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Tag: UFC Vegas 96

  • Caio Borralho Reveals ‘Mantra’ Of Training Camp For Jared Cannonier Win: ‘The New Champ Has Arrived’

    Caio Borralho Reveals ‘Mantra’ Of Training Camp For Jared Cannonier Win: ‘The New Champ Has Arrived’

    The future appears to be bright for Caio Borralho after pulling off a decision win over Jared Cannonier in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card at the Apex.

    The two had a hard-fought battle filled with plenty of strikes. Borralho’s kicks seemed to get the better of Cannonier in the first round before the former title challenger found a groove with his punches in the second.

    They were even in terms of striking numbers in the third, but “The Natural” managed to get “The Killa Gorilla” wobbly late in the frame. Cannonier battled back in the fourth round by delivering with his power, forming heavy damage around one of Borralho’s eyes.

    The Brazilian managed to gain the fifth round, however, by dropping Cannonier with a one-two in the closing minutes and nearly scoring the finish.

    “I caught him with some good jabs, and I think all these jabs hide my left hand, and when I (was) touching with my left hand, he felt (it) all the times,” Borralho told Megan Olivi for ESPN. “But he’s so durable, you know? He’s so tough. He’s been with the best in the world so many years. Crazy. He was in the UFC in 2015. That was the year of my last defeat, my second MMA fight.”

    Caio Borralho Claims He Is A New Champ On The Rise

    Borralho ventured his way into the UFC after a pair of wins over Aaron Jeffrey and Jesse Murray on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021. Since then, “The Natural,” representing the Fighting Nerds team, has surged upward in momentum by defeating the likes of Paul Craig, Michał Oleksiejczuk, and Makhmud Muradov prior to Cannonier.

    Now with bigger opportunities in his future, in addition to his callout of champion Dricus Du Plessis in the Octagon, Borralho is expecting to be placed in the top five of the middleweight ranking when they’re updated next week.

    “I hope to see my name on Tuesday in the top five of this division,” Borralho said. “You know I’m coming for my belt. The mantra of this training camp was to show the new champ arrived. And I think everybody saw that (there is) a new champ on the rising [sic] – a guy that never gives up and (has) all skills.”

  • ‘Give Him Adesanya’ – MMA Fans React As Caio Borralho Outlasts Jared Cannonier In UFC Fight Night Main Event War

    ‘Give Him Adesanya’ – MMA Fans React As Caio Borralho Outlasts Jared Cannonier In UFC Fight Night Main Event War

    Caio Borralho represents the Fighting Nerds with pride and continued to do so with the biggest win of his career in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event, scoring a decision over Jared Cannonier.

    Borralho got Cannonier in trouble during the opening round, picking him apart with his kicks. The veteran contender and former title challenger, however, got himself on the board in the second rframe when he started to find his groove in his punching, which included a brief wobble of “The Natural” late in the round.

    The two had an action packed third stanza and were just about even in terms of significant strikes landed, especially to the head. Borralho, however, ended up getting Cannonier wobbly. And even when “The Killa Gorilla” tried to fight back with his power, he stumbled, showing he was still rocked. Cannonier, however, was able to survive the round.

    Borralho continued to bring heavy pressure in the fourth round, but the 40-year-old brought his power, landing damaging shots. By the end of the frame, notable swelling could be seen around one of Borralho’s eyes.

    But late in the fifth round, Borralho delivered again, landing a one-two that dropped Cannonier. The Brazilian scrambled and got to work with strong ground-and-pound. The American, however, managed to survive the attack and a subsequent choke attempt.

    That was enough for the judges, as two scored the fight 49-45 and one 48-46, all for Borralho.

    Caio Borralho Rocks Jared Cannonier Twice, Solidifies Himself As Middleweight Contender At UFC Fight Night

    https://twitter.com/Full_Violence/status/1827576506367021335
    https://twitter.com/SpxrtsMxster/status/1827577433865765054

    Borralho has won all but two of the fights in his professional career thus far. He’s 6-0 in the Octagon after winning a contract through a victory over current Bellator fighter Aaron Jeffrey on Dana White’s Contender Series. He entered this fight coming off a knockout of Paul Craig at UFC 301, and Borralho will now find himself in the mix of top middleweight contenders.

    Borralho used his post-fight interview to call out Dricus Du Plessis, who retained his UFC middleweight title against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia, last weekend.

    Cannonier, meanwhile, has now lost two straight and three of his last five, stretching back to his unsuccessful challenge of then-champion Adesanya at UFC 276 in the summer of 2022.

  • ‘Ricci & Hill Did Not Skip Cardio Day’ – MMA Fans React To Barnburner In UFC Fight Night Co-Main Event

    ‘Ricci & Hill Did Not Skip Cardio Day’ – MMA Fans React To Barnburner In UFC Fight Night Co-Main Event

    Tabatha Ricci and Angela Hill delivered an intense and high-action co-main event at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night.

    Ricci looked to bring the pressure to Hill right away in the first, as the two traded throughout the course of the opening round. That led to plenty of trading over the course of the fight’s 15 minutes.

    The high pace saw “Baby Shark” control the action in the first frame, but the second presented a much closer story. Ricci again looked to take charge and bring pressure in the pocket. Her American counterpart, however, looked to answer her attacks with counters and seemed to land the cleaner shots. The Brazilian did manage to score a takedown during the stanza.

    Hill managed to put up a strong third round to try to solidify things in her favor. However, all three judges ultimately gave the nod to Ricci with scores of 29-28.

    Tabatha Ricci Scores Decision Win In Closely Contested, Striking-Filled Battle With Angela Hill

    https://twitter.com/RichardAMann/status/1827566006954324398
    https://twitter.com/CharlieQuinnMMA/status/1827564787309441407

    Ricci has now won back-to-back bouts and has emerged victorious from six of her last seven. She is now most likely guaranteed a spot in the top 10 of the UFC’s strawweight rankings.

    Hill, meanwhile, is now 2-2 in her last four fights.

  • VIDEO: Mairon Santos Folds Opponent With Brutal Left Hook To Win TUF 32 Featherweight Tournament

    VIDEO: Mairon Santos Folds Opponent With Brutal Left Hook To Win TUF 32 Featherweight Tournament

    Mairon Santos introduced himself to the UFC in style, scoring a highlight knockout of Kaan Ofli to claim the crown for the featherweight portion of The Ultimate Fighter season 32.

    Santos got the better of his Team Grasso teammate during the opening round at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night, scoring better with his strikes.

    Then, in the second round, Santos landed a right-left combination that faceplanted Ofli. A few follow-up shots later and the referee stepped in to give the tournament championship to Santos.

    Mairon Santos Puts On Striking Display, Lands Brutal KO To Claim TUF 32 Featherweight Title

    Santos entered this season as one of the most experienced featherweights, coming in with a 13-1 record and having recently fought in the LFA. His only MMA loss heading into the season came at the hands of another TUF alumnus in Dan Argueta.

    Santos defeated Edwin Cooper Jr. and Guillermo Torres to advance to the finals.

    On the other side, Ofli, the former HEX Series featherweight champion, defeated Nathan Fletcher and Roedie Roets to advance to tonight’s fight.

    The Ultimate Fighter season 32 was coached by UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko ahead of their trilogy fight at UFC 306 on September 14.

  • ‘Did What Garry Couldn’t’ – Fans React As Michael Morales Drops Neil Magny With Spinning Elbow, Stays Undefeated With Relentless Ground & Pound

    ‘Did What Garry Couldn’t’ – Fans React As Michael Morales Drops Neil Magny With Spinning Elbow, Stays Undefeated With Relentless Ground & Pound

    Michael Morales continues to be on the rise in the UFC’s welterweight division. And with a finish of Neil Magny now on his record, it will be interesting to see if this nabs the Ecuadorian a spot in the rankings at 170 pounds.

    The still-unbeaten Morales put on a brutal and dominant performance with his striking at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night, particularly with a spinning elbow that landed and knocked Magny down with about 100 seconds left in the first round.

    Morales subsequently made his way on top of Magny, landing strong ground-and-pound until the referee stepped in for the first-round TKO.

    Michael Morales Puts Beating On Neil Magny To Remain Undefeated At UFC Fight Night

    After a win over Nikolay Veretennikov on Dana White’s Contender Series, Morales is now 5-0 in the Octagon, scoring finishes of Trevin Giles and Adam Fugitt in addition to decisions over Max Griffin and Jake Matthews.

    Magny, meanwhile, has now lost three of his last five fights. This is “The Haitian Sensation’s” first time being knocked out since a loss to Santiago Ponzinibbio in November 2018.

  • Gerald Meerschaert Surpasses Anderson Silva Record With Incredible Comeback Submission Of Edmen Shahbazyan At UFC Fight Night

    Gerald Meerschaert Surpasses Anderson Silva Record With Incredible Comeback Submission Of Edmen Shahbazyan At UFC Fight Night

    There is a new record holder for most finishes in UFC middleweight history, and his name is Gerald Meerschaert.

    Meerschaert’s history-making performance came in comeback fashion on top of that, going from nearly getting finished by Edmen Shahbazyan to scoring a second-round submission in the opening bout of the UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Borralho main card.

    The veteran 185lber was in trouble early in the sophomore stanza when Shahbazyan dropped him with a body shot. “The Golden Boy” got right to work with fast-paced ground-and-pound, looking to finish Meerschaert off as “GM3” covered up and looked to move away.

    Fortunately for the 36-year-old, a lot of the punches from Shahbazyan went off the arms, allowing Meerschaert to stay in the fight.

    The once highly touted prospect stayed on the ground as he stopped his attack, which also played right into Meerschaert’s favor. The grappling specialist was able to make his way into an arm-triangle and score the submission.

    Gerald Meerschaert Sets New Record For Most Finishes In UFC Middleweight Division History

    The tap-out was Meerschaert’s 12th finish in the UFC middleweight division, his 11th via submission.

    The longtime divisional mainstay now moves to 37-17 in his career and has won two straight and three of his last five fights.

    Shahbazyan, meanwhile, is now 2-2 in his last four following a three-fight losing skid. He has not strung together consecutive wins since 2019.

  • VIDEO: Debutant Wang Cong Kicks Off UFC Fight Night With Devastating One-Punch Knockout

    VIDEO: Debutant Wang Cong Kicks Off UFC Fight Night With Devastating One-Punch Knockout

    Wang Cong brought a vicious beginning to UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Borralho, as well as her Octagon career, thanks to a brutal knockout to claim victory in just 62 seconds in the card’s opening bout.

    With the win, Cong set the second-fastest knockout in UFC women’s flyweight history.

    The Chinese fighter connected with a solid one-two, which saw a right cross connect on the button and drop opponent Victoria Leonardo in vicious fashion.

    Wang Cong Drops Victoria Leonardo In Just One Minute With Strong Right Hand

    This was Wang’s first win since defeating Paula Luna on Road to UFC this past May.

    She made her professional MMA debut in 2022, competing for promotions such as UAE Warriors and Kunlun Fighting World Championship while going 4-0 with two finishes.

    Leonardo, meanwhile, has now lost four of five since earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020.

    Saturday’s event will be headlined by a crucial middleweight contest between former title challenger Jared Cannonier and the fast-charging Caio Borralho. Elsewhere, the likes of Neil Magny and Angela Hill will make the walk to the Octagon.

  • Late Medical Issue Leaves UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Borralho One Bout Down

    Late Medical Issue Leaves UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Borralho One Bout Down

    An Apex card that was already questionable in the minds of some fans received a hit just as the broadcast of UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Borralho started.

    The broadcast opened with the commentary team announcing that the preliminary card bout between two TUF 32 participants, Zygimantas Ramaska and Nathan Fletcher, was scrapped due to a medical issue for Fletcher. According to UFC commentator Brendan Fitzgerald, the cancellation came just minutes before the card was scheduled to begin.

    This knocked the lineup down to five preliminary card fights and five main card bouts.

    Zygimantas Ramaska vs. Nathan Fletcher Canceled Due To Medical Issue Minutes Before UFC Fight Night Begins

    Both men competed on season 32 of The Ultimate Fighter, which was coached by UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Alexa Grasso and former champion and upcoming challenger Valentina Shevchenko.

    Ramaska defeated Bekhzod Usmonov in the opening round of the featherweight tournament in a fight considered one of the best of the season. However, the Nevada State Athletic Commission did not medically clear him on late notice to move on to the semifinals.

    Fletcher, meanwhile, was defeated by Kaan Ofli in the opening round, and any potential plans for him to replace Ramaska in the tournament were dashed the week prior when it was discovered he had a broken fibula.

    Ofli and Mairon Santos compete later tonight in the featherweight final of the show, while Ryan Loder and Robert Valentin compete in the middleweight finale.

  • UFC Fight Night: Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho 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 at the RAC Arena in Perth this past weekend, mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is back on home soil to put on another card at the Apex facility in Las Vegas.

    Topping the lineup will be a crucial clash of top contenders in the middleweight division, with former title challenger Jared Cannonier and the fast-rising Caio Borralho both looking to put themselves in a strong position within the title picture.

    Elsewhere, the likes of Angela Hill, Neil Magny, and Edmen Shahbazyan will all have their next assignments inside the Octagon, while this year’s TUF finales also go down inside the Apex.

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

    UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Borralho takes place on Saturday, August 24, at the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 7 p.m. ET/4p.m. PT.

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

    Main Card:

    • Middleweight Main Event: Jared Cannonier (184lbs) vs. Caio Borralho (186lbs)
    • Women’s Strawweight Co-Main Event: Angela Hill (115.5lbs) vs. Tabatha Ricci (115lbs)
    • Middleweight (TUF 32 Finale): Robert Valentin (185lbs) vs. Ryan Loder (186lbs)
    • Featherweight (TUF 32 Finale): Kaan Ofli (145lbs) vs. Mairon Santos (146lbs)
    • Welterweight: Neil Magny (170lbs) vs. Michael Morales (171lbs)
    • Middleweight: Edmen Shahbazyan (184.5lbs) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (185lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Lightweight: Dennis Buzukja (155.5lbs) vs. Francis Marshall (156lbs)
    • Middleweight: Zachary Reese (184.5lbs) vs. Jose Medina (186lbs)
    • Lightweight: Viacheslav Borshchev (155.5lbs) vs. James Llontop (154.5lbs)
    • Women’s Bantamweight: Jacqueline Cavalcanti (135lbs) vs. Josiane Nunes (136lbs)
    • Featherweight: Zygimantas Ramaska (146lbs) vs. Nathan Fletcher (145.5lbs)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Wang Cong (125lbs) vs. Victoria Leonardo (125lbs)
  • Jared Cannonier Dismisses Caio Borralho’s Grappling Superiority Ahead Of UFC Fight Night Main Event: ‘I Fought Glover Teixeira!’

    Jared Cannonier Dismisses Caio Borralho’s Grappling Superiority Ahead Of UFC Fight Night Main Event: ‘I Fought Glover Teixeira!’

    Jared Cannonier looks to return to the win column this weekend by turning back a UFC middleweight contender on the rise.

    Caio Borralho has won six in a row to find himself in this position, but in Cannonier, he faces by far his toughest test to date.

    Despite what fans saw from him last time out at UFC 301, where he stopped Paul Craig in devastating fashion, the Brazilian is better known for his grappling skills.

    Given the high-level opposition that he has faced during his time competing at both middleweight and several other weight classes in the UFC, this isn’t something that is going to faze “The Killa Gorilla.”

    Jared Cannonier Doesn’t Understand Why People Underestimate His Grappling

    In a recent interview with MMA Junkie ahead of this weekend’s middleweight main event, Cannonier was asked whether, in his mind, this fight boils down to if he can stop Borralho from having success with his takedowns.

    The 185-pound stalwart doesn’t have this point of view and isn’t afraid to let his opponent test his grappling if that’s the way things end up going. He believes that his ground game is slept on by the rest of the division, potentially because you very rarely see opponents try to take him down.

    “If he ends up on the bottom, it’s not going to be too good for him down there either, so I got all the confidence in my ground game,” Cannonier said. “I don’t know why people think my ground game isn’t good. I haven’t been submitted in the UFC, I haven’t been submitted in my career.

    “When I was green, I fought Glover Teixeira. I spent a lot of time underneath him and didn’t get tapped, and I was green as far as my grappling goes back then,” Cannonier continued. “I’m much better now. I’m attacking you guys. If you guys think you want to take me down, you’re more than welcome to try.”

    Cannonier believes Borralho and the rest of the middleweight division could be in for a shock if the ground is where they think his weakness is.

  • MMA Analyst Feels UFC Trying To Cut Costs With Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho Fight: ‘He’s Still On That S**tty Contract’

    MMA Analyst Feels UFC Trying To Cut Costs With Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho Fight: ‘He’s Still On That S**tty Contract’

    Josh Thomson recently suggested that the UFC might be cutting costs with the upcoming matchup between Jared Cannonier and Caio Borralho.

    The two middleweight contenders are poised to square off in the main event of a UFC Fight Night this Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Cannonier is fresh off a contentious fourth-round TKO loss to Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night Louisville this past June. This setback halted the momentum “The Killa Gorilla” had built with his dominant consecutive victories over Marvin Vettori and Sean Strickland.

    Meanwhile, Borralho is riding high after delivering an impressive second-round knockout of Paul Craig at UFC 301 in May. “The Natural” is currently on a six-fight win streak, fueled by his back-to-back standout performances at Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021.

    This fight offers distinct opportunities for both fighters: Cannonier is eager to reestablish himself in the title conversation, while Borralho is aiming to break into the top 10 middleweight rankings with a victory this weekend.

    Thomson Believes UFC Sees Greater Potential In Borralho For The Future

    During a recent episode of the WEIGHING IN podcast with former MMA referee “Big” John McCarthy, Thomson delved into why the UFC might have paired a seasoned veteran like Cannonier with a rising prospect such as Borralho.

    “The Punk” speculated that the UFC might either be banking on the Brazilian to rise as a future force in the middleweight division or that this matchup could simply be a strategic move to trim expenses.

    “I think it’s two reasons why they do,” Thomson said. “One is Caio Borralho is someone we’re not paying a lot of money right now, and we’re probably paying Jared Cannonier maybe double, so that’s one reason. Second is Jared Cannonier is 40 years old, and we’re paying him all that money, but we know he won’t be around much longer.”

    “So let’s see if we can get the young stud an opportunity to get a win over a highly ranked fighter, and we can get him to fight top-level fighters for less money because he’s still on that sh*tty contract. So they’re going to keep—that’s the way this business works.”

  • Caio Borralho Confident Of Beating ‘Old Man’ Jared Cannonier: ‘I Don’t Mean To Be Disrespectful…’ 

    Caio Borralho Confident Of Beating ‘Old Man’ Jared Cannonier: ‘I Don’t Mean To Be Disrespectful…’ 

    UFC middleweight contender Caio Borralho believes his youth will play a major factor against Jared Cannonier in their upcoming main event.

    The promotion recently announced a late-notice headliner for the UFC Fight Night at the Apex on August 24, with former 185-pound title challenger and top-five contender Cannonier defending his position on the ladder against a charging up-and-comer.

    Borralho is unbeaten in 15 fights since defeat in just his second professional bout, and he’s extended that run with a perfect 6-0 UFC record since breaking through on Dana White’s Contender Series three years ago.

    Having most recently knocked out Paul Craig in emphatic fashion at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro to climb to #12 in the middleweight pecking order, “The Natural” has received a major opportunity.

    And although “The Killa Gorilla” marks a big step up in competition for him, the Brazilian expects to be sharing the cage with a fading vet later this month…

    Borralho Sees Clear Advantage Over ‘Aging’ Cannonier

    During an interview with Mike Owens for InsideFighting, Borralho looked ahead to his recently announced maiden headliner on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

    While “The Natural” acknowledged the “scary” nature of Cannonier’s power, which has helped him become one of just two fighters to record knockouts across three UFC divisions, he believes the veteran is slowing down.

    And with the Brazilian approaching his prime as he rises the ranks at 185 pounds, Borralho is expecting to be the one who “breaks” the 40-year-old.

    “He’s number five in the world, so I think it will be a great opportunity for me to show my work and what I’m capable of,” Borralho said. “I’m very excited about this fight because Jared is a very scary guy; fought in three divisions, great knockout power. In the middleweight division, he’s only lost to two former champions. … He lost to Imavov but I think it was an early stoppage.

    “I think he’s a good guy to face because it’s gonna really test myself, and that’s what I really want. … I think it’s gonna be another clinical victory for myself,” Borralho continued. “(Cannonier) was slowing down (against Imavov). I saw his fight against Strickland; he did a very good pace, was with a good gas tank. But he was 37, I think 38. Now he’s 40, almost 41. I think the age — I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but I think the age is coming at him. He’s kind of slowing down and not with the same gas tank. I think this will be the breaking point because I’m gonna put the pressure on. … The old man’s not gonna take it, with all due respect.”

    Borralho will look to prove that assessment correct come fight night on August 24. In doing so, he’s hoping to next face current champion Dricus Du Plessis in a title eliminator, as he expects the South African to lose his gold at the hands of Israel Adesanya this month.

    Whether or not that plan comes to fruition remains to be seen, but either way, a strong result at the expense of “The Killa Gorilla” will certainly leave him with a prime position in the title picture.

  • Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho Announced As Late-Notice UFC Fight Night Main Event On August 24

    Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho Announced As Late-Notice UFC Fight Night Main Event On August 24

    The Apex-held UFC Fight Night on August 24 finally has its headliner, and it’ll see a pair of top middleweights throw down.

    With less than three weeks remaining until the Las Vegas card, the UFC revealed the main event for Aug. 24 on Tuesday, announcing that Jared Cannonier (17-7) will defend his top-five ranking against the fast-rising Caio Borralho (16-1, 1 NC).

    The late-notice bout marks relatively quick turnarounds for both men, with the American controversially defeated by Nassourdine Imavov this past June and the Brazilian up-and-comer getting the better of Paul Craig the previous month.

    Cannonier Looks To Rebound From Debated TKO Loss, Blemish Borralho’s Perfect UFC Record

    When he makes his return for a second headliner of the summer, the #5-ranked Cannonier will look to quickly erase the memory of his difficult setback two months ago.

    The former title challenger, who is one of just two fighters in UFC history to record knockouts in three different weight classes, has been pursuing a second shot at the 185-pound gold since falling short against Israel Adesanya in 2022. While that journey got underway well with wins over then-future champ Sean Strickland and Marvin Vettori, his progress was stalled in controversial fashion when referee Jason Herzog deemed him unable to continue following an onslaught from Imavov in their Louisville headliner.

    A couple of months on from that widely questioned setback, Cannonier will return for redemption at the expense of Borralho, a Dana White’s Contender Series alum who has risen to #12 in the division’s top 15 courtesy of a perfect 6-0 record inside the Octagon. “The Natural” most recently secured his second performance bonus by knocking out Craig at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro this past May.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at the UFC Fight Night event on Aug. 24 are as follows:

    • Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho (middleweight main event)
    • Neil Magny vs. Michael Morales (welterweight)
    • Angela Hill vs. Tabatha Ricci (women’s strawweight)
    • Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Gerald Meerschaert (middleweight)
    • Josiane Nunes vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti (women’s bantamweight)
    • Dennis Buzukja vs. Danny Silva (featherweight)
    • José Medina vs. Zachary Reese (middleweight)
    • Viacheslav Borshchev vs. James Llontop (lightweight)
    • Wang Cong vs. Victoria Leonardo (women’s flyweight)
  • UFC Veteran Neil Magny Signs New 4-Fight Contract Ahead Of August 24 Return (Exclusive)

    UFC Veteran Neil Magny Signs New 4-Fight Contract Ahead Of August 24 Return (Exclusive)

    Neil Magny will have plenty of chances to extend his lead for multiple UFC records after extending his stint on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

    Magny — a welterweight veteran who boasts the most wins, most fights, and most Octagon time in the division’s history — has exchanged wins and losses since 2022. But he’s coming off a major result from UFC 297 this past January, where he stalled the surge of the highly touted Mike Malott.

    And following that major comeback in Canada, “The Haitian Sensation” has been rewarded with a fresh UFC contract.

    The 37-year-old, who has competed inside the Octagon ever since a successful debut at UFC 157 in 2013, revealed to MMA News that he’s put pen to paper on a new four-fight deal with the promotion.

    “I just signed a new four-fight contract,” Magny said. “We have four more to go out there and get the job done; continue to climb the ranks, continue getting things done, and keep moving forward.

    “I’m happy (with the money), definitely thrilled,” Magny continued. “We invested a lot of real estate for my family and I after this fight, so I’m definitely thrilled about it.”

    Magny To Kickstart New UFC Deal Against Another Rising Name On Aug. 24

    It won’t be long until the first fight on Magny’s new deal, with the welterweight mainstay once again tasked with turning away the rise of a promising prospect at 170 pounds later this month.

    After putting a stop to Malott’s charge for the time being, the #12-ranked contender must once again defend his position on the ladder from a man outside the top 15, the undefeated Michael Morales.

    The Ecuadorian will have the biggest assignment of his young career to date when the pair collide at the upcoming Apex-held UFC Fight Night on August 24.

    At 16-0 as a professional, the 25-year-old has shown significant promise to date, most recently by recording his fourth UFC victory at the expense of Australia’s Jake Matthews last November.

    While Morales will have ambitions of a rise into contention by the end of this month, Magny has proved time and again that he is no easy path into the welterweight rankings, and “The Haitian Sensation” will look to show that once more by blemishing the prospect’s record.

  • Neil Magny Expected To Face Undefeated Prospect In Return At UFC Fight Night On August 24

    Neil Magny Expected To Face Undefeated Prospect In Return At UFC Fight Night On August 24

    UFC veteran Neil Magny looks set to be tasked with stalling the rise of another highly touted welterweight prospect later this summer.

    Magny, who currently occupies the #12 spot on the ladder at 170 pounds, continues to perform big on mixed martial arts’ grandest stage over a decade on from his Octagon debut.

    “The Haitian Sensation” holds the record for most wins in UFC welterweight history, and his lead in that regard was extended at UFC 297 in Toronto this past January, where he mounted a memorable comeback to upset home favorite Mike Malott.

    That result cemented Magny’s continued presence in the top 15 and pushed back the surge of a promising prospect. And the 36-year-old will need to bring about some déjà vu next month if he’s to continue his momentum.

    Per MMA Junkie’s Danny Segura, Magny has verbally agreed to do battle with the undefeated Michael Morales at the UFC Fight Night scheduled for the Apex in Las Vegas on August 24.

    Magny Looks To Halt Another Charging Prospect Months On From UFC 297 Upset

    Should this bout be made official, Magny will look to secure his first win streak since 2022 by blemishing the perfect professional record of Morales.

    Magny (29-11) recorded back-to-back victories over Geoff Neal and Max Griffin before running into the fast-charging Shavkat Rakhmonov in June 2022. He’s exchanged wins and losses since, getting the better of Daniel Rodriguez, Phil Rowe, and Malott but falling against high-level competition in Gilbert Burns and Ian Garry.

    If “The Haitian Sensation” is to further extend his lead in a number of records and continue proving his longevity inside the Octagon, he’ll have to do what nobody else has done up to this point: beat Morales (16-0). The Ecuadorian has won all four of his UFC fights to date since appearing on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021. The 25-year-old most recently outpointed Australia’s Jake Matthews at UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Craig last November.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at the Apex-held UFC Fight Night on August 24 are as follows:

    • Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Gerald Meerschaert (middleweight)
    • Roman Kopylov vs. Brunno Ferreira (middleweight)
    • Neil Magny vs. Michael Morales (welterweight)
    • Dennis Buzukja vs. Danny Silva (featherweight)
    • Viacheslav Borshchev vs. James Llontop (lightweight)
    • José Medina vs. Zachary Reese (middleweight)
    • Josiane Nunes vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti (women’s bantamweight)
    Neil Magny & Mike Malott
    Image: Cooper Neill/UFC/Zuffa LLC