Benson Henderson vs. Michael Chandler 2 Added to Bellator Japan

A rematch between Benson Henderson and Michael Chandler was announced to be the co-main event of Bellator Japan, which takes place at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on December 29th.

Henderson and Chandler first met in 2016 at Bellator 165. Chandler prevailed that evening, getting a split decision win after five rounds of competition.

Chandler recently dropped the Bellator Lightweight Championship to Patricio Pitbull, getting finished in just over a minute. The loss ended his thrid reign as the promotion’s 155 pound champ.

Henderson is currently on a four-fight winning streak, picking up a win most recently against Myles Jury in September.

The main event of Bellator Japan is set to be Fedor Emelianenko versus Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. The event will be co-promoted with Japanese MMA promotion RIZIN Fighting Federation.

PFL 8 2019 Live Report

The Professional Fighters League had it’s second of three playoff evenings on Thursday, with the lightweight and featherweight quarter-finals and semi-finals taking place. As usual, the show had the structure of fighting twice in one night to make it to the finals at a later date. Live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, it was PFL 8.

The quarter-final fights were two-five minute rounds, as the semi-finals were three-five minute rounds.

Bout 1: Alexandre Almeida (21-9) (#9) vs. Lance Palmer (19-3) (#1) (Featherweight Quarter-Final)

The first undercard fight of the evening saw the top seed Lance Palmer versus Alexandre Almeida. Almeida tried for a takedown early but ended up in bottom position against Palmer. They were stood up with over a minute left in the first round. Palmer got another takedown shortly after. They stayed in that position until the round ended.

In the first minute of the final round, Palmer dropped Almeida with strikes. He then went into top position and threw strikes periodically, similar to what he did in the round before. He continued to throw strikes from top position until the round ended.

When consulting the judges, all three favoured Lance Palmer as the winner (20-17, 20-18 & 20-18).

Bout 2: Andre Harrison (21-1-1) (#5) vs. Alex Gilpin (13-2) (#4) (Featherweight Quarter-Final)

The second featherweight quarter-final fight of evening with Andre Harrison and Alex Gilpin. Harrison stopped a takedown successfully early on. After getting hit with some strikes in stand-up, Gilpin landed a trip takedown. Harrison got up, but was taken back down when Gilpin tried for a guillotine choke. They got back up with a minute left. Both fighters started to up their tempo of strikes. Harrison put Gilpin up against the cage as the round ended.

Harrison scored a double leg takedown early in the second round. Gilpin put in a choke which took out Harrison cold, giving Alex Gilpin the win. He got the choke in stand-up, bringing the fight to the ground with it.

Despite having a rough first round, Alex Gilpin pulled through and got a victory, moving on to the semi-finals.

Bout 3: Daniel Pineda (26-13) (#7) vs. Movlid Khaybulaev (14-0-1) (#2) (Featherweight Quarter-Final)

The next featherweight quarter-final fight saw Daniel Pineda face Movlid Khaybulaev. Earlier in the year, the undefeated Khaybulaev made the rounds online for a vicious knee knockout over Damon Jackson. Very early in this fight, Pineda stunned Khaybulaev with strikes. He kept pressing him until the referee saw enough. Underdog Daniel Pineda moved to the semi-finals scoring a quick stoppage over Movlid Khaybulaev, ending his undefeated record as well.

Bout 4: Jeremy Kennedy (14-2) (#6) vs. Luis Rafael Laurentino (34-2) (#3) (Featherweight Quarter-Final)

The final quarter-final featherweight fight of the evening was between Jeremy Kennedy and Luis Rafael Laurentino. Kennedy landed a jab early on which knocked Laurentino back. Kennedy tried for a takedown, pinning Laurentino up against the cage for a minute before eventually getting it. Laurentino tried for a leg lock on the ground.

Kennedy got a takedown early in the second round. He landed punches from top position, continuing until the referee stopped the bout.

Bout 5: Ramsey Nijem (10-7) (#8) vs. Natan Schulte (17-3-1) (#1) (Lightweight Quarter-Final)

The lightweight portion of the quarter-finals was next, starting with the top seed Natan Schulte facing Ramsey Nijem. Schulte was rocked early on but was able to find a rear naked choke on the ground which took Nijem out cold. Despite a rocky start to the round, Natan Schulte advanced to the next round.

Bout 6: Alex Gilpin (14-2) (#4) vs. Lance Palmer (20-3) (#1) (Featherweight Semi-Final)

The next fight was the first semi-final fight of the featherweight division, between Alex Gilpin and Lance Palmer. Before the fight started we saw Henry Cejudo in attendance. Gilpin was the more active striker early on, but that was ended after Palmer landed a takedown. Back in stand-up, Gilpin was the more aggressive striker. Palmer caught a flying knee attempt, putting Gilpin up against the cage as the round ended.

The fighters had pretty evenly matched stand-up in the second round. Palmer got a takedown with just over a minute left in the second round. He kept him on the ground until the round ended.

Palmer landed good punches early in the third round, though none of it seemed to shake Gilpin. Palmer got hurt my a knee then shot for a takedown. Palmer took top position with three minutes left in the round. With less than a minute left in the fight, Palmer started to pick up the ground and pound.

For the second time this evening, Lance Palmer looked at the scorecards to get a victory (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27). He’ll fight next on New Year’s Eve in the grand finals, attempting to win his second tournament in a row.

Bout 7: Rashid Magomedov (23-4-1) (#5) vs. Akhmed Aliev (18-5) (#4) (Lightweight Quarter-Final)

Starting the main card was a quarter-final match between Rashid Magomedov and Akhmed Aliev. The fight started with some good striking from both fighters. Magomedov landed a solid two-punch and knee combination. Aliev was landing good counter-punches. Aliev landed a german suplex in the final minute of the round. Aliev got a trip takedown as the round closed out.

Aliev had a strong second round, pushing the pace and landing the better shots. Akhmed Aliev won over all three judges to advance to the semi-finals (20-18, 20-18 & 20-18).

Bout 8: Loik Radzhabov (12-1) (#7) vs. Islam Mamedov (18-1) (#2) (Lightweight Quarter-Final)

The next lightweight quarter-final matchup was between Loik Radzhabov and Islam Mamedov. Early on Mamedov was stunned while trying for a single leg takedown. He was able to endure the strikes and eventually get his takedown, although they stood up seconds later. After Mamedov had top position again they stood up again. Mamedov got a third takedown with a minute left in the round. Mamedov was on the back of Radzhabov as the round ended.

Mamedov went into a standing clinch early in the second round, eventually getting a trip takedown. Radzhabov got a takedown in the final minute of the fight and slipped in a choke which threatened Mamedov. When going to the scorecards, the bout was ruled a majority draw. When going to a tiebreaker, each judge picked Loik Radzhabov as the winner of the fight as a whole, making him advance in the fight.

Bout 9: Nate Andrews (16-2) (#6) vs. Chris Wade (16-5) (#2) (Lightweight Quarter-Final)

The final quarter-final fight of the evening was between Nate Andrews and Chris Wade. Wave clinched up in the first 10 seconds of the fight. Andrews got a takedown from the clinch, but they got up seconds later with Wade getting the takedown that time. Wade held top position until the round concluded.

Wade put Andrews up against the cage in the first minute although they separated shortly after. Andrews landed a good jab before being taken down. When they got back up, Andrews connected with a few more punches. Wade got another takedown and kept the fight on the ground yet again until it concluded.

The scorecards sent Chris Wade to the semi-finals over Nate Andrews (19-19, 20-18 & 20-18).

Bout 10: Daniel Pineda (27-13) (#7) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (15-2) (#6) (Featherweight Semi-Final)

The three last fights of the evening were semi-final bouts. The first of the trio was between Daniel Pineda and Jeremy Kennedy. Kennedy got a takedown early on, though Pineda was able to flip the position on the ground quickly. After Kennedy was controlling Pineda on the ground, Pineda came out of nowhere with a guillotine choke which made Kennedy tap out.

Bout 11: Akhmed Aliev (19-5) (#4) vs. Natan Schulte (18-3-1) (#1) (Lightweight Semi-Final)

The first of two lightweight semi-final matches was between Akhmed Aliev and defending champion Natan Schulte. Aliev got a trip takedown in the first minute, with two more seconds later. In the second minute of the fight, Schulte was able to get up and eventually take the back of Aliev. Aliev shook him off and went back to a standing clinch, getting another trip takedown. Aliev was the more active striker in the round.

Staying in stand-up for the first minute of the second round, Aliev got to show more striking. Schulte got a judo throw takedown in the second minute, getting top position from it. He put in a head and arm choke which gave him the win. Natan Schulte punched his ticket to New Year’s Eve for the second year in a row, getting a finish victory.

Bout 12: Loik Radzhabov (12-1-1) (#7) vs. Chris Wade (17-5) (#3) (Lightweight Semi-Finals)

The main event of the evening decided who the second spot in the lightweight grand finals would go to. The fight was between Loik Radzhabov and Chris Wade. At the very start, Wade tried for a flying kick which Radzhabov caught and took down Wade with. When they got back up, Wade did a judo throw to get Radzhabov back down. While both fighters were exchanging strikes in stand-up, a pause cause as Wade was kneed in the groin. The fight resumed after a few minutes of a break. Radzhabov was coming forward with good punches. He threw Wade to the ground and tried for a north south choke.

In the second round, Wade took top position on the ground after throwing Radzhabov down. He was able to escape and return to stand-up. Both fighters were clearly tired by this point in the fight. Both fighters had good stand-up moments. Radzhabov was hit hard from a punch which knocked out his mouthpiece. Radzhabov put in a choke near the end of the second round which Wade escaped.

Radzhabov was on the back of Wade in the final round, trying for a rear naked choke. He was dominant on the ground for a couple of minutes. All three judges gave the fight to Loik Radzhabov (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

PFL will return with PFL 9 on October 31st, with the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight brackets finding their finalists.

RIZIN 19 Live Coverage

RIZIN will make their debut in Osaka, Japan on tonight with “RIZIN 19.” The stacked show includes the first round fights from the first round of the Lightweight Grand Prix, among other big matchups. Amid a typhoon in Japan which has made the whole country re-schedule and cancel events, RIZIN 19 went on. Live coverage of the event can be seen here as the night progresses.

Bout 1: Taisei Umei (7-6) vs. Seiki Ueyama (22-11) (123 lbs) (Kickboxing Rules)

The evening started with a kickboxing bout between Taisei Umei and Seiki Ueyama. Both fighters were fighting in their hometown. Ueyama had interesting pants, with one leg ending at the ankle and the other at the knee. In the first round both fighters were landing lots of low leg kicks. Umei had the better punches in the first three minutes.

In the second round the damage from leg kicks on Umei’s legs started to show. The tempo between the fighters stayed fast in the second round.

The third round was even better than the one before, with both fighters throwing everything at each other. Ueyama was really picking Umei apart as the fight was closing out. In the final seconds of the round, Umei was knocked down but endured. He had a bloody nose as the fight concluded. As expected after his performance, Seiki Ueyama got the unanimous decision victory.

Bout 2: Chang Hee Kim (1-4 1 NC) vs. Shoma Shibisai (4-2 1 NC) (Openweight Bout) (MMA Rules)

The next fight was an interesting one as it was a rare openweight bout. The much larger Chang Hee Kim faced Shoma Shibisai, who was smaller but came into the fight with a better record. Both fighters were given flowers before their fight. Early on, Kim went into a standing clinch with Shibisai. Shibisai got good knees in before getting put against the ropes. Shibisai tried for a kimura, taking Kim to the ground. He tapped out only seconds later. Getting a quick kimura victory, Shoma Shibisai bettered the much larger Chang Hee Kim.

Bout 3: Takuma Konishi (22-6-1) vs. HIROYA (38-17) (170 lbs) (Kickboxing Rules)

Switching back to kickboxing again, the next fight was between Takuma Konishi and HIROYA. Konishi’s originally opponent Shintaro Matsukara pulled out earlier this week, with HIROYA being announced as the replacement fight. HIROYA was targeting leg kicks early on. Konishi landed a counter-punch which dropped HIROYA only a minute into the round. He got back up and started to trade punches with Konishi. A knee was landed by Konishi which dropped HIROYA again and called an end to the bout.

Bout 4: Taiga (20-9-1) vs. Taiju Shiratori (17-5-1) (137 lbs) (Kickboxing Rules)

The final kickboxing figbt of the evening saw Taiga face TEAM TEPPEN’s Taiju Shiratori. Tenshin Nasukawa was in attendance to support Shiratori. The height and reach advantage was more than clear. After a minute of fighting, Shiratori landed a punch combination which dropped Taiga. It quickly became target practice for Shiratori.

Early in the first round Taiga took a tumble after getting hit with a hook. It was ruled as a knockdown. After Shiratori continued to land strikes, Taiga went down again making it the third knockdown of the fight.

The third round opened with a shocking overhand knockdown from Taiga. The crowd woke up because of this. Both fighters were connecting with wild punches. The final round was chaotic as both of them were scrambling to do damage. When consulting the scorecards, all three judges gave the fight to Taiju Shiratori. After the fight he asked to be on the New Year’s Eve show.

Bout 5: Marcos Yoshio Souza (8-1 1 NC) vs. K-Taro Nakamura (34-10-2 1 NC) (170 lbs) (MMA Rules)

Before the next fight, Tenshin Nasukawa came into the ring to say that he will fight on New Year’s Eve after healing a hand injury. The next fight saw brother of Roberto Satoshi Souza, Marcos Yoshio Souza face K-Taro Nakamura. This was the RIZIN debut for both fighters. Nakamura finished up his UFC run in his previous fight. Shizuka Sugiyama was shown at ringside supporting Nakamura. Early on, Souza slipped from a spinning back kick and found himself in bottom position on the ground. They got up shortly after with Nakamura landing a strike. Souza was dropped by a punch, with Nakamura doing ground and pound. Nakamura kept hitting Souza until his corner called the end to it. It was clear that K-Taro Nakamura was levels ahead of his opponent in his RIZIN debut. After the fight he had his wife and his kid in the ring with him. He said he wanted to be part of the collaborative card with Bellator on January 29th.

Bout 6: Damien Brown (19-12) vs. Tofiq Musayev (15-3) (RIZIN Lightweight Grand Prix First Round) (MMA Rules)

The next four fights on the card were in the first round of the RIZIN Lightweight Grand Prix. The first fight was between Damien Brown and Tofiq Musayev. Both of them have won twice in RIZIN before. Brown was hit with a low blow kick in the first minute causing a pause in the fight. They resumed quite quickly. Musayev was landing hard shots in the first round. With a minute left in the round, Brown got smothered with punches in the corner, eventually getting hit enough that the referee stepped in. Moving on to the second round of the Lightweight GP, Tofiq Musayev proved himself again as a dangerous fighter.

Bout 7: Hiroto Uesako (18-7) vs. Luiz Gustavo (9-1) (RIZIN Lightweight Grand Prix First Round) (MMA Rules)

The second of four first round fights was Hiroto Uesako facing “The Killer” Luiz Gustavo. Right off the bat, Uesako charged at Gustavo and put the pressure on him. Uesako was dropped by punches with two minutes left in the first round. They got up into a standing clinch in the corner, with Uesako cut open quite badly on the face. The referee called a pause to the fight with Uesako being checked by a doctor. Shortly after, the fight was called off, giving Luiz Gustavo the victory, moving on to the second round. As expected, Uesako was very upset about this.

Bout 8: Tatsuya Kawajiri (37-13-2) vs. Patricky Pitbull (21-8) (RIZIN Lightweight Grand Prix First Round) (MMA Rules)

After the first intermission of the night, the Lightweight Grand Prix continued. The next first round fight was between Bellator’s Patricky Pitbull and JMMA veteran Tatsuya Kawajiri. Pitbull stopped takedown attempts early on. Kawajiri ate a hard uppercut while trying for a takedown. Kawajiri caught a jumping knee but was hit with punches on the ground while holding the leg. The referee stepped in, giving Pitbull the win. Completely stunning the Osaka crowd, Patricky Pitbull brought Bellator to the second round of the Lightweight Grand Prix.

Bout 9: Roberto Satoshi Souza (9-0) vs. Johnny Case (26-6-1) (RIZIN Lightweight Grand Prix First Round) (MMA Rules)

The final of four Lightweight Grand Prix fights was between Johnny Case and Roberto Satoshi Souza. Early on, Case stuffed a takedown attempt. They went back to stand-up after Case avoided an omoplata. While Souza went down for a takedown he was hit with a punch which dropped him and made him tap out on the ground. It looked like the punch might have went in his eye. Johnny Case became the final fighter to move on to the semi-finals in an anti-climactic finish.

RIZIN Lightweight Grand Prix Semi-Finals Draw

Before the second intermission of the evening, all four Lightweight Grand Prix winners came out to draw the next round of matchups. There were four translators in the ring (one for Tofiq Musayev, one for Luiz Gustavo and Patricky Pitbull, and one for Johnny Case) since no Japanese fighter moved on to the semi-finals. Here were the second round picks:

  1. Johnny Case vs. Tofiq Musayev
  2. Luiz Gustavo vs. Patricky Pitbull

We were told later in the broadcast that the semi-finals and the finals of the tournament will take place on the New Year’s Eve card.

Bout 10: Alexandra Alvare (0-2) vs. RENA (8-3) (112 lbs) (MMA Rules)

After a lengthy second intermission, the next fight was RENA versus Alexandra Alvare. The fight was RENA’s return after losing to Lindsey VanZandt at Bellator 222. Alvare was a short notice replacement for RENA after Shawna Ram pulled out due to a concussion. RIZIN Super Atomweight Champion Ayaka Hamasaki was in the corner of RENA. RENA dropped and hurt Alvare within seconds, getting an easy victory. While against an extremely easy opponent, RENA had a return to form after a loss in the summer.

Bout 11: Miyuu Yamamoto (5-3) vs. Seo Hee Ham (21-8) (108 lbs) (MMA Rules)

After her RIZIN debut in the summer, Seo Hee Ham returned to face Miyuu Yamamoto. The fight was presumably a #1 contenders matchup for to decide the next opponent for Ayaka Hamasaki. Miyuu walked out to a mashup of songs including KID Yamamoto’s walkout theme. Her son Erson Yamamoto was cornering her for this fight. Yamamoto got a single leg takedown in the second minute of the fight. Ham got up quickly but was pushed back down. They stood back up into a clinch and then returned to stand-up. Ham stopped the next takedown attempt. Yamamoto got another takedown with two minutes left in the round. The referee stood them up due to inactivity with a minute left in the round. The round ended in stand-up.

Ham was able to stop a takedown early in the second round. Her striking was significantly better this round. Yamamoto was taken down and was hit with strikes from bottom position. The fight was paused as Ham went out of the right. Yamamoto got a cut around her ear that was checked out, although they were able to resume. When they resumed, Yamamoto went into a clinch and landed knees. Ham landed a few punches and then stuffed a takedown. With Yamamoto holding her leg, Ham let off some hammerfist punches to the head. They got back to a standing clinch where Yamamoto was thrown down and hit with two soccer kicks to the head. Yamamoto got back up but was shoved down again. Ham was on Yamamoto’s back, throwing hammerfist strikes. The strikes continued unanswered until the referee stepped in and ended it. Ham seemed sad after the stoppage, immediately hugging and bowing to Yamamoto while tearing up. Both of them were very emotional. After the fight, RIZIN Super Atomweight Champion Ayaka Hamasaki came out and accepted a challenge from Ham. They did a face-off photo as well.

Bellator Japan and RIZIN 20 Announcement

Before the next fight, it was announced that Bellator MMA will do a show on December 29th, and RIZIN 20 will take place on New Year’s Eve. Headlining Bellator Japan will be Rampage Jackson and Fedor Emelianenko. Names shown in the video package were Kyoji Horiguchi, Ayaka Hamasaki and Mikuru Asakura.

Bout 12: Kai Asakura (13-1) vs. Ulka Sasaki (22-7-2) (134 lbs) (MMA Rules)

After the third and final intermission of the evening, the show had it’s co-main event. It was 7 AM EST by the time this fight had come. The co-main event was Kai Asakura versus Ulka Sasaki. Asakura was hot off his huge upset win over Kyoji Horiguchi. Sasaki was coming back after his loss against Shintaro Ishiwatari. His edge over Asakura was really just experience. Kyoji Horiguchi was celebrating his birthday, watching the fight at ringside. As expected, Mikuru Asakura was in the corner of his brother Kai. The fight was chaotic from the start, with Sasaki being dropped in the first 20 seconds. Asakura started to land knees and kicks to a grounded Sasaki. The referee paused the fight to check out Sasaki, who had a broken jaw. Obviously due to the injury the fight was stopped. In under a minute, Kai Asakura added another W to his record, priming himself for a title fight with Horiguchi. After the fight, Horiguchi came into the ring and accepted a fight against Asakura.

Bout 13: Fabio Maldonado (25-13) vs. Jiri Prochazka (24-3-1) (220 lbs) (MMA Rules)

The main event of the evening was Fabio Maldonado facing RIZIN Light Heavyweight Champion Jiri Prochazka in a non-championship bout. Prochazka started to clip Maldonado in the second mi nute of the fight. Cornered, Maldonado was completely covering up and letting Prochazka swing away. Shortly after being dropped by punches, the referee came in and ended it, giving Prochazka the win. In a completely one-sided bout, Jiri Prochazka gave himself his second win of the year.

RIZIN’s next event will be on December 29th, collaborating with Bellator for the promotion’s first show in Japan. After that, RIZIN will hold the traditional New Year’s Eve show. More updates will come in the next couple of months for the matchups on those shows.

UFC on ESPN+ 18: Hermansson vs. Cannonier

On September 28, UFC travelled to Denmark for a collection of fights. Headlining the card was Jack Hermansson and Jared Cannonier, two very high ranked middleweights. The show also featured two fighters from Denmark.

Bout 1: Nohelin Hernandez (10-3) vs. Jack Shore (11-0) (Bantamweight)

The preliminary card started with bantamweights. The crowd was pretty filled up before the first fight even started. Nohelin “Suave” Hernandez and Jack Shore kicked off the night. Shore had clean striking early on, landing good jabs. Shore got a takedown via body lock halfway through the round. He took the back of Hernandez and tried for a rear naked choke but ran out of time.

Shore landed another takedown in the first half of the second round. They got back up halfway through the round, with Hernandez pinning Shore against the cage. Shore got another takedown before the round concluded.

Shore tried for another takedown in the very first seconds of the final round. Yet again he took the back of Hernandez. He slipped in a rear naked choke which made Hernandez tap out. Jack Shore kicked off the show by moving his professional MMA record to 12 wins.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Hernandez 9 9
Shore 10 10

Bout 2: Lando Vannata (10-3-2) vs. Marc Diakiese (13-3) (Lightweight)

The second preliminary fight was Lando Vannata and Marc Diakiese. From the very start, both fighters had very fast paced striking. Vannata slipped early in the fight, but the fight didn’t go to the ground. Diakiese was targeting the legs of Vannata with kicks. One of the leg kicks was a little off target, hitting Vannata in the groin.

Vannata tried for the first takedown in the second round, although Diakiese was able to keep it in stand-up. Vanatta started to bleed around the nose quite a bit in this round.

Diakiese got his first takedown of the fight in the final round. Vannata threw elbows from bottom position. With a minute left in the round, Diakiese tried to take Vannata’s back. They stood up, although Diakiese threw Vannata back down a few times. 

The fight went the distance, with Lando Vannata convincing all three judges that he won the contest (30-27, 30-27 & 30-26).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Vannata 9 9 9 27
Diakiese 10 10 10 30

Bout 3: Lina Lansberg (9-4) (#12) vs. Macy Chiasson (6-0) (#11) (Bantamweight)

Ranked bantamweights Lina Lansberg and Macy Chiasson competed in the next fight. Since Lansberg is Swedish, she got a warm reaction from the crowd. Chiasson had Lansberg up against the cage in a standing clinch in the first minute. Chiasson kept pinned to Lansberg until the round concluded.

Lansberg took control at the start of the second round, scoring a takedown. They got up into a standing clinch where Lansberg was still in control. Chiasson also had some moments in the clinch where she was in control.

Chiasson was given quite the cornering before the final round. Right off the bat in the first round, Chiasson put Lansberg against the cage again. Lansberg got a takedown from the clinch. When Chiasson got back up she was hit with a knee to the head still in the clinch. They fight concluded in the the standing clinch.

Looking to the judges to find the winner, Lina Lansberg picked up her 10th victory as a pro (29-27, 29-27 & 29-28). Lansberg was the biggest underdog on the show.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Lansberg 9 10 10 29
Chiasson 10 9 9 28

Bout 4: Giga Chikadze (7-2) vs. Brandon Davis (10-7) (Featherweight)

The fourth fight of the evening was Georgian fighter Giga Chikadze face Brandon Davis. Chikadze had some crisp striking early on, but it was stopped when Davis scored a takedown. Chikadze was able to flip the position around with two minutes left in the round. He let off some strikes from top position. They returned to stand-up with 30 seconds left. Davis got a double-leg takedown before the round concluded.

Chikadze started the second round with more good striking. Davis was denied of a single-leg takedown. Davis got a takedown in the final minute of the round, after being dominated in stand-up. They stood up for the final seconds of the round.

Davis was the more active fighter in the final round, constantly advancing and throwing strikes. While Chikadze woke up in the second half of the round, Davis closed it out with a takedown. When consulting the judges, the first two went for a different fighter, with the third scoring a draw, making the fight a draw (29-28, 29-28 & 29-29).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Chikadze 9 10 9 28
Davis 10 9 10 29

Bout 5: Ismail Naurdiev (18-3) vs. Siyar Bahadurzada (24-7-1) (Welterweight)

The next preliminary fight was between Ismail Naurdiev and Siyar Bahadurzada. The second minute of the fight saw a break as Naurdiev was poked in the eye. Naurdiev wsa getting off more and better shots in the first round. Bahadurzada clearly got hurt by a strike with a minute left. 

Bahadurzada had some decent striking as the second round started. Naurdiev scored a takedown halfway through the second round. He stayed in top position on the ground until the round concluded.

Naurdiev got another takedown halfway through the final round. He got on the back of Bahadurzada, who got up but was slammed back down. The fight ended on the ground with Naurdiev in top position. As expected, Ismail Naurdiev got the win with three approving scorecards (30-26, 30-25 & 30-25).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Naurdiev 10 10 10 30
Bahadurzada 9 9 9 27

Bout 6: Makhmud Muradov (22-6) vs. Alessio Di Chirico (12-3) (Middleweight)

Makhmud Muradov and Alessio Di Chirico fought in the middleweight division in the next fight. Muradov had the better start in the round, landing singular jabs and hooks. Di Chirico woke up with two minutes left in the round, starting to approach with more strikes. Di Chirico got a cut on his hairline in the final minute of the round. Muradov tried for a takedown in the last 10 seconds of the round.

The second round had some pretty close stand-up, with both of them having their moments. Muradov seemed to be the smoother fighter when it came to movement.

As the final round was nearing it’s finish, Di Chirico had Muradov standing against the cage. Muradov dropped his mouthpiece when blocking a strike. Di Chirico was applying good pressure to Muradov and landing hard shots. The fight ended as they were standing and throwing strikes. While Di Chirico had a good closing round, it was Makhmud Muradov who walked away with the win (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Muradov 10 10 9 29
Di Chirico 9 9 10 28

Bout 7: John Phillips (21-9 1 NC) vs. Alen Amedovski (8-1) (Middleweight)

Before the main card started, we had a middleweight war between John Phillips and Alen Amedovski. Both fighters were swinging hard right off the bat. You could tell someone was going to fall any second. Amedovski got dropped by a punch and got up, but was dropped yet again seconds later, with the referee stepping in moments later. John Phillips wasn’t kind to those who blinked during his fight, winning in the first minute of the bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Phillips
Amedovski

Bout 8: Alex Oliveria (19-7-1 2 NC) vs. Nicolas Dalby (17-3-1 1 NC) (Welterweight)

Starting off the main card was welterweights Alex “Cowboy” Oliveira and Nicolas Dalby. While Oliveira is often a fan favourite, Denmark’s Dalby had an overwhelming amount of support. After a standing clinch which changed control many times, Oliveria got a takedown in the fifth minute of the fight. Dalby reversed the takedown in the final second of the round.

A pause came early in the second round as Oliveira was poked in the eye. When they resumed, Dalby was charging forward with strikes. After clinching for a few seconds, Dalby landed a takedown. Dalby mostly landed strikes on the ground. They got up with over a minute left in the second round. Oliveira was getting hit with more punches, clinching against the cage in an attempt to stop it. Oliveira got a judo throw takedown, but Dalby was able to flip it over and take top position. The referee intervened as Oliveira did an upkick, resuming the fight on the feet although it could be argued that Dalby had the better position.

Oliveira seemed very tired in-between rounds. Oliveira got a takedown in the second minute of the final round. After a few minutes on the ground the referee stood them up. They went back to the ground where Oliveira tried for a triangle. Dalby escaped the triangle and took top position. Dalby tried for a choke and landed strikes as the fight came to a close. The crowd was appreciative as the fight ended. When turning to the scorecards it was Nicolas Dalby who got the win (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28). The crowd let out an impressive roar when he won.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Oliveria 10 9 9 28
Dalby 9 10 10 29

Bout 9: Ovince Saint Preux (23-13) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (14-2 1 NC) (Light Heavyweight)

The second main card fight saw UFC veteran Ovince Saint Preux face Michal Oleksiejczuk. From the very start it was Oleksiejczuk who was the faster fighter. He was picking apart Saint Preux even dropping him with a left straight at one point. Saint Preux was fighting like a gassed third round fighter except he was in the first round. Oleksiejczuk was much slower as the round was closing out.

In-between rounds the corner of OSP did one of the many memorable corners of this show. Saint Preux got a takedown halfway through the round. On the groun, Saint Preux went for a von fluke choke to win the fight. After a lackluster first round, Ovince Saint Preux earned yet another win with his famous von fluke choke.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Saint Preux 9
Oleksiejczuk 10

Bout 10: Khalil Rountree (9-3 1 NC) vs. Ion Cutelaba (14-4 1 NC) (Light Heavyweight)

Staying in the light heavyweight division, the next fight was between Khalil Rountree and Ion Cutelaba. During the introductions, Cutelaba tried to get in Rountree’s face but didn’t phase him. Early on both fighters cracked each other with a good shot. Cutelaba got a takedown in the second minute of the fight. He landed some hard elbows from top position. Cutelaba kept Rountree on the ground and threw elbows until the referee stepped in. Ion Cutelaba backed up his fight week antics with a dominant performance which only lasted one round.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Rountree
Cutelaba

Bout 11: Gilbert Burns (16-3) vs. Gunnar Nelson (17-4-1) (Welterweight)

The next contest was between Gilbert Burns and Gunnar Nelson. The commentary was billing this as a real grappling showdown. Nelson tried to catch a leg kick and turn it into a takedown in the first minute but was denied. Burns landed some good leg kicks early on. Each fighter seemed very wary of the other’s stand-up power. Burns put Nelson into a clinch up against the cage, although it was Nelson who got a trip takedown. Nelson didn’t do much work from top position before the round ended.

Nelson had a better second round, putting Burns against the cage and having sharp striking. Nelson tried for a takedown with a minute left but was countered by a hip toss from Burns. They ended up in stand-up, where Burns landed a knee and then was taken down. Burns tried for a choke before the round concluded.

The final round included a lot of Nelson pinning Burns against the cage. Burns landed a takedown in the final minute of the round, taking the back of Nelson but only for a second. The fight went all three rounds with Gilbert Burns getting the unanimous decision win (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Burns 10 10 10 30
Nelson 9 9 9 27

Bout 12: Danilo Belluardo (12-4) vs. Mark O. Madsen (8-0) (Lightweight)

The co-main event of the show saw Denmark’s Mark O. Madsen face Danilo Belluardo. Madsen got a takedown in the first minute of the fight. He landed tons of strikes while in top position. He kept going with elbows until the referee stopped the bout. In his UFC debut, Mark O. Madsen did more than enough to prove why he should be in the promotion.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Belluardo
Madsen

Bout 13: Jared Cannonier (12-4) (#9) vs. Jack Hermansson (20-4) (#5) (Middleweight)

Finally the main event of the evening was between two ranked middleweights in Jared Cannonier and Jack Hermansson. Worth mentioning that in Cannonier’s corner was Benson Henderson, who fought on a Bellator card the day before. Hermansson went for leg kicks right off the bat. He tried for a takedown which Cannonier defended. Upon second attempt, Hermansson got a suplex, taking the back of Cannonier. Cannonier escaped the position in a short amount of time. Cannonier started to open up his striking more in the second half of the round.

Early in the second round Cannonier hurt Hermansson with a punch. He was quick to start with the ground and pound, throwing punches until the referee stepped in. Jared Cannonier’s sudden yet dangerous win over Jack Hermansson left the crowd stunned as the show ended.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Total
Cannonier 10
Hermansson 9

 

UFC 244: Whittaker vs. Adesanya Full Preview

It’s been a while since UFC fans saw the Middleweight Championship up for grabs. The last time was when Robert Whittaker triumphantly overcame Yoel Romero in a rematch just under 16 months ago. Injury, including a hernia which sidelined the champion from a February fight with Kelvin Gastelum has kept the Aussie on the bench. In that time a lot has changed. Gastelum is no longer the next in line, but instead Israel Adesanya, who has had a meteoric rise since the start of his brief UFC career. 

With a main event of an Australian versus a Nigerian born New Zealander, the fight was the perfect one for bringing the UFC to the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. As expected, the show is set to feature many more Oceanic fighters throughout. The evening is set to begin with two bouts on UFC Fight Pass at 7PM EST (9AM AEST).

Bout 1: Khalid Taha (13-2) vs. Bruno Silva (11-3-1) (Bantamweight)

The evening, or if you’re there live, the morning kicks off in the bantamweight division with Khalid Taha and Bruno Silva. Taha has a 1-1 UFC record, recently getting a quick KO victory over Boston Salmon. Silva will be making his promotional debut, being 3-1-1 in his last five MMA bouts before entering the octagon. Khalid Taha missed the bantamweight limit by one pound, giving up 20% of his fight purse due to it.

Bout 2: Nadia Kassem (5-1) vs. Ji Yeon Kim (8-2-2) (Flyweight)

The final Fight Pass bout sees two flyweights coming off of losses collide. Kassem recently took a loss to Montana de La Rosa via armbar. Ji Yeon Kim fell to Antonina Shevchenko via decision. Kim is one of the only Korean fighters in the UFC that doesn’t come from Team MAD, who is the biggest gym in the country. When the weigh-ins were livestreamed, Kim weighed in at 128 lbs, two pounds above the flyweight limit.

Bout 3: Megan Anderson (8-4) vs. Zarah Fairn Dos Santos (6-2) (Featherweight)

After an hour of the early prelims, the broadcast will flip to ESPN 2 (TSN 5 in Canada) as Megan Anderson will face Zarah Fairn dos Santos. Anderson is one of the more prominent fighters in the very thin division. She will try to spoil Dos Santos’ entrance into the UFC. Anderson lost to Felicia Spencer in her last outing, being bettered by a rear naked choke in under four minutes.

Bout 4: Brad Riddell (6-1) vs. Jamie Mullarkey (12-2) (Lightweight)

The fourth fight sees the first New Zealander on the card in Brad Riddell appear against Australia’s Jamie Mullarkey. Neither fighter has been in the UFC before. Riddell trains at Adesanya’s gym “City Kickboxing,” with appearances at Tiger Muay Thai in Thailand as well.

Bout 5: Callan Potter (17-8) vs. Maki Pitolo (12-4) (Welterweight)

Three months ago, Maki Pitolo literally fought his way to a contract, defeating Justin Sumter in just over 90 seconds on “Dana White’s Contender Series” to get signed to the UFC. Pitolo’s first fight on the “big stage” will also be quite literally on a big stage, as Marvel Stadium seats 56,000. He will face Australia’s Callan Porter, who is attempting to come back from his debut loss to Jalin Turner this year.

Bout 6: Jake Matthews (14-4) vs. Rostem Akman (6-1) (Welterweight)

The preliminary portion of the card will wrap up with Jake Matthews and Rostem Akman. Both coming off a loss, Matthews is the favoured fighter in the exchange due to more experience, especially within the UFC. Matthews lost to Anthony Rocco Martin recently, ending his three fight winning streak from before. Akman’s last loss was his first one as a pro, as Sergey Khandozhko ruined his debut.

Bout 7: Yorgan de Castro (5-0) vs. Justin Tafa (3-0) (Heavyweight)

UFC will go live on pay-per-view at 10PM EST (Noon AEST), beginning with Yorgan de Castro versus Justin Tafa. Neither heavyweight has fought in the UFC before. De Castro earned his spot through the Contender Series, defeating Alton Meeks in one round to convince UFC’s scouts to sign him. Tafa has been undefeated in his three fights, competing in the Australia-based MMA promotion Xtreme Fight Championships.

Bout 8: Luke Jumeau (13-4) vs. Dhiego Lima (14-7) (Welterweight)

After a year-and-a-half absence from the octagon, New Zealand’s Luke Jumeau will face Dhiego Lima, who has been active and successful during that same time period. Jumeau’s last win was in early 2018, breaking the undefeated record at the time of Daichi Abe. Lima broke his two-fight losing streak with a win over Chad Laprise earlier this year. He most recently defeated Court McGee via decision.

Bout 9: Tai Tuivasa (10-2) vs. Sergey Spivak (9-1) (Heavyweight)

Back at UFC 226 in mid-2018, Tai Tuivasa won tons of fans with a dominant main card performance over Andrei Arlovski, as well as doing a “shooey” after the fight. Sadly, Tuivasa hasn’t found success since then, losing to Junior dos Santos and Blagoy Ivanov. He will have another chance to return to the win column when facing Sergey Spivak. The Ukranian fighter was undefeated before his UFC debut, getting TKO’d by Walt Harris. Both fighters have yet to win after a loss in their professional career, and one might be able to change that on Saturday.

Bout 10: Al Iaquinta (14-5-1) vs. Dan Hooker (18-8) (Lightweight)

The co-main event of the show features lightweight gatekeeper Al Iaquinta versus teammate of Israel Adesanya, Dan Hooker. Iaquinta is coming off a loss to Donald Cerrone, main eventing a Fight Night in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Hooker is a real up-and-coming lightweight, having a UFC run with only one blemish thus far, that being a painful loss to Edson Barboza. His last fight was against James Hook, making quick work of him, finishing the fight just halfway through the first. No doubt Hooker has had some big tests in the UFC already, but another one, maybe his biggest, is on Saturday.

Bout 11: Robert Whittaker (20-4) vs. Israel Adesanya (17-0) (UFC Middleweight Championship)

The main event of the show sees UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker fight in a unification bout against the Interim Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya. Whittaker’s last fight was a war, going the distance against Yoel Romero, despite a hand injury early on. He has since been on the bench. While he has rested and trained, Adesanya established himself within the division. Already 3-0 in the UFC, “The Last Stylebender” put his name on the map with a one round victory over Derek Brunson at Madison Square Garden last fall. He faced UFC legend Anderson Silva three months later, defeating him in the main event of UFC 234 (which Whittaker would have headlined if not for an injury). His most recent win was against Kelvin Gastelum, which cemented him as the next challenger. The fight, which arguably could be the best 2019 has seen gave Adesanya his interim championship.

Israel Adesanya is often billed as an up-and-comer despite his age contradicting that. His short run in the UFC only tells part of the story. Adesanya has a 75-5 kickboxing record, including appearances in high level promotions like GLORY and Kunlun Fight League. He also has a 5-1 boxing record, all being three-to-four round fights. While 17-0 in MMA isn’t a little, it’s not telling the full story to not mention everything else.

Many questions are brought up heading into this weekend: Can Robert Whittaker return after the absence? Will he be the same? Is it too soon for Israel Adesanya? Is he getting ahead of himself? But, thankfully, these questions will only be asked for a little more time. When the PPV goes down on Saturday night, people will (hopefully) be left with a conclusive answer to all of those questions.

UFC returns with a fight night next week from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, USA. The card is headlined by ranked strawweights Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Michelle Waterson. The promotion’s next pay-per-view event after this is UFC 244. The stacked show will take place from Madison Square Garden. Headlining the show will be Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal, fighting for the BMF Belt.

Recommended further reading: MMAFighting/Mike Chiappetta – Israel Adesanya is coming for everything

Bellator 229: Koreshkov vs. Larkin Live Coverage

Bellator returned to the Pechanga Resort and Casino for Bellator 229. Headlining the card was Andrey Koreshkov and Lorenz Larkin in a three round fight. Stay tuned to JackWannan.com throughout the night for live coverage.

Bout 1: Adel Altamimi (8-5) vs. Salim Mukhidinov (6-3) (Featherweight)

The first preliminary fight was Adel Altamimi versus Salim Mukhidinov in a featherweight bout. The entrances for both fighters aired, something which is rare for the Bellator prelims. Altamimi got a takedown, but the referee stood them up due to inactivity. Altamimi got another takedown as the round ended.

A pause came early in the second round as Altamimi was kicked in the groin. Altamimi took his time to recover, but eventually did get up and continue. Mukhidinov had strong striking in the second round, making sure the fight stayed in stand-up where he excelled. Mukhidinov reversed a takedown, taking top position halfway through the round. The second round ended on the ground.

Altamimi tried to take the fight to the ground again in the final round, but just like before failed to do so. Mukhidinov got top position after a sprawl. Mukhidinov stayed in top position, throwing strikes from above until the final seconds of the round.

Heading to the scorecards, it was Salim Mukhidinov who got the victory via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-26 & 30-27)

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Altamimi 9 9 9 27
Mukhidinov 10 10 10 30

Bout 2: Anatoly Tokov (28-2) vs. Hracho Darpinyan (17-8-2) (Middleweight)

The second preliminary fight was between two experienced fighters in Anatoly Tokov and Hracho Darpinyan. Tokov took Darpinyan down with strikes early, although they got back up. Tokov kept applying the pressure and threw more strikes. Darpinyan was swinging wildy, though he did connect with a good hook. In the third minute of the fight, Tokov dropped Darpinyan again with a punch. Tokov continued ground and pound on the ground until the round ended.

Tokov got another takedown a minute and a half through the second round. Just like last time, Tokov went back to work with ground and pound. Once Tokov started to let elbows go on the ground, the referee stepped in and called a stop to the bout.

Anatoly Tokov picked up his fifth straight Bellator win, and the second in a row via stoppage.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Tokov 10
Darpinyan 9

Bout 3: Joe Schilling (4-5) vs. Tony Johnson (8-2) (Middleweight)

The first main card fight was Joe Schilling fighting to escape a negative pro MMA record against Tony Johnson. Early in the first round, Schilling tripped Johnson with a leg kick. Schilling was clearly the better striker, although Johnson clearly had a good chin. Johnson surprisingly dropped Schilling in the final minute of the first round. In a matter of seconds, the round went in favour of Johnson. The fight didn’t end, but it came real close to ending in favour of Johnson.

In the second minute of the second round, Schilling showed that he is still in the fight by landing a strong left straight. Johnson scored a takedown halfway through the round, although they got up moments later. Other than that, it was a round well dominated by Schilling.

The third round saw a pause due to Johnson getting poked in the eye. Schilling threw a spinning backfist in the final round. In the third minute of the round, Johnson landed left hook counter-punch which took Schilling out cold. In his return fight in Bellator, Tony Johnson got a victory through a vicious knockout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Schilling 9 10
Johnson 10 9

Bout 4: Keri Taylor Melendez (3-0) vs. Mandy Polk (6-4) (Catchweight 118 lbs)

The fourth fight was the first women’s MMA bout of the evening. Undefeated fighter Keri Taylor Melendez fought Mandy Polk. In the opening seconds, Polk came running at Melendez and ate a punch. Melendez went to the ground in attempt to finish the fight but found herself in the bottom position instead. Melendez tried for a triangle choke and threw elbows while Polk’s head was trapped.

The second round showcase more of Melendez’s stand-up, as the fight stayed there for most of the time.

Polk got a takedown in the first minute of the final round. Melendez tried for the triangle choke again but let it go eventually. Polk took the back of Melendez and tried for a rear naked choke. They went back to stand-up where Melendez landed knees to the stomach. Remaining undefeated, Keri Taylor Melendez took a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27) After the fight she said Bellator should start a 115 pound division.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Melendez 10 10 10 30
Polk 9 9 9 27

Bout 5: Saad Awad (23-11) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (23-4) (Lightweight)

Before the next fight, we saw an interview with Ilima-Lei MacFarlane who will fight on December 21st against Kate Jackson. The co-main event of that show will be a Featherweight Grand Prix fight between A.J. McKee Jr. and Derek Campos. The co-main event of the evening was Bellator veterans Saad Awad and Goiti Yamauchi facing off. Yamauchi got shook by a right hook then was taken down shortly after. Yamauchi tried for an armbar on the ground which made Awad tap out. Moments after being shaken on the ground, Goiti Yamauchi earned a victory, being the first fighter to submit Saad Awad in years.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Awad
Yamauchi

Bout 6: Andrey Koreshkov (22-3) vs. Lorenz Larkin (20-7) (Welterweight)

The main event of the show was welterweights Andrey Koreshkov and Lorenz Larkin battling. Larkin tried for a takedown early on with a body lock. Koreshkov kept Larkin against the cage for a minute before they returned to stand-up. Koreshkov landed a spinning back kick which dropped Larkin. A few more punches landed, but Larkin recovered and stayed in the fight.

Larking caught Koreshkov during a spinning back kick attempt, putting him against the cage in a clinch. When they went back to stand-up, Koreshkov landed a good overhand right. He also later landed a spinning back elbow. In clinch, Larkin landed a knee which dropped Koreshkov. Larkin landed more elbows from top position. Koreshkov got up but was dropped with another knee to the head. Koreshkov was hit with more elbows in the final seconds of the round but was able to survive.

Koreshkov got a takedown in the final round, although from bottom position Larkin tried for a guillotine. Koreshkov eventually slipped out. They stood up in a clinch with two minutes left. Koreshkov got another takedown with a minute remaining.

The fight went all scheduled fifteen minutes. With a split decision, Lorenz Larkin pulled off the victory (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Koreshkov 10 8 10 28
Larkin 9 10 9 28

Bout 7: Derek Anderson (15-3) vs. Guilherme Bomba (10-5) (Welterweight)

After the main card, the postlims started with Derek Anderson and Guilherme Bomba. The first round was a striking focused one, with Anderson landing the good combinations. A pause came when Anderson was accidentally poked in the eye. The resumed shortly after, with Anderson seemingly not missing a beat. Anderson’s striking was ended by Bomba landing a takedown. Anderson got a takedown for a few seconds as the first round came to a close.

Both fighters were trading hard, audible punches early in the second round. Bomba got a single leg takedown and took the back of Anderson. Anderson flipped himself over and took top position.

The third round was another dominant one for Anderson. The fight went to the ground with two minutes left in the final round, with Anderson in the dominant position. Both fighters lasted all three rounds, with Derek Anderson prevailing via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Anderson 10 10
Bomba 9 9

Bout 8: Joey Davis (5-0) vs. Jeff Peterson (10-6) (Welterweight)

Staying in the welterweight division, the next fight was undefeated Joey Davis and Jeff Peterson. Early in the fight, Peterson tripped after getting hit by a leg kick. A minute into the fight, Davis scored a flying knee to drop Peterson and win the fight. Joey Davis extended his undefeated record with a chilling KO.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Davis
Peterson

Bout 9: Johnny Eblen (5-0) vs. Mauricio Alonso (13-7) (Middleweight)

Moving on, the next postlim fight was middleweights Johnny Eblen and Mauricio Alonso. Eblen got a takedown early on. Eblen stayed in top position, sometimes standing up, but throwing punches throughout.

Eblen got a second takedown a minute into the second round and did more ground and pound. The third round was the same story yet again, with Eblen getting a takedown and landing strikes. For a moment it looked like he could close out the fight, but it never happened. They stood up in the final minute of the fight and Alonso actually landed a few good strikes. Eblen got another takedown but was being hit from Alonso, who was on the bottom position.

The fight went all three rounds. Winning quite decisively, Johnny Eblen got his sixth win as a professional (30-26, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Eblen 10 10 10 30
Alonso 9 9 9 27

Bout 10: Vladimir Tokov (6-0) vs. Brandon Hastings (6-3) (Lightweight)

After his big brother picked up a win on the preliminary card, Vladimir Tokov aimed to do the same against Brandon Hastings. Tokov chased a takedown early but was stopped. The referee stepped in during a grappling exchange since Hastings was holding the fence to resist takedown. They resumed in stand-up, which is odd since that seemingly favours Hastings. Tokov got a takedown and stayed in top position for the rest of the first round.

Tokov had a dominant second round, landing numerous takedowns and staying in control throughout. The third round was much of the same, including many slams by Tokov. Vladmir Tokov prevailed on the scorecards (30-26, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Tokov 10 10 10 30
Hastings 9 9 9 27

Bout 11: Jordan Newman (1-0) vs. Riley Miller (0-0) (Middleweight)

The next fight saw undefeated Jordan Newman face the debuting Riley Miller. Newman brought the fight to the ground and took top position early on. Newman stayed on top of Miller, continuing ground and pound until the final seconds of the round when the referee stepped in to conclude the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Newman
Miller

Bout 12: Sunni Imhotep (2-0) vs. Kelvin Gentapanan (0-0) (Lightweight)

The next matchup was a lightweight battle between 2-0 Sunni Imhotep and debuting Kelvin Gentapanan. In the first minute of the fight, Gentapanan got a takedown. Gentapanan stayed the dominant fighter on the ground until the round ended. Imhotep had a better second round, landing tons of strikes on the ground. The final round saw Gentapanan in control most of the time on the ground. Going to the scorecard, Kelvin Gentapanan won via split decision (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Imhotep 9 10 9 28
Gentapanan 10 9 10 29

Bout 13: Jay-Jay Wilson (3-0) vs. Jorge Juarez (4-1) (Featherweight)

Finishing off the card was Jay-Jay Wilson facing Jorge Juarez. Early on, Wilson put Juarez up against the cage, landing a takedown shortly after. He took the back of Juarez and put in a rear naked choke, getting a quick victory.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Wilson
Juarez

 

The October 2019 MMA P4P List

Here’s the website’s October 2019 Pound for Pound rankings. There was only two changes between both lists, although there is lots of announced fights to discuss.

Men’s Rankings:

1. Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0)

Last month, Khabib Nurmagomedov added a 28th win to his undefeated record, defeating “Diamond” Dustin Poirier at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi. The Russian fighter out-wrestled Poirier for two whole rounds before slipping in a rear naked choke in the third round to close out the show. The mostly dominant performance reminded viewers that nobody has come close to defeating Nurmagomedov yet. 

2. Jon Jones (25-1)

While Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones has for a long time been one of the best fighters, his most recent win was a close one. Unexpectedly, Jones went five rounds with Thiago Santos at UFC 239, scraping by on the scorecards. The high profile fighter hasn’t lost since 2009, hence his high ranking. Jones isn’t ranked for another fight, despite teasing the matter in September.

3. Henry Cejudo (15-2)

UFC’s only male double-champ Henry Cejudo sprung to relevance in 2019. After defeating Demetrious Johnson in the summer of 2018 to win the Flyweight Championship, Cejudo has went on defend it once and defeat Marlon Moraes to win the Bantamweight belt. While it’s a feat to be a double champ, Cejudo’s reign is still young. The 32-year-old fighter is not currently booked for a fight.

4. Robert Whittaker (20-4)

Robert Whittaker has been out of the octagon for more than a year, but that will hopefully change this weekend. On a nine-fight losing streak, “Bobby Knuckles” will match up against Interim Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya this Saturday at UFC 243. After a long absence, all eyes will be on Whittaker to perform against Adesanya, who has fought four times within the same timeframe.

5. Stipe Miocic (19-3)

Stipe Miocic reigned terror over the Heavyweight division for two years, but all that came to an end in the summer of 2018, with Daniel Cormier finishing him within one round. After a year without fighting, Miocic avenged the loss, getting a fourth round TKO victory to reclaim his belt. The win showed not only that Miocic could learn from his loss, but also that he is still relevant within the division.

6. Max Holloway (21-4)

Despite a loss earlier this year, Max Holloway is still one of the most established names within the UFC. While currently holding the UFC Featherweight Championship, defending it three times, Holloway was too ambitious when challenging for the Interim Lightweight Championship in April, losing to Dustin Poirier. He bounced back three months later with a win over Frankie Edgar. His next challenge is Alexander Volkanovski, who will aim to dethrone him in December at UFC 240.

7. Kamaru Usman (15-1)

For the longest time, Tyron Woodley was the established UFC Welterweight Champion. That was, until he ran into Kamaru Usman. The Nigerian fighter ended Woodley’s three-year reign in March of 2019, taking him to the scorecards to get the win. His next challenge comes against Colby Covington, who is currently riding an impressive seven-fight winning streak.

8. Israel Adesanya (17-0)

Interim UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya has become a big name in a short amount of time. Still undefeated as a pro, Adesanya came into the UFC in early 2018, going 6-0 in the promotion since. His most recent victory gave him the “Interim Champion” title, taking Kelvin Gastelum to the decision in a fight of the year contender. Adesanya will have his biggest test yet when he faces Robert Whittaker at UFC 243.

9. Daniel Cormier (22-2)

While his future within the sport is still somewhat unknown, Daniel Cormier comes in high on this list. “DC” has stayed a big name in the light heavyweight division, even during the absences that Jon Jones would take due to suspensions. His most recent fight saw him lose his UFC Heavyweight Championship to Stipe Miocic via fourth round stoppage. Cormier is the first non-champion on the men’s list this month.

10. Colby Covington (15-1)

Colby Covington has proven more than enough that he is a relevant UFC Welterweight challenger. His work will come to fruition in December at UFC 245 when he gets a title shot against champion Kamaru Usman. The most recent win in Covington’s ongoing seven-fight winning streak was against Robbie Lawler. The frustrating and grinding wrestling style of Covington tired out Lawler and allowed the now challenger to earn a scorecard victory.

11. Paulo Costa (13-0)

While fans of the middleweight division currently have their sights set on Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya, they can’t forget who’s arguably next in line: Paulo Costa. Costa’s short stint within the UFC has shown that he is a dangerous contender. This was proven more than ever in his recent bout with Yoel Romero, which could purely be described as violence.

12. Demetrious Johnson (29-3-1)

Demetrious Johnson crashes the UFC party on the men’s P4P rankings at #12, representing ONE Championship. “Mighty Mouse” has been 2-0 since his loss to Henry Cejudo in 2018. Later this month, Johnson will see the culmination of a tournament he entered back in March when he first joined the promotion. Danny Kingad will aim to spoil Johnson’s undefeated promotional run on the 13th.

13. Tony Ferguson (25-3)

It could be argued that Tony Ferguson is the most cheated fighter in the UFC. Currently on a 12-fight winning streak, the lightweight is undoubtedly the next in line to face Khabib Nurmagomedov. Ferguson’s dangerous style makes for entertaining fights, and makes him a scary opponent. His most recent wins came against high level opponents in Anthony Pettis and “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone.

14. Kai Asakura (12-1)

Before August, nobody would have expected that Kai Asakura would be on a pound-for-pound list. But after his sudden win over Kyoji Horiguchi at RIZIN 18, Asakura has established himself as a big name. Will that last? We don’t know yet. While undoubtedly eligible to face Horiguchi for his belt, his next fight is booked against Ulka Sasaki at RIZIN 19.

15. Ryan Bader (27-5)

Bellator’s Heavyweight Champion Ryan Bader has been undefeated since 2016, stretching back to his UFC career. His most recent fight wasn’t a satisfying one, as an eye poke to Cheick Kongo in the first round made the fight end. Nonetheless, his stubborn winning streak over big-time Bellator names makes him eligible for the always unknown #15 spot on the pound for pound list.

 

Women’s Rankings:

1. Amanda Nunes (18-4)

It’s nothing short of an uphill battle to convince most people that Amanda Nunes isn’t the best female fighter in the world. Being one of the two current “Champ Champs” in the UFC, Nunes has stayed undefeated since 2015, putting on dominant performances against high level fighters. Nunes has been the Bantamweight Champion since 2016, defending it four times since then. She’s also taken the Featherweight Championship, running over Cris Cyborg in under a minute. Her next defense is set to be against Germaine de Randamie.

2. Valentina Shevchenko (18-3)

Valentina Shevchenko has had a great past 12 months, winning the UFC Flyweight Championship and defending it twice. Her most recent win was a lopsided victory over Liz Carmouche, going all five rounds. Her most memorable title fight in this run was against Jessica Eye, closing out the fight with an explosive head kick.

3. Weili Zhang (20-1)

UFC’s newest Champion, Weili Zhang, shocked some when defeating Jessica Andrade in under a minute to claim the UFC Strawweight Championship. The win was her 20th in a row, and her fourth straight within the UFC. Having a quick rise to relevance, it’s fair to argue that Zhang has more to prove before being put above other Champions on a pound for pound list. Zhang’s next matchup is yet to be known.

4. Cris Cyborg (21-2)

This month, news broke that Cris Cyborg’s new home would be Bellator MMA. Weeks afterwards, her first fight within the promotion was announced. Wasting no time, Cyborg will go against the promotion’s Featherweight Champion Julia Budd. Cyborg left the UFC on a sour note, despite being a high-level fighter. Cyborg lost to Nunes in December, but picked up a victory over Canadian prospect Felicia Spencer before her contract expired. Cyborg will have her eyes set on gold yet again as the new year kicks off.

5. Jessica Andrade (20-7)

While Jessica Andrade is no longer Champion, there is fair justification to give her another shot. After defeating Rose Namajunas via a second round slam, Andrade became the Strawweight Champion. Then, as already mentioned, she was swarmed and crushed by Weili Zhang to lose her belt. Similar to Namajunas, Andrade is still very much in the fold and shouldn’t be counted out as a top contender.

6. Germaine de Randamie (9-3)

Throughout her career, Germaine de Randamie hasn’t been a very active fighter. Since her debut in 2008, she hasn’t once fought more than twice in a year. Although she lacks the frequency that most fighters have, she has a success rate that others don’t. Currently riding a five fight winning streak, de Randamie will face Amanda Nunes at UFC 245, attempting to claim the Bantamweight Championship. De Randamie has been champion before, having a brief stint with the Featherweight Championship before it being stripped due to her refusal to fight Cris Cyborg.

7. Rose Namajunas (8-4)

“Thug” Rose Namajunas hasn’t been booked for a fight since her loss to Jessica Andrade. There isn’t anything wrong with that since it was such a brutal loss, but it makes it easy for some to forget her relevance in the strawweight division. One loss doesn’t define Namajunas. We can’t forget her dominant fights against Joanna Jedrzejczyk in 2017 and 2018 which did a whole lot to legitimize her talent. The strawweight division has lots of contenders, so Namajunas might have to fight someone else before getting a title shot, but she isn’t far from getting a competition for gold.

8. Tatiana Suarez (8-0)

Up-and-coming Tatiana Suarez isn’t at title level just yet – but she’s definitely on her way. Still undefeated as a professional, Suarez has put on successful fights against other mid-level Strawweights with nobody being able to best her yet. 

9. Ilima-Lei MacFarlane (10-0)

Bellator’s Flyweight Champion Ilima-Lei MacFarlane has remained flawless throughout her professional career. She earned the belt in late 2018 by defeating Valerie Letourneau in a homecoming bout, and has since defended it against Veta Arteaga. News broke recently that her next challenge will be against Kate Jackson, headlining a December card.

10. Julia Budd (13-2)

Julia Budd has now held the Bellator Featherweight Championship for three fights. While undeniably dominant within the promotion’s biggest female division, Budd’s skill will be tested more than ever when facing newcomer Cris Cyborg in January. 

11. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (15-3)

Joanna Jedrzejczyk is in the #11 spot but should see either a climb or a drop this month after she faces Michelle Waterson. The fight is likely going to set up the next challenger for Weili Zhang’s Strawweight Championship. Jedrzejczyk recently lost to Valentina Shevchenko, failing to win the Flyweight Championship in the process. She’s been 1-3 in her last four, all against high profile opponents.

12. Michelle Waterson (17-6)

Michelle Waterson didn’t have an optimal entrance into the UFC. She went 2-2 in her first four fights. In recent times however she’s strung together three straight wins, with her most prominent win over Karolina Kowalkiewicz. She’s moved up the strawweight rankings, and could do it yet again when she faces Joanna Jedrzejczyk this month.

13. Ayaka Hamasaki (19-2)

The niche division of Super Atomweight is one which Ayaka Hamasaki currently reigns over. Being the RIZIN Super Atomweight Champion, Hamasaki has had a flawless 2019. On New Year’s Eve she captured the belt in a dominant performance over Kanna Asakura. She has since went on to avenge a loss over Jinh Yu Frey, and defeat up and coming Thai fighter AMP The Rocket. Hamasaki’s next clear opponent should be Ham Seo Hee, who had a dominant RIZIN debut over Tomo Maesawa. “Hamderlei” is booked to face Miyuu Yamamoto this month. Should she win that fight, a superfight for New Year’s Eve is the likely next step.

14. Viviane Araujo (8-1)

Viviane Araujo’s UFC tenure hasn’t lasted long, but she’s already made an impact. The Brazilian fighter came from JMMA promotion Pancrase, having two stoppage wins in the promotion. Since joining the UFC, Araujo has gotten two wins, one via a nasty overhand right, another through decision. Araujo isn’t a name most are familiar with right now, but if the case is the same in a year’s time, I’ll feel like a fool.

15. Joanne Calderwood (14-4)

Joanne Calderwood is the only female fighter to crash the rankings this month after defeating Andrea Lee at UFC 242. Calderwood bumped Lee out of her ranking which borders exclusion. While Calderwood had lost her fight before, she is clearly one of the rising stars of her division. 

Fight Radar:

This is the section that shows upcoming fights from fighters on the P4P lists.

10/5/19 UFC 243: Robert Whittaker (#4) vs. Israel Adesanya (#8)

10/12/19 ONE Championship: Century: Demetrious Johnson (#12) vs. Danny Kingad

10/12/19 UFC on ESPN+ 19: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (#11) vs. Michelle Waterson (#11)

10/12/19 RIZIN 19: Kai Asakura (#14) vs. Ulka Sasaki

12/14/19 UFC 245: Viviane Araujo (#14) vs. Jessica Eye

12/14/19 UFC 245: Amanda Nunes (#1) vs. Germaine de Randamie (#6)

12/14/19 UFC 245: Max Holloway (#6) vs. Alexander Volkanovski

12/14/19 UFC 245: Kamaru Usman (#7) vs. Colby Covington (#10)

12/21/19 Bellator: Ilima-Lei MacFarlane (#9) vs. Kate Jackson

1/25/20 Bellator: Cris Cyborg (#4) vs. Julia Budd (#10)

List Entrants:

Ryan Bader (#15)

Joanne Calderwood (#15)

List Exits:

Dustin Poirier

Andrea Lee

 

Bellator 228: Pitbull vs. Archuleta Full Report

While Bellator held two shows this weekend, Bellator 228 was clearly the bigger event. The show featured first round fights in the stacked Featherweight Grand Prix, and was also headlined by MMA stars Gegard Mousasi and Lyoto Machida in a rematch. Bellator as usual also had a very packed undercard.

Bout 1: James Barnes (11-4) vs. David Duran (8-5) (Catchweight 133 lbs)

The preliminary card started with a catchweight fight between James Barnes and David Duran. The first round was a good one for Barnes, landing good shots and keeping it in stand-up, where he wanted it. Barnes tried for a takedown and secured it with a minute and a half left in the round. Barnes opened the second round with another takedown. In the second minute of the round, Barnes put in a rear naked choke which gave him the victory. Dominant performance throughout for Barnes. 

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Barnes 9
Duran 10

Bout 2: Joshua Jones (8-4) vs. Dominic Clark (14-8) (Lightweight)

The next fight saw lightweights Joshua Jones and Dominic Clark clash. Clark went for a takedown in the second minute but Jones put in a guillotine. It stayed in for more than a minute, with Jones staying persistent and eventually getting the win from it.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Jones
Clark

Bout 3: Weber Almeida (2-0) vs. Castle Williams (4-2) (Featherweight)

The highly touted Weber Almeida faced Castle Williams in the next fight. Right off the bat in the first round, Almeida got a slam takedown. They stood back up and landed a left hook which dropped Williams. The commentary team likened Almeida to Lyoto Machida. A cut opened above the right eye of Williams. Williams tried for a takedown but couldn’t get it. Williams was dropped by a spinning back fist later. Williams showcased a great chin, eating tons of hard shots in the first round. He was dropped again with punches in the final minute. Almeida failed to finish the fight on the ground. Almeida dropped Williams early in the second round to get the W. It was impressive that Williams made it out of the first round. 

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Almeida 10
Williams 8

Bout 4: Shawn Bunch (9-3) vs. Leandro Higo (18-5) (Bantamweight)

Going down a weight class from the previous bout, the next fight saw the much more experienced pro Leandro Higo face Shawn Bunch. Both fighters had their moments in the first round, showcasing good hands. Bunch tried for a takedown as the round was concluding but couldn’t get it. Bunch’s hard fists continued in the second round. Higo chased a takedown, putting Bunch against the cage for quite some time. After they both got good punches in, Bunch put Higo against the cage. Higo put in a guillotine while standing which made Bunch tap out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Bunch 10
Higo 9

Bout 5: Mike Jasper (13-5) vs. Johnny Cisneros (12-7) (Catchweight 175 lbs)

The next fight was a catchweight bout between Mike Jasper and Johnny “The Tattooed Terror” Cisneros. Cisneros got dropped in the first minute, putting Jasper in top position side control. Jasper stayed on the attack the whole round, staying in a dominant position and throwing strikes. It was clear early in the second round that Jasper had hurt one of his feet. Cisneros tried for a takedown but couldn’t get it. They took turns in control up against the cage. Cisneros became aware of the situation, targeting the feet of Jasper. Jasper was dropped by a leg kick and hit with a few more strikes before the referee stepped in. It was hard to watch afterwards as Jasper stayed on the ground in what looked like horrible pain. He stayed for the official result announcement but had to be helped out of the cage afterwards. 

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Jasper 10
Cisneros 8

Bout 6: Antonio McKee (29-6-2) vs. William Sriyapai (14-8) (Catchweight 167 lbs)

Making his return to MMA, Antonio McKee fought William Sriyapai on the prelims of a card which his son fights on later as well. McKee went into this fight at 49 years old, as Sriyapai was 47. McKee scored a takedown with a minute and a half left in the first round. McKee got a takedown in the second round and took the back of Sriyapai. He threw unanswered punches until the referee stepped in to give him his 30th professional victory.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
McKee 10
Sriyapai 9

Bout 7: Ava Knight (0-0) vs. Shannon Goughary (4-3) (Strawweight)

The next fight was a special one, as 18-2 boxer Ava Knight made her MMA debut against Shannon Goughary. She had a special walkout, being accompanied by O.T. Genasis. The rapper is most known for his 2014 song “Coco.” As expected, Knight was out-boxing Goughary from the start. Goughary went for a takedown in the second minute, but Knight was able to keep it on the feet. Upon second attempt, Goughary was able to get a takedown and top position. While Knight was able to get some ground and pound in, Goughary was the better fighter on the ground. Back on their feet in the second round, Knight was able to get more punches in. Goughary started to show that she was getting hurt by the punches. A right straight dropped Goughary, bringing the fight to the ground. They stood back up, with Knight continuing to show skills in the striking department. Knight dropped Goughary with punches in the first minute, then got up from the ground-game to force the fight back into stand-up. Knight landed a left jab to the mid-section which gave her the victory. In her MMA debut, Ava Knight passed with flying colours against Shannon Goughary.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Knight 9 10
Goughary 10 9

Bout 8: AJ Agazarm (1-1) vs. Jonathan Quiroz (3-3) (Featherweight)

Finishing off the prelims was featherweights AJ Agazarm and Jonathan Quiroz competing. Agazarm got a takedown early in the first round. They got back up a minute later. Quiroz had some good combinations of punches in stand-up. In the second round, Agazarm tried for a rear naked choke on the ground on the back of Quiroz. They got back up with a minute left in the second round. It was easily a much better round for Agazarm. Back in stand-up in the final round, Quiroz was landing some good shots. Agazarm got a takedown and held the position until the final minute of the fight where they went back to stand-up. With 40 seconds left, Agazarm got another takedown, taking the back of Quiroz and trying again for the rear naked choke. When looking to the scorecards, it was AJ Agazarm who got his second Bellator victory (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Agazarm 9 10 10 29
Quiroz 10 9 9 28

Bout 9: Daniel Weichel (39-11) vs. Saul Rogers (13-2) (Featherweight Grand Prix First Round)

The main card kicked off with the final four fights in the Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix. The first of four fights was Daniel Weichel and Saul Rogers. This was the 50th professional MMA fight for Weichel. Rogers had some good punch combinations early on. Weichel was able to block a takedown attempt in the second minute. Rogers was winning the round until he was rocked by a punch which made him wobble and go into a defensive mode for the final moments of the round. Rogers had good striking in the second round. Weichel made Rogers fall by tripping him with a leg kick. He got back up quickly and they stayed in stand-up. Weichel did a good job and defending a double leg takedown early in the third round. The final round was easily the best one for Weichel as he quickened his striking output. Before we saw the decision, we were shown Paul George, Mickey Rourke and others sitting in the crowd. All three judges chose Daniel Weichel to move on in the tournament (29-28, 30-27 & 29-28). This was Weichel’s 40th professional win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Weichel 10 9 10 29
Rogers 9 10 9 28

Bout 10: Darrion Caldwell (13-3) vs. Henry Corrales (17-3) (Featherweight Grand Prix First Round)

The second of four Featherweight Grand Prix matches saw former Bellator Bantamweight Champion Darrion Caldwell face Henry Corrales. Caldwell looked to return to winning in this fight after losing twice to Kyoji Horiguchi, once in Bellator and once in RIZIN. Caldwell got a takedown in the second minute of the fight, getting side control. He eventually went into full guard and kept Corrales on the ground until the final 10 seconds of the fight. Corrales was cut open on the head while on the ground. Caldwell chased a takedown for a few minutes but never fully secured it. While Caldwell never got a solid takedown in the second round, he was on offense for the whole round. In the final round, Caldwell was given a warning for not engaging. Caldwell got a takedown in the final minute. Corrales was trying for a guillotine but couldn’t secure it. Caldwell was getting booed afterwards, though he seemingly adopted a heel character, egging on the booing. Via unanimous decision, it was Darrion Caldwell moving on (29-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Caldwell 10 10 10 30
Corrales 9 9 9 27

Bout 11: A.J. McKee (14-0) vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (28-9-1) (Featherweight Grand Prix First Round)

After his father won his respective fight on the prelims, A.J. McKee fought Georgi Karakhanyan in the next Featherweight GP matchup. In the opening seconds, McKee landed and overhand left that dropped Karakhanyan. After a few more ground and pound punches, McKee got the victory and moved on to the second round. On the fence, he shouted “write me my check!” There was some incident in the crowd that caught McKee’s attention before the official result was announced.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
McKee
Karakhanyan

Bout 12: Patricio Pitbull (29-4) vs. Juan Archuleta (23-1) (Featherweight Grand Prix First Round)

Before the next fight it was announced that Cris Cyborg would face Julia Budd for the Bellator Featherweight Championship in January. The final Featherweight GP First Round matchup was the Featherweight Champion Patricio Pitbull facing Juan Archuleta. Unlike the other first round matches, this one was a five round fight. A low kick to Pitbull cause a pause in the first round. Archuleta slipped in the first round and found himself in a guillotine. He got out of the guillotine after a few minutes. Pitbull stayed on top position until the end of the round, letting punches go at the end. Archuleta tried for a takedown early in the second round, with Pitbull keeping the fight on the feet. Pitbull was able to flip the position and put Archuleta against the cage in a standing clinch until the round ended. Pitbull dropped Archuleta in the third round, trying for a guillotine on the ground afterwards. A cut opened on Archuleta’s head that was bleeding quite a bit. Pitbull showcased more good striking throughout the round. Pitbull tried for the guillotine again near the end of the round. Pitbull dropped Archuleta again in the fourth round. Archuleta was able to block a takedown near the end of the fourth round. Pitbull ended the fifth round with a takedown. Before the decision, Darrion Caldwell shouted at Pitbull, saying he will fight him any month. Patricio Pitbull’s dominant performance was validated by the scorecards, which read in favour of him (49-46, 50-45 & 49-46).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Total
Pitbull 10 9 10 10 10 49
Archuleta 9 10 8 9 9 45

Before the main event of the evening, Bellator presented a Featherweight World Grand Prix “Selection Show.” The show saw all eight of the second round fighters onstage, drawing their second opponents for the quarter-finals. Fighters were given cards to choose their picking order. Fighters were given four dates to pick their fight (December, January, February and March). After the picking, these were the matchups made:

  1. A.J. McKee vs. Derek Campos (December)
  2. Adam Borics vs. Darrion Caldwell (January)
  3. Daniel Weichel vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (February)
  4. Patricio Pitbull vs. Pedro Carvalho (March)

Bout 13: Lyoto Machida (26-8) vs. Gegard Mousasi (45-7-2) (Middleweight)

The main event of the evening was a rematch between Lyoto Machida and Gegard Mousasi. Machida prevailed in their first meeting back in 2014. Mousasi landed a counter-punch right in the second minute of the bout which rocked Machida. Mousasi was consistently the fighter who pushed forward and threw the better punches. The fight went to the ground for the first time in the final two minutes when Machida tripped and fell. Machida tried for a guillotine choke in the final moments of the fight. After fifteen minutes, the fight went to scorecards with Gegard Mousasi earning the split decision victory (29-28 Machida, 29-28 Mousasi & 30-27 Mousasi).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Machida 9 9 9 27
Mousasi 10 10 10 30

Bout 14: Emilio Williams (4-2) vs. Ian Butler (6-6) (Catchweight 165 lbs)

The postlims started with Emilio Williams and Ian Butler. In the first 10 seconds of the fight, Butler got a takedown. Williams got back up halfway through the round. Butler looked for another takedown but when they went down it was Williams taking the back of Butler. With a minute left in the first, the referee stepped in as Butler was kneed in the ground. The fight eventually resumed with both fighters landing hard shots. Butler tried for a single leg takedown but never fully got it. Williams landed lots of shots as the first round was ending. Butler was potentially saved by the bell. Butler got a takedown early in the second round, teeing off with strikes on the ground. After many unanswered strikes the referee eventually stepped in. With a past record of 0-5 in Bellator, Butler finally saw himself get his first promotional win. After the fight ended it looked like Williams injured a knee in the fight. Butler’s victory was announced while Butler was still on the ground.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Williams 10
Butler 9

Bout 15: Andre Walker (5-2) vs. Ozzy Diaz (3-1) (Middleweight)

The next fight saw middleweights Andre Walker and Ozzy Diaz battle. Diaz scored a takedown early on, although Walker was quick to get back up. When getting another takedown, Diaz was able to take the back of Walker and put in a rear naked choke to earn a tap out victory. Diaz moved to 2-0 in Bellator in his early career.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Walker
Diaz

Bout 16: Johnny Santa Maria (3-4) vs. Benji Gomez (8-13) (Catchweight 130 lbs)

The final catchweight bout on the show was Johnny Santa Maria and Benji Gomez facing off. Both fighters went into the bout with a negative record. The first round was a close one as both fighters showcased fast striking. Gomez got a takedown in the final seconds of the first round. Gomez had Santa Maria retreating early in the second round. Santa Maria failed at the rare imanari roll, staying on the ground until the referee forced him up. After Gomez caught a stomach kick, Santa Maria also tried for a rolling thunder kick. Gomez was clearly the better striker. Gomez got the fight to the floor in the final round for a few minutes. When looking at the scorecards, all three judges saw it as a win for Benji Gomez (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Santa Maria 9 9 9 27
Gomez 10 10 10 30

Bout 17: Adrian Najera (1-0) vs. Jason Edwards (2-0) (Bantamweight)

The evening wrapped up with two undefeated professionals colliding. Adrian Nejera faced Jason Edwards in a classic “Two O’s one’s got to go” matchup. Najera stubbornly landed numerous takedowns within the first few minutes of the bout. Edwards landed a good knee in the clinch late in the first round. He tried for a guillotine choke but let go eventually. While Najera continued to land takedowns, Edwards’ striking in the second half of the round worked well for him. Halfway through the second round, Najera had one of his better takedowns, taking the back of Edwards. Edwards was able to fight out of the predicament and take top position. When they got back up, Najera landed a knee which dropped Edwards and sent his mouthpiece flying. Najera put in an ambar in the final 10 seconds of the fight, with Edwards being able to endure until the bell. The fight went back to the ground in the final round when Edwards tried for a guillotine choke. Najera started to land tons of punches, getting a victory when he slipped in a rear naked choke. Adrian Najera added a second win to his career, capping off a widely successful night for the Body Shop MMA gym.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Najera 9 10
Edwards 10 9

Bellator will return this weekend with Bellator 229, headlined by Andrey Koreshkov and Lorenz Larkin, the show will take place from the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California, USA. Overall the card is 13 fights, with four of them being on the main card.

Bellator 227 Full Report

This weekend Bellator had a double -header, taking place in Ireland and California. The first of two shows took place on Friday, with the country’s own James Gallagher in the main event. 

Bout 1: Ian Coughlan (1-0) vs. Constantin Gnusariov (2-0-1) (Welterweight)

The first preliminary bout was undefeated welterweights in Ian Coughlan and Constantin Gnusariov facing off. Early on, Gnusariov secured a takedown. While he didn’t do much, Gnusariov kept top position and landed some shots from above until the round ended.Within the first 15 seconds of the second round, Gnusariov got yet another takedown. Coughlan tried for an armbar on the ground but couldn’t get it. Coughlan took top position in the final minute of the round. Gnusariov found himself in a guillotine when shooting for a takedown in the third round. Later on, Coughlan tried for an armbar again but wasn’t successful. When consulting the official scorecards, it was Constantin Gnusariov who got the unanimous decision victory (29-28, 29-28 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Coughlan 9 9 10 28
Gnusariov 10 10 9 29

Bout 2: Dylan Logan (3-3) vs. Adam Gustab (4-4) (Featherweight)

The second fight saw Ireland’s Dylan Logan face Adam Gustab. Early on, Logan had some decent striking. Up against the cage, Logan got on Gustab’s back. Back into a standing clinch, Logan was the fighter applying more pressure. Both fighters traded hard punches in the final 30 seconds of the first round. Gustab was clearly the better striker. Just like in the first round, Logan got on Gustab’s back while standing up. On the bottom position on the ground, Logan put in a triangle choke which ended the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Logan 10
Gustab 9

Bout 3: Blaine O’Driscoll (7-2) vs. Jake Hadley (4-0) (Flyweight)

Moving down to the flyweight division, the third fight was Blaine O’Driscoll versus the undefeated Jake Hadley. O’Driscoll was throwing hard strikes early on. His striking was interrupted by Hadley scoring a takedown. Halfway through the round they went back to stand-up where O’Driscoll got a few more punches in before Hadley got another takedown. Hadley got another takedown with a minute left in the first round, although when they got back up again O’Driscoll was stringing together good punches. Right off the bat in the final round Hadley tried for a takedown. They stood back up and then got down, with O’Driscoll trying and failing to secure a guillotine choke. A takedown was countered by Hadley, taking O’Driscoll’s back. Hadley stayed on O’Driscoll’s back even though O’Driscoll got up and down many times. While standing up, Hadley tried for a rear naked choke which made O’Driscoll tap out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
O’Driscoll 10 10
Hadley 9 9

Bout 4: Philip Mulpeter (9-6) vs. Keith McCabe (3-4-1) (Welterweight)

In an Ireland versus Ireland matchup, Keith McCabe faced Philip Mulpeter. Early on in the fight it was Mulpeter who was coming forward with strikes. McCabe had decet moments every once in a while, counter-punching Mulpeter. There was a pause near the final minute of the first round as McCabe was hit in the groin. After a round and a half of standup, Mulpeter landed a trip takedown. They returned to the fast-paced stand-up before Mulpeter got another takedown in the final minute of the second round. The tempo of strikes thrown near the end of the final round were somehow near the same speed as in the first round. When the final bell went, the small crowd was very appreciative. The scorecards were a split decision, giving the fight to Philip Mulpeter (30-27 McCabe, 29-28 Mulpeter & 29-28 Mulpeter).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Mulpeter 10 10 10 30
McCabe 9 9 9 27

Bout 5: Lee Chadwick (25-14-1) vs. Karl Moore (8-2) (Light Heavyweight)

The next preliminary fight had a very experienced fighter in Lee Chadwick versus Karl Moore. It’s odd that someone like Chadwick would be so low on a card. The first round saw Moore out-strike Chadwick. There was a moment where Chadwick claimed there was a low blow, but he wasn’t given a pause and quickly had to snap back into fighter-mode as Moore was charging at him. The second round saw Chadwick frequently pin Moore up against the cage. The third round was similar for Chadwick, putting Moore against the cage and being in control for most of the time. The fight looked to the scorecards to find a winner, with Karl Moore getting a split decision victory (30-27 Moore, 29-28 Chadwick & 29-28 Moore).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Chadwick 9 10 10 29
Moore 10 9 9 28

Bout 6: Ilias Bulaid (0-0) vs. Vitalic Mairboroda (0-0) (Featherweight)

The next fight saw two fighters make their professional MMA debuts. Bulaid was applying the pressure throughout the round, although Mairboroda was in it as well. There was a pause in the final minute of the first round, as Mairboroda was hit in the groin. When they resumed there was only a few moments left. Bulaid threw a knee to the head which dropped Mairboroda and ended the fight. 

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Bulaid
Mairboroda

Bout 7: Ryan Roddy (7-1-1) vs. Patrik Pietila (11-7) (Lightweight)

The next fight saw lightweights Ryan Roddy and Patrik Pietila face off. Roddy landed a takedown in the second minute but they got up shortly after. Pietila dropped Roddy with a punch but he recovered. Pietila showcased his chin more than anything in the first round, eating punches and surviving. Roddy went for a takedown in the first minute of the second round, although they got up right after. Roddy got another takedown early in the final round, this time keeping the fight on the ground for a significant amount of time. Roddy let lots of ground and pound go in the final round, also attempting chokes on the ground. The fight went the distance with Ryan Roddy walking away with the victory by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27 & 29-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Roddy 8 9 10 27
Pietila 10 10 9 29

Bout 8: Richie Smullen (4-1-1) vs. Sean Tobin (6-3) (Featherweight)

Finishing off the preliminary part of the card was Richie Smullen and Sean Tobin. Smullen got a takedown in the opening seconds of the fight. He got on Tobin’s back and put in a rear naked choke which took him out cold.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Smullen
Tobin

Bout 9: Frans Mlambo (7-4) vs. Dominique Wooding (6-2) (Bantamweight)

The main card started with a bantamweight fight between Frans Mlambo and Dominique Wooding. Mlambo had sharp striking early on, dropping Wooding while counter-punching. Mlambo put Wooding up against the cage in a standing clinch. A pause came after Mlambo kneed Wooding in the groin accidentally. The fight resumed back in the middle of the cage. Wooding got his first takedown, although Mlambo got up and landed elbows to the head while pinned up against the cage. Most of the second round was up against the cage. There was another groin strike, this time to Mlambo which interrupted the action against the cage. Mlambo missed a spinning back kick which woke up the pretty quiet crowd. Mlambo put Wooding up against the cage in another standing clinch. Wooding was coming forward with strike when back in the stand-up, but Mlambo continued to show his strong counter-punching. When consulting the scorecards it was Frans Mlambo who walked away with the victory (30-27, 30-27 & 30-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Mlambo 10 10 10 30
Wooding 9 9 9 27

Bout 10: Leah McCourt (2-1) vs. Kerry Hughes (3-4) (Featherweight)

In one of the only women’s MMA fights of the evening, Leah McCourt fought Kerry Hughes. In the second minute of the fight they went against the cage. McCourt landed a hip toss takedown to take the back of Hughes. She eventually put in a rear naked choke which made the referee step in and end the bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
McCourt
Hughes

Bout 11: Norbert Novenyi Jr. (3-0) vs. Will Fleury (6-1) (Middleweight)

Undefeated Norbert Novenyi Jr. challenged his undefeated record against Will Fleury in the next fight. Fleury got a takedown in the second minute of the round. He tried for an armbar before they stood up, just not being able to secure it though. Novenyi Jr. dropped Fleury with a counter overhand right, although Fleury recovered quite quickly. Fleury took more shots including more overhand rights. Fleury started to bleed at the mouth. Novenyi continued to have success with the overhand right. He took Fleury to the ground with successful striking again. Fleury got his own takedown with a minute and a half in the second round. It was clear by the third round that Fleury was behind on the scorecards. Novenyi Jr. started to taunt in the final round, which was a much less active one than the two before. Looking at the scorecards to find a winner, it was Norbert Novenyi Jr. who walked away with the win. He did more dances after the decision. (30-26, 30-26 & 30-27)

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Novenyi Jr. 10 10 10 30
Fleury 9 9 9 27

Bout 12: Kiefer Crosbie (6-1) vs. Hugo Pereira (4-2) (Catchweight 165 lbs.)

Before the next fight we saw UFC fighter Conor McGregor arrive in the crowd. The next fight was a catchweight 165 lbs fight between Kiefer Crosbie and Huge Pereira. This was the co-main event for the DAZN broadcast. Being in his home country, Crosbie was obviously the fan favourite. Early on, Pereira put Corsbie up against the cage. Crosbie had lots of control throughout the pretty quiet round. In the final round, Pereira had top position against Crosbie. Pereira got on Crosbie’s back while standing up. Crosbie slipped out and went into a clinch against the cage. Crosbie finished the round throwing some strikes on the ground as it concluded. When going to the scorecards it was Kiefer Crosbie who got the win (29-28, 29-28 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Crosbie 10 10 9 29
Pereira 9 9 10 28

Bout 13: Benson Henderson (27-8) vs. Myles Jury (17-4) (Lightweight)

The DAZN main event was Benson Henderson versus Myles Jury. This was Jury’s first fight since being released from the UFC. The first round was a slow and methodical one, with Henderson having the better stand-up. Jury had a better second round, being the more engaging of the two. Henderson had a real focus on low kicks throughout the fight. Henderson’s cleanest shot in the whole fight was a straight left which landed in a two punch combo in the final round. The fight went the distance, staying in stand-up the whole time besides when Henderson slipped for a moment. When going to decision, it was Benson Henderson who got a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total
Henderson 10 9 10 29
Jury 9 10 9 28

The rest of the card was not televised in North America, but here was the results, as per Tapology.

Bout 14: Peter Queally def. Ryan Scope via Round 2 TKO

Bout 15: Michael Page def. Richard Kiely via Round 1 KO

Bout 16: James Gallagher def. Roman Salazar via Round 1 Submission

Bout 17: Danni Neilan def. Camila Rivarola via Decision (Postlim)

Bout 18: Ciaran Clarke def. George Courtney via Round 3 Submission (Postlim)

UFC on ESPN+ 18: Hermansson vs. Cannonier Full Preview

This upcoming weekend is a busy one for combat sports. With two Bellator shows, a UFC Fight Night and a boxing prize fight, there will be an event on at almost every time of the day. Following Bellator’s Friday event, UFC will hold “UFC on ESPN+ 18” will take place live from Copenhagen, Denmark on Saturday morning. Headlining the show will be middleweights Jack “The Joker” Hermansson and Jared Cannonier. Both ranked middleweights are up-and-coming within the division, with this fight being a test for them. Before the main event however, there is 12 other fights, with the card kicking off at 11AM EST on ESPN+ (on UFC Fight Pass for Canadian viewers).

Bout 1: Nohelin Hernandez (10-3) vs. Jack Shore (11-0) (Bantamweight)

The first bout of the evening is the debut of a prospect from the British scene in Jack Shore against Nohelin Hernandez. Shore comes into the UFC with an 11-0 record, picking up a large amount of those wins within the Cage Warriors promotion in the UK. The Wales fighter will face Hernandez, who lost his UFC debut against Marlon Vera in July.

Bout 2: Marc Diakiese (13-3) vs. Lando Vannata (10-3-2) (Lightweight)

While Marc Diakiese and Lando Vannata have settled into their positions in the UFC, their records don’t reflect that. Vannata holds a 2-3-2 record since joining the promotion, with Diakiese sporting a 3-4 record. Both fighters are coming off a victory. Whoever wins this fight will be starting their first winning streak in a couple or more years. 

Bout 3: Macy Chiasson (5-0) vs. Lina Lansberg (9-4) (Bantamweight)

Macy Chiasson has had a short professional MMA career, but she has been flawless throughout. After winning Season 28 of The Ultimate Fighter, Chiasson has went on to get finishing victories over Gina Mazany and Sarah Moras, making her record 5-0. She will go up against Lina Lansberg, who has taken turns with wins and losses since her UFC debut. The Swede took Tonya Evinger to a decision three months back, getting a victory unanimously. In a tough fight for both fighters, Lansberg will aim to break the undefeated record of Chiasson.

Bout 4: Giga Chikadze (7-2) vs. Brandon Davis (10-7) (Featherweight)

Giga Chikadze will be making his UFC debut on Saturday, attempting to continue a current two-fight winning streak when he faces Brandon Davis. Just a month after his loss to Kyung Ho Kang, Davis will be attempting to rebound with this fight.

Bout 5: Siyar Bahadurzada (24-7-1) vs. Ismail Naurdiev (18-3) (Welterweight)

Continuing on the preliminary card, welterweights veteran UFC fighter Siyar Bahadurzada will fight Ismail Naurdiev. Naurdiev has fought twice before in the UFC, picking up a win against Michel Prazeres and most recently a loss against Chance Rencountre. His opponent this time around, Bahadurzada, is a veteran of the highest promotion. Although he has been with the UFC since 2012, he only holds a record of 4-3. Bahadurzada most recently fought at the end of 2018, taking a decision loss to Curtis Millender.

Bout 6: Alessio Di Chirico (12-3) vs. Makhmud Muradov (22-6) (Middleweight)

Makhmud Muradov’s entrance into the UFC this weekend will come against Alessio Di Chirico. Almost everything indicates it to be a win for Muradov. He’s the more experienced fighter, the bigger fighter and currently on an 11-fight winning streak. Di Chirico is coming off a decision loss to Kevin Holland.

Bout 7: Alen Amedovski (8-1) vs. John Phillips (21-9) (Middleweight)

Wales fighter John Phillips will potentially fight for his spot in the UFC on Saturday, attempting to snap a current three-fight winning streak that started with his promotional debut. His opponent Alen Amedovski’s situation is less severe, currently attempting to bounce back from his debut loss against Krzysztof Jotko five months ago. Amedovski has fought at a high level before, getting two first round finish wins in Bellator.

Bout 8: Alex Oliveira (20-7-1) vs. Nicolas Dalby (17-3-1) (Welterweight)

Kicking off the main card at 2PM EST on ESPN+ will be Alex Oliveira and Nicolas Dalby. The fight will be a return to the UFC for Dalby. After leaving the promotion in 2016 with a record of 1-3-1, Dalby turned to the Cage Warriors promotion to go 3-1 1 NC. Now returning to the UFC with the goal of having a better run than last time, it won’t be an easy entrance against Oliveira. While the last two fights for Oliveira were losses, they came against big opponents in Gunnar Nelson and “Platinum” Mike Perry.

Bout 9: Ovince St. Preux (22-13) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (14-2) (Light Heavyweight)

The next fight has a clear storyline: the up-and-coming fighter versus a gatekeeper of the weight class. Heading into his 20th UFC fight, Ovince St. Preux has been matched against Michal Oleksiejczuk, who has a 2-0-1 record since joining the UFC back in 2017. A win against St. Preux would be the biggest one in the career of Oleksiejczuk so far.

Bout 10: Ion Cutelaba (15-4) vs. Khalil Rountree (8-3) (Light Heavyweight)

Ion Cutelaba and Khalil Rountree are two of the biggest light heavyweight names that aren’t ranked. Bouncing back with a win against Eryk Anders earlier this year, Khalil Rountree will look to crash the rankings after beating Ion Cutelaba. Cutelaba on the other hand recently lost to Glover Teixeira, getting choked out in the second round. A win for either fighter could mean seeing their name on the top 15 list next week.

Bout 11: Gunnar Nelson (17-4-1) vs. Gilbert Burns (16-3) (Welterweight)

Just over a month after his last victory, Gilbert Burns is booked for another fight. His opponent this time around is Gunnar Nelson. Both fighters were on the same UFC 231 card in December last year where they both picked up a win. Since then, Burns has went 2-0 in MMA fights, defeating Mike Davis and just last month breaking the undefeated streak of Alexey Kunchenko. Nelson has only fought once within the same timeframe, losing to Leon Edwards.

Bout 12: Mark O. Madsen (8-0) vs. Danilo Belluardo (12-4) (Lightweight)

The under-represented Denmark will at least see a debuting fighter in the co-main event of the evening. Coming into the promotion with an undefeated record, Mark O. Madsen will face Danilo Belluardo, who is 0-1 within the promotion. Coming in as a huge favourite, Madsen’s prior notable wins came from unofficial UFC feeder promotion Cage Warriors.

Bout 13: Jack Hermansson (20-4) vs. Jared Cannonier (12-4) (Middleweight)

The main event of the evening will see highly ranked middleweights Jack Hermansson and Jared Cannonier face off. Hermansson is the higher ranked fighter (#5) while Cannonier is in a somewhat lower spot (#9). While a win from either fighter likely wouldn’t blast them up to a title contender position, they would be within a fight’s distance likely of being the top contender. Before getting to the title, they would have to defeat a top contender like Paulo Costa, Kelvin Gastelum, the loser of Israel Adesanya versus Robert Whittaker or even Yoel Romero, who is a step below the others.

Jack Hermansson is currently on a four-fight winning streak, stopping three of his opponents. His most recent win was a dominant five round fight against Jacare Souza back in April. The Swede debuted in the UFC in 2016, only losing twice since then. Cannonier has won two in a row, stopping both David Branch and Anderson Silva (although the win over Silva came via leg injury). If you’re interested in further reading, ESPN did a good piece talking about how Cannonier went from heavyweight to middleweight.

UFC has a big event next weekend live from Australia. Starting at 6:30 PM EST with the main card at 10PM EST, UFC 243 will be headlined by Robert Whittaker putting his UFC Middleweight Championship up against interim Champion Israel Adesanya. The show will also feature other prominent Australia and New Zealand based-UFC fighters.