Fighters of the Week

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Fighters of the Week  1. Petchmanee CP Freshmart: 54-1. After 55 professional fights, Wanheng Menayothin has fallen for the first time, losing a unanimous decision to Freshmart and losing the WBC World Minimumweight title he’s held since 2014.

Fighters of the Week  2. Joe Joyce: In the most relevant fight of the weekend, Joyce upset the younger, flashier Daniel Dubois by jabbing him to death over ten rounds, beating his eye to a pulp and finishing him and rendering him unable to continue.

Fighters of the Week  3. Tony Yoka: The Olympic gold medalist overcame his toughest test to date, besting Christian Hammer over ten rounds on ESPN+ on Friday.

Fighters of the Week  4. Daniyar Yeleussinov: Made Julius Indongo look like a stationary punching bag only slower, as he quickly waxed the former world champion in the co-main of Friday night’s Matchroom card.

Fighters of the Week  5. Anthony Smith: Made the most of his sudden main event elevation on ESPN2, slapping on a triangle for the first-round win over Devin Clark on Saturday’s UFC on ESPN card.

6. Kade Ruotolo: Won the one-night sixteen-man Combat Jiu Jitsu Lightweight championship tournament, finishing his final match in style with the oft-rare buggy choke!

7. Takahito Niimi: It took an extension round in the finals, but Niimi won the Krush featherweight championship tournament, standing tall at the finish of Krush 119.

8. Hamzah Sheeraz: Took about ten rounds longer than I would have thought, but Sheeraz did get a TKO and retained his WBO European strap at 154lbs.

9. Miguel Baeza: In the elevated co-main event spot on ESPN2, Baeza flourished, Baeza fought a very smart fight, and, knowing Takashi Sato can be submitted, locked in an arm-triangle for the victory and $50,000 performance bonus for his troubles.

10. Miyuu Sugawara: The 21-year old Sugawara is the new 45kg champion of Krush after a three-round unanimous decision over MOE at Krush 119.

11. Vladimir Kuzmin: Won the Road to ONE bantamweight tournament at Fair Fight 13, toppling Tamerlan Bashirov in the finals.

12. Jake Paul: From publicity stunt to….actual fighter? Paul says he wants to be in this for the long haul, and for what it’s worth, he’s showing his work. Saturday’s face-plant KO of Nate Robinson is only going to help his portfolio.

13. Victoire Piteau: In French championship junior lightweight competition, Piteau escaped by eight-round majority decision over Emilie Beaugeard in the co-main slot of Yoka-Hammer on Friday’s ESPN+ card.

14. Gina Mazany: I’ll never not pop for a front-kick body KO.

15. Su Mudaerji: That’s how you make a name for yourself in a division badly in need of new blood. The extra 50K helps, as well.

 

Honorable Mention:

Daniel Jacobs: Thanks for the effort, Miracle Man.

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