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Monday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.
On Episode 3,242, the fellas unpack a very busy week and weekend in MMA, reacting to what transpired at Invicta FC 46, Eagle FC 46, UFC Fight Night 203, Bellator 276, and more. Tune in!
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Kevin Lee didn’t run through Diego Sanchez the way most people expected, but he still proved something to himself.
MIAMI – [autotag]Kevin Lee[/autotag] was victorious against Diego Sanchez at Eagle FC 46, although the fight appeared to be more competitive than most people expected between a 29 and 40-year-old. But there’s a reason for that.
Lee (19-7), who won a clean-sweep unanimous decision Friday night at the FLXCast Arena, said afterward that he immediately was forced to overcome adversity when he suffered a knee injury that he believes to be serious.
“The first kick that he threw blew out my ACL or something,” Lee, who’s had major surgery on both knees before, told reporters. “That could’ve broke my focus. Two years ago, it would’ve broke my focus for sure. I’d have been thinking about that the whole time. Even though it crept up, I was able to put it on the back burner and get the job done. So I’m proud of that.”
Fighting at super lightweight (165 pounds) for the first time, a division he called for during his UFC tenure, Lee said “I felt better than I ever have. At no point was I breathing hard. I could see all the shots coming, and I felt real strong when I grabbed him.”
He continued, “I relied on my grappling a little bit. Wasn’t really expecting that this fight. Was working the jab, and the left hook was getting through. Just the right hand wasn’t able to get through.”
Lee’s win over Sanchez (30-14) marked his first fight since he was released from the UFC this past December after a seven-year tenure. Would he have preferred a more definitive win over Sanchez? Sure.
But Lee, who said he wants to fight for a 165-pound title belt next time out, saw positives in snapping a two-fight skid.
“I feel like this put me on the right track to getting that championship like I wanted,” Lee said. “Mentally, the things that I had to overcome in there, it reaffirmed what I knew. You don’t really know until you get in there with these fights and see when you’re tested like that, see when you are injured, if you can keep going through. And I feel like I overcame that adversity.
“Me a year ago or two years ago or the me that fought Tony Ferguson for the UFC title wouldn’t have been able to push through in that way. So, I’m happy that I’m finally at this level.”
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Kevin Lee made a successful debut in Eagle FC against Diego Sanchez, but had to do it on one leg.
MIAMI – It wasn’t easy, but [autotag]Kevin Lee[/autotag] took care of business in his debut at super lightweight.
At Eagle FC 46, Lee (19-7) finally got the chance to fight at 165 pounds. Standing across from him at the FLXcast Arena was Diego Sanchez (30-14), a fellow UFC veteran who was also making his debut with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s promotion. When it was all said and done, it would be Lee who overcame injury to emerge victorious with unanimous scores from the judges.
Sanchez got the action started with a hard, perfectly-placed, outside leg kick. Soon after, the fighters traded hard punches. Lee answered back with a hard kick of his own. Sanchez looked sharp early with punches and landed a few hard kicks to the body.
As the first round progressed, it appeared that the first leg kick may have compromised Lee’s movement. Regardless, Lee found an opportunity to do what he does best by shooting in for a takedown and bringing the fight to the ground.
Sanchez was able to get back to the feet after avoiding submission, but the pair remained clinched against the fence. Lee unleashed a strong flurry of punches in the closing seconds of the round.
The second round started with Sanchez landing another hard kick to the lead leg of Lee before they continued punching exchanges. Lee landed cleanly, appearing to hurt Sanchez. However, Lee dropped to one knee momentarily after another kick landed to the left leg, and Sanchez began targeting it, forcing Lee to switch his stance.
Knowing his movement was compromised, Lee quickly brought the fight back down to the ground, ending up on top and working ground and pound strikes until the round ended.
Vicious Elbows from @MoTownPhenom at the end of the second! 🔥
What are your scorecards going into the final round? 👀#EagleFC46: Lee vs. Sanchez | LIVE NOW on @EagleOnFLX | Sign up to watch LIVE and FREE at https://t.co/QslxaipV9R pic.twitter.com/9sT0dy1evU
— Eagle FC (@EagleFightClub) March 12, 2022
Sanchez looked to damage the leg quickly in the third, but Lee was ready and countered with punches nicely. Blood began to flow from Sanchez’s nose, but he continued to fire quick punches. Despite operating on a damaged leg, Lee was able to control the cage for the majority of the round. With just over a minute remaining, Lee landed a left hand that dropped Sanchez, and followed him to the ground to dish out more ground and pound, but was unable to get the stoppage before the end of the fight.
👀 @MoTownPhenom drops @DiegoSanchezUFC late in the third!#EagleFC46: Lee vs. Sanchez | LIVE NOW on @EagleOnFLX | Sign up to watch LIVE and FREE at https://t.co/QslxaipV9R pic.twitter.com/KfztaJCFMi
— Eagle FC (@EagleFightClub) March 12, 2022
All three judges turned in scores of 30-27 in favor of Lee.
During his post-fight interview, Lee said he believed his left knee indeed was blown out by the very first strike from Sanchez. With Nurmagomedov looking on cageside, Lee made his case for a title shot in his next fight.
With the win, Lee bounces back into the win column after dropping his two previous UFC outings to Daniel Rodriguez and the current lightweight champion Charles Oliveira.
🗣 "I'm the best 165er out here" 🔥@MoTownPhenom calls for a title shot in his next fight!#EagleFC46: Lee vs. Sanchez | LIVE NOW on @EagleOnFLX | Sign up to watch LIVE and FREE at https://t.co/QslxaipV9R pic.twitter.com/9IPhUA0OVd
— Eagle FC (@EagleFightClub) March 12, 2022
On the other side, The Ultimate Fighter 1 veteran Sanchez walks away with his second consecutive loss by decision. He hopes to finish out the last two fights on his Eagle FC contract before assessing his career.
The full results of Eagle FC include:
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Lee: [vertical-gallery id=394475]
Sanchez: [vertical-gallery id=553407]
Check out the top Twitter reactions to Kevin Lee’s convincing win over Diego Sanchez at Eagle FC 46.
[autotag]Kevin Lee[/autotag] was successful in his first post-UFC fight on Friday when he defeated fellow octagon veteran [autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag] in the Eagle FC 46 main event.
Lee (19-7) outworked Sanchez (30-14) to a unanimous decision in the 165-pound fight at FLXcast Arena in Miami, and afterward he called for a title shot.
Check below for the top Twitter reactions to Lee’s win over Sanchez at Eagle FC 46.
Rizvan Kuniev successfully defends his heavyweight title with a quick submission over Anthony Hamilton at Friday’s Eagle FC 46.
MIAMI – [autotag]Rizvan Kuniev[/autotag]’s second Eagle FC title defense went as smooth as possible.
The Eagle FC heavyweight champion dispatched former UFC fighter [autotag]Anthony Hamilton[/autotag] in quick fashion in the co-main event of Friday’s Eagle FC 46. Kuniev (12-2-1) submitted Hamilton (18-11) at the 1:17 mark of Round 1.
The card took place at the FLX Arena on Friday night in Miami. The event was headlined by a super lightweight bout between former UFC fighters Kevin Lee and Diego Sanchez.
It was a smooth performance by the champion.
After an initial feeling-out process, Kuniev quickly opened up his offense, missing with a spinning back kick, but then landed a couple of good knees to the body. Hamilton left his next open after a knee, and shortly after, Kuniev locked in the standing guillotine choke. Hamilton was unable to get out and was forced to tap out.
WOW!
Rizvan Kuniev stops Anthony Hamilton in the first via standing guillotine!#EagleFC46: Lee vs. Sanchez | LIVE NOW on @EagleOnFLX | Sign up to watch LIVE and FREE at https://t.co/QslxaipV9R pic.twitter.com/C3G8F4HhmX
— Eagle FC (@EagleFightClub) March 12, 2022
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With this result, Kuniev is now on a 10-fight winning streak that spans from 2017 to 2022. He last tasted defeat in 2015, coming up short in a decision loss to former UFC fighter Justin Willis. Kuniev had fought at Dana White’s Contender Series prior to his Eagle FC 46 title fight. He stopped Edivan Santos with ground-and-pound in the third round of their heavyweight contest.
On the other hand, Hamilton was unable to bounce back from his previous setback, as he was stopped in late 2021 at Eagle FC 40. Prior to these pair of defeats, Hamilton was on a three-fight winning streak, which marked the first three bouts following his UFC release in 2017.
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Irwin Rivera returned to action for the first time since his arrest and picked up an impressive second-round finish at Eagle FC 46.
MIAMI – UFC veteran [autotag]Irwin Rivera[/autotag] had a lot to fight for on Friday evening.
At Eagle FC 46, Rivera (11-6) returned to action for the first time since September 2020, and after being released from police custody on attempted murder charges for allegedly stabbing his sisters. After a year and a half of frustration, Rivera was able to get back to action in an attempt to erase the bad taste of his legal troubles and a loss that led to his exit from the UFC.
On Friday against Firdavs Khasanov (8-4), Rivera made a statement by picking up a vicious second-round TKO finish from a crushing body kick that folded his opponent.
Check out video of the finish below (via Twitter):
WOW! 👀@Beast144_1 stops Khasanov with a BEAUTIFUL body shot in the second!#EagleFC46: Lee vs. Sanchez | LIVE NOW on @EagleOnFLX | Sign up to watch LIVE and FREE at https://t.co/QslxaipV9R pic.twitter.com/P0sYg3V2V7
— Eagle FC (@EagleFightClub) March 12, 2022
After the win, an emotional Rivera poured out his heart during the post-fight interview with Henry Cejudo, as he explained the trials and tribulations he went through in dealing with his legal problems and those who wanted to see him remain locked up. With the support of his family who were in attendance, Rivera rebounded from it all with his first stoppage victory since December 2019.
Up-to-the-minute results of Eagle FC 46 include:
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Follow along for live results from Eagle FC 46 in Miami.
Eagle FC 46 takes place Friday, and you can join us for live and official results beginning at 6 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT).
Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov’s promotion continues to grow with familiar names. Friday’s event at FLXcast Arena in Miami is headlined by a super lightweight matchup between UFC veterans Kevin Lee and Diego Sanchez.
The event is available to stream for free by signing up on the Eagle FC website.
Lee (18-7) gets his long-awaited wish as he will compete in the 165-pound division. He hopes to revitalize his career in Eagle FC after exiting the UFC in a division he feels will be best suited for his body type. Sanchez (30-13) will also be competing for the first time outside of the UFC since his exit in September 2020. The Ultimate Fighter 1 veteran is out to prove he can still compete with the best.
The co-main event is a heavyweight title bout between champion Rizvan Kuniev and challenger Anthony Hamilton. Kuniev (11-2-1), winner of his last nine, hopes to reach double digits while defending his title. Hamilton (18-10), a 10-fight UFC veteran, will look to rebound from his last outing in a big way to claim gold.
Below are the official results of Eagle FC 46:
MAIN CARD (FLXcast)
PRELIMINARY CARD (FLXcast)
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Watch Kevin Lee and Diego Sanchez face off one last time ahead of their super lightweight bout at Friday’s Eagle FC 46.
MIAMI – It’s safe to say [autotag]Kevin Lee[/autotag] and [autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag] are ready to go.
The two former UFC contenders and now Eagle FC fighters are hours away from their super lightweight bout in the main event of Eagle FC 46. It’s the first time both Lee (18-7) and Sanchez (30-13) compete at 165 pounds.
In their final faceoff prior to Friday’s fight, things got intense, as Lee flexed on the seasoned veteran with full confidence. In response, Sanchez didn’t flinch and stood his ground.
Eagle FC 46 is set to take place on Friday night at the FLXcast Arena. The entire card streams free on GoFLX.
You can watch the full main event staredown in the video above
Below is the full lineup for the card.
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Kevin Lee and Diego Sanchez’s body languages couldn’t have been more different.
MIAMI – [autotag]Kevin Lee[/autotag] and [autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag] took a long, hard look at each other Wednesday, but one of them was locked in longer than the other.
Lee and Sanchez meet in the Eagle FC 46 super lightweight main event on Friday at the FLXcast Arena. Before they get there, though, the two former UFC standouts faced off for the first time during fight week after a pre-event news conference on Wednesday.
Lee (18-7) and Sanchez (30-13) got up close and person, with very different body languages – Lee calm and relaxed, Sanchez intense with his chest puffed out. It was clear that Sanchez wasn’t going to break the faceoff, so Lee finally did. That’s when Sanchez turned to the cameras and bellowed, “I AM THE MOUNTAIN!”
You can watch their faceoff, along with the rest of the main card, in the video above.
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Irwin Rivera returns on March 11 at Eagle FC 46 in his first fight since his arrest in early 2021.
[autotag]Irwin Rivera[/autotag] is resuming his fighting career.
The former UFC bantamweight is set for a return competition on March 11 at Eagle FC 46 in Miami, Fla. He takes on Firdavs Khasanov. This bout marks Rivera’s first fight since his arrest in January 2021 on attempted murder charges.
Rivera was arrested by Boynton Beach police for allegedly stabbing his sisters. He received conditional release in October.
The court’s release came with the conditions Rivera must continue bipolar medication, therapy, permanent supervision by family and friends, and progress toward a return to a working life.
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Rivera’s family had come out to defend him shortly after his arrest, saying “something evil took over him” and that he was suffering from mental health issues prior to the incident.
Following the announcement of the matchup by Eagle FC, Rivera took to Instagram to make a statement on the news.
“Exited to announce my return back in the cage with (Eagle FC) March 11th,” Rivera wrote. “It’s been a rollercoaster ride but I’m beyond thankful for another opportunity to get my life back on track do what I love and leave all the bs behind me. Looking to make a huge statement and making all this right!!”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CaU_HI_p5xA/
Rivera (10-6) competed in the UFC three times. He suffered a loss in his short-notice debut to Giga Chikadze at featherweight. Rivera then followed his debut with a drop to bantamweight where he defeated Ali Alqaisi and then a lost to Andre Ewell. The 33-year-old hasn’t fought since September 2020. Rivera trains out of Sanford MMA.
