Francis Ngannou

UFC 270 featured the debut of Francis Ngannou the wrestler, as the knockout artist utilized his grappling to get a unanimous decision win over interim champion Ciryl Gane.

While Ngannou is usually known for his fierce striking, it was his ability to secure takedowns that won him the fight. Through the first two rounds, Gane utilized his kicks, movement and clinching to nullify Ngannou's boxing.

It appeared we were headed toward a new champion. Then, Ngannou surprised everyone with a power slam takedown.

That was a turning point in the matchup. From Round 3 on, it was Ngannou's newfound grappling game that defined the fight. He wasn't active in terms of striking on the ground, but his ability to stifle Gane left the judges with no choice but to award the rounds to the reigning champion. 

It was an unpredictable finish to a night that saw two championship fights go the distance. Here's a look at the complete results. 

Main card

• Francis Ngannou def. Ciryl Gane via unanimous decision (48-47 x2, 49-46)
• Deiveson Figueiredo def. Brandon Moreno via unanimous decision (48-47 x3)
• Michel Pereira def. Andre Fialho via unanimous decision (29-28 x3) 
• Said Nurmagomedov def. Cody Stamann via first-round submission (guillotine) (0:47) 
• Michael Morales def. Trevin Giles via first-round TKO (4:06)

Prelims

• Victor Henry def. Raoni Barcelos via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
• Jack Della Maddalena def. Pete Rodriguez via first-round TKO (2:59)
• Tony Gravely def. Saimon Oliveira via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
• Matt Frevola def. Genaro Valdez via first-round TKO (punches) (3:15) 
• Vanessa Demopoulos def. Silvana Gomez Juarez via first-round submission (armbar) (2:25) 
• Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Kay Hansen via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

Deiveson Figueiredo def. Brandon Moreno

Deiveson Figueiredo is once again the UFC flyweight champion. 

Any questions about whether Figueiredo could put together a better performance against Brandon Moreno were answered early in this one. Both Moreno and Figueiredo put in epic performances as the trilogy added an instant classic. 

The first round set the tone for the fight as both had their moments and it wasn't an easy one to score. The new champion put serious work in with leg kicks that paid off later. 

The third round was the closest either fighter came to getting a finish. Moreno was saved by the bell as a right hand put him down and he was dangerously close to getting submitted when the round ended. 

Now the division is in a bit of an odd spot. These two have now fought three times and have put on a good fight every time. With the record now all tied up at 1-1-1, it's hard to envision the organization not running it back for a fourth time. 

Michel Pereira def. Andre Fialho

Michel Pereira and Andre Fialho had a big opportunity as the lead-in fight to the championship doubleheader. Both men acquitted themselves quite nicely as Pereira took the unanimous decision in a fun match.

Fialho drew a tough assignment for his UFC debut. Pereira is an uber-athletic striker with a unique style, but he seemed unbothered in the first round and picked up the early lead with his straightforward boxing. He caught Pereira early and often with his jab and counter hooks.

But Pereira showcased an ability to rally and make adjustments in the second frame. He turned the tables on Fialho and took over to even the fight at one round apiece.

That left the third round to decide the fight. While Fialho had some moments in the final five minutes, it was Pereira who put the exclamation point on the win.

Pereira is now on a four-fight win streak and should be getting a ranked opponent in his next fight.

Said Nurmagomedov def. Cody Stamann

It's been more than a year since Said Nurmagomedov has graced the Octagon, but he was still in a hurry to get out against Cody Stamann. The Dagestani striker wasted no time in dispatching Stamann with a first-round submission at 47 seconds.

Nurmagomedov overwhelmed Stamann with strikes early, and the grappler just didn't have an answer.

With Stamman stunned by the striking, Nurmagomedov turned to a guillotine choke to finish the job and got the tap.

The win is a reminder of the 29-year-old's potential. This was his first fight since October 2020 because of issues related to COVID-19, followed by visa issues, that forced a scheduled bout with Jack Shore to be pulled in September.

Stamann is no easy out. This is only the second time he's been finished. Aljamain Sterling is the only other fighter to pull off a submission against him.

Michael Morales def. Trevin Giles

The UFC welterweight division has a new exciting prospect in Michael Morales. The 21-year-old from Ecuador got a huge opportunity in making his UFC debut on the main card of a pay-per-view, and he capitalized in a big way.

Morales wasn't always in complete control, but he hung around through some bad situations to land a counter right hand that set up the TKO finish.

Trevin Giles scored an early takedown and landed some heavy shots in the stand-up. At first, it appeared Morales might be in over his head in such a big spot. But his composure and power should have him on the UFC's radar as a prospect to develop.

Morales impressed with a unanimous-decision win on Dana White's Contender Series and looked even better in his UFC debut.

Francis Ngannou remained the UFC's heavyweight champion with a unanimous decision win over Ciryl Gane in the main event of UFC 270.

Gane's fight IQ was on display early in the bout. He stifled Ngannou's power punching with a clinch-heavy game plan that saw him tie up the champion anytime he got within boxing range. 

Bon Gamin started to look more comfortable by the second frame. He continued to kick Ngannou's legs and body, keeping The Predator off balance and opening the lead on the scorecards. 

Ngannou threw a curveball in the third round. Without much success in the first two rounds on the feet he took Gane down for the first time in his career. Ultimately he wasn't able to do much damage despite having him in side control and taking his back briefly. 

However, he took the fight to the ground a second time and showed signs of life for the first time. 

He went back to his newly discovered skill set in the championship rounds. He took Gane down and remained on top of Gane for the majority of the fourth round, slowly compiling damage and wearing down his competitor. 

With the fight potentially on the line in the fifth round, Gane went to his own grappling. He took down Ngannou as the hyped matchup of strikers suddenly became a full-blown wrestling match. However, Ngannou was able to sweep him to regain top position and once again smothered Gane. 

It was a strong finish for an unorthodox title defense from The Predator. 

After the bout, Ngannou shed some light on his health. He suffered a serious knee injury in his preparation that could have explained his lack of success in the striking. 

The win is a huge boost to The Predator's legacy as a UFC champion. Despite his recent run of knockout victories, the champion was actually a small underdog against Gane. 

They say you aren't a legitimate champion until you defend your belt. There's no doubt at this point that Ngannou is the man to beat in the land of the giants. Gane was the clear No. 1 contender on the strength of his perfect 10-0 record going into the fight. 

Despite having just one title defense, Ngannou already feels like a dominant champion wins over four of the top six fighters. The lone exceptions are Derrick Lewis, who just lost to Gane, and Alexander Volkov, who also lost to Gane in 2021. 

Of course, the looming megafight is a date with Jon Jones. The former light heavyweight dropped his belt to gear up for a run at heavyweight, but there's some doubt the matchup gets made. 

In an interview with Brett Okamoto of ESPN, UFC President Dana White expressed hesitancy about Jones' future plans. 

"I don't feel confident saying that Jon Jones is next," White said (h/t MMA Mania). "Not because I think he's unreliable, it's because I honestly don't know what Jon Jones wants to do next. I think Jon's going to watch this fight, and he'll decide. Maybe he doesn't fight at heavyweight. Maybe he goes back and tries to regain the light heavyweight championship."

Adding to the clouded nature of the heavyweight picture is Ngannou's contract. The 35-year-old has been noncommital about working out a new contract with the UFC. This was the final fight of his current pact.

With a win over Gane, his asking price just went up. 

UFC President Dana White isn't concerned about heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou's contract status. 

Speaking to TMZ Sports, White said the promotion will figure things out "one way or another" after Ngannou fights interim champion Ciryl Gane for the undisputed title at UFC 270 on Saturday night. 

Ngannou told reporters last week he won't fight for UFC again after UFC 270 under his current contract. 

"I will not fight for $500,000 [or] $600,000 anymore," he said. "It's over. I took this fight for personal reasons, because I want to make sure that regardless of [whether] it's fair, I can make my case that I have completed the fights."

White and Ngannou's agent, Marquel Martin, had a public dispute last summer that began when the UFC booked Derrick Lewis vs. Gane for the interim heavyweight title at UFC 265 after the company was unable to get Ngannou to agree to the date. 

ESPN's Brett Okamoto made an Instagram post with a quote from Martin about the "shock" that the UFC went in a different direction to create an interim title fight, and White responded in the comment section that Martin was "so full of s--t!"

"He knows exactly what’s going on and isn’t ‘shocked’ at all," White continued (h/t MMAFighting.com). "Because we told him several times this was coming. His management is incompetent, and hopefully, Francis starts taking a look at new people to help his career."

In a message responding to White (via MMAFighting.com), Martin threatened to open up everything from the negotiations: 

Incompetent management? I think we’ve done a damn good job. I think you really don’t like the fact that Francis is being represented by not only me but an entire agency, one which you can’t control. Hence why you have people tryin to rep him all the time to your benefit. [Laughing crying emoji.] I tell you what, let’s disclose everything for people to see. Emails, calls, texts, everything. Deal? Cause I’m ready to get blackballed by the UFC. I’m not defined by it, you or anyone else for that matter. How’s that sound? Sincerely, your old employee, Marquel Martin.

Pay for UFC fighters has been a topic of discussion for some time. Alexandra Steigrad of the New York Post reported in February 2020 that UFC paid its fighters "under 16 percent" of the company's $900 million in revenue from the previous year. 

By comparison, Major League Baseball, the NBA and NFL "all share between 48 percent and 50 percent of revenues with their players," according to Steigrad. 

Per Okamoto, Ngannou can become a restricted free agent if he loses to Gane on Saturday. He would be allowed to negotiate with other promotions after a 90-day exclusivity window for UFC. 

Ngannou has fought for UFC since 2015. The Predator has a 11-2 record with the promotion (16-3 in his MMA career). He has won five consecutive bouts by knockout or TKO, including a second-round knockout of Stipe Miocic at UFC 260 in March to win the heavyweight title.     

UFC is partnering with legendary WWE wrestler and Hollywood megastar Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson on a new footwear deal.

According to Boardroom, Johnson's Project Rock is the new official footwear partner of UFC, and all UFC fighters and corner people will be provided with Project Rock footwear for UFC 270 on Saturday:

The Rock tweeted the following regarding the news:

Boardroom's Shlomo Sprung wrote that Project Rock is a "motivational performance brand" conceived by Johnson and Under Armour.

Sprung also noted that UFC athletes will be given Project Rock x UFC co-branded BSR 2 training shoes during the summer.

UFC Senior Vice President of Global Consumer Products Tracey Bleczinski commented on the partnership, saying:

We're thrilled to partner with Dwayne Johnson and his Project Rock brand to incorporate this innovative footwear into UFC's iconic fight kits. The core mission of the Project Rock brand, to help individuals in their journey achieve greatness by equipping them with the right tools, aligns with UFC fighters' determination, dedication, and perseverance, as they pursue greatness in their own right—both inside and outside of the Octagon.

Last year, UFC began a new fight kit deal with Venum, which marked the end of a six-year partnership with Reebok.

UFC 270—the first event to incorporate Project Rock footwear—will be headlined by a UFC heavyweight title fight between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane.

Both Ngannou and Gane will be decked out in Project Rock footwear for their main event clash.

Welcome back to the B/R MMA Mailbag, where we answer your questions about the goings-on of the MMA universe.

This week we're talking UFC 270, a star-studded if top-heavy card going down Saturday from Anaheim, California. The main card airs on ESPN+ pay-per-view.

In the main event, Francis Ngannou defends his heavyweight belt against interim titleholder Ciryl Gane. It's a close fight to call, with Gane bringing a deeper toolbox and Ngannou holding the same size and power advantages he holds over every other living human.

But that's just the second leg of the evening's title-fight twofer, as Brandon Moreno defends his flyweight strap for the first time against the man he took it from, Deiveson Figueiredo. This will be their third fight, and the first one was a draw, so there are plenty of chips on the table for both the present and future of the 125-pound bracket.

After that, well, the lineup has taken some lumps. And with that segue, let's dive in.

Want to see your question in the mailbag? We ask you to weigh in every Monday and then publish our responses Wednesday morning. Sarcasm accepted.

Will We See Any Last-Minute Fights Added to a Depleted Card?

@Martinljr8

I wouldn't hold my breath for any final additions to Saturday's card.

There's no question the slate is depleted, with a variety of reasons to blame. Name-recognition value is low beyond the headliners. 

Fights that have been officially scrapped, rescheduled or otherwise scuttled include:

• Derek Brunson vs. Jared Cannonier
• Greg Hardy vs. Aleksei Oleinik 
• Alexa Grasso vs. Viviane Araujo
• Warlley Alves vs. Jack Della Maddalena (Alves was replaced on short notice by UFC newcomer Pete Rodriguez)

Perhaps the bout that came closest to being remade was Hardy versus the ancient Oleinik in a fun striker versus grappler, athleticism versus experience kind of matchup. Oleinik recently backed out, and in came Sergey Spivak. But the salvage job was not to be, as Hardy withdrew one day later with a gnarly finger laceration (Warning: graphic image).

That's the way this card has gone. Spivak is an exciting competitor, but losing the controversial former NFL Pro Bowler makes retooling this fight a much lower priority than if it had been Spivak with the finger difficulties. At this point rescheduling is a more distinct possibility.

COVID-19 pandemic makes all of it that much harder. Testing protocols put extra pressure on the timelines for replacement fighters.

For example, the UFC's COVID-19 protocols require fighters and their corner people to complete home tests before they even get on a plane. A positive test from an asymptomatic jiu-jitsu coach is all it takes to submarine a bout.

This close to the event, the timing alone makes it a tough proposition. Add in these other factors, and you're basically looking at a no-go.

Why Is This Show Worth $75? 

@123410

Only you can answer that, my friend.

But ask yourself this: Is any UFC pay-per-view worth the $74.99 that became the new norm when the calendar flipped? Again, that's a you question. What's clear is that the UFC has fight fans by the short hairs, and it isn't afraid to yank.

With that said, this particular event seems worth the investment. It might lack the tantalizing style or big-name matchups, and it may not have heavy implications for any title pictures. But you can find those things on cable cards as well.

A densely packed pay-per-view is ideal, but what makes it a tentpole card are the big names in the headline slots. The doubleheader atop this card fits that bill.

Would a Ngannou vs. Jon Jones Non-Title Fight Be Bigger Than a Gane vs. Jones Title Fight?

@dahljo40

Great question. If you forget for a second about Ngannou's ongoing contractual squabbles with the UFC and assume that everyone finds a way to bring the big guy back into the fold, this question has a simple answer: Names are what draw, not belts, especially given that UFC title pictures are not strict meritocracies.

It's not that belts aren't important. The UFC has made many a main event by tossing an interim title into the mix. Gold raises the prestige and stakes of a given bout or card.

But at the end of the day, the full name of UFC 270 is not UFC 270: Heavyweight Title Bout. It's UFC 270: Ngannou vs. Gane. Ask Nate Diaz or Carlos Condit or Brock Lesnar about this phenomenon.

Jones' drawing power—solid, if not otherworldly—is a known quantity. Ngannou is a much bigger name than Gane, a bona fide folk hero for his power, physique and soft-spoken affability. The Frenchman is the more technically sound fighter and could well win Saturday, but those things are not what puts backsides in seats.

Gane did silence some critics when he knocked out Derrick Lewis last year. If he rips off three straight knockouts and starts cutting Ric Flair-esque promos, this opinion is subject to change. Until then, Ngannou-Jones is the move regardless of the associated hardware.