UFC Fight Island 2 fell last night (Saturday, July 18, 2020) from inside the Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The headlining act saw Deiveson Figueiredo take down Joseph Benavidez three times before sending him in the first round to win the vacant Flyweight title (see him again here). In the co-main event, Jack Hermansson achieved an impressive submission victory via heel hook over Kelvin Gastelum early in the opening round (highlights).
Winner: Deiveson Figueiredo
Who should you fight next: Brandon Moreno
Alexandre Pantoja saw his hopes of competing for the 125-pound title fade in Abu Dhabi after falling short against Askar Askarov. Yes, Moreno is classified one place ahead of Pantoja, but with a victory, Alexandre could have jumped him in the ranking. And since Pantoja has a win over Moreno, and his only loss since 2018 is against Figueiredo, “The Cannibal” could have made a great case for a title shot. Instead, Moreno is guaranteed to have the first opportunity to try to dethrone “Daico.” Brandon has won three straight games and fought for a divided draw against Askarov. While Figueiredo is already looking for bantamweight fights, he needs to slow down and defend his belt multiple times.
Winner: Jack Hermansson
Who Should I Fight Next: Whittaker vs. Till Winner
With his impressive victory over Kelvin Gastelum, Hermansson moves to 5-1 in his last six UFC fights. Israel Adesanya is set to defend his 185-pound leash against Paulo Costa in September, giving the rest of the division some time to produce the next title challenge. Darren Till and Robert Whittaker are set to collide this Saturday. (July 25, 2020), and the winner must be prepared to face “The Joker” in a knockout title fight. I am not trying to forget Jared Cannonier, but it is not known when he will return after the pectoral muscle was torn. For now, those should be the plans unless “Killa Gorilla” enters the mix sooner rather than later.
Winner: Rafael Fiziev
Who should you face next: Alexander Hernandez
Yes, Figueiredo and Hermansson had stellar performances, but Fiziev stole the show last night with his “Fight of the Night” performance against Marc Diakiese. It was a launch party for “Ataman,” who hadn’t really jumped at most in his first two UFC outings. But his surprising attack last night captivated fans of the fight, as did his aggressiveness and Matrix-like defense. The power in his kicks could apparently be felt through his streaming device, making him wonder what kind of pain Diakiese is feeling this morning. I’m excited to see him fight again and I think a fight against Hernandez makes sense and putting Fiziev against anyone in the Top 15 doesn’t make it. Hernández has a decent name and, despite losing to Drew Dober, it can still be a big challenge for Fiziev.
Winner: Ariane Lipski
Who should I fight next: Gillian Robertson
After dropping his first two fights inside the Octagon, Lipski now enjoys a streak of two consecutive wins after his impressive first-round finish over Luana Carolina through the knee bar. A fight against Robertson looks attractive, as both women are currently out of the ranking looking. Robertson is coming off a victory over Cortney Casey last month, so her return dates could perfectly line up for a showdown in a few months.
Winner: Askar Askarov
Who should you fight next: Alex Perez
Askarov continues to win, picking up the 12th victory over Alexandre Pantoja to remain undefeated (12-0-1, 2-0-1 UFC). It stands to reason that he faces Alex Pérez next, who is ranked a couple of places ahead of him right now. Pérez is enjoying a streak of three wins and a place in the Top 5 right now, so a win over him would be a huge boost for Askarov. And vice versa. The 125-pound division appears to be working well after rumors surfaced that it would be removed from the UFC roster last year.
To complete UFC Fight Island 2: “Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2” results and game by game click HERE!
