The first two of those suspensions in the night came courtesy of knee injuries. In the opening bout of the evening Roque Williams dropped a decision to Don’Tale Mayes and took some damage to his left knee in the process. Later on during the prelims, Alex Morono picked up a win over a very tough Rhys McKee. In doing so, he saw his right knee take a hit. Both will need MRI’s and will face 180 days off if those don’t come back clean.

Later on in the night, Cory McKenna picked up an unanimous decision victory over Kay Hansen. However, she left with an apparent ankle injury that saw her being carried out of the cage. That will need to be cleared by the orthopedic doctor or she too will be on the shelf until May.

Lastly, Paul Felder joins the long layoff group with damage to his elbow. It wasn’t immediately clear if the damage was structural or ligament based, so he’ll need to be cleared by either an MRI or an x-ray.

Complete list of UFC Vegas 14 medical suspensions:

Rafael dos Anjos – 30 days
Paul Felder – 180 days or unless cleared by x-ray or MRI of right elbow.
Abdul Razak Alhassan – 60 days
Ashley Yoder – 21 days
Sean Strickland – 30 days
Brenden Allen – 45 days
Cory McKenna – 180 days or unless left ankle is cleared by orthopedic doctor.
Kay Hansen – 21 days
Kanako Murata – 21 days
Randa Markos – 60 days
Tony Gravely – 30 days
Geraldo de Freitas – 30 days
Alex Morono – 180 days or until cleared by MRI of right knee.
Rhys McKee – 45 days
Don’Tale Mayes – 30 days
Roque Martinez – 180 days or until cleared by MRI of left knee.

Suspensions originally reported by Kirik Jenness.

The post UFC Vegas 14 Medical Suspensions: Bad Night for Knees appeared first on Cageside Press.

Paul Felder

This loss to RDA puts Felder on a two-fight skid. Felder is one of the most exciting fighters in the lightweight division and should be looking to get back into the win column soon. Felder could possibly look at Islam Makhachev for his next fight. Makhachev was supposed to fight RDA this past weekend but was forced to withdraw from the fight. When Makhachev is ready he should be fighting a top ten fighter and that fighter should be Felder, given RDA is likely to move on to other things.

Felder’s next fight: Islam Makhachev 

Abdul Razak Alhassan

Abdul Razak Alhassan was knocked out cold this past Saturday by Khaos Williams. It was truly a shock knockout and Alhassan even had some bright spots in the fight before being knocked out. Alhassan is now 0-2 since returning after his two-year layoff. He should still be looked at as a promising prospect though. He is currently 10-3 with all ten of his wins by knockout. Alhassan has also missed weight in his last two fights which could play some role in the outcome of those fights. Some have called for him to move to middleweight, but standing at 5’10” he would probably be severely undersized at 185lbs.

If he does manage to get his weight cut under control, Max Griffin would be a perfect next fight for him. Griffin is known for his counter striking. He finished Ramiz Brahimaj just two weeks ago via doctor stoppage. A stoppage that came after Griffin picked away at him for three rounds. A striking match between Alhassan and Griffin would be great to see regardless of the outcome.

Alhassan’s next fight: Max Griffin 

Ashley Yoder

Ashley Yoder was able to win a unanimous decision over Miranda Granger at UFC Vegas 14. She should be looking to make her move into the top 15 by fighting the loser of Virna Jandiroba versus Mackenzie Dern in her next fight. Both Jandiroba and Dern have amazing jiu-jitsu and are ranked toward the back half of the top 15. Yoder has a brown belt in Jiu-Jitsu so it would be great to see her challenge Jandiroba or even have a rematch with Dern. Yoder originally lost to Dern via split decision at UFC 222 in 2018.

Yoder’s next fight: Loser of Dern-Jandiroba 

Brendan Allen

Brendan Allen was knocked out in the second round at UFC Vegas 14 by Sean Strickland. This is Allen’s only loss of his UFC career, with prior wins over Kevin Holland, Tom Breese, and Kyle Daukaus. Allen was climbing his way into the top 15 before this loss. So it is likely that he tries to get a quick turn around to get that bad taste out of his mouth. Joaquin Buckley will be fighting this weekend against Jordan Wright. Buckley is 11-3 while Wright is 11-0. Either man makes for a great challenge to Allen. Buckley is coming off a knockout of the year candidate so he has hype surrounding him already. If Wright beats Buckley he will likely steal his hype. Either way, the winner of this fight makes for a great opportunity for Allen who is coming off a loss.

Allen’s next fight: Winner of Buckley-Wright

Kay Hansen

Kay Hansen lost a decision to Cory Mckenna this past weekend. Both women combine for the youngest female duo to fight in the UFC, both being 21 years old. Hansen has finished six of her seven career wins and has never been submitted. Loma Lookboonmee is a great striker who is coming off a decision win over Jinh Yu Frey. Frey is also Hansen’s last win. Lookboonmee would be a great stylistic matchup for Hansen. Lookboonmee is a great striker but has zero wins by submission. One of her two losses also come by submission. While Hansen did lose to Cory McKenna, who would also be an interesting match for the Thai fighter, there’s an argument to have Hansen get at least a sideways move, as she looked very good even in the loss at UFC Vegas 14.

Hansen’s next fight: Loma Lookboonmee

The post What’s Next: UFC Vegas 14 Losers appeared first on Cageside Press.

Rafael dos Anjos

You have to like the call out of Conor from dos Anjos – a guy who correctly points out there are only two people who have undisputed championships in the division currently. With that being said, winning a decision over Paul Felder is not going to make him the money fight that McGregor wants, nor one the UFC wants. There are still plenty of names towards the top of the 155lbs heap. Both he and Charles Oliveira are sort of in the same spot. They are bad match-ups for everyone in the division and don’t quite have the steam to get one of those big names. A showdown between the two of them should land the winner the big fight they’ve been pinning for.

Rafael dos Anjos’ Next Fight: Charles Oliveira

Khaos Williams

With just 57 seconds of cage time Khaos Williams now sits at 2-0. It seemed impossible that he would be able to top his debut performance, and while it took an extra 3 seconds, it was much more impressive. Some people might want to see him against a grappler to see if he’s the whole package. Me? I just want to see someone crazy enough to continue throwing with him for a meaningful amount of time – which in this case may just be a couple seconds. Niko Price may be someone who is crazy enough to do just that. He has with so many people before. Plus, with his resilience and chin, it would be fascinating to see how much punishment he could take from Williams.

Khaos Williams’ Next Fight: Niko Price

Ashley Yoder

The level of competition Yoder regularly has faced is impressive to say the least. Regardless of who is standing in front of her, she makes it a fight. In her win over Miranda Granger this past weekend, she showed that her grappling makes all the difference, particularly when she is on top. She may not be ready for the top 15 yet, but Brianna Van Buren would be a fun tilt to see who’s close to that point. Van Buren is not easy to get down, but Yoder’s length may also be difficult for her on the feet. In short, the fight makes all the sense in terms of style and place in the division.

Ashley Yoder’s Next Fight: Brianna Van Buren

Sean Strickland

While this was supposed to be Brendan Allen’s chance to crack into the top 15, Sean Strickland stood in for Ian Heinisch, when he was forced to pull out, and spoiled that opportunity. As a result, we see Strickland with all the momentum now as he picked up two big wins in the last month’s time. Why not give him the fight that Allen was supposed to have? Heinisch would be another fun test of Strickland’s wrestling defense, in fact one that might be tougher than Allen. It will also give us an idea of just how impressed we should be with the last 2 striking performances of Strickland.

Sean Strickland’s Next Fight: Ian Heinisch

Cory McKenna

Although she walked away with a unanimous decision, a lot of people agree that McKenna was largely out-grappled by Kay Hansen. She ended two of the rounds in advantageous positions, but only after spending large portions of the round with her back taken or in bottom mount. The best part of McKenna’s game was her striking and the combinations that she put together. It would be nice to see her get a chance to showcase that more against someone who will pose her more threats on the feet. Loma Lookboonmee is a unique test on the feet with her Thai style is tough clinch game. Additionally, it’ll test Mckenna without moving her up much more than her last bout.

Cory McKenna’s Next Fight: Loma Lookboonme

The post What’s Next: UFC Vegas 14 Winners appeared first on Cageside Press.

A little less than a year ago, “The Irish Dragon” Felder seemed ready to give up on the sport. But after battling to a hard-fought, bloody split decision against dos Anjos, in the latter’s first lightweight appearance in years, Felder proved that he still has what it takes to hang with the best in the division.

dos Anjos, meanwhile, executed a smart game plan, keeping Felder tied up along the fence and winning the clinch battles more often than not. In doing so, he proved he’s still a force to be reckoned with at 155lbs.

Both proved worthy of an extra $50,000 by way of the Fight of the Night bonus.

Performance of the Night bonuses, meanwhile, were awarded to Sean Strickland, for a second-round TKO of Brendan Allen, and Khaos Williams, who made short work of Abdul Razak Alhassan in the co-main event.

After sitting out two years due to injury, Strickland now has two wins in a matter of weeks. Not a bad haul at all for the middleweight, who admitted that money motivated him to accept the short-notice, 195lb catchweight fight. Williams, for his part, took all of 30 seconds to score his second straight knockout inside the octagon.

All four men take home an extra $50,000 USD.

The post UFC Vegas 14 Bonuses: RDA and Felder Rewarded for Main Event War appeared first on Cageside Press.

If we’re being honest, it seemed that once this fight was announced, many fans were more excited for Felder vs. Dos Anjos than the card’s original headliner, which saw RDA paired up with Islam Makhachev. And when it came fight time, the two popular lightweights gave everything they had inside the octagon, each man connecting with back-and-forth exchanges.

Dos Anjos got ahead on the judges’ score cards by controlling the clinch against the cage, which put him in position to get well-timed takedowns on Felder. Paul Felder, meanwhile, was durable and had no quit, always getting out of the dangerous positions he was put in. In the end, Dos Anjos’ control against the cage was too much for Felder and was the perfect game plan, earning him a split decision victory.

Check out how the pros reacted to Rafael dos Anjos’ victory at UFC Vegas 14 below.

The Perfect Fight

Great fight by @RdosAnjosMMA he fought the perfect fight, big ups to my main man Paul Felder for taking this fight under these circumstances. @felderpaul this is why you’re loved my man.

— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) November 15, 2020

FIGHT OF THE NIGHT #UFCVegas14 @RdosAnjosMMA @felderpaul 💥

— Joanna Jedrzejczyk (@joannamma) November 15, 2020

This will be FOTN #UFCVegas14

— Jared Gordon (@JFlashGordonMMA) November 15, 2020

There Goes My Hero

Paul felder is my hero

— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) November 15, 2020

Congrats to @felderpaul and @RdosAnjosMMA for the FOTN performances at #UFCVegas14 massive respect!

— Herbert Burns (@HerbertBurnsMMA) November 15, 2020

Good fight between Dos Anjos and Felder to close the show ! #UFCVegas14

— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) November 15, 2020

Respect from the entire MMA world gentlemen!! 🙌🏼@felderpaul @RdosAnjosMMA #UFCVegas14

— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) November 15, 2020

Awesome fight, always bittersweet when you have 2 really good guys and amazing fighters but I loved RDA’s reign as a champion and wouldn’t mind seeing it again. Feel like Felder earned himself a rematch if that happens as well. #UFCVegas14

— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) November 15, 2020

All RDA. But still,, Felder is so inspiring fighting the way he fought. Congratulations to the both of them #UFCVegas14

— Vince Morales (@vandetta135) November 15, 2020

Where Can We Get a Pair?

Superman wears @felderpaul pajamas to bed #UFCVegas14

— Randy Costa (@RandyCosta135) November 15, 2020

The post Pros React to Rafael dos Anjos’ Victory in Lightweight Return at UFC Vegas 14 appeared first on Cageside Press.

The short-notice main event of UFC Vegas 14 was between Paul Felder and former UFC champion Rafael dos Anjos. Felder had semi-retired after his last fight, a loss to Dan Hooker, but took this fight on short-notice while training for a triathlon. After losing in four of his last five against top welterweight competition, dos Anjos was returning to lightweight for this one.

Felder took the center of the cage quickly and landed a leg kick. RDA went to a teep, then ate a pair of leg kicks. Felder was throwing heavy leather early and dos Anjos gave him something to think about by briefly touching his leg. RDA went for a body kick and Felder answered with a spinning elbow that cut dos Anjos. RDA worked for a takedown and brought Felder down. After some time, Felder stood up and broke out of a head-and-arm choke, then landed a strong uppercut. A pair of right hands landed for Felder and dos Anjos answered with a straight left. Felder shot for a takedown, but RDA sprawled it against the cage, leading to an RDA-favored clinch. A cracking left hook landed for dos Anjos right before the end of the round.

RDA started the second round with strong kicks to the body. Felder landed a combination as dos Anjos pushed forward for a takedown that he didn’t complete. An elbow for Felder was followed by a hefty leg kick and another elbow. The straight left connected for dos Anjos, who then shot in for a takedown. Felder landed a big knee and resisted a takedown. RDA hit a strong body kick and another straight left, then a double-jab left-straight combo. Felder fired back with a combination that backed RDA up. A head kick landed for dos Anjos then a ripping right hook to the body. He then shot for a takedown and got Felder down this time. Felder stood up, but RDA stuck to him like glue. Eventually, RDA let go and landed a strong left straight to close out the round.

Felder started with a head kick and RDA countered with a body kick and another takedown attempt against the cage. Felder stayed on his feet, then he initiated a clinch. He was able to land a strong elbow on the exit, but RDA came right back in and took him down. Felder worked his way up and prevented RDA from taking his back with a well-placed overhook. They broke apart and began exchanging again. RDA threw a flying knee into a takedown attempt, then slammed Felder down, ending the round in half guard.

Felder started the fourth with a flying knee. A one-two landed cleanly for Felder, who was rejuvenated to start the round. Felder fought off a takedown attempt and continued to throw leather. RDA connected with a body kick and started letting his hands go. Felder fought off a clinch then dos Anjos shot in hard for a double-leg and was held up by the cage. RDA continued to try for takedowns, but Felder stayed on his feet and eventually spun him around, exiting the clinch. A crisp jab landed for RDA and Felder started unloading. Out of nowhere, Felder hit a perfect double-leg takedown. RDA scooted to the fence and reversed position to land ground-and-pound at the end of the round.

Felder landed some jabs to start the fifth and thwarted a takedown. However, dos Anjos refused to give him space, shooting in twice more and taking Felder down into half guard. RDA was going for the arm-triangle but Felder broke free. He then scrambled, allowing RDA to establish north-south. Felder squirmed his way up, but dos Anjos stayed on his hips. He scored his final takedown with 10 seconds left to close things out.

Rafael dos Anjos def. Paul Felder by Split Decision (50-45 x2, 47-48)

The post UFC Vegas 14 Results: Rafael dos Anjos Controls Resilient Paul Felder appeared first on Cageside Press.

Fiery welterweights Abdul Razak Alhassan and Khaos Williams clashed in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 14. Alhassan knocked out the first six opponents in his career to earn a UFC contract. The streak continued in his debut, but he then lost to Omari Akhmedov. Alhassan got back on track with three more knockouts before falling to prospect Mounir Lazzez in his last fight.

Williams started his career at 9-1 with five finishes then joined the UFC roster. He blew out Alex Morono in his promotional debut earlier this year, knocking him out in just 27 seconds. Of his six career finishes, five have come in the first round.

Williams started the fight with a leg kick and a double-jab. A pair of leg kicks connected heavily for Khaos, then an earth-shattering right hand that shut the lights off immediately. Another quick knockout for Williams, who has spent just 57 seconds in the Octagon and already has two wins.

KHAOS IN THE OCTAGON 🌩@KhaosOXWilliams is TERRIFYING in the Octagon 😳

[ Main event next on #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/YR1PR0XZKc

— UFC (@ufc) November 15, 2020

After the fight, Dana White told Williams that it was one of the most vicious knockouts he’s ever seen. Williams said afterwards that he was a diamond in the rough waiting to be found. He’s certainly delivered, with two brutal knockouts in 30 seconds each.

Alhassan needed help exiting the Octagon, as he was stiff following the knockout.

Khaos Williams def. Abdul Razak Alhassan by KO (Right Straight) in Round 1 (0:30)

The post UFC Vegas 14 Results: Khaos Williams Gets Another 30-Second KO appeared first on Cageside Press.

Ashley Yoder looked to get back on track at UFC Vegas 14 against Miranda Granger, who was also coming off a loss. It’s been tough sledding for Yoder since her appearance on The Ultimate Fighter, where she went 1-1. Her UFC career started with three consecutive losses, but she was able to rebound with a pair of wins. The upswing did not last as long as she wanted, as she came into the fight on a two-fight losing streak.

Miranda Granger won the CFFC strawweight title to earn a UFC contract, which she made good on by defeating Hannah Goldy decisively in her debut. Granger was looking to rebound from a first-round submission loss in her last fight.

The strawweights met in the middle and the taller Granger landed a leg kick. Yoder answered with a left hand over the top right into a clinch. Granger spun her around against the cage and controlled the clinch from there. Yoder attempted an acrobatic back take off a throw, but Granger resisted it and separated. A few leg kicks landed for Granger before Yoder closed the distance and brought the fight to the mat with a throw. Granger was able to reverse position, but was at risk for a heel hook that she punched her way out of. Yoder stayed active from the bottom, nearly locking up a triangle and an armbar that Granger resisted by pushing the head of Yoder down with her legs until the bell rung.

https://twitter.com/iHeartGeorgius1/status/1327784025411489793?s=20

The fighters clinched up quickly to start round two with Granger winning the dirty boxing battle with knees and elbows. Granger continued to push Yoder against the cage, who countered with a head-and-arm throw. However, Granger countered and took the back of Yoder on the way down. A scramble ensued and Yoder got into half guard. Granger began attempting a kimura, but it didn’t lead to anything. Yoder controlled the remainder of the round from half guard.

The strawweights traded shots to start the final round with a strong leg kick landing for Granger. Yoder rushed in and muscled Granger to the canvas into side control. Granger attempted to wall walk and sweep, but a kimura attempt countered that effort. Yoder transitioned into mount, and Granger began trying to escape out the back door, but Yoder’s top control was too effective. Yoder postured up and landed ground-and-pound, forcing Granger to give up her back. Yoder established a body triangle and punched her way to the final bell, nearly securing a rear-naked choke.

SAVED BY THE HORN 😳

We go to the judges when we come back. #UFCVegas14 pic.twitter.com/syr13JWizv

— UFC (@ufc) November 15, 2020

Ashley Yoder def. Miranda Granger by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 29-27 x2)

The post UFC Vegas 14 Results: Ashley Yoder Defeats Miranda Granger in Twister-Like Fight appeared first on Cageside Press.

Brendan Allen took advantage of an opening at UFC Vegas 14, agreeing to fight Sean Strickland after his fight last week was scrapped due to COVID-19. Allen came to the UFC with plenty of hype as the LFA champion and scored a submission victory on the Contender Series. He’s certainly delivered, with stoppages against veterans Kevin Holland and Tom Breese followed by a short-notice decision victory against Kyle Daukaus.

Strickland has been around, making his promotional debut in 2014. He’s carved out a nice career for himself, going 8-3 in the Octagon and losing to top welterweights Santiago Ponzinibbio and Kamaru Usman. Most recently, he’s rebounded from from a loss against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos with victories over Nordine Taleb and Jack Marshman, with the Marshman one coming just two weeks ago.

Jabs were traded out of the gate with Allen landing a low kick. Allen went high with a kick then double-jabbed Strickland. Strickland fired back with jabs of his own then caught a body kick from Allen, driving him to the canvas. Allen attempted a sweep, but Strickland stayed strong on top. Allen ate a big right hand then started working his way to his feet. Strickland had commanding control of the clinch, but couldn’t bring Allen down again. Allen started working his quick strikes again once he gained separation. Strickland stayed steady with his jab, but got cracked by a left hook. After a fiery start from Allen, it was Strickland who was controlling the stand-up with a beautiful jab. A front kick found the chin of Allen, who fired back with a combination to close out a fun first round.

Strickland got right back to work in the second round, sending Allen stumbling with a combination of straight punches. Allen came back inside but continued to eat straight shots. A few leg kicks landed for Allen, but Strickland’s jab was too much to handle. A cracking left rocked Allen and only a few more hooks were needed to stop the fight.

2️⃣ weeks! 2️⃣ wins!

Strickland 2.0 has emerged at the UFC APEX!

[ Action continues on #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/g1grRfWEQL

— UFC (@ufc) November 15, 2020

Sean Strickland def. Brendan Allen by TKO (Punches) in Round 2 (1:32)

The post UFC Vegas 14 Results: Sean Strickland Stops Brendan Allen Behind Strong Jab appeared first on Cageside Press.

Young guns started the UFC Vegas 14 main card as 21-year-olds Kay Hansen and Cory McKenna battled. Hansen went 5-3 in Invicta FC with four finishes to earn a shot at the big stage against fellow Invicta veteran Jinh Yu Frey, who was an atomweight champion in the promotion. Hansen impressed against Frey, submitting her in the final round back in June.

McKenna, a Welsh fighter, stared her career in Cage Warriors and went 4-1 with three finishes. The performances were impressive enough to earn her a Contender Series appearance just three months ago, where she won by decision against LFA champion Vanessa Demopoulos.

Hansen started quickly with a three-punch combination. McKenna fired back, but Hansen unloaded another combination. The fight was off to a fiery pace, with McKenna landing a right hand and Hansen hit another combination that backed McKenna up. There was a brief clinch, but the young women got right back to work. Hansen connected again with her straight punch combination and McKenna went for a takedown against the cage. Hansen kept working, landing elbows then knees to the head, dropping McKenna and taking her back in the process. Hansen attempted to work for the choke with 30 seconds left, but ended up eating several punches from McKenna while Hansen’s arms were occupied.

Hansen landed a crisp straight right hand to start the second round then narrowly avoided a big right hand from McKenna. As McKenna came in, Hansen ducked under for a takedown, but the fight stayed on the feet. A body kick connected for Hansen followed by a combination. She exploded again and hit a knee to the head. McKenna countered a front kick with a combination, but the body kicks were adding up for Hansen. McKenna cracked Hansen with a right hand, who shot for a takedown and threw her opponent down. Hansen took the back quickly and had the arm under the chin, but had to bail on the submission and switch to an armbar, giving McKenna top position with a minute left in the round. She wasn’t able to generate much offense, but she was out of danger.

Shades of Khabib!?

🎙 @Bisping has high praise @KayHansenMMA's offense. #UFCVegas14 pic.twitter.com/ZDLrIdSsxK

— UFC (@ufc) November 15, 2020

A strong jab from McKenna started the final round followed by a swift body kick from Hansen. The strawweights traded blows twice, snapping each other’s heads back. A straight right found the target for Hansen, who then ducked under and scored a clean double-leg takedown into half guard. Hansen tried hard to pass to side control, but it was McKenna who was able to get back to full guard. She briefly gained separation, but Hansen jumped back on top. Hansen fought off a kimura, then tried an arm-triangle, which brought her to mount. She held onto the choke in mount, and McKenna spun her around to end the fight in top position, landing several punches in the process. After the fight came to an end, McKenna appeared to have an injured leg.

Cory McKenna def. Kay Hansen by Unanimous Decision (29-28 x3)

The post UFC Vegas 14 Results: Cory McKenna Tops Kay Hansen in Entertaining Bout appeared first on Cageside Press.