The reign of Potan is over, Magomed now sits atop the Light Heavyweight Mountain
The transition of power can be welcomed with open arms or it can be a shock that takes some getting used.
While Alex Pereira has bread life back into the UFC Light Heavyweight division it was well acknowledged that his stiffest test would be Magomed Ankalaev. You’d be naïve to be shocked that after UFC 313 there’s a new champion. But no one could have predicted the fashion in which the title changed hands.
Alex Pereira he’s known to do started his offense with leg kicks. But was stifled with an inability to connect his hands and build any layers into his offense. Ankalaev did what he could to match the leg kicking game and applied the forward pressure that “Potan” normally puts on his challengers.
In key moments in the middle rounds Ankalaev found a home fore difference making punches. In retrospect some have suggested that the third round could have went in Pereira’s favor. But it undeniable that Ankalaev took Pereira out of his game. With the title slipping away Pereira open up a bit more putting Ankalaev in danger with head kicks.
The score cards reflecting that Ankalaev did enough to outwork Pereira. A cloud of dissatisfaction in the area not cause the title changed hands but because for the first time an Alex Pereira fight failed to deliver the action.
The co-main event on the other hand took Fight of the Night honors. A note usually attached to Justin Gaethje fights.
But this was different as Gaethje was returning after a year. On eight days notice Rafael Fiziev did what you could to catch Gaethje off guard catching low kicks for takedowns and hunting the clinch. Gaethje adjusted and took over the final ten minutes with clubbing overhands and swift uppercuts.
Gaethje wasn’t the only lightweight standout on the card. Ignacio Bahamondes will be in the lightweight rankings after showing he’s more than just a striker submitting Jalin Turner with a triangle choke. While this is just the start of bigger things for the Chilean, Turner is heavily considering retirement from the sport.
Mauricio Ruffy put himself in early contention for knockout of the year as a picture perfect wheel kick put king green out cold.
Also on the main card rounds of out grappling Iasmin Lucinda will keep Amanda Lemos in the top five of the women’s Strawweight rankings.
Joshua Van shut down the takedown game of Rei Tsuruya allowing his boxing to earn a decision win. Brunno Ferreira showed why he’s called the Hulk almost ripping off Armen Petrosyan’s arm. Also in a very hulking display of striking Carlos Leal broke down and stopped Alex Morono in one round.
And it be nice to not have to talk about judging but Marion Santos took a split decision win over Francis Marshall after being inactive and getting out wrestled for the first two rounds.
Also many felt that Ozzy Diaz furious third round comeback was inspiring, it did come with raised eyebrows that he won a unanimous decision Djorden Santos.
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