UFC Columbus: About Last Night...
The fans turned out early and full of energy in the Ohio capital, and the athletes delivered when they stepped into the Octagon
Razor Sharp
No takedowns needed for Curtis Blaydes on Saturday night, as the Chicagoland native knocked out Chris Daukaus just 17 seconds into the second round to cap the evening in Columbus.
Most, including yours truly, expected a wrestling-heavy approach from Blaydes, but instead, the former JUCO National Champion stood with Daukaus throughout, eating a big shot right out of the gate, countering with a sharp one-two of his own that put Daukaus in a chair, and staying committed to striking with him throughout. When they came out to start the second, Blaydes fired a quick, clean right hand down the pipe as Daukaus lunged forward with a strike of his own, putting the former Philadelphia police officer on the deck before pounding out the finish.
This was an absolutely statement effort from Blaydes, who stumbled in a big opportunity last February against Derrick Lewis, but has since rebounded with consecutive victories over ranked opponents. He’s been a fixture in the Top 5 for a few years now and deserves to be included in any conversations about how to book the top of the division going forward.
The 31-year-old continues to show improvements in his striking repertoire and from a confidence standpoint, and with his wrestling pedigree firmly established, it’s going to be interesting to what Blaydes can do going forward after this blistering finish.
Grasso Keeps It Going
Alexa Grasso is now 3-0 since moving up to flyweight and just might be next in line to fight for the title after securing a first-round submission win over Joanne Wood in Saturday’s co-main event.
The former Invicta darling was inconsistent during her six-fight run at strawweight, but has clearly settled in to life in the 125-pound weight class, looking healthy, sharp, and dangerous in three straight outings, and showcasing continued improvements. Things started pretty even to begin, with Grasso landing in top position on the canvas, but Wood having success from the bottom. When they returned to the feet, Wood went for a spinning back fist, and Grasso caught her in a body lock, twisting her into the fence and taking the back with fluidity, quickly sinking in the hooks and the rear-naked choke.
This was an outstanding effort from the 28-year-old Mexican, and while she didn’t specifically call for a championship opportunity next, it’s a definitely a possibility.
For Wood, this is a third straight loss and five defeats in her last seven appearances, which likely bounces her from the Top 10 and officially closes the door on her time as a contender and top-end litmus test. She’s still capable of knocking off emerging talents that aren’t quite ready for prime time, but as someone who was in line to fight for the title less than two years ago, it’s been a precipitous fall from contention, and I’m not sure the Scottish veteran is able to stop it without taking a significant step back to reset.
But Saturday night belonged to Grasso and her performance should put her in pole position to fight for the title in the second half of the year.
New Fight of the Year Leader
Bryan Barberena and Matt Brown beat the bloody hell out of one another in Brown’s hometown of Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, going 15 grimy minutes where each man was hurt, each man was busted up, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves… until the scorecards were read.
Barberena came out with the split decision victory, earning a shower of boos from the partisan crowd, who couldn’t put their support of Brown aside to give recognition to the man that combined with him to deliver the best UFC fight of the year thus far.
These two got after it from the outset, and as soon as one man looked like they were pulling ahead, the other would come roaring back, and it continued like that for literally the entire fight. It’s quite possible that Barberena took the third round and therefore the fight with a sharp series of blows in the final 10 seconds; that’s how close and competitive this fight was.
When I talked to Barberena before his fight with Darian Weeks in December — which was supposed to be against Brown, who withdrew after testing positive for COVID-19 — we discussed his propensity to get into these kinds of fights, and I told him he seemed, to me, like the obvious successor to Brown as a grimy, make it dirty welterweight who is a perennial tough out. He was blown away by the comparison and suggestion, and I think the torch was passed on Saturday.
This was a tremendously entertaining scrap by two absolutely dogged fighters that left every ounce of themselves inside the Octagon this weekend.
Kara-France Edges Out Askarov, Calls for Championship Opportunity
After registering a pair of first-round knockout wins in 2021, Kai Kara-France started 2022 by handing Askar Askarov the first loss of his professional career, edging out the previously unbeaten Russian on the scorecards to secure his third straight victory.
Askarov controlled the action in the first with his grappling, attacking takedowns and ultimately ending up on the back of the New Zealander, peppering him with short shots and threatening with the choke. But Kara-France let go of his hands and started defending the takedowns in the second, drawing level after 10 minutes and carrying all the momentum into the third. The final five minutes were close, with each man landing some solid shots and neither really dominating the action, but all three officials believed Kara-France won the round, awarding him the 29-28 victory.
Acknowledging that Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno are set to run it back one last time, Kara-France said that he wants next, and at this point, he’s the most logical choice. Askarov was stationed at No. 2 in the rankings and while the City Kickboxing man lost to Brandon Royval last year, his three-fight run of success puts him ahead of “Raw Dawg” at the moment.
Timing is everything and Kara-France’s has timed this winning streak perfectly to establish himself as the No. 1 contender in the flyweight division.
Magny Survives, Rallies to Enter Record Books
Neil Magny got popped with a couple good right hands by Max Griffin in the opening round of their welterweight clash, landing on the canvas and looking like he could be in for a long night at the office through the first three minutes of their fight. Griffin didn’t push when he had Magny hurt, and it likely cost him, as the Colorado-based veteran picked himself up, dusted himself off, and went on the offensive, eventually shifting the momentum into his favour and landing on the happy side of a split decision verdict.
The former Ultimate Fighter contestant and Elevation Fight Team member battled back in a tight second round and then dominated in the third, capping the bout with a Gotch-style pile driver. One official saw the middle frame and the fight for Griffin, and surprisingly, none of the three judges awarded the veteran a 10-8 round in the third, where he was all over Griffin from the outset, but at the end of the day, it still felt like the right man won, and I’m not just saying that because I picked Magny.
With the win, Magny draws level with Georges St-Pierre for the most wins in the history of the UFC welterweight divisions with 19 wins apiece. Some will instantly want to point out that GSP earned the majority of those victories in championship fights, which is 100-percent true, but also doesn't diminish what Magny has been able to accomplish.
While he hasn’t risen to the championship level, the 34-year-old has been a Top 10 fighter for a number of years, has always been criminally underrated, and is one of the most self-aware fighters on the roster. Plus, my guy called out Khamzat Chimaev by name, on live television, following his win, and has been doing so for a year.
Give the man his flowers because they’re long overdue.
Diakiese Wrestles Back into Win Column
Entering on a two-fight skid and just 2-5 in his last seven fights, Marc Diakiese fought a mature, savvy fight against Viacheslav Borshchev in Saturday’s main card opener, taking “Slava Claus” to the canvas numerous times throughout the contest en route to collecting a clean sweep of the scorecards to secure the upset victory.
The 29-year-old Diakiese is thought of as a striker because of some of the dynamic efforts he delivered earlier in his career, but he also out-grappled Joe Duffy earlier in this UFC career, and deployed a similar approach here. He worked hard for his initial takedown in the first, but as the fight progressed, the takedowns came easier and easier, with Diakiese getting Borshchev down in the center of the Octagon in both the second and third.
This was a reminder that there is no substitute for experience, especially in a division as deep and flush with talent as lightweight.
Borshchev earned a stoppage on Dana White’s Contender Series to earn his contract and in his promotional debut, but he got touched up in both and showed some holes in his game. Neither of those opponents — Chris Duncan and Dakota Bush, respectively — could capitalize, and Borshchev was able to keep things in striking realm and find a finish. Despite his struggles of late, Diakiese had a 10-1 edge in UFC experience and had beaten more accomplished, more experienced foes than Borshchev in the past, and relied on those experiences to secure a dominant victory on Saturday night.
It may not have been the most thrilling fight on the card, but this was a supremely intelligent, tactical effort from a guy that probably shouldn’t have been the underdog in the first place.
* * * * *
Preliminary Card Thoughts
Former title challenger Sara McMann handed Karol Rosa her first UFC setback on Saturday, wrestling away the opening two rounds before successfully navigating her way through a third-round charge from the Brazilian to get herself back into the win column.
This was a classic “striker vs. grappler” pairing and the grappler proved to have the sharper plan of attack, as McMann put Rosa on the deck early in the first and second, controlling her for the duration of those rounds once they got there. In the third, Rosa knew she need a finish and come out hunting, but McMann again looked to her grappling, only to have the Brazilian hopeful reverse position and resume her attack. But rather than force the American to stand, Rosa engaged with McMann on the ground, wasting valuable time doing limited damage, winning the round, but losing the battle.
McMann is a perfect litmus test in the middle of the bantamweight division — a decorated wrestler with good power and unmatched strength who has been in there with literally everyone, which is why this fight made perfect sense when it was booked. The victorious veteran is unlikely to start another run towards the top of the division, but she should remain active and invaluable in this position going forward in the 135-pound weight class.
* * *
Big, emotional win for Chris Gutierrez over Batgerel Danaa in Saturday’s penultimate preliminary card fight, putting the aggressive Mongolian finisher down midway through the second round with a spinning backfist and sealing the deal with elbows on the canvas.
The Factory X Muay Thai representative entered on a two-fight winning streak and unbeaten in six, but there was very little that stood out about those efforts, which left “El Guapo” relegated to the background in the dynamic bantamweight division. But a performance like this will bring greater attention, as the 30-year-old did a good with his movement and low kicks early before finding a home for that spinning attack that brought the fight to a close.
I say it all the time, but if going seven fights in the UFC without a loss was easy, more people would be doing it. Because they’re not, and Gutierrez has gotten there, he has to get a sizeable step up in competition next time out. Bantamweight is flush with talent and fighters pushing to move forward, so find someone on a similar timeline and trajectory and let’s find out how much further Gutierrez can take this thing.
* * *
The 18-month wait to see Aliaskhab Khizriev make his Octagon debut was worth it, as “The Black Wolf” maintained his unbeaten record with a second-round submission win over Denis Tiuliulin on Saturday afternoon in Columbus. While it wasn’t as one-sided as the betting odds suggested it should be, Khizriev handled business, latching onto the fight-ending choke after a takedown in the center of the cage as Tiuliulin tried to work his way to the fence.
Now 14-0 as a professional, the DWCS grad said post-fight that he’d like to move down to welterweight, which drew immediate rave reviews from the broadcast team, who instantly forecasted him to be a threat in the 170-pound ranks… but let’s pump the brakes on that for a second.
Could he do it? Yes. Would he be a welcomed addition? Sure, but let’s see him (a) make the actual move and hit 170 on the scale, and (b) beat someone of substance before christening him a potential impact player in a weight class where a ton of skill, experienced fighters struggle to crack the Top 15.
We do this “prisoner of the moment” thing far too often in discussing these athletes and it needs to stop. I get that we’re in the instant reaction business and saying, “I’d like to wait and see” isn’t particularly exciting, but seriously — this was a very good performance against a short-notice dance partner who otherwise wouldn’t be in the UFC, so maybe wait until he beats someone with actual experience and pedigree in the Octagon before calling him a potential threat at welterweight.
* * *
Make it four straight UFC victories for Manon Fiorot, who stepped in and earned a clean sweep of the scorecards against former title challenger Jennifer Maia on Saturday.
After having her scheduled bout with Jessica Eye scrapped, the ascending French talent took an even bigger step up in competition and handled it with aplomb, showing great strength and more diversity in her offensive game in order to get the victory. “The Beast” hit a lovely hip toss in the second and acquitted herself well in various exchanges on the canvas with Maia, a legit Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt. While it wasn’t the one-sided victory many anticipated, it was a quality win for the emerging contender.
People tend to forget or overlook the fact that Fiorot made her pro debut five years ago, losing to Leah McCourt. She then took a full year off before returning, so she’s essentially made it to the Top 5 in the UFC in four years of active competition. Few people get that far, that quickly, and she clearly still has more room and opportunity to improve.
* * *
Matheus Nicolau picked up his third straight win since returning to the UFC, earning 29-28 scores across the board to halt the 16-fight winning streak of David Dvorak.
The quick, streaking Brazilian, who entered at No. 7 in the rankings, dropped the first in a largely action-less frame, but put Dvorak on roller-skates late in the second to grab all the momentum. He came out and landed some impactful blows early in the third before ending the round on bottom, but had clearly done the superior work over the final two stanzas to earn the victory.
Nicolau is now 6-1 in the Octagon and 18-2-1 overall. He’s now beaten Manel Kape, Tim Elliott, and Dvorak, and politely asked for a Top 5 opponent next time out, and he certainly deserves it. The Nova Uniao representative has beaten quality competition throughout his two UFC stints, but still needs to prove himself against a top-tier talent before he can be considered a real contender. The winner of the upcoming fight between Brandon Royval and Matt Schnell feels correct.
* * *
Luis Saldana picked up a unanimous decision win over Bruno Souza in the opener, out-working the Brazilian in the first and landing the more significant blows in the final round to earn 29-28 scores across the board.
The DWCS grad is a frustrating competitor to watch at times, because he has moments where he looks sharp and crisp, especially when pressing forward and throwing combinations. But all too often, he throws singles and hangs back, making fights closer than they perhaps need to be. He pulled away in this fight by stepping on the gas in the third, and it’d be interesting to see if he could find greater success — and more decisive results — if he fought that way out of the gate.