UFC Takeaways: Fight Night ends rapidly with past due cancellation

Saturday’s primary tournament between Erin Blanchfield and Maycee Barber used to be known as off ahead of the athletes made the stroll to the Octagon, as Barber used to be deemed medically not able to compete.

The broadcast had completed environment the desk for the extremely expected and heated flyweight matchup, best to come back out of the pre-fight video package deal with Brendan Fitzgerald explaining that Barber used to be no longer able to make the stroll. Moments later, the bout used to be formally cancelled.

While there were cases the place bouts had been known as off on the ultimate moment, maximum significantly when Jamall Emmers used to be not able to sign up for Chas Skelly within the Octagon, however by no means a chief tournament.

Information about what led to Barber not to be cleared used to be unavailable within the quick wake of the cancellation, with the published crew ensuring to elucidate that she wasn’t medically cleared and have been sidelined for the final 12 months on account of quite a lot of scientific problems that experience no longer but been recognized.

After the bout used to be cancelled, Megan Olivi spoke with Blanchfield, who mentioned she used to be no longer excited by going through Barber at some point. She had expressed considerations about “The Future” making it to the combat, then persevered on with the combat after she overlooked weight on Friday morning, and now this occurs, leaving her with out the chance to position in combination that roughly efficiency that additional solidifies her position within the championship chase.

It can be fascinating to listen to extra main points at the scientific factor that sidelined Barber, and in the end see how the UFC opts to continue with Blanchfield.

What a extraordinary technique to finish the night time.

An informative light-weight combat

Mateusz Gamrot effectively defended his position within the peak 10 with a unanimous choice win over Ľudovit Klein, however the Slovakian confirmed he’s very a lot in a position to putting with one of the crucial peak names within the department.

Gamrot leaned on his grappling within the first and moment rounds, striking Klein at the canvas and controlling him there for prolonged stretches. He’s all the time chipping away, all the time a step forward, and the truth that he leans on methodology over muscle and tool makes him tough to deal with at the canvas. Things had been a bit extra open within the 3rd, with Klein having sure moments within the first part of the body ahead of Gamrot timed a degree trade and completed issues out touchdown from peak place.

This used to be a type of cases the place the adaptation in enjoy and status used to be obvious, but additionally a sign that Klein isn’t a ways off in the case of breaking into the ratings.

Gamrot simply has this kind of delicate, polished grappling sport this is a lot better than the rest Klein had confronted so far. He’s one of the most extra underrated lightweights within the promotion — be mindful, he beat Arman Tsarukyan in an excellent combat a pair years in the past — and continues to push to get the most important fights he can at each and every flip.

But this wasn’t all unhealthy for Klein, as he had some sure moments at other issues and did neatly to stay issues from going the entire approach unhealthy when he used to be caught grappling with Gamrot. It appears like a type of cases the place he wasn’t somewhat able for this giant of a step up in festival, however may just doubtlessly cling with the ones within the decrease 3rd of the highest 15.

Big wins for Vieira, Jacoby

Ketlen Vieira and Dustin Jacoby earned key wins at the primary card, albeit in very other fights and really other manners.

Vieira scored a unanimous choice win over Macy Chiasson in a conflict of 2 top-five bantamweights, out-striking her within the first ahead of leaning on her peak keep an eye on in the second one and 3rd. Chiasson minimize her with an elbow from off her again within the 3rd, however Vieira already had issues wrapped up at the scorecards, getting herself shifting in the best route once more within the procedure.

This used to be a vital win for the perennial contender, no longer simply since the identify is at the line subsequent week at UFC 316, but additionally as a result of Vieira had weight control problems all over the week, necessitating the bout being shifted as much as the featherweight department. While her efficiency isn’t going to earn her a championship alternative subsequent day trip, it must stay her within the thick of the chase going ahead.

One combat later, Jacoby wanted not up to two mins to dispatch Bruno Lopes for his second-straight stoppage win over a Brazilian hopeful.

The 37-year-old veteran wobbled Lopes with a stiff jab nearly straight away, and went trying to find the end right away. It took him a pair seconds to wreck from the clinch and get unfastened along with his arms once more after crashing ahead, however as soon as he did, he sat Lopes down alongside the fence.

A fixture within the department for the final a number of years, Jacoby spoke of in need of a possibility to get again into the ratings at some point — upon getting in some golfing — and after preventing Lopes and Vitor Petrino in consecutive outings, he may just rather well get his want. He’s the quintessential seasoned vet that each and every department wishes, and over his final two outings, Jacoby has proven that he’s no person’s stepping stone.

Ramiz Brahimaj is anyone to stay shut tabs on within the welterweight department after incomes a moment instantly first-round end.

After knocking out Mickey Gall final November in his New York homecoming, the 32-year-old put Billy Ray Goff to sleep with an uncongenial high-elbow guillotine on Saturday. Now coaching with trainer Mike Valle and warring parties like Belal Muhammad and Ignacio Bahamondes within the Chicago house, the common-or-garden Albanian has a 100 consistent with cent completing charge and turns out to have put his inconsistent techniques at the back of him.

It’ll be fascinating to look how he’s matched up subsequent day trip and if he can effectively navigate a step up in festival. He’s regarded exceptional in his final two outings, and if he can handle this type, Brahimaj may just make a push in opposition to the ratings.

Zachary Reese got here out at the satisfied facet of a hard-fought combat with fellow Dana White’s Contender Series grad Dusko Todorovic in the primary card opener.

The duelling middleweights, whom many anticipated would settle issues a technique or any other within the first 5 mins, went the total 15 as a substitute, with Reese touchdown the simpler pictures and awesome quantity all over. Reese profiles as an all-action fighter, however warring parties are beginning to paintings challenging to get within and strive against, neutralizing his putting, so it’s going to be fascinating to look what sort of changes and diversifications he can put into effect to counter that going ahead.

Allan Nascimento received an entertaining all-Brazilian grappling fit with Jafel Filho to wrap up the prelims, rallying to earn a blank sweep of the scorecards.

Filho ruled the primary around, striking Nascimento at the deck a lot of instances, operating to dominant positions and chasing submissions, together with a fastened one-arm guillotine past due within the body that momentarily regarded with regards to being completed. But in the second one and 3rd, Nascimento took benefit of Filho getting too excessive when having a look to take the again, dumping him excessive and settling into peak place, grinding out the remainder of each rounds from there.

The 33-year-old Chute Boxe Diego Lima product has been at the doorstep of the highest 15 all over his UFC run, and profiles as the type of unhealthy veteran risk that every weight elegance wishes. It’ll be fascinating to look if he sticks round after having overlooked weight on Friday, however for now, he can benefit from the candy style of good fortune.

Welcome again, Jordan Leavitt.

“The Monkey King” ended an 18-month absence with a speedy submission win over Kurt Holobaugh, taking the new TUF winner down within the first 25 seconds of the bout ahead of latching onto an anaconda choke and striking him to sleep. Leavitt has all the time been a work-in-progress at the ft, however he’s a risk at the canvas, and that used to be on complete show on this one, as Holobaugh is a sturdy grappler himself, and he were given utterly burnt up.

Bolaji Oki scored a cast win over Michael Aswell on Saturday’s prelims, leaning on his energy and presence to distance himself from the short-notice substitute because the combat stepped forward, incomes 29-28 rankings around the board. Oki is a bodily specimen and has proven flashes of promise in his two UFC victories, however the actual takeaway from this one used to be the gameness proven via Aswell, a herbal featherweight who took the combat on Tuesday.

We’ve observed eventualities like this a number of instances up to now, the place anyone offers a cast appearing in defeat up a department ahead of shifting backtrack and having good fortune, and Aswell looks as if he may well be a type of guys. He received the primary around on all 3 scorecards, and hung tricky as Oki settled in and began distancing himself, however a complete camp and a go back to the 145-pound weight elegance must produce a fair higher appearing subsequent day trip.

It used to be a a laugh scrap between Alice Ardelean and Rayanne dos Santos to open the display, with Ardelean popping out forward at the scorecards. The 33-year-old used to be sharp from the outset and landed the heavier blows all over, smiling the entire approach via.

During the bout, Laura Sanko famous that dos Santos has up to now competed at atomweight (105 kilos), thinking about how just right she would glance if the UFC introduced the department into the fold at some point. While there were no introduced plans so as to add the load elegance to the promotion, don’t be shocked if the speculation continues to realize traction, particularly as attainable representatives like dos Santos display toughness and grit whilst competing within the strawweight ranks.