logo
He'll tell you now how he feels inside: Takedowns worked for SuYoung You

He'll tell you now how he feels inside: Takedowns worked for SuYoung You

USA Today17-03-2025

LAS VEGAS – SuYoung You beat AJ Cunningham with a unanimous decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 254 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with You, the 2024 Road to UFC bantamweight winner, who was a 6-1 favorite in the fight.
SuYoung You def. AJ Cunningham
Result: SuYoung You def. AJ Cunningham via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Updated records: You (15-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC), Cunningham (11-5 MMA, 0-2 UFC)
Key stats: You landed five takedowns, which led to nearly eight minutes of control time in a dominant win. He landed 80 percent of his total strikes.
You on the fight's key moment
'I'm happy with the win, but it didn't go as well as the game plan. I was more focused on the game plan and striking, and I couldn't do better on the ground. I still got the win, but I have to work on my game. Next fight, I'll be better.'
Dominant Display 👏 #UFCVegas104
SuYoung You beats AJ Cunningham by unanimous decision!
Watch our prelims LIVE NOW on @UFCFightPass 📺 pic.twitter.com/EJNdXVtLCJ
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) March 15, 2025
You on his scorecard sweep
'This was my actual UFC debut after the Road to UFC final, so I feel really good – especially with a (three rounds to zero) scorecard. I'm disappointed I couldn't get the finish. When I won the Road to UFC final, I was really happy. But to get a first win as a UFC fighter, I'm even happier.'
You on what he wants next
'I'd like to fight around August or September. Right now, there are a lot of Korean fighters on the roster in the UFC, so hopefully the UFC goes to (South) Korea soon.'
'Through (Road To UFC), I learned a lot.'
SuYoung You leaned on his experience on the Road To UFC and was able to secure a decision victory.#UFCVegas104 Results, Interviews & More ➡️: https://t.co/Q3SV4cHKFl
— UFC News (@UFCNews) March 15, 2025
To hear more from You, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 254.
Gallery UFC Fight Night 254: Best photos from Las Vegas
View 130 photos

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Merab Dvalishvili Open to Super Fight With Fellow UFC Champion
Merab Dvalishvili Open to Super Fight With Fellow UFC Champion

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Merab Dvalishvili Open to Super Fight With Fellow UFC Champion

Merab Dvalishvili Open to Super Fight With Fellow UFC Champion originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Merab Dvalishvili successfully defended the bantamweight title for the second time on Saturday night. Advertisement It was a rematch against former champion Sean O'Malley, but Dvalishvili proved he's still improving. The Georgian did well mixing up his attacks, landing punches during wild exchanges with O'Malley, however it was once again his relentless work rate that wore out his opponent. He submitted a tired 'Suga' at the end of the third round with a nasty choke, earning his second career finish inside of the octagon and first since 2021 against Marlon Moraes. Dvalishvili is likely to take on No. four ranked Cory Sandhagen later this year. If he wins, it would be his 14th straight victory, putting him in rare air with Jon Jones (19), Anderson Silva (16), Islam Makhachev (15), and Kamaru Usman (15). Today he was asked by combat sports reporter Ariel Helwani about a potential super fight with UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja and is on board with the potential bout. 'Yes, if he will move up in my weight class and if the UFC is interested in that, no problem,' Dvalishvili said. 'I'm sure a lot of people will be interested in this fight. I respect Pantoja. He will be a tough opponent for me. If Pantoja wants this and if the UFC wants this, I have no problem with that." Advertisement Pantoja has cleaned out the flyweight division in a similar way to Dvalishvili as the Brazilian has won seven in a row. He's scheduled to take on Kai Kara-France later this month at UFC 317, but with another defense, it could be time for him to try becoming a champion in two weight classes. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.

UFC Make Major Merab Dvalishvili Announcement on Tuesday
UFC Make Major Merab Dvalishvili Announcement on Tuesday

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

UFC Make Major Merab Dvalishvili Announcement on Tuesday

UFC Make Major Merab Dvalishvili Announcement on Tuesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili (21-4) retained his belt for the second time by defeating No. 1 contender Sean O'Malley (18-4) via submission at UFC 316 in the third round of their fight on Saturday. Advertisement Following his 13th straight victory and second by submission, Dvalishvili, 34, has been moved into second place on the UFC pound-for-pound rankings on Tuesday, behind Islam Makhachev in first. The decision moves heavyweight champion Jon Jones to three and former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria down to four. Dvalishvili is regarded as one of the promotion's top talents due to his excellent grappling and striking. During his rise to the top of 135 pounds, he defeated division all-time greats in Jose Aldo, Petr Yan and Henry Cejudo. Dvalishvili captured the bantamweight title by defeating O'Malley via unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 306 on Sept. 14, 2024. Before taking on O'Malley for a second time, he defeated Umar Nurmagomedov by unanimous decision at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 to retain his belt. Advertisement The only challenger above him on the pound-for-pound rankings is Makhachev, who relinquished the lightweight championship on May 13 to move up to welterweight. The 33-year-old holds a 27-1 record and has won 15 straight. Merab Dvalishvili of Georgia (gold gloves) talks with Joe Rogan after he defeated Sean O'Malley© Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Makhachev has won 13 of his professional fights by way of submission. These triumphs include ones over fan favorites and lightweight contenders Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira. At some point, he is expected to challenge newly crowned welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena, but the fight has yet to be announced. Meanwhile, Dvalishvili could defend his belt against bantamweight contenders like Yan or Cory Sandhagen sometime later this year. Advertisement Related: Merab Dvalishvili Open to Super Fight With Fellow UFC Champion This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.

Former Mike Tyson Coach Teddy Atlas Praises Junto Nakatani's Versatility: 'Fights Like Joe Frazier and Jake LaMotta'
Former Mike Tyson Coach Teddy Atlas Praises Junto Nakatani's Versatility: 'Fights Like Joe Frazier and Jake LaMotta'

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Former Mike Tyson Coach Teddy Atlas Praises Junto Nakatani's Versatility: 'Fights Like Joe Frazier and Jake LaMotta'

Former Mike Tyson Coach Teddy Atlas Praises Junto Nakatani's Versatility: 'Fights Like Joe Frazier and Jake LaMotta' originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Junto Nakatani has cemented his status as one of boxing's most dominant rising stars, climbing the ranks with an unblemished 31 wins and zero losses (with 24 KOs) record across three weight divisions. His most recent victory came this past weekend on June 8, when he unified the WBC and IBF bantamweight titles by forcing Ryosuke Nishida to retire after six rounds due to severe swelling around his right eye. Advertisement The win further solidified his position as a top pound-for-pound contender, with a potential superfight against Naoya Inoue looming in 2026. STR/JIJI Press/AFP-Getty Images Renowned boxing trainer and analyst Teddy Atlas has made a bold claim about the rising Japanese boxing star, comparing his relentless fighting style to two of the sport's most iconic warriors—Joe Frazier and Jake LaMotta. Speaking on a recent episode of his podcast, The Fight, Atlas praised Nakatani's versatility during his fight against Nishida, drawing parallels to the legendary Hall of Famers. "He can fight on the outside, and he probably should for the most part,' Atlas said, praising his ability to control the distance. 'He can control range, he can set up counters, he's got good legs, he could use the ring. He could make you walk into mistakes. He could do so many things.' Advertisement Atlas went on to admire Nakatani's ability to fight in close quarters, saying, 'All of a sudden, he takes that height, that reach, he shrinks himself down, he goes inside and he fights like Joe Frazier, he fights like Jake LaMotta. He's unbelievable." The 27-year-old southpaw has been on a tear in the bantamweight division, and the the boxing world is taking notice. Nakatani is currently ranked no. 9 in ESPN's pound-for-pound top 10 rankings. Watch highlights of his fight with Nishida here: While "Big Bang" has favorable physical attributes and in-ring IQ that are an important part of his continued success, Atlas was more impressed by Nakatani's courage and heart. Advertisement 'He was taking chances that he shouldn't have taken or didn't have to take by going inside early with Nishida, and he got caught [with] some big shots, but he showed the chin and overcame it like champions do,' Atlas said. 'But I love the attitude, that he ain't afraid to do that.' Some boxing pundits, including Atlas, believe he may be a nightmare matchup for his fellow countryman and ESPN's no. 2 ranked pound-for-pound fighter, Naoya Inoue. 'That would be a hell of a fight, him and Inoue,' Atlas admitted. 'If he fights smart, on the outside, disciplined and smart... man, it's going to be interesting.' Related: Former UFC Fighter Crushes Boxing Debut, Immediately Calls Out Jake Paul Related: UFC, WWE, and Boxing Mega-Event Reportedly in the Works This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store