Ankalaev Back in Title Contnetion after Ending Rivaly with Walker
The UFC Calendar for 2024 got started at home base the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 11-fight card headlined by a rematch in the Light-Heavyweight division as Magomed Ankalaev & Johnny Walker look to finish what they started in October.
Can one great performance make up for two blunders. While that part is to be determined we can be assured that the Magomed Ankalaev we remember is still there. After gasing out against Jan Blachowicz and having a serious question about his decision making the Dagestan fighter was again aggressive, calm, and sniper like with his accuracy. Ankalaev took away Walker mobility with calf kick to his lead leg. A right hook following an outside calf kick sat down Walker and a follow up right busted up Walker’s nose as the ref dived in. A statement making win like this would have to put Ankalaev in contention for a title shot or a title eliminator.
The man with the most fights in UFC history extends his lead as winningest fighter in the promotion’s history. Jim Miller dissected Gabriel Benitez with outside kicks. The 35-year-old Mexican was game never taking a step back as Miller landed as will. “A-10” switched the tactics taking the fight to the ground securing the back and forcing the tap from a face crank for his twentieth submission win.
When the ranking come out this week Mario Bautista will have a number next to his name. The Arizona based fighter won a unanimous decision over number 13 ranked Ricky Simon. Bautista scored his sixth win in a row draining Simon’s gas tank with kicks to the body in the first round. Nullifying the Simon takedown game Bautista scoring with his boxing first as the counter striker and finishing up the fight leading the dance.
Three fights into his UFC carer Brunno Ferreira has made it clear that he wastes no time getting after it. This time was a bit different as Ferreira would look for Judo throws but couldn’t keep Phil Hawes down. Hawes was never able to get going as Ferreira nailed Hawes with a knee up the middle starting the downfall. Ferreira would stalk down Hawes turning out the lights with straight left hand glancing off the right side of Hawes head for the Brazilian’s 8th win by knockout.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta picked up the biggest win of his out pointing former Heavyweight Andrei Arlovski. A consistent diet of hooks & overheads along with a speed advantage made it difficult for Arlovski to answer with anything substantial.
Preston Parsons showed off all aspects of his MMA game being in mount at the end of the 15-minute affair with Matthew Semelsberger. Parsons put forth a high-volume striking attack in the first round. The battle went to the ground in the second with Semelsberger gutting out a deep armbar & escaping a head and arm in the third. Parsons evens out his Ufc record at 2-2 with the win and this third loss in a road could see the end of Semlesberger’s tenure with the UFC.
The win streak has now reached five in a row the last three inside the UFC for Marcus McGhee. And just like the previous four judges weren’t needed. McGhee drug technical kickboxer Gaston Balonos into a brawl wining big hook. McGhee, a member of the MMA LAB sat down Balonos in the first and sent him into a face plant in the second round with right hooks. Balonos miraculously stood back you to be stopped on his feet after a spinning back fist and straight left connected.
Farid Basharat continues to climb up the prospect ladder keeping his unbeaten record in tack defeating the twice as experienced Taylor Lapilus by unanimous decision. The fourth UFC win for Basharat is credited to a dynamic kicking game with a heavy influence on calf kicks. Plus, a tenacious effort to get takedowns which paid off in the second off of the bout.
It was a dramatically successful first round knockout win for the debuting Jean Silva. A Contender Series vet Silva took in his first walk to the octagon in slow motion. In a stark contrast the Brazilian was all action once the bell sounded. The left hook straight right combination Tattooing Westin Wilson three times. Unable to get the fight to the mate Wilson was mercifully saved by the ref as Silva was unloading the kitchen sink.
Back against the wall comi9ng off a no contest and a knockout loss Nikolas Motta met the forward pressure of Tom Nolan with a left hook right straight sitting down the debuting 23-year-old. The follow up ground strikes give Motta his second first round knockout in the UFC.
While it ended with an exclamation point, Joshua Van had to battle back from a slow start to get his third win inside the octagon. Felipe Bunes had Van frequently dealing with either having his back on the fence or the mat. In the second Van pushed the pace ripping off long Boxing combinations mixing in body work forcing Bunes to crumble. Strikes from inside the guard force the finish securing a 3-0 start to Van’s UFC career.
Main Card
- Light-Heavyweight: Magomed Ankalaev (19-1-1) def. Johnny Walker (21-8) by KO (Punches) 2:42 R2
- Lightweight: Jim Miller (37-17) def. Gabriel Benitez (23-11) by Submission (Face Crank) 3:25 R3
- Bantamweight: Mario Bautista (14-2) def. Ricky Simon (20-5) by (29-28, 30-27 x2) Unanimous Decision
- Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira (11-1) def. Phil Hawes (12-6) by KO (Punches) 4:55 R1
- Heavyweight: Waldo Cortes-Acosta (11-1) def. Andrei Arlovski (34-23) by (29-28 x3) Unanimous Decision
Prelims
- Welterweight: Preston Parsons (11-4) def. Matthew Semelsberger (11-7) by (30-27 x3) Unanimous Decision
- Bantamweight: Marcus McGhee (9-1) def. Gaston Bolanos (7-4) by Standing TKO (Strikes) 3:29 R2
- Bantamweight: Farid Basharat (12-0) def. Taylor Lapilus (19-4) by (30-27 x3) Unanimous Decision
- Featherweight: Jean Silva (12-2) def. Westin Wilson (16-9) by TKO (Punches) 4:12
- Lightweight: Nikolas Motta (14-5) def. Tom Nolan (6-1) by TKO (Punches) 1:03 R1
- Flyweight: Joshua Van (9-1) def. Felipe Bunes (13-6) by (Punches) TKO 4:31 R2
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