USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Nov. 23: Sean Brady debuts at No. 9 among welterweights

Check out the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings after UFC Fight Night 198

A rising star has debuted in the welterweight rankings.

Undefeated [autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag] picked up the biggest win of his career thus far at UFC Fight Night 198, defeating Michael Chiesa via unanimous decision at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The fifth win of his UFC tenure launched Brady from unranked to No. 9, taking Chiesa’s place, who falls one spot to No. 10.

[autotag]Talia Santos[/autotag] picked up the only finish in 11 total fights on Saturday’s card, making quick work of Joanne Wood with a first-round submission win. Naturally, she took home a bonus for her efforts and also moved up from No. 11 to No. 9 in the women’s flyweight rankings, passing Wood and Vanessa Porto.

You can check out the full rankings by division with each dropdown above.

Brits are back: 5 matchups to follow as U.K. fighters take over UFC ‘Fight Island’

MMA Junkie’s resident Brit, Simon Head, takes a look at five key matchups involving U.K.-based fighters on the UFC’s “Fight Island.”

The launch of the UFC’s “Fight Island” events in Abu Dhabi next month marks the moment for a group of fighters from the international roster to return to action.

That group includes a host of U.K.-based fighters who, up to now, have been in MMA exile while international travel restrictions keep them from traveling to the U.S. to compete.

The advent of “Fight Island” and the UFC’s detailed travel regimen for fighters jetting into Abu Dhabi have opened the door for some of the promotion’s most exciting fighters from the U.K. to return to action.

Ahead of the UFC’s four-event run on Yas Island, here are five fights to keep an eye on that feature returning U.K. fighters.

Without further ado …

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Molly McCann vs. Talia Santos, July 15

There’s been something special about some of the matchups we’ve seen during the UFC’s lockdown era so far, and you can bet your last dollar (or British pound) that [autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag] will look to add to that growing list of memorable fights.

McCann (10-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) arrived in the UFC as the Cage Warriors women’s flyweight champion, but was submitted by Gillian Robertson on her debut in her hometown of Liverpool. But since that defeat McCann has bounced back superbly with a trio of unanimous decision victories over Priscilla Cachoeira, Ariane Lipski and Diana Belbita.

“Meatball” is getting better with every fight, and will be keen to show her latest improvements against Contender Series graduate [autotag]Talia Santos[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC), who is bidding to claim her maiden UFC victory after suffering her first career defeat on her UFC debut against Mara Romero Borella.

The fight represents the toughest assignment of McCann’s UFC career since her debut, but a fourth straight win for the energetic Evertonian will push the 30-year-old toward the division’s big names later in 2020.

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