This evening’s (Sat., March 3, 2018) UFC 222 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, delivered in every sense of the term, with three hyped potential future stars picking up victories capped off by a classic win from an all-time great champion. In the main event, women’s featherweight champ Cris Cyborg stopped Yana Kunitskaya after […]
This evening’s (Sat., March 3, 2018) UFC 222 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, delivered in every sense of the term, with three hyped potential future stars picking up victories capped off by a classic win from an all-time great champion.
Cris Cyborg made short work of an aggressive Yana Kunitskaya. Featherweight bruisers took the stage in the main event of UFC 222. Cyborg put her women’s featherweight title on the line against Kunitskaya. The championship tilt served as UFC 222’s main event. Cyborg immediately moved forward and landed a right hand. Kunitskaya got the takedown […]
Cris Cyborg made short work of an aggressive Yana Kunitskaya.
Featherweight bruisers took the stage in the main event of UFC 222. Cyborg put her women’s featherweight title on the line against Kunitskaya. The championship tilt served as UFC 222’s main event.
Cyborg immediately moved forward and landed a right hand. Kunitskaya got the takedown and tried to take the back. Cyborg stood up and tied up her opponent. They traded knees to the body with Kunitskaya in the dominant position.
Cyborg landed a knee to the body and powered her way out. A left hand dropped Kunitskaya. Cyborg grabbed a leg and knocked her opponent down again with a right hand. Some ground-and-pound and the fight was over.
Final Result: Cris Cyborg def. Yana Kunitskaya via TKO (strikes) – R1, 3:25
Sean O’Malley defeated Andre Soukhamthath, but he didn’t leave unscathed. Rising bantamweight O’Malley was in for a tough test against Soukhamthath on the main card of UFC 222. The two did battle inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Early in the fight, Soukhamthath looked to move a bit gingerly on his left leg. […]
Sean O’Malley defeated Andre Soukhamthath, but he didn’t leave unscathed.
Rising bantamweight O’Malley was in for a tough test against Soukhamthath on the main card of UFC 222. The two did battle inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Early in the fight, Soukhamthath looked to move a bit gingerly on his left leg. He landed a right hand. O’Malley went for a wheel kick. He landed an outside leg kick that briefly sent his opponent to the canvas. O’Malley connected clean with a kick as Soukhamthath went for the clinch. O’Malley dropped his opponent with a right hand. A head kick had Soukhamthath wobbled near the end of the round.
Soukhamthath swung for the fences early in round two. A left hand was there for O’Malley. Soukhamthath was able to take down his opponent. O’Malley went for a triangle and landed elbows. He transitioned into an arm bar, but Soukhamthath slipped out.
O’Malley locked in a guillotine choke, but Soukhamthath rolled out and gave up position. O’Malley kicked his opponents arms while he was down, which is legal. O’Malley went for a rear-naked choke near the end of the round.
Soukhamthath moved forward and went for a takedown. O’Malley thwarted the attempt. A front kick to the body was there for O’Malley. Soukhamthath sensed O’Malley’s leg was hurt and took him down. He tried going for a choke, but nothing doing. O’Malley got back up and hobbled on one foot. He was taken back down and winced in pain. A spinning elbow was there for O’Malley. The final horn sounded and Soukhamthath blew a huge opportunity by refusing to stand up.
After the fight, O’Malley was in severe pain. He had to lay on his back while doing the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan.
Final Result: Sean O’Malley def. Andre Soukhamthath via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-28)
Ketlen Vieira was almost robbed in Las Vegas, but she was able to earn the win over Cat Zingano. For the first time since 2016, Zingano made her way to the Octagon. She did battle with Vieira on the main card of UFC 222. The action took place inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, […]
Ketlen Vieira was almost robbed in Las Vegas, but she was able to earn the win over Cat Zingano.
For the first time since 2016, Zingano made her way to the Octagon. She did battle with Vieira on the main card of UFC 222. The action took place inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Zingano got things underway with a leg kick. Vieira landed a right hand followed by a knee to the body. She landed an elbow on the break. Zingano connected with a right hand. A knee to the body was there for Zingano. Vieira was able to counter her opponent and stuffed a takedown. She was able to score a takedown with a little over one minute to go in the opening frame.
Vieira scored a judo throw early in the second stanza. She went for an arm trianglebut Zingano was able to break free of the hold. Vieira remained in control. Vieira stood in control for the remainder of the round.
Zingano fired away at the start of the final frame. She connected with a right hand. Vieira checked a kick and Zigano hobbled on her foot. Vieira was able to gain top control as a result. Despite her injury, Zingano popped up and klanded a knee to the body. The action in the clinch was broken up. Zingano moved forward with strikes. Vieira thwarted the attack by pushing her opponent against the fence until the final horn sounded.
The score totals were read and somehow one judge gave the fight to Zingano. Luckily, the other two judges used common sense.
Final Result: Ketlen Vieira def. Cat Zingano via split decision (29-28. 28-29, 29-28)
It’s once again fight day here at LowKickMMA, and the talent on display tonight (Saturday, March 3, 2018) will come from in the form of UFC 222. Headlining the card are Cris Cyborg and Yana Kunitskaya, but there’s a whole bunch of great fights also taking place on the preliminary section of the card. Mackenzie […]
It’s once again fight day here at LowKickMMA, and the talent on display tonight (Saturday, March 3, 2018) will come from in the form of UFC 222. Headlining the card are Cris Cyborg and Yana Kunitskaya, but there’s a whole bunch of great fights also taking place on the preliminary section of the card.
Mackenzie Dern vs. Ashley Yoder in a women’s strawweight bout closes the preliminary card on FOX Sports 1 in what should be an interesting fight.
Beneil Dariush vs. Alexander Hernandez is next in a lightweight bout.
John Dodson vs. Pedro Munhoz is next in a bantamweight bout.
C.B. Dollaway vs. Hector Lombard in a middleweight bout opens the FOX Sports 1 preliminary card.
Mike Pyle vs. Zak Ottow in a welterweight bout finishes off the UFC Fight Pass preliminary card.
Bryan Caraway vs. Cody Stamann is next in a bantamweight bout.
Opening the UFC Fight Pass prelims is Jordan Johnson vs. Adam Milstead in a light heavyweight bout. In round 1, good body shot from Johnson as well, and he’s catching Milstead stepping in. Milstead throwing heat though. Johnson stuffed and he’s having to eat serious shots as his game gets going. Finally closes the clinch and gets to the single leg. Chaining now, but Milstead defending. Milstead lands a hard elbow inside and forces the clinch break. So far this fight is going as well as possible for Milstead. In round 2, counter uppercut from Milstead, but he slipped going forward. Johnson ties him up in the clinch. Johnson working the trip against the cage, but Milstead being a bit too strong for Johnson to catch out with a bodylock or single leg. Johnson going double to single but slides up to a body lock, just not getting deep enough on anything. Milstead with a trio of hard right hands in dirty boxing range. Hard rights from Milstead again, but he finally got too squared up and Johnson hit the counter double to drag him down. Now Johnson’s in ride, where he can do his best work. Milstead able to scramble up, Johnson pecking away at the legs with punches. In round 3, left hook lands for Milstead as Johnson enters behind the jab. Huge right hand from Milstead stumbles Johnson who shoots in and pushes the clinch. Milstead breaks back to space. Big right hand from Milstead. Johnson just hasn’t found any way to enter wrestling range without eating punches. Johnson flurries forward and enters a single leg to push Milstead to the fence, then backs off to space. The judges gave the win to Johnson.
Here are the results:
PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX Sports 1/8 p.m. ET)
Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern vs. Ashley Yoder
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush vs. Alexander Hernandez
Bantamweight: John Dodson vs. Pedro Munhoz
Middleweight: C.B. Dollaway vs. Hector Lombard
PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass/6:30 p.m. ET)
Welterweight: Mike Pyle vs. Zak Ottow
Bantamweight: Bryan Caraway vs. Cody Stamann
Light Heavyweight: Jordan Johnson def. Adam Milstead via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)
In a few hours, tonight’s (Sat., March 3, 2018) UFC 222 will begin from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s not the most star-studded card by any means, and it even lost its main event when featherweight champ Max Holloway was forced out of his anticipated showdown with Frankie Edgar, a bout that was […]
In a few hours, tonight’s (Sat., March 3, 2018) UFC 222 will begin from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It’s not the most star-studded card by any means, and it even lost its main event when featherweight champ Max Holloway was forced out of his anticipated showdown with Frankie Edgar, a bout that was replaced by an impromptu women’s featherweight match-up between champ Cris Cyborg and Yana Yunitskaya.
‘The Answer’ stayed on the card as well, taking a huge risk in facing surging contender Brian Ortega in a co-main event where his reward will be the positioning he already had. It’s a great fight, the legend vs. upstart cliché at the highest level and an under-the-radar candidate for the most compelling match-up of 2018 thus far. Unfortunately, however, that almost certainly won’t add up to a high number of pay-per-view buys alone in the currently fickle, MMA-swamped climate.
But UFC 222 isn’t only about time-honored and battle-tested vets like Cyborg and Edgar – far from it, in fact.
The event from top to bottom is a showcase of hyped-up young talent that could represent the future of the UFC in the form of potential stars in Ortega, bantamweight Sean O’Malley, and women’s strawweight Mackenzie Dern.
And the UFC needs new stars.
Following a banner 2016 where Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey propelled the promotion to an unheard-of string of million-plus pay-per-view buys, the company was sold to Endeavor (formerly WME-IMG) and has since sunk to a concerning valley of low numbers on both pay and cable television.
I won’t delve into the details, some in Endeavor’s control and some out of, of why that has happened – much of the MMA world, including myself, has been guilty of harping too much on the supposed demise of the UFC and MMA as a whole to the point we may not appreciate the crop of insanely amazing, hard-working, and talented fighters we have competing right before our very eyes.
UFC 222 is a showcase of just that, one the likes of which fans rarely get treated to because it’s so difficult to have go off without a hitch.
Photo: Kyle Terada for USA TODAY Sports
Ortega has won five straight bouts after a no contest due to a failed drug test in his first Octagon appearance; the Gracie jiu-jitsu product steadily dispatched an improving caliber of talent by way of submission and T/KO in a manner we rarely find.
True, he’s hittable as we’ve seen in a few of his recent bouts, namely his scintillating submission over top-ranked veteran Cub Swanson in his last fight. He can also snatch a fight-ending hold on the best literally out of thin air, as we saw in his scintillating submission over Swanson. Ortega is fully deserving of his Top 3 ranking.
He’s also a man with a focus on philanthropy after having risen above a potential life of gangs, so the California-based Ortega is a refreshing, unique personality who could become a champion unlike we’ve ever seen.
Stephen R. Sylvanie for USA TODAY Sports
O’Malley, a lithe bantamweight who first made his debut with a first-round knockout on ‘Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series,’ is a much different kind of prospect.
The brash young knockout artist then won his official debut by unanimous decision over Terrion Ware at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 26 Finale in December.
He’ll now face Andre Soukhamthath in his second UFC match-up, and he has future star written all over him. He’s confident, even cocky, and his accurate striking style makes ‘Suga’ just the kind of fighter fans will pay to see compete.
Dern needs nary an introduction.
The daughter of Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Wellington “Megaton” Dias, Dern is one of few grapplers to defeat Gabi Garcia in the gi, and has transitioned well into MMA so far with an undefeated 5-0 record. She’ll now fight in the big leagues when she meets Ashley Yoder in the featured preliminary bout at UFC 222.
That could start tonight, and the entirety of MMA will be watching to see if the Dern hype train will truly kick into high gear in 2018.
All of it adds up to UFC 222 being a rare, exciting card where the potential future stars of MMA are competing, even if it doesn’t break the bank in terms of PPV buys. These three competitors have so much talent and charisma that it could be said Ortega, O’Malley, and Dern will still become future stars in the UFC no matter if they win or lose at UFC 222.
After such a down period, the sport needs them and fighters just like them, and that’s why this card is so special.
Take a break from the oft-discussed downfall of MMA, look at the card, sit back, and enjoy a night that could possibly be referenced as the starting point of something special.
