The main event of this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night card in Denver – a card that marked the UFC’s 25th anniversary – featured featherweights “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung and Yair Rodriguez.

There was no better way to celebrate than the back-and-forth fight between Jung and Rodriguez, with an outcome that was unclear heading into the fifth and final round.

As the fight approached the final seconds, the decision could have gone to either competitor, but the judges never had to decide. Rodriguez landed a hail mary up elbow at 4:59 of the fifth round to score one of the most unlikely victories in UFC history.

The knockout will certainly be shown for years to come as it is an accumulation of all of the most exciting things about mixed martial arts. The timing, the mechanics and when the strike took place are the recipe for the ultimate highlight.

 

Cerrone breaks records in his hometown

After unceremoniously splitting with team Jackson-Winkeljohn due to a conflict involving his opponent Mike Perry training there despite his wishes otherwise, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone got the last laugh when he defeated Perry via first round armbar in his hometown.

Cerrone became the winningest fighter in UFC history with his 21st win and also the fighter with the most finishes in history with 15. Cerrone is also now tied for the second most fights in UFC history at 29.

Following the win, Cerrone said that he hopes to return to the lightweight division, something that he had been requesting for some time, as he had previously challenged for the title in that weight class.

Cerrone is 6-4 in his last ten, while Perry falls to 1-3 in his last four.

 

Prospects shine in Denver

There was no shortage of prospects on this past weekend’s card as The Ultimate Fighter 27 winner Mike Trizano fought for the first time since winning a six-figure contract and the event also featured the debuts of 20-year-old Maycee Barber and 25-year-old heavy hitting lightweight Devonte Smith.

All three came through with big performances.

Smith defeated his opponent Julian Erosa in just 46 seconds with an impressive combo that dropped Erosa, allowing him to finish with ground strikes.

Trizano defeated his former Ultimate Fighter castmate Luis Pena by split decision. Pena was forced off of the show due to injury and wanted to prove that he was the rightful winner of the season, but was unable to do so against the talented New Jersey native Trizano.

Perhaps the most impressive prospect was Barber, who at her young age showed an advanced skill-set with a well-rounded game that overwhelmed her opponent Hannah Cifers. Barber defeated Cifers after delivering vicious ground and pound that stifled her mostly striking-based opponent.
 

Following Barber’s win, she called out a fellow super-prospect in Mackenzie Dern, who won both of her UFC fights this year.

 

Attendance and Bonuses

UFC Fight Night at the Pepsi Center in Denver drew 11,426 attendees for a disclosed gate of $946,706.78.

The Fight of the Night performance bonus was given to Jung and Rodriguez for their incredible matchup, while Performance of the Night bonuses went to Rodriguez and Cerrone.

Rodriguez earned an additional $100,000, while Jung and Cerrone earned an additional $50,000.

Cejudo to reportedly defend flyweight title against Dillashaw

With rumours swirling that the UFC are planning on shutting their flyweight division, they may be doing so on a high note as ESPN’s Brett Okamoto is reporting that champion Henry Cejudo will defend his title for the first time against bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 233 on Jan. 26 in Anaheim.

Should the division be dissolved, the stakes are interesting. If Cejudo wins, it is quite possible that he jumps the queue for the next shot at Dillashaw’s bantamweight title and should Dillashaw win, he will be a two-division champion for perhaps a single day, but will still register as only the third UFC fighter to hold titles in two divisions simultaneously.

This past week, flyweights Jarred Brooks, Justin Scoggins and Jose Torres announced that they had been released from the promotion and told that the flyweight division would be closing. Combate previously reported that the division will likely be done by the end of 2018, however with the development that Cejudo may defend the flyweight title, that would no longer be the case.

 

Costa injured

Paulo Costa was originally booked to face Yoel Romero at UFC 230, which took place earlier this month at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Romero was forced to withdraw due to injury and the fight was on track to be re-booked for the UFC’s first ESPN+ card on Jan. 19 in nearby Brooklyn, however, now Costa has caught the injury bug and will no longer be able to compete on that date.

Costa is hoping for the UFC to re-book the matchup for March, however Romero is looking to fight sooner.

The much-anticipated fight would pit the 41-year-old seasoned veteran and former title challenger Romero against the undefeated Costa, who has won all twelve of his professional fights inside the distance with eleven of them by KO/TKO.