Modestas Bukauskas
Lithuania
Booked vs. Bellato
Bukauskas will take on Rodolfo Bellato in a light heavyweight bout at UFC Vegas 117 on May 16, per Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl.
ANALYSIS
Bukauskas will be looking to bounce back after he lost his last time in the Octagon at the hands of Nikita Krylov in the third round of a fight back in January. That snapped a four-bout winning streak for the Lithuanian light heavyweight, and he'll look to get another winning streak started against an opponent on Bellato who carries a 2-1-1-1 UFC record into the fight.
Bukauskas will be looking to bounce back after he lost his last time in the Octagon at the hands of Nikita Krylov in the third round of a fight back in January. That snapped a four-bout winning streak for the Lithuanian light heavyweight, and he'll look to get another winning streak started against an opponent on Bellato who carries a 2-1-1-1 UFC record into the fight.
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Winning streak snapped at four
Bukauskas lost to Nikita Krylov via KO (punches) at 4:57 of Round 3 at UFC 324 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
ANALYSIS
Bukauskas was down two rounds on two of the three scorecards and was well on his way to losing Round 3, so the late stoppage didn't have an impact on the outcome of the fight, but it's a disappointing result for Bukauskas nonetheless as a -140 favorite. He simply wasn't able to get out of first gear the entirety of the bout. He allowed Krylov to lead the dance and never seemed able to recover. The good news for Bukauskas is that he entered having won four straight including three via stoppage, so his roster spot is plenty secure.
Bukauskas was down two rounds on two of the three scorecards and was well on his way to losing Round 3, so the late stoppage didn't have an impact on the outcome of the fight, but it's a disappointing result for Bukauskas nonetheless as a -140 favorite. He simply wasn't able to get out of first gear the entirety of the bout. He allowed Krylov to lead the dance and never seemed able to recover. The good news for Bukauskas is that he entered having won four straight including three via stoppage, so his roster spot is plenty secure.
Booked against Krylov
Bukauskas will fight Nikita Krylov at UFC 324 on Jan. 24, Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl reports.
ANALYSIS
Bukauskas will enter his next fight with a significant momentum advantage, as he's won four consecutive fights, while Krylov has lost both of his previous two bouts.
Bukauskas will enter his next fight with a significant momentum advantage, as he's won four consecutive fights, while Krylov has lost both of his previous two bouts.
Runs winning streak to four
Bukauskas defeated Paul Craig via KO (elbow) at 5:00 of Round 1 at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Paris.
ANALYSIS
The UFC did Bukauskas a huge favor here, giving up a layup fight against an opponent clearly at the end of the line, and to Bukauskas' credit, he took full advantage. He kept things simply on the feet, damaging Craig with power shots and closing the opening frame with a 22-6 edge in significant strikes landed. It was an elbow at the literal buzzer which knocked Craig brief unconscious, ending the fight. Modestas' second run with the UFC has gone light years better than the first. He's won four in a row and six of seven dating back to February 2023.
The UFC did Bukauskas a huge favor here, giving up a layup fight against an opponent clearly at the end of the line, and to Bukauskas' credit, he took full advantage. He kept things simply on the feet, damaging Craig with power shots and closing the opening frame with a 22-6 edge in significant strikes landed. It was an elbow at the literal buzzer which knocked Craig brief unconscious, ending the fight. Modestas' second run with the UFC has gone light years better than the first. He's won four in a row and six of seven dating back to February 2023.
Will aim for four
Bukauskas is scheduled to compete against Paul Craig in a light heavyweight fight at UFC Paris on Sept. 6, per Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl.
ANALYSIS
Bukauskas is on a three-fight win streak, having defeated Marcin Prachnio (arm-triangle), Raffael Cerqueira (punches) and Ion Cutelaba (decision) in succession. Up next is Craig, on a war path to redeem himself after going 1-5 (1) in his last seven fights, his latest a no-contest.
Bukauskas is on a three-fight win streak, having defeated Marcin Prachnio (arm-triangle), Raffael Cerqueira (punches) and Ion Cutelaba (decision) in succession. Up next is Craig, on a war path to redeem himself after going 1-5 (1) in his last seven fights, his latest a no-contest.
Secures third straight win
Bukauskas defeated Ion Cutelaba via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28) at UFC 315 on Saturday in Montreal.
ANALYSIS
It's a massive result for Bukauskas -- whether it was deserved or not -- in a fight which went off as a pick 'em. Neither man was able to create any real separation from the other. Modestas actually did fine when he went first, but those moments were few and far between. His best round was the third. The 31-year-old Lithuanian was released from the UFC back in late 2021 following a three-fight losing streak. He returned in February 2023 and has won three straight and five of six since. Bukauskas has matched up against lower-level competition, and there's zero reason to believe this run would continue against better opponents, but he's unquestionably one of the hotter fighters in the light heavyweight division at the moment.
It's a massive result for Bukauskas -- whether it was deserved or not -- in a fight which went off as a pick 'em. Neither man was able to create any real separation from the other. Modestas actually did fine when he went first, but those moments were few and far between. His best round was the third. The 31-year-old Lithuanian was released from the UFC back in late 2021 following a three-fight losing streak. He returned in February 2023 and has won three straight and five of six since. Bukauskas has matched up against lower-level competition, and there's zero reason to believe this run would continue against better opponents, but he's unquestionably one of the hotter fighters in the light heavyweight division at the moment.