Oh boy, Matheus Nicolau’s in a bit of a pickle, huh? He’s gotta fight his way back to the top of the flyweight division. Not an easy task, I tell ya.
So, there was this UFC on ESPN 55 event. Kinda like a bridge between the big pay-per-view shows. It shone a spotlight on some fighters, making it a night to remember for a few. Out of 13 fights, seven ended with someone’s hand raised early, thanks to a knockout or submission. And hey, four fighters even snagged themselves a “Performance of the Night” bonus.
Now, let’s talk about Tim Means. The guy’s 40 and has seen better days, with four losses in his last five fights. His recent bout? A first-round TKO loss to Uros Medic. They were sizing each other up, but Medic found the perfect moment to land an uppercut. Means went down at 2:09 of the first round. What’s next for him? Maybe a fight against Danny Roberts could be on the cards. They were supposed to fight in 2021, but COVID had other plans.
Jonathan Pearce had a rough night too. He faced David Onama and, well, it didn’t go his way. Despite Pearce’s efforts to control the fight on the ground, Onama kept turning the tables on him. The judges gave it to Onama, unanimously. Pearce is now on a two-fight losing streak and might need to rethink his strategy.
Austen Lane, oh man. He ran into Jhonata Diniz and got stopped in the second round. Diniz countered Lane’s right with a left hook that started the end for Lane. A couple more punches, and it was over. Lane’s now lost two in a row. Maybe a fight against Tai Tuivasa could help him bounce back. That’d be something to watch.
Ariane Lipski had a chance to climb the rankings but fell short against Karine Silva. Silva’s grappling was just too much for Lipski, who lost by unanimous decision. Lipski’s next fight should be interesting. Maybe against Miranda Maverick? That could keep her in the mix at flyweight.
Ryan Spann’s having a tough time too. He’s on a three-fight losing streak after losing to Bogdan Guskov by TKO. The fight was competitive until Guskov caught Spann with an uppercut in the second round. Spann needs a win badly. A fight against Azamat Murzakanov could be his chance to turn things around.
Lastly, Matheus Nicolau. He lost to Alex Perez via a second-round knockout. Perez looked sharp, and Nicolau couldn’t keep up. There’s talk of a rematch with Manel Kape, which could be interesting. Nicolau has a split decision win over Kape, who’s been on a roll since then.
So, there you have it. A night of fights with some looking to rebound and others looking to keep their momentum going. What a sport, huh? Keeps you on the edge of your seat.