Tag: UFC on ESPN 29

Mick Maynard’s Shoes: What’s next for Jared Cannonier after UFC on ESPN 29 win?

See whom Jared Cannonier should fight next after his victory over Kelvin Gastelum in the UFC on ESPN 29 headliner.

(ALSO SEE: Mick Maynard’s Shoes: What’s next for Kelvin Gastelum after UFC on ESPN 29 loss?)

[autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] further solidified himself as a top middleweight Saturday when he defeated Kelvin Gastelum in the UFC on ESPN 29 main event.

Cannonier (14-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) rebounded from a title eliminator loss to Robert Whittaker in his previous outing by outworking Gastelum (16-8 MMA, 11-8 UFC) to a unanimous decision at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

“The Killa Gorilla” suffered an arm injury in the loss to Whittaker that kept him out of action until Saturday, but his performance showed it’s not going to slow him down dramatically as he secured the fight against Gastelum on the scorecards.

Afterward, Cannonier said it is “title fight or contender” as far as what’s next. It’s hard to object with that notion, but what does his path to the top look like?

Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on Cannonier’s future after UFC on ESPN 29.

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Mick Maynard’s Shoes: What’s next for Kelvin Gastelum after UFC on ESPN 29 loss?

See whom Kelvin Gastelum should fight next after his loss to Jared Cannonier in the UFC on ESPN 29 headliner.

(ALSO SEE: Mick Maynard’s Shoes: What’s next for Jared Cannonier after UFC on ESPN 29 win?)

[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] fell short in another high-profile middleweight fight Saturday with a loss to Jared Cannonier in the UFC on ESPN 29 main event.

Gastelum (16-8 MMA, 11-8 UFC) suffered the fifth loss in his past six fights with a unanimous decision defeat to Cannonier (14-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Although “The Ultimate Fighter 17′ winner expressed afterward he thought he should’ve got his hand raised, the official result went the other way, and now Gastelum has to reassess his career situation once again.

What does the loss mean for Gastelum? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on his future after UFC on ESPN 29.

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5 biggest takeaways from UFC, Bellator, PFL: Jared Cannonier is ‘broke,’ Kayla Harrison is not

Thoughts and analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC on ESPN 29, Bellator 265 and 2021 PFL Playoffs 2.

What mattered most in a loaded MMA weekend that included UFC on ESPN 29 in Las Vegas; Bellator 265 in Sioux Falls, S.D.; and 2021 PFL Playoffs 2 in Hollywood, Fla.? Here are a few post-fight musings …

Alexandre Pantoja: Brandon Moreno scared because ‘he knows I’m much better’

Alexander Pantoja calls for next title shot at UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno, eyes December date.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] might not have the belt in hand, but he thinks he’s above the champion.

The UFC flyweight title contender wants to get a title shot against newly crowned champion Brandon Moreno, a man whom he’s beaten twice, following his latest win in the octagon.

Pantoja (24-5 MMA, 7-4 UFC) defeated Brandon Royval by second-round submission in the opening bout of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 29 main card.

The Brazilian is hoping to fight Moreno later this year and he’s confident he can get the job done a third time against the Mexican titleholder.

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“I say December because I think Brandon will want that time,”
Pantoja said. “I’m ready to fight. I don’t know if Moreno wants to fight this year or next year, but I know he knows I’m coming for the title.

“He knows my game. I beat him two times. I think he’s maybe a little scared because he lost to me via submission, and then when he had the possibility to get revenge against me, I destroyed him. I made it 30-26. I proved I’m better.

“When he came to the UFC, you see he’s good – but I’m better. He has the title, but he knows I’m much better when we fought three years ago.”

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Pantoja beat Moreno in 2018 at a UFC Fight Night event in Chile and in 2016 in an exhibition bout that was part of “The Ultimate Fighter 24” reality series.

There are several names at 125 pounds angling to be Moreno’s first title defense. But despite the competition, Pantoja is confident he’s next in line.

“I’m the next for the title – he knows that,” Pantoja said. “Maybe he retires. I don’t know what’s in his mind. But he knows me and he knows my power with my hands and my grappling. I think I’m the most dangerous guy in that division.”

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Jared Cannonier only sees two options as next step after UFC on ESPN 29 victory

Following his win at UFC on ESPN 29, Jared Cannonier spoke to reporters and described two scenarios for his next fight.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] is only willing to accept one of two options for his next bout following the UFC on ESPN 29 main event win Saturday.

In his first fight since October, Cannonier (14-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) defeated Kelvin Gastelum (17-8 MMA, 11-8 UFC) via five-round unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47). In his mind, the victory set him up for either the next crack at UFC gold or a title eliminator against another top contender. That’s all he’s willing to sign up for.

“It’s either title or contender,” Cannonier told MMA Junkie at a post-fight news conference. “It was supposed to be (Paulo) Costa, but that didn’t happen. I really need to fight. I don’t think (Israel Adesanya) or Robert (Whittaker) are going to fight until next year. So that’s what? Four, five, six months, even? Then, another three and four months after that, I can’t wait that long. So who knows, I may end up taking the fight.”

As for a timeline, Cannonier is angling for the final quarter of 2021 or the first quarter of 2022. The UFC title picture is a bit murky with the champion Adesanya and next title challenger Whittaker currently in Australia and New Zealand in the midst of increased COVID-19 travel restrictions.

If they give me a name, ‘If you win, you get the shot,’ OK. Easy,” Cannonier said. “… I will say the end of the year, beginning of… 2022. Yeah, three, four months from now, I’d like to get back in there.”

Cannonier, 37, has won four of his most recent five outings. His win at UFC on ESPN 29 got him back in rhe win column after an October unanimous decision loss to Whittaker in Abu Dhabi.

UFC on ESPN 29 took place Saturday at the UFC Apex. The main card aired on ESPN/ESPN+ after prelims on ESPN2/ESPN+.

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Kelvin Gastelum reacts to UFC on ESPN 29 loss to Jared Cannonier: ‘I think I won’

Kelvin Gastelum thinks his UFC on ESPN 29 main event bout with Jared Cannonier was scored incorrectly by the judges.

[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] thinks his UFC on ESPN 29 main event bout with Jared Cannonier was scored incorrectly by the judges.

Gastelum (16-8 MMA, 11-8 UFC) suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Cannonier (14-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) in Saturday’s middleweight headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. He lost 48-47 scores from all three judges in a bout that featured a handful of momentum swings.

Although “The Ultimate Fighter 17” winner Gastelum started and finished the fight strong, Cannonier had the most significant moment of the fight with a third-round knockdown. Cannonier was also credited with 81 significant strikes landed over five rounds, while Gastelum had the greater output with 89 significant strikes landed.

Gastelum apparently thinks his body of work was better and felt he should’ve left the octagon with his hand raised. He expressed as much on social media after the bout (via Twitter):

I think I won but whatever …

It’s clear both athletes and their teams saw the fight differently. Corner cameras on the live broadcast saw Gastelum’s head coach, Rafael Cordeiro, tell him he was up three rounds to one going into the final frame. Cannonier’s head coach, John Crouch, told his fighter he was ahead by the same score going into the final five minutes.

Ultimately, though, the three judges sitting cageside – Mike Bell, Sal D’amato, and Junichiro Kamijo – all saw it the same way, and they are the only opinions that matter in this instance.

Despite being on the wrong end of the official scorecards, Gastelum congratulated his opponent for his efforts in another tweet after the fight:

Congratulations to Jared Cannonier on a very competitive fight!
Small adjustments and we’re back on top!
Tonight just proved that! We’re very close to being the best in the world.
Almost there & On to the next one!

Gastelum is now 1-5 in his past six octagon appearances dating back to April 2019.

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UFC on ESPN 29 bonuses: Ignacio Bahamondes, Josiane Nunes among $50,000 winners

Check out the $50,000 bonus winners from Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 29 card in Las Vegas.

The UFC handed out four post-fight bonuses after Saturday’s card, including two to fighters who got their first UFC wins.

After UFC on ESPN 29, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances in Las Vegas. Check out the winners below.

Twitter reacts to Jared Cannonier’s main event win over Kelvin Gastelum at UFC on ESPN 29

See the top Twitter reactions to Jared Cannonier’s win over Kelvin Gastelum in the UFC on ESPN 29 main event.

[autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] returned from injury in notable fashion Saturday when he beat [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] in the UFC on ESPN 29 main event.

Cannonier (13-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) offered a reminder that he’s a middleweight contender to take seriously with a unanimous decision victory over “The Ultimate Fighter” winner Gastelum (16-8 MMA, 11-8 UFC) in the headlining contest, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Check below for the top Twitter reactions to Cannonier’s victory over Gastelum at UFC on ESPN 29.

UFC on ESPN 29 results: Jared Cannonier outpoints Kelvin Gastelum in first fight back post-surgery

Jared Cannonier returned to the cage – and the win column – at UFC on ESPN 29.

[autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] is back in the win column.

In the UFC on ESPN 29 main event Saturday, Cannonier (14-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) defeated [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] (17-8 MMA, 11-8 UFC) via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47). The middleweight bout took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

For five rounds, Gastelum and Cannonier battled. While Gastelum seemed to land the more effective shots in the first two rounds, live and unofficial statistics on the broadcast indicated Cannonier was successfully outnumbering him in the attack.

In Round 3, Cannonier landed a clean check hook – the first truly significant shot of the fight. The punch dropped Gastelum to the seat of his shorts, but he scrambled back to his feet and survived a charging Cannonier.

The fight entered the championship rounds with both men relatively fresh. After a methodical approach from Gastelum in the striking department, Cannonier clipped him with an uppercut. While perhaps more off-balance than hurt, Gastelum again hit the mat – and again, he bounced back up, seemingly unfazed.

The final round was more point-fighting, with the exception of a Gastelum takedown attempt. Gastelum briefly scooped Cannonier’s legs out and they hit the mat, but only for a few seconds. Once separated, Cannonier defended Gastelum’s next attempt. Cannonier claimed an eye poke in the final minute and although Gastelum tied him up, he was able to defend a third takedown attempt.

Cannonier’s return from a near-year layoff due to multiple arm surgeries was successful. He bounced back into the win column after an October 2020 loss to former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, the fight he sustained his arm injury in. Cannonier moves to 4-1 since he dropped to middleweight in 2018.

For Gastelum, who is 29, the loss is his fourth in five outings. Despite his struggles to increase his win totals, Gastelum has proven durable and competitive as four of those losses have come via decision.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 29 results include:

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UFC on ESPN 29 results: Mark Madsen edges out close decision over Clay Guida, calls out Gregor Gillespie

From a broken jaw to his wife’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis, Mark Madsen indicated the win was the most meaningful of his athletic career.

[autotag]Mark Madsen[/autotag] battled a lot of adversity to return to the cage, but once he got there, he made the most of the opportunity.

A former Olympic silver medalist, Madsen (11-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) defeated Clay Guida (36-21 MMA, 16-15 UFC) via split decision (29-28, 28-28, 30-27). The lightweight bout was the UFC on ESPN 29 co-main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The fight was largely contested on the feet. Madsen tried to close the distance and clinch in order to enter his Greco-Roman wrestling realm. Guida, meanwhile, utilized his technical striking and power to throw bombs toward Madsen.

Both men had their moments. Guida stunned Madsen early, but the Olympian never went down. When separated, Madsen utilized his boxing. Both men found success with their leg kicks as well. When the dust settled, it was Madsen who convinced two of the three judges he was the victor with his performance.

In his in-cage interview, Madsen name-dropped Gregor Gillespie as the opponent he would like to fight next, in order to prove who the best wrestler is in the UFC lightweight division.

The victory for Madsen comes in his first fight in 17 months. After a successful debut in September 2018, Madsen defeated Austin Hubbard at UFC 248 in March 2020. In the bout, he broke his jaw and required surgery subsequently thereafter. Saturday was his first competition back. During his period away, Madsen battled multiple levels of adversity including a battle with COVID-19, his house flooding, and his wife being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

For Guida, the loss moves him back to 4-4 over the span of his most recent eight fights. The third-longest-tenured on the promotion’s roster, Guida has been employed by the UFC since 2006.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 29 results include:

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