In the primary occasion of UFC 277 on Saturday, Amanda Nunes avenged her title loss to Julianna Pena by outpointing the American to reclaim the ladies’s bantamweight belt.
Seven months after struggling a stunning submission defeat by Pena, featherweight champion Nunes regained her standing as a dual-weight champion with a unanimous-decision win in opposition to the courageous however outmatched 32-year-old.
In the co-main occasion, Brandon Moreno moved a step nearer to recapturing the lads’s flyweight title, stopping Kai Kara-France within the third spherical to say the interim belt and sure arrange a fourth conflict with Deiveson Figueiredo, whom Moreno dethroned in 2021 however misplaced the gold to this January.
Elsewhere on the cardboard, Magomed Ankalaev secured a stoppage victory over Anthony Smith, beating the previous gentle heavyweight title challenger within the second spherical after the American suffered a damaged ankle that left him susceptible.
Below, Indy Sport performs matchmaker for the protagonists of UFC 277…
Amanda Nunes vs Julianna Pena 3
The UFC’s commentators arguably made Nunes vs Pena 2 appear extra aggressive than it really was. The actuality is that Nunes largely dominated, dropping Pena a number of occasions and taking her down at will later within the combat. Pena was gutsy and appeared to come back shut with one or two submission makes an attempt, however most of these holds weren’t particularly near being secured.
However, that does not imply a 3rd conflict between the pair isn’t a legitimate possibility. There are only a few options on the market for Nunes (22-5), and essentially the most appetising is a trilogy bout in opposition to flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko, who could also be in any other case occupied; Indy Sport has in actual fact advocated a rematch between Shevchenko and Taila Santos, who arguably did sufficient to outpoint the Kyrgyzstani in June regardless of dropping on the judges’ scorecards.
Nunes modified camps between her duels with Nunes and was reportedly sick earlier than their first in-ring assembly. With the suitable changes, together with a change to southpaw that was devastatingly efficient, Nunes regarded way more like herself within the rematch. Does that imply Pena (11-5) can’t beat a primed Nunes? A trilogy combat would reply that query for certain. If Nunes wins and Shevchenko finally ends up dealing with and beating Santos once more, then Nunes vs Shevchenko is undoubtedly the way in which to go.
Brandon Moreno vs Deiveson Figueiredo 4
Moreno’s victory over Kara-France – his second, following a 2016 resolution win in opposition to the Kiwi – noticed the Mexican turn out to be interim flyweight champion, with ‘disputed’ title holder Figueiredo coming into the Octagoon afterwards for a face-off.
The two rivals look sure to sq. off once more on the finish of the yr, with their rivalry presently scored at 1-1-1. Following a draw between the pair in 2020, Moreno (20-6-2) submitted the Brazilian of their rematch final yr to win the belt, solely to lose it again to Figueiredo (21-2-1) on factors this January.
All three fights had been thrilling, and that – together with the general scoreline – means there’s real urge for food for a fourth conflict. Such a contest would mark the primary event on which two fighters have gone face to face 4 occasions underneath the UFC banner. This is the best rivalry to make that historical past.
Kai Kara-France vs Alexandre Pantoja
Kara-France was wanting as sharp as he ever has throughout his rematch with Moreno on Saturday, and he even appeared to have seized momentum because the bout hit its halfway level. Then he was dropped by a kick to the liver, and completed on the canvas.
It was a merciless finish to the combat for Kara-France (24-10, 1 No Contest) after such a high quality efficiency from the New Zealander, however such is the character of the game. Nevertheless, the 29-year-old confirmed he can compete at championship stage and can hopefully bounce again.
He might have to take action in opposition to Pantoja (25-5), who was a winner at UFC 277 with an early submission of Alex Perez. What was anticipated to be a aggressive contest was something however that, with Pantoja incomes the win with a neck crank simply 91 seconds into the primary spherical.
It was a scarily environment friendly exhibiting from the Brazilian, who would signify an intriguing take a look at for Kara-France in a combat that may simply crown a No 1 contender to face the winner of the anticipated Moreno vs Figueiredo rubber match.
Magomed Ankalaev vs Jan Blachowicz
Ankalaev is on a nine-fight win streak, is unbeaten in 4 years, and is now ranked third at gentle heavyweight. The Russian is edging nearer and nearer to a title shot, and there’s an argument that he’s only one win away.
The 30-year-old was undoubtedly aided in opposition to Smith by the American struggling a damaged ankle within the first spherical – an damage that caught up with Smith in Round 2 – however Ankalaev (17-1) did look snug as much as that time in any case.
Ahead of Ankalaev within the rankings are champion Jiri Prochazka and the 2 most up-to-date earlier title holders: Glover Teixeira and Blachowicz. Prochazka and Teixeira look set for a rematch after their conflict in June, which noticed the Czech submit Teixeira late on to win the gold, that means Blachowicz might be free for a No 1 contender’s bout with Ankalaev.
Source: www.unbiased.co.uk