The professional MMA career of Michael Chiesa ended in front of family and friends in Seattle, needing just over a minute to score a submission win and end his career victoriously.
Price attempted to get the upper hand early, scoring a takedown on Chiesa in the opening minute. Chiesa, however, managed to reverse things and got to Price’s back quickly.
After a little struggle, Chiesa locked up a rear-naked choke and scored the tap in just 62 seconds.
Michael Chiesa Retires After Submitting Niko Price In Hometown At UFC Seattle
Man I’m so happy for @MikeMav22 what a way to retire! 🔥🔥🔥 He already does a great job on the @ufcbjj commentary hope he starts not only in the desk behind and after the fights but close to @Jon_Anik for now on!! Again congrats brother enjoy retirement!!
— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) March 29, 2026
Michael Chiesa should do a U-turn and NOT retire
That was an amazing performance against a killer in Niko Price
In my opinion, Michael should stick around and attempt a title run
New game plan just dropped: ignore your strengths early, let the opponent use his elite skillset, let them get comfortable, absorb punishment… then panic-wrestle when you’re tired and losing. Revolutionary stuff.
Michael Chiesa is a good guy who had a respectable career full of many interesting fights and moments. He's earned a peaceful and secure retirement, and he'll continue to do well on commentary.#UFCSeattle
Chiesa has stepped in the Octagon from time to time while being a color commentator and studio analyst for UFC broadcasts. He ends his career on a four-fight win streak.
Price, who took this fight on short notice, also retired following this fight. He lost four straight and six of his last seven.
Michael Chiesa has one major regret as he is gearing up for his final UFC appearance at UFC Seattle on Saturday night. The veteran welterweight recently revealed that a simple seating change cost him a potential title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018.
Chiesa is set to face Niko Price at the Climate Pledge Arena in what marks his retirement bout after more than a decade in the octagon. The Washington native gets a fitting homecoming as he looks to end his career on his own terms.
The Seat Swap That Changed Everything
The regret stems from the chaotic UFC 223 fight week in April 2018. Chiesa was originally scheduled to face Anthony Pettis on that card, but the event became one of the most turbulent in UFC history.
Max Holloway was initially set to challenge Khabib Nurmagomedov for the lightweight title after stepping in for an injured Tony Ferguson. However, Holloway was later pulled from the fight, forcing the UFC to scramble for alternatives.
As per Chiesa, he had an opportunity to face Nurmagomedov for the title but made a decision that ultimately cost him. Chiesa says swapping seats with Calvin Kattar prevented him from getting the late-notice title fight against “The Eagle.”
“If there’s one thing I could change, I wish that I would have given Calvin Kattar that front seat because I would have fought Khabib and that’s literally what it boiled down to,” he told Full Send MMA. “Calvin Kattar was sitting in the front and I was getting on the bus looking kind of rough.
“I was like five pounds over when I was cutting to 155 and Calvin’s like, ‘Oh, you can take my seat’ and I sat in the window and my coach sat next to me and then everything happened.”
Michael Chiesa admits if there’s one thing he could’ve done different in his UFC career, he would’ve switched bus seats with Calvin Kattar
“I was looking kind of rough cutting weight and Calvin said oh you can take my seat. I sat next to the window and then everything happened” pic.twitter.com/oNahIa47Hz
The UFC eventually settled on Al Iaquinta as Nurmagomedov’s opponent, with Iaquinta losing via unanimous decision. Nurmagomedov would go on to successfully defend the lightweight title multiple times before retiring undefeated.
Final Fight Preparations
Chiesa’s original opponent for UFC Seattle withdrew due to visa issues, putting his retirement fight in jeopardy. Price stepped in as a replacement, allowing Chiesa to compete in front of his hometown crowd.
“I knew but I just wasn’t sure. I kind of wanted to wait for the UFC to announce it,” Chiesa told reporters on Wednesday. “With everything that we talked about with the Seattle curse for me, I’m just going to wait until they announce it so I don’t get ahead of myself.”
The card carries additional significance as fellow UFC lightweight Terrance McKinney is also competing. Chiesa noted it had been eight days from when he learned Carlston Harris was out until Price was confirmed as his opponent.
At 19-7 in his professional career, Chiesa has established himself as a consistent presence in the welterweight division. His retirement bout represents the end of an era for the “Maverick,” who has been a fixture in the UFC since his days on The Ultimate Fighter.
Michael Chiesa has announced that his upcoming fight against Carlston Harris at UFC Seattle on March 28, 2026, will be the final bout of his MMA career, ending a 14-year run in the UFC.
Chiesa revealed his retirement plans during an appearance on The Anik & Florian Podcast, confirming that the matchup at the Climate Pledge Arena will be his last time competing inside the Octagon.
The welterweight bout serves as a homecoming for “Maverick”, who hails from Spokane Valley, Washington, roughly four hours from Seattle. The Washington native will have the opportunity to compete in front of friends, family, and home-state supporters for his final walk to the cage.
Michael Chiesa announces his March 28th bout with Carlston Harris will be the last of his MMA career, finishing where he started with the UFC. (@MikeMav22)
Chiesa earned his UFC contract by winning The Ultimate Fighter: Live tournament in 2012, defeating Al Iaquinta in the finale. He compiled a 19-7 professional record with the majority of those bouts coming inside the Octagon.
Known for his grappling-heavy style and back-taking ability, “Maverick” earned double-digit submission victories throughout his career. The 38-year-old picked up notable wins over Rafael dos Anjos, Carlos Condit, and Diego Sanchez while competing at lightweight and welterweight.
After moving to 170 pounds, Chiesa enjoyed a strong surge with back-to-back wins over Condit and Sanchez. Most recently, he snapped a lengthy skid by defeating Court McGee at UFC Atlanta in June 2025.
It was an honor sharing the octagon with you tonight @Court_McGee. There isn’t many people in the fight game that I respect as much as you.
Chiesa has already built a decent presence as an analyst and commentator on various MMA broadcasts, positioning him for a seamless transition once he retires. Given his experience and comfort on the microphone, the welterweight veteran expected to remain a visible figure in the UFC and wider MMA landscape.
Harris enters the bout looking to halt his own struggles after dropping back-to-back fights, making this a pivotal matchup for both welterweights at UFC Seattle.
A UFC veteran claims Colby Covington passed on a clear opportunity to fight him.
Covington was last seen in action at UFC Tampa in December, where he suffered a lopsided third-round TKO loss via doctor’s stoppage at the hands of Joaquin Buckley. The setback added to his recent struggles, as “Chaos” has now lost four of his last six fights since 2019.
Since then, the former interim UFC welterweight champion appears to have shifted his focus toward his live streaming venture on KICK and has shown minimal intent to resume his fighting career anytime soon.
However, according to Michael Chiesa, Covington had a clear chance to face him following their stint as rival assistant coaches on Season 33 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). The prospect of a showdown between the two began to gain traction, especially after head coaches Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen publicly backed the matchup once filming wrapped.
In a video posted to his YouTube channel this March, Covington dismissed the idea of facing “Maverick” and bluntly stated he had no interest in fighting someone who isn’t ranked in the top 15.
During a recent interview with MMA on SiriusXM, Chiesa revealed that while filming TUF, Covington had personally agreed to fight him next—but later backed out.
The 37-year-old Colorado native didn’t hold back, criticizing Covington for his lack of commitment to the sport. Chiesa went on to assert that Covington’s focus on fighting only top-tier opponents will ultimately lead to his downfall.
“At the end of the day, I think that he screwed up a really good opportunity,” Chiesa said. “I’m hearing the stories of how he handles his fighting career at this point in time. He has said it himself, streamers make more money than fighters. I think he’s aspiring to be a streamer more than he is a fighter. I know that he doesn’t train the way he used to because I’m talking to people that train at MMA Masters, and it’s like you want to fight for the title, you only want to fight ranked guys. Buddy, if you’re training the way that I’m hearing you’re training, it’s only going to get worse. So why didn’t you take the opportunity to fight me, in a main event, against a guy who worst-case scenario is just going to snatch your neck and choke you? Now Colby just fumbled a situation where he’s probably going to have to fight a Michael Morales, he’s going to have to fight a guy that’s going to do what Joaquin Buckley did to him. So to me, he fumbled a great opportunity for us to do a fight for The Ultimate Fighter, for these fighters.”
"I think he's aspiring to be a streamer more than he is a fighter."@MikeMav22 explains why a fight with Colby Covington never materialized
“Maverick” last competed at UFC 310 in December, where he secured a dominant third-round submission victory over Max Griffin, extending his winning streak to two. Chiesa is set to face Court McGee at UFC Atlanta on June 14, with the showdown scheduled to take place at State Farm Arena in Georgia.
Michael Chiesa is riding high after a submission victory over Max Griffin this past Saturday at UFC 310.
The win marked the continuance of a significant turnaround for the veteran, who had previously been on a three-fight losing skid from 2021 to 2023 that raised doubts about his future in the sport. This resurgence began in August when Chiesa submitted Tony Ferguson, and he added another milestone by becoming the first fighter to submit Griffin.
With his latest victory, “Maverick” now boasts seven rear-naked choke wins in the UFC, just two behind the all-time record of nine held by grappling legend Demian Maia. Reflecting on his accomplishment, Chiesa expressed his determination to surpass the Brazilian’s record.
“I saw that I tied Kenny Florian with seven rear-naked choke finishes – now I’ve got to chase down the great Demian Maia and try to get past nine,” Chiesa said during the UFC 310 post-fight press conference. “It just created another little goal for me.
“Obviously, the goal remains the same for me: I want to be the world champion. Otherwise, what’s the point of fighting? If you don’t think you’re the best in the world, if you’re not going to chase the title, what the hell are you doing it for?”
The night before UFC 310, Chiesa achieved another milestone by earning his black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Adding to the significance of the occasion, the event also took place on his birthday. Chiesa described the experience as a career highlight and expressed satisfaction with his performance.
In three of Covington’s last five appearances inside the Octagon, three of them have been in welterweight title fights. He rebounded from both losses to Kamaru Usman by beating Tyron Woodley and Jorge Masvidal before challenging Leon Edwards in his latest outing at UFC 296 last year where he was convincingly beaten over five rounds.
Some fans weren’t happy to see Covington got the title shot against Edwards having not fought since his win over Masvidal in March of 2022 and that only increased following his disappointing performance against “Rocky”. When UFC analyst and fellow welterweight Michael Chiesa broke down this fight in an interview with Sportskeeda, he said that Buckley’s hunger is what wins him this fight.
Chiesa believes that Covington was likely persuaded to take this fight by the UFC rather than it being an opportunity that he was biting their hand off for.
“Buck, Buck all day. I think Joaquin Buckley is an incredible athlete, tremendous power, very, very hungry and that is the most important part in this match-up between Colby and Joaquin. Buckley is war more hungry than Colby Covington, I can tell you that much, like Buckley is chomping at the bit to fight anybody and everybody.
“I think that Colby, I don’t know, I have a feeling, I haven’t heard anything but I have a feeling that the UFC was like, ‘You have to take this fight. At some point, you got to step up.’ I know you kind of got to sweeten the pot with Colby to get him into the Octagon and get him competing but it’s got to the point where it’s like you fought for the title three times, you don’t get the extra flavor to your dish for taking a fight. It’s like you have to just start fighting if you want to get to a title. You can’t have any guarantees.”
The co-main event of UFC 310 next month may be a replacement match-up but as far as a stand-in fights go, they don’t get much better than this one. One undefeated streak will come to an end in Las Vegas as Shavkat Rakhmonov faces Ian Machado Garry over five rounds.
Though there isn’t an interim title on the line following Belal Muhammad’s withdrawal from the card like many expected there would be, both men know what is at stake in this top level clash in the welterweight division. In fact, the two competitors also know a bit about each other already due to the period of time where they were both training out of Kill Cliff FC in Florida.
Following the fight announcement, a video of the opponents sparring some light rounds with one another went out on social media and though there wasn’t much to gain from this footage, it did show that both men have squared off in the past.
As a result, UFC analyst and fellow welterweight contender Michael Chiesa believes that this familiarity will show in the fight. He spoke in a recent interview with Sportskeeda about his thoughts on the bout that will take place the same night as his return against Max Griffin.
Chiesa believes that the element of surprise could decide this fight because of how skilled both fighters are as well as the element of already experiencing each other’s games first-hand.
“I’ll keep it short. There’s some sparring footage that came out of Ian Garry and Shavkat. I think that they’re both gonna be very familiar with each other and I will go out on a limb and say I think this fight goes to a decision. I think these guys are familiar with each other enough to where they’re going to negate a few of the attacks and it’s going to be a matter of who can come in there and throw a new wrinkle into their game to throw off the opponent.”
Before his last fight inside the Octagon in August, Michael Chiesa found himself in the worst patch of form of his career. The former winner of The Ultimate Fighter has overcome losses in the past and did suffer back-to-back defeats to Kevin Lee and Anthony Pettis once before.
However, in three consecutive outings, he was without a win after being submitted by Vicente Luque and Kevin Holland with a decision loss to Sean Brady in between. Chiesa was able to get back in the win column in Abu Dhabi when he submitted Tony Ferguson in the first round.
He’s now set to return at UFC 310 in search of a second win when he faces Max Griffin to keep his momentum pushing forward. In the build up to this fight, the commentator and desk analyst revealed that he seriously contemplated retirement during his losing streak.
If he wasn’t able to compete at the highest level anymore, he would hang up the gloves and look to continue pursuing the avenues that he’s already started to go down in recent years. In an interview with Shakiel Mahjouri, Chiesa spoke about working with a sport psychologist and what his biggest takeaways from that were.
When asked what advice he would pass on to struggling fighters that may find themselves in a similar position to the one that he was in, he spoke about the importance of having goals but focusing on the present rather than looking too far ahead.
“I think the biggest thing that I would say is focus on being in the present moment. That is something that I struggled with. Looking too far ahead like I’m looking too far ahead at the title or I’m looking too far ahead at the fight and worrying about getting hurt or like just looking too far ahead and not being present. It’s very important to be present in the moment every single day with your training. It’s good to have goals but you don’t have to dwell on the future and what’s yet to come or what you want to happen. You set the goals and then you put them aside and just focus on being in the moment.”
That being said, it can’t be forgotten just how desirable this fight was when both men were beating everyone else at 155 pounds.
Michael Chiesa Says 2016 Tony Ferguson Could Have Beaten Khabib Nurmagomedov
In a recent interview with BJPenn.com, Michael Chiesa spoke about how he prepared to face Ferguson at the recent UFC Fight Night event in Abu Dhabi.
He revealed how rather than watching his opponent’s latest outings, he went back to watching the very best of the former interim lightweight champion in order to make sure that he was training to fight Ferguson at full force.
Chiesa would go on to win the fight via a submission but watching footage on his opponent only made him appreciate the winning run that he went on between 2013-2019, even more.
He said that in one of the biggest “what ifs” in MMA history, he believes that the 2016 version of “El Cucuy” in particular had a strong chance of handing Nurmagomedov his first and only loss if they had met inside the Octagon 8 years ago.
“I will admit like going back and watching some of his recent fights, I wouldn’t say gave me a false sense of security but I was definitely like this isn’t the film to watch, I’m going to go back and watch the film that I was watching to prepare for him in 2016. I watched that Rafael Dos Anjos fight a lot because I feel like that version of Tony Ferguson that we saw in the Octagon against Rafael Dos Anjos, I feel like he could have beat anybody in the world. I mean, I will go out on a limb and say I think that he could have beaten Khabib Nurmagomedov if that was the version of him. I think that was his peak. The peak was RDA and even though he still won fights from there, I still think it started to go down a little bit.”
When it comes to his skillset, former interim UFC lightweight champion Tony Ferguson hasn’t let his losing skid affect his confidence.
Ferguson achieved an unwanted record in his return to action at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night, falling to the longest run of defeats in the promotion’s history. After closing out his 2023 with a decision loss to Paddy Pimblett, his latest setback came against Michael Chiesa up at welterweight.
In the immediate aftermath, it appeared a retirement announcement branded long overdue by many in the community was on the way. But while Ferguson did lay down one glove, it didn’t take long for him to seemingly commit to the continuation of his career.
That’s seemingly down to a belief that he can still compete inside the Octagon, in spite of what his record since 2020 would suggest. And among other things, “El Cucuy” hasn’t lost confidence in his standup game…
Ferguson: Chiesa Didn’t Want Any Of My Striking
During his post-fight press conference on Saturday, Ferguson reflected on his outing in the Middle East and record eighth consecutive defeat inside the Octagon.
While he admitted to feeling “slow and sluggish” in the grappling realm, where his demise ultimately came against Chiesa, Ferguson insisted he remains a major threat on the feet, having returned to sparring and pad work in training.
“There’s a lot of things I need to work on,” Ferguson said. “We did a lot of sparring. You could see that out there; I felt pretty good on my feet. … I felt normal in there for a second. … There’s a lot of things that I can and can’t do. … This whole entire camp, I had just got back into sparring. … We just started throwing pads again.
“When I went out there and I hit Chiesa, he didn’t want to stand and bang. Not a lot of people want to stand and bang with me,” Ferguson added.
It would appear likely that Ferguson plans on further proving that in another fight down the line. While he noted discussions will take place with his family, “El Cucuy” was quick to walk back his initial half-retirement inside the Octagon.
In the main attraction, undefeated bantamweight up-and-comer Umar Nurmagomedov extended his perfect record en route to a potential first shot at UFC gold. Unsuccessful in his attempt to stall the Russian’s rise was Cory Sandhagen, who fell on the wrong side of three lopsided scorecards.
All eyes were also on the co-headliner, which saw another unbeaten Russian in Sharabutdin Magomedov in action as he faced Michał Oleksiejczuk on short notice, as well as a second crucial contest at 135 pounds between recent title challenger Marlon Vera and former flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo.
Before those matchups, the likes of ex-lightweight interim title contender Tony Ferguson, strawweight submission specialist Mackenzie Dern, and light heavyweight powerhouse Alonzo Menifield all had their next assignments inside the Octagon.
With the event concluded, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights!
UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov Results & Highlights
Main Card:
Bantamweight Main Event: Umar Nurmagomedov def. Cory Sandhagen via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Sharabutdin Magomedov def. Michał Oleksiejczuk via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Bantamweight: Deiveson Figueiredo def. Marlon Vera via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Welterweight: Michael Chiesa def. Tony Ferguson via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 3:44
Tony Ferguson laid one glove down in the Octagon, but says he will consider a return after talking with his family 👀 #UFCAbuDhabipic.twitter.com/XxZef4pwa7
The losing streak continued for Tony Ferguson at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi, and it might have marked his farewell.
The former interim UFC lightweight champion entered 2020 riding the second-longest winning run in the 155-pound division’s history. At that point, he was touted as a threat to the great Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Now, Ferguson is on a different kind of streak. An eight-fight losing skid.
Since having his unbeaten period brought to a crashing halt by Justin Gaethje, “El Cucuy” has lost a further seven outings, the most recent of which came on August 3 in the Middle East.
After dismissing calls for him to retire after a decision defeat to Paddy Pimblett last December, Ferguson returned to action up at welterweight to face Michael Chiesa at the Etihad Arena.
Despite once again touting his improvements in recent months, the longtime fan favorite didn’t reach the first horn, with “Maverick” locking in a rear-naked choke for the tap in round one.
The result has left Ferguson with an unwanted record, having lost the most consecutive fights in UFC history.
Finally, it would appear that the taste of defeat has the 40-year-old considering calling it quits, as he told Daniel Cormier post-fight that he is pondering retirement. For now, he’s hung up just the one glove, with the other pending discussion with his family.
MMA Fans React To Chiesa Submitting Ferguson At UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi
Unsurprisingly, the MMA community quickly flocked to social media with their takes on Ferguson’s latest setback, as well as his half-retirement inside the Octagon in Abu Dhabi.
Tony Ferguson I fear ur time is over
— Shaquille Oatmeal the 4th (@Shaq_OatmealIV) August 3, 2024
Tony Ferguson vs Perry in Bare Knuckle book it 😂😂😂
That Tony Ferguson retiring but not retiring , but probably retiring, To let me think about it … I wouldn’t expect anything less from El Cucuy #UFCAbuDhabi
Topping the lineup will be former interim bantamweight title challenger Cory Sandhagen, who is tasked with getting the better of undefeated Dagestani Umar Nurmagomedov if he’s to successfully defend his spot in the top five and stake his claim for shot at the undisputed gold.
Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see another unbeaten name in action as Sharabutdin Magomedov meets Michał Oleksiejczuk on short notice, while Marlon Vera looks to revive his bantamweight championship ambitions at the expense of ex-flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo.
Also set to make the walk on Saturday will be the likes of lightweight veteran Tony Ferguson, strawweight submission specialist Mackenzie Dern, and rising light heavyweight contender Azamat Murzakanov.
UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi (as of 8/2), courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Cory Sandhagen (-270) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (+340)
Sharabutdin Magomedov (-238) vs. Michał Oleksiejczuk (+195)
Marlon Vera (+120) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (-142)
Tony Ferguson (+440) vs. Michael Chiesa (-600)
Mackenzie Dern (-118) vs. Loopy Godinez (-102)
Joel Álvarez (-166) vs. Elves Brener (+140)
Preliminary Card:
Azamat Murzakanov (-218) vs. Alonzo Menifield (+180)
Mohammad Yahya (+310) vs. Kaue Fernandes (-395)
Shamil Gaziev (-270) vs. Don’Tale Mayes (+220)
Guram Kutateladze (-230) vs. Jordan Vucenic (+190)
UFC Fight Night: Cory Sandhagen vs. Umar Nurmagomedov takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!
After staging its return to Manchester, England, for the UFC 304 pay-per-view last weekend, MMA’s leading promotion has remained on the road for a card inside the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Before returning to the venue for its annual numbered event this October, the UFC will put on a Fight Night event topped by elite bantamweight contenders Cory Sandhagen and Umar Nurmagomedov. The former interim title challenger and his undefeated Russian opponent will be looking to stake their claims for a shot at the winner of Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili.
Saturday’s co-headliner, meanwhile, will see another unbeaten name back in action as Sharabutdin Magomedov looks to make it three from three in the UFC at the expense of Michał Oleksiejczuk.
Before that, a second crucial contest at 135 pounds will go down. Making the walk for the first time since his defeat to O’Malley in their UFC 299 title fight, Marlon Vera will look to revive his championship ambitions before stalling the two-weight goals of ex-flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo.
Ahead of the event, all 26 fighters successfully made weight. With that, all that remained on Friday was for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi ceremonial weigh-ins!
Check out a replay via the official UFC YouTube channel below, followed by the faceoffs!
UFC Fight Night: Cory Sandhagen vs. Umar Nurmagomedov takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!
After staging its return to Manchester, England, for the UFC 304 pay-per-view last weekend, MMA’s leading promotion has remained on the road for a card inside the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Before returning to the venue for its annual numbered event this October, the UFC will put on a Fight Night event topped by elite bantamweight contenders Cory Sandhagen and Umar Nurmagomedov. The former interim title challenger and his undefeated Russian opponent will be looking to stake their claims for a shot at the winner of Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili.
Saturday’s co-headliner, meanwhile, will see another unbeaten name back in action as Sharabutdin Magomedov looks to make it three from three in the UFC at the expense of Michał Oleksiejczuk.
Before that, a second crucial contest at 135 pounds will go down. Making the walk for the first time since his defeat to O’Malley in their UFC 299 title fight, Marlon Vera will look to revive his championship ambitions before stalling the two-weight goals of ex-flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo.
UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov Weigh-In Results
UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov takes place on Saturday, August 3, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The main card begins at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT.
The weigh-ins took place early Friday morning. See the full results below!
Main Card:
Bantamweight Main Event: Cory Sandhagen (136lbs) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (135lbs)
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Sharabutdin Magomedov (186lbs) vs. Michał Oleksiejczuk (185lbs)
Bantamweight: Marlon Vera (136lbs) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (135.5lbs)
Welterweight: Tony Ferguson (170lbs) vs. Michael Chiesa (170lbs)
Women’s Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern (115lbs) vs. Loopy Godinez (115.5lbs)
Lightweight: Joel Álvarez (155.5lbs) vs. Elves Brener (155lbs)
Preliminary Card:
Light Heavyweight: Azamat Murzakanov (205lbs) vs. Alonzo Menifield (204lbs)
Lightweight: Mohammad Yahya (155lbs) vs. Kaue Fernandes (155.5lbs)
Heavyweight: Shamil Gaziev (262lbs) vs. Don’Tale Mayes (265lbs)
Lightweight: Guram Kutateladze (155lbs) vs. Jordan Vucenic (155lbs)
Women’s Strawweight: Victoria Dudakova (115.5lbs) vs. Sam Hughes (114lbs)
Lightweight: Jai Herbert (155.5lbs) vs. Rolando Berdoya (155lbs)
Middleweight: Sedriques Dumas (186lbs) vs. Denis Tiuliulin (185lbs)
Henry Cejudo recently voiced his dissatisfaction with the UFC’s ongoing support of Tony Ferguson, suggesting that the promotion should now shift its focus to new contenders and fresh talent.
Ferguson is gearing up for what could be the final chapter in his Octagon career. He is set to face off against Michael Chiesa in a welterweight clash on the main card of UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi, scheduled for this weekend at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island, United Arab Emirates.
Once hailed as the most intimidating fighter in the UFC lightweight division, “El Cucuy” surged through a 12-fight unbeaten streak, securing the interim championship with a victory over Kevin Lee at UFC 216 in October 2017 during that remarkable run.
However, the 40-year-old Californian’s ascent took a sharp downturn following a tough defeat to Justin Gaethje at UFC 249 in May 2020, which decisively shattered his unbeaten run. Currently, Ferguson is mired in a string of setbacks, tying the promotion’s record for the longest losing streak with seven consecutive losses. “Triple C” believes it’s time for the UFC to part ways with Ferguson…
Cejudo Claims Ferguson Is Long Past His Competitive Best
During a recent episode of Pound 4 Pound with former champ Kamaru Usman, Cejudo weighed in on the upcoming fight between Ferguson and Chiesa. The former UFC two-division champion argued that, given “El Cucuy’s” string of defeats, the UFC should offer other fighters a chance to shine on the main card and consider releasing the veteran lightweight.
“I don’t like it personally; I’m surprised,” Cejudo said. “I think you’ve got to give other people opportunities to be on main cards too. Tony has had his last, what, seven fights or six fights or something crazy in a row. I’m just like, man, he’s not the same Tony who fought Kevin Lee before that. But he’s not the same guy, man.”
“Triple C” further noted that Chiesa might pose a challenging matchup for Ferguson, given that “Maverick” is larger and enters the fight with fresher legs.
“I think Tony’s on his way out. I think if the UFC wants to give him a better fight, they should match him with someone whose style suits him a bit more. I think Chiesa is just stronger, especially moving up a weight class. I feel like Chiesa is bigger, stronger, and hasn’t endured the same level of punishment as Tony. He’s never been knocked out like Tony, and yeah, I do feel like this is a bad match.”
Even UFC CEO Dana White has openly expressed a desire for Ferguson to retire, yet the veteran believes he can reignite his career with a move back to the welterweight division.
UFC President Dana White took to social media to announce the stacked main card that is set for the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on August 3.
Amongst four other fantastic matchups, the return of lightweight legend Tony Ferguson is locked in for what will be his first appearance of the year.
Ferguson is currently tied for the longest losing streak in UFC history following his tied record for the longest winning streak at 155 pounds at 12.
Several key details were mentioned by White during his announcement for this next matchup for “El Cucuy,” where he will be taking on Michael Chiesa.
“Opening the main card is a fight between the legend, Tony Ferguson, moving up to 170 pounds in what could be his final fight to take on Michael Chiesa.”
The two major points to highlight in White’s announcement is first of all, that this contest will see Ferguson move to welterweight.
The former interim lightweight champion has competed at 170 pounds in the past, having faced Nate Diaz at this weight on short notice two years ago and also won The Ultimate Fighter as a welterweight.
Chiesa is also a former lightweight and TUF winner who made the jump up a weight class back in 2018 and has since fought seven times there.
He is currently on a three-fight losing streak after winning his first four fights at 170 pounds in impressive fashion.
Chiesa was last seen at UFC 291 in July of last year, where he was submitted by Kevin Holland in the opening round.
Ferguson, on the other hand, went three rounds with Paddy Pimblett in December where he was unable to find his groove and show glimpses of the lightweight boogeyman that the fans fell in love with.
The other key point is that White specifically says, “in what could be his final fight.”
The UFC boss has suggested in the past that Ferguson should hang up the gloves meaning that Abu Dhabi could be one final ride for “El Cucuy”.
August 3 will mark the promotion’s first event in Abu Dhabi this year.
UFC welterweight contender Stephen Thompson is targeting a return to the Octagon in the coming months and has two promotional veterans in mind.
At the start of 2021, Thompson was riding a two-fight win streak and was fresh off a dominant main event victory over Geoff Neal. His target over the next 12 months was to secure his third title shot in the UFC.
But instead of booking a date with reigning 170-pound king Kamaru Usman, “Wonderboy” slipped down the rankings with back-to-back setbacks.
In his first appearance of the year, Thompson faced recent title challenger and top-three welterweight Gilbert Burns. At the time, many believed a victory over “Durinho” would have secured the 38-year-old another opportunity to reach the mountaintop. However, in the UFC 264 co-main event, he was controlled and beaten on the scorecards by the Brazilian.
Fast forward five months to December’s UFC Vegas 45, and Thompson had a quick chance to rebound and keep his place in the title conversation. But in a similar fashion to his previous outing, he was taken down and convincingly out-grappled, this time by rising name Belal Muhammad.
Despite yet another setback and his close proximity to the 40-year-old milestone, Thompson isn’t letting his championship aspirations disintegrate just yet. Spurred on by his desire to become the promotion’s oldest fighter, “Wonderboy” is ready to set things right in 2022.
During a recent interview with MiddleEasy, Thompson provided an update on his return. While an April fight is his current target, “Wonderboy” did reveal he is awaiting an MRI scan on his collarbone, which he’s experienced pain on since his defeat to Muhammad on December 18.
“Well, I wanna get back in April. I’ve got an MRI I’ve gotta do on my collarbone; It’s been killing me after the last fight,” said Thompson. “When Belal Muhammad picked me up and threw me down, I ended up putting my arm out and we both landed on my shoulder. I kinda jacked my collarbone up. So, I’m still training but usually, after every training session, it’s giving me some problems… But I wanna fight again in April. I’m not sure who yet.”
Nevertheless, Thompson doesn’t believe it’s too serious and hopes to have the chance to end his losing skid in the second quarter of the year.
Despite suggesting he’s looking to avoid an overwhelming wrestler in his next matchup, “Wonderboy” did admit he’s open to a “jiu-jitsu vs. karate” clash with grappling specialist Michael Chiesa.
“At this point, I would say, let’s hold off on the wrestlers real quick [LAUGHS]. The last few guys I just got obliterated… I think (Chiesa) would be a good opponent, for sure… I mean, he does have a name and he’s a good buddy of mine too, so I think that’d be a fun one,” added Thompson. “Obviously I’m gonna try and keep that fight standing because his jiu-jitsu is good. You saw his last fight with Vicente Luque, getting submitted, that’s kind of always been a thing. I’ve seen him start wrestling guys and him wrestling himself into a submission; getting sucked into a guillotine or triangle.
Michael Chiesa, Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
“He’s doing work at 170. I think I can outstrike him, I can out-move him, for sure. If we fought, I’d definitely look to keep the fight standing. But he fights fairly stiff. Maybe that’s why he’s so strong. He’s got that muscle. I think it would be a fun fight, it would definitely be one of those jiu-jitsu vs. karate guys again.”
But if he’s focusing solely on another striker he can trade blows with, who better than welterweight legend and former champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler?
“I think (Lawler) would be a really fun fight, especially for the fans. I’ve been trying to fight this guy since he was champion. I think that would be a great fight, even though he’s not ranked at this point, I would love (it). It would be an honor to fight a legend, and exciting, it would be an exciting fight. Two guys going out there striking it up. That would be awesome,” concluded Thompson.
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Despite consecutive defeats in the Octagon, Thompson remains a fan favorite and a name most will always be excited to watch. “Wonderboy” will hope to put his entertaining and slick striking style on full display again in 2022 after an underwhelming last 12 months.
Who would you prefer to see Stephen Thompson face next, Michael Chiesa or Robbie Lawler?
UFC President Dana White explained what went down with welterweight fighter Michael Chiesa following Julianna Peña’s win at UFC 269.
Word quickly spread on social media that Chiesa was involved in a scuffle with security personnel at T-Mobile Arena while attempting to get into the Octagon to celebrate his former teammate’s win over Amanda Nunes. Peña pulled off arguably the greatest upset in UFC history with her submission of the legendary Nunes.
It wasn’t surprising that Chiesa wanted to be involved in the post-fight celebration with Peña, but it was surprising how he went about it. During his UFC 269 post-fight press conference, White clarified what led to Chiesa being escorted out of the arena.
“How do I say this without embarrassing this guy?” White said. “[Chiesa] had a little too much to drink this evening. When she won, he freaked out and tried to jump into the Octagon and fell down on his face, cut his eye, and busted his eye open, then was arguing with the police that he needed to get in the Octagon and be with her ’cause that’s his teammate. They dragged him out, got him outside, and calmed him down in the back, and I went back and talked to him for a minute, and we’re all good.”
Chiesa has become one of the top UFC analysts on Fight Night broadcasts and remains an active UFC welterweight. While he’s dropped his last two fights against Sean Brady and Vicente Luque, he remains focused on a bounceback in 2022.
Chiesa and Peña are two of the most notable MMA talents to fight out of Spokane, WA, as both fought at Sikjitsu Gym together. They’ve been close friends since Peña won The Ultimate Fighter in 2013.
For now, it appears that White and the UFC brass won’t seek to punish Chiesa further for his actions at UFC 269.
What are your thoughts on the Michael Chiesa incident at UFC 269?
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