Martial Arts News

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@Trailblaze2top returns as a new man on @ABCNetwork. #UFCVegas23 pic.twitter.com/r4lvRJkUVa

— UFC (@ufc) April 9, 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 move to bantamweight for Norma Dumont has been anything but successful, as her second bad weight miss in a row caused a bout cancellation.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to ABC airwaves for the second time on Saturday. UFC on ABC 2 is headlined by a middleweight bout between contenders Marvin Vettori and Kevin Holland.

Looking to cement himself as a future title challenger, Vettori (16-4-1) is on the best stretch of his career. The Italian fighter impressed in a one-sided beating of Jack Hermansson in his last fight, and previously submitted Karl Roberson in a grudge match. Before these two statement-making victories, the Italian …

Full Metal Dojo’s Fight Circus 3 is off the books for now, but it should be back again soon.

On Wednesday afternoon, FMD President Jon Nutt posted on his Facebook account that the event could no longer allow spectators at the Sea Galleri by Katathani Resort in Phuket, Thailand. Local regulations prohibited any fans from attending the event, and Nutt explained that tickets would be refunded and potential attendees would be barred from entry. Late Thursday night, Nutt made another announcement: the event was being postponed, but not canceled outright. Sherdog has confirmed this news with sources close to the situation.

Nutt explained, “As of last night, when I was doing last night – I met up with all my people, [a representative] of [the Katathani Resort], I met up with everybody, and last night we made sure that we were refunding all the cash, no guests were allowed, nothing was doing anything, we were taking care of it for COVID and making a COVID bubble. We were tryin…

So this is gonna be a tough post. After multiple tests on my heart including a Cardiac MRI and talking with multiple Cardiologists, I have been informed that I got a bad ticker. I have a Congenital bicuspid aortic valve with dilated aortic root. Unfortunately I was born with this

— David Michaud (@bulldawg_170) April 8, 2021 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. 2019 Professional Fighters League welterweight finalist David Michaud may be forced to retire for health reasons. On Thursday, Michaud posted on Twitter that he had been diagnosed with a rare condition called a congenital bicuspid aortic valve along with a dilated aortic root. This ailment, which was identified by multiple cardiologists, could result in major damage including an aortic dissection – where a layer inside the heart actually tears. Due to this unfortunate health crisi…

A popular young Bellator MMA up-and-comer has her next fight booked in a month.

On Thursday, Maxim was the first to reveal that Valerie Loureda (3-0) has her next opponent set for Bellator 258. The May 7 card will feature the Taekwondo star against organizational newcomer Hannah Guy (2-1). Loureda confirmed that she had a bout signed on Wednesday, and the promotion has since confirmed the booking on Thursday.

Loureda has competed for Bellator in all three of her pro appearances, winning all three including a pair of knockouts. Her debut in 2019 against Colby Fletcher saw her finish her foe in under three minutes, and she returned a few months later to capture a decision over Larkyn Dasch. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 22-year-old was away for more than a year before her most recent bout, but she made the most of it by putting Tara Graff away at exactly the 10-minute mark with a barrage of punches.

“The Hurricane” will be making her Bellator debut against L…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV2e2UNzPHc&w=660&h=480] It's all systems go for the start of Bellator MMA's light heavyweight grand prix.

Bellator's second show on Showtime will see its light heavyweight grand prix begin as former champion Ryan Bader rematches ex-Ultimate Fighting Championship champ Lyoto Machida in the Bellator 256 main event. The five-round main event is now official after the weigh-ins took place. Both veteran headliners had no trouble making weight, and 25 of the 26 mixed martial artists on the 13-fight card made their contracted weights. The lone exception was Jeffrey Glossner, who came in 1.8 pounds over the bantamweight limit.

Looking to rebound from losing his light heavyweight title, Bader (27-6, 1 NC) is still the promotion's heavyweight king. Last time out, the 37-year-old was knocked out by Vadim Nemkov. Since Bader's prior fight was a no contest against Cheick Kongo, his last win was in January 2019 against heavyweight legend Fedo…

ADRIANO MORAES KOs DEMETRIOUS JOHNSON #ONEonTNT1 pic.twitter.com/r49jMmrx9u

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 8, 2021

Adriano Moraes did what no one in the UFC was ever able to do: finish Demetrious Johnson.

Moraes retained his One Championship flyweight belt in emphatic fashion, knocking out Johnson in the One on TNT 1 headliner at Singapore Indoor Stadium in front of a national television audience on Wednesday night. The end came 2:24 into Round 2, as “Mighty Mouse” was finished for the first time in 35 professional bouts.

“It’s part of the game,” said Johnson, who has long been regarded as one of the top pound-for-pound talents in the sport. “You’re in the game for so long, it’s bound to happen one of these days, right?

“He did a good job keeping the range and distance. He caught me slipping and was able to catch me.”

Johnson led the dance early in the fight, as he initiated the clinch and landed some knees in cl…

Andrei Arlovski will step in for Parker Porter and fight Chase Sherman at UFC on ESPN 22.

Fight Bananas was first to report the change to the heavyweight contest. UFC on ESPN 22 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on April 17 and is headlined by a middleweight clash between Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum.

Arlovski last appeared at UFC Fight Night 185, where the former heavyweight champ was submitted by Tom Aspinall in the second frame on Feb. 20. Prior to that, the 42-year-old Belarusian had earned back-to-back decision triumphs against Philipe Lins and Tanner Boser.

Sherman will enter the matchup on a four-bout professional winning streak. After three consecutive triumphs under the Island Fights banner, “The Vanilla Gorilla” returned for a second stint in the Octagon with a second-round TKO of Isaac Villanueva at UFC Fight Night 171 in May 2020.

Sherdog's live One on TNT 1 coverage will begin at 8:30 p.m. ET.

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

Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Kickboxing Featherweight Fight:Chingiz Allazov vs. Enriko Kehl Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Muay Thai Catch Weight Fight:Rodtang Jitmuangnon vs. Danial Williams Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 The Official Result

STILL UNBEATEN.

Khizriev wastes no time - no energy at #DWCS.

[ Watch LIVE on #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/7PDkNUHK8W — UFC (@ufc) September 9, 2020

UFC on ABC 2 is down to 14 fights after a middleweight bout between Kyle Daukaus and Aliaskhab Khizriev was pulled from the card due to COVID-19 protocols.

The Las Vegas-based promotion announced the news on Wednesday. Daukaus vs. Khizriev is expected to be rescheduled for a future event.

UFC on ABC takes place on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and is headlined by a middleweight clash between Marvin Vettori and Kevin Holland. The main card airs on ABC and ESPN+ at 3 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT, while the prelims stream on ESPN and ESPN+ beginning at noon ET/9 a.m. PT.

After suffering his first professional defeat to Brendan Allen at UFC on ESPN 12, Daukaus rebounded in his sophomore promotional outing, outpointing Dustin Stoltzfus at UFC 255 this past November. The former Cag…

A showdown between welterweight contenders Geoff Neal and Neil Magny has been targeted for UFC on ESPN 24.

UFC broadcast partner ESPN was first to report that the bout has nearly been finalized. UFC on ESPN 24 takes place on May 8 and is headlined by a bantamweight clash pitting Cory Sandhagen against T.J. Dillashaw. A location for the card has not been confirmed.

Neal and Magny were initially scheduled to clash on Aug. 29 at UFC Fight Night 175 but Neal was forced to withdraw due to health reasons.

After beginning his promotional tenure with five consecutive triumphs, Neal hit a speed bump in the UFC Fight Night 183 headliner, where he lost a five-round verdict to former 170-pound title challenger Stephen Thompson on Dec. 19. The Contender Series alum finished four of his first five UFC opponents, only needing to go the distance in victory against Belal Muhammad.

Magny last appeared at UFC on ESPN 20, where he had a three-bout winning streak snapped in …

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EdIh48jKtc&w=560&h=315]

Ronda Rousey recently took a trip down memory lane, commemorating her MMA victories in permanent fashion.

The former UFC bantamweight queen posted a video in which she receives a tattoo on her forearm with the time, in seconds, of each of her 15 wins – including three at the amateur level. Rousey also reminisces on the circumstances behind those victories as the tattoo artist does his work, sharing behind-the-scenes details.

Rousey began her career with 12 consecutive triumphs, besting the likes of Miesha Tate (twice), Julia Budd, Sarah Kaufman, Liz Carmouche, Sarah McMann, Cat Zingano and Alex Davis in short order. Not only was Rousey the first woman, along with Carmouche, to compete in the UFC, but she was also one of the promotion’s biggest stars during her rise to prominence.

The Olympic judoka relinquished her crown in an upset loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193 in November 2015. After a year hiatu…

Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC

A matchup of female flyweight prospects will go down on July 24.

UFC president Dana White informed promotion broadcast partner ESPN that Maycee Barber and Miranda Maverick will square off at a Fight Night card this summer. The event does not currently have a location or main event.

A former Legacy Fighting Alliance competitor and a winner on Season 2 of Dana White’s Contender Series, Barber began her MMA career with eight consecutive triumphs — including three in UFC competition. That momentum screeched to a halt in her last two outings, as she dropped back-to-back unanimous decisions to Roxanne Modafferi and Alexa Grasso.

Maverick, meanwhile, will enter the clash on a five-bout winning streak. After defeating Liana Jojua via first-round doctor stoppage in her Octagon debut at UFC 254, Maverick outpointed Gillian Robertson in her last outing at UFC 260. The Invicta FC veteran in 9-2 as a professional overall.