For better and for worse, UFC 327 edition
We're now getting Bonnar vs. Griffin comparisons for Hokit vs. Blaydes.
If you read our UFC 327 fight predictions at The MMA Draw, congratulations. You had a better read than most of us mere mortals did on this fight card. But not everyone can be on a predictions heater because in Mixed Martial Arts, there are two cold hard truths:
Fighters can be incredibly courageous and fighters can be really dumb.
UFC 327 in Miami at the Kaseya Center was easily TKO’s most newsworthy and interesting event on Paramount. It may not have attracted the same kind of audience as UFC 324, but we ended up with a very strange kaleidoscope of stories to debate.
If you aren’t a sucker like I am for being a Paramount subscriber, you can watch all the UFC 327 highlights and finishes here:
Let’s review some of the major highlights from this event. As we review the headlines, I will insert my own commentary and reflect upon our staff predictions. It was a busy night for all the right and wrong reasons.
Now what for the UFC Light Heavyweight division?
This division is in complete and total chaos after UFC 327.
Dominick Reyes had an all-time stinker against Johnny Walker. The rather relaxed Miami crowd was chanting “This is boring!” No AI sound sweetener could mask that audio call.
Then there was the main event. Carlos Ulberg, with what initially appeared to be a serious leg injury, took advantage of Jiri Prochazka showing him mercy and knocked him out. For old school fans, we are talking about flashbacks to Rashad Evans chinning Chuck Liddell into oblivion.
The latest injury report and analysis is pointing towards a blown ACL.
This was the main event to determine a new UFC Light Heavyweight champion and now that winner is facing a long time on the shelf due to injury.
Despite this main event fight being a pick ‘em, our Miguel Class best summarized why no one on the staff picked Ulberg to win.
Ulberg has some capability to catch Jiri on the way in like Pereira did in their first fight, but again I just haven’t seen enough from him to trust him to do that and he’s of course not the nuclear hitter the Brazilian double champ is. I still expect Jiri to lose the early rounds and it’s possible that Ulberg could do just enough to keep a lid on the Czech samurai for enough rounds to win a decision if he survives the late onslaught, but I don’t want to see that happen so I’m not going to pick it.
Jiri was doing great in the early stages. Then Ulberg injured his leg. Jiri showed him mercy. Ulberg showed him a KO. It fiercely shocked the crowd.
As inspirational of a victory as this was for Carlos Ulberg, it was a devastatingly humbling blow to Prochazka. A true ‘what the hell?’ moment in combat sports title match history.
After the adrenaline of this moment wears off, UFC is going to find itself back to square one on what is becoming a very transitory and cursed 205 pound division.
And the crowd goes… mild for Trump
US President Donald J. Trump did, in fact, show up for UFC 327 along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. All while Vice President JD Vance was negotiating with Iran and coming home without any sort of peace deal.
No one really booed Trump at the Kaseya Center but it was a relatively muted, if not respectful response from what was supposed to be favorable home turf. This was a far cry from previously loud and raucous crowd reactions at past UFC events. A rather subdued affair for all parties involved.
Dana White & Hunter Campbell were flanked next to the US President.
We are two months away from UFC White House. President Trump’s official social media accounts released this new UFC poster for the event.
The UFC then released a brand new promo for the White House event.
Remember Dana White’s rant against critics of TKO using AI for advertising? This UFC White House advertising took plenty of artistic leeway with AI. Cyril Gane in a black Secret Service SUV. Justin Gaethje walking by the Presidential Helicopter.
On a surface level, it’s a slick ad. It’s also an advertisement that no other major sports property right now could generate from this current White House. Tens of millions of dollars in earned media for UFC. Whether UFC fans want to continue celebrating Trump’s association with their favorite fighting platform is a different story.
The only development more worthy of heartburn? Having to discuss the existence of Josh Hokit.
No, Hokit vs. Blaydes was not Griffin vs. Bonnar
Right on cue, The MMA Guru declared the Josh Hokit vs. Curtis Blaydes slobberknocker to be one of the greatest fights in UFC history.
This fight was entertaining and fun the same way smoking, binge eating, gambling, and other extracurricular activities involving sin can bring human pleasure.
With that out of the way, it’s time for us to have a painful conversation about Mark Shapiro’s newest UFC superstar.
