Sancho Lladós Sanginés
Sports writing, May 7. The American Aljamian Sterling defeated his compatriot Henry Cejudo this Sunday and successfully defended his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight belt at the UFC288 event held in Newark, United States.
Sterling (23-3) shone in the return of Cejudo (16-2). The champion exercised as such, came out to press and close the distance with ‘CCC’ who remained cautious, exhibited a great ability to move and when he could he took the fight to the ground. The American, of Mexican origin, did not shine but neither did he disappoint in his return 3 years later.
The champion was stepping on the accelerator as he settled in the center of the cage. Knowing that the wingspan and size played in his favor, he sought to precipitate the actions. He changed stances, kicked and feinted. Cejudo, for his part, not only did not shy away from the exchange but also took the initiative in that facet at times. He worked shorter but more powerful combinations.
The former flyweight, bantamweight and Olympic wrestling gold champion at the 2008 Olympics, was looking good against a physically and sportingly prime Sterling. He was less active than the champion but he was somewhat more solvent in the exchange of gunpowder and with more ease to consolidate takedowns.
The current monarch of the bantamweight division continued to press and even sought to move the contest to the ground from the third installment. Cejudo, who remained cautious, stopped these attempts. From Sterling’s corner they encouraged him to fake the takedown and look for the exchange. A very close fight, but the variety in ‘The Funk Master”s proposal tipped the balance in his favor.
The judges rewarded Sterling’s initiative and volume on the cards, who won the fight by split decision. The American retained the bantamweight title for the third time and is the first champion in the category to do so. His compatriot Sean O’Malley entered the cage to challenge him directly for the championship. The champion not only did not shy away from the invitation, but he summoned him for March.
Cejudo surprised and left the door open to another possible retirement. His roadmap was to beat Sterling and move up in division to face Australian Alexander Volkanovski at featherweight. “It may be the last one,” he confessed after the fight.
MUHAMMAD BREAKS A DEPRESSED GILBERT BURNS
The American Belal Muhammad (23-3) defeated the Brazilian Gilbert Burns (22-6) by unanimous decision in the co-main event of UFC288. ‘Durinho’, who fought a large part of the fight with an injured left hand, could not take a step forward at any time. Belal sought to be conservative, dominated the fight and is closing in on a welterweight title shot against Britain’s Leon Edwards.
Both went out to look for the exchange from the beginning. Muhammad wielding a nimble kick and Burns sheltering in the powerful punch of his hands. The American came out to add dividends and try to work little by little on the anatomy of a ‘Durinho’ who fought ‘touched’ from the second round and has had three fights in less than five months.
Burns had no choice but to take cover to his right. With his left hand useless he couldn’t work the ‘jab’ or look for the takedown. Belal Muhammad did not want to risk, was conservative and continued adding dividends in the eyes of the judges to take the fight by unanimous decision.
Bittersweet victory for Muhammad who was smart and stuck to his plan. The American added his fifth victory in a row but did not entertain. The 4th classified in the division left amid boos from a Prudential Center that was left cold with the outcome of the contest.
YAN SURPRISES ANDRADE, EVLOEV SUFFERS AND JOURDAIN WINS
The Chinese Yan Xiaonan (17-3-1) gave one of the surprises of the night against the Brazilian Jessica Andrade (24-11). Andrade, ranked fourth in the strawweight division, was confident, wanted to push and ran into a perfectly planned forehand by the Chinese (6th).
Andrade put pressure, under guard and Xiaonan, with a good lateral displacement, exposed the Brazilian and placed a devastating right hand 15 seconds after the start of the fight.
The Russian Movstar Evloev (17-0) won but did not convince against the Brazilian, rookie in the UFC, Diego Lopes (21-6). The undefeated fighter, 10th at featherweight, landed power shots from Lopes and came close to being finished twice.
Lopes, who accepted the fight on short notice after the loss of American Bryce Mitchell, had everything against him and surprised. With a brave proposal and a great ground game he knocks on the doors of the division but the decision fell unanimously to Evloev’s side after three rounds.
The Canadian Charles Jourdain (14-6-1), without too much complication, knew how to prevail over the Brazilian Kron Gracie (5-2) to open the main card. Jourdain took the fight by unanimous decision against a passive Gracie who could not prevail either in the fight, on the ground or in the exchange. EFE
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