Dustin Poirier crushed Conor McGregor with a proper hand within the face midway by way of the second spherical, knocking McGregor to the bottom and resulting in a stoppage and a victory seconds later.
Poirier opened the spherical by repeatedly kicking McGregor’s lead leg, with commentator Daniel Cormier declaring that McGregor was “lifeless in that leg already.” McGregor appeared to proceed his first spherical technique and land punches, however the injured leg seemingly sapped his energy. He managed to catch a few Poirier’s kicks, however wasn’t in a position to convert them right into a takedown or every other benefit.
McGregor was quickly backed up in opposition to the cage, and when one among Poirier’s punches in a flurry linked, the combat was over.
“The low calf kick was excellent,” McGregor stated after the combat.
The victory by Poirier will certainly get him a light-weight title shot, whether or not in opposition to an unretired Khabib Nurmagomedov or for a vacant belt, whereas McGregor’s U.F.C. future is now much more unsure.
Knockout
Dustin Poirier
defeats
Conor McGregor
McGregor promised he’d knock Poirier out in lower than 60 seconds. Didn’t occur.
Poirier won’t have received the spherical, however he managed to take McGregor down halfway although, and land a stable proper hook. However by late within the spherical Poirier appeared drained and McGregor nonetheless appeared quick and explosive.
Upcoming
Dustin Poirier
vs.
Conor McGregor
Michael Chandler might have been making his U.F.C. debut, however he’s no blended martial arts beginner. Chandler has fought 23 instances for Bellator, a competing M.M.A. group, twice profitable its light-weight championship.
In 2021, there isn’t any doubt that a lot of the finest fighters on the earth compete within the U.F.C., however that doesn’t imply there aren’t nice ones in Bellator, One Championship or elsewhere. That Chandler may cease Dan Hooker, the sixth ranked fighter in one of many U.F.C.’s most stacked division, proves that.
Michael Chandler dispatched Dan Hooker in lower than two minutes in his closely hyped U.F.C. debut, after which he risked the whole lot.
Hooker, a 30-year-old New Zealander nicknamed The Hangman, didn’t pose a lot hazard to Chandler whereas the combat lasted. Chandler, a 34-year-old champion within the Bellator promotion who lastly signed with the U.F.C., stalked Hooker for many of their combat earlier than touchdown a proper hand to the physique and left to the face that dropped Hooker. When he hopped on Hooker and pummeled him some extra, the referee stopped the bout.
Then Chandler scrambled to the highest of the fence and did a again flip, putting himself in additional hazard than Hooker ever did. He landed safely in the midst of the ring.
Chandler, an instantaneous title contender at 155 kilos, improves his file to 22-5, and used his post-fight interview to name out main-eventers McGregor and Poirier, and retired light-weight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Knockout
Michael Chandler
defeats
Dan Hooker
Upcoming
Dan Hooker
vs.
Michael Chandler
Early in Spherical 2 of their flyweight bout, Joanne Calderwood dumped Jessica Eye on her again, and will have pounced. As a substitute, she let her downed opponent stand and preserve combating. In one other circumstance the transfer may represent a tactical error however Calderwood, a Muay Thai kickboxing knowledgeable, was reluctant to interrupt the rhythm that had her profitable the combat.
In shut, she’d clinch the 34-year-old Eye and land exhausting knee strikes to the rib cage. From a distance Calderwood, a 34-year-old Scot who now lives in Las Vegas, landed long-range punches and kicks. When Eye tried to shut the gap, Calderwood would land entrance kicks to the abdomen. And when she succeeded in combating at shut vary, Calderwood would pound her with these knee strikes.
After three rounds, all three judges awarded the bout to Calderwood, who improves to 15-4, and figures to maneuver up the U.F.C.’s flyweight rankings.
Unanimous Determination
Joanne Calderwood
defeats
Jessica Eye
Because the U.F.C. approaches its thirtieth birthday, it has matured into an enormous cash sports activities group. However an enormous motive for its prosperity is beneath a direct risk.
An antitrust lawsuit was just lately granted class motion standing by fighters who declare the U.F.C. is a monopoly that illegally suppresses their wages. Ought to the fighters win, the U.F.C. might be pressured to pay out billions of {dollars} and basically alter its enterprise mannequin.
The U.F.C. pays a lesser proportion of its revenues to its athletes than different skilled sports activities organizations in america whose gamers are represented by unions.
A brand new presidential administration may imply extra scrutiny for the U.F.C., whose president Dana White spoke on behalf of his good friend Donald Trump at two completely different Republican Nationwide conventions and even invited Trump to a combat in 2019. A invoice that might regulate blended martial arts very similar to boxing was launched in Congress in 2016, however went nowhere. May it make a comeback?
There’s additionally the query of Conor McGregor’s authorized troubles, and whether or not they may prematurely finish the profession of the U.F.C.’s greatest draw.
Upcoming
Jessica Eye
vs.
Joanne Calderwood
After Spherical 1, Andrew Sanchez’s coaches informed him to maintain urgent as a result of his opponent, Makhmud Muradov, was already fatiguing.
Sanchez, 32, a former school wrestler, pressed ahead as instructed however Muradov, a powerful and long-limbed striker from Uzbekistan, was nowhere close to drained. He responded to Sanchez’s strain with well-timed proper arms, and stout protection when Sanchez tried to show their bout right into a wrestling contest.
After Spherical 2, Sanchez’s coaches begged him to not blow his nostril, which Muradov had bloodied with well-timed punches. And halfway by way of Spherical 3, a counter proper hand from Muradov wobbled Sanchez. Then got here a flying knee strike and the flurry of punches that prompted the referee to cease the combat.
The victory prolonged Muradov’s win streak to 14 bouts, and prompted him to hunt out U.F.C. President Dana White, who was seated close to the octagon, to ask why White doesn’t comply with him on Instagram.
Muradov like neglect the bonus, I simply need an IG comply with. I respect it.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 24, 2021
When you paid to look at tonight’s predominant occasion however can’t get ESPN+ to work, you’re not alone. Loads of U.F.C. fighters are coping with technical difficulties too:
The issues appear to be concentrated in america, the place Disney sells the pay-per-view by way of ESPN+, and never internationally, the place it varies relying upon the nation however usually is dealt with by the tech platform of Endeavor, U.F.C.’s mum or dad firm.
“We’re conscious of a difficulty impacting some followers’ capacity to entry to tonight’s PPV occasion and are working to resolve it as shortly as potential,” a Disney spokesman stated in a press release.
Knockout
Makhmud Muradov
defeats
Andrew Sanchez
That crowd noise you hear isn’t piped in.
About 1,800 followers have been allowed to buy tickets to U.F.C. 257, that means the newly constructed Etihad Area on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island will likely be about 10 % full. It’s the first time spectators have been allowed at a U.F.C. occasion since final March.
To attend, followers will need to have obtained a unfavourable coronavirus check inside 48 hours of the start of the occasion, and as soon as inside they need to put on masks and comply with social distancing tips.
Abu Dhabi, which is without doubt one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, had been closed to vacationers for months, however started easing restrictions in late December.
Herb Dean is extensively thought-about to be the perfect referee in blended martial arts, particularly after John McCarthy, often called Massive John, retired just a few years in the past.
However like all referees, he’s made his share of curious choices, and the nonstoppage after Marina Rodriguez dropped Amanda Ribas with a proper hand is one among them. He appeared an prompt away from stopping the combat earlier than pulling out, awkwardly making an attempt to step out of the way in which after he’d gotten in too near the fighters. The transfer prompted Rodriguez to cease combating and stroll away as if she had received.
Commentator Jon Anik speculated that Dean “noticed one thing” in Ribas’s eyes that led him to proceed the combat.
Finally, the blunder had little consequence, as Rodriguez resumed, landed just a few extra punches and Dean stepped in.
Dean could have an opportunity to redeem himself in a few hours: He’s refereeing the principle occasion between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier.
Upcoming
Andrew Sanchez
vs.
Makhmud Muradov
Early within the first spherical, Amanda Ribas, the betting favourite, dumped underdog Marina Rodriguez on her again, then spent the subsequent jiffy grinding her opponent into the canvas, the combat unfolding the way in which bettors figured it could.
However Rodriguez, 33, is a Muay Thai kickboxing specialist, and harmful in fights that don’t go to the bottom. So within the second, when Ribas waded in shut, seeking to have interaction, Rodriguez popped her with a straight proper hand. When Rodriguez pounced to complete the combat, referee Herb Dean moved in and appeared to faucet Rodriguez, which may have signaled an finish to the combat. A clumsy pause ensued. Then the combat resumed. Then Rodriguez landed one other dwelling run of a proper hand and Dean waved the combat off earlier than Ribas, standing however barely acutely aware, may soak up extra injury.
Rodriguez improves her file to 12-1-2, whereas Ribas, 27, falls to 10-2.
Knockout
Marina Rodriguez
defeats
Amanda Ribas
Upcoming
Marina Rodriguez
vs.
Amanda Ribas
Arman Tsarukyan’s bio on the M.M.A. database Sherdog.com says he’s from Russia. In keeping with the U.F.C.’s web site, the 24-year-old light-weight is from Georgia — the previous Soviet republic, not the battleground state in final November’s U.S. presidential election.
Struggle night time settled it: Tsarukyan is from Armenia.
However there wasn’t a lot ambiguity about his combat night time technique. He got here to suffocate American light-weight Matt Frevola, dragging him to the mat seconds after the opening bell, then physique slamming him moments later. Frevola landed some flurries of his personal, and even opened a reduce in Tsarukyan’s hairline with a tough punch.
However Tsarukyan, a 5-foot-7 pit bull of a fighter, spent the ultimate spherical stalking, tackling and mauling Frevola on the way in which to a unanimous choice win.
The victory improves Tsarukyan’s file to 15-2. Frevola is now 8-2.
Late in Spherical 1, Brazilian grappler Antonio Carlos Junior nailed Hawaiian striker Brad Tavares with a knee that landed exhausting. The shot was Carlos’s better of the night time, however there was one drawback.
It landed between Tavares’s legs. Proper on his protecting cup. An unlawful low blow.
That meant Carlos’s finest shot of the night time wouldn’t depend, however Tavares’ only blows did. A proper hand dropped Carlos late spherical two, and the 33-year-old landed a number of extra decisive blows within the third, as Junior labored in useless to show their combat right into a grappling match.
Tavares, who broke a two-fight dropping streak, received a unanimous choice, with two judges scoring the combat 30-27, and a 3rd scoring it 29-28.
Unanimous Determination
Arman Tsarukyan
defeats
Matt Frevola
When the remainder of the sports activities world shut down in March due to the coronavirus, U.F.C. President Dana White vowed that he wouldn’t be deterred by a pandemic.
The start was rocky. 5 beforehand scheduled occasions have been canceled. Plans to carry an occasion on Native American tribal land in California — so as to bypass state restrictions on massive gatherings — have been deserted after Gov. Gavin Newsom of California requested Disney to intervene. When the U.F.C. did discover a extra hospitable host, in Florida, the U.F.C.’s staff and fighters struggled to comply with insurance policies designed to restrict the unfold of the virus.
However over the summer season, the U.F.C. discovered its footing. It established American and worldwide dwelling bases, in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi, alternating a number of weeks of fights between the 2 areas. In whole the U.F.C. held 41 occasions in 2020, only one fewer than the 42 it held in 2019.
Like different sports activities that finally resumed competitors, conserving the coronavirus out has proved unimaginable. At the very least 53 fighters have been reported to have examined constructive, in line with the M.M.A. information website Bloody Elbow, and headlining fights — like a scheduled welterweight championship bout between Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns — needed to be scrapped as a result of one of many fighters examined constructive.
Upcoming
Arman Tsarukyan
vs.
Matt Frevola
Unanimous Determination
Brad Tavares
defeats
Antonio Carlos Junior
In a previous profession, Sara McMann was a world-class novice wrestler, however her Olympic-medal-level abilities — she received a silver in Athens in 2004 — couldn’t save her when fellow bantamweight Juliana Pena dragged her to the mat early in Spherical 3 and pinned her again to the canvas.
McMann, 40, persevered. She’s so dedicated to profitable that the published crew identified that she did a full exercise on the aircraft throughout the flight from Las Vegas to Abu Dhabi. However Pena, 32, endured till she climbed onto McMann’s again, locked her legs round her opponent’s waist, and wrapped her forearm beneath McMann’s neck. Moments later, McMann — nonetheless absolutely acutely aware however unable to flee the chokehold — submitted.
Pena, now 11-4, used the post-fight interview to foyer for a combat with U.F.C. bantamweight champ Amanda Nunes. Nunes responded shortly:
If legendary Panamanian welterweight boxer Roberto Duran had arms of stone, absolutely U.F.C. gentle heavyweight Marcin Prachnio’s head is constructed of one thing comparable. Late within the second spherical of his bout in opposition to Khalil Rountree Jr., Prachnio walked right into a proper hook that almost dropped him.
Seconds later Rountree, a Los Angeles native who lives and trains in Thailand, whacked Prachnio throughout the face with a thunderous left-footed kick. Prachnio, 32, of Poland, wobbled however didn’t fall. Then he rebounded to win Spherical 3, turning up the strain on a tiring Rountree, and profitable 29-28 on all three scorecards.
The win breaks a three-fight dropping streak for Prachnio, now 14-5. Rountree’s file falls to 8-5 with one no-contest.
Upcoming
Brad Tavares
vs.
Antonio Carlos Junior
Choke Submission
Julianna Pena
defeats
Sara McMann
Upcoming
Julianna Pena
vs.
Sara McMann
Unanimous Determination
Marcin Prachnio
defeats
Khalil Rountree Jr.
U.F.C. 257 is the primary large combat of ESPN’s third 12 months exhibiting U.F.C. bouts, totally on its ESPN+ streaming service.
ESPN will likely be hoping to make tens of thousands and thousands of {dollars} off tonight’s pay-per-view, nevertheless it has additionally used U.F.C. fights as one of many greatest drivers of subscriptions to ESPN+. As of final month, 11.5 million folks subscribed to ESPN+.
A great portion of these individuals are tuning into watch the U.F.C. In keeping with numbers obtained by The New York Instances, in 2020 the typical combat night time on ESPN+ attracted nearly 575,000 distinctive viewers — that’s, anyone who watched for at the least a small period of time — who collectively watched for greater than 80 million minutes.
The U.F.C. can also be making a push for a broadcast tv presence. Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar’s combat final weekend was proven on ABC — which is owned by Disney, like ESPN — the primary fight sport to look on the channel in 20 years. The U.F.C. hopes Disney executives are joyful sufficient with the viewership to proceed placing fights on ABC on Saturday afternoons, and maybe quickly on Saturday nights.
![1337x Proxy Record For 2020 [100% Working 1337x Mirror Sites]](https://skynewspress.com/wp-content/themes/jnews/assets/img/jeg-empty.png)
