From Carlos Ulberg’s brutal first-round KO that put the sunshine heavyweight division on discover, to Jimmy Crute’s redemption story, to a day the place nearly each native fighter had despatched the RAC Enviornment crowd into raptures, UFC Perth delivered all the things followers may have hoped for.
Listed here are the largest takeaways from the UFC Perth card.
There’s been a bit of little bit of a chip on the broad shoulders of Carlos Ulberg this week because the No. 3 ranked mild heavyweight repeatedly confronted questions on his world title probabilities. Was he subsequent man up? What does he must do to get it? Are his fights too uninteresting? Is he too secure? Does he must make an announcement?
Properly make an announcement he did. A shocking, brutal first-round knockout of a rejuvenated Dominick Reyes answered all these questions and extra.
It was a surgical dismantling of Reyes, who did not land a punch. He managed the cage, managed the tempo, noticed his alternative and took it in devastating style.
Your transfer Dana. Subsequent week earlier than we see Ankalaev vs. Pereira 2, Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Roundtree will meet because the four-way battle to be the following man up involves a crescendo. And Ulberg plans to be there too. Sitting cage aspect, reminding everybody that he thinks he’s the man. Unbeaten in years. Untouched within the cage tonight. Confidence unbreakable. His time is now.
It was 2019 that mild heavyweight Jimmy Crute was named by ESPN because the seventh finest prospect underneath 25. Rather a lot has occurred since then. After working into losses towards division stalwarts Anthony Smith and Jamahal Hill, Crute’s star light rapidly, after a pair of fights with Alonzo Menifield. After the second combat — a defeat in Las Vegas — Crute laid down his gloves and seemingly left the octagon for good.
Practically two years away from the game noticed Crute change rather a lot. He discovered faith, turn into a religious Christian, and used his new-found spirituality as a springboard for a return. A attract Sydney at UFC 312 and spectacular submission win over Marcin Prachino, introduced him to Perth as a co-main. Towards Ivan Erslan, Crute was super, taking his opponent to the mat on the earliest alternative and was relentless in pursuit of the submission.
As he took within the adulation of a house crowd, the smile couldn’t be wiped off Crute’s face. A cheerful Jimmy Crute is a harmful Jimmy Crute. And there was no happier man in Perth than the boy from Bendigo.
Initially with 14 Australian and New Zealand fighters on the cardboard, we ended up with 11 making the stroll in RAC Enviornment after the withdrawal of the Tafa brothers, and the cancellation on Jono Micallef’s combat. And what a time out they’d. In the long run 10 native fighters noticed their arm raised with solely Jake Matthews struggling defeat — albeit in controversial circumstances.
All of this while the royalty of ANZ MMA — Adesanya, Whittaker, Volkanovski, Tuivasa, Hooker, Kara-France, Della Maddalena — sat as spectators. It was a card that showcased the depth of ANZ MMA , reintroducing some outdated favourites, and welcoming some future stars.
Fighters like Brando Pericic who lit the blue contact paper with an enormous first spherical knockout. Like Michelle Montague, the primary Kiwi girl to make the UFC, who acquired the choice. Tom Nolan, Navajo Stirling, large prospects on large runs, who saved their prepare rolling. And fan favourites Jimmy Crute and Jack Jenkins. Each with troublesome latest pasts, however each with their arms raised and smiles on their faces.
As UFC’s worldwide chief Dave Shaw commented afterwards, a card like this one “places a variety of new names into rivalry”.