“He also has beef with my teammate, Darren Till, so he’s got beef with me.”
[autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag] is looking to capitalize on his impressive UFC debut.
Lazzez (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) defeated highly touted Abdul Razak Alhassan in the main card opener of UFC on ESPN 13 last week in Abu Dhabi, and he wants to keep the ball rolling.
Lazzez came up big as an underdog, containing Alhassan’s early barrage by using his well rounded skillset to take control of the fight. His creative and technical standup was on full display, and he even mixed things up with his takedowns, making a massive impression in his debut.
The UFC appears to be heading back to Abu Dhabi in the fall, and the Dubai-based Lazzez certainly hopes to land on that card. He previously called out Mike Perry in his post-fight interview. He’s also interested in [autotag]Niko Price[/autotag], another opponent he sees propelling him one step closer to hitting the 170-pound rankings.
“Next Abu Dhabi event, be it in September or October, I’ll be ready and waiting for Mike Perry or Niko Price or whoever the UFC has for me,” Lazzez told MMA Junkie. “I don’t just want to be here. I want to make a run. Give me someone that will advance me significantly. I am ready and able and want to continue climbing the ranks.
“The way I see it, I took everything Alhassan had gained from his UFC performances. Whatever hype he had is now mine. I plan to do the same with Mike Perry or Niko Price and reach closer to the top 20. After knocking Mike Perry’s head straight and taking all his hype from him, as well, I would crack the tougher competition. From there on, it would be only a matter of time until I can prove myself worthy of being among the contenders.”
There’s a little bit of meaning behind the Perry callout. Lazzez, like Darren Till, is also managed by MTK Global, so the two have trained together before on numerous occasions.
Till’s beef with Perry is well documented, and Lazzez wants to back his teammate by taking out Perry. He also sees Perry, whom he’s not a fan of as a person, as a logical next opponent after his statement win over Alhassan.
“He’s a name with a hype that is reachable soon without looking too ambitious,” Lazzez said. “His style matches with mine and would certainly be a very entertaining fight. He also has beef with my teammate, Darren Till, so he’s got beef with me. You want to get to him, you gotta go through me.
“Lastly, his personality, as fun as it may be to some, is just negative, and his actions prove that. He should go through some rehab and wherever that gets him, I’ll then execute my rehab on him and hopefully set his head straight. There isn’t a single aspect of the game that he can beat me in. I want to take his hype and his popularity and turn it into mine. He can start his healing, and I’ll be ready for him in September or October in Abu Dhabi.”
Under less-than-ideal circumstances, UFC fighters have given us some memorable battles.
The UFC has been forced to make major adjustments during the coronavirus pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped fighters from delivering inside the octagon.
Since UFC on ESPN+ 28 on March 14, the promotion has carried eight other events behind closed doors, with five of them taking place in the 25-foot octagon at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
There’s something about that smaller cage that has resulted in increased action, faster finishes and absolute wars, as the fans watching at home have been treated to some of the best fights in recent memory.
Here are the five best we’ve seen during the pandemic.
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UFC 249: Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje
There was no doubt this fight would deliver, but few imagined it would be as one-sided as it was.
[autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] faced [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] on May 9 at UFC 249 for the interim lightweight title and No. 1 contender spot to face champion Khabib Nurmagomedov later this year.
Ferguson was on a 12-fight winning streak going into the fight and was initially scheduled to face Nurmagomedov before the fight fell through yet again.
After suffering back-to-back stoppage losses to Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier, Gaethje turned things around by stopping his next three opponents all in the first round.
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Gaethje’s less gung-ho approach ended up paying dividends once again as he was able to dominate Ferguson for the most part with his superior boxing before eventually stopping him in the fifth round. Ferguson’s durability and cardio made this an entertaining battle, as he continued to press forward despite taking a plethora of Gaethje’s best shots.
Ferguson was even able to badly rock Gaethje with a beautifully timed uppercut at the end of Round 2, but “The Highlight” made the right kind of adjustments to take over the remainder of the fight. As well as the interim title, Gaethje earned two bonus checks for his efforts on the night, picking up his eighth and ninth bonuses in just seven UFC fights.
With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from May 2020.
With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from May 2020: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s “Fight of the Month” award for May.
At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.
* * * *
The Nominees
Vicente Luque def. Niko Price at UFC 249
[autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] (18-7-1 MMA, 11-3 UFC) picked up a second career win over [autotag]Niko Price[/autotag] (14-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) in their rematch, but it required far more effort to put his welterweight counterpart away than the first time around.
Luque submitted Price in 2017, but this time was lulled into a bloody slugfest that carried over into the third round. Price’s face was a mangled mess, and Luque continued to apply pressure until he shut the left eye of his opponent and the referee decided to step in.
It’s unfortunate both [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag] (36-15 MMA, 23-12 UFC) and [autotag]Anthony Pettis[/autotag] (23-10 MMA, 10-9 UFC) came into their rematch badly in need of a victory because the two veteran warriors put on a show in which neither could fairly be called a loser.
After going toe-to-toe for three rounds, the scorecards declared Pettis the winner in their welterweight matchup after a hard-fought battle, earning 29-28 scores across the board.
[autotag]Nate Landwehr[/autotag]’s (14-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) handy work on [autotag]Darren Elkins[/autotag] (24-9 MMA, 14-8 UFC) in their featherweight matchup reminded fans at home how bloody fighting can get.
Landwehr took on seasoned veteran Elkins in his sophomore octagon appearance and was all-action. The bout turned out to be a bloody back-and-forth battle that ended in a decision for Landwehr.
[autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] (16-4-1 MMA, 5-0-1 UFC) further elevated his status as one of the top prospects in the sport when he snapped [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag]’s (17-6-1 MMA, 9-5 UFC) win streak in a somewhat controversial manner.
The 22-year-old Yadong remained unbeaten through his octagon tenure by beating his most difficult to challenge to date with a unanimous decision victory over Vera after a gritty affair. Yadong got 29-28 scorecards across the board, landing many powerful strikes over the 15 minutes and overcoming a late push from Vera.
Billy Quarantillo def. Spike Carlyle at UFC on ESPN 9
[autotag]Billy Quarantillo[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and [autotag]Spike Carlyle[/autotag] (9-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) may not be the most recognizable names, but they certainly garnered some new fans in a thrilling back-and-forth affair.
Quarantillo and Carlyle went shot-for-shot over three rounds in a 150-pound catchweight affair. It was a very close fight, but in the end the judges favored Quarantillo’s offense as the more effective and granted him the decision.
It was a much more competitive fight than their first meeting, but the winner was still the same as Vicente Luque topped Niko Price in their rematch at UFC 249.
After scoring a second-round submission win in October 2017, Luque picked up a third-round TKO due to a doctor’s stoppage at 3:37 after an offensive assault that shut the eye of Price. “The Silent Assassin” has now won eight of his past nine fights.
Control of the fight was taken by Luque in the opening two minutes as he landed a number of chopping leg kicks on Price that caused damage and irritation. Price wouldn’t let it stop him completely, though, and marched forward with strikes of his own before getting a takedown. Price threatened with a submission, but Luque was able to get up and, despite taking a front kick to the face, landed some good strikes to close the round.
The pair went right back to work to begin the second frame. Luque took advantage of Price’s aggression, landing solid counter-punches and continuing to batter the legs of his opponent with kicks. Price found a groove and answered, though, connecting hard on Luque and putting him in some danger. Price got too wild, however, and was dropped with a tight right hand. He recovered and got back up, while Luque stayed disciplined and picked Price apart with punches and kicks to close a strong round.
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For the first time in his UFC career, Price saw a third round. He responded well, offering a high output to start the frame. Luque showed patience as Price trie to walk him down, mixing up his offense to the face and body of his opponent. Price’s grit was evident, though, because he kept on trying and throwing, even going for a takedown attempt. Unfortunately for him, Price couldn’t find the one big moment he needed to turn the tide, and it was Luque who got it. Luque dropped a bloodied Price with just over two minutes late, but somehow didn’t get the finish.
Price’s eye was badly swollen, though, and referee Jason Herzog decided to intervene and bring in the doctor. After a brief exchange, Price was deemed unfit to continue and Luque was awarded the win.
“I prepared for the best Niko Price possible,” Luque said in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. “I beat him last time and I knew he would come prepared and ready. … First event back with everything that’s going on and I just wanted to put on a show.”
It only took Niko Price’s face about a week to go from disfigured to nearly normal after a grueling brawl at UFC 249.
It only took [autotag]Niko Price[/autotag]’s face about a week to go from disfigured to nearly normal after a grueling brawl with Vicente Luque at UFC 249.
Price (14-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) fell short in his welterweight rematch with Luque (18-7-1 MMA, 11-3 UFC earlier this month, succumbing to a third-round TKO by doctor’s stoppage in an absolutely thrilling back-and-forth affair. “Hybrid” had to fight a good portion of the bout, which took place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. with a severely damaged right eye.
You’d barely know it looking at Price nine days later, though. He posted a before and after photo on social media, showing just how quickly his face has managed to heal despite looking in rough shape the night he fought Luque (via Twitter):
Aside from the cuts underneath his eye, the swelling and bruising around Price’s face has made a promising drop. The fighter was issued a 180-day suspension from the Florida State Boxing Commission in the aftermath of UFC 249, but given the rapid nature of his progress, he’s likely to be eligible to receive medical clearance before that six-month term is up.
The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.
After UFC 249, Tony Ferguson has been medically suspended by the Florida Boxing Commission – which could be extended, pending test results.
It will probably take significantly longer, but [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] won’t fight again for at least another 60 days.
One half of the UFC 249 headliner, Ferguson (25-4 MMA, 15-2 UFC) battled [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] for 23:39 before suffering a TKO loss. For the majority of the fight, Ferguson absorbed shot after shot from Gaethje (22-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC).
The Florida State Boxing Commission, which oversaw the event, has suspended Ferguson a minimum of 60 days. MMA Junkie obtained a list of the UFC 249 athletes’ medical suspensions from the Florida Boxing Commission on Monday.
More time could be tacked on to the suspension, pending further health testing on Ferguson. Conversely, Gaethje has been cleared and will face no medical suspension.
Eight fighters are looking at potential 180-day suspensions, including main card winner [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag]. Despite beating [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag] in the featured ESPN prelim, [autotag]Anthony Pettis[/autotag] could also be on the shelf for 180 days.
UFC249 took place Saturday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
(Note: No specific injury details were given.)
Check out a full list of the UFC 249 medical suspensions below.
[autotag]Sam Alvey[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by a physician; 30 days mandatory
[autotag]Ryan Spann[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by a physician; 30 days mandatory
[autotag]Charles Rosa[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days
[autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag]: No suspension
[autotag]Niko Price[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by a physician; 60 days mandatory
[autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days
[autotag]Michelle Waterson[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days
[autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag]: No suspension
[autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by a physician
[autotag]Aleksei Oleinik[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by a physician
Donald Cerrone: Suspended 30 days
Anthony Pettis: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by a physician; 30 days mandatory
[autotag]Yorgan De Castro[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by a physician; 30 days mandatory
[autotag]Greg Hardy[/autotag]: No suspension
[autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days
[autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by a physician; 60 days mandatory
[autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days
[autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag]: No suspension
[autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days
[autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days
Tony Ferguson: Total suspension pending results; 60 days mandatory
A total of 13 fighters made north of six figures Saturday at UFC 249, not including several who earned post-fight bonuses.
Main event participants [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] and [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] walked home with a solid chunk of change following their “Fight of the Night” earning bout at UFC 249.
Monday, MMA Junkie obtained a list of disclosed UFC 249 salaries from the Florida State Boxing Commission, who oversaw Saturday night’s event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.
With the interim UFC lightweight title on the line, Gaethje (22-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) finished Ferguson (25-4 MMA, 15-2 UFC) with punches in Round 5. With the win, Gaethje earned a disclosed pay of $350,000, while Ferguson made $500,000.
In the co-main event, the UFC bantamweight championship was on the line. Titleholder [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] defeated former UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag] with strikes in Round 2. Cejudo (16-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) earned $350,000, while Cruz (22-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) walked away with $300,000.
Check out a full list of the UFC 249 medical suspensions below.
[autotag]Sam Alvey[/autotag]: $65,000
[autotag]Ryan Spann[/autotag]: $50,000
[autotag]Charles Rosa[/autotag]: $24,000
[autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag]: $54,000
[autotag]Niko Price[/autotag]: $57,000
[autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag]: $180,000
[autotag]Michelle Waterson[/autotag]: $60,000
[autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag]: $102,000
[autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag]: $100,000
[autotag]Aleksei Oleinik[/autotag]: $160,000
[autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag]: $200,000
[autotag]Anthony Pettis[/autotag]: $310,000
[autotag]Yorgan De Castro[/autotag]: $12,000
[autotag]Greg Hardy[/autotag]: $180,000
Jeremy Stephens: $46,900*
Calvin Kattar: $116,100**
[autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag]: $80,000
[autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag]: $260,000
Dominick Cruz: $300,000
Henry Cejudo: $350,000
Tony Ferguson: $500,000
Justin Gaethje: $350,000
*Stephens was fined 30 percent of his purse for missing weight, which went to Kattar.
**Kattar took 30 percent of Stephens’ fight purse.
The figures do not include deductions for items such as insurance, licenses and taxes. Additionally, the figures do not include money paid by sponsors, including the official UFC 249 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay. They also do not include any other “locker room” or special discretionary bonuses the UFC sometimes pays. They also do not include pay-per-view cuts that some top-level fighters receive.
The best facts and figures to come out of UFC 249, which saw Justin Gaethje beat Tony Ferguson to win interim gold in the main event.
The UFC made its return on Saturday with UFC 249, which took place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena | Jacksonville, Fla., with a main card that aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
Two thrilling championship bouts capped the event. [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] (22-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) claimed interim lightweight gold with a fifth-round TKO of [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] (25-4 MMA, 15-2 UFC) in the main event, while [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] (16-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) finished [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag] (22-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) to defend his bantamweight belt then retired in the co-headliner.
There was much more of note on the card, too. For more on the numbers, check below for 50 post-event facts to come out of UFC 249.
* * * *
General
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The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $305,500.
Ferguson and [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] earned $50,000 UFC 249 fight-night bonuses. Gaethje received two bonuses for $100,000.
UFC 249 drew an announced attendance of zero for a live gate of $0.
Betting favorites went 9-2 on the card.
Betting favorites fell to 5-4 in UFC headliners this year.
Total fight time for the 11-bout card was 2:25:23.
Main card
Justin Gaethje
Gaethje became the first in MMA history to win titles in UFC and WSOF.
Gaethje has earned 20 of his 22 career victories by stoppage. That includes all five of his UFC wins.
Gaethje is the only fighter in UFC history to win at least one fight-night bonus in each of his first seven octagon appearances.
Gaethje has been awarded nine fight-night bonuses in seven UFC appearances.
Gaethje’s nine UFC fight-night bonuses since 2017 are most of any fighter in the company.
Ferguson had his 12-fight winning streak snapped for his first defeat since May 2012.
Ferguson suffered the first knockout loss of his career.
Ferguson has been awarded a fight-night bonus in eight of his past nine UFC appearances.
Cejudo became the second fighter in UFC history to record successful title defenses in two weight classes. Daniel Cormier also accomplished the feat.
Henry Cejudo
Cejudo improved to 7-0 in bantamweight competition during his career.
Cejudo has landed at least one takedown in all but one of his UFC fights where he’s attempted a takedown.
Cruz suffered consecutive losses for the first time in his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since June 2016.
Cruz suffered the first knockout loss of his career.
Francis Ngannou
Ngannou’s (15-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at heavyweight is the longest active streak in the division.
Ngannou has earned all 15 of his career victories by stoppage. That includes all 10 of his UFC wins.
Ngannou has earned his past four victories by knockout in a combined 2:42 of cage time.
Ngannou’s 10 stoppage victories since 2015 in UFC competition are tied with Thiago Santos and Charles Oliveira for most in the company.
Ngannou’s 10 stoppage victories since 2015 in UFC heavyweight competition are most in the division
[autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) had his 10-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of her career.
[autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] (21-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) has earned all four of his UFC stoppage victories by knockout.
[autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag] (28-18 MMA, 15-17 UFC) fell to 8-9 (with one no contest) since he dropped to the UFC featherweight division in May 2013.
Stephens’ 17 losses in UFC competition are the most in company history.
[autotag]Greg Hardy[/autotag] (6-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) earned the first decision victory of his career.
[autotag]Yorgan De Castro[/autotag] (6-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) had his six-fight winning streak snapped for the first defeat of his career.
Preliminary card
Anthony Pettis
[autotag]Anthony Pettis[/autotag] (23-10 MMA, 10-9 UFC) improved to 2-1 since he moved up to the UFC welterweight division in March 2019.
Pettis improved to 5-8 in his past 13 UFC appearances dating back to when he lost the UFC lightweight title in March 2015.
[autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag]’s (36-15 MMA, 23-12 UFC) four-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since May 2019.
[autotag]Aleksei Oleinik[/autotag] (59-13-1 MMA, 8-4 UFC) earned his first decision victory since Aug. 26, 2010 – a span of 3,544 days (nearly 10 years) and 25 fights.
[autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag] (23-9-1 MMA, 11-6 UFC) fell to 9-4 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in February 2012.
Werdum has suffered six of his nine career losses by decision.
[autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] (16-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) improved to 6-3 since losing the UFC strawweight title to Joanna Jedrzejczyk in March 2015.
Esparza’s seven victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied for second most in divisional history behind Jedrzejczyk (10).
Esparza has earned six of her seven UFC victories by decision.
Esparza has completed at least one takedown against 10 of her 11 UFC opponents.
Esparza’s 34 takedowns landed in UFC strawweight competition are most in divisional history.
[autotag]Michelle Waterson[/autotag] (17-8 MMA, 5-4 UFC) has suffered three of her four UFC losses by decision.
Vicente Luque
[autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] (18-7-1 MMA, 11-3 UFC) has earned 16 of his 18 career victories by stoppage. That includes 10 of his 11 UFC wins.
Luque’s 10 stoppage victories since 2015 in UFC welterweight competition are most in the division during that span.
Luque’s 10 stoppage victories in UFC welterweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Matt Brown (13) and Matt Hughes (12).
[autotag]Niko Price[/autotag] (14-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) has alternated wins and losses over his past six fights.
Price has suffered all four of his career losses by stoppage.
[autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag] (13-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) has earned three of his four UFC victories by decision.
[autotag]Charles Rosa[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC) has alternated wins and losses over his past eight fights.
Rosa has suffered three of his four career losses by decision.
[autotag]Ryan Spann[/autotag]’s (18-5 MMA, 4-0 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at light heavyweight is tied with Jon Jones and Magomed Ankalaev for the longest active streak in the division.
[autotag]Sam Alvey[/autotag]’s (33-14 MMA, 10-9 UFC) four-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since June 2018.
Alvey fell to 2-4 since he moved up to the UFC light-heavyweight division in February 2018.
Alvey has suffered 10 of his 14 career losses by decision.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 249 took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $330,500.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 249 event took home event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $305,500.
The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.
UFC 249 took place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.
The full UFC 249 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Reebok’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $3,500 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,000; 6-10 bouts get $5,000; 11-15 bouts earn $10,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $15,000; and 21 bouts and more get $20,000. Additionally, champions earn $40,000 while title challengers get $30,000.
In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.
Full 2020 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Saturday’s UFC 249 event in Jacksonville, Fla.
While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.
Inside, see what the fighters from UFC 249 went with as their backing tracks in Jacksonville, Fla.
It was a much more competitive fight than the first, but Vicente Luque stopped Niko Price again in their rematch at UFC 249.
It was a much more competitive fight than their first meeting, but the winner was still the same as [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] topped [autotag]Niko Price[/autotag] in their rematch at UFC 249.
After scoring a second-round submission win in October 2017, Luque (18-7-1 MMA, 11-3 UFC) picked up a third-round TKO due to a doctor’s stoppage at 3:37 after an offensive assault that shut the eye of Price (14-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC). “The Silent Assassin” has now won eight of his past nine fights.
The welterweight bout was part of the UFC 249 preliminary card at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. It aired on ESPN/ESPN+ following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+ and ahead of a main card on pay-per-view.
Control of the fight was taken by Luque in the opening two minutes as he landed a number of chopping leg kicks on Price that caused damage and irritation. Price wouldn’t let it stop him completely, though, and marched forward with strikes of his own before getting a takedown. Price threatened with a submission, but Luque was able to get up and, despite taking a front kick to the face, landed some good strikes to close the round.
The pair went right back to work to begin the second frame. Luque took advantage of Price’s aggression, landing solid counter-punches and continuing to batter the legs of his opponent with kicks. Price found a groove and answered, though, connecting hard on Luque and putting him in some danger. Price got too wild, however, and was dropped with a tight right hand. He recovered and got back up, while Luque stayed disciplined and picked Price apart with punches and kicks to close a strong round.
For the first time in his UFC career, Price saw a third round. He responded well, offering a high output to start the frame. Luque showed patience as Price trie to walk him down, mixing up his offense to the face and body of his opponent. Price’s grit was evident, though, because he kept on trying and throwing, even going for a takedown attempt. Unfortunately for him, Price couldn’t find the one big moment he needed to turn the tide, and it was Luque who got it. Luque dropped a bloodied Price with just over two minutes late, but somehow didn’t get the finish.
Price’s eye was badly swollen, though, and referee Jason Herzog decided to intervene and bring in the doctor. After a brief exchange, Price was deemed unfit to continue and Luque was awarded the win.
“I prepared for the best Niko Price possible,” Luque said in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. “I beat him last time and I knew he would come prepared and ready. … First event back with everything that’s going on and I just wanted to put on a show.”
Up-to-the-minute UFC 249 results include:
Vicente Luque def. Niko Price via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 3, 3:37
