SBG Dublin head coach John Kavanagh is confident about Conor McGregor’s UFC return this year.
SBG Dublin head coach John Kavanagh is confident about Conor McGregor’s UFC return this year. On Monday’s MMA Hour episode, Kavanagh gave some updates on his superstar fighter’s immediate career future.
“I’d be willing to bet my house on it,” he said about McGregor’s possible 2023 comeback. “I was actually just chatting with him yesterday or the day before and then [his manager] Audie [Attar] was in town.
“Yeah, I think there’s some interesting negotiations going along now. I absolutely can’t say anything beyond that, but I’m very, very confident that we’ll see Conor back in the octagon this year.”
Given McGregor’s newfound jacked physique at 190 pounds, it is unclear which weight class he competes in upon his return. And according to Kavavnagh, the next fight should be “massively motivating” for “The Notorious.”
“I’m asked this so often and I have to be honest when I say I really don’t mind,” Kavanagh said about McGregor’s next fight.
“What matters to me is that, let’s say I’m seeing Conor this week and we’re chatting and he says a few names and I see a name particularly gets the eyes open, particularly gets his pacing up and down the living room and showing me what he’s going to do and what he’s not going to do.
“That would be absolutely the most important thing for me, is that it’s a name that’s going to excite him.
“Because for Conor, for training for this next fight, he’s definitely got to find something that’s massively motivating to him to get him out of the silk pants and into the sweaty gym.
“What’s it going to be? A couple million more? Is that really going to motivate him? I don’t think so. He has a couple of championship belts. Is that it? I don’t think so.
“So I think it’s more going to be a particular opponent, a particular skill set, and how it matches up against him.”
McGregor, who turns 35 in July, has been shelved since 2021 when he broke his leg at UFC 264 against Dustin Poirier. He also left the USADA testing pool and will need to be back for six consecutive months before he gets the green light to compete again.
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)
Sage Northcutt in 2018, following his final UFC bout. | Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
The former UFC fighter and top prospect hasn’t fought since May of 2019, when he suffered a brutal KO loss to Cosmo Alexandre in his ONE Championship debut.
At one point in time, Sage Northcutt was the hottest prospect in mixed martial arts. Signed to the UFC at just 19-years-old, the former Karate child star looked the part of a future PPV cash cow for the world’s largest MMA promotion.
Whether he was pushed too far too fast, or had a few too many holes in his striking-centric style to thrive, or just wanted more than the UFC was willing to give, however, Northcutt and the promotion split on seemingly amicable terms back in 2018, with ‘Super’ Sage carrying a 6-2 record inside the Octagon over his three year tenure.
Not long after, Northcutt made the move to Singapore’s ONE Championship where he was set to take on former kickboxing sensation and fellow ONE debutee Cosmo Alexandre in a 185lb (ONE welterweight) bout. Things did not go well.
Northcutt ended up flat on the canvas just 29 seconds into round one, his face fractured in eight places due to a single right hand from his opponent. That’s the last time the Sacramento native was seen inside the ring.
Jump ahead four years—including a reportedly wicked case of COVID-19—and it appears Northcutt is once again set to return to competition. MMA Fighting reports that ONE has confirmed the return of the former UFC talent, for a bout on May 5th at ONE on Prime Video 10.
Now 26-years-old, Northcutt is set to take on Ahmed Mujtaba. Sporting a record of 10-2, the Pakistani fighter training out of AKA first came to ONE back in 2016, and has put together a 3-2 record in his 6+ years with the promotion. Most recently he fought at ONE Championship 163, in November of last year, defeating Abraao Amorim via first round submission.
Although Northcutt had previously stated that he would be returning back down to 155 lbs following his loss to Alexandre, his bout against Mujtaba has been booked at 170 lbs. Alongside Northcutt’s return, the card is also expected to feature a 135 lb title fight trilogy bout between former UFC champion Demetrious Johnson and Adriano Moraes.
About the author: Zane Simon is a senior editor, writer and podcaster for Bloody Elbow. Host of the MMA Vivisection and 6th Round, he has covered MMA and the UFC since 2013.(full bio)
A running tally of important stats for all UFC events in 2023 – UFC 283 edition | Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
A running tally of important stats for all UFC events in 2023.
The UFC is now two events into 2023. For this coming year, our plan is to do an event-by-event look back after every card, along with keeping a running total of pertinent UFC statistics on the year. Below is the post-UFC 283 update for data in 2023.
So far we’ve had 26 fights, with ten bouts going to decision and sixteen finishing inside the distance. That includes two rear naked chokes, a doctor’s stoppage, and two body shot KOs. Light Heavyweight and bantamweight have seen the most bouts so far in 2023, and we’re already running up toward 3,000 significant strikes landed.
Take a look at all the numbers we’ll be keeping track of as the year goes on.
Total Fights: 26
Title Fights: 2
Unanimous Decisions: 8
Split Decisions: 2
KOs/TKOs: 12
Submissions: 4
Types of Finishes
Submissions
Rear Naked Choke: 2
Arm Triangle from Mount: 1
Guillotine Choke After Drop to Guard: 1
Knockouts and Technical Knockouts
Doctor Stoppage: 1
Flying Knee to Head: 1
Kick to Body at Distance: 1
Knees to Body at Distance: 1
Punch to Head at Distance: 3
Punches to Head at Distance: 2
Punches to Head from Back Control: 1
Punches to Head from Guard: 1
Punches to Head in Clinch: 1
MY WORDDDDD #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/Lw2DkAXigu
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 22, 2023
Fights by Weight Division
Heavyweight: 1
Light heavyweight: 4
Middleweight: 3
Welterweight: 3
Lightweight: 3
Featherweight: 2
Women’s Featherweight: 1
Bantamweight: 4
Women’s bantamweight: 1
Flyweight: 3
Women’s Flyweight: 1
Moreno defeats Figueiredo after the doctor called a stop between rounds due to an eye injury. #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/Bo5b6AY4XH
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 22, 2023
UFC Stat Totals in 2023
Total Knockdowns Landed: 8
Total Submission Attempts: 9
Total Reversals: 4
Total Significant Strikes Attempted: 5,417
Total Significant Strikes Landed: 2,718
Total Significant Head Strikes Attempted: 4,257
Total Significant Head Strikes Landed: 1,764
Total Significant Body Strikes Attempted: 797
Total Significant Body Strikes Landed: 634
Total Significant Leg Strikes Attempted: 363
Total Significant Leg Strikes Landed: 320
Total Significant Distance Strikes Attempted: 4,792
Total Significant Distance Strikes Landed: 2,235
Total Significant Clinch Strikes Attempted: 384
Total Significant Clinch Strikes Landed: 290
Total Significant Ground Strikes Attempted: 241
Total Significant Ground Strikes Landed: 193
THE SOUND OF THESE HEADKICKS #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/6M21XFQuK4
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 22, 2023
Total Strikes Attempted: 6,153
Total Strikes Landed: 3,371
Total Takedowns Attempted: 130
Total Takedowns Landed: 37
Memorable Fight Stats in 2023
Shortest Three-Round Fight: Gabriel Bonfim submits Mounir Lazzez at 0:49 of Round 1 at UFC 283.
Latest Finish in a Three-Round Fight: Dan Ige knock out Damon Jackson at 4:13 of Round 2 at UFC Vegas 67.
Most Takedowns Landed: Thiago Moises lands four of seven attempts on Melquizael Costa at UFC 283 and Dan Argueta sticks four on six attempts vs. Nick Aguirre at UFC Vegas 67.
Most Submission Attempts: Deiveson Figueiredo two submission attempts vs. Brendan Moreno at UFC 283 and Dan Argueta two submission attempts vs. Nick Aguirre at UFC Vegas 67.
Most Knockdowns Landed: Eight fighters with one knockdown apiece (Five at UFC 283 and three at UFC Vegas 67.)
Most Significant Strikes Landed in a Three-Round Fight: Jessica Andrade lands 231 of 369 significant strike attempts in unanimous decision win over Lauren Murphy.
ANDRADE WAS DOMINANT AT #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/7XTh4ZwVta
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 22, 2023
New UFC records in 2023
Jamahal Hill lands 232 significant strikes in a UFC light heavyweight fight for a new UFC LHW single-fight record. Hill defeated Glover Teixeira to by unanimous decision to win the UFC light heavyweight title.
Jessica Andrade lands 231 significant strikes in a UFC women’s flyweight fight for a new UFC women’s flyweight record. Andrade defeated Lauren Murphy via unanimous decision.
Jessica Andrade tied Amanda Nunes or most wins in women’s UFC history with her 15th victory with the promotion.
Jessica Andrade set a UFC women’s flyweight record in beating Lauren Murphy at UFC 283 | Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
A deep dive into the statistics from UFC 283: Teixeira vs. Hill
The UFC held its first pay-per-view event of 2023 on Saturday. At the top of that card, UFC 283, Jamahal Hill captured the vacant UFC light heavyweight title, while in the co-main event, Brandon Moreno put the UFC flyweight title back around his waist.
Before that, Gilbert Burns, Jessica Andrade and Johnny Walkers delighted the Brazilian crowd with dominant wins in their fights in front of the crowd at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Below, we take a deep dive into the stats from the event. UFC 283’s main card streamed on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ABC and ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
Total Fights: 15
Unanimous Decisions: 4
Split Decisions: 1
KOs/TKOs: 7
Submissions: 3
MY WORDDDDD #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/Lw2DkAXigu
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 22, 2023
Fights by Weight Division
Heavyweight: 1
Light heavyweight: 3
Middleweight: 1
Welterweight: 3
Lightweight: 2
Women’s Featherweight: 1
Bantamweight: 2
Flyweight: 1
Women’s Flyweight: 1
THE SOUND OF THESE HEADKICKS #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/6M21XFQuK4
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 22, 2023
Total Knockdowns Landed: 5
Total Submission Attempts: 5
Total Reversals: 1
Total Significant Strikes Attempted: 3,190
Total Significant Strikes Landed: 1,634
Total Significant Head Strikes Attempted: 2,514
Total Significant Head Strikes Landed: 1,079
Total Significant Body Strikes Attempted: 464
Total Significant Body Strikes Landed: 366
Total Significant Leg Strikes Attempted: 212
Total Significant Leg Strikes Landed: 189
Total Significant Distance Strikes Attempted: 2,816
Brandon Moreno claims flyweight gold via TKO by doctor stoppage #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/zZYXceYIvN
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 22, 2023
Shortest Three-Round Fight: Gabriel Bonfim submits Mounir Lazzez at 0:49 of Round 1.
Latest Finish in a Three-Round Fight: Thiago Moises submits Melquizael Costa at 4:05 of Round 2.
Most Takedowns Landed: Thiago Moises lands four of seven attempts on Melquizael Costa.
Most Submission Attempts: Deiveson Figueiredo two submission attempts vs. Brendan Moreno.
Most Knockdowns Landed: Five fighters with one knockdown apiece.
Most Significant Strikes Landed in a Three-Round Fight: Jessica Andrade lands 231 of 369 significant strike attempts in unanimous decision win over Lauren Murphy.
ANDRADE WAS DOMINANT AT #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/7XTh4ZwVta
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 22, 2023
New UFC records from UFC 283:
Jamahal Hill lands 232 significant strikes in a UFC light heavyweight fight for a new UFC LHW single-fight record. Hill defeated Glover Teixeira to by unanimous decision to win the UFC light heavyweight title.
A record-setting night for the champ @JamahalH #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/yq1lKyWGIU
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 22, 2023
Jessica Andrade lands 231 significant strikes in a UFC women’s flyweight fight for a new UFC women’s flyweight record. Andrade defeated Lauren Murphy via unanimous decision.
Jessica Andrade tied Amanda Nunes or most wins in women’s UFC history with her 15th victory with the promotion.
Episode 09 discussion: Our latest episode focuses on what options Francis Ngannou and Nate Diaz have now that they’re free agents.
Welcome to Hey Not the Face!, the podcast that provides expert analysis on all aspects of combat sports finance with an intense focus on fighter pay. Hey Not the Face! will also feature updates on both antitrust suits against the UFC, in-depth comparisons of boxing pay vs. MMA pay, thorough examinations of contracts and more. The show is hosted by John Nash and airs twice monthly. No permanent schedule has been worked out, but we’ll make sure to notify everyone via our various social media platforms when new shows are released. As always, we hope you enjoy listening.
June M. Williams
EPISODE 9: EXAMINING OPTIONS OF FRANCIS NGANNOU & NATE DIAZ
How did we get here because both became free agents in different ways because they had very different contracts?
Was Ngannou released or did he leave after his contract ended?
What do you think the UFC really offered to him?
What about Jon Jones?
DIAZ:
What about the PFL/Jake Paul offer?
What about that Rizin offer?
What other options are out there for Nate?
Why is a return to the UFC not unlikely and very good for Nate?
NGANNOU:
What can PFL offer him? What is their drawback?
What can Bellator offer him and what is his drawbacks?
What are his options realistically in boxing?
Remember, if you’re looking for us on SoundCloud or iTunes, we’re under the Bloody Elbow Presents name. Follow John’s Twitter account: @heynottheface. If you enjoy our variety of shows, please give us a shout out in the comments here on Bloody Elbow, and give us a “like”, share & subscribe on your BE Presents Podcast platform of choice: YouTube, SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, OverCast, PocketCasts, Castro, Castbox, Player FM, Podcast Republic. Follow your favorite ‘Bloody Elbow Presents’ hosts on your preferred apps, such as: Downcast, PodCruncher, iCatcher!, Castaway 2, BeyondPod (Android), & more in the App Store! For previous episodes, check out our playlists on any of our BE Presents channels.
Glover Teixeira, bloody and bruised during his title fight with Jamahal Hill at UFC 283. | Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
All the best, most interesting, and unquestionably coolest fights the UFC needs to book following their latest event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Minus any extenuating context, UFC 283 was a pretty good time. Fans got lots of finishes, some big highlight KOs, upsets, dramatic narrative shifts, and the crowning of a new champion along with the changing of the guard (again) for the flyweight belt. Despite all that, though, the vibes were clearly off. Leading into the PPV with Shogun getting put out to pasture set a sour mood. Then both the co-main and main events saw hometown favorites lose hard in fights where they just weren’t terribly competitive. Fans got nasty, the building looked only about 2⁄3 full. A strange night for the UFC all told.
So, is there an immediate title challenger that Jamahal Hill would be clearly favored to beat? Does Brandon Moreno finally get to do something other than rehash old fights? And does the UFC have any options other than Jessica Andrade for the strawweight title?
To answer those questions—and a few other thigns—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!
JAMAHAL HILL
All things considered, this was a hell of a crowning performance from Hill. Teixeira had all the single moments of success he might have hoped to have, given five rounds to work with. He got takedowns, he got back takes, he got mount; the 43-year-old even landed his share of big bombs standing, despite getting out-struck more than 2-to-1. For a man who has made his success in recent years coming back from seemingly fight ending damage to demolish much younger opponents, his performance against Hill wasn’t a remarkable departure. What was remarkable was Hill’s output, his durability, and his ability to stay strong in the face of major momentum shifts. The fact that Hill got taken down and mounted in round 5, and still fought his way back up and won the round is a great testament to that.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLCLike kissing your sister.
As a result of his win, there are three clear contenders awaiting Hill for his first defense: Magomed Ankalaev, Jan Blachowicz, & Jiri Prochazka. If it weren’t for the unknown length of his injury recovery, Prochazka would have to be first in line—but I can’t imagine the UFC wanting to bet on him for a main event in the next six months right now. Instead, I’ll say Hill vs. Ankalaev is the fight to make. Both he and Blachowicz deserve it, but it feels like it makes more sense to go with the younger, fresher challenger.
BRANDON MORENO
Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesGotta run it back.
If there’s a big winner out of Brandon Moreno finally slamming the door on his four fight series against Deiveson Figueiredo, it’s Alexandre Pantoja. ‘The Cannibal’ has been on ice since July of last year when he took a quick submission win over Alex Perez. Really though, from the moment that Moreno laid any claim to some piece of the title, Pantoja has been an obvious challenger. He beat that champ once during Moreno’s first UFC run, and even way back before that, when the two men were both on TUF together. I’m sure Moreno’s not thrilled at the idea of yet another rematch, but he’s got unfinished business right there waiting for him still. Hopefully after that, some new challengers can start to truly separate themselves from the competition. Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Moreno is the clear next title fight.
DEIVESON FIGUEIREDO
Kind of a brutally bad fight for the now-former champion. He got caught walking in regularly with overhands. While he was able to initiate plenty of scrambles and hit some solid sweeps, he had no ability at all to control Moreno on the mat. The knuckle that scratched and closed his eye to end the fight felt a bit like a mercy, with Figueiredo pretty likely down three rounds already (unless judges really have a thing for strikes off a fighter’s back from guard), and seemingly unable to find any way to steer momentum in his favor.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLCFormer champ, modern gatekeeper.
After the bout, ‘Deus da Guerra’ announced that he was leaving flyweight for bantamweight moving forward. So where does that leave him? Does he walk into title contention? The top 5? The top 10? Seems like it’d be foolish to throw him lower down the line than that. If he’s gonna be top 10, Dominick Cruz isn’t much older than Figueiredo; two former champs feels like a great intro to 135 to me. Cruz vs. Figueiredo seems like just the welcome to a new division that the former champ needs.
GILBERT BURNS
It’s hard to think of many worse matchups for Neil Magny in the top 10 at welterweight than someone like Gilbert Burns, who can hit hard enough to give pause standing, wrestle well enough to take Magny off his feet, and then grapple technically enough to just suck all the life out of him on the mat. That’s pretty much what Burns did, tapping Magny with an arm triangle with less than a minute left in round 1.
Photo by David Becker/Getty ImagesDoes this guy even fight anymore?
After the bout, Burns called out Colby Covington. That fight, or a fight against Jorge Masvidal are exactly the kind of bouts he should be getting, but he may just have to settle for Muhammad or Rakhmonov instead. If Colby Covington is coming back any time soon, then Burns vs. Covington is a great fight. If he’s not, then Burns vs. Muhammad would be a great title eliminator.
JESSICA ANDRADE
Photo by Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLCA chance at revenge.
This was always going to be an uphill battle for Lauren Murphy. She’s often struggled to keep pace and confidence against top-tier athletes. When Andrade stormed out of the gate with a bevvy of low kicks, it seemed she immediately got deep in Murphy’s head. ‘Lucky’ never did find a way to defend the kicks, and having to think about them opened up more and more combinations up top for ‘Bate Estaca’ as the fight went on. By the time the final bell rang, all anyone seemed to be thinking was “this really should have been stopped a whole lot sooner.” After the bout, Andrade called out Weili Zhang for a strawweight title fight. Will the UFC really give her that coming off a flyweight win? Considering she’s beat Amanda Lemos and we’ve seen Namajunas against Zhang plenty now, an Andrade rematch makes a lot of sense. Not sure if it’s the fight the UFC will book, but Andrade vs. Weili 2 is the best strawweight title fight the UFC can make right now.
JOHNNY WALKER
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLCThey’ve got a common win now.
This fight seemed destined for shenanigans. Whether it was going to be Johnny Walker diving into Paul Craig’s guard and getting insta-tapped, or Walker landing the kind of detonating shots that would put Craig away in a hurry, the idea that this could make it three full rounds of tidy MMA seemed impossible—which it was. No sooner did Craig catch a kick for a single leg, then he started getting dinged up so badly that he had to turtle up. A quick TKO for Walker, who is once again on some kind of roll. I could argue for a booking against Azamat Murzakanov, but Walker hasn’t fought Volkan Oezdemir yet and that seems like a tragedy if we never get to see it. Walker vs. Oezdemir would be a good time.
BRUNNO FERREIRA
Perhaps no fighter improved their stock so dramatically as Brunno Ferreira at UFC 283. The Brazilian came in as a relative complete unknown despite his shiny 9-0 record and quick Contender Series KO win. Matched up against a borderline top-15 talent like Gregory Rodrigues on short notice, it was pretty safely assumed that he was headed for a rough loss in his Octagon debut—from which he could learn from moving forward. Instead (and despite getting pieced up for about 4 minutes) he walked away with a spectacular first round knockout win, and the potential that the UFC will throw him another serious challenge next time out.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesWho do you call when you need a slugfest, stat?
Personally, I’d rather see Ferreira get someone around the speed of Denis Tiuliulin or Armen Petrosyan than an Anthony Hernandez or Roman Dolidze, but it’s anyone’s guess what the UFC will do with a win like that. I’ll split the difference and say the UFC should book Brunno Ferreira vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan. Another dangerous, big puncher with noted defensive flaws to keep testing the newcomer’s mettle.
THIAGO MOISES
The question with a short-notice opponent like Melquizael Costa wasn’t so much whether this was a fight Moises could win, as much as it was, how well prepared would he be for Costa’s aggression and scrambling. The answer was: very prepared. Moises got in on his takedowns early, and started working over Costa from top control as the 26 year old’s cardio started to fade. lots of heavy GnP, and an aggressive guard passing game did well to force Costa to keep moving and burn energy. The result was a second round submission for the former LFA champ.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLCTime to reignite those title hopes.
That could lead to fights with Drakkar Klose, Nasrat Haqparast, Drew Dober, or Mark O. Madsen. I know it’s winner-loser, but given Madsen’s hopes to make a charge up the division, and his wrestling credentials, that feels like the most interesting matchup here. Madsen vs. Moises would be a great chance for the former Olympian to see if he can bounce back into top competition.
JAILTON ALMEIDA
Photo by Amy Kaplan/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesBuilt by Frigidaire.
Jailton Almeida’s introduction to the top 15 at heavyweight couldn’t have been easier. He breezed by Shamil Abdourakhimov, who had nothing ready for Almeida’s wrestling attack. The win should set the Brazilian up for a real, high profile heavyweight contest. Fights with the Ivanov/Tybura winner, Alexandr Romanov, or Jairzinho Rozenstruik all seem like reasonable next steps. The obvious answer for me of that bunch is Romanov. The fridge-like Moldovan has built a strong reputation for physical dominance in the cage and seems like he’d be a huge challenge for a smaller heavyweight like Almeida. Given, as well, how much Romanov struggled with someone who could fight off his grappling in Tybura last time around, Almeida could ask questions he needs to answer. Almeida vs. Romanov is a great step up at heavyweight.
ISMAEL BONFIM
Photo by Amy Kaplan/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesA thrill every time he fights… which is not that often.
For so many fighters, the best thing they can do for their long term success is to take their time getting to the UFC. Ismael Bonfim is another great example of what that kind of longer journey can do for a fighter, hitting the world’s largest MMA promotion with an 18-3 record, accumulated over more than 10 years of fighting on the regionals. Standing a heavy underdog against Terrance McKinney, Bonfim outclassed ‘T-Wrecks’ pretty much everywhere from the opening bell all the way to an electric jump-knee second round KO. Hopefully that kind of win rockets him up into bigger fight conversations. At the very least, action bouts against Matt Frevola, Mike Davis, or Nasrat Haqparast should be on offer. If ‘Beast Boy’ is going to be back in action anytime soon, I’d love to see Bonfim vs. Davis asap.
OTHER BOUTS: Lauren Murphy vs. O’Neil/Maia loser, Paul Craig vs. Dominick Reyes, Ihor Potieria vs. Tafon Nchukwi,Gregory Rodrigues vs. Phil Hawes, Melquizael Costa vs. Michal Figlak, Garbriel Bonfim vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov, Mounir Lazzez vs. Gabriel Green, Shamil Abdourakhimov vs. Tanner Boser, Terrance McKinney vs. Ottman Azaitar, Nicolas Dalby vs. Alex Morono, Warlley Alves vs. Jake Matthews, Josiane Nunes vs. Julia Avila, Zarah Fairn vs. Danyelle Wolf, Daniel Marcos vs. Mana Martinez, Saimon Oliveira vs. Liudvik Sholinian
About the author: Zane Simon is a senior editor, writer and podcaster for Bloody Elbow. Host of the MMA Vivisection and 6th Round, he has covered MMA and the UFC since 2013.(full bio)
The 2023 Grand Tournament of Sumo begins this weekend with the Hatsu Basho (New Year Tournament), taking place from January 8th to the 22nd at the historic Ryogoku Kokugikan (sumo hall) in Tokyo.
Bloody Elbow is your home for all the news, highlights and updates as this year’s field of competitors face off for the first time in an attempt to hold or better their place on the banzuke (rankings document).
You can stream this tournament via NHK World, both live and on demand. This can be done on their website via your web browser or the NHK World app on Apple and Android products. The live shows happen around 3 a.m. ET. Highlights are often shown at 11:30 a.m and are then available on demand.
Banzuke (Pre-tournament rankings):
Note: This article will only cover the results from the Makuuchi division. Results for all divisions can be found here.
Hokutofuji (#6 East, 3-1) def. Midorifuji (#3 West, 2-2) via kimedashi (arm barring force out)*
Kiribayama (Komusubi East, 3-1) def. Kotonowaka (Komusubi West, 0-4) via sukuinage (beltless arm throw)*
Wakamotoharu (Komusubi West, 1-3) def. Meisei (Komusubi East, 0-4) via oshidashi (frontal push out) after a torinaoshi (rematch) was called due to a no decision in the first bout.*
Abi continued to look excellent, bum rushing Wakatakakage to get the quick win. Abi won the last basho of 2021 with a 12-3 record and two play-off victories and he hasn’t slowed down. In this first basho of the year the #3 ranked Maegashira out of the East has beaten three Komusbi and now two Sekiwake. And, other than his day two win over Meisei, they haven’t been close. The man in form looks like the one to beat this month.
Bulgaria’s Aoiyama stayed perfect with a win over the struggling Oho with an uwatenage. The end came after a brutal clash and prolonged slapping duel. The over arm throw is yet another interesting finish from the 10th ranked Maegashira (East). In this tournament he’s already pulled off an armlock throw, and armbarring force out and a hand pull down. Last year he struggled, with only two winning records out of six tournaments.
Kotoshoho, who is only 23, improved to 5-0 with a yoritaoshi over Mitoryu (dropping him to 2-2). The young man looked anxious to get going in this one, causing two false starts before eventually getting the chance to clinch up with Mitoryu. After the larger Mitoryu slapped a hand onto his belt and went for a throw, Kotoshoho was able to hold his ground and clumsily dump his opponent out of the dohyo. Kotoshoho started last year’s campaign well, going 11-4 in the Juryu division last January to earn promotion to the Makuuchi. In the top division he struggled as the season went on, going 7-8 in both September and November.
Ozeki Takakeisho got another win this day, eventually. He and Tamawashi took a while to get in sync with multiple false starts and plenty of gamesmanship. When they did clash, Takakeisho was able to run through Tamawashi. The young Ozeki has had some of the more watchable bouts this basho. His day three clash with Daieisho is an absolute must-see!
Komusubi’s Kotonowaka and Meisei got their first wins of the basho. Kotonowaka got his after a long and arduous battle with Takayasu. Meisei earned his off a quick force out of Shodai.
Hoshoryu had looked excellent all basho, going 4-0, but he suffered his first loss opposite Daieisho. He couldn’t handle Daieisho’s pressure, who stormed forwards and evaded all of Hoshoryu’s attempts to lock on or set up some kind of throw on route to shoving him into the first row.
Tobizaru improved to 2-3 on the basho thanks to a ‘controversial’ henka move against Kiribayama, whose sterling 2021 season earned him Komusubi status last September. Tobizaru deftly sidestepped the younger and higher ranked riksihi and ushered him head first off the dohyo. Some detest this move and would rather see every bout begin with a frightening clash of shoulders and heads. However, the crowd in the arena didn’t mind. They cheered the win (and have been pretty raucous this entire basho).
Popular Georgian rikishi Tochinoshin did not compete on day five, leading to an automatic loss and a win for Takarafuji. On day four Tochonoshin lost to Kotoshoho and appeared to injure his shoulder badly during the force out.
Day 6 Results
Chiyomaru (#16 West, 1-5) def. Akua (#1 East [Juryo], 0-6) via okuridashi (rear push out)
Takakeisho (Ozeki West, 5-1) def. Abi (#3 East, 5-1) via oshidashi (frontal push out)*
*Must see bouts!
**Bout of the day!
**Okinoumi is expected to announce his retirement. He turns 38 in July. His highest ever rank was Sekiwake (2015). He has four gold stars for defeating Yokuzuna (Harumafuji x 3, Kakuryu). Okinoumi owns elder stock, meaning he is eligible to coach in and own a sumo table upon retirement.
Tsurugisho (#15 East, 4-6) def. Oho (#8 East, 1-9) via uwatenage (over arm throw)
Kotoshoho (#13 East, 8-2) def. Ura (#7 West, 6-4) via tsukiotoshi (thrust down) after a torinaoshi (rematch) was called due to a no decision in the first bout.**
Hokutofuji (#6 East, 6-4) def. Aoiyama (#10 East, 6-4) via yorikiri (frontal force out)
Ozeki Takakeisho has taken this basho by the scruff of its neck and used it to build another strong case for his candidacy for Yokozuna. He has looked incredible all tournament and has thrown down in some of the most exciting bouts this far (vs. Nishikifuji, Midorifuji and Daieisho). The round mound of rage has been a terrifying presence inside the dohyo and was the first to reach kachi-kochi (winning record). After pasting Meisei today he moved to 9-1. The only blemish was a hatakikomi loss to Tobizaru on day two.
The only other riskishi to achieve kachi-kochi is Kotoshoho, who did so today with a thrilling win over Ura. The bout was initially a draw, when Kotoshoho and Ura flung each other out the ring and touched down more or less at the same time. A rematch was called and Kotoshoho upped his intensity, a tonne, smashing Ura with palms before creating an opening for a thrust down. The 23-year-old had a hot start to last year before a string of make-kachi (losing records) saw his ranking slump over and over again. This tournament’s performance will see him promoted and on his path back to the higher Maegashira ranks (his highest was #3 back in January 2021).
Other wrestlers who were looking great on day five have had dissapointing runs since then. Abi, who looks dominant, lost four straight before rescuing a win today versus Ryuden (thanks to some slick footwork). Hoshoryu went 2-2 since our last check in and suffered an injury on day 9, spraining his ankle during an attempt to throw Wakamotoharu. He defaulted on his bout with Kiribayama today to drop his record to 6-3. If he’s out of the tournament it would be a massive blow to his hopes of progressing to Ozeki in the near future.
Tochinoshin and Takayasu, who were injured earlier on in the basho have now gotten make-kachi for all the bouts they have missed. Other rikishi with a confirmed losing record are Chiyomaru, Oho and Okinoumi (who retired from the sport on day six). Yokuzuna Teunofuji and Ichinojo also have losing 0-0-10 records for not attending this basho for injury and suspension respectively.
Takakaeisho (Ozeki West, 12-3) def. Kotoshoho (#13 East, 11-4) via sukuinage (over arm throw)**
*Must see bouts!
**Bout of the day!
Analysis
What a tournament! Incredible bouts from day one to fifteen with some fantastic performances and thrilling storylines. The lead story out of this one has to be Takekeisho, who was crowned tournament champion on the final day with a win over Kotoshoho, earning him a 12-3 record and giving him a slight chance of Yokuzuna status when the next banzuke rankings are released next month.
Takekeisho has had an impressive Ozeki career, but has yet to put his stamp on competition like he did this one. He got off to a 9-1 start before dropping a couple of matches. If he hadn’t slipped during a few bouts he may have gotten a better chance at a quick(er) promotion. However, he’s still in a great position to realize his goal of being Yokuzana. Winning two championships in a row is viewed as an ironclad case for promotion, so expect Takakeisho to be extremely motivated for the spring-time basho.
Takakeisho’s win came over his former highschool classmate, the 23-year-old Kotoshoho who was phenomenal this tournament and rightfully earned the kanto-sho (fighting spirit award) for his gutsy and bruising victories. Kotoshoho, who came into this one ranked 13th in the east, was also in line for the shukun-sho (outstanding performance award) had he managed to get past his former sempei.
The championship bout was a quick one. Takakeisho chose not to blitz with the brutal slaps we’d seen him bloody up plenty of opponents with this month, maybe that was a sign of his fondness for his opponent. After they locked up, Kotoshoho tried to get a hold of Takakeisho’s mawashi, but he just couldn’t reach. As soon as Takakeisho sensed Kotoshoho did not have a hold of him, he artfully pivoted and sent Kotoshoho to the ground with a beautiful over arm throw. When Kotoshoho made it to his feet, the Ozeki tapped him on the arm — a subtle gesture, but a rare one in sumo. It told Kotoshoho that he’d earned plenty of respect this month.
The only other award winner this basho was Kiribayama who earned the gino-sho (technique prize) after a yorikiri victory over Ryuden. Kiribayama, a Komusubi, was one of the few higher-ranks to get an impressive record in this tournement, going 11-4. Many of the other Komusubi and Sekiwake squeaked their ways to kachi-koshi.
With many san’yaku struggling, but ultimately holding fast there might not be too much action at the top of the next banzuke. That comes out on February 27. Bloody Elbow will be there to cover it and future bashos (this has been a blast).
About the author: Tim Bissell is a writer, editor and deputy site manager for Bloody Elbow (and lead sumo writer). He has covered combat sports since 2015. Tim covers news and events and has also written longform and investigative pieces. (full bio)
Sean O’Malley at Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva in October 2022. | Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
If Aljamain Sterling is going to be sidelined with his bicep injury, then O’Malley wants to keep the division moving with an interim title fight against Cejudo.
Sean O’Malley is done with waiting for the official announcement of Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo, so he proposes a new fight.
Sterling and Cejudo were rumored to fight on UFC 285, the upcoming pay-per-view event scheduled for March 4 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. However, the reigning UFC bantamweight champion announced he had a bicep injury that could delay his next defense.
If it is delayed, then O’Malley would want the UFC to schedule him vs. Cejudo for an interim championship.
“It would be perfect: Me vs. Henry for the interim belt [at UFC 285],” said O’Malley on a recent episode of the BrOMalley Show. “Tell me that ain’t fire.”
O’Malley has contacted the UFC about the potential fight with Cejudo, but he was told to continue waiting for updates on Sterling.
“I wish they would,” said O’Malley. “I texted [UFC Chief Business Officer] Hunter [Campbell], I texted [UFC matchmaker] Sean Shelby. I said, ‘Will you at least give me an idea? Will you at least say yes or no? Is Henry vs. Aljo happening?’ They just don’t know.
“They’re kind of just trying to wait and see if [Sterling] can or what,” continued O’Malley. “I’m frustrated, but I’m okay because I’m just training.”
As for Sterling, he said on The MMA Hourwith Ariel Helwani recently that he was ‘very optimistic’ about defending against Cejudo at UFC 285, pending clearance from UFC doctors. But if the ‘Funk Master’ is not cleared, he would be fine with ‘Triple C’ vs. ‘Sugar’ in the interim.
“I’m either fighting Henry or Sean,” said Sterling. “If Henry wants to wait for me, he can wait. Or if he wants to take the easier fight, what he thinks to be the easiest fight, and fight Sean if he wants to go beat up Sean, go beat up Sean. If Henry wants to wait for me, we can fight. But if he wants to say, ‘I don’t want to wait any longer, give me a fight right now,’ maybe they do an interim. I’m not mad at an interim. At the end of the day, an interim means both guys get paid, right? Because they’re going to now have a belt and they’re entitled to pay-per-view points. I’m in favor for anyone on pay-per-view on the main card to get pay-per-view points, even if it’s 25 cents, or 50 cents per buy. I think there’s a reason why you’re on the pay-per-view card, so it’s like, why not? That’s just how I look at it.”
O’Malley has not fought since defeating Petr Yan by split decision at UFC 280 this past October.
About the author: Kristen King is a writer for Bloody Elbow. She has covered combat sports since 2016. (full bio)
With UFC 283, the UFC returned to Brazil for the first time in nearly two years. The event, which took place at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, was the first UFC card in Brazil where a crowd was in attendance since UFC 237 in May 2019. The fans in attendance endured highs and lows throughout the 15-fight event.
Fans hoping to close the prelims on a high note for the legendary Mauricio “Shogun” Rua were left heartbroken as he ended his career with a first-round TKO loss to Ihor Potieria. However, the fans in attendance had their spirits lifted by the first three fights on the main card as Brazilian fighters Johnny Walker, Jessica Andrade and Gilbert Burns scored dominant victories.
Unfortunately for the Brazilian fans, the event ended on a down note as both Deiveson Figueiredo and Glover Teixeira left the arena without UFC gold. Still, UFC 283 featured impressive promotional debuts from young Brazilian fighters Ismael and Gabriel Bonfim, who scored first-round stoppage victories.
As for non-Brazilian competitors, Jamahal Hill and Brandon Moreno scored monumental wins as Hill captured the UFC light heavyweight crown and Moreno regained the promotion’s flyweight title.
Read on for a complete list of winners and losers from UFC 283.
Winners
Jamahal Hill: The UFC light heavyweight division has a new champion in Jamahal Hill. The 31-year-old, who made his UFC debut off the Dana White Contender Series in 2020, showed some new wrinkles to his game while putting a beating on the former light heavyweight kingpin, Glover Teixeira.
Hill’s takedown defense was an impressive 89 percent in this fight. He managed range effectively, especially with his jabs. His activity was jaw-dropping for a light heavyweight, attempting 402 significant strikes and landing 232. His defense was on point, especially as Teixeira tired and his punches began to slow. However, the most impressive aspect of Hill’s game in winning the 205-pound UFC title were his kicks, both to the body and head of his opponent.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say he is the undisputed champion because, after all, the title became available when Jiri Prochazka surrendered it following a shoulder injury he is rehabbing. Still, Hill left no doubt as to who the better fighter was between himself and Teixeira and right now, that’s the only thing that matters.
Laid it all on the line!
5 hard fought rounds in the books between these two #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/ooEvolYQYC
— UFC (@ufc) January 22, 2023
Alex Pereira: With Glover Teixeira retiring following his loss to Jamahal Hill, UFC middleweight champ Alex Pereira will now have Teixeira as a full-time coach. That’s a positive development for Pereira, who Teixeira feels could one day become a two-division champion if he moves up to 205 pounds.
Glover Teixeira: Following his retirement announcement, Teixeira implored the Brazilian crowd to show Hill some respect as he left the octagon. The former champ said, via an interpreter, “I saw you guys were throwing popcorn and drinks at the last champion (Brandon Moreno). I want you to respect him (Hill). He’s going to walk back with me. He’s the champion.
Teixeira will be missed.
This is why we love Glover Teixeira
Even after defeat, the former champ remains gracious! #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/HSVIO6tJgY
— UFC_Asia (@UFC_Asia) January 22, 2023
Brandon Moreno: Brandon Moreno looked excellent in defeating Deiveson Figueiredo. His striking was much more effective, powerful and accurate and his patience, when caught in two guillotines, was superb.
Moreno and Figueiredo have brought out the best in each other over the past few years. The time they spent together inside the octagon should serve them both well going forward.
Bonded forever by history #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/OeIUP0VnPV
— UFC (@ufc) January 22, 2023
Gilbert Burns: Ahead of UFC 283, Gilbert Burns said he was “frustrated” after the UFC matchmakers booked him opposite Neil Magny. That had nothing to do with the quality of Magny as an opponent, but Burns, who entered Saturday as the No. 5 fighter in the official UFC welterweight rankings, wanted a “big” fight.
The former welterweight title challenger deserves that big matchup after his first-round submission win over Magny. If the UFC matchmakers were listening, Burns had a suggestion as to who his adversary should be in that next matchup — the No. 2 ranked Colby Covington.
Jessica Andrade: Jessica Andrade put on a striking clinic against Lauren Murphy. The fight was a one-sided beatdown. However, I’m not sure a win at flyweight will get Andrade her requested strawweight title matchup, but you never know.
ANDRADE WAS DOMINANT AT #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/7XTh4ZwVta
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 22, 2023
Johnny Walker: I’m not sure if the old aggressive Johnny Walker is back, but he has two straight first-round finishes to his name following a knockout of Paul Craig in the opening fight of the UFC 283 pay-per-view card.
Walker did an excellent job capitalizing on the mistake Craig made by hanging onto Walker’s leg while still in striking range. Walker was the No. 12 fighter in the official UFC light heavyweight rankings ahead of Saturday’s fight card, while Craig was No. 9. Walker is very likely to earn himself the opportunity to face a higher-ranked opponent in his next outing.
WORM CELLY FOR WALKER #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/60Roh632Iv
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 22, 2023
Ihor Potieria: Ihor Potieria did not have an enviable job at UFC 283. He faced a Brazilian legend in Mauricio Rua in Brazil in Rua’s final career fight. Despite being in hostile territory and coming off a knockout loss in his UFC debut, the 26-year-old Potieria picked up his first UFC win with a knockout victory over Rua.
Brunno Ferreira: UFC 283 was supposed to be the event where Gregory Rodrigues got a test against a veteran opponent. Instead, Rodrigues faced the debuting Brunno Ferreira, who stepped in to replace Brad Taveres on short notice. Ferreira scored a highlight reel knockout over Rodrigues in the second round of their middleweight bout.
The 30-year-old Brazilian set up the finishing blow well, delivering a powerful left that put Rodrigues down and out. The victory moved Ferreira’s pro record to 10-0 with eight first-round finishes.
The UFC provided Ferreira an opportunity to shine. He took advantage of that.
LEFT HOOK MY GOODNESS #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/qUgH3WxvFA
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 22, 2023
Thiago Moises: Thiago Moises, a member of the UFC roster since 2018, picked up a second straight submission win with the promotion when he stopped late replacement opponent, Melquizael Costa.
Moises was the much better fighter in this lightweight matchup, but what stood out about the Brazilian’s performance was his patience and veteran savvy.
Thiago Moises gets his second straight submission W at #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/WSFPzwU7kY
— ESPN+ (@ESPNPlus) January 22, 2023
Gabriel Bonfim: Gabriel Bonfim had much to live up to after his brother, Ismael Bonfim, delivered an early knockout of the year candidate on the early prelims. The former LFA welterweight champion ran through Mounir Lazzez at UFC 283. The 25-year-old Brazilian was aggressive in his striking, which forced Lazzez to shoot a takedown. That led to Bonfim locking up a fight-ending guillotine choke. The fight ended 49 seconds into the first round. With the win, Bonfim moved to 14-0.
Gabriel Bonfim follows up his brothers’ epic performance with an incredible performance of his own #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/kRLAtXcXZn
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 22, 2023
Jailton Almeida: After his win at UFC 279, I said Jailton Almeida needed a test. The UFC matchmakers gave him that — at least on paper — by matching him against a ranked opponent at UFC 283. However, the No. 15 UFC heavyweight, Shamil Abdurakhimov proved to be easy work for the 31-year-old Brazilian.
Almeida again showed his patience and skills in picking up his fourth straight UFC finish. Almeida is not a large heavyweight, but he has the skills, strength and technique to easily overwhelm his opponents. If I’m the UFC matchmakers, Almeida’s next fight will be against a top-10 heavyweight and it won’t be on the prelims.
13th win in a row for Almeida #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/wCcwhytvVy
— ESPN+ (@ESPNPlus) January 22, 2023
Ismael Bonfim: Ismael Bonfim had a fantastic UFC debut on Saturday, face-planting Terrance McKinney in the second round with a perfectly timed and immaculately placed flying double knee. Bonfim might have been overlooked heading into UFC 283, but that won’t happen again.
Before he landed the nasty knockout, Bonfim showed incredible confidence, excellent counters and impressive fight IQ. Keep an eye on this 27-year-old Brazilian.
MY WORDDDDD #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/Lw2DkAXigu
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 22, 2023
Nicolas Dalby: Nicolas Dalby, the former Cage Warriors welterweight champion, picked up his first winning streak in the UFC with a win over Warlley Alves at UFC 283. Dalby, who went 1-3-1 in his first stint with the UFC in 2015-16. Dalby rejoined the promotion in 2019. He was 3-1-0-1 heading into Saturday’s fight.
Josiane Nunes: Josiane Nunes moved to 3-0 in the UFC women’s featherweight division with a decision win over Zarah Fairn. With the weight division being very shallow, that might earn her a shot against the UFC’s women’s 145-pound division, Amanda Nunes and while that will hopefully earn her a good payday, I’m not looking forward to how that fight might play out.
Daniel Marcos: Daniel Marcos made his UFC debut at UFC 283 and the 29-year-old from Peru looked good. Marcos didn’t start his fight opposite Saimon Oliveira particularly fast, but he upped his pace as the bout wore on. By the time the second round rolled around, Marcos had taken control of the fight. He upped his pace, mixed up his techniques and showed good finishing instincts in picking up the knockout that moved his overall record to 13-0.
With his good striking defense early and his ability to up his aggression when he sees his opponent begins to fade, Marcos could cause problems for his future foes.
Marcos kicks off #UFC283 with a bang pic.twitter.com/HnY23Koota
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 21, 2023
Losers
Glover Teixeira: Glover Teixeira fought for the UFC title in 2014. He lost to then-champion Jon Jones. Over seven years later, Teixeira got a second crack at UFC light heavyweight gold. He won the belt by submitting Jan Blachowicz. However, Teixeira dropped the title in his first defense, losing to Jiri Prochazka. The 43-year-old Brazilian had a chance to get the title back at UFC 283, but he failed to do so. The former champ showed a lot of heart and toughness in going five rounds, but his effort was for naught, much to the chagrin of many fight fans.
Jon Anik: After the main event fighters gave their in-cage interviews, Jon Anik referred to Jamahal Hill and Glover Teixeira as “two of the classiest individuals on this roster, top to bottom.”
That claim is a stretch when it comes to Hill, who vociferously defended UFC president Dana White on social media after White offered no defense for slapping his wife on New Year’s Eve.
Daniel Cormier: In the fifth round of the main event, Cormier said Jamahal Hill answered all the questions that had arisen about him. To me, that was Cormier getting caught up in the moment. Hill fought very well. He showed more in this fight than we had seen from him in the past, but Magomed Ankalaev and Jiri Prochazka are not 43-year-old Glover Teixeira. To be blunt, we all need to see more of Hill before we can claim he answered all the questions about his upside.
Glover Teixeira’s corner: According to UFC commentator Jon Anik, Glover Teixeira’s coach, John Hackleman, wanted to stop the main event before the start of the fifth round. However, Hackleman, who was outside the octagon and not one of the main corners for Teixeira, did not get his wish. Like the Lauren Murphy fight before this one, the right move would have been to end the fight early.
Deiveson Figueiredo: Deiveson Figueiredo’s lack of striking output and his inability to do damage when he did connect with his attempts, had him behind on the scorecards before Brandon Moreno closed his right eye with a punch in the third round.
On a positive note, Figueiredo said he is going to move up to bantamweight for his next fight. That’s the right move for the 35-year-old former champion.
Lauren Murphy’s corner: Lauren Murphy didn’t hurt Jessica Andrade during the first 10 minutes of their fight. What gave her corner the idea that she could score a stoppage in the third stanza is beyond me. Instead, Murphy’s corner allowed her to take five minutes of unnecessary damage.
Paul Craig: In hindsight, Paul Craig will likely regret his decision to hang onto Johnny Walker’s leg as Walker landed shot after shot to Craig’s head.
Mauricio Rua: Former UFC light heavyweight champion and PRIDE Grand Prix champ Mauricio “Shogun” Rua entered UFC 283 as an underdog to Ihor Potieria, who came into the event coming off a TKO loss to Nicolae Negumereanu in his UFC debut.
Rua came out looking to end the fight via strikes, but he did not get the fairytale ending to his MMA career in Brazil. Instead, the 41-year-old Rua went 0-3 in his last three UFC fights, with two knockout defeats.
The UFC might give MMA legends like Rua a video package and an in-cage interview for their last fight, but the promotion tends to use fighters like Rua to build the careers of younger competitors. That’s what we saw on Saturday night.
The crowd was on their feet after Shogun Rua fought the final fight of his career #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/SqHqlbdRGK
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 22, 2023
Gregory Rodrigues: A heavy favorite against late replacement Brunno Ferreira saw the momentum he gained via his “Fight of the Night” bonus-winning TKO win over Chidi Njokuani come to a screeching halt when Ferreira knocked him out.
The 30-year-old Rodrigues needs a bounce-back performance in his next outing.
Zarah Fairn: The UFC women’s featherweight division has an incredibly small number of fighters. There will likely be one less women’s 145-pound competitor following UFC 283 after Zarah Fairn fell to 0-3 in the UFC with a loss to Josiane Nunes, who was at a significant height and reach disadvantage.
Saimon Oliveira: Saimon Oliveira dropped to 0-2 in the UFC with a knockout loss to Daniel Marcos. The 31-year-old Oliveira, a pro since 2013, is far too deep into his career to show the weaknesses he displayed at UFC 283. His takedown attempts were without setup, his cardio failed and he wasted energy throwing — and missing — spinning techniques.
UFC: The song that introduced the event. Not good. I’ll leave it at that.
Daniel Cormier: If Daniel Cormier is on the call for a UFC event, there’s a good chance he will get the scoring criteria wrong. He did just that during the Cody Stamann vs. Luan Lacerda prelim fight. Seconds after Lacerda completed a takedown — and before he did anything with that takedown — Cormier said, “This takedown is very telling.” So again, here is how the MMA scoring criteria reads when it comes to takedowns:
“It shall be noted that a successful takedown is not merely a changing of position, but the establishment of an attack from the use of the takedown. Top and bottom position fighters are assessed more on the impactful/effective result of their actions, more so than their position.”
In other words, the takedown by itself is meaningless when it comes to scoring.
I’m sure readers are tired of me hitting this point, but I don’t think you should blame me. Instead, blame Cormier — a former two-division UFC champion — for regularly getting the scoring criteria wrong.
UFC: I understand the UFC doesn’t owe fighters like Mauricio Rua a graceful exit from the sport. I know the UFC’s job is to build up fighters who will remain with the promotion. However, that doesn’t mean I need to like it. The UFC should at least attempt to book a retiring veteran against a veteran peer in their final fight with the promotion.
UFC: During the UFC 283 broadcast, the UFC announced Jose Aldo will join the UFC Hall of Fame class of 2023. That’s great. However, if the UFC wants anyone to take its Hall of Fame seriously, it needs to update its website because, as I write this, the fighters who joined the promotion’s Hall of Fame in 2022 are not on the UFC Hall of Fame website.
Former light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira called it a career on Saturday night at UFC 283.
After a 21-year professional run that included a one-time title reign, Glover Teixeira is calling it a career. The 43-year-old veteran laid his gloves on the Octagon after surviving a five-rounder against newly-minted champion Jamahal Hill.
“In reality, I think I’m too tough for my own good, too tough for my own health. I can’t keep up anymore,” Teixeira said through a translator during his Octagon interview with Daniel Cormier.
And he isn’t lying. In this fight with Hill alone, Teixeira decided to fight on approaching the fifth round, even with a mouth-sized gash above his right eye.
But now that he’s done with the sport, his next goal is to continue to groom another recently-crowned champion.
“I’m gonna focus my energy on Alex Pereira, on Poatan. He’s gonna keep his belt for a while then go up to light heavyweight.”
Teixeira got to fight in front of his countrymen for one last time and he got to retire with fellow legend and former champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, which for him is another highlight of the night.
“It’s an honor to put the gloves down on the same night as Shogun. I wish we were in the Royce Gracie era where you just go no rounds and keep going. But we’re not, and I just can’t keep up anymore.”
Teixeira, who won the title against Jan Blachowicz in 2021, left the sport with a record of 33-9.
June M. Williams 
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
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