Reactions And Fallout After Motion-Packed PPV

Justin Gaethje scored arguably essentially the most dynamic and memorable KO win of the yr on Saturday evening in Salt Lake Metropolis within the UFC 291 principal occasion. Gaethje landed a wonderfully orchestrated head kick to knock his rival Dustin Poirier out, and even their head-to-head collection at 1-1.

After the combat, the 2 have been gracious towards one another. Poirier even tweeted at his rival, complimenting Gaethje on his work.

Fighters are constructed completely different.

In case you missed it, MMA Orbit tweeted this video from Octagon facet view of the end.

Even after this savage end in such a high-stakes bout, Poirier and Gaethje had this respectful change forward of the post-event press convention.

Because the tweet mentions, it is vitally doubtless we see a trilogy between the 2 future hall-of-famers. Each males appeared open to it, though Gaethje is understandably centered on getting a rematch with the winner of the bout between UFC light-weight champion Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira. Gaethje has misplaced to Oliveira already, and he figures to be an underdog towards the winner.

It may be a greater transfer for Gaethje to have a high-paid third combat with Poirier earlier than attempting to climb that mountain once more. You’d be exhausting pressed to seek out anybody within the MMA group who wouldn’t be enthusiastic about Gaethje-Poirier III.

If it doesn’t headline a pay-per-view later this yr, it might land because the co-main occasion on a stacked upcoming present with an official title belt on the road.

In the meantime, the UFC’s most polarizing and well-liked fighter, Conor McGregor didn’t waste a chance to inject himself into the principle storyline of the night in MMA. He repeatedly launched pictures at Gaethje from social media after the combat.

When requested in regards to the prospects of dealing with McGregor within the Octagon, Gaethje implied the previous UFC featherweight and light-weight champion could also be partaking in performance-enhancing medicine.

McGregor responded with a typical-McGregor, four-word reply.

McGregor making 155 kilos appears unlikely at this stage of his profession, however even nonetheless, it might seem Gaethje’s win has positioned him for some high-profile and probably profitable fights within the close to future.

Here’s a take a look at all the outcomes from the UFC 291 card that featured 9 finishes in 11 fights.

UFC 291 Primary Card

• Justin Gaethje defeats Dustin Poirier by KO (proper excessive kick) at 1:00 of Spherical 2 for BMF title
• Alex Pereira defeats Jan Blachowicz by break up determination (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Derrick Lewis defeats Marcos Rogerio de Lima by TKO (strikes) at 0:33 of Spherical 1
• Bobby Inexperienced defeats Tony Ferguson by technical submission (arm-triangle choke) at 4:54 of Spherical 3
• Kevin Holland defeats Michael Chiesa by submission (D’arce choke) at 2:39 of Spherical 1

UFC 291 Prelims

• Gabriel Bonfim def. Trevin Giles by submission (guillotine choke) at 1:13 of Spherical 1
• CJ Vergara defeats Vinicius Salvador by unanimous determination (29-28, 29-28, 29-28
• Roman Kopylov defeats Claudio Ribeiro by KO (left excessive kick) at 0:33 of Spherical 2
• Jake Matthews defeats Darrius Flowers by submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:37 of Spherical 2
• Uros Medic defeats Matthew Semelsberger by TKO (strikes) at 2:36 of Spherical 3
• Miranda Maverick defeats Priscila Cachoeira by submission (armbar) at 2:11 of Spherical 3

Gabriel Bonfim Seems Like a Star

With out getting too far forward off ourselves, it appears protected to say the UFC welterweight division has a legitimately scary new contender in Brazil’s Gabriel Bonfim.

The 25-year-old submitted Trevin Giles within the first minute of their prelim combat on Saturday, and ran his file to an ideal 15-0. The previous LFA champion has the look of a fighter who may be three or 4 fights away from making mentions of a title shot, and probably 5 wins away from getting it.

MMA Underground Editor-in-Chief John Morgan referred to as Bonfim “an rising pressure.”

Had No. 15 Michel Pereira not missed weight, resulting in the cancellation of his combat with No. 7 Stephen Thompson, and the previous misplaced the bout, it may need cleared the best way for Bonfim to debut at No. 15 within the subsequent rankings.

That may nonetheless occur contemplating Pereira missed weight by three kilos. Keep tuned.

Roman Kopylov Would possibly Have Had the Greatest Head Kick of the Evening

Gaethje’s head-kick KO is getting all the consideration as a result of he and Poirier main-evented the present. Nevertheless, these of us who watched the prelims noticed Roman Kopylov detonate this left head kick on Claudio Ribeiro’s chin to attain a definitive second-round KO win.

MMA Preventing referred to as the shot “picture-perfect,” and it was:

Kevin Holland Urges Michael Chiesa to Retire

It’s one factor to fairly simply submit a man within the opening bout of a significant pay-per-view present. It’s one other to inform the identical fella to retire within the post-fight presser. That’s precisely what Kevin Holland did after he scored a first-round submission victory over Michael Chiesa on Saturday evening by way of the D’Arce Choke.

Hear as Holland tells Chiesa he’s by no means going to get a title, the sport has handed him by, cease whereas he can, and to concentrate on commentating and his household.

That’s robust.

Bobby Inexperienced’s Buzzer Beater

In a matchup of two veterans who may also belong to the group Holland referred to in his candid interview, Bobby Inexperienced handed Tony Ferguson his sixth straight loss. Inexperienced has by no means been often known as a submission fighter (his final win by that methodology was in 2013) put Ferguson to sleep with an arm-triangle choke.

Ferguson has now been stopped 4 instances within the final three years. Aaron Bronsteter of TSN appeared to share the feelings of many within the MMA group calling for Ferguson to hold up his gloves.

Maybe not so surprisingly, Ferguson’s opponent from Saturday evening doesn’t agree. Inexperienced says he believes Ferguson nonetheless has combat left in him.

Derrick Lewis’ Memorable Free-Company Announcement

Sporting a much-more chiseled physique, heavyweight Derrick Lewis scored a titanic first-round KO win over Marcos Rogerio de Lima. It was arrange by a leaping change knee to de Lima’s chin.

After the unpredictably athletic transfer, Lewis launched into his signature Black Beast celebration, however he topped it off by eradicating his shorts, dancing in his underwear and chopping a post-fight interview that ought to seize the eye of Skilled Fighters League, Bellator, and maybe the WWE and AEW. In spite of everything, he did do the DX chop throughout his celebration. Have a look:

Lewis is now a free agent, however he expressed a want to stay with the UFC. Former combined martial artist Ben Askren predicted PFL will make Lewis a “large supply.”

We’ll see the place he goes from right here, however Lewis elevated his worth together with his combating abilities and persona.