On this week’s episode of The RDX Sports Podcast with Simon Head, I unpack Saturday night’s fights as I recap the night’s big winners at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas, Bellator Champions Series in San Diego, Cage Warriors 176 in Glasgow, Scotland, and Oktagon 60 in Oberhausen, Germany.
A busy night of fights kicked off in Oberhausen, Germany, as Oktagon played to a packed house at the Rudolf Weber Arena, as new signing Lom-Ali Eskiev claimed a statement-making TKO finish of former two-division Oktagon champion Ivan Buchinger in the main event.
While the action was ongoing in Germany, the Braehead Arena in Glasgow, Scotland played host to Cage Warriors 176, as lightweight champion George Hardwick returned to action and bounced back from his Contender Series disappointment with a dominant decision win over Cristian Iorga, and Team Renegade’s Omiel Brown defeated two opponents in one night to win the welterweight PrizeFighter tournament, bank $50,000 and earn a shot at the Cage Warriors welterweight title.
After the action in Europe had concluded, attention turned to matters across the pond, as Sean Brady produced the biggest performance of his career to defeat fellow contender Gilbert Burns in the main event of UFC Vegas 97, where there was also a huge win for Brazilian flyweight Natalia Silva, whose domination of former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade showed that she’s ready to make a run at the 125-pound title in the coming year.
And further west, San Diego’s Pechanga Arena played host to the latest Bellator Champions Series event, as lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov produced another cerebral, controlled performance to comfortably outpoint compatriot Alexander Shabliy and retain his Bellator 155-pound title, while welterweight veteran Lorenz Larkin scored a first-round TKO finish to put himself in line for a shot at 170-pound gold.
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