Martial Arts News

After some initial hesitation from the UFC, it appears the promotion is ready to book a strawweight championship rematch between Rose Namajunas and Carla Esparza.

UFC president Dana White confirmed in an interview with ESPN that Esparza is next in line for a 115-pound title shot. A date for the proposed bout was not revealed.

“Carla Esparza (is next),” White said. “100 percent.”

Esparza and Namajunas initially squared off at “The Ultimate Fighter 20” finale with the promotion’s inaugural strawweight title at stake. Esparza captured the belt via third-round submission in the December 2014 bout but relinquished the crown in a second-round KO loss to Joanna Jedrzejczyk in her next outing. “The Cookie Monster” went 3-3 in UFC competition from 2016 to 2018 before embarking on a five-bout winning streak that propelled her to her current No. 1 contender status.

Namajunas, meanwhile, is currently on her second championship reign in the strawweight division. She re…

A bantamweight showdown pitting Marlon Moraes against Yadong Song is in the works for UFC Fight Night on March 12.

MMAjunkie.com confirmed the booking after Song initially announced the fight on the UFC’s Migu channel. The UFC Fight Night card is expected to be headlined by a light heavyweight clash between Magomed Ankalaev and Thiago Santos. A location and venue has yet to be announced.

A former World Series of Fighting champion and UFC bantamweight title challenger, Moraes has dropped four of his last five outings in the Octagon. Most recently, Moraes rocked Merab Dvalishvili early in their UFC 266 encounter before falling via technical knockout at the 4:25 mark of Round 2. The American Top Team product’s other recent defeats have come at the hands of Rob Font, Cory Sandhagen and Henry Cejudo.

Song, meanwhile, has compiled a 7-1-1 mark during his tenure with the Las Vegas-based promotion. After falling to Kyler Phillips via unanimous decision in his first ap…

Derrick Lewis took sole possession of the all-time UFC knockout record on Saturday night, but he wasn’t overly impressed with the achievement.

“It means something, I guess, because of all the greats that were here before me,” Lewis said at the UFC Fight Night 199 press conference on Saturday night. “But really it doesn’t change anything, because there’s still a lot of other guys that are active and have been doing pretty good as well.

“I preferred to get the win in Houston [at UFC 265] than here in the APEX, so it didn’t really erase anything. I’m still going to be thinking about [the Ciryl Gane loss] late at night.”

Lewis ended Chris Daukaus’ five-bout promotional winning streak in resounding fashion, as he knocked out the Philadelphia-based police officer with power punches 3:36 into the opening round of their heavyweight headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It was an impressive bounceback effort from “The Black Beast,” who fell to Gane in an interim title…

Reigning strawweight queen Jingnan Xiong will defend her belt against Ayaka Miura in the main event of One Championship “Heavy Hitters” on Jan. 14.

The Singapore-based promotion recently confirmed the booking, which will be contested at 125 pounds according to One’s weight class rules. One “Heavy Hitters” takes place at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore and will also see light heavyweight kickboxing champion Roman Kryklia defend his title against Murat Aygun in the co-main event.

The rest of the card will include a mix of combat sports disciplines, including the following MMA matchups: James Nakashima vs. Saygid Izagakhmaev at lightweight; Senzo Ikeda vs. Jeremy Miado at strawweight; Yushin Okami vs. Leandro Ataides at middleweight; Shuya Kamikubo vs. Troy Worthen at bantamweight; Tiffany Teo vs. Meng Bo at strawweight and Robin Catalan vs. Elipitua Siregar at strawweight.

The 33-year-old Xiong has been victorious in 11 of her last 12 professional o…

Chael Sonnen received five battery citations after an alleged brawl at the Four Seasons hotel in Las Vegas on Saturday night, according to a report from TMZ Sports.

The former UFC title challenger was detained but not arrested because police did not witness the incident. However, TMZ Sports did obtain video of Sonnen being led away in handcuffs. Authorities are still investigating the incident.

According to an eyewitness account provided to TMZ, Sonnen was seen banging on the door of a room at the hotel at approximately 7 p.m. local time. Shortly thereafter, a couple allegedly walked by and a physical altercation began. A reason for the incident is unknown.

Sonnen was getting the better of the scuffle with the man, according to the witness, before the woman began to scream and the police were called. That ultimately led to Sonnen being taken away in handcuffs and detained. Paramedics also responded to the scene, but it’s unclear if anyone was treated for injurie…

Jordan Young, who fought under the Professional Fighters League banner just this past October, has died at age 27.

Young’s death was announced by his boxing coach, Derik Santos, via Instagram. His passing was later confirmed on social media by his camp, American Top Team, as well as the PFL account. The cause of Young’s death is currently unclear.

It’s with a heavy heart, we have learned about the passing of our teammate Jordan Young. Our team is shocked and deeply saddened by this news. A great teammate, he will be deeply missed by all of us.

Thoughts and prayers to his family. RIP to this warrior

— American Top Team (@AmericanTopTeam) December 19, 2021

PFL is saddened to learn about the passing of Jordan Young. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family during this tragic time. May he Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/PsPAyOxy2y

— PFL (@PFLMMA) December 19, 2021

“Life throws challenges at yo…

the ringside angle of the Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley fight #PaulWoodley2 pic.twitter.com/7etlnpt8TI

— Kyng (@KyngSpoilerz) December 19, 2021

The first matchup between Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley didn't exactly leave fans clamoring for a second go-round, but the rematch at least delivered a definitive finish.

In the cruiserweight main event of "Paul vs. Woodley 2" on Saturday in Tampa, Florida, Paul crushed Woodley with a right hook in the sixth round, leaving the former Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight champ prone and unconscious on the canvas. It was a shocking conclusion to an unexpected headline fight that had been thrown together on just 10 days' notice when Paul's originally scheduled opponent, professional boxer Tommy Fury, withdrew due to a combination of injury and illness. In stepped Woodley, who had lost to Paul by decision in a tepid fight on Aug. 29. With the devastating knockout win, Paul goes to 5-0 as a professi…

Darren Elkins is known for his ability to absorb punishment and keep going. Cub Swanson is now $50,000 richer for changing the narrative.

Swanson received a “Performance of the Night” bonus for his first-round stoppage of Elkins in a matchup of veteran featherweights at UFC Fight Night 199 at the UFC Apex on Saturday night. Swanson was able to remain upright and rock Elkins with multi-punch combinations before ultimately putting his opponent away with a glancing wheel kick 2:12 into Round 1 for his third win in four outings.

Elsewhere, Amanda Lemos and Angela Hill earned “Fight of the Night” honors and $50,000 apiece for their competitive strawweight bout. Lemos started quickly when she rocked Hill with a front kick to the face and followed her foe to the canvas in pursuit of the finish. Hill recovered and made things interesting over the final two frames, even making her Brazilian adversary stumble to the mat with a spinning back elbow in Round 3. It ultimately wasn…

Chris Daukaus is the only one who didn't see this KO coming a mile away pic.twitter.com/DU0xF2N9fA

— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) December 19, 2021

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL, Dana White’s Contender Series and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.

Derrick Lewis stands alone in the Ultimate Fighting Championship record book.

“The Black Beast” broke a tie with Matt Brown and set the promotion’s all-time mark for knockout victories with his 13th, as he battered Chris Daukaus senseless in the first round of their UFC Fight Night 199 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Lewis (26-8, 17-6 UFC) drew the curtain 3:36 into Round 1, winning for the fifth time in six appearances.

Daukaus (12-4, 4-1 UFC) connected with a slashing right elbow and did what he could to steer clear of one of the world’s most dangerou…

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL, Dana White’s Contender Series and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Sherdog's live UFC Fight Night 199 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. Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry score…

HE NEEDED A FINISH AND HE GOT IT!

GM3 was down two rounds before sinking in the RNC!!! #UFCVegas45 pic.twitter.com/sYY4LDh2mf

— UFC (@ufc) December 18, 2021 Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL, Dana White’s Contender Series and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Gerald Meerschaert took a circuitous route but nevertheless arrived at his desired destination.

The Roufusport mainstay completed a perfect 2021 campaign—he went 3-0 with three submission victories—inside the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s middleweight division, as he dispatched Dustin Stoltzfus with a rear-naked choke in the third round of their featured UFC Fight Night 199 prelim on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Stoltzfus (13-4, 0-3 UFC) met his end 2:58 into Round 3.

Meerschaert (34-14, 9-6 UFC) appeared to tire after a back-and-forth first round. Stoltzfus …

Sherdog's live KSW 65 “Khalidov vs. Soldic” coverage will begin Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.

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

Round 1 Welcome one and all to KSW 65, the final event for the Polish promotion for 2021, capped off with two exciting title bouts. Kicking off the card, we have 20 year-old Shamad Erzanukaev making his professional debut at bantamweight, facing 23 year-old Bartosz Rewera (1-0), who missed weight by a pound. Rewera begins with a 1-2 that barely misses, but it's soon Erzanukaev who gets him against the fence, unleashing a few punches that partially get through and attaining the clinch. Erzanukaev has double underhooks and clearly wants to get it to the ground. Still, Rewera is hanging tough, using a whizzer to stay upright for now. He even manages to regain one underhook. Marc Goddards separates the two men due to a lack of action. Erzanukaev fires a body kick that partially gets through. However…