Tag: UFC on ESPN 16

Video: Luigi Vendramini gets UFC on ESPN 16 started with a bang

For someone who was out two years, Luigi Vendramini sure seemed in a rush to get in and out of the octagon Saturday night.

It had been more than two years since [autotag]Luigi Vendramini[/autotag] last fought, but he sure seemed like he was in a rush to get in and out of the octagon Saturday night.

The Factory X fighter got UFC on ESPN 16 off to a sensational start when he needed just 72 seconds to finish [autotag]Jessin Ayari[/autotag] in their lightweight bout.

The end came fast when Vendramini (9-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) clobbered Ayari (16-6 MMA, 1-3 UFC) with a perfect counter right, then pushed forward and landed left and right hands. A beautiful head kick in close landed shin clean on chin, and that was all she wrote.

After the win, Vendramini, whose last fight was in September 2018, leaped into the arms of his father and cornerman, Augusto, and burst into tears. He then explained the basis for his emotions in his post-fight interview.

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“I waited for two years, two surgeries. I hurt my shoulder – terrible,” said Vendramini, who has all nine of his career wins by finish. “Everything that happens here is for a reason. It’s amazing now.”

UFC on ESPN 16 took place Saturday at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The main card aired on ESPN and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+. 

Check out Vendramini’s fine work below:

 

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UFC on ESPN 16 discussion thread

UFC on ESPN 16 takes place Saturday in Abu Dhabi, and you can discuss the event here.

ABU DHABI – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 16 event at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT). You can discuss the event here.

Be sure to follow along with the latest card updates in our UFC on ESPN 16 live results post, and then discuss the event in the comments section below.

Round-by-round updates and official results begin at approximately 7:30 p.m. ET for the preliminary card and 10:30 p.m. ET for the main card.

Video: UFC on ESPN 16 preview with John Morgan

MMA Junkie lead reporter John Morgan fills you in on everything you need to know heading into Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 16.

ABU DHABI — The next chapter of the UFC’s latest stint on “Fight Island” unfolds on Saturday with UFC on ESPN 16.

MMA Junkie lead staff reporter John Morgan is on-site for the event at Flash Forum on Yas Island, which will be headlined by an intriguing women’s bantamweight matchup between former champion [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] and rising contender [autotag]Irene Aldana[/autotag]. It also features the latest tests for former UFC featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie and former WEC welterweight and UFC interim welterweight titleholder Carlos Condit.

Watch the video above to hear Morgan break down everything you need to know about UFC on ESPN 16.

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UFC on ESPN 16 predictions: Holly Holm is the favorite – but do we like Irene Aldana?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC on ESPN 16 main card on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.

Holm
vs.
Aldana		 De Castro
vs.
Felipe		 De Randamie
vs.
Pena		 Todorovic
vs.
Townsend
MMA Junkie readers’
consensus picks
2020: 106-68		 holm2020
Holm
(56%)		 decastro2020
De Castro
(73%)		 derandamie2020
De Randamie
(58%)		 todorovic2020
Todorovic
(75%)
Nolan King
@mma_kings
2020: 117-57		 aldana2020
Aldana		 carlos2020
Felipe		 pena2020
Pena		 todorovic2020
Todorovic
Farah Hannoun
@Farah_Hannoun
2020: 116-58		 aldana2020
Aldana		 decastro2020
De Castro		 pena2020
Pena		 todorovic2020
Todorovic
Dan Tom
@DanTomMMA
2020: 116-58		 aldana2020
Aldana		 decastro2020
De Castro		 derandamie2020
De Randamie		 todorovic2020
Todorovic
Danny Segura
@dannyseguratv
2020: 114-60		 aldana2020
Aldana		 decastro2020
De Castro		 derandamie2020
De Randamie		 todorovic2020
Todorovic
Simon Head
@simonhead
2020: 113-61
trophy copy 2019 Champion*		 aldana2020
Aldana		 decastro2020
De Castro		 pena2020
Pena		 todorovic2020
Todorovic
Dave Doyle
@davedoylemma
2020: 113-61		 holm2020
Holm		 decastro2020
De Castro		 derandamie2020
De Randamie		 todorovic2020
Todorovic
Brian Garcia
@thegoze
2020: 113-61
trophy copy 2017 Champion		 aldana2020
Aldana		 decastro2020
De Castro		 derandamie2020
De Randamie		 todorovic2020
Todorovic
Mike Bohn
@MikeBohnMMA
2020: 110-64
trophy copy 2014 Champion		 holm2020
Holm		 decastro2020
De Castro		 derandamie2020
De Randamie		 todorovic2020
Todorovic
Simon Samano
@SJSamano
2020: 109-65		 aldana2020
Aldana		 carlos2020
Felipe		 derandamie2020
De Randamie		 todorovic2020
Todorovic
George Garcia
@MMAjunkieGeorge
2020: 107-67		 aldana2020
Aldana		 decastro2020
De Castro		 pena2020
Pena		 todorovic2020
Todorovic
John Morgan
@MMAjunkieJohn
2020: 106-68		 aldana2020
Aldana		 decastro2020
De Castro		 pena2020
Pena		 todorovic2020
Todorovic
Ken Hathaway
@kenshathaway
2020: 105-69
trophy copy 2018 Champion		 holm2020
Holm		 decastro2020
De Castro		 derandamie2020
De Randamie		 todorovic2020
Todorovic
Abbey Subhan
@kammakaze
2020: 103-71		 holm2020
Holm		 decastro2020
De Castro		 derandamie2020
De Randamie		 todorovic2020
Todorovic
Matt Erickson
@MMAjunkieMatt
2020: 73-101		 aldana2020
Aldana		 carlos2020
Felipe		 derandamie2020
De Randamie		 townsend2020
Townsend

(Note: The fight between Cameron Else and Kyler Phillips was added to the main card too late for our picks deadline.)

The UFC has its second of five straight “Fight Island” shows Saturday, and a former champion is atop the card.

UFC on ESPN 16 takes place Saturday at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, former women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) takes on [autotag]Irene Aldana[/autotag] (12-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC). Holm is just a slight favorite in the fight at -125, but our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts are siding with Aldana at a 10-4 clip.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Yorgan De Castro[/autotag] (6-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) meets [autotag]Carlos Felipe[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in a heavyweight bout. De Castro is a heavy favorite, and he’s got a big 11-3 picks lead.

Also on the main card, former women’s featherweight champ [autotag]Germaine de Randamie[/autotag] (9-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) takes on [autotag]Julianna Pena[/autotag] (9-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC). Pena is a slight favorite, but it’s de Randamie with a fairly sizable 9-5 picks lead.

And [autotag]Dusko Todorovic[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is the main card’s heaviest favorite in his middleweight bout against [autotag]Dequan Townsend[/autotag] (21-11 MMA, 0-3 UFC). Only one of our pickers is going with Townsend in an upset.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Holm (56 percent), De Castro (73 percent), de Randamie (58 percent) and Todorovic (75 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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UFC on ESPN 16 faceoff video highlights, photo gallery

After the UFC on ESPN 16 weigh-ins took place Friday, so too did fighter faceoffs, and MMA Junkie was on the scene.

ABU DHABI – After the UFC on ESPN 16 weigh-ins took place Friday, so too did fighter faceoffs, and MMA Junkie was on the scene.

In the main event, former women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm (13-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) takes on Irene Aldana (12-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC).

You can watch the faceoffs for that fights, as well as 10 more, in the video above. And don’t miss our exclusive photo gallery below, as well.

UFC on ESPN 16 takes place Saturday at the same venue. The main card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+.

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UFC on ESPN 16 faceoffs video live stream from Abu Dhabi (11 a.m. ET)

The UFC on ESPN 16 fighter weigh-ins are set, and now the fighters will face off one time before Saturday’s event.

ABU DHABI – The UFC on ESPN 16 fighter weigh-ins are set, and now the fighters will face off one time before Saturday’s event.

In the main event, former women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm (13-5 MMA, 6-5 UFC) takes on Irene Aldana (12-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC). Check out their faceoff, and the faceoffs for the rest of the card, in the live stream above.

UFC on ESPN 16 takes place Saturday at the same venue. The main card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+.