UFC 277 “Pena Vs Nunes 2” + Weekly MMA Report
The last week’s UFC event was very nice to watch if you’re a grappling/wrestling fan. There were many transitions, sweeps, and reversals; but not many knockouts and stoppages. In the first 8 fights, only one finish happened. But the main card was very different, as only the co-main event of the evening went to judges’ scorecards.
Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann were the star attractions in the UK-based event. McCann annihilated Hannah Goldy with a first-round TKO after a vicious right straight and spinning back elbow, while “Paddy The Baddy” choked out Jordan Leavitt in the second after losing the first period.
An ELECTRIC finish to round 1 for Paddy ⚡️ #UFCLondon pic.twitter.com/NiE2IVyOTo
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 23, 2022
DEJA VU IN THE O2!!! @MEATBALLMOLLY STRIKES AGAIN!!!! #UFCLONDON pic.twitter.com/rMbH2LJmQT
— UFC (@ufc) July 23, 2022
Prelim combatant Jonathan Pearce earned a 50k bonus with a TKO win over Makwan Amirkhani, while Nikita Krylov scored his first-ever bonus of the career after demolishing the former 205-pound title contender Alexander Gustafsson in the first round.
The HUGE ground strikes led to the finish for JSP 👊#UFCLondon pic.twitter.com/KPoUJDGUHz
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 23, 2022
CAUGHT HIM COLD 👊 #UFCLondon pic.twitter.com/e7detLq2ds
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 23, 2022
Unfortunately, the main event didn’t go well, as Tom Aspinall badly hurt his right knee and he’ll need surgery.
Jason Jackson outworked his opponent easily in the main event of Bellator 283, while Usman Nurmagomedov extended his winning streak. The former RIZIN champ Tofiq Musaev sent a message by destroying Sidney Outlaw in the first.
𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗠𝗔𝗗𝗘.@Tofiq__Musayev stops @SidOutlaw in the 1st round of his Bellator debut! Was @PatrickyPitbull watching that one? 👀#Bellator283 is LIVE on @SHOsports. pic.twitter.com/ZBQ9xtqBZd
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) July 23, 2022
But the upcoming weekend is the fireworks, as the diehard MMA fans are going to watch the UFC 277 PPV (pay-per-view) event. The promotion moves to American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, for another night of top-notch action.
Image source: @UFCBrasil Twitter
The event is headlined by the second clash between heavy-handed Amanda Nunes and super-tricky counter-expert Juliana Pena. Let’s hope Nunes learned from the first fight, she should definitively pay more attention to her cardio. One way or another, this 135-pound title match will not go the distance, and Pena could pull out another upset.
Prediction: Pena to win (+230), or the fight will not go the distance (-240)
Brandon Moreno will try to defend his strap against tough one-punch specialist from New Zealand, Kai Kara-France. Moreno moves like a cat and his footwork rocks, but he’ll have to circle all the time if he doesn’t want to get caught. Kai’s one-punch knockout power is the reason to worry, but cardio advantage definitively goes in the favor of Mexican.
Prediction: Moreno to win (-210)
Here is the whole fight card, but last-minute changes might happen, so please check this link too.
https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/events/87975-ufc-fight-night
Main Card (ESPN+ PPV, 10 PM ET, 3 AM UK Time)
UFC Flyweight Championship: Julianna Peña (11-4-0) vs. Amanda Nunes (21-5-0)
UFC Interim Flyweight Championship: Brandon Moreno (19-6-2) vs. Kai Kara-France (24-9-0)
Heavyweight: Derrick Lewis (26-9-0) vs. Sergei Pavlovich (15-1-0)
Flyweight: Alexandre Pantoja (24-5-0) vs. Alex Perez (24-6-0)
Light Heavyweight: Magomed Ankalaev (17-1-0) vs. Anthony Smith (36-16-0)
Preliminary Card (ESPN+, ABC, ESPN, 8 PM ET, 1 AM UK Time)
Welterweight: Alex Morono (21-7-0) vs. Matt Semelsberger (10-3-0)
Lightweight: Drew Dober (24-11-0) vs. Rafael Alves (20-10-0)
Heavyweight: Don’Tale Mayes (9-4-0) vs. Hamdy Abdelwahab (3-0-0)
Lightweight: Drakkar Klose (12-2-1) vs. Rafa García (14-2-0)
Early Prelims (ESPN+, UFC On Fight Pass, 6 PM ET, 11 PM UK Time)
Welterweight: Michael Morales (13-0-0) vs. Adam Fugitt (8-2-0)
Flyweight: Ji Yeon Kim (9-5-2) vs. Joselyne Edwards (11-4-0)
Light Heavyweight: Nick Negumereanu (12-1-0) vs. Ihor Potieria (20-2-0)
Welterweight: Orion Cosce (7-1-0) vs. Blood Diamond (3-1-0)
Check my predictions for the upcoming card:
Please, this is a PPV event, get yourself ready on Saturday at 6 PM ET (11 PM BST) and enjoy the lovely night of action!
[…] UFC 277 was a superb event to watch. Amanda Nunes fought very wisely, outsmarting and outstriking Julianna Pena for five rounds, reclaimed her 135-pound belt, and she’s a two-division champion again. But the quickest finish was seen in the clash between two heavy-hitting hillbillies, Sergei Pavlovich and Derrick Lewis, where Pavlovich stopped his opponent in the first minute of the match. […]