Here are 20 fights MMA Junkie hopes to see happen in 2020.
With a new year comes new things, including good ol’-fashioned fist fights. What kinds of matchups are we hoping to see in 2020? What kinds of bookings do we want the MMA gods to bless us with?
Here’s a list of some ideas and why they may (or may not) make sense:
Dillon Danis
20. [autotag]A.J. Agazarm[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Dillon Danis[/autotag]
This list is being kicked off by “El Jefe” himself. I know this will automatically trigger the Twitter trolls, but hear me out. Danis and Agazarm easily are two of the best grapplers Bellator has in its lighter weight classes. The two have competed against each other plenty of times in the grappling world and they don’t have a lot of love for each other. Their name value doesn’t match their experience level in MMA, so they both often have fights against unknown opponents, which makes their fights hard to promote.
So why not pit them against each other? It makes sense for both fighters skill-level wise, it could be a fun buildup, and we could certainly see some fun, world-class jiu-jitsu.
Bryce Mitchell
19.[autotag]Kron Gracie[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag]
Let’s keep the jiu-jitsu train rolling. Gracie is jiu-jitsu royalty and Mitchell scored a cool-looking submission in his most recent fight – a twister. The UFC certainly is not shy about throwing Gracie against someone with far more experience (cough, cough – Cub Swanson). I know Mitchell is a bit more experienced than Gracie, but not by a crazy margin. Both guys need fights and have interesting and opposing personalities. Why not?
Check out Maycee Barber, Sodiq Yusuff and four more young prospects who are fighting at UFC 246 in Las Vegas later this month.
UFC 246 may be a top-heavy card, but it’s not short of potential future stars.
The night will be headlined by former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] (21-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC), who takes on [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag] (36-13 MMA, 23-10 UFC) in a welterweight bout.
In the co-main event, former UFC bantamweight champ [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] (12-5 MMA, 5-5 UFC) will rematch [autotag]Raquel Pennington[/autotag] (10-7 MMA, 7-4 UFC), a bout that was rescheduled from UFC 243 due to an injury suffered by Holm. Their first meeting took place at UFC 184, where Holm edged out Pennington by split decision to make good on her UFC debut.
The card also features an array of young and bright talent, varying from Dana White’s Contender Series veterans to European talent.
Here are six prospects to look out for Jan. 18:
Maycee Barber
Hailed as “The Future,” [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag] has lived up to her moniker so far. The Dana White’s Contender Series veteran is off to an undefeated start in her pro MMA career, and at only 21 has goals of becoming the youngest champion in UFC history.
Barber (8-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) started her UFC tenure at strawweight, where she picked up a third-round finish over Jamie Colleen to earn a UFC contract. She followed that up with a second-round finish over Hannah Cifers in her official UFC debut in November 2018.
She then decided to make the move up to flyweight since she thought the cut down to 115 pounds was detrimental to her body. Her success continued: She was able to score two more finishes over J.J. Aldrich and Gillian Robertson.
Up next is her stiffest test to date: a matchup against former UFC flyweight title challenger Roxanne Modafferi, 16 years her senior. She may be entering the fight as a heavy favorite, but there’s a lot of upside on the young Barber, who could propel herself one step closer to title contention, with a win on Jan. 18.
This list is filled with shocking and sensational knockouts and submissions from the 2010s.
Given that my colleagues already have done a fantastic job of covering everything from the top fighters to the top moments of the decade, I figured I’d contribute to the retrospective content by examining some of the more memorable fight finishes from the last 10 years – parsing out technical trends and evolution while paying homage to performances that are worthy of the ole “Baba O’Riley” highlight reel.
As you’d hope with any maturing sport, the cultural fist-fighting phenomena that is MMA has improved from many perspectives.
Aside from the obvious growth of audience and accessibility, the quality of fighting, in general, has seen a sure-and-steady uptick since 2010 – particularly in the athleticism department. In fact, you could argue that one of the quiet benefits to the global expansion and corporate interest-era of this past decade is the increase in the level of athletes we’re seeing accumulate in MMA’s proverbial talent pools.
Not only have more Olympic medalists and collegiate athletes successfully made the jump to mixed martial arts, but we’ve also seen small countries like Surname or unassuming giants like China make their mark in regards to flexing their athletic powers. Coupled with the ever-growing index of techniques (from fighting to fight prep), and we’ve been privy to fighters – from all around the world – finding increasingly fun and explosive ways to finish fights.
Since it’s practically impossible to include all of the best fight finishes from the past 10 years, I decided to limit myself to 20 selections that I believe helped shape the state of fighting over the last 10 years.
Without further ado …
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‘Shogun Rua’ knocks out Lyoto Machida
‘Shogun’ Rua and Lyoto Machida at UFC 113. (Getty Images)
Date: May 6, 2010 Event: UFC 113
With Frankie Edgar dethroning B.J. Penn just one month prior, the decade starts off with what are the beginnings of a trend in regards to “auras of invincibility” being shattered, as well as stylistic conundrums being figured out. And sure enough, after finishing the previous decade off with a sour decision at UFC 104, [autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] exacted his revenge in 2010 by emphatically ending the undefeated streak of then-light heavyweight champion [autotag]Lyoto Machida[/autotag] at UFC 113.
Not only did Rua build off of his previous successes of low kicks and right hands to eventually find the crashing counter, but he also provided a useful blueprint for future fighters when it comes to dealing with karate stylists in mixed martial arts (see Douglas Lima vs. Michael Page or Anthony Pettis vs. Stephen Thompson).
Fabricio Werdum submits Fedor Emelianenko
Fabricio Werdum and Fedor Emelianenko in 2010. (Getty Images)
Date: June 26, 2010 Event: Strikeforce/M-1 Global: “Fedor vs. Werdum”
As I mentioned, 2010 in MMA was essentially the first few seasons of “Game of Thrones” wrapped into one year in regards to watching our heroes fall.
[autotag]Fedor Emelianenko[/autotag], who finishes 2009 with a surprisingly competitive fight with Brett Rogers, starts off the decade with a rude reminder from [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag] that the guard still works in mixed martial arts.
At this particular time in the sport, the jiu-jitsu guard was trending down both in popularity and proven application at the highest levels; therefore seeing someone like Fedor (of all people) falling into the grappling honeytrap was incredibly surprising. To Werdum’s credit, he masterfully played possum like an NBA player trying to draw an offensive foul, further placating Fedor’s strong sense of security from topside – something that ultimately cost the Russian his legendary winning streak.
Anderson Silva submits Chael Sonnen
Anderson Silva submits Chael Sonnen at UFC 117.
Date: Aug. 7, 2010 Event: UFC 117
It’s hard to forget fights that happen on your birthday, especially when it comes to classics like this one.
[autotag]Chael Sonnen[/autotag], who had surprised me with his brand of promotional candor since his WEC victory over Bryan Baker, ended up surprising us all by backing up his words when taking on the great [autotag]Anderson Silva[/autotag] at UFC 117.
After four-plus rounds of domination from Sonnen, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Silva was going by the wayside like Fedor, Penn and Machida had done months before him. However, despite being down on the scorecards (as well as sporting an injured rib), Silva shows off elite, clutch-player sensibilities that would make the likes of Michael Jordan or Reggie Miller proud, as the then-UFC champ secured a triangle-armbar submission in the fifth round that reminded us all there are no safe spaces in MMA so long as there’s time on the clock.
Edson Barboza TKOs Mike Lullo
Date: Nov. 20, 2010 Event: UFC 123
Legend bashing wasn’t the only thing going on in MMA back in 2010, as there were fighters like [autotag]Edson Barboza[/autotag] stepping onto the scene to help start/reinforce the trend of leg bashing.
Sure, the decade prior had a solid offering of leg kickers like Pedro Rizzo, Pat Barry and Antoni Hardonk, but it’s hard to ignore that those men were all heavyweights while Barboza – the only fighter to officially earn two leg-kick TKOs under the UFC banner – is a lightweight.
Of course, Jose Aldo’s domination over Urijah Faber at WEC 48 would’ve also been a great example to list if it fit the bill for a fight finish, but it’s ultimately hard to deny Barboza’s consistent commitment to killing his opposition with kicks, as well as his contributions toward this decade’s trend of attacking the legs.
Some of the most significant in-fight moments and records in UFC history have occurred and been etched in stone over the past decade.
The past decade of UFC action has seen a lot unfold, and it is arguably the most important in the organization’s history from in terms of evolution.
Only within this era have statistics truly come to the forefront. After so many years of fights, the groundwork for what’s viewed as meaningful and the history attached has finally been laid out. The athletes and techniques have evolved, too, meaning new methods of causing damage and finishing fights are attempted and pulled off with a higher rate of frequency.
That evolution is apparent in the history books, because some of the most significant moments and records in UFC history have occurred over this past decade.
Let’s dig into the archives.
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EVENT FEATS
Sajik Arena in South Korea
The UFC held 363 events in 159 difference venues across 26 countries over the past decade.
“UFC 243: Whittaker vs. Adesanya” in October 2019 had the highest announced attendance in company history at 57,127.
“UFC 205: Alvarez vs. McGregor” in November 2016 sold a largest live gate in company history at $17.7 million.
“UFC Fight Night 121: Werdum vs. Tybura” in November 2017 had the most total fight time of any event in company history at 3 hours, 4 minutes and 18 seconds.
“UFC Fight Night 55:: Rockhold vs. Bisping” in November 2014 had the least total fight time of those events at 1 hour, 3 minutes and 51 seconds.
The UFC canceled four events over the decade: UFC 151 in September 2012; UFC 176 in August 2014; UFC Fight Night 97 in October 2016 and UFC 233 in January 2019.
Michael Bisping def. Luke Rockhold at UFC 199
“UFC Fight Night 55: Rockhold vs. Bisping” and “UFC 224: Nunes vs. Pennington” in May 2018 each featured 11 stoppage results, the most for any card in company history.
“UFC on FOX 7: Henderson vs. Melendez” in April 2013, “UFC Fight Night 45: Cerrone vs. Miller” in July 2014, “UFC 199: Rockhold vs. Bisping 2,” in June 2016 and “UFC 218: Holloway vs. Aldo 2” in December 2017 each featured eight knockout results, the most of the decade.
“UFC on FUEL TV 10: Werdum vs. Nogueira” in June 2013 featured eight submission results, the most for any card in company history.
Seven events each featured 10 decision results, the most for any card in company history.
“UFC Fight Night 134: Shogun vs. Smith” in July 2018 and “UFC on ESPN 4: Dos Anjos vs. Edwards” each featured nine consecutive decision results, the longest streak on a card in company history.
“UFC Fight Night 79: Henderson vs. Masvidal” in November 2015 and “UFC 222: Cyborg vs. Kunitskaya” in March 2018 each featured five split-decision results, the most for any card in company history.
Henry Cejudo def. Marlon Moraes at UFC 238
“UFC 238: Cejudo vs. Moraes” in June 2019 featured a total of 1,818 significant strikes landed, a single-event record for the company.
“UFC 223: Khabib vs. Iaquinta” in April 2018 featured seven fighters who landed 100 or more significant strikes, a single-event record for the company.
“UFC 199: Rockhold vs. Bisping 2” in June 2016 featured 15 knockdowns, a single-event record for the company.
“UFC 189: Mendes vs. McGregor” in July 2015 was the only event in company history to feature two knockouts stemming from flying knee strikes.
“UFC 228: Woodley vs. Till” in September 2018 was the only event in company history to feature two kneebar submission results.
“UFC 217: Bisping vs. St-Pierre” in November 2017 marked the only event in history to feature three title changes.
Check out the finalized lineup and broadcast plans for UFC 246, which takes place Jan. 18 in Las Vegas.
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The UFC will kick off 2020 with the long-awaited return of arguably its most bankable fighter.
UFC 246 takes place Jan. 18 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.
The main event features a welterweight bout between former dual-division champion [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] (21-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) and former lightweight title challenger [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag] (36-13 MMA, 23-10 UFC).
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In the co-main event, former UFC women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] (12-5 MMA, 5-5 UFC) will take on [autotag]Raquel Pennington[/autotag] (10-7 MMA, 7-4 UFC) in a rematch from a 2015 bout in which Holm edged out Pennington in her UFC debut. The rematch originally was scheduled to take place at UFC 243 in October, but Holm was forced out due to a hamstring injury.
Also on the card is former UFC lightweight champ [autotag]Anthony Pettis[/autotag], Dana White’s Contender Series standouts [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag] and [autotag]Sodiq Yusuff[/autotag], and more.
The full UFC 246 lineup includes:
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone
Holly Holm vs. Raquel Pennington
[autotag]Maurice Greene[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Aleksei Oleinik[/autotag]
[autotag]Claudia Gadelha[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Alexa Grasso[/autotag]
[autotag]Diego Ferreira[/autotag] vs. Anthony Pettis
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET)
Maycee Barber vs. [autotag]Roxanne Modafferi[/autotag]
[autotag]Andre Fili[/autotag] vs. Sodiq Yusuff
[autotag]Drew Dober[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Nasrat Haqparast[/autotag]
[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Chas Skelly[/autotag]
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6:15 p.m. ET)
[autotag]Aleksa Camur[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Justin Ledet[/autotag]
[autotag]Askar Askarov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tim Elliott[/autotag]
[autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Ode Osbourne[/autotag]
[autotag]J.J. Aldrich[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Sabina Mazo[/autotag]
Still buzzing a little over Saturday night’s co-main event at UFC 196? Now you can relive some of the best moments between Miesha Tate and Holly Holm through the lens of Mark J. Rebilas from USA TODAY Sports.
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Still buzzing a little over Saturday night’s co-main event at UFC 196?
Now you can relive some of the best moments between [autotag]Miesha Tate[/autotag] and [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] through the lens of Mark J. Rebilas from USA TODAY Sports.
Had the fight gone to the judges, the final frame was crucial. Holm won Rounds 1, 3 and 4 from the three judges, but Tate got a 10-8 Round 2 from all three, meaning had she won Round 5, the fight would’ve ended in a 47-47 draw. But Tate rendered all that meaningless by handing Holm the first loss of her MMA career, which came in her first title defense after upsetting Ronda Rousey to win the belt this past November.
UFC 196 took place at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
Valentina Shevchenko sees similarities between UFC 247 opponent Katlyn Chookagian and past opponent Holly Holm’s styles.
[autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] believes she’s already faced a similar style opponent to her next challenger, [autotag]Katlyn Chookagian[/autotag].
Shevchenko (18-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) defends her flyweight title vs. Chookagian (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) at UFC 247 on Feb. 8 in Houston and thinks Chookagian possesses similar traits as one of her past opponents, former UFC 135-pound champ [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag], who she was able to outpoint over the course of five rounds in 2016.
“You know, I see her style a little bit – not completely, but a little bit – similar to Holly Holm’s style,” Shevchenko said on “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show.” “Liking fighting on a distance, having her distance, and I think no one was complaining from my fight with Holly. Everybody liked it, so I think it’s going to be good.”
Since dropping down to flyweight, Chookagian has gone 4-1 and is coming off back-to-back wins over Joanne Calderwood and Jennifer Maia, but has yet to score a finish in her UFC career.
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And while Shevchenko received quite a bit of criticism for her last title defense, a unanimous decision win over Liz Carmouche in Uruguay, “The Bullet” said it’s most likely because of the momentum she was riding from her “Knockout of the Year” contender over Jessica Eye.
“Of course I understand why people were expecting, because coming from second-round KO, head-kick KO, everyone was expecting the same, but like I say every time, all people are different,” Shevchenko said.
“I never think about what happened before, because it already happened. I had a great fight there, and if you can take a look at the fight, it was a very technical fight, and I had several knockdowns in this fight.”
One thing’s for sure: Shevchenko does not seem to take any opponent lightly. She said she knew she’d cross paths with Chookagian eventually and is fully focused on her now, since she’s the next task at hand.
“Yes, I saw her fight,” Shevchenko said. “I never was like too much paying attention on her performances because she never was like opponent No. 1 for me because it was every time – you know me, every time I have my opponent No. 1, and I’m ready for this kind of opponent,” Shevchenko said. “I was preparing for Jessica, then for Liz Carmouche. Of course I look at other girls’ fights, … but it’s never paying too much attention, but now it’s time to pay a lot of attention to her fighting style, and I think everything is going to be good.”
Former UFC champ Holly Holm and Raquel Pennington finally will have their rematch at UFC 246 in January.
Former UFC champ [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] and [autotag]Raquel Pennington[/autotag] finally will have their rematch in January.
Holm (12-5 MMA, 5-5 UFC) is set to run it back with Pennington (10-7 MMA, 7-4 UFC) in a women’s bantamweight bout at UFC 246. The rematch originally was booked for UFC 243 in October, but Holm had to withdraw due to a hamstring injury.
MMA Junkie verified the matchup will multiple persons close to the situation. The persons asked to remain anonymous because the UFC has yet to make an official announcement.
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UFC 246 takes place Jan. 18 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.
Holm, 38, returns to action for the first time since her title-fight loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 239 in March. UFC president Dana White questioned whether the former women’s bantamweight titleholder had anything left to prove after failing to regain the belt, but Holm insisted she did.
She will have the opportunity to prove herself in the rematch with Pennington, 31, who welcomed Holm to the promotion in February 2015 with a split-decision loss at UFC 184. Pennington is coming off a victory over Irene Aldana at UFC on ESPN 4 in July, a fight that snapped a skid that included losses to Nunes and Germaine de Randamie.
