Pay-per-view one in every of 2023 is within the books.
The Final Preventing Championship noticed its second occasion of the calendar yr, UFC 283, happen on Saturday, January twenty first from the Jeunesse Enviornment in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It marked the promotion’s return to the populous South American metropolis for the primary time since UFC 237 in Might of 2019.
A sensational evening it was from prime to backside. Two title fights noticed flyweight Brandon Moreno and light-weight heavyweight Jamahal Hill turn into the brand new faces on the peak of their divisions. Brothers and 2022 Contender Collection signees, Gabriel Bonfim and Ismael Bonfim, each noticed their arms raised after highlight-reel finishes. Further Contender Collection standouts from final yr, Brunno Ferreira and Daniel Marcos, remained undefeated with their separate ending wins. After unlucky losses, we mentioned farewell to fight legends Glover Teixeira and Mauricio Rua as they stepped away from skilled blended martial arts.
With matchmaking within the close to future for these victorious and defeated, what are one of the best 5 fights to make after UFC 283: Teixeira vs. Hill? Allow us to discover some choices.
5. Johnny Walker vs. Aleksander Rakic
UFC 283’s opener began with a novel end. Paul Craig regarded for a single leg in try for a takedown after Johnny Walker landed a mixture of strikes, however it proved ineffective after a barrage of backwards hammerfists. Referee Marc Goddard waved off the bout simply over two minutes into the primary spherical, Walker incomes his second-straight stoppage within the first spherical. The victory in entrance of his house crowd was his twentieth skilled and sixteenth by means of knockout.
Earlier than his two wins, nonetheless, a profession within the UFC was in jeopardy having solely gained a single combat in 5 straight matchups. Now, his momentum at gentle heavyweight must be sufficient to warrant a highly-ranked opponent. Aleksandar Rakic is nearing a yr since his ACL tear in a combat with Jan Blachowicz having spent the previous months in restoration. His tenure within the octagon had been brief, however his successes had been spectacular together with choices over former title challengers Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos.
Assuming a return can be very quickly, it’s unlikely he’ll take something lower than a backstep in competitors. Let Walker and Rakic placed on a present someday round June.
4. Gilbert Burns vs. Colby Covington
Grapplers, as soon as once more, have prevailed over Neil Magny. The UFC welterweight veteran suffered his sixth defeat in ten profession losses by submission to Gilbert Burns late into the primary spherical. Burns, a 3rd diploma black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and multi-time grappling champion, secured his first submission win since Mike Davis in April of 2019 and his first win since a unanimous choice in July of 2021 over Stephen Thompson.
The previous title challenger is trying to begin a brand new recent stretch of victories, and in his post-fight interview, Burns referred to as out former interim divisional champion Colby Covington. March of 2022 noticed Covington’s five-round choice over friend-turned-foe Jorge Masvidal, efficiently rebounding after his title combat rematch defeat to former champion Kamaru Usman. Regardless of a historical past of controversy, the previous NCAA Division I wrestler stays one of many division’s greats as he’s due for a 2023 return.
Pairing Burns and Covington has the makings of one thing particular. Why not a co-main occasion for a pay-per-view? 5 rounds is the one possibility in that case.
Gilbert desires Colby 👀 #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/4ZiskLS9n6
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 22, 2023
3. Jessica Andrade vs. Zhang Weili
Domination is the one phrase to explain Jessica Andrade on Saturday evening. From bell to bell, her continued ahead strain and efficient putting sport led to 5 of 9 rounds throughout three judges scored as 10-8’s over a tenacious Lauren Murphy. This was Andrade’s third straight win since September of 2021 that features first-round finishes over Cynthia Calvillo and Amanda Lemos.
Two choices are on the desk for her subsequent look in 2023. The primary can be to proceed on at flyweight and combat in a title elimination bout with Manon Fiorot. Possibility two can be to rematch in a championship bout in opposition to Zhang Weili in a return again to to the strawweight division. Weili took the belt away from Andrade in August of 2019 with a blistering knockout simply 42 seconds into the match. After shedding the strap in 2021 to Rose Namajunas, Weili took the title again to China final November over Carla Esparza by submission within the second spherical.
Alternative two seems the path to go because the division is at the moment with no standout challenger. Might Andrade return to glory, or would Weili take the cake as soon as extra?
2. Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja
Historical past was made in UFC 283’s co-main occasion as Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo met for a record-breaking fourth time within the UFC. A draw for the title in December of 2020 was adopted by Moreno’s third-round submission in mid-2021 after which by Figueiredo’s unanimous choice in early-2022. The rating was capped off on Saturday evening with Moreno’s spectacular exhibiting, finally hurting Figueiredo’s proper eye and successful by way of physician stoppage after three rounds.
Figueiredo, who had proven prior struggles making 125 kilos, introduced he can be shifting as much as bantamweight. That now permits motion among the many flyweights as, for the primary time in 4 and-a-half years, a brand new fighter will problem for the true belt. 32-year-old Alexandre Pantoja at the moment sits because the primary contender with three straight wins since 2021 over Manel Kape, Brandon Royval, and Alex Perez.
A combat between the brand new champ and subsequent title challenger wouldn’t be the primary time these two have met within the cage as Pantoja took a win over Moreno in Might of 2018 by unanimous choice. Flyweights deserve a predominant stage, and neither get the popularity they deserve, so let these two sq. off in a pay-per-view headliner within the early summer season months.
Bonded ceaselessly by historical past 🤝 #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/OeIUP0VnPV
— UFC (@ufc) January 22, 2023
1. Jamahal Hill vs. Jiri Prochazka
“Candy Goals” made his goals a actuality. 5 dominant rounds all went in favor of Jamahal Hill, successful the vacant UFC gentle heavyweight championship over former divisional king and veteran Glover Teixeira. The very long time athlete out of Grand Rapids, Michigan’s Black Lion Jitsu Academy let his feelings circulation, turning into the primary Dana White’s Contender Collection contract winner to win a UFC title in simply his eighth promotional combat. Teixeira, a UFC veteran of 23 fights since Might of 2012, introduced his retirement following the loss.
With new blood on the prime, there are alternatives for Hill’s first try at a protection. Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz fought to a draw for the vacant belt in December, however the lackluster consequence would possibly imply a watch for each males. Hill was pulled in favor for the Teixeira combat from a bout with Anthony Smith, though the previous title challenger is coming off a loss to the aforementioned Ankalaev having suffered an ankle harm of their assembly. Former 205-pound champion Jiri Prochazka shared progress on Instagram following his shoulder harm and surgical procedure, in addition to a message for the newly-crowned title holder.
Most followers would lean for a matchup between Prochazka and Hill, and I disagree no much less. On paper, these two may put a combat on to ceaselessly keep in mind.
“Something is feasible!”
Jamahal Hill overcome with emotion after attaining his dream 🏆 #UFC283 pic.twitter.com/6zwxn7nIJr
— UFC (@ufc) January 22, 2023
ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS:
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Dominick Cruz
Ihor Potieria vs. Thiago Santos
Brunno Ferreira vs. Gerald Meerschaert
Thiago Moises vs. Gregor Gillespie
Gabriel Bonfim vs. Nicolas Dalby
Jailton Almeida vs. Alexander Romanov
Cody Stamann vs. Raphael Assuncao / Kyler Phillips winner
Ismael Bonfim vs. Guram Kutateladze
Josiane Nunes vs. Stephanie Egger
Daniel Marcos vs. Miles Johns
— UFC 283 RESULTS —
— MMASUCKA TWITTER —
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