Sunday 25 October 2020

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WWE Hell In A Cell 2020 October

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WWE Hell in a Cell 2020 Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights


    Credit: WWE.com

    Sunday night, the WWE Superstars went back into the Thunderdome for one of the most dangerous events of the year, Hell in a Cell.

    This year's pay-per-view featured three matches taking place inside the super-sized cage. The WWE title was one of the belts on the line when Drew McIntyre took on Randy Orton again.

    We also saw Roman Reigns put the Universal Championship on the line inside HIAC when he faced Jey Uso in a rematch from Clash of Champions. 

    Bayley put the SmackDown Women's Championship up against her former best friend and tag team partner, Sasha Banks. 

    We also saw Otis defend the Money in the Bank contract against The Miz, while Jeff Hardy took on Elias.

    Let's take a look at everything that happened at Hell in a Cell. 


    Make sure to refresh this page throughout the show for updates results. 

R-Truth vs. Drew Gulak (24/7 Title)

1 OF 7

    A late addition to the card was the Kickoff match between R-Truth and Drew Gulak for the 24/7 Championship. The stipulation said there could be no outside interference. 

    Gulak addressed Little Jimmy directly and pretended to interact with him while Truth looked on with a confused look on his face. Gulak pretended to kick his opponent's imaginary friend out of the ring and an angry Truth tackled him to the mat. 

    After taking some punches in the corner, Gulak brought Truth down and put him in a submission. The champ kicked out of a sunset flip, but Gulak put him right back into a submission to keep him grounded. 

    Truth started to make a comeback and used several of John Cena's signature moves. He failed to hit the AA but did hit a Lie Detector for a two-count. Gulak met him on the top rope for a superplex, but Truth countered and won with a jackknife cover. 

                            

    Grade: C

                          

    Analysis

    The first few moments of this match were an unsuccessful attempt at comedy. What followed was a decent contest between two great performers who have been pigeonholed as comedic characters.

    There are tons of other options WWE had for the Kickoff but fans have been asking WWE for months to make the 24/7 title mean more. This was a small step in the right direction. 

Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso (Universal Title)

2 OF 7

    They stared at each other from across the ring and talked a little trash. The Tribal Chief said he only changed because he had to and Uso said he just did it for the title. They locked up and Uso was taken down right away with a shoulder block.

    A confident Reigns hit a quick suplex and paced around until Uce got back to his feet. The challenger began to build some momentum and hit a couple of suicide dives. He kept talking to Reigns as he threw him into the cage wall. 

    When they got back into the ring, The Big Dog drilled him with a Spear. He tried to bring a chair into the ring but Uso caught him with a dropkick. Before he could follow up, Reigns nailed him with a second Spear. He tried to hit a third but Uso countered and hit a superkick and a Superfly Splash. 

    Uso grabbed a leather strap from under the ring and used it to whip Reigns across the back. Somehow, The Tribal Chief got to his feet and hit a third Spear. Uso said he couldn't breathe but refused to quit. Reigns picked up the strap and began unloading on his cousin. 

    They ended up strapped together and Uso began building up a head of steam. He ended up choking Reigns out with the strap but he was unable to get him to say the words "I quit." Surprisingly, Reigns applied a guillotine and choked Uso out. Reigns begged him to quit but Jey refused. Even Paul Heyman pleaded with Uso to quit so this would stop. 

    The Tribal Chief dragged Uso to the apron and hit the drive-by dropkick. He put the steel steps next to Jey's head and kicked it as hard as he could. The ref wanted to stop the match and Reigns threw him out of the ring. Several officials came down and tried to stop him but he locked them all in with him. 

    After chasing them out of the ring, Reigns yelled at his cousin that this was all his fault. He was about to crush Jey's head with the steps when Jimmy ran down and got in his way. He called Jey by his real name, Josh, as he begged Reigns to stop. The Big Dog broke down crying and sat down next to his cousins. Then he grabbed Jimmy and choked him out as he held onto Jey's hand. 

    Jey quit to save his brother and finally end the match. Reigns stood over them with the title held high before leaving with Heyman. Afa and Sika were on the stage to congratulate Reigns on his win. 

                            

    Grade: A+

                           

    Analysis

    This was never going to be a technical showdown or an exchange of exciting spots. This was all about the story being told between the two individuals in the ring.

    Being able to hear every word they said to each other made everything feel so much more personal. It added weight to an already heavy situation. 

    Some of the same beats were repeated from their previous encounter but the brutality of this bout made it so much more impactful. This is one of the best storylines WWE has done in 2020 and it's because Uso and Reigns have made it special. 

    Was this the best HIAC match ever? No, but it may have been the best story told inside the cell. This was what sports entertainment is all about. The physicality was just as important as the tale. 

Elias vs. Jeff Hardy

3 OF 7

    Elias performed a new song before Hardy made his way to the ring. They started with a couple of basic lockups and clean breaks before Elias hit a knee to the body and a hard right hand to take Hardy off his feet.

    They took the fight out of the ring and Hardy was able to turn the tables. He missed a jump off the steps and crashed into the barricade. 

    Elias kept the upper hand for a few minutes and came close to winning with a sit-out powerbomb. Hardy hit Whisper in the Wind for a two-count. He dropped Elias with a Twist of Fate. The singer rolled out of the ring to avoid a Swanton.

    Hardy stopped him from using the guitar as a weapon and turned it on Elias, getting himself disqualified in the process. 

                               

    Grade: C+

                                

    Analysis

    It was going to be hard for anyone to follow Reigns vs. Uso, so Hardy and Elias were fighting an uphill battle before the ref even called for the bell. We will try to be fair when judging this bout.

    As good as Hardy and Elias are, this did not feel like the best they could do. This bout would have made more sense on an episode of Raw, especially with the disqualification finish. 

    This feud is obviously going to continue so at least this ending prevented either man from having to eat a pin right away. 

The Miz vs. Otis (Money in the Bank Contract)

4 OF 7

    As soon as the ref called for the bell, Otis rushed The Miz in the corner and crushed him. He scooped him up for a slam to score a quick two-count. Tucker and John Morrison watched from ringside. 

    JoMo provided a distraction so The Miz could hit a DDT for another near-fall. Morrison hit a cheap shot behind the ref's back. The Miz hit the It Kicks in the corner and a flying double ax handle. 

    He locked Otis in a sleeper and almost put him out but the big man fought out of it. The Miz nailed him in the face with a big boot. The Dozer began to build up a head of steam and hit a few of his signature moves.

    The ref caught Morrison about to use the briefcase as a weapon and she kicked him to the back. While the ref was attending to Miz, Tucker nailed Otis with the briefcase. A shocked Miz covered him for the victory to win the MITB contract. 

                          

    Grade: C

                           

    Analysis

    Without a live crowd, Otis has lost what made him a breakout star in 2019. He was over because the crowd dictated it. Without those cheers, he doesn't feel like a big star anymore.

    Breaking up Heavy Machinery was a mistake and now they are on different brands. How are they going to feud after Tucker's turn unless WWE just ignores its own rules?

    This match was nothing special and the heel turn became obvious as soon as Morrison was kicked from ringside. At least The Miz has the contract now. Whether he successfully cashes it in will be interesting to see. 

Bayley vs. Sasha Banks (SmackDown Women's Title)

5 OF 7

    Bayley tried to use the chair as the cell was being lowered but Banks kicked it and it landed outside of the ring. Once the cell lowered, it was out of reach. The Boss went right after her with some hard right hands. 

    She applied the Bank Statement but Bayley bit her hand to force a break. The Role Model drove her into the side of the cell. Banks dodged a few kendo stick shots and delivered a huge knee to the face. She pulled out a table and set it up next to the ring. 

    Banks ran across the table to hit a meteora against the cage. She threw a few chairs into the ring but Bayley was able to throw her over the top rope. She picked up a chair but missed hitting Banks on the table. The Boss kicked the table into her and sent her into the steel steps.

    She set up two kendo sticks between the cage and steps. Bayley tripped her into the kendo stick and she hit the steps hard. The champ set up two more kendo sticks and used a slingshot to send Banks into them again. Banks managed to powerbomb Bayley from the apron into the wall of the cage. 

    The Role Model wedged a chair in the corner and sent the back of Banks' head into it with a sunset flip for a close two-count. The Boss found a fire extinguisher and sprayed the champion in the face. She beat down her former BFF but Bayley blocked a frog splash with a chair. 

    Bayley set up a ladder across two chairs to make a bridge in the ring. She spraypainted the letter X on Banks but The Boss avoided the flying chair shot. She hit Bayley's own finisher onto the ladder for a near-fall. The champ recovered and hit the Bayley to Belly for another two-count. 

    The Boss locked in the Bank Statement with some help from the chair for the submission victory and win the title. 

                            

    Grade: A

                           

    Analysis

    Reigns and Uso may have told a more intriguing story but Bayley and Banks made much better use fo the Hell in a Cell stipulation to put on a violent and competitive match.

    The way they used the various weapons they found under the ring was both creative and brutal. They even used the ring itself to inflict as much damage as possible.

    These two have had many classic encounters over the years and this was another one to add to the list. Clips from this match will be in their eventual Hall of Fame video packages. 

    There were a couple of odd moments but as a whole, this match exceeded what were already high expectations. Banks winning was the right call, especially if this feud is going to continue. 

Bobby Lashley vs. Slapjack

6 OF 7

    Mustafa Ali threw down a challenge earlier in the show for any member of The Hurt Business to face anyone in Retribution. Bobby Lashley stepped up for his team while Slapjack repped his group. 

    Slapjack tried to get an early advantage by throwing his shirt at Lashley but The All Mighty still took control and drove him into the corner with a shoulder thrust. 

    Slapjack actually managed to get in a little offense and hit a cannonball in the corner. Lashley was able to apply The Hurt Lock to get the win. As soon as it was over, Retribution rushed the ring and attacked the powerhouse. 

    Lashley fought them off until his teammates could come even the odds. The Hurt Business drove them off to end the segment. 

                           

    Grade: C-

                             

    Analysis

    Is WWE trying to bury Retribution before it even gains any momentum? Because that is what it feels like is happening. It seems like The Hurt Business always comes out on top. 

    The match between Lashley and the former Shane Thorne was short and unnecessary. In fact, this feud is unnecessary. WWE should have let Retribution get some wins before creating a stable vs. stable feud.

Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton (WWE Championship)

7 OF 7

    McIntyre attacked Orton before they even made it inside the cage. They were finally locked inside the cell and Orton got in a few good shots before the champ backed him to the corner. 

    McIntyre was the first to go for a weapon. He grabbed a steel chair and hit The Viper a few times all while smiling from ear to ear. He lined up for a Claymore but Orton hit his leg with a chair. 

    The Legend Killer stomped McIntyre's head into the steps and then whipped him into a different set of steps he set up against the wall. When they got back into the ring, McIntyre began making a comeback and threw Orton across the ring with a belly to belly.

    He put Orton through a table at ringside with another suplex. The Viper regained the upper hand but kept failing to get the three-count. He went back under the ring and grabbed some bolt cutters to cut the chain off of the cell door. He tried to leave but McIntyre chased him down. 

    Orton climbed to the top of the cell and The Scottish Psychopath soon followed. The Viper picked up a pipe he had hidden up there but McIntyre ducked it and tackled him. They both started climbing down the side of the cell and fought until the champion fell about 10 feet down through the announce table. 

    The 13-time champion stalked McIntyre as he crawled around the cage. Orton got him into the ring and prepared to end the match with an RKO. The champ countered and hit a Claymore to send him out of the ring. Orton ducked another Claymore and brought him down with an RKO for the win to become a 14-time champion. 

                             

    Grade: B+

                            

    Analysis

    The great thing about the three HIAC matches we got on Sunday was they all felt completely different from each other. This one was the most methodical and in some ways, the most traditional.

    It had the classic spot where somebody crashed through a table from the side of the cage. It has plenty of weapons and a few finishers sprinkled in throughout.

    This was the weakest of the three HIAC bouts but that doesn't mean it wasn't good on its own terms. This shouldn't have been the main event but it was one of their best encounters. 

    Orton winning means this feud might continue for another month, but McIntyre was better when he was chasing the title, so it might not be so bad if they have one more showdown.

Khabib vs Gaethje Full Fight

Watch UFC 254 : Khabib Vs Gaethje 10/24/20

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Russian UFC fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov speaks after wining against UFC fighter Dustin Poirier, of Lafayette, La., during Lightweight title mixed martial arts bout at UFC 242, in Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Saturday , Sept.7 2019. (AP Photo/ Mahmoud Khaled)
Mahmoud Khaled/Associated Press

Another month, another pay-per-view show.

The UFC completed yet another multi-week run with a Saturday blockbuster in its Fight Island playpen, topping a 12-bout card with an undisputed lightweight championship fight between dominant incumbent titleholder Khabib Nurmagomedov and interim claimant Justin Gaethje.

A main event-worthy match between Robert Whittaker and Jared Cannonier was in co-main slot this time around, providing the winner a path to a shot at the middleweight belt.

The action got going with early prelims at 11 a.m. ET and ran all the way through the main event finish just before 5 p.m., with ESPN+ broadcasters Jon Anik, Daniel Cormier and Megan Olivi manning the mics.

The B/R combat sports team was there from end to end to record the results and decide upon the biggest winners and losers, winding up with a list of 10 for your perusal and discussion.

Head on down to the comments section to let us know how we did.

   

Winner: Mic Drop Exits

Khabib Nurmagomedov did everything he promised he'd do during Fight Week.

He attacked Justin Gaethje. He got him to the floor. And he finished him in dominant fashion.

But then he did something no one saw coming: He retired.

The unbeaten Russian boosted his record to 29-0—including 13-0 in the UFC—then pulled a shocker by saying his career was over, fulfilling a promise he made to his mother after his father died in July to never again compete without him.

This was my last fight," he said. "My last fight."

The exit by a reigning UFC champion on live TV was the second of 2020, following bantamweight kingpin Henry Cejudo's surprise announcement after a second-round defeat of Dominick Cruz in May.

Nurmagomedov knelt in the center of the cage and sobbed after the end of Saturday's fight, which came when he locked in a triangle choke and put Gaethje to sleep at 1:34 of the second round.

He spoke to Anik moments later and made his exit speech, during which he asked that the UFC install him in its rankings as the world's No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter ahead of Jon Jones.

"I'm 13-0 in the UFC and 29-0 in my pro MMA career," he said. "I think I deserve one more thing. Put me on No. 1 pound-for-pound in the world. I deserve it."

Not even Gaethje would argue that point in the aftermath of their six-plus minutes of interaction, during which the challenger landed several leg kicks and a few clean punches but was never able to stop the champion's perpetual forward movement. Gaethje was taken down in the final 30 seconds of the first round and emerged unscathed when the buzzer sounded, but he wasn't so lucky after the break.

He connected with a hard kick to the side of Nurmagomedov's left leg, but the Russian turned it into an advantage by successfully getting another takedown and quickly transitioning from a would-be armbar to the triangle choke. Gaethje tried to escape by pulling backward and lifting his tormentor a few inches off the floor, but he was unsuccessful in loosening the grip and began tapping to signal surrender.

Referee Jason Herzog didn't see the signal, however, and the choke stayed on until Gaethje was unconscious.

Gaethje joined Nurmagomedov in the center of the mat to console him during the subsequent emotional moments, and the champion acknowledged him in his remarks, poignantly advising his foe to "be close with your parents. You never know what's going to happen tomorrow."

Cormier, a longtime teammate and friend of the champion, was surprised by the exit.

"It breaks my heart," he said. "I thought we had at least one more."

   

Loser: Israel Adesanya's Career Arc

No disrespect to Robert Whittaker, but this wasn't what Israel Adesanya wanted.

The incumbent middleweight champ won his belt from the Australian a year ago, has defended twice since and made no secret of the fact that he hoped for a fresh new challenge after Saturday night.

In fact, he mentioned No. 2 contender Jared Cannonier by name after beating Paulo Costa last month, suggesting Cannonier was on the cusp of a title shot if he did away with ex-champ Whittaker.

Didn't happen.

The 29-year-old former titleholder landed the most impactful and memorable shots of a tactical three-rounder, scoring a thudding knockdown in the third to secure a close unanimous-decision victory.

Whittaker earned the victory by a trio of 29-28 scores.

"I feel good. I'm very happy it's all over," Whittaker said. "I got the result I wanted. Work's done. Time to go home. I'm going straight home and putting up the Christmas tree."

Whittaker was on the receiving end of punishing leg kicks in the opening five minutes, but he rallied in the second round with left jabs following by jarring right hands. He continued that flow in the third, landing a left-right combination followed by a head kick that sent Cannonier wobbling drunkenly before falling face-first to the mat.

Cannonier fought off submission attempts and gamely got to his feet with 90 seconds remaining, then landed a few powerful punches of his own. But he was unable to get the finish and prevent Whittaker from securing his second victory of 2020 after he'd fought just once in 2018 and and once in 2019.

Whittaker never mentioned Adesanya's name in his post-fight interview, which suggests that a rematch may not necessarily be imminent.

"Jon Jones and Israel Adesanya have been on each other's radars," Anik said. "Meanwhile, anyone else in the middleweight division is going to have to deal with Robert Whittaker."

  

Winner: Blowing Out the Candles 

We're not sure what Alexander Volkov wished for, but it couldn't have been much more than he got.

The mammoth Russian spent his 32nd birthday contending with equally imposing Walt Harris, but his wish came through in the form of a straight right kick that abruptly ended matters in Round 2.

The top-10 heavyweights were neck and neck, exchanging strikes and feints through the initial five minutes before Volkov came forward with a straight right kick that landed square on Harris' belly and instantly dropped him gasping to his knees.

Volkov came in with a quick half-dozen strikes that ended matters at 1:15 of Round 2.

"I feel very good. I feel like I'm going back to a winning streak and I'm ready for a new challenge," he said. "He was a good ranked opponent. This means I'm staying in the top 10 for a long time and I can go for that belt. I've worked on landing that body shot and then coming back to punch.

"[Give me] any guy with a big name. [Alistair] Overeem. [Junior] Dos Santos. [Jairzinho] Rozenstruik. Anybody who can take me on a belt run."

Cormier was particularly impressed with the finishing shot.

"Everything shuts off when you get hit with a strike like that," he said. "That was beautiful."

   

Winner: Overcoming Career Adversity

Phillip Hawes was worth the wait.

The 31-year-old middleweight was denied a UFC contract following an appearance on the Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series show three years ago, but he didn't quit the pursuit.

He capitalized on a second opportunity with a win on the same show last month, then debuted in spectacular fashion against fellow newbie Jacob Malkoun on Saturday, dropping him with his first volley of strikes on the way to an impressive 18-second triumph.

"I feel great. I feel awesome," he said. "If I land, someone's going to sleep. So I've just got to land."

He wobbled Malkoun badly and drove him backward to the cage with the first right hand he threw, then followed with a right-left-right combination that sent the Australian woozily to the floor.

Hawes pounced with a right-handed chop to his opponent's head and was pushed away as referee Herzog intervened, giving the winner the second-fastest middleweight debut finish in UFC history.

"Phil Hawes just made the most impressive UFC debut that you can make," Cormier said.

Malkoun lost for the first time in five career fights, while Hawes improved to 9-2 since turning pro in 2014.

"I'm healthy. I head back home next week," Hawes said. "When's the UFC going back to Vegas? Let's do it."

   

Loser: Disrespecting Lauren Murphy

Liliya Shakirova didn't expect much from Lauren Murphy.

Her American opponent was slower and not as dynamically skilled, Shakirova claimed, and a victory over her would instantly propel the Uzbekistan native into UFC stardom in her Octagon debut.

As it turned out, Murphy wasn't quite so ready to concede.

The fifth-ranked flyweight contender turned down her foe's offer for a pre-fight handshake, then spent the next eight-plus minutes proving her worth before ultimately getting a second-round stoppage in the scheduled three-rounder at 125 pounds.

"I feel amazing. This has been one of the best weeks of my life," she said. "To get my first submission win in the jiu-jitsu capital of the world, it tops everything. I'm one of the most well-rounded fighters, not only in this division but in the whole UFC."

Murphy pursued her mobile opponent in the first five minutes before getting the fight to the fence in the second. She secured a body lock about midway through the round and threw Shakirova to the floor, then got behind her as her opponent turned to her knees.

She locked her right arm around Shakirova's neck and put her left hand behind her head, pushing the neck into the choking arm and prompting a rescue at 3:31 of the second.

Murphy rolled away with a big smile, then shared her future plans with Cormier.

"I've proven I'm the true No. 1 contender in this division," she said. "The next time I step into this cage, it will be to fight for a UFC belt. The next time I step out of it, I will be wearing it."

  

Winner: Going Back for Seconds

Russian light heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev left the Octagon in February having to explain his abruptly halted victory over Ion Cutelaba more than reveling in it.

This time around, it wasn't a problem.

The hulking 28-year-old put an exclamation point on the rematch with the fiery Moldovan, dropping him with a right-left combination and following up for a legitimate stoppage at 4:19 of Round 1.

"Everyone's opinion was that it was stopped prematurely last time," he said. "So it was interesting to run it again and prove that I could beat him, and I did."

Ankalaev, whose first fight with Cutelaba lasted just 38 seconds, bided his time in the second bout while moving around the cage and waiting for an opening to counter his aggressive foe.

The opportunity arrived after about four minutes, when he looped a right hand and followed with a straight left that dropped Cutelaba flat on his back. Ankalaev quickly pounced and delivered seven consecutive strikes to the prone fighter, prompting the intervention of referee Anders Ohlsson.

"There is no question anymore as to who is the better fighter between Magomed Ankalaev and Ion Cutelaba," Cormier said. "The rivalry is over."

The official end came at 4:19.

"I wanted to make a statement with my performance," Ankalaev said. "I knew that he's slower than me. I waited for my moment and caught him."

   

Winner: Making Good Preliminary Matches

If you fancied one fighter, you liked the result. If you favored the other, not so much.

Regardless, there's no debate the bout between Nathaniel Wood and Casey Kenney was a winner.

The three-round catchweight affair featured 135 landed strikes to the head and 35 to the body, not to mention 71 leg kicks and a pair of takedowns in just 15 minutes.

For the record, Kenney escaped with a narrow but unanimous decision, taking two cards with 29-28 margins and a third with a 30-27 count.

Bleacher Report went with the majority and had it 29-28 for the winner.

"I'm not trying to bring it to the judges, but I knew if it did go to them I knew it'd be close so I had to go hard until it was over," said Kenney, who scored his third UFC win of 2020 and second in October, coming just 21 days after a three-rounder over Alateng Heili. "It was good. I knew Nathaniel was going to bring it. I like to have exciting fights."

The two 20-somethings came out with a frenetic first five minutes that featured prolonged exchanges early on, before Kenney took control with a series of sharp, jarring left-hand counter shots. Wood, who'd split two previous UFC bouts this year, rallied to take over the second round with a concentrated kicking attack on a tiring Kenney's legs.

The American bounced back in the third, though, scoring a pair of takedowns and surging in the final stand-up exchange until the final buzzer.

"I'll fight again next weekend," said Kenney, a newly minted Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who went home to the U.S. and returned to the Fight Island venue within three weeks between fights.

"This is what I love to do."

              

Loser: Spoiling the Celebration

Maybe it was birthday indigestion or first-time jitters.

But once Shavkat Rakhmonov found his comfort zone, it didn't take him long to make an impression.

The unbeaten Kazakh made his UFC debut a day after turning 26 and got to business in quick fashion, following up some well-placed strikes with a guillotine choke submission of veteran Alex Oliveira in a scheduled three-rounder at welterweight.

"I'm very thrilled and proud to raise the Kazakhstan flag," he said. "It's the best present I could ask for."

Rakhmonov looked stiff and slow in the opening moments as Oliveira, who'd arrived with 11 UFC wins, moved in and out and peppered him with quick, darting punches.

But a counter right hand changed the dynamic about two minutes in, driving Oliveira back to the fence, where a punishing follow-up knee landed to the midsection.

The two never moved out of close quarters in the aftermath, and Rakhmonov eventually responded to an attempted level change by wrapping his left arm around Oliveira's neck in a guillotine choke. He dropped to his back to lock in the hold and drew the tapout with 20 seconds of the round remaining.

"I felt I got the guillotine. It's one of my best moves," Rakhmonov said. "I knew if I found that it was there, I was going to go for it."

The win was his 13th in a row since turning pro in 2014—with six by submission and seven by TKO—but the successful newbie was measured when it came to future plans at 170 pounds.

"I'm going to go home and take a rest," he said. "Kazakhs say 'don't rush,' so I want to get closer to the title step by step."

                      

Winner: The Next Big Thing

Miranda Maverick made her UFC debut shortly before noon on the East Coast, but it won't be long before she's fighting much later on pay-per-view shows.

The charismatic 23-year-old breathed some violently fresh air into the flyweight division, battering Liana Jojua with a variety of strikes before splitting her nose with an elbow that led to a doctor's stoppage.

"I'm here to be the next big thing. I'm a young person coming into a division that needs someone new," Maverick said. "My striking's improved so much. It worked like clockwork. I went in there and did my job."

Maverick, who's pursuing a Ph.D. at Old Dominion University and brought part-time teaching assistant work with her to Fight Island, landed multiple elbows during stand-up exchanges throughout the first round.

She did so again in the final minute of the session, coming right down the middle and opening a jagged, bloody cut from which Jojua's team was unable to stop the flow after the round.

Referee Lukasz Bosacki consulted with the cageside physician and officially stopped the fight, leaving Jojua to cry "no, please no" from her corner while Maverick screamed "where's Dana?" from the Octagon's opposite side.

"Honestly, I wanted to show more. I wanted to show the finishes I could do," Maverick said. "Give me next month. I'm ready. School can't be in my way. Imagine what I can do when I don't have other work."

The win bumped her to 10-2 as a pro, while Jojua dropped to 8-5 overall and 1-2 in the UFC.

"(Maverick) is really making an impression on the UFC," Daniel Cormier said on the broadcast. "If you're at 15 to 20 (in the flyweight division), you need to watch out for Miranda Maverick. You need to fear the Maverick."

                    

Winner: Finishing the Job

The last thing Joel Alvarez wants to hear is a final buzzer.

So he does everything and anything possible to avoid it.

The 18-2 Spaniard stretched one of MMA's most remarkable streaks in Saturday's opener, getting a first-round submission from Russian veteran Alexander Yakovlev to maintain his run of never winning via a decision. The one time he has gone the distance in his career was in a unanimous decision loss to Damir Ismagulov at UFC Fight Night 145 in February 2019, his UFC debut.

"One more submission. One more on my record," said Alvarez, who won his third straight fight since losing to Ismagulov. "I'm an expert submission artist. One more for the books."

Alvarez has 16 wins by submission and two by KO/TKO.

Yakovlev, 36, came into his ninth UFC outing looking to improve a 3-5 record and immediately went on the attack, grabbing Alvarez's left leg for a takedown in the first minute. Alvarez quickly turned the aggression in his favor, however, cinching his left arm around his foe's neck for a guillotine choke.

Yakovlev gradually worked his way backward and out of the choke but sacrificed his left arm in the process, leaving it available for Alvarez to pull into an armbar. Yakovlev again pulled backward in an attempt to escape, but that allowed Alvarez to extend the arm and lock in the submission.

The tapout came exactly three minutes into the round.

"We train that submission a lot. He's got long arms like I do," Alvarez said. "The end was the result of that hard work. I'm going to take some time off and then we'll see what they put in front of me."

            

UFC 254 Full Card Results

Main Card

Khabib Nurmagomedov def. Justin Gaethje (triangle choke), 1:34, Round 2

Robert Whittaker def. Jared Cannonier by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Alexander Volkov def. Walt Harris by TKO (kick), 1:15, Round 2

Phillip Hawes def. Jacob Malkoun by KO, 0:18, Round 1

Lauren Murphy def. Liliya Shakirova by submission (rear-naked choke), 3:31, Round 2

Magomed Ankalaev def. Ion Cutelaba by KO, 4:19, Round 1

               

Preliminary Card

Tai Tuivasa def. Stefan Struve by KO (punches), 4:59, Round 1

Casey Kenney def. Nathaniel Wood by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Shavkat Rakhmonov def. Alex Oliveira by submission (guillotine choke), 4:40, Round 1

Da-un Jung drew with Sam Alvey (29-28, 28-29, 28-28)

Miranda Maverick def. Liana Jojua by TKO (cut, doctor's stoppage), 5:00, Round 1

Joel Alvarez def. Alexander Yakovlev by submission (armbar), 3:00, Round 1

Fight of the Night

Nathaniel Wood vs. Casey Kenney

Performances of the Night

Magomed Ankalaev, Khabib Nurmagomedov

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