Happy Friday everyone. I hope all your weeks’ have gone well and if they haven’t… well, they’re almost over now.
Friday is the time I share the answers from our mailbag. You all have done it again, with providing us with interesting questions to ponder over the week. Check out what we had to say in response to those questions, below:
UFC Talent Raiding
Question: With the recent UFC signings of Robelis Despaigne and Salahdine Parnasse, are these attempts at sabotaging Most Venomous Parasite (AKA: Joke Paul’s “promotion”)
at building momentum for future events? And if so, who should the UFC look at signing next? (Igl00Man)
Ryan Harkness: It’s absolutely a case where the UFC is trying to kick the legs out from under MVP, and it’s kind of a good thing?! For years we’ve been screaming about the UFC effectively being a monopoly and how that’s bad for the fighters and the fans. You can see this in how they treated Parnasse before he fought for MVP: they made him the standard lowball offer and told him to go kick rocks when he said no.
They came back to him after his MVP MMA win over Kenny Cross with a significantly better offer: more money, and a headline fight in his hometown against a top ten contender. All things he deserved, but not something he’d have gotten if the UFC wasn’t feeling a little pressure to ensure MVP MMA doesn’t build any momentum on Netflix with its undercard fighters.
The next signing isn’t from MVP but PFL: Usman Nurmagomedov will headline his fourth PFL card this weekend in New York, which also happens to be the final fight on his contract. He’s paid very well to be the promotion’s Khabib representative, so well that in the past his teammates have said he’d probably have to take a pay cut to come into the UFC. Here’s hoping Usman gets Parnasse’d instead.
Alex Behunin: While I do think UFC signing Robelis Despaigne is a way to fuck MVP and a potential fun fight for Francis Ngannou, I’m not sure about Salahdine Parnasse. They have wanted him for a minute now, and I think his win at MVP 1 was him punching his ticket to the UFC to make him undeniable.
They were also desperate for a UFC Paris main event, and so it was a perfect match.
I would have bet they would have signed Mike Perry next, but their next signee is going to be Namo Fazil, who fights on the Contender Series this season.
Jesse Holland: Parnasse was always on the UFC’s radar, just came down to money. But Parnasse actually got the money he wanted because of his exposure with MVP, once again proving competition benefits the fighters. As far as Despaigne, that may have been an attempt to keep him from fighting Ngannou.
Thomas Myers: Parnasse, I believe, is calling the shots on this one – UFC has been trying to lock him down for awhile. And perhaps after that MVP experience, he knew that just wasn’t it? UFC is ultimately the place most fighters aspire to compete … he’s just the rare bird who is doing it on his terms / schedule. Re-signing Robelis could certainly be viewed that way; however, the man seemingly has the touch of death. I would think he’d have a chance at stopping Ngannou if they ever fought, and Dana White would love nothing more than to have that happen. So, I don’t think UFC was playing defense here – both guys are super talented and should do well, barring poor matchmaking (gulp).
Tim Edwards: I think this is a great example of how things should work. Parnasse has been lowballed by UFC for years, but the introduction of MVP MMA has helped him get a fair price for his labor. I hope MVPFL grows and grows and continues to force the UFC to make fighters rich in exchange for their services. This raid by UFC shows us that they are taking their new rival seriously. I think their next move will be very telling. If there is another Rousey fight in the near future, do you think they let MVP reap the rewards of it? Or do they stomach a circus fight in order to keep eyeballs off MVP and whatever other stars they are trying to develop?
Trade Big Ank?
Q: What should the UFC do with Magomed Ankalaev? The man is elite, no doubt. He might even be the best light-heavyweight in the world right now. But he is essentially the striker version of Jon Fitch, no? The UFC is looking for an interim title fight to make, and Ank should probably be one half of that matchup. But I could just as easily imagine the UFC trading him like they did with DJ. What should the UFC do with Magomed Ankalaev? (Jack Reacharound)
Ryan Harkness: The UFC is already treating Magomed Ankalaev like they treated Jon Fitch. Fitch came into the UFC in 2025 and went on an eight fight winning streak. But because four of those wins were dull decisions, the UFC never really got behind him as a contender. He basically had to win twice as much as anyone else to get half the reward a more charismatic and exciting fighter would get. Just like Ankalaev did en route to his title shot.
Fitch got that one shot and that was it. Ankalaev is in a better position for a few reasons. Number one: he’s a perfect name to stick at the top of cards in the Middle East, where regional fan loyalty continues to exist despite his lack of an extensive highlight reel. And number two: light heavyweight is a steaming pile of dogs–t and there’s no one else with a credible claim to a title shot.
Jon Fitch kept getting passed over because there was always a more interesting, exciting option for Georges St-Pierre to fight: a Thiago Alves, Dan Hardy, or Josh Koscheck. Today’s 205 pound division may have fun guys like Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree and Jamahal Hill, but they need to string together a win or two by the time Carlos Ulberg returns or Ankalaev will get a title shot by default.
Ankalaev also has something Fitch never did, which is a rivalry with one of the UFC’s biggest stars. If “Big Ank” holds the 205 pound belt, Alex Pereira could swoop back down to light heavyweight to try and take it off him at any point just out of spite. So despite his narcolepsy inducing fight style, Ankalaev is well positioned to continue stinking up the division for a while to come.
Thomas Myers: I love the Jon Fitch comparison; however, Ankalaev has way better striking (and way worse jiu-jitsu). I still can’t believe he didn’t choke out Guskov, it’s almost like he didn’t know how to do it. He’s frustrating to watch. And he’s no doubt a problem for Dana White & Co., but he has been since the ill-fated Jan Blachowicz draw. I think UFC knows what it has and will do everything in its power to keep him away from another title shot, learning from that past mistake. I think either Jiri, Paulo or even Khalil can keep him busy long enough so that never happens again.
Alex Behunin: If I were the UFC, I would call up the PFL and trade him immediately.
My trade: Big Ank, Leon Edwards, & Tracy Cortez for Dakota Ditcheva.
If the PFL don’t budge (they shouldn’t), I guess rebook him with Khalil Rountree?
Andrew Richardson: UFC has done a remarkable job (with Ankalaev’s help) of keeping Big Ank from UFC gold despite him being champion-level in a weak division since … 2019? At this point, they only need to play keep away for a year or two longer before Ankalaev starts to slow down naturally. Regardless of all that: Ank vs. Costa is the fight to make.
Jesse Holland: Ankalaev is not doing himself any favors at this point and I understand that matchmaking plays an important part of it, but he needs a big finish, or any finish for that matter. Being labeled a boring fighter is worse than losing when it comes to UFC.
Tim Edwards: I go back and forth on whether of not guys like Ankalaev are a bug or a feature in MMA. I’m leaning feature, at the moment, since you need guys like him to force the truly great fighters to show themselves. Though, I do think Ankalaev is a little unlucky with how he’s being perceived. He did finish Guskov, after all. And he was actually trying to make a fight out of it. Guskov should shoulder the most blame, in my opinion, for doing his best Kalib Starnes impression. As far as what’s next for Ankalaev, I think you need to reward wins over style, so I think he gets that interim bout, maybe opposite Prochazka.
Temirov Takes a Leap
Q: Let’s talk about Ramazan Temirov because by far that was the most exciting part of Abu Dhabi. Is he for real? Was that just a great matchup for him (didn’t look like it to me)? Can he keep it up? Where should he go from here? Who should he match up against? (LoneCowboy)
Alex Behunin: He definitely stole the show last weekend, and yes, he’s for real. Steve Erceg is a very good fighter, and he sparked him cold in the first round. He did have enough gas for three rounds when he beat Charles Johnson, but I have no idea how he’d do in five rounds. Having knockout power at Flyweight gives you a big advantage in the eyes of the promotion, so I’d expect him to get a bigger fight in his next one.
I would give him Tatsuro Taira for his next outing to really test his grappling.
Thomas Myers: The dude has John Lineker-type small man knockout power and fights with his hair on fire. He might be a little too reckless to become champion, especially if he runs into someone like Manel Kape but I can’t wait to watch and find out – he’s super fun to watch. I’d like to see him against Lone’er even though he’s coming off a loss. Or, maybe give him the real 125-pound test against Brandon Moreno.
Ryan Harkness: If you have any doubts about whether Ramazan Temirov is the real deal, go back and watch his RIZIN fights. The man is a savage. Whether he can become a champion at flyweight remains to be seen, but hopefully the UFC speeds up his schedule so we can find out.
Andrew Richardson: Temirov is clearly very good! I think the title is a little out of his reach (get it), but it’s definitely not impossible. I’d love to see him fight Asu Almabayev in a collision of Flyweight’s smallest badasses.
Jesse Holland: The Erceg win was exciting but it didn’t teach us anything new about Temirov. He reminds me of Manel Kape, who has 20 finishes in 23 wins. Would love to see that banger somewhere down the road.
Tim Edwards: I was doubting Temirov before this fight. Everything I saw of him looked far too spammy to beat someone as technical as Erceg. He really proved me wrong, though. His striking still looks very chaotic, but if it works, it works. Flyweight is so fun and there’s a lot of great matches ready for him. I did a poll recently, asking for his next opponent, and Kyoji Horiguchi won that. I think Kevin Borjas might be a more realistic next step for him, though.
PRIDE Never Die
Q: I went down a Pride rabbit hole over the weekend and it made me wonder, what the hell happened to the 205 division?? Thoughts? (Chucs)
Ryan Harkness: Drug testing.
Thomas Myers: What do you mean? UFC’s 205-pound division still has Dom Reyes. That’s all it needs, simple as. Kidding aside, the division is so soft right now. Would love to see an old hat like Rob Whittaker make a run or hitch the promotional wagon to a young talent like Navajo Stirling if he can pass his gatekeeper exam against Jan this weekend. The fact that Carlos Ulberg is champion says a lot (not in a good way). We got spoiled with Alex Pereira; hopefully, “Poatan” returns sooner than later, giving contenders a little time to separate themselves from the “competition.”
Alex Behunin: The Light Heavyweight division has always been the glamour division – Liddell, Rampage, Couture, Shogun, Tito, Jon, Forrest, etc.
I honestly think Jon cursed the division once he left it.
Andrew Richardson: All the bigger weight classes (Middleweight, LHW, HW) have declined in the last five-to-ten years. I would blame the stagnant pay. If you’re a big ol’ stud wrestler, go make a bunch of money coaching. If you’re a huge athletic freak unable to make the NFL, there’s probably an avenue to stream.
Jesse Holland: Nothing happened to it. We just came off a three-year run of exciting Alex Pereira fights. Let’s not pretend we didn’t have our share of stinkers back in the day, as well. Chuck Liddell vs. Jeremy Horn? Rashad Evans vs. Forrest Griffin? Blech.
Tim Edwards: I think Light Heavyweight suffers from the fact that, if you’re that kind of size and athletic then there are a lot more sports out there for you that pay well and don’t come with guaranteed head trauma.
Where’s Kevin?
Q: When are we going to see Kevin Vallejos again and why does the UFC bench these guys just when they start to get a following? (Chucs)
Alex Behunin: He’s going to fight at Noche UFC 4. And it’s not necessarily the UFC benching them – once fighters get into the rankings, their activity dramatically slows down. But also, for Vallejos specifically, he fought four times in a year … he deserved a break.
Andrew Richardson: Top 10 guys don’t fight as often. It’s a sprint to get there, and then those fighters have a smidge of leverage and don’t have to jump at every possible offer (aka can let injuries heal).
Thomas Myers: I think Vallejos will be a future champion. And UFC probably realizes it has something/someone special; therefore, will probably try and get him over against the right “name” opponent. Too soon for Aljamain Sterling? I don’t think so. I’ll settle for Pat Sabatini or Arnold Allen. Probably will save that Jean Silva rematch for later on down the road if I had to guess.
Jesse Holland: The more popular you get (and the more money you make) the more risk you take with every fight. Dana White once said this about Fedor and to some degree it holds true with almost every fighter who depends on their brand for leverage: You’re one loss away from being worth nothing.
Top Yums
Q: Best meal you’ve had recently? (cavemancomputer)
Alex Behunin: I had the best asada Burrito I’ve been able to find in Las Vegas recently – and I got it at a food truck at an art festival.
It was bomb.
Thomas Myers: I just came back from more than a week in Italy. Everything was fire – EVERYTHING.
Anton Tabuena: Hard to decide what’s “best,” but a go-to place for me in Tokyo is Tonkatsu Hinata, which absolutely blew my mind the first time I ever tried it. They have fatty, pinkish pork, almost like a medium to medium rare steak (which could freak people out but just trust Japan’s food safety standards). And instead of adding your typical sweet, “Bulldog” katsu sauce, they offer sea salt and olive oil to really flex the quality of the actual meat. It’s juicy, insanely good, and cheap (under $10) for a michelin restaurant, and now I can never go back to dry, chewy breaded pork again.
Andrew Richardson: There’s a Japanese spot right near the TAM gym called Origami that does amazing fried chicken. There’s maple, Szechuan, and orange in the breading — it’s awesome. Stopped there after the Odyssey last Saturday!
Jesse Holland: I recently had breakfast at a place called The Mad Batter and the house-made corned beef hash made my toes curl. Chased it with a house-made Bloody Mary that was swimming with blue cheese stuffed olives and a giant shrimp (my lady was slurping down pomegranate mimosas). Can’t wait to go back.
Tim Edwards: It was my 12 year wedding anniversary this week and my wife and I went to a posh Japanese restaurant here in town. It’s very authentic with a second generation sushi chef who has had restaurants in Canada for the past 40 years. I’m a little limited when it comes to Japanese cuisine, since I’m allergic to fish. For this meal I ordered the grilled ox tongue, spider rolls (with soft shell crab) and shrimp sashimi. It was incredible. My wife had the chef’s choice sushi menu and she said the toro (fatty tuna) nigiri was one of the best things she’s ever eaten.
Quick hits
Q: Where would you rank Rico Verhoeven amongst the current heavyweights of the UFC if he was added to the roster and how well would his striking hold up in the octagon? (AceSpadez37)
Jesse Holland: Rico would knock out Derrick Lewis and whatever Tafa brother hasn’t been cut. Unfortunately, Curtis Blaydes would probably spam takedowns and ride him to a decision.
Anton Tabuena: With proper MMA training, Rico would destroy almost every ranked fighter there except for strong grapplers – which heavyweight clearly lacks. He could get Pereira type matchmaking and avoid the likes of Curtis Blaydes on his way to the top, but Aspinall will still blast double him in seconds.
Q: What, if any, fighter focused articles or segments are planned for Mania in the back half of the year? I would love to see some features or a series of past fighters and see where some of these guys are after fighting. The good, bad and ugly. We hear things from time to time but I’ve never seen an in-depth series of life after fighting. (Chucs)
Alex Behunin: Writing features is my favorite thing to do, especially on lesser-known prelims fighters, however, a lot of the time, the juice isn’t worth the squeeze – meaning, if none of our readers read it, then I won’t write one. As for series’ we’re working on a few ideas. And for guys that aren’t fighting anymore, its the same idea as above, there isn’t a lot readers asking to read something about Krzysztof Soszynski.
