MMA Weekly
Brian Ortega dominates Korean Zombie at UFC Fight Island 6 to land title shot
In the fourth of its five-event stint on Fight Island, the UFC saw Brian Ortega dominate Korean Zombie (Chan Sung Jung) to earn a featherweight title shot.
Jessica Andrade may very well have punched her own ticket to a championship challenge in the flyweight division with her win over Katlyn Chookagian in the co-main event.
Brian Ortega puts on striking display to best Korean Zombie
After a short feeling out process, it was clear that Ortega was looking to employ his improved striking against Jung. He frequently landed leg kicks from the opening bell, as Jung was more intent on hanging back, looking for powerful counter shots.
Ortega stepped it up in the latter half of the first round, cracking Jung with hard punches and even sending him to the canvas at one point. Jung started swinging harder, but got caught with a head kick.
Round one was definitely a strong opener for Ortega.
Jung started quickly in the second frame, landing lots of punch combinations. The damage he was stealthily doing to Ortega’s lead leg with low kicks was also beginning to show.
But just as the momentum seemed to be in Jung’s favor, Ortega blasted him with a spinning elbow. Ortega stormed him, landing several more punches and put him on the canvas but couldn’t find the finish before the second round horn, although he stole the round.
Going into the third frame likely having won the first two, Ortega stayed at distance throughout the round, adding to his advantage. He remained out of Jung’s power range, slowly chipping away with an ever-more-effective jab and kicks that were keeping Jung from finding a rhythm.
Knowing he had to be down on the scorecards, Jung started pressing more in the fourth round. Ortega, however, didn’t let himself get overwhelmed, remained calm, and fended off the better part of Jung’s attacks.
Avoiding most of Jung’s punches, Ortega caught a kick and landed a punch as he drove Jung across the cage and to the canvas. He opened a cut over Jung’s left eye, though it wasn’t clear if it was the punch or an accidental clash of heads, but Jung quickly got up, eating another shot as he did.
Ortega continued to look sharp, stinging Jung with his jab. Jung tried to find a way to land, but Ortega was so fluid at this point, Jung couldn’t find any openings.
Jung needed to overwhelm Ortega in the final frame, but he couldn’t. Ortega simply kept beating him to the punch and giving him different looks that kept Jung off kilter. Any time Jung moved forward to attack, Ortega nullified him with stinging punches, his jab in particular eating him alive.
Not one to give up, Jung kept moving forward, kept trying to find a home for that powerful blow that would steal the fight, but it wasn’t to be. Ortega was too elusive, his striking much more fluent than he’d ever shown before.
Ortega fought the perfect fight against Jung, earning unanimous scores of 50-45 from the judges, simultaneously earning a shot at UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.
It had been nearly two years since Ortega last fought, losing his bid to take the belt from then-champion Max Holloway.
“I needed to become a new guy. Today, I tried to do the best I could to mix it all up and show everyone that I’m back,” Ortega said after the fight.
“We’re gonna find out if I’m ready (to face Volkanovski). In this game, you take chances. You don’t grow in the comfort zone. Alexander Volkanovski, you’re the champ, the thought of fighting you is exciting.”
THE SPINNING ELBOW 🤯
🔥 Ortega and Zombie are starting to trade!
[ #UFCFightIsland6 | #InAbuDhabi | @VisitAbuDhabi ] pic.twitter.com/FTmFbvxXom
— UFC (@ufc) October 18, 2020
Jessica Andrade takes out top contender in UFC flyweight debut
Jessica Andrade wasted no time making her presence known in the UFC flyweight division. With one fight at 125 pounds, the former UFC strawweight champion put the division on notice.
Andrade stormed Chookagian from the opening bell, using her strength and power to negate her opponent’s dramatic reach advantage. She took Chookagian down early, but ended up fending off various submission attacks.
After frequently pressing her to the cage and working Chookagian with punches and knees to the body throughout the round, Andrade scooped Chookagian up and slammed her to the canvas in the final minute of the frame.
They regained their footing, but a short time later, Andrade blasted her opponent with a punch to the midsection. Chookagian turned away and yelped in pain. Andrade, realizing she was hurt, stormed after Chookagian and landed a couple more shots to the body that sent her to the canvas. The referee immediately stepped in and stopped the fight.
And just like that, Andrade catapulted to the top of her new division.
“Now I’m No. 1 and let’s see if I can get a chance at fighting Valentina (Shevchenko),” she declared after the fight.
Shevchenko, the current UFC flyweight champion, is currently slated to defend against Jennifer Maia at UFC 255 on Nov. 21 in Las Vegas.
SHE'S COMING FOR THE BELT 🏆
🇧🇷 @JessicaMMAPro stops the No. 1 contender in ONE ROUND.
[ Main event next on #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/WTpWE2lSlD
— UFC (@ufc) October 18, 2020
Jimmy Crute lays out Modestas Bukauskas
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Jimmy Crute continues to impress in the Octagon. In his five UFC bouts, all but one have ended in the first round.
Crute finished Modestas Bukauskas in impressive fashion at UFC Fight Island 6, leaving him laying on the canvas. Crute blasted Bukauskas with a right hand, sending him down, and then followed with a couple more shots to close it out just over two minutes into the fight.
CLOCKED CLEANED ⏱
🇦🇺 @CruteJim with a STATEMENT on Fight Island.
[ Co-main next on #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/oYx2sffumR
— UFC (@ufc) October 18, 2020
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UFC Fight Island 6: Ortega vs. Korean Zombie results
UFC Fight Island 6 Main Card
Brian Ortega def Chan Sung Jung by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)Jessica Andrade def Katlyn Chookagian by TKO (body punches) at 4:57, R1Jim Crute def Modestas Bukauskas by KO (punches) at 2:01, R1James Krause def Claudio Silva by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)Jonathan Martinez def Thomas Almeida by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
UFC Fight Island 6 Preliminary Card
Guram Kutateladze def Mateusz Gamrot by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)Gillian Robertson def Poliana Botelho by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-27)Jun Yong Park def John Phillips by unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-25)Fares Ziam def Jamie Mullarkey by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)Maxim Grishin def Gadzhimurad Antigulov by TKO (punches) at 4:58, R2Said Nurmagomedov def Mark Striegl by KO (punches) at 0:51, R1
