Martial Arts News

Professional Fighters League MENA breakout star Hattan Alsaif will face Lilia Osmani on Nov. 29 at #PFLWorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/9BpiTHgkjW

— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) November 19, 2024

On Nov. 29, the Professional Fighters League returns to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a special one-night championship event, and they’re showcasing some special talent from the region.

In what will see all six of the PFL Global Championships matchups, the league will also be holding their MENA finals on the same card, which features the return of Saudi Arabia’s own Hattan Alsaif.

The first ever woman from Saudi Arabia to sign with the PFL, Alsaif has been an electrifying addition to its roster. In her first two amateur fights, Alsaif has picked up two stoppages in the second round, including a viral head kick in her SmartCage debut. Alsaif will face Lilia Osmani on Nov. 29.

PFL MENA is another expansion league to what the PFL is doing gl…

Bo Nickal is asked what he was thinking when he heard the crowd chant "Overrated".

Later, Nickal talks UFC 309 broadcast team criticism: It was a little disappointing to hear some of those comments from people I respect a lot.#HelwaniShow pic.twitter.com/HVQb90mXFe

— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) November 18, 2024 Many fans and pundits were not impressed with Bo Nickal’s performance.

On the main card of UFC 309, Nickal (7-0) picked up a unanimous decision win over Paul Craig (17-9-1) in striking contest where the vaunted wrestler did not even attempt a single takedown. The lackluster back-and-forth did not thrill the audience or commentary team, drawing chants of “overrated” from those in attendance. The multiple-time NCAA Division I champ suggested in his post-fight interviews that he did not wish to put himself in danger of an unlikely submission from “Bearjew,” and ran a risk-adverse strategy he thought went well. Nickal, however, di…

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is making a first in Saudi Arabia this February.

According to Canadian outlet Sportsnet and immediately confirmed by the promotion on Monday, Mayra Bueno Silva (10-4-1, 1 NC) will be returning to flyweight for an encounter on Feb. 1. The Brazilian will come to blows with Jasmine Jasudavicius (12-3) at UFC Saudi Arabia, also known as a currently unnumbered UFC Fight Night event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The venue has not been made official as to whether it will be held at the Kingdom Arena like the past UFC show in the city or at the building named “The Venue.”

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The two ladies will serve as the first women’s bout in the Octagon in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is not the first female match for the promotion in the Middle East, with that honor going to Sarah Moras vs. Liana Jojua at UFC 242 in 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This event will be organization’s second jaunt to Saudi Arabia, with the first UFC on…

Signs are pointing to a Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight championship unification battle in the not-too-distant future.

At UFC 309, disputed heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones (28-1, 1 NC) defended his throne against Stipe Miocic, dispatching the longtime titleholder with a spinning back kick and follow-up punches. In his post-fight interview, Jones expressed that he would not likely be retiring after his victory, while not naming his next opponent as he noted there are plenty of options going forward. According to one of those options, Tom Aspinall (15-3), he will be the next challenge to “Bones.”

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Despite the excitement potential of a title unification, Jones was not entirely sold on the endeavor. He suggested that instead, light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira should move up to try to become the UFC’s first beltholder in three weight classes. The New Yorker again flirted with retirement if he does not battle “Poatan” next, but the UFC might not …

Darren Till will take on Tommy Fury inside the squared circle in January.

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Till and Fury will trade leather at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester on Jan. 18, 2025. The matchup was confirmed by Ariel Helwani.

Breaking:

Darren Till x Tommy Fury is going down Jan. 18 on @DAZNBoxing. pic.twitter.com/zNbkErIfGO

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) November 17, 2024

Former UFC welterweight and middleweight contender Till put his MMA career on hiatus last year on the back of a three-fight losing streak to pursue other ventures. “The Gorilla” made his exhibition boxing debut against Mohammad Mutie this past July, earning a technical knockout win as Mutie was rendered unable to continue due to an injury. However, the fight was marred by controversy thanks to a massive post-fight brawl.

Meanwhile, Fury is best known for being the younger brother of multiple-time heavyweight champ Tyson Fury, and for being the first fight…

After beating Michael Chandler for the second time in the co-main event of UFC 309, UFC 309 revealed that he had torn two knee ligaments two weeks before the fight.

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“I didn’t want to talk about that, because if I lose it sounds like an excuse and if I win, it sounds like I'm overvaluing myself, but unfortunately someone leaked,” Oliveira told UFC Fight Pass Brazil reporter Evelyn Rodrigues, revealing that the possibility of withdrawing from the fight had never been contemplated. “After I tore these two ligaments, the doctor indicated I should go between four and six weeks without training. I stopped training for the last 15 days and just kept doing some work out in the gym. I knew these fights would lead me back to a title shot, so there was no way I would drop out.”

Oliveira also criticized referee Keith Peterson's lack of attention during the fight, during which his opponent committed several fouls including a stream of hammerfists to the back of…

VUGAR KARAMOV ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

⏱️ 28 SECOND KO WIN FOR THE FORMER CHAMPION!

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🆓 WATCH FOR FREE ON #RIZINTV!📡 https://t.co/LChPUvqSqh pic.twitter.com/3USPuhYOou — RIZIN.tv (@RIZINTV_) November 17, 2024 Former Rizin Fighting Federation featherweight champion Vugar Karamov made a triumphant return to the cage and needed just 28 seconds to dispatch of opponent Kazumasa Majima in the main event of Rizin FF: Landmark Vol. 10 on Saturday in Nagoya, Japan. Karamov dropped Majima with a right hook seconds into the fight and finished him with punches and elbows on the ground for a crucial victory that put him back in the title hunt.

Karamov (20-5, 6-2 Rizin), who lost his featherweight title one year ago at Landmark Vol. 7, was forced out of competition for most of 2024 after being jailed for “hooliganism” in his native Azerbaijan earlier this year. Saturday's comeback fight was an important one for the 32-year-old, and he mad…

Put on a show on the biggest stage 👏@JonnyBones, @170Ramiz & Oban Elliott are taking home the #UFC309 POTN bonuses 💰

[ B2YB @PrimeHydrate ] pic.twitter.com/gGQUhBkfbn

— UFC (@ufc) November 17, 2024

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UFC 309 in Madison Square Garden saw perhaps the most accomplished Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight of all-time, Stipe Miocic, take on arguably the greatest mixed martial artist of ever and reigning heavyweight king, Jon Jones. And just like old times, Jones took home extra money as he was rewarded $50,000 for “Performance of the Night.”

For a solid performance that saw him dominate four rounds out of five, former lightweight ace Charles Oliveira set a record for his 20th post-fight bonus, getting awarded “Fight of the Night” honors. Following four rounds of total domination, Oliveira was able to hold off a late rally from Chandler in the final frame and may have secured another opportunity at the UFC lightw…

Jon Jones could not have soared any higher—a terrifying thought for anyone who might rise to challenge him in the not-too-distant future.

“Bones” retained the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight crown in utterly dominant fashion, as he disposed of Stipe Miocic with a brutal spinning back kick to the body and follow-up punches in the third round of their UFC 309 headliner on Saturday at Madison Square Garden. Miocic (20-5, 14-5 UFC) met his end 4:29 into Round 3, then announced his retirement from the sport.

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With President-elect Donald Trump seated cageside, Jones (28-1, 22-1 UFC) tormented the Strong Style Fight Team linchpin with rear-leg front kicks to the body, piercing jabs and thudding power punches. He took down Miocic with breathtaking ease in the first round and unsheathed his ground-and-pound to devastating effect. Jones put it in cruise control from that point forward. He buckled Miocic with a right cross in the third round, toyed wi…

Sherdog's live UFC 309 coverage will begin Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic. Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now! BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Hardy (-142), Moura (+120)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:

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Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round: The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS:Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | O…

The Maniac stays UNDEFEATED in the UFC 👏

Marcus McGhee takes the W in his first trip to the big stage! #UFC309 pic.twitter.com/aPet3mNlMa

— UFC (@ufc) November 17, 2024 Marcus McGhee passed another test in the Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight division but not without considerable difficulty.

The MMA Lab representative outstruck and outlasted Jonathan Martinez to a unanimous decision in the featured UFC 309 prelim on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. McGhee (10-1, 4-0 UFC) swept the scorecards with matching 29-28 marks from all three members of the cageside judiciary.

Martinez (19-6, 10-5 UFC) was slow out of the gate. The muscular McGhee cracked him with stout jabs, multi-punch bursts and the occasional kick to the leg or midsection. The approach bought him a two-rounds-to-none lead, and he needed every bit of it. Martinez hobbled him with a heavy leg kick at the end of the middle stanza, then continued to …

Respect to both fighters 👏

🎥: @MostVpromotions #PaulTyson pic.twitter.com/XymB9tLQvf

— PFL (@PFLMMA) November 16, 2024

After a nearly 20-year hiatus from professional boxing, “Iron” Mike Tyson finally returned to the ring. Unfortunately for his millions of fans around the world, his return to the ring was anything but explosive.

Tyson was outboxed over eight, two-minute rounds by YouTube sensation Jake Paul en route to a unanimous decision loss (80-72, 79-73, 79-73) in Saturday night’s main event at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Paul (11-1) showed little interest in trading bombs with the former heavyweight champ and used his youth and energy to outbox the 58-year-old legend.

Tyson last fought Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition bout back in 2020, but had not fought professionally since 2005. Paul understood that he was in a lose-lose situation from the start but still managed to find the best outcome. After surviving Tyson’s advan…