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Sean O’Malley no longer the bantamweight king? No problem. Alexandre Pantoja admitted he’d been contemplating a move up to 135lbs, but now there seems to be a changing of the guard, the Brazilian is happy to reign over the flyweight division for as long as possible – ala recently-retired Demetrious Johnson, racking up title defences to solidify his legacy as one of the best ever. Continue reading “UFC 310: Pantoja pledges to rule flyweight for a long time, debutant Asakura awaits”
Forget about me? Petr Yan’s sharp boxing skills and all-round arsenal proved the talk of the town as the former champ produced precisely the display many critics forecasted would see him reign the UFC’s bantamweight division for many years, deftly outpointing an inspiring Deiveson Figueiredo effort over five rounds with 12,615 watching in the promotion’s first return to China since 2019. Continue reading “UFC Macao: Yan rolls back the clock with UD5 win vs. Figueiredo, calls for title shot”
Brandon Moreno’s self-enforced hiatus from the sport of MMA, in the middle of his prime years, is a decision many wouldn’t have the luxury to do. Glad to have earned that freedom of choice during a successful second stint as a two-time UFC flyweight champion, the 30-year-old spoke about the renewed energy brewing within before his main event matchup vs. #2 contender Amir Albazi. Continue reading “UFC Edmonton: Brandon Moreno on his newfound energy, after eight-month break”
Alex Pereira made the first defence of his light-heavyweight title, avenging teammate and close friend Glover Teixeira’s punishing five-round defeat vs. former titlist Jamahal Hill in the UFC 300 headliner to cap an unforgettable night’s action from Las Vegas after contrasting championship victories for strawweight queen Zhang Weili and new BMF titleholder Max Holloway.
Continue reading “UFC 300: Pereira flattens Hill to retain 205lb title as Weili and Holloway win big”
Former two-time flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo made a winning Octagon return Saturday night, on a Fight Night card headlined by two first-round finishes for lightweight duo Arman Tsarukyan and Jalin Turner. While what’s next for Deus Da Guerra is unclear, his showing reminds just how quickly the divisional landscape – as well as the title picture – can change in an instant.
Continue reading “After impressive bantamweight debut, former flyweight champ Figueiredo trending upwards again”
In tomorrow night’s co-main event, Brandon Moreno makes the first defence of his second flyweight title reign against a familiar face in Alexandre Pantoja – who has beaten him twice in the past (2016, 2018). However, the 29-year-old spoke during media day about how he feels good that the Deiveson Figueiredo chapter of his career is now over, having fought him four times in 25 months. Continue reading “UFC 290: Brandon Moreno grateful for ‘fresh air’ without Figueiredo, as Pantoja awaits”
Having unified the flyweight championship, ending his three-year long tetralogy series with Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 283 on January 21, reigning titlist Brandon Moreno has publicly insisted his wish to remain an active champion in 2023: two more fights – one in June and another in November or December – including a title defence vs. former foe Alexandre Pantoja. Continue reading “UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno wants two more fights in 2023 – and Alexandre Pantoja next”
Jamahal Hill became the first Dana White’s Contender Series graduate to earn UFC gold after a dominant, exhausting five-round decision win over former champion Glover Teixeira, who announced his retirement post-fight. Elsewhere, Brandon Moreno ended his Deiveson Figueiredo series with a third-round TKO before his rival confirmed he’ll be moving up to bantamweight – while there were emphatic victories for Gilbert Burns and Jessica Andrade. Continue reading “UFC 283: Hill batters Teixeira to become new LHW champ, Moreno ends Figueiredo series with stoppage”
Amanda Nunes regained her double champion status with a one-sided decision victory over Julianna Pena in a bloody, exhausting, frenetic rematch after Brandon Moreno’s brilliant third-round liver kick against Kai Kara-France secured his status as new interim flyweight champion. Elsewhere, there were big wins for Alexandre Pantoja, Magomed Ankalaev and more besides.
Continue reading “UFC 277: Nunes exacts revenge on Pena in gruelling title rematch, Moreno bests Kara-France again”
After plenty of build-up, expectations and storylines aplenty, the first UFC PPV event of the new year didn’t disappoint. Deiveson Figueiredo regained his flyweight title in a competitive chess match with Brandon Moreno before Francis Ngannou fought through pre-existing knee injuries to make the first defence of his heavyweight strap against former training partner Ciryl Gane. Continue reading “UFC 270: Ngannou inflicts Gane’s first defeat, after Figueiredo regains flyweight strap”
The heavyweight champion makes his first title defence this weekend against a familiar foe, with a well-documented backstory and storyline that has plenty invested. Will interim titlist Gane – who knows him intimately – prove spoiler? Or can the Cameroonian reign supreme? Continue reading “UFC 270: Ngannou vs. Gane – Long-awaited heavyweight unification bout upon us”
39 months after earning his second win over the new UFC flyweight champion on the Maia-Usman Fight Night prelims in Chile, Alexandre Pantoja (#3) hopes to skip the queue and will boost his chances of that with a highlight reel showing this weekend vs. Brandon Royval (#6). Continue reading “UFC Vegas 34: Alexandre Pantoja looking to seize spot in flyweight title conundrum”
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