UFC 244 on Saturday was hyped as the biggest card of the year, and for the most part, it delivered. Fans witnessed a number of knockouts, saw fighters get back in the win column and watched prospects suffer their first promotional defeats. The main talking point, however, was the controversial finish to the main event. Here are five lessons we learned from what went down at Madison Square Garden in New York:
1. There is no need for a Jorge Masvidal-Nate Diaz rematch.
The main event came to an end before the fourth round when the doctor ruled Diaz was unfit to continue due to a cut above his eye. Many were displeased with the decision, as there were immediate calls for the two welterweights to run things back right away. Is it really necessary? While Diaz would likely never have given up, Masvidal was having his way with him for the first 15 minutes of the fight. He dropped him twice and opened up multiple cuts that left Diaz bloodied. He also outlanded the Stockton, California, native 112-43 in significant strikes and was awarded a 10-8 by two judges in the second round. “Gamebred” also looked dominant in clinch positions and more than competent on the ground. If the contest had continued, we would have likely seen Masvidal win a lopsided decision. UFC President Dana White does not seem too interested in a rematch, and given how the BMF title fight was a novelty one-off affair, it would not make sense to do it again. Instead, either give Masvidal the next welterweight title shot or book him opposite Conor McGregor.
2. Promotion is vital.
Who would have thought the UFC could headline a Madison Square Garden card with a non-title fight that did not include McGregor? Masvidal and Diaz are not former champions, either, and they held a combined 24 losses entering their bout. However, the UFC struck while the iron was hot with both fighters, and based on the buildup and how the event was trending, it appears set to become the biggest pay-per-view of the year. Of course, it was a stacked card all the way around, but there was a certain buzz about the show, which drew many eyes from the outside world. Even President Trump was in attendance. It just goes to show that with the right marketing and promotion, a non-title bout that does not feature McGregor can still successfully headline a major pay-per-view.
3. Knockout artists can be gunshy, too.
Kelvin Gastelum and Darren Till came into UFC 244 with a combined 16 knockouts, and many expected a war in their middleweight co-main event. However, that was far from what transpired. Instead, fans mostly witnessed a clinch battle, with both fighters maintaining their distance and virtually point fighting. In the end, Till was awarded the split decision in what was probably the worst fight on an action-packed main card. Their last few outings likely played a role in their respective performances, particularly Till’s. Gastelum had never been dropped until his last fight with Israel Adesanya, as he hit the canvas multiple times in that encounter. The same goes for Till, who was dropped and then finished by Tyron Woodley via submission in 2018 before suffering his first-ever knockout loss to Masvidal in March. The Englishman revealed afterward that he was terrified during the Gastelum fight and cited how his previous losses took a lot from him mentally. He did mention, however, that his confidence was back, so hopefully, his performances -- and those from Gastelum -- improve going forward.
4. Stephen Thompson and Kevin Lee are back in the mix.
Thompson and Lee bounced back from losing streaks with crucial victories over Vicente Luque and Gregor Gillespie. Both fighters were on two-fight skids, and while they likely would not have been cut with a third consecutive defeat, it would not have spoken well of their future. That seemed to light a fire under both men. Now training under Firas Zahabi at the Tristar Gym in Montreal, Lee looked like a different fighter, as he was composed and patient before landing a vicious head kick knockout that put Gillespie to sleep in the first round. Thompson, meanwhile, battled adversity in the first round to put on a vintage performance against Luque across the final 10 minutes, as he dropped “The Silent Assassin” a couple of times in route to a dominant unanimous decision. Both Lee and Thompson can look forward to title aspirations, as they continue to try to climb the ladders in their respective weight classes.
5. Edmen Shahbazyan announced his arrival.
After Ciryl Gane’s showing at UFC Fight Night 162 and Maycee Barber’s impressive win over Gillian Robertson at UFC on ESPN 6 in October, Shahbazyan became the latest prospect to announce himself as a future contender. Entering his preliminary encounter with middleweight veteran Brad Tavares, the unbeaten 21-year-old was believed to be facing his toughest task yet. However, he passed the test with flying colors, as he knocked out the Hawaiian in the first round. Shahbazyan dropped Tavares early but remained composed, as he overwhelmed his counterpart before landing a fight-ending head kick. He now owns a 4-0 record in the UFC and figures to face another ranked opponent in his next assignment.