On Saturday at the UFC Apex, Jared Cannonier delivered one of the most memorable performances of his career. The 40-year-old middleweight contender entered as the underdog against Gregory “Robocop” Rodrigues.
The No. 7-ranked Cannonier turned Rodrigues away in the latter’s attempt to gain a ranking in the UFC’s middleweight division with a statement-making fourth-round TKO.
Here is a look at the finish:
Things didn’t start well for Cannonier. Rodrigues dropped him twice in the first round, but the veteran battled back to take control in the second frame.
With Rodrigues seemingly showing a second wind in the third, Cannonier took permanent control of the momentum with this titanic elbow that put the Brazilian down.
Rodrigues made it out of the round, but Cannonier wasted no time pursuing the finish in the fourth, forcing referee Herb Dean to stop the fight.
The win snapped a two-fight losing streak for Cannonier and halted a three-fight win streak for Rodrigues. Cannonier and Rodrigues did win the Fight of the Night bonus for their back-and-forth scrap.
That makes eight bonuses for Cannonier in his career and four for Rodrigues.
UFC Vegas 102 Co-Main Event: Youssef Zalal Climbs Into the Top 15
After battling his way back into the UFC, Youssef Zalal has been on a tear. Zalal danced circles around No. 10 Calvin Kattar en route to a unanimous-decision victory.
Zalal’s speed and accuracy was superb through the first two rounds. Kattar couldn’t catch him. In the third, Zalal went from being elusive to flat-out running. It cost him the round on all three judges scorecards and somewhat dampened his performance.
MMA Junkie’s Nolan King called out a similar sentiment:
Still, the win should put Zalal in the Top 15 next week. The loss was Kattar’s fourth straight.
UFC VEGAS 102 MAIN CARD RESULTS
Jared Cannonier def. Gregory Rodrigues via fourth-round TKO
Youssef Zalal def. Calvin Kattar via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Edmen Shahbazyan def. Dylan Budka via first-round KO
Shahbazyan is experiencing a resurgence. After going through a period when he looked like a bust, he has righted the ship. He’s not on a streak, but he did save himself from a nasty two-fight skid with this explosive KO over Budka.
Things are headed the opposite direction for Budka.
He has now lost three in a row–every fight since earning a main roster contract on Dana White Contender Series in September 2023. To make matters worse, he missed weight in his last fight against Andre Petroski in September 2024.
The win earned Shahbazyan a performance bonus.
Nazim Sadykhov def. Ismael Bonfim via second-round TKO
After a strong first round, things went downhill for Bonfim. He got caught with a question mark kick in the face. It dazed him and opened a nasty cut. He finished the round, but told his corner he couldn’t see between rounds.
The doctor stepped in to stop the fight between rounds. Here is a look at the kick that ultimately finished the fight.
Andre Petroski def. Rodolfo Vieira via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
UFC VEGAS 102 PRELIMS RESULTS
Jose Delgado def. Connor Matthews via first-round TKO
Delgado made a splash in his main roster debut. After establishing himself as one of the standouts from Season 8 of Dana White Contender Series, Delgado has proved he will be a factor on the main roster.
Here’s a look at Delgado’s finish:
- Angela Hill def. Ketlen Souza via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
- Rafael Estevam def. Jesus Aguilar via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
- Gabriel Bonfim def. Khaos Williams via submission (D’Arce choke)
Bonfim is back.
After a disappointing loss to Nicholas Dalby in November 2023, the Brazilian prospect has now won two fights in a row and this vicious submission will only contribute to his restored hype machine.
The submission earned Bonfim a performance bonus.
- Elijah Smith def. Vince Morales via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
- Valter Walker def. Don’Tale Mayes via submission (heel hook) (R1, 1:17)
Walker, the brother of Johnny Walker, is making a name for himself in the UFC’s heavyweight division. He easily submitted Mayes with a heel hook. Here is a look at the finish:
It was Walker’s second straight win by heel hook, and it might have been a costly loss for Mayes. He came into the fight ranked No. 15 with what I believe was a generous ranking.
That’ll be gone for sure, with Walker almost certainly replacing him. Mayes may have more issues too, considering he could find himself released following the loss.
The UFC has been purging underwhelming heavyweights from the roster over the past few months. Mayes, a loser of his last two fights and three of his last four, seems like a strong candidate for the cut line.
- Jacqueline Cavalcanti def. Julia Avila via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
