UFC 226: RE-CAP

UFC 226: RE-CAP

Despite losing the scheduled co-main event in the week leading up to UFC 226 it was still the show it was meant to be, apart from the obvious one dud on the PPV card.

Around a year ago I was shaking my head that we live in a world where people cheer Jon Jones and boo Daniel Cormier. But finally nobody can surely deny Cormier his long overdue respect, and in beating Stipe Miocic to earn his 2nd UFC title he has, in my opinion, surpassed even the achievements of his great rival.

Cormier matches Conor McGregor in being a simultaneous UFC champion and is definitely in the conversation to be the greatest MMA fighter ever.

But early on the signs didn’t look good for Cormier I thought he would have been better coming in lighter, 246 seemed on the heavy side for the reigning light heavyweight champion and only 2 minutes in I thought he was already starting to feel the pace. But he seemed to find the range after soaking up some heavy punches himself. But the ending came suddenly Cormier landed a short right hand that dropped Miocic as they came out of the clinch, a little ground and pound made Cormier the new UFC heavyweight champion.

Brock Lesnar made his reappearance in a UFC cage and after a WWE style push and shove exchange we now know Lesnar will make his return for a massive fight with Cormier. Whatever we think of Lesnar getting the fight nobody will begrudge Cormier the ‘money fight’ and further down the line a 3rd fight with his nemesis looks an absolute certainty.

The fight between Derrick Lewis and Francis Ngannou promised fireworks and it delivered on every front we got a crazy fight with breath-taking exchanges with multiple knockdowns if only that was true. What we actually got was one of the worst fights I have ever seen. Ngannou only a short time ago was being touted as the next big thing, but is now riding a two-fight skid and gave one of the most inept performances I have witnessed. The very punches he threw had more of a self-preservation look rather than any meaningful intent of damage to his opponent.

When you are hyped as Ngannou was, you need to stay level-headed and not buy into the hype, it seems that Ngannou started to believe the hype and he faces a long road back to title contention based on what we saw against Lewis.

Anthony Pettis re-ignited his career with an upset win over Michael Chisea, he might not get back to where he once was but this win keeps him relevant. I’m not sure ‘Showtime’ is back but it keeps the show on the road.

Moving to a new camp seems to have helped Mike Perry, there seemed to be more method and thought behind his work. Felder fighting a much bigger opponent, injured and covered in blood kept coming and despite the loss doesn’t lose much, but he is a lightweight and that’s where his future should lie.

The decorated kickboxer Gokham Saki suffered a shocking stoppage to Khalil Rountree in the opening fight on the main card. Saki was always destined to have a short ride in the UFC but it might be even shorter than we thought, Rountree could be a much-needed new contender in the light heavyweight ranks.

Main Card Results: 

Daniel Cormier def. Stipe Miocic via KO (punches) – Round 1, 4:33
Derrick Lewis def. Francis Ngannou via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Mike Perry def. Paul Felder via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Anthony Pettis def. Michael Chiesa via submission – Round 2, 0:52
Khalil Rountree def. Gokhan Saki via knockout – Round 1, 1:36