Tyron Woodley

State of the UFC’s welterweight division entering 2021

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Overall, 2020 turned out to be a relatively slow year in the UFC‘s welterweight division. After Kamaru Usman (17-1) and Colby Covington (16-2) had a war to end 2019 for the title, we only saw one title fight in the division during 2020.

That title fight took place at UFC 251. Kamaru Usman defended his title against the BMF himself, Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal (35-14). Masvidal had a massive 2019 that made him the top contender in the welterweight division.

However, putting the fight with Usman together proved to be difficult. The fight actually fell apart before it came back together. Negotiations broke down between the UFC and Masvidal when the two sides were trying to make the fight.

As a result, the promotion shifted gears to Gilbert Burns (19-3). Burns became a top contender after he smashed former champion Tyron Woodley (19-6-1) and knocked out Demian Maia (28-10).

Burns was all set to take the fight against Usman at UFC 251. However, Burns tested positive for COVID and the fight was scrapped. That’s how we ultimately got back to the fight between Usman and Masvidal.

UFC’s Welterweight Division in 2021

Usman would go on to use his steady wrestling attack to secure a decision win over Masvidal at UFC 251. However, Usman would be out the remainder of 2020 after getting banged up in the fight.

Tentatively, the UFC is planning on Usman and Burns facing off on February 13th for the welterweight title. The promotion also has their eyes on a grudge match in the division that promises to be big business.

The UFC is trying to book Masvidal against Covington. The two former best friends are now sworn enemies and can’t stand each other. The promotion has been trying to put the fight together, but it’s developed extremely slow.

That fight is one of the more anticipated matchups of 2021. Another fighter to watch this upcoming year is Leon Edwards (18-3). Edwards has won eight fights in a row and he was supposed to take on the star prospect, Khamzat Chimaev (9-0) on January 20th.

However, we learned yesterday that Chimaev had to pull out of the fight. The plan is still for Edwards to fight on January 20th. In addition to all of these contenders, you still have Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (16-4-1) in the mix.

Wonderboy just picked up a shutout victory over Geoff Neal at UFC Vegas 17. Thompson has turned away two straight top contenders to show everyone he’s still a factor at 170 pounds.

Kamaru Usman’s toughest stylistic matchup is his first fight of the year. After Burns, the division is filled with killers waiting for their chance. Usman is going to have his hands full trying to hold on to his UFC gold in 2021.

As roster cuts loom, who could be let go from the UFC?

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After Yoel Romero was released, UFC President Dana White stated that the promotion was likely going to cut 60 plus fighters before the end of the year. He said we’d likely see some big names exit the UFC.

Since the Romero release, we haven’t seen a ton of high profile names get released from the UFC. We saw Rachael Ostovich be let go, however, that really isn’t that much of a surprise considering she’s lost a lot in her tenure.

One of the fighters that I’ve speculated about is Tyron Woodley. The former UFC welterweight champion has been completely dominated in three straight fights. Factoring that in with his age and he’s a prime release candidate.

Woodley doesn’t have the looks of someone who can be UFC champion again. Combining that also with the fact that he’s been a headache for Dana White and again, you have more reasons as to why he could get released.

Of course, there has been no official talk of this, but I’m just thinking of logical candidates. There are several other high profile fighters who could be released by the UFC. Let’s take a look at a few options.

Three big names the UFC could release

Shogun Rua

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (27-12-1) could be one of the fighters that will be on the UFC chopping block. The former light heavyweight champion just turned 39 years old and really doesn’t have the looks of a top contender anymore.

Shogun was just stopped by Paul Craig at UFC 255. It was a really poor performance from Shogun and he ultimately tapped to strikes in the second round of the fight. Shogun has had a great run, but it’s clear that he’s nearing the end.

After the fight was over, Shogun said that he would think about retiring from the sport altogether. However, if he doesn’t want to retire, he might finish off his career with another promotion. If he wants to continue, he could be a fighter released by the UFC.

Mike Perry

There might not be a fighter who is more of PR nightmare for the UFC than Mike Perry (14-7). Outside of actually competing in the cage, Perry’s 2020 has consisted of domestic violence allegations, punching an old man in a bar, and getting rid of all his coaches.

His last two UFC fights, he’s been cornered by his girlfriend and another friend of his. Perry also badly missed weight for his last UFC fight. He’s incredibly fun to watch, however, he has a lot of issues. He also doesn’t appear to be taking his fighting career seriously.

I personally don’t think the UFC is going to cut Perry at the moment. Dana White seems to be a fan of watching him inside the cage. However, it’s very clear that Perry is on thin ice right now and I wouldn’t be shocked if things turned around and he was cut by the promotion.

Junior Dos Santos

Out of all the potential UFC roster cuts, this is the one I don’t want to see. However, it’s one that could happen. Former heavyweight champion, Junior Dos Santos (21-9) could find himself on the chopping block.

JDS is looking at a four-fight losing streak where he’s been finished in all four fights. There are moments in those fights where you can see glimpses of the former UFC champion. However, all four have reminded us that he’s no longer the same fighter.

I’m a massive fan of JDS as a person and a fighter. However, the reality is that he’s no longer a serious contender in the UFC’s heavyweight division. He appears focused on continuing to fight, but the UFC might not want him to continue with their promotion with that finish streak.

Could Tyron Woodley be on the UFC chopping block?

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UFC, Tyrone Woodley

This past weekend UFC fans were shocked to see the news that Yoel Romero had been cut by the promotion. One of the best middleweights in the world who’s last appearance inside the octagon was for the UFC middleweight title.

Romero was the fifth ranked middleweight in the UFC. Dana White was asked about the decision to release Romero after UFC Vegas 16. White made the announcement that the promotion was going to be going through some serious cuts.

White said that the UFC would be releasing up to 60 fighters between now and the end of the year. ESPN’s Ariel Helwani reported that the number could be as high as 80 fighters getting released by the promotion.

White also said that Romero wouldn’t be the last big name to go. There would be some other recognizable names that the promotion would move on from. That got me thinking about potential UFC cut candidates.

I started looking up and down the rankings for all of the divisions. There was one name that immediately jumped out at me as a potential option to be cut. That would be the former UFC welterweight champion, Tyron Woodley (19-6-1).

Could the UFC cut the former champ?

I honestly never thought I would be writing about the possibility of Tyron Woodley getting cut, but here we are. I should preface this by saying that I have no insider knowledge on this and this is purely speculation at this point.

So, why do I think the former UFC champion could be on the chopping block? Well, for starters, Woodley makes a lot of money when he fights. It’s clear that the UFC is going to be trimming the fat which means high earning fighters who are not apart of the future.

Being a former 5x champion, Woodley earns a lot when he steps into the cage. Woodley’s resume earned him the money that he receives. However, his last three performances have been horrendous.

Against Colby Covington, Gilbert Burns, and Kamaru Usman, Woodley hasn’t even won a round. He’s been completely dominated in all three of his last UFC fights. He’s looked like a shell of his former self inside the octagon.

Woodley has other avenues for making money outside the UFC and it’s been questioned on if he’s truly focused on fighting. Another thing about Woodley is the fact that he’s turning 39 in April.

White even made comments suggesting he think about hanging it up after the Covington fight. All of this and it’s not like Woodley and the UFC have had a great working relationship. Dana White has had negative comments multiple times regarding Woodley.

Mix all of that together and you have a prime candidate for a UFC cut. However, I don’t think Woodley should be cut from the UFC. This article is completely going off of the assumption that more big names are going. Don’t be shocked if you see Woodley exit the promotion.

UFC: Leon Edwards promised a title shot if he beats Khamzat Chimaev

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Leon Edwards

2020 has been a very frustrating year for the UFC‘s third ranked welterweight. Leon Edwards (18-3) was originally supposed to take on former champion, Tyron Woodley, back in March. Edwards would be entering that contest on an eight fight winning streak.

The general thought was that if Edwards won, he would be getting a UFC title shot. A week before the event was set to take place, the pandemic shut down the UFC‘s production and the Edwards – Woodley fight was cancelled.

The UFC decided to move the fight to May. However, due to the shutdown in the UK, Edwards was unable to train or travel. Gilbert Burns was given the shot and he ended up dominating Tyron Woodley.

Jorge Masvidal was originally supposed to fight Kamaru Usman for the title, however, that fight fell apart. The UFC called Edwards to see if he’d be able to take the fight, but due to the shutdowns, he had to pass up the opportunity.

The UFC then turned to Gilbert Burns and gave him the title shot. Burns came down with COVID and the promotion ultimately ended up going back to Jorge Masvidal to headline UFC 251 against Kamaru Usman.

After Usman defeated Masvidal, the promotion announced that Gilbert Burns was the number one contender. Meanwhile, Leon Edwards has been sitting on the sidelines waiting for his chance.

UFC title eliminator

While all of this was going on, Khamzat Chimaev (9-0) was taking the world by storm. Chimaev has fought three times since July and he’s dominated everyone that the UFC has put in front of him.

The promotion was really struggling to book Chimaev in a headliner because nobody wanted to fight him. The promotion was also struggling to get Leon Edwards a fight. Edwards wanted a top contender or a title shot.

However, all of the top contenders were booked and the title fight was booked. Due to inactivity, Edwards was actually briefly removed from the UFC‘s rankings. Shortly after, a frustrated Edwards called for the fight nobody wanted.

The UFC then booked Edwards against the rising star, Khamzat Chimaev. Chimaev is not currently ranked while Edwards is in the top three. However, given the hype, this is a fight that can put Edwards over the top.

In fact, Edwards told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani he’s been promised a title shot if he wins. Edwards said, “That’s been mentioned (a title shot). I believe that I’m going to get that title shot after I beat him (Chimaev).”

It’s a crazy fight, but it’s been a crazy year. It’s odd to think, but whoever wins on December 19th is likely going to get a shot at the UFC‘s welterweight champion. Leon Edwards can finally get his shot, or Khamzat Chimaev will show the world just how special he really is.

UFC President on trash talk: ‘We don’t muzzle anybody here’

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UFC, Dana White

A topic that’s been making the rounds in the media this week is trash talk. Specifically tied to what Colby Covington had to say last weekend at UFC Vegas 11 after he destroyed Tyron Woodley. Many took issue with what Covington had to say.

Several UFC athletes labeled the talk as racist, and several in the media have sang that same tune. Media members have called for the UFC to step in when talk gets to what Colby Covington said last week. However, the UFC President doesn’t agree.

“We don’t muzzle anybody here. We let everyone speak their mind. I don’t know what he said that was racist,” White said in today’s UFC 253 pre-fight press conference. White has stuck to the same position relaying the fact that this is the fight game.

When pushed on if he would step in if something was directly racist, the UFC president responded, “Come on, I’m not going to play these games with you (the media). Would I step in if something was racist? Of course.”

The UFC is right in their position

I completely agree with what the UFC has said on the matter. I detailed the position yesterday in a piece for ESM. The UFC should let fighters say exactly what they want when building up to a fight as long as it’s not directly racist or hate speech.

Dana White is taking that stand and says that’s what the UFC will do. Nothing Colby Covington said last week in my opinion should warrant suspensions or fines. It’s part of the buildup to another fight, and he will have to back up those words.

I’ll remind everyone again that he had his jaw broken at UFC 245 last year. The fight game makes you pay when you talk, and can’t back it up. The UFC and fighting in general is not the sport that should muzzle competitors and I’m happy to see White take that position.

I completely agree with him in that there’s a line that you cannot cross obviously. Those lines should be pretty elementary to understand. You can’t just say you believe that all people of a skin color should burn in hell. If you think that should be allowed, I really don’t know what to tell you.

However, there’s been nothing said by any fighter that should warrant punishment. These are men and women who have to step into a UFC cage and fight at the end of the day. This isn’t the NBA, this is the UFC. It’s a completely different world because at the end of the day, there’s a fight.

Should the UFC censor fighters’ trash talk?

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Over this past weekend at UFC Vegas 11, Colby Covington defeated Tyron Woodley. However, a topic of discussion this week has been centered more around what Covington said after the fight as opposed to his dominant performance.

Covington labeled Woodley a communist in his post-fight press conference and mentioned tribal smoke signals in a back and forth with UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman. Of course, there have been many up in arms about what Covington had to say.

Many in the media have come out and said that the UFC needs to intervene. Dana White has responded saying that the UFC has never and won’t censor what their fighters can say before a fight. It should be known that this is not something new in the fight game.

In boxing years before they fought, Floyd Mayweather came under fire after he said to Manny Pacquiao, “Make me a sushi roll and cook me some rice.” Mayweather did later apologize for the racist comment towards the Filipino boxing champion.

Conor McGregor also came under fire during his promotional tour with Floyd Mayweather. The former UFC double champion asked Mayweather and his crew to dance, but used the term, monkeys. That was again in the headlines as a racially decisive comment.

What should the UFC do?

Let me be clear about my opinion. I don’t think it’s okay for anyone of any race to say anything offensive towards another individual simply because of the color of their skin. No matter what the situation, it’s not okay. If I was running a business, I wouldn’t let it happen because there’s no place for it.

However, this situation is different. We are talking about the UFC and fighting here. This is the one arena in life where your words can truly come back to bite you. I’ll remind you that Kamaru Usman broke Colby Covington’s jaw last December. It’s not like he got away with what he was saying.

The UFC welterweight champion seemed calm and composed during his exchange with Covington. Fighting is a very personal game, and even if the words are offensive, they are part of the story of the build up. Right now, we live in a very unique time where the country is extremely divided.

Racial relations are at a bubbling point in the US. I can definitely understand where folks are coming from in encouraging the UFC to step in. My only counter argument is that it’s the fight game. At the end of the day, you have to back up everything you see in the arena of combat.

Fortunately, I’m not running the UFC and I don’t have to make that choice. Because of the arena, I would say that the promotion should let fighters be to a point. I think the UFC should draw a line of where their fighters can go. It’s a touchy subject, but I don’t think the UFC should do anything different as of now.

Should Tyron Woodley retire after UFC Vegas 11?

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UFC, Tyrone Woodley

Tyron Woodley (19-6-1) could not stop the bleeding at UFC Vegas 11. The former welterweight champion had his back against the wall, and he had the fight that was supposed to motivate him more than any other. A grudge match with Colby Covington (16-2).

Woodley was in sink or swim mode leading up to UFC Vegas 11. The former UFC welterweight champion had lost two straight fights. However, he didn’t just lose those fights, he was thoroughly dominated losing all ten rounds of both fights.

If there was going to be any fight that could motivate him to get back to his former self, you would think the Covington fight would be it. However, we saw basically the same result as his previous two UFC outings. Woodley was completely dominated before a rib injury stopped the fight.

Should the former UFC champ hang it up?

UFC President Dana White said that he believes that Woodley should hang it up after Saturday night. That’s a popular feeling among a lot of people in the sport. Woodley has just looked like a shell in his last three contests.

Entering the fifth round against Covington, Woodley had lost 14 straight rounds. He’s been shutout in three straight UFC contests, and he didn’t even have moments in any of the fights where he remotely resembled his former self.

Woodley turns 39 next year, and he just doesn’t seem to have his head in it anymore. With no real path forward in the UFC, I think it’s probably a good time to walk away for Woodley. Nobody wants to walk away on a losing streak like this, but what else is there?

If Woodley wants to keep fighting, the UFC isn’t going to give him anyone at the top tier because he’s proved that he can’t hang anymore. That’s why I believe that it would just be better for him to hang up his gloves after Saturday.

He’s had a very good career which included capturing the UFC welterweight title and defending it four times. However, he’s not that same guy anymore, and it’s time to face reality if you’re Tyron Woodley.

What’s next for Colby Covington after UFC Vegas 11

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On Saturday evening at UFC Vegas 11, Colby Covington (16-2) arguably earned the most satisfying victory of his career. Covington dominated Tyron Woodley (19-6-1) over the course of five rounds before a rib injury stopped the action in the final round.

The former UFC interim champion used his high level pace and pressure to break Woodley. After years of build up, Covington did what he said he would do in dominating the former UFC champion. It was a big bounce back win for Covington.

Since 2016, Covington is 8-1 with his lone loss coming to Kamaru Usman back at UFC 245 for the undisputed title. This was Covington’s first fight since losing the fight to Usman back in December of last year. So after this victory, what’s next for Colby Covington?

What should the UFC do?

If you ask me, there are a few avenues that the UFC could pursue with Colby Covington. The first option is they could just have him wait for the winner of the Kamaru Usman – Gilbert Burns fight that is scheduled for UFC 256 in December.

Dana White has said how much he loved Usman and Covington’s fight from UFC 245, and he absolutely believes that Covington is in the mix for another title shot. With the current state of everything, Covington could be first in line for the winner.

Another option, and the one I personally think they should do, is pairing Covington with Jorge Masvidal. There is so much heat right now between Masvidal and Covington. Their fight is a fight that UFC fans are dying to see. The storyline is there for a massive event.

Now, the UFC has been working on a Masvidal – Nate Diaz rematch for January, but that fight is still not finalized. The UFC might pivot to make the Covington fight if Masvidal is willing to do it. That’s still up in the air at the moment.

The other option for Covington would be Leon Edwards. Edwards still doesn’t have an opponent despite calling out nearly everyone for a fight in the UFC. The third ranked contender has just been sitting on the sidelines.

The fight would make sense from a rankings perspective, but I’m not sure Covington wants that fight. I think Covington will hold out for either Masvidal or another shot at the welterweight title.

Two fights to make after UFC Vegas 11

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UFC, Dana White

Last night the UFC hosted it’s eleventh fight night at the APEX since kicking those off early in the summer. In the main event of the evening, Colby Covington (16-2) completely dismantled Tyron Woodley (19-6-1) over the course of five rounds.

There were so many storylines that came out of UFC Vegas 11. One of the biggest stories was the continued meteoric rise of Khamzat Chimaev (9-0). After everything that happened last night, what are the fights that the promotion should book?

Another UFC Grudge Match: Covington vs Masvidal

Last night was a huge night for Covington after he bounced back from his loss at UFC 245. Covington only had two names on his mind after the fight was over. Those two names were UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, and Jorge Masvidal (35-14).

Usman is currently booked to fight Gilbert Burns in December, but the UFC‘s BMF doesn’t have his plans finalized. The UFC has been pushing to finalize the rematch with Nate Diaz, however that could always change.

The fight that makes the most sense for the division is the fight between Masvidal and Covington. These two former friends do not like each other. The fight makes sense from a rankings and ratings perspective.

I know that the UFC has been working on the Diaz rematch, but I really think that the promotion should reconsider. A fight with Masvidal and Covington is big business and it would clearly identify the number one contender for whoever wins between Usman and Burns.

Khamzat Chimaev vs Demian Maia

There is no one hotter in the UFC right now than Khamzat Chimaev. He’s finished three opponents since July 15th, and his last two haven’t even landed a strike against him. Chimaev is operating on a different frequency than everyone else.

At UFC Vegas 11, Chimaev was supposed to face his stiffest test yet. Instead, Chimaev knocked Gerald Meerschaert out in 17 seconds. You couldn’t help but watch in awe. Everyone had to be thinking what was the promotion going to do with him next.

I think the right move would be for the promotion to continue down the path they were heading. The UFC has been looking to book Chimaev at welterweight against Demian Maia (28-10). This is the perfect next fight for Chimaev.

It would give Chimaev someone who has a big name in the sport as well as a top ten ranking. If Chimaev runs through Maia the way he’s ran through his previous three opponents, he might only be one win away from a title shot.

UFC Vegas 11 Recap: Colby Covington dominates Tyron Woodley

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UFC, Colby Covington

Tonight, the UFC hosted their final fight night in the US before they head over to Fight Island for the next five weeks. This was arguably the most anticipated ESPN card of the summer with such a heated main event.

In the main event of the evening, welterweight rivals Colby Covington (15-2) and Tyron Woodley (19-5-1) finally fought. UFC Vegas 11 delivered an incredible night of fights so let’s dive into the recap of the main card.

Colby Covington dominates Tyron Woodley

The main event of the evening featured arguably the biggest grudge match of the year. Former champions, Colby Covington and Tyron Woodley stepped into the octagon to finally fight. The two top UFC welterweights have been begging for this fight for years.

As the UFC Vegas 11 main event got underway, Woodley immediately pushed forward. Covington seemed really patient to get things going. Both men exchanged leg kicks in the opening minute. Woodley went for a big right, and Covington immediately took Woodley down.

Covington started going to work with the ground and pound. Woodley worked his way back to the fence and used it to get back to his feet. Woodley was able to separate with three minutes left in the round. Covington continued to press forward pressuring Woodley.

Woodley landed a really good right body shot, but Covington countered with a big body kick. Covington landed a big right hand that he used to get back to a clinch. He did a really good job of landing good elbows in the clinch. Very good first round for Covington.

As the second round started, the former UFC interim champion started the pressure again. Woodley tried to throw some big shots, but nothing major came close early. Covington pushed Woodley back to the fence with shots, and immediately started to work from the clinch.

The two men separated, but Covington immediately pushed forward. Covington landed another body kick, but Woodley timed a good takedown. Woodley threatened with a guillotine as Covington defended, but it wouldn’t stick. Covington worked his way back to his feet.

Covington again looked to press Woodley back against the fence. The two men clinched again, and Covington pushed Woodley back to the fence. After they separated, Covington pushed forward with more pressure. Woodley was more active in round two, but it’s still a round for Covington.

The third round got underway with more Covington pressure. Woodley did seem pretty fresh, but an eye poke immediately paused the action. After the action resumed Woodley looked to press forward with big shots. Nothing hit the target and Covington countered with kicks.

Covington did a good job of keeping his hands up. Woodley pushed forward with big shots again, but Covington clinched him and pushed him against the fence. Covington did a really good job of landing some elbows in the clinch.

Woodley could not get off the fence as Covington’s pressure was very heavy. He tried to explode a few times, but Covington just pushed him back. Much less action in the third round, but its’ still a round that should be scored for Colby Covington.

As we entered the main event rounds, Covington continued to push forward with pressure. Covington landed a big headkick as he pushed Woodley back. Woodley landed a few really nice body kicks before Covington shot in and pushed him back against the fence.

Covington finally got the takedown and pushed Woodley to the ground. Woodley started looking a little fatigued from his back. Covington began to work the ground and pound with punches and elbows.

A big elbow bloodied the eye of Tyron Woodley. Covington was really coming on strong with the ground and pound in the fourth round. Covington’s pressure and shots were very heavy in the fourth round. Dominant fourth round for the former interim UFC welterweight champion.

As the final round got underway, Woodley was bouncing on his feet, but Covington backed him right up to the fence. Covington shot in and got another takedown. As Covington started working his top control something happened to Woodley. He winced in pain from his ribs and called for the fight to stop.

An odd finish, but nevertheless, a dominant win for Colby Covington. Covington called out the UFC welterweight champion and UFC’s BMF after the fight was over. A devastating loss for Tyron Woodley who has been dominated in three straight fights.

Eye Pokes lead to a draw in the Co-Main

The co-main event of the evening featured the UFC‘s record holder in virtually every category. Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (36-15, 1 NC) was looking to get back on track after four straight losses. Niko Price (14-4, 1 NC) was the man standing in his way of snapping that skid.

As the fight got underway, Price immediately pushed forward with big shots. Cerrone was getting caught early and often. Price was stunning Cerrone with virtually everything he was throwing. Somehow, Cowboy stayed on his feet through the onslaught.

Cowboy landed a couple of big knees which slowed down Price. The two men engaged in a clinch as the pace slowed significantly. Cerrone looked to be regaining his composure while Price was trying to catch his breath. Cowboy landed a few additional big knees in the clinch.

Cowboy landed a big headkick as the two men broke. Cerrone looked to be more confident until an eye poke slowed his pace. After the fight resumed, Price landed a couple of additional big shots. However, Price caught Cerrone with another eye poke. This one loses him a point. The round should be a 9-9.

As the second round got underway, Price continued to push forward. The two men seemed a little more tactical to start the second round. Price landed a big body shot that backed Cerrone told the fence. Cerrone was looking to work the leg kicks as Price worked the jab.

Cowboy landed a big combination that seemed to get Price’s attention. Cerrone really started to find a rhythm with jab in the second. Price seemed more content to counter strike while Cerrone was throwing more combinations.

Halfway through the round, Price started picking up the pace again. Cowboy found himself against the fence and Price really started to throw some serious heat. Price started to pull away with the striking numbers late in the second round. Very close second round that I slightly lean towards Price.

The final round got underway with both men embracing. Price got the action started with some heavy leg kicks. Again, Price was pushing Cerrone back to the fence. Cerrone timed a nice takedown and briefly had Price’s back, but Price got right back to his feet.

The two men then started striking from distance. Cowboy was doing a really decent job of finishing combinations with kicks, but Price kept pushing the pace. Halfway through the round, Cowboy timed another really good takedown and got to Price’s back.

However, this time, Cerrone was able to hold onto the back for about 30 seconds. No damage, but significant control time. Both men then resumed the striking contest. These two were just trading, and both were landing good shots.

With one minute left, Cerrone really started to land the better shots. However, Price kept pushing forward. Cerrone was landing cleaner shots with 30 seconds left. Both men exchanged massive combinations near the end. I gave the final round to Cerrone which makes the fight a draw. The judges agreed scoring the fight a draw (29-27, 28-28, 28-28).

Khamzat Chimaev’s UFC hype train continues

The biggest prospect in the UFC took center stage tonight. Khamzat Chimaev (8-0) was looking to continue to ride the incredible momentum that he gained over the summer. Veteran Gerald Meerschaert (31-13) was looking to derail the hype train.

As the fight got underway, Chimaev could not stop smiling at Meerschaert. Chimaev pushed forward with kicks and pressure. Meerschaert was pressed back to the fence and Chimaev lands one massive right that puts Meerschaert out cold. The Chimaev UFC hype train just went to the next level.

Johnny Walker finishes Ryan Spann in the first

The third fight on the UFC Vegas 11 main card featured a light heavyweight contest between Johnny Walker (18-5) and Ryan Spann (18-6). Spann was looking to remain unbeaten in the UFC while Walker was looking to get back to his old form after two straight losses.

As the first round started, Johnny Walker immediately landed a massive leg kick and followed it with a shot that wobbled Spann. After seeming rocked for a second, Spann shot in and landed a takedown. Walker worked his way back up to his feet, but Spann pressed him against the fence.

Walker was able to break the clinch, but Spann dropped Walker with a massive shot. Spann followed up with some big shots, but Walker regained his composure. Spann dropped him again briefly, but then shot in for a takedown.

In close quarters, Walker started landing massive shots to the side of Spann’s head. Spann seemed rock from the shots, but kept trying for a takedown. Walker landed a massive elbow that crumbled Spann. The ref called a stop to the action, and Walker got back in the UFC win column with a TKO.

Dern’s Jiu Jitsu too much for Randa Markos

The second fight that was live on the UFC Vegas 11 main card was a strawweight contest between jiu jitsu world champion, Mackenzie Dern (9-1), and veteran, Randa Markos (10-9-1). Dern was looking to make it two in a row on her climb in the strawweight division.

As the first round started, both ladies immediately had a big exchange. Dern slipped trying to throw a head kick and landed on her back. Shockingly, Markos followed her to the ground and almost found herself in a triangle.

Dern was really showing off her elite grappling skills. She was able to transition her triangle attempt into having top control. After landing some solid elbows, Dern moved to attacking an armbar. She was able to lock it in, and Markos was forced to tap. Another impressive display and UFC win for Mackenzie Dern.

UFC Vegas 11 final takeaways

UFC Vegas 11 delivered with some excellent fights. Of course one of the big stories of the evening has to be Khamzat Chimaev who decimated Gerald Meerschaert in the first round. Of course the main event was a one sided beating from Colby Covington.

Now, the UFC makes their way to Fight Island for an insane five weeks of fights. It’s going to be fun, and fans should be excited.