1. Roman Gonzalez: HE’S BACK! CHOCOLATITO LIVES! Counted out and left for dead by some after his back-to-back defeats to Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, he battled back to get back into title contention, and found his huckleberry in Khalid Yafai, who had wanted this for a while. Well, be careful what you wish for, as Gonzalez put Yafai down for good in the ninth round, becoming a world champion for the first time in over three years.
2. Petchpanomrung Kiatmookao: For the third time, Serhiy Adamchuk fell to Petch, the second time for the Glory Featherweight championship. It was definitive, and until there’s a new champion, and it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen anytime soon, I doubt Adamchuk gets another look at Petch’s gold again.
3. Mikey Garcia: After the absolute egg Garcia laid against Errol Spence, many had questions about his rather puzzling move to welterweight. So, against Jessie Vargas, he…answered them a little? Kind of? Well, he started very slow, but he did battle back to grind out a decision win that was, of course, much closer than the judges scorecard.
4. Janet Todd: Couldn’t topple Stamp Fairtex for her OneFC Atomweight muay thai title last February, but successfully claimed her Kickboxing Atomweight title by split-decision in the main event of OneFC: King of the Jungle.
5. Julio Cesar Martinez: Jay Harris was an overwhelmed, but game challenger, but nonetheless, took care of business, retaining his WBC World Flyweight championship.
6. Sam-A Gaiyanghadao: The inaugural ONE Muay Thai Strawweight champion after toppling Rocky Ogden in the co-main of ONE King of the Jungle.
7. Daizo Sasaki: Defeated Hayato Suzuki in November in K-1, earning him a shot at Suzuki’s Krush Super Lightweight championship, which he took advantage of successfully, defeating Suzuki by UD and become the newest champion of Krush.
8. Mike Graves: Graves, who was doing well in the UFC before he got in legal trouble and was released, defeated another former UFC tussler, Yuri Villefort in the championship rounds by TKO to claim the vacant Titan welterweight championship.
9. Mohammed Boutasaa: Your new Enfusion 67kg world champion after dethroning Khalid el Moukadam in the main event of Enfision 96.
10. Kade Ruotolo: The new Grapplefest 70kg champion after he and Ash Williams went to the judges.
11. Deiveson Figueiredo: Unreal. You’re challenging for the UFC championship for the very first time, the dream of a lifetime, main-eventing, and you can’t even make weight?! You’re two-and-a-half pounds over? C’mon, man. He defeated Joseph Benavidez, who failed in his third attempt to claim the UFC Flyweight championship. Of course, Figueiredo could not win the title after losing it on the scale, so I’d imagine whomever he faces next will be for gold.
12. Genc Pllana: Pulled off the biggest upset of the weekend, derailing Kevin Newman’s hype on Friday’s ShoBox.
13. Felicia Spencer/Megan Anderson: Two former Invicta featherweight champions looked phenomenal on the main card of UFC Norfolk. They both finished their opponents by strikes in the first round, and in Megan’s case, finally remembered that she’s allowed to punch and kick. So don’t look now, but we may have an actual women’s 145lb division on our hands!
14. Alejandro Martinez: Picked up a split-decision win over Adrian Guzman in the main event of Combate Americas 56 from Fresno on AXS TV, Friday night.
t15. Tayfun Ozcan: Bid goodbye to Enfusion, defeating Daniel Moscardo, leaving as its best fighter, as he departs for ONE FC for bigger and better fights.
t15. Yoshihiro Akiyama: Sexyama earned his first MMA win since September of 2014 when he defeated (now HERE’S a blast from the past) Amir Sadollah. But for my money, this is still his crowning achievement.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
