Issue 211
November 2024
Ray Klerck jumps into the Fighters Only wayback machine to recap the best of mixed martial arts in November 2024.
Brandon Moreno Lays Down The Marker With Dominant Amir Albazi Win
Nov 03, 2024
The main event of the UFC's Fight Night event in Edmonton on Saturday night produced a "y'all must have forgot" moment inside the Octagon.
Former two-time flyweight champion Brandon Moreno reminded everyone just how good he can be by winning a one-sided fight against Amir Albazi.
The unanimous decision win saw Moreno bounce back from consecutive losses that led to him taking a well-earned rest before coming back with a rejuvinated mindset.
In his post-fight interview, he spoke about how that played into his performance.
"Man, I have a lot of different things to say. Brother I feel amazing, I feel fantastic. I feel like a new guy, a new person. I knew I need all these months just resting with my family and be back tonight, I just feel amazing."
After feeling like he didn't give a good account of himself in his last outing against Brandon Royval, Moreno was happy to prove a point in Edmonton by handing Albazi his first loss inside the Octagon.
"Man, this is the kind of performance that I can show in the match, in the practice. I was saying this in all of the fight week interviews, my team and I, we feel a little bit frustrated because we don't have the opportunity to show this kind of performance in the last fights but man, today was amazing. Canada, I hope you enjoy this stuff because I enjoyed tonight as well."
Two judges scored all five rounds for the former champion whose footwork, speed and boxing were on point as fight fans have come to expect from him.
"Yeah man, I knew that my striking would be the advantage in this fight and definitely it's going to be my advantage into my next fights, you know. The people know, I'm Mexican, I love to throw punches, I love to be a f****** b***** people and that's it."
With the flyweight title set to be on the line next month at UFC 310, Moreno ended his post-fight interview by talking about what's next for him after such a strong statement on his return.
"Man, I want to eat. I want to eat a lot. I want to enjoy a little bit my days here in Canada, I'm going to the Oilers game this Monday, see you there guys and nothing, man, I just want to be on the top again. I want my title back. This is just a reminder for the rest of the division. I never say nothing, I'm always very respectful to everybody but man, put me somewhere here and I'll be the b***** person on the planet.
Erin Blanchfield Calls For Alexa Grasso After Comeback Win Over Rose Namajunas
Nov 04, 2024
Erin Blanchfield secured the biggest win of her career in Edmonton this past weekend where her resilience and pace proved to be key.
The rising flyweight star suffered her first loss inside the Octagon last time out against Manon Fiorot where she was convincingly beaten across all five rounds.
For the first two rounds against Rose Namajunas, it looked like the same outcome could be on the cards thanks to the footwork and striking of the former strawweight champion.
However, Blanchfield was able to dig deep to win rounds three, four and five on all three scorecards to get the unanimous decision.
In her post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, she was emotional after coming through another difficult test.
"It was a tough fight, you know. I thought I won the last three but you never know and it was so close, so tough and coming off of a loss, I wanted that win so bad."
Cormier highlighted the pace and pressure of Blanchfield that eventually started to work it's way into the fight as she achieved more success with her grappling and forward momentum.
"It's just in my heart, you know. I was born tough. I can thank my mom and my dad for that."
Despite using her grappling-heavy game to turn the tide, the fourth round saw Blanchfield stand and strike with Namajunas and have much more success.
The #3-ranked contender believes that this was due to her slowing "Thug" Rose down at the halfway point.
"I think that third round, taking her down and putting that pressure on her, got her a little slowed down. I could feel it in the fourth and I felt like I was finding my strikes better."
With her former foe Manon Fiorot likely being next for the champion Valentina Shevchenko, there's one clear option for Blanchfield and she called for it.
"I would love to fight Alexa Grasso, I think she's an amazing fighter, someone I've been watching just like I was watching Rose and I want to get that win over her."
Reug Reug Shocks Anatoly Malykhin To Win The Heavyweight Title At ONE 169
Nov 09, 2024
ONE Championship has a new heavyweight king following the main event of ONE 169 on November 8.
Anatoly Malykhin made history earlier this year by becoming a three-weight world champion after going down to middleweight.
His second win over Reinier de Ridder saw him achieve dominance across middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight.
In his first title defence, he moved back up to heavyweight and was defeated by Oumar "Reug Reug" Kane via split decision at Lumpinee Stadium.
Kane had said in the build up to the fight that he would prove himself to be the better wrestler of the two with both of them coming from grappling backgrounds.
He implemented this plan early on and after Malykhin grabbed the ropes during the takedown attempts, he was cautioned with a yellow card from referee Herb Dean.
This combined with a strong end to the fight from the challenger swung the split decision outcome in his favour with the bout being scored as a whole under ONE Championship's criteria, rather than round-by-round.
After pulling off the upset and taking one of Malykhin's three belts from him, Kane may have pulled off a life changing victory.
He is reportedly set to be welcomed back to Senegal as a hero by the president, prime minister and sports minister in a win that will be front page news in his home country.
Given the fact that Malykhin was undefeated up to this point, it wouldn't be surprising to see a rematch between them in the near future.
Carlos Prates Calls For Maddalena Or Neal After Fourth Consecutive KO
Nov 11, 2024
With four fights, four wins, four knockouts and four performance of the night bonuses, Carlos Prates is undoubtedly one of the breakout stars of 2024.
The Brazilian earned his spot on the UFC roster via a strong showing on Dana White's Contender Series in August last year.
Since then, he has finished Trevin Giles, Charles Radtke, Li Jingliang and Neil Magny in devastating fashion to earn himself a ranking.
In his post-fight interview this past weekend at the Apex following his first main event, Prates looked back on his incredible rise up the welterweight division:
"Bro, feeling awesome. You know, this year was so far, I hate to cry, was so far the best year of my life, of my career. Four fights in ten months, three bonuses of the night and it's a lot of hard work. Me and my team, my daddy Chris, special guys here with me, my boxing coach, they are here with me since from day one and also, Pablo and Flavio from Fighting Nerds. Man, I can't explain how happy I am right now."
Prates' striking previously earned him a comparison to Anderson Silva from Dana White and once again, it was on full display on Saturday night.
The 31-year old didn't even need to land clean on Magny, who is a very difficult opponent to finish, in order to get him out of there in the first round and he believes that his power comes from his years of hard work.
"I cannot say because it's secret. Ah bro I don't know, I think it's a lot of experience in Thailand, living, doing a lot of fights per month like sometimes six, four fights per month and more than 100 Muay Thai fights give me a lot of experience. I think that's the secret also and also every day, I come to the gym, train with those guys and they make me ready for everything."
Now that he has a ranking next to his name at 170-pounds, Prates is targeting some of the biggest names in the division.
It wouldn't be surprising given his exciting style and consistently brilliant displays inside the Octagon if he receives a big opportunity in the near future.
"To be honest, I think the perfect would be in Australia because you guys know, I have a daughter there and I really would love to visit her again and fight there in Australia against Jack Della Maddalena. Respect to this guy but I don't know if it's too far away because we have the ranking and things like that but against Jack Della Maddalena would be amazing but also, I think would be a really good fight against Geoff Neal."
UFC Returns To London, England On March 22 For A Fight Night At The O2
Nov 12, 2024
The UFC has announced that it will be returning to England on March 22 for a Fight Night event that will take place at the O2 Arena in London.
The English capital has been a regular destination for the promotion around this time of year although fight fans missed out on it in 2024.
This event will also take place at prime time for UK fans unlike UFC 304 that took place in Manchester this past July.
Due to having two title fights at the top of the bill, that card took place from Saturday night into the early hours of Sunday morning in order to cater for the international audience.
March's event not being a PPV card means that the promotion will likely have other plans for the interim heavyweight champion, Tom Aspinall who headlined the UFC's most recent event in London when he made his return from injury last year.
No further details have been announced yet but speculation has already begun on social media about who could potentially headline the event in Aspinall's absence.
The man who main evented UFC 304 several months ago, the former welterweight champion Leon Edwards, could be a clear option if he decides to return in March.
Fortunately, the UFC isn't short on potential names to top the bill with the likes of Paddy Pimblett, Arnold Allen, Lerone Muprhy and Michael "Venom" Page all being ranked in the top 15 of their respective weight classes.
Fans can register their interest for the event in order to receive a pre-sale code for tickets via clicking right here. The presale is set to begin on Thursday, January 23.
Report: Shara Magomedov Agrees To Saudi Arabia Clash With "MVP"
Nov 14, 2024
A recent report states that per his manager, Rizvan Magomedov, the undefeated Shara Magomedov has agreed to a huge clash for his fifth UFC outing.
The Russian striking specialist has been on a tear since debuting in the UFC's middleweight division last October.
With four wins in a row, three finishes and three performance of the night bonuses, he recently earned a spot inside the top 15 rankings at 185-pounds.
His last fight was his most impressive as he faced a fellow striker in Armen Petrosyan at UFC 308 and knocked him out with a double spinning backfist.
The latest update on his return was reported by Red Corner MMA and it immediately got fans on social media salivating.
Magomedov has reportedly agreed to welcome another of the UFC's most exciting strikers to the middleweight division in former Bellator star, Michael "Venom" Page.
The fight is targeted for the promotion's return to Saudi Araba in February 1 which is currently set to feature a heavyweight clash between Sergei Pavlovich and Jairzinho Rozenstruik alongside the return of Ikram Aliskerov.
Page made his highly anticipated Octagon debut in March where he convincingly defeated Kevin Holland in a display of his unorthodox striking skills.
"MVP" went on to suffer a decision loss to Ian Machado Garry at UFC 303 in June, returning to competition at the start of the month where he beat Carlos Condit in a Polaris submission grappling contest.
After the performance that Magomedov just put on in Abu Dhabi, having him face off with another of the world's most dangerous and creative finishers appears to be a match made in heaven for the promotion's second event in Riyadh.
CW 180 Results: James Webb Becomes A Two-Time Champion In London
Nov 16, 2024
James Webb closed out a great night of action at the Indigo in London last night for Cage Warriors 180.
The former middleweight champion joined the incredibly exclusive list of men to hold the light heavyweight belt, stopping Andy Clamp in the third round after what was a back-and-forth fight between the two durable competitors.
This win also puts Webb into the category of Cage Warriors fighters that aren't just two-time champions but secured the gold in two weight classes, setting him alongside the likes of Conor McGregor, Dan Hardy and Mason Jones.
In the co-main event, GB Top Team's Nik Bagley earned his fourth consecutive win via rear-naked choke after dominating the opening round against Jordy Bakkes with his grappling.
Ireland's Paddy McCorry announced his return to the promotion following a stint on The Ultimate Fighter by stopping Tye Palmer in less than a minute.
One of the most impressive performances came from Weslley Maia who also earned a rear-naked choke win in the first round, submitting Alexander Lööf in a huge win.
The opening contests on the main card saw two Brits suffer setbacks as Jimmy Quinn was submitted by Giovanni Fernandez in a comeback of the year contender and Cameron Stewart came out on the wrong side of a unanimous decision against Yusuf Nazokatov.
Highlights from the prelims were delivered by a ruthless body kick finish from Tariq Pell, Jawany Scott's display against Davide Scarano and a pair of submission wins from Callum Haughian in the opener and a big victory for Richard Kallos against Tommy Brunning.
Check out the full results listed below:
Main Card
James Webb def. Andrew Clamp via TKO (punches) after 4:51 of round 3
Nik Bagley def. Jordy Bakkes via Submission (Rear-naked choke) after 4:16 of round 1
Paddy McCorry def. Tye Palmer via KO (punch) after 0:46 of round 1
Weslley Maia def. Alexander Lööf via Submission (Rear-naked choke) after 4:19 of round 1
Giovanni Fernandez def. Jimmy Quinn via Submission (Rear-naked choke) after 1:31 of round 2
Yusuf Nazokatov def. Cameron Stewart via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Prelims:
Tariq Pell def. Danny Blundell via KO (front kick to the body) after 3:57 of round 1
Jawany Scott def. Davide Scarano via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 29-27)
Richard Kallos def. Tommy Brunning via Verbal submission (armbar) after 1:25 of round 1
Joshua Onwordi def. Joe Ambler via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Callum Haughian defeated Marko Sarasjärvi via Submission (Guillotine choke) after 0:34 of round 2
Rakhmonov vs. Garry Official For UFC 310, Covington Steps In To Face Buckley
Nov 16, 2024
UFC CEO Dana White took to social media last night to announce a major re-shuffling of the cards in the welterweight division.
Following Belal Muhammad's withdrawal from his upcoming welterweight title defence due to a toe infection, Ian Machado Garry will take his place to face Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310.
The two undefeated welterweights will meet in the co-main event over five rounds where one man will advance to challenge Muhammad once the champion is healthy again.
Rakhmonov has won six in a row inside the Octagon and has finished all 18 of his pro wins, submitting Stephen Thompson last time out.
Garry, on the other hand, has got his hand raised eight consecutive times since signing with the UFC, earning decision victories over Michael "Venom" Page and Geoff Neal in his recent outings.
Without this fight being for an interim title, the main event will now be the originally planned co-main event where Alexander Pantoja will defend his flyweight title against the debuting Japanese star, Kai Asakura.
Garry was previously set to headline the promotion's event in Tampa which would have taken place one week on from UFC 310.
His scheduled opponent, Joaquin Buckley, will now get the opportunity to welcome the former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington back to the Octagon on December 14.
Buckley is rising the best form of his career right now, winning five in a row at welterweight including a big knockout over "Wonderboy" Thompson last month.
Covington will be stepping in to replace Garry nearly a year to the day on from his disappointing defeat to Leon Edwards in the main event of UFC 296 last December.
UFC 309: Jon Jones Remains The Champion & The Greatest Of All Time At MSG
Nov 17, 2024
Jon Jones has accomplished so much in his career which has led to many believing that he is the greatest to ever do it.
However, there were two things that the GOAT was yet to tick off the bucket list heading into UFC 309, headlining at the world's most famous arena and defending the UFC heavyweight title.
He did both successfully in the main event last night after dominating the former two-time champion Stipe Miocic before stopping him in the third round.
In his post-fight interview, Jones gave Miocic, who announced his retirement after the fight, his props as one of the best heavyweights to ever step foot inside the Octagon:
"Yeah, he's really, really good. He's really tough, he's really durable. I was hitting him with some pretty decent shots and man, he just kept coming forward. I know a lot of guys that fought against Stipe before and we all have that in common. It was like fighting against the Terminator, very discouraging to hit somebody that's not reacting to it but that body shot man, no matter how tough you are, the liver's the liver."
The key to hurting and finishing his opponent was the body shots for Jones as the former light heavyweight champion applied his full arsenal of kicks before saving the best for last.
He sealed the victory at the end of the third round with a spinning back kick that folded the returning Miocic, revealing that diversifying his attack was part of the strategy coming in:
"Yeah absolutely, everyone knows that Stipe Miocic isn't the biggest heavyweight but he always comes lean and he always comes in great cardio shape and I mean, I've watched him have wars with Daniel Cormier and a lot of guys where they just rock him and sock him. He doesn't react much to getting punched in the face so our plan was to try and attack the body a little bit more. I was hoping to get him out in the first round but he hung in there."
Many believed that UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden in New York may be the final time that we see both Jones and Miocic compete in the UFC but it looks like "Bones" has got at least one more bout left in him.
"As far as my future in the Octagon, you know, I decided that maybe I will not retire and that I have some conversations to have with Dana and Hunter and we have some negotiating to do and if everything goes right, maybe we'll give you guys what you want to see."
When Joe Rogan asked whether Jones is leaning towards a potential super fight with Alex Pereira or the heavyweight unification fight with interim champion Tom Aspinall, he said that time will tell what is next.
"I know that we have options and so I'm just going to see what Dana, Uncle Dana, wants and what Uncle Hunter wants and you guys will hear about it soon I'm sure."
Stipe Miocic Reflects On An Incredible Career After Retiring At UFC 309
Nov 19, 2024
In the 25th fight of his pro career, the legendary run of Stipe Miocic came to an end this past weekend at UFC 309.
The former two-time UFC heavyweight champion announced that he would be retiring following his loss in the main event and he has since posted a statement on social media.
It was always going to be a massive ask to return after over three years out and go up against the consensus greatest of all time in the champion, Jon Jones.
For everything that Miocic has accomplished in his career, he was unable to beat father time and was stopped by "Bones" in the third round at Madison Square Garden.
Miocic is rarely reflective or sentimental but in a recent Instagram post, he looked back at his time as an elite mixed martial artist:
"Let me start this post by saying I am good. Been through a lot worse. I hope everybody enjoyed the show on Saturday. What an incredible way go out! I started this journey fighting in local bowling alleys & ended it selling out Madison Square Garden. It truly doesn’t get better than that.
"Sorry I don’t get the W, but you can’t get em all. Sometimes it’s not your night, that is the nature of the beast. You can’t plan a perfect ending in this sport, but I guess the perfect ending is to have been lucky enough to do it at all. You all have given me so much, and I hope I did you all proud. Croatia & Cleveland Ohio especially. I felt all of you with me at every battle."
Miocic also took time to thank his coaches, especially Marcus Marinelli who he describes as the father figure that he needed in his life after his own father's passing.
His close-knit team at Strongstyle in Ohio have produced some iconic moments inside the Octagon.
From his first title win over Fabricio Werdum in Brazil at UFC 198 to his record-breaking third title defence against Francis Ngannou and the trilogy with Daniel Cormier that followed it.
In the post, Miocic also thanked his opponents, his wife, the rest of his family, his management and finally, the fans.
"You guys are the heartbeat of this sport. You are what makes MMA amazing! Without you, we fighters don't even exist. The rush you gave me walking down to that octagon is forever engraved in my memory! Thank you for that. I'm not goin anywhere. Excited to start some new projects, bring back the podcast, break down all my fights & share my reality with you!"
"Until my next fight....... just kidding, just kidding! Forever grateful. It's been a hell of a ride!"
"Dagestan vs Ireland 2" - Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes Official For Jan. 25
Nov 20, 2024
One of the biggest and best fights that could possibly happen across the PFL and Bellator rosters is booked for January 25 next year.
At the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, Usman Nurmagomedov will put his Bellator lightweight title on the line against Paul Hughes.
The PFL recently announced the fight with the tagline of "Dagestan vs. Ireland 2", comparing the bout to the biggest clash in the history of the sport between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor.
Khabib's cousin Usman is undefeated at 18-0 and after winning the title back in 2022 where he defeated Patricky Pitbull, he's defended the belt twice with his latest victory coming against Alexander Shabliy in September.
Nurmagomedov may not have the same profile as his family or teammates but ask anyone in that circle how good he is and many believe that he will dominate the lightweight division for many years to come.
Going up against the 26-year old champion is a challenger that despite being older than Nurmagomedov, is considered to be one of the most exciting rising talents in the sport.
Ireland's Paul Hughes has been one of the most talked about fighters in Europe for several years and earlier in 2024, he finally earned a big contract to sign with the PFL.
A debut win over Bobby King in June showed that "Big News" was going to have an exciting climb up the ladder but his next fight totally bypassed multiple steps of his career.
The former Cage Warriors champion defeated one of the top fighters on the roster, AJ McKee, at last month's Battle of the Giants card in Riyadh to pass the biggest test of his career with flying colours.
He immediately called for this fight, claiming that it would be the next chapter of Dagestan vs. Ireland and stating that he wants Conor McGregor in his corner for it.
Titled as the Road To Dubai Champions Series, this is set to be the first event in a new multi-year partnership which will see the PFL regularly return to Dubai in a restructure of the Bellator Champions Series that we saw in 2024.
Muhammad Mokaev Set To Face Luthando Biko At BRAVE CF 91 On Dec. 13
Nov 21, 2024
Muhammad Mokaev is set to make his return to MMA before the end of the year following his departure from the UFC in July.
After re-signing to BRAVE CF, his debut has been locked in for December 13 in Bahrain where he will face Luthando Biko.
Mokaev made his pro debut in the promotion following the most acclaimed amateur career that anyone had produced at the time.
Having won several fights in BRAVE, among other promotions, he signed to the UFC at 5-0 and produced a seven-fight win streak in the flyweight division.
His run inside the Octagon came to an end following his decision win over Manel Kape at UFC 304 in Manchester where it was announced that he would not be signing to a new deal after fighting out of his contract.
Following a grappling match last month, Mokaev is now set to compete in MMA for the first time post his UFC career and Biko is the man that will welcome him back at BRAVE CF 91.
The 34-year old South African will also be making his BRAVE debut having previously competed in promotions like EFC, ARES FC and UAE Warriors.
Biko has a record of 12-3 having recently held the EFC flyweight title when he defeated Nkazimulo Zulu who previously competed on The Ultimate Fighter and lost to Mokaev's long-standing rival, Jake Hadley.
He is also the former EFC bantamweight champion and is riding a four-fight win streak.
BRAVE CF 91 will take place at the Khalifa Sports City arena as the first event in a double-header that will take place over several days at the same venue.
The card is set to be headlined by BRAVE's bantamweight champion, Nkosi Ndebele who will be defending the belt against Nicholas Hwende after closing out his trilogy with former UFC fighter Jose "Shorty" Torres by beating the previous titleholder in back-to-back encounters.
A "Grateful" Justin Burlinson Makes His Return At CW 181 Following Huge Adversity Outside Of The Cage
Nov 22, 2024
Cage Warriors 181 is one of the European promotion's biggest and best cards of 2024 with three title fights topping the bill.
As is often the case with CW, the headliners might be the ones generating the worldwide interest but the depth on this card is particularly special.
One of the biggest stories of the year in this promotion is the return of former title challenger Justin Burlinson and his journey deserves the spotlight.
On his Birthday this past May, the 27-year old announced on Instagram that his time away from the cage was due to a knee surgery and a battle with testicular cancer which he overcame.
"Not a normal birthday but happy to finally get surgery on my knee after a long wait, had some setback in the past months starting with reinjuring my meniscus and deciding to get the surgery on it, then while waiting for surgery I was experiencing really bad back pain that started to become worse, after getting tests done I was diagnosed with testicular cancer but after further tests there was no spread and everything is good. Now I can start rehab and be back in the cage this year."
Having not fought since March of 2023, his return to the cage in front of his home supporters at the Vertu Motors Arena is going to be an emotional moment.
He spoke about what he has been through since his last outing in the yellow gloves during a fight week interview with Cage Warriors:
"Recently I've had 18 months out of my career, just being diagnosed with testicular cancer and going through a knee surgery, so it's been a long road back to 100% health. A long road back to get here on fight week and get in that cage and show that I'm one of the top fighters in the world."
Burlinson has already achieved a lot in his career with a Dana White's Contender Series opportunity and an instant classic title fight with Rhys McKee already under his belt at such an early stage in his career.
The difference between the "Burlo" that we saw before compared to the one that is returning on Saturday night is that he's more grateful than ever for every aspect of the fight game following the adversity that he has faced outside of the cage.
"With the time off, normally when it gets close to a fight, you get a little bit tired of camp and tired of all the cutting weight and the extra stuff that comes with fighting but the time around, I'm just grateful that I'm back here and I'm back able to do this. Even the hard bit, cutting weight, it's feeling good."
Cage Warriors 181 airs live on UFC Fight Pass on November 23 where Burlinson will take on Theodor Berggren.
UFC Macau: Three Road To UFC Finals Produce Two Stunning Knockouts
Nov 23, 2024
The UFC's return to Macau featured three tournament finals from this year's Road to UFC tournament.
Two highlight reel knockouts and one dominant decision win saw three new fighters join the UFC ranks.
One of the four finals between Kangjie Zhu and Bin Xie fell off the card before fight night due to an injury to Zhu.
The first of three produced the highlight of the tournament as Ming Shi delivered one of the most devastating knockouts we have seen in some time.
She needed to pull the win out of the fire against Xiaocan Feng who was way out in front on the live odds but Shi did not read from the same script.
Shi landed a ruthless head kick knockout in the third round that immediately ended the fight to see her become the first ever Road to UFC champion at strawweight.
There was some concern for her opponent, Xiaocan Feng, who was stretched out of the Octagon but there was a positive update on her status via John Gooden on the broadcast.
The 30-year old's family didn't even know that she would be fighting inside the Octagon but after that knockout and a great post-fight interview, it might be hard for them to miss the news.
In the second final, Dong Hoon Choi continued the streak of one-shot knockouts after he stopped Kiru Singh Sahota to become this year's flyweight winner.
Following two split decisions wins on his route to Macau, he produced the statement finish in the first round after the last right hand in a combination landed clean.
The third and final bout of the series took place in the bantamweight division between Su Young You and Balgyn Jenisuly.
You produced a one-sided performance to earn the unanimous decision victory with two judges giving him all three rounds.
Undoubtedly, Ming Shi has emerged as the star of this year's season after her incredible knockout in the finals.
"No Mercy" Is Back As Petr Yan Puts On A Vintage Performance Against Figueiredo
Nov 23, 2024
Petr Yan capped off a memorable night in Macau with a phenomenal main event win over the former flyweight champion, Deiveson Figueiredo.
The Russian only recently went through a three-fight losing streak with defeats in razor close contests and a one-sided affair against the current champion but on Saturday night, he was back at his very best.
Fight fans around the world were reminded what "No Mercy" is capable of on his day, recapturing the form that saw him previously hold the bantamweight gold.
Having lost a few close fights, Yan was just happy to get the nod this time around when reflecting on the fight in his Octagon interview:
"You know, I felt that I led in the fight but you know, anything can happen in the UFC."
Figueiredo certainly played his part in a bantamweight classic as the two top five contenders showcased exactly why they're two of the most exciting fighters in the world.
After an opening round of grappling, the striking from Yan started to take over and at the end of five rounds, he was awarded the unanimous decision with all three judges awarding him each round.
Yan may have returned to the win column last time out against Song Yadong but halting the winning streak of Figueiredo was going to take some stopping and he did it with a vintage performance.
When he was asked what's next for the former champion, he called for a rematch with Merab Dvalishvili after the current titleholder previously handed him his most decisive loss in the UFC.
"Merab told Deiveson Figueiredo number one contender who deserve title fight. I wanna say, Merab, what you say now now I beat number one contender in my division. I want to do rematch with Merab, let's go."
Cage Warriors 181 Results: Hardwick & Freeman Represent In The North
Nov 24, 2024
Cage Warriors' return to Newcastle was capped off by two impressive performances that kept the gold in the north of England.
In the main event, Harry Hardwick made sure that he and his brother George continue to stay on top at both featherweight and lightweight.
"Houdini" produced arguably his biggest win to date by dominating the very dangerous Keweny Lopes before stopping him in the fourth round with his relentless striking assault.
In the co-main event, Kennedy Freeman also brought more success to her family name after Mafalda Carmona's corner waved the fight off at the end of the fourth to crown Freeman the bantamweight champion.
Three of the most exciting names in Cage Warriors produced consecutive statement finishes on the main card.
Justin Burlinson made his long awaited return by submitting Theodor Berggren, James Power earned his biggest win to date by stopping Dumitru Girlean in the second round and Sean Clancy Jr remained undefeated by finishing Andrey Augusto in the third.
Check out the full results from CW 181 listed below:
Main card:
Harry Hardwick defeated Keweny Lopes via TKO (punches) after 1:02 after round 4
Harry Hardwick retains the Cage Warriors Featherweight Title
Kennedy Freeman defeated Mafalda Carmona via TKO (Corner Stoppage in-between rounds) after 5:00 of round 4
Kennedy Freeman wins the Cage Warriors Women’s Bantamweight Title
Justin Burlinson defeated Theodor Berggren via Submission (arm-triangle choke) after 2:44 of round 3
James Power defeated Dumitru Girlean via KO (elbow) after 2:08 of round 2
Sean Clancy Jr defeated Andrey Augusto via KO (body shot) after 1:27 of round 3
Yannick Bahati and Charles Joyner fought to a.technical draw (29-28 Bahati, 30-28 Joyner, and 29-29 (draw) after 2:54 of round 3
Prelims:
Daniel Konrad defeated Aiden Lee via Submission (rear-naked choke) after 2:52 of round 1
Bailey Gilbert defeated Alberth Dias* via unanimous decision (28-27, 28-27, 28-27) after 3 rounds
*Alberth Dias had 2 points deducted in round 2 for an illegal knee
Leon Armes defeated Michał Folc via KO (punches) after 3:41 of round 1
Michael Tchamou defeated Delmar Silva via Submission (guillotine choke) after 1:20 of round 1
Former Champions Jiří Procházka & Jamahal Hill Collide At UFC 311 In January
Nov 24, 2024
During the broadcast in the aftermath of UFC Macau on Saturday, the first big match-up was announced for UFC 311 in the new year.
On January 18 in Inglewood, California, two former light heavyweight champions will meet for the first time in a contest that many expected to see take place some time ago.
When Jamahal Hill defeated Glover Teixeira to win the vacant title, all signs pointed towards a first title defence taking place against Jiří Procházka.
Procházka had vacated the belt due to a significant injury only for the same series of events to happen to Hill which eventually led to Alex Pereira becoming the champion and stopping both men in consecutive fights.
They are now set to try and bounce back from their knockout losses to "Poatan" in 2024 by facing off with one another in a big fight for the division.
Many expect that Magomed Ankalaev will be the next man to challenge Pereira following his dominant unbeaten streak at 205-pounds.
That leaves the #2 and #3-ranked contenders to put themselves back into title contention if they're able to produce a big win in California.
Hill, after headlining UFC 300 in April, was expected to return at UFC 303 on International Fight Week in June.
The card went through significant changes several weeks out with the rematch between Pereira and Procházka becoming the new main event whilst Hill had match-ups with the likes of Khalil Rountree Jr. and Carlos Ulberg get scheduled and cancelled.
More big fight announcements for the first PPV card of 2025 are set to come shortly with many expecting that the event will be headlined by the lightweight title fight between Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan.
PFL Announces Significant Rule Change With Elbows Allowed In Championship Fights
Nov 26, 2024
Ahead of the 2024 PFL Championships this Friday night in Riyadh, the promotion has announced a major change to the ruleset that will be in use.
All 10 of the PFL championship bouts that will take place at The Mayadeen in Saudi Arabia will allow the use of elbows.
The promotion is still learning and evolving over time with 2024 being a huge year of change for the PFL following the acquisition of Bellator.
That's led to some frustrations along the way but one of the biggest and yet simplest changes that fans have been calling for over the years is the use of elbows.
One of a mixed martial artist's most dangerous weapons was previously not allowed in the promotion's ruleset due to the significant cuts they can cause which makes it difficult for fighters to make the desired turnarounds to compete in the season format.
However, if an athlete makes it to the finals, surely they should be able to throw the kitchen sink at their opponent because there is no next round looming overhead in just a few more weeks.
The promotion listened and at long last, during the PFL's last big fight week of 2024, they announced that elbows will be allowed for PFL championship fights from here on out.
Fortunately, there's a staggering 10 championship fights going down this Friday for them to be used in.
The first four PFL MENA champions will be crowned before on the main card, the six season brackets will come to an end with six PFL championships and six million dollars on the line.
PFL announced the rule change via social media with a quick highlight reel that featured some devastating elbow-orientated offence from the Bellator back catalogue.
Kevin Holland vs. Reinier de Ridder Booked For UFC 311 In California
Nov 27, 2024
Another big match-up has been confirmed for the UFC's first PPV card of 2025 which takes place in Inglewood, California.
At the Intuit Dome for UFC 311, Kevin Holland will take on Reinier de Ridder in a fascinating middleweight contest.
Holland has fluctuated between welterweight and middleweight during his time in the UFC, returning to 185-pounds at UFC 302 earlier this year.
After stopping Michał Oleksiejczuk with a display of his submission skills, "Trailblazer" came up short against Roman Dolidze in October with his corner waving the fight off due to a rib injury that he suffered in the opening round.
Holland is now back at 185 for the third time in a row to face one of the division's newest additions in the former ONE Championship star, de Ridder.
"The Dutch Knight" made his Octagon debut at the start of November where at UFC Vegas 100, he submitted Gerald Meerschaert in the third round.
With 12 of his 20 wins coming by way of submission, it won't be surprising if de Ridder tries to test the grappling of Holland who despite having some submissions of his own, has struggled in the past against fighters that aren't interested in striking with him.
The fight was initially reported by Alex Behunin of MMA Mania with Holland later confirming the fight via his Instagram.
A clash between former light heavyweight champions Jiří Procházka and Jamahal Hill was also recently confirmed for the card on January 18.
Though there has been no official news as of yet, it's widely expected that Islam Makhachev will return on this card to defend his lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan.
Manchester's Finest From The Red & Blue Sides Take Top Billing At The 2024 PFL Championships
Nov 28, 2024
Two of Manchester's finest from the red and blue sides of the city will look to become PFL champions in consecutive fights at this Friday's PFL 2024 Championships.
For as much as they have in common, Brendan Loughnane and Dakota Ditcheva find themselves at totally different points in their careers.
The night's featherweight main event sees the English veteran taking on an undefeated rising star who can take his career to new heights by earning his biggest victory to date.
Riyadh's co-main event offering is largely the same narrative but in this match-up, it's the English fighter that is the undefeated phenom that will be taking on her toughest challenge.
For the 35-fight veteran Loughnane, he's been here before having won the PFL featherweight tournament in 2022, defeating Bubba Jenkins to change his life forever.
Having contemplated retirement after suffering the first knockout loss of his career last year to be eliminated from the bracket by Jesus Pinedo, he's come back this year with a vengeance but his storybook 2024 season is not of interest to Timur Khizriev.
Loughnane has faced his fair share of dominating grapplers and similarly to his loss in the 2021 semi-finals to Movlid Khaybulaev, no one has been able to solve the Russian's puzzle as of yet.
Though Khizriev has been able to smother or nullify all of his opponents, Ditcheva is an undefeated competitor that decimates opponents with her elite striking skills.
At 13-0, the 26-year old has only ever been to the scorecards on one occasion and all but one of her PFL opponents have fallen in the opening round.
Ever since the brackets were announced, fight fans wanted to see the former PFL Europe champion collide with the promotion's big new signing, Taila Santos.
At 22-3, the Brazilian has got legitimate high-level experience with many believing that at UFC 275 in 2022, she did enough to dethrone the UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko though she instead came out on the wrong side of a split decision.
To have both Loughnane and Ditcheva at the top of this card is a special moment for UK MMA.
On one hand, you have Loughnane likely competing in his last season-format bout after he has been an incredible signing and advocate for the PFL during his tenure.
Going out by winning the championship once again after the difficult period he went through in 2023 would be exactly the story of tenacity that has defined his career.
In Ditcheva, you have the star that can carry the torch for the UK long after Loughnane decides to hang up his gloves.
This could be the first of many huge moments for her in the PFL and if she's able to get past a widely recognised world class talent like Santos, than the sky truly is the limit.
Manchester's red and blue sides come together in Riyadh this Friday night for a special moment in the history of UK MMA.
