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The final UFC event of 2022 took place in Las Vegas last night, and it turned out to be a fun show.
UFC Fight Night: Jared Cannonier vs. Sean Strickland saw a number of good fights and a number of big winners, too.
Some of those winners may now climb into title contention, while for others, simply staying afloat in the promotion will be enough.
Here are the five biggest winners from UFC Fight Night: Jared Cannonier vs. Sean Strickland.
#5. Said Nurmagomedov - defeated Saidyokub Kakhramonov in a UFC bantamweight bout
The best comeback at last night’s event belonged to Said Nurmagomedov. The Dagestani was being dominated by Saidyokub Kakhramonov in their bantamweight clash but somehow found a way to win, catching the Uzbek fighter in a ninja choke in the second round.
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This was a huge win for a number of reasons. Firstly, it moved Nurmagomedov’s UFC record to an impressive 6-1 and left him on a four-fight win streak.
Secondly, and more importantly, it showed that he can fight through serious adversity and also taught him that he can’t bulldoze every opponent with his wrestling.
Should we consider the Dagestani a title contender at 135lbs? It’s a packed division, so it might be a little early for that. However, the UFC should definitely look to match him with a top 10 foe in 2023 and find out whether he will sink or swim.
#4. Drew Dober - defeated Bobby Green in a UFC lightweight bout
Drew Dober received an extra $50k for his win over Bobby Green last night and that alone makes him one of the night’s big winners.
However, this was a big night for Dober for more than just that. Not only did he stop Green on the feet – something that’s been notoriously difficult to do over the years – but he did so after being outstruck for the best part of two rounds.
More importantly, though, the second-round knockout win has put Dober on a three-fight win streak. That equals the best run of his UFC career to date, and based on his performance here, there’s every chance he could extend his streak further.
To be frank, Dober is probably too limited a fighter to push for title contention at 155lbs. There’s a reason he lost handily to Islam Makhachev and Beneil Dariush, after all.
However, based on his wild style, which was again on display last night, he’ll have a home in the promotion for as long as he wants. In many ways, that’s the more important thing for a fighter who isn’t a champion, and that’s why Dober should be considered a huge winner.
#3. Amir Albazi - defeated Alessandro Costa in a UFC flyweight bout
Outside of the top two bouts, it’s arguable that the fighter who advanced his cause the most last night in terms of a potential title shot is Amir Albazi.
The flyweight prospect was initially pegged to face the highly ranked Brandon Royval. Had he beaten ‘Raw Dawg’, he might’ve had a case for a shot at the 125lbs crown in 2023.
Instead, he found himself faced with a late replacement in the form of Alessandro Costa. While ‘The Prince’ didn’t find it easy, he still came away with a highlight-reel finish via brutal knockout.
Sure, a win like this over a newcomer won’t move him up the ladder in the flyweight division, but given the circumstances, he did what he could.
Essentially, in the cutthroat world of the UFC, fighting a late replacement is almost a no-win situation. Had Albazi lost, or even won in dull fashion, the shine would’ve been off him entirely.
Thankfully for him, he won in the only way that keeps his title hopes alive, making him one of last night’s biggest winners.
#2. Arman Tsarukyan - defeated Damir Ismagulov in a UFC lightweight bout
The most impressive showing last night undoubtedly came from Arman Tsarukyan. The highly rated lightweight basically whitewashed a tough opponent in Damir Ismagulov, walking away with a clear-cut decision win.
Remarkably, Tsarukyan never seemed to be anything but in control against Ismagulov. When you consider that his Russian opponent was on a 19-fight win streak and had gone 5-0 in the UFC, that’s quite something.
Tsarukyan was ranked No.9 coming into the fight, and while it feels unlikely that he’ll climb any further after his win, it’s hard not to see him as a legitimate title threat.
After all, it’s arguable that the Armenian gave current lightweight champ Islam Makhachev his trickiest test when they met in 2019. Would the result be the same if the two were to rematch, over five rounds, now? Makhachev would be the favorite, but it’d be a difficult fight to pick, which says a lot.
Essentially, Tsarukyan proved once again last night that he’s a massively talented fighter. Hopefully 2023 is the year he breaks out as a potential star.
#1. Jared Cannonier - defeated Sean Strickland in a UFC middleweight bout
While his win came via a semi-controversial decision, Jared Cannonier should be considered last night’s biggest winner.
‘The Killa Gorilla’ came away from his headline bout with Sean Strickland with his hand raised, essentially winning because he landed the heavier blows, despite ‘Tarzan’ outlanding him in terms of volume.
Strickland protested the finish afterwards, stating that the judges didn’t know what they were doing, but the truth is that the fight could’ve gone either way. Cannonier got the win this time, and Strickland will need to regroup.
What should be next for Cannonier? It’s hard to say, but an unlikely title shot in 2023 isn’t impossible. New champion Alex Pereira is expected to rematch former kingpin Israel Adesanya, but if ‘Poatan’ wins, he’ll need fresh challengers. Cannonier could well be one of them.
Should he look to fight again soon? Perhaps waiting might be smarter, especially with question marks hanging over the upcoming fight between Paulo Costa and Robert Whittaker. Either way, ‘The Killa Gorilla’ should be seen as the biggest winner at last night’s event.
