Martial Arts News

An interim heavyweight championship tilt pitting Derrick Lewis against Ciryl Gane has been added to the UFC 265 pay-per-view lineup on Aug. 7.

UFC president Dana White informed broadcast partner ESPN of the booking, which came about because reigning heavyweight king Francis Ngannou wouldn’t be ready to defend his belt by August. The promotion tried to book Ngannou vs. Lewis in June and again at UFC 265 without success.

Lewis vs. Gane will officially serve as the UFC 265 main event, and the card will take place in Houston. Amanda Nunes will defend the bantamweight crown against Julianna Pena in the evening’s co-headliner.

Ngannou’s team was surprised by the suddenness of the interim championship announcement. The Cameroonian-born Frenchman claimed the heavyweight throne with a second-round KO of Stipe Miocic in the UFC 260 headliner on March 27.

"This comes as a complete shock," Ngannou's agent, Marquel Martin, told ESPN. "To make an interim title so soon,…

Footage emerged of former GLORY Tournament Champion & Bellator fighter Joe Schilling assaulting a man in a bar dispute. The fighter took it to social media and claims it was self-defense, during a "life-threatening experience". pic.twitter.com/cybXpPJWFT

— Beyond Kickboxing (@Beyond_Kick) June 28, 2021

Video has surfaced of an altercation in which former Bellator MMA and Glory Kickboxing competitor Joe Schilling knocks out a man at a bar.

The incident occurred at a currently unknown establishment, when Schilling attempts to walk by a bar patron. After Schilling attempts to push his way past the patron, the man appears to lunge toward the fighter, which prompts Schilling to drop him with a quick series of punches. Schilling then walks away while others at the bar check on the unconscious man.

Schilling himself posted a video of the incident on his Instagram account, but it has since been removed. The 37-year-old known as “Stitch ‘Em Up”…

Legacy Fighting Alliance will return to the Lone Star State with a heavyweight championship fight on July 30.

The promotion recently announced Vernon Lewis will square off against Thomas Petersen for the vacant belt in the LFA 113 headliner at Bell County Expo Center in Belton, Texas. The card will be held in front of a live audience and airs on UFC Fight Pass at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. It will mark the 20th time LFA has traveled to Texas.

"I am excited to bring the LFA heavyweight title to Texas at LFA 113," stated Soares. "Vernon Lewis and Thomas Petersen are two of the most successful heavyweights in LFA history and are always looking for the knockout. They say everything is bigger in Texas and this fight is no different. On Friday, July 30 at the Bell County Expo Center, the winner will become the third heavyweight champion in LFA history."

A Fort Worth, Texas-based police officer, Lewis has the most heavyweight wins in LFA heavyweight history. The 37-year-old …

Renato Carneiro is beginning to settle in comfortably in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s lightweight division.

“Moicano” improved to 2-1 since moving to 155 pounds on Saturday, as he submitted Jai Herbert with a rear-naked choke 4:34 into the second round of their bout at UFC Fight Night 190 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

“We specifically trained to take him down and take his back,” Carneiro said. “I was planning to do this, but what I expected was to finish him in the first round. I watched all his fights and he always gave up his back. I think he knew what I was going to do so he kept avoiding giving me his back, but in the second round, I was going strong in the ground and pound, he gave me his back and I got the rear-naked choke.”

The Brazilian was in complete control throughout his matchup with Herbert, but he learned a valuable lesson from the fight before his, where Danilo Marques gassed himself out hunting for a rear-naked choke in a third-round TKO …

Timur Valiev was one of the largest betting favorites on the card heading into his UFC on ESPN 15 showdown with Trevin Jones last August.

Things appeared to be going according to plan in a dominant Round 1 for the Dagestani bantamweight before Jones unleashed a counter left hook that dropped Valiev in the second frame to secure a massive upset victory. Though the result was later overturned to a no contest after Jones tested positive for marijuana, the loss still resonates with Valiev, who has since rebounded to win his next two promotional appearances. The former PFL and WSOF talent doesn’t mind admitting that revenge is something that drives him.

“It would be good to fight against Trevin Jones after our first fight. I want my payback,” Valiev said. “We are highlanders, we are guys from mountains. This guy, Raoni Barcelos, he beat my friend Said Numargomedov and we always pay back. If Trevin fights me again — I know he will, I respect him — but if we fight again, I’m…

The moment the Elite Irish Cadet MMA Team found out from IMMAA President @coach_kavanagh that @thenotoriousmma has offered to pay the full price of each Cadet athlete and their coaches trip to the @immafed Youth World Championships #IMMAA #MMAIreland #IrishMMA #IMMAF pic.twitter.com/3yBxzisi2b

— IMMAA (@IMMAAOnline) June 26, 2021

Conor McGregor is giving back to the sport of mixed martial arts in his home country ahead of his massive trilogy with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

The former two-division UFC champion is sponsoring the participation of an entire Irish youth team in the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation’s 2021 Youth MMA Championships, which take place in Sofia, Bulgaria from July 29 to Aug. 1. According to a release, McGregor is paying for the entry fees, flights and accomodations of 27 young athletes and 20 coaches.

“Wishing the Irish squad the very best of luck in their quest at the world championships this year!” M…

NEWS: Professional Fighters League names Derek Chang to Board of Directors.

— PFL (@PFLMMA) June 28, 2021

Professional Fighters League has added an executive with significant ties to China to its team.

The promotion announced Monday former CEO of NBA China Derek Chang has joined the company’s board of directors. Chang is currently the CEO of Friend MTS, a “leading provider” of content protection for the sports and entertainment industry, and has previously held positions with Scripps Networks Interactive, DIRECTV, Charter Communications, YES Network and TCI. He also serves on the boards of Liberty Media Corp. and Isos Acquisition Corp.

“Derek is the rare international sports and media executive with vision of the vast opportunities for sports leagues in the global world,” said PFL chairman and founder Donn Davis. “And, importantly, Derek’s sterling reputation and extensive business relationships can help PFL forge partnerships and chart ex…

What a comeback!

[ #UFCVegas30 live on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/QfQuwg1sRj

— UFC (@ufc) June 26, 2021 Kennedy Nzechukwu found himself in a dire predicament in the opening round of his light heavyweight clash with Danilo Marques at UFC Fight Night 190.

The Dana White’s Contender Series alum was taken down almost immediately and then surrendered his back to Marques, who made Nzechukwu wear him like a backpack for the majority of the round. Nzechukwu was able to avoid his opponent’s attempts to lock in a rear-naked choke and make it until the horn. That’s when the tide began to turn.

“I tried to stay calm. At the same time, I knew he was going to burn his legs out, because he was constricting his legs trying to hold on to me,” Nzechukwu said. “I knew it was kind of a dicey situation. I knew I could get him to burn his legs out. It’s not the smartest thing to do – the best thing is to stay out of that position – but I knew he was goi…

For the second consecutive fight, Ciryl Gane went 25 minutes with a dangerous opponent and emerged with a unanimous decision triumph.

After defeating Jarizinho Rozenstruik in the UFC Fight Night 186 headliner this past February, “Bon Gamin” outclassed Alexander Volkov in the UFC Fight Night 190 main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday.

“We are comfortable with 25 minutes … I’m really happy with everything that’s happening at this moment,” Gane said. “We did it twice. Two main events, two wins, I’m really happy.”

While the Rozenstruik matchup was criticized for its lack of action, Gane believes he pushed the pace more effectively against Volkov. The statistics seem to support that notion, as the Frenchman landed 135 signficant strikes in the bout — the seventh most ever in a UFC heavyweight fight.

“For the main event, people want a show,” Gane said. “Today I think I made a little bit more pressure … We were really prepared for his performance. V…

Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC

Tanner Boser’s victory over Ovince St. Preux in the UFC Fight Night 190 co-main event was not without controversy.

Right before the finishing sequence in the heavyweight bout, Boser appeared to grab the fence to help him return to his feet after being taken down by “OSP” at the beginning of the second round. Once Boser was upright, he stuffed a St. Preux takedown, hurt his foe with a knee and dropped him with a right hand, ending the contest 2:31 into Round 2. At Saturday’s post-fight press conference, Boser denied grabbing the fence.

“I heard his corner yelling about it, but I don’t remember doing it – I don’t think there was [a fence grab]” Boser said . “Their job is to be in the best interest of their fighter. If they believe that I grabbed the fence, they have every right to be angry. I don’t believe I grabbed the fence.

“I didn’t see on the replay that I grabbed the fence, and I’m confident I didn’t grab the fence. But …

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Ciryl Gane is shaping up to be a difficult puzzle to solve at heavyweight. The Frenchman won his second consecutive five-round verdict in the Octagon, taking a unanimous decision over former Bellator MMA and M-1 Global champion Alexander Volkov in the UFC Fight Night 190 main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday. Gane received scorecards of 50-45, 50-45 and 49-46 from the cageside judges, ending Volkov’s two-bout winning streak. The victory comes on the heels of a 25-minute triumph over Jairzinho Rozenstruik this past February, proving that the MMA Factory member is the rare big man capable of consistently swimming in deep waters.

“Volkov is one of the best in the division, so I’m really happy,” Gane said.

Volkov (33-9, 7-3 UFC) simply had no answers for his opponent’s superior spe…

Sherdog's live UFC Fight Night 190 coverage will begin Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.

Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below.

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:John Brannigan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:John Brannigan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:John Brannigan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:John Brannigan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:John Brannigan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the roun…