Former two-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya had the opportunity to become a three-time titleholder when he took on champion Dricus du Plessis in the UFC 305 main event. It wasn’t to be for “The Last Stylebender.”
It was a hard-fought, back and forth battle with du Plessis coming on strong in the fourth round to finish Adesanya via submission. After hurting Adesanya with a punch, du Plessis quickly took the former champion’s back and locked on a rear-naked choke. Adesanya was forced to tap out.
Following the loss, Adesanya spoke with commentator Daniel Cormier inside the octagon and vowed to return. “I’m not f***ing leaving,” he said.
White wasn’t at the Apex to watch Cong knock out her opponent in just over a minute, but he made sure she got paid when he returned to Las Vegas.
Wang Cong will get a $ 50,000 performance bonus after all for her 62 second knockout of Victoria Leonardo at this weekend’s UFC on ESPN: Cannonier vs. Borralho event.
After winning a Road to UFC fight in May via first round submission, Cong made her official debut in the UFC with a blistering knockout on the early prelims of Saturday’s card. It was one of the biggest highlights of the night, but somehow got overlooked for a performance bonus: matchmakers handed those to Michael Morales for his KO of Neil Magny and Gerald Meerschaert for his come-from-behind submission of Edmen Shahbazyan.
As we’re quickly learning, Cong is pretty outspoken and took to social media to complain about the lack of a bonus.
ONE PUNCH KO FOR WANG CONG
SECOND FASTEST KO IN WOMENS FLYWEIGHT HISTORY #UFCVegas96 pic.twitter.com/x7HsxHmikM
— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) August 24, 2024
“Wake up and find out there is no POTN,” she wrote with an angry face emoji. “Next fight you will see more spectacular finish UFC, Don’t play with Joker again!”
In Chinese, she added “I’m so angry that there is no bonus.”
Well, she doesn’t have to be angry any more, because Dana White is fixing the situation for her.
“I was out of town and watch the fight at Mystique Boston on TV,” White wrote on her Instagram. “You looked AMAZING. I’m adding another PON bonus for u. Congrats u get 50k.”
“I love you Dana,” Cong wrote in response.
Considering her opponent was a +700 dog and 1-3 in UFC, it’s a bit early to know whether Cong is legit. She has some serious swagger and striking power, though, and she also has an interesting backstory: she holds a victory over Valentina Shevchenko in kickboxing from 2015.
While her UFC journey is just beginning, she’s already gunning for “Bullet.”
“My striking is better than her,” Cong said at the post-fight press conference. “If she takes a fight with me, I’ll fight her anytime.”
Turning in one of the most exciting finish in the history of the Octagon earlier this year, symbolic BMF champion, Max Holloway has urged fans to tune in for a similarly stunning stoppage at UFC 308 later this annum — as he takes on Ilia Topuria for the undisputed featherweight crown.
Holloway, a former undisputed featherweight titleholder under the banner of the promotion, is set to return to action in two months time at the end of October, travelling to Abu Dhabi, UAE to take on the unbeaten, Topuria in an undisputed featherweight championship clash.
Last time out, the Hawaiian favorite would land a spectacular buzzer-beating win over then-BMF champion, Justin Gaethje on the main card of UFC 300 back in April — flattening the Arizona native with a huge hook in the pocket, sending him to the canvas face-first.
As for Georgian-Spaniard, Topuria, the undefeated featherweight minted himself as undisputed gold holder back in February, felling common-opponent, Alexander Volkanovski with a vicious second round knockout — handing the Australian his first blemish at the featherweight limit to boot.
Max Holloway promises another spectacle in UFC 308 title fight
And predicting another exciting night of action on ‘Fight Island’ later this year in their UFC 308 headliner, Holloway vowed to land another stunning win, this time taking out Topuria.
“Every fight camp, it’s me versus me,” Max Holloway said on his official YouTube channel. “I got to go out there and I’ll outdo myself in every fight camp, you know?”
Everybody thought UFC 300 was amazing, wait till they get to see the outcome of UFC 308, it’s going to be a good one,” Max Holloway continued.
Earlier this month, Topuia issued a similar word of warning to Holloway — claiming the matchup with the ex-champion is tailor-made for his striking expertise.
“If he’s (Max Holloway) going to bring the same energy he brings in the last 10 seconds of every round, when he doest his (point to ground), I’m going to knock him out in the first round,” Ilia Topuria said. “Because in the moment he’s going to stop in the middle and start to exchange and punches with me. I recommend him to use a helmet, because he’s going to need.”
If he does it, even better for me,” Ilia Topuria explained. “Maybe I’m going to point to the ground. Maybe I will do all that because I’m going to feel so comfortable in that fight because I’m telling you, ever time I see him fight I’m like, ‘Everyone is going to be surprised when I knock him out,’ because I see him as luke such an easy matchup for me. If he thinks that I’m not right, prove me wrong. We’re going to be in the same Octagon, October 26. prove me wrong.”
After capturing the bantamweight title at UFC 292 by stopping Aljamain Sterling, Sean O’Malley had revenge on his mind for his first title defense. The lone blemish on O’Malley’s resume is a loss to Marlon “Chito” Vera in 2020. O’Malley soundly defeated Vera in the rematch at UFC 299 in March winning every round on his way to a unanimous decision.
Take a look back at O’Malley’s one-sided win over Vera ahead of his UFC 306 title defense. O’Malley takes on top contender Merab Dvalishvili in the fight card’s main event on Sept. 14.
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