Verdict MMA

In a sport that’s unapologetic, Sean Strickland might be the most unapologetic of them all. It might be too extreme, but Strickland has always been honest with what’s going through his mind. From his Neo-Nazi past to his homicidal thoughts, Sean Strickland will always let you know what he feels regardless of how dark it could be.

The darkness came from Strickland’s childhood where he grew up with a mentally and physically abusive father. 

“I remember hugging my mom's leg in the kitchen, like pre-elementary school while my dad will fucking drunk telling my fucking mom  I'm going to fucking cut you off little pieces, then bury you in the backyard and a bottle of acid.” Strickland told Ariel Helwani on an episode of the MMA Hour.

“Whenever you experience things like that day in and day out, your brain biologically changes. My brain was made to survive. Whenever I had to transition to the normal world, my brain wasn’t built for that”.

The psychological trauma that Strickland endured put him on a bad path himself. He walked around the streets with a knife in his pocket fantasizing about hurting others. He became a Neo-Nazi and drew swastikas on his arms. 

“Did you ever watch American History X? People would always ask me when I was a kid, who did I want to be? And that’s what I wanted to be. When I was a kid I thought they were so cool, man. That’s something I hero-worshipped but I was in elementary school, and I didn’t know what it all meant”.

Strickland was filled with anger and he didn’t know why. Then it all changed the day he discovered training for martial arts and realized that he wasn’t who he thought he was.

“When I started training, I was like man, I don’t hate anybody. Like everyone’s cool. A lot of people helped me out. Like a lot of ethnic people were the ones that kind of held their hands out to me. It was weird because I was a Neo Nazi, Hitler youth, and the people helping me out weren’t even white”.

Strickland started to have realizations and felt ashamed of how he acted.

“It’s a shameful thing you have to come with terms with, because my entire life I hated you because your color, and now you’re the one helping me out. Life is strange”.

Strickland could have hid his past if he chose to, but that’s not the person he is. He says how he feels, whether people like it or not.

Martial arts gave Strickland an opportunity to channel his rage and put it into something productive. He’s currently on a 5 fight winning streak and is looking to one day challenge for the UFC Middleweight title.

Inside the Mind of Sean Strickland

UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Strickland takes place live on February 5th from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Let’s take a look at at the matchups on the main card.

## Jack Hermansson vs. Sean Strickland

Sean Strickland will compete in his 2nd consecutive UFC main event this weekend when he takes on 6th ranked Jack Hermansson. Strickland is currently on a 5 fight winning streak and is coming off of a 5 round shutout performance against Uriah Hall. If you look at the numbers, this feels like a classic striker vs. grappler fight with 22% of the Verdict Community predicting Strickland to win by KO and 19% predicting Hermansson to win by submission. If Strickland wins, he’s on a shortlist of potential title challengers in the Middleweight division. 

![Group 2.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/c42b41dc-99b4-4890-8745-904b6ba26f00/pub)

## Punahele Soriano vs. Nick Maximov
The Nick Diaz army will be represented this weekend as Nick Maximov will compete on his first UFC main card this weekend against Punahele Soriano. Not only is this fight on the main card, it’s the co-main event. Maximov is coming into this fight undefeated at 7-0. Prior to Punahele Soriano’s last fight, he was also undefeated. He suffered the first loss of his professional career against Brendan Allen in July of 2021. Soriano has the opportunity to bounce back from his first career loss while Maximov is trying to keep his undefeated streak going. Though Maximov is undefeated, only 32% of the Verdict Community are picking him to defeat Punahele Soriano.

![SorianoMaximov@0.25x.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/91ca68ff-5824-4e75-cd5f-933ee67a9400/pub)

## Shavkat Rakhmanov vs. Carlston Harris
This card features the UFC return of Shavkat Rakhmanov who’s one of the most promising prospects in mixed martial arts. Rakhmanov is undefeated at 14-0 and has finished every opponent he’s fought. Of those 14 wins, 7 have come by knockout and 7 have come by submission. This will be a big test for Rakhmanov who will take on Carlston Harris who’s on a 5 fight winning streak. Harris has finished all 5 opponents during this streak, 4 of them coming in the 1st round. This is one of the most interesting fights on this card and is not being talked about enough.

![RAKHMONOVHARRIS@0.25x.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/8ea9cf84-aaa6-4070-4706-8e04edec0700/public)

## Sam Alvey vs. Brendan Allen
Brendan Allen took this fight on less than one week notice after Phil Hawes withdrew from his fight against Alvey. Even on one week’s notice, 78% of the Verdict Community are still picking him to defeat Sam Alvey. This is likely a do or die fight for Alvey, who hasn’t won a fight in his last 7 UFC appearances. Alvey’s last win inside the Octagon was a split decision against Giann Vilante nearly 4 years ago.

![alveyallen.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/be73fce0-6719-4774-4d35-748b04203400/pub)

## Tresean Gore vs. Bryan Battle
This fight was supposed to be the finals of Season 29 of The Ultimate Fighter. Tresean Gore was forced to withdraw from the finals last September against Battle after suffering a knee injury. Battle went on to defeat Gilbert Urbina to win the Ultimate Fighter finale. This will be Gore’s official UFC debut. Battle is on a 5 fight winning streak in which he finished every opponent. The majority of the Verdict Community are predicting Gore to win with 36% predicting him to finish Battle by knockout.

![gorebattle@0.25x.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/8d56273b-b32a-49de-2f9e-8c4edd55c600/pub)

## Julian Erosa vs. Steven Peterson
Erosa and Peterson made their professional debuts within 3 months of each other in late 2010. Erosa’s been the more active of the two with 35 professional fights compared to Peterson’s 28 professional fights. Erosa is heavily favored, with 79% of the Verdict Community predicting him to defeat Peterson.

![erosapeterson.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/4e1b3a78-c12c-4d9d-4ece-833ca42e1800/pub)

UFC Vegas 47 Preview

> It’s just a persona. It’s something that puts more pressure on me. The more pressure on me, the better I perform. - Henry Cejudo

Many haven’t been able to see past the “King of Cringe” persona that Henry Cejudo has portrayed over the last few years and a lot of that is Henry’s doing. He likes to play into the persona and that’s what’s prevented a lot of people from recognizing who he really is- one of the greatest athletes in combat sports history.

Think about all of the greats that have competed in our sport: Khabib Nurmagomedov, Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, Conor McGregor, Anderson Silva, Daniel Cormier and more. None of them have accomplished what Henry Cejudo has. Not only does he belong to an elite group of fighters that has held two UFC Championships at the same time, he’s the only UFC Champion in history that’s won an Olympic Gold Medal.

> I’m in the Michael Jordan. I’m in the Michael Phelps. I’m in the Usain Bolt category. The ones of ones. History Makers. - Henry Cejudo

Henry Cejudo is a true winner and you can see that throughout his entire athletics career. As playful as he is on one end, there’s a very serious side to Henry Cejudo on the other. He wouldn’t be able to accomplish what he has without that side.

That seriousness came from a very humbling childhood.

> I was a street kid. I’m one of 7 kids raised by a single mother. My father was an alcoholic who was never around. We literally had to run away from my dad in South Central LA because he was a little crazy. From domestic violence inside the house to threatening to kill all his kids. - Henry Cejudo

Raising 7 kids is no easy task for a single mother. Henry had no choice but to grow up fast. 

“As a family, we didn’t eat. We’d suffer and eat maybe once a day. You know, there was never anything in the fridge. We grew up in apartments our whole childhood”.  

![820bedbd-9f11-456e-9a74-a393a199d883.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/92fa5b5b-70ce-469d-db66-a33e1476d000/pub "Henry Cejudo (blonde hair) and his family")

Henry got his work ethic from his mother who worked 60 hours per week for 2 decades. She worked to support her children and encouraged them to be great. 

“My mom always taught us gratitude and being thankful- and going after your dreams. This is an immigrant lady who came to the US and kept us humble”.

![e5c9b802-a329-4132-a1bf-c504efa7a5e7.JPG](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/79b3654e-74eb-40f0-9f0e-0af267e2cd00/pub "Henry Cejudo with his mother Nelly Rico ")

Though he had a loving relationship with his mother, his relationship with his father Jorge was much different. He was always in trouble with the law. When Henry was 5 years old, his father took him to a carnival in South Central LA. Young Henry was enjoying the evening until he witnessed the LAPD take his father down and arrest him at the carnival. 

“They finally caught up to my father. I don’t know how they found him there and I’m not sure exactly why he was nabbed, most likely drugs and theft, but to this day, I don’t know”.

Jorge Cejudo was arrested and became a threat to his family.

> “I’m going to shoot them all,” he screamed at my mother during a drunken rampage, waving his gun at us. “I’m going to shoot him, and him, and him, and her”. - Henry Cejudo 

After coming out of jail and threatening his family, Jorge Cejudo was arrested again for an altercation on the streets. 6 months after the arrest, Henry’s mom received a letter informing her that Jorge had been released from prison. She knew it wasn't safe staying in LA, so she took her kids and fled to Las Cruces, New Mexico.

![PHOTO-2022-01-26-14-05-47.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/26056eb2-f0c5-47f3-ffa8-89a1a989cc00/pub "A young Henry with his father Jorge Cejudo ")

Henry was 6 years old when his father was deported. Jorge Cejudo died when Henry was 20 years old, one year before he won an Olympic Gold Medal.

After spending a couple of years in Las Cruces, Henry’s family moved to Phoenix, Arizona. It was here that his love for wrestling began at the age of 10. Henry was a prodigy and the wrestling world quickly took notice. After winning several Wrestling Championships in high school, he decided he was going to skip competing in college and begin his international career immediately. 

Cejudo went on to win several titles including a Gold Medal at the 2008 Pan American Games. Two months later, Cejudo secured his spot at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Bejing, China, after qualifying for the US Olympic Trials.

> When I got to the Olympics, my mind started playing games on me. There were some serious thoughts creeping in my head telling me to jump on a flight and leave. - Henry Cejudo

For any wrestler, there’s no bigger reward than an Olympic Gold Medal. It’s the one title that proves without a doubt you’re the best in the world. When 21-year-old Henry arrived in Bejing, he started to realize that his wrestling career would be coming to an end.

“I remember getting there and saying, this is it. This is cool but, after these next 2 weeks, this shit is done. Like all the hard work, like this is it”.

After having to cut 10 pounds in 2.5 hours, Cejudo silenced the voices in his head and became ready to compete.

“After making weight, I said this is my last time making weight and this is the last tournament I’m ever going to wrestling in. I said I’m going to wrestle like it’s my last day on earth and that’s exactly what I did”. 

![1.vresize.1024.576.high.87.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/a8946f29-0560-4bed-9301-7e5448c7e900/pub "The 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Bejing, China")

At the age of 21, Henry Cejudo became the youngest American in history to win an Olympic Gold Medal in wrestling after defeating Tomohiro Matsunaga in the finals.

Cejudo retired from wrestling for 3 years before being pulled back. He didn’t want to go back to wrestling but did because the opportunities were too lucrative to pass on.

“I was the golden boy. I was the kid who had wrestling shoes with Adidas. I was the All-American kid, nothing like what I am now. I was sponsored by Polo Ralph Lauren. I had the biggest commercials with Coca-Cola nationwide. There was just too much money on the table for me not to come back”.

Though the opportunities were there, Henry knew he was done with wrestling. After his final wrestling match against Nick Simmons at the 2012 Olympic Team Trials, Cejudo took off his shoes signalling the end of his wrestling career.

![4f949109ebde6.preview-699.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/19697626-90ae-4614-5175-20e5fefc5f00/pub "Henry Cejudo removing his wrestling shoes, signalling retirement")

His desire to compete in wrestling was no more, but Henry's combat sports career wasn't done yet. 

```twitter
https://twitter.com/HenryCejudo/status/296658470705438720
```

On January 30th, 2013, Cejudo announced via Twitter that he would start fighting as a mixed martial artist.

> I always wanted to fight. I knew I had the natural ability and I could win just based on that. - Henry Cejudo

When Cejudo announced he was making his MMA debut, Demetrious Johnson was the UFC Flyweight Champion and Dominick Cruz was the UFC Bantamweight Champion. Two fighters that Henry would go on to defeat. Johnson and Cruz were the gold standard at the time and gave Cejudo a target to work towards.

“I knew I would fight these guys one day. I knew how good they were and I knew that one day I would fight both of them”.

The UFC wanted to sign Henry to a contract as soon as he got into MMA, but he wanted to take his time and get practice first.

“They wanted to sign me from the beginning but I was like nah man. Me and my agent talked about it and said let’s beat up some tomato cans first. Let’s get that experience because I didn’t want to practice inside the UFC. I wanted to practice outside and go in after”.

Henry started his pro MMA career with 4 consecutive 1st round TKO wins. He showed the same promise early in his MMA career that he showed early in his wrestling career. After going 6-0, Henry believed it was time for the big leagues. He signed with the UFC and made a successful debut by defeating Dustin Kimura in December of 2014. 

The UFC matchmakers didn’t take it slow with Henry. In his second fight with the promotion, he was matched up against Chris Cariaso who had just challenged Demetrious Johnson for the Flyweight title one fight prior. Cejudo dominated Cariaso for 3 rounds and proved immediately proved he was one of the best Flyweight fighters in the world. After winning 4 consecutive fights in the UFC, the undefeated Cejudo earned a title shot against Demetrious Johnson. This is where Cejudo reached a turning point.

> When I fought Demetrious Johnson and he knocked me out, he lit a fire in me. It became personal for me. It wasn’t about a world title anymore. I just wanted to beat this guy. - Henry Cejudo

3 years in his professional MMA career, Cejudo lost his first professional fight by 1st round TKO in a title-fight against Demetrious Johnson. It’s always interesting to see how an undefeated fighter bounces back from their first loss. Losing wasn’t something that was new to Cejudo. He lost many times in his wrestling career and that’s what made him evolve.

Cejudo reinvented himself as a fighter and eventually earned a rematch against Johnson after defeating Wilson Reis and Sergio Pettis in back to back fights.

“Even though I got knocked down and didn’t land a punch in the first fight, I still believed I could beat Demetrious Johnson. I’ll never forget that even my coaches were nervous. They were like fuck, man, we’re going up against this dude again. They were positive I could win but they knew that at any moment I could lose. They were nervous”.

Normally it’s the coaches that try to keep their fighter composed. It was the other way around in this situation. Rematching a pound for pound great that already finished you in the 1st round is a tall order and Henry’s team felt the pressure.

> I sat with my coaches in the hotel before the fight and told them the key to defeating Demetrious Johnson was composure. I’ve got to stay relaxed out there. No matter what’s going to happen, you guys do not panic! Then literally 20 seconds into the fight, I get hit in the peroneal nerve and sprain my ankle. - Henry Cejudo

You could immediately see that Henry was having a difficult time balancing on his foot. The fight seemed done in the first 20 seconds. Henry couldn’t last 1 round the first time he fought Demetrious Johnson. How was he going to win a rematch with an injured ankle?

This is when Henry Cejudo put on one of the most impressive performances of his athletic career. He bounced back in the 2nd round and went on to earn a split decision to become the UFC Flyweight Champion. Not only did he take the title, he ended Johnson’s historic title reign which had the most consecutive title defenses in UFC history at 11.

![636690265060469126-cejudo.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/44be1c31-69fb-4728-2f91-4f8151bdc200/pub "The new Flyweight Champion (Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)")

For the first time in history, there was a UFC Flyweight Champion that was not Demetrious Johnson. As soon as Cejudo won the Flyweight title, he brought a fresh coat of paint to the division. In his post-fight speech, Cejudo grabbed the mic and said he wanted to move up a division and challenge TJ Dillashaw for the Bantamweight title. 

> The UFC told me I could go up and fight for the Bantamweight title but I'd have to relinquish the Flyweight title and get rid of the division. I said no, I’m not doing that. The Flyweight division would have died right there. - Henry Cejudo

Instead of moving up to Bantamweight for a chance to win a second title, Cejudo opted to defend his Flyweight title against TJ Dillashaw in an effort to keep the division alive. Going into the fight, Dillashaw stated that he was being sent to Flyweight to kill the division. Had he defeated Cejudo, he would have taken the belt and moved back up to Bantamweight which would have resulted in the end of the Flyweight division. Instead, Cejudo finished Dillashaw by knockout in 32 seconds. Henry Cejudo was the Flyweight Champion that just knocked out the Bantamweight Champion. It seemed natural that a rematch against Dillashaw would take place next, but this time for the Bantamweight title.

A few weeks later, TJ Dillashaw was forced to relinquish his title after testing positive for EPO. A fight for the vacant Bantamweight title was made between Henry Cejudo and Marlon Moraes at UFC 238. Moraes defeated every fighter he fought in the 8 years prior to his fight against Henry Cejudo. 

Henry Cejudo was an Olympic Gold Medalist and the UFC Flyweight Champion. At UFC 238, he had the chance of winning a second UFC Championship which would solidify himself as an all-time great. Like he did in his rematch against Demetrious Johnson, Cejudo faced adversity in his fight against Moraes.

“I had sprained my ankle on the Tuesday before I fought Marlon Moraes. That was the first time I went into a fight with ankle bracelets”. 

![IMG_2033.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/b1ef8825-1d24-41c5-056b-55aa36098900/pub "Henry's ankle 4 days before fighting Marlon Moraes")

As many fighters often do, Henry Cejudo stepped into the cage against Marlon Moraes injured. However, it was what happened during the fight what made this performance truly special. Moraes was winning the 1st round by attacking Cejudo’s legs. With less than 1 minute remaining in the 1st round, Cejudo blew out his left shoulder. When Cejudo went back to his corner, his coaches told him that he needed to get out of kicking range. Cejudo listened to his corner and made adjustments immediately. He closed the range and forced Moraes to brawl with him. Cejudo started to drown Moraes and finished him in the 3rd round to win the Bantamweight Championship.

![5cfcbfad2100003711e6c5c6.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/99c3f1ad-21a5-4d80-985d-154b99908200/pub "A two division UFC Champion (Getty Images)")

In both of Cejudo’s title winning fights against Demetrious Johnson and Marlon Moraes, he had to battle back from injury and adversity in the 1st round. This is the mark of a true Champion.

Cejudo had to get surgery for his blown shoulder and was sidelined for 11 months. He made his return to action against Dominick Cruz, the fighter that held the UFC Bantamweight title when Cejudo announced he was going to compete in MMA. Henry was dialed in to perform and you can see it during their final staredown. He finished Cruz in the 2nd round, then shocked the fight game when he announced his retirement from the sport in his post fight speech.

Will he stay retired? That remains to be seen. Regardless of if he does or doesn’t, the legacy of Henry Cejudo is secured. He’s reached the mountain top in multiple sports and did it against all odds. He’s accomplished what no one else has and he did it all by the age of 33. There’s nothing cringe about that.

An Olympic Gold Medal and two UFC Championships. Henry Cejudo is one of the greatest competitors in combat sports history and we might not see anyone accomplish what he's accomplished ever again.

> I’d want Alexander Volkanovski first if I had a choice, but yeah I’d fight Petr Yan, I like him. I like the fact that he’s scary. I like the fact that people think I won’t beat him. I’m too tactical for that dude. - Henry Cejudo

To be continued, hopefully…

1 of 1: The Henry Cejudo Story

Muhammad Ali famously once said, “There’s nothing wrong with getting knocked down, as long as you get back up”. How a fighter bounces back from a loss is revealing. How a fighter bounces back from losing their Championship is even more revealing. At UFC 270, Deiveson Figueiredo defeated Brandon Moreno to reclaim the UFC Flyweight title. Figueiredo joined a small list of fighters that reclaimed a UFC title after losing it. Let’s take a look at 10 other fighters that did what Figueiredo did.

## Georges St Pierre

![hi-res-55d2fdfb5eb722141641961fef7799bd_crop_north.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/5ab81465-5998-48e8-7bd3-11f388613600/pub "Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images")

When Georges St-Pierre defeated Matt Hughes at UFC 65 to become the Welterweight Champion, it seemed as if we entering a new era in the sport. He was a well-rounded fighter and a legitimate athlete. His first title defense was against Matt Serra who had just won “The Comeback” season of the Ultimate Fighter. This season featured former UFC fighters that had been previously cut from the promotion. The winner of the season would receive a title shot. When Matt Serra defeated Chris Lytle by split decision to win the Ultimate Fighter, it seemed like he would get steamrolled by GSP. He could barely defeat Chris Lytle, how could he defeat GSP? At UFC 69, Serra shocked the world when he finished GSP by knockout in the 1st round. Serra was an 11-1 underdog going into a fight which is still widely considered the greatest upset in UFC history. This ended up being the turning point of GSP’s career. He reinvented himself as a fighter and earned a rematch against Serra for the title 1 year after losing it. The rematch at UFC 83 went how many expected the first fight to go. GSP dominated Serra and finished him by TKO in the 2nd round to reclaim his Welterweight title in his hometown of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. GSP never lost a fight again.

## TJ Dillashaw
![usa_today_11026951.0.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e5b55f88-ccad-4a7b-cb2a-4e5767740a00/pub "Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports")

TJ Dillashaw surprised a lot of people when he finished Renan Barao to become the UFC Bantamweight Champion in May of 2014. He went on to successfully defend his title twice including defeating Barao in a rematch. In January of 2016, he would battle former Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz. Cruz defeated Dillashaw and took his title. It was a close split decision that Dillashaw believed he won. He was determined to win his title back and he worked through the ranks. When Dillashaw earned a title shot, his former training partner Cody Garbrandt was the Champion. Garbrandt was undefeated and the favorite heading into their fight. At UFC 217, Dillashaw finished Garbrandt by knockout to reclaim his title. Dillashaw is now looking to win the Bantamweight title for the 3rd time in 2022.

## Cain Velasquez

![ufc-155-backstage-pass-pic.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e357eb84-b9a2-4425-7206-9718ae853f00/pub "Zuffa LLC/Getty Images")

When Cain Velasquez defeated Brock Lesnar to become the Heavyweight Champion at UFC 121, it seemed like no one was going to stop him. He was undefeated and had dominated everyone he had fought. His 1st title defense was scheduled in the UFC’s debut on FOX against Junior dos Santos. It was a quick night, as dos Santos finished Velasquez by knockout in 61 seconds and took his title. This lit a fire under Cain Velasquez who still believed he was the best Heavyweight in the world. He bounced back by brutalizing Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva at UFC 146. Bigfoot didn’t even land a punch. It was a bloody massacre and Velasquez looked stoic after the referee stopped the fight. He still knew he had work to do. His performance against Bigfoot earned him a rematch against dos Santos 13 months after their first fight. The rematch went much different as Velasquez battered dos Santos for 25 minutes and reclaimed his Heavyweight title.

## BJ Penn

![BJ-Penn-Holding-His-UFC-Champion-Belts-1.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/2f5324d6-f57e-4a51-3d0b-774cd6499f00/pub "Zuffa LLC/Getty Images")
In January of 2004, BJ Penn moved up from Lightweight to the Welterweight division to challenge Matt Hughes for the UFC Welterweight title. At the time, Hughes was on a 13 fight winning streak and looked untouchable. Penn submitted Hughes in the 1st round to become the Welterweight Champion. This was the final fight of Penn’s UFC contract and he left the promotion as the Champion. This sparked the UFC to create the Champion’s clause in contracts. Penn began to fight for the promotion Rumble on the Rock and eventually returned to the UFC in 2006 where he lost back to back fights against Georges St-Pierre and Matt Hughes. He would eventually make his way back down to the Lightweight division and defeated Joe Stevenson at UFC 80 to become the Lightweight Champion. At the time, he joined Randy Couture as one of only two fighters in UFC history to win titles in two weight divisions.

## Randy Couture

![Screen Shot 2022-01-25 at 6.54.20 PM.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/d4728006-b4b7-41cd-0fd1-3fd83ef92100/pub "Garrett Poe/Sherdog")

Randy Couture is one of the most underappreciated fighters in MMA history. He holds the record for the most Championships fights in UFC history, the most main events in UFC history, and was the first fighter in UFC history to win two titles from two weight classes. Couture became the Heavyweight Champion in his 4th professional fight against Maurice Smith at “UFC Japan”. He vacated the title and left the UFC due to contract disputes. After competing for various promotions in Japan, Couture returned to the UFC and reclaimed his Heavyweight title in his first fight back at UFC 28 against Kevin Randleman. After competing as a Heavyweight for a few years and losing his title, Couture moved down to the Light Heavyweight division. Couture defeated Tito Ortiz at UFC 44 to become the Undisputed UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. After retiring from the sport in 2006, Couture announced that he would be returning to the sport to challenge the younger, taller, and heavier Tim Sylvia for the UFC Heavyweight Championship. 43-year-old Couture defeated Sylvia becoming the oldest fighter in UFC history to win a Championship. Couture’s first title win was in 1997 and his final title win was in 2007.

## Dominick Cruz
![hi-res-80c0d077bedfb4deb9b6c2b8018505a2_crop_north.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/359cbb4d-e7b6-43be-bc63-015723a9ae00/pub "Gregory Payan/Associated Press")

Dominick Cruz competed in the only fight in history where a UFC Championship was contested for outside the UFC. Cruz defeated Scott Jorgensen at WEC 53 to become the inaugural UFC Bantamweight Champion. After 3 successful title defenses in the Octagon, Cruz began to get plagued by injuries and was forced to relinquish his Bantamweight title in February of 2014. It seemed as if Cruz would never return to the Octagon, but he kept determined. In January of 2016, Cruz challenged Bantamweight Champion TJ Dillashaw for the title he never lost. Cruz had only competed for 61 seconds inside the Octagon in the 5 years prior to this fight. Just like he battled back from several injuries, Cruz battled back in the fight and defeated TJ Dillashaw to reclaim his Bantamweight Championship.

## Tim Sylvia

![sylvia-belt-41.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/0b58a67d-98d2-4075-87ba-b0acc2ebce00/pub "Zuffa LLC/Getty Images")

Tim Sylvia became the UFC Heavyweight Champion in his 2nd fight with the promotion at UFC 41 when he defeated Ricco Rodriguez. After one defense, Sylvia was stripped of the title for failing a post-fight drug test. Sylvia then challenged Frank Mir for the vacant title in a fight where Mir broke his forearm with an armbar. He continued to compete in the Heavyweight division and reclaimed the title at UFC 59 when he defeated Andrei Arlovski. Sylvia won the title for the 2nd time 3 years after winning his first title.

## Jon Jones
![jon-jones-belt.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/464af083-386e-4d5c-5a06-a480fca5cf00/pub "Zuffa LLC/Getty Images")

Jon Jones never lost his titles inside the Octagon. He lost them all outside the Octagon. He defended his Light Heavyweight title 8x before being stripped after failing the UFC's Athlete Code of Conduct policy for a hit and run incident prior to a scheduled title fight against Anthony “Rumble” Johnson in April of 2015. Two years later, Jones returned to action to challenge Daniel Cormier for the Light Heavyweight title at UFC 214. Jones defeated Cormier to reclaim the title but then failed a PED test leading to him being stripped of the title again. After serving his suspension, Jones challenged Alexander Gustafsson in a rematch for the vacant Light Heavyweight title. Jones reclaimed the title and defended it 3x before relinquishing the title for a possible move to the Heavyweight division.

## Jose Aldo

![Jose-Aldo-Net-Worth.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/095589c4-47ac-4181-1b26-0f1f3f7acc00/pub "Zuffa LLC/Getty Images")
Jose Aldo is considered by many as the greatest Featherweight in MMA history. His title reign came to an end at the hands of Conor McGregor when he lost his title in 13 seconds at UFC 194. This would end up being the final Featherweight fight of McGregor’s career. Aldo defeated Frankie Edgar at UFC 200 for the interim Featherweight title. After it was determined that McGregor would not be returning to the division, the UFC promoted Aldo’s interim title to the Undisputed title. 

## Matt Hughes

![hi-res-1131842-matt-hughes-of-the-usa-and-current-welterweight-champion_crop_exact.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/4aaaa9a5-f415-48ec-a2be-0aab76294d00/pub "Zuffa LLC/Getty Images")

After Matt Hughes lost his Welterweight title to BJ Penn at UFC 46, he was determined to get his belt back. However, BJ Penn left the UFC after their fight leaving the Welterweight title vacant. After Hughes defeated Renato Verissimo at UFC 48, a vacant title fight was scheduled between Hughes and an undefeated Georges St-Pierre. Hughes became the first fighter in history to defeat GSP at UFC 50 and reclaimed his Welterweight title. Hughes got the opportunity to avenge his loss to Penn when he defeated him in their rematch at UFC 63 solidifying himself as the best Welterweight in the world.

10 fighters that reclaimed UFC titles after losing them

## NGANNOU REMAINS CHAMPION

This past weekend at UFC 270, Francis NGannou did what not many thought he could do. He took over the fight after the 2nd round and defeated Ciryl Gane by unanimous decision. This was the first decision win of NGannou’s professional career.

The narrative heading into this fight was that NGannou would have his most success in rounds 1 and 2, while Gane would take over the fight if it went past the 2nd. The opposite ended up happening as Gane had his most success in the first two rounds and NGannou took control of the fight afterwards.

![NGANNOUGANE.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/7ae3edcc-b7a6-4d1e-0702-343699bd0200/pub)

Prior to this, NGannou had never won a fight that went past the 2nd round. Only 2% of the Verdict Community predicted an NGannou win by decision.

As NGannou was about to enter the Octagon, the commentary team noticed he was wearing knee pads and could be injured. NGannou confirmed this after the fight, as 25 days before UFC 270, he blew out his MCL and damaged his ACL. This makes NGannou’s win even more impressive when you consider all the circumstances around the fight.

What we’re seeing with Francis NGannou is the continual evolution of a fighter. Think about his first fight against Stipe Miocic where he was completely drained after 5 minutes then think about what he did against Ciryl Gane in the Championship rounds this past weekend. Francis NGannou has now answered all the questions. He’s a complete fighter and is undoubtedly the best Heavyweight in the world.

## MORENO AND Figueiredo COMPETE IN A RAZOR CLOSE FIGHT

This is the only time in UFC history where 2 fighters have fought each other for 3 consecutive fights. Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo have been training to fight each other and only each other for 14 months.

Every time they compete, it’s a special night. Their first fight, which ended in a majority draw, was a thriller and their 2nd fight was dominated by Moreno. After the way the 2nd fight ended, not many were giving Figueiredo a chance. 85% of the Verdict Community predicted Figueiredo to win the first fight and only 30% predicted him to win the 3rd fight. That’s a 55% drop in confidence. Figueiredo claimed he was going through weight cutting issues prior to their 2nd fight and attributed that to his loss. He came into fight week for their trilogy fight in tremendous shape and it showed in the fight. Moreno and Figueiredo competed in an incredibly close fight this past weekend. The commentary team referenced judging almost every round because of how close the fight was. Figueiredo earned a unanimous decision win to reclaim his Championship while Moreno narrowly won the fight on the Global Scorecard.

![MORENOFIGGY.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e95c92af-f94c-4433-9d72-c96bf74b0600/public)

As you can see on the Global Scorecard, almost every round of the fight was close, especially the final round. This fight could have gone either way. Figueiredo and Moreno are now 1-1-1 against each other. Given how competitive this rivalry has been, we might just be seeing a 4th consecutive fight between these two.

## FROM SHOWMAN TO FIGHTER

When you think back to Michel Pereira’s fight against Tristan Connelly in September of 2019, you think about a fighter that didn’t have the best cardio. Pereira exhausted himself after flipping around the Octagon in the 1st round and lost a unanimous decision against Connelly. This was the beginning of his resurgence. He stopped being a showman and he started being a fighter. We saw that on display this past weekend when Pereira earned a unanimous decision win against André Fialho. The fight started off rough for Pereira who lost the 1st round against Fialho. After dropping the 1st round, Pereira began to turn the tide as he dominated the 2nd round and kept pressing forward in the 3rd earning the victory. Pereira is now on a 4 fight winning streak which is his longest winning streak in 8+ years.

![pereirdafialho.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/68055c20-197b-41e4-ba37-925df98ce300/public)

## MICHAEL MORALES ARRIVES

Whenever you get a chance to make your UFC debut on a big PPV, you’ve got to make that count. That’s what 21-year-old Michael Morales did when he finished UFC veteran Trevin Giles by 1st round knockout. Morales is now undefeated at 13-0 with an 84% finishing rate. Heading into this fight, only 47% of the Verdict Community predicted Morales to defeat Giles. We attributed him being a slight n underdog to the fact that he was new to the Verdict Community. He’s a promising prospect and someone to look out for in 2021.

## Nurmagomedov FINISHES STAMANN IN 47 SECONDS

Anytime a Nurmagomedov competes in the UFC, you’ve got to pay attention. Said Nurmagomedov made quick work of Cody Stamann by finishing him in 47 seconds. This is the 2nd consecutive fight that Nurmagomedov has finished a fight in under 1 minute. He’s a part of the new wave of Dagestani fighters that have great striking along with a solid wrestling base.

## Victor Henry stuns the oddsmakers and the verdict community

Only 21% of the Verdict Community predicted Victor Henry to defeat Raoni Barcelos. The oddsmakers had Henry as the biggest underdog of the night at -490 (via DraftKings). Not many gave him a chance, but he still pushed forward and earned a unanimous decision win against Barcelos in a fight where his grit was on full display. His performance was so impressive that Joe Rogan posted about it on his Instagram page.

```instagram
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZF-Xi3sd7r/?utm_medium=copy_link
```

Thanks for reading our first review article! The next event on Verdict is UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Strickland. If you haven’t already done so yet, download Verdict and join the community.

UFC 270 Review

At UFC 270, Ciryl Gane has the opportunity to become the Undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion as an undefeated fighter. Being an undefeated UFC Champion is an accomplishment that only a few have achieved. Let’s take a look back at 10 undefeated fighters that won UFC gold.

## Rashad Evans

In September of 2008, Rashad Evans brutally knocked out Chuck Liddell. Liddell was a former Champion and not many were giving Evans a chance. Evans stunned the fight world when he finished Liddell with a massive overhand right. This win earned Evans a title shot against Forrest Griffin. Griffin won the first-ever Ultimate Fighter Season and Evans won the 2nd Ultimate Fighter Season. This was the first time in UFC history that two TUF winners would compete for a UFC Championship. Evans finished Griffin by 3rd round TKO to become an undefeated UFC Champion at 13-0.

![Bitmap.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/9cc202c2-d3a9-4ae7-72f2-9640369ccf00/public)


## Lyoto Machida

After defeating Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans would make his first title defense against a fellow undefeated fighter in Lyoto Machida at UFC 98. This was a big fight at the time, as one of their undefeated records would come to an end. Lyoto Machida finished Evans and became the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion at 15-0.

![LM2.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/fac27475-1bd8-4b0d-f7b7-7a0ed8196c00/public)

## Khabib Nurmagomedov

Khabib is the only fighter on this list that stayed undefeated until the end of his career. In August of 2017, UFC Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor entered the boxing world to compete against Floyd Mayweather. McGregor didn’t defend his Championship so the UFC put on a fight between Tony Ferguson and Khabib Nurmagomedov for the Lightweight title at UFC 223. After Ferguson suffered a freak injury during fight week, Featherweight Champion Max Holloway stepped in to fight Khabib for the Lightweight title. One day before the event, Holloway was forced out of the fight due to weight cutting issues and Al Iaquinta was announced as Khabib’s new opponent. Khabib defeated Iaquinta to become the Lightweight Champion at 26-0. In his next fight, Khabib defended his title by finishing previous Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor at UFC 229. This was the biggest box office PPV in UFC history with 2.4 Million PPV’s sold.

![khabib.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/3943884e-e82d-4482-1234-bfee2e625e00/public)


## Israel Adesanya

When Israel Adesanya made his UFC debut in February of 2018, he began a fast-paced journey to the UFC Championship. He won 5 consecutive fights and earned an opportunity to compete against Kelvin Gastelum for the interim UFC Middleweight title. Adesanya defeated Gastelum in an instant classic which set up a fight against Robert Whittaker for the Undisputed UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 243. In front of over 57,000+ fans in Melbourne, Australia, Adesanya finished Whittaker by knockout to become the undefeated and Undisputed UFC Middleweight Champion at 18-0.

![maxresdefault.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/34f2cac4-0b49-469d-7d45-de1b81661900/public)

## Cain Velasquez

Even before he made his UFC debut, many that watched Cain Velasquez train promised that he would one day become a UFC Champion. He was a Heavyweight that could do it all. Tight boxing, great kicks, and a solid wrestling base. Had he not been injury-plagued, Velasquez might have gone down as the greatest Heavyweight to ever compete in MMA. Velasquez made his UFC debut with only 2 professional fights under his belt. After dominating 6 consecutive opponents in the Octagon, he earned himself a title shot against Brock Lesnar. Velasquez finished Lesnar at UFC 121 to become the UFC Heavyweight Champion at 9-0.

![cain.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/39e5f778-f9ba-4205-b96c-b25415881200/pub)


## Cody Garbrandt

The rise to the UFC title for Cody Garbrandt was special. In 2016, he went from unranked to UFC Champion. At UFC 202, he competed against Takeya Mizugaki. This was a massive opportunity for Garbrandt as his fight took place on a blockbuster card that featured the rematch between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz. There were a lot of people watching that night and Garbrandt made the most of it, as he finished Mizugaki by knockout in 48 seconds. This earned him a shot at the UFC Bantamweight title against Dominick Cruz at UFC 207. It was on this night where Garbrandt looked like the best fighter in the world. He put on a 5 round master class against Dominick Cruz and became the UFC Bantamweight Champion at 11-0.

![630705550-1.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/080c2eeb-9a43-4db0-6777-6a19dd76b200/pub)

## Ronda Rousey

If it wasn’t for Ronda Rousey, chances are that women wouldn’t be fighting in the UFC today. UFC President Dana White took notice of Rousey while she was destroying the competition at Strikeforce as the Bantamweight Champion. Dana felt that Rousey had the star power to build a Women’s division, so he did what he said he’d never do. He brought women in to fight for the UFC. In November of 2012, it was announced that Rousey would be leaving Strikeforce as the Champion and her title would be upgraded to the UFC Championship at a record at a perfect professional record of 6-0. Rousey would go on to defend her UFC title 6x.

![https___fansided.com_files_2015_08_bethe-correia-ronda-rousey-mma-ufc-190-rousey-vs-correia13.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/74e88931-b0aa-48df-2956-db5b19c65500/pub)

## Holly Holm

Rousey’s title reign came to an abrupt ending when she fought the undefeated Holly Holm. Prior to competing in MMA, Holm was a World Champion professional boxer. Though she had the credentials, not many were giving her a chance against Rousey who had finished every opponent up until that point. Holm sent shockwaves across the world when she finished Rousey by knockout at UFC 193 to become the Bantamweight Champion at 10-0.

![147_Ronda_Rousey_vs_Holly_Holm.0.0.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/30300b6c-d388-4ef6-a0ec-47d014dd5b00/pub)

## Tim Sylvia

After Zuffa purchased the UFC in 2001, Tim Sylvia was a big part of the Heavyweight division for a long time. He competed in a total of 9 UFC title fights. He made a successful UFC debut by finishing Wesley Correira at UFC 39. This earned the “Main-iac” an instant title shot. In his next fight at UFC 41, Sylvia finished Ricco Rodriguez by knockout to become the UFC Heavyweight Champion at a perfect 15-0. Sylvia loved being the Champion as he famously wore the title almost everywhere he went.

![tim-sylvia-ufc-belt.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/92d39ec5-3840-4bdd-f1da-bd4b35134300/public)

## Randy Couture

Randy Couture made his professional MMA debut at the age of 33 after years of competing as a Greco-Roman wrestler. Couture’s wrestling background translated well in MMA at a time when not many Heavyweights had a wrestling base. After winning the first 3 fights of his professional career, Couture was awarded a title shot. He defeated Maurice Green at “UFC Japan” to become the UFC Heavyweight Champion at 4-0. That’s the least amount of pro fights to become UFC Champion by anyone from this list. Couture went on to have a legendary career, winning the UFC Championship on 5 different occasions. 3x at Heavyweight and twice at Light Heavyweight.

![news_1618131854260.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/2a543676-ec0d-4f4c-8901-cd703f5fde00/pub)

Ciryl Gane has the opportunity to join this last as an undefeated and undisputed UFC Champion at UFC 270 when he takes on Francis NGannou. As it stands, 53% of the Verdict Community predict Gane will defeat NGannou. If you haven’t already done so, lock in your picks on Verdict.


10 Undefeated Fighters that became UFC Champion

This is the first-ever version of the Verdict preview. Like everything we do, we always appreciate input from the Verdict community so let us know what else you’d like to see in these previews by messaging us on Twitter or Instagram. Enjoy!

## Francis NGannou vs. Ciryl Gane

The Verdict Community is torn on who they think will win with 53% predicting a Gane win and 47% predicting NGannou to retain his title. In his 8+ year professional career, NGannou has never won a fight by decision. Of the 29% that predict this fight to go to a decision, only 2% predict NGannou to win by decision. Cyril Gane is equipped with a gas tank that can go 25 minutes and we saw that in his wins against Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Alexander Volkov. Whereas Gane needed 25 minutes to defeat Rozenstruik, Francis NGannou needed only 20 seconds to defeat Rozenstruik. NGannou is a sprinter while Gane is a marathon runner. The community feels that NGannou’s best chance is to win the fight early, with 35% predicting a knockout in the first two rounds. After the 2nd round, only 10% predict an NGannou stoppage while 22% predict a Gane stoppage. 
![NGANNOUGANE@0.25x.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/27f105e6-f675-440e-da07-f930ea00e600/pub)


## Brandon Moreno vs. Deiveson Figueiredo 3
Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo will compete in the 3rd chapter of the greatest rivalry in Flyweight history this Saturday. Going into their first fight which resulted in a draw, only 15% predicted Moreno would defeat Figueiredo. That number grew to 34% heading into the 2nd fight. After Brandon Moreno submitted Figueiredo in the rematch, the community’s confidence grew in him and we can see that in the numbers. Now 70% of the Verdict community is predicting that Brandon Moreno will defeat Figueiredo in the 3rd fight. From 15% to 70%, Brandon Moreno earned with each fight. Don’t count out Figueiredo yet, as he appears to be in the best shape of his career.

![MORENOFIGGY3@0.25x.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/a9f24716-c22d-4977-bc10-2b6a9a2d3500/pub)

## Michel Pereira vs. Andre Fialho
You know that things are about to get crazy any time that Michel Pereira fights. This fight came together on 10 days notice as Pereira was originally supposed to fight Muslim Sakhilov last week at UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs. Chikadze. Sakhilov withdrew from the fight leading the UFC to sign Andre Fialho to fight Pereira. The numbers lean heavily on Pereira’s side with 83% of the Verdict community predicting him to defeat Fialho. That could be because most of the community is unaware of Fialho, being that this is his UFC debut. Fialho is on a 4 fight winning streak where he’s finished every opponent by knockout including former UFC veteran James Vick. This could be an opportunity to earn big XP on a sleeper.

![PereiraFialho@0@0.5x.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/05dffffb-51a9-463a-335c-9b323ae70100/pub)

## Cody Stamann vs. Said Nurmagomedov
Anytime there’s a Nurmagoemdeov competing in the UFC, you’ve got to pay attention. Said Nurmagomedov is the cousin of Khabib and will return to action for the first time since his 51 second knockout win against Mark Striegl in October of 2020. Nurmagomedov is highly favored against Stamann with 81% of the Verdict Community predicting him to win.

![STAMANNNURMAGOMEDOV@0.25x.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/82a03caa-b2a6-4144-80f9-32c41b2aab00/public)

## Michael Morales vs. Trevin Giles 
This fight was added to Verdict on Friday night after a series of cancellations on the card. This fight will mark the UFC debut of Morales who defeated Nikolay Veretennikov on Dana White’s Contender Series this past September. Morales is undefeated at 12-0 with an 83% finishing streak. He’s currently a slight underdog on Verdict and that can be attributed to him being new to the Verdict Community. His opponent Trevin Giles is coming off of a knockout loss.

![MORALESGILES@0.25x.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/16896838-7cbc-4c1a-373f-6a2fede6a700/public)


## Raoni Barcelos vs. Victor Henry
This fight is the featured prelim and the final fight before the UFC 270 main card kicks off. Like Giles vs. Morales, this fight was also added to Verdict on Friday night after a series of cancellations. Barcelos lost his first fight in 7+ years this past June and is looking to rebound against Henry who’s making his UFC debut. 79% of the Verdict Community are predicting Barcelos to win.

![BARCELOSHENRY@0.25x.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e7dcd97f-9b8d-498e-923e-9ae719911f00/pub)



 UFC 270 Verdict Preview

There's always a special feeling in the air when there’s a fight for the Heavyweight Championship. The baddest man on the planet has the ability to defeat any fighter in the world regardless of weight. At UFC 270 this weekend, we’ll witness one of the most compelling Heavyweight fights in UFC history.

We'll witness the scariest Heavyweight of all time versus the most technical Heavyweight of all time.

Francis NGannou versus Ciryl Gane.

NGannou and Gane both started their careers at the MMA Factory in Paris, France under the tutelage of Fernand Lopez. They came from the same place, but their journeys to this fight have been different.

The Summer of 2018 was a pivotal time for both fighters. Ciryl Gane made his professional MMA debut on August 2nd, 2018. That was 26 days after Francis NGannou lost to Derrick Lewis. NGannou was at a crossroads in his career and Gane was just beginning his.

It was in this year that NGannou lost back to back fights against Stipe Miocic and Derrick Lewis. He had opposite performances in these fights. In his first fight against Miocic, NGannou was too reckless. In his fight against Lewis, he couldn’t pull the trigger. The fear of getting exhausted like he did against Miocic carried into his fight against Lewis.

![apology.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/5febd6c2-e08d-409b-608b-11b48184a300/public)

NGannou apologized after the fight and promised he wouldn't let anyone down again. He needed to find a balance between being too reckless and being too timid and that's what he did. He transformed himself as a fighter and took a more measured approach. We saw the differences immediately in his rematch against Stipe Miocic where he finally became the UFC Heavyweight Champion. You can truly see a fighter’s improvements when they compete against someone they previously lost to. 

![Group 4.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/a58cdd40-3998-4637-d5d0-cb8b1cb36900/public)


NGannou didn’t go all out in the rematch like he did in the first fight. He fought tactically and was rewarded for it. When Francis NGannou became the Heavyweight Champion, it seemed as if we were entering a new era in the Heavyweight division. Then out of nowhere came Ciryl Gane who was the next secret weapon of Fernand Lopez.

There’s never been a Heavyweight fighter with the technical striking ability of Ciryl Gane. He’s hard to hit, he's agile, and he moves like a Welterweight. Gane quietly climbed the ranks of the Heavyweight division while NGannou ascended to the title.

One of Gane's most impressive wins came against Alexander Volkov who's one of the best pure strikers in the Heavyweight division. Gane tactically dismantled Volkov for 5 rounds. After this fight, Gane was offered an opportunity to compete for the interim UFC Heavyweight title against Derrick Lewis while NGannou was going through contract issues outside the Octagon. It was in this fight where we saw how good Ciryl Gane really is. He looked untouchable against Derrick Lewis.

![jpwg.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/746e11e9-c85a-4ac1-2494-6224a42e8800/public)

Not only is Ciryl Gane undefeated, he's never even been in danger in his 10 professional fights. He'll now fight the most dangerous of them all.

Championships, contracts, and egos.

There's a lot on the line in this fight. On top of all that, it's the best pure Heavyweight matchup in years and it takes place this Saturday at UFC 270. If you haven't done so yet, lock in your picks on Verdict.

The Scariest Heavyweight of all time vs. the most Technical Heavyweight of all time

2021 was a great year for mixed martial arts. From Kamaru Usman continuing his quest to become the greatest Welterweight of all-time to Francis Ngannou finally becoming the UFC Heavyweight Champion to Charles Oliveira shocking the world. We came out of 2021 with several possibilities for 2022. We discuss those possibilities below.

## Kamaru Usman vs. Khamzat Chimaev

 ![UsmanKhamzat.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/72fecee6-7121-4637-f05f-fc59a592f900/pub)


  
Kamaru Usman is the consensus 2021 Fighter of the Year, the reigning Welterweight Champion, and pound for pound #1 fighter in the world. With two wins against both Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal, Usman has started to lap the division. UFC President Dana White has indicated that Usman will be fighting Leon Edwards next for the 2nd time. If Usman defeats Edwards, he’ll be in need of a fresh opponent. Vicente Luque is there, but there’s a new phenom on the rise in Khamzat Chimaev. Not since Conor McGregor has a newcomer taken the fight game by storm like Khamzat Chimaev. If Khamzat continues to plough through the competition, a fight between him and Kamaru Usman could take place at the end of the year. We could very well be on a collision course to see the pound for pound #1 fighter in the world defending his Championship against the most promising prospect of the past few years.  


## Francis Ngannou vs. Jon Jones

![NgannouJones.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/2fe69d42-2376-40b7-7cbc-5c416e187200/public)

Many consider Jon Jones as the greatest fighter of all time. In his recent fights, Jones looks like he’s lost the motivation he once had. That’s why he’s decided to bulk up and move to the Heavyweight division. If there’s anyone that deserves the right to walk into a division and immediately challenge for the Championship, it’s Jon Jones. This isn’t like moving up 10 lbs in weight from Featherweight to Lightweight. Jones is moving to a division where the weight limit is 65 lbs higher than where he’s fought at his entire career. If Francis Ngannou gets past Ciryl Gane, a fight between him and Jones could be in order. The scariest fighter of all-time vs. the greatest fighter of all-time.

## Glover Teixeira vs. Jiri Prochazka

![GloverJiri.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/aefea634-28fb-4490-91bc-731483e6f400/public)

At 42 years old, Glover Teixeira became the oldest first time Champion in UFC history when he defeated Jan Błachowicz at UFC 267. The Verdict Community had Glover as the underdog in each of his last 3 fights. His first title defense will likely be against Jiri Prochazka. The Light Heavyweight division was injected with new blood when Prochazka made his UFC debut against former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir in July of 2020. He finished Oezdemir by knockout and quickly got everyone’s attention. Prochazka then finished another former title challenger in Dominick Reyes by knockout. This was Prochazka’s 2nd fight in the UFC and it was the main event. The UFC brass seems confident in Prochazka and it’s very likely that he’ll be challenging Teixeira next. This could be the ushering in of a new era in the Light Heavyweight division.

## Dustin Poirier vs. Nate Diaz

![PoirierDiaz.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/16bed41d-a0f7-473d-6738-3523146ceb00/pub)

This fight was originally supposed to take place at UFC 230 in Madison Square Garden, but an injury forced Poirier out of the fight. After losing his recent title fight to Charles Oliveira, Poirier said that there’s only one fight that excites him- Nate Diaz. Poirier has flirted with the idea of moving up to Welterweight for years now and there’s no better way to make a Welterweight debut than in a blockbuster fight against Nate Diaz. This fight is stylistically guaranteed to be a thriller. Dustin wants it, Nate wants it, and the Verdict Community wants it.

## Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira

![AdesanyaPereira.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/ea363fa4-5980-4986-202f-dd1ad8e90800/public)

Like Kamaru Usman, Israel Adesanya is starting to lap his division. If he defeats Robert Whittaker again, he’ll be in need of new opponents. It’s no secret that Adesanya is chasing greatness and wants to take on the most difficult challenges. Less than one year before Adesanya made his UFC debut, he competed in his final kickboxing match against Alex Pereira who finished Adesanya by knockout. This is the only time that Adesanya was finished in his combat sports career. Pereira also defeated Adesanya by unanimous decision in 2016 in a kickboxing match. Pereira has now entered the UFC’s Middleweight division. Israel Adesanya’s division. Pereira made his successful UFC debut at UFC 268 when he finished Andreas Michailidis by knockout. If Pereira earns a few more wins and Adesanya continues to lap the division, we might see this fight sooner than expected. Adesanya certainly wants the fight.

## Petr Yan vs. TJ Dillashaw

![YanDillashaw.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/ea2baf89-6b47-498a-8620-45fff46da800/public)

Petr Yan has quickly become one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world. He lost his Bantamweight title by disqualification last March against Aljamain Sterling. He’s set to compete in a rematch against Sterling on April 9th for the Undisputed UFC Bantamweight title. If Yan gets past Sterling, his next defense will likely be against TJ Dillashaw who was stripped of his Bantamweight title in early 2019 after a USADA violation. During Dillashaw’s 2 year suspension, Yan took over the Bantamweight division. 

## Jose Aldo vs. Dominick Cruz

![AldoCruz.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/ec0efe4b-c0c8-45d3-b674-d6886fe66900/pub)

When the WEC merged with the UFC in 2011, Jose Aldo was the UFC Featherweight Champion and Dominick Cruz was the UFC Bantamweight Champion. Both men are widely considered the greatest fighters to ever compete in those respective weight classes. 11 years later, Aldo and Cruz are both Bantamweights and are both on winning streaks against some of the best fighters in the world. For the fans that have followed the sport for the past 10 years, this is a dream fight.

## Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje

![OliveiraGaethje.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/c4d5a6bf-6391-4add-7524-d281cdaba700/pub)

With stoppage wins against Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier in 2021, Charles Oliveira has proved that he’s the best active Lightweight fighter in the world. Justin Gaethje has made it clear that his ultimate goal in this sport is to win the UFC Lightweight Championship. Gaethje defeated Michael Chandler in one of the most exciting fights of 2021 and made his intention clear- he wants to fight for the Lightweight title next.

## Charles Oliviera vs. Conor McGregor

![OliveiraMcGregor.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/d51c5153-1ec5-4edf-4c22-0a88f71be400/public)

Before you get mad, you’ve got to remember the rules are different when it comes to Conor McGregor. Though his last win in the Lightweight division was in November of 2016 when he defeated Eddie Alvarez, Conor McGregor has his sights set on Charles Oliveira and the Lightweight title when he returns to action from his injury. Not only does McGregor want that fight, Oliveira wants the fight too. As UFC Champion, Charles Oliveira receives PPV points. There’s no bigger money fight for him than McGregor who is the biggest PPV star in UFC history. Is it fair? No. Is it possible? Anything is possible when it’s Conor McGregor.

## Sean O’Malley vs. Adrian Yanez

![OMalleyYanez.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/b20b1839-c16c-42ed-e57f-98651c29f100/pub)


The rise of Sean O’Malley has been intriguing as he’s competed against fighters outside the Top 10 and has dominated the competition with the exception of Marlon Vera. Before O’Malley competes against the Top 10 of the division, he wants to fight Adrian Yanez who is one of the most promising prospects of the Bantamweight division himself. Yanez who is on an 8 fight winning streak, has some of the best pure boxing in MMA. This would be O’Malley’s first fight in the UFC against an opponent with a longer winning streak than 3 fights.  



If these fights happen, they’ll be on Verdict for you to score and predict. If you haven’t downloaded Verdict yet, go to the App Store or Google Play to join the community!
