UFC Denver Outcomes: Winners And Losers From Namajunas Vs. Cortez Card

Former UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas cruised to a choice win over Tracy Cortez in entrance of a sold-out crowd at Ball Enviornment in Namajunas’ adopted hometown of Denver, Colorado.

The UFC had initially booked Namajunas to face Maycee Barber in the principle occasion of the UFC Denver struggle card, however Barber was unable to compete as a consequence of well being points. That led to Tracy Cortez, who was coaching for a July 20 struggle on the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, stepping up on brief discover to face Namajunas.

Cortez, who had by no means fought in a UFC headliner earlier than, put forth a robust effort however fell brief. Cortez lacked the expertise to beat Namajunas’ strategy to the struggle. She and her staff couldn’t provide you with the changes wanted to get by her extra savvy foe.

Namajunas was poised and affected person all through the 25-minute contest. She used pace, motion, and selective strain to attain all through the matchup. The ex-champ was particularly efficient in scoring with straight punches and likewise confirmed a willingness to struggle Cortez at her personal recreation, selecting up takedowns with relative ease. Namajunas applied her recreation plan properly, and Cortez’s incapacity to regulate allowed her to stay to that plan for 25 minutes.

After the win, her second in three fights at 125 kilos, Namajunas known as for a title struggle. I am not sure if she’ll get that, contemplating she was ranked No. 6 within the official UFC women’s flyweight rankings heading into final evening’s matchup and that Cortez was No. 11. Namajunas wants a win over a fighter who’s ranked larger than her, somebody who can strain her and drive her into uncomfortable spots. Cortez was not that opponent.

Beneath, we take a look at the UFC Denver outcomes, winners and losers, in addition to ultimate official scorecards.

UFC Denver Winners

Rose Namajunas: Rose Namajunas appeared excellent in selecting up a transparent unanimous resolution win over Tracy Cortez in the principle occasion of final evening’s UFC Denver struggle card.

Namajunas was affected person and poised all through the 25-minute contest, scoring with straight punches whereas going five-for-five on takedowns and racking up greater than six minutes in management time.

Namajunas’ protection performed a big function in her victory. She used footwork and motion to forestall Cortez from touchdown many important strikes, limiting her opponent to a 29 % touchdown charge all through the struggle whereas connecting on 53 % of her tried important strikes.

Namajunas maintained management of each facet of the struggle over the primary 4 rounds. Cortez solely managed to achieve some floor within the ultimate spherical when the previous 115-pound champion adopted a extra defensive technique.

Namajunas had exhibiting on Saturday evening.

Muslim Salikhov: Muslim Salikhov’s resolution to get to Denver to acclimate to the altitude paid off on Saturday when he picked up a split-decision win over Santiago Ponzinibbio.

Salikhov was extra energetic and correct in his putting. Outdoors of the primary spherical, he didn’t permit Ponzinibbio to regulate the vary and tempo of the struggle, which went a great distance towards getting the judges to see issues his manner.

Jean Silva: Jean Silva took an opportunity. After knocking out Charles Jourdain in late June, the 27-year-old moved as much as light-weight to face hard-hitting Drew Dober on the principle card of UFC Denver. That likelihood paid off when Silva picked up a third-round TKO win over Dober.

Silva won’t have had the ability of his opponent, however he had a pace benefit and the flexibility to counter Dober properly.Silva’s spinning methods and elbows did loads of harm, leaving Dober with an enormous gash over his proper eyebrow, which led to the struggle being stopped late within the third stanza.

Silva is 3-0 since he joined the UFC with all his wins coming by knockout. Every of these victories has are available in 2024.

Gabriel Bonfim: Coming off his first profession loss, Gabriel Bonfim had a bounce-back efficiency in Denver, utilizing his putting expertise and skill to get off the mat to choose up a choice win over Ange Loosa.

Loosa’s technique was to maintain Bonfim in shut, nullify his putting, and take the struggle to the mat. Nonetheless, Bonfim landed heavy knees within the clinch, stayed off the mat, and used his jab within the third spherical to maintain Loosa at bay. All of which helped him decide up the choice win.

Saturday’s win was the primary time Bonfim went the gap as a professional.

Julian Erosa: There was not loads of protection within the early going of the featherweight battle between Julian Erosa and Christian Rodriguez as each males scored early within the first spherical, but it surely was Rodriguez main the dance with Erosa countering.

Nonetheless, the momentum of the struggle went on to Erosa’s benefit the minute the opponents hit the bottom late within the stanza, with Erosa easily taking management and selecting up a late guillotine choke submission.

Charles Johnson: Charles Johnson struggled with the aggression and tempo of Joshua Van within the first 10 minutes of their flyweight scrap. Maybe needing a end to win the struggle, Johnson got here out quick within the third stanza and picked up a nasty knockout win within the opening moments of the ultimate stanza.

Johnson went 1-3 in 2023 beneath the UFC banner. He’s 3-0 with the promotion in 2024.

Jasmine Jasudavicius: Jasmine Jasudavicius had so much to lose on Saturday, going through a much-hyped Fatima Kline on brief discover. Jasudavicius picked up a unanimous resolution win within the flyweight contest.

Jasudavicius solely had a one-inch peak and attain benefit over her opponent. She made these benefits look extra pronounced due to her pace, footwork, skill to regulate vary, and getting off first along with her strikes. Jasudavicius additionally discovered Kline struggled to get off the mat after Jasudavicius acquired the struggle to the bottom.

Montel Jackson: Moments after UFC commentator instructed viewers to look at the punches of Montel Jackson, Jackson uncorked a left that caught Da’Mon Blackshear stepping in, probably to throw a kick or knee. There was no want for a follow-up strike as Jackson ended the struggle 18 seconds into the opening spherical.

With the win, Jackson is on a five-fight successful streak beneath the UFC banner. He has not misplaced since Brett Johns defeated him in 2020. Jackson has solely fought as soon as per 12 months since 2022.

Luana Santos: Luana Santos made issues look simple on Saturday in selecting up a submission win over Mariya Agapova in Denver. She used her putting, judo and floor expertise to dominate Agapova.

Santos is 3-0 within the UFC with two stoppage victories, and on a five-fight total successful streak.

Andre Petroski: Andre Petroski ended a two-fight shedding skid on Saturday by way of his wrestling expertise and heavy prime recreation on the mat. Petroski had no drawback scoring early takedowns in every spherical on his option to a choice win over Josh Fremd. As soon as the struggle hit the mat, Petroski patiently appeared for openings for submissions whereas stopping Fremd from discovering a manner off the bottom.

The struggle won’t have been thrilling, however coming into it with two losses, any win is an effective win for Petroski, who mentioned after the struggle that he did not wish to take dangers towards Fremd.

Evan Elder: After a tricky begin to his UFC profession with two losses, Evan Elder is on a two-fight successful streak after submitting Darrius Flowers within the opening struggle on the UFC Denver card.

This was a short-notice struggle, signed earlier this week, however Elder appeared excellent in defeating Flowers, who ran out of gasoline earlier than the tip of the primary spherical. Elder confirmed good struggle IQ in benefiting from a compromised opponent. His putting was energetic, and he blended up methods and targets properly.

UFC Denver Losers

Tracy Cortez: Tracy Cortez was a recreation opponent towards Rose Namajunas however lacked the abilities and expertise to beat the previous UFC strawweight champion.

Cortez and her staff couldn’t determine cope with Namajunas’ strategy over the 25-minute bout. The loss can be a studying expertise for Cortez, who had by no means fought in a UFC essential occasion earlier than Saturday evening.

Santiago Ponzinibbio: Within the first spherical of their UFC Denver co-main occasion, Santiago Ponzinibbio did job of lowering Muslim Salikhov’s time and area, however he didn’t keep on with that strategy within the subsequent two rounds, and that harm him.

The concern about Ponzinibbio forward of this struggle was that he could be too aggressive and create openings for his opponent’s putting. That did not occur, however Ponzinnibio might have been extra energetic in his putting. Had he thrown extra, he might need been in a position to sway the judges.

Ponzinibbio is 1-4 in his previous 5 outings and 2-5 courting again to January 2021.

Drew Dober: Drew Dober might need been on the incorrect finish of a TKO on Saturday, however his all motion type will hold him on the UFC roster for some time. Jean Silva used his pace to place loads of harm on Dober in Denver, however Dober by no means stopped shifting ahead whereas trying to rating along with his energy.

Ange Loosa: Ange Loosa appeared like his recreation plan towards Gabriel Bonfim was to make use of his jab to arrange takedowns and dominate the struggle on the mat. That wasn’t a flawed principle, however Loosa couldn’t management the struggle on the bottom, and his putting didn’t do sufficient harm to attain on the toes. The choice loss ended a three-fight unbeaten streak for Loosa.

Dominick Cruz: UFC commentator Dominick Cruz didn’t say that he thought Cody Brundage was faking his incapacity to proceed after Abdul Razak Alhassan landed unlawful blows to the again of his head, however he closely implied that. Cruz’s opinion on what a fighter is bodily feeling is unimportant in a state of affairs like that. Cruz must be taught when it’s proper or incorrect to supply his opinion, particularly on the subject of a possible head/mind harm.

Joshua Van: Joshua Van had 10 minutes towards Charles Johnson, utilizing his aggression and energy to rack up factors on the scorecards. Nonetheless, Van didn’t appear ready to cope with Johnson beginning the third stanza on the lookout for a knockout, which he acquired.

Fatima Kline: A two-division Cage Fury champion, 24-year-old Fatima Kline made her UFC debut on Saturday towards the extra skilled Jasmine Jasudavicius. The struggle was a short-notice one for Kline.

Kline didn’t present any Octagon jitters within the matchup, however she struggled to steer the dance on the toes and had loads of bother getting off the mat after Jasudavicius scored takedowns.

Kline confirmed coronary heart in on the lookout for a stoppage win within the third spherical when she was down 2-0 on the scorecards, however she couldn’t discover the mark.

Kline has solely had seven professional fights, and with this one approaching brief discover at elevation, it’s arduous to get a full grasp on her upside. Nonetheless, many revered MMA pundits really feel she will discover success within the UFC. Will probably be attention-grabbing to see what she will do with a full camp towards an unranked opponent at 115 kilos as a substitute of 125.

Mariya Agapova: Getting back from almost two years of inactivity, Agapova didn’t have a lot to supply Luana Santos, who simply submitted Agapova within the first spherical.

With the loss, Agapova fell to 1-4 courting again to August 2020. Her one win throughout that stretch was an October 2021 submission over Sabina Mazo, who’s now not with the UFC.

Josh Fremd: Josh Fremd appeared unprepared for the wrestling expertise of Andre Petroski, who averaged 4.32 takedowns per minute heading into this matchup. That lack of takedown protection price him dearly, as he spent nearly all the struggle on his again on the mat.

Darrius Flowers: Darrius Flowers ran out of gasoline after 5 minutes in Denver. In keeping with the UFC commentary staff, Flowers instructed his staff that he couldn’t breathe after the primary spherical. Not lengthy after that, Evan Elder submitted Flowers.

Flowers did the UFC a favor by accepting this bout throughout struggle week, however with an 0-3 document within the UFC, he might need seen his final UFC motion.

Neither

Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Cody Brundage: This brief struggle ended with a no contest after Cody Brundage was unable to proceed after Abdul Razak Alhassan elbowed him to the again of the pinnacle.

UFC Denver Full Struggle Card

Primary Card

Rose Namajunas defeats Tracy Cortez by way of unanimous resolution (49-26, 49-46, 47-48)

Muslim Salikhov defeats Santiago Ponzinibbio by way of cut up resolution (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Jean Silva defeats Drew Dober by way of TKO at 1:28 of Spherical 3 (Physician stoppage as a consequence of lower above Dober’s eye)

Gabriel Bonfim defeats Ange Loosa by way of unanimous resolution (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Julian Erosa defeats Christian Rodriguez by way of submission at 4:49 of Spherical 1 (Guillotine choke From guard)

Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Cody Brundage ends in a no contest at 0:37 of Spherical 1 (Unintentional elbow to the again of the pinnacle)

Preliminary card

Charles Johnson defeats Joshua Van by way of knockout at 0:20 of Spherical 3 (Punch to move at distance)

Jasmine Jasudavicius defeats Fatima Kline by way of unanimous resolution (30-27 x 3)

Montel Jackson defeats Da’Mon Blackshear by way of knockout at 0:18 of Spherical 1 (Punch to move at distance)

Mariya Agapova defeats Luana Santos by way of submission at 3:27 of Spherical 1 (Rear-naked choke)

Andre Petroski defeats Josh Fremd by way of unanimous resolution (30-27 x 3)

Evan Elder defeats Darrius Flowers by way of submission at 1:46 of Spherical 2 (Arm triangle from aspect management)

UFC Denver Struggle Night time Bonuses

Struggle of the Night time: Jean Silva vs. Drew Dober

Efficiency of the Night time: Charles Johnson

Efficiency of the Night time: Montel Jackson

UFC Denver Scorecards

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