Miguel Baeza-Kalinn Williams Welterweight Battle Added to UFC Fight Night 197

BREAKING

Want some violence for November 13th?! YOU GOT IT.

Miguel Baeza (@Thunder92Baeza) vs. Khaos Williams (@khaosOXwilliams) is set to take place on November 13th

Article (in Dutch):https://t.co/ZGHemtcWWB pic.twitter.com/z1LBihDCiP

— MMA DNA (@MMADNANL) October 15, 2021 Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. The Ultimate Fighting Championship can seemingly pair any two reliable action welterweights for potentially thrilling results.

Per MMA DNA on Friday, a 170-pound rumble has been booked for UFC Fight Night 197 on Nov. 13. Inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Miguel Baeza (10-1) will square off against Kalinn Williams (12-2). On its Instagram stories, Baeza’s gym of MMA Masters confirmed the pairing shortly after its announcement.

Baeza suffered his first career defeat in June, coming up short by unanimous verdict …

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Luis Pena 911 Call Audio Released: ‘He Punched Me in the Face’

The harrowing 911 call for former Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Luis Pena has been released.

Hours before TMZ first broke the news that Pena had been let go from the UFC following his second arrest for domestic violence, TMZ also put out audio of the 911 call by Pena’s girlfriend.

Per the most recent reports along with the arrest records and appropriate affidavits, Pena was witnessed having struck his girlfriend with a closed fist more than once, and continued when she fell to the ground. She also injured her wrist and suffered a bite mark by her knee, according to the affidavit. When another woman attempted to intervene, Pena allegedly struck her as well. Both women provided sworn statements following the incident.

In the 911 call, Pena’s girlfriend identified Pena as a UFC fighter, and claimed that he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. She went on to state that she was choked by the fighter the night before, and detailed the events of that nigh…

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Aaron Pico to Face Justin Gonzales at Bellator 271 on Nov. 12

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lycb3TFaxgA&w=560&h=315] So far, all four announced matchups for Bellator 271 feature top-ranked Bellator MMA fighters.

Per ESPN on Thursday, Aaron Pico (8-3) will come to blows with Justin Gonzales (12-0) at Bellator's Nov. 12 card at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The two featherweights will both be riding impressive win streaks into their meeting.

Pico has rattled off four straight finishes since his relocation to Jackson-Wink MMA after a pair of knockout losses to Henry Corrales and Adam Borics in 2019. With the four stoppages in row, including a June anaconda choke of Aiden Lee, Pico has already found himself high on the list of the most wins inside the distance in Bellator history with eight. His appearance against Lee marked the first time the 25-year-old had ever competed beyond the second round in his 11-fight all-Bellator career.

“J-Train” made his successful organizational debut at the s…

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Norma Dumont Upset With Holly Holm’s Withdrawal From UFC Fight Night 195 Headliner

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYrgcAr7RQg&w=560&h=315] Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight Norma Dumont is not pleased by how Holly Holm handled her recent injury. Scheduled to face Aspen Ladd in the main event of UFC Fight Night 195, Brazil’s Dumont complained about the way former Holly Holm decided to leave the fight. Holm vs. Dumont was initially its headliner, but Holm suffered a knee injury and Ladd will be moving up a division to take her place. Dumont joined the podcast of Mundo da Luta on Combate on Tuesday to speak about this lost matchup.

“I don’t really know what happened to Holly,” Dumont admitted, “but the impression is that she left because she didn’t want to fight or wanted to do something else. She said it was a knee injury, but said that until December she will fight, how are you going to fig…

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Phil Hawes vs. Chris Curtis Set at Middleweight for UFC 268

Going to be a good one. Phil is getting a lot of shit but I mean, its a sport and a business. You have to look out for you first. Not mad at him. But we get to do it at MSG on a banger card. I promise you we will show out.

— Chris The Action Man Curtis (@Actionman513) October 14, 2021 Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Ultimate Fighting Championship newcomer Chris Curtis will be getting opportunity to take on Phil Hawes after all. Officially added to the UFC 268 bill on Nov. 6 in Madison Square Garden in New York City, middleweight Hawes will lock horns with 2019 Dana White's Contender Series victor Curtis. Sources close to the situation have confirmed to Sherdog the initial report by MMA DNA on Thursday. The pairing was briefly booked at UFC Fight Night 194 after Curtis stepped up on extremely short notice, when Deron Winn withdrew f…
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World Fight League Announces Founding, Releases 50/50 Revenue Share Plan

If the World Fight League can get off the ground, it could change the nature of the sport as we know it.

The newly founded organization released a statement on Wednesday formally announcing its plan to emerge as a league to challenge other major promotions. Unlike any noteworthy organization running currently, but similar to the International Fight League in the past, the WFL plans on operating like other professional sports leagues by operating teams. These teams, known as franchises, will represent four different conferences around the world consisting of North America, South America, Europe and Africa, and Asia and Oceania. According to the WFL release, six franchises have been currently approved, and it is seeking additional involvement to fill its ranks.

Ariel Helwani first broke the news in September that this league was being created, with the intention of launching in 2023. The goal of the WFL is stated to exist with four conferences holding at least eig…
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Glory Kickboxing, Bally Sports Agree to U.S. Broadcasting Deal

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK5QOWp9pdg&w=560&h=315] Glory Kickboxing will be back on the U.S. airwaves for its tentpole event in October.

On Wednesday, Glory announced that Bally Sports Regional Networks has acquired the exclusive television broadcast rights in the United States to show Glory 79, the undercard for Glory: Collision 3. Glory 79, which goes down at the GelreDome in Arnhem, Netherlands, can still be viewed live on the Sherdog YouTube page on Oct. 23 should one wish to watch the event online.

On the Bally networks, fans will be treated to four kickboxing bouts with the following matchups: Alim Nabiyev vs. Troy Jones at 170 pounds, Serhii Adamchuk vs. Aleksei Ulianov at featherweight, middleweights Matt Baker vs. Serkan Ozcaglayan, and Stoyan Koprivlenski vs. Bruno Gazani in the lightweight division.

Following Glory 79, the event will switch to pay-per-view, where it will be headlined by heavyweight rubber match between kingpin Rico Verh…

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Geraldo de Freitas Jr. Receives 2-Year Sanction After USADA Violation

Independent Arbitrator Imposes Two-Year Sanction on Geraldo Augusto de Freitas Junior for UFC Anti-Doping Policy Violation https://t.co/O113PpG3A2

— USADA (@usantidoping) October 13, 2021

If there is any consolation, it is that the 30-year-old Brazilian bantamweight has already competed back in his home country since leaving the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

On Wednesday, the United States Anti-Doping Agency announced that former UFC bantamweight fighter Geraldo de Freitas Jr. would receive a two-year ban from fighting. The Brazilian failed an out-of-competition drug test collected on Oct. 14, 2020, for the exogenous administration of testosterone. While de Freitas argued during the evidentiary hearings that the test was collected erroneously, an independent arbitrator ultimately dismissed his claims as inconclusive. His period of ineligibility began on Jan. 11, although the UFC let him go in March.

“Geraldo Augusto de Freitas’ urine s…

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Lupita Godinez Replaces Sijara Eubanks, Takes on Luana Carolina at UFC Fight Night 195

BREAKING: Sijara Eubanks OUT (Covid Protocol) Lupita Godínez @Loopygodinez IN vs. Luana Carolina. Godínez is moving up to 125 to fight just one week after her first victory in the octagon vs. Silvana Gómez Juárez.

— Carlos Contreras Legaspi (@CCLegaspi) October 13, 2021

“Loopy” will fight twice in seven days, setting a modern-era Ultimate Fighting Championship record.

The 28-year-old Mexican steps up to face Luana Carolina in a flyweight affair at UFC Fight Night 195 this Saturday. Sherdog’s own sources confirmed the news after ESPN Deportes made the initial report Tuesday night. Godinez replaces Sijara Eubanks, who pulled out of the fight due to COVID-19 protocols. The last time a UFC fighter competed twice in such a short span was last July, when Khamzat Chimaev clashed with John Phillips before taking on Rhys McKee 10 days later, setting a record that Godinez is now scheduled to break.

Former Legacy Fighting Alliance champion Godinez …

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Jon Jones Banned from Jackson-Wink MMA Following Arrest for Domestic Violence

It appears that the troubles for “Bones” are far from over.

On Wednesday, Jackson-Wink MMA coach Mike Winkeljohn revealed that former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champ Jon Jones is no longer part of the team. The decision came after Jones was arrested for battery domestic violence in September while in Las Vegas to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame for his epic fight with Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165. Jones was arrested on Sept. 24 after he allegedly assaulted his fiancée. He was released 12 hours after his arrest and is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 26. It was just the latest addition to Jones’ police record, which includes several DWI offenses, and it seems that it was more than Winklejohn could take, as the coach asked his former protégé to stay away from the gym until he addresses his alcohol problem.

“I have a wife and three daughters, I teach women’s self-defense called Smart Girls self-defense,” Winkeljohn said on The MMA Hour…

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Dagestani Prospect Saygid Izagakhmaev Signs with One Championship

One Championship continues to expand its roster with top Russian prospects.

On Tuesday, former Ultimate Fighting Championship 155-pound titleholder Khabib Nurmagomedov announced via Instagram that his 27-year-old training partner, Saygid Izagakhmaev, has been signed by One and would make his promotional debut in December. The red-hot prospect is the latest fighter from Dagestan to sign with One, following in the footsteps of former featherweight kingpin Marat Gafurov, Yusup Saadulaev and Saygid Guseyn Arslanaliev, among others.

Nurmagomedov wrote, “I want to share news with you guys, my brother @saygid_izagakhmaev has signed a contract with @onechampionship and his next fight will be on December. Thank you so much @yodchatri it would be impossible without you, see you my Friend, it was nice to meet you.”

Former Gorilla Fighting Championship interim 170-pound champion Izagakhmaev (19-2) is currently riding a two-bout winning streak after submitting Paulo Cesa…

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UFC Releases Luis Pena Following Two Recent Domestic Violence Arrests

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has parted ways with Luis Pena following two arrests for domestic violence in the past few months.

TMZ Sports was first to confirm Pena’s arrest with the Las Vegas-based promotion on Tuesday evening.

“UFC is aware of the disturbing allegations concerning the recent arrest of Luis Pena. Mr. Pena has been open about his struggles with mental health and substance abuse issues and the organization has on multiple prior occasions attempted to help him get professional treatment," read a statement from the organization. "At this time, UFC believes Mr. Pena needs to deal with the health and legal issues in front of him, and consequently has informed Mr. Pena’s management that his promotional agreement has been terminated.” UFC president Dana White also addressed the Pena situation following Week 7 of the Contender Series.

“This was a bad case and we knew he had problems before that we were trying to help him with,” White told reporters. “Y…

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