Tag: Mark Hunt

Twitter Reacts To Yoel Romero’s Crushing KO Of Luke Rockhold

UFC 221 emanated tonight (Saturday, February 10, 2018) from the Perth Arena in Perth, Australia. The main event saw Luke Rockhold vie for the interim middleweight title against Yoel Romero. Romero came in overweight and was thus ineligible to win the title. The two middleweight titans engaged in a tense, back-and-forth battle. Rockhold took the […]

The post Twitter Reacts To Yoel Romero’s Crushing KO Of Luke Rockhold appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

UFC 221 emanated tonight (Saturday, February 10, 2018) from the Perth Arena in Perth, Australia. The main event saw Luke Rockhold vie for the interim middleweight title against Yoel Romero. Romero came in overweight and was thus ineligible to win the title.

The two middleweight titans engaged in a tense, back-and-forth battle. Rockhold took the first with his volume of kicks while Romero took the second with a flurry of power punches that had Rockhold on the ropes. The former champ survived the second frame, but Romero would net himself yet another unlikely third-round stoppage. He floored Rockhold with a massive overhand left and one follow-up shot left Rockhold completely unable to defend himself. Romero would be the interim middleweight champion had he made weight yesterday.

The co-main event saw local hero Mark Hunt look to turn back heavyweight prospect Curtis Blaydes. He had his moments, particularly in the first round, but Blaydes’ wrestling proved too much for the New Zealander. “Razor” Blaydes took a clear-cut unanimous decision in the co-headliner.

See how Twitter reacted to these explosive bouts below:

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UFC 221 Post-Fight Press Conference

Although it faced the difficult problems of hometown champion Robert Whittaker withdrawing from the event and his replacement Yoel Romero missing weight before the main event, last night’s (Sat., February 10, 2018) UFC 221 still took place from the Perth Arena in Perth, Australia. In the headliner, Yoel Romero knocked out former champion Luke Rockhold cold […]

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Although it faced the difficult problems of hometown champion Robert Whittaker withdrawing from the event and his replacement Yoel Romero missing weight before the main event, last night’s (Sat., February 10, 2018) UFC 221 still took place from the Perth Arena in Perth, Australia.

In the headliner, Yoel Romero knocked out former champion Luke Rockhold cold in the third round of their interim title bout where Romero could not win the belt because he missed weight by almost three pounds.

The co-main event featured rising heavyweight Curtis Blaydes securing his biggest-ever win over local fan favorite Mark Hunt after some early trouble.

Watch the UFC 221 post-fight presser streaming live right after the main card here:

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Curtis Blaydes Survives & Controls Mark Hunt

Curtis Blaydes had the perfect plan to survive the early blitz of Mark Hunt. The co-main event of UFC 221 featured a heavyweight battle between Hunt and Blaydes. Perth, Australia was treated to the clash inside Perth Arena. The Australian fans were fully behind Hunt. Blaydes looked to keep his distance early. He landed a […]

The post Curtis Blaydes Survives & Controls Mark Hunt appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Curtis Blaydes had the perfect plan to survive the early blitz of Mark Hunt.

The co-main event of UFC 221 featured a heavyweight battle between Hunt and Blaydes. Perth, Australia was treated to the clash inside Perth Arena. The Australian fans were fully behind Hunt.

Blaydes looked to keep his distance early. He landed a leg kick and kept faking shots. Hunt tried fighting off the takedown, but couldn’t do it. Luckily for him, he got back to his feet quickly. Hunt stunned Blaydes with a right hand. He charged forward and Blaydes went down from another shot. Blaydes was able to take down his opponent and almost moved to full mount. Hunt got back to his feet, but was taken back down. The round ended with Blaydes taking Hunt’s back.

Blaydes wasted little time shooting in at the start of round two. Hunt was able to separate. Hunt thwarted a takedown attempt. Blaydes timed a takedown perfectly. He landed some elbows on the ground. The round ended with Blaydes in control.

Blaydes took Hunt down immediately in the final frame. Hunt got up, but was slammed back down. He went to mount and attacked the right arm, but the submission wasn’t there. As quickly as Hunt got up, he was right back down. Hunt was able to reverse the position and they separated. It didn’t last as Hunt had no answer for the takedowns. The final horn sounded and the decision was clear.

Final Result: Curtis Blaydes def. Mark Hunt via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 29-27)

The post Curtis Blaydes Survives & Controls Mark Hunt appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

UFC 221 Fight Card: PPV Schedule, Odds and Predictions for Romero vs. Rockhold

As is the story with most UFC pay-per-view cards, something has to go wrong. And UFC 221 is no exception.
In addition to this main card losing its main event a few weeks back after interim (or undisputed?) middleweight champion Robert Whittaker was for…

As is the story with most UFC pay-per-view cards, something has to go wrong. And UFC 221 is no exception.

In addition to this main card losing its main event a few weeks back after interim (or undisputed?) middleweight champion Robert Whittaker was forced to withdraw, the man who replaced him (Yoel Romero) missed weight Friday, tipping the scales at 187.7 pounds after two attempts to reach the 185-pound limit.

Romero is no longer eligible to win the interim title, but his opponent (Luke Rockhold) is.

It’s not the most star-studded of cards, but UFC 221 has a lot of fun fights throughout, including the co-main event featuring heavyweights Mark Hunt and Curtis Blaydes.

Here’s a rundown of the night’s action from Perth Arena in Perth, Australia:

     

Main Card (PPV at 10 p.m. ET)

Yoel Romero (+120) vs. Luke Rockhold (-150)—interim middleweight title fight

Mark Hunt (+135) vs. Curtis Blaydes (-165)—heavyweight

Tai Tuivasa (-300) vs. Cyril Asker (+230)—heavyweight

Jake Matthews (+155) vs. Li Jingliang (-190)—welterweight

Tyson Pedro (-280) vs. Saparbek Safarov (+220)—light heavyweight

     

Prelims (Fox Sports 1 at 8 p.m. ET)

Damien Brown (+130) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (-160)—lightweight

Rob Wilkinson (+235) vs. Israel Adesanya (-305)—middleweight

Alexander Volkanovski (-185) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (+150)—featherweight

Jussier Formiga (-125) vs. Ben Nguyen (-105)—flyweight

     

Prelims (Fight Pass at 6:30 p.m. ET)

Ross Pearson (-150) vs. Mizuto Hirota (+120)—lightweight

Teruto Ishihara (+175) vs. Jose Quinonez (-225)—bantamweight

Luke Jumeau (+115) vs. Daichi Abe (-145)—welterweight

Odds via OddsShark.

     

Predictions

Co-Main Event

Mark Hunt told MMAjunkie’s Mike Bohn and John Morgan earlier this week that he’s done fighting in the UFC once his contract is up because he hasn’t “had a good run.” In truth, Hunt hasn’t had the greatest UFC career since joining the organization from PRIDE but has still been a big draw for a lot of fight fans.

From walk-off knockouts to hard-fought, gritty bouts, Hunt has done it all in his career. And Saturday night (Sunday in Australia), he faces a younger, more athletic, heavy-handed fighter in Blaydes who is looking to make a name for himself in the heavyweight division.

After losing to Francis Ngannou a couple of years back, Blaydes has been on a tear, winning three straight fights, not including a no-contest against Adam Milstead. A dangerous wrestler, Blaydes can also knock out anyone once he connects with a combination.

Against a guy like Hunt, Blaydes will have his opportunities to strike, as Hunt isn’t afraid to use an iron chin to walk down his opponent and trade shots. After all, one punch from Hunt could be lights-out.

But Hunt won’t have the opportunity he’ll be looking for because Blaydes won’t play into his hand. Look for Blaydes to secure takedowns with regularity and bring this fight to the canvas. Blaydes won’t be able to finish Hunt in the first or second round but should be able to get a stoppage in the third if his cardio keeps up.

Prediction: Blaydes defeats Hunt via TKO (punches) in the third round.

     

Main Event

Yoel Romero vs. Luke Rockhold

For as exciting as this fight may be on paper, don’t expect the all-out war we all want to see.

Romero is an exciting, explosive fighter with unbelievable grappling, but Rockhold has a very high fight IQ and won’t let Romero ragdoll him across the Octagon.

Rockhold is on a mission to get his belt back after losing it to Michael Bisping, sending the middleweight division into chaos. But now that he’s focused and not underestimating his opponents anymore, Rockhold is the most-feared fighter in the division when healthy.

Romero will look to bring this fight to the ground and not have to compete with Rockhold’s stand-up. But Rockhold should be able to avoid Romero’s advances with his kicks and create distance between them.

Once Rockhold gets Romer’s timing down, he’ll shoot for a takedown and use his dominant top game to control Romero and look to submit him from full mount.

Rockhold’s grappling is extremely underrated, and he’ll put on a show Saturday night against Romero, securing a rear-naked choke in the fourth round once Romero becomes too tired to ward off Rockhold’s attacks.

Prediction: Rockhold defeats Romero via submission (rear-naked choke) in the fourth round.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 221: Romero vs. Rockhold Fight Card, TV Info, Predictions and More

Despite a champion withdrawing from injury and a potential champion missing on the scales, UFC 221 will go on with a killer main event in the middleweight division. 
Middleweight champion Robert Whittaker was forced off the card due to illness. Yo…

Despite a champion withdrawing from injury and a potential champion missing on the scales, UFC 221 will go on with a killer main event in the middleweight division. 

Middleweight champion Robert Whittaker was forced off the card due to illness. Yoel Romero, his replacement, missed weight and won’t be competing for the interim title, but the fans in Perth, Australia, are still going to be treated to a fight between two of the elite fighters at 185 pounds (er, well 187.7 pounds for Romero). 

Paving the way before that bout will be a pair of heavyweight bouts. “Super Samoan” Mark Hunt will look to keep beating Father Time when he takes on Curtis Blaydes in the co-main event. Australian native Tai Tuivasa will get an opportunity to showcase his skills in front of a home crowd against Cyril Asker. 

It’s a card that isn’t marked by the biggest of names, but it should be a fun night of competitive fights. 

Here’s a look at the complete card along with the biggest storylines to watch for in the evening:

Odds via OddsShark. 

       

Main Card (PPV at 10 p.m. ET)

  • Yoel Romero (+120) vs. Luke Rockhold (-150)—interim middleweight title fight
  • Mark Hunt (+135) vs. Curtis Blaydes (-165)—heavyweight
  • Tai Tuivasa (-300) vs. Cyril Asker (+230)—heavyweight
  • Jake Matthews (+155) vs. Li Jingliang (-190)—welterweight
  • Tyson Pedro (-280) vs. Saparbek Safarov (+220)—light heavyweight

Prelims (Fox Sports 1 at 8 p.m. ET)

  • Damien Brown (+130) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (-160)—lightweight
  • Rob Wilkinson (+235) vs. Israel Adesanya (-305)—middleweight
  • Alexander Volkanovski (-185) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (+150)—featherweight
  • Jussier Formiga (-125) vs. Ben Nguyen (-105)—flyweight

Prelims (Fight Pass at 6:30 p.m. ET)

  • Ross Pearson (-150) vs. Mizuto Hirota (+120)—lightweight
  • Teruto Ishihara (+175) vs. Jose Quinonez (-225)—bantamweight
  • Luke Jumeau (+115) vs. Daichi Abe (-145)—welterweight

       

Storylines to Watch

Is Luke Rockhold Still Among the Best Middleweights?

Not too long ago, it appeared that Luke Rockhold was ready to rule the middleweight division with a smoldering fist. 

An emphatic fourth-round TKO victory over then-champion Chris Weidman had him holding the belt. The win capped a five-fight win streak in which he finished every opponent and looked nearly invincible. 

Then Michael Bisping happened. 

What appeared to be one of the more lopsided championship fights in recent memory quickly turned into a sobering moment for Rockhold. Bisping shocked the world with a first-round knockout to become the champion in the twilight of his career. 

Rockhold has fought just once then beating David Branch in the second round of a fight in September 2017. Branch was competitive in the first round, even outlanding him in the first round, according to FightMetric. 

Now Rockhold will be looking across the cage at Yoel Romero. Romero isn’t David Branch. 

Romero’s only loss in the last five years was to Whittaker in a fight that was extremely close. Romero’s athleticism, wrestling and power will give Rockhold a true test to see if he’s shaken off the loss to Bisping and recaptured the confidence and swagger that made him difficult to beat. 

Prediction: Romero via third-round TKO

       

Can Mark Hunt Continue to Stifle Up-and-Comers?

Derrick Lewis was the next up-and-comer to break into the top echelon of the UFC’s heavyweight division. 

Then he wasn’t. 

That’s what happens when fighters run into the crafty, explosive punches of Mark Hunt. At 43 years old, the New Zealand-native is still knocking out fighters much younger than himself and plans to keep on doing so. 

“After the three fights with the UFC, I’d like to fight globally three more times and then retire. Hang it up,” Hunt said regarding retirement, per Mike Bohn and John Morgan of MMAjunkie. “I want to go out there in my best shape ever and compete. I feel like I can compete still with these young guys, even though they’re half my age.”

At 26 years old, Blaydes isn’t quite half Hunt’s age, but it’s close enough. The former NJCAA national champion wrestler is looking to break into that upper echelon of a division that is still marked by a lot of legacy names such as Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum and Hunt. 

Blaydes will have a decided wrestling advantage, which has proved to be a kryptonite for the Super Samoan. However, utilizing his wrestling means covering the distance that it takes to dive into the clinch or shoot for a takedown, and that’s where Hunt can hurt anyone. 

Watching Blaydes manage the danger of closing distance and Hunt try to put down one more prospect will be an intriguing battle to keep an eye on.

Prediction: Blaydes via unanimous decision

       

Will Tai Tuivasa Make a Name for Himself?

The heavyweight division is unusually hot right now. With the Stipe Miocic-Francis Ngannou fight receiving more attention than any heavyweight championship fight in recent memory, the UFC’s biggest division has some momentum. 

Tai Tuivasa has the ability to take advantage of that by putting his skills on display in front of a pay-per-view audience Saturday night. 

Tuivasa made an impression in his UFC debut. He doesn’t have the build of an Ngannou, but he displayed some serious athleticism with a flying-knee TKO of Rashad Coulter. The fast track to a pay-per-view offering shows the UFC was impressed, too. 

All of Tuivasa’s six wins in his pro career have come in the first round. His fastest knockout took just nine seconds and it sounds like that’s the kind of effort he’d like to repeat. 

“I’m going to try to keep it bare-minimum,” Tuivasa said, per Bohn and Morgan of MMAjunkie. “Get in there, get out of there. As soon as I get it done, then I’m off to the bar.”

It doesn’t take much to get to the top of the pecking order in the heavyweight division. With Tuivasa’s personality, power and penchant for excitement in the cage, it might not be long before he’s in the title picture and a win against Asker might be the launching point for that run. 

Prediction: Tuivasa via first-round TKO

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Mark Hunt Plans to Fight Elsewhere Once UFC Contract is up

Don’t expect Mark Hunt to re-sign with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) once his contract is up. Tomorrow night (Feb. 10), Hunt will do battle with Curtis Blaydes. The heavyweight clash will serve as UFC 221’s co-main event. The act…

Don’t expect Mark Hunt to re-sign with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) once his contract is up. Tomorrow night (Feb. 10), Hunt will do battle with Curtis Blaydes. The heavyweight clash will serve as UFC 221’s co-main event. The action will be held in Perth, Australia. It’s no secret that Hunt has butted heads with […]