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UFC Vegas 23 lost its main event on short notice, with Darren Till dropping out due to a collarbone injury and being replaced by Kevin Holland.
In terms of action inside the Octagon, though, UFC Vegas 23 definitely delivered.
While the main event was a slight disappointment, there was plenty more violence up and down the card that kept things hugely entertaining.
Here are the five most explosive moments from UFC Vegas 23: Marvin Vettori vs. Kevin Holland.
#1 Julian Marquez shows off his killer instinct
Julian Marquez might have a personality that’s considered “cringe” by some UFC fans, but The Cuban Missile Crisis can definitely fight.
And last night, he showed off his incredible killer instinct again in what was a brilliant fight with journeyman Sam Alvey.
The two Middleweights went toe-to-toe in the first round of their clash, with Marquez getting the better of the early exchanges before Alvey hurt him with his trademark right hook late on.
In the second round, though, Marquez really opened up and hurt Smilin Sam badly.
He crashed to the ground and seemed to be running on fumes as Marquez looked to finish him. But when it became clear strikes weren’t going to be enough, The Cuban Missile Crisis locked on a rear-naked choke variant and essentially strangled him into unconsciousness.
The win not only earned both men a $50k bonus, but it was also Marquez’s second in a row in the UFC following nearly three years away.
With this kind of showing, he won’t be far off from UFC title contention if he can keep up his form.
#2 Jarjis Danho saves his UFC career with a brutal KO
Heavyweight Jarjis Danho had his back to the wall coming into last night’s scrap with Yorgan de Castro.
The native of Syria hadn’t fought in the UFC since 2016, and his first two fights hadn’t gone well, ending in a loss and a draw, with the latter only because his opponent was deducted a point.
Basically, this fight simply felt like a way for him to fulfill his contract.
So UFC fans worldwide were stunned when Man Mountain waylaid De Castro with one of the most violent knockouts of 2021 thus far.
This was a picture-perfect strike – a short right hand that caught De Castro as he stepped in and switched his lights off immediately.
Nobody will expect Danho to move into UFC title contention or anything now, but the win will probably earn him a new contract with the UFC at least. And in the post-COVID-19 world, that’s a big deal.
#3 Mackenzie Dern moves into title contention with a beautiful win
Okay, so Mackenzie Dern’s armbar win over Nina Nunes didn’t exactly fit the definition of explosive. However, it was arguably the prettiest finish on last night’s card, a beautiful technical move from one of the best grapplers in the UFC.
Nunes looked to strike early in the fight, and both fighters landed some decent punches in an early exchange.
But once Dern tackled Nunes and took her to the ground, this fight was essentially over. The former Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion advanced to full mount, locked up her opponent's left arm, and moments later, it was over.
This was Dern’s fourth UFC win in a row and her fourth submission finish inside the Octagon, too – and it came over her toughest opponent to date.
After this win, there can be no denying that Dern is a genuine UFC title contender at Strawweight.
#4 Mateusz Gamrot finishes his fight in brutal fashion
After a tight loss in an exciting fight in his UFC debut, it was important that Mateusz Gamrot put on a good showing last night.
After all, a poor loss to journeyman Scott Holtzman could well have seen him cut from the UFC.
However, Gamer instead delivered an excellent performance that should get UFC fans talking about him today.
His striking won him the first round, but it was in the second that he really turned up the heat.
Holtzman looked to come out more aggressively, but it only played into Gamrot’s hands. The Polish fighter cracked Hot Sauce with a violent one-two with about a minute gone in the round, dropping him to a knee.
And from there, it was all about finishing instincts, as Gamer swarmed on his fallen foe and hammered him with some further shots that separated him from his consciousness.
With an impressive record of 18-1, this showing made it pretty clear that Gamrot is for real. Hopefully, next time he appears on a UFC event, it’ll be on the main card.
#5 Arnold Allen shows off his power against Sodiq Yusuff
Last night’s co-main event between Arnold Allen and Sodiq Yusuff was supposed to be a match of technique against power.
Allen was renowned as a skilled, technical wizard on the feet and on the ground, while Yusuff had made his name in the UFC by knocking opponents out in violent fashion.
Incredibly, though, it was Allen's striking power that ensured that The Almighty got his hand raised, despite Yusuff being the busier fighter.
In what was a relatively even fight, the key moments came in the first and second rounds – and saw Allen buckle Yusuff with some heavy punches that had him on the verge of being finished.
It was only the toughness of Super Sodiq that allowed him to stay in the fight.
With his last four fights going the distance, nobody will mistake Allen for a deadly finisher any time soon. But his punching power last night proved that he’s definitely an explosive and exciting fighter to watch.
And with a 17-1 record with eight straight wins in the UFC, it’s hard to dispute that this British fighter is a title contender at 145lbs. The Almighty needs a big fight next time for sure.
