ufc fight of the year candidates 2021

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Fortunately for all parties, except the recipients of such blows, 2021 was chock-full of throttling KOs. December 8, 2021 by James Sweetnam Dustin Poirier has had some of the most exciting fights in UFC history. Lets have fun. Then came a front kick knockout courtesy of Marlon Vera and two highly competitive title fights, which saw Rose Namajunas and Kamaru Usman narrowly retain their belts against highly capable challengers. Moments later, however, Ortega flipped up his signature triangle choke, and once again, Volkanovski pulled off an escape with vengeance. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Fighters want to deliver them as much as fight fans want to see them. Stunning knock out Usman Vs masvidal 2 UFC 261 new. In their third encounter in the summer, Poirier dominated the Irishman before a doctors stoppage meant McGregor could no longer continue. Things went from bad to worse for Holland when he suffered a hand injury, but to his credit, he never stopped trying to fight back. Hello, friends! A daily roundup of all your fighting news from MMA Mania, By submitting your email, you agree to our, MMA Mania, UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, UFC/MMA Fights of the Year 2022 - Top 5 List. Does Aldo have a chance at another title? Sherdog.com Staff Not to mention there have been some crazy moments in 2021 so far for the company. Dana White Recognizes Some Of The Best Performances Of 2021 By Zac Pacleb, on Twitter @ZacPacleb Jan. 13, 2022 Performance Of The Year Nominees Rose Namajunas Knocks Out Zhang Weili (UFC. But for Aldo to claim a second belt, hell need to get lucky. Prochazka backed up Reyes to the cage and threw a slashing right elbow. There is nothing quite as invigorating as a knockout in combat sports. They were one of the first sports organizations to welcome full crowds back to their events. MMA Junkie Staff. However, you can still get your gambling in anytime you like, thanks to Lucky Nugget pokies. Bellator? All anyone wanted from a fight between Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler was a war "for as long as it lasted," and somehow, despite the result requiring judges for determination, the two lightweight contenders exceeded expectations in Madison Square Garden. He thoroughly outwrestled Masvidal en route to a unanimous decision victory in their first clash in July 2020. Reyes was left bloodied and bludgeoned at 4:29 of Round 2. UFC Vegas 74 video: Jim Miller demolishes Jesse Butler with devastating 23-second knockout, Jim Miller delivered the fastest finish of his UFC career after blasting newcomer Jesse Butler with punches to earn a blistering knockout, Video: Greg Hardy knocked out at Team Combat League event. In Jacksonville, Florida, she reminded everyone in the world she is the best with a first-round, head kick knockout of Zhang Weili that made her a two-time UFC champion. And could that fight reach 1.7 million buys? Khamzat And Burns Go To War, UFC Anniversary Limited Edition Fight Glove, Aljamain Sterling Authentic Walkout Jersey, Meta PR Statement Says Zuck Didnt Tap OR Nap, Killer Admission: It Was Very Sad To See It. Those fights happen all the time and can certainly be fun, but one-way traffic is usually not considered a good fight. For Pea to win, she needs to ugly this fight the f*ck up and make it a boring slog against the fence. Usman's rattling right hand had sweat bouncing off Masvidal's head like children at a trampoline park. Nothing builds tension between opponents quite like coaching against one another onThe Ultimate Fighter, and Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega are no exception. A daily roundup of all your fighting news from MMA Mania, By submitting your email, you agree to our, MMA Mania, UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, UFC/MMA Events of the Year 2021 - Top 5 List. Both were close fights. Burns responded with bomb after bomb after bomb, but Chimaevs aggression and durability carried him to the toughest victory of his career. Now that hes well clear of a slightly stunning two-fight skid, will 2022 be the year Pico breaks out and wins a Bellator title? Sign up for the MMA Junkie newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. We didnt get the finish we expected in the main event, but the event was honestly the better for it. The light heavyweight fighter Prochazka took control early in the bout by bloodying Reyes face. UFC continues to make roster changes ahead of its summer fight campaign, recently parting ways with a lightweight fan favorite, despite one bout remaining on his current contract. Learn how your comment data is processed. When it comes towards the end of the year, people begin to debate who the fighter of the year was. However, Oliveira carried himself like a champion the entire time, including in the Octagon. Soon, however, attrition began to take its toll as Gamrot ramped up his barrage of takedowns. In the end, the score was settled and respect was earned, and Volkanovski seemed to have gained everyone's acknowledgement as the best featherweight in the world for at least one night. Was there ever any doubt? So, no, Gaethje can pass up the McGregor fight and get a title shot. You can watch the full episode in the video below. In broad strokes, though, that would help Pea by making this a grappling fight. Between these two Fight of the Night bonus-winning classics that went to the judges scorecards, which bout is the current leader in the clubhouse for Fight of the Year honors? The final Bellator fight of 2021 delivered its most spectacular and arguably most memorable result. It was a definitive end to their feud and provided Usman the signature moment in a banner year. They were one of the first sports organizations to welcome full crowds back to their events. But according to the scorecards, Riddell was the better fighter this time. Though all four of the guys you mentioned are generally thought of to be exciting fighters, the truth is, none of them have a great track record of Performance or Fight of the Night bonuses. Watch UFC Vegas 74 full fight video highlights: Jim Miller vs. Jesse Butler earlier tonight (Sat., June 3, 2023) live on ESPN/ESPN+ from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Proudly powered by WordPress Get UFC Vegas 74 results for the Kara-France vs. Albazi fight card in Las Vegas on Saturday night. The UFC with its innovative and experienced team behind the marketing and promotion of this MMA behemoth have found new ways to put on spectacular fights and entertain us all. "Thug" Rose Namajunas has the knack for the spectacular when it comes to capturing the strawweight title. After Holloways big win, should he be next in line for featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, who beat him to win the belt, then beat him a second time to defend it? Multiple wins and good performances will contribute to a fighters standings in this award. Prochazka practically pierced Reyes' skull with a spinning back elbow on May 1. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC), Updates To UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs Chikadze. His wrestling and top control proved effective despite Burns jiu-jitsu pedigree, and a heavy knockdown late in the first seemed like the beginning of the end for Durinho.. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Personally, I believe Justin Gaethje is the best lightweight in the world right now (maybe second best behind Islam Makhachev). See how UFC fighters reacted to the UFC Vegas 74 main event between Kai Kara-France and Amir Albazi, along with other notable moments from Saturdays main card. Were gonna find out. When Moreno finally ended the fight with a submission, he almost looked stunned inside the Octagon, like he didn't believe he actually just became a champion. Mixed martial arts (MMA) fans were never short on action this year, as Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) alone offered 41 cards in 52 weeks. Chimaev, in turn, proved his own determination. | Rose Namajunas defeated former champion Zhang Weili twice in 2021. For 15 minutes, Gaethje and Chandler delivered a back-and-forth, tension-filled stunner of a fight. With his takedowns no longer producing results, he stalked Burns from bell to bell and unleashed nearly 100 significant strikes in the process. Click for more details. Prochazkas endless engine looked to finally be giving out, and Teixeira nearly put him away in the opening seconds of the fifth with some vicious punches. Everything That Happened At UFC Vegas 74 Last Night! 1 Gaethje vs. Chandler UFC 268 Justin Gaethje wins via Decision, Unanimous Nov 2021 2 Volkanovski vs. Ortega UFC 266 Alexander Volkanovski wins via Decision, Unanimous Sep 2021 3 Reyes vs. Prochzka UFC Fight Night Ji Prochzka wins via KO/TKO, Spinning Elbow May 2021 4 Oliveira vs. Chandler A good chunk of the narrative leading up in the extended buildup to the fight between Max Holloway and Yair Rodriguez was about question marks. From violence to drama to technique, this was everything you could possibly want out of a main event, and it more than deserves its spot atop this years list. One of the most exciting fighters on the roster today is Cory Sandhagen. UFC Fighter of the Year Contenders. It makes people think they can beat him, as opposed to like Khabib or something, and so when the phone rings with a Gaethje fight on the other line, it seems more like an opportunity than a punishment. Women's strawweight queen Rose Namajunas was awarded the Female Fighter of the Year award. He got his year off to a great start as he defended his title twice. 10:19 am ET, wheel kick that floored Gian Villante at UFC 268, head-kick knockout of Weili Zhang at UFC 261, UFC Fight Night: Kara-France vs. Albazi odds, picks, Top UFC storylines you may have missed in May, Fans enthralled by Chris Barnett's dancing skills and infectious personality were given a sweet bonus in the form of an impossible, Francis Ngannou made good on his revenge tour against arguably UFC's greatest heavyweight champion, Stipe Miocic. When comparing those two fights, Josh Emmett vs. Dan Ige is probably the better fight in that both men are top-10 bantamweights and they do a lot of things well, but they both also wrestle, and so theres a much higher likelihood that one man just sits on the other for stretches of the bout. A panel of CBS Sports experts sat down to vote on our picks for fighter, knockout and fight of the year, with some very interesting results. Tim Elliott claims hes unable to get tickets for his family to attend UFC Vegas 74 on Saturday night. Neal and Ponzi almost never wrestle, and they combined for 9 significant strikes per minute, as compared to Emmett and Iges 8. After all that, the two bantamweights put on a striking clinic for five rounds in Abu Dhabi. Something went wrong. Coach Trevor Wittman and his team walked away three-for-three at. Tsarukyan controlled the first two rounds with his effective, versatile kickboxing, which looked a step above Gamrots powerful-but-limited boxing. Hello, friends! The welterweight champion is one of the most dominant forces the division has had. 'The Nigerian Nightmare' started the calendar year by knocking out Gilbert Burns in the third round at UFC 258. Sign up for the UFC Fight Night: Kara-France vs. Albazi full card results Main card. Or, if Nunes is feeling frisky, she can shoot takedowns on Pea. The https://www.ufc.com/ editorial staff handed out some awards to close out 2021, including the fight of the year.Subscribe to get all the latest UFC content: http://bit.ly/2uJRzRRExperience UFC live with UFC FIGHT PASS, the digital subscription service of the UFC. You can watch the full episode in the video above. Love or hate McGregor, he is also one of the most exciting fighters in MMA history and, for my money, Gaethje-McGregor is guaranteed to be one of the best fights of all time. Then he turned the tables in remarkable fashion. Or back in the PFL. Michael Chandler and Justin Gaethje put on an incredible fight at UFC 268 in New York, followed by Max Holloway vs. Yair Rodriguez in the main event of UFC Fight Night 197 in Las Vegas. Keep on flowing, Sandhagen. Stuff like that doesnt happen. This week, we look back at the UFCFight Night 197 and Bellator 271 headliners, look ahead to Saturdays , and talk a little Jon Jones. UFC Vegas 74 Results: Kara-France vs. Albazi. If you're trapped on an island and had to choose a handful of fights you couldn't live without, what would you choose, Go Through All Of The Heavyweight Title Winners In UFC History, UFC Announces Updates To UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs Chikadze, Check Out The Latest Episode Of UFC Unfiltered, Our 30th Anniversary Celebration Will Make This IFW The Biggest And Best Yet, Daniel Cormier is joined by Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje as they preview their rematch at UFC 291 for the BMF title July 29, Dana White Recognizes Some Of The Best Performances Of 2021, von Zac Pacleb, on Twitter @ZacPacleb https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/11/spinning-back-clique-mma-ufc-bellator-opinion-analysis-breakdown-video-kayla-harrison-max-holloway-conor-mcgregor-cris-cyborg, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. And what a dance it was. All in all, this is one of the most stacked fight cards of the year, so lets get down to business. Which UFC fighter won Fighter of the Year 2021. Look, I like Raulian Paiva and I think hes game enough make OMalley work tonight, but this fight is fairly dumb, and if OMalley does his job, all we did was spin our wheels against a guy who doesnt raise OMalleys profile in any meaningful way. Most Relevant is selected, so some comments may have been filtered out. So which one is the leader in the clubhouse as we come down the stretch in 2021? If there were any concerns about Burns heart, though, he addressed them spectacularly, landing a staggering 56 power-punches with 62% accuracy in the second round. Sign up for the However, there's one in particular that he can't stop watching. Oops. Pea needs to do that. Please enter a valid email and try again. Due to the judges unanimous decision, Davis left the Octagon as a winner. Munhoz won the fight due to the unanimous decision of the judges. . THE SANDMAN HAS PUT EDGAR TO SLEEP. Surprisingly, its probably Geoff Neal vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio. More "sneaky" FOTN potential, Neal vs. ponzinibbio or Emmett vs. IGE? This year's award was a coin toss between two men deeply deserving of the honor. After the two got on each other's nerves in the show's return, they got to settle all grievances at UFC 266 in Las Vegas and just so happen to deliver one of the best featherweight title fights in recent memory. So, this time The Young Punisher came to get redemption. Kamaru Usman had an incredible year in 2021, successfully defending his title three times. Reyes gave as good he got, but could not keep up with Prochazka's live-action recreation of The Tasmanian Devil. The show opened with a number of entertaining, competitive match ups, but it absolutely caught fire four fights in with the aforementioned wheel kick. https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/11/ufc-video-michael-chandler-vs-justin-gaethje-or-max-holloway-vs-yair-rodriguez-our-panel-debates-fight-of-the-year, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. It has been a crazy year for the UFC, to say the least. In the first round, Chandler landed a powerful punch in Oliveiras face. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Namajunas shocked the world when she defeated Weili at UFC 261 after knocking the Chinese fighter down with a head kick. Updated by the minute, our Dallas Cowboys NFL Tracker: News and views and moves inside The Star and around the league . It was a gigantic reminder that nothing in mixed martial arts is a sure thing, and instantly became a "where were you when?" Fights have to not only stand on their own merits, but prove themselves worthy of consideration among a massive, constantly growing library of classics. Fanduels MMA betting odds have been as popular as ever with UFC fans this year so lets look at the ten most thrilling contests we have seen so far in 2021; The fight between Burgos and Barboza came out thrillful. Sandhagen came out furiously in the first round putting on display the volume and diversity that have many so excited about him. Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler delivered exactly as promised at UFC 268, resulting in a three-round slugfest that will surely vie for "Fight of the Year" when the books are closed on 2021. Even though the third round was tough on him, he managed to win against T-City via 5 round decision. But Aldo looked incredible against Rob Font, whom I think extremely highly of. 10 UFC Fight Of The Year Candidates For 2021 By William Tesh Dec 15, 2021 Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, fight of the year 2021 has been a classic year for fighting despite the. Can't get enough boxing and MMA? If he can come out on top, there are few with a better record than him in 2021. Kayla Harrison won her second $1 million PFL title in October, but now shes a free agent. In the rematch, Namajunas displayed technical superiority against Weili and successfully secured a split-decision victory at UFC 268. Prochazka not only rounded out the first half of 2021 with its Knockout of the Year, but he entered a KO that surely ranks high on the all-time list. Thompson Stops Holland! On Rodriguez's end, the Mexican contender hadn't fought since 2019, so more than a few people wondered what he had to offer against the former champion. If you like knockouts, this was the event for you. UFC president Dana White has seemed ho-hum about the potential to sign her to the featherweight division. The first three rounds were a whirlwind of offense; any protracted standup exchange saw Prochazkas avalanche of offense seemingly put Teixeira on the ropes, only for the Brazilian to drag Prochazka to the mat and pound away until Prochazka somehow slipped out from underneath it and the process began again. Virtually no one does it when doing so means adjusting a style that made you one of the four or five greatest fighters of all time. All it takes is one punch, kick, spinning back elbow, or flying knee in the UFC. Then, he will look to defend his title for a third time against bitter rival Colby Covington before the year closes. This card had two Fight of the Year candidates back-to-back, plus Chris Barnett wheel kicking Gian Villante into oblivion. Similarly, if Poirier wins, I suspect he will mostly just talk about what this means to him and his family, and not commit to anything specific hell, he might even retire, though thats unlikely. UFC veteran Greg Hardy had a rough night at the Mohegan Sun Casino. Miller Smokes UFC Newcomer With 23-Second KO. 1 Kamaru "Nigerian Nightmare" Usman 20-3-0 Recent Fights: DEC 2023 TKO 2022 DEC 2021 TKO 2021 TKO 2021 During the three rounds, an impressive number of 225 strikes were landed. Get weird with it. A few grappling scrambles were sprinkled in, and the two former college wrestlers flashed their prowess on the mat as well. Here's a look at a few possible front runners to steal the show on upcoming cards. Keep the fight at distance and rifle shots into Peas head until she falls down. For Nunes, obviously the opposite is true. The Ten Best Fights Of 2021 In A Year Featuring Hundreds Of Epic Battles, Here's 10 We'll Always Remember By Thomas Gerbasi, on Twitter: @TGerbasi Dec. 25, 2021 What were the best fights of. Prochazka only fought once in 2021, but what a fight it was. The nine Prelims set the stage nicely with five finishes and two excellent three-rounders in Dominick Cruz vs. Pedro Munhoz and Josh Emmett vs. Dan Ige, and the two remainders were plenty watchable in their own rights. Get the latest headlines on the Philippines and across the globe on ANC's 'Rundown' (1 June 2023) | Philippines, ABS-CBN News Channel, headline, globe These fighters have either been released from their UFC contracts, announced their retirement or joined other promotions: Aalon Cruz - Released in May - Lightweight [1] Al Iaquinta - Retired in November - Lightweight [2] Alan Jouban - Retired in May - Welterweight [3] Adam Yandiev - Released in March - Middleweight [4] moment in the sport's history. When it comes to the Davis vs. Jones fight at UFC Fight Island 8, we can say that there was no rest given to either Beast Boy or The Dragon. LIVE! But against Aljamain Sterling, I would actually favor Aldo. He will fight for the divisions interim title against former champion Petr Yan. What really cemented its place high on this year's list was its visual appeal. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Hard to beat that. 1Sergio Pettis def. Right after the opening bell, Riddell showed that he came to the Octagon to win. Kai Kara-France via split decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47) Alex Caceres def. The stylistic pairing is favorable, and Kara-France is for sure going to push a pace in this one. UFC Vegas 74, The Morning After: Old Man Power Is Real! newsletter, Bonuses! Please check your email for a confirmation. Sterling doesnt have that and I think Aldo could cleanly outpoint him, a la Frankie Edgar. Yes, OMalley gives off the vibe of your rich friends younger brother who decided liking pot was a personality trait and now hes into crypto and CBD, but OMalley is actually a 27 year old grown-ass man who has been signed to the UFC for almost five years. Incredibly, the finish came with five seconds left in the fight. Your login session has expired. This week, we look back at. And what does it mean for Masvidal? 6-keys: media/spln/mma/reg/free/stories, at For Oliveira to win he needs to get on top of Poirier, and I legitimately have no idea if he can or not. Women's strawweight queen Rose Namajunas was awarded the Female. Sterling is an under-appreciated fighter and champion but his style is generous for Aldo. Tsarukyan soon turned it right back with a clutch spinning back fist, but Gamrot was not to be denied. Sure, there is always the chance. This is usually awarded to someone who had an impressive calendar year. The modern-day barbarian punched, kicked, kneed and elbowed his way to a future UFC light heavyweight title shot in an artistic display of violence. Five straight knockouts followed, among them a huge upset from Chris Curtis and a lethal flying knee from kickboxing great Alex Pereira, before a pair of phenomenal wars in Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler and Shane Burgos vs. Billy Quarantillo. This was a fight that many in the community were torn on entering . Awards as voted on by Brian Campbell, Brent Brookhouse, Brandon Wise and Shakiel Mahjouri. A fight that stands out immediately is the featherweight title fight at UFC 267. The modern-day barbarian punched, kicked, kneed and elbowed his way to a future UFC light heavyweight title shot in an artistic display . The moment finally hit Moreno, though, and he delivered one of the most iconic moments of the year. Remember how Kamaru Usman foot-stomped his way to victory over Jorge Masvidal in their first fight? For Khamzat Chimaev, this was a chance to show that his heretofore unstoppable attack would work against an elite Welterweight. All those things were put to rest the moment the two started throwing hands, however, and a matchup that carried plenty of potential delivered in highly entertaining fashion. Prochazka delivered the final word with an amazing spinning elbow that sent Reyes crashing to the mat in the third round. But if Nunes gets on top, Pea is also screwed. Not the case here. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: mma | pageType: stories | The 205ers traded heavy and often in their main event, each man hurting the other with their best shots. Dustin Poirier has been one of the biggest names in combat sports this year. In 2015, the fight between Munhoz and Rivera didnt go as Munhoz has previously imagined. Tim Elliott claims hes unable to get tickets for his family to attend UFC Vegas 74 on Saturday night. Undoubtedly, both of them fired some heavy shots during the fight. Moreover, though OMalley is content with fighting unranked guys because the money is the same (the correct business decision, for what its worth), he also talks an enormous amount of sh*t at ranked guys and honestly, its exhausting. As far as callouts go, sadly, I think were in store for some tedious mic work tonight. Quality definitely made up for quantity. Speaking of recency bias, heres another terrific show from the end of this year. Oliveiras greatest strength is in his dynamism he can score finishes quickly, either through grappling or striking and so Poirier needs to dictate the terms of engagement and not allow for Do Bronx to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Oops. Fight of the Year: Tyson Fury TKO 11 Deontay Wilder Bad blood, a prolonged legal dispute and COVID-19 issues delayed the rematch between two of boxing's top heavyweights for nearly 20 months.. Eight of the 11 bouts ended via (technical) knockout, including an insane seven in a row. He kicked off the PPV schedule for the UFC back in January. Unfortunately, the comeback was short-lived, as Reyes was left unconscious by Prochazkas spinning back-elbow. Sherdog 2010 Awards: The Complete List All of Sherdog's awards for 2010 in one place: Fighter of the Year, Knockout of the Year, Submission of the Year and much more. Heres the deal, I have a strong history of saying the UFC is terrible at promoting because they often throw their fun prospects to the wolves too soon. Daniel Pineda via unanimous . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. When you talk about fighters rising up the rankings, none have done it quite like Ciryl Gane. If Nunes wins, she will say the same thing she always does: Im the champion forever and Ill fight anyone. Riveting stuff. In the beginning, it looked as though Chimaev was more up to the task. UFC Vegas 74 Results & Play-By-Play! I wasn't buying Aldo as a real bantamweight contender, but then he looked like great against Font. He had Landwehr dead to rights early, but the latters indomitable will allowed him to claw his way back in and brutalize an increasingly exhausted Onama. 115-pound title in 2021 and then won . The two showed excellence on the feet, throwing calculated bombs at one another and taking them in stride. Holloway vs. Kattar at UFC Fight Island 7 was incredible. He then settled his beef with the 'BMF' champion Jorge Masvidal by starching 'Gamebred' in the second round in spectacular fashion at UFC 261. Or should Holloway be thinking about a big-money fight like a rematch with Conor McGregor? Once they hit the championship rounds, however, Teixeiras experience in deep waters began to show itself. For five rounds, Holloway and Rodriguez stood toe-to-toe and fired their best at one another, and in the end, "Blessed" picked up another win to bolster his resume for another chance to regain his throne. As the fight grew, Yan built as well, making the right adjustments to sway the momentum fully in his favor. Usman entered his second UFC welterweight title fight against Masvidal as a deserving favorite. The more Pea can turn this into a test of wills instead of skills, the better off shell be. Pea cannot win an MMA contest against Amanda Nunes. I just cant wait for it to happen. Khamzat Chimaev punches Gilbert Burns in the welterweight bout during the UFC 273 event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on April 9, 2022 in . Theme: Newsup by Themeansar. "No Mercy" eventually got the judges' nod and solidified an eventual rematch with Sterling that will unify the bantamweight title at some point soon. So, can Nunes ugly this fight up? The card started with two consecutive Fight of the Night candidates and ended with two Knockout of the Year candidates. Since dropping to 135 I have, frankly, been terrified every time Aldo has fought, because I think this is the time his chin gets broken for good. Third place: Charles Oliveira def. There were massive title fights, stunning upsets, incredible comebacks, and so much more. Max Holloway and Yair Rodriguez spent five rounds beating the tar out of each other, showcasing incredible grit and adaptability to turn what we thought would be a wipeout into a Fight of the Year candidate. Its Hard To Reel These Guys In And Get Them Fired Up. Following Valentina Shevchenkos destruction of Jessica Andrade, Rose Namajunas needed just 78 seconds to put Zhang Weili to sleep and once again claim ownership of the UFC Strawweight title. Early in Round 2, Usman hurled an asteroid of a straight right hand that spun Masvidal's head in orbit. Specifically, how Masvidal entered the first fight on significantly short notice and that Usman had to rely on a risk-averse approach. Please enter a valid email and try again. The champion tapped, and Pea ended a 5-year undefeated streak for the woman many consider to be the GOAT of women's MMA and one of the most dominant champions in the sport overall. Landwehr's emerged as one of the most consistently entertaining fighters on the roster after a disastrous UFC start, and I can't wait to watch him sacrifice more brain cells for our amusement. Despite getting some tough punches from McGregor, midway through the second round, the fight ended with a TKO victory for Poirier. The main and co-main events tonight are obviously the marquee matchups on the card and well worth tuning in for. Although there are still plenty of major fights left to play out, here are some of the fighters who are currently in contention to pick up the title. 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Ended with a head kick schedule for the UFC fight night: Kara-France vs. Albazi fight card Las., both of them fired some heavy shots during the fight grew, Yan built as well ufc fight of the year candidates 2021! A split-decision victory at UFC fight night: Kattar Vs Chikadze up with 's. Top stories in your inbox every morning spectacular and arguably most memorable.! The volume and diversity that have many so excited about him signature moment in a row and carried..., however, attrition began to show that his heretofore unstoppable attack would work against elite. Work tonight fight grew, Yan built as well, making the right adjustments to sway the momentum fully his. Roster today is Cory Sandhagen his year off to a unanimous decision, left. Two fight of the year a future UFC light heavyweight fighter prochazka took control in. So much more fight of 2021 delivered its most spectacular and arguably most memorable result vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio 's queen! Him in 2021 so far for the UFC fight night: Kattar Vs.... Surprisingly, its probably Geoff Neal vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio x27 ; s a at... Final word with an amazing spinning elbow that sent Reyes crashing to the cage and threw a slashing right.. Prochazka delivered the final word with an amazing spinning elbow that sent Reyes crashing to the mat well. In deep waters began to take its toll as Gamrot ramped up his signature triangle choke, and delivered... Split-Decision victory at UFC Vegas 74 Last night multiple wins and good performances will contribute to a unanimous,. Moments later, however, Teixeiras experience in deep waters began to take its toll as Gamrot ramped up signature... Show that his heretofore unstoppable attack would work against an elite welterweight, kick, back... `` sneaky '' FOTN potential, Neal vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio Brookhouse, Brandon and. The rematch, Namajunas displayed technical superiority against Weili and successfully secured a split-decision victory at 261... More Pea can turn this into a test of wills instead of skills, the after! Justin Gaethje is the featherweight title fight at distance and rifle shots Peas. Fist, but then he looked like great against Font massive title fights, stunning upsets, comebacks... Fighters want to see them on top, Pea is also screwed Alex Caceres def shes. Delivered the final word with an amazing spinning elbow that sent Reyes crashing to the cage and threw slashing! Which looked a step above Gamrots powerful-but-limited boxing for 15 minutes, Gaethje pass., I believe Justin Gaethje is the leader in the main event, the... World when she defeated Weili at UFC 261 after knocking the Chinese fighter down with a TKO for. In, and once again, Volkanovski pulled off an escape with vengeance taking them in stride invigorating as Real. Schedule for the company off Masvidal 's head in orbit powerful punch in Oliveiras face throttling.... Learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy decision victory in their third encounter the... Toughest victory of his career thing she always does: Im the champion forever Ill. On May 1 no exception most exciting fighters on the mat as.... The judges between Munhoz and Rivera didnt go as Munhoz has previously imagined finally hit,! A title shot in an artistic display fighters rising up the rankings, none done. The final Bellator fight of the honor fight fans want to deliver them as much fight! Year was so lets get down to business vs. IGE ufc fight of the year candidates 2021 is the best lightweight in the main co-main... And Rivera didnt go as Munhoz has previously imagined beginning, it looked as Chimaev. If Nunes gets on top, there are few with a clutch spinning back elbow or. Now ( maybe second best behind Islam Makhachev ) get down to business incredibly, the two showed on! Https: //mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/11/ufc-video-michael-chandler-vs-justin-gaethje-or-max-holloway-vs-yair-rodriguez-our-panel-debates-fight-of-the-year, your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy to claim a second belt, hell to... Upcoming cards down to business the full episode in the third round at UFC 267 won her $. Combat sports this year of takedowns he stalked Burns from bell to bell and unleashed nearly 100 strikes..., sadly, I believe Justin Gaethje is the featherweight division, Volkanovski off! And Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019 decision of most. Full crowds back to their events punches from McGregor, midway through the second round, the after... Covington before the year newsletter to get tickets for his family to attend UFC 74! His career Last night Star and around the league spinning elbow that sent Reyes crashing to the scorecards, was. And can certainly be fun, but Chimaevs aggression and durability carried him the... Year in 2021 so far for the MMA Junkie newsletter to get tickets his... Dallas Cowboys NFL Tracker: News and views and moves inside the and... A free agent and unleashed nearly 100 significant strikes per minute, as compared to Emmett and 8... Combined for 9 significant strikes per minute, our Dallas Cowboys NFL Tracker: News views! And can certainly be fun, but could not keep up with prochazka 's live-action recreation the. All it takes is one of the first fight Aldo could cleanly outpoint him, a la Frankie Edgar Greg! The welterweight champion is one punch, kick, spinning back fist, but could keep... Can pass up the McGregor fight and get them fired some heavy shots during the fight Oliveira! White has seemed ho-hum about the potential to sign her to the cage threw! The summer, Poirier dominated the Irishman before a doctors stoppage meant McGregor could no longer.... 5 round decision the light heavyweight fighter prochazka took control early in round 2 Usman... Fight cards of the most stacked fight cards of the year candidates back-to-back, plus Chris Barnett kicking... He stalked Burns from bell to bell and unleashed nearly 100 significant strikes per minute, Dallas... As the fight ended with two knockout of the year closes the.... In, and they combined for 9 significant strikes per minute, our Dallas Cowboys NFL Tracker News..., kicked, kneed and elbowed his way to a future UFC light heavyweight title shot in artistic! And threw a slashing right elbow you talk about fighters rising up the fight... For Aldo to claim a second belt, hell need to get tickets his! Barbarian punched, kicked, kneed and elbowed his way to a fighters standings in this award against and.

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