UFC

If you had "Francis Ngannou escapes a leglock" on your UFC bingo card, congratulations.

On Saturday in the main event of UFC 270, the heavyweight champion and baddest man on the planet brought a deeper bag of tricks to the cage than he ever had before. He needed all of them to overcome Cyril Gane—and a preexisting knee injury—to retain his title in Anaheim, California.

This was not a scintillating contest. Neither man landed 20 strikes in any single round, according to UFC stats. Offense was at a premium, meaning a few pivotal moments made all the difference. More often than not, it was a burst of much-improved wrestling from Ngannou—and one crucial misstep from Gane—that led to Ngannou's 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 unanimous-decision victory. 

"I knew he was going to be a tough opponent. ... I had to stay composed," Ngannou told famous broadcaster and podcaster Joe Rogan after the fight. "Calm down. Don't chase him, trust yourself and, yeah man, we did it. It's been an incredible journey."

Gane is a smart fighter with an effective read-and-react style in the cage. His footwork—downright Vitaly Lomachenko-esque for an MMA heavyweight—is exceptional. But he's not always fun to watch.

In the first round, as Ngannou pressed forward, Gane kept moving around the cage, switching stances and directions, basically doing whatever he could to mesmerize Ngannou. Gane outworked the champ overall and likely took the first on most fans' scorecards.

The second round picked up where the first left off. It was entirely too late at night for it to be one of those fights. But there it was, positively plodding. As Ngannou huffed and puffed, Gane out-landed him 19-10, according to the official stats.

Oh no, here came the third, and there was Gane touch-kicking the champ as Ngannou simply refused to pull the trigger. It was indeed one of those fights.

But then at about the 4:15 mark, Ngannou charged forward, scooped up Gane and body-slammed him to the ground, landing in perfect side control. Gane worked his way up to standing, only for Ngannou to hit another one at roughly the 2:20 mark.

"My ground game is now evolving," Ngannou told Rogan. "And I'm going to be on another level."

Gane started the fourth with more sticking and moving, only to see Ngannou land two more takedowns that led to nearly three combined minutes of control time.

Then came what looked to be a decisive fifth round. With Ngannou gassing hard, Gane still appeared hesitant to make the first move. About a minute into the action, Gane went for a takedown and got it.

Then, for the first time in the fight, Gane took a gamble, and it didn't go his way.

From top position, Gane reached for Ngannou's leg to try for a leglock submission. Ngannou reversed the position to get on top, and just like that, Gane's advantage in the sequence was gone. The rest of the round was lackluster, with Ngannou again managing the action with control time.

"It was a moment for me to make a statement and to remind people I'm the champ," Ngannou told Rogan. "You guys might sleep on me, you kind of forget about me."

That doesn't seem true. He's now 17-3 and hasn't lost since 2018. Before this fight, he had five straight knockouts. His work with supercoach Trevor Wittman—also the coach of welterweight and pound-for-pound kingpin Kamaru Usman, who was in the champ's corner Saturday—is paying dividends.

There's also the small matter of his contract. 

As many fans know, that was the last fight on his UFC contract, and another one seems far away if president Dana White's public statements are to be believed. Would Ngannou really box Tyson Fury? Could he possibly go to another MMA promotion? What role would the knee injury, a surgery or potential time off play in the negotiations process?

Ngannou addressed that issue after the fight, and while he stopped short of making any hard proclamations, he did hint that he might be wearing heavier gloves in the near future.

"Boxing is always in the back of my pocket. It is something that I must do before the end of my career," Ngannou said. "And right now I'm really looking toward any opportunity to do that. Because it's not like I have a lifetime here. I better start thinking about it." 

The 35-year-old is one in a small handful of fighters with a claim to be the world's most famous non-Conor McGregor fighter. If UFC brass wants to keep him—perhaps for an ultrawatt matchup with Jon Jones—they'll have to pony up. 

Saturday's win may not make as many highlight reels, but it sure had a lot of grit between its teeth. It cemented Ngannou as someone with the tenacity, smarts and heart to win when the main weapon isn't working. That's championship-level stuff, no matter what sport you're playing.  

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. 

The third time was a charm for Deiveson Figueiredo. The former flyweight champion reclaimed his throne with a unanimous decision win over Brandon Moreno in the co-main event of UFC 270 from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, on Saturday night.

The first two fights in the rivalry were good, but the rubber match was an instant classic. 

The two once again showed they can make for an electric matchup in the early going. The challenger utilized plenty of leg kicks to slow Moreno's movement, but the champion landed some good shots of his own in a highly competitive first frame. 

The second round was prototypical high-quality flyweight action. Moreno landed some power punches while Figueiredo continued to chip away with leg kicks. Throw in some really fun scrambles and it was another difficult round to score. 

The challenger had two strong moments in the third round. He wobbled the champion with a left:

Then he followed it up with a right hand that put Moreno down and could have ended the fight if he had a little more time left on the clock:

The big finish didn't seem to bother Moreno, though. Despite the effect of the leg kicks he rallied to put together a strong fourth round and the fight headed to the fifth with the distinct possibility that it could determine the winner. 

Despite late flurries from both, the fight went the distance and another epic chapter was added to their rivalry. 

The result leaves the three-fight series at an even 1-1-1 between the two fighters.

The first fight saw Figueiredo attempt to fight Moreno on a three-week turnaround after beating Alex Perez at UFC 255. Moreno established himself as a serious threat in a fight that ended up in a draw after a five-round battle.

So with a full camp to prepare for Moreno, Figueiredo was supposed to have an edge in the rematch. It didn't play out that way. Moreno was the better fighter on that night and ended up submitting Figueiredo in the third round.

Now, Figueiredo has his own win in this rivalry, and it leaves the division in an interesting place.

For one, the win probably means that Figueiredo will remain in the flyweight division. He missed weight in his first crack at the title against Joseph Benavidez. The cut down to 125 pounds is difficult, but he feels like he's figured it out.

"I didn't want to stay in the flyweight division because I had so many complications with my diet and I just didn't think it was feasible anymore," Figueiredo said, per Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports. "But I changed a lot of things in my life. I got a new nutritionist, I got a new team, I quit managing my business and I just got a new attitude."

That new attitude should be scary in a division that has a few contenders ready to leap into the title picture.

He should have a close eye on a March fight scheduled between Askar Askarov and Kai Kara-France, per ESPN's Brett Okamoto. Both have made strong cases and have yet to get a crack at the title.

Then again, it's hard to envision a scenario where Moreno and Figueiredo don't meet for a fourth time eventually.

UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira will reportedly make his first title defense against Jiri Prochazka. 

Per ESPN's Brett Okamoto on Saturday, Teixeira and Prochazka have agreed to fight at UFC 274 on May 7. 

The UFC has yet to officially announce a date or location for UFC 274. There is currently a two-week gap on the company schedule between Fight Night shows on April 30 and May 14. 

Teixeira is in the midst of his hottest streak since joining the UFC in 2012. The Brazilian star has won each of his last six fights, highlighted by a second-round submission of Jan Błachowicz at UFC 267 on Oct. 30 to win the light heavyweight title for the first time. 

At 42 years old, Teixeira became the oldest first-time champion in UFC history. He is the second-oldest fighter to hold a title in company history. Randy Couture was 45 years old when he lost the heavyweight crown to Brock Lesnar at UFC 91 in 2008. 

Teixeira is 16-5 overall in UFC with 13 wins coming via stoppage. Five of his six wins during this current streak have come by submission or TKO. 

Prochazka is in the early stages of his UFC career. The 29-year-old signed with the promotion in January 2020 after going 26-3 for various promotions around the world. 

The Czech Republic native has made a strong impression in his first two UFC fights. He knocked out Volkan Oezdemir in the second round at UFC 251 in his debut.

In the main event of UFC on ESPN 23 last May, Prochazka scored a knockout against Dominick Reyes with a spinning back elbow late in the second round. He has 28 career wins, with 25 coming by knockout or TKO. 

Teixeira hasn't lost a fight by knockout since May 2017, when Alexander Gustafsson dropped him in the fifth round. Prochazka's undefeated streak stretches back to December 2015.   

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.