Fighters of the Week

  1. Cody Garbrandt: In the words of the great Clark Griswold, “If I woke up with my head stapled to the carpet, I wouldn’t be any more surprised than I am right now.”

  2. Amanda Nunes: 48 seconds. She came, she saw, she ended a dynasty.

 
  3. Jezreel Corrales: In what was probably the biggest bout of a loaded Japan New Year’s weekend, Corrales proved his previous knockout of longtime kingpin Takashi Uchiyama was no fluke, as he got the best of him going the distance in the same exact arena he first defeated him in April.

 
  4. Yukinori Oguni: Pulled a good-sized upset on the absurdly heavy-handed Jonathan Guzman, repeatedly sending him to the canvas and taking his IBF Junior Featherweight championship.

 
  5. Naoya Inoue: Defended his WBO Junior Bantamweight title in emphatic fashion, stopping Kohei Kono for the first-time in the veteran’s career.

 
6. Kosei Tanaka: In only his eighth professional fight, Tanaka has claimed his second world championship, moving up in weight to claim the vacant WBO World Junior Flyweight title.
7. Akira Yaegashi: I love fighters who, even though they probably have the fight in hand, go for the finish anyway just to cement their win. That’s what Yaegashi did in defending his IBF World Junior Flyweight strap.
8. Mirko Cro Cop: Won Rizin’s Openweight Grand Prix and is the spiritual SUPER HLUK CHAMP.
9. Justin Gaethje: He doesn’t appear to be human, based on the amount of punishment he can take and the strange, fun, damage he inflicts. He’s like a rubber-band ball.
10. Superbon Banchamek: Won a loaded Kunlun Fight 70kg tournament that also featured Jomthong Chuwattana, Cedric Manhoef, and Davit Kiria.
11. TJ Dillashaw: Was able to avoid the cinderblocks John Lineker calls hands, and earn a win and almost certainly a title shot against Cody Garbrandt.
12. David Branch: Still the WSOF Middleweight (and Light Heavyweight) champion after a RNC in the championship rounds over Louis Taylor. All the success Branch had in WSOF, he deserved to be on the main card.
13. Jon Fitch: However you picture a Jon Fitch vs. Jake Shields fight, you’re pretty much right. Jon Fitch’d his way to a win and a defense of his WSOF Welterweight championship. Nonetheless, no disrespect to the man, if he chooses to retire, he’s had a hell of a career.
14. Kron Gracie: In the Rizin 3 main event, Kron submitted a returning Crusher Kawajiri, earning his biggest MMA win to date.
15. Alex Garcia: Mike Pyle’s a crusty gatekeeper, and you don’t see him starched out flat very often, but it is happening a little more frequently. Still, a hell of a highlight reel KO for Garcia.