10, the UFC hosted UFC Fight Night 80: Namajunas vs. VanZant from the The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.
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Elsewhere on the card, we’re seeing Sage Northcutt making his second UFC appearance. The promotion had bet heavily on her, thrusting the 21-year-old with just a year of Octagon experience into her first main event at UFC Fight Night 80. UFC strawweights Rose Namajunas will take on Paige Van Zant in the main event. ‘There was no quit in her. I told her she’ll learn more from this loss than from all her wins’.
‘Everything I knew beforehand after studying her all came together’.
Namajunas controlled the entire fight.
Not even an unusual aside from another reporter of sorts, UFC commentator Jon Anik, could sink Northcutt’s buoy. Namajunas was clearly the more experienced fighter, despite competing in less professional bouts than VanZant. Pfister demonstrated that Northcutt may have some work to do, in terms of working off his back, but the latter did show heart, resiliency and some submission skills in his latest win.
It was one of those damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t situations, because one moment the UFC was being accused of protecting VanZant, and the next it was being chastised for rushing her forward too quickly. Northcutt got the dominant position and sunk in the guillotine choke and submitted Pfister early.
Although all of the fighters put on impressive workout routines, the crowd’s excitement levels definitely peaked when 19 year-old Sage Northcutt entered the stage.
As for Namajunas, she continued the form she has displayed since losing the Ultimate Fighter finale to Carla Esparza a year ago, putting herself within shouting distance of a world title shot. Namajunas lost via rear-naked choke.
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The fight, and the entire card, will be streamed live on the UFC Fight Pass subscription service. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to fight. From the first exchanges VanZant looked like she was way out of her depth and the remaining 23 minutes proved she was. UFC president Dana White has heavily promoted the bout, and named Northcutt one of the UFC’s stars of the future during a recent appearance on ESPN’s First Take.
