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techcrunchappcom · 4 years

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UFC Experts debate who's next for Dustin Poirier and Mike Perry's coach-less strategy - ESPN

It’s safe to say that a familiar face is back in UFC title contention.

In what could be a fight of the year candidate, Dustin Poirier won a brutal battle against Dan Hooker in the UFC Fight Night main event on Saturday in Las Vegas. Both fighters traded wicked shots from the opening bell, and Poirier took control of the fight in the later rounds.

The win was critical for Poirier, who was coming off a loss in September to world champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov is expected to face interim champ Justin Gaethje in a title-unification bout later this summer.

Mike Perry also had an impressive win, and apparently all he needed were his physical tools and moral support at the UFC Apex.

Perry looked sharp and in shape in defeating Mickey Gall by unanimous decision, and he won with only his girlfriend, Latory Gonzalez, in his corner.

ESPN’s expert panel of Ariel Helwani, Brett Okamoto, Marc Raimondi and Jeff Wagenheim weigh in on the wins for Poirier and Perry and more.

What’s your biggest takeaway from the main event?

Dustin Poirier, right, proved that he’s still among the elite lightweights in the world by winning a hard-fought battle versus Dan Hooker on Saturday. Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Helwani: That fight was every bit as good as we thought it was going to be. That’s pretty much all that comes to mind. If you recall, earlier in the week, my bold prediction for this card was that the main event would go the distance. Well, early on, that prediction looked like it was going to be off because of the shots they were throwing and landing. However, I knew it would go 25 minutes because of how supremely tough both are. And 25 minutes it went. What a fight. What a show. What a display of toughness, heart and grit. These are the fights that make us love this sport so much. Hopefully Hooker doesn’t get too down after this one. He’ll be back. He can hang with the elite at 155. Also, the curse of Paul Felder, which is that everyone who beats him goes on to lose their next, is alive and well.

Okamoto: We need more consistent lightweight title fights. This can’t continue. Since Conor McGregor won the lightweight championship in November 2016, there have been four undisputed 155-pound title fights. Four. That’s not fair. This division is full of talented and deserving title challengers. Before the coronavirus pandemic hit, Justin Gaethje was as frustrated as anyone. It took Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson falling apart again for him to get an opportunity to fight for an interim belt and set himself up for a real title shot. I hate watching a fight such as Saturday’s, in which both guys leave a piece of themselves in there, and not knowing what’s next for the winner because this division never moves. The UFC has to do everything in its power to get this division running more consistently.

All fights from UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Hooker will be available to watch on ESPN+.

• Dustin Poirier vs. Dan Hooker • Mike Perry vs. Mickey Gall • Gian Villante vs. Maurice Greene • Brendan Allen vs. Kyle Daukaus • Jason Witt vs. Takashi Sato • Sean Woodson vs. Julian Erosa • Luis Pena vs. Khama Worthy • Philipe Lins vs. Tanner Boser • Jinh Yu Frey vs. Kay Hansen

• Jordan Griffin vs. Youssef Zalal

Watch the complete card on ESPN+

Raimondi: Dustin Poirier is still an elite lightweight. He’s still evolving. My favorite moment in the fight was when he had Hooker in a Khabib-esque leg ride in the fourth round. Not only is Poirier one of the best people in the sport — honored Friday with the UFC’s inaugural Forrest Griffin Community Award — but he’s also one of the toughest and most cerebral, a true ambassador for the game, and he isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Hooker is excellent. He did work in the first two rounds. But Poirier, hurt and tired, outlasted him as the fight went on. Let’s not forget that Poirier owns a win over current UFC interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje. Poirier is right there in the division, despite the loss to Nurmagomedov last year.

Wagenheim: If I’m a UFC matchmaker, I’m looking to book someone from American Top Team against a fighter from across the Pacific. That was proven once again to be a magical combination. Back in March, the promotion’s lone champion from China, strawweight Zhang Weili, was put through the fight of the year by ATT’s Joanna Jedrzejczyk. That bout got a run for its money from Poirier, who also trains in the South Florida gym, and Hooker. If Saturday’s main event had been for only a belt, it might have surpassed the glorious 115-pound tussle in my eyes. What a show of skill. What a show of will.

Who’s next for the winner of the main event?

Helwani: I need to see Dustin Poirier vs. Tony Ferguson next. It makes all the sense in the world. Poirier lost to Nurmagomedov recently, and Ferguson just lost to Gaethje. Plus, on paper, it would be phenomenal, with high stakes attached to it. Let’s go. As for what’s next for Hooker, that one is a little trickier. He’ll obviously need some time off. Maybe Kevin Lee, who is currently rehabbing an injured knee? Charles Oliveira would be fun, but he last fought (and won) in March, so the timing doesn’t work. A Drew Dober-type would be fun, but I’m not sure Hooker would take that. And you know what? I wouldn’t hate seeing Paul Felder vs. Dan Hooker 2, considering that I thought Felder narrowly won their first meeting in February.

Damn!! Let me rest bruh!!! https://t.co/RgP5aOV0Co

— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) June 28, 2020

Okamoto: For Dustin Poirier, why not Conor McGregor? Why the heck not? When I spoke to Poirier this week, he said he has a habit of living and dying with every result in his fight career, and it has put a lot of pressure on him over the years. Having said that, he also believes that way of thinking affected him negatively before the McGregor fight in 2014, when he lost via first-round knockout. McGregor has apparently been frustrated with the UFC because he wants to fight. Well, here it is. Poirier is ranked above him. This is the one. McGregor wants to prove he’s still elite? Fight Poirier.

Raimondi: Poirier is still on the outside looking in as far as the upper echelon at lightweight goes. Nurmagomedov will defend the title against interim champ Gaethje next. McGregor is still out there lurking, with the UFC wanting him to fight Nurmagomedov as soon as it’s feasible. Perhaps McGregor would be interested in a Poirier rematch. That could be a lot of fun. If not, Poirier is probably stuck with another rising contender next, someone like Hooker. Charles Oliveira comes to mind as a possibility.

Wagenheim: If life were fair, Poirier would be in position to wait for the winner of Nurmagomedov’s title defense against Gaethje. Short of that, he would get the opportunity to avenge his 2014 loss to McGregor and make a huge bank deposit afterward. But all is not fair in love and war and money-fight promotion. Considering that Poirier lost to the champ less than 10 months ago, I’m thinking he will be passed over if Nurmagomedov retains his throne. If the challenger wins the belt, maybe the storyline of Gaethje trying to avenge a 2-year-old TKO loss to Poirier will carry the day, but an immediate Khabib rematch seems more likely. Poirier might be left to fight a guy ranked above him who’s coming off a loss (Tony Ferguson) or one ranked below him who’s on a seven-fight winning streak (Charles Oliveira).

What did you think of Mike Perry’s corner experiment?

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Mike Perry goes back to his corner and gets some words of encouragement from his girlfriend, Latory Gonzalez.

Helwani: Hard to hate on it because Perry won and looked good. I have heard from fighters who have said they don’t put a lot of emphasis on corners during fights, so I guess Perry backed that claim up tonight. But in all seriousness, I don’t think this is something that should be replicated, and it’s a little weird that a week after telling me they’d investigate the Robert Drysdale–Max Rohskopf situation, Nevada was OK with this. In any event, it worked out for Perry, and it generated attention, but I think he knows this isn’t sustainable. I suspect Perry will join another team before his next fight. Maybe it’s American Top Team, as his manager Malki Kawa suggested on Twitter, or maybe it’s elsewhere. Who knows with Mike Perry. He always keeps us guessing, and that’s why so many love him. But one thing is certain: Latory Gonzalez is undefeated as a corner woman. Put some respect on her name.

Okamoto: You know what? I am 100 percent good with it. I think it was a brilliant move, actually.

Now, I’ll add to that: I don’t think it’s the smartest thing moving forward. At the end of the day, is it a good idea for a UFC fighter to go into a high-caliber matchup with no one in his corner who can offer advice, recognize injury or provide expertise? Of course not. But I think most of us would agree that Perry looked … different … all week. Maybe he needed to do this one time — prove a point, do it for himself, whatever the case was — so that he could go out on his own and get a win this weekend.

If he moves forward with this peculiar strategy, again, I don’t think it’s a good idea, but the truth is Perry is probably never going to win a championship. He’s an entertainer. To borrow his words, “He knows how to fight.” If, from a mental standpoint, he feels most confident going in there with his girlfriend, that isn’t something I would ever advise someone to do, but I don’t think it’s the end of the world, either.

Thanks Perry, now my wife thinks she’s walking out with me next fight 😅

— Ricky Simón (@RickySimonUFC) June 28, 2020

Raimondi: It worked, mostly because Mike Perry is flat-out better than Mickey Gall. Perry’s strength and athleticism were just too much for Gall, and that had nothing to do with who was in Perry’s corner. The biggest takeaway for me was that Perry was in great shape, and he was polished. Yes, his girlfriend, Latory Gonzalez, was in his corner, but it was clear that Perry took his conditioning and training seriously.

Overall, though, one inexperienced person in a fighter’s corner is a bad precedent. It’s something the commission should take a look at if it happens again. It was funny tonight because Perry is such an over-the-top character. But it’s also a health and safety issue. A corner person is a state-licensed position. It should be taken seriously by the commission, with those licenses going to experienced people who are there to take care of their fighter. MMA isn’t a game; it’s a brutal, dangerous sport.

Wagenheim: Perry fought a more disciplined fight than I’d ever seen from him. Maybe coaching complicates things for the guy, gets him out of his instinctual rhythm. Then again, maybe what we saw was something of a mirage, a deceptive byproduct of an experienced veteran of high-level opposition being in the Octagon with an opponent who had fewer than half as many pro fights. Would Perry have been able to get by without coaches in his corner if he were competing against someone the caliber of Donald Cerrone or Paul Felder, to cite two names on his résumé? Who knows? Let’s chalk this up to Mike Perry being Mike Perry.

Which prospect made the biggest statement?

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Kay Hansen and Jinh Yu Frey trade massive blows to each other’s faces early in the third round of their bout at UFC Fight Night.

Helwani: I know Tanner Boser is now 18-6-1 following his vicious, first-round knockout of Philipe Lins on Saturday, but he’s only 28, and that was just his third UFC fight, so I’ll go with the native of Bonnyville, Alberta. In my eyes, he’s still a prospect. How much fun is Boser? The hair, the teeth, the Western Canadian accent … it’s a wonderful package. He’s now 2-1 inside the Octagon, with his lone loss to uber-prospect Ciryl Gane, so I think he’s a name to keep an eye on at heavyweight. Now, if we want to talk about who has the highest ceiling of the bunch, I’ll go with 20-year-old Kay Hansen. In case you missed it, Hansen, who is the youngest woman in the promotion and the second youngest overall (behind Chase Hooper) was signed just six days ago. She’s a big-time prospect and will be a player at 115 for years to come. It was a great win for her Saturday against former Invicta atomweight champion Jinh Yu Frey. That armbar submission was a beaut.

Okamoto: I have to go with Kay Hansen, and it isn’t particularly close for me. Although I wouldn’t say her victory over Jinh Yu Frey was one of the most memorable of the card — there were plenty of other finishes on Saturday that stood out more — a 20-year-old, making her UFC debut, against an opponent with much more experience against better opposition? This result says a lot. Khama Worthy, Tanner Boser, Youssef Zalal, all of them had big wins on the undercard, but there’s something impressive about seeing a 20-year-old win in the Octagon. Not to mention, Hansen’s best skill (at least right now) — her wrestling — should continue to serve her well as she progresses through this division and grows into her body.

Raimondi: Kay Hansen. It wasn’t just that she beat former Invicta FC atomweight champion Jinh Yu Frey with a slick armbar in the third round of her UFC debut. It was that Hansen was able to battle adversity to do it. She clearly had a game plan of getting the smaller Frey down and imposing her will on the ground. Frey had none of that for most of the first two rounds, and she was making Hansen pay for her aggression, popping her with hard left hands. Hansen, to her credit, stuck to her strategy, finally got Frey down in the third and finished the bout that was tied heading into the final round. Hansen is just 20 years old, the second-youngest fighter in the UFC. There is immense potential there.

Wagenheim: It’s tough to go against Kay Hansen, who at 20 years old took out a far more experienced fighter who has been a champion in another fight organization. But I was most impressed by Khama Worthy, who scored his second straight eye-opening UFC win. Last summer he was a humongous underdog when he won his UFC debut. Was that just a matter of his having the night of his life? No, it was not. This time, he took on Luis Pena, who came in with six fights in the UFC, including wins over some seriously legitimate opponents. After a good start by Worthy, Pena put on a dominant display of wrestling in the second round. But Worthy persevered, and when the fight went back to the canvas in Round 3, he was ready. Worthy sunk in a modified guillotine choke to squeeze the air out of any lingering doubts.

Which fighter had the best finish?

With less than a week’s notice, @juicyj_erosa pushed the pace for three rounds and sunk in this D’arce choke to finish it off at #UFCVegas4 pic.twitter.com/kIdxwdzB9q

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) June 28, 2020

Helwani: There were so many good ones to choose from tonight, as this was a fun card with great finishes. In the end, I’ll go with Julian Erosa‘s D’Arce choke. First of all, the fact that he took this fight on four or so days’ notice and was a +400 underdog against the previously undefeated Sean Woodson is impressive in its own right. However, that D’Arce was as slick as can be and came at the end of a phenomenal fight. I love stories such as Erosa’s: Former “The Ultimate Fighter” alum, released in 2016 after going 1-1, gets a second chance on Contender Series two years later, wins that fight, gets signed again, goes 0-3 in the UFC, gets cut, wins a fight on the regional scene and then capitalizes on this opportunity after a visa issue precluded Canadian Kyle Nelson from competing Saturday. Way to persevere, Julian.

Okamoto: Julian Erosa. Four days’ notice against arguably the most promising prospect on the card in Sean Woodson. Was it the “highlight reel” KO we usually think about when it comes to best finish? No. Not at all, actually. But taking everything into consideration — fighting on four days’ notice, the biggest betting underdog on the card, losing the first round, the fact that he has been cut from the UFC before — it’s incredibly impressive. Erosa knew after that first round against Woodson that he had to bite down, eat shots and make the fight ugly, and that is way easier said than done. Not only did he have the intelligence to acknowledge that, but he also had the courage and heart to do it. It’s difficult to not feel happy for him.

Raimondi: I won’t soon forget Tanner Boser, sporting an absolutely glorious mullet, starching former PFL heavyweight champion Philipe Lins with a punching combination for a knockout win. Boser, from Alberta, Canada, is unassuming. Maybe he caught Lins by surprise. Boser let loose with a fast combination and clanged multiple punches off Lins’ head. Lins was out when he hit the ground, spurring referee Herb Dean to dive in and hit a near-judo throw to get Boser off an unconscious Lins. It was a memorable knockout for a fight — and a fighter — many people didn’t have circled coming into this event.

Wagenheim: The second- or third-best finish on this night would have been in the running for top honors on many fight nights. At one point, there were five straight finishes, each a thing of beauty. But I have to go with Julian Erosa’s third-round D’Arce choke, which handed prospect Sean Woodson his first career defeat. Erosa, who twice has been cut by the UFC, came in on four days’ notice and was the biggest underdog on the card. He looked the part in the first round, absorbing a steady diet of straight left hands. But he ate them all and kept coming for more, and when he finally got Woodson on the canvas, he did not waste the opportunity, efficiently and stunningly eliciting a tapout.

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williamsmondaywork · 4 years

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Week 4: UFC 249

Introduction

During our week four class 23/3/20 we engaged in a presentation that gave us a basic introduction into what public relations was and discussed different strategies, media and other forms of communication that was associated with public relations.

In this series of entries, I will look to discuss, different forms and means of Public Relations and will particularly focus on answering/covering four main topics which are: what is the PR activity, who is leading the campaign/who is involved, what are the major PR tools that are being used, and finally, where it is seen and how it is meant to be interacted with. I will then give a final overall critical reflection on the PR that was used during the week by the particular organisation.

This week I will be reviewing the UFC. In particular, I will be focussing on the decision that was made by the UFC , ESPN and Disney officials to cancel/postpone a UFC PPV event (UFC 249) that was scheduled for the 18th of April 2020. As of writing (25/4/2020), the UFC has now decided to hold an event on May 9th (10th in Australia) which will be held in Jacksonville Florida.

What PR Activity am I analysing?

Pictured Above: Tony Ferguson vs Justin Gaethje who would fight for the interim lightweight championship at UFC 249 on May 9th.

The PR Activity that I am analysing is the UFC’s upcoming event UFC 249 which is to be held on the 9th of May in Jacksonville Florida. This event is to be headlined by an Interim Lightweight Championship fight which will see the number one contender, Tony Ferguson who is on a 12 fight win streak and has won 18 of his last 19 fights taking on the 4th ranked lightweight contender, Justin Gaethje who is on a 3 fight win streak, all by way of first round knockout. Gaethje has also won 21 of his last 23 fights.

The card was originally meant to take place on the 18th of April 2020, with the mean event being the 28-0 lightweight champion of the world, Khabib Nurmagomedov taking on the number one contender for his title, Tony Ferguson. But fate doesn’t seem to like this fight at all as just like the previous five times they have tried to book these two together, the fight fell through after Khabib got stuck in Russia, after he flew back to be with his family. This started a domino effect as time went on which includes injuries, borders closing and finally Disney and ESPN executives pulling the plug on April 9th, a week and a half out from the original event.

Pictured Below: The UFC Bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo who would fight the returning Dominic Cruz in the co-main event of UFC 249.

There are many other fights on the card that people are looking forward to, so much so that many are calling this upcoming card one of the most stacked cards in recent memory. The co-main event will see ‘Triple C’ Henry Cejudo taking on the former champion who is coming off a three and a half year absence, Dominick ‘The Dominator’ Cruz. Other fighters on the card include 2nd ranked heavyweight Francis Ngannou taking on the 6th ranked and undefeated Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

I will also be discussing and analysing the additional decisions the UFC has made regarding the UFC 249 event which include, postponing the original date, setting up a ‘fight island’, preparing to host three events in one week and the actual hosting of an event in the time of a crisis that we are in now.

Who is leading the campaign and who is involved in it?

Pictured Above: UFC President Dana White who is heavily involved in the decisions over recent weeks.

The campaign is being heavily led by UFC President Dana White and his close team that he surrounds himself with. It is also being pushed a fair bit by the Florida Government as they know that this will be the biggest sport on television all night and it's an opportunity to mutually benefit the UFC and the state of Florida.

What are the major PR tools that are being used?

The Major PR tools that are being used during this whole UFC 249 media circus has been social media, appeal to sports fans and the use of recognisable people.

Social Media has and probably will always be a big part of the UFC. It enables them to promote their fights, fighters and allows the brand to engage with their fans. It also gives the fans an insight into the fighters that they strongly support. In the lead up to this fight the UFC has used different social media tools such as Youtube, Facebook and Instagram to keep the fans, media and fighters up to date with all goings on. They have also used social media to promote the upcoming fights by showing previous fights which include fighters on this upcoming UFC 249 card. This allows the UFC to engage their audience and hype them up for future events whilst also allowing the fans to feel a sense of nostalgia which might result in them searching for more UFC content related to what they felt nostalgic towards.

Video Below: A promotional video for the UFC 249 card, highly featuring the main event which was Ferguson vs Gaethje.

youtube

Appeal to the sport fans was also a massive tool used by the UFC during the promotion of the week's events and in particular, UFC 249. The UFC was one of the first sport leagues to return to action with the only other options for sports fans being Korean soccer and E-Sports, so for many sports fans the UFC was a great option, one of which many were stoked to see. Two out of the three events during this fight week were also on ESPN which was great for many viewers who didn’t want to pay the $50-80 for the first event. The UFC also made sure to put on a stacked card for the premiere event of UFC 249. This leads onto the next major tool used by the UFC, using recognisable, entertaining and popular fighters during the cards.

The three fight cards, in particular the UFC 249 fight card were filled and used to put on display the organisation's best fighters. Although some of the UFC’s biggest stars such as Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz and Jon Jones may not have been active during the week, the UFC made sure to really put on a show for their first card back, UFC 249. For starters both the co-main event and the main event were title fights, with Tony Ferguson taking on Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight champion with the winner to take on Khabib Nurmagomedov late on the year, additionally, the co-main event will see ‘Triple C’ Henry Cejudo taking on the former champion who is coming off a three and a half year absence. There were also many fan friendly fights up and down the card with the UFC 249 card hosting over 6 former title challengers. This resulted in some of the main card regulars having to fight on the prelims and the early prelims.

Pictured Below: The full UFC 249 card which was one of the most stacked cards in recent memory and was full with talented fighters.

Where they saw it and how/if they engaged with it

I saw this all over my social media as I am a big UFC fan. Promotions for this event were also all over sporting networks such as ESPN and Youtube, Twitter and Instagram were forms of social media that were used by the UFC to engage their audience and gauge interest in upcoming fights and events. I personally engaged with this by checking out some of the videos the UFC posted in the lead up to the events such as weigh ins, press conferences and their popular ‘UFC Embedded’ series. Due to my birthday being around the time of the UFC 249, I decided to purchase the PPV and watch it with my dad as I would usually watch PPV’s at sports bars with friends. UFC 249 was definitely worth watching however it may not have been worth the $60 to purchase the PPV.

Video Below: UFC’s video series ‘Embedded’. This video is episode 1 in their series of videos on UFC 249.

youtube

Critical Reflection

Upon critical reflection, (updating this entry on 22/5/20) the UFC made a very brave and a very risky decision in putting on these three events, during the week period. After the three events have occurred over the week I believe that although this was a risky decision the decision certainly paid off. The UFC administered thousands of tests and with all the tests that were administered one fighter's results came back positive, however he was already isolating as he had symptoms and some of his family supposedly contracted the virus. This resulted in the event being given the green light to go ahead besides the result. The UFC also made sure to isolate fighters from one another as much as possible with fighters given their own room, training area and weight cut equipment. It was a risky move for the company but it was definitely a risk that paid off.

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wsmith215 · 4 years

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UFC 249: What you need to know about the return to the Octagon

UFC 249 is LIVE this weekend, which deserves all caps because it’s LIVE SPORTS. There may not be a crowd in attendance in Jacksonville for the card, but this might be the perfect time to wade back into the sport if you’re an occasional or lapsed MMA fan.

We’re here to catch you up on how we reached this point, tell you about the big fights you’re going to want to circle, and generally help you enjoy the event as much as possible. After all, this is LIVE SPORTS, which forgive my excitement, deserve to be celebrated.

The UFC 249 main event features Tony Ferguson fighting Justin Gaethje for the lightweight interim title. The lightweight division is where some of the biggest headliners in the sport have been over the last two years, and the title is up for grabs due to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s suspension. This came following a massive brawl that ensued between Nurmagomedov’s camp and Conor McGregor’s after their fight at UFC 229. In January the pair were both given six-month suspensions for their roles in the melee, which put the belt up for grabs.

Khabib will be waiting for whoever ends up with the title, and, well … good luck with that one.

It isn’t just Ferguson and Gaethje who have a title bout. The bantamweight belt is on the line too, with Henry Cejudo facing Dominick Cruz. If you’ve been away from UFC for a while then yes, Cruz is still fighting. Saturday marks his return to the UFC since he lost the belt in December 2016, and this weekend he’s filling in for Jose Aldo, who had visa issues. Cejudo has jumped between flyweight and bantamweight for much of his career, with his bout against Cruz being his first title defense since winning the vacant title at UFC 238 back in June.

Outside of the two title bouts here are three more things to watch:

No. 1: Greg Hardy returns to the octagon. Yes, THAT Greg Hardy.

The former Panthers and Cowboys defensive end is trying to cement himself in the heavyweight division, entering with a 5-2 (1) record. Hardy has shown proficiency in the ring, though critics will say he’s been handed some pretty easy opponents thanks to his name recognition, that was until he faced Alexander Volkov in November and lost by unanimous decision.

On Saturday, he fights the heavy-handed Yorgan De Castro, who’s 5-0 in UFC and likes to throw hands. This has a chance to be a can’t-miss fight, largely because both are going to go all out, and go big.

No. 2: The REAL marquee heavyweight fight comes later in the night.

Francis Ngannou is trying to stake his claim for a future title shot by taking on former champion kickboxer Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Rozenstruik is a perfect 10-0 in UFC and rapidly climbing up the heavyweight rankings, making this a must-win fight for both athletes.

If Ngannou wins he will almost certainly earn a shot at the title. If Rozenstruik is victorious it will send a message to the rest of the division that he deserves to be in the conversation with the top fighters in the weight class.

When it comes to Hardy vs. De Castro that might be the sizzle of the heavyweight division on Saturday, but this fight is the steak. Big, meaty, extremely skilled steak.

No. 3: No crowd is going to make for a surreal experience.

Different sports have handled having no crowd in their own way. Will there be UFC employees in attendance? Just the fight camps? Will other fighters be watching? Whatever the answer is, this is a rare occurrence to see sport unfettered, and unfiltered.

The amazing thing about crowdless sports is while you lose the collective excitement a live audience brings, you gain insight that’s often drowned out by noise. Perhaps you might here some corner coaching, or get a better sense of fighters’ breathing or movement — whatever the result is it’s going to be special.

I need to know more about UFC 249.

MMA Fighting will have full bell-to-bell coverage of the event, but here’s some additional info you might want:

Source link

The post UFC 249: What you need to know about the return to the Octagon appeared first on The Bleak Report.

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junker-town · 4 years

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Everything you need to know about UFC 249

We’re returning to the Octagon this weekend!

Khabib will be waiting for whoever ends up with the title, and, well ... good luck with that one.

Outside of the two title bouts here are three more things to watch:

No. 1: Greg Hardy returns to the octagon. Yes, THAT Greg Hardy.

No. 2: The REAL marquee heavyweight fight comes later in the night.

When it comes to Hardy vs. De Castro that might be the sizzle of the heavyweight division on Saturday, but this fight is the steak. Big, meaty, extremely skilled steak.

No. 3: No crowd is going to make for a surreal experience.

I need to know more about UFC 249.

MMA Fighting will have full bell-to-bell coverage of the event, but here’s some additional info you might want:

Tony Ferguson rips Khabib ahead of UFC 249.

The story of Justin Gaethje’s journey to the UFC

There’s no love lost between Henry Cerjudo and Dominick Cruz.

Covid-19 testing will be in place at UFC 249.

Bloody Elbow preview the card on their podcast “Care/Don’t Care.”

MMA Mania has betting lines for UFC 249 too!

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cdrforea · 4 years

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How to Watch UFC 249: Gaethje replaces Khabib in Title Fight vs. Ferguson

New Post has been published on https://bestedevices.com/how-to-watch-ufc-249-gaethje-replaces-khabib-in-title-fight-vs-ferguson.html

How to Watch UFC 249: Gaethje replaces Khabib in Title Fight vs. Ferguson

Undefeated lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has officially retired from UFC 249, but the show will go on. MMA fans will now see Justin Gaethje – not Khabib – competing against former champion Tony Ferguson. The fight is scheduled for April 18, but the location has yet to be announced. The fight was originally scheduled to take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. Due to the blockage of the corona virus, for the same reason that Khabib left the game, the event must find a new home.

Read on to learn more about the main UFC 249 card and what you can do with it stream it with ESPN + Pay per view.

Photo by Chris Unger / Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

ESPN + is a premium streaming service that broadcasts a variety of sports content directly to your computer web browser, mobile device (via the ESPN app) or other compatible streaming setup. Thanks to the close relationship between ESPN and ESPN +, it is a must for combat fans like Top Rank Boxing and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Most importantly, ESPN + is the only way to stream live pay-per-view events like UFC 249: (now) Gaethje vs. Ferguson on April 18.

UFC 249 will be one for the books, with several MMA titans that will meet in octagon. The main event is a preliminary title fight between Justin Gaethje (Khabib's raplacement) and former provisional champion Tony Ferguson.

American fighter Tony Ferguson has a record 25 wins and only three losses, and previously held the preliminary lightweight championship. Ferguson and Khabib were expected to compete multiple times, and UFC 249 is another example of how this highly anticipated game that MMA fans have been waiting for years seems to be cursed.

The second headliner on the main UFC 249 card also deals with shaking. A rematch was originally planned between the best MMA fighters, Jessica Andrade and Rose Namujanas, both former champions. However, it is now reported that Namujanas was forced to withdraw from the card for unknown reasons. Their replacement has not been announced.

Andrade won the Namujanas Straw Weight Championship with a devastating knockout win at UFC 237 in May 2019, shortly before losing her belt in August's first title defense against Weili Zhang. There is no women's championship on the program at UFC 249.

UFC 249: Gaethje vs. Ferguson is a pay-per-view event, which means you have to do this Sign up for ESPN + to stream it live on Saturday April 18th. The main card is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET. ESPN + only costs $ 5 a month or $ 50 a year. However, if you are looking for a larger streaming package, this is the case This package for $ 13 / month includes ESPN + along with Disney + and Hulu and saves you 25%

Are you looking for more about UFC? Find results, scheduled bouts, top fighters, and more on our UFC 2020 page.

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#Ferguson #fight #Gaethje #Khabib #replaces #title #UFC #Watch #News

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thesportssoundoff · 7 years

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“When In Doubt, Use Lightweights” A UFC 216 Preview

Joey

October 2nd

Before I begin with the usual, I suppose I have to start by addressing the atrocities that occurred last night/this morning in Las Vegas. I lack a really eloquent way to simply say that this shit, every bit of it, really needs to stop. No matter your political beliefs, interpretation of the constitution, opinion on firearms or whatever, nobody should have to go to a place of entertainment with a cloud of "Am I going to survive tonight?" hanging over their heads. We should all be better than this shit. We should demand more from our representatives and one another. Thoughts and prayers are nice but some action in the other direction would be nice. Let's make this place a tolerable place to live in for a little while.

The UFC returns to Las Vegas and this is a very peculiar card. The buyrate, the true be all and end all which determines the success of a show, will probably not be through the roof. At the same time, the UFC is giving two new guys the opportunity to headline a PPV with a really solid developed undercard beneath it. Beyond that, there are guys who CAN be bigger stars sprinkled throughout the show. It's a really good show as of right now with potentially one more fight to get added for some good old fashioned depth. It's survived a few knocks which speaks to its depth thus far although we still have THE DREADED MID WEEK FIGHT CANCELLATION to worry ourselves about. If you've got some money laying around to spend on a show, one with two title fights, a shot at history, a HW fight for people who like big people and a very pivotal 155 lb fight is the sort of show you should be into.

Fights: 12

Debuts: 1 (Poliana Botelho)

Fight Changes/Injury Cancellations: 3 (Paige Van Zant vs Jessica Eye cancelled, Andrea Lee vs Kalindra Faria cancelled, Abel Trujillo OUT, Bobby Green IN vs Lando Vannata)

Headliners (fighters who have either main evented or co-main evented shows in the UFC): 12 (Tony Ferguson, Kevin Lee, Demetrious Johnson, Fabricio Werdum, Derrick Lewis, Evan Dunham, Beneil Dariush, Will Brooks, Lando Vannata, Bobby Green, John Moraga, Thales Leites)

Fighters On Losing Streaks in the UFC: 3 (Will Brooks, Matt Schnell, Marco Beltran)

Fighters On Winning Streaks in the UFC: 7 (Tony Ferguson, Kevin Lee, Evan Dunham, Demetrious Johnson, Ray Borg, Walt Harris, Brad Tavares)

Stat Monitor for 2017:

Debuting Fighters (Current number: 28-26)- Poliana Botelho

Short Notice Fighters (Current number: 17-28)- Bobby Green

Second Fight (Current number: 23-30)- Tom Duquesnoy, Pearl Gonzales, Magomed Bibulatov

Cage Corrosion (16-8)- Evan Dunham

Twelve Precarious Ponderings

1- Looking at this main event, it's a pretty perplexing challenge to determine just what this interim title means. Despite his talk this weekend, you can't help but get the feeling that McGregor vs Diaz III is more likely than not going to be the fight that comes next for Conor. The actual title will likely be held up with a money fight, a fight that revolves around getting the most dollars possible which is absolutely fine from a business sense. It does little though to prevent the UFC from taking on the bad smell of boxing's mistakes; ya know where you'd have the "actual" champ, an "interim" champion and then a champion emeritus in case a guy decides to retire then unretire. It doesn't even help that to SOME (not all but some) Kevin Lee is just a guy filling in a spot best reserved for Khabib Nurmagomedov. That's unfair given that Lee has been fighting top competition for a while while Khabib has been injured or incapable to take the call to fight but you can't change narratives once they're formed. It's not easy to rewire the already formed opinion/mind of fans. It also isn't entirely out of the realm of possibility that the interim champ defends his title AT LEAST ONCE before the actual champ fights and no, not due to injury either. The reality is that this is a great fight but discovering its worth is complicated.

2- How confident should the UFC be in Ray Borg making "the walk" as some would say. He had a bad weight cut which either did or didn't lead to the illness which got him yanked (given how it happened vs Ian McCall in a similar situation, I'm going with yeah there) and is opting to go SANS nutritionist on this one. Some of you fellas might need to go back and watch some Magomed Bibulatov just in case.

3- Is Mighty Mouse done until the spring if he wins? Pettis vs Cejudo in December means the winner is probably the #1 contender barring Joe B getting healthy and getting a title shot in the winter. Could be the last time we see the P4P best for a while.

4- Similarly I think there's ample pressure on Werdum and Derrick Lewis here to do something big. Miocic may be out for however long this contractual snafu takes to fix up and so the winner might need to be really impressive to keep pace with Ngannou, Overeem and Alexander Volkov.

5- The last time Tony Ferguson REALLY struggled, not counting a first round vs a replacement guy with a funky style, was Danny Castillo. Castillo was able to take advantage of Ferguson's wacky submission game and basically try to grind out a decision win. I'd argue Ferguson has improved ten fold since then BUT Kevin Lee has some Castillo in his game. He's very good at getting a fight to where it needs to be, he's determined and relentless and his submission game is way better than Danny Castillo's ever was. I'm not saying I'm picking Lee to win BUT I think stylistically he's got a fair shot to pull off something here.

6- Tom Duquesnoy is getting a very moderate step up in competition as the UFC pits him vs Cody Stamman as THE featured prelim bout for UFC 216. It's a winnable fight for Mr. Duquesnoy and a good showcase of whether or not his wrestling is up to par to compete vs a big physical 135er. Stamman had no problems taking Terrion Ware down so this is one to keep an eye out for.

7- Kevin Lee has scrambled with some very good grapplers so I don't expect him to be overwhelmed in that regard. What I am curious to see is whether Lee's propensity to panic in exchanges will come out. Going way back to the Jesse Ronson fight, there were moments where as soon as things got a little hectic, he'd shoot in for a takedown and just try to muscle people around. That's great against guys who aren't expert neck grabbers but if/when Ferguson senses a panic TD, he's going to snatch a neck, give up the takedown and force Lee to defend against his d'arce. Hard to do for 25 minutes.

8- Do not forget Ferguson had a 25 minute fight at high altitude where he was so bored he decided to salsa dance----anybody suggesting Lee has any sort of cardio advantage is someone who you shouldn't listen to.

9- A tale of two completely different stuttering hype trains on the UFC 216 prelims. We can begin with "Groovy" Lando Vannata who is better than he's shown thus far. Lando is 1-2 in the UFC but I'd caution that David Teymur is low key really great and losing to Tony Ferguson on a week's notice is nothing to be ashamed of. Vannata is just one of those guys who has this overly relaxed malaise to his game which costs him when he's going one strike for every four landed vs composed strikers. You can maybe win that way at 185 or 205 lbs where power > skill but not so at 155 lbs. Lando gets Bobby Green in what SHOULD be a showcase for Vannata given how Green is not the kind of guy who overwhelms you with pressure and isn't going to give you a lot of things to be concerned about. He does everything well but never well enough, at least since he hurt his knee, to give you reason for pause. On the other hand you have WIll Brooks who came into the UFC with a ton of fanfare straight out of Bellator. The results? 1-2 with a caveat. His first loss was Alex "Cowboy" Oliveira in a fight where Oliveira missed by like six lbs. That one you can wrap up and discard. The loss vs Carlos Oliveira? A lot harder to discard and much differ to wash away. Brooks is struggling and the UFC seems to have recognized that because Nik Lentz is like THE easiest touch for him. It's a guy who does everything Brooks does except not as well, not as athletically gifted and without the power to give Brooks cause for concern. This is as close to a gift wrapped win as it gets.

10- This main card is currently lacking a fight by the by. So who gets bumped up? They've already advertised Will Harris vs Mark Godbeer and Thales Leites vs Brad Tavares as the main fights of note for the FP portion. Do they bump up Moraga vs Bibulatov? How about maybe sneaking up the card the fight between Brooks/Lentz?

11- Brad Tavares is under 30, he's on a winning streak, he's one of the longer tenured UFC middleweights in the world and he's on the prelims. Why? The last time he finished a fight was in early 2011 against PHIL BARONI. Dude needs a finish in the worst way.

12- Walt Harris vs Mark Godbeer is the tipping point for this card. If it sucks, run for the hills. IF it's good? Haboy.

Must Wins

Kevin Lee

There's no doubt in my heart of hearts that Kevin Lee would not get another opportunity for this shot outside of a collection of circumstances like this. Look at the 155 lb landscape as it currently stands; McGregor vs Diaz III is coming. Eddie Alvarez/Justin Gaethje likely gives you a back up option off of that. Dustin Poirier and Anthony Pettis is a really great fight between two really great exciting fighters people wanna see. Russian LWs like Khabib Nurmagomedov and the smashing machine Mairbek Taisumov exist. Kevin Lee is a great fighter but if he wants to keep the public's attention, he pretty much HAS to win.

Derrick Lewis

Any UFC HW from ages 35 to 45 will always be given ample opportunities to redeem themselves. Look at Andrei Arlovski. Look at Travis Browne. Look at Overeem. Look at etc etc etc forever until the end of time. HWs are an ageless commodity for some people---so if Werdum loses? NBD. Sometimes good fighters lose am I right? Now Derrick Lewis is a different story. For some people, Lewis has always been sort of a "when the bubble bursts" guy. His wins while violent aren't always impressive. His focus and cardio can come and go in stops and starts. More often than not, a fight ends with him literally crying. Still he's fun in a division that needs fun and he's one of the more amusing guys out there. So a win for Derrick Lewis would be cool.

Mighty Mouse

HISTORY Is on the line, dudes!

Five Can't Miss Fights

1- Kevin Lee vs Tony Ferguson

Even if the title wasn't on the line, this would be the best fight on almost any card (outside of some combination of Ferguson, Alvarez, Gaethje or Poirier). It's a genuinely great LW fight.

2- Mighty Mouse vs Ray Borg

I feel like your feelings on Mighty Mouse say a lot about you as an MMA fan. For me, we should all band together and watch as our marvel of joy and bundle of asswhoop goes out there to do his deed. <3 Mighty Mouse.

3- Lando Vannata vs Bobby Green

Lando is must see entertainment, the sort of fighter who fights fearlessly and does shit that should cost him a fight every time he fights. Bobby Green is a similar minded fighter. Assuming it's not a staring/jaw jack contest, this should be good.

4- Tom Duquesnoy vs Cody Stamman

Duquesnoy is VERY similar to Lando Vannata in the sense that each and every fight he has, he's so careless (in a good way) that he seems to welcome an element of danger. He's really fun to watch and Stamman showed me a lot vs Terrion Ware. It's a great test for Duquesnoy because if he's going to make it at 135 lbs, the top of that division has a lot of dudes who can wrestle their ass off.

5- Magomed Bibulatov vs John Moraga

I've seen glimpses of Bibulatov and wasn't overly impressed BUT Moraga seemed to rediscover the tricks which made John Moraga a #1 contender once. He gave a limited opponent all kinds of fits in New Zealand and looked to bee back to his old ways. Great test for Bibulatov and Moraga, when he feels like it and is on, is a fun dude to watch.

#MMA #UFC #UFC 216 #Mighty Mouse #Kevin Lee #Tony Ferguson

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conanaltatis · 4 years

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'UFC 249' fight card, results: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Tony Ferguson, Jessica Andrade vs Rose Namajunas in Brooklyn, New York

‘UFC 249’ fight card, results: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Tony Ferguson, Jessica Andrade vs Rose Namajunas in Brooklyn, New York

Promotion: Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

Title: “UFC 249”

Venue: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York

Date: April 19, 2020

Number of bouts:

*This is an ongoing list. Stay tuned for updates. Updated on January 24, 2020.

Lightweight: Khama “The Deathstar” Worthy (United States) vs Ottman “Bulldozer” Azaitar (Germany)

Heavyweight: Ben “Big Ben” Rothwell (United States) vs Gian Villante(United…

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#Brooklyn #Jessica Andrade #Khabib Nurmagomedov #New York #Rose Namajunas #Tony Ferguson #UFC 249

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mmamag · 4 years

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UFC 246 : Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone PPV FULL SHOW ONLINE

UFC 246 results: ‘McGregor vs Cowboy’ live stream play-by-play updates

After a devastating defeat from Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2018, Conor McGregor is going to make a comeback in the hurt business against a very less known contender Donald Cerrone. Both the are going in the ring with a loss in their last fight. It is going to be the main event of UFC 246 in T-Mobile Arena, Nevada USA, on the 18-01-2020. In the same card, Holly Holm will be facing Raquel Pennington in the co-main event, the pair first met in 2015 when Holm was awarded a split decision at UFC 184. https://www.instagram.com/p/B6COgJjhVbN/ Mcgregor is coming back to the ring to win a fight against Khabib who humiliated Conor in October 2018 when Conor quit in the fourth round in front of his fans. Khabib is going to test himself against the toughest contender of his career in Tony Ferguson, if Khabib wins, he may offer a rematch to the winner of Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone. Let's have a Tale of tape to compare Conor and Donald Conor Notorious McGregor Vs. Donald Cowboy Cerrone Boxing, Kickboxing Fighting Style Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Kickboxing 31 years Age 36 years 25 Professional Fights 50 21 Total Wins 36 4 Total Losses 13 5.9 Height in Feet 6.1 74 Reach in inches 73 170 Weight in pounds 170 Boxing Fighting Style Kickboxing, Muay Thai, BJJ Conor has an edge in this fight as he has shared the ring with a lot of the current and former champions and defeated most of them while Donal could never win a single championship fight. Donald appeared in 50 professional fights, and Conor appeared in 25. Conor Mcgregor was unstoppable for almost six years from 2010 to 2016 and won 15 professional bouts in that period while Donald’s winning streak is 8 consecutive fights. Both Conor and Donald have only one boxing match on their resumes, both were knocked out in their respective matches and they called it a day. Donald Cerrone never lost any professional kickboxing match in his 29 fights, he finished 19 kickboxing matches before the final bell. Conor is less experienced as compared to Donald, Conor Mcgregor appeared in a single amateur fight and stopped his opponent and Donald has won two amateur world titles: the first is Knockdown Classic and the second is International Sport Karate Association. https://www.instagram.com/p/B6zETEpJvKq/ Donald has a rich resume in combat sports like boxing, kickboxing, and Mixed Martial Arts while Conor’s career is short but he managed to win three world titles in two UFC weight classes. The fight is fifty-fifty and it can go either side as both the fighters have gas tank issues but Mcgregor has an advantage while comparing the power of both the fighters, Conor has a slight better knockout percentage as compared to Donald’s. Prediction: Conor TKO3.

UFC 246

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bigyack-com · 5 years

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Khabib vs Ferguson, McGregor vs Cowboy- Which 2020 UFC fight are you most excited for - other sports

UFC dropped a bombshell last week when it announced two blockbuster fights in 2020. The much-awaited match-up between undefeated lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson will headline a UFC card in April. Then another announcement saw the return of Conor McGregor. The ‘Notorious’ will face Donald Cerrone at welterweight on January 18 at UFC 246. These two fights will generate a lot of revenue and interest for the MMA giants and fans are eagerly anticipating the return of their beloved stars.But which fight is exciting the MMA fans more?There is a case for both mega-fights. On one hand, there is the return of a bonafide superstar like McGregor, who is making a comeback to the Octagon after more than one year. He takes on the winningest fighter in UFC history ‘Cowboy’ Donald Cerrone (36-13).On the other hand, there is a fight that fans have been waiting for years. After 4 failed attempts, UFC Dana White will be hoping that both Tony (25-3) and Khabib (28-0) can make it to the April 18 fight in Brooklyn without any mishaps. UFC has tried to match these two lightweight behemoths several times before but injuries and failed weight cuts have resulted in its cancellation. Khabib is undefeated in competition while Ferguson is riding a 12-fight winning streak.McGregor (21-4) has seen his stock fall a little after two losses and several run-ins with the authority. He has mostly received bad press in the last two years with the most recent being a sexual assault case in Ireland. McGregor is trying to rebuild his image in the fighting world and it is definitely a litmus test for the former ‘Champ Champ’. Cerrone might seem like an easy opponent for McGregor however he is anything but that. Anytime you count Cowboy out of reckoning, he comes back stronger. If he had won against Tony Ferguson, it might well have been Khabib vs Cowboy for the UFC Lightweight Championship. He is also looking to get back into the reckoning for the title and would provide a tough test for McGregor.Coming to Khabib vs Tony, this is something everyone in the fighting world wanted to see. An elite grappler against a lethal striker, a fighter who has been dominating opponents on the mat against an MMA artist who bulldozes past his enemies. Khabib has looked unbeatable while Tony seems the only guy who has a chance to break the aura of the Dagestani champion. Have a look at the last four opponents of Tony Ferguson and you will get a fair idea. While the return of the MAC will generate a lot of hype and income for the event, the purist of fighting will look forward to the Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Tony Ferguson title match (we hope it takes place). It’s difficult to point which one is more excitable but one thing is for sure 2020 will be a record-breaking year for the UFC. Source link Read the full article

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snemballmma · 5 years

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UFC 238 & What’s Next for the Winners

UFC 238 took place this past Saturday (June 9) in Chicago, IL and man did it ever deliver. From the prelims to the PPV bouts on ESPN+, the highly anticipated card gave fight fans the thrill they were looking for on Saturday night. In my opinion, it was the best card this year, thus far. We witnessed the latest fighter to join the decorated “Champ-Champ” club, the Flyweight Queen showcase her greatness with a devastating KO, “El Cucuy” cement himself as the greatest fighter to never hold an official belt (yet) in what was one of the most thrilling 10 minutes of action in recent memory, as well as several top prospects making their case as why their next fights should be title fights.

To end this historic card, Olympic Gold medalist and Flyweight Champion, Henry Cejudo (15-2), conquered his second belt in a Bantamweight title fight in which “The Messenger’s” championship spirit was shown as he made a spectacular comeback in route to stopping Marlon Moraes (22-6-1) in the 3rd round via TKO. It was an action packed bout fought at a frantic pace that remined fight fans why the lower weight divisions are loads of fun to watch. The third man in the Octagon, veteran referee, Marc Goddard, even proclaimed the first round exchanges between these two world class martial artists as “the fastest that I’ve ever encountered in 15 years as a ref”. After an early onslaught from Moraes in round 1, Cejudo came out in round 2 a different fighter and made the appropriate adjustments that swung the fight in his favor by closing the distance to avoid kicks and implement his clinch game. The adjustments proved to be quite effective as “Triple C” got the job done in round 3 with just 9 seconds remaining to win his second belt.

The UFC now has a new rising star on their hands with strong marketability to make Cejudo a star a top draw for the UFC. With that being said, matchmaking for Cejudo’s next title defense is key to keep him on track to stardom. I think the fight that should be next is a Flyweight Title defense against the winner of Joseph Benevidez (27-5) vs Jussier Formiga (23-5) which takes place June 29. I’m in favor of Cejudo defending the Flyweight Title for a couple reasons: 1. To save the Flyweight division (for now) and defend against deserving contenders. Cejudo has said he’s the flyweight savior before, so now it is time to prove it. 2. If Benavidez were to win, this is one of the most marketable and fun fights out there right now for Cejudo. Remember, his last loss was to Benavidez in a hard-fought split decision in 2016 and I would think that is one he would like to get back.

In the Co-Main Event of the evening the Women’s Flyweight Champion, Valentina Schevchenko (17-3) made a huge statement knockout in the 2nd round to defend her belt against Jessica Eye. Leading into the matchup, Schevchenko was a massive -1400 favorite and it’s safe to say the fight played out as expected. “Bullet” masterfully landed a series of body kicks throughout the 1st round to ultimately have Eye thinking low, where she then switched it up in the 2nd round and threw a left head kick that would viciously end the championship bout. The Women’s Flyweight division has their queen and it looks as if she’ll be upon the throne for some time.

What’s next for Valentina? Perhaps a Flyweight defense against Katlyn Chookagian (12-2) whom had a strong showing unanimous decision victory in the curtain jerker bout of the night against a very game Joanne Calderwood (13-4). Valentina is truly one of the best martial artists on the planet so it’ll be tough to find the right opponents to challenge her when there is such a gap of talent, but Chookagian is a worthy opponent and as we’ve seen with this sport many times, anything can happen.

Now to Tony Ferguson vs Donald Cerrone, or the “People’s Main Event”- and it sure got the main event treatment in the lead up to it. It is hard to think of another non-title fight that has ever had this much hype and promotion built into it prior to the bout and I couldn’t think of a matchup or two fighters that deserved such limelight. It gave you the goosebumps of a highly anticipated main event title fight and then it gave you 10 minutes of absolute fireworks. In the first, we witnessed Cowboy (36-12) have an unusual strong start where he got the better part of “El Cucuy” (25-3) in some crazy exchanges of a close round. Round 2 was a different story where Ferguson found his rhythm and began to heat up and land almost at will. As with every other Ferguson fight, he left his opponent battered and bloody due to his trademark slicing elbows, brick hands, and relentless pace. With it very well being 1-1 headed into the last round, the damage done to Cerrone became too much, with a possible broken nose and beat up orbital, he tried to clear his nose to prepare for the daunting pressure the cardio freak “El Cucuy” was going to bring but that resulted in his eye swelling up like a balloon and lead to a doctor’s stoppage. Ferguson’s second doctor’s stoppage TKO in a row to extend his win streak to an astonishing 12 fights.

Next up for the fighter with the longest active winning streak? It MUST be a shot at the highly coveted 155 pound Lightweight Title against the winner of Khabib Nurmagomedov (27-0) and Dustin Poirier (25-5). Ferguson’s tremendous run is only surpassed by consecutive wins from Anderson Silva (16), Jon Jones (15), George St. Pierre (13), Max Holloway (13), and Demetrious Johnson (13) in the history of the UFC. What do those all-time greats have in common? They’re all champions and several of their victories that contribute to their win streak have come from them defending their belt. It’s hard to fathom how Ferguson has yet to challenge for the undisputed title or think of someone more deserving of a title shot in the history of the UFC. Not to mention Ferguson has made this historic run in the promotions most stacked division. The time is now, UFC.

In a battle of some top bantamweights, Petr Yan ousted Jimmie Rivera in a unanimous decision by scoring several knockdowns over 3 entertaining rounds of action. Yan (13-1), displayed his top tier boxing skills to pick a part Rivera (22-4) to score his 5th UFC win (5-0 in UFC) in just UNDER a year. The “Syberian Gangster” is the real deal and a serious contender for the bantamweight strap.

What’s next for “No Mercy”? I like Yan against recent title challenger Marlon Moraes in what would make for a fantastic bout. I do think Yan is ready and worthy of a title shot, but I think based on who’s beat who, that the “Funk Master” Aljamain Sterling (18-3), who had a big performance earlier Saturday night, has the better case for the next title shot. So in the mean time, let’s have some fun and book Yan vs Moraes for a fall-time headliner in Russia!

To open up the PPV we got a heavyweight slugfest between Blagoy Ivanov (18-2) and Tai Tuivasa (8-2) that somehow made it to the judges scorecards, whom favored Blagoy for the unanimous decision win. Blagoy dropped Tuivasa with a shot just behind the ear in the 1st round which would go on to be the most significant blow of a haymaker filled bout. The granite chins and toughness of these two were on full display for what would go on to set the tone for the most exciting card of the year, so far.

Up next for Blagoy? How about “The Demolition Man” Allistar Overeem who’s coming off an impressive win against Aleksei Oleinik in April. Looking at the rankings and what other heavyweights are not booked, this one makes a whole lot of sense for the former WSOF Heavyweight Champion who’s shown world class talent and could prove to be a serious contender for the heavyweight strap

#ufc #mma #ufc238 #winners #sports #journalism #triplec #champ champ #espn #fights

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