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UFC Vegas 31: Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises felt like a low-key event to follow UFC 264 with, but in the end, it was probably one of 2021’s better UFC events.
UFC Vegas 31 featured 10 fights, and amazingly, just two of them went the distance, with the rest ending in largely violent fashion.
That meant for a massive number of explosive moments up and down the card, with new high-level prospects rising up and others cementing their positions on the UFC’s roster.
So following an excellent event, here are the five most explosive moments from UFC Vegas 31: Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises.
#5. Billy Quarantillo’s persistence nets him his fourth UFC victory
The featherweight fight between Billy Quarantillo and Gabriel Benitez was the best on offer at UFC Vegas 31 and quite rightfully picked up the event’s ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus – netting both men a $50k bonus cheque.
But while Benitez’s toughness allowed him to last until the dying minutes of the final round, this fight belonged to Quarantillo and his remarkable persistence in hunting for a finish rather than settling for a decision victory.
‘Billy Q’ basically beat Benitez from pillar to post in this fight. He dropped him with a crushing right hook in the first round, seemingly took him down at will, and battered his left eye to the point that the doctor considered stopping the fight in the second half.
However, ‘Moggly’ proved himself to be insanely tough. He continued to absorb heavy blows, and while he didn’t really threaten Quarantillo in return aside, aside from one knockdown, he seemed determined to hang on.
That was until Quarantillo took his back in the third round. And where he’d previously been hunting for a rear naked choke, this time he simply threw countless punches from back control to the already badly-damaged face of his Mexican opponent. At that stage Benitez was spent, and so referee Mark Smith had no choice but to step in and end things.
This was a hugely impressive showing from Quarantillo, who bounced back from his first UFC loss in style, and also proved that even if he can’t land a one-shot KO, he’s more than persistent enough to keep going until he gets a finish.
#4 Islam Makhachev outclasses Thiago Moises as expected
UFC Vegas 31’s main event of Islam Makhachev vs. Thiago Moises was a confusing one, largely because nobody was really giving Moises, despite his #15 UFC lightweight ranking, a chance of beating his Russian foe.
Essentially, it felt like Moises was the only fighter in the 155-pound division brave enough to take on Makhachev, and it quickly became apparent why, as he was outclassed en route to a fourth round submission loss.
Makhachev basically out-fought the Brazilian in every possible area last night. He backed him up throughout the fight, abused him in the clinch, and largely got the better of him on the ground too, easily defending Moises’ handful of submission attempts.
But as the fight ticked into the fourth round, it looked like Makhachev might have to settle for a decision win – impressive, but hardly the kind of thing to inspire a big push from the UFC’s brass.
However, when the Russian took Moises’ back midway through the penultimate round, he decided to really hunt for the finish and was able to clamp on a rear-naked choke to force the Brazilian to tap out for the first time in his career.
Was the win explosive enough to shove Makhachev to the front of the queue for a UFC lightweight title shot? Perhaps not, but he’s likely now one or two more fights away.
#3. Miesha Tate returns to UFC action with a bang
Whenever a UFC fighter returns from a lengthy absence, particularly a self-imposed retirement, there are always questions worth asking about how well they’ll return. Miesha Tate was the latest fighter to attempt a comeback, and last night she answered all the questions around her and then some.
‘Cupcake’ defeated Marion Reneau via a third round TKO, impressively pulling out a finish late in the fight when it seemed like things were destined to go to the judges' scorecards.
Tate had claimed that her stand-up had improved dramatically during her time away. And while she didn’t land a one-punch KO of ‘The Belizean Bruiser’, it definitely looked like her boxing game was tuned up, as she clearly outstruck her opponent.
But it was her ground game, which has always been one of her strengths, that allowed her to pick up her win. The third round saw her take Reneau down, advance to back mount, and destroy her with thudding punches until referee Mark Smith was forced to step in.
Was this the most explosive finish of Tate’s UFC career? Definitely not, but on this form, she actually isn’t far off from a shot at UFC bantamweight champ Amanda Nunes.
#2. Mateusz Gamrot pulls off a beautiful submission of UFC veteran Jeremy Stephens
UFC Vegas 31’s main card featured five finishes, but most of them came in the later rounds. The lone first-round finish was produced by Mateusz Gamrot, and stood as arguably the most memorable of them all.
Jeremy Stephens had not been submitted in a long time – over a decade to be exact – but he fell to a kimura from ‘Gamer’ in what was a truly eye-opening showing.
Gamrot clearly didn’t want to stand with the dangerous striker, and took him down early on, only for ‘Lil Heathen’ to hunt for a kimura of his own. However, he made the mistake of not really securing body control – a mistake that doesn’t usually matter against lower-level grapplers.
However, Gamrot showed his credentials by using that lack of control to pivot around into a kimura attempt of his own. From there, he applied the hold perfectly, stepping over the head and wrenching Stephens’ arm to torque the shoulder enough to force him to tap out.
This was a brilliant performance from the Poland native, and one that should ensure he’s a man to watch the next time he steps into the UFC octagon. Many fans would claim a submission is never as explosive as a knockout, but this finish suggested otherwise.
#1. Amanda Lemos lands an incredibly clean KO of Montserrat Ruiz
UFC Vegas 31 had plenty of finishes, but by far the most explosive came on the preliminary card. In a strawweight bout, Amanda Lemos needed just 35 seconds to turn the lights out on Montserrat Ruiz, scoring one of the most memorable knockouts in some time.
Quite how Lemos didn’t receive a $50k bonus for her efforts is anyone’s guess, as this was a genuine eye-opener that took immense poise, skill and explosive power.
It felt like Lemos was landing cleanly with basically every shot she threw. Her movement allowed her to dodge Ruiz’s attacks with ease, and as she slipped back and out of range, she would throw hard counters that tagged her opponent brutally.
Eventually, a left-right combination dropped Ruiz hard, and from there Lemos wasted no time in finishing her off. It was a truly astonishing knockout, reminiscent of a UFC great like Anderson Silva even.
The win moved Lemos onto a four-fight win streak, and it’s hard not to see her as a genuine UFC title contender at this point. Overall, this was easily the most explosive moment from last night’s UFC Vegas 31 event.
