2 months ago
For much of the past five years, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has drawn criticism for passing on talented mixed martial arts (MMA) free agents such as Paul Hughes, instead choosing to sign less-expensive Contender Series prospects.
That approach has started to shift.
Over the past two years, UFC has strengthened its roster with elite outside talent, including Reinier de Ridder, Kai Asakura and, most recently, Salahdine Parnasse.
For what it's worth, UFC eventually signed four of the five fighters I recommended last year.
Not bad!
#past #ultimate #championship #series
That approach has started to shift.
Over the past two years, UFC has strengthened its roster with elite outside talent, including Reinier de Ridder, Kai Asakura and, most recently, Salahdine Parnasse.
For what it's worth, UFC eventually signed four of the five fighters I recommended last year.
Not bad!
#past #ultimate #championship #series
2 months ago
It only took Reinier de Ridder one victory over an unranked fighter to debut in the Top 10 at 205 pounds.
The former middleweight contender jumped to the light heavyweight division at UFC Sacramento last weekend in California, where he summarily disposed of longtime veteran Roman Dolidze. The 35-year-old "Dutch Knight" (22-4) landed at No. 9 in the official Meta Rankings, sandwiched between Dominick Reyes (No. 8) and Azamat Murzakanov (No. 10).
That's not all.
Jamall Emmers made his debut in the featherweight rankings by hospitalizing red-hot 145-pound prospect Lerryan Douglas with a broken orbital. In addition, "Crispy" Carli Judice joined the women's flyweight Top 15 after stopping Jeisla Chaves in the opening frame. Victorious main card players Gregory Rodrigues and Vitor Petrino also made big moves in their respective divisions.
Check out the updated UFC Meta Rankings below (for an explanation on how they work click here).
#debut
The former middleweight contender jumped to the light heavyweight division at UFC Sacramento last weekend in California, where he summarily disposed of longtime veteran Roman Dolidze. The 35-year-old "Dutch Knight" (22-4) landed at No. 9 in the official Meta Rankings, sandwiched between Dominick Reyes (No. 8) and Azamat Murzakanov (No. 10).
That's not all.
Jamall Emmers made his debut in the featherweight rankings by hospitalizing red-hot 145-pound prospect Lerryan Douglas with a broken orbital. In addition, "Crispy" Carli Judice joined the women's flyweight Top 15 after stopping Jeisla Chaves in the opening frame. Victorious main card players Gregory Rodrigues and Vitor Petrino also made big moves in their respective divisions.
Check out the updated UFC Meta Rankings below (for an explanation on how they work click here).
#debut
2 months ago
Gregory Rodrigues is a legitimate contender at 185 pounds.
On Saturday night, "Robocop" picked up the biggest win of his career, outlasting Anthony Hernandez in the main event of UFC Sacramento to win a unanimous decision. The win should vault Rodrigues up the middleweight rankings and put him fully in the ***** le mix at 185 pounds. Meanwhile, "Fluffy" has now lost two in a row, and his future at middleweight seems uncertain.
Following UFC Sacramento, MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew and Alexander K. Lee discuss Robocop's big win and what it means for the 185-pound division. They also break down some of the other big storylines from the card — including Reinier de Ridder's successful UFC light heavyweight debut and Carli Judice's emergence at flyweight — wax poetic on Cris Cyborg's scare in PFL, answer viewer questions, and more.
Watch the UFC Sacramento post-fight show above, or stream an audio-only version below and on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your pods.
View Link
#hernandez
On Saturday night, "Robocop" picked up the biggest win of his career, outlasting Anthony Hernandez in the main event of UFC Sacramento to win a unanimous decision. The win should vault Rodrigues up the middleweight rankings and put him fully in the ***** le mix at 185 pounds. Meanwhile, "Fluffy" has now lost two in a row, and his future at middleweight seems uncertain.
Following UFC Sacramento, MMA Fighting's Jed Meshew and Alexander K. Lee discuss Robocop's big win and what it means for the 185-pound division. They also break down some of the other big storylines from the card — including Reinier de Ridder's successful UFC light heavyweight debut and Carli Judice's emergence at flyweight — wax poetic on Cris Cyborg's scare in PFL, answer viewer questions, and more.
Watch the UFC Sacramento post-fight show above, or stream an audio-only version below and on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your pods.
View Link
#hernandez
2 months ago
Fans attending the latest Ultimate Fighting Championship event at Golden 1 Center inSacramento, California, were treated to an action-packed card.
The UFC Sacramento headliner featured a middleweight clash betweenAnthonyHernandez and GregoryRodrigues. The two delivered an entertaining fight, butRodrigues ultimately had his hand raised. In the co-main event,VitorPetrino defeated SergheiSpivac in a heavyweight bout. Although the co-feature did notlive up to expectations, the event produced 10 finishes in 13fights.
Let's examine what could be next for the main-card winners.
Thanks to sharper striking and punishing leg kicks, Rodrigues(20-6, 11-3 UFC) outstruck fellow former Legacy Fighting Alliance ****** leholder Hernandez (15-4, 1 NC; 9-4UFC) in the UFC Sacramento main event. Hernandez rallied in Rounds3 and 4, but "Robocop" did enough to earn a unanimous decision.Rodrigues has won seven of his past eight Octagon appearances.
The next logical step for Rodrigues could be a clash with NassourdineImavov. Both fighters consistently pursue finishes, making thisan appealing matchup. Although Imavov has called for a ****** le shot,he might have to wait with KhamzatChimaev and Dricus DuPlessis also pursuing the championship currently held bySeanStrickland. A victory over Imavov could move Rodrigues close tohis own shot at the middleweight crown.
In the heavyweight co-main event, Petrino (15-2, 8-2 UFC) grappledhis way to a unanimous decision over former World Warriors FightingChampionship ****** leholder Spivac (18-7, 9-7 UFC) in a lacklusteraffair. It was not Petrino's best performance, but the victoryextended his winning streak to four.
The Brazilian continues to climb the rankings in a heavyweightdivision badly in need of new contenders. A matchup with notedfinisher BrandoPericic, who is building momentum of his own, could offer aninteresting test. The pairing would give both men an opportunity toestablish themselves as emerging threats in the division.
Former two-division OneChampionship ****** leholder Reinierde Ridder (22-4, 5-2 UFC) made a successful UFC lightheavyweight debut by defeating RomanDolidze (15-6, 9-6 UFC). De Ridder capitalized on Dolidze'sdecision to pull guard early, overwhelming his opponent on thecanvas by continually advancing position and landing punches.
The end came 4:01 into the first round, when Dolidze could no longer intelligently defend himself as de Ridder poured onstrikes from back control. Although "The Dutch Knight"rebounded from consecutive defeats, the victory came against afellow middleweight competing outside his usual weight class.
To secure a spot in the light heavyweight rankings, de Riddershould next face an established 205-pounder such as BogdanGuskov. Although Guskov lost his most recent ****** ignment, heremains a dangerous opponent who could provide a meaningfultest.
#although
The UFC Sacramento headliner featured a middleweight clash betweenAnthonyHernandez and GregoryRodrigues. The two delivered an entertaining fight, butRodrigues ultimately had his hand raised. In the co-main event,VitorPetrino defeated SergheiSpivac in a heavyweight bout. Although the co-feature did notlive up to expectations, the event produced 10 finishes in 13fights.
Let's examine what could be next for the main-card winners.
Thanks to sharper striking and punishing leg kicks, Rodrigues(20-6, 11-3 UFC) outstruck fellow former Legacy Fighting Alliance ****** leholder Hernandez (15-4, 1 NC; 9-4UFC) in the UFC Sacramento main event. Hernandez rallied in Rounds3 and 4, but "Robocop" did enough to earn a unanimous decision.Rodrigues has won seven of his past eight Octagon appearances.
The next logical step for Rodrigues could be a clash with NassourdineImavov. Both fighters consistently pursue finishes, making thisan appealing matchup. Although Imavov has called for a ****** le shot,he might have to wait with KhamzatChimaev and Dricus DuPlessis also pursuing the championship currently held bySeanStrickland. A victory over Imavov could move Rodrigues close tohis own shot at the middleweight crown.
In the heavyweight co-main event, Petrino (15-2, 8-2 UFC) grappledhis way to a unanimous decision over former World Warriors FightingChampionship ****** leholder Spivac (18-7, 9-7 UFC) in a lacklusteraffair. It was not Petrino's best performance, but the victoryextended his winning streak to four.
The Brazilian continues to climb the rankings in a heavyweightdivision badly in need of new contenders. A matchup with notedfinisher BrandoPericic, who is building momentum of his own, could offer aninteresting test. The pairing would give both men an opportunity toestablish themselves as emerging threats in the division.
Former two-division OneChampionship ****** leholder Reinierde Ridder (22-4, 5-2 UFC) made a successful UFC lightheavyweight debut by defeating RomanDolidze (15-6, 9-6 UFC). De Ridder capitalized on Dolidze'sdecision to pull guard early, overwhelming his opponent on thecanvas by continually advancing position and landing punches.
The end came 4:01 into the first round, when Dolidze could no longer intelligently defend himself as de Ridder poured onstrikes from back control. Although "The Dutch Knight"rebounded from consecutive defeats, the victory came against afellow middleweight competing outside his usual weight class.
To secure a spot in the light heavyweight rankings, de Riddershould next face an established 205-pounder such as BogdanGuskov. Although Guskov lost his most recent ****** ignment, heremains a dangerous opponent who could provide a meaningfultest.
#although
2 months ago
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is live TODAY (Sat., Aug. 22, 2026) with UFC Sacramento, streaming live online via Paramount+. The event happens at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA. Our main event tonight is Anthony Hernandez vs. Gregory Rodrigues in the Middleweight division.
The UFC rolls into Sac-Town for the first time in years, tonight. The last time they were here they hung their card on Germaine de Randamie. I think it's fair to say they've come with a better main event this time around with 'Fluffy' vs. 'RoboCop'. Despite that fun main event, though, the rest of the card leaves much to be desired.
This is Hernandez's first fight since he was stopped by Sean Strickland. Had that not happened, Hernandez would have likely fought for the ****** le. Rodrigues is on a three fight winning streak and just KO'd Brunno Ferreira. Both these guys have lots of wins and finishes in the division. But it also feels like they'll need more than a win in Sacramento to get back into the 185 lbs. ****** le picture.
It's not the co-main, but the second most interesting fight on the card is Reinier de Ridder vs. Roman Dolidze, also in the Middleweight division. Both these guys are miles away from ****** le contention, but they are well-known names at least. De Ridder is coming off losses to Caio Borralho and Brendan Allen. Dolidze is coming off a loss to our headliner, Hernandez.
Rounding out the main card tonight is Serghei Spivac vs. Vitor Petrino, MarQuel Mederos vs. Mason Jones, Carli Judice vs. Jeisla Chaves and Anthony Wint vs. Terrance Chatman. Jones already had a Fight of the Year candidate, against Axel Sola, earlier this year. Judice and Chaves might also put on a fun brawl. Wint is a super prospect, and former NFL player, who has been fed a total newcomer.
#main #time
The UFC rolls into Sac-Town for the first time in years, tonight. The last time they were here they hung their card on Germaine de Randamie. I think it's fair to say they've come with a better main event this time around with 'Fluffy' vs. 'RoboCop'. Despite that fun main event, though, the rest of the card leaves much to be desired.
This is Hernandez's first fight since he was stopped by Sean Strickland. Had that not happened, Hernandez would have likely fought for the ****** le. Rodrigues is on a three fight winning streak and just KO'd Brunno Ferreira. Both these guys have lots of wins and finishes in the division. But it also feels like they'll need more than a win in Sacramento to get back into the 185 lbs. ****** le picture.
It's not the co-main, but the second most interesting fight on the card is Reinier de Ridder vs. Roman Dolidze, also in the Middleweight division. Both these guys are miles away from ****** le contention, but they are well-known names at least. De Ridder is coming off losses to Caio Borralho and Brendan Allen. Dolidze is coming off a loss to our headliner, Hernandez.
Rounding out the main card tonight is Serghei Spivac vs. Vitor Petrino, MarQuel Mederos vs. Mason Jones, Carli Judice vs. Jeisla Chaves and Anthony Wint vs. Terrance Chatman. Jones already had a Fight of the Year candidate, against Axel Sola, earlier this year. Judice and Chaves might also put on a fun brawl. Wint is a super prospect, and former NFL player, who has been fed a total newcomer.
#main #time
2 months ago
Expect a much fresher "RDR."
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight contender Reinier de Ridder makes his Light Heavyweight debut against Roman Dolidze on the UFC Sacramento main card this weekend (Sat., Aug. 22, 2026) inside Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.
And the move is probably long overdue.
Despite enjoying tremendous success at Middleweight — climbing within one victory of a potential ***** le shot — de Ridder destroyed his body in the process of making the 185-pound limit.
At 6'4," de Ridder was gigantic for the division. During his first year with UFC, the Dutch fighter successfully made Middleweight five times, which seems absolutely insane in hindsight.
#expect #ultimate #reinier
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight contender Reinier de Ridder makes his Light Heavyweight debut against Roman Dolidze on the UFC Sacramento main card this weekend (Sat., Aug. 22, 2026) inside Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.
And the move is probably long overdue.
Despite enjoying tremendous success at Middleweight — climbing within one victory of a potential ***** le shot — de Ridder destroyed his body in the process of making the 185-pound limit.
At 6'4," de Ridder was gigantic for the division. During his first year with UFC, the Dutch fighter successfully made Middleweight five times, which seems absolutely insane in hindsight.
#expect #ultimate #reinier
2 months ago
Reinierde Ridder believes his light heavyweight move puts the fun backinto fighting.
He's competed at middleweight during his Ultimate Fighting Championship run so far. However, followingback-to-back losses at 185 pounds, de Ridder committed to the205-pound division after enduring six weight cuts in just over ayear.
Ahead of his UFC light heavyweight debut against RomanDolidze at UFC Sacramento, de Ridder opened up about the difficult weightcuts at middleweight that made the overall experienceunenjoyable.
"It took all the fun out of fighting," de Ridder said at UFCSacramento media day. "I was basically dieting year-round,struggling to get close year-round, so it was time."
The Dutchman said his body began showing the effects of repeatedcuts, particularly after his first-round fight with BrendanAllen left him exhausted.
"I think that was just too much," de Ridder added. "It basicallypushed my body way too far."
The move to light heavyweight has allowed de Ridder to train andeat without the same restrictions. He also recently joined American Top Team, where he regularly trains with largerfighters. The former two-division OneChampionship ***** leholder is eyeing a top-ranked opponent if hebeats Dolidze.
"If I do well this weekend and I can get a spectacular finish, nextone is going to be Top 10 for sure," he added.
#ridder #division
He's competed at middleweight during his Ultimate Fighting Championship run so far. However, followingback-to-back losses at 185 pounds, de Ridder committed to the205-pound division after enduring six weight cuts in just over ayear.
Ahead of his UFC light heavyweight debut against RomanDolidze at UFC Sacramento, de Ridder opened up about the difficult weightcuts at middleweight that made the overall experienceunenjoyable.
"It took all the fun out of fighting," de Ridder said at UFCSacramento media day. "I was basically dieting year-round,struggling to get close year-round, so it was time."
The Dutchman said his body began showing the effects of repeatedcuts, particularly after his first-round fight with BrendanAllen left him exhausted.
"I think that was just too much," de Ridder added. "It basicallypushed my body way too far."
The move to light heavyweight has allowed de Ridder to train andeat without the same restrictions. He also recently joined American Top Team, where he regularly trains with largerfighters. The former two-division OneChampionship ***** leholder is eyeing a top-ranked opponent if hebeats Dolidze.
"If I do well this weekend and I can get a spectacular finish, nextone is going to be Top 10 for sure," he added.
#ridder #division
2 months ago
Reinierde Ridder has changed camps ahead of his permanent move up tolight heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The Dutchman is scheduled to take on RomanDolidze at 205 pounds next, on Aug. 22 at Golden 1 Center inSacramento, California. He recently revealed that he has partedways with Kill Cliff FC and joined another Florida gym, American Top Team, ahead of his UFC light heavyweightdebut.
The former OneChampionship two-division ***** leholder explains that while hereally enjoyed the atmosphere at Kill Cliff FC, the level oftraining has allegedly not been up to mark in the last couple ofmonths. One of de Ridder's favorite coaches, Aung La NSang, recently opened his own gym, which limited his time atKill Cliff FC.
He also claims that head coach Henri Hooft has not been around muchover the last couple of months due to personal reasons and thatmany top fighters allegedly left Kill Cliff FC as the level oftraining declined.
"I did switch up my camp," de Ridder told Full Mount MMA. "So, I'vebeen at ATT this camp, which is a big change. I've been able towork with a lot of high-level guys, which is cool - coaches andtraining partners… Some stuff was just not good at Kill Cliff thelast six months. Henri had some personal stuff. He had been out ofthe gym for a couple of months. And Aung La, my guy I like to workwith a lot, he opened his own gym. So, he hadn't been at Kill Cliffmuch. And a lot of big guys left because just the content of theclasses was not that good. So, it was time to make a change,unfortunately. Cause I really liked them, really liked theatmosphere, liked everything there."
After getting off to a sensational start in the UFC, going 4-0 withwins over Bo Nickal andRobertWhittaker, de Ridder (21-4) suffered consecutive losses toBrendanAllen and CaioBorralho, prompting the move up to light heavyweight. He'slooking to return to winning ways at UFC Sacramento.
#level #liked #aung #henri
The Dutchman is scheduled to take on RomanDolidze at 205 pounds next, on Aug. 22 at Golden 1 Center inSacramento, California. He recently revealed that he has partedways with Kill Cliff FC and joined another Florida gym, American Top Team, ahead of his UFC light heavyweightdebut.
The former OneChampionship two-division ***** leholder explains that while hereally enjoyed the atmosphere at Kill Cliff FC, the level oftraining has allegedly not been up to mark in the last couple ofmonths. One of de Ridder's favorite coaches, Aung La NSang, recently opened his own gym, which limited his time atKill Cliff FC.
He also claims that head coach Henri Hooft has not been around muchover the last couple of months due to personal reasons and thatmany top fighters allegedly left Kill Cliff FC as the level oftraining declined.
"I did switch up my camp," de Ridder told Full Mount MMA. "So, I'vebeen at ATT this camp, which is a big change. I've been able towork with a lot of high-level guys, which is cool - coaches andtraining partners… Some stuff was just not good at Kill Cliff thelast six months. Henri had some personal stuff. He had been out ofthe gym for a couple of months. And Aung La, my guy I like to workwith a lot, he opened his own gym. So, he hadn't been at Kill Cliffmuch. And a lot of big guys left because just the content of theclasses was not that good. So, it was time to make a change,unfortunately. Cause I really liked them, really liked theatmosphere, liked everything there."
After getting off to a sensational start in the UFC, going 4-0 withwins over Bo Nickal andRobertWhittaker, de Ridder (21-4) suffered consecutive losses toBrendanAllen and CaioBorralho, prompting the move up to light heavyweight. He'slooking to return to winning ways at UFC Sacramento.
#level #liked #aung #henri
3 months ago
Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Let's start the night off by taking a look back over the three biggest stories of Tuesday, July 28, 2026.
Former UFC ******* le challenger (and current ******* yst) arrested for alleged felony domestic violence, faces 20 years in prison: Anthony Smith seemed to be in a weird mental ******* e after his UFC retirement, but this is SHOCKING!
Reinier de Ridder 'never going back' to middleweight after UFC Sacramento — 'Dumbest s—t I've ever done': I can't help but think de Ridder's best chance at UFC gold was at Middleweight, but I cannot blame him for not wanting to suffer the misery and longterm affects of that drastic cut.
Sean Strickland details disturbing Russian Roulette incident: 'It still gives me chills': I'm genuinely happy Strickland is in a better mental ******* e nowadays.
#mental #midnight #mania
Let's start the night off by taking a look back over the three biggest stories of Tuesday, July 28, 2026.
Former UFC ******* le challenger (and current ******* yst) arrested for alleged felony domestic violence, faces 20 years in prison: Anthony Smith seemed to be in a weird mental ******* e after his UFC retirement, but this is SHOCKING!
Reinier de Ridder 'never going back' to middleweight after UFC Sacramento — 'Dumbest s—t I've ever done': I can't help but think de Ridder's best chance at UFC gold was at Middleweight, but I cannot blame him for not wanting to suffer the misery and longterm affects of that drastic cut.
Sean Strickland details disturbing Russian Roulette incident: 'It still gives me chills': I'm genuinely happy Strickland is in a better mental ******* e nowadays.
#mental #midnight #mania
3 months ago
New matchups have been revealed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s return to Sacramento, California.
A Fight Night event is confirmed for Aug. 22 at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center. It will feature a high-stakes middleweight clash in the main event, with a light heavyweight bout in the co-headliner. Other key fights for UFC Sacramento have also been unveiled.
The UFC returns to Sacramento on Aug. 22 with a middleweight showdown between Anthony Hernandez and Gregory Rodrigues in the main event. Hernandez will look to bounce back after his loss to Sean Strickland this past February, while Rodrigues is on a three-fight win streak, eager to pick up a fourth.
In the co-main event, Reinier de Ridder faces Roman Dolidze at 205 pounds. After back-to-back defeats at middleweight to Brendan Allen and Caio Borralho, de Ridder is moving up to the light heavyweight division. Notably, the Dutchman’s opponent, Dolidze, is also on a two-fight losing skid.
Elsewhere on the card, Serghei Spivac takes on Vitor Petrino and Kennedy Nzechukwu collides with Shamil Gaziev at heavyweight. From the heaviest division in the UFC to the lightest, two women’s strawweight bouts are also on tap for UFC Sacramento: Carli Judice vs. Jeisla Chaves and Shanelle Dyer vs. Elise Reed. Additionally, Contender Series signee Wes Schultz will lock horns with Jackson McVey at middleweight.
More fights are expected to be announced over the coming weeks.
A Fight Night event is confirmed for Aug. 22 at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center. It will feature a high-stakes middleweight clash in the main event, with a light heavyweight bout in the co-headliner. Other key fights for UFC Sacramento have also been unveiled.
The UFC returns to Sacramento on Aug. 22 with a middleweight showdown between Anthony Hernandez and Gregory Rodrigues in the main event. Hernandez will look to bounce back after his loss to Sean Strickland this past February, while Rodrigues is on a three-fight win streak, eager to pick up a fourth.
In the co-main event, Reinier de Ridder faces Roman Dolidze at 205 pounds. After back-to-back defeats at middleweight to Brendan Allen and Caio Borralho, de Ridder is moving up to the light heavyweight division. Notably, the Dutchman’s opponent, Dolidze, is also on a two-fight losing skid.
Elsewhere on the card, Serghei Spivac takes on Vitor Petrino and Kennedy Nzechukwu collides with Shamil Gaziev at heavyweight. From the heaviest division in the UFC to the lightest, two women’s strawweight bouts are also on tap for UFC Sacramento: Carli Judice vs. Jeisla Chaves and Shanelle Dyer vs. Elise Reed. Additionally, Contender Series signee Wes Schultz will lock horns with Jackson McVey at middleweight.
More fights are expected to be announced over the coming weeks.
4 months ago
No love.
Top Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight contender Brendan Allen makes his first appearance of the year when he takes on unranked knockout artist Edmen Shahbazyan in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 118 this weekend (Sat., June 6, 2026) inside the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Allen being matched up with Shahbazyan came completely out of left field.
After all, “All In” is coming off a huge win over Reinier de Ridder, making the former two-division ONE champion quit on the stool, which pushed Allen to No. 5 in the Middleweight rankings. Shahbazyan, meanwhile, spent last year rebuilding himself and is currently unranked.
So, the optics of the matchmaking weren’t great.
Top Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight contender Brendan Allen makes his first appearance of the year when he takes on unranked knockout artist Edmen Shahbazyan in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 118 this weekend (Sat., June 6, 2026) inside the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Allen being matched up with Shahbazyan came completely out of left field.
After all, “All In” is coming off a huge win over Reinier de Ridder, making the former two-division ONE champion quit on the stool, which pushed Allen to No. 5 in the Middleweight rankings. Shahbazyan, meanwhile, spent last year rebuilding himself and is currently unranked.
So, the optics of the matchmaking weren’t great.
