UFC Vegas 27 went down last night (Sat., May 22, 2021) inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring a Bantamweight bout which saw Rob Font earn a big win over former division king, Cody Garbrandt, in the headlining act (see it here). In the co-main event, Carla Esparza made a case for a shot at the women’s Strawweight title by defeating Yan Xiaonan via second round technical knockout (TKO).
Biggest Winner: Carla Esparza
Six years ago, Esparza became UFC’s first-ever women’s Strawweight champion by defeating Rose Namajunas. Now, “Cookie Monster” could be gearing up for a rematch against “Thug Rose,” who now rules the division. That’s because Esparza earned her fifth straight win after stopping Yan Xianon in round two of their 115-pound fight, stopping Yan’s 12-fight unbeaten streak spanning over a decade. More importantly, Esparza’s dominant win should prove to UFC that Joanna Jedrzejczyk has no business leapfrogging her in the championship mix.
Runner Up: Rob Font
Font just keeps on trucking along, earning consecutive win number four after scoring a huge victory over former Bantamweight champion, Cody Garbrandt. Once again, Font proved that his striking is some of the best at 135-pounds, utlizing his jab all night, connecting with precision striking to earn the win over “No Love.” While a title fight may not be next, he certainly sees the goal a bit closer and another win should be enough to put him in the conversation. At the very least, he could be in line for a title eliminator against either Cory Sandhagen or T.J. Dillashaw.
Biggest Loser: Edmen Shahbazyan
After starting off his career a perfect 11-0, including winning his first four fights inside the Octagon, Shahbazyan has had a rough stretch over his last two fights. After suffering the first loss of his pro career at the hands of Derek Brunson via TKO in Aug. 2020, “The Golden Boy” dropped his second in a row, this time coming up short against Jack Hermansson in “Sin City.” With two straight losses on his record, the hype Shahbazyan once had is now gone, putting him on thin ice with promotion should he lose a third straight fight in his bounce back bout. Though just 23 years of age, “The Golden Boy” could be sent packing for a bit if he doesn’t win in his next fight to prove himself further.
For complete UFC Vegas 27: “Garbrandt vs. Font” results and play-by-play, click HERE!