Check out how the pros reacted to welterweight Michael Chiesa schooling Neil Magny for five rounds in the main event of UFC Fight Island 8.
Chiesa entered the bout on a three-fight win streak since moving up to welterweight, which included a dominant win over Rafael dos Anjos in his last bout. As for Magny, he was the winner of three straight bouts himself, including a dominant decision win over Robbie Lawler in his last fight. That wasn’t the case here, as Chiesa utterly schooled Magny on the floor. The former Ultimate Fighter winner looked great, winning 49-46 across the board.
For Chiesa, this was the kind of big win that he needs if he is want to take the next step up into the upper echelon of UFC welterweights. Following the bout, he called out Colby Covington. Keep in mind that Chiesa also called out Covington after his last win, so there is some long-term bad blood here. It seems likely that Covington will fight Jorge Masvidal next, leaving Chiesa to fight someone else ranked at the top of the division like Stephen Thompson.
Check out how the pros reacted to Chiesa dominating Magny on the ground.
UFC welterweight Khamzat Chimaev
https://twitter.com/KChimaev/status/1351996436733448195
UFC lightweight Kevin Lee, a former Chiesa opponent
Chiesa been working on his ground game
advertisement – continue reading below— Kevin MTP Lee (@MoTownPhenom) January 20, 2021
Congrats
— Kevin MTP Lee (@MoTownPhenom) January 20, 2021
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UFC color commentator Jon Anik
Michael Chiesa is at his suffocating best tonight. #TUFLive
— Jon Anik (@Jon_Anik) January 20, 2021
UFC welterweight contender Rafael dos Anjos, another former opponent of Chiesa
What a great grappling exchange by both man #AbuDhabi
— Rafael dos Anjos (@RdosAnjosMMA) January 20, 2021
UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz
https://twitter.com/JanBlachowicz/status/1351990134393155584
UFC analyst Michael Bisping
Trending well for Chiesa this fight. The man who wins the clinch in this fight will be the winner. That man is @MikeMav22
— michael (@bisping) January 20, 2021
Contender Series prospect Natan Levy
https://twitter.com/Levy_Natan/status/1351991310404648962
UFC welterweight Belal Muhammad
Wonder if he calls out colby again or takes a shot at wonderboy
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) January 20, 2021
PFL lightweight Anthony Pettis
https://twitter.com/Showtimepettis/status/1351990351855198211
We shall see what the UFC chooses to do with Chiesa next, but safe to say he’s earned himself a big fight after going 4-0 since moving up to welterweight. It was particularly pretty cool to see Kevin Lee bury the hatchet with Chiesa and say some kind words to him considering their rivalry at lightweight. But Chiesa is a full-fledged welterweight contender now, and that was a long time ago.
Who do you want to see Michael Chiesa fight after a dominant victory over Neil Magny at UFC Fight Island 8?