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UFC CEO Dana White Confirms Change of Heart Regarding Octagon Flag Ban

Dana White has lifted the flag ban saying having no flags at Noche UFC "flipped a switch" #UFCVegas80 pic.twitter.com/K2GIB7LyzN

— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) October 8, 2023

Dana White confirmed that Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters can now carry their country flag in the Octagon once again.

The promotion had initially banned fighters from carrying flags last year amidst the Russian invasion of Ukraine, even taking Weili Zhang’s flag away from her following a victory. However, middleweight prospect Joseph Pyfer (12-2) proudly waved the American banner following a stellar submission of Abdul Razak Alhassan (12-6) in the co-main event at UFC Fight Night 229 on Oct. 7.

Asked about the topic during Saturday’s post-fight press conference, White confirmed that “flags are back.” He also shared that his decision to end the ban was inspired by the recently concluded Noche UFC event, held in honor of Mexican Independenc…

Dana White Confirms Submission of Conor McGregor’s Paperwork for USADA Testing

Dana White says Conor McGregor has submitted the paperwork to rejoin USADA 👀 pic.twitter.com/1N3oHVXv3E

— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) October 8, 2023

The gears finally appear to be shifting in the right direction for Conor McGregor’s return to the Octagon.

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship two-division champion has been out of action for over two years, nursing a broken leg suffered in his trilogy clash against Dustin Poirier (29-8). After months of back-and-forth with the United States Anti-Doping Agency about returning to their testing pool, McGregor (22-6) finally seems to have taken some significant steps.

“Notorious” recently claimed to have submitted the paperwork for re-entering the USADA testing pool to the UFC’s Senior Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance, Jeff Novitzky. UFC CEO Dana White has now confirmed the same while noting that the Irishman will be officially back in the pool next week.

“He’s …

Dana White Verifies Submission of Conor McGregor’s Paperwork for USADA Testing

Dana White says Conor McGregor has submitted the paperwork to rejoin USADA 👀 pic.twitter.com/1N3oHVXv3E

— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) October 8, 2023

The gears finally appear to be shifting in the right direction for Conor McGregor’s return to the Octagon.

Report: Daniel Santos Out of UFC Sao Paulo Clash Against Daniel Marcos

Daniel Santos is out of his #UFCSaoPaulo bout vs. Daniel Marcos, per multiple sources. The promotion is seeking a replacement for Nov. 4. pic.twitter.com/MsJ14KVmEd

— Nolan King (@mma_kings) October 7, 2023

Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight Daniel Santos (12-2) will not be a part of the festivities as the Las Vegas-based promotion returns to Sao Paulo on Nov. 4 after four long years.

Santos was originally scheduled to face undefeated Peruvian prospect Daniel Marcos (15-0) on the bill. However, Nolan King of MMA Junkie has now reported that “Willycat” is out of the matchup. The reason for the withdrawal currently remains unknown. The 28-year-old is riding a two-fight win streak after coming up short against Julio Arce in his Octagon debut last year.

Meanwhile, Marcos graduated from Dana White’s Contender Series last year with a decision win over Brandon Lewis. “Soncora” went on to pick up a stoppage win over Saimon Oli…

Report: Bassil Hafez, Preston Parsons to Square Off at UFC Event in January

Bassil Hafez vs Preston Parsons booked for the UFC card on January 13, per multiple sources confirmed to myself and @MikeHeck_JR

Story coming to @MMAFighting

— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) October 7, 2023

Welterweight newcomer Bassil Hafez (8-4) is set to clash against Preston Parsons (10-4) at an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight night event on Jan. 13, according to a report from MMAFighting’s Damon Martin.

The meeting will mark Hafez's sophomore walk to the Octagon following a short-notice debut earlier this year against elite prospect Jack Della Maddalena. A +525 underdog going into the matchup, “The Habibi” dropped an impressively close Fight of the Night split decision against Maddalena.

Meanwhile, Parsons made his UFC debut in 2021 on the heels of four consecutive submission wins. “Pressure” ended up suffering a Round 1 knockout loss against perennial contender Daniel Rodriguez before bouncing back with a decision wi…

Usman Nurmagomedov, Cris Cyborg & Liz Carmouche Retain Titles at Bellator 300

The champ @Usmannmgdv gets the takedown! #Bellator300 | LIVE NOW | @SHOsports pic.twitter.com/WzEu18YC3h

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) October 8, 2023

Bellator MMA lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov believes he’s the best in the world and he made a strong case for it after picking apart former champion Brent Primus in the Bellator 300 main event at Perchanga Arena in San Diego, California.

Primus had no answers for Nurmagomedov (18-0) throughout the fight. Coming off the most well-rounded win of his career over Mansour Barnaoui in the lightweight grand prix quarterfinals, Primus thought he could upset the champ by getting inside and making it an ugly contest.

Unfortunately for Primus (12-4), the champ would have none of it. Nurmagomedov kept Primus at bay on the outside with long body kicks and straight right hands down the pipe. He roughed him up at midrange with knees and hooks, and dominated him on the inside with pinpoint accu…

Bellator 300 ‘Nurmagomedov vs. Primus’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Sherdog's live Bellator 300 coverage will begin Saturday at 6:25 p.m. ET. Round 1 Sherdog Scores Ben Duffy scores the round:Edwin Ayala scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Ben Duffy scores the round:Edwin Ayala scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:

Round 3 Sherdog Scores Ben Duffy scores the round:Edwin Ayala scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Ben Duffy scores the round:Edwin Ayala scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round: Round 2 Sherdog Scores Ben Duffy scores the round:Edwin Ayala scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Ben Duffy scores the round:Edwin Ayala scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Ben Duffy scores the round:Edwin Ayala scores the round:J.L. Kirven scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Ben Duffy scores the round:Edwin Ayala scores the round:J.L. Kirven sc…

Bobby Green Smashes Grant Dawson for 33-Second Stoppage Atop UFC Fight Night 229

Bobby Green barely broke a sweat.

The former King of the Cage titleholder turned back the clock in the Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight division, as he cut down Grant Dawson with punches less than a minute into the first round of their UFC Fight Night 229 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Green (31-14-1, 12-9-1 UFC) closed it out 33 seconds into Round 1.

Dawson (20-2-1, 8-1-1 UFC) swung and missed at his biggest opportunity to date. Green stepped into a booming straight left and sent him crashing to the mat in a compromised state. Punches and hammerfists followed, as Dawson turned away from contact, turtled and forced referee Keith Peterson to intervene on his behalf.Pyfer Choke Sleeps Alhassan Onetime Ring of Combat champion Joseph Pyfer put Abdul Razak Alhassan to sleep with an arm-triangle choke in the second round of their middleweight co-main event. Alhassan (12-6, 6-6 UFC) lost his grip on reality 2:05 into Round 2…

UFC Fight Night 229 ‘Dawson vs. Green’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Sherdog's live UFC Fight Night 229 coverage will begin Saturday at 4 p.m. ET. BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: De La Rosa (-118), Aldrich (-102)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:

Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round: The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Aori (-112), Munoz (-108)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: M…

UFC Fight Night 229 Prelims: Resurgent Karolina Kowalkiewicz Outpaces Diana Belbita

Someone forgot to tell Karolina Kowalkiewicz she was supposed to just walk off into the sunset.

The American Top Team standout penned the latest chapter in her late-career renaissance and stayed relevant in the Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s strawweight division, as she laid claim to a unanimous decision over Diana Belbita in their featured UFC Fight Night 229 prelim on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. All three cageside judges saw it 30-27 for Kowalkiewicz (16-7, 9-7 UFC).

Belbita (15-8, 2-4 UFC) bridged out of full mount and connected with a jarring right hand in the first round but failed to build any kind of meaningful momentum. Kowalkiewicz took charge across the final 10 minutes, where she utilized a punishing jab and sneaky right uppercuts. Her comfort level grew down the stretch, enough so that she cut loose with a few spinning attacks to keep Belbita off-balance.

Kowalkiewicz, 37, will carry a four-fight winning streak int…

UFC Fight Night 229 Bonuses: Bobby Green, 3 Others Take Home an Extra $50,000

33 seconds ⏱ #UFCVegas80 pic.twitter.com/0DzD6zEPj0

— UFC (@ufc) October 8, 2023 The Ultimate Fighting Championship awarded four fighters performance bonuses following the UFC Fight Night 229 card.

Main event winner Bobby Green was a no-brainer choice for a Performance of the Night bonus after he demolished Grant Dawson in just 33 seconds. Green picked up an extra $50,000 as a result of his performance, which saw him knock down Dawson with a left hand and finish the fight with some follow-up punches on the ground. The win marks the biggest win in the 37-year-old's career.

The three other Performance of the Night bonuses went to some of the most exciting members of the UFC roster. Drew Dober picked up a cool $50,000 for his destruction of Ricky Glenn. Dober needed just over half a round to take care of business and put away Glenn with a series of hard punches. Meanwhile, Joseph Pyfer continued his rise by submitting Abdul Razak Alhass…

Andre Petroski Steps Up on Short Notice Against Michel Pereira at UFC Vegas 81

The round robin of opponents to face Michel Pereira continues to turn.

At UFC Fight Night 230 on Oct. 14, Pereira (28-11) was slated to take on Marc-Andre Barriault. The Canadian was forced to withdraw for medical reasons, and fighting in his place will be Andre Petroski (10-1). Petroski posted news of this late replacement middleweight matchup on his Instagram on Thursday night, while Barriault confirmed his medical issue on Friday.

Pereira was initially slated to battle Stephen Thompson at UFC 291 in July, but he missed weight by three pounds ahead of their scheduled welterweight showdown. As a result, “Wonderboy” opted to not take the fight, the bout was canceled, and the promotion suggested that Pereira compete at 185 pounds going forward. “Demolidor” is currently riding a five-fight win streak, which is his longest winning stretch since a triumphant span of seven straight from 2013 to 2014. Along his way up the welterweight ranks, the Brazilian topped names like …

Rafael Fiziev Provides Update on Knee Injury Suffered Against Mateusz Gamrot

Fans hoping that Rafael Fiziev’s injury last month would not keep him on the shelf for too long should feel relieved, as the 30-year-old striker recently announced his successful surgery.

Fiziev (12-3) suffered the injury in Round 2 of his main-event appearance against Mateusz Gamrot (23-2) at UFC Fight Night 228 in September. Following a competitive Round 1, Fiziev upped the forward pressure but suddenly went down halfway through the second frame while throwing a right kick at his opponent. What many suspected to be a knee injury was soon confirmed to be an ACL tear. Interestingly, this isn't the first time "Ataman" has suffered an ACL injury.

Following a successful procedure, the mercurial UFC lightweight took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share a message with his fans.

Just done surgery on my left acl. Same injury I had 3 years ago. I will come back even stronger. Recovery starts now. Thanks for the support🦿

…

Thanh Le Wins Interim Title With Lightning-Quick Sub at ONE Fight Night 15

#ONEFightNight15 highlight video: Thanh Le heel hooks Ilya Freymanov pic.twitter.com/gutuiFqoaW

— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) October 7, 2023

ONE Fight Night 15 took place at the famed Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok. A smorgasbord of mixed martial arts, kickboxing, muay thai and submission grappling, the card was contested within a square ring rather than a cage. That certainly made the MMA matches unique by modern standards.

The main event was a fight for the interim ONE Championship 155-pound MMA title between Thanh Le and Ilya Freymanov. Le is a former ONE champion, having knocked out Martin Nguyen for the throne in 2020 before defending against then-undefeated submission wizard Gary Tonon, knocking him out in just 56 seconds. However, Le lost his title by unanimous decision to Kai Tang last year. At 38 years old, there were doubts about how much he had left in the tank. His opponent was 27-year-old Russian upstart Freym…

ONE Fight Night 15 ‘Le vs. Freymanov’ Play-by-Play & Results

Sherdog's live ONE Fight Night 15 coverage kicks off Friday at 8 p.m. ET. 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 Round 4 Round 5 The Official Result ONE 155-Pound Interim MMA Title Bout:Thanh Le (154) vs. Ilya Freymanov (154.5) Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 The Official Result

Bellator 300 Weigh-in Results: Ilima-Lei Macfarlane Heavy, Ineligible to Win Belt

[embedded content] For the second time in a row, champion Liz Carmouche will be facing a challenger that missed weight.

A stacked Bellator MMA event is now official as the promotion celebrates a monumental milestone of hitting 300 numbered events. Earlier this week, the organization had four championship bouts booked for the "quadruple main event." After an illness to one heavyweight challenger and a weight miss for one at flyweight, Bellator's four-pronged main card has changed significantly. While three title fights still remain on the billing, the third will be a one-way affair, as only the champ can retain her belt at night's end.

The final bout on the Bellator 300 marquee will see Usman Nurmagomedov look to defend his lightweight throne against Brent Primus in what is also a lightweight grand prix semifinal bout. Meanwhile, Cristiane Justino will put her featherweight strap on the line against Cat Zingano in the co-main event. Additionally, Carmouche was aiming t…

UFC Fight Night 229 Weigh-in Results: All Fighters Make Weight

First to the scale, @BobbyKGreen, in at 156lbs ahead of #UFCVegas80! pic.twitter.com/wnT6zSIpGJ

— UFC (@ufc) October 6, 2023 The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns after a rare week off with a UFC Apex card featuring an intriguing lightweight main event.

UFC Fight Night 229 is headlined by Grant Dawson vs. Bobby Green. Both lightweight contenders successfully made weight for the five-round main event. Every fighter also made weight for the 11-fight card.

Dawson (20-1-1) is undefeated since entering the UFC. The only blemish on the record of "KGD" is a majority draw against Ricky Glenn in 2021. He's currently coming off three straight wins over Jared Gordon, Mark O. Madsen and Damir Ismagulov. Dawson stepped on the scale weighing 156 pounds.

This marks the second UFC main event for Green (30-14-1, 1 NC), who is coming off a win over Tony Ferguson. Prior to the win, "King" had been on a rough stretch that saw him …

Derek Brunson to Face Ray Cooper III at PFL 2023 Championships in 185-Pound Bout

Derek Brunson’s trip up to 205 pounds will be on hold for a few more months.

On Thursday, news broke that Brunson (23-9) had signed with Professional Fighters League. Per his manager, Brunson would be competing this year, and that his destination was ultimately the light heavyweight bracket of the 2024 tournament. The organization released on Friday his first assignment, which will be taking place at middleweight on Nov. 24. At the PFL 2023 Championships event, he will battle it out with former welterweight tourney victor Ray Cooper III (25-8-1).

The two will collide as the featured prelim in a “showcase” bout, in what will be the second middleweight match since Louis Taylor defeated Abusupiyan Magomedov for the 185-pound throne in the 2018 Championships event. Although Brunson’s manager stated that he would be moving to light heavyweight, it is unclear at this time if the promotion will be re-opening the weight class for a bracket in next year's to…

American Kickboxing Academy Coach Javier Mendes Eyes One Rematch in Particular

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Renowned American Kickboxing Academy coach Javier Mendes recently discussed potential opponents for his charge, Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, following his upcoming rematch with Charles Oliveira at UFC 294.

While Makhachev (24-1) has expressed a desire to move up a weight class and face the winner of Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington for the welterweight strap following the rematch with “do Bronx,” his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, recently revealed that Justin Gaethje would probably be next in line for a lightweight title shot following an impressive knockout victory against Dustin Poirier at UFC 291.

While Mendes is happy to take on the aforementioned fights, there is one that the AKA head coach would prefer for his Dagestani pupil. In a recent interview with Helen Yee, the San Jose, California,-based trainer elaborated:

“So, in a perfect world, What I would like is what Islam wants beca…

Unbeaten Zayundin Suleymanov Fells Adilet Mamytov at ONE Friday Fights 36

Zayundin Suleymanov could not have scripted a better One Championship debut.

The undefeated Russian cut down Adilet Mamytov with punches in the second round of their ONE Friday Fights 36 flyweight showcase on Friday at historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. Suleymanov (7-0, 1-0 ONE) drew the curtain 2:46 into Round 2, as he planted his flag in the Chatri Sityodtong-led promotion with authority.

Mamytov (5-1, 0-1 ONE) fired off some one-twos, a few flying knees to the body and the occasional spinning attack but could not keep his aggressive opponent at bay. Suleymanov kept him off-balance with repeated takedowns and tie-ups, pairing those efforts with ground-and-pound when the opportunity presented itself. He floored Mamytov in the corner with an overhand left midway through the second round, forced him into a defensive shell and closed it out with follow-up punches.

Meanwhile, Lakay MMA prospect Carlos Neyheban Alvarez put away Phr…

Colby Covington Responds to Islam Makhachev: Dagestanis Talk a Big Game

[embedded content]

Colby Covington would be more than happy to take on reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight ace Islam Makhachev in a potential welterweight title bout.

In a recent interview with ESPN MMA's Brett Okamoto, Makhachev shared that while he isn't overlooking his next opponent, he'd like the opportunity to fight for the welterweight strap if he again conquers Charles Oliveira in their rematch at Oct. 21’s UFC 294 pay-per-view.

The Dagestan native believes he's earned the right to challenge for a belt in another division, especially since he afforded UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski the same opportunity at UFC 284.

Moreover, Makhachev expressed his support for Covington as the American gears up to take on Edwards for the title at UFC 296. The 31-year-old believes a matchup with "Chaos" would be a great test of USA wrestling vs. Dagestani wrestling.

Responding to the reigning lightweight champion…

Manager: Lightweight Clash Between Beneil Dariush, Arman Tsarukyan in the Works

Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight mainstay Beneil Dariush is apparently gearing up to face rising prospect Arman Tsarukyan. Dariush's manager Ali Abdelaziz broke the news to The Schmo in an exclusive interview.

“The UFC [is trying] to make this fight happen and when this fight [gets booked], they’re going to announce it,” said Abdelaziz. “I believe this is the next fight. Arman is a very tough kid, one of the best guys in the world. And Beneil, this is what he does, fight the best of the best. Nobody has [faced a] tougher schedule than Beneil Dariush in all the divisions.”

Dariush (22-5) saw his eight-fight win streak come to a halt in his most recent title elimination outing against former lightweight king Charles Oliveira at UFC 289.

Having recorded wins over the likes of Drew Dober, Tony Ferguson and Mateusz Gamrot, the 34-year-old was on the cusp of securing a title shot but failed to do so, suffering a Round 1 technical knockout loss against the Br…

Light Heavyweight Return Results in Rekindled Relevance for Philipe Lins

A move to American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, altered the trajectory of Philipe Lins’ career as a professional mixed martial artist. He won a $1 million Professional Fighters League tournament at 205 pounds roughly a year later in 2018, then signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship as a heavyweight in order to prove himself at the sport’s highest level.

“It was a high point in my career,” Lins told Sherdog.com.

However, there was no honeymoon period in the UFC. Lins was greeted by back-to-back defeats to Andrei Arlovski and Tanner Boser, forcing him to recalibrate his position.

“A red light went off,” he said. “I needed to change something. I sat down with my coaches and manager. We made a good decision in having me drop back down to light heavyweight. I have a much healthier lifestyle now. I feel so much better. I’m more focused back at my original weight class.”

Lins will carry a four-fight winning streak into his latest as…

Manager: PFL Signs Former UFC Middleweight Derek Brunson for 205-Pound Tourney

Longtime Ultimate Fighting Championship contender Derek Brunson hopes to continue the trend of UFC castouts winning the million-dollar check in his new division.

On Thursday, The Schmo released an interview conducted with Dominance MMA head Ali Abdelaziz, who explained that Brunson (23-9) is moving onto greener pastures. The former Strikeforce vet was initially slated to meet Roman Dolidze in November, but instead, Brunson was released from the organization altogether. Per the manager, the parting between the UFC and Brunson was “mutual” and both “very smooth” and “very respectful.” Brunson has now signed with Professional Fighters League.

“Derek Brunson, he signed with PFL,” Abdelaziz stated. “He’s a PFL fighter. He’s going to fight before the end of the year. He did a lot for the UFC, the UFC did a lot for him, he [had] a great career…and now, he’s looking to make his run at [the] light heavyweight title for PFL.”

When Brunson competes again, he w…

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