ABU DHABI – Manon Fiorot beat Victoria Leonardo with a second-round TKO Wednesday to open the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN 20 in Abu Dhabi.

Take a look inside the fight with Fiorot, who picked up a win in her UFC debut.

Manon Fiorot def. Victoria Leonardo

Result: Manon Fiorot def. Victoria Leonardo via TKO (head kick, punches) – Round 2, 4:08
Updated records: Fiorot (6-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Leonardo (8-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Key stat: Fiorot has five of her six wins by knockout, including four straight.

Fiorot on the fight’s key moment

“This is exactly how I wanted to start in the UFC. This was perfect. I wanted to stop the fight before the third round. I’m so happy to begin like that. I really wanted to begin with a knockout. My game plan was to use my striking game and use my elbow when she clinched.”

An impressive UFC debut for @ManonFiorot_MMA is capped off with a standing TKO 😯 #UFCFightIsland8 pic.twitter.com/uAC6prnRn2

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 20, 2021

Fiorot on following the game plan

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JANUARY 20: (R-L) Manon Fiorot of France punches Victoria Leonardo in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Etihad Arena on UFC Fight Island on January 20, 2021 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

“I’m very happy – we followed the exact game plan. I threw my kicks, I threw my elbows, I clinched, and I’m very happy I was able to do everything.”

Fiorot on what she wants next

“I don’t know yet. I want to come back and fight quickly, and after that, I don’t know. … It is my dream to fight in the UFC in Paris.”

To hear more from Fiorot, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.

Breaking, Manon Fiorot, UFC on ESPN 20, video, News, UFC, Videos

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/manon-fiorot-wants-fight-in-paris-france-ufc-espn-20-debut-winn-video

(Click on the fight below and then scroll down to see in-fight live stats and full results, courtesy of Fight Analytics. Full live results for the first UFC 257: Poirier vs. McGregor 2 bout from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi is scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m. ET / 3:15 p.m. PT on Saturday, Jan. 23, on MMAWeekly.com)

UFC 257: Poirier vs. McGregor 2 start times

• UFC 257: Poirier vs. McGregor 2 main card start time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View
• UFC 257: Poirier vs. McGregor 2 prelims start time: 6:15 p.m. ET / 3:15 p.m. PT on ESPN+

NOTE: To select the appropriate fight, click on the images with the yellow name plates at the bottom of the Fight Analytics window and drag until you see the fight you are interested in. Quick results are located below the Fight Analytics window.

UFC 257: Poirier vs. McGregor 2 live results

UFC 257: Poirier vs. McGregor 2 takes place on Saturday, Jan. 23, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. It is the promotion’s final event of a three-event, eight-day return to Fight Island to kick off its 2021 schedule.

UFC President Dana White and Company restarted the professional sports world with UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje on May 9, 2020, followed by two more events in Jacksonville, Fla., all within an eight-day span.

UFC 257 features Conor McGregor’s return to the Octagon following a year on the sidelines. He squares off with Dustin Poirier. The bout is a rematch of their fight from UFC 178, which McGregor won via first-round knockout.

The UFC 257 co-main event features the promotional debut of former Bellator champion Michael Chandler, who faces Dan Hooker.

Check out the MMAWeekly.com Rumors page for more scheduled events and rumored fight cards.

UFC 257: Poirier vs. McGregor 2 results

UFC 257 Main Card (10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ Pay-Per-View)

• Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor
• Dan Hooker vs. Michael Chandler
• Jessica Eye vs. Joanne Calderwood
• Matt Frevola vs. Ottman Azaitar
• Marina Rodriguez vs. Amanda Ribas

UFC 257 Preliminary Card (6:15 p.m. ET ESPN+)

• Arman Tsarukyan vs. Nasrat Haqparast
• Brad Tavares vs. Antonio Carlos Junior
• Julianna Pena vs. Sara McMann
• Khalil Rountree Jr. vs. Marcin Prachnio
• Andrew Sanchez vs. Makhmud Muradov
• Nik Lentz vs. Movsar Evloev
• Amir Albazi vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov

Flashback: The first Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier face-off from UFC 178

(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-257-poirier-vs-mcgregor-2-live-results

Former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler is set to make his octagon debut on Fight Island at UFC 257.

Chandler’s promotional debut will be a three-round co-main event bout against City Kickboxing product and number six ranked lightweight Dan Hooker.

Many fans are looking at Chandler as an anomaly, not knowing what to expect from the UFC newcomer ahead of his first fight in the promotion.

But those who know the sport well have seen time and time again that Chandler is a proven commodity whose accolades speak for themselves.

A three-time Bellator world champion in the lightweight division, with victories over former UFC lightweight champions Eddie Alvarez and Benson Henderson, Chandler is not to be overlooked.

However, despite his credentials, and despite the fact that he deserves recognition for his accomplishments in the sport, albeit not with the UFC, plenty of casual fans are looking at the card asking who Chandler is.

“The hardcore fans know exactly who I am,” Chandler said. “The hardcore fans, quite frankly, know that I deserve to be at the top of this lightweight division.”

Chandler also acknowledged the lack of incentive for top ranked lightweights to introduce him to the octagon.

As a newcomer without a number next to his name, a fight against Chandler poses a small reward with a high risk. A loss to Chandler would create far more uncertainty than a loss to Charles Oliveira or Justin Gaethje due to their rank in the division.

“To the average guy, or even to these guys in the UFC, nobody wanted to be the first guy to dip their toe in the water and challenge me,” Chandler said. “I commend Dan Hooker for stepping up and saying yes.”

With a dance partner for fight night, and the fact that he’s fighting underneath the biggest pay-per-view draw in mixed martial arts, he knows he has a perfect opportunity to make his name known worldwide.

“To be the co-main event on what could be the biggest card of the year for my first fight in the UFC and fighting a top five opponent,” Chandler said. “The only thing bigger than being in the co-main event on a Conor McGregor pay-per-view is actually being in the cage with Conor McGregor on a pay-per-view.”

Evidently, Chandler has some solid foresight for a “newcomer.”

“When things go well on Saturday night, that could be what’s next.”

Welcome to the UFC, Michael Chandler.

TRENDING Fedor Emelianenko hospitalized due to COVID-19

Flashback The first Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier face-off

(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/michael-chandler-relishes-debuting-on-a-conor-mcgregor-pay-per-view

(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Michael Chiesa after UFC on ESPN 20 win?)

Neil Magny’s pursuit of welterweight title contention was brought to an abrupt halt by Michael Chiesa in the UFC on ESPN 20 main event.

Magny (24-8 MMA, 17-7 UFC) had his three-fight winning streak snapped Wednesday when he lost a unanimous decision to Chiesa (18-4 MMA, 11-4 UFC) in the headlining bout at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. With that, he goes back to the drawing board.

What comes next for Magny after a tough loss? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on his future after UFC on ESPN 20.

Breaking, Neil Magny, UFC on ESPN 20, video, News, UFC, Videos

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/neil-magny-next-fight-matchmaker-ufc-on-espn-20-loss-michael-cheisa

(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Neil Magny after UFC on ESPN 20 loss?)

ABU DHABI – The second UFC main event of the year was all Michael Chiesa as he dominated Neil Magny on Wednesday at UFC on ESPN 20.

With the unanimous decision win over Magny (24-8 MMA, 17-7 UFC), which took place at Etihad Arena on Yas Island and aired on ESPN, Chiesa (18-4 MMA, 11-4 UFC) remains perfect since moving up to the welterweight division in December 2018. He’s won all four of his fights in the weight class, and now it’s obvious he’s going big game hunting.

Chiesa offered an ambitious post-fight callout of Colby Covington, but that fight might be out of reach for the time being. That doesn’t mean he won’t get someone of similar ranking.

Watch the video above to see whom Chiesa should fight next after UFC on ESPN 20.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/michael-chiesa-next-fight-matchmaker-ufc-on-espn-20-win-neil-magny