Recap of UFC 271 this past weekend in Houston

Israel Adesanya Retains the Belt!

Diego Gonzalez, Staff Writer

Main Card

Bobby Green (29 – 12 – 1) vs. Nasrat Haqparast (13 – 5 ):

With a clean, efficient performance over Haqparast, Green got his 2022 campaign off to a terrific start. Green was declared the winner after three rounds by all three judges, with a score of 30-27. Green was victorious thanks to his straight punches, volume, and solid defense. With the jab and counter right hand, he held his ground against Haqparast’s aggressive pressure and froze him at times.

UFC 271 news: Bobby Green vs. Nasrat Haqparast added to Houston cardAs early as the first round, Haqparast raced into Green’s fists and bled from his nose and a cut on his cheek. At the end of the second round, Green of California knocked out Haqparast’s mouthpiece and began taunting him in the third. Despite Green’s superb counter boxing, he landed 163 total strikes to only 72 for Haqparast, who continued to come forward with his overhand left. Green lost back-to-back fights two years ago, but he is now on a two-fight winning streak. He had dominated Al Iaquinta in his previous fight in November.

Jared Cannonier (15 – 5) vs. Derek Brunson (23 – 8):

Cannonier, who is ranked No. 4 in the ESPN middleweight rankings, didn’t have it easy. In the first round, he was knocked down twice by fifth-ranked Brunson, who also scored a knockdown and control led the session.UFC 271 results: Jared Cannonier calls for title shot after demolishing Derek Brunson with brutal knockout - MMA Fighting Cannonier, on the other hand, successfully defended seven takedown attempts in the first round, and Brunson appeared drained when they came out for the second. Cannonier took advantage of the situation by landing an elbow out of a clinch, followed by a backhand, before knocking Brunson out at 4:29 of the first round. Cannonier, who has won two straight fights and five of his last six, then turned to cageside and pleaded with UFC president Dana White to take notice.

Alexander Hernandez (13 – 5) vs. Renato Moicano (16 – 4 – 1):

Moicano has been hailed as a future top contender by American Top Team insiders for years. Moicano might be starting to put it all together now. Moicano landed punches on Hernandez before finishing the fight on the ground with a smooth rear-naked choke submission finish at 1:23 of the second round. Renato Moicano critical of UFC 271 stoppage win: I'm better than thatMoicano struck Hernandez in the temple with a right punch that definitely wounded him. Moicano stuffed Hernandez’s takedown attempt and easily took Hernandez’s back. Moicano successfully countered in both rounds. He was landing solid straight right punches and executing a nice uppercut-left hook combination. Hernandez also had some good moments in the first round, including a beautiful elbow around halfway through the frame. Moicano, on the other hand, carried the momentum into the second round, capitalizing on Hernandez’s overextending attacks with his counter punching. Moicano, 32, has won two fights in a row and three of his last four. Since jumping up to lightweight from featherweight in 2020, the Brazil native, who trains out of Florida, has had nothing but success. Hernandez, a 29-year-old Texan who trains in Colorado, has had a win-loss record in his last eight fights.

Derrick Lewis (26 – 9) vs. Tai Tuivasa (15 – 3): 

Tai Tuivasa is beginning to emerge as a possible title contender. In Houston, the shoe-drinking heavyweight from Sydney won his biggest fight by knocking out Lewis with a standing elbow at 1:46 of the second round. Tuivasa knocked Lewis out with a right elbow to the temple out of the clinch after injuring him on the feet with tight blows. UFC 271: Twitter reacts to Tai Tuivasa's stunning KO of Derrick LewisTuivasa’s victory streak now stands at five, with five knockout victories. Lewis is a two-time title contender and the sole owner of the UFC’s knockout record, therefore this was his most remarkable performance yet. Lewis was successful in the first round, even injuring Tuivasa with punches when the Australian recovered from a takedown, but when the tide shifted, the tide went huge. To begin the second round, Lewis, who lives in Houston, landed many nice shots on the feet of his own. His success may have made him a little rash, as evidenced by the way he moved forward and applied pressure. Lewis backed up after Tuivasa tagged him with a pair of quick shots on the inside. Tuivasa followed up with another shot that put him on skates. Between 2018 and 2019, Tuivasa lost three fights in a row, but has not lost since. He entered Saturday’s fight as the No. 11 heavyweight in the UFC.

Israel Adesanya (22 – 1) vs. Robert Whittaker (24 – 6):

No one seemed to be talking about Robert Whittaker, the challenger and former champion who doesn’t talk trash and doesn’t bring unnecessary attention to himself. It was almost as if it was a foregone conclusion that Adesanya would easily retain his UFC middleweight belt. However, this was far from the fact. Dana White confirms Israel Adesanya's next opponent after UFC 271 win - Mirror OnlineIn the main event of UFC 271 on Saturday night at Toyota Center, Adesanya defeated Whittaker by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46). Adesanya did actually leave the Octagon with his middleweight title, countering Whittaker’s boxing with his length and reach. The fight, though, was extremely close, and the audience here booed the decision, believing Whittaker was the legitimate winner. The Houston supporters were entirely behind Adesanya at the start of the fight, but as the fight progressed, they began to suspect an upset. “Bobby!” chants could be heard in the final rounds.

Prelims

Light Heavyweight: Carlos Ulberg (6 – 1) vs. Fabio Cherant (7 – 4)

Carlos Ulberg winner by decsion

Bantamweight: Kyler Phillips (10 – 2) vs. Marcelo Rojo (16 – 9)

Kyler Phillips winner by submission · R3 01:48

Womens Flyweight: Roxanne Modafferi (25 – 21) vs. Casey O’Neill (9 – 0)

Roxanne Modafferi winner by decision

Heavyweight: Andrei Arlovski (33 – 20) vs. Jared Vanderaa (12 – 7)
Andrei Arlovski winner by decision