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On Saturday night, the MMA leader returned for its latest Fight Night offering, UFC Vegas 69.
After a trip to Australia for a blockbuster pay-per-view, which was topped by two championship contests and a battle between the pound-for-pound best fighters in the promotion, it was back down to Earth this week for a low-key event that certainly fell short in terms of name value — and that’s even by the usual standard of Apex cards.
But although the stakes weren’t particularly high through fights one to 10, which saw the absence of even a single ranked athlete, the main event promised to provide a sizable cherry on top of whatever cake the likes of Zac Pauga, Jim Miller, and Mayra Bueno Silva baked.
Having had planned opponent Taila Santos withdraw, Erin Blanchfield looked to make the transition from flyweight’s hottest prospect to legitimate title contender at the expense of former UFC strawweight champion Jéssica Andrade, who was hoping to make it two for two on her list of 2023 exploits.
So, were we treated to an entertaining night of fights and the kind of intriguing headliner most were expecting? Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC Vegas 69.
Some honorable mentions: Clayton Carpenter’s impressive debut submission win (positive), Mayra Bueno Silva’s latest climb up the bantamweight rankings (positive), Jim Miller and Alexander Hernandez’s three-round war (positive), and main card heavyweight slop (always negative).
Positive – Club & Sub
Want a knockout? Also want a submission? Get yourself a club & sub.
Last week’s edition of this best-of-both-worlds finishing sequence came courtesy of rising welterweight Jack Della Maddalena, who swatted Randy Brown down before eventually locking in a rear-naked choke for a quick victory at UFC 284.
At UFC Vegas 69, AJ Fletcher dabbled in the well-rounded art, clubbing Themba Gorimbo with an elbow before capitalizing on a level change that appeared forced thanks to the damage done by the thunderous shot.
From there, the Zimbabwean debutant found himself stuck in a tight guillotine, and despite his attempts to force an escape, the tap was academic — so much so, it came twice.
On the mic, Fletcher also provided a free lesson on why a reach advantage isn’t the be-all and end-all, having provided a practical demonstration of that moments earlier.
Positive – Blitzkrieg
In the third fight of the night, the air-raid sirens echoed around the Apex. Unfortunately for Ovince Saint Preux, he didn’t make it to the shelter in time.
Saturday was one of, if not the, roughest outings in the Octagon for one of the most recognizable names at light heavyweight. Fans have been without a dose of “OSP” violence since he brutally slept Alonzo Menifield in 2020. This time, his fight had violence all right… thanks to Philipe Lins.
It took 49 seconds for the Brazilian to deliver perhaps the most emphatic beating of Saint Preux’s career. The beginning of the end came when Lins landed a straight shot that sent his foe’s jaw swinging. From there, the former Strikeforce vet and one-time UFC title challenger ate bomb after bomb until one eventually sent him down.
In that sense, the bout was sad to watch. While it’s been a while since “OSP” has impressed, with his victory over Maurício Rua last year marking one of the 2022’s worst fights, this felt like the first time that the end has truly appeared nigh for the 39-year-old.
For Lins, though, the result marked a long-awaited display of the finishing instincts he showed by tearing through the competition to win the 2018 PFL heavyweight tournament.
While it took four attempts, the true “Monstro” may have just arrived.
Negative – Sean Strickland Was Right…
I never thought the day where I’d be crediting Sean Strickland‘s words would come. Nonetheless, here we are, and I imagine the apocalypse can’t be far behind.
Earlier in the week, Strickland reacted to a bit of math from fellow fighter Ian Heinisch, who implied the UFC is tough to get into based on dividing the number of athletes on the roster from the overall population (yep, I know…). In response, “Tarzan” pointed out the flaws in that calculation before claiming that the promotion is relatively easy to reach compared to the highest levels of other sports.
And to prove the point, enter Khusein Askhabov.
The previously undefeated Russian faced Jamall Emmers on Saturday’s preliminary card. On paper, the newcomer boasted a 23-0 record with 16 finishes. But with a deeper look, a questionable collection of opponents come to light.
The topic of padded records is a prominent one right now as Tommy Fury gears up to box Jake Paul. Both the YouTuber-turned-boxer and renowned trainer Teddy Atlas have branded the Brit’s past opponents as ‘cab drivers’, and bad ones at that.
It seems Askhabov has been getting lifts from the same taxi service.
In his first time on the global stage against UFC competition, “Nohcho” largely sank. His decision loss to Emmers wasn’t totally one-sided, and he did provide some memorable scrambles and a head kick from his back, but it was clear that we weren’t witnessing a true 23-0 fighter.
So what did get the Russian to the UFC? Is it as simple as the promotion’s recruiters not looking beyond the record? Did Askhabov’s (totally legitimate and naturally gained) four million Instagram followers play a part?
If the UFC’s signing of Askhabov and some others, such as Askar Mozharov (remember him? The three-name Ukrainian who fraudulently built his record only to get beat down in one round?), tells us anything, it’s that the highest levels of MMA certainly don’t require the credentials and legitimate graft as any other sport.
The man who showers with guns was right, it seems.
Why should never believe statistics? Everything about this factually inaccurate and either a sign of a liar or CTE. You would only take people seeking UFC and you could even narrow it down by other factors. Result it is pretty easy to get in the ufc compared to all other sports pic.twitter.com/siqCHraUJr— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) February 16, 2023
Negative – A Tough Break
I’m not sure there’s ever an easy way to have a certain victory on the scorecards ripped away in the final round, something I imagine Kamaru Usman, Israel Adesanya, and Glover Teixeira could all attest to after 2022.
But to have a cut force an end after being 20-18 up on all three scorecards? Ouch.
That unfortunate fate was met by Evan Elder at UFC Vegas 69. After falling short on his UFC debut whilst fighting at welterweight, “The Phenom” returned to his natural home of lightweight to welcome Nazim Sadykhov to the Octagon.
Together, the pair put on a memorable battle, during which both men landed clean and found success on the feet. While it was close and competitive, it seemed likely heading into the final round that Elder simply had to reach the final horn for a first UFC win.
Ultimately, the 25-year-old American failed to do so, but certainly not of his own volition. Early in the final frame, a nasty cut was opened above Elder’s right eye, and the cageside physician understandably put an end to the contest.
While the decision to stop the bout was certainly justifiable, it was hard not to feel disappointed that an entertaining featured prelim didn’t reach a satisfying conclusion.
Negative – William Knight
You’d be hard-pressed to find a worse performance inside the Octagon than William Knight’s at UFC Vegas 69. At the very least, no one has competed with as little care, effort, and desire to fight.
For three rounds, Knight walked around the edge of the Octagon, flat-footed, shrugging, and not event attempting to battle Marcin Prachnio. Meanwhile, the Polish light heavyweight kicked his way to the easiest victory he’ll score in his MMA career.
It’s hard to find the right adjective to describe the bout. But when a professional fighter enters the cage in the sport’s premier promotion and quits before the contest has begun, ’embarrassing’ comes to mind.
Who knows the reasons behind Knight’s display, but it reeked of someone who no longer wants to be on the roster and entered the Apex for one final UFC payday.
Suffice to say, we won’t be seeing him in the Octagon again.
Positive – The Future
The future of the women’s flyweight division was well and truly on display in the UFC Vegas 69 main event.
After three rounds against Lauren Murphy last month at UFC 283, if you’d have told me that Jéssica Andrade would get pieced up on the feet by Erin Blanchfield a month later, I’d have called you crazy.
Even before the fight-ending sequence, Blanchfield displayed wrinkles to her game that had yet to grace the Octagon. And after a strong striking round, “Cold Blooded” patiently awaited the opportunity to take “Bate Estaca” down.
When she did, the ease with which Blanchfield passed to side control and locked in a rear-naked choke as Andrade scrambled to escape was frightening. To do that on short notice against a former champion who excelled against two top contenders in her most recent fights shows the level Blanchfield is at.
If it needs saying, that should be a level close enough to Valentina Shevchenko to give the longtime 125-pound queen something serious to think about if she gets past Alexa Grasso.
What were your positives and negatives from UFC Vegas 69?
On Saturday night, the MMA leader returned for its latest Fight Night offering, UFC Vegas 69.
After a trip to Australia for a blockbuster pay-per-view, which was topped by two championship contests and a battle between the pound-for-pound best fighters in the promotion, it was back down to Earth this week for a low-key event that certainly fell short in terms of name value — and that’s even by the usual standard of Apex cards.
But although the stakes weren’t particularly high through fights one to 10, which saw the absence of even a single ranked athlete, the main event promised to provide a sizable cherry on top of whatever cake the likes of Zac Pauga, Jim Miller, and Mayra Bueno Silva baked.
Having had planned opponent Taila Santos withdraw, Erin Blanchfield looked to make the transition from flyweight’s hottest prospect to legitimate title contender at the expense of former UFC strawweight champion Jéssica Andrade, who was hoping to make it two for two on her list of 2023 exploits.
So, were we treated to an entertaining night of fights and the kind of intriguing headliner most were expecting? Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC Vegas 69.
Some honorable mentions: Clayton Carpenter’s impressive debut submission win (positive), Mayra Bueno Silva’s latest climb up the bantamweight rankings (positive), Jim Miller and Alexander Hernandez’s three-round war (positive), and main card heavyweight slop (always negative).
Positive – Club & Sub
Want a knockout? Also want a submission? Get yourself a club & sub.
Last week’s edition of this best-of-both-worlds finishing sequence came courtesy of rising welterweight Jack Della Maddalena, who swatted Randy Brown down before eventually locking in a rear-naked choke for a quick victory at UFC 284.
At UFC Vegas 69, AJ Fletcher dabbled in the well-rounded art, clubbing Themba Gorimbo with an elbow before capitalizing on a level change that appeared forced thanks to the damage done by the thunderous shot.
From there, the Zimbabwean debutant found himself stuck in a tight guillotine, and despite his attempts to force an escape, the tap was academic — so much so, it came twice.
On the mic, Fletcher also provided a free lesson on why a reach advantage isn’t the be-all and end-all, having provided a practical demonstration of that moments earlier.
Positive – Blitzkrieg
In the third fight of the night, the air-raid sirens echoed around the Apex. Unfortunately for Ovince Saint Preux, he didn’t make it to the shelter in time.
Saturday was one of, if not the, roughest outings in the Octagon for one of the most recognizable names at light heavyweight. Fans have been without a dose of “OSP” violence since he brutally slept Alonzo Menifield in 2020. This time, his fight had violence all right… thanks to Philipe Lins.
It took 49 seconds for the Brazilian to deliver perhaps the most emphatic beating of Saint Preux’s career. The beginning of the end came when Lins landed a straight shot that sent his foe’s jaw swinging. From there, the former Strikeforce vet and one-time UFC title challenger ate bomb after bomb until one eventually sent him down.
In that sense, the bout was sad to watch. While it’s been a while since “OSP” has impressed, with his victory over Maurício Rua last year marking one of the 2022’s worst fights, this felt like the first time that the end has truly appeared nigh for the 39-year-old.
For Lins, though, the result marked a long-awaited display of the finishing instincts he showed by tearing through the competition to win the 2018 PFL heavyweight tournament.
While it took four attempts, the true “Monstro” may have just arrived.
Negative – Sean Strickland Was Right…
I never thought the day where I’d be crediting Sean Strickland‘s words would come. Nonetheless, here we are, and I imagine the apocalypse can’t be far behind.
Earlier in the week, Strickland reacted to a bit of math from fellow fighter Ian Heinisch, who implied the UFC is tough to get into based on dividing the number of athletes on the roster from the overall population (yep, I know…). In response, “Tarzan” pointed out the flaws in that calculation before claiming that the promotion is relatively easy to reach compared to the highest levels of other sports.
And to prove the point, enter Khusein Askhabov.
The previously undefeated Russian faced Jamall Emmers on Saturday’s preliminary card. On paper, the newcomer boasted a 23-0 record with 16 finishes. But with a deeper look, a questionable collection of opponents come to light.
The topic of padded records is a prominent one right now as Tommy Fury gears up to box Jake Paul. Both the YouTuber-turned-boxer and renowned trainer Teddy Atlas have branded the Brit’s past opponents as ‘cab drivers’, and bad ones at that.
It seems Askhabov has been getting lifts from the same taxi service.
In his first time on the global stage against UFC competition, “Nohcho” largely sank. His decision loss to Emmers wasn’t totally one-sided, and he did provide some memorable scrambles and a head kick from his back, but it was clear that we weren’t witnessing a true 23-0 fighter.
So what did get the Russian to the UFC? Is it as simple as the promotion’s recruiters not looking beyond the record? Did Askhabov’s (totally legitimate and naturally gained) four million Instagram followers play a part?
If the UFC’s signing of Askhabov and some others, such as Askar Mozharov (remember him? The three-name Ukrainian who fraudulently built his record only to get beat down in one round?), tells us anything, it’s that the highest levels of MMA certainly don’t require the credentials and legitimate graft as any other sport.
The man who showers with guns was right, it seems.
Why should never believe statistics? Everything about this factually inaccurate and either a sign of a liar or CTE. You would only take people seeking UFC and you could even narrow it down by other factors. Result it is pretty easy to get in the ufc compared to all other sports pic.twitter.com/siqCHraUJr
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) February 16, 2023[/quote]
Negative – A Tough Break
I’m not sure there’s ever an easy way to have a certain victory on the scorecards ripped away in the final round, something I imagine Kamaru Usman, Israel Adesanya, and Glover Teixeira could all attest to after 2022.
But to have a cut force an end after being 20-18 up on all three scorecards? Ouch.
That unfortunate fate was met by Evan Elder at UFC Vegas 69. After falling short on his UFC debut whilst fighting at welterweight, “The Phenom” returned to his natural home of lightweight to welcome Nazim Sadykhov to the Octagon.
Together, the pair put on a memorable battle, during which both men landed clean and found success on the feet. While it was close and competitive, it seemed likely heading into the final round that Elder simply had to reach the final horn for a first UFC win.
Ultimately, the 25-year-old American failed to do so, but certainly not of his own volition. Early in the final frame, a nasty cut was opened above Elder’s right eye, and the cageside physician understandably put an end to the contest.
While the decision to stop the bout was certainly justifiable, it was hard not to feel disappointed that an entertaining featured prelim didn’t reach a satisfying conclusion.
Negative – William Knight
You’d be hard-pressed to find a worse performance inside the Octagon than William Knight’s at UFC Vegas 69. At the very least, no one has competed with as little care, effort, and desire to fight.
For three rounds, Knight walked around the edge of the Octagon, flat-footed, shrugging, and not event attempting to battle Marcin Prachnio. Meanwhile, the Polish light heavyweight kicked his way to the easiest victory he’ll score in his MMA career.
It’s hard to find the right adjective to describe the bout. But when a professional fighter enters the cage in the sport’s premier promotion and quits before the contest has begun, ’embarrassing’ comes to mind.
Who knows the reasons behind Knight’s display, but it reeked of someone who no longer wants to be on the roster and entered the Apex for one final UFC payday.
Suffice to say, we won’t be seeing him in the Octagon again.
Positive – The Future
The future of the women’s flyweight division was well and truly on display in the UFC Vegas 69 main event.
After three rounds against Lauren Murphy last month at UFC 283, if you’d have told me that Jéssica Andrade would get pieced up on the feet by Erin Blanchfield a month later, I’d have called you crazy.
Even before the fight-ending sequence, Blanchfield displayed wrinkles to her game that had yet to grace the Octagon. And after a strong striking round, “Cold Blooded” patiently awaited the opportunity to take “Bate Estaca” down.
When she did, the ease with which Blanchfield passed to side control and locked in a rear-naked choke as Andrade scrambled to escape was frightening. To do that on short notice against a former champion who excelled against two top contenders in her most recent fights shows the level Blanchfield is at.
If it needs saying, that should be a level close enough to Valentina Shevchenko to give the longtime 125-pound queen something serious to think about if she gets past Alexa Grasso.
What were your positives and negatives from UFC Vegas 69?
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After a trip to Australia for a blockbuster pay-per-view, which was topped by two championship contests and a battle between the pound-for-pound best fighters in the promotion, it was back down to Earth this week for a low-key event that certainly fell short in terms of name value — and that’s even by the usual standard of Apex cards.
But although the stakes weren’t particularly high through fights one to 10, which saw the absence of even a single ranked athlete, the main event promised to provide a sizable cherry on top of whatever cake the likes of Zac Pauga, Jim Miller, and Mayra Bueno Silva baked.
Having had planned opponent Taila Santos withdraw, Erin Blanchfield looked to make the transition from flyweight’s hottest prospect to legitimate title contender at the expense of former UFC strawweight champion Jéssica Andrade, who was hoping to make it two for two on her list of 2023 exploits.
So, were we treated to an entertaining night of fights and the kind of intriguing headliner most were expecting? Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC Vegas 69.
Some honorable mentions: Clayton Carpenter’s impressive debut submission win (positive), Mayra Bueno Silva’s latest climb up the bantamweight rankings (positive), Jim Miller and Alexander Hernandez’s three-round war (positive), and main card heavyweight slop (always negative).
Positive – Club & Sub
Want a knockout? Also want a submission? Get yourself a club & sub.
Last week’s edition of this best-of-both-worlds finishing sequence came courtesy of rising welterweight Jack Della Maddalena, who swatted Randy Brown down before eventually locking in a rear-naked choke for a quick victory at UFC 284.
At UFC Vegas 69, AJ Fletcher dabbled in the well-rounded art, clubbing Themba Gorimbo with an elbow before capitalizing on a level change that appeared forced thanks to the damage done by the thunderous shot.
From there, the Zimbabwean debutant found himself stuck in a tight guillotine, and despite his attempts to force an escape, the tap was academic — so much so, it came twice.
On the mic, Fletcher also provided a free lesson on why a reach advantage isn’t the be-all and end-all, having provided a practical demonstration of that moments earlier.
Positive – Blitzkrieg
In the third fight of the night, the air-raid sirens echoed around the Apex. Unfortunately for Ovince Saint Preux, he didn’t make it to the shelter in time.
Saturday was one of, if not the, roughest outings in the Octagon for one of the most recognizable names at light heavyweight. Fans have been without a dose of “OSP” violence since he brutally slept Alonzo Menifield in 2020. This time, his fight had violence all right… thanks to Philipe Lins.
It took 49 seconds for the Brazilian to deliver perhaps the most emphatic beating of Saint Preux’s career. The beginning of the end came when Lins landed a straight shot that sent his foe’s jaw swinging. From there, the former Strikeforce vet and one-time UFC title challenger ate bomb after bomb until one eventually sent him down.
In that sense, the bout was sad to watch. While it’s been a while since “OSP” has impressed, with his victory over Maurício Rua last year marking one of the 2022’s worst fights, this felt like the first time that the end has truly appeared nigh for the 39-year-old.
For Lins, though, the result marked a long-awaited display of the finishing instincts he showed by tearing through the competition to win the 2018 PFL heavyweight tournament.
While it took four attempts, the true “Monstro” may have just arrived.
Negative – Sean Strickland Was Right…
I never thought the day where I’d be crediting Sean Strickland‘s words would come. Nonetheless, here we are, and I imagine the apocalypse can’t be far behind.
Earlier in the week, Strickland reacted to a bit of math from fellow fighter Ian Heinisch, who implied the UFC is tough to get into based on dividing the number of athletes on the roster from the overall population (yep, I know…). In response, “Tarzan” pointed out the flaws in that calculation before claiming that the promotion is relatively easy to reach compared to the highest levels of other sports.
And to prove the point, enter Khusein Askhabov.
The previously undefeated Russian faced Jamall Emmers on Saturday’s preliminary card. On paper, the newcomer boasted a 23-0 record with 16 finishes. But with a deeper look, a questionable collection of opponents come to light.
The topic of padded records is a prominent one right now as Tommy Fury gears up to box Jake Paul. Both the YouTuber-turned-boxer and renowned trainer Teddy Atlas have branded the Brit’s past opponents as ‘cab drivers’, and bad ones at that.
It seems Askhabov has been getting lifts from the same taxi service.
In his first time on the global stage against UFC competition, “Nohcho” largely sank. His decision loss to Emmers wasn’t totally one-sided, and he did provide some memorable scrambles and a head kick from his back, but it was clear that we weren’t witnessing a true 23-0 fighter.
So what did get the Russian to the UFC? Is it as simple as the promotion’s recruiters not looking beyond the record? Did Askhabov’s (totally legitimate and naturally gained) four million Instagram followers play a part?
If the UFC’s signing of Askhabov and some others, such as Askar Mozharov (remember him? The three-name Ukrainian who fraudulently built his record only to get beat down in one round?), tells us anything, it’s that the highest levels of MMA certainly don’t require the credentials and legitimate graft as any other sport.
The man who showers with guns was right, it seems.
Why should never believe statistics? Everything about this factually inaccurate and either a sign of a liar or CTE. You would only take people seeking UFC and you could even narrow it down by other factors. Result it is pretty easy to get in the ufc compared to all other sports pic.twitter.com/siqCHraUJr— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) February 16, 2023
Negative – A Tough Break
I’m not sure there’s ever an easy way to have a certain victory on the scorecards ripped away in the final round, something I imagine Kamaru Usman, Israel Adesanya, and Glover Teixeira could all attest to after 2022.
But to have a cut force an end after being 20-18 up on all three scorecards? Ouch.
That unfortunate fate was met by Evan Elder at UFC Vegas 69. After falling short on his UFC debut whilst fighting at welterweight, “The Phenom” returned to his natural home of lightweight to welcome Nazim Sadykhov to the Octagon.
Together, the pair put on a memorable battle, during which both men landed clean and found success on the feet. While it was close and competitive, it seemed likely heading into the final round that Elder simply had to reach the final horn for a first UFC win.
Ultimately, the 25-year-old American failed to do so, but certainly not of his own volition. Early in the final frame, a nasty cut was opened above Elder’s right eye, and the cageside physician understandably put an end to the contest.
While the decision to stop the bout was certainly justifiable, it was hard not to feel disappointed that an entertaining featured prelim didn’t reach a satisfying conclusion.
Negative – William Knight
You’d be hard-pressed to find a worse performance inside the Octagon than William Knight’s at UFC Vegas 69. At the very least, no one has competed with as little care, effort, and desire to fight.
For three rounds, Knight walked around the edge of the Octagon, flat-footed, shrugging, and not event attempting to battle Marcin Prachnio. Meanwhile, the Polish light heavyweight kicked his way to the easiest victory he’ll score in his MMA career.
It’s hard to find the right adjective to describe the bout. But when a professional fighter enters the cage in the sport’s premier promotion and quits before the contest has begun, ’embarrassing’ comes to mind.
Who knows the reasons behind Knight’s display, but it reeked of someone who no longer wants to be on the roster and entered the Apex for one final UFC payday.
Suffice to say, we won’t be seeing him in the Octagon again.
Positive – The Future
The future of the women’s flyweight division was well and truly on display in the UFC Vegas 69 main event.
After three rounds against Lauren Murphy last month at UFC 283, if you’d have told me that Jéssica Andrade would get pieced up on the feet by Erin Blanchfield a month later, I’d have called you crazy.
Even before the fight-ending sequence, Blanchfield displayed wrinkles to her game that had yet to grace the Octagon. And after a strong striking round, “Cold Blooded” patiently awaited the opportunity to take “Bate Estaca” down.
When she did, the ease with which Blanchfield passed to side control and locked in a rear-naked choke as Andrade scrambled to escape was frightening. To do that on short notice against a former champion who excelled against two top contenders in her most recent fights shows the level Blanchfield is at.
If it needs saying, that should be a level close enough to Valentina Shevchenko to give the longtime 125-pound queen something serious to think about if she gets past Alexa Grasso.
What were your positives and negatives from UFC Vegas 69?
After a trip to Australia for a blockbuster pay-per-view, which was topped by two championship contests and a battle between the pound-for-pound best fighters in the promotion, it was back down to Earth this week for a low-key event that certainly fell short in terms of name value — and that’s even by the usual standard of Apex cards.
But although the stakes weren’t particularly high through fights one to 10, which saw the absence of even a single ranked athlete, the main event promised to provide a sizable cherry on top of whatever cake the likes of Zac Pauga, Jim Miller, and Mayra Bueno Silva baked.
Having had planned opponent Taila Santos withdraw, Erin Blanchfield looked to make the transition from flyweight’s hottest prospect to legitimate title contender at the expense of former UFC strawweight champion Jéssica Andrade, who was hoping to make it two for two on her list of 2023 exploits.
So, were we treated to an entertaining night of fights and the kind of intriguing headliner most were expecting? Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC Vegas 69.
Some honorable mentions: Clayton Carpenter’s impressive debut submission win (positive), Mayra Bueno Silva’s latest climb up the bantamweight rankings (positive), Jim Miller and Alexander Hernandez’s three-round war (positive), and main card heavyweight slop (always negative).
Positive – Club & Sub
Want a knockout? Also want a submission? Get yourself a club & sub.
Last week’s edition of this best-of-both-worlds finishing sequence came courtesy of rising welterweight Jack Della Maddalena, who swatted Randy Brown down before eventually locking in a rear-naked choke for a quick victory at UFC 284.
At UFC Vegas 69, AJ Fletcher dabbled in the well-rounded art, clubbing Themba Gorimbo with an elbow before capitalizing on a level change that appeared forced thanks to the damage done by the thunderous shot.
From there, the Zimbabwean debutant found himself stuck in a tight guillotine, and despite his attempts to force an escape, the tap was academic — so much so, it came twice.
On the mic, Fletcher also provided a free lesson on why a reach advantage isn’t the be-all and end-all, having provided a practical demonstration of that moments earlier.
Positive – Blitzkrieg
In the third fight of the night, the air-raid sirens echoed around the Apex. Unfortunately for Ovince Saint Preux, he didn’t make it to the shelter in time.
Saturday was one of, if not the, roughest outings in the Octagon for one of the most recognizable names at light heavyweight. Fans have been without a dose of “OSP” violence since he brutally slept Alonzo Menifield in 2020. This time, his fight had violence all right… thanks to Philipe Lins.
It took 49 seconds for the Brazilian to deliver perhaps the most emphatic beating of Saint Preux’s career. The beginning of the end came when Lins landed a straight shot that sent his foe’s jaw swinging. From there, the former Strikeforce vet and one-time UFC title challenger ate bomb after bomb until one eventually sent him down.
In that sense, the bout was sad to watch. While it’s been a while since “OSP” has impressed, with his victory over Maurício Rua last year marking one of the 2022’s worst fights, this felt like the first time that the end has truly appeared nigh for the 39-year-old.
For Lins, though, the result marked a long-awaited display of the finishing instincts he showed by tearing through the competition to win the 2018 PFL heavyweight tournament.
While it took four attempts, the true “Monstro” may have just arrived.
Negative – Sean Strickland Was Right…
I never thought the day where I’d be crediting Sean Strickland‘s words would come. Nonetheless, here we are, and I imagine the apocalypse can’t be far behind.
Earlier in the week, Strickland reacted to a bit of math from fellow fighter Ian Heinisch, who implied the UFC is tough to get into based on dividing the number of athletes on the roster from the overall population (yep, I know…). In response, “Tarzan” pointed out the flaws in that calculation before claiming that the promotion is relatively easy to reach compared to the highest levels of other sports.
And to prove the point, enter Khusein Askhabov.
The previously undefeated Russian faced Jamall Emmers on Saturday’s preliminary card. On paper, the newcomer boasted a 23-0 record with 16 finishes. But with a deeper look, a questionable collection of opponents come to light.
The topic of padded records is a prominent one right now as Tommy Fury gears up to box Jake Paul. Both the YouTuber-turned-boxer and renowned trainer Teddy Atlas have branded the Brit’s past opponents as ‘cab drivers’, and bad ones at that.
It seems Askhabov has been getting lifts from the same taxi service.
In his first time on the global stage against UFC competition, “Nohcho” largely sank. His decision loss to Emmers wasn’t totally one-sided, and he did provide some memorable scrambles and a head kick from his back, but it was clear that we weren’t witnessing a true 23-0 fighter.
So what did get the Russian to the UFC? Is it as simple as the promotion’s recruiters not looking beyond the record? Did Askhabov’s (totally legitimate and naturally gained) four million Instagram followers play a part?
If the UFC’s signing of Askhabov and some others, such as Askar Mozharov (remember him? The three-name Ukrainian who fraudulently built his record only to get beat down in one round?), tells us anything, it’s that the highest levels of MMA certainly don’t require the credentials and legitimate graft as any other sport.
The man who showers with guns was right, it seems.
Why should never believe statistics? Everything about this factually inaccurate and either a sign of a liar or CTE. You would only take people seeking UFC and you could even narrow it down by other factors. Result it is pretty easy to get in the ufc compared to all other sports pic.twitter.com/siqCHraUJr
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) February 16, 2023[/quote]
Negative – A Tough Break
I’m not sure there’s ever an easy way to have a certain victory on the scorecards ripped away in the final round, something I imagine Kamaru Usman, Israel Adesanya, and Glover Teixeira could all attest to after 2022.
But to have a cut force an end after being 20-18 up on all three scorecards? Ouch.
That unfortunate fate was met by Evan Elder at UFC Vegas 69. After falling short on his UFC debut whilst fighting at welterweight, “The Phenom” returned to his natural home of lightweight to welcome Nazim Sadykhov to the Octagon.
Together, the pair put on a memorable battle, during which both men landed clean and found success on the feet. While it was close and competitive, it seemed likely heading into the final round that Elder simply had to reach the final horn for a first UFC win.
Ultimately, the 25-year-old American failed to do so, but certainly not of his own volition. Early in the final frame, a nasty cut was opened above Elder’s right eye, and the cageside physician understandably put an end to the contest.
While the decision to stop the bout was certainly justifiable, it was hard not to feel disappointed that an entertaining featured prelim didn’t reach a satisfying conclusion.
Negative – William Knight
You’d be hard-pressed to find a worse performance inside the Octagon than William Knight’s at UFC Vegas 69. At the very least, no one has competed with as little care, effort, and desire to fight.
For three rounds, Knight walked around the edge of the Octagon, flat-footed, shrugging, and not event attempting to battle Marcin Prachnio. Meanwhile, the Polish light heavyweight kicked his way to the easiest victory he’ll score in his MMA career.
It’s hard to find the right adjective to describe the bout. But when a professional fighter enters the cage in the sport’s premier promotion and quits before the contest has begun, ’embarrassing’ comes to mind.
Who knows the reasons behind Knight’s display, but it reeked of someone who no longer wants to be on the roster and entered the Apex for one final UFC payday.
Suffice to say, we won’t be seeing him in the Octagon again.
Positive – The Future
The future of the women’s flyweight division was well and truly on display in the UFC Vegas 69 main event.
After three rounds against Lauren Murphy last month at UFC 283, if you’d have told me that Jéssica Andrade would get pieced up on the feet by Erin Blanchfield a month later, I’d have called you crazy.
Even before the fight-ending sequence, Blanchfield displayed wrinkles to her game that had yet to grace the Octagon. And after a strong striking round, “Cold Blooded” patiently awaited the opportunity to take “Bate Estaca” down.
When she did, the ease with which Blanchfield passed to side control and locked in a rear-naked choke as Andrade scrambled to escape was frightening. To do that on short notice against a former champion who excelled against two top contenders in her most recent fights shows the level Blanchfield is at.
If it needs saying, that should be a level close enough to Valentina Shevchenko to give the longtime 125-pound queen something serious to think about if she gets past Alexa Grasso.
What were your positives and negatives from UFC Vegas 69?
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