Sometimes its best for the dust to settle before you act.
On Saturday at UFC 303, heavyweights Andrei Arlovksi and Martin Buday met in the early preliminary card. For Arlovski, it was his 44th trip inside the Octagon. It was Buday’s sixth. Arlovski, 45, was looking to snap a three-fight losing streak and perhaps end his UFC career on a high note. For Buday, a victory would put him back in the win column after a brutal beating at the hands of Shamil Gaziev at UFC 296.
Martin Buday (should be) Cut From the UFC
Split decision victory from @MartinBudayUFC tonight! 👏 #UFC303 pic.twitter.com/Dgp0gOzuhY
— UFC (@ufc) June 29, 2024
The fight was painful to watch and a prime example of the skill discrepancy prevalent in the heavyweight division. Arlovski, fighting as a battered 45-year-old heavyweight fights, was, in shocking fashion, not dominated by Buday. Instead, Buday fought in a manner that kept the fight close. A slow-paced, positional battle alongside the cage made the 15-minute contest as hard to watch as possible. Former two-division champion and cageside analyst Daniel Cormier urged both competitors to push the pace, as the razor close contest due to lack of output, was in the hands of either combatant. Instead, neither man pushed the pace, making themselves susceptible to the judges’ scorecards. With both fighters corralled in the center of the cage, the judges’ scorecards were read.
Mike Bell scored it 28-29 for Buday. Derek Cleary had the same score, instead for Arlovksi. Sal D’Amato scored it 30-27 for Buday who would take home the split decision victory. After the contest, Dana White stated it was Arlovski’s last fight in the UFC and the “Pitbull” will not be resigning with the company.
Buday should share the same fate.
The 32-year-old heavyweight, who should have dominated if not finished Arlovksi, was wildly unimpressive on Saturday night. Buday fought at a slow, trudging pace and failed to show any real technical ability. In terms of output, “Badys” out landed Arlovski in total strikes, but was out struck by his foe in significant strikes by twenty. To make matters worse, Buday was not successful in the hugging contest along the cage as Arlovski earned nearly a round’s worth of control time. Buday scored 2:40.
The Slovakian is now 5-1 in the UFC. Perhaps, Buday could have had an off night. However, a performance such as the one he gave inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night would never produce a win inside the current top-15 of the division. Buday is likely to fight down in the rankings as many of his close heavyweight counterparts like Don’Tale Mayes and Mick Parkin are already tied up in upcoming fights. Buday needs to sharpen his tools and come back with a dominant win. Otherwise, White should see him cut from MMA’s premier organization.
