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Coach of Robert Whittaker Does Not Expect Paulo Costa to Sign for UFC 284

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship champ Robert Whittaker will be ready no matter who gets thrown at him in Australia.

Back in October, the UFC confirmed the booking of Whittaker (24-6) against Paulo Costa (14-2) for UFC 284. The event will be held at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, in what is a home game of sorts for Whittaker. However, the middleweight matchup did not appear to be set in stone when Costa revealed on his social media that he had not signed to fight. Instead, he claimed he “politely” declined the multi-fight contract that the promotion offered. While the pairing has not been officially scrubbed, Whittaker and his team are already preparing for the possibility of other foes. Sherdog spoke to Whittaker’s coach, Alex Prates, about this situation on Thursday.

“I see Costa using that fight to renegotiate his contract and I truly hope he can do that, [as] what [is good for him] is good for everybody,” coach Prates explained to Sherdog…

Concussion Knocks Deron Winn Out of UFC Fight Night 216 Match With Julian Marquez

Editor's note: The article has been updated at 6:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 15 to reflect the match's total cancelation.

The year-end Ultimate Fighting Championship show is down one preliminary matchup.

Deron Winn (7-3) was initially slated to take on Julian Marquez (9-3) in a middleweight pairing on the UFC Fight Night 216 prelims, but on Wednesday, disaster struck for Winn. Per a Thursday statement on his social media, Winn fell down stairs at the UFC Performance Institute on Wednesday, resulting in head and neck trauma and inflicting him with a concussion. Upon medical review at the hospital, Winn has been pulled from the fight. The promotion will not seek a replacement to face Marquez on short notice, despite Marquez posting about the ease of his weight cut on his own Instagram mere hours before Winn’s post.

“Hey all-,” the statement from Winn wrote, “yesterday at the UFC PI, I fainted and had a freak accident. I fell down the stairs, hit my head…

Marvin Vettori to Face Roman Dolidze at UFC 286 in London

The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s return to London has its first fight put together, and it is quite a good one.

The UFC’s broadcast partner of ESPN broke the news on Thursday that UFC 286 has gained its first matchup of the billing. At the O2 Arena in London, top-10 middleweights collide as Marvin Vettori (18-6-1) battles it out with Roman Dolidze (12-1). Georgia’s Dolidze has since confirmed this pairing on his Instagram page.

Boisterous Italian Vettori has alternated wins and losses in his last four appearances, albeit against some of the best opposition his weight class has to offer. While he topped Kevin Holland in April 2021 to put him on a five-fight win streak, a title fight and rematch against Israel Adesanya three months later did not go his way, as he dropped a five-round verdict to the then-champ. In a victorious rebounding effort – albeit at 205 pounds when his opponent announced he would not make the middleweight limit – he topped Paulo Costa in a 25-m…

Derrick Lewis-Sergey Spivak Rebooked to Headline Relocated UFC Card on Feb. 4

Seoul, South Korea, is no longer on the slate for the Ultimate Fighting Championship in early 2023.

Per MMA Fighting on Thursday, the promotion is moving on from a slated event in Seoul on Feb. 4. After Chan Sung Jung succumbed to a shoulder injury, the organization has decided to change this event’s location to the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Headlining this UFC Fight Night event will be a rescheduled heavyweight battle as Derrick Lewis (26-10, 1 NC) takes on Sergey Spivak (15-3). Spivak has since confirmed this news on his Instagram Stories. Lewis and Spivak were initially set to throw down in the main event of UFC Fight Night 215 on Nov. 19, but Lewis suffered a medical issue on fight day that ejected him from the billing.

Lewis will be looking to rebound from a pair of knockout losses to Tai Tuivasa and Sergei Pavlovich in 2022, putting him on the first multiple-fight skid since 2019. The UFC’s all-time leader in knockouts, “The Black Beast” set that record in Decem…

UFC to Sponsor Men’s, Women’s Wrestling Programs for University of Iowa Hawkeyes

“The partnership between Iowa wrestling and UFC is a perfect fit. We both celebrate tough, physical athletes who compete at the highest level." -- Tom Brands@ufc 🤝 #Hawkeyes

➡ https://t.co/QCZFwSc0yG pic.twitter.com/JO8eFGJIEw

— Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling (@Hawks_Wrestling) December 15, 2022 The Ultimate Fighting Championship is getting into the college wrestling business.

According to a press release on Thursday, the promotion has issued its first-ever college sponsorship to the Iowa Hawkeyes. In particular, the UFC will be issuing support and marketing for the wrestling departments of the University of Iowa, which recently created a women’s wrestling program a year ago. The organization will place signs inside the Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, as well as running content on its radio shows and social media services.

The head coach of the men’s wrestling team, Tom Brands, was thrilled about the arrangement, say…

James Krause, Darrick Minner Have Suspensions Extended by Nevada Commission

James Krause and Darrick Minner had temporary extensions extended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission during a Wednesday meeting.

A full disciplinary hearing will take place at a later date. Currently, Krause, the head trainer at Glory MMA & Fitness, and Minner, a former UFC featherweight, are suspended for failing to disclose an injury to the fighter in relation to his first-round technical loss to Nuerdanbieke Shayilan at UFC Fight Night 214 on Nov. 5.

Those are potentially the least serious sanctions facing both Krause and Minner. The bout is currently under investigation for suspicious activity after the betting odds shifted significantly just hours before the fight — and manny bettors wagered on Shayilan to win inside of a round. Minner appeared to be hobbled during the bout, and speculation ensued that he entered the bout against Shayilan with a pre-existing knee injury.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Nevada deputy attorney general …

UFC 285 Update: Cody Garbrandt to Face Julio Arce in Las Vegas on March 4

A bantamweight clash pitting Cody Garbrandt against Julio Arce has been booked for UFC 285.

Eurosport was first to report the pairing. UFC 285 takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 4 and includes a women’s flyweight showdown between Amanda Ribas and Viviane Araujo as well as a middleight tilt between Bo Nickal and Jamie Pickett. A headliner for the card has not been confirmed.

Garbandt has struggled since 2017, losing five of his last six UFC appearances — a slump that began when he relinquished the 135-pound belt to T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 217. Most recently, “No Love” came up short in his flyweight debut, as he suffered a first-round TKO defeat to Kai Kara France at UFC 269 last December. Four of his last five defeats have been via knockout or technical knockout.

Arce, meanwhile, has alternated wins and losses in his last eight promotional outings. The Team Tiger Schulmann representative went 1-1 in 2022, outpointing Daniel…

Grappling Ace Lucas Barbosa Among Welterweights Announced for PFL Challenger Series

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Brazilian jiu-jitsu standout Lucas Barbosa will head a field of eight welterweights vying for a Professional Fighters League contract next year.

The organization announced on Wednesday the welterweight lineup for the first PFL Challenger Series event on Jan. 17. Barbosa will square off against Itso Babulaidze in the card’s featured bout. The PFL Challenger Series airs on FuboTV on Friday nights, and contract winners are selected by a judging panel comprised of combat sports notables and other celebrity guests.

“The 2023 PFL Challenger Series provides world class talent a path to the PFL,” said PFL president of fighter operations Ray Sefo in a release. “The Challenger Series continues the PFL’s commitment to finding the best talent in MMA around the world.”

Three other 170-pound bouts were also confirmed for the event: Cage Fury Fighting Championships welterweight title holder Eric Alequin vs. undefeated Combate Global and L…

Grappling Ace Lucas Barbosa Among Welterweights Set for PFL Challenger Series

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Brazilian jiu-jitsu standout Lucas Barbosa will head a field of eight welterweights vying for a Professional Fighters League contract next year.

The organization announced on Wednesday the welterweight lineup for the first PFL Challenger Series event on Jan. 27. Barbosa will square off against Itso Babulaidze in the card’s featured bout. The PFL Challenger Series airs on FuboTV on Friday nights, and contract winners are selected by a judging panel comprised of combat sports notables and other celebrity guests.

Three other 170-pound bouts were also confirmed for the event: Cage Fury Fighting Championships welterweight title holder Eric Alequin vs. undefeated Combate Global and L…

Three Fights Added to Bellator 290 Card on Feb. 4

The lineup for Bellator 290 continues to take shape, as three bouts were recently added to the Feb. 4 event.

The new matchups are as follows: Diana Avsaragova vs. Alejandra Lara at flyweight; Christopher Gonzalez vs. Max Rohskopf at lightweight and Jornel Lugo vs. Jaylon Bates at bantamweight. MMAjunkie.com was first to report Avsaragova vs. Lara, while FanSided MMA initially brought word of Gonzalez vs. Rohskopf and Lugo vs. Bates.

Bellator 290 takes place at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., and is headlined by a heavyweight title tilt between Ryan Bader and Fedor Emelianenko. In the co-main event, Vadim Nemkov will defend the light heavyweight crown against Yoel Romero. The evening’s main card will air on CBS.

Avsaragova is undefeated in five professional outings and is coming off a three-round verdict over Kyra Batara in her third promotional appearance at Bellator 276. A former flyweight title challenger, Lara has dropped her last three …

Bantamweight, Flyweight Title Bouts Top Invicta FC 51 Lineup on Jan. 18

A championship doubleheader is on tap for Invicta FC 51 on Jan. 18.

The event will be headlined by a bantamweight championship clash between reigning title holder Taneisha Tennant and Talita Bernardo, while Kristina Williams and Ketlen Souza will vie for the vacant flyweight crown in the co-main event. The all-female promotion announced the bookings on Tuesday.

Invicta FC 51 takes place at Reelworks Denver in Denver, Colo., and airs on AXS TV and the Invicta FC YouTube channel beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Five other bouts were also announced for the card: Serena DeJesus vs. Olga Rubin at bantamweight; Claire Guthrie vs. Auttumn Norton at bantamweight; Marisa Messer-Belenchia vs. Elisandra Ferreira at atomweight; Katie Saull vs. Rayanne Amanda at atomweight and Fatima Kline vs. Laura Gallardo at strawweight.

A former competitor on Dana White’s Contender Series, Tennant is 4-0 under the Invicta FC banner — including five-round verdicts ove…

Amanda Ribas vs. Viviane Araujo Targeted for UFC 285 on March 4

Amanda Ribas now has a dance partner for UFC 285, as a clash against Viviane Araujo has been targeted for March 4.

Multiple outlets confirmed the booking following an initial report from Dama de Ferro MMA. Sherdog.com previously reported that Ribas was expected to return to flyweight at UFC 285 and multiple opponent options — including Araujo — were under consideration.

UFC 285 takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and is also expected to include a middleweight tilt pitting Bo Nickal against Jamie Pickett. A headliner for the event has not been announced.

Ribas will be making her third 125-pound appearance in the Octagon. In her last outing, the Brazilian dropped a competitive split decision to former flyweight title challenger Katlyn Chookagian at UFC on ESPN 36. She is 5-2 during her tenure with the Las Vegas-based promotion, which also includes a first-round submission of Paige VanZant at 125 pounds.

Araujo, meanwhile, is …

Bryce Mitchell Blames Flu for Poor Performance vs. Ilia Topuria at UFC 282

Thank y’all for the luv! pic.twitter.com/SCIJZSOK2I

— Bryce Mitchell (@ThugnastyMMA) December 12, 2022

The featherweight matchup pitting Ilia Topuria against Bryce Mitchell that opened the UFC 282 pay-per-view was billed as a clash between two of the top young contenders in the division.

It turned out to be one-way traffic for Topuria, as “The Spaniard” battered his opponent on the feet and denied all but one of his takedowns before submitting Mitchell with an arm-triangle choke 3:10 into Round 2. Mitchell’s attempts at grappling were ineffective and he was outgunned on the feet in suffering his first setback in 16 professional outings.

According to “Thug Nasty,” there were more factors at play at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night.

“I definitely got to let you know that definitely wasn’t me out there,” Mitchell said in a video on Twitter. “I had the flu the week before, and I thought I’d just tough it out. I d…

Scott Coker Targets First Quarter of 2023 for Bellator Bantamweight Grand Prix Final

In an ideal world, Bellator’s bantamweight grand prix final will go down early next year.

The 135-pound championship is now set, as interim king Raufeon Stots will square off against Patrick Mix following their victories in the semifinals at Bellator 289this past Friday. Stots edged Danny Sabatello via split decision in one half of the bracket, while Mix submitted Magomed Magomedov in the other half.

As of now, a date has not been set for Stots vs. Mix, but Bellator president Scott Coker does have a timeline in mind.

“We’re going to have to see who’s injured, who’s not injured, and that’s going to determine when they fight,” Coker said at the Bellator 289 post-fight press conference. “We want them to be healthy, fresh and ready to go and not just training through injuries or having to cut weight too quick from this fight.

“We’re going to talk to all the managers Monday and see how everybody’s feeling and then we’ll decide when we throw…

Darren Till ‘Not Retired’ But Plans to Take Some ‘Time Off from the UFC’

Not all that long ago, the future appeared to be bright indeed for Darren Till.

The Liverpool, England, native was unbeaten in his first six UFC appearances, a run that included signature triumphs against Donald Cerrone and Stephen Thompson. That led to a welterweight title shot against Tyron Woodley, and though Till lost via second-round submission in that September 2018 bout, it seemed as though he would remain on an upward trajectory.

That hasn’t been the case. The Woodley loss was just the start of an extended slump that has seen Till lose five of six in the Octagon, including a third-round submission defeat at the hands of Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 282 this past Saturday. Till showed mettle in rallying back from a lopsided opening stanza, but ultimately, he was unable to completely turn the corner in a clash that ultimately received “Fight of the Night” honors.

The latest setback caused Till to do some serious reflecting, and while some tim…

Dana White Blasts Jared Gordon’s ‘Horrible Game Plan’ Against Paddy Pimblett

Though most observers felt differently, neither Dana White nor Paddy Pimblett thought Jared Gordon was robbed at UFC 282.

Pimblett remained unbeaten in the Octagon on Saturday night, taking a contentious unanimous verdict over Gordon in the evening’s co-main event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with judges Douglas Crosby, Chris Lee and Ron McCarthy all submitting 29-28 tallies for the former Cage Warriors champion. The general consensus in the MMA community after the fact was that Gordon was the victim of some bad scorecards.

Not so, says the UFC president.

“Gordon had a horrible game plan going into that third round,” White said at the UFC 282 post-fight press conference. “You think you won the first two rounds with the judges? How do you know that? Why go in there and throw away the third round and not go in and fight your ass off and try to win.

“If you think you know who won what round or whatever, you’re crazy. I’ve been doing this…

Magomed Ankalaev Clarifies Post-Fight Interview Remarks Regarding UFC

In the immediate aftermath of the split draw in the UFC 282 headliner, it sounded as though Magomed Ankalaev was contemplating a future outside the Las Vegas-based promotion.

Ankalaev’s clash with Jan Blachowicz for the vacant light heavyweight title was ruled a majority draw after five rounds at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Derek Cleary scored the contest 48-46 for Ankalaev, Michael Bell had it 48-47 Blachowciz and Sal D’Amato had it 47-47. Meanwhile, the vast majority of media members tracked by MMADecisions.com thought Ankalaev won the fight.

“I don’t know what to say,” Ankalaev told Joe Rogan in the Octagon through a translator. “I won that fight. Why didn’t I get my belt? I don’t know what to say. … I can’t choose the judges for the fight that are sitting over here, but I won this fight. I won this belt. Where is my belt?

Ankalaev then seemed to imply that the judges’ verdict might cause him to consider leaving the U…

Dana White Announces Glover Teixeira-Jamahal Hill for Vacant LHW Title at UFC 283

BREAKING NEWS @GloverTeixeira to take on @JamahalH for the vacant LHW title at #UFC283! pic.twitter.com/JQOpACa6u4

— UFC (@ufc) December 11, 2022

It appears that the Ultimate Fighting Championship is making a quick pivot following the unsatisfying conclusion to Saturday’s light heavyweight main event.

After Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz battled to a majority draw at UFC 282 in their 205-pound title bout, Dana White revealed at the post-fight press conference that neither fighter will factor into the next championship fight. Instead, the UFC president announced that Glover Teixeira and Jamahal Hill will vie for the vacant light heavyweight strap at UFC 283 in Rio de Janeiro on Jan. 21.

Teixeira was initially slated to face Jiri Prochazka in a championship rematch at UFC 282, but that fight was scrapped when Prochazka vacated the belt after suffering a serious shoulder injury in training. When Teixeira asked for m…

UFC 282 Bonuses: 11 Fighters Receive $50,000 Checks

The UFC was in a giving mood on Saturday night.

The Las Vegas-based promotion handed out a grand total of 11 bonuses following a UFC 282 card that saw finishes in all but the evening’s final two bouts.

Dricus Du Plessis and Darren Till received “Fight of the Night” honors and $50,000 apiece following their back-and-forth middleweight clash on the main card. Du Plessis dominated Round 1 before Till staged a brief rally in the second stanza. Ultimately, “Stillknocks” recovered and submitted his English foe with a face crank at the 2:43 mark of Round 3.

Meanwhile, the other nine competitors on the card who authored a finish — Cameron Saaiman, T.J. Brown, Billy Quarantillo, Chris Curtis, Edmen Shahbazyan, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Raul Rosas Jr., Ilia Topuria and Santiago Ponzinibbio — all received a $50,00 “Perofrmance of the Night” check.

Jan Blachowicz, Magomed Ankalaev Saddled with Split Draw in UFC 282 Headliner

The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s lightweight throne remains unclaimed.

Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev battled to a split draw in the UFC 282 headliner on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, leaving the 205-pound penthouse vacant in wake of former champion Jiri Prochazka’s reign-ending shoulder injury. Judge Michael Bell cast a 48-47 scorecard for Blachowicz, while Derek Cleary saw it 48-46 for Ankalaev and Sal D’Amato scored it 47-47.

Ankalaev (17-1-1, 9-1-1 UFC) set the tone early with crisp punching combinations and punishing front kicks to the body. Blachowicz (29-9-1, 12-6-1 UFC) answered by shifting gears and blowing out the Xtreme Couture rep’s base with vicious kicks to the lower leg. They eventually hobbled Ankalaev to such a degree that he was forced to switch stances. He made the necessary tactical adjustments in the fourth and fifth rounds, where he crowded Blachowicz with pressure, executed multiple takedowns and chipped …

UFC 282 ‘Blachowicz vs. Ankalaev’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Sherdog's live UFC 282 coverage will begin Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET. BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Saaiman (-320), Koslow (+265)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:

Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round: The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Brown (-110), Silva (-110)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Quarantillo (-165), Her…

UFC 282 Prelims: Raul Rosas Jr., 18, Face Cranks Jay Perrin in Dazzling Debut

Raul Rosas Jr. did not shrink in the spotlight. In fact, he basked in it.

The 2022 Dana White’s Contender Series graduate dazzled in his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut, as he submitted former CES MMA titleholder Jay Perrin with a face crank in their featured UFC 282 bantamweight prelim on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Rosas Jr. (7-0, 1-0 UFC), the youngest fighter to ever compete inside the Octagon, finished it 2:44 into Round 1.

Perrin (10-7, 0-3 UFC) was out of his depth. Rosas Jr. delivered a takedown inside the first minute, climbed to the back and applied his ground-and-pound. After securing his position with a body triangle, the 18-year-old phenom slid his arms into place, tightened his vice-like squeeze and drew out the white flag from Perrin.Frightening Rozenstruik Mauls Daukaus American Top Team export Jairzinho Rozenstruik obliterated Chris Daukaus with punches less than a minute into the first round of their heavywei…

Raufeon Stots Says Danny Sabatello Was Good for His Career: ‘I Needed a Villain’

After plenty of bad blood in the buildup to their fight, Raufeon Stots got the last laugh against Danny Sabatello at Bellator 289.

Thanks to a steady jab, a solid sprawl and an active ground game, Stots retained the interim bantamweight crown and advanced to the grand prix finals with a split-decision triumph over Sabatello at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on Friday night. While Sabatello did land a few takedowns to rack up control time, he didn’t do all that much with positioning when he had it. Still, one judge awarded the American Top Team product with a 50-45 scorecard.

“I was surprised with the 50-45,” Stots said at the Bellator 289 post-fight press conference. “I believe he was trying to control; we know that’s his game, but he did no damage. I did the things I was supposed to do. I was progressing toward the finish, he was trying to stall the fight out. Just because you hold somebody’s legs doesn’t mean you should win a fight, and…

Patrick Mix: ‘I Can Choke Out Anyone in the World’

Patrick Mix is feeling quite confident after submitting Magomed Magomedov in the semifinals of Bellator MMA’s bantamweight grand prix.

Mix will square off against interim king Raufeon Stots, who defeated Danny Sabatello via split decision in the other half of the bracket, at a Bellator event sometime in 2023.

“I’ve been telling everyone all f—-ing weekend: I’m the favorite to win the tournament,” Mix said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “You know why? You see those two guys on the other side? I can submit them too. Sabatello puts himself in that same position 100 times. I was already confident against him. Seeing Magomed and Stots’ fight, and how my fight went with [Magomedov], I feel good about that.”

Mix used a guillotine to render Magomedov unconscious 2:39 into the second round of the 135-pound clash at Bellator 289 on Friday. “Patchy” has earned 12 of his 17 career triumphs by submission — including four via guillotine.

“I go…

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