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Surprise flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg exceeded expectations but left Rio empty-handed and heartbroken after going the championship distance against a savvy Alexandre Pantoja, who overcame adversity and some shaky moments en route to making a second title defence on his return to Brazil. Continue reading “UFC 301: Pantoja tested but Erceg’s inexperience costly in flyweight title fight”
Former middleweight champion-turned-analyst Michael Bisping made his feelings clear, as have many of the regular UFC watching public as far as the stakes for this weekend’s flyweight title fight headliner in Rio. Alexandre Pantoja should win emphatically, against a plucky contender given an unlikely shot of a lfietime to win gold just four bouts into his promotional stint. Will he? Continue reading “UFC 301: Bisping favours Pantoja to topple Erceg, Moicano questions low fight buzz”
After logging his fourth consecutive submission victory to cap a busy 2023 schedule at Paul Craig’s expense, #8 ranked middleweight contender Brendan Allen has a golden opportunity to do what he has publicly stated is his destiny: showcase his championship credentials against a one-time title challenger and catapult himself into the top-5 rankings at 185lbs in three months’ time.
Continue reading “Brendan Allen earns springboard shot at 185lbs against Marvin Vettori on Apr. 6”
Riding a five-fight win streak, #10 ranked middleweight Brendan Allen faces Paul Craig in Saturday’s main event and the 27-year-old believes his second headline slot in nine months shows the promotion’s faith in him as someone with championship potential. Paul Craig is no slouch and testing himself at a lower weight than his 205lb days, so this represents a fitting matchup. Continue reading “UFC Vegas 82: Brendan Allen feels main event slot shows belief in his title potential, but Paul Craig has little to lose”
12 months after his Curtis Blaydes matchup was cruelly cut short by a serious knee injury, Tom Aspinall again announced himself as a serious player in the heavyweight division after making short work of perennial contender Marcin Tybura in the UFC London card on July 22. Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic is set for November, and the 30-year-old has his sights set on securing a title shot soon. Continue reading “UFC London: Rewind back to Aspinall’s rapid return, a R1 TKO win vs. Tybura”
Downgraded from main event to co-main event, the story still remains the same at light-heavyweight this weekend when perennial contenders Anthony Smith [5] and Johnny Walker [7] collide. Can the former title challenger return to form after sustaining a freak injury last July, or is now finally Johnny’s time to shine? Continue reading “UFC Charlotte: Must-win stakes at 205lbs for different reasons in Saturday’s co-main”
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”
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”
Light-heavyweight contender Jamahal Hill (#12) began the new year the same way he ended the last: producing a furious first-round finish, this time blasting Johnny Walker (#10) into a state of helplessness midway though a memorable maiden main event slot. The 205lb division needs some fresh contenders and after an early KO of the Year contender, that won’t be his last. Continue reading “UFC Vegas 48: Hill’s highlight-reel R1 KO win over Walker puts LHW division on notice”
Israel Adesanya produced the third defence of his UFC middleweight strap and handily beat Marvin Vettori (#3) in their rematch, after flyweight Brandon Moreno made history by becoming the promotion’s first Mexican champion – dethroning Deiveson Figueiredo in the co-main event. Continue reading “UFC 263: Adesanya eases past Vettori in shutout, retains middleweight strap”
Deiveson Figueiredo wasted no time at all against Alex Perez (#4) to complete his first flyweight title defence within two minutes of their main event matchup, while Valentina Shevchenko showcased her wrestling en route to a UD win over a gamely Jennifer Maia in the night’s co-main. Elsewhere, there were wins for Brandon Moreno and Katlyn Chookagian, among others. Continue reading “UFC 255: Deiveson Figueiredo, Valentina Shevchenko with contrasting title defences”
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