The primary UFC occasion of 2025 was ‘unbelievable’, based on Dana White, however one fighter went by struggle to get a victory.
Regardless of not being the perfect of playing cards on paper, Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas headlined a blockbuster begin to the New Yr for the UFC.
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Dern walked away with a 3rd spherical submission victory over Ribas, in addition to a $50,000 Efficiency of the Night time bonus following the principle occasion.
And one fighter, Roman Kopylov, went by hell and excessive water to get his victory on the UFC Struggle Night time 249.
Kopylov defeated fellow middleweight Chris Curtis on the principle card on the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
The stoppage was extremely debated by Curtis, who was floored by a head kick within the final spherical earlier than referee Mark Smith stopped the bout with only one second left on the clock.
UFC President White shared images on Instagram after the bout which confirmed Kopylov’s devastating wound regardless of his victory.
“Tonight’s card was unbelievable!” he wrote. “Respect to your complete card tonight.”
The 2 images confirmed Kopylov, who has gained six of his 9 UFC bouts since his debut in 2019, with a nasty wound above his proper eyebrow.
The minimize seemed completely brutal and undoubtedly required at the least 10 stitches to get it closed up.
Kopylov is now tied with Israel Adesanya and Gregory Rodrigue for probably the most UFC knockouts amongst energetic middleweights.
He has completed completed 5 of his six victories earlier than the ultimate bell and can now be on the hunt for a ranked opponent in his subsequent bout.
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Curtis has now suffered back-to-back UFC defeats, having misplaced to Brendan Allen by split-decision in April.
MMA followers have been fast to the scene with their response to Kopylov’s nasty minimize.
One took to X and wrote: “Props to the medical doctors. That is a clear stitching.”
One other added: “That’s insane.”
A 3rd, reacting to the stoppage, mentioned: “Anybody who genuinely thinks it was a foul stoppage…must cease watching MMA instantly.
“The refs job is not to test what number of seconds are left earlier than stopping a battle. Curtis seemed fully defeated and did not arise. Clear stoppage.”
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Dern, who’s the ranked sixth within the ladies’s strawweight division, could have earned herself a title shot in opposition to present champion Zhang Weili following her win.
Nevertheless, the Brazilian-American believes one other battle ought to come first.
“I feel I’m very onerous on myself,” Dern mentioned at UFC 249’s post-fight press convention.
“I’m all the time attempting to get higher. Even when I’ve an excellent efficiency, I feel I did so many issues unsuitable.
“I feel that it’s quite a lot of play messing in your head, so it could take your journey and perhaps make it a bit of longer.
“However I feel in the long run, it actually helps you evolve to be the perfect fighter potential for those who can actually look again and have constructive criticism on your self.
“My concept isn’t to go battle for the belt after which lose it quick. My concept is to get the belt, and I need to be a dominant champion.
“I’m not in a rush to get there. I need to have good fights and I need to make a press release.”
There have been 9 finishes within the 14 fights placed on by the UFC of their first occasion of 2025.
White additionally handed out $50K bonuses to Kopylov for a Struggle of the Night time and Cesar Almeida, following his victory over Abdul Razak Alhassan.