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UFC 239 Results Highlights Fight Grades And Analysis

UFC 239 Results Highlights Fight Grades And Analysis

  • By michael@cvcteam.com
  • |

Jon Jones is fortunate to have escaped Las Vegas with his Light Heavyweight Championship on Saturday night in the main event of UFC 239.

Jones took a razor-thin split decision over Thiago Santos as he seemed to have trouble handling the explosive Brazilian’s speed, but did enough to keep his title. Two judges scored the fight for Jones and one for Santos with all three scoring the bout 48-47.

This marked the first time in Jones’ career that an opponent has ever won a fight against him on any of the three judges’ scorecards. Jones was tentative and judicious with his offense–almost to a fault. Santos set the pace early with some hard calf kicks but seemed to hurt his knee in the second round. Jones moved forward the entire fight and outlanded Santos in all but one round.

However, at times, it seemed Santos was the more dangerous fighter.

Jones did a lot of good work on Santos’ midsection and legs with kicks, but all but one round (the third) could have gone either way without controversy. When it was over, both men needed help walking from the cage because of injured legs, and I was left wondering when the rematch would be announced.

Santos wasn’t robbed. I did score the fight for the champion, 48-47. However, after watching Jones leave no doubt against almost every opponent he’s ever faced, it appears he has some unfinished business with Santos.

Amanda Nunes is the greatest female fighter in history, and the UFC Women’s Bantamweight and Featherweight Champion put an exclamation point on that statement.

A nasty head kick sent Holm to the seat of her pants and follow-up shots left the former champion incapacitated. Here is a look at the finish:

ANOTHER FIRST ROUND KO!!

Amanda Nunes! (via @ufc) pic.twitter.com/d3XE09Iixp

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) July 7, 2019

Holm was attempting to give Nunes some different looks with her movement but got caught with her right leg, and off balance. That opening was enough for Nunes to smash her with a head kick. Nunes has now defeated every woman who has ever held the bantamweight and featherweight titles. Nunes also owns two wins over the current UFC Flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko.

There are no more logical questions about Nunes’ all-time greatness.

Her case is more open and shut that anyone in the history of the sport, regardless of gender. Here is a look at all of the results.

Former Invicta standout Julia Avila ran her record to 6-1 with a clear unanimous-decision victory over Pannie Kianzad. Avila’s striking defense has some holes, but she was just too strong in the clinch, and her shots had more steam on them than her opponent.

Avila dropped and stunned Kianzad on multiple times, and skated to a hard-fought, but clear victory.

Chance Rencountre Upsets Ismail Naurdiev

Despite being one of the biggest underdogs on the card, Rencountre used his dominant wrestling game to prevail over the celebrated Naurdiev. Rencountre’s chin was tested as Naurdiev landed some powerful shots in the first round. Ultimately, Rencountre would use those strikes as an opportunity to initiate his wrestling.

With consistent top control and timely ground strikes, Rencountre walked away with the easy victory.

Edmen Shahbazyan Destroys Jack MarshmanThe 21-year-old prospect is beginning to look more like a contender with every win. Shahbazyan blasted Marshman out in a little over a minute with a takedown and monstrous ground and pound.

The win pushed Shahbazyan’s record to a perfect 10-0. Shahbazyan may not be quite ready for a Top-15 ranking, but at the very least, he has to be ready for a ranked opponent.

Song Yadong Makes it a Great Night For 21-Year-OldsAfter Shahbazyan dazzled with his destruction of Marshman, Song Yadong put on an even more impressive performance against an even more highly regarded opponent. With one explosive right hand, the 21-year-old Chinese up-and-comer destroyed No. 13-ranked Alejandro Perez.

The Team Alpha Male product looks like a future world-champion contender at 135 pounds. Perez is a tough competitor and for Song to have marched through him with such ease will do wonders for his standing moving forward. If the UFC is looking for a male Chinese star to go with Weili Zhang on the women’s side, Song may be the guy.

Claudia Gadelha Defeats Randa Markos in a Snoozefest

This fight was the first bad one on the night, but Gadelha did what she had to do against a tentative Markos. Galdelha’s hands were quicker and her shots appeared to land with more power. It was an easy decision for the judges, but due to the lack of action, it wasn’t easy to watch for fans.

Marlon Vera Fights Off Tough Challenge to Submit Nohelin Hernandez

Chito is a professional fighter. After a strong first round, Vera found himself in a tough situation in the second round. Hernandez’s striking and a surprise takedown had him in control in the second, but Vera got to his feet. A hard left uppercut to the body hurt Hernandez and set up a flying knee that led to the latter being flattened out on his belly.

Vera locked in the rear-naked choke to get a quick submission.

Melendez has some things to think about as it pertains to his MMA future. After a layoff of nearly two years, he came back to the Octagon to face Allen and was completely overmatched. Allen’s striking was sharper. He pounded the veteran’s body and walked away with all three rounds on the judges’ scorecards. Melendez has now lost five fights in a row. That’s never a good look for a 37-year-old. If he escapes the UFC’s cut line, he has to ask himself if it’s worth it to continue competing.

Allen is now 16-1 with a 6-0 record in the UFC.

Michael Chiesa Dominates Diego Sanchez

For 15 minutes, Chiesa rag-dolled Sanchez throughout the fight. Quite honestly, this one could have been scored 30-24 with all three rounds scored 10-8. That’s how dominant Chiesa was for every second of the fight.

Sanchez left Jackson/Wink a few weeks ago and instead went with what looked like a very inexperienced cornerman. The change didn’t look to have benefited Sanchez. He wasn’t prepared to do anything beyond surviving against an ultra-powerful Chiesa who has found himself at welterweight.

Jan Blachowicz Decimates Luke Rockhold

As usual, Rockhold talked a lot, but he didn’t deliver. He came out with a kick-heavy attack but wound up knocked out cold when underdog Blachowicz obliterated him with a crushing left hook. In the first 45 seconds of the fight, Rockhold landed some powerful kicks to the body. He then went for a takedown that he was unable to complete against the cage.

That was the turning point in the fight. Blachowicz proved to be much stronger as a grappler than Rockhold expected. The polish light heavyweight badly dazed Rockhold late in the first round, but the latter was saved by the bell. In the second round, a careless Rockhold felt Blachowicz’s power when the latter landed a crushing left hook that knocked him out cold. A follow-up shot wasn’t needed, but it ushered in referee Herb Dean’s stoppage.

The fight was Rockhold’s first at light heavyweight and he had talked about challenging his training partner Daniel Cormier’s arch-rival Jon Jones. It’s safe to say, that’s not happening. Meanwhile, Blachowicz has re-established himself at 205 pounds.

Jorge Masvidal Ends The Askren Feud In 5 Seconds

That didn’t take long. Masvidal knew Askren was going to shoot for a takedown, and he was prepared for it. In the first two seconds of the fight, Masvidal ran at his opponent and launched a flying knee that landed square on the side of Askren’s head. Askren was out cold immediately. Unfortunately, the referee was out of position and Masvidal landed two unnecessary punches before the fight could be stopped.

Masvidal taunted Askren as he was out cold, which was a bit classless considering, but if nothing else, it was consistent with who he’s been over the years. Masvidal’s KO was the fastest in history and should have him set up for a title shot.

It was a night of memorable finishes and a peculiar main event, but a great show nonetheless.

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