Cage Chronicle's Newsletter!

Well, well, well, the MMA world just got served a weekend as intense as a cup of espresso at a rollercoaster cafe! UFC 294 touched down in Abu Dhabi, bringing with it all the excitement you'd expect. We saw the Lightweight title bout, not one but two potential title eliminators, and a lineup of up-and-coming fighters hoping to punch their way to stardom. But like any good drama, there was controversy, and most of it involved the UFC's ringside doc 👨‍⚕️.

Ikram Alisekrov vs Warlley Alves 👊

Let's dive right into the thrilling action with the Russian superstar, Ikram Aliskerov, who went head-to-head with Warlley Alves last night in Abu Dhabi. Anticipation was through the roof for this clash, given Aliskerov's recent dominating performances, and boy, did he live up to the hype!

The early moments of round 1 saw both fighters cautiously sizing each other up. Alves targeted Aliskerov's leg, and Aliskerov, in turn, patiently scouted for an opening. And open it did! In a jaw-dropping twist, Aliskerov rocked Alves with a blistering jab, followed by a lightning-fast left high kick and a flying knee. The sequence left the crowd in awe, and Alves on the canvas. Aliskerov then unleashed a barrage of ground and pound to secure a spectacular TKO finish. 🤯

Aliskerov is the genuine article, and he's sent shockwaves through the middleweight division. With a performance like that, it's clear that his next opponent must be a top 15 contender. After that absolutely DOMINANT showing yesterday, it's as if Cage Chronicle's Fight Night Forecast couldn't have been more spot-on. We called a round 1 finish for the Russian, and boy, did he ever deliver! 🇷🇺🧙‍♂️

Magomed Ankalaev vs Johny Walker👨‍⚕️😕

This bout took an unexpected turn, veering off the path of excitement that many had anticipated. The clash between Johnny Walker, known for his unpredictable striking, and Magomed Ankalaev, revered for his crisp striking and wrestling, was expected to be a highlight of the event.

At the start of the round, it seemed like it would be one of those fights that keep you on the edge of your seat. Johnny Walker faked being hurt from an Ankalaev body shot, luring Ankalaev in, and then unleashed his infamous flying knee – although it missed, leading to Ankalaev earning a takedown on the Brazilian. However, things took a bizarre twist when Ankalaev delivered an illegal knee strike to Johnny Walker.

In the midst of the confusion, the UFC doctor was called in, and asked Walker “Where are we” which Walker replied “In the desert” which technically isnt wrong as the fight was in Abu Dhabi the ref decided to stop the fight. Walker disagreed, attempting to continue the battle, causing chaos to erupt. Dana White had to step in to deescalate the situation, ultimately resulting in the fight being declared a no contest.

The doctor's questionable decisions didn't start there however. In the clash between Javid Basharat and Victor Henry in the Prelims, things took a painful turn when Henry endured a low blow that left him screaming in agony inside the cage. As a result, the fight was called a 'No Contest.' However, the doctor's intervention added a layer of confusion to the already chaotic situation. Despite Henry's evident pain and near-tears, the doctor asserted that he hadn't been struck with a low blow, leaving everyone in disbelief. Absolute madness indeed 🤯

Kamaru Usman vs Khamzat Chimaev 🇳🇬🇸🇪

Now, let's turn our attention to the Co-Main event of the evening, a highly anticipated showdown between Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev. This bout more than lived up to the hype, featuring a three-round brawl that ultimately saw Chimaev emerge victorious. However, it was far from an easy win.

In the opening round, Chimaev showcased his dominance by swiftly securing an early takedown on Usman, maintaining relentless pressure, and nearly sinking in a Rear Naked Choke. Usman, in a display of sheer strength, managed to slam his way out of trouble, but it was undoubtedly a dominant round for Chimaev.

The second round proved a bit of a puzzle, with both fighters showing signs of fatigue after the grueling first round. Nevertheless, it seemed that Usman edged it, keeping active on the feet with his precise jabs and leg kicks.

As the third round got underway, Usman seemed to realize that a finish was necessary to secure the fight. He landed some solid shots, but Chimaev promptly took him down with two minutes left in the round, opting for a safer approach to see out the bout.

Chimaev delivered an impressive performance against a formidable opponent in Usman, with his first-round pressure proving to be a decisive factor. It's clear that Chimaev now has his sights set on the Middleweight champion, Sean Strickland, as he seeks to add a championship belt to his collection. 🇸🇪🐺

Massive kudos to Kamaru Usman for stepping up with just two weeks' notice to face one of the UFC's hottest rising stars, and all that while moving up a weight class. Major respect from the Cage Chronicle's team! 🤝👊

As for our Cage Chronicle's prediction, we'll humbly admit we missed the mark on this one. We had anticipated the former welterweight champion securing a decision victory

Islam Makhachev vs Alexander Volkanovski 🇷🇺🇦🇺

In the main event of UFC 294, fight fans were treated to an unexpected but highly anticipated rematch. This time, it was the Lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, facing off against the Featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski. The circumstances leading to this showdown were unusual, as Charles Oliveira suffered a sparring cut just under two weeks before the fight. In stepped Volkanovski, showing immense courage and adaptability by accepting the challenge on short notice. Big respect to Volkanovski for his willingness to step up.

The opening round saw both fighters engaged in a back-and-forth dance of clinching and striking. Makhachev's southpaw body kick (left) became a key weapon, finding significant success. However, the turning point came when one of those kicks unexpectedly targeted Volkanovski's head. Caught off guard, Volkanovski was knocked down, and Makhachev swiftly capitalized with a ground-and-pound finish. And just like that, the fight was over.An absolute perfect shot to give Volk his first KO loss in the UFC 😲👌

Again big respect to Volkanovski for stepping up and taking the rematch even though he already had a fight booked for January against Ilia Topuria.

BIG RESPECT to Volk for saving the card within 2 weeks notice 🤝👊

As for the Cage Chronicle’s prediction we had Islam winning by decision so we are taking that as a win 😃🧙‍♂️

The weekend's UFC294 showcased a remarkable lineup of young, promising fighters, and it was a true testament to their potential and talent. These emerging talents lived up to, and in many cases, exceeded the expectations placed upon them by MMA enthusiasts and seasoned fight aficionados. Their performances were nothing short of spectacular, demonstrating skill, determination, and the kind of raw talent that's turning heads in the world of mixed martial arts. As they stepped into the octagon, it was clear that these fighters were ready to make their mark and carve out their legacies in the sport, leaving us all eager to witness their continued growth and future battles in the cage.

Sharaputdin Magomedov vs Bruno Sliva🇷🇺🌟

Kicking off the UFC294 fight card, we were treated to the much-anticipated debut of Russian striker Sharaputdin Magomedov, who faced off against the seasoned striker Bruno Silva. Magomedov's first appearance had fight fans perched on the edges of their seats, eager to witness his prowess in the octagon.

The one-eyed Russian kicked things off with a bang, unleashing a powerful high kick that rocked Silva and meticulously targeting Silva's legs to thwart his heavy-handed advances. Just when Silva seemed to be slowing down, Magomedov provided an unintentional break, connecting with a low blow that left both fighters catching their breath in what was a wild exchange of strikes at the round's end.

Moving into the second round, Magomedov remained committed to his leg-focused strategy, landing some effective knees. However, Silva managed to take the fight to the canvas, where Magomedov continued to showcase his striking skills from the bottom position.

The final round saw the action primarily on the ground, with Silva capitalizing on what he perceived as a weakness in Magomedov's ground game. He maintained relentless pressure and likely secured that round.

In the end, Magomedov emerged victorious, claiming a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

Javid Basharat vs Victor Henry 🇵🇰💎

Our second Prospect Spotlight took an unexpected turn. As mentioned earlier in the article, this fight took an unfortunate twist when it was prematurely halted due to a brutal low blow that left Victor Henry writhing in pain inside the Octagon. 🤕

In the opening round, it appeared that Henry was strategically targeting Basharat's legs to thwart any takedown attempts. However, Basharat exhibited excellent footwork, eluding most of these takedown attempts. Basharat also employed the clinch position in his pursuit of a takedown, but his efforts proved unsuccessful. The first round mostly consisted of both fighters sizing each other up.

The second round took a distressing turn when the fight was brought to an abrupt end due to the aforementioned low blow. It was a disappointing conclusion to what had the potential to be an exhilarating bout.

It's truly disheartening to see a fight with so much promise conclude in such an unexpected manner. But, well, that's the unpredictable nature of the fight game. It's worth noting that after the low blow incident, there was a curious backstage episode. Victor Henry reportedly felt unwell and ended up being taken to the hospital, despite the doctor's reassurance that the injury wasn't a groin shot, stating, 'No, it wasn't your 'ball,' he didn't kick your 'ball'! 😂

We sincerely hope that Henry's injury isn't severe, and we can look forward to these fighters squaring off once more later this year. 🤝👊

Tim Elliot vs Muhammad Mokaev 🤼🌟

Lastly to finish off the Prelims we had prospect Muhammad Mokaev who faced off against Tim Elliot, Mokaev extended his unblemished record too 11-0 after beating Elliot by submission, but it wasn’t easy for the Englishman as he struggled to keep up with Elliots pressure in the early parts of the fight.

in the first round Elliot puts the pressure on early with striking and got a takedown on Mokaev but he works his way back to feet and puts on pressure, Elliot avoiding takedowns well but knees Mokaev in the head illegally

in the second round Mokaev gets a takedown off the bat but Elliot jumps a guillotine but is unsuccessful and Mokaev keeps up the pressure, Elliot goes for a armbar on Mokaev but Mokaev slams Elliot into the mat to get out of it

the final round consisted of some good scrambling by the pair until Mokaev got on top of Elliot and forced the arm triangle which Elliot submitted too