The UFC/MMA Thread

[Madplayer]

Khazmat chimaev will fight a ranked fighter for the first time next month i think. Lets see if he really is as deadly as he was against unranked fighters.

 

[MenInG]

Conor McGregor is coming out of retirement again.

He'll return to the octagon in January for a second fight with Dustin Poirier.

 

[Tubs]

Khazmat chimaev will fight a ranked fighter for the first time next month i think. Lets see if he really is as deadly as he was against unranked fighters.

Man, Leon Edwards is amazing, and I'm not just saying that because he's a local boy. Khamzat is obviously very good, but I favour Leon in this one.

 

[choudhary6964]

Man, Leon Edwards is amazing, and I'm not just saying that because he's a local boy. Khamzat is obviously very good, but I favour Leon in this one.

It's gonna be an amazing fight but Hamza looks like a top prospect he is gonna be a double champ in the future he has it in him to succeed at this level.Hamza is just not a hype job he is the real deal.

 

[Tubs]

It's gonna be an amazing fight but Hamza looks like a top prospect he is gonna be a double champ in the future he has it in him to succeed at this level.Hamza is just not a hype job he is the real deal.

Definitely not a hypejob, even though the competition hasn't been super-high quality, he KO'D GM3 (a decent fighter) in 17 seconds, and has shown high-level wrestling. Definitely a very good fighter, but Leon has been in there with good opponents and beaten them (Dos Anjos, Nelson, Luque, and Cerrone), I think it makes sense to have him as the favourite.

 

[MenInG]

Newly crowned UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo made his first title defence in impressive fashion in the main event of UFC 255.

The 32-year-old, who captured the vacant title with victory over long-time contender Joseph Benavidez in July, needed fewer than two minutes to submit American Alex Perez in the headline bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Figueiredo and Perez both started quickly as the pair traded powerful strikes early on before the American attempted to take the fight to the canvas.



https://www.bbc.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/55033567

 

[Madplayer]

Man, Leon Edwards is amazing, and I'm not just saying that because he's a local boy. Khamzat is obviously very good, but I favour Leon in this one.

I am neutral in this one. Leon is terrific. If Khamzat is able to defeat him and then follows it up with some more good wins, only then i'll become a fan. As of now, i'm really just an observer.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Definitely not a hypejob, even though the competition hasn't been super-high quality, he KO'D GM3 (a decent fighter) in 17 seconds, and has shown high-level wrestling. Definitely a very good fighter, but Leon has been in there with good opponents and beaten them (Dos Anjos, Nelson, Luque, and Cerrone), I think it makes sense to have him as the favourite.

Would agree with you on that. Not sure who I would back if I was putting money on it, but Edwards has been blowing away some really top guys. I think Chimaev might be taking on Edwards too soon, Leon is really polished in all departments. Will be one hell of a fight though, you would fancy Khamzat against just about everyone else.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Quite an interesting main card tonight in UFC 256 between Figuieredo who looks unstoppable at the moment in the flyweight bout against Brandon Moreno. The experts seem to think Figuieredo is unstoppable right now, but I like the look of Brandon Moreno. If I was a betting man I might stick a few quid on Moreno if the odds are good enough.

 

[choudhary6964]

LOL Overrated Tony got beaten badly but people think he would have beaten Habib.Habib is the GOAT.No one can beat him in lightweight and not even in welterweight.

 

[choudhary6964]

Definitely not a hypejob, even though the competition hasn't been super-high quality, he KO'D GM3 (a decent fighter) in 17 seconds, and has shown high-level wrestling. Definitely a very good fighter, but Leon has been in there with good opponents and beaten them (Dos Anjos, Nelson, Luque, and Cerrone), I think it makes sense to have him as the favourite.

Hamza is very very good people don't know yet but they will soon.Leon is on a streak and terrific but I think Hamza will beat him.

 

[Firebat]

UFC 256: Deiveson Figueiredo retains title after fight with Brandon Moreno ruled majority draw

UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo retained his title with a thrilling majority-draw decision against Brandon Moreno in the main event of UFC 256 in Las Vegas.

Brazil's Figueiredo, 32, and Mexico's Moreno, 27, engaged in a wild, back-and-forth battle as the two 125lb fighters fought all the way to the judges' scorecards after five breathless rounds at the UFC Apex.

Figueiredo was bidding to complete his second title defence in the space of 21 days after his first-round finish of Alex Perez at UFC 255 in November.

But despite loading up with heavy-handed strikes throughout the bout, he was unable to trouble the iron chin of the challenger, who continued to fire back with shots of his own, and appeared to hold the advantage in the wrestling exchanges through the contest.

After two all-action rounds, a thumping kick to the groin by Figueiredo left Moreno down on the canvas for two minutes, with referee Jason Herzog penalising the champion with a point-deduction.

That sanction ultimately prevented Figueiredo from claiming the outright victory on the scorecards, with one judge scoring the fight 48-46 to Figueiredo, while the other two judges tendering 47-47 scores to confirm the result as a majority draw.

Figueiredo's title defence capped off a remarkable year for the former bricklayer and motorcycle taxi rider, who captured the UFC's 125lb title with a first-round submission of Joseph Benavidez in July, then made the first defence of his title with another first-round submission, against Perez, last month.

Remarkably, after that victory at UFC 255, UFC president Dana White declared that the promotion would keep Figueiredo in Las Vegas so he could complete a three-week turnaround and face Moreno in the main event at UFC 256.

It meant Figueiredo broke the UFC record for the shortest gap between title defences, lowering the previous mark of 56 days to just 21, and while the fight may not have produced a decisive result, the match-up was hailed online as one of the best fights of 2020, while White told the fighters immediately after the bout that it was the best flyweight fight in UFC history.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/mixed-martial-arts/55292197

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Wow what a title fight! Moreno is a warrior, right up until the last few seconds I thought he had won. A little flurry of punches at the end probably just scraped him a draw. I think he was down before that. He's like the terminator, just keeps on slugging but Moreno took all the shots and kept blasting back. I think he's my new favourite fighter after Khabib.

On the co main event, Oliveira looked great, really coming into his prime now in a stacked Lightweight division full of stars. Ferguson has been one of the greats but at 36 and two defeats in a row you wonder if he is coming to the end. But maybe he just ran into the wrong guy at the wrong time. If Khabib is truly retired Oliveira looks like a real contender for the belt.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Wow what a title fight! Moreno is a warrior, right up until the last few seconds I thought he had won. A little flurry of punches at the end probably just scraped him a draw. I think he was down before that. He's like the terminator, just keeps on slugging but Moreno took all the shots and kept blasting back. I think he's my new favourite fighter after Khabib.

On the co main event, Oliveira looked great, really coming into his prime now in a stacked Lightweight division full of stars. Ferguson has been one of the greats but at 36 and two defeats in a row you wonder if he is coming to the end. But maybe he just ran into the wrong guy at the wrong time. If Khabib is truly retired Oliveira looks like a real contender for the belt.

Moreno is an absolute beast! It was such a close fight but with 1 point being deducated from the champ, I gave it to the Mexican. Loved his interview too, so humble and smily. Rematch will also be epic and imo Moreno will be champ.

Oliveria produced the most perfect performance of the year. Tony is spent now but was played around with like a schoolboy. But credit to Tony for not tapping when his arm was nearly snapped into two.

Khabib v Oliveria would be a good fight, he will pose the GOAT the greatest challenge he's ever had.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Moreno is an absolute beast! It was such a close fight but with 1 point being deducated from the champ, I gave it to the Mexican. Loved his interview too, so humble and smily. Rematch will also be epic and imo Moreno will be champ.

Oliveria produced the most perfect performance of the year. Tony is spent now but was played around with like a schoolboy. But credit to Tony for not tapping when his arm was nearly snapped into two.

Khabib v Oliveria would be a good fight, he will pose the GOAT the greatest challenge he's ever had.

I don't think enough people realise what a great champ Figueiredo is. He's been smashing everyone for the last few years, he hits seriously hard for a flyweight. Moreno's head must be made of stone, he even took a kick flush to the head and kept right on coming. I know what you mean about his character, I watched his last fight against Royval who himself is a top class fighter, and after that I quite fancied him to win against Figueiredo. I think if the judges really deducted a point for the foul then they should have given the decision to Moreno. A draw was probably a fair result otherwise.

Would be interesting to see a fight between Oliveira and Khabib assuming he comes back from retirement. Khabib has knocked over the best of the best, every time you think someone will give him a serious challenge, he just overwhelms them. What would make this fight interesting is that Oliveira himself is a master at grappling. Tony Ferguson himself is no mug on the floor but Oliveira absolutely schooled him.

 

[Bilal_103]

Moreno is an absolute beast! It was such a close fight but with 1 point being deducated from the champ, I gave it to the Mexican. Loved his interview too, so humble and smily. Rematch will also be epic and imo Moreno will be champ.

Oliveria produced the most perfect performance of the year. Tony is spent now but was played around with like a schoolboy. But credit to Tony for not tapping when his arm was nearly snapped into two.

Khabib v Oliveria would be a good fight, he will pose the GOAT the greatest challenge he's ever had.

Morano has so much heart after taking a beating in the first couple rounds and getting low blowed he came back wonderfully in the fight. The rematch should be very good to watch.

I dont think Olivera stands a chance with khabib tbh the only reason people were intrigued with Tony vs Khabib was because of Tony's ability to fight off his back which was massively overrated after what we witnessed against Olivera. The LW divison is so interesting now since khabib is gone let's see what the future holds.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Morano has so much heart after taking a beating in the first couple rounds and getting low blowed he came back wonderfully in the fight. The rematch should be very good to watch.

I dont think Olivera stands a chance with khabib tbh the only reason people were intrigued with Tony vs Khabib was because of Tony's ability to fight off his back which was massively overrated after what we witnessed against Olivera. The LW divison is so interesting now since khabib is gone let's see what the future holds.

Nobody stands a chance against Khabib atm but Oliveria is a great grappler. It just would be nice to see someone challenge him on the floor. Khabib will return imo as Dana will offer him a partnerhsip with his new EagleFC, taking some of his fighters to the UFC. This will make Khabib agree to a return.

 

[MenInG]

Conor McGregor returns to the octagon for the first time in 12 months when he fights Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 on Abu Dhabi's Fight Island on Saturday.

Venue: Fight Island, Abu Dhabi Date: Sunday, 24 January Time: Main card from 03:00 GMT

 

[shaz619]

In my neighbourhood they call Mcgregor a Kukar

 

[KingKhanWC]

Hooker v Chandler will be a great fight.

If Dustin can take it to the later rounds, 3,4 & 5, he has a great chance to beat Connor. McGregor is the most overated combat star atm.

 

[Tubs]

Looking forward to this card, though I'm unsure if I'll be able to stay up as I've been doing all-nighters lately because of deadlines.

Chandler really needs to put on a good performance for all the stuff he has been saying, such as how he'd be a bad matchup for Khabib (the greatest UFC LW ever, with BJ Penn probably at #2). I doubt he gets past the pressure of Hooker, as we've seen him hurt in Bellator by much smaller men (Pitbull for one, despite him being a savage is much lighter than Hooker).

I really like Dustin, but I don't think he can get past Conor. He gets hit too much, and Conor hits too hard. Dustin is good on the ground, but not great, and I doubt he'll take it there. If Conor gasses, Dustin has a chance obviously, but Conor is now likely the best LW in the world now that Khabib has retired. Should Conor win, I'd love for Holloway to move up and have a rematch! His performance last week was amazing, and I think he has a good shot against Conor now.

Rest of the card is quite weak, Rountree is a good fighter and fun to watch, but I don't really know much about his opponent. Heard of Tavares, but never seen him fight. Makhmud Maradov is an Uzbek fighter fighting out of Eastern Europe, fighters from that part of the world are usually very tough so that should be a good fight.

 

[MenInG]

Poirier wins in round 2

McGregor is all smiles following the fight and there's a nice show of respect between the two fighters.

Poirier has his revenge seven years after defeat to McGregor.

An incredible performance from the Diamond

 

[Tubs]

2 upsets, in the co-main and main, wow.

Chandler looked pretty good, explosive finish that no one expected.

Dustin boxed beautifully, got a nice takedown too. Conor boxed well, hurt Dustin a few times, but didn't check any leg kicks at all, which contributed to his demise. Amazing toughness and resilience by Poirier, we can't imagine how hard it must be to rematch a big puncher who KO'd you previously, and put on a fearless performance like that.

 

[Bigboii]

Oh boy Mcgregor is going downhill fast!!

 

[MenInG]

Former two-weight world champion Conor McGregor was left stunned on his return to the UFC as Dustin Poirier claimed victory in their rematch at UFC 257.

McGregor came out of retirement for a third time to face fellow 32-year-old Poirier at Abu Dhabi's Fight Island.

And although the Irishman edged the first round, Poirier unleashed a flurry of punches to seal a technical knockout two minutes 32 seconds into round two.

"I'm gutted, it's a tough one to swallow," said McGregor.

"His leg kicks were good, my leg was dead and I wasn't as comfortable as I needed to be. I have to dust it off and come back."

Poirier admitted McGregor had won the mind games before they stepped into the octagon for their first clash - a featherweight bout in September 2014 - and the American was stopped inside 106 seconds.

That set "the Notorious" on course for global stardom. He became the UFC's first simultaneous two-weight champion before facing Floyd Mayweather in one of the richest bouts in boxing history in 2017.

Conor McGregor punches Dustin Poirier during their rematch at UFC 257
McGregor now has a 22-5 mixed martial arts record having lost three of his past six UFC fights
Despite having just two UFC fights since, losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018 and beating Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone in 40 seconds last January, McGregor seemed to start well.

He survived an early takedown in front of about 2,000 fans at the 18,000-capacity Etihad Arena, opened before the UFC's third stint on Fight Island, and pinned Poirier against the fence for most of the first round, landing a few shoulder strikes like those that did so much damage against Cerrone.

McGregor said before the fight that, although he has achieved fame and fortune, he is still motivated to build a "highlights reel like a movie" in the UFC, and he tagged Poirier with a couple of right-hand shots.

But the American southpaw replied with a series of leg kicks, before pouncing on McGregor midway through the second round to take his record to 27-6.

"We're 1-1 - maybe we have to do it again," said Poirier afterwards. "The goal was to be technical, pick my shots and not brawl at all. Then I had him hurt so I went a little crazy."

What now for McGregor?
Since beating McGregor in 2018, Nurmagomedov won unification bouts against Poirier and Justin Gaethje to maintain his unbeaten record, announcing his retirement immediately after beating Gaethje in October.

Nurmagomedov's lightweight title is yet to be vacated and UFC president Dana White said this week that the Russian may consider returning for a rematch with McGregor or Poirier if he "saw something spectacular".

But speaking after UFC 257, White said: "He said to me, 'be honest with yourself, I'm so many levels above these guys. I've beaten these guys'. I don't know, but it doesn't sound very positive."

Frustrated at White's attempts to find him a fight during the global Covid-19 pandemic, McGregor retired for a third time in June, saying he was "bored of the game".

However, in September he said he would return for another big-money boxing crossover against Manny Pacquiao, with the Filipino eight-weight world champion's special assistant confirming talks had begun.

And shortly before UFC 257's main event, Pacquaio posted on social media: "Good luck tonight Conor! Let's make 2021 the best year ever for fight fans."

 

[Madplayer]

2 upsets, in the co-main and main, wow.

Chandler looked pretty good, explosive finish that no one expected.

Dustin boxed beautifully, got a nice takedown too. Conor boxed well, hurt Dustin a few times, but didn't check any leg kicks at all, which contributed to his demise. Amazing toughness and resilience by Poirier, we can't imagine how hard it must be to rematch a big puncher who KO'd you previously, and put on a fearless performance like that.

It was surprising indeed how things unfolded. Wont call it an upset though. Poirier is technically very sound and definitely not a push over. I expected conor to win (65:35) because of the sheer talent he possesses and at one point i really thought Dustin was in trouble. However, props to the diamond for not getting intimidated and putting in quite a smooth performance in the end.

That reminds me, is Khazmat vs Leon anytime soon?

 

[Tubs]

It was surprising indeed how things unfolded. Wont call it an upset though. Poirier is technically very sound and definitely not a push over. I expected conor to win (65:35) because of the sheer talent he possesses and at one point i really thought Dustin was in trouble. However, props to the diamond for not getting intimidated and putting in quite a smooth performance in the end.

That reminds me, is Khazmat vs Leon anytime soon?

Ah, yeah I just meant it was a betting upset! I respect Poirier a lot and he's definitely the #1 LW now. And good point on him being in trouble, his chin is much better at LW than FW because he doesn't deplete himself as much.

I'm not sure anymore, it got postponed a few times, I think most recently Edwards got covid. I really hope it is booked again soon, Leon needs a fight and I want to see if Chimaev lives up to the hype.

 

[Tubs]

It was surprising indeed how things unfolded. Wont call it an upset though. Poirier is technically very sound and definitely not a push over. I expected conor to win (65:35) because of the sheer talent he possesses and at one point i really thought Dustin was in trouble. However, props to the diamond for not getting intimidated and putting in quite a smooth performance in the end.

That reminds me, is Khazmat vs Leon anytime soon?

Ah, yeah I just meant it was a betting upset! I respect Poirier a lot and he's definitely the #1 LW now. And good point on him being in trouble, his chin is much better at LW than FW because he doesn't deplete himself as much.

I'm not sure anymore, it got postponed a few times, I think most recently Edwards got covid. I really hope it is booked again soon, Leon needs a fight and I want to see if Chimaev lives up to the hype.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

How about Bernie Sanders in UFC?

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

It was surprising indeed how things unfolded. Wont call it an upset though. Poirier is technically very sound and definitely not a push over. I expected conor to win (65:35) because of the sheer talent he possesses and at one point i really thought Dustin was in trouble. However, props to the diamond for not getting intimidated and putting in quite a smooth performance in the end.

That reminds me, is Khazmat vs Leon anytime soon?

Poirier is a hell of a fighter, he's filled out a lot since he lost to Connor in 2014. Just look at the scalps on Dustin's belt. Gaetjhe, McGregor, Holloway...the last two are considered ATG fighters as well. With Khabib out of the game, Poirier deserves to wear the belt as a champ proper not just the interim which he had for a short period.

 

[Madplayer]

Ah, yeah I just meant it was a betting upset! I respect Poirier a lot and he's definitely the #1 LW now. And good point on him being in trouble, his chin is much better at LW than FW because he doesn't deplete himself as much.

I'm not sure anymore, it got postponed a few times, I think most recently Edwards got covid. I really hope it is booked again soon, Leon needs a fight and I want to see if Chimaev lives up to the hype.

Poirier is a hell of a fighter, he's filled out a lot since he lost to Connor in 2014. Just look at the scalps on Dustin's belt. Gaetjhe, McGregor, Holloway...the last two are considered ATG fighters as well. With Khabib out of the game, Poirier deserves to wear the belt as a champ proper not just the interim which he had for a short period.

Lightweight is filled with absolute killers. Holloway, Conor, Dustin, Tony etc. Man thats a hell of a line up. And Gaethje, that man is a killer too even though technically he could be better. Thats why Khabib's accomplishments stand out among others.

Casual Conor fans didnt even know how big a threat Poirier was. They thought its a sure shot win for Conor. Today's take down in the first round alone shows how good Poirier's overall game is. Even though i also thought that Conor should beat him based on the talent gap, i never underestimated Dustin's ability to win.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Within a minute , it was clear Dustin would destroy Connor. McGregor should retire, he has enough money, doesnt need to risk serious damage again.

Khabib should give up the belt if he's not coming back, Dustin deserves to be champion.

 

[Tubs]

Lightweight is filled with absolute killers. Holloway, Conor, Dustin, Tony etc. Man thats a hell of a line up. And Gaethje, that man is a killer too even though technically he could be better. Thats why Khabib's accomplishments stand out among others.

Casual Conor fans didnt even know how big a threat Poirier was. They thought its a sure shot win for Conor. Today's take down in the first round alone shows how good Poirier's overall game is. Even though i also thought that Conor should beat him based on the talent gap, i never underestimated Dustin's ability to win.

Just a correction, Holloway is currently at FW but he'd probably move up to LW permanently soon. I agree with everything else though. The Conor casuals thought he'd smash Khabib too haha, the consensus LW GOAT. I just wish he could have fought Holloway (he moved up to LW to fight Poirier a while back), Tony, and even Chandler just to have a few more top-level guys on his resume.

 

[shaz619]

Within a minute , it was clear Dustin would destroy Connor. McGregor should retire, he has enough money, doesnt need to risk serious damage again.

Khabib should give up the belt if he's not coming back, Dustin deserves to be champion.

Conor never strikes me as a guy who allows his opponent to control the pace and also one who goes head hunting, whether it was tactics or lack of activity it hurt him badly; he looked like a bloke without a real game plan for the fight and was expecting to blow Dustin away. Khabib mentioned something about Conor having changed his camp, the results are not surprising and also his lack of time in the UFC, I mean unless you are an all time great technician, 99% of the time you need to either be active or get some hard sparring / spend time in the gym predominately, Conor is an explosive fighter who relies on his reflex’s a great deal but without the right conditioning and his inability to measure distance, he’s going to struggle. But like you say it could also be a matter of desire and heart at this point, you look at Tyson Fury, he won all the belts when he beat Wlad and almost drank himself to death when he was out the ring for a while, but was still motivated enough to want to compete at a high level, he’s a student of the game and a boxing historian, Conor on the other hand is the opposite, folk are extremely mistaken when they judge Floyd’s life style out the ring because he never lets that effect his preparations in the ring. But beyond that, I question the matchmaking to, when you have been inactive for a while why go in there with hungry lions from the word go, you need to pick an opponent who will pose enough of a threat for 5 rounds but is considered low risk. Guys like Conor though make me appreciate journeymen in Boxing more and even gate keepers, with the sort of money involved in the sport and the unforgiving scrutiny should you quit (its more acceptable in other sports) fighters keep going and don’t lose the desire/heart even when the risks are far greater to their health. Unless Conor wants to take this seriously he should retire, but he probably is happy getting whooped for millions because he will always remain a big draw and retain support from his delusional Irish fanbase who all think they are hard

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Conor never strikes me as a guy who allows his opponent to control the pace and also one who goes head hunting, whether it was tactics or lack of activity it hurt him badly; he looked like a bloke without a real game plan for the fight and was expecting to blow Dustin away. Khabib mentioned something about Conor having changed his camp, the results are not surprising and also his lack of time in the UFC, I mean unless you are an all time great technician, 99% of the time you need to either be active or get some hard sparring / spend time in the gym predominately, Conor is an explosive fighter who relies on his reflex’s a great deal but without the right conditioning and his inability to measure distance, he’s going to struggle. But like you say it could also be a matter of desire and heart at this point, you look at Tyson Fury, he won all the belts when he beat Wlad and almost drank himself to death when he was out the ring for a while, but was still motivated enough to want to compete at a high level, he’s a student of the game and a boxing historian, Conor on the other hand is the opposite, folk are extremely mistaken when they judge Floyd’s life style out the ring because he never lets that effect his preparations in the ring. But beyond that, I question the matchmaking to, when you have been inactive for a while why go in there with hungry lions from the word go, you need to pick an opponent who will pose enough of a threat for 5 rounds but is considered low risk. Guys like Conor though make me appreciate journeymen in Boxing more and even gate keepers, with the sort of money involved in the sport and the unforgiving scrutiny should you quit (its more acceptable in other sports) fighters keep going and don’t lose the desire/heart even when the risks are far greater to their health. Unless Conor wants to take this seriously he should retire, but he probably is happy getting whooped for millions because he will always remain a big draw and retain support from his delusional Irish fanbase who all think they are hard

I watched the fight again, and actually Conor won the first round, so I think that this idea he was beaten within the first minute is wrong. Ring rust I agree with. Conor seems to be at his most effective when he's blowing opponents away quickly, he has a lightning left hook, but if you can survive the first round, he seems to run out of gas the longer the fight goes on. It was the same in his defeat to Nate Diaz.

Dustin is more resilient at lightweight than he was at featherweight when they last met, he can go toe to toe with anyone and come out top. Conor's mistake was to think he would come out on top in a firefight. He should have kept his distance and stuck to sniping.

 

[shaz619]

I watched the fight again, and actually Conor won the first round, so I think that this idea he was beaten within the first minute is wrong. Ring rust I agree with. Conor seems to be at his most effective when he's blowing opponents away quickly, he has a lightning left hook, but if you can survive the first round, he seems to run out of gas the longer the fight goes on. It was the same in his defeat to Nate Diaz.

Dustin is more resilient at lightweight than he was at featherweight when they last met, he can go toe to toe with anyone and come out top. Conor's mistake was to think he would come out on top in a firefight. He should have kept his distance and stuck to sniping.

Agree on the first minute part, while conditioning and activity played a big part what do you think of his strategy to go head hunting ? it allowed his opponent to break him down from underneath and then he was caught square, unless he was fighting a bum I would get it, but completely brainless tactics and he looks a different fighter under a new team I believe

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

A huge huge result in UFC 259 - Jan Blachowicz hands Israel Adesanya's first ever UFC defeat in the title fight in the Light Heavyweight division.

I always felt that Izzy was thin even for his own division in the Middleweight. So him moving up to the light heavyweight was always laden with a bit of risk but in many experts' eyes he still started as a favorite against Jan given his pedigree as a fighter.

But Jan had a great fight - he clearly had the size advantage and he had 3 takedowns to Izzy's 0.

Jan dominated in pretty much all the key statistics - he had more overall strikes 179-108, had more significant strikes 108-82 in addition to the 3 huge takedown's that I mentioned above.

The "Polish Power" still reigns supreme.

And now all the talk of a super fight between Jon Jones and Izzy has to take a backseat.

I think Izzy should eat his pride and go back to his natural division Middleweight where he is the undisputed king.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

-The official scorecard is in Jan's favor 49-46, 49-45, 49-45. So, in judge's eyes it was not even a close contest.

I mean it was clear that Jan had a great fight and he grew stronger and stronger as the fight went into the championship rounds.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

https://www.cbssports.com/mma/news/...sanya-to-retain-light-heavyweight-title/live/


Jan Blachowicz has been doubted at every turn on his rise to becoming the light heavyweight champion, and it continued ahead of his first title defense on Saturday. But once again, Blachowicz defied the odds and retained his championship in the main event of UFC 259 with a win over middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in the Kiwi's bid to become a two-division champion.

Blachowicz and Adesanya fought a tense first three rounds, with both men looking to minimize mistakes and make the other pay. While Adesanya was the better technical striker, as expected, Blachowicz continued to throw punches and kicks with the former high-level kickboxing standout.

The feints of Adesanya seemed to trouble Blachowicz as much as any landed strikes. In fact, Blachowicz outlanded Adesanya in total strikes in every round of the fight according to the UFC's official stats.

While Blachowicz teased some grappling in the first three rounds, he was unable to take Adesanya down for any meaningful amount of time. It was in the championship rounds that Blachowicz showed off his bona fides, finally using his size and strength advantage to take down Adesanya and grind away with ground and pound.

Piling away the points in those big closing rounds allowed Blachowicz to pull away on the scorecards, earning the victory by scores of 49-46, 49-45 and 49-45. Two of the three judges gave Blachowicz a 10-8 round in Round 5, rewarding him for dominant ground work, including closing the fight in mount and dropping heavy punches to the face of the middleweight champ.

"I thought that he would be a little bit faster, but he don't hit so hard," Blachowicz said following his victory. "He was slower, but he hit harder, this was something I don't expect. I should do my left hand a little bit more, I should do more jabs, put more pressure on him. But game plan is one, and fight is second, a different thing."

As for what's next for the champion? Blachowicz believes the next man up should be veteran light heavyweight Glover Teixeira.

"I think [Teixeira] deserves it," Blachowicz said. "He'll have to wait a little bit, so I can rest and be with my family. But he will wait, he will be next."

In defeat, Adesanya was respectful of Blachowicz, acknowledging the night was "like a bad day at the gym."

"It didn't go the way I wanted it to go, but dare to be great," Adesanya said. "The critics are the ones on the sidelines, but I'm the one putting it on the line."

Adesanya said he would eventually return to the light heavyweight division. First, however, will come a return to the middleweight division to defend his belt.

"I rule them with an iron black fist," Adesanya said. "I'm going to go back down and handle business. If you want to get off the hype train, get the f--- off the hype train. We're just stopping for gas. If you want to stay on, I promise I'll make you proud."

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

A huge huge result in UFC 259 - Jan Blachowicz hands Israel Adesanya's first ever UFC defeat in the title fight in the Light Heavyweight division.

I always felt that Izzy was thin even for his own division in the Middleweight. So him moving up to the light heavyweight was always laden with a bit of risk but in many experts' eyes he still started as a favorite against Jan given his pedigree as a fighter.

But Jan had a great fight - he clearly had the size advantage and he had 3 takedowns to Izzy's 0.

Jan dominated in pretty much all the key statistics - he had more overall strikes 179-108, had more significant strikes 108-82 in addition to the 3 huge takedown's that I mentioned above.

The "Polish Power" still reigns supreme.

And now all the talk of a super fight between Jon Jones and Izzy has to take a backseat.

I think Izzy should eat his pride and go back to his natural division Middleweight where he is the undisputed king.

Just watched an extended highlights video of the fight.
Jan took his time, didn't attack him wildly and executed a very well thought plan. He is 38 years old btw

Izzy lost his aura of invincibility. He is still a great fighter tho and should end his career as a legend.

 

[KingKhanWC]

-The official scorecard is in Jan's favor 49-46, 49-45, 49-45. So, in judge's eyes it was not even a close contest.

I mean it was clear that Jan had a great fight and he grew stronger and stronger as the fight went into the championship rounds.

I think it was 2-1 to Israel after the first 3.

Poor from him, there is no way a slow figther should be able to take him down. Sure his take downs were quick and unexpected but if Israel maintained his distance with his far superiour agility, Jan wouldnt have got close. I think Iz got too confident, too lazy and lost concentration. Once a bigger guys gets you on half mount, you are done.

Very good night of MMA.

Islam was very very impressive, seemed like Khabib returned to the Octogan. Totally dominated his opp with grapling and a beautiful finish to sumbit. Deserves a top 5 opponent now, possibly Ferguson but I dont think he will take the fight after being destroyed by Olivera. Islam v Olivera would be a great fight.

Amanda Nunes is a just too good for anyone out there in her division, brutaly finished of the lanky girl from Aus.

Peter Jan ruined a great peformance by a moment of utter stupidy to get disqod. Re-match will be one sided again, with Jan becoming champ again.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I think it was 2-1 to Israel after the first 3.

Poor from him, there is no way a slow figther should be able to take him down. Sure his take downs were quick and unexpected but if Israel maintained his distance with his far superiour agility, Jan wouldnt have got close. I think Iz got too confident, too lazy and lost concentration. Once a bigger guys gets you on half mount, you are done.

Very good night of MMA.

Islam was very very impressive, seemed like Khabib returned to the Octogan. Totally dominated his opp with grapling and a beautiful finish to sumbit. Deserves a top 5 opponent now, possibly Ferguson but I dont think he will take the fight after being destroyed by Olivera. Islam v Olivera would be a great fight.

Amanda Nunes is a just too good for anyone out there in her division, brutaly finished of the lanky girl from Aus.

Peter Jan ruined a great peformance by a moment of utter stupidy to get disqod. Re-match will be one sided again, with Jan becoming champ again.

Jan looks slow, but he is in fact very methodical and his technique is great for countering speed. He counters jabs by throwing at the same time so whoever is throwing, knows they will get one back, and with his power, it will do more damage. And if you watch his checking of leg kicks, it is clear he has actually got faster reactions than it looks.

Then you have his use of timing his takedowns when his opponent is throwing a punch, and it becomes clear that this guy is actually a very skilled fighter. He did the same to Reyes. I think it's going to take someone of similar power to beat him, it's not going to be just about speed. His losses probably came against the bigger guys who outgunned him.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

I think it was 2-1 to Israel after the first 3.

Poor from him, there is no way a slow figther should be able to take him down. Sure his take downs were quick and unexpected but if Israel maintained his distance with his far superiour agility, Jan wouldnt have got close. I think Iz got too confident, too lazy and lost concentration. Once a bigger guys gets you on half mount, you are done.

Very good night of MMA.

Islam was very very impressive, seemed like Khabib returned to the Octogan. Totally dominated his opp with grapling and a beautiful finish to sumbit. Deserves a top 5 opponent now, possibly Ferguson but I dont think he will take the fight after being destroyed by Olivera. Islam v Olivera would be a great fight.

Amanda Nunes is a just too good for anyone out there in her division, brutaly finished of the lanky girl from Aus.

Peter Jan ruined a great peformance by a moment of utter stupidy to get disqod. Re-match will be one sided again, with Jan becoming champ again.

It is the age old adage - if two fighters of near equal skills square off - the bigger/heavier guy will always win. As I was watching the fight - it was very clear to me that Jan did not respect Izzy's power behind his strikes - i.e., Jan became confident that he was not going to be knocked out by Izzy. That emboldened him to go for those takedown's and the fact that he did not try for any TD's in the first 3 rounds - lulled Izzy into complacency.

Also it is quite different from moving a weight class up from say 135 to 145 - a 10 pound difference to moving from 185 to 205 a 20 pound difference.

And Izzy's strategy to not bulk up - to retain speed and agility may have been his Achille's heel as once he got taken down he never got up.

Izzy weighed in around 201 pounds on the fight night and Jan I think was pushing towards 220 pounds - that's a significant weight difference. Also in my book it is not good for MMA that a champion in another weight class is allowed to simply walk into a higher weight class and fight for the title. There are several top guys in the 205 division who would rightfully be miffed - but of course UFC knows Izzy is a golden goose.

Jan fought a tremendously strategic and intelligent fight. Well done to him.

Amanda Nunes has essentially killed off the 145 division with her utter domination. There's really no one there to challenge her. Pena is calling her out in the 135 division so she will probably go back there now. She is also the defending champ in the 135 division too.

While Islam looks exciting - it is time for him to fight a top 10/5 guy.

And Petr Yan committed harakiri with that blatant illegal knee. He was on course to defending his title. Of course there will be a re-match.

While I was thrilled to see Dominick Cruz win after a gap of a million years (mainly due to his injuries) - it was kind of sad to see him fight in the prelims.

Overall a great card.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

It is Belal Muhammad vs Leon Edwards - the last fight of the evening.

I really like the Brit Leon Edwards - he deserves a title shot so I am rooting for him.

And it is happening in the Welterweight division - the shark tank division of the UFC.

I am so looking forward to this fight.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

That was a good first round for Leon. The highlight was that big leg kick onto Belal's head.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

Oh damn, Belal is crying - and I mean I do not mean in an insulting way.

The fight is stopped. Horrible horrible. Belal's in pain.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

An eye poke - unintentional - I must add. I mean it looks real bad for Belal. Belal cannot continue. And for Leon what an unfortunate comeback.

Leon just apologized to Belal. Oh boy, I feel so sorry for Belal.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

The official result is a no contest.

I know it was only one round that got finished but Leon looked really good. Hope they run this back soon.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Khabib's meeting with Dana confirms he has officially retired.

The vacant Lightweight belt title will be between Chandler and Oliveira.

Harsh to Dustin, he should be fighting for the title instead of Chandler.

 

[Tubs]

My sister (who knows nothing of UFC really) mentioned to me in passing that Oliviera (well deserved) and Chandler (what...?) were fighting for the title. I was shocked. I think the whole MMA community agrees that Dustin deserved it.

However, Chandler stepped up to be a stand-in for Khabib-Gaethje, and Dustin recently had a pretty loud pay dispute with the UFC, and he beat Dana's cash cow (which is doubly important now that Khabib is officially gone). I can certainly see some pettiness from Dana here, and we all know the human tomato isn't above that.

This is terrible, while Chandler's debut was amazing, it was just a debut. Poirier has only lost to Khabib in recent years and has looked great, and beat Hooker and McGregor. With Gaethje already losing to Khabib, there was no one else to give the shot to.

 

[Tubs]

The official result is a no contest.

I know it was only one round that got finished but Leon looked really good. Hope they run this back soon.

Leon looked levels above. While Belal certainly deserves a rematch, I wish there wasn't one to get things moving along. Usman himself said that Leon was the only guy that didn't seem mentally or physically broken after fighting him. The respect is there, and I think Leon has the skills to beat Usman. Shame that it will have to wait until a little longer.

A note on Belal, a tough, tough guy, and it was a shame to see what happened to him. I really hope there is no permanent damage, as that looked nasty.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

Leon looked levels above. While Belal certainly deserves a rematch, I wish there wasn't one to get things moving along. Usman himself said that Leon was the only guy that didn't seem mentally or physically broken after fighting him. The respect is there, and I think Leon has the skills to beat Usman. Shame that it will have to wait until a little longer.

A note on Belal, a tough, tough guy, and it was a shame to see what happened to him. I really hope there is no permanent damage, as that looked nasty.

Actually the toughest fight I've seen Usman in was the Colby Covington fight. Colby gets a lot of heat from casual fans for his outright support to Trump - but serious MMA fans and commentators know that he is a damn good fighter. In fact, Usman in a rare moment of honesty admitted that Colby pushed him very hard. I absolutely loved that title fight.

In fact that is the fight that should happen again in my view but of course Colby is not particularly in good books with Dana.

Leon and Usman would also be a good fight. I'd love to watch that.

 

[Tubs]

Actually the toughest fight I've seen Usman in was the Colby Covington fight. Colby gets a lot of heat from casual fans for his outright support to Trump - but serious MMA fans and commentators know that he is a damn good fighter. In fact, Usman in a rare moment of honesty admitted that Colby pushed him very hard. I absolutely loved that title fight.

In fact that is the fight that should happen again in my view but of course Colby is not particularly in good books with Dana.

Leon and Usman would also be a good fight. I'd love to watch that.

Great point there, I just think Leon deserves a shot before Colby. Colby is probably one good win away from another title shot, however.

Yeah, I'm intrigued to see how it would go with Leon and Usman. Leon seems to be strong enough to hold his own in the clinch, and his wrestling is really good (especially for a Brit!), and I think he has the edge in striking. We saw Burns buzz Usman and I think he made a mistake in throwing that headkick, Burns could have won that fight in the first. Let's see if Leon can do something similar.

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/56485742

Former Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren is used to sporting contests lasting 90 minutes - but his latest ended after just 50 seconds.

Lovren, who now plays for Zenit St Petersburg, stepped into the octagon with Croatian former UFC fighter Mirko Filipovic.

Lovren posted a video on his Instagram on Saturday thanking Filipovic (known as 'Cro Cop') for a "short training session".

The 31-year-old had little chance to get going against the 46-year-old Filipovic before he was thrown to the mat and put in an armbar. A submission soon followed... and we'll avoid any obvious jokes about the state of Lovren's defence.

Filipovic is a retired mixed martial arts fighter, and widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweight kick-boxers of all time.

Lovren, meanwhile, has seen plenty of rough and tumble on the pitch - he was, after all, a defensive partner of the rugged Martin Skrtel at Liverpool.

But will he incorporate any of his new training into his football? He's currently with his Croatia team-mates preparing for a World Cup qualifier against Slovenia on Wednesday, 24 March.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

Ladies and gentlemen - there is a new, improved, absolutely brutal, scary heavy weight champion in the UFC - Francis Ngannou.

I absolutely loved this fight. Francis has improved so much, this particular fight he never rushed, he took deep breaths, he was tactical - he fully understood the immense power in his punches. And when the opportunity presented itself in the 2nd round Francis landed a huge left hand and that scary hammer fists finished of the current defending chamption Stipe Miocic.

Long Live the new king Francis Ngannou. Francis may end up fighting Jon Jones eventually.

And in other news after losing his 4th straight fight - this time by a submission - Tyron Woodley may have graced UFC for the very last time. Sad ending for a former champion.

But the night belongs to Francis Ngannou. And people are already talking about the "Usman Effect" - for the fight fans - you know what I am talking about.

 

[Suleiman]

Man what a display of controlled aggression by Francis. Even his most diehard fans would not have expected this.

Stipe didn’t expect this.

Training with Usman paid off it seems. Went from brute throwing haymakers to a proper martial artist with a game plan but with a ton of power. Congrats, heard he’s had one of toughest journeys ever to get this far. Well played sir. Also such a humble guy.

Hope he knocks that clown Jon Jones’ lights out back to light heavyweight.

Hard luck Stipe, one of the greatest ever in heavyweight, if not the greatest. But I don’t think he’s getting it back as long as Francis is around.

 

[Bigboii]

"Hope he knocks that clown Jon Jones’ lights out back to light heavyweight."

Amen brotha..

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id...onor-mcgregor-iii-finalized-soon-ufc-264-july

The UFC is moving toward officially booking Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor III for later this year.

According to multiple sources, the trilogy is "close" to being finalized for UFC 264 on July 10. It is not signed yet or fully agreed to, but there is optimism that it could be finalized as soon as this week, sources say.

Poirier defeated McGregor in January via second-round TKO in a rematch of their 2014 fight. Back then, at UFC 178, McGregor defeated Poirier via first-round TKO.


The trilogy, which is expected to be one of the most lucrative in UFC history, is slated to serve as a five-round main event at 155 pounds, just like the rematch was. The original fight took place at 145 pounds.

McGregor (22-5) would be looking to secure his first win since January 2020, while Poirier (27-6, 1 NC) will hope to extend his winning streak to three in a row.

The location for the event hasn't been announced, though it is expected to be open to fans, sources say.

UFC president Dana White said Saturday that the plan is for UFC 264 to be at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and when asked if Poirier vs. McGregor would be the main event, he said: "I hope so. We all hope so."

 

[KingKhanWC]

Francis Ngannou finally shows his potential!

He destroyed the champ and I can see him holding the belt for a long time. Jon Jones will be blown away too imo.

Dustin kept ranting about not being able to be champion but has chosen $ instead of the title. If he loses to McGregor he shoulnt be ever given another title shot.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

"Hope he knocks that clown Jon Jones’ lights out back to light heavyweight."

Amen brotha..

I reckon Jones would beat him to be honest. Ngannou is very wild and not that skilled, but he just has such incredible punching power he can blow people away with volume. Stipe gave him a lesson in timing the last time out, and made him pay for his reckless lunges. This time Francis took his time and didn't over-commit, and he was too much for the Croat.

I suppose there is a good chance he could just demolish Jones as well, who isn't a genuine heavyweight, but he is a very skilled fighter who knows all the angles. Jones has been head and shoulders above anyone else in the light heavyweight division, never seen him in any danger of being KO's by anyone before.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id...ight-championship-jon-jones-superfight-awaits


Welcome to the Francis Ngannou era; Jon Jones, you're next


Francis Ngannou had just dropped UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic with a jab and had him trapped against the cage. The big man swarmed, a finish seemingly within his grasp. But Miocic escaped with urgency and moved toward the center of the Octagon, where the champ would make his stand.

Miocic let go with a straight right hand that stopped Ngannou in his tracks. But the pause lasted for only a single tick off the clock in Saturday's UFC 260 main event in Las Vegas. Ngannou barely hesitated before stepping forward with a left hook that connected on the button. Miocic fell, Ngannou pounced with one final swing of his fist, and there was a new champion.

It was a stunning moment, seeing the heavyweight widely acclaimed as the greatest ever lying motionless on his back, all of the fight drained from him, and his successor to the throne calmly walking away with one finger in the air, signifying that he finally was No. 1.

The understated celebration was right in character for Ngannou, whose chiseled physique and sledgehammer fists might make him seem right out of central casting for an imposing heavyweight champ, but whose soft-spoken way suggests gentleman more than fighting man.

Ngannou was out of character, though, in a different way on this night. The big man with heavy hands, who had knocked out his four most recent opponents with violent bursts that lasted 71 seconds or shorter, finished this one by knockout 52 seconds in -- but at 52 seconds of the second round. And yet, even though it took an eternity in Ngannou time for him to knock out Miocic, this was as satisfying as a night can be.

Satisfaction came, most obviously, because the elusive title belt Ngannou had been after for years was at stake. There also was gratification derived from this fight -- a rematch of a 2018 title fight in which Ngannou had been schooled and humbled by Miocic -- playing out in a totally different way from the first meeting. It wasn't simply that Ngannou won this time. He showed a new level of patience, remembering how sapped of energy he had been after just one round of that prior five-rounder against Miocic.

And Ngannou also put on display an expanded skill set. By making such fast work of his four most recent previous opponents, Ngannou had not had time to show off anything other than those fight-finishing fists of his. But by the time Saturday's Round 1 was over, he had utilized kicks to both the legs and the head, punches aimed not just at the head but at the body, as well, and perhaps most important of all, defensive wrestling that kept Miocic from smothering him on the canvas, as he did back in 2018.

Ngannou's knockout power alone was scary enough. Now opponents have to worry about a well-rounded game? Yikes.

"I don't have the vocabulary to express this, because it feels so amazing," said Ngannou, a native of Cameroon who trains in Las Vegas. "Even though I had been winning fights, I had this thing inside of me that I never released -- a promise that I made to myself when I was young, to one day prove to the doubters and people who thought I was beneath them that ... if one day I ever had the opportunity, I would do something great."

That he did, although his night of greatness was slow in arriving.

For a man who gets his business done as rapidly as Ngannou does, it sure took him a while to find his way to the throne of "baddest man on the planet." That esteemed status seemed a fait accompli several years ago, after Ngannou destroyed his first six UFC opponents, riding into his first shot at Miocic's title on the strength of four straight finishes inside two minutes. But the champ ended up turning that night into his own glorious showcase: Miocic's dominant decision win was a huge step toward building his case as the greatest heavyweight in MMA history.

For Ngannou, the thrashing was so demoralizing it spilled over into his next fight, a forgettable staring-match loss to Derrick Lewis that put Ngannou's future as a contender in doubt.

But over the year that followed, Ngannou erased all doubt by quickly knocking out a fellow top contender (Curtis Blaydes, in 45 seconds) and a former champ (Cain Velasquez, 26 seconds) to reassert himself at the head of the line for a title shot. The problem was, there was no title shot to be had. At the time, Miocic was engaged in a trilogy with Daniel Cormier that for two years turned the heavyweight highway into a parking lot.

When all obstacles cleared away and Ngannou's second shot at the belt finally did present itself, the 34-year-old did not waste it.

Unlike the 2018 meeting, in which Ngannou came out with a fury and emptied his fuel tank before the first round was over, he fought with poise and smarts this time. Ngannou fought like he was prepared for a full 25 minutes. It was only after Miocic came out with added aggression to start Round 2 that Ngannou shifted into a higher gear and found the knockout and the glory.

Congratulations, champ. Enjoy the spoils of victory ... for a few minutes. Take a deep breath. Celebrate with friends. Maybe have a nice meal. Then get back into the gym to prepare for the biggest challenge of your life.

Not literally the biggest, at least not in a physical sense.

Jon Jones, who ruled at light heavyweight for most of the past decade, has been bulking up lately to take his shot at the heavyweight title. This has been a long time coming, and UFC president Dana White said before UFC 260 that Jones will be the next challenger for Saturday's winner -- and that the fight of all fights could happen this summer. There are financial matters to be settled, of course, as postfight comments by both Jones (on social media) and White (at the UFC news conference) made clear. But this fight is too big to not get done.

So, after defeating the greatest heavyweight of all time, Ngannou next gets to face perhaps the greatest of all time in any weight class. What a one-two punch to start 2021 with a bang. And two fights that will be tremendously lucrative.

The spotlight does not shine any brighter than it will for Ngannou's first title defense, unless he were to eventually follow through with his stated desire to cross over to boxing and step in the ring with Tyson Fury or Anthony Joshua, both of them heavyweight champions and the best of the era in their sport. If that career trajectory sounds more like pie-in-the-sky delusion than sweet ambition, you've simply not been paying attention to the spectacle of combat sports, from the sucker-is-born-every-minute Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor circus to the anyone-is-a-pro-boxer-if-people-pay-to-watch family business of Jake and Logan Paul, champions of YouTube.

Within MMA, though, Jones is the ultimate proving ground. To defeat him would send shock waves, because it's never been done. That sets Jones apart from Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, Amanda Nunes and Demetrious Johnson, the other fighters often mentioned in GOAT conversations. They're all-time greats, every one of them, but they've all been defeated. Jones has not.

(Detail-oriented readers might notice a "1" in the loss column of Jones' record, but that was a dubious disqualification early in his UFC career in a fight that he was thoroughly dominating.)

Ngannou is up for the challenge of handing Jones his first real defeat. He has no choice. This all-season sport never stops, especially if you own the shiny belt that all of the other big guys want. Not only them, but also a slightly smaller guy who probably has never been described that way before in his life.

Smaller? Jon Jones? He is 6-foot-4, same as Ngannou, but while the new champ weighed in at 263 pounds on Friday, Jones has posted on social media that he is up to 240. That would make Jones heavier than Miocic, who stepped on the scale for this fight at 234 pounds. But Miocic is used to being the smaller guy; he has weighed in lighter than his opponents in his past five fights. Jones, on the other hand, has always banked on being the bigger man; he has been too physical for 205-pounders to handle. That will no longer be a built-in edge for Jones now that he is swimming with the big fish. Ngannou can't wait to drown him.

"For my opinion, Jon Jones is the greatest of all time for mixed martial arts. Him moving up is a challenge that I will take and put it on my record," Ngannou said. "It will be a very good challenge for me, a very good thing to put on my résumé. But he is going to be the challenger. I am the champ. He's coming up and looking for me. I'm ready."

So are fight fans. The crowning glory of Saturday's heavyweight championship fight is still buzzing, and oh, boy, we can't wait for the next one.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/31169293/nate-diaz-leon-edwards-agree-fight-ufc-262-sources-say

Nate Diaz, Leon Edwards agree to fight for UFC 262, sources say

Nate Diaz is back.

Diaz, one of the most popular fighters in MMA, will meet Leon Edwards at UFC 262 on May 15 in Houston, sources told ESPN. Both fighters have verbally agreed to the fight, though the contract is not signed yet.

The fight will serve as a five-round co-main event for the card headlined by Charles Oliveira versus Michael Chandler for the vacant UFC lightweight title, sources said.

This will mark the first five-round, non-title co-main event in UFC history.

Diaz (20-12) hasn't fought since his November 2019 loss to Jorge Masvidal at Madison Square Garden.

Edwards (18-3, 1 NC) is unbeaten in his past nine fights. He had won eight fights in a row; however, earlier this month, his bout against Belal Muhammad ended in a no contest after he hit Muhammad with an accidental eye poke in the second round, which resulted in Muhammad no longer being able to continue.

Edwards' last loss was to Kamaru Usman, before Usman became UFC welterweight champion, in December 2015.

The promotion had hoped to book Edwards to face Colby Covington next, but couldn't get Covington to agree to the fight for undisclosed reasons, sources said. The UFC pivoted to an Edwards-Diaz fight late last week.

UFC 262 will take place at the Toyota Center, home of the Houston Rockets.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Nate Diaz was a great fighter in his prime, but the scar tissue means he cuts up too easily these days. Well past his best, but even so he beat Conor McGregor in their first bout which should tell you just how good he was.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

Anti climactic ending for Jimmy Crute against Anthony Smith at UFC 261. Smith's leg kick wobbled Crute and that was the end of that.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

Oh my God, are you flipping kidding me - Chris Weidman suffers a horrible leg fracture against Uriah Hall in an identical fashion that reminds me of Anderson Silva fracturing his leg fighting ironically Chris Weidman.

For the faint hearted please do not watch the video. I am not posting it here. It looks horrendous.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

Is there anyone on this planet who is going to challenge Valentina Shevchenko at 125 lbs? The answer is a resounding no as Valentina destroyed Jessica Andrade in the most emphatic fashion in the title bout.

What was incredible is Valentina showed her diversity of skills by taking down Jessica 6 times. Jessica must have been so confused as Valentina does not particularly wrestle that much. The fight was stopped in the second round after Valentina got another take down, stepped over into a crucifix position and rained down some heavy blows and Jessica was not able to protect herself and the referee had to step in to stop the fight.

All 3 fights in the main card so far have been KO/TKO's.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

My favorite female fighter Rose Namajunas defeats the defending champion Weili Zhang from China in the most spectacular fashion to reclaim the title at the strawweight.

A perfectly placed left high kick from Rose dropped Weili and Rose finishes the job with hammerfists.

Wow every single fight in the main card have been KO/TKO's so far.

Will the last and the final title fight between USMAN vs MASVIDAL go the same route?

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

Rose Namajunas who has Lithuanian ancestry before the fight famously claimed "Better Dead Than Red" - a slogan famous for its defiance against Communism.

Her ancestors suffered a lot under the communist regime in Lithuania and Rose mentioned that she is motivated that extra bit more to win the title.

Well on the evidence of her superlative performance tonight - Rose was definitely well prepared to obliterate whatever mental cobwebs that Communism may have woven in her brain.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

Very very emotional moment for Rose. Even Joe Rogan shed a tear while interviewing her. Rose had to go through such a difficult phase in the last 3 years of her life and her determination, perseverance, mental toughness on the fight night catapulted her to the championship. Long Live Thug Rose.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

This is it guys - Usman vs Masvidal 2.

Round 1 - in my book goes to Usman. He got a takedown, and he was even comfortable in the stand up.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

Wow wow wow, Usman defeats Masvidal with a knockout in the 2nd round to retain the title. Usman thus defeats Masvidal two times in a row - this time in the most comprehensive fashion. Masvidal is absolutely knocked out cold.

Usman is probably one of my favorite fighters in the men's irrespective of any division. He is not a crowd puller or so his critics argue but he is one of the most intelligent, strong, well rounded fighters that there is in UFC. No one can seem to approach him at this point.

If things go the way they need to - Dana will book Usman vs Colby Covington - which was Usman's toughest fight till date.

What a card - every single fight in the main card thus finishes with a KO or a TKO.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

Please Dana book Colby vs Usman already. Their last title fight in 2018 was one for the ages. I really loved that fight.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

Usman - for a guy who is known for his top rate wrestling the way he has developed his striking skills recently is impressive. A reason why he is such a consummate champion.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Quite a few surprises on the Saturday's fight card, with KO's for both Weili and Masvidal. Rose is a crazy good fighter, and I always felt she had the reach and power to win that bout, but did not expect a KO, because Weili is very tough. But she got caught with a clean head kick and that will put anyone out.

Same goes for Masvidal, while he was always going to lose, you just never see the guy get knocked out, he has a granite chin. But again, he got hit by an absolute bomb, and like the shot which got Zhang, this was also a clean strike with no block.

Oh and that leg break for Weidman...

Sickening. Hope he gets well soon but I think that's the end of his career.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Quite a few surprises on the Saturday's fight card, with KO's for both Weili and Masvidal. Rose is a crazy good fighter, and I always felt she had the reach and power to win that bout, but did not expect a KO, because Weili is very tough. But she got caught with a clean head kick and that will put anyone out.

Same goes for Masvidal, while he was always going to lose, you just never see the guy get knocked out, he has a granite chin. But again, he got hit by an absolute bomb, and like the shot which got Zhang, this was also a clean strike with no block.

Oh and that leg break for Weidman...

Sickening. Hope he gets well soon but I think that's the end of his career.

Lovely kick from Rose but Zhang wasnt completley out, she turned on front to protect herself, perhaps a few more seconds should have been allowed as she was the champion but cant complain about the decision too much.

Jorge was far too confident and worrying too much about the takedown, should have gone further into the fight. Great KO tho by Usman, he's becoming better & better.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

Jiri Prochazka stops Dominick Reyes with 3rd spinning back elbow KO in UFC history


A new star might have just been born in one of the UFC's premier divisions.

Jiri Prochazka knocked out Dominick Reyes with a spinning back elbow at 4 minutes, 29 seconds of the second round Saturday night in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas.

It was only the third spinning back elbow KO in UFC history, and Prochazka is the heaviest man to pull off the feat in the Octagon. The spectacular finish will likely be a Knockout of the Year candidate.

The finish came as the culmination of nearly two rounds of a Prochazka onslaught. Prochazka bloodied Reyes with unorthodox combinations out of switching stances in the first round. Reyes landed beautiful left-hand counters often, but Prochazka's chin and pace were impressive. He never stopped coming until Reyes wilted following the spinning left back elbow, which came after a right elbow with Reyes against the cage.

"I just flow," Prochazka said in his postfight interview. "After some counterpunches from Dominick, I can have no chance to think for some plans. I just was in the flow. [I thought], 'After that, maybe spinning elbow. OK, let's try it.'"

Coming in, ESPN had Reyes ranked No. 4 in the world at light heavyweight and Prochazka at No. 10. UFC president Dana White said leading into this fight that the winner could be next in line for a light heavyweight title shot. Light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz will defend the belt against Glover Teixeira at UFC 266 in September.

Prochazka (28-3-1) has won 12 straight. Saturday night marked Prochazka's 25th career win by knockout and his 10th straight KO/TKO finish.

The Czech Republic native knocked out former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir in his UFC debut in July. Prochazka, 28, is the former light heavyweight champion of Japan's Rizin promotion. He owns a victory over Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov.

"I just want to share the beauty of martial arts," Prochazka said of his fighting style, which incorporates traditional martial arts.

Reyes (12-3) has now dropped three straight. In his most recent bout, he was knocked out by Blachowicz in a vacant light heavyweight title fight at UFC 253 last September. The California native is most known for taking all-time great Jon Jones to the brink in a unanimous decision loss at UFC 247 in February 2020, a bout many thought Reyes should have won.

Reyes, 31, has been considered by White as one of the future faces of the 205-pound division.

But now it seems like it could be Prochazka's time.

https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id...-reyes-3rd-spinning-back-elbow-ko-ufc-history

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

I was not bored for even a single second of this fight. Jiri has such a frenetic style and his punches are frightening- it was great to watch.

I feel sorry for Reyes. Not too long ago he was considered the next big thing at 205 lbs. In many people's books he even defeated Jon Jones but now this is his third loss in a row.

This is going to be a test of his character now to bounce back from these recent losses.

 

[MenInG]

Sergio Pettis captured the Bellator bantamweight title in Uncasville, Connecticut to follow in brother Anthony's footsteps by becoming an MMA world champion.

Pettis, 27, outpointed defending 135-pound champion Juan Archuleta in the main event of Bellator 258 on Friday night, earning scores of 50-45, 49-46, 49-46 to extend his unbeaten run since joining Bellator.

It meant Pettis added another world championship belt to the family collection.

His Bellator title joins the WEC and UFC lightweight titles previously won by his older brother earlier in his career.

After taking his Bellator record to 3-0, with an overall tally of 21-5, Pettis said he was confident as he awaited the scorecards following the five-round fight.

"He hit me with some good shots, but I knew my shots were hitting a little cleaner, a little bit harder. I was more calculated, calm," he said.

"He said there was a storm coming, and there's a heavy water tide, but I was out here, I was water tonight, man. I was flowing, and it was my night."

Pettis said he would be prepared to face team-mate Raufeon Stots in a title defence if that is the fight Bellator mandate for him next.

He also said he would love to face Japanese star and former Bellator champion Kyoji Horiguchi for his Rizin FF title in a cross-promotional fight in a bid to emulate his brother by becoming a two-promotion world champion.

"I'd like to call out Horiguchi. I would love to represent Bellator against Rizin," he said.

"Ant's got two belts, and it would be a great opportunity to get my second belt, as well."

'Rumble' returns with second-round knockout

In the night's co-main event, light-heavyweight contender Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson made his long-awaited return to the cage and survived an early scare before knocking out late-notice opponent Jose Augusto to progress to the semi-finals of the Bellator light-heavyweight Grand Prix.

Former UFC contender Johnson, who was making his Bellator debut after a four-year hiatus from the sport, looked to be edging toward a first-round stoppage after Augusto appeared to break his right hand early in the fight.

But, as Johnson closed in looking for the knockout, he was badly rocked by a huge Augusto left hand that put the American in big trouble in the closing moments of the round.

But 'Rumble' survived and came back to knock out the Brazilian with a huge overhand right in round two to book his place in the semi-finals of the Bellator light-heavyweight grand prix, where he will face reigning champion Vadim Nemkov for the 205-pound title and a place in the tournament final.

'MVP' scores another stoppage win
The event also saw the return to action of England's Michael 'Venom' Page, who produced a typically spectacular performance to finish American Derek Anderson in their 175-pound catchweight contest.

In a departure from the usual routine, 'MVP' walked out for his fight to total silence after opting to have no walkout music. But once the action got under way, his performance made all the noise as he showcased his elusive, unique fighting style to score a first-round injury TKO stoppage.

The decisive moment came one minute from the end of the first round, when Page dropped Anderson with a stunning head kick that left Anderson with a badly broken nose. The American made it to the end of the round, but the cageside doctor waved off the contest with Anderson on his stool.

Page is looking to earn a rematch with current welterweight champion Douglas Lima after the Brazilian handed him his first, and only, career loss at Bellator 221 in 2019.

Since that defeat, the 34-year-old Londoner has won five in a row, with four of those victories coming via spectacular knockout.

After his latest win, Page used his post-fight interview to call for a rematch with the 170-pound champ.

"Everybody knows what I want. There's one redemption fight I'm looking for," he said.

"He's constantly got excuses for me now. I'm not interested in even calling his name, but everyone knows who he is. We will meet, and the same stuff is gonna happen."

Queally calls for title shot
Also on the main card, Irish lightweight contender Peter Queally returned from a frustrating spell on the sidelines to announce himself as a top contender for the 155-pound title.

Dublin's Queally, 32, defeated Brazilian contender Patricky 'Pitbull' Freire via doctor stoppage due to cuts after two well-contested rounds, then called for a shot at the Bellator lightweight title held by Freire's brother, two-division champion Patricio as he looks to continue the ongoing rivalry between his gym, SBG, and the Pitbull Brothers team in Brazil.

"Let's me and Patricio settle this SBG-Pitbull feud now. That's the only way to do it," he said.

"I think he's going to win the (featherweight) tournament against A.J. (McKee) - good luck to him - and then he should defend his belt against me, and let's settle this once and for all.

"He has to have respected what I did to his brother there, and he doesn't want to fight me after that, I'm going to lose respect for him."

BBC

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

UFC Fight Night results: Alex Morono makes quick work of Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone

A whirlwind week ended in a good result for Alex Morono, as the 30-year-old welterweight defeated Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone on short notice.

Morono (19-7) finished Cerrone via TKO at 4:40 of the opening round. The welterweight bout co-headlined the UFC Fight Night on Saturday, inside the Apex facility in Las Vegas. Cerrone (36-16) was originally scheduled to face Diego Sanchez, but the UFC pulled Sanchez from the bout due to medical concerns and released him from its roster, and Morono was more than ready to take his place.

Cerrone, 38, is tied with Jim Miller for the UFC's all-time record in appearances with 37. The New Mexico-based legend said before the fight that he expected Morono to come out aggressively -- and that proved to be the case. Morono bullied Cerrone with right hands and combinations, which eventually forced him to cover up until the end of the fight.

A former lightweight title challenger, Cerrone is now winless in his last six appearances. He is 0-5 during that stretch, with one no contest. He's been knocked out in four of those five defeats. One of the most popular fighters on the UFC roster, Cerrone's last win came against Al Iaquinta in May 2019.

Morono, of Houston, bounces back from a 1-2 campaign in 2020. His last fight was also on short notice, a decision loss to Anthony Pettis in December.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

Wow that is 5 losses in a row for Cowboy. Perhaps it is time to put his boots up. He's achieved a lot in this sport and there is no need to take any more punishment from younger, hungrier fighters.