UFC Edmonton: Five Things We Learned

UFC Edmonton: Five Things We Learned

UFC Edmonton was a fight card that featured a bevy of fighters who had an opportunity to make a statement. Obviously, not everyone put on an impressive performance, but a handful of fighters did. Here are the five biggest lessons we learned from UFC Edmonton.

Brandon Moreno Gets Back To His Usual Self

In the UFC Edmonton main event, Brandon Moreno won a lopsided decision against Amir Albazi. The performance was a throwback from Moreno as he looked like his usual self.

Moreno entered this fight riding consecutive losses against Brandon Royval and Alexandre Pantoja. In those fights, he simply was not as effective as he had been previously. In this bout against Albazi, he looked rejuvenated and had a great showing.

This fight was largely contested on the feet. That was partially due to Albazi’s uncharacteristic lack of wrestling offense, but, at the same time, Moreno showed sensational defensive grappling in the minimal exchanges that took place.

In striking exchanges, Moreno was multiple steps ahead. For the entire fight, he threw with more volume, landed in combinations, and hurt Albazi with big strikes. It was a great showing. The former champion won every round and improved as the fight got deeper.

This is exactly what Moreno needed to do at this portion of his career. It looked like he was beginning to regress from his championship form, but he showed a much better version of himself at UFC Edmonton.

Amir Albazi Has To Shake Off The Rust

On the opposite side of the UFC Edmonton main event, Albazi looked to have ring rust after his lengthy layoff. Albazi has not fought since June of 2023 because of multiple injuries. That seems to have clearly affected his performance.

The problem with Albazi’s performance is not what he did, it’s what he didn’t do. Over the course of five rounds, his offensive output was minimal. He did not attempt to offensively wrestle as often as you would expect and he did not throw enough volume on the feet. That allowed Moreno to be aggressive and get out to an early lead. Once Moreno had momentum, he began to dominate the fight.

Hopefully, for Albazi, this will not become his new normal. That would be a serious damper for a fighter that has shown some promising skills. In his defense, a five-round matchup against Moreno is a daunting task. It will be easier to tell what Albazi’s future looks like in a three-round fight against an opponent in the middle of the rankings.

Erin Blanchfield Proves She Is Still Elite

In the UFC Edmonton co-main event, Erin Blanchfield defeated Rose Namajunas. It was a strong bounce-back performance after suffering her first UFC loss.

This fight did not go well for Blanchfield for the first two rounds. That was partially a result of her engaging in too many striking exchanges. That changed in the third round. Blanchfield landed a takedown and controlled the top position. From that point, the fight was completely different. Blanchfield pulled ahead with her pace and won the final rounds.

This was a strong showing for Blanchfield. It proved that she is still an elite fighter despite her loss to Manon Fiorot. Now, she can continue to improve and attempt to work her way back into title contention.

Charles Jourdain Impresses At A New Weight Class

At UFC Edmonton, Charles Jourdain made his bantamweight debut against Victor Henry. Jourdain was impressive as he landed a second-round guillotine to get the victory.

Jourdain has been an undersized featherweight for a significant period. At bantamweight, he was at a size advantage. Frankly, this fight did not teach us much about Jourdain from a skills perspective; however, it is clear that he has found his natural weight class. That will allow him to utilize his skills more efficiently.

Youseff Zalal Is A Serious Featherweight Prospect

At UFC Edmonton, Youssef Zalal submitted Jack Shore to win his third consecutive UFC fight. Zalal is showing that he is a featherweight prospect worth paying attention to.

Zalal won this fight with an impressive finishing sequence. He landed a nasty knee that hurt Shore badly and he eventually finished the fight with an arm triangle from the top position.

This is Zalal’s second stint in the UFC. In his first, he went 3-3-1 and was cut. Now, he has flipped his fortune and sits on a three-fight win streak. This is because of a handful of improvements that have made him a legit prospect to watch. Zalal has pace, power, and offensive grappling. It is a respectable combination.

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