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Masanori Kanehara could now be next in line for the title!

[ #RIZIN44 | @FiteTV PPV https://t.co/eEpfmslhPp] pic.twitter.com/bkgOy5zj2W

— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) September 24, 2023 Rizin 44 concluded with a shocking upset in Sunday’s featherweight main event in Saitama, Japan.

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Masanori Kanehara (29-12-1, 4-1 Rizin), who has enjoyed a career resurgence since joining the Rizin ranks in 2020, bested former featherweight champ Kleber Koike Erbst (31-7-1, 1 NC, 6-2, 1 NC Rizin) at his own game en route to a lopsided unanimous decision win.

Kanehara stunned Koike with the first punch of the fight and he continued to have success on the feet until Koike scored a takedown and trapped him in a guillotine choke. Kanehara freed his neck and spent the remainder of the round punching from Koike’s guard. In the second stanza, Kanehara took Koike down and tried to finish the Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace with an arm-triangle choke…

Mateusz Gamrot was awarded a technical knockout when Rafael Fiziev suffered an apparent knee injury in the second round of their UFC Fight Night 228 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Referee Herb Dean called for the stoppage 2:03 into Round 2—an unfortunate ending to what was shaping up as a compelling strategic battle between two of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s premier lightweights.

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Fiziev (12-3, 6-3 UFC) inched ahead in a competitive first round, where he leaned on multi-strike bursts, bulletproof takedown defense and a heavy focus on the body with punches and kicks. Gamrot (23-2, 6-2 UFC) completed a takedown to start Round 2, only to have those efforts negated soon after. Fiziev scrambled to his feet and moved to the safety of open space. The Kill Cliff Fight Club collapsed after throwing a body kick—his left knee buckled as he pivoted—and turtled in noticeable distress, clearly unable to continue.

American Top Team…

Sherdog's live UFC Fight Night 228 coverage will begin Saturday at 4 p.m. ET. BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Vidal (-238), Rendon (+195)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:

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Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round: The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Inoue (-298), Goldy (+240)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Devin Tejada scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: U…

Miles Johns had more horsepower when it mattered most.

The Marathon MMA rep took another step forward in the Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight division with a unanimous decision over fellow former Legacy Fighting Alliance titleholder Dan Argueta in the featured UFC Fight Night 228 prelim on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Scores were 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28.

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Argueta (9-2, 1-2 UFC) had his moments, including a first-round exchange that saw him climb to the back and threaten with a rear-naked choke. Even so, Johns (14-2, 5-2 UFC) stayed calm under fire and slowly but surely turned the tide with concussive multi-punch bursts and savage inside kicks to the lower leg. Argueta never stopped moving forward but increasingly wandered into his opponent’s heavy hands. By the time it was over, he had suffered considerable damage to his eye and was bleeding heavily from the nose.

Johns has won four of his past five bouts.

Meanwhile, former…

MAJOR pressure from Marina Rodriguez for the stoppage 💪 #UFCVegas79 pic.twitter.com/vYaYZYATGS

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) September 24, 2023

Marina Rodriguez earned an extra $50,000 for her beatdown of Michelle Waterson-Gomez at UFC Fight Night 228.

The Brazilian muay thai specialist battered her foe with brutal knees and elbows in the clinch, eventually forcing a stoppage at the 2:42 mark of Round 2. As a result of the effort, Rodriguez received a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus.

Elsewhere, Charles Jourdain pocketed a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” award for his quick submission victory against Ricardo Ramos in a featured featherweight pairing. The Canadian got the better of a wild scramble on the canvas, locked in a guillotine choke and forced Ramos to tap at the 3:12 mark of Round 1.

Finally, Tim Means and Andre Fialho earned “Fight of the Night” honors and $50,000 apiece for their preliminary welterweight scrap. B…

Things got heated after the bell between @JohnnyEblen and Leon Edwards. #Bellator299 LIVE on @SHOsports 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/s1XK2zJ1B0

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) September 23, 2023

Tensions were high in the immediate aftermath of the Bellator 299 headliner.

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Johnny Eblen and Leon Edwards exchanged some heated words after Eblen defended his middleweight crown with a third-round knockout of the UFC welterweight champion’s younger brother, Fabian Edwards, on Saturday at 3Arena in Dublin.

The incident appeared to be triggered by Eblen’s reaction to the stoppage, as he hovered over his opponent and shouted at him. That prompted Leon Edwards to make his way toward the Bellator champion, but security was able to keep the two fighters apart as they yelled at one another.

Things calmed down after a brief period, as Eblen approached the opposing corner and shook hands with Leon and Fabian. Eblen is now unbeaten in 14 pro…

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗞𝗢 😱#AndStill @JohnnyEblen puts Edwards out cold with some insane ground and pound! #Bellator299 LIVE on @SHOsports 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/mF65bdDglB

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) September 23, 2023

Johnny Eblen’s claim as the best middleweight in the world just got stronger as the Bellator MMA middleweight champion brutally defended his title with a third-round knockout of Fabian Edwards in the Bellator 299 main event at the 3arena in Dublin.

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Eblen (14-0) and Edwards (12-3) have had some bad blood in the promotion for this fight but the two had tons of respect early in the fight. Edwards led the way early with calf kicks but Eblen’s pressure along the cage made Edwards drain his energy.

As Edwards continued to defend takedowns, Eblen’s confidence continued to grow. The 31-year-old kingpin opened up and nearly paid for it after he was cut between the eyes by a sharp elbow from Edwards. The pressure wa…

Sherdog's live Bellator 299 coverage will begin Saturday at 11 a.m. ET. Round 1

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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 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 Bellator Middleweight Title Fight:Johnny Eblen (184.6) vs. Fabian Ed…

[embedded content] The Ultimate Fighting Championship's latest offering features an intriguing lightweight matchup between two rising contenders.

Both Rafael Fiziev and Mateusz Gamrot hit their marks for the five-round main event. Both men came in at 156 pounds on the dot. The rest of the 11-fight card also made weight, which made it a drama-free affair at the official weigh-ins.

Fiziev (12-2) is coming off a majority decision defeat to Justin Gaethje. Prior to the setback, "Ataman" had put together six straight wins over the likes of Rafael dos Anjos and Brad Riddell. Meanwhile, Gamrot (22-2, 1 NC) has won five of his last six fights, with the only blemish coming to Beneil Dariush. Wins over Jalin Turner and Arman Tsarukyan are highlights for "Gamer."

UFC Fight Night 228 will air live on ESPN+ in its entirety on Saturday. Prelims begin at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT, while the main card starts at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

UFC Fight Night 228 Weigh-in Results: Rafael Fizi…

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor Chris Leben is set to make his Nevada debut as a judge on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 228, according to ESPN.

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Throughout his extensive mixed martial arts career, "The Crippler" faced the likes of Wanderlei Silva, Uriah Hall and Derek Brunson. He retired from the sport in December 2013 with a record of 22-12.

Leben has served as a professional referee and judge in California for the last four years and has now received his license to work events under the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Judging has been under scrutiny after last weekend’s UFC Fight Night 227 headliner, when Mike Bell gave Alexa Grasso a controversial 10-8 score for Round 5 in her rematch against Valentina Shevchenko. That resulted in the flyweight title bout ending in a split draw. Some are of the opinion that a retired fighter, who has competed inside the cage, will have a better perspective and approach to judging as oppos…

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Everyone made weight ahead ofRizin 44, including featherweight headliners Kleber Koike Erbst and Masanori Kanehara.

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Erbst tipped the scales at 145.1 pounds, while Kanehara checked in at 144.7. Rizin 44 takes place on Sunday at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, and will also see Juntaro Ushiki (145.1) lock horns with Kyohei Hagiwara (145.1) in the evening’s co-main event.

Erbst was stripped of his featherweight title after missing weight ahead of a showdown with Chihiro Suzuki at Rizin 43. Though the Brazilian won via first-round armbar, the official result was a no contest due to Erbst’s trangression on the scales.

“I’m the champion because I haven’t lost yet,” Erbst said in a release. “Kanehara is strong, but I will definitely win. I can definitely get one with a triangle.”

Kanehara enters the matchup on a three-bout winning streak under the Rizin banner. Most recently, the 40-year-old Tokyo native outpointed Sor…

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Former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight king Francis Ngannou revealed to Joe Rogan what prompted him to sign with Professional Fighters League.

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“The Predator” parted ways with the UFC back in January after the two parties failed to come to terms for a new deal. Ngannou, the reigning heavyweight champion, had a list of demands including having the liberty to compete in boxing matches while under contract. The knockout artist will toe the line with lineal heavyweight boxing ruler Tyson Fury Oct. 28 in Saudi Arabia under Marquess of Queensberry rules.

Unable to reach a consensus, Ngannou vacated the belt and is now signed with the PFL under an agreement that has seemingly met his demands.

In a recent appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience, “The Predator” explained how and why the PFL's offer was the most attractive to him as a free agent.

As per Ngannou, once he was a free agent, PFL CEO Pete Murray met with …