“I feel very happy with my performance tonight. To me it was very clear I was a better fighter, a more complete fighter, talking about striking, the wrestling, the jiu jitsu, right? The control on the ground. I can show that in my last fight against him,” Moreno told reporters at his post-fight scrum.

“My main focus for this one was like control my emotions, be very focused, be close to my game plan. I did it and that’s why I feel very good with my performance.”

Now that the rivalry with Figueiredo is over Moreno can say with certainty that he is the better fighter.

“I mean a lot of people ask me about that like hey what can you change after three fights with the same guy? Use all my new tools, all the new things I’ve been working with my coaches, I did it like that and I knew if I can keep my plan going around the octagon, you know in the middle of the fight, I mean. I can do a performance like tonight,” Moreno said.

The fight was stopped after the third round due to Figueiredo’s right eye being compromised from, after watching a replay, a left hand punch that injured the eye. Moreno had pushed off with his right hand following the punch, but it was clear in the replay that he had in fact not poked his opponent in the eye.

The crowd was very upset believing that Figueiredo had been fouled and the fight was stopped as a result of it.

“I think that’s why the people was very angry at the end maybe. So I saw the replay actually. The guy he kick me, I passed the leg, and I threw the hook. The hook was clear. Clear right in his right eye and then maybe that’s why the people (are) a little confused because I pushed his face with my hand. So I don’t know. Maybe that’s why people was a little bit mad with me,” said Moreno.

Brandon Moreno claims flyweight gold via TKO by doctor stoppage 😳 #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/zZYXceYIvN

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 22, 2023

The crowd showered Moreno with drinks and trash as he ran out of the arena to the back area.

“It was funny. I wasn’t expecting that. I think in the end the people will be very happy with my performance, but I don’t know. I was just trying to enjoy the moment. It was crazy how all the body guards was around me,” he said.

Moreno’s camp is never easy, but with the coaching change in the middle of it, it was near unfair. With James Krause under investigation over gambling on fights Moreno employed the services of Sayif Saud of Fortis MMA.

“He keep my mind on point. Keep my mind like very focused, very disciplined. I’m very happy to have him on the corner. Obviously everybody knows right now the thing with James, I love him, and hopefully everything can be like very clear in the future in that aspect,” Moreno said.

“I’m so happy with Sayif. He said he don’t want like any credit, but man, thank you so much for this man. He sacrifice a lot because I think I wasn’t ready to do another change because I was in Kansas and all the bad thing happened.”

Moreno took his camp back home to Las Vegas, but Saud chose to go out to Moreno to conduct his camp.

“I came back to Vegas. I wasn’t ready to do another change so he decided to come with me every single like weekend, or even before, like more days than a weekend to work. So I really appreciate it so maybe in the next one I have to go to Dallas now,” he said.

So what’s next for the flyweight king? Possibly Alexandre Pantoja who had a, at first friendly, confrontation with Moreno that turned a little bit “aggressive” as Moreno put it.

“So yeah he came with me and he was very friendly with me to be honest when everything start. He came with me and said hey man today I feel so happy for you. Congrats for the belt whatever. In that point everything was fine. Then he start to ask me like hey when is our fight like in two months, three months, tell me right now,” Moreno said.

Alejandre Pantoja congratulates Brandon Moreno after becoming the undisputed champion. He weighed as an alternate for #UFC283 and seems to be the next in line@ESPNDeportes pic.twitter.com/GG5Pjr9lgC

— Carlos Contreras Legaspi (@CCLegaspi) January 22, 2023

Moreno taken aback by the sudden change in tone stayed composed and friendly.

“Like I don’t know to be honest. You know? And then he start to looks a little bit aggressive to be honest, but man my only point was like let me enjoy today man. Just give me today. Just let me have this moment with my friends, with my training partners, with  my wife, with my  manager,” Moreno said.

“And then we can make another circus, and use social media, and the trash talk if you want. I don’t know, but just give me this moment. It was my only point.”

The post Brandon Moreno Wants To Celebrate This Moment, Pantoja Later appeared first on Cageside Press.

On this episode we talk everything from UFC 283:

• Brandon Moreno takes the rivalry with Deiveson Figueiredo and walks away with the undisputed title. Figgy announces move to bantamweight.
• Jamahal Hill takes advantage of the opportunity to fight for the light heavyweight title, walks into enemy territory, and puts on a gritty performance against a former champion in Glover Teixeira to win the belt.
• Glover Teixeira retires in the cage.
• Gilbert Burns victory over Neil Magny, calls out Colby Covington.
• Jessica Andrade picks Lauren Murphy apart and calls for a rematch with Weili Zhang.
• Johnny Walker continues to impress.
• Shogun retirement, did Ihor do him dirty with the post-fight celebration?
• Jose Aldo gets into the UFC Hall of Fame.
• The Bonfim brothers have arrived, are they the next brother tandem to make waves in MMA?
• Robocop takes a chance, takes the loss.
• Is Jailton Almeida the next scary thing at 205 and heavyweight?
• UFC Vegas 68
• And much more!

Don’t miss out as Cageside Live broadcasts on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Twitch. Links below, and YouTube live show above!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cagesidepress

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The post Cageside Live Ep.29 – UFC 283, New Champs, Retirements And More appeared first on Cageside Press.

The light heavyweight title picture was left in turmoil late last year, when Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz fought to a draw for the vacant title following the vacation from former champion, Jiri Prochazka.

Let’s take a look at what could be next for the winners of the night.

Jamahal Hill

“Sweet Dreams” Hill was coming into by far the biggest fight of his 12 fight career with a lot to prove.

Due to the situation around this fight being made for the vacant title, a lot of people questioned whether the 31-year-old was deserving of a title shot, and whether he had the skills to get it done.

Coming into the fight, the consensus was that Glover would try and put Hill in uncomfortable positions, primarily on the mat. The former champion attempted 17 takedowns, but only landed two. The performance that Hill put on answered any prior questions, as he showcased an utterly well-rounded side to his game. The Contender Series alum became an enemy to the Rio crowd, as he beat the brakes off the hometown fighter, Glover Teixeira.

By the time Mick Maynard came to wrapping the belt around Hill, unfortunately there were hardly any fans left in the arena.

Of course, Jamahal Hill’s title reign comes after the former champion, Jiri Prochazka, vacated. With this in mind, and considering that Prochazka’s shoulder surgery has gone extremely well, it only makes sense for that fight to come next.

Not only that, but Dana White made it clear that Jiri would be the next in line for whoever became the new champion.

Jamahal Hill’s next fight: Jiri Prochazka

Brandon Moreno

The Mexican became the two-time flyweight champion on Saturday night with an extremely calculated performance over his long time rival, Deiveson Figueiredo.

With that, Moreno is currently the youngest champion still on the right side of 30, at 29-years-old. When you look back at the career of Moreno, you can’t help but feel happy for his success. Despite only being 29-years-old, he has been through everything a fighter could go through in their career. From being cut from the UFC to bouncing back as a champion, not only once, but twice.

What makes his victory over the Brazilian even more impressive, is that just a mere weeks before their blockbuster fight, Moreno found himself without a head coach, as his affiliation with James Krause meant that he couldn’t continue with the Glory MMA man.

Another top coach in the game, Sayif Saud, sought out the Mexican and offered a helping hand to prepare for this quadrilogy. Moreno’s win under the tutelage of Saud marked the first time Sayif has cornered in a UFC title fight.

Moving on to what could be next for Moreno, it is already planned out. The back-up fighter for Saturdays co-main event was none other than Alexandre Pantoja. This will mark the third time in Moreno’s career where he has had to fight someone for a second time, as this will be the third time the pair will share the cage together. The two first met on TUF season 24 where Pantoja came out victorious, but that isn’t labelled as a professional bout. They met again in 2018, where Pantoja picked up the unanimous decision win.

Brandon Moreno’s next fight: Alexandre Pantoja 

Gilbert Burns

“Durinho” made easy work of veteran welterweight Neil Magny at UFC 283. The former title challenger came into the bout as a considerable favourite, with it considered that he could control the fight wherever it went.

That became apparent in the initial proceedings, and it didn’t take long until Burns was atop of the cage celebrating in front of the Brazilian crowd. After getting the fight to the ground, Burns began threatening with submissions but couldn’t quite lock anything up. Not long after though, he transitioned into a beautiful arm triangle, securing his fifth UFC win by submission.

Burns finds himself in a tough spot now though. With the welterweight title fight booked for UFC 286, Burns will need to fight again before he can think about getting another shot at Gold. The first name that comes to mind is “Chaos” Colby Covington, but with him missing in action, it half rules him out.

Someone else who is looking for a title elimination bout, is Belal Muhammad.

Gilbert Burns’ next fight: Belal Muhammad 

Jessica Andrade

The former women’s strawweight champion put on a performance that showed she was exactly that. Andrade put on a 15 minute beatdown of Lauren Murphy in this flyweight match-up, to the extent that the main talking point of the fight has been how Murphy’s corner should have thrown in the towel.

With Andrade floating between strawweight and flyweight, it is hard to predict what her next move may be. The Brazilian is currently occupying a ranking in both divisions and so campaigning for a title shot in either wouldn’t be far-fetched.

With the UFC reportedly booking Valentina Shevchenko vs Alexa Grasso for UFC 285, it may make more sense for Andrade to campaign for a rematch with the 115lb champion, Zhang Weili. That though, would depend on what the UFC plans to do with Amanda Lemos and Yan Xiaonan, as they both recently scored victories over contenders in the 115lb division.

With Andrade having previously scored a victory over Lemos, I would prefer to see her given a title fight, with the aforementioned two fighting in a title elimination bout.

Jessica Andrade’s next fight: Zhang Weili 

Johnny Walker

Coming into this one, despite Johnny Walker being the fighter from Brazil, all eyes were on Paul Craig. The reason being that Craig holds victories over both Jamahal Hill and Magomed Ankalaev, meaning that if he could’ve gotten past Walker, he would’ve automatically catapulted himself back into the title picture.

Johnny Walker had different ideas though. Taking him only two minutes, Walker made it two wins in a row, stopping the Scotsman via ground-and-pound.

The main event had a back-up fighter ready just in case one of the two light heavyweight’s missed weight. It wasn’t them who missed though, and unfortunately it was the back-up, Anthony Smith, who couldn’t hit the 205lbs mark. With Smith missing his opportunity to be next to fight for the title, a fight with Walker could make sense, considering Walker’s recent form.

Johnny Walker’s next fight: Anthony Smith 

The post What’s Next: UFC 283 Winners appeared first on Cageside Press.

Two title fights topped the promotion’s return to Brazil over the weekend, and both saw undisputed titles changing hands (becoming unified in one case). In the main event, Jamahal Hill sent Glover Teixeira into retirement, while in the co-feature, Brandon Moreno, holding interim gold to start the night, unified the titles and is now the undisputed UFC flyweight champion, having defeated Deiveson Figueiredo in the fourth fight of their series.

Also, while it doesn’t play into this article, the legendary Shogun Rua retired. Do yourself a favor: go back and watch the 2005 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix. Shogun is nothing short of a legend, and a future Hall of Famer.

Now, on to what comes next (maybe) for the losing side of the UFC 283 main card.

Glover Teixeira

Shogun wasn’t the only Brazilian legend to retire on Saturday night. After coming up short in the main event, looking to reclaim light heavyweight gold, Glover Teixeira called it a career.

It’s odd speaking of Teixeira in these terms because he never really dropped out of the title picture. Even at 43, Glover was still in the mix right up until the end. He took considerable damage against Jamahal Hill, but refused to go away — an apt description of Teixeira’s career, really. He refused to be denied, and captured the UFC light heavyweight championship at 42, after falling short to Jon Jones back in 2014.

What’s next for Teixeira will be coaching the likes of UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira. Now calling Connecticut home, you can expect to see more talent coming out of Teixeira’s gym. He’s one of the good guys in the sport, and is another fighter who deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame when all is said and done.

Deiveson Figueiredo

Here’s where things get really interesting: after losing to Brandon Moreno at UFC 283, Deiveson Figueiredo signalled a move to bantamweight.

Figueiredo is now 1-2-1 against Moreno, and while their fourth fight ended early due to a cut, the “God of War” was losing the fight after three rounds. What could have happened in the final ten minutes? We’ll never know. That’s almost enough to want to see a fifth fight, but the UFC isn’t likely to ever do that.

So it’s off to see the wizard at 135 for Figgy, who helped draw new fans to a weight class in 125lbs that was on life support for a couple of years. Who should he draw at 135? As a former champ, probably a high-profile opponent. Cody Garbrandt would be interesting, and is fighting in March against Julio Arce. Cory Sandhagen and Raphael Assuncao are also booked opposite one another for March. With Figueiredo likely needing some time for that cut to heal before he can train full force, the winner of either of those match-ups would be suitable. Sandhagen vs. Assuncao feels more likely, so we’ll go with that.

Figueiredo’s next fight: Sandhagen vs. Assuncao winner

Neil Magny

It was a rough night at the office for welterweight wins leader Neil Magny at UFC 283. Magny, who told us that he wanted the Burns match-up to test his grappling, fell short in that department, ending up submitted.

Magny has been a guy who likes to stay busy, a guy that is always a tough out, and this was one of his more decisive losses. He’ll likely get an opponent lower down the totem pole next, and that’s fine. Fighting on the same night as Magny was Warlley Alves, who also came up short. He’s an Ultimate Fighter Brazil winner, and another mainstay of the division. They’ve never fought, and the timing works.

Magny’s next fight: Warlley Alves

Lauren Murphy

The immediate answer to what comes next for “Lucky” Lauren Murphy is “time off.” Murphy frankly wasn’t so lucky at UFC 283, absorbing a one-sided beatdown from Jessica Andrade that became hard to watch by the end. There’s no questioning her toughness, and she later thanked her corner for not throwing in the towel, but it was clear they should have done just that. That fight dragging on to the final bell did no one any favors, least of all Murphy, who clearly lacked an answer to Andrade’s power.

The importance of brain health cannot be understated when it comes to combat sports. But that’s an argument for another day. When it comes to who Murphy gets next, the loser of Jennifer Maia vs. Casey O’Neill could work. That fight doesn’t arrive til March, giving Murphy some extra time to heal up.

Murphy’s next fight: Maia vs. O’Neill loser

Paul Craig

Scotland’s Paul Craig couldn’t get Johnny Walker down in their UFC 283 PPV opener on Saturday, and he paid for it.

Craig has now lost two in a row, albeit against strong competition in Walker and Volkan Oezdemir. He’s not exactly in dire straits, but avoiding an 0-3 slump is key. Someone who also needs a win, and is in dire straits, is Dominick Reyes. Reyes has lost four straight, dating back to his title bid against Jon Jones. Both of these fighters are still ranked, but at risk of losing the number next to their name.

Booking this makes a lot of sense and helps get one fighter back in the mix.

Craig’s next fight: Dominick Reyes

The post What’s Next: UFC 283 Losers appeared first on Cageside Press.

That light heavyweight title fight, with the UFC’s vacant 205lb title up for grabs, turned into an all-out war. Teixeira ate all kinds of damage, but refused to go away quietly. While he never really came close to a finish, the 43-year old did a decent amount of damage on the much younger Hill, who nevertheless took home the decision.

Hill was overwhelmed with emotion by the end of the fight, unable to even speak to UFC analyst Daniel Cormier initially. As for Teixeira, he announced his retirement following the loss — adding that it was an honor to retire on the same night as another Brazilian legend, Shogun Rua.

Jamahal Hill became the first-ever UFC champion to have joined the promotion by way of Dana White’s Contender Series with the win.

That bout took home Fight of the Night honors at UFC 283. Performance of the Night bonuses, meanwhile, went to Jailton Almeida and Ismael Bonfim. Both hailing from Brazil, both with big finishes — but Ismael Bonfim’s may very well end up on the short list for Knockout of the Year 12 months from now. The lightweight newcomer floored Terrance McKinney with a perfectly timed flying knee.

Attendance for the UFC’s return to Brazil was 13,604.

The post UFC 283 Main Event Earns Fight of the Night, Ismael Bonfim Gets Performance Bonus appeared first on Cageside Press.

Glover won the belt in 2021 but lost it in 2022’s ‘Fight of the Year’ against Jiri Prochazka. A truly wild set of events took place to make this fight happen, with Jiri getting hurt, vacating the belt, and the ensuing title fight ending in a disappointing draw last month at UFC 282. Before the end of the night, the UFC had booked Teixeira versus Hill for the main event of 283, and preparations began. It seemed likely heading into Saturday night that Glover would be looking to take down Jamahal and utilize his jiu-jitsu while Hill would look to use his knockout power to take out the elder statesman of the division.

The first round began with Teixeira feinting a takedown. Only ten seconds later he shot a real attempt and was stuffed but ended up in the clinch. Hill broke free and landed a monster knee on the break. Hill used his long legs to kick and knee at Glover’s body and legs from range for a while after that. Glover then had yet another single leg shot stuffed before eating a massive straight right hand from Jamahal, then a massive three piece combo. Glover was not out of it though, as he fired back and landed with shots of his own, but Hill was out ahead early on. An eye poke from Teixeira paused action but only momentarily. When they resumed, Hill stuffed another takedown despite Glover getting in deep on his hips. Teixeira pressured forward for the rest of his round and the fighters each landed good shots in the last ten seconds of a round that Hill clearly won.

Round two saw Glover pressuring forward behind his lead hand until Jamahal returned the favor from round one by eye poking the Brazilian early on. Glover got back to action after a short break while saying, “One to one.” Teixeira came back to the fight with a vengeance but Hill turned it back around on him and hurt the former champ. Glover shelled up against the fence but was able to stay alive. While bleeding from his face he stormed forward with shots of his own, landing on the younger fighter and opening up a cut on Hill’s face as well. The fight started to turn into a barn-burner, with both fighters landing big shots. Halfway through the round Glover was able to finally get Hill to the ground. They were against the fence with Glover in side control. Hill got mounted briefly but was able to get his guard back. Hill managed to use the fence to get back to his feet with one minute left in the round. Jamahal unloaded on Glover briefly but by the end of the round Glover had gained the front foot and was on the attack when the bell rang.

Glover opened round three with a single leg takedown and then switched to a double leg against the fence. Hill was able to use an over-under to defend and get back to striking range. Jamahal switched from trying to land bombs to pumping his jab out and touching the face of Glover, from both stances. A big head kick was partially blocked but still wobbled Glover, who staggered backwards across the cage and then fell to his back. Hill looked to slam down ground and pound on top of the Brazilian, who barely survived massive blows for over a minute as Mark Goddard looked on. Glover’s face was masked in blood. Eventually Hill let Glover up so he could take him on in striking again. Teixeira just kept marching forward, despite being seriously beat up. Hill began to show signs of tiring but the pace of his striking only decreased slightly. Jamahal ended the round with a big knee to the head and a follow up right hand at the buzzer.

Hill came out southpaw for the championship rounds. A big knee in the clinch landed from Hill early on. Teixeira tried to turn it into a takedown but failed yet again. Another big high kick from Jamahal wobbled Glover despite hitting the guard, but he still stayed in the fight, somehow. Glover looked done at one point as he retreated but then he came back with a two punch combo that hurt Hill somewhat. That emboldened him and made him march forward again momentarily, but the blood pouring down from above his eyes made him dab at his head and back up soon after. Hill swarmed with strikes that hurt Teixeira but Glover fought back when urged to from Mark Goddard. But that was not enough to get Hill off him as the American swarmed more, landing big punches and knees in the clinch which devastated the former champ. The blood from the eyebrows made it almost impossible for Glover to see as the fourth round ended.

One of Glover’s cornermen, John Hackleman, wanted to stop the fight between rounds but it was not to be. After a doctor’s examination, Teixeira came back out for the final round. The first thirty seconds saw Glover shoot a takedown, get stuffed, but then chain that attempt into a successful outside trip which let him get on top in half guard. Glover worked to pass half guard and got into full mount with three minutes left in the fight. Hill was able to sneak out from underneath Glover’s legs as Teixeira got too high in the mount. Jamahal got on top in half guard then and rained down elbows which cut the already wide open forehead of Teixeira. Glover eventually worked to get up and Hill let him, choosing to go back to striking. Teixeira pressed forward in the final minute, looking for a desperation knockout as Hill retreated. Glover tried to goad him into attacking by calling him on but Hill was not to be baited into needless risk.

Hill broke the record for most significant strikes by a fighter in a light heavyweight fight which went the distance, previously held by Marvin Vettori. Jamahal Hill broke down in tears, later screaming to the sky before the scorecards were even read, knowing he had just done enough to become champion. Bruce Buffer read the scorecards and all three had a clean sweep for Hill, with a 10-8 round thrown in for good measure. Hill collapsed to his knees and sobbed once more as the belt was wrapped around his waist.

The emotions are sinking in for Jamahal Hill ahead of the official decision #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/q4IuvCFDZy

— UFC (@ufc) January 22, 2023

Following the bout, Teixeira announced his retirement, saying he would focus on coaching Alex Pereira. He added that it was an honor to retire on the same night as legendary fellow UFC light heavyweight champion Shogun Rua.

Official Result: Jamahal Hill def. Glover Teixiera by Unanimous Decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-44)

The post UFC 283: Jamahal Hill Becomes First Champ From Contender Series, Glover Teixeira Retires appeared first on Cageside Press.

The Rio-based card marked the promotion’s first trip to Brazil in nearly three years, and fans would no doubt be in Figueiredo’s corner. With their career series tied at 1-1-1, however, it truly did feel like anyone’s fight.

There was no glove touch to start Figueiredo vs. Moreno 4. Instead, the pair met at center, before Moreno opted to circle outside. When they closed the distance, it was Moreno who landed a takedown, which Figueiredo defended with a guillotine, despite no real hope of pulling it off. What Figueiredo did manage to do was buy some time, as Moreno’s progress was effectively stalled. When he pulled free, Figueiredo powered his way out back to his feet.

From there, Moreno launched a leg kick that connected. A bit of a chess match ensued, as the pair felt each other out and traded single strikes. Both men landed, though neither seriously hurt the other.  Figueiredo did trail a combo with a heavy leg kick approaching the final minute of the round. Moreno ripped the body moments later. They went to the ground before the buzzer, with Figueiredo locking up a heel hook, but Moreno escaped the round.

At round’s end, Moreno complained to the officials that Figueiredo had landed an illegal kick while they were on the mat. It appeared that the kick was indeed illegal, but it was never called.

In the second, Figueiredo turned the tables early, securing a takedown of his own. He went to work while Moreno kept his guard high before scrambling out. Just over a minute had passed in the round. Figueiredo ducked a Moreno right hand. The pair were trading a little more frequently now. Moreno fired a low kick. Then a right hand. Figueiredo went to the body. Moreno landed a jab; the Brazilian went to the body again. When the champ threw a kick up high, Moreno dumped him. Figueiredo popped up, but a scramble saw him lock up a guillotine! It looked tight, but Moreno fought the hands. After a moment, Figueiredo was forced to release the choke.

That left Moreno inside Figueiredo’s guard, with 90 seconds to work. Moreno opted to basically rub his head against Figueiredo’s to add to his discomfort, though he didn’t do much in the way of actual damage. Still, he finished the round on top, sneaking in an elbow.

The third round saw the tide shift even further in favor of Moreno. About 90 seconds in, a punch clipped Figueiredo by the eye. Trailing that punch, which appeared to hurt Figueiredo, was a scrape to the eye that brought immediate protest from the champ. Which blow had done more damage, the clean punch or the foul, was a question. Either way, Figueiredo wound up on the ground, bloodied, with Moreno on top.

Despite the adversity, Figueiredo survived the round. But with Moreno closing out the frame on top, it was a bad look for the Brazilian champ. The crowd was not thrilled, and let their voice be heard between rounds.  The cut that had opened up under Figueiredo’s right eye was also cause for concern.

Serious concern. After taking a closer look prior to the start of the third, the doctor waved off the fight. While Moreno was already ahead, it wasn’t going to be a satisfactory ending for fans. The doctor’s stoppage ended the night early, with Moreno claiming the unified UFC flyweight championship.

Figueiredo, meanwhile, signalled that he was ready to move to bantamweight.

Official Result: Brandon Moreno def. Deiveson Figueiredo by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 3, 5:00

The post UFC 283: Cut Ends Deiveson Figueiredo’s Night Early, Brandon Moreno Unifies Flyweight Title appeared first on Cageside Press.

Burns was coming in off an absolute war with Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 273 last April, and while the fight didn’t go his way, he put forth an impressive performance and exited the arena with his head held high.

Burns managed to bring the fight to the mat early in the first round, where the action would stay for the remainder of the fight. Burns showed off his Brazilian jiu-jitsu prowess, working in smooth transitions and securing top control. To set up the finish, Burns mounted Magny with ease, locked in a tight arm triangle, and emerged victorious after submitting the all-time welterweight wins leader.

Bursting with emotion, “Durinho” made sure to make a compelling callout in his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier.

“Colby Covington – I’m coming for you!” Burns shouted as his Brazilian fans and local supporters cheered him on.

While Burns will look for a matchup with Covington, or perhaps #4 ranked Belal Muhammad, Magny will be focused on improving his grappling and leveling up his jiu jitsu prior to his next bout.

Burns moves to 21-5 with the victory, while Magny falls to 27-10.

Official Result: Gilbert Burns def. Neil Magny by submission (arm-triangle choke), Round 1, 4:15

The post UFC 283: Gilbert Burns Returns to Win Column with Sub of Neil Magny appeared first on Cageside Press.

Andrade was the heavy favorite in the flyweight fight in Rio, and early on, things played out pretty much as expected.

By the end, the beatdown was hard to watch.

The Brazilian started strong on Saturday, forcing Murphy to the outside. “Lucky” circled, but Andrade found success with her kicks, both a low kick, and front switch kick. A left hand clipped Murphy on the way in, connecting flush with her chin. While she was able to hold it together, Andrade continued chopping away at her lead leg.

Murphy, meanwhile, showed a questionable level change, and was nowhere near landing a takedown.

Past the midway mark of the round, another connection by Andrade saw her close th distance swinging. This time, a desperation takedown paid off for Murphy, but Andade was immediately back up. Back on the feet, another Andrade leg kick hit home. Andade was landing almost at will now, with Murphy in a constant state of retreat. In the final minute, Andade’s right hand connected. Then another combo. A leg kick. Murphy wouldn’t go down, but she was badly outgunned. A late takedown attempt, again, saw Murphy get Andrade to her knees, only to fail to keep the Brazilian there.

Round two saw a battered Murphy remain under fire. When Andrade pressed forward, Murphy’s night went south rather quickly. At best, the American was showing her grit, but her offensive output, little that there was, didn’t seem to have any effect, and her takedowns simply weren’t there for her. Andrade, meanwhile, fired an uppercut, then pressed the action with a combo just as the midway point of the round arrived. A few moments later, another right hand connected, snapping Murphy’s head to the side. Murphy would try a level change, only for Andrade to defend with a guillotine. When they did hit the mat, it was Andrade in control, sprawling and threatening to take the back.

Back on the feet, Andrade continued to pull away. A finally flurry at the end of the round got the fans on their feet, but there was still a round to go.

If Lauren Murphy had any hope of winning the fight, a finish would be necessary. In a fight so one-sided, that felt unlikely. Yet Murphy continued to press forward at points, firing her hands and looking for an opening even while taking considerable damage. Another takedown attempt saw Murphy again unable to keep Andrade down; Andrade turned up the heat moments later, with the ref taking a good long look at Murphy, perhaps considering putting a stop to the fight. Instead, he allowed the affair to carry on. Murphy made it to the final bell out of sheer grit, but Andrade was the clear winner.

Official Result: Jessica Andrade def. Lauren Murphy by unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-26)

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With Walker fighting at home in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he had the perfect opportunity to build on his recent victory over Ion Cutelaba. Scotland’s Craig would look to pull off another slick submission in hostile territory opposite the hard-hitting Walker.

Following a short feeling-out process, Walker landed a stiff right hand across the jaw of his opponent, sending Craig crashing to the canvas. Walker subsequently rained down vicious ground and pound strikes, effectively ending the bout halfway through the first round.

His post-fight celebration saw Walker break out “the worm,” despite actually having been injured performing the victory dance in the past.

🤯 @JOHNNYWALKER JUST TORE THE ROOF OFF OF @JEUNESSEARENA!!! #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/fe0NDeRwPi

— UFC (@ufc) January 22, 2023

The #12 ranked Walker now rides a 2-fight win streak, and will look to receive an opponent in the light heavyweight division’s top 10 the next time he steps in the octagon. Despite having some ways to go before the possibility of securing a title shot, Walker sets the bar high for himself and has his eyes on the prize: UFC gold.

“I’m a guy that can generate power from anywhere. I don’t need space, I don’t need anything,” Walker said following the fight. “I don’t give a f*ck. This is my division now,” he added when asked what would be next.

“I want to be like Cormier. I want to have two belts,” Walker told Daniel Cormier in his post-fight interview.

Craig falls to 16-6 after suffering his second consecutive loss, and will likely reevaluate and revamp his game plan prior to his next bout.

Official Result: Johnny Walker def. Paul Craig by TKO (Ground and Pound) Round 1, 2:16

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