UFC 259

UFC books Robert Whittaker – Paulo Costa

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The UFC has finalized a massive fight in their middleweight division this evening. First reported by Sherdog, the promotion has booked a headliner between former middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker (22-5), and Paulo Costa (13-1).

This UFC main event will take place on April 17th. For the last month or two, this fight was being rumored. The current middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya (20-0), is moving up to challenge for the light heavyweight championship at UFC 259.

Robert Whittaker was due for a rematch against Adesanya. Whittaker went 2-0 in 2020 and the two guys he beat were supposed to get title shots had they beaten Whittaker. However, Whittaker messed up those plans.

Bobby Knuckles has only lost once in the last six years in the middleweight division. That one loss has come to Israel Adesanya. If there’s anyone that deserves a rematch, it’s Robert Whittaker. However, Dana White recently said that Whittaker would have to fight again before getting that UFC title shot.

Big UFC Middleweight Battle

That is where Borrachinha enters the picture. Paulo Costa is coming off of a loss to Israel Adesanya back at UFC 253. Costa was the unbeaten challenger who many felt would push Adesanya to the limits.

However, Costa had a really tough time getting going against Adesanya. Adesanya brutalized him with leg kicks and shots from the outside. Eventually, the UFC champion caught Costa and put him down for good in the second round.

Costa got right back in the gym after the fight and he’s been making improvements. His team has been calling for a shot at Whittaker with Adesanya moving up for now and they got their wish.

However, originally Costa’s management wanted this fight to be for the interim UFC middleweight title. Dana White said recently that there would be no interim title despite the fact that Adesanya is moving up.

As of now, the UFC’s plan is for Adesanya to face the winner later in the year. Adesanya has made it clear that he plans to return to middleweight after capturing a second title. One of these two killers will be waiting for him upon his return.

Cory Sandhagen says TJ Dillashaw needs a win before getting UFC title shot

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One of the more exciting divisions in the UFC is the bantamweight division. Just last week, we saw it get announced that Petr Yan (15-1) and Aljamain Sterling (19-3) are finally going to fight for the title in March at UFC 259. 

Next month, there is also a big time bantamweight matchup scheduled for February 6th. Cory Sandhagen (13-2) will be taking on Frankie Edgar (24-8-1) in the co-main event of that UFC Fight Night.

Both Sandhagen and Edgar are currently ranked inside the top four of the bantamweight division. Considering that Cody Garbrandt (12-3) is ranked third despite moving down to flyweight, both men are actually ranked in the top three.

However, it’s not a guarantee that the winner of their matchup will get a UFC title shot. While it makes all the sense in the world and whoever wins would definitely be deserving, there’s one fighter that could throw a wrench into things.

That fighter is the former UFC bantamweight champion, TJ Dillashaw (16-4). Dillashaw is getting ready to return after serving a two-year suspension following a positive drug test for EPO.

Dillashaw’s suspension forced him to relinquish the UFC bantamweight championship. He never lost the title inside the octagon, but his actions outside the cage gave the belt away. Dillashaw has been vocal about his desire to fight for the title.

UFC shot right away? Sandhagen says no way

TJ Dillashaw told ESPN in early December that he believes he should get a title shot immediately. His logic is that he never lost the title inside the cage and Yan really didn’t earn the title. For that reason, the championship is up for grabs.

Jose Aldo (29-7) recently called out Dillashaw for a fight after his last win. Honestly that matchup would make a ton of sense for both men. However, reports are that there is no traction at the moment to get that fight done.

Sandhagen has been hearing whispers about Dillashaw’s desire for a UFC title shot. He made it clear that he’s not in favor saying, “I heard him say he’s playing the ‘financially secure’ card. We’ve been putting in work while you’ve been gone. So that would kind of be a bummer if they just gave it to him.”

At this point, it doesn’t appear that the UFC is going to give Dillashaw his desired title shot. Yes, Dillashaw never lost the title inside the cage, however, he hasn’t fought in two years due to a suspension for taking a banned substance.

Dominick Cruz (22-3) never lost his title either but was forced to face Takeya Mizugaki instead of getting a title shot after his first layoff. And that was due to injury. Sandhagen is right in that the winner of him and Frankie Edgar should get the next shot at the title.

The UFC should really try to book Dillashaw against a guy like Aldo. Let him reestablish himself in the division and try to repair his name. Do not give him a title shot just because he held the belt when he was suspended. It’s not fair to the guys who have been competing.

UFC books Song Yadong – Kyler Phillips

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The UFC has added another really solid matchup to one of the more stacked cards they’ve put together in recent memory. First reported by Bloody Canvas, Song Yadong (16-4-1, 1 NC) will be taking on Kyler Phillips (8-1).

The fight will take place on March 6th at UFC 259. Of course, that PPV card is already known for having three title fights including the light heavyweight title fight between Israel Adesanya and Jan Blachowicz.

Because of the stacked nature of UFC 259, this fight is going to be one that flies under the radar. However, this bantamweight matchup is definitely one fans should keep their eyes on. It’ll likely be one of the main prelims that night.

Song Yadong is a bantamweight that has a lot of hype surrounding him. The Chinese born bantamweight contender is one of the top stars out of the famous Team Alpha Male led by Urijah Faber.

We haven’t seen Yadong fight since his fight with Chito Vera (16-7-1) that took place in May of 2020. Yadong walked away with the unanimous decision, however, many believed he shouldn’t have had his hand raised.

Nevertheless, it goes into the books as a victory. Since making his debut in 2017 with the UFC, Yadong has been sensational. He’s 5-0-1 and will enter the octagon on March 6th ranked 14th at Bantamweight.

UFC Bantamweight Battle

This is going to be a big step up for Kyler Phillips at UFC 259. Phillips was introduced to Dana White and the company brass back in 2017 when he won by first round TKO on Dana White’s Contender Series.

Despite the quick finish, Phillips had to fight two more times before joining the UFC. He made his debut in 2020 when he took on Gabriel Silva. He was able to win that fight by unanimous decision before taking on Cameron Else.

Phillips was able to score a second round TKO over Else on Fight Island back in October. After two good victories to start out his career with the UFC, the promotion is throwing him someone in the top fifteen.

This is going to be a very difficult matchup for Phillips, but getting an opponent of this caliber shows you what the promotion thinks of him. It’s a pivotal matchup for the two bantamweight prospects.

UFC rebooks Petr Yan – Aljamain Sterling

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The UFC has finalized the much anticipated bantamweight title fight between Petr Yan (15-1) and Aljamain Sterling (19-3). MMA Junkie was the first outlet to report that the sides had finalized the new fight date.

The UFC bantamweight title fight will officially take place on March 6th at UFC 259. The PPV card is turning out to be quite the spectacle as the promotion has already booked Adesanya – Blachowicz and Nunes – Anderson for UFC 259.

Now, we get to add Yan and Sterling to the mix. Yan has looked untouchable since he made his octagon debut back in 2018. He’s gone on a seven fight run that has led him to the undisputed bantamweight title.

After Henry Cejudo (16-2) vacated the bantamweight title after UFC 249, the UFC decided to pair Yan up against the former featherweight champion, Jose Aldo (29-7). Yan was tested early on, but in the end, he dominated and finished Aldo in the fifth round.

It turned out to be a devastating performance as Yan captured the bantamweight championship. Yan looks like he’s going to be incredibly tough to beat, however, his opponent on March 6th seems very much up to the task.

Sterling’s UFC title shot

There is nobody in the UFC that is more deserving of a title shot than Aljamain Sterling. Sterling was arguably the top bantamweight contender alongside Yan prior to the Aldo fight.

However, prior to Cejudo fighting Dominick Cruz (22-3) at UFC 249, Cejudo was supposed to fight Aldo. Aldo couldn’t travel due to the pandemic so Cruz stepped in. Despite Sterling being ranked higher, Aldo got the title shot against Yan because he had been promised one previously.

Sterling had to wait and fight Cory Sandhagen (13-2). Sandhagen looked like he was going to be incredibly tough to beat, however, Sterling went right through him and choked him unconscious in less than 90 seconds.

For his win, Sterling was given a title shot against Yan in December. However, Yan had to pull out of the fight and the UFC has been working on a replacement date. They have found one on an incredibly stacked card on March 6th.

State of the UFC’s middleweight division entering 2021

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Last night, we learned that the UFC‘s middleweight champion is officially moving up in weight for his next fight. Israel Adesanya (20-0) is moving up to light heavyweight to fight Jan Blachowicz (27-8) for the light heavyweight title at UFC 259. 

Adesanya is trying to become just the fifth fighter in the promotion’s history to hold two belts at the same time. There have been a lot of questions surrounding Adesanya’s future at 185 with him moving up.

The UFC middleweight champion has been very vocal about his desire to potentially fight Jon Jones (26-1, 1 NC) in 2021. If the UFC makes that fight should Adesanya win the light heavyweight title, the middleweight strap would be on ice.

However, Adesanya has said that he will definitely return to the UFC’s middleweight division no matter what. He stated that 185 is his natural weight class and where he feels the best. This move is to just challenge himself and further his legacy.

In all honesty, the move is actually a good thing for the middleweight division. There are great fights inside the division, however, Adesanya has defeated most of the fighters that sit inside the top ten.

UFC’s middleweight division in 2021

The top contender in the middleweight division is former UFC champion, Robert Whittaker (22-5). Whittaker went on an incredible run to grab the middleweight title, but was easily defeated by Adesanya last October.

Since then, Whittaker took out two of the more compelling contenders in the division. He defeated Darren Till (18-3-1) and Jared Cannonier (13-5) by decision. Both of those fighters were guys Adesanya was interested in fighting.

However, Whittaker turned them away. With the way Adesanya defeated Whittaker last year, the champion isn’t motivated for the rematch at this time. The word is that the UFC is looking to book Whittaker against former title challenger, Paulo Costa (13-1).

Costa was just knocked out by Adesanya at UFC 253. Prior to that, many thought he was the most dangerous contender in the division. There is preliminary talk about that fight being for an interim title, but that’s far from confirmed.

The two fighters I have my eyes on entering 2021 is Marvin Vettori (16-4-1) and Kevin Holland (21-5). Vettori has busted through in 2021 on the heels of four straight wins to fifth in the middleweight rankings.

The Italian middleweight has already lost to Adesanya, but he lost by split decision. One big win for Vettori in 2021 could make him next in line. Kevin Holland was our breakout fighter of the year in 2020.

Holland has become a star after going 5-0 this year. The entertaining middleweight gets his first main event opportunity against Derek Brunson (21-7) in March. Should he win that, he could be just a win away from a title shot.

If Holland can get a couple of wins, he’s probably the most compelling UFC challenger at 185 for Adesanya. There’s a little beef there already, and the fight’s buildup would be a lot of fun. Should be an interesting year at middleweight.

BREAKING: UFC officially books Israel Adesanya – Jan Blachowicz

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UFC fans got some exciting news this evening. Dana White told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that the promotion has finalized a light heavyweight title fight between champion, Jan Blachowicz (27-8) and middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya (20-0).

The fight will headline UFC 259 that will take place on March 6th. For Israel Adesanya, he will try to become just the fifth fighter in UFC history to hold two world titles at the same time. He would join Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, Henry Cejudo, and Amanda Nunes.

Stylebender is coming off of arguably his best performance of his career at UFC 253. That night, Adesanya was taking on Paulo Costa (13-1) who was expected to be his toughest challenger. However, he was completely outclassed by Israel Adesanya.

Adesanya went on to stop Costa in the second round of their title fight to retain his middleweight championship. Immediately after the fight was over, there were questions about what would be next for the UFC middleweight champion.

UFC Champion vs Champion

In the co-main event at UFC 253, a new light heavyweight champion was crowned. After a decade that just saw either Jon Jones or Daniel Cormier rule the division, there was going to be a new king.

Jones vacated the light heavyweight championship with the desire to chase the heavyweight crown. With Jones moving up, Jan Blachowicz took on Dominick Reyes (12-2) for the vacant title.

Reyes had just lost to Jones in a fight that many believed he won. Some were even calling him the uncrowned UFC champion. However, at UFC 253, the uncrowned champion ran into some serious Polish Power.

Blachowicz completely ran through Reyes on his way to securing a second round finish. Poland’s Blachowicz has completely turned his career around and now he’s on top of the light heavyweight mountain.

However, he’s going to have his hands full in his first fight. With Khabib Nurmagomedov seemingly retired, you could make the argument that Adesanya is the best pound for pound fighter in the UFC.

If he’s able to move up and capture a second world title, it would be hard to argue. Adesanya’s move up to light heavyweight also shows his seriousness in his desire to fight Jon Jones. That could be a fight the UFC aims to make in 2021 if Adesanya is able to beat Blachowicz.

UFC books Dominick Cruz – Casey Kenney

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The former UFC bantamweight champion is back. Today, MMA Junkie reported that the promotion is booking Dominick Cruz (22-3) against Casey Kenney (16-2-1) in March. The fight will take place at the proposed UFC 259 PPV.

This news came out of no where and is honestly a tad stunning. After Dominick Cruz lost to Henry Cejudo back at UFC 249, it wasn’t clear on if he was going to continue to fight. Cruz has made a career for himself at the broadcast table.

However, it appears that the former UFC champion is still wanting to keep his fighting career alive. Cruz is one of the best bantamweights of all time, however, his career has been famously derailed by injuries.

Due to injuries, Cruz has only fought five times in the last nine years. Prior to his title fight at UFC 249 against Cejudo, Cruz had been out for three and a half years. He will enter the cage on a two-fight losing streak.

Cruz lost his UFC title to Cody Garbrandt back in December of 2016. That night, Cruz seemed just a step behind Garbrandt. Following that loss, injuries kept him out until the Cejudo fight. Cruz was finished in the second round by Triple C.

UFC 259 Bantamweight Clash

To be honest, I’m a tad surprised by the opponent choice for Dominick Cruz. Sure, Cruz has lost two in a row and has been out of the cage a lot, but I was still expecting a more high profile opponent for him in his next fight.

Casey Kenney is getting a massive opportunity at UFC 259 taking on the former champion. Kenney is 5-1 in the UFC with his only loss coming to Merab Dvalishvili back in February. He’s won three straight to close out 2020.

Despite the winning streak, Kenney still finds himself outside of the UFC‘s top 15. However, if he’s able to pickup a win over Dominick Cruz, that would be a massive bump for his career. Should be a fun one when March rolls around.

UFC books Joseph Benavidez – Askar Askarov

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Joseph Benavidez, UFC

The UFC is finalizing a fantastic flyweight matchup for their March 6th card. MMA Junkie was first to report that the promotion is finalizing a matchup between former title challenger Joseph Benavidez (28-7), and Askar Askarov (12-0-1).

The fight is expected to take place on the main card of the UFC 259 PPV. Both men will enter the cage ranked inside the top 3 of the UFC‘s flyweight rankings. From a matchmaking perspective, it doesn’t get much better than this.

For Benavidez, he’s going to be looking to bounce back after back-to-back losses to the champion, Deiveson Figueiredo. The two first fought back in February where Benavidez was finished in the second round.

However, Figueiredo didn’t make weight so the UFC decided to run the fight back for the flyweight title. The second fight was even more dominating for Figueiredo who put Benavidez to sleep in the first round.

Despite being dominated twice by the champion, it should be known that Benavidez is still one of the very best in the world. He’s only lost to four men in his professional career: Figueiredo, Demetrious Johnson, Dominick Cruz, and Sergio Pettis.

The knock on Benavidez is that he’s always failed to win the big one. While consistently being one of the UFC‘s best, he’s 0-5 in title opportunities. With this fight on March 6th, he will look to climb the latter once again.

UFC 259’s Flyweight Clash

Standing in the way of Benavidez will be Askar Askarov. The Russian flyweight trains under Fighting Eagle in Dagestan which of course is the gym of UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Askarov is looked at as the potential next UFC champion to hail from Dagestan. So far, he’s made three appearances inside the octagon. He fought to a split draw against number one contender, Brandon Moreno. After that he defeated Tim Elliot and Alexandre Pantoja.

Askarov is the real deal and he’s very talented. This is not going to be an easy fight for either man. Either Benavidez will show everyone that he still has enough in the tank for one more UFC title run or Dagestan will flex it’s muscles once again.