Martial Arts News

Those within the American Kickboxing Academy camp have high expectations for Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight Islam Makhachev.

Makhachev will return to action for the first time since September 2019 when he squares off against Drew Dober on the massive UFC 259 card in Las Vegas card Saturday. The event, if all remains intact, features a trio of championship fights at the top of the bill.

Former two-division champion Daniel Cormier and lightweight king Khabib Nurmagomedov both believe Makhachev will be in a similar position before too long.

"For 10 straight years, we've had title fights out of AKA," Cormier told ESPN. "How do we continue that? Islam is the guy. We all believe right now Islam is our next best chance to have someone great."

Makhachev has been victorious in 18 of 19 professional outings and is currently on a six-fight winning streak within the Las Vegas-based promotion. He’s had multiple matchups fall through since outpointing Davi…

Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC

On paper, the UFC Fight Night 186 co-main event looked to be one of Saturday’s most entertaining pairings.

When Magomed Ankalaev and Nikita Krylov stepped into the Octagon, however, they ended up being one of eight fights on a nine-bout card that went the distance. And despite the finishing track record of both light heavyweights, the bout was a bit of a grinder as Ankalaev emerged with a unanimous decision victory.

“I was planning to fight standing up but once he started wrestling with me, I had to change my tactics and I also wrestled,” Ankalaev said.

“I feel great, but the fight didn’t go as I expected. I could say that it was a little boring, but the end result is that I’m happy with my win. I’m not disappointed because my victory is what matters.”

Ankalaev has now won six consecutive fights and is a rising star in the 205-pound division. He hopes that his latest victory can push him to a greater stage.

“I ho…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEjlGq_X9RQ&w=560&h=315]

All signs still seem to be pointing toward a trilogy bout between Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor later this year.

Porier is coming off a second-round technical knockout victory against the Irish superstar at UFC 257 on Jan. 23, while McGregor stopped “The Diamond” via first-round TKO in their first meeting at UFC 178 in September 2014. During a recent appearance on "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, Poirier discussed why a third matchup remains appealing.

“Conor wants the trilogy and I do too,” Poirier said. “We’re just trying to get the right deal structured. This is going to be a big fight. He knocked me out, I knocked him out. The trilogy. For sure one of the biggest fights this year, but maybe of all time... So I think the trilogy makes a lot of sense and a lot of money. So we’re just trying to get the right deal structured and see what the time frame is. Because for a guy like Conor, you want th…

Patrick Mix Quadratur off gegen James Gallagher in einem bantamweight showdown an Bellator 258.

MMA-DNA war der erste Bericht der Buchung. Bellator 258 dauert Platz bei der Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, am 7. Mai und titelte eine 135-Pfund-Meisterschaft Neigung zwischen Juan Archuleta , und Sergio Pettis. Die main card will air on Showtime 9 Uhr ET/6 Uhr PT.

Der 27-jährige Mix erlitt seine erste professionelle Niederlage in 14 Ausflüge in eine Meisterschaft Kampf gegen Archuleta bei Bellator 246 im September letzten Jahres. Der ehemalige König des Käfigs herausragenden begann seine Amtszeit mit der in Kalifornien ansässige promotion mit siegen über Ricky Bandejas und Jesaja Chapman vor Absenden Yuki Motoya in einem crossover bout at Rizin 20.

Gallagher hat unterdessen gewann vier aufeinander folgenden Gefechte seit zu verlieren zu Bandejas bei Bellator 204 im August 2018. Der 24-jährige SBG Irland-Produkt zuletzt erschien bei Bellator Mailand, …

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that Ciryl Gane has only been a professional mixed martial artist for less than three years.

Such thinking might have tempered expectations at UFC Fight Night 186, when the Frenchman cruised to a forgettable five-round verdict against Jairzinho Rozenstruik in Saturday’s heavyweight headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It wasn’t the type of performance that will propel Gane to the top of the division, but it was nonetheless significant for an athlete who is still learning and progressing.

“This guy is really dangerous, he is really tough, he has big knockout power, so we have to manage the fight with this guy, manage the distance and be focused, be careful,” Gane said. “We did it, we did it well and we did more. We made pressure against the cage, we did maybe two, three takedowns, maybe more. I tried to finish the fight. I try, I try, but yes it was a good fight.”

It was also Gane’s first time going a full 25 minutes in the cage, …

Jairzinho Rozenstruik had an evening to forget at UFC Fight Night 186.

The Surinamese heavyweight was unable to get on track against Ciryl Gane, as he lost a five-round verdict in Saturday’s headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Rozenstruik never displayed his knockout power in a contest where Gane controlled the range and held a comfortable 102-to-42 edge in significant strikes landed. While Gane cruised, the bout was sorely lacking when it came to action.

After the loss, Rozenstruik released a brief video statement on social media.

“Fans, family, and friends, I just fought and the fight didn’t go my way,” he said. “I think it’s my worst performance ever if you ask me... So this is me explaining myself, I think I owe you guys this.

“I’m gonna go back home and work my ass off for my next fight. Don’t know when that’s gonna be. Respect to Ciryl, he win the fight, and he’s a professional fighter. This is what I can say.”

A first…

After Saturday night, there probably aren’t too many people who would mind seeing a trilogy bout between Pedro Munhoz and Jimmie Rivera.

On a UFC Fight Night 186 card where memorable moments were few and far between, the bantamweight contenders engaged in an entertaining three-round clash that was an easy choice for “Fight of the Night” honors. Ultimately, Munhoz avenged a 2015 split-decision loss to Rivera with a unanimous decision triumph at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

There was already a mutual respect forged in their initial meeting at UFC Fight Night 77, but that certainly didn’t detract from the quality of the rematch.

“Jimmie and I became good friends after the first fight we did a few years ago,” Munhoz said. “He’s a great guy, a tough, tough, tough fighter. For me, it was an honor to bring that fight back from the first time and now we are able to display again such a great fight. First one was a great fight, now this one definitely deserves ‘Fight of t…

Weder der UFC-Präsident noch der Mann, der Pläne auf die Erfassung der Schwergewichts-gold in Naher Zukunft war besonders beeindruckt der main event an UFC Fight Night 186.

Ciryl Gane verbessert 8-0 mit einem fünf-Runden einstimmigen Beschluss gegen Jairzinho Rozenstruik bei der UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night, aber es war ein wettkampf weitgehend frei von Aktion, der Franzose war Inhalt zu Holen sein Gegner neben an der Außenseite für bessere Teil 25 Minuten.

Laut Dana White, Gane hat noch einen langen Weg zu gehen, bevor er werden kann, gilt als einer der top-Anwärter im Schwergewicht division.

“Jeder spricht über Ciryl wird diese großen Konkurrenten, aber look was Francis [Ngannou] Tat, um Jairzinho," White sagte Yahoo Sports. “Das war [Ciryl Gane's] coming-out-party und seine chance, der Welt zu zeigen, wer er ist. Er gewann, aber lassen wir es zu, dass er gewonnen."

Während Gane nicht Versand Rozenstruik in 20 Sekunden, wie Ngannou hat bei U…

Only three $50,000 post-fight bonuses were handed out following UFC Fight Night 186 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

Pedro Munhoz and Jimmie Rivera were an easy selection for “Fight of the Night” honors following their entertaining three-round battle at bantamweight. Though both combatants had their moments during spirited exchanges, calf kicks made the difference for Munhoz in the long run as he avenged a 2015 defeat to Rivera and halted a two-bout losing streak in the process.

Meanwhile, just one “Performance of the Night” award was given on a card that saw eight of the nine contests go the distance. The only combatant who finshed a fight, Ronnie Lawrence, got the extra cash as he overwhelmed Vince Cachero with his agression en route to a third-round TKO victory. The American Top Team product set the stage for the finishing sequence with a spinning back kick to the body before suplexing his opponent and moving to full mount. From there, Lawrence unloa…

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. Ciryl Gane’s approach was undeniably effective, but it lacked the wow factor for which many had hoped. The impressive Frenchman kept his perfect professional record intact and moved another step closer to a shot at the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight title with a tepid unanimous decision over Jairzinho Rozenstruik in the UFC Fight Night 186 headliner on Saturday in Las Vegas. All three cageside judges saw it the same: 50-45 for Gane (8-0, 5-0 UFC).

Rozenstruik (11-2, 5-2 UFC) struggled to pull the trigger for five full rounds, one of his cornermen slapping the canvas in frustration at one point in the middle of the fight. Perhaps the most compelling exchange between the two heavyweight contenders took place in the second round, where Gane tossed “Bigi Boi” off-balance and briefly threatened with a standing rear-naked …

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. Sherdog's live UFC Fight Night 186 coverage will begin Saturday at 6 p.m. ET. Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below. Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round…

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.

Thiago Moises may have punched his ticket to another competitive tax bracket in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s lightweight division.

Crushing low kicks, efficient counters and stellar striking defense spurred the American Top Team rep to a unanimous decision over Alexander Hernandez in the featured UFC Fight Night 186 prelim on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. All three judges sided with Moises (15-4, 4-2 UFC): 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

Hernandez (12-4, 4-2 UFC) fought fire with fire for much of the three-round encounter. Moises kept him off-balance with kicks to the lower leg, occasional spinning attacks and more basic techniques. The Brazilian hit the accelerator in the third round, invited Hernandez to try to keep up and unleashed his hands and feet in a steady but violent burst of offense that put the …