UFC - The Art of Fighting

Pontarii · March 21, 2021

WEEK 2 - APRIL 2021

UFC on ESPN: Till vs. Vettori

Critical Rating: 66%

Commercial Rating: 90%

Profit/Loss: $2.617.348

Main Event

Darren Till def. Marvin Vettori by Majority Decision (49-45, 48-46, 47-47)

Co-Main Event

Arnold Allen def. Sodiq Yusuff by Unanimous Decision (29-28 x3)

Main Card

Merab Dvalishvili def. Cody Stamann by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-28, 29-28)

Mackenzie Dern def. Nina Ansaroff by Submission (Ankle Lock) in 2:55 of Round 1

Sean Brady def. Jake Matthews by Split Decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

ESPN2 Preliminary Card

Tim Elliot def. Jordan Espinosa by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 29-28 x2)

Sam Alvey def. Zak Cummings by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29)

Yorgan de Castro drew with Jarjis Danho by Split Draw (29-29, 29-28, 28-29)

John Makdessi def. Ignacio Bahamondes by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x3)

Kyle Daukaus def. Aliaskhab Khizriev by Submission (D'Arce Choke) in 0:59 of Round 1

Bea Malecki def. Norma Dumont by Submission (Kneebar) in 4:18 of Round 3

Jordan Griffin def. Luis Saldana by Unanimous Decision (29-28 x3)

Summary

England against Italy is a common practice when talking about football, i.e. the European version and not the American version, but it’s definitely rare to see an Englishman and an Italian face off inside the UFC Octagon, especially when it comes to headlining an event, something that has never happened before. In fact, Marvin Vettori became the first ever Italian born fighter to headline an UFC event last year when he defeated Jack Hermansson in a five round battle which in turn guaranteed him a top ranked opponent and another chance at headlining an event. This time the opponent was none other than the number four ranked Middleweight and former Welterweight title challenger Darren Till, perhaps one of the greatest strikers in the entire UFC. A hard test for the wrestling-based Vettori, but a victory would no doubt catapult the Italian to a title shot against the champion, his former nemesis and foe Israel Adesanya. It was quite an intense build-up for the Middleweight showdown with Vettori initiating the trash talk, calling Till the “most overrated fighter in UFC today”. He also claimed to have met the Englishman during training camp a few years ago in which he “beat him senseless everyday”. Always the joker, Till laughed when hearing these claims saying that “they might be true, I can’t even remember what I had for dinner last night and this guy remembers who he trained with years ago”. The two Middleweights shared an intense faceoff in the Octagon when the scheduled five rounder was about to start with both men refusing to touch gloves, a true sign of what often results in a gruelling battle. Round one was an incredibly close one with both fighters sharing moments of excellence, Till in the striking area and with Vettori in the wrestling department as expected, and it was truly a difficult task to decide who did more than the other to earn the first 10-9 of the bout. It’s really a question of judging in this sport as it comes down to what you value more, the controlling strikes of Darren Till or the pressuring grappling of Marvin Vettori as this was the only thing separating the two men in the first round. If the first round was a close as you can get in MMA, the second one was a completely different story in which Darren Till outstroke his Italian counterpart for five straight minutes. If 10-8 should exist in MMA, this round was the clearest example of a 10-8 in recent memory as Vettori didn’t amass anything at all really. The 28-year old Liverpudlian continue his advantage in the striking throughout the third round, landing a big amount of strikes as well as nailing big significant strikes while Vettori tried grappling his way into victory, but only landing one successful takedown during the round. Round four saw the bout become rather tactical as neither men pushed the pace, opting instead for a slow, low-risk approach in which the 27-year old Italian landed a few more punches than his opponent and thus probably winning the round. Depending on the judge’s way of scoring the bout, it could be a close one heading into the fifth and final round and the fighter who wanted it the most would most likely get the advantage if it went to decision. It only took ten seconds of the bout for a significant moment to happen when Darren Till hit a big elbow on Vettori which opened up a deep, bloody cut above the right eye on the Italian and it was clear that this hindered Vettori’s vision, but the ringside doctor didn’t deem it worthy of a stoppage. Till had the advantage in the round and was looking to coast to a clear victory, but Vettori used the last minute of the round slamming the Englishman and controlling him with big strikes until the time ran out which could’ve earned him the round in the eyes of the judges. With 25 minutes in the bag, a strong showing from both top ranked Middleweights had no real losers but one was a bigger winner than the other and that man was Darren Till, who scored a big Majority Decision victory and thus making a big name for himself in the Middleweight title discussion. In perhaps the least surprising moment of the evening, the winner called out the champion Israel Adesanya for “an epic battle between the two best strikers in the UFC”. It didn’t take long for “Izzy” to accept the challenge on social media, saying that he would love to face Darren Till in his next Middleweight title defence later in the latter part of the summer.

It was a successful night for the English Mixed Martial Arts scene as Till’s countryman Arnold “Almighty” Allen continued his rise through the Featherweight rankings in the anticipated prospect vs. prospect co-main event against the Nigerian Sodiq Yusuff. Both men entered the contest with only one loss on their respective records that happened before they got signed to the organization and with two undefeated UFC streaks on the line, someone’s zero in the losing column had to go. It was a great scrap between the grappler Allen, who dominated the first round with his constant takedowns and smothering grappling, and the striker Yusuff, who adjusted well and got the second round due to a high volume of strikes, with the third round being the decisive one. In the end it was the 27-year old Arnold Allen who got the better of the two using a versatile game plan consisting of a strong clinch game and several hard leg kicks which rendered the otherwise dangerous knockout artist Yusuff rather harmless. With his arm raised in the air by the referee Chris Tognoni, Allen was visibly happy and satisfied with his performance in perhaps the most difficult challenge of his professional MMA career despite having faced names like Gilbert Melendez and Nik Lentz in previous bouts. When asked about his future plans by another fellow Brit in Michael Bisping, who worked alongside Brendan Fitzgerald and Paul Felder at the commentary desk this event, Arnold Allen was confident in his ability of becoming the UFC Featherweight champion by the end of 2022 and said that “the only thing I need for this to happen is someone in the top five daring to face me”. To date, the top five Featherweight rankings consists of Max Holloway, Zabit Magomedsharipov, Brian Ortega, Yair Rodriguez, and Calvin Kattar and with Zabit and Yair being rumored to face each other as well as Max being rumoured to get his third and perhaps final shot at the champion, it leaves only Ortega and Kattar for Allen if he would get his wishes granted by the matchmakers.

The second ESPN-event of the year provided us with some impressive moments, some good scraps and some nice finishes. Merab Dvalishvili was successful against the durable Cody Stamann in their long-awaited bout that was originally scheduled five months ago, with the clear Unanimous Decision victory undoubtedly catapulting the Georgian-born Serra-Loungo member higher up in the Bantamweight rankings. The undefeated Welterweight prospect Sean Brady also made an impact tonight with a Split Decision victory over the 15-fight veteran Jake Matthews, who despite being only 26 year old debuted in the UFC seven years ago. This was Brady’s fourth straight victory in the UFC and many fans and media members have named the Philadelphia-native as a potential UFC Welterweight Champion one day. It’s surely going to be interesting to see who the company pairs Brady up with in his next Octagon showing. On a rather decision filled card, the only finishes consisting of three submission victories was given the performance of the night bonuses. BJJ Ace Mackenzie Dern submitted Nina Ansaroff with a beautiful Ankle Lock early in the first round, a finish that puts Dern in a sweet spot in the Women’s Strawweight Rankings, while Bea Malecki submitted Norma Dumont with a Kneebar in the Women’s Bantamweight division during the prelims. Kyle Daukaus, the younger brother of UFC Heavyweight Chris Daukaus, surprised many with his D’Arce Choke submission victory over the debuting, undefeated Russian Aliaskhab Khizriev only a minute into the first round. The +250 underdog was the biggest upset of the night together with Jordan Griffin who defeated another debuting fighter in Luis Saldaña which makes it a rather disappointed night for the newcomers.

Bonus Awards

Fight of the Night: Arnold Allen vs. Sodiq Yusuff

Performance of the Night: Mackenzie Dern, Kyle Daukaus, and Bea Malecki

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Prediction Table

vladjarca = 8 out of 12

CageRage = 8 out of 12

McDojoDelux = 7 out of 12

Pontarii · March 22, 2021

WEEK 2 - APRIL 2021

UFC Event Announcement

UFC Fight Night 189: T.J. Dillashaw returns after suspension, faces Cory Sandhagen in Denver, Colorado

UFC announced today through its social media platforms that the former Bantamweight champion and one of the division’s all-time greats, T.J. Dillashaw (16-4) will return to the Octagon following his 2-year suspension due to EPO usage, which is prohibited under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy. Dillashaw is making his return to the Octagon for the first time since losing a bid to become a two-division champion in a Flyweight title bout against the then champion Henry Cejudo, a loss which was followed by the two-year suspension. As a result of the suspension, Dillashaw vacated his Bantamweight title and thus ending his second stint as champion at 135 pounds. Discussions about who would face the former champion when he inevitably returned has been held for a good while with names like Urijah Faber, Dominick Cruz, and Cody Garbrandt being linked to the bout, but it turns out that the answer was more related to the rankings and Dillashaw’s position in the title discussion than a "storyline" type of fight. None other than the number one ranked Bantamweight Cory Sandhagen (14-2) has agreed to face Dillashaw in the main event of UFC Fight Night 189 taking place at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. This will be the first UFC-event held outside the Apex Centre in Las Vegas, Nevada and Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE since the Covid-19 pandemic forever changed the landscape of the world. In Sandhagen, Dillashaw faces on of the rising stars of the division and someone who has been really close of getting a shot at the title before. It would not come as a surprise if the winner of the scheduled main event will face the new Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling in his first title defence, and according to the betting lines, the former champion is a slight underdog with a +150 betting line against the -100 favorite Sandhagen, who has taken out two of the top contenders in Marlon Moraes and Frankie Edgar in devastating fashion in his two latest bouts.

Co-main eventing the event does the two former Jackson-Wink teammates turned rivals Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (36-15-2 NC) and Diego “The Nightmare” Sanchez (30-13). Both fighters have been in the UFC for over a decade and bring with them a wealth of experience, with a mind-boggling 68 combined fights in the organization. Over the years, Cerrone and Sanchez have become fan favourites in the organization and are names on which the promotion was built on in its early years. Many speculate if this is the last fight for the inaugural The Ultimate Fighter-winner Diego Sanchez as the 39-year old veteran has hinted at the chance of facing a true legend of the sport and then retire, but no official word has been made about his potential retirement plans. For “Cowboy”, this is a chance to bounce back after a rough slump in his illustrious career having drawn one and lost four in his five latest bouts. A loss to the +310 underdog Sanchez would be devastating for Cerrone’s career in the UFC, and you could only imagine what the company would do to a fighter with his big salary if he loses.

Another legend of the sport and even a former champion will also fight on the card as the former UFC Heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos (21-9) returns to the Octagon following a tough loss against the rising prospect Ciryl Gane in December of 2020. The Brazilian veteran, who is on a four fight losing streak against four of the biggest names in the division, takes on his fellow Brazilian countryman in Augusto Sakai (15-2-1), who also returns after a devastating loss in his first UFC main event against Alistair Overeem back in September of last year. Just like with Donald Cerrone, it truly is a “do or die” kind of fight for Junior dos Santos as a loss against his 8 year younger opponent would undoubtedly be grounds for an early termination of his contract, but you can never count out the 37-year old Team Nogueira-member.

The other two main card fights is a showcase of some of the brightest prospects on the UFC-roster today. A Middleweight scrap between the Italian Alessio Di Chirico (13-5) and the hard-hitting knockout-artist Punahele Soriano (8-0) from Hawaii is scheduled. Di Chirico earned a big win in his last Octagon outing, defeating the hyped prospect Joaquin Buckley, while Soriano is undefeated in his 8-career fights defeating the previously undefeated Dusko Todorovic in his last bout. We’ll also witness an interesting Lightweight bout between the 24-year old Arman Tsarukyan (16-2) and the 27-year old Nasrat Haqparast (12-3). Being two of the most promising Lightweights on the roster, both Tsarukyan and Haqparast has shown glimpses of brilliance inside the Octagon in their short respective careers and it will certainly be a Fight of the Night-contender when they finally face each other.

Main Event

Bantamweight Bout: T.J. Dillashaw vs. (#1) Cory Sandhagen

Co-Main Event

Welterweight Bout: Donald Cerrone vs. Diego Sanchez

Main Card

Heavyweight Bout: (#11) Augusto Sakai vs. (#12) Junior dos Santos

Middleweight Bout: Alessio Di Chirico vs. Punahele Soriano

Lightweight Bout: Arman Tsarukyan vs. Nasrat Haqparast

Pontarii · March 23, 2021

WEEK 3 - APRIL 2021

UFC Event Preview

Charles Jourdain out of fight, two miss weight during chaotic weigh-in for UFC on ESPN-event featuring Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa

It was a rather chaotic weigh-in for tomorrow night's UFC on ESPN-event featuring a Middleweight headliner between the number one ranked and former champion Robert Whittaker (22-5) against the former title challenger and number two ranked Paulo Costa (13-1). The biggest news coming from the weigh in is that the scheduled bout between the 25-year old Canadian prospect Charles “Air” Jourdain (10-3-1) and the 28-year old Albuquerque-native Steve Garcia (11-4), which would take place during the preliminary portion of the event, is now cancelled. Reports from several media members including trustworthy MMA journalist Aaron Bronsteter of TSN indicates that Jourdain suffered an arm-injury during the morning practice which forces him out of the Featherweight contest against Garcia. His team Academie Pro Star MMA later confirmed the news about Jourdains absence from the event, stating that he’s devastated and disappointed about the news but he hopes to face Steve Garcia on a later date when he’s all healed up. With a limited amount to recruit a potential replacement for Jourdain, the UFC announced on its website that the bout has been postponed indefinitely and that tomorrow night’s event will consist of six preliminary fights instead of seven as originally scheduled.

UFC has been rather protected from fighters failing to make weight during 2021, but that was not the case during the weigh-ins today. Not one but two fighters managed to miss their respective weight limit with Tracy Cortez (9-1) weighing 6lbs over the Flyweight limit and Jared Gordon (16-4) weighing 3lbs over the Featherweight limit. As a result, Cortez was fined 30% of her purse which will go to her opponent Justine Kish (7-3) while Gordon was fined 20% of his purse which in turn will go to his opponent Danny Chavez (11-3). UFC President Dana White was not happy with the failures, saying that “it’s so incredibly unprofessional and unfair to their opponents to miss weight with that amount” and that “both fighters will be forced to move up to a higher division more suitable for their weight after tomorrow’s bouts”. Both Cortez and Gordon issued apologies to fans, to the UFC and to their respective opponents on social media following their failures.

Luckily for everyone involved, the headlining duo Whittaker and Costa made weight as well as everyone else on the card besides the aforementioned Cortez and Gordon. An intense staredown between the Australian and the Brazilian Middleweights was the closing visual heading in to the fight, and the war of words continued on social media thereafter between the two. The prominent trash talker Paulo Costa said that he would leave the Apex Centre victorious over “journeyman” Whittaker thus making him the rightful contender to Adesanya’s Middleweight title. Robert Whittaker responded with a laughing emoji, demonstrating that Costa’s claims of being next in line for a title shot would be laughable considering that he got obliterated against the champion just a few months ago. A victory for Whittaker would probably result in another shot at the title for the Australian while a Costa win would probably not be enough to warrant an Adesanya-rematch this close in time, instead a number one contender bout against Darren Till would be more likely.

The rest of the main card is filled with intriguing bouts, with two of them having direct implications on the respective divisions. Joseph Benavidez (28-7), ranked number three in the Flyweight division, and Askar Askarov (11-0-1), ranked number four, will battle it out in hopes of becoming the next challenger for the Flyweight title which champion Deiveson Figueiredo will defend against Brendan Moreno in their anticipated rematch following the Majority Draw that happened back at UFC 256. Likewise will Katlyn Chookagian (15-4) and Viviane Araujo (10-2) face each other in the Women’s Flyweight division for a chance at one of the greatest female fighters of all time, Valentina Shevchenko’s title. If Askarov and Araujo would be victorious in their respective bouts against perennial contenders Benavidez and Chookagian, it would be no surprise if both of them would be granted title shots. The co-main event consists of the old guard against the new generation of Light Heavyweight fighters as one of the all-time greats Maurício “Shogun” Rua (27-12-1) takes on the former LFA Light Heavyweight champion Ryan “Superman” Spann (18-6). A loss for the Brazilian Rua could be one of, if not his last fight inside the Octagon considering he’s had a long career with several injuries and gruelling wars taking its toll on the body while Spann is only getting started in his young, promising career. Having already defeated one Brazilian legend in Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, also known as “Lil Nog” who Rua retired last year in their trilogy fight, Spann is confident in his ability of defeating the former Prime Middleweight Grand Prix Champion and the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion that is Shogun Rua. This is also reflected in the betting lines before the bout in which Spann is a -200 favourite against the +150 underdog Rua. Can the legendary 39-year old rise to the occasion and show the MMA world that age is just a number or will the ten years younger Memphis-native from Fortis MMA show that the future is for the young?

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

ESPN2 Preliminary Card

Light Heavyweight Bout: Tyson Pedro vs. Ed Herman

Bantamweight Bout: Denys Bondar vs. Joe Soto

Bantamweight Bout: Randy Costa vs. Trevin Jones

Featherweight Bout: Michael Trizano vs. Rafael Alves

Women’s Flyweight: Tracy Cortez* vs. Justine Kish

Featherweight Bout: Jared Gordon** vs. Danny Chavez

* Tracy Cortez missed weight by 6lbs. She forfeited 30% of her purse to her opponent Justine Kish and will move up to Bantamweight as a result.

** Jared Gordon missed weight by 3lbs. He forfeited 20% of his purse to his opponent Danny Chavez and will move up to Lightweight as a result.

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maxicheezestick · March 23, 2021

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

ESPN2 Preliminary Card

Light Heavyweight Bout: Tyson Pedro vs. Ed Herman

Bantamweight Bout: Denys Bondar vs. Joe Soto

Bantamweight Bout: Randy Costa vs. Trevin Jones

Featherweight Bout: Michael Trizano vs. Rafael Alves

Women’s Flyweight: Tracy Cortez* vs. Justine Kish

Featherweight Bout: Jared Gordon** vs. Danny Chavez

Majster_93 · March 23, 2021

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

ESPN2 Preliminary Card

Light Heavyweight Bout: Tyson Pedro vs. Ed Herman

Bantamweight Bout: Denys Bondar vs. Joe Soto

Bantamweight Bout: Randy Costa vs. Trevin Jones

Featherweight Bout: Michael Trizano vs. Rafael Alves

Women’s Flyweight: Tracy Cortez* vs. Justine Kish

Featherweight Bout: Jared Gordon** vs. Danny Chavez

vladjarca · March 23, 2021

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

ESPN2 Preliminary Card

Light Heavyweight Bout: Tyson Pedro vs. Ed Herman

Bantamweight Bout: Denys Bondar vs. Joe Soto

Bantamweight Bout: Randy Costa vs. Trevin Jones

Featherweight Bout: Michael Trizano vs. Rafael Alves

Women’s Flyweight: Tracy Cortez* vs. Justine Kish

Featherweight Bout: Jared Gordon** vs. Danny Chavez

McDojoDelux · March 23, 2021

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

ESPN2 Preliminary Card

Light Heavyweight Bout: Tyson Pedro vs. Ed Herman

Bantamweight Bout: Denys Bondar vs. Joe Soto

Bantamweight Bout: Randy Costa vs. Trevin Jones

Featherweight Bout: Michael Trizano vs. Rafael Alves

Women’s Flyweight: Tracy Cortez* vs. Justine Kish

Featherweight Bout: Jared Gordon** vs. Danny Chavez

CageRage · March 24, 2021

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

ESPN2 Preliminary Card

Light Heavyweight Bout: Tyson Pedro vs. Ed Herman

Bantamweight Bout: Denys Bondar vs. Joe Soto

Bantamweight Bout: Randy Costa vs. Trevin Jones

Featherweight Bout: Michael Trizano vs. Rafael Alves

Women’s Flyweight: Tracy Cortez* vs. Justine Kish

Featherweight Bout: Jared Gordon** vs. Danny Chavez

Pontarii · March 24, 2021

WEEK 3 - APRIL 2021

UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Costa

Critical Rating: 68%

Commercial Rating: 96%

Profit/Loss: $4.091.749

Main Event

Robert Whittaker def. Paulo Costa by TKO (Strikes) in 1:04 of Round 1

Co-Main Event

Ryan Spann def. Maurício Rua by Submission (Guillotine) in 1:11 of Round 1

Main Card

Askar Askarov def. Joseph Benavidez by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 4:22 of Round 3

Katlyn Chookagian def. Viviane Araujo by TKO (Strikes) in 2:30 of Round 1

Gerald Meerschaert def. Bartosz Fabinski by Unanimous Decision (29-28 x3)

ESPN2 Preliminary Card

Ed Herman def. Tyson Pedro by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:30 of Round 1

Denys Bondar def. Joe Soto by Technical Submission in 3:25 of Round 1

Trevin Jones def. Randy Costa by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

Michael Trizano def. Rafael Alves by Knock Out (Punch) in 0:48 of Round 1

Tracy Cortez def. Justine Kish by Unanimous Decision (29-28 x3)

Jared Gordon def. Danny Chavez by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x3)

Summary

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a new Middleweight title contender. The hyped and anticipated main event bout between the top two ranked contenders Robert “The Reaper” Whittaker and Paulo “Borrachinha” Costa was expected to be a close affair between two elite level strikers, and to further demonstrate how even the fight seemed on beforehand you could only look at the betting line which held the Australian and the Brazilian at dead even with -150 odds on both of them. The questions surrounding the fight circulated around if Paulo Costa was fully recovered physically and mentally following the devastating loss to the champion Israel Adesanya while Robert Whittaker’s dedication to regain the title he lost to the aforementioned Kiwi was also a topic open for discussion in the media. When Herb Dean signalled for the start of the long-awaited barnburner in the making, it was the former champion who took initiative almost rushing forward to attack the 29-year old Brazilian standing across him in the blue corner. Both fighters landed a shot each in a sort of calm before the storm, because 23 seconds into the fight Robert Whittaker slipped past a left hook from Costa and countered with a jab and a right cross that hit Costa right in the face, forcing him to back off until he got pressed against the cage. Sensing a huge opportunity, Whittaker pushed forward and struck Costa with a big right hand that snapped his head back and followed it up with a flying knee attempt that graced the right side of Costa’s face. Referee Herb Dean was hesitant in the situation, contemplating whether or not he should stop the fight but before he could make up his mind, Whittaker landed a huge right uppercut that sent Costa’s mouthpiece flying which finally resulted in Dean’s stoppage. The 30-year old Australian needed only one minute and four seconds to finish his Brazilian foe, a huge statement from the former champion in his quest to once again become the UFC Middleweight Champion but the questionable refereeing put a sour note on the otherwise highly impressive performance. “The Reaper” called out Israel Adesanya in his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, saying that “he has earned the right to fight for the title and get his revenge on the double champion”. Adesanya waved off Whittaker’s demands on Twitter, claiming that he has already beaten him once and that he’s looking for new opportunities instead, naming Glover Teixeira in the Light Heavyweight division and Darren Till in the Middleweight division as his preferred next opponents. Many fans saw this as a form of disrespect to Whittaker, who famously defeated Darren Till a couple of months ago, which resulted in several derogatory hashtags about his status as champion trending on the platform. UFC President Dana White clarified during the post-fight press conference that Whittaker “indeed is the next one in line for the title” and that “Adesanya will defend both of his titles this year, or he would be stripped of one of them”. We will undoubtedly hear more about this saga later on, that’s for sure.

It was a bittersweet visual to see Ryan Spann celebrate the biggest win of his career after he submitted the legendary Maurício “Shogun” Rua in the first round. The bout was a strange one as it was over before it really started, with the Brazilian shooting in for an early takedown on the tall, lengthy Spann a mere minute into the first round that got swiftly reversed. Sinking in a devastating Guillotine choke, it didn’t take long before the former PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Champion and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion tapped. To see such an iconic figure of the sport lose in such quick fashion is never fun and Rua’s most loyal fans feared that the now 39-year old would announce his retirement after the loss, but the icon that has been a part of so many great bouts in the history of the sport worldwide reassured everyone that he’s still in love with the sport and he intends to headline one final event in his hometown Curitiba, Brazil before hanging up his gloves. When asked about who he ideally would want to face in such a bout, he surprisingly named Ovince Saint Preux as the opponent he wished to fight stating that he really wants to avenge his loss to him from 2014, the last time he main evented in Brazil.

The two Flyweight bouts that had the potential of securing two future title contenders provided some great bouts and after both was over and done with, at least one true contender next in line for a title shot had emerged. It was none other than the undefeated Russian Askar Askarov who made his opportunity against the multiple time title challenger and staple of the Flyweight division Joseph Benavidez, submitting him late in the third round. Up until the finish the bout was extremely close with excellent back-and-fourth action and according to the judges’ scorecards, it was dead even at 19-19 heading into the third and final round. If Askarov hadn’t locked in his tight and inescapable Rear Naked Choke it surely would have been a toss-up between the two who would get the nod, but Askarov secured not only the victory but also his place in the next Flyweight title shot. The question is who will he face; Deiveson Figueiredo or Brandon Moreno? The answer will be given to us in a month’s time when the rematch co-headlines UFC 261. For the other potential title candidate heading into the event, Viviane Araujo was unsuccessful in her attempt at becoming the next Women’s Flyweight contender as she was decisively finished by Katlyn Chookagian in the first round. The number two ranked Chookagian is on her way to become the true gatekeeper of Women’s Flyweight title contention, if you can get past her you’ll surely fight for the title in short matter of time and if you lose to her, it’s back down the ranks before you get another shot.

It was a pretty good event with several bouts getting good reviews from the fans at home and from media members alike. Especially the opening bout between Jared Gordon and Danny Chavez earned high praise as a fantastic bout that saw Gordon get the Unanimous Decision victory in the end, but due to him missing weight he was eliminated from the Performance of the Night-bonuses. Instead, it was given to Michael Trizano for his knockout on Rafael Alves, the UFC-debuting Denys Bondar who submitted the veteran and former title challenger Joe Soto and to the aforementioned Ryan Spann for his submission victory over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. After the event had finished, UFC announced that Justine Kish had been released from the company following her Unanimous Decision loss to Tracy Cortez. Kish fought seven times for the company with a 3-4 record, but she lost four out of her five last bouts which ultimately wasn’t enough to earn a new contract. She leaves the UFC with wins over the likes of Nina Ansaroff and Ashley Yoder.

Bonus Awards

Fight of the Night: Joseph Benavidez vs. Askar Askarov

Performance of the Night: Ryan Spann, Denys Bondar, and Michael Trizano

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

Prediction Table

maxicheezestick 8 out of 11

McDojoDelux = 8 out of 11

vladjarca = 7 out of 11

CageRage = 7 out of 11

Majster_93 6 out of 11

Pontarii · March 25, 2021

WEEK 3 - APRIL 2021

UFC Event Announcement

UFC returns to London, Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie rematch headlining Fight Night-event

Two former UFC Women’s Champions will return to the Octagon next month as the former Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm (14-5) and the inaugural Featherweight Champion Germaine de Randamie (10-4) will finally face each other in a rematch from their 2017 bout inside the O2 Arena in London, England. The first bout, which was contested for the first ever UFC Women’s Featherweight title, was filled with controversy as the eventual Unanimous Decision winner De Randamie landed several shots after the bell in two consecutive rounds which the referee failed to punish accordingly, something that definitely affected the outcome of the fight. One individual who had a lot of criticism to the refereeing that night was UFC President Dana White who said that Todd Anderson, the referee in question, shouldn’t be given such a big spot as a main event fight. “He should not have been in there. It was a bad decision on the commission’s behalf. If that guy takes a point for hitting after the bell, which he should, it’s a draw. That changes everything. Holly [Holm] deserved better”, said Dana during the post-fight press conference back in 2017. And after four years since the last bout, Holly Holm will get the chance to avenge that loss against Germaine de Randamie, this time in her natural weight class of Bantamweight in a bout that most certainly will have a big impact on the title picture. With no real contender emerging for the champion Amanda Nunes in her divisional return following the dissolution of the Women’s Featherweight division, a victory for either fighter can result in a shot at gold against the consensus female GOAT, but other fighters like Aspen Ladd, Julianna Peña, and Ketlen Vieira also wants their names included in the number one contender conversation.

18-fight UFC-veteran and former UFC Welterweight Interim Champion Carlos Condit (32-13) makes his second appearance of 2021 when he takes on the Icelandic submission specialist Gunnar Nelson (17-5-1) in the co-main event. This will be Nelson’s first fight in almost one and a half year, with his last fight coming in a losing effort to the former title challenger Gilbert Burns in September of 2019, and with losses against some of the biggest names in the entire Welterweight division, the SBG Ireland-member looks to bounce back in winning ways against a big name in “The Natural Born Killer”. For Condit, this is an opportunity to once again enter the Welterweight rankings after consecutive wins against fellow veterans Court McGee and Matt Brown in his two latest Octagon showings, something that was hard to believe at the end of 2018 when the 36-year old lost his five straight bout against Michael Chiesa. The former WEC Welterweight Champion is still one of the most popular fighters on the roster, with many fans remembering his bouts against Robbie Lawler, Georges St-Pierre, and Martin Kampmann, and UFC are certainly hoping the co-main event against a slick grappler like Gunnar Nelson will provide a close and entertaining bout.

The UFC Fight Night 190: Holm vs. De Randamie II also features the Light Heavyweight return for the hard-hitting Swede Ilir Latifi (14-8-1 NC) as he takes on the number ten ranked Ukrainian Nikita Krylov (26-8), who returns after his loss against Magomed Ankalaev earlier this year. Latifi, who turns 38 this summer, returns to the division following his Heavyweight debut in which he lost a Unanimous Decision to the top ranked Derrick Lewis, a bout some fans thought he should’ve been victorious in. “The Sledgehammer” has been vocal about aiming for a final run for the Light Heavyweight title, but a tough test against the gritty 29-year old Krylov, who has wins over Johnny Walker, Ovince Saint Preux, and Walt Harris in his fourteen UFC-fights, is standing in his way. Likewise, a tough fight with serious title implications is the Women’s Flyweight bout between Joanne Calderwood (15-5), a staple of the British MMA scene, and the former Women’s Strawweight Champion Jessica Andrade (21-8). With everything pointing at Lauren Murphy as the next title challenger for Valentina Shevchenko’s Flyweight title, this bout can potentially be a title eliminator in the division.

Opening the main event portion of the card is a Middleweight bout between the Birmingham-native Tom Breese (12-3) as he takes on the rising incredibly dangerous Makhmud “Mach” Muradov (25-6), who is on an impressive 14-fight win streak dating back to 2017, two years before he signed with the UFC. Breese, who has three loses in his UFC-career, is looking to claim his spot in the Top 15 Middleweight rankings while Muradov, who has looked very skilled in his three Octagon bouts, is almost guaranteed to earn a ranked opponent should he defeat the Englishman on Breese’s home soil. The preliminary bouts is yet to be completed, but it would be no surprise if there's a heavy focus on British fighters looking to make an impact close to home.

Main Event

Women's Bantamweight Bout: (#2) Holly Holm vs. (#1) Germaine de Randamie

Co-Main Event

Welterweight Bout: Carlos Condit vs. Gunnar Nelson

Main Card

Light Heavyweight Bout: Ilir Latifi vs. (#10) Nikita Krylov

Women's Flyweight Bout: (#6) Joanne Calderwood vs. (#1) Jessica Andrade

Middleweight Bout: Tom Breese vs. Makhmud Muradov

Pontarii · March 26, 2021

WEEK 4 - APRIL 2021

UFC Event Preview

Dana White: “UFC 261 is the last show to take place at the Apex Centre, we will host attended events worldwide starting next month”

During the pre-fight press conference heading into UFC 261, Dana White stole the show with his news regarding the future plans of the company. After a period of only hosting events at either the UFC-owned Apex Centre in Las Vegas, Nevada as well as from the Fight Island on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE, it’s finally time for the UFC to once again host events not only in the United States but all over the world. “It’s true. I got the confirmation yesterday, we’ve got green light to host events with full attendances again. Its been challenging times for everyone in the world, no one had seen anything like this pandemic ever before, so for us to stand here with multiple successful events during all this period is nothing short of amazing. But to host events inside the Apex Centre is nothing like hosting events all over the world in front of our amazing fans. UFC 261 will be the last UFC-event apart from the Contender Series to take place at the Apex Centre. Starting with next month, UFC will once again host attended events worldwide. Keep your eyes peeled guys, we got big fights in amazing places planned”, said Dana White during the press conference.

But the news about UFC hosting events in other places than the Apex Centre wasn’t the only big things happening on the pre-fight press conference. We also witnessed a verbal altercation between Dominick Reyes (12-2) and Jiri Prochazka (27-3-1), with Reyes saying that “Jiri is not on my level” and “I’ll show him the difference in quality from what he’s used to and what I bring to the table”. The former title challenger Dominick Reyes was very clear about his plans of knock the Czech Republic-fighter Jiri Prochazka inside one round. In turn, the former Rizin Light Heavyweight Champion laughed off these claims, saying that Reyes is “a delusional fighter with his best achievement being a loss”, referring to when he lost a Split Decision loss to the then champion Jon Jones. Prochazka also said that “Jan Blachowicz took his soul the last time they fought” and that “this is the easiest fight for him in the division”. It’s definitely bad blood between the two Light Heavyweight fighters heading into this Saturday.

A more respectful exchange happened between the main eventers Weili Zhang (21-1) and Rose Namajunas (9-4). Both fighters praised each other with Weili naming Rose as her “toughest opponent in the entire division” while Rose called Weili “the most dominant Women’s Strawweight champion in UFC history”. This will be the first time the Chinese champion main events a UFC PPV while the American challenger main events her second ever PPV, which certainly puts a big spotlight on the Women’s Strawweight division. The Flyweight championship co-main event between Deiveson Figueiredo (20-1-1) and Brandon Moreno (18-5-2) will also have a big spotlight on it as the first encounter between the two produced an instant classic. “I’ve fixed my mistakes from the first fight and I will show the world that I am the best 125:er in the world. I’ve got huge respect for Brandon Moreno and I know he will bring a great fight. When I beat him, I will defend my title against Askar Askarov and then I would like to fight a big name like Henry Cejudo or someone like that”, said Figueiredo before the fight. Brandon Moreno on the other hand had his intentions clear this Saturday, claiming that he will “go out and shock the world”.

The UFC 261-prelims feature notable bouts in primarily the Heavyweight and the Lightweight division. Headlining the prelims will two of the best European Heavyweights in Blagoy Ivanov (18-4-1 NC) and Marcin Tybura (21-6) do while a potential Fight of the Night-bout between Renato Moicano (14-4-1) and Damir Ismagulov (19-1) co-headlines the prelims.

Main Event

Women’s Strawweight Championship Bout: © Weili Zhang vs. (#1) Rose Namajunas

Co-Main Event

Flyweight Championship Bout: © Deiveson Figueiredo vs. (#1) Brandon Moreno

Main Card

Light Heavyweight Bout: (#4) Dominick Reyes vs. (#6) Jiri Prochazka

Middleweight Bout: (#11) Chris Weidman vs. (#9) Uriah Hall

Lightweight Bout: (#15) Gregor Gillespie vs. Francisco Trinaldo

ESPN Preliminary Card

Heavyweight Bout: (#13) Blagoy Ivanov vs. Marcin Tybura

Lightweight Bout: Renato Moicano vs. Damir Ismagulov

Bantamweight Bout: Rani Yahya vs. Joey Gomez

ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card

Lightweight Bout: Davi Ramos vs. Jordan Leavitt

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Melissa Gatto vs. Liana Jojua

Welterweight Bout: Gabriel Green vs. Uros Jurisic

McDojoDelux · March 26, 2021

Main Event

Women’s Strawweight Championship Bout: © Weili Zhang vs. (#1) Rose Namajunas

Co-Main Event

Flyweight Championship Bout: © Deiveson Figueiredo vs. (#1) Brandon Moreno

Main Card

Light Heavyweight Bout: (#4) Dominick Reyes vs. (#6) Jiri Prochazka

Middleweight Bout: (#11) Chris Weidman vs. (#9) Uriah Hall

Lightweight Bout: (#15) Gregor Gillespie vs. Francisco Trinaldo

ESPN Preliminary Card

Heavyweight Bout: (#13) Blagoy Ivanov vs. Marcin Tybura

Lightweight Bout: Renato Moicano vs. Damir Ismagulov

Bantamweight Bout: Rani Yahya vs. Joey Gomez

ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card

Lightweight Bout: Davi Ramos vs. Jordan Leavitt

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Melissa Gatto vs. Liana Jojua

Welterweight Bout: Gabriel Green vs. Uros Jurisic

CageRage · March 27, 2021

Main Event

Women’s Strawweight Championship Bout: © Weili Zhang vs. (#1) Rose Namajunas

Co-Main Event

Flyweight Championship Bout: © Deiveson Figueiredo vs. (#1) Brandon Moreno

Main Card

Light Heavyweight Bout: (#4) Dominick Reyes vs. (#6) Jiri Prochazka

Middleweight Bout: (#11) Chris Weidman vs. (#9) Uriah Hall

Lightweight Bout: (#15) Gregor Gillespie vs. Francisco Trinaldo

ESPN Preliminary Card

Heavyweight Bout: (#13) Blagoy Ivanov vs. Marcin Tybura

Lightweight Bout: Renato Moicano vs. Damir Ismagulov

Bantamweight Bout: Rani Yahya vs. Joey Gomez

ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card

Lightweight Bout: Davi Ramos vs. Jordan Leavitt

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Melissa Gatto vs. Liana Jojua

Welterweight Bout: Gabriel Green vs. Uros Jurisic

vladjarca · March 27, 2021

Main Event

Women’s Strawweight Championship Bout: © Weili Zhang vs. (#1) Rose Namajunas

Co-Main Event

Flyweight Championship Bout: © Deiveson Figueiredo vs. (#1) Brandon Moreno

Main Card

Light Heavyweight Bout: (#4) Dominick Reyes vs. (#6) Jiri Prochazka

Middleweight Bout: (#11) Chris Weidman vs. (#9) Uriah Hall

Lightweight Bout: (#15) Gregor Gillespie vs. Francisco Trinaldo

ESPN Preliminary Card

Heavyweight Bout: (#13) Blagoy Ivanov vs. Marcin Tybura

Lightweight Bout: Renato Moicano vs. Damir Ismagulov

Bantamweight Bout: Rani Yahya vs. Joey Gomez

ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card

Lightweight Bout: Davi Ramos vs. Jordan Leavitt

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Melissa Gatto vs. Liana Jojua

Welterweight Bout: Gabriel Green vs. Uros Jurisic

Really hoping Weidman manages to get his second win in a row, and also hoping Gillespie's return goes well. Moicano also really needs this win after that highlight KO loss to Fiziev

maxicheezestick · March 27, 2021

Main Event

Women’s Strawweight Championship Bout: © Weili Zhang vs. (#1) Rose Namajunas

Co-Main Event

Main Card

Light Heavyweight Bout: (#4) Dominick Reyes vs. (#6) Jiri Prochazka

Middleweight Bout: (#11) Chris Weidman vs. (#9) Uriah Hall

Lightweight Bout: (#15) Gregor Gillespie vs. Francisco Trinaldo

ESPN Preliminary Card

Heavyweight Bout: (#13) Blagoy Ivanov vs. Marcin Tybura

Lightweight Bout: Renato Moicano vs. Damir Ismagulov

Bantamweight Bout: Rani Yahya vs. Joey Gomez

ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card

Lightweight Bout: Davi Ramos vs. Jordan Leavitt

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Melissa Gatto vs. Liana Jojua

Welterweight Bout: Gabriel Green vs. Uros Jurisic

Pontarii · March 27, 2021

WEEK 4 - APRIL 2021

UFC 261: Weili vs. Namajunas

Critical Rating: 78%

Commercial Rating: 95%

Profit/Loss: $7.509.251

Main Event

Weili Zhang def. Rose Namajunas by Knock Out (Knee) in 4:45 of Round 5 to retain the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship

Co-Main Event

Brandon Moreno def. Deiveson Figueiredo by KO (Punch) in 1:06 of Round 5 to win the UFC Flyweight Championship

Main Card

Dominick Reyes def. Jiri Prochazka by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 4:57 of Round 3

Chris Weidman def. Uriah Hall by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

Gregor Gillespie def. Francisco Trinaldo by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:51 of Round 2

ESPN Preliminary Card

Marcin Tybura def. Blagoy Ivanov by TKO (Strikes) in 0:25 of Round 3

Renato Moicano def. Damir Ismagulov by Submission (North South Choke) in 4:43 of Round 2

Rani Yahya def. Joey Gomez by Unanimous Decision (29-28 x3)

ESPN+ Early Preliminary Card

Davi Ramos def. Jordan Leavitt by Submission (D’Arce Choke) in 2:01 of Round 3

Liana Jojua def. Melissa Gatto by TKO (Strikes) in 3:22 of Round 3

Gabriel Green def. Uros Jurisic by TKO (Strikes) in 3:11 of Round 1

Summary

Despite not being the most hyped and anticipated PPV-events in comparison to the other enormous events UFC has held already this year, UFC 261: Weili vs. Namajunas delivered big time. What the event lacked in global superstars on paper, it compensated with several Fight of the Night-subscribers that has produced many of the most memorable fights in recent memory. The main event between the strong, powerful Chinese champion Weili Zhang, who may not be a superstar in the American market but who certainly is a big star in Asia, and the former champion Rose Namajunas was as wild and entertaining as you would expect. Entering the contest with a 22-1 record, the 31-year old Zhang pushed the pace in the first round against the otherwise fast starter Namajunas and used her superior clinch game to impose her physical strength over the Milwaukee-native. Namajunas, a member of the 303 Training Center, never really found an effective way to stop Zhang’s lethal knees in the clinch which started to take its toll already in the first round, especially around the right rib cage area where a big, red mark started to become visible on the challenger. In the second round, we saw a much more confident Namajunas as she started utilizing combinations more than before, ending many of them with her trademark rear leg side kick that got visible reactions from the champion, but Zhang’s tactical awareness proved to be a tough puzzle to solve for the 28-year old challenger as she ended up in a clinch battle yet again. A nice combination of dirty boxing, elbows and hard knees from the champion kept Namajunas guessing, and when the second round was over the body of “Thug” Rose was visible hurt. The commentary team consisting of Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Daniel Cormier discussed whether or not her coach Pat Barry would throw in the towel or if the doctor would stop the bout, but the bout continued with a third round that saw the champion, fighting out of Black Tiger Fight Club, using a underappreciated aspect of her game in her grappling. Weili Zhang took Rose Namajunas down after a close striking battle halfway through the third round in which she tried pressuring the challenger with ground and pound as well as with transitions, but Rose’s defensive grappling was effective. Rose even tried securing several submission attempts from bottom, but Zhang defended those well. Referee Herb Dean felt that the fighters didn’t do much on the ground and stood them up with 30 seconds left of the round, which ended with a big leg kick from the champion that continued to put damage to the challengers bruised and battered body. Feeling somewhat desperate and expecting herself to be down on the judges’ scorecards, Rose pressured Zhang and turned the bout into a striking contest that saw both fighters having big moments in the fourth round. It was no doubt the closest round of the fight to score, but in the end it wasn’t necessary as Weili Zhang would finally put Rose Namajunas away late in the fifth and final round. With only fifteen seconds left on the official clock and after having destroyed Rose’s body in the clinch for the entire round, Zhang landed one of the hardest knees you’ll ever witness to the skull of Namajunas that knocked the 28-year old completely out cold. It was a tough visual to end the fight with, and it was certainly disappointing for Rose and everyone associated with her to get knocked out with so little time left, but it’s the way of the sport. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. For the champion Weili Zhang, this was yet another big win on her growing resume and one can only wonder who will dethrone the 115lbs queen in the future, but for now the 31-year old is on top of the world with the belt firmly around her waist.

If the gruelling contest between the two Women’s Strawweight combatants wasn’t enough, the co-main event Flyweight title bout between the champion Deiveson Figueiredo and the challenger Brandon Moreno was not only the clear Fight of the Night, it was one of the best fights both this year and in the history of the entire Flyweight division. The Brazilian champion was a -220 favourite heading into the bout while the Mexican challenger was the +250 betting underdog, a betting line no one argue with since Figueiredo was the better fighter in their first outing. If it hadn’t been for the 1 point deduction Figueiredo received in the first match, chances are that we wouldn’t even have the rematch and therefor it was clear that the champion was expected to defend his title. As many had predicted, the bout started out with a frenetic, intense brawl that saw both “Figgy” and “The Assassin Baby” landing huge shots on each other, strikes that could have knocked out any other fighter in the division but not these two. It was clear that the 32-year old champion was looking for a big knockout as he continued to aim at Moreno’s head, while the challenger used a more body-based attack to remove some of that lethal power that Figueiredo is known for. If the first round was an exciting and eventful one, the second round kicked the contest in even a higher gear as the violence and back-and-forth action escalated even further. Both Figueiredo and Moreno swung for the fences, trying to knock each other’s heads off but the durability and chins of both the 32-year old champion and the 27-year old challenger was incredible to witness. A minute into the third round, the first signs that one of them was taking over the bout started to show has the Tijuana-native Moreno landed a sick combination on Figueiredo that made him wobble a bit, and with the follow-up uppercut, the champion was sent to the floor trying to defend for dear life. Sensing a victory was close, Moreno jumped on top of Figueiredo and started to unload a barrage of strikes, but the champion defended well and regained his consciousness quickly to fend of the unpredictable challenger this time and survived the round. Having almost finished the champion, Moreno was fired up and continued his immense pressure in the fourth round in which he also dropped Figueiredo, this time with a right hand-left jab-right hook combination. A dazed and confused champion stumbled backwards in desperation but was yet again sent down to the ground after a big right hook from Moreno, which almost saw the referee Keith Peterson stopping the bout. The champion managed to survive yet again and many speculated that Moreno had blown his energy with his non-stop attacks. If the champion was to leave the Apex Centre still the champion, he needed to finish his opponent in the fifth and final round, something his coaches made very clear to him in between the rounds. It was however not his night as it only took around one minute into the final round before the challenger Moreno landed a huge head kick on the champion, and after a few strikes to the down and out Figueiredo, Keith Peterson pulled Brandon Moreno away and stopped the fight. In a fantastic bout that had social media buzzing with excitement, Brandon Moreno had risen to the occasion and thus became the new UFC Flyweight Champion. The 27-year old is the first Mexican-born UFC-champion and has quickly become one of the most popular fighters in the Latino community, with the gold around his waist his popularity will surely continue to grow even more. Moreno promised to “make the Flyweight division the best division in the UFC”, and to “be a defending champion who respects the rankings and the true number one contenders, not the big money fights against unworthy part-timers”. This was a clear dig at the former double champion Henry Cejudo, who Deiveson Figueiredo was vocal about wanting to face in the future. Moreno continued saying that he wants to face “the rightful number one contender Askar Askarov next, and that he wants to face him as soon as possible”.

It was also a great night of fights in the other bouts, especially during the main portion of the event. An incredible comeback victory for Dominick Reyes happened when he submitted the dominating Jiri Prochazka with only three seconds left of the fight. Prochazka, who entered the bout with a 11-fight win streak, was about the become the clear winner if the bout had gone to decision as he dominated Reyes on the feet and on the ground, but exhaustion proved to be the Czech Republic-born fighter’s downfall as Reyes took him down and choked him out with almost no time left at all. If the UFC was to make this an immediate rematch, no one would really be surprised but Reyes is most certainly looking for that coveted title eliminator against Aleksandar Rakic, which he made clear during his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. The former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman was also successful in his rematch against his rival Uriah Hall, using his superior wrestling to secure a Unanimous Decision. Weidman didn’t waste any time in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, calling out Luke Rockhold for a long-awaited rematch that has been brewing since their first outing back in 2015. “You got the better of me then, Luke, but we both know that I am a far superior fighter than you’ll ever be. If you’re done with modelling and with being a reality TV-star, and you want to prove that you’re still a fighter, face me again. I’ll show you what a real fighter looks like”, said Weidman after his dominant win over Hall. It was a good night for the wrestling-based fighters as Weidman’s fellow New Yorker Gregor Gillespie also was victorious in his bout against the veteran Francisco Trinaldo. Despite a tough first round in which Trinaldo was effective in his striking, Gillespie took the 42-year old down in the second round and used his pressuring style of wrestling to smother Trinaldo until he eventually found the Rear Naked Choke-submission he constantly was looking for. This was a very important win for “The Gift” as he bounced back from his first career loss against Kevin Lee, and he proved that he can be a serious threat to anybody in the division if he can keep the fights at his own backyard. Gillespie didn’t want to name a potential future opponent in his post-fight interview, instead thanking his team for making him feel ready again after a lengthy time away from the sport.

The prelims also provided some good and entertaining bouts with the Lightweight bout between the Brazilian Renato Moicano and the former M-1 Lightweight Champion Damir Ismagulov being a fantastic fight for the fans to witness. This was the Russian Ismagulov’s first defeat in the UFC and in six years, and Moicano looked incredible to say the least. After a disappointing last outing in the division against Rafael Fiziev, the 31-year old Brazilian looked better than ever. The Lightweight division is as stacked as a division can be, and for Moicano to defeat a tough opponent in Ismagulov can really put him closer to the coveted top 15-rankings. We also saw good wins for Marcin Tybura, who handed Blagoy Ivanov’s his first TKO-loss in his career as well as the third straight loss for the Bulgarian, and for Davi Ramos, who handed the highly touted prospect Jordan Leavitt his first career loss. UFC announced after the event that Joey Gomez had been released from the company following his loss to Rani Yahya. Gomez left the UFC with a 0-3 record in the organization.

Bonus Awards

Fight of the Night: Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno

Performance of the Night: Weili Zhang, Dominick Reyes, and Renato Moicano

<img src=https://i.imgur.com/xiHp3iN.png

Prediction Table

vladjarca = 8 out of 11

maxicheezestick = 7 out of 11

McDojoDelux = 6 out of 11

CageRage = 6 out of 11

McDojoDelux · March 27, 2021

WOW!!! Moreno knocking out Figueiredo is something I didn't see coming at all. Maybe a possible TKO or SUB finish near the end of the fight with Figueiredo possibly out of gas but damn. Askar Askarov is the rightful number 1 contender and deserves his title-shot, but a trilogy is very appealing even with or without the Flyweight belt depending on if Askarov can win it.

Pontarii · March 28, 2021

WOW!!! Moreno knocking out Figueiredo is something I didn't see coming at all. Maybe a possible TKO or SUB finish near the end of the fight with Figueiredo possibly out of gas but damn. Askar Askarov is the rightful number 1 contender and deserves his title-shot, but a trilogy is very appealing even with or without the Flyweight belt depending on if Askarov can win it.

You and me both, brother! I thought Deiveson would run through Moreno and continue being a dominant champ, but Moreno proved me wrong and got the big upset victory in a big way. Not a flash KO either, a proper dominating victory. The trilogy fight will definitely take place in the near future, but no one can deny Askarov his title shot at this particular moment. If Moreno can defend the belt against him, the third bout is the most likely option after that.

Pontarii · March 28, 2021

WEEK 4 - APRIL 2021

USADA Athlete Sanctions

Breaking News: Jared Gordon suspended 1 year for USADA Violation, UFC contract terminated

8-fight UFC-veteran Jared “Flash” Gordon (16-4-1 NC) has been suspended for one year following his first USADA Violation, according to the UFC’s official website as well as USADA’s official website. The one time Fight of the Night-winner tested positive for the banned substance hydrochlorothiazide in a post-fight drug test following his Unanimous Decision victory over Danny Chavez at UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Costa, a victory that will now be overturned to a No Contest. The world’s leading anti-doping testing agency USADA released the following statement on its website;

“USADA announced today that Jared Gordon, of Palm Beach County, FL., has been given a one-year sanction for a violation of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy. Gordon, 32, tested positive for hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) and its metabolites chlorothiazide and 4-amino-6-chloro-1,3-benzenedisulfonamide (ACB) as the result of a sample collected in-competition at a UFC-event on Apr 17, 2021. HCTZ is a Specified Substance in the class of Diuretics and Masking Agents and is prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy and UFC Prohibited List. Gordon’s one-year period of ineligibility began on April 17, 2021, the date his positive sample was collected”.

The suspension is not the only blow for Jared Gordon as it was also announced that his UFC-contract had been terminated as a result of the failed post-fight drug test in combination with him missing the Featherweight limit of 145lbs, weighing in 3lbs over. it UFC President Dana White spoke publicly on the contractual termination, saying that the UFC has implemented a “zero tolerance” standard for this behaviour. “I can forgive Jared [Gordon] for missing weight. It’s unprofessional, but I can forgive him. To be suspended for cheating is as low as you can get, and you guys know I hate that sh-t more than anything, but shit happens. If he admits that it was a mistake or if it was unintentional, I can forgive him once for that stuff as well. But to both miss weight and be caught cheating, that’s not going to cut in here. Jared Gordon is no longer part of the UFC-roster and he will most likely never fight for the company ever again”, said White in a classic “take no prisoner”-interview with ESPN.

Jared Gordon himself admitted through social media that he accepted the suspension and admitted to the usage of the prohibited substances, saying that it was caused by a momentary lapse of judgment due to injuries and a bad weight cut. “This is all on me. I apologize to everyone affected by this. I will come back even stronger in the future”, wrote Gordon on his Instagram. It’s certainly a sad turn of events for Gordon in his UFC-tenure, especially considering his previous battles with drugs and addiction, but let’s hope the always entertaining 32-year old can get his life and career back on track again.

Jared Gordon will be eligible for return April 17, 2022.

Pontarii · March 30, 2021

WEEK 4 - APRIL 2021

UFC Event Announcement

UFC 262: Dustin Poirier vs. Charles Oliveira announced for vacant Lightweight title in Rio de Janeiro

The 155lbs division, perhaps the most stacked and popular division in the entire UFC, is about to crown its first undisputed champion since 2018 that isn’t named Khabib Nurmagomedov. After the supposedly retirement from the undefeated champion following his decisive victory over Justin Gaethje back in 2020, the discussion regarding Khabib’s status as a champion has been a unclear topic ever since it happen with Dana White hinting about the possibility of a potential return for the Dagestani-fighter. Nurmagomedov’s presence in the division and in the UFC as a whole is still an uncertainty, but yet another twist in the tale happened today when the company announced a Lightweight Championship Bout that doesn’t feature the 29-0 champion. Instead, a title bout between Dustin Poirier (27-6-1 NC) and Charles Oliveira (30-8-1 NC) will headline the upcoming UFC 262 event which will take place at the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Confirming the bout is not an Interim title bout but for the Undisputed Lightweight Championship, Dana White announced the event on a video posted on the official UFC Instagram account earlier today. “It’s finally official, you guys. Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier will take on Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira for the undisputed UFC Lightweight Championship this May in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I repeat, this is for the undisputed title, not an Interim title. The winner between Poirier and Oliveira will become the new UFC Lightweight Champion”, said White in the video announcement. White refused to answer comments regarding what the upcoming title bout means for Khabib Nurmagomedov’s status in the UFC, neither conforming nor denying if the undefeated 32-year old is truly retired or not. This is a big opportunity for both Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira to show the world that they deserve to be crowned the new UFC Lightweight Champion in the absence of one of the all-time greats. For the 32-year old Lafayette, Louisiana-native Poirier, this is his second shot at the undisputed Lightweight title after an unsuccessful attempt against the aforementioned Khabib Nurmagomedov back at UFC 242, but he has previously held the Interim Lightweight title after defeating Max Holloway in an epic Fight of the Night back at UFC 236. For the 31-year old Guaruja, São Paulo-native Oliveira, this is first chance at UFC gold in his long and storied career and his riding a highly impressive 8-fight win streak over the likes of Tony Ferguson and Kevin Lee. The early betting line sees Poirier as the close favorite at -150 while Oliveira opens the contest as a +150 underdog.

With such a momentous main event, it’s no surprise to see another banger in the co-main event spot as “The King of Rio” José Aldo (29-7) will fight in front of his friends, family, and fans one more time against one of the most popular Bantamweights ever in the former champion Cody “No Love” Garbrandt (12-3). The 34-year old Aldo has transitioned well into the Bantamweight division, defeating Marlon Vera in his latest Octagon outing as well as fighting for the Interim Bantamweight Championship against Petr Yan in a losing effort back at UFC 251, and he’s talked openly about his ambition of adding the 135lbs strap to his collection before he eventually retires. In his way stands the 29-year old Garbrandt, who bounced back from a 3-fight skid in his latest bout against Aldo’s countryman Raphael Assuncao with a spectacular buzzer beater of a knockout, which is undoubtedly a tough test for anyone in the division. With the Bantamweight division more open than ever before, a decisive win for either the number seven ranked José Aldo or the number four ranked Cody Garbrandt could propel either of them into the title picture, or at least secure a big fight against one of the other top ranked fighters in the division. Will Aldo continue his quest for another championship victory in his already incomparable career or will Garbrandt’s knockout power grant him another big victory against arguably one of the biggest names of his career?

A UFC-event in Brazil will of course mean that a majority of the fights on the card will feature Brazilian fighters. Four of the five announced main event bouts features a Brazilian fighter, with Edson “Junior” Barboza (21-9) continuing his goal to become the UFC Featherweight Champion as he takes on the durable striker “Hurricane” Shane Burgos (13-2) in a guaranteed war while the veteran Jacaré Souza (26-9-1 NC) returns to the Middleweight division to take on the always entertaining Sean “Tarzan” Strickland (22-3), who sits at the number fifteen spot in the Middleweight rankings. Barboza, who most recently defeated the veteran Makwan Amirkhani, against Burgos, who returns to the Octagon after a lengthy time away following his hard-fought loss to Josh Emmett, is a classic striker vs. striker bout with two of the most hard-hitting fighters of the division. If there’s ever an almost guaranteed Fight of the Night-contender, this is truly a fight that fits that description. For the now 42-year old Jacaré Souza, this will undoubtedly be one of his last fights in his long and illustrious career and to defeat a rising prospect in Strickland will be a nice feather in the cap for the former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion while Strickland is looking to add the biggest name of his career on his growing resume.

The fifth announced bout on the UFC 262-card is a Women’s Bantamweight bout between the Julianna “Venezuelan Vixen” Peña (10-4) as she takes on Aspen Ladd (9-1). Peña has been very vocal about wanting to fight the champion and consensus Women’s GOAT Amanda Nunes to prove that she has the tools to beat her, but to get the chance to do that, she’ll have to defeat one of the brightest female prospects on the entire roster in the 26-year old Ladd. Ladd has only been defeated once in her career against the inaugural Women’s Featherweight Champion Germaine de Randamie, who also has a victory over Peña on her record. Since joining the UFC from Invicta back in 2017, Aspen Ladd has been hailed as a future champion and a victory over the 31-year old TUF 18-winner Julianna Peña would certainly put her right into the title contention.

Main Event

Lightweight Championship Bout: (#1) Dustin Poirier vs. (#3) Charles Oliveira

Co-Main Event

Bantamweight Bout: (#7) José Aldo vs. (#4) Cody Garbrandt

Main Card

Featherweight Bout: (#14) Edson Barboza vs. (#12) Shane Burgos

Women's Bantamweight Bout: (#8) Julianna Peña vs. (#3) Aspen Ladd

Middleweight Bout: Jacaré Souza vs. (#15) Sean Strickland

Pontarii · March 31, 2021

WEEK 1 - MAY 2021

TUF 29: Team Gamebred vs. Team Chaos

Episode 1

With the first episode of season 29 in the bag, the roster for the return of The Ultimate Fighter is now official. The sixteen Middleweight fighters from different parts around the world aiming for that coveted six-figure contract with the UFC will go through war to earn the spot in the finals taking place in a couple of weeks. Focus on the scouting for the roster has been on finding versatile fighters with different backgrounds as well as fighters the UFC can market as the next big thing, because as we all know the fighting game is not just about what’s going on inside the Octagon. Everything outside it is almost as important as the fighting taking place in it, and therefore there’s a big focus on highlighting the different personalities on the show. 12 American fighters, 2 Canadian fighters, 1 European fighter and finally 1 African fighter will battle it out for the title of becoming TUF 29-winner in one of the biggest seasons in the history of the show.

The first episode of the 29th main season kicked of with the coaches being welcomed to the Apex Centre in Las Vegas, Nevada from which the show will take place. A big focus in the opening scenes was on the location, a state of the art, top modern training facility in which several of the best athlete in the sport has either competed or trained in. Dana White talked about the value of such a great venue for the fighters and coaches, something he believed would be a great contributing factor to the success of the season and the show in its entirety. Both coaches, Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington, wasted no time trash talking each other which certainly was only a preview of what was to be expected from two fighters with such hatred. After the coaches first altercation, the viewers were introduced to the sixteen fighters. Dana White welcomed them all, saying that "this is the biggest season of TUF since the beginning" and that the eventual winner would be awarded with a "six figure contract and a brand new car" which got a visible reaction from the fighters in question. After the introduction and welcoming, the 16 Middleweight fighters were instructed to practice in various aspects of Mixed Martial Arts to give the coaches a brief look into their attributes and skillset. A few fighters quickly stood out in positive manners, with Kolton Espitia from Fort Wayne, Indiana attracting interest from Colby Covington in particular. As per TUF-tradition, Dana White flipped a coin after the evaluation process to determine which team would be given the first pick. Team Gamebred was the winner of the coin toss, giving Jorge Masvidal the prestigious first pick of the season and Colby Covington the opportunity of picking the important first matchup. Masvidal picked the 20-year old Henry Robins from El Paso, Texas as his first pick while Covington got his wishes and picked the aforementioned Kolton Espitia as his first pick. After all sixteen fighters had been picked, Team Chaos pitted their first pick Espitia against Team Gamebred's fifth pick Jagger Campuzano as the first fight of the season. It was a dominant showing from the 14-1 Espitia who used his superior wrestling to control Campuzano. A first round Guillotine choke saw Campuzano's dream getting crushed quickly while Espitia emerged as an early candidate for the season victory. For episode two, Team Chaos made a surprising choice as they picked their third choice Jason Thrash from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania against Team Gamebred's first choice Henry Robins. Coach Covington motivated the choice by saying that "he wanted to humiliate Masvidal and his team by eliminating their first pick". The question is, would the surprising tactic work in favour of Covington or was this going to be a costly mistake?

vladjarca · March 31, 2021

Imma be with Team Chaos 'cause it has the European fighter and I dislike both Masvidal & Colby equally

Pontarii · April 1, 2021

Imma be with Team Chaos 'cause it has the European fighter and I dislike both Masvidal & Colby equally

The Icelandic Viking, Oscar Olofsson representing all of us Europeans. All hail King Oscar!

Pontarii · April 2, 2021

WEEK 1 - MAY 2021

DWCS Preview

DWCS 42 returns this Tuesday with Heavyweights Hugo Cunha and Ioannis Arzoumanidis headlining

After two impressive shows in March and April respectively, one of the most popular Mixed Martial Arts shows returns this May with the 42st episode of Dana White’s Contender Series. The show that has produced several new stars over its course is growing in popularity for every episode, and the UFC continues to showcase the biggest talents in the sport on a big, opportunistic platform. So far this season, five fighters have been signed to the world’s leading MMA organization, including Khusein Ashkabov and Lupita Godinez from the first episode of the season and the trio of Joseph Morales, Brett Martin, and Patricia Alujas from the second episode.

Episode three will feature a 4-bout card headlined by a Heavyweight contest between the undefeated Brazilian Hugo “Silverback” Cunha (5-0) and the Greek wrestling powerhouse Ioannis “Arzoo” Arzoumanidis (8-1). This is a big fight between two potential Heavyweight prospects as Cunha enters the bout with all finishes on his record while the more experienced Arzoumanidis has competed in several Freestyle Wrestling competitions before turning his focus to MMA, including the 120kg World Championships 2009 and 2010 in which he won the Bronze medal both times. Cunha has also a pedigree of wrestling as well as a Black Belt in BJJ, so we’re in for a tough fight to predict.

The co-main event features a Light Heavyweight bout between another Brazilian in Jailton “Malhadinho” Junior (12-2) and the once UFC-signed Russian Azamat “The Professional” Murzakanov (9-0). Junior has a big win over former UFC-veteran Ildemar Alcantara on his resume and is riding an impressive 8-fight win streak while Murzakanov is undefeated in his 9-fight career, switching between the Heavyweight and the Light Heavyweight division. As previously mentioned, Murzakanov was once signed with the UFC back in 2017 and was scheduled to make his debut against Joachim Christensen, but a failed USADA-test saw him being suspended for two years before his UFC-debut and he was subsequently released from the company in 2019. Murzanakov has bounced back since that fatal mistake with several wins, vowing to never do anything like that every again. “Everybody deserves a second chance, this guy included”, said UFC-matchmaker Sean Shelby when asked about Murzakanov’s participation on the DWCS.

The last two bouts of the show feature a Lightweight bout between the LFA-prospect Aaron McKenzie (9-2-1) and the Cage Warriors-prospect Tobias “Bad Intentions” Harila (8-1) as well as a Flyweight bout between LFA-signed Nate “The Savage” Smith (6-1) and the Cage Warriors-signed Sam “Urai” Creasy (13-3). The American McKenzie is a slight betting favorite against the Swede Harila in the first bout while the Englishman Creasy, who has fought for the CWFC Flyweight title on multiple occasions in losing efforts, is a rather clear betting favourite against the American Smith, who has made an appearance on DWCS earlier, losing on the fourth season against the current UFC Flyweight Jimmy Flick.

Main Event

Heavyweight Bout: Hugo Cunha vs. Ioannis Arzoumanidis

Co-Main Event

Light Heavyweight Bout: Jailton Junior vs. Azamat Murzakanov

Main Card

Lightweight Bout: Aaron McKenzie vs. Tobias Harila

Flyweight Bout: Nate Smith vs. Sam Creasey

</div>

McDojoDelux · April 2, 2021

Main Event

Heavyweight Bout: Hugo Cunha vs. Ioannis Arzoumanidis

Co-Main Event

Light Heavyweight Bout: Jailton Junior vs. Azamat Murzakanov

Main Card

Lightweight Bout: Aaron McKenzie vs. Tobias Harila

Flyweight Bout: Nate Smith vs. Sam Creasey

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