Followers of mixed martial arts are now ready to witness the return of UFC fighting sensation Conor McGregor on UFC 264 in Las Vegas. That bout captured the attention of sports fans around the world with dedicated followers of MMA joined by casual fans and even a collection of interested bystanders, those keen to find out what all the fuss is about.
The appetite of fight fans was whetted by the recent success of UFC 263 which took place in Glendale, Arizona on June 12 2021. A bumper crowd of more than 17,000 fans packed into the Gila River Arena on fight night, further evidence that sport in America is making a welcome and speedy return to what was once seen as normal.
It’s an exciting time to be a follower of UFC with some eye-catching recent results as well as big fights to look forward to. Below we catch up on the news then look forward to what is on the horizon.
Adesanya does it again
The headline act in Arizona that evening saw Israel Adesanya face off against Marvin Vettori for the UFC middleweight championship. The middleweight division is one of the most exciting and hotly contested in the sport today with past winners of the UFC belt reading like a who’s who of mixed martial arts.
The headline act were meeting for the second time in their Ultimate Fighting Championship careers with Adesanya gaining the victory on that occasion, taking the bragging rights over his long-term rival. He was expected to repeat the feat and secure the UFC middleweight belt with another win and he stepped into the octagon on fight night as favourite to do the double over Vettori and set-up a huge second half of 2021 in his career.
The reigning champion did exactly that, living up to expectations and winning the fight to hold onto the belt he had worked so hard to earn. The final result of that top of the bill tussle had Israel as a unanimous decision points winner. He did enough to impress all scoring judges sitting at the side of the octagon. The scorecards read 50-45, 50-45, 50-45 on all three slips and that was nothing short of what he deserved.
It was a dominant display against a man he had already beaten but one that had certainly improved since their first meeting. It may have taken all five rounds to get the job done but there was never any doubt over what the decision would be and who would be victorious. Even Vettori cut the figure of a man that knew what was coming as he stood waiting for the announcement.
McGregor and Poirier settle the score
The attention of UFC fans now turn to Vegas where Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier complete the trilogy. The pair enter this third – and likely final fight – boasting one win each. They are now ready to put their bodies on the line in an attempt to settle a score that can be traced back years. Which fighter will come out on top and prove they still have it to compete for major honours in UFC?
Ireland’s McGregor won the first meeting of the pair when scoring an early knockout win, battering his opponent into submission with a barrage of punches. That victory came when Notorious was at the height of his powers, seen as the main man in the championship. When looking for a comeback opponent after losing to Khabib and taking time away from the sport, it appeared Dustin was the ideal return. Things rarely go to plan in this sport, however, and they didn’t when McGregor faced Poirier for the second time. The underdog returned the favour, showing how much he had improved – and how much Conor had slipped – by winning a first round knockout. Just like in the first match, it was a flurry of heavy-handed punches that forced the referee to intervene and cut the fight short. This time it was to save McGregor from any further punishment.
The scene is now set. The head-to-head stats are locked at one KO win each and it’s likely the rivals will pick up where they left off. This bout shouldn’t give the scoring judges anything to worry about.
