UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad has revealed how Aljamain Sterling’s successful title defense at UFC 273 motivated him ahead of his main event this past weekend. At UFC Vegas 51, Muhammad continued his charge towards the title by extending his win streak to three and his unbeaten run to eight straight fights. “Remember The Name”…
UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad has revealed how Aljamain Sterling’s successful title defense at UFC 273 motivated him ahead of his main event this past weekend.
The victory, which marked his first headline triumph in MMA’s premier promotion, secured Muhammad a place inside the welterweight top five, meaning he’s likely just one more win away from a shot at gold.
Despite his 2021 triumphs over Demian Maia and Stephen Thompson, Muhammad had his fair share of detractors heading into his first appearance of 2022. By dispatching Luque, who was in hot form and tipped by many to earn a title shot soon, the Chicago native certainly scored a point over his doubters.
In an interview with ESPN MMA’s Marc Raimondi, Muhammad compared the hate he and Sterling have received and expressed joy at seeing the New York native have the gold wrapped around his waist without the controversy of a disqualification.
“Aljamain got illegally kneed, and people hate him for that. I got poked, and that’s when it like, swings at me that I’m a crybaby now. I’m like, bro, the stuff happened to us. We didn’t go out there and illegally do the stuff,” reminded Muhammad. “It’s weird how it just changes. It’s funny and it’s great seeing it. He was doubted by so many people and hated by so many people before (UFC 273)… It felt good seeing them actually put (the title) around his waist.”
Muhammad went on to state that Sterling’s against-the-odds success in Jacksonville inspired him to stick it to his own doubters a week later in Las Vegas.
“He proved a lot of haters and doubters wrong, and it motivated me to prove the haters and doubters wrong. Everybody told me I’m gonna get knocked out, I’m gonna go out there and I’m gonna lose,” continued Muhammad. “The same way as, ‘Oh, Yan was killing Aljamain the first fight,’ I got, ‘You got knocked out the first fight, you’re gonna get knocked out again.’ So, it felt good to get that one up over all of them.”
Muhammad will now be hoping to go even further by reaching the top of the welterweight mountaintop. For his remaining doubters, the presence of gold around his waist would certainly damage their line of argument.
Were you impressed by Belal Muhammad’s performance against Vicente Luque at UFC Vegas 51?
UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad would be open to a fight with Conor McGregor for his next Octagon appearance in 2022. Muhammad is fresh off of his third straight win following a no-contest against Leon Edwards, defeating Vicente Luque in a rematch at UFC Vegas 51 last weekend. He earned a unanimous decision win after…
UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad would be open to a fight with Conor McGregor for his next Octagon appearance in 2022.
Muhammad is fresh off of his third straight win following a no-contest against Leon Edwards, defeating Vicente Luque in a rematch at UFC Vegas 51 last weekend. He earned a unanimous decision win after getting knocked out by Luque at UFC 205 six years ago.
Muhammad and McGregor seem to be close to sharing the same division soon after McGregor teased a move to welterweight for his UFC return. He is eying a title shot against Kamaru Usman later this year, but it’s unclear if the UFC will book that fight next for him.
“You still got the Irish gimp that’s talking about coming up to 170,” Muhammad said of McGregor. “So, I wouldn’t mind slapping him around too. We’ve gone back and forth here and there, he’s talked about it. He looks like he’s juiced up a little bit. We’ll be the same size, I’m not the biggest 170lber.”
McGregor hasn’t fought since snapping his leg against Dustin Poirier in their trilogy at UFC 264. He has competed at welterweight three times before, earning wins over Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone.
Muhammad is also vying for a welterweight title shot against the Usman/Edwards winner later this year. It’s unclear if he’ll get the next title shot, but a fight against McGregor could make sense for the ambitions of both men.
UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad believes a collision with rising star Khamzat Chimaev is a logical next matchup for him. This past weekend, Muhammad had the chance to appear in his second UFC headliner. While his first main event ended in a no-contest following an eye poke from Leon Edwards, the 33-year-old’s second outing at…
UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad believes a collision with rising star Khamzat Chimaev is a logical next matchup for him.
This past weekend, Muhammad had the chance to appear in his second UFC headliner. While his first main event ended in a no-contest following an eye poke from Leon Edwards, the 33-year-old’s second outing at the top of a Fight Night card was to go a whole lot better.
In a rematch against Vicente Luque at UFC Vegas 51, Muhammad accomplished a number of things with his unanimous decision victory. As well as avenging his previous knockout loss to the Brazilian, “Remember The Name” secured his place in the divisional top five, title contention, and as a legitimate threat to the 170-pound throne.
Now, in a post-fight interview with ESPN MMA’s Marc Raimondi, Muhammad has laid out what he believes makes sense for his next step inside the Octagon. The Chicago native named top-three contenders Colby Covington and Khamzat Chimaev as two possible opponents.
“Honestly, I think the most sense is either Colby or Khamzat. I think both of those guys make the most sense,” said Muhammad. “I’m not sure if Colby’s jaw is still broken from getting punched by Masvidal or he’s still talking about lawyers. So, if that’s the case, then I wanna stay active and fight Khamzat. I think me and Khamzat in a five-round fight, either in Abu Dhabi or International Fight Week. (It) would be huge to have two Muslim fighters be a headliner. That would be amazing.”
While a main event showcasing two Muslims is one motive for Muhammad to push for a Chimaev meeting, the #5-ranked welterweight also has revenge on his mind for some previous social media posts.
Muhammad Wants To Make Chimaev Pay For Social Media Trolling
While his rapid rise to prominence has been largely down to his dominance and talent inside the cage, which has seen him go 5-0 in the UFC and defeat elite welterweight Gilbert Burns, Chimaev’s presence outside the Octagon has certainly helped.
With that in mind, Muhammad is hoping to get his own back on “Borz” inside the confines of the Octagon.
“He’s also one of the trolls that was out here posting the picture of—the gif of me getting knocked out by Luque, too,” noted Muhammad. “So, I would love to get that one from him… Khamzat was the troll. He posted that. Like I said, it’s one of those, it all comes full circle now.”
UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad feels he should get more credit for a title shot than former adversary Leon Edwards. Muhammad outstruck Vicente Luque towards a unanimous decision in the UFC Vegas 51 headliner. He’s now won three in a row after wins over former title challengers Stephen Thompson and Demian Maia and before that…
UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad feels he should get more credit for a title shot than former adversary Leon Edwards.
Muhammad outstruck Vicente Luque towards a unanimous decision in the UFC Vegas 51 headliner. He’s now won three in a row after wins over former title challengers Stephen Thompson and Demian Maia and before that a no-contest against Edwards.
Muhammad got revenge against Luque after getting knocked out in their first matchup at UFC 205. After earning arguably the biggest win of his career, Muhammad thinks he deserves more respect when it comes to the title shot conversation.
“Who is the only one in the division with a better run than I am on?” Muhammad said. “I’m literally fighting Maia, Wonderboy, Luque. Who is Colby fighting? He’s fighting guys off of two losses in a row. Who is Leon fighting? He’s fighting ’55ers.
“None of these guys are fighting the contenders in the division, none of these guys have the guts to do that. I’m the one that’s going through 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. I’m the one saying yes to the toughest in the division. Leon may have more wins than me, but he doesn’t have the quality of wins that I have.”
Muhammad went on to answer whether or not he feels more deserving of a title shot against Kamaru Usman than Edwards.
“I do. I don’t think he deserves to fight for the title. I think he has that Dana White privilege, but whatever. I don’t expect to be handed anything, I had to fight for everything I got. And I have to be willing to keep doing it.”
Muhammad is far from the first to refer to ‘Dana White Privilege’ during various interviews. Former UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson coined the phrase aimed at Michael Chandler during the leadup to his fight against Beneil Dariush at UFC 262.
While nothing has been officially announced, Edwards will get the next title shot against Usman, as confirmed by UFC President Dana White. This means that Muhammad will more than likely need to win one more to earn a shot at the belt.
On Saturday, the MMA leader returned to action for UFC Vegas 51, the promotion’s latest Fight Night card to be held at the Apex facility in Nevada. The event certainly had a tough act to follow, with a much-discussed UFC 273 pay-per-view taking place just last week. That spectacle saw two title fights and a…
While it didn’t possess the kind of name-value and stakes as we saw in Jacksonville on April 9, the UFC Vegas 51 card still boasted some exciting contenders, promising prospects, and debutants looking to make a name for themselves on the sport’s biggest stage.
As with any UFC card, this one had its ups and downs. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the positives and negatives from UFC Vegas 51.
But after such a long stretch of events inside the mellow surroundings within the UFC Apex, returning to the facility after three cards on the road did feel like a change of pace.
The Apex was a godsend during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. While most sports shut down for lengthy periods, the UFC battled through with events behind closed doors in its own building. As well as granting fans the escape of watching MMA during what was undoubtedly a tough time for many, the ability to hold cards inside the Apex also allowed fighters to continue earning and providing for their families.
Like some, I enjoyed watching fights go down without fans. The unique sounds and enhanced perspective to strikes provided more of an inside look into bouts, something crowd noise often drowned out before.
But while I’ve long appreciated the different viewing experience that the Apex provides, nothing beats a full arena. If that wasn’t clear with last year’s PPVs, it certainly was after three back-to-back cards outside of Las Vegas.
Most notable was UFC London last month. Held in front of a raucous UK crowd, the card was one of the most memorable of the year so far, largely due to the presence of the fans. A couple more arena trips at UFC Columbus and UFC 273 firmly placed the Apex in the back of our minds.
Ultimately, I’ll always be grateful to watch a full card with some of the best athletes in the world. But now that arenas are open for business in a number of locations, the Apex no longer feels like a savior.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 06: In this handout provided by UFC, A general view of the Octagon prior to the start of the UFC 250 event at UFC APEX on June 06, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Positive – “The Mongolian Knight” Opens The Night In Style
What better way to start the night than a vicious first-round finish?
At UFC Vegas 51, that came courtesy of Alatengheili. In the first bout of the night, the Chinese fighter shared the Octagon with Kevin Croom in what was his fifth appearance on MMA’s biggest stage.
Having gone 2-1-1 prior to Saturday night, “The Mongolian Knight” was looking to make a statement, especially given that he fell to a draw last time out after being deducted a point for fence-grabbing.
In less than a minute, Alatengheili accomplished his goal. Against a tough customer in Croom, who was fighting in his 37th professional fight, the 30-year-old showed his power on the feet, rocking “Crash” with a hard overhand right. After unloading with some brutal follow-up shots, the contest came to an end with a memorable visual of Croom face-planting the canvas.
Anyone for a commentary ban when it comes to scoring fights?
It seems like not an event goes by where we’re not left discussing a bizarre conversation had between color commentators when it comes to scoring fights. At UFC Vegas 51, it came during the lightweight bout between Jordan Leavitt and Trey Ogden.
Daniel Cormier is a likable figure and a legend of the sport, but parts of his commentary leave a lot to be desired, and the same goes with Dominick Cruz. Both men boast incredible accomplishments in the sport and offer intriguing insight during bouts, especially when it comes to technique.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for scoring…
Considering he was watching mixed martial arts, it’s baffling that Cormier came to the conclusion leg kicks don’t score. As well as questioning how they can contribute to a round result, “DC” even went as far as to claim that the second round couldn’t go to Leavitt as the “majority” of his strikes were leg kicks.
We must have missed the part of the scoring criteria where it says “effective striking, aside from leg kicks…”
While that statement in itself is bizarre, it’s even more questionable when looking at the color of Ogden’s leg. This gripe is also without even addressing the comments made about control time.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 16: (R-L) Jordan Leavitt kicks Trey Ogden in a lightweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on April 16, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Negative – Confusion & Controversy
Nothing sucks the energy from a card quicker than a controversial ending. At UFC Vegas 51, we got exactly that courtesy of an illegal strike in the third round of the heavyweight contest between Martin Buday and Chris Barnett.
After his memorable walkout and crazy spinning wheel kick at UFC 268 last November, the anticipation was high for Barnett’s first appearance of 2022. To say it ended in an anticlimactic fashion would be an understatement.
In the third round, Buday, who was up two frames in the eyes of just about everyone, delivered an elbow that most agree landed to the back of Barnett’s head. Referee Dan Miragliotta decided it was unintentional, meaning that when the doctor concluded that “Beastboy” couldn’t continue, the fight went to a technical decision.
The level of subjectivity in this one is tough. On one hand, it’s hard to determine where the “unintentional” conclusion comes from. Barnett was turned away from Buday, who appeared to throw a measured and planned elbow to the back of the head, which was essentially the only part of Barnett’s head open to strike. On the other side, some will perhaps suggest the Slovakian saw an opening to land a clean strike but simply misjudged, making the illegal nature of the elbow unintentional.
Ultimately, even if Buday intended to land it legally, should that prevent punishment? I’m not so sure. Given how subjective intent is (no one knows what Buday was thinking), I don’t see how it can be judged as the be-all and end-all when it comes to the result.
If a fighter is deemed unable to continue due to an illegal strike from his opponent, the only person losing out should be the fighter at fault.
Martin Buday, Chris Barnett (Image Credits: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Negative – Make It Make Sense…
As if by magic, the grey area surrounding illegal shots was hammered home the very next fight.
In the second round of the lightweight contest between Rafa Garcia and Jesse Ronson, the American-born Mexican delivered an illegal knee to the Canadian, who had his right knee grounded, for which referee Mark Smith deducted a point for.
First things first, I don’t see how that can be deemed any more or less intentional than Buday’s strike, for which no point or punishment was applied. The question is, had Garcia controlled the opening two rounds and landed the illegal knee in the third, would he have faced no punishment and been awarded the technical decision, rather than the point deduction he got in the first?
It’s a dangerous precedent to set. The decision of Miragliotta in the Buday vs. Barnett fight essentially suggests that fighters can bag an early win as long as they can convince the official that their illegal strike was unintentional.
This uncertainty and subjectivity need tightening.
Ref takes a point away from Rafa Garcia for an illegal knee while Ronson was down. pic.twitter.com/iAdvZcfgt6
Positive – Klose Returns A Year After Stephens Shove
Whatever the result, seeing UFC lightweight Drakkar Klose return to the Octagon was always going to be a positive.
At UFC Vegas 51, Klose made the walk for the first time since a 2020 knockout loss to Beneil Dariush. Had things gone to plan, the 34-year-old’s layoff would have ended last April against Jeremy Stephens. That came to a crashing halt at the hands of “Lil Heathen” a day before they were set to share the cage last April.
Unable to control himself during the face-off, Stephens delivered a push to Klose that would prove to be more damaging than anyone initially imagined. During an appearance on BJPenn.com’s Just Scrap Radio last week, Klose described numbness in his limbs and a debilitating headache.
Having suffered two herniated discs, Klose spent another year on the sidelines, while an unpunished Stephens was in action just three months later. Despite returning on Saturday, Klose believes surgery will eventually become inevitable if he wants to return to 100% health.
To see him back in action after having a year of his career taken away was certainly a positive of UFC Vegas 51, as was his incredibly-impressive performance en route to a second-round TKO.
In the featured preliminary bout of UFC Vegas 51, longtime light heavyweight Devin Clark competed in a short-notice heavyweight debut against William Knight.
In his last outing, scheduled for 205 pounds, “Knightmare” had a mammoth weight miss, turning his bout with Maxim Grishin into a heavyweight contest. Despite his previous experience in the heavier weight class, as well as near-30-pound weight advantage, Knight was handed a second consecutive loss courtesy of a man looking to rebound from a two-fight skid of his own.
Having been handed a main event defeat against Anthony Smith and his teeth badly messed up against Ion Cu?elaba, Clark needed a big performance to re-enter the win column and avoid a third straight setback.
In the third round, a brutal left hook and some emphatic follow-up shots secured the victory for “Brown Bear.” After some controversy earlier in the night, this was certainly a positive way to close out the prelims.
Is there a worse way to damage an impressive victory than giving a shoutout to a man believed to “run the day-to-day operations” of the Kinahan Organized Crime Group?
In the UFC Vegas 51 main card opener, Mounir Lazzez returned for the first time since January 2020. Against debutant Ange Loosa, “The Sniper” impressed across three rounds, using his striking prowess to secure a comfortable decision.
As a relatively normal post-fight interview looked set to come to a close, it seemed nothing untoward was on the horizon. But when MTK Global-associated Lazzez pulled the mic back for some thank yous, who’d have thought reputed Irish gang boss Daniel Kinahan would be getting some appreciation?
To say it’s not a good look to thank a man whom the United States government is chasing, and even offering $5 million for any information that could lead to his conviction or the disruption of his organization, would be an understatement.
‘Thanks to the suspected figurehead of a $1.1 billion drugs and weapons cartel’. How heartwarming. Lazzez’s team’s attempts to push past the topic at the post-fight press conference perhaps says it all.
Mounir Lazzez is now addressing the media.
I asked 3-4 questions all regarding Daniel Kinahan and why he name-dropped an alleged cocaine baron and reported figurehead of a criminal organization in his post-fight victory speech.
You should have kept a firmer grip on the mic Cormier…
Positive – A Deserved Sendoff
Earlier in the week, it was confirmed that bantamweight veteran Marlon Moraes had retired from active competition. The Brazilian’s decision to hang up his gloves came a month after his knockout loss to Song Yadong at UFC Vegas 50, a defeat that marked his fourth consecutive setback.
While that losing streak and the decline he experienced late on in his career has had many acknowledging that the retirement is likely the right choice, the sport has certainly lost a great fighter and a 135-pound great.
With that in mind, it was nice to see Moraes, a former WSOF champion and UFC title challenger, given the sendoff he deserved in the form of a video package on the UFC Vegas 51 main card broadcast.
Portugal’s Andre Fialho impressed in defeat on his promotional debut versus Michel Pereira at UFC 270. With that in mind and with his opponent being another exciting prospect in Miguel Baeza, many had pointed to Fialho’s sophomore UFC clash as one to keep an eye on. For as long as it lasted, it was enthralling and technical on the feet.
At 10-0 entering 2021, Baeza was one of the most highly-touted up-and-comers in the UFC. But after back-to-back losses, “Caramel Thunder” was in desperate need of a rebound on Saturday. Unfortunately for him, Fialho wasn’t there to boost Baeza’s record.
Proving the clinch isn’t a safe place, Fialho rocked Baeza with some brutal uppercuts. While some disputed the finish, which came as Baeza grabbed a leg, the 29-year-old’s staggered return to his feet proved Mark Smith’s decision to step in was a good one.
At 28 years of age, the UFC’s first Portuguese-born fighter is one to keep an eye on.
Caio Borralho and Gadzhi Omargadzhiev both graduated to the UFC through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021. By being matched up for their Octagon debuts, one exciting up-and-comer was facing an immediate stall.
On the feet and on the ground, Borralho was sizable leaps ahead. From his early reversal on the mat, his impressive takedown, and his swift body-lock switches to his slick striking and flying knees, “The Natural” impressed in all areas.
Unfortunately, he dampened his arrival with an illegal knee in the third round, bringing us the second technical decision of the night. Once again, the main negative here is inconsistency. Miragliotta didn’t hesitate to take a point away from Borralho but didn’t do the same for Buday earlier in the night.
The decision to take the fight to the scorecards was also debatable. There’s no doubt that Omargadzhiev had his hand down, but even after landing it, the Brazilian protested, suggesting it was “just the tip” of the Russian’s fingers on the mat. Seeing as that would still be illegal, shouldn’t we have seen a disqualification for an intentional illegal blow?
The word “messy” doesn’t even begin to cover it.
The lesson from tonight: Always cheat. Always. Because no one in MMA knows the rules. #UFCVegas51
This was certainly an up-and-down card, but it ended as we always want MMA cards to—with an entertaining, high-stakes headliner.
Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad left everything in the Octagon, vying for a place in the welterweight championship picture. While Khamzat Chimaev broke into the group of elites and staked his claim for a title shot last weekend, at UFC Vegas 51, it was the turn of Muhammad.
Having taken the opening two frames, Muhammad had to fight through some adversity in the third. After bouncing back impressively in the championship rounds, the 33-year-old extended his unbeaten run to eight with victory on the scorecards and threw his name into the hat for a shot at Kamaru Usman’s gold.
On Saturday, the MMA leader returned to action for UFC Vegas 51, the promotion’s latest Fight Night card to be held at the Apex facility in Nevada. The event certainly had a tough act to follow, with a much-discussed UFC 273 pay-per-view taking place just last week. That spectacle saw two title fights and a…
While it didn’t possess the kind of name-value and stakes as we saw in Jacksonville on April 9, the UFC Vegas 51 card still boasted some exciting contenders, promising prospects, and debutants looking to make a name for themselves on the sport’s biggest stage.
As with any UFC card, this one had its ups and downs. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the positives and negatives from UFC Vegas 51.
But after such a long stretch of events inside the mellow surroundings within the UFC Apex, returning to the facility after three cards on the road did feel like a change of pace.
The Apex was a godsend during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. While most sports shut down for lengthy periods, the UFC battled through with events behind closed doors in its own building. As well as granting fans the escape of watching MMA during what was undoubtedly a tough time for many, the ability to hold cards inside the Apex also allowed fighters to continue earning and providing for their families.
Like some, I enjoyed watching fights go down without fans. The unique sounds and enhanced perspective to strikes provided more of an inside look into bouts, something crowd noise often drowned out before.
But while I’ve long appreciated the different viewing experience that the Apex provides, nothing beats a full arena. If that wasn’t clear with last year’s PPVs, it certainly was after three back-to-back cards outside of Las Vegas.
Most notable was UFC London last month. Held in front of a raucous UK crowd, the card was one of the most memorable of the year so far, largely due to the presence of the fans. A couple more arena trips at UFC Columbus and UFC 273 firmly placed the Apex in the back of our minds.
Ultimately, I’ll always be grateful to watch a full card with some of the best athletes in the world. But now that arenas are open for business in a number of locations, the Apex no longer feels like a savior.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 06: In this handout provided by UFC, A general view of the Octagon prior to the start of the UFC 250 event at UFC APEX on June 06, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Positive – “The Mongolian Knight” Opens The Night In Style
What better way to start the night than a vicious first-round finish?
At UFC Vegas 51, that came courtesy of Alatengheili. In the first bout of the night, the Chinese fighter shared the Octagon with Kevin Croom in what was his fifth appearance on MMA’s biggest stage.
Having gone 2-1-1 prior to Saturday night, “The Mongolian Knight” was looking to make a statement, especially given that he fell to a draw last time out after being deducted a point for fence-grabbing.
In less than a minute, Alatengheili accomplished his goal. Against a tough customer in Croom, who was fighting in his 37th professional fight, the 30-year-old showed his power on the feet, rocking “Crash” with a hard overhand right. After unloading with some brutal follow-up shots, the contest came to an end with a memorable visual of Croom face-planting the canvas.
Anyone for a commentary ban when it comes to scoring fights?
It seems like not an event goes by where we’re not left discussing a bizarre conversation had between color commentators when it comes to scoring fights. At UFC Vegas 51, it came during the lightweight bout between Jordan Leavitt and Trey Ogden.
Daniel Cormier is a likable figure and a legend of the sport, but parts of his commentary leave a lot to be desired, and the same goes with Dominick Cruz. Both men boast incredible accomplishments in the sport and offer intriguing insight during bouts, especially when it comes to technique.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for scoring…
Considering he was watching mixed martial arts, it’s baffling that Cormier came to the conclusion leg kicks don’t score. As well as questioning how they can contribute to a round result, “DC” even went as far as to claim that the second round couldn’t go to Leavitt as the “majority” of his strikes were leg kicks.
We must have missed the part of the scoring criteria where it says “effective striking, aside from leg kicks…”
While that statement in itself is bizarre, it’s even more questionable when looking at the color of Ogden’s leg. This gripe is also without even addressing the comments made about control time.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 16: (R-L) Jordan Leavitt kicks Trey Ogden in a lightweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on April 16, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Negative – Confusion & Controversy
Nothing sucks the energy from a card quicker than a controversial ending. At UFC Vegas 51, we got exactly that courtesy of an illegal strike in the third round of the heavyweight contest between Martin Buday and Chris Barnett.
After his memorable walkout and crazy spinning wheel kick at UFC 268 last November, the anticipation was high for Barnett’s first appearance of 2022. To say it ended in an anticlimactic fashion would be an understatement.
In the third round, Buday, who was up two frames in the eyes of just about everyone, delivered an elbow that most agree landed to the back of Barnett’s head. Referee Dan Miragliotta decided it was unintentional, meaning that when the doctor concluded that “Beastboy” couldn’t continue, the fight went to a technical decision.
The level of subjectivity in this one is tough. On one hand, it’s hard to determine where the “unintentional” conclusion comes from. Barnett was turned away from Buday, who appeared to throw a measured and planned elbow to the back of the head, which was essentially the only part of Barnett’s head open to strike. On the other side, some will perhaps suggest the Slovakian saw an opening to land a clean strike but simply misjudged, making the illegal nature of the elbow unintentional.
Ultimately, even if Buday intended to land it legally, should that prevent punishment? I’m not so sure. Given how subjective intent is (no one knows what Buday was thinking), I don’t see how it can be judged as the be-all and end-all when it comes to the result.
If a fighter is deemed unable to continue due to an illegal strike from his opponent, the only person losing out should be the fighter at fault.
Martin Buday, Chris Barnett (Image Credits: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Negative – Make It Make Sense…
As if by magic, the grey area surrounding illegal shots was hammered home the very next fight.
In the second round of the lightweight contest between Rafa Garcia and Jesse Ronson, the American-born Mexican delivered an illegal knee to the Canadian, who had his right knee grounded, for which referee Mark Smith deducted a point for.
First things first, I don’t see how that can be deemed any more or less intentional than Buday’s strike, for which no point or punishment was applied. The question is, had Garcia controlled the opening two rounds and landed the illegal knee in the third, would he have faced no punishment and been awarded the technical decision, rather than the point deduction he got in the first?
It’s a dangerous precedent to set. The decision of Miragliotta in the Buday vs. Barnett fight essentially suggests that fighters can bag an early win as long as they can convince the official that their illegal strike was unintentional.
This uncertainty and subjectivity need tightening.
Ref takes a point away from Rafa Garcia for an illegal knee while Ronson was down. pic.twitter.com/iAdvZcfgt6
Positive – Klose Returns A Year After Stephens Shove
Whatever the result, seeing UFC lightweight Drakkar Klose return to the Octagon was always going to be a positive.
At UFC Vegas 51, Klose made the walk for the first time since a 2020 knockout loss to Beneil Dariush. Had things gone to plan, the 34-year-old’s layoff would have ended last April against Jeremy Stephens. That came to a crashing halt at the hands of “Lil Heathen” a day before they were set to share the cage last April.
Unable to control himself during the face-off, Stephens delivered a push to Klose that would prove to be more damaging than anyone initially imagined. During an appearance on BJPenn.com’s Just Scrap Radio last week, Klose described numbness in his limbs and a debilitating headache.
Having suffered two herniated discs, Klose spent another year on the sidelines, while an unpunished Stephens was in action just three months later. Despite returning on Saturday, Klose believes surgery will eventually become inevitable if he wants to return to 100% health.
To see him back in action after having a year of his career taken away was certainly a positive of UFC Vegas 51, as was his incredibly-impressive performance en route to a second-round TKO.
In the featured preliminary bout of UFC Vegas 51, longtime light heavyweight Devin Clark competed in a short-notice heavyweight debut against William Knight.
In his last outing, scheduled for 205 pounds, “Knightmare” had a mammoth weight miss, turning his bout with Maxim Grishin into a heavyweight contest. Despite his previous experience in the heavier weight class, as well as near-30-pound weight advantage, Knight was handed a second consecutive loss courtesy of a man looking to rebound from a two-fight skid of his own.
Having been handed a main event defeat against Anthony Smith and his teeth badly messed up against Ion Cu?elaba, Clark needed a big performance to re-enter the win column and avoid a third straight setback.
In the third round, a brutal left hook and some emphatic follow-up shots secured the victory for “Brown Bear.” After some controversy earlier in the night, this was certainly a positive way to close out the prelims.
Is there a worse way to damage an impressive victory than giving a shoutout to a man believed to “run the day-to-day operations” of the Kinahan Organized Crime Group?
In the UFC Vegas 51 main card opener, Mounir Lazzez returned for the first time since January 2020. Against debutant Ange Loosa, “The Sniper” impressed across three rounds, using his striking prowess to secure a comfortable decision.
As a relatively normal post-fight interview looked set to come to a close, it seemed nothing untoward was on the horizon. But when MTK Global-associated Lazzez pulled the mic back for some thank yous, who’d have thought reputed Irish gang boss Daniel Kinahan would be getting some appreciation?
To say it’s not a good look to thank a man whom the United States government is chasing, and even offering $5 million for any information that could lead to his conviction or the disruption of his organization, would be an understatement.
‘Thanks to the suspected figurehead of a $1.1 billion drugs and weapons cartel’. How heartwarming. Lazzez’s team’s attempts to push past the topic at the post-fight press conference perhaps says it all.
Mounir Lazzez is now addressing the media.
I asked 3-4 questions all regarding Daniel Kinahan and why he name-dropped an alleged cocaine baron and reported figurehead of a criminal organization in his post-fight victory speech.
You should have kept a firmer grip on the mic Cormier…
Positive – A Deserved Sendoff
Earlier in the week, it was confirmed that bantamweight veteran Marlon Moraes had retired from active competition. The Brazilian’s decision to hang up his gloves came a month after his knockout loss to Song Yadong at UFC Vegas 50, a defeat that marked his fourth consecutive setback.
While that losing streak and the decline he experienced late on in his career has had many acknowledging that the retirement is likely the right choice, the sport has certainly lost a great fighter and a 135-pound great.
With that in mind, it was nice to see Moraes, a former WSOF champion and UFC title challenger, given the sendoff he deserved in the form of a video package on the UFC Vegas 51 main card broadcast.
Portugal’s Andre Fialho impressed in defeat on his promotional debut versus Michel Pereira at UFC 270. With that in mind and with his opponent being another exciting prospect in Miguel Baeza, many had pointed to Fialho’s sophomore UFC clash as one to keep an eye on. For as long as it lasted, it was enthralling and technical on the feet.
At 10-0 entering 2021, Baeza was one of the most highly-touted up-and-comers in the UFC. But after back-to-back losses, “Caramel Thunder” was in desperate need of a rebound on Saturday. Unfortunately for him, Fialho wasn’t there to boost Baeza’s record.
Proving the clinch isn’t a safe place, Fialho rocked Baeza with some brutal uppercuts. While some disputed the finish, which came as Baeza grabbed a leg, the 29-year-old’s staggered return to his feet proved Mark Smith’s decision to step in was a good one.
At 28 years of age, the UFC’s first Portuguese-born fighter is one to keep an eye on.
Caio Borralho and Gadzhi Omargadzhiev both graduated to the UFC through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021. By being matched up for their Octagon debuts, one exciting up-and-comer was facing an immediate stall.
On the feet and on the ground, Borralho was sizable leaps ahead. From his early reversal on the mat, his impressive takedown, and his swift body-lock switches to his slick striking and flying knees, “The Natural” impressed in all areas.
Unfortunately, he dampened his arrival with an illegal knee in the third round, bringing us the second technical decision of the night. Once again, the main negative here is inconsistency. Miragliotta didn’t hesitate to take a point away from Borralho but didn’t do the same for Buday earlier in the night.
The decision to take the fight to the scorecards was also debatable. There’s no doubt that Omargadzhiev had his hand down, but even after landing it, the Brazilian protested, suggesting it was “just the tip” of the Russian’s fingers on the mat. Seeing as that would still be illegal, shouldn’t we have seen a disqualification for an intentional illegal blow?
The word “messy” doesn’t even begin to cover it.
The lesson from tonight: Always cheat. Always. Because no one in MMA knows the rules. #UFCVegas51
This was certainly an up-and-down card, but it ended as we always want MMA cards to—with an entertaining, high-stakes headliner.
Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad left everything in the Octagon, vying for a place in the welterweight championship picture. While Khamzat Chimaev broke into the group of elites and staked his claim for a title shot last weekend, at UFC Vegas 51, it was the turn of Muhammad.
Having taken the opening two frames, Muhammad had to fight through some adversity in the third. After bouncing back impressively in the championship rounds, the 33-year-old extended his unbeaten run to eight with victory on the scorecards and threw his name into the hat for a shot at Kamaru Usman’s gold.
