Rose Namajunas confirmed Tracy Cortez there are ranges to the sport on Saturday evening in the principle occasion of UFC Denver. In Namajunas’ adopted dwelling, she used a mix of fresh, efficient hanging and well timed takedowns to take the unanimous choice victory (49-46, 49-46, 48-47).

Namajunas floored Cortez within the first spherical with a left hook and knocked off one in every of her opponent’s eyelashes with a punch within the body as properly. After the hanging set the tone, Namajunas put collectively a sequence of textbook takedowns and prime management to verify her dominance.

The choose who scored the combat 48-47 might need had some explaining to do if Namajunas hadn’t come out on prime. Cortez fought properly within the fifth spherical, exhibiting applicable willpower to chase the end she wanted to get the win.

However that’s the one spherical you would argue ought to have gone in her favor. Fortunately, that questionable card didn’t result in a change within the bottom-line final result.

Whereas Namajunas gained, Cortez made a robust account of herself in her first principal occasion showcase. She stepped in as a late substitute for Maycee Barber, who was pressured out of the combat because of an damage.

Namajunas confirmed curiosity in combating for the flyweight title, which Alexa Grasso at the moment holds. If Grasso can get previous Valentina Shevchenko of their as-yet-scheduled third assembly, that may very well be subsequent for Namajunas.

If not, Namajunas turned the newest feminine fighter to specific an curiosity in a BMF combat. Her former rival Joanna Jędrzejczyk has additionally mentioned she would come out of retirement for a BMF title combat.

I wrote a listing of feminine fighters who could be an excellent match for that occasion right here.

Here’s a have a look at all the outcomes, highlights posted from Spinnin Backfist on X, and bonus winners.

Muslim Salikhov defeats Santiago Ponzinibbio by cut up choice (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

To be fairly sincere, this was simply the most important letdown of the night. There was a hope that the 2 established strikers would placed on a present just like what we noticed within the combat that preceded them.

Sadly, that wasn’t the case. Salikhov received the slight edge by being simply barely busier than Ponzinibbio in a combat that was poorly positioned because the co-main occasion.

Jean Silva defeats Drew Dober by TKO (physician’s stoppage) at 1:28 of Spherical 3

Silva continued his spectacular run with a third-round TKO win over Denver fan-favorite Drew Dober. Silva’s energy and chin had been on show as he outfought Dober, opening up a nasty gash on the latter’s proper eyebrow.

The gash was so unhealthy, referee Herb Dean requested for the Octagon physician to check out the gash, and the choice was rapidly made to name a halt to the combat.

This was a superb combat and the scrap that the Denver crowd gave the impression to be probably the most plugged into the motion.

Gabriel Bonfim defeats Ange Loosa by unanimous choice (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Bonfim bounced again from the one lack of his skilled MMA profession in his final combat with a robust efficiency in his win over Loosa. Bonfim shook off a number of takedown makes an attempt and Loosa’s efforts to manhandle him.

As a substitute, the most important variations had been the Brazilian’s boxing and work out of the Thai clinch. Bonfim is again on observe and once more one to look at at welterweight.

I can think about him clashing with somebody like Joaquin Buckley within the subsequent 12 months or so.

Julian Erosa defeats Christian Rodriguez by submission (guillotine) at 4:49 of Spherical 1.

Erosa and Rodriguez regarded like they had been headed for Struggle of the Evening honors, however the former took full benefit of a leg-sweep takedown and rapidly transitioned to a guillotine that pressured a fast faucet out.

Have a look:

Abdul Razak Alhassan vs Cody Brundage ends in a no contest after Alhassan landed two unlawful blows to the again of Brundage’s head.

Nobody can say for certain how badly Brundage was harm from the 2 elbows he took to the again of the pinnacle, however as a result of it occurred throughout a time when Alhassan gave the impression to be on the cusp of victory, Brundage’s choice to not proceed felt a bit fishy.

Add in the truth that he’s made related selections up to now towards Jacob Malkoun in September 2023; issues felt much more shaky. As it’s, Brundage appears to have escaped his fifth loss in his final seven fights.

UFC Denver Prelim Outcomes

Charles Johnson defeats Joshua Van by knockout (proper uppercut) at 0:20 of Spherical 3

In a superb efficiency from the St. Louis native, Johnson took the choice out of the judges’ arms with an explosive begin to the third spherical.

I had Johnson profitable the primary spherical and dropping the second, but it surely would not have been the most important shock if it was even heading into the ultimate body. Johnson landed a proper cross after which an uppercut as he chased a dazed Van to get the victory.

Have a look:

Jasmine Jasudavicus defeats Fatima Kline by unanimous choice (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Jasudavicus proved too huge, sturdy, and dominant on the bottom for Kline. Except for a quick second within the third when Jasudavicus allowed the combat to remain standing, she managed nearly each second of the combat en path to the straightforward unanimous choice win.

Montel Jackson defeats Da’Mon Blackshear by knockout (left hand) at 0:18 of Spherical 1

When Jackson made his UFC debut on the Dana White Contender Sequence in 2018, I believed he had what he wanted to turn out to be a title contender.

He’s starting to come back into that kind. Jackson’s victory was swift and decisive, taking solely 18 seconds to dismantle Blackshear with a strong 1-2 mixture that secured him the KO victory.

Have a look:

Luana Santos defeats Mariya Agapova by submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:27 of Spherical 1

Santos is a budding famous person. She understands the leisure facet of the game, and she or he is a harmful and multi-faceted fighter within the Octagon.

Santos dispatched Agapova through submission within the first spherical, which triggered her signature celebration.

Andre Petroski defeats Josh Fremd by unanimous choice (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

In his final combat, Petroski rebounded from an odd KO loss to dominate Fremd along with his prime stress. Petroski wanted this win within the worst approach.

With the dominant win, he averted a three-fight dropping streak. You by no means know; it may have saved him from touchdown on the lower line.

Evan Elder defeats Darrius Flowers by submission (arm-triangle choke) at 1:46 of Spherical 2

Elder took out Flowers to open the present in Denver. The 2 males placed on an excellent present within the first spherical, however Elder’s benefit on the bottom within the second led to the victory.

Have a look:

The UFC is again on the Apex in Las Vegas subsequent weekend for a ladies’s strawweight tile that includes Amanda Lemos vs. Virna Jandiroba.