UFC Vegas 15 Scorecard

It was only three months since his loss to Aleksandar Rakic, but it seemed like a lot longer since we last saw Anthony Smith in the Octagon, and maybe that’s because he wasn’t himself in that August bout. But on Saturday night, “Lionheart” made a triumphant return against Devin Clark, and in returning to the win column for the first time since June 2019, he reminded everyone why he’s one of the top 205-pounders in the world. And maybe by this time next year, we’ll be seeing Smith back in a title fight or perhaps with a belt around his waist. Yeah, he’s that good; he just has to remember that.

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He may be the most self-effacing fighter on the UFC roster, but Miguel Baeza can’t hide his talent or the searing hot start to his career in the Octagon. Three wins and three finishes in one of the promotion’s toughest divisions speak volumes, and after his submission of Takashi Sato, it’s evident that 2021 is going to be a big one for “Caramel Thunder,” whose modesty won’t be enough for him to sneak up on anybody at 170 pounds. They’re gonna know he’s knocking on the door of the top 15 and beyond next year.

Parker Porter paid his dues to make it to the UFC, and that may be understating things. And while he could have easily packed his bags and left the sport at times, he persisted, and on Saturday, he put everything together and secured his first Octagon win over Josh Parisian in what was a fun to watch three-rounder between two heavyweights willing to go into deep waters to get the victory. It was a reminder of what it means for a fighter to get to the big show, and to get a win, well, that’s something none of us can fathom unless we’ve been there. Parker Porter got there, and you have to be happy for him.

“The Tibetan Eagle” soared on Saturday night, and as corny as that line may be, it’s accurate, because with his 44-second knockout of Malcolm Gordon, Sumudaerji instantly inserted himself in the flyweight contenders’ race, and with a couple more wins, he could be on the verge of joining fellow China native Zhang Weili in the UFC’s circle of champions. Yeah, that’s a big leap, but he’s got the talent and the determination to get there, so yeah, that “Tibetan Eagle” soared, for sure.

I wrote it last week in my pre-fight feature on Gina Mazany, and I stand by it when I say that she’s one of the folks in the sport you want to see do well. She hasn’t had an easy go of it in the UFC, but her move to Kansas City to train with James Krause and the Glory MMA crew paid immediate dividends in the form of her win over Rachael Ostovich, and if she keeps her confidence high in her new weight class at 125 pounds, she’s got the goods to make some noise in 2021.