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Ten wins on the spin, #1 UFC bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili gets his title shot next month against Sean O’Malley and while the highly-regarded Georgian will fancy his chances against a flashy striker, the champion’s head coach Tim Welch feels one glaring hole could prove costly in their PPV headliner. Continue reading “UFC 306: O’Malley’s coach Tim Welch pinpoints weakness in Dvalishvili’s game”
Having seen the pushback on social media after calling for a champ-vs-champ showdown with new featherweight titlist Ilia Topuria, UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has now said longtime contender Merab Dvalishvili will be his next opponent – two weeks before his maiden championship defence vs. Marlon Vera: the only man to beat him in his professional career to date. Continue reading “UFC 299: Marlon Vera must be O’Malley’s main focus, not Dvalishvili or Topuria bout”
They were quick to laugh and rubbish his perceived arrogance during the build-up to the biggest fight of his career, but Ilia Topuria made good on his promise by securing a stunning second-round knockout win over long-reigning UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and snap the Australian’s unbeaten 145lb streak, becoming the new divisional king in their PPV headliner. Continue reading “UFC 298: Topuria tops Volkanovski with superb R2 KO to clinch featherweight gold”
Riding a five-fight win streak since their main event ended abruptly after an accidental eye poke rendered him unable to continue, #2 welterweight Belal Muhammad has persistently poked Leon Edwards who now holds UFC championship gold three years later. If he gets his long-awaited wish at a title shot as expected, the 35-year-old cannot underperform as Colby did last month. Continue reading “Belal barking up an Edwards-shaped storm that very soon, he’ll have to back up”
Perennial bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen is now riding a three-fight win streak for the first time since 2019, but completed the achievement with an underwhelming albeit comfy decision win over short-notice replacement Rob Font in their catchweight clash at 140lbs. Should he be rewarded with a title shot next – depending on how UFC 292 unfolds – or does he need another scalp?
Continue reading “UFC Nashville: Sandhagen nullifies Font to dominant decision win in drab main event”
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”
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”
Having unified the flyweight championship, ending his three-year long tetralogy series with Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 283 on January 21, reigning titlist Brandon Moreno has publicly insisted his wish to remain an active champion in 2023: two more fights – one in June and another in November or December – including a title defence vs. former foe Alexandre Pantoja. Continue reading “UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno wants two more fights in 2023 – and Alexandre Pantoja next”
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”
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”
Ahead of next month’s PPV event in Singapore, with two championship fights and a highly-anticipated title eliminator at strawweight, the six headline fighters spoke on a virtual press conference with a variety of answers – from what’s to come for them respectively in June and potentially beyond, like double-champ status and one fighter eyeing another title rematch. Continue reading “UFC 275 Virtual Presser: Santos keen to wrestle, Joanna targeting revenge and more”
Fresh from his impressive decision win over rising contender Giga Chikadze last month, the #5 ranked featherweight has revealed he is staying ready as he looks to secure a reserve role, which could see him potentially fight for gold at UFC 273 on April 9 after former champion Max Holloway withdrew from his proposed Alexander Volkanovski trilogy with an undisclosed injury. Continue reading “Staying ready: Calvin Kattar keen for UFC 273 back-up role ahead of Volk-Zombie title fight”
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