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  2. boboss
    Les interviews après combat
  3. Today
  4. mmajunkie
    Austin Hubbard didn’t get much time to celebrate his victory at UFC on ESPN+ 16 before being rushed into surgery. Following his unanimous decision win over Kyle Prepolec (12-7 MMA, 0-2 UFC) on Saturday at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Hubbard (11-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) had some swelling in his leg that was well beyond the norm. The irregular swelling was so severe, in fact, that Hubbard was taken to a local hospital where he underwent a procedure to relieve the pain. He revealed the news on social media, along with a post-op photo (via <a href=" Well not exactly the way I wanted to spend my night celebrating. Had to have surgery last night due to the swelling in my leg was so bad it make me pass out which then I was taken to the hospital and had to have my leg cut open to relieve the swelling Following the win, which was his first under the UFC banner, Hubbard said he was targeting a turnaround this year. He named UFC on ESPN 7 on Dec. 7 in Washington, D.C., as his desired fight date, but it’s unknown whether the surgery will postpone his timeline to return to the octagon. The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS. Voir l'article complet
  5. mmafighting
    VANCOUVER, British Columbia - After his win at UFC Vancouver, Chas Skelly speaks to the media about his tough cut down to 145 pounds, breaking out a crazy somersault against Jordan Griffin, how much he enjoyed Saturday’s back-and-forth grappling contest, and more. Afficher l’article complet
  6. Yesterday
  7. mmajunkie
    VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Hunter Azure beat Brad Katona with a unanimous decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN+ 16 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Take a look inside the fight with Azure, who stayed unbeaten with a win in his UFC debut. Result: Hunter Azure def. Brad Katona via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28) Updated records: Azure (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Katona (8-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) Key stat: Azure doubled up on Katona in significant strikes, but gave up three takedowns to Katona in the win. Azure on the fight’s key moment “(Dana White’s) Contender Series prepared me a lot for this moment. I was a lot more nervous during that show. That’s the job interview right there, so I was a lot more nervous during that. This week, I already had the job, so I just had to come in here and show what I can do.” Azure on fighting in hostile territory “Fighting Brad in his back yard didn’t change much. I’m fighting to be No. 1. I’m training for the best guy each time. Everyone is tough here, so I’m just treating it like they’re No. 1 and I’m coming to take their spot.” Azure on what he wants next “Getting my first win feels amazing. I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life. It’s good to come in here and show the world where I’m at, and I’m just going to keep coming and getting better.” To hear more from Azure, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above. Voir l'article complet
  8. mmafighting
    VANCOUVER, British Columbia — After his win at UFC Vancouver, Misha Cirkunov speaks to the media about pulling off a rare Peruvian Necktie submission, being counted out ahead of his fight with Jimmy Crute, who has the better jiu-jitsu between him and Vinny Magalhaes, and more. Afficher l’article complet
  9.    kissifrot reacted to a post in a topic: ** Performance de la soirée ** Résultat UFC 242 - KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV VS. DUSTIN POIRIER
  10. mmajunkie
    VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Brazilian light heavyweight veteran Glover Teixeira became the first man to take Nikita Krylov the distance, earning a split-decision win over the Ukrainian contender before admitting that he was suitably impressed by his opponent’s skills. Speaking to reporters, including MMA Junkie, backstage at Rogers Arena, Teixeira (30-7 MMA, 13-5 UFC) paid tribute to Krylov (26-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC), saying “The guy was tough, man. I was very surprised how he got out of the submission I got him in. I got him in a tight guillotine, and I heard his arm pop when I got him in an armbar, but he kept fighting and he got out of some crazy submissions. I was very impressed, and very surprised, to be honest.” Teixeira said he believed he’d done more than enough to earn the nod from the judges but admitted that there is always an element of doubt when the fight goes to the scorecards. “It’s not in my control,” he admitted. “My job is to go in there and do what I do, throw the punches. Every punch I throw is meant to knock people out. My submissions were there: I went for the armbar, felt the arm pop. I felt the guillotine. … I tried to finish the fight. No regrets. I went in there and tried to do what I do – try to finish the fight and take him out of there. “The judges’ decision? That’s what happens, you know? I don’t really care. To be honest, I was like ‘Hey, it is what it is.’ You leave it to a judges’ decision, who knows what’s going to happen.” After securing victory, Teixeira joked that he would tuck into a feast inspired by the press conference words of lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov, as he paraphrased the 155-pound kingpin when describing his post-fight plans. “Right now I just want to go home,” he said. “I’m gonna say like Khabib, I’m going to eat a big cheeseburger and a steak, then see what’s going on. I don’t choose opponents, but I’d like to fight top-5 in the weight class to get myself in there and line up for the title. (I’m) taking nothing from these guys. This kid (Krylov), he’s tough, he’s 27 years old, he’s getting better and better, but I’d like to fight top-5.” And despite registering his third straight victory in 2019, the 39-year-old hinted that he may still have enough energy in his legs for one more outing before the end of the year, pointing to the UFC’s November visit in his native Brazil as a potential opportunity. “Who knows?” he asked. “Let me go home, let me rest up, let me get that steak and who knows, man? I’m a little bruised right now, nothing crazy, but hey, it’s a possibility I could get another fight. That’d be great.” Voir l'article complet
  11. Alex-Saurel started following ** Performance de la soirée ** Résultat UFC on ESPN+ 16 - DONALD CERRONE VS. JUSTIN GAETHJE
  12. Alex-Saurel
    Ultra class il va jusqu a interrompre ses frappes pour vérifier avec l arbitre si c bon ou pas
  13. mmajunkie
    VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Louis Smolka beat Ryan MacDonald with a first-round TKO Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN+ 16 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Take a look inside the fight with Smolka, who got back in the win column for his fifth victory in his past six fights. Result: Louis Smolka def. Ryan MacDonald via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:43 Updated records: Smolka (16-6 MMA, 7-6 UFC), MacDonald (10-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) Key stat: Smolka has finishes in 14 of his 16 career wins – with an equal number of knockouts and submissions. Smolka on the fight’s key moment “It feels amazing to get the knockout. That might be the first standing TKO that I’ve done with my hands, so that felt amazing. I didn’t even feel it connect, honestly. I hit that left hook and it felt like it went right through his head. It felt amazing.” Smolka on hitting something he practiced for “That double straight left hook is something I’ve been doing all camp. It freezes the dude because it’s an unusual thing to see. I throw the double straight out there like a double jab and they just look at it because it’s an unusual angle and they look at it like, ‘What is that?’ And then I can swoop in with my left hook and cover a lot of distance when they’re frozen. I thought I might hit that and when I saw the opportunity, I just went for it. ” Smolka on what he wants next “I’d like to get back in there maybe before the end of the year. We’ll see how it goes. I’ll talk to my coaches and talk to the UFC and figure it out.” To hear more from Smolka, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above. Gallery Louis Smolka def. Ryan MacDonald at UFC on ESPN+ 16: Best photos view 14 images Gallery UFC on ESPN+ 16: Official scorecards from Vancouver view 12 images Voir l'article complet
  14. mmajunkie
    VANCOUVER, British Columbia – UFC execs can’t really play favorites but, as a fellow Canadian, UFC head of international Dave Shaw could perhaps be forgiven for being particularly enthused by the performance of his countryman Tristan Connelly at UFC on ESPN+ 16 on Saturday night. Connelly (14-6 MMA, 1-0 UFC) negotiated a tricky opening round against high-flying, back-flipping Brazilian Michel Pereira before getting to work employing his gritty, high-pressure gameplan to eventually seal a unanimous decision victory after stepping in, and stepping up a weight class, on five days’ notice. It earned Connelly a six-figure bonus and the adoration of the Rogers Arena crowd. But it also resonated with the man running the show that night. Speaking to reporters, including MMA Junkie, backstage after the fight, Shaw said he connected with Connelly’s performance for personal reasons. Related UFC on ESPN+ 16 rookie report: Grading the newcomers in Vancouver Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC on ESPN+ 16 with GNR, Chili Peppers, AC/DC “With Tristan Connelly, the best thing about him was he was just so Canadian,” Shaw said with a smile. “He seems like he was five of my buddies. He’s the guy that I think can click well with a lot of people across the country. “I think his gameplan was executed perfectly. He didn’t get rattled by Pereira’s tactics. He remained pretty calm, and when the time was right, took him down and ground-and-pounded him in the third round and sealed it. It’s going to be fun working with him in the next little while.” Shaw revealed that Connelly had predicted the scene inside the Rogers Arena when the aspiring debutant texted him to stake his claim for the vacant spot on the card. And the UFC boss said that the Canadian debutant’s performance may well earn him a spot on a fight card before the UFC returns north of the border in 2020. “Other than the main event, that was definitely the crescendo of the evening,” said Shaw. “The place was going bananas; it was unbelievable. It was that David and Goliath story like he predicted in his text a few weeks ago when he was calling out for the fight. “Do you book him on the next Canadian event? We’re not sure when the next Canadian event is. We’re going to have three next year (and) we’d like to have one earlier in the year because it’s just nice to have them spaced out. “But, given his performance, (UFC president) Dana (White) might want to put him in earlier than that. Will he be on the next Canadian card? There’s probably a pretty good chance, but depending on when that is, there might be an opportunity for him to fight earlier.” To hear more from Shaw, check out the video above. Voir l'article complet
  15. mmafighting
    After his win at UFC Vancouver, Uriah Hall talks about dealing with Antonio Carlos Junior’s elite grappling, turning a corner in his career, what it’s like to be in the middle of a bloody cage fight, and more. Afficher l’article complet
  16. mmajunkie
    (ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone following UFC on ESPN+ 16 loss?) After every event, fans wonder whom the winners will be matched up with next. And with another night of UFC action in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look forward, put on a pair of Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard’s shoes, and play UFC matchmaker for UFC on ESPN+ 16’s most noteworthy winning fighters. Those winners include Justin Gaethje (21-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC), who defeated Donald Cerrone (36-13 MMA, 23-10 UFC) by first-round TKO in the main event at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, as well as Glover Teixeira (30-7 MMA, 13-5 UFC), Uriah Hall (15-9 MMA, 8-7 UFC) and Misha Cirkunov (15-5 MMA, 6-3 UFC). * * * * Misha Cirkunov Should fight: Mauricio Rua Why they should fight: Cirkunov got a much-needed win for his career when he submitted the previously undefeated Jimmy Crute in stellar fashion with just the second Peruvian necktie finish to ever take place inside the octagon. After a devastating loss to Johnny Walker in his previous bout, many wondered if Cirkunov’s potential had hit its peak. He proved that’s absolutely not the case, and the Canadian still has life in the light heavyweight division. There are still plenty of matchups ahead for Cirkunov, and one that could prove compelling would be against the legend and former UFC champ Rua (26-11 MMA, 10-9 UFC). It appears “Shogun” is looking to make a return to the octagon at the UFC’s event in Sao Paulo later this year, and given their divisional standing, a matchup with Cirkunov would be logical. Moreover, it would give Cirkunov to build his resume with a marquee name. Uriah Hall Should fight: Yoel Romero Why they should fight: After moving gyms to Fortis MMA, Hall got a big victory for his career when he edged out Antonio Carlos Junior by split decision in a razor-close middleweight affair. Hall has now won back-to-back fights, and with the support of a top-tier gym and coaching staff in Texas, perhaps this is the run that sees “Primetime” meet expectations placed on him coming out of “The Ultimate Fighter.” He belongs in the top-15 at 185 pounds, and with his sights set on a dream matchup with Israel Adesanya, he’s hoping to work his way toward title contention. One matchup that would help Hall get there would be against Romero (13-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC), who has been a perennial contender for quite some time but is coming off back-to-back losses. If Hall wants to elevate himself in a big way and prove this journey to the belt is for real, then stepping into the cage with one of the most feared men in the division would be a big move. Glover Teixeira Should fight: Volkan Oezdemir Why they should fight: Teixeira turned back yet another youngster in the light heavyweight division when he edged Nikita Krylov by split decision in a fight that somewhat surprisingly went the distance. It wasn’t long ago when people were writing the Brazilian off, and suggesting he was at the end of his rope as a contender in the light heavyweight division. Yet here Teixeira is, on a three-fight winning streak against some up-and-coming fighters who had the opportunity to build their name at his expense. Teixeira has proven he can beat fighters on the rise, and now he deserves the chance to show he’s a true title contender again by fighting an established name at 205 pounds. Oezdemir (16-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has fought for the belt before and, like Teixeira, is looking to get back to that spot. A matchup would decide which fighter move one step close to challenging for a UFC belt for a second time. Justin Gaethje Should fight: Winner of Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson Why they should fight: Watch the video above to see why Gaethje should fight Nurmagomedov (28-0 MMA, 12-0 UFC) or Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) for the UFC lightweight title next. Voir l'article complet
  17. mmajunkie
    (ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Justin Gaethje and UFC on ESPN+ 16’s other key winners?) Donald Cerrone suffered his second consecutive loss when he fell short against Justin Gaethje in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 16 headliner. After putting together a strong run in his return to lightweight, Cerrone (36-13 MMA, 23-10 UFC) has now dropped back-to-back fights after succumbing to a first-round TKO defeat to Gaethje (21-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) in their lightweight main event, which took place at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and streamed on ESPN+. With the result came some questions about Cerrone’s future. “Cowboy” has been the most active member of the UFC roster since he joined the organization in 2011, but at 36, he’s hit unfamiliar territory in his career. What does the loss mean for Cerrone? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on his future. Voir l'article complet
  18. mmajunkie
    What mattered most at UFC on ESPN+ 16 in Vancouver? Here are a few post-fight musings … * * * * * 1. Justin Gaethje finds his happy medium I’ll be the first to admit that when Justin Gaethje (21-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) talked about altering his style to favor accuracy over output, there were concerns about whether he would be moving too far away from what got him to the dance as a lightweight contender. But who can argue with these results? Since dropping back-to-back fights and becoming more conscious of his approach to fighting, Gaethje has picked up three consecutive first-round knockout wins, with the latest, of course, coming at the expense of Donald Cerrone (36-13 MMA, 23-10 UFC) in their main event encounter. Gaethje appears to have found the perfect balance to maximize his skillset, and that should be a scary proposition for everyone at 155 pounds. 1 2 3 4 …5Voir l'article complet
  19. mmajunkie
    The UFC made its return to Canada on Saturday with UFC on ESPN+ 16, which took place at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, with a 12-fight card that streamed entirely on ESPN+. Justin Gaethje (21-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) continued his emergence as a top lightweight contender in the main event when he scored a first-round TKO of Donald Cerrone (36-13 MMA, 23-10 UFC) to extend his winning streak to three fights. “The Highlight” made some history with his win, but he wasn’t the only one to put his name in the record books. For more, check below for 35 post-event facts to come out of UFC on ESPN+ 16. * * * * General The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $151,000. Debuting fighters went 3-0 at the event. Gaethje and Misha Cirkunov earned $50,000 UFC on ESPN+ 16 fight-night bonuses. Tristan Connelly received $100,000 in bonus money after his opponent missed weight. UFC on ESPN+ 16 drew an announced attendance of 15,114 for a live gate of $1,334,931.56. Betting favorites went 6-5 on the card. One fight ended in a no-contest. Betting favorites improved to 14-15 (one fight had even odds) in UFC headliners this year. Total fight time for the 12-bout card was 2:02:41. Main card Gaethje has earned 19 of his 21 career victories by stoppage. Gaethje has earned all four of his UFC victories by knockout. Gaethje is the only fighter in UFC history to win at least one fight-night bonus in each of his first six octagon appearances. Gaethje has been awarded seven fight-night bonuses in six UFC appearances. Gaethje’s seven UFC fight-night bonuses since 2017 are most of any fighter in the company. Cerrone fell to 2-2 since he returned to the UFC lightweight division in January 2019. Glover Teixeira’s (30-7 MMA, 13-5 UFC) 13 victories in UFC light heavyweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Jon Jones (19) and Ryan Bader (15). Nikita Krylov (25-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC) fell to 1-2 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in September 2018. Krylov fell to 9-5 since he dropped to the light heavyweight division in March 2014. Krylov suffered the first decision loss of his career. Connelly (14-6 MMA, 1-0 UFC) earned the first decision victory of his career. Antonio Carlos Junior (10-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) fell to 6-3 (with one no contest) since he dropped to the UFC middleweight division in June 2015. Carlos Junior has suffered three of his four career losses by decision. Misha Cirkunov (15-5 MMA, 6-3 UFC) has earned 13 of his 15 career victories by stoppage. That includes all six of his UFC wins. Cirkunov’s five submission victories in UFC light-heavyweight competition are tied with Jon Jones and Teixeira for most in divisional history. Cirkunov earned the second Peruvian necktie submission in UFC history. C.B. Rollaway also accomplished the feat. Jim Crute (10-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) had his 10-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of his career. Preliminary card Augusto Sakai (14-1-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has earned 11 of his 14 career victories by stoppage. That includes all three of his UFC wins. Sakai’s three-fight UFC winning streak in heavyweight competition is tied with Francis Ngannou and Maurice Greene for the longest active streak in the division. Marcin Tybura (17-6 MMA, 4-5 UFC) fell to 1-4 in his past five fights dating back to June 2017. Tybura has suffered all four of his career stoppage losses by knockout. Cole Smith (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) had his seven-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of his career. Brad Katona (8-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after starting his career on an eight-fight winning streak. Katona has suffered both of his career losses by decision. Chas Skelly (18-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) earned his first decision victory since Sept. 5, 2014 – a span of 1,835 days (more than five years) and eight fights. Jordan Griffin (17-7 MMA, 0-2 UFC) has suffered both of his UFC losses by decision. Louis Smolka (16-6 MMA, 7-6 UFC) improved to 2-1 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in November 2018. He’s 5-1 since his initial release from the organization. Smolka improved to 2-1 since he moved up to the UFC bantamweight division in November 2018. Smolka has earned 14 of his 16 career victories by stoppage. That includes five of his seven UFC wins. Ryan MacDonald (10-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) has suffered consecutive losses after starting his career 10-0. MacDonald suffered the first knockout loss of his career. Kyle Prepolec (12-7 MMA, 0-2 UFC) has suffered both of his UFC losses by decision. UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript. Voir l'article complet
  20. mmafighting
    Esther Lin, MMA Fighting VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Urijah Faber has won plenty in his fighting career, once reigning as arguably the world’s best featherweight long before the UFC implemented that division and then competing for titles inside the Octagon multiple times. An actual UFC championship win has eluded Faber, and while he comes from a successful amateur wrestling background, he went into MMA after graduating from UC-Davis as opposed to attempting to pursue international glory. Faber retired from fighting in 2016 only to make a successful return 30 months later with a win over Ricky Simon this past July. The 40-year-old has since been thrown into the mix as a possible opponent for current bantamweight and flyweight champion Henry Cejudo—who has also occasionally mentioned the gold medal he won for wrestling at the 2008 Beijing Olympics—and should a fight with the self-proclaimed “King of Cringe” materialize, Faber sees it as his chance to quickly fill in some gaps in his trophy case. “Henry Cejudo’s got the world strap, a couple of them, and an Olympic gold medal, which I actually never set my goals on as a young wrestler. I probably should have,” Faber said at a fan Q&A at Rogers Arena on Friday, when asked about potentially fighting Cejudo. “But that’s enticing, to snatch up a couple of belts and a gold medal and silence the cringe, would be a great step in the right direction for me and I think it’s a great matchup. “He’s naturally a ‘25-pounder, I’m a big ‘35-pounder. He’s got the wrestling pedigree, I’ve got better jiu-jitsu. He breaks guys and I don’t break, so I think that’s a good matchup.” Faber isn’t the only legend that Cejudo has challenged. Longtime Faber rival and former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz is also in Cejudo’s sights, though Cruz has reacted with bewilderment at Cejudo’s habit of posting outlandish clips on social media to call out his opponents and his presumably lighthearted attempts to set up intergender bouts with UFC titleholders Valentina Shevchenko and Zhang Weili. As to the question of whether there’s a method to Cejudo’s madness, Faber offered his two cents. “I’ve known Henry for a long time. I think it’s kind of smart what he’s doing actually,” Faber said. “Henry is trying to do something that’s important to me, which is re-establish the 125-pound weight class. I don’t think it was fair for him to put blame on (former UFC flyweight champion) Demetrious (Johnson), one of the best champions of all-time for not holding it down, but he’s getting a bunch of people to talk about him. “Right after my fight, my comeback fight, I mentioned his name. He’s got Dominick Cruz, one of the best fighters in the history of the division, of all-time, speaking about him. He’s got the girls speaking about him for all the wrong reasons, which we knew that was gonna happen. He’s trying to get some clout, get some recognition, and he’s going to get himself beat up most likely. He called me out, one week later I answered the call, and then he starts calling out girls and looking at birds and everything else, so if he wants it, he can get it.” Afficher l’article complet
  21. mmajunkie
    VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Tristan Connelly may have taken his UFC debut assignment on just five days’ notice, and he may have had to jump up a weight class to do it, but he said all the conditions were perfect for him to go out and produce the performance of his career against Michel Pereira at UFC on ESPN+ 16. For starters, he was fighting in his home town of Vancouver, where he enjoyed the raucous support of the packed crowd in the Rogers Arena stands. But, more interestingly, he felt Pereira (23-10 MMA, 1-1 UFC) was ideally suited for him to go out and spring a shock on his octagon debut. “He was the perfect opponent,” he told reporters, including MMA Junkie, backstage after his victory. “He’s super-exciting. He likes to throw the rolling thunder, the front-flip kick. It’s called the rolling thunder – I got to steal his thunder tonight.” Connelly (14-6 MMA, 1-0 UFC) was as comfortable in his post-fight scrum as he appeared during the contest, and he gave off the air of a man who knew he belonged. He vocalized that belief after the fight. “I’ve known I’ve deserved to be here for a while,” he said. “I had a rocky start to my career. My first fight wasn’t until I was 25, and I think I was 29 years old and 5-5 was my record. There was no reason to keep fighting other than the fact that I just love fighting, so I kept doing it and I kept getting better. Now I’m here.” That pre-fight confidence only grew during the fight after Connelly tasted Pereira’s power and felt his strength first-hand. “I was a little worried about his size and his early power, but he hit me with a clean punch in the first round and I was like ‘Yeah,'” Connelly said. “And when I grabbed my arms around him, he didn’t feel all that much stronger, and I was like, ‘OK. I can do this, I can keep coming forward,’ and my confidence raised the longer the fight went.” While some may suggest that Pereira’s spectacular spinning, flipping style may come across as a little disrespectful to his opponent, Connelly had a different take. “Absolutely not,” he said. “He’s here in the UFC because this is what’s got him here. It’s a fight. However you want to fight, if it can win you the fight, that’s not disrespectful; that’s doing your job. He did his job, I did mine, and I was the guy who came out on top. And while the Canadian admitted his skillset was markedly different from the Brazilian’s, he said he believed his style, while less spectacular, was more appropriate for life inside the UFC’s octagon. “If doing backflips was what I believe was important in fighting, I’d be great at backflips, but I couldn’t do them to save my life.“ he said. “I practice punching people, choking people and kicking people, because that seems to work in most of the fights I watch.” Now with a UFC win under his belt and a six-figure paycheck in his wallet, Connelly is hoping to drop back down to his regular weight class of 155 pounds and look to climb the ladder as a UFC lightweight. “I really liked the matchup,” Connelly said. “It’s crazy, he had so much hype behind him, but I saw a lot of holes. I’d be way more terrified to fight a welterweight that was just a fundamental boxer-wrestler. That would have been way harder for me to deal with, with the size discrepancy. “But I knew the way he fought. I know how durable I am. I know he’s big and cutting weight, and flashy – I’m used to flashy guys. I figured if I have to fight a welterweight, I think this is the one to do it. But I’m definitely going back to lightweight. I don’t want anything to do with the rest of the welterweights in the division!” Connelly now has his sights set on a lightweight UFC debut later this year – possibly in Las Vegas – and joked that he finished his night disappointed at seeing his fight go to the scorecards for the first time in his career. “This is the first decision that I have won, so I’m kind of choked that I’ve just ruined my perfect finish streak,” he grinned, before reporters reminded him about his chunky bonus check of $100,000. “I guess I’ll take it!” he laughed. Voir l'article complet
  22. mmajunkie
    VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Misha Cirkunov beat Jim Crute with a first-round submission Saturday to open up the main card at UFC on ESPN+ 16 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Take a look inside the fight with Cirkunov, who handed Crute the first loss of his pro career. Result: Misha Cirkunov def. Jim Crute via submission (Peruvian necktie) – Round 1, 3:38 Updated records: Cirkunov (15-5 MMA, 6-3 UFC), Crute (10-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) Key stat: Cirkunov had a fight end in the first round for the sixth straight time. He’s 3-3 in those fights. Cirkunov on the fight’s key moment “It feels amazing to be back in the win column. I dedicated my entire summer for this moment, for all these fans, for the UFC. I worked like a dog. From now on, every fight, every time I come to the UFC and I say I’m going to fight, I’m going to do the exact same thing.” Cirkunov on proving he’s a contender “Please don’t give up on me. I know I have a bright future in the UFC. I know it’s just a matter of time until I’m in the top five. Remember I said that: That day will come. Taking out someone like Crute is proof to myself and UFC fans to not count me out. I know I’ve lost some fights quickly, but don’t count me out.” Cirkunov on what he wants next “I’m working very hard. It’s a rough business, but I know I’ll end up on top just like all of the other sports I’ve competed in. Just give me some time. I’ll be there.” To hear more from Cirkunov, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above. Voir l'article complet
  23. mmafighting
    Esther Lin, MMA Fighting It was only one week ago that Khabib Nurmagomedov steamrolled the hope and dreams of yet another title challenger, adding yet one more chapter to his book of domination. It was a one-sided wipeout, and in the awe of the moment, it seemed like there was no end in sight to his reign. He is so relentless, so sadistic, it is hard to imagine someone equalling his intensity for 25 minutes, or fending off his infinity gauntlet of takedowns. Saturday night served as a good reminder that there may be a matchup we are forgetting. If we were to create a list of attributes that combined, offer the best chance against Nurmagomedov, we’d want someone who could force the champion to respect his knockout power. We’d need a fighter who is experienced in big fights and won’t shrink in the spotlight. We’d insist on someone with the stamina to handle a fast-paced fight. And finally, we’d absolutely require someone with real wrestling chops to ward off clinches and takedowns. The sum total of those necessities point to one man: Justin Gaethje. With all due respect to Tony Ferguson, who certainly deserves the next fight against Khabib and certainly has a chance to win, it’s Gaethje who wields all of these important assets and specializes in the two most urgent: fight-changing power and a wrestling pedigree. “If you’re a lightweight in the world and you watch me perform you know I’m a problem,” he said on the ESPN+ post-fight show. “I’m going to kick his leg off. It’s going to take 4-5 of those. Everybody tries to run and get away from wrestling. In order to stop a takedown, you have to meet force with force. That’s what you do, and that’s what I will do. I will go in there and I’m going to embrace the grind. I’ll be in shape. If I’m in shape, then I don’t get tired. If I don’t get tired, I’m explosive. And if I’m explosive, you’re in trouble.” All four of Gaethje’s UFC wins have been knockouts, but in all of the last three, he’s showed some new maturity to his striking game. Formerly a put-your-head-down-and-swing brawler, Gaethje has flashed significant refinements in his approach. A major change has been increased patience. He no longer feels pressured to end every fight in the blink of an eye. He’ll set up offense and work an opponent to the legs and body instead of barging forward with kill shots. By lessening the pressure on himself, he’s delivered even better than ever, with consecutive finishes of James Vick, Edson Barboza and now, Donald Cerrone. Gaethje had lessons to learn after the first two defeats of his career, and he’s made the adjustments. This approach takes on extra importance against Nurmagomedov, who feasts on overaggressive opponents by changing levels for takedown attempts. His shots are quick and powerful and tenacious. To defend them, you need power, technique and stamina. Gaethje, with a career takedown defense rate of 80%, has it all. His wrestling fundamentals alone make him arguably the most difficult matchup for Khabib in the top 10. Gaethje started wrestling at the age of four, was a two-time high school state wrestling champion in Arizona, and was a Division I collegiate All-American at Northern Colorado. Combine that with his ability to throw heat-seeking uppercuts on low-arriving foes, and Nurmagomedov has his work cut out for him to employ his regular game plan. Yes, Gaethje has been taken down before. In his UFC career, both Eddie Alvarez and Michael Johnson have accomplished the feat. But those men prefer to focus on the striking arts, so a had the element of surprise at their disposal. Nurmagomedov does not have that luxury. Everyone knows his plan, so he can not employ it by ambush. Gaethje looked sensational against Cerrone in the UFC Vancouver main event. In 4:18, he landed 40 of his 61 throw strikes, attacking Cerrone from the legs up before wobbling him with a crushing overhand right, then finishing with ground strikes. While he didn’t need to employ his wrestling, Gaethje made it clear that his offensive development better situates him for most kinds of matchups. Most likely, he will not get Nurmagomedov right away. He said he would prefer to wait to fight the winner of Ferguson-Khabib, feeling confident he earned the title shot. For a guy who’s never met a fire fight he didn’t like, it’s just another sign that he’s matured. None of us want to wait, but most of us want to see it. Like Gaethje, we’ll have to absorb the lesson of patience. Gaethje’s always been a human highlight and win or lose, that’s not likely to change. The improvements in his skill set uniquely position him against Mr. Invincible. Gaethje may still be an underdog, but his makeup has all the elements to be Khabib’s kryptonite. Afficher l’article complet
  24. mmajunkie
    VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Uriah Hall beat Antonio Carlos Junior with a split decision Saturday on the main card at UFC on ESPN+ 16 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Take a look inside the fight with Hall, who fought for the first time since December 2018. Result: Uriah Hall def. Antonio Carlos Junior via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) Updated records: Hall (15-9 MMA, 8-7 UFC), Junior (10-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) Key stat: Junior won the striking battle, 81-41, and had three takedowns. But Hall had a big knockdown in the second round and cut Junior open in a close fight. Hall on the fight’s key moment “It feels great to get my first win this year. I had a great camp at Fortis MMA. We went over some really specific game plans and stayed true to the work. I came out here with a really great support system and it was just about following through. I was really proud of myself for going out there and letting it all go.” Hall on his move to Fortis MMA in Dallas “Switching camps helped a lot. One of the things I loved about Fortis was that it was just about things inside the octagon. We went over everything that we as athletes have to deal with. We only have a certain amount of time in here, so it was about taking advantage of that and leaving a legacy behind.” Hall on what he wants next “Next for me is to rest up and not think too much for a bit. We’ll see what happens. Now it’s about climbing the rankings, seeing who is ahead of me and taking them out.” To hear more from Hall, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above. Gallery Uriah Hall def. Antonio Carlos Junior at UFC on ESPN+ 16: Best photos view 14 images Gallery UFC on ESPN+ 16: Official scorecards from Vancouver view 12 images Voir l'article complet
  25. mmajunkie
    Jeff Hughes was planning on delivering a headline-making performance at UFC on ESPN+ 16 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, but his heavyweight bout against the returning Todd Duffee drew headlines for less-than-satisfactory reasons. Hughes (10-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) and Duffee (9-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) went toe to toe from the very start of their main card clash at Rogers Arena, and a thrilling heavyweight slugfest appeared to be on the cards. But an innocuous incident late in the round saw Duffee call on the referee to halt proceedings after a perceived eye-poke. Replays of the incident were inconclusive, but following Duffee’s claim that he was seeing double in his left eye, a doctor was summoned, and the fight was waved off and declared a no contest. It was a frustrating way to end what looked set to be an entertaining fight, and nobody was more upset than Hughes, who felt that the bout was beginning to go his way after being briefly dropped early in the contest. Chatting to MMA Junkie after the event, Hughes said he was in good condition after the contest, and joked “This is the best my body’s ever felt after a fight, that’s for sure! “I thought it was one of the funnest rounds I’ve ever done. It ended bad, but we can take a lot of good things from it, too.” Hughes explained that he was ready to weather an early storm from Duffee, whose past fights suggested he would come flying out the gates throwing heavy leather from the very start of the bout. But Duffee started in more circumspect fashion, which surprised Hughes slightly. Related UFC on ESPN+ 16 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Program total passes $29 million Fight Tracks: The walkout songs of UFC on ESPN+ 16 with GNR, Chili Peppers, AC/DC “I was expecting that explosion that he does in every one of his fights, but this fight I could see that he was sitting back,” he said. “To me, that’s a sign of respect for my power, because he usually rushes in like a madman. “He’s strong, athletic, but I wasn’t hurt in that fight. I know they probably counted one as a knockdown, but it was more of an off-balance thing. I got right back up, it was no big deal.” After briefly being sat down by a Duffee right hand, Hughes bounced back up and started to find success with his own shots, with one slashing left hook leaving his opponent with a nasty cut on his right cheekbone. But, shortly after that strike, Hughes and Duffee found themselves on the mat against the fence, where Hughes’ open hand made contact with Duffee’s face as he looked to reposition. Duffee claimed an eye-poke, and the bout was halted immediately to allow him time to recover. Looking back on the incident, Hughes was doubtful over whether he had actually poked Duffee’s eye, and actually thought his opponent was playing for time after a whirlwind start to the contest. “I thought he was trying to catch a breather,” Hughes admitted. “I get it, we were going hard for almost five minutes. I thought we were going to continue and we were going to try to take each other’s heads off again. But once the doctor was in there, I knew it was no good. They tell you in the back ‘If there’s an eye-poke, we’re going to ask you how you are, and we’re going to try our best not to bring a doctor in.’ So once I saw the doctor in there, I knew it wasn’t looking good for me.” “I don’t think it was an eye-poke,” he suggested. “It might have grazed him, I don’t know. I’ve seen a lot of worse eye-pokes in the last couple of months, and people still fight. So, I don’t know. I’m in there to fight, and I was expecting to go another couple of rounds and was ready to turn it up. I felt like momentum was in my corner, you know? I was starting to put it on him, he was busted up and, I don’t know, that happened and, man, it ended a little too quick. “Usually, you can feel (when you eye-poke your opponent). Even in the heat of battle, you can still feel all that. I’m not calling the guy a liar, but I’m here to fight. I don’t know if he was looking for a way out, or he’s getting gassed or what. It was just very disappointing how it ended.” Todd Duffee and Jeff Hughes Hughes admitted he’s unsure whether he’s going to see any of the possible win bonus that both he and Duffee missed out on as a result of their no-contest, but the 31-year-old from Canton, Ohio – who got married just a week before the fight – explained just how much of an impact earning that portion of his paycheck would have on his life and family. “I’m praying for the best, man,” Hughes said. “Especially at this level, the difference is tremendous, and it’s almost life-changing for me. To pay off the wedding and help pay off my wife’s student loans would be great right now. That’s all I really care about. I really don’t buy many materialistic things, and I don’t really care about all that. But to take care of my family is No. 1.” And the man known as “Lights Out” says he’s ready and willing to jump straight back into action as soon as possible. “I’m not a dirty fighter, man,” he said. “I love to fight, and I try to fight by the rules. It’s just how it goes. I have no injuries, my face isn’t marked up or anything. I’m just ready to get back in there and fight, as soon as possible.” If that means an instant rematch with Duffee, Hughes is more than happy to oblige. But he also said if his next bout ends up taking him in a different direction, he had another possible option he’d like to pursue. “If (Duffee) wants to go in there and finish what we started, yeah,” he said. “But if he doesn’t, there’s a couple of guys in the weight class that I know need fights and that would be good fights for me. My very first fight was supposed to be against Daniel Spitz and that didn’t happen – I’m not sure what happened on his end, but I’m willing to run it back. “I’d fight every weekend if they let me. I don’t know a whole lot of guys who get married, then go out and fight the next week. So, like I said, I’m a gamer, I’m ready to fight again and I hope the UFC gets me a fight quick.” And he had a final word for those who doubted him as he stated his intention to deliver upon his return and make himself a factor in the UFC’s heavyweight division. “For all the internet people out there, all the writers and journalists who had me getting smoked in the first minute, I’m here to stay,” Hughes said. “Don’t count me out until I’m out!” Gallery Todd Duffee vs. Jeff Hughes at UFC on ESPN+ 16: Best photos view 11 images Voir l'article complet
  26. mmafighting
    Michel Pereira and Tristan Connelly | Esther Lin, MMA Fighting VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The stars were aligned for Michel Pereira to follow up on his outstanding Octagon debut this past May. With a series of flips and tricks and a fantastic knockout of Danny Roberts, “Demolidor” established himself as one to watch in the welterweight division and smart money said that he was going to run through his next foe, late replacement Tristan Connelly. There were signs of trouble on Friday when Pereira came in a pound heavy, but once fight night rolled around he came out looking to put on a show just as he did against Roberts. Connelly was having none of it. The 33-year-old Vancouver native outworked and grounded Pereira for the better part of three rounds, winning a unanimous decision and making an immediate impact in the UFC in front of his home crowd at UFC Vancouver at Rogers Arena. Afterwards, Connelly agreed that the stage was set for something spectacular, only it turned out to be for him, not Pereira. “He was the perfect opponent,” Connelly said at the evening’s post-fight press conference. “Super-exciting, he likes to throw the rolling thunder, the front flip kick. It’s called rolling thunder, I got to steal his thunder tonight.” Fighting out of Checkmat Vancouver, Connelly credited the capoeira practitioners he works with for preparing him for Pereira’s flashy approach. Though Pereira broke out much of his signature offense, most of it fell harmlessly short of its target and Connelly never looked rushed or panicked. Even the size difference didn’t seem to concern Connelly, who typically competes at 155 pounds and as the fight progressed, his confidence only grew. “You can’t stop against him and you can’t back up against him,” Connelly said. “Those are two things that I knew, like, I’ve been training with capoeira guys for a long time and they’re all like, ‘Man, what he’s trying to do is get you to freeze so he can hit ya.’ I just knew I had to be in his face. I was a little worried about the size initially and his early power, he hit me with a clean punch in the first round. I was like, ‘Eh.’ “When I wrapped my arms around him, it didn’t feel all that much stronger. I was like, ‘Okay, I can do this. He’s going to keep forward,’ and my confidence raised the longer the fight went.” Asked if he was already feeling better about the matchup when Pereira missed weight, Connelly pointed to that error as showing “weakness.” It was only on Monday that Connelly was officially told he would be needed to step in for Sergey Khandozhko after visa issues forced Khandozhko to withdraw and even with no time to prepare and a bout well outside of his natural weight, Connelly signed on the dotted line. As it turns out, it was well worth it. In addition to his own show and win money, Connelly took 20 percent of Pereira’s purse because of the weigh-in gaffe and he and Pereira won Saturday’s Fight of the Night award. With Pereira ineligible to collect a bonus because he failed to beat the scale, it was Connelly who was given a total of $100,000 in bonus money. Pereira was billed as the thrilling A-side in this matchup, but Connelly knew if he stayed the course, the results would speak for themselves. “I knew I wasn’t gonna do any show like him,” Connelly said. “I’m a fighter, if doing backflips was what was important in fighting, I’d be great at backflips. But I couldn’t do one to save my life. I practice punching people, choking people, and kicking people, because that’s what seems to work in most of the fights I watch.” Afficher l’article complet
  27. mmajunkie
    Earning wins in the UFC is certainly no easy task, but what comes next is often even more important: the post-fight callout. So after Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 16 event in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada who took advantage of their time on the mic? See below for this week’s Callout Collection – and just how realistic each one is. * * * * * First up, let’s take a look at the night’s prelim winners. Misha Cirkunov Wants to fight: Corey Anderson Corey Anderson The callout: “I remember back in the day, Corey Anderson called me out, so maybe we can do it Maybe I could fight him. That would be a good fight. He’s a good wrestler. I think I can outwrestle him.” The reality: Challenges just don’t get much more Canadian than this, do they? It’s not really a callout. It’s just a reply to a previous callout. And to top it off, it’s polite, as well. Still, it’s not a bad idea. Of course, there’s one major problem with this for Misha Cirkunov: Corey Anderson is currently booked to face Johnny Walker at November’s UFC 244. Cirkunov is wise to look up the rankings when making a challenge, but this may be a little too far up the list. While the four submission wins he earned to open his UFC career had Cirkunov looking like a bona fide contender, he’s just 2-3 since. Yes, his Peruvian necktie win over Jimmy Crute was impressive but not enough to jump that far up the ladder. If Anderson beats Walker, he’ll have a case for a title shot. Now if he loses, well, now it makes a whole lot more sense. For now, it’s going to be a wait-and-see for me, but I don’t necessarily see this fight coming together either, regardless of Anderson’s UFC 244 result. Uriah Hall Wants to fight: Israel Adesanya Israel Adesanya The callout: “If I really want to be honest, Israel Adesanya, I’m coming, baby. I’m coming, and you know what? Whoever the UFC needs to put in front of me, whoever the UFC needs me to beat, I’m coming. Right now, I’m at the point of my life where my want becomes a must. I’ve been doing this for so long. I don’t know why the hell I’m afraid every time I come in here. I love this stuff.” The reality: OK, it’s clear this fight is absolutely not happening next, but it was more of a long-term call from Uriah Hall, and it’s one you can certainly understand. Israel Adesanya is currently the UFC’s interim middleweight champ, and he’ll fight next month in an attempt to unify the titles. Every fighter should be looking to challenge the champion of their division. But even more so with these two, you’re talking about a pair of striking wizards that could potentially combine for an incredibly stylistic clash. From those two perspectives, it all makes sense. But again, it’s not happening next. We’re going to have to get a little more creative with this one. Hall entered the weekend as an honorable mention in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA middleweight rankings. He beat Antonio Carlos Junior, who was sitting at No. 15, but many of the middleweights ahead of him are already booked. David Branch was a fellow honorable mention, so that might be an option. The only other fighters without an opponent? Derek Brunson, who previously beat Hall, Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa, who also already handed Hall a loss. Do any of those make sense? Justin Gaethje Wants to fight: The winner of Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson The callout: “The Irishman is retired. I want a real fighter. I want the winner of Tony and Khabib. I want to fight Khabib before he’s gone, and if Tony wins, nobody is going to miss that fight. We could put a million people in a stadium.” The reality: After his third consecutive first-round knockout, you’d be hard-pressed to deny Justin Gaethje a title shot. The man is must-see TV, and he’s capable of beating absolutely anyone. The only concern is timing. Undefeated champ Khabib Nurmagomedov and former interim champ Tony Ferguson haven’t officially been given a date for their matchup yet. Worse yet, the fight has fallen apart every other time it’s been put together. So what could Gaethje do while he waits? The Irishman, of course, Conor McGregor. Anything Gaethje does is going to be fun. From McGregor’s perspective, Gaethje would provide someone who’s not looking to wrestle, but rather stand and bang, exactly what “The Notorious” would likely hope to do, as well. Of course, as Gaethje said, McGregor has been sitting on the sidelines since his October loss to Nurmagomedov, and he’s only teased returns to the cage. If he’s willing to sign a contract, this definitely seems like the fight to make. Truthfully, the ball is in Gaethje’s court right now. Voir l'article complet
  28. mmafighting
    Esther Lin, MMA Fighting Justin Gaethje wants to become UFC champion, and following a first-round TKO against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, he’s one giant step closer towards his ultimate goal. The victory on Saturday night was Gaethje’s third straight knockout as he continues his meteoric rise up the lightweight ranks with only a couple of potential opponents remaining ahead of him in the rankings. In a perfect world, Gaethje would get an immediate title shot but even he concedes that former interim champion Tony Ferguson deserves the next shot at reigning champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. That’s why he’s making a pre-emptive strikes to call for the winner right now. “I want the winner of Tony and Khabib,” Gaethje said in his post-fight interview. “I want to fight for the world title. I want to prove I’m the best in the world. So that’s what’s next.” Of course, Gaethje would gladly step into the fight immediately if something happens and Ferguson is unable or unwilling to face Nurmagomedov when it comes time for the lightweight title to be defended again. “I haven’t even heard Tony’s going to fight so if an injury occurs then absolutely I want that fight,” Gaethje added. If Ferguson does get the next shot at gold, Gaethje still believes Nurmagomedov will retain his championship and that is a fight he’s wanted ever since first arriving in the UFC. Gaethje knows he would be the underdog against the undefeated Russian wrecking machine but he would gladly accept the challenge to hand Nurmagomedov his first defeat. “He probably beats me if you put it on paper but I hit so hard, I kick so hard and I’m so athletic,” Gaethje said about a potential matchup with Nurmagomedov. “The way you stop a takedown in wrestling is to meet force with force. You don’t try to go away. I won’t touch the cage. “If he’s going to take me down, it’s going to be in the middle and he’s going to get his leg kicked a few times before he even gets a shot off.” Another name mentioned to Gaethje on Saturday night was former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor, who has teased a potential return to action before the end of 2019. While that timeline seems somewhat unlikely given the landscape of the remaining cards left this year, McGregor had previously mentioned Gaethje as a potential opponent when he was planning his return in July before a broken hand sidelined him for several months. While Gaethje’s focus remains on the championship, he would gladly welcome McGregor back if that’s a fight the UFC wants to make. “As far as I know he’s retired. He is in the rankings so he either fights or he gets out. That’s how I see it,” Gaethje said about McGregor. “I absolutely would love to fight him.” One name that doesn’t interest Gaethje, however, is a rematch against the last man to defeat him. Following the fights on Saturday, former interim champion Dustin Poirier said via Twitter that he would offer Gaethje a rematch if he wanted to attempt to settle the score after falling to him last year. “I would be really, really happy to fight the winner of [Khabib vs. Ferguson],” Gaethje said when asked about Poirier. “I don’t owe him that, so no. He got his shot. My turn.” Afficher l’article complet
  29. mmajunkie
    Fighters from around the globe dream of the day they’ll step into the UFC octagon for the first time. For three athletes, Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 16 event marked that special moment in their career. Check out this week’s rookie report to see what kind of first impression those fighters made on the sport’s biggest stage from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. * * * * * Hunter Azure Hunter Azure Division: Bantamweight Result: Hunter Azure def. Brad Katona via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28) Record: (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) Grade: B+ Hunter Azure is going to be a problem. He’s still raw in many ways and might need to develop his game management a bit, but he’s got talent. Azure’s striking didn’t always come in combinations, but it was clearly effective, stunning Katona on a number of occasions. His defensive wrestling was incredible, refusing to go to the floor despite Katona’s repeated efforts. He was calm and composed in his UFC debut. He’s clearly got the tools needed to be successful. In a close fight, Azure simply needed to do a little bit more to earn a higher mark. As strong as his defensive wrestling game proved, seeing a few takedown attempts of his own might have changed the flow of the contest. Or perhaps the striking success he had could have spurred him on to more extended exchanges. He simply had to capitalize on the clear advantages he had. Azure was deserving of a win and looks like he’s primed to earn more in the near future. The raw tools are clearly there. A few minor tweaks, and the Dana White’s Contender Series grad will be ready for top competition. 1 2 …3Voir l'article complet
  30. Whitesnake
    le gameplay de Justin était juste parfait, ne pas jaber, attaquer uniquement au pied en distance et rentrer dans la garde là où il avait un avantage certain alors que pour Cerrone là était l'handicape. GG impressionant !
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