The women’s 145lb division is a work in progress… sort of. It is in a period of uncertainty at the moment but the UFC are still giving us bouts that are competitive. Zarah Fairn looks like a solid athlete. Megan Anderson did submit her in the first round though which is a bad sign. Anderson is not known for her grappling skills, but maybe she focused more on it in camp. It is also possible that Fairn made some big improvements since her last bout. However coming out of Europe, fans will probably always question her grappling no matter how much she improves.
A post shared by Felicia "The FeeNom" Spencer (@feenom479) on Feb 5, 2020 at 3:45am PST
Her opponent Felicia Spencer tapped Anderson in one round. Rarely should anyone do MMA math to make predictions, but with results like this it may not be a bad strategy. Spencer is fighting a banger in Fairn who has an almost 70% KO rate. Fairn is fighting out of France though so her striking finishes are not much of a surprise.
Felicia Spencer did lose to Cyborg and took a lot of damage, but now everyone knows she is durable and an intense competitor. She likely lost every round to Cyborg but she never stopped throwing strikes to end the fight. Regardless she will come conditioned, she will come to end it and the fans should get a good show.
A post shared by Felicia "The FeeNom" Spencer (@feenom479) on Feb 11, 2020 at 4:45am PST
Honestly, there are not many incentives to track these featherweights in the immediate future. The UFC has no rankings for them, and they do not promote the division. Cyborg left for Bellator after butting heads with the UFC and the division feels gutted. But on the horizon is Claressa Shields, who may bring life to the division if she approaches her MMA career responsibly. Amanda Nunes is still the champion though so there is still hope.
Maybe the UFC are waiting for upcoming featherweights to emerge but it is taking a while. Regardless of the reason, it is worth taking note of Spencer vs Fairn right now. Promotions build new divisions steadily. It always takes a while, once the division is going strong it seems like title bouts cannot be scheduled fast enough.
Keep it real, politics will likely determine featherweight title shots in the near future. Whoever makes noise will be the only one in the spotlight. Whether they talk trash or get a bunch of finishes in a row, the UFC will get behind the fighter. Amanda Nunes is thought to be untouchable right now, but Spencer could end up being the fighter to dethrone her at 145lb. She is only 28 years old and has room to grow for sure.
A post shared by Henry Cejudo (@henry_cejudo) on Jan 31, 2020 at 1:26pm PST
Speaking of divisions in limbo, how fitting is it that two featherweights are fighting as a Co-Main to a men’s flyweight title bout. Henry Cejudo got stripped and Amanda Nunes seems to be content at 135lb. Right now, Nunes will probably remain the 145lb champion because they have no suitable replacements to carry the belt. At least the UFC liberated men’s 125lb division.
Regardless, the card is on ESPN+ people. It is on-demand, you can pause it, and you are getting a title bout for free. Whatever happens between Spencer and Fairn, there will likely be a quick finish.
Commentaires