Cris Cyborg takes down Felicia Spencer, requires Amanda Nunes rematch
EDMONTON, Alberta — This was no classic Cris “Cyborg” Justino efficiency. Which isn’t to say the Brazilian knockout artist fought poorly. She simply did not run by way of an opponent like a bulldozer, per traditional.
Justino defeated Felicia Spencer by unanimous determination (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) within the co-main occasion of UFC 240 on Saturday evening at Rogers Place. Whereas Justino obtained the victory, the story popping out of the bout may be the toughness of Spencer, who was rocked solely as soon as by some of the dominant feminine fighters of all time.
Within the first spherical, Spencer opened up the primary reduce of Justino’s profession with a slicing elbow to the brow. Justino thanked her for it in her postfight interview with Joe Rogan. Justino additionally requested for a rematch with UFC ladies’s featherweight champion Amanda Nunes, who beat her for the belt at UFC 232 in December. That is a notable callout, contemplating Justino was coming into Saturday on the final struggle of her contract.
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After profitable at UFC 240, Cris Cyborg weighs in on the opportunity of a rematch with Amanda Nunes.
“I simply needed to get this victory first,” Justino mentioned. “In fact, I need Amanda, for certain. I requested for a rematch after that struggle.”
Nunes answered her on Twitter minutes later, writing she is “prepared” for that bout.
Congrats, I am prepared for this…. once more @criscyborg. Parabéns, vamos lá novamente. @danawhite
– Amanda Nunes (@Amanda_Leoa) July 28, 2019
Justino landed the tougher photographs all through, however even after exhausting mixtures, Spencer barely flinched. In previous fights, clear photographs from Justino downed opponents or no less than despatched them scrambling. Spencer took all of Justino’s greatest blows impressively. The one strike that rocked the Canadian was an elbow within the clinch within the third spherical.
Regardless of all that, it was a transparent Justino victory, even when it did not seem like the excitement noticed Cyborg of the previous. She landed huge combos, exhausting leg kicks and good jabs. Spencer by no means put Justino in any bother.
Justino (21-2, 1 NC), the previous UFC, Strikeforce and Invicta featherweight champion, has gained 11 of her previous 12 fights. Cyborg got here in ranked tied for second in ESPN’s pound-for-pound ladies’s MMA rankings with Valentina Shevchenko. Justino, 34, has gained by determination solely 4 occasions in her profession.
Spencer (7-1) went Zero-for-7 on takedown makes an attempt towards Justino. The Canada native, who lives and trains in Florida, is now 1-1 within the UFC. Spencer, 28, is the previous Invicta FC featherweight champion.
Geoff Neal defeated Niko Value by second-round TKO
The UFC’s combating waiter served up some critical violence Saturday evening.
Neal landed thunderous floor and pound from guard to cease Value at 2:39 of the second spherical by TKO. The struggle was wild up till that time, with each athletes getting rocked. Neal ended up on high after a scramble — the place he mentioned he needed to be — and made it rely.
“I knew a pair extra photographs and he’d be all the way in which out,” Neal mentioned. “The ref stopped it earlier than it obtained to that time. Good job by the ref.”
Value dropped Neal with a left hand (and an unintentional head conflict) within the first spherical. However Neal was capable of recuperate and truly completed the primary in mount. Within the second, Value rocked Neal once more, however within the ensuing alternate he jumped for a guillotine. It did not work, and Neal ended up on high. Some brutal downward punches later, and the bout was completed.
Neal (12-2) has gained six in a row, together with 4 within the UFC. The 28-year-old Texas native looks like somebody to look at sooner or later at welterweight. Neal has gained seven occasions in his profession by way of TKO/KO. Value (13-Three, 1 NC), a 29-year-old from Florida, has misplaced two of three.
Arman Tsarukyan defeated Olivier Aubin-Mercier by unanimous determination
Aubin-Mercier had a strong efficiency within the ultimate struggle on his UFC deal, however ultimately it was not sufficient. Tsarukyan managed to land a takedown within the third spherical and spend a lot of the ultimate 5 minutes on high to seal a unanimous determination (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) victory.
Tsarukyan was relentless with a pressuring, grinding model. He obtained out to a lead with that work within the first spherical, however Aubin-Mercier caught him coming in with a knee within the second to seemingly flip the momentum. It did not final ceaselessly. Tsarukyan was dominant within the third, getting Aubin-Mercier down and touchdown elbows and punches.
Tsarukyan (14-2) is wanting like an actual prospect at light-weight. The 22-year-old Armenia native went the gap with Islam Makhachev in his UFC debut at UFC Saint Petersburg in April. He has gained 13 of his previous 14 fights. Aubin-Mercier, a 30-year-old Canadian fighter, has misplaced three in a row.
Krzysztof Jotko defeated Marc-Andre Barriault by break up determination
Jokto heard his title introduced as winner, raised his hand after which dropped to the ground for a break-dancing routine.
The joy of the celebration may need exceeded the motion of the struggle, although it was a strong break up determination (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) victory for Jotko. The vast majority of the bout happened within the clinch, with Jotko touchdown knees to the physique, elbows and punches. Barriault landed a pleasant proper hand on the finish of the second and an elbow within the clinch within the third, however efficient offense was not precisely coming in waves.
Jotko (21-Four), as soon as thought of a middleweight contender, has now gained two straight after occurring a three-fight dropping skid. The 29-year-old Poland native has 14 determination victories in his profession, together with seven of his eight UFC wins. Jotko is fourth amongst middleweights in UFC historical past with these seven determination victories. Barriault (11-2), a 29-year-old Canadian, has misplaced each of his UFC fights.
Viviane Araujo defeated Alexis Davis by unanimous determination
Two fights at flyweight within the UFC, two victories for Araujo. Not dangerous for a pure strawweight.
Araujo used her superior pace to defeat veteran Davis by way of unanimous determination (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). Araujo was a sniper from the surface, particularly within the first and third rounds. She landed fixed jabs and proper arms to Davis’ face, which was bloodied by the top of the second spherical.
Davis gained the second spherical, getting a maintain of Araujo and taking her down. However when the struggle was standing, it was all Araujo, transferring out and in and peppering the slower Davis with photographs.
Araujo (Eight-1) has gained 5 straight total, together with her first two within the UFC. This was the primary determination win for the 32-year-old Brazilian. Davis (19-10), the 34-year-old Canadian former bantamweight title challenger, has misplaced three straight.
Hakeem Dawodu defeated Yoshinori Horie by third-round TKO
Dawodu had bother with Horie’s evasive, always transferring model by way of the primary half of the struggle. As soon as Dawodu caught up, although, issues obtained actual violent. The end — a Dawodu TKO — got here at Four:09 of the third spherical.
With Horie slowing down within the third, Dawodu obtained him towards the cage and landed some vicious offense, led by a knee to the physique that did main injury. Quickly after, Dawodu obtained Horie towards the fence once more, then landed a knee to the chin, one other knee to the physique and finally a left head kick that completed it.
Horie fought a superb struggle up till that time. He even dropped Dawodu twice within the first with blitzing punches, although one was nearer to a visit.
Dawodu (10-1-1) has gained three in a row. The 28-year-old Canadian earned his seventh profession win by KO/TKO. Horie (Eight-2), a 24-year-old Japan native, had gained two straight coming in.
Gavin Tucker defeated Seungwoo Choi by third-round submission
Tucker tried your entire struggle to get Choi down and himself right into a dominant place. There have been various levels of success all through the bout, most of which Tucker gained. Lastly, within the third, Tucker obtained Choi’s again, flattened him out and obtained the submission he needed — with a rear-naked choke maintain at Three:17 of the ultimate spherical.
Tucker’s recreation plan was fairly apparent from the start: get Choi down. He did simply that for brief durations, however Choi all the time was capable of scramble and escape. On the toes, Choi did properly. However Tucker continued to execute his technique till the stoppage got here. Within the second, Tucker had some extent taken after he landed a knee to a grounded Choi.
Tucker (10-1) was coming off the primary lack of his profession towards Rick Glenn in September 2017, right here in Edmonton. (Tucker, 33, took a ton of injury throughout that bout, struggling a number of damaged bones in his face that resulted in an almost two-year layoff.) It was the fifth profession submission win for the Canadian on Saturday. Choi (7-Three), a 26-year-old Korean fighter, has misplaced each of his UFC fights.
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Hakeem Dawodu breaks down his knockout of Yoshinori Horie and why he is not completely happy along with his win. For extra UFC, join right here for ESPN+ http://plus.espn.com/ufc.
Deiveson Figueiredo defeated Alexandre Pantoja by unanimous determination
Figueiredo and Pantoja won’t have been immediately combating to indicate folks why the UFC ought to preserve its flyweight division alive. However that was the result.
In a contender for struggle of the evening, the 2 lightning-fast Brazilians threw down for 3 rounds. Figueiredo had Pantoja busted up and bleeding from a number of cuts on his face by the top for a unanimous determination victory (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Coming in, Pantoja and Figueiredo have been ranked No. 5 and No. 6, respectively, in ESPN’s flyweight rankings.
Figueiredo dropped Pantoja within the second spherical and landed a number of standing elbows within the third in a frenetic efficiency completed largely along with his arms down coming ahead. Pantoja landed some exhausting punches late within the third, nevertheless it was too late.
Figueiredo (16-1) rebounded right here from the primary lack of his profession, towards Jussier Formiga at UFC Nashville in March. The 31-year-old is 5-1 within the UFC. Pantoja (21-Four), a 29-year-old Final Fighter alum, had gained three straight coming in.
Gillian Robertson defeated Sarah Frota by second-round TKO
Robertson went proper into Frota’s greatest power — grappling — and managed to complete her. “Savage” certainly.
Robertson, a Canada native who lives in Florida, beat Frota by TKO at Four:13 of the second spherical by way of some nasty floor and pound from mount. By the top, Frota was bleeding from cuts over each eyes, courtesy of slicing Robertson elbows.
Robertson took Frota down within the first and had a various quantity of success in an lively guard. Within the second, Robertson imposed her will towards a wilting Frota.
Robertson (7-Three) has gained two in a row and 4 UFC victories, probably the most within the fledgling ladies’s flyweight division. This was the primary TKO victory of the 24-year-old’s younger profession. Frota (9-2), a 27-year-old Brazilian, has misplaced two straight to start out her UFC run.
Erik Koch defeated Kyle Stewart by unanimous determination
“New Breed” is in a brand new weight class and seemed like a brand new fighter.
Koch, who as soon as fought as gentle as featherweight, debuted at welterweight Saturday evening and defeated Stewart by unanimous determination (30-27, 29-28, 29-28). Stewart was content material to clinch and strain his smaller opponent towards the cage. However the grappling recreation truly went the way in which of Koch ultimately. He was capable of take Stewart down within the third spherical and seal a victory with huge elbows from mount and half guard.
Koch (16-6) earned his first victory since 2016. The Iowa native had not fought since January 2018. Koch, 30, snapped a two-fight dropping streak. Stewart (11-Three), a 30-year-old Arizona native, has dropped two straight.