Happy Cinco de Mayo Week to those celebrating. He closes out April with a light martial arts week, and the calendar soon turns to May, which brings with it an extravaganza of UFC and boxing pay-per-view schedules.
Last week on Combat Sports Today, we reviewed Ryan Garcia's upset of Devin Haney, Paul Hughes' contract with the PFL, and the exorbitant UFC 303 ticket prices (which are only getting higher by the day).
In any case, without further ado, here are the biggest headlines for the first weekend of May, plus NBA, NHL Playoffs, and BKFC Knucklemania 4.
more: Canelo vs. Munguia start time, date, betting odds, PPV price, fight card
UFC 301 vs. Canelo’s annual Las Vegas weekend
Fight fans will have a choice this weekend about where to spend their hard-earned money. From T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (60-2-2) defends his undisputed super middleweight title against an undefeated, young and high-profile opponent. Returns to the ring to defend. Jaime Munguia (43-0) had the chance to shock the world in front of more than 20,000 people.
It's become a semi-tradition for Alvarez, who hosts fights to give back to his Hispanic heritage and allow fans to celebrate his accomplishments as one of boxing's greatest fighters. .
However, in recent years, including in 2024, Alvarez will be competing in the blockbuster UFC pay-per-view event, UFC 301.
The card also features a title fight, as the UFC flyweight strap is on the line. In the main event from Brazil, fans will see local favorite Alexandre Pantoja (27-5 MMA, 11-3 UFC) take on Steve Arceg (12-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) for the second time. will see him successfully defend his belt. Erceg scored a KO against Matt Schnell (16-8 MMA, 6-6 UFC) in March, clinching the title less than 30 seconds into round two before clinching the clincher for the title. .
The main event was an unpopular choice in some parts of the MMA community, but it was ultimately the hand the UFC was given.
The top-heavy nature of UFC 298-300 and the return of Conor McGregor this summer left the UFC with few options to satisfy the doomed Brazilian. So Pantoja became the headliner.
The event also saw the return of former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo (31-8 MMA, 13-7 UFC), returning to the Octagon for the first time since December 2021 after a brief boxing stint. Aldo will face Cub Swanson (29-13 MMA, 14-9 UFC) and Adrian Yanez (16-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC).
This card features a ton of top talent and top contenders, two aspects that perhaps Canelo may not be able to match at a pay-per-view.
Those who chose to buy both ($79.99 for UFC on Amazon Prime/DAZN and Canelo vs. Munguia on PBC even though Canelo vs. Munguia could start before Pantoja vs. Erceg) ($89.99) will run into problems. First, both matches will be on two separate streaming services and will require a subscription and the ability to switch between them and watch them simultaneously on two screens.
It's easier said than done, but unless commercial establishments, theaters and bars can handle both, consumers will have to choose.
Weighing the pros and cons, opinions may differ, but the fact remains the same. The UFC puts on 44 shows a year, and boxing, based on public opinion and categories, he's probably at about half of that, if not a quarter, when it comes to marquee fights.
It's also taken into account that Alvarez, 33, fights twice a year, so he has the rare appeal of being able to watch it live or buy it at home, leading to people swinging in the direction of boxing. there is a possibility. The same goes for his avid MMA fans who pay the same amount every month for UFC. It's a two-way street.
In conclusion, UFC 301 is the better value even though the price point is very similar. It's better known than boxing, it's a better undercard, and there's a part that you can't miss if someone needs to convert to Canelo vs. Munguia. Something important.
Anyway, use your money wisely. The UFC event begins at 6:00 PM ET/3:00 PM PT, and the boxing match begins at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT.
Alex Perez's chances for a title shot after UFC Vegas 91
Alex Perez (25-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC) clinched flyweight gold with a big win over Mateusz Nicolaou (19-4-1 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in Saturday's main event. Another step closer. This is a goal Perez has not achieved since November 2020. Since losing to Deiveson Figueiredo (23-3-1 MMA, 12-3 UFC), Perez has lost two of his last three fights, with numerous cancellations in between.
It's safe to assume Perez needs a few more wins to establish himself, but as Erceg is now finding out, anything is possible.
Boxing's latest failure in Fresno
Long-time umpire Jack Reese let out a brief sigh. Reese was assigned to the DAZN main event between Jose Ramirez vs. Rances Barthelemy, a 12-round slugfest over the weekend. Except for one problem, Ramirez should have won in the 11th round instead of continuing to fight and end up on the scorecards.
Reese, the next time a fighter turns his back, protect him from yourself and stop the fight, just like Barthelemy did with less than a minute left in the round.
Ramirez won a 119-109, 119-109, 118-110 decision and said after the fight that it wasn't his most impressive fight, but he knows it will lead to great opportunities down the road.
What is the future of martial arts?
Stay tuned for continued coverage leading up to UFC 301, including main card picks. For context, I went 8-5 at UFC Vegas 91, giving him a total record of 93-80-3 for 2024, ending the month of April 25th to his 13th. .
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