Tyrone Spong’s combat sports career has been in a weird state of flux lately. The former star kickboxer made a move over to boxing back in 2015, after a brief flirtation with MMA, racking up a 14-0 unbeaten record (and gaining the WBO & WBC Latino heavyweight titles in the process) against the kind of competition that gets someone a 14-0 unbeaten record with zero fanfare.
Having not competed in the ring since 2019, however, the now 37-year-old stepped back into the cage in 2022 for a fight against fellow longtime combat sports veteran Sergei Kharitonov. His bout against the ‘Paratrooper’ ended in a TKO loss in the second round. So what’s the ‘King of the Ring’ been up to in the time since? Catching bigass snakes for no reason, apparently.
In a video posted to his Instagram account, Spong showed off his anaconda handling skills—nabbing the massive constrictor from out of the grass on the side of the road in his home country of Suriname.
It’s days like this when I really miss having Mookie around.
More wild than his snake charming skills, however, is that beautiful mop of curly hair. To think what Spong has been denying us for all these years.
About the author: Zane Simon is a senior editor, writer and podcaster for Bloody Elbow. Host of the MMA Vivisection and 6th Round, he has covered MMA and the UFC since 2013.(full bio)
If ever there’s been a man who knows a thing or two about doping in sports it’s Chael Sonnen. The former multiple time UFC title contender and Bellator heavyweight Grand Prix tournament competitor has been nothing if not entirely open about his own history of PED use during his time as a professional athlete.
“I get asked by people, ‘Did you ever take anything that was an enhancer?’” Sonnen recalled in a 2016 interview with ESPN. “I never took anything that wasn’t an enhancer. That’s the only reason I would take something, is if I thought it would enhance me.”
Sonnen has, at various times, debated the exact nature of—and reason for—the substances he took during his competitive MMA career (explaining that he was largely taking testosterone to combat a hypogonadism diagnosis, rather than using other synthetic steroids). But then he’s not shy about leaning into more nebulous lingo when the moment requires. Like his recent interview with Ariel Helwani, where the ‘American Gangster’ not only admitted that he “had more juice than Tropicana” for his light heavyweight title fight against Jon Jones, but that he believes Jones was doping at the time as well.
“No. Heavens no,” Sonnen exclaimed, when asked if he thought Jones was clean for their fight. “Oh my god. Oh my GOD! Oh, Ariel, we know our own. Yes. Yes, I could tell, very easily, yes.”
“Sure, it would be the body,” he continued. “I mean, it would start with your delts, it would go to your nipples, then it would be the upper abs—are the three big tells. But, yes, of course. I had more juice than Tropicana, and he pushed me around like a Mack truck vs. a Volvo. As soon as we locked up with each other I thought, ‘Ooh, I know your—” as he’s pushing me backwards. Before he caught me with his big spinning elbow I remember thinking, ‘I know your secret! Because I got the same one!’
“Yes, they tested. But back then it was an IQ test, not a drug test. We didn’t have USADA, so they had to tell us when they would come in and test.”
The longtime Team Quest talent has talked in the past about how he would game the classic ‘in competition’ drug testing measures used by commissions, noting that he’d test himself out of competition and wouldn’t accept a fight until his results came back clean. It was only with the advent of more stringent, randomized testing that he started getting caught.
Outside of Sonnen’s allegations, Jones has had his own lengthy history with drug test failures and the resulting clouded legacy that comes with them. Jones first tested positive for clomiphene and letrozole (two substances commonly used for steroid cycle recovery) in 2016. Although that test was traced to a contaminated dose of sexual-enhancement medication, Jones was suspended from competition for 1-year.
Jones was flagged again in 2017, this time for trace amounts of the Turinabol M3 metabolite, an anabolic steroid. That result prompted his UFC 214 victory over Daniel Cormier to be overturned, and for Jones to be stripped of the light heavyweight title for the third time in his career. He continued to ‘pulse’ positive for a low level of the substance for more than a year after the positive test, however USADA reduced his suspension from 4-years down to just 18-months following “substantial assistance” provided by Jones to the drug testing agency, and their determination that the fighter “was not intentionally cheating.”
Back in 2019, USADA adjusted the threshold for a positive Turinabol drug test failure—setting the bar at 0.1 ng/ml for the M3 metabolite among other levels established for Clomiphene, Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators and GW-1516 metabolites (all substances that have caused failed drug tests for UFC talent). As a result, Jones recently stated that he feels he’s been “officially cleared” of wrongdoing and that “there will be no asterick [sic] next to any of my performances.”
“It’s good the rest of the world can see what I’ve known this whole time,” he wrote in a post to his Twitter page. “My only advantage over my competition has been pure Hard work.”
About the author: Zane Simon is a senior editor, writer and podcaster for Bloody Elbow. Host of the MMA Vivisection and 6th Round, he has covered MMA and the UFC since 2013.(full bio)
When it came to the UFC’s athletes, Dana White’s domestic violence incident—where he was captured on video slapping his wife several times at a bar in Cabo San Lucas—ignited a wave of statements. Not against White for his actions, but against fans and pundits who would dare to suggest that the promotion president was out of line and should face some kind of repercussion for his actions.
Even noted anti-DV advocate Derek Brunson (who famously wore an “I beat up domestic abusers” t-shirt) found himself backpedaling into the safe zone of “second chances.”
Was Dana White wrong , “YES” . Men shouldn’t hit women. Do I feel this is a reflection of who Dana White is , NO. Dana has been a component of second chances . I think speaking up against the topic and maybe sit out two events is fair! He admitted he was wrong !
UFC fighters willing to speak up against White’s actions with any conviction or vigor have been few and far between. A position that makes Tony Ferguson’s recent actions on social media worth noting. The former interim lightweight champ took to Twitter to air his feelings about his long time fight promoter, noting that White’s violence against his wife is a reflection of the way he treats athletes behind the scenes.
It’s gonna take a class action lawsuit to let some these so called untouchables get a taste of there own medicine *mack* If this fucker treated his lady in public like that, how do you think he treats his fighters undeneath #askme@DisneyStudios@danawhite@ufc TUF Chanp pic.twitter.com/fpFoQAtYtZ
Ferguson himself was the subject of a 2019 restraining order from his wife during what appears to have been something of a psychotic episode for the then-35-year-old. Statements at the time reported that ‘El Cucuy’ went without sleep for three days and started “tearing apart” the family home as a result—under paranoid delusions that “someone was inside his walls.” However, Ferguson’s wife also told police that he did not physically harm anyone at the time, and that her restraining order was directed at getting him into treatment. It was dropped only a month later.
As for White, the UFC president faced a brief wave of criticism from media members for his actions, but made it clear he would not address the incident publicly further, and would not face any internal suspension from his duties with the UFC. Instead, he claimed that the real punishment would be the labels he’d have to carry for the rest of his life.
“There’s a lot of things that I’m going to have to deal with for the rest of my life that are way more of a punishment than what, I take a 30-day [or a] 60-day absence?” White told reporters. “That’s not a punishment to me. The punishment is that I did it, and now I have to deal with it.”
In the meantime, the UFC has already had to face pressure from an existing class action lawsuit from former fighters. While getting through the court system has been an agonizingly slow process, that legal battle has yielded some positive results. Francis Ngannou’s ability to sunset his deal with the world’s largest MMA promotion, while still holding the heavyweight title, is almost certainly a direct result of the class action challenge to UFC contract language. It’s also likely why the UFC has modified their more recent contracts with language that makes filing a class action suit against them in the future just that much more difficult.
UFC Vegas 70 is done and we can all move on. Sure, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been after losing the main event, but even as I type those words, my memory of what actually happened grows dim. Brendan Allen planted his flag in the division’s top 15, Tatiana Suarez showed she can still fight, and… I don’t really have a third thing.
So, does Allen get a chance at one of the half dozen bouts he asked for? Can Suarez still cut weight to 115 lbs? Is Trevor Peek our new Mike Perry?
To answer those questions—even that’s a stretch—I’ll be using the classic Silva/Shelby fight booking methodology from the UFC of years past. That means pitting winners against winners, losers against losers, and similarly tenured talent up against one another. Hopefully, by following that model, a few of these bout ideas will actually make it off the page and into the Octagon. Now, let’s get to the fights!
BRENDAN ALLEN
Brendan Allen has had his setbacks in the Octagon, but if his past victories hadn’t already made the point, his win here showed that ‘All In’ clearly still has what it takes to be a top 15 talent at 185. He may always struggle with high-output striking talents that aren’t deterred by his standup (which may forever shut him out of the top 5), but Allen has looked like an unbeatable fighter on the mats. Coupled with a decent chin and a lot of aggression, that’s going to keep him a tough out for a consistent class of opponent. Going into this, I thought Muniz would be just a bit too sharp on the floor. Instead he got dominated there on the way to a round 3 submission.
Hermansson has a lot to prove just at the moment.Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC
After the bout, Allen called out rematches with Sean Strickland & Chris Curtis, as well as fights with Jack Hermansson & Dricus Du Plessis. I’m much less interested in the rematches than I am the new fights. Bouts against Marvin Vettori or even Derek Brunson someday also seem like great options. If Du Plessis loses to Brunson, then Allen/Du Plessis is excellent. If he wins, however, the South African is more likely to be fast tracked to bigger names. To that end, I’ll go ahead and say book Allen against Hermansson. ‘The Joker’ is coming off a humiliating defeat against Roman Dolidze, and I’m sure would love to prove his talent against another top-flight submission artist. If it’s an opponent Allen wants, it’s a fight I’d like to see. Otherwise, Du Plessis off a loss (or the loser of Dolidze/Vettori) is an excellent match-up.
ANDRE MUNIZ
It’s not Rodolfo Vieira getting subbed by Andrew Hernandez levels of embarrassment, but I have to imagine that 3rd degree BJJ black belt Andre Muniz is going to hear about this one for quite a long time. The Brazilian has had a few losses over the course of a fourteen year MMA career, but this is the first time he’s ever had to tap out. The worst of it is, he didn’t just get caught in a sudden guillotine or a single magnificent back take in a scramble or something like that; Allen absolutely dominated him on the floor for every second the fight was there. He swept Muniz, he passed his guard, he landed GNP, and Muniz never even created a single submission attempt. He straight-up got out-grappled.
Could Muniz do to Imavov what he couldn’t do to Allen?Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Hopefully that lights a fire for the 33-year-old, because we know he has legit grappling talent, and his striking looked more dangerous than ever on Saturday. He’s still got time to put together another run. I know I suggested Allen fight Hermansson, but if that booking doesn’t happen, that would be a really good option B for Muniz. As would fights with Darren Till, the loser of Curtis vs. Gastelum, or Nassourdine Imavov. Actually, that Imavov fight is right there, front and center, and feels like it’d be a real meaningful win for either man if they could pull it off. Nassourdine Imavov vs. Andre Muniz would provide either man a badly needed bounceback.
TATIANA SUAREZ
Not to count chickens before they hatch, but this is Suarez’s must-see booking.Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
It seemed like Tatiana Suarez might be heading for a tough outing by the end of the first round. She got a lot of control time on Montana De La Rosa, but very little else—and had to work super hard for every bit of it. In the second round, Suarez once again found herself working hard to keep MDLR on the mat, to the point that—after a tough scramble—De La Rosa decided to take her own shot at getting her opponent down. That’s when Suarez jumped guillotine and reminded people that she’s had time to work on other parts of her game too these last few years. The submission win keeps her record perfect, and after the victory she announced her intention to drop back down to strawweight. It’s too bad that Mackenzie Dern just got booked against Angela Hill, because Dern/Suarez is clearly THE fight to book. Assuming Dern’s gonna win, Dern vs. Suarez is a must-see top contender’s bout at 115. Otherwise, book her against the Jandiroba/Rodriguez winner.
MIKE MALOTT
Man’s knocked out his last three opponents!Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
The questions going into this were all about whether Lainesse would test Malott in a brawl or hang back and try to figure him out. Lainesse chose the latter and the result was a thoroughly one-sided, one-round performance from Malott, who got to do whatever he wanted from range, and then took Lainesse right down at the first sign of trouble. A quick transition to arm triangle and that fight was done. Malott’s been a lot of fun in his UFC career to date, he just has to find a way to get into the cage more often. Philip Rowe’s been making his own waves in the UFC so far, if Rowe doesn’t already have something cooking then a bout against Malott would be perfect. Rowe vs. Malott should be a solid battle of rising welterweight prospects.
JORDAN LEAVITT
Mullarkey’s coming off his own clear thrashing of Francisco Pardo.Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images
After a humiliating loss to Paddy Pimblett, this was something of a gimmie bounce-back booking for Jordan Leavitt; a chance to be the bigger, stronger, more bullying athlete in the cage. All credit to him, however, he took full advantage of the opportunity, tying up with Martinez midway through round 1 to land a barrage of clinch strikes that felled the Team Ferreira fighter. Leavitt’s range game still needs a lot of work, but it’s great to see him being more aggressive standing. Just being able to create meaningful offense on his feet will make getting to his clingy grappling game much much easier. Time to push Leavitt back up into more difficult mid-division fights, to see if he can hang with more well rounded fighters. Bouts with Mike Davis, Fares Ziam, or Jamie Mullarkey wouldn’t be bad. I really like the Mullarkey bout, actually. The Aussie’s wide skill base seems like it could give Jordan fits, or get him cleanly out-grappled. Mullarkey vs. Leavitt is a quality next bout.
JOE SOLECKI
Puelles is a nasty finisher when he gets to tangle on the mats.Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Much like Leavitt, this was pure softball territory for Joe Solecki. And once again, if he’s getting a fat pitch over the middle of the plate, it’s all on him to knock it out of the park. Deaton did well for a round to defend the rear naked choke threat with Solecki on his back, but he couldn’t do it for another five minutes. Solecki got the tech sub to reinforce the idea that he’s very much a prospect on the rise. So I want to see him in the cage with another exciting young grappler trying to make his mark at the elite levels of the UFC. Claudio Puelles recently climbed up into the rankings, and failed in his first big challenge, seems like he could use a step back and Solecki a step forward. Solecki vs. Puelles should be a grappler’s delight.
OTHER BOUTS: Augusto Sakai vs. Justin Tafa, Don’Tale Mayes vs. Parker Porter, Yohan Lainesse vs. Mounir Lazzez, Trevor Peek vs. Matt Frevola, Erick Gonzalez vs. Viacheslav Borshchev, Victor Martinez vs. Carl Deaton III, Ode Osbourne vs. Cody Durden, Charles Johnson vs. CJ Vergara, Nurullo Aliev vs. Uros Medic, Rafael Alves vs. Damir Hadzovic
It’s been a bad year for the UFC when a headlining fight between Nikita Krylov and Ryan Spann looks like a pleasant upgrade from recent Fight Night offerings. Coupled with a middleweight bout between Andre Muniz & Brendan Allen, and alongside a women’s flyweight bout between Tatiana Suarez & Montana De La Rosa, however, UFC Vegas 70 is at the very least a reasonably solid card.
For fans looking to support our podcasting work as Bloody Elbow leaves VOX network of sites, we now officially have a Vivisection/6th Round Patreon.Both shows will continue to be posted, for free on BE, SoundCloud, YouTube and other podcasting apps going forward. However, the Patreon will give fans exclusive access to the MMA Depressed-us from here on out.
For those looking to dive deeper into a card that feels as though it’s all just undercard, check out the Prelims Vivi below.
Your official & honorary MMA Vivi Fight Night HostsJune M. Williams
The MMA Vivisection is brought to you by ‘The Fine Art of Violence’, a collection of art and essays recapping the year in MMA by Chris Rini, featuring the most talented artists and writers in Mixed Martial Arts. The book is available in both hard copy and digital formats at chrisrini.com.
Here’s a look at the UFC Vegas 70 fight card, as it stood at the time of recording:
ESPN+ MAIN CARD | 7pm/4pm ET&PT
Nikita Krylov vs. Ryan Spann — Picks, Both: Krylov | At 4:14, Odds 19:08 André Muniz vs. Brendan Allen — Picks, Both: Muniz | At 21:17, Odds 35:30 Augusto Sakai vs. Don’Tale Mayes — Picks, Zane: Sakai, Connor: Mayes | At 35:46, Odds 47:57 Tatiana Suarez vs. Montana De La Rosa — Picks, Both: Suarez | At 49:04, Odds 56:56 Mike Malott vs. Yohan Lainesse — Picks, Both: Malott | At 58:34, Odds 1:10:44 Erick Gonazalez vs. Trevor Peek — Picks, Zane: Peek, Connor: Gonazalez | At 1:10:58, Odds 1:17:25
ESPN+ PRELIMS | 4pm/1pm ET&PT
Gabriella Fernandes vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius — Picks, Both: Fernandes | At 7:20, Odds 19:20 Jordan Leavitt vs. Victor Martinez — Picks, Both: Leavitt | At 20:58, Odds 28:37 Ode Osbourne vs. Charles Johnson — Picks, Both: Johnson | At 30:41, Odds 36:00 Joe Solecki vs. Carl Deaton III — Picks, Both: Solecki | At 37:17, Odds 42:55 Nurulio Aliev vs. Rafael Alves — Picks, Both: Alves | At 44:18, Odds 53:43 Hailey Cowan vs. Alin Perez — Picks, Both: Perez | At 54:14, Odds 1:01:49 Jose Johnson vs. Garrett Armfield — Picks, Both: Armfield | At 1:02:12, Odds 1:09:15
For those of you following the picks made on the show, we started tracking them with the July 13th, 2020 Vivisection shows for UFC Fight Island 1: ‘Kattar vs. Ige’. So far, here are the overall standings:
For our last event, UFC Vegas 69: ‘Andrade vs. Blanchfield’:
Zane picked 7/11 for 64% and Connor also picked 7/11 for 64%
Overall stats from UFC Fight Island 1 in July, 2020, through UFC Vegas 69 in Feb, 2023:
Zane went 842/1304 for 64.6% and Connor went 797/1304 for 61.1%
2023 Stats:
Zane is 42/62 for 68% and Connor is 43/62 for 69%
2022 Stats:
Zane went 330/505 for 65% and Connor went 312/505 for 62%
2021 Stats:
Zane went 305/493 for 65% and Connor went 285/493 for 59%
July-Dec 2020 Stats:
Zane went 164/244 for 67% and Connor went 157/244 for 64%
If you enjoy our variety of shows, please give us a shout out in the comments here on Bloody Elbow, and give us a “like”, share & subscribe on your BE Presents Podcast platform of choice: YouTube, SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, OverCast, PocketCasts, Castro, Castbox, Player FM, Podcast Republic & ThatMMALife. Follow your favorite ‘Bloody Elbow Presents’ hosts on your preferred apps, such as: Downcast, PodCruncher, iCatcher!, Castaway 2, BeyondPod (Android), & more in the App Store! For previous episodes, check out our playlists on any of our BE Presents channels.
It appears that Conor McGregor’s feet are once again out of the fire. The former two-division champion and combat sports superstar had been facing accusations of assault, stemming from a post-birthday celebration on his yacht in Ibiza, Spain, last July.
A woman, who had reportedly been a casual acquaintance of McGregor’s before the party, apparently snuck into a private event for the UFC star, and was later invited by the Irishman back to his ship for a casual get-together with a few close friends. It’s only the next day that the woman claims McGregor became enraged, berating the woman before reportedly striking her and knocking her to the ground, breaking her wrist in the process.
The alleged victim, in a statement to Ireland’s Gardai police force, said that she was forced to jump overboard to escape McGregor. “It was as if he were possessed,” the woman explained. “I knew that I had to get off the boat because I thought that he was going to kill me.”
Despite all that, and following reports that the woman’s car had been set on fire and that a brick had been thrown through her window in the wake of these accusations, the Sunday World now reports that a planned civil lawsuit against McGregor in the Irish court system has been terminated by the plaintiff.
McGregor had previously denied all accusations made against him via a spokesperson. The court had been set to review an application by the plaintiff requiring McGregor to preserve any and all materials related to the case, including phone records and CCTV footage. That application has now been cancelled. No word if there were any private agreements made between the two parties that may have resulted in the alleged victim’s unwillingness to pursue charges.
Being a celebrity isn’t all gumdrops and rainbows. Having everyone know them, and a lot of their personal business can leave famous folks exposed to a whole wide variety of petty harassment. From paparazzi, to autograph hounds, or sometimes just idiots looking to have a little fun at their expense.
That’s an experience former UFC interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier got a reminder of during a recent mini-parade back home in Louisiana. A short video uploaded to social media shows the famous fighter, alongside his wife, tossing Mardi Gras beads from the back of an open-topped Jeep Rubicon—just before an unidentified man approaches the vehicle with a sign that reads “YOUR WIFE IS IN MY DMS.”
After reading the sign, Poirier reached down like he was going to shake this dummy’s hand, but instead gave him a hard smack as the man jogged to catch up.
The sign was a reference to one of Conor McGregor’s taunts delivered at UFC 264 after suffering a broken leg against Poirier in the Octagon. On the wrong end of a TKO loss for the second time in his career, the Irishman desperately tried spinning the narrative.
“I was boxing the bleeding head off him and kicking the bleeding leg off him,” McGregor told Joe Rogan, while seated on the canvas, before adding, “Your wife is in my DMs! Hey baby, hit me back up on chat later on.”
McGregor has since been accused of assaulting a woman during an after party for his birthday celebration, in July of last year in Ibiza, Spain. Authorities are still investigating the case after a complaint was lodged with Ireland’s Garda police force. At the same time, the UFC superstar has also been tabbed to coach the upcoming season of the Ultimate Fighter alongside Michael Chandler, with a bout between the two men expected for late 2023. No word yet on when fans can hope to see Poirier inside the cage again.
About the author: Zane Simon is a senior editor, writer and podcaster for Bloody Elbow. Host of the MMA Vivisection and 6th Round, he has covered MMA and the UFC since 2013.(full bio)
If fans have ever wondered why most fighters have such a sizeable chip on their shoulder—beyond the innate competitiveness that seems to drive most pro athletes—look no further than dear old mom.
More so than most, combat sports are an athletic activity for which danger is an inherent part of the game. Show me a fighter and I’ll find you someone who has had family members regularly ask them ‘When are you going to stop doing this and get a real job?’ Even, it turns out, if that fighter is one of the very best in the world at what he does.
Khabib Nurmagomedov famously handed in his quitting papers after his third defense of the UFC lightweight title, telling reporters after the fact that his mom was a major motivator for stepping away from MMA.
“…I talked with my mother (for) three days,” Nurmagomedov revealed, speaking on his decision to fight Justin Gaethje. “She didn’t want me to fight without father, but I promised her it was going to be my last fight, and if I give my word, I have to follow this. It was my last fight here.”
In a recent interview with UFC Russia, current lightweight champ—and Khabib disciple—Islam Makhachev said that he too still finds his mom urging him to retire from competition and follow in the ‘Eagle’’s footsteps.
“My mother doesn’t watch fights,” Makhachev told UFC Russia (transcript via MMA Fighting). “Not just my fights, fights in general. She doesn’t like seeing people hit each other.
“When I came home [after winning the title], there were a lot of people there. She said, ‘You’re champion now. Wrap it up. Khabib listened to his mother, when will you listen to yours?’”
“I told her Khabib defended his title and I need to do the same,” Makhachev said. “It’s a hard topic for my mother. My father’s the opposite. He watches all the fights.”
If Makhachev seems like he’s got a little extra fire to him next time he steps into the Octagon, just remember that he’s still got to prove to his mom that he didn’t make the wrong move by turning down the chance to get a dependable, safe desk job—or go back to school like that nice Magomedsharipov boy.
No word yet on who the Dagestani will face next time he steps into the Octagon. Alexander Volkanovski is currently campaigning for an instant rematch against the champ after coming up short at UFC 284 in his bid to capture a second belt. Otherwise, an upcoming UFC 288 bout between Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush may just decide the next top contender, if Dustin Poirier doesn’t get there first.
About the author: Zane Simon is a senior editor, writer and podcaster for Bloody Elbow. Host of the MMA Vivisection and 6th Round, he has covered MMA and the UFC since 2013.(full bio)
It’s not an unusual thing to see in the sports world, let alone the combat sports world, but few fighters’ careers have seemed to be so entirely goal driven as Henry Cejudo’s. The former Olympic gold medalist and two division champion nearly looked headed for MMA washout territory early in his career when—after repeated failures to make the flyweight limit on the regional scene—the UFC had to cancel Cejudo’s Octagon debut due to a botched weight cut.
Eventually pushed to debut against Dustin Kumra up at bantamweight, even that little bit of adversity seemed to light a fire under the 27-year-old’s ass. ‘The Messenger’ won his next three flyweight bouts to get his first UFC title shot. A crushing defeat at the hands of all-time great Demetrious Johnson. A split-decision loss to Joe Benavidez due to point deductions followed immediately on the heels of the loss to ‘Mighty Mouse,’ but it’s clear yet another fire had been lit.
Where formerly, Cejudo had seemed to be getting buy on his athletic gifts and dominating wrestling game, the long time Fight Ready athlete started to add a confident and aggressive kick boxing style to his attack. In a run that’s seen him pick up wins over Johnson, TJ Dillashaw, Sergio Pettis, and Dominick Cruz, Cejudo hasn’t tasted defeat in years.
The end of a remarkable run for ‘Triple C’.Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images
Being honest, that might actually have become something of a problem. If early doubters, and a hard losses seemed like the big motivating factors for ‘Triple C’ early in his career, once Cejudo won the flyweight title, he started setting his own goals. He jumped up to bantamweight and won the belt there. Then he set his sights on featherweight. Could he become the UFC’s first three division champion? Dana White & Co. had no interest in finding out. Attempts at contract negotiations were quickly rebuffed.
Without a new mountain to climb, Cejudo promptly retired. The years since he hung up his gloves have seen him take on a promising future career as a coach and cornerman. He’s made his moves into media as well, with some podcasting, some analysis and breakdown videos—and even a turn or two as a color commentator for Eagle FC.
Now 36-years-old, likely a bit slower, rustier, and maybe just a hair less physically dominant, it seems that Cejudo has found a test worth taking again. After all, if the mountain won’t come to the man, then the man must go to the mountain.
Cejudo had his taste of being the favorite against Dominick Cruz, it wasn’t his vibe at all. He’s give up his titles, he’s taken his time off and—via a report from MMA Junkie—he’s found himself a new mountain to climb. The UFC has never had a champion under 155 lbs older than 35 (a mark set by Deiveson Figueiredo back in December), could the fighter out of Phoenix be the first?
Sterling made Dillashaw look foolish.Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
For Aljamain Sterling this represents a challenge Cejudo never seemed to have an interest in taking: making another title defense. ‘The Funkmaster’ is fresh off a shockingly one-sided win over TJ Dillashaw last October, with Dillashaw entering the bout nursing a severely injured shoulder that rendered him almost entirely unable to compete. That fight marked the continuation of a strange legacy for the Serra-Longo product, who now has wins over Dillashaw, Petr Yan, and Cory Sandhagen, but is still regarded by many as one of the UFC’s least dominant title holders.
It wouldn’t even be a surprise if, by fight night, Cejudo actually finds himself as the betting favorite. Be that as it may, it seems clear that there’s nothing he enjoys more than feeling as though the deck has been stacked against him. Even for the times he’s been the one dealing the cards.
UFC 288 has been targeted for May 6th, although the UFC has yet to confirm a location for the event. Alongside the bantamweight title fight, the promotion is also targeting a lightweight top contender’s bout between Beneil Dariush and Charles Oliveira—as well as a featherweight fight between Bryce Mitchell and Jonathan Pearce.
About the author: Zane Simon is a senior editor, writer and podcaster for Bloody Elbow. Host of the MMA Vivisection and 6th Round, he has covered MMA and the UFC since 2013.(full bio)
It may not have been much of a card to support her, but Erin Blanchfield got the chance to shine in the main event of UFC Vegas 69, and she took it—submitting former strawweight champ Jessica Andrade via rear naked choke early in the second round. That’s really the only result of note on the night.
So, is there any reason Blanchfield should fight again before getting a crack at UFC gold? Is Alex Hernandez “back” yet? And is it time to give Mayra Bueno Silva a big step up in the bantamweight division?
To answer those questions—and pretty much only those questions—I’ll be using the classic Silva/Shelby fight booking methodology from the UFC of years past. That means pitting winners against winners, losers against losers, and similarly tenured talent up against one another. Hopefully, by following that model, a few of these bout ideas will actually make it off the page and into the Octagon. Now, let’s get to the fights!
ERIN BLANCHFIELD
Short notice for Jessica Andrade be damned, this was a huge step forward for Erin Blanchfield just five years into her MMA career, and four fights into her time with the UFC. Andrade hasn’t been unbeatable, but the only fighters she’s ever lost to under 135 lbs have been champions. Given all that then, maybe it’s time to quell the feeling that Blanchfield is being given too much too soon.
In fact, among a contender field of Alexa Grasso, Manon Fiorot, and Taila Santos, it has to be noted that not one of those women have a win that is near as dominant over an opponent as high quality as Andrade. Finishing a former champ still well within her physical prime is a monumental feather in the cap for ‘Cold Blooded.’ It’s almost too bad that Grasso is set to fight for gold next month, because it’s clear who the division’s top contender is right now. Erin Blanchfield vs. the Shevchenko/Grasso winner is the fight we need to see.
JESSICA ANDRADE
Was being willing to jump straight into a main event against a top prospect on one-week’s notice the reason Jessica Andrade got a big new contract? Or was getting the big new contract the reason Jessica Andrade was willing to take this fight? I’m not sure of the answer, but I’m glad either way that ‘Bate Estaca’ got paid for her work. Unfortunately, it’s hard not to think that Andrade losing didn’t just rob us of the most interesting and high profile women’s strawweight title fight available.
One. More. Time.Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Would the UFC be willing to give Andrade a rematch with Weili Zhang coming of this loss? It seems unlikely, but it wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen something like it. Hell, Randy Couture won the light heavyweight belt off Chuck Liddell in 2003, off back-to-back heavyweight losses to Josh Barnett & Ricco Rodriguez. All things considered, I’ll say this makes for a better time to target the trilogy fight with Rose Namajunas, with a title shot on the line for the winner. Both women would have a strong claim to top contender status, even with just one victory.
ALEXANDER HERNANDEZ
A top-flight prospect who plateaued with a very flawed game, you ask? Say no more!Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
A badly needed win for Alexander Hernandez, who has seemed to be in a constant state of rebuilding ever since Donald Cerrone put an old-man ass whoopin’ on him. To that end, this was the most convincing victory of his career since that loss to ‘Cowboy’; a truly hard-fought three round battle where he went through plenty of adversity, but dug deep to do damage of his own in every round. Are the problems that saw him lose to Renato Moicano and Billy Quarantillo gone? Probably not, but this win will get him more chances in the thick of the lightweight division to figure it all out. If Drakkar Klose is able to return from injury any time soon, he’s another guy who’s been trying to iron the kinks out of his game for a while now. If he’s not, then Nasrat Haqparast is exactly the right kind of fight for Hernandez to take next. Hernandez vs. Haqparast for the battle of exciting prospects still trying to live up to potential.
MAYRA BUENO SILVA
What’s it take for a woman bantamweight to get off the prelims? That’s three straight wins for Mayra Bueno Silva, including one Fight of the Night showing and now a Performance of the Night as well. She’s wild, fun to watch, and a born finisher from any position.
Feels like everyone in this division is coming off a win over Lina Lansberg right now.Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
After the bout she called out everyone from Juliana Pena, Raquel Pennington, and Miesha Tate to Amanda Nunes herself. At the very least she deserves someone in the Tate-to-Santos, bottom half of the top 10 range. Of those options, Pannie Kianzad is the woman coming off a win (over Lansberg, no less) who doesn’t yet have another fight booked. Silva vs. Kianzad is just the kind of booking that could push the Brazilian into the contender’s circle if she can get the W there.
JAMALL EMMERS
Give Emmers a veteran test.Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
It was hard not to feel like Jamall Emmers was getting overlooked heading into Saturday night. Khusein Askhabov had the kind of record and the kind of pedigree that gets a lot of attention; a clear physical force with a love of violent aggression that Emmers would have to be perfectly on point to survive. The thing is, while it’s happened quietly and with its share of setbacks, Emmers’ game really has improved a lot over the years into a very high-level veteran style. That’s what showed up in the Octagon this weekend, and left Askhabov flailing against a brick wall of Emmers’ defensively responsible counter-punching, wrestling, and forward pressure. The result is a big win for the Pinnacle MMA talent, one that may have even saved his UFC career. As a 33-year-old with tons of experience and a difficult style to crack, just about any fight outside the top 15 would make sense right now. So, I’ll go ahead and say a booking against Andre Fili would be a ton of fun. Throw the man into deeper waters, see if he can swim to the top.
PHILIPE LINS
Rountree with a jab!? Love to see it.Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
This is the kind of performance the UFC had to be hoping for when they brought Philipe Lins over from the PFL after his million-dollar tournament winning 2018 run. Lins has had 10 cancelled bookings since then, and just four bouts in the Octagon, but seems thoroughly revitalized down at 205 lbs. OSP may not be the fighter he once was, but it was on ‘Monstro’ to prove as much. Which he did, walking through the former interim title contender in under a minute. Khalil Rountree is just coming off a pretty surprising win over Dustin Jacoby from last October, that seems like exactly the kind of test for Lins to see if he can break into the light heavyweight rankings going forward. Rountree vs. Lins would be a ‘don’t blink’ war.
OTHER BOUTS: Zac Pauga vs. Aleksa Camur, Jordan Wright vs. William Knight, Jamal Pogues vs. Mohammed Usman, Josh Parisian vs. Buday/Collier loser, Marcin Prachnio vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu, Jim Miller vs. John Makdessi, Nazim Sadykhov vs. Maheshate, Evan Elder vs. Mike Breeden, Lina Lansberg vs. Julija Stoliarenko, Khusein Askhabov vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan, Ovince St. Preux vs. Alexander Gustafsson, AJ Fletcher vs. Josh Quinlan, Themba Gorimbo vs. Yusaku Kinoshita, Clayton Carpenter vs. Hyun Sung Park, Juancamilo Ronderos vs. Shannon Ross
About the author: Zane Simon is a senior editor, writer and podcaster for Bloody Elbow. Host of the MMA Vivisection and 6th Round, he has covered MMA and the UFC since 2013.(full bio)
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