Beating the Books: UFC 232

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While UFC 232 on Saturday was mired in controversy after the event was moved from Las Vegas to Inglewood, California, on just a few days’ notice, the fighters themselves made certain the post-fight talk centered on what took place inside the Octagon. Top to bottom, it turned into one of the better cards of the year and featured a number of exciting finishes that will not soon be forgotten.

Five underdogs sprang upsets before an announced crowd of 15,862 at The Forum. They are front and center in this edition of Beating the Books.

Amanda Nunes (+175)

The co-main event featured a historic upset, as Nunes defeated Cristiane Justino to become the first female two-division champion in UFC history. The American Top Team star stood toe-to-toe with “Cyborg” and proved to be the faster, more accurate and more powerful striker, as she landed several blows that knocked down Justino before delivering the kill shot just 51 seconds into the fight. It was an incredible performance from Nunes, who was the biggest underdog to cash on the card at +175 odds.

Corey Anderson (+110)

Corey Anderson outstruck Ilir Latifi to take home a unanimous decision in their light heavyweight showcase, as he moved closer to a Top 5 ranking at 205 pounds. While the fight was lacking in the action department, Anderson did what he needed to do to post his third win of 2018. “The Ultimate Fighter 19” winner cashed at +110 odds.

Alexander Volkanovski (+120)

The UFC featherweight division saw the rise of a brand-new title contender, as Volkanovski steamrolled Chad Mendes and scored a second-round technical knockout in the “Fight of the Night.” Volkanovski showed solid takedown defense and unleashed power punches on Mendes in what was the most significant victory of his career to date. The Aussie cashed as a +120 underdog.

Megan Anderson (+120)

In one of the strangest stoppages of all-time, Anderson landed a high kick to Cat Zingano’s eye that temporarily blinded her and resulted in a quick first-round finish for the Aussie. It was unfortunate that the fight did not play out, and a rematch could be in order due to the bizarre manner in which it ended. Nevertheless, Anderson cashed at +120 odds.

Uriah Hall (+150)

In what can only be described as a stunning comeback, Hall brutally knocked out Bevon Lewis late in the third round in a fight he was clearly losing. The two-time Ring of Combat champion has become one of the most unpredictable fighters in the sport because of his ability to look terrible one second and brilliant the next. Lewis appeared to be cruising to a unanimous decision before a counter right hook from his opponent changed his course. Hall cashed as a +150 underdog.

Adam Martin is a mixed martial arts journalist who has been covering the sport since 2011. He is currently the lead odds analyst for Sherdog.com, as well as the lead staff writer for MMAOddsbreaker.com. Adam is also the co-host of “The Parting Shot Podcast” on iTunes. His favorite fight of all-time is Dan Henderson-Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, and he wishes Pride Fighting Championships never died. Adam is based out of Toronto, and he is a graduate of the University of Toronto and Centennial College. Get in touch with him on Twitter at @MMAdamMartin.