UFC Vegas 60 was a wild whirlwind of a card. A pair boring slogs, a bunch of brutal cuts, and a few unbelievable wars. In the primary occasion, Cory Sandhagen said his case for one more likelihood at a bit of bantamweight gold in opposition to Track Yadong. Gregory Rodrigues and Chidi Njokuani completely went hammer & tongs within the co-main, and Joe Pyfer saved his hype prepare firmly on the rails.
So, is there any clear path to a title struggle for Sandhagen proper now? Is Gregory Rodrigues prepared for the middleweight rankings? And who would wish to face Anthony Hernandez off his absolute shellacking of Marc-Andre Barriault?
To reply these questions—and several other different issues—I’ll be utilizing the basic Silva/Shelby struggle reserving methodology from the UFC of years previous. Meaning pitting winners in opposition to winners, losers in opposition to losers, and equally tenured expertise up in opposition to each other. Hopefully, by following that mannequin, a couple of of those bout concepts will really make it off the web page and into the Octagon. Now, let’s get to the fights!
CORY SANDHAGEN
There could have been somewhat tough going early on for Cory Sandhagen, however from the sound of issues, that was at all times a part of the plan. After his struggle was over, Sandhagen spoke candidly about his plans to sap Track Yadong’s vitality, get him occupied with takedowns, sluggish him down because the struggle went on. Touchdown an enormous counter elbow to separate the person’s brow broad open definitely didn’t damage. Though the primary two rounds have been shut—two judges really had Track profitable each of them—the top end result was a struggle ever more and more tilting within the Elevation Battle Group athlete’s favor.
It wouldn’t be unreasonable to see Sandhagen struggle for the bantamweight title after a victory like this. The one downside, after all, is that each males within the upcoming struggle between Aljamain Sterling and TJ Dillashaw have already got wins over Sandhagen (regardless of how robbed some really feel he was in that Dillashaw struggle). Within the unlikely occasion Sean O’Malley will get previous Petr Yan, he’s probably going to be the next precedence for the champ and the UFC than a Sandhagen rematch. After all, ought to Yan win and Sterling win, then all that math could change, particularly on condition that Sterling’s teammate Dvalishvili is the opposite prime contender. Sandhagen can wait if he needs, with the hope that Sterling beats Dillashaw and Sandhagen is the most effective struggle remaining. But when he doesn’t wish to take that likelihood, then a struggle with Marlon Vera is apparent and superior and a struggle the UFC ought to guide as quickly as attainable.
SONG YADONG
A tricky outing for Track Yadong. Despite the fact that the struggle didn’t go his manner, nonetheless, I’d say it nonetheless confirmed an excellent step ahead for the Group Alpha Male product. Earlier than the reduce shook up his imaginative and prescient and Sandhagen began gaining severe steam, Track confirmed nice craft in his strain and energy and shot choice. He’s at all times had all of the bodily instruments to be a tremendous fighter, it appears as if he’s beginning to discover the tactical ones as properly. I’ve each expectation that this loss will result in extra enhancements down the road.
Within the meantime, the ‘Kung Fu Monkey’ appears completely positioned to hang around across the prime ten of the division getting extra massive fights. Bookings in opposition to Rob Font, Dominick Cruz, or Pedro Munhoz would all be a ton of enjoyable. From the look of issues, Font doesn’t have a struggle booked. Track vs. Font can be an ideal battle of ranked bantamweights coming off a loss.
GREGORY RODRIGUES
As anticipated, Gregory Rodrigues and Chidi Njokuani went to struggle. Rodrigues received damage nearly instantly out of the gate, ducking into an enormous knee that break up him broad open throughout the bridge of his nostril. However ‘RoboCop’ bit down on his mouthpiece and got here again with heavy leather-based of his personal, hurting Njokuani badly earlier than the top of spherical 1. When spherical 2 began each males have been able to go proper again into the fray. It was Rodrigues, nonetheless, who had extra confidence and willpower left in an all out firefight. A couple of photographs later and Njokuani was down once more and Rodrigues was on him touchdown brutal GnP to wrap up the struggle.
That’s two straight wins for Rodrigues and he appears to be placing his losses properly into the rear view mirror. Bouts in opposition to Nassourdine Imavov, Andre Muniz, or Roman Dolidze would all be first rate choices. Of these, I believe the Imavov struggle appears prefect. Imavov struggled laborious late with a a lot smaller, however equally devoted brawler in Joaquin Buckley final time round. Rodrigues looks like he’d be a way more troublesome model of the identical type of struggle. Rodrigues vs. Imavov can be a high quality battle.
ANDRE FILI
A desperately shut struggle for Andre Fili. After beginning sturdy in spherical 1 behind a few massive headkicks, Invoice Algeo rallied again within the second to make it a detailed scrap. Every little thing appeared to be properly in hand early within the third after Fili hit a clear double leg to wind up in half guard after which transfer to a fast again take with a body-triangle and a RNC seemingly moments away. Nonetheless Algeo fought off the choke and landed a complete bunch of strikes over his personal shoulder to make for a razor skinny resolution with the judges. Nonetheless, a win’s a win, and that one places Fili again in line for one more high-quality featherweight bout. Damon Jackson received a giant win earlier on the cardboard, however I actually like what Ricardo Ramos has been doing these days. His spinning again elbow KO he received in opposition to Danny Chavez was completely electrical. Ramos vs. Fili can be a unbelievable struggle to push both man in to the rankings.
JOE PYFER
Form of a should win for Joe Pyfer in his debut, actually. Alen Amedovski hasn’t been aggressive within the UFC in any respect to this point, if Pyfer didn’t put him away quick right here it might have felt like precisely the fallacious type of touch upon his readiness to achieve the Octagon. As a substitute, Pyfer got here out measured and constant, discovered his vary, and bombed Amedovski straight out of the Octagon. That’s simply the precise introduction that Pyfer wanted to get himself into the middleweight division along with his hype intact. Denis Tiuliulin simply picked up a hell of a enjoyable win, how about Pyfer vs. Tiuliulin subsequent to see if Pyfer can hold constructing off his early success?
ANTHONY HERNANDEZ
An absolute landslide victory for Anthony Hernandez. He began quick and put the tempo on Marc-Andre Barriault for each bit of two rounds earlier than breaking the Canadian within the third. A consummate ass kicking from ‘Fluffy’ and the type of win which will see him lastly achieve some actual momentum within the middleweight division. Fights with Nassourdine Imavov, Chris Curtis, Phil Hawes, or Michal Oleksiejczuk would all be actually enjoyable choices to go after for his subsequent outing. Of all these, I particularly like the concept of the Oleksiejczuk bout. Would the Pole be too massive and powerful for Hernandez to out-scramble on the mats, or would Hernandez’s continuous tempo and strain overwhelm the previous gentle heavyweight? Looks as if an exciting motion bout for 2 males would may simply be preventing among the many prime 15 at 185 in 2023. Hernandez vs. Oleksiejczuk is all types of enjoyable.
DAMON JACKSON
A exceptional win for Jackson. He had Sabatini damage from the bounce and by no means let his foot off the fuel on his approach to the primary spherical TKO. He really delivered such a brutal struggle out of the gate that Sabatini needed to undergo strikes. That’s four-straight wins for Jackson who’s now knocking on the doorways of the featherweight elite. Bouts in opposition to Alex Caceres, Edson Barboza, Ricardo Ramos, and Julian Erosa would all be high quality. Amongst these, I actually like the concept of Jackson vs. Barboza. Sadly, the UFC has Barboza in a struggle I actually don’t like, in opposition to Ilia Topuria. So neglect that concept, and let’s go along with Alex Caceres. Like Jackson, Caceres is a longtime, wily veteran of the game who can compete all over the place. Can ‘Bruce Leroy’ sustain with the ‘Leech’’s relentless aggression? Can Jackson seize one other massive, notable win. Jackson vs. Caceres can be a stable likelihood to maintain this momentum going into the highest 15.
GILLIAN ROBERTSON
A tricky outing for Robertson. She received in on takedowns early and infrequently in her struggle with Agapova, however discovered herself on the receiving finish of an entire bunch of laborious elbows and hammerfists as soon as she received there. Out at distance in opposition to Agapova the struggle was solely in opposition to her. However, she saved pushing ahead, saved pushing the tempo, and ultimately received onto a backtake off a scramble that received her on the RNC. Agapova tried to intestine by it so long as she may, however ultimately went to sleep.
An incredible bounce-back from her loss to JJ Aldrich and may put her proper again within the hunt across the decrease edges of the highest 15. Bouts in opposition to Antonina Shevchenko, Tracy Cortez, Erin Blanchfield, or Maryna Moroz appear to be appropriate alternatives. Personally I’d like to see Robertson in opposition to Cortez, however Cortez is booked. So how a couple of struggle with Antonina Shevchenko. Shevchenko is contemporary off a win over Cortney Casey, and each girls have struggled to search out constant type. If she needs to drop right down to 155 as an alternative, then possibly a struggle with Lupita Godinez? A. Shevchenko vs. Robertson looks like an acceptable battle of unranked FLW vets.
NIKOLAS MOTTA
Nikolas Motta could have struggled badly with Jim Miller in his UFC debut, however a bounce again in opposition to Cameron VanCamp was simply what he wanted. VanCamp tried to play a extra tentative sport and emphasize low kicks to comply with in Miller’s path, however couldn’t combine up his combo’s sufficient, and as soon as Motta began pushing ahead with greater hooks he discovered VanCamp’s chin repeatedly. A top quality win for the Brazilian that units him up properly for one more scrap within the light-weight division. Manuel Torres picked up an awesome win over Frank Camacho in his UFC debut. A struggle between them can be a surefire brawl. Torres vs. Motta is a good scrap.
OTHER BOUTS: Chidi Njokuani vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan, Invoice Algeo vs. Steven Peterson, Alen Amedovski vs. Dustin Stoltzfus, Rodrigo Nascimento vs. Hamdy Abdelwahab, Tanner Boser vs. Don’Story Mayes, Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Ian Heinisch, Pat Sabatini vs. Sean Woodson, Trevin Giles vs. Danny Roberts, Louis Cosce vs. Blood Diamond, Loma lookboonmee vs. Demopoulos/Oliveira winner, Denise Gomes vs. Melissa Martinez, Trey Ogden vs. Maheshate, Daniel Zellhuber vs. Erick Gonzalez, Mariya Agapova vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius, Javid Basharat vs. Davey Grant, Tony Gravely vs. Raulian Paiva, Cameron VanCamp vs. Charlie Ontiveros
