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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 29: Justin Gaethje celebrates his KO victory over Dustin Poirier in a lightweight fight for the BMF belt during the UFC 291 event at Delta Center on July 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 29: Justin Gaethje celebrates his KO victory over Dustin Poirier in a lightweight fight for the BMF belt during the UFC 291 event at Delta Center on July 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Justin Gaethje and The Real Winners and Losers from UFC 291

Lyle FitzsimmonsJul 29, 2023

It's been a busy July for the UFC.

Three weeks after producing a 13-bout show topped by a pair of title bouts from its home base in Las Vegas, the mixed martial arts conglomerate was back in business with another high-end extravaganza just more than 400 miles north along Interstate 15.

UFC 291 was the five-bout topper to an 11-bout card from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, where former rivals Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje occupied the headline slot with a scheduled five-rounder whose winner, Gaethje by thunderous second-round head kick KO, was anointed the promotion's latest "BMF" titleholder.

The "BMF" belt was initially awarded to Jorge Masvidal following his defeat of Nate Diaz four years ago at UFC 244 in New York City. Masvidal, who retired following a loss to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287 in April, was on hand at media events during fight week this time around.

Saturday's show did not include any title bouts, but was co-headlined by a matchup of ex-light heavyweight champ Jan Blachowicz and former middleweight king Alex Pereira, who made his debut in a new division after losing his 185-pound claim to Israel Adesanya at the same PPV event in Miami where Masvidal completed his octagonal run.

Pereira won by split decision, taking two cards by 29-28 to offset one against him.

The B/R combat team was in position to report on the show in real time while assembling a definitive list of winners and losers. Follow along as the evening progresses to see what we come up with and feel free to drop a thought or two of your own in the comments.

Winner: A Kicking Sequel

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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 29: (L-R) Justin Gaethje kicks Dustin Poirier in a lightweight fight for the BMF belt during the UFC 291 event at Delta Center on July 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 29: (L-R) Justin Gaethje kicks Dustin Poirier in a lightweight fight for the BMF belt during the UFC 291 event at Delta Center on July 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

There are knockouts. And then there are head-kick knockouts.

And apparently there's something about Utah, too.

Justin Gaethje provided a highlight for 2023 and beyond with a hard right kick to the head that sent an unconscious Dustin Poirier to the mat and ended Saturday's main event after just six minutes.

The official time was 1:00 of the second round.

"Luck and chance are a factor in this cage, and I just thank God I came out on the right side this time," said Gaethje, who lost by KO when the two men fought five years ago. "Win, lose or draw, max effort is what you'll get from me. I'm willing to roll the dice any day."

The win came exactly 343 days after Leon Edwards defeated Kamaru Usman to win the welterweight title at UFC 278, in Utah, with a left-side head kick.

The only thing different about this one was that the victory came when Gaethje leaned forward, faked a left jab, and wrapped a right leg kick around Poirier's upraised hand and crashed it into his jaw.

It was Gaethje's seventh win in nine fights since the Poirier loss and his 20th career professional KO.

"I want to fight for the world championship," Gaethje said.

Winner: Climbing the Ladder

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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 29: (L-R) Alex Pereira of Brazil punches Jan Blachowicz of Poland in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC 291 event at Delta Center on July 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 29: (L-R) Alex Pereira of Brazil punches Jan Blachowicz of Poland in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC 291 event at Delta Center on July 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

And just like that, the 205-pounders have a new player.

Ex-middleweight king Alex Pereira returned from an April title loss and successfully climbed the weight class ladder, debuting at light heavyweight with a split decision victory over No. 3 contender and former champ Jan Blachowicz ion Saturday's co-main event.

It was one of only two fights to go the distance on the 11-bout card and by no means a walk in the park for the 36-year-old Brazilian, who'd long struggled to make the 185-pound middleweight limit and dropped the belt to multi-time rival Israel Adesanya atop UFC 287 three months ago in Miami.

He faced a formidable obstacle in the burly and powerful Blachowicz, who'd won his belt in 2020, defended with a five-round smothering of Adesanya when he tried to rise to light heavyweight, and lost it to Glover Teixeira at UFC 267.

He'd won a non-title bout and drew with Magomed Ankalaev in a shot at the subsequently vacant belt last year, but started strong against Pereira with a first round in which he quickly got his foe to the floor and ran up better than four minutes of control time alongside a 17-12 edge in strikes.

Pereira was taken down again but didn't stay there in the second and won the round on all three scorecards thanks to his 54-32 striking advantage. Blachowicz landed the third of his three takedowns in the final round, but the divisional newcomer again landed more strikes (46-32) and appeared to be the fresher fighter when the final horn sounded.

He was awarded the third round by two of three judges to earn 29-28 scores on two cards that offset a third 29-28 count in favor of Blachowicz, who appeared shocked by the decision.

"I told everyone ever since my weight cut that I felt good all along," Pereira said. "He's a heavy guy but I was able to hold my own."

Winner: Seeking a Deal

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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 29:  Derrick Lewis celebrates his TKO victory over Marcos Rogerio de Lima of Brazil in a heavyweight fight during the UFC 291 event at Delta Center on July 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 29: Derrick Lewis celebrates his TKO victory over Marcos Rogerio de Lima of Brazil in a heavyweight fight during the UFC 291 event at Delta Center on July 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Derrick Lewis is officially a free agent.

And there could hardly be a better way to approach a walk year than the way he did.

The menacing heavyweight charged across the cage at Brazilian foe Marcos Rogerio de Lima as soon as referee Dan Miragliotta waved them together, leaped forward with a flying left knee and began the decisive sequence that wound up ending the fight after just 33 seconds.

It was the ninth opening-round triumph of the 38-year-old's career, which began in 2010, and his first win since December 2021. He'd lost three in a row since and said afterward that he'd grown impatient for the feeling of punishing an opponent.

"It's been a long time coming," Lewis said. "I've been wanting to hit mother f--kers for two years. I finally hit somebody."

De Lima tumbled to the floor and Lewis immediately pounced while unleashing a torrent of ground strikes, many of which admittedly landed on his foe's arms and hands. But when the stricken fighter turned to his belly to avoid the barrage, it led to Miragliotta's intervention soon after.

Lewis greeted the victory by removing his trunks in the center of the cage and dancing to the delight of the crowd. He remained ebullient as he chatted with Joe Rogan and said he hoped to be offered a new deal by the UFC, but if that didn't occur he conceded "it is what it is."

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Loser: Fighting Father Time

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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 29: (L-R) Bobby Green punches Tony Ferguson in a lightweight fight during the UFC 291 event at Delta Center on July 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 29: (L-R) Bobby Green punches Tony Ferguson in a lightweight fight during the UFC 291 event at Delta Center on July 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

There was a time Tony Ferguson was among the UFC's truly elite.

He won 12 straight fights from 2013 to 2019, handling ex-champs Rafael Dos Anjos and Anthony Pettis along the way, in addition to prolific veteran and fan favorite Donald Cerrone.

But it's over now.

And the last image of him in the Octagon—if Saturday's appearance winds up as his farewell—will be of flailing legs and arms that went ominously silent when the arm triangle choke locked in by Bobby Green took full effect, prompting a rescue from referee Dan Miragliotta.

Ferguson was left unconscious, beaten for the sixth straight time since that prodigious win streak.

The veteran had his moments in the first round when his energy and enthusiasm were high, and he rocked Green backward with a few significant strikes.

But Green took advantage of a sloppy takedown try in the second and punished Ferguson, leaving him bloody and swollen and ripe for the taking by the time the third round began.

More punishment was doled out as Ferguson weakened.

And when he failed to get Green in a compromising position with a roll into a leg lock, he was left vulnerable to the choke that became decisive when Green seized Ferguson's neck while driving his shoulder into his throat and isolating his right arm.

Incredibly, it was Green's first submission win since 2013 it added to a skid for Ferguson that now includes two decisions, two KOs and two submissions.

Winner: Offense from Defense

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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 29: (L-R) Kevin Holland knees Michael Chiesa in a welterweight fight during the UFC 291 event at Delta Center on July 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 29: (L-R) Kevin Holland knees Michael Chiesa in a welterweight fight during the UFC 291 event at Delta Center on July 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

It's a mantra that covers many sports: "The best offense is a good defense."

But while it doesn't always apply to the UFC cage, it did for Kevin Holland.

The affable Texan was in tough against returning grappling ace Michael Chiesa and knew going into their three-round main card opener that staying off the mat was a priority.

So when Chiesa—who'd not fought since November 2021—plowed forward, locked his hands behind Holland's torso and began looking for a way to get things horizontal, it was a big moment.

And when Holland successfully defended the takedown attempt, his offense took over.

Holland followed his escape with effective strikes, including hitting a lurching Chiesa with a knee to the head that dropped the 35-year-old to the floor and left him vulnerable to a D'Arce choke.

Chiesa had lost two previous fights by D'Arce and Holland made it three, locking up his foe's left arm while wrenching his body on the mat and drawing a tap at 2:39 of the first.

"He looked good," Joe Rogan said. "Tonight was the best he ever looked."

It was Holland's 12th win in the UFC and leveled his record at 4-4 since a memorable 2020 in which he fought and won five times across seven pandemic-ravaged months.

"I've got a full-blown wrestling coach now. I've grown. I'm mature," Holland said. " When Mike feels like he's in danger, he does bad things. And I took advantage."

Holland has been successful in a recent meltdown to 170 pounds but said he'd be moving back to middleweight if a big fight can't be lined up by year's end.

"I'm gonna take my black a-- back to 185," he said. "I like to eat steaks, have sex and make weight."

Winner: Keeping It Perfect

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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 29: (R-L) Gabriel Bonfim of Brazil submits Trevin Giles in a welterweight fight during the UFC 291 event at Delta Center on July 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 29: (R-L) Gabriel Bonfim of Brazil submits Trevin Giles in a welterweight fight during the UFC 291 event at Delta Center on July 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Jon Anik's description of the welterweight division as "absolutely ruthless" was apt.

But Gabriel Bonfim doesn't seem too concerned. Or too overmatched.

The Brazilian arrived as the only unbeaten pro on Saturday's card, and he left with the same status, choking veteran Trevin Giles into submission after just 73 seconds in the preliminary feature.

It looked easy. And the 25-year-old promised it wouldn't be the last one.

"I'm feeling great. I expected this. I work every day for this," he said. "I will be a champion in this division. Every fight there's a new Gabriel."

Bonfim seized a body lock and tossed Giles to the mat after barely 60 seconds of combat, then bluffed as if he was standing in order to draw Giles in range for the guillotine. The hold was seized when Bonfim wrapped his right arm around his lunging foe's neck and wrapped his legs around his torso, and the tap out came soon after to yield win No. 15.

All 15 wins have come by finish, including 12 by submission alongside three KOs.

Eight of them—and four in a row—have now come inside of five minutes.

"There was no way (Giles) was getting out," Bonfim said. "This is a forte of mine. I'll get everybody."

Winner: Seizing the Highlights

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Daniel Cormier shed the perfect light.

"That was sickening, bro," the former dual-champ said upon seeing a replay of the left high kick that provided Russian middleweight Roman Kopylov his sudden second-round victory over Claudio Ribeiro.

Struck often and wobbled occasionally in Round 1 against his active Brazilian opponent, Kopylov recovered quickly at the start of the second and set up his vicious KO with a lurch forward and a feinted jab to disguise a kick that connected flush on the right side of Ribeiro's jaw and instantly rendered him semi-conscious and defenseless on the mat.

It sounded like a bat swatting a watermelon, and, as Joe Rogan said, "It does not get much cleaner than that."

One hammer fist followed as referee Marc Goddard leapt in to protect the stricken fighter and the official end came at 33 seconds, prompting Kopylov's callout of top-six 185-pounder Sean Strickland.

"This is exactly what we planned for," he said. "The first round was to work the body and slowly go up to the head. This is exactly how we trained it."

Loser: Following the Plan

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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 27: (L-R) Opponents Stephen Thompson and Michel Pereira of Brazil face off during the UFC 291 press conference at Salt Palace Convention Center on July 27, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 27: (L-R) Opponents Stephen Thompson and Michel Pereira of Brazil face off during the UFC 291 press conference at Salt Palace Convention Center on July 27, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

It's a predictable routine for a UFC pay-per-view event.

No plans go off as they're initially laid.

The five-bout main card took a significant hit this time around when the scheduled welterweight scrap between seventh-ranked contender Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson and No. 15 Michel Pereira was scratched following Pereira's three-pound miss at Friday's weigh in.

Two fights on the preliminary card were also impacted, but not canceled.

Joanne Wood was removed from her flyweight bout with Priscila Cachoeira due to visa issues and replaced by Miranda Maverick, while Yohan Lainesse was pulled from his welterweight bout with Matthew Semelsberger due to illness and replaced by Uros Medic.

Discussions aimed at keeping the Thompson-Pereira fight on the pay-per-view card commenced after Pereira came in at 174 pounds, but Thompson, who weighed a half-pound under the 171-pound non-title limit, decided to nix it.

He subsequently took to Instagram to explain his rationale.

"Fighters who miss weight face far too few consequences and are often allowed to fight with a significant competitive advantage," he said.

"This appears to be happening more and more these days. Hopefully the decision to not move forward with the fight will discourage others from missing weight in the future."

Winner: Filling the Gaps

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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 29: (R-L) Miranda Maverick submits Priscila Cachoeira of Brazil in a flyweight fight during the UFC 291 event at Delta Center on July 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 29: (R-L) Miranda Maverick submits Priscila Cachoeira of Brazil in a flyweight fight during the UFC 291 event at Delta Center on July 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Turns out it was a big night for the late-stage subs.

Miranda Maverick entered on late notice for her bout for Priscila Cachoeira, but was nevertheless a significant favorite, going off at -335 and justifying the billing with a dominant third-round finish.

The 26-year-old flyweight scored takedowns in each of the first two rounds against her strike-centric opponent, then got it to the mat again in the third and ended things after seizing Cachoeira's right arm and locking in the armbar that ended matters at 2:11.

"I wanted to make sure there was no fight left in her by the time I went for a submission," said Maverick, who won for the fifth time in eight UFC appearances, "and there wasn't."

One fight later, it was a +160 underdog on top when Uros Medic TKO'd Matthew Semelsberger, also in Round 3.

The welterweights were competitively even through 10 minutes before Medic triggered the decisive sequence with punches that were followed by a spinning left forearm that sent Semelsberger reeling backward toward the fence.

The Serbian immediately pounced and threw a half-dozen strikes toward his fallen foe before referee Tyler Tomlinson stepped in at 2:36 and gave Medic his third in in four UFC fights.

It was Semelsberger's second straight loss and fourth in nine UFC fights.

Full Card Results

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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 28:  Bobby Green poses on the scale during the UFC 291 ceremonial weigh-in at Delta Center on July 28, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 28: Bobby Green poses on the scale during the UFC 291 ceremonial weigh-in at Delta Center on July 28, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Main Card

Justin Gaethje def. Dustin Poirier by KO (head kick), 1:00, Round 2

Alex Pereira def. Jan Blachowicz by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Derrick Lewis def. Marcos Rogerio de Lima by KO (strikes), 0:33, Round 1

Bobby Green def. Tony Ferguson by submission (arm triangle choke), 4:54, Round 3

Kevin Holland def. Michael Chiesa by submission (D'Arce choke), 2:39, Round 1

Preliminary Card

Gabriel Bonfim def. Trevin Giles by submission (guillotine choke), 1:13, Round 1

CJ Vergara def. Vinicius Salvador by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Roman Kopylov def. Claudio Ribeiro by KO (head kick), 0:33, Round 2

Jake Matthews def. Darrius Flowers by submission (rear-naked choke), 2:37, Round 2

Early Preliminary Card

Uros Medic def. Matthew Semelsberger by TKO (punches), 2:36, Round 3

Miranda Maverick def. Priscila Cachoeira by submission (armbar), 2:11, Round 3

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