Aljamain Sterling

Aljamain Sterling finally gets his title shot at UFC 256

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After months of campaigning, Aljamain Sterling (19-3) is finally getting the shot that he deserved. UFC president Dana White announced today that in December, Petr Yan (15-1) will be defending his bantamweight crown against Sterling at UFC 256.

Sterling has been asking for his chance at UFC gold for months. However, the promotion hasn’t guaranteed him the spot until now. It’s hard to imagine anyone who is more deserving in the bantamweight division than Aljamain Sterling.

Sterling last competed back at UFC 250 against Cory Sandhagen. The fight was labeled as a title eliminator and Sterling ran through Sandhagen in just 88 seconds. You couldn’t have been more convincing in a title eliminator.

Yet, the UFC wouldn’t come out and say that Sterling was for sure next. The UFC normally is very blunt about who’s next, just look at the way Dana White talks about Francis Ngannou. However, Sterling was never given that treatment.

There was a bunch of quotes saying things like Sterling might get the next shot. Or that Sterling was probably next for the UFC bantamweight champion. However, everything was put to bed today when the promotion announced the Yan – Sterling title fight.

UFC 256 Co-Main Event

It appears that this title fight is going to slide into the co-main event slot. While Amanda Nunes and Megan Anderson are going to get the headlining treatment at UFC 256. Nevertheless, fans should be pumped up for this bantamweight matchup.

Sterling will be coming into the octagon in December on a five fight winning streak. In those five fights Sterling has beaten the likes of Cody Stamann, Jimmie Rivera, Pedro Munhoz, and Cory Sandhagen. He’s looked absolutely sensational.

Yan on the other hand is coming off of his destruction of Jose Aldo back at UFC 251. Yan became the bantamweight champion that night after he stopped Aldo in the fifth round of their title fight. Prior to that, Yan knocked out Urijah Faber.

He has never lost in the UFC and he will bring his 7-0 record into the cage in December. Both of these men present such interesting styles. Yan’s striking is elite while Sterling has unique striking but sensational ground skills. It should translate to a fantastic fight.

What’s next for Cory Sandhagen after UFC Fight Island 5?

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This past Saturday night, the UFC hosted their fifth fight night from Fight Island. In the main event of the evening, there was a bantamweight contest between former title challenger Marlon Moraes (23-7-1) and Cory Sandhagen (13-2).

It was a very big fight for the UFC‘s bantamweight division. Moraes was the top ranked contender while Sandhagen came in fourth. Despite being fourth, Sandhagen was actually the betting favorite heading into UFC Fight Island 5.

In the fight, Sandhagen made it apparent why he was the betting favorite. Sandhagen did a fantastic job of striking from the outside and flustering Moraes with his movement. Moraes really just looked like he could never get going on Saturday.

Finally, in the second round, Sandhagen handed a spinning kicked that floored the former UFC title challenger. A few follow up shots after that caused the referee to step in and call a stop to the action. The biggest UFC win so far for Sandhagen.

Who should the UFC pair him with next?

In his post fight interview, Sandhagen had a couple of names that he was interested. TJ Dillashaw and Frankie Edgar were the two names that Sandhagen had in mind when envisioning his next UFC fight. He figured those were the only two ahead of him in the title picture.

Edgar recently made his successful UFC bantamweight debut by defeating Pedro Munhoz. The fight was razor close, but a win put Edgar near the top of the division. Edgar is looking to challenge for a UFC title in the third weight class that he’s competed in.

TJ Dillashaw is able to come back in January after being suspended for two years. The former UFC bantamweight king was known as one of the best fighters in the world a couple of years ago. Dillashaw dropped down to flyweight in his last UFC contest to challenge Henry Cejudo.

Dillashaw lost to Cejudo, but that wasn’t the main story however. He tested positive for EPO and was suspended for two years. He had to relinquish his UFC bantamweight title, but he’s itching to get back into the cage.

Personally, I like either fight for Sandhagen. A win over one of those high profile guys would surely put him in the title picture. Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan are expecting to fight early next year, but Sandhagen could get a UFC title shot at some point in 2021.

UFC Fight Island 5 Main Event Preview: Marlon Moraes – Cory Sandhagen

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One of more anticipated fights from the UFC‘s second trip to Fight Island headlines tomorrow night’s fight night. Top bantamweight contenders Marlon Moraes (23-6-1) and Cory Sandhagen (12-2) will try to take another step towards a UFC bantamweight title fight.

The UFC‘s bantamweight division has turned into arguably the deepest and most exciting division for the promotion. Any of the top ten fighters paired against each other would get UFC fans excited for the matchup. And, there are a ton of top guys just outside the top 10.

This matchup is so fascinating on a number of levels. Marlon Moraes is trying to get back on the right track after his last two performances. Yes, he technically won his last fight at UFC 245. However, the majority of people watching felt Moraes lost to Jose Aldo.

On the other side of the cage is Cory Sandhagen. Sandhagen was one win away from a UFC bantamweight title fight before getting demolished by Aljamain Sterling back at UFC 250. The fight wasn’t even remotely competitive as Sandhagen was submitted in 88 seconds.

Prior to that loss, Sandhagen had won his first five fights in the UFC. Sandhagen looked like a future champion, but the loss caused some doubts. However, Moraes has doubts of his own after his last two performances inside the octagon.

UFC Fight Island 5 Main Event Prediction

This is such a good fight because both men are so evenly matched. If you’re looking for the more explosive fighter, you would want to look at Marlon Moraes. There is no place that this fight will go that Moraes won’t feel comfortable.

His all around skills are what led him to a UFC title shot back at UFC 238. Moraes has explosive power on the feet, and he’s very technical with everything that he does. However, Moraes does have a tendency to fade a little as the fight goes on.

You could make the argument that Sandhagen is just as well rounded as Moraes. Sandhagen has very slick striking and despite his last performance, he’s very good on the ground. There is one area where Sandhagen as a big advantage.

Sandhagen is a much larger man than Marlon Moraes. His frame is much bigger, and he just looks like the bigger man. If you ask me, I think he needs to lean on that size in this one. Maybe try to engage in some clinch work early to tire Moraes out.

When it comes to the prediction I’m torn. On one hand, I think Moraes is going to get the best of Sandhagen early on. I think Moraes will have something to prove. However, the longer the fight goes, Sandhagen can end up with the advantage. I think this is the fight of the night, but I’m going to lean Moraes in an absolute war.

Prediction: Marlon Moraes by Unanimous Decision 

Frankie Edgar proves he’s still elite at UFC Vegas 7

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There were many questions about Frankie Edgar (24-8-1) entering UFC Vegas 7. He was making his bantamweight debut at the age of 38 after spending his entire career at lightweight and featherweight.

Of course, Edgar was diving right into the deep end taking on the UFC‘s fifth ranked contender in Pedro Munhoz (18-5, 1 NC). It was a sink or swim test for Edgar in his first outing at bantamweight. After a five round war, Edgar proved that he can still swim with the best of them.

UFC Bantamweight’s Newest Contender

In an instant classic, Edgar and Munhoz went to war. Both men had big moments in the fight. Both men wobbled the other at various points, and both displayed crisp striking over five rounds.

In the end, the two of the three judges gave the split decision to the former UFC lightweight champion Edgar. It was a razor close fight, but I believe that the judges got this one right. Munhoz had big moments, but Edgar’s output and higher number of strikes landed won the fight on my scorecard as well.

One of the UFC‘s most dynamic divisions just got a little more dynamic and deep with Edgar making his successful debut. With defeating the top five ranked Munhoz, expect Edgar to be in the top five to start the week next week.

Personally, I would like to see Edgar get one more win in the division before getting a UFC title shot. Aljamain Sterling has worked for and earned the next shot, but Dana White has yet to confirm that he’s next for the UFC‘s champion, Petr Yan.

Either way, at UFC Vegas 7, Edgar proved that he belongs at bantamweight. He didn’t tire from the weight cut, and he looked just as sharp as ever. One has to wonder what it would have been like if he jumped straight to bantamweight instead of his time at featherweight.

UFC: Marlon Moraes – Cory Sandhagen to headline October 10th Fight Night

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The UFC is planning on having a big time bantamweight fight headline their fight night on October 10th. According to multiple reports, Magic Marlon Moraes (23-6-1) will be taking on Cory Sandhagen (12-2).

What does the mean for UFC’s title pictures?

Originally, it was being reported that the UFC was trying to book Moraes with former champion, Cody Garbrandt. However, Garbrandt recently told Ariel Helwani that he was wanting to drop to flyweight to take on the champion, Deiveson Figueiredo.

With the UFC moving to book Moraes/Sandhagen, it looks like the writing is on the wall with a couple of title fights. One being the title fight between Garbrandt and Firgueiredo while the other title fight will be Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling.

Dana White has been hesitant to say that Sterling was next for Yan after Yan won the title at UFC 251. However, with all other top contenders booked, it appears that the UFC will be making Yan – Sterling after all.

Moraes – Sandhagen

Now back to this fight. This is a fantastic matchup in the bantamweight division. I’m a little surprised that the UFC is having Sandhagen fight a guy like Moraes after he was steamrolled by Sterling in the first round.

I was thinking maybe a guy like Jimmie Rivera could have been next for Sandhagen. Either way, it’s a big time fight for the division. A win for either of these guys might put them in line for a title shot next.

Moraes was in a weird spot after his last fight. He beat Jose Aldo, but the court of public opinion gave Aldo the win. Even the UFC gave Aldo a title shot over Moraes. The former title challenger will look to cement his top contender status with a win over Sandhagen.

The UFC‘s bantamweight division is on fire right now. The weight class is filled with tremendous talent and they have budding superstars. This will be a division to keep your eyes on moving forward.

UFC: Aljamain Sterling still not confirmed as number one contender

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After UFC 250 back in June, there was little doubt in the MMA community as to who was the number one contender in the bantamweight division.

Aljamain Sterling (19-3) steamrolled Cory Sandhagen in 88 seconds in what was supposed to be a title eliminator. Everyone (including myself) made the assumption that Sterling would be next for the UFC bantamweight title.

However, UFC president Dana White has yet to confirm Sterling as the next contender. White is usually pretty firm about the next guys in line. Just look at how he’s talking about Gilbert Burns. White was asked about Sterling at the post-fight press conference last night.

Who is the UFC’s top bantamweight contender?

White continues to evade from confirming Sterling as the next contender for Petr Yan’s first title defense. Yan (15-1) just won the vacant UFC bantamweight title a little over a week ago on Fight Island.

I just can’t help but think that if Sterling is not the next contender, who is? The only two guys ranked around Sterling are Marlon Moraes and Cody Garbrandt. Those two guys are rumored to be fighting in October.

Yan has said that he wants to defend his title for the first time in October. So that would rule out those two. Sandhagen just lost to Sterling and Aldo just lost to Yan. The only other guy in the top six is Pedro Munhoz who is fighting Frankie Edgar at UFC 252.

Is it possible that the UFC is waiting to see if Frankie Edgar (23-8-1) can defeat Munhoz at UFC 252? Are they thinking more about name recognition instead of resume?

Whatever the reason, it just doesn’t make sense. Despite the chaos in other divisions, the bantamweight division seems very clear. There is a true number one contender and his name is Aljamain Sterling.

 

UFC targeting Cody Garbrandt – Marlon Moraes for October

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The UFC is targeting a big time title eliminator for their bantamweight division in October.

Per ESPN, “Magic” Marlon Moraes (23-6-1) said that the UFC is planning to have him and Cody Garbrandt (12-3) fight in October. Moraes also told ESPN that he and his wife had recently tested positive for COVID-19.

Huge fight in the UFC’s bantamweight division

When it comes to non-title fights, it doesn’t get much bigger than this in the UFC. For Moraes, the fight will be his first since his controversial decision win over Jose Aldo at UFC 245.

Despite the judges giving Moraes the fight, the UFC believed Aldo won the fight. Because of that, and by the request of the former champ Henry Cejudo, Aldo received a title shot over Moraes.

Moraes is 5-1 in his last six fights inside the octagon including knockouts over Jimmie Rivera and the current number one contender, Aljamain Sterling.

Cody Garbrandt took 15 months off after he was knocked out by Pedro Munhoz at UFC 235. The fight had marked Garbrandt’s third consecutive loss by knockout.

Garbrandt had dealt with injuries and just didn’t seem to be himself. “No Love” also decided to make a switch prior to his last fight by incorporating coach Mark Henry into his camp.

The results speak for themselves. At UFC 250 against Raphael Assuncao, Garbrandt looked fantastic. His speed and footwork were on point, and he might have secured the knockout of the year.

It’s clear that the UFC is planning to have Petr Yan defend his title against Aljamain Sterling. In fact, Yan said that he wants to do the fight in October. If that’s the case, this fight between Garbrandt and Moraes might be on the same card.

A win for either man would put them next in line for the title shot at 135 pounds. There might not be a better division in the UFC right now than the bantamweight division.

UFC: Fights to make after UFC 251

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Following any major UFC event, the fans want to know what comes next? UFC held their first event on Fight Island last night, and everyone wants to know what fights are going to be made following UFC 251. Here are five fights that the UFC should make.

Kamaru Usman vs Gilbert Burns

This is a fight that we basically got confirmed from UFC president Dana White last night. In the post-fight press conference, White made it clear that Gilbert Burns (19-3) would be the next challenger for Kamaru Usman (17-1).

Burns was originally scheduled to be in the main event last night, but a positive COVID-19 test took him out. Once he recovers, he is the first guy in line for Usman. He’s also the one fighter who is the worst matchup for Usman in the division.

Usman did not win any new fans at UFC 251, but the champion did what he had to do in defeating Jorge Masvidal (35-14). Usman leaned on his wrestling and controlled the BMF title holder for five rounds.

Burns and Usman matchup extremely well. Usman’s wrestling can be neutralized by Burns’ elite skills on the ground. Burns has elite striking and speed which can give Usman issues.

Usman and Burns were once teammates which adds in another wrinkle to the fight. Expect this matchup to be booked in October/November.

Jorge Masvidal vs Colby Covington

Gamebred stepped up on six days notice, but he fell short in his quest to become the UFC’s welterweight champion. He made it clear that he wants to stay active and work his way back to the title. The quickest route to that is against his former training partner.

Colby Covington (15-2) would make the perfect opponent. Both men used to live together, but now they can’t stand each other. Both are coming off a loss to Usman which is a perfect setup for the fight.

This fight would have a ton of heat, and the winner would be guaranteed another shot at the UFC‘s welterweight title. With the drawing power of both men, this could headline a card on it’s own. I wouldn’t be shocked to see this one occur around the same time that we see Usman-Burns.

Weili Zhang vs Rose Namajunas

It was known that the winner of the Rose Namajunas (9-4) and Jessica Andrade (20-8) fight would likely get the next shot at UFC strawweight champion, Weili Zhang (21-1). Both women went to war last night, but Namajunas walked away with a decision.

To me, Namajunas has always been the second best strawweight in the world. I thought she was always better than Andrade, but got caught in that slam. I also firmly believe that Zhang is the absolute best in the world.

Thug Rose is going to get the title shot after last night’s victory, but I’m not sure how I feel about the matchup for her. This fight could be a springboard for Zhang.

If Zhang is able to defeat Namajunas, she could aim for a champion versus champion fight with Valentina Shevchenko next.

Petr Yan vs Aljamain Sterling

The UFC crowned a new bantamweight king last night, and his name is Petr Yan (15-1). It didn’t come easy, but Yan was able to stop Jose Aldo (28-7) in the fifth round to claim the UFC‘s bantamweight champion.

Last month, Aljamain Sterling (19-3) made an emphatic statement that he’s the top contender at 135 pounds. In a fight with Cory Sandhagen (12-2) which was considered a title eliminator, Sterling finished Sandhagen in under 90 seconds.

Many people believe that Sterling was more deserving of a title shot than Yan was. Well, now the UFC can move to make this fight. There might not be a more exciting division in the UFC than bantamweight right now. Yan/Sterling is going to be incredibly fun to watch.

Alexander Volkanovski vs Winner of Zabit Magomedsharipov-Yair Rodriguez

The UFC‘s featherweight king didn’t get the clean victory he wanted last night. Many people, including Dana White, believe that he lost the fight. However, the judges are all that matter and they gave the fight to Alexander Volkanovski (22-1).

I can’t see the UFC moving to book Volkanovski-Holloway 3 with Alexander being up 2-0 in the series. The Australian champ wants to fight by the end of the year, so what makes the most sense?

Reportedly, Zabit Magomedsharipov (18-1) and Yair Rodriguez (13-2-1) are supposed to fight in August. Magomedsharipov is currently ranked right behind Holloway while Rodriguez is ranked fifth.

Both of these men are extremely popular and talented fighters. I think the UFC would be smart to make this fight the title eliminator. Brian Ortega and Chan Sung Jung who are also supposed to fight this year, have already had shots at the title.

Magomedsharipov is considered the next great Russian champion that’s in the UFC. If Zabit can defeat Rodriguez in August, it would be a massive global fight to pair him with the champion, Volkanovski.

UFC has great fights ahead

The UFC is going to put on some stacked cards the rest of this year. All of the fights listed above should take place before we hit 2021. Combine those with the fights that are already scheduled, and you should be expecting some stacked cards in the second half of 2020.

Five Fights to Make after UFC 250

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UFC, Dana White

Last night, the UFC made it’s PPV return to the fight capital of the world, and the card did not disappoint. There was a leg-kick TKO, two walk-off knockouts, and a brilliant performance from the greatest female fighter of all time. With that being said, let’s talk through five matchups that should be booked following UFC 250.

Suga Sean O’Malley vs Top Ten Opponent

Before last night, I said that the UFC did a great job of booking Eddie Wineland as an opponent for Suga Sean. O’Malley (12-0) is an elite striker, and he does a fantastic job at fighting from range. I thought it was the perfect showcase fight for him, and he did not disappoint. About halfway through the first round, O’Malley uncorked a right straight that put Wineland to sleep. O’Malley’s star is only going to continue to shine brighter, but I think the UFC needs to bring him along gradually. They need to use a similar path that they used with Conor McGregor.

O’Malley needs to fight someone in the rankings for his next fight. If you ask me, I would give him someone like a Rob Font (17-4). Font is currently ranked as the tenth best bantamweight in the world according to the UFC rankings. Font is coming off back to back wins, and he would be a good test for O’Malley. Font has been in there with some of the best guys in the world, and has only lost three times since 2016 to John Lineker, Pedro Munhoz, and Ralphael Assuncao. This is another winnable fight for O’Malley, but it would be a fight that would give him some top ten experience. Another win would vault O’Malley closer to the top five and a potential title shot.

Cory Sandhagen vs Jimmie Rivera

Last night did not go as planned for Cory Sandhagen (12-2). Sandhagen entered the matchup riding high having been unbeaten in the UFC. Sandhagen was submitted early in the first round by Aljamain Sterling (19-3). The only positive for Sandhagen was that he didn’t take damage in this fight. Sterling was able to get his back very quickly, but didn’t land a ton of shots. Instead, Sterling used his diverse ground attack to lock up a rear naked choke. With the loss, it’s back to the drawing board for Sandhagen.

To me, Jimmie Rivera (22-4) would be a good next opponent for Sandhagen. Rivera is currently ranked eighth in the world, but he’s coming off of back to back losses to Petr Yan and Sterling. Rivera is a tough guy who has consistently been one of the best in the world at bantamweight. Rivera hasn’t fought since last June so you have to believe he’s looking for a fight. With the limited damage, I’m guessing Sandhagen would like to get back in there as soon as he can. This would be a solid matchup of two top ten bantamweights who are looking to get back on the right track.

Cody Garbrandt vs Marlon Moraes

Cody Garbrandt (12-3) might have landed the best clean walkoff knockout of all time last night. Garbrandt had his back against the wall and he was facing a very tough challenger in Ralphael Assuncao (27-8). Garbrandt showed massive improvements last night in terms of his fighting IQ. Garbrandt stayed on the outside and used his speed brilliantly in this fight. Just before the second round ended, Garbrandt unleashed a right hand that put Assuncao to sleep. After getting knocked out three times in a row, this is exactly the type of win that Garbrandt needed.

“Magic” Marlon Moraes (23-6-1) is in a very weird spot in the bantamweight division. Moraes is currently the number one ranked bantamweight and he’s coming off of a win against the man who is getting the next title shot, Jose Aldo. Moraes is 5-1 in his last six fights with his only loss being to former champion, Henry Cejudo. It’s very clear that Aljamain Sterling is getting the next title shot, but a Garbrandt/Moraes fight would be perfect to setup the next challenger. Yan and Aldo will fight this summer, but maybe the UFC looks to book Sterling against the winner with Garbrandt/Moraes on the under card. Either way, I think this is the fight that makes the most sense.

Aljamain Sterling vs Winner of Yan/Aldo

There is no one in the UFC right now that is probably more deserving of a title shot than Aljamain Sterling. Sterling has now won five straight fights since his last loss to Marlon Moraes. Sterling has looked sensational in his last three fights, but last night he went to the next level. He went through the fourth ranked bantamweight like he was nothing. Sterling made an emphatic statement that he is next for the title, and honestly, he should be fighting for the title now.

Petr Yan (14-1) and Jose Aldo (28-6) have their fight finalized for sometime in July. Dana White announced that the fight was done and would take place in July. Sterling will be watching this fight very closely to figure out who he’s going to be taking on for the title.

Amanda Nunes vs Megan Anderson

To be honest, I really don’t know what to do with Amanda Nunes (20-4). She looked better than ever last night completely out-classing poor Felicia Spencer (8-2) over the course of a five-round beat down. Nunes is so much better than her competition it’s not even funny. I don’t see anyone in either of her two divisions giving her a challenge. Her only realistic challenger would be the UFC’s flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko. I previously said it’s a super fight the UFC needs to make, but last night, Dana White said that fight wouldn’t be happening anytime soon.

With that in mind, we look at her two divisions for some challengers. After previously defending her bantamweight title a couple of times in a row, I think Nunes will look to defend her featherweight title for the second time in a row. The logical choice for a challenger would be Megan Anderson (11-4). Anderson is 3-1 in her last four fights with her only loss being to Felicia Spencer. Anderson is a very tall woman and could pose some interesting challenges for the champion. However, I don’t think anyone would give Anderson much of a chance in this one. Nunes is just so much better than anyone which is why she is the greatest of all time.

UFC 250 Recap: Amanda Nunes Crushes Felicia Spencer

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UFC 250 marked the PPV return to the fight capital of the world and the main event featured a featherweight title fight between champion Amanda Nunes (20-4), and challenger, Felicia Spencer (8-2). The UFC has come back with a bang with these events, and tonight was arguably the best night of fights yet.

Amanda Nunes Dismantles Felicia Spencer

The greatest female fighter of all time, Amanda Nunes, made her return to the featherweight division for the first time since she took the title from Cris Cyborg back at UFC 232. Nunes was a massive favorite over challenger, Felicia Spencer. A Las Vegas better even placed a $1 million bet on Nunes prior to the fight. Early on, it became very evident as to why Nunes was such a massive favorite in this fight. Nunes hit Spencer with some bombs early on in the first round. To Spencer’s credit, she did take the shots well. Spencer tried to engage in grappling the champion, but Nunes immediately tossed her to the floor. Nunes spent the rest of the round dominating Spencer on the ground, punishing the challenger with vicious elbows which cut the challenger.

In round two, Spencer tried to rush the champion, but she continued to eat big shots coming in. Spencer continued to try to engage Nunes in the grappling in round two, but again, Nunes was able to take Spencer down. The fight ended back up on the feet, and Nunes continued to use Spencer for target practice. Round three didn’t see much of a change in the fight. Nunes just stayed on the outside picking Spencer apart. Nunes really hurt Spencer in the third round with some serious leg kicks. Spencer was having difficulties putting weight on her leg at the end of the round. Nunes was just having her way with the challenger.

Entering the championship rounds, Spencer tried to press forward knowing that she was down three rounds. However, Nunes just kept picking apart the challenger. Nunes kept a smile on her face as she stayed on the outside hurting Spencer. Nunes was using every striking technique she had in her repertoire, and every single one was landing. Despite getting dismantled, Spencer kept pushing forward trying to mount some offense, but there was nothing there. Nunes rocked Spencer bad at the end of the round. Nunes locked in a rear naked choke, but the round ended before Spencer went to sleep.

In the fifth round, Nunes landed a couple of clean shots then she took the fight to the ground. Spencer tried to throw up some submissions from guard, but nothing ever appeared to be close. Nunes seemed content to coast through the fifth round. Inside the guard, Nunes cut Spencer again with some sharp elbows. With about a minute left in the fight the two ended back up on the feet. Nunes landed a few more good shots and landed a massive takedown towards the end of the round. The final bell mercifully sounded in one of the most lopsided title fights in UFC history.  Nunes took the fight by unanimous decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-45).

Garbrandt Sleeps Assuncao in Two

The co-main event of the event featured the return of former bantamweight champion, Cody Garbrandt (12-3), and top contender, Raphael Assuncao (27-8). Both of the fighters went into this fight on two-fight losing streaks. The former champion, Garbrandt, had a ton of pressure on his shoulders after being knocked out in his previous three fights. Garbrandt opened up the fight with some solid leg kicks while keeping the distance on Assuncao. The entire first round, Garbrandt stayed very patient on the outside picking his shots on Assuncao. Assuncao really never got the distance right in round one. Assuncao was chasing Garbrandt all round and he was eating shots from the outside including some very nice leg kicks.

Garbrandt opened round two with a blitz where landed a clean head kick on Assuncao. Garbrandt’s speed and diverse striking attack was giving Assuncao fits. About two minutes into the second, Assuncao landed a couple of decent right hands, but Garbrandt didn’t react. In the past, Garbrandt would bite down on his mouthpiece and throw caution to the wind. Garbrandt stayed patient in round two trying to strike from the outside. Garbrandt quickly floored Assuncao with a big right hook that landed behind the ear. Assuncao bounced back up and landed some decent shots. Assuncao seemed to be gaining his range towards the end of the round, but right before the round ended, Garbrandt landed a massive right hook that put Assuncao to sleep. “No Love” made a massive statement with this fight, and proved to everyone that he is still one of the best bantamweights in the world.

Sterling Puts Sandhagen To Sleep via RNC

The fight that I was personally looking forward to the most heading into the evening was the bantamweight title eliminator fight between Aljamain Sterling (19-3) and Cory Sandhagen (12-2). Petr Yan and Jose Aldo will be fighting for the vacant title this summer, but Dana White said the winner of this matchup would fight the winner of that fight. The betting odds were dead even leading up to this fight with both men sharing very similar skill sets. Sterling came storming out of the gate putting a ton of pressure on Sandhagen early. Sterling was able to get Sandhagen down, and take his back within the first minute of the first round. From there, the fight did not last long. Sterling was able to lock in a rear naked choke and put Sandhagen to sleep. “Funk Master” left no doubt to who the number one contender is in the UFC’s bantamweight division with that performance.

Magny Decisions Rocco Martin

The second fight of the PPV featured a welterweight contest between Neil Magny (22-7) and Anthony Rocco Martin (17-5). There was a lot of pressure on Rocco Martin entering this fight with him saying earlier in the week that this fight was the last fight on his current UFC deal. Rocco Martin did come out with a sense of urgency really trying to push the pace early against the Haitian Sensation. The first round featured a lot of clinch work that was initiated by Rocco Martin. Whenever the fighters were at distance, Magny seemed to have the striking advantage, landing some solid straight punches and kicks.

In the second round, Rocco Martin was able to land a solid right hand which seemed to hurt Magny. A big takedown in the middle of the round for Rocco Martin was probably the most significant part of the round. In the third round, Magny came out with a ton of urgency. Rocco Martin seemed to be tired, and Magny put the pressure on him. Magny did a really good job of not letting Rocco Martin breathe in the third round. Rocco Martin was breathing very heavy in the third, and Magny landed some clean shots throughout the round. Magny looked like he could go another five rounds after the final bell sounded, and Rocco Martin looked exhausted. In the end, the judges gave the unanimous decision victory to Neil Magny (30-27, 30-27, 29-28). After nearly a two-year layoff, Magny has come out strong in 2020 with back to back victories.

Suga Show Rolls On With a Walkoff

The PPV main card kicked off with a great matchup between Suga Sean O’Malley (12-0) and Eddie Wineland (24-14-1). I said in our preview that I thought this would be the perfect showcase fight for O’Malley and it proved to be that. Wineland is a big name and is the kind of guy who would go right after O’Malley on the feet. Early on in the fight, O’Malley did a really good job at controlling the distance with his kicks. Wineland kept trying to press forward, but he really could never get close enough to do any damage. O’Malley used his feints extremely well in this fight and put Wineland to sleep with a massive right straight in the first round. O’Malley was already on the fast track to stardom before this fight, but his stock jumped massively with this performance.

Prelim Highlights

There were some definite bright spots in the prelims tonight. One of the early standouts was Herbert Burns (11-2), who kicked off the evening with a quick submission over veteran, Evan Dunham. Alex Perez (24-5) was also incredibly impressive in his performance against Jussier Formiga. Perez was able to get a stoppage via leg kicks which marks the second straight week we’ve seen a leg kick TKO in the octagon. Perez is now 6-1 in his seven UFC fights. Perez is likely next in line for the flyweight title. Devin Clark (12-4) was able to halt all momentum for previously unbeaten, Alonzo Menifield by getting the unanimous decision victory.

One of the fights that Dana White was telling everyone about before tonight was the fight between Maki Pitolo (13-5) and Charles Byrd (10-7). Both men went back and forth early on, but Pitolo was able to get the stoppage in the second round. Byrd has now been finished in three consecutive fights. The next fight featured a featherweight contest between Brian Kelleher (21-11) and Cody Stamann (19-2-1). Stamann was coming into this fight with an extremely heavy heart after he lost his younger brother this week. Stamann turned in an incredible performance and was able to take the unanimous decision victory. The next prelim saw a middleweight contest between Ian Heinisch (14-3) and Gerald Meerschaert (31-13). This was a fight that almost didn’t happen with a corner member of Heinisch testing positive for COVID-19 earlier this week. However, later testing determined it was a false positive so the fight went on. Heinisch went on to make a big statement stopping Meerschaert in the first round.

Bruce Leeroy Stops The Teenage Dream

The featured prelim of the evening featured a featherweight contest between the youngest fighter on the roster, Chase Hooper (9-1-1), and Alex Caceres (16-12-1). Hooper entered this fight with a ton of momentum and a lot of eyes on him. Hooper had the most viewed fight in the history of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. Caceres was a big step up in competition for Hooper and it showed. Caceres hurt Hooper early and often on the feet. There was a massive difference in the two men’s striking ability. Caceres spent the entire first fight busting “The Teenage Dream” up on the feet. Hooper threatened a couple of times in grappling exchanges, but this fight was controlled by Bruce Leeroy. Caceres went on to take the unanimous decision victory.

Final Takeaways

Amanda Nunes has no real challenges ahead of her at this point in either one of her divisions. To me, there is only one fight to make with Nunes, and that is a trilogy fight with flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko. Shevchenko, who arguably won the last fight with Nunes, is facing a similar situation at flyweight. These two need to fight for a third time. Nunes’ dominance is something to behold. Felicia Spencer was absolutely game tonight, but she had nothing for the champion tonight.

Aljamain Sterling made a massive statement with his first round victory tonight. I’ve thought all along that Sterling deserved to fight for the title over Jose Aldo/Petr Yan, and he reinforced those thoughts tonight. “Funk Master” will now wait his turn, but there is no denying him of his shot now.

Sean O’Malley and Cody Garbrandt’s knockouts were something to behold tonight. While it was great to see Garbrandt back in the win column, to me, the night belonged to the Suga Show. O’Malley is a budding star, and he made a massive statement tonight. Look for O’Malley to jump into the top 10 in the UFC’s rankings after this performance. Do not be shocked to see the UFC take the Conor McGregor route with O’Malley. I fully expect the Suga Show to get a headlining fight in his next appearance.