First and Worst is an ongoing series for MMARatings.net, where every week Adam will make his pick for the best and worst newly-announced fight of the past week (Monday to Sunday). If you’d like to see any additions to this series, hit him up on Twitter @MMAdamMartin.
First: Eddie Alvarez vs. Donald Cerrone, UFC 178
My pick for the best new fight announced this past week is the upcoming lightweight bout between top contenders Eddie Alvarez and Donald Cerrone, a bout which will serve as the co-main event of UFC 178. Alvarez is making his UFC debut after having vacated the Bellator lightweight title, while Cerrone is currently riding a four-fight win streak and is quickly closing in on a title shot himself.
These are two of the very best lightweights in the world, bar none, and a fight between Alvarez and Cerrone has excitement written all over it. Both these guys love to throw down, and both of them have wicked submission games as well. So how could this possibly be boring? It won’t be. In fact, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say it could be a Fight of the Year candidate when it’s all said and done – these guys are just that good.
Alvarez could very well earn a crack at the UFC belt with a win over Cerrone, but “Cowboy” seems as focused and motivated as ever, and if he can take out Alvarez, it would be a massive step towards a rematch with Anthony Pettis. But regardless of the title implications for both men, the fight is at its core just an awesome firefight between two amazing fighters, and I can’t wait for this fight to go down in late September. My only wish is that it was five rounds and not just three, but hey, how can I really complain? I’m just glad it happened, and kudos to Bellator’s Scott Coker for releasing Alvarez and giving him the opportunity to prove himself as the #1 lightweight in the world in the UFC.
• Eddie Alvarez vs. Donald Cerrone
Click the stars to rate your anticipation for this fight.
Worst: Yancy Medeiros vs. Damon Jackson, UFC 177
My problem with Yancy Medeiros vs. Damon Jackson at UFC 177 isn’t so much the matchup itself as it is with the bout’s placement on the card.
From afar, Medeiros vs. Jackson is an intriguing, exciting matchup between two relatively unknown but potentially promising fighters.
Medeiros has gone 0-2 with 1 NC in the UFC, but his losses were to Rustam Khabilov and Jim Miller, and the no contest was a knockout win over Yves Edwards that was overturned due to Medeiros smoking pot. Sure, it’s not the best record, but considering the opposition and the result of the Edwards fight before the commission overturned it, there’s definitely some promise in this Hawaiian prospect, who is only 26 and trains with the Diaz brothers in California now.
As for Jackson, he is making his UFC debut, filling in on short notice for an injured Justin Edwards. Jackson is the current Legacy FC featherweight champ, but he took this fight on short notice and up a weight class in order to get his opportunity in the UFC. In his last fight for the Legacy FC crown, Jackson dominated UFC vet Leonard Garcia en route to a first-round submission win that upped his record to 9-0. Only 26 and still improving, he is already damn good, and considering Medeiros has lost to submissions before, don’t be shocked if Jackson pulls something out of the bag on short notice.
The problem is, why is this fight a pay-per-view opener?
Once upon a time ago, actually not even that long ago, every fight on the pay-per-view card was between name fighters. Maybe not stars, but if you were on a PPV – especially in the opening bout – you were a known commodity.
Although I do think Medeiros and Jackson are good fighters, neither fighter is deserving of this PPV show-opening opportunity at this point in their careers. Medeiros, despite looking good in the No Contest against Edwards, has disappointed overall, while Jackson has not yet competed in the Octagon. This is a short-notice fight, and on that merit you have to credit UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby for making an exciting bout, but it’s a prelim fight. This is not a PPV-caliber fight. I know UFC 177 is weak and all, but surely there could have been two other fighters more deserving of PPV time than a UFC newcomer and someone with no official wins in three tries. And that’s why I have to list it as the worst fight announced this past week.
• Yancy Medeiros vs. Damon Jackson
Click the stars to rate your anticipation for this fight.
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UFC 177: Dillashaw vs. Soto (formerly UFC 177: Dillashaw vs. Barao II) is due to take place on August 30, 2014 at the Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California.
Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC 177 will be.
UFC 178: Johnson vs. Cariaso (formerly UFC 178: Jones vs. Cormier, UFC 178: Jones vs. Gustafsson II) is due to take place on September 27, 2014 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC 178 will be.
