Martial Arts News

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…

#UFCVegas30 Highlight Video: Kennedy Nzechukwu Overwhelms Danilo Marques https://t.co/ndXRSnfO3Y pic.twitter.com/1GHIcyhUip

— Sherdog by Mandatory (@sherdogdotcom) June 26, 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.

Once Kennedy Nzechukwu gets rolling, it’s difficult to halt his momentum.

The Dana White’s Contender Series alum shook off a slow start at UFC Fight Night 190 to defeat Danilo Marques via technical knockout in a light heavyweight showdown on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Nzechukwu (9-1, 3-1 UFC) brought the show to a close 20 seconds into Round 3 for his third consecutive promotional triumph.

The first half of the bout belonged to Marques (11-3, 2-1 UFC). The Demian Maia protégé landed an immediate single-leg takedown and made Nzechukwu wear him like a backpack for appr…

Timur Valiev and Raoni Barcelos engaged in one of the evening’s most competitive battles at UFC Fight Night 190, and both men are now $50,000 richer for their efforts.

Valiev and Barcelos received “Fight of the Night” honors for their bantamweight clash on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Though Barcelos scored the bout’s only two knockdowns in the second frame, Valiev ultimately captured a narrow majority decision thanks to superior volume and movement in Rounds 1 and 3.

Elsewhere, Kennedy Nzechukwu earned a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” award thanks to a come-from-behind victory over Danilo Marques at light heavyweight. After spending much of the first two rounds fending off rear-naked choke attempts from his opponent, the man known as “African Savage” put Marques away with a flurry of punches 20 seconds into the final frame.

Finally, Marcin Prachnio garnered the card’s other $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check on the strength of a secon…

Timur Valiev and Raoni Barcelos engaged in one of the evening’s most competitive battles at UFC Fight Night 190, and both men are now $50,000 richer for their efforts.

Valiev and Barcelos received “Fight of the Night” honors for their bantamweight clash on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Though Barcelos scored the bout’s only two knockdowns in the second frame, Valiev ultimately captured a narrow majority decision thanks to superior volume and movement in Rounds 1 and 3.

Elsewhere, Kennedy Nzechukwu earned a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” award thanks to a come-from-behind victory over Danilo Marques at light heavyweight. After spending much of the first two rounds fending off rear-naked choke attempts from his opponent, the man known as “African Savage” put Marques away with a flurry of punches 20 seconds into the final frame.

Finally, Marcin Prachnio garnered the card’s other $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check on the strength of a secon…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LwQUIrzvxM&w=560&h=315]

Kayla Harrison has the look of a runaway train in the Professional Fighters League.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist dispatched Cindy Dandois with an armbar in the first round of their PFL 6 headliner on Friday at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Just the second woman to submit the Belgian in mixed martial arts competition, Harrison (10-0, 9-0 PFL) brought it to a close 4:44 into Round 1.

Dandois (16-7, 0-2 PFL) never presented much of a threat. Harrison assumed top position after a failed takedown attempt from the “Battlecat,” advanced to side control and applied the heavy ground-and-pound for which she has become known. She eventually stood above Dandois, connected with a sweeping left hand and achieved full mount with roughly a minute remaining in the first round. Harrison went to work with punches once more, sat back on the armbar and prompted the tapout.

Meanwhile, fo…

Sherdog's live PFL 2021 6 coverage will begin at 6 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 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result