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Thanksgiving is upon us. It’s a time to reflect, show gratitude and be thankful for what we have. Personally, I have much to be thankful for; family, friends, health, career. To name a few. As a fan of mixed martial arts, I have lots to be thankful for too. Here are five things I’m grateful for in the world of MMA in 2019.
Dustin Poirier
Not only is Poirier one of the greatest lightweights in the world, he’s an even better person outside of the cage. Inside the cage he beat Max Holloway via unanimous decision at UFC 236 in a five-round classic. The win gave Poirier the opportunity to face Khabib Nurmagomedov for the UFC lightweight championship. Although the fight didn’t go Poirier’s way, losing via submission at UFC 242, the respect showed by each fighter after the fight is what mixed martial arts is all about.
The two fighters exchanged fight shirts and Khabib announced he will sell the shirt and donate all the proceeds to Dustin’s charity, The Good Fight Foundation. Khabib ended up donating $100,000 to the charity. Poirier started the foundation in 2018 where he would auction off his fight apparel to help local communities.
Poirier handled himself like a true pro after the fight. He didn’t make excuses and praised the skills of Nurmagomedov. It was so refreshing. I was always a fan of Dustin Poirier, but I became an even bigger fan in 2019.
Ben Askren
Askren’s year inside the cage didn’t go the way he envisioned it going. He finished his career going 1-2 in the UFC. He beat Robbie Lawler in his UFC debut, but lost his next two fights to Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia. He was on the receiving end of the knockout highlight seen ‘round the world from Jorge Masvidal at UFC 239 and then got subbed by Demian Maia at UFC Fight Night 162.
Obviously, it’s not the way Askren wanted his career to end. However, the way he handled himself throughout the year is what makes him memorable. He’s one of, if not the best MMA fighter follow on Twitter. His quick wit and self-deprecating ways make him easy to like. He doesn’t take himself too seriously, which is a rarity in MMA.
I never understood the debate regarding the trade between Askren and Demetrious Johnson. So many people brought up the in-cage work as to why the UFC was on the losing end of the trade. After every Askren loss it was the first thing many brought up when it came to evaluating the trade. I was shocked to see how many in “mma twitter” failed to understand the UFC is in the entertainment business. Askren sold tickets, ESPN+ subscriptions and ESPN+ PPVs. As great as Demetrious Johnson is inside the cage, he isn’t a draw. Period. End of discussion.
Jorge Masvidal
Jorge Masvidal was a mid-ranked welterweight for most of his career, until 2019. Masvidal went 3-0 in 2019 beating Darren Till, Ben Askren and Nate Diaz. Not to mention piecing up Leon Edwards backstage after UFC London. Masvidal finished all three fights inside the distance. It was the five second knockout of Ben Askren at UFC 239 that catapulted Masvidal into super stardom. It was because of that knockout Nate Diaz felt compelled to call Masvidal out after his win over Anthony Pettis at UFC 241. It was because of that knockout and Nate Diaz the BMF belt was created.
Masvidal is at the top of his game as a fighter and has never been more popular at the age of thirty-five. After forty-eight professional fights, “Gamebred” has paid his dues and deserves everything he’s getting. Not to mention, he coined the phrase, “three piece and a soda.”
Daytime UFC Events
Don’t get me wrong, going to a bar or watching from home with a cold beer on a Saturday night is great. But, there’s nothing like waking up and settling in for a UFC card with a hot cup of coffee in the morning. Not only is it a great way to spend a Saturday morning/afternoon, but you have a rare Saturday night to do whatever you want.
Fights
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Israel Adesanya – UFC 236
Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway – UFC 236
Paulo Costa vs. Yoel Romero – UFC 241
Mike Perry vs. Alex Oliveira – UFC on ESPN+ 8
Vicente Luque vs. Mike Perry – UFC on ESPN+ 14
Happy Thanksgiving!