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UFC Vegas 29 winners, losers, and what comes next

UFC Vegas 29 offered up what every mixed martial event on the planet does: Winners and losers. However, some victories and defeats have far greater ramifications and weight to them. Let’s take a look at the key UFC Vegas 29 winners, and losers from last night, as well as what could come next for those…

Jason Burgos

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UFC Vegas 29 offered up what every mixed martial event on the planet does: Winners and losers. However, some victories and defeats have far greater ramifications and weight to them. Let’s take a look at the key UFC Vegas 29 winners, and losers from last night, as well as what could come next for those members of the Ultimate Fighting Championship roster.

UFC Vegas 29 winners: Chan Sung Jung

Chan Sung Jung earned an important win last night at UFC Vegas 29. The current fourth-ranked featherweight needed a W to stay within striking distance of his ultimate goal of a second chance at UFC gold. Following up his October unanimous decision loss to current top contender Brian Ortega, another setback very well could have knocked him to the back of the top ten and out of contention for the rest of 2021.

Now, he gets to sit and wait from a position of strength, as the logjam in front of him clears out. Division champion Alexander Volkanovski will face Ortega in a battle of Ultimate Fighter coaches at some point in the next few months. While former division king Max Holloway and third-ranked Yair Rodriguez should get a new date for their postponed matchup–originally set for July. The optimal situation for “The Korean Zombie” would be for the champion to defend his thrown and for Holloway to have a closely fought win over Rodriguez.

Both Rodriguez and Ortega have decisive wins over Jung, and his star power could supersede a Holloway and Volkanovski trilogy fight when decision time comes for UFC brass.

UFC Vegas 29 losers: Aleksei Oleinik

Aleksei Oleinik is one of the greatest submission grapplers in heavyweight history. I wrote about it earlier this week and his 46 submissions win is more than enough statistical evidence. He is one of the last specialists left in the sport. But much like his welterweight counterpart Demian Maia, “The Boa Constrictor’s” Octagon days could be at an end.

Maia may get one more chance because of his resume as a former two-time title challenger and having lost to the elite of his division in his recent failures. After his UFC Vegas 29 loss to Sergey Spivak, Oleinik will now be outside the top-15, has lost five of his last seven, and most recently came up short in back-to-back defeats to unranked opponents. At this level, the 43-year-old may have finally hit a ceiling where his lack of striking technique can’t be overcome by his world-class grappling. Meaning if we see him compete again, it could be in a win-or-go-home Octagon finale or outside the promotion altogether.

UFC Vegas 29 winners: Matt Brown

I know I had my doubts about Matt Brown heading into his bout last night. He’s 40-years-old, had 40 fights worth of training miles on his body, he lost his last two bouts, and he had already retired once before. However, he quieted me and any doubters with a destructive walk-off knockout on Dheigo Lima inside the UFC Apex.

In one thunderous right hand, “The Immortal” tied ranked heavyweight Derrick Lewis for most knockouts in UFC history and put the welterweight division on notice. Because this old dog still has a bunch of bite left. Fellow UFC stalwart Donald Cerrone is likely to get one more chance in the Octagon, despite being winless in his last six. A rematch between these fan-favorite finishers is a grey beards delight that should be made next.

UFC Vegas 29 losers: Dhiego Lima

Two-time TUF contestant Dheigo Lima has had a solid run in the Octagon. However, when given a booking where a win could catapult him into bigger and better opportunities, he has fallen flat every time. It has happened against JingLiang Li, Jeese Taylor, Yushin Okami, Belal Muhammad, and now Brown.

Being the brother of superstar talent in former three-time Bellator welterweight champion Douglas Lima is no easy thing, but a reputation of letdowns in big fights only adds to the shadow cast. No matter who he faces next–a rematch with fellow TUF alum in Court McGee makes sense–he just needs to win to maintain his worthiness on the roster, and then start another rebuild to a big fight.

UFC Vegas Winners: Marlon Vera

Fifteenth-ranked Marlon Vera wasn’t in a must-win situation last night, but his revenge victory over former foe Davey Grant was still important nonetheless. His recent losses to Yadong Song and Jose Aldo were understandable setbacks against ranked opponents. Taking nothing away from Grant, but a second loss to him, and back-to-back losses overall, would have knocked him out of a rankings spot and into booking limbo.

Instead, after a slow start Vera showed the stuff that has made him one of the more popular bantamweights in the promotion and lines him up for worthwhile matchups in the fall. Vera versus Raphael Assuncao, Cody Stamann, or Jimmie Rivera next all would be fan-friendly affairs.

UFC Vegas 29 winner AND loser: Kanako Murata

It’s not often a competitor can win while losing, but Kanako Murata did that at UFC Vegas 29. First, the loser part. For the most part, Virna Jandiroba outclassed Murata wherever the fight took place. On the feet, she closed up her right eye an was too much to handle. On the mat, she dislocated the Japanese native’s elbow during an armbar attempt. Technically, it just wasn’t a good night for the 27-year-old.

However, that dislocated elbow did not deter Murata from surviving the submission attempt and competing for a full round after with a limb that was clearly useless. She showed the same kind of heart her MMA idol Kazushi Sakaruba did in his numerous wars in Pride Fighting Championship. She may not have won, but she endeared herself to fans by being competitive with one good arm and being heartbroken when the Octagon doctor showed mercy and stopped her from competing in the third. Murata is one tough woman.

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