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Referee, Judging Errors From Weekend Events Draw Criticism from Brazilian Officials

Beginning the week debating controversial referee and judging outcomes is common practice for MMA fans.

What isn’t as common is having two situations as controversial as those that occurred in the main events of two different organizations, as was the case last weekend at Fury Fighting Championship 76 on Friday and UFC on ESPN 43 on Saturday.

At Fury FC 76, referee Frank Collazo failed to recognize that Gianni Di Chiara Vazquez had been rendered unconscious by a triangle choke from opponent Edgar Chairez. That led to Vazquez waking up and tapping out when Chairez transitioned to an armbar in a potentially dangerous sequence.

One day later, judge Joel Ojeda inexplicably submitted a 48-47 scorecard for Marlon Vera at UFC on ESPN 43 in a bout that was clearly won by Cory Sandhagen. It was a tally that drew criticism from throughout the MMA community.

Former Brazilian MMA Commission (CABMMA) judge Guilherme Bravo expressed indignation over both…

Tim Means vs. Alex Morono, Carlos Ulberg vs. Ihor Potieria Set for May 13 UFC Event

Two more bouts have been added to UFC Fight Night on May 13, as Tim Means will square off against Alex Morono at welterweight, while Carlos Ulberg will face Ihor Potieria at light heavyweight.

Means vs. Morono was initially reported by MMAjunkie.com, while MMA Mania first brought word of Ulberg vs. Potieira. UFC Fight Night is headlined by a light heavyweight tilt pitting Anthony Smith against Johnny Walker. The card doesn’t yet have an official location or venue.

A 26-time Octagon veteran, Means is coming off an 0-2 campaign in 2022. “The Dirty Bird” suffered a second-round submission defeat to Kevin Holland at UFC on ESPN 37 before dropping a split verdict against Max Griffin at UFC Fight Night 213 this past October.

Morono, meanwhile, had a four-bout winnings streak snapped in his last outing, when he suffered a third-round TKO loss to Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC 282 on Dec. 10. Prior to that, the Fortis MMA product had bested Donald Cer…

Jillian DeCoursey to Defend Atomweight Crown vs. Rayanne dos Santos at Invicta FC 53

Atomweight queen Jillian DeCoursey will defend her belt against Rayanne Amanda dos Santos in the Invicta FC 53 headliner on May 3.

The all-female promotion announced the pairing on Tuesday. Invicta FC 53 takes place at Reelworks Denver in Denver, Colorado, and airs on AXS TV and the Invicta YouTube channel and Facebook page in the U.S. at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Seven other bouts were announced for the event: Olga Rubin vs. Claire Guthrie at bantamweight; Jessica Correa Delboni vs. Danielle Taylor at atomweight; Monique Adriane vs. Nicole Geraldo at atomweight; Liana Pirosin vs. Elise Pone at flyweight; Elisandra Ferreria vs. Flor Hernandez at atomweight; Natalie Salcedo vs. Dayane Cristine at atomweight and Ky Bennett vs. TBD at flyweight.

DeCoursey has been victorious in four of her last five professional outings. She claimed atomweight gold with a surprising first-round submission of Delboni at Invicta FC 49 last September.

A former co…

Patricio Freire Began Cutting Weight for Bantamweight Transition Last Year

Coach Eric Albarracin recently revealed that Patricio Freire was targeting a move to bantamweight to become the only triple champion in MMA history.

“When you reach a certain level, like [Henry] Cejudo and Patricio, more important than the belt itself is to make history,” the coach said in that interview. “Patricio has already beaten all the records and conquered belts in two weight divisions, now he will get [to] bantamweight and write his name in history as the only triple [champion] in Bellator history. Two belts [are] normal in our team, now we are going after the third one.”

On Monday, that move became official when it was announced that Freire will face reigning 135-pound champ Sergio Pettis in the Bellator 297 co-main event on June 16. “Pitbull” revealed to Sherdog how negotiations for that fight went down.

“I've been talking to Bellator for a long time that I was interested in challenging for the bantamweight title,” he said. “They tho…

Jingliang Li Withdraws from UFC 287 Due to Back Injury

Jingliang Li has been forced to withdraw from UFC 287 after suffering a back injury.

“The Leech” initially announced the news on Chinese social media platform Douyin, and it was subsequently confirmed by MMAjunkie.com. Li was supposed to face Michael Chiesa in a welterweight bout on the April 8 card in Miami. It is currently unclear if Chiesa will remain on the card against a replacement opponent.

Li fought twice in 2022, earning a second-round technical knockout victory against Muslim Salikhov at UFC on ABC 3 before dropping a split decision to Daniel Rodriguez in his most recent appearance at UFC 279 this past September. “The Leech” is 11-6 over the course of a promotional tenure that began in 2014.

Chiesa didn’t compete at all last year after ending his 2021 campaign with consecutive losses to Vicente Luque and Sean Brady. “The Ultimate Fighter 15” winner is 11-6 in the Octagon since joining the UFC in 2012.

UFC 287 takes place at …

Dana White: UFC Event in Mexico Unlikely for 2023

Mexico may have its strongest championship representation in the UFC to date, but that doesn’t mean the promotion will be heading South of the Border this year.

With Brandon Moreno (flyweight), Alexa Grasso (women’s flyweight) and Yair Rodriguez (interim featherweight) currently holding titles, it would seem to make sense to stage a big pay-per-view in Mexico in the near future. According to Dana White, it isn’t likely to happen in 2023.

“We would obviously love to get back to Mexico and do that, but I don’t know if it’s in the plans right now,” he said at the UFC on ESPN 43 post-fight press conference. “We’re building a [Performance Institute] down there right now, and wait until you guys see that. I can’t wait to share that with you, actually. The renderings for the UFC PI in Mexico. It’s going to be badass.

“You’re not wrong. We got three Mexican champions. We probably should be heading to Mexico, or at least doing a Cinco De Mayo [card], …

Nemkov vs. Romero, Pettis vs. Freire Top Bellator 297 Lineup in Chicago

A pair of title fights will serve as featured attractions when Bellator 297 heads to Chicago this June.

Vadim Nemkov will defend his light heavyweight crown against Yoel Romero in the evening’s main event, while Sergio Pettis will lock horns with Patricio Freire in a bantamweight title tilt, the California-based promotion announced Monday. Bellator 297 takes place on June 16 at the Wintrust Arena, and the main card airs on Showtime at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Nemkov is unbeaten in his last 11 professional appearances. The 30-year-old Fedorteam representative is coming off a five-round verdict over Corey Anderson in the finals of the 205-pound grand prix at Bellator 288 this past November. His resume includes wins over the likes of Phil Davis (twice), Ryan Bader, Liam McGeary and Philipe Lins.

A former middleweight title challenger in the UFC, Romero has been victorious in two of his first three promotional outings. After dropping a split verdict …

Carla Esparza Announces Pregnancy, Targets UFC Return in 2024

Former UFC strawweight champion Carla Esparza will be taking some time away to start a family.

Esparza revealed on social media over the weekend that she is 14 weeks pregnant and expects to give birth to her first child in September. That means “Cookie Monster” won’t be back in the Octagon until next year at the earliest.

“So we’ve been keeping a secret the last 14 weeks… we’re expecting!” Esparza wrote. “Baby Cookie Monster grand entrance September 2023.

“Excited for this next chapter and hoping to make my return early to mid 2024.”

Esparza is a two-time UFC title holder. She became the promotion’s inaugural strawweight queen with a submission win over Rose Namajunas at “The Ultimate Fighter 20” finale in December 2014 before dropping the belt to Joanna Jedrzejczyk in her next outing at UFC 185. The Team Oyama product recaptured the crown with a split-decision triumph against Namajunas at UFC 274, but lost the title to Weili Zhang vi…

Holly Holm Describes ‘Newfound Love’ for Wrestling, Grappling Aspects of MMA

As her mixed martial arts career has progressed, Holly Holm has proven herself to be far more than a one-dimensional striker.

When she entered the UFC, Holm was celebrated as a boxing world champion who also had a background in kickboxing, and that was reflected in her career-defining moment: a headkick knockout of Ronda Rousey to claim the bantamweight throne at UFC 193. Over time, however, the Jackson-Wink MMA standout has gotten much better at imposing her will in the clinch and on the mat.

That was quite evident in the UFC on ESPN 43 co-main event, where “The Preacher’s Daughter” overwhelmed Yana Santos with clinchwork, takedowns and ground-and-pound in a lopsided unanimous decision triumph. While one aspect of MMA will always be her favorite, Holm admits gaining appreciation for other elements of the sport over the years.

“I think my love will always be striking. I do have a newfound love for kind of just the grind and the wrestling aspect…

Cory Sandhagen, Dana White React to Split Decision in UFC on ESPN 43 Main Event

The UFC on ESPN 43 main event was largely devoid of drama — at least until the final scorecards were announced.

Cory Sandhagen authored one of the most complete performances of his career to date, using movement, clever striking and timely takedowns to confound Marlon Vera for the better part of 25 minutes at the AT&T Center in San Antonio on Saturday night. While the vast majority of observers thought the Elevation Fight Team export won four or five rounds, cageside judge Joel Ojeda submitted a dissenting 48-47 tally in favor of Vera. That led to a little bit more tension than expected during the final verdict.

“I think I do a pretty good job of sometimes keeping real good track of the volume, the damage, and the takedowns — and I thought that I was doing that almost the entire fight,” Sandhagen said during Saturday’s post-fight press conference.

“I thought that I was winning most of those rounds. Maybe the third, I was like, ‘Eh, you know…

Alex Perez Reveals Seizure Led to Late Cancellation of Fight at UFC San Antonio

According to Alex Perez, his weight cut had nothing to do with the last-minute cancellation of his flwyeight bout against Manel Kape at UFC on ESPN 43.

The former title challenger released a statement on social media revealing that he suffered a seizure backstage at the AT&T Center in San Antonio on Saturday. That led to the promotion announcing that Perez vs. Kape had been pulled from the card during the UFC on ESPN 43 broadcast, though specific reasons for Perez’s withdrawal were not given at that time.

“First and foremost, I want to thank everyone for all the support and concerns,” Perez wrote. “I was doing my pre-fight warm up and had a seizure. I immediately received medical attention. My hydration, electrolytes, etc were all more than adequate. This has nothing to do with weight cut. It was one of the easiest cuts of my career.

“I will be undergoing further testing in the upcoming weeks to determine the cause. I would appreciate priva…

UFC on ESPN 43 Bonuses: C.J. Vergara, Daniel da Silva Earn ‘Fight of the Night’ Honors

Thanks to their barnburner in the second fight on the card at UFC on ESPN 43, C.J. Vergara and Daniel da Silva set a tone that nobody else could match.

As a result of their efforts, Vergara and da Silva received “Fight of the Night” honors and $50,000 apiece. Da Silva got off to a fast start in the opening stanza, when he dropped Vergara twice and had his opponent on the retreat for much of the frame. The tables turned in Round 2, as Vergara put away a fast-fading Da Silva with a barrage of ground-and-pound at the 4:04 mark of the period.

Meanwhile, Nate Landwehr earned a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” award for his submission triumph over Austin Lingo in a featured featherweight contest. Landwehr dislodged his foe’s mouthguard with a punch from back control to create an opening for a fight-ending rear-naked choke 4:11 into the second stanza.

Finally, Daniel Pineda secured the evening’s other $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check thank…

Split Verdict Sends Cory Sandhagen Past Marlon Vera in UFC on ESPN 43 Main Event

Cory Sandhagen flexed the kind of all-terrain game that leads some to view him as a future titleholder in the Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight division.

The Elevation Fight Team star outclassed Marlon Vera for the better part of 25 minutes, as he claimed a split decision in the UFC on ESPN 43 headliner on Saturday at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. Judges Sal D’Amato and Chris Lee saw it 50-45 and 49-46 for Sandhagen, while Joel Ojeda cast a puzzling 48-47 scorecard for Vera.

Sandhagen (16-4, 9-3 UFC) flummoxed “The Ultimate Fighter Latin America” semifinalist with fluid stance switches and constant lateral movement. He outstruck Vera across wide swaths of the match—his right uppercut was particularly effective—and completed takedowns in the first, second and fifth rounds, consolidating them with positional control and ground-and-pound. Vera (20-8-1, 14-7 UFC) failed to get fully in gear until the waning moments of Round 5, where h…

UFC on ESPN 43 ‘Vera vs. Sandhagen’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Sherdog's live UFC on ESPN 43 coverage will begin Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET. BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Salvador (-115), Altamirano (-105)Round 1 With much of the matchmaking on UFC on ESPN 43, also known as UFC San Antonio, the promotion is putting the phrase “Don’t Mess With Texas” to the test. Plenty of competitors from the Lone Star State will square off against foreign opponents, in hopes of having as much luck as U.K.-based fighters did in London last week. The first of this series of fights begins in the flyweight division, as Fort Worth native Altamirano (11-2, 1-1 UFC) hunts for his second win inside the promotion. He will welcome Brazil’s Salvador (14-4, 0-0 UFC) to the promotion, all while watching out for the 93% knockout rate of “Fenomeno.” Referee Kerry Hatley draws the charge for the opening match of the evening, and it begins with a sporting fist bump. Altamirano springs forward to fire off a spinning wheel kick for the very first strike thrown…

UFC on ESPN 43 Prelims: Surgical Lucas Alexander Retires Steven Peterson in Texas

Lucas Alexander could not have been more impressive in his second assignment with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The long-limbed Fusion X-Cel featherweight prospect leaned on debilitating kicks, airtight takedown defense and surgical counters ahead of a unanimous verdict over onetime Legacy Fighting Championship titleholder Steven Peterson in the featured UFC on ESPN 43 prelim on Saturday at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. All three cageside judges scored it the same: 30-27 for Alexander (8-3, 1-1 UFC).

Peterson (19-11, 3-5 UFC) was outmatched stylistically and athletically. Alexander blew up his base with repeated kicks to the lower lead leg, utilized exquisite footwork and connected with punches while moving forward and backward. Peterson’s situation continued to deteriorate as time wore on, as his lack of mobility turned him into a stationary target and left him vulnerable to body kicks and multi-punch volleys to the head.

Afterward, …

Donald Cerrone to Be Enshrined in UFC Hall of Fame ‘Modern Wing’

Let the emotions flow in 🥹

🤠 @CowboyCerrone reacts to being inducted into the #UFCHoF as his family surprises him at #UFCSanAntonio! pic.twitter.com/PxJl9yB2n4

— UFC (@ufc) March 25, 2023

One of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s most popular athletes will be headed to the Hall of Fame this summer.

The Las Vegas-based promotion announced on Saturday that Donald Cerrone will be enshrined in the “Modern Wing’ during a ceremony as part of International Fight Week on July 6 in Las Vegas. An emotional Cerrone was in attendance when the news was revealed at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.

“Cowboy Cerrone is one of the best lightweights in UFC history,” UFC president Dana White said. “Cowboy consistently fought the best of the best for over a decade inside the Octagon and set a ton of records in the process. He was also a complete savage who would fight anyone at any time. He is a true legend, and it will be…

Medical Issue Forces Alex Perez Out of UFC on ESPN 43 Bout vs. Manel Kape

The UFC on ESPN 43 lineup has taken a last-minute hit, as a medical issue forced Alex Perez to withdraw from a proposed flyweight booking against Manel Kape.

The cancelation was announced during Saturday’s broadcast. Further details regarding Perez’s exit were not disclosed. It is not clear if the promotion will book Perez vs. Kape at a later date.

Perez has fought just once since suffering a first-round submission loss in a flyweight title bout against Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 255 in November 2020. In his last outing, Perez fell to Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 277 on July 30, 2022. Between those two appearances, the Team Oyama representative has had nine different fights fall out for various reasons.

After dropping his first two Octagon appearances, Kape has won three straight in UFC competition. The AKA Thailand representative is coming off a unanimous verdict over David Dvorak at UFC Fight Night 216. It is the third canceled bout involving K…

Simeon Powell Chokes Out Mohamed Amine in PFL Europe 1 Headliner

Arm triangle finish at the buzzer by @SMOOTH_MMA 😲#PFLNewcastle pic.twitter.com/WQz8M07OMx

— PFL Europe (@PFLEurope) March 25, 2023

The first installment of the Professional Fighters League European Season showcased Simeon Powell’s potential in the light heavyweight division.

In the PFL Europe 1 headliner, Powell imposed his will over Mohamed Amine in a 205-pound clash. “Smooth” moved the action to the canvas as soon as possible, making the most of his overwhelming physique. Powell scored with solid punches from the full mount as his foe failed to get back to his feet. While the strikes didn’t do much damage, they impacted the fighting spirit of Amine. In the second frame, the contestants spent a couple of minutes trading blows before Powell took his opponent down, where he immediately jumped back in the full-mount position. The British athlete unloaded punches before moving to an arm-triangle choke. The submission at…

Texas Commission Releases Statement on Officiating Gaffe at Fury FC 76

Ridiculous scene at Fury FC. Edgar Cháirez puts Gianni Vazquez to sleep with a triangle, and the ref simply doesn't stop it. Cháirez ends up armbarring an unconscious Vazquez who wakes up in the submission. #Furyfc76 pic.twitter.com/AgcwI2i3ss

— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) March 25, 2023

Fury Fighting Championship 76 played host to a potentially scary scene on Friday night.

In the evening’s main event, Edgar Chairez defeated Gianni Di Chiara Vazquez via armbar at the 2:04 mark of the fourth round in their flyweight bout in San Antonio, Texas. However, the fight should have ended earlier, as it appeared Vazquez was rendered unconscious by a triangle choke before waking up to tap out to the armbar.

While the event’s broadcast team recognized that Vazquez was out and frantically called for the stoppage, referee Frank Collazo allowed the bout to continue long after the initial choke had been applied. On a positive note, Vazq…

Superlek Kitmookao Routs Danial Williams in One on Prime Video 8 Main Event

"They don't call him the kicking machine for nothing."

Superlek with an incredible knockout at #ONEFightNight8! pic.twitter.com/YHsX5QxkIE

— Prime Video (@PrimeVideo) March 25, 2023 Superlek Kitmookao was a league or two above his latest would-be successor.

The 27-year-old Thai superstar retained the One Championship kickboxing flyweight title with a sensational knockout of Danial Williams in the third round of their ONE on Prime Video 8 headliner on Friday at Singapore Indoor Stadium. A short-notice replacement for the injured Rodtang Jitmuangnon, Williams (24-9) met his end 1:55 into Round 3.

Kitmookao (133-29) tore into “Mini T” with vicious kicks, turning his lead leg and abdomen painful shades of pink. He turned up the heat on Williams in the second round by incorporating stepping knees and head kicks with ill intent, then went about hunting the finish. Kitmookao floored the challenger with a perfectly timed hea…

Mick Stanton Outpoints Will Currie, Captures Middleweight Title at CW 151

Aaaaaand NEWWWWWWW Cage Warriors Middleweight Champion -Mick "The Huyton Hammer" Stanton #CW151 pic.twitter.com/0mYJYH5wQo

— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) March 24, 2023 The fourth Cage Warriors Fighting Championship Unplugged event saw the coronation of Mick Stanton as the new middleweight king.

Stanton’s stalwart defense kept Will Currie at bay in the CW 151 headliner. Currie (9-3, 5-3 CW) relied heavily on takedowns to move the action to his world, where he overwhelmed his opponent from every position and dominated the first two stanzas. While “Drago” accumulated ample control time, Stanton (11-7, 8-5 CW) was the one who accumulated more damage while attacking with occasional submission attempts. In Round 3, “The Huyton Hammer” reversed his opponent in a remarkable keylock attempt. Even though it wasn’t successful, the effort gave Stanton the boost he needed to end the frame on top, pummeling his adversary until the bell rang.

Advert…

UFC Signs 20-Year-Old DWCS Vet Jose Henrique Souza

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has just signed the youngest fighter to ever come out of Amazonas, Brazil.

At just 20 years of age, Brazilian prospect Jose Henrique Nascimento de Souza, better known as Jose Henrique Souza (6-1) or just Henrique “Canela,” has signed a contract with the UFC. The 6-foot-3 athlete will likely compete in the welterweight division, although he started his career at 185 pounds. As a result, he becomes the youngest fighter from Amazonas to join the organization, putting him one step closer to the dream he has held since he was eight years old to become a UFC champ. At that time, the promotion had the likes of Anderson Silva and Jose Aldo holding belts.

Considered by some to be the martial arts capital of Brazil, the state of Amazonas is home to many top talents including Bibiano Fernandes, Ketlen Vieira and Adriano Martins, among several others. Born in Manaus, the youngster first started practicing jiu-jitsu when he was eight, but not …

PFL Europe 1 Weigh-in Results: 2 Fighters Heavy, 1 Fight Nixed

#PFLNewcastle is official! Fighters have weighed in, next stop the final face off at the Vertu Motors Arena 👊

The first ever #PFLEurope event goes down tomorrow night, live on DAZN 📲 pic.twitter.com/Y56zG449Wb

— PFL Europe (@PFLEurope) March 24, 2023 The Professional Fighters League heads to England to kick off its PFL Europe 2023 regular season.

Headlining the PFL Europe 1 card is a light heavyweight tournament matchup between Simeon Powell and Mohamed Amine. Besides several light heavyweight fights, the event also features women's flyweights. The lone participant in the season that missed weight was Mafalda Carmona, and her match has been pulled from the card.

Carmona was scheduled to face Griet Eeckhout at flyweight, but came in at 131.2 pounds. Due to being 5.2 pounds overweight, the fight has been canceled. Additionally, Lewis Monarch came in one pound over the 156-pound limit for his lightweight showcase cont…

UFC on ESPN 43 Weigh-in Results: 1 Fight Canceled

Your #UFCSanAntonio Main Event is official ✅@ChitoVeraUFC and @CorySandhagen are the first two to the scale ⚖️ pic.twitter.com/bW0VOp6h4j

— UFC (@ufc) March 24, 2023 The UFC on ESPN 43 card is officially set, although it will be continuing with fewer fights than originally scheduled.

Main event fighters Marlon Vera and Cory Sandhagen had no issue making weight, as did most of the card. However, Manuel Torres was forced off the San Antonio-based event due to "weight management issues" and never even hit the scales. As a result, his lightweight fight against Trey Ogden has been canceled. This follows the Thursday nixing of the women's bantamweight pairing between Hailey Cowan and Tamires Vidal, with Vidal suffering an undisclosed medical issue that forced her out of the event.

This marks the third straight headlining appearance for Vera (20-7-1), who is coming off an impressive head kick knockout of Dominick Cruz. "Chito" has won four str…

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