Martial Arts News

A women’s flyweight matchup pitting Rachael Ostovich against Gina Mazany is on tap for the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s Nov. 28 card.

MMAjunkie.com was first to report the booking. The card is expected to be headlined by a pivotal heavyweight clash between Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis. A location and venue have yet to be announced.

Ostovich will return to action following a USADA suspension for ostarine that was reduced by four months after supplement testing revealed the fighter inadvertently ingested the banned substance. The 29-year-old Hawaiian hasn’t competed since suffering a second-round submission loss to Paige VanZant at UFC Fight Night 143 in January 2019.

A competitor on Season 18 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” is 2-4 in the Octagon since her debut in 2017. Most recently, the 32-year-old Canadian suffered a 22-second technical knockout loss against Julia Avila at UFC on ESPN 10.

UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture will undergo surgery following an ATV accident over the holiday weekend, according to TMZ Sports.

Couture and his girlfriend, Mindy Robinson, were riding on a private road on the ex-fighter’s ranch in Flagstaff, Arizona, when the accident occurred. While Robinson emerged relatively healthy, Couture suffered rib and shoulder injuries and was scheduled for surgery on Tuesday. The 57-year-old is expected to recover without issue.

The incident comes nearly 11 months after Couture suffered a heart attack. Couture recovered in time to return to his role as a Professional Fighters League commentator by the end of 2019.

“The Natural” retired from MMA after suffering a knockout loss against Lyoto Machida at UFC 129 in 2011. Couture is a three-time NCAA Division I All-American wrestler and a former UFC champion at both heavyweight and light heavyweight. In addition to his current role with PFL, Couture has worked as an actor and a coach …

Xtreme Fighting Championships joins forces with NBC Sports; XFC43 set for Nov. 11 on NBCSN. For the full article visit: https://t.co/gRuSYqhUek

#xfc #NBCSports #mma pic.twitter.com/l33uJEGIKV

— XFC MMA (@OfficialXFC) September 8, 2020 Xtreme Fighting Championships is returning with a mixed martial arts event to be broadcast on NBC Sports this November.

The promotion, which was last based in Brazil in 2015, is relaunching under ownership in the United States behind CEO Steve Smith and president Myron Molotky. XFC 43 will be televised via NBC Sports Network on Nov. 11 at 9 p.m. ET and will feature two hours of fights.

“NBC Sports is the gold standard in sports television, with an unmatched history presenting the most prestigious competitions in the world,” Molotky said. “The team at NBC Sports impressed us with their experience, their understanding of our vision, and their commitment to excellence. We are thrilled to join them as partn…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNgf_2yrvwk&w=560&h=315]

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Paulo Henrique Costa is having a little bit of fun leading up to his UFC 253 showdown with Israel Adesanya.

The middleweight contender recently released a video that features a playful preview of how Costa feels the championship fight might go — complete with mock walkouts and Eric Albarricin as ring announcer. Adesanya is played by kickboxer Vanderlei Goncalves and spends much of the bout running from “Borrachinha” in and out of the cage.

UFC 253 takes place on Sept. 26 on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi and is headlined by the championship clash between Adesanya and Costa. In the co-main event, Dominick Reyes and Jan Blachowicz will square off for the vacant light heavyweight strap.

Leon Edwards has been the odd man out in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s welterweight division thus far in 2020.

After his proposed UFC London headlining clash in March with Tyron Woodley fell through due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Edwards has seen the many of the top contenders at 170 pounds booked in the ensuing months while he stays stuck on the sidelines.

"It's an annoying position to be in," Edwards told ESPN. "I'm the only guy in the top 10 who is not living in the U.S., I believe. But these guys have to fight me soon. I'll 100 percent fight this year. I'm 29 and I need to stay active. These guys in the top 5 are all [in their mid-30s]. I'm the youngest in the top 15, probably. I want to be active.”

Currently, Gilbert Burns is slated to challenge reigning champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 256 at the end of the year; Woodley will lock horns with Colby Covington later this month and there are rumblings that Jorge Masvidal will book a “BMF” rematch with Nate …

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It appears that an intriguing lightweight clash targeted for Oct. 3 will not proceed as planned.

Beneil Dariush announced via Instagram on Monday that Charles Oliveira has withdrawn from their proposed bout at UFC on ESPN 16. A reason for the Brazilian’s exit is currently unclear. UFC officials have not made a formal announcement regarding the fight.

“After my fight with Scott Holtzman, the UFC offered me a fight with Charles Oliveira on Oct 3rd,” Dariush wrote. “I accepted and so did Charles. I did not announce it because I was waiting on the UFC to announce it and I would follow. I been informed Charles is out of the fight. I am not sure on the details but I hope all is well with Charles.

“I am currently working with the UFC to figure out our next step. I will keep you all posted on the details. Finally, even…

Ricardo Lamas was contemplating the end of his career following his victory against Bill Algeo at UFC Fight Night 175, and now that decision is official.

The 38-year-old Chicago native official announced his retirement to MMA Junkie Radio on Monday. Lamas revealed that he finalized his decision as a tribute to his late brother, who died on Aug. 28, 2009 – nearly 11 years to the day of his last bout.

Lamas told MMAFighting.com that he’d been considering calling it a career as far back as 2017 following a first-round TKO of Jason Knight at UFC 214. More recently, “The Bully” suffered a broken jaw in a setback to Calvin Kattar at UFC 238, and that forced Lamas to revisit those thoughts of exiting a sport he’d competed in professionally since 2008.

Barring a change of heart down the road, Lamas was able to end his fighting career on a high note with the win over Algeo.

“[I want to be remembered] that I always left it in the cage,” Lamas told MMAFighting. “J…

It’s full speed ahead for Week 6 of Dana White’s Contender Series, as all 10 fighters slated to compete made weight without issue on Monday.

Dana White’s Contender Series takes place on Tuesday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streams on ESPN+ beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The evening’s featured bout is a light heavyweight contest pitting Tafon Nchukwi (204 pounds) against Al Matavao (200).

Nchukwi, 25, is 3-0 in his burgeoning MMA tenure. The Team Lloyd Irvin product scored a notable win in his last outing, as he stopped recent UFC signee William Knight in the opening round at Cage Fury Fighting Championships 80 this past November.

Matavao, meanwhile, enters the matchup on a four-bout winning streak. The American Samoa native has compiled an 8-2 career mark while fighting primarily under the Alaska Fighting Championship banner.

Dana White’s Contender Series Weigh-in ResultsTafon Nchukwi (204) vs. Al Matavao (200)Cameron Church (155.5) vs. Sherrard Blackl…

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Deiveson Figueiredo has already started the process of promoting his UFC 255 fight against Cody Garbrandt.

Over the weekend the UFC flyweight champion used social media to deliver a message to his opponent in English, both via video and by text.

“[Cody Garbrandt] you think you are going to take my belt?” Figueiredo wrote on Instagram. “I go to sleep dreaming of taking your head off!!!! I wake up thinking of knocking you out. My whole day is dedicated to putting you to sleep!!!!”

Figueiredo claimed the vacant flyweight crown with a first-round submission of Joseph Benavidez at UFC Fight Night 172 on July 18. The 32-year-old Brazilian has won four straight UFC bouts and 19 of his 20 professional appearances overall.

A former bantamweight champion, Garbrandt will make his flyweight debut against Figue…

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After falling to Pannie Kianzad for her third defeat in her last four outings at UFC on ESPN 14, Bethe Correia announced via Instagram that she had competed for the final time in the Las Vegas-based promotion.

However, Brazilian outlet Ag.Fight recently reported that Correia would instead have her farewell bout against Yanan Wu on Dec. 5. Shortly thereafter, Correia confirmed the news on social media. Correia was reportedly released from the UFC following her loss to Kianzad, but now it appears she will get a chance to exit the organizatino on her own terms.

“Only a fighter knows the time to stop and follow other paths... Only a fighter and their allies know to tell apart the lies from the truth from what the media puts out. Yes! This will be my last fight and it could not be at any event other than the one and only…

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Liana Jojua will fight Miranda Maverick in a women’s flyweight bout on Oct. 24 at UFC 254.

Prime Fight Management, which represents Jojua, first brought word of the matchup. UFC 254 takes place on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi and is headlined by a lightweight championship clash between reigning champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and interim king Justin Gaethje.

The 25-year-old Russian known as “She Wolf” had a five-bout professional winning streak snapped in her Octagon debut, as she suffered a third-round TKO loss to Sarah Moras at UFC 242. Jojua rebounded at UFC on ESPN 13, tapping on Diana Belbita with an armbar in the first round of the opening stanza on July 15. The Akhmat Fight Team representative owns an 8-3 pro mark that includes six submission triumphs — including five via armbar.

Maverick has compiled a 7-2 re…

A positive COVID-19 test has forced Austin Vanderford out of a proposed bout against Daniel Madrid at Bellator 246.

Vanderford announced the news on his Instagram account following an initial report from MMAjunkie.com. Pat Casey has been targeted as a replacement opponent for Madrid in the middleweight contest.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to compete for [Bellator MMA] next weekend,” Vanderford wrote. “I tested positive for COVID (a second time now). To say it’s a bummer is a serious understatement. But I’m going to rest up and recover now. I’ll be ready to go ASAP. Stay healthy and safe.”

Bellator 246 takes place on Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut and is headlined by a showdown between Juan Archuleta and Patrick Mix for the vacant bantamweight championship. The main card airs on Paramount Network and Dazn following prelims on Bellator’s YouTube channel.

The 30-year-old Vanderford is 9-0 as a professional and has kicked off his…