Two-Cent Tuesday on UFC 271, McKee-Pitbull 2, Poirier, Usman-Edwards, and more

A few random thoughts on this lovely Tuesday in February …

1. I think Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2 is going to be one of the best fights of the year. I think it goes the distance, too.

2. I’m surprised Derek Brunson is the underdog against Jared Cannonier. I guess people don’t think his wrestling will work against the strong Cannonier? His striking has improved, though, too.

3. This Shaheen Al-Shatti piece on Roxanne Modaferri, who is retiring after her fight against Casey O’Neil on Saturday night, is really good. As I have said time and again, MMA, and specifically the UFC, does a poor job of honoring its past. The legends who made the sport what it is today. Here’s hoping “The Happy Warrior” gets her flowers this weekend, win or lose.

4. I mean, how many of you reading this remember Roxy’s MySpace blog entries from back in the day? Great times.

5. I remember someone at ESPN telling me, after Roxy beat Maycee Barber on the McGregor-Cerrone card that she wasn’t big enough to have on the show. I was very offended by that.

6. I believe the first time I interviewed Roxy was back in 2009. Here is that blast from the past:

7. Speaking of not honoring the past, how many people remembered that 25 YEARS AGO yesterday Mark Coleman beat Dan Severn at UFC 12 in Dothan, AL, to win the inaugural UFC heavyweight title? Long live The Hammer.

8. Two years ago today, Jon Jones beat Dominick Reyes to retain the light heavyweight title in Houston. That feels, at least to me, like the last normal event before the pandemic. It also feels like it happened 15 years ago since so much has happened since then. I still think Reyes won that fight, and it feels rather cruel that he hasn’t won since. That W would have changed his life. Amazingly, Jones hasn’t fought since.