Abdullah Ouazri

Born in Makhachkala, Dagestan, Sharaputdin (Sha-raa-poot-deen), Magomedov is the latest addition to the UFC’s roster. Let’s take a look at this new undefeated KO artist.

## A Deeper Look

![0A67B627-1219-499E-B5E8-8B4767AED79A.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/802d3486-381e-42d1-efc0-b708e0032700/pub "Who is this man? Credits to: Sharapudtin Magomedov via Instagram.")

Sharaputdin Magomedov holds a professional record of 11-0 in MMA, 16-0, including his several special rules bouts with 14 KOs. His last fight lasted 8 seconds before he put his opponent away with a vicious knee. His arsenal of strikes has led to several brutal finishes by way of knees, leg kicks, elbows, and head kicks. 

His accredited career expands beyond MMA, as he holds a record of 18-2 as a K-1 kickboxer. He even holds a win over UFC veteran and highly touted kickboxer Blood Diamond. He was also a Eurasia champion in Burmese boxing and the Russian Muay Thai champion. 

## Fighting Style

![9AEE4EFD-E1F5-4822-9B37-4FD0EA7D22FB.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/5cdb98ca-9102-4853-330e-e99bc7fb3000/pub "One of the most entertaining fighters in MMA. Credits to: Sharapudtin Magomedov via Instagram.")

Imagine pressing all the buttons on a controller at once, but it actually works. That’s one way to describe Magomedov’s fighting style. His diverse striking arsenal will see him put together combinations of hook kicks, knees, spinning attacks, and whatever else he can think of. Standing at a towering 6’2”, he can fight from a far range but is just as good up close. His clinch, equipped with many years of Thai clinch fighting, is lethal. Throws, elbows, knees, and even head kicks will land from within it.

And, of course, he’s named Magomedov—he can wrestle. Similar to a fighter like Justin Gaethje, though, who is also a highly accrued wrestler, he prefers to use his skills to stop and defend takedowns rather than initiating them. 

## Fighting Outside of The Cage

![CA8CBD63-7860-4256-BDBE-7C9A13B0AC16.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/ef9f7c69-3f73-4d06-9de4-3ab519488b00/pub "A wild story. Credits to: Sharapudtin Magomedov via Instagram.")

Sharaputdin has not confined his hands to the cage and will use them in the streets if the need arises. In fact, he was seen on camera this year brutally knocking a man out and stomping on his head after they got into a scuffle over a public display of affection. 

The man was kissing a woman in front of Magomedov on an escalator in Dagestan. Sharaputdin waited until the party had reached h the bottom to confront him. Words were exchanged, and the men began swinging. Security and other civilians were able to separate them and escort each away, but it didn’t end there. Magomedov waited for the man by an exit and brutally knocked him out with a punch before stomping on his head. 

Magomedov gave a statement as to why he acted the way he did. He explained that the man broke the unwritten rules of Makhachkala, and the PDA was unacceptable.

> In Makhachkala, there are unwritten rules. - Magomedov explains the altercation.

## Stats

**Age:** 28 (1994-05-16-Makhachkala Dagestan)

**Record:** 11-0

**Height:** 6’2” (189 cm)

**Weight:** 185 lbs

**Nickname:** Shara Bullet

*Also of note: Sharaputdin’s right eye has discoloration due to an injury. It is speculated that he cannot see from it, but not known for sure.*

Will this undefeated prospect reach title contention and live up to the hype? Let us know your predictions in the comments below!


Who is Sharaputdin Magomedov? The UFC Signs Another Undefeated Dagestani

Liam Lindsay

Maurício Milani Rua, better known to the fans as "Shogun," is a true veteran of combat sports, training since just six years old. He has been fighting professionally since 2002. Now, still fighting at 41 years of age, and approaching the confirmed final fight of his career, let's take a look back at the impressive and vastly underrated career of Maurício "Shogun" Rua.

## The Brazilian Way

Shogun was born in Curitiba, Brazil as the middle sibling of three Rua brothers. His father was a successful businessman, and his mother was a track athlete and marathon runner. He followed his older brother, Murilo Rua, and began training in Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu at just six years old and started Muay Thai training a year later. Shogun and his brother would begin training at Chute Box Academy, one of the most prestigious academies recognized in combat sports, with notable fighters like Anderson Silva, Cris Cyborg, and Wanderlei Silva winning championships through the tutilage of Chute Box Academy. While at Chute Box, he would partake in many blue and purple belt Jiu-Jitsu competitions and amateur Muay Thai fights, where he would find great success before making his inevitable professional debut on the 8th of November 2002.

## Vale Tudo Fighting and Pride Debut

Shogun would fight his first three fights under Vale Tudo rule in Brazil, winning all three by brutal KO, including a soccer kick knockout. Vale Tudo is the predecessor to MMA, a much more extreme version that lacks the rules the modern era enforces. After winning his first three bouts, he would debut in the USA at International Fighting Championship 17. Shogun would win his first bout in the promotion but lose in his next fight against Renato Sobral. Although he took an early loss in his career, he was not deterred, as in just his next bout, he would debut in Pride FC, an incredibly famous Japanese fighting promotion that reigned as the most popular MMA promotion until the UFC. Motivated by his first loss, Shogun would go on an absurd run in Pride FC, winning eleven of his twelve fights, and 10 of them coming by knockout. His first fight would be against Japanese talent Akira Shoji, and he would score a first-round KO after landing a brutal knee on Shoji, knocking him out cold.

![Rua-vs-Shoji.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/b8efbfd3-3d51-419c-b3f0-e0493f2c7900/pub "Mauricio Rua landing a devistating knee of Akira Shoji at PRIDE Bushido 1. Credits to Andrew Mahlmann - Bleacher Report.")

After announcing himself on the Pride scene, Shogun would win his next three fights by first-round KO/TKO against Japanese standouts Akihiro Gono, Yasuhito Namekawa, and Hiromitsu Kanehara. 

## Shoguns Legendary 2005 Run

Now 4-0 in Pride FC, Shogun would enter the 2005 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix, a sixteen-man tournament that spanned across three events. In the opening round, he would face Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, a man who had previously beaten his brother by a split decision. Looking for revenge in this bout, Shogun would dominate Jackson by tearing him up in the clinch and eventually finishing the fight in the first round by blasting Jackson with soccer kicks. Moving into the quarter-final, he would face Antônio Rogério Nogueira and win the fight unanimously on the scorecards, the first decision of his career. This bout would be closely contested, but Shogun would drop Nogueira and win most of the wrestling exchanges, which would earn him the decision victory.

![Rua-vs-ARN.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/2e17af26-f2d9-4470-20f8-a5fb0f136e00/pub "Mauricio Rua and Antônio Rogério Nogueira brawling at PRIDE Critical Countdown 2005. Credits to: Mike Fagan - Bloody Elbow.")

On the 28th of August 2005, Shogun would fight in the semi-finals against Dutch kickboxer Alistair Overeem.
He would win the majority of the contest, using his clinches and wrestling to overpower the bigger Overeem, and would eventually finish him with ground and pound strikes. Allowing him to move on to the finals; on the same night, Shogun would fight Ricardo Arona, who had just beaten Wanderlei Silva to move into the final. He would secure a devastating knockout 3 minutes into the match via a crushing stomp kick in this matchup. With this victory, Shogun became the Pride Champion and completed one of the most incredible years in MMA history.

# End of Pride Career

Shogun would fight four times in 2006, despite starting the year on a rough note. In his first bout, he suffered a freak accident just 50 seconds into his bout with Mark Coleman after attempting to post on his arm and dislocating his elbow. This loss would blemish his undefeated Pride run but wouldn't deter him as he would return in just seven months. His last three fights in 2006 would come against Cyrille Diabaté, Kevin Randleman, and Kazuhiro Nakamura. Despite getting rocked early, Shogun would TKO Diabaté with ground and pound strikes. Then he would return the following month in October and beat Randleman by submission, the first and only of his entire fighting career. Finally, on new year's eve, he fought to the second decision of his career against Nakamura in a boring fight where he struggled with his cardio.  At the start of 2007, Shogun would fight his final fight in Pride FC in a rematch against Alistair Overeem.

![Rua-vs-Overeem-2.JPG](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/a6483788-39e6-4430-23c6-75512273de00/pub "Mauricio Rua missing a kick on Alistair Overeem at PRIDE 33. Credits to Andrew Mahlmann - Bleacher Report.")

Despite Overeem finding more success in this contest with his kickboxing, he would succumb to Shogun's nasty ground and pound once again, and Shogun would walk out of Pride a winner. Many people worldwide considered him to be the greatest Light-Heavyweight fighter then.

## Mauricio Rua Shocks the UFC

In 2007, the UFC purchased Pride FC to eliminate them as a competitor in the promotional circuit. Shogun was left with an option to either find somewhere else to fight or sign a deal with the UFC, and he chose the latter. In his UFC debut, he would be matched up with Forrest Griffin, who was The Ultimate Fighter season 1 winner. The oddsmakers believed that Shogun would dominate Griffin, as he was considered the superior martial artist wherever the fight would go. However, Shogun would display similar cardio problems he had in the fight with Nakamura and, in turn, would tire early in the fight. These issues allowed Griffin to ramp up the pressure throughout the fight, and he would secure a rear-naked choke in the dying seconds of the 3rd round. To this day, Griffin submitting Shogun is considered one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. Shogun would later reveal that he was suffering from knee problems going into the Griffin fight and would require surgery. While recovering from surgery, he left his long-time gym, Chute Box Academy, on a good note to start a new gym alongside his brother, Universidade Da Luta, which translates to "The University Of Fighting." As he nearly recovered from his surgery, he began training again at his new gym. But, during training, he would rupture his already damaged knee ligaments and require a second knee surgery, which would sideline him for all of 2008.

![rua-training.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/8e152a36-bb72-4cd9-ae6a-54a3faae5600/pub "Mauricio Rua training at Universidade Da Luta in 2011. Credits to: Thomas Gerbasi - UFC.")

Shogun would finally return on the 17th of January 2009. He would get his long-awaited rematch against Mark Coleman, attempting to avenge his only loss in Pride FC. After a competitive back-and-forth fight, Shogun caught an exhausted Coleman in the final 30 seconds of the fight with a brutal combination, winning him the fight via round three TKO. This win, although very belated, was the moment he was waiting for in the UFC, and now he was finally here. The battle against Coleman won him a fight of the night bonus, the first of many in his career. Now back on track to the UFC title, Shogun would face former UFC Champion and future Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell. He would dominate the fight by blocking most of Liddell's strikes with his tight guard and using this to blast Liddell with counterstrikes. At the end of the first round, Shogun would knock Liddell unconscious with a vicious left hook, earning him a knockout of the night bonus. This win would set him up with the Light-Heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida.

## The Championship Dream

On the 24th of October 2009, Shogun would face Lyoto Machida, headlining for the first time on UFC 104. Machida was the newly crowned champion of Light-Heavyweight, after dominating the former champion Rashad Evans before knocking him out in the second round. According to the oddsmakers, Shogun would enter the fight as a massive underdog. The fight itself was incredibly unique. Shogun would fight in a very heavy Muay Thai stance, and Machida would fight in his karate style, leading to a very technical but slow fight. The first three rounds would be competitive, but he would outstrike Machida in all three. Machida could not land on his head cleanly, as he would block up high and then counter with big leg and body kicks. By the end of the third round, Machida's legs and body were severely bruised. The continued attack from Shogun allowed him to dominate the 4th and 5th rounds, continuing to batter Machida's lower half. As the 5th round closed out, he lifted his hands in the air to celebrate his presumed new Championship accolade, and his corner lifted him up and around the octagon. The statistics of the fight showed that he had outstruck the karate fighter eighty strikes to just thirty-five, with forty-nine of those landed by Shogun being leg kicks. When Bruce Buffer came to read out the decision, it was a 48-47 unanimous victory, and still, Lyoto Machida. The crowd would go into an uproar, and rain boos down on the celebrating Machida, while Shogun stood and watched him do his post-fight interview, devastated. When Joe Rogan asked Shogun his opinion on the decision, Shogun showed humility and grace in a controversial defeat.

> "I trained very hard for this fight... My coaches told me I won every round. But a fights a fight, what can you do?" - Mauricio Rua.

The UFC would book an immediate rematch for UFC 113 on the 8th of May 2010. The start of this fight would see both fighters take new approaches. Despite scoring none throughout their entire first fight, Machida would score two takedowns in the first round, but Shogun was able to get back to his feet with ease and land shots in the clinch. Machida also focused on checking the leg kicks that hurt him badly in the first fight. On the other hand, while remaining patient, Shogun focused on blitzing combinations upstairs. Three minutes into the first round, Machida would massively over-commit on a straight, which he dodged and landed a counter overhand onto the top of Machida's head. Machida would fall to the ground, and he would finish the fight in the first round with ground and pound strikes, becoming the newly crowned UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion and the first man to defeat Lyoto Machida. This victory would also earn Shogun a knockout of the night bonus.

![Rua-with-belt.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/d4f70527-34a1-4d9c-a27c-a9051ef35900/pub " Mauricio Rua celebrating with his team at UFC 113. Credits to: Brett Okamoto - Las Vegas Sun.")

Shogun's first title defense would come against Jon "Bones" Jones. Jones was on an incredible tear in the UFC, with his only loss in his entire career being a DQ against Matt Hamill for illegal elbow strikes. He would again enter this fight as an underdog, primarily due to the invincible aura surrounding Jones in his rise to the title shot. The odds would prove accurate, however, as Jones would destroy Shogun from the first round until the third, where he would finish him by TKO. Shogun could barely hit Jones on the feet and was dominated in the wrestling exchanges. Nevertheless, in his post-fight interview, he would remain a class act by congratulating Jones and admitting that he was simply the better fighter.

## Must-See TV
Although no longer the champion, Shogun would continue to fight the best in his division. He would return to the octagon just six months after his loss to Jones to avenge another loss on his record against Forrest Griffin. He would look like an entirely different fighter against Griffin this time, patiently waiting and counterstriking when he needed to. In just the first round, he would land a bomb of a right hand on Griffin, which rocked him badly. He immediately followed up and finished the fight with ground-and-pound strikes, earning him yet another knockout of the night bonus. With this win, it was now the third of Shogun's five losses he had avenged.
#
Shogun's next fight would come against Dan Henderson on the 19th of November 2011 at UFC 139. Henderson was on one of the most significant winning streaks of his career, having knockout victories in his last three fights, one being against the legend Fedor Emelianenko and another against Renato Sobral, the first man ever to beat Shogun Rua. This fight is one of the greatest in UFC history, and describing it would not do justice. Shogun and Henderson would go to war for all five rounds; in the first round, both men would drop each other, with Henderson getting the better of the exchanges. In the second, Henderson would rock him badly, and in the third, Henderson would nuke him with a massive right hand and nearly get the finish. In the fourth, Shogun would survive an early submission scare and massive ground-and-pound strikes from Henderson. 

![rua-vs-henderson-1.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/7203ed14-7efb-4daf-71e2-a404b5319000/pub "Mauricio Rua and Dan Henderson brawling it out at UFC 139. Credits to: Kevin Haggerty - MMA Mania.")

Shogun would rally and rock Henderson late in the round with a massive uppercut before securing a takedown of his own and attacking him on the ground, nearly finishing Henderson with ground-and-pound strikes. In the fifth and final round, he would bulldoze Henderson, gaining complete control early and hammering Henderson with ground-and-pound strikes throughout the entire round. Henderson barely managed to survive the round, but the fight would go the distance after a razor-close fight. Bruce Buffer would announce the winner as Dan Henderson via a unanimous decision. Fans believed the fight should've been written as a tie due to Shogun's sheer domination in round 5. Although the loss was tough, this would earn him and Henderson a fight of the night award, completely justifiable for such a legendary fight.

## The Twilight of Shogun Rua
In the final stretch of Shogun's career, he would find mixed success. After the Henderson fight, he would face Brandon Vera in his next fight in the main event of UFC on Fox 4 on the 4th of August 2012. He would defeat Vera by TKO in the fourth round. He would then drop his next two fights, losing to Alexander Gustafsson by decision and Chael Sonnen by submission, marking the first time he lost back-to-back fights in his career. However, Shogun proved he could bounce back again, earning a knockout of the night bonus vs. James Te Huna. This fight set him up against Dan Henderson again, a rematch hd was begging to have, and the fans were certainly not complaining. It was time for him to try and settle the score one more time. In this bout, he would fight a much more technical and patient fight, not allowing Henderson to capitalize on the success he had in the first match. At the end of round one, he would drop Henderson and come close to getting the finish with ground and pound strikes, but the buzzer would sound before he could finish him. Shogun would drop Henderson again in the second round with a perfectly timed uppercut, but Henderson would recover quickly. Then, midway through the third round, he would stop a takedown attempt from Henderson but would not see a massive right hook. This shot would floor Shogun, and he would not recover in time, failing to avenge his first loss. However, this would earn another fight of the night bonus for his efforts.

![rua-vs-henderson-2.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/e140d877-646b-4bc4-81ac-d90ec21cec00/pub "Dan Henderson catching Mauricio Rua with a right hand. Credits to: Thomas Gerbas - UFC.")

Shogun would lose his next fight on the 8th of November 2014 against Ovince Saint Preux in just 34 seconds. Saint Preux would catch him blitzing forward and TKO him shortly after. Much like the rest of his losses in his career, Shogun wouldn't back down and went on his longest winning streak since 2007, defeating Antônio Rogério Nogueira in a rematch, and Corey Anderson, winning both fights by decision. He would also pick up a third-round TKO win against Gian Villante. On the 22nd of July 2018, he would then take a main event fight against opposing veteran Anthony Smith. He would be dominated and finished in the first round, and this fight showed that age was finally beginning to catch up with him.
#
Also in July, his fight with Dan Henderson was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, as one of the greatest fights in UFC History. 
#
He would bounce back like he always does, defeating Australian prospect Tyson Pedro by TKO in the third round, earning him another performance of the night award. He would fight Paul Craig, a Scottish Jiu-Jitsu expert, in his next bout. Despite being a considerable underdog, he would survive a challenging first round to rally back in the second and third, with many people believing he got the decision against Craig. Despite this, the judges again gave him some controversial scorecards, scoring the fight a split draw. Shogun would complete a trilogy with Antônio Rogério Nogueira on the 26th of July 2020, winning for a third time in a competitive fight by split decision. He would then take an ill-fated rematch against Paul Craig, but this time he was TKOed halfway through the second round after being dominated for most of the fight. In his most recent fight, Shogun would fight another rematch against Ovicne Saint Preux at UFC 274 on the 7th of May 2022. Despite a close but largely uneventful fight, he would again lose on the scorecards by a controversial split decision. 

## One Final Dance

Now, at a robust 41 years of age and a matching 41 professional fights under his belt, Shogun is heading into UFC 283 with one thing on his mind, winning. He confirmed in an interview that this would be his final fight and that he is incredibly grateful for everything in his career.

> "I am happy with this fight, it will be my farewell, and I am happy that it will be in my country, at home... It's the farewell to Shogun in MMA... I'm an accomplished guy and grateful to God for everything I've achieved. - Mauricio Rua. "

Shogun will be retiring with a large cabinet of awards throughout his entire career. The former Pride and UFC Champion, being inducted into the Hall Of Fame, and a combined eight performance bonuses throughout his entire career. He will face Ihor Potieria on the 21st of January, 2023. Do you think the legend will be able to gain one last win in his final dance for the sport? Let us know your prediction for the fight in the comments below!

The Career Of Maurício "Shogun" Rua

Joey Kolnicki

Two fighters with very different journeys to the belt collide for a fourth time this weekend. While both suffered trials and tribulations on their path to gold, no one could have predicted they’d combine to form one of the most entertaining rivalries in MMA. Unlike many rivalries, there’s a distinct lack of beef outside the cage, making their performances even more impressive. 

## Deiveson Figueiredo

![figgy1.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/a42243ef-bc31-4794-45d2-16e1fe39df00/public "Deiveson Figueiredo weighs in at UFC 263. Credit to: MMA Fighting.")

Deiveson Figueiredo entered the UFC in 2017 with a professional record of 15-0-0. Figueiredo won six of his next 7 fights in the promotion before being awarded a title shot against perennial Flyweight contender Joseph Benavidez. Unfortunately, Figueiredo missed weight but would go on to pick up the victory with a second-round knockout. He then rematched Benavidez a few months later, making weight and securing the Flyweight title via first-round submission. He had one successful defense against Alex Perez prior to his first bout with Moreno.

## Brandon Moreno

![moreno1.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/b82e81c5-df4f-4bc6-b0d8-102269629300/public "Brandon Moreno weighs in at UFC 277. Credit to: DraftKings Nation.")

Moreno competed on the 24th season of the Ultimate Fighter before his UFC debut, losing to Alexandre Pantoja in the opening stage. In what was a rare move, Moreno would actually have his first fight in the UFC while TUF 24 was still on the air, earning a first-round submission victory over Louis Smolka. Moreno would go 3-2 in his first UFC run, being released after another loss to Alexandre Pantoja. He would win the LFA Flyweight title in his promotional absence, returning to the UFC a fight later and winning 3 of his next four before challenging Figueiredo for the title. 

## UFC 256

![morenofiggy2.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/5e6f9098-5d30-4560-2c56-1149a4dfa600/public "Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo embrace in the cage at UFC 256. Credit to: Zuffa LLC.")

While there wasn’t any significant build-up in terms of beef between the fighters, both men proved there didn’t need to be. Fighting in the main event of UFC 256, Moreno and Figueiredo put on a fight for the ages, going all five rounds and ending in a majority draw. In one of the most back-and-forth fights of all time, both men absorbed over 130 significant strikes. The fight was scored 47-47, 47-47, and 48-46. During the fight, Figueiredo had a point taken away due to a low blow. Like with any fight that ends in a draw, there’s plenty of controversy, with fans of both fighters claiming it was a robbery. Unsurprisingly, the UFC immediately scheduled a rematch for UFC 263.

## UFC 263

![morenofiggy3.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/31a6f742-dd08-4eec-8d22-afea0f3a5400/public "Brandon Moreno submits Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 263. Credit to: MMA Fighting.")

Following the razor-thin draw in their last bout, there was much more hype leading into the rematch. While Moreno refrained from much trash talk, Figueiredo did not, loudly proclaiming at the pre-fight press conference that he would knock Moreno out. This bout would end much more decisively, with Moreno submitting Figuereido in the third round via rear-naked choke. This was a dominant victory for Moreno, with him more than doubling his opponent’s total strikes as well as holding nearly 5 minutes of control time. Moreno remained respectful after the win, and we would not see either man in the cage till their third bout 7 months later at UFC 270. 

## UFC 270

![morenofiggy4.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/1e3bd5c5-31af-427e-4d50-f12bc5028700/public "Deiveson Figueiredo celebrates his title victory at UFC 270. Credit to: MMA Fighting.")

Like their first fight, neither man talked much trash in the lead-up, preferring to let their performance do the talking for them. Somehow, though, the third fight would end up the most controversial. In what was another incredibly close fight, the judges awarded Deiveson Figueiredo a unanimous decision victory to regain the Flyweight title. This came as a surprise to many fans, especially considering Moreno actually out-landed Figuereido 105-86 in terms of significant strikes. Figueiredo had no doubt he earned his victory, claiming in the post-fight press conference that he had won “4-1” and that Moreno is a “crybaby.” Somehow after a trilogy of fights, there was no proper conclusion to this epic saga. Despite this, there was no immediate rematch scheduled.

## UFC 277

![morenokarafrance.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/4ed9e589-8d0f-472c-76e6-8929f2cb2300/public "Brandon Moreno finishes Kai Kara-France via knockout at UFC 277. Credit to: Cageside Press.")

With the UFC wary about scheduling a fourth consecutive bout between the rivals, Brandon Moreno would receive an interim title belt against Kai Kara-France at UFC 277 in July 2022. This bout was a rematch of their first fight in 2019, which Moreno won by unanimous decision. Moreno would find victory once again, this time securing a knockout in the third round to become the interim Flyweight champion. During Moreno’s post-fight interview, Figueiredo would enter the cage, and the two would do a staredown. When asked about the interaction, Moreno said, “I promise, I was ready to throw everything against him in this moment. He was in Dallas since two days ago, I saw him in the lobby in the hotel. I was ready to take the mic, ‘Let’s go motherf—ker, let’s go for the [fourth fight].”

## UFC 283

![morenofiggy5.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/ceaaf041-4046-44e4-af10-1904eec37300/public "A show of respect between Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 263. Credit to: Bloody Elbow.")

After almost exactly one year since their trilogy fight, these warriors will go to war once more. At this week’s media day, the two would have a tense moment, with both men posing on stage with their respective belts. With Figueiredo supporters chanting in the background, Moreno shushed his doubters, holding up a finger to his mouth. The two wouldn’t make direct eye contact, but the tension was palpable. In what is the fourth and quite possibly the final matchup of these two men, we can only hope to finally receive an end to this fascinating story.

The History of Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno

Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev goes down at UFC 286 in London. Despite being the higher-ranked fighter, Justin’s chances aren’t liked in this one.

**Odds provided by Bovada.lv**

**Accurate as of January 19 2023 8:00 AM EST.**

## Current odds:

**Rafael Fiziev -250, Justin Gaethje +200.**

The only person Justin Gaethje has been this big of an underdog against is arguably the Greatest of All Time, Khabib Nurmagomedov. He’s currently a 2:1 underdog, meaning a $100 bet would earn you $200 if it hits. Fiziev is a 2.5:1 favorite, meaning a $250 bet would earn you just $100 if it hit.

Gaethje is coming off a loss against Charles Oliveira at UFC 274. Oliveira won the bout by 1st-round submission.

Rafael Fiziev is coming off a main-event win over Rafael Dos Anjos in July last year. He won by a 5th-round knockout.

## Past Bettings Odds: Justin Gaethje

*Odds via fightodds.io*

Justin Gaethje (+122) vs. Charles Oliveira (-132)

Justin Gaethje (-210) vs. Michael Chandler (+190)

Justin Gaethje (+230) vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov (-270)

Justin Gaethje (+185) vs. Tony Ferguson (-200)

Justin Gaethje (-175) vs. Donald Cerrone +(155)

## Past Betting Odds: Rafael Fiziev

*Odda via fightodds.io*

Rafael Fiziev (-200) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos (+185)

Rafael Fiziev (-112) vs. Brad Riddell (+102)

Rafael Fiziev (-250) vs. Bobby Green (+230)

Rafael Fiziev (-120) vs. Renato Moicano (+110)

Rafael Fiziev (+152) vs. Marc Diakiese (-162)

This one’s expected to be a Fight of The Year contender no matter what. Let us know your prediction in the comments below.


Betting odds: Justin Gaethje is a Heavy Underdog vs. Rafael Fiziev

Billy Quarantillo announced on his OnlyFans that he will fight Edson Barboza at an unspecified UFC Fight Night on April 15th.

**This co-main event takes place in the Featherweight (145 lbs) division.**

Edson Barboza holds a professional record of 22-11-0 and is currently ranked #15. His notable wins include Shane Burgos, Dan Hooker, and Paul Felder.

Billy Quarantillo holds a professional record of 17-4-0 and is currently unranked. His notable wins include Alex Hernandez, Gabriel Benitez, and Spike Carlyle.

**Official odds have not yet been released.**

Coming off a pair of losses to Giga Chikadze and Bryce Mitchell, Edson Barboza will be fighting to reinsert himself among the division’s elite. Possessing one of the most spectacular highlight reels in MMA, his game is built around lethal attacks. From spinning kicks to flying knee knockouts, Barboza can KO any fighter wherever the fight goes. 

![ABF6E9C8-AE6B-4670-900F-2ECD63ECD70C.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/3f830878-3e37-4e19-c42e-dffaa367c800/pub "Billy Quarantillo finishes Alexander Hernandez. Credits to: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports.")

His opponent, Billy Quarantillo, has some impressive stats of his own. He is the only fighter in the UFC with more than five bouts to have landed over 100 strikes in each one, with 7 to his name thus far. His last fight was a bloody comeback over Alexander Hernandez at UFC 282, where he rallied for a 2nd round knockout finish. 

These two fighters are the definition of excitement and action. Let us know your prediction in the comments below.

Edson Barboza vs. Billy Quarantillo Set For April 15th

Douglas Vegas Bets

Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno have one of the most storied rivalries in UFC history, and it has been one that few have been able to predict. With each fighter having been the favorite at one point or another, the odds for these fights tell an interesting side of the story as it portrays what people were expecting going into each meeting.

**Odds from Tapology.com**

## Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno 1, UFC 256

Their first matchup came as a short notice main event and was an unexpected battle for the ages from the Apex in Las Vegas. The odds had Figueiredo as a large favorite coming off his first-round submission of Alex Perez, with many feeling he was still at the beginning of a long title reign as champion. Brandon Moreno had fought on the same night of Figueiredo's last victory, having gotten a stoppage win over Brandon Royval. However, many would discredit Moreno with that fight ending due to injury. 

Odds: Deiveson Figueiredo -345, Brandon Moreno +275

## Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno 2, UFC 263

After their razor-close first fight, it was clear that Moreno was a real contender, but the oddsmakers still gave a decent edge to Figueiredo. This was likely due to a combination of him having had a point deducted in the first meeting, along with reports of him being hospitalized the night before their first fight. 

Odds: Deiveson Figueiredo -190, Brandon Moreno +155

## Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno 3, UFC 270

The submission win in the rematch earned respect for Brandon Moreno as he dominated the entirety of the second fight. Despite the dominant display, there was still respect on the Figueiredo side as he had switched camps and seemed to have made his weight cut much more manageable, with many believing he would return to form. 

Odds: Deiveson Figueiredo +160, Brandon Moreno -190 

## Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno 4, UFC 283

Entering the fourth fight, the odds have been made even as these two have proven so well matched after a razor-close third fight that went to Figueiredo by unanimous decision. With so much action between these two, it is interesting that there is still no clarity as to who is the favorite. 

Odds: Deiveson Figueiredo -110, Brandon Moreno -110

Leave your prediction for the fourth matchup in the comments below!

Betting Odds History for Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno

The next title defense for Flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko is set against Alexa Grasso for UFC 285 at T-Moblie Arena in Las Vegas. 

**This Championship fight takes place in the Flyweight (125Ibs) Division**

Valentina Shevchenko holds a professional record of 23-3-0 and is currently the champion. Her notable wins include Taila Santos, Jessica Eye, and Holly Holm.

Alexa Grasso holds a professional record of 15-3-0 and is currently ranked #4. Her notable wins include Viviane Araujo, Joanne Wood, and Maycee Barber. 

Valentina Shevchenko is looking for her eighth title defense here. She is coming off her closest fight at Flyweight against Taila Santos, where she won a split decision.

Alexa Grasso has won four straight fights since moving up in weight and gets her first shot at UFC gold here. She is coming off a main event win over Viviane Araujo back in October. 

Let us know your prediction in the comments below!

Valentina Shevchenko vs. Alexa Grasso Added to UFC 285

This is a banger at Lightweight, and I’d be shocked if it goes to the judges. In this matchup, we see a top-level striker making his promotional debut in his home country at UFC 283 against one of the most dynamic, fast-paced fighters in the sport today.

**This fight takes place in the Lightweight (155 lbs) division.**

Ismael Bonfim holds a professional record of 18-3-0, with this upcoming bout being his UFC debut after a unanimous decision victory over Nariman Abbasov on the Contender Series. 

**Current odds: Terrance McKinney -120, Ismael Bonfim +100.**

Terrance McKinney holds a professional record of 13-4-0 and is currently unranked. He has notable victories over Erick Gonzalez, Fares Ziam, and Matt Frevola. 

![mckinney2.jfif](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/9ea8c468-b966-4dd2-194c-e98eacff3600/public "Terrance McKinney chokes out Erick Gonzalez. Credit to: Sherdog")

Bonfim hasn’t lost a fight since 2014 and enters the promotion on a 12-fight win streak. He is an excellent striker with technical boxing and impressive speed and power. Not only that, but he does a great job of varying his attacks and is very accurate, throwing every shot with purpose. He’s also very defensively sound, possessing great range management and footwork, and always keeping his guard high. He’s very dangerous in the pocket and will throw devastating knees when in close. 

McKinney is 6-3 in his last nine outings, with only one of those fights going to the second round. He always comes out guns blazing, often opening up with head kicks and combinations. On average, he lands more than twice as many strikes as he absorbs per minute and has one-shot knockout power. He’s also an excellent grappler with a background in wrestling and has eight submission wins, with 6 of those being rear-naked chokes. McKinney is constantly pursuing a finish on the feet or the ground. 

![bonfim2.jfif](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/d9180902-9eab-4e98-e4b8-70fc6b12e300/public "Ismael Bonfim cracks Nariman Abbasov with a jab. Credit to: Sherdog")

This is undoubtedly a fight you won’t want to miss. Let us know your predictions in the comments below!

Verdict's Sleeper Fight of the Week: Ismael Bonfim vs. Terrance McKinney

Per Jon’s manager, Jones has eight fights on his current UFC contract. This is not a new deal, contrary to the impression Dana White gave fans. This was an existing deal that he re-signed with a massive pay upgrade to incentivize a move to Heavyweight. Despite this massive raise, Jones, in an interview with John Morgan, promised fans only two.

> My immediate goal is to beat Ciryl Gane and to beat Stipe Miocic. After that, it'll just be conversations with the UFC. . . But I'm guaranteeing the fans at least two more fights out of me. - Jon Jones promises two fights to the fans.

Despite being signed to an 8-fight contract, Jones only has two fights in mind before he begins speaking with the UFC about his future. Much like the last Heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, negotiations with the promotion have not always gone well for Jones. It was well-documented after his most recent fight against Dominick Reyes at UFC 247 when Jones vacated the Light Heavyweight championship to move up to Heavyweight. However, initial conversations did not go well, as Dana White made it clear that he believed Jones was asking for far too much.

![bones 2.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/f3a17b41-b32e-43e5-b31e-3dc9d4c10500/pub "Dana White believes Jones' request was unreasonable. Credits to: Zuffa LLC")

Jones went on record and told the public that he was worth 'boxing money' comparable to the reported $30 million that Tyson Fury took home vs. Deontay Wilder around that time. This stifled his eventual move to the Heavyweight division for a significant period.

As of now, fans know what they can expect from Jones in the immediate future, but whether or not he fights out his deal remains to be seen.

Jon Jones Has 8-Fight Deal, But Promises Fans Only 2

Petr Yan makes his combat return against Merab Dvalishvili at The Theater at Virgin Hotels, Las Vegas, per LVRJ.

**This 5-round main event takes place in the Bantamweight (135 lbs) division.**

Petr Yan holds a professional record of 16-4-0 (8-3 UFC) and is currently ranked #2. His notable wins include Jose Aldo, Cory Sandhagen, and Urijah Faber.

Merab Dvalishvili holds a professional record of 15-4-0 (8-2 UFC) and is currently ranked #3. His notable wins include Jose Aldo, Marlon Moraes, and Cody Stamann.

*Official odds have not yet been released.*

Petr Yan's last fight took place at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi vs. Sean O'Malley. The pair won Fight of The Night for their back-and-forth war, but unfortunately, that wasn't the main story leading out of it. Instead, the judges awarded O'Malley a highly controversial split decision that left fans and fighters alike in shock and confusion. The Verdict Scorecard awarded Yan every single round of the fight, and of the 26 media scorecards recorded by MMADecisions, 25 scored it in favor of Yan.

![yan2.jpg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/d5900a6a-6899-43bb-bcdd-a9d322b2ec00/pub "Petr Yan loses a controversial decision to Sean O'Malley. Credits to: Zuffa LLC.")

As of right now, Yan is 1-3 in his last 4, suffering a DQ loss to Aljamain Sterling after throwing an illegal knee to the head of a grounded opponent and then losing two controversial decisions in the rematch and vs. Sean O'Malley.

Merab Devishvili's last fight had far less buzz around it after the fact, as many saw it as a lackluster performance. He faced the legend Jose Aldo in what would be his retirement fight at UFC 278. Merab largely controlled Aldo against the fence for the fight, earning the unanimous decision win. Make no mistake, though, the Georgian is not shy of exciting fights, as seen in his Fight of The Year contender vs. Marlon Moraes at UFC at UFC 266.

This fight is Yan's chance to get back on track to reclaiming the world championship and Merab's most significant opportunity to challenge for it.

Who's going to get their hand raised and be declared the winner? Let us know your prediction in the comments below. 