John
Brannigan/Sherdog.com illustration
Dan Ige
is back on track in a big way.
After losing four of his last five Octagon appearances, the
Dana White’s Contender Series alum kicked off
his 2023 campaign in style with a resounding knockout of Damon
Jackson in the
UFC Fight Night 217 co-main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas
on Saturday night. Not only did it earn “50K” a post-fight bonus to
match his moniker, but it also allowed him to maintain his hold on
the No. 15 ranking at 145 pounds, a position that was looking
tenuous heading into Saturday night.
Elsewhere, Raquel
Pennington ruined the promotion’s best laid plans at women’s
bantamweight with a split-decision triumph against Ketlen
Vieira, who entering the night seemed well-positioned as a
title contender on the heels of back-to-back triumphs over Holly Holm
and Miesha Tate.
Instead, it’s the third-ranked Pennington who extends her winning
streak to five, while the No. 6 Vieira goes back to the drawing
board.
Finally, Sean
Strickland stepped up on short notice to outpoint Nassourdine
Imavov in the UFC Fight Night 217 main event, helping to erase
the sting of a two-fight losing streak to end 2022. However, since
the victory came at 205 pounds, it has no bearing on Strickland’s
No. 9 ranking at middleweight.
Note: Previous rankings listed in brackets.
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