<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="13155191" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="israel-adesanya" source="Orion">Israel Adesanya</keyword> outpointed <keyword id="13155192" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="robert-whittaker" source="Orion">Robert Whittaker</keyword> in their rematch Saturday at <keyword id="13162269" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ufc-271" source="Orion">UFC 271</keyword> in Houston.</li><li>Whittaker survived five rounds by using grappling techniques but still lost the fight.</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/israel-adesanya" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israel Adesanya</a> had barely any time to celebrate his win Saturday over <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/robert-whittaker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Robert Whittaker</a> before he received his next challenge, and death threat.32-year-old Adesanya has lost just once, his sole foray into the light heavyweight division, but at middleweight — where he rules as king — he reigns supreme.He has beaten Whittaker once before, by second-round knockout at <keyword id="11922275" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ufc" source="Orion">UFC</keyword> 243 in 2019, but the New Zealand-born Australian fighter survived 25 minutes this weekend at the UFC 271 event inside the Toyota Center in Houston.Whittaker scored four of his 10 takedowns but Adesanya's general defense was strong, and he landed 98 of his 188 strikes for a 52% accuracy rate.Whittaker's grappling won him the fifth and final round but it was not enough to swing the scorecards in his favor as the three Octagonside judges gave Adesanya the unanimous nod (48-47, 48-47, and 49-46).But not long after the announcement had been made, that Adesanya had won, he already had a formal challenger.Khamzat Chimaev, an unbeaten fighter who has pummeled his way through the UFC roster so far, tweeted: "Easy money for me, 0 wrestling. 1 round I'm gonna kill him."The post has since been removed from the platform.<h2>Chimaev will have to get in line and wait</h2>Chimaev will be made to wait for his shot, as Jared Cannonier appears to be next in line for a chance to unseat Adesanya from his throne.American fighter Cannonier looked superb earlier in the show as he came from behind to destroy Derek Brunson with a vicious elbow and back-fist combination.Yet another elbow strike closed the show for good as Cannonier secured a statement win and then issued a demand to the UFC boss Dana White — that he fights for UFC gold in his next match.It is likely Cannonier will get his wish.

Israel Adesanya edges Robert Whittaker in middleweight battle; Khamzat Chimaev says he wants to kill him

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A new photo shows how damaging leg kicks can be as the <keyword id="11922275" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ufc" source="Orion">UFC</keyword> posted footage of a swollen calf.</li><li>The damage was sustained during a bantamweight fight Saturday at <keyword id="13162269" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ufc-271" source="Orion">UFC 271</keyword> in Texas.</li></ul>A close-up image taken during a preliminary fight at <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/ufc-271" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the UFC 271 event</a> Saturday shows the nasty damage that leg kicks can have on a person's calf.<keyword id="13162868" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kyler-phillips" source="Orion">Kyler Phillips</keyword> and <keyword id="13162869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="marcelo-rojo" source="Orion">Marcelo Rojo</keyword> competed in a bantamweight bout at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.Phillips began launching merciless leg kicks as early as the opening round, and as Rojo was doing little to block the blows, it was not long before grotesque swelling became obvious on the target area.By the end of the fight, which lasted until the third round, Rojo had landed all 14 of the leg kicks he had thrown according to official <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/ufc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UFC</a> data.Phillips landed 90 strikes from 176 thrown in total, tallied three successful takedowns from eight attempts, and closed the show in the third with a triangle armbar submission.Though Phillips won the bout via finish, it was his leg kicking in particular that generated the most buzz.Even the UFC's main Twitter account posted an image of the effect the strikes had on Rojo.See it here:<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—UFC (@ufc) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1492678605390118913">February 13, 2022</a></blockquote>But it wasn't just the leg kicks that won Phillips this fight.Phillips, a relatively new and fast-rising athlete in the bantamweight division, had crisp combinations, asserted great control on the mat, and won the match with relative ease."In that third round I strung together some good submissions," said Phillips after the result was confirmed."I was happy, in that moment, I had some fun but there's things I have to work on — tightening things up, and keep training to get better."With victory, Phillips advanced his pro <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/mma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MMA</a> record to 10 wins (five knockouts, two submissions, and three decisions) against two losses.He wants to return to the Octagon for his 13th fight "in a couple months."

A close-up photo of a UFC fighter's calf shows the nasty damage that merciless leg kicks can do

<ul class="summary-list"><li>It takes a lot to win a <keyword id="11922275" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ufc" source="Orion">UFC</keyword> match.</li><li>It takes more to win that fight while battling diarrhea.</li></ul>Robbie Lawrence won his <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/ufc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UFC</a> match Saturday while still having to beat another opponent — diarrhea.Competing in <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/mma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">professional mixed martial arts</a> is never easy, let alone having to do so for the sport's market-leading promotion the UFC on one of its biggest nights of the year — a pay-per-view show <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/ufc-271" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UFC 271</a> broadcast on ESPN.Lawrence fought Leomana Martinez so well that both combatants livened up the Houston crowd at the Toyota Center .But little did anyone watching at the gate, or on TV, that Lawrence was fighting not long after suffering the loosest of bowel movements.Lawrence and Martinez fought for the full three-round, 15-minute duration.While Martinez enjoyed 67% accuracy from 156 shots attempted compared to Lawrence's 64% accuracy rate from 99 strikes, it was Lawrence who dominated grappling six successful takedowns from seven attempts, and three knockdowns to two.When asked why his strategy was wrestling-heavy, Lawrence said: "I had diarrhea and I didn't feel so good tonight."There's really not much you can say to that, but the UFC commentator and former two-weight UFC champion Dan Cormier managed to add that things "could be much worse, trust me."Elaborating backstage, after the fight, Lawrence said: "I messed up the rehydration process and was having diarrhea — unfortunate circumstances."Despite illness, when it came to combat and combat alone, things were relatively straightforward for Lawrence, who won rounds one and two at a canter.His best effort was in the second, as he peppered punches at Martinez's midriff, knocked his guy to the ground, and won the middle stages of the bout thanks to his oppressive wrestling.Though he appeared to lose the third, he had done more than enough in the prior rounds to take a decision win home, with two scores of 29-27 and a 29-28 from the three Octagonside judges.<div type="image" title="Things could have been worse for the triumphant Ronnie Lawrence, who was battling diarrhea at the time." height="1000" width="2000" msid="89537559" hostid="261"></div>Victory advanced Lawrence's pro <keyword id="11922276" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma" source="Orion">MMA</keyword> record to eight wins (four knockouts and four decisions) against a sole loss.Elsewhere on the card, Kyler Phillips beat Marcelo Rojo with a triangle armbar, Carlos Ulberg out-pointed Fabio Cherant, and <a href="https://www.insider.com/video-douglas-silva-bloodied-chokes-sergey-morozov-unconscious-2022-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Douglas Silva de Andrade choked Sergey Morozov while blood dripped from his face</a>.Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker's UFC middleweight championship bout topped the <keyword id="13162269" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ufc-271" source="Orion">UFC 271</keyword> card.

Ronnie Lawrence said after his epic UFC brawl with Leomana Martinez that he only recently had diarrhea

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="13162268" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="douglas-silva" source="Orion">Douglas Silva</keyword> de Andrade is a warrior.</li><li>Dripping in blood, the veteran fighter was on the receiving end of a shellacking.</li></ul>Douglas Silva de Andrade was a bloody mess throughout his bantamweight match Saturday against Sergey Morozov.The veteran Brazilian fighter competed in the third of 14 bouts at <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/ufc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UFC 271</a>, a pay-per-view show broadcast on ESPN from the Toyota Center in Houston.Morozov threw combinations of punches that landed so cleanly Silva got cut early in the opening round.Silva had bad intentions of his own, but even in the second round, Morozov looked like any strike Silva hit him with only fueled his fury.But Silva — a rare breed of human — never seemed to be concerned about the blood that poured from his wounds. He fought like he was accustomed to the iron taste of his own blood.This was a guy who would walk through hell with gasoline boots, such was his desire to fight fire with fire.In Texas, it was Silva's fire that burned brightest as he smoked Morozov midway through the bout.Silva had Morozov on the floor from his heavy hands, but the tough Kazakh scrambled to his feet, only to end up on the ground again moments later.He wasn't to get up again.Silva knee'd him, elbowed him, and sought a rear-naked choke finish after taking his back. It was tight, but Morozov — too tough for his own good — didn't tap.And so Silva, who had been wearing a mask of blood through much of the contest, got a finish so emphatic it could likely earn him a performance-related bonus check.Morozov, his eyes rolling into the back of his head, had been choked unconscious.Watch the fight-ending submission right here:<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—ESPN <keyword id="11922276" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma" source="Orion">MMA</keyword> (@espnmma) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1492650639842705408">February 13, 2022</a></blockquote>Silva's performance impressed <keyword id="11922275" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ufc" source="Orion">UFC</keyword> elite, as the former lightweight contender Justin Gaethje said the 36-year-old "may have just been violently thrusted into my top 10 fighters to keep an eye on.""What a comeback," <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeChandlerMMA/status/1492649223073972225" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he posted on Twitter.</a>Victory advanced Silva's pro <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/mma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MMA</a> record to 28 wins (20 knockouts, two submissions, and six decisions) against four losses.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—UFC (@ufc) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1492649642785447937">February 12, 2022</a></blockquote>Earlier on the preliminary section of the show, Jeremiah Wells beat Mike Mathetha by rear-naked choke in the first round, and Maxim Grishin out-pointed William Knight with three scores of 30-27.Jacob Malkoun also out-pointed A.J. Dobson by a margin of three 29-28 scores.

A bloodied bantamweight fighter choked his opponent unconscious in the 3rd UFC 271 bout of the evening

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Two heavyweights who weighed a combined 531 pounds just swang and banged at <keyword id="11922275" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ufc" source="Orion">UFC</keyword> 271.</li><li>When the UFC gets it right, the UFC gets it right.</li></ul>They weighed a combined 531 pounds, are renowned for their ability to separate lesser men from their senses, and collided Saturday at <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/ufc-271" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UFC 271</a> in a heavyweight scrap that was never going to disappoint.When the UFC gets it right, the market-leading <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/mma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MMA</a> promotion gets it right.And when it came to the matchmaking in the fight between Houston favorite <keyword id="13147789" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="derrick-lewis" source="Orion">Derrick Lewis</keyword> and heavy-hitting <keyword id="13147788" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tai-tuivasa" source="Orion">Tai Tuivasa</keyword>, boy, did the <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/ufc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UFC</a> get it right.Tuivasa entered the Octagon to unconventional music, choosing Cyndi Lauper's smash hit from the 1980s, "Girls just want to have fun."Because that's what Tuivasa does best. He likes drinking beer from cowboy boots, from sneakers, and even suggested this week <a href="https://www.insider.com/tai-tuivasa-proposes-drinking-beer-from-rival-derrick-lewis-cup-2022-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he'd drink it from his opponent's jockstrap</a>.He closed the distance in the opening round, engaging Lewis in a clinch, so as to deny the home fighter — competing in front of his own crowd at the Toyota Center — the space required to throw one of his merciless bombs.Eventually, referee Dan Miragliotta had seen enough and broke the action as it had stalled, and though another clinch was initiated, there was suddenly a great explosion of strikes as both big men went at it.Lewis dazed Tuivasa in the second with an uppercut but the move of the night was one swung from the Australian, who nailed his American adversary with an elbow so disgusting, it sent him crashing to the canvas.He was unconscious before he even hit the deck. There was no need to count — it was over.Lewis, a fighter who has hung around the top five in the division for years, was laid out by a new kid on the block who is continually evolving as a fighter.Tuivasa had done it.Watch it here:<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1492725866438221825">February 13, 2022</a></blockquote>And the aftermath here:<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—ESPN <keyword id="11922276" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma" source="Orion">MMA</keyword> (@espnmma) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1492726552135495684">February 13, 2022</a></blockquote>With victory, Tuivasa advanced his pro MMA record to 14 wins (13 knockouts and one decision) against three losses.It is unclear who he will fight next, but bouts against the likes of Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane would provide the right kind of examination, to determine an eventual contender for Francis Ngannou's heavyweight crown.

A new UFC heavyweight contender announces himself with a horrific elbow strike KO at UFC 271

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="13163269" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jared-cannonier" source="Orion">Jared Cannonier</keyword> destroyed <keyword id="13163270" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="derek-brunson" source="Orion">Derek Brunson</keyword> with elbow strikes Saturday at <keyword id="11922275" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ufc" source="Orion">UFC</keyword> 271.</li><li>The American had to come from behind to find the win, scoring his knockout in the second round.</li></ul>American fighter Jared Cannonier made a violent statement Saturday at <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/ufc-271" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the UFC 271 event</a> inside the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, when he got up from the canvas to brutally finish Derek Brunson with an elbow-backfist combo.The second-round knockout propels Cannonier into title-shot contention, and he knows he deserves it, as he made his middleweight championship demands to <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/ufc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UFC</a> boss Dana White after his statement win.But Cannonier had to work for the result, and came-from-behind as he lost the opening round on Insider's card, on account of Brunson's striking activity and penchant for takedowns.Round two began as the first left off, with Brunson again trying to take the fight to the mat. But Cannonier was patient, waiting for his opportunity to strike and to strike hard.That moment came little more than 30 seconds from the end of the second, as he dazed Brunson with a heavy right hand.With a nasty elbow strike and an awesome back-fist, Cannonier had Brunson in even more trouble.On the floor, it was only a matter of time before the referee intervened as another Cannonier elbow smashed into Brunson's face — pow.And just like that, Brunson's corner threw in the towel but the ref stopped the bout anyway.Brunson was out cold, and Cannonier was celebrating a momentous win.Watch the aftermath right here:<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—ESPN <keyword id="11922276" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma" source="Orion">MMA</keyword> (@espnmma) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1492720088637526019">February 13, 2022</a></blockquote>With victory, 37-year-old Cannonier advanced his pro <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/mma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MMA</a> record to 15 wins (10 knockouts, two submissions, and three decisions) against five losses.The result means he's now secured back-to-back wins over Kelvin Gastelum and now Brunson, since suffering a blip in a decision loss to Robert Whittaker.It is now likely he will fight for the title — against Israel Adesanya, or Whittaker — in his next match.

American fighter Jared Cannonier got up from the deck to elbow UFC opponent Derek Brunson to hell

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11928262" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="conor-mcgregor" source="Orion">Conor McGregor</keyword> hailed <keyword id="13155191" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="israel-adesanya" source="Orion">Israel Adesanya</keyword> on Twitter this week.</li><li>It was not long before the <keyword id="11922275" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ufc" source="Orion">UFC</keyword> middleweight champion returned the praise.</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/conor-mcgregor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Conor McGregor</a> hailed <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/israel-adesanya" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israel Adesanya</a> as "one of the true remaining high-level fighter/performer athletes."The <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/ufc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UFC</a> middleweight champion Adesanya returns Saturday to the Octagon where he will defend his strap in a rematch against 185-pound rival <keyword id="13155192" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="robert-whittaker" source="Orion">Robert Whittaker</keyword> at the UFC 271 event in Houston.Ahead of the weekend bout, McGregor praised Adesanya on Twitter."Can't wait to see Izzy Style back in the Octagon this weekend," the former two-weight UFC champ told his 9 million followers on the app. "Don't just fight, perform!"Responding at the UFC 271 media day scrum, Adesanya said: "I appreciate Conor and what he's done for the game."Whether you like him or not, he fucking raised the bar, for everyone. I look to do the same before I'm done with this game!<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1491707923688566784">February 10, 2022</a></blockquote>The bout got its final approval when both athletes successfully made weight Friday, scaling 184-pounds.They fought for the first time in 2019 at UFC 243 with Adesanya destroying Whittaker in the second round.The 32-year-old Stylebender cautiously kickboxed from range but adjusted his gameplan when he realized Whittaker was there for the taking, and so he closed the distance before busting him up with heavy counter strikes.Whittaker feels like he's evolved since then, and is a completely different fighter. "It's a new Rob Whittaker, Rob Whittaker 2.0," the 31-year-old Reaper <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/ufc-271-robert-whittaker-staying-calm-collected-ahead-of-israel-adesanya-rematch-191139463.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Yahoo Sports this week</a>."In this fight, I think you're just going to see me. I'll be doing my thing, fighting the way I fight. That's the main thing I want to get across. I want to get in there and do what I trained for and just fight my own fight."Adesanya and Whittaker fight for the second time in the main event of UFC 271, but the weekend card has many other intriguing matches.Heavy-hitting heavyweights Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa collide in the penultimate bout, after rivals Jared Cannonier and Derek Brunson fight at middleweight.There are 15 matches in total on the card, which will be broadcast on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass. The final five matches can only be seen if the pay-per-view is purchased.

Conor McGregor hailed Israel Adesanya as 'one of the true remaining high-level fighter/performer athletes'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>No one:</li><li>Absolutely no one:</li></ul>Fight weeks in <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/boxing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boxing</a> and <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/mma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mixed martial arts</a> can generate all sorts of headlines.Usually, these involve dehydrated athletes who collapse at the scales, last-minute coronavirus-induced postponements of a match, and skirmishes involving two fighters who cannot help but go at it mere days before they do so for pay.But one new thing is emerging <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/ufc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UFC</a> star <keyword id="13147788" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tai-tuivasa" source="Orion">Tai Tuivasa</keyword> suggesting he drink beer from his rival's jockstrap.You read that right. But in the weird, wild world of pro <keyword id="11922276" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma" source="Orion">MMA</keyword>, it kind of makes sense.You see, <keyword id="13147789" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="derrick-lewis" source="Orion">Derrick Lewis</keyword> knocked out Chris Daukaus at the <keyword id="11922275" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ufc" source="Orion">UFC</keyword> Fight Night show in December 2021 and celebrated by throwing his cup at the crowd.Tuivasa fights Lewis this weekend and wouldn't seem to mind seeing him throw his cup once again."He can throw it to me when I win, and I'll do a cuppy out of his ball guard, then. I'm keen," he said, <a href="https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2022/02/tai-tuivasa-has-simple-plan-at-ufc-263-land-the-hardest-punch-drink-beer-out-of-a-ball-guard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to MMA Junkie</a>.Though a cuppy is new, heavy-hitting Tuivasa is renowned for his shoeys.This is an act in which he grabs his shoe — or a stranger's shoe, cowboy boot, or sneaker — fills it with beer and downs the liquid as fast as he can.This doesn't always work out well for the Australian heavyweight, as a fan once gave him a shoe to drink beer from at a UFC event but mixed hot sauce into the brew without Tuivasa's knowledge.Tuivasa did not look like he enjoyed that drink, but when you live by the shoey, you might die by the shoey, too.<div type="image" title="Somebody sneaked hot sauce into Tuivasa's shoey once, and Tai did not look pleased." height="1492" width="2000" msid="89487952" hostid="261"></div><h2>Tuivasa competes at the upcoming UFC 271 event Saturday</h2>Behavior like this has established Tuivasa as a fan-favorite status amongst the UFC audience.That he has won by knockout in every one of his last four fights, including wins over Stefan Struve on Fight Island and Greg Hardy and Augusto Sakai in Vegas, only adds to his appeal.A bout against Lewis, who is also a thunderous puncher, promises fireworks."It's a very exciting fight for me," Tuivasa said. "It's either I'm going to get my head taken off, or I'm going to take his head off, so that's why I fight."That's what excites me, and I'm looking forward to putting a show on."<h2>Lewis is not impressed with Tuivasa's desire to drink from his cup, though</h2><div type="image" title="Derrick Lewis." height="1347" width="2000" msid="89487953" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/2/9/22925880/tai-tuivasa-proposes-shoey-out-of-derrick-lewis-cup-with-ufc-271-win-lewis-responds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to MMA Fighting</a>, Lewis had a relatable response to Tuivasa's unique brand of nonsense."This guy is nasty, man," Lewis said."I can't do that. I don't know. USADA needs to be knocking at his door all the time. He's gotta be taking something to help his immune system. That is just nasty."Lewis was even more perplexed when asked if he would do a cuppy with any other athlete on the UFC roster. "Man, what the hell? Nobody," he said."I wouldn't like to drink out of nobody's cup. We're all fighters, so I'm pretty sure everybody's got musty nuts."UFC 271 takes place at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, and is headlined by the middleweight championship rematch between titleholder Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.Tuivasa and Lewis fight in the penultimate bout of the night.

A UFC heavyweight wants to drink beer from his rival's jockstrap for no good reason at all

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12525635" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cris-cyborg" source="Orion">Cris Cyborg</keyword> landed a powerful right hook Friday at a <keyword id="12118724" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="bellator-mma" source="Orion">Bellator MMA</keyword> event in Florida.</li><li>It put opponent <keyword id="12525636" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="sinead-kavanagh" source="Orion">Sinead Kavanagh</keyword> on her back. Cyborg then landed three hammer fists.</li></ul>Combat <keyword id="11893855" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports" source="Orion">sports</keyword> queen <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/cris-cyborg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cris Cyborg</a> retained her <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/bellator-mma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bellator MMA</a> crown as she scored the 21st finish of her illustrious career, flattening Sinead Kavanagh at the Bellator 271 event Friday.Cyborg, 36, has fought - and won - championships in Strikeforce, Invicta FC, and the <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/ufc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UFC</a>.She won the Bellator featherweight title in 2020 with a knockout performance against Julia Budd, and has defended her championship against Arlene Blencowe and Leslie Smith.Her most recent match - a third featherweight title defense against Kavanagh - epitomized her run at Bellator, as she finished the Irishwoman with ease.In the simplest terms, Cyborg is levels above the Bellator roster. She rules.At the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Florida, Cyborg needed only 92 seconds to detonate a bomb of a right hook on Kavanagh's jaw.The shot did enough damage to put her opponent down and out.One shot - boom.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1459392519557554183?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2021</a></blockquote>To be sure of the victory, Cyborg pounced on Kavanagh and hit her flush with three hammer fists before the referee intervened.Watch it in full here:<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1459387252879069184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2021</a></blockquote>"I had a feeling about the fight, I feel great," said Cyborg in a post-match statement sent to Insider. "I am happy with the win.""The right hand did it fast and was the key. I was very excited for the count."Victory advanced Cyborg's pro <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/mma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MMA</a> record to 25 wins (20 knockouts, one submission, and four decisions) against two losses.The two-time <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/pfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PFL</a> champion Kayla Harrison sat cageside for the bout. Cyborg said she would welcome a fight against her, should she ever leave the PFL for Bellator <keyword id="11922276" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mma" source="Orion">MMA</keyword>."I really appreciate Kayla Harrison coming to the fight," Cyborg said. "If she wants to fight me one day, that would be great."<div type="image" title="Cris Cyborg celebrates her knockout win over Sinead Kavanagh." height="1334" width="2000" msid="87684027" hostid="261"></div>Elsewhere on the card, Linton Vassell defeated Tyrell Fortune, Arlene Blencowe out-pointed Pam Sorenson, and <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/aaron-pico" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aaron Pico</a> outclassed Justin Gonzales to win a unanimous decision.Pico is one of the most exciting up-coming fighters in Bellator, but Friday's fight was the first time he went the distance."It is the first time I've gone three rounds," said Pico. "It's my first decision. I need the experience. I'm happy I got the win.He continued: "I knew I was the dominant performer, but I have to get better. I am just so hard on myself. I want to finish guys. "Let's go back to the drawing board. Once I step out of this cage, it's going to be a whole different ball game. I have to get prepared for the next opponent, so let's get to work."

You Searched For "ufc 271" and got 9 results

Israel Adesanya edges Robert Whittaker in middleweight battle; Khamzat Chimaev says he wants to kill him

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Ronnie Lawrence said after his epic UFC brawl with Leomana Martinez that he only recently had diarrhea

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A bloodied bantamweight fighter choked his opponent unconscious in the 3rd UFC 271 bout of the evening

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A new UFC heavyweight contender announces himself with a horrific elbow strike KO at UFC 271

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American fighter Jared Cannonier got up from the deck to elbow UFC opponent Derek Brunson to hell

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Conor McGregor hailed Israel Adesanya as 'one of the true remaining high-level fighter/performer athletes'

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A UFC heavyweight wants to drink beer from his rival's jockstrap for no good reason at all

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MMA queen Cris Cyborg flattened her Bellator opponent with a thunderous hook in 92 seconds

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