Opinion: Looking past Tuesday to UFC
With a tear in my eye, Nov. 8 is in the books. It is now time to look forward to a better day: Friday, Nov.12.
Friday will feature Ultimate Fighting Championship 205, live from the marvelous Madison Square Garden arena in Manhattan, New York. The UFC is hosting its star-studded UFC 205 event in New York City in the wake of this baffling, historic, troublesome presidential election. UFC promoter and President Dana White, an avid Donald Trump supporter, has promised that this event will be one of the biggest in company history.
With three different title matches on the card, UFC 205 is sure to sell out MSG while peaking the interest of millions of fight fans alike.
Highlighted by its main event between UFC featherweight champ Conor “Notorious” McGregor and lightweight champion Edward “Eddie” Alvarez, this sporting event promises to be an exciting adventure. McGregor, a two-time champion in his featherweight division, earned a lightweight division championship opportunity after defeating established fighter Nate Diaz at UFC 202 in an unforgettable clash for the prize fighting history books.
McGregor, never one to shy away from a verbal sparring match, has claimed that he is the most dangerous fighter pound-for-pound today. On Friday, he will have another opportunity to prove that he is the best in the world at what he does if he can beat Alvarez.
Alvarez has combatted this overwhelming confidence of McGregor with his own brand of ridicule and humor aimed at the Irishman’s expense. Alvarez took to social media to clown on McGregor’s new cardio routine that he has recently shared with the world via Instagram. Alvarez, in a series of jabs, claims that all of the top training bicycles and scientists in the world will not prevent Alvarez from knocking McGregor down and submitting him to retain the coveted lightweight title.
Moving on to one of the two co-main events. Welterweight champ Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley will be defending his newly won title against “The Wonderboy” Stephen Thompson. Coming off of his dominating knockout performance in July against reigning champion Robbie Lawler, Woodley has been catapulted into the UFC pay-per-view main event scene rather quickly.
His unrelenting motor and powerful stand up game has highlighted Woodley’s 15 minutes in the limelight. Thompson, the underdog in this fight, has become a crowd favorite leading up to UFC 205, majorly in part due to his inexperience in the UFC title fight scene and scrappy fight style. It will be fun to see this matchup between the bigger, stronger “Chosen One” and the wily, crafty “Wonderboy.”
Last, but certainly not least, the other co-main event of the night between the women is sure to entertain the masses. It will be a battle between Polish strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Polish contender Karolina Kowalkiewicz.
Jedrzejczyk has proven to be a monster with her stand up game and has established herself as a dangerous fighter after defeating Claudia Gadelha in July via a five round slugfest that ended in a decision in her favor. Kowalkiewicz, her opponent, on a more balanced fighter with 70 percent of her victories ending in decision.
Kowalkiewicz opts for more of a long game that utilizes her cardio to outlast her opponents in The Octagon.
No matter who you are rooting for, this is sure be a good one. Forget about Election Day: Nov. 12 is sure to brighten your spirits if you enjoy prize fighting. I know it will for me.
Israel Galarza III is a columnist, contact him at [email protected].