UFC is beginning the year off with a BANG! An outstanding card to say the least. The long-awaited return to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil brought incredible fights for the fans of the MMA universe.
Gilbert Burns vs Neil Magny
The exciting welterweight bouts continue with #5 ranked welterweight contender Gilbert “Durinho” Burns against the 27-11 #12 ranked Neil Magny. A stoked fight put together by Sean Shelby.
The co-co main event began with Brazil’s own Gilbert Burns a master in the world of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Burns and Magny stay up on their feet until 3:30 left in the round until Burns delivers a HUGE takedown picking up and throwing down Neil to the canvas where he then resulted in his grown game. Burns decided to present to the class his nonstop urgency to mail a choke on Magny’s skin where he meets his higher training.
Neil Magny holds the upper echelon of a brown belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but was ultimately not enough for the man with a “whole city behind his damn back.” Burns ends up winning the fight via triangle choke. Gilburt plants his shoulder deep into Magny’s chest preventing him from removing his arm around his neck. As Neil is on his back facing up Burns places his right arm around his opponent’s neck while simultaneously using his left arm to provide additional choking power and grip in order to follow through with the choke, hence depicting a triangle with the arms. Durinho would finally move on forward to 21-5 in the UFC welterweight division.
Deiveson Figueiredo vs Brandon Moreno
The co-main event begins with a tetralogy tilt also known as the fourth. Yes, this is the FOURTH time these men have collided. This bout will be for the flyweight title once again. With the champ Figgy against the interim champ Moreno. The accumulation of fights is followed by a 2-1 advantage for Figgy having beaten Moreno twice.
Within the first 20 seconds of the first round, Moreno took down Figueiredo, but Figueiredo hit a guillotine reverse and got back up. Both fighters were waiting in the open area. While Moreno was making contact with his fists, Figueiredo snuck in a front kick. As time ran out, Moreno scored another takedown, but Figueiredo attempted a leg lock which assisted him in escaping the submission attempt.
The second round was absolutely action-packed beginning with Figueiredo awarding a takedown right away after catching a kick. Despite a couple of hits to the ground, Moreno managed to rise to his feet without suffering much damage. Moreno attempted a second takedown, but Figueiredo prevailed. Then Moreno fired again, but first, he had to evade a guillotine in order to maintain the top position for the rest of the round.
In the third round, Moreno connected with a powerful left hook and then appeared to poke his opponent in the eye, but the referee Jason Herzog let the contest continue. As Deiveson was complaining to the referee, Moreno pursued Figueiredo and regained the lead. Figueiredo was kept on his back until the bell rang again as Moreno accrued a lot of control time which would very much conceal that round for Moreno.
Unfortunately, the referee called the doctor into the octagon to check up on Figgy’s eye which was swollen shot after a clean right hand from Moreno. This shot would ultimately end the fight due to the severity of the injury.
Moreno will go on to become the flyweight champion and tie the record at 2-2 against one of the greatest flyweight competitors in the world.
Glover Teixeira vs Jamahal Hill
The main event of the evening comes forth with the previous light-heavyweight champion of the world Glover against the #7 ranked light-heavyweight in the world Jamahal. This was a five-round bout consisting of non-stop action.
This five-round bout went the distance and it was absolutely exceptional, to say the least. Constant groundwork, repeated utilization of kicks and fists, and most of all the crimson artwork.
During the first round, Glover went straight to town, closing the distance on Hill, but Hill being the fierce lion he is, countered the distance by remaining vertical and providing some leg kicks to wobble the 43-year-old opponent. Yes, forty-three years old and fighting for a world title. Absolutely insane status for a veteran in the sport.
Hill then used a powerful head kick to knock Teixeira off balance before swarming the former champion starting off the second round. Teixeira did a fantastic job of absorbing blows, but a few flush uppercuts managed to get through. Glover then stung Hill with a powerful counter to re-enter the fight. With a lot of time left on the clock, Glover then delivered his takedown. He briefly exerted control from the top, but Hill pushed his way up and played strong defense.
The third and fourth rounds excerpted tons of groundwork resulting in a close decision for the judges as the fight was tied going into the fifth round. Glover was already beaten up horribly with a MASSIVE cut above his right eye gushing blood preventing him from seeing his opponent. A devastating disadvantage for the former champ but that is what takes once a person enters the fight game. “That’s just part of the damn job”
The fifth and final round brought out the dawg in both warriors. Each combatant was desperate to achieve gold and glory. With more than four minutes remaining in the round, Teixeira successfully executed a takedown. The ex-champion entered the full mount, but Hill climbed to the top by making his way out from the back. The battle resumed, but Teixeira was unable to secure the crucial finish which was definitely needed to secure the win but did not occur.
Hill would end up winning by unanimous decision, a pretty obvious decision concerning he had over 260 significant strikes landed. The most ever significant strikes in a light-heavyweight bout.
The United States finally landed a UFC champion, out of Grand Rapids, Michigan… Ladies and Gentleman Jamahal “Sweet Dreams” Hill.
Goodnight.
Stay tuned for UFC 284: Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski which will take place on February 12, 2023, at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.
Stay tuned to the Roundup for more UFC coverage!
