Author: Nathan McCarter

Rashad Evans vs. Dan Kelly Results: Winner and Reaction from UFC 209

The UFC gave Rashad Evans the best possible opponent for his middleweight debut in Dan Kelly to see what was left in the gas tank.
And the upset occurred. Kelly squeaked by with a split decision.
UFC provided footage of the end of the fight and also re…

The UFC gave Rashad Evans the best possible opponent for his middleweight debut in Dan Kelly to see what was left in the gas tank.

And the upset occurred. Kelly squeaked by with a split decision.

UFC provided footage of the end of the fight and also reminded everyone that appearances can be deceiving:

Evans looked sharp coming out to the center, but it was a feeling-out process against the unorthodox Kelly. Evans’ speed advantage was noticeable early. Kelly offered up a few moments of offense in the opening half of the round.

Evans changed levels for a takedown, but Kelly was quick to work his way back to his feet to avoid being placed on his back. Kelly showed he was game, and Evans got a round under his belt at his new weight.

Bloody Elbow’s Anton Tabuena commented on Evans’ reaction time:

Kelly began the second round by keeping Evans on the outside. Kelly tagged Evans with a left hand that caught the attention of the former light heavyweight champion. Evans looked more gun-shy in the second round. Meanwhile, Kelly’s output stayed consistent as he grew in confidence.

Evans finally began mixing things up with his wrestling, but the world-class judo background of Kelly allowed him to spring back to his feet. It was a close fight heading into the third and final round.

Kelly continued to defy expectations by matching Evans in the third. If Evans landed, Kelly was not far behind with offense of his own. Kelly also was coming forward more consistently, which looks good for the judges. Evans started to put together combinations in the final 30 seconds, but it was far, far too late.

Where does Evans go from here? That is such a difficult question, especially considering this factoid from SiriusXM’s RJ Clifford:

His output has dropped in recent years, and he didn’t put it to a lesser-known mid-tier middleweight. It may be the end of the road for Evans as a relevant fighter in the UFC. His name will still carry a bit of weight, and he exited the cage without injury. His next fight will be very telling.

As for Kelly, welcome to relevancy at 185 pounds.

His win over Evans should garner him a fight against a top-15 middleweight, and Derek Brunson would be a good opponent for the former Olympian. It’s a big test for Kelly and will give Brunson a good fight to rebound from following a contentious loss to Anderson Silva.

Kelly did what he does best. Win ugly. It wasn’t fancy, but consistency from the Australian proved to take the day.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Rashad Evans vs. Dan Kelly Results: Winner and Reaction from UFC 209

The UFC gave Rashad Evans the best possible opponent for his middleweight debut in Dan Kelly to see what was left in the gas tank.
And the upset occurred. Kelly squeaked by with a split decision.
UFC provided footage of the end of the fight and also re…

The UFC gave Rashad Evans the best possible opponent for his middleweight debut in Dan Kelly to see what was left in the gas tank.

And the upset occurred. Kelly squeaked by with a split decision.

UFC provided footage of the end of the fight and also reminded everyone that appearances can be deceiving:

Evans looked sharp coming out to the center, but it was a feeling-out process against the unorthodox Kelly. Evans’ speed advantage was noticeable early. Kelly offered up a few moments of offense in the opening half of the round.

Evans changed levels for a takedown, but Kelly was quick to work his way back to his feet to avoid being placed on his back. Kelly showed he was game, and Evans got a round under his belt at his new weight.

Bloody Elbow’s Anton Tabuena commented on Evans’ reaction time:

Kelly began the second round by keeping Evans on the outside. Kelly tagged Evans with a left hand that caught the attention of the former light heavyweight champion. Evans looked more gun-shy in the second round. Meanwhile, Kelly’s output stayed consistent as he grew in confidence.

Evans finally began mixing things up with his wrestling, but the world-class judo background of Kelly allowed him to spring back to his feet. It was a close fight heading into the third and final round.

Kelly continued to defy expectations by matching Evans in the third. If Evans landed, Kelly was not far behind with offense of his own. Kelly also was coming forward more consistently, which looks good for the judges. Evans started to put together combinations in the final 30 seconds, but it was far, far too late.

Where does Evans go from here? That is such a difficult question, especially considering this factoid from SiriusXM’s RJ Clifford:

His output has dropped in recent years, and he didn’t put it to a lesser-known mid-tier middleweight. It may be the end of the road for Evans as a relevant fighter in the UFC. His name will still carry a bit of weight, and he exited the cage without injury. His next fight will be very telling.

As for Kelly, welcome to relevancy at 185 pounds.

His win over Evans should garner him a fight against a top-15 middleweight, and Derek Brunson would be a good opponent for the former Olympian. It’s a big test for Kelly and will give Brunson a good fight to rebound from following a contentious loss to Anderson Silva.

Kelly did what he does best. Win ugly. It wasn’t fancy, but consistency from the Australian proved to take the day.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 209 Woodley vs. Thompson: Bleacher Report Main Card Staff Predictions

UFC 209 hits the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday with two title clashes.
In the main event, Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson run back their instant classic from UFC 205. Their November contest ended in a majority draw which allowed Woodley to…

UFC 209 hits the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday with two title clashes.

In the main event, Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson run back their instant classic from UFC 205. Their November contest ended in a majority draw which allowed Woodley to retain his gold belt.

An interim title is up for grabs in the co-main event. Lightweight contenders Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson are not patiently waiting for Conor McGregor’s return. Instead, the UFC created a new interim strap so they could go for five full rounds.

UFC 209 offers a nice slate of fights, and the Bleacher Report crew are here to break it down and offer you our predictions.

On the call are Craig Amos, Scott Harris, Steven Rondina and Nathan McCarter.

Want to get down to business? Here are the UFC 209 main card predictions from the B/R staff.

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UFC Fight Night 105 Results: Matches to Make for the Winners and Losers

Stomach issues aside, Derrick Lewis did the thing on Sunday night at UFC Fight Night 105.
“The Black Beast” survived the first round where his opponent, Travis Browne, looked quite good. Then his incredible raw power came into play and violently finish…

Stomach issues aside, Derrick Lewis did the thing on Sunday night at UFC Fight Night 105.

“The Black Beast” survived the first round where his opponent, Travis Browne, looked quite good. Then his incredible raw power came into play and violently finished his adversary.

It puts Lewis on the radar as a title contender. How does the UFC address that?

Also in action, Johny Hendricks picked up his first win at middleweight while bantamweight contender Sara McMann made a statement to put her in line for a possible title shot. The Halifax crowd got a night full of fun fights and interesting results.

How does the UFC handle Lewis, McMann and all the rest? Mosey on this way for a look at all the matches to make following UFC Fight Night 105 in Halifax.

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Lewis vs. Browne Results: Winner and Reaction from UFC Fight Night 105

UFC Fight Night 105 provided the quintessential Derrick Lewis performance.
Lewis took his time, soaked up some damage and then finished with absolute viciousness. A shot at gold may not be too far off.
Lewis wasted no time marching out to the center of…

UFC Fight Night 105 provided the quintessential Derrick Lewis performance.

Lewis took his time, soaked up some damage and then finished with absolute viciousness. A shot at gold may not be too far off.

Lewis wasted no time marching out to the center of the cage, and Travis Browne set the distance with his leg kicks. About a minute into the first round, Hapa began coming forward, and the Black Beast was inviting him into range. Browne hurt Lewis to the body, and the latter had to protect his midsection for a prolonged period of time.

The 34-year-old slipped as Lewis threw heavy punches, and the Hawaiian native was in trouble, but he quickly rolled back to his feet. Shortly after, a damaging knee to the gut landed for Browne, forcing Lewis to turn away and run to the fence. The Black Beast was able to get a clinch and survive, but his opponent easily won the first round.

Browne went right back to the heavy leg kicks in the second round. He was eventually tagged by Lewis, who started throwing huge bombs, but Hapa was covering up well. The 32-year-old Lewis landed several good uppercuts, but Browne told the referee he was fine. The fight hit the mat with Lewis landing on top, and he also was ahead in the contest.

The Hawaiian got up to his feet, but not for long. Lewis clocked him with a right hand that sent him crashing to the mat, and referee Mario Yamasaki allowed him a few more clean shots on the ground to shut off the lights. It was a brutal finish due to a late stoppage.

The loss hurts Browne drastically. He was winning the fight, looking sharp and was on his way to re-establishing himself in the division. Lewis’ Herculean power changed all of that, and Hapa‘s third straight defeat puts him in a precarious position in the heavyweight division.

To rebound, Browne cannot fight top-10 level competition for the remainder of 2017. That’s just the brass tacks of it. He needs to hit the back of the breadline in a serious way, but at 34-years-old, it’s a tall order.

As for Lewis, the opposite is true. He’s a legitimate title contender.

The division is in need of new challengers, and Lewis is just that. He may not be the most polished or well-rounded, but he’s exciting and on a win streak that should earn him a crack at a belt in 2017.

He could be forced into a title eliminator, but that would be poor booking. He should go right into a title fight.

The future is still unclear and in the hands of the UFC hierarchy. But on Sunday, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Lewis laid claim to being an elite heavyweight.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

25 and Under: The Top 30 Young Guns in MMA

If you look around the MMA world today, you’ll notice a lot of talented fighters, but how many of those fighters are under 30? Fewer than one may think.
How many are under 25? Even fewer.
We are here to identify the 25-and-under crowd in each of the ma…

If you look around the MMA world today, you’ll notice a lot of talented fighters, but how many of those fighters are under 30? Fewer than one may think.

How many are under 25? Even fewer.

We are here to identify the 25-and-under crowd in each of the major divisions across mixed martial arts today. Twelve divisions with at least one fighter are highlighted. Some choices are obvious. Hint: a current UFC champion whose face is plastered at the top here. Others, not so much.

So who are the men and women working their way up the ladder? Mosey on through as we peek at some of the best talents who aren’t yet older than a quarter century.

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