HYDEN BLOG: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly from UFC 247

Frank Hyden MMATorch Columnist

UFC 247
Feb 8, 2020; Houston, Texas, USA; Jon Jones (red gloves) fights Dominick Reyes (blue gloves) during UFC 247 at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

UFC 247 was this past weekend and it featured two title fights, with one ending decisively and the other being controversial. Let’s get right to the rundown.


HYDEN BLOG: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly from UFC 247

UFC 247

BAD- Derrick Lewis vs. Ilir Latifi

This fight was incredibly disappointing, though it wasn’t shocking. There were flashes of action surrounded by long periods of jack squat. They got broken up or separated for inactivity several times but it wasn’t enough to save this Derrick Lewis won by decision. Moving on…

GOOD- Mirsad Bektic vs. Dan Ige

Ige won the first round while Bektic won the second. The third was close but two of the judges gave it to Ige while the third gave the nod to Bektic. Really close round but I think I would agree with that. Good win for Ige.

GOOD- Justin Tafa stops Juan Adams

Tafa poured it on and got the stoppage about two minutes into the first round. Good win for Tafa.

GOOD- Valentina Shevchenko stops Katlyn Chookagian

Shevchenko started finding success in the first round, busting Chookigian open, and she just kept on going. She beat her up on the feet and on the mat as well. She basically did whatever she wanted and ended the fight in the third round with some powerful ground-and-pound.

Shevchenko successfully defended her UFC Flyweight Championship here and it appears she’ll remain champion for a long time. She just looks so good that it’ll take a combination of someone having a great gameplan and Shevchenko herself slipping in order for her to be beaten. Things happen fast in MMA but no one is close to her right now. Good win for Shevchenko.

GOOD/BAD- Jon Jones vs. Dominick Reyes

Most people had this fight scored 48-47 for either Jones or Reyes. The deciding round appears to be round 2, as Reyes would be given rounds 1 and 3 whereas Jones would be given rounds 4 and 5. The judges gave it to Jones but reaction among the MMA world was mixed. Some had it for Jones, some had it for Reyes.

I don’t agree with any robbery talk but I did find this fight disappointing. It’s probably because I find this version of Jones so disappointing. The old version of Jones would likely destroy this new Jones. I’m sure I’m blinded some by nostalgia as well as my dislike for Jones and all the stupid stuff he’s done and continues to do, but it just feels like he’s lost the killer instinct he used to have.

Some of it is also that I’m still in the football mind-frame (thank you XFL, though it’s not quite the same) so I don’t have the desire to watch Jones and his methodicial fighting style. I’m sure my dislike for Jones’s character (or lack thereof) is the large reason but my love for football also plays into it.

Anyway, Jones retained his UFC Light Heavyweight Championship here, and there’s some talk of an immediate rematch for Reyes, so maybe we’ll see this fight again soon? If it does, I think we’ll see a more dominant win for Jones, though probably still a decision. I think he’ll be more motivated and come out stronger quicker. Maybe that’s just me being hopeful but I think Jones would take that as a challenge and want to send a statement.

Comments and suggestions can be emailed to me at hydenfrank@gmail.com and you can follow me on Twitter at @hydenfrank

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