Cody Garbarndt

Cody Garbrandt is now 1-4 in his last five fights with his loss on Saturday night. He has tested a drop in weight class for some time now and now might just be the perfect time to do it. The flyweight division does not have a lot of contenders at the top of the weight class at the moment, meaning Garbrandt will likely get a number one contender fight in his first fight in the division. Brandon Moreno is going to be fighting champion, Deiveson Figueiredo in the near future. That leaves Askar Askarov in the perfect position to welcome Garbrandt to the flyweight division.

Garbrandt’s next fight: Askar Askarov 

Yan Xiaonan

Xiaonan suffered her first loss in the octagon at UFC Vegas 27. Prior to this loss, she had beaten women like Angela Hill, Karolina Kowalkiewicz, and Claudia Gadelha. Carla Esparza is now likely in line to get the next title shot in the strawweight division. So it would be great for Xiaonan to fight Zhang Weili in the meantime. Weili is coming off a loss to the champion Rose Namajunas and will likely need to win another fight before getting a rematch.

Xiaonan’s next fight: Zhang Weili 

Justin Tafa & Felicia Spencer

Justin Tafa lost a decision to Jared Vanderaa this past weekend. In an extremely bloody fight that ended up winning Fight of the Night honors. This loss makes Tafa 1-3 in the UFC and his overall professional record is only 4-3. He will likely be getting cut from the UFC before his next fight, unless that bonus win saves him.

Felicia Spencer was also on the wrong end of a decision this past weekend as she lost to Norma Dumont. She is in a similar situation as Tafa as she is 2-3 in the UFC, with an overall record of 8-3. Given how thin (read: non-existent) the featherweight division is, she could very well be on the chopping block as well. If not, maybe keep the fight with Danyelle Wolf intact — but that will likely go to Dumont now.

Bill Algeo & Edmen Shahbazyan

Bill Algeo and Edmen Shahbazyan both lost decisions at UFC Vegas 27. Algeo lost to Ricardo Ramos and Shahbazyan lost to Jack Hermansson. Algeo will likely fight someone like Kai Kamaka III in his next fight. Kamka, like Algeo, is 1-2 in the UFC. Both men are fairly young and new to the UFC.

Algeo’s next fight: Kai Kamaka III 

Edmen Shahbazyan is 0-2 in his last two fights but has an overall UFC record of 4-2. He was undefeated before losing his last two fights and should definitely get another shot to prove he belongs in the UFC. In his next fight, he should fight Karl Roberson. Roberson is 4-4 in the UFC with all four of his losses being by submission. He also has experience fighting professional kickboxing. Therefore, he would be a great match-up for Shahbazyan’s style.

Shahbazyan’s next fight: Karl Roberson 

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In doing so, she also picked up one of the night’s two Performance of the Night bonuses.

Esparza, who had won four straight with nary a finish in sight, dominated China’s Yan Xiaonan in the Fight Night card’s co-main event. Meeting little resistance, she put Xiaonan on her back in the second round, and pounded her out for the TKO finish. With the pair representing the two leading candidates for a title shot, Esparza not only picked up an extra $50,000 — but potentially a shot at gold.

Of course, Dana White may have other ideas. “I don’t know what we’re going to do next. If we do the rematch [against Weili Zhangi] or if we give it to her,” White said during the event’s post-fight show (h/t MMA Fighting).

The other Performance of the Night bonus, meanwhile, was given to Bruno Silva. And for good reason. The Brazilian not only made short work of opponent Victor Rodriguez, knocking him out in one minute flat, but came equipped with a sign asking for a $75,000 bonus.

Of course, last week’s UFC 262 card saw bonus winners awarded bigger checks. Silva will have to settle for the usual 50K.

Fight of the Night at UFC Vegas 27 went to the main card heavyweight tilt between Jared Vanderaa and Justin Tafa. The bout saw Vanderaa pick up his first win inside the octagon.

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New England Mafia team member Rob Font was headed into the biggest fight of his career Saturday night. Not just because “the next fight is always the biggest,” but because he was throwing down with former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt.

Font, with three straight wins under his belt, could secure his spot as a contender with a win over the ex-champ. Garbrandt, coming off a highlight reel knockout win over Raphael Assuncao, could jump right back in the mix with a strong showing of his own.

Cody Garbrandt started the fight with a strong leg kick that had Font off balance temporarily. From there, a feeling-out process began as both men attempted to find their range. Font then closed in and got a hold of Garbrandt with a Thai clinch and delivered a knee to the body. There was an exchange of hooks that led to a scramble, then both fighters returned to the center of the Octagon. Font pressed forward and landed a front kick, then quickly moved forward, where he was taken down by Garbrandt. Font got up and then landed a slew of punches before getting taken down again. Font was able to get back to his feet before the round came to a close.

Font landed a body kick early on, then Garbrandt went low with a kick and blasted forward with a successful double-leg takedown. Garbrandt passed the guard, then Font successfully executed a kimura sweep to return to his feet. On the feet, Font was finding plenty of success with long punches. The jab of Font settled in, as he was able to avoid a takedown for an extended period of time. He kept Garbrandt at bay until a late takedown attempt, which he successfully avoided.

Non-stop action with some high level scrambles 💢

[ #UFCVegas27 | Live on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/i2LhUw1hQI

— UFC (@ufc) May 23, 2021

A right straight connected for Font right away and he began pumping the jab behind it. Font landed a combination and caused Garbrandt to stagger backward. A counter right landed and forced Garbrandt to shoot for a takedown, which Font avoided by slipping the attempt and turning it into an advantageous clinch of his own. Font was able to sweep Garbrandt off his feet and land a few shots before Garbrandt scrambled to his feet. Font avoided a takedown and the fighters began exchanging jabs as the fight was visibly taking a toll on Garbrandt.

Font picked up the pace in the fourth round, mixing a head kick in with his jabs that were consistently finding the mark. A slick body-body-head combo connected for Font as Garbrandt’s offensive output dwindled. A big right hand and a few jabs landed for Font, followed by a head kick from in close. Font was pouring it on as the takedown was no longer a threat. It looked as if nothing was missing Garbrandt’s chin as Font was landing jab after jab.

Garbrandt landed a few shots out of the gate in the final round, but Font was still in control. He landed jabs at will and staggered Garbrandt with a counter-right hand. Font continued to keep the jab in Garbrandt’s face as he did not have an answer for it. An overhand right did land for Garbrandt with two minutes left, but nothing came of it. Font landed a sweep to get Garbrandt on his back temporarily, then stunned him with a big right hand. Font mixed it up with a few combinations toward the end, but pulled guard right before the round came to a close after eating a big shot.

Rob Font def. Cody Garbrandt by Unanimous Decision (50-45 x2, 48-47)

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Arguably, the most important fight on the UFC Vegas 27 card was not the main event, but the co-feature, with Carla Esparza facing off with Yan Xiaonan.

On the line? The possibility of a title fight with newly crowned “Thug” Rose Namajunas. While the old “nothing is set in stone” cliche always comes to mind, in reality, no two fighters in the division were better positioned for a title shot than Xiaonan and Esparza.

Carla Esparza met little resistance in the first round against Yan Xiaonan, taking her down twice and pinning her there for the great majority of the first round. Esparza’s pressure was constant and similar to what we saw in her prime back when she was ruling Invicta FC.

It was the same in the second round, with Esparza getting an early takedown and working her way to side control. Xiaonan was active on the bottom, but couldn’t counter Esparza’s top control. Esparza worked her way to the mounted crucifix and it was the beginning of the end. She began raining down elbows and a slew of quick punches, and despite the best efforts of Xiaonan, that was all that was required to stop the fight. Esparza put on a thorough display of dominance to get an important win in the strawweight division, handing Xiaonan her first UFC loss.

Carla Esparza def. Yan Xiaonan by TKO (Ground-and-Pound) in Round 2 (2:58)

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Justin Tafa and Jared Vanderaa were both looking to get back in the win column at UFC Vegas 27.

The heavyweight pair were both coming off single losses: Tafa against Carlos Felipe, Vanderaa against Sergey Spivak. Prior to that, Tafa had earned his first UFC win against Juan Adams, while Vanderaa had earned his way into the promotion on the Contender Series.

Vanderaa began the fight with a stiff leg kick then pumped a few distance-finding jabs. Vanderaa went back to the leg kick then Tafa threw a heavy right hand to get Vanderaa’s attention. The two heavyweights had different objectives, with Vanderaa biding his time and peppering Tafa with leg kicks and jabs, while Tafa was looking for the heavy shots. Although Vanderaa was able to catch Tafa with a big knee to the head. Vanderaa pumped his jab and caught his opponent clean while also looking to counter strike when Tafa came in.

Vanderaa landed a head kick in the early going of the second round and Tafa began to use some kicks of his own. A strong left hand landed for Tafa, but then a big right hand cracked Tafa. He began unloading on his opponent, who was stuck against the fence, but Tafa fired right back and caught Vanderaa with a pair of big punches that cut him open and forced him to close the distance. Tafa began having more success toward the end of the round, landing a big shot that stumbled Vanderaa with a few seconds left.

HEAVY BLOWS 💥

These guys are STRAIGHT swinging. #UFCVegas27 pic.twitter.com/pIVc4deoS9

— UFC (@ufc) May 23, 2021

Tafa started the final round by landing four consecutive straight punches. Vanderaa answered with a few kicks to the body, but Tafa had certainly found a rhythm after struggling in the early going. Vanderaa improved as thee round went on, catching Tafa with body kicks and a pair of hooks. He followed that up with a four-punch combination that Tafa happily ate. Tafa answered with a lunging hook that caught Vanderaa. He then initiated a clinch then took a shot below the belt with a little over 30 seconds left in the fight. After the fight resume, both men threw down to the end to cap off a fun heavyweight fight.

Jared Vanderaa def. Justin Tafa by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

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Originally, Felicia Spencer, former 145lb title challenger and ex-Invicta FC champ, had been paired up with boxer Danyelle Wolf. Wolf had earned her way into the promotion on Dana White’s Contender Series last year — with a 1-0 record, and massive question marks circling her MMA transition.

With Wolf withdrawing from Saturday’s bout with Spencer, however, Norma Dumont, a former featherweight who had struggled making the move to 135lbs, was returning to her more natural home.

That made Spencer vs. Dumont the second women’s 145lb fight of 2021 in the UFC — the exact same number as could be found on Bellator 259 one night earlier.

Through the first 30 plus seconds of Spencer vs. Dumont, nary a strike was thrown. Just plenty of respect and feints, until Spencer finally threw a combo to close the distance. When the pair did open up, both ladies took some big swings. Spencer also ate a low kick from Dumont, an attack she’d go back to again moments later. Spencer, meanwhile, threw a couple of high kicks that came up short. It wasn’t until the final minute that Spencer finally got the fight to her wheelhouse, pushing Dumont up against the fence. But the Brazilian quickly reversed and moved back to center.

Things opened up a little quicker in the second. And again, when Spencer closed the distance, Dumont easily threw her off. In the stand-up department Dumont seemed to be getting the better of the Canadian, countering well. Heading to the third, the fight was still up for grabs, but if there was an edge, it was leaning towards Norma Dumont.

Spencer flashed a high kick early in the third, but it was Dumont who landed a takedown in the opening minute. That was not good news for the “Feenom,” as every second at a disadvantage meant the fight was slowly slipping away from her. Spencer worked her way back to the fence as best she could, but Dumont didn’t make it easy. In a key error, Spencer gave up on escaping and looked instead for a kimura. Luckily, the was able to scramble free regardless moments later. As the round progressed, Spencer backed her opponent against the fence, sneaking in a few strikes in the process. Elbows over the top looked nasty, and Spencer would finally put her opponent on her back with just over a minute remaining. She’d finish out the round on top — but it wasn’t enough to win her the fight.

There’s a chance Dumont jumps into the Wolf fight now, while what comes next for Spencer in a division sparse on bodies is anyone’s guess.

Official Result: Norma Dumont def. Felicia Spencer by split decision (30-27, 28-28, 29-28)

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The pair threw down second in on the main card, with both men fighting for the first time in 2021.

Ramos took the center of the octagon and threw a low kick, followed by a high kick a few seconds later. Ramos slammed Algeo twice in a row and then took his back. Ramos tried for a standing rear-naked choke, but Algeo fought it off and escaped. Ramos landed a sneaky uppercut, but Algeo ate it. He then landed a left jab that backed Ramos up. With just over two minutes left in the round, Algeo landed a spin kick that made Ramos bounce off the cage. Both fighters exchanged punches and kicks, which Algeo getting the better of the two. With a minute left, Ramos landed a takedown and grabbed Algeo’s back immediately. Algeo made Ramos fall off the submission attempt and tried for his own takedown to end the round in what was an entertaining first round of action.

Algeo threw a high kick to start round two but missed. Ramos landed a hard body kick. Ramos landed a head kick, but it just glanced off Algeo, nothing major. Algeo landed a half kick, jab, and attempted a flying knee, which partially landed. Ramos had a standing anaconda choke locked up, but Algeo escaped. Both fighters exchanged jabs. Ramos slipped Algeo’s jab and went straight to his opponent’s back, but Algeo escaped yet again. Algeo rushed Ramos and landed a punch and spinning elbow but didn’t do too much damage. Ramos landed a takedown with five seconds left to end round two.

Algeo started round three with a 1-2, followed by a spinning kick. Ramos missed on a hook. Algeo landed a calf kick and a double jab. Algeo threw a spinning back fist, but it was blocked. Ramos tried for a takedown, but it was blocked in turn. Algeo landed a counter right hand which caused both of them to clinch on the fist. Near the midway mark, and they met at center. Both men were throwing combos. Ramos tried for a takedown with almost a minute left, but Algeo stuffed it. Ramos tried again for a takedown but landed it and took Algeo’s back. Algeo got back up to his and threw a hook. The fight ended with Ramos catching one of Algeo’s kicks and dropping him. Going to the scorecards, it was no surprise to see Ricardo Ramos get his hand raised.

With the win, Ramos is back in the win column, while Algeo suffers his second UFC defeat.

Official Result: Ricardo Ramos def. Bill Algeo by unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28)

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Hermansson opened the fight holding center, throwing a low kick with Shahbazyan circling on the outside. Shahbazyan would press back, attacking with his right hand and a combo, putting Hermansson on the defensive momentarily. When Hermansson shot for a takedown, the youngster was nowhere to be found. As the round wore on, Shahbazyan found his range, and that right hand became even more of a problem, mixing it as it was with combinations and the occasional front kick.

Round two found Hermansson on top within the first minute, making like difficult for Shahbazyan. The Swede couldn’t keep Shahbazyan down, and instead had to settle for a half-hearted choke attempt along the fence. When Shahbazyan worked free, it was his own turn to defend a takedown with a guillotine choke. It wasn’t there, and Hermansson soon moved into half-guard. Shahbazyan’s ground game had certainly been tested through two and a half rounds. And as far as that realm was concerned, Shahbazyan earned a passing grade, scrambling out the back dor and transitioning to the top with a minute remaining in the frame.

The third round saw Shahbazyan mixing up his strikes, and Hermansson shooting for a takedown early. He worked to set up a choke while peppering Shahbazyan with shots, perhaps the most significant damage “The Joker” had done to that point. Elbows followed, as Shahbazyan, flat on his back, struggled to find a way out. Without question, this third round was the best for Hermansson, and he finished strong, on top raining down blows.

Thanks to a 10-8 third round, Hermansson took home a 29-27 on all three scorecards.

Official Result: Jack Hermansson def. Edmen Shahbazyan by unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)

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Rothwell was very much the antithesis of Barnett in terms of style, making the featured preliminary card bout a rather interesting match-up.

Barnett right away started to press forward to open the heavyweight scrap. He landed some nice leg kicks and was lunging with the superman punch. Rothwell continued to stay calm, and was looking extremely efficient. Barnett was throwing a lot of volume mixing it up and giving a lot of looks. As they clashed midways in Rothwell landed a takedown. With a minute left, Rothwell got into mount and took the back. Rothwell almost had a head crank but Barnett escaped and got back to the feet. Both guys slugged it out to end the round.

BIG BEN 😤@RothwellFighter gets the tap in RD 2 to finish the job #UFCVegas27 pic.twitter.com/DTs1CCDIWb

— UFC (@ufc) May 22, 2021

Barnett looked gassed and sloppy to start round two. Still staying busy, “Beastboy” was touching him up. Barnett was landing big shots but they were not fazing Rothwell. Rothwell sat in the pocket landing well, including some really slick uppercuts. It became too much for Barnett as he shot in on the legs. That allowed Rothwell to submit him with a GoGo choke — which was announced as a guillotine, earning a look from “Big Ben.”

Official Result: Ben Rothwell def. Chris Barnett by Submission (GoGo Choke), Round 2, 2:07

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McGee had lost three straight, most recently to “The Natural Born Killer” Carlos Condit back in October. McGee’s status as a veteran and TUF champ was likely what had paved the way for another shot in the octagon, but he was paired up with a very dangerous Silva whose only loss in six UFC bouts had come to James Krause.

McGee vs. Silva started out at a spirited pace, with McGee eating a head kick early. After a couple of exchanges on the feet, McGee landed a well-timed takedown, planting Silva on his back right in the middle of the octagon. McGee went to work in guard, and with both men dry and Silva nowhere near the fence, he had plenty of time to make something happen. But instead, Silva scrambled out, and was soon working on a single-leg takedown of his own, which McGee fought off. Some more exchanges were dotted throughout the round, with McGee likely ahead on the scorecards.

The second round had McGee a little lighter on his feet, and he connected early before closing the distance and looking for a clinch. Silva broke free, and before long, it was the Brazilian completing a double-leg takedown. McGee was quickly to a knee, wall-walking up by the fence. He’d sprawl, stuffing the next takedown, then wind up on top in guard. With three and a half minutes remaining in the second, that gave McGee lots of time to get something done. A scramble would ensue, however, with Silva trying for a heel hook. McGee took that opportunity to land some heavy punches on his opponent, likely the most significant of the fight. McGee put his opponent back done, landed some ground n’ pound, then locked in an arm-triangle choke. Silva trapped McGee’s leg, holding on to prevent him from getting in position, and even still just barely survived the attempt.

With McGee likely up 20-18 heading into round three, and Silva already looking tired in the second, the Brazilian would no doubt need a finish in the third. Silva looked understandably desperate in the third, and no less tired. McGee easily planted him on his back, eating up clock, and by the midway point of the round, Silva was still struggling to make it back up. And when he did make it up, McGee immediately changed levels and took the Brazilian back down. McGee finishes the round strong, looked solid the entire fight, and was rarely in any danger.

In other words, it was exactly the performance he was looking for.

Official Result: Court McGee def. Claudio Silva by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 29-27)

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