Final night time (Sat., Might 11, 2024), Final Preventing Championship (UFC) ventured forth to Enterprise Middle in St. Louis, Missouri for UFC St. Louis. In the primary occasion, Heavyweight sluggers Derrick Lewis and Rodrigo Nascimento promised violence, and the co-main featured hometown favourite Joaquin Buckley placing his rating on the road in opposition to relative unknown Nursulton Ruziboev. Beneath these fights had been a top quality class of motion fighters, guaranteeing a enjoyable night time of fights from “The Present-Me State.”
Let’s have a look again over at UFC St. Louis’ greatest performances and strategies:
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The Black Beast Cometh
Derrick Lewis received within the ordinary method final night time.
On the ft, the ability differential was past apparent. Nascimento landed a number of photographs, but it surely was instantly clear that he couldn’t commerce with “The Black Beast.” Even within the clinch, Lewis’ energy was attending to the Brazilian, forcing him to work actually onerous for his takedowns. To Nascimento’s credit score, he did good work in controlling Lewis and touchdown stable photographs from prime place.
The issue was that it wasn’t sustainable technique for Nascimento. Uncommon is the Heavyweight who can wrestle onerous for 25 minutes. As he started to sluggish, Lewis landed increasingly more typically, and the kill shot inched nearer. Early within the third, Lewis’ proper hand discovered the temple, and that was all she wrote!
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Buckley Will get The Job Completed In STL
Methodical isn’t a phrase that I’ll use to explain Joaquin Buckley, however he was on the very least tactical in opposition to Nursulton Ruziboev, who towered over him from the primary bell. Buckley needed to be very cautious closing vary, and credit score to “New Mansa,” he was ready to make use of feints, false begins, and little sideways angle shifts to keep away from the worst of Ruziboev’s counter photographs.
Takedowns proved a surprisingly efficient path to victory for Buckley. Between the occasional wild exchanges, Buckley confirmed off his explosiveness by working via Ruziboev with blast doubles. Initially, Ruziboev’s wild motion from his again deterred Buckley, however by the third spherical, Buckley was capable of set up prime place and drop nasty floor strikes.
It was a dangerous transfer from Buckley to take this battle, however he earned a clear-cut win in entrance of a boisterous dwelling crowd due to the gamble. His win streak grows to 4, and maybe he appears to be like up the ladder subsequent?
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Mild Heavyweight’s New Contender
Carlos Ulberg solely wanted a dozen seconds to knock out Alonzo Menifield.
Admittedly, “Atomic” did his half to create the knockout additionally. He charged ahead wildly only a couple seconds into the battle, dropping his stability whereas over-swinging and falling over himself. As he regained his footing, Ulberg unleashed a mixture and floored him with a left hook, extending his win streak to 6 within the course of.
It’s time to get him within the cage reverse a Prime 10 opponent. Didn’t Anthony Smith win a battle shortly only one week in the past?
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Light-weight’s Underappreciated Killer
At 39 years of age, Diego Ferreira simply turned up-and-coming crusher Mateusz Rebecki’s face into mincemeat.
That’s to not say it was simple. Rebecki confirmed his items within the first spherical, getting in Ferreira’s grill and throwing vicious and highly effective combos. He clipped Ferreira upside the jaw on a number of events, smashed his nostril with a hook, and floored him with a nasty left hand. He additionally scored a pair takedowns, however all of the whereas, Ferreira stored shifting and making him work.
The tide turned within the second. Ferreira’s recreation is that of constant work fee and strain. Although he was pressured onto the again foot early by Rebecki’s energy, he was nonetheless capable of hold his tempo excessive and goal the physique typically with snappy entrance kicks. When Rebecki misplaced a contact of steam, Ferreira was in his face throwing five- and six-punch combos. He began touching Rebecki up, and the Polish prospect couldn’t flip to his wrestling, as a result of Ferreira is a superb scrambler and refused to be contained. By the third, each of Rebecki’s eyes had been almost shut. He was exhausted. He stored throwing, however the writing was on the wall. The Brazilian completed him with a flurry on the ground simply earlier than the clock ran out.
Ferreira is a superb Light-weight. He might not have turned his six-fight win streak right into a title run, however the Brazilian deserves a ton of respect for turning away many would-be contenders. He’s been within the cage with everybody from Dustin Poirier to Anthony Pettis, and he brings the battle each time.
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Did The Judges Get It Proper?
I loved the 15-minute battle between Alex Caceres and Sean Woodson. For the primary 5 minutes, Woodson managed vary very well. He kicked the calf successfully and put collectively sharp combos, actually making good use of his feints and motion to remain forward of the veteran.
“Bruce Leeroy” has been within the recreation for a very long time, nonetheless, and he’s realized a trick or two. Caceres adjusted properly within the second, doubling up on the strain and focusing on the physique extra typically. He attacked together, often spinning between punches in an try to shut distance on the lanky boxer.
It was a aggressive second body, however Caceres’ success constructed within the third. He undoubtedly took the ultimate spherical, touchdown some good flurries whereas Woodson appeared to sluggish. There have been nonetheless some enjoyable exchanges, however Caceres completed the battle sturdy.
It appeared like sufficient to steal the choice, however the judges deemed in any other case. I think about the bout too near be a theft in both route, which is why I’m turning the query to our readers: who do you suppose received?
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The Finest Chase Hooper But
A humorous state of affairs tends to play out when a very younger prospect comes up via Contenders Sequence. They get a little bit of hype, as a result of look how expert this barely-an-adult fighter is! Then, there are inevitable some bumps within the highway, as a result of these extremely younger fighters don’t have a ton of expertise or depth to their recreation.
Chase Hooper is 24 years outdated and 5 years into his UFC profession. He’s proven off glorious jiu-jitsu, however his standup recreation traditionally has been a piece in progress, and he’s taken some robust losses to fighters no person considers elite caliber. Due to these defeats, he’s been written off by many regardless of exhibiting constant enchancment.
Since shifting as much as Light-weight, Hooper has received three fights. His kickboxing is noticeably sharper, and his punches land with a better impression. He wrestles at a excessive fee, and his grappling stays glorious. All of it got here collectively final night time in opposition to Slava Borshchev, as Hooper managed to realize momentum with an early and sudden knockdown.
He by no means let up. “The Dream” battered his foe from prime place, overwhelming the Russian en path to a second-round d’arce choke. It’s undoubtedly one of the best win of his profession, in addition to a reminder that these younger up-and-comers can take some losses and return higher.
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Reside By The Sword …
Terrence McKinney doesn’t perceive learn how to have a boring battle.
“T-Wrecks” competed contained in the Octagon for the ninth time final night time. He’s visited the second spherical simply 3 times in that span, and a method or one other, the massive majority have ended through knockout. He’s on the profitable facet most of the time, and he’s made himself a must-watch Light-weight.
Sadly for McKinney, it was Esteban Ribovics who struck first. The 2 wasted zero time in buying and selling heavy punches, however Ribovics punctuated his mixture with a excessive kick. McKinney by no means noticed it coming and hit the fence unconscious, making for one of the best win of Ribovics’ profession.
For full UFC St. Louis: “Lewis vs. Nascimento” outcomes and play-by-play, click on HERE!