Ahead of next month’s PPV event in Singapore, with two championship fights and a highly-anticipated title eliminator at strawweight, the six headline fighters spoke on a virtual press conference with a variety of answers – from what’s to come for them respectively in June and potentially beyond, like double-champ status and one fighter eyeing another title rematch. Continue reading
Tag: UFC
UFC Vegas 53: Vera vaults up at bantamweight, as knockdowns help him outpoint Font
Despite absorbing a record-breaking amount of damage on Saturday night, Marlon Vera – armed with multiple knockdowns – comprehensively outpointed Rob Font over 25 minutes in the evening’s main event, a result that has seen his bantamweight ranking rise to #5 in this week’s update and will undoubtedly and attract attention of other budding title contenders. Continue reading
UFC Vegas 52: Andrade earns historic sub win over Lemos on return to strawweight division
After falling short against Valentina Shevchenko in her bid to become a two-weight world champion, the former women’s strawweight titlist headlined a largely forgettable Fight Night card from the Apex on Saturday night and wasted no time: delivering a first-round standing arm-triangle choke win over her Brazilian compatriot, Amanda Lemos on her return to 115lbs. Continue reading
UFC Columbus: Key observations, five things we learned from Mar. 26’s Fight Night card
After a rare week off last Saturday, the promotion returns with the heavily-anticipated UFC 273 PPV this weekend from Jacksonville featuring two title fights. However before then, it’s time to reflect and unpack proceedings from an eventful Fight Night card attended by 18,630 in Columbus, Ohio as Curtis Blaydes reasserted his heavyweight title aspirations and much more. Continue reading
UFC Columbus: With women’s flyweight in flux, Alexa Grasso must seize co-main chance
She’s glad this matchup, slated for November, was rebooked. Now, Alexa Grasso has a golden opportunity to rise up the women’s flyweight rankings in a division without many genuine challengers for Valentina Shevchenko’s throne. Will the Mexican flourish or falter against perennial contender Joanne Wood, in a striking showdown during Saturday’s co-main event?
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UFC London: Aspinall’s heavyweight ascent continues with first-round submission vs. Volkov
Rising heavyweight talent Tom Aspinall put the division on notice in his first main event opportunity. He wasted no time becoming the first man to submit perennial contender Alexander Volkov since 2010, as the Mancunian capped an electric night of fights at London’s O2 Arena after big KO victories for Ilia Topuria, Paddy Pimblett and Arnold Allen among others.
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Repeat or revenge? Rose Namajunas vs. Carla Esparza 2 set for UFC 274 co-main event on May 7
Seven-and-a-half years after their first meeting, UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas will hope to avenge her submission defeat by former titlist Carla Esparza (#2) as the pair are set for an intriguing rematch in the UFC 274 co-main event, on a night headlined by Namajunas’ teammate Justin Gaethje – attempting to claim lightweight gold vs. Charles Oliveira. Continue reading
UFC Vegas 50: Ankalaev thoroughly tested, but eventually outworks Santos in title eliminator
Title shot next? It wasn’t an electrifying main event, but light-heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev took Thiago Santos’ best strikes – R2 knockdown included – and weathered the Brazilian’s storm over 25 minutes. Prior, featherweight Sodiq Yusuff (#12) returned to winning ways, while bantamweight contender Song Yadong (#14) blasted Marlon Moraes (#10) in the co-main event.
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UFC Vegas 50: Thiago Santos, Magomed Ankalaev excited before LHW title eliminator
Since a last-second submission defeat vs. Paul Craig on his UFC debut four years ago this month, Dagestani light-heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev (16-1, 9 KOs) has justified the high hopes for his progression with six consecutive victories. Now, he faces former title challenger Thiago Santos tonight, targeting another scalp in his first main event opportunity. Continue reading
UFC 272: Chimaev? Win some big fights then I’ll destroy you like Masvidal, Covington insists
Ahead of his main event headliner against best friend turned fierce foe Jorge Masvidal on Saturday night, #1 ranked welterweight Colby Covington has issued a warning to highly-rated contender Khamzat Chimaev: win some big fights, then he’ll destroy Borz’s hype in its tracks. Continue reading
UFC Vegas 49: Makhachev’s mauling streak continues with R1 TKO win vs. Green
Makhachev Mania, Michael Chiesa called it last summer. But now, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protege Islam has put together successive first-round finishes for the second time in his seven-year UFC career after swarming short-notice replacement Bobby Green to devastating effect. As such, it seems only a matter of time before the 30-year-old will fight for UFC gold at 155lbs.
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UFC Vegas 49: Out of his control, Islam Makhachev’s title aspirations muddied once more
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protege, Islam Makhachev, has long been tipped to capture UFC lightweight gold. Yet this weekend while preparing for his second main event, it’ll be another instance where he’s fighting down to the level of short-notice competition in a bullish Bobby Green after the eighth withdrawal or cancellation since signing with the promotion in 2015. Continue reading