The primary card UFC Vegas 111 served up a full home of finishes, with all 5 winners getting the job carried out inside the space on an entertaining evening on the UFC APEX in Sin Metropolis.
UFC Vegas 111 Energy Rankings
RDX Sports activities‘ Editor-in-Chief and veteran MMA author Simon Head casts his eye over the primary card winners, and presents his Energy Rankings for UFC Vegas 111.
1. Christian Leroy Duncan
The previous Cage Warriors middleweight champion has been steadily sharpening his abilities on the world stage following his ascent to the UFC, and now he seems to be on the verge of a breakthrough.
Duncan has all the time been a spectacular striker, however during the last couple of years he’s actually leveled up his defensive wrestling and clinch work towards the fence as he’s labored laborious to create extra alternatives for his bread and butter – his putting.
And the newest iteration of “CLD” confirmed the newest stage in his evolution as he handled every little thing Marco Tulio might throw at him, then completed him in gorgeous vogue with a spinning backfist, adopted by a large proper hand as he as soon as once more served warning that standing in entrance of “CLD” in a set of MMA gloves is a foul thought.
Duncan is making all the fitting strikes, and it may not be lengthy earlier than he’s knocking on the door of the middleweight high 15.
2. Joseph Morales
Joseph Morales produced one other spectacular show to defeat former ranked contender Matt Schnell and put himself within the body to face ranked opposition subsequent day out.
Morales wanted simply two minutes, 54 seconds to complete Schnell by way of guillotine choke as he continued his profitable return to the Octagon after his earlier three-fight stint again in 2017-2018.
Morales went 1-2 contained in the Octagon in that run, however now he’s 2-0 since his return, with each wins coming by submission. And if he can proceed to provide performances just like the one he turned in on Saturday, Morales shall be making a beeline in the direction of the division’s elite.
3. Gabriel Bonfim
Some have questioned the style of the stoppage that gave Gabriel Bonfim a second-round TKO victory over Randy Brown, however finally the choice made by referee Mark Smith to step in and wave off the struggle should not have any bearing on how Bonfim’s efficiency needs to be seen.
Bonfim fought neatly and confirmed wonderful struggle IQ as he stayed largely out of hazard, whereas gauging Brown’s timing, earlier than stepping in and touchdown energy pictures to ascertain his arsenal throughout a cat-and-mouse first spherical.
By Spherical 2, Bonfim had set his sights, and was touchdown good pictures. And when he linked with an enormous knee that landed flush on Brown’s chin as he dipped to alter ranges, “Rudeboy” was despatched flying backwards and right down to the canvas.
It appeared like Brown was out, and solely woken up by hitting the canvas. Ref Smith dived in and waved it off, and Bonfim claimed a formidable second-round win. Brown’s on the spot protests counsel he might have continued, however the knee appeared to have flash-knocked-out the Jamaican, so the win appeared truthful sufficient.
Bonfim was already within the UFC’s official welterweight rankings, and needs to be due a bout towards somebody larger ranked. However with the division trying jam-packed proper now, discovering the fitting opponent may very well be a tough job for the UFC matchmakers.
4. Chris Padilla
It’s time folks stopped sleeping on Chris “Taco” Padilla.
The 30-year-old is 4 fights into his UFC profession, and he’s an ideal 4-0 within the Octagon. He’s additionally lined all of the eventualities in his struggle outcomes, too, with one submission, one physician stoppage, one split-decision, and on Saturday evening, one ground-and-pound TKO end.
Towards Ismael Bonfim, Padilla used his protection, and his struggle IQ, to take in the perfect Bonfim might throw at him. Then, maybe figuring out that Bonfim is likely to be hurting because the struggle wore on after lacking weight by 5 kilos, Padilla went to work as he hammered Bonfim to the physique to sap the fuel tank, and to the pinnacle as he wore down, then completed his Brazilian opponent.
Padilla is now driving a seven-fight win streak, and has demonstrated that he has the kind of endurance, and the relentless method, that can provide nearly any light-weight hassle.
5. Uros Medic
On most different nights, Uros Medic’s efficiency would have positioned him larger up a Energy Rankings checklist, however on a struggle stuffed with finishes, he sits in fifth on our checklist this week.
The struggle itself was over nearly earlier than it had begun, however that was all right down to Medic’s razor-sharp work as he established his vary early, then dropped Muslim Salikhov laborious with a ramrod straight left.
It gave Medic a formidable end to see him spherical out 2025 with a 2-1 document for the 12 months, and take him into 2026 on a two-fight win streak, with each fights producing finishes.
Simon Head is Editor-in-Chief with famend fight sports activities tools firm RDX Sports activities.
