Watch the historic UFC 217 with three title fights

UFC 217 will have three title fights (Photo: UFC Disclosure)

Ultimate returns to the mythical Madison Square Garden for the biggest event of the year. UFC 217 will feature three title fights and the return of a legend to the Octagon. Canadian George St.Pierre, former welterweight champion, comes out of four-year retirement to face the Englishman Michael Bisping, owner of the record for victories in the organization. The fight will be for the middleweight belt.

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Additionally, two other champions put their titles on the line at the show: cody garbrandt will defend the bantamweight belt against his former teammate and current declared enemy TJ Dillashaw. Already Joanna Jedrzejczyk will try to equal the record of six title defenses Ronda Rousey, but to do so she will need to go through Rose namajunas.

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Still in the main portion of the event, Stephen Thompson e Jorge masvidal compete for the right to challenge the welterweight champion Tyron woodley. Furthermore, two Brazilians will be in action: Ricardo Carcacinha opens the preliminary card against Aiemann Zahabi, and Paulo borrachinha seeks the biggest victory of his career against the former champion at 77 kg. John hendricks at medium weight.

The return of the legend

M. Bisping (left) and GSP (right) are in the main fight (Photo: Reproduction Twitter UFC)

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After almost four years outside the octagon, Georges St Pierre will have the opportunity to make history in another way. Already recognized as one of the greatest of all time, and the best welterweight in history, the Canadian wants to join a restricted club, that of champions in two different divisions. Currently, the group has only three members: B.J. Penn (lightweight and welterweight), Randy Couture (light heavyweight and heavyweight) and Conor McGregor (feather and light). If Bisping wins, St. Pierre will write his name in UFC history in another great chapter.

Ahead, however, GSP will have an athlete who is also looking to make history. Michael Bisping He is currently the biggest fight winner in Ultimate: he has won 20 times. A win over St. Pierre helps him extend that record, moving him further away from the likes of Demian Maia e Donald Cerrone and GSP himself, who have 19 victories each.

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Furthermore, a triumph over the Canadian will make Bisping the only fighter to overcome two of the biggest names in MMA history: the Englishman has already won Anderson Silva in early 2016, in a controversial fight.

Resolving differences

C. Garbrandt (left) catches Dillashaw (right) (Photo: Reproduction Youtube ufc)

cody garbrandt faces, this Saturday (4), not only a dangerous challenger in TJ Dillashaw. The current bantamweight champion will face an old friend and teammate. The two grew and developed their talents on Team Alpha Male. When he became champion, Dillashaw ended up changing teams, fighting with practically every other athlete on the team. One of those who complained most about TJ's departure was Garbrandt.

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Months later, Dillashaw lost the title to Dominick Cruz at the same time that Cody had a historic year in 2016: he started the year without being in the bantamweight rankings and ended it as champion. He left Brazilians Augusto Tanquinho and Thomas almeida, knocked out Takeya Mizugaki and ended 2016 with an apotheotic performance against Cruz at UFC 207.

Almost a year later, Garbrandt will need to repeat his December 2016 performance if he wants to keep the belt. As fast as the champion and with a greater variety of strikes, TJ can regain the title, but he will need to deal with the technical, aligned boxing and heavy hands of Cody. The winner places himself close to Cruz on the list of the greatest bantamweights of all time.

Close to the record

Joanna (left) defends title against Namajunas (right) (Photo: Reproduction Youtube ufc)

Before Rose namajunas, Joanna Jedrzejczyk can match Ronda Rousey, who managed to defend her bantamweight belt six times before being knocked out by Holly holm. With a victory against “Thug”, the Polish woman can begin to write her name in UFC history and aim to surpass Rousey as the greatest female champion in the company's history.

To do this, however, Joanna will have to show new weapons. Namajunas is a specialist on the ground and has shown that he can use chokes and locks from curious positions. The Polish woman will have to be prepared to keep the fight going, where she is far superior to the North American. If she wants to shock the world and surpass Jedrzejczyk, Rose can't be afraid to step into the Pole's distance.

Next challenger

Thompson (left) and Masvidal (right) face each other (Reproduction Youtube ufc)

Though Colby covington, Darren till e Mike Perry have attracted attention in recent weeks, everything indicates that the welterweight champion's next challenger Tyron woodley get out of the dispute between Stephen Thompson e Jorge masvidal. The two face each other in the main portion of UFC 217, with a lot at stake.

For “Wonderboy”, the possibility of a trilogy with Woodley – at UFC 205 last year, the two drew and, later, at UFC 209, the champion retained the belt with a very narrow victory. To get there again, however, Thompson will have to win in a landslide, as his hesitancy in fights with Tyron has been widely criticized.

Masvidal also comes from a defeat, also balanced, against Demian Maia. But before that, the Cuban-American had beaten big names like Donald Cerrone e Jake ellenberger. A fight with Woodley could happen but, like his opponent, “Gamebred” will have to pull off another violent knockout to get there.

Brazilians in action

R. Carcacinha faces Canadian at UFC 217 (Photo: Reproduction Twitter UFC)

Before the main fights of UFC 217, two Brazilians in similar situations will take action at Madison Square Garden. Opening the night of fights, Ricardo Carcacinha impressed in his Ultimate debut after being personally “fished” by Dana White, on the reality show 'Lookin' for a Fight'. The victory over Michinori Tanaka opened doors for the Brazilian, who will look for his second consecutive victory against the dangerous Aiemann Zahabi, brother of Firas Zahabi, main coach of Georges St Pierre.

Borrachinha, on the other hand, has more morale, especially after having won two victories by interruption in the UFC, first in Fortaleza and then in Rio de Janeiro, at UFC 212. And the middleweight's morale extends to the choice of his opponent. Paulo will face the former welterweight champion John hendricks in the biggest fight of his career. If he passes this test again, the Brazilian can now dream of a place in the ranking of the up to 84 kg category.