Will Tony Ferguson really retire after loss?

Mackenzie Dern was emphatic throughout our pre-fight interview Tuesday that she wanted to be wiser in her strategy in opposition to Crazy Godinez after struggling back-to-back losses.

Dern (14-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) largely did that, combating intelligently each on the toes and floor for a much-needed unanimous resolution win. It wasn’t ending assertion she in the end needed, however given she was in a precarious place coming it, she needs to be comparatively happy with the result.

I nonetheless have a variety of inventory invested in Dern and consider that with the suitable string of performances, she will be able to get that UFC strawweight title round her waist. She must get higher nonetheless and extra constant within the octagon, however all of the potential stays.

Tony Ferguson’s profession downfall continued in one other crash-and-burn efficiency in opposition to Michael Chiesa, wherein he was submitted within the first-round for a record-setting eighth consecutive UFC loss.

It’s been nothing in need of stunning to witness what has occurred to Ferguson (25-11 MMA, 15-9 UFC) over the previous four-plus years. He’s gone from what was as soon as the longest profitable streak in light-weight historical past at 12 fights, to shedding extra bouts in a row than another athlete within the historical past of the corporate.

This was the suitable second for Ferguson to stroll away, and we nearly obtained there along with his in-cage interview. However earlier than he even left the world bowl, he threw the glove he vowed to maintain and produce house to his household moments earlier, and emphatically mentioned he’s nonetheless obtained work to do.

Will probably be attention-grabbing to see what occurs. Ferguson has been constant in his message that he doesn’t wish to battle anyplace else however within the UFC. However UFC CEO Dana White has additionally mentioned this was it for him. Which facet goes to provide? If Ferguson refuses to stroll away, the video games will start.

Deiveson Figueiredo continues to indicate that he very a lot belongs on the prime of the heap within the bantamweight division when he clearly defeated the newest title challenger within the weight class in Marlon Vera.

It wasn’t a totally one-sided efficiency in his unanimous resolution triumph, however it was environment friendly work for Figueiredo (24-3-1 MMA, 13-3-1 UFC), who can now declare to be the one fighter to knock down “Chito” contained in the octagon. That’s a pleasant feather in his cap as he strikes to 3-0 in his new weight class after a run at flyweight the place he had two separate title reigns.

The trek to the highest at 135 kilos received’t be simple for Figueiredo. The division is stacked, however his resume would possibly get him a quicker path to the highest. Will he get the winner of Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili at Noche UFC on Sept. 14? I don’t know if I’d financial institution on it proper now given the primary occasion consequence, however he’s not tremendous far off.

One factor may be mentioned about Figueiredo, although: If you happen to have been to place cash on any fighter within the UFC proper now to have an opportunity of turning into the tenth identify in historical past to win titles in two weight lessons throughout the group, the Brazilian can be the frontrunner.

Many individuals questioned whether or not Umar Nurmagomedov deserved this opportunity in opposition to Cory Sandhagen. They referred to as Dagestan privilege. They referred to as Nurmagomedov privilege. They mentioned he can be fraud checked.

Granted, those self same individuals nonetheless will discover methods to hate on Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) regardless of his clear-cut unanimous resolution win over Sandhagen. They’ll level to his 13 takedown makes an attempt and greater than 5 minutes of management time and name him a “crotch-sniffer.” They’ll one way or the other attempt to downplay Sandhagen and declare he’s repeatedly did not recover from the hump.

Any of that negativity is nonsense in my thoughts. Sandhagen humbly took his defeat and informed the world Nurmagomedov is pretty much as good as marketed by his supporters after he was largely outstruck and out grappled for 25 minutes. Nurmagomedov combined it up about in addition to one may ask, and sans a end, he greater than proved he belongs on the prime stage of this weight class.

Is it a matter of time till Nurmagomedov joins Khabib as UFC champions within the historic household identify? Sandhagen appears to assume so after combating him, and I do, too.

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