MMA News

Category: Bellator

Latest Bellator MMA news. The fight league is owned by the Professional Fighters League (PFL), was founded in 2008, and is based out of Santa Monica, California.

  • Former Bellator Title Challenger Leaves PFL After One Fight, Joins RIZIN

    Former Bellator Title Challenger Leaves PFL After One Fight, Joins RIZIN

    Danny Sabatello, known as much for his flamboyant persona as his relentless grappling, is embarking on a new chapter in his career, leaving the PFL and taking his talents to Japan’s combat sports scene.

    The former interim Bellator bantamweight title challenger has signed a multi-fight deal with RIZIN FF, officially marking the end of his brief tenure with the PFL.

    The move comes at a pivotal moment. The 31-year-old is looking to snap a three-fight winless streak when he makes his Rizin debut, though his opponent and fight date remain undisclosed. Fans eagerly await to see how “The Italian Gangster” will adapt to the Rizin stage.

    His PFL exit and RIZIN signing were first reported by MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin.

    Sabatello’s path to RIZIN has been a mix of highs and lows. His rise in Bellator culminated in a high-stakes interim title fight against Raufeon Stots in December 2022, a razor-close contest that ended in a controversial split decision loss. He rebounded in April 2023 with a dominant win over Marcos Breno, showcasing his resilience.

    However, momentum stalled with back-to-back defeats against Magomed Magomedov and a rematch loss to Stots, followed by a majority draw against Lazaro Dayron in his lone PFL bout in August 2024. Frustrated by the setbacks, Sabatello openly contemplated retirement.

    Yet, in classic Sabatello fashion, he reversed course, embracing a fresh challenge in RIZIN FF. More than just a change in promotion, this move signals a potential reinvention — a chance to bring his brash persona and grappling-heavy style to a new audience.

    Now, with a fresh start in a promotion known for its electric fight atmosphere, Sabatello has the opportunity to reignite his career and prove he still belongs among the elite.

  • Usman Nurmagomedov: I Was Only ’50 Percent’ In Bellator Title Defense Over Paul Hughes

    Usman Nurmagomedov: I Was Only ’50 Percent’ In Bellator Title Defense Over Paul Hughes

    Usman Nurmagomedov has voiced his dissatisfaction with his latest performance inside the cage.

    Despite successfully defending his Bellator lightweight title against Paul Hughes at the PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series event, Nurmagomedov felt he did not showcase his true potential.

    While he remained undefeated with a close majority decision win, the Dagestani admitted he was far from his best that night.

    “I think I can prepare for this fight better,” Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie. “I know I can be better — more than I was that night. I for sure know I can finish this guy. After this fight, I see a lot of my mistakes. For myself, I know I was 50 percent in that cage. I will be ready for 100 percent. I know I can finish this guy.”

    Nurmagomedov also pointed to a lack of training partners during his camp as a major factor in his underwhelming performance.

    “For training camp, I did it with tough guys — like one or two — but this is not enough,” Nurmagomedov said. “I was alone, and it’s really hard to push yourself when you don’t have your coaches. Everyone was focused on Umar (Nurmagomedov), Islam (Makhachev), Tagir (Ulanbekov) in America.”

    Additionally, he revealed that he had been sick in the weeks leading up to the fight, which further affected his conditioning.

    “Of course, they control me, but it’s different when you’re training at home with your family and your friends. Sometimes, you have to spend a little time with your family, have dinner with your brothers. This made me a little tired and didn’t let me recover properly for the next training session. Also, when I came to Dubai, I was sick two weeks before the fight.”

    Following Nurmagomedov’s close victory, many fans called for an immediate rematch. However, Nurmagomedov dismissed the idea, believing the fight was not as close as some suggest and insisting that Hughes should earn another shot before they meet again.

  • Former Bellator Analyst Calls Out Usman Nurmagomedov’s ‘Weird’ Comment After Paul Hughes Win

    Former Bellator Analyst Calls Out Usman Nurmagomedov’s ‘Weird’ Comment After Paul Hughes Win

    While Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes showed nothing but respect for one another in the aftermath of their battle at Saturday’s PFL event, a former fighter wasn’t impressed with one aspect of the Bellator lightweight champion’s post-fight approach.

    The Professional Fighters League kicked off its schedule for 2025 with the Champions Series: Road to Dubai card inside Coca-Cola Arena, where Nurmagomedov and Hughes collided in a clash dubbed “Dagestan vs. Ireland 2.”

    Like other results on the night, the win went to the former region, with the reigning Bellator titleholder emerging with the gold still in his possession by narrow margins.

    Nurmagomedov had been largely dismissive of Hughes throughout the buildup, but he got a rude awakening when “Big News” gave him about all he could handle across five rounds in the Middle East.

    The Dagestani acknowledged that he had underestimated his challenger, who echoed the sentiments of some in the community by suggesting he did enough to deserve the victory. With that in mind, he demanded an immediate rematch.

    The champ, however, isn’t keen. And he went as far as to claim that the Irishman will need to beat three or four other opponents to earn a second opportunity.

    During an episode of his Weighing In podcast alongside former referee John McCarthy, ex-UFC fighter Josh Thomson reacted to that suggestion.

    “I didn’t like hearing Usman Nurmagomedov in the back saying, ‘No, he’s got to fight three or four more other fighters.’ That was weird,” Nurmagomedov said. “There’s not even three or four more other fighters in your guys’ weight class.”

    Though Usman has made his stance clear, that hasn’t stopped Hughes from making his case. He recently responded to an invitation to visit Dagestan from Khabib Nurmagomedov by insisting a rematch with his cousin must come first.

    The PFL, meanwhile, hasn’t divulged its plans for either man moving forward.

  • ‘Did What McGregor Couldn’t’ – Jake Paul, Belal Muhammad, Dustin Poirier & Others React As Paul Hughes Pushes Usman Nurmagomedov To The Limit

    ‘Did What McGregor Couldn’t’ – Jake Paul, Belal Muhammad, Dustin Poirier & Others React As Paul Hughes Pushes Usman Nurmagomedov To The Limit

    In what is certainly going to be an early nominee for the 2025 Fight of the Year in MMA, Usman Nurmagomedov will likely end up as the final defending Bellator champion in the brand’s history.

    Nurmagomedov narrowly retained the Bellator lightweight title in a five-round war with Paul Hughes in the main event of the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai event at the Coca-Cola Arena on Jan. 25.

    The Dagestani started aggressively, utilizing a variety of kicks to test his range before putting his striking on full display. Hughes found his rhythm and picked up his pace in the second, mixing initial strikes and counters. The champ kept up his kicks and clinch attempts, but he struggled to secure a takedown early. Both fighters traded combinations, with Nurmagomedov focused on knees and elbows as the challenger ripped to the body. The second round proved to arguably be the most difficult to score.

    The fight was marred a bit by groin strikes during the third round, which resulted in the defending champion being docked a point. The Russian, however, rebounded with a takedown and controlling the action against the fence. Hughes kept active before both men’s output increased in a big way during the fourth round, including a ferocious exchanging in the final minute.

    Nurmagomedov looked to use his grappling more in the final round, while simultaneously landing hard with knees on Hughes’ body. But the Irishman continued to push forward, landing combinations when possible before swinging wildly and taking over in the fight’s final, dramatic 30 seconds.

    One judge scored the fight a 47-47 draw, while the other two gave 48-46 scorecards, giving Nurmagomedov the win.

    Usman Nurmagomedov Defeats Paul Hughes In Early Fight Of The Year War

    Nurmagomedov became champion initially with a win over Patricky Pitbull at Bellator 288. His title defenses prior to tonight included a win over Benson Henderson, a no contest against Brent Primus, and a victory over Alexander Shabliy.

    The result in Dubai snaps a seven-fight win streak for Hughes. He earned a title shot off wins over Bobby King last summer and AJ McKee at the PFL: Battle of the Giants card in October.

  • PFL Grants Patricio Pitbull His Release After Months Of Public Complaints

    The leading star brought over to the PFL when it acquired Bellator MMA will not be part of the promotion’s future.

    Patricio Pitbull, who entered the year holding the Bellator featherweight title, has officially been released by the Professional Fighters League (PFL), bringing an end to his tumultuous saga with the organization.

    Alongside another Bellator champ in Patchy Mix, Pitbull has been publicly criticizing the PFL and calling for his release for the past few weeks and months. He’s berated the promotional higher-ups for allegedly not honoring contracts and refusing to give him the level of activity he wants.

    The Brazilian’s latest social media tirade came earlier today. After accusing the likes of PFL founder Donn Davis and CEO Peter Murray of ‘ghosting’ him and his issues, Pitbull even called for PFL star Francis Ngannou to get involved and stick up for the rights of fighters.

    Pitbull’s posts evidently did not fall on deaf ears this time around, with Davis announcing in his own post on X that Pitbull has been granted his release.

    “We are releasing @PatricioPitbull,” Davis wrote. “@PFLMMA is all about opportunity. I founded this company to create new great opportunities for top fighters. PFL has and will continue to do that for all top fighters who want to be here #PFLMMA“

    The news comes a day on from the emergence of big news regarding the PFL in 2025.

    After a difficult first year post-acquisition, the promotion has taken the decision to dissolve the Bellator brand. It’s unclear what that will mean for the current titleholders, with Corey Anderson and Johnny Eblen among those to question their status on social media.

    It’s no secret where Pitbull sees his future, meanwhile. During his final days under the PFL banner, the Brazilian legend was clear in outlining his plans to join the UFC. And with the decorated Bellator great now a free agent, the ball appears to be in the MMA leader’s court.

  • Bellator Champ Calls For Francis Ngannou’s Intervention As Gripes With PFL Continue: ‘Will You Ever Speak Up For Us?’

    Bellator Champ Calls For Francis Ngannou’s Intervention As Gripes With PFL Continue: ‘Will You Ever Speak Up For Us?’

    The mounting discontent among Bellator fighters signed under the PFL banner has reached a fever pitch, prompting a reigning champion to call on Francis Ngannou to step in.

    The PFL finalized its takeover of Bellator MMA in November 2023, allowing it to operate as a distinct entity and enabling its roster of fighters to transition seamlessly under the PFL spotlight.

    After a difficult first year post-acquisition, it was reported by Ariel Helwani this week that the Bellator name has officially been consigned to history. It will now be rebranded as the PFL Champions Series, a platform dedicated exclusively to title bouts for the PFL’s newly established divisional championships.

    Amid recent developments, a cloud of uncertainty has settled over several Bellator champions, including Patricio Pitbull and Corey Anderson. Both have been vocal critics of the PFL for some time, accusing the budding MMA promotion of failing to uphold the terms of their original contracts while taking pointed jabs at its management.

    Pitbull has persistently called out top-tier PFL executives, including Donn Davis and Peter Murray, on social media, demanding his release from the promotion. He points to the alleged lack of clarity regarding his fighting future and the scarce opportunities offered to him since the merger.

    The reigning Bellator featherweight champion recently took to X, once again venting his frustration with the organization amid the ongoing turmoil. In a series of fiery posts, Pitbull accused the PFL of ruthlessly cutting fighters from its roster and “forcing” others into accepting massive pay cuts.

    He further claimed that the organization is manipulating contracts, making it nearly impossible for fighters to become free agents and pursue opportunities elsewhere.

    “Self called co-leader in MMA and fighters first organization is cutting a bunch of fighters and forcing others to take pay cuts of up to 70%. No respect for fighter contracts and what they’ve accomplished,” Pitbull wrote on X.

    The 37-year-old Brazilian went a step further, calling on the PFL’s biggest star and reigning Super Fights Heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou to use his influence to address the ongoing issues and stand in solidarity with those caught in the crossfire.

    “Hey Francis Ngannou are you aware of all the absurd things PFL is doing to fighters and putting on the new contracts? Will you ever speak up for us? I’m thinking it’s time we start a PFL Fighters Union. What do you think?”

    Pitbull has been absent from the cage since March 2024, when he defended his featherweight title with a stunning third-round knockout of Jeremy Kennedy at the Bellator Champions Series in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

  • Elimination Of The Bellator Brand Among Host Of Changes Confirmed For The PFL In 2025

    Elimination Of The Bellator Brand Among Host Of Changes Confirmed For The PFL In 2025

    The Bellator brand has now been completely amalgamated into the PFL, marking the cohesive integration of the two MMA organizations.

    In November 2023, following months of swirling rumors, the PFL officially took over Bellator MMA in a groundbreaking agreement. Although the finer details of the merger remained under wraps, it was revealed that Paramount, Bellator’s former parent company, retained a minority ownership stake.

    Despite the transition, the Bellator brand continued as a distinct and “reimagined” product, with its roster of fighters immediately eligible to compete under the PFL banner.

    However, during a recent episode of his show, Ariel Helwani reported that the Bellator brand has been formally discontinued. Going forward, it will be rebranded as the PFL Champions Series, a new venture focused on hosting title bouts for PFL’s new divisional championships.

    “Right now I can tell you, on Monday, January 13th, at 1:20 P.M. Eastern time: Bellator is dead,” Helwani said. “Bellator as we know it is no more. Bellator is dead. You will not see Bellator events anymore.”

    Helwani further disclosed that the new title structure will stand apart from PFL’s established season tournament format, where six divisional champions are crowned after a series of four bouts within a single calendar year.

    Additionally, the veteran reporter revealed that the upcoming Road to Dubai: Champions Series card on Jan. 25 in Dubai will feature the final Bellator title fight. In the main event, reigning lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov will put his title his title on the line against Paul Hughes.

    As of now, it’s unclear how the new PFL titleholders will be crowned, and whether they will simply be the current Bellator champs.

    “If you look at that event on Jan. the 25th, you will see that other than the picture of the belt and other than, you know, in the press release it says Bellator lightweight title, there’s no other mention of Bellator. Bellator as we know it is dead. From the Bjorn [Rebney] era to the Scott Coker era to the PFLator era, it is no more.”

    Last week, MMA journalist Al Zullino broke the news that the PFL’s iconic $1 million prize for seasonal tournament champions will be halved to $500,000, beginning with the 2025 season set to kick off in April.

    Furthermore, the organization is expected to scrap its signature tournament point system in favor of adopting a more classic grand prix-style MMA format. That news that was also corroborated by Helwani, alongside confirmation that tournament winners will no longer win a championship belt.

  • Manager Recalls Scary Weight Cut That Put Bellator Fighter Into A Coma: ‘If They Had Not Acted That Fast…’

    Manager Recalls Scary Weight Cut That Put Bellator Fighter Into A Coma: ‘If They Had Not Acted That Fast…’

    Daiane Silva was put into a medically induced coma this past September after suffering from kidney failure during a difficult weight cut. The Brazilian was set to make her Bellator debut on short notice in London, England which would have seen her compete at featherweight for the first time in her career.

    It was a long time before this news was made public with many questioning why there wasn’t any health updates coming from the PFL at this time. Donn Davis stated when talking publicly about it for the first time that the promotion made the decision to not put out any statements regarding Silva’s current state out of respect for her family who wanted privacy.

    This was recently backed up by Silva’s manager, Alex Davis, who spoke in a recent interview with MMA Fighting about the initial reaction to the situation and how the staff at the promotion worked quickly and effectively to support their fighter.

    “It’s very scary,” Davis said. “Daiane and her family all through the process, they didn’t want anything divulged in the media.

    “I’m just going to as far as I can go on the medical side — as soon as it happens, Bellator did a very good job. They found out they had a problem, they got a doctor on it. When the doctor saw how serious it was, they got her to the ambulance. They got her to the hospital. If they hadn’t acted [as quickly], mainly Eduardo [Lima], who works for PFL and Bellator during the event, if they had not acted that fast, it could have been a different outcome.”

    Davis didn’t find out about Silva’s issues until he woke up the following morning to messages about her being in hospital due to the time difference. He has never experienced anything like this during his time as a veteran manager but through communication with the hospital, Silva’s family, loved ones, coaches and the promotion, they were able to support her.

    “We had a group of people working, everybody’s on top of this,” Davis said. “She had an angel, a friend of hers, who was an angel in her life, stayed beside her through thick and thin and is still beside her.

    “It seemed like we were going to have to put her in an ambulance plane with a doctor and a nurse to send her back to Brazil. Mike Kogan, Eduardo from Bellator, they never blinked an eye. They said whatever she needs. Whatever is needed. You can only imagine what that would cost but they never blinked.”

    The latest update on Silva’s condition was that she had returned to Brazil where she was being treated in a support facility where she was showing promising signs of recovery. Davis stated that a GoFundMe page may be set-up in the near future in order to help the 29-year old fighter fund her medical care.

    “Amazingly, she started getting better,” Davis said. “She started showing improvement. Slow improvement with this angel beside her. When you have a situation like this, they start bringing her out of the coma but it’s not like you turn on a switch and she wakes up. No, it happens slowly. She’s coming back slowly and it’s important to have someone there talking and stimulating her. That’s how that process happened.

    “She started getting up. She started talking. She was intubated and they managed to take her tubes out and then it was up and up and up. We’re still going up, but she’s not playing basketball yet. There’s still a long road to go until she’s fully healed.”

  • Donn Davis Causes A Stir By Claiming Bellator Fighters ‘Got Way More Fights’ Than PFL Counterparts In 2024

    Donn Davis Causes A Stir By Claiming Bellator Fighters ‘Got Way More Fights’ Than PFL Counterparts In 2024

    Donn Davis, founder and chairman of the Professional Fighters League (PFL), continues to dismiss any suggestion that his promotion hasn’t done right by fighters it acquired through the Bellator acquisition.

    Davis and the PFL have come under heavy scrutiny in recent weeks after a number of fighters went public with their complaints about management.

    Most notably, champions Patricio “Pitbull” Freire and Patchy Mix marked some of the unhappy ex-Bellator stars who were left without their desired number of fights in 2024 — the first full calendar year post-the PFL’s purchase of its rival organization. That led to them even requesting their release from the PFL on social media.

    The promotion hasn’t released an official statement, however, and its founder has been largely dismissive of the fighters’ complaints in his recent LinkedIn and X posts.

    And after previously insisting he and his colleagues did “the best” they could, Davis’ latest comments have once again failed to take the likes of “Pitbull” and Mix’s thoughts seriously.

    Davis wrote on social media Wednesday, claiming that Bellator fighters actually “got way more fights” than PFL athletes in 2024 in spite of the numerous canceled Champions Series cards.

    Of course, the addition of context to Davis’ figures does little to help his case.

    While plenty of fighters were added to the PFL’s season format, where they competed numerous times, that doesn’t change the fact that Freire, Mix, Danny Sabatello and the like made the walk just once.

    It’s hard to imagine those sidelined fighters will be changing their stance on a push for more activity as long as others were handed two or three times more appearances in the cage.

    Unsurprisingly, Davis’ latest attempt at pushing away fighter complains did not go down well with the MMA community online — to say the least.

    https://twitter.com/LiamPicksFights/status/1876849434710974921
    https://twitter.com/yurihousa/status/1876805821121646699
    https://twitter.com/hqtred/status/1876850832467009701
  • Bellator Champion Corey Anderson On Vadim Nemkov: ‘He’s Scared Of Me’

    Bellator Champion Corey Anderson On Vadim Nemkov: ‘He’s Scared Of Me’

    Corey Anderson has faced Vadim Nemkov twice, but he’s increasingly skeptical that their trilogy bout will materialize.

    The two fighters first met in April 2022 at Bellator 277 during the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Final for the championship. Their clash ended in a no contest due to an accidental headbutt.

    The rematch took place at Bellator 288, with Nemkov earning a decision victory to defend the Bellator light heavyweight belt. Since then, Anderson has rebounded with decision wins over Phil Davis and Karl Moore, with Anderson’s last win seeing him capture the vacant light heavyweight title.

    Anderson was eager to secure a third fight with Nemkov, and it appeared the trilogy was set for heavyweight at the PFL Road to Dubai: Champions Series event on on Jan. 25. However, the fight fell apart, leaving Anderson frustrated and convinced that Nemkov is avoiding him.

    “I told you a while ago before he moved to heavyweight, I believed he was scared of me,” he said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “Now I know for a fact. He doesn’t want to fight me. He got scared. It was time to go to the altar, and he got cold feet and ran.”

    Anderson expressed disappointment about how the situation unfolded, especially with rumors swirling that Nemkov is on the final fight of his current PFL contract.

    “I feel like after this, he’ll probably never take the opportunity to fight me again,” Anderson continued. “One, he knew I wanted the fight — that’s on him. He’ll finish his contract on a high note, and we’ll never do the trilogy. Two, if it keeps coming, he’s going to find another way out of it.”

    Anderson is ready to move on and remains confident in his ability and eager to get back to fighting, even if the Nemkov trilogy never comes to fruition.

  • Paul Hughes No Longer Interested In Conor McGregor Cornering For Nurmagomedov Fight: ‘With Things Going Down Now…’

    Paul Hughes No Longer Interested In Conor McGregor Cornering For Nurmagomedov Fight: ‘With Things Going Down Now…’

    Paul Hughes has done a complete about-face regarding his enthusiasm for having Conor McGregor in the corner for his upcoming fight.

    When Hughes triumphed over AJ McKee at PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants in October, he passionately floated the idea of enlisting his Irish compatriot, “The Notorious,” to join his corner for a potential title clash with reigning Bellator Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov.

    At the time, McGregor pledged his support, expressing interest in standing in Hughes’ corner. The opportunity to reignite his storied rivalry with UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov — Usman’s first cousin and an almost certain presence in his corner — added an intriguing layer to the matchup.

    “Big News” is now gearing up to face Nurmagomedov in the headline bout of the Road to Dubai Champions Series, set for Jan. 25 at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, U.A.E. Surprisingly, though, he has decided to abandon his earlier plan of attempting to secure the former two-division UFC champion’s services for the biggest fight of his career to date.

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Hughes said that he was simply toying with the idea and explained that he has no real plans to bring McGregor into his corner for the highly anticipated title clash.

    “Look, I mean the whole corner thing, that was the post-fight interview where things were just being thrown there,” Hughes said. “Other than, that just blew up and did the rounds on social media a couple of times. Other than that, I haven’t mentioned it or looked about anything to do that.”

    “Big News” further explained that, given McGregor’s involvement in a whirlwind of controversy following an Irish court ruling last month that he was liable for the assault of a woman who accused him of rape in 2018, it would be unwise to enlist the sport’s most iconic figure for his corner.

    “Obviously with things going down now, it’s not something I’m going to continue to pursue.”

    However, Hughes also mentioned that he would prefer to have another fellow Irishman, UFC welterweight sensation Ian Garry, in his corner.

    Interestingly, “The Future” had previously offered his support, suggesting the idea of returning the favor after Hughes cornered him in 2021 during his title fight under the Cage Warriors banner.

  • Undefeated Bellator Champion Calls Jake Paul Out For MMA Fight With ‘Modified Rules’

    Undefeated Bellator Champion Calls Jake Paul Out For MMA Fight With ‘Modified Rules’

    It isn’t yet known who Jake Paul will face in his combat sports return following his huge contest with Mike Tyson last month. Given that he’s coming off of a record breaking event, it appears that all bets are off for “The Problem Child” in terms of the opponents that he is capable of drawing in.

    Though he has signed to the PFL, there hasn’t been any news in some time regarding Paul’s MMA debut but there has been one name that has been mentioned time and time again. In August last year, he defeated Nate Diaz in a boxing match and has since been trying to get the former UFC fighter to face him in a rematch that would take place in MMA.

    Diaz hasn’t showed any interest in doing that because he would prefer to do it in boxing and he doesn’t want to fight in the PFL after being a big part of the UFC for so long. Paul once again called Diaz out at a recent press conference.

    “It’s funny that Nate Diaz is actually scared to fight me in MMA, actually. The biggest payday of his life would be me and him in MMA. Yeah, so I’m ready.”

    Underneath the clip posted by MMA Fighting on Instagram, one of the top names on the PFL roster called for a modified rules fight with Paul seeing that he can’t get Diaz to step in there with him. Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen has won back-to-back fights this year, improving his overall record to 16-0.

    In October, he defeated Fabian Edwards for a second time at Battle of the Giants to successfully defend the 185-pound title for a third time. As seen in this rematch, Eblen’s greatest strength is his wrestling but clearly he would be open to meeting Paul in the middle in terms of the ruleset if that’s something he would be interested in.

  • Daiane Silva, Fighter Hospitalized After Bellator Weight Cut, Out Of Coma

    Daiane Silva, Fighter Hospitalized After Bellator Weight Cut, Out Of Coma

    After a long space of time with no updates, there is finally some positive news regarding the health of Daiane Silva who was hospitalized following a weight cut. The Brazilian was set to make her Bellator debut in London on September 14 but the fight was cancelled after Silva was unable to make featherweight, which would have been her first time competing at this weight class.

    It was later reported that she was placed into in an induced coma in London after suffering from kidney failure and some time later, PFL founder Donn Davis spoke about it for the first time as he explained that the PFL’s decision to not speak on the matter was to give Silva and her loved ones some privacy at this time.

    After staying in London for over a month, Silva’s manager Alex Davis recently relayed the latest update to Ariel Helwani who forwarded the news during Monday’s edition of The Ariel Helwani Show. He said that Silva is back in Brazil where she has spending time at a rehabilitation center where she is able to walk and talk.

    Davis also told Uncrowned’s Helwani that there were major concerns that Silva would be on dialysis for the rest of her life but she has since made some positive steps even if it remains unclear whether she will ever make a full MMA return. Davis thanked the PFL, Mike Kogan and Eduardo Lima in particular, for their help during this difficult period.

    He said that the doctors believe that she will make a full recovery.

  • Bellator Champions Slam PFL Amid Forced Inactivity: ‘This Merger Has Been A Disaster For MMA!’

    Bellator Champions Slam PFL Amid Forced Inactivity: ‘This Merger Has Been A Disaster For MMA!’

    Some of the top Bellator names who found themselves under the PFL banner last year are far from happy with their new employer.

    The PFL attempted to strengthen its standing in mixed martial arts and its pursuit of achieving “co-leader” status alongside the UFC by purchasing the Bellator MMA organization late last year.

    The promotion has since staged its first PFL vs. Bellator card, commenced global and regional seasons, and opened up a “reimagined” version of the brand it acquired in the form of the Bellator Champions Series.

    While that has brought with it some entertaining cards and fights, things have been far from entirely positive for the PFL in 2024.  In attempting to separate itself from the UFC, PFL higher-ups have frequently claimed to be “fighter first” and an improved home for athletes compared to its rival. This year, though, has seen numerous fighters share their issues. 

    Sabah Homasi repeatedly bemoaned the lack of payment to cover his medical expenses from a Bellator fight last September. Prior to her debut in October, Cris Cyborg frequently slammed the PFL online for not booking her. Gegard Mousasi and Douglas Lima claimed the organization was refusing to honor their contracts because they earn too much money, with the former even commencing legal proceedings against the company following his subsequent release.

    Those instances suggest the PFL’s purchase has left some Bellator fighters worse off, and the ongoing forced inactivity experienced by many is doing little to dismiss that suggestion.

    One champion who feels hard done by is bantamweight standout Patchy Mix. Since defending his title against Magomed Magomedov in Paris this past May, “No Love” hasn’t made it back to the cage.

    While he was scheduled for a return to the French capital this month, that event was among those suddenly canceled with little explanation. And in a post on X, Mix claimed a planned rescheduling of his return for January has also now been called off.

    “I’ve been training my ass off for the last half of year for nothing,” Mix wrote. “This is frustrating in the prime of my career and I’ve had my fight in November cancelled? Then now again I’m being told I’m off January Dubai card? I am the best in the world and I want to fight to prove it.”

    It didn’t take long for another champ to share that sentiment — this time the consensus Bellator GOAT, Patrício “Pitbull” Freire, who is without a fight since March.

    “I haven’t fought since February. I wanted to fight 3x this year, but I was told I’d have to wait until December 31st and found out online my opponent would fight someone else. Then they had a replacement, I bring people over, spend more money with the camp and there’s no fight.”

    In follow-up posts, the Brazilian went as far as to brand the PFL’s acquisition of Bellator as a “disaster” for the sport of MMA.

    And it wasn’t just champions showing discontent this past weekend.

    The man scheduled to challenge Mix this month prior to the unexplained cancellation, Leandro Higo, also took to social media to express his fury with the PFL after seeing his opponent speak out.

    “This is very frustrating. We have no clue about when we might be fighting after two fight cancellations in a row. Time is of the essence in this game, we can’t waste our primes on the sidelines. I’m working hard to take that title, spending money, sweat and blood. What’s going on?”

    When announcing its plans for this year, the PFL laid out eight Bellator Champions Series events and promised two championship contests on each. But it’s ultimately only put on five, the most recent being in London this past September, and filled the outlined quota of champions on just one of those cards.

    It remains to be seen what the PFL has planned for the likes of Mix and Freire in 2025 — and for the rest of those who were hoping to compete on the now-scrapped Bellator Champions Series events in the back end of this year.

    For now, the promotion will be focusing on a successful return to Saudi Arabia this week for its PFL World Championship and PFL MENA Championship shows in Riyadh.

    But as another year comes to a close for the organization, it’s safe to say things haven’t gone as hoped since the purchase of Bellator, especially for the high-profile fighters who came with it.

  • Paul Hughes Looks To Secure Revenge For Ireland Against Dagestan: ‘I’ll Find Out Where Islam’s At’

    Paul Hughes Looks To Secure Revenge For Ireland Against Dagestan: ‘I’ll Find Out Where Islam’s At’

    At the PFL’s Battle of the Giants event, Paul Hughes was one of the biggest stories of the night following his great performance. The Irish lightweight was considered to be one of the brightest rising talents in the sport but in a huge step-up against AJ McKee, he showed that he’s the present as well as the future by beating him via the scorecards.

    Just like he wanted to face McKee so that he could make a statement, Hughes knew exactly who was in his sights after getting his hand raised. “Big News” called for a fight with Bellator lightweight champion, Usman Nurmagomedov, which has since been confirmed for January 25 in Dubai in one of the best match-ups that the promotion could possibly put together.

    The challenger also did a lot of the heavy lifting for the PFL when it comes to marketing this fight after on the mic, he pitched it as Dagestan vs Ireland 2. The promotion has ran with that tagline when the fight was announced yesterday, setting it up as the second chapter to the biggest fight in MMA history between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor.

    In a recent interview with talkSPORT MMA, Hughes said that evening the score by getting some revenge for “The Notorious” by beating Khabib’s cousin next time out is a big source of motivation for him. He doesn’t see this being the decider either, teasing the potential of a trilogy bout with the UFC’s lightweight king, Islam Makhachev further down the line.

    “Yeah 100%, I’m going to make it 1-1 for the boys definitely and maybe in the future, make it 2-1. I’ll find out where Islam’s at and maybe do that in the future but I’ll not get ahead of myself now. Usman’s an incredibly, incredibly dangerous fighter that I have to be on my game to beat.”

  • PFL Announces ‘Dagestan vs. Ireland 2’ As Paul Hughes Challenges Usman Nurmagomedov

    PFL Announces ‘Dagestan vs. Ireland 2’ As Paul Hughes Challenges Usman Nurmagomedov

    The Bellator Champions Series will head to Dubai in 2025, where lightweight kingpin Usman Nurmagomedov headlines in defense of his title.

    In a press release this week, the Professional Fighters League announced a multi-year partnership with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism that will see the promotion return to the United Arab Emirates annually.

    And the first major event there is set for the Coca-Cola Arena on Jan. 25, as the first Bellator Champions Series event of the new year goes down.

    Headlining will be the return of Nurmagomedov (18-0, 1 NC), the Bellator lightweight titleholder who made his first outing since the PFL acquired his previous employer in San Diego this past September.

    Having got past Alexandr Shabliy to maintain his undefeated status, the Dagestani will next look to stall the championship ambitions of Ireland’s Paul Hughes (13-1).

    “I am always excited to challenge myself against the best athletes and I view Paul Hughes as a worthy opponent,” Nurmagomedov said. “I’m proud to be the first MMA main event in Dubai history.”

    Hughes has made a splash since signing with the PFL off the back of title glory under the Cage Warriors banner. After knocking out Bobby King on debut, “Big News” most recently recorded the biggest win of his career over AJ McKee on the undercard of Francis Ngannou’s return.

    A result of that magnitude has unsurprisingly bagged him a first shot at gold opposite Nurmagomedov.

    “The championship has always been in my plans, and now it’s coming to fruition in January when I face Usman,” Paul Hughes said. “I respect what he brings to the table and I am not discrediting him, but I know I will leave Dubai on January 25 as the new champion.”

    The PFL’s “Dagestan vs. Ireland 2” branding references the memorable feud between the great Khabib Nurmagomedov — cousin of Usman — and Conor McGregor back in 2018. In recent months, Hughes has called for his “Notorious” fellow countryman to corner him for his clash with the Russian next year.

    The press release announcing the title fight also revealed that all Bellator Champions Series events will now be co-branded as the “Road to Dubai,” with the cards leading up to the finale in the UAE each year.

  • Bellator Title Contender Announces Free Agency: ‘Who Wants An Exciting Welterweight?’

    Bellator Title Contender Announces Free Agency: ‘Who Wants An Exciting Welterweight?’

    Former Bellator title contender Lorenz Larkin has announced that he is currently a free agent after fighting out his contract. “The Monsoon” had recently said in interviews that he would be in talks with the PFL about re-signing but his latest statement seems to suggest that he is exploring all options right now.

    The final fight of his contract was listed as a welterweight title eliminator at the Bellator Champions Series event in San Diego this past September. After stopping Levan Chokheli in the first round, it seemed clear that he would go on to challenge the undefeated Ramazan Kuramagomedov who won the title by beating Jason Jackson in June.

    After competing both in Strikeforce and the UFC, Larkin signed with Bellator in 2017 after securing back-to-back wins in the Octagon over Jorge Masvidal and Neil Magny making his switch a fairly substantial acquisition. This showed in his debut as he jumped right into a welterweight title shot where he lost a decision to Douglas Lima.

    If this is the end of Larkin’s run with Bellator, he departs having fought 12 times with the promotion with one additional appearance on a PFL card this past June. The 38-year old posted a video on his Instagram story to talk about the next stage of his career.

    “Hey, so just wanted to keep everybody updated who’s interested, your boy is officially a free agent. Me and my team can officially start talking to other promotions. I’m excited, this is another part of the career that we gotta do so I’m pumped, excited for what the future brings and excited to see who wants an exciting welterweight to come in so let’s see.” 

  • ‘Belal’d Leon Edwards’ Brother’ – Fans React As Johnny Eblen Retains Bellator Title At PFL Super Fights Event

    ‘Belal’d Leon Edwards’ Brother’ – Fans React As Johnny Eblen Retains Bellator Title At PFL Super Fights Event

    Johnny Eblen retained the Bellator middleweight title at PFL‘s Battle Of The Giants pay-per-view by beating Fabian Edwards via unanimous decision.

    The champion was largely dominant throughout the first four rounds, consistently landing his takedowns without landing too much significant damage.

    Edwards tried to turn the tide in the fifth frame, which was by far his best of the fight as he kept the fight standing and put the pressure on the American, Unfortunately for him, it was too little, too late.

    Eblen got the stoppage the first time they met in Dublin, and though he was unable to put Edwards away the second time around, the result wasn’t in doubt at the end of the five rounds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    MMA Fans React To A Slow, Grueling Bellator Middleweight Title Rematch

    MMA fans reacted on social media to the Eblen vs. Edwards rematch that took place as the first of three title fights on the PFL’s second PPV event of the year.

    Many were critical of Eblen’s performance despite his dominant victory to retain the title. Others compared it to the manner in which Fabian’s brother, UFC star Leon Edwards, was dethroned by Belal Muhammad in Manchester this past July.

    https://twitter.com/Percy2mac/status/1847760654934909437
  • PFL Fighter In Coma Over 1 Month On From Botched Bellator London Weight Cut

    PFL Fighter In Coma Over 1 Month On From Botched Bellator London Weight Cut

    Brazilian MMA promotion Nacão Cyborg has revealed on social media that a fighter formerly on its roster is currently in a coma after a botched weigh-in attempt for her Bellator debut last month

    Daiana Silva was set to compete against Eman Almudhaf at the Bellator Champions Series event that took place at the OVO Arena Wembley in London on September 14.

    The fight was canceled after Silva, who is undefeated at 3-0, couldn’t make the featherweight limit, which would’ve been her first time competing in this weight class.

    The 29-year old previously fought at lightweight and, as reported by her former promotion, which is led by Cris Cyborg, is currently still in a coma in London, England.

    The PFL, which acquired the Bellator brand last year, has yet to address the situation, making the following Instagram post the first that many had heard about the tragic news.

    “The Cyborg Nation Team, comes to the public to extend its solidarity with CM System MMA Team Athlete Daiane “Leidy Dai” Silva, who would be making her debut at the Bellator in London on 09/14/2024, however suffered complications during her weight cut and has since been hospitalized in serious condition in the Capital of England.
    We at the Cyborg Nation Event, which launched the athlete, are committed to going deep to identify and hold the culprits accountable who allowed this to happen, we will bring you more information in the coming weeks.”

    With the news now hitting social media, more information has come to light on the current situation and why there have been little updates about it.

    Uncrowned Combat’s Drake Riggs posted the following update on X.

  • Former Champion Files Lawsuit Against PFL-Owned Bellator Shortly After His Release

    Former Champion Files Lawsuit Against PFL-Owned Bellator Shortly After His Release

    Former Bellator middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi has filed a complaint against the promotion, and the PFL, after being released from his contract in May.

    The 39-year old was granted his release earlier this year after he spoke incredibly negatively of the promotion in an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. In that interview, he said that if it was up to him, he would like to just leave and move on with his career but his team wanted to pursue legal action after the way he had been treated.

    The breakdown in relationship between the two parties stems from Mousasi’s Bellator contract and the PFL being unhappy to honor it after they acquired the promotion and it’s roster last year. This is explained in the documents, including several interactions between Mousasi’s team and the PFL regarding his expensive contract.

    This saga appeared to have come to an end when PFL’s Mike Kogan, who previously worked with Mousasi at Bellator, announced that he had been released, writing: “We wish him all the best fighting in his next chapter.”

    However, as Mousasi stated back in May, his team wanted to progress things even further with John S. Nash reporting that the complaint alleges a breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, unjust enrichment, a claim for relief for Monopsonizaton.

    The detailed complaint provides lots of information about Mousasi’s Bellator contract and how the PFL did not want to pay him that much money to fight considering that he wasn’t a champion or a PPV draw.

    It also goes into the other issues, including a claim that Mousasi was misclassified as an independent contractor instead of an employee.

    All of the information, including the conversation back and forth from Mousasi’s management and the PFL can be found via Nash’s X account below:

  • Yaroslav Amosov Planned To Join The UFC While Still Being In Bellator

    Yaroslav Amosov Planned To Join The UFC While Still Being In Bellator

    Last month, former Bellator welterweight champion Yaroslav Amosov announced that he is now a free agent.

    He posted on Instagram to share the news and reflect on his time in Bellator where he spent the best part of six years with the promotion. In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Amosov provided more in details about the decision to leave Bellator and what his next steps will be.

    Having teased a potential move over to the UFC in his initial post, whether we will see him step inside the Octagon was always going to be the question that everyone had on their minds.

    Yaroslav Amosov Says The UFC Has Been On His Mind For Quite Some Time

    Amosov detailed to Nolan King how he had been waiting to for his Bellator contract to expire after not being offered any fights by the promotion. However, leaving them to pursue his dreams of fighting in the UFC was already something that he had made clear, which he thinks may be why there was a longer period of waiting.

    “Maybe 2023, one maybe two years ago, we said to Bellator that we had a plan, we don’t want to continue on, we don’t want to sign new contract and after finishing contract, we go outside and I think that’s why continue my contract in one year. Maybe that’s why but yeah, we have plan, we will go to UFC.”

    – Yaroslav Amosov

    The plan that Amosov speaks about is fairly simple, he wants to sign a one-fight deal elsewhere, potentially looking at January as an ideal time frame, and then move into the UFC.

    This is somewhat similar to the path that former ONE Championship fighter Reinier de Ridder took recently where after getting one win on UAE Warriors, he was announced to have signed with the UFC shortly after. Amosov has clearly had his sights set on the MMA leader for some time but now he can put his plan into action.

    “Now we have plan. We sign contract to just one fight and after one fight, we want go to UFC.”

    – Yaroslav Amosov
  • Bellator Champions Series Results & Highlights: Sara Collins Submits Leah McCourt

    Bellator Champions Series Results & Highlights: Sara Collins Submits Leah McCourt

    The fifth Bellator Champions Series event went down on Saturday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action.

    After taking the newly created Bellator Champions Series to Belfast, Paris, Dublin, and San Diego thus far since acquiring its rival promotion late last year, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) brought the brand back to English soil for the first time in 2024.

    And headlining inside the OVO Arena Wembley in London on September 14 was nine-fight Bellator veteran Leah McCourt. After the cancellation of a championship rematch between Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards, her clash with Australia’s Sara Collins was promoted to main event status.

    The Melbourne native remained undefeated, submitting McCourt inside the opening round to secure top contender status for Cris Cyborg’s Bellator women’s featherweight title.

    Also of note was the return of England’s own Simeon Powell, who overcame two knockdowns in the opening round to fall on the right side of a split decision against Rafael Xavier in the co-headliner. Beforehand, former UFC athlete Marc Diakiese made a successful debut and unbeaten American prospect Archie Colgan continued his winning ways.

    With that said, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights.

    Bellator Champions Series: McCourt vs. Collins Results & Highlights

    Full Card:

    • Women’s Featherweight: Sara Collins def. Leah McCourt via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 2:25
    • Light Heavyweight: Simeon Powell def. Rafael Xavier via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
    • Light Heavyweight: Luke Trainer def. Laurynas Urbonavicius via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 4:15
    • Lightweight: Marc Diakiese def. Tim Wilde via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
    • Lightweight: Archie Colgan def. Manoel Sousa via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
    • Middleweight: Mike Shipman def. Eslam Abdul Baset via TKO (knee and punches): R2, 2:32
    • Catchweight (170lbs): Joseph Luciano def. Steven Hill via submission (anaconda choke): R2, 1:22
    • Catchweight (140lbs): Ciaran Clarke def. Tuomas Grönvall via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
    • Lightweight: Darragh Kelly def. Dmytrii Hrytsenko via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

    Darragh Kelly Def. Dmytrii Hrytsenko

    Ciaran Clarke Def. Tuomas Grönvall

    Joseph Luciano Def. Steven Hill

    Mike Shipman Def. Eslam Abdul Baset

    Archie Colgan Def. Manoel Sousa

    Marc Diakiese Def. Tim Wilde

    Luke Trainer Def. Laurynas Urbonavicius

    Simeon Powell Def. Rafael Xavier

    Sara Collins Def. Leah McCourt

  • Former Bellator Champion With 27-1 Record Enters Free Agency: ‘See You In The Octagon’

    Former Bellator Champion With 27-1 Record Enters Free Agency: ‘See You In The Octagon’

    One of the most notable names on the Bellator roster has announced that, after six years with the promotion, his contract has expired.

    Yaroslav Amosov is the former Bellator welterweight champion and still has a lot left to give in his career at just 31 years old.

    Prior to losing his title to Jason Jackson in his last outing, which marked the first defeat of his professional career, Amosov compiled a staggering record of 27-0. That run included with wins over the likes of Logan Storley, Douglas Lima, and Roberto Soldić.

    The Ukrainian was inactive throughout 2022 after joining the likes of Wladimir Klitschko, Oleksandr Usyk, and Vasiliy Lomachenko in defending their country against the Russian invasion.

    He returned in 2023 to defend his title, putting on a dominant performance in a rematch with Storley that led to conversations regarding whether he was the best in the world at his weight.

    Yaroslav Amosov Announces End Of Bellator Run, Teases UFC Future

    Amosov announced the news via his own Instagram account. He reflected on his time under the Bellator banner and spoke about what could be next for him.

    With nine fights in the promotion, he was able to announce himself on the global stage, and despite not competing since last November, wherever he ends up is sure to produce an anticipated debut.

    “Friends, my contract with @bellatormma has ended. It was an unforgettable 6 years. A time that will be etched in my heart forever. Thank you all 🙏 soon I will announce my next actions! Unforgettable emotions during winning the title, even greater while defending it, the first defeat in 11 years, the war in the homeland… but I’m sure it’s only made me stronger 👊🏼 it’s all a small part of a big story. This is not the finish line, this is a new beginning.”

    In the second part of the caption, Amosov spoke about being excited to continue his career but being “ready for a new phase.”

    His final words teased that the UFC could be his next destination after he signed the post off with “See you in the octagon.”

  • ‘Khabib Bout To Jump In Himself’ – Fans React To Usman Nurmagomedov’s Bellator Title Defense, Khabib’s Corner Face Crank

    ‘Khabib Bout To Jump In Himself’ – Fans React To Usman Nurmagomedov’s Bellator Title Defense, Khabib’s Corner Face Crank

    Usman Nurmagomedov continued to live up to the high praise of his cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov, who has called him the future of the sport, by recording successful lightweight title defense against Alexandr Shabliy in the main event of Saturday’s Bellator Champions Series event in San Diego.

    From the beginning, Shabliy looked to use a quick right hook to his advantage, especially on the counterattack. But Nurmagomedov managed to score a takedown in the first round, though his challenger quickly shook him off.

    The two had a back-and-forth striking second round, and the third round proved to be the quietest of the bunch. Nurmagomedov did, however, still appear to be the fighter with more activity.

    The champ got quite the scare in the fourth round thanks to a one-two and a knee early in the round, turning away after the attack. But as it turned out, Shabliy poked him in the eye.

    Nurmagomedov then had his own moment of success later in the round, rocking his fellow Russian with a high kick and bringing him back to the mat, looking for a submission. The moment was topped by a shot of Khabib Nurmagomedov, in his cousin’s corner, doing a mock face crank of his own on UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov.

    Shabliy was unable to pull the trigger and do much in the fifth round until it was too little, too late. Nurmagomedov won 50-45 on one judge’s scorecard and 49-46 on the other two to retain the title.

    Usman Nurmagomedov Nearly Sweeps Scorecards In Successful Bellator Lightweight Title Defense Over Alexandr Shabliy

    Nurmagomedov claimed the lightweight title with a win over Patricky Pitbull at Bellator 288. He then retained in wins over Benson Henderson and Brent Primus (the latter overturned to a no contest) during the unfinished Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix.

    Shabliy, meanwhile, had a nine-fight win streak entering this fight, including victories over Tofiq Musayev and Pitbull during the same tournament.

  • Bellator Champions Series Results & Highlights: Usman Nurmagomedov Decisions Alexandr Shabliy

    Bellator Champions Series Results & Highlights: Usman Nurmagomedov Decisions Alexandr Shabliy

    The fourth Bellator Champions Series event went down on Saturday night, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    After taking the newly created Bellator Champions Series to Belfast, Paris, and Dublin thus far since acquiring its rival promotion late last year, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) brought the brand back to United States soil for the first time in 2024.

    And headlining inside the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California on September 7 was Bellator Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov, who was tasked with defending his belt opposite an Alexandr Shabliy who rode a nine-fight win streak into his first title challenge.

    The reigning kingpin was ultimately successful, comfortably outpointing his fellow countryman in a largely low-volume affair across five rounds.

    Elsewhere on the lineup, Lorenz Larkin and Levan Chokheli duked it out to secure number one contender status at middleweight, with the 38-year-old UFC and Strikeforce veteran getting it done in under two minutes, and former Bellator champ Douglas Lima fell to Aaron Jeffrey in his comeback after 15 months away.

    With that said, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights!

    Bellator Champions Series: Nurmagomedov vs. Shabliy Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Lightweight Championship: Usman Nurmagomedov def. Alexandr Shabliy via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
    • Welterweight: Lorenz Larkin def. Levan Chokheli via TKO (punches): R1, 1:53
    • Middleweight: Aaron Jeffrey def. Douglas Lima via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Sumiko Inaba def. Mackenzie Stiller via TKO (ground strikes): R2, 4:25
    • Lightweight: Zhora Ayvazyan def. Yancy Medeiros via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Middleweight: Jordan Newman def. Imamshafi Aliev via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
    • Welterweight: Masayuki Kikuiri def. Herman Terrado via TKO (body kick): R3, 2:54
    • Bantamweight: Bryce Meredith def. Jon Macalolooy via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 3:18
    • Heavyweight: Josh Hokit def. Sean Rose via submission (armbar): R1, 4:48
    • Women’s Strawweight: Ashley Thiner def. Aysia Cortez via TKO (punches): R2, 3:11

    Ashley Thiner Def. Aysia Cortez

    Josh Hokit Def. Sean Rose

    Bryce Meredith Def. Jon Macalolooy

    Masayuki Kikuiri Def. Herman Terrado

    Jordan Newman Def. Imamshafi Aliev

    Zhora Ayvazyan Def. Yancy Medeiros

    Sumiko Inaba Def. Mackenzie Stiller

    Aaron Jeffrey Def. Douglas Lima

    Lorenz Larkin Def. Levan Chokheli

    Usman Nurmagomedov Def. Alexandr Shabliy