After scoring back-to-back finishes, featherweight contender Josh Emmett hopes to draw a higher ranked opponent in his next UFC outing.
Since moving down to featherweight, [autotag]Josh Emmett[/autotag] has been taking people out in emphatic fashion.
But after scoring back-to-back knockouts over Michael Johnson and Mirsad Bektic, Emmett (15-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) drew a tough but lesser known opponent in Arnold Allen.
Emmett had to withdraw from their matchup at UFC on ESPN+ 24 due to injury and was replaced by Nik Lentz, who was defeated by the in-form Englishman. Allen extended his winning streak to seven.
But despite Allen’s growing momentum in the UFC featherweight division, Emmett admits that he’s not too keen on rebooking the matchup.
“The Allen fight doesn’t really excite me,” Emmett told MMA Junkie. “The only reason I agreed to it was because (matchmaker) Sean (Shelby) said he was the only person available and I didn’t want to be iced any longer. I fought in March (2019) and July 2019 and finished two really tough opponents in devastating fashion after being sidelined for 13 months. I wanted to continue staying active and climbing the ranks, getting me closer to gold.”
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Looking to return to action in the summer, Emmett hopes he can draw a higher-ranked featherweight who will help propel him toward title contention.
“I want to fight someone toward the top, so with another big win I’ll get a shot at what I’ve set out to do,” Emmett said. “I’m tired of fighting behind me and not getting the fights I want. Give me the opportunity and I’ll exceed expectations and rise to the occasion.”
Emmett has only competed as part of a pay-per-view card once. At UFC 210, he competed on the early prelims. Next time, he hopes to land a big fight with high card placement.
“I’m hoping to fight in May or June,” Emmett said. “It would be nice to fight on a big pay-per-view event on the main card instead of a ‘Fight Night’ or mobile app card for once.”
See who Curtis Blaydes should fight next after his victory over Junior Dos Santos at UFC Raleigh.
(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Junior Dos Santos after UFC on ESPN+ 24 loss?)
After every event, fans wonder who the winners will be matched up with next.
And with another night of UFC action in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look forward, put on a pair of Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard’s shoes, and play UFC matchmaker for UFC on ESPN+ 24’s most noteworthy winning fighters.
Those winners include [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC), who defeated Junior Dos Santos (21-7 MMA, 15-6 UFC) by second-round TKO in the main event at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C., as well as [autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC), [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and [autotag]Sara McMann[/autotag] (12-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC).
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Sara McMann
Should fight: [autotag]Raquel Pennington[/autotag]
Why they should fight: Former title challenger and Olympic silver medalist McMann returned from a two-year hiatus and ended her 35-month winless skid in a dominant effort against Lina Lansberg.
As is the case with many who meet McMann, the wrestling was no match and led to a lopsided result. Given McMann’s name value and achievements, that’s all she needs to move on an upward trajectory in the thin UFC women’s bantamweight division.
Inconsistency has been an issue for McMann, but perhaps this is her time to gain momentum and possibly get a rematch with champion Amanda Nunes, who beat her in 2015. McMann will need to take out at least one more top contender before that happens, though, and Pennington (10-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC), who is coming off a loss to Holly Holm at UFC 246, is someone always willing to take on a challenge.
Arnold Allen
Should fight: [autotag]Josh Emmett[/autotag]
Why they should fight: The strong start to Allen’s UFC tenure continued when he joined the shortlist of featherweights to start 7-0 in the octagon with a solid decision win over a veteran opponent in Nik Lentz.
Allen’s past two wins against Lentz and Gilbert Melendez shows he knows how to handle experienced opponents who have plenty of tricks up their sleeves. It’s what he should be doing as a highly regarded 25-year-old prospect, but now he needs a different type of challenge.
He was originally scheduled to fight Emmett (15-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) on the card, but it fell apart when Emmett withdrew due to injury. That was the top 10 opponent Allen deserved given his streak, and considering how he handled Lentz, it’s more than clear he deserves that type of opportunity.
Michael Chiesa
Should fight: Winner of [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag] vs [autotag]Demian Maia[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN+ 28
Why they should fight: Chiesa earned the most significant win of his welterweight run, and perhaps his UFC career overall, when he outworked former UFC champ Rafael dos Anjos to a unanimous decision. It wasn’t the prettiest of fights, but Chiesa is now 3-0 since bumping up from lightweight 13 months ago.
Chiesa made a solid callout of Colby Covington after his win, but for some reason that fight feels unlikely for him. He deservingly wants someone in the top five, but it remains to be seen how the top of the division will be booked in the coming months. Chiesa isn’t far off from being in that mix, though.
The matchup that would best suit him would be the winner of the March 14 contest in Brazil between Burns (17-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) and Maia (28-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC). If Maia wins, he would be on a four-fight streak and the type of highly ranked, established name Chiesa is looking for. Should Burns turn it in his favor, he would be much in the same position of Chiesa as someone who shot up the rankings by beating someone much higher. A pairing between them would see one of them take the next step.
Curtis Blaydes
Should fight:[autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag]
Why they should fight: Watch the video above to see why Blaydes should fight Volkov (31-7 MMA, 5-1 UFC) next after his main event victory.
After every event, fans wonder whom the winners will be matched up with next.
With another night of UFC action in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look forward, put on a pair of Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard’s shoes, and play UFC matchmaker for UFC 246’s key winning fighters.
Those included [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who defeated Donald Cerrone (36-14 MMA, 23-11 UFC) by first-round TKO in the welterweight headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, as well as [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC), [autotag]Diego Ferreira[/autotag] (17-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC), [autotag]Roxanne Modafferi[/autotag] (24-16 MMA, 3-4 UFC) and [autotag]Sodiq Yusuff[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC).
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Sodiq Yusuff
Josh Emmett
Should fight: [autotag]Josh Emmett[/autotag] Why they should fight: Yusuff continued to be on a tear to begin his UFC tenure when he won an entertaining featherweight bout against Andre Fili by unanimous decision to improve to 4-0 inside the octagon.
Before and after the win, Yusuff said he felt this fight against Fili would propel him into a ranked matchup at 145 pounds. In a fair world, he’s absolutely right.
Emmett (15-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) was recently forced to pull out of a fight due to injury, and while it’s unknown how long his timeline is for a return, he would be the perfect opponent if the timing lines up between his return and Yusuff’s next fight date. Both men hit very hard, and there’s a good chance this one ends in a knockout.
Roxanne Modafferi
Jessica Eye
Should fight: [autotag]Jessica Eye[/autotag] Why they should fight: Modafferi shined brightest in one of the most important moments of her career when, as high as a 10-1 betting underdog, the cagey veteran temporarily derailed the hype of Maycee Barber with a bloody unanimous decision win.
The UFC has a habit of putting Modafferi in fights the world believes she will lose. Sometimes it has gone that way, but in recent years she’s surprised with wins over Barber and Antonina Shevchenko. How far can she take this trend? Why not find out against someone who just recently fought for the belt.
Eye (15-7 MMA, 5-6 UFC) may have been blown out of the water when she fought Valentina Shevchenko for UFC gold, but she rebounded with a win over Viviane Araujo at UFC 245 in December. “Evil” is looking to get back to another crack at UFC gold, and Modafferi would help her on the way. The fight could only happen, though, if Eye makes weight – something she was unable to do in her previous contest.
Diego Ferreira
Al Iaquinta
Should fight: [autotag]Al Iaquinta[/autotag] Why they should fight: Few saw this rise up the UFC lightweight pecking order from Ferreira, but after six consecutive wins, the Brazilian can only be taken seriously as a real contender.
Ferreira handled former UFC champ Anthony Pettis with relative ease, controlling the action before finishing the fight with a choke in the second round. It was the signature win Ferreira needed, and one that puts him in position for a top 10 fight at 155 pounds.
Given who is available in the weight class, Iaquinta (14-6-1 MMA, 9-5 UFC) is a name who could make for a solid fight. Iaquinta is coming off a pair of losses but he still holds the name value that could carry Ferreira forward into even bigger fights.
Holly Holm
Irene Aldana
Should fight: [autotag]Irene Aldana[/autotag] Why they should fight: Holm got a very important victory for her career longevity when she once again beat Raquel Pennington on the scorecards in their rematch.
At 38, the former UFC champ said she’s determined to get back to the belt. She’s one fight removed from losing to Amanda Nunes, and given the number of generous title shots “The Preacher’s Daughter” has already received, she’s going to need more before getting another one.
The women’s bantamweight division is relatively barren on super interesting fights for Holm, but Aldana (12-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC) is an opponent she has yet to share the cage with. Aldana is coming off a thunderous knockout win over Ketlen Vieira at UFC 245 in December, and she’s the perfect foe for Holm at this point.
Conor McGregor
Jorge Masvidal
Should fight: [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] Why they should fight: Watch the video above to see why McGregor should fight Masvidal (35-13 MMA, 12-6 UFC) next.
Josh Emmett has been forced out of his UFC on ESPN+ 24 fight vs. Arnold Allen due to an undisclosed injury.
UFC Raleigh has taken a major hit.
MMA Junkie has learned from sources close to the situation that [autotag]Josh Emmett[/autotag] (15-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) has been forced out of his UFC on ESPN+ 24 fight vs. [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) on Jan. 25 due to an undisclosed injury.
Emmett was looking to make it three wins in a row with victory against in-form Brit Allen, and was heading into the event following back-to-back knockouts over Michael Johnson and Mirsad Bektic, with the latter earning him a “Performance of the Night” bonus last July.
Allen, meanwhile, is yet to suffer a loss in the UFC, and defeated former Strikeforce and WEC lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez in his last outing at UFC 239 in July 2019. Victory for the 25-year-old would have catapulted the talented Englishman towards the sharp end of the UFC’s featherweight rankings.
With that change, the current UFC on ESPN+ 24 lineup includes:
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.
There were some incredible knockouts in the UFC in 2019, including a few memorable ones by Jorge Masvidal, who had a monster year that concluded for him by winning the BMF belt in his fight against Nate Diaz at UFC 244 (though hopefully they run that one back).
We saw big knockouts in title fights, big-name fights, early prelim fights – just about everywhere.
Will there be anymore at UFC 245 this weekend, a monster event that has three title fights on its main card?
While we get ready for that huge night of fights, let’s look back at the 10 best KOs from the past year.
10. Makhmud Muradov vs. Trevor Smith, UFC Washington.
This one happened just a few days ago as Muradov kicked off UFC Washington by sending Smith’s mouthguard flying to the moon.
9. Johnny Walker vs. Misha Cirkunov, UFC 235.
Walker’s flying knee just 30 seconds into this fight was a thing of beauty. His celebration afterward wasn’t, however, as he dislocated his shoulder while doing the worm.
8. Josh Emmett vs. Michael Johnson, UFC Philadelphia.
Masvidal had an incredible 2019, which began with this brutal KO of Darren Till in enemy territory in London. Not sure that last punch while Till was out was super necessary, but the BMF does as he pleases. We’ll get to another one of his awesome KO’s in a few.
Pettis’ superman punch with five seconds left in the second round of his fight against Wonderboy Thompson was a beautiful piece of controlled violence.
This fight had so much hype behind it and then… it was over in five seconds thanks to a flying knee that will never be forgotten. Five seconds! It led to this great reaction from Paul Felder, Joe Rogan, and Jon Anik:
You legally have to watch this three times to watch how great Felder, Rogan, and Anik’s reactions are to the Jorge Masvidal KO pic.twitter.com/nEPjoU1UMZ
A featherweight matchup between Josh Emmett and Arnold Allen is the latest addition to the UFC Raleigh card.
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A pair of rising featherweight contenders will square off on Jan. 25.
[autotag]Josh Emmett[/autotag] (15-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) will face [autotag]Arnold Allen[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) at UFC Raleigh, the promotion announced Wednesday morning.
The event is scheduled to take place at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C., and is expected to stream on ESPN+.
Since moving down to 145 pounds, Emmett has won four of five fights and is coming off back-to-back knockouts over Michael Johnson and, most recently, a “Performance of the Night” over Mirsad Bektic in July. The Team Alpha Male fighter will look to make it three in a row when he takes on the streaking Allen.
Allen has not yet lost in the UFC, going a perfect 6-0. The 25-year-old Brit is coming off the biggest win of his career, a unanimous decision victory over former Strikeforce and WEC lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez at UFC 239 in July.
