Author: Chandra Moulee Das
Middleweight fight – Stephen Thompson (USA) vs. Michel Pereira (Brazil)
The middleweight bout between Stephen Thompson and Michel Pereira has been removed from the UFC 291 card. During the initial weigh-in, Pereira failed to reach the middleweight limit by three pounds, arriving on the scales at 174 pounds. On the other hand, his opponent “Wonderboy” managed to reach the required weight, coming in at 170.5 pounds. The exact reason for the fight’s cancellation is still unclear, as it is not known whether there was a flaw in the agreement between the fighters, medical intervention or the commission.
Heavyweight fight – Derrick Lewis (USA) vs. Marcos Rogério de Lima (Brazil)
OMG DERRICK LEWIS!!!! KO IN 30 SECONDS!!!!😱#UFC291 pic.twitter.com/ddaWZ922zr
– Jmag (@jmagings) July 30, 2023
Lewis, who holds the record for the most knockouts in UFC history, ended a three-fight losing streak with a remarkable 32-second finish against Marcos Rogerio de Lima. This impressive victory will undoubtedly feature in the highlight reel of The Black Beast’s career. The first-round knockout victory at UFC 291 in Salt Lake City marked the last fight of Lewis’ current UFC contract and should guarantee the 38-year-old’s job security.
Middleweight fight – Roman Kopylov (Russia) vs. Claudio Ribeiro (Brazil)
Russian Roman Kopylov’s knockout of Brazilian Claudio Ribeiro at UFC 291. pic.twitter.com/zaJr8oIJP6
– MMA Melotto (@MMAmelotto) July 30, 2023
In an impressive display of striking skills, Roman Kopylov stopped the powerful Brazilian puncher Claudio Ribeiro with a spectacular knockout in the second round with a head kick. The Brazilian, who had been preoccupied with body kicks since the first round, tried to defend his ribs, leaving his head vulnerable to the crushing blow. Ribeiro had no chance and fell to the canvas, and Kopylov capitalized with one last punch.
Middleweight fight – Trevin Giles (USA) vs. Gabriel Bonfim (Brazil)
Gabriel Bonfim IS A PROBLEM
He subbed Trevin Giles in the very first round and of course in the first minute of the fight
Gabriel Bonfim DEF Trevin Giles via SUB R1, 1:13
This man is a problem! pic.twitter.com/B8gVRbkwoN
– 𝒮𝓀𝓎𝓁𝑜(83 DAYS UNTIL CHARLES FINISHES ISLAM) (@YT_SKYLO1) July 30, 2023
Gabriel Bonfim, the Brazilian prospect, continued his dominant run, maintaining a career-perfect finishing rate. During the preliminary round of UFC 291, he quickly knocked out Trevin Giles. With an impeccable 15-0 record, Bonfim needed just one takedown and capitalized on an ill-fated attempt by Giles, securing a nasty guillotine choke early in the first round. Giles had no choice but to finish, with the fight ending just 1:13 into the first round.
Preliminary advance card
Flyweight fight – Cj Vergara (USA) vs. Vinicius Salvador (Brazil)
Vinicius Salvador turned things around by missing weight at Friday’s official weigh-in for his fight against C.J. Vergara. Even so, the fight continued, with Salvador losing part of his purse to his opponent.
Both fighters were cautious in the early stages – Salvador landed some low kicks and Vergara responded with some punches. Throughout the fight, Salvador’s performance was marked by showboating rather than serious offense. In rounds two and three, Vergara had the better of the striking exchanges, securing a unanimous decision victory after narrowly losing the first round.
Women’s flyweight – Miranda Maverick (USA) vs. Priscila Cachoeira (Brazil)
Miranda Maverick is BACK! 🔥 Watch her nail a stunning armbar submission against Priscila Cachoeira at #UFC291! 🥋🤩 #WMMA #UFC pic.twitter.com/4M5S3xbjoq
– Women’s MMA Rankings (@WMMARankings) July 29, 2023
Initially, Scotland’s Joanne Wood was supposed to fight Cachoeira, but Miranda Maverick entered the fight in her place. She made a point of finishing Priscila Cachoeira before the last round. In a fight she accepted at relatively short notice, Maverick landed a nasty armbar in the third round against Cachoeira, ending a dominant performance.
After using his grappling skills to control the first two rounds, Maverick continued to dominate in the third, eventually transitioning to an armbar. Despite Cachoeira’s efforts to resist, she was forced to finish at 2:11 of the third round.