MACAU, CHINA – NOVEMBER 22: Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazil poses on the size throughout the UFC Combat Night time weigh-in at Andaz Macau on November 22, 2024 in Macau, China. (Photograph by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
UFC Macau featured a particular early combat card for North American viewers who had been rewarded with an absolute deal with in the event that they tuned in. This card was motion packed from begin to end and the 13-fight card featured six finishes. The 6-fight fundamental card additionally delivered with half of the fights ending in finishes. There have been comebacks, upsets and naturally, numerous violence. Most dropping fighters on this fundamental card are in attention-grabbing positions resulting from age and positions of their respective weight courses.
Deiveson Figueiredo
Petr Yan fully shut out former UFC Flyweight Champion, Deiveson Figueiredo, in a five-round thrashing. The loss marks Figueiredo’s first defeat at bantamweight within the UFC. Figueiredo was an ideal 3-0 on the 135lbs. since shifting up in January of final 12 months. Figueiredo has defeated Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt and Marlon Vera within the time since then.
Deiveson entered the combat ranked at #5 within the UFC’s bantamweight division, whereas his opponent, Petr Yan, was ranked at #3. This loss and the way in which Figueiredo misplaced undoubtedly impacts his trajectory within the division. Figueiredo turns 37 subsequent month which can sign Figueiredo must make an pressing marketing campaign to the belt.
With that in thoughts, Figueiredo ought to combat Music Yadong in his subsequent combat. Music can also be coming off a unanimous determination loss to Petr Yan at UFC 299, again in March. Yadong is at the moment ranked at #8 within the UFC’s bantamweight division and has regarded promising in his 14 combat UFC tenure.
Winner of this combat may presumably be a win or two away from a title shot within the clogged higher ranks of the bantamweight division. Producing a end on this matchup can be a profession assertion and doubtlessly place the victor in speedy title shot conversations. To not point out Figgy is 10 years older than Music, good previous blood vs new blood.
Deiveson’s subsequent combat: Music Yadong
Tabatha Ricci
Tabatha Ricci was completely outclassed on the toes by high ranked Xiaonan Yan, in a unanimous determination defeat within the UFC Macau co-main occasion. Ricci is now 2-1 within the 2024 calendar 12 months having defeated Tecia Pennington by cut up determination and most just lately Angela Hill by unanimous determination.
Tabatha Ricci began the combat ranked at #10 whereas her opponent, Yan Xiaonan, entered the combat ranked at #2. This was an enormous present for Ricci, and sadly, she fumbled on the aim line.
Logically, it is sensible to present Tabatha extra of a step again at this level. Ricci’s subsequent combat ought to be in opposition to Marina Rodriguez. Marina is at the moment ranked at #9 within the strawweight division however has been on a little bit of a slide just lately. Rodriguez has misplaced 4 of her final 5 fights courting again to late 2022. Her solely win in that point interval was in opposition to a now retired Michelle Waterson-Gomez (struggling losses to Amanda Lemos, Virna Jandiroba, Jessica Andrade and Iasmin Lucindo). Rodriguez was final in motion at UFC 307 in October when she dropped a cut up determination to Iasmin Lucindo. Excellent combat to see the place Marina is as a competitor as earlier than that five-fight stretch, she had gained in opposition to Mackenzie Dern and Xiaonan Yan. Can be one other strong measuring stick for Tabatha as effectively.
Tabatha’s subsequent combat: Marina Rodriguez
Kenan Music
Kenan Music was on the receiving finish of a spotlight reel spinning heel kick KO courtesy of his opponent, Muslim Salikhov. Music has struggled closely just lately as he’s gone 2-3 since March of 2023. Music has fought and misplaced to strong names throughout that point together with each Ian Machado Garry and Kevin Jousset.
It’s a troublesome loss, to a 40-year-old in Salikhov, but it surely doubtless says extra concerning the skillset of his opponent (particularly that approach) than it does about Music.
Jerimiah Wells can be a aggressive subsequent matchup for Music. Wells is a 6-fight UFC veteran that’s at the moment on a two-fight dropping skid. Jerimiah pulled out of his UFC 302 bout with Niko Worth again in June because of an undisclosed harm. Wells was final within the octagon again in March when he dropped a cut up determination to Max Griffin. It’d be a strong matchup to see which fighter can get again on the profitable observe.
Muslim’s subsequent combat: Jerimiah Wells
Cong Wang
Cong Wang suffered the primary defeat of her professional MMA profession at UFC Macau on Saturday. Her opponent, Gabriella Fernandes, pulled off an inconceivable comeback to upset Wang. Now Cong might want to take a look at how she will be able to proceed to boost her inventory. Wang is now 1-1 with the UFC.
Wang, has star energy as she gained a kickboxing world championship over present UFC ladies’s flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko, in 2015 (albeit controversially). That being stated, Wang ought to draw a fighter like Veronica Hardy in her subsequent combat. Hardy has been within the UFC since 2016 and regardless that she is 4-5 with the promotion, has heated up just lately. Hardy is 3-1 in her final 4 fights, having misplaced in her final day out in opposition to Eduarda Moura, at UFC 309 earlier this month. Nice combat to e-book because it offers Wang one other fighter with a full MMA arsenal and UFC tenure however not too excessive up of a step for her.
Cong’s subsequent combat: Veronica Hardy
Volkan Oezdemir
Volkan Oezdemir turned in a tough fought fifteen minutes however dropped a unanimous determination to his youthful counterpart, Carlos Ulberg.
Oezdemir entered the combat with the #8 rating within the UFC’s mild heavyweight division. Carlos entered the combat ranked at #10.
This can be a robust loss for 35-year-old Oezdemir who had gained two in a row, stopping Bogdan Guskov and Johnny Walker within the first spherical. Volkan has struggled to win a number of fights in a row and appears to search out himself in the direction of the center to backside of the rankings typically.
Volkan ought to combat Azamat Murzakanov in his subsequent combat. Azamat is ranked at #11 within the UFC’s mild heavyweight division. It’s a harmful combat for Volkan however then once more there aren’t many within the weight class that aren’t. The new prospect is 14-0 as a professional and 4-0 within the UFC with three finishes. Azamat completed #15 ranked, Alonzo Menifield in his final day out, again in August. A combat with a former title challenger like Volkan can be a superb take a look at for each males. A end out of both man would sign an emergence or reemergence to the division.
Volkan’s subsequent combat: Azamat Murzakanov
Ozzy Diaz
Ozzy Diaz was completed within the first spherical by Mingyang Zhang within the opening combat on the primary card of UFC Macau. An unlucky consequence for the UFC debut of Diaz after he gained a pair of LFA fights instantly following his loss to middleweight standout, Joe Pyfer, on the 2022 season of the Contender Collection.
Ozzy finds himself in a troublesome spot after his defeat at UFC Macau. He’ll want a win to stick with the promotion and even then, his roster spot might be in jeopardy. It helps his case that UFC‘s mild heavyweight division is at the moment barren, however he wants a win.
Good combat for him can be in opposition to Caio Machado or Jose Medina who each additionally desperately want a win. Jose Medina can also be 0-1 with the promotion and gained a shot within the UFC off of a gritty efficiency on the 2023 season of the Contender Collection. Caio is 0-3 within the UFC after gaining a UFC contract from a win on the 2023 season of the Contender Collection. All three of those guys want a win and all three are on the quick record to be lower. Whoever is on the market ought to combat, loser will doubtless be launched.
Ozzy’s subsequent combat: Caio Machado or Jose Medina
