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