UFC 263 results, takeaways: Brandon Moreno gets his moment in the spotlight, Israel Adesanya rights the ship

With a pair of title fights within the books and a dramatic late surge from fan-favorite Nate Diaz in Glendale, Arizona, on Saturday, it’s time to take inventory of what we discovered at UFC 263.

Israel Adesanya defended his middleweight title for the third time and Brandon Moreno produced his breakthrough second by capturing the 125-pound title in a rematch with Deiveson Figuereido. 

In the meantime, Leon Edwards took one step nearer to preventing for the welterweight crown however wanted to stroll by hell late in opposition to Diaz. 

Listed below are the 5 greatest takeaways from an unpredictable night time contained in the Octagon. 

1. Israel Adesanya-Robert Whittaker II may very well be an immediate traditional

Along with his March loss to mild heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz now firmly within the rearview mirror, Adesanya reinstated each his dominance atop the middleweight division and his place alongside Kamaru Usman atop the game’s pound-for-pound record. Adesanya relied on the timing and accuracy of his counter strikes to deal with Marvin Vettori’s ahead stress with relative ease of their rematch, which the champion claimed by way of shutout choice throughout all three scorecards. The win units up one other rematch, albeit a a lot larger one, within the type of Whittaker, the previous champion who misplaced by way of second-round TKO to Adesanya in 2019. There’s an argument to be made that Whittaker was not at his greatest of their first battle because of the toll of accidents and psychological fatigue following a string of taxing title defenses. One may additionally construct a powerful case that Whittaker’s three choice wins — all in opposition to elite competitors — which have adopted showcased simply how much more developed his total sport has turn out to be. This rematch between these stud middleweights is nothing in need of a superfight within the Oceanic area of Australia and New Zealand, the place each fighters reside. It will even be among the many greatest fights the game may make and will show to be simply one other chapter of their rising rivalry. 

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2. Moreno’s feel-good second received’t be forgotten quickly

First, let’s keep in mind how shut UFC president Dana White gave the impression to be to folding the promotion’s flyweight division after longtime champion Demetrious Johnson was lastly unseated in 2018. Then, while you keep in mind Moreno, in 2018, was amongst a gaggle of 125-pound fighters the promotion minimize in a transfer that appeared to seal the division’s destiny, you had the right backdrop for an emotional scene. A local of Tijuana, Moreno grew to become the primary Mexican-born UFC champion in promotional historical past — creating only a few dry eyes within the course of in close by Glendale, Arizona — by totally dominating Figueiredo by way of third-round submission of their rematch. The affable Moreno alternated between gushing tears and hilarious cursing throughout his post-fight interview. Figueiredo even confirmed his foe, seven months after they fought to an all-action majority draw, the last word degree of respect by lifting Moreno as much as have a good time. The choice to maintain the division alive turned out to be a sensible one given the parity and pleasure among the many present title contenders. However it additionally produced a relatable second about exhausting work and perseverance paying off that was as pure as any second in UFC historical past. 

3. Nate Diaz almost stole the battle however he badly misplaced the battle

In about as “on model” a state of affairs as any Diaz fan may’ve requested for, the mercurial anti-hero’s inconceivable rally within the ultimate minute of Spherical 5 whereas bloodied and battered to just about cease Leon Edwards was the very best attainable theater. What it didn’t absolutely make up for, nonetheless, was the puzzling selections Diaz made main as much as that which included going out of his technique to search the Edwards battle, petitioning for it to be 5 rounds and ready till actually the final minute to go for broke. At 36, Diaz was a full step behind Edwards at each flip and totally dominated on the toes and on the bottom, together with a sequence of elbows in Spherical 3 that badly minimize Diaz above his left eye and on the aspect of his head. Whereas the battle will nearly actually be greatest remembered for Diaz’s near-miracle, there was greater than sufficient proof to cement that Diaz is now not elite even when his movie star and crowd-favorite standing is as robust as ever. 

4. Leon Edwards is a official welterweight title contender

The late flurry from Diaz however, Edwards lastly secured the form of high-profile win his spectacular unbeaten streak  in 10 fights relationship again six years badly wanted. Regardless of a flurry of dangerous luck, accidents and even UFC brass failing to assist his bid for a 170-pound title shot, there shouldn’t be something left for Edwards to do however sit round and await champion Kamaru Usman. Colby Covington, who was stopped by Usman in a five-round battle two years in the past, will probably get a rematch in opposition to the champion first, largely as a result of White stays such an enormous fan of that battle and is hoping for a repeat by way of the savage drama it produced. However Edwards, for a way little by way of fanfare his win streak has created, is the proprietor of his personal potential redemption story contemplating he hasn’t misplaced since a three-round choice to none aside from Usman of their 2015 assembly. For four-plus rounds on Saturday, Edwards was slick, environment friendly and picked his spots completely by way of when to sit down down on his photographs and let his presence be felt. Contemplating Usman is probably going coming into his second straight rematch, there must be nothing stopping Edwards from getting his likelihood. 

5. UFC’s light-weight division is repopulating itself simply superb 

The sudden retirement of unbeaten champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and up to date slides from perennial forces Conor McGregor and Tony Ferguson over the previous 12 months appeared to threaten the depth of what might need been the UFC’s deepest division at any single level in historical past. The all-action preliminary fundamental occasion between Brad Liddell and Drew Dober was a pleasant reminder of simply how hungry the following group in ready really is. Riddell recorded a key late knockdown and improved to 4-0 within the Octagon total in an exhilarating unanimous choice in opposition to the at all times sport Dober. Riddell, the Metropolis Kickboxing product from New Zealand who trains with the likes of Adesanya and featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, continued to solidify the concept, at 29, he’s a future participant within the division.