What made the most interest at UFC on ESPN + 32 in Las Vegas? Here are some post-fight musings …
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1. Swangin ‘and bangin’ in the record books
Derrick Lewis is a fairly exceptional figure in UFC history. He competes more often than any heavyweight and as a result, he quickly made an impression on the record books. However, he managed the big one on Saturday, setting a new mark for most knockouts in heavyweight history with his TKO from Aleksei Oleinik.
Lewis’ power is the ultimate game-changer, as we’ve seen time and time again. Whether it’s Alexander Volkov surviving a dose of fist-to-face in the bolt he’s definitely losing, or taking a small opening to blow Oleinik, after dealing with a heavy, Lewis has not much chance needed to end a fight.
Lewis was as humble as it gets when he discussed his place in UFC history after the fight. He was a bit surprised about the new bar-setter in the division where knockouts are most common, but he has been put to work to get there.
It was an epic night for Lewis, and while it remains to be seen where this win – which was his third straight – will take him, there is little doubt that he will only build on his plate in future fights.
2. Oh so close to Aleksei Oleinik
Aleksei Oleinik had Lewis right where he wanted him – not just once, but on several occasions in the main event. The funny ace could not have asked for better positions to work his game on “The Black Beast”, but his litany of tricks did not work out this time.
Oleinik tried powerfully to rip Lewis’ head off his shoulders for his 60th career win, but to no avail. That must be a hard pill to swallow, especially after Lewis allowed the tide to turn and the fight ended too early in the second round.
At 43, this felt like Oleinik’s moment to get a signature win that could elevate him to title fight. It did not realize, but it does not appear that the Russian intends to go anywhere. He said beforehand that he still has several years in the game, and although he could not make his moves on Lewis, there are still fighters that the veteran can be more effective against.
3. Chris Weidman rebounds
No one, including Chris Weidman, would claim that his performance against Omari Akhmedov was anything special. However, Weidman won with unanimous decision, and that prolongs his life as a relevant name in the sport.
It got a little dicey, with Weidman in the middle stages of the game. Akhmedov placed it on him in the second round, and it was a big question whether he could overcome opposition. Weidman did, and that only tells at this point in his career.
To be honest, Weidman has done nothing to show that he’s becoming a top middleweight again. What he did, however, is proof that he can compete with solid competition. It is very clear that Weidman is not done with this part of his life, and he wants to continue fighting for as long as possible. A loss here would have put him in a really rough spot, but winning prolongs his life in the sport longer.
With some pressure off his shoulders, Weidman might be able to perform a little looser next time. But judging by those achievements, he will have his hands full against anyone higher than Akhmedov on the rankings.
4. Benefit Dariush nets another highlight
Okay, this Beneil Dariush highlight role is nicely loaded with sick finishes. If you thought Drakkar Klose’s brilliant knockout in March was fun, then Scott Holtzman’s spinning backfist stop takes the pie as his best.
Dariush produced one of the more memorable knockouts of 2020 to date, when he absolutely flattened Holtzman in the first round of her catch weight camp, and now Dariush has won five right.
Looking at the UFC lightweight division landscape, Dariush should be considered one of the more underrated names. However, he lost weight for this, and that can not happen again. Hopefully giving up 20 percent of his scholarship and losing on a guaranteed bonus of $ 50,000 “Performance of the Night” teaches him that lesson.
Dariush has fallen short once in his past seven fights, and that was the memorable 42-second defeat against Alexander Hernandez in March 2018. He has since reeled five in a row and though, and with stops in the past four. With that body work, Dariush earns another crack at a top name at 155 pounds.
5. Kevin Holland saves himself
Last week, I based Kevin Holland pretty well on the classless way he handled Trevin Giles’ mystery blackout that caused her last-minute middleweight fight to be canceled at UFC on ESPN + 31.
It was not a good match, but he managed to erase that moment for the most part by creating a new one against Joaquin Buckley.
After his fight with Giles was called up, UFC put Holland back there seven days later for the matchup with Buckley, a promotional newcomer. Holland was sharper than he had ever been, and he grabbed his opponent apart, until he landed a dynamic right-hander who put Buckley on impact and flew his mouth guard.
Holland was rightly awarded a $ 50,000 bonus for his efforts, and his charisma shone through again during his media rounds after the battle. Let’s have more of that, please, and less of the garbage hypothesis about another fighter’s potentially serious medical issue.
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