Jon Jones is once again the UFC Light Heavyweight champion. Jones patiently dismantled Alexander Gustafsson in their much-hyped rematch. Gustafsson struggled to land the punches he connected with in 2013 when he pushed Jones to his limit.
Jones stayed in kicking range, attacked Gustafsson’s base and in the third frame, he was able to secure his first takedown. Gustafsson had been able to fight the previous attempts to take him down in the first two rounds, but Jones really went to work from top position.
He dealt punishment with strikes and attempted a rear-naked choke. Gustafsson avoided that attempt, but referee Mike Beltran stopped the bout after a series of unanswered punches from Jones. With the victory, Jones is now a three-time champion.
As surely as we can count on Jon Jones fucking up, we can count on “Bones” beating foes down. He is once again your UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. #UFC232 pic.twitter.com/fREUIs2eCO
— Tanuki Usman (@Hamderlei) December 30, 2018
He’s never lost a fight outright in the Octagon. His only defeat came via disqualification for the use of a 12-6 elbow. Jones has been stripped of the title twice for actions and issues away from the cage. Hopefully, he has come to a point where he can make headlines for his abilities as an athlete, and not his shortcomings.
After the bout, Jones called out long-time rival Daniel Cormier, the UFC Heavyweight Champion for a third bout. Jones has twice beaten Cormier, but after being stripped of the title, the latter has assumed his position as champion. Cormier is said to be on course to defend his title against Brock Lesnar in the spring.
Pitting Jones against the winner seems logical, but Cormier had previously said the tilt with Lesnar would be his final fight. We’ll see how this situation transpires in the next few months. As for the present in the light heavyweight division, the champ has returned.
Amanda Nunes Is The Greatest Female Fighter In History
This is the most overused saying in sports, but Nunes shocked the world on Saturday.
In 51 seconds, she did what no other woman in the world has ever been able to do. Nunes knocked out Cris Cyborg. I can’t believe I just typed that. Early in the fight, Nunes landed a crushing left hand and followed it up with a right and Cyborg went down.
Having never been in that situation, Cyborg didn’t know what to do when she was hurt. After eating the first big shot, Cyborg instinctively kept coming forward despite being dazed. That was a mistake as Nunes finished the deal by leaving Cyborg face first on the canvas.
Here’s the entire fight: Cris Cyborg vs. Amanda Nunes. Wow. #UFC232 pic.twitter.com/s0WpleImmt
— Tanuki Usman (@Hamderlei) December 30, 2018
With the win, Nunes, who was already the bantamweight champion is now the featherweight titleholder as well. She’s now the third two-division champion and the first female to accomplish the feat. Nunes has now dispatched Ronda Rousey in under 50 seconds and Cyborg in less than a minute.
There can be no question, Nunes is the greatest female of all-time.
#UFC232 was a sell out with 15,862 in attendance and a $2,066,604 gate
— Sherdog by Mandatory (@sherdogdotcom) December 30, 2018
#UFC232 FOTN: Volkanovski vs Mendes POTN: Nunes and Ryan Hall
— Sherdog by Mandatory (@sherdogdotcom) December 30, 2018
Follow along with the results below. How accurate will my predictions for Saturday’s events be? More detailed breakdowns of each fight are just below the chart:
| Matchup | Weight Class | Odds | DraftKings Salary | Prediction | DraftKings Pick? | Winner & Result |
| Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson | Light Heavyweight Championship | Jones -278, Gustafsson +200 | Jones $9100, Gustafsson $7100 | Jones by TKO | Jones | Jones by R3 (KO) |
| (c) Cris Cyborg vs. Amanda Nunes | Women’s Featherweight Championship | Cyborg -303, Nunes +230 | Cyborg $9200, Nunes $7000 | Cyborg by TKO | Cyborg | Nunes by R1 (KO) |
| Carlos Condit vs. Michael Chiesa | Welterweight | Condit +135, Chiesa -165 | Condit $7200, Chiesa $9000 | Condit by DEC | Chiesa by R2 SUB (Kimura) | |
| Ilir Latifi vs. Corey Anderson | Light Heavyweight | Latifi -175, Anderson +145 | Latifi $8900, Anderson $7300 | Anderson by TKO | Anderson | Anderson by UD (29-28×3) |
| Chad Mendes vs. Alexander Volkanovski | Featherweight | Mendes -135, Volkanovski +109 | Mendes $8700, Volkanovski $8700 | Volkanovski by DEC | Volkanovksi | Volkanovski by TKO |
| Andrei Arlovski vs. Walt Harris | Heavyweight | Arlovski +132, Harris -164 | Harris $8600, Arlovski $7600 | Harris by KO | Harris by SD (27-30, 29-28×2) | |
| Cat Zingano vs. Megan Anderson | Women’s Featherweight | Zingano -136, Anderson +114 | Zingano $8500, Anderson $7700 | Zingano by DEC | Anderson by R1 TKO | |
| Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. Petr Yan | Men’s Bantamweight | de Andrade +110, Yan -130 | Yan $9300, de Andrade $6900 | Andrade by TKO | Andrade | Yan by R2 TKO |
| B.J. Penn vs. Ryan Hall | Lightweight | Penn +165, Hall -190 | Hall $9400, Penn $6800 | Hall by DEC | Hall by R1 SUB (Heel Lock) | |
| Nathaniel Wood vs. Andre Ewell | Men’s Bantamweight | Wood -110, Ewell -110 | Wood $8200, Ewell $8000 | Wood by DEC | Wood by R3 SUB (RNC) | |
| Uriah Hall vs. Bevon Lewis | Middleweight | Hall +105, Lewis -125 | Hall $8300, Lewis $7900 | Lewis by TKO | Hall by R3 KO (Punch) | |
| Curtis Millender vs. Siyar Bahadurzada | Welterweight | Millender -200, Bahadurzada +170 | Millender $8800, Bahadurzada $7400 | Millender by TKO | Millender by UD (30-27, 29-28×2) | |
| Brian Kelleher vs. Montel Jackson | Men’s Bantamweight | Kelleher +125, Jackson -145 | Jackson $8400, Kelleher $7800 | Jackson by SUB | Jackson | Jackson by R1 SUB (D’Arce Choke) |
Montell Jackson Stuns and Submits Brian Kelleher
The weekend didn’t begin well for Jackson. He missed weight and will be penalized 30 percent of his purse. However, Jackson made quick work of Kelleher. He stunned the veteran with a sharp elbow. Kelleher went to the canvas and Jackson rained bombs down to force his opponent to cover up.
Jackson locked in the D’Arce Choke to force the submission. Check it out:
Done in !@Montello135 rocks Kelleher with an elbow, then submits him with the D’Arce in the first round! Wow! #UFC232 pic.twitter.com/2HRf4oK5dD
— UFC (@ufc) December 29, 2018
Kelleher showed tons of class in defeat. Jackson was supposed to forfeit a portion of his purse to Kelleher, but ”Boom” promised to give Jackson the money back. Kelleher himself missed weight for a previous bout, and he acknowledged Jackson has a family.
That’s chest-pounding good.
Curtis Millender Outlasts Siyar Bahadurzada
This was a spectacular fight.
What. A. Fight.#UFC232 @Siyarized @CurtiousCurtis pic.twitter.com/07UfZ3jSJc
— UFC (@ufc) December 30, 2018
After a pretty dominant first round, Millender had some issues in the second frame. He had to endure a takedown from Bahadurzada, but he came through mostly unscathed. In the third round, Millender almost stopped his opponent.
Counter right hands had Bahadurzada nearly out on his feet. Millender tried, but he couldn’t get the stoppage. The scrap went the distance and all three judges saw it for Millender. In fact, one judge still scored the second round for him.
Millender now owns wins over Bahadurzada and Thiago Alves. He wants a ranked opponent but said he would settle for “Michelle” Perry. It was a pretty crude swipe at “Platinum” Mike Perry.
Uriah Hall One-Punch KOs Bevon Lewis
Things were looking down for Hall, but every time you think the end of his career is nigh, he swipes it away with a spectacular finish. After being controlled through the first 2.5 rounds, Hall landed this titanic counter right hand that knocked Lewis out.
ONE shot! @UriahHallMMA closes the show in the 3rd with a beautiful counter right hand! What a comeback win! #UFC232 pic.twitter.com/LY1gt8zUA6
— UFC (@ufc) December 30, 2018
Hall dedicated the win to his sister who is battling depression. His post-fight interview nearly brought me to tears. Lewis, who earned his shot in the UFC after a stint on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. This was his first loss as a professional. He has some tools, but his stamina seemed to fail him late, and it left him vulnerable to the counter punch.
Nathaniel Wood Grabs Late Submission Win
This wasn’t the most action-packed affair, but Wood did what he had to do to win. He recognized Andre Ewell had nothing to offer from his back, and Wood kept the fight there throughout the second and third rounds.
In a show of desperation, Ewell tried to spring to his feet in a last-ditch effort to salvage a lost bout, but it opened him up for a submission. Wood locked on the rear-naked choke to secure the submission.
Nathaniel Wood (15-3) moves to 2-0 in the UFC, choking out Andre Ewell to cap a dominant performance! The former Cage Warriors champ has finished seven straight foes; he has stopped 13 of 15 wins. #UFC232 pic.twitter.com/1Uiy3WBrFm
— Tanuki Usman (@Hamderlei) December 30, 2018
Wood is one of the top prospects in the promotion, and he looked solid in an otherwise boring fight.
Ryan Hall Taps BJ Penn
Say what you want about Hall’s style, but he wins. The formula is simple, get into a grappling situation with him, and he’ll submit you.
The legend B.J. Penn found it out firsthand. Penn was doing well for the first portion of the opening round, but Hall sprung for a heel hook, locked it in and forced a quick submission as Penn was forced to tap out.
The first man to EVER submit BJ Penn.
Wow, @RyanHall5050 #UFC232 pic.twitter.com/dCvhlVBP0g
— UFC (@ufc) December 30, 2018
Hall was complimentary of Penn in victory, but this really should be the end for the 40-year-old Hawaiian. It was his sixth-straight loss. As for Hall, his future is uncertain. It’s hard to find an opponent for him because it’s almost impossible to look good against him, and there is a high probability he’ll submit anyone who goes to the ground with him.
Petr Yan Pounds Douglas Silva de Andrade
After two rounds of punishment, Andrade’s corner smartly chose to call a halt to the bout during the break between the second and third rounds. Yan looked masterful as a striker and even more dominant from top position.
Petr Yan calls out John Lineker! Oh my. You like? #UFC232
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) December 30, 2018
Elbows from the top opened a bad cut on Andrade’s forehead and the fighter was too compromised to continue. Yan called out John Lineker after the bout. That could be an interesting bout because Lineker’s incredible power. If that bout is signed, expect to see it on a main card later this year.
Peter Yan outlanded Douglas Silva de Andrade 76-28 and 26-0 on the ground, per @FightMetric.
In 3 UFC fights, Yan has a +104 significant strike differential (201-97).#UFC232
— Greg Rosenstein (@grosenstein) December 30, 2018
Megan Anderson Stops Cat Zingano After Rare Toe to the Eye
Zingano can’t seem to get a break. In the early moments of her bout with Anderson, a kick from the latter landed in Zingano’s eye. She turned her back and retreated to the cage.
Referee Keith Peterson called a halt to the bout because when a fighter turns their back and retreats, it’s the same as a submission. The crowd booed, but it was just a freak situation. You have to feel for Zingano. She’s battled through layers of adversity in her career and just seems to be handed obstacle after obstacle.
Megan Anderson defeats Cat Zingano with a kick to the eye and a bizarre end #UFC232 #UFC #UFCnoCombate pic.twitter.com/Lfy9Zh2rw7
— Ronnie Laybold (@CoyotesGlendale) December 30, 2018
Hopefully her eye heels and she can salvage something of her career. Remember, she owns wins over Nunes and Miesha Tate in her career. She’s an elite fighter, but has had issues staying healthy.
Walt Harris Wins Agonizingly Boring Heavyweight Scrap
This was the worst fight on the card through the prelims. Harris won the decision, but it’s one of those fights I wish I could unsee. Somehow, one judge saw all three rounds for Andrei Arlovski. That was an interesting card.
Alexander Volkanovski Vanquishes Chad Mendes
This was one of my upset specials, and Volkanovski came through with the kind of smothering performance that inspired me to label him as the fastest-rising fighter in the lower weight classes. Volkanovski shook off a second-round knockdown and a pair of takedowns in the frame to paste Mendes with a steady diet of hard strikes.
Mendes has always had an issue with his gas tank, and that hasn’t changed. After the knockdown and failing to control Volkanovski on the ground following takedowns, Mendes’ stamina was depleted. A fresh and inspired Volkanovski went in for the kill.
Alexander Volkanovski (19-1) vaults into featherweight title contention, burning through Chad “Money” Mendes in round two! Now on a 16-fight tear (6-0 in the UFC), the Aussie has finished 14 of 19 wins. #UFC232 pic.twitter.com/TU6CrtYX4d
— Tanuki Usman (@Hamderlei) December 30, 2018
A series of punches to the midsection and head led to the finish. Volkanovski called out champion Max Holloway after the bout. He’ll be giving up a lot of size if he gets that matchup, but it will be interesting to see how well Holloway would handle an opponent that refuses to back, and whose wrestling is such a weapon.
Corey Anderson Pushes Pace To Overcome Ilir Latifi
While Latifi had the advantage with power shots, he didn’t land enough of them. Anderson ate the shots from the Swedish Sledgehammer well, and maintained his wind through a fast pace. Ilifi couldn’t do the same.
By the middle of the second round, Latifi was breathing heavily and through his mouth. Anderson turned up the pressure and broke Latfii down en route to the unanimous-decision victory. Anderson probably could have stopped him, but he kept it a bit safe.
At any rate, Anderson will rise in the rankings and he called out the red-hot Anthony Smith during his post-fight interview.
Michael Chiesa Submits Carlos Condit
After an entertaining first round that featured a number of slick submission opportunities from Condit, Chiesa exerted his dominance in the second round. Chiesa took the fight to the ground, grabbed a hold of Condit’s left harm to start a kimura.
Chiesa positioned his weight on Condit’s right side to gain leverage. Because of the angle, Chiesa was able to force the submission despite holding Condit’s arm with just his left hand. It was a high-skilled finish.
Obligatory sadness aside, what a nasty kimura from Michael Chiesa. The man tapped “The Natural Born Killer” with one arm, damn! pic.twitter.com/Q144fQbiL4
— Kyle Johnson (@Maldobabo) December 30, 2018
This was Chiesa’s first fight at welterweight and it’s clear 170 pounds is the right size for him. After the fight, he called out Neil Magny almost as if the bout had already been agreed to, so we’ll see.
