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Alistair Overeem’s face was a bloody mess at the conclusion of his second-round technical knockout loss to Alexander Volkov in the UFC Fight Night 184 headliner.

According to the Dutch veteran, one of Volkov’s powerful punches broke his nose in the opening stanza of the heavyweight bout. All told, Volkov outlanded Overeem by a 54-to-10 count in significant strikes – including 47-to-3 in head strikes.

“You’re a true warrior, [Alexander Volkov]. Congrats on the win!” Overeem wrote on Instagram. “Yesterday wasn’t my night. I could not recover from that punch in the first round after I broke my nose.”

The 40-year-old former Strikeforce and K-1 champion entered the matchup with Volkov having won four of his previous five Octagon appearances. Another win could have once again propelled “The Demolition Man” into the championship discussion at heavyweight. Instead, it appears that Overeem’s UFC title dreams may have been extinguished for good.

Still, Overeem soun…

Alexander Volkov’s 41-fight professional MMA career has already seen him capture championships with Bellator MMA and M-1 Global.

At 32 years old, he may be nearing the most prestigious prize of them all: the UFC heavyweight strap. Volkov took another step toward that goal with a dominant performance in the UFC Fight Night 184 headliner on Saturday night, as he defeated perennial contender Alistair Overeem via technical knockout 2:06 into Round 2 of their bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Volkov bloodied Overeem with precise and powerful punches, flurrying effectively against the fence when the Dutchman went into his trademark defensive shell.

That punishment took its toll, and “Drago” clinched his victory with a left hook that sent Overeem tumbling to the canvas. Referee Jason Herzog wasted no time stepping in before Volkov could do any further damage.

“I work a lot with my jab and striking. I also work a lot on my wrestling. I was feeling good with my standup…

Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC

During his Ultimate Fighting Championship tenure, Cory Sandhagen has developed a killer instinct that belies his outward appearance.

When the Elevation Fight Team product made Frankie Edgar faceplant with a spectacular flying knee 28 seconds into their co-main event encounter at UFC Fight Night 184 on Saturday night, he briefly felt a twinge of regret for doing that kind of damage to such a beloved figure in the sport.

“It feels good to add that to my resume. I’m even more happy it went the way that it did. That’ll be one that gets replayed for a long time—highlights last forever,” Sandhagen said. “Afterwards, it was a little bit emotional. I don’t want to see someone crawling up off the canvas. That was a little sad, but that’s the game we’re in. Better him than me.”

Sandhagen has found the proper mentality that allows him to author the type of finishes that end up on yearly award lists. H…

In the end, Clay Guida won at UFC Fight Night 184 in the best way he knew how.

“The Carpenter” snapped a two-fight losing streak with a gritty unanimous verdict against fellow veteran Michael Johnson in a featured lightweight contest at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Guida mixed overhand rights with relentless wrestling to wear down his opponent over the course of 15 minutes.

It wasn’t pretty, but with Guida, it rarely ever is when things go his way.

“I knew he was going to be reliant on that laser beam cross he has.  He cracked me with it a few times. I knew once I could get past a few, I had him,” Guida said. “As long as I could pressure him to the fence and take his best shots, I knew I was going to be in the driver’s seat. I stayed in his face the whole time. I made it dirty and ugly, just like a Clay Guida fight. There’s nothing pretty about it, but it gets the job done.”

While Johnson is known for having the quicker hands, Guida w…

We’ll likely be talking about Cory Sandhagen’s knockout of Frankie Edgar for the rest of the year. For now, though, it’s enough to give the victor a little extra something for his bank account.

Sandhagen received a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” award for his flying-knee finish of Edgar in the UFC Fight Night 184 co-main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Sandhagen struck the decisive blow just 28 seconds into Round 1 — the true definition of a walkoff knockout if ever there was one.

Meanwhile, Alexander Volkov’s dominance against Alistair Overeem in the main event netted him the evening’s other $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check. The Russian heavyweight stalked and bloodied Overeem thoughout the heavyweight contest, ultimately finishing his Dutch foe with a left hook 2:06 into Round 2.

Elsewhere, Beneil Dariush and Diego Ferreira earned “Fight of the Night” honors and $50,000 apiece for their compellling lightweight tilt. In a back…

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. The dark horse label no longer applies to Alexander Volkov. On a steady climb inside the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s heavyweight division, the former Bellator MMA and M-1 Global champion damaged and discarded Alistair Overeem in the second round of their UFC Fight Night 184 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Overeem (47-19, 12-8 UFC), who looked like he had been hit by wayward helicopter blades, succumbed to blows 2:06 into Round 2.

Volkov (33-8, 7-2 UFC) was powerful and precise. He battered Overeem bloody in the first round, where he took advantage of the smaller cage, flurried with punches along the fence on more than one occasion and knocked him off-balance with a clubbing left hand. However, the worst was yet to come for “The Demolition Man.” Volkov unleashed his jab and devastating one-twos in the sec…

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 184 coverage will begin Saturday at 5 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: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:

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 …

Our featured prelim is called after swelling on Justin Jaynes's eye. #UFCVegas18 pic.twitter.com/8HrtyXZmSI

— UFC (@ufc) February 7, 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. Devonte Smith is no longer out of sight or out of mind.

In his first appearance since suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon, the Factory X prospect made a triumphant return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship with a second-round technical knockout of Justin Jaynes at UFC Fight Night 184 on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Referee Keith Peterson called for the stoppage 3:38 into Round 2 on the advice of the cageside physician, as Jaynes (16-7, 1-3 UFC) suffered a gruesome hematoma that closed his left eye.

Smith (11-2, 3-1 UFC) settled into the 160-pound catchweight clash with jabs and leg kicks, survived after being staggered by an overhand right in the first round and…

Leonardo Damiani (10-2-1) with the RNC to win it. Really good fight for the main event of their first Fight Pass show. Both guys showed up and fought an entertaining competitive battle.#TGC3 pic.twitter.com/Etjzn34qLF

— Dusty Andrews (@Fight_Expert) February 6, 2021

After nearly a year of inactivity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Italian MMA returned with the action-packed third event of The Golden Cage series on Saturday.

In The Golden Cage 3 main event, Leonardo Damiani (10-2-1) took on Marco Saccaro (6-3) in a rematch of an October 2018 bout won by Damiani. The promoter never communicated the weigh-in results, but the 180-pound catchweight bout was nonetheless valid for the welterweight belt. Both fighters lived up to their reputations as heavy strikers and exchanged some hards shots early in the opening stanza as Damiani scored with his kicks and Saccaro connected with his punches. After a quick scramble phase against the fence, Damiani …

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDkZB2lUmBU&w=560&h=315]

UFC Fight Night 184 is down to 12 bouts after a preliminary clash pitting Askar Askar against Cody Stamann was canceled.

The promotion announced Saturday that Askar was not medically cleared to compete in the featherweight contest. Askar, who made weight on Friday at 145 pounds, was a short notice replacement for Andre Ewell, who was removed from the event due to COVID-19 protocols.

UFC Fight Night 184 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and is headlined by a heavyweight showdown between Alistair Overeem and Alexander Volkov. The card streams in its entirety on ESPN+.

Anchored at Midwest Training Center, the 26-year-old Askar was entering his Octagon debut on the strength of a three-round verdict over Kevin Wirth at LFA 92 this past October. Askar has won 11 of his 12 professional fights overall.

Stamann, meanwhile, last appeared at UFC on ESPN 13, where he dropped a unanimous decision …

for Drago!

@AlexDragoVolkov is official for #UFCVegas18. pic.twitter.com/rSn3axY1s9

— UFC (@ufc) February 5, 2021 After opening 2021 with a series of “Fight Island” cards, the Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to its home base in Las Vegas with an event that saw every fighter make weight. Headlining UFC Fight Night 184 is a heavyweight bout between decorated veterans Alistair Overeem and Alexander Volkov. While Overeem (47-18, 1 NC) has never tasted gold inside the Octagon, the 40-year-old is a former Strikeforce and Dream heavyweight champion. 4-1 in his last five, Overeem has only faltered in a shocking late fifth-round stoppage to the hard-hitting Jairzinho Rozenstruik. Most recently, “The Demolition Man” has picked up TKO wins over Walt Harris and Augusto Sakai. The Dutch fighter weighed in at 255.5 pounds.

Similar to his opponent, Volkov (32-8) has found sizable success outside of the UFC with Bellator MMA and M-1 Global heav…

Alyona Rassohyna shocks the world by submitting Stamp Fairtex in Round 3! #ONEUnbreakable3 #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship pic.twitter.com/URBYVDEEdI

— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) February 5, 2021 All but one battle ended inside the distance of the pre-recorded final part of One Championship's "Unbreakable" series..

The main event of One: Unbreakable 3 saw Alyona Rassohyna (13-4) inflicting the first MMA defeat to Nong Stamp (5-1) in an incredible turn of events. The Ukrainian fighter attempted to immediately impose her wrestling style over Stamp by taking her down. However, “Stamp Fairtex” scrambled her way on top and punished Rassohyna with a couple of knees to the head on the canvas. After a wild scramble that saw both contenders alternate in dominating positions, Stamp bounced back on the feet and ended the first stanza with an emphatic elbow on Rassohyna.

In the second round, Stamp warned the Ukrainian fighter of insisting to ta…