The first major UFC event of the year has arrived, with two massive title fights topping the card at UFC 270.
In the main event, an undisputed heavyweight champion will be crowned as Francis Ngannou defends his belt against interim title holder Ciryl Gane. The opponents are former teammates, with the build-up to their clash tonight coloured by arguments over who had more success in their old sparring sessions. Ngannou is the most feared power-puncher in UFC history, the French-Cameroonian’s professional mixed martial arts record standing at 16-3 – while his UFC record is 11-2 since his debut in 2015, with 10 of those wins coming via knockout or TKO. Meanwhile, Frenchman Gane is undefeated at 10-0, having gone 3-0 in 2021 to claim the interim heavyweight title and establish himself as Ngannou’s first challenger.
In the co-main event in Anaheim, Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo will complete a trilogy of flyweight title fights. The rivals drew in their initial meeting in December 2020, allowing Figueiredo to hang onto the belt, before Mexican Moreno submitted the Brazilian last June to take the gold.
Follow live updates and fight results from the UFC 270 main card and prelims, below.
UFC 270
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Francis Ngannou (C) vs Ciryl Gane (IC) (heavyweight title)
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Brandon Moreno (C) vs Deiveson Figueiredo (men’s flyweight title)
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Michel Pereira vs Andre Fialho (welterweight)
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Cody Stamann vs Said Nurmagomedov (bantamweight)
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Trevin Giles vs Michael Morales (welterweight)
UFC 270: Della Maddalena def. Rodriguez
02:17 , Alex Pattle
UFC debuts for both fighters there, but it’s Della Maddalena who walks away with the win.
UFC 270: Della Maddalena def. Rodriguez
02:16 , Alex Pattle
Jack Della Maddalena def. Pete Rodriguez via first-round TKO (strikes, 2:59).
UFC 270: Della Maddalena vs Rodriguez
02:14 , Alex Pattle
Round 1
Della Maddalena presses forward. Good footwork, though he is caught by a couple of counter right hooks – one to the head and one to the body.
Della Maddalena establishes a very smooth jab here, however, and Rodriguez’s nose is already busted up!
Both men are landing almost at will, but Rodriguez is the only one sporting any real damage…
OH! Della Maddalena lands a fade left straight and puts Rodriguez away with a few punches on the ground!
Great showing.
UFC 270: Della Maddalena vs Rodriguez
02:10 , Alex Pattle
American Rodriguez is undefeated at 4-0 and was due to take on Warlley Alves tonight, but instead it’s Australian Della Maddalena (10-2) who stands across from him as a late replacement.
UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane
02:06 , Alex Pattle
Pete Rodriguez vs Jack Della Maddalena at welterweight is the next prelim bout.
UFC 270: Gravely def. Oliveira
02:01 , Alex Pattle
Tony Gravely def. Saimon Oliveira via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
UFC 270: Gravely vs Oliveira
01:59 , Alex Pattle
Round 3
Gravely lands some heavy strikes on the feet as the third and final round comes to an end!
Surely a decision win for the American. A very solid performance from him, while Oliveira seemingly only saw one route to victory: the guillotine.
UFC 270: Gravely vs Oliveira
01:55 , Alex Pattle
Round 3
A familiar sequence: Gravely gets the takedown and Oliveira tries for a guillotine – unsuccessfully.
Gravely is 8/12 on takedown attempts so far in this fight, a personal record for him in a UFC contest.
UFC 270: Gravely vs Oliveira
01:53 , Alex Pattle
Round 2
Good control from Gravely in the grappling exchanges, and he gets off some effective strikes at the end of the round as Oliveira tries to stand.
UFC 270: Gravely vs Oliveira
01:50 , Alex Pattle
Round 2
Gravely goes for a double-leg takedown at once, and Oliveira seems to briefly consider yet another guillotine attempt.
In any case, Gravely gets Oliveira to the mat, but the pair don’t stay there for long.
Oliveira clips Gravely with a left hook, and the American looks to take down Oliveira again.
Once more, Oliveira tries for a guillotine…
Yet again, Gravely survives, and the opponents separate on the feet.
UFC 270: Gravely vs Oliveira
01:47 , Alex Pattle
Round 1
A largely subdued end to the round, with Gravely controlling Oliveira against the fence until the Brazilian tries for two more guillotines late on.
UFC 270: Gravely vs Oliveira
01:43 , Alex Pattle
Round 1
A wild start to this one! Oliveira throws a flying knee, but Gravely manages to grab hold of his opponent with an overhook as they hit the mat.
Oliveira falls into guard, however, and tries for a guillotine! It looks to be in tight, but Gravely eventually gets out!
He now has Oliveira in his grasp up against the fence.
UFC 270: Gravely vs Oliveira
01:41 , Alex Pattle
Here we go.
UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane
01:35 , Alex Pattle
A bantamweight contest between Tony Gravely and Saimon Oliveira is up next.
UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane
01:27 , Alex Pattle
A number of bout cancellations left fans questioning how entertaining this card would be – main and co-main event aside – but so far it’s been great fun.
There have been first-round stoppage wins – one TKO, one submission – in two of the three fights.
UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane
01:27 , Alex Pattle
A number of bout cancellations left fans questioning how entertaining this card would be – main and co-main event aside – but so far it’s been great fun.
There have been first-round stoppage wins – one TKO, one submission – in two of the three fights.
UFC 270: Frevola def. Valdez
01:19 , Alex Pattle
Matt Frevola def. Genaro Valdez via first-round TKO (strikes, 3:15).
UFC 270: Frevola vs Valdez
01:17 , Alex Pattle
Round 1
A frantic start to this one! The pair trade strikes before Frevola drops Valdez twice!
Valdez somehow survives, holding onto Frevola and then clipping the American, too!
Strong knees in the clinch by Frevola, though, and he knocks down Valdez again! It’s another left hook that does it.
Valdez keeps getting back to his feet but is knocked down TWICE more! Frevola with a flurry of hammer fists, and eventually he musters enough unanswered shots to secure the stoppage!
Frevola wins!
UFC 270: Frevola vs Valdez
01:12 , Alex Pattle
Valdez is a teammate of men’s flyweight champion Moreno, with the two Mexicans having helped one another to prepare for their respective fights here.
UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane
01:11 , Alex Pattle
Matt Frevola vs Genaro Valdez is the first of the main prelim fights. This should be a fun one.
The Honda Center is starting to fill up, too!
UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane
01:02 , Alex Pattle
Four prelim fights will precede the main card:
Raoni Barcelos vs Victor Henry (bantamweight)
Pete Rodriguez vs Jack Della Maddalena (welterweight)
Tony Gravely vs Saimon Oliveira (bantamweight)
Matt Frevola vs Genaro Valdez (lightweight)
UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane
00:58 , Alex Pattle
A preview package has just been shown for tonight’s co-main event between Moreno and Figueiredo. That one could be a classic.
UFC 270: Demopoulos def. Juarez
00:51 , Alex Pattle
A short but wild fight!
Next up are the main prelims.
UFC 270: Demopoulos def. Juarez
00:45 , Alex Pattle
Vanessa Demopoulos def. Silvana Gomez Juarez via first-round submission (armbar, 2:25).
UFC 270: Juarez vs Demopoulos
00:43 , Alex Pattle
Round 1
Juarez lands a big right hand early on! Demopoulos remains composed as the women trade leg kicks, but Juarez soon lands ANOTHER huge right!!
Demopoulos is floored by it, and Juarez pours on punches.
Again, however, Demopoulos remains cogent and even works on an armbar as Juarez leans in!
SHE GETS IT! Demopoulos submits Juarez!
UFC 270: Juarez vs Demopoulos
00:36 , Alex Pattle
Silvana Gomez Juarez takes on Vanessa Demopoulos next in a women’s strawweight bout.
UFC 270: Jasudavicius def. Hansen
00:30 , Alex Pattle
Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Kay Hansen via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).
It’s a successful UFC debut for Jasudavicius!
UFC 270: Hansen vs Jasudavicius
00:28 , Alex Pattle
Round 3
A cagey third round on the feet. This one feels like it could go either way.
Jasudavicius starts to find some success as the fight enters its final minute…
She initiates a Thai clinch and lands some solid knees in close, and the final buzzer sounds!
The decision will arrive in a few moments.
UFC 270: Hansen vs Jasudavicius
00:23 , Alex Pattle
Round 2
A relative lack of activity sees the women stood up by referee Jason Herzog, and Hansen will be relieved by that.
She capitalises, too, catching a front kick from Jasudavicius before landing her own and following it with a spinning back elbow and clean jab.
Jasudavicius manages to get hold of Hansen against the fence to neutralise her before taking her down. The round ends with Jasudavicius on top again.
UFC 270: Hansen vs Jasudavicius
00:19 , Alex Pattle
Round 2
Hansen keeps the same gameplan from the first round and this time manages to take down Jasudavicius, who uses her strength advantage to reverse the position and get back on top.
More elbows from Jasudavicius, similarly to the first round.
UFC 270: Hansen vs Jasudavicius
00:16 , Alex Pattle
Round 1
Jasudavicius is in Hansen’s guard and landing elbows from above. Hansen tries to explode out of the position, but Jasudavicius quickly closes the distance to land more elbows.
A good first round from Jasudavicius.
UFC 270: Hansen vs Jasudavicius
00:15 , Alex Pattle
Round 1
Hansen presses forward early with feints before shooting for a double-leg takedown against the fence. Good defence, though, from Jasudavicius, who lands a nice elbow off the break. Now she connects with a clean front kick to the body.
Hansen fires back with a right hook, reaching up to land it as the shorter of the two fighters. She then tries for a takedown again but is denied once more.
In fact, Jasudavicius reverses the position against the fence then lands her own takedown!
UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane
00:10 , Alex Pattle
Bruce Buffer makes the introductions to those fans who have made it into the Honda Center early! We’re under way.
UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane
00:04 , Alex Pattle
First up is Kay Hansen vs Jasmine Jasudavicius in a women’s flyweight bout.
UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane
00:02 , Alex Pattle
UFC 270 is under way!
First up are the early prelims, then we’ll have the prelims, followed by the main card.
Here we go!
UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane odds
Saturday 22 January 2022 22:30 , Alex Pattle
We’re just 90 minutes away from tonight’s first prelim fight!
Here’s a quick look at the odds for this evening’s main event between Ngannou and Gane.
Ngannou: 1/1
Gane: 4/5
That’s how Betfair have it. For what it’s worth, it certainly feels like Ngannou’s best chance of victory is an early knockout, while Gane seems most likely to secure a win if he can take this contest to the judges’ scorecards.
UFC 270: Full card ahead of Ngannou vs Gane
Saturday 22 January 2022 22:15 , Alex Pattle
Here is a look at the full fight card for this evening’s event, which has been hit by a number of bout cancellations:
Main card
Francis Ngannou (C) vs Ciryl Gane (IC) (heavyweight title)
Brandon Moreno (C) vs Deiveson Figueiredo (flyweight title)
Michel Pereira vs Andre Fialho (welterweight)
Cody Stamann vs Said Nurmagomedov (bantamweight)
Trevin Giles vs Michael Morales (welterweight)
Prelims
Raoni Barcelos vs Victor Henry (bantamweight)
Pete Rodriguez vs Jack Della Maddalena (welterweight)
Tony Gravely vs Saimon Oliveira (bantamweight)
Matt Frevola vs Genaro Valdez (lightweight)
Early prelims
Silvana Juarez vs Vanessa Demopoulos (women’s strawweight)
Kay Hansen vs Jasmine Jasudavicius (women’s flyweight)
UFC 270: Tyson Fury’s call-out of Ngannou
Saturday 22 January 2022 21:45 , Alex Pattle
A dominant narrative thread ahead of this evening’s main event has been Ngannou’s desire to fight WBC heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, something Ngannou has also referenced in interviews this week.
Fury is seemingly keen on taking on the French-Cameroonian as well.
“Who would like to see me fight this beast, boxing rules @ufc gloves?” Fury tweeted earlier this month, alongside a mock-up poster of himself and Ngannou. The Briton also tagged Ngannou and UFC president Dana White in the tweet.
Ngannou quickly replied to Fury, writing: “How about MMA rules with boxing gloves? I can do you that favor.”
Fury was swift in responding, too, tweeting: “You want to come in to my world calling me & [Deontay] wilder out to a boxing match. what i can guarantee you would be knocked out & also paid your highest purse to be so! so have a think.”
Ngannou soon replied: “After I handle business [against Gane] on Jan. 22 I’ll fight you under any special rule set you want. In a ring, an octagon or a phone booth.”
More here:
Tyson Fury calls out UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou for boxing fight
UFC 270: Moreno vs Figueiredo in co-main event
Saturday 22 January 2022 21:15 , Alex Pattle
While most of the focus ahead of UFC 270 has understandably been on the main event, the co-main event could be a spectacular bout, too.
In December 2020, Brandon Moreno failed to dethrone then-flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo as the pair battled to a majority draw in the main event of UFC 256.
The fan favourite from Mexico took the gold from Figueiredo at UFC 263 last June, however, submitting the Brazilian with a rear naked choke in the third round.
Moreno’s victory followed a stunning performance and marked just the second defeat of Figueiredo’s pro MMA career – and his first via stoppage.
It was also the culmination of a fairytale run for Moreno; the ‘Assassin Baby’ had been released by the UFC in late 2018 after back-to-back losses, before returning to the sport’s flagship promotion in 2019 and battling towards a title shot.
Now, he and Figueiredo will round out the trilogy in this evening’s co-main event, which many expect to deliver fireworks.
UFC 270: Revisiting Gane’s interim title win
Saturday 22 January 2022 20:45 , Alex Pattle
Five months after Ngannou dethroned Miocic last March, an interim heavyweight title was created and then contested between Gane and Derrick Lewis.
The bout took place in Houston, giving Lewis the home state advantage, though the American has since said the location added extra pressure.
It certainly did not help the knockout specialist, who was stopped by Gane in the third round after a slick showing from the Frenchman.
Here’s our full report on that fight, which saw Gane go 3-0 for the year, 10-0 overall in his pro MMA career, and become interim UFC heavyweight champion:
Ciryl Gane dominates Derrick Lewis to win UFC interim heavyweight title
UFC 270: Revisiting Ngannou’s title win
Saturday 22 January 2022 20:15 , Alex Pattle
Ngannou became UFC heavyweight champion by knocking out Stipe Miocic in the second round last March.
That victory saw Ngannou reverse a humbling result against Miocic from 2018, when the American outwrestled the French-Cameroonian over five rounds in a masterful decision win.
Miocic, the consensus heavyweight GOAT, has not competed since dropping the belt to Ngannou, who has also not fought since.
Ngannou, 35, demonstrated huge improvements in his victory over Miocic, compared to the “Predator”’s showing in the pair’s first clash.
You can read our full report from Miocic vs Ngannou II here:
Francis Ngannou devastates Stipe Miocic to win heavyweight title at UFC 260
UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane full card, start time and how to watch
Saturday 22 January 2022 19:45 , Alex Pattle
Check out our useful article below for all the information you need on:
• How to watch UFC 270 online and on TV tonight.
• What time the prelims and main card start in the UK and US.
• The entire fight card from top to bottom, following a number of late-notice changes.
UFC 270 live stream: How to watch Francis Ngannou vs Ciryl Gane online and on TV
UFC 270: Ranking all of Ngannou’s UFC KOs
Saturday 22 January 2022 19:15 , Alex Pattle
Ngannou is a fighting phenomenon: the honorary ‘baddest man on the planet’ as UFC heavyweight champion, and the most ferocious power-puncher in the promotion’s history.
The French-Cameroonian’s professional mixed martial arts record stands at 16-3, while his UFC record is 11-2 since his debut in 2015 – with 10 of those wins coming via knockout or TKO.
Ngannou, 35, in fact went 6-0 in the company, with five of those victories achieved via KO/TKO and one coming via submission, before he suffered back-to-back decision losses.
The first of those two defeats was a humbling by then-champion Stipe Miocic, but Ngannou worked his way back to the American with four straight-first round KO/TKO wins, before knocking out Miocic in the second round last March to claim the gold at last.
Ahead of tonight’s main event, we’ve ranked of all of Ngannou’s UFC knockouts. Check out our list in the article below – where you can also watch the KOs in question.
Ranking all of Francis Ngannou’s UFC knockouts
UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane preview
Saturday 22 January 2022 18:40 , Alex Pattle
If Ngannou were to look in the mirror, he might just see an improbable green glint in the dark pools of his eyes.
Maybe he can already picture the dollars, stacked much higher than his 6ft 3in frame and much wider than those granite shoulders.
For it must be so enticing, the prospect of a crossover bout with the biggest name in boxing, especially for a phenomenon who is severely undervalued by his employers and who started fighting long before he set foot in a ring.
Growing up in poverty in Cameroon, Ngannou began working in sand quarries at the age of 10, later spending time in a Spanish jail after illegally crossing the border en route to Paris, where he eventually wound up homeless. Nothing can match the hunger Ngannou must have felt so often through those years, making his thirst for a super fight with Tyson Fury wholly understandable.
But Ngannou must beware the allure of a titanic clash with Fury, because key to such a contest is the French-Cameroonian’s status as UFC heavyweight champion – something Gane could well shred in the main event of UFC 270 this evening.
Full main event preview here:
Francis Ngannou must ensure Tyson Fury dream does not distract from Ciryl Gane test
UFC 270: Gane interview
Saturday 22 January 2022 18:05 , Alex Pattle
Thousands of mixed martial arts fans and analysts have pored over the footage – slowing it down, pausing, rewinding. Just how telling can it be, a short clip of Gane and Ngannou sparring one another?
For many observers, it will be decisive in their predictions for the main event of UFC 270 this weekend, when the two former teammates go head-to-head to unify the heavyweight championship of the world. In one corner will be Ngannou, the most feared puncher in UFC history; in the other will be Gane, the undefeated ambassador of a new breed of MMA heavyweight.
The footage of Ngannou and Gane sparring one another showed the latter largely getting the upper hand, though of course Ngannou was not using the full force that he will bring to Anaheim this weekend. In any case, plenty of time has passed since the duo trained together.
“Since this time we’ve improved, that’s for sure, 100 per cent,” Gane said this week in an interview with The Independent and other publications. “At that time, the feeling was just, ‘I’m really lucky,’ because I’d just started my career in MMA and I could spar with a guy already in the top five.
“It’s going to be different this week, but [training together] has helped me to have a little more confidence, yes.”
Read the full interview here:
Undefeated Ciryl Gane insists ‘I know what it is to lose’ as Francis Ngannou awaits
UFC 270: Ngannou interview
Saturday 22 January 2022 17:30 , Alex Pattle
One of the biggest narratives heading into tonight’s main event between Ngannou and Gane is the former’s dream of boxing Tyson Fury, who recently called out the UFC heavyweight champion.
In an interview this week, Ngannou told The Independent and other publications: “It very much excites me to fight Fury next. My dream since I was a kid was to become a boxer, but along the way I discovered MMA, which has been great for me. But it still hasn’t taken away that dream of boxing.”
Read the full interview here:
Francis Ngannou’s destructive UFC run signals start of heavyweight evolution
UFC 270: Ngannou vs Gane
Saturday 22 January 2022 17:00 , Alex Pattle
Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of UFC 270!
The promotion’s first pay-per-view of the year has been hit by fight cancellations, but it is still set to be topped by two huge title fights.
In the main event, heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou makes the first defence of his belt, taking on interim champion and former teammate Ciryl Gane – who is undefeated at 10-0.
In the co-main event, Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo will complete their trilogy of flyweight title bouts. Figueiredo retained the gold in the rivals’ first meeting, in December 2020, as the contest ended as a draw, before Mexican Moreno submitted the Brazilian last June to claim the belt.
We’ll be providing live updates from both of those fights tonight, as well as the rest of the main card and prelims.