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Under the Radar at UFC in Saint Petersburg: Michał Oleksiejczuk

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Name: Michal Oleksiejczuk
Record: 13-2-0-1 overall; 1-0-0-1 UFC
Division: airy heavyweight
Team: GKS Gômik Lęczna MMA

Coming out of UFC 236 last weekend, one of the main takeaways for me was after seeing Khalil Rountree Jr. dominates Eryk Anders and reminds everyone that he is someone to keep an eye on in the airy heavyweight division, there have been constant complaints about how shallow and low… the quality that the 205-pound weight class currently represents must stop.

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Everyone pretends that the division doesn’t have any emerging talent rising through the ranks because they don’t match the greatness of Jon Jones or are significantly underdogs compared to Alexander Gustafsson, as if measuring the quality of a division only comes down to what each person would do against arguably the greatest fighter of all time and a perennial contender who has only lost to elite talent.

Everything is measured in absolute terms – you’re either the best or you’re a bum – and anyone who inhabits the huge spaces between these two extremes has to do something dramatic to get even a modicum of attention.

It’s depressed because in this way emerging talents are overlooked and end up sneaking up on all the people who are constantly shouting about wanting to know more about the players but refusing to do the work of getting to know anyone who isn’t already a large name or carrying a lot of hype.

Michał Olieksiejczuk is one of those humble up-and-coming fighters that people should be paying attention to, but they don’t because he competes at airy heavyweight and they’ve been hearing for years how terrible the division as a whole is.

Last time, the 24-year-old player from Barek, Poland, needed only 94 seconds to defeat Gian Villante.

Get rid of this division and think about it from another perspective for a moment: The 24-year-old, in his second year in the Octagon, crushed the 28-fight veteran in one minute and 34 seconds, ending it with a nasty body shot.

People get much less excited about hyped prospects that everyone likes or charismatic Brazilians who breakdance after their victories, but when Oleksiejczyuk does it, no one bats an eyelid and it makes no sense to me.

The youthful airy heavyweight “Lord” didn’t do himself any favors by diving into the banned substance after his UFC debut – a quick unanimous decision victory over Rountree Jr. at UFC 219 – but there are plenty of other athletes who were flagged and suspended who, after completing their penance, have returned to being prospects that everyone should pursue, and Oleksiejczuk should be given the same opportunity.

Villante is not a world champion, but he is a tough fighter who has been in the UFC for five years and amassed a 7-7 record before their fight in February. During these 14 appearances in the Octagon, no one defeated the Long Islander so quickly and decisively – not Shogun Rua, not Ilir Latifi, not Corey Anderson, not Ovince Saint Preux.

But Oleksiejczuk did it, and not only is it worth noting, but it should make you want to see what he does for an encore next weekend when he faces Gadzhimurad Antigulov in St. Petersburg.

Before his last fight, Antigulov was one of those “let’s see what we have here” airy heavyweight guys – a sturdy grappler who finished in the first round in his first two UFC appearances. He then started brisk and threw himself demanding into the fight against Ion Cutelaba, who is another guy to keep an eye on in the airy heavyweight division and is now looking to bounce back in the second fight on the fight card against Yubileyney Sports Palace on Saturday morning.

Don’t think this is just me rooting for a guy who makes one of my long-standing arguments seem a little more valid.

Yes, I was competing in the light heavyweight ranks to gain a little more respect for a whilebut there are also performance-related reasons why I think Oleksiejczuk is someone fight fans should keep an eye on this weekend and in the future.

Against both Rountree Jr. and Villante, the Polish newcomer displayed fluid striking and solid footwork, getting inside, throwing strikes and retreating without receiving much fire in return. Although he was more of a stick-and-move fighter against Rountree, who has plenty of power, he pushed forward and attacked Villante relentlessly before leveling him with a attractive body shot.

Solid fundamentals and precision shots don’t attract attention like wild spin attacks or haymaking haymakers do, but having those fundamentals at such a youthful age, so early in his career, bodes well for Oleksiejczuk and should set him up well to continue his climb. up the division ladder.

Antigulov will be looking to close the gap and turn this into a grappling match, which means we should get a chance to test the 24-year-old’s takedown defense and stealth skills this weekend.

If he manages to maintain this streak and dictate the terms of the fight, Oleksiejczuk has a real chance to extend his undefeated streak to even, which – as I often say – does not happen by accident, no matter who and where you fight.

The airy heavyweight division is not a barren wasteland.

There are emerging talents in the 205-pound rankings that deserve special attention, and Oleksiejczuk is one of them.

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MMA

Demetrious Johnson equaled Anderson Silva’s UFC title defense record

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by Kendrick E. Johnson |

Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson defended his flyweight title at UFC “Fight Night Kansas City,” looking to stop challenger Wilson Reis and make UFC history.

After beating Reis from the opening bell and submitting him via armbar at 4:49 of the third round, Johnson did exactly what he wanted. With this victory, Johnson has now won 12 straight fights, but more importantly, it is his 10th defense of the UFC flyweight title, tying Anderson Silva’s record for the most consecutive title defenses in UFC history.

The spectacular, historic victory left Johnson more placid and reserved than usual after the fight.

“GSP, Anderson, they are great champions, but I am the best champion that has ever stepped foot in this Octagon,” Johnson said. “I finish off all my opponents. There is no other champion who can mix it all, fight, punch and clinch like me.

Johnson scored the victory by punching and softening Reis while staying out of danger first. The champion then took him to the ground, pounded him some more, and then delivered a neat submission to the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.

Going from a full mount to an armbar submission faster than anyone else in the UFC to end the event, “Mighty Mouse” showed why he’s considered the best pound-for-pound MMA fighter in the world today.

“It was a damn good night,” Johnson said in his post-fight Octagon interview. “It’s probably the best training camp I’ve ever had, and my head coach kept telling me, ‘Just be yourself.’ I came back and did a lot of things differently at this camp and it was the best effort I’ve ever felt.

Even if people like UFC president Dana White call him the “GOAT” of the UFC, putting his name first alongside Silva, who ruled the middleweight division and pound-for-pound rankings from 2006-2013. Johnson remains focused on taking his division and legacy to heights never before seen in MMA.

“I’m like any champion, whether it’s a team sport like the Michael Jordan Bulls or something like the UFC, I want to win as many championships as possible,” Johnson said at the post-fight news conference. I’ve got 10 title defenses now and I can take this belt home and hopefully next time I can break through and maybe I can get 13 or 14 titles, so why not set the bar high. Just like Usain Bolt is the fastest man in the world, I’m the fastest man in mixed martial arts, so I’m going to continue to prove that and hopefully set the record at 15 years and then I can retire.

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MMA

Max Holloway is on a mission at UFC 212

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by Kendrick E. Johnson |

Even with 10 consecutive wins inside the Octagon, UFC interim featherweight champion Max “Blessed” Holloway never had the opportunity to fight for the undisputed championship.

That will all change on Saturday when Holloway faces UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo in a unification fight at UFC 212 at the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

This will be only the second time in his career that Holloway will headline a pay-per-view card, but he is extremely confident of entering enemy territory in pursuit of his lifelong dream.

“I’ve been in the spotlight in my career, I’ve had a five-round fight outside the UFC and I’m ready for anything,” Holloway said during a recent conference call.

“I’m just ready to show the world what I’m about and why I’m the best fighter in this division.”

“Blessed” has finished seven opponents in his 10-fight winning streak, including a TKO over former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis to become interim champion.

Holloway and Aldo are two of the best all-around strikers in MMA today, but there aren’t many other similarities both inside and outside the Octagon. What they have in common, however, is that their last defeat came against UFC’s most recognizable star, “Notorious” Conor McGregor.

For Holloway, losing to McGregor four years ago was a good thing. He regrouped, became a more complete fighter and put together one of the greatest winning streaks in UFC history.

However, despite his incredible success at the championship level over the past few years, the UFC has been reluctant to put its hype machine behind Holloway, much to the surprise of many in the media and fans.

Even with this lack of pressure, Holloway is very excited to reign supreme in a division that has only had two undisputed champions in its compact history.

“I just can’t wait to do the damn thing; get in there and fight one of the best of all time,” Holloway said. “He is one of the greatest in our sport, but it is time for a up-to-date era.”

“I have been an underdog my whole life. I do not care. I shouldn’t be here. Max Holloway shouldn’t be talking to any of you. I shouldn’t be here. It is what it is. “Actions speak louder than words, and I have done many things.”

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MMA

Amanda Nunes withdraws from UFC 213 title fight

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by Kendrick E. Johnson |

After being hospitalized hours earlier, UFC women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes has been withdrawn from her UFC 213 main event bout against top-ranked Valentina Shevchenko, UFC president Dana White confirmed.

The report of Nunes’ illness and withdrawal was first revealed by mmafighting.com’s Ariel Helwani. White told LA Times writer Lance Pugmire via text message: “I don’t know why Nunes (14-4) withdrew from the card after being examined by a doctor.

“The doctor cleared her to fight. She said she wasn’t feeling well,” White said. “It is what it is. You can’t force anyone to fight.”

Now, the scheduled co-main event fight for the interim middleweight title between Yoel “The Soldier of God” Romero and Robert “The Reaper” Whittaker will be upgraded to main event status at UFC 213. The fresh co-main event will be a heavyweight fight between the former champion Fabricio Werdum and Alistair Overeem, who will fight for the title of number 1 contender to champion Stipe Miocic.

Many commented on how exhausted Nunes looked, as fighters often do, at the official weigh-in on Friday morning around 10 a.m. PST. It must be admitted that in her nine-year MMA career, “The Lioness” has never officially made weight or withdrawn from a fight due to weight loss problems, until today.

The fight will likely be postponed soon. Bob Bennett of the Nevada State Athletic Commission said Nunes had problems beyond the weakness resulting from the weight cut that led to her withdrawal.

Meanwhile, undefeated women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk spent Saturday morning “begging White to fight via text messages and social media.” Jedrzejczyk last fought at UFC 211 in May and plans to fight in November at UFC 217, but she was in town for International Fight Week and told White she would face Shevchencko.

Much to the disappointment of fans and the media, the strawweight champion has no chance of fighting tonight because medical tests and other clearances require a little longer before the NSAC will clear her. So everyone has to hold on tight to see how this story unfolds over the next few days

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