Episode 228 discussion: UFC Vegas 70 rewind, Lineker’s manager says ‘safety first’ after corner throws in towel, rumors suggest Luke Rockhold could be heading to BKFC, our favorite prelim fights from the upcoming UFC 285 card

Welcome to The Level Change Podcast, our combat sports themed variety show hosted by Stephie Haynes and Victor Rodriguez. The show features the news of the week, fight card breakdowns and analysis, a roundup of regional promotions’ cards and fights; and whatever else we decide is important enough or entertaining enough to bring to your ears.

June M. Williams

EPISODE 228

UFC VEGAS 70 Rewind

https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/95023-ufc-fight-night

Lineker’s manager discusses corner stoppage

https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2023/2/27/23616116/safety-comes-first-john-linekers-manager-explains-decision-to-throw-in-towel

Rumor Mill: Is Luke Rockhold heading to BKFC

Hearing that the big news BKFC will drop on Helwani is that Luke Rockhold has signed and will fight Mike Perry. Not sure this has the shockwave value they are hoping for, but of course, I would watch.

— MyMMANews (@MyMMANews) February 27, 2023

https://www.instagram.com/p/CpByDgYLC21/?hl=en

Pick Two!

https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2023/2/27/23616544/ufc-285-jon-jones-vs-ciryl-gane-full-fight-card

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Cain Velasquez was in the courtroom today to witness a hearing involving the man accused of molesting his son Cain Jr.

44-year-old Harry Goularte will stand trial on charges relating to his alleged molestation of then four-year-old Cain Velasquez Jr, son of former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez.

MMA Junkie reports that the elder Velasquez and his wife were in the courtroom earlier today while their son testified in regards to the case. Goularte pleaded not guilty last June in relation to a February 2022 felony charge of lewd acts with a minor under 14 – the minor allegedly being Cain Jr.

Here is an excerpt of MMA Junkie’s description of the events:

“After accommodations were made by the court to clear the room of non-essential members of the public, Cain Jr. was brought in and took the stand in the late morning.

Deputy District Attorney Robert Philbrook repeatedly tried to get yes or no answers out of the boy, who was allowed to color in a Pokemon coloring book while on the stand. Cain Sr. and Michelle were in the courtroom during Cain Jr.’s testimony, but they could not help him answer questions.

Finally, after a 15-minute recess when Cain Jr. started crying, with the help of a sketch of a stick figure drawn by Philbrook, Cain Jr. said Goularte used his hand to touch him on his penis in a bathroom at Bender’s daycare.”

The son was then cross-examined in an attempt to clear up statements he had previously made to police. Michelle Velasquez then took the stand to testify about when their son informed them about what had allegedly happened to him:

“She said Cain Jr. ‘seemed ashamed’ when he told her about Harry touching his ‘penis and scrotum.’ When she asked if Goularte put Cain Jr.’s penis in his mouth, she said her son answered yes. She said Cain Jr. told her that he saw Goularte go to the bathroom with two other kids from the daycare.”

Goularte’s mother, Patricia Bender, then took the stand to state that her son was occasionally at her daycare but didn’t actually work there. She described an incident where Goularte allegedly picked up Cain Jr. and playfully threatened to “put him in a trash can” if he and the other children didn’t stop teasing Goularte. Cain Sr. and his wife were informed about the incident, and Bender testified that Cain Sr. picked up Goularte at a subsequent Halloween party and joked that he would do the same thing to him.

Velasquez Sr. was arrested in February 2022 and charged with attempted murder along with gun-related counts for allegedly chasing Goularte down with his car and firing multiple shots at his vehicle. He was held without bail until November, and will return to court again to face his own charges on March 15th.

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At least one fighter on the UFC roster doesn’t sound like he’s buying into the narrative that it was okay for White to hit is wife or that he shouldn’t be held accountable for it.

When it came to the UFC’s athletes, Dana White’s domestic violence incident—where he was captured on video slapping his wife several times at a bar in Cabo San Lucas—ignited a wave of statements. Not against White for his actions, but against fans and pundits who would dare to suggest that the promotion president was out of line and should face some kind of repercussion for his actions.

Even noted anti-DV advocate Derek Brunson (who famously wore an “I beat up domestic abusers” t-shirt) found himself backpedaling into the safe zone of “second chances.”

UFC fighters willing to speak up against White’s actions with any conviction or vigor have been few and far between. A position that makes Tony Ferguson’s recent actions on social media worth noting. The former interim lightweight champ took to Twitter to air his feelings about his long time fight promoter, noting that White’s violence against his wife is a reflection of the way he treats athletes behind the scenes.

Ferguson himself was the subject of a 2019 restraining order from his wife during what appears to have been something of a psychotic episode for the then-35-year-old. Statements at the time reported that ‘El Cucuy’ went without sleep for three days and started “tearing apart” the family home as a result—under paranoid delusions that “someone was inside his walls.” However, Ferguson’s wife also told police that he did not physically harm anyone at the time, and that her restraining order was directed at getting him into treatment. It was dropped only a month later.

As for White, the UFC president faced a brief wave of criticism from media members for his actions, but made it clear he would not address the incident publicly further, and would not face any internal suspension from his duties with the UFC. Instead, he claimed that the real punishment would be the labels he’d have to carry for the rest of his life.

“There’s a lot of things that I’m going to have to deal with for the rest of my life that are way more of a punishment than what, I take a 30-day [or a] 60-day absence?” White told reporters. “That’s not a punishment to me. The punishment is that I did it, and now I have to deal with it.”

In the meantime, the UFC has already had to face pressure from an existing class action lawsuit from former fighters. While getting through the court system has been an agonizingly slow process, that legal battle has yielded some positive results. Francis Ngannou’s ability to sunset his deal with the world’s largest MMA promotion, while still holding the heavyweight title, is almost certainly a direct result of the class action challenge to UFC contract language. It’s also likely why the UFC has modified their more recent contracts with language that makes filing a class action suit against them in the future just that much more difficult.

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A rundown of the biggest headlines and news from the world of competitive grappling.

There were two exciting grappling matches booked for ONE Fight Night 7, both pitting top BJJ competitors against grapplers from other disciplines. First up was Tommy Langaker, who took on Sambo world champion Uali Kurzhev and managed to submit him with a heelhook less than three minutes into the match. He was given one of two $ 50,000 performance bonuses for the exciting finish as well.

Shortly after that Danielle Kelly was facing off against Ayaka Miura, an MMA veteran and talented Judo black belt. Miura started off strong by attempting a straight armbar that she’s become known for in her MMA career, but Kelly escaped and countered by transitioning to the back. The time limit ran out before she could get the finish, but Kelly was awarded the win by the judges for her efforts.

Full results for the event can be found here.

Gordon Ryan pulls out of Felipe Pena match on a few day’s notice

Gordon Ryan v Felipe Pena 4 was set to be one of the biggest BJJ matches in recent memory, but unfortunately Ryan pulled out just a matter of days before the event. He cited stomach troubles as the reason for his withdrawal, but that didn’t sit well with Pena and many others. Ryan was quickly replaced by his former teammate Nicky Rodriguez and Pena remained in the main event of the Who’s Number One card.

Pena was especially frustrated at the news because he had actually moved to San Diego for three months prior to the event in order to conduct his training camp at ATOS. Not just that, but a win here would have put his personal record against Ryan at 3-1 and would likely have ended their rivalry for good. Despite his annoyance, Pena has publicly agreed to reschedule the match and has even offered to take it within the next two weeks.

Felipe Pena wins close decision against Nicky Rodriguez at WNO

The Who’s Number One event went ahead with a replacement main event and the card was just as exciting as predicted. There were several great matches throughout the event, including a flawless performance by JT Torres against Magid Hage. Jasmine Rocha also impressed as she submitted Amanda Bruse and showed that she clearly belongs with the highest level of competition possible.

Although Gordon Ryan wasn’t competing at the event, his teammates were and New Wave Jiu-Jitsu didn’t have a great night. Oliver Taza lost a decision to Jonnatas Gracie and Giancarlo Bodoni experienced the same result in his title-fight against Pedro Marinho. The main event was the closest match of the night, but in the end the judges sided with Pena and he won the decision after thirty minutes of action.

Full results for the event can be found here.

Jena Bishop dominates in Bellator debut

Jena Bishop has been grappling at the highest levels of the sport for years now, winning the North American ADCC Trials in 2019 and appearing at that year’s world championship. She made the transition to MMA in 2021 and she’s been on fire since then, crushing any women who stand opposite her in the cage. Bishop put together a perfect 4-0 professional MMA record with all of her fights coming under the LFA banner.

That earned her a call-up to Bellator and a step up in competition against veteran fighter Elina Kallionidou. Bishop met the challenge comfortably and she dominated her opponent from start to finish, winning all three rounds cleanly on route to a unanimous decision. The main event then saw Yaroslav Amosov fight for the first time in twenty months, maintaining his undefeated record and retaining the welterweight title.

Full results for the event can be found here.

Quick Hits

• IBJJF gi and no gi world champion Diego ‘Pato’ Oliveira has just left Dream Art and joined Art of Jiu-Jitsu to train under the legendary Mendes brothers.
• Erin Blanchfield gave an assessment of the flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko’s grappling, ahead of a potential fight between the two.
• It was revealed that Marcelo Garcia wasn’t just a spectator at ADCC 2022, he was prepared to step in to the superfight if Gordon Ryan or Andre Galvao pulled out.
• Kristen Bell, star of ‘The Good Place’ and ‘Frozen’, revealed that she has started training Jiu-Jitsu with her daughter under Cesalina Gracie.

Technique Corner

How to stay safe in a Straight Ankle-lock

Buggy choke from Back control

How to finish the Stack pass if they invert

Meme of the Week

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“Conor’s gonna get some things that he wants.”

A bit of controversy has already brewed even before the premiere of the upcoming Ultimate Fighter season. UFC superstar Conor McGregor, who will serve as one of the coaches opposite Michael Chandler, was accused of removing some aspiring cast members to make way for his own fighters. McGregor has since denied such claims.

UFC president Dana White sees no big deal about said rumors, while also admitting that “The Notorious” does get some special treatment.

“I have no idea. Who gives a shit?” White told the media during the UFC Vegas 70 media scrum on Saturday.

“These stories that come out of these things… heard something earlier tonight, too. We’re working on all this stuff, and you’re trying to get guys to commit to coach… to do the coaching commitment. Especially if you live in Ireland, yeah, Conor’s gonna get some things that he wants.”

White also stated that no fighter missed any opportunities to further their careers, while also assuring that they will all be taken care of.

“Nobody lost an opportunity here. If there were guys that were booked to do that, we’ll do something with them… It’s not just like, ‘Hey, see you later, pal. Good luck to ya. Have a good life.’ We’ll figure it out, we’ll take care of these guys.”

TUF 31 premieres this May. McGregor and Chandler are scheduled to face each other sometime after the season ends its six-week run.

About the author: Milan Ordoñez has been covering combat sports since 2012 and has been part of the Bloody Elbow staff since 2016. He’s also competed in amateur mixed martial arts and submission grappling tournaments. (full bio)

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Jake Paul gives his post-fight statement after suffering his first professional loss against Tommy Fury on Sunday.

Jake Paul took his first professional loss on Sunday at the hands of Tommy Fury. The two put on a competitive performance, with Paul even dropping Fury in the final round. But in the end, the judges had the latter winning via split decision.

During a ring interview with Radio Rahim, “The Problem Child” promised to bounce back strongly after the loss. But he also admitted “feeling flat” during the fight and revealed the factors that may have contributed to his performance.

“Honestly, I felt flat. I got sick really bad twice in this camp. Injured my arm. So, it wasn’t my best performance.

“But I lost. I’m not making excuses, I’m just saying it wasn’t my best performance. I felt a little flat. And like I said, we’re gonna come back and get that W. Don’t judge me by my wins, judge me by my losses. I’m gonna come back stronger.”

Paul shared a similar sentiment during the post-fight press conference, without mentioning the illness and injury this time.

“I don’t think it was the nerves,” Paul responded when asked if it may have played a factor. “I think it was something with my energy levels or feeling flat. I feel like something was just off, I don’t know what it was.

“But I wasn’t nervous. My heart rate was low the whole entire day, the whole entire fight week. It really wasn’t the nerves, and I’ve felt what it’s like to be nervous in a fight, and that sucks. But it wasn’t that.

“Again, I just didn’t have my best performance, and that’s really all it is.”

With the loss to Fury, the 26-year-old Paul now holds a record of 6-1.

About the author: Milan Ordoñez has been covering combat sports since 2012 and has been part of the Bloody Elbow staff since 2016. He’s also competed in amateur mixed martial arts and submission grappling tournaments. (full bio)

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All the best, most interesting, and unquestionably coolest fights the UFC needs to make following their latest event in Las Vegas, NV.

UFC Vegas 70 is done and we can all move on. Sure, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been after losing the main event, but even as I type those words, my memory of what actually happened grows dim. Brendan Allen planted his flag in the division’s top 15, Tatiana Suarez showed she can still fight, and… I don’t really have a third thing.

So, does Allen get a chance at one of the half dozen bouts he asked for? Can Suarez still cut weight to 115 lbs? Is Trevor Peek our new Mike Perry?

To answer those questions—even that’s a stretch—I’ll be using the classic Silva/Shelby fight booking methodology from the UFC of years past. That means pitting winners against winners, losers against losers, and similarly tenured talent up against one another. Hopefully, by following that model, a few of these bout ideas will actually make it off the page and into the Octagon. Now, let’s get to the fights!

BRENDAN ALLEN

Brendan Allen has had his setbacks in the Octagon, but if his past victories hadn’t already made the point, his win here showed that ‘All In’ clearly still has what it takes to be a top 15 talent at 185. He may always struggle with high-output striking talents that aren’t deterred by his standup (which may forever shut him out of the top 5), but Allen has looked like an unbeatable fighter on the mats. Coupled with a decent chin and a lot of aggression, that’s going to keep him a tough out for a consistent class of opponent. Going into this, I thought Muniz would be just a bit too sharp on the floor. Instead he got dominated there on the way to a round 3 submission.

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC

After the bout, Allen called out rematches with Sean Strickland & Chris Curtis, as well as fights with Jack Hermansson & Dricus Du Plessis. I’m much less interested in the rematches than I am the new fights. Bouts against Marvin Vettori or even Derek Brunson someday also seem like great options. If Du Plessis loses to Brunson, then Allen/Du Plessis is excellent. If he wins, however, the South African is more likely to be fast tracked to bigger names. To that end, I’ll go ahead and say book Allen against Hermansson. ‘The Joker’ is coming off a humiliating defeat against Roman Dolidze, and I’m sure would love to prove his talent against another top-flight submission artist. If it’s an opponent Allen wants, it’s a fight I’d like to see. Otherwise, Du Plessis off a loss (or the loser of Dolidze/Vettori) is an excellent match-up.

ANDRE MUNIZ

It’s not Rodolfo Vieira getting subbed by Andrew Hernandez levels of embarrassment, but I have to imagine that 3rd degree BJJ black belt Andre Muniz is going to hear about this one for quite a long time. The Brazilian has had a few losses over the course of a fourteen year MMA career, but this is the first time he’s ever had to tap out. The worst of it is, he didn’t just get caught in a sudden guillotine or a single magnificent back take in a scramble or something like that; Allen absolutely dominated him on the floor for every second the fight was there. He swept Muniz, he passed his guard, he landed GNP, and Muniz never even created a single submission attempt. He straight-up got out-grappled.

Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Hopefully that lights a fire for the 33-year-old, because we know he has legit grappling talent, and his striking looked more dangerous than ever on Saturday. He’s still got time to put together another run. I know I suggested Allen fight Hermansson, but if that booking doesn’t happen, that would be a really good option B for Muniz. As would fights with Darren Till, the loser of Curtis vs. Gastelum, or Nassourdine Imavov. Actually, that Imavov fight is right there, front and center, and feels like it’d be a real meaningful win for either man if they could pull it off. Nassourdine Imavov vs. Andre Muniz would provide either man a badly needed bounceback.

TATIANA SUAREZ

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

It seemed like Tatiana Suarez might be heading for a tough outing by the end of the first round. She got a lot of control time on Montana De La Rosa, but very little else—and had to work super hard for every bit of it. In the second round, Suarez once again found herself working hard to keep MDLR on the mat, to the point that—after a tough scramble—De La Rosa decided to take her own shot at getting her opponent down. That’s when Suarez jumped guillotine and reminded people that she’s had time to work on other parts of her game too these last few years. The submission win keeps her record perfect, and after the victory she announced her intention to drop back down to strawweight. It’s too bad that Mackenzie Dern just got booked against Angela Hill, because Dern/Suarez is clearly THE fight to book. Assuming Dern’s gonna win, Dern vs. Suarez is a must-see top contender’s bout at 115. Otherwise, book her against the Jandiroba/Rodriguez winner.

MIKE MALOTT

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

The questions going into this were all about whether Lainesse would test Malott in a brawl or hang back and try to figure him out. Lainesse chose the latter and the result was a thoroughly one-sided, one-round performance from Malott, who got to do whatever he wanted from range, and then took Lainesse right down at the first sign of trouble. A quick transition to arm triangle and that fight was done. Malott’s been a lot of fun in his UFC career to date, he just has to find a way to get into the cage more often. Philip Rowe’s been making his own waves in the UFC so far, if Rowe doesn’t already have something cooking then a bout against Malott would be perfect. Rowe vs. Malott should be a solid battle of rising welterweight prospects.

JORDAN LEAVITT

Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images

After a humiliating loss to Paddy Pimblett, this was something of a gimmie bounce-back booking for Jordan Leavitt; a chance to be the bigger, stronger, more bullying athlete in the cage. All credit to him, however, he took full advantage of the opportunity, tying up with Martinez midway through round 1 to land a barrage of clinch strikes that felled the Team Ferreira fighter. Leavitt’s range game still needs a lot of work, but it’s great to see him being more aggressive standing. Just being able to create meaningful offense on his feet will make getting to his clingy grappling game much much easier. Time to push Leavitt back up into more difficult mid-division fights, to see if he can hang with more well rounded fighters. Bouts with Mike Davis, Fares Ziam, or Jamie Mullarkey wouldn’t be bad. I really like the Mullarkey bout, actually. The Aussie’s wide skill base seems like it could give Jordan fits, or get him cleanly out-grappled. Mullarkey vs. Leavitt is a quality next bout.

JOE SOLECKI

Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Much like Leavitt, this was pure softball territory for Joe Solecki. And once again, if he’s getting a fat pitch over the middle of the plate, it’s all on him to knock it out of the park. Deaton did well for a round to defend the rear naked choke threat with Solecki on his back, but he couldn’t do it for another five minutes. Solecki got the tech sub to reinforce the idea that he’s very much a prospect on the rise. So I want to see him in the cage with another exciting young grappler trying to make his mark at the elite levels of the UFC. Claudio Puelles recently climbed up into the rankings, and failed in his first big challenge, seems like he could use a step back and Solecki a step forward. Solecki vs. Puelles should be a grappler’s delight.

OTHER BOUTS: Augusto Sakai vs. Justin Tafa, Don’Tale Mayes vs. Parker Porter, Yohan Lainesse vs. Mounir Lazzez, Trevor Peek vs. Matt Frevola, Erick Gonzalez vs. Viacheslav Borshchev, Victor Martinez vs. Carl Deaton III, Ode Osbourne vs. Cody Durden, Charles Johnson vs. CJ Vergara, Nurullo Aliev vs. Uros Medic, Rafael Alves vs. Damir Hadzovic

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Check out the live results and highlights for Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury.

Stay up to date with what’s happening today (February 26th) with the Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury boxing card, which is going down from the Diriyah Arena in Diriyah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The third time’s the charm! After two failed attempts to put this fight together, Jake Paul and Tommy Fury will finally meet today in the ring. This main event matchup isn’t the cream of the boxing crop, but it is two undefeated aspiring boxers that are around the same stage in their careers — seeing which one will advance in the sport, and which one will be resigned to the monacre of ‘celebrity boxer.’ That alone could make for a highly competitive scrap, and that’s really all we can hope for.

Before that, we’ve got a legitimate title fight in the co-main event when the 27-3 Badou Jack puts his WBC cruiserweight belt on the line against the 29-2 Ilunga Makabu. This is a far cry from the typical YouTuber vs. Influencer matchup that we typically see on a Jake Paul undercard, which feels like a step in the right direction for Jake’s Most Valuable Promotions venture.

The Paul vs. Fury PPV card is scheduled to begin at 2:00pm ET, and can be streamed on ESPN+ and FITE.tv.

Main Card (2 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV and FITE.tv)

Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury

Ilunga Makabu vs. Badou Jack: WBC cruiserweight title

Ziyad Alaamayouf vs. Ronald Martinez

Muhsin Cason vs. Taryel Jarafov

Bader Samreen def. Viorel Simion by TKO at 1:26 in round 1

Prelim card

Adam Saleh vs. Stuart Kellogg

Salman Hamada vs. Philip Samson

Ragad Al Naimi vs. Perpetual Okaijah

Ziad Al-Majrashi vs. Philip Quansah

About the author: Eddie Mercado has covered combat sports since 2015. He covers everything from betting odds to live events and fighter interviews. He holds a 1-0 record in pro MMA and holds a purple belt in Jiu-Jitsu. (full bio)

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The real winners and losers from UFC Vegas 70

Like many UFC events, UFC Vegas 70 had its fair share of shuffling ahead of the event. But, unlike most events, Saturday’s fight card lost two bouts on weigh-in day. Then, with the ESPN+ event underway inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, the promotion announced it had scratched the scheduled light heavyweight main event between Nikita Krylov and Ryan Spann after Krylov fell ill. Of course, losing a main event is never optimal, but losing the headlining bout on fight night? That’s less than ideal for any fight promotion.

Despite the circumstances, the makeshift main event of Saturday’s UFC Vegas 70 provided one of the middleweights in that contest the opportunity to shine. Brendan Allen, the fighter who stepped into that spotlight, scored a submission win over the favored Andre Muniz in that contest.

Also on the main card, Tatiana Suarez returned to action after a prolonged absence. Suarez, who had not fought in nearly four years, scored a second-round submission win over Montana De La Rosa. With the victory, Suarez kept her perfect record intact, moving to 9-0.

Read on for the winners and losers from UFC Vegas 70, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streamed on ESPN+.

Winners

Brendan Allen: A member of the UFC since 2019, the former LFA champ extended his winning streak to four straight with an impressive submission win over the favored Andre Muniz in the impromptu main event of UFC Vegas 70. Allen, who was absent from the official UFC middleweight rankings ahead of Saturday’s event, should find himself in the top 15 after ending the nine-fight (five in the UFC) winning streak of Muniz, who entered the contest at No. 11 in the rankings mentioned above.

In this matchup, Allen excelled in the wrestling and grappling departments, showing patience and poise in securing his second consecutive rear-naked choke submission victory.

After having his hand raised, Allen said his wish was to run back one of his two UFC losses in his next outing (Chris Curtis or Sean Strickland). However, if neither of those bouts is an option, Allen wouldn’t mind scrapping with Dricus du Plessis, who faces Derek Brunson on next week’s UFC 285 fight card.

Tatiana Suarez: Tatiana Suarez smartly avoided a big weight cut in her first fight in nearly four years. For a fighter who was being touted as a potential champion before injuries cost her so much time, Suarez wisely saw this 125-pound matchup as a way to shake the rust off and get some octagon time. As expected, Suarez used her wrestling skills throughout the fight, eventually earning a second-round guillotine submission.

Expect Suarez to get back in the strawweight mix as soon as possible and pursue a title shot in that division.

Megan Olivi: While Dominick Cruz speculated why the scheduled main event between Nikita Krylov and Ryan Spann was off, Megan Olivi thought to ask why the fight was scrapped. She reported it was because Nikita Krylov was suffering from a food born illness. .

Mike Malott: Mike Malott picked up a knockout win over Mickey Gall at UFC 273. On Saturday, he moved to 2-0 in the UFC with a submission win over Yohan Lainesse. Malott is now 9-1-1 in his career with all his wins coming via first-round finish. Malott only has a few fights because he focused on coaching rather than competing. Now that his attention is on his UFC career, Malott looks ready to step up in competition.

Trevor Peek: In the lead-up to Trevor Peek’s fight against Erick Gonzalez, it was mentioned that his first martial art was “street fighting.” His striking style reflects that. Peek is heavy-handed and aggressive, but he needs to shore up the technical aspect of his striking in a big way if he wants to move up the lightweight ranks. However, even if Peek fails to do that, his all-out approach to throwing bungalows will make him a fan favorite.

Jasmine Jasudavicius: Once Jasmine Jasudavicius got Gabriella Fernandes to the ground, the difference between the two fighters was glaring. Jasudavicius went four for eight in takedowns, had 11:31 in control time and landed 149 of 215 total strikes. Jasudavicius was totally dominant in picking up the 30-26 x 3 win.

Jordan Leavitt: Jordan Leavitt bounced back from his July 2022 submission loss to Paddy Pimblett with his first career knockout win via strikes. Saturday’s first-round stoppage of Victor Martinez was a much-needed bounce-back win for Leavitt.

Ode’ Osbourne vs. Charles Johnson: The catchweight bout between Ode’ Osbourne and Charles Johnson was a good back-and-forth scrap with both fighters having their moments. Osbourne’s leg kicks gave him the advantage in the early going, but Johnson seemed to pull even thanks to his wrestling and clinch striking. As the fight continued, both men seemed to struggle with their cardio. By the time the contest ended, it appeared as if the fight could have gone either way. The judges were split on the victor, with Osbourne getting the nod (29-28) on two of the three cards for the victory. This was a good fight despite it coming together on short notice.

Joe Solecki: Joe Solecki did what he needed to do against Carl Deaton II, putting him away via submission. Solecki didn’t let the quality of his opponent change his approach to this lightweight fight. In other words, he did not fight down to the level of his competition, which is often a problem. Instead, Solecki was patient and persistent in his attack. Solecki was originally booked to face Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC Vegas 69. That’s a fight that still makes sense for both men.

Nurullo Aliev: Nurullo Aliev scored three takedowns on four attempts and racked up 10:51 of control time in earning a win over Rafael Alves in the UFC Vegas 70 opener. Aliev’s ability to secure takedowns against the fence where his opponent had little room to work was laudable. When given an opening, he also showed that he was unafraid to employ ground strikes from top position. Besides being deducted a point for biting Alves’ finger, Aliev had a solid UFC debut.

UFC: With the majority of the UFC Vegas 70 fighters coming off Dana White’s Contender Series, the UFC delivered an ESPN+ card that was, let’s call it cost effective, when it came to fighter payouts. Many DWCS contracts start fighters at $ 10,000 to show.

Losers

Dominick Cruz: Moments after it was announced the main event was off, UFC commentator Dominick Cruz speculated that a bad weight cut or improper rehydration was why the fight was off. That’s not what a professional does. It was what Cruz did.

Kerry Hatley: Referee Kerry Hatley could have and should have stopped the Trevor Peek vs. Erick Gonzalez fight a bit sooner than he did. I don’t know if he was waiting for the clock to run out on the round, but if that was why he didn’t step in sooner, that’s unacceptable.

Gabriella Fernandes: Gabriella Fernandes’ lack of defensive ground experience was glaring in her loss to Jasmine Jasudavicius, a disappointing performance from the former interim LFA flyweight champion.

Carl Deaton III: A late replacement, Deaton, who lost to Joe Solecki via submission, might be one and done with the UFC after Solecki limited Deaton to one significant strike landed.

Rafael Alves: Rafael Alves fell to 1-3 in the UFC with his loss to Nurullo Aliev. Alves did not look especially impressive as he focused on scoring a guillotine choke submission throughout the lightweight bout. If Alves remains with the UFC following UFC Vegas 70, he needs to add new wrinkles to his game or his career with the promotion will be short.

Nurullo Aliev: Referee Mark Smith docked Nurullo Aliev a point after he bit Rafael Alves’ finger. Man, you cannot bite your opponent.

UFC matchmakers: If the UFC wants to give fans a reason to tune into the promotions ESPN+ streaming cards, it needs to up the level of fights it puts together for these events. I understand fight fans need ESPN+ to get the UFC pay-per-view events and that is what keeps many subscribed to the service, but sooner or later, there could be a tipping point where those fans discover the monthly ESPN+ fee is not a cost they wish to absorb.

Bloody Elbow – All Posts

Zane Simon & Eddie Mercado are here to breakdown this weekend’s, February 25th, UFC Vegas 70: ‘André Muniz vs. Brendan Allen’ (formerly: ‘Nikita Krylov vs. Ryan Spann’) Fight Night event. The guys will have hot takes, possible next fights, as well as reactions to the overall event.

Bloody Elbow fight expert, Zane Simon & his co-hort Eddie Mercado recorded for you on Saturday, February 25th, 2023, with a breakdown of the UFC Vegas 70: ‘André Muniz vs. Brendan Allen’ (Formerly: ‘Nikita Krylov vs. Ryan Spann’) — a now dwindled down 10-bout card, from the APEX Facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The guys have hot takes, possible next fights, as well as reactions to the overall event in the player above, or they can be caught on our Bloody Elbow Presents YouTube Channel or any platform in our BE Presents Podcast Network. Plus now, you can show your love and support the efforts of our Podcast team by becoming a devoted degenerate patron at our 6th Round/Vivi Patreon!

For all the results, reactions and a plethora of details about the main card, and plenty of tidbits about all the prelims, be sure to hit play on the show to hear what our fight experts have to say!

June M. Williams

Be sure to follow Zane – @TheZaneSimon & Eddie – @TheEddieMercado; and follow @BloodyElbow on twitter as well, for all the latest in MMA happenings. Plus now, you can show your love and support the efforts of our Podcast team by becoming a devoted degenerate patron at our 6th Round/MMA Vivi Patreon!

Here’s a look at what transpired…

This now mere 10-bout card saw three exciting first round finishes, two thrilling KO/TKO’s, four sweet subs, and four hard-fought decisions – one was a majority decision. Post-Fight BONUS Awards included:

POTN: Joe Solecki, Jordan Leavitt, Trevor Peek, Mike Malott, Tatiana Suarez & Brendan Allen
FOTN: None

UFC Vegas 70: ‘Muniz vs. Allen’ fight card, updated records & full results from the event —

Official ‘UFC Vegas 70’ Scorecards

MAIN CARD | SAT. FEB. 25

11. Main Event: Nikita Krylov (29-9) vs. Ryan Spann (21-7) BOUT CANCELLED MID-CARD

10. Co-Now Main Event: Brendan Allen (20-5) DEF. André Muniz (23-4) – via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:25 of Round 3

9. Augusto Sakai (15-5) DEF. Don’Tale Mayes (9-4) – via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

8. Tatiana Suarez (8-0) DEF. Montana De La Rosa (12-7-1) – via submission (guillotine choke) at 2:51 of Round 2

7. Mike Malott (9-1) DEF. Yohan Lainesse (9-2) – via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 4:15 of Round 1

Zane’s Picks from The MMA Vivisections Shows on Thursday, February 23rd:
Krylov, Muniz, Sakai, Suarez, Malott, Peek, Fernandes, Leavitt, Johnson, Solecki, Alves, Perez, Armfield

PRELIMS

6. Trevor Peek (8-0) DEF. Erick Gonzalez (14-8) – via KO (strikes) at 4:59 of Round 1

5. Jasmine Jasudavicius (8-2) DEF. Gabriella Fernandes (8-2) – via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

4. Jordan Leavitt (11-2) DEF. Victor Martinez (13-5) – via TKO (strikes) at 2:33 of Round 1

3. Ode Osbourne (12-5) DEF. Charles Johnson (13-4) – via decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

2. Joe Solecki (13-3) DEF. Carl Deaton III (17-6) – via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:55 of Round 2

1. Nurulio Aliev (9-0) DEF. Rafael Alves (20-12) – via majority decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28)

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About the author: June M. Williams is a midwest-based graphic designer, videographer, author & editor for Bloody Elbow. She began work for the Combat Sports Division in 2010, BE since 2013. Among other tasks, she currently manages & syndicates our ‘Bloody Elbow Presents’ Podcast Network. (full bio)