₦airaland Forum

In a clash of power striking vs. elite wrestling, undefeated Thad Jean outlasts Storley to capture the Welterweight World Tournament title and a $500K championship bonus.

On Friday, August 1, 2025, Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey transforms into the battleground for the PFL Welterweight Tournament Final, headlined by undefeated Thad “The Terminator” Jean vs. wrestling powerhouse Logan “Leviathan” Storley.

With a perfect 10–0 record, Jean enters the final as the undefeated favorite. In the semi-finals of the 2025 PFL Welterweight World Tournament in Nashville, Jean edged out a hard-fought battle against Jason Jackson via split decision, punching his ticket to the finals. In the opening round of PFL 1 in Orlando, Jean scored a first-round TKO over Mukhamed Berkhamov, setting the tone early in the tournament. Jean remains undefeated (10–0) with no losses so far, making his run in PFL all the more impressive.

Storley, a former Bellator interim welterweight champ brings grit and elite grappling into the fight. He arrives on a tear winning four of his last five fights and he is hungry to regain championship status inside the PFL cage. On June 12, in the semi-finals at PFL World Tournament 5 in Nashville, Storley dominates Masayuki Kikuiri via unanimous decision, advancing to the August final.

In the first-round bout in PFL 1, Storley won his opening match against Joseph Luciano via unanimous decision, despite opponent replacements due to weight misses. Storley’s last recorded loss came before entering PFL, he was knocked out in the second round by Shamil Musaev during his PFL debut on April 19, 2024.

From the opening bell, Jean looked sharp and composed. He controlled the pace with his footwork, defended takedowns well, and picked Storley apart with clean counters Storley went for early takedowns, but Jean’s sprawl and balance were on point. At one point, Jean reversed and mounted him, landing some punches before Storley scrambled back to his feet. Jean stayed busy, mixing front kicks, one-twos, and a strong left hand that kept Storley guessing. Storley finally landed a takedown late in the round, but Jean popped right back up and stayed calm, even with Storley on his back. Jean ended the round strong, breaking free and throwing a flying knee, then tagging the body with a clean kick.

Round 2 started with Front kick by Jean as Storley starts by circling on the outside again. Left jab by Jean. Storley tries a combination. Round 2 saw more of Jean’s striking shine through. He landed a series of crisp combinations and made Storley pay for every takedown attempt. Storley found some moments against the cage, but Jean’s defense was rock solid.


Round 3 saw more clean work from Thad Jean, who kept tagging Logan Storley with crisp left hands as Storley tried to close the distance. Storley kept hunting for takedowns but couldn’t get anything clean, even when Jean briefly threatened a guillotine. Jean stayed calm, landed a high kick, and shrugged off more takedown attempts, showing great balance and awareness.

Even when Storley managed to press him against the SmartCage, Jean worked his way out, firing off jabs, knees, and low kicks. Jean kept landing jabs, a solid right hand, then another left. Storley finally secured a takedown and got a hook in with about 90 seconds left, even transitioning to full mount. But Jean scrambled brilliantly, slipping out the back and getting back to his feet. Jean finished the round pushing forward, throwing a front kick, a clean right, then a left hand as the round closed. Another strong frame from Jean, who mixed offense and defense beautifully.

Storley turned up the pressure, walking Jean down and scoring some takedown attempts. Jean’s takedown defense was tested, but he managed to escape several deep positions. Despite absorbing volume from Storley, Jean stayed sharp and landed clean combinations before the bell.


Round 5 came and Jean looked to finish strong, meeting Storley head-on with strikes and standing knees. Storley secured a late takedown, but Jean scrambled to his feet and regained position. The two traded fiercely in the final minute, with Jean landing the cleaner shots. Judges scored it 49‑46, 49‑46, 48‑47 in Jean’s favor.

The co-main event of the night didn’t disappoint, delivering a high-stakes, action-packed showdown that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Movlid Khaybulaev showcased dominant grappling and relentless pressure to become a two-time PFL tournament champion, finishing Jesus Pinedo with an arm-triangle choke early in Round 5. Across the first four rounds, Khaybulaev controlled the action with timely takedowns, suffocating top control, and steady ground-and-pound, while Pinedo tried to respond with elbows off his back and brief striking moments on the feet.

In Round 3, Pinedo dropped Khaybulaev briefly, but couldn’t keep him down, as Khaybulaev quickly recovered and re-established control. The championship sequence came in the final frame, where Khaybulaev passed to mount and sealed the deal with a submission at 1:17 of Round 5.

In the second fight on the preliminary card, Sarah Shields and Nick Meck wasted no time getting into the action, trading shots early on. But with just under two minutes left in the round, Shields caught Meck with a vicious knee to the head as he charged in. Meck somehow stayed on his feet, but the blow opened a brutal cut that left his face pouring blood and drenched Shields by the end of the round. Doctor finally examined the damage and had no choice but to call off the fight, the gash above Meck’s eyelid was too severe to continue.

Check out PFL 8 results below:

Main card

Thad Jean def. Logan Storley via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)

Movlid Khaybulaev def. Jesus Pinedo via submission (arm-triangle choke) — 1:17, Round 5.

Asael Adjoudj def. Yves Landu via unanimous decision (29-28×3)

Jordan Newman def. Eslam Abdul Baset via TKO (retirement) — 5:00, Round 1.

Prelims

Jakub Kaszuba def. Sergio Cossio via unanimous decision (29-28×3)

Kyle Driscoll def. Husein Kadimagomaev via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 30-27)

Fred Dupras def. Nathan Kelly via technical submission (guillotine choke) — 4:38, Round 2

Sarak Shields def. Nick Meck via TKO (doctor stoppage) — 5:00, Round 1. | Gruesome Cut

Tom Pagliarulo def. Matt Turnbull via knockout — 4:36, Round 1.

Reinier de Ridder just secured the biggest win of his UFC career, but not everyone was impressed. After outpointing former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi, “RDR” found himself on the receiving end of some online trolling from Paulo Costa.

De Ridder went the distance in a hard-fought, back-and-forth contest against Whittaker, ultimately earning a split-decision victory with two judges scoring it 48-47 in his favor. The performance pushed his UFC record to 4-0 and immediately raised his stock in the middleweight division. But as the dust settled, Costa jumped on X (formerly Twitter) to criticize the bout.

“With all due respect, I would knock out de Ridder three times each round,” Costa wrote. “All that said congrats for your win today, despite bad fight.”

Costa, who hasn’t secured a knockout since 2018, also shared a meme mocking the Dutch grappler and labeled the fight as boring. But if he was trying to get under de Ridder’s skin, it didn’t work.

“There’s always a hater out there,” de Ridder responded with a smirk during the UFC Abu Dhabi post-fight press conference. “Did Paulo Costa never fight Whittaker? What happened?”

De Ridder, who took the high road while still throwing subtle jabs, made it clear that he wasn’t fazed by the former title challenger. Costa had previously suffered a unanimous decision loss to Whittaker back in 2024, and RDR didn’t hesitate to bring that up.

As for how de Ridder saw the fight, he believes he did more than enough to get the win, even though one judge’s scorecard left him puzzled.

“I’ve got to watch this back. At least the last two rounds, right? Maybe the second as well,” de Ridder said. “I got on top a couple of times. I hurt him a couple of times with the knee but this guy is a tough guy. He was hard to put away. He did amazing. I think I said it a couple of times already but one of the best Rob’s I’ve seen in years. He was so calm, collected, very explosive. It was hard work this time.”

“I was surprised one judge scored it completely wrong. I thought I had three rounds at least. But it is what it is. I hoped to finish him, and I didn’t so you never know what the judges make of it. I’ll be sure to finish the next guy again.”

The middleweight landscape is heating up. At UFC 319, reigning champion Dricus du Plessis is scheduled to defend his belt against Khamzat Chimaev. Meanwhile, Nassourdine Imavov will headline UFC Paris against Caio Borralho just weeks later. De Ridder knows what’s coming and he’s ready to throw his name into the title mix.

“We’ll see what happens,” de Ridder said. “There’s a lot going on in the middleweight division in the next couple of weeks. As you said, I’m a top five fighter in the world. That’s crazy. Who can say that? In one year and I think I have a good chance fighting for a title someday soon. We’ll see.”

“Hopefully [I’ll fight for the title], we’ll see what happens. There’s a lot of stuff going on in the middleweight division coming up in the next few months. I’m a top five fighter in the world. I want to prove that I’m the best. I want to get back in the gym, work on all the stuff that happened in this fight. But first, I need some relaxation for a couple of weeks I think.”

After UFC Abu Dhabi, Reinier de Ridder sits in a prime position for a title shot. While the trolling from Costa grabbed a few headlines, it’s clear de Ridder has bigger goals in mind and he’s already looking ahead to whoever holds the gold next.

Sean Strickland Suspended After Chaotic Cage Invasion at Tuff-N-Uff Event in Las Vegas. Sean Strickland has always been one of MMA’s most unpredictable personalities, but this time, things went too far and now he’s facing the heat with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). The UFC middleweight champion was temporarily suspended this week after storming the cage at a Tuff-N-Uff event and throwing punches at a Fighter following a heated finish.

The event took place in Las Vegas, and things quickly escalated when fighter Luis Hernandez submitted Miles Hunsinger and then started celebrating, maybe a little too loudly in front of the wrong corner. Chris Curtis who was in Hunsinger’s corner had Sean Strickland in his corner crew, and within seconds, Strickland leapt over the cage wall and started swinging at Hernandez, caught in the heat of the moment. Security eventually rushed into the cage and separated the fighters after the volatile incident.

Videos from fans and attendees quickly went viral, showing Strickland landing two or three wild shots before security pulled him away. What should have been a regular amateur event turned into a viral MMA brawl, and not the good kind.

According to MMAFighting, the NSAC handed down a temporary suspension and added Strickland’s name to the agenda for a hearing next week Wednesday. There, they’ll decide whether to issue a fine, extend the suspension, or possibly ban him from competition or cornerman duties in the state. In the aftermath, Luis Hernandez, the fighter Strickland attacked, surprisingly asked the commission not to punish him too harshly.

“I really have nothing towards them, and hope the commission does not... like they even asked me, ‘Hey, you’re gonna press charges?’ I’m like, ‘What? No,’” Hernandez said. “I would never want anything to happen to these guys because I actually like them, and I hope they watch this. I have nothing against Sean, nothing against Chris, nothing against Xtreme Couture. I like those guys. ..

“I would say we’re all adults here, and I have nothing against them, and I will say this again: I hope the commission does not take this out on them at all because, at the end of the day, we’re all professionals and this is entertainment.”

This isn’t the first time Strickland’s unpredictable nature has stolen headlines , but it might be the most serious. The NSAC has a strict history when it comes to unsanctioned violence,

PFL MENA 2 delivered a thrilling night of action in Riyadth, with fast finishes and breakout performances. El Dafrawy Chokes Out Miceli in just over a minute in the main event, cementing his dominance in the welterweight division.

The Professional Fighters League -PFL returned to Riyadh on July 4, 2025, for the highly anticipated PFL MENA 2 event, delivering a powerful night of finishes. Hosted at The Green Halls in Riyadh Saudi Arabia ,the event showcased the quarterfinal matchups in both the welterweight and bantamweight divisions, setting the stage for even more explosive showdowns in the coming rounds.

The main event featured Omar El Dafrawy. El Dafrawy is known for his crisp grappling, calm composure, and ability to finish fights early. As the 2024 PFL MENA Welterweight Champion, El Dafrawy entered the 2025 season with a target on his back and a mission to prove his reign again.

Despite his recent momentum, El Dafrawy’s journey hasn’t been without setbacks and obstacles. In late 2023, he suffered a tough split decision loss in a non-PFL regional bout, an experience that exposed holes in his stand-up game. That defeat became a turning point, pushing him to improve his striking and tighten his defensive gaps. Since that loss, he’s returned sharper and more calculated.

Daniele Miceli his opponent enters the fight with a professional record of 13-7-0 with 7 of those wins coming via submission. Among his most impressive victories was a lightning-fast Von Flue choke against Yassin Najid at PFL Europe 1 in March 2024, ending the bout in just 27 seconds. Later that year, he earned a TKO win over Ibrahima Mané, displaying well-roundedness and solid ground-and-pound.

In the showcase main event, welterweight champion Omar El Dafrawy was able to come away with a quick submission win over 2023 PFL Europe welterweight finalist Daniele Miceli. Miceli scored a takedown and looked to get a Von Flue choke submission. But El Dafrawy escaped it and was able to lock up a triangle choke, surviving a pair of slams before getting the tap just 1:15 into the fight. El Dafrawy wasted no time, locking in a triangle choke just over a minute into the first round. The submission victory at 1:15 not only caught the attention of the cloud but also cemented his spot as a favorite in this year's tournament.

In the co-main event, Mohammad Alaqraa of Kuwait stepped into the cage with calm confidence and left with a statement win. Taking on Palestine’s Omar Hussein, Alaqraa delivered a composed and technically sound performance from start to finish. He controlled the pace, picked his shots wisely, and never let the moment overwhelm him. The judges saw it the same way, all three judges scored the fight 30-27 in his favor. With this decisive victory, Alaqraa punches his ticket to the next stage of the welterweight bracket and proves he’s more than ready for whatever challenge comes next.

Below are the official results from 2025 PFL MENA 2:

Omar El Dafrawy def. Daniele Miceli via first-round submission (triangle choke)

Mohammad Alaqraa def. Omar Hussein via unanimous decision

Hattan Alsaif def. Nour Al Fliti via second-round verbal submission (retirement [injury])

Mohamed Zarey def. Ayman Galal via unanimous decision

Xavier Alaoui def. Ziad Ayman Mokhtar via unanimous decision

Moktar Benkaci def. Marcel Adur via first-round TKO (body punch)

Badreddine Diani def. Ahmad Abdelbast Darwish via unanimous decision

Amir Fazli def. Rostem Akman via second-round KO

Nawras Abzakh def. Ali Yazbeck via second-round KO (knee and strikes)

Islam Youssef def. Benyamin Ghahraman via second-round KO (flying kick)

Abdelrahman Alhyasat def . Anthony Zeidan via second round submission (rear-naked choke)

Sullivan Cauley dominates Phil Davis in PFL 7 co-main event to book his spot in the PFL finals. Cauley impressed with sharp striking and pressure, earning a big win to move one step closer to PFL gold.

The co-main event of PFL Semifinal delivered exactly what fans were hoping for-classic battle between experience and youth. In one corner stood Phil Davis, a former Bellator light heavyweight champion with years of high-level MMA under his belt. In the other, rising contender Sullivan Cauley, an unbeaten prospect known for his power and wrestling pedigree.

Davis brought with him a wealth of experience and a professional record of 25-7-0. He came off a huge knockout win over Rob Wilkinson at PFL 4, reminding everyone that even late in his career, he’s still got the skills and the power to compete with the best.

On the other side, Sullivan Cauley walked into this fight with an undefeated record, all wins coming by finish. The former Arizona State wrestler had burst onto the scene with raw aggression and vicious ground-and-pound, most recently making headlines with a dominant TKO win over Alex Polizzi earlier in the season.

The action kicked off fast as Cauley landed a body shot, and Davis answered with a low kick. Cauley fired back with a solid right hand. Davis kept coming with kicks and punches, but Cauley stayed sharp, landing a few clean shots of his own. Both men were trading strikes early, feeling each other out. Davis connected with a heavy low kick and avoided Cauley’s counter. He threw a big uppercut that missed, but landed a body kick as Cauley moved forward.

Cauley tried to build momentum, flashing his hands before Davis closed the distance and clinched him against the cage. Davis worked to control him and eventually scored a trip takedown. Cauley got up, but Davis quickly brought him back down. Eventually, Cauley reversed the position and pressed Davis against the cage. Davis briefly threatened a choke, then threw a jumping kick before eating a hard right hand from Cauley that got his attention.

Both fighters started to settle in. Cauley landed a sharp jab, and the two traded punches. Davis landed a body kick, and Cauley fired back with a one-two and a right hand on the inside. Davis missed a front kick, then threw another body kick. Cauley tried to catch it and go for a takedown, but Davis slipped out. Still, Cauley landed a strong right that clearly made Davis feel the power. Davis responded with a low kick, then pressured forward and scored another takedown.

As Cauley tried to stand, Davis landed two knees, one of them opening up a cut on Cauley’s cheek. Davis stayed glued to him, trying to take the back, but Cauley used the SmartCage to escape. With about 90 seconds left in the round, Cauley broke free. Davis missed a punch and that’s when Cauley pounced. He unloaded a nasty combination and landed a head kick that stunned Davis. A huge right hand followed, dropping Davis to the mat.

Davis, hurt, grabbed onto Cauley’s legs in desperation. He managed to pull off a takedown and briefly got to Cauley’s back, cranking on the neck, but couldn’t hold the position. Cauley got back to his feet before the bell but took a few shots on the way up.

The final round opened with Davis throwing a body kick, but Cauley answered with crisp jabs. Davis tried a high kick that didn’t quite land, and Cauley started landing clean punches again especially a right hand that landed directly on Davis. Davis missed a few wild shots, while Cauley stayed composed and worked his jab. At one point, Cauley caught a kick and pushed Davis against the fence, but Davis reversed and controlled the body lock for a bit before Cauley broke free.

Cauley kept the pressure on with quick jabs. Davis went for another takedown but couldn’t keep him down. Cauley landed a nice combo ending with a strong right hand. He kept pushing forward, landing clean lefts and rights. Davis tried another takedown, but Cauley defended well, even landing a hard elbow in the process. Davis managed to press him against the cage once more, but Cauley broke free and threw a switch knee just before the final bell. The judges read the scorecards and all in favor of Cauley.

The Prelims featured Alexandr Romanov and Valentin Moldavsky in the heavyweight semifinals of the 2025 PFL World Tournament. Romanov showcased his size advantage early, landing a belly-to-belly suplex and controlling the ground game. Moldavsky managed to escape and the two traded heavy strikes on the feet. However, the bout ended abruptly at 4:26 of round one after Romanov suffered an accidental groin strike that left him unable to continue. Despite the fight being ruled a no contest, Romanov advanced to the finals via judges' decision. He was stretchered out due to the the injury.

Check out the PFL 7 results below:

Main card

Fabian Edwards def. Josh Silveira via unanimous decision

Sullivan Cauley def. Phil Davis via unanimous decision

Sergio Pettis def. Raufeon Stots via unanimous decision

Dalton Rosta def. Aaron Jeffery via split decision (29-28 x2, 27-30)

Antonio Carlos Junior def. Simeon Powell via unanimous decision

Prelims

Valentin Moldavsky vs. Alexandr Romanov, ruled no-contest (injury, groin strike) (R1, 4:26), Romanov moves on to finals

Ronnie Gibbs def. Biaggio Ali Walsh via sub (arm-triangle choke) (R2, 2:45)

Oleg Popov def. Rodrigo Nascimento via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Rafael Xavier def. Karl Albr

Jon Jones, one of the most iconic and controversial figures in MMA history officially releases statement announcing his retirement. According to the announcement made by UFC CEO Dana White at the UFC Fight Night conference in Baku on June 21, 2025, Dana White revealed that Jones has retired and no longer the UFC heavyweight champion.

“Jon Jones called us last night and retired. Jon Jones is officially retired.” Said Dana White.

Jon Jones, who turned 37 in July, officially announced his retirement from MMA in June 2025, bringing an iconic 17-year UFC journey to a close. Jones, known for being the youngest UFC champion and holding multiple records in two weight classes, shared a heartfelt goodbye while hinting at new roles off the Octagon.

Just a few days ago, he issued a warning to Tom Aspinall, saying he’s done with the UFC for now. And now, moments after his retirement announcement was made by Dana White, Jones took to social media with a heartfelt statement, raw, reflective, and humble.

“Today, I’m officially announcing my retirement from the UFC.” Jones wrote.

“This decision comes after a lot of reflection, and I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the journey I’ve experienced over the years.”

“From the first time I stepped into the Octagon, my goal was to push the boundaries of what was possible in this sport. Becoming the youngest UFC champion in history, defending my title against some of the best fighters in the world, and sharing unforgettable moments with fans across the globe , these are memories I’ll cherish forever. I’ve faced incredible highs and some tough lows, but every challenge has taught me something valuable and made me stronger, both as a fighter and as a person.”

“I want to thank the UFC, Dana, Hunter, Lorenzo, God, my family, coaches, teammates, and all the fans who have stood by me through every chapter. Your unwavering support and belief in me have been my foundation. To my fellow fighters, thank you for bringing out the best in me and for the respect we’ve shared inside and outside the cage.”“As I close this chapter of my life, I look forward to new opportunities and challenges ahead. MMA will always be a part of who I am, and I’m excited to see how I can continue to contribute to the sport and inspire others in new ways. Thank you all for being part of this incredible journey with me. The best is yet to come.”


Jon Jones officially retiring from the UFC is one of those moments that hits hard, not just for fight fans but for anyone who’s followed combat sports over the past decade and a half. Whether you loved him or loved to root against him, he gave memories that changed the sport. He has officially dropped the gloves. The king has bowed out.

Khalil Rountree hands Jamahal Hill his third Straight UFC Loss. In the Baku main event, Khalil Rountree put on a strong performance against Jamahal Hill. He stayed sharp and focused through all five rounds, landing the better shots and controlling the fight.

Saturday night in Baku, Azerbaijan, the UFC fight night delivered a main event full of fireworks. Former light heavyweight champ Jamahal Hill stepped into the Octagon looking to bounce back and remind everyone why he once held the belt. Across from him was the powerful and always-dangerous Khalil Rountree Jr., ready to make a big statement of his own.

Khalil Rountree Jr. was originally set to face Jamahal Hill at UFC Kansas City, but plans changed when Hill had to withdraw. Now, the matchup takes center stage at UFC Baku, making history as the promotion’s first-ever event in Azerbaijan. This also marks Rountree Jr.’s return to the Octagon after his gritty battle with Alex Pereira for the title at UFC 307 last October.

Hill came into the fight after two tough losses—one to Alex Pereira at UFC 300 and another to Jiří Procházka at UFC 311 Rountree Jr. was also coming off a setback, losing to Pereira at UFC 307 after a strong five-fight winning streak.

The fight started with both fighters trading heavy leg kicks, but Rountree’s shots had way more impact. Hill looked confident and kept throwing back, but one could tell Rountree’s kicks were landing with real force. He started mixing things up, targeting the body, while Hill tried to get his boxing going upstairs.

As round two kicked off, Rountree stepped it up. He clipped Hill with a couple of quick hooks and punished that lead leg again, now harder. One of the kicks eventually took Hill off his feet briefly, and that’s when the damage really began to show. Even with Hill limping, Rountree didn’t rush. He stayed sharp and didn’t take unnecessary risks but smart move, especially against a heavy hitter like Hill.

He kept hammering the legs, then landed a fast counter left that dropped Hill. Hill bounced back up, but one could see the combination of leg damage and Rountree’s power was wearing him down. Rountree kept piling it on and eventually opened a cut near Hill’s eye, landed a brutal body kick, and dropped him again with a huge right hook. The momentum was all his, and he never let it go. He didn’t force a finish, he was obviously winning.

Rountree was clearly ahead on the cards and stayed in control until the final bell. It was a complete, dominant performance and it put him right back in the title conversation.

''I told you from the beginning, I didn’t come in here underestimating Jamahal,” Rountree said after the win.

“The plan was to be smart. I made some mistakes in the Alex fight. This one, I get to make different decisions. I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do and if I’m winning the round, I can secure that and be a smart, professional championship level fighter. That’s how champions think, in my opinion.”

"I want to be a champion,” Rountree said after the win. “Whatever gets me closer to that.”

As for Hill, this makes it three losses in a row, a tough fall from the heights of his title win back in 2023. Hopefully, he can bounce back strong when he returns. Rountree is a complete fighter out that's focused, powerful, and smart. If he keeps this up, a title shot isn’t far off.

UFC Fight Night, hosted at UFC Apex Centre in Las Vegas, and while the card might not have been stacked with superstars, it turned out to be a night of serious action, breakout performances, and one big disappointment.

Let's kick off with the main event _ Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales. Michael Morales won the fight by TKO in the first round at 3:39. This fight was highly anticipated, with Morales looking to maintain his undefeated streak and Burns aiming to prove he’s still a top contender in the welterweight division. From the moment Morales entered the octagon wearing purple shorts, followed by Burns in yellow, the tension was palpable. Both fighters were thoroughly checked before stepping into the cage, but it was Morales who came out firing first, setting the tone for what would be a dominant performance.

As soon as the fight kicked off, Morales took control right away with aggressive and powerful striking. He kept the pressure on Burns, landing strong punches that quickly took a toll on the more experienced fighter. Burns, who is known for his grappling skills, had a hard time getting close or executing his strategy because Morales dominated the stand-up exchanges. Morales kept up the relentless attack, and the referee stopped the fight at 3:39 in the first round, giving Morales a TKO victory. This win improved Morales’s record to 18-0 and showed he’s a serious contender in the welterweight division. For Burns, it was a tough loss, as he couldn’t recover from the early pressure and now has to think about what’s next for his career. Burns' last win came over Neil Magny back in January 2023 and now, the questions about what’s next for him are loud.

The co-main event, which was supposed to be Paul Craig vs. Rodolfo Bellato, was cancelled last-minute after Bellato wasn’t medically cleared. That pushed Sodiq Yusuff vs. Mairon Santos into the spotlight, and wow , Santos didn’t waste that chance. The guy was smooth, confident, and landed some slick shots. At one point, he was even throwing slaps mid-combo, catching Yusuff off guard and making it clear he wasn’t just another name on the card. He controlled most of the fight and walked away with a clean unanimous decision. When interviewed post-fight, Santos kept it real, humble, but you could tell he knew he just made a big impression.

Then came Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Dustin Stoltzfus, and man , though it didn’t last long. Ruziboev is a problem. He clipped Dustin early with a sneaky right hand, followed up with ground and pound. First-round KO and another highlight for Nursulton, who’s quietly building a name for himself in the division.

Earlier on the main card, Julian Erosa vs. Melquizael Costa was one of the more technical matchups of the night. Watching Julian Erosa fight is always exciting because of his heart and grit, but tonight Melquizael Costa really surprised everyone with a smart and precise performance that ended with a second-round submission. In the first round, Erosa showed his usual slick boxing and landed some good combos, but Costa stayed patient, landing calf kicks and sneaky lefts from his southpaw stance.
In the second round, Costa timed things perfectly, he slipped a jab, took Erosa down easily, and then used solid jiu-jitsu to lock in a choke. Erosa tried to fight it off, but Costa’s grip was too strong and Erosa had to tap. This win puts Costa on the map, showing he’s calm, smart, and knows how to finish. For Erosa, it’s a tough loss, but his heart and determination still make him a fan favorite.

So yeah, UFC Vegas 90 might’ve been a bit under the radar, but it gave us a lot to talk about. Micheal showed he’s a real contender, Santos proved he’s sticking around, Costa impressed with a smart submission over Erosa, and every fighter brought their heart. The division’s heating up, and there’s definitely more action to look forward to next weekend.

UFC Fight Night 154 was a very uneventful card with the most action occurring in the prelims where Shauna Bannon submitted Puja Tomar.

The main event between Sean Brady and Leon Edwards saw Sean Brady dominate the former champion with his wrestling. The first round was a back and forth with punching, clinching and Sean Brady eventually taking Leon down and ending the round in half guard.

The second round was a total domination by Sean Brady with an early takedown. Sean attempted submitting with a Rear Naked Choke and a kimura, but Leon defended those well. The round ended with Sean controlling Leon on the ground for almost the entire round. A solid 10-8 round for Sean.

The third round featured one of the most surprising moments of the fights which many on social media have called a “negative IQ moment”. Sean and Leon are locked in a clinch and Edwards frees himself and goes for a takedown which Sean sprawls and has Leon in a headlock. Leon’s decision to shoot for a takedown was baffling as Sean had controlled him on the ground for two rounds already.

In the fourth round, Sean starts with low kicks and pressure with power punches until Edwards has his back against the wall after which he proceeds to take him down with ease. Sean works from half guard, chases a guillotine and has it locked in tightly which forces Edwards to tap.

What is next for Sean Brady?
Sean Brady moves to be the number 1 contender in the weight class behind champion, Belal Mohammed. Number 2 is Shavkat Rakhmonov whose last fight was against Ian Garry on December 7 2024. Should Shavkat had beaten Ian Garry in dominant fashion, many would have said he should be next for a title shot. Now, many are of the opinion that Shavkat and Sean be put in a title eliminator.
It is unclear who Jack Della Maddalena would face next as he should have fought Leon Edwards on this card.