UFC - The Art of Fighting

Luna · March 3, 2021

Main Event

Light Heavyweight Championship Bout: © Jan Blachowicz vs. (C MW) Israel Adesanya

Co-Main Event

Women’s Featherweight Championship Bout: © Amanda Nunes vs. (#2) Megan Anderson

Main Card

Bantamweight Championship Bout: © Petr Yan vs. (#1) Aljamain Sterling

Light Heavyweight Bout: (#2) Thiago Santos vs. (#4) Aleksandar Rakic

Bantamweight Bout: (#11) Dominick Cruz vs. (#15) Casey Kenney

ESPN Preliminary Card

Lightweight Bout: Drew Dober vs. (#14) Islam Makhachev

Flyweight Bout: (#8) Rogerio Bontorin vs. (#9) Kai Kara-France

Bantamweight Bout: (#14) Song Yadong vs. Kyler Phillips

ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card

Women's Strawweight Bout: (#15) Livia Renata Souza vs. Amanda Lemos

Light Heavyweight Bout: Carlos Ulberg vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu

Lightweight Bout: Aalon Cruz vs. Uros Medic

Pontarii · March 3, 2021

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

vladjarca · March 4, 2021

Well, there are bound to be some upsets sooner or later

Pontarii · March 4, 2021

Well, there are bound to be some upsets sooner or later

Pontarii · March 4, 2021

WEEK 2 - MARCH 2021

UFC Announcement

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.

Pontarii · March 5, 2021

WEEK 2 - MARCH 2021

UFC Event Preview

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

Majster_93 · March 5, 2021

Chimaev

Ige

Ramos

Rothwell

Madsen

Madge

Grant

Nicolau

Anders

Semelsberger

Yu Frey

vladjarca · March 5, 2021

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

CageRage · March 5, 2021

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

McDojoDelux · March 6, 2021

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

maxicheezestick · March 6, 2021

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

Pontarii · March 7, 2021

WEEK 2 - MARCH 2021

UFC Fight Night 187: Edwards vs. Chimaev

Critical Rating: 74%

Commercial Rating: 82%

Profit/Loss: $1.228.327

Main Event

Khamzat Chimaev def. Leon Edwards by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46, 48-47)

Co-Main Event

Dan Ige def. Ryan Hall by Split Decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

Main Card

Ricardo Ramos def. Zubaira Tukhugov by Unanimous Decision (29-28 x3)

Ben Rothwell def. Philipe Lins by Knock Out (Punch) in 0:13 of Round 2

Mark O. Madsen def. Scott Holtzman by Submission (North South Choke) in 2:33 of Round 1

ESPN Preliminary Card

Guram Kutateladze def. Don Madge by Knock Out (Kick) in 0:21 of Round 3

Davey Grant def. Jonathan Martinez by TKO (Strikes) in 1:18 of Round 1

Matheus Nicolau def. Tagir Ulanbekov by TKO (Strikes) in 1:57 of Round 2

ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card

Eryk Anders def. Darren Stewart by TKO (Strikes) in 3:28 of Round 2

Jason Witt def. Matthew Semelsberger by Split Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)

Gloria de Paula def. Jinh Yu Frey by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

Summary

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”.

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”.

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.

Bonus Awards

Fight of the Night: Zubaira Tukhugov vs. Ricardo Ramos

Performance of the Night: Khamzat Chimaev, Mark O. Madsen, and Guram Kutateladze

<div style="text-align:center;">Prediction Table

maxicheezestick = 10 out of 11

Majster_93 = 8 out of 11

vladjarca = 7 out of 11

CageRage = 4 out of 11

McDojoDelux = 3 out of 11

</div>

McDojoDelux · March 7, 2021

3 out of 11.... That's actually not the worst I've ever done predicting an entire card before <img alt="

" 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="

" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/biggrin.png.929299b4c121f473b0026f3d6e74d189.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" />

Pontarii · March 7, 2021

<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> 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" /> 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" />

Pontarii · March 7, 2021

WEEK 3 - MARCH 2021

USADA Athlete Sanctions

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.

Pontarii · March 8, 2021

WEEK 3 - MARCH 2021

UFC Event Preview

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

vladjarca · March 8, 2021

Brunson bout to get that top 5 ranking spot

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

Majster_93 · March 8, 2021

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

CageRage · March 8, 2021

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

McDojoDelux · March 9, 2021

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

maxicheezestick · March 9, 2021

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

Pontarii · March 10, 2021

WEEK 3 - MARCH 2021

UFC Fight Night 188: Brunson vs. Holland

Critical Rating: 68%

Commercial Rating: 77%

Profit/Loss: $383.652

Main Event

Kevin Holland def. Derek Brunson by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46, 48-46)

Co-Main Event

Alexander Gustafsson def. Walt Harris by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 4:05 of Round 2

Main Card

Jamahal Hill def. Paul Craig by Knock Out (Kick) in 1:52 of Round 1

Julia Avila def. Julija Stoliarenko by Split Decision (30-27 x2, 28-29)

Grant Dawson def. Leonardo Santos by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x2, 30-28)

ESPN Preliminary Card

Tai Tuivasa def. Dontale Mayes by TKO (Strikes) in 2:20 of Round 1

Max Griffin def. Kenan Song by TKO (Strikes) in 1:28 of Round 3

Dricus Du Plessis def. Trevin Giles by Submission (Kimura) in 3:02 of Round 2

ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card

Kay Hansen drew w/ Cheyanne Buys by Majority Draw (28-28 x2, 29-28)

Gustavo Lopez def. Adrian Yanez by TKO (Strikes) in 3:08 of Round 3

Polyana Viana def. Mallory Martin by Split Decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

Summary

It was an intense feeling in the Apex Centre when the two Middleweights Derek Brunson and Kevin Holland stood in front of each other before the main event of UFC Fight Night 188. Despite not being the most hyped and talked-about main event in recent memory, the grudge between the two combatants had reached a level few people had anticipated. Brunson’s mantra of disrespect towards his accomplishments against the brash, self-confident Holland who isn’t afraid of adding some trash talking to his opponent to keep them off track produced an exciting background for the scheduled five-rounder. A familiar face drew the assignment of refereeing the fight as the UFC Hall of Famer and former title challenger Frank Trigg was the Octagon official for the bout, his first ever main event with the company. The bout started out with in an unusual way with a takedown right after the glove touch, but it wasn’t the expected Brunson, with his notable wrestling background, who shot in for it. Instead it was Holland, a fighter you normally expect to want keep this fight standing, who tried taking his opponent down but Brunson’s solid takedown defense stopped the early initiative but despite this, the message had been sent. Holland was here to show Brunson that he was the superior athlete in all departments, including the ones where Brunson should be better. Instead of completing the takedown, the 28-year old Texas-native held his opponent in a tight clinch using a variety of strikes to keep the upper hand and before the round ended, “Trailblazer” succeeded in his quest for taking Brunson down and used this fact to taunt him in-between the rounds. The second round was a close striking battle in which both fighters had their moments, but the biggest one came with only eighteen seconds left of the round when Holland struck the 37-year old North Carolina-native with a big right hand that knocked him to the floor. If it hadn't been for the bell signaling the end of the round, Holland would’ve probably finished Brunson right there but the Jackson Wink MMA-fighter survived and got a much-needed break to bounce back in round three. With both fighters started to tire a bit, the middle round was a close but rather dull affair with nothing special happening. If the bout went to decision, this round could have gone either way. In the fourth round, Brunson started utilizing his wrestling more but Holland’s defensive timing was on point and never really got him anywhere near a position of danger even though he didn’t have much success himself with putting his opponent away. Round five was also a pretty lackluster round with Brunson being the more controlling part, taking Holland down two times during the five minutes but without any real damage or threat with them it wasn’t going to sway the judges into giving him the victory. Instead it was the -150 favorite Kevin Holland who secured the Unanimous Decision. When being interviewed by Dan Hardy after the fight, Holland issued an apology to the fans for the “boring fight” and said he “never wants to be drawn into these kinds of stale affairs, but sometimes it’s inevitable”. Holland also said he wants to face “either Jared Cannonier or the winner of Darren Till and Marvin Vettori as soon as possible”.

Joining Holland on the winning side of UFC Fight Night 188 was Alexander Gustafsson, the former Light Heavyweight title challenger now residing in the Heavyweight division. The potential of the Swede’s footwork and elite level striking in a heavier weight class has always been an intriguing one, and with the lackluster first showing against Fabricio Werdum last year the stakes were pretty high. A loss here would label his comeback a failure and with the looming threat of the knockout artist Walt Harris in front of him, Gustafsson needed to rise above the pressure and once again prove he’s one of the best to ever do it. And so he did. With a beautiful display of striking and grappling, the 34-year old submitted his opponent with a smooth rear-naked choke late in the second round which also earned him one of the Performances of the Night-bonuses. A visibly emotional Gustafsson talked about his struggles following the loss in his comeback fight, contemplating if he should have come back in the first place, but ensured his fans that he intended to make a run for the Heavyweight title this time around. When asked about a potential opponent, the Swede said “whoever the UFC wants me to face, I’m down for”. Perhaps when the pandemic situation has cooled down, a UFC-trip to Sweden would not come as a big surprise, especially with names like Alexander Gustafsson, Khamzat Chimaev, and Jack Hermansson as well as female prospects like Pannie Kianzad and Bea Malecki on the roster.

Big wins this Saturday also came from Jamahal Hill, who knocked out the tough and durable Scotsman Paul Craig with a head kick early in the first round, Grant Dawson, who outworked the experienced Brazilian Leonardo Santos in his Lightweight debut, and for Tai Tuivasa, who knocked out Dontale Mayes with explosive ground and pound. The 29-year old Hill is undefeated with a 9-0-1 NC record and has been hauled as the biggest prospect in the Light Heavyweight division in years while Grant Dawson is undefeated in the UFC with five victories. Dawson, who made his Lightweight debut this bout, assured that his future is in the Featherweight division and not in the Lightweight division, confirming that this bout was a "one and done"-type of deal. For Tuivasa, this was his second win in a row and despite being only 27-year old he has faced some of the most notable Heavyweights in MMA like Junior dos Santos and Andrei Arlovski on his way to become a staple in the division, just like his mentor Mark Hunt did before him. One final thing to take home from this event was the fight between Max Griffin and Kenan Song during the Prelims. Many fans and experts alike deemed this bout a fantastic one, hailing it as one of the early Fight of the Year-contenders. In the end, it was Max Griffin who got the better of the back-and-forth exchanges, finishing his Chinese opponent Song with strikes in the third round.

Bonus Awards

Fight of the Night: Max Griffin vs. Kenan Song

Performance of the Night: Alexander Gustafsson, Jamahal Hill, and Dricus Du Plessis

<img src=https://i.imgur.com/iqLMmzj.png

Prediction Table

maxicheezestick = 8 out of 11

vladjarca = 8 out of 11

Majster_93 = 5 out of 11

CageRage = 4 out of 11

McDojoDelux = 4 out of 11

Pontarii · March 10, 2021

WEEK 3 - MARCH 2021

UFC Event Announcement

UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Costa announced for April event

The month of April is a big one for the UFC Middleweight division with many of the top ranked fighters being featured during the events the month has to offer. A Middleweight bout between two of the top European fighters in the world featuring the number four ranked Darren Till and the number five ranked Marvin Vettori will headline the first UFC on ESPN-event in April, but UFC announced today that another big Middleweight bout will also headline an ESPN-event the weekend after. The former Middleweight champion as well as the number one ranked Robert "The Reaper" Whittaker (22-5) will take on the former title challenger and number two ranked Brazilian Paulo "Borrachinha" Costa (13-1) in what promises to be a firework of a fight between two of the best strikers in all of UFC. For the Australian 30-year old Whittaker, a win over the powerhouse that is Paulo Costa would surely result in a sought-after title shot against the current double champion Israel Adesanya.

#100 percent. In my eyes I've already earned the opportunity to fight "Izzy" [israel Adesanya] for the title again. My list of opponents that I've slayed is the best one in the division apart from the champion, no one comes close to my resume at Middleweight. He [Paulo Costa] just had his chance at the gold and he got demolished in every sense of the word, "Izzy" took that mans soul. He can talk all the bulls*it about being hungover, drunk or whatever, that doesn't change the outcome and he's about the experience the same thing all over again. I'm in this for my family and to provide the best life I can for them, so to become the UFC Middleweight champion again is not only my ambition, it's my job", said Robert Whittaker in an interview with The Daily Telegraph about his upcoming bout with Paulo Costa.

The Brazilian has made some harsh comments on social media about the former champion and his upcoming opponent. "I will enjoy ending your career. You made this personal and I look forward to crush you inside the Octagon on the 17th of April. See you soon", tweeted Costa after the bout was made official. This is truly a must-see Middleweight bout between the number one and number two ranked fighters in the division, especially with the champion Israel Adesanya's future in the division still relatively unclear. With rumors circulating about a potential permanent move up the division for the double champ, the winner between Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa could undoubtedly fight for the title, or even be promoted to champion.

In the co-main event of the UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Costa-event, it will be a prospect vs. legend bout between the 29-year old former LFA Heavyweight champion Ryan "Superman" Spann (18-6) and the legendary former UFC Light Heavyweight champion and former Pride Middleweight Grand Prix champion Maurício "Shogun" Rua (27-12-1). For Spann, this is undeniably the biggest fight of his career as he takes on one of the biggest names in the history of the sport while for the Brazilian "Shogun", this is perhaps his last chance to show to the fans and to the UFC that he still has what it takes to compete in the world's leading MMA organization. Both fighters are coming from losses as Spann broke his four-fight undefeated UFC-streak against another Brazilian Johnny Walker while Rua lost the rematch to the Scotsman Paul Craig back at UFC 255. Therefor, a win is a must for both fighters, but only one can leave the Apex Centre in Las Vegas, Nevada victorious.

UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Costa will also feature two Flyweight bouts with some serious title implications. Firstly, a Flyweight bout between multiple time title challenger Joseph Benavidez (28-7) and the undefeated Russian Askar "Bullet" Askarov (12-0-1) is scheduled, a bout which features the number three and the number four ranked fighters in the division. The winner will most certainly face the winner of the upcoming championship rematch between Deiveson Figueiredo and the challenger Brandon Moreno. A Women's Flyweight bout between the number two ranked former title challenger Katlyn Chookagian (15-4) and the rising Brazilian prospect Viviane Araujo (10-2), who sits at the number seven spot in the rankings, is also featured on the card. With few real viable threats to the champion Valentina Shevchenko emerging, a win for either fighter could result in a title opportunity, especially for the 27-year old Araujo who has never fought for the title before.

The last announced bout of the event is another Middleweight bout featuring Gerald Meerschaert (31-14), who was on the wrong end of a Khamzat Chimaev knockout in his previous outing, and the Polish Bartosz Fabinski (15-4), who most recently lost to Andre Muniz by Armbar in the first round.

Main Event

Middleweight Bout: (#1) Robert Whittaker vs. (#2) Paulo Costa

Co-Main Event

Light Heavyweight Bout: (#15) Ryan Spann vs. Maurício Rua

Main Card

Flyweight Bout: (#3) Joseph Benavidez vs. (#4) Askar Askarov

Women's Flyweight Bout: (#2) Katlyn Chookagian vs. (#7) Viviane Araujo

Middleweight Bout: Gerald Meerschaert vs. Bartosz Fabinski

Pontarii · March 11, 2021

WEEK 4 - MARCH 2021

UFC Event Preview

Stipe Miocic “I’m ready to defend my role as Greatest Heavyweight of all time against death row of contenders”

The Heavyweight division has always been one of the most popular amongst the fans with many of the all-time greats fighting in it including the likes of Daniel Cormier, Cain Velasquez, Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar. After a few years of a sort of stalemate with the same fighters taking the top spots, the division has had a resurgence of talent with the new breed of fighters advancing through the rankings. One of these new generational Heavyweights is the number one contender and the man to take on the champion Stipe Miocic (20-3) for a second time in his career, the Cameroonian-French Francis Ngannou (15-3). The 34-year old has taken the UFC by storm since joining back in 2015 with knockout power never seen before, and after suffering his first two organizational defeats against the aforementioned Miocic and perennial contender Derrick Lewis he has looked better than ever. Ngannou credits the changes in his training regime as well as the experience of sharing the Octagon with his opponent this Saturday in their first bout.

“This is a completely different fight than last time. In our first bout, I was riding an incredible momentum and felt on top of the world, I felt that no one could touch me. Then I faced Stipe [Miocic] and he showed me that you can’t only rely on big knockout power at this level. You have to have different tools to be truly elite and that’s what I’ve done since facing him and even Derrick Lewis after that. I’ve added more to my repertoire. I can finish the fight at different positions, I can wrestle and I can use a variety of skills to show everyone that I am the best Heavyweight in the world. My intentions is to show Stipe and everyone a whole new, more experienced and better Francis Ngannou this Saturday than anyone has seen before”, said Francis before the much anticipated rematch for the Heavyweight title.

Stipe Miocic has only faced one man since defeating Francis Ngannou the first time, but on the other hand that man is no other than the all-time great Daniel Cormier. During their epic trilogy, Miocic won the series with two victories including one stoppage and one Unanimous Decision which ultimately would be Cormier’s last fights in his career. With many picking Stipe as the Greatest Heavyweight of all time, the champion himself is ready to defend that position against the shark tank that is the Heavyweight division.

“You only need to take one look at the division to see how stacked it is. Francis [Ngannou] is the rightful number one contender and I look forward to defending my title against him once again, but it’s not only him in the pipeline. There’s a death row of fighters looking to take my place at the top. Jon Jones is coming up to test himself against the best of the best, Curtis Blaydes has looked incredible, Ciryl Gane is an interesting prospect, and Alexander Volkov is always a threat to name a few. It’s one of the best divisions in the game with the most dangerous fighters, I’m ready to defend my title against anyone, anywhere and prove to the world that I am the one and only Greatest Heavyweight of all time”, said Stipe Miocic during the pre-fight press conference heading into this Saturday.

During the co-main event of the evening, a much anticipated Featherweight title bout between the defending champion Alexander Volkanovski (22-1) and the challenger Brian Ortega (15-1-1 NC) will also take place. This will be the Australian’s second title defense since winning it back in 2019 against the consensus Greatest Featherweight of all time as well as the number one ranked Max Holloway, the same person he made his first title defense against in a razor-close Split Decision victory. For Brian Ortega, this is his second opportunity to become the UFC Featherweight champion with his first title bout coming against the aforementioned Holloway back in 2018 in a one-sided loss that ended in a fourth round doctor stoppage. The champion Volkanovski is a close -150 betting favorite heading into the bout, but despite being close to his opponent in the odds he’s confident in his ability to finish Ortega decisively. “I am better than him in every aspect of the game. I’m going to finish him inside two rounds. He has never faced anyone with the power and the versatility that I possess. He got destroyed by Max [Holloway], the same guy I beat twice in a row. That says it all really”, said the champion Alexander Volkanovski during the pre-fight press conference.

UFC 260: Miocic vs. Ngannou II also features some exciting bouts to look out for. The former Welterweight champion Tyron Woodley (19-6-1) looks to bounce back to winning ways against the Brazilian TUF-alumni Vicente Luque (19-7.1). The 38-year old Woodley is in desperate need of a victory since losing his three previous fights against three of the best Welterweights in the world including the champion Kamaru Usman, Gilbert Burns and Colby Covington. This is the first time since 2015 that Woodley will compete in a three round fights and it will be interesting to see if the former champion can break his slump of fifteen straight losing rounds. During the main card, two of the most hyped prospects coming from the Contender Series in Johnny Walker (18-5) and Sean O’Malley (12-1) will compete against Jimmy Crute (12-1) and Thomas Almeida (22-4) respectively. Both have suffered halting defeats previously, but both the Brazilian Light Heavyweight and the American Bantamweight is looking to bounce back with impressive performances against tough opponents.

Main Event

Co-Main Event

Main Card

Welterweight Bout: (#8) Tyron Woodley vs. (#11) Vicente Luque

Light Heavyweight Bout: (#11) Johnny Walker vs. (#14) Jimmy Crute

Bantamweight Bout: Sean O’Malley vs. Thomas Almeida

ESPN Preliminary Card

Lightweight Bout: Joe Lauzon vs. Lando Vannata

Welterweight Bout: Court McGee vs. Mickey Gall

Women’s Strawweight Bout: Randa Markos vs. Luana Pinheiro

ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card

Light Heavyweight Bout: Michal Oleksiejczuk vs. Modestas Bukauskas

Women’s Strawweight Bout: Jessica Penne vs. Hannah Goldy

Featherweight Bout: Julian Erosa vs. Nate Landwehr

CageRage · March 11, 2021

Main Event

Co-Main Event

Main Card

Welterweight Bout: (#8) Tyron Woodley vs. (#11) Vicente Luque

Light Heavyweight Bout: (#11) Johnny Walker vs. (#14) Jimmy Crute

Bantamweight Bout: Sean O’Malley vs. Thomas Almeida

ESPN Preliminary Card

Lightweight Bout: Joe Lauzon vs. Lando Vannata

Welterweight Bout: Court McGee vs. Mickey Gall

Women’s Strawweight Bout: Randa Markos vs. Luana Pinheiro

ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card

Light Heavyweight Bout: Michal Oleksiejczuk vs. Modestas Bukauskas

Women’s Strawweight Bout: Jessica Penne vs. Hannah Goldy

Featherweight Bout: Julian Erosa vs. Nate Landwehr

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