Tag: UFC on ESPN+ 37

MMA Junkie’s 2020 ‘Knockout of the Year’: Joaquin Buckley hits viral move for the ages

Here are the top four honorable mentions and winner of MMA Junkie’s “Knockout of the Year” award for 2020.

With another action-packed year of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie takes a look at the best knockouts from January to December. Here are the top five and winner of MMA Junkie’s “Knockout of the Year” award for 2020.

At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice for “Knockout of the Year.”

UFC in 2020: A ridiculously robust look at the stats, streaks, skids, and records

Check out a full recap of 2020’s most significant footnotes and milestones from the events, the fights and individual performances.

Now that the year has come to a close, and with a major assist from UFC research analyst and live statistics producers Michael Carroll, here are some of 2020’s most significant milestones from the events, the fights and individual performances.

Kanye West uses Joaquin Buckley’s UFC knockout highlight to release new track

Watch Kanye West use Joaquin Buckley’s viral knockout at UFC on ESPN+ 37 in his latest video.

Just when you thought [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag]’s week couldn’t get any better, one of the most notable names in music has used his viral knockout in his latest video.

Kanye West released a new track on social media, where he played Buckley’s incredible spinning-back-kick knockout of Imapa Kasanganay at UFC on ESPN+ 37 on a loop in his video.

In the song, West discusses his presidential candidacy and even throws in a “Star Wars” scene from the memorable Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Anakin Skywalker duel in “Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.”

“THE WHOLE TEAM IS SO ENERGIZED THAT I HAD TO RELEASE THEME MUSIC NAH NAH NAH.”

Buckley’s knockout, which was dubbed as “the most unbelievable KO” in the history of the promotion by the UFC, caught the entire world by storm and, obviously, earned him a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus.

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.

[vertical-gallery id=558032]

USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Oct. 13: Cory Sandhagen win makes things clear

Cory Sandhagen’s second-round TKO of Marlon Moraes caused the new bantamweight rankings to fall neatly into place.

Sometimes, putting together the USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings is like trying to piece together a jigsaw puzzle. Other times, though, the moves are obvious.

Such was the case in the men’s bantamweight division after this past Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 37.

Consensus seemed to be that Aljamain Sterling was next in line to fight champion Petr Yan, but there was one remaining question: Whether Marlon Moraes, who had a memorable knockout of Sterling, could sneak into the spot.

But Moraes was finished by [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] in the main event, and everything neatly fell into line.

Sterling is No. 2 in the new edition of the rankings, his top contender spot secure. Sandhagen (13-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC), who was finished by Sterling when they fought at UFC 250, goes into the No. 3 spot. Moraes drops to No. 4 after losing to Sandhagen.

UFC on ESPN+ 37 had plenty of fights with implications in the rankings, so to see where your favorite — or least favorite — fighter places this week, go to the drop-down menu above and select a division.

[vertical-gallery id=558030]

UFC on ESPN+ 37 medical suspensions: Cory Sandhagen’s win comes with a potential cost

Cory Sandhagen was victorious in the UFC on ESPN+ 37 main event, but his win came at a cost.

[autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] was victorious in the UFC on ESPN+ 37 main event, but his win came at a cost.

Taking on fellow top bantamweight contender [autotag]Marlon Moraes[/autotag] on Saturday, Sandhagen (13-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) picked up a second-round TKO via a spinning wheel kick and punches. Against Moraes (23-7-1 MMA, 5-3 UFC), however, Sandhagen sustained an eye injury that could put him out of action for 180 days.

On Monday, MMA Junkie obtained the full list of suspensions from MixedMartialArts.com, the Association of Boxing Commissions’ official record keeper.

Also receiving potential six-month suspensions are [autotag]Tom Breese[/autotag], [autotag]Rodrigo Nascimento[/autotag], [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag], [autotag]Tony Kelley[/autotag], and [autotag]Omar Morales[/autotag] for injuries suffered in their fights Saturday.

UFC on ESPN+ 37 took place at Flash Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The event streamed on ESPN+.

Below is the full list of UFC on ESPN+ 37 medical suspensions:

  • Cory Sandhagen: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by an ophthalmologist; Also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days.
  • Marlon Moraes: Suspended 45 days for TKO with no contact for 21 days.
  • [autotag]Edson Barboza[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
  • [autotag]Makwan Amirkhani[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for “hard bout” with no contact for 21 days.
  • [autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for “hard bout” with no contact for 21 days.
  • [autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for a right eyebrow laceration with no contact for 21 days.
  • [autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
  • [autotag]Markus Perez[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days for a knockout with no contact for 45 days.
  • [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
  • [autotag]Alan Baudot[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for TKO with no contact for 21 days.
  • [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for left eyelid laceration with no contact for 21 days.
  • [autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
  • Tom Breese: Suspended 180 days or until right knee MRI and left tibia/fibula x-rays are cleared by a doctor; Also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days.
  • [autotag]K.B. Bhullar[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for TKO with no contact for 30 days.
  • [autotag]Chris Daukaus[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
  • Rodrigo Nascimento: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by an ophthalmologist; Also suspended for 30 days with no contact for 21 days for right scalp laceration.
  • [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
  • Impa Kasanganay: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by an ophthalmologist; Also suspended 60 days for knockout with no contact for 45 days.
  • Tony Kelley: Suspended 180 days or until right elbow MRI is and right tibia/fibula x-ray are cleared by doctor; Also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days.
  • [autotag]Ali Alqaisi[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
  • [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
  • Omar Morales: Suspended 180 days or until right elbow MRI, left tibia/fibula X-ray, and left ankle X-ray are cleared by a doctor; Also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days.
  • [autotag]Tracy Cortez[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
  • [autotag]Stephanie Egger[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
  • [autotag]Tagir Ulanbekov[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest.
  • [autotag]Bruno Silva[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for right eyebrow laceration with no contact for 21 days.

[vertical-gallery id=558032]

[vertical-gallery id=558030]

As incredible as Joaquin Buckley’s viral KO was, it’s not the greatest in UFC history. Here’s why. | Opinion

Joaquin Buckley’s knockout of Impa Kasanganay might be the most spectacular, but “spectacular” and “greatest” aren’t necessarily the same.

In the hours after a mind-bending knockout by [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN+ 37, a question: How does one judge the greatest knockout in UFC history?

Do you mainly value technique? If so, perhaps you’ve considered the thing of beauty that was Anderson Silva’s front-kick knockout of Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 the greatest ever in the octagon. Edson Barboza putting himself on the map with a flawless spinning wheel kick against Terry Etim in 2012 belongs in this category, too.

How much do the circumstances during the fight itself matter? Yair Rodriguez landing an upward elbow to drop a charging Chan Sung Jung with one second left in the fifth round of their UFC 25th anniversary event headliner made an already great knockout a lot more memorable than it would have been had it occurred midway through some random fight on a random night.

Then there are the times the knockout serves as the serendipitous culmination of a storyline. Dan Henderson landed many picture-perfect “H-bombs” during his career, but none was more memorable than when he put Michael Bisping to sleep at UFC 100 to close out a particularly rancorous season of coaching on “The Ultimate Fighter.”

Sometimes, fans simply have visceral memories of the first insane knockout they ever saw. An entire generation still remembers where they were when Gabriel Gonzaga head-kicked Mirko Cro Cop in 2007. For this writer, Tank Abbott mocking a twitching John Matua after finishing him in 20 seconds at UFC 6 feels like it happened yesterday.

And while Abbott’s 1995 KO of Matua and Buckley’s stoppage of Impa Kasanganay on Saturday night are polar opposites from a skill standpoint, they’re similar in this regard: They’re both moments that will be remembered decades down the road.

Buckley’s space-age spinning back kick on “Fight Island” already has some proclaiming the knockout as the greatest in UFC history. Like Silva on several occasions before him, Buckley did something that seemed to defy the laws of physics.

How in the world does someone not only manage to keep their composure in that moment, in which your opponent catches your first kick, but to turn it into something special? At any point, Kasanganay could have shoved Buckley off balance in any number of ways, and a viral moment never happens.

But Buckley cleared the first hurdle when Kasanganay held on milliseconds too long. Buckley took the leap of faith in the moment and somehow managed to push himself off and execute the proper velocity and precision to land a bullseye on a kick which, even if you’re starting with both feet on the ground, is an extraordinarily difficult maneuver to pull off.

All those factors just might have earned the title of most spectacular knockout in UFC history and is on the very short list of the most technically proficient. But is the most spectacular knockout the same as the greatest knockout? I’m not sure I’d go quite that far.

(Side note: Yes, we’re limiting this to the UFC. If we opened it to the entire sport, my pick might be Fedor Emelianenko catching Andrei Arlovski mid-air attempting a flying-knee KO of his own in Affliction in 2009. Also, this column isn’t meant to be a comprehensive listing of every great UFC knockout ever, so apologies in advance if I don’t mention your favorite.)

I’ve left out one of the biggest factors worth considering: the stakes in any given fight. Are you capable of delivering something memorable in the biggest moment, under the most intense spotlight, when the pressure is highest? After all, Malcolm Butler’s interception of Russell Wilson was nowhere near the most spectacular pick in NFL history. But you already knew without me specifying that I’m referencing his clutch play during the closing seconds of Super Bowl XLIX with the Seattle Seahawks on the New England Patriots’ 1-yard line.

[lawrence-related id=558471,558308]

Under those parameters? No knockout in UFC history ever resonated like Holly Holm’s head kick of Ronda Rousey at UFC 193.

Rousey was at the peak of her powers as a cultural force in late 2015. Too many people who should have known better (think Joe Rogan and “once in a lifetime does not apply to Ronda Rousey”) fell for the aura of Rousey’s invincibility. The largest crowd in UFC history at the time flocked to Melbourne, Australia, to see it.

Those are incredible circumstances under which to perform. Holm’s head kick finish of Rousey to claim the bantamweight title reverberated far beyond the sport. It was the topic in the sports and entertainment worlds. Tens of thousands of people showed up to Holm’s hometown of Albuquerque, N.M., to greet her.

Was Holm’s kick more spectacular than Buckley’s? Of course not. But they also won’t throw a large parade for him in his hometown.

Buckley deserves all the plaudits he is receiving for what’s probably the flashiest knockout in UFC history. But “most spectacular” and “greatest” knockouts are two separate (if sometimes overlapping) things, and until someone duplicates what Holm accomplished in similar circumstances, you won’t convince me we’ve seen one greater.

[jwplayer JzhB0PTr-RbnemIYZ]

Marlon Moraes: Cory Sandhagen ‘surprised me’ with kick, stoppage was ‘a little early’

Marlon Moraes gives Cory Sandhagen full credit for the spinning wheel kick that spelled the beginning of the end at UFC on ESPN+ 37.

[autotag]Marlon Moraes[/autotag] gives Cory Sandhagen full credit for the spinning wheel kick that spelled the beginning of the end of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 37 main event, but he wishes he got a little more leeway from the referee en route to his loss.

Moraes (23-7-1 MMA, 5-3 UFC) got caught with the highlight-reel strike from Sandhagen (13-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) early in the second round of their bantamweight headliner, which took place at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi and streamed on ESPN+. The Brazilian got knocked down from the blow, then his opponent swarmed with a couple more strikes on the ground, resulting in the fight being waved off by referee Marc Goddard.

Although Moraes admits the shot was a good one, and he was certainly not at 100 percent, he said he felt there was still some fight left in him.

“He kind of catch me with a kick and bloodied my eye a little bit and right after he surprised me,” Moraes said on the UFC on ESPN+ 37 post-fight show. “He didn’t come this way, he came the other way and that’s it. Probably a little early stoppage, but whatever. I thought I was (able to continue) but the ref just jumped on me. I didn’t have enough time to get up.”

[lawrence-related id=558495,558521]

Moraes understands that these type of results are all part of the sport. He’s dished it out many times, and has had moments where he had to take it, too. This was one of those, but Moraes didn’t see any catastrophic errors on his behalf. He thought he fought well, but Sandhagen was able to find his target first.

“I just got caught,” Moraes said. “He catch me. I was doing good the first round, it was a good fight. I was very excited for this fight. … Unfortunately, I got caught. I caught a lot of guys before, but that was my day.”

Moraes has lost fights before and still managed to work his way back into position as one of the world’s top 135-pound fighters. This was a costly outcome in terms of his short-term plans of getting to a title fight and capturing gold, but Moraes isn’t to be deterred.

The former WSOF champion said he wants to put this fight behind him, and the best way to do that would be getting another one scheduled before the end of the year.

“I just want to go home and get another fight,” Moraes said. “I want to be busy. That’s a long time no fights. Hopefully I can get another one by December.”

[vertical-gallery id=558030]

[vertical-gallery id=558032]

Petr Yan, Aljamain Sterling turn focus to each other after Cory Sandhagen’s win

If there was any thought Aljamain Sterling’s bantamweight title shot might be lost, Cory Sandhagen appears to have done him a favor.

If there was any thought [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag]’s bantamweight title shot might be lost, [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] appears to have done him a favor.

Going into Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 37 headliner, there was some buzz going that if Moraes won, he might be able to slide into a title shot with [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag], especially because he holds a highlight-reel knockout of Sterling on his record.

Sandhagen derailed that potential angle, though, when he stopped Moraes with an incredible spinning wheel kick TKO. Sandhagen’s performance is title-shot worthy as a standalone moment, but even he admits his to Sterling at UFC 250 in June means “The Funkmaster” should be in line in front of him.

It doesn’t appear the champion Yan is trying to give off any appearance otherwise, because he responded to Sterling’s callout after UFC on ESPN+ 37 and made it quite clear he intends on fighting him (via Twitter):

I’m waiting for you dickhead. You will be held accountable for every word you said

The 135-pound title matchup between Yan and Sterling has been building for months. UFC president Dana White had been reluctant to pull the trigger and verify Sterling as the clear No. 1 contender, but now it seems all potential obstacles have been cleared.

Aww don’t worry. I’ll take that belt from you so that you don’t have a target on your back. It’ll be ok.

The UFC has made no mention of a potential timeline for the title fight. Sterling, however, recently told MMA Junkie Radio that he’d like to compete at UFC 256 on Dec. 12 in Las Vegas.

[vertical-gallery id=413480]

‘You’re gonna make me cry’: See viral sensation Joaquin Buckley’s giddy reaction to Dana White

This is perfectly wholesome content right here.

There’s no other way to put it. [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] sent shockwaves through the sports world Saturday night.

At UFC on ESPN+ 37, Buckley (11-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) knocked out highly touted and previously undefeated middleweight Impa Kasanganay with one of the most jaw-dropping knockouts you’ll ever see. The finish instantly went viral, allegedly topping the UFC’s all-time charts for a social media post (5.6 million views on Twitter as of this writing).

Sitting in the chair backstage awaiting his interview with Karyn Bryant, Buckley was overcome with emotion at the sight of his boss approaching him. UFC president Dana White came into the back to shake hands with Buckley and congratulate him on one of the greatest knockouts in the promotion’s history.

“Aw, naw,” Buckley said in a video captured by ESPN. “You’re gonna make me cry.”

The finish’s beautiful, brutal, uniqueness caused many fans and media members to suggest the UFC give Buckley all four $50,000 post-fight bonuses. Though Buckley ultimately only received one of those four checks, White heard the calls and had a lot of kind words for the UFC’s newest viral sensation.

“I always talk about when you’re on a card, right?” White said. “How do you stand out? My phone is blowing up. Kevin Iole (expletive) hit me up for a quote because he’s already doing a story on you. Everybody is saying, ‘Just give him $200,000 tonight. Give him every bonus.’ Nobody has ever seen anything like that. Sean Shelby texted me and said, ‘Write him a check right now for $50,000 and go give it to him before he gets out of (there). Incredible.”

Incredible, indeed.

UFC on ESPN+ 37 took place Saturday at Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The event streamed on ESPN+.

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.

[vertical-gallery id=558032]

[vertical-gallery id=558030]

Cory Sandhagen hopes he’s no longer a ‘little name,’ sets sights on Frankie Edgar, T.J. Dillashaw

Cory Sandhagen hopes his UFC on ESPN+ 37 win over Marlon Moraes legitimized his spot as one of the world’s top 135 pounders.

ABU DHABI – [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] didn’t plan on defeating Marlon Moraes by spinning wheel kick. It just played out that way.

After a tactical and successful opening round, Sandhagen (13-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) put the finishing touches on his UFC on ESPN+ 37 performance by spinning and kicking his way to a TKO win early in the second round.

When speaking at the post-fight news conference, Sandhagen revealed the maneuver was one that he picked up during the COVID-19 pandemic but didn’t count on utilizing on fight night.

“I knew that I could (win that way), but that wasn’t the plan,” Sandhagen told reporters, including MMA Junkie. “I was just going to be free, man. I was just going to be myself. He’s really dangerous. I was just going to keep myself safe and just wear on him and fight him how I fight him.”

With the win, Sandhagen bounced back from his lone UFC loss. At UFC 250 in May, Sandhagen was submitted by Aljamain Sterling. Despite the quick finish, Sterling hasn’t been booked to take on UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan.

Once Yan vs. Sterling gets booked, Sandhagen will begin getting in shape – just in case something happens to either combatant. That’s not to say he won’t snatch a UFC title shot opportunity if that comes his way instead.

“Honestly, I’ve been doing that for a year or two now where it’s like, ‘OK, there’s a big fight coming up. I don’t have a fight coming up. I’m going to keep my weight low, and I’m going to stay ready,'” Sandhagen said. “I’ve been doing that in camp. I’ve been doing that almost the whole time I’ve been in the UFC. But, yeah, I’m definitely going to do that now because I think I’m probably the No. 1 guy if one of those guys gets hurt.

“I would feel really bad if they did me and Yan, and they did that to Sterling. That being said, it’s a dog-eat-dog sport, you know? So if they give me that shot, I’m taking that shot. But I think it should be Sterling and Yan.”

[lawrence-related id=558393,558308,558287]

If the promotion’s immediate title shot plans don’t include Sandhagen, he has two former UFC champions in mind who could serve as his next opponent.

“The only other two other guys that have an argument are Frankie (Edgar) and T.J. (Dillashaw). (Maybe I fight) one of those guys before they end up fighting each other,” Sandhagen said. “Hopefully I’m not this little name after this. Hopefully I have some pull in the sport because that’s kind of where I feel like I’ve been. They’re giving me really good fights, but I never felt like if I called someone out it was going to get a lot of juice. But I think I got some juice tonight.”

UFC on ESPN+ 37 took place Saturday at Flash Forum on Yas Island and streamed on ESPN+.

[vertical-gallery id=558032]

[vertical-gallery id=558030]