Jessica Andrade is your new UFC strawweight champion, knocking out Rose Namajunas with slam
Brazilian brawler Jessica Andrade made the most of her second crack at the UFC strawweight title.
Andrade came up short in her first attempt at winning a belt, losing a one-sided five-round decision with former champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk in 2017.
This time, Andrade was up against the woman who emphatically dethroned Jedrzejczyk – Rose Namajunas.
In the UFC 237 main event, Andrade initially appeared to have issues handling the crisp striking of Namajunas, whose speed and timing looked on point.
Andrade did, however, have some success with her takedowns in the opening round, though struggled to keep the champion down.
But the tide turned and quickly in the second round.
Andrade managed to lock her hands for a high-crotch takedown, elevating Namajunas high off the ground before slamming her down to the floor on her head.
Namajunas was unsurprisingly rendered unconscious before any follow-up punches from the Brazilian, prompting referee Marc Goddard to call the fight off.
Andrade is your new UFC strawweight champion and earned her title in stunning style.
Anderson Silva loses to Jared Cannonier after suffering knee injury
Jared Cannonier took home the biggest win of his career from Brazil against Anderson Silva, though it came in odd circumstances.
Silva has been guilty of starting slow in his fights and it looked like that was happening again at UFC 237.
Cannonier was patiently outscoring Silva with single shots of punches and leg kicks, keeping the former UFC middleweight kingpin at bay.
But as Silva finally looked ready to launch an attack to close off the round, Cannonier landed a leg kick as the Brazilian advanced.
The leg kick crumpled the veteran, who clutched his knee in agony as it quickly transpired that he had picked up a nasty injury which could shelve him for good.
It was an anticlimactic end to a fight which looked to be heating up, but Cannonier won’t mind as he marches his way up the middleweight rankings.
Alexander Volkanovski breezes past Jose Aldo, announcing his arrival as a true featherweight title contender
It really was a ‘changing of the guard’ kind of night.
Alexander Volkanovski easily handled Jose Aldo from the outset at UFC 237 and established himself as the man who should face Max Holloway for his UFC featherweight title.
Former UFC and WEC featherweight champion Aldo struggled with Volkanovski’s rhythm and movement.
The Australian peppered Aldo with a pinpoint jab, diffusing Aldo’s advances, and when things had the potential to become tricky for Volkanovski, he initiated the clinch and drove the fight to the cage to stifle the Brazilian.
Volkanovski showed some impressive fight IQ throughout the contest and Aldo failed to pose any questions the former didn’t have a resolute answer for.
After three rounds, the judges rightly awarded Volkanovski the unanimous decision win. Very impressive.
UFC 237: Rose Namajunas vs. Jessica Andrade full results
Women’s Strawweight championship: Jessica Andrade def. Rose Namajunas by KO (slam and punches) at 2:58 of round two
Middleweight: Jared Cannonier def. Anderson Silva by TKO (leg kick) at 4:47 of round one
Feathwerweight: Alexander Volkanovski def. Jose Aldo by unanimous decision after three rounds
Welterweight: Laureano Staropoli def. Thiago Alves by unanimous decision after three rounds
Catchweight: Irene Aldana def. Bethe Correia by submission (armbar) at 3:24 of round three
Light Heavyweight: Ryan Spann def. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira by KO (punches) at 2:07 of round one
Lightweight: Thiago Moises def. Kurt Holobaugh by unanimous decision after three rounds
Welterweight: Warlley Alves def. Sergio Moraes by KO (punch) at 4:13 of round three
Lightweight: Clay Guida def. B.J. Penn by unanimous decision after three rounds
Women’s Flyweight: Luana Carolina def. Priscila Cachoeira by unanimous decision after three rounds
Bantamweight: Raoni Barcelos def. Carlos Huachin by TKO (punches and elbows) at 4:49 of round two
