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Tag: UFC Vegas 102

  • Gregory Rodrigues Blames Weight Cut For Jared Cannonier Loss: ‘I Had Serious Issues…’

    Gregory Rodrigues Blames Weight Cut For Jared Cannonier Loss: ‘I Had Serious Issues…’

    UFC middleweight contender Gregory Rodrigues has spoken publicly for the first time since his crushing loss to Jared Cannonier at the Apex this past weekend.

    Off the back of three straight wins, Rodrigues had the opportunity to break into the top 10 and title picture at 185 pounds. Headlining for the first time, the Brazilian’s shot at a major climb up the ladder came opposite a divisional veteran in Cannonier.

    Despite a strong start that saw him drop “The Killa Gorilla” twice, Rodrigues was unable to make good on his favorite status, fading as the rounds went on before eventually being stopped with strikes in the penultimate frame.

    “Robocop” addressed his defeat for the first time on Tuesday, claiming that severe issues during last week’s weight cut hampered his ability to compete at his best on fight night.

    “It’s my birthday today, and even though it was a tough day at work, I’m grateful for everything God has done and continues to do in my life,” Rodrigues said in a statement on Instagram. “Big thanks to the @ufc team for the opportunity. I’m truly honored to have shared the octagon with the No. 7 in the division. Cannonier is a highly experienced fighter who taught me a lot in this fight! I saw several details that can be improved, things that will be changed. Winning Fight of the Night was a gift for two warriors who weren’t afraid to go to battle.

    “Most people don’t know this, but I had serious issues on my recovery after weight cut. My body just wasn’t responding. I keep wondering how things would’ve played out if I had been at 100 percent. But no sad stories here. Robocop never dies! Time to recharge, reset the system, and upgrade, because I’m just getting started! Huge thanks for all the love, to my friends and family who always stand by my side, and to my real fans, you guys outshine the haters every time! Much love to my coaches at @killcliff_fc, my strength team @ihpfit, and my doctors & nutritionist @marceloferronutricao! Thank you all.”

    Rodrigues will now look to polish up his weight cut and ensure similar issues don’t arise when he returns in pursuit of an immediate bounce back to the winner’s circle.

    Cannonier, meanwhile, is looking for an opponent who can keep his championship hopes alive. While “The Killa Gorilla” appears unsure of who that could be, former champion Michael Bisping recently proposed a rematch with Robert Whittaker.

  • Michael Bisping Pitches ‘Rematch 5 Years In The Making’ For Jared Cannonier After UFC Vegas 102

    Michael Bisping Pitches ‘Rematch 5 Years In The Making’ For Jared Cannonier After UFC Vegas 102

    While Jared Cannonier might be unsure about his next step following Saturday’s result, one former champion thinks he’s got just the idea for the UFC middleweight contender.

    Cannonier proved that he’s got plenty left in the tank this past weekend when he headlined the latest UFC Fight Night at the Apex in Las Vegas.

    Though he entered the cage as the underdog, the former title challenger overcame a couple of early knockdowns to turn the tide on Gregory Rodrigues en route to a TKO stoppage in the opening exchanges of round four.

    Moving forward, “The Killa Gorilla” has admitted that his past results and the landscape of the division leaves him in a tricky position when it comes to rising the ranks.

    But during a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Bisping identified a second dance with a top contender that the former champ believes makes perfect sense.

    “A rematch five years in the making, I think that makes all the sense in the world,” Bisping said about Cannonier running it back with Robert Whittaker. “Robert would want it because he’d look at it as a good fight to find his mojo, to come back from, to get a win, to get back in the win column, to beat somebody that he’s beaten before.

    “And, of course, for Jared Cannonier, at 40 years old, Robert Whittaker is a massive household name in mixed martial arts,” Bisping continued. “Everyone would want to see that fight and it’s a chance for Jared to get that one back.”

    Whittaker has been out of action since having his surge toward another championship fight emphatically stalled by Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi last October.

    Having previously won back-to-back contests opposite Paulo Costa and Ikram Aliskerov, the Australian remains close to the top and will be looking to revive his ongoing title ambitions in 2025.

    With that, perhaps a second meeting with Cannonier could be in store. The pair previously did battle at UFC 254 in 2020, with Whittaker’s success on the feet including a broken arm suffered by “The Killa Gorilla” and culminating in a unanimous decision win.

  • VIDEO: Former Rivals Colby Covington, Kamaru Usman Have Awkward Encounter At UFC Vegas 102

    VIDEO: Former Rivals Colby Covington, Kamaru Usman Have Awkward Encounter At UFC Vegas 102

    Colby Covington didn’t seem to get the response he was after when bumping into former bitter rival Kamaru Usman at Saturday’s UFC event at the Apex.

    The polarizing former interim welterweight champion was in attendance this weekend as the mixed martial arts leader staged its latest UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas.

    As has often been the case in recent weeks and months, “Chaos” was streaming live on his Twitch account. And while speaking to his followers, Covington crossed paths with one of the night’s ESPN desk analysts, whom it’s fair to say he’s more than familiar with.

    But while his and Usman’s feud is far from as heated as it was when they shared the Octagon twice a number of years ago, Covington’s attempt to initiate a conversation looked to be brushed off by the former undisputed champ.

    “Yes, that was Usman guys,” Covington said after the awkward interaction. “I don’t think he wanted to talk on the stream ’cause he didn’t want the chat to hear what he had to say. But yeah, we’ll definitely chop it up a little bit. Maybe we’ll get a picture, or maybe we’ll just fight. You never know, when ‘Chaos’ is in the building, it’s unpredictable. … No hard feelings.”

    Two of Covington’s three failed attempts at reaching the welterweight throne came opposite Usman at UFC 245 in 2019 and UFC 268 in 2021. While he was stopped in the fifth frame first time around, “Chaos” was unable to outpoint the then-champ in the rematch two years later.

    Since then, the 36-year-old has gone 1-2, defeating Jorge Masvidal but losing emphatically to both Leon Edwards and Joaquin Buckley. His future is uncertain in 2025 following his setback at the hands of “New Mansa” last December.

  • Youssef Zalal Accuses Calvin Kattar Of Underhanded Tactics At UFC Vegas 102: ‘Slipperiest Guy I’ve Ever Seen’

    Youssef Zalal Accuses Calvin Kattar Of Underhanded Tactics At UFC Vegas 102: ‘Slipperiest Guy I’ve Ever Seen’

    Youssef Zalal may have had his hand raised at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night, but he believes achieving the win was made more difficult by some potential cheating.

    Zalal recorded the biggest win of his career to date in this weekend’s co-main event at the Apex, where he outpointed top-10 opposition in perennial featherweight contender Calvin Kattar.

    But while he’s now won seven straight and can expect a high number next to his name come Tuesday’s rankings update, “The Moroccan Devil” wasn’t totally happy in the aftermath of his triumph.

    During his post-fight press conference, Zalal appeared to accuse Kattar of cheating by greasing his body to ensure an advantage in grappling exchanges.

    “This is the crazy part: We worked a lot of grappling, and I sh*t you not, I felt like there’s Vaseline all over his legs,” Zalal said. “I swear to God, he was the most slipperiest guy I’ve ever seen in my life, and I felt like I’m not trying to be that guy with this and that (excuse). But man, that was suspicious, bro.

    “Nobody slides like that – that quick. I’ve fought a lot of good guys – Jack Shore and all those guys – and I felt when you’re dry and all that stuff, there’s no way. It is what it is. You can cheat the sport, you can do whatever you want.”

  • Jared Cannonier Comes Back From Two Knockdowns To Batter Gregory Rodrigues In UFC Vegas 102 Main Event

    Jared Cannonier Comes Back From Two Knockdowns To Batter Gregory Rodrigues In UFC Vegas 102 Main Event

    Despite being troubled very early on in the UFC Vegas 102 main event, Jared Cannonier pulled off a major comeback to score a fourth-round finish of Gregory Rodrigues.

    “Robocop” brought the power from the opening round, dropping “The Killa Gorilla” twice with a couple of solid shots. Cannonier, however, managed to score a takedown late in the round, trying to steal momentum.

    Rodrigues continued to land solid strikes during the second round but his pace began to slow. The former title challenger, meanwhile, took advantage by picking up his own striking. He continued this output in the third, and emphasized his dominance with a late elbow that knocked “Robocop” down. Cannonier then threw some heavy ground-and-pound, nearly scoring the finish.

    Jared Cannonier Rallies To Stop Gregory Rodrigues In UFC Vegas 102 Main Event

    He’d find it in the fourth, however, pressuring and dominating for mere seconds before more punches folded Rodrigues.

    Cannonier stops a two-fight skid with the victory tonight. He’s now 3-2 following an unsuccessful middleweight title shot against Israel Adesanya at UFC 276 — with one of those three wins coming over another former champion in Sean Strickland.

    Rodrigues, who reached the fourth round for the first time in his professional MMA career, sees a three-fight win streak snapped. He entered tonight with five wins in his previous six outings.

  • ‘Zalal To PFL For Running An Entire Round’ – Fans Split As Youssef Zalal Outpoints Calvin Kattar At UFC Vegas 102

    ‘Zalal To PFL For Running An Entire Round’ – Fans Split As Youssef Zalal Outpoints Calvin Kattar At UFC Vegas 102

    Youssef Zalal received the biggest opportunity of his career thus far when he took on Calvin Kattar in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 102. But while he scored a decision win, the result led to a mix of reactions from MMA fans.

    Kattar tried to take control of the fight from the get-go, looking to blitz with the striking that led him to popularity during his Octagon career. Zalal, however, took advantage of that by using his footwork, keeping distance and landing counterstrikes.

    Footwork and distance continued to use this strategy and found success, frustrating Kattar over the course of the remaining 10 minutes to win the fight across all three judges’ scorecards.

    While some fans and media members felt it was excellent strategy, others were critical of the performance, stating Zalal would lose fans for the way he fought here.

    Youseef Zalal Splits MMA Fanbase With Performance In Win Over Calvin Kattar

    After his first stint in the UFC ended unceremoniously, Zalal has won seven straight and is now 4-0 since his return to the Octagon.

    Kattar, meanwhile, has now lost four straight and five of six since a January 2021 loss to Max Holloway.

  • Bo Nickal Gives Brutal Response To Callout From UFC Vegas 102 Winner: ‘Fans Say I Can’t Fight Cans Anymore…’

    Bo Nickal Gives Brutal Response To Callout From UFC Vegas 102 Winner: ‘Fans Say I Can’t Fight Cans Anymore…’

    Andre Petroski feels he’s ready for a step up in competition after his victory over Rodolfo Vieira at UFC Vegas 102.

    Unfortunately for him, the man he chose to call out, Bo Nickal, doesn’t share the same sentiment regarding the idea of a fight between the two of them.

    “I’d love to get an easy check but the fans say I can’t fight cans anymore,” Nickal wrote on X after being called out at UFC Vegas 102.

    Andre Petroski Calls Out Bo Nickal At UFC Vegas 102, Gets Rejected Quickly

    The first round between Petroski and Vieira was slow. In fact, the two combined for only about 10 punches in the entire five-minute span. The American had more control of the pacing in the first round, but his Brazilian opponent picked up his pace and took back control in the second.

    Petroski brought out more powerful shots in the third, nabbing him the win on all three judges’ scorecards.

    The victor then used his post-fight promo time to call out rising star Nickal.

    Nickal was quick to jump on social media and reject the fight proposal, referring to Petroski as a “can.”

    Petroski has won three straight now, having also bested Josh Fremd and Dylan Budka over the past year.

    Meanwhile, Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert Vieira is now 3-3 in his last six after starting his pro career 7-0.

  • ‘Made Him Hit The Undertaker’ – Fans React As Gabriel Bonfim Leaves Opponent Unconscious With Nasty Choke At UFC Vegas 102

    ‘Made Him Hit The Undertaker’ – Fans React As Gabriel Bonfim Leaves Opponent Unconscious With Nasty Choke At UFC Vegas 102

    With both Bonfim brothers competing at UFC Vegas 102, Gabriel Bonfim ensured a strong start for the pair with a second-round submission victory over knockout artist Khaos Williams during the preliminary card.

    Williams stalked his competition throughout the opening frame, looking to apply pressure and find the power shots that have led him to victory in the Octagon already. Bonfim, however, showed solid lateral movement over the course of the frame. And while “The Ox Fighter” showed solid takedown defense, his Brazilian counterpart was able to get him down a couple of times during the round.

    Williams fended off a late submission attempt prior to the end of the first round. When the same circumstances happened in the second frame’s dying seconds, however, the result was different.

    Bonfim locked up a Brabo choke and managed to leave Williams unconscious in a scary scene, scoring the victory with mere seconds remaining at the end of the second round.

    Gabriel Bonfim Chokes Out Khaos Williams At UFC Vegas 102

    https://twitter.com/Haduuuucken/status/1890895022855278684

    The Brazilian is now 4-1 in the UFC since his arrival from Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022.

    Meanwhile, since arriving to the UFC in 2020, Williams has consistently lost a fight after winning two — a pattern that has now continued as a result of his loss tonight.

  • 11-Year MMA Veteran Retires After Defeat In First Fight Of UFC Vegas 102

    Mixed martial arts veteran Julia Avila laid the gloves down at UFC Vegas 102.

    After suffering a decision loss to Jacqueline Cavalcanti in the opening bout of Saturday’s event, “Raging Panda” announced her retirement from professional MMA.

    “This is it,” Avila said before placing her gloves down in the middle of the Octagon. “I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to fight on the world’s best stage.”

    Julia Avila Retires Following UFC Vegas 102 Loss To Jacqueline Cavalcanti

    Avila made her professional MMA debut in 2012, though there was a four-and-a-half-year gap between her first two fights. After going 6-1, Avila made her UFC debut at UFC 239 in July 2019, defeating Pannie Kianzad.

    “Raging Panda” went 3-3 in the UFC. Prior to tonight’s fight, her last performance came in December 2023 when she was submitted by former champion Miesha Tate.

    Cavalcanti, a former LFA women’s bantamweight champion, is now 9-1 in her career, including a perfect 4-0 in the UFC.

  • UFC Fight Night: Jared Cannonier vs. Gregory Rodrigues Weigh-In Results: One Fight Canceled

    UFC Fight Night: Jared Cannonier vs. Gregory Rodrigues Weigh-In Results: One Fight Canceled

    UFC Fight Night: Jared Cannonier vs. Gregory Rodrigues takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results.

    After staging its latest pay-per-view Down Under in Sydney last weekend, the mixed martial arts leader is back at its home base of the Apex.

    Headlining will once again be the middleweights, as perennial main-eventer and former title challenger Jared Cannonier looks to stall the surge of another rising name at 185 pounds in Gregory Rodrigues.

    Elsewhere, the likes of featherweight contender Calvin Kattar, once-highly touted middleweight Edmen Shahbazyan, and strawweight veteran Angela Hill will be in action.

    UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Rodrigues Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Rodrigues takes place on Saturday, February 15, 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 replay of the weigh-ins via MMA Junkie, and check out the results below.

    Main Card:

    • Middleweight: Jared Cannonier (185.5lbs) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (186lbs)
    • Featherweight: Calvin Kattar (146lbs) vs. Youssef Zalal (146lbs)
    • Middleweight: Edmen Shahbazyan (185.5lbs) vs. Dylan Budka (186lbs)
    • Lightweight: Ismail Bonfim (156lbs) vs. Nazim Sadykhov (156lbs)
    • Middleweight: Rodolfo Vieira (185.5lbs) vs. Andre Petroski (186lbs)
    • Featherweight: Connor Matthews (146lbs) vs. Jose Delgado (146lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Women’s Strawweight: Angela Hill (115.5lbs) vs. Ketlen Souza (115.5lbs)
    • Lightweight: Jared Gordon vs. Mashrabjon Ruzibaev*
    • Flyweight: Rafael Estevam (126lbs) vs. Jesus Aguilar (125.5lbs)
    • Welterweight: Gabriel Bonfim (170.5lbs) vs. Khaos Williams (169.5lbs)
    • Bantamweight: Vince Morales (136lbs) vs. Elijah Smith (135.5lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Don’Tale Mayes (266lbs) vs. Valter Walker (245lbs)
    • Women’s Bantamweight: Julia Avila (135.5lbs) vs. Julia Cavalcanti (134.5lbs)

    *The lightweight bout between Jared Gordon and Mashrabjon Ruzibaev was canceled due to an issue with the latter.

  • Calvin Kattar vs. Youssef Zalal In The Works For UFC Fight Night On Feb. 15

    Calvin Kattar vs. Youssef Zalal In The Works For UFC Fight Night On Feb. 15

    Veteran UFC featherweight contender Calvin Kattar will need to defend his spot in the rankings this year following a difficult period.

    After a battering at the hands of Max Holloway, Kattar (23-8) kept his name close to the title picture in 2022 by being on the opposite end of a destructive display against Giga Chikadze.

    But “The Boston Finisher” hasn’t had his hand raised since. He fell on the wrong side of a contentious split decision against Josh Emmett, lost to Arnold Allen after tearing his ACL mid-fight, and most recently failed to spoil Aljamain Sterling’s featherweight debut at UFC 300.

    With that losing skid in mind, Kattar will unsurprisingly be fighting down the pecking order in 2025. And should plans come to fruition, that’ll seemingly be against the charging Youssef Zalal (16-5-1).

    The fight was announced by Zalal during an appearance on the JAXXON Podcast.

    Zalal exited the UFC in 2022 after going 0-3-1 across a four-fight run, in which he lost to Ilia Topuria, Seungwoo Choi, and Sean Woodson. But since working his way back with three wins on the regional scene, he’s been unstoppable.

    The 28-year-old Moroccan went 3-0 under the UFC banner in 2024, submitting Billy Quarantillo, Jarno Errens, and Jack Shore to earn a shot at the rankings and the featherweight top 10.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at the UFC Fight Night on Feb. 15 are as follows:

    • Jared Cannonier vs. Gregory Rodrigues (middleweight main event)
    • Edson Barboza vs. Steve Garcia (featherweight)
    • Calvin Kattar vs. Youssef Zalal (featherweight)
    • Yuneisy Duben vs. Carli Judice (women’s flyweight)
    • Ismael Bonfim vs. Nazim Sadykhov (lightweight)
    • Gabriel Bonfim vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov (welterweight)
    • Jose Delgado vs. Connor Matthews (featherweight)
    • Billy Ray Goff vs. Nikolay Veretennikov (welterweight)
    • Dylan Budka vs. Edmen Shahbazyan (middleweight)
    • Vince Morales vs. Elijah Smith (bantamweight)
    • Jesus Aguilar vs. Rafael Estevam (lightweight)
    • Don’Tale Mayes vs. Valter Walker (heavyweight)
    • Kaue Fernandes vs. Jared Gordon (lightweight)
  • Jared Cannonier vs. Gregory Rodrigues In The Works For UFC Fight Night Main Event On Feb. 15

    Jared Cannonier vs. Gregory Rodrigues In The Works For UFC Fight Night Main Event On Feb. 15

    High-profile fights are beginning to come together for 2025, and the latest report places longtime middleweight contender Jared Cannonier in another UFC Fight Night main event.

    Cannonier (17-8), who sits alongside Conor McGregor as one of two fighters to have recorded knockout victories in three different weight classes, has slipped down the pecking order at 185 pounds.

    A controversial stoppage loss to Nassourdine Imavov and decision defeat in a Fight of the Night with Caio Borralho has seen “The Killa Gorilla” go 0-2 in 2024. Having fallen to his first losing skid as a middleweight, the #8-ranked Cannonier is in need of a rebound performance next year to maintain his spot inside the top 10.

    And per MMA Mania’s Alex Behunin, that’ll come in a fifth consecutive main event for the 40-year-old, this time opposite a first-time headliner in Gregory Rodrigues (16-5) at the Apex-held UFC Fight Night on Feb. 15.

    Rodrigues has gained a reputation as an all-action fighter at 185 pounds since debuting following LFA championship success three years ago.

    While losses to Armen Petrosyan and Brunno Ferreira stalled his rise, “Robocop” is currently on his best UFC run to date, having won three straight over Denis Tiuliulin, Brad Tavares, and Christian Leroy Duncan.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC Fight Night on Feb. 15 are as follows:

    • Jared Cannonier vs. Gregory Rodrigues (middleweight main event)
    • Gabriel Bonfim vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov (welterweight)
    • Juliana Miller vs. Carli Judice (women’s flyweight)
    • Jacob Malkoun vs. Rodolfo Vieira (middleweight)
    • Julia Avila vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti (women’s bantamweight)
    • Jose Delgado vs. Connor Matthews (featherweight)
    • Billy Goff vs. Nikolay Veretennikov (welterweight)