Martial Arts News

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— Jed I. Goodman (@jedigoodman) May 2, 2021

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An illegal upkick from Randa Markos brought an abrupt end to her strawweight encounter with Luana Pinheiro in the UFC on ESPN 23 featured preliminary bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night. With Pinheiro unable to continue, Markos was disqualified at the 4:16 mark of Round 1.

Pinheiro did well early, kicking her foe’s leg out with a low kick while landing some stiff punching combinations to the head. The action was paused after an eye poke from the Brazilian cut Markos (10-11-1, 6-10-1 UFC) on her eyelid. When the fight resumed, the combatants engaged in a slugfest in the center of the Octagon, both swinging wildly with heavy punches until Pinheiro executed a head-and-arm throw to get her opponent to the canv…

Considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, Anderson Silva has decided to test himself in boxing for the first time since 2005.

After announcing his departure from the UFC last year,  “The Spider” will face former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on  June 19 in a soccer stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico. The “Tribute to the Kings” card will feature Julio’s father, the legendary Julio Cesar Chavez, in the main event against an as yet to be announced opponent.

In a video interview with AgFight’s Carlos Antunes, the former middleweight champion discussed his upcoming bout as well as what he perceives to be a lack of respect from “YouTubers.”

“I´m really happy to be able to test my skills in another area. It´s such an amazing experience, but I'm totally aware that my opponent has done this since his childhood,” Silva said. “I cannot be arrogant enough to believe that I’ll have a highlight [victory] like those disrespectful Youtubers out the…

Legacy Fighting Alliance will return to South Dakota for a pair of events later this month.

The promotion announced LFA 107 for May 14 and LFA 108 for May 21, both of which will be held at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. LFA 107 will be closed to the public, while fans will be allowed to attend LFA 108 at a limited capacity. Both events will stream via UFC Fight Pass at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

LFA 107 is headlined by a showdown between former Bellator middleweight champion Rafael Carvalho and Sharaf Davlatmurodov.

Carvalho exited Bellator after losing four of his last five appearances within the California-based promotion, including a decision defeat against Alex Polizzi in his last outing this past September. He began his Bellator tenure with six consecutive triumphs, a stretch that featured a title-winning KO of Brandon Halsey and three successful defenses of the belt.

Davlatmurodov enters his LFA debut on a five-bout winning streak. The …

Silveira inside a minute! #LFA106 pic.twitter.com/IpZvZrGEEJ

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) May 1, 2021 Joshua Silveira made short work of Rafael Viana atop the latest Legacy Fighting Alliance event.

Silveira needed just 41 seconds to win the LFA 106 main event. After taking down Viana (6-2), Silveira was able to sink in a rear-naked choke. After the submission win, the light heavyweight prospect is now 5-0. The 28-year-old is looking toward the vacant LFA light heavyweight title bout next and has his eyes on the winner.

The co-main event saw Luiz Antonio Lobo Gavinho and Terrance McKinney battle at lightweight. McKinney (9-3) made short work of his 37-year-old opponent after landing a beautiful head kick. A few punches later on the ground and the fight was waved off after just 17 seconds as Gavinho (10-5) was unable to continue.

Kyle Estrada picked up a unanimous decision win over Tyler Wilson. Estrada (11-6) was able to land damagi…

Rumble Johnson’s opponent next week will now be Team Pitbull’s Jose Augusto Azevedos Barros (7-2), sources say. Unbeaten in his last 6. 1-0 in Bellator.

Barros replaces Yoel Romero, who didn’t get medically cleared due to an eye issue.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) April 30, 2021 Bellator MMA did not need long to find a replacement for its light heavyweight tournament. Late Thursday night, Yoel Romero was forced to withdraw from the Bellator light heavyweight grand prix after failing to clear his medicals from an eye issue. The promotion sought to replace him and keep Anthony Johnson (22-6) on Bellator 258 with the tournament still on track. After primary alternate Julius Anglickas was unable to take the match on a week’s notice, the organization called on Jose Augusto Azevedo Barros (7-2, 1 NC). This new development was reported by ESPN on Friday.

Barros made his Bellator debut at the beginning of April, when he faced Jonathan Wilson…

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. Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight Jonathan Pearce is a firm believer that discretion is the better part of valor. At the UFC on ESPN 23 weigh-ins on Friday, Gabriel Benitez (22-8) came in at 150.5 pounds for his featherweight bout against Pearce (10-4). For a weight miss this substantial – Benitez came in 4.5 pounds over the limit – the on-weight fighter can elect to take the fight or decline it. Per Pearce’s Instagram account shortly after the weigh-ins were complete, he has decided not to compete on Saturday, so he does not give his foe a competitive advantage. It is uncertain at this time if the UFC will rebook the pairing for a later date, or go in a different direction entirely.

“Unfortunately, my opponent came in almost 5lbs overweight and our fight is off,” Pearce wrote. “I did my part by showing up and mak…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EME_Xra0cQ&w=560&h=315] Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the PFL live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. In both frame and potential, a big Professional Fighters League heavyweight prospect plans on shocking the world next week. With a record of 6-2, with all six of his wins coming by stoppage, Team Nogueira’s Renan Ferreira has no problem with what should be large underdog odds against Fabricio Werdum (24-9-1). One week before his debut in PFL heavyweight tournament against fellow countryman Werdum, “Problema” spoke with Sherdog about his expectations for the most important fight of his career.

“I’ve always prepared myself for great opportunities,” Ferreira explained. “I’m very honored to make my PFL debut against an idol like Werdum, one of the greatest heavyweights of the history who brought so many titles to Brazil. But I trained hard to prove that I came to make h…

A dream to be a world champ. To create a legacy that will echo in eternity. Something my fam n loved ones can be proud of. This is it. #ONEDangal We will make history and give a distraction from the terrible reality of Covid on the ground. There can only be one of the #Dangal pic.twitter.com/yUxOJQOwkV

— Arjan Singh Bhullar (@TheOneASB) April 29, 2021 The latest One Championship event has just been formally announced after all the fights have already happened, with a title that means “wrestling” in English.

On Friday, One sent out a press release officially confirming its next event titled One: Dangal. The event had been discussed previously, with headliner Arjan Singh Bhullar (10-1) writing about his opportunity to fight for Brandon Vera’s (16-8) heavyweight belt on Thursday. Although it will air on May 15, it has already taken place, with some bouts recorded at the same card as One on TNT 4 on April 28. These fights took place inside the S…

Main event official!

No. @DomReyes locks in at 205.5 lbs. #UFCVegas25

[ Tomorrow LIVE on ESPN2 & #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/G1Kx5KwKxq — UFC (@ufc) April 30, 2021 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. Not one but two Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters came in well above their respective limits at the weigh-ins.

The UFC returns to the UFC Apex in Las Vegas with a clash between light heavyweight contenders.UFC on ESPN 23 sees Dominick Reyes look to rebound from the first two losses of his career against the streaking Jiri Prochazka. Both fighters atop the card had no issue making weight, but the same couldn’t be said for a few others on the card. The most notable miss was Gabriel Benitez missing the featherweight limit by 4.5 pounds. Also heavy was Luana Carolina, who failed to hit the flyweight mark by 2.5 pounds.

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It is the end of an era for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, as no more members of the inaugural season of “The Ultimate Fighter” are on the roster.

Perennial contender and longtime fan-favorite Diego Sanchez (30-13) was booked against Donald Cerrone (36-15, 2 NC) in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 24, where “The Nightmare” was slated to have his retirement bout against a former training partner at welterweight. Sanchez unexpectedly withdrew from the bout on Wednesday with no explanation given, and he took to Instagram to air his grievances with the promotion. After a now-deleted Instagram Stories post where he claimed he was a free agent, the UFC confirmed to Yahoo Sports on Thursday night that Sanchez was indeed released, via a letter Sanchez was sent on April 27.

Sanchez posted a few videos on his Instagram account on Thursday showing disagreements that his coach Joshua Fabia had with the commentary team, where Fabia believed that the organization was attempti…

BREAKING: Yoel Romero ruled out of @BellatorMMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix after failing pre-fight medical screeninghttps://t.co/HhMZGYtlkp pic.twitter.com/DdZSgoBLvA

— Brian Campbell (@BCampbell) April 30, 2021 Sometimes these things happen in MMA.

CBS Sports, the broadcast partner of Bellator MMA, announced late Thursday night that the Bellator 258 grand prix pairing of Yoel Romero (13-5) vs. Anthony Johnson (22-6) has been canceled. Romero failed his pre-fight medical tests, and he has been forced out of the light heavyweight tournament altogether. It is unclear if Johnson will remain on the event at this time.

Although Julius Anglickas was tapped as an alternate to the tournament after his win over Gregory Milliard at Bellator 257, the organization has not stated if Anglickas will be able to compete in a week. Bellator plans on announcing an additional alternate for this pairing as well. Both Romero and Johnson were once booke…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyfxHGQuSg8&w=560&h=315]

Rory MacDonald could not have been more efficient.

The former Bellator MMA champion dazzled in his Professional Fighters League debut, as he submitted Curtis Millender with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their 2021 PFL 2 welterweight headliner on Thursday at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Millender (18-7, 0-1 PFL) bowed out 3:38 into Round 1.

MacDonald (22-6-1, 1-0 PFL) executed a takedown midway through the first round, advanced to the back and secured his position with a body triangle. He then distracted Millender with a series of heel strikes to the abdomen and calmly cinched the fight-ending choke when the Californian lowered his guard. The squeeze was too much for the CSW product to overcome.

In the welterweight co-main event, Ray Cooper III submitted Cage Warriors Fighting Championship alum Jason Ponet with a first-round arm-triangle choke. Ponet (20-14-1, …