MMA News

Author: Thomas Albano

  • Jiří Procházka Reiterates Plan To Move Down To Middleweight Following Dricus Du Plessis’ Title Defense

    Jiří Procházka Reiterates Plan To Move Down To Middleweight Following Dricus Du Plessis’ Title Defense

    There is a realistic possibility that we could be seeing Jiří Procházka competing in a new weight class next time out.

    Just as he did some time after UFC 303, Procházka continued to tease a drop down in weight in a new video on his YouTube channel.

    In the video, the Czech star mentions feeling ready to fight again now, but he is currently waiting for the right conditions to go into a matchup sharp in mind, body, and spirit.

    The interviewer then asks Procházka about the weight he plans to return at. The former light heavyweight champion states that if Dricus Du Plessis were to win at UFC 305, he would look at the possibility of moving down to middleweight. The South African retained the middleweight championship earlier this month at UFC 305, submitting Israel Adesanya.

    “I’ll clear things up a bit there and take the belt,” Procházka said. “But I feel good and strong in the light heavyweight division, even though the guys there are a bit heavier, almost all of them. So I have to say that I have no problem physically and strength-wise, or in any way, with clearing them out.

    “But it would certainly be a challenge for me to go for the belt in the (middleweight) division and then move (back) up. But I’ll really let it flow and see how it unfolds.”

    Jiří Procházka Eyeing Move Down To Middleweight To Challenge Dricus Du Plessis

    Procházka is coming off an unsuccessful challenge of Alex Pereira for the UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 303 in June. The result marked the second time in about seven months that the two clashed over the championship.

    Pereira recently teased his own move down to middleweight to challenge Du Plessis and try to become a simultaneous two-division champion, having already held the 185-pound gold before his move up to 205 pounds.

    Procházka was also asked about rumors of a potential fight with another former light heavyweight champion in Jamahal Hill. “Sweet Dreams” fell in his own challenge of “Poatan” at UFC 300 — the same card that saw Procházka finish Aleksandar Rakić.

    The Czechia native poured cold water on such rumors during this interview.

    “There hasn’t been any negotiation or discussion with the manager, or anyone else yet,” Procházka said. “I just sent one message regarding Hill, just as an informational note, and I’m not sure if anything has progressed or if someone let something slip. But for now, it’s all just speculation.”

  • ‘Give Him Adesanya’ – MMA Fans React As Caio Borralho Outlasts Jared Cannonier In UFC Fight Night Main Event War

    ‘Give Him Adesanya’ – MMA Fans React As Caio Borralho Outlasts Jared Cannonier In UFC Fight Night Main Event War

    Caio Borralho represents the Fighting Nerds with pride and continued to do so with the biggest win of his career in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event, scoring a decision over Jared Cannonier.

    Borralho got Cannonier in trouble during the opening round, picking him apart with his kicks. The veteran contender and former title challenger, however, got himself on the board in the second rframe when he started to find his groove in his punching, which included a brief wobble of “The Natural” late in the round.

    The two had an action packed third stanza and were just about even in terms of significant strikes landed, especially to the head. Borralho, however, ended up getting Cannonier wobbly. And even when “The Killa Gorilla” tried to fight back with his power, he stumbled, showing he was still rocked. Cannonier, however, was able to survive the round.

    Borralho continued to bring heavy pressure in the fourth round, but the 40-year-old brought his power, landing damaging shots. By the end of the frame, notable swelling could be seen around one of Borralho’s eyes.

    But late in the fifth round, Borralho delivered again, landing a one-two that dropped Cannonier. The Brazilian scrambled and got to work with strong ground-and-pound. The American, however, managed to survive the attack and a subsequent choke attempt.

    That was enough for the judges, as two scored the fight 49-45 and one 48-46, all for Borralho.

    Caio Borralho Rocks Jared Cannonier Twice, Solidifies Himself As Middleweight Contender At UFC Fight Night

    https://twitter.com/Full_Violence/status/1827576506367021335
    https://twitter.com/SpxrtsMxster/status/1827577433865765054

    Borralho has won all but two of the fights in his professional career thus far. He’s 6-0 in the Octagon after winning a contract through a victory over current Bellator fighter Aaron Jeffrey on Dana White’s Contender Series. He entered this fight coming off a knockout of Paul Craig at UFC 301, and Borralho will now find himself in the mix of top middleweight contenders.

    Borralho used his post-fight interview to call out Dricus Du Plessis, who retained his UFC middleweight title against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia, last weekend.

    Cannonier, meanwhile, has now lost two straight and three of his last five, stretching back to his unsuccessful challenge of then-champion Adesanya at UFC 276 in the summer of 2022.

  • ‘Ricci & Hill Did Not Skip Cardio Day’ – MMA Fans React To Barnburner In UFC Fight Night Co-Main Event

    ‘Ricci & Hill Did Not Skip Cardio Day’ – MMA Fans React To Barnburner In UFC Fight Night Co-Main Event

    Tabatha Ricci and Angela Hill delivered an intense and high-action co-main event at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night.

    Ricci looked to bring the pressure to Hill right away in the first, as the two traded throughout the course of the opening round. That led to plenty of trading over the course of the fight’s 15 minutes.

    The high pace saw “Baby Shark” control the action in the first frame, but the second presented a much closer story. Ricci again looked to take charge and bring pressure in the pocket. Her American counterpart, however, looked to answer her attacks with counters and seemed to land the cleaner shots. The Brazilian did manage to score a takedown during the stanza.

    Hill managed to put up a strong third round to try to solidify things in her favor. However, all three judges ultimately gave the nod to Ricci with scores of 29-28.

    Tabatha Ricci Scores Decision Win In Closely Contested, Striking-Filled Battle With Angela Hill

    https://twitter.com/RichardAMann/status/1827566006954324398
    https://twitter.com/CharlieQuinnMMA/status/1827564787309441407

    Ricci has now won back-to-back bouts and has emerged victorious from six of her last seven. She is now most likely guaranteed a spot in the top 10 of the UFC’s strawweight rankings.

    Hill, meanwhile, is now 2-2 in her last four fights.

  • VIDEO: Mairon Santos Folds Opponent With Brutal Left Hook To Win TUF 32 Featherweight Tournament

    VIDEO: Mairon Santos Folds Opponent With Brutal Left Hook To Win TUF 32 Featherweight Tournament

    Mairon Santos introduced himself to the UFC in style, scoring a highlight knockout of Kaan Ofli to claim the crown for the featherweight portion of The Ultimate Fighter season 32.

    Santos got the better of his Team Grasso teammate during the opening round at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night, scoring better with his strikes.

    Then, in the second round, Santos landed a right-left combination that faceplanted Ofli. A few follow-up shots later and the referee stepped in to give the tournament championship to Santos.

    Mairon Santos Puts On Striking Display, Lands Brutal KO To Claim TUF 32 Featherweight Title

    Santos entered this season as one of the most experienced featherweights, coming in with a 13-1 record and having recently fought in the LFA. His only MMA loss heading into the season came at the hands of another TUF alumnus in Dan Argueta.

    Santos defeated Edwin Cooper Jr. and Guillermo Torres to advance to the finals.

    On the other side, Ofli, the former HEX Series featherweight champion, defeated Nathan Fletcher and Roedie Roets to advance to tonight’s fight.

    The Ultimate Fighter season 32 was coached by UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko ahead of their trilogy fight at UFC 306 on September 14.

  • ‘Did What Garry Couldn’t’ – Fans React As Michael Morales Drops Neil Magny With Spinning Elbow, Stays Undefeated With Relentless Ground & Pound

    ‘Did What Garry Couldn’t’ – Fans React As Michael Morales Drops Neil Magny With Spinning Elbow, Stays Undefeated With Relentless Ground & Pound

    Michael Morales continues to be on the rise in the UFC’s welterweight division. And with a finish of Neil Magny now on his record, it will be interesting to see if this nabs the Ecuadorian a spot in the rankings at 170 pounds.

    The still-unbeaten Morales put on a brutal and dominant performance with his striking at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night, particularly with a spinning elbow that landed and knocked Magny down with about 100 seconds left in the first round.

    Morales subsequently made his way on top of Magny, landing strong ground-and-pound until the referee stepped in for the first-round TKO.

    Michael Morales Puts Beating On Neil Magny To Remain Undefeated At UFC Fight Night

    After a win over Nikolay Veretennikov on Dana White’s Contender Series, Morales is now 5-0 in the Octagon, scoring finishes of Trevin Giles and Adam Fugitt in addition to decisions over Max Griffin and Jake Matthews.

    Magny, meanwhile, has now lost three of his last five fights. This is “The Haitian Sensation’s” first time being knocked out since a loss to Santiago Ponzinibbio in November 2018.

  • Gerald Meerschaert Surpasses Anderson Silva Record With Incredible Comeback Submission Of Edmen Shahbazyan At UFC Fight Night

    Gerald Meerschaert Surpasses Anderson Silva Record With Incredible Comeback Submission Of Edmen Shahbazyan At UFC Fight Night

    There is a new record holder for most finishes in UFC middleweight history, and his name is Gerald Meerschaert.

    Meerschaert’s history-making performance came in comeback fashion on top of that, going from nearly getting finished by Edmen Shahbazyan to scoring a second-round submission in the opening bout of the UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Borralho main card.

    The veteran 185lber was in trouble early in the sophomore stanza when Shahbazyan dropped him with a body shot. “The Golden Boy” got right to work with fast-paced ground-and-pound, looking to finish Meerschaert off as “GM3” covered up and looked to move away.

    Fortunately for the 36-year-old, a lot of the punches from Shahbazyan went off the arms, allowing Meerschaert to stay in the fight.

    The once highly touted prospect stayed on the ground as he stopped his attack, which also played right into Meerschaert’s favor. The grappling specialist was able to make his way into an arm-triangle and score the submission.

    Gerald Meerschaert Sets New Record For Most Finishes In UFC Middleweight Division History

    The tap-out was Meerschaert’s 12th finish in the UFC middleweight division, his 11th via submission.

    The longtime divisional mainstay now moves to 37-17 in his career and has won two straight and three of his last five fights.

    Shahbazyan, meanwhile, is now 2-2 in his last four following a three-fight losing skid. He has not strung together consecutive wins since 2019.

  • VIDEO: Debutant Wang Cong Kicks Off UFC Fight Night With Devastating One-Punch Knockout

    VIDEO: Debutant Wang Cong Kicks Off UFC Fight Night With Devastating One-Punch Knockout

    Wang Cong brought a vicious beginning to UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Borralho, as well as her Octagon career, thanks to a brutal knockout to claim victory in just 62 seconds in the card’s opening bout.

    With the win, Cong set the second-fastest knockout in UFC women’s flyweight history.

    The Chinese fighter connected with a solid one-two, which saw a right cross connect on the button and drop opponent Victoria Leonardo in vicious fashion.

    Wang Cong Drops Victoria Leonardo In Just One Minute With Strong Right Hand

    This was Wang’s first win since defeating Paula Luna on Road to UFC this past May.

    She made her professional MMA debut in 2022, competing for promotions such as UAE Warriors and Kunlun Fighting World Championship while going 4-0 with two finishes.

    Leonardo, meanwhile, has now lost four of five since earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020.

    Saturday’s event will be headlined by a crucial middleweight contest between former title challenger Jared Cannonier and the fast-charging Caio Borralho. Elsewhere, the likes of Neil Magny and Angela Hill will make the walk to the Octagon.

  • Late Medical Issue Leaves UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Borralho One Bout Down

    Late Medical Issue Leaves UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Borralho One Bout Down

    An Apex card that was already questionable in the minds of some fans received a hit just as the broadcast of UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Borralho started.

    The broadcast opened with the commentary team announcing that the preliminary card bout between two TUF 32 participants, Zygimantas Ramaska and Nathan Fletcher, was scrapped due to a medical issue for Fletcher. According to UFC commentator Brendan Fitzgerald, the cancellation came just minutes before the card was scheduled to begin.

    This knocked the lineup down to five preliminary card fights and five main card bouts.

    Zygimantas Ramaska vs. Nathan Fletcher Canceled Due To Medical Issue Minutes Before UFC Fight Night Begins

    Both men competed on season 32 of The Ultimate Fighter, which was coached by UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Alexa Grasso and former champion and upcoming challenger Valentina Shevchenko.

    Ramaska defeated Bekhzod Usmonov in the opening round of the featherweight tournament in a fight considered one of the best of the season. However, the Nevada State Athletic Commission did not medically clear him on late notice to move on to the semifinals.

    Fletcher, meanwhile, was defeated by Kaan Ofli in the opening round, and any potential plans for him to replace Ramaska in the tournament were dashed the week prior when it was discovered he had a broken fibula.

    Ofli and Mairon Santos compete later tonight in the featherweight final of the show, while Ryan Loder and Robert Valentin compete in the middleweight finale.

  • Alex Pereira Defends UFC Against Backlash To Khalil Rountree Title Shot: ‘The Way Ankalaev Has Been Acting…’

    Alex Pereira Defends UFC Against Backlash To Khalil Rountree Title Shot: ‘The Way Ankalaev Has Been Acting…’

    Alex Pereira has taken to playing defense on behalf of the UFC following the announcement of his next title defense.

    In the days prior to UFC 305, UFC CEO Dana White officially announced UFC 307 on Oct. 5 in Salt Lake City, with Alex Pereira defending his UFC light heavyweight championship in the main event against Khalil Rountree.

    The UFC was met with backlash over the selection of Rountree as the title challenger. “The War Horse” has won five straight and has Performance of the Night bonuses in three of his last four wins. Rountree, however, is only ranked #8, coming off back-to-back finishes of Chris Daukaus and Anthony Smith.

    Many were instead clamoring and believing that the next challenger would be Magomed Ankalaev, who will instead face Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 308 later that month. The Russian, ranked #2 at light heavyweight, is coming off a huge knockout of Johnny Walker from the start of 2024.

    The decision to pick Rountree over Ankalaev has left many feeling that the UFC and CEO Dana White still hold a grudge against him for the UFC 282 light heavyweight title fight with Jan Błachowicz that ended in a draw. That was despite many feeling Ankalaev deserved the nod that night.

    In a new YouTube video, however, Pereira claimed that while he also hoped for a fight with Ankalaev, the Dagestani does not want to fight him.

    “I always wanted to fight against Ankalaev,” Pereira said via translation. “I threw that to the organization, left it very clear, but Ankalaev didn’t want to fight against me. I don’t know the reason — if it was the location, if he just didn’t want to.

    “He isn’t the champion; he can’t pick anything. I think it’s the opportunity that shows up; he didn’t want it. He has his reasoning. I don’t know what it is,” Pereira continued. “Came to tell you guys, I’m not scared of anyone, and everyone knows my history.

    Alex Pereira Claims Magomed Ankalaev Refused To Fight Him, Promises Striking War With Khalil Rountree

    Pereira added that the way Ankalaev is acting, in his mind, could result in him not taking the fight with Rakić seriously and costing himself an eventual title shot.

    “Ankalaev is talking about Jiří (Procházka), saying he is a false fighter, that he isn’t good since he lost two times to me. Everyone knows my story, seen my fights, not just UFC but also in (GLORY) Kickboxing, what I did to my opponents. He is taking these two fights to talk bad about the guy. I think Ankalaev has to be very careful with Rakić. The way Ankalaev has been acting his last fights, no one likes it. Fight was a tie, everyone saw it.

    “I think he should watch out for Rakić. He is talking a lot about me, he is going to knock me out and all that. It’s what he says, but at the time, we’ll see if that’s what it is. But I think he should watch out with this fight. (It’s a) very dangerous fight for him; maintain focus on this fight because he is getting a tough opponent.”

    Pereira added that despite Rountree’s ranking, the UFC thinks it’s the best matchup stylistically and that he is confident they will put on an entertaining performance.

    Pereira, furthermore, pointed out his own meteoric rise to the top of the UFC as reason people should not count Rountree out.

    “I think he is a guy showing work,” Pereira said. “It is going to be a good fight for us both. We both like to strike. Not just good for us, but for who is watching. Like I said, I thought it was going to be Ankalaev, but I think the organization sees it as a guy who will give a good fight. They are doing all this for you guys, to please you guys. Same way how I wasn’t ranked. Things happen very fast; look at what you guys get whenever I fight.

    “So I think they are thinking the same thing for Khalil, giving him this opportunity. Ranking doesn’t matter. What matters is the work he has been doing, giving a show. I think it will be a good fight.”

  • Muhammad Mokaev Signs With New Promotion Following UFC Departure

    Muhammad Mokaev Signs With New Promotion Following UFC Departure

    Muhammad Mokaev finally has a new home after his public departure from the UFC last month. “The Punisher” has signed with Brave CF, where he previously competed prior to the UFC.

    Mokaev’s signing was first reported by the BBC before the promotion put out a press release announcing his signing.

    In a statement in the release, Brave CF president Mohammad Shahid said Mokaev and his talents were welcome with open arms, and he appeared to accuse other promoters, including UFC CEO Dana White, of trying to defame the Dagestan-born Brit’s character.

    “There has been an unjust persecution of his character and attempts to use defamation to feed personal vendettas, and is evidently clear that there are no clear reasons as to why the best athlete in the world cannot compete,” Shahid stated. “This is not what the sport is all about, and for BRAVE CF to have him back is fantastic, and he now can become a voice for all these challenges. Not only that, his return solidifies our ethos to have the best fight the best irrespective of any other variable, be it of creed, sex, color or marketability.

    “We would like to welcome back Muhammad Mokaev, an undefeated superstar, who is an amateur legend, with two IMMAF world titles, and someone who has proven to be the best flyweight in the world, with no losses to his amateur or professional record. This is a very exciting time for Brave CF.”

    Muhammad Mokaev Signs With Brave CF Following UFC Departure

    Mokaev made his professional MMA debut with Brave CF in 2020, scoring a decision win over Glenn McVeigh at Brave CF 37. Five of the seven fights Mokaev had prior to signing with the UFC were in the organization, with “The Punisher” going 4-0 (1 NC).

    Mokaev later went 7-0 in the UFC and was a top flyweight contender. However, he was not re-signed by the promotion, with White criticizing Mokaev in a UFC 304 post-fight press conference for “so much bad s*** that happened behind the scenes.”

    That card saw Mokaev defeat Manel Kape in a lackluster outing after a fight week that included multiple confrontations between the pair, including one where Mokaev sucker-punched “Starboy.”

    PFL’s Ray Sefo later added that he had heard Mokaev was a “pain in the ass” and the promotion was not interested in him.

  • Judge Sets Trial Date For UFC Antitrust Lawsuit After Rejecting Settlement

    *UPDATE: On Monday, August 20, Judge Richard Boulware set a trial date on February 3, 2025, for the UFC antitrust lawsuit filed against the promotion by fighters such as Cung Le and Nate Quarry. The date won’t be adjusted unless the judge approves a new preliminary settlement.

    Original article published on July 31, 2024.

    After being placed on hold earlier this month, the settlement given out by TKO Holdings Group, the parent company of the UFC, in a pair of class-action lawsuits against the MMA promotion have now been rejected by the judge, resulting in the scheduling of a jury trial.

    Josh Gross, who has covered MMA since 2000 for a number of outlets, including ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and The Athletic, was present in the courtroom when Judge Richard F. Boulware, district judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, came down with his decision not to grant preliminary approval for the settlement on July 12.

    “Judge Boulware did not grant preliminary approval for the UFC class-action antitrust settlement today. I was in the courtroom this afternoon. Boulware expressed several areas of concern and it sure seemed to me that he’s leaning toward denying the deal and moving to a jury trial.”

    Though it’s rare to hear about in settlements like this one, Gross mentioned that Judge Boulware was leaning toward a complete shutdown of the agreed-upon settlement, potentially bringing the UFC antitrust case to a jury trial after all.

    That came to fruition on Tuesday night, with the judge officially rejecting the settlement and ordering the Le suit back to trial on October 28, 2024. A status conference will comes beforehand on August 19.

    Jury Trial Expected For UFC Antitrust Lawsuit After Judge Does Not Approve $335 Million Settlement

    In March, TKO agreed to a $335 million payout to settle a pair of antitrust lawsuits, representing more than 1,200 fighters, brought against the UFC. One, [Cung] Le et al. vs. Zuffa, centered around fighters who competed in the UFC between Dec. 16, 2010, and June 30, 2017. The other, [Kajan] Johnson et al. vs. Zuffa, represented fighters competing from July 1, 2017, through 2021.

    The plaintiffs had initially sought approximately $1.6 billion in damages.

    In his thread, Gross outlined the issues Judge Boulware had with the settlement. One of these is the gap between the amount agreed upon in the settlement and what the fighters had initially sought. Gross noted that “Boulware addressed the amount of money awarded to fighters in the settlement and how it is being distributed, especially compared to what fighters could win at trial with treble damages.”

    Additionally, Judge Boulware has taken issue with the settlement when looking at the attentions of the different lawsuits. The Le fighters are more focused on their settlement, while the Johnson fighters on injunctive relief (in other words, as Gross notes, changes in contracts and protections that would allow more freedoms for fighters).

    While Boulware acknowledged a lack of wrongdoing on behalf of the legal counsel representing the fighters, he did note that the current settlement does little for those fighters represented in the Johnson class-action suit.

    Paul Gift of Forbes noted last month that Judge Boulware had “serious concerns” about the settlement. He also noted that the plaintiffs claimed the UFC would only settle both class-action cases simultaneously.

    Legal expert Michael McCann of Sportico has suggested the UFC and attorneys for the Le case could strike a separate deal, while the Johnson case — which is in a much earlier phase of litigation — remains in court.

    The UFC released a statement on Wednesday, expressing disappointment and disagreement with the judge’s ruling.

  • FFNYC: Watch Jake Paul & Mike Tyson Face Off & Presser Highlights

    FFNYC: Watch Jake Paul & Mike Tyson Face Off & Presser Highlights

    Jake Paul and Mike Tyson began the hype and path toward their November 15 battle with a press conference in New York City on August 18, held as one of the final events of the three-day Fanatics Fanfest NYC.

    Though the press conference began 40 minutes after it was originally scheduled to start, the Javits Center theater was packed to capacity and the crowd was raucous. From the moment Paul entered, he was mercilessly booed and jeered; meanwhile, Tyson received non-stop cheering throughout the event.

    The press conference was hosted by Ryan Clark, who discussed the bout which he called the biggest boxing event in the world, bringing together six generations of boxing fans.

    Both men expressed not just a desire, but a promise, to knock the other man out in their fight on November 15 in Dallas, Texas.

    Paul claimed that he was the one who brought the fight’s lucrative Netflix deal to Tyson, claiming that it was Tyson who insisted the fight be sanctioned as it is.

    Tyson responded by stating that he’s taken this fight because he can, calling it the best of all time vs. a YouTuber, which resulted in the crowd directing a “YouTuber!” chant at Paul multiple times during the press conference.

    After just a couple of media questions, the two stared down, with some physicality appearing to show.

    Paul vs. Tyson was originally scheduled to go down in July before Tyson suffered an ulcer flare up on a plane.

    Paul enters this fight on a four-fight win streak, most recently stopping Mike Perry last month.

    This will be Tyson’s first sanctioned pro fight since his loss to Kevin McBride in June 2005, which ultimately served as Tyson’s retirement bout. Tyson battled Roy Jones Jr. to an eight-round draw in an exhibition bout in November 2020.

  • Alex Pereira, Belal Muhammad, Aljamain Sterling, & Other MMA Fighters React To Dricus Du Plessis Submitting Israel Adesanya At UFC 305

    Alex Pereira, Belal Muhammad, Aljamain Sterling, & Other MMA Fighters React To Dricus Du Plessis Submitting Israel Adesanya At UFC 305

    Both men appeared to take round one to feel each other out and get their striking going. Adesanya landed strong starts early but appeared to get caught by Du Plessis later in the round.

    Du Plessis changed his gameplan in the second and looked for takedowns quickly, scoring multiple takedowns and fighting against wizzers from Adesanya. Du Plessis threatened a choke on more than one occasion. Adesanya appeared to get some sort of knockdown off a punch, but Du Plessis fell into him, knocking Adesanya down and allowing Du Plessis to get back into grappling control against the fence.

    Both men had their moments during the third round, with Adesanya rocking Du Plessis with a spinning back elbow, and Du Plessis stunning him with combinations. But the New Zealander was landing more on the feet, with his work to Du Plessis’ body of note.

    Adesanya continued to get the better of Du Plessis on the feet and troubled him in the fourth. That is, until Du Plessis blitzed back, getting to Adesanya’s back and bringing him back to the ground. There, Du Plessis finally locked in the same rear-naked choke he looked for in the second round and scored the submission.

    Following the fight, Du Plessis gave respect to Adesanya, squashing their beef.

    Meanwhile, despite the assumption a rematch between DDP and Sean Strickland will be next, and Alex Pereira defending the light heavyweight title against Khalil Rountree in October, Pereira took to social media to tease a move back down to 185 to challenge Du Plessis.

    Dricus Du Plessis Submits Israel Adesanya To Remain Middleweight Champion

    https://twitter.com/SpinninBackfist/status/1825035282686611801

    Du Plessis and Adesanya had a heated confrontation following UFC 290, where Du Plessis knocked out Robert Whittaker to earn a future title shot.

    Du Plessis entered tonight with a nine-fight win streak, having not lost since dropping the KSW welterweight title in October 2018. Du Plessis defeated Sean Strickland at UFC 297 in January to win the UFC middleweight title.

    This marked Adesanya’s first fight since his heavy upset loss to Strickland at UFC 293, losing the middleweight championship after regaining it from Alex Pereira at UFC 287. Adesanya had previously won the belt with a knockout of Whittaker at UFC 243 in October 2019, successfully defending the title five times before dropping it to Pereira at UFC 281.

  • ‘Poirier vs Hooker 2 Anyone?’ – MMA Fans React To Dan Hooker Edging Out Mateusz Gamrot In UFC 305 War

    ‘Poirier vs Hooker 2 Anyone?’ – MMA Fans React To Dan Hooker Edging Out Mateusz Gamrot In UFC 305 War

    Dan Hooker will find himself back in the upper echelon of the lightweight division once again after UFC 305, as he defeated Mateusz Gamrot in a closely contested war.

    Gamrot got off to a strong start in the opening round, landing damaging shots on Hooker and nearly locking him in a submission. Hooker, however, seemed to show some fire in the closing seconds of the round.

    That fire continued into the second round, as “The Hangman” brought forth plenty of pressure against Gamrot, including some sharp elbows. That said, Gamrot did not relent in his offense either.

    The third ultimately proved to be a very even round, with both men trading control throughout.

    Two judges gave the fight to Hooker, giving the win to the Oceania fighter.

    MMA Fans React To Hooker’s UFC 305 Win Over Gamrot

    Hooker has now won three straight and will be likely in for a big opportunity in his next outing. The New Zealander himself mentioned in his post-fight interview a BMF title fight with Max Holloway, a showdown with Conor McGregor and a title eliminator (or interim title fight) with Arman Tsarukyan.

    This fight snapped a three-fight win streak for Gamrot, meanwhile. Entering this fight, only he and Tsarukyan had wins in their most recent fights out of those in the top five of the lightweight contender rankings.

  • ‘Tui Tuivasa Is Giving Me Tony Ferguson Vibes’ – MMA Fans React To ‘Bam Bam’ Earning Ridiculous 30-27 Scorecard Despite Getting Dominated At UFC 305

    ‘Tui Tuivasa Is Giving Me Tony Ferguson Vibes’ – MMA Fans React To ‘Bam Bam’ Earning Ridiculous 30-27 Scorecard Despite Getting Dominated At UFC 305

    Jairzinho Rozenstruik may find himself back in the top-10 of the UFC’s heavyweight rankings come next week, but the story after his win doesn’t come from his performance, but that of one judge’s scorecard.

    Rozenstruik pieced up Tai Tuivasa in their UFC 305 encounter, being technical with his striking and doing serious damage. Tuivasa hurt his leg with a leg check in the second round, and Rozenstruik nearly finished with a couple of flurries in the round.

    But while one judge saw the fight 29-28 Rozenstruik, and another 30-27 Rozenstruik, a third judge, Howie Booth, scored every round for Tuivasa — despite unanimous agreement from MMA media and MMA fans that Rozenstruik won rounds two and three.

    MMA Fans And Media Blast Judge Who Awarded Tai Tuivasa A 30-27 Card Despite Being Dominated By Jairzinho Rozenstruik

    https://twitter.com/Qutb_Patia/status/1825007703942455721
    https://twitter.com/fawadalijourno/status/1825007700393996291

    Rozenstruik has now won three of his last four fights.

    Tuivasa, meanwhile, has dropped five straight.

    UPDATE: The judge who scored the fight for Tuivasa has been relieved of his duties for the rest of the night.

  • ‘Some Borderline Paul Daley Behavior’ – MMA Fans React To Junior Tafa Slapping Valter Walker After Controversial Verbal Submission Loss At UFC 305

    ‘Some Borderline Paul Daley Behavior’ – MMA Fans React To Junior Tafa Slapping Valter Walker After Controversial Verbal Submission Loss At UFC 305

    A highly contentious aftermath came as the result of the finish of the featured UFC 305 prelim, as Valter Walker pulled off a sudden first-round win over Junior Tafa.

    After getting rocked by Tafa’s striking early, Walker took the fight to the ground, where he secured solid control of the fight and did not let up.

    As the seconds of the first round ticked down, Walker locked in a leg lock and got a yell of pain from Tafa, which caused the referee to step in.

    Tafa protested, slapping Walker after the fight and exchanging barbs with him.

    Though Tafa was unhappy and the UFC commentary team initially confused, the referee, under the Unified Rules of MMA, is allowed to call a verbal submission if a fighter cries out from pain.

    Valter Walker Scores Verbal Submission Win Over Junior Tafa

    https://twitter.com/FitzP980/status/1824988582051778791
    https://twitter.com/YuniBaka6/status/1824988549638246493
    https://twitter.com/cagecide/status/1824987313887162811

    Walker scores his first UFC win tonight, rebounding from dropping his UFC debut to Łukasz Brzeski in April.

    Tafa is now just 1-3 in the UFC.

  • ‘What Happens When You Play Around & Think You’ve Got The Win’ – MMA Fans React After Josh Culibao Loses Close Split Decision To Ricardo Ramos

    ‘What Happens When You Play Around & Think You’ve Got The Win’ – MMA Fans React After Josh Culibao Loses Close Split Decision To Ricardo Ramos

    Josh Culibao and Ricardo Ramos fought a competitive battle during the UFC 305 prelims, with two judges ultimately feeling Ramos deserved the nod in a close, controversial split decision.

    Though Culibao damaged Ramos’ leg badly, leaving him limping, the Brazilian had complete control once the fight went to the ground, threatening a choke and nearly finishing the fight there in round one.

    Culibao got back to work in the second round, landing more with his striking and having some fun in the process – courtesy of a ballerina-style spin.

    In a close round three, two judges felt that Ramos, through the use of a takedown and doing what he could with his control, deserved the win.

    However, it was clear that Culibao landed the greater damage through the fight.

    Ricardo Ramos Earns Win In Narrow, And Controversial, Split Decision

    https://twitter.com/cursedmma187/status/1824983183084892586

    Ramos snaps a two-fight losing skid with the victory tonight, coming in off back-to-back submission losses to Charles Jourdain and Julian Erosa.

    Culibao has now dropped three straight after starting his UFC run 3-1-1.

  • ‘Burns Isn’t Even PFL Material’ – Merciless MMA Fans React After After Jack Jenkins Makes Herbert Burns Quit At UFC 305

    ‘Burns Isn’t Even PFL Material’ – Merciless MMA Fans React After After Jack Jenkins Makes Herbert Burns Quit At UFC 305

    Just under a year after suffering an injury in his last fight, Jack Jenkins is back in the win column, defeating Herbert Burns during the UFC 305 prelims.

    Jenkins overwhelmed Burns on the feet, as he worked several hard-hitting combinations, compared to the single shots that Burns offered. Burns dropped to his back multiple times during the second half of the fight, unsuccessfully inviting Jenkins to get into his guard, with the referee forcing the fight back to the feet.

    Jenkins dropped Burns early in the third round with a low kick and punch, and Burns was unable to get to his feet, forcing the referee to stop the fight and award Jenkins the win.

    Burns’s lackluster performance was targeted on social media.

    Jack Jenkins Forces Herbert Burns Unable To Continue At UFC 305

    https://twitter.com/sebs0077/status/1824967301197594855
    https://twitter.com/4batzzzz/status/1824967325134524585
    https://twitter.com/2frank2fella/status/1824962985988657514
    https://twitter.com/OsakaFightClub/status/1824967277302722914

    Jenkins, who scored a third-round finish on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022, is now 3-1 in the Octagon. The Australian native scored wins over Don Shainis and Jamall Emmers but suffered an arm injury against Chepe Mariscal at UFC 293 last year.

    Burns has now lost four straight, having not tasted victory in the Octagon since UFC 250.

  • Dana White Reacts To UFC Fighters Brawling At PFL Event With Jibe At The Rival Promotion

    Dana White Reacts To UFC Fighters Brawling At PFL Event With Jibe At The Rival Promotion

    A UFC fight appeared to break out at the venue that hosted last night’s PFL Playoffs event, as ranked middleweight contenders Brendan Allen and Marvin Vettori went at it — just not in the cage.

    The scuffle took place on the casino floor of the Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, immediately following the PFL card.

    There were multiple reports and videos that flooded social media in the immediate aftermath, but MMA Mania’s Alex Behunin brought out the clearest report. According to him, Vettori swung and missed at UFC light heavyweight Tuco Tokkos.

    Michael Johnson tried to step in to move everyone away, but Allen connected with a one-two on Vettori, dropping him to the casino floor.

    Video of the incident can be seen below:

    https://twitter.com/Im565097757086/status/1824685398997520868

    Dana White Takes Shot At PFL In Response To Brendan Allen & Marvin Vettori’s Post-Show Scuffle

    UFC CEO Dana White appeared to see the footage and decided to use the opportunity to take a light-herted jab at his rival promotion.

    “Had to be fight of the night if it was at PFL,” White wrote.

    Allen and Vettori were originally scheduled to square off in the main event of UFC Vegas 90 in April before Vettori pulled out of the fight due to injury. Since then, however, the two have continuously exchanged harsh words to one another.

    Allen instead rematched and defeated Chris Curtis in that main event. The win was Allen’s seventh in a row, and he is scheduled to face Nassourdine Imavov in Paris next month.

    Vettori, a former middleweight title challenger, has lost three of his last five. He has not fought since June of last year, dropping a decision to Jared Cannonier.

  • ‘Leave It Closed’ – MMA Fans React To Report That Renovations Will Pause UFC Apex Events

    ‘Leave It Closed’ – MMA Fans React To Report That Renovations Will Pause UFC Apex Events

    Since its official opening in 2019, the UFC Apex was created to be a state-of-the-art production facility for the MMA promotion. In addition to hosting fights for The Ultimate Fighter and Dana White’s Contender Series, the APEX has been an integral part of the UFC experience, hosting Fight Night events since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The UFC’s events at the Apex, in terms of both card quality and limitations, however, have put a strain on fan enjoyment. But MMA enthusiasts may receive a small break from such cards in the near future.

    According to Caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman on X), the renovations to the Apex that will begin in November mean the facility will not be re-opened until the summer of 2025.

    Ken Hathaway of MMA Junkie followed Caposa’s post up by posting photos of the construction area.

    UFC CEO Dana White confirmed in an interview with TNT Sports that a $25 million renovation will take place, allowing for more people to attend Apex events, as well as upgrades to bathrooms and hospitality features.

    “We’re gonna travel more with the Fight Nights,” White said. “The [UFC] APEX is going under construction here. We’re actually expanding the APEX, and it’s gonna be bigger and better.”

    Fans React To UFC Apex Renovations, Temporary Closing In Near Future

    The August 10 UFC Fight Night event held at the UFC Apex, headlined by Marcin Tybura and Serghei Spivac, was the 95th Fight Night card held at the venue, dubbed the “UFC Vegas” series.

    The upcoming UFC schedule, according to several reports and rumors, will see Fight Night cards at the Apex on August 24, September 7, October 12, October 19, and November 9. The November 9 card (which would be UFC Vegas 100), would serve as the final APEX card before the closing for renovations.

    The UFC additionally has a November 2 Fight Night card, but it is unclear where this card will take place, as well as any Fight Night events held after November 9.

    While it’s assumed the renovations would be completed before the start to the 2025 season of Dana White’s Contender Series, it is unclear what would happen to a 33rd season of The Ultimate Fighter due to the facility’s temporary closure.

  • ‘Forever Indebted To Serghei Spivac For That Quick Finish’ – MMA Fans React To Spivac’s Slick Armbar In UFC Fight Night Main Event

    ‘Forever Indebted To Serghei Spivac For That Quick Finish’ – MMA Fans React To Spivac’s Slick Armbar In UFC Fight Night Main Event

    Serghei Spivac continued his upward momentum and scored revenge in the process with a quick finish of Marcin Tybura in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night.

    Spivac got right on Tybura’s back as the round started, scoring an early takedown. The Polish heavyweight answered by reversing and getting in the Moldovan’s guard.

    While Tybura tried to do work from there, it ultimately proved to be his undoing. Spivac locked his legs around the veteran’s arm and rolled through with an armbar from the back, scoring a verbal submission.

    Serghei Spivac Avenges Loss To Marcin Tybura With First-Round Submission In UFC Fight Night Headliner

    Tybura and Spivac first met at UFC Fight Night Norfolk in February 2020, with the former winning via unanimous decision.

    “Polar Bear” has now won four of his last five fights and rebounds from a second-round TKO loss at the hands of Ciryl Gane last year in Paris. His only losses in the UFC have come against Tybura, Gane, Walt Harris, and current interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall.

    Tybura, meanwhile, has now lost two of his last three fights.

  • PFL Executive Debunks Muhammad Mokaev’s Claim The Promotion Reached Out To Him: ‘No One Showed Even An Oz Of Interest!’

    PFL Executive Debunks Muhammad Mokaev’s Claim The Promotion Reached Out To Him: ‘No One Showed Even An Oz Of Interest!’

    Two weeks after the UFC’s public release of Muhammad Mokaev following UFC 304, the drama involving the undefeated flyweight continues.

    Mokaev posted a message to his X (formerly Twitter) account on August 10, giving a thank you message to other promotions, including the PFL, Brave CF, RIZIN, Karate Combat, and ACA.

    Mokaev claimed that the organizations all reached out to him and he is contemplating his next move — with one ultimate goal in mind that does not involve any of them.

    “I appreciate [you] for believing in me, now I will sit down with my team and take the best option not on money wise but that could let me go back to the UFC ASAP!” Mokaev posted.

    PFL Executive Claims The Promotion Never Reached Out To Muhammad Mokaev

    Hours after Mokaev’s message, former Bellator matchmaker and current PFL executive Mike Kogan took to his Instagram Stories to refute “The Punisher’s” claim. Kogan insisted that the PFL is not among those who have contacted Mokaev.

    “This story is a lie – no one from PFL or Bellator spoke to the dude or even showed an [ounce] of interest,” Kogan posted.

    Kogan’s message would go along the comments Ray Sefo made last week at the PFL post-fight press conference in Nashville, where he remarked that Mokaev was a “pain in the ass” and that he had no interest in him.

    It should be noted, however, that Sefo is a part of Xtreme Couture, where Manel Kape trains at. “Starboy” and Mokaev had public altercations in the lead-up to their UFC 304 bout, which the Dagestan-born Brit ultimately won in a fight that was heavily scrutinized and widely branded lackluster.

    At the UFC 304 post-fight press conference, UFC CEO Dana White publicly announced that Mokaev would not be re-signed by the promotion, stating that the PFL would get a great undefeated talent.

    MMA commentator Ben “The Bane” Davis would go on to report an anonymous tip he received that Mokaev attempted to use PFL for contractual leverage prior to the expiration of his UFC contract.

    Davis’ report was refuted by Mokaev’s team, though “The Punisher’s” response to Sefo on social media — claiming he wouldn’t take the PFL’s deal anyway — has sparked confusion regarding the situation.

  • VIDEO: Toshiomi Kazama Recovers From Near-KO To Land Crazy Comeback Submission At UFC Fight Night

    VIDEO: Toshiomi Kazama Recovers From Near-KO To Land Crazy Comeback Submission At UFC Fight Night

    Toshiomi Kazama’s nickname may be the “Silent Finisher,” but he made a lot of noise with the way he scored a victory over Charalampos Grigoriou at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night.

    Kazama was hit with a big left hand about 20 seconds into the second round, which saw him dropped to the mat. Grigoriou followed him there and unleashed devastating ground-and-pound.

    https://twitter.com/MMASharke1/status/1822414006251868665

    To everyone’s surprise, though, the referee did not stop the fight and Kazama survived the flurry.

    Toshiomi Kazama Goes From Nearly Being Stopped To Scoring Submission Win At UFC Fight Night

    Kazama quickly got himself back into the fight with his grappling ability. Grigoriou tried to fight fire with fire, but playing into that strength proved to have a devastating mistake.

    The Japanese prospect was able to lock up a triangle choke and scored a submission victory just one minute after looking like he would be the one getting finished at the Apex.

    Kazama breaks a two-fight losing skid and perhaps saved his UFC roster spot with the win, going 0-2 prior to tonight since a win over Keremuaili Maimaitituoheti on Road to UFC.

    Grigoriou, who scored a win on Dana White’s Contender Series last year, is now 0-2 in the Octagon.

  • Report: Anthony Smith vs. Dominick Reyes Targeted For UFC 310 On December 14

    Report: Anthony Smith vs. Dominick Reyes Targeted For UFC 310 On December 14

    The major events for the UFC’s 2024 final quarter schedule is starting to come together, and a battle between former light heavyweight title challengers is being targeted for the last pay-per-view of the year.

    A clash between Anthony Smith (38-20) and Dominick Reyes (13-4) is being planned to take place on December 14, the likely date for UFC 310, per Alex Behunin of MMA Mania. Though no location has been announced, it is believed the card will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

    Anthony Smith vs. Dominick Reyes Targeted For UFC 310

    Smith is coming off a loss to Roman Dolidze at UFC 303 this past June. “Lionheart” was just less than two months removed from his previous fight, defeating Vitor Petrino at the Brazil-held UFC 301 in May.

    The veteran contender has consistently traded wins and losses over the past couple of years since challenging Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 235, losing a decision.

    Reyes, meanwhile, competed at UFC Fight Night Louisville in June, knocking out Dustin Jacoby in two minutes. It was “The Devastator’s” first fight since a loss to Ryan Spann at UFC 281 in 2022 and his first victory since defeating Chris Weidman in Boston in October 2019.

    His four-fight losing skid in the time between began with an unsuccessful challenge of Jones at UFC 247, losing via a controversial decision.

  • Chris Weidman Reacts As Former Opponent Bruno Silva Suspended For Violating UFC Anti-Doping Policy: ‘Very Interesting…’

    Chris Weidman Reacts As Former Opponent Bruno Silva Suspended For Violating UFC Anti-Doping Policy: ‘Very Interesting…’

    Middleweight Bruno Silva has been suspended from active competition, per an announcement from Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD), the anti-doping partner of the UFC.

    Silva, who last fought at UFC Fight Night Atlantic City in a loss to former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman, has accepted a six-month ban from competition. Though Weidman got the win in New Jersey that night, he was severely unamused by Silva’s failure.

    And while no explanation has been given by Silva for the test failure, Weidman says he was told it could have been “microdosing anabolics.”

    Bruno Silva Suspended For Violating UFC Anti-Doping Policy, Chris Weidman Makes Accusation

    Weidman’s win in Atlantic City brought plenty of controversy in the fight’s finishing sequence. The American, it originally seemed, was able to force Silva to collapse to the mat and overwhelm him with ground-and-pound. It would have been Weidman’s first finish since his submission of Kelvin Gastelum in 2017.

    The state’s athletic commission, however, overturned the result to a unanimous technical decision upon seeing that Silva was poked in both eyes during the sequence.

    Weidman’s win over Silva was his first victory since defeating Omari Akhmedov in August 2020, as well as his first victory in his second fight since coming back from his broken leg.

    Silva’s suspension is retroactive to April 11, meaning he can return to competition beginning October 11.