has a good chance of defeating.

my rating : 2 of 5

2026

video review : Karol Rosa versus Luana Santos at UFC Fight Night

video review : Karol Rosa versus Luana Santos at UFC Fight Night

I’d love to trade places with Karol Rosa during the second round of this bout as Luana Santos; one of the cutest girls to ever step foot in the Octagon; lies on top of her, “chest to chest” and groin to groin, for most of it. There doesn’t seem to be a moment, in fact, in which Santos isn’t winning the fight. Rosa seems content to get dominated and who could blame her?

my rating : 4 of 5

2026

video review : UFC Freedom 250

video review : UFC Freedom 250

They should’ve called this UFC Freedom or UFC 329 to avoid people confusing it with UFC 250, but that’s its only fault. It was promoted as the biggest UFC event ever and lives up to the hype. It’s not the best, despite every bout ending in a knockout; the first five fights were a little too predictable; but the main event is an epic.

Underdog Justin Gaethje winning the championship from Ilia Topuria on an event celebrating America; props to President Trump for making this happen; couldn’t have been scripted much better. El Matador gets gored; his corner stops the fight after a doctor stoppage is overruled by Marc Goddard; as Gaethje shocks the world.

my rating : 4 of 5

2026

video review : Alexa Grasso versus Maycee Barber at UFC Fight Night

video review : Alexa Grasso versus Maycee Barber at UFC Fight Night

I was rooting for Alexa Grasso, but I didn’t want her opponent to die. That’s my concern; the first Octagon death; as Maycee Barber lies still, eyes open, after being knocked/choked out in the very first round. She stays in that position for over a minute, like an LIS patient, before finally coming back to life. It’s a beautifully dramatic ending to a fight that was just getting started.

my rating : 4 of 5

2026

video review : Reinier De Ridder versus Bo Nickal at UFC Fight Night

video review : Reinier De Ridder versus Bo Nickal at UFC Fight Night

“Hype train derailed”, Billy Goff posts on X, but it’s not a total surprise. The wheels were getting wobbly in Bo Nickal’s last two fights. Cody Brundage and Paul Craig raised questions about a potential undefeated streak. Reinier De Ridder, his toughest opponent yet, answers them here by not only stifling his prestigious wrestling but defeating him “by knockout” via knees to the midsection.

my rating : 3 of 5

2025

video review : Jiří Procházka versus Jamahal Hill at UFC 311

video review : Jiří Procházka versus Jamahal Hill at UFC 311

The Intuit Dome screen erroneously lists Jamahal Hill as having one loss at the start of this bout, but this is his third. That it comes via TKO after making excuses for his previous knockout; Alex Pereira’s bad sportsmanship after a confusing pause in action by Herb Dean was to blame; will only add more salt to his wounds; namely a swollen eye and busted nose.

Not that it isn’t a close fight. My score card actually favored Hill, despite his face telling a different tale, up until the ending sequence. That bit begins in Round 3 when he’s floored by a left/right combination he’s not able to recover from. Jiří Procházka fighting for a cancer patient in the crowd makes his victory, in contrast to Hill’s salt, that much sweeter.

my rating : 4 of 5

2025

video review : Gilbert Burns versus Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 273

video review : Gilbert Burns versus Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 273

The betting odds for this bout were so ridiculously in favor of Khamzat Chimaev; it seems most fans thought he’d “smash” Gilbert Burns in the very first round; that even given a hard-fought victory, his hype train takes a massive hit. It’s actually the loser (Burns) whose stock goes up as he makes what seemed like an unbeatable enigma look human.

Of course Chimaev deserves a lot of credit for proving himself against a top contender. Burns is number two under champion Kamaru Usman and, though this is a damn close fight, the winner of which could’ve went either way, Chimaev beats him by unanimous decision. That’s quite a feat for someone who’s relatively new to the world of UFC.

my rating : 4 of 5

2022

video review : Johnny Walker versus Nikita Krylov at UFC Fight Night

video review : Johnny Walker versus Nikita Krylov at UFC Fight Night

Nikita Krylov has an effective gameplan here. Johnny Walker has explosive knockout power, so Krylov smothers him with clinches and wrestles him down whenever possible. The problem with Walker seems to be his cardio as he starts to tire out in the first round. Easy decision victory for Krylov.

my rating : 3 of 5

2020