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411’s UFC 270 Report: Ngannou Retains!
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
Champ Francis Ngannou (257 lbs.) vs. (ic) Ciryl Gane (247 lbs.) – for heavyweight title
Champ Brandon Moreno (124 lbs.) vs. #1 Deiveson Figueiredo (124 lbs.) – for flyweight title
Andre Fialho (169.5 lbs.) vs. Michel Pereira (170 lbs.)
Said Nurmagomedov (136 lbs.) vs. #15 Cody Stamann (135.5 lbs.)
Trevin Giles (170 lbs.) vs. Michael Morales (170 lbs.)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
Raoni Barcelos (135 lbs.) vs. Victor Henry (135.5 lbs.)
Jack Della Maddalena (170.5 lbs.) vs. Pete Rodriguez (170.5 lbs.)
Tony Gravely (135.5 lbs.) vs. Saimon Oliveira (136 lbs.)
Matt Frevola (154.5 lbs.) vs. Genaro Valdez (155.5 lbs.)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
Vanessa Demopoulos (115.5 lbs.) vs. Silvana Gomez Juarez (115.5 lbs.)
Kay Hansen (125 lbs.) vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius (125 lbs.)
Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC 270. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host, keeping you up to date on all the violence. Tonight is the first UFC PPV of 2022, and they didn’t bring a strong card but they did bring two title fights. The main event sees newly crowned heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou try to get his first title defense when he takes on the undefeated interim champion Ciryl Gane. This could be a truly monumental clash for the heavyweight division, especially when you consider Ngannou’s contract status. The co-main event is a trilogy fight when newly crowned flyweight champion Brandon Moreno looks for his first title defense against the man he took the belt from, former champion Deiveson Figueiredo. The first fight between these two was one of the best of 2020 which ended in a draw, the rematch went definitively to Moreno and if Figueiredo loses again his future at flyweight becomes much murkier. Beyond that there isn’t much here, this card suffered a lot of fights falling apart. We lost Rodolfo Vieira vs. Wellington Turman, Charles Jourdain vs. Ilia Topuria (itself a replacement after Movsar Evloev withdrew), Viviane Araujo vs. Alexa Grasso, and a few others were bumped to later events. Ultimately we’ve got a two fight card, but both are title fights that should hold everyone’s attention.
UFC 270 comes to the world from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, USA. We’ve got Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Daniel Cormier on commentary. As for the rules the newer set has been adopted, you only need one hand on the mat to be considered downed instead of two, and while we do have instant replay available it’s only for looking at fight ending sequences and there is not outside the cage replay official.
Kay Hansen has gone 1-1 in the UFC and is coming off of a loss, she’s trying to avoid her first ever losing streak and elevate her UFC record above the .500 mark. Jasmine Jasudavicius makes her UFC debut on a two fight winning streak including a win on the Contender Series last year, she’s trying to extend that streak and get that all important first UFC win. The odds are with Hansen at -235 to a +190 on Jasudavicius.
Women’s Flyweight Bout: Kay Hansen (7-4, 125 lbs.) vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius (6-1, 125 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Jasudavicius has five inches of height and reach over Hansen, she’s also a full decade older. The size difference is very evident as they start circling. Hansen shows the jab a bit, the forces a clinch on the fence. Both women fight for takedowns, and we’ve got our first “Woo” chant of the evening, confirming that California is just as obnoxious as any other state. Jasudavicius gets Hansen on the fence and lands some knees then lands an elbow as they break apart. Jabs from Jasudavicius start landing. Hansen lands a right after taking a jab. Front kick to the body from Jasudavicius. Jasudavicius lands a right hand then a body kick. Hansen is really struggling with the range, she starts doubling up on her jab to some success. Jasudavicius lands a right. Hansen tries a double leg, they wind up on the fence and start fighting for position. Both women land some knees then Jasudavicius trips Hansen down and lands on top in full guard. Jasudavicius lands some punches as Hansen starts working her guard up higher on the body. Some elbows to the body from Jasudavicius, then one to the head as well. More body work from Jasudavicius to set up her head shots. Hansen tries to kick Jasudavicius off, but Jasudavicius passes to half guard and lands a few more elbows before the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Jasudavicius
ROUND TWO: Jasudavicius lands a left to start the second round. Hansen falls short on a blitz. Body kick from Jasudavicius, but Hansen catches it and gets a takedown. Jasudavicius immediately sweeps and gets on top in full guard. Hansen is fishing for some kind of arm attack but Jasudavicius is staying pretty safe and landing blows. More short elbows from Jasudavicius as she’s got Hansen squished into the fence. There’s a decent sized mouse on the outside of Hansen’s right eyebrow, not a fight stopper but it bears watching. Full guard for Hansen and at this point she’s just hoping for a stand up and after a bit the ref obliges her. Hansen lands a right hand. Jasudavicius lands another body kick. Hansen pushes forward, tries a double leg but Jasudavicius is able to defend on the fence. Jasudavicius gets Hansen on the fence and lands a few knees. Jasudavicius gets a takedown and Hansen tries to work her guard. A few punches from Jasudavicius land to close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Jasudavicius, 20-18 Jasudavicius overall
ROUND THREE: Both women circling to start the round. Jasudavicius lands a right hand. Another right from Jasudavicius lands, Hansen returns one of her own. Both women land lefts. Jasudavicius lands a right. Bit of a left from Jasudavicius after she faked a takedown. Hansen lands a right hand. Bit of a flurry from Hansen, she’s still moving well but needs a finish. Jasudavicius lands a jab then a left hook. Hansen lands a bit of a left hook. Jasudavicius lands a jab. Hansen lands a left to counter a right from Jasudavicius. Jasudavicius lands a right hand to counter a body kick. Hansen lands an uppercut in close. They both land in close. Hansen lands a left hook then avoids a head kick. Jasudavicius eats an elbow then lands a left hook. A lot of pressure from Jasudavicius, she lands a right hand. Hansen avoids a poor takedown. Jasudavicius lands a knee to the body, gets a clinch and unloads with knees to the body as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Hansen, 29-28 Jasudavicius overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jasmine Jasudavicius via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)
I don’t agree with 30-27 but it’s not the worst scorecard ever. Mic time for Jasudavicius, she’s over the moon about her UFC debut and notes she wanted to stay long and avoid a brawl but she felt very good on top and exploited that.
Silvana Juarez lost her UFC debut last year to snap a three fight winning streak, now she’s back and looking to get that critical first win in the UFC. Vanessa Demopoulos also lost her UFC debut, she’s trying for that first UFC win as well. The odds are close for this one but favor Demopoulos at -140 to +120 for Juarez.
Strawweight Bout: Vanessa Demopoulos (6-4, 115.5 lbs.) vs. Silvana Gomez Juarez (10-3, 115.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Juarez is an inch taller and has a notable five and a half inches of reach advantage. Circling to start, Juarez is trying to show the jab and keep Demopoulos at distance. Calf kick from Juarez lands. Demopoulos eats a right hand. Juarez keeps circling and looking to snipe. Demopoulos lands a calf kick. A right from Juarez drops Demopoulos, she gets on top and looks to pound things out but Demopoulos closes her guard and is able to stall that momentum. Demopoulos grabs for an armbar, starts cranking on it and sweeps Juarez down then extends the arm and gets the tap.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Vanessa Demopoulos via Submission, armbar, at 2:25 of Round 1
The First Round Finish Club thanks Ms. Demopoulos for her work this evening. Mic time for Demopoulos, she’s very excited after the win and says she woke up on the ground after that right hand. She talks us through the finish, noting her love of jiu-jitsu along the way.
There’s a pretty glaring error from Juarez here that sets up the end.
Rather than trying to be square with Demopoulos's hips, watch how Gomez Juarez moves to her own left and creates an angle *for* her opponent to attempt the armbar. pic.twitter.com/1R3pqCxt7C
— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) January 23, 2022
Here’s the end. Demopoulos has the arm more or less locked up here, but the way she hooks the leg to facilitate the sweep is the final nail in the coffin for Juarez.
An arm bar out of nowhere for @monster_demo 🔒 #UFC270 pic.twitter.com/JsxU11lh1d
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 23, 2022
That’s it for the early prelims, though we’re still on ESPN+ for the rest of the preliminary card.
Matt Frevola has gone 2-3-1 in the UFC but finds himself on a two fight losing streak currently, he needs to halt that skid pretty badly to put a disastrous 2021 behind him. Genaro Valdez is undefeated and makes his UFC debut after a win on the Contender Series, he’s trying to remain perfect as a professional and make a good first impression to the UFC audience. Frevola is your -200 favorite while the +170 payout on Valdez might be a tempting value bet.
Lightweight Bout: Matt Frevola (8-3-1, 154.5 lbs.) vs. Genaro Valdez (10-0, 155.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Valdez has an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men start jabbing early, and miss right hands as well. Frevola falls a little short on punches, then they trade rights. Calf kick from Frevola lands. Both men are looking to keep the lead hand active. Frevola lands a right then a left hook that drops Valdez, he looks to flurry and drops him a second time. Valdez tries to come up on a takedown but Frevola is all over him as they clinch up. Credit to Valdez, he lands an elbow in the clinch as they break. There’s a lot of blood coming out of Valdez’s nose. They clinch up and Frevola lands knees to the body before dropping Valdez with a left hook. Valdez fights up but is dropped again. Again Valdez fights up and Frevola finally floors him with punches but the ref doesn’t stop it. Frevola gets the back, moves to full mount and hammers elbows and punches until the ref finally ends this.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Matt Frevola via TKO, punches, at 3:15 of Round 1
The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Frevola for his work this evening. Also what in the world was the ref waiting for, that should have been done after that last knock down. Mic time for Frevola, he acknowledges the fight was wild and puts over Valdez as a warrior. He again puts over Valdez for all the times he got up then talks us through the finish, noting he wanted the fight to be more technical but expects to show that off more in the future. To close he gives love to Long Island and his coaches.
Here’s the very end of things, but this was an absolutely insane three minutes of action.
STEAMROLLAAAAA
[ #UFC270 | @MattFre16 ] pic.twitter.com/IjEGroX8Di
— UFC (@ufc) January 23, 2022
Tony Gravely has gone 2-2 in the UFC but is coming off of a loss, he’s trying to avoid his first UFC losing streak and prove he’s still a viable prospect in the stacked bantamweight division. Saimon Oliveira makes his UFC debut on the back of a five fight winning streak and now looks to announce his arrival with a victory. Gravely is a surprisingly heavy -240 favorite while Oliveira’s comeback sits at +190.
Bantamweight Bout: Tony Gravely (21-7, 135.5 lbs.) vs. Saimon Oliveira (18-3, 136 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Gravely is an inch taller while Oliveira has three inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things started. Oliveira lands a calf kick. Gravely eats a jumping knee but gets a takedown, then Oliveira scrambles up and jumps for a guillotine. Oliveira is locking down that choke, the arm is in but Gravely is still trying to get his head free and does. Gravely lands some punches as he passes to half guard. Some more lefts from Gravely, Oliveira is covering up with one hand so he’s not taking much damage but he’s not really able to regain his feet either. Gravely moves to the ride position and keeps control while peppering in punches. Oliveira is able to wall walk up but Gravely keeps landing knees to the body and leg before tripping Oliveira back down. Oliveira tries another guillotine but this time Gravely defends with easy and gets into side control. More punches from Gravely as he moves to the ride position. Oliveira wall walks and they resume clinch fighting. They break and trade punches then Gravely clinches back up. Some body shots from Gravely. Oliveira lands a short elbow. Gravely gets a single leg and Oliveira tries the guillotine but doesn’t have it. Oliveira wall walks again, but is taken down again. One final guillotine attempt from Oliveira closes the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Gravely but could go either way
ROUND TWO: Both men come out kicking, then Gravely misses a spinning back fist. Takedown from Gravely and he lands in half guard in open space. Oliveira rolls to his knees and Gravely jumps to the ride position. Some punches from Gravely as Oliveira scoots to the fence then wall walks up with Gravely still on him. They trade punches as they break the clinch. Gravely lands a right hand. Left then a right from Oliveira, then he lands a body kick but is taken down again into half guard while he tries a guillotine. Gravely isn’t really in danger at the moment, he’s threatening a Von Flue choke so Oliveira bails on the position and looks to wall walk. Oliveira is back up, but Gravely is still all over him in the clinch. Some body shots from Gravely, Oliveira lands an elbow as they break. Oliveira lands some leg kicks. Another takedown from Gravely and he passes to half guard again. Gravely lands body blows but his ground and pound isn’t exactly inspiring yet. Oliveira tries to wall walk, he eats some punches but he does regain his feet. A few elbows from Oliveira in the clinch, Gravely knees the body then they break. Gravely punches forward and forces a clinch, then they trade rights and Gravely gets another takedown into half guard. Some hard punches from Gravely as Oliveira wall walks. Oliveira lands a knee to the body but eats a flurry of punches as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Gravely, 20-18 Gravely overall
ROUND THREE: Gravely catches a flying knee and gets a takedown into half guard again. Oliveira wall walks rather quickly but Gravely mat returns him into side control. Gravely puts himself into half guard for more control, Oliveira tries the guillotine choke again but again can’t find it. Now Gravely is setting up an arm triangle attack but he can’t get it beyond the early stages. Some punches from Gravely, he’s still trying for a submission attack when it might serve him better to just do damage. Gravely lands a few rights and moves to side control. Oliveira gives up his back moving to turtle and scoots the fence then wall walks. Gravely lands an elbow to break the clinch. Bit of a left hook from Gravely then a calf kick. Oliveira looks to open up with kicks, and Gravely hits a double leg then comes up on the back as Oliveira stands. Oliveira tries another guillotine choke, Gravely gets him down and moves to the safe side in half guard. Elbows from Gravely, then some punches to follow. Oliveira wall walks again but Gravely is on his back. Gravely lands a body shot as they break the clinch. Both men land rights. Oliveira lands a knee to the body but Gravely rocks him briefly with an uppercut. Spinning elbow from Oliveira partially lands, then Gravely takes him down again and lands punches. Oliveira wall walks again, then Gravely lands a left hook as they break. A hard right from Gravely lands to close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Gravely, 30-27 Gravely overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Tony Gravely via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Oliveira has good cardio but you need something else to deter wrestlers besides a guillotine choke. Mic time for Gravely after the win, he says the first guillotine was pretty tight but his team got him prepared for the defense for it. He kept the pressure up in the fight and that’s what ultimately led to the win.
Jack Della Maddalena is on an impressive 10 fight winning streak including a win on the Contender Series that punched his ticket to the UFC, now he’s trying to extend his winning streak while making good on the only chance he’ll get to make a first impression. Pete Rodriguez is undefeated coming into his UFC debut, he took this fight on short notice when Warlley Alves withdrew, but he’s now got a golden opportunity to prove his mettle on the biggest stage possible. Maddalena is a heavy -375 favorite to the +290 underdog status of Rodriguez.
Welterweight Bout: Jack Della Maddalena (10-2, 170.5 lbs.) vs. Pete Rodriguez (4-0, 170.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Della Maddalena has two inches of height and reach over Rodriguez. Southpaw for Rodriguez. Della Maddalena starts coming forward, he’s looking to apply immediate pressure. Some body shots from Rodriguez. Della Maddalena moves to southpaw, he’s switching well thus far and lands a body shot. Both men land body shots now, and both are moving from stance to stance. Rodriguez lands a couple of body shots but eats a counter right. Della Maddalena lands a body kick. Front kick to the body from Della Maddalena. A lot of jabs are coming out from Della Maddalena now, and Rodriguez is bleeding from the nose. They clash on lefts, the output of Della Maddalena is becoming a problem for Rodriguez. Della Maddalena lands a few more jabs, then combos off of it with punches. Hard one two from Della Maddalena then a hook in close but Rodriguez just eats the punches and lands a right hook. Both men land right hooks, then Della Maddalena lands a body kick. A pull counter cross from Della Maddalena lands and Rodriguez finally drops, a few perfunctory punches on the mat prompt the stoppage.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jack Della Maddalena via TKO, punches, at 2:59 of Round 1
The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Della Maddalena for his work this evening. That was a very impressive performance from Della Maddalena, who now gets an interview. He plays with the crowd just a bit then says he was waiting on the jitters but they never showed up. He talks us through some highlights and the finish, then asks for a post fight bonus.
This is a thing of beauty. Della Maddalena keeps flicking the jab to draw out Rodriguez, then when Rodriguez tries to answer he’s able to slide back and drop a bomb of a cross counter right on the jaw.
OH MY, OH MY 😳
🇦🇺 Jack Della Maddalena came with a PURPOSE! #UFC270 pic.twitter.com/ghZwK85WF1
— UFC (@ufc) January 23, 2022
Raoni Barcelos just had a nine fight winning streak snapped when he dropped a majority decision to Timur Valiev, now he’s trying to bounce back and avoid his first ever losing streak while reminding the world that he’s a top shelf bantamweight. Victor Henry is 9-1 in his last ten fights coming into his UFC debut, he took this fight on somewhat short notice but if he can secure a win over a respected talent like Barcelos in his UFC debut it would easily be the biggest win of his career. The odds are heavily with Barcelos at a prohibitive -510 while the +375 payout on Henry might tempt the more degenerate gamblers out there.
Bantamweight Bout: Raoni Barcelos (16-2, 135 lbs.) vs. Victor Henry (21-5, 135.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Henry has an inch of reach advantage. Both men doing a fair bit of feinting as we get going. Barcelos lands a right hand. Inside leg kick from Barcelos, then Henry counters with a right hand. Body kick from Henry but Barcelos counters with an uppercut. Barcelos lands a right hand to counter a leg kick. Barcelos lands a combination in close. Leg kick from Barcelos then he avoids a clinch. Henry keeps throwing a front kick to the body. Body kick from Henry then Barcelos lands a right hand. Barcelos lands an uppercut, Henry responds with a body kick. They trade left hooks, Henry got the better of that. Both men continue throwing punches, then Barcelos lands a calf kick and disengages. Bit of a right from Henry. Henry lands a couple of punches and Barcelos lands a counter punch. Both men land rights. Barcelos lands a left hook. Henry lands a right, then they trade punches. The pace of this fight has been pretty nuts thus far. Henry lands a right. Barcelos lands a right of his own. Some jabs from Barcelos but he takes a right hand in response. Barcelos catches a kick and gets a takedown but just stands over Henry rather than engage on the ground. Henry lands some uppercuts in close to the body and head, he’s got Barcelos wobbled and looks to press the advantage. Henry gets a clinch and lands more short punches and elbows as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Henry
ROUND TWO: Henry gets back to the pressure right away. Both men land leg kicks as they circle. Henry lands a bit of a body kick. Leg kick from Barcelos. Henry lands a right hand, Barcelos responds with a combination. Both men swing in close. Henry lands a leg kick, then a body kick and a left hook. More front kicks from Henry, then he lands a right hand. Both men land punches in close but Henry is getting the better of this. Barcelos lands a couple of jabs. Henry lands a front kick then a right hand. Body shot from Henry. Barcelos lands a left hook but his nose is bleeding, both from the nostrils and the bridge of the nose. Henry lands a body kick then a right hand. Calf kick from Barcelos. Henry lands a few rights. Henry avoids a takedown attempt and they trade rights. Another front kick from Henry lands, he’s got Barcelos backing up again. A couple of rights from Henry land then a left to the body. Barcelos lands a combination of punches. More front kicks from Henry, those are adding up at this point. Henry lands a right hand. Barcelos tries a takedown, winds up on the back standing but Henry turns into him right away and starts working knees in the clinch. Henry lands a few uppercuts as they break apart. A few lefts from Henry land. Front kick from Henry lands. Henry lands a few more rights then avoids a head kick. Barcelos avoids a couple of jabs to close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Henry but a close one, 20-18 Henry overall
ROUND THREE: Henry keeps kicking the body, then lands a right hand. Both men land some jabs then Henry lands a body kick. Barcelos lands a calf kick, Henry returns it. Both men land rights in close. A couple of leg kicks from Henry, these two just wont stop moving. Henry lands a right hand. Front kick from Henry then a left hand. Barcelos lands a right hand. Some jabs from Henry then a left uppercut. Barcelos tries a takedown but Henry stuffs it. They tie up and Henry lands uppercuts then a body kick as Barcelos lands a punch. Henry lands another front kick to the body. More body shots from Henry, his pace is getting to Barcelos a bit. Henry lands a right hand, then a couple of more as he’s got Barcelos backing up. More punches from Henry, he unloads in close but Barcelos cracks him with a right hand. Henry wont be deterred, he punches into a clinch and gets the back on the fence. Knees to the thigh from Henry, some foot stomps as well as he’s just trying to make Barcelos’s life miserable. More knees from Henry before Barcelos is able to spin into him. A few more punches from Henry land. They trade body kicks then Barcelos lands a left to the body. Henry lands a right and avoids the counter. They trade in close, but Barcelos lands the better punch and gets Henry to back up. Henry lands another front kick, Barcelos lands a body kick then Henry responds with a right hand as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Henry, 30-27 Henry overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Victor Henry via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
That’s your front runner for Fight of the Night thus far. Mic time for Henry after that big upset, he first dedicates the win to a few families who’ve lost their mothers recently. He says he tries to stay ready and draws a distinction between fighting and martial arts, and tells the story of accepting the fight with Barcelos on short notice. Henry says he’s 34 and knows his shelf life isn’t great but he’s got at least one run in. To close he recounts meeting Joe Rogan and Eddie Bravo back in 2005 and calls this an honor to meet him again here in the cage.
Alright everyone, that’s it for the prelims so on to PPV for the main card.
Trevin Giles has gone 5-3 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a loss and is trying to bounce back with a win here against a promotional new comer. Michael Morales is undefeated coming into his UFC debut and was last seen winning on the Contender Series. Morales is trying to defend that record and announce his arrival in the UFC with a win. The odds closed at a -110 pick ’em for this fight.
Welterweight Bout: Trevin Giles (14-3, 170 lbs.) vs. Michael Morales (12-0, 170 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Morales has a significant five inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Giles lands a leg kick. Another leg kick from Giles. Morales lands a calf kick of his own. Giles lands a right hand that stings Morales then he forces a clinch on the fence. Morales avoids a few takedown attempts but he can’t get off of the fence. Giles finally gets the upper body takedown and lands in half guard. Giles works for an arm triangle choke, he winds up grabbing in as he’s swept and tries to get it from the bottom. Morales gets his head free then Giles kicks him off and regains his feet but they clinch up right away. Giles breaks the grip Morales has then they separate without incident. Bit of a calf kick from Morales, Giles responds with a jab. Bit of a body kick from Giles. They trade rights, Morales has Giles in trouble and looks to flurry and finish but Giles swings back at him. Morales drops Giles with a right hand and looks to pound things out from the ride position, eventually the ref does step in and wave this one off.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Michael Morales via TKO, punches, at 4:06 of Round 1
The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Morales for his work this evening. Mic time for Morales and a translator, he plays with the crowd and gives love to his mother back at home. To close he promises he’ll work harder and get more wins.
Cody Stamann has a solid UFC record of 5-3-1 but finds himself on a two fight losing streak, which is slightly mitigated by the level of opposition he faced in those fights but if he wants to retain his ranking he must successfully defend it here against a rising talent. Said Nurmagomedov has gone 3-1 in the UFC and is coming off of a win in October of last year, now he’s trying to build another streak and possibly claim a top fifteen berth as he ascends the stacked bantamweight division. Despite being unranked Nurmagomedov is the -195 favorite against +165 for Stamann.
Bantamweight Bout: Said Nurmagomedov (14-2, 136 lbs.) vs. #15 Cody Stamann (19-4-1, 135.5 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Nurmagomedov is two inches taller with five and a half of reach over Stamann. They touch gloves to get us going. Both men start swinging early. Nurmagomedov lands a right hand then a spinning side kick to the body. Stamann is pressing forward but Nurmagomedov is sniping at him and staying mobile. Stamann avoids a spinning back fist and gets a clinch then pushes Nurmagomedov into the fence. Nurmagomedov grabs a guillotine as Stamann tries a single leg, they roll to the mat and Nurmagomedov locks up the choke and Stamann has to tap.
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Said Nurmagomedov via Submission, guillotine choke, at :47 of Round 1
The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Nurmagomedov for his work this evening, and congratulates him on getting the third fastest finish in UFC bantamweight history. Mic time for Nurmagomedov and his translator after that one, he thanks Rogan for the interview and is very happy about the win. He says he prepared for a three round war but Stamann fell into his favorite choke so he took it.
Here’s a look at the finish, we don’t see the fully catch around the neck though. Nurmagomedov gets the grip very deep, he actually locks up the power guillotine/ninja choke variation, that’s how good his grip is.
Beauty 🔥 pic.twitter.com/B96UlwcRiq
— MS (@UFC_Obsessed) January 23, 2022
Michel Pereira is on a three fight winning streak, his longest stretch of success under the UFC banner, and is looking to secure a fight against someone higher up the food chain if he can extend that to four in a row tonight. Andre Fialho took this fight on short notice when he replaced Muslim Salikhov in this fight for last weeks event, but the whole thing got bumped here giving him more time to prepare. Fialho brings a four fight winning streak into his UFC debut and a win over the eccentric Pereira would be the biggest of his career by far. Pereira is the -280 favorite to a +225 comeback on Fialho.
Welterweight Bout: Andre Fialho (14-3, 169.5 lbs.) vs. Michel Pereira (26-11 2 NC, 170 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Pereira is an inch taller while Fialho has an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Fialho starts coming forward immediately looking to punch. Pereira avoids a wheel kick and lands a front kick to the body. Another front kick from Pereira then he misses a high kick. Despite the height being similar Pereira looks like a much larger man. Fialho avoids a blitz off of the fence. Pereira lands another front kick but the stoicism of Fialho’s game is stifling him a bit. Fialho off balances Pereira with a jab. Another jab from Fialho lands. Bit of a right from Pereira. Pereira lands a leg kick. Some jabs from Fialho then he avoids a right hand. A couple of hooks land for Fialho in close, his technique is really nice. Pereira lands another front kick but he’s struggling to build off of it. Fialho avoids a jumping knee. Some more jabs from Fialho, then Pereira lands a front kick to the body. Fialho lands a right hand then avoids a double leg takedown. Pereira is bleeding from the nose, that might cause problems for him the longer this goes. Fialho avoids a punch, his defense is quite nice thus far. Uppercut from Fialho lands, Pereira slips and Fialho gets on top in half guard. Fialho lands hammer fists as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Fialho
ROUND TWO: Fialho gets right back to forward pressure, his jab constantly in the face of Pereira. Bit of a right from Pereira lands. Pereira lands a right hand. Combination from Pereira lands, he’s got Fialho in trouble but they clinch up and hit the fence. Fialho lands a right hand as they break the clinch, then a left hook to follow up. Front kick to the body from Pereira then he misses a Rolling Thunder kick. Pereira lands a right, Fialho has stopped his forward pressure and that’s allowing Pereira to get off with his offense. Fialho lands a left hook. Pereira pushes forward and digs a left to the body, those body shots are adding up. Knees now from Pereira in the clinch, Fialho digs body shots in response and things slow down for a bit. They break without incident. Fialho avoids a wheel kick. Some jabs are traded then Pereira lands another front kick. They clinch again, Pereira lands a few knees to the body before they break. Fialho starts getting his jab going again. Pereira lands a couple of front kicks then a leg kick. Fialho lands a right hand but Pereira is chewing him up this round. More front kicks from Pereira, Fialho counters with a couple of punches. Pereira hits a double leg then they end the round after Fialho has wall walked.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Pereira, arguably a 10-8, 19-19 overall
ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the final round. Pereira starts with the front kicks again but Fialho seems revitalized and starts jabbing again. They trade in close. Fialho is pressing forward again, he lands a jab to counter a front kick. More punches from Fialho, then Pereira lands a right hand. Front kick then a leg kick from Pereira. Pereira should throw that front kick to the face at least once before this fight ends. They trade lefts. Fialho avoids a takedown. Pereira punches the body, then Fialho lands an uppercut but eats a counter right. They clinch up and hit the fence. They break without incident then go back to trading long range punches. Both men land rights. Fialho avoids a right hand. Left to the body from Pereira then a front kick to the body. Fialho keeps pushing forward, Pereira is a little fatigued here but still throwing. They split some jabs as Fialho continues marching forward. Stiff left from Fialho lands. Again they trade lefts, then a front kick from Pereira hits the groin of Fialho so we get a time out. Replay shows the toes went just above the belt line but the heel of Pereira’s foot definitely hit the cup. Fialho takes about 50 seconds then we’re back to fighting. More pressure from Fialho, he’s running out of time to steal this. They get close and we get full blown Road House for the final 10 seconds but neither falls before the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Pereira, 29-28 Pereira overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Michel Pereira via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Fun fight, I still prefer Henry and Barcelos but knowing Dana’s preferences this probably just took the lead in Fight of the Night. Eventually they corral Pereira for his interview, he puts over Fialho and notes the jab gave him trouble but he stuck to the game plan and turned things around after the first. He thanks his coaches and his family, then plays with the crowd to close.
Deiveson Figueiredo is the former flyweight champion but lost the title in his last fight, now he’s trying to become the first two time flyweight champion in UFC history by regaining that title. Brandon Moreno became the first Mexican UFC champion when he choked out Figueiredo to gain the flyweight title last year, now he’s trying to secure his first title defense and begin forging his championship legacy. The odds are with the champion Moreno at -180 to +155 on Figueiredo.
Flyweight Title Bout: (c) Brandon Moreno (19-5-2, 124 lbs.) vs. #1 Deiveson Figueiredo (20-2-1, 124 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: Moreno has two inches of height and reach, he’s also six years younger. Both men start feinting as they circle. Calf kick from Figueiredo. Moreno lands a right and they clinch up then hit the fence. They jockey for position, trading some knees as they do so. More knees, mostly from Figueiredo at the moment then they break. A few jabs go back and forth then Figueiredo lands a hard calf kick. They split jabs then Figueiredo lands a leg kick and Moreno misses some counters. Moreno tries a high kick but misses. Figueiredo lands a calf kick that hurts Moreno but he takes a counter right. Moreno misses a right hand and Figueiredo gets a takedown from the back, he winds up in the ride position and lands some knees to the body and thigh. Moreno granby rolls through and they reset on the feet. Figueiredo avoids some wide hooks. Calf kick from Figueiredo. Figueiredo goes southpaw, Moreno lands a few inside leg kicks then Figueiredo lands a front kick to the body. Back to orthodox for Figueiredo and he digs some body shots then a body kick. Moreno takes a calf kick and lands a body shot to close the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Figueiredo but a close one
ROUND TWO: Figueiredo starts coming forward again, he avoids punches and looks for a takedown but can’t find it. Moreno misses a left hook, but fires it again and lands it. Figueiredo lands a calf kick. Bit of a right from Figueiredo. Figueiredo lands a right. Moreno lands a calf kick. Moreno smothers a wheel kick, tries a takedown but they scramble right up then Figueiredo lands a left hand. Calf kick from Figueiredo lands. Glancing left hook from Moreno. Moreno lands a body shot after avoiding a right. Front kick from Figueiredo lands. Bit of a left from Moreno. Another body shot from Moreno lands then a left to the head behind it. Figueiredo lands a calf kick. Moreno avoids a single leg attempt with relative ease. They clash on a few kicks. A couple of body shots from Figueiredo but Moreno lands a left hook. A right from Figueiredo stuns Moreno, then they trade hard punches. Moreno might have a power edge, which is crazy. They trade left hooks. Both men miss head kicks as the last exchange of the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Moreno but another close one, 19-19 overall
ROUND THREE: Both men feinting again, then Figueiredo lands a leg kick. Figueiredo is really committing to the calf kicks this round. They get close and Figueiredo drops Moreno with a left but Moreno is back up quickly and lands a left of his own. A left from Figueiredo stuns Moreno, but again Moreno fires back and lands a left hook. Figueiredo lands another calf kick, Moreno lands a jab. Hard body shot from Figueiredo. Another calf kick from Figueiredo drops Moreno for a second. Moreno lands a left hook at the end of a combination that otherwise missed. Figueiredo misses a right hand. Figueiredo lands a calf kick. Moreno lands a left and avoids the counter. Figueiredo lands a jab. Both men land lefts then Moreno shrugs off a takedown attempt. Bit of a right from Figueiredo then Moreno lands a calf kick. Figueiredo lands an elbow in close then they split jabs. Moreno has a high kick blocked then Figueiredo lands a front kick to the body. A right from Figueiredo drops Moreno, then the grabs an anaconda choke but there’s no time to finish it before the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Figueiredo, 29-28 Figueiredo overall
ROUND FOUR: Figueiredo is stalking forward now, he lands a calf kick. Moreno misses a spinning kick. Stiff jab from Figueiredo then a calf kick. Moreno lands an inside leg kick, Figueiredo has gone southpaw now opening that up. Figueiredo lands a front kick to the body. Moreno lands a right hand but slips on the reset. Bit of a left hook from Figueiredo. Figueiredo lands a calf kick. Moreno lands a body kick. Glancing left from Figueiredo lands. Figueiredo goes orthodox again then lands a calf kick. Moreno lands a few lefts. They punch into a clinch and hit the fence with Figueiredo slipping to the back of Moreno. Figueiredo lands knees to the leg and body. Moreno slips free and they trade punches in close then separate. They trade body kicks then Figueiredo lands a calf kick. Moreno lands a body shot and the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Figueiredo but another close one, 39-37 Figueiredo overall
ROUND FIVE: Figueiredo starts pushing the pace right away, he and Moreno both land jabs. They tie up and Moreno gets a takedown into half guard. Figueiredo hits a technical get up quickly and they reset on the feet. Moreno lands a left hook. Left to the body from Moreno. Figueiredo lands a left hook then a right hand. Moreno lands a left hook. Both men miss rights. Moreno misses a left hook. They trade punches then Moreno avoids a takedown. A right from Figueiredo drops Moreno, but Moreno bounces back up and they trade in close again. Moreno is still stalking forward. Someone’s going to be upset with this decision but this fight is insanely close. Both men start feinting, looking for an opening. Figueiredo lands a right hand, then another one. More rights from Figueiredo then he misses a left hook. They split jabs, Figueiredo lands a right then a left. We get close and they swing haymakers at each other for the final seconds of the fight.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Figueiredo but another close one, 49-46 Figueiredo overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER and NEW UFC Flyweight Champion – Deiveson Figueiredo via unanimous decision (48-47 x3)
We’re probably going to see that fight again, and I wont object one iota. Mic time for Figueiredo, he gives thanks to God, his coaches and love to his family and says this was his night before thanking Moreno for the fight and calls it Fight of the Night. He talks about the hardship getting to this point and offers Moreno a 4th fight in Mexico, then reminds everyone to stay strong because life will always try to put you on your knees. To close he puts over his coaches and gives love to everyone.
Rogan interviews Brandon Moreno as well, he thought he’d done enough to win but he’s not going to complain at the moment. He thinks Figueiredo had a better game plan this time. He’s happy to accept a 4th fight in Mexico if that’s on the table.
Ciryl Gane is undefeated as a professional, has won seven fights in the UFC, claimed the interim heavyweight title in August of last year when he out classed and finished Derrick Lewis, and now looks to solidify his ascension by claiming the undisputed heavyweight title. Francis Ngannou is the reigning heavyweight champion, a title he claimed in March of last year when he violently knocked out Stipe Miocic, and is trying to solidify his grip on the heavyweight crown by getting his first title defense under his belt. The odds on this one have been close the whole way but lean towards Gane at -145 to +125 for Ngannou to defend his title.
Heavyweight Title Bout: (c) Francis Ngannou (16-3, 257 lbs.) vs. (ic) Ciryl Gane (10-0, 247 lbs.)
ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Ngannou has two inches of reach advantage, and of course Ngannou is 10 or so pounds heavier. They touch gloves to get us going. Gane will switch his stance as he likes, Ngannou works orthodox. Gane tries a takedown and pushes Ngannou into the fence then starts working knees. Ngannou lands a knee to the head then they break. Gane starts trying to get his jab going, then goes southpaw and lands an inside leg kick. Front kick to the body from Gane then Ngannou forces a clinch. They jockey for position then trade knees. Gane lands a back elbow and they break apart. Jab from Gane. Gane keeps switching his stance, lands a body kick but Ngannou fires back with body shots. Jab from Gane lands. Ngannou still coming forward, has a few punches blocked but he can’t corral Gane. Gane lands a jab. Spinning back kick from Gane lands. Gane lands a knee to the body. Ngannou is following Gane a bit too much, Gane is starting to snipe at him effectively. Ngannou misses a right. Gane lands a knee in the clinch then they hit the fence. Ngannou is looking for a takedown from the clinch but Gane is defending so far. Ngannou lands a knee but Gane spins him to the fence. Gane works some knees to the body and thigh. They break as Ngannou lands an uppercut to the body. Gane lands a front kick to the body then a stiff jab. This is Gane’s style of fight thus far as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Gane
ROUND TWO: Ngannou looks more fatigued of the two. They touch gloves to start the round. Gane is working out of southpaw at the moment as he moves around. Side kick to the body from Gane. Gane starts landing leg kicks and avoiding the counters, he’s happy to make Ngannou miss big punches. More leg kicks from Gane then a jab. Gane lands a side kick. Ngannou goes southpaw for a moment but nothing comes of it. Gane lands a front kick to the body then a combination of punches. Ngannou misses a right hand and they clinch again. They break without incident. Gane lands a front kick and avoids a power hand punch. More body kicks from Gane, then a wheel kick that lands but Ngannou just eats it. Jab from Gane. Ngannou has started to bite on body kicks, Gane might come high soon. Gane lands an inside leg kick. Bit of a spinning back kick from Gane. Body kick from Ngannou. Gane avoids a few hooks and lands a right hand. Ngannou checks a leg kick, which will be the last exchange of the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Gane, 20-18 Gane overall
ROUND THREE: Gane back to bouncing and circling, Ngannou following a bit too much still. Jab from Gane lands. Ngannou misses a left hook. Ngannou avoids a kick and gets a takedown into side control. Gane looks to shrimp, but gives up the back and starts working to stand. Ngannou looks to bomb on him but Gane comes up in the clinch and works knees to the thigh. Gane avoids a whizzer kick and keeps Ngannou on the fence. Gane lands a spinning elbow as they break. Ngannou misses more punches, Gane is avoiding him with ease. Gane lands a side kick to the body. Gane misses a wheel kick. Ngannou looks fatigued, his foot work has slowed and his hands are lower. Leg kick from Ngannou, Gane lands a glancing head kick. Ngannou tries a takedown, Gane grabs a kimura on the takedown though and Ngannou has to fight to get his arm back then settles into half guard. Gane starts building to wall walk as the round ends.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Ngannou, 29-28 Gane overall
ROUND FOUR: They touch gloves again. Gane is fighting southpaw again, he lands a leg kick then a front kick to the body. Jabs and leg kicks from Gane as he circles. More leg kicks from Gane, Ngannou lands a body shot. Stiff jab from Gane. Spinning back kick from Gane lands. Ngannou misses a left hook. Gane with a front kick to the chest. Gane catches a body kick, lands a right hook and they clicnh up. Ngannou gets a body lock takedown into half guard. Gane rolls to the turtle, then builds his base up and stands. Ngannou looks for another takedown, he gets it and is nearly in full mount. Gane quickly off balances him and looks to come up on a single leg. Ngannou pushes Gane over and gets on top in half guard. Gane scoots to the fence and looks to build up, Ngannou lands a knee to the chest as he’s sitting on the fence. Ngannou lands a few short punches and ends the round in the ride position.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Ngannou, 38-38 DRAW overall
ROUND FIVE: They touch gloves again. Gane starts looking to jab right away. Elbow from Gane then a leg kick. Ngannou avoids a right hand. Gane has started coming forward now, he avoids a few punches from Ngannou then lands a left. Body jabs from Gane. Gane lands a left hand. Gane grabs a single leg and spins Ngannou down into half guard. Ngannou just gives up the position and Gane starts looking to land. Ngannou is able to get full guard. Gane sits for a heel hook, I”m not sure why he did that because Ngannou avoids it and gets on top in half guard. Huge mistake from Gane. Gane tries again for the heel hook, he starts cranking on it but he can’t secure the knee line. Ngannou comes up and gets on top again. Ngannou moves to full mount, he’s after an arm triangle choke but Gane is able to get half guard. Things are stalling out here. Gane starts working to sit up, but Ngannou is keeping him down. Ngannou has done nothing with this control though, it’s going to muddy the water. Gane fishes for a kimura to end the round.
SCORECARD: 10-9 Gane but probably went the other way, 48-47 Gane overall
OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER and STILL UFC Heavyweight Champion – Francis Ngannouvia unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47 x2)
That 49-46 is seriously questionable, but Ngannou taking 3, 4, and 5 isn’t out of bounds at all. Mic time for Ngannou, he knew Gane would be tough but knew he had to stay composed and not chase him around. Ngannou says he’s been through a lot of crap and he’s got messed up knees including a torn MCL but he couldn’t back down because this was a moment to make a statement. He talks about improving his grappling all the time and plans to be on another level for his next fight. Tonight he’s just going to celebrate with his family and friends, gives love to people all over the world especially Cameroon. Asked about a boxing match or the future in general he thinks boxing is something he’ll do before the end of his career.
Gane gets an interview as well, he first thanks all the fans for their support and apologizes for the loss before congratulating Ngannou. Still he calls this a good experience and thinks his future is still very bright.
Well on that somewhat anticlimactic note UFC 270 comes to a close. Thanks as usual for being here guys, and we’ll break down all the results tomorrow on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast. There’s no event next week but February will start things up in earnest again so enjoy the break. Until next time stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.