I wish I’d gotten tickets and flown down. I was in Melbourne recently for work and went to the tennis. Rod Laver isn’t all that big. This would’ve been awesome.
Who’s everybody taking for tomorrow’s main card? I’m going: Whittaker Adesanya Simon The other two fights are with people I’m not familiar with.
That’s what I’m going with. And obviously cheering on all the aussies! It really is a shame how the end of last year ended up. This card could’ve been awesome if Tai had of beaten JDS, if Pedro had of beaten Shogun and if Hooker had of beaten Barbosa.
I don't think there is anything not to like about Whittaker. Such a good fighter, and he's only gotten better as time goes. Super humble even though he hasn't been beaten in 5 years. He has never backed down from a challenge without injury, and he's won every fight people expected him to lose. His only really bad loss came from Thompson who was in his prime and Whittaker was making a hefty weight cut. His last bout with Romero solidified him in my head as one of the greatest to come from the UFC. This is just another stepping stone for him to be in contention as one of the goats ever. Gastelum, while having had a few highlight moments, I feel really isn't the top contender for a title shot in the division. His ranking is confusing, considering Souza truly should've won their fight and he won by split decision. Before his fight with Bisping, Bisping had just taken a serious loss to GSP weeks before. Having 2 missed weigh-ins and a fight overturned doesn't help (even though it was weed). While I won't say it is "luck" that Gastelum is fighting for the title tonight, it's certainly not just skill that got him here. A bit of a circumstantial situation in my eyes.