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After a full plate of combat sports action from Saturday, we’re stuffed heading into Thanksgiving week. But before we actually fill our plates this coming week, let’s take a quick look back at the biggest Hits and Misses from this past weekend.
Saturday 6pm ET, UFC Fight Night 198: Vieira vs. Tate
• HIT Adrian Yanez wins (-286) via Split-Decision vs. Davey Grant
Adrian Yanez, who is the owner of a pretty fantastic highlight reel, faced a dangerous fighter in Davey Grant who loves a slugfest, but smartly for Yanez, he evolved his game by staying composed and picking apart Grant from the outside. Yanez definitely tested Grant’s chin with countless jabs in the heat of Grant swinging to take his head off. It was a beautiful evolution for Yanez who is slowly becoming a can’t-miss kind of fighter and is on the cusp of a top-15 fight.
• HIT Pat Sabatini wins (-154) via Unanimous-Decision vs. Tucker Lutz
It was one of the night’s most dominating victories coming from Pennsylvania native, Pat Sabatini. The submission specialist utilized powerful double-leg takedowns and then maneuvered his way to Lutz’s back, round after round. Sabatini, a combat sambo practitioner, was unbelievably strong in his grappling approach, throwing up numerous submission attempts to secure the victory.
• MISS Ketlen Vieira wins (-108) via Unanimous-Decision vs. Miesha Tate
Outstanding boxing and timing was the deciding factor for Ketlen Vieira to get one of the biggest wins of her career over a resurgent fighter in former UFC champion Miesha Tate. From pillar to post, Vieira used her length and heavy jab to earn her opponent’s respect, but credit to Tate, who never backed up an inch and pushed the pace of the fight with her constant forward pressure. Though Tate looked phenomenal in her return (after nearly five years away from fighting) in her fight against Marion Reneau back in July, Vieira is on a different level and slowly climbing the ranks towards a title fight.
• MISS Sean Brady wins (-210) via Unanimous-Decision vs. Michael Chiesa
Brady, a Philly native, used his big frame and superior grappling to control the action of the fight for about 95% of the time. Ironically, it was Chiesa who almost had the Rocky-esque comeback victory in the final 30-seconds of the fight when he dug deep to land his only takedown of the fight followed by heavy ground and pounding. Brady got the decision and kept his undefeated record intact, but Chiesa was close to spoiling the promising prospect’s party. With this win, Brady should now find his way into the top 10 of the UFC’s welterweight division.
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Saturday 11pm ET, Terence Crawford vs. Shawn Porter
• HIT Terence Crawford wins (-700) via 10th-Round TKO (towel) vs. Shawn Porter
Undefeated and in his prime, Terence Crawford looked in peak shape both mentally and physically on Saturday night against a very game Shawn Porter. Early on in the fight, Porter, the much stockier of the two fighters, was using quick blitzes matched with heavy overhand rights to try to crack the thick armor of Crawford. Other than a very limited amount of threats with the explosive leaping strikes, Crawford’s guard held up and he seemed to be playing with his food. Once Crawford wore down Porter and figured out the blitz patterns, it was easy pickings for the Nebraska native. In the 10th and final round, Crawford used genius traps forcing Porter to expose himself for a heavy left uppercut for the first knockdown and then a sweeping left hook for the second knockdown of the round that lead to Porter’s father throwing in the towel. Only massive fights loom ahead for Crawford as he, Canelo Alvarez and Tyson Fury continue to battle it out for who’s the pound-for-pound best in the world.
• MISS Fight Goes The Distance (-164)
As mentioned in my preview for this fight, Shawn Porter had never been finished in his career and had faced better opponents than Crawford had faced, but Crawford proved that he is on another level and ended Porter’s streak in a big way. If Porter’s father had withheld the towel and he was forced to grind out two more rounds while being at a deficit to an assassin, I believe Porter could have made it to the final bell, but after you hear the explanation from Kenny Porter, his son’s health comes first and foremost.
It’s a slower week in combat sports with the UFC and Bellator MMA celebrating Thanksgiving, but for you fight-thirsty fans, no worries, ONE Championship takes centerstage with a solid event.
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