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Category: MMA

  • UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Anthony Hernandez TKOs Michel Pereira

    UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Anthony Hernandez TKOs Michel Pereira

    UFC Fight Night took place tonight from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights! 

    In the main event, ranked middleweights Anthony Hernandez and Michel Pereira clashed. While in the co-main event, Rob Font faced Kyler Phillips in a bantamweight matchup. 

    UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card

    • Middleweight Main Event: Anthony Hernandez def. Michel Pereira via TKO: R5, 2.22
    • Bantamweight Co-Main Event: Rob Font def. Kyler Phillips via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
    • Flyweight: Charles Johnson def. Sumudaerji via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
    • Bantamweight: Cameron Smotherman def. Jake Hadley via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-27×2)
    • Featherweight: Darren Elkins def. Daniel Pineda via unanimous decision (29-28×3)

    Preliminary Card

    • Flyweight: Asu Almabayev def. Matheus Nicolau via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
    • Bantamweight: Jean Matsumoto def. Brad Katona via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
    • Women’s Bantamweight: Joselyne Edwards def. Tamires Vidal via submission: R3, 4.33  
    • Women’s Strawweight: Elise Reed def. Jessica Penne via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Melissa Martinez def. Alice Ardelean via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
    • Heavyweight: Austen Lane def. Robelis Despaigne via unanimous decision (29-28×3)

    Preliminary Card Highlights

    Joselyne Edwards def. Tamires Vidal

    Joselyne Edwards got the win with a rear-naked choke submission of Tamires Vidal in the third round of their women’s bantamweight bout.

    Main Card Highlights

    Darren Elkins def. Daniel Pineda

    In this featherweight bout, Darren Elkins earned a unanimous decision win against Daniel Pineda.

    Cameron Smotherman def. Jake Hadley

    Cameron Smotherman earned a unanimous decision against Jake Hadley in their bantamweight fight.

    Charles Johnson def. Sumudaerji

    In this featherweight bout, Charles Johnson earned a unanimous decision against Sumudaerji.

    Rob Font def. Kyler Phillips

    In the co-main event, Rob Font earned a unanimous decision against Kyler Phillips.

    Anthony Hernandez def. Michel Pereira

    In the main event, Anthony Hernandez earned a TKO of Michel Pereira in the fifth round.

  • ‘Looked Like A Brand New Fighter’ – Fans React As Rob Font Snaps Losing Skid In UFC Fight Night Co-Headliner

    ‘Looked Like A Brand New Fighter’ – Fans React As Rob Font Snaps Losing Skid In UFC Fight Night Co-Headliner

    Though it’s been a tough go for Rob Font as of late, he looked sharp in the final two rounds of his clash with Kyler Phillips in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Pereira, winning via decision.

    Phillips brought the fight to the ground in less than 20 seconds, with Font offering little in the way of defense as his opponent worked in side control. The longtime contender was finally able to get away from Phillips’ pressure in the final minute of the round. He chased after his own takedown attempt but wasn’t able to secure it.

    The #10-ranked contender was able to answer back in the second round, bringing pressure and making the most of his expert-level boxing to trouble Phillips. Font then continued to work over a tired Phillips in the third round with the same approach, going on to earn a unanimous decision win.

    Rob Font Outpoints Kyler Phillips In UFC Fight Night Co-Main Event

    https://twitter.com/Rampage_Calls/status/1847807153198727332
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    Font lost four of his last five fights entering tonight’s contest. This was his first appearance since the UFC event in Austin last December, where he dropped a decision to Deiveson Figueiredo.

    Phillips, meanwhile, had won six of his seven UFC fights prior to tonight. He defeated Pedro Munhoz earlier this year at UFC 299 to climb to #12 at 135 pounds.

  • ‘They Wanted Ferreira To Die In There’ – Fans & Fighters React As Francis Ngannou Lands Scary KO In MMA Return, PFL Debut

    ‘They Wanted Ferreira To Die In There’ – Fans & Fighters React As Francis Ngannou Lands Scary KO In MMA Return, PFL Debut

    After everything that he has been through this year, Francis Ngannou’s MMA return was a triumphant one as he stopped Renan Ferreira in the first round.

    The main event of PFL Battle Of The Giants ended up on the ground early on after the former UFC champion secured the takedown.

    His Brazilian opponent was able to threaten with a triangle choke, but once “The Predator” made his way out, he positioned himself to unload strikes.

    Several unanswered ground and pound strikes — too many, in fact — laid Ferreira flat out on the canvas, leaving an emotional Ngannou to share a touching embrace with his coaches.

    Ngannou spoke in his post-fight interview about how he was confident that he wouldn’t have lost a step during his time away but dealing with his emotions on fight week following the tragic passing of his son earlier this year was very difficult for him to overcome.

    MMA Fans React To Successful MMA Return Of Francis Ngannou In PFL PPV Headliner

    MMA fans and fighters on social media reacted to the emotional scenes as the Cameroonian did what he does best and delivered a scary knockout.

    The post-fight comments also spoke about the stoppage of the fight, with Ferreira seemingly being knocked out only for him to be hit with several more big shots before referee Dan Miragliotta stepped in.

    https://twitter.com/GotMyBucksUp/status/1847776840930517016
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  • PFL: Battle Of The Giants Results & Highlights: Francis Ngannou Batters Renan Ferreira

    PFL: Battle Of The Giants Results & Highlights: Francis Ngannou Batters Renan Ferreira

    PFL Battle of the Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira took place on pay-per-view Saturday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    The Professional Fighters League hosted its second PPV of the year at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where the main attraction saw former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou make his long-awaited return to mixed martial arts.

    Having not competed in the cage since a victory over Ciryl Gane in January 2022 — completing a pair of boxing matches opposite Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in the period since — “The Predator” made an emphatic MMA comeback at the expense of last year’s PFL heavyweight title winner Renan Ferreira, whom he pummeled inside one round.

    Setting the stage for the headliners was another Super Fights championship clash, with reigning Bellator featherweight queen Cris Cyborg debuting in the SmartCage opposite the PFL’s first two-weight champion, Larissa Pacheco. The 39-year-old legend continued to make history, capturing gold in a fifth major promotion by outpointing her fellow countrywoman.

    Elsewhere, Bellator gold was on the line in the Middle East when middleweight champ Johnny Eblen ran it back with Fabian Edwards and the stakes were high when the massively touted Paul Hughes got a step up in competition against AJ McKee.

    With the event concluded, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights!

    PFL Battle Of The Giants: Ngannou vs. Ferreira Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Heavyweight Superfight Championship: Francis Ngannou def. Renan Ferreira via KO (ground punches): R1, 3:32
    • Women’s Featherweight Superfight Championship: Cris Cyborg def. Larissa Pacheco via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
    • Bellator Middleweight Championship: Johnny Eblen def. Fabian Edwards via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
    • Featherweight: Zafar Mohsen def. Husein Kadimagomaev via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
    • Lightweight: Paul Hughes def. AJ McKee via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Bantamweight: Raufeon Stots def. Marcos Breno via submission (rear-naked choke): R3: 3:01
    • Lightweight: Makkasharip Zaynukov def. Dedrek Sanders via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
    • Featherweight: Ibragim Ibragimov def. Nacho Campos via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
    • Featherweight: Taha Bendaoud def. Tariq Ismail via submission (triangle choke): R2, 3:51

    Taha Bendaoud Def. Tariq Ismail

    Ibragim Ibragimov Def. Nacho Campos

    Makkasharip Zaynukov Def. Dedrek Sanders

    Raufeon Stots Def. Marcos Breno

    Paul Hughes Def. AJ McKee

    Zafar Mohsen Def. Husein Kadimagomaev

    Johnny Eblen Def. Fabian Edwards

    Cris Cyborg Def. Larissa Pacheco

    Francis Ngannou Def. Renan Ferreira

  • ‘The Belt Collector’ – Jon Jones, Conor McGregor, & Others React As Cris Cyborg Adds PFL Gold To Her RĂ©sumĂ©

    ‘The Belt Collector’ – Jon Jones, Conor McGregor, & Others React As Cris Cyborg Adds PFL Gold To Her RĂ©sumĂ©

    Cris Cyborg has once again done something that no one else has ever done before — capture a championship in a fifth major MMA promotion.

    Cyborg managed to do this by defeating the first two-weight PFL champion, Larissa Pacheco, in the first PFL superfight championship bout as part of the PFL Battle of the Giants pay-per-view in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Brazilian now becomes the first fighter to win gold in the UFC, Bellator, PFL, Strikeforce, and Invicta — all at 145 pounds.

    The MMA legend used her striking prowess to pressure Pacheco in the begininng of the fight, getting her against the fence before landing a takedown. Cyborg looked for a surprising Von Flue choke, and while her compatriot got back to her feet, she ate a solid head kick. The 39-year-old performed strongly and busted Pacheco open around her ear, though Cyborg wore damage around her eyes.

    Both fighters came out strong in the second round, with Cyborg landing a series of strikes and a clean backfist. The veteran applied pressure as she got Pacheco back to the ground. Cyborg remained control in the second round, but Pacheco seemed to battle back in a quieter third round. There, the PFL star got the former UFC champ to the ground, dropping her with a right hand and attacking from the top. Cyborg defended well, but Pacheco looked to open her back up.

    Cyborg went on to land strong combinations in the championship rounds, while Pacheco looked to land her own power shots. In the fourth frame, in fact, the reigning Bellator titleholder landed a power shot that appeared to get Pacheco to retreat.

    The 39-year-old continued to land at will in the fifth round and ended up taking all three judges’ cards with 49-46 scores.

    Cris Cyborg Wins 5th Major MMA Championship, Becomes First-Ever PFL Super Fight Champion

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    Cyborg entered tonight having lost just twice in her professional MMA career, her pro debut in 2005 and her superfight against Amanda Nunes at the end of 2018.

    The first to win gold in four major MMA promotions (Strikeforce, Invicta, UFC and Bellator), the Brazilian had not fought in MMA since her successful Bellator title defense against Cat Zingano at Bellator 300 last year.

    Meanwhile, this marked Pacheco’s first fight since winning the PFL women’s featherweight title in 2023, becoming the first fighter to win gold in more than one weight class inside the SmartCage. Pacheco won the PFL women’s lightweight title in 2022 in her trilogy fight with Kayla Harrison, becoming the sole loss in Harrison’s MMA career.

  • ‘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
  • ‘Biggest Win Outside Of McGregor In Irish MMA History’ – Fans React As Paul Hughes Proves Himself Against AJ McKee On PFL PPV Card

    ‘Biggest Win Outside Of McGregor In Irish MMA History’ – Fans React As Paul Hughes Proves Himself Against AJ McKee On PFL PPV Card

    Paul Hughes has now scored the biggest win of his career, edging out a decision over former Bellator featherweight champion AJ McKee to kick off the PFL Battle of the Giants main card.

    In the first round, McKee looked to land aggressively, landing kicks and trying to control the fight by pushing Hughes to the fence. The Irishman responded well with strong strikes, however, including a big knee and punches in a scramble.

    McKee attempted to take the fight to the ground, but Hughes defended well. The former Cage Warriors standout managed to drop the American right before the end of the first round, nearly finishing the fight there.

    The fight remained competitive in the latter two rounds, though Hughes was putting up the stronger performance. “The Mercenary” looked to maintain his strategy of clinches and takedowns, looking to take the fight to the ground and keep it there. The Irish prospect, meanwhile, looked to use his hooks, combinations, and knees to keep McKee at bay, consistently looking to pressure until the final bell.

    All three judges gave 29-28 scores, with two of them in Hughes’ favor, giving him the split decision win in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    Paul Hughes Scores Major Decision Victory Over AJ McKee On PFL PPV card

    Hughes, the former Cage Warriors champion who has won all but one of his MMA fights, entered this fight off a successful Bellator debut against Bobby King this past June.

    McKee, meanwhile, saw a four-fight win streak snapped. He had entered this fight off a submission of Clay Collard at the PFL vs. Bellator pay-per-view card in February.

  • 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 NacĂŁo 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.

  • Ilia Topuria’s Custom Shorts For UFC 308 Get Rave Reviews

    Ilia Topuria is looking to make a statement when he does battle with Max Holloway at UFC 308 next weekend. But he already appears set to be making one with what he will be wearing to the cage!

    Topuria’s custom-made fight shorts for the event have been revealed in a post on social media by the @ClubDeLasMMA account.

    The shorts are red with the designs in the championship gold that include a bull — a reference to Topuria’s nationality and “El Matador” nickname — the Venum snake, a sun and more.

    The shorts’ appearance on social media brought about significant praise for its look.

    This fight will mark Topuria’s first attempt at defending the UFC featherweight championship. He won the title earlier this year at UFC 298, defeating Alexander Volkanovski.

    Holloway, meanwhile, became interim featherweight champion with a win over Anthony Pettis at UFC 206 before unifying the title with a win over then-champion JosĂ© Aldo at UFC 212. “Blessed” dropped the title to Volkanovski at UFC 245.

    This fight marks Holloway’s first since his legendary encounter with Justin Gaethje at UFC 300, where he scored a last-second knockout to win the BMF title.

  • Coach Backs Jorge Masvidal’s Comeback Plan: ‘He’s Focused & He’s Ready’

    Jorge Masvidal is preparing for a comeback to the sport that made him a household name. The former title contender, who retired from MMA in April 2023, is currently on a four-fight losing streak in the UFC. His skid began in July 2020 when he lost a decision to Kamaru Usman for the welterweight title at UFC 251. In their rematch at UFC 261 in April 2021, Usman knocked out Masvidal to retain the belt.

    Masvidal then suffered decision losses to Colby Covington at UFC 272 in March 2022 and to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287 in April 2023. Most recently, Masvidal stepped into the boxing ring, where he lost via decision to Nate Diaz in July 2023.

    Expectations for the Comeback

    In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, American Top Team coach Mike Brown shared his thoughts on Masvidal’s return to the gym.

    “I was actually surprised when Jorge came back to the gym by how good of shape he was in,” Brown told MMA Junkie. “He was actually in really good shape and had clearly been training, especially his wrestling. He was jumping right in and wrestling with the best guys. He didn’t get out of shape. He’s focused, and he’s ready. He has that itch and wants to do it again. He’s obviously a big star, and there are a lot of matchups I’m sure people want to see. There’s a lot of fights I’d like to see.”

  • Umar Nurmagomedov Rips ‘Bum’ Sean O’Malley Over UFC 306 Performance

    Umar Nurmagomedov Rips ‘Bum’ Sean O’Malley Over UFC 306 Performance

    Umar Nurmagomedov was unimpressed with Sean O’Malley’s performance in his latest fight. O’Malley, one of the UFC’s top stars and a former bantamweight champion, recently suffered a decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306. This defeat snapped O’Malley’s three-fight winning streak, which included capturing and defending the bantamweight title.

    O’Malley was mostly out-grappled in the fight, though he managed to hurt Dvalishvili with a body kick late in the contest. However, according to Nurmagomedov, O’Malley didn’t put forth his best effort.

    Nurmagomedov’s Criticism

    “He’s a bum, brother. He’s a bum,” Nurmagomedov told Submission Radio. “He didn’t do what he had to. He was running. If you’re a champion, you can’t enter the cage and fight like that. He left the fight without even getting tired—he left the cage fresh. What are you doing, man? You need to go all out, do everything you can to defend your title, but instead, you were running, scared, and Merab played with you.”

    Nurmagomedov continued, “He kissed you. He played. Remember when he didn’t even wait for the round to finish and just walked away? That’s like saying, ‘I can do whatever I want with you.’ Merab toyed with him, and I don’t know how O’Malley can talk after that.”

    Although O’Malley has expressed interest in a rematch with Dvalishvili, Nurmagomedov doesn’t see the UFC taking that route.

  • Undercard For Ngannou-Topped PFL PPV Opens With Comeback Of The Year Contender

    Undercard For Ngannou-Topped PFL PPV Opens With Comeback Of The Year Contender

    Things started with a bang at PFL Battle of the Giants: Ngannou vs. Ferreira on Saturday afternoon.

    The Professional Fighters League is staging its second pay-per-view event of the year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia today, with The Mayadeen playing host to a number of intriguing matchups.

    And before three championship fights headline and Francis Ngannou makes his return to mixed martial arts, plenty of fighters have the opportunity to impress on the preliminary card.

    In that regard, the undefeated Taha Bendaoud certainly capitalized — though it initially appeared as though his opponent was set to pick up the compliments.

    Midway through the second round of the card’s opening bout, Tariq Ismail held dominant position and rained down blows on “Atlas Lion.” Bendaoud’s defense thinned, leaving referee Bryan Miner giving multiple verbal warnings of an impending stoppage.

    But just when hope appeared to be drifting, the Moroccan fighter latched onto a tight triangle choke, forcing a tap from Ismail and completing one of this year’s best comebacks thus far.

    The PFL will hope for similar action throughout the night, especially when the five-fight main card commences.

    Following a highly anticipated clash between Irish prospect Paul Hughes and former Bellator champion AJ McKee, all eyes will turn to gold.

    In addition to Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards running it back for the former’s Bellator middleweight title, the inaugural superfight championships will be on the line in Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco and Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira.

  • Alex Pereira Slams The Door Shut On Jake Paul Boxing Match

    Alex Pereira Slams The Door Shut On Jake Paul Boxing Match

    UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira has closed the door on the possibility of fighting Jake Paul.

    Pereira, fresh off his third title defense after finishing Khalil Rountree in round four of their UFC 307 headliner, revealed that he plans to take time off, with a projected return around March.

    While “Poatan” had previously shown some interest in a potential boxing match against Paul — who is set to fight Mike Tyson next month — he made it clear that this fight is not in the cards. In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani for Uncrowned, the Brazilian suggested that Paul wouldn’t be calling him out if it weren’t for his UFC contract.

    “I’m going to be honest, of course boxing interests me,” Pereira said when asked about a future boxing match with Paul. “But he knows that I’m under contract with the UFC, and I can’t just leave. I think that’s why he calls [me out] and says all of that.”

    “If the UFC were a league that allowed everyone to fight everywhere, he wouldn’t be saying that,” Pereira added.

  • Belal Muhammad Claims Competitive Edge Over Shavkat Rakhmonov

    Belal Muhammad Claims Competitive Edge Over Shavkat Rakhmonov

    Belal Muhammad recently weighed in on why he believes he has the upper hand against Shavkat Rakhmonov in their upcoming clash.

    Muhammad is poised to defend his welterweight title against Rakhmonov in the main event of UFC 310, scheduled for December 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    “Remember the Name” is riding a wave of confidence after decisively dethroning former champion Leon Edwards with a unanimous decision victory at UFC 304 in July. In a bold move, he chose “Nomad,” who is regarded as one of the most daunting competitors in the 170-pound division, as his opponent for his first title defense.

    Despite his impressive 11-fight unbeaten streak and championship status, Muhammad opened up as a significant underdog against Rakhmonov on the betting line. However, the 36-year-old Chicago native believes that Rakhmonov has yet to face a fighter quite like him.

    During a recent interview with Submission Radio, “Remember the Name” acknowledged Rakhmonov’s ascent through the ranks but confidently asserted that he is far tougher. Muhammad emphasized that he plans to apply unprecedented pressure and test Rakhmonov’s limits, pushing him to his breaking point.

    “But I think that the difference between me and everybody he’s faced is I’m not gonna go in there intimidated,” Muhammad said. “I’ve fought in every style; I’ve fought everybody — the best of the best. I’ve been with the biggest names, and for myself, I’ve gotten over all those humps. He hasn’t gotten over that hump yet. A lot of the guys he’s fought go in there intimidated, already seeing him, and you can just see in a lot of these guys they’ll just fall or they’ll break right away for him.

    “Now you’re going against somebody that’s tougher; you’re going against somebody that’s not gonna fall; you’re going against somebody that’s gonna stand right there in front of your face the whole time. Then what do you do? How do you react? He hasn’t had to face that type of fighter in the UFC yet; he hasn’t had those types of wars yet.”

    “Nomad” remains unbeaten in his professional career, boasting an impressive 100 percent finish rate. With a UFC record of 6-0, he is riding a wave of momentum after securing a second-round submission victory against former title challenger Stephen Thompson at UFC 296 in December 2023.

  • Cain Velasquez’s Sentencing Delayed Until 2025 After No-Contest Plea

    Cain Velasquez’s Sentencing Delayed Until 2025 After No-Contest Plea

    Cain Velasquez can take some comfort for now, as his sentencing has been postponed until 2025.

    Velasquez pleaded no contest in a California court this past August to charges of felony attempted murder, assault, and several other weapons-related offenses. The plea deal, aimed at securing a reduced sentence, also brought some closure to the ongoing case.

    As reported by MMA journalist Damon Martin, the court announced during a sentencing hearing on Friday that the proceedings will be postponed until early next year, with the specific date yet to be determined.

    The former UFC heavyweight champion was embroiled in an attempted murder trial stemming from a February 2022 incident in which he reportedly fired multiple shots at Harry Goularte, who was accused of molesting his then-four-year-old son. Instead, Velasquez inadvertently struck the man’s stepfather, Paul Bender, following a high-speed car chase.

    Velasquez allegedly fired several rounds at the vehicle using a .40-caliber handgun. However, rather than striking his intended target, he hit Bender in the arm, causing injuries that were not life-threatening.

    After the car chase came to an end, Velasquez was taken into custody without resistance by the local police department. He faced a series of charges that kept him incarcerated for eight months before he was finally granted bail in November 2022 on a $1 million bond.

    After a remarkable career in the UFC that included two reigns as heavyweight champion, Velasquez announced his retirement from the promotion in October 2019. His final professional MMA bout ended in a swift 26-second knockout defeat to Francis Ngannou during a UFC Fight Night event in February 2019.

  • UFC Fight Night: Anthony Hernandez vs. Michel Pereira Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Anthony Hernandez vs. Michel Pereira Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Anthony Hernandez vs. Michel Pereira takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    Before heading back to the Middle East to stage its latest pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi next weekend, the mixed martial arts leader has one final piece of Fight Night business to attend to at the Apex.

    Topping the lineup on Oct. 19 will be a clash of ranked middleweight fan favorites as Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez collides with the always entertaining and eccentric Michel Pereira.

    Elsewhere, the likes of longtime bantamweight contender Rob Font, former LFA champion Charles Johnson, two-time TUF winner Brad Katona, and top-10 flyweight Matheus Nicolau will all be in action.

    UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Pereira Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Pereira takes place on Saturday, October 19, at the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

    See above for a live stream of the weigh-ins via MMA Junkie, and check out the full results below!

    Main Card:

    • Middleweight Main Event: Anthony Hernandez (185.5lbs) vs. Michel Pereira (185.5lbs)
    • Bantamweight Co-Main Event: Rob Font (135.5lbs) vs. Kyler Phillips (135.5lbs)
    • Flyweight: Charles Johnson (126lbs) vs. Sumudaerji (126lbs)
    • Bantamweight: Jake Hadley (135.5lbs) vs. Cameron Smotherman (135.5lbs)
    • Featherweight: Darren Elkins (144.5lbs) vs. Daniel Pineda (145.5lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Flyweight: Matheus Nicolau (125.5lbs) vs. Asu Almabayev (125.5lbs)
    • Bantamweight: Brad Katona (135.5lbs) vs. Jean Matsumoto (135.5lbs)
    • Women’s Bantamweight: Joselyne Edwards (139.5lbs)* vs. Tamires Vidal (135.5lbs)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Jessica Penne (115.5lbs) vs. Elise Reed (115lbs)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Melissa Martinez (115.5lbs) vs. Alice Ardelean (115lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Austen Lane (251lbs) vs. Robelis Despaigne (264lbs)

    *Joselyne Edwards missed the bantamweight limit by 3.5 pounds, fight status TBC

  • PFL Battle Of The Giants: Ngannou vs. Ferreira Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream

    PFL Battle Of The Giants: Ngannou vs. Ferreira Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream

    The PFL’s latest pay-per-view event takes place on Saturday night, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!

    PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants takes place at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Oct. 19, where the main attraction will see former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou make his long-awaited return to mixed martial arts.

    Having not competed in the cage since a victory over Ciryl Gane in January 2022 — completing a pair of boxing matches opposite Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in the period since — â€œThe Predator” will look to make an emphatic MMA comeback at the expense of last year’s PFL heavyweight title winner, Renan Ferreira.

    Setting the stage for the headliners will be another Super Fights championship clash, with reigning Bellator featherweight queen Cris Cyborg debuting in the SmartCage opposite the PFL’s first two-weight champion, Larissa Pacheco.

    Elsewhere, Bellator gold will be on the line in the Middle East when middleweight champ Johnny Eblen runs it back with Fabian Edwards and the stakes will be high when the massively touted Paul Hughes gets a step up in competition against AJ McKee.

    Ahead of the event, all 18 fighters successfully made weight. With that, every fight has remained intact, and all that remains on Friday is for the athletes to face off one final time at the PFL: Battle of the Giants ceremonial weigh-ins!

    Check out a live stream via the official PFL YouTube channel below, commencing at 11:30 a.m. ET.

    PFL Battle of the Giants Ceremonial Weigh-In Stream

  • Chael Sonnen Says Dustin Poirier & Others Flirt With Retirement To Receive Praise

    Chael Sonnen Says Dustin Poirier & Others Flirt With Retirement To Receive Praise

    Dustin Poirier recently confirmed that he will indeed fight in the UFC again despite contemplating retirement after his loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 302. “The Diamond” wants to plan his exit from the sport by going out in front of his home fans in Louisiana.

    MMA retirements never tend to last too long, just look at Donald Cerrone’s recent comments, and this likely isn’t going to change as the sport continues to age.

    During a recent episode of ESPN MMA’s Good Guy / Bad Guy show with Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen, Cormier said that he was never convinced that Poirier would step away. He said that the former interim champions ability to still compete at the highest level meant that he wouldn’t ride off into the sunset just yet, even if he was suggesting that this was more than likely.

    Sonnen followed this point up by referencing something that he would do in his childhood in order to receive words or praise and encouragement from his peers. He said that in art class, which he was hit and miss at, he would parade his best pieces of work around and say how bad they were in order to draw compliments.

    Sonnen believes that fighters do a similar thing in order to hear the kind of appreciation that makes them feel validated.

    “I did this when I was a little kid. Daniel, as I became an adult, I still did little things like that, I just did it fewer and further between and I swear, I do feel that some of these guys just so that we’ll pat them on the head and tell them, ‘No you’re so great’, I swear they’ll say like something bad about themselves to get the rest of us to go, ‘No, hey, you’ve got more.’ I do feel that way sometimes.”

    Sonnen then spoke specifically about Poirier and his decision to make the walk one or two more times.

    “I imagine it is hard to go and physically, Dustin has it. Mentally, Dustin has it but he’s got that little kid in him somewhere that wants us to constantly tell him, ‘Hey Dustin, you still got it.’ Well, I’ll buy in. Dustin, you still got it.”

  • Kai Kara-France Slams UFC For Awarding Title Shot To Newcomer Asakura

    Kai Kara-France Slams UFC For Awarding Title Shot To Newcomer Asakura

    Kai Kara-France recently condemned the UFC’s decision to grant a title shot to Kai Asakura in his promotional debut.

    It’s a rare occurrence for a fighter to step into the Octagon for their first fight in a title bout, yet that’s precisely the path Asakura will take as he is set to challenge reigning flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja in the co-main event of UFC 310. This exciting matchup is set to take place on December 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    However, Kara-France, who was campaigning for a title shot himself after his first-round knockout victory over Steve Erceg at UFC 305, voiced his disapproval of Asakura receiving an immediate opportunity to fight for the belt.

    During a recent interview with Sky Sport NZ, “Don’t Blink” stated that the 31-year-old Japanese fighter did not deserve a shot at UFC gold. He expressed that it feels unjust for dedicated fighters in the 125-pound category, who have put in the hard work to rise through the ranks, to be overlooked for a title shot.

    “They’ve got the wrong Kai,” Kara-France said. “After my fight, I was calling for the title shot, and I was thinking, ‘Sweet, I’ve got it,’ and then I heard they’re bringing in a guy from Japan, and his name’s Kai. Bro, he hasn’t even fought yet. I don’t think he deserves it. You’ve got to at least show your worth or do something for guys who have been grinding for years in the UFC division, fighting the best guys.

    We’ve proven that we belong here, so I don’t know. That’s just how I feel about it. It’s weird that you can come in off no fights in the UFC and get a title shot. Hey, but if it’s going to bring in more attention to the flyweight division, you know, a bit of controversy, if this guy deserves it, yeah, he can go out there and prove it.”

    Kara-France challenged for the interim flyweight title against former champion Brandon Moreno at UFC 277 in July 2022 but fell short, suffering a third-round TKO. The 31-year-old Kiwi has been a fixture in the UFC since 2018, compiling a respectable 8-4 record.

    After signing an exclusive deal with the UFC, Asakura vacated his two-time RIZIN bantamweight championship, where he was a standout for nearly six years. He compiled an impressive record of 13-3 in the promotion, securing victories over notable opponents like Kyoji Horiguchi, Juan Archuleta, and Manel Kape.

  • Belal Muhammad Claps Back At Conor McGregor With Addiction Claims

    Belal Muhammad Claps Back At Conor McGregor With Addiction Claims

    Belal Muhammad recently delivered a sharp rebuttal to Conor McGregor’s latest tirade on social media directed at him.

    Earlier this week, Muhammad became the target of an explicit rant from “The Notorious” on X, who expressed his frustration with the obstacles preventing his UFC comeback. In a now-deleted tweet, McGregor lashed out at the reigning UFC welterweight champion, suggesting he could dispatch him with ease and become the promotion’s first three-division titleholder.

    McGregor’s outburst followed UFC CEO Dana White’s announcement that Muhammad will make his first title defense at 170 pounds against the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov. The showdown is slated to headline UFC 310 on December 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    During a recent interview with Submission Radio, “Remember the Name” responded to McGregor’s biting comments, asserting that the only scenario in which the Irishman could envision defeating him is while under the influence. Muhammad accused McGregor of substance abuse, expressing skepticism about the former two-division champion’s imminent return to the Octagon and suggesting that he is unlikely to make a comeback in the near future.

    “As you said, there’s something in the air. I think that’s cocaine, what they call,” Muhammad said. “This guy is always high or drunk, and the only way that he’s gonna imagine beating me is if he’s high or drunk. There’s nothing that’ll ever happen. He won’t be coming back to 170 [pounds]; he won’t be coming back to fighting. He needs to go back to rehab, and like I said, if he needs a ride there, I’ll help him out—I’ll get him an Uber there. But yeah, somebody needs to help this guy; he’s not gonna be fighting anytime soon.”

    “The Notorious” has not stepped into the Octagon since suffering a severe leg injury during his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. McGregor was initially slated to make his comeback at UFC 303 in June, where he was set to face Michael Chandler in a welterweight clash. However, just weeks before the fight, the UFC superstar broke his toe, forcing him to withdraw from the highly anticipated matchup.

    Last week, McGregor teased a potential showdown with Dan Hooker on February 1 in Saudi Arabia, although he didn’t specify the weight class for the bout. “The Hangman” also expressed his enthusiasm for the possible clash, but as of now, there has been no official confirmation from the UFC.

  • Former UFC Champion Recalls How Max Holloway Beat Him At His Own Game: ‘That’s What That Feels Like!’

    Former UFC Champion Recalls How Max Holloway Beat Him At His Own Game: ‘That’s What That Feels Like!’

    With how long fight fans have been watching Max Holloway compete at the highest level, it can be easy to forget that he’s still only 32-years old. “Blessed” is looking to reclaim the featherweight title later this month at UFC 308 when he faces Ilia Topuria in Abu Dhabi.

    The first time that he got his hands on UFC gold was all the way back in 2016 at UFC 206 in Toronto, Canada where he faced Anthony Pettis for the interim title. A former lightweight champion, Pettis had recently moved down to 145-pounds where he submitted Charles Oliveira in his previous fight.

    Holloway earned the tenth win of his current streak in this fight, stopping Pettis in the third round after hurting him to the body to close out another great performance from “Blessed”. He would then go on to unify the belts against JosĂ© Aldo in Brazil the following year.

    In a recent appearance on the MightyCast with Demetrious Johnson, Pettis reflected on his experience fighting Holloway eight years ago. At his peak, “Showtime” was known for his devastating striking, including a body kick finish over Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone from back in 2013.

    He said that after Holloway hit him with a body kick of his own, he finally understood what he had been putting opponents through all those years.

    “He’s a beast bro like fighting that dude, like you have to be on your A-game. First time I ever got finished in a fight was Max Holloway. TKO. He hit me with a body kick, first time I was like, ‘That’s what that feels like…’ He hit me and I was like, ‘Oh s***!,’ and then he teed off on me and he got the title and like big up to him man, great fighter.”

  • Anthony Pettis Breaks Down How He Became The First Man To Knock Out Stephen Thompson: ‘Karate vs Taekwondo’

    Anthony Pettis Breaks Down How He Became The First Man To Knock Out Stephen Thompson: ‘Karate vs Taekwondo’

    Anthony Pettis achieved a lot in his career and despite becoming a UFC champion, for many fans, what made him immortal was the iconic showtime kick that he produced in the WEC against Benson Henderson.

    Many years down the line in his career, towards the end of his UFC tenure, “Showtime” would produce another instant classic moment for his highlight reel that is sure to be shown in UFC compilations for many years to come.

    In 2019, he went up to welterweight to face off with Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson in a fun match-up that looked to be a difficult fight for him to win. Thompson had a lot of success in the fight until, in the second round, he was knocked out for the first time in his MMA career.

    Pettis stopped the elite kickboxer in stunning fashion, landing a superman punch right as the second round came to an end to flip the script on it’s head. In a recent interview with Demetrious Johnson on the MightyCast, he reflected on this fight.

    Pettis said it was his call to fight Thompson and his confidence in the match-up came from the coaches that he has worked with throughout his career. His head coach, Duke Roufus and his brother Rick are both pioneering strikers who would be able to pass their own experiences competing at the highest level on to their fighter.

    “Showtime” revealed how this clash of traditional striking styles and the knowledge he gained from his coaches led to him stopping “Wonderboy” in emphatic fashion.

    “I’m like, I think I could beat him, karate vs taekwondo, I knew his range, I knew how to beat him because of Duke. That was one of those camps where I gave it all to Duke, like he knew how to beat him because of what happened to Rick Rufus. It was like the story was writing again, the karate guy, he’s like, ‘We have to, every time he kicks, low kick the same leg.’ I’m like, ‘For real? It’s that easy?’ It was that easy bro. Obviously I got punched in the face and s*** but once I started eating him up, when his stance goes from wide base to smaller cuz you’re beating those legs up, that’s when you can punch him but when he’s wide, he’s so far.”

  • Irene Aldana: UFC 306 Cut Was ‘Poorly Managed’ By Cutman, Cageside Doctor

    Irene Aldana: UFC 306 Cut Was ‘Poorly Managed’ By Cutman, Cageside Doctor

    Irene Aldana has always been known as an incredibly tough competitor in the UFC’s bantamweight division but she took that to another level at UFC 306. In her three-round war with Norma Dumont, the Mexican fighter suffered one of the worst cuts in UFC history.

    The cut stemmed from an accidental headbutt in the second round and with how big it was, no one would have been surprised to see the doctor wave the fight off before Aldana went out for the third and final round.

    That didn’t happen and the former title challenger has got some issues with the way that she was treated in that moment when she looks back at her September outing. In an exclusive Spanish interview with MMA Junkie’s Danny Segura, Aldana says that in her opinion, the doctor and cutman didn’t do their jobs effectively.

    “I’ve seen fights stopped for smaller cuts, at least for the doctor to get called to check the cut to see if the fighter should continue,” Aldana said. “Honestly, I thought the approach from the cutman and the commission in the corner was very strange.

    “I don’t remember the doctor checking on the cut, and I didn’t get Vaseline. The cutman was putting his weight onto the cut, and I feel like that opened it more. I remember having to posture firmly so I wouldn’t go back because his body weight was on me. I do think it would’ve been best to check the replay and have the doctor check on the cut. On that aspect, I do think it was poorly managed.”

    Aldana went on to express that overall, she has mixed feelings on the whole situation and the way it was handled. She is happy that she got the opportunity to continue fighting but also can’t help but weigh up what the potential risks could have been as a result.

    “It was risky to continue after seeing he cut and the videos, I mean you could basically see my skull. It was a risk, I could’ve gotten a facial paralysis or had big consequences of it, but that’s how things played out, and fortunately, I’m OK. I do hang on to the fact that I got a small chance to go finish the fight. I’m happy with that. But on the way things were handled by the commission, I do have my doubts.”

  • Muhammad Mokaev Set To Grapple UFC Fighter In Abu Dhabi One Day Before UFC 308

    Muhammad Mokaev Set To Grapple UFC Fighter In Abu Dhabi One Day Before UFC 308

    After departing the UFC following his win over Manel Kape at UFC 304 in July, Muhammad Mokaev is set to make his return to competition later this month. “The Punisher” was announced to have re-signed with BRAVE CF where he previously fought before making his way to the Octagon.

    However, Mokaev’s next outing will not see him return to MMA just yet as instead, a grappling match against a well known name is just around the corner.

    Just one day before UFC 308 takes place at the Etihad Arena, Mokaev is set to compete against Raul Rosas Jr. on October 25 at ADXC 6. After several rumours and teases from both parties, the match-up was confirmed by Red Corner MMA.

    Mokaev won seven fights in a row after signing with the UFC and likely would have been next to fight for the flyweight title had the promotion chosen to re-sign him. Instead, in the immediate aftermath of UFC 304, Dana White announced that they would be cutting ties with Mokaev for several reasons.

    Despite his clear talent, the 24-year old was involved in several confrontations outside of the cage that made certain figures at the UFC less than fond of working with him.

    As for Rosas Jr., he made history on his UFC debut by becoming the youngest fighter to have ever competed inside the Octagon at just 18 years old. After winning his spot on the roster via the Contender Series, he’s won his last three in a row at bantamweight to rebound from a loss to Christian Rodriguez.

    ADXC 6 is set to take place at the Mubadala Arena on Friday, October 25.

  • PFL Battle Of The Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Weigh-In Results

    PFL Battle Of The Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira Weigh-In Results

    The PFL‘s “Battle of the Giants” pay-per-view takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    Headlining in the Middle East will be former UFC champion Francis Ngannou, who returns to the cage following a memorable two-fight stint in the boxing realm. For his first taste of MMA action since departing the UFC at the start of 2023, “The Predator” will battle Renan Ferreira for the PFL’s superfight heavyweight title.

    The same stakes will also exist in the co-headliner as legend Cris Cyborg battles the PFL’s first two-weight title winner Larissa Pacheco for the featherweight belt, while Bellator gold will be on the line beforehand when Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards run it back.

    Elsewhere, AJ McKee looks to stall the charge of Paul Hughes and the likes of Raufeon Stots and Ibragim Ibragimov hope to make the most of their positions on the major PPV card.

    PFL Battle Of The Giants: Ngannou vs. Ferreira Weigh-In Results

    The PFL’s “Battle of the Giants” event takes place on Saturday, October 19, at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card begins at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.

    With that said, check out the full weigh-in results below!

    Main Card:

    • Heavyweight Superfight Championship: Francis Ngannou (256.8lbs) vs. Renan Ferreira (261.5lbs)
    • Women’s Featherweight Superfight Championship: Cris Cyborg (144.5lbs) vs. Larissa Pacheco (144.1lbs)
    • Bellator Middleweight Championship: Johnny Eblen (184.7lbs) vs. Fabian Edwards (184.9lbs)
    • Featherweight: Husein Kadimagomaev (146lbs) vs. Zafar Mohsen (145.8lbs)
    • Lightweight: AJ McKee (155.8lbs) vs. Paul Hughes (155.8lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Bantamweight: Raufeon Stots (135.8lbs) vs. Marcos Breno (136lbs)
    • Lightweight: Makkasharip Zaynukov (153.6lbs) vs. Dedrek Sanders (154.9lbs)
    • Featherweight: Ibragim Ibragimov (145.5lbs) vs. Nacho Campos (145.9lbs)
    • Featherweight: Tariq Ismail (145.1lbs) vs. Taha Bendaoud (145.5lbs)