UFC Fight night hosted in Las Vegas took place on Sunday 24th March and featured some thrilling performances by talented prospects. I don’t usually watch UFC’s fight nights but since there was a ton of hype around this card, I decided to check it out and after watching these entertaining fights, I will definitely be tuning in more often.
This fight night was full of exciting matchups across various weight-classes and we were rewarded with early knockouts and glimpses of highly technical displays. Some of these prospects produced remarkable performances and although most of them are currently unranked within the UFC, I can see them stealing the limelight in the near future.
Padilla vs Pajuelo
UFC Fight night opened with a featherweight bout featuring two South Americans going at each other right from the start. The fight finished almost as soon as it started and it was very entertaining. Both fighters came out of their corners trowing combinations and swinging power shots at each other. It was like a competition of who could knock the other out quicker, never mind the three rounds, both fighters wanted to end the fight in the first and that’s exactly what Fernando Padilla did.
Pajuelo was pressing forward attempting to back Padilla up against the cage and while the former was throwing a punch, Padilla countered with a perfectly timed left-hook which immediately knocked Pajuelo off-balance and crashing into the mat. Padilla then went in for the kill with a ground and pound, however Pajuelo managed to summon a last gasp attempt at escape by shifting his body position away from Padilla.
However, this strategy backfired and offered Padilla the chance to tighten a triangle choke and earn him his 8th submission win and 11th first round finish. It was exciting to watch a fighter like Padilla who is so well rounded on his feet and able to change to grappling and employ submission techniques in a heartbeat. I’m definitely excited to see more of him.
Intriguing Prospects: Talbott vs Saaiman
Fight night continued with the same intensity through a Bantamweight clash between American Payton Talbott and South Africa’s Cameroon Saaiman. It was another relatively short fight but was probably my favourite fight. Talbott deservingly earned the ‘performance of the night’ award with his stellar display. Talbott dominated the fight right from the start of the first round, he continuously walked Saaiman down with reckless abandon and threw quick combinations of jabs, hooks and knees up the middle of the body.
The American looked very composed inside the octagon and didn’t rush anything, the timing and accuracy of his jabs were perfect, landing almost every time. Talbott was entertaining the crowd while putting on an exhibition, smiling whenever Saaiman landed a clean counter-punch and laughing it off like it didn’t even graze him.
Credit to Saaiman for deciding to keep the fight in a standing position throughout the first round and attempting to exchange blows without backing off. However, when the first round ended, it was obvious that a finish was coming soon. It’s astonishing that the South African even managed to survive the first round after taking that much punishment. Merely 21 seconds into the second round, Talbott caught Saaiman with a clean left-hand which knocked him down and then followed up with a quick barrage of ground and pound strikes until referee Herb Dean intervened to stop the fight.
Talbott is now on a 8-fight win streak and still undefeated. He looks so confident in his abilities and is very calm inside the cage, I believe the American is a wildcard and is a promising fighter who will soon wreak havoc in the Bantamweight division if he gets the opportunity. I was incredibly impressed by his performance in this fight night and I can’t wait to see him fight against a ranked opponent, hopefully very soon!
Main Event: Ribas vs Namajunas
UFC Fight night’s main event was undoubtedly a blockbuster for the entire five rounds and it proved to be a significant step forward for ‘Thug’ Rose Namajunas. Namajunas is a former two-time UFC Strawweight champion and this was only her second fight in the Flyweight devision since making the shift upwards seven months ago. Amanda Ribas on the other hand has been taking on fights across the Strawweight and Flyweight divisions over the last couple of years and it hasn’t gone too well for the Brazilian as she hasn’t been able to build momentum for a title shot in either division.
However, coming into fight night, she is currently ranked amongst the top 10 fighters in both divisions, which is a rare accomplishment. The pace of this fight was thrilling from the start right until the end. Both fighters are very technically gifted and were constantly trying to throw the other off by incorporating unorthodox combinations featuring back-kicks and spinning back-fists and elbows. Ribas continuously threw faints trying to create an opening, however Namajunas held a tight guard and stood firm on her feet.
There were glimpses of exciting grappling on the ground which were initiated by Ribas but well reversed by Namajunas nearly every time. Overall, both fighters were fighting forward and constantly exchanging combinations which made the fight more exciting. The fight was hard to call but Namajunas seemed to have a slight edge over the Brazilian because she was able to read the patterns thrown at her and counter strike at the perfect moment. Namajunas took the first two rounds but Ribas fought hard to come back in the third.
Despite the Brazilian’s best efforts to overturn the scorecard, the former two-time Strawweight champ just seemed to be more fine-tuned and was able to land more significant strikes while keeping her distance to evade heavy shots. Unsurprisingly, the fight went the full five rounds and I was actually disappointed it was over because I would gladly watch another five rounds. Namajunas won by unanimous decision and is now ranked 7th after only her second fight in the Flyweight division, taking her one step closer to a title opportunity.
