Kamaru Usman has revealed a readiness to travel to Leon Edwards’ home comforts, as he looks to regain his welterweight title in 2023 – with London’s Wembley Stadium mooted as a possible venue – having led 3-1 on all three judges’ scorecards but ultimately suffering a dramatic final-minute leg kick KO defeat at the weekend during their rematch in the UFC 278 main event. Continue reading “UFC 278: Usman at peace with shock KO defeat, welcomes trilogy clash in England next year”
Category: UFC
UFC 278: Leon Edwards dethrones Kamaru Usman with R5 head kick KO, new welterweight champion
Midway through the fifth, they thought he was demoralised and it was over. Instead, Leon Edwards scored a stunning head kick KO to dethrone Kamaru Usman, as the UK’s second-ever UFC champion since Michael Bisping after big main card wins for former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa and an in-form Merab Dvalishvili at 135lbs – both against MMA legends.
Continue reading “UFC 278: Leon Edwards dethrones Kamaru Usman with R5 head kick KO, new welterweight champion”
UFC San Diego: Vera’s violent run continues with R4 head kick win vs. Cruz – 135lb contenders beware
Marlon Vera (#5) started slowly but ended rather emphatically with a stoppage as promised – kicking Dominick Cruz’s two-time 135lb title aspirations to the curb in the championship rounds of their competitive headliner. The card overperformed expectations to send the 12,804-strong San Diego crowd home happy with big wins for Azamat Murzakanov, debutant Yazmin Jauregui and a Nate Landwehr vs. David Onama FOTY contender in the co-main event among others. Continue reading “UFC San Diego: Vera’s violent run continues with R4 head kick win vs. Cruz – 135lb contenders beware”
Rewind: Ahead of Dominick Cruz main event, a look back at Marlon Vera UD5 Rob Font on Apr. 30
Marlon Vera faces former bantamweight king and future Hall of Famer in fellow championship contender Dominick Cruz this weekend in an unofficial 135lb title eliminator, but before their Fight Night main event matchup from San Diego, here’s a look back at the Ecuadorian’s decision win over Rob Font four months prior – sowing the seeds for his latest headliner. Continue reading “Rewind: Ahead of Dominick Cruz main event, a look back at Marlon Vera UD5 Rob Font on Apr. 30”
UFC Vegas 59: Jamahal Hill overwhelms Thiago Santos in back-and-forth LHW duel
Light-heavyweight contender Jamahal Hill relished the challenge in his first UFC main event and quickly made it a memorable one against Thiago Santos, earning a fourth-round TKO finish against a former title challenger who thoroughly tested him. Elsewhere, there were impressive wins for Geoff Neal and Terrance McKinney among others on the main card. Continue reading “UFC Vegas 59: Jamahal Hill overwhelms Thiago Santos in back-and-forth LHW duel”
UFC 277: Nunes exacts revenge on Pena in gruelling title rematch, Moreno bests Kara-France again
Amanda Nunes regained her double champion status with a one-sided decision victory over Julianna Pena in a bloody, exhausting, frenetic rematch after Brandon Moreno’s brilliant third-round liver kick against Kai Kara-France secured his status as new interim flyweight champion. Elsewhere, there were big wins for Alexandre Pantoja, Magomed Ankalaev and more besides.
Continue reading “UFC 277: Nunes exacts revenge on Pena in gruelling title rematch, Moreno bests Kara-France again”
UFC 277: Nunes’ passion reignited before Pena rematch, Moreno keen to derail Kara-France
Amanda Nunes looks to right last year’s wrong against Julianna Pena in the latter’s first title defence at women’s bantamweight, while there’s an interim strap up for grabs at flyweight between two familiar foes: former champion Brandon Moreno and a streaking Kai Kara-France, almost three years after their first meeting. They all had plenty to say ahead of Saturday’s PPV. Continue reading “UFC 277: Nunes’ passion reignited before Pena rematch, Moreno keen to derail Kara-France”
UFC London: Five things we learned from another emotionally draining Fight Night card
For the second consecutive weekend, the UFC’s unofficial title eliminator in another division was cruelly cut short by injury. The decision to return to London so soon after an electric card four months prior didn’t age well, but that was more to do with some drab matchups than anything else. Nonetheless, the Molly and Paddy show continued, among other things… Continue reading “UFC London: Five things we learned from another emotionally draining Fight Night card”
UFC Long Island: What’s next for Volkanovski after Rodriguez’s anticlimactic main event victory?
As he continues recovery from the broken thumb sustained during his dominant title defence over former champ Max Holloway earlier this month, featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski wants the winner of UFC 280’s lightweight title headliner: Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev. Based on last weekend’s result, should he attend to the business awaiting him at 145lbs first? Continue reading “UFC Long Island: What’s next for Volkanovski after Rodriguez’s anticlimactic main event victory?”
UFC 276: Adesanya outpoints Cannonier, after Volkanovski dominates Holloway in trilogy fight
Israel Adesanya made the fifth defence of his middleweight title against Jared Cannonier, on an evening where the champion’s next challenge presented itself: former kickboxing foe Alex Pereira, who thunderously ended #4 ranked Sean Strickland’s four-year unbeaten run. In the co-main event, featherweight titlist Alexander Volkanovski closed the chapter on his Max Holloway trilogy with a one-sided UD win before stressing a desire to move up to lightweight. Continue reading “UFC 276: Adesanya outpoints Cannonier, after Volkanovski dominates Holloway in trilogy fight”
UFC 275: Prochazka pips Teixeira to LHW title with R5 sub after Shevchenko’s razor-thin defence
Down on the scorecards, Jiri Prochazka recovered from sustained periods of danger to reign supreme as the new light-heavyweight titlist in his third UFC appearance – submitting Glover Teixeira with 28 seconds left in R5. Valentina Shevchenko looked human against a determined Taila Santos display after former foe Joanna Jedrzejczyk announced her retirement following a thunderous R2 KO loss during a highly-anticipated rematch with former champ Zhang Weili.
Continue reading “UFC 275: Prochazka pips Teixeira to LHW title with R5 sub after Shevchenko’s razor-thin defence”
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