Martial Arts News

Letting it fly in Round #UFCVegas29 pic.twitter.com/yi5ju3Zxhu

— UFC (@ufc) June 19, 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.

A durable chin, consistent forward movement and a willingness to brawl carried Nicolae Negumereanu to victory on Saturday night.

The 26-year-old Romanian secured his first promotional triumph at UFC on ESPN 25, taking a hard-fought split-decision triumph over Strong Style Fight Team representative Aleksa Camur in a light heavyweight bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Michael Bell and Tony Weeks scored the fight 29-28 in favor of the Korona Sports Centre export, while Eric Colon had it 29-28 for Camur.

While Camur (6-2, 1-2 UFC) had a clear edge in technical boxing ability, Negumereanu was able to make it an increasingly ugly affair as the bout progressed. He consis…

Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC

Eight-time UFC veteran Luis Pena was recently arrested on multiple charges, according to a report from MMAFighting.com.

“The Ultimate Fighter 27” veteran was arrested Friday and charged with robbery by sudden snatching, battery and criminal mischief. Pena was reportedly picked up by the Coral Springs Police Department on an extradition warrant issued by another police department in a different Florida county. Further details regarding the charges are currently unclear.

A Coral Springs police department spokesperson told MMAFighting that Pena was picked up based on an anonymous tip. The robbery and battery charges are currently designated as pending trial, per the report. On Wednesday, Pena posted a statement regarding his struggles with mental health issues on his Twitter account.

“People aren't comfortable talking about this, but I have been going through serious mental health issues my entire life and have finally gained t…

on the dot.@KoreanZombieMMA makes #UFCVegas29 OFFICIAL.

[ Main Card 7pmET | Tomorrow on ESPN2 & @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/RsPhsewyvd

— UFC (@ufc) June 18, 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. Twenty-four fighters up, all 24 on target for the latest ESPN2 fare this weekend.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to ESPN2 airwaves on Saturday with a 12-fight card headlined by Chan Sung Jung vs. Dan Ige. Every fighter on the UFC on ESPN 25 card successfully made weight.

A fan-favorite since his days in World Extreme Cagefighting, Jung (16-6) is looking to bounce back from a one-sided defeat to Brian Ortega. While the "Korean Zombie" didn't get finished, it derailed an impressive win streak that saw him dispatch both Renato Carneiro and Frankie Edgar with punches. The South Korean fighter stepped on the scale…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-M5G6k2Jqw?start=749&w=560&h=315] Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the PFL live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. The main event of Professional Fighters League’s fifth show in 2021 left many scratching their head, including the man most heavily impacted. Atop PFL 5: 2021 Regular Season, Rory MacDonald suffered a contentious split decision loss to Gleison Tibau. The overwhelming majority of those viewing the contest, including Sherdog’s official scorer, believed that MacDonald had done enough to get the nod. Judges Dave Tirelli and Cardo Urso disagreed, awarding the Brazilian the first and third rounds for the decision.

At the post-fight press conference, MacDonald was asked about the result, and the typically stoic Canadian had several thoughts on what went down mere minutes beforehand.

“I’m very disappointed,” a crestfallen MacDonald told media. “I believe……

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1WTGbcVdJo&w=560&h=315]

Rory MacDonald was sure he had done enough. The judges informed him otherwise.

Gleison Tibau sprang a stunning upset under the Professional Fighters League flag, as he took a contentious split decision from the former Bellator MMA champion in the PFL 5 headliner on Thursday at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. All three cageside judges scored it 29-28, two of them siding with Tibau (36-15, 1-1 PFL).

MacDonald (22-7-1, 1-1 PFL) appeared to control a majority of the action with deft footwork, a sharp jab and front kicks to the body. He did his best work in Round 1, where he scrambled onto Tibau’s back and threatened with a rear-naked choke. To his credit, the American Top Team-trained Brazilian refused to yield to those advances. Tibau fought through two eye pokes, relied heavily on his left hand and grew increasingly effective at staving off the Canadian’s bid for takedowns. It was…

Sherdog's live PFL 2021 5 coverage will begin at 5:30 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 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm4Qb_2d70s&w=560&h=315] Bellator MMA two-division champ Patricio Freire is comfortable with his promotion, although he has plenty of thoughts on those that compete for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Shortly after the announcement of the Bellator featherweight grand prix final atop Bellator 263, Sherdog spoke with Freire (32-4) about his upcoming match with A.J. McKee (17-0). “Pitbull” was positively brimming with confidence about the final in July and guaranteed that his experience would be the key to victory.

“I’ve already started the camp one month ago and we have a great strategy to surprise him,” Freire admitted. “No doubt [that] McKee is dangerous and complete, but he is too clumsy, and I’m very confident that I’ll finish him.”

One of the most frequently asked questions for “Pitbull” in his home country of Brazil is when he will transition to the UFC. Freire has learned to take the question in stride, even when aske…

For the second time thanks to COVID-19, Full Metal Dojo has been forced to push back its Fight Circus 3 event.

The organization announced on Thursday that Fight Circus 3 has been delayed again due to the pandemic. The event was slated to go down on June 19 at the Sea Galleri by Katathani Resort in Phuket, Thailand. Unlike the previous postponement, it was not necessarily from specific local regulations regarding COVID-19 that forced the event to be pushed back, but it did stem from COVID-19 reasons.

Full Metal Dojo created an animated analyst named Brandi Mae, who broke the news that the fight card was off. “Fight Circus 3 postponed again god-damn it…but for now we’ll never know what magic Jon Nutt and CamSoda could have conjured. Our deepest apologies, but just because the monkey is off your back, doesn’t mean that the circus has left town.

“Fight Circus will be back, rebooted and rad as hell,” she concluded.

Once it goes down, Fight Circus 3 will be streamed …

Some two weeks removed from his strange boxing match against a YouTuber, Vitor Belfort will instead be facing a much more dire threat from the boxing world in September.

Earlier in June, Belfort was announced to have joined the Triller Fight Club event on June 19 in Miami, but the entire card was nixed when headliner Teofimo Lopez tested positive for COVID-19. Instead of the match with Michael Holston, a man known as “The Real Tarzann” from his animal-keeping videos, Belfort has a new opponent and a new date. On Sept. 11, Belfort (26-14, 1 NC MMA; 1-0 Box) will throw down in an exhibition against the legendary Oscar De La Hoya (39-6, 30 KOs Box). The news was first reported by The Athletic on Thursday, and it has since been confirmed by numerous outlets and the promotion itself.

De La Hoya last boxed in 2008, when he fell short to Manny Pacquiao by corner stoppage after eight rounds. Over the years, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame boxer faced most of the best opponents …

: Matt Mitrione (@mattmitrione)-Tyrell Fortune (@FortuneOverFam) and Linton Vassell-Marcelo Golm (@MarceloGolm) added to #Bellator262 main card.https://t.co/KwS4GHvtYH

— Bellator Public Relations (@BellatorPR) June 17, 2021 A pair of heavyweight battles and more are now a part of Bellator MMA’s July 16 card.

According to a press release on Thursday, Bellator 262 has just been beefed up by four new matchups. The organization further confirmed the previously announced Ronny Markes vs. Said Sowma slugfest, while adding two more heavyweight matches, a women’s featherweight tilt and a 145-pound bout between two prospects. The bout that may serve in the co-main event sees top-10 heavyweights Tyrell Fortune (10-1, 1 NC) take on Matt Mitrione (13-8, 1 NC).

Since suffering the first loss in his career – a first-round knockout to upcoming title challenger Timothy Johnson – Fortune has looked nigh-unstoppable. Although he kneed Jack May in the groi…

.@LFAfighting set to go International in July with two events in Brazil!

: https://t.co/gqOUXojn4L#LFA111 on Friday, July 16#LFA112 on Sunday, July 18#UpperArena#RioDeJaneiro, #Brazil#MMA#LFANation@UFCFightPass pic.twitter.com/rzuspcesTb

— LFA (@LFAfighting) June 16, 2021 The Legacy Fighting Alliance is leaving the United States in search of Order and Progress.

On Wednesday, the organization announced via press release that it would go international for the first time with a pair of shows in Brazil. The Las Vegas-based promotion plants its flag in the Federative Republic of Brazil with LFA 111 and LFA 112, which will both go down at the Upper Arena in Rio de Janeiro. LFA 111 will take place on July 16, while LFA 112 will go on a couple days later on July 18. The promotion has yet to announce any official matchups for the Brazilian cards, but they will be available to watch on UFC Fight Pass starting at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on their respec…

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the PFL live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. The current Professional Fighters League heavyweight landscape is virtually unrecognizable when compared to its iteration a few months ago. The PFL sent out a press release on Thursday to announce a series of changes in its upcoming PFL 6 card on June 25 at the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, N.J. The conclusion of the regular season will feature fighters in four weight categories, but it will primarily be stocked with heavyweight and women’s lightweight matchups.

The promotion’s changes to this card start with the loss of 2019 heavyweight champ Ali Isaev, who has not been medically cleared for competition. Adding to the recent removal of Fabricio Werdum from the bracket and a few other shakeups, four men will be joining the heaviest section of the tournament: Chandler Cole, Stuart Austin, Klidson Abreu and Jamelle Jones. …