Verdict MMA

It’s been a long time since a fighter has taken the game by storm the way Khamzat Chimaev has. He’s only had 4 fights in the UFC and many are already predicting him to become a UFC Champion in multiple divisions. The confidence people have in Khamzat Chimaev is based on results. Not only has he defeated every opponent he’s fought, it’s never even been close. Khamzat has finished all 10 of his fights and he’s never gone past the 2nd round. At UFC 273, Khamzat Chimaev will face the biggest challenge of his career when he takes on #2 ranked Welterweight Gilbert Burns. If Khamzat does to Burns what he’s done to everyone else, he’ll prove that he’s ready to challenge for the UFC Welterweight Championship. 

Before UFC 273, let’s take a look back at the path of destruction that’s led Khamzat Chimaev to this moment. 

## May 26, 2018 - Khamzat makes his MMA debut

![fight1.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/cebaa6e2-dff8-45f3-8eb8-35811bee5100/pub "Khamzat Chimaev lands a right hand against Gard Olve Sagen. Daniel Schalander - MMA Viking")

After competing in 3 successful amateur fights, Khamzat Chimaev made his professional MMA debut in May of 2018 when he fought Gard Olve Sagen at International Ring Fight Arena 14 in Uppsala, Sweden. The fight took place at a catchweight of 176 lbs. Khamzat showed a wide range of skills as he dominated the fight in every area. He dropped Sagen with a jab then proceeded to finish him by TKO on the floor. Khamzat Chimaev had arrived.

## August 18, 2018 - Khamzat earns his first submission win

![fight2.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/f84e4de6-536f-4f2c-e22b-44e19f7c2b00/pub "Khamzat Chimaev with his hand raised in his 2nd professional fight - MMA Viking")

Less than 3 months after making his professional MMA debut, Khamzat Chimaev returned to the cage to fight Ole Magnor. This was Khamzat’s official Middleweight debut and his final fight in his adopted home country of Sweden. You could see how confident Khamzat was in his abilities on the ground in this fight. After taking Magnor’s back, Khamzat casually adjusted his mouthguard before choking Magnor unconscious. In his post-fight speech, Khamzat grabbed the mic and let his intentions be known that he would one day be fighting in the UFC.

## November 16, 2018 - Khamzat makes his Brave CF debut

![fight3.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/4ddb0c73-3075-44ae-7daf-a00536a06400/pub "Khamzat Chimaev gets his hand raised in his Brace CF debut")

After 2 professional fights, Khamzat Chimaev made his Brave CF debut in Manama, Bahrain. This was the final promotion that Khamzat competed in before entering the UFC. This fight took place against Marko Kisič in what was Khamzat’s Welterweight debut. It was another dominant performance by Khamzat who took Kisič to the floor and finished him with vicious hammer fists.

## December 22, 2018 - Khamzat competes in India

![fight4.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/d7c09f0a-91ba-4807-504a-c6b5d8b4e600/pub "Khamzat Chimaev dominating on the floor - Brave CF")

Just 36 days after making his Welterweight debut against Marko Kisič, Khamzat travelled to Hyderabad, India to compete against Sidney Wheeler in a Middleweight bout. This was Khamzat’s 4th professional fight and every one of these fights ended faster than the previous one. It took Khamzat just 35 seconds to finish Wheeler by TKO. Immediately after the fight was stopped, Khamzat signalled that he wanted to compete for a Championship. At the end of this fight, it was clear that Khamzat Chimaev was one of the most promising prospects in the sport. This fight wrapped up an incredible 2018 for Khamzat in which he made his professional debut and won a total of 4 fights in 7 months, all by stoppage.

## April 19, 2019 - Khamzat shows he’s more than a grappler

![fight5.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e9e89bb8-18ed-4dc4-6aaa-d6267335c300/pub "Khamzat Chimaev lands a fight ending uppercut - Brave CF")

In his first 4 professional fights, Khamzat Chimaev finished all of his opponents on the floor. Many considered him a vicious grappler, but Khamzat knew that he was much more than that. Khamzat trained at the Allstar Training Center in Stockholm, Sweden which produced strikers like Alexander Gustafsson. Khamzat was skilled on the feet as well and he showed that in his 5th professional fight against Ikram Aliskerov. Khamzat finished Aliskerov with a beautifully executed uppercut that knocked Aliskerov out. 

## October 4, 2019 - Khamzat competes in his final fight with Brave CF

![fight6.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/cfa061e4-56e7-4f34-0b4f-f79f8b716700/pub "Khamzat Chimaev celebrating with his training partner Reza Madadi - Brave CF")

After 3 stoppage wins in Brace CF, Khamzat would compete in his final with the promotion against Mzwandile Hlongwa. The fight took place in Abu Dhabi which would eventually become a familiar spot for Khamzat. As soon as the 2nd round began, Khamzat picked up Hlongwa on one side of the cage, then walked towards the other side and slammed him to the floor. He made it look easy. Khamzat went on to choke Hlongwa unconscious with a D’Arce choke. This was Khamzat’s final fight before entering the UFC.

## July 16, 2020 - Khamzat makes his UFC debut

![maxresdefault.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6ae08335-cdd5-4a61-5263-144fd6906d00/pub "Khamzat Chimaev dominating his first UFC opponent - Getty Images")

After dominating the competition on the regional scene, Khamzat Chimaev got the call to compete for the UFC. He dominated everyone, but how would Khamzat do in the world’s biggest promotion? Khamzat answered those questions quickly as he picked up right where he left off. He destroyed John Phillips in his UFC debut. The 1st round was so dominant, that one of the judges scored it a 10-7 for Khamzat. Khamzat finished the fight in the 2nd round by submitting Phillips with a D’Arce choke. This performance earned Khamzat performance of the night honors. It was in his post-fight speech when Khamzat put the fight game on notice. He said he was ready to fight anyone at any weight class. He showed this was more than just talk 10 days later.

## July 26, 2020 - Khamzat breaks a UFC record

![fight8bottari.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e6f49959-2322-413d-c448-6d89884c5b00/pub "Khamzat Chimaev in full mount against Rhys McKee - Jeff Bottari/Getty Images")

Khamzat Chimaev walked away from his UFC debut unscathed. When he said he’d fight anyone at any time, he was being serious. Just 10 days after his UFC debut, Khamzat returned to the Octagon to fight Rhys McKee. His UFC debut took place in the Middleweight division and his fight against McKee took place at Welterweight. Khamzat picked up another performance of the night bonus as he finished McKee by TKO in the 1st round. With this win, Khamzat broke the record for the quickest turnaround between UFC wins in the modern era. With 2 UFC wins in the span of 10 days, Khamzat Chimaev proved that he was going to be a problem for anyone he stepped into the cage with.

## September 19, 2020 - Khamzat competes in the US for the first time

![fight9unger.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/622065ce-2ac0-4d5a-a0f2-15529699a900/pub "Khamzat Chimaev blasts Gerald Meerschaert with a right hand - Chris Unger/Getty Images")

After winning back to back fights in 10 days and all eyes on him, Khamzat Chimaev would compete in the US for the first time in his career when he took on Gerald Meerschaert. This was considered a big step up in competition for Khamzat, as Meerschaert was a UFC veteran. This would end up being the easiest fight of Khamzat’s career, as he finished Meerschaert by knockout with a single punch in just 17 seconds. 3 months, 3 UFC wins, 3 stoppages, and 3 performance of the night bonuses. 

## October 30th, 2021 - Khamzat returns to action after a 13 month layoff

![617d96db1037b10018151859.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6c1ef20c-f13f-4d10-8587-5e6579acab00/pub "Khamzat Chimaev dominating Li Jingliang in his comeback fight - Chris Unger/Getty Images")

After Khamzat Chimaev finished Gerald Meerschaert, the plan was for Khamzat to continue to be active. He was scheduled to fight Leon Edwards in December of 2020, but Edwards was forced to withdraw after being infected by COVID-19. The fight was rescheduled for March of 2021, but this time Khamzat was infected by COVID-19. Khamzat’s battle with COVID was much different than Edward's. Khamzat got so sick from COVID that he was sidelined for over 1 year and even considered retiring. He would eventually make his return at UFC 267 against Li Jingliang for a Welterweight fight. Jingliang was undoubtedly the biggest test for Khamzat, as he was coming off of a knockout win against Santiago Ponzinibbio. However, like he’s done in every fight, Khamzat made it look easy. He picked up Jingliang and walked over to Dana White then slammed him to the ground while still talking with Dana. He put Jingliang to sleep with a rear-naked choke. Khamzat was back and Khamzat looked better than ever.

## April 9th, 2022 - To be determined

Khamzat Chimaev will be taking a massive step up in competition at UFC 273 when he takes on #2 ranked Welterweight and former title challenger Gilbert Burns. Burns is a World Champion Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and has knockout power. If Khamzat Chimaev passes this test, there’s no more denying him. He’ll solidify himself as one of the best fighters in the world and will likely earn a title shot. Will he do it? We’ll find out soon.


Khamzat Chimaev- A career timeline

## Curtis Blaydes vs. Chris Daukaus

![curtis-blaydes-chris-daukaus-ufc-on-espn-33-10.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/d866ff04-b600-47fc-5bc4-14f2364c6300/pub "Curtis Blaydes finishing Chris Daukaus. Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports")

Curtis Blaydes earned one of the most impressive wins of his career at UFC Columbus, as he finished Chris Daukaus by TKO in the 2nd round. Going into the fight, 32% of the Verdict Community predicted Blaydes to win by decisions while 38% predicted a Blaydes knockout. This win earned Blaydes his first post-fight bonus in 4 years as he won performance of the night honors. The Heavyweight division is starting to heat up with more contenders as of late. Blaydes called out Ciryl Gane to fight for an interim Heavyweight title in his post-fight speech.


## Alexa Grasso earns her first submission

![Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/5cc00373-3aa6-4b52-1d28-bd6dbde60c00/pub "Alexa Grasso locks Joanne Wood in a rear-naked choke. Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports")

Alexa Grasso continues to improve as a fighter and we saw that at UFC Columbus when she earned the first submission win of her career by finishing Joanne Wood with a rear-naked choke. Only 0.62% of the Verdict Community predicted this outcome. It was the first time Grasso finished a fight in the 1st round since December of 2014. Grasso has now won 3 consecutive fights since making her Flyweight debut and is getting closer to a title shot.

## Bryan Barberena and Matt Brown put on a show

![junkie.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6b7bf36d-c276-4964-9676-753e81ade000/pub "Matt Brown and Bryan Barberena at the end of their fight. Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports")

Matt Brown has been competing in the UFC for over 14 years and he’s still putting on fight of the year contenders. There wasn’t a single slow moment between Barberena and Brown. They pushed the pace for 15 straight minutes and had the fans in attendance on their feet. After a clear 1st round for Brown on the Verdict Scorecard, rounds 2 and 3 were very competitive. The fight resulted in a split decision win for Barberena. This is an early candidate for the 2022 fight of the year.

## Kai Kara-France enters the title picture

![scorecardFullScreen_Askarov_vs_Kara-France 2.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/839fa391-77a9-4263-4e06-e48f4416c100/pub "The Verdict Scorecard for Askarov vs. Kara-France")

Kai Kara-France handed Askar Askarov the first loss of his professional career at UFC Columbus when he defeated him by unanimous decision. This was a classic striker vs. grappler contest that resulted in a win for the striker. As per the Verdict Scorecard, round 1 was clear in favor of Askarov while round 2 was clear in favor of Kara-France. The fight came down to the 3rd round which was the closest round of the fight. Kara-France won the 3rd round with a differential of 0.25. Kara-France made his intentions clear after the fight. He wants to compete for the UFC Flyweight title. 

## Neil Magny defeats Max Griffin

![Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports2.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6d337ead-7118-47c9-baff-36d669dc3000/pub "Neil Magny attempting a front kick against Max Griffin. Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports")

Neil Magny vs. Max Griffin got bumped up from the prelims to the main card after a Heavyweight fight between Ilir Latifi and Aleksei Oleinik was cancelled on fight day. As he has often done throughout his career, Neil Magny started the fight slow but ended the fight in dominant fashion. After being dropped and losing the 1st round to Max Griffin, Neil Magny gained momentum in the 2nd round then dominated the 3rd. With this win, Magny tied Georges St-Pierre’s record for the most wins in UFC Welterweight history at 19. Magny called out Khamzat Chimaev in his post-fight speech which is something not many fighters are doing these days.

## Marc Diakiese shows new skills

![Josh Hedges:Zuffa LLC.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/6e2fd370-d256-4751-18b5-be2011df6300/pub "Marc Diakiese enjoying wrestling. Josh Hedges/Getty Images")

To the surprise of many, Marc Diakiese completely dominated Viacheslav Borshchev at UFC Columbus by using his wrestling. Diakiese was always a pure striker prior to his fight against Borshchev. After losing 2 consecutive fights, Diakiese knew that he needed to evolve as a fighter if he was going to be successful and that’s what he did. After the fight, Diakiese said that he’ll be using a lot more wrestling going forward.

UFC Columbus Verdict Post-Fight Review

For the first time since February of 2020, the UFC will host their first US Fight Night event outside of Las Vegas, when the promotion returns to Columbus, Ohio for UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Daukaus. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

## Curtis Blaydes vs. Chris Daukaus
Since making his professional debut in 2014, Curtis Blaydes has only lost to two fighters: Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis. He’s defeated every other fighter he’s fought. Blaydes will compete in his 5th UFC main event this weekend when he takes on Chris Daukaus. After winning 5 consecutive fights by knockout, Daukaus lost to Derrick Lewis in his last fight. Daukaus has never lost a fight by decision, but 39% of the Verdict Comunity are predicting Blaydes to defeat him by decision. Blaydes is a big favorite heading into this fight, with 79% predicting him to win.

![lewis.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/978f3c8b-1cb3-4330-2332-5d1af9910300/public)

## Joanne Wood vs. Alexa Grasso
Prior to making her UFC debut, Alexa Grasso was undefeated at 9-0. She failed to find consistency in the Octagon as she was never able to win more than one fight at a time. That’s changed since she made her Flyweight debut in August of 2020 against Yi Jeon Kim. Grasso has won back to back fights and is looking to extend her winning streak to 3 when she takes on Joanne Wood this weekend. The Verdict Community is confident in Grasso, with 76% predicting her to defeat Wood. Joanne Wood is in danger of losing her 3rd straight fight which would be the longest losing streak of her career.

![grass.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/cb1660b6-1dce-4dcd-34ec-ab5177d59e00/pub)

## Askar Askarov vs. Kai-Kara France
In terms of title implications, this is the biggest fight on the card. The winner of Askar Askarov vs. Kai-Kara France is likely to fight the winner of the 4th fight between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno. Askarov is undefeated at 14-0-1. He competed against Brandon Moreno in October of 2019 in a fight that was ruled a draw. On the other hand, Kai-Kara France is coming off the biggest win of his career as he finished former UFC Bantamweight Champion Cody Garbradnt by 1st round knockout. Anytime you’re able to finish a former Champion in the 1st round, your career gets catapulted. This is the closest fight of the card at a near dead even split.

![Group 11.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/0df2abcb-781d-4613-96ba-cb1cd244e000/public)

## Matt Brown vs. Bryan Barberena
Any time Matt Brown fights, you know there’s going to be action. He made his UFC debut in 2008 and he’s still finishing opponents today. Brown is coming off of a knockout win against Dhiego Lima who’s the brother of former Bellator Champion Douglas Lima, who Brown also previously finished. Brown will be taking on 7-year UFC veteran Bryan Barberena. The world’s most common pick is for Matt Brown to win by decision at 34% with 33% predicting Brown to win by knockout.

![Group 10.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/1819f671-3e61-43f1-ed44-e1b81dccec00/public)

## Ilir Latifi vs. Alexey Oleynik

When Alexey Oleynik made his professional MMA debut, Bill Clinton was the President of the United States. Oleynik will compete in his 77th professional fight this weekend when he takes on Ilir Latifi. This could be the end of Oleynik’s run in the UFC, as he’s in danger of losing his 4th consecutive fight. Oleynik currently has 46 submission wins and 40% of the Verdict community predicts he’ll secure his 47th submission when he takes on Latifi.

![Group 9.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/9092be0b-f689-44cc-d9f3-07583dbc3c00/pub)

## Marc Diakiese vs. Viacheslav Borschev

A lightweight battle between Marc Diakiese and Viacheslav Borschev will kick off UFC Columbus. Borschev is currently on a 4 fight streak where he’s finished every opponent by knockout. Nearly half of the Verdict Community predicts he’ll continue that streak, with 46% predicting Borschev to finish Diakiese by knockout.

![dd.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/8c74840b-3a46-41d9-e262-e6aaf11b3d00/public)

UFC Columbus Verdict Pre-fight Preview

When the pandemic shut the world down, the UFC carried the sports world on their back as they were the first major sports organization to host live events. The UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada became the epicentre of the combat sports world. The fights at the Apex were unique, as there was no crowd in attendance. As the world starts to open up and the UFC goes back on the road, there are going to be fewer events at the Apex moving forward. The Apex hosted many great moments over the past 2 years. Let’s take a look back at 10 of the most memorable events that took place in the Apex.

## Francis Ngannou finally becomes the Heavyweight Champion

![bottari.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/2f8a3fa8-b32b-49f2-e0d7-e48441ed3800/pub "Stipe Miocic drops while Francis Ngannou begins to pounce on him. Jeff Bottari/Getty Images")

Francis Ngannou and Stipe Miocic first competed in January of 2018 for the UFC Heavyweight title. At the time, Ngannou had destroyed every opponent he had fought in the Octagon and many expected him to do the same to Miocic. Ngannou was the betting favorite against the Champion. Miocic silenced the critics when he defeated Ngannou in a 5 round shutout decision, handing him his first loss in the UFC. It was in November of 2018 when Ngannou started to rebuild himself as a fighter. He finished 4 consecutive fights by knockout in the 1st round in an average of 44 seconds per fight. He earned a rematch against Miocic in March of 2021 at UFC 260. Two colossal men would be battle it out inside a smaller Octagon. Ngannou was a different fighter in the rematch and you could see that immediately. He stayed calm and picked his shots rather than swinging recklessly as he did in the first fight. Ngannou finished Miocic by knockout in the 2nd round to become the UFC Heavyweight Champion in front of an empty arena at the Apex.

## Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker go to war

![ChrisUnger.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/0a0cf5a2-d109-41bb-cd76-081a77062100/pub  "Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker get into each other's face after their war. Chris Unger/Getty Images")

The fight between Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker from June of 2020 is widely considered the greatest fight that’s ever taken place at the Apex. You often hear many fighters say that the energy of the crowd fuels them to fight hard and push the pace. Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker had no crowd and they pushed the pace as hard as anyone we’ve seen in the last few years. There was non-stop action and several momentum swings. It looked like the fight was about to come to an end on several occasions for both fighters, but Poirier and Hooker showed grit by staying in there. Poirier took control of the fight in the Championship rounds and went on to win a unanimous decision. It was such a war that both Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker ended up at the hospital that night. 

## Khamzat Chimaev blasts Gerald Meerschaert

![under.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/12482c24-84aa-4710-2642-513a4283c300/pub "Khamzat finishes Gerald Meerschaert with a single punch. Chris Unger/Getty Images")

When Khamzat Chimaev made his UFC debut in July of 2020, he took the fight game by storm. He broke the record for the fastest turnaround in UFC history by winning two fights in 10 days. Not only did he win 2 fights in 10 days, he won 2 fights in two different weight classes. He finished John Phillips as a Middleweight then finished Rhys McKee as a Welterweight. Khamzat made it clear after both of those fights that he wanted to stay active and would fight anyone at any time. Less than 2 months after finishing Rhys McKee, the UFC booked Khamzat in a Middleweight fight against Gerald Meerschaert. It was Khamzat’s biggest test at the time and Khamzat made it look easy. He blasted Gerald Meerschaert with a right hand and knocked him out in 17 seconds. The world realized that Khamzat was more than just a grappler. This win has aged gracefully as Meerschaert has gone on to finish 3 consecutive opponents by submission since losing to Khamzat.

## Glover Teixeira earns a title shot at 41 

![bottari.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/a6a0629a-7308-4e2d-3937-9000552d2d00/pub "Glover Teixeira dominating Thiago Santos on the floor. Chris Unger/Getty Images")

There have been many times in Glover Teixeira’s career that he’s been counted out. From August 2016 to July 2018, he went 3-3 where he lost a fight then won a fight for 6 consecutive fights. He couldn’t put together a consistent winning streak but that all changed with his fight against Karl Roberson in January of 2019. After winning 4 consecutive fights and finishing Anthony Smith, Teixeira signed to fight Thiago Santos. At the time, Santos was coming off of a 16-month layoff after losing a close split decision in a title fight to Jon Jones. Given how good Santos looked against Jones, the majority expected him to run through Glover Teixeira. To the shock of many, Teixeira would end up submitting Santos with a rear-naked choke in the 3rd round. This win earned Teixeira a title shot against Jan Blachowicz which he would go on to win.


## Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno compete in a classic

![getty.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/9c73d7a5-3047-4a38-4eba-ba6ed5c90d00/pub "Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno enjoying their war. Chris Unger/Getty Images")

In November of 2020, both Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno competed at UFC 255. Figueiredo was defending his Flyweight title while Moreno was competing in the final fight of the prelims. They both earned 1st round stoppage wins. The following UFC PPV was originally supposed to be headlined by a fight between Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns. However, Usman was injured and couldn’t compete on the card. The UFC tried to get several replacements for the main event, but fights kept falling through. Just 3 weeks after they both competed at UFC 255, Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno agreed to compete against each other at UFC 266 for the Flyweight title. They competed in what many consider the greatest Flyweight fight of all time. Figueiredo started the fight strong, but Moreno came took over the contest in the Championship rounds. The fight was ruled a majority draw.

## Cory Sandhagen’s flying knee against Frankie Edgar

![Screen Shot 2022-03-22 at 11.58.12 AM.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/c5e2d6f3-87a5-459a-9397-5ad226c0b600/pub "Cory Sandhgaen lands a flying knee against Frankie Edgar. Getty Images")

Cory Sandhagen proved that he’s undoubtedly one of the best Bantamweight fighters in the world when he finished Frankie Edgar with a flying knee in 28 seconds. Once upon a time, Frankie Edgar had the ability to absorb a tremendous amount of punishment and still move forward. No one has been able to take out Edgar as flawlessly as Cory Sandhagen did. This might have been the biggest highlight-reel knockout that’s ever taken place a the Apex.

## Kamaru Usman finishes a former teammate 

![getty.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/0173cbf3-1933-4885-1e4a-febce47f7100/pub "Kamaru Usman lands the final blow against Gilbert Burns. Getty Images")

Kamaru Usman has been in several fights that have had intense build-ups. As intense as the build-ups got, it’s always been difficult to rattle Usman. Colby Covington couldn’t even do it. When Usman signed to fight his former teammate Gilbert Burns, the two seemed very cordial. It was when the two got into the Octagon that we saw how much this fight really meant to Kamaru Usman. He got right into GIlbert Burns’ face when Bruce Buffer announced him which was unusual. After a rocky 1st round, Usman recovered and went on to finish Burns by 3rd round TKO. He spoke about in his post-fight speech just how difficult it was for him to fight his former teammate. He mentioned that the fight became a lot more personal to him because Burns was a former training partner. This was the beginning of Usman’s 2021 run as the fighter of the year.

## Aljamain Sterling becomes a UFC Champion by Disqualification 

![unger.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/7f3a82f3-5da7-4adb-79c0-2b4ae3e39f00/pub "Petr Yan hits Aljamain Sterling with an illegal knee. Chris Unger/Getty Images")

Before Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling competed at UFC 260, fans were split on who they thought would win. The predictions were at a 50/50 split on Verdict. When the fight started, Sterling relentlessly pushed the pace making the first 2 rounds competitive. Sterling then began to slow down when the 3rd round began. After getting instructions from his corner, Petr Yan hit Aljamain Sterling with an illegal knee to the head while Sterling was grounded. This ended up being the most consequential illegal knee in UFC history as Yan was disqulaified which resulted in Aljamain Sterling becoming the UFC Bantamweight Champion. 

## Jiri Prochakza makes a statement

![jiribottari.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/2ef727bf-4dd9-4805-30bf-fcce8cd3e400/pub "Jiri Prochakza lands a spinning back elbow against Dominick Reyes. Jeff Bottari/Getty Images") 


It’s rare that a fighter gets a main event slot in his 2nd UFC fight, but that’s what happened after Jiri Prochakza looked so impressive in his UFC debut against Volkan Oezdemir. Prochakza earned a fight against former title challenger Dominick Reyes. This was a major step up in competition for Prochakza, who was fighting the man that many believed defeated Jon Jones. As long as the fight went, Prochakza did not stop pushing forward. He didn’t give Reyes a chance to breathe as he applied non stop pressure. The fight ended in the 2nd round when Prochakza finished Reyes with a spinning back elbow knockout. This win was so impressive that it earned Prochakza a title shot against Glover Teixeria later this year.

## Calvin Kattar makes a comeback

![gettykattar.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/114afa4f-e492-48c3-2cdb-48c54eea3800/pub "Calvin Kattar hits Giga Chikadze with an elbow. Getty Images")

In January of 2021, Max Holloway put one of the most dominant performances in UFC history against Calvin Kattar. He broke the all-time UFC record for the most strikes landed at 447 against Kattar. Many thought that Kattar would never be the same after the fight. UFC President Dana White had Kattar rushed immediately to the hospital. Kattar took a 1 year break from competing and would return to action against rising contender Giga Chikadze. Chikadze was on a 9 fight winning streak and had just finished Edson Barboza by TKO. Many expected to Kattar to take another beating, but it was Kattar who delivered the beating. Calvin Kattar looked like a new fighter as he dominated Chikzade for 5 rounds and performed better as the fight progressed. They say everyone loves a good comeback story and that’s what this was.

10 of the most memorable moments at the UFC Apex

The UFC’s return to London, England after 3 years was a night that we’ll be talking about for a long time. This was the biggest card we’ve ever had on Verdict with 9 total fights and they all delivered. We witnessed highlight-reel knockouts and new stars emerge. The UFC handed out 9 performance of the night bonuses after the event which is the most in the company’s history. Let’s take a look back at all of the stories that came out of UFC London.

## Paul Craig has a classic performance

![1239333093.0.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/d980eb45-85f6-4032-b454-0450648ca100/pub "Per Haljestam/USA TODAY SPORTS")

Like he’s done many times in the past, Paul Craig rallied back from the brink of defeat and finished a fight with a triangle choke. Going into this fight, Craig was a +250 betting underdog but was a big favorite on Verdict with 80% of the Community predicting him to win. When the fight started, Krlylov began to land effective strikes and seemed like he rocked Craig on a few occasions. The fight ended up on the mat and that’s when Craig finished Krylov with a triangle choke. Craig has now won 13 of his 16 fights by submission at a rate of 81%. This was expected by the majority of the Verdict Community, with 55% of them predicting a Paul Craig submission.

Official Result: Paul Craig via 1st round submission at 3:57

## Sergei Pavlovich earns his 3rd straight TKO

![er Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/cb1276fd-ff4b-4b45-2108-7124b0fa5700/pub "Per Haljestam/USA TODAY SPORTS")

UFC London marked the first time Sergei Pavlovich competed since October of 2019. Though he’s been gone for a long time, the Verdict Community didn’t forget about him as 79% predicted him to defeat Shamil Abdurakhimov. Pavlovich picked up where he left off by finishing Abdurakhimov by 1st round TKO. That’s now 3 consecutive opponents that Pavlovich has finished by 1st round TKO.


Official Result:  Sergei Pavlovich via 1st round TKO at 4:03

## Makwan Amirkhani turns back the clock

![makwan-amirkhani-mike-grundy-ufc-fight-night-204-6.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/f4d85fb9-c5e3-48e9-42a2-d3c3269ebd00/pub "Per Haljestam/USA TODAY SPORTS")

Amirkhani had his back against coming into this event as he lost his last 3 consecutive fights. He was fighting for his spot on the UFC roster and delivered. Mike Grundy attempted an early takedown that Amirkhani took advantage of by securing him in a guillotine choke. Grundy went on unconscious and the referee stopped the fight just 57 seconds into the 1st round. This win earned Amirkhani the 3rd performance of the night bonus of his career.

Official Result:  Makwan Amirkhani via 1st round submission at 0:57

## Ilia Topuria silences London

![getty.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/a3f3b22e-32d0-4db8-774a-735187fc3f00/pub "Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images")

There was a lot of attention on Ilia Topuria coming into this fight. He got into a scuffle with Paddy Pimblett earlier this week and was set on defeating Jai Herbert then calling out Pimblett after the fight. When the fight started, Herbert was in full control of the striking and even dropped Topuria. It seemed as if Topuria’s only option was to grapple with Herbert if he was going to win. It was in the 2nd round where Topuria absolutely stunned the London crowd as he blasted Herbert with a right hand that left him unconscious. No matter how down he was in the 1st round, Ilia Topuria refused to quit. Topuria is undefeated at 12-0 with a 92% finishing rate. Now that he’s in the Lightweight division, there are a lot of possibilities. Topuria called out Paddy Pimblett after the fight just like he said he would. 

Official Result:  Ilia Topuria via 2nd round knockout at 1:07

## The Molly McCann Moment

![Chris Unger:Zuffa LLC.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/a9e3c938-9866-4f5b-82a6-9d6ed959ce00/pub "Per Haljestam/USA TODAY SPORTS")

Molly McCann put on the best performance of her career at UFC London, when she finished Luana Carolina with a vicious spinning back elbow knockout. This was one of the most memorable highlight-reel knockouts from a Women’s fight in UFC history. McCann looked to close the show immediately in the 1st as she rushed Luana Carolina and unloaded with punches. Carolina stayed in the fight and started to look more confident in the 3rd round. That confidence didn’t matter, as McCann put Carolina out cold with the spinning back elbow. After the fight, McCann jumped out of the Octagon and hugged Dana White before grabbing a replica UFC Championship belt and raising it up. In her post-fight speech, she made the crowd chant for her teammate Paddy Pimblett. 

Official Result:  Molly McCann via 3rd round knockout at 1:52

## Gunnar Nelson returns

![per.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/be67ccf1-588b-4fbc-4f12-44e6b74c7300/pub "Per Haljestam/USA TODAY SPORTS")

After a nearly 3 year absence from the Octagon, Gunnar Nelson made his return to action and defeated Takashi Sato by unanimous decision. This was a grappling heavy performance by Nelson who completely controlled the action when it hit the floor. This was the world’s most common pick with 37% of the Verdict Community predicting Nelson to win by decision. Of the 9 fights on Verdict, this was the only fight that went to a decision.

Official Result:  Molly McCann via unanimous decision (30–26, 30–26, 30–26)

## Paddy Pimblett delivers

![chrisunger.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/d1e5963e-4f3a-4821-d9dd-20fa82493e00/pub "Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images")

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a fighter ooze charisma the way Paddy Pimblett does. You could see the excitement on his face when he made his entrance to the Octagon. As soon as Pimblett locked eyes with Kazula Vargas, his demeanour changed. He went from playful to serious immediately. Vargas landed a few strikes on Pimblett and brought the action to the canvas. Pimblett recovered and got back to his feet before judo flipping Vargas to the canvas. Pimblett controlled Vegas on the floor before submitting him with a rear-naked choke. Many believed that Pimblett was a striker because of his last fight, but he actually has more submission wins than knockout wins. The crowd exploded when the referee stopped the contest. Pimblett made the crowd sing in his post-fight interview. Pimblett has all the makings of a superstar if he continues to win.

Official Result:  Paddy Pimbletti via 1st round submission at 3:50

## Arnold Allen makes a statement

![perrr.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/f6aa2dde-9b92-4901-0f2b-f3a21e7b7700/pub "Per Haljestam/USA TODAY SPORTS")


Coming into this fight, Arnold Allen seemed to have it all except a big name on his record. He got that at UFC London by finished Dan Hooker by TKO in the 1st round. As soon as the fight started, Allen started to brawl with Hooker without regard. There was a sequence where Allen rocked Hooker, then Hooker rocked Allen, then Allen rocked Hooker again. Allen kept pushing the pace then eventually finished Hooker by a standing TKO. This was one of the most exciting rounds of the year. With this win, Allen has now won 11 consecutive fights. This is one of the longest active winning streaks in the UFC. Allen called out Calvin Kattar in his post-fight speech. He’s getting closer to a title shot.

Official Result:  Arnold Allen i via 1st round TKO at 2:33

## Tom Aspinall is the real deal

![tom-aspinall-alexander-volkov-ufc-fight-night-204-14.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/15a7086c-01cc-4d9f-c1e7-d74ee08e6d00/pub "Per Haljestam/USA TODAY SPORTS")

Coming into this fight, there has never been a British Heavyweight fighter that’s been successful in the UFC. We see a lot of great Britsh Heavyweight boxers but that hasn’t been the case in MMA. It looks like it’s all about to change with Tom Aspinall. Aspinall delivered in his first UFC main event by finishing Alexander Volkov in the 1st round. He showed a variety of tools including speed, striking, wrestling, and submissions against Volkov. It’s not often that you see a well rounded Heavyweight fighter that’s well-rounded like this. Aspinall finished the fight with a straight armlock, becoming the first fighter in 12 years to submit Alexander Volkov. Aspinall has always wanted to take his career slow before fighting the best in the world. Now Aspinall is undoubtedly one of the best in the world and will fight nothing but the best moving forward. Aspinall called out Tai Tuivasa in his post-fight speech. We might just see that next for the interim Heavyweight title.

Official Result: Tom Aspinall via 1st round submission at 3:45


UFC London Verdict Post-fight Review

Everytime the UFC goes to England, there's an electric crowd in attendance. Some of the most memorable moments in UFC history have taken place on British soil. Let's take a look back at 10 of them.

## Jorge Masvidal puts Darren Till to sleep

![BottariMas.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/83bb6494-24bf-4da5-0b74-4be431c8ba00/pub "Jeff Bottari/Getty Images/Zuffa LLC")

When Jorge Masvidal and Darren Till signed to fight each other, they both had chips on their shoulders. Masvidal was on a 16-month layoff after losing to Stephen Thompson while Till had suffered the first loss of his career in a title fight against Tyron Woodley. During his layoff, Masvidal was a contestant on a Latin reality tv show. It was during this time that Masvidal found greatness in isolation. He had no tv, no phone, and no distractions. It was just him and his thoughts. He reinvented his fighting style and was on a mission to resurrect his career. Masvidal had no issue with going to Darren Till’s backyard to fight him. He grew up fighting in other people's backyards. Till dropped Masvidal with the first punch he threw but Masvidal quickly recovered. It was in the 2nd round where Masvidal charged at Till and finished him by knockout. The arena went quiet as they saw Till lay unconscious on the canvas. This was the beginning of Masvidal’s 2019 run as the fighter of the year.


## Michael Bisping gets his revenge

![i.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/0392a573-8a37-4e23-02c0-3215833d6e00/pub "Getty Images/Zuffa LLC")

In 2009, Michael Bisping and Dan Henderson were opposing coaches on the 9th season of The Ultimate Fighter. As was often the case with Bisping, he trash-talked Henderson leading up to the fight which made the fight even bigger. The two were scheduled to compete at UFC 100 which at the time was the biggest blockbuster event in UFC history. There were a lot of new fans tuning in that night and it was a major opportunity for all fighters on the card. Going into the fight, Bisping only had 1 loss on his record and that was a split decision. Henderson brutally finished Bisping by knockout with a big right hand and a vicious follow up while Bisping was already out. Many believed that Bisping would never be the same after this loss. Though he heard the doubt, Bisping never cared for it. He continued to push forward and eventually became the UFC Middleweight Champion. For his first title defense, he was scheduled to rematch Dan Henderson at UFC 204 in his hometown of Manchester, England. The stakes were as high as they could possibly be. Henderson dropped Bisping in the 1st round and it seemed like the rematch was going to end like the first fight. However, Bisping remained calm and battled back to earn a unanimous decision win in a close fight. This would be the final win of Bisping’s career and the final fight of Henderson’s career.



## Gabriel Gonzaga head kicks Mirko Crocop

![JoshHedges.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/33ba4d45-a273-497a-8f04-996f5321c900/pub "Josh Hedges/Getty Images/Zuffa LLC")

Some fighters are synonymous with certain weapons. Conor McGregor’s left hand, Dan Henderson’s H-Bomb, and Mirko Crocop’s head kick. When Mirko Crocop joined the UFC in 2007, he was coming off of a year where he was considered the 2006 fighter of the year at PRIDE FC. He made his successful UFC debut against Eddie Sanchez at UFC 67, then was scheduled to fight Gabriel Gonzago at UFC 70 in Manchester, England. Many viewed Gonzaga as a tune-up opponent, as all eyes were on a potential Heavyweight title fight between Mirko Crocop and reigning champion Randy Couture. Gonzaga ended those conversations immediately when he finished Mirko Crocop with a vicious head kick knockout. Fans expected Crocop to finish Gonzaga with a head kick but it was the other way around. Crocop was never the same after this fight.


## Michael Bisping defeats the GOAT

![Christopher Lee:Getty Images.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/c12ac51e-3c41-41ee-c7bd-761163e3fe00/pub  "Christopher Lee/Getty Images/Zuffa LLC")

When Anderson Silva broke his leg against Chris Weidman, it was unclear if he’d ever come back the same fighter. When he defeated Nick Diaz in his return fight, Silva tested positive for PEDs and was suspended for 1 year. It was announced on Christmas Day in 2015 that Anderson Silva would return to action to fight Michael Bisping on a UFC Fight Pass exclusive event in February of 2016. Silva vs. Bisping was a fight that was talked about for years but never came to fruition. Any time Bisping seemed like he was 1 win away from challenging Silva for the Middleweight title, he lost. Though it wasn’t under the most ideal circumstances, Michael Bisping was finally getting his shot to compete against who many regarded as the greatest of all time. Bisping had let it be known from the very start that Silva’s mind games wouldn’t work on him. Anytime Silva tried to be friendly, Bisping would shut Silva down. They competed in a drama-filled fight where Bisping won a close unanimous decision. Bisping went on to become the Middleweight Champion in his next fight.


## The UFC Champion vs. the PRIDE FC Champion

![getty.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/11ba9a90-5d5f-4e77-0283-8bca81dce500/pub "Getty Images/Zuffa LLC")

When Zuffa acquired PRIDE FC in 2007, they became the most dominant MMA organization on the planet. In addition to acquiring PRIDE, they also acquired many PRIDE fighters including 2 division PRIDE Champion Dan Henderson. When Rampage Jackson finished Chuck Liddell to become the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Dan Henderson walked into the Octagon with his two belts. A Light Heavyweight unification bout between Rampage and Henderson was set for UFC 75 in London, England. Rampage defeated Henderson by unanimous decision to become the first unified Champion in MMA history.


## BJ Penn once again becomes the King

![AP.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/32be979c-ecaa-4ce8-8b2b-89ec8ae81d00/pub "The Associated Press")

When BJ Penn became the UFC Welterweight Champion in January of 2004, he left the promotion as Champion. When he returned to the UFC 2 years later, he failed to reclaim his Welterweight title. After losing his rematch to Matt Hughes, Penn decided to move back down to the Lightweight division which was his natural weight class. After submitting Jens Pulver, Penn would earn an opportunity to compete for the vacant Lightweight Championship against Joe Stevenson at UFC 80 in Newcastle, England. At the time, Sean Sherk had just been stripped of the Lightweight title after testing positive for PEDs. Sherk was on commentary and would fight the winner of Penn and Stevenson. As soon as the fight began, BJ Penn brutalized Joe Stevenson. He dominated the entire fight then submitted him in the 2nd round to become the Lightweight Champion. With this win, Penn became the 2nd fighter in UFC history to win a UFC title in 2 weight divisions. He defeated Sean Sherk in his following fight.


## Ian Freeman hands Frank Mir his first loss

![Mike Hewitt:Getty Images.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/a6895d74-c2bd-4b8f-48f7-69d9d6d60000/pub "Mike Hewitt/Getty Images/Zuffa LLC")

When Dana White and the Fertitta brothers took over the UFC, they wanted to globally expand by hosting events in countries outside the US. The first international event they hosted was UFC 38 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England. The event was attended by 3,800 fans. In the co-main event, England’s Ian Freeman would take on rising contender Frank Mir. During fight week, Freeman was going through an emotional roller coaster as his father was diagnosed with brain cancer and was told he only had 2 weeks to live. "The fight was a week away and I thought, 'Great, let me go do this fight, let me beat up Frank Mir, let me win and let me tell my dad I won and he'll die a happy man”. Losing was not an option for Freeman who was fighting for his father. Mir secured Freeman in a heel hook that made his knee pop, but Freeman refused to tap. He took control of the fight and finished Frank Mir by TKO in the 1st round, handing Mir his first loss. After the fight had ended, Freeman headed to the back of the arena to call his father to let him know the good news. His mother picked up the phone and let him know that his father died one day before the fight. It was his father’s dying wish that his family wouldn't share the news with him until after he had already defeated Frank Mir.


## Matt Hughes defends his Welterweight title

![1587919261_maxresdefault.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/0b0f1810-0e3f-4822-7983-745c2bc7ad00/pub "Getty Images/Zuffa LLC")

During Matt Hughes’ road to the top of the sport, he was trained under the tutelage of Pat Miletich under the Miletich Fighting System. He watched Carlos Newtown defeat Miletich for the UFC Welterweight title in May of 2001. After Miletich was dethroned, Hughes was next in line to challenge for the title. Hughes defeated Carlos Newtown 6 months later to become the UFC Welterweight Champion. A rematch was booked between Hughes and Newton at UFC 38 in London, England. Hughes finished Newton by TKO in the 4th round to retain his title. This marked the first time that Hughes went past the 3rd round.


## Carlos Condit stuns Dan Hardy

![hedge.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/19b4c9f9-8885-46c5-916e-6f87c3ac9e00/pub "Josh Hedges/Getty Images/Zuffa LLC")

When Dan Hardy lost his Welterweight title shot to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 111, he was determined to work his way back to the top and once again compete for a title. In his first fight back, he would take on former WEC Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit in front of his British fans in London, England. It was a matchup tailored for Hardy as Condit was a fellow striker. With approximately 30 seconds remaining in the 1st round, both Condit and Hardy threw left hooks at the same time. Hardy’s hook glanced Condit, while Condit’s hook landed flush and knocked Hardy out. Condit became a household name for the UFC after this fight.



## Alexander Volkov finished Fabricio Werdum

![Brandon Magnus:Zuffa LLC:Getty Images .jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/adf21a46-2379-46d5-5143-f791c56c2c00/pub "Brandon Magnus/Getty Images/Zuffa LLC")

Whenever a rising contender has an opportunity to fight a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, they have a chance at instantly elevating their career. This was the opportunity that Alexander Volkov had in March of 2018 when he fought Fabricio Werdum in London, England. Werdum was coming off of back to back wins against Walt Harris and Marcin Tybura and had his eyes set on another title shot. After losing the first 2 rounds, Volkov started to gain momentum. He took the fight to the 4th round and finished the former Champion by knockout. Volkov will once again return to London, England and main event a UFC card 4 years later when he takes on undefeated Tom Aspinall. Now Volkov is the veteran while Aspinall is the rising contender. 

 10 memorable UFC moments that took place in England

On March 19th, the UFC will return to London, England for the first time since 2019. There were a few changes to the bout order this week including moving Paul Craig’s fight from the main card to the prelims. We’ve listened to the Verdict Community and are keeping the fight on the platform. UFC London is the biggest card to ever be featured on Verdict with 9 total fights. Let’s take a look at all of them.

## Alexander Volkov vs. Tom Aspinall
Tom Aspinall will get his opportunity to become a star this weekend when he takes on Alexander Volkov in front of a hometown crowd in London, England. Prior to entering the UFC, Aspinall wanted to work on his craft and take his career slow before competing against the best in the world. Current UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya also took this approach. As soon as Aspinall made his UFC debut, he began steamrolling through the competition, finishing 4 consecutive opponents including former Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski. Aspinall has a 100% finishing rate and has never gone past the 2nd round. He wanted to take it slow, but the results are undeniable. Tom Aspinall is ready to compete against the best in the world and that’s what he’ll do when he takes on Alexander Volkov in this weekend’s main event. Volkov is a battle-tested veteran that’s fought the best of the Heavyweight division. If Tom Aspinall is able to get past Alexander Volkov, we have a new title contender in the Heavyweight division. Anytime you have a fighter that wins a main event in front of their hometown, that’s a recipe for success. 

![volkas.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/d5702748-e53b-43cb-8fd0-c980e271ab00/pub)

## Paddy Pimblett vs. Rodrigo Vargas

Paddy Pimblett has only had one fight in the UFC and he’s already become one of the most popular prospects in the sport. He’s charismatic outside the Octagon and has a killer instinct when he competes. He made his successful UFC debut last September, finishing Luigi Vendramini by knockout. Pimblett is already a big star in the UK, as he’s a former Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion. Pimblett is a big favorite, with 86% of the Verdict Community predicting him to defeat Rodrigo Vargas. The world’s most common pick is Paddy Pimblett to win by 1st round knockout.

![Group 2.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/46dc9168-2b35-4d09-9153-ee9387fc7500/pub)


## Arnold Allen vs. Dan Hooker
Since making his UFC debut in 2015, Arnold Allen has defeated everyone is in his path by winning 8 consecutive fights. Allen entered the UFC at the age of 21 and has evolved his game ever since. He’ll get the opportunity to make a big name for himself when he takes on Dan Hooker this weekend. After losing his last 3 out of 4 fights, Hooker will make his return to the Featherweight division for the first time since November of 2016. A win against Allen would immediately propel Hooker to the top 10 of the Featherweight division. This is a close fight, with 53% predicting Hooker to defeat Allen.

![Group 5.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e6a38c89-2c50-448e-f286-ea37c3f01300/pub)

## Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Sergei Pavlovich
This is the lone Heavyweight fight on the card. Shamil Abdurakhimov is coming off back to back knockout losses while Sergei Pavlovich is coming off back to back knockout wins. Pavlovich has suffered only 1 loss in his professional career, dating back to December of 2014. As it stands, 39% of the Verdict Community are predicting Pavlovich to finish Abdurakhimov by knockout. 

![Group.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/ee6fc48b-27b8-4732-fd4d-75221e9d4500/public)

## Nikita Krylov vs. Paul Craig
After a 9 month absence from the Octagon, Paul Craig will return to action when he takes on Nikita Krylov. Craig earned performance of the night honors in his last fight when he viciously finished Jamahal Hill with elbows while in a triangle choke. Since he made his professional debut in 2013, 100% of Craig’s wins have come by stoppage. He’ll be fighting a fellow finisher in Nikita Krylov, who’s finished 96% of his wins. Given the backgrounds of both fighters, it’s likely we’ll see a finish in this fight with 71% of the Verdict Community predicting the fight to end by stoppage.

![Group 4.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/68f723b3-8370-40df-3b0c-cf45f363ae00/pub)

## Gunnar Nelson vs. Takashi Sato
Gunnar Nelson will compete inside the Octagon for the first time in nearly 2 years when he takes on Takashi Sato. Nelson fought the best of the Welterweight division in his last 2 fights, losing against Gilbert Burns and Leon Edwards. Though Nelson has been away from the Octagon for a long time, the Verdict Community hasn’t forgotten about him with 80% predicting him to win. If Sato manages to defeat Nelson, this will be the biggest win of his career. 

![Group 3.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/d5b1bc9d-292f-49c8-561b-f3d32fbf2d00/pub)

## Molly McCann vs. Luana Carolina
Liverpool’s Molly McCann will compete in her home country this weekend when she takes on Luana Carolina. McCann is a former Cage Warriors Flyweight Champion and is hoping to replicate this accomplishment in the UFC. She’ll be taking on Luana Carolina who’s coming off back to back wins in the UFC. McCann’s last 6 fights have gone to a decision and 83% are predicting her fight against Carolina to go to the scorecards.

![MCCANNCarolina.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/924b1d96-2340-4abd-45b7-0c811c70a200/pub)

## Jai Herbert vs. Ilia Topuria
This UFC London main card will kick off with a Lightweight fight between Jai Herbert and the undefeated Ilia Topuria. In his last fight, Topuria became the first fighter in history to finish Ryan Hall by knockout. Topuria is well rounded and can finish a fight in a variety of ways as he has a 90% finishing rate. Topuria is a massive favorite, with 90% of the Verdict Community predicting him to win. On the Tuesday of fight week, Topuria and Paddy Pimblett got into an altercation. If they both win their fights this weekend, they could be matched up against each other next.

![Group 6.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/dcd2c4e3-537c-46bc-1f33-226af60ae200/pub)

## Mike Grundy vs. Makhwan Amirkhani
Makhwan Amirkhani is in a must-win situation this weekend, as he’s in danger of losing his 4th consecutive fight against Mike Grundy. Grundy finds himself in a similar position, as he’s lost 2 consecutive fights headed into UFC London. The Verdict Community is split on who they think will win the fight, as the fight is currently dead even at a 50/50.

![Group 7.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e4ad685d-4fe3-4493-42ad-a620f6952900/public)


 UFC London Verdict Pre-Fight Review

## Alex Pereira goes to his first decision in MMA
As we mentioned in the preview article, there were a lot of people that overlooked Bruno Silva heading into his fight against Alex Pereira. Prior to fighting Pereira, Bruno had finished 7 consecutive fights by knockout. Silva showed grit against Pereira as he pushed forward in the first 2 rounds. Silva who’s a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tried to take Pereira down several times but couldn’t keep him there. Pereira showed he was able to defend takedowns which was a question many had heading into this fight. It was in the 3rd round where Pereira found his rhythm and started to hurt Silva. The 3rd round was the most dominant round of the fight. With his 2nd UFC win behind him, it’s going to be interesting to see who he gets matched up against next. If Pereira keeps looking impressive, a blockbuster fight against Israel Adesanya is inevitable. Adesanya will get the opportunity to defeat the only fighter that’s finished him.

![pererr.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/749903e5-a574-4e18-55cd-eba832514100/pub)

## Drew Dober weathers the storm of Terrance McKinney
Exactly 14 days after finishing Farès Ziam, Terrance McKinney stepped in on short notice to fight Drew Dober. McKinney was riding a hot streak, finishing 5 consecutive opponents heading into this fight. It looked like McKinney was looking to make it 6 straight finishes, as he immediately stormed Dober as soon as the fight began. Dober absorbed a lot of damage to his face in the first 60 seconds of the fight. There were a few occasions where it looked like McKinney would finish Dober, but Dober kept composed and turned the fight around after blasting McKinney with a knee. Dober followed up with strikes and the referee waved the fight. With this win, Dober snapped a 2 fight losing streak.

![GettyImages-1384678340.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/8b2f6061-2748-47ae-64ae-37c6eed05f00/pub "Getty Images/Zuffa LLC")

## Khalil Rountree looks vicious
When Khalil Rountree is on, he’s one of the most dangerous strikers in the division and that was on full display tonight. After a methodical 1st round, Rountree ramped up his aggression in the 2nd. He secured the TKO win just 25 seconds into the 2nd round. The finishing combination was vicious. Rountree landed a soccer kick to Karl Roberson’s chest while Roberson was grounded and tried to follow up with a stomp. When it comes to striking, Rountree's toolbox has more variety. After a performance like that, it’s going to be surprising if Rountree doesn’t end up in the top 15 of the division when the updated rankings appear.

![khalil-rountree-karl-roberson-ufc-fight-night-203-getty.webp](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/8d806a41-21ad-4b24-cdc7-a6a7ab77e600/pub "Getty Images/Zuffa LLC")

## Sodiq Yusuff gets back in the win column
Sodiq Yusuff competed in his first fight since losing to Arnold Allen in April of 2021. He defeated Alex Caceres by unanimous decision and snapped Caceres’ 5 fight winning streak. After a close 1st round on the Global Scorecard, Yusuff took over the fight. Yusuff called out Bryce Mitchell in his post-fight interview.

![YusuffCaceres.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/169e1fc0-e099-496d-3790-204238282d00/pub)

## Possibly the end of Marlon Moraes’ career
Song Yadong earned the biggest win of his young career by finishing Marlon Moraes by knockout in the co-main event. The final blow was a flush uppercut that sent Moraes to the canvas. Heading into this fight, Moraes knew that this could be the end of the road for him in the UFC if he didn’t win. Marlon Moraes has now been finished by knockout in 4 consecutive fights. This is a big fall from grace for Moraes who competed for the UFC Bantamweight title against Henry Cejudo in June of 2019. Moraes took his gloves off after the fight signalling a possible retirement from the sport. On the flip side, Yadong has now won 8 fights in the UFC at the age of 24. He called out Dominick Cruz in his post-fight speech. This would be interesting as Yadong is a member of Team Alpha Male which has been a rival of Dominick Cruz for the past decade. 

![1384685747.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/ac993331-b6f5-4c89-2b3f-8c2da6041b00/pub "Getty Images/Zuffa LLC")


## Magomed Ankalaev extends his winning streak
Magomed Ankalaev defeated Thiago Santos by unanimous decision to earn his 8th consecutive win in the UFC. This was the first time in Ankalaev’s 8 years professional career that he went the full 5 rounds. In his post-fight speech, Ankalaev stated that it was his goal to go the full 5 rounds against Santos to get a feel for the Championship rounds. It wasn’t the most action-packed fight, but it was an efficient performance for Ankalaev. With a win against Thiago Santos, it looks like the next opponent for Ankalaev would be Anthony Smith, Aleksander Rakic, or Jan Blachowicz.

![gggg.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/00c69b14-7eba-493d-5919-4cc569f50400/pub)


UFC Vegas 50 Verdict Post-Fight Review

We've got a stacked event ahead of us this weekend. Let's take a look at the story of each fight.

## Thiago Santos vs. Magomed Ankalaev
New talent has started to emerge in the Light Heavyweight division and one of those talents is Magomed Ankalaev who’s won 7 consecutive fights in the Octagon. Of those 7 wins, 4 have come by knockout. The only loss of Ankalaev’s 8-year professional career came against Paul Craig in March of 2018. Ankalaev will compete in his first UFC main event this weekend against former title challenger Thiago Santos. Santos has always been known for his aggressive style, but that hasn’t been the case in his last 2 fights. He was hesitant to attack like he’s done in the past. Ankalaev's style will force Santos to fight. The Verdict Community is confident in Ankalaev, with 82% predicting him to defeat Thiago Santos. If Ankalaev defeats Santos, he might be next in line to challenge the winner of Glover Teixeira vs. Jiří Procházka for the Light Heavyweight Championship. This is a high stakes matchup.

![santosankalaev.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/aa39f449-9624-4dd1-eae7-ae3ea046ec00/pub)

## Marlon Moraes vs. Song Yadong
Marlon Moraes once looked like one of the best fighters in the world. Before he made his UFC debut in June of 2017, Moraes was the former WSOF Bantamweight Champion and was on a 6 year, 13 fight winning streak. He earned an opportunity to fight for the UFC Bantamweight title after finishing 3 consecutive opponents in the 1st round, including finishing current Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling by knockout in 67 seconds. After losing his title shot to Henry Cejudo, Moraes’ career took a turn. He defeated Jose Aldo in a controversial decision then lost his last 3 consecutive fights by TKO. He’ll now take on rising contender Song Yadong who’s coming off of a TKO win himself. Much of the Verdict Community predicts a similar result going into this fight, with 41% predicting Yadong to finish Moraes by TKO. Yadong is fighting for the opportunity to catapult himself into the top 10 of the Bantamweight division, while Moraes is fighting to secure his spot on the UFC roster.

![moraesyadong.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/fcd4d8b2-19de-4406-93e0-f00b36932300/public)

## Sodiq Yusuff vs. Alex Caceres 
Alex Caceres has been competing as a professional fighter since 2008 and is currently on the longest winning streak of his career at 5 consecutive wins. Though Caceres has won 5 straight fights and Yusuff is coming off of a loss, 67% of the Verdict Community is still picking Yusuff to defeat Caceres. Before losing to Arnold Allen in his last fight, Yusuff was on a 6 fight winning streak where he had defeated the likes of Andre Fili and Gabriel Benitez. 

![YusuffCaceres.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/2ee0f4f2-faa8-4530-affa-c4640cc2b800/public)

## Khalil Rountree Jr vs. Karl Roberson
When Khalil Rountree last competed in September of 2021, he made a lot of people cringe watching at home. He blasted Modestas Bukauskas' knee with an oblique kick that blew out Bukauskas’ ACL, MCL, and PCL. This marked the first and only time in UFC history that a fight has been ended with an oblique kick. When Rountree is locked in, he’s one of the most dangerous strikers in his division. The Verdict Community is confident in Rountree heading into this fight against Karl Roberson, with 80% predicting Rountree to win and 47% predicting him to finish the contest by knockout.

![RountreeRoberson.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/f3493ba7-46fb-4b89-9269-ac9c2ab5ba00/pub)

## Drew Dober vs. Terrance McKinney
There are a lot of people that are excited for Terrance McKinney and for good reason. He’s charismatic, he wants to be a UFC Champion, and he has a 100% finishing rate. McKinney last competed on February 26th, when he finished Fares Ziam with a rear-naked choke. 14 days later, McKinney is stepping inside the Octagon once again as he competes in the biggest fight of his career against Drew Dober. Dober is a seasoned veteran that’s been competing in the UFC for nearly 9 years. Though McKinney is stepping in on short notice to fight Dober, he’s still the favorite on Verdict with 63% predicting him to win. If McKinney defeats Dober in the fashion that he’s defeated everyone else, he’ll get the attention of a lot of people. 

![DoberMcKinney.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/dea13186-dfca-492a-ecd8-d2a4edf67400/pub)

## Alex Pereira vs. Bruno Silva
This main card is kicking off with an absolute banger with former Glory Kickboxing World Champion Alex Pereira taking on Bruno Silva. In March of 2017, Pereira finished current UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya by knockout inside a kickboxing ring. Prior to that, Pereira also defeated Adesanya by unanimous decision. Pereira brings a new level of striking to mixed martial arts and that was on full display in his UFC debut against Andreas Michailidis last November, when he finished Michailidis by knockout with a flying knee. What's being lost in the excitement to watch Pereira compete is how good his opponent Bruno Silva is. Silva is on a 7 fight winning streak where he’s finished every opponent by knockout. Silva has been competing as a professional fighter for 12 years and has never been finished by knockout. Pereira is fighting a fellow finisher. A lot of questions will be answered in this fight and it will kick off the action this weekend for the Verdict Community.

![PEREIRASILVA.png](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/3aab5b9d-06dc-4fba-97d3-0a3876281000/pub)

UFC Vegas 50 Pre-Fight Verdict Preview

When Royce Gracie won UFC 1 in 1993, no one could envision this sport becoming what it has today. Mixed martial arts continues to advance every year and it’s led to the explosion of a sport. 

One of the most significant days in this sport’s history is February 23rd, 2013. It’s the day that Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche became the first women in UFC history to compete inside an Octagon. This sparked hope and inspired many young women across the world to train in martial arts.

Before Rousey and Carmouche competed inside the Octagon, the foundations of women’s mixed martial arts were built outside the UFC. The likes of Gina Carano, Julie Kedzie, Shayna Baszler, Cris Cyborg, and others paved the road for future generations.

It was in April of 2012 when women’s mixed martial arts had a major breakthrough. Shannon Knapp created Invicta Fighting Championships which became the first mixed martial arts promotion in North America that was solely dedicated to women. 

![FNWch5KUUAIe_aI.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/0a01aa1c-6a2b-4771-cb32-44193c319a00/pub "Laura Sanko with her hand raised. Captured by Esther Lin")

Before they competed inside the Octagon, the likes of Amanda Nunes, Rose Namajunas, Cris Cyborg, Mackenzie Dern, Carla Esparza, Michelle Waterson, Angela Hill, and more competed in Invicta.

The next generation of women’s fighters will be competing at Invicta FC 46 on March 9th headlined by a Championship rematch between Karina Rodríguez and Daiana Torquato.

![Invicta-FC-46-Rodriguez-vs-Torquato-2sm.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/732a8583-1c46-419a-eaed-2d9a388dc200/public)

This event will mark the first time in combat sports history that both open scoring by the cage-side judges and the Global Scorecard of the Verdict Community will be featured on the broadcast. We’ll see exactly how the judges and the world are scoring fights in real-time. The Verdict logo will also be featured on the canvas. 

Invicta FC 46 will be streaming live and free on YouTube at 8 PM ET. Join us in making history.