French Connection
Junior Dos Santos vs. Ciryl Gane
Heavyweight Fight
This was a great big man fight. Standing up the whole time, looking for finishes. Gane seemed to be waiting for his spot, and when he found it he didn’t hesitate. Gane hit Dos Santos with a huge elbow that was actually called into question as potentially illegal. The commentary team, and the official they had on standby all decided it was a legal hit. This was a big win for Gane, he’s got a lot of potential.
Rating: 8/10
Result: 2nd Round KO for Ciryl Gane
Started from the Bottom
Jacare Souza vs. Kevin Holland
Middleweight Fight
This fight started fast and furious and went to the ground early. Souza wanted to keep the fight down, but that didn’t stop Holland. Holland landed some huge shots from his back, including one that opened the door for a finish. Holland took out Souza after that. No matter what you call him, “Big Mouth” or “Trailblazer” Kevin Holland is the real deal.
Rating: 9/10
Result: 1st Round KO for Kevin Holland
Brazil’s Finest
Mackenzie Dern vs. Virna Jandiroba
Women’s Strawweight Fight
This was a straight up slugfest, both ladies were looking for a finish from the start. Dern was smart to take on Jandiroba aggressively. It was back and forth tagging for all three rounds and both fighters got some ground control to even the numbers out. The exchanges of hands always seemed to lean Dern’s way, and it showed when the judges totals were revealed.
Rating: 9/10
Result: Unanimous Decision for Mackenzie Dern
Ground Control
Tony Ferguson vs. Charles Oliveira
Lightweight Fight
This was a very one sided fight. Oliveira amassed almost 11 minutes of ground control time. Ferguson just didn’t seem ready, or he was expecting a different kind of fight. Oliveira is a major force in the Lightweight division, and a win over a name like Ferguson will move him quite a bit up the ladder.
Rating: 8/10
Result: Unanimous Decision for Charles Oliveira
Main Event
Fight of the Year?
Flyweight Championship Fight
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno
This was an absolute scrap. A war. A slobberknocker. Pick an adjective, it fits. The big embrace at the end was very fitting, tons of respect going both ways. Figueiredo said that he wanted Moreno to strike with him, and Moreno listened. Both men survived close calls with knockouts, and found ways to use their hands that would amaze anyone. This truly is a fight of the year candidate, and I think we’re all actually happy there wasn’t a finish, this one deserved all 25 minutes.
Rating: 9.75/10
Result: Majority Draw, One Judge went 47-46 for Figueiredo, other two went 47-47
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