Spinning Back Clique: Sean Strickland and Grant Dawson as contenders, UFC 290’s title fights, more (LIVE, noon ET)
Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Farah Hannoun and Nolan King join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate:
- Sean Strickland put on a mostly masterful performance against and pounded out Abus Magomedov in the second round of their UFC on ESPN 47 middleweight main event. In his post-fight interview, he said he wants a title shot next. He’s won eight of his past 10, but only two in a row, one of which was at light heavyweight. Are we in or out on a possible Strickland title shot?
- Grant Dawson took it to Damir Ismagulov in the UFC on ESPN 47 co-main event. He didn’t get the finish, but he was dominant in the mild upset. At 8-0-1 in the UFC, did Dawson just become a legitimate lightweight title contender?
- There wasn’t a lot of buzz about UFC on ESPN 47 going into the event, but what it might have lacked on paper, it made up for with six finishes and some solid entertainment in some of the decisions. Elves Brener pulled off his second straight big upset. Joanderson Brito and newcomer Nursulton Ruziboev had sick KOs. Rinat Fakhretdinov and Benoit Saint-Denis had brilliant submissions. So who stole the show with a breakout performance?
- The UFC is back on pay-per-view Saturday with two title fights in Las Vegas. In the main event, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski meets interim champ Yair Rodriguez in a title unifier. In the co-feature, flyweight titleholder Brandon Moreno defends his belt for the first time in his second stint as champ when he takes on Alexandre Pantoja, who has a 2018 win over him. We’ll work through the title fights to see if we’ll hear two “And still” announcements – or potentially two “And new” calls.
- South Africa’s Dricus Du Plessis is trying to fight his way to a title shot with middleweight champ Israel Adesanya – who was born in Africa, but lives in New Zealand. That has been a point of contention for Du Plessis in what has turned into a bit of a personal rivalry. Du Plessis fights former champ Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 on Saturday – and Whittaker is a heavy favorite. Has anyone been more written off in recent memory ahead of a huge matchup than Du Plessis? We’ll break down the title picture at 185 pounds, particularly as it relates to UFC 293 in Sydney – which is likely to be headlined by Adesanya.
