Martial Arts News

Billy Quarantillo and Gabriel Benitez took home an additional $50,000 apiece for their work in the Octagon on Saturday night.

Quarantillo and Benitez received “Fight of the Night” honors for their entertaining featherweight scrap at UFC on ESPN 26 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Both fighters landed knockdowns in the bout, but Quarantillo was the one who walked away with his hand raised after a series of punches from back control forced the TKO stoppage 3:40 into Round 3.

Meanwhile, four “Performance of the Night” bonuses were handed out, as Miesha Tate, Mateusz Gamrot, Rodolfo Vieira and Rodrigo Nascimento all received an additional $50,000 for their efforts.

In her first fight in more than four years, Tate was impressive in a third-round stoppage of Marion Reneau in the evening’s co-main event. “Cupcake” took Reneau down, moved to back mount and earned a TKO with punches from that position 1:53 into Round 3.

Gamrot, meanwhile, wasted little time in putting…

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Islam Makhachev lived up to the hype in his first headlining effort. The Dagestani lightweight gradually imposed his will on Thiago Moises before submitting his opponent with a rear-naked choke at the 2:38 mark of Round 4 on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Makhachev, who has won eight straight in UFC competition, is the first person to defeat Moises via tapout.

“This is my first fourth round in my life. I never fight more than three rounds. That’s why this is good experience for me,” Makhachev said.

“I tell you guys before, I'm gonna take him down, make him tired, and make him tap.”

Moises (15-5, 4-3 UFC) spent the majority of the bout on the defensive. Makhachev (19-1, 9-1 UFC) was effective in spurts with punching combinations to the head and kicks to the body, but it was in clo…

Sherdog's live UFC on ESPN 26 coverage will begin Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.

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

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pe…

WOW! D-Rod wasting no time with a RD 1 KO!#UFCVegas31 pic.twitter.com/5iohb4dFii

— UFC (@ufc) July 18, 2021

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

Daniel Rodriguez didn’t allow Preston Parsons even a glimmer of hope in his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut.

Rodriguez won for the fifth time in six promotional outings at UFC on ESPN 26, as he picked Preston Parsons apart with precision punches en route to a technical knockout stoppage 3:47 into the opening round of their bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Parsons, a late replacement for Abubakar Nurmagomedov, saw a four-bout winning streak snapped.

Rodriguez looked every bit the part of the Octagon veteran as he blended kicks to the legs and body with straight punches early against Parsons, who was denied on his attempts to…

#KSW62 Statistics

FightsFinishes1st Round Stoppages3 Round Warsction-Packed Event pic.twitter.com/Bax0xPKNaF

— KSW (@KSW_MMA) July 17, 2021 While there were plenty of mismatches and a lack of big names, KSW 62 delivered consistently exciting matches, including six first-round finishes as well as one of the craziest first rounds one will ever see.

In the main event, Olympic weightlifting gold medalist Szymon Kolecki (10-1, 4-0 KSW) continued his surprisingly successful mixed martial arts career, shellacking overmatched Akop Szostak (4-4, 0-2 KSW), who is perhaps best known for appearing on “Dancing with the Stars” in Poland, in a mere 47 seconds. Kolecki was a monster -1500 favorite and looked like it, walking forward and landing with punches at will. He paid little attention to defense and Szostak had a few partial connects, but it didn't remotely faze the Olympic champ. Kolecki ended matters with a vicious right uppercut. KSW clearly h…

UFC on ESPN 26 is down to 10 fights after Miles Johns vs. Anderson dos Santos was scrapped due to a positive COVID-19 test in dos Santos’ camp.

Johns initially announced the cancellation on social media and it has since been confirmed by multiple outlets.

“It’s with great regret that I have to inform you all that I will not be fighting this evening. My opponent/camp tested positive for COVID so the fight is off,” Johns wrote on Instagram. “I want to wish him a speedy recovery, want to thank the UFC for the opportunity but mainly want apologize to everyone who was looking forward to watching me fight today.”

UFC on ESPN 26 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and is headlined by a lightweight tilt between Islam Makhachev and Thiago Moises. The main airs on ESPN and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while prelims stream on ESPN and ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

Johns has been victorious in two of his three Octagon appearances. The Dana White’s Contender S…

Challenger Denise Kielholtz may have competed for pride and for glory, but Bellator MMA flyweight queen Juliana Velasquez fought for family; as we have been reminded lately, nothing is stronger than family.

Bellator took three weeks off to recharge its batteries and replenish its stock, before returning inside its favored venue of the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. With Bellator 262 came 10 fights from its lightest division of women’s flyweight all the way up to the largest at heavyweight. The headlining attraction saw a 125-pound championship tilt as Velasquez (12-0, 7-0 BMMA) topped impressive challenger Kielholtz (6-3, 6-2 BMMA) in a five-round striking match. When the dust settled, the Dutchwoman gave Velasquez everything she could handle; the champion still emerged victorious by split decision, with two 48-47 calls going in her direction and one 48-47 score for her opponent.

Bolstered by her walkout of “In the End” by Linkin Park, and sending her love to he…

Sherdog's live Bellator 262 coverage kicks off Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

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

Round 1 Kicking off the card, lightweight prospect Charlie Campbell (3-1), nicknamed "The Cannibal", is a healthy favorite against Nick Giulietti (2-1). Referee Kerry Hatley will look on. Giulietti tries to touch gloves to begin, but Campbell wants nothing of it. Giulietti starts out throwing side-kicks and front-kicks, but Campbell is out of range on all occasions. Capmbell goes for a jumping knee, but it's unsuccessful, and Giulietti takes an opportunity to clinch up. He cranks an underhook nicely and forces Campbell to the canvas. Giulietti is making his more hyped opponent pay for his disrespect! Giulietti is pressing from the top and briefly gets a scarfhold, a position where it's very possible to escape out of the side. However, Campbell is unable to take advantage and Giulietti soon goes back to side co…

NOBODY BEATS THE IS!!

Ismael Bonfim takes home the #LFA111 main event! We will see you again Sunday night! pic.twitter.com/qkSEsfqNm0

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) July 17, 2021 The Legacy Fighting Alliance's first card on Brazilian soil led to an exciting night of fights. Headlining the LFA 111 card was a lightweight fight between prospects Rangel Ribeiro de Sa and Ismael Bonfim. The well-matched fight was tightly contested with both fighters having their moments in the opening rounds. Bonfim (15-3) would land a nice knee to the head of de Sa (10-2) in Round 3, which showed he was the superior fighter. Bonfim would take a unanimous decision win with scores of 28-27, 28-27 and 29-27.

The co-main event saw bantamweight Marcos Breno make his mark against Ary Farias. Breno (14-2) landed a walk-off knockout early in Round 1 with a huge overhand right that left Farias (10-3) out cold. The fight was called off after just 56 seconds.

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Both have something to prove

Don’t miss @MakhachevMMA vs @ThiagoMoisesMMA tomorrow!

[ #UFCVegas31 | July 17 on @ESPN & #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/F57j9ebOnK — UFC (@ufc) July 16, 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. There was no drama ahead of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's return to the UFC Apex for UFC on ESPN 26, as all 11 fights are now official.

Every fighters made weight for the ESPN-aired event, which will be headlined by an intriguing lightweight battle between Thiago Moises and Islam Makhachev as they battle up the ranks. Makhachev (19-1) finds himself on an impressive seven-fight win streak. The surging Russian submitted Drew Dober in his last bout, and has also defeated respected veterans including Nik Lentz and Gleison Tibau on his way up. Makhachev officially weighed 155.5 pounds for his first main…

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. Former Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight king Rafael dos Anjos is confident that he would have crushed Conor McGregor in the main event of UFC 264. Booked as a reserve fighter for the main event of UFC 264, dos Anjos (30-13) was not able to step in the Octagon last Saturday because both Dustin Poirier and McGregor were cleared to compete. The longtime MMA veteran dos Anjos spoke to Sherdog on Thursday, while on a camping trip with his family, about the headliner of UFC 264 that he watched intently. He had strong thoughts on how he would have performed had he been tapped as the alternate.

“I saw McGregor [at the] weigh-ins and he looked sloppy, skinny like a little boy,” dos Anjos remarked. “I was sure Dustin would win again. But Conor was lucky it was not me. My game is much worse for him than Dustin’s. I have no doubt I…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ng3p--7bJo&w=560&h=315] No belts are up for grabs at the latest KSW event, but that did not stop every fighter on the card from remaining professional and properly making weight.

The latest KSW offering comes in the form of a nine-fight event of KSW 62, where an Olympic gold medalist in weightlifting caps off the card. Szymon Kolecki (9-1) will aim to make it four in a row inside the KSW cage when he takes on fellow bodybuilder and Polsat’s “Dancing with the Stars” competitor Akop Szostak (4-3). The light heavyweights combine for 11 knockouts in their 13 career victories, and neither has ever landed nor suffered a submission. Kolecki, who once fought at heavyweight and topped Mariusz Pudzianowski, hit the scales at 206 pounds. The Belarussian out of Poland came back far lighter, well below the limit at 202 pounds.

The co-featured fight comes in the welterweight division, when the man known as “Double Champ” Andrzej Grzebyk (170…