Fighters of the Week

1. Juan Francisco Estrada: Avenged his loss to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai after Srisaket baffling fought in a right-handed stance for the majority of the fight, switching back to southpaw too late, while Estrada kept the pressure up and straight-up outboxed him. Estrada is a junior bantamweight world champ for the first time.

2. Regis Prograis: Going into their World Boxing Super Series semifinal and title unification bout, I said that Prograis is just fighting at a level above Kiryl Relikh (and pretty much everyone at 140lbs), and he did nothing to dissuade that notion, absolutely giving Relikh hell, stopping him in the sixth and never keeping it close.

3. Daniel Roman: After an absolute battle and FOTY candidate with TJ Doherty that left both men looking like this, it was Roman that advanced, unifying his WBA Super with Doherty’s IBF junior featherweight strap.

4. Jack Hermansson: Well, I certainly didn’t see THAT coming. Jack the Joker put on a virtuoso performance against Jacare Souza, controlling the action on the feet, and stunningly, on the ground, having more success on the ground against Souza than anyone in recent memory, even Yoel Romero. It’s a star-making performance for Hermansson, who instantly is a fresh face in the middleweight title scene. As for Jacare, he’s 39, and age comes for us all, whether this was just a better fighter on this day getting the better of him, or the start of a downslide, we shall wait and see.

5. Viktor Postol: Was just a level above Mohamed Mimoune in the co-main of the Barthelemy-Easter dud, and now he’s the mandatory challenger for Jose Carlos Ramirez’s WBC title at 140lbs.

6. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane: Defended her Bellator Women’s Flyweight title by unleashing a surgical, Kenny Florian-esque elbow on Veta Arteaga, opening her up and bestowing a crimson mask upon her, poetically.

7. Jason Soares: Made his second defense of his Titan Fighting Championship featherweight championship in the main event of Titan Fighting Championship 54.. You seldom see a regional champion defend a title before advancing up the ladder, let alone twice, so Soares is due for bigger and better.

8. Harvey Park: With just two seconds remaining in the first round, Park stopped Demarques Johnson in the main event of LFA 64, becoming the LFA Lightweight champion and awaiting a phone call from the UFC next.

9. Cory Sandhagen: The crowd may have hated the decision, but I didn’t, and that’s a name-making performance by defeating a hungry and swinging John Lineker.

10. Michael Liera Jr.: Defeated Jaime Canuto by split-decision in the main event of Fight To Win Pro 110 in Cleveland, taking home a Fight of the Night bonus, as well.

11. Robin Ciric: Upset Enfusion 80kg champion Vladimir Moravcik with a fourth-round right-hook KO in that main event of Enfusion Live 83.

12. Daniel Dubois: In the biggest British boxing offering of the weekend, it was Dubois who knocked out Richard Lartey in the fourth round to remain undefeated and continue making waves as a legit heavyweight prospect. Dubois wants Joe Joyce next, and even if it doesn’t happen next, it’s bound to happen soon.

13. Aaron Howard: Hey, it’s not every day you can say you defeated Stipe freaking Miocic, but Howard does have that feather in his cap after a decision win over the former UFC Heavyweight champion in a purple belt grappling contest at Fight To Win Pro 110 in Stipe’s hometown of Cleveland. Very, very cool that Stipe chose to participate for F2W and boost attendance and ads for an event in his hometown. More and more bigger-name fighters are competing in regional grappling competitions like this, and it’s a great thing for all parties involved.

14. Dylan Salvador: The Glory Lightweight tournament winner and championship challenger made his MMA debut for Titan Fighting Championship and winning by anaconda choke, of all things. Salvador’s last kickboxing bout was in December, so time will tell whether he continues to jump back and forth or make a run in MMA.

15. Nonito Donaire: Incredibly disappointing that Zolani Tete had to pull out on three-days notice with a seperated shoulder, and Stephon Young was game to step in, but you can only beat who’s across the ring from you, and Donaire took care of business. His next date will have his insides turned into a fine goo by Naoya Inoue in the WBSS final.