Will Tony Ferguson truly retire after loss?

Mackenzie Dern was emphatic throughout our pre-fight interview Tuesday that she wanted to be wiser in her method towards Crazy Godinez after struggling back-to-back losses.

Dern (14-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) largely did that, combating intelligently each on the ft and floor for a much-needed unanimous resolution win. It wasn’t ending assertion she finally wished, however given she was in a precarious place coming it, she ought to be comparatively happy with the end result.

I nonetheless have loads of inventory invested in Dern and imagine that with the fitting string of performances, she will be able to get that UFC strawweight title round her waist. She must get higher nonetheless and extra constant within the octagon, however all of the potential stays.

Tony Ferguson’s profession downfall continued in one other crash-and-burn efficiency towards Michael Chiesa, through which he was submitted within the first-round for a record-setting eighth consecutive UFC loss.

It’s been nothing in need of surprising to witness what has occurred to Ferguson (25-11 MMA, 15-9 UFC) over the previous four-plus years. He’s gone from what was as soon as the longest successful streak in light-weight historical past at 12 fights, to shedding extra bouts in a row than another athlete within the historical past of the corporate.

This was the fitting second for Ferguson to stroll away, and we virtually bought there along with his in-cage interview. However earlier than he even left the sector bowl, he threw the glove he vowed to maintain and produce house to his household moments earlier, and emphatically stated he’s nonetheless bought work to do.

Will probably be fascinating to see what occurs. Ferguson has been constant in his message that he doesn’t need to combat wherever else however within the UFC. However UFC CEO Dana White has additionally stated this was it for him. Which aspect goes to present? If Ferguson refuses to stroll away, the video games will start.

Deiveson Figueiredo continues to indicate that he very a lot belongs on the prime of the heap within the bantamweight division when he clearly defeated the latest title challenger within the weight class in Marlon Vera.

It wasn’t a very one-sided efficiency in his unanimous resolution triumph, however it was environment friendly work for Figueiredo (24-3-1 MMA, 13-3-1 UFC), who can now declare to be the one fighter to knock down “Chito” contained in the octagon. That’s a pleasant feather in his cap as he strikes to 3-0 in his new weight class after a run at flyweight the place he had two separate title reigns.

The trek to the highest at 135 kilos received’t be straightforward for Figueiredo. The division is stacked, however his resume may get him a quicker path to the highest. Will he get the winner of Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili at Noche UFC on Sept. 14? I don’t know if I’d financial institution on it proper now given the primary occasion consequence, however he’s not tremendous far off.

One factor may be stated about Figueiredo, although: For those who had been to place cash on any fighter within the UFC proper now to have an opportunity of turning into the tenth identify in historical past to win titles in two weight courses throughout the group, the Brazilian can be the frontrunner.

Many individuals questioned whether or not Umar Nurmagomedov deserved this opportunity towards Cory Sandhagen. They known as Dagestan privilege. They known as Nurmagomedov privilege. They stated he can be fraud checked.

Granted, those self same folks nonetheless will discover methods to hate on Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) regardless of his clear-cut unanimous resolution win over Sandhagen. They’ll level to his 13 takedown makes an attempt and greater than 5 minutes of management time and name him a “crotch-sniffer.” They’ll someway attempt to downplay Sandhagen and declare he’s repeatedly did not recover from the hump.

Any of that negativity is nonsense in my thoughts. Sandhagen humbly took his defeat and informed the world Nurmagomedov is pretty much as good as marketed by his supporters after he was largely outstruck and out grappled for 25 minutes. Nurmagomedov blended it up about in addition to one might ask, and sans a end, he greater than proved he belongs on the prime degree of this weight class.

Is it a matter of time till Nurmagomedov joins Khabib as UFC champions within the historic household identify? Sandhagen appears to assume so after combating him, and I do, too.

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