Final evening (Sat., Aug. 3, 2024), Final Combating Championship (UFC) ventured forth to the Etihad Area in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates for UFC Abu Dhabi. A uncommon non-PPV card inside Etihad, the present was nonetheless stacked with extra expertise and greater names than the same old free occasion. The afternoon showtime was a pleasant change of tempo as properly — why couldn’t we do this final week for the English followers and fighters once more? — which all in all made for a standout occasion. It was nearly sufficient to miss the most recent ritual sacrifice of Tony Ferguson!
Let’s have a look again over at UFC Abu Dhabi’s greatest performances and methods:
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The Subsequent Title Challenger
There’s no approach round it: Umar Nurmagomedov is actually rattling good.
Cory Sandhagen got here absolutely ready to upset the Russian and steal away his undefeated file. Within the first spherical, he successfully denied all of Nurmagomedov’s takedowns and started chewing up the lead leg. It was as sturdy a begin as Group Sandhagen might have hoped for, but it wasn’t destined to final.
Nurmagomedov slowly closed the hole within the arise. His personal kicking sport was efficient in slowing Sandhagen’s toes, and although his takedowns weren’t leading to a lot management, they nonetheless restricted Sandhagen’s quantity and general work fee. Subsequently, Nurmagomedov’s personal palms began getting nearer and nearer to the goal, and by the third, he was straight up out-landing Sandhagen upstairs.
Sandhagen discovered himself in fairly the dilemma. He was falling behind on the scorecards, but he wasn’t successful the vary battle. He tried to up the stress, however that’s by no means actually been his sport. With out the feints and footwork trickery he’s recognized for, Sandhagen’s elevated stress actually solely noticed Nurmagomedov land extra usually.
Don’t get me improper: each spherical was aggressive from begin to end. On the similar time, Nurmagomedov remained a step forward all through. Although his wrestling expertise definitely didn’t damage, it’s wild to think about a grappler as dominant as Nurmagomedov can be expert sufficient on the toes to out-fox a veteran kickboxer like Cory Sandhagen.
Sean O’Malley or Merab Dvalishvili have their work minimize out.
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A Excessive-Quantity Middleweight
Shara Magomedov’s greatest side may simply be conditioning.
Significantly, the man fights at an outrageous tempo. Simply final weekend, we noticed Giga Chikadze wilt from making an attempt to make use of the identical sport plan towards Arnold Allen, however Chikadze fights 40 kilos decrease! Michal Oleksiejczuk is a gamer and pushed a tough tempo. He (principally) did what he was purported to do to check the prospect, and Magomedov was largely capable of reply these questions in good kind.
All of it comes again to conditioning although. How is such an enormous man capable of kick so rapidly whereas working circles across the cage with out badly fatiguing? The truth is, it was Oleksiejczuk who ended the struggle extra worn out, as a result of he walked by means of so many exhausting physique and low kicks whereas making an attempt to press the Russian.
Even when Magomedov did begin to sluggish, it was gentle, and Oleksiejczuk was too battered to actually take benefit. I’m not bought on Shara “Bullet” as a future champion, however he clearly has some distinctive attributes in his favor.
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A Pointless Combat
Michael Chiesa choked out Tony Ferguson briefly style, similar to all people anticipated. Ferguson refused to decide to retirement, similar to everybody anticipated. Now that the struggle is completed, it’s time for one thing rather less predictable: will UFC truly give Ferguson a ninth alternative after eight straight defeats?
I hope not.
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The Finest Joel Alvarez But
I anticipated Joel Alvarez vs. Elves Brener to be a banger — everybody did! I additionally anticipated it to be a really aggressive struggle, which appeared to be the overall consensus as properly however in the end proved to be very improper!
Alvarez beat the crap out of Brener. From the primary bell, he was capable of set up his vary and stick Brenner with highly effective, lengthy punches. The Brazilian is thought for his grit, his capability to take harm and hearth again, however the strikes of Alvarez had been attending to him. Alvarez was capable of damage his opponent badly sufficient that Brener just about accepted Alvarez’s vary fairly than danger strolling by means of photographs.
That strategic choice delayed the end to the third spherical however didn’t stop it. Alvarez’s shot choice was so good: chopping low kicks, exhausting straights, and onslaughts of clinch knees and elbows. He broke Brener down, threatened him with a number of tight submissions, and in the end completed with a couple of dozen connections in a row.
The late end was additionally spectacular as a result of Alvarez cuts quite a lot of weight. He saved his tempo your entire struggle and nonetheless had the power to surge in direction of the stoppage late, hopefully incomes himself one other alternative towards a ranked foe.
Photograph by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC by way of Getty Pictures
Mild Heavyweight’s Finest Boxer? (Apart From Pereira)
Azamat Murzakanov stands out from the Mild Heavyweight pack.
The Russian improved to 4-0 final evening by knocking out Alonzo Menifield, a harmful if flawed veteran of the division. Murzakanov just about took him other than the primary bell, and he did so by way of good ol’ boxing. There are quite a lot of strikers within the Mild Heavyweight High 15, however what number of of them truly construct combos? What number of of them feint their approach into exchanges, land, after which exit at an angle? Hardly any. It’s a division stuffed with rangy kickers, wild males, and occasional grapplers.
At 35 years of age, Murzakanov’s window to do one thing main at 205-pounds is small, and his behavior of slowing down over the course of fights isn’t nice. Nonetheless, he’s an attention-grabbing participant within the division, and he may simply be capable of crack a couple of heads within the High 10 earlier than all is claimed and completed.
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Lastly!
The night began with 5 straight choices, and solely a kind of fights (beneath) was notably attention-grabbing. Thankfully, Kaue Fernandes broke the streak, totally battering Mohammad Yahya en path to a first-round end.
Because it so usually does, the destruction started with the calf kick. Fernandes attacked the lead leg early, capitalizing upon his opponent’s upright stance. Earlier than lengthy, Yahya was compromised and began wanting uncomfortable in exchanges as a result of he was having problem planting his weight.
“The UAE Warrior” was in a foul approach, and he made the choice to cost. Sadly for him, Fernandes stood his floor with a cracking 3-2 mixture. Each punches landed exhausting, flooring Yahya and forcing the end.
Not a foul first UFC win for the Brazilian!
Further Ideas
Guram Kutateladze defeats Jordan Vucenic by way of unanimous choice: This was a top quality scrap between gifted unranked Lightweights! Brief-notice debutant Vucenic began sturdy, utilizing feints and good motion to line up a tough proper hand that floored Kutateladze. The Georgian was capable of rally again, nonetheless, utilizing physique work and takedowns to sluggish the struggle and power himself again into the motive force’s seat. Vucenic is a welcome addition to the division, and Kutateladze appears to repeatedly finds himself in shut, hard-fought battles no matter opponent.
For full UFC Abu Dhabi: “Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov” outcomes and play-by-play, click on HERE!
