The primary card UFC Vegas 111 served up a full home of finishes, with all 5 winners getting the job carried out inside the gap on an entertaining night time on the UFC APEX in Sin Metropolis.
UFC Vegas 111 Energy Rankings
RDX Sports activities‘ Editor-in-Chief and veteran MMA author Simon Head casts his eye over the principle card winners, and presents his Energy Rankings for UFC Vegas 111.
1. Christian Leroy Duncan
The previous Cage Warriors middleweight champion has been steadily sharpening his abilities on the world stage following his ascent to the UFC, and now he seems on the verge of a breakthrough.
Duncan has at all times been a spectacular striker, however during the last couple of years he’s actually leveled up his defensive wrestling and clinch work in opposition to the fence as he’s labored arduous to create extra alternatives for his bread and butter – his placing.
And the newest iteration of “CLD” confirmed the newest stage in his evolution as he handled all the things Marco Tulio may throw at him, then completed him in gorgeous vogue with a spinning backfist, adopted by a large proper hand as he as soon as once more served warning that standing in entrance of “CLD” in a set of MMA gloves is a foul thought.
Duncan is making all the best strikes, and it may not be lengthy earlier than he’s knocking on the door of the middleweight prime 15.
2. Joseph Morales
Joseph Morales produced one other spectacular show to defeat former ranked contender Matt Schnell and put himself within the body to face ranked opposition subsequent outing.
Morales wanted simply two minutes, 54 seconds to complete Schnell through guillotine choke as he continued his successful return to the Octagon after his earlier three-fight stint again in 2017-2018.
Morales went 1-2 contained in the Octagon in that run, however now he’s 2-0 since his return, with each wins coming by submission. And if he can proceed to supply performances just like the one he turned in on Saturday, Morales might be making a beeline in the direction of the division’s elite.
3. Gabriel Bonfim
Some have questioned the style of the stoppage that gave Gabriel Bonfim a second-round TKO victory over Randy Brown, however in the end the choice made by referee Mark Smith to step in and wave off the struggle should not have any bearing on how Bonfim’s efficiency ought to be seen.
Bonfim fought well and confirmed glorious struggle IQ as he stayed largely out of hazard, whereas gauging Brown’s timing, earlier than stepping in and touchdown energy photographs to determine his arsenal throughout a cat-and-mouse first spherical.
By Spherical 2, Bonfim had set his sights, and was touchdown good photographs. And when he linked with an enormous knee that landed flush on Brown’s chin as he dipped to alter ranges, “Rudeboy” was despatched flying backwards and right down to the canvas.
It appeared like Brown was out, and solely woken up by hitting the canvas. Ref Smith dived in and waved it off, and Bonfim claimed a formidable second-round win. Brown’s immediate protests counsel he may have continued, however the knee appeared to have flash-knocked-out the Jamaican, so the win appeared truthful sufficient.
Bonfim was already within the UFC’s official welterweight rankings, and ought to be due a bout in opposition to somebody larger ranked. However with the division wanting jam-packed proper now, discovering the best opponent might be a tough job for the UFC matchmakers.
4. Chris Padilla
It’s time individuals stopped sleeping on Chris “Taco” Padilla.
The 30-year-old is 4 fights into his UFC profession, and he’s an ideal 4-0 within the Octagon. He’s additionally coated all of the eventualities in his struggle outcomes, too, with one submission, one physician stoppage, one split-decision, and on Saturday night time, one ground-and-pound TKO end.
Towards Ismael Bonfim, Padilla used his protection, and his struggle IQ, to absorb one of the best Bonfim may throw at him. Then, maybe understanding that Bonfim may be hurting because the struggle wore on after lacking weight by 5 kilos, Padilla went to work as he hammered Bonfim to the physique to sap the fuel tank, and to the top as he wore down, then completed his Brazilian opponent.
Padilla is now using a seven-fight win streak, and has demonstrated that he has the type of endurance, and the relentless strategy, that can provide virtually any light-weight bother.
5. Uros Medic
On most different nights, Uros Medic’s efficiency would have positioned him larger up a Energy Rankings record, however on a struggle filled with finishes, he sits in fifth on our record this week.
The struggle itself was over virtually earlier than it had begun, however that was all right down to Medic’s razor-sharp work as he established his vary early, then dropped Muslim Salikhov arduous with a ramrod straight left.
It gave Medic a formidable end to see him spherical out 2025 with a 2-1 file for the 12 months, and take him into 2026 on a two-fight win streak, with each fights producing finishes.
Simon Head is Editor-in-Chief with famend fight sports activities gear firm RDX Sports activities.
