Martial Arts News

Tatiana Suarez is hoping to hear soon from the Ultimate Fighting Championship about a title shot.

Advertisement

Weili Zhang defended her strawweight title with a lopsided unanimous decision win over fellow countrywoman Yan Xiaonan at UFC 300 earlier this month. While Suarez hasn’t heard from the UFC yet, she believes she is the next in line for a shot at Zhang. Suarez also hopes to hear good news from the UFC soon, with her manager, Ali Abdelaziz, planning to meet with promotion executives soon.

Suarez believes the only details left to figure out are when and where would Zhang be ready to fight again. While the UFC is rumored to be planning a return to Zhang's home country of China in August, Suarez noted that it’s unlikely to be a pay-per-view card. The 33-year-old hopes to challenge “Magnum” at the UFC’s one-of-a-kind card being planned for Mexican Independence Day in September at The Sphere in Las Vegas.

“Actually, we’re gonna hopefully get some news h…

Belal Muhammad envisions himself pitching a shutout against Leon Edwards in a potential title clash.

Advertisement

A title fight has evaded Muhammad so far despite him being unbeaten in his last 10 outings. Until recently, it seemed that Muhammad might not get a gold bid at all, as Dana White revealed that “Remember the Name” was not among three names offered to Edwards for a potential title defense at UFC 300.

However, Muhammad's wait for a shot at divisional gold might finally be over. Edwards’ coach, Dave Lovell, recently revealed that the Roufusport product is most likely getting his long-awaited title shot next. According to Lovell, a title fight between Edwards and Muhammad for the UFC upcoming Manchester card in July is all but done.

“The UFC is over here in July. So, no doubt Leon will be on that bill,” Lovell told talkSPORT. “Unfortunately, he couldn’t make the 300 bill for whatever reasons, the lads that was put to him, Shavkat [Rakhmonov], Khamza…

A women’s bantamweight showdown pitting Mayra Bueno Silva against Macy Chiasson has been added to the UFC 303 lineup.

Advertisement

The Las Vegas-based promotion announced the booking on Tuesday. UFC 303 takes place on June 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and is headlined by a welterweight bout between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler.

Bueno Silva will return to action for the first time since UFC 297, when she dropped a five-round verdict to Raquel Pennington in a 135-pound title bout on Jan. 20. The Brazilian known as “Sheetara” is 5-3-1 with one no contest during her Octagon tenure.

Chiasson, meanwhile, fought for the first time in 18 months at UFC Fight Night 239, where she submitted Pannie Kianzad in the opening stanza on March 16. “The Ultimate Fighter 28” winner has competed at both 145 and 135 pounds while compiling a 7-3 mark in the UFC.

The Bellator Champions Series Paris co-main event has taken a hit just shortly after it was announced.

Advertisement

Derek Anderson, who was scheduled to face Cedric Doumbe on May 17, recently revealed that he suffered a foot injury in an alleged hit-and-run accident that will force him to withdraw from the proposed welterweight clash. Doumbe vs. Anderson was officially confirmed on Monday.

“Love you all. Hit and run. I’m so sorry I couldn’t make this fight happen,” Anderson wrote on Instagram. “You have no idea. I will not be getting another bike.”

It is unclear if Doumbe will remain on the card against a replacement opponent. Bellator Champions Series Paris takes place at Accor Arena in Paris and is headlined by a bantamweight title bout between Patrick Mix and Magomed Magomedov.

Anderson, has compiled an 8-4 mark under the Bellator banner since his promotional debut in 2013. Most recently, the Californian returned to action following more than a …

Victor Martinez recently highlighted the importance of a stable job for fighters.

Advertisement

While Martinez has been a licensed firefighter since 2018, he never applied for a job, prioritizing his goal of getting into the Ultimate Fighting Championship. “The Brick” finally earned his ticket to the big league with a unanimous decision win over Jacob Rosales on Dana White’s Contender Series in September 2021. Martinez then got hired by the Hidalgo Fire Department after his UFC debut in February 2023, and the 32-year-old feels things are falling into place for him.

“Man, I had my firefighter license since back in 2018 but I just wanted to focus on getting into the UFC first before getting a job,” Martinez told The AllStar. “So I was just renewing my license every year and I got signed to the UFC [in] 2021 after Contender [Series]. And I was like, ‘OK, I already made this goal happen, let me try getting a job somewhere else, so I started applying in different c…

Michael Chandler believes Conor McGregor will not be the same fighter he once was on his return to the Octagon this summer.

Advertisement

McGregor will return to action after a hiatus of almost three years in a welterweight clash against “Iron” in the main event at UFC 303 on June 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “Notorious” last fought in a trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021, suffering a technical knockout loss due to a leg break in the first round.

While the Irishman resumed training in early 2022, it wasn’t until October 2023 that he returned to the UFC’s drug testing pool. Although the former UFC double champ wanted to return at UFC 300, it wasn’t until UFC 303 that his return could be made possible. Chandler believes the long inactivity has taken a toll on McGregor’s timing, movement, and reflexes.

“What I need to work on for this fight is continue to be the best version of myself,” Chandler said on The Shawn Ryan Show…

Alex Pereira doesn’t like the timing of a potential clash against Magomed Ankalaev in Abu Dhabi.

Advertisement

Pereira recently defended his light heavyweight title for the first time with a brutal Round 1 knockout win over Jamahal Hill in the main event at UFC 300. Ankalaev subsequently claimed that he was offered a title shot against “Poatan” at UFC 300 but turned it down as he was observing Ramadan. Ankalaev also called Pereira out for a clash in Abu Dhabi, which is considered home turf for many Russian fighters. In a post on social media, Ankalaev questioned Pereira’s chin and predicted a first-round knockout.

@AlexPereiraUFC vs me Abu Dhabi

— Magomed Ankalaev (@AnkalaevM) April 14, 2024

@AlexPereiraUFC congratulation, l will stop in the first round by knockout @danawhite @Mickmaynard2 the man doesn’t have a chin

— Magomed Ankalaev (@AnkalaevM) April 14, 2024

The UFC’s annual pay-per-view card in Abu …

[embedded content]

Jiri Prochazka wants to move down a weight class instead of moving up after potentially regaining his light heavyweight title.

Advertisement

Prochazka recently scored a come-from-behind technical knockout victory over top contender Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 300, establishing himself as the No. 1 contender. Prochazka is now eyeing a title shot against Alex Pereira, who dethroned him via TKO at UFC 295 last November, snapping a 13-fight winning streak.

Moreover, once he potentially wins back the light heavyweight title, “BJP” wants to cut down to middleweight. The Czech standout, who usually doesn’t cut more than 10-12 pounds for light heavyweight, believes he can make the cut to 185 pounds with a strict diet.

“Rather than heavyweight, I thought I’d try middleweight because the way I feel my metabolism now and the way my body works in preparation. So, I know that if I adjust my diet to where I feel great and clean, I know I could handle the …

[embedded content]

Renowned ONE Championship mixed martial arts heavyweight competitors are set to lock horns at ONE Fight Night 23 on July 5.

Sherdog.com learned Tuesday morning that Belarusian heavyweight Kirill Grishenko (5-2, 2-2 ONE) is booked to return against the hard-hitting Ji Won Kang (7-2, 4-2 ONE) in a three-round clash on July 5 at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok.

The bout will mark Grishenko’s return to action following a Round 1 submission loss to grappling savant Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida in August 2022, which was preceded by a Round 2 knockout at the hands of reigning three-division champion Anatoly Malykhin in February 2022.

Meanwhile, Kang has gone 2-2 in his last four promotional outings and will enter on the heels of a Round 2 technical knockout victory over Mikhail Jamal Abdul-Latif at ONE on Prime Video 18 in January. Prior to that, the South Korean suffered his second professional loss against undefeated American Ben Tynan at …

BREAKING: In partnership with @ufc, WWE announced today that #NXTBattleground will emanate from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas on Sunday, June 9! https://t.co/7rcz9QpnjP

— WWE (@WWE) April 22, 2024

The UFC Apex will host a World Wrestling Entertainment event for the first time on June 9.

Advertisement

The Las Vegas-based promotion announced Monday that the venue will be the site for NXT Battleground” on June 9. The Ultimate Fighting Championship and WWE merged under the same ownership umbrella, TKO Group Holdings, last year.

"We are always exploring new frontiers to showcase NXT and we are excited to bring Battleground to this world-class event and production facility in partnership with UFC,” said WWE senior vice president of talent development creative Shawn Michaels in a release.

According to a report from ESPN, NXT Battleground was intially scheduled to take place at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, before relocating to L…

𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗟𝗘! 💥

Europe’s MMA League returns to Tyneside on Saturday 8th June, featuring Savannah Marshall’s MMA Debut, Kane Mousah vs. Dylan Tuke and stars such as Jack Grant, Lewis McGrillen, Sammy-Jo Luxton and Dean Garnett!

Advertisement

Make sure you’re in the Utilita Arena… pic.twitter.com/REQcGjvKhe — PFL Europe (@PFLEurope) April 22, 2024

The Professional Fighters League has announced the full card for the final regular season event of its European circuit.

PFL Europe Newcastle will take place on June 8 at Utilita Arena in Newcastle, England, and is headlined by the MMA debut of boxing champion Savannah Marshall, as she takes on Mirela Vargas in a showcase bout at 155 pounds. Additionally, the card will feature regular season bouts at men’s bantamweight and women’s flyweight, with winner’s advancing to the PFL Europe postseason.

The bantamweight season pairings include: Dean Garnett vs. Ayton De Paepe; Frans Mlambo vs. Lu…

Former American Top Team coach Andre Benkei is headed back to Florida.

Advertisement

The Brazilian recently signed a three-year contract to work as an MMA head coach at the new UFC Gym in Largo, Florida, and big plans are in store.

“It´s gonna be huge — 30,000 square feet,” Benkei told Sherdog.com. “Besides an amazing gym with all facilities you can imagine, the gym will have an MMA training center with a top team of coaches. We already signed Dorian Price (muay thai), who has been living in Thailand for the last 20 years, and Adam Mazin (jiu-jitsu), who represents Dean Lister. Cuban boxer Pedro Dias will be with us, and soon we will announce a [decorated] American wrestler.”

Benkei also revealed that an MMA-themed reality show will be filmed at the facility.

“The grand opening will be in August, but we will start filming a reality show called ‘Road to the Cage ‘ before that,” he said. “The reality show will consist of the training routine of our…