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The UFC visited St. Louis, Missouri for its latest Fight Night event last night. In the end, the event turned out to be a solid show with some fun moments.
UFC Fight Night: Derrick Lewis vs. Rodrigo Nascimento did have a couple of slower bouts, but some of the stunning finishes on offer more than made up for that.
Naturally, with any show - even a smaller one like this - there are talking points the day after.
Therefore, here are five takeaways from UFC Fight Night: Derrick Lewis vs. Rodrigo Nascimento.
#5. Robelis Despaigne's hype train is dead in the water already
Whenever a fighter receives a lot of hype for a rapid-fire knockout, it's always a risk to declare them the next big thing in the UFC. After all, anyone can land the perfect shot in the octagon, but repeating that feat is much harder the second time around.
Cuban taekwondo Olympic medallist Robelis Despaigne found that out the hard way last night, as he fell to a three-round decision against Waldo Cortes-Acosta. The largely-unheralded 'Salsa Boy' essentially stifled the Cuban for three rounds, never giving him any room to breathe.
Sure, Cortes-Acosta's performance didn't thrill Dana White, who labelled it "sh*tty" after the event, but that may well have been frustration talking. After all, 'Bad Boy' was supposed to be a future star for the promotion, and now that looks highly unlikely.
So can Despaigne rebound from this loss? The success of Carlos Ulberg after a similar hype-crushing defeat shows it's possible. However, the Cuban clearly has a lot of holes in his game, and at the age of 35, it feels unlikely that he'll have time to close them.
#4. Joaquin Buckley is the real deal at 170 pounds
When Joaquin Buckley scored his now-legendary knockout of Impa Kasanganay in 2020, it appeared that the sky was the limit for him. Unfortunately, 'New Mansa' followed it with a loss to journeyman Alessio di Chirico, and suddenly, the future didn't look so bright.
However, a drop to 170 pounds in 2023 seemed to re-energize Buckley's career, and earlier this year, he broke into the top fifteen with his win over Vicente Luque.
Following the win - which only took place in late March - Buckley asked the UFC if he could fight in his hometown of St. Louis, and the promotion obliged. 'New Mansa' did not let his fans down.
Despite being faced with a dangerous if unheralded opponent in Nursulton Ruziboev, who'd finished two foes in the octagon, Buckley looked fantastic.
Not only did his striking look dangerous, but he also outgrappled his foe, and came close to finishing him in the final round with some serious ground-and-pound.
Only a fool would refuse to see 'New Mansa' as a legitimate contender at welterweight, particularly as he now holds a record of 4-0 there. His post-fight call-out of Conor McGregor isn't likely to happen, but a fight with Gilbert Burns, which he asked for at the press conference, just might.
If Buckley can win that, then he'd definitely move into title contention. For now, though, he'll have to settle for an excellent showing in his hometown last night.
#3. How did Esteban Ribovics miss out on a $50k bonus?
The UFC's choice of which fighters are given a post-fight bonus - usually an extra $50k - is often curious. The system is much-maligned by fans who believe the fighters deserve more money, and on occasion, it's easy to see why.
Last night was a perfect case in point. The preliminary portion of the card saw a truly stunning knockout by Esteban Ribovics. The native of Argentina required just 37 seconds to dispatch Terrance McKinney with an unbelievable head kick, leaving 'T-Wrecks' unconscious against the fence.
It was a knockout instantly crowned online as one of the best of 2024, the sort of finish that wouldn't look out of place on the UFC's famed Baba O'Riley highlight reel.
Somehow, though, 'El Gringo' wasn't rewarded with a performance bonus, with Carlos Ulberg and Diego Ferreira instead claiming an extra $50k.
Sure, Ulberg - who scored a 12-second knockout - deserved his cheque, but while Ferreira won via TKO, it wasn't as wild and explosive as the finish scored by Ribovics.
Defenders of Dana White and company would probably argue that the Argentine was probably rewarded with an under-the-table bonus, but that's beside the point. If this knockout didn't deserve a reward, what does?
#2. Carlos Ulberg is a genuine contender in the UFC light-heavyweight division
When Carlos Ulberg signed with the UFC back in 2020, many fans believed he would be a future superstar. A former model and a training partner of Israel Adesanya, 'Black Jag' definitely gave off star vibes.
However, a loss to Kennedy Nzechukwu in his octagon debut saw that hype evaporate. In the years that followed, though, Ulberg had quietly put together a run of five wins in a row, gaining momentum if not hype.
After last night, though, not only will 'Black Jag' probably move into the top fifteen at 205 pounds, he'll probably regain a lot of attention from the fans, too.
Ulberg needed just 12 seconds to absolutely obliterate No.11 ranked Alonzo Menifield, dodging a wild charge to land a counter combination that left him out cold.
Watching this, it was hard not to believe that 'Black Jag' can compete with anyone in the light-heavyweight division right now. A fight with a higher-ranked foe like Anthony Smith should surely be next for him, and the sooner the promotion can get him back in action, the better.
#1. Derrick Lewis is a UFC legend even if he'll never be a champion
In the summer of 2023, the UFC came under some fire for inducting Donald Cerrone into their Hall of Fame. After all, despite being recognised as one of the most popular and exciting fighters of his generation, 'Cowboy' also never won a title in the octagon and tended to lose most of his big fights, too.
While he fights a few weight classes up, it's very easy to imagine Derrick Lewis following a similar path to Cerrone in the near future. Last night saw 'The Black Beast' pick up his 15th knockout in the octagon - a UFC record - by stopping Rodrigo Nascimento.
The fight wasn't always the best showing from Lewis. He found himself taken down and largely controlled in the first round, while the second was fought at a slow pace that saw neither man really gain the advantage.
In the third, though, 'The Black Beast' turned up the heat. He pushed the pace, attacked Nascimento, and eventually decked the Brazilian with an overhand right before finishing him off brutally.
Lewis celebrated in typical fashion - removing his fight shorts before his interview - and as always, the fans were firmly behind him.
Where does he go from here? In all honesty, does it matter? Like Cerrone, Lewis has become a must-see attraction, win or lose regardless of his opponent. Will he too make the Hall of Fame? He does hold a UFC record, and so while purists might not like it, it will probably happen in the future.
Put simply, he's a legend in his own unique way, and last night was just the latest evidence for that.
