Martial Arts News

Devin Smyth JUST DID THAT 💥 #LFA167 pic.twitter.com/ykHfONvKKh

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) September 16, 2023

Devin Smyth (10-3) returned to the win column in style at Friday’s Legacy Fighting Alliance 167 main event in Niagara Falls, New York.

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Smyth wasted little time going up against welterweight Jonathan Piersma (6-2). Soon after feeling out the distance and applying forward pressure for the initial moments of the bout, “The Prodigy” unloaded a devastating spinning wheel kick against Piersma 51 seconds of the opening frame.

In the co-main event, welterweight Shamidkhan Magomedov (6-1) captured a hard-fought unanimous decision against Uzbekistan's Bahromjon Mashrapov (7-3).

Also on the card was a strawweight bout between Canadian Ashley Nichols (6-4) and Mexicos' Nadia Vera (4-2). In the end, Nichols managed to secure a decisive unanimous decision victory.

Additionally, Jeff Craig edged Barrington …

Echeverria with the main event finish!!!

What a night! Thank you, North Dakota!!!#CFFC125 pic.twitter.com/fU325XGW8Z

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) September 16, 2023

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Venezuelan flyweight prospect Roybert Echeverria (8-1) returned to the win column after securing an anaconda choke at 2:56 of Round 2 against Pololu Nakanelua (6-2) in Friday’s Cage Fury Fighting Championship 125 headliner.

Coming off a Round 3 loss in an appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022, Echeverria came in primed for his catchweight CFFC bout in New Town, North Dakota, and managed to secure the slick submission against the Legacy Fighting Alliance alum in his promotional debut.

In the co-main event, another catchweight bout, J.P. St. Louis (10-5) fought his way to a majority decision against Nicholas Meck (5-1).

In a women's bantamweight matchup, Elizabeth Schroder (4-3) was awarded a unanimous decision win against Al…

💥💥NEW CARD💥💥#RIZIN_LANDMARK7 in AZE🇦🇿

👑Featherweight title match👑RIZIN MMA rules 66.0kg

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🟥Vugar KeramovCurrent RIZIN Featherweight Championーー🆚ーーー🟦Chihiro SuzukiFirst KNOCK OUT-BLACK Champion

📅11/4(Sat)🏟National Gymnastics Arenahttps://t.co/h8XymWK5Oq pic.twitter.com/Oz5jknVbbX

— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) September 14, 2023 Rizin Fighting Federation is going international in the most unexpected of ways.

The Japan-based promotion had hinted that a trip to Azerbaijan would be in the cards in the future, due to a number of talented competitors on its roster from the region. All past Rizin events, from Saraba no Utake in December 2015, to its secret Landmark events held in undisclosed locations, to its blockbuster shows at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, have taken place in Japan. According to a press conference on Thursday, the organization is officially going to Baku, Azerbaijan, on Nov. 4, for Rizin…

#BELLATOR300 adds seven fresh fights to the historic card at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego on Oct. 7 which includes a middleweight tilt between @GrantNeal and @RomeroCotton, an electric matchup pitting Dmytrii Hrytsenko and @JustinMontalvo, and more!https://t.co/NO65eYX2g2

— Bellator Public Relations (@BellatorPR) September 15, 2023 Bellator MMA is loading up its preliminary card on Oct. 7 with as many names as it can muster.

On Friday, the organization sent out via press release an additional eight matchups that are now set for Bellator 300. This fight card will take place at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, and it will feature what the promotion is calling a “quadruple main event” with four championship tilts atop the billing all receiving main event status.

The preliminary lineup is currently expected to be headlined by Davion Franklin vs. Slim Trabelsi in a previously booked heavyweight affair. Several other fights including Henry…

[embedded content] Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White has revealed shocking news regarding the death of his parents.

In a recent appearance on "Piers Morgan Uncensored," White talked about his estranged relationship with his parents, how it shaped him as an individual, and the impact of their deaths on him. During the interview with Piers Morgan, White agreed with the assertion that his strained relationship with his parents fueled him to work hard and become successful.

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However, the 54-year-old was also quick to note that while he would change nothing about his upbringing, his circumstances as a child taught him what not to do as a parent. While White's father was mostly absent from his life, he was raised by a single mother. Eventually, the UFC CEO's relationship with his mother also took a hit when she decided to write a book on him, back in 2011.

As the interview progressed, White calmly revealed that both of his parents had passed aw…

Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight Jared Cannonier recently took to social media to make his case for a title shot against reigning middleweight champion Sean Strickland.

Recording one of the biggest upsets in the division's history, Strickland fought his way to a dominant unanimous decision victory against two-time champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 on Sept. 9. Now holding the highly coveted divisional strap, “Tarzan” has several solid options for opponents for his first title defense. Most fans are of the view that Adesanya isn't deserving of an immediate rematch, considering he holds just one win in his last three outings.

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Another alternative includes Dricus Du Plessis, who secured an emphatic technical knockout victory at UFC 290 against former middleweight kingpin Robert Whittaker. While Du Plessis was offered to fight Adesanya on the recently concluded UFC 293 card, "Stillknocks" was unable to make it to the Octagon due to an injury. A…

❌Derek Brunson has reportedly been released from the UFC pic.twitter.com/buncFYMYBc

— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) September 15, 2023

Even though he was scheduled to face Roman Dolidze at UFC 295 on Nov. 11 in New York City’s world-famous Madison Square Garden, long-time Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight contender Derek Brunson has parted ways with the promotion. MMAFighting was first to report the news Thursday.

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A part of the Las Vegas-based company for the past 11 years, Brunson, 39, stepped inside the Octagon a whopping 21 times and holds a record of 14-7 in the organization.

Perhaps one of the most consistent fighters in the division, Brunson faced the likes of Anderson Silva, Yoel Romero, Robert Whittaker, Israel Adesanya, Uriah Hall and Darren Till throughout his UFC tenure.

Despite being unable to secure a divisional crown, Brunson racked up two impressive runs to the title, often serving as a roa…

#LFA169 is scheduled for Red River Rivalry Eve in Dallas on Oct. 6 pic.twitter.com/r0zOnQaOrz

— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) September 15, 2023

Legacy Fighting Alliance is set to return to Dallas with a Red River weekend showdown. LFA 169 will go down Oct. 6 at The Factory in Dallas, concluding the promotion’s tour of its most frequented state. The event will mark LFA’s 12th outing in the DFW Metroplex, a record for the organization.

One of the most highly-touted prospects coming from Texas, Landry Ward will take on rival state Oklahoma’s standout Alfred Walker in the main event. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Landry, 26, is coming off a hard-fought split-decision win over Matheus Pereira Morais at LFA 163. Meanwhile, Walker will be making his promotional debut as he looks to play heel in enemy territory.

“We are excited to kick off Red River Rivalry weekend and conclude this year's Texas Tour in the city and venue where it all start…

For the third time since 2018, Ultimate Fighting Championship legend Pat Miletich has been arrested for driving while intoxicated.

On Thursday morning, Miletich was arrested for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) in his home city of Bettendorf, Iowa. According to a report from local news outlet KWQC, which obtained a copy of the police report of his arrest, police were called early Thursday about a driver on the wrong side of the road. The driver, later determined to be Miletich, had allegedly driven over the front embankment of a nearby Shell gas station and parked.

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When an officer arrived at the scene, Miletich allegedly stated he drank wine but did not allow the officer to test him for sobriety, including a Breathalyzer. The officer identified that there were tire tracks in the grass and some damage to a retaining wall in the station’s parking lot. Miletich’s truck also had sustained some damage consistent with the markings on the w…

Cortney Casey Accepts Sanction for Violation of UFC Anti-Doping Policy https://t.co/1nOaUFbRpY

— USADA (@usantidoping) September 14, 2023 Cortney Casey will be eligible to fight again on Oct. 1.

Per the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency on Thursday, Casey has been handed down a brief four-month sanction due to her taking of banned substance BPC-157. This product, an experimental peptide that, according to USADA, is not yet legal to take, is linked towards potential treatment of various gastrointestinal diseases. It is rumored to have additional benefits that could include improving injury recovery time or healing torn muscles and tendons.

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Casey informed USADA that she was taking this after learning that it was a not a permitted substance. She claimed that it was prescribed by a doctor to help treat an unspecified medical issue. As she did not test positive for the substance, and was otherwise cooperative and forthcoming about ta…

Just heard some horrible news about a young aspiring fighter from Liverpool, Liam McCracken his name is. Great little talent… he’s been involved in a terrible accident. His gym has started a support page so anyone with some spare donations head to their insta page @aspirecsa 🤞🏻 pic.twitter.com/7PWLpS52HE

— D (@darrentill2) September 13, 2023

Mixed martial artist Liam McCracken had an unfortunate accident involving a bus on Tuesday, Sept. 12, on Pilch Lane East in Huyton, England. The 22-year-old, who recently became a father and was set to face Tony Silva in a lightweight bout on Oct. 20’s Anthony Pettis FC 8 card, was on his way to coach a one-on-one session at his gym, Aspire MMA, in Liverpool.

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Per his coach and friend, Phil Turner, McCracken was dragged under the bus following the accident and stuck there for an hour before being taken to Aintree Hospital. Liam raised his friends’ suspicions about a possible mishap …

One of these two Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweights will get back in the win column when the dust settles.

MMAJunkie first broke the news on Thursday that Ismael Bonfim (19-4) and Vinc Pichel (14-3) will be competing in a lightweight matchup at UFC Fight Night 231 on Nov. 4. Bonfim confirmed the pairing on Instagram shortly after its announcement.

Brazil’s Bonfim saw his mighty 13-fight win streak come to a crashing halt when Benoit St. Denis tapped him out with a face crank in July. Before then, “Marreta” rattled off eight stoppages along the way, including his most recent victory with a flying knee knockout of Terrance McKinney in his UFC debut. Bonfim will be competing at this event along with his brother, Gabriel Bonfim, who is slated to take on Nicolas Dalby. Over the years, the two brothers have fought on four events together, and they both picked up wins on all four of those fight cards.

While he did not sport 13 wins in a row leading up to his…