With the end of the first half of 2023 approaching, the time has come for 'SUPER FIGHTS Retrospective'. In this edition, our team selected the fighters who were highlighted until the middle of the current season. Among the names is Jon Jones, which tops the list.
In total, five athletes were added to the list. Follow the stars that shone in the octagon in the last six months below.
1) Jon Jones
Considered by many to be the best MMA fighter of all time, Jon Jones made an apotheotic return to MMA at the beginning of the year. Back in the Octagon after more than three years of inactivity, the sports legend finally made his debut at heavyweight (up to 120,2kg).
With the responsibility of expanding his legacy and in an attempt to make up for the champion's absence Francis Ngannou, who left Ultimate after the end of his contract, 'Bones' he measured strength with Cyryl Gane, former interim title holder, for the vacant throne. Facing the Frenchman, the North American made it look easy and needed just over two minutes to finish his rival.
With the result, Jon, once again, established himself in the octagon. In addition to the show on his return to the sport, the athlete was included in the select list of fighters who wore belts in different categories of the company.
2) Amanda Nunes
Amanda nunes after retirement announcement. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Absolute legend in women's MMA, Amanda nunes takes second position on the list. At the UFC 289, the Bahian stepped into the octagon to carry out her first title defense in her new bantamweight reign (up to 61,2kg).
Before Irene aldana, the Brazilian proved, once again, why she is a respected name in the sport by giving a class to lovers of mixed martial arts. For 25 minutes, the 'Leoa' controlled the opponent and left no room for surprises.
After five rounds, the Brazilian was declared the winner in a unanimous decision and, subsequently, announced her retirement from professional MMA, at the age of 35. In addition to the bantamweight title, the Tupiniquim also left the sport wearing the featherweight belt (up to 65,7kg), won in 2018, when she overcame the also legendary Chris Cyborg.
3) Alexa Grasso
Poses with fly belt. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Underdog in the bookmakers for his fight for the flyweight belt (up to 56,7kg.) against the, until then, unbeatable Valentina Shevchenko, Alexa grasso shocked the world UFC 285. Opponent of the 'queen' of the category, who, at that time, had collected eight victims in the division, the Mexican made history.
Facing the Kyrgyz star, Grasso presented a great challenge to his rival and won the victory in an apotheotic way, submitting the sports icon in the fourth round. Grasso's triumph ended a sequence of nine positive results in Shevchenko's career, which had not lost since the meeting with Amanda nunesIn 2017.
Having remained absolute in the flyweight division for almost five years, Valentina earned the right to an immediate rematch. Thus, the fighters will face each other again in September, when the Mexican tries to confirm her superiority over her strong opponent.
4) Israel Adesanya
Israel adesanya regains belt in UFC 287. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
In 2022, Israel adesanya saw his middleweight empire (up to 83,9 kg.), which he had maintained since 2019, collapse in front of millions of spectators and through his worst nightmare: Alex Poatán. Beaten by the Brazilian twice under the rules of kickboxing (2016 and 2017), the Nigerian faced off for the first time against the Tupiniquim within MMA.
In the confrontation, 'Izzy' had a good performance against the São Paulo native, controlling actions for a large part of the dispute. In the last round, however, Poatan surprised and achieved an emblematic knockout, reaching his third victory over his rival in combat sports.
Months later, under the suspicion of many, Adesanya had his immediate rematch. Pressured for victory, the Nigerian staged a great comeback and conceded the knockout suffered in the second round. With this, the athlete was successful and entered the select list of champions who managed to recover lost titles.
5) Islam Makhachev
Islam makhachev after victory in UFC 284. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Considered by many as the successor to Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam makhachev reached stardom in Ultimate in October 2022, when he submitted Charles of the Bronx in the dispute for the vacant lightweight title (up to 70,3kg.). At the same event, the Russian made a commitment to test himself against Alexander Volkanovsky, featherweight champion (up to 65,7kg) and star of the moment in the company.
No UFC 284, the combatants finally faced each other. In the superfight, Makhachev had his biggest test as a professional in MMA, but he managed, once again, to have his arm raised at the end of the fight.
To win, Islam needed to sweat and minimize his opponent's great technical ability. The fighter, in addition to preventing the Australian from winning his second belt, won his first title defense in the category.
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