The bout returned to the UFC’s dwelling turf at Meta APEX, the place Manel Cape and Kyoji Horiguchi squared off for an opportunity on the undisputed UFC flyweight title.
This is an influence rating of the evening’s high performers at UFC Vegas 119.
UFC Vegas 119 Energy Rankings
1. Manel Cape
Portugal’s hard-hitting flyweight contender turned his principal occasion bout in opposition to Kyoji Horiguchi round with one connection from a heavy hand, exhibiting off his punching energy in MMA gloves in spectacular trend.
Horiguchi practically dominated the primary two rounds and seemed robust within the third, however then Kape discovered a house for his punches and shocked the Japanese legend with a giant shot that left Horiguchi wobbling on his ft.
Cape got here near ending the job and was in for an opportunity to win the title. We’ll doubtless have to attend for a rematch between Joshua Vann and former champion Alexandre Pantoja, but when that struggle will get postponed and UFC leaders need to maintain Vann energetic, Kape is in an excellent place to step in.
2. Murtazar Magomedov
Magomedov, a UFC debutant, got here to the UFC with an ideal document of 5 KOs and 5 submissions in 10 fights and a wonderfully symmetrical ending charge. On Saturday evening, he added to his submission document with a first-round end of Mershik Bagdasaryan, and he did it in spectacular type.
Magomedov completed Bagdasaryan with a uncommon tornado submission, his sixth sub-finish, and improved his profession document to 11-0. Contemplating the sensible means he eradicated Baghdasaryan, it is rather doubtless that the Kyrgyz participant will likely be pushed up within the competitors in the end. And there’s no scarcity of thrilling matchups within the featherweight division that may take a look at his mettle as he strives to make his technique to the highest.
3. Navajo Sterling
New Zealand’s Sterling will not be brash, however he’s definitely assured in his skills. That is not shocking contemplating his good 10-0 professional document.
Sterling took lower than a spherical and a half to complete the ever-tough, always-aggressive Ion Kutelaba within the co-main occasion, and one other nice efficiency that drew consideration to a few of the largest names within the division.
Metropolis Kickboxing’s Kiwi striker seems to be nicely on his technique to the 205-pound division, following within the footsteps of teammate and present gentle heavyweight champion Carlos Wolberg. And after posting a five-fight win streak contained in the Octagon, there’s an excellent likelihood we’ll see him within the cage in opposition to a ranked opponent subsequent time.
4. Christian Rodriguez
After the hardest interval of his skilled preventing profession, Christian Rodriguez wanted a turnaround in fortunes, and he obtained it in spectacular trend Saturday evening.
Rodriguez, who misplaced longtime head coach Duke Rufus to the premature demise final 12 months, had a two-game droop earlier than deciding to maneuver to Las Vegas and restart his profession beneath the tutelage of head coach Eric Nikcik at Excessive Couture. And in his first battle along with his new coach and workforce, he gave a memorable efficiency.
Dealing with the hard-hitting Haider Amir, Rodriguez went toe-to-toe along with his opponent earlier than lastly dropping him and ending him off with a guillotine choke that finally knocked Amir unconscious.
It was an emphatic victory and marked the start of a brand new chapter in ‘CeeRod’s’ profession.
5. Vinicius Oliveira
There have been lots of expectations positioned on UFC bantamweight Vinicius Oliveira after breaking into the UFC on Dana White’s Contender Sequence, however after accepting that he was forcing himself to put on himself out and struggle in a compromised state, Oliveira made the choice to maneuver as much as featherweight.
His debut struggle within the division occurred on Saturday evening, and he engaged in an entertaining back-and-forth battle with featherweight veteran Andre Fili, with Oliveira finally settling the struggle with a second-round TKO.
The sky stands out as the restrict for ‘LokDog’ because the Brazilian is at present in a weight class the place he can maximize his skills.
