The highly anticipated bantamweight title fight at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, ended with Aljamain Sterling emerging victorious over former champion Henry Cejudo. The fight headlined the pay-per-view card and was highly competitive, with both fighters showcasing their skills and techniques.

Sterling managed to land crucial takedowns and was more active in striking, ultimately securing a split decision win (47-48, 48-47, 48-47) in his third title defense. Despite the close nature of the fight, Sterling’s victory was disputed, with many fans and experts arguing that Cejudo deserved the win.

Cejudo’s Return to the Octagon

The fight was Cejudo’s first since his abrupt retirement following a May 2020 title defense against Dominick Cruz. Despite being away from the sport for three years, Cejudo showed no signs of ring rust and gave Sterling a tough challenge throughout the fight. Although he could not keep Sterling down or make him pay, Cejudo managed to take him down and excelled in striking during the championship rounds.

On April 8th, at UFC 287 inside Miami’s Kaseya Center, former Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya embarked on his toughest challenge yet. He faced off against nemesis Alex Pereira, a man that has beaten him three times in the past. ‘Poatan’ twice defeated The Last Stylebender in the kickboxing world, before defeating him once again the first time the pair faced off in the Octagon, taking the Nigerian-born Kiwi’s title in the process, as well as ending his undefeated streak in the middleweight division. Oddschecker, which compares combat sports odds and offers, couldn’t split the pair heading into the bout, but it was Adesanya who asserted his dominance for the first time in the duo’s epic rivalry.

Nate Diaz became one of the most recognizable UFC figures throughout the last couple of years. His bouts with Connor McGregor are considered to be one of the most vicious fights in martial arts’ entire history.

With his contract coming to an end, he was scheduled to come up against Khamzat Chimaev for UFC 279 in a welterweight battle. Unfortunately, his opponent didn’t make the weigh-in and the organization was forced to mix up its options.

Diaz would eventually be included in the main event fighting against former interim UFC Lightweight champion, Tony Ferguson.

However, this last-minute change in the schedule might not be a precise representation of the current situation as both fighters have prepared for a battle against a totally different opponent.

Dopamine is a feel-good hormone that we derive from many sources. Some people get it when they eat out and that’s why they enjoy going out with friends and trying new restaurants. It makes them happy. Others get it when they enjoy an adrenaline kick on gambling sites like 888casino where they get to take a risk and reap the results. And others? Well, they derive it from watching other people fight.

It is human nature to be curious about what it would be like to get into a fight. But because of moral codes and the risk of injury, most people avoid fighting each other. Even so, the curiosity does not go away. That is why they are intent on following fighting matches where they can see other people living out their wildest dreams.

In July 2022, fight lovers flocked to arenas and sat in front of their screens where they got to watch some of the best matches of the year. Which were they?

The Prequel

Nate Diaz 1, Conor McGregor 0. After a brutal second round and eventual rear-naked choke by Nate Diaz, McGregor had received his first ever UFC loss. This fight at welterweight was Conor’s first in this weight class. His breathing rapidly got more intense as the first round ended. This main event was the complete opposite of what all watchers expected and what McGregor had trained so hard for. 

It was clear that these two had to be in the cage together again. They brought so much publicity and so much ferocity that made it one hell of a rivalry. McGregor had things to take away from the fight and so did Diaz. McGregor needed to hold on to the weight to stay at 170 but he also needed to heavily improve his cardio. He needed to be able to last 25 minutes with Diaz. Meanwhile, Diaz needed to prepare better for McGregor’s strikes. Diaz left the first round with a face full of blood and was in a world of danger until he struck Conor down and eventually choked him. Diaz betters at the best online casino cashed in on the +340 odds for him to win. 

On July 9, 2022, Cody Garbrandt (12-5) will square off against Rani Yahya (28-10-1, 1NC) at UFC Fight Night. MMA Fighting broke the story first, and Garbrandt confirmed the fight on social media. It’s been a challenging year for Garbrandt, who hopes to get back on track in the division where he holds victories over Dominick Cruz, Raphael Assuncao, and Thomas Almeida. He’ll return to action in July, looking for a fresh start.

The UFC is one of the most iconic championships that mixed martial artists strive towards. From powerful offenses to standing their ground, the octagon has seen a huge amount of tense matches ever since it first began. As a result of this, the UFC has seen enormous numbers of TV viewing and audience numbers. 

Here are some of the most watched UFC matches to date, and what made them such intense events. Check out the latest UFC odds for more information about the latest developments, and to see how new fighters have potential to become future champions. 

As MMA’s old guard lay down their shields and move on to new pastures, the UFC looks set to go through a transitionary period in the coming years. Indeed, with established stars fading, there’s room in the spotlight for emerging talent. Evidence that this is the case came courtesy of UFC 256. In the wake of Yoel Romero’s surprise departure from the organization, three battle-worn warriors showed their scars on December 12 at the Apex in Las Vegas.

Kevin Holland secures win number 5️⃣ of 2020! 🤯

✅ May 16 Anthony Hernandez
✅ Aug. 8 Joaquin Buckley
✅ Sept. 19 Darren Stewart
✅ Oct. 31 Charlie Ontiveros
✅ Dec. 12 Jacare Souza

Take a bow, @Trailblaze2top 👏#UFC256 pic.twitter.com/2cCMfJsysf

— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) December 13, 2020

Welterweight Championship (170)
[#1/#5DD/#6P4P] Kamaru Usman (15-1-0, -183) vs. [#4] Colby Covington (15-1-0, +153)
Kamaru Usman is the All-Time #13 ranked Welterweight fighter.
Colby Covington is the All-Time #20 ranked Welterweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Kamaru Usman (3-0-0)
2019-03-02: W vs. [#2WW] Tyron Woodley (19-4-1) via UD (50-44, 50-45, 50-44)
2018-11-30: W vs. [#7WW] Rafael dos Anjos (29-12-0) via UD (49-45, 50-43, 48-47)
2018-05-19: W vs. [#9WW] Demian Maia (28-9-0) via UD (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)

Last 3 Fights: Colby Covington (3-0-0)
2019-08-03: W vs. [#17WW] Robbie Lawler (28-14-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 50-44)
2018-06-09: W vs. [#7WW] Rafael dos Anjos (29-12-0) via UD (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
2017-10-28: W vs. [#9WW] Demian Maia (28-9-0) via UD (30-27, 30-26, 29-27)

Odds Favorite (Implied): Kamaru Usman – Win%: 62.05
Elo Favorite (Standard): Kamaru Usman (2333.07) [+92.97] – Win%: 60.46
Elo Favorite (Modified): Kamaru Usman (2254.80) [+68.26] – Win%: 57.42
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Kamaru Usman (2293.26) [+79.30] – Win%: 63.66
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Kamaru Usman 287, Colby Covington 133
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 3 win(s) against common opposition.
.

Featherweight Championship (145)
[#1/#2DD/#7P4P] Max Holloway (21-4-0, -173) vs. [#2] Alexander Volkanovski (20-1-0, +145)
Max Holloway is the All-Time #2 ranked Featherweight and #13 ranked Absolute fighter.
Alexander Volkanovski is the All-Time #20 ranked Featherweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Max Holloway (2-1-0)
2019-07-27: W vs. [#6FW] Frankie Edgar (23-7-1) via UD (50-45, 49-46, 48-47)
2019-04-13: L vs. [#3LW/#6DD] Dustin Poirier (25-6-0) via UD (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
2018-12-08: W vs. [#4FW] Brian Ortega (14-1-0) via TKO (Doctor Stoppage) in 5:00 of round 4

Last 3 Fights: Alexander Volkanovski (3-0-0)
2019-05-11: W vs. [#3FW] Jose Aldo (28-5-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2018-12-29: W vs. [*] Chad Mendes (18-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:14 of round 2
2018-07-14: W vs. [#32FW] Darren Elkins (24-8-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Odds Favorite (Implied): Max Holloway – Win%: 60.82
Elo Favorite (Standard): Max Holloway (2296.63) [+96.22] – Win%: 60.82
Elo Favorite (Modified): Max Holloway (2267.25) [+96.15] – Win%: 60.37
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Max Holloway (2277.09) [+94.03] – Win%: 66.34
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Max Holloway 140, Alexander Volkanovski 217
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Max Holloway leads 2-1
.

Women Bantamweight Championship (135)
[#1/#1DD/#1P4P] Amanda Nunes (18-4-0, -306) vs. [#2/#6DD/#6P4P] Germaine de Randamie (9-3-0, +242)
Amanda Nunes is the All-Time #3 ranked Women’s fighter.
Germaine de Randamie is the All-Time #29 ranked Women’s fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Amanda Nunes (3-0-0)
2019-07-06: W vs. [#3BW] Holly Holm (12-5-0) via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) in 4:10 of round 1
2018-12-29: W vs. [#1FW/#5DD/#4P4P] Cristiane Justino (21-2-0) via KO (Punch) in 0:51 of round 1
2018-05-12: W vs. [#5BW] Raquel Pennington (10-7-0) via TKO (Elbows and Punches) in 2:36 of round 5

Last 3 Fights: Germaine de Randamie (3-0-0)
2019-07-13: W vs. [#4BW] Aspen Ladd (9-1-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:16 of round 1
2018-11-10: W vs. [#5BW] Raquel Pennington (10-7-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2017-02-11: W vs. [#3BW] Holly Holm (12-5-0) via UD (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)

Odds Favorite (Implied): Amanda Nunes – Win%: 72.04
Elo Favorite (Standard): Amanda Nunes (1997.02) [+286.29] – Win%: 78.72
Elo Favorite (Modified): Amanda Nunes (1953.99) [+227.52] – Win%: 73.02
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Amanda Nunes (1971.11) [+248.16] – Win%: 86.24
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Amanda Nunes 161, Germaine de Randamie 154
Previous Match-up Record: Amanda Nunes leads 1-0-0
Wins Against Common Opposition: Amanda Nunes leads 4-2
.

Whenever a big fight comes around, it gets people talking about which fights they think are the best of all time. It’s an age-old debate and mostly it is based on what bouts people have actually witnessed in their own lifetime but some go down in history for a number of reasons. Sometimes you hear fights being billed as the biggest and best of all time, before they actually take place, and that’s where we’re going to begin.

The highest grossing boxing fight of all time took place last month between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor, with over $500 million generated in PPV sales alone. It was a contest which saw one of the greatest boxers of this generation take on a UFC star making his debut in the ring. It wasn’t a great fight as Mayweather just picked McGregor off to cruise to victory, but it was one thing though, extremely over hyped.

The best fights aren’t necessarily the top grossing bouts. One clash that every boxing fan will have heard of is the 1971 bout between two undefeated heavyweight champions, Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali. There was a huge amount of hype surrounding the fight but it definitely lived up to expectations with Frazier coming out on top in the 15 round match up after putting Ali on the canvas twice.

Source: The Fight City