Remember what happened in the 2019 retrospective. Photo: SUPER FIGHTS Montage / MMA Press
The year 2019 has certainly been a busy time for MMA enthusiasts. With several title fights, creation of symbolic titles, doping cases, controversies, provocations, surprises and disappointments, the company ends the season with a positive balance and prepares for 2020.
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In the first part of the retrospective, which will be divided into three notes, the team from SUPER FIGHTS selected notable facts from January to April.
In the first four months, a new Ultimate character emerged, a champion fell due to doping, a legend remained at the top and there was a long-awaited confrontation between athletes who represent the past and future in the sport.
January: Cejudo x Dillashaw – Watershed
H. Cejudo (left) and T. Dillashaw (right). Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @ufc
In the first event of the year, represented by UFC Brooklyn, Ultimate promoted a fight for the flyweight belt (up to 56,7kg). In this ocasion, TJ Dillashaw, until then undisputed bantamweight champion (up to 61,2kg.), decided to take a risk in the lower division and challenge Henry Cejudo in the main fight of the night.
Dilashaw's dream of holding two titles for the organization ended up becoming a tragedy in TJ's career. After being surprised by his rival and being knocked out in the first round, the athlete ended up shocking the world two months later after being caught in an anti-doping test. At the time, the athlete admitted ingesting a prohibited substance and ended up suspended from professional competition for two years.
In addition to the disappointment for fans, the athlete ended up giving up his title and retreating from the spotlight until the cliffhanger comes to an end.
February: Adesanya x Silva – 'Teacher and student'
A. Silva (left) and I. Adesanya (right). Photo: Reproduction/Facebook ufcbrasil
One of the most notable duels of the year was led by the, until then, promising, Israel adesanya and the legend Anderson Silva, in the main fight of UFC 234, in Australia. Under the promise that he would receive a chance to compete for the middleweight title in case of victory over the Nigerian, 'Spider' put on the gloves again and faced the challenge of facing a rival more than 10 years younger and close to the peak of his career. career.
With similar styles, the two put on a real spectacle for their fans. With plastic blows, the actions resembled action films in which teacher and student dueled in search of an achievement. A self-confessed fan of Anderson, Israel ended up victorious in the judges' unanimous decision, but paid just tribute to his idol in the end.
March: Jon Jones, absolute
Jones beats Smith at UFC 235. Photo: Reproduction / Twitter @ufc
In March, Jon Jones took another important step in his career and once again showed why he is considered, by many, the best MMA athlete of all time. After regaining his light heavyweight title (up to 93kg) against Alexander Gustafson in December, after serving a suspension for doping and having his title stripped, 'Bones' carried out his first title defense in his new phase.
The athlete defeated without difficulty Anthony Smith in the main fight of UFC 235 and extended his unbeaten record in the sport.
April: Interim belt and the hunt for Khabib
Poirier (left) defeats Holloway. Photo: Reproduction / Facebook @ufc
With Khabib suspended for nine months after the confusion caused at UFC 229, Ultimate needed to move the lightweight category (up to 70,3 kg.) into action. The idea, then, was to create an interim title for the division and choose two athletes capable of promoting a worthy spectacle for the fans.
Those chosen were Dustin poirier and the featherweight champion (up to 65,7kg.), Max Holloway. With two elite fighters, the show took place in Atlanta (USA) and marked the main fight of the UFC 236. With the responsibility of fighting a duel that would excite the public, the athletes did not disappoint.
In five rounds of competition, Holloway and Poirier excited the public with a busy fight and chances of a knockout for both sides. At the end of the fight, Poirier was declared the winner in a unanimous decision by the judges and qualified to face Nurmagomedov in the fight to unify the title.
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