UFC 238 Watch/Don’t Watch From Sean Ross Sapp, Podcast Notes

#2 Katlyn Chookagian defeated #6 Joanne Calderwood, via UD.

• This is a very, very important fight. If Calderwood wins, she’s in line for a title shot.
• Calderwood chews through the leg of Chookagian, but I don’t think it’s doing nearly as much as commentary let on.
• Chookagian’s striking looks as smooth as I’ve seen it, and it’s aggressive for a change. That’s what she’s missed in some of her previous fights.
• Calderwood landed a nice slam in round two, but can’t keep Chookagian down.
• This is a very fun striking battle. Those leg kicks for sure slowed down Chookagian, but you can tell her power is still there.
• It is really amazing how commentary has paid attention to nothing but leg kicks.
• Calderwood showboats to finish the fight.
• Calderwood vs. Chookagian was very fun. I don’t really hate that decision. I thought Calderwood was going to get the nod, but the fight was far different than the picture commentary painted.
• Giving Chookagian round one is clown territory.

SRS’ Rec: This was a really good fight. Chookagian should get a title shot now, too.

Eddie Wineland popped off Grigory Popov, R2 TKO

• Some forget that Eddie Wineland is a former UFC title challenger.
• Wineland starts really fast, as is tradition, and as advertised in his nickname.
• Popov is not countering much at all. Instead, it’s Wineland countering well.
• The limit of Popov’s offense are a couple of good knees in the first. Wineland looked close to really approaching victory.
• Popov cracks Wineland early in the second, but can’t really capitalize.
• I have no idea how Popov wasn’t knocked out by Wineland after a brutal second round combo. He gets the job done shortly after, though.
• Wineland had to win this. Despite the fact he’s a familiar name, he’d lost two in a row, and never fights more than once a year anymore.

SRS’ Rec: Yeah, this was another good one

Darren Stewart beats Bevon Lewis, I guess

• It’s a ghost town in Chicago for this card.
• There’s not a lot happening in this one early, outside of both guys swinging after the bell, but without any real ill intent.
• This fight is not worth anyone talking about. Do not go anywhere near this pointless, nothing happening fight. A total waste of time.
• Stewart has now won 3 of four.

SRS’ Rec: Only if you’re a masochist.

Xiaonan Yan defeated Angela Hill, UD

• Obviously UFC wants Xiaonan to win, as any type of globally regional star would be perceived of good for them.
• Angela Hill gets caught trying to reverse a takedown and ends up on her back.
• Angela hill applies a TIGHT triangle choke, but the bell saves Xiaonan.
• Xiaonan is slugging to start round two. She also lands a nice takedown. She’s rough around the edges, but there’s a whole lot of potential here.
• Angela Hill is never out of this fight. She tags Xiaonan in the third round.
• Yan will likely find herself ranked at Strawweight next week as she’s 4-0 in the UFC.

SRS’ Rec: This is a great fight, and had some good back and forth. This was facing an uphill battle after that garbage Stewart/Lewis fight, and it delivered.

#14 Calvin Kattar stops #10 Ricardo Lamas, TKO R1

• Lamas perpetually looks in danger, and looked like he almost got dropped with a jab.
• Kattar completely drills Lamas and the crowd pops. Keep in mind, Lamas is a Chicago guy.
• This looked like it was a matter of time. Feint jab, left hook, right hand. A beautiful combo by Calvin Kattar.
• Kattar has now won four of his last five. Lamas has lost three of four.

SRS’ Rec: Yeah, Kattar looks like he’s one to keep an eye on.

#13 Alexa Grasso decimates #10 Karolina Kowalkiewicz, UD

• It really looks like Karolina is done at the championship levels.
• Grasso is picking Karolina apart on the feet and moving circles around her, and keeping a better pace.
• The footwork of Grasso is two steps ahead of everything Karolina is doing. Karolina finds the most success in the pocket and the clinch.
• Grasso is looking really amazing in this fight. Even when Karolina grabs a round three clinch, Grasso knees her way out of it multiple times.
• Alexa Grasso has maybe never looked this good. Part of me wonders how much of it is Karolina, thought. She’ll be 2-5 in her last 7 after this fight.
• Even to the very end, Grasso is throwing down hard. She grabs a guillotine.
• 122 strikes landed for Grasso. Wow.

SRS’ Rec: This is just an amazing performance by Grasso. Watch it.

#3 Aljamain Sterling outlasts #4 Pedro Munhoz, UD

• The winner of this is likely to get the next bantamweight title shot, and was probably an insurance policy for tonight’s main event.
• It’s very clear in the early going that Sterling is the more well rounded fighter. In particular, Sterling’s footwork, front kicks and head movement are great.
• Sterling is clearly fatigued and gets dropped in round two. Munhoz went to the calf kick and has really worked on him.
• Munhoz won’t stop moving forward, and Sterling won’t stop moving whatever the hell way is it that people say that Sterling moves.
• They slug it out to end the fight. Sterling earned his title shot.
• I was all for Sterling getting a title shot until his lame promo where he called Henry Cejudo “Henry Cedoodoo.”

SRS’ Rec: This is a top level, must watch bantamweight fight.

#2 Tatiana Suarez grinds out #3 Nina Ansaroff

• This is a sure-fire title eliminator.
• Suarez goes from double to single leg on a takedown.
• The first two rounds are all Suarez landing takedowns.
• In round three, she can’t seem to get it going, and Ansaroff pours it on at the end of the third.
• The UFC announce team acting like they couldn’t understand why a women’s low blow hurts is fifth grade level shit.

SRS’ Rec: High level fight, which is almost always worth the attention, but a boring one.

#13 Blagoy Ivanov veterans #11 Tai Tuivasa, UD

• Cormier put over Ivanov big time on commentary.
• Ivanov has a lot of tools, it’s just a matter of him using them. He isn’t as aggressive as he should be.
• Ivanov clips Tuivasa, and Tuivasa does the same.
• Every time these guys throw and hit anything, it sounds like SOLID CONTACT.
• Tuivasa taps, but it’s well after the second round ended.
• Tuivasa practically throws himself into a guillotine in round 3, but gets out.

SRS’ Rec: A nice win for Ivanov, but on this card, you can pass.

#9 Petr Yan beats up #7 Jimmie Rivera, UD

• If Yan wins this, he’s in the top 5 talk.
• Rivera controls most of the first round with good footwork, but is cracked hard at the end.
• Yan is waiting for Rivera to slow down, then firing off. It’s like clock work.
• Finally, Yan drops Rivera at the end of the second round AGAIN.
• Rivera is busted up and needs a KO to win. He at least goes for it. He can’t do it though.
• Petr Yan calls for a title shot. I don’t think he’s gonna get it.

SRS’ Rec: Especially watch the highlights, but this was pretty good.

#2 Tony Ferguson technically beats #4 Donald Cerrone, TKO R2

• This HAS to be for a title fight. Anything else is an embarrassment to the sport nature of MMA.
• Ferguson won’t be appreciated until he’s gone from the spot by so many.
• Cerrone’s hair is something.
• Both of these guys look ready to get hit. They exchange and slide to the outside, but keep catching each other.
• Tony Ferguson has always been a very hittable fighter. Cerrone is capitalizing on that. That’s just Ferguson. Dude has always been hittable then he does a moonsault headscissors 450 roll to get into something else.
• Cerrone is getting the best of the exchanges in the first round until Ferguson rocks him.
• Round two sees Ferguson pick up the pace and be more accurate, and really switch things up.
• Cerrone lands a head kick, then Ferguson answers with a spinning back elbow. Cerrone is way more weathered, but manages a quick takedown.
• Ferguson lands a shot well after the bell. That was a stiff shot too. That’s on Dan, though. The ref was completely out of position, and it’s his job to be there
• Donald Cerrone blew his nose and his eye popped shut. Swelled up and the fight is now over.
• You NEVER blow your nose in the middle of a fight when your nose is broken or your eye will swell shut. This is an unfortunate ending. From the blatant Ferguson punch after the bell, to this.
• Ya know what? They better just run it back in September.
• That fight was even going into the third, but that Ferguson punch after the bell was blatant.
• This is embarrassing. They keep saying “oh the punch was in the nose, not the eye.” THE NOSE INJURY IS THE REASON WHY HIS EYE IS SWOLLEN SHUT AFTER BLOWING HIS NOSE.

SRS’ Rec: Hell yeah, but they gotta run this back

UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship
Valentina Shevchenko (c) starches #1 Jessica Eye to retain her title

• Shevchenko is as high as -1696 some places to Eye’s nearly +800 betting odds. If Eye won, it’d mark one of the biggest upsets in MMA history.
• Eye had a lot of trouble at 135, meanwhile Shevchenko arguably beat the 135/145 pound champ. The media scores were split, and 64 percent of fans had it for Shevchenko.
• This has to be demoralizing for Eye. Shevchenko is dominating her at her own game. A takedown rides out the entire round. Perhaps a mistake putting Eye near the cage to get up, but another takedown lands.
• Shevchenko head kicks Eye, and Eye is OUT COLD. That was one of the filthiest knockouts in women’s UFC history.

SRS’ Rec: Watch round two. Round one too if you have time, but yeah. Wow.

Vacant UFC Bantamweight Championship
Henry Cejudo (FLWC) defeated Marlon Moraes, TKO

• Moraes is longer and more accurate, but Cejudo is faster here.
• Moraes is going after the rumored injured knee of Cejudo. The leg is being sawed away at. This will affect all of Cejudo’s primary tools.
• Moraes plays right into the one game that Cejudo has left — swinging in the pocket. Unsurprisingly, he gets cracked multiple times as a result.
• Cejudo pours it on. In the pocket, in the clinch. Hooks, overhands, knees. He’s brutalizing Moraes and took round two.
• Cejudo can’t keep Moraes down for any extended period, but he’s getting stronger as Moraes is getting weaker.
• Marlon Moraes hasn’t went past three rounds in four years. It’s showing. He almost gets caught in an Anaconda choke, then eats a big knee to the body.
• Cejudo ends up on top and pours down ground and pound. He completely mauls Moraes.
• Cejudo is a double champion.
• “How do you argue against Henry Cejudo being the best combat athlete?” Well, the fact that the UFC traded away his virtual equal in the cage.
• Henry Cejudo calls out Dominick Cruz, Cody Garbrandt and Urijah Faber, three guys that don’t belong near a title fight right now. What? He says he wants to go to 145 pounds, too. Nah, we good.

SRS’ Rec: You have to watch this. Outstanding.