Costa tops Romero in epic back-and-forth brawl at UFC 241
Paulo Costa edged Yoel Romero on the scorecards after an epic fight at UFC 241. Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC through Getty pics
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- It became a fight that become booked remaining November, deliberate again in advance this 12 months and, for numerous motives, didn't happen. Until now. And the completed product was even higher than anticipated. Paulo Costa beat Yoel Romero by way of unanimous choice (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) in a key middleweight combat at UFC 241 on Saturday. But the scores had been infrequently the story. The lovers at Honda center, who have been pro-Romero all night time, booed Costa in a while. That was unlucky, because of the kind of war each men put forth.
From the hole bell, Romero and Costa threw haymakers. Each have been dropped within the first round, and Costa was later bloodied. The 1/3 spherical turned into perhaps one of the exceptional of all time. The combat itself became a surefire fight of the year contender.
Costa had his hand raised at the end and said he might be watching for the UFC middleweight identify. Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya will unify the belt at UFC 243 on Oct. 6 in Melbourne, Australia.
"After this fight, I want my risk to prove i'm the champion," Costa said.
Perhaps he'll. It become a heck of an attempt to live on Romero. Costa rocked Romero within the first, only for Romero to return right back with a left hand and drop him. The frame paintings Costa installed in the course of, beginning early on and a ton within the 2d spherical, clearly helped him as the bout wore on.
There has been one wild series in the first round. Romero landed a mixture in opposition to the cage on Costa and subsidized up. Costa shrugged his shoulders and pantomimed Romero to come back lower back. Romero wanted it in the middle of the cage, so Costa got here out and landed a proper hand to the face.
At some point of, whenever Costa might land or Romero would slip a shot, Romero would stick his tongue out. Inside the 1/3, a bloody Costa did the same factor right back to him. At one factor inside the 0.33, they each positioned their palms in the back of their backs and challenged the other. Then they started out throwing big bombs.
Costa (13-zero) has gained all five of his UFC fights and till now he had knocked all his preceding fighters out. The 28-yr-antique had never long gone to the judges earlier than. Romero (thirteen-four) has misplaced 3 of four, however the ones losses had been to Costa and Whittaker. At forty two years antique, the previous Olympic wrestling silver medalist stays one of the most dangerous men inside the middleweight division.
Sodiq Yusuff defeated Gabriel Benitez by using first-spherical TKO
The story right here was very clear. Benitez felt out Yusuff early, searching for the variety to land his beautiful instantly left hand. And he did, rocking Yusuff with several of these punches. Yusuff, even though, made an adjustment of his own. When Benitez went for the directly left later inside the first round, Yusuff countered with a proper hook -- and the fight was over soon after.
Yusuff dropped Benitez with that right hand, then accompanied up on the ground with difficult pictures for a TKO victory at four:14 of the first.
"i'm Nigerian, child," Yusuff said. "we are built for conflict. That is what we do."
Yusuff (10-1) has won 5 directly bouts, inclusive of 3 of these within the UFC. The 26-12 months-antique, who now lives in Maryland, is considered one of 4 Nigeria-born fighters presently inside the UFC, along with UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and UFC intervening time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. The ones four opponents, which additionally includes Kennedy Nzechukwu, are a blended 19-1 in the UFC. Benitez (21-7), a 31-yr-antique Mexico native, had his two-combat prevailing streak snapped.
Derek Brunson defeated Ian Heinisch via unanimous selection
thinking about the outlet seconds, it became a combat that couldn't have gone higher for Brunson. After Heinisch cracked him with a head kick to start the bout, Brunson changed into able to climate the storm and take over from there in a unanimous selection (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) victory. Brunson compelled Heinisch, landed a few tough left palms and takedowns the rest of the way.
There was a weird prevalence in among the second and third rounds. Polarizing UFC welterweight Colby Covington arrived to his seat at Honda center to loud boos. Covington, who changed into sporting a "Make the usa superb once more" hat, obtained chants of "Colby sucks!" and "F--- you, Colby!" thereafter. The group regarded distracted through Covington's presence and now not interested in the actual fight within the Octagon.
Brunson (20-7) has now won two in a row. The 35-year-old North Carolina local, now schooling out of tough Knocks 365, came in as a +a hundred thirty underdog. Heinisch (13-2), a 31-year-old Colorado native, had a five-combat triumphing streak snapped. This was his first career UFC loss.
Khama worthy defeated Devonte Smith via first-round TKO
It turned into a overall performance worthy of a brilliant UFC destiny. Worthy dropped Smith with a massive counter left hook-right hand mixture and completed on the floor for a TKO victory at four:15 of the primary spherical. The maximum notable element about it? Worth took the fight on quick note
The victory was the most important upset of the yr within the UFC. Worthy came in as a +650 underdog. It was worth's first first-round end in his beyond 12 bouts.
Worth and Smith have known every other for years and feature skilled with each different. Worth said the younger Smith will come lower back and have a robust UFC run, however "i've got a own family i've gotta get paid."
worthy (15-6) has received six straight bouts. This became the UFC debut for the 32-yr-old Pennsylvania native. Smith (10-2), a 26-year-antique Ohio local, had his six-combat triumphing streak snapped.
Cory Sandhagen defeated Raphael Assuncao by means of unanimous decision
add the name Sandhagen to the list of warring parties angling for Henry Cejudo.
In a comprehensive performance, Sandhagen beat Assuncao by way of unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28). Assuncao, a stalwart at bantamweight, has rarely been beaten in a combat the way he turned into against Sandhagen, who mixed things up nicely at the ft, chewed up both of Assuncao's legs with kicks and defended maximum of Assuncao's takedown attempts.
In the first round on my own, Sandhagen landed 25 substantial moves, the maximum Assuncao has absorbed in a unmarried spherical in his UFC profession, in step with ESPN Stats & records.
"i understand how correct i am," Sandhagen said. "and i are aware of it's going to take a little even as for people to learn how good i am."
Coming in, Sandhagen became ranked No. 10 in ESPN's bantamweight scores. Assuncao became No. Five. So, this changed into a full-size victory for Sandhagen's future title contender hopes.
Sandhagen (12-1) has won seven bouts in a row, along with the first 5 of his UFC career. The 27-yr-old Colorado resident has now not lost given that 2017. Assuncao (27-7) has now misplaced straight. The 37-yr-antique Brazilian, who lives and trains in Georgia, fell to Marlon Moraes via first-spherical submission at UFC Fortaleza in February.
Drakkar Klose defeated Christos Giagos by way of unanimous selection
Klose pulled out a near one.
He was in problem in a rear-naked choke inside the 2nd round, but Klose rallied for an excellent comeback victory over Giagos thru unanimous selection (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). Klose escaped the choke and without delay became up the strain on a tiring Giagos; while he ate some proper palms, Klose landed a blend, took Giagos down with a trip and landed a floor and pound attack.
The bout was a brawl inside the 0.33 spherical. Klose landed a few very exceptional uppercuts within the clinch, in addition to a slam whilst Giagos tried a kimura.
Klose (eleven-1-1) has received 3 in a row and 5 of six inside the UFC. The 31-yr-vintage Arizona resident has received his remaining six fights via choice. Giagos (17-eight), a 29-12 months-antique California native, had his -fight triumphing streak snapped.
Casey Kenney defeated Manny Bermudez via unanimous decision
Being the smaller man did not depend plenty right here.
In a bout that turned into moved as much as a 140-pound catchweight Friday morning from bantamweight, Kennedy bested the formerly undefeated Bermudez, the bigger man, by way of unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). The UFC decided to move up the burden restriction of the bout due to each men struggling to hit 135, but Kennedy stated he handiest weighed 145 kilos in the cage.
Kenney clearly won the bout with his wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu towards Bermudez, a submission specialist. Over the first two rounds, Kennedy became capable of outgrapple the grappler. Bermudez located his fulfillment in pinnacle function inside the 0.33, however it changed into too past due.
"I knew my grappling become international magnificence," Kenney said.
Kenney (thirteen-1-1) is two-zero now in the UFC and has received six directly overall. The 28-12 months-antique Arizona resident hasn't lost due to the fact losing a bout on Dana White's Contender series in 2017. Bermudez (14-1), a 25-12 months-vintage prospect from Massachusetts, came in with six immediately victories via submission. Bermudez weighed north of 164 pounds today after hitting the size at 140 kilos Friday at weigh-ins, consistent with the California kingdom Athletic commission.
Manny Bermudez weighed north of 164 kilos today after hitting the scale at 140 kilos Friday at weigh-ins, in step with the California state Athletic commission. It is about 17 percent over the gotten smaller weight and the bout with Casey Kenney was to start with scheduled for one hundred thirty five.
Hannah Cifers defeated Jodie Esquibel with the aid of unanimous decision
five months after breaking her arm inside the Octagon, Cifers is returned with every other win.
"Shockwave" defeated Esquibel through unanimous choice (30-28, 30-27, 30-27) in a strawweight combat nearer than the ones ratings might suggest. Every spherical became tight, even though it become clean the judges felt that Cifers landed the more difficult photographs at some point of.
Cifers nailed Esquibel with some accurate proper hands in the first round and had some properly shots in a scramble inside the 2nd. The second also noticed Cifers try to get Esquibel in a triangle and omoplata, however Esquibel escaped. Inside the third, Esquibel turned into capable of manage Cifers on the floor for a decent length.
Cifers (10-3) has received in a row after dropping her UFC debut. The 27-yr-vintage North Carolina local has best lost to fellow UFC possibilities Maycee Barber and Gillian Robertson within the past two years. Esquibel (6-6), the 33-yr-vintage New Mexico native, has dropped 4 immediately.
Kyung Ho Kang defeated Brandon Davis via split decision
It wasn't a perfect combat for "Mr. Best." but it turned into enough to get the nod.
Kang beat Davis by using split choice (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) in a lower back-and-forth bout with a few amusing putting exchanges and stable ground work. Kang dropped Davis with a right hand within the first round and was capable of manipulate him at the ground within the 0.33. Inside the 2nd, Davis had a few fine moments, wobbling Kang on numerous occasions with hard punches.
Kang (sixteen-eight, 1 NC) has now won straight and he is a shoo-in to be on the UFC's card in South Korea in December. The 31-12 months-vintage fighter has won five or six normal. Davis (10-6), a 29-yr-antique Mississippi resident, has misplaced four of six.
Sabina Mazo defeated Shana Dobson via unanimous decision
it is uncommon to have a greater dominating performance like the one Mazo did without a finish.
The blue-chip Colombian prospect rocked Dobson with a frame kick within the first, ate her up within the clinch in the 2d and hammered away with knees from a Thai clinch within the 1/3 en route to a unanimous selection (30-24, 30-25, 30-25) victory. The end result become the most lopsided of any women's combat in UFC records. Dobson put forth nearly no offense, even though she turned into in no way truely close to being completed.
Mazo (7-1) fell in her UFC debut to Maryna Moroz via unanimous selection at UFC Philadelphia in March. The 22-12 months-antique Kings MMA product made her call with two head-kick knockouts in LFA. Dobson (3-three), a 30-year-vintage Washington, D.C., resident, has dropped two in a row after winning her UFC debut in 2017.