Number 1 Strawweight contender Claudia Gadelha calls in to talk about her UFC 212 fight against Karolina Kowalkiewicz, training at Jackson’s in Albuquerque, a possible Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Rose Namajunas fight, Aldo vs. Holloway, and more. Plus, Matt and guest co-host Bobby Kelly break down UFC Fight Night Stockholm and preview UFC 212.
Some of the highlights from Episode 99 of UFC Unfiltered include:
Claudia on fighting back at home in Brazil
Claudia on Karolina Kowalkiewicz
Claudia says Rose Namajunas should get the next title shot
Claudia Gadelha’s eighth round of fighting with Joanna Jedrzejczyk was over. The first three went to Jedrzejczyk and the next five were about to follow suit. There would be no strawweight championship belt going back to Brazil with Gadelha, and it left her at a crossroads in her career.
“I felt like I did everything I could to win the fight. I gave all my heart, all my soul, and I really gave everything I had inside the Octagon and outside the Octagon, but I didn’t win,” she said of last July’s rematch with Jedrzejczyk, which she lost via unanimous decision.
Nearly a year later, as Gadelha approaches her UFC 212 co-main event with Karolina Kowalkiewicz, everything has changed.
“You can’t expect a different result if you keep doing the same thing,” she said. “And I did the same thing for over 10 years, so now I want to be a different fighter and I want to keep growing and keep getting better.”
It’s always risky for a fighter to change training teams midstream, but even more so when a fighter is at the top of their division and in the prime of their career. That was certainly the case with “Claudinha,” who made her name in the MMA world under the auspices of the Nova Uniao team in Rio de Janeiro that she had been with since she was 18.
On UFC Unfiltered: Claudia on fighting back at home in Brazil
“I became a very good fighter there,” Gadelha said. “I love the people there, my friends, my teammates, everybody that helped me along the way. But after my second fight with Joanna, I felt like I needed to get better. I needed to change a couple things in my style and in my career.”
Eventually, she found her way to America, namely Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the camp of Chris Luttrell. The two clicked immediately, and then all Gadelha wanted was a fight to shake the memory of a second loss to Jedrzejczyk from her mind.
“I just wanted to fight,” she said. “I wanted to get back there and fight again, but nobody would take the fight.”
Cortney Casey would, but Gadelha wasn’t too thrilled with being a No. 1 contender fighting the No. 14-ranked American. Gadelha was given some advice.
“I was told, ‘Step in there and make her look like the number 14,’” she said. “That’s why I took the fight.”
Gadelha shut Casey out over three rounds, moving to 14-2 as a pro. Now it’s the No. 2-ranked Kowalkiewicz and a chance to make her case for a third fight with Jedrzejczyk. Gadelha knows that it’s a longshot, but she refuses to stress over what happens after June 3.
“When you can’t control something, just let it go,” the 28-year-old said. “Don’t stress about it. Me and Joanna is something I can’t control. We already fought twice. The first fight, I don’t even think I lost. It’s in the papers, the loss is there, so it is what it is. The second time, I really lost the fight. I got exhausted, and I still think I’m better than her technically, but my cardio was terrible in that fight.”
Now training in the high altitude of Albuquerque, Gadelha is putting those cardio woes in the past, even though she still needs to be held back from spending every waking hour in the gym. She’s content with the way her life and training is heading, though, and that’s making her a very dangerous fighter.
“I did my last camp out here and I was really happy with the results, so I came back here to train, and I’m really happy with what’s going on with my life,” she said. “I think when you get to the highest level, you have to have your own coaches and a lot of attention and at the highest level, the little details make the whole difference. I take this as a real serious job and I want to be the boss at my job. I don’t want anybody to take me out of my focus. This is my priority now.”
So what’s next for the boss?
“My goal since I started doing this is to be the best and I want to be the UFC champion.”
There is no denying that there’s a strong bond between MMA and Rio de Janeiro. In fact, it is virtually impossible to separate the birth of MMA from the city.
Really quick resume: In the 1920s, Carlos Gracie began promoting challenges to prove the superiority of what would become the Brazilian jiu-jitsu over other martial arts, adapting the techniques taught by Mitsuyo Maeda at the time he lived in Belém. The competitions became a family tradition, which continued for decades in the capital of Rio until Rorion Gracie moved to the United States and helped introduce the UFC, exposing the gentle art to the world and planting the seed of Vale Tudo.
Although it has expanded across the globe, the legacy of those early Gracie challenges and the mix of martial arts continued in Rio. Today the city is one of the primary global exports of the Brazilian form of MMA.
„Rio has this fighting DNA,” said Rodrigo Minotauro, the former UFC heavyweight champion who currently works as an Athlete Relationship Ambassador for the organization. „We have other cities that worship MMA, like Curitiba and São Paulo, and there are many MMA events in the North and Northeast, but Rio is where we have more events, more fighters, great training centers and the sport is present on the outskirts of the city.”
Once again, the octagon will be set up again in the Marvelous City to receive a card that appeals even to the most demanding fan. Names such as Vitor Belfort and Claudia Gadelha battle in an event that will be headlined by the featherweight title unification between José Aldo and Max Holloway.
This is truly an event that proves that Brazil is still one of the most important countries when it comes to highlighting MMA fighters.
„For a long time Rio’s jiu-jitsu fighters were the best in MMA, and today you see good fighters all over Brazil. But the return of UFC really makes Rio a showcase of the sport,” said Murilo Bustamante, the first Brazilian to win a UFC world title. “When I started fighting Vale Tudo, it would be unimaginable an event of this magnitude.”
„Gathering all of these names is wonderful for the city, because it attracts the whole world. Rio deserves this,“ said Pedro Rizzo, who has been a three-time challenger for the UFC heavyweight world title.
In addition to being one of the legendary Cariocas of Ultimate, Rizzo is one of Aldo’s main coaches and has been working with him since the beginning of the champion’s career. The „Father of leg kicks“ is convinced that fighting in the city he calls home motivates Aldo even more.
„When I was an athlete, I always liked fighting at home. You don’t get out of the comfort of your house, you don’t have to travel,” Rizzo said. “(Aldo) likes to fight in Rio, and even more now that he is super popular around here. He is probably the most popular fighter in Brazil today.
“There are many people organizing a trip to see UFC 212, several friends coming to watch. All of this motivates him to train more.”
Minotauro sees yet another reason for excitement: Tourism that moves one of the most famous cities in the country, and the world.
„Aldo’s fight will be the main one, and he is the King of Rio. Vitor Belfort is confirmed, we will have Claudinha and Marlon Moraes, who is a very good athlete,” he said. “The UFC returning to Rio is a big event, not only for those 15,000 people who will be in the arena, but it creates a whole tourism around that.
“Everyone is talking about MMA at the beaches, and a lot of people travel just to be in the UFC events. For sure it is important that the UFC returns to Rio, a classic and mandatory place.”
„Rio is good for the UFC, just as the UFC is good for Rio,“ Bustamante said. „The city is wonderful, and the beauties of Rio are pleasant for tourists. It’s unthinkable for the UFC to be in Brazil and not be in Rio, the beginning of everything.“
Jessica Portasio is a digital journalist for UFC.com.br. You can follow her on Twitter @Jeportasio
The UFC returns to Brazil this weekend with a featherweight title unification bout at the top of the card, as Jose Aldo faces Max Holloway to determine the undisputed champion at 145 pounds.
With Conor McGregor gone from the division, Aldo reclaimed the title with a dominant win over Frankie Edgar at UFC 200 while Holloway won the interim belt with a TKO victory against Anthony Pettis this past December.
Now the two featherweight champions are on a collision course that leads to the main event at UFC 212, with only one of them leaving with a title around their waist.
Meanwhile, in the co-main event, Claudia Gadelha and Karolina Kowalkiewicz meet in a huge matchup in the women’s strawweight division. The only fighter to hand either of them a loss in the UFC is current champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, so this matchup could determine which one will be that much closer to a potential rematch while the other will take a step back in the division.
Legendary fighter Vitor Belfort will get a home game in Rio when he faces Nate Marquardt in a featured bout on the main card that takes place more than 20 years after his Octagon debut.
In today’s fantasy preview, we’ll examine these fights, as well as several others, to see who has the edge, who looks like a lock to win and who might be primed for an upset at UFC 212: Aldo vs. Holloway.
SPLIT DECISION
These are the fights that are just too close to call, but a few minor differences between favorite and underdog could lead one fighter to victory and the other to defeat.
Jose Aldo vs. Max Holloway
Outside of his lone loss in the UFC to Conor McGregor, Jose Aldo has been a force of nature in the featherweight division, tearing through virtually every contender that’s been thrown in his path, including Frankie Edgar, Chad Mendes and Ricardo Lamas. Meanwhile, Max Holloway has gone on an unprecedented 10-fight win streak while seemingly getting better and better with each performance inside the Octagon.
There aren’t many secrets left when it comes to Aldo’s game inside the Octagon, although the problem for most of his opponents has been trying to find a way to stop him. Aldo is a punishing and creative striker who has incredible technical skills on the feet while also unleashing some very powerful and flashy shots that can come from anywhere at any time. Aldo also possesses a brutal leg kick that has decimated more than a few opponents over the years, and he has a highly underrated ground game with world-class submissions. But maybe most important is his nearly impenetrable takedown defense, where he’s stuffed nearly 93 percent of his opponent’s attempts to get him to the ground.
Holloway is no slouch on the feet either, as he’s adopted a very strong kickboxing game that he’s used to batter his last few opponents from one side of the Octagon to the other. Holloway lands nearly six significant strikes per minute with over 43 percent accuracy, which means he’s very active and on target at almost all times. Holloway has a slick submission arsenal at his disposal as well, although that’s rarely his favorite form of attack. Instead, Holloway likes to keep his opponents on the outside as he picks them apart with his long reach and dangerous kicking game.
On paper, there might not be a more evenly matched fight in the UFC than what we’re about to witness with Aldo and Holloway. Aldo is a blistering striker with knockout power, but he also has the kind of striking game that can simply out work his opponents over five rounds. Holloway might have the perfect counter with his long reach and equally dangerous striking attack while also putting a little bit more pop behind his punches in recent fights.
The X factor in this matchup could come down to timing and mentality.
Aldo has been out since last July when he won a decision against Frankie Edgar before contemplating retirement for several months after the summer. Aldo finally decided to return to action, but it’s impossible to know where his head is at going into this fight. As for Holloway, his confidence has been growing with each performance and he’s not only ready for this fight with Aldo but it appears he’s ready for a passing of the torch by facing the champion in his own backyard.
Of course, the odds say Aldo should win a decision in this fight and that’s not a bad pick to make. Discounting the loss to McGregor, Aldo has been nearly flawless during his UFC career and nothing seems to point to any kind of rapid decline over the last few years. That being said, Holloway has all the intangibles to make this a brawl and he has the finishing power to put a lot of damage on Aldo over five rounds. Aldo’s chin has been tested plenty and he’s almost always withstood the storm, but eventually that catches up to every fighter and Holloway could be the one to dish out a lot of punishment in this five-round battle.
Prediction: Max Holloway by unanimous decision
Claudia Gadelha vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
The two best strawweights in the world not named Joanna Jedrzejczyk meet this weekend in a huge matchup at 115 pounds. Since arriving in the UFC, Claudia Gadehla has dominated every opponent she’s faced outside of her two bouts with the current champion, and she’s come within inches of defeating Jedrzejczyk both times they faced off. Gadelha is a world-class grappler who has dramatically improved her striking over the years, but she did recently move to a new training camp in the United States, so that’s a factor that could play a part in the outcome of this fight.
Karolina Kowalkiewicz is very similar to Jedrzejczyk in her approach, with lightning quick striking on the feet and a technical kickboxing attack that’s tough to stop over three rounds. Kowalkiewicz doesn’t have a ton of stopping power in her hands, but she’s more than capable of adding up a ton of volume over three rounds to make it easy for the judges to give her a decision win. On top of that, Kowalkiewicz has showcased over 87 percent takedown defense, which could be a huge weapon going up against a top-notch grappler like Gadelha this weekend.
Gadelha is in her second camp with coach Chris Luttrell, a former student under Greg Jackson in New Mexico who is well versed in working with top fighters. Luttrell has actually worked with former interim champion Carlos Condit in the past as well, so he’s no stranger to championship competition in the UFC. And while Gadelha is still in the early stages of creating real chemistry with her coaches, the good news is that after facing Jedrzejczyk on two separate occasions, there’s not much Kowalkiewicz should be able to throw at her that would be a surprise. Kowalkiewicz is a very technical and proficient kickboxer who typically outpoints her opponents rather than gunning for the finish.
If Gadelha can find her way inside to work from the clinch or grab on to the takedown, she should be able to control the pace and outwork Kowalkiewicz over three rounds. Gadelha is, by far, one of the strongest fighters at 115 pounds, so she might try to just out muscle Kowalkiewicz to drag this to the mat and apply her world-class Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Kowalkiewicz won’t go away, so Gadelha will need her conditioning on point for all 15 minutes, but she should be able to do enough to earn the decision victory.
Prediction: Claudia Gadelha by unanimous decision
Vitor Belfort vs. Nate Marquardt
Vitor Belfort will make the walk to the Octagon in front of his hometown fans in Rio de Janeiro as he faces Nate Marquardt in a middleweight matchup.
Belfort returns while trying to erase a lot of bad memories from recent fights, where he’s suffered a trio of TKO losses. Of course, Belfort still possesses that nasty rapid fire punching power that can put anybody away, but his defense has become a real liability lately, so he has to protect his chin, especially against a fellow power puncher like Marquardt.
Marquardt has gone through a lot of ups and downs lately, but he still has plenty of knockout power left in his hands, so he can end the fight with one shot. Where Marquardt has struggled is when his opponents have been able to put unrelenting pressure on him and he’s had no space to counter. That could be a key factor in this match, especially in the opening round, because Belfort is well known as a fast starter who loves to come after his opponents with a ton of aggression. If Belfort can force Marquardt to fight off his back foot, he’s got a great chance to land a knockout in the early part of the opening round.
The longer the fight goes, the more it favors Marquardt, so he has to weather that early storm if he hopes to escape Brazil with a win. Still, Belfort will certainly feel the energy from a raucous crowd in his hometown and there’s little doubt he’ll feed off of that as he looks to get back into the win column.
Outside of the main event, perhaps the toughest fight to predict on the entire UFC 212 card is the bantamweight battle between savvy veteran Raphael Assuncao and newcomer Marlon Moraes, who makes his UFC debut this weekend.
Moraes may be appearing in the UFC for the first time, but he’s well known in the mixed martial arts community. Moraes is a ferocious striker with some of the most devastating finishing power at 135 pounds. Moraes trains at a top camp, working under head coaches Mark Henry and Ricardo Almeida while working alongside UFC stalwarts like Frankie Edgar, Eddie Alvarez and Edson Barboza. Moraes has incredible footwork and some of the nastiest leg kicks in the world. He is a striker first, but he also has a slick ground game that he’ll use if the right opportunity presents itself.
As for Assuncao, he’s been the picture of consistency since moving to the bantamweight division. Assuncao is a world-class grappler who has developed into a very solid striker with power in his hands and feet. Because he possesses such a good ground game, Assuncao has no fear being aggressive with his striking attacks because he’s not worried about giving up a takedown to go to the mat. Now he probably won’t have to worry much about that with Moraes, but Assuncao could mix things up to keep the UFC newcomer guessing on whether or not he should let those leg kicks fly or risk being taken to the ground.
Assuncao is a tough out for anyone and he knows how to win a close decision by doing the things that get him past nearly every opponent he faces. That means Moraes is going to have to dish out a lot of punishment and force Assuncao to second-guess his game plan to really add up the points on the judges’ scorecards. Assuncao has never been finished at 135 pounds, so it’s not likely Moraes will be the first, but if the UFC rookie can fight through those notorious Octagon jitters, he has all the skills to make a real impact in his debut. Moraes has speed, power and knows how to throw with volume, and if he can do that over three rounds, he could leave with a win on Saturday night.
Prediction: Marlon Moraes by unanimous decision
KNOCKOUT PICKS
These are the fights that appear to be a little more one-sided, but remember that this is MMA, where anything can – and usually does – happen.
Expect some serious fireworks in this matchup between undefeated Brazilian Paulo Borrachinha and Oluwale Bamgbose.
Borrachinha is currently 9-0 in his career, with eight of those wins coming by way of knockout or TKO including a stunning performance in his UFC debut against Garreth McLellan. Borrachinha hits like a truck and he’s ultra aggressive, so don’t blink when he starts to unleash his combinations on Saturday night. Now Bamgbose has no fear of throwing down with any opponent because he also possesses serious knockout power, but he also has a tendency to get a little wild in his exchanges, which can cost him while facing a fellow striker like Borrachinha.
While this fight could come down to who lands the big shot first, Borrachinha just has more power behind his punches while displaying a stronger overall striking game on the feet. If Borrachinha can catch Bamgbose early, he could add another knockout to his record. If Borrachinha doesn’t put Bamgbose away, this could be an early candidate for Fight of the Night at UFC 212.
Prediction: Paulo Borrachinha by knockout, Round 2
In a matchup between two ground specialists, Antonio Carlos Junior will look for his third straight victory when he faces former Ultimate Fighter competitor and fellow grappler Eric Spicely.
Now Spicely has surprised more than a few people with his recent performances in the UFC, including a pair of submission victories in his last two fights. Spicely has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and has no fear grappling against anybody willing to go to the ground with him. Unfortunately, Spicely isn’t just facing another grappler this time around.
Carlos Junior is absolutely world class on the ground, with a laundry list of grappling titles to his credit. Carlos Junior has also been working full-time at American Top Team in Florida, so he has added onto his striking arsenal to compliment his deadly ground game. Of course, Carlos Junior knows his best path to victory will always be on the mat and he’ll likely find a willing opponent since Spicely is coming from the same exact background.
While the scrambles on the mat could be outstanding, it’s just impossible to pick against Carlos Junior in a fight against an opponent with a similar set of skills but not quite on his level.
Prediction: Antonio Carlos Junior by submission, Round 2
In a classic matchup of striker versus grappler, Brazilian bantamweight Johnny Eduardo will undoubtedly look to keep his fight with Matthew Lopez on the feet, but that might be easier said than done.
Lopez is a top-notch grappler with a relentless style when trying to take his opponents to the ground. He’s currently averaging over three takedowns per 15 minutes in the Octagon with nearly an 86 percent success rate. In other words, when Lopez goes for the takedown, more often than not he gets it. Lopez is a beast on the mat, not only with his submission skills, but also with a punishing ground attack that includes ferocious elbows and punches when he’s on top. Now Eduardo will enjoy a two-inch reach advantage, so his best way to win this fight is to keep Lopez on the end of his punches and never allow the American fighter to get inside for those takedowns.
It’s not an easy task because Lopez will shoot on Eduardo’s legs early and often as he attempts to drag this fight to the ground. Now Lopez isn’t completely out matched on the feet, but he has to know that’s the best way Eduardo can win this fight. On the flipside, Lopez is a force on the ground, and if he can get Eduardo there early, he could make it a very tough night for the Brazilian. Aljamain Sterling wrote a bit of a blueprint on how to attack Eduardo when he won their fight back in 2015, and Lopez would be smart to attack with a similar strategy.
If he does, Lopez might just walk into enemy territory and walk out with a submission win.
SEOUL, Korea – May 30, 2017 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce VR Live Pass on Gear VR, a lineup of exciting global, live entertainment partnerships with the UFC®, X Games and Live Nation. Samsung will stream select live events so fans can enjoy immersive virtual reality broadcasts of their favorite action sports and music events through the Gear VR platform.
The VR Live Pass on Gear VR events will be available through the Samsung VR app in early June, enabling Gear VR users to watch live entertainment events and performances no matter where they are. In addition, Samsung recently expanded its global presence to 45 countries, enabling more consumers around the world to enjoy the Gear VR platform.
“We are excited to offer Samsung Gear VR users the opportunity to experience their favorite live music and sporting events through our industry-leading VR ecosystem,” said Younghee Lee, CMO and Executive Vice President, Samsung Electronics. “Partnering with these companies to expand our VR services helps us to open up a new gateway of opportunities for fans and demonstrate our commitment to delivering experiences that make the seemingly impossible, possible.”
“We’ve always felt that the potential of combining UFC events with virtual reality would give our fans the ultimate enhanced experience,” UFC Chief Operating Officer Ike Lawrence Epstein said. “We’re excited to partner with Samsung on this game-changing initiative to further revolutionize how fight fans consume our content and live events around the world.”
“The X Games is the premier action sports event that continually provides a platform for athletic progression,” said Tim Reed, vice president, ESPN X Games. “From never been done tricks to awe-inspiring competition, Samsung’s Gear VR technology is perfect to showcase dynamic action sports to viewers across the world.”
The one-of-a-kind live broadcasts will kick off beginning in June 2017 and will include the following:
• UFC® 212: ALDO vs. HOLLOWAY, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 3, 2017: For the first time in UFC history an event will be live streamed in Virtual Reality. Fans will witness this highly-anticipated event in high-quality 360-degree live stream and will have access to additional VR content, including pre-event and post-event show highlights with UFC featherweight champion José Aldo and interim UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway.*
• X Games Minneapolis, USA July 13 – 16, 2017: Gear VR users will be able to experience the thrill of the X Games from the comfort of their homes as they watch the world’s best BMX riders and skaters, including Jimmy Wilkins, Chad Kerley and Jagger Eaton compete at the biggest action sports event of the year.
• Live Music Concert with International Artist, USA August, 2017: Music fans around the world will get the best seats in the house to watch one of the most exciting, high-energy and renowned music acts with Live Nation, the largest live entertainment company in the world.
Through these partnerships, Samsung will provide fans with an electrifying new way to experience live entertainment without the need to physically attend the events.
Gear VR users will be given an unrivaled ‘live pass’ to shows, where they will witness live action shots and extreme close-ups, taking spectatorship to an entirely new level. Gear VR users will be able to access this content at no cost.
Samsung continues to push the boundaries and lead the way in high-resolution VR entertainment, bringing users closer than ever to their favorite music artists or watching the world’s best extreme athletes doing their tricks for a breathtaking, true-to-life experience.
*Live streams of the UFC 212 main card, including the championship main event, are available in countries where Samsung VR is available, except the U.S. and New Zealand. Gear VR users in the U.S. will have access to the UFC FIGHT PASS early prelims.
This week’s installment of this fun little column is a perfect encapsulation of both (a) why it’s an important piece of your fight week primer and (b) why I enjoy writing it so much, because the three fighters you need to keep tabs on this weekend in Rio de Janeiro at UFC 212 have made combined to make two trips into the Octagon thus far, but deserve your attention and are fighters you should be tracking.
Here’s a look at the trio with the potential to show out this weekend.
Entering the Octagon for his promotional debut in March, Borrachinha was another a giant question mark – a physical specimen with a perfect record who had yet to see the second round through his first eight professional fights.
There have been dozens of fighters with similar credentials that have made that walk over the years and the results have been all over the place, making it nearly impossible to say for sure how the 26-year-old neophyte would look in his first UFC appearance and if he was a legit prospect to watch going forward. While the verdict still may be out, the initial evidence is pretty favorable for Borrachinha.
The middleweight action figure needed just 77 seconds to dispatch South African Garreth McLellan that evening in Fortaleza, blowing through the battle-tested, bearded veteran like he had everyone else that previously shared the cage with him. It was the kind of one-sided drubbing that forces you to stop and take notice and makes you eagerly await the sequel.
Borrachinha makes his sophomore appearance in the UFC cage this weekend, squaring off with Oluwale Bamgbose in another bout that serves as a litmus test for the thus far untested middleweight prospect. The New Yorker is a physically intimidating fighter in his own right and far more dangerous on the feet than McLellan, which makes him (in theory) a more formidable threat for the Brazilian newcomer.
The question is will that change anything for Borrachinha or will the unbeaten upstart just keep blowing through the competition?
If this is your introduction to Moraes, I feel sorry for you as a fight fan because while the 29-year-old bantamweight is set to compete in the UFC for the first time this weekend, the long-time member of the Iron Army has been wrecking shop in wildly entertaining fashion outside the Octagon for nearly five years.
The Brazilian arrives in the UFC in the midst of a 13-fight winning streak, the last 11 of which came under the World Series of Fighting banner, where he reigned as champion since late March 2014. Eight of those 13 victories have come by way of stoppage, with Moraes brandishing the same kind of devastating kicks as his long-time training partner and friend Edson Barboza.
What makes his debut this weekend even more noteworthy and must-see is that he’s stepping in against Raphael Assuncao, one of the most seasoned and entrenched fighters in the entire division, which means come Sunday morning, everyone will know exactly where Moraes stands in the 135-pound ranks.
Many viewed Moraes as a world-class talent capable of hanging with the elite in the bantamweight division in the UFC while he was dominating the competition outside the Octagon and now it’s time to find out if those assessments were correct.
Viviene Pereira
Pereira’s debut got lost in the shuffle of a memorable night of action in Toronto last December at UFC 206, but considering the diminutive Brazilian got the nod against a former title challenger, it can’t be overlooked.
The unbeaten strawweight rolled into Canada and edged out Valerie Letourneau by split decision, riding out a rough first round to rally and collect her first UFC victory in a fight where Pereira got more comfortable and looked considerably better as fight progressed.
This weekend, the 12-0 UFC sophomore is the one fighting in her home country as she welcomes Ultimate Fighter alum Jamie Moyle to Rio de Janeiro for a preliminary card clash. Also coming off a victory in her maiden voyage into the Octagon, Moyle will be the one looking to play spoiler on Saturday.
Experiencing fight week for the first time and getting through the initial adjustment that comes with competing on the biggest stage in the sport is invaluable, and having gone through it should allow Pereira to build on her strong performance in the final two rounds of her tilt with Letourneau when she steps into the cage with the Syndicate MMA product this weekend.
Sunday’s UFC Fight Night event is in the books, and now that the dust has settled in Stockholm, Sweden, it’s time to go to the scorecard to see who the big winners were at Ericsson Globe.
1 – Alexander Gustafsson The last time Alexander Gustafsson fought in his hometown of Stockholm in 2015, he was stopped in a little over two minutes by Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. A little more than two years later, he left the Octagon with a career-defining win and a future bride. Now that’s a homecoming done the right way. But in all seriousness, Gustafsson has had impressive wins before. He didn’t become the number one light heavyweight contender by accident. But yesterday’s victory saw him putting his striking together like never before against a dangerous foe in Glover Teixeira, and what followed was a punishing example of just how good “The Mauler” can be when he’s confident, injury-free, and confident. And yes, I meant to list confident twice. Gustafsson fought as if he knew how good he is, and if he needed a reminder after his close, but crushing, losses to Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones, he got it. The only fight to make at 205 pounds after this summer’s Cormier-Jones rematch is Gustafsson versus the winner of that bout. Gustafsson earned it, and if you’re a fight fan, you want to see him in with either Cormier or Jones again. But can he win the crown in his third try? This version of Gustafsson will be tough to beat.
2 – Volkan Oezdemir When I spoke to Volkan Oezdemir before his Stockholm co-main event against Misha Cirkunov, I asked him if he was insulted that people wrote him off before his first big UFC win over Ovince Saint Preux. He said he wasn’t, and that he wasn’t insulted that they felt the same way about the Cirkunov fight. He even said that most people expected him to get run over by Cirkunov. That didn’t happen. Not even close. And if a 28-second knockout of another legitimate light heavyweight contender doesn’t make those doubters into believers, they’ll never come on board. Then again, the Switzerland native probably doesn’t care. All he wants is the belt, and he may be getting his crack sooner rather than later, with a perfect scenario being Gustafsson versus the winner of Cormier-Jones 2, and the next shot going to the winner of a clash between Oezdemir and Jimi Manuwa.
3 – Peter Sobotta Peter Sobotta has had an interesting two stints in the UFC. The first time around in 2009-10, he never seemed to kick into the next gear on fight night, and the result were three less than thrilling decision losses to Paul Taylor, James Wilks and Amir Sadollah. Now mind you, this was a guy who was 8-1 with eight finishes before his UFC debut. Then he returns to the local circuit and all five of his wins end before the final bell. He gets the call back to the UFC in 2014, and he has progressively shown those finishing instincts on the big stage, with Sunday’s knockout of Ben Saunders his most impressive to date. This was the fighter everyone in Europe was raving about for all those years, and now that he’s really here in the Octagon, the future is one every fight fan should be looking forward to.
4 – Darren Till If Darren Till can stay injury-free and keep on the right track with his career, he’s got championship potential at 170 pounds. That’s not saying his win over Jessin Ayari was the one fight that made me say this or that he’ll be ready for the elite of the division by the end of the year. It’s just something about the Brit’s swagger, mean streak and ease in the Octagon that marks him as something special, and while he’s not a finished product yet, he showed enough glimpses of brilliance against Ayari that makes you want to see him fight again.
5 – Damir Hadzovic There’s nothing more frightening to a fighter than being 0-2 in the UFC. That was the prospect staring at Damir Hadzovic on Sunday after two rough rounds on the ground against submission wizard Marcin Held, and while many fighters would have mailed it in at that point, Hadzovic still had the will to win entering the final five minutes. But just wanting to win isn’t enough; you have to have the skill, stamina and opportunity to get the job done, and as Held shot in and tried to secure one of his patented leg locks, a single knee from the Bosnia native ended the bout. Now he’s 1-1 and has a fresh start in a tough division where he can make some noise, and he can, because despite losing his first Octagon bout to Mairbek Taisumov and losing the first two rounds to Held yesterday, he’s exciting, he’s always looking for a finish, and he’s going to be trouble for any 155-pounder he meets.
Alexander Gustafsson put on arguably his most complete performance to date as he dominated Glover Teixeira over four-plus rounds before scoring a stunning knockout in front of his hometown fans in Stockholm, Sweden.
From the very first exchanges in the fight, Gustafsson set the tone with a lightning quick uppercut that continuously found a home on Teixeira’s chin and the Brazilian couldn’t seem to do much of anything to stop him.
Gustafsson was patient with his attacks, but once an opening presented itself, he went after Teixeira with everything he had in the arsenal while looking to get the finish. The end finally came in the fifth round when Gustafsson snapped off another uppercut that staggered Teixeira on the feet before the former two-time title challenger put a stop to the fight with a brutal right hand that landed flush.
Gustafsson looked better than ever as he becomes only the second fighter in the UFC to finish Teixeira by strikes.
Fantasy players had this matchup well scouted, as Gustafsson was selected by an overwhelming majority of 86 percent picking him to win and another 48 percent predicting that he’d finish the fight by knockout. Gustafsson certainly delivered while earning his second victory in a row.
While Gustafsson enjoyed his status as a heavy favorite, Volkan Oezdemir pulled off a massive upset in his fight against Misha Cirkunov after he uncorked a jaw dropping 28-second knockout to pick up his second win in the UFC. Oezdemir flattened Cirkunov with one punch to win the fight after only 18 percent of fantasy players picked him going into the night. 54 percent of the players who did pick Oezdemir also selected him to win by knockout, so that certainly added some extra points in the final tallies.
The upsets kept rolling with Peter Sobotta earning a knockout win over Ben Saunders in a featured welterweight bout on the main card. Sobotta was picked by just 27 percent of fantasy players, and he also earned another 120 points thanks to the fight with Saunders being touted as a tight matchup.
Omari Akhmedov also pulled off an unexpected win as he handed Abdul Razak Alhassan the first loss of his professional career with a split decision victory on Sunday. Akhmedov was picked by just 37 percent of players going into the fight.
Of course, the underdogs weren’t all victorious on the main card, as Nordine Taleb pulled off an impressive win over newcomer Oliver Enkamp after he was an overwhelming favorite with 84 percent of fantasy players picking him. The same could be said for Jack Hermansson, who got the main card off to a rousing start as he finished Alex Nicholson with a first-round TKO after 66 percent of fantasy players selected him going into the event.
On the preliminary card, Pedro Munhoz had a battle on his hands with Damian Stasiak over three rounds, but still clawed his way to a decision win after 83 percent of fantasy players picked him in this bantamweight matchup. Joaquim Silva also picked up a win as the favorite in his fight with late notice replacement Reza Madadi, with 70 percent of fantasy players selecting him.
There were a pair of upsets on the prelims, however, with Trevor Smith pulling off a lopsided win over Chris Camozzi over three rounds after just 19 percent of players picked him in the fight, while Bojan Velickovic got the job done with a very impressive TKO finish against Nico Musoke after only 35 percent of players had him going into the night.
The back and forth battle between favorites and underdogs also continued on the early prelims, with Darren Till getting a win in his fight with Jessin Ayari after 80 percent of fantasy players selected him. That matchup came after Damir Hadzovic stunned everybody in the arena with his third-round knockout over heavily favored Marcin Held after he walked into the fight with just 16 percent of players on his side.
All told, UFC Fight Night from Sweden ended with a complete split down the middle, with six favorites and six underdogs getting wins according to the selections made by fantasy players.
Read on for Fight Night Stockholm main event results…
GUSTAFSSON vs. TEIXEIRA
Sweden’s Alexander Gustafsson has participated in two of the greatest light heavyweight title fights in UFC history, and on Sunday in front of his hometown fans at Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, “The Mauler” may have set the stage for a rematch with the winner of July’s bout between Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones, as he knocked out Glover Teixeira in the fifth round of their UFC Fight Night main event.
More importantly, Gustafsson also left the Octagon with a future bride, as he proposed to his girlfriend Moa following the victory. And she said, “Yes.”
As for the fight, “The Mauler” was in top form throughout against a veteran foe.
“I hit him with bombs and he took every shot,” Gustafsson said of Teixeira. “He’s a great fighter, it’s an honor to fight him here at home in Stockholm.”
After a brief feeling out process, the two top light heavyweight contenders exchanged at close range before a slam to the mat by Teixeira. Gustafsson jumped back to his feet immediately and landed a couple hard strikes before eluding return fire from Teixeira. An inadvertent eye poke from Gustafsson brought a momentary halt to the action just past the midway mark, but “The Mauler” got right back to work, landing hard shots and then getting out of the way before Teixeira could respond. The uppercut was the Stockholm product’s weapon of choice, and he was looking sharp in an impressive opening round.
Teixeira was clearly having trouble closing the distance on Gustafsson, but he was able to land a shot that opened a cut over his foe’s left eye. Gustafsson got even by bloodying the Brazilian’s nose, and with three minutes left, a spinning elbow was followed by a barrage of blows that staggered Teixeira. Teixeira weathered the storm, but Gustafsson was getting more confident with every landed blow, and there were more and more of those.
With Gustafsson’s combinations scoring beautifully, it was no surprise that one of them put Teixeira on the deck 30 seconds into round three. Gustafsson moved in for the finish, and his thudding elbows kept doing damage. But Teixeira fought back, got loose and made it back to his feet, only to get taken down by Gustafsson, who kept delivering the punishment until the fighters rose midway through the frame. With a minute left, Gustafsson landed the uppercut again, with Teixeira taking it then waving his foe on before firing back with hooks at close range.
Even with Gustafsson’s movement slowing down in round four, he was still able to punish the gutsy Teixeira, who kept chasing his foe, hoping to land the shot that would turn everything around. The finisher didn’t come for Teixeira, but it did for Gustafsson a minute into the fifth and final frame, as two uppercuts staggered Teixeira before a right hand finished the bout, with referee Marc Goddard stepping in at 1:07 of the round
With the win, the No. 1-ranked Gustafsson moves to 18-4. The No. 2-ranked Teixeira falls to 26-6.
Read on for Fight Night Stockholm main card results…
OEZDEMIR vs. CIRKUNOV
If anyone thought Volkan Oezdemir’s upset win over Ovince Saint Preux was a fluke, those comments got silenced Sunday at Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, as the No. 5-ranked light heavyweight contender from Switzerland knocked out the No. 7-ranked Misha Cirkunov in the first round of their UFC Fight Night co-main event.
“That was the second time people were not thinking about me, but I’m here now – count on me,” Oezdemir said. “I came from nowhere and made my way to the top by fighting top-ranked guys, and I’m going to do the same.”
Both fighters were throwing hard from the start, eager to make a statement with a win. And it was Cirkunov who appeared to take the upper hand as he backed Oezdemir to the fence, as the Latvia native rushed in, a short right to the head by Oezdemir put Cirkunov face first on the canvas. Referee Kevin Sataki immediately jumped in, with the end coming 28 seconds into the first round.
With the win, Oezdemir improves to 14-1; Cirkunov falls to 13-3.
SOBOTTA vs. SAUNDERS
A battle of welterweight veterans saw Peter Sobotta score the biggest win of his UFC career, as he impressively stopped Ben Saunders in the second round.
Sobotta sent Saunders to a knee with a left hand as the bout began, and though “Killa B” shook off the blow quickly, the Balingen product’s striking continued to look sharp, and with a little over a minute left, another hard left sent the bloodied Saunders down, and this time it was a thudding knockdown that sealed the round in Sobotta’s favor.
In the second minute of round two, the left staggered Saunders once more, and Sobotta swarmed, eager to get the knockout. Saunders again got his bearings back, but midway through the frame, Sobotta followed a left with a right knee to the head, and referee Neil Hall had seen enough, halting the bout at 2:29 of the second stanza.
With the win, Sobotta moves to 17-5-1; Saunders falls to 21-8-2.
AKHMEDOV vs. ALHASSAN
Taking knockout artist Abdul Razak Alhassan out of the first round for the first time, Omari Akhmedov used a varied attack to take a hard-fought split decision in their welterweight bout.
Scores were 30-27 twice and 28-29.
After a kick catch / right hand punch by Akhmedov put the fight on the ground early, the Russian had a brief opportunity to work his ground game before the two rose. A second takedown followed, but after a return to the feet, the round was largely tactical until some wild exchanges in the closing minute.
Alhassan began tagging his opponent more and more in round two, but the resourceful Akhmedov got a quick takedown to slow his foe’s momentum, and when they stood, it was “The Wolverine” who landed some hard shots and then scored another takedown. With two minutes left, a flush right hand by Alhassan marked Akhmedov’s face up, but another takedown kept the Texan from following up.
Akhmedov continued to mix things up in the third, with his iron chin allowing him to hang in on the feet before he took the fight to the canvas and kept Alhassan from getting any momentum.
With the win, Akhmedov moves to 17-4; Alhassan falls to 7-1.
TALEB vs. ENKAMP
Welterweight veteran Nordine Taleb spoiled the UFC debut of Stockholm’s Oliver Enkamp, decisioning the prospect via unanimous three-round decision.
The Swedish newcomer, who replaced Emil Meek on short notice, fought like an old pro in the first round of his UFC career, performing well on the feet and the mat, with a successful takedown and some hard knees in the clinch being particular highlights.
Taleb briefly rocked Enkamp (7-1) with a left punch to the head early in round two, showing the Stockholm product that he wasn’t going anywhere, and in the closing stages of the round, the Montrealer did solid work on the ground as well.
The ground game was the true deciding factor in the fight, as Taleb got Enkamp to the mat once more in the final two minutes of the third round, and his control on the mat was reflected in the judges’ scores of 30-27 twice and 29-28 that improved Taleb’s record to 13-4.
HERMANSSON vs. NICHOLSON
Uddevalla’s Jack “The Joker” Hermansson thrilled Swedish fans in his middleweight bout against Florida’s Alex Nicholson, halting “The Spartan” in two minutes.
Buoyed by the hometown crowd, Hermansson took control from the start, taking Nicholson to the canvas in the opening 20 seconds. Nicholson attempted a guillotine choke, but Hermansson was unbothered by it, and he soon had Nicholson flattened out and taking blows. After several unanswered shots, referee Bobby Rehman intervened, stopping the bout at the 2:00 mark of round one.
With the win, Hermansson ups his record to 15-3; Nicholson falls to 7-4.
considering the diminutive Brazilian got the nod against a former title challenger, it can’t be overlooked.
