Topuria takes Crown, Pantoja’s Aging like Fine Wine
The night was laid out where Ilia Topuria could become the new face of the UFC and he couldn’t have done more to take the mantel.
Charles Oliveria had the right plan work his kicks from the outside and clinch it grapple if you can grab Topuria. The plan was topped by Topuria’s power. Always throwing in combination Topuria devastated Oliveria with a jab-right cross- left cross, a scary first round knockout for the new UFC Lightweight champion.
Topuria is now 9-0 in the UFC, a two division world champion, and has knocked out three former champions in a row. And the knockouts are increasingly getting more destructive.
MMA has a way of building this up just to watch them crumble. Almost nothing goes as planned. A week that was built up to be the coronation ended with a crowning.
The Flyweight king is Alexandre Pantoja. To those that have doubted his rule he sent a clear message. The most impressive part about the continued evolution of Pantoja as that while he striking has progressed he remained committed to his Jiu Jitsu.
For heavy handed Kia Kara-France, Pantoja forced him right into grappling and quickly taking the back getting close on rear naked and arm triangles before the end of the first. More than just a grappler Pantoja brought his striking into the equation in the second taking the fight back down at the end of the round. In the third Pantoja dragged Kara-France down from the back securing a body triangle and after some ferocious hand fighting took a rear naked choke home.
The king already has a brand new challenger as the Joshua Van beat Brandon Royval in a thriller that will be in the conversation for 2025 Fight of the Year. While Royval went for a high volume attack throwing flurries of punches, low kicks, and teap kicks, Van was much more selective counter striker flurrying with hooks and overhands. The full body assault of Royval looked to have paid dividends in as the Van attacked decreased. The opposite stands allowed both parties to have success landing their power hands. Just when it began to feel like Royval was pulling away he landed a beautiful right hand and right knee that Van just ate and returned a right hand knocking Royval down to steal the third round. An incredible showing on three-weeks notice to earn a 5th win in a row.
Moicano put a stamp on a highly contested kick heavy first round with a right hand flooring Beneil Daruish. Daruish shook off the cobwebs and put Moicano on his back the majority of the second round.
Payton Talbott shook off his first career setback with a renewed attention to grappling. The south paw’s straight left was hugely effective against Felipe Lima and the American was a step ahead on the mat ultimately regaining control by the ends of each scramble. Lima’s determination to get the fight to the ground didn’t payoff and he was also having issues with Talbott’s speed and range on true feet. A back on track performance from 26-year-old from Reno.
A slow start turned into an explosive finish as Gregory Rodrigues gave us the highlight of the prelims flattening Jack Hermansson with a left hook in the first round.
Watching a young fighters journey to the top is one of the greatest era t joy in MMA. While there’s no tell where he’ll go. It’s time to add Jose Miguel Delgado to the list of most promising lightweight prospects in the UFC. Delgado is now 2-0 in the UFC with both wins by first round knockout. Just like his contract earning Contender Series win Delgado’s left knee came into play. This time it was a jump knee that stiffened up Hyder Amil in the first minute.
Tracy Cortez rebounded from missing weight and losing to Rose Namajunas with a unanimous decision win over Viviane Araujo. Cortez was on Araujo’s neck in the first hunting a guillotine. With her three takedowns Cortez compiled more than eight minutes of top time to sweep the cards and secure herself a ranking inside the women’s flyweight top ten.
After feeling the kicking game of Viacheslav Borshchev, Terrance McKinney quickly put “Slava Claus” on his back with a blast double leg. McKinney hope on a D’Arce choke, transitioning to a mounted guillotine for the first round finishes. That’s consecutive in for McKinney who collected his 9th win by submission.
Jacobe Smith climbed to 11-0 in his blossoming career after submitting 25-fight vet Niko Price. Smith landed hard shot on the feet and had Price in survival mode on his back. The onslaught continued in the second as Smith took Prices back finishing the fight by rear naked choke the first submission win of his career.
In the first fight of the night Brazilian Heavyweight Jhonata Diniz defeated short notice opponent Alvin Hines from Minnesota by unanimous decision. Hines brought the fight right to Diniz but the veteran kickboxer wouldn’t be pulled into a brawl. Instead Diniz stayed technically sound nearly closing Hines right eye with counter left hooks. A fine rebound for Diniz who’s now 3-1 inside the octagon.
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