Tag: champion

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Sports

Islam Makhachev reigns supreme at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi

Graphic by Amelia Hart

UFC 294 rocks the Middle East as heavy favourites Islam Makhachev, Khamzat Chimaev, Ikram Aliskerov, and Muhammad Mokaev win in emphatic fashion.

UFC 294’s main and co-main events were significantly altered just 12 days before they were supposed to fight. Insert two of the promotion’s most respected fighters and we’ve got ourselves a banger. 

One fight silenced doubters and the other raised a lot of questions on whether or not the right man won.

Makhachev ends the rivalry and finishes Volkanovski in Round 1

Islam Makhachev didn’t want to leave any doubt this time as he ended the main event with a skull-crushing blow. He also ended the debate on whether or not he should be the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

Makhachev (25-1) finished featherweight champion Alexander “the Great” Volkanovski (26-3) with a vaporizing left high kick three minutes and six seconds into the very first round. Silencing critics and successfully defending the lightweight belt for the third time in a row.

A short notice replacement for the injured Charles Oliveira, Volkanovksi seemed a little too timid when striking with the lightweight champion. To his defence, he had only 12 days to prepare for the biggest rematch of his life. Volkanovski started a little sluggish as he tried to get reads on whether or not Machachev would shoot. Even though the shot never came, the latter prevailed from the moment the fight began. He set up the high kick by attacking the calf on two separate occasions, poked away at the body and then finally slipped a left high kick over Volkanovski’s guard. The kick landed directly on his right eyebrow and wobbled him instantly. Makhachev didn’t let up and continued teeing off with a barrage of punches and hammerfists until the fight was stopped by referee Marc Goddard.

The 31-year-old Makhachev might just be the biggest name in the UFC after Jon Jones or Conor McGregor. His 13-fight win streak is tied for third in the promotion’s history. It doesn’t look like anyone can stop him—he’s already on his way to surpassing Khabib Nurmagomedov as the lightweight division’s GOAT.

Khamzat Chimaev remains undefeated and beats former welterweight champion in a back-and-forth affair

The seemingly unstoppable force Khamzat Chimaev (13-0) faced his toughest challenge yet, going head-to-head with former welterweight champion and late-notice replacement Kamaru Usman.

The hype around this fight was undeniable even though Paulo Costa was forced to pull-out due to a staph infection in his elbow 10 days prior. However, Chimaev wasn’t going to let his long-awaited return be spoiled. He hadn’t fought since September 2022 and “The Wolf” was hungry for anyone. Insert wily veteran Kamaru Usman and we got ourselves a barnburner.

Or so we thought.

Khamzat dominated Round 1, taking the former NCAA Division II National Champion down with ease as he controlled his back threatening submissions. Chimaev locked him up with a body triangle and worked his way around his neck and back, attempting to unload some heavy ground and pound. Even with the arena against him and an absolute beast on his back, Usman defended very well. Not too bad for someone who took a fight against one of the scariest men in the division on 10 days’ notice.

The second round is where things got very interesting.

Usman weathered the storm and used his patented jab along with some crushing calf kicks to keep Khamzat at bay. Even though this round wasn’t as eventful, it showed that both these men have massive respect for each other. Weary of each other’s power, Usman and Chimaev each attempted to steal the round by doing the most damage they could without getting countered. In the end, most people had Usman winning the second round  as he inflicted more damage and avoided multiple takedowns.

Moving onto Round 3, the duo matched in a much livelier battle on their feet. Usman definitely pushed the pace more between the two fighters, but all was nullified when Chimaev scored another takedown midway through the round. Usman was able to leverage a hip and get up, but it wasn’t enough to garner the victory.

The 36-year-old former champion now finds himself on a three-fight losing streak that started in August 2022.

Chimaev ultimately won by majority decision, potentially setting up a date with newly minted middleweight champion Sean Strickland.

Right for the challenge: Dagestan’s Ikram Aliskerov proves that he’s ready for a ranked opponent next

Ikram Aliskerov (15-1) makes light work of Warlley Alves (15-7) with a combination of stiff jabs, one-twos and a devastating knee that lead to the demise of the former winner of The Ultimate Fighter Brazil. Aliskerov’s only loss was to Khamzat Chimaev back in 2019, and now the 30-year-old has won seven fights in a row—six of them being finishes—amassing a 3-0 record in the UFC.

The Kasumkent native will definitely be fighting a ranked opponent as he continues to climb the ladder in the middleweight division.

Two time’s the charm?

A bizarre no-contest on the main card almost led to bedlam in the Magomed Ankalaev (18-1-1 1 NC) versus Johnny Walker (21-7-0 1 NC) fight as referee Daniel Movahedi was forced to call for the stoppage at the 3:13 mark of Round 1. Due to an illegal knee strike by Ankalaev, Movahedi was advised by the ringside physician that Walker could not continue.

According to Walker’s coach John Kavanagh, the doctor asked Johnny where he was and he responded by saying “I’m in the desert”.

We all know Johnny Walker’s a weird dude, but by no means should you take that answer as definitive evidence that he’s been concussed. English isn’t even his first language.

When the fight was called off, Walker began yelling and almost started a full-on brawl in attempts to start the fight up again. Cooler heads prevailed when UFC president Dana White stepped in to calm the 6’6 Brazilian down.

The same ringside physician was seen earlier in the day as he questioned if Victor Henry (23-6-0 1 NC) was actually in pain when he was clearly hit with an illegal groin strike. That fight also resulted in a no-contest, but not without sparking debates.

Another exciting PPV card in Abu Dhabi

Octobers, the UFC, and Abu Dhabi have become synonymous as another successful card leaves UFC fans wanting more. Does the newly crowned P4P king go up to challenge for the welterweight title or does he fight Oliviera again? I’d prefer that he defends his lightweight title a couple times before attempting to become the fifth double champ in UFC history. 

The UFC returns on November 4th in São Paulo when perennial heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis will take on rising superstar Jailton Almeida. 

Categories
Sports

What’s next for the UFC’s lightweight division?

The future of the UFC’s lightweight division following Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement

When the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov successfully defended his title against a hungry and reformed Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in October, the Russian superstar established himself as the promotion’s pound-for-pound king whilst cementing his place in the UFC record books.

The euphoria of the moment was short lived, however, as Nurmagomedov announced his retirement following a bittersweet victory in the octagon, having lost his father and life-long coach who died of COVID-19 complications at the age of 57 last July. At 32 years old and seemingly in his athletic prime, Nurmagomedov’s retirement would be questioned among fans and media for months.

Nurmagomedov and the UFC’s president Dana White finally took to social media nearly five months later on March 18, where they officially declared the lightweight king retired for good.

In the blink of an eye, the UFC’s destined 155-pound champion for years to come was abruptly out of the picture, transforming the entire UFC lightweight landscape as a result.

The lightweight show must go on

Shortly after the news broke, the UFC made headlines by booking a title bout for the newly-vacated lightweight belt between Michael Chandler and Charles Oliveira. The matchup will serve as UFC 262’s main event, scheduled for May 15.

Chandler is currently ranked number four in the lightweight division, boasting a record of 22-5. He signed with the UFC in September 2020 after spending most of the decade in Bellator MMA as the promotion’s lightweight champion. Chandler made his anticipated promotional debut against Dan Hooker at UFC 257, where he would win decisively by technical knockout in the opening round, firmly establishing his name in the 155-pound title conversation.

Meanwhile, Oliveira signed with the UFC in 2010 at 20-years-old and was widely regarded as a developing and promising star. Over a decade later, the Brazilian mixed martial artist has seemingly put everything together and ridden the success of a monumental eight-fight winning streak into his first UFC title shot.

Notable future UFC lightweight matchups

Dustin Poirier (1) vs. Conor McGregor (6) trilogy: Following their rematch on Jan. 24 that saw Poirier shock the world by brutally stopping McGregor in the second-round by technical knockout, Poirier was the clear-cut number one contender in the division. He eventually opted towards the trilogy bout with McGregor that will surely captivate the masses and garner all parties a hefty pay cheque.

It’s worth noting that while the fight is not yet officially booked, with the drama and hype built up around the two rivals, it’s only a matter of time until the final negotiations are set in stone.

Tony Ferguson (5) vs. Beneil Dariush (9): At 37-years-old, Ferguson has been among the top of the UFC’s lightweight division for over half a decade. Due to inconvenient circumstances, he never got the chance to fight for the undisputed lightweight title and has recently been on the receiving end of ruthless, drawn-out losses to Gaethje and Oliveira.

He will need to slow down a surging Dariush who has finished four of his last five opponents in the opening two rounds. Another loss to Ferguson’s resume would irrefutably spell the end of an era in the division.

Nurmagomedov’s retirement is disappointing to see for MMA fans, but one of the UFC’s most competitive divisions will endure and continue to produce outstanding fights with marketable stars headlining its bright future.

 

Graphic by Rose-Marie Dion

Categories
Music

Champion hits the stage at Opera de Montreal

Griffith feels the horror of his devastating knockout win. Photo by Yves Renaud

Jazz meets romance and controversy in Canadian Premiere of Champion

“I kill a man and the world forgives me. I love a man, and they want to kill me.”

While many know the opera to be the platform for musical renditions of traditional works such as The Phantom of the Opera and The Barber of Seville, Champion delves into more modern themes, such as sexuality and immigration.

In its Canadian Premiere, Champion, which is based on a true story, recounts the life of prizefighting welterweight champion Emile Griffith. Griffith was born in St. Thomas, of the U.S. Virgin Islands, but immigrated to the U.S. in the 1950s as a teen in search of a better life. He had a deep desire to reconnect with his estranged mother, who left for America on her own. As well, Griffith dreamed of becoming a singer, baseball player, and hat designer hooked in by the American dream. Griffith worked in a hat factory before being introduced to the world of boxing after the factory manager noticed his physical potential.

Griffith saw major success in the sport, though the fame and money did not come without its troubles. As his popularity grew , Griffith was was ushered into a new world. The newfound attention and stardom he faced brought him to terms with the feelings he attempted to suppress—even from himself. Though, after accidentally killing an opponent in the ring—one who taunted his presumed sexuality pre-fight—Griffith’s inner demons began to reveal themselves.

“It isn’t the opponent you wanted to kill, it’s yourself,” said Griffith during a flashback scene to his younger self.

Throughout Champion, Griffith is portrayed by three different actors, each of whom are present in different scenes of the opera’s non-linear plot. Griffith as a child, adult, and senior, illustrate the protagonist at different integral stages of his life. Young Griffith demonstrates the molding of the prizefighter as a child in St. Thomas; Griffith as an adult     highlights his battles with his sexuality and fame; Griffith as an old man represents the consequences of his profession, as his dementia begins to set in.

Griffith with his wins—though he is lost. Photo by Yves Renaud

As the opera unfolds, Griffith as an old man appears in various scenes, speaking to his younger selves in a one-way manner: he can hear them, but they cannot hear him. This creative way of carrying out flashback scenes demonstrated Champion’s thoroughly well-thought-out plot.

The opera’s music was composed by the Grammy Award-winning jazz trumpeter, Terence Blanchard. With a smooth blend of jazz and blues, the production’s musical aspect embodies all the events that unravel and the emotions that go along with them.

The production’s cast expertly brought Griffith’s trials and tribulations to life, both musically and theatrically. Their unwavering vocal performances and hypnotically realistic acting transformed the 2h25min show into what felt more like an explanation of Griffith’s life than a musical dramatization.

Aside from the actual performance by the cast, a theatrical production’s technical aspects share equal importance in making the show. Though, Champion’s technical expertise clearly shined through in its execution. Two jumbo vertical screens on either side of the stage displayed different images and designs throughout, adding to the precise, yet creative, props and set design.

Together, they set the ambience for each of the opera’s scenes, whether it was a boxing fight or at the nightclub Griffith frequented. Paired with crisp set changes, the combination of the digital and traditional aspects of the set transformed Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier into Griffith’s world.

With the themes of immigration and sexuality arguably more relevant today than ever before, Champion is an opera that, aside from its great execution musically, technically, and theatrically, is a contemporary representation of the future of opera.

Champion has three more showings with the Opera de Montreal on Jan. 29, 31, and Feb. 2. Tickets are available for purchase on the Opera de Montreal website.

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