MMA takeaways: Mexico’s next wave of talent is here, Bellator gets bragging rights over PFL،
What were the biggest moments from UFC Mexico and PFL vs. Bellator? Brett Okamoto, Marc Raimondi and Jeff Wagenheim provide their final thoughts after a historic 10-fight card in Saudi Arabia and a 12-fight card in Mexico.
What to remember from UFC Mexico
Could we finally see Brian Ortega fully realized?
Raimondi: If you're a fan of “T-City,” it's a frustrating existence. He has the skills – power in his hands, slick boxing and uncanny submission instincts – to beat any featherweight in the world for years. The man nearly choked out Alexander Volkanovski in 2021, the closest 145 pounds came to beating Volkanovski at featherweight until Ilia Topuria knocked him out last weekend. But Ortega has struggled with injuries and other issues over the years. Saturday was only his fourth fight since 2018. That makes four fights in almost six years.
Ortega overcame adversity against Yair Rodriguez, as he always seems to be able to do. He apparently injured his ankle during the entries, was hit early by the Mexican-born fighter and weathered the storm. By the end of the first round, Ortega had mounted his opponent. In the second round, Ortega took over. In the third, he choked out Rodriguez.
In his post-fight interview, Ortega said he has his life together now and he's not doing the same stupid stuff. He is still only 33 years old. “T-City” fans have another glimmer of hope. After a win over Rodriguez, the kid from the Los Angeles port projects is back at the top of the featherweight division.
The next wave of Mexican talent is ready for prime time
Raimondi: Yair Rodriguez is 31 years old. Brandon Moreno is only 30 years old. These two and 30-year-old Alexa Grasso are still the present and future of Mexican MMA. Once their careers are over, the next wave is clearly coming, and almost all of those prospects showed up on Saturday night at UFC Mexico.
Daniel Zellhuber put on a masterclass against Francisco Prado, using his range and picking Prado apart with punches and front kicks until both of his eyes were practically closed and covered in blood. Manuel “El Loco” Torres steamrolled Chris Duncan, finishing with a brute force rear naked choke submission. Yazmin Jauregui bloodied Sam Hughes over three rounds in a one-sided unanimous decision victory.
Zellhuber and Jauregui are only 24 years old. Torres is 28 years old. Raul Rosas Jr., born in the United States to parents of Mexican descent and representing Mexico, was unable to compete Saturday due to illness, but he is only 19 years old and a super prospect.
This week, ESPN MMA ranked Mexico 5th in its inaugural MMA World Power Index. Let these potential future stars continue to develop and evolve, and mix in some developing athletes who might come out of the new UFC Performance Institute in Mexico, and watch out.
PFL vs. Bellator: Champs’ takeaways
The PFL finally gets its fight
Wagenheim: It took about half a second. No, I'm not talking about how long it took for towering PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira to knock out oversized Bellator champion Ryan Bader. It took 21 seconds. But after referee Kerry Healey pushed Ferreira off a prone, motionless Bader and ended the fight, it took about half a second for the TV feed to focus on the side of the cage and a Francis Ngannou smiling.
Ngannou, the PFL favorite, had said earlier in the week that he would face the winner of Saturday's main event when he makes his PFL debut later this year. Of course, the former UFC heavyweight king has work to do first, as he will face former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua in a boxing ring on March 9. This fight, Ngannou's second as a boxer after last October's closely fought split decision defeat. to reigning champion Tyson Fury, will also take place in Riyadh.
Ngannou was cageside Saturday in the makeshift outdoor arena, which was quite an assemblage of heavyweights. UFC champion Jon Jones was in attendance, as was boxing legend Mike Tyson, who was enlisted to wrap championship belts around the waists of the winners of the day's fights between PFL champion and Bellator champion.
For most of the day, Bellator fighters went for gold, winning all five fights before the main event. The PFL may have purchased Bellator MMA a few months ago, but on that day, Bellator owned the PFL.
Until the final act, of course. That’s when the PFL got exactly what they wanted. Ferreira, who has lost just one of his last 10 fights, scored his fourth straight knockout, all but one of which came in the first round. We all know what Ngannou is talking about. Now he's ready to fight a man with equally devastating power.
For the PFL, this is a dream match coupled with the nightmare of a waiting game. If Ngannou beats Joshua in a few weeks, he will almost surely continue boxing, where lucrative opportunities will await him. But when he is ready to return to MMA, an extremely important challenge awaits him.
Ferreira made the loudest statement, but Nemkov might be the best heavyweight
Okamoto: Don't be surprised if in 12-18 months we're talking about Vadim Nemkov as the best heavyweight in the PFL/Bellator world. Yes, Ferreira knocked out Bader in spectacular fashion on Saturday, and he deserves the fight against Francis Ngannou more than anyone. He is certainly capable of winning this fight. The athletically gifted Ferreira has been on the hardcore radar for a few years now, and now we're seeing that potential come to fruition.
At this point in his career, Nemkov is well-rounded and not significantly undersized at heavyweight. He ran through a former PFL champion in Bruno Cappelozza. Nemkov will have to wait his turn in some of these opportunities, but sitting here, right now, I'm not sure I wouldn't pick him over any of these other heavyweights, including Ferreira and Ngannou. He is extremely consistent and has heavyweight power for a former light heavyweight.
Let's all watch and enjoy the Ngannou vs Ferreira match, it looks like we will get it in the near future, but be aware that there might be a dark horse lurking in Nemkov.
Bellator's early investment in McKee-Pico could pay dividends for PFL
Raimondi: AJ McKee and Aaron Pico were considered the two cornerstones of Bellator's future. Former Bellator President Scott Coker signed them when they were extremely young. McKee made his Bellator debut three days after his 20th birthday in 2015. Pico was just 18 when he took up the pen in 2014.
McKee and Pico were supposed to take the reins of Bellator from some of the legends of yesteryear and carry the promotion into the future. These best-laid plans didn't really work. Bellator failed and PFL acquired the company in late 2023 from parent company Viacom. But about a decade later, McKee and Pico still have a chance to be the leading men of one brand: PFL.
Both won Saturday on the PFL card against Bellator: Champs in Saudi Arabia, each by definitive first-round finishes. McKee submitted Clay Collard with a wonderfully smooth armbar from a low triangle. Pico defeated Henry Corrales, who was arriving on short notice, via TKO to avenge an earlier loss.
McKee has already fulfilled some of his potential by winning the Bellator featherweight title. But he still has a lot to show at just 28 years old. Once considered the best prospect in MMA history, Pico has achieved only a fraction of what he is capable of after stumbling in his early 20s. At 27 years old, Pico looks like one of the brightest fighters on this new roster. Same for McKee.
It may not have been what everyone thought nine or ten years ago, but it will be fascinating to see what McKee and Pico can do in this new merger of PFL and Bellator.
