MMA News

Author: Thomas Albano

  • Watch ‘The Hulk’ Ion Cuțelaba Light Up UFC Seattle With +2000 Finish

    Watch ‘The Hulk’ Ion Cuțelaba Light Up UFC Seattle With +2000 Finish

    For the first time in his UFC tenure, Ion Cuțelaba has scored a submission, defeating Ibo Aslan in the featured preliminary bout at UFC Seattle.

    Cuțelaba and Aslan got right into things early, swinging away and trading hard blows throughout the fight’s opening minute. Though each landed hard on one another, the Moldovan changed strategy and looked to bring the fight to the ground.

    This plan proved successful, as “The Hulk” was able to lock up an arm-triangle and score a tap in just under three minutes.

    Ion Cuțelaba Scores Submission Win In Under Three Minutes At UFC Seattle

    A victory via submission for Cuțelaba was unexpected, as his last one came against Vitali Ontishchenko in April 2015 — two fights prior to his UFC debut.

    The Moldovan standout winning via submission came in at +1100. A first-round submission win for “The Hulk,” in fact, had odds of +2000.

    Cuțelaba has now won three of his last four, bouncing back from a three-fight losing skid he suffered in 2022.

    Aslan, meanwhile, suffers the second loss of his professional career. He earned a UFC contract through a win over Paulo Renato Jr. on Dana White’s Contender Series and scored finishes of Anton Turkalj and Raffael Cerqueira prior to tonight’s loss.

  • VIDEO: Ricky Simon Flatlines Javid Basharat In Knockout Of The Year Contender At UFC Seattle

    VIDEO: Ricky Simon Flatlines Javid Basharat In Knockout Of The Year Contender At UFC Seattle

    After three losses and two and a half years, Ricky Simon finally re-entered the win column in grand fashion against Javid Basharat during the UFC Seattle preliminary card.

    The formerly ranked contender looked to get on the attack right away, and he managed to do so with a strong start that included a takedown. When Basharat started to counter the veteran’s grappling focus, however, Simon switched things up and started to make great use of his striking.

    Late in the first round, Simon landed a right hand that connected flush with the jaw, that rocked and dropped Basharat.

    Ricky Simon Starches Javid Basharat At UFC Seattle

    UFC Seattle marked Simon’s first win in the Octagon since defeating Jack Shore at UFC Long Island in July 2022. He has since suffered losses against Song Yadong, Mario Bautista, and Vinicius Oliveira.

    Basharat, meanwhile, is now winless in three straight after breaking into the UFC as an unbeaten fighter on Dana White’s Contender Series. His UFC 294 bout with Victor Henry went to a no contest, and he dropped a decision to Aiemann Zahabi almost exactly one year ago.

  • ‘Can’t Touch Mr. VanZant And Not Get Walking Papers’ – Austin Vanderford Wins UFC Seattle Debut, Gets Assaulted By Opponent Post-Stoppage

    ‘Can’t Touch Mr. VanZant And Not Get Walking Papers’ – Austin Vanderford Wins UFC Seattle Debut, Gets Assaulted By Opponent Post-Stoppage

    Former Bellator standout and Dana White’s Contender Series alum Austin Vanderford came out on top in his UFC debut at UFC Seattle — and his opponent, Nikolay Veretennikov, may have simultaneously made his last appearance.

    Vanderford completely dominated the opening round, gaining top control with a takedown and riding out on top for about four of the five first-round minutes. The debutant showed little let up, with Veretennikov getting very limited offense in.

    After a little defense from Veretennikov, “The Gentleman” returned the fight to the ground and got back to work, overwhelming the Kazakh fighter en route to a solid second-round TKO.

    Following the fight, an upset Veretennikov could be seen shoving Vanderford during his post-fight celebration. This prompted the American to return a shove and flip Veretennikov off, also earning the defeated fighter a chorus of boos.

    Austin Vanderford Shoved By Nikolay Veretennikov Following UFC Seattle TKO

    Vanderford, the husband of former UFC fighter and current bare-knuckle boxer Paige VanZant, is 13-2 in MMA. He submitted Angelo Trevino in his DWCS appearance but was not given a contract.

    He then appeared in Bellator between 2019 and 2022, winning five straight fights before an unsuccessful challenge of then-Bellator middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi and a loss to Aaron Jeffrey.

    Meanwhile, this was Veretennikov’s second UFC appearance. He dropped a split decision to Danny Barlow in August.

  • Dmitry Bivol Gets His Revenge, Outpoints Artur Beterbiev In Riyadh Rematch To Become Undisputed Champion

    Dmitry Bivol Gets His Revenge, Outpoints Artur Beterbiev In Riyadh Rematch To Become Undisputed Champion

    The scorecards in Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 were the same as their first fight — but in the other fighter’s favor.

    Bivol scored a majority decision win over Beterbiev in the main event of a card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to become the new undisputed light heavyweight champion and hand the Russian-Canadian his first loss in the professional boxing ring, just as Beterbiev did to him months ago.

    From the second the fight opened, it was as closely contested as their first. Beterbiev looked to bring pressure right away in the first round, but the challenger worked his hands well to bring it back. Bivol continued to keep busy in the third round, keeping this pace up through various combinations thrown.

    Beterbiev respond well over the next couple of rounds, bringing intense pressure and a dominating attack to the body. Bivol, in fact, had a notable mark on his forehead by the end of the fifth round, a frame which seemed to show the challenger getting visibly hurt by a Beterbiev right hand.

    After a quiet sixth round, Beterbiev kept his control of the fight in tact, up until his rival started to gain momentum toward the end of the seventh. Bivol then got back to landing better combinations and reset the momentum in his favor, seeming to get a second bursts of attack and control on.

    The 34-year-old continued this pacing as he let his hands go more as the fight got later. Beterbiev, however, was not going down without a fight, landing strong punches in the final round, cutting open his challenger over one of his eyes.

    Dmitry Bivol Avenges Loss To Artur Beterbiev, Wins Undisputed Light Heavyweight Championship

    One judge scored the bout 114-114, but they were overruled by scores of 115-113 and 116-112 in Bivol’s favor.

    Bivol now gets a taste of revenge after losing the WBA light heavyweight title in his first undisputed title encounter with Beterbiev in October.

    Bivol was WBA (Regular) champion in 2017 before becoming WBA (Super) champion in 2019. Bivol’s loss to Beterbiev was his first, having had an unbeaten record that saw him score victories over Canelo Alvarez, Gilberto Ramirez, Jean Pascal and Joe Smith Jr.

    Beterbiev had won the IBF light heavyweight title originally in November 2017, defeating Enrico Kolling. He then defeated Oleksandr Gvozdyk in October 2019 to win the WBC title and Smith Jr. in June 2022 to win the WBO gold.

  • ‘Usyk’s Toughest Fight’ – Fans React As Joseph Parker Stops Martin Bakole To Retain Interim Title In Riyadh

    ‘Usyk’s Toughest Fight’ – Fans React As Joseph Parker Stops Martin Bakole To Retain Interim Title In Riyadh

    After a scheduled IBF heavyweight title shot against Daniel Dubois suddenly fell through, Joseph Parker remained interim WBO heavyweight champion on Saturday by stopping Martin Bakole in two rounds.

    The fight served as the co-main event to Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    Parker worked his jab over the course of the first round, leading the way in attack as Bakole seemed to try and conserve energy. That did him nothing, however, as the New Zealander landed a right hand to the top of his challenger’s head in the second round. This caused Bakole to stumble and fall to the canvas.

    The Congolese behemoth made it to his feet, but the fight was stopped, as Bakole still did not have his feet under him.

    Joseph Parker KOs Martin Bakole In Two Rounds

    Parker has now won six straight fights, which includes decision wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang, the latter of which won him the WBO interim title last March. The Kiwi was scheduled to be stripped of the interim belt originally upon the start of his matchup with Dubois.

    Parker is the WBO mandatory challenger for WBA/WBC/WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk, but there have been previous talks of Usyk facing Dubois in order to gain an undisputed heavyweight champion in boxing once again.

    Meanwhile, Saturday’s result snapped a 10-fight win streak for Bakole.

  • Jared Cannonier Comes Back From Two Knockdowns To Batter Gregory Rodrigues In UFC Vegas 102 Main Event

    Jared Cannonier Comes Back From Two Knockdowns To Batter Gregory Rodrigues In UFC Vegas 102 Main Event

    Despite being troubled very early on in the UFC Vegas 102 main event, Jared Cannonier pulled off a major comeback to score a fourth-round finish of Gregory Rodrigues.

    “Robocop” brought the power from the opening round, dropping “The Killa Gorilla” twice with a couple of solid shots. Cannonier, however, managed to score a takedown late in the round, trying to steal momentum.

    Rodrigues continued to land solid strikes during the second round but his pace began to slow. The former title challenger, meanwhile, took advantage by picking up his own striking. He continued this output in the third, and emphasized his dominance with a late elbow that knocked “Robocop” down. Cannonier then threw some heavy ground-and-pound, nearly scoring the finish.

    Jared Cannonier Rallies To Stop Gregory Rodrigues In UFC Vegas 102 Main Event

    He’d find it in the fourth, however, pressuring and dominating for mere seconds before more punches folded Rodrigues.

    Cannonier stops a two-fight skid with the victory tonight. He’s now 3-2 following an unsuccessful middleweight title shot against Israel Adesanya at UFC 276 — with one of those three wins coming over another former champion in Sean Strickland.

    Rodrigues, who reached the fourth round for the first time in his professional MMA career, sees a three-fight win streak snapped. He entered tonight with five wins in his previous six outings.

  • ‘Zalal To PFL For Running An Entire Round’ – Fans Split As Youssef Zalal Outpoints Calvin Kattar At UFC Vegas 102

    ‘Zalal To PFL For Running An Entire Round’ – Fans Split As Youssef Zalal Outpoints Calvin Kattar At UFC Vegas 102

    Youssef Zalal received the biggest opportunity of his career thus far when he took on Calvin Kattar in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 102. But while he scored a decision win, the result led to a mix of reactions from MMA fans.

    Kattar tried to take control of the fight from the get-go, looking to blitz with the striking that led him to popularity during his Octagon career. Zalal, however, took advantage of that by using his footwork, keeping distance and landing counterstrikes.

    Footwork and distance continued to use this strategy and found success, frustrating Kattar over the course of the remaining 10 minutes to win the fight across all three judges’ scorecards.

    While some fans and media members felt it was excellent strategy, others were critical of the performance, stating Zalal would lose fans for the way he fought here.

    Youseef Zalal Splits MMA Fanbase With Performance In Win Over Calvin Kattar

    After his first stint in the UFC ended unceremoniously, Zalal has won seven straight and is now 4-0 since his return to the Octagon.

    Kattar, meanwhile, has now lost four straight and five of six since a January 2021 loss to Max Holloway.

  • Bo Nickal Gives Brutal Response To Callout From UFC Vegas 102 Winner: ‘Fans Say I Can’t Fight Cans Anymore…’

    Bo Nickal Gives Brutal Response To Callout From UFC Vegas 102 Winner: ‘Fans Say I Can’t Fight Cans Anymore…’

    Andre Petroski feels he’s ready for a step up in competition after his victory over Rodolfo Vieira at UFC Vegas 102.

    Unfortunately for him, the man he chose to call out, Bo Nickal, doesn’t share the same sentiment regarding the idea of a fight between the two of them.

    “I’d love to get an easy check but the fans say I can’t fight cans anymore,” Nickal wrote on X after being called out at UFC Vegas 102.

    Andre Petroski Calls Out Bo Nickal At UFC Vegas 102, Gets Rejected Quickly

    The first round between Petroski and Vieira was slow. In fact, the two combined for only about 10 punches in the entire five-minute span. The American had more control of the pacing in the first round, but his Brazilian opponent picked up his pace and took back control in the second.

    Petroski brought out more powerful shots in the third, nabbing him the win on all three judges’ scorecards.

    The victor then used his post-fight promo time to call out rising star Nickal.

    Nickal was quick to jump on social media and reject the fight proposal, referring to Petroski as a “can.”

    Petroski has won three straight now, having also bested Josh Fremd and Dylan Budka over the past year.

    Meanwhile, Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert Vieira is now 3-3 in his last six after starting his pro career 7-0.

  • ‘Made Him Hit The Undertaker’ – Fans React As Gabriel Bonfim Leaves Opponent Unconscious With Nasty Choke At UFC Vegas 102

    ‘Made Him Hit The Undertaker’ – Fans React As Gabriel Bonfim Leaves Opponent Unconscious With Nasty Choke At UFC Vegas 102

    With both Bonfim brothers competing at UFC Vegas 102, Gabriel Bonfim ensured a strong start for the pair with a second-round submission victory over knockout artist Khaos Williams during the preliminary card.

    Williams stalked his competition throughout the opening frame, looking to apply pressure and find the power shots that have led him to victory in the Octagon already. Bonfim, however, showed solid lateral movement over the course of the frame. And while “The Ox Fighter” showed solid takedown defense, his Brazilian counterpart was able to get him down a couple of times during the round.

    Williams fended off a late submission attempt prior to the end of the first round. When the same circumstances happened in the second frame’s dying seconds, however, the result was different.

    Bonfim locked up a Brabo choke and managed to leave Williams unconscious in a scary scene, scoring the victory with mere seconds remaining at the end of the second round.

    Gabriel Bonfim Chokes Out Khaos Williams At UFC Vegas 102

    https://twitter.com/Haduuuucken/status/1890895022855278684

    The Brazilian is now 4-1 in the UFC since his arrival from Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022.

    Meanwhile, since arriving to the UFC in 2020, Williams has consistently lost a fight after winning two — a pattern that has now continued as a result of his loss tonight.

  • 11-Year MMA Veteran Retires After Defeat In First Fight Of UFC Vegas 102

    Mixed martial arts veteran Julia Avila laid the gloves down at UFC Vegas 102.

    After suffering a decision loss to Jacqueline Cavalcanti in the opening bout of Saturday’s event, “Raging Panda” announced her retirement from professional MMA.

    “This is it,” Avila said before placing her gloves down in the middle of the Octagon. “I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to fight on the world’s best stage.”

    Julia Avila Retires Following UFC Vegas 102 Loss To Jacqueline Cavalcanti

    Avila made her professional MMA debut in 2012, though there was a four-and-a-half-year gap between her first two fights. After going 6-1, Avila made her UFC debut at UFC 239 in July 2019, defeating Pannie Kianzad.

    “Raging Panda” went 3-3 in the UFC. Prior to tonight’s fight, her last performance came in December 2023 when she was submitted by former champion Miesha Tate.

    Cavalcanti, a former LFA women’s bantamweight champion, is now 9-1 in her career, including a perfect 4-0 in the UFC.

  • Darren Till Set For Second Misfits Boxing Match Against Fellow Former UFC Fighter

    Darren Till Set For Second Misfits Boxing Match Against Fellow Former UFC Fighter

    After a victory in his debut, former UFC star Darren Till is now set to make his second professional boxing appearance, taking on another former UFC Darren – fellow Englishman Darren Stewart.

    The bout between “The Gorilla” and “The Dentist” will take place at Misfits Boxing 21 on March 29 at the AO Arena in Manchester, England.

    The ex-UFC title challenger made his professional boxing debut just last month, scoring a sixth-round TKO of Anthony Taylor.

    Till also competed in an exhibition boxing contest last July, stopping Mohammad Mutie in a bout that featured a post-fight brawl.

    Darren Till vs. Darren Stewart Booked For Misfits Boxing On March 29

    Till was once a rising unbeaten welterweight who made his MMA debut in 2013 and competed in the UFC between 2015 and 2022. After wins over Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, he went on to lose to Tyron Woodley in a welterweight title fight at UFC 228.

    “The Gorilla’s” MMA career ended with losses in five of six, with his final fight coming against current UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 282.

    Stewart, meanwhile, competed in the UFC between 2016 and 2021, going 5-8 (2 no contests) during his tenure there. He then fought in Cage Warriors for a couple of years before announcing retirement from the sport due to financial issues. Stewart finished his MMA career with a record of 16-10 (2 no contests).

  • ‘Thought He Was Going To War?’ – Fans React As Sean Strickland Gets Nose Broken In Lopsided Loss To Dricus Du Plessis At UFC 312

    ‘Thought He Was Going To War?’ – Fans React As Sean Strickland Gets Nose Broken In Lopsided Loss To Dricus Du Plessis At UFC 312

    The first fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland was a close battle that could have fallen either way, ending in a controversial decision for the South African despite UFC CEO Dana White feeling “Tarzan” won the fight. But the rematch between the two was not close at all.

    Du Plessis took complete control in a lackluster, dominant decision win over Strickland to retain the UFC middleweight championship in the main event of UFC 312.

    The opening round saw both men delivering single shots. Despite previous acknowledgement about the risks of close rounds, Strickland tried to use his jab for a lead, but the champ kept distance and strategically landed whenever he saw an opening.

    The American landed some strong strikes early in the second round, but “Stillknocks” completely took over the output of that frame from there, seemingly putting the former champion in an early 2-0 hole.

    The defending champion continued to take advantage of a lack of activity from the former one during round three. The big moment of the fight, however, happened in the middle of the fourth round when a right hand from Du Plessis connected harshly, breaking Strickland’s nose. Blood poured out as the challenger looked to up his power to get back into the fight.

    In spite of nearly getting caught in a guillotine during an unadvised rush in, Du Plessis stayed the course and landed from distance, with his output far exceeding Strickland’s.

    The South African nearly swept the scorecards, with two 50-45s and a 49-46 in his favor to keep the gold.

    Dricus Du Plessis Retains In Dominant Outing Over Sean Strickland

    https://twitter.com/MartialMind1/status/1888469449621283168

    Du Plessis won the middleweight title in the original fight with Strickland last year at UFC 297 and retained the gold with a submission of Israel Adesanya at UFC 305.

    Strickland, meanwhile, defeated Paulo Costa at UFC 302. He had won the middleweight title in upset fashion when he defeated Adesanya at UFC 293 in September 2023.

  • Zhang Weili Dominates Tatiana Suarez, Defends Title With Five-Round Masterclass At UFC 312

    Zhang Weili Dominates Tatiana Suarez, Defends Title With Five-Round Masterclass At UFC 312

    Despite coming into the bout as the betting underdog for the first time as a champion, Zhang Weili was able to dominate Tatiana Suarez in a five-round decision to end the challenger’s undefeated streak and retain the UFC women’s strawweight title in the UFC 312 co-main event.

    Suarez easily took control of the fight in the opening minute, scoring a takedown. The American did not land shots but remained on top without much trouble. Suarez even looked for a guillotine, but she was unable to complete the choke.

    Zhang was more than ready entering round two, however. She prevented a takedown and managed to drop right into mount. With the two practically against the fence in one way or another for quite a bit of the round, the defending champion landed plenty of shots from top control.

    “Magnum” scored a couple of noteworthy strikes in the third round, including a right hand that clearly rocked Suarez. The champ continued to stop the takedown attempts from the challenger, displaying complete control of the action.

    Zhang Weili Retains Strawweight Title, Hands Tatiana Suarez First Loss

    “Magnum” continued this pace over the course of the next two rounds, stopping any attempts from Suarez to get back into the fight and dominating more in top control.

    The judges ultimately scored the bout in the champ’s favor, with two 49-46s and a 49-45.

    Zhang has now won five straight, including successful defenses against Amanda Lemos and Yan Xiaonan in her second reign as UFC strawweight champion. She now ties Joanna Jedrzejczyk with six successful defenses of the 115-pound title.

    With her dominant victory tonight, some now wonder if “Magnum” will be booked for a superfight against flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko in the near future.

    Meanwhile, this was Suarez’s first fight since her August 2023 win over Jessica Andrade.

  • Israel Adesanya & Kelvin Gastelum’s 2019 Barnburner Announced For UFC Hall Of Fame

    Israel Adesanya & Kelvin Gastelum’s 2019 Barnburner Announced For UFC Hall Of Fame

    Israel Adesanya’s recently gone on a rough patch in his MMA venture, including his knockout loss to Nassourdine Imavov last week. But in a moment of lightness, he will be honored for putting on one of the greatest bouts in Octagon history as part of this year’s UFC Hall of Fame class.

    Adesanya’s interim middleweight title fight with Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236 will be inducted into the Fight Wing of the UFC Hall of Fame this summer during International Fight Week, the promotion announced during the UFC 312 pay-per-view.

    The two put on an absolute war at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA, on that April 2019 night, with UFC CEO Dana White claiming in the immediate aftermath that it was one of the greatest fights he’s ever seen in his life.

    Israel Adesanya vs. Kelvin Gastelum Announced For UFC Hall of Fame Class Of 2025

    The fight was a back-and-forth affair, with plenty of moments from both men. Gastelum took many people by surprise when he rocked Adesanya with a head kick late in the fight. Adesanya, however, locked in and did plenty of damage during the final round, nearly prompting referee Marc Goddard to step in.

    Adesanya ultimately won the interim title on a unanimous decision before going on to defeat Robert Whittaker later that year at UFC 243 to become undisputed UFC middleweight champion.

    The fight joins The Ultimate Fighter Executive Producer Craig Piligian as the inductees announced thus far for the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2025. More inductees are expected to be announced at the next couple of UFC pay-per-view events.

  • Watch Israel Adesanya Recite Alex Pereira’s Catchphrase While Sat Next To ‘Poatan’ At UFC 312

    Watch Israel Adesanya Recite Alex Pereira’s Catchphrase While Sat Next To ‘Poatan’ At UFC 312

    Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira have waged war plenty of times with one another between their time in kickboxing and MMA. But at UFC 312 in Australia, the longtime rivals appeared to be at peace, as the pair were sitting next to each other audience.

    After images emerged of the two stars seated together, a video showed Pereira flipping the camera to Adesanya, with the fellow former UFC middleweight champion calmly exclaiming, “Chama” — the catchphrase of the current UFC light heavyweight king.

    Israel Adesanya, Alex Pereira Seated Next To One Another During UFC 312

    Adesanya and Pereira fought twice in kickboxing. Pereira won both fights, once via decision and the other via knockout.

    Pereira, who went on to win championships in GLORY Kickboxing, transitioned over to MMA full time and fought Adesanya twice there. Their first meeting came at UFC 281 in November 2022, with Pereira scoring a comeback fifth-round finish to win the UFC middleweight championship.

    Adesanya finally scored a win and regained the title when he went on to knock out Pereira at UFC 287 five months later.

    Their careers have gone in opposite directions since. Pereira has become the champion at 205 pounds, defeating the likes of Jiří Procházka, Jamahal Hill, and Khalil Rountree. “The Last Stylebender,” meanwhile, dropped the middleweight title in upset fashion to Sean Strickland, failed to regain the belt against Dricus Du Plessis, and was knocked out by Nassourdine Imavov last week at UFC Saudi Arabia.

  • ‘Never Close To His Brother’s Level’ – Fans Split As Ilia Topuria’s Sibling Wins Debut At UFC 312

    ‘Never Close To His Brother’s Level’ – Fans Split As Ilia Topuria’s Sibling Wins Debut At UFC 312

    Though the jury may still be out on him, Aleksandre Topuria, the brother of UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria, undoubtedly scored a victory in his Octagon debut, defeating Colby Thicknesse during the preliminary card of UFC 312 in Australia.

    The Spaniard and his Australian foe traded plenty of strikes to start things off, with the former also shaking off a pair of takedown attempts in the fight’s opening minute.

    Late in the first, Topuria rocked Thicknesse with a right hand, with the latter going down to the mat. In spite of “El Conquistador” taking his back, Thicknesse was able to get back to his feet and got away from his grasp. Topuria, however, managed to land one nasty-looking suplex in the round’s closing seconds.

    Thicknesse picked up the pacing and volume of his striking in the second round. The Spanish newcomer, however, maintained his stalking, pressure-based approach en route to another strong performance.

    By the middle of the third round, Topuria had stuffed eight of Thicknesse’s takedown attempts before “El Conquistador” took the fight to the ground himself. Ilia’s brother rode out about half of the final round in top position, controlling the position and stopping any desperation submission attempts from Thicknesse.

    Aleksandre Topuria, Ilia’s Brother, Wins UFC Debut At UFC 312

    The Spanish debutant went 2-1 in fights during 2015 before taking years off, helping Ilia out with his MMA journey. He competed three times between December 2021 and May 2023, winning all three fights, before making his UFC debut tonight.

    Thicknesse, meanwhile,was 7-0 prior to tonight, most recently defeating Marven Malunes at a HEX Fight Series event in November.

  • ‘Another Boxing Match No One Cares About’ – Fans React As Canelo Álvarez Has First Riyadh Season Fight Announced After Canceling Jake Paul Talks

    ‘Another Boxing Match No One Cares About’ – Fans React As Canelo Álvarez Has First Riyadh Season Fight Announced After Canceling Jake Paul Talks

    After a period of time where things appeared to be uncertain, it looks like Canelo Álvarez does have his plan laid out for Riyadh Season after all.

    With a fight against Terence Crawford seemingly on the horizon for later this year, the WBA/WBC/WBO super middleweight champion will defend his titles against William Scull on May 3 in Saudi Arabia.

    This will mark the first time Álvarez is not in either Las Vegas or Mexico for a fight during Cinco de Mayo weekend since a bout in Texas in 2015 — with the exception of his suspension during 2018.

    There seemed to be a time, however, where in spite of plenty of reports announcing a deal between Álvarez and Crawford was being finalized, Álvarez looked to be switching plans to a May encounter with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.

    In a span of hours, Canelo went from finalizing a deal with Crawford, to finalizing with Paul, to going back to Crawford and finalizing plans to face Scull prior to that.

    Canelo To Face William Scull In May, Prior To Facing Terence Crawford

    https://twitter.com/BCampbell/status/1888339901734907983

    Paul has been vocal in the aftermath of the news, verbally attacking Canelo and claiming the Mexican boxing legend has done nothing for the sport.

    Álvarez last fought in September, retaining his championships in a decision over Edgar Berlanga.

    Paul, meanwhile, defeated Mike Tyson in an eight-round bout in November that was broadcasted on Netflix. The streaming platform would also have broadcasted a bout between him and Álvarez.

    Crawford has not been seen since his lackluster decision win over Israil Madrimov to win the WBA and vacant WBO interim light middleweight titles. A fight with Álvarez would reportedly be at 168 pounds.

  • UFC’s Bryce Mitchell Releases Statement Addressing Backlash To Hitler Comments: ‘I’m Definitely Not A Nazi’

    UFC’s Bryce Mitchell Releases Statement Addressing Backlash To Hitler Comments: ‘I’m Definitely Not A Nazi’

    Bryce Mitchell has released a statement in response to the massive backlash he has received in the wake of pro-Adolf Hitler comments he made on a podcast.

    In the first episode of his new podcast, ArkanSanity, Mitchell appeared to defend Hitler, the dictator and leader of Germany under Nazi rule. The UFC featherweight claimed that while Hitler wasn’t “perfect,” he was “a good guy.”

    “I honestly think Hitler was a good guy, based upon my own research, not my public education and indoctrination,” Mitchell said. “He fought for his country, he wanted to purify it by kicking the greedy Jews out who were destroying his country and turning them all into gays. Was Hitler perfect? No, but he was fighting for his people. He wanted a pure nation.”

    After significant backlash, Mitchell took to Instagram Saturday, attempting to walk back elements of his remarks.

    “I’m sorry I sounded insensitive,” Mitchell said in the statement, released on his Instagram account. “I definitely was not trying to offend anybody, but I know I did. I know that a lot of people died in the Holocaust, and that’s a fact. Hitler did a lot of evil things, I think we can all agree on that. I’m definitely not a nazi, and definitely do not condone any of the evil things he did.”

    Mitchell added in the post’s description that, [sic] “in the future i will b much more considerate wen talkin about the suffering of all peoples.”

    Mitchell’s original comments, in spite of the apology released today, also had him claiming that the Holocaust was not real, stating “there’s no possible way they could’ve burned and cremated 6 million bodies…” and putting the blame for its existence on the public education system.

    Several fighters and MMA media members came out with criticism targeted toward Mitchell in the wake of his comments. UFC CEO Dana White stated that he was “beyond disgusted” with Mitchell’s comments. White, however, confirmed that Mitchell would not be cut or punished, citing “free speech.”

    Another UFC star, Conor McGregor, would come under fire mere hours later for a profanity-laced rant filled with ethnic and racial slurs fired against Khabib Nurmagomedov.

  • Khabib, Makhachev, & Other Fighters React As Nassourdine Imavov Knocks Out Israel Adesanya At UFC Saudi Arabia

    Khabib, Makhachev, & Other Fighters React As Nassourdine Imavov Knocks Out Israel Adesanya At UFC Saudi Arabia

    In the biggest fight of his life, Nassourdine Imavov has come through — and he’s called his shot for a crack at gold.

    Even in a fight where many were picking against him, Imavov performed in a big way, stunning the world with a second-round stoppage of former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia.

    Adesanya took complete control of the opening round, showing flashes of his vintage self with the way he was striking and defending his French counterpart’s takedown.

    Imavov, however, massively turned things around just seconds into the second round. “The Sniper” rocked Adesanya with a right hand, putting him against the fence and to the ground. There, the 29-year-old dropped several seconds of harsh ground-and-pound until the fight was halted 30 seconds into the second round.

    Nassourdine Imavov Pulls Off Stunning Knockout Of Israel Adesanya At UFC Saudi Arabia

    Imavov is now unbeaten in his last five and has won four straight, previously defeating the likes of Brendan Allen, Jared Cannonier, and Roman Dolidze.

    Adesanya, meanwhile, has now lost three straight. This was his first non-title fight since 2019, coming into this fight off back-to-back middleweight title fight losses against Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis.

  • ‘Fraud Checked’ – Fans React As Michael ‘Venom’ Page Takes Shara Magomedov’s 0 At UFC Saudi Arabia

    ‘Fraud Checked’ – Fans React As Michael ‘Venom’ Page Takes Shara Magomedov’s 0 At UFC Saudi Arabia

    The undefeated streak of Shara “Bullet” Magomedov is no more.

    Michael “Venom” Page came in with a strategy and puzzled Magomedov, going on to take a decision win in the co-main event of UFC Saudi Arabia.

    Both fighters brought out a tactical approach to the first round, being selective with their shots. While Magomedov had his moments, Page notably was able to land several countershots after utilizing his jabs and feints.

    “MVP” used his reach to his advantage in the second round, keeping his distance and preventing Magomedov from getting any momentum in his strikes. Even when “Bullet” did manage to close the distance, he was unable to take full advantage.

    Page continued this strategy in the third round, and while Magomedov had his moments there, it wasn’t enough. Page scored a unanimous decision win, earning 30-27s on two judges’ cards and one 29-28.

    Michael ‘Venom’ Page Ends The Undefeated Record Of Shara ‘Bullet’ Magomedov

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    “MVP” is now 2-1 in the Octagon, rebounding from a loss to Ian Garry at UFC 303. The Bellator veteran made his UFC debut at UFC 299 last year, defeating Kevin Holland.

    Before tonight, Magomedov had scored victories over Bruno Silva, Antonio Trócoli, Michał Oleksiejczuk and Arman Petrosyan in the Octagon.

  • ‘Division Has Been Sh*t Since Ngannou Left’ – Fans React As Sergei Pavlovich Nets Lackluster Decision Over Jairzinho Rozenstruik At UFC Saudi Arabia

    ‘Division Has Been Sh*t Since Ngannou Left’ – Fans React As Sergei Pavlovich Nets Lackluster Decision Over Jairzinho Rozenstruik At UFC Saudi Arabia

    Early on at UFC Saudi Arabia, we witnessed what happens when there is a heavyweight highlight thanks to Shamil Gaziev’s first-round knockout of Thomas Petersen. Ranked contenders Sergei Pavlovich and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, however, provided the polar opposite of such an outing during the main card portion of the evening.

    Both fighters took a patient approach, with neither man looking to pull the trigger and go to the next level. While Pavlovich landed the bigger shots, he did not connect with anything that would wobble and trouble Rozenstruik.

    The former interim title challenger instead took “Bigi Boy” down, with his top control leading him to sweeping the judges’ scorecards.

    Sergei Pavlovich Scores Decision Win In Snoozefest At UFC Saudi Arabia

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    This win bounces Pavlovich back from a pair of losses to current interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall and Alexander Volkov.

    Rozenstruik, meanwhile, is now 3-2 in his last five fights.

  • VIDEO: Shamil Gaziev Lands Devastating Walk-Off Knockout During UFC Saudi Arabia Prelims

    VIDEO: Shamil Gaziev Lands Devastating Walk-Off Knockout During UFC Saudi Arabia Prelims

    Heavyweight knockouts are a delight to MMA fans, and Shamil Gaziev pulled off such a highlight by getting a first-round finish of Thomas Petersen during the UFC Saudi Arabia prelims.

    Gaziev landed a right hand on the button three minutes into the bout, dropping Petersen. That was all that was needed, with the Bahraini behemoth walking off as the fight was called.

    Shamil Gaziev Lands One-Punch KO To Put Away Thomas Petersen At UFC Saudi Arabia

    https://twitter.com/Haduuuucken/status/1885724125890547964?t=fqnHhzHnQCHznJutYpdUaQ&s=19

    Gaziev is now 3-1 in the Octagon since arriving by way pf Dana White’s Contender Series, with the sole loss coming against Jairzinho Rozenstruik early last year. He initially bounced back with a decision over Don’Tale Mayes before making it two wins on the bounce at Riyadh’s anb Arena.

    Petersen, another DWCS alum, is now 1-2 in the UFC. His one victory in the Octagon came at the expense of Mohammed Usman in 2024.

  • VIDEO: Terrance McKinney Records 15th First-Round Finish Of His Career At UFC Saudi Arabia

    VIDEO: Terrance McKinney Records 15th First-Round Finish Of His Career At UFC Saudi Arabia

    It was another first-round highlight from Terrance McKinney, as he got the job done quick against Damir Hadžović on the preliminary card of UFC Saudi Arabia.

    McKinney did damage right away with his powerful punches in the opening minute. “T. Wrecks” then grabbed the neck and brought the fight to the ground, looking for a choke.

    When that didn’t work, however, the American delivered vicious ground-and-pound until the fight was stopped just over three minutes into the opening frame.

    https://twitter.com/Haduuuucken/status/1885718234499887442?t=nRk8Hc870J0LGTQnhrDObg&s=19

    McKinney has now won three of his last four now, allowing him to rebound from a knockout loss to Esteban Ribovics. The result in Riyadh also marked the 15th first-round finish of his career, with only one of his victories seeing a second stanza.

    Hadžović, meanwhile, has now lost four of his last five.

  • ‘Dark Horse In The Division’ – Fans React As Jasmine Jasudavicius Wins First UFC Women’s Fight In Saudi Arabia

    ‘Dark Horse In The Division’ – Fans React As Jasmine Jasudavicius Wins First UFC Women’s Fight In Saudi Arabia

    Jasmine Jasudavicius continues to come into her own, coming out on top in a historic bout against former title challenger Mayra Bueno Silva on the preliminary card of UFC Saudi Arabia.

    The fight made promotional history in that it was the first women’s UFC bout to take place in the country.

    It was all-around domination from Jasudavicius, who completely outstruck Bueno Silva in the first round and turned a takedown into nearly three minutes of control time — despite having to shove off a submission attempt from “Sheetara.”

    Jasudavicius continued to outstrike Bueno Silva and scored another pair of takedown attempts over the next two rounds, combining for over four minutes more of control time, en route to sweeping the judges’ scorecards.

    Jasmine Jasudavicius Dominates Inaugural Women’s UFC Fight In Saudi Arabia

    Jasudavicius has now won four straight and six of her last seven, with her sole loss coming against Tracy Cortez at the original Noche UFC event.

    Bueno Silva, meanwhile, is 0-3 (1 NC) in her last four. That run includes three straight losses, beginning with her vacant bantamweight title fight loss to Raquel Pennington at UFC 297 early last year.

  • ‘Make It Happen’ – Fans React To Jeremy Stephens Facing Off With Conor McGregor After Stopping Eddie Alvarez At BKFC KnuckleMania V

    ‘Make It Happen’ – Fans React To Jeremy Stephens Facing Off With Conor McGregor After Stopping Eddie Alvarez At BKFC KnuckleMania V

    In a battle of former power-punching UFC stars, Jeremy Stephens was able to come away with a huge victory, knocking out hometown hero Eddie Alvarez in Philadelphia in the main event of BKFC’s KnuckleMania V.

    The two started the fight with some feeling out before Alvarez connected with a pair of left jabs. “Lil Heathen” started to get a rhythm, but Alvarez got into his own groove, working Stephens over with crisp combinations.

    The former UFC champion started to work the body in the second round, but Stephens picked up his pace and power, landing stronger shots. Alvarez, however, took back control of the fight in the second half of the round.

    A right hand from “Lil Heathen” dropped Alvarez to start the third round. While “The Underground King” got back to his feet, Stephens aimed to get the finish, rushing forward and focusing on the jab.

    He was able to drop Alvarez with another right hand in the round’s closing seconds, and while the Philadelphia native saw the bell, his corner elected to wave the fight off after the round, giving Stephens the victory in enemy territory.

    Following his victory, Stephens had a faceoff with BKFC part-owner Conor McGregor, who once infamously asked who “Lil Heathen” was at a UFC press conference in 2016.

    Fans React As Jeremy Stephens Forces Corner Stoppage Of Eddie Alvarez, Faces Off With Conor McGregor

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    Stephens now improves to 3-0 in the BKFC ring, having previously finished Jimmie Rivera and scored a decision over Bobby Taylor at BKFC 56 and BKFC 65, respectively.

    Alvarez, meanwhile, now falls to 1-2 in the promotion, having defeated Chad Mendes at BKFC 41 but lost to Mike Perry for the King of Violence Championship at BKFC 56.