Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. Robert
Whittaker is on the verge of getting a chance to reclaim the
Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight belt. The ex-champion put on a striking master class against Kelvin
Gastelum in the
UFC on ESPN 22 main event, sweeping the scorecards by a trio of
50-45 counts. Whittaker (23-5, 14-3 UFC) has now bested Gastelum,
Jared
Cannonier and Darren Till
in succession since relinquishing the 185-pound title to Israel
Adesanya in October 2019.
“I’m feeling on top of the world,” Whittaker said. “Obviously this
was a very hard fight. I think a lot of people were selling Kelvin
short because of where he’s ranked, but I think he’s a very tough
fight.”
The PMA Super Martial Arts representative was one step ahead of
Gastelum (16-6, 1 NC, 11-6, 1 NC UFC) for the entire 25 minutes.
Whittaker set the tone when he briefly dazed Gastelum with a head
kick in the opening stanza, and although “The Ultimate Fighter 17”
winner survived that moment, he never had an answer for his
opponent’s diverse offensive arsenal.
Whittaker attacked with crisp punching combinations — often of the
countering variety — and kicks to the head, legs and body while
sprinkling in the occasional takedown, including one that put a
final stamp on his victory with two minutes remaining in the fight.
To his credit, Gastelum absorbed everything Whittaker had to offer.
While Gastelum pressured his foe consistently, Whittaker utilized
good footwork and movement to avoid taking serious damage.
Gastelum, who stepped in as a replacement for Paulo
Costa, has lost four of his last five UFC appearances.
Whittaker, meanwhile, has a rematch with Adesanya in his
sights.
“I think it’s about time we crossed paths once again,” Whittaker
said. “I think we can get a sold out stadium.”
Arlovski Earns 20th UFC Triumph
Andrei
Arlovski continues to find a way.
The former heavyweight champion got stronger as the fight
progressed to capture a three-round verdict against Chase
Sherman in Saturday’s co-main event. All three judges scored
the fight for Arlovski: 29-28, 29-28 and 29-28. Sherman (15-7, 3-6
UFC) saw a four-bout winning streak come to an end.
Sherman had “The Pit Bull” in trouble in Round 1, when he appeared
to briefly stun him and flurried with punches against the fence.
Arlovski (31-20, 20-14 UFC) was able to survive the barrage,
however, and he gradually took control over the final two rounds.
The 42-year-old
American Top Team product landed quick punching combinations to
the head and body, chopped away at the lead leg and connected with
push kicks to the midsection. By Round 3, Sherman admitted to his
corner that he was having difficulty planting on his leg.
Nonethless, “The Vanilla Gorilla” urged his foe to meet him in the
center of the Octagon in the waning seconds of the fight, but by
then Arlovski had built too big a lead on the scorecards.
Arlovski has been victorious in four of six promotional appearances
dating back to July 2019.
Malkoun Grinds Past Reeling Alhassan
Jacob
Malkoun never gave Abdul
Razak Alhassan an opportunity to breathe, as he captured a
dominant three-round verdict in a middleweight scrap. Malkoun (5-1,
1-1 UFC) cruised on the scorecards, receiving a trio of 30-27 marks
from the cageside judges. Alhassan, who was making his 185-pound
debut in the Octagon, has lost three straight bouts after winning
four of his first five promotional appearances.
Malkoun (5-1, 1-1 UFC) made no effort to disguise his game plan.
From the outset, the Robert
Whittaker training partner pressured the heavy-handed Alhassan,
landing multiple takedowns in the opening frame and draining his
opponent’s energy meter. That strategy continued for the rest of
the fight, including a lopsided Round 2 in which Malkoun threatened
with multiple chokes while on the mat. Thanks to his inability to
remain upright and off the cage, Alhassan never had a chance to
unleash his potent striking.
Wrestling Carries Cortez Past Kish
Tracy
Cortez relied on takedowns and grappling to earn a
split-decision triumph over Justine
Kish in a flyweight affair. Derek Cleary scored the fight 29-28
and Rick Winter had it 30-27, both for Cortez, while Sal D’Amato
submitted a 29-28 tally for Kish. It was Cortez’s first 125-pound
appearance in the promotion after two wins at bantamweight, but the
Fight Ready representative missed weight by 0.5 pounds on
Friday.
Cortez (9-1, 3-0 UFC) did some of her best work in Round 1, when
she punished Kish with heavy hammerfists from inside the guard and
then spent a significant portion of the period attached to her
opponent’s back. Cortez executed back takes in the second and third
round as well, but Kish (7-4, 3-4 UFC) was more competitive over
the final 10 minutes thanks to her standup acumen — including
buckling her foe with a counter right hand late in the final
frame.
Pena Takes Split Verdict Over Munoz
“The Ultimate Fighter 27” competitor Luis Pena
earned a hard-fought split-decision triumph against Alex Munoz
in a lightweight encounter. Judges Sal D’Amato and Rick Winter saw
the fight 29-28 for “Violent Bob Ross,” while Michael Bell favored
Munoz by a 29-28 count. Pena (9-3, 5-3 UFC) is now 1-2 within the
Las Vegas-based promotion in bouts that go to split decision.
Munoz (6-2, 0-2 UFC) set the pace early, as he found Pena’s chin
with right hands while blending in takedowns and clinch work. Pena
began to find his rhythm in Round 2 and that continued into the
final five minutes, as he tagged the
Team Alpha Male wrestling coach with long punches, kicks and
the occasional knee. Over time, Pena’s flowing offense had the
hard-charging Munoz on his back foot.
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