UFC 313

From heel kicks to a subpar main event, UFC had a lot of action. As we dive into the main card, let's talk about what happened in the octagon.

The first bout was between Mauricio Ruffy and King Green. There has been a lot of drive and passion for these Brazilian Fighting Nerds with notable names leading the pack. One being Ruffy. At the start of the first round, the two engaged in an early distance battle with neither committing to massive shots. Green was leading the dance for a little bit looking to land his boxing combinations. But it didn't take long for Ruffy to throw a lead hook feint into a spinning wheel kick knockout which flattened Green out. One of, if not the best finishes I have seen all year. An amazing finish for Ruffy which will most likely boost him to a contender status.

Following this, we had a Women's Strawweight fight between two very seasoned fighters in Amanda Lemos and Iasmin Lucindo. I will not lie; my stream wasn't working for this fight so I couldn't see as much of the fight as I liked. But from the first bell it was a distance game with both ladies shooting long punches to measure the other out. Lemos eventually engaged a clinch and worked a takedown which she sustained constant pressure from the top for the rest of the round. The second round was made by the same clinch to takedown by Lemos, then my stream cut out so... Round three started with an aggressive start compared to the previous rounds with Lucindo most likely knowing she was down two rounds. Just as I see some punches being thrown, the stream crashed again on my end. I got to see the decision and Lemos won via UD. Another great display for the veteran.

Following this fight, we have the two tallest Lightweights in the UFC facing off. Ignacio Bahamondes and Jalin Turner with both men coming in at 6 foot 3 inches. The two started very fast and it didn't take long for a grappling scramble to ensue. Turner was landing good ground and pound. But just as the two were about to stand up and reset, Bahamondes threw up a triangle choke and secured the tap in spectacular fashion. As the decision was said, Jalin Turner was reportedly taking his gloves off and retiring from the sport. I do not know if this is official but we wish him the best of luck in his other endeavors.

Our Co-Main Event was set with Justin Gaethje rematching Rafael Fiziev. Both men are coming off of losses and looking to recreate the amazing fight we saw back at UFC 286. This being Fiziev's first fight since his knee injury against Gamrot back in September of 2022, we were excited to see the new Ataman. The first fight started with an unusual takedown from Fiziev and a very quick get up from Gaethje. Again, the stream crashed out during the final half of the round. The second round was started by Gaethje pressuring with his usual crashes in the center of the octagon. Both men's clinch work was being put on display and Gaethje was landing some very good shots up close. The third round was started by Fiziev putting more pressure and shooting takedowns, but Gaethje was countering all of them with his unorthodox style. The clinch work was still being put on display with both men landing knees, punches, and kicks in the clinch. The final decision came out to be Justin Gaethje Via UD. A great fight for him and an amazing return for Fiziev.

The Main Event featured "The One the Only" Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev. This has been a long time coming with these two being the best matchup for the belt since Jon Jones left the division. The first round was defined by Pereira's signature leg kicks. He was landing them consistently and powerfully. The second round started and immediately took a step forward in terms of pace. Ankalaev was leading the dance, putting Pereira on the back foot and managing distance with a beautiful teep kick. Right at the end of the round, Ankalaev threw a punch that stunned Pereira and could have ended the fight had the bell not rung. The third round was the closest round with more strikes from Pereira, but more cage control and pressure from Ankalaev. The fourth round was defined by Ankalaev's cage clinch putting on a masterclass of pressure and precise shots. The final round was a much more competitive fight with Ankalaev getting put on his back foot. Pereira throwed some head kicks which put some momentum in his sails. Ankalaev held a clinch for the rest of the round. The final decision was a UD for Ankalaev and a new Light Heavyweight King.

An amazing display from Ankalaev. Let us know what you think of these fights. Will talk to y'all soon. Thank you for reading.