Three UFC title fights are set to take place this summer.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reported Wednesday that Jon Jones will defend the UFC light heavyweight championship against Thiago Santos at July’s UFC 239 during International Fight Week in Las Vegas.
Jones won the vacant title back in December by defeating Alexander Gustafsson. He then defeated Anthony Smith by unanimous decison to retain the title in early-March.
Santos is on a four fight winning streak, most recently defeating Jan Blachowicz by KO in February.
Meanwhile, champ-champ Amanda Nunes will defend her bantamweight belt against Holly Holm in the co-main event. Nunes defeated Cris Cyborg in an upset to win the women’s featherweight title, while Holm defeated Megan Anderson in her last outing. Holm was originally set to face Aspen Ladd earlier this month, but the fight was scrapped as Holm was re-negotiating her contract.
UFC also confirmed Wednesday afternoon that Henry Cejudo will fight Marlon Moraes for the vacant bantamweight title in the main event of June’s UFC 238 in Chicago, IL. The previous champion, TJ Dillashaw, vacated the title after he recently failed a New York State drug test. Cejudo defeated Dillashaw in a champion vs. champion fight in January to retain his flyweight championship while Moraes is on a four fight winning streak.
It appears that WWE has officially taken the first steps towards Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte Flair all being involved in the main event of WrestleMania 35.
An angle where Vince McMahon suspended Lynch for 60 days and announced that Charlotte would be taking her place at WrestleMania closed last Monday’s episode of Raw. Charlotte aligned with Vince and fully turned heel, with Vince calling her someone with charisma, someone with charm, and someone who knows their lane and stays in it.
The show didn’t sell out, even in one of WWE’s best markets. The show had more good than bad, with the highlight being the main event, the men’s Chamber match where Daniel Bryan retained and the crowd got so strong behind Kofi Kingston in the Mustafa Ali slot that Vince McMahon changed plans for Fast Lane to put Bryan vs. Kingston on top.
The show was the brainchild of Motoko Baba, to run a big Baba celebration show in 2019, 20 years after his early 1999 death. With her passing away last year, it was her nieces and nephews who put the show together.
All but one count of Mark Hunt’s lawsuit against the UFC, Dana White and Brock Lesnar on the grounds they conspired against him to allow a juiced up Lesnar to fight him at UFC 200 was thrown out of court.
The 2020 Royal Rumble will take place on 1/26 at Minute Maid Park in Houston. Most likely that would also mean Takeover on 1/25 at the Toyota Center, Raw on 1/27 and Smackdown on 1/28.
FOX this weekend started advertising 10/4 as the debut of the new Friday Night Smackdown show.
“Fighting with My Family,” the Dwayne Johnson Seven Bucks Entertainment movie about Growing Up as Paige, which has its big national release on 2/22, has gotten great word-of-mouth so far.
Chris Jericho noted that while he and Gedo are on the same page, that New Japan management hasn’t talked with him about a new deal.
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THURSDAY NEWS UPDATE
by Joseph Currier and Bryan Rose
WWE
WWE uploaded a video that has interviews with new behind-the-scenes employees Jeff Jarrett, Chris Parks (Abyss), Sonjay Dutt, Shawn Daivari, and Shane Helms.
Triple H responded to the announcement that Roman Reigns will appear on Monday’s Raw to address the status of his battle with leukemia: “No one fights harder and is tougher than @WWERomanReigns. Can’t wait to see him back in his yard this Monday on #Raw and hear how his battle is going.”
Xavier Woods tweeted about New Day’s goal of Kofi Kingston becoming WWE Champion: “If you’re late to the party, #NewDay has been repping that @TrueKofi will become the WWE world champion since our inception. It will soon become a reality. There is no bandwagon. There is no alternate truth. We are here for him and always will be. #KofiVsBryan”
Pep Hamilton was officially introduced as the head coach/general manager of the XFL’s Washington DC team today. Hamilton was formerly the offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts and Stanford University.
This week’s WWE Network Hidden Gems additions were:
Sputnik Monroe vs. Jack Pesek (Championship Wrestling from Florida, 1966)
Bobo Brazil & Dick the Bruiser vs. The Sheik & Bobby Heenan (AWA, 1974)
Rocky Johnson & Pedro Morales vs. Ivan Koloff & Mr. Saito (Championship Wrestling from Florida, 1978)
Junkyard Dog vs. Buzz Sawyer (Houston Wrestling, 1983)
Billy Gunn appeared on Busted Open Radio to discuss D-Generation X being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Gunn said he thinks Chyna going into the Hall of Fame is the most exciting thing about it.
Pro Wrestling
The ROH World Championship will be defended in Israel for the first time when Jay Lethal faces David Starr at Israeli Pro Wrestling Association’s Passover Bash on April 21. ROH noted that if Lethal loses the title before the match, the new ROH Champion will take his place.
At his retirement press conference today, Georges St-Pierre spoke about why a fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov didn’t happen: “My agent was talking to the UFC, we tried to organize the fight with Khabib. I know Khabib wants it and I want it, but the UFC had other plans. To the point where I am in my career, for me it’s more at this time taking one fight at a time instead of being there for several fights. The way the business works in UFC, if they promote someone they want to keep him there to have a guarantee that the guy is there. It’s like an investment.”
Nurmagomedov wrote on Instagram: “Now look at this video and you’ll understand why I wanted to fight with him, simply he’s one of the best оf all times. I just wanted to share cage with him while he’s active, that’s the history and people be watching it again and again, I want to fight with the best. Anyway, good luck to you Legend @georgesstpierre time is merciless, and your decision is right.”
ESPN2 will be airing three GSP fights starting tomorrow morning at 2:30 eastern. First will be the fight against Johny Hendricks, then the second fight against Matt Hughes followed by his fight against Carlos Condit.
With a message on their marquee, Madison Square Garden thanked GSP and congratulated him on his career.
Scott Coker also wished GSP the best in his retirement.
GSP was honored at tonight’s Canadiens/Flyers game.
Amanda Nunes doesn’t feel she will be ready to fight by May for UFC 237. Her goal is to fight in November or December against Holly Holm, then rematch against Cyborg next year before retiring.
ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong posted a picture with himself and Vitor Belfort, saying that he will be at ringside tomorrow as his guest, and to “stay tuned for some big news!”
The ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix tournament brackets have been revealed.
Ed in San Antonio presents the WRESTLEMANIAWeekend Events (more to be added):
Sunday, April 6th, at 12:00 pm: Lunch (all you can eat) at Churrascaria Plataforma ($90 per person), located at 316 W. 49th street in Manhattan. Purchase tickets here~!
Luxury Bus to MetLife Stadium for Wrestlemania: We will depart from the Hilton Midtown (site of Wrestlecon) located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas. Departure time is 4:00 pm and will return from MetLife approximately 30 mins after the event. Times are subject to change, and cost $67.00 per person for the round trip. Purchase tickets here~!
For the second straight year, WWE went with two fan-pleasing choices as their Royal Rumble winners. WWE followed up on Shinsuke Nakamura and Asuka’s wins from last year by having Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch win their respective Rumble matches on Sunday night. The results were entirely predictable, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t the right choices. While there are other stories that WWE can tell, top babyfaces beginning their road to WrestleMania by winning the Royal Rumble will pretty much always work.
A quick note that the format of this issue is different due to the fact I messed up my left hand in a bicycle crash on 1/24 making typing extremely difficult.
This issue has complete Royal Rumble and NXT results with eliminations, stats, and facts, plus Dave’s comments. It also includes star ratings, NXT awards, and notes on the post show angle.
Roman Reigns is going to be in the Rock’s new movie. There were some photos of Roman Reigns last week from where he’s been filming the new sequel of the Fast and the Furious franchise, which had been kept kind of quiet. Reigns is playing Rock’s character Hobbs’ brother…
AEW released a short video with Cody Rhodes talking about signing Jungle Boy and the announcement that on February 7th, there is a Ticket Announcement Party at the MGM from Las Vegas. Brandi teased announcing more women at that event. There is a lot of talent expected at that event. CIMA is likely going to be there…
NJPW is very confident that it will not be an issue by the time the MSG G1 Supercard show comes up, with it being several months away…
From reports of the Dallas, TX Road to G1 Supercard show, Shibata’s students, Clark Connors, Karl Fredericks, and Alex Coughlin are all seemed as really good in the technical aspect, with all their basics down, as they’re being trained with the Japanese New Japan Dojo mentality. Shibata, who is the lead trainer in the US Dojo, has interpreters with him at all time during training…
Matt Sydal’s contract with Impact Wrestling ended January 1st. He should be ready in a couple of months from a minor knee surgery he got last week…
ORDERING INFO: Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to [email protected] or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to [email protected].
Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.
In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.
For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.
If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell,CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.
SUNDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
Post Wrestling has a number of updates regarding people who missed WWE house show events over the weekend:
Seth Rollins is currently dealing with an injury that went down before the Brock Lesnar attack this past Monday. It is reported that he will be off house shows for the time being and won’t be used on Raw this Monday. He is also expected to only do promos with no physicality for the next month.
Sasha Banks wasn’t cleared after her match against Ronda Rousey at the Royal Rumble, but is expected to be cleared before Raw tomorrow.
AJ Styles is “dinged up”, but should be cleared by Tuesday.
Becky Lynch is selling the storyline knee injury from the Royal Rumble and is off house shows for the time being. It is reported that it’s an angle that will be played out on this week’s television.
WWE’s YouTube stream for Halftime Heat is already up. They will be airing matches from previous NXT events until halftime begins, where the six man tag pitting Aleister Black, Velveteen Dream and Ricochet against Adam Cole, Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano will start. This will also stream on Twitter, Facebook, the WWE Network and WWE.com.
Kairi Sane made a surprise appearance last night at WWE’s house show in Vancouver, saving Carmella from an IIconics beatdown. She teamed with Carmella to defeat the duo.
Killian Dain on Twitter: “Last night my tag partners where with Smackdown in Vancouver and my wife with Raw in Regina. Whereas I’m….at home. Was it something I said? #WHEREISSANITY”
Drew McIntyre and King Booker’s Superstar Picks will be added to the WWE Network tomorrow.
PWInsider is reporting that Impact will be taping shows at the 2300 Arena, or the ECW Arena, in May.
AEW talent including Cody, Brandi Rhodes, The Young Bucks, SCU and Hangman Page are at the Superbowl this afternoon.
Sammy Guevara has been added to CZW’s Best of the Best 18.
UFC/MMA
Amanda Nunes is considering retirement after a potential fight with Holly Holm later this year: “I went home to see my family and stay a little bit with my family and my mom [told me] ‘I think you should retire. [She said] ‘You’ve done everything in the sport already, you’ve got everything you want, you’re double champion and I feel like you should take a little bit. Maybe if you want to fight one more time and take a little break, maybe after a long break come back and fight one more time, but I feel like you should.’ I think [about it] a little bit. We’ll see with this next stage what’s going on.”
Brian Ortega seemed interested in a Jose Aldo fight following his win last night.
RIZIN president Nobuyuki Sakakibara expressed interest in partnering with grappling promotion QUINTET in the future.
Anthony Johnson has signed with Bare Knuckle Fighting. Not as a competitor, but what he describes as “fighter relations”. Despite retiring from MMA in 2017, Johnson is still under UFC contract.
Ed in San Antonio presents the WRESTLEMANIAWeekend Events (more to be added):
Sunday, April 6th, at 12:00 pm: Lunch (all you can eat) at Churrascaria Plataforma ($90 per person), located at 316 W. 49th street in Manhattan. Purchase tickets here~!
Luxury Bus to MetLife Stadium for Wrestlemania: We will depart from the Hilton Midtown (site of Wrestlecon) located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas. Departure time is 4:00 pm and will return from MetLife approximately 30 mins after the event. Times are subject to change, and cost $67.00 per person for the round trip. Purchase tickets here~!
Plans for All Elite Wrestling started to come into focus at a rally in Jacksonville, Florida last Tuesday. A surprise appearance by Chris Jericho closed the event, with Jericho instantly becoming the highest profile signing AEW has made in its brief history. “I’m Chris Jericho, and I am all in with All Elite Wrestling,” Jericho said to begin his speech. “Surprise — I think we just took things to a different level, didn’t we?” Jericho said he’s not here with AEW for the money — he’s here because he believes in doing something new and different.
The business year in review issue of the Wrestling Observer is out with looks at both the biggest drawing cards and best big match wrestlers of the modern era.
This issue looks at combat sports including the biggest crowds of 2018, what main eventers headlined the most successful house shows, PPV numbers for 2018, big crowds broken down by major promotion, and UFC PPV comparisons over the last 12 years.
Also have a detailed look at the new signings and negotiations over the past week. Look in depth at the battle to sign Rush, including what MLW and RHO offered, how CMLL played a role, and when Rush will be a free agent.
Read the update on the Royal Rumble show, the story behind why Brock Lesnar vs. Braun Strowman was pulled from the show a long time before it got out, the real reasons why the match isn’t happening and why it continued to be pushed even though it wasn’t happening.
Read a complete rundown of the NXT UK show, with match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results.
Examine the success of WWE stock, the new U.K. training center, WWE women’s’ tag team titles, the reasons behind some of the debuts of new characters on television, Vince McMahon’s new XFL update, WWE changing hosts for WWE Network, new contracts signed, injury updates, who wants out, and the Nigel McGuinness documentary.
ORDERING INFO: Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to [email protected] or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to [email protected].
Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.
In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.
For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.
If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell,CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.
TUESDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
SmackDown takes place tonight at the Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas. Matches for tonight include Rey Mysterio vs. Andrade in a 2 out of 3 falls match, Mandy Rose vs. Naomi and The Miz vs. Cesaro with their tag team partners in their respective corners. Mr. McMahon will also moderate a face-to-face between WWE champion Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles ahead of their match this Sunday.
Sasha Banks had some words for Ronda Rousey following what went down on Raw: “You wanna call me a faux horsewomen? I laugh. You wanna say you’re gonna tap me out? I say come try it. You wanna call into question my desire for professional wrestling? I’ll kick your teeth in, tap you out, and send you back to your farm wishing you never even stepped in a ring. Enjoy the next couple of days because come Royal rumble @rondarousey you step into my world. And I ain’t got no time to waste on fake ones. #legitboss”
Performance Center trainees were asked their Royal Rumble predictions.
WWE put out a press release saying they are now partnering with New Era Cap, who will make hats and other headwear for WWE going forward.
Pro Wrestling
The Tag Wars semifinals and finals will take place at the Road to G1 Supercard on January 26. The winners will get a shot at the ROH tag team titles and will be a part of the NWA’s Crockett Cup tournament on April 27.
Marty Scurll will face either Mark Haskins or Jonathan Gresham on the same night. Who he will face will depend on who advances in the Tag Wars tournament.
MLW announced that internet host GoDaddy will be sponsoring future events, starting with next Saturday’s MLW Fusion live event.
PWInsider reported that Roxanne Biggerstaff, who briefly worked for Impact Wrestling as a valet for the Disciples of the New Church, passed away Friday after being found unresponsive in her home.
Impact has renewed their deal for Mexico with MVS Comunicaciones/MVStv.
Ed in San Antonio presents the WON/F4W Empire Events for WRESTLEMANIA Weekend (more to be added):
Sunday, April 6th, at 12:00 pm: Empire lunch (all you can eat) at Churrascaria Plataforma ($90 per person), located at 316 W. 49th street in Manhattan. Purchase tickets here~!
Luxury Bus to MetLife Stadium for Wrestlemania: We will depart from the Hilton Midtown (site of Wrestlecon) located at 1335 Avenue of the Americas. Departure time is 4:00 pm and will return from MetLife approximately 30 mins after the event. Times are subject to change, and cost $67.00 per person for the round trip. Purchase tickets here~!
In a fight that bore no real resemblence to their first classic encounter, Jon Jones claimed the vacant UFC light heavyweight title at Saturday’s UFC 232 with a third round TKO win over Alexander Gustafsson.
Jones hit a takedown early in the third round and landed some big elbows, eventually transitioning to Gustafsson’s back where he unloaded some powerful left handed punches to his head that he wasn’t defending with the end coming at 2:02 of the round.
With the win, Jones passed Chuck Liddell for the most wins in the division’s history (17) while he tied Liddell for the most finishes in the division’s history (10).
After the fight, a somewhat subdued Jones called out Daniel Cormier and told him to “come get his belt back”.
In the co-main event, bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes moved up to featherweight and knocked out champion Cris ‘Cyborg’ Justino in less than a minute to become the first ever women’s “champ champ”, ending Justino’s run of dominance face planted on the mat.
The slugfest went just 51 seconds with Nunes getting the best of the action, landing power rights that hurt Justino and eventually throwing one that put her face first on the canvas in an incredible scene.
Justino is owed one more fight before March or she becomes a free agent while the UFC will have to now figure how whether Nunes will continue to hold both belts, something they just dealt with when Daniel Cormier held the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles.
The UFC has signed their second champion vs. champion fight of 2018 as women’s featherweight champion Cris ‘Cyborg’ Justino will face women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes at UFC 232 in Las Vegas on December 29th, the promotion’s final show of the calendar year.
The news was first reported by Brett Okamoto of ESPN. The fight will be for Justino’s featherweight title.
The 33-year-old Justino will be looking for the third defense of the title she won in July 2017. She has been unbeaten since her pro debut in 2005, a stretch of more than 20 fights, and is 5-0 in the UFC.
The 30-year-old Nunes has won seven straight and has three successful defenses of the title she won from Miesha Tate at UFC 200 in July 2016.
It’s unknown if this will be the main event of the show or if another title fight will headline instead. Given the promotion’s schedule over the next few months, that would appear to be unlikely unless Daniel Cormier was to defend his light heavyweight title or if the much-anticipated Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega featherweight title fight was slotted there instead.
In July, Cormier bested Stipe Miocic to win the UFC heavyweight title to go along with his light heavyweight crown.
Welcome to our live cageside coverage of UFC 215 from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
The UFC heads to Edmonton for the very first time, and unfortunately, the originally planned main event of flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson vs. Ray Borg was scrapped due to illness from the challenger. Johnson was in search of history as he was looking for his eleventh consecutive title defense.
UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes defends against Valentina Shevchenko in the new main event. The two were originally scheduled to fight at UFC 213 in July, but the fight was cancelled the day of the event as Nunes fell ill and was forced out of the bout. Their history has been long documented. Nunes holds a win over Shevchenko but Shevchenko came on strong at the end of their first fight with many thinking she would have won a five-round bout. She gets that five rounds and that chance to wrap a UFC title around her waist tonight.
The co-main event is a welterweight bout with title implications on the line as Neil Magny takes on former lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos. Also on the card, fighters known for exciting fights square off in the main card opener as Jeremy Stephens slugs it out against Gilbert Melendez.
Follow along with our live coverage of the event beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern time with preliminary action all the way through the main card.
Send a thumbs up, a thumbs down or a thumbs in the middle along with a best fight and a worst fight to Dave at [email protected] after the show.
**********
UFC FIGHT PASS PRELIMS | 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
> Kajan Johnson (21-12-1, 2-1 UFC) vs. Adriano Martins (28-8, 4-2 UFC) Lightweights
Not a lot of action early, as Martins laid claim to the center of the cage and kept Johnson to the outside. Not surprisingly, the crowd wasn’t too thrilled with this early approach. But in the final minute of the round, Martins floored Johnson with a hard left and nearly finished him with a kneeling guillotine choke but Johnson was saved by the horn. 10-9 Martins.
More circling by Johnson to evade Martins in the second round. Johnson attempted more strikes than he did in the first round, but Martins was able to evade many of them and score some counter shots. Johnson generated more attempted offense, but Martins had the edge in Octagon control. 10-9 Martins, 20-18 on my scorecard.
Early in the third round, Johnson caught Martins coming in for a takedown with a counterpunch and dropped him for the knockout finish. The crowd didn’t like this fight at all until the finish.
RESULT: KAJAN JOHNSON (22-12-1) by knockout at 0:49 of the third round
> Luis Henrique (10-3 1 NC, 2-2 UFC) vs. Arjan Bhullar (6-0, 0-0 UFC) Heavyweights
No Jinder Mahal for Bhullar’s walk to the cage. According to Ariel Helwani, Bhullar requested to wear his turban during his entrance and was denied.
It was a fairly back and forth opening round. Both fighters had their moments, but Bhullar was more of an aggressor and seemed to get the better of most of the exchanges. 10-9 Bhullar.
More back and forth early. Bhullar dropped Henrique with a right hand but couldn’t finish him on the ground. Bhullar got a slam, though Henrique almost wriggled free in the process. Loud “Arjan” chants. Bhullar couldn’t get much done on the ground, though, and Henrique survived. 10-9 Bhullar, 20-18 on my card.
Henrique dictated the pace early, seemingly pressing due to Bhullar’s performance in the previous round. Both fighters were pretty tired, though, and their strikes were a bit sloppy and lacked a lot of power. Henrique got the better of the exchanges, but didn’t do a ton of damage. Henrique 10-9, but 29-28 Bhullar overall. Big ovation from the crowd at the final horn.
RESULT: ARJAN BHULLAR (7-0) by unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)
Another very loud ovation for the decision.
FOX SPORTS 1 PRELIMS | 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
> Mitch Clarke (11-4, 2-4 UFC) vs. Alex White (11-3, 2-3 UFC) Lightweights
Loud ovation for Clarke’s introduction, as he lives in Edmonton.
Clarke came out of the gates with some energy, controlling the middle of the Octagon and getting the best of some striking exchanges. He slowed down a little bit as the round wore on, though, and White began to execute. He did just enough in the first half of the round to have a very slight edge. 10-9 Clarke, but it was a close round.
White seemed to take the fight over in the second. Clarke’s strategy seemed to be tying White up in the clinch and trying to score some short-range punches. But White wriggled free and connected with a lot of elbows in the clinch, bloodying Clarke’s nose. After a couple back and forth exchanges that White got the better of, Clarke was knocked down hard and the referee waved it off.
RESULT: ALEX WHITE (12-3) by technical knockout at 4:36 of the second round
Following the fight, Clarke said it was a pleasure to fight in front of his adopted hometown and that it was his last professional fight. He thanked the Edmonton fans.
> Gavin Tucker (10-0, 1-0 UFC) vs. Rick Glenn (19-4-1, 1-1 UFC) Featherweights
Another loud ovation for the entrance and introduction of a Canadian, this time for Newfoundland’s Tucker.
Tucker came out with a frenzy of offense early, but Glenn weathered the storm and began to exert control as the round wore on. Tucker seemed to initiate the offensive flurries, but Glenn’s counter-punching was more effective and he likely did more damage during the round. 10-9 Glenn.
Glenn got an early takedown, but Tucker was able to escape. After a brief back and forth, Glenn got Tucker against the cage and eventually worked him to to the ground. He didn’t get close to a finish, despite a late flurry of strikes on the ground, but Glenn had Tucker’s back or had him on his back for much of the round. 10-9 Glenn, 20-18 overall.
Glenn seemed content to stick to his gameplan in the third, clinching Tucker against the cage and once again working him down to the mat. Glenn kept going for strike finishes on the ground – punches, then knees – but Tucker kept wriggling free before the referee jumped in. Tucker nearly got finished again on the ground via Glenn’s strikes, but he once again managed to wriggle free and survived the round. The referee realistically had three or four good chances to stop the fight, but didn’t. Tucker may not have gotten a single instance of offense during the entire round. Glenn 10-8, 30-26 overall.
RESULT: RICK GLENN (20-4-1) by unanimous decision (30-25, 30-24, 29-27)
> Sarah Moras (4-2, 1-1 UFC) vs. Ashlee Evans-Smith (#15, 5-2, 2-2 UFC) Women’s Bantamweights
Evans-Smith got Moras down and was working on the ground for position. Moras wriggled free out of a tough spot and, eventually, grabbed hold of Evans-Smith’s arm and rolled through for an armbar and a submission victory. Moras spent roughly 85% of the round on her back with a foot, shin or knee in her face, but she executed some impressive grappling.
RESULT: SARAH MORAS (5-2) by submission at 2:51 of the first round
“All I heard was my coach shouting ‘use your legs!’ So I used my legs.” – Moras, explaining her submission victory to Joe Rogan.
> Sara McMann (#6, 11-3, 5-3 UFC) vs. Ketlen Vieira (#13, 8-0, 2-0 UFC) Women’s Bantamweights
McMann came out fast and took Vieira into the cage with a clinch, eventually executing a takedown attempt that ended with her in Vieira’s guard. Vieira defended well for a while, then survived a flurry of McMann strikes from the mount and countered and grabbed McMann’s ankle, but McMann fought out of that as the round ended. McMann 10-9.
Vieira was very sharp in the second round. She stuffed a takedown attempt from McMann and got the better of their exchanges in the clinch along the cage. Eventually Vieira scored a takedown and gradually worked into an arm triangle on the ground. With no way out, McMann tapped out.
RESULT: KETLEN VIEIRA (9-0) by submission at 4:16 of the second round
PPV MAIN CARD | 10 PM ET/7 PM PT
After being roughly 60% full for much of the prelims, Rogers Place looks to be roughly 85% full for the beginning of the main card. The biggest gaps in the seating are down low, in the expensive seats.
> Jeremy Stephens (#8, 25-14, 12-13 UFC) vs. Gilbert Melendez (#14 LW, 22-6, 1-4 UFC) Featherweights
Stephens hung back a bit early in the first, letting Melendez take the fight to him and executing leg kicks to Melendez’s lead leg to wear him down. Twice he dropped Melendez with this method, the second time Stephens went for the finish but the horn saved Melendez. Otherwise, Stephens still got the better of their striking exchanges. 10-8 Stephens. The commission doctor checked on Melendez before the second round began.
Both fighters made adjustments for the second round. Melendez slightly adjusted his stance, but kept advancing on Stephens. Stephens kept hanging back, but was much more active in initiating striking exchanges and mixing up his combos. Melendez continued to be on the receiving end of much of Stephens’ offense and was knocked down by another leg kick late in the round. 10-9 Stephens, 20-17 Stephens through two.
Stephens continued his dominance in the third round. He knocked down Melendez with a leg kick and he rolled to his feet, so Stephens encouraged the crowd to cheer for him. Stephens dropped Melendez twice more with leg kicks, but wasn’t able to finish the fight. 10-8 Stephens, 30-25 Stephens overall.
RESULT:JEREMY STEPHENS (26-14) by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-25)
Post-fight, Stephens put over his fiance for letting him postpone the wedding to take this fight. He also put over Melendez as one of the best ever, but noted he doesn’t think his game has evolved.
> Ilir Latifi (#10, 12-5 1 NC, 5-3 UFC) vs. Tyson Pedro (#13, 6-0, 2-0 UFC) Light Heavyweights
The opening round was incredibly close. Punches were met by counterpunches. Clinches were met with counters. Takedowns were followed by scrambles to standing positions. Latifi got a couple big takedowns, the best countering a Latifi attempt at a headkick, so he had a very slight edge. But both men executed well. Latifi 10-9.
The second was even early on, with Pedro anticipating Latifi’s strikes well and countering. But the round swung on a takedown by Latifi midway through, as Latifi was able to keep Pedro on the ground or on the fence in the clinch for the duration. 10-9 Latifi, 20-18 Latifi through two.
Latifi seemed content to counter Pedro’s offense and stay out of danger early in the third, but eventually he scored a takedown out of the clinch and kept Pedro on the mat for the remainder of the fight. 10-9 Latifi in the third and it should be 30-27 in his favour overall. It wasn’t an incredibly entertaining fight, but Pedro had no answer for Latifi’s gameplan.
> Henry Cejudo (#2, 10-2, 4-2 UFC) vs. Wilson Reis (#5, 22-7, 6-3 UFC) Flyweights
It was back and forth early, with Cejudo consistently getting the better of the exchanges. Reis scrambled out of a guillotine attempt by Cejudo, but Cejudo managed a few nice offensive flurries and a takedown late. 10-9 Cejudo.
Cejudo caught Reis on the button with a clean right hand that dropped him, then followed up with a flurry of punches on the ground before the referee jumped in to stop the fight. Very strong performance by Cejudo, particularly with his striking.
RESULT: HENRY CEJUDO (11-2) by technical knockout at 0:25 of the second round
> Neil Magny (#6, 19-5, 12-4 UFC) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos (#10, 26-9, 15-7 UFC) Welterweights
Dos Anjos countered an early Magny punch with a leg sweep to get him on the ground, then gradually worked through Magny’s guard and finally locked in an arm triangle for the submission. Magny never really got out of the gates in this one.
RESULT: RAFAEL DOS ANJOS (27-9) by submission at 3:43 of the first round
Joe Rogan put over dos Anjos as a potential title contender during the post-fight interview, and dos Anjos declared that he’s coming for the belt.
Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid was shown on the big screen for easily the loudest crowd reaction of the night. (Arjan Bhullar was the second loudest.)
Once she got into the cage, Nunes didn’t look at Shevchenko at all during the fighter introductions, stretching in her corner facing her coaches until Bruce Buffer finished his introductions.
Nunes controlled the middle of the cage throughout the first round, but seemed to hestitate with her striking – double-clutching on a couple openings early on. She avoided a Shevchenko takedown attempt and narrowly got the better of a few striking exchanges. It was a very close round. 10-9 Nunes, but it was extremely close.
The second round was equally close. Nunes maintained her Octagon control, but Shevchenko was much more active in engaging with strikes and was more effective than Nunes was in terms of delivering damage. Another very close round, leaning 10-9 Shevchenko. 19-19 through two rounds.
Nunes and Shevchenko continued at the same pace in the third round. Once again, Nunes controlled the middle of the Octagon and left Shevchenko to circle around the outside. Nunes engaged a bit more with her striking, though, with Shevchenko attempting to create offense via counters. It was another tough round to score, leaning 10-9 Nunes. 29-28 Nunes through three rounds but really any scores could be defensible.
The fourth round was very similar to the third. Nunes began throwing more leg kicks, but they were the extent of her offense. Shevchenko began engaging more from the outside and got the better of several striking exchanges, including a very nice knee to the body of Nunes in the middle of the round. 10-9 Shevchenko, arguably the least close round so far. My scorecard is 38-38 through four close rounds.
The fifth round opened up a bit, as both fighters were more aggressive than they had been previously. Shevchenko got the better of several standing striking exchanges. After a failed takedown attempt along the cage, Nunes managed to get one and take Shevchenko’s back. Shevchenko escaped, then was taken down again after some work along the cage by Nunes. Shevchenko was on the defensive for the better part of this round. 10-9 Nunes. My scorecard reads 48-47 Nunes through five very close rounds.
The crowd booed frequently throughout the fight (and chanted for their hockey team), which is a bit of a shame considering it was a very tactical bout between evenly-matched opponents.
RESULT: AMANDA NUNES (15-4) by split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)
UFC 213 has lost its scheduled main event on the day of the show.
Ariel Helwani first reported on his Twitter account this afternoon that Amanda Nunes, the UFC women’s bantamweight champion who was supposed to face Valentina Shevchenko in
the main event tonight, is currently in the hospital.
Helwani noted that Nunes has been feeling ill all week. The fight wasn’t officially off when he first tweeted, but he then confirmed that it wouldn’t be happening in a post on MMA Fighting.
The Yoel Romero vs. Robert Whittaker fight for the interim middleweight title will now be moved to the main event position and one of the prelim fights will be moved up to the main card. The rest of the pay-per-view lineup includes Fabricio Werdum vs. Alistair Overeem, Daniel Omielanczuk vs. Curtis Blaydes, and Anthony Pettis vs. Jim Miller.
Travis Browne vs. Aleksei Oleinik is the top fight scheduled for the FS1 prelims.
With Cody Garbrandt unable to compete at UFC 213, Amanda Nunes will headline the UFC’s marquee International Fight Week event for the second straight year.
Dana White revealed to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto last night that Garbrandt was officially off of the card. Garbrandt was scheduled to defend his bantamweight title for the first time against TJ Dillashaw, but he has been battling back problems and was sent to Germany to see a stem cell specialist earlier this month.
Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko for the women’s bantamweight championship is now the main event of UFC 213 on July 8th in Las Vegas. That matchup had been announced previously but wasn’t scheduled to headline the pay-per-view until Garbrandt vs. Dillashaw fell through.
Nunes was elevated to the top spot on the UFC 200 card last July when Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones was canceled at the last minute due to Jones failing a USADA test. She won the title by defeating Miesha Tate on that show.
An interim middleweight title bout is also set for UFC 213, with Yoel Romero taking on Robert Whittaker.
Controversy over Georges St-Pierre receiving the next shot at Michael Bisping’s title instead of Romero began as soon as that fight was scheduled, but White later announced that plans for Bisping vs. GSP had been scrapped when St-Pierre posted that he wouldn’t be available to compete until after October. Bisping is unavailable to fight right now due to a knee injury as well, so Romero will face Whittaker for the interim belt.
White told Okamoto that Demetrious Johnson vs. Dillashaw for the flyweight title is being planned for August, but Johnson tweeted that he hasn’t agreed to anything and is waiting on a contract to defend against Ray Borg. Johnson wrote that Dillashaw can come down to flyweight and get a win first if he wants a title fight.
As was previously revealed, Robbie Lawler vs. Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, Fabricio Werdum vs. Alistair Overeem, and Anthony Pettis vs. Jim Miller will also take place at UFC 213.
You know it’s an incredible year in MMA when you have several fighters over several promotions making a real case to cement their status as Fighter Of The Year.
While many had the resume to make the cut, narrowing it down to just five will leave some overlooked. From Joanna Jedrzejczyk to Michael Chandler to Tyron Woodley to Donald Cerron and so many more, there were plenty of contenders to make this year’s list.
Regardless, here are my top five MMA fighters for the year that was 2016 — all of which happen to reside in the UFC.
5) Michael Bisping
The Count had an incredible 2016 as the UFC veteran finally captured gold when he won the middleweight title in June at UFC 199 when he knocked out Luke Rockhold in less than one round.
It was the middle of three wins this year, putting Bisping at the top of a tough division. He started the year off by taking on arguably the greatest fighter in the history of the sport, Anderson Silva, in a fight many fans had been anticipating for years. It was a great back-and-forth battle, but one that was not without controversy. In the end, Bisping took home the unanimous decision.
The win over Rockhold was the most impressive as not only did he avenge an earlier loss in his career, but he did it on just two weeks notice. Bisping ended the year with a unanimous decision win in his first title defense, avenging another loss on his record when he defeated Dan Henderson in October.
Bisping had a great year, but the two decision wins over opponents who have seen their best days go by keep him from making him #1.
4) Amanda Nunes
Nunes capped off an incredible 2016 last Friday with the biggest win of her career.
Nunes began her fight year in March as she defeated Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 196 to earn a bantamweight title shot, a shot in what turned out to be the main event of July’s UFC 200 in July against then-champion Miesha Tate. Nunes made it look easy as she ran right through Tate, submitting her in the first round to become the new champ.
She then defended the title for the first time in one of the biggest fights of the year as she welcomed Ronda Rousey back to the Octagon at UFC 207. In wasn’t really as much of an upset as some people thought, Nunes made quick work of Rousey, dispatching the former champion in just 48 seconds with a barrage of strikes.
Nunes went 3-0 in 2016, capped with two first-round finishes, and enters 2017 with the entire division gunning for her.
3) Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor is the only man to make my top five who suffered a loss, but he also was the first fighter to consecutively hold two UFC titles at the same time.
Then-featherweight champion, McGregor expected to challenge Rafael Dos Anjos for the lightweight belt in March, but an injury forced Dos Anjos out. In stepped Nate Diaz on 12 days notice, and they agreed to fight at welterweight. McGregor was moving up two weight classes at the time, and it didn’t work out all that well as Diaz submitted him in the second round at UFC 196.
Obsessed with wanting a rematch, the two squared off again at UFC 202 in August, and again at 170 pounds. In one of the best fights of 2016, McGregor and Diaz went to war again, and McGregor escaped with a close majority decision.
McGregor then set his sights back on the lightweight title and challenged Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 in November. He made it look easy, scoring a TKO in the second round to become the new champion, becoming the first fighter to hold championships in two weight classes at the same time.
All three of the events headlined by McGregor ended up in the top four of most-purchased UFC pay-per-view events for the year.
While McGregor ended the year only holding one title after “relinquishing” the featherweight title, there is no doubt that 2016 was truly a transcendent year for the biggest star in mixed martial arts.
2) Stipe Miocic
Stipe Miocic started his 2016 fighting on the first event of the year in search of an elusive title shot, and ended the year as the most dominant heavyweight in the world.
Miocic earned his title shot at UFC 195 in January as he knocked out former champion Andrei Arlovski in just 54 seconds.
Miocic would head into enemy territory in Brazil to challenge UFC Heavyweight Champion Fabricio Werdum at UFC 198 in May. It was a successful night in Curitiba as Miocic scored another first-round knockout to win the gold and establish himself as the man to beat in the heavyweight division.
Miocic followed that up with his first title defense as the Octagon debuted in his hometown of Cleveland. He defended against Alistair Overeem, and after weathering an early storm from Overeem, he came back to win again by first-round knockout.
Miocic ends the year with three first-round knockouts over top-five opponents, and he goes into 2017 as the man at heavyweight.
1) Cody Garbrandt
Garbrandt locked himself as the 2016’s best fighter with an incredible performance at Friday’s UFC 207 and heads into 2017 as an undefeated UFC bantamweight champion — incredible to see considering Garbrandt came into the year unranked.
He started his climb up the ladder in February with a first-round knockout of Augusto Mendes. That led Garbrandt to his first main event in May as he took on another undefeated prospect in Thomas Almeida. That fight ended with Garbrandt scoring another first-round knockout, cementing his prospect status.
With another first-round knockout win, this time over veteran Takeya Mizugaki, Garbrandt went from prospect to title challenger and got the nod to face Dominick Cruz for the belt at UFC 207.
Garbrandt beat Cruz at his own game, and had a star-making peformance in winning the title by unanimous decision, handing Cruz his first loss since 2007.
With three first-round knockouts and going from unranked to champion in just over ten months, Garbrandt has established himself as a force at 135 pounds, capping off an incredible 2016.
In less than one minute, Ronda Rousey’s hope of reclaiming the UFC women’s bantamweight title after a year on the shelf were dashed by the powerful hands of Amanda Nunes.
Nunes (14-4) defeated Rousey by TKO in just 48 seconds in the main event of UFC 207 in the first defense of the title she won by cruising through past Rousey rival Miesha Tate at UFC 200.
The champion was aggressive in battering Rousey (12-2) who seemed content to stand, never attempting to take the fight to the mat. After a hard right hand connected, Nunes landed right after left after right, causing the defenseless Rousey, bleeding from the nose and red in the face, to stumble backward, weakly attempting to grab the cage to prevent her fall.
It was an easy stoppage for referee Herb Dean and a shocking one-sided ending leading to more questions about Rousey’s future than ever.
As Rousey notably did no media leading into the fight, there was much discussion instead about her impressive physical appearance. She had the signature scowl and walk to the cage, but this wasn’t anywhere close to the Rousey seen during her incredible run that began to crumble when Holly Holm upset her for the title in November 2015.
Rousey did no post-fight promo and left the cage without barely acknowledging Nunes or doing any type of interview, leaving most to question if this was the final fight of her career.
Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez will discuss the event in totality on Wrestling Observer Radio, available for subscribers early Sunday morning.
Welcome to F4WOnline.com’s live coverage of UFC 207: Nunes vs. Rousey, eminating from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The event is headlined by UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Amanda Nunes making her first title defense as she defends against former champion, Ronda Rousey, in Rousey’s return to the Octagon.
Nunes submitted Miesha Tate at UFC 200 in July to win the championship, and she has won four straight fights overall. Rousey returns to competition for the first time since losing the championship to Holly Holm at UFC 193 in November 2015, and the entire world is interested in seeing how Rousey rebounds from her first career loss. The anticipation has been heightened by Rousey not doing any media obligations in the lead-up to the fight.
In the co-main event, Dominick Cruz defends the UFC Bantamweight Championship against Cody Garbrandt. Cruz has won 13 straight fights and is looking to defeat another member of the Team Alpha Male camp. Garbrandt is undefeated in his career, winning all ten of his career fights, and has been very vocal in his intentions of knocking out Cruz to win the championship.
Also on the main card is a fight to determine the next contender at 135 pounds as former bantamweight champ TJ Dillashaw takes on John Lineker.
Follow along with our live coverage of the event beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET tonight with preliminary action all the way thru the main card.
> Alex Oliveira (16-3-1 1 NC, 5-2 UFC) vs. Tim Means (26-7-1, 8-4 UFC) Welterweights
Oliveira dropped Means with a spin kick in the first round but Means was able to recover and they traded takedowns. Means landed an illegal knee that hurt Oliveira badly. Oliveira looked awful and he got stretchered out from the Octagon as he was completely out of it. Means was complaining that it was a legal knee but it clearly wasn’t as Oliveira had a knee down. They actually called the fight a no contest as the ruling was it was accidental but he clearly landed two knees to the head while Oliveira had a knee on the mat. This was a giant cluster and there was a lot of confusion. Means called out the media after the fight and he seemed to have trouble knowing the rules.
Official Result: Alex Oliveira vs. Tim Means declared a no contest (accidental knee) at 3:33 of Round 1
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> Brandon Thatch (11-4, 2-3 UFC) vs. Niko Price (8-0, 0-0 UFC) Welterweights
Thatch was winning on the feet before being taken down by Price. Thatch almost had a kimura but Price got out of it. Price was working for chokes from all positions and finally locked in an arm-triangle choke that forced Thatch to tap out in the first round. Price was a big underdog and Thatch, who was once a hot prospect at 170 pounds, has now lost four straight fights, all by submission.
Official Result: Niko Price def. Brandon Thatch by submission (arm-triangle choke) at 4:30 of Round 1
> Mike Pyle (27-12-1, 10-7 UFC) vs. Alex Garcia (13-3, 3-2 UFC) Welterweights
Garcia rocked Pyle early and got a takedown and was controlling on the mat before Pyle got to his feet. Garcia then timed a right hand perfectly as Pyle was going for a knee and landed the punch right to Pyle’s chin and Pyle was knocked out cold. Pyle took a hard flat back bump onto the mat and it was a violent knockout win for Garcia. Garcia asked to fight on the Brooklyn card but that card looks full.
Official Result: Alex Garcia def. Mike Pyle by knockout (punch) at 3:34 of Round 1
> Antonio Carlos Junior (6-2 1 NC, 3-2 1 NC UFC) vs. Marvin Vettori (11-2, 1-0 UFC) Middleweights
The story of the first round was eye pokes as each man poked the other in the eye, Vettori on the receiving end twice. When they weren’t fouling each other it was Carlos Junior in control with the grappling and pressure against the fence. It was Carlos Junior 10-9 in the first. It was more of the same early in the second until Vettori took Carlos Junior down and was pounding away. He came close to finishing with a guillotine choke. Both men landed on the mat but Vettori had more power and volume from the top. Big round two for Vettori, 10-9, and 19-19 after two.
Carlos Junior went back to applying pressure with back control in the third, but Vettori was doing better on the feet. In the end, it was Carlos Junior pressuring Vettori against the fence and holding onto the body lock for a lot of the round, mixed with a takedown, that got him the third, 10-9. I had it 29-28 for Carlos Junior, but a close fight. The judges all agreed as they all had the same scores.
Official Result: Antonio Carlos Junior def. Marvin Vettori by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
> Johny Hendricks (#6, 17-5, 12-5 UFC) vs. Neil Magny (#8, 18-5, 11-4 UFC) Welterweights, Hendricks missed weight at 173.5 pounds
They were even on the feet and Hendricks got a takedown and was working on the top. Magny was active on the bottom and both were landing on the mat. Magny tried a triangle but couldn’t get it but landed elbows. Magny got the round due to be super active from the bottom, 10-9. Hendricks got four takedowns in the second round. He was playing a lot of defense on the top and wasn’t landing much as Magny was very active on the bottom. Neither man did much on the feet. The second had to go to Hendricks due to all the takedowns and I had it 10-9 for him and 19-19 after two.
Magny was more active on the feet but Hendricks was trying to wrestle. Magny was defending the takedowns as Hendricks was just hanging on. Hendricks did get a big slam with just over a minute left. Magny had a triangle in late and was landing elbows at the end of the round. It might have stolen him the round. I think it did as I had it 10-9 for Magny and him winning 29-28. Magny got the decision with the same scorecards. The crowd booed the decision very loudly.
Official Result: Neil Magny def. Johny Hendricks by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
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> Louis Smolka (#12, 11-2, 5-2 UFC) vs. Ray Borg (#13, 9-2, 3-2 UFC) Flyweights, Borg missed weight coming in at 129.5 pounds
Borg got a couple of takedowns and was winning the grappling by using very good transitions and sweeps on the mat. Borg landed some punches from the back as well and had Smolka bleeding. A 10-9 opening round for Borg. Borg got some more takedowns in the second and was being patient on the mat and countering all of the sweeps that Smolka was attempting. Smolka couldn’t do much to get out from the bottom and the round was all Borg. A 10-9 second round for Borg and him up 20-18.
Borg told his corner between rounds that he broke his ankle. It didn’t stop him in the third as he got more takedowns and was transitioning well on the mat. Borg had an arm-triangle in deep but Smolka was able to survive but Borg didn’t let up on his pressure.They got to their feet and Smolka landed some clean shots but it was too late to do anything. A 10-9 round for Borg and a clear 30-27 for him, and he looked fantastic here. The missing weight is going to cost him, though.
Official Result: Ray Borg def. Louis Smolka by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
> Dong Hyun Kim (#9, 21-3-1 1 NC, 12-3 1 NC UFC) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (#12, 16-5, 2-2 UFC) Welterweights
They traded takedowns and were trading on their feet and Saffiedine was finding a home for his right hand. Kim was pushing Saffiedine against the fence but wasn’t doing anything. Saffiedine got a late trip takedown and it likely got him the round as neither were able to take advantage. 10-9 Saffiedine. Not a lot happened in the second round. Both men got brief takedowns and Kim was pressuring Saffiedine around the Octagon. They traded knees in the clinch but neither man landed with a lot of volume. A real boring and nothing round. I gave it 10-9 to Kim with it tied 19-19.
They traded back-and-forth at the start of the third round in the most exciting moment of this fight. This round was boring. Kim was all pressure going for takedowns he couldn’t complete and Saffiedine wasn’t taking advantage of the striking battle. Both fighters were exhausted. Kim had the pressure but Saffiedine landed harder strikes when there were strikes landed. A close round and close fight. I had round three 10-9 for Kim and Kim winning 29-28. Two judges had it the same and one judge actually gave Saffiedine every round.
Official Result: Dong Hyun Kim def. Tarec Saffiedine by split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)
> TJ Dillashaw (#1, 13-3, 9-3 UFC) vs. John Lineker (#2, 29-7, 10-2 UFC) Bantamweights
They were both landing shots on the feet with Dillashaw getting the better of it before Dillashaw took Lineker down. Lineker was staying active on his back but Dillashaw got the better of it before they got to their feet. Dillashaw was doing an excellent job of staying on the outside and landing from a distance and was keeping Lineker from getting inside the pocket. Good round for Dillashaw as he got it 10-9.
Dillashaw got a brief takedown in the second. Lineker was throwing big punches but Dillashaw was able to stay far enough away to where they missed. Dillashaw got another takedown and was landing big elbows from the top and then came on with punches. Dillashaw just kept Lineker planted on the mat and was landing bunches of punches. He completely controlled Lineker on the ground. A big second round won by Dillashaw. I don’t think it was a 10-8 round because it wasn’t close to being finished, but Dillashaw’s round 10-9. He is up 20-18 after two.
Dillashaw was throwing Lineker off base with movement and scored a takedown. Dillashaw looks fantastic in this fight. Dillashaw cracked Lineker with some punches and had another beautifully timed takedown. He continued to land punches and went for a leg lock to no avail. Lineker was able to land some big body punches in the last minute of the fight but in the end, Dillashaw was too much for Lineker in this round and on this night. 10-9 Dillashaw in the third and I had him winning 30-27. Outstanding performance from Dillashaw. He got all the scorecards 30-26, so the judges gave him a 10-8 round in there. Dillashaw said he wants his belt back, called Dominick Cruz a bitch, and said if he doesn’t get the next title shot then it shows the UFC has rigged matchmaking. Wow.
Official Result: TJ Dillashaw def. John Lineker by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
Garbrandt was swinging for the fences and he did tag Cruz a couple of times, and he tagged Cruz with some leg kicks. They were trash talking each other. Big chants for Garbrandt. Garbrandt had good head movement and was mocking Cruz at times. Cruz got a takedown and Garbrandt sprawled but they got right back up. Cruz was working his usual movement but Garbrandt was light on his feet. They both landed good punches with a minute to go in the round. Garbrandt got a well-timed takedown at the end but the scrambled to their feet. It was a good round for Garbrandt and I had him 10-9.
Cruz tagged Garbrandt and had him stunned. Loud chants for Cruz started to come in. Garbrandt was landing some punches but Cruz was able to circle away and was using really good movement like usual. They were talking a lot of trash to each other inside the Octagon. Cruz landed a counter right hand after a body kick from Garbrandt and they had a flurry at the end. A very close round but Garbrandt looks to be slowing down. I had it 10-9 for Cruz, and 19-19 after two.
Garbrandt tagged and rocked Cruz early and Cruz was cut open over the left eye. Garbrandt tagged Cruz multiple times during this round. The cut appeared to be from a headbutt. Garbrandt dropped Cruz with a left hand and hurt him with a knee but Cruz was able to survive. Garbrandt had great head movement as he was able to duck under a lot of Cruz punches in this round. Garbrandt is throwing big punches when he has openings. A solid round for Garbrandt, who takes it 10-9, and I have it 29-28 for Garbrandt.
They are still talking trash before the fourth round. Garbrandt dropped Cruz with a big punch and thought the fight might be over so he didn’t go on the attack and Cruz was able to get back to his feet. Garbrandt ducked under a lot of Cruz’ punches and then started mocking Cruz and clowning with him. Big chants for Cody from the crowd. Garbrandt dropped Cruz again and started dancing instead of going for the finish. Garbrandt dropped Cruz a third time. A big round for Garbrandt, 10-8, and I have him up 39-36 Garbrandt. This is a star-making performance.
Garbrandt slowed down in the fifth and Cruz was looking for an opening to finish the fight. Garbrandt spent more time mocking Cruz this round than he did really going after Cruz, almost like he was on cruise control. Cruz started putting the pressure on Garbrandt and was swinging. Garbrandt decided to push Cruz against the fence. Cruz landed a leg kick late. Tough final round to score. I have the last round 10-9 for Cruz, but I have the fight 48-46 for Garbrandt.
Official Result: Cody Garbrandt def. Dominick Cruz by unanimous decision (48-46, 48-47, 48-46) to become the new UFC Bantamweight Champion
This didn’t last long. Nunes rocked Rousey early and often and Rousey was out on her feet early. Nunes was landing a lot of punches and before Rousey could fall to the mat Herb Dean stepped in and stopped the fight. It went less than a minute and Nunes remains the champion. This may be the last time we see Ronda Rousey in the UFC.
Official Result: Amanda Nunes def. Ronda Rousey by TKO (punches) at :48 of Round 1 to remain the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion
Key Statistic: Rousey hasn’t fought since November 2015
This is an interesting fight to say the least, mainly because there are a lot of question marks surrounding Rousey. Is she better than ever? Has she lost the passion to fight? Is it her last fight? Why is she being so quiet? We haven’t seen much of her since she was knocked out by Holly Holm and while she looks in the best shape of her career heading into fight week, she has refused to do any kind of media, so fans don’t know what to expect. Meanwhile, the dangerous Nunes is on a tear, winning four straight fights and becoming champion at UFC 200 by throttling Miesha Tate.
At her best, Rousey is a better fighter despite her not being as great on her feet. She has brought in new boxing training partners, but she hasn’t switched camps, and she comes from one that many think stunts her growth as a fighter. Nunes is dangerous on her feet, but she fades in fights.
I don’t expect this to go long and maybe not even get out of the first round. The longer it goes, it favors Rousey more. It favors Nunes on the feet, and Rousey on the mat. I think this is a toss-up fight, and a bet on either fighter is a good one. Both are good fantasy plays as well, so it’s best to go with your gut. Mine favors Rousey winning by submission in the first.
UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz (22-1) vs. Cody Garbrandt (10-0)
Key Statistic: Garbrandt has nine wins by knockout
Both men are looking to cement their names in contention for the best fighter of 2016, and Garbrandt is looking to unseat Cruz as the best bantamweight in the world. Cruz has long been one of the best fighters in the sport, and despite his injury-plagued past, he hasn’t lost a step inside the Octagon. He is also the smartest fighter in the sport, and he has made a career of beating guys from the Team Alpha Male camp. Garbrandt is the next in that line.
Cruz is a big favorite for good reason. Garbrandt is a knockout artist, but Cruz rarely gets hit. When he has, he isn’t chinny at all, and can take a punch. Cruz has excellent movement and Garbrandt is going to have to chase him a lot. The guys from his camp haven’t been able to emulate that, and the one who could, TJ Dillashaw, left the camp over a year ago.
I don’t expect Garbrandt to knock him out, and I doubt he can outpoint Cruz over five rounds. Cruz will land a lot and score some takedowns and rack up fantasy points. He is the better bet and the better fantasy play, especially in a five-round fight.
Key Statistic: Both men land over five significant strikes per minute
This is an incredibly interesting fight. Lineker is one of the toughest fighters in the sport and among the hardest-hitting fighters. He is also difficult to prepare for. Dillashaw has become a great fighter under the wing of Duane Ludwig, but he doesn’t have the finishing instinct that Lineker has. He fights too safe at times, and it will hurt him against Lineker.
Lineker is an action fighter and he will bring the fight to Dillashaw. The former champion is in a vulnerable position, and I don’t think this is a great match-up but one he had to take to get a title shot. Both men land a lot of strikes, and Dillashaw could look to take the fight to the mat, but Lineker is dangerous there too. Lineker has the power to end the fight with one punch.
This could be the best fight on the card. Dillashaw is a big favorite, so there is a lot of money to be made on Lineker in this fight. I actually think he will win the fight, which makes him the better fantasy play. I wouldn’t play Dillashaw in fantasy lineups as his salary is at the price where you need a finish, and I don’t see him finishing Lineker.
Dong Hyun Kim (21-3-1 1 NC) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (16-5)
Key Statistic: Kim averages three takedowns per 15 minutes
Kim and Saffiedine get the bump to the main card and both are looking to keep themselves in the top ten with an outside chance at contending for the title one day. Kim has won two straight and six of his last seven while Saffiedine has lost two of his last three. Kim is a judo artist with excellent judo throws, and while he is solid on his feet, he isn’t a knockout artist.
Saffiedine is a harder hitter, but he leans more on the safe side as a points fighter. He hasn’t shown that finishing instinct, which is further cemented by the fact he hasn’t finished an opponent in over six years. In fact, Saffiedine has gone the distance in nine of his last ten fights. When it comes to a finish, Kim is the better bet, but I don’t see Kim getting one here as Saffiedine is tough and durable.
I like Kim in this fight, but I wouldn’t bet on either. I also wouldn’t play either in fantasy. However, with only twenty fighters on the card and needing to have six in your lineups, if you are to play one, Kim is the better play due to takedowns and volume.
Louis Smolka (11-2) vs. Ray Borg (9-2)
Betting Odds: Smolka (+125), Borg (-135)
DraftKings Salaries: Smolka- $8,300, Borg- $7,900
Key Statistic: Smolka has a five-inch reach advantage
Smolka and Borg open the main card in a flyweight bout as both look to move up the rankings. Borg missed weight badly though, so his progress may be stunted even with a win.
Smolka is coming off being submitted by Brandon Moreno in a big upset while Borg dropped a decision to Justin Scoggins in his last fight. Smolka has a big advantage in height and reach in this fight, coming in with five inches over Borg in each. Smolka is a good submission artist but he’s had the tendency to get caught when he puts himself in a bad position.
Borg is a solid takedown artist and makes good use of his time in top position. Borg isn’t much of a finisher on his feet and Smolka is the better finisher. Both men have similar wins by submission, and only Smolka has been stopped in his career.
I give the edge in this fight to Smolka, but both men are solid fantasy plays. I feel like this fight will go the distance and it could play a big role in fantasy lineups.
Key Statistic: Hendricks has 55 takedowns in UFC competition, Magny has 34
Hendricks may have his last chance here at getting back into the title picture as he has lost his last two fights and missed weight again. Magny was on a tear at 170 pounds but has seen his momentum stall recently.
Whenever Hendricks has missed weight, it has hindered his performance as there is a noticeable decline. At his best, Hendricks has the hardest punch at 170 pounds, and a huge wrestling game to back that up. Magny also has a strong takedown game, and he uses his length well. He was hurt pretty badly by Lorenz Larkin in his last fight, and Hendricks can finish him if he is at his best.
This is a tossup fight, and both men are close in the odds and in fantasy. I like Hendricks in this one because of the better chance of a finish.
Antonio Carlos Junior (6-2 1 NC) vs. Marvin Vettori (11-2)
Betting Odds: Carlos Junior (-135), Vettori (+125)
DraftKings Salaries: Carlos Junior- $8,100, Vettori- $8,100
Key Statistic: Carlos Junior has five submission wins, Vettori has eight
This is a solid battle of middleweight prospects. Vettori has won six straight fights and is coming in with a lot of momentum. Carlos Junior has struggled with consistency inside the Octagon as the former TUF Brazil winner has just three wins in six UFC appearances. Carlos Junior is big and athletic, has a fully developed game, and his grappling is very good. Vettori has some good takedowns and good submissions has he has submitted eight of his foes.
Vettori has won all eleven of his fights by stoppage and has never been stopped in his career. Carlos Junior, while an excellent grappler, has some deficiencies on his feet, and Vettori could take advantage there. It is almost a tossup in straight betting, and they have even fantasy salaries. Vettori is the better play in this fight as he has the better chance of scoring a finish, but both are solid plays. I feel Vettori has more opportunities for maximum scoring.
Mike Pyle (27-12-1) vs. Alex Garcia (13-3)
Betting Odds: Pyle (+155), Garcia (-175)
DraftKings Salaries: Pyle- $7,600, Garcia- $8,600
Key Statistic: Pyle has been knocked out in five of his seven UFC losses
Pyle is a 41-year-old veteran of the sport, and his career is starting to come to an end. He is looking for one last big win when he takes on Garcia, who has struggled recently inside the Octagon. This is a good bounce back fight for Garcia, but he shouldn’t take Pyle too lightly. Pyle is a very good fighter and he has 23 wins by stoppage on his record, but his chin is starting to let him down as he’s been knocked out in three of his last four losses.
Garcia is an explosive puncher and he has good takedowns, but he shouldn’t take Pyle lightly on the mat. Pyle can win this fight if he can get the fight in the clinch and wear Garcia down. His chin makes him hard to trust, though. I think this is Garcia’s fight to lose, and I’m sensing a knockout happening here. He is the fantasy play in this one.
Key Statistic: Thatch has won all of his fights by stoppage
Thatch was a hot prospect at one time at 170 pounds, but he now finds himself in a must-win situation after losing his last three fights. Price is making his UFC debut on short notice with an undefeated record, and he has a good chance to score an upset. Thatch is a big welterweight and he has explosive striking skills.
All of Thatch’s wins have seen him finish his opponent, with seven wins by knockout and four by submission. If he can find what he’s been missing over the last few years, he is dangerous and this is his fight to lose. Price will try to grapple and find a submission, but he’s far from the level of competition that Thatch has lost to. Thatch has the highest fantasy salary on the card, though I see him winning by a knockout as his striking is too explosive for Price.
Alex Oliveira (16-3-1 1 NC) vs. Tim Means (26-7-1)
This is one of the better fights on the card and opens the show on Fight Pass. Oliveira is going back up to 170 pounds after missing weight badly for a lightweight bout in his last fight, and he has good size to adjust to welterweight. Means is looking to win his third straight after back-to-back knockout wins, running his record to 22 stoppage wins in his 26 overall wins.
Means is aggressive on his feet and he strings together his punches well, and he is dangerous inside the pocket, in the clinch, and on top in the mat. Oliveira has good reach and he has more power on his feet. Oliveira is the better takedown artist, and he is good as well on the ground. This is a really close fight on paper.
Means has more finishing ability, and Oliveira has been submitted twice inside the Octagon. This fight could see a finish in either way, or it could go the distance. It’ll probably go back-and-forth and will be good. I like Means as the better play in this fight as his finishing chances are higher.
The biggest star in women’s mixed martial arts history is making her return to the Octagon.
Dana White announced during an in-studio appearance on the Colin Cowherd show that Ronda Rousey would make her much anticipated return to the UFC later this year on December 30th. Rousey will immediately challenge Amanda Nunes for the women’s bantamweight title at UFC 207 in Las Vegas, NV
Nunes defeated Miesha Tate to win the title in the main event of UFC 200 earlier this year. The Rousey fight will be her first title defense.
It has been a longer than expected road back to the Octagon for Rousey after her loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193 nearly a year ago. Rousey was dropped by a now iconic head kick in the second round before being finished with punches as Holm picked up the shocking victory.
White was questioned by Cowherd about Cris “Cyborg” Justino facing Rousey, and said that they both want the fight and it will definitely happen if Rousey is victorious against Nunes.
Before the loss to Holm, Rousey had amassed a series of quick victories that led to her becoming one of the biggest crossover stars in MMA history. The only fighter other than Holm to ever take Rousey past the first round was Tate at UFC 168.
Also during the appearance, White said that Conor McGregor told him that he never wants to fight in Nevada again after being fined $150,000 by the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Tuesday. McGregor was fined for his bottle-throwing incident at the press conference prior to his UFC 202 rematch against Nate Diaz.
Video of White’s appearance the Cowherd show is available to watch below:
On Wednesday night, UFC announced that women’s bantamweight champion Miesha Tate will defend against Amanda Nunes as part of UFC 200.
Tate vs. Nunes will be one of the three top fights on the show, along with featherweight champion Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz II (welterweight fight), and Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar for the interim featherweight title.
The fight is perplexing on almost every level. UFC is sitting on a goldmine right now in the women’s bantamweight division with big money fights on the horizon (Tate vs. Ronda Rousey III, Tate vs. Holly Holm II). A Nunes win would hurt that dynamic since she wouldn’t have near the buzz or interest level against any of those other fighters on the level Tate would have. If Tate was a lock to fight on this show, the only logical contenders would have been Rousey or Holm.
Nunes (12-4) has won three straight and five of her six UFC fights. She was last seen downing Valentina Shevchenko by unanimous decision at March’s UFC 196 — the same show on which Tate beat Holm for the gold.
Earlier this week, the fight was said to be under serious consideration for either UFC 200 or UFC 201. Tate signed a new deal with the promotion earlier this week as well.
UFC 200 is scheduled for Saturday, July 9th, in Las Vegas at the new T-Mobile Arena. It is expected to be one of the biggest UFC events of all-time, if not the biggest, in terms of PPV buys, media attention, and overall buzz.
Bryan Alvarez and I will talk more about the fight and the news from pro wrestling and MMA on tonight’s Wrestling Observer Radio.
