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Three Bouts Confirmed for UFC Fight Night 218, Including Return of Doo Ho Choi

Three fights, including the return of Doo Ho Choi, were recently announced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship for its Feb. 4 event.

Choi will lock horns with Kyle Nelson at featherweight; Tatsuro Taira will face Jesus Santos Aguilar at flyweight and Jun Yong Park will meet Denis Tiuliulin at middleweight at UFC Fight Night 218. The event takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and is headlined by a heavyweight duel between Derrick Lewis and Sergey Spivak.

Choi will see action for the first time since December 2019, when he suffered a second-round TKO defeat to Charles Jourdain – his third consecutive loss in the Octagon. “The Korean Superboy” was slated to face Danny Chavez in July 2021 but withdrew from the contest due to injury.

Canada’s Nelson has lost four of his five promotional appearances. Most recently, he was outpointed by Jai Herbert at UFC Fight Night 208 on July 23.

Undefeated in 12 professional outings, Taira has emerged as …

UFC, Strikeforce Veteran Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva Announces Retirement from MMA

Former UFC heavyweight title challenger Antonio Silva is retiring from mixed martial arts following a 34-fight professional career that began in 2005.

The Brazilian known as “Bigfoot” announced his decision in an interview with Canal Encarada. Silva, who turned 43 this past September, exits the sport with a 19-14-1 career mark. He lost his last seven MMA appearances dating back to 2015 — with all but one of those defeats coming via knockout or technical knockout. His most recent bout came this past June, when he suffered a second-round KO defeat to Oleg Popov at an event in Russia. That proved to be the last straw for Silva.

“I fought the best, I beat the best and also lost to the best,” Silva said (translation via MMAFighting.com). “There’s a time in life when you can’t… I fought in Russia, back-to-back fights basically, and I’m not taking anything away from my MMA opponent, but I never saw myself losing to this guy three or four years ago. This …

Bellator Signs Ex-UFC Title Challenger Sara McMann to Multi-Fight Deal

Former UFC bantamweight title challenger Sara McMann has signed a multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA.

The promotion announced the news on Tuesday. The former Olympic silver medalist will move up a division in Bellator to compete at 145 pounds, where Cristiane Justino is the reigning champion.

"I am thrilled to have joined Bellator. Bellator has the deepest roster at women’s featherweight, and I look forward to tough scraps with these ladies,” McMann said in a release. “I want to thank the Bellator team, especially Mike Kogan and Scott Coker, for putting together such an outstanding offer, and I’d like to thank many Bellator fighters, including Cris Cyborg, for their collective support and encouragement. Everything about this feels right, and I am grateful and looking forward to 2023!”

McMann challenged for bantamweight gold in just her second Octagon appearance, falling to Ronda Rousey via first-round technical knockout at UFC 170 on Feb.…

A Sitdown with Japan’s MMA Officials Committee

Photo courtesy of JMOC

Since its inception in 2017, the Japan MMA Officials Committee has worked to standardize rules and regulations and to develop the next group of officials in Japan to oversee MMA’s growth in the future. Much like its North American counterpart, the Association of Boxing Commissions, did previously, JMOC set out to create a more unified experience for fighters, referees and judges alike.

Led by veteran MMA officials Masato Fukuda, Minoru Toyonaga, Tomoki Matsumiya and Naoya Uematsu, JMOC is preparing to oversee one of Japan’s biggest MMA events of the past decade, Rizin 40: Bellator MMA vs. Rizin, on New Year’s Eve in Saitama. The group spoke with Sherdog.com ahead of the event to discuss JMOC’s goals, working with North American officials and the continued evolution of MMA regulation in Japan.

Sherdog: First of all, I would like to ask you to describe what kind of organization JMOC is, starting with the character…

Michel Pereira Reveals What It’s Like to Spar Against UFC Champ Francis Ngannou

Michel Pereira won’t get to fight at UFC 283 in Rio de Janeiro like he had hoped, but he did receive an intriguing matchup as a consolation prize.

Pereira, who has won five straight in UFC competition and recently entered the promotion’s welterweight rankings, will face Sean Brady at UFC on ESPN 43 in San Antonio, Texas, on March 25.

"I thought that my hard time finding opponents was due to the fact that I was out of the rankings, but that was a huge mistake,” Pereira told Sherdog.com in a video interview. [UFC matchmaker Sean] Shelby did everything he could to find me someone to face at UFC Rio, but nobody wanted to fight me. I was really mad until the UFC came with the name of Sean Brady, and it looks like we will fight on March 25.”

Currently on vacation at a Brazilian friend’s home in Kansas, Pereira said that he doesn’t yet have much information on his opponent.

"All I know is that he is a wrestler. I saw his fight with Belal [Muham…

Tracy Cortez ‘Prioritizing Mental Health’ After Exit from UFC Orlando Card

Tracy Cortez has been working on getting her mind right, and for the time being, that’s put her mixed martial arts career on hold.

The UFC flyweight shed some light on what led to a last-minute withdrawal from a proposed clash against Amanda Ribas one day before their Dec. 3 bout in Orlando. The promotion’s statement cited a “medical issue,” but according to Cortez, it’s a little more complex than that.

“I want to say I haven’t been in the right head space since sometime in August,” Cortez wrote on Instagram. “Life has been testing me under circumstances that I least expected. I’m currently healing, I’m prioritizing my mental health [and] just taking life a day at a time.”

The 29-year-old Phoenix native has emerged as an intriuging talent since earning a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2019, winning her first four bouts within the Las Vegas-based promotion. In her lone appearance of 2022, Cortez defeated Melissa Gatto via unani…

Vadim Nemkov Withdraws from Bellator 290; Eblen vs. Tokov Set for Co-Main Event

Bellator 290 has a new co-main event.

Reigning light heavyweight king Vadim Nemkov has withdrawn from his title defense against Yoel Romero for undisclosed reasons, and as a result, a middleweight title tilt between Johnny Eblen and Anatoly Tokov has been booked as the card’s new co-feature. Promotion officials initially confirmed the change to ESPN. It is currently unclear if Nemkov vs. Romero will be rebooked at a later date.

Bellator 290 takes place on Feb. 4 at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., and is headlined by a heavyweight championship rematch pitting Ryan Bader against Fedor Emelianenko. The card will air on CBS, marking the promotion’s debut on network television.

Eblen claimed middleweight gold in his last outing at Bellator 282, when he took a five-round verdict over former Strikeforce title holder Gegard Mousasi on June 24. The 31-year-old American Top Team representative is 12-0 as a professional, with eight of those triumphs c…

Santiago Ponzinibbio Seeks Ranked Foe, Willing to Face Khamzat Chimaev

Santiago Ponzinibbio isn’t one to back down from a challenge.

Shortly after Khamzat Chimaev declared on his video blog that four different opponents have turned down a fight against him, Ponzinibbio called out the Chechen star for a clash in the Octagon.

"I thought he was going to fight Colby [Covington], and I was planning to ask UFC to put me as reserve fighter in case either one of them got hurt,” he told Sherdog.com. “Now that I know the fight hasn’t been finalized, it’s even better. Hey UFC, I’m here.”

Ponzinibbio dealt with some adversity recently, as he lost back-to-back fights for the first time in his career, falling to Geoff Neal and Michel Pereira via split decision.

"I never lost two fights in a row” he said. “Personally I don’t think I lost to Neal or Pereira, but what counts is the red mark on your Sherdog [profile],” he said. Ponzinibbio returned to the win colum at UFC 282, defeating Alex Morono via third-round technical knock…

Welterweights Sean Brady, Michel Pereira to Clash at UFC on ESPN 43

Sean Brady will lock horns with Michel Pereira in a welterweight bout at UFC on ESPN 43.

Multiple outlets confirmed the booking after Pereira announced the pairing on PVT. UFC on ESPN 43 takes place on March 25 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, and is also expected to include a women’s bantamweight showdown pitting Holly Holm against Yana Kunitskaya.

Brady suffered his first loss in 16 professional outings at UFC 280, when he fell to Belal Muhammad via second-round TKO at UFC 280. The ex-Cage Fury Fighting Championships title holder began his UFC tenure with five straight triumphs, a run that included victories over the likes of Michael Chiesa, Jake Matthews and Court McGee.

Pereira, meanwhile, has won his last five Octagon appearances. Most recently, “Demolidor” took a split verdict over Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC Fight Night 206 on May 21. The 29-year-old Brazilian is 28-11 with two no contests over the course of his profession…

Khamzat Chimaev Details Struggles Finding Fight: ‘Every Week I Have New Opponent’

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Khamzat Chimaev is the man nobody in the UFC wants to face.

The 28-year-old Allstars Training Center representative is ready to return to the Octagon, but finding a willing opponent has been something of a challenge.

“They gave me four different countries, four different opponents,” Chimaev recently said on his video blog. “Nobody wants to fight.

“I’m gonna fight somebody, I don’t know who. They change opponents all the time. Every week I have new opponent, but nobody wants to fight … I’m always ready.”

Though he doesn’t have a dance partner at this point in time, Chimaev seems hopeful that his next Octagon appearance will come at UFC 285.

“We’ll see what’s gonna happen now. I think we’ll be, hope so, March [in Las Vegas] but I don’t know who,” he said.

Chimaev last appeared at UFC 279 this past September, where he dispatched Kevin Holland via first-round submission in a 180-pound catchweight bout. “Borz” is 12-0…

Report: Jeff Molina Suspended by NSAC, Linked to UFC Betting Investigation

Jeff Molina is the latest member of Glory MMA & Fitness to experience the fallout from the ongoing UFC betting probe.

According to ESPN, the UFC flyweight has been handed what has been currently labeled as an “uncategorized” suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission pending its next meeting in January. Molina’s suspension was initially listed on his profile page at mixedmartialarts.com.

While NSAC officials couldn’t comment on the nature of the suspension, ESPN confirmed that Molina is linked to the investigation that began as a result of suspicious betting activity ahead of the Nov. 5 UFC fight between Darrick Minner and Neurdanbieke Shayilan. Odds shifted significantly in Shayilan’s favor a few hours before the bout — including significant wagering on the Chinese fighter to win inside the distance. Shayilan defeated a hobbled Minner by technical knockout in 67 seconds, and speculation ensued that Minner was injured heading into th…

UFC Hall of Famer Stephan Bonnar Dead at 45

Stephan Bonnar, whose fight with Forrest Griffin at “The Ultimate Fighter 1” finale propelled the UFC to a new level of popularity, has died at 45 years old.

The UFC announced Bonnar’s passing in a statement on Saturday. The cause of death was revealed to be “presumed heart complications while at work.”

"Stephan Bonnar was one of the most important fighters to ever compete in the Octagon," said UFC President Dana White. "His fight with Forrest Griffin changed the sport forever, and he will never be forgotten. The fans loved him, related to him and he always gave them his best. He will be missed."

Bonnar is perhaps best known was his time on “TUF 1,” where he reached the finals of the reality show and received a UFC contract after losing a unanimous decision to Griffin in a memorable clash on April 9, 2005. That bout was later enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame’s “Fight Wing.”

That led to a seven-year career with the Las Vegas-based promo…

Jailton Almeida Hopes to Be Top 5 UFC Heavyweight By End of 2023

After three first-round finishes in as many Octagon appearances, Jailton Almeida figures to be a fan favorite for the Brazilian audience at UFC 283.

Thanks to his admiration for the Khabib Nurmagomedov’s style and his penchant for taking down and dominanting opponents, “Malhadinho” is now being called “Malhadomedov” in his home country. Almedia got his “Malhadinho” moniker because his father was a boxer known as “Malhado” during his fighting career.

"Brazilian fans are really funny they gave a nickname to my nickname,” Almeida told Sherdog.com. “But I’m really honored by that. As I said before, I admire [Khamzat] Chimaev and Khabib´s game, but I added jiu-jitsu to that. Instead of just punishing my opponent, I always go for the submission.”

Almeida, who owns a 17-2 professional mark, isn’t resting on his laurels. He is expecting a tough fight against UFC 283 opponent Shamil Abdurakhimov, who enters the bout on a three-fight losin…

‘Shogun’ Rua Discusses Farewell Bout at UFC 283, Nearly Fighting Fedor in Pride

Considered to be on the the biggest MMA stars to ever come from Brazil, Mauricio Rua will write the final chapter of his storied career at UFC 283.

“Shogun’s” swan song will come against Ihor Potieira, a man 15 years his junior who is coming off a second-round technical knockout loss to Nicolae Negumereanu in his Octagon debut at UFC 277.

“I’m studying a lot his fights,” Rua told Sherdog.com. “He is a southpaw and very aggressive. Of course I have to be cautious, but my nature will always push me to try to win via knockout.”

According to Rua, he will be 100% retired after UFC 283, no matter what the result of his 42nd professional fight may be.

“That’s guaranteed. I’m not going to look for boxing matches or superfights. I´m totally satisfied with my 20-year career. My goal now is dedicate time to my family and also give more attention to my Shogun Team academies.”

Rua claims that there will be 80 franchises with the Shogun Academy name …

Manel Kape vs. Alex Perez Targeted for UFC on ESPN 43 in San Antonio

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A flyweight showdown between Manel Kape and Alex Perez is in the works for UFC on ESPN 43.

MMAFighting.com was first to report the booking. Perez was supposed to face Kai Kara France at UFC 284 before Kara France recently announced his withdrawal from the event due to injury. UFC on ESPN 43 takes place at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, and also includes a women’s bantamweight clash pitting Holly Holm against Yana Kunit…

Marcin Tybura to Face Blagoy Ivanov at UFC Fight Night 218 on Feb. 4

Marcin Tybura will square off against Blagoy Ivanov in a heavyweight clash at UFC Fight Night 218.

Multiple outlets confirmed the booking following an initial report from MMA Underground. UFC Fight Night 218 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and is headlined by a heavyweight scrap between Derrick Lewis and Sergey Spivak.

Tybura has been victorious in six of his last seven UFC bouts. In his last outing, the former M-1 Global champion ended Alexander Romanov’s undefeated run with a majority decision triumph at UFC 278.

A former World Series of Fighting title holder, Ivanov ended a two-bout skid in his lone appearance of 2022, as he outpointed Marcos Rogerio de Lima at UFC 274 this past May. The Bellator veteran is 3-2 in the Octagon, with other wins against Tai Tuivasa and Ben Rothwell.

Neiman Gracie vs. Michael Lombardo Added to Bellator 290

Neiman Gracie vs. Michael Lombardo in the works as the latest addition to the upcoming #Bellator290 card taking place at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Feb. 4.

The main card will air on CBS.

— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) December 22, 2022

The upcoming Bellator 290 card gained an intriguing welterweight matchup as Neiman Gracie will take on Michael Lombardo. A person with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the bout to Sherdog following an initial report from MMAFighting.com.

Former Bellator MMA welterweight title contender Gracie (11-4, 9-4 Bellator) is looking to rebound following back-to-back defeats at the hands of Logan Storley and Goiti Yamauchi. Gracie’s latest victory dates back to September 2021, when he crushed Mark Lemminger with punches and elbows.

Professional Fighters League and Dana White’s Contender Series alum Lombardo (13-3, 1 NC; 1-1 Bellator) is coming off a first-round knockout over Mark …

Marlon Vera, Cory Sandhagen Clash to Headline UFC Fight Night 219 on Feb. 18

🚨 BANGER ALERT 🚨@ChitoVeraUFC and @CorySandhagen will be taking center stage Saturday, Feb. 18th! pic.twitter.com/aFiJ56FUrq

— UFC (@ufc) December 23, 2022

An exciting bantamweight clash is going down at the UFC Apex early next year.

On Friday, the Ultimate Fighting Championship announced Marlon Vera would take on Cory Sandhagen in the upcoming UFC Fight Night 219 event that will go down on Feb. 18.

Vera (20-7-1, 14-6 UFC) is currently riding a four-bout winning streak that features four bonuses, including Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night. In his latest outing, “Chito” knocked out former divisional kingpin Dominick Cruz with a head kick that halted the contest in Round 4. Prior, the Team Oyama representative scored victories over Rob Font, former UFC titleholder Frankie Edgar and Davey Grant.

Former interim title contender Sandhagen (15-4, 8-3 UFC) is coming off a technical-knockout victory ove…

New Video Shows Jorge Masvidal’s Arrest, Interrogation in March

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A new video surfaced showing what went down during the arrest of former Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight title contender Jorge Masvidal in March.

The “Real World Police” YouTube channel uploaded video of the night Masvidal (35-16, 12-9 UFC) spent at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Miami police arrested and interrogated “Gamebred” a day after his alleged altercation with former teammate-turned-bitter-rival Colby Covington on March 22. Allegedly, Masvidal assaulted the former UFC interim champion outside of the Papi Steak Restaurant in Miami, provoking a fractured tooth and an abrasion on Covington’s wrist. Masvidal and Covington collided in the UFC 272 headliner on March 6, resulting in a unanimous decision victory for “Chaos.”

Masvidal was charged with aggravated battery and criminal mischief; he pleaded not guilty and will stand trial in 2023. His felonies are punishable by up to 15 years in prison as well as a $10,000…

Deron Winn Released Following Alleged UFC Performance Institute Accident

Being released after a freak accident on their property the week before Christmas. Man “it’s business not personal” has never been more real 🤦🏾‍♂️ https://t.co/386BPSsgVj

— Deron Winn (@DeronWinn) December 22, 2022

Deron Winn is no longer an Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter.

On Thursday, it was revealed the UFC cut the contract of Winn (7-3, 2-3 UFC) a week after his freak accident at the UFC Performance Institute. Winn was at the venue to prepare for his then-scheduled fight with Julian Marquez on the UFC Fight Night 216 prelims when he claims he fell down stairs and suffered neck trauma and concussion. Following the fighter’s medical review at the hospital, the fight was called off.

Winn, unhappy with his release, took to his social media accounts to comment on the situation and the timing of his release.

“Being released after a freak accident on their property the week before Christmas. Man ‘it’s busin…

Report: UFC Pay-Per-View Price to Increase to $79.99 in 2023

.@UFC PPVs on @ESPNPlus will increase in price from $74.99 this year to $79.99 next year, starting with #UFC283 in January, per @Disney.

🔲 Disney says the move reflects "the value of ESPN+ and the popularity and quality of UFC events," and that it doesnt impact ESPN+ sub price. pic.twitter.com/PBf0cMTIUE

— Adam Stern (@A_S12) December 22, 2022

In what has become something of an annual tradition, the cost of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s premium events will increase heading into beginning of the new year.

According to a report from the Sports Business Journal, UFC pay-per-views will increase in price from $74.99 to $74.99 beginning with UFC 283 on Jan. 21. The decision “reflects the value of ESPN+ and the popularity and quality of UFC events,” per a statement from Disney. The update is not expected to affect the cost of the ESPN+ subscription, which is currently $9.99 per month following a 43 percent increase i…

Coker, Sakakibara Explain How Relationship Makes Bellator-Rizin Event Possible

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There are multiple moving parts behind a successful co-promoted event involving two large MMA promotions.

Perhaps the most important aspect of such a venture is a solid relationship between the people at the top of said promotions. Such is the case for the upcoming Rizin 40 card, which features five bouts pitting athletes from the Japanese organization against five fighters from Bellator MMA on the main draw. It wouldn’t have happened without the bond that Rizin CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara forged with Bellator president Scott Coker many years ago.

“We’ve both been in the business for a long time and seen the ups and downs. The healthy competition we have is why. We’re doing this because of Scott Coker, and more because of Scott than because of Bellator. That’s one reason,” Sakakibara said during a recent media call.

The feeling was mutual, according to Coker.

“This is a relationship that started in 2004, 2005. It’s been many yea…

UFC, BKFC Veteran Johnny Bedford Retires from Combat Sports

Johnny Bedford is calling it a career at 39 years old.

The former UFC competitor and BKFC bantamweight champion announced his decision on the BKFC Weekly Show, citing a lack of motivation to continue the type of training necessary to compete at a high level. He also says he’s made enough fighting with BKFC to be financially stable.

“I don’t have to fight just buy diapers and pay rent and do whatever it took,” Bedford said (transcription via MMAjunkie.com). “I used to fight, sh—t, twice a month just to pay bills. Because of bareknuckle and because of smart decisions I’ve made with my money from bareknuckle, I’m finally in a position where, wow. I don’t have to do this anymore. It was probably the hardest decision I’ve made.”

Bedford hasn’t competed in MMA since September 2017, when he lost a five-round majority decision to Jesse Arnett at Z Promotions “Fight Night 5: Medicine Hat.” He was a cast member on Season 14 of “The Ultimate Fighter” b…

Judge Douglas Crosby Responds to Criticism Regarding Controversial Scorecards

MMA judge Douglas Crosby has come under fire recently due to a pair of scorecards he submitted at Bellator 289 and UFC 282 on back-to-back nights.

In the bantamweight grand prix semifinal between Danny Sabatello and Raufeon Stots, Crosby submitted a 50-45 tally in favor of Sabatello, which was the lone dissenting scorecard in Stots’ split-decision victory. One night later, Crosby was one of three judges who rewarded Paddy Pimblett with a 29-28 verdict in the Englishman’s controversial unanimous decision win against Jared Gordon in the UFC 282 co-main event.

Crosby recently appeared on Chael Sonnen’s ”You're Welcome” podcast, and while he didn’t address specific scorecards, he offer some explanation at what he values when scoring a fight.

“Over the last 15 years, when you talk to the fighters, the overarching comment – and I’m not going to call it a complaint, I’ll call it a comment or a concern, is that effective grappling is not given enoug…

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