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On Saturday night, the MMA leader returned for its latest offering from the Apex, UFC Fight Night 220.
Before heading into an utterly stacked March schedule, featuring two blockbuster numbered events, the first UK-held pay-per-view since 2016, the return of Jon Jones, and a highly anticipated trilogy between two of welterweight’s best, the MMA leader had one final February stop-off at its home base.
And while Saturday’s card didn’t provide the kind of name value and high stakes we can expect throughout next month, there was still plenty to look forward to ahead of time. That was set to include a potentially important showdown at light heavyweight, with top-10 contenders Nikita Krylov and Ryan Spann initially expected to vie for a place in title contention at the top of the bill.
Unfortunately, that didn’t come to fruition for reasons we’ll discuss later, so the intriguing middleweight co-headliner between rising Brazilian André Muniz and longtime prospect Brendan Allen stepped into the main event spotlight.
Elsewhere, TUF 23 winner Tatiana Suarez’s long-awaited comeback provided one of the main points of interest, while the likes of Trevor Peek, Jordan Leavitt, and Mike Malott also promised to deliver some notable action inside the Octagon.
So, did those fighters and storylines come together to form an entertaining event to close out the second month of 2023? Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC Fight Night 220.
Negative – Dracula?
When you think about a card opening in style, (alleged) biting and fishhooking isn’t exactly what comes to mind…
Debutant Nurullo Aliev clearly didn’t get the memo, as he took his first taste of UFC action a little too literally, appearing to chomp down on Rafael Alves’ finger in the first round of their preliminary lightweight contest.
In all seriousness though, it’s hard to say where the negative is here. After all, did the replay show anything conclusive? Not particularly. And with the Tajik newcomer claiming his Brazilian counterpart was fishhooking him, he may well have been the victim in the scenario, in which case the point deduction was unfortunate.
If Alves was the one initially at fault, he eventually got his comeuppance via the scorecards, two of which favored Aliev. Not to speculate, but I’d certainly be a lot less cordial post-fight had an opponent deliberately bit me without provocation than Alves was…
But either way, UFC Fight Night 220 opened with either a fishhook and bite, or just a bite. If it needs saying, neither scenario is ideal.
Image: ESPN
Positive – “The Monkey King” Rebounds
For all his grappling credentials, Jordan Leavitt doesn’t half love a highlight-reel knockout.
After showing his submission skills to earn a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, Leavitt raised eyebrows on debut with one of 2020’s most innovative KOs, slamming Matt Wiman unconscious in 22 seconds.
While that marked his first knockout win, “The Monkey King” remained without one via strikes on his record. That all changed on Saturday night, when he launched an onslaught of knees against opponent Victor Martinez for the first-round stoppage.
Although the finish itself was worthy of a place in this piece, Leavitt’s return to the win column was also good to see. The 27-year-old made an unsuccessful trip across the pond last time out, falling to rising prospect Paddy Pimblett in London.
As an Englishman, I’d like to congratulate Leavitt on his quick rebound on behalf of myself and my fellow “degenerates.”
Positive – Peek-A-Boom
Shame on us for ever doubting that ‘drunk man swinging at bouncers outside a nightclub’ wouldn’t work as a fight style in the Octagon.
Trevor Peek and Erick Gonzalez closed out the UFC Fight Night 220 prelims, with the former making his debut following an impressive contract-winning performance on DWCS in 2022.
With “Ghost Pepper” previously suffering knockouts to both Jim Miller and Terrance McKinney, it felt as if a similar result was on the cards here. Still, the brutal nature with which it occurred is worth recognition. As is the wild and bizarre striking sequence that brought it about…
In the final seconds of the first round, Peek truly went for broke, throwing looping hooks and straight hammerfists at Gonzalez, who was perhaps as confused by the offense coming his way as he was dazed by it landing.
In the end, the damage was done by a right hand that looked closer to a tennis swing than a conventional punch.
But the shots that followed what should have been the fight-ending blow didn’t fall in the same positive bracket…
Negative – One More For Good Measure
So, Kerry Hatley was shopping for a corpse inside the Apex…
I’m not sure if it’s completely justified, but I’ve never had complete trust in Hatley when it comes to correct stoppages. Saturday’s card did little to resurrect my faith in the Texan official.
In my eyes — and I imagine most — Peek and Gonzalez’s contest was over the second the latter slumped down against the cage following a clubbing right hand. Hatley, though, wasn’t convinced. With that, Peek launched another shot against the relatively lifeless “Ghost Pepper.” Still, Hatley wasn’t convinced. Another? Nope.
Questions need to be asked when it takes three fully loaded follow-up shots against a virtually unconscious fighter against the cage wall before a referee has seen enough.
Negative – Kry
For the second time in four months, a UFC headliner fell through during an event.
At the start of the UFC Fight Night 220 main card, Megan Olivi brought us the news that Nikita Krylov had fallen ill, meaning his planned first main event in the promotion opposite Ryan Spann wouldn’t be taking place.
Fight-day cancellations are always disappointing, especially when they involve the two individuals occupying the poster. The situation was reminiscent of the one at UFC Fight Night 218 last November, which saw Derrick Lewis forced out of his scheduled showdown with Serghei Spivak just hours before they were set to share the cage.
And although Saturday’s planned headliner wasn’t exactly the best matchup of the year, and was already surpassed by the return of Tatiana Suarez and the 185-pound co-main event in the eyes of myself and many others, it was still a bad way to start the main slate.
It was later confirmed that Krylov was suffering from food poisoning, thankfully putting a stop to Dominick Cruz’s premature speculation about the effects of weight cutting.
Thankfully, a certain Canadian prospect was on hand to lift the mood.
Positive – A New Player At 170 Pounds
For the second consecutive time in his career, welterweight prospect Mike Malott provided one of the standout performances on a UFC card.
At UFC 273 last year, the DWCS graduate made a splash on debut, knocking out the once-highly touted Mickey Gall inside one round. “Proper” enhanced his stock inside the Octagon when he made his sophomore outing on Saturday.
Malott emerged victorious from an all-Canadian affair, submitting his countryman Yohan Lainesse with an arm-triangle choke in round one, a hold that appeared tight enough to force a tap immediately through pressure alone.
With that, “Proper” has made a perfect start to UFC life, showcasing both his power and submission game in two rapid stoppages. Now boasting four wins in a row in the sport, all eyes will be on Malott when he returns.
Positive – She’s Back
The true main event of UFC Fight Night 220 ended in success that was a longtime coming, to say the least.
After almost four long years, which were plagued by injuries and adversity, the fight career of Tatiana Suarez finally continued on Saturday night. And despite her time away from the Octagon, the 32-year-old Californian picked up where she left off.
It certainly wasn’t easy work for Suarez, though, with strong grappler Montana De La Rosa presenting some challenges to the elite wrestler in what was her first outing at 125 pounds. But after perhaps testing that her weapons functioned in the first round, Suarez put them to good use to secure a finish in the second.
To do so, Suarez said ‘anything you can do, I can do better’ to partner and cornerman Patchy Mix, locking in a guillotine similar to the one he utilized to defeat Magomed Magomedov at Bellator 289 a couple of months ago. Had Suarez’s come just 12 seconds sooner, we’d be analysing a seriously freaky series of events.
Beyond the finish, though, the real positive here is Suarez’s comeback. And more than just a contender being re-added to the fray and some intriguing matchups emerging as possibilities moving forward, it’s about what it means for the TUF 23 victor.
It’s hard to imagine the trials and tribulations she’s been through, and to see her have her hand raised once again before providing an emotional post-fight interview was the standout moment of UFC Fight Night 220.
Positive – Breakout Moment
While it might not have culminated with the expected main event, UFC Fight Night 220 ended with one of the most impressive underdog performances in recent memory.
After the announcement of the bout between André Muniz and Brendan Allen, it seemed much of the focus was on the Brazilian’s place on the ladder and the feeling that he deserved a higher-positioned contender en route to a destined surge to the title picture.
The focus, however, should have been on “All In.”
Allen has long been touted as a future player at 185 pounds. But prior to Saturday night, the 27-year-old had fallen short of contention, with Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis both stalling his rise.
At UFC Fight Night 220, Allen finally secured that all-important breakout victory. And in terms of the man it came over, there weren’t many more-prized scalps available than handing Muniz his first loss in the UFC — and by submission, nonetheless.
Having seen what “Sergipano” did to the great Jacaré Souza, as well as the other 14 submissions on his record, Allen securing a tap late in the day after previously reversing a takedown attempt and holding top position on the ground was a massively impressive feat.
What were your positives and negatives from UFC Fight Night 220?
On Saturday night, the MMA leader returned for its latest offering from the Apex, UFC Fight Night 220.
Before heading into an utterly stacked March schedule, featuring two blockbuster numbered events, the first UK-held pay-per-view since 2016, the return of Jon Jones, and a highly anticipated trilogy between two of welterweight’s best, the MMA leader had one final February stop-off at its home base.
And while Saturday’s card didn’t provide the kind of name value and high stakes we can expect throughout next month, there was still plenty to look forward to ahead of time. That was set to include a potentially important showdown at light heavyweight, with top-10 contenders Nikita Krylov and Ryan Spann initially expected to vie for a place in title contention at the top of the bill.
Unfortunately, that didn’t come to fruition for reasons we’ll discuss later, so the intriguing middleweight co-headliner between rising Brazilian André Muniz and longtime prospect Brendan Allen stepped into the main event spotlight.
Elsewhere, TUF 23 winner Tatiana Suarez’s long-awaited comeback provided one of the main points of interest, while the likes of Trevor Peek, Jordan Leavitt, and Mike Malott also promised to deliver some notable action inside the Octagon.
So, did those fighters and storylines come together to form an entertaining event to close out the second month of 2023? Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC Fight Night 220.
Negative – Dracula?
When you think about a card opening in style, (alleged) biting and fishhooking isn’t exactly what comes to mind…
Debutant Nurullo Aliev clearly didn’t get the memo, as he took his first taste of UFC action a little too literally, appearing to chomp down on Rafael Alves’ finger in the first round of their preliminary lightweight contest.
In all seriousness though, it’s hard to say where the negative is here. After all, did the replay show anything conclusive? Not particularly. And with the Tajik newcomer claiming his Brazilian counterpart was fishhooking him, he may well have been the victim in the scenario, in which case the point deduction was unfortunate.
If Alves was the one initially at fault, he eventually got his comeuppance via the scorecards, two of which favored Aliev. Not to speculate, but I’d certainly be a lot less cordial post-fight had an opponent deliberately bit me without provocation than Alves was…
But either way, UFC Fight Night 220 opened with either a fishhook and bite, or just a bite. If it needs saying, neither scenario is ideal.
Image: ESPN
Positive – “The Monkey King” Rebounds
For all his grappling credentials, Jordan Leavitt doesn’t half love a highlight-reel knockout.
After showing his submission skills to earn a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, Leavitt raised eyebrows on debut with one of 2020’s most innovative KOs, slamming Matt Wiman unconscious in 22 seconds.
While that marked his first knockout win, “The Monkey King” remained without one via strikes on his record. That all changed on Saturday night, when he launched an onslaught of knees against opponent Victor Martinez for the first-round stoppage.
Although the finish itself was worthy of a place in this piece, Leavitt’s return to the win column was also good to see. The 27-year-old made an unsuccessful trip across the pond last time out, falling to rising prospect Paddy Pimblett in London.
As an Englishman, I’d like to congratulate Leavitt on his quick rebound on behalf of myself and my fellow “degenerates.”
Positive – Peek-A-Boom
Shame on us for ever doubting that ‘drunk man swinging at bouncers outside a nightclub’ wouldn’t work as a fight style in the Octagon.
Trevor Peek and Erick Gonzalez closed out the UFC Fight Night 220 prelims, with the former making his debut following an impressive contract-winning performance on DWCS in 2022.
With “Ghost Pepper” previously suffering knockouts to both Jim Miller and Terrance McKinney, it felt as if a similar result was on the cards here. Still, the brutal nature with which it occurred is worth recognition. As is the wild and bizarre striking sequence that brought it about…
In the final seconds of the first round, Peek truly went for broke, throwing looping hooks and straight hammerfists at Gonzalez, who was perhaps as confused by the offense coming his way as he was dazed by it landing.
In the end, the damage was done by a right hand that looked closer to a tennis swing than a conventional punch.
But the shots that followed what should have been the fight-ending blow didn’t fall in the same positive bracket…
Negative – One More For Good Measure
So, Kerry Hatley was shopping for a corpse inside the Apex…
I’m not sure if it’s completely justified, but I’ve never had complete trust in Hatley when it comes to correct stoppages. Saturday’s card did little to resurrect my faith in the Texan official.
In my eyes — and I imagine most — Peek and Gonzalez’s contest was over the second the latter slumped down against the cage following a clubbing right hand. Hatley, though, wasn’t convinced. With that, Peek launched another shot against the relatively lifeless “Ghost Pepper.” Still, Hatley wasn’t convinced. Another? Nope.
Questions need to be asked when it takes three fully loaded follow-up shots against a virtually unconscious fighter against the cage wall before a referee has seen enough.
Negative – Kry
For the second time in four months, a UFC headliner fell through during an event.
At the start of the UFC Fight Night 220 main card, Megan Olivi brought us the news that Nikita Krylov had fallen ill, meaning his planned first main event in the promotion opposite Ryan Spann wouldn’t be taking place.
Fight-day cancellations are always disappointing, especially when they involve the two individuals occupying the poster. The situation was reminiscent of the one at UFC Fight Night 218 last November, which saw Derrick Lewis forced out of his scheduled showdown with Serghei Spivak just hours before they were set to share the cage.
And although Saturday’s planned headliner wasn’t exactly the best matchup of the year, and was already surpassed by the return of Tatiana Suarez and the 185-pound co-main event in the eyes of myself and many others, it was still a bad way to start the main slate.
It was later confirmed that Krylov was suffering from food poisoning, thankfully putting a stop to Dominick Cruz’s premature speculation about the effects of weight cutting.
Thankfully, a certain Canadian prospect was on hand to lift the mood.
Positive – A New Player At 170 Pounds
For the second consecutive time in his career, welterweight prospect Mike Malott provided one of the standout performances on a UFC card.
At UFC 273 last year, the DWCS graduate made a splash on debut, knocking out the once-highly touted Mickey Gall inside one round. “Proper” enhanced his stock inside the Octagon when he made his sophomore outing on Saturday.
Malott emerged victorious from an all-Canadian affair, submitting his countryman Yohan Lainesse with an arm-triangle choke in round one, a hold that appeared tight enough to force a tap immediately through pressure alone.
With that, “Proper” has made a perfect start to UFC life, showcasing both his power and submission game in two rapid stoppages. Now boasting four wins in a row in the sport, all eyes will be on Malott when he returns.
Positive – She’s Back
The true main event of UFC Fight Night 220 ended in success that was a longtime coming, to say the least.
After almost four long years, which were plagued by injuries and adversity, the fight career of Tatiana Suarez finally continued on Saturday night. And despite her time away from the Octagon, the 32-year-old Californian picked up where she left off.
It certainly wasn’t easy work for Suarez, though, with strong grappler Montana De La Rosa presenting some challenges to the elite wrestler in what was her first outing at 125 pounds. But after perhaps testing that her weapons functioned in the first round, Suarez put them to good use to secure a finish in the second.
To do so, Suarez said ‘anything you can do, I can do better’ to partner and cornerman Patchy Mix, locking in a guillotine similar to the one he utilized to defeat Magomed Magomedov at Bellator 289 a couple of months ago. Had Suarez’s come just 12 seconds sooner, we’d be analysing a seriously freaky series of events.
Beyond the finish, though, the real positive here is Suarez’s comeback. And more than just a contender being re-added to the fray and some intriguing matchups emerging as possibilities moving forward, it’s about what it means for the TUF 23 victor.
It’s hard to imagine the trials and tribulations she’s been through, and to see her have her hand raised once again before providing an emotional post-fight interview was the standout moment of UFC Fight Night 220.
Positive – Breakout Moment
While it might not have culminated with the expected main event, UFC Fight Night 220 ended with one of the most impressive underdog performances in recent memory.
After the announcement of the bout between André Muniz and Brendan Allen, it seemed much of the focus was on the Brazilian’s place on the ladder and the feeling that he deserved a higher-positioned contender en route to a destined surge to the title picture.
The focus, however, should have been on “All In.”
Allen has long been touted as a future player at 185 pounds. But prior to Saturday night, the 27-year-old had fallen short of contention, with Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis both stalling his rise.
At UFC Fight Night 220, Allen finally secured that all-important breakout victory. And in terms of the man it came over, there weren’t many more-prized scalps available than handing Muniz his first loss in the UFC — and by submission, nonetheless.
Having seen what “Sergipano” did to the great Jacaré Souza, as well as the other 14 submissions on his record, Allen securing a tap late in the day after previously reversing a takedown attempt and holding top position on the ground was a massively impressive feat.
What were your positives and negatives from UFC Fight Night 220?
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Before heading into an utterly stacked March schedule, featuring two blockbuster numbered events, the first UK-held pay-per-view since 2016, the return of Jon Jones, and a highly anticipated trilogy between two of welterweight’s best, the MMA leader had one final February stop-off at its home base.
And while Saturday’s card didn’t provide the kind of name value and high stakes we can expect throughout next month, there was still plenty to look forward to ahead of time. That was set to include a potentially important showdown at light heavyweight, with top-10 contenders Nikita Krylov and Ryan Spann initially expected to vie for a place in title contention at the top of the bill.
Unfortunately, that didn’t come to fruition for reasons we’ll discuss later, so the intriguing middleweight co-headliner between rising Brazilian André Muniz and longtime prospect Brendan Allen stepped into the main event spotlight.
Elsewhere, TUF 23 winner Tatiana Suarez’s long-awaited comeback provided one of the main points of interest, while the likes of Trevor Peek, Jordan Leavitt, and Mike Malott also promised to deliver some notable action inside the Octagon.
So, did those fighters and storylines come together to form an entertaining event to close out the second month of 2023? Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC Fight Night 220.
Negative – Dracula?
When you think about a card opening in style, (alleged) biting and fishhooking isn’t exactly what comes to mind…
Debutant Nurullo Aliev clearly didn’t get the memo, as he took his first taste of UFC action a little too literally, appearing to chomp down on Rafael Alves’ finger in the first round of their preliminary lightweight contest.
In all seriousness though, it’s hard to say where the negative is here. After all, did the replay show anything conclusive? Not particularly. And with the Tajik newcomer claiming his Brazilian counterpart was fishhooking him, he may well have been the victim in the scenario, in which case the point deduction was unfortunate.
If Alves was the one initially at fault, he eventually got his comeuppance via the scorecards, two of which favored Aliev. Not to speculate, but I’d certainly be a lot less cordial post-fight had an opponent deliberately bit me without provocation than Alves was…
But either way, UFC Fight Night 220 opened with either a fishhook and bite, or just a bite. If it needs saying, neither scenario is ideal.
Image: ESPN
Positive – “The Monkey King” Rebounds
For all his grappling credentials, Jordan Leavitt doesn’t half love a highlight-reel knockout.
After showing his submission skills to earn a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, Leavitt raised eyebrows on debut with one of 2020’s most innovative KOs, slamming Matt Wiman unconscious in 22 seconds.
While that marked his first knockout win, “The Monkey King” remained without one via strikes on his record. That all changed on Saturday night, when he launched an onslaught of knees against opponent Victor Martinez for the first-round stoppage.
Although the finish itself was worthy of a place in this piece, Leavitt’s return to the win column was also good to see. The 27-year-old made an unsuccessful trip across the pond last time out, falling to rising prospect Paddy Pimblett in London.
As an Englishman, I’d like to congratulate Leavitt on his quick rebound on behalf of myself and my fellow “degenerates.”
Positive – Peek-A-Boom
Shame on us for ever doubting that ‘drunk man swinging at bouncers outside a nightclub’ wouldn’t work as a fight style in the Octagon.
Trevor Peek and Erick Gonzalez closed out the UFC Fight Night 220 prelims, with the former making his debut following an impressive contract-winning performance on DWCS in 2022.
With “Ghost Pepper” previously suffering knockouts to both Jim Miller and Terrance McKinney, it felt as if a similar result was on the cards here. Still, the brutal nature with which it occurred is worth recognition. As is the wild and bizarre striking sequence that brought it about…
In the final seconds of the first round, Peek truly went for broke, throwing looping hooks and straight hammerfists at Gonzalez, who was perhaps as confused by the offense coming his way as he was dazed by it landing.
In the end, the damage was done by a right hand that looked closer to a tennis swing than a conventional punch.
But the shots that followed what should have been the fight-ending blow didn’t fall in the same positive bracket…
Negative – One More For Good Measure
So, Kerry Hatley was shopping for a corpse inside the Apex…
I’m not sure if it’s completely justified, but I’ve never had complete trust in Hatley when it comes to correct stoppages. Saturday’s card did little to resurrect my faith in the Texan official.
In my eyes — and I imagine most — Peek and Gonzalez’s contest was over the second the latter slumped down against the cage following a clubbing right hand. Hatley, though, wasn’t convinced. With that, Peek launched another shot against the relatively lifeless “Ghost Pepper.” Still, Hatley wasn’t convinced. Another? Nope.
Questions need to be asked when it takes three fully loaded follow-up shots against a virtually unconscious fighter against the cage wall before a referee has seen enough.
Negative – Kry
For the second time in four months, a UFC headliner fell through during an event.
At the start of the UFC Fight Night 220 main card, Megan Olivi brought us the news that Nikita Krylov had fallen ill, meaning his planned first main event in the promotion opposite Ryan Spann wouldn’t be taking place.
Fight-day cancellations are always disappointing, especially when they involve the two individuals occupying the poster. The situation was reminiscent of the one at UFC Fight Night 218 last November, which saw Derrick Lewis forced out of his scheduled showdown with Serghei Spivak just hours before they were set to share the cage.
And although Saturday’s planned headliner wasn’t exactly the best matchup of the year, and was already surpassed by the return of Tatiana Suarez and the 185-pound co-main event in the eyes of myself and many others, it was still a bad way to start the main slate.
It was later confirmed that Krylov was suffering from food poisoning, thankfully putting a stop to Dominick Cruz’s premature speculation about the effects of weight cutting.
Thankfully, a certain Canadian prospect was on hand to lift the mood.
Positive – A New Player At 170 Pounds
For the second consecutive time in his career, welterweight prospect Mike Malott provided one of the standout performances on a UFC card.
At UFC 273 last year, the DWCS graduate made a splash on debut, knocking out the once-highly touted Mickey Gall inside one round. “Proper” enhanced his stock inside the Octagon when he made his sophomore outing on Saturday.
Malott emerged victorious from an all-Canadian affair, submitting his countryman Yohan Lainesse with an arm-triangle choke in round one, a hold that appeared tight enough to force a tap immediately through pressure alone.
With that, “Proper” has made a perfect start to UFC life, showcasing both his power and submission game in two rapid stoppages. Now boasting four wins in a row in the sport, all eyes will be on Malott when he returns.
Positive – She’s Back
The true main event of UFC Fight Night 220 ended in success that was a longtime coming, to say the least.
After almost four long years, which were plagued by injuries and adversity, the fight career of Tatiana Suarez finally continued on Saturday night. And despite her time away from the Octagon, the 32-year-old Californian picked up where she left off.
It certainly wasn’t easy work for Suarez, though, with strong grappler Montana De La Rosa presenting some challenges to the elite wrestler in what was her first outing at 125 pounds. But after perhaps testing that her weapons functioned in the first round, Suarez put them to good use to secure a finish in the second.
To do so, Suarez said ‘anything you can do, I can do better’ to partner and cornerman Patchy Mix, locking in a guillotine similar to the one he utilized to defeat Magomed Magomedov at Bellator 289 a couple of months ago. Had Suarez’s come just 12 seconds sooner, we’d be analysing a seriously freaky series of events.
Beyond the finish, though, the real positive here is Suarez’s comeback. And more than just a contender being re-added to the fray and some intriguing matchups emerging as possibilities moving forward, it’s about what it means for the TUF 23 victor.
It’s hard to imagine the trials and tribulations she’s been through, and to see her have her hand raised once again before providing an emotional post-fight interview was the standout moment of UFC Fight Night 220.
Positive – Breakout Moment
While it might not have culminated with the expected main event, UFC Fight Night 220 ended with one of the most impressive underdog performances in recent memory.
After the announcement of the bout between André Muniz and Brendan Allen, it seemed much of the focus was on the Brazilian’s place on the ladder and the feeling that he deserved a higher-positioned contender en route to a destined surge to the title picture.
The focus, however, should have been on “All In.”
Allen has long been touted as a future player at 185 pounds. But prior to Saturday night, the 27-year-old had fallen short of contention, with Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis both stalling his rise.
At UFC Fight Night 220, Allen finally secured that all-important breakout victory. And in terms of the man it came over, there weren’t many more-prized scalps available than handing Muniz his first loss in the UFC — and by submission, nonetheless.
Having seen what “Sergipano” did to the great Jacaré Souza, as well as the other 14 submissions on his record, Allen securing a tap late in the day after previously reversing a takedown attempt and holding top position on the ground was a massively impressive feat.
What were your positives and negatives from UFC Fight Night 220?
On Saturday night, the MMA leader returned for its latest offering from the Apex, UFC Fight Night 220.
Before heading into an utterly stacked March schedule, featuring two blockbuster numbered events, the first UK-held pay-per-view since 2016, the return of Jon Jones, and a highly anticipated trilogy between two of welterweight’s best, the MMA leader had one final February stop-off at its home base.
And while Saturday’s card didn’t provide the kind of name value and high stakes we can expect throughout next month, there was still plenty to look forward to ahead of time. That was set to include a potentially important showdown at light heavyweight, with top-10 contenders Nikita Krylov and Ryan Spann initially expected to vie for a place in title contention at the top of the bill.
Unfortunately, that didn’t come to fruition for reasons we’ll discuss later, so the intriguing middleweight co-headliner between rising Brazilian André Muniz and longtime prospect Brendan Allen stepped into the main event spotlight.
Elsewhere, TUF 23 winner Tatiana Suarez’s long-awaited comeback provided one of the main points of interest, while the likes of Trevor Peek, Jordan Leavitt, and Mike Malott also promised to deliver some notable action inside the Octagon.
So, did those fighters and storylines come together to form an entertaining event to close out the second month of 2023? Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC Fight Night 220.
Negative – Dracula?
When you think about a card opening in style, (alleged) biting and fishhooking isn’t exactly what comes to mind…
Debutant Nurullo Aliev clearly didn’t get the memo, as he took his first taste of UFC action a little too literally, appearing to chomp down on Rafael Alves’ finger in the first round of their preliminary lightweight contest.
In all seriousness though, it’s hard to say where the negative is here. After all, did the replay show anything conclusive? Not particularly. And with the Tajik newcomer claiming his Brazilian counterpart was fishhooking him, he may well have been the victim in the scenario, in which case the point deduction was unfortunate.
If Alves was the one initially at fault, he eventually got his comeuppance via the scorecards, two of which favored Aliev. Not to speculate, but I’d certainly be a lot less cordial post-fight had an opponent deliberately bit me without provocation than Alves was…
But either way, UFC Fight Night 220 opened with either a fishhook and bite, or just a bite. If it needs saying, neither scenario is ideal.
Positive – “The Monkey King” Rebounds
For all his grappling credentials, Jordan Leavitt doesn’t half love a highlight-reel knockout.
After showing his submission skills to earn a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, Leavitt raised eyebrows on debut with one of 2020’s most innovative KOs, slamming Matt Wiman unconscious in 22 seconds.
While that marked his first knockout win, “The Monkey King” remained without one via strikes on his record. That all changed on Saturday night, when he launched an onslaught of knees against opponent Victor Martinez for the first-round stoppage.
Although the finish itself was worthy of a place in this piece, Leavitt’s return to the win column was also good to see. The 27-year-old made an unsuccessful trip across the pond last time out, falling to rising prospect Paddy Pimblett in London.
As an Englishman, I’d like to congratulate Leavitt on his quick rebound on behalf of myself and my fellow “degenerates.”
Positive – Peek-A-Boom
Shame on us for ever doubting that ‘drunk man swinging at bouncers outside a nightclub’ wouldn’t work as a fight style in the Octagon.
Trevor Peek and Erick Gonzalez closed out the UFC Fight Night 220 prelims, with the former making his debut following an impressive contract-winning performance on DWCS in 2022.
With “Ghost Pepper” previously suffering knockouts to both Jim Miller and Terrance McKinney, it felt as if a similar result was on the cards here. Still, the brutal nature with which it occurred is worth recognition. As is the wild and bizarre striking sequence that brought it about…
In the final seconds of the first round, Peek truly went for broke, throwing looping hooks and straight hammerfists at Gonzalez, who was perhaps as confused by the offense coming his way as he was dazed by it landing.
In the end, the damage was done by a right hand that looked closer to a tennis swing than a conventional punch.
But the shots that followed what should have been the fight-ending blow didn’t fall in the same positive bracket…
Negative – One More For Good Measure
So, Kerry Hatley was shopping for a corpse inside the Apex…
I’m not sure if it’s completely justified, but I’ve never had complete trust in Hatley when it comes to correct stoppages. Saturday’s card did little to resurrect my faith in the Texan official.
In my eyes — and I imagine most — Peek and Gonzalez’s contest was over the second the latter slumped down against the cage following a clubbing right hand. Hatley, though, wasn’t convinced. With that, Peek launched another shot against the relatively lifeless “Ghost Pepper.” Still, Hatley wasn’t convinced. Another? Nope.
Questions need to be asked when it takes three fully loaded follow-up shots against a virtually unconscious fighter against the cage wall before a referee has seen enough.
Negative – Kry
For the second time in four months, a UFC headliner fell through during an event.
At the start of the UFC Fight Night 220 main card, Megan Olivi brought us the news that Nikita Krylov had fallen ill, meaning his planned first main event in the promotion opposite Ryan Spann wouldn’t be taking place.
Fight-day cancellations are always disappointing, especially when they involve the two individuals occupying the poster. The situation was reminiscent of the one at UFC Fight Night 218 last November, which saw Derrick Lewis forced out of his scheduled showdown with Serghei Spivak just hours before they were set to share the cage.
And although Saturday’s planned headliner wasn’t exactly the best matchup of the year, and was already surpassed by the return of Tatiana Suarez and the 185-pound co-main event in the eyes of myself and many others, it was still a bad way to start the main slate.
It was later confirmed that Krylov was suffering from food poisoning, thankfully putting a stop to Dominick Cruz’s premature speculation about the effects of weight cutting.
Thankfully, a certain Canadian prospect was on hand to lift the mood.
Positive – A New Player At 170 Pounds
For the second consecutive time in his career, welterweight prospect Mike Malott provided one of the standout performances on a UFC card.
At UFC 273 last year, the DWCS graduate made a splash on debut, knocking out the once-highly touted Mickey Gall inside one round. “Proper” enhanced his stock inside the Octagon when he made his sophomore outing on Saturday.
Malott emerged victorious from an all-Canadian affair, submitting his countryman Yohan Lainesse with an arm-triangle choke in round one, a hold that appeared tight enough to force a tap immediately through pressure alone.
With that, “Proper” has made a perfect start to UFC life, showcasing both his power and submission game in two rapid stoppages. Now boasting four wins in a row in the sport, all eyes will be on Malott when he returns.
Positive – She’s Back
The true main event of UFC Fight Night 220 ended in success that was a longtime coming, to say the least.
After almost four long years, which were plagued by injuries and adversity, the fight career of Tatiana Suarez finally continued on Saturday night. And despite her time away from the Octagon, the 32-year-old Californian picked up where she left off.
It certainly wasn’t easy work for Suarez, though, with strong grappler Montana De La Rosa presenting some challenges to the elite wrestler in what was her first outing at 125 pounds. But after perhaps testing that her weapons functioned in the first round, Suarez put them to good use to secure a finish in the second.
To do so, Suarez said ‘anything you can do, I can do better’ to partner and cornerman Patchy Mix, locking in a guillotine similar to the one he utilized to defeat Magomed Magomedov at Bellator 289 a couple of months ago. Had Suarez’s come just 12 seconds sooner, we’d be analysing a seriously freaky series of events.
Beyond the finish, though, the real positive here is Suarez’s comeback. And more than just a contender being re-added to the fray and some intriguing matchups emerging as possibilities moving forward, it’s about what it means for the TUF 23 victor.
It’s hard to imagine the trials and tribulations she’s been through, and to see her have her hand raised once again before providing an emotional post-fight interview was the standout moment of UFC Fight Night 220.
Positive – Breakout Moment
While it might not have culminated with the expected main event, UFC Fight Night 220 ended with one of the most impressive underdog performances in recent memory.
After the announcement of the bout between André Muniz and Brendan Allen, it seemed much of the focus was on the Brazilian’s place on the ladder and the feeling that he deserved a higher-positioned contender en route to a destined surge to the title picture.
The focus, however, should have been on “All In.”
Allen has long been touted as a future player at 185 pounds. But prior to Saturday night, the 27-year-old had fallen short of contention, with Sean Strickland and Chris Curtis both stalling his rise.
At UFC Fight Night 220, Allen finally secured that all-important breakout victory. And in terms of the man it came over, there weren’t many more-prized scalps available than handing Muniz his first loss in the UFC — and by submission, nonetheless.
Having seen what “Sergipano” did to the great Jacaré Souza, as well as the other 14 submissions on his record, Allen securing a tap late in the day after previously reversing a takedown attempt and holding top position on the ground was a massively impressive feat.
What were your positives and negatives from UFC Fight Night 220?
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