UFC

UFC 269 Preview: Cody Garbrandt – Kai Kara-France

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On the main card of UFC 269 we will see the highly anticipated flyweight debut of Cody Garbrandt (12-4). The former bantamweight champion drops down to 125 pounds to take on Kai Kara-France (22-9).

Originally, the former UFC champion was planning on making the drop to flyweight last year. However, after coming down with Covid and having a bicep injury, he decided to stay at bantamweight for one more fight.

That fight came against Rob Font earlier this year. Garbrandt lost that fight and afterwards he decided it was time for him to finally make the switch to 125.

He jumps right in there with one of the more exciting flyweights in the UFC in Kai Kara-France. Overall, Kara-France is 5-2 since making his debut with the UFC.

His two losses came against the current champion Brandon Moreno and top contender Brandon Royval. The last time we saw Kara-France was against Rogerio Bontorin where he won by decision.

UFC 269 Prediction

This is such a fun fight and one where you truly will not want to look away. Conventional wisdom would say that Cody Garbrandt should have a big advantage when it comes to the power in this fight.

While he definitely will hold an advantage there, he will lose one of his key advantages. In the past, Garbrandt has thrived when he showed off his tremendous hand speed. That speed and power combination made him elite.

It will be interesting to see how that speed translates down at 125. I expect Kara-France to have the speed advantage at UFC 269 which could be a big problem for ‘No Love’.

I’ve gone back and forth with my prediction, and honestly, I wouldn’t be shocked by anything in this fight. Well, I would be shocked if we see the judges.

I expect someone to get finished in this one. I worry about Garbrandt’s chin at UFC 269. He struggled with his chin at 135 and usually cutting extra weight hinders your chin.

All that being said, I really like Garbrandt in this matchup. I see him landing a massive counter and getting the second round finish here.

Prediction: Cody Garbrandt by TKO – Round 2

UFC 269 Preview: Sean O’Malley – Raulian Paiva

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Sean O'Malley

Kicking off the PPV main card at UFC 269 is a battle between two dynamic strikers in the bantamweight division. The Suga Show is back as Sean O’Malley (14-1) takes on Brazilian standout Raulian Paiva (21-3).

This is a massive opportunity for Raulian Paiva to really put himself on the map at 135 pounds. Paiva made his UFC debut at 17-1 and he did it in the flyweight division. However, he got off to a rough start.

Paiva lost his first two fights and ultimately moved up in weight. He’s now on a three-fight winning streak which includes a win over O’Malley’s teammate in Kyler Phillips.

That said, Paiva has a tall mountain to climb at UFC 269. Sean O’Malley is one of the more dynamic fighters in all the UFC. He’s incredibly talented wherever the fight takes place, but he shines in the stand up.

O’Malley is huge for the weight class and he’s going to have a big size advantage on Saturday night. After suffering his first loss to Chito Vera last year, O’Malley has bounced back with two solid wins this year.

UFC 269 Preview

This is such a great fight to kick off the PPV main card because you have two guys who will stand in there and strike. These two will put on a show at UFC 269.

For Paiva, it’s going to be key to try and use his speed to his advantage. As mentioned, he’s going to be the smaller man in the cage so he’s going to need to be scappy.

On the flip side, O’Malley needs to keep the fight at range where he will have a big advantage. I’m expecting a kick-heavy attack from The Suga Show on Saturday night.

Ultimately, I’m finding a hard time seeing Paiva winning this fight. While I think he will put up a good fight, I think O’Malley catches him clean and puts him away in the second round.

Prediction: Sean O’Malley by TKO – Round 2

UFC 269 Main Card Predictions: Part 1

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Sean O'Malley

It. Is. TIME! UFC 269 is finally taking place this Saturday and has a main card that’s stacked to the brim with bright talent, unreal explosiveness, and plenty of championship ambition.

Though title legacies are at stake for some, others are merely looking to secure a much-needed victory to put them one step closer to being within reach of that dream.

To kick off the main card, UFC starlet Sean O’Malley will be taking on debatably his toughest opponent to date in the much-improved Raulian Paiva. With each bantamweight still on the outside looking in, both will do everything they can to come away victorious.

Following this battle, the fans will get to witness the flyweight debut of Cody Garbrandt as he takes on one of the most dangerous Top 10 contenders in the division in Kai Kara-France.

From excitement to exhilaration to thrill, these first two fights alone have the means to ignite the event with a roar and send this crowd into a frenzy. On that note, here are the predictions for the first two main card bouts of UFC 269.

5. Sean O’Malley vs Raulian Paiva

“Sugar” Sean O’Malley:

Sean O’Malley is the real deal. At only age 27, O’Malley has transformed into one elite striker and has decorated his young UFC career with already four vicious knockouts.

After logging in three fights in 2020 that consisted of a nasty walk-off knockout on Eddie Wineland, O’Malley has made the most of 2021 as well, brutally knocking out both Thomas Almeida and Kris Moutinho prior to setting up his third matchup of the year against Paiva on Saturday.

What makes O’Malley so challenging to go up against is the vision, agility, and creativity he implements with his striking. Bringing a pristine sense of awareness and bouncy touch with his feet that allows him to evade punches and counters with ease, O’Malley frequently incorporates clever feints and movements to throw off his opponents and expose openings he can take advantage of.

Coming off of two ruthless KO/TKO victories this year, O’Malley will aim to get his third on Saturday night and place himself within the Top 15 rankings of one stacked bantamweight division.

Raulian Paiva:

Though Raulian Paiva began his UFC career just about three and a half years ago, the 26-year-old Brazilian has been professionally active in mixed martial arts for well over eight years and has transformed into a bright talent.

Since O’Malley’s sole loss to Marlon Vera last year, Paiva could very well be the most challenging opponent he’s faced so far. From his nasty leg kicks to his lulling hand motions to his persistent pressure, Paiva matches up a lot better with O’Malley than people might give him credit for and could cause a handful of problems.

Initially starting his UFC career as a Flyweight where he logged in four fights, Paiva just recently moved up to 135 and took down Kyler Phillips in a very close majority decision ruling in his bantamweight debut this past July.

Although O’Malley is easily one of the toughest opponents he’s ever faced, Paiva has everything he needs to deal a lot of damage on Saturday and is well-equipped with a wide range of skills that can lead him to victory.

Winner: Sean O’Malley

In all fairness to Paiva’s skillset (which includes a black belt in BJJ), he will need to execute a near-flawless performance if he has any hopes of walking out of the octagon with a win. Even in his last showdown against Phillips, Paiva left himself exposed all too often, getting knocked down and beaten up throughout the course of the fight.

O’Malley, on the other hand, has proven to be extremely difficult to defeat, with three out of his last four opponents suffering crushing knockouts. From the time he set foot into the UFC, none of O’Malley’s opponents have been able to deal much damage against him. In fact, if it wasn’t for the drop foot injury he suffered against Vera, O’Malley could very well be still undefeated.

Though this fight has everything to last all three rounds, expect O’Malley to leave UFC 269 victorious.

4. Kai Kara-France vs Cody Garbrandt

Kai “Don’t Blink” Kara-France:

At the age of 28, Kai Kara-France has developed into one exceptional talent in this men’s flyweight division. Logging in his first UFC fight just over three years ago, Kara-France came in with a bang, defeating his first three opponents by decision, which included the likes of Raulian Paiva and Mark De La Rosa.

That said, Kara-France has come across his share of shortcomings these last two years. In his third fight of 2019, Kara-France suffered his first UFC loss by unanimous decision against the current Flyweight Champion Brandon Moreno before enduring his second loss at the hands of Brandon Royval via submission nearly a year later.

However, Kara-France has bounced back since his second loss and delivered an incredible comeback knockout against Rogerio Bontorin earlier this year. Despite grappling for his life as Bontorin was gradually closing in on a submission hold, Kara-France was able to break out, get back onto his feet, and deliver three mighty blows that sent Bontorin stumbling down to the mat for the KO/TKO win.

Whether he’s coming off a win or a loss, the New Zealand native is a constant threat and brings a calculated approach to his striking game. Even on the mat, Kara-France is as slithery as can be and is very difficult to contain. Though Garbrandt is the favorite coming into this fight, Kara-France has everything he needs to secure a victory in this much-anticipated showdown.

Cody “No Love” Garbrandt:

Cody Garbrandt is a seasoned UFC veteran with a whole lot left to show for. Coming onto the scene in 2015, Garbrandt won his first five fights, four of which consisted of knockout finishes.

This incredible winning streak landed him a title shot against Dominick Cruz, who was the bantamweight champion at the time. In his first five-round bout of his mixed martial arts career, Garbrandt managed to pull off a unanimous decision upset to become the new Bantamweight champion of the world.

However, since his sole title victory against Cruz in December of 2016, Garbrandt’s career took a stark turn for the worse. After losing the belt via knockout to his arch-rival T.J. Dillashaw a year later in 2017, Garbrandt lost the immediate title rematch in 2018 by knockout once again. Just when things couldn’t get any worse, Garbrandt suffered yet another KO/TKO in March of 2019, this time at the hands of Pedro Munhoz.

Although Garbrandt was able to collect one epic highlight-worthy knockout against Raphael Assuncao in 2020, he lost again earlier this year to Rob Font. Despite mustering three takedowns in under two rounds, Garbrandt struggled to keep Font on the ground and was thoroughly picked apart with nasty jabs and pounding strikes over the course of the fight.

After losing four of his last five matchups at 135, Garbrandt decided to switch over to the flyweight division and will start his journey there with a tough clash against Kara-France. But even at 125, Garbrandt possesses mighty power. And if he finds even the smallest opening, Garbrandt can end this showdown in a blink of an eye.

Winner: Kai Kara-France

What makes this clash so exciting is that it has the makings of a real slugfest. From Garbrandt’s volume and power to Kara-France’s precision and combos, both of these mixed martial artists have grown into elite strikers over time and have demonstrated just how dangerous they can be.

However, whether it goes the distance or not, expect Kara-France to come away with the victory, and for good reason. With his deceptive touch to set up nasty strikes and his astute sense awareness that allows him to niftily avoid hefty shots, Kara-France counterbalances Garbrandt’s striking tenacity quite well and just so happens to be one of the best kickboxers in the division.

On the other hand, Garbrandt does bring undeniable power but has struggled with connecting the knockout blows he’s been notorious for over his career. To add to it, Garbrandt has a tendency to be overly aggressive with his attacking sprees that, at times, not only lands him in hot water but also eats at his energy in the long run. Despite looking sharp against Font this past spring, Garbrandt had no answer to the striking volume and ferocity Font put forth and could face a similar result with Kara-France.

With all due respect to Garbrandt, he does have a chance at landing a knockout punch and is listed as the favorite after all. But considering how smart and tough Kara-France really is, he has the better chance of winning this matchup and will seek to take Garbrandt into deep waters come Saturday.

Stay Tuned for Part 2 Tomorrow!

UFC 269 Preview: Dominick Cruz – Pedro Munhoz

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Dominick Cruz

UFC 269 is this weekend and the card is completely stacked. On the prelims we will see this tremendous matchup in the bantamweight division. Former champion Dominick Cruz (23-3) takes on contender Pedro Munhoz (19-6, 1 NC).

Dominick Cruz is considered by many to be the greatest bantamweight in UFC history. He was the first bantamweight champion for the promotion and he had a tremendous run at the top of the division.

However, injuries really derailed the career of Cruz. For example, he’s only fought six times in the last ten years. The last time we saw him was at UFC 259 when he won a close decision over young contender Casey Kenney.

Cruz is going to face a stiffer test in the durable and tough Pedro Munhoz. Back in 2019, it appeared that Munhoz was on the cusp of a UFC title shot. He had won three in a row which included a knockout win over former UFC champion Cody Garbrandt.

That win got him a fight with Aljamain Sterling which he ultimately dropped by decision. Starting with that fight, Munhoz is just 1-3 in his last four fights. His last fight was a decision loss to Jose Aldo at UFC 265 in August.

UFC 269 Prediction

This is such tremendous matchmaking and it’s a very intriguing matchup. At a point in time, this could’ve been a matchup that you could have seen for the UFC bantamweight title.

In his last fight, Dominick Cruz didn’t look as sharp as he did in the past. The footwork looked decent, but it didn’t look elite like it had in the past. Prime Dominick Cruz walks through Casey Kenney and that didn’t happen earlier this year.

Pedro Munhoz also didn’t look like the prime version of himself in his last fight. Munhoz is normally a guy who will push forward with a lot of volume. However, he did way too much waiting against Jose Aldo.

I’m curious to see who will lead this dance at UFC 269. I really like Cruz if he can look remotely close to the prime version of himself. His footwork and speed can be used to frustrate Munhoz.

That said, Munhoz does have the power to land big shots which could steal some rounds. I think this fight will ultimately be pretty close, but the point style of Cruz will lead him to a decision over Pedro Munhoz.

Prediction: Dominick Cruz by Unanimous Decision

What does the UFC do with Nate Diaz?

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The UFC is currently in a unique spot with one of their biggest stars. Nate Diaz (20-13) is currently looking for a fight and he cannot seem to get one locked down despite the promotion exploring a variety of options.

Diaz has one fight left on his UFC contract and the promotion is trying to decide what to do with that fight. Most recently, the promotion has tried to offer Diaz a fight with superstar prospect Khamzat Chimaev (10-0).

Chimaev is coming off of another massive win at UFC 267 where he completely destroyed Li Jingliang in the first round. The Chechen welterweight has finished every opponent he’s faced in four fights and he’s only absorbed one significant strike.

The UFC is struggling to find Chimaev an opponent for his next fight as well. Given the star power of Diaz, the promotion wanted to pair him with Chimaev to make Chimaev an even bigger star should he defeat the fan favorite, Nate Diaz.

However, Diaz isn’t interested. Diaz told TMZ that he wouldn’t fight a rookie like Chimaev but he would fight anyone in the top ten of the UFC‘s welterweight division. With that, who should the promotion pair him with?

Options for Diaz’s next UFC fight

The option that I like the most is a matchup with top contender Vicente Luque. It’s clear now that Leon Edwards is likely going to get the next shot against Kamaru Usman. With that, Luque is going to need to take another fight before getting a title shot of his own.

The UFC approached Luque about fighting his teammate Gilbert Burns. However, Luque wasn’t interested in that matchup given their relationship. I think the promotion is likely going to book Chimaev against Burns next.

With that, the opening is there for Luque to fight Diaz next and this is a fight that both men have verbally expressed interest in. However, the UFC hasn’t moved in that direction as of yet.

The only other fight to watch out for would be the BMF rematch with Jorge Masvidal. The UFC tried to make this fight last year but ultimately pivoted when they tried to book Masvidal against Covington.

That said, the word is that the UFC is fully planning on booking Masvidal against Covington now that both are coming off losses. All that being said, I think Vicente Luque – Nate Diaz is going to be Diaz’s last fight on his current UFC deal.

After coming up short at UFC Vegas 44, what’s next for Rob Font?

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This past weekend at UFC Vegas 44, we saw a pivotal matchup in the bantamweight division. Top contenders went head-to-head as Rob Font (19-5) took on former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo (31-7) in the main event.

When the fight started, I was incredibly impressed with Rob Font. Font immediately put his foot on the gas to try and make Aldo uncomfortable. There have been questions regarding Aldo’s gas tank throughout his career and Font was looking to expose that.

Late in the first round, Aldo was already bleeding from his nose. Font was frustrating him with his pace and pressure. However, everything changed once Aldo connected near the end of the first round.

Aldo was able to rock and drop Font and the feel of the fight completely shifted. Heading into UFC Vegas 44, I picked Aldo due to the power advantage. However, even I didn’t think it would be so destructive in terms of the impact it had on Font.

It appeared that every time Aldo hit Font cleanly, it hurt him. As a result, Aldo walked to a lopsided decision victory at UFC Vegas 44. That said, it’s worth noting that the fight was much closer than the scorecards would indicate.

What’s next after UFC Vegas 44?

As mentioned, Rob Font looked really good in spots at UFC Vegas 44. His boxing looked crisp and his cardio was on point. However, he just had no answer for the power and speed of Aldo whenever Aldo would fire back at him.

Fortunately for Font, there are a few things he can tighten up to get past this and I think he will. This isn’t the last you’ve seen of Rob Font. With that in mind, what should the UFC do with Rob Font after his loss to Jose Aldo?

I think the stars align for a matchup between Font and Cory Sandhagen (14-4). Both of these contenders are near the very top of the division, but both have lost their most recent fight. The promotion should pair these two together and whoever wins could jump right back into a title eliminator matchup.

After big win at UFC Vegas 44, what’s next for Jose Aldo?

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This past weekend at UFC Vegas 44, we saw a big time main event in the bantamweight division. Former featherweight champion Jose Aldo (31-7) took on surging contender Rob Font (19-5). Whoever won this matchup was going to be in an excellent spot at 135.

Rob Font opened the fight with a ton of pressure to try and gas out Aldo. Aldo remained composed throughout, but it didn’t look great at the start of the fight. In previewing this fight, I thought the big advantage for Aldo would be in the power.

However, he didn’t have room to use that power early on. Then, near the end of the first round, the power was on display. Aldo dropped Font late in the opening frame and that set the tone for the rest of the fight.

Throughout the five rounds, Font would look great but big power shots from Aldo would completely swing the round in the former champion’s favor. This was the theme throughout and in the end, the judges gave Aldo a near sweep of the scorecards at UFC Vegas 44.

What’s next after UFC Vegas 44?

There’s no question that Jose Aldo should be near the top of the UFC’s bantamweight rankings when the rankings are updated this week. He should be back in the title conversation after three consecutive wins against top contenders.

Currently, we are in a bit of a waiting pattern at the top of the division. The champion Aljamain Sterling will be taking on the interim champion Petr Yan sometime in the spring. However, there’s still not a finalized date for that title fight.

TJ Dillashaw (17-4) was supposed to get a title fight after his win against Cory Sandhagen, however, a knee injury completely threw that off. Now with this title unification bout pending, Dillashaw needs an opponent as does Aldo.

The writing is on the wall for the UFC. There is no better fight to make than Jose Aldo against TJ Dillashaw. Whoever wins would be the clear number one contender. My guess is that the promotion makes this a Fight Night main event sometime around the Yan and Sterling fight.

UFC booking Michelle Waterson – Amanda Ribas

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The UFC is currently working to finalize a big time women’s strawweight matchup. MMA Fighting was the first to report this afternoon that the promotion was working to finalize Amanda Ribas (11-2) and Michelle Waterson (18-9).

The proposed matchup would take place at a UFC Fight Night on March 26th. Ribas will be looking for her second consecutive win after suffering her first loss in the UFC. That first loss came back in January when Ribas was stopped in the second round by Marina Rodriguez.

That loss snapped a five-fight winning streak for Ribas which included four wins in the UFC. In her last fight against Virna Jandiroba, Ribas looked sensational on the feet. Her striking was her downfall in the Rodriguez fight. However, she completely outclassed Jandiroba on the feet.

Originally, Ribas was supposed to take on Waterson back at UFC 257 when she fought Rodriguez. However, Waterson had to pull out of the fight. Now, these two top contenders will finally meet in a highly anticipated matchup.

UFC Fight Night

Standing across from Ribas is the UFC’s Karate Hottie, Michelle Waterson. Waterson has always been a really tough contender at 115, but she’s never quite reached the pinnacle. Recently, she’s fell on some tough times in the strawweight division.

Over her last four fights, Waterson is just 1-3. That said, two of the losses came against former UFC champions. The other loss came against Marina Rodriguez in a main event back in May. Waterson held her own, but Rodriguez proved to be too much for The Karate Hottie.

This is another tough test for Waterson. Ribas is going to be dangerous wherever the fight takes place. Conventional wisdom would have you believe that Waterson would have the advantage on the feet. However, Ribas’ improvement there might make you think twice.

This should be a tremendous strawweight fight and whoever wins will put themselves in a really good position to move up the rankings.

Jose Aldo’s power too much for Rob Font at UFC Vegas 44

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In the main event of UFC Vegas 44 we saw a big time matchup in the bantamweight division with potential title implications. Former featherweight champion Jose Aldo (30-7) was taking on the surging Rob Font (19-4).

Rob Font has been on a huge run over the last few years. After dropping a fight to Raphael Assuncao back in 2018, Font has gone a perfect 4-0. That streak started with a win over current Bellator bantamweight champion Sergio Pettis.
His last two wins came against former champion Cody Garbrandt and former title challenger Marlon Moraes. SImply put, Font has proven that he belongs near the top of the bantamweight division. However, he faced a stiff test tonight.
It’s crazy to think about Jose Aldo’s historic career and think about the fact that he’s only 35 years old. Aldo has been one of the best fighters to ever step foot inside the UFC‘s octagon and he’s currently trying to chase down another world title.
Last year, Aldo lost in a vacant title fight against Petr Yan. However, he’s responded well with really good wins over Chito Vera and Pedro Munhoz. Aldo was looking for a big win at UFC Vegas 44 that would put him right back in the title picture at 135 pounds.

UFC Vegas 44 Recap

Round 1

The UFC Vegas 44 main event kicked off with a touch of the gloves. Font immediately pushes forward with a long straight shot that just misses the mark. A lot of pressure early on from Font and he’s keeping Aldo on his back foot.

Big body kick from Aldo finds it’s home and he doubles it up. Sharp jab from Aldo but Font lands a crisp 1-2. Font times a takedown and takes down the former champion. However, Aldo pops right back up to his feet.

Font trying hard to get Aldo down, but Aldo is defending well. They break and Font goes right back on the pressure. Font landing well and Aldo’s nose is looking really red here. The pace is very high from Font who is landing well here.

Aldo looks a little lost here. Step in shot lands for Font and it appeared that Aldo looked a bit wobbled. However, he’s hanging in there. Leg kick from Font. Jabs from Font land and Aldo looks to counter. Huge shot to the body lands for Aldo and that got Font’s attention.

Font starts working his jab again and lands a nice right. Lead left for Font. Huge 1-2 from Aldo hurts Font badly. Aldo pushing forward and Font drops. The round comes to a close which saves Font. Font had the round, but Aldo’s knockdown takes it at UFC Vegas 44.

Round 2

Entering the second at UFC Vegas 44 and Aldo stole all the momentum at the end of round 1. They touch gloves and here we go. Low kick starts the striking for Font who definitely is fighting with a slower pace here in the second.

Combination from Font and Aldo is remaining patient. Another combination from Font and blood is tricking out the nose of Aldo. Nice overhand right lands for Jose Aldo. Now it’s Aldo stepping up his pressure but Font backs him up with two jabs.

Another big 1-2 from Aldo and Font circles out. Vicious 1-2 from Aldo and Font is hurt again. However, this time Font recovers really quickly. The power advantage for Aldo is massive here. Font keeping Aldo off of him with combinations.

Aldo wasn’t able to take advantage there because Font’s combinations. However, Aldo snaps his head back with another right hand. Another big land for Aldo. Hook to the body from Aldo. Font holding the center and lands a jab and a low kick.

Both men exchange jabs and Aldo lands a right. Font blitzes forward but nothing big lands. Bad takedown attempt from Font. Vicious rips to the body from Aldo and a stiff left hook. The round ends and it’s 2-0 Aldo at UFC Vegas 44. Font landed more but Aldo did more damage.

Round 3

Entering the third at UFC Vegas 44 and this is a good one. They touch gloves and Aldo opens with a big leg kick. Another big leg kick from Aldo who is switching things up. Font lands a jab but eats another leg kick from the former champion.

Another leg kick from Aldo and this is giving Font more to think about. Font switches stances after the four leg kicks. Pressure here from Aldo and Font tries for a takedown. However, Aldo defends extremely well and ends up on top in half guard.

Font looking to hip escape as Aldo is just controlling him on the ground. Aldo moves to side-control and his pace is very deliberate here on the ground. Nice defense from Font who gets Aldo back to full guard and he’s looking to attack with submissions.

Aldo seems content with just controlling from the top here. The former champion stands up briefly, however, he just just uses it to get a better position on top. Font uses the fence to get back to his feet. Nice uppercut lands for Rob Font.

Aldo looking really tired here and Font lands a big shot to the body. Font is definitely the fresher fighter in the third. 1-2 lands for Rob Font who appears to have all the momentum. Then a massive leg kick takes Font off his feet.

1-2 lands for Font. More pressure from Font and then the two men exchanges jabs. Another powerful leg kick from Aldo buckles Font. The round comes to a close and it’s 3-0 Aldo on my card at UFC Vegas 44.

Round 4

Entering the main event rounds at UFC Vegas 44 and Aldo should be up, but Font has the momentum. They touch gloves and Font goes right back on the pressure. Massive 1-2 from Aldo and Font is hurt badly. Big knee from Aldo and Font goes down.

More big shots from Aldo but Font pulls him into his guard. Aldo settles into half guard and it appears that he will settle for top control here. Font looks like he’s in a lot of pain on the ground with Aldo on top of him.

Aldo moves into side-control and he’s looking to mount. However, Font is defending well and he gets back to half guard. Aldo slips into mount, however, Font immediately gets it back to half guard and then full guard.

The ground defense has really been good for Rob Font tonight. Font tries to hip escape, however, Aldo stays on him with 90 seconds left in the round. Now, Font is starting to work elbows from the bottom as Aldo is just holding him here.

Font looks for an armbar but nothing is home there. Aldo just riding him here and he gets the mount briefly. However, Font immediately gets it back to half guard. The round comes to a close and I have it 4-0 Jose Aldo at UFC Vegas 44.

Round 5

Entering the final round at UFC Vegas 44 and I definitely think that Font’s going to need a finish here. They touch gloves and Font again pushes forward with a big combination. Font is going for it here in the opening seconds.

Nice right hand from Font. Aldo just eating the shots here. Lots of activity from Font but nothing is really hurting Aldo who starts walking forward. The two clinch and Font pushes Aldo up against the fence. Aldo looks exhausted here.

Nice elbow from Font as the two break. Aldo lands a couple of really nice shots of his own, however, Font is the aggressive one here. More shots from Font and he clinches Aldo again. Font lands some nice shots against the fence.

Big uppercut from Font against the fence. However, Aldo rocks him again with a big shot. Massive body shot from Aldo and another hook drops Font again here in the fifth. Font tries for a takedown, however, Aldo ends up on top and takes the back of Font.

Font is trying to move, but Aldo has him secured here on the ground. Aldo resting here as he just has Font mounted with a minute left. Font tries to roll but Aldo has a body triangle. Aldo looks for the rear naked choke.

Aldo locks it in. However, Font defends well and tries to get to the top position. Aldo holds the top position and the round ends. Should easily be a win for Aldo at UFC Vegas 44.

Jose Aldo def. Rob Font by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46)

Rafael Fiziev stops Brad Riddell at UFC Vegas 44

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In the co-main event of UFC Vegas 44, we saw a showdown in the lightweight division between two of the best strikers in the division. Brad Riddell (10-1) was trying to stay perfect in the UFC as he took on Rafael Fiziev (10-1).

Riddell entered UFC Vegas 44 a perfect 4-0 in the promotion. The City Kickboxing product has shown off his tremendous striking and his timing during his tenure thus far. In his last fight, he had a war with Drew Dober that he won by decision.

Standing across Riddell tonight was someone who you could consider his striking equal. Rafael Fiziev is not someone you want to be striking with and he was out to prove that at UFC Vegas 44. After losing his UFC debut, Fiziev has been perfect.

That debut loss humbled Fiziev and he’s responded beautifully winning four consecutive fights. In his last fight, he went to war with Bobby Green and was able to win a decision. He was looking for more of a statement against Riddell tonight.

UFC Vegas 44 Recap

Round 1

The UFC Vegas 44 lightweight contest kicked off with a touch of the gloves. Riddell looks for his jab to start the striking. Fiziev opens with a leg kick as he circles on the outside. Nice low kick lands for Brad Riddell.

Body kick finds it’s home for Fiziev. Both of these men are extremely measured in the opening minutes. Powerful body kick lands for Riddell. Fiziev just misses on a big kick which draws a smile from Riddell. Check left hook for Riddell.

Riddell steps in and both men attempt to throw big shots but nothing lands. Huge body kick lands for Fiziev. Nice combinations for both men as they both connect. Riddell pushes forward and lands another nice combination.

Jab lands for Fiziev. Huge right just misses from Riddell. Pressure from Fiziev and he throws a kick that just misses. Riddell blitzes but Fiziev lands a nice counter right. It appears that Fiziev is looking to draw an attack from Riddell here.

Nice body kick from Fiziev. He follows that with a leg kick and then another body kick. Jab from Fiziev. However, the last ten seconds features a gorgeous combination from Riddell. Insanely close round at UFC Vegas 44 that I give to Fiziev.

Round 2

Entering the second at UFC Vegas 44 and we are seeing a very technical chess match on display here. The two men touch gloves to start the second and Fiziev goes right back on the pressure. Big low kick from Riddell opens the striking.

Body kick from Riddell and he throws a combination behind it. Fiziev lands a kick of his own then clips Riddell with a left. Riddell is looking sharp here in the first 90 seconds. Fiziev steps in and lands a nice 1-2. Riddell is cut but steps in and lands a big right.

Both men exchange good low kicks. Nice check left hook for Fiziev. Body kick from Riddell. Both step forward and land big left hooks. These boys are throwing down here in the second. Nice combination from Riddell and Fiziev lands a nice counter on the exit.

Riddell misses a shot and eats a big counter right from Fiziev. They clinch briefly and Fiziev lands a couple of knees. Short right and a body kick from Fiziev. Jab from Fiziev and Riddell lands a body kick.

Nice step-in left lands for Fiziev. Riddell comes in but eats a counter right from Fiziev. The round comes to a close and it’s another close one at UFC Vegas 44. Either man could take either round but I lean 2-0 Fiziev.

Round 3

Entering the final round at UFC Vegas 44 and this is truly any man’s fight. Riddell steps forward with immediate pressure to start the final round. Fiziev lands a couple of really nice counter shots to start the striking.

Riddell times a takedown beautifully and gets Fiziev to the ground. However, Fiziev immediately pops up to the feet and they’re back to striking. Riddell steps in but eats a nasty counter left from Fiziev. Lots of urgency from Riddell in the final frame.

Riddell steps in and eats another big left. However, Riddell lands a nice left of his own on the end. Riddell tries to get another takedown but Fiziev defends well. Both men explode into big combinations and both men land.

Nice low kick from Fiziev. Body kick from Riddell. Spinning wheel kick from Fiziev and Riddell is out on his feet. Herb Dean stops it and Riddell falls. Huge win for Rafael Fiziev.

Rafael Fiziev def. Brad Riddell by KO – Round 3