UFC Fight Night 255 takeaways: Can Carlos Ulberg beat Magomed Ankalaev or Alex Pereira?

Yahoo

23-03-2025

What mattered most at UFC Fight Night 255 from The O2 in London? Here are a few post-fight musings …
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What many pinpointed as the bathroom break of the undercard ended up being the highlight of the prelims when Shauna Bannon staged a remarkable comeback against Puja Tomar in their strawweight bout.
No matter what happens throughout the remainder of the year, Bannon (7-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) will at minimum be an honorable mention in the 2025 Comeback of the Year discussion. She was left for dead on the canvas after Tomar floored her with a perfect head kick, but then somehow turned the tables and snatched up an armbar to win the fight.
This result was certainly a product of the combined skill level involved. Superior fighters would've either finished it after the head kick, or avoided getting tapped from the armbar. Regardless, it was much-needed excitement amid a slow start to the event, and for that, both women deserve praise.
UFC Fight Night 255 video: Shauna Bannon turns tables on Puja Tomar with Round 2 armbar
Shauna Bannon def. Puja Tomar at UFC Fight Night 255: Best photos
After derailing a potential heavyweight on the rise with a unanimous decision victory over Mick Parkin, longtime octagon veteran Marcin Tybura revealed he is now a free agent after finishing his promotional contract.
With 22 appearances and 14 wins, Tybura finds himself all over the divisional record books and has been a mainstay of the weight class for years. He's a known commodity, but it depends if the UFC brass find him to still be serviceable at this point.
Tybura (27-9 MMA, 14-8 UFC) hasn't landed a standing knockdown in his entire UFC career, and although he has submission and ground-and-pound ability, it's rarely pretty. He can be a good test for someone like a Tom Aspinall on the rise when they met in a main event, but how useful is it to the UFC when he beats Parkin the way he did?
These are real questions to ponder. If the UFC cares about having the best in the world regardless of fighting style, then Tybura should be locked up to a new deal quickly, because he's still clearly top 15. Unfortunately, it should surprise no one if, despite all his service and getting his hand raised here, his next fight ends up elsewhere.
Marcin Tybura def. Mick Parkin at UFC Fight Night 255: Best photos5: Best photos
Molly McCann announced her retirement from MMA after a first-round submission loss to newcomer Alexia Thainara, and honestly, her reasoning was sound.
McCann (14-8 MMA, 7-7 UFC) could not resist the ground arsenal of Thainara and found herself tapping to a rear-naked choke in the opening frame. Not only was it a loss, but it was a loss to a far less experienced foe who accepted the fight on just eight days' notice. McCann craves greatness, and said it's hard to justify continuing what felt like a definitive setback.
Even though she never reached championship level, McCann did contribute something meaningful during her nearly seven-year window under the UFC banner. She became the first British female to win inside the octagon and achieved a level of notoriety both inside and outside her own country that most in the sport could only dream of.
Perhaps most importantly of all, McCann did it the right way. She always treated people around the sport kindly, and she should exit with her head held high.
UFC Fight Night 255 video: Molly McCann retires from MMA after Alexia Thainara's quick win
Alexia Thainara def. Molly McCann at UFC Fight Night 255: Best photos
Carlos Ulberg's winning streak continued to build against his most noteworthy opponent yet. He got the unanimous decision victory over former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz, but it wasn't exactly the most memorable fight.
Ulberg (11-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) and Blachowicz spent the better part of 15 minutes peppering each other with leg kicks with the occasional striking exchanges. The commentary team was on the verge of begging them to commit to riskier exchanges, but then time ran out, and Ulberg was the winner.
He called for a title shot against the Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira rematch winner, but the temperature from that fans on that seems low. The streak looks nice on paper if you forget about how the actual fight looked, though, and that's to Ulberg's advantage no matter how things play out.
Can Ulberg get a title shot after this fight, or one more win? Certainly. Did this fight against Blachowicz have anyone thinking he's the division's prominent threat to the belt? He's got some work to do in that regard.
UFC Fight Night 255 results: Carlos Ulberg outpoints ex-champ Jan Blachowicz for 8th straight win
Carlos Ulberg def. Jan Blachowicz at UFC Fight Night 255: Best photos
Sean Brady is deserving of all the praise for stepping into the main event and becoming the firs tot finish Leon Edwards in MMA with a fourth-round submission, but the real story after the event is the former champion.
Edwards' (22-5 MMA, 14-4 UFC) fall from grace in the welterweight division has been rapid. He was the champion roughly nine months ago, but a lackluster showing in his title fight loss to Belal Muhammad, followed by a performance against Brady that had few redeeming qualities, is a tough pill to swallow.
Given it took a 10-fight unbeaten streak and a lot of breaks in his favor for Edwards to get his first title shot, it's hard to look around and see the positives if he wants to climb back to gold. Moreover, it seems he's lost of a lot of the faith of his British fans after back-to-back flops on home soil, and it's going to take some work to rebuild that sentiment, as well.
Edwards has overcome much in his life and bigger obstacles than this. But in terms of his fighting career, this is a prominent moment of adversity that he will have to dig his way out of.
UFC Fight Night 255 results: Sean Brady dominates, submits ex-champ Leon Edwards
'How good is Belal?': Fighters react to Sean Brady's finish of Leon Edwards at UFC Fight Night 255
Sean Brady def. Leon Edwards at UFC Fight Night 255: Best photos
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 255.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Fight Night 255 takeaways: Can Carlos Ulberg beat Magomed Ankalaev or Alex Pereira?