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Alex Pereira made the first defence of his light-heavyweight title, avenging teammate and close friend Glover Teixeira’s punishing five-round defeat vs. former titlist Jamahal Hill in the UFC 300 headliner to cap an unforgettable night’s action from Las Vegas after contrasting championship victories for strawweight queen Zhang Weili and new BMF titleholder Max Holloway.
Continue reading “UFC 300: Pereira flattens Hill to retain 205lb title as Weili and Holloway win big”
Relive my live fight-by-fight commentary as UFC 295 unfolded from New York’s Madison Square Garden overnight, with Manchester’s Tom Aspinall looking to score interim heavyweight gold – on short-notice no less – against the fearsome finisher Sergei Pavlovich in the night’s co-main event before former champions Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira did battle for the vacant light-heavyweight title.
Continue reading “UFC 295: Relive live commentary as Pereira becomes two-division champion, after Aspinall wins interim HW gold”
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”
After outpointing Viviane Araujo with slick boxing back in mid-October, Alexa Grasso [6] faces the toughest challenge of her 11-year professional career this weekend against long-reigning flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko. Riding a four-fight winning streak at 125lbs, is she ready for the Bullet?
Continue reading “Rewind: Alexa Grasso’s UD win over Viviane Araujo on Oct. 15, is she ready for Shevchenko shot?”
Tatiana Suarez’s long-awaited return to the Octagon is scheduled for tonight after nearly four years on the sidelines. So, what better time than now to reflect upon an career-best victory last week for flyweight contender Erin Blanchfield over a former strawweight champion in Jessica Andrade last weekend? Continue reading “A week on: UFC Vegas 69 – Blanchfield’s R2 submission win over Andrade opens up possibilities”
Taila Santos out, Jessica Andrade in: Erin Blanchfield isn’t as phased by the late-notice change to her first UFC main event opponent this weekend as critics would expect, given the former champion awaiting her. Is nonchalance a good thing here, or should she be more concerned? Continue reading “Title talk? Erin Blanchfield and Jessica Andrade ambitious before tomorrow’s Fight Night headliner”
Jamahal Hill became the first Dana White’s Contender Series graduate to earn UFC gold after a dominant, exhausting five-round decision win over former champion Glover Teixeira, who announced his retirement post-fight. Elsewhere, Brandon Moreno ended his Deiveson Figueiredo series with a third-round TKO before his rival confirmed he’ll be moving up to bantamweight – while there were emphatic victories for Gilbert Burns and Jessica Andrade. Continue reading “UFC 283: Hill batters Teixeira to become new LHW champ, Moreno ends Figueiredo series with stoppage”
Ahead of her main card matchup against former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade this weekend in Brazil, former title challenger Lauren Murphy spoke about Taila Santos’ split decision defeat by reigning titlist Valentina Shevchenko – whose last display reinforces the belief she’s not untouchable after finding herself in danger against the Brazilian last summer. Continue reading “Before Jessica Andrade matchup, Lauren Murphy believes Shevchenko isn’t going to win forever”
After falling short against Valentina Shevchenko in her bid to become a two-weight world champion, the former women’s strawweight titlist headlined a largely forgettable Fight Night card from the Apex on Saturday night and wasted no time: delivering a first-round standing arm-triangle choke win over her Brazilian compatriot, Amanda Lemos on her return to 115lbs. Continue reading “UFC Vegas 52: Andrade earns historic sub win over Lemos on return to strawweight division”
Across the promotion’s four female weight classes, only four fighters – including an impressive flyweight still in her debut UFC year – are unbeaten with 3-0 records or better. The conscious decision to reject their fast-track route attempts speak to the 24-year-old’s desire for more well-rounded growth with time, something many rising stars before her skipped to their detriment.
Continue reading “Casey O’Neill’s patient progression stance is one more UFC prospects should follow”
Alexander Volkanovski survived a R3 frenzy, where he was knocked down with a bullet left-hand and recovered from two tight submission manoevures before outlasting Brian Ortega (#2) via UD to retain his featherweight title: 49-46, 50-45, 50-44. Valentina Shevchenko made the sixth defence of her flyweight crown against Lauren Murphy, while there were other big winners too.
Continue reading “UFC 266: Volkanovski outlasts Ortega, retaining featherweight title in frenetic thriller”
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