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Stipe Miocic Plans to ‘Show People I Deserve to Be Heavyweight Champ’ at UFC 295

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It took a little longer than he expected, but Stipe Miocic is excited to have a date and venue for his highly-anticipated showdown against Jon Jones.

Jones will defend his heavyweight title against Miocic in the UFC 295 headliner at Madison Square Garden in November, the promotion announced last week.

“I thought it was gonna be July, but it didn’t happen that way,” Miocic said during a backstage interview with ESPN at UFC 290. “It’s Nov. 11. I’ve been waiting for this day. It’s the fight I want. It’s the fight he wants. Nothing better.”

Jones returned from a three-year layoff to claim the vacant crown with a first-round submission of Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March. Miocic, meanwhile, hasn’t competed since relinquishing the belt in a knockout loss to Francis Ngannou at UFC 260 on March 27, 2021. The Ohio-based firefighter claims that the main benefit of his extended layoff was recovery.

“I think just letting my body rest. I’m…

Lineup Set for Week 1 of Dana White’s Contender Series on Aug. 8

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Dana White’s Contender Series will kick off its seventh season on Aug. 8 with a card headlined by middleweights Cesar Almeida and Lucas Fernando.

The full lineup for the five-bout card was announced over the weekend. The other bouts are as follows: Tom Nolan vs. Bogdan Grad at lightweight; Kevin Szaflarski vs. Caio Machado at heavyweight; Payton Talbott vs. Reyes Cortez Jr. at bantamweight and Rickson Thai Zenidim Bueno vs. Kevin Borjas at flyweight.

The Contender Series takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and airs Tuesday nights on ESPN beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The current season will run through Oct. 10 and awards UFC contracts to prospects who catch the eye of UFC president Dana White and matchmakers during their bouts. Fighters who have appeared on the Series include Jamahal Hill, Sean O'Malley, Ryan Spann, Maycee Barber, Johnny Walker, Marina Rodriguez, Alex Perez, Taila Santos and Bo Nickal, to name a few.

<…

Wanderlei Silva to Face Bodybuilder Felipe Franco in Boxing Match on Nov. 25

Wanderlei Silva will follow in the footsteps of fellow Brazilians Anderson Silva, Vitor Belfort, Jose Aldo and Ronaldo Souza and try his hand at the Sweet Science later this year.

The 47-year-old Pride Fighting Championships legend revealed Sunday that he will face bodybuilder Felipe Franco on Nov. 25 in a boxing match under the Attack Fight Show banner. Silva made the announcement at a body building event called Muscle Contest Brasil, where “The Axe Murderer” and Franco faced off for the first time.

“My friends, fans and admirers, I am here to share news that fills my heart with emotion and excitement,” Silva wrote on Instagram. “After some time away from the ring, I'm back, but this time in a different style: boxing. I will be facing a major challenger, Felipe Franco, a renowned bodybuilder and a force to be recognized. This will be a battle of determination, strength and strategy. I'm looking forward to the fight night, the sound of the gong a…

Brandon Moreno Broke Hand in First Round of Loss to Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 290

Brandon Moreno apparently wasn’t at 100 percent for most of his epic-five round title bout with Alexandre Pantoja in the UFC 290 co-main event.

UFC president Dana White revealed that Moreno broke his hand in the opening stanza of the flyweight title bout, and Fortis MMA coach Sayif Saud confirmed the injury in a post on social media.

“Could not be more proud of [Brandon Moreno] as he fought an absolute war last night,” Saud wrote on Instagram. “These two athletes put on a incredible championship fight. Congratulations to [Alexandre Pantoja] and his team as well. Brandon broke his right hand in the [first] round and still fought at an incredible pace with unbelievable heart, skill and courage. He always shows the world what kind of character he has when he fights. Never complaining or making excuses, he just keeps on coming. Proud of you.”

Despite that injury, Moreno peppered Pantoja with punching combinations throughout the five-round affair,…

Alexander Volkanovski Won’t Rule Out Return for Islam Makhachev Rematch in October

Alexander Volkanovski just may get his rematch with Islam Makhachev before the end of the year.

While Charles Oliveira would seem to be the No. 1 contender in waiting following his impressive victory over Beneil Dariush at UFC 289, the Brazilian recently said he would prefer to face the reigning lightweight champion in November or December. That doesn’t align with the UFC’s plans for Makhachev, which include a title defense at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi this October.

After defeating Yair Rodriguez via third-round TKO in the UFC 290 headliner on Saturday night, Volkanovski revealed that he would need surgery on his arm. However, he claims that wouldn’t necessarily prevent him from stepping in against Makhachev.

“It makes it a lot better opportunity for me to step in there,” Volkanovski said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “I’m not ruling that out. It’s funny. These people want extra time off and here I am telling you I’m going to get surger…

Dricus Du Plessis: Israel Adesanya Acted Like a ‘Clown’ During Octagon Faceoff

About the only thing that generated more buzz than Dricus Du Plessis’ upset of Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 was his confrontation with Israel Adesanya in the Octagon after that victory.

The reigning middleweight champion entered the cage to face off with Du Plessis on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to set the stage for the promotion’s next middleweight championship fight. What ensued was a tense scene that included Adesanya using the N-word multiple times during the fighters’ back-and-forth trash talk on the microphone. According to Du Plessis, Adesanya could have handled the situation better.

“You saw it tonight, I’m prepared. I’m prepared for everything he says,” Du Plessis said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference.

“He’s behaving like a clown in there. That’s not how a champion behaves. That’s not at all how a man behaves. He’s behaving like a child. Conduct yourself like a champion. There’s people looking up to you,…

UFC 290 Bonuses: Pantoja, Moreno Take Home Fight of the Night

A flyweight title fight for the ages! @TheAssassinBaby vs @PantojaMMA is our #UFC290 Fight of the Night 🔥

[ B2YB @ToyoTires ] pic.twitter.com/MLKWJR0x7N

— UFC (@ufc) July 9, 2023

The Ultimate Fighting Championship awarded four fighters performance bonuses following the UFC 290 pay-per-view card.

Newly crowned flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja received more than just a belt for his incredible performance. Both the Brazilian and former champion Brandon Moreno took home an extra $50,000 after securing Fight of the Night honors via their back-and-forth battle. Both men showed heart and a ton of skill over 25 minutes, with Pantoja ultimately getting the better of their grappling and striking exchanges.

Two Performance of the Night bonuses went to fighters that scored impressive TKO finishes. Dricus Du Plessis scored an upset TKO win over former middleweight king Robert Whittaker. The impressive performance secu…

Alexander Volkanovski Smashes Yair Rodriguez, Retains Title in UFC 290 Headliner

Alexander Volkanovski remains at the peak of his powers.

The City Kickboxing standout showcased his physicality in the UFC 290 main event, defeating Yair Rodriguez via technical knockout on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Volkanovski ended the bout with a salvo of ground-and-pound at the 4:19 mark of Round 3 to rebound from a narrow loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 284 this past February.

“You’ve got to expect the unexpected. Everybody that knows this game knows how dangerous he was … This week I flipped the switch,” Volkanovski said. “I’m the champ. I’m the king of this division. No one is ever stopping me.”

While Rodriguez (15-4, 10-3 1 NC UFC) did his best to threaten with his flashy toolbox of kicks, Volkanovski (26-2, 13-1 UFC) gradually broke down is Mexican foe. The Aussie grounded Rodriguez repeatedly in the opening 10 minutes, methodically hammering away with ground-and-pound from above. Rodriguez showed a sense of urgency…

UFC 290 ‘Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Sherdog's live UFC 290 coverage will begin Saturday at 6 p.m. ET. BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Ribovics (-140), Kirk (+120)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Edwin Ayala scores the round: Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Edwin Ayala scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores The Official Result Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Edwin Ayala scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Aguilar (-140), Ross (+120)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Edwin Ayala scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Edwin Ayala scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores The Official Result Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Edwin Ayala scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Saaiman (-520), …

UFC 290 Prelims: Robbie Lawler Starches Niko Price in Memorable Swan Song

ROBBIE LAWLER GETS THE KO IN 38 SECONDS IN HIS FINAL UFC FIGHT 😳 #UFC290 pic.twitter.com/8ZV3mdUXWD

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 9, 2023

It was a fairy tale conclusion to a legendary career.

Robbie Lawler ended his mixed martial arts career in vintage form, as he knocked out Niko Price in the opening stanza of their UFC 290 bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night. The former welterweight champion rendered Price (15-7, 7-7, 2 NC UFC) unconscious 38 seconds into Round 1 — his 22nd overall triumph via KO or TKO. “It was good. It was just the ending of the career,” Lawler said. “I was landing some big shots in good places…It was too much. It was just nice to end my career like this.” With the masses chanting his name from opening bell, Lawler wasted little time imposing his will. The 41-year-old Kill Cliff FC representative punched his way into the clinch, then teed off with close quarters hooks and…

Francesco Nuzzi Demolishes Farbod Iran Nezhad in PFL Europe 2 Main Event

Francesco Nuzzi! ITS ALL OVER! HEAD KICK 🎯

Nuzzi advances to the Playoffs! #PFLBerlin pic.twitter.com/tcfFl9Xl65

— PFL Europe (@PFLEurope) July 8, 2023

Francesco Nuzzi is a man on a mission.

In the PFL Europe 2: 2023 Regular Season main event, Nuzzi clobbered Farbod Iran Nezhad to secure a place in the 135-pound semifinals. Nezhad (11-3-1, 0-1 PFL) attempted to move the action to the canvas earlier in the fight, but Nuzzi (10-1, 1 NC; 1-0, 1 NC PFL) was able to deny him and bounce back on the feet. The Italian fighter tested his foe’s reactions for a while before firing a head kick hidden by a left punch. The impact was devastating, and Nezhad collapsed immediately. Referee Rich Mitchell jumped to save Nezhad from Nuzzi’s subsequent punches as the official time indicated the 1:52 mark of Round 1. Nuzzi will now face Bellator MMA alum Frans Mlambo (14-5, 1-0 PFL), who overcame short-notice replacement Rachid El Hazoume…

UFC 290 Weigh-in Results: 2 Title Fights Set; 1 Fighter Heavy

[embedded content] The UFC 290 pay-per-view card is set with two title fights now official after the weigh-ins took place.

Headlining the anticipated 14-fight card is a featherweight title unification battle between Alexander Volkanovski and interim champion Yair Rodriguez. Both men successfully made weight, as the Australian weighed 144.5 pounds, and Rodriguez came in at 145 pounds on the dot. Meanwhile, the co-main event is also official as Brandon Moreno looks to defend his flyweight belt against Alexandre Pantoja. Both men weighed exactly 125 pounds. All other fighters on the card made weight except for Jalin Turner (158), who checked in two pounds over the lightweight limit for his fight against Dan Hooker and has been fined 20% of his purse.

Volkanovski (25-2) is coming off his first defeat since 2013 as he came up a hair short in his bid to become a two-weight champion against lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev. Dropping back to featherweight…

PFL Europe 2 Weigh-in Results: 3 Fighters Miss Weight

#PFLBerlin’s 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗶𝗻𝘀 brought to you by @ProperWhiskey

(and also #FransMlambo 🇮🇪 @LewisMcGMMA2000 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 @CHughesMMA 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 @theNukeTuke 🇮🇪 + @John_Kavanagh) pic.twitter.com/6cT1InaeiS

— PFL Europe (@PFLEurope) July 7, 2023 The PFL Europe 2 card is set after three fighters came in overweight.

The second Professional Fighters League Europe event in 2023 will be headlined by Francesco Nuzzi and Farbod Iran Nezhad in the bantamweight division. Both men successfully made weight, but not every combatant ahead of the show could say the same. Co-main event competitor Moktar Benkaci was the most high-profile weight miss, as the bantamweight came in half a pound over the limit for his fight against Khurshed Kakhorov. Additionally, lightweight Acoidan Duque (159.1) clocked in 3.1 pounds over the lightweight cap, and Rachid El Hazoume Aamay was .3 pounds over the bantamweight max at 136.3 pounds.

Nuzzi (9-1, 1 NC)…

Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic to Headline UFC 295 on Nov. 11 in New York

HERE we GO #UFC295 pic.twitter.com/GXDsNxjSEH

— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) July 7, 2023 Heavyweights will take over Madison Square Garden in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s annual return to New York City.

On Friday night, the UFC announced that UFC 295 will be held on Nov. 11 in New York. As part of its yearly card in Madison Square Garden, it is putting its biggest foot forward with a heavyweight championship collision in the main attraction. Heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones (27-1, 1 NC) will put his gold strap up for grabs against ex-champ Stipe Miocic (20-4) in the main attraction, in a battle originally considered for International Fight Week in July. This will be the seventh year in a row the UFC has staged a November-based PPV in The Big Apple, but just the second time a heavyweight title has sat atop the billing.

Jones came back from a three-year self-imposed retirement in March to move up to the largest division with the company.…

Jack Della Maddalena-Josiah Harrell UFC 290 Bout Nixed Due to Medical Issue

🚨 Injury News 🚨

Due to a medical issue with Josiah Harrell, his welterweight bout against Jack Della Maddalena has been canceled from #UFC290 pic.twitter.com/vbupXR7vkj

— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) July 7, 2023 A forced fight withdrawal of a Ultimate Fighting Championship newcomer might have just saved his life.

Last Friday, Jack Della Maddalena (14-2) announced that his welterweight matchup with Sean Brady was no more, due to an illness later determined to be septic bursitis on Brady's elbow. A few days later, the UFC acquired the services of Josiah Harrell (7-0) to step in for his promotional debut, instead of numerous names like Kevin Holland and Joaquin Buckley campaigning for the slot.

Following the UFC 290 weigh-ins on Friday, the results of a pre-fight brain scan came back to determine that, per MMAJunkie, Harrell has been diagnosed with a rare disorder called moyamoya disease and is out of the fight. Harrell will be undergoi…

Georges St. Pierre Returns for Grappling Match at Fight Pass Invitational on Dec. 14

Ultimate Fighting Championship legend Georges St. Pierre could not avoid scratching his competitive itch forever.

Prior to the UFC 290 press conference on Thursday, the promotion held a special event where they announced that St. Pierre would be fighting again. While not in MMA, he will be grappling for a UFC-helmed event in December. “GSP” will be competing at the UFC Fight Pass Invitational 6 show on Dec. 14 as its headliner, which will likely be at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The opponent has not yet been announced, and the rules will be submission-only with special overtime provisions.

This will be the first time that St. Pierre has engaged in any pro combat sport since his 2017 retirement after UFC 217, when he choked out Michael Bisping to become a two-division champ. That concluded an outstanding MMA career, hanging up his gloves a second time while riding a 13-fight win streak over some of the most notable names in the sport. The Sherdog staff recently cast bal…

Biographical Series of Anderson Silva Releasing in 2023 on Paramount

[embedded content] One of the all-time greatest Ultimate Fighting Championship champions will have his time in the spotlight again soon.

On Thursday night, Anderson Silva had his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame. Shortly after that took place, Paramount+ released the first trailer for the series called “Anderson Spider Silva.” This series, which started filming last year, focuses entirely on the life and times of the longtime UFC middleweight champion.

In those first images shown on the trailer, Silva is portrayed in his youth by Bruno Vinicius, in a dramatic conversation with his uncle Benedito. The latter is played by Seu Jorge, a renowned Brazilian singer who previously played the character of Knockout Ned in the highly acclaimed “City of God” film from 2002. After Silva engaged into a street fight, his uncle demanded he fix bent nails, while delivering a powerful speech about discipline. The production is helmed by Paramount Television International Studios, in…

Pedro Munhoz Set to Replace Henry Cejudo Against Marlon Vera at UFC 292

🚨 #TeamIridium News 🚨

Our man @chitoveraUFC goes for his 15th @ufc victory vs. Pedro Munhoz on Aug. 19 ✍️🏼 #TheDarkside pic.twitter.com/OvbKaFrYhI

— IridiumSportsAgency (@TeamIridiumISA) July 7, 2023 About a month and change away from its Boston card, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has been given lemons and made lemonade.

Last week, ex-champ Henry Cejudo announced that he had suffered a shoulder injury and had been forced to withdraw from UFC 292 on Aug. 19. On Friday, the management team of Marlon Vera (20-8-1) – who was to be Cejudo’s opponent – broke the news that Vera would remain on the billing. Now, he will square off against Pedro Munhoz (20-7, 2 NC) in what remains a top-10 tilt at 135 pounds.

Vera will still be looking to bounce back from a tough decision defeat to Cory Sandhagen in March, where one judge authored a 50-45 scorecard for Sandhagen while another believed Vera had prevailed via a 48-47 tall…

UFC Vet Luis Pena Sees Battery Charges Dismissed

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Luis Pena is no longer facing charges related to an alleged battery.

Back in October 2021, Pena was arrested and charged with two counts of battery involving domestic violence. This second arrest for the Arkansas native resulted in his UFC release. Shortly after that news broke, TMZ release a 911 call by Pena’s girlfriend regarding the allegations. It was claimed that Pena struck his closed fist, knocking her down and continuing to strike her. The reported injuries included damage to her wrist and a bite mark as well. According to Pena on Friday on Instagram and confirmed by the Broward County, Florida, clerk office, these charges have been dismissed.

“Best birthday present I ever got,” Pena wrote, “July 5th 2023 2 years later the charges don’t get nolle pros [where a prosecutor abandons a case] they’re completely dismissed it’s unfortunate I lost so much time over this injustice but it is what it is at this point, but…

Cedric Doumbe Showcase Bout to Headline PFL Europe Playoffs Event in Paris

🇫🇷. 𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬

OFFICIAL: @CedricDoumbe makes his long awaited PFL debut at PFL Paris

𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: September 30th.𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: @Zenith_Paris. Paris, France.

For more information and tickets 👇🎟️ https://t.co/eCMG4faqPw pic.twitter.com/hO2pM7cMHU

— PFL (@PFLMMA) July 6, 2023 The Professional Fighters League is sending a popular fighter home for his promotional debut.

Via the promotion on Thursday, Cedric Doumbe (4-0) will serve in the main attraction of PFL Europe Playoffs, where he will compete in a non-tournament welterweight contest against a currently unnamed foe. Doumbe was initially slated to face Jarrah Al-Silawi as a late entrant into the 2023 Regular Season, but an injury ejected him from that June pairing and he was replaced by Solomon Renfro. The former kickboxer’s new PFL at this Sept. 30 event will take place in his home country of France, at Zenith Paris la Villette in Paris.

In what some may cons…

Aljamain Sterling Admits He Accepted UFC 292 Title Defense ‘Against My Will’

If it seems like Aljamain Sterling is making a relatively quick turnaround in comparison to some of the other UFC champions, well, “The Funkmaster” agrees with that sentiment.

After defending his bantamweight title in a five-round bout against Henry Cejudo at UFC 288 on May 6, Sterling will return to action on Aug. 19 in the UFC 292 main event against Sean O'Malley.

“People don’t understand how much time I actually put into this sport,” Sterling said on his podcast (transcription via MMAjunkie.com). “Sometimes you could get a little burned out. Sometimes that can take a lot out of you mentally. That’s why, after this fight, I had so much things with Henry, so many things planned out, that I just wanted to decompress and stop thinking about fighting for once because I do so much to get to the fight and prep myself to mentally get ready for battle.

“I had that just kind of ripped from underneath my legs. Now I’m like, ‘OK, this time you mother…

Video: Conor McGregor, Michael Chandler Scuffle on ‘The Ultimate Fighter 31’

Things hit a boiling point between the coaches tonight on #TUF31 🤬

[ Watch new episodes every Tuesday on ESPN & ESPN+ ] pic.twitter.com/yyz5iE7ft1

— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) July 5, 2023

Things got testy between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler on the lastest episode of “The Ultimate Fighter 31.”

After Lee Hammond lost to Kurt Holobaugh to drop Team McGregor to 0-6, the two coaches entered the cage for a heated confrontation where McGregor shoved Chandler in the face. That prompted UFC president Dana White to rush into the cage to separate the two coaches.

McGregor uploaded a voice message to Twitter mocking Chandler’s remarks in the cage shortly after Tuesday’s episode aired.

“‘Oh, we’re gonna do this,’” McGregor said. “‘We’re gonna fight right now? We’re gonna fight right now? We’re gonna do this? We’re gonna fight right now?’”

pic.twitter.com/cWeDQMMIbI Read more about Video: Conor McGregor, Michael Chandler Scuffle on ‘The Ultimate Fighter 31’

Conan Silveira Discusses Alexandre Pantoja’s Title Fight, Kayla Harrison’s PFL Status

Until recently, the last time no Brazilian fighter possessed a UFC title was July 2016, after Rafael dos Anjos relinquised the lightweight crown to Eddie Alvarez.

Brazil was left without a UFC belt when Amanda Nunes retired last month, but Rio de Janeiro native Alexandre Pantoja can end the current drought when he faces Brandon Moreno in the UFC 290 co-main event. Pantoja’s coach at American Top Team, Conan Silveira, is confident his charge can get the job done.

“Sometimes you get your best opportunities at the wrong time. That’s definitely not the case with Alexandre. Pantoja is in the [prime] of his career, totally obsessed with winning that belt,” Silveira said. “This is his time. I believe 150% he will win.”

Silveira was in Pantoja’s corner at UFC Fight Night 129 in Chile, when “The Cannibal” defeated the current flyweight champion via unanimous decision. Pantoja also defeated Moreno via submission on “The Ultimate Fighter 24,” but that bout is…

Deiveson Figueiredo: Dominick Cruz Targeted Opponent for Bantamweight Debut

Deiveson Figueiredo might have a high-profile fight lined up for his bantamweight debut.

On the same week that longtime rival Brandon Moreno will defend his flyweight crown against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 290, the former title holder reaffirmed his plans to compete at 135 pounds in an interview with Canal do Marinho. He also indicated that his first bantamweight foray could come against an ex-champion.

“By all indications, I may fight Dominick Cruz in September,” Figueirdo said. “I'm really moving up to the division where I'm going to get healthier. Fighting at flyweight was very complicated. I sacrificed a lot to make weight.

“I only met Dominick once in an elevator, and I could see that he is a very tall guy, bigger than me, but when it comes to the fight, everyone is the same height.”

Figueiredo claimed the vacant flyweight strap with a first-round submission of Joseph Benavidez at UFC Fight Night 172 before defending the title with…

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