Author: Anton Tabuena

Watch video from the UFC 270 flyweight title fight.

Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo fought for the third time at UFC 270, after the first two flyweight title bouts ended in a draw and a submission win for the Mexican. Based on this match, it looks like we will have to see a fourth match up.

It was still close and back and forth, but the difference maker seems to be Figueiredo coming out far more disciplined and controlled.

Watch highlights from the title bout, along with a snippet from our play-by-play of the contest.

Brandon Moreno vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, round 5

Moreno with a body lock takedown right away. He’s in half. Figgy uses butterflies to pop up! Moreno with a left. Hard body shot too. Moreno misses wildly. Lead left scores from Figueiredo. Moreno with a counter left. Moreno with a jab. Moreno with a combo inside. Figueiredo with a right that drops Moreno! He’s up right away an Moreno tags him with two shots. Rights from both men. Low kick from Moreno. Lots of posturing late. Figueiredo with a big right. Two more. Moreno lakds two! Moreno with a huge combo! They absolutely brawl to the horn! HOLY HELL THAT WAS AWESOME! 10-9 Moreno but 48-47 Figueirdo on my card. But a few of those rounds could have gone either way.

Deiveson Figueiredo defeated Brandon Moreno via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)

Daniel Cormier talks about Francis Ngannou’s mental state ahead of UFC 270.

It’s safe to say that Francis Ngannou has been dealing with a lot of things ahead of UFC 270. It’s not just the spotlight and immense pressure that comes with defending his UFC title for the first time, or preparing to face one of the most technical heavyweights today either.

Ngannou is going against a former training partner that’s very familiar with his game, and his former coach who has been seemingly trying to air their dirty laundry and question his character at every opportunity. To add to that, Ngannou and his management team have also been involved in this public and ugly contract impasse with the UFC. His contract status isn’t just muddy and uncertain at this point, what happens next likely also hinges on the result of this match up.

All that combined understandably makes an already high stress and high pressure situation even worse, but Daniel Cormier is now also spreading rumors that it’s actually taken a bigger toll on Ngannou.

“I gotta be honest man, I’ve heard whispers that all the things that Francis is dealing with, outside of the actual fight, may be taking its toll a little bit mentally,” Cormier said on his ESPN show, (transcribed by MMA Mania). “I’m not sure, but we will see.

“I know that Francis Ngannou is a man. He’s going to fight in any circumstance, he’s got the ultimate equalizer, but he’s got to be locked in if he is going to keep his championship on Saturday night.”

For what it’s worth, Ngannou also faced a lot of pressure ahead of his last title bout. He was facing Stipe Miocic, who’s considered an all-time heavyweight great, and a man who already badly beat him the first time around. The toxic drama with his former coach Fernand Lopez was already there as well.

As we all saw, Ngannou arguably put on the best performance of his career that night to capture the title.

Ciryl Gane is of course a unique challenge and a completely different test for Ngannou. In terms of just dealing with pressure packed situations though, this certainly isn’t something new for the heavyweight champion.

Inoue vs Donaire 2 is currently being discussed.

Naoya Inoue and Nonito Donaire put on a show in their first contest, and it seems like we could be on our way to seeing a rematch of the 2019 Fight of the Year.

According to Donaire’s promoter Richard Schaefer, he is currently in negotiations to have the bout happen this April. Schaefer also stated that they’re also looking to have it staged again in Inoue’s home country of Japan.

“We don’t have a problem going to Japan. Donaire has the balls to go into the lion’s den again. This is one of the biggest fights you can make in the sport,” Schaefer told Boxing Scene. “I can’t speak on behalf of Inoue, but I know that’s the fight he wants as well. I’ve always believed that when there is a big fight to be made, you make it – and this is a big fight. I am going to exhaust every resource and will not leave any stone unturned to pull off this fight. This is what Nonito and the fight fans want. We as a sport need to deliver it. I believe we’ll get it done.”

To make the bout happen, Schaefer will have to work with Aikihiko Honda of Teiken Promotions, as well as Top Rank, who co-promotes Inoue as well. Hosting the card in Japan will also depend on travel restrictions, with the country tightening its borders due to the Omicron variant.

The 28-year-old Inoue has won all 22 of his fights, and is considered one of the top pound-for-pound boxers in the sport today. Since his bout with Donaire, he has won three straight bouts, which all ended in knockouts.

Donaire, a four-division world champ and surefire hall-of-famer, has had a career resurgence as of late, making history to become the oldest bantamweight champion at 39-years-old. He currently holds the WBC bantamweight belt, and is coming off back-to-back KO wins in 2021 over Nordine Oubaali and Reymart Gaballo.

The Filipino superstar has won four of his last five bouts, with that one defeat being a decision loss in his Fight of the Year with Inoue.

Here’s more context on the numbers behind the decision to increase the UFC’s PPV price (again).

The pay-per-view price for a UFC event has recently been increased from $69.99 to $74.99.

It’s been much more expensive to be an MMA fan in the US these days, as this also marked the third PPV price hike since 2019. That pay-per-view price is also paid on top of a $6.99 monthly ESPN+ subscription, which was also increased for the second time last year.

Dana White, who recently boasted about having a massive 2021 where they broke all their financial records, said this is a decision made by ESPN, not the UFC.

“We don’t have any say in that,” White said at UFC Vegas 46’s post-fight press conference (transcribed by MMA Fighting). “We gave the pay-per-views to ESPN, so yeah, that’s their decision. You know how I feel about that stuff. I don’t love when prices get raised, but it’s not my decision. It’s theirs.”

While White washed his hands on the price hike, it’s also worth putting more context to the numbers behind this decision.

The way the UFC’s deal is structured has ESPN paying them more each year, with reported annual increases of roughly around 5%. This contracted revenue also plays a part on why the UFC keeps breaking their financial records each year since the ESPN deal started.

According to Morgan Stanley, UFC’s US domestic media rights are projected to rise from around $295 million in 2021 to $308 million in 2022. ESPN in turn will naturally find a way to try and recoup these increasing payments.

Technically, it’s indeed not the UFC’s call, but with the way the ESPN deal was set up, the PPV (and ESPN+) price hike has not only been expected, it seems almost inevitable.

Miesha Tate claims her comment was taken out of context and wasn’t meant to be public.

Several combat sports athletes have started making good money on the side posting content on OnlyFans or their personal websites. This includes high-profile UFC veterans like Paige VanZant and Bec Rawlings, who both stated how the decision has been a “game changer,” and allowed them to earn far more than their current fight contracts.

Miesha Tate recently made headlines saying that she won’t follow in the same path, as she isn’t “desperate.” This specific word has prompted a strong response from the likes of fellow UFC fighter Julia Avila.

“This is aggravating. Yes women have an only fans and what of it? Maybe they want attention. Maybe they want an extra dollar. Maybe they just WANT TO CELEBRATE THEIR WOMANHOOD AND HOW F***ING GORGEOUS THEY ARE. it’s not our place to judge or to tear down another woman for it,” Avila wrote.

“Fix your crown queen before casting stones on another because, honey, NONE of us are without fault and it’s a hard fucking world without having to tear one another down. rather than criticizing how about, ‘it’s not for me,’ plain and simple.”

Tate has since discussed the issue. The former UFC champion said her comment on her YouTube page isn’t meant to be public, and claimed foul play from the media.

“First of all, this was not a public statement, although I understand anything I say on the internet even if it is just a comment back to a fan on my YouTube channel, not something I meant publicly, that yes it can be taken out of context and the media can take and do what they want,” Tate told MMA Fighting. “I would like to note that none of the headlines actually quoted me. They only used one word that I used. But I have been getting a lot of comments and even to the point where I feel like it’s like harassing you, like leave me alone. I don’t want to have an OnlyFans.”

Tate also tried to clarify what she meant by not being “desperate,” and said she wasn’t targeting those who decided to post adult content.

“I’m engaged, I’m a mother of two, and I let one fan kind of piss me off and it was accumulating of people ‘start OnlyFans! Retire. Do an OnlyFans! Retire!’ I’m like guys I’m not desperate for that,” Tate explained. “I want to fight. I don’t need money and that’s where the clarification goes for that. I wouldn’t go and just sell myself on OnlyFans for just money. I don’t need money and I’m not doing this for money. I’m OK, guys. I’m OK.

“The word choice I used was wrong and I’m very sorry if it offended anybody who has an OnlyFans cause it certainly was not my intention. I was not targeting anybody. I love Kendra Lust. I’m just a big supporter of any — I’ll say people in general — but I’m such a big supporter and proponent of women doing whatever they want.”

Tate apologized for her comment, and went on to say that OnlyFans isn’t for her as she wants to be taken seriously as a fighter.

“I don’t want to do that because I feel like in my position, people are already calling for my retirement. They’re already writing me off. I’ve worked so hard for so long being a pioneer on this sport that I will do everything that I can to be taken as serious as I can. This is my personal [choice]. This is not a reflection of how anyone else chooses to lead their life or if they feel good about doing an OnlyFans, then great! Do it! I have no problem with women going out there, men going out there, whoever wants to get on OnlyFans, do it. But for me, I don’t want to be perceived as someone who is fighting as a secondary [option] or getting attention for fighting as a secondary [option]. I don’t want OnlyFans to be the reason that people are interested in me.”

“I do sincerely apologize. I did not want to hurt anyone’s feelings or make them feel bad for having an OnlyFans. You want to have one? Go for it. I support it 100 percent but please, you guys, stop asking that of me because it’s not the direction I want to go. I want to pursue fighting and I appreciate we can all have our individual choice so let me have mine.”

Deiveson Figueiredo is looking shredded ahead of UFC 270.

Deiveson Figueiredo has always been known to be one of the bigger and more explosive flyweights in the UFC. Physically, he’s always looked great, but a week before his rematch with Brandon Moreno, and the former UFC champ now looks even more ripped.

Figueiredo took to Instagram to show his shredded physique:

One of the narratives about Figueiredo during his UFC stint is how his pace slows in the latter rounds, possibly because of the amount of weight he cuts. Whether or not that’s fair or entirely accurate, it seems like Figueiredo has been doing extra conditioning as he tries to get his belt back at UFC 270.

He also added a caption about going outside of his comfort zone for this title rematch.

“When you want things to be different in your life, step out of your comfort zone and go after it,” Figueiredo wrote. “Suffer, pay the price and you will succeed in life.”

The two meetings between Figueiredo and Moreno have both been wild affairs. The first bout ended as a draw, while the second had the title change hands after a slick submission from Moreno.