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UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling secured his third title defence with a split decision nod against two-division champion Henry Cejudo, who acquitted himself well after a three-year layoff but wasn’t active nor urgent enough to consistently trouble the 135lb titlist over 25 minutes. Prior, there were big wins for Belal Muhammad and Yan Xiaonan among others. Continue reading “UFC 288: Sterling outpoints returning Cejudo, after Belal’s big decision win”
Song Yadong produced a statement showing against Ricky Simon, snapping the fellow top-10 contender’s five-fight win streak in Saturday’s main event before calling out Sean O’Malley [1] and former foe Marlon Vera [5]. The Chinese talent is still only 25 and a firm fixture at bantamweight, so who should be next? Continue reading “UFC Vegas 72: What’s next at 135lbs, after Song Yadong’s TKO5 win vs. Ricky Simon?”
It feels like just yesterday, Adrian Yanez was merely the Contender Series graduate with a penchant for highlight reel finishes. Now, the 29-year-old has a fantastic chance to leapfrog a few in the top-15 and establish himself as a genuine player at 135lbs against perennial contender Rob Font this weekend. Continue reading “UFC 287: Adrian Yanez aware of the golden opportunity that lies ahead vs. Rob Font”
He apologised to the fans, aware they would’ve been underwhelmed by what they saw: but it wasn’t his fault. Cory Sandhagen scored a decision win over Marlon Vera – split scorecards notwithstanding – before calling out Merab Dvalishvili after the Georgian’s impressive win over former champion Petr Yan two weeks prior. The bantamweight division is bubbling up nicely again… Continue reading “UFC’s 135lb division shuffles once more, after Cory Sandhagen punishes lethargic Marlon Vera”
Islam Makhachev did what he said he would, winning lightweight gold with a second-round submission win over Charles Oliveira before dedicating it to Khabib and his close friend’s father, late coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. Prior, Aljamain Sterling definitively defended his bantamweight title against TJ Dillashaw – a fight that should never have been cleared – after Sean O’Malley stunned critics to earn a split decision victory over former champion Petr Yan. Continue reading “UFC 280: Makhachev claims lightweight gold, after Sterling defends 135lb strap and O’Malley stuns Yan”
Tonight’s UFC 280 PPV card is packed with multiple fights that could headline their own events. Two championship clashes, one intriguing bantamweight scrap, a of contrasting lightweights and a flyweight title eliminator all on the main card. That’s ignoring Belal Muhammad vs. Sean Brady, while Volkan Oezdemir and Muhammad Mokaev are among those also on the prelims. Continue reading “UFC 280: Makhachev-Oliveira, Sterling-Dillashaw and Yan-O’Malley on a packed PPV card”
With no UFC event taking place last weekend, and Saturday’s UFC Vegas 61 card not attracting much buzz, I take a look back at the promotion’s most recent headliner: Cory Sandhagen’s return to the win column at bantamweight against rising young contender Song Yadong. Continue reading “Rewind: Cory Sandhagen’s R4 TKO – doctor stoppage – vs. Song Yadong at UFC Vegas 60 on Sept. 17”
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”
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”
Despite absorbing a record-breaking amount of damage on Saturday night, Marlon Vera – armed with multiple knockdowns – comprehensively outpointed Rob Font over 25 minutes in the evening’s main event, a result that has seen his bantamweight ranking rise to #5 in this week’s update and will undoubtedly and attract attention of other budding title contenders. Continue reading “UFC Vegas 53: Vera vaults up at bantamweight, as knockdowns help him outpoint Font”
A pair of compelling championship fights are scheduled to headline the UFC 272 PPV card from the T-Mobile Arena on March 5, when Alexander Volkanovski prepares to make the third defence of his featherweight title vs. former champ Max Holloway in their trilogy, while Aljamain Sterling faces interim titlist Petr Yan in a long-awaited rematch for the bantamweight strap. Continue reading “UFC 272: Volkanovski-Holloway 3, Sterling-Yan 2 title fights to headline March 5 PPV”
It feels like just yesterday, critics were starting to get worried about Jose Aldo’s career trajectory after suffering three contrasting defeats for the first time in his 17-year pro stint. Now, he’s flipped the script: three consecutive UD wins against hopeful contenders – a first since 2014 – and his potential has risen again, in a bantamweight division packed with uncertainty.
Continue reading “UFC Vegas 44: Aldo rolls back the years with commanding decision win vs. Font”
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