This past Saturday concluded a marathon of UFC action that included three events in seven days on “Fight Island” at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. From UFC 251 to UFC on ESPN 13 to UFC on ESPN+ 30, a total of 36 fights unfolded over from July 11 to July 18, and there’s a lot to digest from that time.
There were memorable performances delivered in championship bouts, matchups between contenders and fighters making their debuts. Which effort left the strongest lasting impression, though? MMA Junkie’s Farah Hannoun, John Morgan and Simon Head debate in the latest edition of Triple Take.
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Farah Hannoun: Deiveson Figueiredo
[autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag]’s performance against Joseph Benavidez at UFC on ESPN+ 30 will go down as one of the most dominant championship wins in UFC history.
Few imagined Figueiredo (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) would be able to run through Benavidez like that, dropping him three times and becoming the first man to ever submit him. While Figueiredo did stop Benavidez in Round 2 of their first fight, it was a competitive battle where Benavidez was able to win the first round.
Though Benavidez has never won a UFC title, he’s been a staple in the 125-pound division, taking out just about every flyweight on the roster, including a decision win over former UFC dual-champ Henry Cejudo. But Figueiredo was a man on a mission that night and wanted to erase the notion that he only won the first fight because of an inadvertent head butt.
There are several 125-pounders chomping at the bit to get their crack at the title, but Figueiredo looked like an unstoppable force that may rule the division for a very long time.
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