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Tag: Bryan Battle

  • Johnny Eblen Ragdolls Bryan Battle In Submission Win

    Johnny Eblen Ragdolls Bryan Battle In Submission Win

    Johnny Eblen has made a statement — he wants a shot to get the PFL middleweight title back from Costello Van Steenis. He made that statement emphatically with a one-sided victory over Bryan Battle in the main event of PFL Pittsburgh.

    Eblen landed an early takedown on Battle. Battle attempted to stand up, only to get brought back down slam style two more times by the former champ. Eblen continued this strategy, landing shots where he could, including a knee while standing and some ground-and-pound.

    Eblen, in fact, landed eight takedowns on Battle during a dominant first-round. Eblen then put a bow on the bout by getting to Battle’s back and locking up a rear-naked choke, scoring the first-round submission win.

    Johnny Eblen Dominates, Submits Bryan Battle At PFL Pittsburgh

    Eblen rebounds from his title run and undefeated record ending at the hands of Van Steenis with a literal last-minute submission at PFL Cape Town this past summer. Eblen was 16-0 prior to that loss and is a former Bellator middleweight champion.

    This was Battle’s first MMA bout since his release from the UFC due to weight issues. Battle’s last MMA bout prior to tonight was a split decision win over Randy Brown at UFC 310. The Ultimate Fighter season 29 winner fought in a pair of Dirty Boxing bouts last year following his UFC release.

  • PFL Pittsburgh Results: Eblen vs Battle Live Updates & Highlights

    PFL Pittsburgh Results: Eblen vs Battle Live Updates & Highlights

    PFL Madrid results and highlights are updated live as the action unfolds from the UPMC Events Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The main event will feature a middleweight bout between Johnny Eblen and Bryan Battle. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Johnny Eblen vs. Bryan Battle – Middleweight Main Event

    This marks Eblen’s first fight since losing to Costello Van Steenis in dramatic fashion in their PFL middleweight title clash at PFL Cape Town this past July.

    Prior to that loss, Eblen was 16-0 in professional MMA, defeating Gegard Mousasi for the Bellator middleweight title at Bellator 282. He defended the gold against Anatoly Tokov and Fabian Edwards (twice), as well as earning a win over Impa Kasaganagy at the PFL vs. Bellator event in February 2024.

    This will be Battle’s first MMA bout since joining the PFL following his UFC release due to several weight misses. Battle last fought in MMA at UFC 310, defeating Randy Brown via split decision to move to 12-2 (1 NC).

    Battle, the middleweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter season 29, fought in Dirty Boxing twice after his UFC release, earning sub-minute stoppages of Derik de Freitas and Nick Kohring.

    The PFL Pittsburgh co-main event will be another middleweight battle, featuring the aforementioned Impa Kasaganay and Dalton Rosta.

    Kasanagy won the PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament in 2023 but fell to Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov in the 2024 final. Kasaganay then competed in the 2025 Middleweight World Tournament, getting finished by Edwards, the eventual tournament champion. Kasaganay last fought in August, scoring a last-minute finish of Andrew Sanchez.

    Rosta, entering this fight 11-2, also competed in the Middleweight World Tournament. He submitted Sabidou Sy and earned a split decision over Aaron Jeffrey before being knocked out by Edwards in the final.

    If you can’t watch the action, check here for all the latest results and highlights from PFL Pittsburgh!

    How to Watch PFL Pittsburgh

    • Date: Saturday, March 28, 2026
    • Venue: UPMC Events Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    • Streaming: ESPN Unlimited (full card), ESPN2 (main card), ESPN+ (prelims)
    • Prelims: 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
    • Main Card: 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT

    PFL Pittsburgh Quick Results

    • Main Event: Johnny Eblen vs. Bryan Battle — Johnny Eblen def. Bryan Battle via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 1, 4:10)
    • Co-Main Event: Impa Kasaganay vs. Dalton Rosta — Impa Kasaganay def. Dalton Rosta via KO (Rd. 1, 3:18)
    • Ariane da Silva vs. Sumiko Inaba — Ariane da Silva def. Sumiko Inaba via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
    • Julio Arce vs. Alexei Pergande — Alexei Pergande def. Julio Arce via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
    • Lazaro Dayron vs. Jacob Thrall — Lazaro Dayron def. Jacob Thrall via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

    PFL Pittsburgh Results & Highlights

    Preliminary Card (ESPN+, 7 PM ET)

    Featherweight: Ethan Goss vs. Frederik Dupras

    Result: Frederik Dupras def. Ethan Goss via technical submission (guillotine choke) (Rd. 1, 2:46)

    Welterweight: Josh Fremd vs. Jarrah Al-Silawi

    Result: Josh Fremd def. Jarrah Al-Silawi via KO (Rd. 3, 3:57)

    Women’s Flyweight: Tatiana Postarnakova vs. Elora Dana

    Result: Tatiana Postarnakova def. Elora Dana via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Welterweight: Ernesto Rodriguez vs. Masayuki Kikuiri

    Result: Ernesto Rodriguez def. Masayuki Kikiuri via majority decision (28-28, 29-28 x2)

    Lightweight: Robert Watley vs. Dakota Bush

    Result: Dakota Bush def. Robert Watley via KO (Rd. 1, 0:34)

    Lightweight: Natan Schulte vs. Jakub Kaszuba

    Result: Jakub Kaszuba def. Natan Schulte via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

    Catchweight (140 lbs): Allan Begosso vs. Jack Cartwright

    Result: Jack Cartwright def. Allan Begosso via split decision (29-28 x2, 27-29)

    Main Card (ESPN2, 10 PM ET)

    Bantamweight: Lazaro Dayron vs. Jacob Thrall

    Result: Lazaro Dayron def. Jacob Thrall via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

    Featherweight: Julio Arce vs. Alexei Pergande

    Result: Alexei Pergande def. Julio Arce via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Women’s Flyweight: Ariane da Silva vs. Sumiko Inaba

    Result: Ariane da Silva def. Sumiko Inaba via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

    Middleweight: Impa Kasaganay vs. Dalton Rosta

    Result: Impa Kasaganay def. Dalton Rosta via KO (Rd. 1, 3:18)

    Middleweight: Johnny Eblen vs. Bryan Battle

    Result: Johnny Eblen def. Bryan Battle via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 1, 4:10)

  • Bryan Battle Set To Return To Dirty Boxing On Oct. 30 Against Nate Diaz Teammate Weeks After PFL Signing

    Bryan Battle Set To Return To Dirty Boxing On Oct. 30 Against Nate Diaz Teammate Weeks After PFL Signing

    Bryan Battle is booked for his sophomore Dirty Boxing appearance.

    The past few months have been a rollercoaster for Battle. It all started when he was abruptly released from the promotion after missing weight for his middleweight clash against Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC 319 in August.

    Just two weeks later, “The Butcher” found a new fighting home, signing with Dirty Boxing, the hybrid combat promotion co-owned by Mike Perry and Jon Jones. In his promotional debut, the 31-year-old North Carolinian scored a lightning-fast 56-second knockout of Derik de Freitas at DBX 3 on August 29.

    After his victory, Battle inked a deal with UFC’s rival promotion, PFL, last month.

    Bryan Battle
    Image: UFC.com

    Bryan Battle To Face Nicholas Kohring In DBX 4 Co-Main Event On Oct. 30

    Earlier this week, the promotion announced that Bryan Battle is set to make his second appearance with Dirty Boxing, taking on Nicholas Kohring in the co-main event of DBX 4 on October 30 in Nashville, Tennessee.

    DBX 4 will be headlined by a heavyweight clash, pitting Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson against Bellator veteran Billy Swanson.

    “The Butcher” holds a professional MMA record of 13-2 with one no contest. He concluded his UFC stint with a 7-1 record and one no contest, racking up five stoppage victories and claiming two Performance of the Night bonuses during his run.

    Meanwhile, Kohring, a teammate of UFC legend Nate Diaz, last competed at BKFC 59 in March 2024, where he secured a first-round knockout over Kyle McElroy. “Killshot” holds a professional MMA record of 13-2, with an impressive 12 victories coming by way of stoppage.

    Image: @killshotmma/Instagram


  • Former TUF Winner Bryan Battle Signs With PFL After UFC Release

    Former TUF Winner Bryan Battle Signs With PFL After UFC Release

    A little more than two weeks following his release from the UFC, Bryan Battle has signed with the PFL.

    The PFL welcomed Battle in an announcement posted to social media on September 5.

    Battle was released from the UFC on August 20 after missing weight for a scheduled fight with Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC 319, causing the bout’s cancelation. Battle weighed in at 190 pounds for the fight, four pounds over the non-title middleweight limit.

    This was after Battle had already missed weight by four pounds at welterweight for a fight with Randy Brown that took place at UFC 310 this past December.

    Bryan Battle Signs With PFL

    After an 8-2 amateur record between 2017 and 2018, Battle made his professional MMA debut in July 2019. He’d go 5-1 before participating in season 29 of The Ultimate Fighter, going on to defeat Kemran Lachinov, Andre Petroski, and Gilbert Urbina to win the middleweight portion of the tournament.

    Battle went 7-1 (1 NC) in the UFC.

    In the time between his UFC release and PFL signing, Battle took a short-notice bout with Derik de Freitas at DBX 3 for Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing promotion. Battle won the bizarre bout in just under a minute.

  • “Just Fought Possibly The Worst Boxer To Ever Exist” – Fans React To Bryan Battle’s Bizarre, Quick Victory In Dirty Boxing Debut At DBX 3

    “Just Fought Possibly The Worst Boxer To Ever Exist” – Fans React To Bryan Battle’s Bizarre, Quick Victory In Dirty Boxing Debut At DBX 3

    Less than 10 days following his release from the UFC, Bryan Battle made his Dirty Boxing Championship debut at DBX 3, pulling off a win over Derik de Freitas in a fight that was short, but also weird, if not downright atrocious.

    After a pair of combinations, Freitas threw wildly before clinching with Battle and having to be separated. Battle and Freitas would then swing away before a left hand dropped Freitas, with Battle following up with some ground strikes. After another referee stand up, Battle knocked Freitas down again with another series of shots.

    Freitas grabbed Battle’s leg to reset but did not answer the referee’s order to get up, prompting him to stop the match and awarded the fight to Battle.

    Bryan Battle Quickly Stops Derik de Freitas At Dirty Boxing 3

    Battle was released by the UFC following the weekend of UFC 319. Battle was scheduled to compete on the card against Nursulton Ruziboev but came in four pounds over the middleweight non-title limit, and the fight was canceled. This was Battle’s second straight scheduled fight where he missed weight, as he came in four pounds over the welterweight non-title limit for his UFC 310 win over Randy Brown.

    Freitas has a 3-9 professional MMA record. Prior to tonight, his most recent fight came in November, losing in 20 seconds to Angelo Rivera Jr. due to ankle injury.

  • Bryan Battle On MMA Fans: “Difference between being held accountable and people just being mean”

    Bryan Battle On MMA Fans: “Difference between being held accountable and people just being mean”

    Bryan Battle has been feeling the heat from MMA fans a bit as of late following his UFC release after his second weight miss across two weight divisions.

    Speaking with Mike Heck of MMA Fighting, Battle discussed how mixed martial arts fans have been interacting with him online as of late after receiving his walking papers from the MMA powerhouse with a signed bout agreement with Dirty Boxing Championship for later this week.

    While he is not obtuse to his own wrongdoings that got him booted from the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the entertaining combatant feels like some mixed martial arts fans have crossed a bit of a line here as Battle said,

    “There’s a big difference between being held accountable and people just being mean. You know what I’m saying? A lot of people being nasty. I’m seeing a lot of people’s true colors, but then there’s also people who got my best interest at heart. A lot of people, especially since I took this fight, been on my ass: How’s your weight? How you doing?”

    “What are you gonna do today? What’d you eat? And those are the people who want what’s best for you. They’re not just gonna write this off like, ‘Oh yeah, you’ll get ’em next time.’ No, no, you need to be better. I still love you, but you need to be better. And it’s stuff like that I appreciate as a superstar.”

    Bryan Battle set for DBX 3 clash after UFC departure

    Bryan Battle will attempt his second cut to 185 pounds this month but is preparing for a different combative ruleset altogether.

    ‘The Butcher’ is set to battle Derik de Freitas in a hybrid rules bout as part of DBX 3 which is set for August 29th in Florida. For de Freitas, he has previously had twelve professional mixed martial arts bout and the Brazilian competitor looks for his biggest win ever against a former UFC veteran in Battle.

    DBX 3 also features like notable names such as Jairzinho Rozenstruik who competes for heavyweight gold in the headliner, former Bellator MMA and BKFC champ as well as former UFC veteran Hector Lombard, as well as former UFC vets like Jessica-Rose Clark and Alex Caceres to reference but a few.

  • Bryan Battle Takes Accountability For ‘Justified’ UFC Release – ‘That’s A Result Of My Own Actions’

    Bryan Battle Takes Accountability For ‘Justified’ UFC Release – ‘That’s A Result Of My Own Actions’

    Bryan Battle knew missing weight in the UFC would come at a cost.

    Battle was set to face Nursulton Ruziboev in a middleweight bout at UFC 319 earlier this month, but things unraveled on the scale. Coming in four pounds over the 186-pound limit, the American missed weight for the second fight in a row, forcing the matchup to be scrapped before it could even begin.

    “The Butcher” racked up three weight misses during his UFC run, and just a week after his most recent fight was scrapped, the promotion decided to part ways with him.

    Battle secured his UFC contract with a second-round submission of Andre Petroski in the middleweight semifinals of The Ultimate Fighter 29 back in August 2021. From there, “The Butcher” carved out a solid run inside the Octagon, compiling a 7-1 record with one no contest, highlighted by five stoppage victories and a pair of Performance of the Night bonuses.

    Bryan Battle Lands Opponent With 3-9 MMA Record For Dirty Boxing Debut After Being Cut From UFC
    Image: UFC.com

    Bryan Battle Opens Up About UFC Release

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Bryan Battle opened up about his release from the UFC. The 30-year-old North Carolina native admitted that while he expected repercussions, he still held out hope for another shot with the promotion. However, he accepted full responsibility for how things unfolded.

    “So I definitely knew that it was a possibility, you know what I’m saying?,” Battle said. “I definitely thought it was something that could happen and it was justified. It’s not something that I’m going to bitch and moan about at all, but I’m not going to lie, I did think that they weren’t going to cut me, you know what I’m saying? I didn’t think that that was going to happen, but that’s what happened. That’s a result of my own actions.”

    After parting ways with the UFC, “The Butcher” has found a new home in hybrid combat sports promotion Dirty Boxing. Bryan Battle is slated to make his debut this Friday, August 29, at DBX 3, where he’ll collide with Derik de Freitas in a middleweight showdown at The Hangar in Miami, Florida.

    UFC welterweight Bryan Battle
    Image: UFC.com
  • Bryan Battle Lands Opponent With 3-9 MMA Record For Dirty Boxing Debut After Being Cut From UFC

    Bryan Battle Lands Opponent With 3-9 MMA Record For Dirty Boxing Debut After Being Cut From UFC

    Bryan Battle has booked his first fight since his UFC release.

    Battle was cut by the UFC after failing to make weight for his middleweight showdown with Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC 319 earlier this month. The North Carolina fighter came in four pounds over the 186-pound limit, leading to the bout being canceled.

    However, just last week, “The Butcher” signed with Dirty Boxing, the hybrid combat sports promotion co-owned by Mike Perry and Jon Jones, and is set to make his promotional debut at DBX 3 on August 29 at The Hangar in Miami, Florida. On Monday, it was confirmed that Battle will face Derik de Freitas in a middleweight bout.

    DBX 3 will be headlined by the inaugural heavyweight title clash between former UFC contender Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Rakim Cleveland. The card also features former UFC women’s bantamweight Jessica-Rose Clark taking on Claudia Zamora.

    DBX3 fight card
    Image: @DirtyBoxing_/X

    How Do Bryan Battle And Derik de Freitas’ Records Stack Up?

    Bryan Battle enters Dirty Boxing boasting a professional MMA record of 13-2 with 1 no contest. “The Butcher” was last seen in action at UFC 310 in December 2024, where he narrowly defeated Randy Brown via split decision.

    Battle wrapped up his UFC run with a 7-1 record and 1 no contest, featuring five stoppage wins and earning two Performance of the Night bonuses along the way.

    Meanwhile, Derik de Freitas steps into Dirty Boxing following a two-fight losing skid. His most recent victory came in November 2023, when he submitted Marcos Oliveira in the first round under the Avalanche Fight Championship banner. The 34-year-old Brazilian holds a professional MMA record of 3-9.

    Images: @byranbattle68/@derikdefreitasmma
  • Bryan Battle Signs With Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing After UFC Release, Debut Confirmed For Aug. 29 In Miami

    Bryan Battle Signs With Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing After UFC Release, Debut Confirmed For Aug. 29 In Miami

    Bryan Battle has found a new home for his fighting career.

    It’s been a turbulent few days for Battle. As he was slated to face Nursulton Ruziboev in a middleweight bout at UFC 319 last Saturday, the fight was scrapped after the North Carolina native came in four pounds over the 186-pound limit.

    Just days later, “The Butcher” was released from the UFC roster following his third weight miss during his promotional run.

    However, on Friday, Mike Perry’s hybrid combat sports promotion Dirty Boxing announced the signing of Bryan Battle. The Ultimate Fighter Season 29 winner is slated to make his promotional debut at DBX 3 on August 29 at The Hangar in Miami, Florida, in a 185-pound bout with an opponent yet to be determined.

    DBX 3 is slated to be headlined by former UFC heavyweight fighter Jairzinho Rozenstruik, who awaits a new opponent after Rob Perez withdrew from the promotion’s inaugural heavyweight title bout.

    What Is Bryan Battle’s MMA Record?

    Bryan Battle arrives at Dirty Boxing with a professional MMA record of 13-2, 1 NC. His most recent outing came at UFC 310 in December 2024, where he edged Randy Brown via split decision.

    “The Butcher” closed out his UFC tenure with a solid 7-1, 1 NC record, highlighted by five stoppage victories and two Performance of the Night bonuses.

    Bryan Battle to make Dirty Boxing debut on Aug 29
    Image: @bryanbattle68/Instagram
  • Bryan Battle vs. Nursulton Ruziboev Off UFC 319 Following Battle’s Weight Miss

    Bryan Battle vs. Nursulton Ruziboev Off UFC 319 Following Battle’s Weight Miss

    UFC 319 has taken yet another hit as a result of the sole weight miss that occurred for the card.

    Per an announcement from the promotion, the early prelim bout between Bryan Battle and Nursulton Ruziboev has been scrapped due to Battle missing weight.

    Battle weighed in at 190 pounds, four pounds above the non-title middleweight limit.

    Initial reports claimed that Battle vs. Ruziboev would proceed, with Battle forfeiting 30 percent of his purse.

    As of press time, it’s unclear what in the circumstances changed that led the fight to being canceled.

    Bryan Battle Misses Weight By Four Pounds, UFC 319 Bout With Nursulton Ruziboev Off

    This is Battle’s second straight scheduled contest that saw him significantly miss weight — and doing so in a heavier weight class this time around. Battle weighed in at 175 pounds for a scheduled welterweight bout against Randy Brown at UFC 310.

    Battle is unbeaten in his last five fights.

    This is the third fight in the last 26 hours that UFC 319 has lost. The scheduled prelim headliner between King Green and Carlos Diego Ferreira was canceled after Green withdrew due to injury. Then, the welterweight TUF Finale fight between Rodrigo Sezinando and Daniil Donchenko was pushed back to Noche UFC 3 due to injury to Sezinando.

    UFC 319 will proceed on with 12 fights — down from its scheduled 15 after Baysangur Susurkaev’s quick turnaround from the Dana White’s Contender Series premiere.

  • UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Bryan Battle Gets UFC 310 Return

    UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Bryan Battle Gets UFC 310 Return

    MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming cards.

    With events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.

    Between Monday, October 14, and Sunday, October 20, a number of fights were made official by the promotion or reported by reputable sources. For those matchups, check out the list below:

    But it wasn’t all positive, with one fight being adjusted. For that, see below:

  • VIDEO: Bryan Battle Riles Up French Crowd With ‘All-Time Promo’ After Beating Kevin Jousset At UFC Paris

    VIDEO: Bryan Battle Riles Up French Crowd With ‘All-Time Promo’ After Beating Kevin Jousset At UFC Paris

    Bryan Battle may have come out on top with a finish at UFC Paris, but he also may have made himself public enemy No. 1 in France with his post-fight promo…

    Battle put on a solid striking display before scoring a finish in the second round of his fight with Kevin Jousset. He then landed a brutal flurry of strikes that resulted in a referee’s stoppage, giving “The Butcher” the victory.

    The American flipped the home crowd off following the fight as the fans inside Accor Arena expressed displeasure in their compatriot losing.

    Battle then took to the mic and encouraged the French crowd to continuously rain down the jeers they were bringing to him.

    Bryan Battle Encourages Boos From Crowd After Finish Of France’s Kevin Jousset At UFC Paris

    “Keep booing me, baby” Battle said. “Keep booing me. I love it. I love it. Listen, listen. People have been booing me and doubting me since I started training. I love it. The more you boo me, the stronger I get, baby! I’m used to this. Nobody can stop me!”

    https://twitter.com/ElonRakhmonov/status/1840129268816457741
    https://twitter.com/MacMallyMMA/status/1840128187159982307
    https://twitter.com/SpinninBackfist/status/1840130076740071565

    The Ultimate Fighter season 29 winner now improves to 6-1 (1 NC) in the UFC. He is unbeaten in four straight and five of his last six fights.

    Meanwhile, the loss snaps a five-fight win streak Jousset was coming into this fight with and marks his first setback in the UFC.

  • Bryan Battle Assesses Skills Of Fellow UFC Welterweight Ian Garry: ‘I Think I’d Whoop His Ass’ (Exclusive)

    Bryan Battle Assesses Skills Of Fellow UFC Welterweight Ian Garry: ‘I Think I’d Whoop His Ass’ (Exclusive)

    UFC welterweight prospect Bryan Battle doesn’t see anything special in the arsenal of ranked contender Ian Garry.

    Garry, a former Cage Warriors champion, has extended his perfect professional record to 15-0 with eight victories since signing with mixed martial arts’ leading promotion in 2021.

    The latter half of the Irishman’s UFC career thus far has seen him rise the ranks against stiffer competition, defeating notable names in Daniel Rodriguez, Neil Magny, Geoff Neal, and Michael “Venom” Page en route to #7 in the pecking order at 170 pounds.

    Despite that run and his firm prediction of title success soon enough, not everyone has been impressed by “The Future” and the manner with which he’s emerged victorious in two fights this year.

    That evidently includes a welterweight peer in Battle…

    Battle Likes His Chances Against Garry

    During a recent interview with MMA News’ Ryan Jarrell, Battle assessed the skillset of Garry, who sits among the top contenders that the TUF 29 winner has his sights on for the future.

    “He’s not — I mean, you’ve gotta give a motherf*cker credit where credit’s due. He’s undefeated. He’s been undefeated in the UFC,” Battle said. “One thing I’ve come to appreciate in the UFC is no matter how someone looks to an extent, if they’re being successful in the UFC, then that means they’re good.

    “Eye test and like, my opinion, is that he’s not that good,” Battle continued. “But you have to give credit where credit’s due. He’s out there, he’s doing his thing. He’s fast. He’s sharp. I think I would whoop his ass, but you know, whatever. Hopefully he stays undefeated until we fight each other. Hey, I’d be interested to see how he does against an elite grappler, you know what I’m saying?”

    Perhaps Battle will get the chance to prove his remarks correct inside the Octagon down the line.

    The first step in his pursuit of closing the gap on Garry in the welterweight division comes later this month in the French capital, where “The Butcher” is tasked with stalling the rise of another highly touted up-and-comer in City Kickboxing’s Kevin Jousset.

  • MMA News Today: Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal Reportedly ‘Did TNA Numbers’ On PPV, Jake Paul & Mike Perry Verbally Spar In Pre-Fight Face To Face, & More

    MMA News Today: Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal Reportedly ‘Did TNA Numbers’ On PPV, Jake Paul & Mike Perry Verbally Spar In Pre-Fight Face To Face, & More

    Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 17, 2024, we’re taking a look at:

    • Meltzer claims that Diaz vs. Masvidal did ‘horrible on PPV’
    • Paul & Perry trade words before July 20
    • City Kickboxing’s Jousset gets a big home fight in Paris

    Report States That Nate Diaz & Jorge Masvidal’s Boxing Match Massively Underperformed On PPV

    On a relatively quiet week for combat sports, former UFC stars Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal met inside a boxing ring.

    Many felt that their rematch earlier this month ended up being a better fight than expected, and the live attendance at the Honda Center appeared to be a good turnout.

    But a recent report suggests that despite the event being heavily spoken about, fans were not willing to pay the pay-per-view price to watch it live.

    Dave Meltzer stated on a recent episode of Observer Radio that the event did not perform well, comparing it to wrestling promotion Total Nonstop Action (TNA), which has always had a tough time competing against the WWE before the two companies started working together as of late.

    “It did horrible on PPV, it did TNA numbers. I’m not exaggerating. I knew it would not do well, but I was absolutely stunned how poorly it did. Nobody bought the fight. People are sick of seeing MMA fighters do boxing.”

    Jake Paul & Mike Perry Come Face To Face Ahead Of July 20

    Jake Paul returns to the ring this Saturday as he faces one of his toughest tests to date in BKFC star Mike Perry.

    Before they can meet on July 20 in a change of opponent for Paul, who was scheduled to be taking on Mike Tyson on this date, the two men came face to face.

    As you can expect from two bold characters, there were some certainly unique moments during their conversation. That included, at one point, both men seemingly doing “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan impressions.

    The highlight of the entire video was certainly the following quote from Perry, who has always had an unparalleled way with words…

    “Your little baby green punches can’t even f****** reach my brain stem bro. I’m gonna dig through your eyeball and find your memories.”

    Paul responded in the same way that pretty much everybody else would when being told that by the “King of Violence.”

    “Please don’t do that. Please don’t do that Mikey.”

    Kevin Jousset Books Home Fight In Paris Against Former TUF Winner

    Rising UFC welterweight and City Kickboxing fighter Kevin Jousset has got his next assignment, and it’s sure to be a bucket list one for him.

    The French fighter will finally be getting the opportunity to compete in front of his home fans when he makes the walk on September 28 in Paris.

    MMA Junkie’s Nolan King reported that Jousset is set to make his third Octagon appearance against The Ultimate Fighter season 29 winner Bryan Battle.

    Having competed in Australia and Las Vegas since signing to the promotion, it’s time for “Air” to get the home fighter treatment following his impressive winning streak.

    Read more on the story here.

    For more MMA news, check out:

  • City Kickboxing Prospect Kevin Jousset Gets Home Fight, Faces TUF Winner At UFC Fight Night Paris

    City Kickboxing Prospect Kevin Jousset Gets Home Fight, Faces TUF Winner At UFC Fight Night Paris

    For the first time in his professional career, UFC welterweight prospect Kevin Jousset is set to compete in front of his compatriots.

    Jousset made a splash on debut last September in Sydney, following two-division championship glory under Australia’s Hex Fight Series banner with a first-round submission at UFC 293.

    The Frenchman has long trained alongside the likes of Israel Adesanya and Dan Hooker at New Zealand’s City Kickboxing, fighting exclusively in Oceania prior to his UFC signing. And having competed on United States soil for the first time in his sophomore Octagon outing, Jousset is now set for a homecoming this fall.

    Per MMA Junkie’s Nolan King, “Air” has been added to the upcoming UFC Fight Night in Paris, France, on September 28. There, he’s set for a step up in competition against Bryan Battle, winner of The Ultimate Fighter 29 middleweight tournament.

    Home Favorite Jousset Targets Third Straight UFC Win At The Expense Of Battle

    When Jousset makes the walk to what will no doubt be a positive reception at Accor Arena, he’ll be looking to maintain his perfect UFC slate.

    Jousset (10-2) lost two of his first seven pro fights, the first of which came against current top five welterweight contender Jack Della Maddalena under the Eternal MMA banner. But since a split decision setback in 2022, the 31-year-old has won five straight to have two titles in his possession, as well as a UFC contract.

    And after submitting Kiefer Crosbie Down Under and outpointing Song Kenan at the Apex last December, “Air” is next tasked with stalling the welterweight ambitions of Battle (10-2, 1 NC) in his first assignment of 2024.

    One fight on from his TUF triumph, “The Butcher” committed to a move down in weight, and he debuted at 170 pounds emphatically by knocking out Takashi Sato with a brutal head kick just 44 seconds into their fight. While he subsequently fell to a decision against the highly regarded Rinat Fakhretdinov, he bounced back with a 14-second knockout of Gabe Green and second-round submission of AJ Fletcher.

    Having had his strong start opposite Ange Loosa earlier this year rendered null when the Swiss fighter couldn’t continue following an eye poke, Battle will look to get back to the winner’s circle by upsetting Jousset’s home crowd in the French capital later this year.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at the UFC Fight Night in Paris on September 28 are as follows:

    • Renato Moicano vs. Benoît Saint Denis (lightweight main event)
    • Nassourdine Imavov vs. Brendan Allen (middleweight)
    • Germaine de Randamie vs. Nora Cornolle (women’s bantamweight)
    • William Gomis vs. Joanderson Brito (featherweight)
    • Kevin Jousset vs. Bryan Battle (welterweight)
    • Daniel Barez vs. Victor Altamirano (flyweight)
    • Oumar Sy vs. Da Woon Jung (light Heavyweight)
    • Dariya Zhelezniakova vs. Ailín Pérez (women’s bantamweight)