Back Talk: Jason Burgos’ Mailbag
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What’s up, fight fans, and welcome to this edition of Back Talk. With One Championship being the lone major promotion staging an event this week, it’s no surprise that this mailbag column consists of more abstract questions and not inquiries focused on a specific card. I have to say, I dig it. Topics cover concerns about the New York State Athletic Commission, Khabib Nurmagomedov-Tony Ferguson, top female draws in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and legendary heavyweights. With that said, I’ll let Arnold Schwarzenegger finish off this intro.
Zebra Cheeks Asks: “What’s your opinion on booking big fights in New York, given the propensity of stoppages via cuts there? We’ve waited years for the epic Ferguson-Nurmagomedov matchup, and knowing it’s booked in the same state where the BMF fight was stopped due to a cut has me horrified.”
Burgos: I totally understand your concern, not just as a mixed martial arts fan but as a New Yorker and not just as a New York MMA fan but as a New York MMA fan who was on press row to see the much-ballyhooed BMF title fight between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz end in a doctor stoppage. Not to mention, I was also cageside at the Barclays Center for T.J. Dillashaw-Henry Cejudo, which also had a finish that “left something to be desired.” The New York State Athletic Commission has done very little to help its reputation with MMA fans. Questionable decisions from doctors, referees and even medical officials put the Professional Fighters League through hell in its second season. Unfortunately, I doubt I can allay your fears of something else odd happening between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson, especially since this booking was touched by bad juju well before it came into this city. Since a Ferguson fight often devolves into a literal blood war, all I can say is hope and pray. With that said, you have to book fights in New York. It is the epicenter of media in the country, and the Barclays Center and Madison Square Garden are elite-level arenas that offer a stage few venues in the world can match. Plus, since the UFC doesn’t run events in those arenas often, the promotion has to make it worth its while. That means big fights will continue to happen in New York, as they should. Here’s hoping the New York commission starts acting more like the one in neighboring New Jersey.
LegKickTKO Asks: “Does the UFC want Nurmagomedov-Ferguson to happen?”
Burgos: Want is the key word. We all know the promotion—specifically UFC President Dana White— “wants” Nurmagomedov-Conor McGregor 2. The UFC “wants” money fights. It “wants” to book matchups that bring in the casuals. However, that doesn’t mean it’s against putting together great fights, as it does so all the time. This so happens to be one of them. It certainly is a fight diehards “want.” They have been clamoring to see it for two years. The promotion definitely “wants” to promote Nurmagomedov and place him as a cornerstone of the brand. Headlining a card at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, achieves that goal, so this may be that rare moment in a post-Endeavor-purchase era where the wants of the UFC and its fans converge. The UFC “wants” Nurmagomedov in big fight in a big city, and fans “want” Ferguson to fight him. Everyone’s happy.
Woloo Asks: “Who’s the biggest female draw in the UFC currently?”
Burgos: The simple answer is Amanda Nunes. She’s the greatest women’s mixed martial arts of all-time, a two-division champion who has the pelts of Ronda Rousey and Cristiane Justino on her wall. With great success also comes fanfare, so she’s likely the biggest “draw” right now. However, neither she nor other gifted fighters like Valentina Shevchenko, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Rose Namajunas and Holly Holm have touched Rousey’s mass appeal. With that in mind, let’s have some fun while I suggest a fighter who has Rousey potential or at least some serious upside. Weili Zhang could be that draw now and in the future. Zhang has a sparkling 20-1 record and hasn’t lost a fight in over five and half years. Seventeen of her victories have ended inside the distance, and she has only gone to a third round twice. A finishing machine who gets it done quick is an easy sell to North American audiences with the right push. The key factor in her true drawing potential is what her appeal could be at home in China. The UFC has made no secret about its plans for Chinese expansion. It even has a performance center there, not in Japan, which has deeper MMA roots, and not in Singapore, where its presence could ruffle the feathers of One Championship and Chatri Sityodtong. The UFC has more than enough reason to put all of its marketing might behind Zhang in China. Being a big name in America will go a long way, but becoming a sports icon in the country with the second largest economy in the world is a draw that may not register on ESPN but would surely register in the Endeavor coffers.
Pcbh167 Asks: “Of the women she has not fought, who has the best chance of beating Nunes?”
Burgos: This answer may disappoint you, but no one. No disrespect to the talented athletes competing in the women’s bantamweight and featherweight divisions, but Nunes currently resides in another stratosphere of combat sports acumen. Plus, you have limited yourself a bit by only picking from opponents she has not faced yet. If we shed the limitations, then there are two options, and if those two options worked in tandem, Nunes could be in serious trouble. Option 1 would be Nunes herself. No, I won’t be suggesting Grandmother Time. At 31, she is at the peak of her athletic career. However, the pound-for-pound queen is not exempt from making poor decisions. If she were silly enough to attempt three-division champion status and try and make a run at flyweight, her chances of losing could increase. This is where Option 2, Shevchenko, comes in. She is the only women with the skills to beat Nunes, and she already came close to doing so on two occasions. Some felt she may have eked out one—if not both—of those fights. If Nunes cutting too much weight was combined with optimal “Bullet,” it could equal defeat for the “Lioness.”
Ijngf Asks: “Do you think prime Brock Lesnar could beat current Francis Ngannou?”
Burgos: Yes, I really do. Lesnar’s two bouts with diverticulitis cannot be understated, nor can the fact that he very well may have been a world champion while competing with it. That makes it difficult to truly know how much it took away from his already considerable athletic gifts. Folks look at Ngannou and see a freakish monster with athleticism unmatched for a man his size. Well, Lesnar was doing that whole deal 12 years ago and did so backed by his pedigree as an NCAA Division I national wrestling champion—combat sports credentials Ngannou never had. At 42, Lesnar is still a freak athlete cashing checks in World Wrestling Entertainment. Prime Lesnar dethroned Randy Couture, then followed it with an absolute shellacking of Frank Mir in their rematch. Without a doubt, “The Predator” possesses power that is not of this world. He could probably miss hitting people with a punch and still make them feel wobbly. However, Lesnar has faced down individuals with ridiculous power in the past and won. Shane Carwin and Mark Hunt could both stop a bull in its tracks. Granted, Lesnar was popped for being on the juice against Hunt, but his strategy to win that fight was very similar to what he would need to do against Ngannou. He executed it successfully at 38 against “The Super Samoan,” so it’s hard to imagine he could not do the same fully healthy at 32. Could Ngannou knock him around and make him look silly, ala Alistair Overeem? For sure. However, the question was whether or not prime Lesnar could—not would—beat Ngannou. “The Beast Incarnate” at his best definitely had the capability to do so.
Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream UFC on ESPN+ live on your computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.
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What’s up, fight fans, and welcome to this edition of Back Talk. With One Championship being the lone major promotion staging an event this week, it’s no surprise that this mailbag column consists of more abstract questions and not inquiries focused on a specific card. I have to say, I dig it. Topics cover concerns about the New York State Athletic Commission, Khabib Nurmagomedov-Tony Ferguson, top female draws in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and legendary heavyweights. With that said, I’ll let Arnold Schwarzenegger finish off this intro.
Zebra Cheeks Asks: “What’s your opinion on booking big fights in New York, given the propensity of stoppages via cuts there? We’ve waited years for the epic Ferguson-Nurmagomedov matchup, and knowing it’s booked in the same state where the BMF fight was stopped due to a cut has me horrified.”
Burgos: I totally understand your concern, not just as a mixed martial arts fan but as a New Yorker and not just as a New York MMA fan but as a New York MMA fan who was on press row to see the much-ballyhooed BMF title fight between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz end in a doctor stoppage. Not to mention, I was also cageside at the Barclays Center for T.J. Dillashaw-Henry Cejudo, which also had a finish that “left something to be desired.” The New York State Athletic Commission has done very little to help its reputation with MMA fans. Questionable decisions from doctors, referees and even medical officials put the Professional Fighters League through hell in its second season. Unfortunately, I doubt I can allay your fears of something else odd happening between Nurmagomedov and Ferguson, especially since this booking was touched by bad juju well before it came into this city. Since a Ferguson fight often devolves into a literal blood war, all I can say is hope and pray. With that said, you have to book fights in New York. It is the epicenter of media in the country, and the Barclays Center and Madison Square Garden are elite-level arenas that offer a stage few venues in the world can match. Plus, since the UFC doesn’t run events in those arenas often, the promotion has to make it worth its while. That means big fights will continue to happen in New York, as they should. Here’s hoping the New York commission starts acting more like the one in neighboring New Jersey.
LegKickTKO Asks: “Does the UFC want Nurmagomedov-Ferguson to happen?”
Burgos: Want is the key word. We all know the promotion—specifically UFC President Dana White— “wants” Nurmagomedov-Conor McGregor 2. The UFC “wants” money fights. It “wants” to book matchups that bring in the casuals. However, that doesn’t mean it’s against putting together great fights, as it does so all the time. This so happens to be one of them. It certainly is a fight diehards “want.” They have been clamoring to see it for two years. The promotion definitely “wants” to promote Nurmagomedov and place him as a cornerstone of the brand. Headlining a card at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, achieves that goal, so this may be that rare moment in a post-Endeavor-purchase era where the wants of the UFC and its fans converge. The UFC “wants” Nurmagomedov in big fight in a big city, and fans “want” Ferguson to fight him. Everyone’s happy.
Woloo Asks: “Who’s the biggest female draw in the UFC currently?”
Burgos: The simple answer is Amanda Nunes. She’s the greatest women’s mixed martial arts of all-time, a two-division champion who has the pelts of Ronda Rousey and Cristiane Justino on her wall. With great success also comes fanfare, so she’s likely the biggest “draw” right now. However, neither she nor other gifted fighters like Valentina Shevchenko, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Rose Namajunas and Holly Holm have touched Rousey’s mass appeal. With that in mind, let’s have some fun while I suggest a fighter who has Rousey potential or at least some serious upside. Weili Zhang could be that draw now and in the future. Zhang has a sparkling 20-1 record and hasn’t lost a fight in over five and half years. Seventeen of her victories have ended inside the distance, and she has only gone to a third round twice. A finishing machine who gets it done quick is an easy sell to North American audiences with the right push. The key factor in her true drawing potential is what her appeal could be at home in China. The UFC has made no secret about its plans for Chinese expansion. It even has a performance center there, not in Japan, which has deeper MMA roots, and not in Singapore, where its presence could ruffle the feathers of One Championship and Chatri Sityodtong. The UFC has more than enough reason to put all of its marketing might behind Zhang in China. Being a big name in America will go a long way, but becoming a sports icon in the country with the second largest economy in the world is a draw that may not register on ESPN but would surely register in the Endeavor coffers.
Pcbh167 Asks: “Of the women she has not fought, who has the best chance of beating Nunes?”
Burgos: This answer may disappoint you, but no one. No disrespect to the talented athletes competing in the women’s bantamweight and featherweight divisions, but Nunes currently resides in another stratosphere of combat sports acumen. Plus, you have limited yourself a bit by only picking from opponents she has not faced yet. If we shed the limitations, then there are two options, and if those two options worked in tandem, Nunes could be in serious trouble. Option 1 would be Nunes herself. No, I won’t be suggesting Grandmother Time. At 31, she is at the peak of her athletic career. However, the pound-for-pound queen is not exempt from making poor decisions. If she were silly enough to attempt three-division champion status and try and make a run at flyweight, her chances of losing could increase. This is where Option 2, Shevchenko, comes in. She is the only women with the skills to beat Nunes, and she already came close to doing so on two occasions. Some felt she may have eked out one—if not both—of those fights. If Nunes cutting too much weight was combined with optimal “Bullet,” it could equal defeat for the “Lioness.”
Ijngf Asks: “Do you think prime Brock Lesnar could beat current Francis Ngannou?”
Burgos: Yes, I really do. Lesnar’s two bouts with diverticulitis cannot be understated, nor can the fact that he very well may have been a world champion while competing with it. That makes it difficult to truly know how much it took away from his already considerable athletic gifts. Folks look at Ngannou and see a freakish monster with athleticism unmatched for a man his size. Well, Lesnar was doing that whole deal 12 years ago and did so backed by his pedigree as an NCAA Division I national wrestling champion—combat sports credentials Ngannou never had. At 42, Lesnar is still a freak athlete cashing checks in World Wrestling Entertainment. Prime Lesnar dethroned Randy Couture, then followed it with an absolute shellacking of Frank Mir in their rematch. Without a doubt, “The Predator” possesses power that is not of this world. He could probably miss hitting people with a punch and still make them feel wobbly. However, Lesnar has faced down individuals with ridiculous power in the past and won. Shane Carwin and Mark Hunt could both stop a bull in its tracks. Granted, Lesnar was popped for being on the juice against Hunt, but his strategy to win that fight was very similar to what he would need to do against Ngannou. He executed it successfully at 38 against “The Super Samoan,” so it’s hard to imagine he could not do the same fully healthy at 32. Could Ngannou knock him around and make him look silly, ala Alistair Overeem? For sure. However, the question was whether or not prime Lesnar could—not would—beat Ngannou. “The Beast Incarnate” at his best definitely had the capability to do so.
