SRS: UFC 234 Watch/Don’t Watch, Podcast Notes

Jonathan Martinez defeated Waliji Buren

• Cruz and Anik really need a third person in the booth. Cruz calls every fight like Ian Riccaboni calls big ROH matches. 
• I know some of you are new to here, but any time a Von Flue is even somewhat near being locked in, I get livid.
• There’s some real bad blue belt jiu jitsu going on here. Buren almost armbars Martinez in the third, but the latter gets out. 
• Martinez pours on the strikes toward the end of the round and made a really good last impression.

SRS’ Rec: No. This was really low level for a UFC fight. 

Jalin Turner EXPOSES Callan Potter

• Jalin Turner just abuses Potter. Openings everywhere, and Turner goes right after them. Potter was just not on the level.
• Turner has had a really inconsistent career, but has wins in Bellator, Contender Series, and now in the UFC.
• Potter was a late replacement and it really shows. Punches to the head, body kicks, and Turner puts Potter out. This was brutal .
• Turner says he wants to fight again soon because he has a kid.

SRS’ Rec: It’s quick violence, even though I don’t expect a ton out of either of these guys.

Kyung Ho Kang maybe retires Teruto Ishihara

• This is a weird fight to put here geographically, but here we are. 
• This rules. Chuckin’ and duckin’. There’s not a ton of technique here, but this is a fun one. A hilarious Kang back fist drops Ishihara.
• Kang chokes out Ishihara and quite frankly almost kills him because the ref takes forever to get to breaking it up.
• Kang wants a top ten opponent. And all I want is a down payment on my house.

SRS’ Rec: This was a good, fast paced fight and well worth a watch.

Kai Kara France edges out Paiva, SD

• Paiva was one of my “I Got 5 On It” picks. Expected France to win, but the line on Paiva was too good to not throw in there.
• Paiva does well in the early going. Gets top control and a takedown. At the end of round two, Paiva locks in a guillotine, but the round is over.
• France is throwing some combos and recognizes Paiva dropping the right hand. However, Paiva is eating one punch to throw a big combo right back.
• For all the talk that France could be a future contender, it sure doesn’t show in this fight. I couldn’t believe he was a -240 favorite. To me, he’s not that much different than the guy I saw lose on TUF and in Rizin.
• France is 2-0 in the UFC.

SRS’ Rec: A decent fight, but this is so far removed from mattering since Flyweight is practically dead. 

Shane Young beats Austin Arnett

• Young goes to the body an awful lot more than Arnett is willing to.
• Arnett lands the occasional big shot, but Young is able to walk him down. Those big shots are heavy, though.
• Arnett gets dropped at the end of the third round. The last minute ruled. 
• Young gets the win and gives a passionate post-fight speech about suicide.
• Young is now 2-1 in the UFC. 

SRS’ Rec: Definitely watch he last 90 seconds.

Devontae Smith commits justifiable homicide on Dong Hyun Ma, R1

• Smith is in and out really well, and lands a few calf kicks. When Ma goes to brawl, Smith turns up the heat.
• Smith opens up with a combo, fixes Ma’s posture with some punches, then follows him to the mat with some brutal attacks.
• Holy cow that Devonte Smith finish was horrifying.
• Another Contender Series product does well. He’s now 2-0 in the UFC, and finishes all the time. He was also 7-2 as an amateur. 
• He calls out Francisco Trinaldo after the fight. 

SRS’ Rec: You need to watch this. Smith is a major prospect and full of charisma. 

Jim Crute embarrasses Sam Alvey

• It feels like we see this Sam Alvey entrance every 2 months because we do. Win or lose, Alvey will have cleared $300,000 from his UFC fights and Reebok pay over the last year. Big by UFC standards at his level. 
• Alvey has averaged 4.6 fights per year over the last decade.
• Awkward finish to this. Crute CRACKS Alvey and walks away, but Goddard lets it go.
• Crute sweeps Alvey, turtles up Alvey and finishes him. Alvey is pissy. He screams at the ref and acts mega unprofessional.
• Alvey being pissed off about Goddard “stopping his fight too early” after Alvey was literally given a green mushroom 1up from Goddard is WEIIIIIIIRD

SRS’ Rec: Yeah, not a lot matters on this show tonight. This fight is worth seeing for the crazy finish. Crute is a prospect at 2-0 in the UFC, and from Contender Series.

#14 Montana De La Rosa jobs out Nadia Kassem, R2

• Kassem’s first 5 opponents (including ammy) had ZERO WINS.
• Kassem gets rushed and taken down, she has no answer for De La Rosa.
• Round two sees more of the same as Kassem is tripped to the ground. The extent of her success is strikes from the guard. She’s getting an ass whipping.
• Ooooooh I love me some strikes from a triangle mount. Somehow Kassem survives this for quite a while.
• Finally, Kassem taps out to an armbar. Man, Kassem fought that for a while.

SRS’ Rec: Check out the second round. Not high level MMA, but it was a good watch.

Ricky Simon doesn’t really dominate Rani Yahya, but the scorecards say so

• Rani Yahya is throwing as hard and as often as he can in order to force a takedown. Ricky Simon and his terrible haircut drop him. 
• Yahya cracks Simon, but Simon drops him in return. He won’t go to the ground with Rani, wisely. He drops Yahya again. 
• Simon has only planned to guard head outside singles and it’s worked through two, but Yahya drills him with punches towards the end of round two. Simon returns and drops Yahya again.
• The “crash” or “bump” Cruz is talking about — Ben Henderson is one of the best all-time at avoiding that. Any time he’d wade in and his range wouldn’t be right, he’d grab underhooks or a body lock and push off immediately.
• 30-25 isn’t a scorecard I can get behind, but I had Simon winning.

SRS’ Rec: For sure. This is fight of the night so far. 

Lando Vannata dominates some jobber named Marcos Rosa, R1

• Rosa is 6-5 by the end of this fight. 
• Vannata dominated, took Rosa down and beat him up. This is embarrassing and one sided and shouldn’t have even been booked. Chris Curtis can’t get into the UFC, but a 6-5 is co-main eventing a UFC pape. 
• Vannata stops it with a double wristlock at 4:55.

SRS’ Rec: No. 

Israel Adesanya outlasts Anderson Silva

• Well, this one is really happening. 
• Adesanya opens up with inside kicks. Silva is getting no offense off. Remember, it’s been two years since he last fought.
• Silva chases Israel down, but gets caught with a couple of strikes and seems composed. Adesanya whiffs on a kick that gets a great reaction.
• Round two sees Silva throw a counter strike and land, but he’s just not aggressive enough. 
• Silva’s hands are down and he eats punches, but they don’t affect him. He lands a very good 4-5 punch combo. 
• Round three Silva throws his hands down and takes more punches. The two challenge each other to their own game.  No sense of urgency from Silva to win that fight

SRS’ Rec: For a historical purpose, yes.