The best and worst from UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cowboy

Modified Jan 19, 2020 15:48 GMT

Conor McGregor wasted no time in taking out Donald Cerrone at UFC 246

#2 Best: Kelleher makes the most of his opportunity

Brian Kelleher was one of last night's big winners after his submission of Ode Osbourne

The Bantamweight fight between Brian Kelleher and Ode Osbourne was never supposed to be showcased on the main card of last night’s show; Claudia Gadelha vs. Alexa Grasso was meant to be in the spot, but when Grasso’s weight snafu meant that the Strawweight fight was scrapped, the UFC made the odd decision to move ‘Boom’ and ‘The Jamaican Sensation’ to a position where – due to the presence of Conor McGregor in the main event – tons of eyeballs would be on them.

Plenty of times we’ve seen fighters in a similar position produce a stinker of a fight, but thankfully that wasn’t the case last night as Kelleher – usually known for his striking skills – took Osbourne down in the first round, secured a tight guillotine choke, and in a total rarity, forced the newcomer to tap out with his feet.

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Kelleher was coming off two straight losses leading into this fight and the likelihood of him becoming a title contender at 135lbs seems very minimal, but it doesn’t matter – he grabbed his opportunity with two hands last night – earning a $50k bonus in the process – and he’ll probably get another main card showcase off it, too. ‘Boom’ was definitely one of the biggest winners last night.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Habil Ahmed Sherule