César Almeida Archives - Cageside Press

What’s Next: UFC Vegas 112 Losers

Bryson Hester — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 19:33:51 +0000

UFC Vegas 112 was the final UFC card of the 2025 calendar year. Additionally, the APEX card also marked the end of the UFC era on ESPN.

The main event featured top ranked flyweight, Manel Kape, dropping and finishing Brandon Royval in the first round. In the co-main event, Kevin Vallejos logged a standout performance and finish against longtime ranked featherweight, Giga Chikadze. A six-fight main card as well as one fight that ended in a draw means the edition will be heavily loaded with a total of seven fighters.

Brandon Royval

Manel Kape took a little over half a round to trap Royval against the cage, drop him with a hook and finish the job. This was a matchup that had been made twice before this year, with both fighters causing a cancellation a piece, injuries being the culprits for both men. Royval entered the fight ranked at #2 in the division while Kape was at #8. This is Royval’s second loss in a row after losing to now 125lb champion Joshua Van, via a Fight of the Night, unanimous decision back in June. Brandon is 2-2 since an unsuccessful title shot to the former champion, Alexandre Pantoja, in December of 2023.

The perfect bout for Royval at this point, is to take on Tim Elliot. Tim has a whacky striking style, much like Brandon does. Elliot is currently ranked at #8 in the division and is coming off of a second-round guillotine finish against Kai Asakura back in August. That was the last time fans had seen the now 38-year-old Tim Elliot, in the octagon in nearly two years. Elliot is 10-11 in the UFC and the would be a fight that could keep Royval active while a lot of the other ranked fighters have matchups. This could be fight night card headliner or co main event.

Royval’s next fight: Tim Elliot

Giga Chikadze

Kevin Vallejos had his highlight moment on Saturday with his spinning back fight finish of Giga Chikadze. The spectacular display of Argentine striking triggered the third set back in a row for Chikadze. And Giga has now lost four of his last five dating back to 2021. His only win in that time is to Alex Caceres, who is no longer with the promotion. Giga lost to Calvin Kattar, Arnold Allen, David Onama (which he missed weight for) and now Kevin Vallejos. Giga entered this fight just hanging on to his spot in the rankings at #15. Obviously, that’s gone now as Kevin was unranked.

At 37 years old and with the injuries suffered in his career, it’s important for Giga to get the right matchup here. Who better than a guy like Sean Woodson? This is a matchup that was referenced in a previous loser’s article and though it’s dangerous, it has an upside for both fighters. Woodson is 7-2-1 in the UFC and recently had a 7-fight unbeaten streak snapped by Dan Ige back in April. To make matters worse for Woodson, he was stopped and shut out of the rankings. 33-year-old Woodson is 6’2″ with a 78″ reach while Giga is 6’0″ with a 74″ reach. Seans a more of a boxing striker while Giga is more kickboxing. This could offer an excellent just outside of the rankings matchup to determine which fighter lands a shot at a ranked fighter.

Chikadze’s next fight: Sean Woodson

Cesar Almedia

Cezary Oleksiejzuk tallied a victory in his UFC debut on Saturday, with a unanimous decision victory over Cesar Almedia. It was a grinding a grimy fight as Alemedia now falls to 3-2 with the promotion. His three wins against Dylan Budka, Ihor Potieria and Abdul Razak Alhassan are all against fighters who have since been cut by the promotion. Almedia is in dire need of a win here.

The perfect matchup here for Cesar is pairing him up against Marco Tulio. Marco fought last month, getting finished via spinning backfist at the hands of Christian Leroy Duncan. That losers article referenced Tulio taking on Michel Pereira, but Pereira was instead booked against Zach Reese. Cesar would offer an excellent matchup, and the timing would work perfectly. Tulio is 2-1 with the UFC and shares a win over Ihor Potieria. Marco’s other win came back in April when he stopped Tresean Gore. Cesar went to a split decision against Roman Kopylov. But its dicey because he’s only 7-2 as a pro in MMA, not even 10 fights yet. Tulio is 14-2 and has stopped nearly everyone, it’s a dangerous matchup.

That said, Cesar was also a credentialed Glory kickboxer that faced Alex Pereira multiple times (1-2, all decisions). Book it! Sleeper of a solid fight for hardcore fans that could be a feature PPV prelim.

Almeida’s next fight: Marco Tulio

Morgan Charriere

Melquizael Costa just barely landed a picture-perfect head kick on Morgan Charriere 74 seconds into the pair’s bout on Saturday. The highlight reel KO marked the first time that Charriere has been stopped in his 34-fight professional MMA career. Charriere is now 3-3 with the UFC but he has scored bonuses in four of his six appearances.

A great matchup for Charriere would be pitting him against Christian Rodriguez. Christian is 5-4 with the promotion and is actually on a two-fight skid. Rodriguez has also lost to Costa, via unanimous decision back in March. The 2021 Contender Series alum, nicknamed “CeeRod”, was last in action in August with a split decision loss to UFC vet, Andre Filli. Rodriguez made a splash when he first arrived in the UFC, with victories over hot young prospects, Raul Rosas Jr and Cameron Saaiman. However, he continuously lost the fight to the scale and has since moved up to featherweight- where he’s struggled. Exciting scrap in the making here, could land nearly anywhere on a fight night card.

Charriere’s next fight: Christian Rodriguez

Lance Gibson Jr.

39-year-old King Green pieced up and secured a split decision victory over Lance Gibson Jr to kick of the main card of UFC Vegas 112 on Saturday. Gibson Jr. definitely had his moments in his short notice UFC debut, but the split decision was somewhat controversial as many fans thought the fight should have been scored as a unanimous decision (as well as King Green).

Lance, a former Bellator fighter, at 30 years old and 9-2, has a couple of directions he can go here. Jump in the deep end, so to speak, against more veteran fighters or test his metal against hungry Contender Series -type fighters. Perhaps a Contender Series alum is a more entertaining and manageable path like a fight against Terrance McKinney or Thiago Moises. Two CS guys, but tenure in the promotion too. Terrance is 2019 alum who has gone 7-5 with the promotion. While Moises is from the 2018 season and has gone 8-7.

Leaning towards McKinney, who has gone 2-2 in his last four. McKinney is known for his fights, win or lose, not making it out of the first round. Would be an interesting test for Lance who has gotten a lot of different looks/styles throughout his short, well-traveled career. Going the distance with Green on short notice is no small feat, this would be a interesting matchup for fans to watch next.

Gibson’s next fight: Terrance McKinney or Thiago Moises

Kennedy Nzechukwu and Marcus Buchecha

Kennedy Nzechukwu and Marcus Buchecha fought to a draw on Saturday in what was an action-packed bout. The bout ultimately ended up being decided by a point deduction by Kennedy for eye poking, otherwise he would have logged a victory.

Kennedy’s next fight should be against Martin Buday. Kennedy and Martin were scheduled to fight back in April, but it was cancelled after Nzechukwu withdrew. However, Buday has since released by the promotion (despite coming off a win and going 7-1 with the promotion since 2021). So instead, Kennedy should take on Louie Sutherland who is 0-1 with the UFC. Sutherland made his debut against Valter Walker in late October. Walker heel hooked “The Vanilla Gorilla” in just 84 seconds. Valter did the same to Kennedy back in July but that time took under a minute. Match these two up. Slim pickings here.

As for Buchecha, Marcus should fight Mohammed Usman in his next fight. Mohammed is 4-2 in the UFC and was last in the octagon back in June with a unanimous decision against Hamdy Abdelwahab. Hamdy has since been released by the promotion. Prior to that, Mohammed dropped fights to Thomas Petersen and Mick Parkin.

Both of these men are in dangerous territory as the promotion has cleared out several guys that these guys have fought. Anything could happen here. Nice to book with the loser or both guys, or neither facing the axe.

Nzechukwu’s next fight: Louie Sutherland

Buchecha’s next fight: Mohammed Usman

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Cezary Oleksiejczuk Outgrapples Cesar Almeida in Dominant UFC Debut

Shawn Bitter — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 05:21:31 +0000

Poland’s Cezary Oleksiejczuk was one of seven debuting fighters at UFC Vegas 112, facing off with Cesar Almeida in a middleweight match-up on the evening’s main card.

A former FEN middleweight champ who had gone undefeated for the promotion, Oleksiejczuk had won his way into the UFC on the Contender Series. Almeida was 3-1 in the UFC to date, and had won his last two outings.

The fight opened with Almeida mixing in leg and body kicks. He overextended on a right hand, allowing Oleksiejczuk to duck underneath and secure an easy takedown. Oleksiejczuk settled into side control and briefly worked to isolate an arm before Almeida recovered half guard and eventually full guard. Almeida attempted to create space by pushing off the hips, but Oleksiejczuk stayed heavy on top. Using the cage intelligently, Almeida was able to work back to his feet, though only as the round came to a close.

Round two saw Almeida return to his kicking game, but Oleksiejczuk managed the distance well as the longer fighter, landing straight shots and kicks from range. Each time Almeida loaded up, Oleksiejczuk timed him, scoring another clean takedown. Almeida immediately worked back to his feet, but Oleksiejczuk soon locked in a strong body lock and drove him back down. This time Almeida was grounded away from the cage, yet he showed good awareness by timing a transition and reversing to top position. As a kickboxer, Almeida tried to stand, but lost his balance, allowing Oleksiejczuk to reclaim top control. Oleksiejczuk briefly pinned an arm and landed some solid ground-and-pound before ending the round on top.

Entering the final round, Almeida appeared to need a finish. Oleksiejczuk, seemingly aware of that urgency, quickly shot in for a clean double-leg takedown. A brief stoppage followed after Oleksiejczuk landed an illegal elbow to the groin, but once the fight resumed, he stayed disciplined and returned to the grappling-heavy game plan, grounding Almeida again. Throughout the fight, Almeida showed strong get-up ability along the cage, but Oleksiejczuk consistently smothered him, denying space and momentum. Almeida managed to stand in the closing seconds, only to pull guard for a guillotine attempt that was never close.

Cezary Oleksiejczuk def. Cesar Almeida via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

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Cesar Almeida on Rico Verhoeven’s Potential Switch to MMA: “He Moves Like Muhammad Ali”

Patrick Danna — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 15:22:59 +0000

Former Glory kickboxer Cesar Almeida fights this weekend at UFC Vegas 112. Almeida’s kickboxing has led him to a 3-1 record in the UFC, despite entering the promotion at just 4-0. With kickboxers making the switch to MMA becoming more frequent every day, reports have confirmed that former Glory Heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven is in talks with the UFC.

Verhoeven, with a 49-8 kickboxing record and 1-0 MMA record, is widely regarded as the greatest kickboxer of all time. After relinquishing his title, Verhoeven seems like a prime candidate to be the next to transition. Almeida was asked about Verhoeven potentially making the switch,

“This guy is f***ing tough, man. I think he’ll have a lot of problems for the Heavyweight division. I fought on the same card as Rico twice. This guy is big, and he moves like Muhammad Ali. The guy surprised Ciryl Gane with movement. When Rico comes, you’ll see real kickboxing. I think this is a problem for the Heavyweight division.”

When asked how much grappling Verhoeven would need to work on before coming in, Almeida gave a surprising response.

“I think he just needs to work on his kickboxing. Because if he’s feeling his time, feeling his distance, the guy can’t take him down. He’s big, big.”

This checks out based on Verhoeven’s massive 6’5, 255-pound frame. Along with his nearly 83-inch reach, giving him an advantage over almost all in the division as well.

As for his fight this weekend and beyond, Almeida expects to reach the top 15 soon.

“My plan is three fights next year, and maybe if I win this fight, the next fight will be top 15. I believe in myself and my potential; I know I can fight in the top 15. I plan to win this time, be back next year for three fights, and make it to the top 15.”

Cesar Almeida takes on Cezary Oleksiejczuk at UFC Vegas 112 in Las Vegas on Saturday.

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Cezary Oleksiejczuk Seeks Statement Debut Against Almeida

Eddie Law — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 13:13:24 +0000

Cezary Oleksiejczuk is stepping into UFC Vegas 112 with momentum and something to prove, drawing dangerous striker César Almeida in a matchup that could elevate his rise in the middleweight division.

“My opponent has good striking, very good I think. Legendary striking. I need to keep good distance, and this is good fight for me,” Oleksiejczuk told reporters on Wednesday.

“Almedia high in the top and if I win this fight, I (rise) in (the) rankings.”

Oleksiejczuk (16-3) may have less UFC experience than Almeida, but oddsmakers still have him pegged as the favorite. He isn’t entirely sure why, but he’ll gladly take the vote of confidence.

“Maybe I know I have 100 fights in amateur fights. A lot (of) experience in MMA,” he said.

“I need to go to second, maybe third round, and Almeida (doesn’t) like fighting second and third round. I think good idea for (me to) win.”

Looking ahead to his UFC debut, Oleksiejczuk broke down the matchup with a simple but confident read on where he believes the fight tilts in his favor. He also pointed to his comfort inside the UFC APEX, a venue he feels already familiar with thanks to his brother’s battles there.

“I like this place (UFC APEX) because a lot of time in here because my brother (Michal) (have) a lot of wars in here. I think this is for me the best place for debut,” he said.

Cezary Oleksiejczuk faces Cesar Almeida at UFC Vegas 112 on Saturday night.

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What’s Next: UFC Vegas 101 Winners

Mathis Desjardins — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 00:23:43 +0000

The first UFC card of 2025 was the 101^st Fight Night card to take place at the Apex, UFC Vegas 101. It delivered a good mix of finishes, action fights and upsets. In our main event, we had a rematch between two top 10 strawweights in Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas that saw Dern take home the win with a third-round submission. For the first time in 2025, let’s do some matchmaking for our main card winners from Saturday.

Mackenzie Dern

This was such a big win for Dern. It was her first time winning consecutive fights in over four years and her first finish since April of 2021. She could only manage a 1-1 record every year since 2021. Not only that, but this win also saw her avenge her first ever professional loss against Ribas, who was 6-1 in the UFC at 115 lbs.

With Tatiana Suarez set to get the next shot and Virna Jandiroba seemingly next in line, Dern will need to add to her win streak in order to cement herself as the next title contender. Suarez has had trouble staying healthy for a while, so you would think that the promotion has told Jandiroba to stay ready in case they need a backup. That frees up Yan Xiaonan who is ranked #2 and is also in need of another win to stay in the title picture.

The two have fought before and Yan got the nod, but it was a contested majority decision that a lot of people thought should have been a draw. A rematch at this point is a very solid option.

Dern’s next fight: Yan Xiaonan

Santiago Ponzinibbio

Ponzinibbio was once a highly ranked contender with a lot of promise, but he unfortunately lost over two full years of his prime due to health concerns. Now that he’s 38, it’s been evident for some time that his best is behind him. This win over Carlston Harris in the UFC Vegas 101 co-main event keeps him active and stops what could have been a three-fight skid, but the matchmaking should be done with his decreasing level in mind.

Fellow 38-year-old Daniel Rodriguez was once ranked as well and though he stopped his losing streak this past October, it has also been clear that he has lost a step. A matchup between the two of them is age and level appropriate.

Ponzinibbio’s next fight: Daniel Rodriguez

Cesar Almeida

When Armen Petrosyan lost to Shara Magomedov at UFC 308, I had him fight the winner of this fight between Almeida and Abdul Razak Alhassan in our matchmaking article. However, he’s since been booked against Brunno Ferreira on March 8.

At 36 years of age, Almeida has made it a point to be active, knowing the clock is ticking. He fought three times in 2024, going 2-1 with the only hiccup being a competitive split decision against Roman Kopylov, a very good middleweight who will we talk about shortly. Rodolfo Vieira and Andre Petroski will fight each other in a month. The winner will be on a three-fight win streak and a matchup with Almeida would make sense. But I’m willing to give Almeida a bigger push than that. At 36, let’s see what he’s really got. Let’s see him fight the winner of Kevin Holland and Reinier de Ridder, who are set to face each other next week. If Almeida can pass that type of test, then he’ll be ready for the rankings.

Almeida’s next fight: Winner of Holland/de Ridder

Roman Kopylov

Kopylov is a 33-year-old contender who is really coming into his own. Since dropping back-to-back fights against Karl Roberson and Albert Duraev, he’s 6-1 with the only loss coming against Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez who is a serious threat at 185 lbs. Even though they weren’t flawless victories, Cesar Almeida and Chris Curtis are quality wins. He also has a knockout over Punahele Soriano, who fought and won on this card.

In my opinion, those are valid reasons to give Kopylov a ranked opponent in his next fight. The Russian isn’t an inactive fighter by any means, but he’s also no stranger to layoffs of 6 months or more. This type of timeline should align with Michel Pereira’s return, who took a beating back in October.

Kopylov’s next fight: Michel Pereira

Christian Rodriguez

Rodriguez’s last four wins all came against undefeated fighters. The weight misses and the submission loss to Julian Erosa have slowed down his momentum, but at still just 27 years of age, the UFC clearly has something in C-Rod. Often times, going 4-1 with all four wins being 0’s taken and the lone loss coming against a veteran like Erosa would mean that Rodriguez would be getting a big push by the promotion. However, as mentioned, he’s still in his mid-20s, so there really is no rush.

That’s why a fight with a veteran like Ricardo Ramos, who was once the up-and-coming fighter, but has since been used as the measuring stick himself, makes a lot of sense. He and Rodriguez are still both under 30 and are at a similar stage in their careers. They’re both coming off victories, so let’s see who takes that next step.

Rodriguez’s next fight: Ricardo Ramos

Punahele Soriano

Soriano upset the betting line for the second time in a row at Saturday’s UFC Vegas 101, knocking out Uros Medic in just 31 seconds. With that impressive KO, he moved to 2-0 since dropping down to welterweight.

Another former middleweight who is 2-0 since making the cut to 170lbs is Chidi Njokuani. Njokuani used to be quite the action fighter before his last two fights took place mostly in the clinch, but maybe Soriano can bring back some of his old style out of him. Let’s see which former middleweight needs a push at welterweight.

Soriano’s next fight: Chidi Njokuani

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UFC Vegas 101: Which to Get Added to First? Cesar Almeida Picks UFC Game Over Trading Cards

Eddie Law and Jay Anderson — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 19:48:55 +0000

Las Vegas — Middleweight Cesar Almeida landed a downright scary left hook that knocked Abdul Razak Alhassan unconscious at UFC Vegas 101 on Saturday, a knockout he believes is his best ever.

Alhassan was unable to even get back on his stool for some time, though he did leave the octagon under his own power. Yet despite the scary finish, Almeida doesn’t believe Alhassan made a mistake in engaging with him on the feet.

“This guy has 12 KOs, yeah? He has belief in his hands, he can finish all the fighters here. He gave me one flash [knock]down, and tried to finish the fight,” Almeida (7-1), a former kickboxing champion, told media outlets including Cageside Press backstage at the UFC Apex. “All fights, he makes the same fight. I don’t think it’s a mistake.”

“You take risks when you do that, and I think he took a risk.”

Almeida knows it easily could have gone the other way, at the end of the day. “Yes 100%, exactly. When I accepted this fight, I accepted this risk. This fight is dangerous. Both guys are at risk in this fight.”

As for what’s next, the 36-year old from Sao Paulo, Brazil is looking to fight his way up the middleweight division. “I think this fight put me for the next fight in top 15. I don’t know, I have one chance now for top 15, maybe May in Brazil.”

In the cage following his victory, Almeida had called to be added to the UFC 5 video game, and to be featured on UFC trading cards. His omission from the latter was something that his daughter in particular had been let down by. Which would he rather be added to first?

“Wow. F*ck man, this is very hard, very hard [what] you’re asking bro. But I think in the game is better. My daughter can wait a little more. She can wait a little bit more, but in the game is a dream. Because when I grew up, I played soccer, in FIFA [game], and saw the guys. Wow, bro. Now UFC, I am here. This is the dream, bro. In the game first.”

Watch the full UFC Vegas 101 post-fight press conference with Cesar Almeida above.

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Dern Snags Bonus for Revenge on Ribas, Kopylov-Curtis Gets Fight of the Night at UFC Vegas 101

Jay Anderson — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 05:41:43 +0000

The first UFC event of 2025, UFC Vegas 101 produced a full nine finishes, with five of six main card fights ending inside the distance.

That left plenty of options for Performance of the Night bonuses, from Punahele Soriano’s 31-second knockout of Uros Medic, to Fatima Kline picking up the first stoppage win of 2025 with a TKO battering of Victoria Dudakova.

Deserving as those performances might be, however, it was two other standouts taking the $50,000 in bonus money. Mackenzie Dern, who got her revenge on Amanda Ribas in the night’s main event, was one. After losing to Ribas by decision back in 2019, Dern came out on top in a rematch that played out almost entirely on the ground, playing right into her wheelhouse. And while Ribas had her moments, Dern caught her in an arm-bar late in the third, forcing a tap.

Cesar Almeida, who survived an absolute onslaught from Abdul Razak Alhassan in a middleweight fight, earned the other Performance of the Night bonus at UFC Vegas 101. Almeida, returning to his feet after a knockdown, ate several more blows before he connected with a left hook that ended Alhassan’s night in a heartbeat.

Fight of the Night at UFC Vegas 101 went to Roman Kopylov and Chris Curtis, which may be of little solace to the latter. Tied one round a piece heading into the third, Curtis was likely set to lose a decision, but at least go the distance, until a head kick connected that left him wobbled. Despite Kopylov backing off and Curtis only going to one knee, the ref waved the affair off, leaving “The Action Man” incensed.

Maybe the extra spending cash will help take the edge off.

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UFC Vegas 101: Cesar Almeida Lands Wild Comeback KO on Abdul Razak Alhassan

Brett Cagle — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 01:57:42 +0000

Middleweights Cesar Almeida and Abdul Razak Alhassan threw down on the UFC Vegas 101 main card on Saturday, with former kickboxing champ Almeida looking to improve to 3-1 under the UFC banner.

While Almeida’s MMA experience was on the lighter side, adding in his kickboxing prowess, he was a slight favorite over Alhassan, who had over eight years experience in the UFC.

Almeida circled early on the outside landing a few solid leg kicks. Alhassan pressed forward throwing wild right hands but Almeida protected himself well. Almeida started opening up with kicks to the body, before defending a takedown attempt from Alhassan. Almeida briefly stood in front of Alhassan and got clipped with a straight right hand, knocking him down. Almeida then scrambled to his feet and regained his composure. Alhassan pushed forward trying to finish the fight and ran into a viscous left hook that knocked him out cold.

One of the most violent knockouts you’ll ever see, Alhassan was out for a considerable amount of time. The former Glory kickboxer made a statement with this monster win over a true veteran of the sport. Regaining his composure and landing a lethal knockout shot shows just how patient and composed Almeida is on the feet. Almeida may have limited experience in MMA but he is massively talented and has tremendous potential at 185 pounds.

In his post fight interview Almeida was elated with his performance and expressed a desire to fight in Brazil. With other kickboxing stars like Alex Pereira crossing over to MMA with massive success, look out for Almeida to rise up the rankings in 2025.

Official Result: Cesar Almeida def. Abdul Razak Alhassan by KO, Round 1, 4:16

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Cesar Almeida Looking To Get Back In December

Dylan Napoleone and Eddie Law — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 23:52:10 +0000

Salt Lake City – UFC middleweight Cesar Almeida came away with the win over Ihor Potieria at UFC 307 amid a myriad of fouls, and ref issues on Saturday night.

“I’m so happy today this night because back to the win. This is very important for me, and I have my strategy for the fight,” Almeida told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“I keep in the strategy. I keep in this game. It worked. Very, very nice.”

Almeida (6-1) poked his opponent in the eyes four times yet the ref refused to warn him let alone take a point. Even when asked about the fouls and the ref Almeida declined to give an answer. It’s unclear if that was intentional or if the language barrier played a factor.

While the referee blunders were certainly not his fault he did poke Potieria in the eyes repeatedly. The referee told him to stop doing it, but declined to take a point.

Cesar Almeida walked into the media room wearing a brace on his right hand indicating an injury. That will leave his return date up in the air as well as any possible opponents for the middleweight.

“I’m back to the gym Monday. Probably December or January. Depends (on) my hand,” he said.

“I don’t know. Maybe in top 15. I feel ready.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Cesar Almedia above.

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UFC 307: Cesar Almeida Beats Ihor Potieria in Foul-Filled Fight

Cade Morehouse — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 00:48:07 +0000

Middleweights Cesar Almeida and Ihor Potieria faced off on the preliminary card of UFC 307 in Salt Lake City, Utah on Saturday night.

A former GLORY kickboxer, Almeida was 1-1 in his UFC run to date, and coming off a loss against Roman Kopylov. Potieria was 2-3 in his last five, and entering off his own loss to Michel “Demolidor” Pereira.

The start of the first round was a battle of technical kickboxing. Potieria had a lot of success early in the fight going to the body against Almeida which opened up some nice left hands. Almeida had a lot of success of his own using his kicks and countering Potieria in the first round. Potieria decided to mix in his grappling landing a takedown after a couple of tries. Almeida however showed that he had worked on that part of his game after his last time out against Kopylov.

The start of the second round wasn’t off to the best start. Almeida eye poked Potieria but the ref dismissed it and then shortly after, Almeida followed that foul with a shot to the groin area. Right after that Almeida seemed to have poked Potieria again with no point deduction. The fight resumed, inexplicably a third eye poke followed, but wasn’t called. Potieria went back to his grappling but Almeida was able to get back to his feet and do some grappling of his own with a tight mounted guillotine. He was able to use it to mount Potieria and land some nasty ground and pound from the top position.

Most people didn’t expect the middleweight pair to make it to round three but they were able to get there. The third round started with another eye poke that the ref didn’t pay any mind to. Ultimate Finger-poking Championship was in full swing. The two fighters were extremely tired throughout this final round but that was to be expected with the high altitude in Salt Lake City. Ultimately, Almeida was able to kick box his way to victory and counter the grappling approach of Potieria. Despite roughly five eye pokes and a groin shot, Almeida did what he’s known for with his kickboxing.

Almeida is now 2-1 in the UFC and can look to build off of this win. He did a lot of things better in comparison to his last outing, and made tons of improvements for this fight that showed. This was a huge win for his MMA career at UFC 307.

Official Result: Cesar Almeida def. Ihor Potieria by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

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