What's new at Ludus Martial Arts
We’re so proud of our team! Find out how they’ve been doing, as well as what else has been going on at our gym lately.
UFC 296 video: Cody Garbrandt lands first-round walkoff KO, calls out Deiveson Figueiredo
Cody Garbrandt proved he still can finish opponents with powerful strikes, and wants to test his skills against a former flyweight champ next.
On the prelims of UFC 296 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Garbrandt (14-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) entered the octagon for the second time in 2023 to face Brian Kelleher. “No Love” wasted no time finishing the bantamweight fight, as he landed a knockout blow at 3:42 of Round 1.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the former bantamweight champion, though. Kelleher attacked Garbrandt’s legs early with hard calf kicks, that quickly caused massive swelling. Garbrandt kept working his game and letting his hands even the score.
Garbrandt rocked Kelleher with a right hand, and the swarm was on. Kelleher, who was in clear danger, did his best to stay in the fight and return fire. Garbrandt kept the pressure high, but didn’t get wild chasing the finish.
A second later, Kelleher attempted a kick, but Garbrandt found an opening for a crushing right hand counter that sent him crashing backward to the ground. No follow-up shots were needed as Garbrandt walked off with his hand raised in the air, and then bowed.
CODY GARBRANDT GETS THE KNOCKOUT
Stream #UFC296 on ESPN2 and ESPN+
https://t.co/R7p1InbYK6 pic.twitter.com/G3jcFUWAJ4
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 17, 2023
The win marked two in a row for Garbrandt, who picked up a unanimous decision win over Trevin Jones at UFC 285 in March to return to the win column.
During his post-fight interview, Garbrandt called out a former flyweight champ that he was previously scheduled to face in 2020, who recently made the jump to 135 pounds.
“I want to stay busy in 2024, this is my call out: Deiveson Figueiredo,” Garbrandt told Joe Rogan. “This fight should have happened a long time ago. It was stripped from COVID, from a world title. You’re in my division now, so let’s get ready for April or May.”
Up-to-the-minute UFC 296 results include:
- Cody Garbrandt def. Brian Kelleher via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 3:42
- Ariane Lipski def. Casey O’Neill via submission (armbar) – Round 2, 1:18
- Tagir Ulanbekov def. Cody Durden via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 4:25
- Andre Fili def. Lucas Almeida via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 3:32
- Shamil Gaziev def. Martin Buday via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 0:56
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.
Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler UFC 303 poster features yellow yelling faces
“The Notorious” Conor McGregor is finally back for his long-awaited showdown against Michael Chandler. It will take place in the main event of International Fight Week’s UFC 303 in Las Vegas, the biggest MMA event of the summer. McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) will compete for the first time...
Robelis Despaigne sees himself fighting for UFC heavyweight title in 2025
Robelis Despaigne might be new to MMA and the UFC, yet he doesn’t see himself too far from fighting for the heavyweight title. The unbeaten prospect believes that in 2025 he will be challenging whoever is the UFC heavyweight champion. Despaigne (19-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) thinks a win over...
come and try a ludus mma class free!
We want to make sure that Ludus MMA is the right fit for you before asking you to commit to a membership.
That’s why we’d like to offer you a FREE ONE-DAY PASS to our gym.
With your FREE PASS, you can:
- Try as many classes as you’d like,
- Explore the facility
- Talk to our coaches one-on-one about what you can expect as a member