Tag: Nicco Montano

Five UFC Champions In Danger Of Losing Their Belts In 2018

The UFC Octagon is an unforgiving place, and in a mixed martial arts fight, specifically at the highest levels, anything can happen. We’ve seen massive upsets over the years and we’ll likely continue to see more in the coming years. Moving forward in 2018, it’s apparent that some UFC champions may have tough roads ahead. […]

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The UFC Octagon is an unforgiving place, and in a mixed martial arts fight, specifically at the highest levels, anything can happen. We’ve seen massive upsets over the years and we’ll likely continue to see more in the coming years.

Moving forward in 2018, it’s apparent that some UFC champions may have tough roads ahead. That’s not to say that each champion listed below will end up losing his/her title, but it could also be difficult to keep a tight grasp on UFC gold in the new year.

Taking into account current challengers, potential future challengers, and other outside factors, let’s take a look at five UFC champions who could be in stark danger of losing their titles in 2018:

Stipe Miocic

UFC heavyweight champion Miocic has been on a tear as of late, winning five straight bouts with all five of those wins coming by way of T/KO.

He’s one title defense away from setting the record for most consecutive defenses made by a heavyweight champion, but his next fight will take place against bulldozing knockout artist Francis Ngannou at UFC 220 on Jan. 20 in Boston, Massachusetts.

“The Predator” is 6-0 inside the Octagon with five, of those victories coming by way of T/KO and one victory coming by way of submission. He appears to improve each time out and he possesses the type of power that when he connects, opponents often go to sleep.

Miocic is likely the more well-rounded fighter, but he’ll have to avoid Ngannou’s big shots or it could end up being a short night for him.

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Nicco Montano: I’m Absolutely Not Scared of Valentina Shevchenko

Nicco Montano is brushing off fans who say she hopes to avoid Valentina Shevchenko. In the main event of “The Ultimate Fighter” (TUF) 26 Finale, Montano became the inaugural Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s flyweight title…

Nicco Montano is brushing off fans who say she hopes to avoid Valentina Shevchenko. In the main event of “The Ultimate Fighter” (TUF) 26 Finale, Montano became the inaugural Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women’s flyweight title holder. She defeated Roxanne Modafferi via unanimous decision. Former women’s bantamweight contender Valentina Shevchenko is making the move down […]

Quote: Shevchenko Doesn’t Deserve Flyweight Title Shot

Newly crowned UFC women’s flyweight champion Nicco Montano may have just won the belt, but she’s already calling shots like she’s ruled over the division for years. Montano, who holds a modest 4-2 MMA record, won the 125-pound strap at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 26 Finale, defeating Roxanne Modafferi. Shortly after her big win, she was quoted […]

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Newly crowned UFC women’s flyweight champion Nicco Montano may have just won the belt, but she’s already calling shots like she’s ruled over the division for years.

Montano, who holds a modest 4-2 MMA record, won the 125-pound strap at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 26 Finale, defeating Roxanne Modafferi. Shortly after her big win, she was quoted later shutting down women’s bantamweight Valentina Schevchenko’s desire to fight for the flyweight belt.

Montano expounded upon her statement regarding who is worthy of a title shot in a division that was literally just created in the UFC during an appearance on The MMA Hour:

“You want to fight the best so that you can prove to everybody else that you are the best, but right now the best is not Shevchenko at ‘25. She hasn’t fought at that weight. It’s not Paige VanZant, she hasn’t fought at that weight either. So I think it’s pretty silly and I’m a person who wants fair fights and so I just don’t think they are deserving of it right now. I would like it to be Sarge, I think she deserves another chance. She made it through six weeks of hell doing that. I was there watching, I was there partaking in that six-week period, so I know how much heart she has and how much she’s wanting this.

Montano also refused to entertain a title fight with former strawweight Paige VanZant, who along with Shevchenko has never fought at 125 pounds in the UFC before. However, both women are moving to the flyweight division, and both carry impressive UFC and MMA records in addition to a ton of attention in terms of women’s MMA.

Shevchenko lost a somewhat underwhelming decision to current women’s bantamweight queen Amanda Nunes at UFC 215, but there’s no shame in that considering how dominant Nunes has been lately. VanZant carries with her a 7-3 MMA record, and is looking to reinvent herself at 125 pounds

TUF 26 featured a cast full of 125-pound female fighters, with Montano and Sijara Eubanks making it to the finals. Eubanks was hospitalized the day before the event and Modaferri stepped in on extremely short-notice.

With a newly created division wide open for contenders, Montano won’t be able to call the shots for much longer.

Who should be Montano’s first title defense? Does she have a point about fighters coming from other weight classes being unworthy of a flyweight title shot?

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TUF 26 Finale Salaries: Main Event Fighters Make Serious Bank

The Nevada State Athletic Commission released the salaries on Monday and some of the top tier talents got paid some major cash. The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale (also known as The Ultimate Fighter: A New World Champion Finale) took place on Friday, December 1, 2017 at Park Theater in Paradise, Nevada. The main card aired […]

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The Nevada State Athletic Commission released the salaries on Monday and some of the top tier talents got paid some major cash.

The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale (also known as The Ultimate Fighter: A New World Champion Finale) took place on Friday, December 1, 2017 at Park Theater in Paradise, Nevada.

The main card aired on FOX Sports 1 at 10 p.m. ET while the preliminary card was split broadcasted on FOX Sports 1 at 8 p.m. ET and the promotion’s streaming service, UFC Fight Pass, at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The Ultimate Fighter final (to determine the inaugural UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion) between Roxanne Modafferi and Nicco Montano headlined this event. Sean O’Malley vs. Terrion Ware in a bantamweight served as the co-main event. Rounding out the six bout card was Barb Honchak vs. Lauren Murphy in a female flyweight bout, Gerald Meerschaert vs. Eric Spicely in a middleweight bout, DeAnna Bennett vs. Melinda Fabian in a female flyweight bout, and Joe Soto vs. Brett Johns in a bantamweight bout.

Montana earned a flat payday of $100,000 and wasn’t eligible for a win bonus. Modafferi also earned $100,000 flat.The full payouts include:

Nicco Montano: $100,000 (no win bonus) def. Roxanne Modafferi: $100,000

Sean O’Malley: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Terrion Ware: $10,000

Lauren Murphy: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Barb Honchak: $10,000

Gerald Meerschaert: $28,000 (includes $14,000 win bonus) def. Eric Spicely: $14,000

DeAnna Bennett: $10,000 vs. Melinda Fabian: $10,000

Brett Johns: $28,000 (includes $14,000 win bonus) def. Joe Soto: $31,000

Montana De La Rosa: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Christina Marks: $10,000

Ryan Janes: $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. Andrew Sanchez: $28,000

Rachael Ostovich: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Karine Gevorgyan: $10,000

Shana Dobson: $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Ariel Beck: $10,000

Gillian Robertson: $20,000 (includes $ win bonus) def. Emily Whitmire: $10,000

 

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Nicco Montano vs. Roxanne Modafferi Full Fight Video Highlights

In the main event of The Ultimate Fighter Season 26 Finale (TUF 26 Finale) event last night (Fri. December 1, 2017), the first-ever UFC women’s flyweight champion in history was crowned. Young Nicco Montano took on longtime mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran Roxanne Modafferi for the honor. Montano entered the fight 3-2 in her professional […]

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In the main event of The Ultimate Fighter Season 26 Finale (TUF 26 Finale) event last night (Fri. December 1, 2017), the first-ever UFC women’s flyweight champion in history was crowned. Young Nicco Montano took on longtime mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran Roxanne Modafferi for the honor.

Montano entered the fight 3-2 in her professional MMA career, and went undefeated in her TUF tenure to earn her spot in the finals against Modafferi. A title win so young in the 28-year-old’s MMA career would be a huge statement to make in the sport’s biggest promotion.

Modafferi is no stranger to the TUF lifestyle, having been on the program’s 18th season back in 2013. She was eventually eliminated from the show. Modafferi has fought for various promotions all round the world throughout her fighting career, and with a record of 21-13, her experience edge gave her a huge advantage over Montano.

The pair went to war in a back-and-fourth five round affair that saw each woman have their respective moments to shine. When it was all said and done, however, the judges believed that Montano did enough to walk away from the cage as the promotion’s first-ever female 125-pound champion.

You can check out the full fight video highlights below:

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TUF 26 Finale Bonuses: Championship War Takes ‘Fight Of The Night’

“The Ultimate Fighter 26” Finale emanated tonight (Friday, December 1, 2017) from the Park Theater in Paradise, Nevada. The night was main-evented by the inaugural women’s flyweight title fight between Nicco Montano and late-replacement fill-in Roxanne Modafferi. The upstart Montano, ranked #14 in the show’s tournament, would take a unanimous decision to become champion in […]

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“The Ultimate Fighter 26” Finale emanated tonight (Friday, December 1, 2017) from the Park Theater in Paradise, Nevada. The night was main-evented by the inaugural women’s flyweight title fight between Nicco Montano and late-replacement fill-in Roxanne Modafferi.

The upstart Montano, ranked #14 in the show’s tournament, would take a unanimous decision to become champion in a battle that was fought tooth-and-nail. Modafferi had her moments as the pair traded punches liberally throughout the fight. “The Happy Warrior” even appeared to stagger Montano on two occasions. But the new champion was able to secure well-timed takedowns, win scrambles for top position, and thwart all of Roxy’s submission attempts, including a tight Hail Mary armbar in the fifth that Montano was able to slip out of.

Both women will go home $50,000 richer for their efforts, as their war of attrition won Fight of the Night honors.

The Performances of the Night went to finishers on the main card. The first was bantamweight Brett Johns pulling off an insanely slick calf slicer off a Joe Soto single-leg attempt. Johns reached down and wrapped up one of Soto’s legs, fell to his back, figure-foured his own legs around Soto’s, and pulled down on the foot for the tap. Soto looked in extreme pain. The end came in just 30 seconds.

The other Performance of the Night went to middleweight Gerald Meerschaert for his pulverizing body kick finish of Eric Spicely. “GM3” had to survive a harrowing first frame in which Spicely took his back and fished for the choke for the second half of the round. Once back on his feet in the second, Meerschaert wasted little timing slamming kicks into Spicely’s body. One particularly powerful one folded Spicely in half in obvious agony. No follow-up shots were necessary.

Both Johns and Meerschaert will find an extra $50,000 in their bank accounts come Monday.

Keep it locked to LowKickMMA for all your TUF Finale and UFC 218 news, notes, and analysis.

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