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Rafael Fiziev to Undergo Nose Surgery, Eyes Late 2022 UFC Return

If Rafael Fiziev is going to fight again in 2022, it won’t be until the end of the year.

The surging lightweight suffered a broken nose in his fifth-round knockout victory against Rafael dos Anjos this past Saturday and will require surgery. “Ataman” is expected to undergo the procedure on Wednesday and is targeting a return by November or December. Ariel Helwani was first to report Fiziev’s injury.

Fiziev referenced a possible injury following his win over dos Anjos at the UFC on ESPN 39 post-fight press conference on Saturday night.

“This is first time in 20 years of fighting and he broke my nose,” Fiziev said then. “I can't breathe now. I think I might need to go to hospital and need surgery.”

Fiziev also called for a fight with two-time title challenger Justin Gaethje. If that comes to fruition, it won’t be until the end of 2022 at the earliest. Fiziev has won six consecutive fights in UFC competition, currently the fourth-longest …

Kayla Harrison’s Quest for Three-Peat Begins at PFL Playoffs in London on Aug. 20

Kayla Harrison will begin her run for a third consecutive Professional Fighters League lightweight championships in earnest on Aug. 20.

The card for the PFL playoff event at the Copperbox Arena in London has been finalized, and Harrison will square off against Czech kickboxer Martina Jindrova in the evening’s featured bout. On the other side of the women’s 155-pound bracket, top seed Larissa Pacheco will face Helena Kolesnyk.

PFL 9 will also include the men’s featherweight semifinals, as Chris Wade takes on Brendan Loughnane, and Ryoji Kudo meets Bubba Jenkins. The main draw airs at 3 p.m. ET/noon PT on ESPN and ESPN+.

“Heading to London is huge for the expansion of the League,” said PFL president of fighter operations Ray Sefo. “We are bringing our brand of MMA to the UK and I’m sure they are going to be as excited as I am to see elite fighters like Kayla Harrison, Chris Wade and Brendan Loughnane compete with so much on the line.”

On…

Abubakar Nurmagomedov vs. Philip Rowe Removed from UFC on ABC 3 Lineup

A proposed welterweight clash pitting Abubakar Nurmagomedov against Philip Rowe will not happen this Saturday on UFC on ABC 3 as originally planned.

The Las Vegas-based promotion announced that troubles for both fighters resulted in the cancellation of the bout. Visa issues forced Nurmagomedov out of the fight, while an injury led to Rowe’s withdrawal.

As a result, UFC on ABC 3 will proceed with 12 fights. The event takes place at the UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y., and is headlined by a featherweight duel between Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez. The main card airs on ABC and ESPN+ at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT, while prelims are broadcast on ESPN and ESPN+ at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT.

The 32-year-old Nurmagomedov is 1-1 in UFC competition. He debuted in the Octagon with a first-round submission loss to David Zawada at UFC Fight Night 163 in November 2019 before outpointing Jared Gooden at UFC 260 in March 2021. The Dagestani has compiled a 16-3-1 career …

Coach: UFC to Announce Location, Opponent for Charles Oliveira ‘In About 10 Days’

The mixed martial arts world is eagerly awaiting the date and opponent for Charles Oliveira in a fight for the vacant UFC lightweight title.

Chute Boxe coach Diego Lima recently made it clear that Oliveira had his preferences, which included Conor McGregor in Brazil at the top of the wish list. The backup plan was Islam Makhachev in Brazil, while the least desirable option was to face Makhachev in Abu Dhabi. However, Lima added that the UFC had the last word.

Last Friday in Las Vegas, Oliveira told Combate TV that if the UFC met his payment demands, he would accept a fight with Makhachev in Abu Dhabi.

“It would be great to fight in Brazil against Conor. Everybody knows I’m interested in that fight because of the money and business,” he said. “But if UFC really wants that fight with Makhachev, just put [enough] money in my bank account so that I´ll fight no matter the location. I´m professional, I´m the champion, I’ll fight.” …

Carlos Leal Miranda Targets Dream Bout with Rory MacDonald in PFL Championship

After winning the Legacy Fighting Alliance grand prix in Brazil in 2021, Carlos Leal Miranda made his way to the Professional Fighters League, where he has gone farther than expected in a short period of time.

Miranda earned a spot on the PFL roster with a pair of victories on the Challenger Series before upsetting two-time champion Ray Cooper III on May 6. Now he finds himself in the PFL playoffs and one fight away from competing for a $1 million prize. In an ideal world, the Brazilian would square off against Rory MacDonald in the PFL finals. Miranda faces Sadibou Sy in one welterweight semifinal, while MacDonald meets Magomed Umalatov in the other half of the bracket on Aug. 13.

“I would like to face MacDonald because he was a guy I always watched fighting,” Miranda told Sherdog.com. “I can say I'm a fan. I always watched his fights, and beating a guy I saw on TV would be a great achievement.”

But the welterweight knows that he will h…

Welterweight, Heavyweight Pairings Finalized for PFL Playoffs in Wales on Oct. 13

The pairings are set for Professional Fighters League’s second playoff event on Oct. 13.

PFL 8 takes place at Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales, and will see welterweights and heavyweights vie for a birth in the PFL Championship. Rory MacDonald and Magomed Umalatov will square off in one half of the bracket at 170 pounds, while Sadibou Sy and Carlos Leal Miranda will lock horns in the other welterweight semifinal. Meanwhile, Ante Delija will square off against Renan Ferreira in one heavyweight playoff bout, while Denis Goltsov will face Bruno Cappelozza in the other semifinal.

The PFL confirmed the matchups on Tuesday, along with a complementary lineup of eight showcase bouts for the undercard. The full lineup for PFL 8 can be viewed here. The main card will air on ESPN and ESPN+, while the non-tournament bouts will stream on ESPN+.

“The Playoffs are always an exciting time and I can’t wait to see these amazing fighters compete for a chance…

One Championship, Amazon Prime to Hold Joint Press Conference in Los Angeles

One Championship and Amazon Prime will hold a joint press conference on Wednesday to officially launch their broadcast partnership.

One Championship chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, Amazon vice president of global sports video Marie Donoghue and One vice president Rich Franklin are all expected to be in attendance at the event, which takes place at the Novo in Los Angeles and begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The presser is free and open to the public and will stream on One’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.

In April, One announced a five-year broadcast deal with Amazon Prime to broadcast 12 events annually live in primetime in the United States and Canada. That partnership kicks off with One Championship 161 on Aug. 26, which takes place at Singapore Indoor Stadium and is headlined by a 135-pound title clash between Adriano Moraes and Demetrious Johnson.

A number of One athletes are also scheduled to attend the presser, including Moraes, …

Nate Landwehr vs. Zubaira Tukhugov Added to UFC on ESPN 40 on Aug. 6

Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC

Nate Landwehr will lock horns with Zubaira Tukhugov in a featherweight tilt at UFC on ESPN 40 on Aug. 6.

The Las Vegas-based promotion recently announced the pairing. UFC on ESPN 40 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and is headlined by a light heavyweight showdown pitting Thiago Santos against Jamahal Hill.

A former M-1 Global champion, Landwehr is 2-2 during his UFC tenure thus far. “The Train” has bested Darren Elkins via decision and submitted Ludovit Klein while suffering first-round KO/TKO defeats at the hands of Herbert Burns and Julian Erosa. The 34-year-old Tennessee native is 15-4 as a professional.

Tukhugov has won two of his last three Octagon appearances dating back to 2020 and is 5-2-1 in UFC competition overall. Most recently, the 31-year-old Tiger Muay Thai product outpointed Ricardo Ramos at UFC 267 this past October to run his professional mark to 20-5-1.

Bellator 284 Update: Ex-Title Challenger Austin Vanderford to Face Anthony Adams

Former middleweight No. 1 contender Austin Vanderford will return to action against Anthony Adams at Bellator 284 on Aug. 12.

Promotion officials confirmed the pairing following an initial report from MMAjunkie.com. Bellator 284 takes place at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D., and is headlined by a welterweight clash between Neiman Gracie and Goiti Yamauchi. The main card airs on Showtime at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, while prelims stream on Showtime Sports YouTube channel, the Bellator MMA YouTube channel and Pluto TV at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

The promotion announced several other bouts for the preliminary card: Pat Downey III vs. Jeff Souder at middleweight; Said Sowma vs. Gokham Saricam at heavyweight; Bailey Schoenfelder vs. Mark Currier at heavyweight; Josh Hill vs. Matheus Mattos at bantamweight; Mitchell McKee vs. Tony Ortega at bantamweight and DeAnna Bennett vs. Justin Kish at flyweight.

Vanderford last appeared at Bellator 275, w…

Former AKA Jiu-Jitsu Coach: If Oliviera Beats Makhachev, Khabib Would Return

For many years Leandro Vieira was responsible for sharpening the jiu-jitsu of American Kickboxing Academy athletes, but last year, that partnership came to an end.

“No hard feelings, but basically they changed [plans] after years of partnership,” explained Vieira, brother of the legendary Leonardo Vieira, leader of the Checkmat team. “When they invited me to take care of jiu-jitsu at AKA, there were no plans of having their own jiu-jitsu school so I came with Checkmat. But suddenly they decided to change the plans and built their own jiu-jitsu team.”

Vieira is now working at his own Bay Area gym in Morgan Hill, Calif.

“In the beginning it was very tough, but now I recognize it as the best thing that could happen in my life,” he said. “The philosophy of MMA is totally different from what we learn in martial arts. Now I´m almost 100% focused on my jiu-jitsu school. The only MMA fighter I´m working with is Marlon Vera.”

According to Vieir…

Yair Rodriguez Claims UFC Promised Title Shot with Win Over Brian Ortega

The stakes could be quite high for Yair Rodriguez in the UFC on ABC 3 main event this Saturday.

During an appearance on "The MMA Hour," Rodriguez revealed that promotion officials have told him that a victory over Brian Ortega will earn him a featherweight title shot against reigning champion Alexander Volkanovski.

“Yes, that has been said to me,” Rodriguez said. “Yeah, that’s what we’re looking for. First things first, I’m going to win this fight and then give the champ some time to heal and yeah, go for it. For now, let’s take it step by step, first things first, July 16, Brian Ortega, that’s for now.”

Rodriguez hasn’t competed since UFC Fight Night 197, where he dropped a five-round verdict to Max Holloway this past November. The Mexican standout’s last victory came in October 2019, when he outpointed Jeremy Stephens at UFC on ESPN 6. Still, it may be possible that a victory over Ortega, a two-time title challenger, would be enough to prop…

Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Among Additions to One Championship’s Amazon Prime Debut

The lineup for One Championship’s debut on Amazon Prime is now complete, and it includes the fourth mixed martial arts appearance for grappling ace Marcus Almeida.

The Singapore-based promotion recently announced that “Buchecha” will square off against Kirill Grishenko in a heavyweight bout on the evening’s main card. Also set for the main draw is another heavyweight MMA clash pitting Amir Aliakbari against Mauro Cerilli.

One Championship 161 takes place at Singapore Indoor Stadium on Aug. 26 and is topped by a 135-pound title rematch between reigning champion Adriano Moraes and Demetrious Johnson. In the co-main event, Nong-O Gaiyanghadao will lock horns with Liam Harrison for the promotion’s bantamweight muay Thai championship. The main card will also include a flyweight muay Thai grand prix semifinal between Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Savvas Michael and a muay Thai tournament alternate clash pitting Amir Naeri against Jonathan Haggerty. The event s…

Caio Borralho Says He’s Ready for PPV Stage: ‘You Guys Know I Can Sell Fights’

It wasn’t the most exciting of fights, but Caio Borralho was in complete control for the majority of his unanimous decision triumph over Armen Petrosyan in the UFC on ESPN 39 co-main event this past Saturday.

The 29-year-old Brazilian landed multiple takedowns and spent long periods of the fight attached to Petrosyan’s back in a drama-free victory. Borralho has won nine straight professional outings, including two in the UFC and two on Dana White’s Contender Series. Winning, not entertaining, was the primary objective against a dangerous kickboxer like Petrosyan.

“I got the job done, that’s what matters,” Borralho said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “This is my fourth fight in 10 months, my fourth fight at a high level, and my fourth domination win.

“…I feel blessed, I’m happy with my performance, I did what I needed to do. I got the job done. I’m happy with my performance. I’m a fighting nerd, I will calculate everything and I wil…

Jiri Prochazka Wants Glover Teixeira Rematch, Vows to Win ‘Clearly, Decisively’

Jiri Prochazka believes he still has unfinished business with Glover Teixeira.

The Czech Republic native claimed light heavyweight gold with a rear-naked choke submission of Teixeira at the 4:32 mark of Round 5 in the UFC 275 headliner last month, but “Denisa” had to survive more than a few moments of adversity to get to that point. In a post on his Instagram account, Prochazka offered Teixeira a rematch, vowing to be much more decisive in a potential return date against the Brazilian veteran.

“I want to fight Glover my next fight,” Prochazka said. “Not because it will be another big fight, but just one reason: My performance was bad the first fight, and I will show you why I’m the champion clearly, decisively. And I think Glover deserves it. So here’s the offer: I will show you why I am the champion.”

A former Rizin Fighting Federation 205-pound champion, Prochazka has won his last 13 professional outings, including stoppages of Teixeira, D…

Featherweights Giga Chikadze, Sodiq Yusuff to Clash at UFC Fight Night on Sept. 17

A featherweight showdown pitting Giga Chikadze against Sodiq Yusuff is official for the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s event on Sept. 17.

The promotion announced the co-main event pairing on Saturday. UFC Fight Night takes place at an as yet to be determined location and is headlined by a bantamweight tilt between Cory Sandhagen and Yadong Song.

The 33-year-old Chikadze had a nine-bout professional winning streak snapped in his last outing, when he fell to Calvin Kattar via unanimous decision in the UFC on ESPN 32 headliner on Jan. 15. The Kings MMA product is 14-3 overall, a record that includes noteworthy finishes of Edson Barboza and Cub Swanson at 145 pounds.

Yusuff, meanwhile, authored a bounce-back effort in his first appearance of 2022, when he outpointed Alex Caceres at UFC Fight Night 203 on March 12. That victory comes on the heels of a decision defeat to rising featherweight contender Arnold Allen at UFC on ABC 2. The Dana White’…

Rafael Fiziev Proud to Find Success in Championship Rounds: ‘This Means Something’

Rafael Fiziev made a strong impression in his first UFC main event appearance.

After four hard-fought rounds, the lightweight contender put an emphatic stamp on the fight when he knocked out Rafael dos Anjos 18 seconds into the final stanza of their UFC on ESPN 39 clash at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night. At the post-fight press conference, Fiziev revealed that his corner gave him a fiery pep talk heading into Round 5.

“In Round 5, my friend and manager and corner, he started to talk to me like his dog, and he started to say to me bad words,” Fiziev said. “‘He said, ‘Hey, what the f—-k are you doing? Go in and f—k him up, or I’ll f—k you up when we go back to the hotel.’ I think, oh, I need to go to Round 5 and do something. ... He always talks with me like this.”

While Fiziev was ahead on the scorecards prior to the finish, he didn’t emerge from the bout unscathed.

“This is first time in 20 years of fighting and he broke my nose…

Rafael dos Anjos Reacts to Knockout Loss at UFC on ESPN 39: ‘That’s the Game’

Rafael dos Anjos liked the direction his fight against Rafael Fiziev was headed going into the final round, but that changed in a matter of seconds.

Fiziev put an emphatic stamp on the bout by dropping dos Anjos with a left hook and finishing the contest with a standing-to-ground punch 18 seconds into Round 5 in the UFC on ESPN 39 headliner at the UFC Apex on Saturday night. It was the sixth straight win for the Tiger Muay Thai product, and it was a damaging blow to dos Anjos’ hopes of making another title run at 155 pounds.

“He’s a tough dude,” dos Anjos said on the ESPN+ post-fight show. “I didn’t expect any less from him. I knew guys from east Europe, they’re always tough and I knew it would be a hard fight. Actually his takedown defense impressed me a little bit but I got him down in the fourth [round], hit him with the flying knee, too.

“The fight was pretty close leading up to the fifth. I think I was probably a little bit ahead of him b…

Lineup Finalized for Week 1 of Dana White’s Contender Series

OZZY DIAZ IS THE NEW MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION!!!!#LFA127 pic.twitter.com/2UbTecahUl

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) March 26, 2022

The fight card is official for the opening week of Dana White’s Contender Series.

Week 1 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on July 26 and is topped by a middleweight clash between Osman Diaz and Joseph Pyfer. The event streams on ESPN+ beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. The show, which sends prospects to the UFC based on their performance, is entering its sixth season in 2022.

The rest of the lineup, which was confirmed during the UFC on ESPN 39 broadcast on Saturday, is as follows: Farid Basharat vs. Willian Souza Guadalupe at bantamweight; Anton Turkalj vs. Acacio dos Santos at light heavyweight; Dennis Buzukja vs. Kaleio Romero at featherweight and Alessandro Costa vs. Andres Luna at flyweight.

Diaz, 31, owns a 7-1 professional mark that includes stints in Legacy Fighting Alliance …

UFC on ESPN 39 Bonuses: Mullarkey vs. Johnson Earns ‘Fight of the Night’ Honors

Jamie Mullarkey and Michael Johnson kicked off the UFC on ESPN 39 main card with a bang, and they were compensated accordingly for their efforts.

Mullarkey and Johnson received “Fight of the Night” honors and $50,000 apiece for their lightweight battle at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Johnson scored the only knockdown of the bout early in Round 1, but Mullarkey recovered to mount a rally and hurt “The Menace” later in the frame. From there, both men traded liberally for the rest of the fight, but it was Mullarkey who emerged with a split-decision triumph.

Meanwhile, Rafael Fiziev pocketed $50,000 for his fifth-round technical knockout victory against ex-lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos in the evening’s main event. After four hard-fought frames, Fiziev floored his opponend with a left hook and sealed his victory with one standing-to-ground punch 18 seconds into the period for his sixth consecutive triumph.

Finally, Chase Sherman garnered the card…

UFC on ESPN 39 ‘Dos Anjos vs. Fiziev’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Sherdog's live UFC on ESPN 39 “Dos Anjos vs. Fiziev” coverage will begin Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.

Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below.

BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Lawrence (-135), Kakhramonov (+115)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round: Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Nzechukwu (-125), Roberson (+105)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Mike Sloan scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Mike Sloan scores …

Rafael Fiziev Scores Fifth-Round Stoppage of Rafael dos Anjos at UFC on ESPN 39

Rafael Fiziev appeared to be on his way to a solid-but-not-spectacular decision triumph over Rafael dos Anjos. Then lightning struck.

Fiziev took another significant step toward title contention in the lightweight division with a fifth-round technical knockout victory against dos Anjos in the UFC on ESPN 39 headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Referee Mark Smith waved off the fight 18 seconds into the fifth round, giving the Tiger Muay Thai standout his first main event victory in the Octagon. Fiziev has won six straight fights at 155 pounds, the fourth-longest active winning streak in the division.

Exhibiting stellar defensive wrestling in addition to his multi-faceted striking arsenal, Fiziev appeared to be build a solid lead on the scorecards heading into the championship rounds as he stuffed multiple takedowns while attacking with punching combinations, kicks to all levels, leaping knees and standing elbows. Dos Anjos made a …

UFC on ESPN 39 Prelims: Cody Brundage Knocks Out ‘TUF 29’ Veteran Tresean Gore

Cody Brundage SAID NO MORE WRESTLING pic.twitter.com/RSN7DPzBHI

— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) July 10, 2022

Cody Brundage made short work of “The Ultimate Fighter 29” cast member Tresean Gore in a middleweight encounter, winning via knockout in the featured UFC on ESPN 39 preliminary bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night. The Factory X member unleashed a salvo of ground-and-pound from mount to seal his victory at the 3:50 mark of Round 1. Brundage has authored back-to-back first-round finishes in UFC competition.

Brundage (8-2, 2-1 UFC) forced Gore (3-2, 0-2 UFC) to wrestle early, but that approach changed as the bout progressed. While the early grappling exchange appeared to have fatigued the Brighton, Michigan, native, he was merely biding his time. Brundage set the stage for the final sequence when he countered a Gore low kick with a right hook. That sent Gore to the canvas and Brundage pounced…

Nina Nunes Out with Illness, UFC on ESPN 39 Bout vs. Cynthia Calvillo Scrapped

A proposed flyweight clash between Nina Nunes and Cynthia Calvillo won’t be happening at UFC on ESPN 39 as originally planned.

The bout has been removed from today’s card after Nunes withdrew from the bout due to what she called a “stomach virus” on social media. The cancellation was subsequently confirmed by promotion officials. According to MMAjunkie.com, the UFC hopes to rebook the fight for its Aug. 13 event.

“Hey everyone, I had an amazing camp and the best weight cut yet,” Nunes wrote on Instagram. “Unfortunately I picked up a stomach virus and have been sick since right after weigh ins. I tried as much as I could to make this better and still be able to fight. Sadly it has taken a tear on my body and I won’t be able to perform tonight. Sorry to my opponent. We are rescheduling it as we speak.”

Nunes was slated to make her 125-pound debut against Calvillo. The former strawweight contender returned to the Octagon after nearly two years…

Two-Time Olympian Alfonso Leyva Steamrolls Daniel Reis in LFA 135 Main Event

Alfonso Leyva looks like the real deal.

The two-time Olympic wrestler remained undefeated in his wildly successful Legacy Fighting Alliance debut, as he dispatched Daniel Reis with elbows in the second round of their LFA 135 headliner on Friday at the Arizona Federal Theatre in Phoenix. Reis (8-2, 0-1 LFA) bowed out 1:10 into Round 2, his modest two-fight winning streak having run its course.

Leyva (6-0, 1-0 LFA) was stoic and methodical in his approach. He powered into top position late in the first round, unleashed his ground-and-pound and nearly finished it in the waning seconds. Only the bell saved Reis. The dejected Sombra Team-trained Brazilian emerged for the middle stanza with little left in the tank. Levy moved on top again early in Round 2 and blasted Reis with elbows until the job was done.

Meanwhile, Pitbull Brothers rep Felipe Bunes consolidated multiple takedowns with effective ground-and-pound and suffocating top control, as he picke…

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