Martial Arts Videos

Eight-Man Field Announced for Bellator Lightweight Grand Prix

The field is set for Bellator MMA’s upcoming lightweight grand prix.

Bellator president Scott Coker announced the participants during an appearance on "The MMA Hour” on Wednesday. They are as follows: Usman Nurmagomedov, A.J. McKee, Tofiq Musayev, Alexandr Shabliy, Patricky Freire, Mansour Barnaoui, Benson Henderson and Sidney Outlaw.

The tournament will begin on March 10 in San Jose, Calif., but matchups were not revealed. Reigning 155-pound champion Nurmagomedov headlines the field, which also includes former lightweight king Freire and ex-featherweight champ McKee. McKee has been vocal about wanting to face Nurmagomedov in the opening round of the bracket.

“It’s gonna be a fantastic tournament. If you look at our lightweight division, it’s really stacked,” Coker said. “I’m excited for these guys to all get it on.”

As with previous tournaments, the winner will receive a $1 million payout.

“There’s a lot riding on the line, and I…

PFL Signs Saudi Arabian Featherweight Abdullah Al-Qahtani

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Professional Fighters League has added Saudi Arabian featherweight Abdullah Al-Qahtani to its roster for the 2023 season.

The signing was announced in a release on Wednesday. The 24-year-old Al-Qahtani will compete for both the PFL and Brave Combat Federation as part of a dual promotional agreement. Al-Qahtani is next slated to face Denis Jarkic at Brave CF 69 in Serbia on Feb. 18.

“The Professional Fighters League is committed to growing the sport of MMA and the PFL globally," PFL CEO Peter Murray said in a release. “We are excited about emerging top fighters coming out of the Middle East and our plan to further develop the sport in the region.”

Known as “The Reaper,” Al-Qahtani has compiled a 5-1 record while competing primarily for Brave CF. Most recently, he suffered a split-decision defeat to Ilyor Bakhtiyar Uulu at a Brave CF event on Sept. 30.

Conan Silveira to Release First Book During UFC 283 Fight Week

A former champion of the Extreme Fighting organization and now the head coach at American Top Team, Conan Silveira will be releasing a book during UFC 283 fight week.

Settled in the United States since the late 1980s, the co-founder of the most respected MMA academy in the world uses his professional experience in “Mestre de Você” — translated to “Master of You” in English — to propagate concepts that can be applied in any area of life.

In the book, Conan recalls his hard path in the United States. His first job in North America was as a dishwasher at a hotel, where he worked for up to 17 hours a day. He also reveals many other difficult obstacles he faced inside and outside of the cage and how important they were to building him as a person and professional.

“I'm an MMA coach. Before that, I was a fighter, a champion and my victories, all of them, were conquered with violence and passion. My sport is violent, but it only makes sen…

Ketlen Vieira: I Believe I’m on the Right Track to Become Champion

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If fight cliches like “to be the champ, you’ve got to beat the champ” and “iron sharpens iron” have any grounding in reality, Ketlen Vieira is positioning herself well for a run at gold. Since joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2016 as an undefeated but raw bantamweight prospect, “Fenomeno” has already notched wins over two former champions in Miesha Tate and Holly Holm, as well as longtime contenders onetime title challengers Cat Zingano and Sara McMann. While Vieira of course has her sights set on the belt, she regards her journey so far with a sense of satisfaction and gratitude.

“I’m very proud of my trajectory inside the UFC,” the 31-year-old told Sherdog. “It’s not easy, with only two years of MMA experience, to get into the world’s biggest organization and to fight the very best. I was very inexperienced when I came into the UFC. I had very little mileage. But I’ve always put God first. He’s always blessed and mol…

UFC Featherweight Leah Letson Announces Retirement

Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC

Two-time UFC veteran Leah Letson has announced her retirement from mixed martial arts.

The featherweight competitor revealed her decision via Instagram. Letson hasn’t competed since a third-round TKO loss to Felicia Spencer at UFC Fight Night 197 in November 2021.

“After that fight, I feel have nothing more to prove to myself, and most importantly, I simply don't love fighting the way I used to,” Letson wrote in a lengthy post. “Fighting is just as much mental as it is physical; therefore, if you're head isn't in it anymore, fighting can be a real dangerous sport. I have no regrets. Martial arts will always be a part of who I am, but I will no longer be fighting for a living.”

A 30-year-old native of Janesville, Wisc., Letson exits the sport with a 5-2 record. She earned a victory over Elizabeth Phillips at Invicta FC 21 in January 2017 before competing on Season 28 of “The Ultimate Figh…

Bellator MMA Re-Signs A.J. McKee to Exclusive, Multi-Year Contract

A.J. McKee is going to remain a Bellator MMA athlete for the foreseeable future.

The California-based promotion on Tuesday announced that it has re-signed the former featherweight champion to an exclusive, multi-fight contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. In a release, Bellator president Scott Coker also indictated that McKee’s next move will be to compete in the lightweight grand prix.

“Our top priority has always been to cultivate talent from the ground up, and with A.J. I can proudly say we have witnessed this young man blossom into a bonafide superstar in the Bellator cage,” said Scott Coker. “It’s also our priority to retain top talent, and with A.J. entering the prime of his career, it was important to make sure he continued representing the Bellator brand, much like he did recently in Japan, for the foreseeable future. I am looking forward to A.J.’s next challenge, an appearance in our 2023 Bellator lightweight world grand Prix, wh…

Kings MMA Coach Rafael Cordeiro Gives Timetable for Giga Chikadze’s UFC Return

Kings MMA coach Rafael Cordeiro is expecting a busy campaign in 2023.

In addition to his duties as a renowned MMA coach, Cordeiro is now overseeing multiple affiliate gyms in Brazil.

“I always dreamed about the expansion of Kings MMA in Brazil, and this year I was able to open four branches in Sao Paulo (Campinas, Alphaville and Cotia) and one in Brasilia,” Cordeiro told Sherdog.com.

In a wide-ranging interview, Cordeiro touched on a variety of subjects involving numerous fighters — both past and present. The trainer was disappointed to learn of Kelvin Gastelum’s last-minute withdrawal from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 217 headliner against Nassourdine Imavov. Though Gastelum no longer trains at Kings MMA, he maintains a good relationship with Cordeiro.

"Oh my God. My conclusion is that this fight shouldn't happen, since this is the second time Gastelum withdrew on fight week. First time was his knee, now his mouth. I'm really upset with…

Aljamain Sterling: Torn Bicep Makes March Date vs. Henry Cejudo Unlikely

Aljamain Sterling’s next banamweight title defense may be delayed due to an injury that has plagued him for months.

Sterling revealed on his Weekly Scraps podcast that a partially torn bicep will make it difficult to make a proposed bout against the returning Henry Cejudo happen in March. The fight has not been officially confirmed by the promotion, but pay-per-view events are scheduled for March 4 in Las Vegas (UFC 285) and March 18 in London (UFC 286), and the pairing has long been rumored to be in the works.

“You guys are probably wondering if we’re going to fight or not,” Sterling said. “The fight is supposed to be myself and Henry Cejudo. I think that’s all said and done. It’s whether or not I can compete with this torn bicep again. Going through another training camp with a torn bicep, against a guy who is stronger in the wrestling department, who will use his wrestling more with inside leg trips, double legs, high crotches, and trying to run…

Diego Sanchez to Make BKFC Debut vs. Former Boxing Champ Austin Trout on Feb. 17

🔥KnuckleMania 3 Announcement🔥 New Mexico’s very own, Diego Sanchez will face Austin Trout at #KM3 on Fri. Feb 17th! pic.twitter.com/WApwJ8pBNF

— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) January 10, 2023

Ex-UFC lightweight title challenger Diego Sanchez will make his first foray into the bare-knuckle realm when he faces former boxing champ Austin Trout on Feb. 17.

BKFC announced the matchup will take place in Albuquerque, N.M., as part of the promotion’s Knucklemania 3 event at Tingley Coliseum. The bout was first reported in late November, but it was not officially confirmed until Tuesday due to initial concerns from the New Mexico State Commission regarding Sanchez’s health. The bout was approved at a hearing on Tuesday. Sanchez vs. Trout is expected to serve as the co-headliner at BKFC Knucklemania 3.

The 41-year-old Sanchez appeared on Season 1 of “The Ultimate Fighter” and went 19-13 over a 32-bout stint with the Las Vegas…

UFC, Pride Veteran Phil Baroni Charged with Aggravated Femicide in Mexico

Phil Baroni, a veteran of 35 mixed martial arts bouts, has been charged with aggravated femicide in connection with the death of his girlfriend in Mexico on Jan. 1.

The 46-year-old Baroni, who was arrested last week, was charged by a state judge in Mexico on Monday, according to ESPN.

According to a release from the general prosecutor of the State of Nayarit Office, Baroni assaulted the woman and caused “at least 37 injuries” that resulted in her death. Baroni contacted police on Jan. 1 after finding his girlfriend unresponsive. When speaking to authorities, the former fighter claimed that the woman hit her head when he shoved her into the shower during an argument.

Baroni could face 30 to 50 years in prison if he is convicted, per Nayarit penal code. The man known as “The New York Badass” was advised by a public defendant and will be held at Venustiano Carranza State Jail until the trial begins sometime in the next six months. Baroni had r…

California Women’s Caucus Calls for Removal of Dana White as UFC President

We are appalled by the violent conduct of @ufc President Dana White captured on video on NYE. Read our letter to @Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel calling for White's removal here:https://t.co/Px3WU8UGdP pic.twitter.com/o7IFM8ke1J

— California Legislative Women's Caucus (@CaWomensCaucus) January 10, 2023

The California Legislative Women’s Caucaus wants Dana White face serious consequences for slapping his wife during an altercation on New Year’s Eve.

The group, which “represents and advocates on behalf of the diverse interests of women, children and families throughout California” and consists of 17 senators and 32 assemblywomen, sent a letter to UFC parent company Endeavor calling for the removal of White as promotion president. The letter was addressed to Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel.

“As Chief Executive Officer of Endeavor, the UFC’s parent company, you have the authority to decide who leads the UFC, which is one of the world’…

Strickland Replaces Gastelum, Meets Imavov in New UFC Fight Night 217 Main Event

The first Ultimate Fighting Championship event of 2023 has undergone a late change to its headliner.

According to promotion broadcast partner ESPN, Kelvin Gastelum has been forced to withdraw from his UFC fight Night 217 showdown against Nassourdine Imavov due to a mouth injury, and as a result, will be replaced by Sean Strickland on less than one week’s notice. Strickland will be headlining back-to-back UFC cards after dropping a unanimous decision to Jared Cannonier in the promotion’s last event of 2022 on Dec. 17. While both men typically compete at 185 pounds, Strickland vs. Imavov will be contested at 205 pounds but will remain a five-round bout.

UFC Fight Night 217 takes place on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It’s the second significant blow for the card, as a proposed co-main event clash between Geoff Neal and Shavkat Rakhmonov was scrapped due to a Neal injury. That bout has since been rescheduled for UFC 285.

After authori…

Ex-ATT Coach Andre Benkei Plans to Build Heavyweight Powerhouse at New Camp

A number of notable heavyweights will be calling Brazilian camp Libertas Esportes de Combate home in the coming months.

According to head coach Andre Benkei, heavyweights Amir Aliakbari, Tony Johnson Jr., Anderson "Braddock" Silva and Guto Inocente will all be training together under the same roof in Mariana, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in the coming months. Benkei is a former coach at American Top Team.

“I’ve always dreamed to join a great team of fighters with the best team of coaches who can produce the best quality fighters to [send to] all MMA shows all over the world,” Benkei told Sherdog.com. “Thanks to the support of the mayor of Mariana and local companies like [Brazilian mining organization Samarco] I was able to make it happen.

Benkei plans on bringing a number of high-level coaches and trainers to sharpen the heavyweights’ skills.

“To take care of their wrestling, we will have [Iran national team member] Poya Baghbani; for boxin…

Featherweights Lerone Murphy, Nathaniel Wood to Meet at UFC 286

Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC

A featherweight clash pitting Lerone Murphy against Nathaniel Wood has been added to the UFC 286 lineup.

The Las Vegas-based promotion announced the bout on Monday. UFC 286 takes place on March 18 at the O2 Arena in London and also includes a middleweight tilt between Marvin Vettori and Roman Dolidze. A headliner has not been confirmed for the event.

The 31-year-old Murphy will make his first Octagon appearance since October 2021, when he knocked out Makwan Amirkhani with a knee in the second-round of their UFC 267 clash to run his professional mark to 11-0-1. Since then, the Englishman known as “The Miracle” was hospitalized after a cycling accident that he described as a “near-death experience” in May 2022.

A former Cage Warriors bantamweight champion, Wood is 2-0 since moving up to 145 pounds after earning unanimous verdicts over Charles Rosa and Charles Jourdain last year. The 29-year-old Great Britai…

Arjan Bhullar-Anatoliy Malykhin Title Unification Bout Set for One on Prime Video 8

Arjan Singh Bhullar and Anatoliy Malykhin will square off in a heavyweight title unification bout at One on Prime Video 8.

The Singapore-based promotion recently announced the booking. Bhullar and Malykhin were initially slated to meet at One Championship 161 last September, but Bhullar withdrew from the card due to injury. One on Prime Video 8 takes place on March 24 at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore and airs in primetime via Prime Video in the United States.

A four-time UFC veteran, Bhullar claimed the undisputed heavyweight crown with a second-round technical knockout victory against Brandon Vera at One Championship “Dangal” in April 2021. Bhullar has won four straight fights and 11 of 12 professional outings overall. Bhullar has not competed since that victory due to the aforementioned injury and a contract dispute with the promotion, according to a release.

Malykhin, meanwhile, is undefeated in 11 professional appearances…

Melquizael Costa Steps in to Face Thiago Moises at UFC 283 on Jan. 21

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Melquizael Costa will replace Guram Kutateladze and face Thiago Moises at UFC 283 on Jan. 21.

MMAFighting.com was first to report the new lightweight booking. UFC 283 takes place at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro and is headlined by a light heavyweight championship clash pitting Glover Teixeira against Jamahal Hill.

The 26-year-old Costa will enter his promotional debut with a 19-5 career record. The Chute Boxe Bauru representative has been victorious in seven of his last eight professional outings, including a third-round TKO of Jose Cleiton de Melo Jr. in his most recent appearance at LFA 147 on Nov. 18.

A former Resurrection Fighting Alliance champion, Moises snapped a two-fight losing streak at UFC on ESPN 38, when he submitted Christos Giagos in the opening stanza on June 25. Moises is 5-4 in UFC competition, with notable wins over the likes of Alexander Hernandez, Bobby Green and Michael Johnson.

Khabib Nurmagomedov Expected to Retire from MMA Coaching

It appears that Khabib Nurmagomedov is ready to step away from mixed martial arts entirely.

The former UFC lightweight champion recently shared a post on his Instagram stories indicating that he is retiring from MMA coaching. The translated post, which was shared from the account za.khabiba, reads: “Khabib is leaving the MMA industry. It’s about coaching and everything else related to MMA. The reason is Khabib’s desire to devote more time to his family.”

American Kickboxing Academy coach Javier Mendez, who cornered Nurmagomedov before later working alongside him, confirmed that the former UFC champion is retiring in an interview with Yahoo Sports. Nurmagomedov has three children.

“He just doesn’t want to miss being a father,” Mendez said. “He talked to me about three weeks ago and told me of his plan and said he planned to talk to the team and inform them of his decision. He’s doing this for the right reasons. He’s a family man and he simply w…

Ex-UFC Fighter Cain Carrizosa Arrested for Allegedly Assaulting Girlfriend

Two-time UFC veteran Cain Carrizosa has been arrested for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend twice since March of last year.

According to the Gephardt (Utah) Daily, Carrizosa is being held without bail at the Purgatory Correctional Facility in Washington County for allegedly punching a women with whom he was in a relationship on Jan. 1. Carrizosa, who is identified in the police report as Cain Castillo, is facing second-degree felony charges of aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury and robbery in St. George, Utah.

St. George police arrived at the couple's residence after receiving a report of a fight and found the woman with bruises consistent with that of having been punched. When speaking to police, the woman’s mother revealed that the couple had been drinking and she “could specifically hear the sound of a fist hitting flesh at least once.” The mother also said that she separated Carrizosa and her daughter after the victim clai…

One Championship Atomweight Victoria Lee Dead at 18

Victoria Lee, 18-year-old martial arts prodigy and undefeated MMA prospect in One Championship, died on Dec. 26, according to an Instagram post by her sister, ONE atomweight champ Angela Lee, on Jan. 7.

The elder sister's statement read:

“On December 26, 2022 our family experienced something no family should ever have to go through... It is incredibly difficult to say this... Our Victoria passed away.

She has gone too soon and our family has been completely devastated since then. We miss her. More than anything in this world. Our family will never be the same. Life will never be the same.

Victoria was the most beautiful soul who ever lived. She was the best little sister in the world. The best daughter, the best granddaughter and the best godma / aunty to Ava and Alia.

We miss you so much sis. More than you could ever realize. We're all broken. Because a piece of you was in each of us and when you left, those pieces were ripped out of u…

Tatiana Suarez-Montana De La Rosa Flyweight Scrap Booked for UFC Fight Night 220

Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com The long-awaited return for Ultimate Fighting Championship contender Tatiana Suarez is right around the corner.

On Monday, Sherdog learned from sources that Suarez (8-0) would be coming back from a nearly four-year layoff to take on Montana De La Rosa (12-7-1) in February. Suarez, a strawweight contender before injury kept her on the shelf from mid-2019 through 2022, will be moving to 125 pounds for this matchup. De La Rosa confirmed Friday on her OnlyFans page that this fight was official for the Feb. 25 card of UFC Fight Night 220. She subsequently announced this on her Instagram Stories not long after the news broke.

Suarez won Season 23 of “The Ultimate Fighter” by submitting J.J. Aldrich, Kate Jackson and Amanda Bobby Brundage to run through the reality show. After getting her "six-figure contract," she strung together…

UFC Champ Deiveson Figueiredo Expects Brazilians to Hold 5 Belts After UFC 283

The Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight king expects his countrymen and women to reign supreme in 2023.

Preparing for his record fourth straight match against one single opponent, Deiveson Figueiredo (21-2-1) is nearly ready to take on Brandon Moreno (20-6-2) once more. The two flyweight titleholders – Moreno claimed the interim strap against Kai Kara France last July – will unify their belts in the co-main event of UFC 283 on Jan. 21. Ahead of this historic battle, “Daico” revealed to Sherdog in an interview on Thursday that he has made some changes in his preparation. Most notably for the champion is that he went home.

“I tried to adapt in Chute Boxe with my family, but it was too cold during the winter time in Sao Paulo and they didn’t get adapted, so I decided to return home [to Para],” Figueiredo admitted.

But even being far from Sao Paulo, Brazil, or his previous camp of Fight Ready in Phoenix, Figueiredo guaranteed that the excellent con…

Bellator 290 Lineup Official for Feb. 4, Includes Mowry-Isaev & Darrion Caldwell

#Bellator290 on @CBS adds four new fights for Feb. 4 including undefeated heavyweights @TallSteveMMA and Ali Isaev.

Plus Lorenz Larkin (@da_MONSOON) vs. Mukhamed Berkhamov and former champ Darrion Caldwell (@TheWolfMMA) vs. Nikita Mikhailov.

More here:https://t.co/ArK3pUrGeK — Bellator Public Relations (@BellatorPR) January 6, 2023 The first Bellator MMA show of 2023 is shaping up to be one to remember.

Per a press release on Friday, the organization finalized its lineup for Bellator 290 on Feb. 4. While most of the bout listings – including the three main card tilts of Ryan Bader vs. Fedor Emelianenko, Johnny Eblen vs. Anatoly Tokov and Sabah Homasi vs. Brennan Ward – had already been made official, the preliminary slate is now fully on the books. Of note, Bellator added a heavyweight clash of the unbeatens between Steve Mowry (10-0, 1 NC) and Ali Isaev (9-0) to its billing.

Bellator 290 will be the promotion’…

Cynthia Calvillo Returns to Strawweight for Lupita Godinez Matchup on April 8

If she can reach the limit, Ultimate Fighting Championship vet Cynthia Calvillo will try to jump-start her career back down at 115 pounds.

Per ESPN Deportes on Thursday night, the UFC’s no. 14-ranked flyweight Calvillo (9-5-1) will be returning to the strawweight division on April 8. At the event tentatively called UFC 287, she will be greeted by Lupita Godinez (8-3), who has also bounced back and forth in divisions as well. Godinez confirmed on her Instagram Stories shortly after its announcement that this fight is official. The destination of this match and event is not yet on the books, although it is rumored to be going down at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

This will be Calvillo’s first jaunt back to strawweight since late 2019, where she missed weight by nearly five pounds and fought to a draw against Marina Rodriguez. Her first UFC fight at 125 pounds went in her favor, as she topped the heavy Jessica Eye by decision to earn a place among the top fi…

Jennifer Maia Expected to Face Casey O’Neill at UFC 286 in London

A place among the top 10 at flyweight is on the line at the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s return trip to London.

Courtesy of an initial report from MMA Island on Tuesday, 125-pound contenders Jennifer Maia (20-9-1) and Casey O'Neill (9-0) will square off at UFC 286 on March 18. The two flyweights are expected to battle it out inside of the O2 Arena in London, although the contracts have not yet been formalized. Maia has since confirmed this pairing in a comment on Instagram, and other outlets have also done so as well.

Maia ended her first two-fight skid in November, where she claimed a hard-fought decision over Maryna Moroz. That victory put an end to a rough patch in 2022 where she dropped unanimous verdicts to Katlyn Chookagian and Manon Fiorot. Since making her UFC debut in 2018, the former Invicta Fighting Championships flyweight queen has gone the distance in nine of her 10 outings. The lone stoppage came via armbar over Joanne Wood in 2020.…

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