UFC removed three fighters from its roster following this past weekend’s UFC Vegas 113 card.
Alex Morono
Welterweight veteran Alex Morono has been removed from the UFC roster following his unanimous decision loss to Daniil Donchenko at UFC Vegas 113, ending a decade-long run in the promotion that saw him compile a 13-10 (1 NC) record inside the Octagon. The 35-year-old “Great White” put out a statement on Instagram:
Bantamweight contender Javid Basharat has also been taken off the UFC roster despite returning to the win column at UFC Vegas 113, where “The Snow Leopard” improved to 4-2 in the promotion with a victory over short-notice newcomer Gianni Vazquez.
Lucas Almeida
Finally, Brazilian featherweight Lucas Almeida has also been released from the UFC roster, ending a six-fight Octagon run in which he went 2-4 and alternated flashes of explosive finishing ability with inconsistency against tougher opposition.
The 34-year-old former Jungle Fight featherweight champion leaves the promotion with a 15-5 professional record overall and a reputation as an action-oriented striker with nine knockout wins and a high finishing rate.
Who else has left UFC this year
Several other names have already departed the UFC, including flyweight Aaron Tau and light heavyweight Rafael Cerqueira, who were released in February, along with January cuts such as welterweight Darrius Flowers and featherweight Mohammad Yahya, while former title challenger Tecia Pennington announced her retirement and ex-bantamweight contender Patchy Mix left to sign with Rizin. (via UFC 2026: Releases, Wikipedia)
Headlining was lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev, who put his gold on the line against an established 155-pound contender for the first time. If he was to tie Khabib Nurmagomedov and Benson Henderson’s record for defenses in the division, the Dagestani had to prevent a potential fairytale ending to the career of Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier.
Intrigue was also on the co-headliner, which saw former middleweight champion Sean Strickland enter the cage for the first time since losing his title to Dricus Du Plessis this past January. In his way of a quick rebound victory was the always dangerous (and unpredictable, both verbally and physically) Paulo Costa.
Elsewhere, notable names like Kevin Holland, Randy Brown, Jailton Almeida, and Bassil Hafez all looked to leave Prudential Center with victories. But did they come together to form an entertaining night of fights?
Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC 302.
To the surprise of absolutely nobody, the promotion’s new glove design did absolutely (excuse my French) f**k all to solve the main issue that has long been visible at practically every event.
No matter how many adjectives and long, technical words the UFC put in its announcement of the new design prior to UFC 300, the absence of the word “poke” was immediately pointed to as a concern.
And in a story of irony that even Jim Carrey couldn’t have played up, poor Mitch Raposo had to absorb multiple eye pokes from André Lima.
Spending thousands on a new glove design that solves issues people hadn’t even thought of instead of, you know, just fixing the problem everyone is aware of is quite something from the UFC.
Also, you’re not getting away without a word, too, Herb Dean.
If I hear the words “hard warning” followed by no point deduction after another foul, I’m going to lose my mind. Not only did Lima deliver another poke, he then completed an egregious fence grab while Raposo attempted to take him down.
Superb start to the night.
Negative – Don’t Let It Go To The Scorecards
Whenever I write negatives on judging, I always starts with a note on how I’m among those more inclined to defend the work of those cageside than criticize and believe the debate surrounding judging is largely born out of the fanbase’s lack of understanding regarding the scoring criteria.
The idea that the American won that fight is ludicrous to me following initial viewing, and had another judge followed suit, it would have gone down as a sure-fire robbery — given that I usually mock those who cry robbery after decisions, I don’t use that word lightly.
One thing I will say, however, is the talented Aaron Bronsteter saw things a lot closer than us at home did. While sat behind a judge, the Canadian reporter perceived the bout as a tight affair, reminding us just how different the in-person experience can be.
From one angle cageside, judging isn’t an easy job. It seems like a major flaw of MMA that fights can appear so different depending on whether someone is watching from a judge’s seat or from home.
For what it's worth, I am sitting directly behind one of the judges' positions and not watching the broadcast.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) June 1, 2024
Hammering home the suggestion that UFC 302 fighters should have been particularly keen to find a finish were a pair of 30-27 scorecards for Bassil Hafez a couple of fights later. There’s no doubt in mind that Hafez won, but there’s also little doubt that Mickey Gall’s work in round three was enough to be rewarded.
Oh, and honorable mentions for 29-28 César Almeida, 30-27 Grant Dawson, and 49-46 Paulo Costa (Tirelli, again).
Thankfully, no fighter walked away with a wrong result. But it’s only a matter of time until someone does.
Positive – WAR
The UFC 302 preliminary card was held in decision city. Thankfully, while we did get an utter snoozefest in Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki, we got the opposite when Hafez and Gall did battle.
Topping the early prelims, Hafez proved that his surprisingly strong performance in a short-notice debut against the high-ranked Jack Della Maddalena was no fluke, walking Gall down and landing some heavy blows across the duration of three rounds.
And for Gall, while he may have lost a third straight fight, he was coming from a lengthy layoff following back surgery, and his late rally suggested that he’s set to be a tough out for up-and-coming welterweights moving forward.
The highlight of this fight was the third and final round, with the pair channeling their inner Max Holloway to throw down with reckless abandon in the dying seconds.
Violence was fairly sporadic throughout UFC 302. It was frequent in this clash.
I’m not a religious person, but I pray to whatever higher power may be out there when heavyweights enter the Octagon. What do I ask for? A quick finish and the prevention of a classic full-distance slog.
Of all the people to answer my prayers, Jailton Almeida was a turn up for the books.
That surprise is an exaggeration, of course. Prior to his showdown with Derrick Lewis last November, “Malhadinho” was a prolific and destructive finisher. But five rounds of nothing against “The Black Beast” and a similar strategy against Curtis Blaydes prior to being hammer-fisted to a defeat changed the narrative.
Having had no finishes up to that point and just witnessed close to 15 minutes of control from Dawson, Almeida’s finish was as needed to boost UFC 302 as it was to reinvigorate his career.
Death, taxes, Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier having no clue how fights are scored.
Judging is far from perfect in MMA. Dave Tirelli displayed that much with his work on Saturday night. But equally as worrying as some unjustifiable scorecards is the utter tripe spouted by the UFC commentary team.
It’s nothing new. For years, the likes of Cormier and Dominick Cruz have shown that despite their illustrious fighting careers, they still have zero idea on what the judges are actually looking for. That’s left the latter believing a cut sustained in a later round could influence the scoring of an entire fight.
“DC,” meanwhile, is a serial offender when it comes to nonsense about control time, along with Rogan. They were at it again during UFC 302, suggesting that a near fight-ending choke and clean elbow from the bottom on the side of Joe Solecki wasn’t enough to overcome Grant Dawson’s control time, which came with limited offense.
That is, of course, not true.
The frustrating part here was that only one judge rewarded Solecki for a clear advantage in effective offense that could lead to the conclusion of the fight — as is laid out in the scoring criteria. The immediate weighs more than the cumulative, and that made round one clear for Solecki, in my eyes. Even if you are going to justify the round going to Dawson, you simply can’t do so by mentioning control time.
Oh, but how Rogan and Cormier’s tune changed when it was a Russian laying on top instead of an American.
Roman Kopylov followed his early success in the striking realm by smothering César Almeida on the ground. It was during this exchange when the pair stated that control time wasn’t enough and began discussing standups.
Wouldn’t be clear and obvious bias would it, boys?
The sooner Laura Sanko — the only commentator who seems willing to do her job correctly — is made a permanent fixture cageside, the better.
Negative – Gasper Oliver
I’ve seen some shoddy refereeing in my time, but what Gasper Oliver did at UFC 302 really takes the cake.
The main card opened with Randy Brown vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos. And in a further advert for the promotion’s new glove design, the Brazilian was the victim of a deep eye poke in round one.
Referee Oliver correctly separated the pair and paused the action. Seconds later, though, he randomly insisted the fight continue, denying Zaleski dos Santos any time to recover. When the capoeira specialist endured another poke shortly after, Oliver didn’t even go as far as to stop the bout.
Jason Herzog was fortunately on hand to educate the third man inside the Octagon between rounds, but referees requiring in-cage tuition isn’t exactly encouraging.
Welcome, Gasper Oliver, to the Kerry Hatley tier of officiating.
Gasper Oliver is only reffing until his screenplay gets picked up.
I’m sure whoever decided to bump Alex Morono vs. Niko Price 2 to the main card had their reasons. What those reasons are, however, is unclear.
Originally set for PPV was Almeida vs. Romanov. I’d normally be praising a late switch that saw heavyweights taken off the main slate, but what we got instead was a second chapter to a matchup that delivered an unenjoyable 15 minutes of viewing.
At this point in their careers, power is not something either Morono or Price have in spades. With that, as the pair fatigued and actually resembled the kind of slog I was concerned about seeing from the heavyweights, any vulnerability was offset by what looked to essentially be pillow-fisted punches.
The main card started well with an entertaining scrap from a pair of high-level welterweights. Insert the opposites of “entertaining” and “high-level” and you’ll have an accurate description of the main card’s sophomore bout.
Nothing makes you question your own brain quite like putting a grim injury down as a positive. That’s MMA, folks…
Kevin Holland by way of submission was a strong possibility heading into his short-notice middleweight return at UFC 302. But Holland by way of one of the most gruesome armbars in recent memory was not necessarily on many people’s bingo cards.
Things looked a little scary for “Trailblazer” when he was dropped by a hard Michał Oleksiejczuk left hand. But after he quickly got ahold of the Polish fighter’s arm (to which Oleksiejczuk had the reaction time of a tortoise), he quickly transitioned from on the ropes to on the ascendancy.
I’ll be honest, as Holland twisted his opponent’s arm in unnatural ways, I looked away. Through a gap in my fingers, I did see the moment Oleksiejczuk’s arm bent, snapped, hyperextended — whatever form of mangled it was in. The fact he still didn’t tap is ludicrous.
On a card that had just one finish up to that point, Holland’s quick and violent submission was a welcome moment of shock.
Should we really expect anything different when Sean Strickland fights?
Strickland is a perennial point-fighter, yet we hear shouts of “get ready for a bloodbath” and “we’re gonna go in that cage and try to kill each other for your entertainment” at every press conference.
At this point, can fans just laugh instead of cheer? Because the notion of “Tarzan” going in and brawling anyone is as likely as Joe Biden getting a walkout alongside Dana White at a UFC event.
But, Strickland is extremely good at what he does. No matter what comes back at him (in this instance, not much), it’s impossible not to give him credit for creating a style and implementing it well time and time again.
It’s just a shame that style is among the dullest in the UFC.
Dustin Poirier may not have completed his story in the way he and many had wished for, but the UFC 302 main event was not a bad way to go out.
That’s if “The Diamond” has reached the end, of course. He was noncommittal post-fight as he came to terms with his third failed attempt at reaching the undisputed throne in the UFC lightweight division.
Of his championship performances, none were more impressive than his effort in Newark. “The Diamond’s” improvements since being submitted by Khabib Nuyrmagomedov and Charles Oliveira was evident, and he certainly had Makhachev on the ropes at times.
The Russian standout, however, proved to be too good. And while some choose to detract from his reign owing to the competitive nature of Saturday’s headliner, Makhachev’s performance was more than impressive.
That’s not least on the feet, where the champ pieces Poirier up at times with beautiful combinations. The Makhachev and Khabib debate rages on, but there’s little doubt who has the edge on the feet.
Ultimately, Poirier fell victim to an ankle pick and D’arce choke late on. But after a valiant performance in defeat, the Louisianan cemented himself as a legend of the sport who doesn’t need the undisputed crown on his résumé to deserve top plaudits.
Oh, and after a lackluster event, what a way to finish things off.
While the bantamweight gold was on the line at the venue 13 months ago, this weekend saw Islam Makhachev stake his lightweight title against fan favorite Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier.
Elsewhere on the lineup, Kevin Holland made a successful short-notice return to 185 pounds, Randy Brown made a push for the welterweight rankings at the expense of Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, and Jailton Almeida secured a rebound win following his first UFC loss earlier this year.
With the event concluded, see below for the best photos from UFC 302.
In the main attraction, American fan favorite Dustin Poirier hoped to finish his story by checking the final box in his career. Standing in his way of an undisputed lightweight title crowning at the third time of trying, however, was a formidable force in Islam Makhachev.
The Dagestani champion left the crowd disappointed by submitting Poirier in the fifth round of a memorable headliner. In doing so, he tied his mentor, the great Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Benson Henderson for title defenses by notching his third at UFC 302.
The Number One P4P continues his reign 🏆@MAKHACHEVMMA defeats Dustin Poirier by submission to REMAIN the lightweight champion of the world!
All eyes were also on the co-headliner, as former middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland competed for the first time since being unseated from the throne by the barest of margins this past January in Toronto. After being denied an immediate rematch with Dricus Du Plessis, “Tarzan” staked his claim for a title shot by stalling the ambitions of Paulo Costa in a lackluster five-round affair.
Before those matchups, the likes of Kevin Holland, Niko Price, Randy Brown, Roman Kopylov, Jailton Almeida, and Bassil Hafez all had their hands raised.
With the event concluded, check out the full results below, followed by some of the highlights!
UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier Results & Highlights
Main Card:
Lightweight Championship Main Event: Islam Makhachev def. Dustin Poirier via submission (D’arce choke): R5, 2:42
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Sean Strickland def. Paulo Costa via split decision (50-45, 46-49, 49-46)
Middleweight: Kevin Holland def. Michał Oleksiejczuk via submission (armbar): R1, 1:34
Welterweight: Niko Price def. Alex Morono via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Welterweight: Randy Brown def. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: Roman Kopylov def. César Almeida via unanimous decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Heavyweight: Jailton Almeida def. Alexandr Romanov via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 2:27
Lightweight: Grant Dawson def. Joe Solecki via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Welterweight: Jake Matthews def. Phil Rowe via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Bassil Hafez def. Mickey Gall via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Headlining UFC 302, Poirier is tasked with bringing an end to the reign of Islam Makhachev, a feat that then-featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski failed to achieve in two attempts last year.
The co-main event also boasts considerable stakes, as former middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland looks to remain within touching distance of the belt. Having missed out on an immediate rematch with Dricus Du Plessis, “Tarzan” must stall the ambitions of Paulo Costa, who is facing the prospect of a long journey back up the ladder should he move to 0-2 in 2024.
Also on the lineup, fan favorite Kevin Holland makes the walk as a middleweight once again, top 10 heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida completes a quick turnaround following his first UFC loss this past March, and Randy Brown looks to open the PPV main card in style opposite Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos.
To prepare yourself for tonight’s event, catch up on the latest betting odds here, look back on the faceoffs from Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins here, and follow along with the results and highlights here, live from 6:15 PM ET.
MMA Community Gives Final Thoughts On UFC 302: ‘Poirier By Guillotine!’
UFC 302 will get underway shortly, meaning the buildup and time for talking is almost over.
The MMA community is sure to be locked in and engaged in hot discussion over the events that unfold in the coming hours, but throughout today, plenty have been getting in their late predictions and final thoughts on the momentous occasion.
Dustin could cause one of the biggest upsets in UFC history tonight – unlikely, but what a picture perfect finish to a hall of fame worthy career. #ufc302
Dustin knocks Islam out. Becomes champ for the first time. Leaves the belt and his gloves in the center of the octagon. Rides off into the sunset. #ufc302
Topping the lineup will be the returning Islam Makhachev, who makes the walk for the first time in 2024 having not competed since his second successful title defense against Alexander Volkanovski last October. In “Brick City,” the Dagestani must withstand the threat of fan favorite Dustin Poirier.
Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see former middleweight kingpin Sean Strickland back in action. If he’s to earn a potential shot at redemption against Dricus Du Plessis, the outspoken American will have to get past Paulo Costa.
Also in action on Saturday night will be the always entertaining Kevin Holland, top 10 heavyweight Jailton Almeida, and formerly ranked lightweight Grant Dawson.
Ahead of the event, you can get some help from the group of experts at MMA News by checking out their predictions for the UFC 302 main card here.
UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 302 (as of 5/31), courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Islam Makhachev (-600) vs. Dustin Poirier (+440)
Sean Strickland (-265) vs. Paulo Costa (+215)
Kevin Holland (-290) vs. Michał Oleksiejczuk (+235)
Niko Price (+210) vs. Alex Morono (-258)
Randy Brown (-180) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (+150)
Preliminary Card:
César Almeida (-118) vs. Roman Kopylov (-102)
Jailton Almeida (-325) vs. Alexandr Romanov (+260)
Grant Dawson (-520) vs. Joe Solecki (+390)
Phil Rowe (+136) vs. Jake Matthews (-162)
Early Preliminary Card:
Mickey Gall (+300) vs. Bassil Hafez (-380)
Ailín Pérez (-192) vs. Joselyne Edwards (+160)
André Lima (-285) vs. Mitch Raposo (+230)
Be sure to keep it right here on MMA News tomorrow for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 302!
UFC welterweight Mickey Gall is confident he can take a step closer towards the 170-pound rankings when he faces Alex Morono this weekend.
Since victories over Mike Jackson, CM Punk, and Sage Northcutt got him off to a 3-0 start in the UFC and established himself as one of the most promising prospects in the promotion, Gall has been unable to carry forward any momentum, trading wins and losses since 2017.
In-between victories over George Sullivan and Salim Touahri, the 29-year-old fell to setbacks against Randy Brown, Diego Sanchez, and Mike Perry. Having rebounded from his defeat to “Platinum” with an impressive submission win against Jordan Williams at UFC Vegas 32 in July, Gall will be looking to close 2021 out with a second consecutive triumph, something he hasn’t managed in five years.
If he’s to succeed in doing so, he’ll have to get past welterweight mainstay Morono at UFC Vegas 44 this Saturday. Ahead of their prelim clash, Gall spoke exclusively to MMA News’ James Lynch.
Discussing his 10th opponent in the UFC, Gall admitted that Morono, who’s fought 14 times since 2016 and boasts wins over Donald Cerrone and Max Griffin, is an unassuming threat, but a dangerous foe nonetheless. Despite that, Gall believes he boasts the superior killer instinct.
“He’s a tough dude, man. He’s very, he’s scrappy, he’s tough. I knew I had to come correct to this fight, and I did that… He’s one of those guys like, he doesn’t look like a killer, but he’s definitely a killer. So am I. I believe I’m a badder killer and a bigger killer. I feel real good about the fight.”
When asked for his prediction, Gall told MMA News he’s capable of having his hand raised through multiple routes, be it knockout or submission. Either way, he expects to deal damage come December 4.
“I see me bashing my bones into his skull; cracking him with big, heavy shots, concussive blows. I could submit him, I could knock him out. Wherever the fight goes, I’m just gonna go in there and be me; just do what I do.”
Gall Claims He’s Had His “Best Fight Camp” Ahead Of Morono Clash
Despite coming up against an experienced veteran who’s riding a two-fight winning streak, Mickey Gall is clearly confident he’ll get the job done on fight night. The 29-year-old’s self-belief derives from a positive fight camp, which he described as the “best” he’s had in the UFC.
“Fight camp went well. Even if it didn’t, I’d probably tell you the same thing. But it really was, I think, my best one. I think I was able to peak, and like, do everything right. It’s just been great. My team around me; it’s been a homegrown like, good camp… We’ve been putting in some good, hard work, and I’m really proud of what we did as a team. The way I feel now is beautiful, everything’s great.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWMOMG_vzcp/
Gall vs. Morono will be the second fight on the UFC Vegas 44 card, following a bantamweight contest between Louis Smolka and Vince Morales.
Having missed out on a bonus for his first-round stoppage win last time out, Gall will be hoping to leave the Apex with an extra $50,000. But with the likes of Rob Font, Jose Aldo, Rafael Fiziev, Alonzo Menifield, Manel Kape, Brendan Allen, and Jimmy Crute all in action, he’ll have to deliver a special performance versus Morono to make the bonus list.
Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC Vegas 44, Mickey Gall or Alex Morono?
