LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 08: Carlos Prates of Brazil poses on the size in the course of the UFC Combat Evening weigh-in at UFC APEX on November 08, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Picture by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Final Saturday, the UFC held a Combat Evening on the Apex for one centesimal time and it was an fulfilling card. It had fairly a couple of finishes and even the fights that went the gap have been entertaining.
In the primary occasion, Carlos Prates continued to take the game by storm, recording his fourth knockout victory of the yr. In the meantime within the co-main, UFC newcomer Reinier de Ridder submitted Gerald Meerschaert in what was a enjoyable debut.
Carlos Prates
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 09: (L-R) Neil Magny battles Carlos Prates of Brazil in a welterweight combat in the course of the UFC Combat Evening occasion at UFC APEX on November 09, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Picture by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
After already recording three KOs by August, Carlos Prates saved his exercise ranges going and obtained his greatest one but on Saturday. For years, Neil Magny has represented an ideal litmus check for welterweight prospects. All the time hovering across the quantity 15 spot, he has gatekept the rankings for what looks as if without end. In recent times, fighters like Shavkat Rakhmonov and Michael Morales handed this check with flying colors, whereas then-streaking Max Griffin, Daniel Rodriguez, Phil Rowe and Mike Malott couldn’t.
This was the kind of matchup that followers wanted to see Prates undergo to essentially gauge what the division had in him. At 31 years of age, there was no have to take issues too slowly with him, so a predominant occasion with a rankings spot on the road made sense, even in his rookie yr. And the Nightmare made fast work of Magny. He defended all seven takedown makes an attempt, even turning one into his personal takedown. He dropped Magny with a brief proper hook, earlier than then placing him unconscious with a glancing left straight with ten seconds left within the very first spherical.
After his spectacular exhibiting, Prates referred to as for a combat with Jack Della Maddalena in Australia in February. Whereas that’s the form of matchup that will have followers foaming on the mouth, he knew this could be unrealistic as JDM is ranked within the top5. So he had a pleasant backup plan in Geoff Neal, who for all intents and functions, holds a Neil Magny-type function for the top10. This callout proves that Prates is making an effort to know how matchmaking works and to remain updated together with his division’s energy construction. It’s a enjoyable matchup, and life like callouts ought to be rewarded as usually as potential. For these causes, I’m inclined to offer Prates what he requested for and provides him Geoff Neal subsequent.
Prates’ subsequent combat: Geoff Neal
Reinier de Ridder
Reinier de Ridder, UFC Vegas 100 media day
The previous two-division champion in ONE Championship had an entertaining debut, going up towards grizzled vet Gerald Meerschaert. He scored a knockdown in spherical 1 and obtained the submission in spherical 3 after GM3 seemed exhausted.
Along with his pedigree as a former double champ in one other main group, some thought RDR can be getting a ranked opponent instantly. At 34 years outdated, it’s not like The Dutch Knight has on a regular basis on the earth to stand up the ranks. Nonetheless, he didn’t precisely run by Meerschaert in a manner that screamed a top10 opponent needs to be subsequent.
There’s a center floor, right here, the place RDR can get a excessive profile, but unranked matchup in his subsequent combat. This upcoming Saturday, there’s a combat between uber prospect Bo Nickal and veteran Paul Craig. Nickal is an enormous favorite, however it’s unclear as as to if he can be getting a ranked opponent subsequent even after an announcement win at UFC 309. In contrast to de Ridder, the UFC truly has loads of time to take issues slowly with Nickal. RDR is each the logical subsequent step to check Nickal’s grappling and a pleasant alternative for Nickal to showcase any type of putting enchancment since that isn’t actually de Ridder’s forte.
And hey, if Paul Craig truly wins that combat, then we nonetheless get an excellent enjoyable matchup.
de Ridder’s subsequent combat: Nickal/Craig winner
Gaston Bolaños
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 09: (R-L) Gaston Bolanos of Peru kicks Cortavious Romious in a bantamweight combat in the course of the UFC Combat Evening occasion at UFC APEX on November 09, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Picture by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
The previous Bellator fighter moved to 2-1 within the UFC after incomes a hard-fought resolution over debuting Cortavious Romious. His grappling was examined, as he was slammed a pair instances, however he managed to fend off each submission try.
Bolaños doesn’t appear like somebody who will ever problem for a title, particularly not in a division crammed with sharks like bantamweight. Nonetheless, he does slot in an important class of fighters that ship thrilling fights each time they go on the market. Win or lose, and so long as they match him up accurately, the UFC can depend on Bolaños to placed on enjoyable fights.
One other fighter who matches completely into this class is one who made his divisional debut simply final week: Charles Jourdain. With each coming off wins and having fought only a week aside, the combat is sensible and the timelines ought to align.
Bolaños’ subsequent combat: Charles Jourdain
Gillian Robertson
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 09: (R-L) Gillian Robertson of Canada kicks Luana Pinheiro of Brazil in a strawweight combat in the course of the UFC Combat Evening occasion at UFC APEX on November 09, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Picture by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Regardless of already having 18 UFC fights and holding the document for many submissions at flyweight, Robertson remains to be solely 29 years outdated. She is now on a three-fight win streak and is 4-1 since dropping right down to strawweight.
After she is going to transfer up a bit within the rankings, a combat that is sensible for her can be Marina Rodriguez. After being so near a title shot, the 37-year-old is now 1-4 in her final 5 and has dropped all the best way to quantity 9. Nonetheless, there isn’t a doubt that she remains to be an excellent check for anyone. Her present two-fight skid is deceiving as each are cut up selections that very a lot may have gone her manner.
Rodriguez is the proper check for Robertson at this juncture of their careers.
Robertson’s subsequent combat: Marina Rodriguez
Mansur Abdul-Malik
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 09: (L-R) Mansur Abdul-Malik punches Dusko Todorovic of Montenegro in a middleweight combat in the course of the UFC Combat Evening occasion at UFC APEX on November 09, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Picture by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
The undefeated 27-year-old made brief work of Dusko Todorovic, knocking him out within the first spherical to maintain his 100% end price. Abdul-Malik clearly packs a heavy punch. The whole lot he landed on Todorovic echoed within the Apex. He nonetheless seems to be inexperienced in some aspects of his sport, however appears to be getting higher shortly as he already seemed improved from his Contender Sequence outing.
There isn’t any rush right here for a prospect this younger and somebody like TUF finalist Robert Valentin would make sense. Valentin can check Abdul-Malik’s total sport whereas additionally being a really winnable combat for Mansur. Additionally, there isn’t a manner that combat can be boring.
Abdul-Malik’s subsequent combat: Robert Valentin
