Less lucky were the six fighters who face six months on the shelf. Among those fighters are three that had won their fights. Monterrat Conejo, who picked up a victory over Cheyanne Buys, thanks to some head and arm throws, and some good control, will be faced with 180 days off. She appears to have sustained damage to her left knee and right shoulder. Bonus winner Adrian Yanez will also face the lengthy time off due to a potentially broken hand. Trevin Giles is the third of such who has six months to rest. He appears to have sustained damage to his right foot and will need that to get x-rayed. Each of these suspensions can be cleared earlier by the appropriate doctor.

Complete list of UFC Vegas 22 medical suspensions:

Derek Brunson – 30 days
Kevin Holland – 21 days
Kenan Song – 60 days
Montserrat Conejo – 180 days or until clearance from left knee and right shoulder MRI
Cheyanne Buys  – 180 days or until clearance from right elbow x-ray
Adrian Yanez – 180 days or until clearance from right hand x-ray
Gustavo Lopez – 45 days
Harry Hunsucker – 180 days or until clearance from left hand x-ray
Macy Chiasson – 21 days
Marion Reneau – 30 days
Grant Dawson – 21 days
Leonardo Santos – 60 days
Trevin Giles – 180 days or until clearance from right foot x-ray
Roman Dolidze – 180 days or until clearance from ear, nose and throat doctor for orbital fractures
Jesse Strader – 45 days
Bruno Silva – 30 days
JP Buys – 45 days

All suspensions originally reported by Kirik Jenness. 

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Derek Brunson

Brunson’s win this past weekend should give him a shot inside the top five for his next fight. Jared Cannonier would be perfect for Brunson in that case. Cannonier hasn’t fought since his decision loss to Robert Whittaker in October 2020. Cannonier is currently ranked number three in the division. A lot of people are calling for Brunson to fight Paulo Costa next. Costa just had to back out of his fight with Robert Whittaker, so he currently does not have a fight booked. Costa should be ready to take another fight very soon, maybe even sooner than Brunson was planning on having his next fight. It is very possible that Brunson fights Costa next but Cannonier would be a way better stylistic match-up for Brunson, and the timing works.

Brunson’s next fight: Jared Cannonier 

Max Griffin

Max Griffin’s win on Saturday puts him on a two-fight winning streak. He also finished both of those fights by TKO or knockout. His counter striking is going to be a problem for the welterweight division. Warlley Alves would be perfect for Max Griffin, especially given Alves is also on a knockout spree. He has knocked out his opponents in two of his last three fights. Alves has had somewhat of a rocky UFC career much like Griffin. Both men look to be on better paths in 2021 and they are both looking to make a break for the top 15.

Griffin’s next fight: Warlley Alves 

Montserrat Ruiz

Montserrat Ruiz stepped in on short notice and defeated Cheyanne Buys this past weekend by unanimous decision. Ruiz only has one loss in her professional career and that is a decision loss to Danielle Taylor in 2018. In her next fight, she should be looking to fight someone who is up and coming in the women’s strawweight division. Kay Hansen would be a perfect next fight for Ruiz. Hansen was supposed to fight Buys but Ruiz stepped in on short notice when Hansen withdrew from the fight. Hansen is 1-1 in the UFC and has extremely good jiu-jitsu. Ruiz has shown that she is very well-rounded and a fight against Hansen would just prove that even further.

Ruiz’s next fight: Kay Hansen 

Adrian Yanez

Adrian Yanez’s win at UFC Vegas 22 makes him 2-0 in the UFC, with both of those wins being knockouts. Yanez has shown that he has knockout power and should be able to strike with some really talented guys in the bantamweight division. For his next fight, he should think about fighting Kyler Phillips. Phillips is 3-0 in the UFC and has five of his nine wins by knockout. Phillips has also never been finished with his one and only loss being a split decision loss to Victor Henry in 2018. These men striking in a cage would be a perfect candidate for a Fight of the Night on paper.

Yanez’s next fight: Kyler Phillips 

Tai Tuivasa

Tai Tuivasa was originally supposed to fight Don’tale Mayes at UFC Vegas 22 but instead, he fought Harry Hunsucker, who was filling in on short notice. Tuivasa ended up knocking Hunsucker out in the first round. Tuivasa has fought some pretty respectable guys at heavyweight in his time with the UFC but it looks like the UFC is trying to take it slow with Tuivasa. For his next fight, I think Tuivasa takes a big step up in competition taking on Carlos Felipe. Felipe is 2-1 in the UFC and is coming off two straight decision wins over Yorgan De Castro and Justin Tafa. Felipe has six of his ten wins by knockout and has never been finished in his professional career. This fight would be two guys with great knockout power and great chins.

Tuivasa’s next fight: Carlos Felipe

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Kevin Holland

After his one-sided loss to Derek Brunson, Kevin Holland stated that he thinks he probably needs to head back to welterweight. It certainly makes a lot of sense given that he didn’t seem to have the requisite takedown defense to survive with the bigger, stronger fighters at 185lbs. He also weighed in well under the middleweight limit. If he does drop down, the UFC should start with a fun striking match to see where he fits there. Santiago Ponzinibbio is also coming off of a disappointing loss and would surely oblige the loudmouthed Holland in the type of fight he’s looking for. In addition, Ponzinibbio also has the name value that Holland seemed to desire in his post-fight interview.

Kevin Holland’s Next Fight: Santiago Ponzinibbio

Song Kenan

Not only was the KO loss to Max Griffin a difficult one for Song physically, but also for where he stands in the UFC. Song was on a 2-fight win streak and seemed to be putting everything together. This loss now leaves him at just 2-2 and, at 31-years old, with probably a pretty short leash. Takashi Sato is in a similar spot, 2-2 in his last 4 and having fallen flat each time he inched closer to a ranked opponent. Both guys are pretty explosive and bring the action, so it would undoubtedly make for a fun one to watch.

Song Kenan’s Next Fight: Takashi Sato

Cheyanne Buys

Going into her fight with Montserrat Conejo, a lot of people were lauding the physicality of Buys. However, that seemed to fail her as she was taken down with a handful of head and arm throws and showed virtually no ability to make it back to her feet. Still young in her career, she has plenty of time to iron out those portions of her game. While she does, the UFC should match her up with a fighter who doesn’t pose those same threats. Gloria de Paula is coming off a loss where she too could not avoid being controlled on the ground. A fight between the two would give Buys the opportunity to showcase her striking and a bit of her own offensive grappling without too much threat to the weakness she showed Saturday.

Cheyanne Buys’ Next Fight: Gloria de Paula

Gustavo Lopez

This loss drops Lopez to just 1-2 in the UFC. However, those losses come to Adrian Yanez and Merab Dvalishvili (nothing to be too ashamed of there). While he wasn’t able to deal with that level of competition at this time, there is no reason to write the exciting Lopez off yet. Instead, let’s pair him with another fighter who faced too much competition in his early going. Drako Rodriguez was tasked with fighting Rani Yahya in his debut. Allowing both to see someone a little more their own speed here should make for a good litmus test about who should belong in the UFC.

Gustavo Lopez’s Next Fight: Drako Rodriguez

Harry Hunsucker

In all actuality, the right answer here for what’s next for Hunsucker is a debuting fighter. A short notice fight against Tai Tuivasa is hardly what he should have faced in his first go at the UFC. However, the UFC doesn’t have any heavyweights signed that are awaiting an opponent (to my knowledge). So rather than speculate who will get signed next, let’s look at internal options.

In June, a pair of fighters seeking their first UFC win, Josh Parisian and Roque Martinez, will square off. Both guys fit a little better of the type of opponent Hunsucker should be facing at this point. The loser of that fight would be a fine fight for him, or even if one of them were to drop out of the fight and need a fill in.

Harry Hunsucker’s Next Fight: Josh Parisian/Roque Martinez Loser

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The women’s flyweight bout is the latest addition to the promotion’s June 5, 2021 card, which is expected to be a Fight Night event. No official location, venue, or broadcast plans have been announced.

MMA Junkie was first to report news of the fight. De La Rosa later confirmed the bout on social media.

Lipski (13-6) is a former KSW flyweight champion who had an up-and-down 2020. 2-3 in the UFC overall, “The Queen of Violence” (or just “Violence Queen” if you prefer) pulled off a kneebar submission of Luana Carolina on Fight Island in July. That sub was in the running for Submission of the Year. However, the Brazilian came up short in her second fight last year, finding herself finished via TKO later in the second round against Antonina Shevchenko.

De La Rosa (11-6-1) fought to a majority draw in her last fight, in a bout with Mayra Bueno Silva. The fight saw Silva lose a point after an illegal fence grab. De La Rosa is 4-2-1 in the promotion overall.

The UFC’s June 5, 2021 fight card currently consists of the following bouts:

Maryna Moroz vs. Manon Fiorot
Walt Harris vs. Marcin Tybura
Youssef Zalal vs. Sean Woodson
Ilir Latifi vs. Tanner Boser
Alan Patrick vs. Mason Jones
Montana De La Rosa vs. Ariane Lipski

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Mexico’s Ruiz, who easily won the bout (via a unanimous decision) thanks to her takedowns, and practice of pinning Buys in place with a headlock, could be seen saying something to Buys at the end of the fight. Whatever was said, it was unclear — but Buys then gave Ruiz a shove before the pair were separated. Buys was also later overheard exclaiming “I’ll follow you home, b*tch.”

https://twitter.com/jedigoodman/status/1373477236691529730

Buys later suggested in a post to social media that she had been spat on by her opponent. Something a number of viewers of Saturday’s main card fight also theorized might be the case. In way of evidence, she posted the video below, along with a brief message. “To all my friends and family, I am sorry for losing my cool after the fight. I have never in my life been spit on by an opponent I gave nothing but respect to.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMqyxAGBFyO/?utm_source=ig_embed

Montserrat Ruiz, not surprisingly, had a different take. Asked by MMA Junkie’s John Morgan during the post-fight media scrum about the incident, “Conejo” stated via translator that “everything got started when she insulted my wrestling and my takedowns. She said that I had stupid headlocks and stupid takedowns, and she said that she used to know me. So I proved to her that she didn’t know me, and I gave her a little help so that she could taste it.”

“I’m not the kind of person that likes to insult other people,” Ruiz continued. “I’m a homegirl, but if you touch the wrong buttons, you’re going to have issues with me.”

On the spitting front, Ruiz vehemently denied the accusation. “No I didn’t spit on her at all. Probably it was the momentum. I’m not the kind of person that likes to spit. If you spit on someone, that’s crossing the line, and that’s not something I was thinking about doing in my debut.”

Judge for yourself, but either way, it was a memorable debut for Conejo and Buys on Saturday. If not in the way anyone expected.

The post Cheyanne Buys, Montserrat Ruiz Give Differing Takes on UFC Vegas 22 Incident appeared first on Cageside Press.

The ESPN card was hit with the loss of two fights in the span of a little over 24 hours, with Julija Stoliarenko collapsing (twice!) during Friday’s weigh-in, and Gregor Gillespie vs. Brad Riddell removed last minute due to COVID-19 protocols. That led to the promotion of Max Griffin vs. Song Kenan to the co-main event, and Griffin certainly made the most of the added exposure.

Earning his second straight finish, California’s Griffin put Kenan down with some crushing punches early in the opening round. In the process, he put together his first winning streak in the UFC — a promising sign from an underrated welterweight who has competed against some of the best in the division, including Colby Covington, Thiago Alves, and Mike Perry.

Grant Dawson’s last second (literally) hammerfist finish of Leonardo Santos was also rewarded Saturday. As was Adrian Yanez’s knockout of Gustavo Lopez. His third consecutive finish, starting with his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series, Yanez is quickly gaining a reputation for highlight reel stoppages.

The final $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus at UFC Vegas 22 was awarded to Bruno Silva, who scored a second-round TKO of promotional newcomer JP Buys. It was the final fight on Silva’s UFC deal, and his first win in the organization.

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The main event of UFC Vegas 22 would answer several questions. Was Derek Brunson’s recent resurgence a true turnaround? Would Kevin Holland’s admitted “big mouth” throw him off his game? And would Holland, the 2020 Fighter of the Year (per this website, and several others), be able to continue his recent, very impressive run?

Holland started the fight with his lead hand outstretched, then had to jump backwards after a kick from Brunson to the body. Holland land a high front kick, then slipped and was knocked down by Brunson on his way back up. Brunson got into top position. He broke through the body triangle of Holland to posture up and land some heavy ground-and-pound, but Holland was active from his back to slow the attack of Brunson. That window of opportunity off the Holland slip was all he needed, as he rode out nearly the entire round from guard.

There was an early clinch from Brunson after a right hand from Holland and Brunson landed a knee and a hook on the exit. Holland fired back with a big right hand that wobbled Brunson, then another one that knocked him down. Brunson popped up quickly and landed a big right hand of his own and followed it with a takedown. Brunson smoothly moved into mount, dealt with a scramble from Holland, then attacked an arm-triangle. Holland popped out and stood up, then was taken down again, which is where the round ended.

Holland came out aggressive in the third round, landing a right hand, but Brunson turned it into a takedown. Holland was throwing strikes from his back, but Brunson was happy to simply hold top position for another round. Entering the championship rounds, Holland had quite the hole to dig out of.

Brunson did not shoot for a takedown right away in the fourth round and Holland took advantage, landing several big shots on the feet. It wasn’t long until Brunson got a hold of him though, taking Holland down from the back clinch. Holland popped up, but was sent right back down. This time, Brunson had him in guard, leading to extended control time for Brunson. With a minute left in the round, Holland used the cage to spin out of the position, but was pushed against the cage upon returning to his feet, where the round ended.

With his back against the wall, Holland started the final round with a head kick that was off the mark. Brunson landed a left that Holland countered with a right, then another left landed for Brunson. A clinch was initiated by Brunson, but it was Holland who got a takedown this time. After some celebrating, Holland got to work, slamming Brunson to the canvas. They returned to the feet and Brunson shot deep for a double-leg and was successful, putting a stamp on a strong performance.

Derek Brunson def. Kevin Holland by Unanimous Decision (49-46 x2, 49-45)

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With the loss of Gregor Gillespie vs. Brad Riddell from the UFC Vegas 22 card on Saturday, the UFC was forced to scramble for a makeshift co-main event. In the end, they settled on the welterweight affair between Max Griffin and Song Kenan — not a bad choice, given Griffin’s ability to excel under pressure.

Look no further than Max “Pain’s” scraps against Mike Perry and Thiago Alves for evidence thereof. As for Kenan, the Chinese fighter was riding a two-fight win streak, and looking to advance in the deep 170lb weight class.

Griffin came out swinging in the co-main event, hurling hooks at Kenan from the get-go. Kenan fired back, but Griffin charged at him with an aggressive combination then shot for a takedown against the cage. Kenan’s takedown defense held strong and he was able to push Griffin away. Kenan was then hit with an overhand right, but Griffin was no longer in his face with pressure. Kenan hit Griffin with a right hand that backed him up, but Griffin was able to turn the tide and get Kenan on his back foot. One right hand landed, then a big left-right combo as Kenan had nowhere left to backpedal, and Kenan crumbled. One more hammerfist was all that was needed to stop the fight. An impressive first-round knockout for Max Griffin.

After the fight, Griffin called out Geoff Neal.

Max Griffin def. Song Kenan by KO (Right Straight) in Round 1 (2:20)

The post UFC Vegas 22 Results: Max Griffin Overwhelms Song Kenan appeared first on Cageside Press.

Ruiz, for her part, had taken the bout on short notice, stepping up to replace fellow Invicta FC alum Kay Hansen. She’d promised a war coming in. That was accurate. Out of the gate, the pair traded some serious punches, each looking to establish dominance early. When they went to the ground, it was Ruiz, a.k.a. “Conejo,” moving to side control, and locking on a head lock. Buys scrambled and tried to pull free, but to no avail. Ruiz’s background as a wrestler was clearly giving her an edge on the ground. Ruiz managed to trap an arm, though she wasn’t able to come close to finishing her opponent.

Round two saw another quick start, and it was Buys bringing the fight. Knowing she was down a round likely motivated that, but she’d need to avoid winding up back on the canvas. Buys settled down, landing a solid right hand. In a clinch, Buys landed a takedown that backfired, with Ruiz once again locking in a front headlock. Ruiz was able to land some short punches this time, though nothing with particular power. Buys escaped, and after another grappling exchange the pair went back down. On this occasion, Buys landed on top, getting to mount, which allowed her to drop a bit of ground and pound prior to the round’s end.

Round three saw more of a kickboxing battle, with Buys going to the body with her kicks, and trying to punch her way inside. She needed a finish, however, after being dominated on the ground through the first two rounds. However, Buys couldn’t stay standing in the end. She’d finish the fight on her back, hoping for a Hail Mary submission that wouldn’t come, with no answer to the smothering wrestling of Montseratt “Conejo” Ruiz.

“Conejo” had a little something to say at that point as the fight came to a close. Buys showed her frustration after the bell, flipping her opponent the bird as Ruiz did likewise, before cooler heads prevailed.

The underdog takes it!

🇲🇽 @ConejoMad dominates on the ground en route to the UD. #UFCVegas22 pic.twitter.com/9LGgecmTDv

— UFC (@ufc) March 21, 2021

Official Result: Montserrat Ruiz def. Cheyanne Buys by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27)

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The fun bit of matchmaking saw Yanez, a Contender Series veteran who won his UFC debut last year in thunderous fashion care of a head kick, paired up against Lopez — a former Combate Americas champ known for exciting fights of his own.

When two Mexican (or Mexican-American) fighters face off in the UFC, you know it is going to be a fun fight. That was the case Saturday in Yanez vs. Lopez.

Both fighters met in the middle of the octagon but felt each other out for a minute. Yanez landed a calf kick and a nice 1-2 combo. Yanez then cracked Lopez with a right hand, but Lopez ate it. With two minutes left, both men landed punches. Lopez landed a right hook that stung Yanez and Yanez landed a follow-up punch of his own. Lopez landed a left hand, and Yanez landed a nasty combo that rocked Lopez. A great start to the fight.

Yanez landed a right hand to start round two. He thought about going for a flying knee but just jumped straight up. Yanez landed a beautiful counter 1-2 combo, followed by a right hand that dropped Lopez! Yanez went for the kill, but Lopez shot for a takedown. Yanez was looking very, very crisp. With 90 seconds left, Lopez landed a calf kick. Yanez caught Lopez’s kick and fired off a punch. Yanez threw a high kick with 30 seconds left. He faked a spinning kick to end round two. Another fantastic round, with Adrian Yanez really turning up the heat.

With Lopez needing a finish, he opened up round three with a jab. Yanez landed a right hand counter in turn that put Lopez down! That was all she wrote, as the referee stepped in to save him.

THIS KID!

Put @YanezMMA on the top of your prospect lists 🤯

[ #UFCVegas22 on @ESPN & #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/6MkpRaAWmA

— UFC (@ufc) March 21, 2021

Two UFC fights, two knockouts. Impressive stuff for Yanez, especially when you add on his Contender Series showing.

Official Result: Adrian Yanez def. Gustavo Lopez by knockout, Round 3, 0:39

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