Martial Arts News

Jussier Formiga chokes Felipe Bunes unconscious in the main event of LFA 124. Not sure what the ref was waiting for. pic.twitter.com/tMWQEPwhSp

— Will (@ChillemDafoe) February 12, 2022 Jussier Formiga fought for the first time since being released by the Ultimate Fighting Championship in the main event of LFA 124.

Formiga (24-8) faced off against another Legacy Fighting Alliance newcomer in Felipe Bunes. Originally meant to be a flyweight bout, it was moved to a 139-pound catchweight after Formiga massively missed weight for the three-round fight.

The first frame primarily took place on the feet with neither fighter breaking away, although Formiga briefly took the back of Bunes (11-6). However, Round 2 was a different story as the Brazilian grappler took down Bunes and locked in a tight rear-naked choke that forced Bunes to tap. The finish came at 1:53 of the second frame and is Formiga's first win since 2019.

In the co-main event, ligh…

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Editor's note: The article has been updated at 3 p.m. ET on Feb. 11, adding that UFC Fight Night 201 has received a new main event. The battle for the best Rafael in the Ultimate Fighting Championship will have to wait an extra month.

On Friday, Ariel Helwani reported that the UFC Fight Night 201 main event of Rafael dos Anjos (30-13) vs. Rafael Fiziev (11-1) was in jeopardy due to visa issues for Fiziev. As a result, the two lightweights will no longer be squaring off on Feb. 19 in the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Instead, the fight has been pushed to UFC 272 on March 5. Later confirmed by ESPN, dos Anjos and Fiziev will throw down as the co-main event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and their fight will remain a five-round contest. Johnny Walker vs. Jamahal Hill will draw the new headlining assignment of UFC Fight Night 201, acc…

No one worked harder at the most recent One Championship card than referee Olivier Coste, who drew the assignment for every match of the night.

BOOM Anatoly Malykhin knocks out Kirill Grishenko with a looping right hook to become the ONE Interim Heavyweight World Champion! #ONEBadBlood #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship pic.twitter.com/ZxCmPd5ZYG

— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) February 11, 2022 The One: ‘Bad Blood‘ main event saw Anatoliy Malykhin taking on Kirill Grishenko with the One interim heavyweight championship on the line. The interim belt situation arose following some failed contractual negotiations between the Singapore-based promotion and titleholder Arjan Singh Bhullar. Malykhin (10-0, 3-0 One) used his wrestling background to keep his opponent guessing for the first half of the opening round, as Grishenko (5-1, 2-1 One) stayed light on his feet and landed from afar. Midway through the stanza, Malykhin landed a big takedown that al…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAv3rlZKB4s&w=640&h=360] Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream UFC 271 live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. The Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight title will be on the line at UFC 271, as both Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker weighed 184 pounds for the highly-anticipated rematch. While the headliners were professional, not every fighter on the then-15-fight card managed to come in at their contracted weight or even close to it. William Knight missed the light heavyweight limit by a whopping 12 pounds, he received a 40% fine of his purse and his bout against Maxim Grishin was shifted to heavyweight as a result. Additionally, Alex Perez came in two pounds heavy for his flyweight bout against Matt Schnell, and that fight has been canceled.

This is the fourth attempted title defense for Adesanya (21-1), who picked up the belt in 2019 by knocking out Whittaker (…

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Ohio-based Ultimate Fighting Championship fans will not have to wait any longer to learn the headliner on the Columbus card. On Thursday night, Ariel Helwani broke the news that UFC Columbus, also known as UFC on ESPN 33, will now draw heavyweights in the main attraction. Curtis Blaydes (15-3, 1 NC) will take on Chris Daukaus (12-4) in a matchup between top-10 fighters in the division on March 26. The big men will throw down inside the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Blaydes was quick to confirm the booking on his Instagram shortly after its announcement.

At the beginning of 2021, Blaydes had a four-fight win streak cut short by a Derrick Lewis uppercut atop UFC Fight Night 185. Since then, “Razor” Blaydes rebounded with a clear-cut decision win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik. As a pro, the Elevation Fight Team product has pr…

Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Brian Kelleher (@brianboom135) has been added to UFC 272 on March 5, per sources. In addition to the fight, Kelleher has signed a new UFC deal, as he announced recently. pic.twitter.com/6IMHXDt56S

— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) February 10, 2022 Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. The unbeaten cousin of Ultimate Fighting Championship great Khabib Nurmagomedov is getting the toughest test in his young career. Per the UFC’s broadcast partner of ESPN on Thursday, Umar Nurmagomedov (13-0) has his second UFC outing booked. At UFC 272 on March 5 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nurmagomedov will take on Brian Kelleher (24-12) in the bantamweight division. Kelleher confirmed the pairing shortly after its announcement via his Instagram Stories page, while also noting that he has a new four-fight deal with the organiza…

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. A pair of former Invicta Fighting Championships champs will stand toe-to-toe inside the Ultimate Fighting Championship Octagon this May. MMA Fighting broke the news on Thursday that Virna Jandiroba (17-3) will throw down with Angela Hill (13-11) in the strawweight division at a UFC Fight Night event on May 14. Jandiroba has since confirmed the pairing on her Instagram account. The show that will likely take place inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas does not currently have a headliner booked, but it is anticipated that this tilt will take place on its main card.

Since surrendering her 115-pound crown in the Invicta FC ranks to join the UFC, “Carcara” has struggled, with three wins opposite three defeats. Her UFC debut in 2019 marked the first time Jandiroba had ever lost in her career, but she did manage to bounce back with a pai…

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. The coach of former Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight champ Jose Aldo knows just what he would do if he were granted matchmaking powers. On a strong win streak with victories over Marlon Vera, Pedro Munhoz and Rob Font, Aldo is in prime placement for some excellent opportunities in the bantamweight division. Ranked #5 in his division on Sherdog and holding the three spot for the UFC’s rankings, Aldo is currently awaiting his next opponent. Sherdog spoke to Aldo’s manager and head coach, Andre Pederneiras, who explained some of the possible matchups for his fighter and who he would prefer Aldo faced next.

“We have [Petr] Yan and Aljamain [Sterling] fighting for the belt in April 9 [at UFC 273], [it] would make all the sense that [number] two and [number] three, two former champions, face each other to decide who would …

Don't forget to take selfie with this gigantic poster TONIGHT!!!

Full Metal Muay Thai 2: The Return of Nuk Soo KaoFeb 4th, 2022Rawai Boxing StadiumTickets - https://t.co/4vdwqp2bwcLive on - https://t.co/qRhb8pylQY

2 PM UK Time9 AM USA Time #FMD pic.twitter.com/niAuYpQb01 — Full Metal Dojo (@FullMetalDojo) February 4, 2022 Full Metal Dojo is back at it again, with Fight Circus Vol. 4 on the docket at the end of February.

The multi-disciplinary combat sporting event series known as “Fight Circus” will be featuring its fourth event on Feb. 25, and it will likely take place at the Fairtex Training Center in Pattaya, Thailand. A deviation from the past, no MMA matches will be held on the card, although several different combat sports and a few newly invented ones will be on stage at this unique show. The event will air on Fite.tv that Friday 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, and it will feature a minimum of nine matches. It is unknown as of yet whether Bo…

Light Heavyweight Bout Featuring Yoel Romero Against Melvin Manhoef Added to @BELLATORMMA's Return to Paris on May 6https://t.co/OAgR5ViRld

— Bellator Public Relations (@BellatorPR) February 10, 2022 The combined age of this newly announced Bellator MMA co-headliner will be a few days shy of 91.

The organization released the news of three bouts on Thursday for its Bellator Paris showcase on May 6 at the Accor Arena in Paris, with venerable vets taking the stage in the co-main event. While Ryan Bader vs. Cheick Kongo 2 – a total of 84 years of age – will claim the marquee spot for the heavyweight strap, light heavyweights will hit the cage immediately before them. Yoel Romero (13-6) will return to the promotion for his sophomore appearance against the well-traveled Melvin Manhoef (32-15-1, 2 NC).

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship title challenger Romero left the UFC on a three-fight skid, with decision losses to Robert Whittaker, Pau…

It should come as no surprise that Denys Bondar is facing a lenghty medical suspension following his appearance at UFC Fight Night 200.

Bondar must have his left elbow cleared by an orthopedic doctor or he will be out until Aug. 5. At a minimum he is suspended until March 23 with no contact until March 8. Bondar suffered the injury when he posted his arm during a scramble in his flyweight matchup with Malcolm Gordon this past Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The bout was halted 1:22 into Round 1 once Bondar yelled in pain and indicated he could not continue.

A full list of medical suspensions from the event was recently released by mixedmartialarts.com.

Seven other fighters from the card are facing potential six-month terms pending doctor clearance: Punahele Soriano (left knee), Sam Alvey (tooth), Michael Trizano (left ribs), Alexis Davis (left elbow), Julija Stoliarenko (left mandible), Danilo Marques (left shoulder) and Philip Rowe (right knee).

Just days before his rematch with Robert Whittaker at UFC 271, middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has signed a new contract with the promotion.

While Adesanya wouldn’t get into specifics regarding terms, he did indicate that it was financially significant. A separate announcement by his management, Paradigm Sports, revealed that it was a multi-fight contract.

“I just signed a new, crazy deal with the UFC. It’s a big deal. It’s a fucking big deal … It hasn’t hit me yet,” Adesanya said at UFC 271 media day. “If I was just gonna do this for the money and bounce, I would’ve done this maybe three fights ago, to be honest. I’m kind of set.

“It’s not about money. This is about legacy. This is about martial arts. This is about learning. I haven’t lost that step. I’m still hungry. The thing i want to know is: What’s my value to the company? You can’t undersell my value. If you are, you’re kidding yourself.”

Congrats to Israel Adesanya on sig…