Martial Arts News

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The fifth season of Dana White’s Contender Series will kick off later this summer.

The promotion announced on Saturday night that the show will premiere on Aug. 31 with a card headlined by a heavyweight clash between Matheus Scheffel and Azamat Murzakanov. After that event, four other Contender Series fights were confirmed for the following four weeks through September.

The remaining featured bouts for the announced Contender Series cards are as follows: Darian Weeks vs. Josh Quinlan at welterweight on Sept. 7; Jailton Junior vs. Nasrudin Nasrudinov at light heavyweight on Sept. 14; Chris Duncan vs. Manuel Gaxhja at lightweight on Sept. 21 and Lukasz Sudolski vs. Ihor Potieria at light heavyweight on Sept. 28.

Dana White’s Contender Series airs Tuesdays on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

International Fight Week is returning to Las Vegas this September.

The UFC announced that the interactive fan experience, which includes the promotion’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony, will take place from Sept. 21 through Sept. 25. The festivities will conclude with UFC 266 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The Hall of Fame ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 23, while Sept. 24-25 will feature a two-day, free UFC Fan Experience that “will feature meet and greets, autograph sessions, and partner activations that provide unprecedented access to UFC champions, top-ranked contenders, Hall of Famers, and other UFC personalities.”

Fans will also have access to ceremonial weigh-ins, press conferences and other live entertainment during the week. International Fight Week was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. The latest iteration of the event will be the promotion’s ninth International Fight Week.

UFC 266 takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on …

Even after a retirement that lasted more than four years, Miesha Tate appeared to be in peak form at UFC on ESPN 26.

The former UFC and Strikeforce bantamweight champion blended her striking and takedowns effectively en route to a third-round technical knockout victory against Marion Reneau in Saturday’s co-main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. While it was just the beginning of Tate’s comeback tour, it was a farewell for Reneau.

“I think she brought everything she had. I believe this was the fight she wanted, she was exactly where she wanted to be, she knew this was her Super Bowl, this was the fight she wanted to leave it all in the Octagon, and I believe she did that,” Tate said. “I’m excited to go back, watch the fight, learn from it and move forward.

“I’m a huge fan of Marion, she is just an inspiration as a woman and as a person. She is a teacher, she is a mother, she gives back to her community… It takes a good dance partner out there to really bring …

It is no secret that Islam Makhachev has been tabbed as the heir apparent to Khabib Nurmagomedov in the UFC’s lightweight division.

Makhachev lived up to that billing yet again on Saturday, as he cruised to fourth-round submission victory against Thiago Moises in the UFC on ESPN 26 main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The Dagestani has won eight consecutive fights at 155 pounds, one of just six fighters in the division’s history to do so. One of those men, Nurmagomedov, was in Makhachev’s corner.

“When you have by your side a champion, he knows everything everywhere, what I have to do, what I have to say, how I have to move… When Khabib is in my corner, I feel more powerful,” Makhachev said.

Comparisons to Nurmagomedov as a fighter are lofty enough, but for Makhachev, his teammate and coach also casts a large shadow because of the person he is.

“If somebody says I’m almost the same as Khabib, I agree with this,” Makhachev said. “I want to be like Khab…

Billy Quarantillo and Gabriel Benitez took home an additional $50,000 apiece for their work in the Octagon on Saturday night.

Quarantillo and Benitez received “Fight of the Night” honors for their entertaining featherweight scrap at UFC on ESPN 26 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Both fighters landed knockdowns in the bout, but Quarantillo was the one who walked away with his hand raised after a series of punches from back control forced the TKO stoppage 3:40 into Round 3.

Meanwhile, four “Performance of the Night” bonuses were handed out, as Miesha Tate, Mateusz Gamrot, Rodolfo Vieira and Rodrigo Nascimento all received an additional $50,000 for their efforts.

In her first fight in more than four years, Tate was impressive in a third-round stoppage of Marion Reneau in the evening’s co-main event. “Cupcake” took Reneau down, moved to back mount and earned a TKO with punches from that position 1:53 into Round 3.

Gamrot, meanwhile, wasted little time in putting…

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. Islam Makhachev lived up to the hype in his first headlining effort. The Dagestani lightweight gradually imposed his will on Thiago Moises before submitting his opponent with a rear-naked choke at the 2:38 mark of Round 4 on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Makhachev, who has won eight straight in UFC competition, is the first person to defeat Moises via tapout.

“This is my first fourth round in my life. I never fight more than three rounds. That’s why this is good experience for me,” Makhachev said.

“I tell you guys before, I'm gonna take him down, make him tired, and make him tap.”

Moises (15-5, 4-3 UFC) spent the majority of the bout on the defensive. Makhachev (19-1, 9-1 UFC) was effective in spurts with punching combinations to the head and kicks to the body, but it was in clo…

Sherdog's live UFC on ESPN 26 coverage will begin Saturday at 7 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:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pe…

WOW! D-Rod wasting no time with a RD 1 KO!#UFCVegas31 pic.twitter.com/5iohb4dFii

— UFC (@ufc) July 18, 2021

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.

Daniel Rodriguez didn’t allow Preston Parsons even a glimmer of hope in his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut.

Rodriguez won for the fifth time in six promotional outings at UFC on ESPN 26, as he picked Preston Parsons apart with precision punches en route to a technical knockout stoppage 3:47 into the opening round of their bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Parsons, a late replacement for Abubakar Nurmagomedov, saw a four-bout winning streak snapped.

Rodriguez looked every bit the part of the Octagon veteran as he blended kicks to the legs and body with straight punches early against Parsons, who was denied on his attempts to…

#KSW62 Statistics

FightsFinishes1st Round Stoppages3 Round Warsction-Packed Event pic.twitter.com/Bax0xPKNaF

— KSW (@KSW_MMA) July 17, 2021 While there were plenty of mismatches and a lack of big names, KSW 62 delivered consistently exciting matches, including six first-round finishes as well as one of the craziest first rounds one will ever see.

In the main event, Olympic weightlifting gold medalist Szymon Kolecki (10-1, 4-0 KSW) continued his surprisingly successful mixed martial arts career, shellacking overmatched Akop Szostak (4-4, 0-2 KSW), who is perhaps best known for appearing on “Dancing with the Stars” in Poland, in a mere 47 seconds. Kolecki was a monster -1500 favorite and looked like it, walking forward and landing with punches at will. He paid little attention to defense and Szostak had a few partial connects, but it didn't remotely faze the Olympic champ. Kolecki ended matters with a vicious right uppercut. KSW clearly h…

UFC on ESPN 26 is down to 10 fights after Miles Johns vs. Anderson dos Santos was scrapped due to a positive COVID-19 test in dos Santos’ camp.

Johns initially announced the cancellation on social media and it has since been confirmed by multiple outlets.

“It’s with great regret that I have to inform you all that I will not be fighting this evening. My opponent/camp tested positive for COVID so the fight is off,” Johns wrote on Instagram. “I want to wish him a speedy recovery, want to thank the UFC for the opportunity but mainly want apologize to everyone who was looking forward to watching me fight today.”

UFC on ESPN 26 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and is headlined by a lightweight tilt between Islam Makhachev and Thiago Moises. The main airs on ESPN and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while prelims stream on ESPN and ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

Johns has been victorious in two of his three Octagon appearances. The Dana White’s Contender S…

Challenger Denise Kielholtz may have competed for pride and for glory, but Bellator MMA flyweight queen Juliana Velasquez fought for family; as we have been reminded lately, nothing is stronger than family.

Bellator took three weeks off to recharge its batteries and replenish its stock, before returning inside its favored venue of the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. With Bellator 262 came 10 fights from its lightest division of women’s flyweight all the way up to the largest at heavyweight. The headlining attraction saw a 125-pound championship tilt as Velasquez (12-0, 7-0 BMMA) topped impressive challenger Kielholtz (6-3, 6-2 BMMA) in a five-round striking match. When the dust settled, the Dutchwoman gave Velasquez everything she could handle; the champion still emerged victorious by split decision, with two 48-47 calls going in her direction and one 48-47 score for her opponent.

Bolstered by her walkout of “In the End” by Linkin Park, and sending her love to he…

Sherdog's live Bellator 262 coverage kicks off Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

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

Round 1 Kicking off the card, lightweight prospect Charlie Campbell (3-1), nicknamed "The Cannibal", is a healthy favorite against Nick Giulietti (2-1). Referee Kerry Hatley will look on. Giulietti tries to touch gloves to begin, but Campbell wants nothing of it. Giulietti starts out throwing side-kicks and front-kicks, but Campbell is out of range on all occasions. Capmbell goes for a jumping knee, but it's unsuccessful, and Giulietti takes an opportunity to clinch up. He cranks an underhook nicely and forces Campbell to the canvas. Giulietti is making his more hyped opponent pay for his disrespect! Giulietti is pressing from the top and briefly gets a scarfhold, a position where it's very possible to escape out of the side. However, Campbell is unable to take advantage and Giulietti soon goes back to side co…