Pontarii

<img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png> WEEK 3 - MARCH 2021 UFC Event Preview <img src=https://i.imgur.com/x2TedyW.png> Derek Brunson: “Gatekeeping status disrespectful for my accomplishments in the UFC” The term gatekeeping has been thrown around at different fighters in the sport of MMA for a long time, referring to fighters in a division that are too good for the fighters below the top 10-spots while not being quite at the top 5-level. They are often tasked with taking on new ranking additions or up-and-coming talents eager to break through the top as a test to see whether or not they have what it takes. Fighters like Donald Cerrone, Alistair Overeem and Michael Bisping has been labeled as such for years despite fighting for, and in Bisping’s case even winning the title and becoming world champion. For the Middleweight division, the 17 fights UFC-veteran Derek Brunson (21-7) have been seen as its gatekeeper since becoming established in the rankings. With wins over names like Lyoto Machida, Uriah Hall and Edmen Shahbazyan and losses to the double champion Israel Adesanya, the former champion Robert Whittaker and perennial contenders like Yoel Romero and Jacaré Souza, it’s hard to argue against the fact, but Brunson is not content with the status. Standing in front of yet another bout against a rising prospect with big momentum in the 2020 Breakthrough Fighter of the Year Kevin Holland (21-5), Brunson was very vocal about how he feels about the gatekeeping label put on him by fans and media alike. “That’s very disrespectful in my eyes. Look, I get it, you don’t mean anything ill when you call me gatekeeper but for me personally, that’s a sign of disrespect saying that I don’t have what it takes to beat the top guys in the division. I’ve faced everyone there is to face and I’ve beaten big names, hell I would’ve defeated the greatest fighter of all time in Anderson [silva] if the judges’ wasn’t f*cking me over. It’s disrespectful for what I have accomplished in the UFC. I’m ranked number seven Middleweight in the world. A win this Saturday against another one of them loud mouth, hype trains that hasn’t done anything to earn their status and I’m fighting for the title next. Try calling me gatekeeper then”, said Brunson during an interview with MMAFighting’s Damon Martin ahead of this weekend’s event. His opponent, the 28-year old California-native Kevin “Trailblazer” Holland had quite the meteoric rise through the Middleweight division during last year when he tied the record for most wins in a calendar year with five, something only Roger Huerta and Neil Magny had done previously. The biggest win of Holland’s career came in his last showing when he defeated the Brazilian veteran Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza with a Knockout of the Year-contender and he is ready to show why he is, in his own words "the most dangerous Middleweight in the world" this weekend against the tough and gritty Brunson, even though he would have liked to main event against someone else. “I don’t have anything against him personally; I just think that another opponent would have been better in my main event debut. He’s kind of the gatekeeper of the division and beating him doesn’t grant my anything more than another W, but it’s what the UFC wanted so I’m here to show how dominant I can be. It’s just another feather in the cap for me”, said Holland during an interview with MMAJunkie. The co-main event is also one to look out for as it features one of the biggest names on the European market in Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson (18-7). The former Light Heavyweight title contender made his awaited comeback last year after retiring back in 2019, stepping up to Heavyweight to seek new challenges. He faced the former champion and future Hall-of-Famer Fabricio Werdum, now residing in PFL, in a losing effort getting submitted early in the first round, but the potential for the towering Swede in his new division is still something to keep an eye on. His opponent this Saturday is the knockout artist Walt “Big Ticket” Harris (13-9-1 NC), who returns to the Octagon following two straight losses against Alexander Volkov and Alistair Overeem. Harris sits at the number thirteen spot in the Heavyweight rankings and is looking to bounce back with a much-needed win, especially since a loss could put him in a dangerous spot regarding his contractual status. This is the last fight on Harris current deal and it would be no surprise if he gets cut if he loses against Gustafsson this Saturday. During the rest Fight Night-event, the undefeated prospect Jamahal Hill (8-1-1 NC) faces the Scottish submission specialist Paul Craig (14-4-1) in the Light Heavyweight division while another highly touted prospect in Grant Dawson (16-1) makes his Lightweight debut against the Brazilian Leonardo Santos (18-3-1) who is undefeated in the UFC with seven wins and one draw. The rest of the event looks like this: Main Event Middleweight Bout: (#7) Derek Brunson vs. (#10) Kevin Holland Co-Main Event Heavyweight Bout: Alexander Gustafsson vs. (#13) Walt Harris Main Card Light Heavyweight Bout: (#15) Paul Craig vs. Jamahal Hill Women’s Bantamweight Bout: (#15) Julia Avila vs. Julija Stoliarenko Lightweight Bout: Leonardo Santos vs. Grant Dawson ESPN Preliminary Card Heavyweight Bout: Tai Tuivasa vs. Dontale Mayes Welterweight Bout: Max Griffin vs. Kenan Song Middleweight Bout: Trevin Giles vs. Dricus Du Plessis ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card Women’s Strawweight Bout: Kay Hansen vs. Cheyanne Buys Bantamweight Bout: Gustavo Lopez vs. Adrian Yanez Women’s Strawweight Bout: Polyana Viana vs. Mallory Martin

<img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png> WEEK 3 - MARCH 2021 USADA Athlete Sanctions <img src=https://i.imgur.com/vN3HRaD.png> Breaking News: Amanda Lemos suspended 4 year for second USADA Violation, UFC contract terminated In some breaking news from the UFC, the Brazilian Women’s Strawweight Amanda Lemos (7-2-1) has been released from the company with immediate effect following her failed post-fight drug test after her third round TKO-loss against Livia Renata Souza at UFC 259: Adesanya vs. Blachowicz. This is the second time Lemos has tested positive for a prohibited substance with her first drug test failure coming back in 2017 for Stanozolol, the same substance she tested positive for this time as well. The news was announced earlier today on the UFC website as well as on USADA’s official website, the world’s leading anti-doping testing agency. The agency released the following statement regarding the situation; “USADA announced today that UFC athlete Amanda Lemos, of Belém, Brazil has tested positive for a prohibited substance and accepted a four-year sanction for her second anti-doping policy violation. Lemos, 33, tested positive for Stanozolol and its metabolite 16β-hydroxystanozolol following an in-competition urine test conducted on March 6, 2021. Stanozolol is a non-Specified Substance in the class of Anabolic Agents and prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, which has adopted the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List. Lemos’ four-year period of ineligibility, the standard sanction for a second offense involving a non-Specified Substance, began on March 6, 2021, the date her positive sample was collected”. The Brazilian released a written statement following the news, taking full responsibility for the failed test and issuing an apology to the UFC and to her fans. “To all my fans, my family, my coaches and teammates as well as for the UFC; I am very sorry for this and I owe you all an apology. There’s no excuse to make. I did this and I take full responsibility for my actions, it was entirely my decision and no one besides me knew about it. I had the worst fight camp of my life with several injuries as well as a struggle with cutting weight, and I choose to take the easy way out. This was a stupid thing to do, it was the wrong thing to do. I accept my punishment and intend to come back even stronger in the future”, wrote Lemos after the news broke. The former Jungle Fight Women’s Bantamweight division went 2-2 in the UFC before her release. She will be eligible for return March 5, 2025.

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="McDojoDelux" data-cite="McDojoDelux" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="52654" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>3 out of 11.... That's actually not the worst I've ever done predicting an entire card before <img alt=":D" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/biggrin.png.929299b4c121f473b0026f3d6e74d189.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /> A fight between Usman and Khamzat is very enticing but I still feel Khamzat needs one more test against a guy like Thompson, Burns, or Chiesa before getting a shot at the title. But then again looking at my predictions what do I know <img alt=":D" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/biggrin.png.929299b4c121f473b0026f3d6e74d189.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> You win some, you lose some. It was a hard card to predict, so I don't blame you for 'only' getting three correct predictions. I would've probably done worse myself <img alt=":rolleyes:" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/rolleyes.png.4b097f4fbbe99ce5bcd5efbc1b773ed6.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p> For Khamzat, it's a toss up. He could either fight Usman next or, as you say, fight another top contender before getting the title shot. You never know what will happen in the UFC <img alt=";)" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/wink.png.686f06e511ee1fbf6bdc7d82f6831e53.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p>

<p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png></p><p> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size:18px;"><strong>WEEK 2 - MARCH 2021</strong></span></p><p> </p><p> <strong><span style="font-size:14px;">UFC Fight Night 187: Edwards vs. Chimaev</span></strong></p><p> <strong><span style="font-size:10px;">Critical Rating: 74%</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:10px;"> Commercial Rating: 82%</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:10px;"> Profit/Loss: </span></strong><strong><span style="font-size:10px;"><span style="color:#008000;">$1.228.327</span></span></strong></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size:12px;"><strong>Main Event</strong></span></p><p> <strong>Khamzat Chimaev def. Leon Edwards by Unanimous Decision </strong><strong><span style="font-size:8px;">(50-45, 49-46, 48-47)</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size:12px;"><strong>Co-Main Event</strong></span></p><p> <strong>Dan Ige def. Ryan Hall by Split Decision </strong><strong><span style="font-size:8px;">(29-28 x2, 28-29)</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size:12px;"><strong>Main Card</strong></span></p><p> <strong>Ricardo Ramos def. Zubaira Tukhugov by Unanimous Decision </strong><strong><span style="font-size:8px;">(29-28 x3)</span></strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> Ben Rothwell def. Philipe Lins by Knock Out (Punch) in 0:13 of Round 2</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> Mark O. Madsen def. Scott Holtzman by Submission (North South Choke) in 2:33 of Round 1</strong></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size:12px;"><strong>ESPN Preliminary Card</strong></span></p><p> </p><p> <strong>Guram Kutateladze def. Don Madge by Knock Out (Kick) in 0:21 of Round 3</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> Davey Grant def. Jonathan Martinez by TKO (Strikes) in 1:18 of Round 1</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> Matheus Nicolau def. Tagir Ulanbekov by TKO (Strikes) in 1:57 of Round 2</strong></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size:12px;"><strong>ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card</strong></span></p><p> </p><p> <strong>Eryk Anders def. Darren Stewart by TKO (Strikes) in 3:28 of Round 2</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> Jason Witt def. Matthew Semelsberger by Split Decision </strong><strong><span style="font-size:8px;">(30-27, 29-28, 28-29)</span></strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> Gloria de Paula def. Jinh Yu Frey by Unanimous Decision </strong><strong><span style="font-size:8px;">(30-27, 29-28 x2)</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size:12px;"><strong>Summary</strong></span></p><p> You often hear the phrase “third time’s a charm” and for the matchup between Leon “Rocky” Edwards and Khamzat “Borz” Chimaev, it was certainly true. After having been scheduled to face each other two times before with both fighters pulling out respectively once it was finally time for the two ranked Welterweights to duke it out inside the Apex Centre’s Octagon. “An intriguing bout with some serious title implications”, summarized the commentating partnership of Brendan Fitzgerald and Paul Felder before the Englishman and the Swede kicked off the main event. Edwards drew some heat from the commentary team and from fans at home expressing their opinions on social media when he denied Chimaev’s glove touching-request, perhaps a sign that Edwards is not happy with how the UFC has favored the much more inexperienced and rather untested Chimaev over a 12-fight veteran like himself. Nevertheless, the beginning of the bout was as expected with the 29-year old from Birmingham using movement to keep a much-needed distance from the pressuring wrestling machine opposite him who used a variety of feints and moves to keep his opponent guessing. It took merely two minutes before Chimaev exploded in a takedown which gave Edwards no chance to defend, and with his trademark smashing-esque ground and pound he kept the Jamaican-born fighter on the ground for the entirety of the first round. Round two was only twenty seconds old when the 26-year old once again shot for a takedown and pushed Edwards to the cage, where he mixed strikes with positional transitions in an impressive manner. When it looked like the Englishman got into a position to free himself from the tight, bear-like grip of Chimaev, the Chechen-born turned the tables around and once again dragged Edwards down at will. With the two first rounds having been played out almost entirely on the ground, the third round was the best one for the number three-ranked Leon Edwards as he lured his opponent into a striking contest, where his superior boxing was as good as it has been in his previous UFC-fights against the likes of Rafael dos Anjos and Donald Cerrone, but Chimaev had some success on the feet as well which could entice some judges to score the round for him, even though most fans and experts gave the round to Edwards. It was however a unnecessary discussion to have since Khamzat Chimaev shifted into another higher gear during the fourth and fifth round with constant takedowns, immeasurable pressure, ferocious ground and pound and even some attempts at submissions. It was an exhausted Edwards that hung his head low after all 25 minutes were through, and even though the judges hadn’t announced their decision it was pretty clear that the Englishman’s impressive win-streak had come to an end. Despite not getting a finish for the first time in his professional MMA career, Chimaev’s Unanimous Decision victory over one of the best and hardest to beat Welterweights was the biggest win of his career and it’s easy to assume that a title shot against the champion Kamaru Usman is the next logical step for the now 10-0 Chechen-born fighter. For Edwards it’s back to the drawing board to fulfill his ambition of becoming a UFC champion. One thing is for sure, you’ll see the 29-year old more often in the Octagon as he stated that the lengthy absence away from the sport was a big factor in his self-evaluated “horrible performance”.</p><p> </p><p> Another fighter that suffered from the infamous ring rust, or Octagon rust if you will, following a lengthy absence was the co-main eventing Featherweight Ryan Hall. Usually a versatile and constantly moving BJJ-specialist, Hall looked sloppy and missed several takedowns due to his bad timing while his opponent Dan Ige looked really impressive in his defensive ability stuffing takedowns and defending submission attempts. On the feet it was Ige who was the more effective with his distance striking. Even though neither fighter was close to finishing the fight at any point during the bout, it was a clear cut victory for 29-year old Hawaiian in everyone’s eyes except the ever-so controversial judge Chris Lee who deemed the bout a 29-28 in favor of Hall which sparked a discussion over judging on social media as it always does when a weird scorecard is being presented. During the post-fight press conference, Ige reflected on the judging saying that “it should have been a Unanimous Decision, but I am happy with the win nevertheless”. He also took the time to call out a big name in the division in The Korean Zombie, saying that “it would be a great matchup against a legend of the sport, and a big test for himself which he thrives on”.</p><p> </p><p> We also witness the continuing rise of the undefeated Danish Olympian Mark O. Madsen who advanced his career to 11-0 after an extremely dominant win over the 11-fight veteran Scott “Hot Sauce” Holtzman in the first main card fight, ending with a North South Choke in the first round. It’s almost inevitable for Madsen to fight a ranked opponent next or at least a fighter with big name value as he has steamrolled everything in his way of becoming one of the brightest prospects in the Lightweight division. We also saw a great bout between Zubaira Tukhugov and Ricardo Ramos in which the Brazilian took home the Unanimous Decision victory while Ben Rothwell knocked out the former PFL Heavyweight Tournament winner Philipe Lins in the second round. This was the Brazilian’s third straight defeat since signing with the UFC and he was subsequently released from his contract following the loss. Jinh Yu Frey, the former Invicta Atomweight champion, suffered the same fate with her third straight loss in the UFC against Gloria de Paula. To end with some positivity, the Brazilian Flyweight Matheus Nicolau returned to the UFC in a winning effort after being cut three years ago back in 2018 against Tagir Ulanbekov, and he dedicated the victory to everyone that has supported him during this challenging times. The Flyweight division has made an impressive resurgence since being on the brink of death, with many interesting bouts being a possibility in the near future.​</p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size:12px;"><strong>Bonus Awards</strong></span></p><p> <strong><span style="font-size:10px;">Fight of the Night: Zubaira Tukhugov vs. Ricardo Ramos</span></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:10px;"> Performance of the Night: Khamzat Chimaev, Mark O. Madsen, and Guram Kutateladze</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/q1vAuCk.png</p></div><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><em><span style="font-size:8px;"><strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Prediction Table</span></strong></span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-size:8px;"> maxicheezestick = 10 out of 11</span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-size:8px;"> Majster_93 = 8 out of 11</span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-size:8px;"> vladjarca = 7 out of 11</span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-size:8px;"> CageRage = 4 out of 11</span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-size:8px;"> McDojoDelux = 3 out of 11</span></em></p><p><em><span style="font-size:8px;"> </span></em></p></div><p></p>

<img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png> WEEK 2 - MARCH 2021 UFC Event Preview <img src=https://i.imgur.com/VXdDyDM.png> Leon Edwards: “I’m going out there to end Chimaev’s hype train, and after that I’m fighting Usman for the title” It was almost one and a half year ago that we saw one of the best Welterweights in the world, Leon “Rocky” Edwards (18-3), compete inside the Octagon. The reasons vary depending on who you listen to with Edwards’ claiming no one dared to face him and other sources claiming that the Englishman held out for a better contract, but it’s no doubt that the striker from Birmingham, England has been sorely missed in the hype surrounding the Welterweight division. With some of the biggest names in the UFC hanging around the top spots of the division, like Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, there’s almost endless opportunities for big fights with big implications when you’re discussing Leon Edwards’ future in the organization. This Saturday, the 29-year old with an ultra-impressive 8-fight win streak will face one of the most-hyped fighters in recent history in the Chechen-born Swedish smashing machine Khamzat Chimaev (9-0) – a matchup Edwards see as his title eliminator. “Who do you think the UFC wants to win this fight? The undefeated hype-train that has everyone talking or the guy the say hasn’t accepted a fight in over a year? Even though that’s a lie and something entirely false, it’s the narrative the UFC has made and of course they want him [Khamzat Chimaev] to win. Dana White has him as his new golden goose, all he sees is dollar signs in this guy with all the attention they’re giving him and how much the company is behind him. I’m on an 8-fight win streak in the UFC, while he has 9 fights in his entire career. For me it’s a no brainer to take this fight. He may only be a fifteen in the rankings but the upside for this side is tremendous on my part, and I’m going out there to end the hype-train once and for all. After that, nothing other than the title is acceptable”, said Edwards in an interview with Submission Radio before the fight. Leon Edwards has wins over big names like Rafael dos Anjos, Donald Cerrone and Vicente Luque and many has hailed the Englishman as the next rightful contender for the champion Kamaru Usman’s title. Khamzat Chimaev on the other hand has had a meteoric rise to the top with his three wins in the UFC coming in extremely, never seen before dominate way against John Phillips and Gerald Meerschaert in the Middleweight division and Rhys McKee in the Welterweight division. With a finishing rate of 100% in his nine professional bouts, Chimaev is one dangerous individual and the fact that he’s considered a -175 betting favorite against the much more experienced and higher ranked Edwards, who enters the bout as an +140 underdog, is truly remarkable and the main event in the Apex Centre will truly be a must-watch one. Another interesting fight is the co-main event between the two Featherweights Dan Ige (14-3) and Ryan Hall (8-1). Just like in the case with the main-eventing Edwards, it will be the first time in almost one and a half year that we’ll see the BJJ ace Ryan Hall after a string of injuries has kept him on the sidelines, and the matchup between the well-rounded and versatile Dan Ige is a compelling one due to the fact that Ige has his biggest strengths on the ground. Hall is undefeated in the UFC since winning The Ultimate Fighter season 22 with four victories and he’s currently on an 8-fight win streak excluding the exhibition bouts during the show. Ige on the other hand is coming from a loss in his last outing against Calvin Kattar but he has impressive victories over the likes of Edson Barboza and Mirsad Bektic since earning a contract on DWCS back in 2017. The rest of the card, which features names like the undefeated former Olympian Mark O. Madsen (10-0), the experienced and entertaining Ben Rothwell (38-13) and the rising prospect Guram Kutateladze (12-2), who stopped the hyped Mateusz Gamrot in his UFC-debut, looks like this: Main Event Welterweight Bout: (#2) Leon Edwards vs. (#15) Khamzat Chimaev Co-Main Event Featherweight Bout: (#9) Dan Ige vs. (#14) Ryan Hall Main Card Featherweight Bout: Zubaira Tukhugov vs. Ricardo Ramos Heavyweight Bout: Ben Rothwell vs. Philipe Lins Lightweight Bout: Mark O. Madsen vs. Scott Holtzman ESPN Preliminary Card Lightweight Bout: Don Madge vs. Guram Kutateladze Bantamweight Bout: Jonathan Martinez vs. Davey Grant Flyweight Bout: Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Matheus Nicolau ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card Middleweight Bout: Eryk Anders vs. Darren Stewart Welterweight Bout: Jason Witt vs. Matthew Semelsberger Women’s Strawweight Bout: Jinh Yu Frey vs. Gloria de Paula

<img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png> WEEK 2 - MARCH 2021 UFC Announcement <img src=https://i.imgur.com/Ta0oWxg.png> Breaking News: Invicta FC absorbs UFC Women’s Featherweight division, Nunes relinquishes the title In some breaking news, UFC announced today that the organization has scrapped the plans for its Women’s Featherweight division. In a deal with Invicta FC, an official affiliate of UFC and the home for the best female MMA in the world besides the likes of its parenting company, the organization has made the decision to dissolve the division and move it to Invicta FC with immediate effect. The announcement was made during a press conference hosted at the Apex Centre led by UFC President Dana White and the Invicta FC President Shannon Knapp. “It’s a deal that fits both parties. We don’t have the depth to continue develop the Women’s Featherweight division while Invicta acquires some great fighters to its organization which will strengthen the female MMA scene even more. We will honor the contracts of all fighters affected by this move, I’ve talked to every one of them and they understand why we do it this way”, said White during the press conference. Shannon Knapp, a pioneer in the sport for her role in the growth and success of women's MMA, was delighted with the changes being made; "For Invicta, this is incredible news. To reunite with some of the best female fighters in the world is nothing short of perfection for us, as we strive to continue putting on the best Women's MMA events in the world. We are thankful for UFC's decision and we will take good care of all fighters joining us", said Knapp on the press conference. Two former title challengers in Felicia Spencer (8-2) and Megan Anderson (11-5) will both be a part of this shocking but not surprising deal heading to Invicta FC, as well as the Contender Series alumni Danyelle Wolf (1-0) who recently signed a developmental contract with the company. All other UFC contracted Women’s Featherweight fighters, including Leah Letson (5-1) and Zarah Fairn dos Santos (6-4), has agreed to be a part of the UFC Women’s Bantamweight division instead of moving to Invicta FC. “I will prove the UFC wrong. Mark my words, the division will return and I will one day become the UFC Women’s Featherweight champion”, wrote Megan Anderson on Twitter shortly after the announcement was made. Felicia Spencer on the other hand said that the news was "expected" and that she "intends to become Invicta FC Featherweight Champion once again, a title she has held one time before. The news will also affect the now former double champion and the consensus Women’s GOAT Amanda Nunes, who defeated the aforementioned Megan Anderson at UFC 259 in a dominant fashion. Nunes, who made two title defenses in the division after winning it against Cris Cyborg back in late 2018, made an announcement herself stating that she relinquishes the Women’s Featherweight title to focus solely on the Women’s Bantamweight division instead. “I stand by UFC’s decision. I intend to continue defending my Bantamweight title 100 percent and continue to prove that I am the best female fighter of all time. My future is now”, said Nunes in a written statement following the news. The news also seemingly puts the final nail in the coffin for a rumored Cris Cyborg UFC-return, as the now defunct division was originally created for her before leaving on bad terms. Cyborg now holds the Bellator Women's Featherweight division and it would be no surprise if Bellator was looking to add Megan Anderson and Felicia Spencer to its roster. UFC officially denounced the UFC Women’s Featherweight division and title effectively after UFC 259.

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<img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png> WEEK 1 - MARCH 2021 UFC 259: Blachowicz vs. Adesanya Critical Rating: 69% Commercial Rating: 98% Profit/Loss: $4.987.688 Main Event Israel Adesanya def. Jan Blachowicz by TKO (Strikes) in 1:26 of Round 2 to win the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship Co-Main Event Amanda Nunes def. Megan Anderson by TKO (Strikes) in 1:59 of Round 2 to retain the UFC Women's Featherweight Championship Main Card Aljamain Sterling def. Petr Yan by Unanimous Decision (49-46 x2, 48-47) to win the UFC Bantamweight Championship Aleksandar Rakic def. Thiago Santos by TKO (Strikes) in 3:41 of Round 1 Dominick Cruz def. Casey Kenney by TKO (Strikes) in 0:28 of Round 2 ESPN Preliminary Card Islam Makhachev def. Drew Dober by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x3) Kai Kara-France def. Rogerio Bontorin by Knock Out (Punch) in 4:41 of Round 1 Kyler Phillips def. Song Yadong by Submission (Kimura) in 4:41 of Round 3 ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card Livia Renata Souza def. Amanda Lemos by TKO (Strikes) in 3:15 of Round 3 Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Carlos Ulberg by Unanimous Decision (29-28 x3) Uros Medic def. Aalon Cruz by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x3) Summary A triple title headliner is a rare commodity in MMA in general, and for UFC specifically it has only happened on a handful of times during the 28 years of its existence. We have seen some of the sport’s greatest moments take place at this type of event structure with UFC 217, featuring Georges St-Pierres comeback victory in an entire new division against the Hall-of-Famer Michael Bisping, and UFC 205, where Conor McGregor secured the first ever simultaneous double champ status in his masterpiece performance against Eddie Alvarez, coming to mind. UFC 259 undeniably had the potential of being one of the biggest cards the organization had ever put on with a star-studded lineup. The headlining attraction was the champion vs. champion bout between the defending Light Heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz taking on the challenging Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in a fight many expected to be one of the best title fights in history. It was a fascinating fight beforehand with Blachowicz raw knockout power being highlighted as a dangerous weapon for the illusive striking genius that is Adesanya, even though the challenger was the -300 betting favorite heading into the fight. It’s almost a shame that the fight, and the entire event, took place in front of the empty Apex Centre due to the still present Covid 19-pandemic, but it was nevertheless an exciting visual to see the Polish powerhouse and the tall and slender Kiwi touching each other’s gloves before the fight. Referee Marc Goddard instructed the two fighters to follow his instructions all time before giving the starting signal. The story of the first round was all about the calf kicks, which are beginning to become an extremely common practice for elite level fighters to utilize. It was primarily the challenger Adesanya that used the technique to try and neutralize the stronger champion’s movement and power, and after four minutes of hellacious kicks Blachowicz’s legs was turning red and purple almost immediately. The Orthodox champion had his moments during the first round, having rather good success with his jabs and body kicks, but the first round was clearly Adesanya’s on the judges’ scorecards. Round two started in a more intense fashion as Blachowicz became more aggressive with his striking, on request by his corner in between the rounds. A big left hook seemed to cause problem for the challenger which made the Polish champion advancing even more, but it turned it was a mere tactic for Adesanya to utilize his counter striking. Clipping the champion with a telegraphed uppercut that dropped the Polish man, “The Last Stylebender” followed it up with some precise ground and pound which in turn forced the referee Marc Goddard to stop the fight after only one minute and twenty-six seconds of the second round. Israel Adesanya had done everything he promised to do, TKOing the Light Heavyweight champion and thus becoming the fifth ever simultaneous double champion in UFC history. It is quite a remarkable feat considering Adesanya only made his UFC debut three years ago, his rise to superstardom and inclusion into the Greatest of All Time-discussion is nothing less than sensational. The newly crowned double champion took the microphone after the fight calling out his arch nemesis Jon Jones; “He is a fraud of a man, a joke and a cheat. He ran off to Heavyweight as soon as he heard I was coming, that’s the sign of a scared little b*tch. I’m everything he wished he was. Show up or shut up, motherf*cker”, said Adesanya during a profanity-filled post-fight Interview. Jones took to Twitter to give his answer soon thereafter; “You want to come at the King? Beg on your knees, kiss my feet and I will consider it”, wrote Jones in response to Adesanya’s callout. For Jan Blachowicz, the loss was a devastating one but he thanked his fans, team and family and promised to return soon even better than before. With a big spotlight on the historic main event, the co-main event Women’s Featherweight bout between the defending champion and consensus female GOAT Amanda Nunes and the challenger Megan Anderson almost flew under the radar. But make no mistake about it, the fight was a great bout between the Brazilian and the Australian. Despite being the biggest underdog not only on the card but in recent championship history, Megan Anderson proved to many people that she indeed is an elite level fighter that can hang with the best of the best. This was clear during the first, eventful round of the bout where Anderson almost finished the champion with a swift head kick early on, but the tough as nails Nunes weathered the storm and almost finished Anderson herself late in the round. It was certainly an exciting first round that got social media buzzing. The bout would however end roughly around two minutes into the second round when Amanda Nunes used her superior boxing and landed a three-strike combination that dropped the much taller challenger to the ground, and before referee Jason Herzog could stop the fight Nunes landed a hard hammer fist to the down-and-out Anderson. This landed the champion in hot waters as fans and the commentary alike saw the strike as unnecessary damage, but Nunes quickly apologized to her opponent after the fight and there was no real animosity between the two afterwards. Nunes was quite cryptic over her future in her post-fight interview, saying that “we will see what happens” to Jon Anik’s question about what’s next for her. The third title fight this evening was in the Bantamweight division where the Russian champion Petr Yan made his first title defense against the Jamaican-American wrestler Aljamain Sterling in perhaps the most heated bout of the night. Both fighters has traded verbal insults to each other for a while now as well as almost coming to blows during the ceremonial weigh-ins, so the anticipation was enormous for this fight. Could Petr Yan stop Sterling’s superior wrestling and could Sterling withstand the immeasurable power from Yan? This was the questions lingering over the bout beforehand, and the fans would finally get an answer. It was the challenger Sterling that took the initiative during the first round using feints and well-timed jabs to set up his sought after takedowns, which he secured two out of three times in the round. Yan stopped the first one with nice defensive timing, but Sterling took the Russian down with the cage as leverage before working into dominant positions. The second round was completely different as the champion dominated it with his elite level striking and movement, landing several hard shots to the head and to the body of the challenger. Round three was closer, but it was undoubtedly ruled in Sterling’s favor as he landed two more takedowns and used his ground game to effective use, which started to take its toll on Yan’s fatigue. Round four was a razor close one with both fighters having big moments in it. Sterling controlled the round in terms of time, but Yan had the biggest moment when he nearly finished his opponent with a vicious elbow in the clinch. With the bout either three rounds up for Sterling or two rounds each, the fifth and final bout would be the deciding one and it was the New York-native who made the most of it. A beautiful, tactical masterpiece by Sterling, put together by his coaches Matt Serra and Ray Luongo, saw him using constant movement and a variety of tools to secure the fifth and final round, and in turn the fight. Bruce Buffer yelled out “Aaaaaand Neeeew UFC Bantamweight Champion of the World” to which the new champion fell to his knees in an emotional, joyous celebration. The scenes after the title win when Sterling embraced his long time coaches was a memorable moment that will be one of the crowning achievements in the career of the Jamaican-American. The rest of UFC 259 had some great moments, but all in all the quality of the fights was nothing spectacular. During the main card portion of the event, we saw Aleksandar Rakic solidify his position in the upper echelon of the Light Heavyweight division when he finished the Brazilian knockout machine Thiago Santos inside the first round. Rakic is certainly one of the possible contenders for the new champion, together with names like Glover Teixeira and the winner between Jiri Prochazka and Dominick Reyes in their upcoming bout. Dominick Cruz also showed that experience is a vital key in this sport when he defeated the younger prospect Casey Kenney with strikes in the second round. Afterwards, Cruz named two former rivals in Cody Garbrandt and T.J. Dillashaw as potential next opponents. The Prelims gave us a dominant showing by Islam Makhachev against Drew Dober in a clear cut Unanimous Decision victory as well as a KO victory for Kai-Kara France against Rogerio Bontorin. Last but not least during the later rewarded Fight of the Night, Kyler Phillips made a big impact in the Bantamweight division when he finished one of the biggest prospects and future title aspirants Song Yadong with a Kimura late in the third and final round. This was the first loss in the UFC for the Chinese, and for Phillips, who will most certainly be ranked in the division after this event, this was no doubt the biggest win in his career so far. ​ Bonus Awards Fight of the Night: Song Yadong vs. Kyler Phillips Performance of the Night: Israel Adesanya, Aljamain Sterling, and Aleksandar Rakic <img src=https://i.imgur.com/PfKnOdU.png Prediction Table McDojoDelux = 8 out of 11 Majster_93 = 8 out of 11 maxicheezestick = 7 out of 11 CageRage = 6 out of 11 Luna = 6 out of 11 vladjarca = 4 out of 11

<p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png></p><p> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size:18px;"><strong>WEEK 1 - MARCH 2021</strong></span></p><p><strong> </strong><strong><span style="font-size:14px;">UFC Event Preview</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/TatVc7d.png></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Israel Adesanya: “Winning the Light Heavyweight title puts me right into the GOAT spot”</strong></span></p><p> </p><p> It was quite an intense press conference taking place tonight hyping up this Saturday’s quite historic UFC 259 event featuring not one, not two, but three title fights. Headlining the event is the Light Heavyweight Championship bout between the current champion Jan Blachowicz (27-8), who makes his first title defense since winning it against Dominick Reyes last September, and the undefeated Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya (20-0), who makes his first appearance in the Light Heavyweight division. The title bout is only the sixth ever Champion vs. Champion in UFC history with T.J. Dillashaw vs. Henry Cejudo being the latest one, and the challenger Adesanya, who was born in Nigeria, has the opportunity to become the fifth ever double champion in UFC history following in the footsteps of Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, Amanda Nunes and Henry Cejudo. The outspoken, charismatic striker was clear about what a win against Blachowicz would mean for his career. “The GOAT discussion is honestly a meaningless one as it’s a subjective one without any real substance. But to entertain the thought, a victory this Saturday gives me the Light Heavyweight title and winning that together with the Middleweight title would in no doubt put me right into the GOAT spot. I’ve beaten the previous GOAT [Anderson Silva] while the other [Georges St-Pierre] is retired. The third one has destroyed his own legacy with his actions and lack of morality, you all know who I mean. So for me it’s pretty clear that I would be one of the true GOATs when I beat this guy [Jan Blachowicz]”, said Adesanya who also talked down the skillset of the defending champion. “With all due respect to Jan, but he isn’t on my level. He’s a big power puncher and nothing else. He’s movement is worse than anyone I’ve met so far and it will be an easy night with the belts over my shoulder”, said the Middleweight champion. His opponent, the Light Heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz, had few words for the challenger and wasn’t drawn into a heated argument, focusing on the task at hand. “It will be a great fight and I look forward to test myself against the hype that is Israel Adesanya”, said the Polish powerhouse.</p><p> </p><p> We will also witness a UFC Women’s Featherweight title bout between the undeniable female GOAT Amanda Nunes (20-4) and the challenger Megan Anderson (11-4). This will be the double champion’s second Featherweight title defense with her last win coming against Felicia Spencer in a one-sided affair while Anderson, who is on a 2-fight win streak, lost to Spencer back in 2019. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that the challenger is the biggest underdog on the card and one of the biggest title bout underdogs in UFC history with a hefty +750 betting line while Nunes is a clear -1100 favorite. “It only motivates me more to go out there and shock the world. I will defeat Amanda Nunes and I will become the next Featherweight champion”, said a confident Anderson before the fight. Rumors surrounding Nunes’ future in fighting and UFC is growing for every fight she’s in with many speculating that her next one will be her final one as she has done everything there is to do, so it will be interesting to see what happens with the Brazilian this Saturday despite the result. “We will see. I am not ruling anything out. Perhaps it’s my last fight, perhaps it’s not. We will see”, said Nunes in a cryptic way when asked about it during the press conference.</p><p> </p><p> The third and final title fight of the night will feature a highly anticipated Bantamweight title bout between the champion Petr Yan (15-1) and the clear number one contender Aljamain Sterling (19-3). There’s a clear distain between the Russian and the Jamaican-American and with months of trash talk between the two, we will finally witness the fascinating match-up of the striker and the grappler. The champion Yan was very vocal during the press conference, calling Sterling an “overrated, skinny joke of a fighter” while Sterling mocked the champion for his inadequate knowledge of the English language. During the traditional face off, the champion and the challenger almost came to blows before getting separated by Dana White and the security guards. It will certainly be an exciting and close title fight that can end either way, be sure not to miss it.</p><p> </p><p> UFC 259 is undoubtedly a stacked card with many prolific fighters making appearances. During the main portion of the event, former Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz (22-3) makes his return following his title loss against the then title holder Henry Cejudo against the talented Casey Kenney (16-2-1) while two of the best Light Heavyweights on the planet in the former title challenger Thiago Santos (21-8) and Aleksandar Rakic (13-2) squares off. We will also see the likes of Islam Makhachev (18-1) against Drew Dober (23-9-1 NC) and Song Yadong (16-4-1-1 NC) against Kyler Phillips (8-1) during the prelims, which combined with the rest of the card certainly makes the event one of the biggest of the year. </p><p> </p><p> <strong>Main Event</strong></p><p> Light Heavyweight Championship Bout: © Jan Blachowicz vs. (C MW) Israel Adesanya</p><p> </p><p> <strong>Co-Main Event</strong></p><p> Women’s Featherweight Championship Bout: © Amanda Nunes vs. (#2) Megan Anderson</p><p> </p><p> <strong>Main Card</strong></p><p> Bantamweight Championship Bout: © Petr Yan vs. (#1) Aljamain Sterling</p><p> </p><p> Light Heavyweight Bout: (#2) Thiago Santos vs. (#4) Aleksandar Rakic</p><p> </p><p> Bantamweight Bout: (#11) Dominick Cruz vs. (#15) Casey Kenney</p><p> </p><p> <strong>ESPN Preliminary Card</strong></p><p> Lightweight Bout: Drew Dober vs. (#14) Islam Makhachev </p><p> </p><p> Flyweight Bout: (#8) Rogerio Bontorin vs. (#9) Kai Kara-France</p><p> </p><p> Bantamweight Bout: (#14) Song Yadong vs. Kyler Phillips</p><p> </p><p> <strong>ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card</strong></p><p> Women's Strawweight Bout: (#15) Livia Renata Souza vs. Amanda Lemos</p><p> </p><p> Light Heavyweight Bout: Carlos Ulberg vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu</p><p> </p><p> Lightweight Bout: Aalon Cruz vs. Uros Medic</p><p> </p><p> </p></div><p></p><p></p>

I just wanted to say that I appreciate all of the predictions and all of the engagement you all give to the dynasty, it's the best source of motivation. Thank you! Just a reminder to hold on to your prediction until the full card is official, which will be just before the event. In the case with event announcement like the one with Till vs. Vettori, you don't need to make your prediction now as the event will feature more prelim and early prelim fights. I do however encourage you do comment your thoughts on the bouts, the cards e.t.c. It's always interesting to hear your side of things :-)

<img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png> WEEK 1 - MARCH 2021 UFC Event Announcement <img src=https://i.imgur.com/dzm67WG.png> Darren Till vs. Marvin Vettori official, headlines second ESPN event of the year in April It has been rumored for a while but it's now finally official: top ranked Middleweights Darren "The Gorilla" Till (18-3-1) and "The Italian Dream" Marvin Vettori (16-4-1) will headline the second UFC on ESPN event of the year. The bout which features the number four ranked and the number five ranked Middleweights will take place at the Apex Centre in Las Vegas, Nevada at the second weekend in April. It's an intriguing matchup between two of the best European fighters in the world, nevertheless two of the best Middleweights, and their respective styles makes for a potential great bout - especially if you ask UFC President Dana White who broke the news on a press conference earlier today. "That bout is a done deal, Darren [Till] against [Marvin] Vettori. It's official. And I can tell you guys that you are in for a treat. Darren Till is the biggest fighter in England right now and he brings a ton of fans over every time he fight, it's a spectacle for sure. And the guy always delivers. He has wins over the biggest names and always puts on a show for the fans, which I love. As for his opponent, Marvin Vettori is one dangerous dude. He has totally revamped his entire career after the close, split decision loss to the champ [israel Adesanya] a few years ago and now he's looked better than ever. He dominated a top guy in Jack Hermansson in his latest fight. Not many fighters can do what he did to Jack. It's going to be an awesome fight between two warriors. Don't miss it!", said Dana White during a press conference earlier today. With the Middleweight lacking any true number one contender, with the former champion Robert Whittaker as a big exemption, and with uncertainty regarding the current Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya's intentions of staying in the division due to his upcoming Light Heavyweight title bout, there's big opportunities for both Till and Vettori with this fight. The Englishman has been very vocal in his goal to challenge himself against Adesanya, which was met by a positive response from the champion himself, while Vettori also has vowed to get vengeance for his 2018 loss against "The Last Stylebender". It's no doubt that a win would increase the chances of a title shot for both men. The ESPN event also features interesting fights with some of the top prospects in the UFC today. Co-main eventing the event does Arnold "Almighty" Allen (16-1), who is on a 9-fight win streak as well as being undefeated in the UFC with seven victories, and the always entertaining "Super" Sodiq Yusuff (11-1), who is on a 6-fight win streak and is also undefeated in the UFC with four victories. It's rare to see such a highly ranked prospect vs. prospect fight in the organization with both fighters sitting on a undefeated record in the company, but it's undoubtedly a big matchup for the Featherweight rankings. Allen, who joins his countryman Darren Till on the card, is currently ranked number seven in the division while the Nigerian Yusuff is ranked three spaces underneath him in the tenth spot. With the champion Alexander Volkanovski taking on the challenger Brian Ortega later this month, and with many interesting fighters ranked above them, the fight between Arnold Allen and Sodiq Yusuff may have big impact on the future of the Featherweight division. The rest of the main card features a bout that has been in the makings for a while now. The highly touted and rising Bantamweight prospect Merab Dvalishvili (12-4) will finally take on fellow prospect Cody Stamann (19-3-1), with the bout having been cancelled two times in the past. 30-year old Georgian Dvalishvili has been the talk of the Bantamweight division for a while now, and many expect him to rise through the ranks and become one of the division's best but to do that, he will have to defeat the gritty and always game Stamann, which is not an easy task to do. We will also see the return of Nina Ansaroff (10-6) since giving birth to her and Amanda Nunes' first-born as she takes on BJJ Ace Mackenzie Dern (10-1) as well as a Welterweight bout the undefeated Sean Brady (13-0) and the Australian Jake Matthews (17-4). The preliminary and early preliminary fights will be announced on a later date closer to the event. Main Event Middleweight Bout: (#4) Darren Till vs. (#5) Marvin Vettori Co-Main Event Featherweight Bout: (#7) Arnold Allen vs. (#10) Sodiq Yusuff Main Card Bantamweight Bout: (#12) Merab Dvalishvili vs. (#13) Cody Stamann Women's Strawweight Bout: (#6) Nina Ansaroff vs. (#12) Mackenzie Dern Welterweight Bout: Sean Brady vs. Jake Matthews

<img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png> WEEK 1 - MARCH 2021 DWCS 40 Main Event Khusein Askhabov def. Ryo Okada by Knock Out (Knee) in 1:16 of Round 1 Co-Main Event Theo Christakos def. Laurynas Urbonavicius by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28 x2) Main Card Lupita Godinez def. Valesca Machado by Submission (Armbar) in 1:14 of Round 3 Fernie Garcia def. Luthando Biko by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x2, 29-28) Tony Laramie def. Greg Fischer by Submission (Armbar) in 4:37 of Round 2 Summary Season five of the Contender Series, also known as Dana White Contender Series, has officially begun as the first episode debuted on UFC Fight Pass tonight. For the first event, a highly expected Bantamweight bout between the undefeated, WWFC Bantamweight champion Khusein Askhabov, donning one of the longest active win streak in all of MMA, and the Shooto Bantamweight champion Ryo Okada, who was on a six-fight win streak heading into the fight. After an intensive first minute of round one, it was eventually the undefeated Luxembourgian that got the better of the two with a vicious and devastating flying knee, which certainly impressed the signing committee featuring Dana White, Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard. The Australian Theo Christakos, the current Brace Welterweight champion, also secured a win against the Lithuanian Laurynas Urbonavicius in a Middleweight bout in a pretty dull affair. A nice victory for “Hoplite”, but sadly not enough for a UFC-contract. It was a good evening for the UFC affiliated organization LFA as their Women’s Strawweight Champion Lupita Godinez defeated the Brazilian prospect Valesca Machado, as well as the LFA-prospect Fernie Garcia who added one to his three fight win streak when he defeated the South African Luthando Biko. The fifth and final fight of the evening was a Flyweight bout between the Canadian Flyweight Tony Laramie, the younger brother of the UFC-signed and DWCS alumni T.J. Laramie, and another LFA-prospect in Greg Fischer. In the end, it was the younger Laramie who took home the victory with a nice stoppage, but it wasn’t enough to secure one of the sought after UFC-contracts. Instead, it was Khusein Askhabov and Lupita Godinez who got the nod from Dana White. It wasn’t any surprise that the two undefeated fighters got signed as they was favored before the first episode to be the successful ones in the hunt for contracts. For Theo Christakos, Fernie Garcia and Tony Laramie they will still be on the UFC radar, but they didn’t earn a contract this time. However, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see either of them in a later stage of the season once again. Contracts Awarded Khusein Askhabov - Bantamweight Lupita Godinez - Women's Strawweight <img src=https://i.imgur.com/ANjsNgQ.png Prediction Table CageRage = 4 out of 5 Majster_93 = 4 out of 5 vladjarca = 4 out of 5 maxicheezestick = 3 out of 5 McDojoDelux = 3 out of 5 rodrigoviolim = 3 out of 5

<img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png> WEEK 1 - MARCH 2021 DWCS Preview <img src=https://i.imgur.com/lryVCdI.png> DWCS returns this Tuesday with 40th episode with new and exciting prospects ready to make an immediate impact A new year equals new opportunities in the UFC landscape, and nothing is more opportunistic than the popular and ever-growing Contender Series. With four main seasons and one Brazilian special season, the proving ground for almost all new UFC talent returns this Saturday for a fifth season with some new and some familiar faces trying to secure the illustrious UFC contract. As always the show will take place at the Apex Centre in Las Vegas, Nevada for the entirety of the season that will last for approximately 10 to 11 episodes depending on future scheduling with fighters from all around the world. “It will be an action packed season with some of the brightest prospects and talents in the world of MMA. The Contender Series has proved itself to be the best job interview in the business and fighters from different countries and organizations has bombarded us with inquiries for a spot on the show, but we will only pick the best of the bunch. The fighters we believe have a big future in the UFC. But nothing is handed to these guys, they have to earn it and impressive me, Sean [shelby] & Mick [Maynard] as well as the fans”, said Dana White in a UFC Fight Pass special teaser for the upcoming fifth season. The first episode of season five will feature five bouts in four different weight classes. Headlining does the undefeated, WWFC Bantamweight champion Khusein "Lion" Askhabov (23-0) and the 31-year old Shooto-veteran Ryo Okada (16-4-3). Askhabov, who was born in Luxembourg but fights out of the Chechen Republic, holds one of the longest active winning streak in all of MMA with his 23 straight wins while the Japanese Okada is an experienced Bantamweight with an impressive 6-fight win streak on his record. In the co-headliner we’ll see a Middleweight bout between “Captain Lithuania” Laurynas Urbonavicius (13-1), who is on a 7-fight win streak, and “Hoplite” Theo Christakos (11-2), who is on a 6-fight win streak. It will be a big test for both fighters as the 32-year old Lithuanian is originally a Light Heavyweight and the 30-year old Australian is originally a Welterweight despite being taller than his future opponent by 2 inches. Therefor, it’s an intriguing fight in many ways even before hand. Can Urbonavicius make weight and how will the Brace Welterweight champion fair in a different weight class? We will see at the end of the month. Also on the card is a second Bantamweight bout between the 28-year old LFA-prospect Fernie Garcia (8-1), who notably fought on the infamous Liddell vs. Ortiz III event hosted by Golden Boy promotions, and the South African Luthando Biko (6-2), who is originally a Flyweight. The Texas-native Garcia is on a 3-fight win streak while Biko is on a 2-fight win streak having recently lost against the now UFC-signed JP Buys for the then EFC Worldwide Bantamweight Interim title. A Women’s Strawweight bout between the undefeated Mexican Lupita “Loopy” Godinez (5-0), who is the LFA Women’s Strawweight champion, and the Brazilian Valesca “Tina” Machado (8-2), who is on a 6-fight win streak. Opening the event will Canadian Flyweight Tony Laramie (5-2) and former LFA Flyweight title contender Greg Fischer (10-2). It will be interesting to see how many fighters, if any, impress the boss and gets signed to the UFC. Main Event Bantamweight Bout: Khusein Askhabov vs. Ryo Okada Co-Main Event Middleweight Bout: Laurynas Urbonavicius vs. Theo Christakos Main Card Bantamweight Bout: Fernie Garcia vs. Luthando Biko Women's Strawweight Bout: Lupita Godinez vs. Valesca Machado Flyweight Bout: Tony Laramie vs. Greg Fischer

<img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png> WEEK 4 - FEBRUARY 2021 UFC 258: Usman vs. Burns Critical Rating: 74% Commercial Rating: 96% Profit/Loss: $4.600.668 Main Event Kamaru Usman def. Gilbert Burns by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:56 of Round 4 to retain the UFC Welterweight Championship Co-Main Event Maycee Barber def. Alexa Grasso by Submission (Guillotine) in 2:30 of Round 1 Main Card Kelvin Gastelum def. Ian Heinisch by Submission (Armbar) in 2:13 of Round 1 Jimmie Rivera def. Pedro Munhoz by Split Decision (30-27 x2, 28-29) Jim Miller def. Bobby Green by Submission (Guillotine) in 2:41 of Round 3 ESPN Preliminary Card Belal Muhammad def. Dhiego Lima by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x3) Julian Marquez def. Maki Pitolo by Knock Out (Punch) in 0:52 of Round 2 Anthony Hernandez def. Rodolfo Vieira by Submission (Armbar) in 1:17 of Round 1 ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card Chris Gutierrez def. Andre Ewell by TKO (Strikes) in 2:44 of Round 2 Ricky Simon def. Brian Kelleher by Split Decision (29-28 x2, 28-29) Miranda Maverick def. Gillian Robertson by Submission (Guillotine) in 1:18 of Round 1 Summary The Welterweight division has seen its fair share of great champions throughout the years. Great athletes like Georges St-Pierre, Matt Hughes, B.J. Penn and Robbie Lawler has held the prestigious title thus making it one of the most coveted championship in all of UFC. Champion heading into UFC 258 was Kamaru Usman, perhaps the best contender to St-Pierre’s status as the greatest Welterweight of all time, as he made his way to the Octagon for his third title defense. Standing in his way was his former teammate and friend Gilbert Burns, but despite being rather friendly beforehand the bout had some heat with many picking the Brazilian as a potential new champion, including their respective former coaches. It was certainly an intriguing build-up between two respectful yet self-confident fighters that knew each other in and out. When referee Herb Dean kicked off the UFC 258 main event, the tension was high as Usman and Burns exchanged jabs in the center of the Octagon. The first round was a slow-paced, feeling out process in which the champion Usman was the controlling part, but in reality not much happened that indicating that a potential finish was close. In round two, Burns started to get more comfortable against the “Nigerian Nightmare” landing several crisp counter-strikes while Usman’s game plan of securing the clinch and grinding the contender was slightly less effective than usual. A nice body strike in the closing seconds of the round secured it for Burns and according to most bettors the bout was dead-even at 19-19 heading into the third round. It was at this point the pendulum started swinging heavily in favor of the reigning, defending champion. Usman shifted his game into another gear which saw him accelerate the pressure with intense striking and an effective takedown game, securing two big takedowns during the round. Having been in control for the entire third round, many speculated that it could even have been an impressive 10-8 round for “The Nigerian Nightmare” if the judge’s scores was needed. It wasn’t however going to be needed as Kamaru Usman would secure a massive finish inside the first championship round during the latter part of it. Having taken down the 34-year old Brazilian early in the round following a successful clinch game, Usman worked his way into dominant positions raining down hard, devastating strikes to the exhausted and badly battered challenger before taking Burns’ back. In slick fashion, the champion sunk in a Rear Naked Choke which forced the tap thus securing his third title defense. The combatants shared a respectful moment after the fight embracing each other with Burns congratulating Usman for being the best Welterweight in the world. One can only wonder who can dethrone the dominant champion. Perhaps it’s one of Colby Covington, full-camp Jorge Masvidal, Leon Edwards, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson or even the wild card Khamzat Chimaev, but Usman will continue his dominant reign for the time being at least. It was a submission filled main portion of the card as 80 percent of the five fights ended in some sort of submission. The co-main event between the two highly touted Women’s Flyweight prospects Maycee Barber and Alexa Grasso ended earlier than most had expected as the DWCS alumni Barber secured a first round Guillotine choke on her Mexican opponent. A big win for Barber, bouncing back from her previous and first loss in her professional career against the experienced Roxanne Modafferi, which certainly puts her right inside the Women’s Flyweight title picture. Another Guillotine choke happened in the main card opener as the experienced Jim Miller choked out fellow veteran Bobby Green in the third round. The fourth and final submission came in the Middleweight bout between the former title challenger and TUF-winner Kelvin Gastelum and the former LFA Middleweight Champion Ian Heinisch. It was the former that secured a much needed victory in the first round with a slick armbar since Gastelum was on a three fight losing streak heading into the fight, but he overcame the adversity and showed once again that he indeed is one of the best Middleweights in the world with many potential fights on the horizon. Jimmie Rivera provided the fans with the only non-submission ending of the main card when he edged out the Brazilian Pedro Munhoz in the Bantamweight division with a close Split Decision, even though two of the three judges scored the bout 30-27 in favor of the tough Rivera. The American of Puerto Rican and Italian descent wasted no time after his win calling out the number three ranked as well as his Puerto Rican countryman Rob Font as Font had previously said a bout between the two would be an “interesting fight for every Puerto Rican out there”, which Rivera agreed with. During the prelims, Belal Muhammad, Julian Marquez, and Miranda Maverick impressed with victories, and we also saw victories for Ricky Simon and Chris Gutierrez but the most impressive and unexpected performance happened when Anthony Hernandez submitted the Brazilian Rodolfo Vieira, the previous undefeated world class grappler with multiple BJJ championships on his record. A Hernandez submission victory had the astonishing +3000 betting line beforehand, which means that if you placed a $100 bet you would have netted a $3000 profit. It was one of the biggest upsets in UFC history and with that in mind, it was no surprise that Hernandez took home the $50k performance bonus alongside Julian Marquez and the champion Kamaru Usman while veterans Jim Miller and Bobby Green took home the Fight of the Night bonus. After the event, UFC announced that 30-year old Middleweight Maki Pitolo had been released by the company following his KO-loss against the aforementioned Marquez, going 1-4 in the UFC.​ Bonus Awards Fight of the Night: Jim Miller vs. Bobby Green Performance of the Night: Kamaru Usman, Julian Marquez, and Anthony Hernandez <img src=https://i.imgur.com/WpL8VMQ.png Prediction Table CageRage = 9 out of 11 vladjarca = 7 out of 11 Luna = 7 out of 11 McDojoDelux = 7 out of 11 Majster_93 = 7 out of 11 maxicheezestick = 6 out of 11 rodrigoviolim = 6 out of 11

<img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png> WEEK 4 - FEBRUARY 2021 UFC Event Preview <img src=https://i.imgur.com/GTTYjwY.png> Kamaru Usman: “My legacy will be as the greatest Welterweight of all time” This Saturday, UFC will host its second Pay per View event of the year when welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (17-1) takes on his former teammate and the number two ranked Brazilian Gilbert Burns (19-3) in the main event of UFC 258. The bout will be Usman’s third title defense since claiming the title against Tyron Woodley back at UFC 235 in March of 2019 and many believe that the “Nigerian Nightmare” is on tracks of becoming one of the all-time greats in the stacked welterweight division. With wins over big names like Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal, Rafael dos Anjos and Demian Maia, the 33-year old is open about what he thinks his legacy will be after another win this Saturday. “The greatest, no doubt about it. I’ve fought everyone there is to fight and I’ve beaten them all. Killers every one of them and no one has come remotely close to be able to figure me out in the Octagon. When I beat Gilbert [burns] this Saturday, the discussion is officially closed. GSP [Georges St-Pierre] is the only validate candidate and he’s been gone from the division for almost 8 years, and we all remember who really won the fight with Johny Hendricks that night”, said the champion Usman during the pre-fight press conference. His opponent and former teammate Gilbert Burns was open about his admiration for the champion and gave him a lot of praise heading into the fight, but he assured the fans that he was the man to snatch the crown from the Nigerian. “[Kamaru] Usman is a fantastic fighter and clearly one of the best to ever do it. He has been the best welterweight in the world the last few years and I respect him big. Not only for his fighting abilities but also for the person he is, in and out of the Octagon. I consider him as a great friend, a great teammate and one hell of a fighter. However, there’s a time and place for everything and for everyone. He has had his run as the champion, but now it’s time for me to show him, the UFC, the fans and the world that I am the best welterweight on the planet. I have won six fights in a row, I have beaten former champions and title challengers, and I have proven that I am more than ready to be the new welterweight champion of the world this Saturday. The title is up for grabs. Best of luck to Usman, and may the best man win, which will be me”, said Burns during the pre-fight press conference. For the rest of the UFC 258 event, we have quite the few interesting, “under the radar”-fights on offer. In the co-main event, a women’s flyweight bout between the number ten ranked prospect Maycee Barber (8-1) and the number fifteen ranked Mexican Alexa Grasso (12-3) will take place. The 22-year old Barber returns to action following her first ever loss against Roxanne Modaferri back in early 2020, in which Barber suffered a severe knee injury that sidelined her for almost a year. She takes on another highly touted prospect in Alexa Grasso, who made her Flyweight debut in a winning effort against the South Korean Ji Yeon Kim back in August. During the main card, we will also witness a Middleweight clash between the former title challenger Kelvin Gastelum (16-5-1 NC) and the Contender Series alumni Ian Heinisch (14-3) as well as an exciting Bantamweight rematch between Pedro Munhoz (18-5-1 NC) and Jimmie Rivera (23-4). Their previous fight back in 2015 ended in a Split Decision victory for Rivera, but both fighter has looked very impressive since then and the winner can certainly assert himself into the Bantamweight title contention. Opening the main portion of the event will be a Lightweight scrap between two true UFC-veterans in Bobby Green (27-11-1) and Jim Miller (32-15-1 NC). Main Event Welterweight Championship Bout: © Kamaru Usman vs. (#2) Gilbert Burns Co-Main Event Women’s Flyweight Bout: (#10) Maycee Barber vs. (#15) Alexa Grasso Main Card Middleweight Bout: (#9) Kelvin Gastelum vs. (#15) Ian Heinisch Bantamweight Bout: (#8) Pedro Munhoz vs. (#9) Jimmie Rivera Lightweight Bout: Bobby Green vs. Jim Miller ESPN Preliminary Card Welterweight Bout: (#13) Belal Muhammad vs. Dhiego Lima Middleweight Bout: Maki Pitolo vs. Julian Marquez Middleweight Bout: Rodolfo Vieira vs. Anthony Hernandez ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card Bantamweight Bout: Andre Ewell vs. Chris Gutierrez Featherweight Bout: Ricky Simon vs. Brian Kelleher Women’s Flyweight Bout: Gillian Robertson vs. Miranda Maverick

<img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png> WEEK 4 - FEBRUARY 2021 UFC Roster Change <img src=https://i.imgur.com/MOmLwyQ.png> Andrei Arlovski signs with Bellator, leaves UFC after 8-year long second stint In a slightly surprising move, the 42-year old Belarusian Andrei Arlovski (30-20-2 NC) has left the UFC following his latest loss against Tom Aspinall earlier this month. The former UFC Heavyweight champion leaves UFC after an 8-year long second stint, with his two stints with the company combining to incredibly 16 years, as he has signed a lucrative 4-fight deal with rival company Bellator. Arlovski debuted in the UFC as early as in 2000 and fought a staggering 34 times for the company with 19 wins, 14 losses and 1 No Contest before completing all of his fights on his UFC-contract and signing with Bellator. “UFC offered me a new contract, but the money wasn’t good enough to be honest. I know my worth as one of the most experienced, most well-known, most active fighters in every division and I need to be paid accordingly, which I wasn’t going to be at UFC. Before the fight against my last opponent [Tom Aspinall], I was on my previous 8-fight contract which I got a base pay of well over 300k. For my new deal, I was offered around 10 percent of that. I understand that business is business, but for me that was impossible and we decided to part ways. I got many interesting offers from different organizations around the world but ultimately, Bellator was the best option for me. I have many fights left in me despite being 42-years old, my intention is to become the Bellator Heavyweight champion before retiring and I am dedicating all my time to fulfill my destiny. You haven't seen the end of "The Pitbull", I can assure you of that”, said Arlovski during an interview on the Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show. Even though the news about Arlovski leaving UFC is quite surprising given that he is one of the longest serving fighters on the roster, together with his popularity in the European market, but considering his reported $350.000 base pay it's no wonder the UFC didn't want to spend more than needed for the Belarusian while Bellator is actively looking for any big name available. It is going to be interesting to see how Arlovski will fit into the Bellator Heavyweight division, which features big names like the champion Ryan Bader, Fedor Emelianenko and Cheick Kongo, but one thing is for certain – an Andrei Arlovski fight is almost never a dull affair despite who he faces. It is reported that Arlovski will earn $100.000 as bay pay with 100 percent win and main event bonuses during his new deal with Bellator. UFC addressed the loss of its former Heavyweight champion on their website, thanking him for his tenure with the company as well as wishing him the best of luck in his future endeavors.

<img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png> WEEK 3 - FEBRUARY 2021 UFC Fight Night 186: Rozenstruik vs. Gane Critical Rating: 72% Commercial Rating: 73% Profit/Loss: $432.472 Main Event Ciryl Gane def. Jairzinho Rozenstruik by Knock Out (Punch) in 4:02 of Round 3 Co-Main Event Magomed Ankalaev def. Nikita Krylov by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 29-28 x2) Main Card Marion Reneau def. Macy Chiasson by Submission (North South Choke) in 1:59 of Round 2 Tom Aspinall def. Andrei Arlovski by Knock Out (Punch) in 3:12 of Round 1 Thiago Moises def. Alexander Hernandez by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28 x2) ESPN Preliminary Card Randy Brown def. Alex Oliveira by Unanimous Decision (30-26 x2, 30-27) Alexis Davis def. Sabina Mazo by Submission (Kneebar) in 4:40 of Round 1 Montana de la Rosa def. Mayra Bueno Silva by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28 x2) ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card Dustin Jacoby def. Mxim Grishin by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 4:42 of Round 2 Emily Whitmire def. Sam Hughes by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28 x2) Ronnie Lawrence def. Vince Cachero by Split Decision (29-28 x2, 28-29) Summary Two of the brightest prospects in the Heavyweight division squared off inside the Apex Centre this Saturday as the Surinamese star Jairzinho Rozenstruik took on the Frenchman Ciryl Gane in the main event of UFC Fight Night 186. Both fighters has had quite the meteoric rise inside the Octagon with Gane being undefeated in his 7-fight career and Rozenstruik only losing to Gane’s teammate and the future title challenger Francis Ngannou. It’s certainly a rare commodity to have two such talented fighters taking on each other so early on in their respective careers, but with Rozenstruik in the number three ranked position and Gane positioned at number seven it was inevitable. The fight started out in a quick fashion as the 32-year old Rozenstruik denied an initial takedown from Gane only to land a hard leg kick followed by a huge overhand right which momentarily stunned Gane. The Surinamese kick boxer swarmed on the 30-year old Gane with heavy shots but the Frenchman recovered well and weathered the storm. Later on in the first round, it seemed like Rozenstruik broke his hand during a striking exchange but opted to continue fighting. The injury became the turning point of the fight as Gane took control over the main event with excellent jabs and nice clinch work. Right before the end of the first round, Gane took Rozenstruik down and landed a thunderous right hand which could have ended the fight if the round wasn’t over. The second round was in no doubt ruled in favor of Ciryl Gane as he controlled everything in it, both securing a takedown and momentarily knocking his opponent down but not out before Marc Goddard called for the second round to end. With his gas tank running out, Rozenstruik became more and more tentative with his striking which in turn would eventually cost him the fight. As the third round was headed to its end, the MMA Factory prospect nicknamed “Bon Gamin” landed a spectacular uppercut reminiscent of Francis Ngannou’s uppercut on Alistair Overeem which knocked out Jairzinho Rozenstruik completely out cold. Ciryl Gane had defeated the 6 foot 4 powerhouse to enter his name into the proverbial title challenger discussion in the Heavyweight division. The question is however if Gane would face his teammate and close friend Ngannou if given the opportunity? This is something Gane has stated previous that he would "never do", but it seems more and more inevitable that they will have to face each other at some point to claim the prestigious titile. The main card of the Fight Night-event provided us with a dominant victory for Magomed Ankalaev over Nikita Krylov, an impressive submission victory for the experienced Marion Reneau over the former TUF-winner Macy Chiasson as well as a big knockout victory for Tom Aspinall against the legend and former Heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski. But the biggest upset of the night came in the main card opener as Thiago Moises, a +450 underdog, defeated the -500 favorite Alexander Hernandez by a clear Unanimous Decision victory. Moises, who is now on a three fight win streak including wins over perennial Lightweight veterans Michael Johnson and Bobby Green, called out Al Iaquinta after the fight claiming that they would provide the fans with a “fantastic match”. The preliminary portion of the event did just that though, as the fight between the DWCS alumni Dustin Jacoby and the former PFL-veteran Maxim Grishin was deemed fantastic by experts and fans alike. Jacoby, who was a slight underdog heading into the fight, submitted the Russian 36-year old late in the second round in a bout many fans are calling an early contender for Fight of the Year. It was at least awarded the Fight of the Night-bonus while the trio of Ciryl Gane, Thiago Moises and Randy Brown, who defeated the Brazilian veteran Alex “Cowboy” Oliveira in the headlining prelim fight, was awarded the Performance of the Night-bonuses. Bonus Awards Fight of the Night: Dustin Jacoby vs. Maxim Grishin Performance of the Night: Ciryl Gane, Thiago Moises, & Randy Brown <img src=https://i.imgur.com/WnbyHd6.png Prediction Table vladjarca = 7 out of 11 rodrigoviolim = 6 out of 11 McDojoDelux = 6 out of 11 maxicheezestick = 6 out of 11 Majster_93 = 5 out of 11 CageRage = 5 out of 11

<img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png> WEEK 3 - FEBRUARY 2021 UFC Event Preview <img src=https://i.imgur.com/sECDksX.png> Ciryl Gane: “I want to bring home the Heavyweight belt to France” Perhaps the hottest prospect in the Heavyweight division since his teammate and good friend Francis Ngannou arrived; the 30-year old Ciryl Gane (7-0) has already made a big name for himself in the UFC after knocking out former champion Junior dos Santos back in December of 2020. Many fans and experts have hailed the Frenchman as the next Heavyweight champion and it’s no wonder that the man they call “Bon Gamin” is eager to test himself against the Elite of the division. “When I defeated JDS [Junior dos Santos], it was the greatest achievement in my career so far. To beat a former world champion and one of the best Heavyweights in history is something you dream of, and I’m living that dream. But the dream is my reality and I’m looking to continue my path to glory. My goal is to become the UFC Heavyweight champion. To have the opportunity to bring home the gold to France and to headline the first UFC event in Paris would be the crowning achievement in not only my career but also in my life”, said Gane before this Saturdays UFC Fight Night event. Standing in the way for a possible Ciryl Gane title fight is Surinamese powerhouse Jairzinho Rozenstruik (11-1). The 32-year old striker has bounced back since losing for the first time in his MMA career, fittingly against the aforementioned Francis Ngannou with his own win against Junior dos Santos back in August of 2020 and Rozenstruik has no intention of letting Ciryl Gane take his spot in the Heavyweight rankings. “If he [Ciryl Gane] thinks he can walk past me, he will be in great trouble. He hasn’t fought anyone of my caliber and I will grant him his first loss with a knockout in the first round, I guarantee it. After finishing Gane, I have earned a fight for the title”, said Rozenstruik during a pre-fight interview with MMAJunkie.com. The Heavyweight division is certainly shaping up to be a really interesting and unpredictable one. With Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou confirmed for the title, with Curtis Blaydes recently securing his spot in the top as well as Alexander Volkov’s impressive victory over Alistair Overeem; it’s a wide open field for anyone in the top 10, including both contestants in this Saturdays main event. Another division that is opening up as a compelling one is the Light Heavyweight division. With the champion Jan Blachowicz scheduled to face the Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya next month, the landscape of the division can change drastically in a short matter of time but for this Saturday’s co-main event between Nikita Krylov (26-7) and Magomed Ankalaev (14-1), it’s a big opportunity to insert themselves into the title contention. The Ukrainian Krylov has wins over the likes of Johnny Walker and Ovince St. Preux while the Russian Ankalaev is on a five win-streak with his recent knockout in the grudge match against Ion Cutelaba standing out as a highly impressive one. A win for either of them would be a statement for the rest of the division, no doubt about it. The entirety of the UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gane event, which features names like Andrei Arlovski, Alexander Hernandez, and the TUF 28-winner Macy Chiasson, looks like this: Main Event Heavyweight Bout: (#3) Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. (#7) Ciryl Gane Co-Main Event Light Heavyweight Bout: (#8) Nikita Krylov vs. (#11) Magomed Ankalaev Main Card Women’s Bantamweight Bout: (#9) Marion Reneau vs. (#10) Macy Chiasson Heavyweight Bout: Andrei Arlovski vs. Tom Aspinall Lightweight Bout: Alexander Hernandez vs. Thiago Moises ESPN Preliminary Card Welterweight Bout: Randy Brown vs. Alex Oliveira Women’s Flyweight Bout: (#12) Alexis Davis vs. Sabina Mazo Women’s Flyweight Bout: Montana de la Rosa vs. Mayra Bueno Silva ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card Light Heavyweight Bout: Dustin Jacoby vs. Maxim Grishin Women’s Strawweight Bout: Emily Whitmire vs. Sam Hughes Bantamweight Bout: Vince Cachero vs. Ronnie Lawrence

Impressive indeed, rodrigoviolim! I also want to thank everyone for commenting and for predicting the events, it makes this so much more fun for me. Thanks! The prediction leaderboard will be continuously updated in the "Introduction"-post, feel free to post your event predictions throughout the story for a chance to receive the prestigious "Art of Predicting"-award

<img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png> WEEK 2 - FEBRUARY 2021 UFC Fight Night 185: Blaydes vs. Lewis Critical Rating: 59% Commercial Rating: 84% Profit/Loss: $1.102.386 Main Event Curtis Blaydes def. Derrick Lewis by Unanimous Decision (50-45 x2, 50-44) Co-Main Event Raphael Assuncao def. Raoni Barcelos by Submission (D'Arce Choke) in 3:12 of Round 3 Main Card Aleksei Oleinik def. Chris Daukaus by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 4:28 of Round 3 Ketlen Vieira def. Yana Kunitskaya by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x2, 29-28) Jai Herbert def. Drakkar Klose by Split Decision (29-28 x2, 28-29) ESPN Preliminary Card Chas Skelly def. Jamall Emmers by Split Decision (29-28 x2, 28-29) Eddie Wineland def. John Castañeda by TKO (strikes) in 1:01 of Round 3 Sergey Spivak def. Jared Vanderaa by Submission (Armbar) in 1:00 of Round 1 ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card Darrick Minner def. Charles Rosa* by Split Decision (29-28 x2, 28-29) Aiemann Zahabi def. Drako Rodriguez by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 2:46 of Round 3 Shana Dobson def. Casey O'Neill by Split Decision (29-28 x2, 28-29) * = Charles Rosa missed weight by 2lbs and was fined 20% of his purse. Summary The Heavyweight collision between two of the division’s best in Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis was a slow burning affair. The speculations before the main event circled around the decorated wrestler Blaydes’ chances of taking down the strong and powerful Lewis, who has amassed a fairly high takedown defense percentage around 53% during his 20-fights tenure in the UFC. Blaydes, the active Heavyweight stat leader in takedowns before the fight with 56% accuracy, was adamant that his grappling and smothering wrestling offense would be the key to victory against “sloppy head hunter” Derrick Lewis. And as it turns out, the man they call “Razor” Blaydes was correct in his pre-fight analysis. Right from the get-go, the 29-year old fighting out of Chicago, Illinois used strategic movement setting up multiple angles for the takedown which kept Lewis guessing for the entirety of the fight as he had no real answers for the constant takedowns attempts. Landing ten of his eleven total takedown attempts in the fight, Blaydes spent a massive amount of time in top control throughout the five round affair. Lewis, who looked extremely tired and almost devastated in the latter part of the fourth and fifth round, had one real moment of greatness in the fight during the third round when he clipped Blaydes who was going for yet another takedown with a vicious uppercut but the former NJCAA National Champion managed to recover without any real danger of losing the fight. When the 25 minutes was over, all three judges declared Curtis Blaydes as the Unanimous Decision winner with the scores being 50-45, 50-45 and 50-44. As expected, the dominant 29-year old took the opportunity after the fight to call out the winner of the upcoming title bout between Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou. “I will dominate whoever leaves UFC 260 as the champion, just like I’ve dominated everyone in the division. Derrick Lewis, Alexander Volkov, Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos. You name ‘em, I’ve dominated them. Just like I will dominate and become the new UFC Heavyweight champion of the world this year. Mark my words”, said Blaydes when being interviewed by the former double champion turned commentator Daniel Cormier after the fight. For Raphael Assuncao, the victory over the up-and-coming Raoni Barcelos was certainly a much-needed one. Having lost his three previous fights, a loss against the unranked Barcelos could potentially be grounds for a termination of his contract but Assuncao’s perseverance and grittiness led to the necessary third round D'Arce Choke. According to the judges scorecards, Barcelos won the two first rounds and was less than two minutes away from the biggest victory in his career before he tapped to Assuncao's submission. Having won against some of the top ranked contenders in the division including Aljamain Sterling, Rob Font and T.J. Dillashaw, the 36-year old Brazilian thanked his coaches and his family for his victory and called out Marlon Moraes for a trilogy fight. Assuncao famously beat his countryman in Moraes’ UFC-debut but lost the rematch two years ago. This would lead to the start of his eventual three fight losing skid. “It’s inevitable that we face each other for a third and final time. Let’s make it a trilogy in Brazil in the summer”, said Assuncao after the fight. During the main card portion, we also saw victories for the veteran Aleksei Oleinik, who submitted Chris Daukaus late in the last round, as well as for Ketlen Vieira and for the former Cage Warriors Lightweight champion Jai Herbert. The prelims also gave us impressive performances by Sergey Spivak, who spoiled the DWCS-alumni Jared Vanderaa’s main roster debut, and by Shana Dobson, who continued her way of rising above her betting underdog status in her split decision victory over the touted prospect Casey O’Neill. Performance bonuses was awarded to Curtis Blaydes for his domination in the main event and to Raphael Assuncao for his comeback win while Fight of the Night bonuses went to Shana Dobson and Casey O'Neill. Bonus Awards Fight of the Night: Shana Dobson vs. Casey O'Neill Performance of the Night: Curtis Blaydes & Raphael Assuncao <img src=https://i.imgur.com/xKmwlg0.png Prediction Table rodrigoviolim = 8 out of 11 Majster_93 = 8 out of 11 vladjarca = 6 out of 11 CageRage = 4 out of 11 McDojoDelux = 4 out of 11 maxicheezestick = 3 out of 11

<p></p><div style="text-align:center;"><p><img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png></p><p> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size:18px;"><strong>WEEK 2 - FEBRUARY 2021</strong></span></p><p><strong> </strong><strong><span style="font-size:14px;">UFC Event Preview</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/82n2tVS.png></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Lewis: Heavyweight clash with title implications</strong></span></p><p> </p><p> With Heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic scheduled to take on the clear number one contender Francis Ngannou at the end of next month, this Saturday’s main event between Curtis Blaydes (14-2-1 NC) and Derrick Lewis (24-7-1 NC) has some serious title implications. Depending on the upcoming UFC 260 main event outcome, no clear cut number one contender has emerged in the Heavyweight division for the next shot and one can argue that both Blaydes and Lewis can be granted the chance with a win this Saturday. </p><p> </p><p> “I should of course be next in line for a title shot”, said Curtis Blaydes during the pre-fight media scrum. Blaydes, who turns 30 a few days after the event, has only suffered two losses inside the Octagon – both against the title challenger Francis Ngannou. A chance for revenge is something the highly decorated wrestler is looking for, if Ngannou will be victorious against Stipe Miocic. “It’s a tough pill to swallow having been beaten by him [Francis Ngannou] two times in a row. The first loss was a doctor stoppage and the second one he clipped me early. I’m not much for excuses but I think I can beat him. He’s not untouchable. I have superior wrestling and can take any man down at will, Francis included. Revenge is a great motivational factor and I hope he beat Stipe [Miocic] so I can prove to him, to the fans and to everyone that I am the best Heavyweight on the planet”, said Curtis Blaydes.</p><p> </p><p> His opponent this Saturday will be the charismatic and popular Derrick Lewis, famously nicknamed “The Black Beast”. Lewis has been a mainstay in the Heavyweight division for several years and challenged for the title back in 2018 against the then champion Daniel Cormier in a losing effort. But with a revitalized training regimen, the Texas-native has looked better than ever. “It’s no secret I haven’t been the most discipline guy when it comes to training before. I just went in and knocked dudes out without cardio or anything like that. I started a change back in 2017 with better and more exercise and stepped it up after my most recent loss [against Junior dos Santos]. I am in the best shape of my life and I don’t feel tired in my fights anymore. It has really helped me become a top Heavyweight for sure”, said Lewis heading into the fight.</p><p> </p><p> The event, which will be held at the Apex Centre in Las Vegas, Nevada, also features some UFC-veterans as well as a few newer names for the fans to get acquainted with. In the co-main event of the evening, a Brazilian showdown between surging Bantamweight prospect Raoni Barcelos (16-1) and perennial gatekeeper Raphael Assuncao (27-8) will take place. Barcelos is on a 9-fight winning streak with five of them in the UFC while Assuncao has had a tough period in his career with three straight losses against three of the biggest names in the division including Marlon Moraes, Cory Sandhagen and most recently Cody Garbrandt. Joining them on the main card is the first fighter to compete across four different decades in Aleksei Oleinik (59-14-1). The 43-year old Russian heavyweight will face the knockout-artist Chris Daukaus (10-3) in a fight many believe will be one of, if not the last fight of the Oleinik’s illustrious career. </p><p> </p><p> The entirety of the UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Lewis event looks like this:</p><p> </p><p> <strong>Main Event</strong></p><p> Heavyweight Bout: (#2) Curtis Blaydes vs. (#4) Derrick Lewis</p><p> </p><p> <strong>Co-Main Event</strong></p><p> Bantamweight Bout: Raoni Barcelos vs. (#10) Raphael Assuncao</p><p> </p><p> <strong>Main Card</strong></p><p> Heavyweight Bout: (#10) Aleksei Oleinik vs. Chris Daukaus</p><p> </p><p> Women’s Bantamweight Bout: (#6) Ketlen Vieira vs. (#7) Yana Kunitskaya</p><p> </p><p> Lightweight Bout: Drakkar Klose vs. Jai Herbert</p><p> </p><p> <strong>ESPN Preliminary Card</strong></p><p> Featherweight Bout: Chas Skelly vs. Jamall Emmers</p><p> </p><p> Bantamweight Bout: Eddie Wineland vs. John Castañeda</p><p> </p><p> Heavyweight Bout: Sergey Spivak vs. Jared Vanderaa</p><p> </p><p> <strong>ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card</strong></p><p> Featherweight Bout: Charles Rosa vs. Darrick Minner</p><p> </p><p> Bantamweight Bout: Aiemann Zahabi vs. Drako Rodriguez</p><p> </p><p> Women’s Flyweight Bout: Shana Dobson vs. Casey O’Neill</p><p> </p><p> </p></div><p></p><p></p>

<img src=https://i.imgur.com/52XBiXl.png> <img src=https://i.imgur.com/4GsGaY5.png> Introduction Prelude Hello and welcome to my second and newest dynasty here on the forum. I am back after almost a year away from both the forum and the game and I am ready to once again provide you - the reader – with a brand new, creative and fun story about my WMMA5 UFC save. My last dynasty which was called “UFC 2020 and Beyond” was a fairly long and intense story spanning over one in game year which became the most read dynasty in the WMMA5 part of the forum. A huge milestone for me considering it was my first attempt at writing a fictional UFC-story correlated with the game. This time, I’ve got more time on my hand as well as a newfound motivation for the game due to both UFC/MMA in real life and because of the amount of time and energy that I have put in to the editor to create a fair representative database of the current world of mixed martial arts (no pun intended!). With over 100 hours of work with the database including changes in fighter stats, a complete overhaul of combat movies and personality traits, enormous amount of event- and result history, a lot of new fighters, retirements and updated records, the time for a new dynasty has never been better for me personally. I will begin the save right after UFC Fight Night 184: Overeem vs. Volkov with the current real life rosters, and my ambition is to book all current announced, confirmed and/or official events and fights according to this calendar. Some few changes will be made due to the nature of the game and for the structure of the event (i.e. not overloading certain cards while other has few amount of fights), but all in all I will book the first few month accordingly. Regarding fighters pulling out of fights in real life is something I wont take in consideration when booking the first few months. I will aim to keep the fights as intended no matter what happens irl. After this period, I will book events for UFC (and the Contender Series, which I will also focus on) in a realistic, interesting way with focus on story building and creating a sense of reality with my chapters. I don't want to just put out a summary every event like the majority of dynasties have done, instead I tend to focus more on the things leading up to the fight including roster changes, rivalries growing and so on. I invite you to predict the fights as well as to comment on things you like with the dynasty, things you want to see, and fighters you want me to sign. Your participation is greatly appreciated and welcomed. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I will, and to quote Big John McCarthy: “Let’s get it on”. June UFC Fight Night 192: Joanna vs. Suarez UFC 263: Adesanya vs. Teixeira July DWCS 44 UFC on ABC: Holland vs. Till UFC on ESPN: TBD vs. TBD UFC 264: TBD vs. TBD August DWCS 45 UFC Fight Night 193: TBD vs. TBD UFC Fight Night 194: TBD vs. TBD UFC 265 : TBD vs. TBD Finished Events UFC Fight Night 185: Blaydes vs. Lewis UFC Fight Night 186: Rozenstruik vs. Gane UFC 258: Usman vs. Burns DWCS 40 UFC 259: Blachowicz vs. Adesanya UFC Fight Night 187: Edwards vs. Chimaev UFC Fight Night 188: Brunson vs. Holland UFC 260: Miocic vs. Ngannou II DWCS 41 UFC on ESPN: Till vs. Vettori UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Costa UFC 261: Weili vs. Namajunas DWCS 42 UFC Fight Night 189: Dillashaw vs. Sandhagen UFC Fight Night 190: Holm vs. De Randamie II UFC 262: Poirier vs. Oliveira DWCS 43 UFC Fight Night 191: Zabit vs. Yair Current Rankings February & March April & May *Updates every two months Prediction Table vladjarca = 63,3% maxicheezestick = 61,7% Luna = 60,6% Majster_93 = 58,4% CageRage = 58,0% rodrigoviolim = 57,1% McDojoDelux = 56,8% mmaaddict = 45,4% Updated after: UFC Fight Night 191: Zabit vs. Yair

Thank you very much to the both of you, CageRage & McDojoDelux. It's great to be back and I look forward to creating an even better dynasty than before. Your comments are, as always, greatly appreciated! All the best.

Chapter 1 New Year - New Possibilities 2020 was a historic year for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Spearheaded by the charismatic albeit slightly controversial president Dana White, the world leading MMA organization rose above the chaotic pandemic situation and hosted 40 action packed events with great success mostly from its home base in Las Vegas, Nevada as well on the timely nicknamed "Fight Island" in Abu Dhabi. UFC received a lot of praise for its handling of the uncertain circumstances that Covid-19 brought with it from fans, fighters, media members and even government officials. But if you thought for one second that the company and Dana White in particular would be happy and content with things just cruising on, you would be greatly mistaken. During a meeting at the UFC Headquarters in Las Vegas, Nevada, the President along with representatives from the owner group Endeavour as well as both the Senior Vice President of Talent Relations Sean Shelby and the head of matchmaking Mick Maynard sat down for a yearly evaluation of the UFC product. Discussing the positives and the negatives from the year, focus was primarily on the future and how to further develop the company. The ability to host events in the Apex Center was brought up as a big plus, as well as the emerging talent in the growing Contender Series [DWCS] and the consistency in hosting around three events per month. “You have to have continuous events to attract new eyes to the product, as well as to keep the present fan base interested”, said White during the meeting. Another big factor for the success during the year was opportunities to highlight the fighters’ personalities. Shows like the aforementioned Contender Series as well as the previous success with TUF has been monumental in the success of attracting new and exciting athletes. The various popular UFC-produced web series like Embedded and Inside the Octagon has also provided fans with a more close and in-depth way of connecting to the fights and the fighters. This has proven to be an effective way to market fighters and other personalities tied to the company. “The fans are drawn to the characters, the personalities and the different personas. We have to give the fighters a platform to express their traits and to make the fans want to see them win or lose”, said one of the Endeavour representatives. But it wasn’t only positives, it was also a few aspects of the UFC that needed to be improved. A better transparency with the fans was highlighted as a key improvement, with examples of fighter’s absences and future plans being presented as two aspects of it. Likewise, a strategic travel plan for events was also brought up for when the pandemic situation was over and “things got back to normal”. Big markets was being left out in favor of the more traditional UFC-places like Nevada, California and New York and the company needed to widen the event hosting to maximize the chances of economic success and popularity boost. As a strategic business plan, the group presented the following key aspects for the UFC during 2021 and beyond: Host at least three events per month in a variety of places. UFC has the goal to host at least three events per month i.e. 36 events (3x12) including PPV events, Fight Night events and other network based events and excluding other instances like DWCS and TUF. We also want to broaden our presences in big yet unexplored/underused markets on a regular basis. Continue to develop the Contender Series [DWCS] as a proving ground for future signings The growing popularity of the Contender Series has been very profitable and effective for the UFC. Therefore, we want to continue with monthly DWCS events from the Apex Center where we give possible signings a chance to earn a UFC contract. Fighters not deemed main card worthy at the time of a possible contractual signing will first go through the Contender Series to impress the talent relations committee featuring Dana White, Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard before signing with the company. Fighters deemed worthy of a signing but not ready for the UFC will be given developmental contracts with our child organizations LFA and Invicta. Make The Ultimate Fighter a yearly mainstay for the company to strengthen hollow divisions The Ultimate Fighter has been the ultimate proving ground for UFC talents for over 15 years. It has produced several world champions and UFC veterans including the current Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman as well as former champions like T.J. Dillashaw, Rose Namajunas and Robert Whittaker. The Ultimate Fighter will return with a 29th season this spring and the goal is to host a new season every year with popular coaches/teams. The focus of the show will be to strengthen “hollow” divisions, i.e. divisions that lacks either star power or numeral fighters. Be more transparent with fans over future plans and fighter information According to various fan surveys made during the year, the average UFC fan wants more transparency regarding the future plans for the company including possible events and signings as well as transparency regarding fighter injuries, suspensions and contractual situations. The UFC will seek to be more transparent with the fans, both in the media but especially during press conference open for the public. Have a structural template for each event - Last but not least, the UFC will rely on a more structural event form with all its events. The numeric PPVs will consist of five main card fights, one featured prelim fight, two regular prelim fights and three early prelim fights (total 11 fights per card). The Fight Night events as well as the Ultimate Fighter Finales will follow the same format excluding the featured prelim fight with three regular prelim fights instead (total 11 fights per card). The network based events like on ESPN & on ABC will consist of five main card fights, four regular prelim fights and three early prelim fights (total 12 fights per card). The Contender Series will consist of four to five main card fight, depending on the depth and strength of the possible signings.

<p>As I stated in the Dynasty section of the site, I'm back in the WMMA bubble once again after a long and dusty journey following the loss of my recent dynasty save. I'm once again playing with UFC with my own updated real world database which features over 3000 changes to fighter, teams, companies, fight history and much, much more. To make the game a little more challenging and a lot more fun to play, I've came up with some stipulations to my game as well as a few changes to the settings. These include:</p><p> </p><p> - Very aggressive AI hirings</p><p> - High Random Training Injury (to replicate the real world element of fight pullouts)</p><p> - Fast Training effectiveness (to replicate the real life progress for fighters joining highly touted teams)</p><p> - More saturated events for AI organizations to progress fighters records.</p><p> </p><p> - One retirement talk per year, i.e. I can only try to convince one retired fighter to comeback per year. And of course, it's gotta be somewhat realistic considering the circumstances (therefor, no Brendan Schaub or Ronda Rousey). In the first year, I convinced Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson to make his Heavyweight debut after a few years away from the sport and during my second year, I talked Ben Askren into one final run following his successful kayfabe hip replacement, in hopes of redeeming his catastrophic UFC run.</p><p> - No signing of fighter with less than 4 straight wins, and no signings that wouldn't make sense out of a business perspective.</p><p> </p><p> I started the game right before UFC 251. My plan was to book all the Fight Island fights in Southeast Asia as well as the announced Apex Center cards to date. Jorge Masvidal shocked the world when he knocked out Kamaru Usman in the third round to become the UFC Welterweight Champion of the world while Volkanovski and Yan defeated Max and Aldo respectively. One week later, Joseph Benavidez realized his dream and became the UFC Flyweight Champion of the world after a Unanimous Decision victory over Deiveson Figueiredo.</p><p> </p><p> For the other Championship fights during my one year (July 2020 to July 2021), the following bouts has taken place:</p><p> </p><p> HW: Stipe defended the title against DC in a Split Decision victory. He faces Francis for the title up next.</p><p> LHW: Jones defended the title against Blachowicz with a Guillotine in Round 2. He faces Reyes for the title up next.</p><p> MW: Adesanya defended the title against Costa with a KO in Round 5. He faces Whittaker for the title up next.</p><p> WW: Masvidal won the title against Usman with a KO in Round 3 as well as defeated Leon Edwards with a KO in Round 1. He faces Colby Covington up next.</p><p> LW: Khabib defended the title against Gaethje in a UD. He faces Tony Ferguson up next.</p><p> FW: Volkanovski defended the title against Max with a RNC in Round 5 as well as against Zabit with a RNC in Round 4. He faces Brian Ortega up next.</p><p> BW: Yan first won the title against Aldo with a KO in Round 3, but he lost it to Marlon Moraes in his first title defense in his native Russia with a KO in Round 2. Moraes faces the winner of Cory Sandhagen and Dominick Cruz up next.</p><p> FLW: Benavidez first won the title against Figueiredo with a UD, but lost the title against Alexandre Pantoja in his first title defense with a KO in Round 1. Pantoja faces Brandon Moreno up next.</p><p> </p><p> WFW: The title was made dormant after UFC decided the Women's Featherweight division was too weak and shallow. Nunes didn't defend her title before it being made inactive.</p><p> WBW: Nunes hasn't defended her title yet but will face Valentina Shevchenko in a champ vs. champ fight up next.</p><p> WFLW: Shevchenko defended her title against JoJo Calderwood with a KO in Round 1. She moves up one division to face Nunes for the Women's Bantamweight title and to become the second ever female double champ.</p><p> WSW: Zhang defended her title against Rose Namajunas with a KO in Round 1. She faces Tatiana Suarez for the title up next.</p><p> </p><p> During the save, we have also witnessed the trilogy fight between Conor and Nate, ending in a KO victory for Conor in the second round, a retirements for Daniel Cormier, following two straight losses to Stipe and Curtis Blaydes, and for Carlos Condit, following his sixth straight loss against former TUF winner Court McGee. Both DC and Condit was later inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.</p><p> </p><p> Other notable things around the MMA world:</p><p> - Demetrious Johnson lost against Adriano Moraes in ONE Championship despite being a -900 favorite. Moraes is now regarded as the best Flyweight in the world while DJ has teased the idea of returning to the UFC one more time before retiring. The other highly talked about ex-UFC champ in ONE, Eddie Alvarez, lost against Shinya Aoki in the Japanese fighter retirement bout. </p><p> - Michael Chandler shocked Bellator when he opted to not sign a new deal with the company. The American instead choose to sign with Polish organization KSW for a enormous contract. Chandler lost a Split Decision in his KSW debut for the Lightweight title against champion Norman Parke. Chandler was a -550 favorite in the bout. Another one of KSW big stars, Mateusz Gamrot, lost his last bout with the company against the extremely talented Salahdine Parnasse before leaving for rival company FNG. This was Gamrot's first defeat in his professional MMA career. KSW Featherweight champ Parnasse on the other hand is still undefeated.</p><p> - Siblings Angela and Christian Lee, former ONE Championship champions, has both signed big deals with the UFC. The pair is thought to be the company's attempt to create new stars in the lucrative Asian market. Neither fighter has yet debuted.</p>