Niko Price on Twitter Niko Price took some nasty punishment on Saturday night at UFC 249.
UFC 249 on Saturday night from Jacksonville, Florida was a bit different without fans, but there were still some exciting fights. Likewise, we saw some unforgettable images emerge from the show. Welterweight contender, Niko Price’s eye might be the most memorable.
Mixed martial artists are some of the toughest and unique individuals in the world. After taking a TKO loss to Vicente Luque during the prelims (a brawl that deserved the Fight of the Night bonus more than the main event), Price posted this image on social media.
Kudos to him for being such a good sport.
The loss was Price’s second to Luque in his career. During their first meeting, Luque prevailed by submission. The scars of the loss Price suffered at the hands of Luque is the first of the most memorable images from UFC 249.
Let’s look at the others.
Tony Fergusons Face
GettyTony Ferguson took the worst of his UFC 249 clash on Saturday night.
Tony Ferguson was beaten soundly on Saturday night by Justin Gaethje in the UFC 249 main event. The latter walked away with the UFC interim lightweight title and a likely date with reigning champion Khabib Nurmagomedov later this year.
For Ferguson’s trouble, he left the fan-less VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena for a local hospital with a face filled with lacerations and swelling.
Niko Price and Tony Ferguson were transported to the hospital, per Dana White. #UFC249
Ferguson said he wants to get right back into the Octagon, but something tells me a medical suspension is coming his way.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik’s Punch-Induced Lethargy
I’m not sure why Rozenstruik’s engaged in a firefight with Francis Ngannou, and why he doesn’t move his head off the centerline in said exchanges, but the result was a 20-second KO loss at the hands of the Cameroonian Crusher.
Ngannou has now finished Cain Velasquez, Curtis Blaydes, Junior dos Santos, and Rozenstruik in a combined 2:42 seconds.
Daniel Cormier’s Reaction to Ngannou’s KO
If you think you were shocked at Ngannou’s power, take a look at former UFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier’s reaction from the analyst table.
Daniel Cormier reacting to Ngannou’s KO. LOL!! #UFC249
With Cormier headed for a third fight with Stipe Miocic sometime later this year, there is a good chance the former could be in the Octagon to face Ngannou–if he can regain his belt.
Dominick Cruz Unhappy With Keith Peterson
Disappointed Dominick Cruz for quick stoppage
Henry Cejudo scored a second-round TKO win over Cruz to successfully defend his bantamweight title. After Cejudo landed a well-placed knee that dropped Cruz, the champion hit the challenger with 12 straight punches on the ground.
Referee Keith Peterson stopped the fight, and Cruz wasn’t happy with the decision. While Cruz wasn’t unconscious, referees are supposed to stop a fight if a guy takes a dozen unanswered shots to the face.
Cejudo announced his retirement from the sport after the win.
Calvin Kattar’s Vicious Elbow Finds Jeremy Stephens’ Chin
Kattar’s elbow hit Stephens harder than ‘who da fook’ did
When an elbow lands this flush on the chin, you might as well call it a night. Kattar seemed to take great pleasure in drilling Stephens with this shot on Saturday night. Stephens missed weight by 4.6 pounds and was the first fighter on the scale.
Kattar said during the post-fight interview that Stephens’ failure to make weight angered him. Clearly, he took his frustrations out on Stephens’ chin en route to the second-round KO victory. Stephens has now lost four of his last five fights. The only non-loss was a no-decision against Yair Rodriguez, whom he’d lose to in a rematch the following month.