UFC lived its first numbered event of the year, which for those who do not know is about those where there is a belt at stake.
And it was in Brazil, more specifically in Rio de Janeiro, a city that I had not visited for a long time.
There were naturally a large number of local fighters there who had their chance,
and the one who stood out the most was Ismael Bonfim, with the best knockout of the night.
The Brazilian Ismael Bonfim before Terrance McKinney.
Photo: MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP.
Marreta
, as he is known in his lands, ended with a brutal knee in the air to Terrance McKinney, who fell completely unconscious against the canvas.
The Brazilian, who emerged from the talent reality show organized by the UFC president, was experiencing his first fight in the most important martial arts promoter, and boy was he impressed.
Night of Champions and Brazilian Consolation
Jamahal Hill impacts on the Brazilian Glover Teixeira.
Photo: AP / Bruna Prado.
The American fighter
Jamahal Hill
conquered this Sunday the light heavyweight championship of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) after defeating the Brazilian
Glover Teixeira
by unanimous decision in the UFC283 event held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
Hill gave a wrestling class at Teixeira's farewell.
The American looked overwhelming at the Jeunesse Arena in Rio and inherited the vacant crown from Czech
Jiri Prochazka
.
The Brazilian did not give up under any circumstances and gave his fans a final heroic and heartbreaking performance in equal parts.
Teixeira announced that, at the age of 43, he has retired from mixed martial arts.
"I think I'm too tough for my own health, for me it's an honor to leave the gloves in this cage. I can't go on any longer,"
he said.
The Brazilian says goodbye with the honor of being the top finisher in light heavyweight history (28).
Brandon Moreno hits Deiveson Figueiredo during their fight.
Photo: REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes
The other opportunity that a Brazilian lost to be champion was at flyweight, where the Mexican
Brandon Moreno
defeated the local
Deiveson Figueiredo
by technical knockout , giving a bittersweet end to a historic rivalry.
The swelling of Figueiredo's eye, after a legal blow by Moreno, forced a medical stoppage and deprived fans of a better outcome.
'The Assassin Baby' showed his category and returns to the top of the UFC.
In the rest of the night, despite the fact that the two Brazilian title opportunities did not occur, the public at the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro was able to celebrate the victories of their other three representatives on the main card.
Gilber Burns
returned after his war against the Russian Khamzat Chimaez and did not disappoint.
The Brazilian, a black belt in jiu-jitsu, took the American Neil Magny to the canvas and finished him in the first round.
'Durinho' knocked him down on the first chance he had, he was looking for and consolidating positions and submitted an impotent Magny with a triangle.
Burns, 5th best welterweight fighter, despite the loss to Chimaev left a great impression and reaffirmed himself again against Magny (12th).
He looked several notches above his rival and issued a warning to the second best fighter in the division: "Colby Covington I'm coming for you."
In the women's flyweight category, Brazilian
Jessica Andrade
overwhelmed American wing Lauren Murphy.
Andrade prevailed via unanimous decision after a terrifyingly dominant performance in which she landed 237 total punches, more than double her opponent's (103), of which 231 were significant.
Local
Johnny Walker
settled his light heavyweight engagement against Britain's
Paul Craig
on the fast track in the first round.
Walker landed several power hands on Craig as he tried to take him down.
The Brazilian, ranked twelfth in the division, had just been brutally knocked out by
Jamahal Hill
.