Martial Arts News

When all is said and done, the clash between Nate Landwehr and David Onama may go down as one of the year’s best fights.

For now, the featherweights will have to settle for “Fight of the Night” as both Landwehr and Onama received $50,000 for their work in the UFC on ESPN 41 co-main event on Saturday night. Onama appeared to have Landwehr in serious danger in Round 1, but the former M-1 Global champion recovered to assert himself down the stretch in a bout that featured a number of spirited exchanges.

Elsewhere, Marlon Vera earned a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” award for his fourth-round knockout of Dominick Cruz in the evening’s bantamweight headliner. While he lacked volume, Vera floored Cruz repeatedly in the contest. The last of those, a head kick, ended Cruz’s night at the 2:17 mark of Round 4.

Finally, Tyson Nam garnered the evening’s other $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check for a knockout of Ode Osbourne in a preliminary flyweight tilt. After O…

Marlon Vera picked up a statement win against Dominick Cruz in the main event of UFC on ESPN 41.

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight champion got off to a quick start, blitzing Vera (20-7-1) with punches and getting in and out. However, the power of Vera was also apparent, as "Chito" dropped Cruz (24-4) despite getting outstruck most of the round. "The Dominator" would stay out of any danger and easily control Round 2. The tide would turn as Vera would land his best punch of the fight in the third round, an overhand right that dropped Cruz, and battled back into the main event. The next round would see Vera close out the show with a sensational head kick that knocked Cruz cleanly out.

Advertisement

The stoppage for Vera came at 2:17 of Round 4.Landwehr Wins Brawl Over Onama The co-main event saw featherweights Nate Landwehr and David Onama clash. It looked like Landwehr (10-2) was in for a long night after eating a big right hand from Onama (16…

Sherdog's live UFC on ESPN 41 “Cruz vs. Vera” coverage will begin Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.

Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below.

Advertisement

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Zalal (-120), Blackshear (+100)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round: Round 3 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Quinlan (-230), Witt (+195)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Tris…

Dilano Taylor hushed all talk of a Rory MacDonald resurgence.

The Sanford MMA rep cut down the top-seeded McDonald with first-round punches, as their 2022 Professional Fighters League semifinal headlined PFL 8 on Saturday at Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales. A short-notice substitution for Magomed Umalatov, Taylor (10-2, 3-1 PFL) slammed the door 3:59 into Round 1.

Advertisement

MacDonald (23-10-1, 2-4 PFL) initiated an immediate clinch but wound up on his back after a failed takedown. He ultimately returned to an upright position but found himself at a significant disadvantage in the hand speed department. Taylor connected with regularity before flooring the Tristar Gym mainstay with a searing right cross. MacDonald then retreated into a shell on the ground and ate one too many follow-up punches for referee Marc Goddard’s liking.

Taylor moves on to the 2022 PFL welterweight final, where he will face Sadibou Sy on Nov. 25 for a $1 million prize. Sy (12-6-2…

The 2022 Professional Fighters League Playoffs continue Saturday at 12 p.m. ET.

Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below.

Advertisement

Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Noah Gagnon scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Noah Gagnon scores the round: Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Noah Gagnon scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Noah Gagnon scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Noah Gagnon scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Noah Gagnon scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Noah Gagnon s…

Nina Nunes announces her retirement at #UFCSanDiego after a more than decade long MMA career pic.twitter.com/1YVk9sP885

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 13, 2022

Nina Nunes is choosing family over her fighting career.

Advertisement

The 36-year-old American Top Team representative announced her retirement following a split-decision triumph over Cynthia Calvillo in a preliminary flyweight bout at UFC on ESPN 41 at Pechanga Arena in San Diego on Saturday. It was Nunes’ 125 pound debut following a 4-4 stint at 115 pounds. Nunes left her gloves in the center of the cage before announcing her decision to Daniel Cormier in a post-fight Octagon interview.

“As a fighter, I think I’ve done what I wanted to,” Nines said. “It started as a hobby. I got all the way here. I’m going to focus on coaching and bringing up those girls that are struggling right now.

“I want more babies,” she added. “So I’m stepping away to have another kid.”

Nun…

A middleweight showdown pitting Jack Hermansson against Derek Brunson is on tap for an Ultimate Fighting Championship event on Dec. 3.

Advertisement

Multiple outlets confirmed the targeted booking following an initial report from Ariel Helwani. The event also includes a women’s flyweight clash between Amanda Ribas and Tracy Cortez but doesn’t yet have an official location or venue.

Hermansson is 3-3 in his last six promotional outings. “The Joker” last competed at UFC Fight Night 208, where he garnered a unanimous verdict over Chris Curtis on July 23. His ledger includes notable wins over the likes of Kelvin Gastelum, Ronaldo Souza and Thales Leites, among other.

Brunson, meanwhile, had a five-bout winning streak snapped at UFC 271, where he suffered a second-round knockout loss to Jared Cannonier on Feb. 12. It was the second time the North Carolina native has authored a five-fight winning streak in the Las Vegas-based promotion, but on both occasions he…

That's one for the highlight reel.

pic.twitter.com/jIeW6BOrYc

— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) August 13, 2022

Advertisement

The latest Cage Fury Fighting Championships foray into Wales ended with a quick finish.

In the CW 142 main event, 125-pound titleholder Sam Creasey notched his first title defense—and became the first fighter to successfully defend the CW flyweight belt—after submitting Stipe Brcic. Creasey (16-4, 11-4 CW) stunned his foe with the very first shot he landed, a nasty stepping right hook that dropped Brcic (10-3, 0-1 CW) on the canvas. Smelling blood, “Urai” went for a guillotine choke attempt that immediately appeared tight. Brcic looked for an escape out of the sticky situation, but Creasey readjusted his submission maneuver and left his opponent no chance but to tap. The official time indicated that 71 seconds had passed since the beginning.

An absolute clinic from The Welsh Gangst…

One year after capturing the Bellator lightweight belt against Peter Queally in Dublin, Patricky Freire will defend his title against Usman Nurmagomedov, the cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov, on Nov. 18.

Advertisement

While the fight has not been officially announced by the promotion, “Pitbull” confirmed the recently reported booking in an interview with Sherdog.com. He was originally scheduled to defend his belt against Sidney Outlaw at Bellator 283 before being forced to withdraw from the bout.

"Unfortunately I had to withdraw from my last fight with Sidney Outlaw due to a [pubic bone injury],” Freire said. “But I started intensive treatment since then with my physiotherapist and now I’m already doing light sparring.”

Freire says he was taken by surprise when a Bellator matchmaker texted him the name of his next opponent.

"For everything they are doing in the division and also based on their position in the rankings, I was pretty sure [Tofiq] Musa…

Goiti Yamauchi can scramble circuits if the situation dictates that he do so.

The most prolific submission artist in Bellator MMA history punched out Neiman Gracie in the second round of their Bellator 284 headliner on Friday at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Gracie (11-4, 9-4 Bellator) checked out 3:58 into Round 2, as he was finished for the first time in his 15-fight career.

Advertisement

Yamauchi (28-5, 14-4 Bellator) was sharp from the start. He staggered Gracie with a left jab in the first round, executed multiple takedowns and more than held his own in their hotly anticipated ground exchanges. Yamauchi lured his counterpart into a trap in Round 2. He dodged a few jabs, drew Gracie closer and walked him into a devastating right uppercut. The impact floored the Brazilian where he stood and left him in no condition to defend against the follow-up attack. After a few more punches connected, referee Jason Herzog waved it off.

Meanwhile, an…

Sherdog's live Bellator 284 coverage kicks off at 6 p.m. ET.

Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below.

Advertisement

Round 1 Bobby Wombacher is your referee for the first professional bout of the evening. McKee immediately gets a takedown and is able to quickly shift into side control. During a scramble, McKee tightens in a brabo choke. Ortega escapes to his feet but gets taken down for a second time. The round ends with McKee in full control. 10-9 McKee.Round 2 McKee is able to get Ortega on the ground yet again to start the second frame. McKee takes the back and looks for a rear-naked choke. Ortega gets flattened out and McKee throws hard punches to the head until the fight is stopped. The Official Result Mitchell McKee def. Tony Ortega via TKO (Punches); R1, 1:28. Round 1 Bobby Wombacher is once again your referee. Schoenfelder rocks the slow-moving Currier with an uppercut. Currier walks into a right hand and…

All #PFLPlayoffs Cardiff fighters are on weight! pic.twitter.com/KxaWgbRgfD

— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 12, 2022 The Professional Fighters League's first trip to Wales may have experienced some massive shakeups on fight week, but every fighter still managed to make weight.

PFL 8 Playoffs goes down on Saturday in Cardiff, Wales, and it features the welterweight and heavyweight semifinal matches for the 2022 season. Those fights have undergone some significant changes due to visa issues, and now the event will be headlined by former Bellator MMA welterweight champion Rory MacDonald. "The Red King" comes into this main event just 1-3 in his last four fights, with his most recent performance a lackluster decision loss to Sadibou Sy. Taking on the well-traveled veteran is extremely late replacement Dilano Taylor, who is coming off a knockout loss to Magomed Magomedkerimov. The other welterweight semifinal sees Sy square off against Challenger Series v…