October 14 was a big day for combat sports fans as several big fights took place in different parts of the world that have been long anticipated. First up, Youtuber turned boxer Logan Paul finally shared the ring with former Bellator fighter Dillon Danis after months of social media trolling and trash-talking.
On the same card, another YouTuber turned boxer, KSI, took on pro-boxer Tommy Fury in the headline event of the night. However, both of these fights were rather lackluster. While the Paul-Danis fight was an absolute no-show, the Tommy Fury fight with KSI was no better. Nevertheless, the night was saved as mixed martial arts came to the fans’ rescue.
Michel Pereira moved up to the middleweight division when he competed against Andre Petroski at UFC Vegas 81. Due to Marc-Andre Barriault’s unexpected withdrawal from this weekend’s UFC Vegas 81 event, Petroski stepped up on short notice to face the always entertaining Michel Pereira.
THE RIGHT HAND FROM MICHEL PEREIRA 💥 #UFCVegas81 pic.twitter.com/EYHusMONeI
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) October 14, 2023
Petroski has enjoyed considerable success since joining the UFC, while Pereira has had his share of ups and downs, prompting his decision to move up to the middleweight division after struggling with a significant weight cut to 170 pounds.
In the first round, Pereira began with a well-executed body kick, followed by a powerful left hand that sent Petroski to the canvas. From there, ‘Demolidor‘ closed in and finished the fight with ground and pound. Pereira appeared noticeably more robust and quicker after moving up to the middleweight division, where he seems to have discovered a more suitable weight class for his abilities.
Logan Paul vs. Dillon Danis and KSI vs. Tommy Fury failed to impress the fans
While the KSI vs. Tommy Fury fight and also Logan Paul’s grudge fight against Dillon Danis may have raked in substantial pay-per-view revenue, it fell short of impressing the combat sports enthusiasts worldwide. Influencer boxing matches have consistently faced criticism for their limited competitive significance and questionable skill levels.
Dillon Danis proved that he is not much more than a social media troll, as he did not even try to hit Logan with some good punches. Even Nate Diaz vs. Jake Paul was a more entertaining fight than this, as both fighters looked invested in the fight and had some level of competency when it came to skillset.
Can’t believe y’all paid for this
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) October 14, 2023
Paul got the better of Danis in the majority of the six-round fight. But in the last round, things took a bizarre turn as ‘El Jefe’ attempted a guillotine choke on ‘Maverick‘. This led to an all-out brawl as members from both teams as well as security personnel stepped into the ring. It ultimately led to Paul getting his hand raised via disqualification.
The KSI vs. Tommy Fury fight was no better, as the majority of the fight showcased both fighters just clinching. They even got multiple warnings for this but did not care to stop. The 6-round bout witnessed just 39 punches that landed from Tommy Fury and 38 from KSI. The former won by a majority decision.