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Anthony Smith needed to get his mind right heading into his UFC on ESPN 18 showdown with Devin Clark.

The former light heavyweight title challenger entered the matchup on a two-bout skid after back-to-back lopsided losses at the hands of Glover Teixeira and Aleksandar Rakic earlier this year. Where “Lionheart” once looked like a Top 5 talent at 205 pounds thanks to victories over the likes of Alexander Gustafsson, Volkan Oezdemir and Mauricio Rua, his recent performances had knocked him down several notches in the divisional pecking order.

That said, Smith didn’t put any added pressure on himself Saturday night, even after his showdown with Clark was elevated to headlining status when the originally scheduled heavyweight main event between Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis was scrapped.

“I just wasn’t too concerned with anything,” Smith said. “In the past I’ve forced myself to feel how I think I’m supposed to feel. I just let myself feel it and make friends with…

Shortly after Bill Algeo earned his first Octagon triumph with a unanimous verdict over Spike Carlyle at UFC on ESPN 18, he issued a callout to Giga Chikadze.

Algeo has had Chikadze on the brain ever since an encounter with the former Glory Kickboxing Standout at Kings MMA. Chikadze has built some momentum in the Las Vegas-based promotion with five consecutive wins to kick off his tenure — including four in 2020 alone. However, according to Algeo, the Georgian fighter wasn’t so successful in what was supposed to be a light sparring session.

“Myself and coach, we were on vacation in California and we went to Kings MMA, which is Rafael Cordeiro’s school. Rafael Cordeiro could not have been more welcoming, He’s such a nice guy,” Algeo said.

“He had one d--- head student—Giga, who tried to take my head off with little gloves. I was like, ‘I’m on vacation, man.’ We were going light and he wasn’t winning. He was losing. He’s got some hot blood. He was just trying to …

Mike and Roy left it all in the ring tonight #TysonJones pic.twitter.com/zUirisWPqN

— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) November 29, 2020

Dana White isn’t necessarily a fan of combat sports events with fighters who are past their primes.

However, the UFC president was keeping a close eye on the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. boxing exhibition while simultaneously working the UFC on ESPN 18 card in Las Vegas on Saturday night. White was admittedly skeptical that the aging boxing stars could put on a show, but he came away impressed following the conclusion of the bout, which was unofficially declared a draw after eight rounds by the WBC judges.

“You guys have been asking me questions leading up to this thing and I didn’t want to say anything negative because I love Tyson and he’s a good friend of mine. I was nervous,” White said at the UFC on ESPN 18 post-fight press conference. “He’s [54] years old. Time is undefeated. Time takes us all down. O…

Four $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonuses were handed out following UFC on ESPN 18 on Saturday night.

Anthony Smith earned a bonus for a first-round submission of Devin Clark in the evening’s main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Smith landed an early takedown only to see his opponent reverse into top position. “Lionheart” was no less dangerous from his back, however, as he used a triangle choke to elicit a tap from Clark 2:34 into the opening stanza.

Meanwhile, Miguel Baeza received an extra check for his third finish in as many Octagon appearances after dispatching Takashi Sato in the welterweight co-main event. After spending most of the fight outlanding his foe on the feet, Baeza scored a takedown and eventually framed an arm-triangle, forcing Sato to submit 4:28 into Round 2.

Su Mudaerji padded his bank account with a 44-second knockout of Malcolm Gordon in a preliminary flyweight affair. A straight left from Mudaerji stopped Gordon in his tracks,…

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Anthony Smith agreed to five rounds on short notice. He needed less than one. “Lionheart” returned to the winner’s circle for the first time in more than a year and retained his place in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s light heavyweight pecking order, as he submitted Devin Clark with a triangle choke in the first round of their makeshift UFC on ESPN 18 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Clark (12-5, 6-5 UFC) tapped 2:34 into Round 1.

A replacement for Shamil Gamzatov, Smith (34-16, 9-6 UFC) wrapped the former Resurrection Fighting Alliance champion in a body lock, secured a takedown and then drew him to the center of the cage and away from the relative safety of the fence. Clark sprang a reversal after being threatened with a twister but uncovered an opponent who was no less dangerous from his back. Smith c…

First win for 's @BerinjaMMA! pic.twitter.com/wypN23oFml

— UFC (@ufc) November 29, 2020 Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Anderson dos Santos has a strangulation fixation. The Babuino Gold Team bantamweight on Saturday strengthened his position on the Ultimate Fighting Championship roster, as he submitted Martin Day with a guillotine choke in the first round of their featured UFC on ESPN 18 prelim at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Day (8-5, 0-3 UFC) raised the white flag 4:35 into Round 1 and remains winless through three appearances inside the Octagon.

Dos Santos (21-8, 1-2 UFC) swooped in on a takedown midway through the first round despite considerable resistance from the former Universal Reality Combat Championship titleholder. Day absorbed some ground-and-pound, created some space out of butterfly guard and sprang to his feet. How…

Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com

Marvin Vettori will get his first headlining opportunity when he locks horns with Jack Hermansson at UFC on ESPN 19.

Vettori replaces Kevin Holland, who withdrew from the bout after testing positive for COVID-19. ESPN was first to bring word of the new matchup, and it was later confirmed by MMAjunkie.com. UFC on ESPN 19 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Dec. 5. Vettori was originally slated to meet Ronaldo Souza at UFC 256. It’s unclear what the promotion’s plans are for “Jacare.”

Vettori is currently on a three-bout winning streak since losing a split decision to current middleweight champion Israel Adesanya at UFC on Fox 29. The 27-year-old Italian last appeared at UFC on ESPN 10, where he submitted Karl Roberson in the opening stanza on June 13.

Hermansson has won five of his last six UFC bouts to establish himself as a …

The UFC is adding the younger brother of reigning flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo to its roster.

Francisco Nazareno Figueiredo Junior has signed a contract with the Las Vegas-based promotion, according to a report from MMAFighting.com. Deiveson later confirmed the news on his social media.

Figueiredo’s manager, Wallid Ismael, told MMAFighting that the bantamweight is targeting early next year for his Octagon debut at one of the UFC’s “Fight Island” events.

Francisco Figueiredo is a former interim champion with the Brazi-based Jungle Fights promotion. The 31-year-old has compiled an 11-3-1 mark with one no contest over the course of a professional tenure that began in 2009. He has finished all but one of his victories inside the distance.

Kevin Holland will get his chance to go 5-0 in 2020 after all.

After being removed from next weekend’s UFC on ESPN 19 main event due to a positive COVID-19 test, Holland will square off against Ronaldo Souza at UFC 256. The pairing was announced during the UFC on ESPN 18 broadcast Saturday night.

UFC 256 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Dec. 12 and is headlined by a flyweight championship tilt pitting Deiveson Figueiredo against Brandon Moreno. “Jacare” was originally supposed to face Marvin Vettori, but Vettori was tabbed to step in for Holland against Jack Hermansson at UFC on ESPN 19.

So far this year, Holland has earned victories against Anthony Hernandez, Joaquin Buckley, Darren Stewart and Charlie Ontiveros — with three of those wins coming inside the distance. “Trailblazer” is 7-2 during his promotional tenure and 20-5 as a professional overall.

Souza, meanwhile, will return to 185 pounds after losing a split decision to Jan Blachowicz in…

I have been pulled from my main event bout next weekend due to a positive pre fight covid test. Hoping to test clean and get back inside the cage ASAP. pic.twitter.com/KfMF4jQFQg

— Kevin Holland (@Trailblaze2top) November 28, 2020

Another UFC main event has been hit by COVID-19.

Kevin Holland is out of his UFC on ESPN 19 headlining clash against Jack Hermansson due to a positive test, the middleweight announced via social media on Saturday.

“I have been pulled from my main event bout next weekend due to a positive pre fight covid test,” Holland wrote. “Hoping to test clean and get back inside the cage ASAP.”

UFC on ESPN 19 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Dec. 5. According to a report from ESPN, the promotion is targeting Marvin Vettori as a replacement opponent for Hermansson in the headliner. Vettori is scheduled to face Ronaldo Souza at UFC 256 on Dec. 12.

Holland was attempting to go 5-0 in 2020 after agreeing …

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Sherdog's live UFC on ESPN 18 coverage will begin Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below. Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfi…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g-7zP_f24U&w=640&h=360] Legendary boxers Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. will return to the boxing ring for an exhibition bout on Saturday night where no official winner will be announced by the California State Athletic Commission. The pay-per-view event is built on spectacle as it will also see YouTuber Jake Paul take on three-time NBA slam dunk winner Nate Robinson in a professional bout. Additionally, musical performances by Lil Wayne, French Montana, YG and Ne-Yo will take place throughout the evening.

With all due respect to “Weezy F. Baby,” the biggest draw to the pay-per-view is the return of Tyson (50-6, 44 KO). The 54-year-old hasn’t competed in the ring since a humbling defeat to Ireland’s Kevin McBride in 2005. In his prime, Tyson was regarded as an all-time great at heavyweight as he won his first 19 professional bouts via KO, and became the youngest world champion in the division's history. Controversy regularly followed T…

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. The final bout of ex-Ultimate Fighting Championship title challenger Bethe Correia’s career will have to wait a little while longer. Correia (11-5-1) posted on Instagram earlier in the week announcing that her matchup with Yanan Wu (11-3) will be shifting from UFC on ESPN 19 to the Jan. 16 Fight Night event. A reason was not given for the unexpected change in the date.

In her post, Correia wrote (via Google Translate), “Soon I will be living this moment again! Not in December, but January 16th!” Subsequent posts for Correia have included the hashtag “UFC Fight Island,” which appear to confirm the location of the Jan. 16 fight card at the Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Subsequent events like UFC 257 are expected to take place in that venue.

This is to be Correia’s final MMA fight, although …

One Championship is looking to challenge UFC Fight Pass as a streaming option for feeder leagues to its organization.

On Thursday night, the Singapore-based company put out a press release announcing it had begun to sign regional promotions to its One Super App. On Nov. 28, the first event will take place, as Russian Cagefighting Championship and Fair Fight Promotion – the latter a kickboxing league – co-promote an event titled “Road to One.” The fight card will feature fighters from Russia looking to score a contract with One, and one such contract will be on the line at the end of a four-man kickboxing tournament that night.

The event, which sees 26 competitors fight throughout the card in both MMA and kickboxing matches, will take place in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The four kickboxers involved are as follows: Vladimir Kuzmin vs. Maxim Petkevich in one semifinal, and Tamerlan Bashirov vs. Victor Mikhailov in the other. The one-night featherweight tournament will be …

Curtis Blaydes vs. Derrick Lewis — tomorrow night’s UFC main event — has been canceled, per multiple sources. Blaydes has tested positive for COVID.

The promotion is hoping to reschedule the fight in December, sources say, though that isn’t a done deal just yet.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) November 27, 2020 Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Editor's note: The article has been updated at 1:25 p.m. on Nov. 27 to reflect the new status of the new main event.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship headliner on the latest ESPN showcase is off the day before it was set to go down.

ESPN first announced on Friday that Curtis Blaydes tested positive for COVID-19. This news pulls him out of his UFC on ESPN 18 heavyweight main event with Derrick Lewis. ESPN noted that the UFC is intending to re-book the event for a December card,…

Marcando las 204.5 libras en la @brownbearC #UFCVegas15 pic.twitter.com/Lf9pjD3X6y

— ufcespanol (@UFCEspanol) November 27, 2020 Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. The Ultimate Fighting Championship is making the best of a bad situation with a 10-fight offering, and all but one of the fighters remaining made weight. The promotion ends its busy November with UFC on ESPN 18. The card was set to be headlined by heavyweight contenders Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis. However, Blaydes tested positive for coronavirus and the fight has been pulled just a day before it was scheduled to take place.

As a result of the change, the light heavyweight bout between former title challenger Anthony Smith and Devin Clark will serve as the new five-round main event and the card will continue with 10 fights. That wasn't the only drama today, though, …

Wyglądalo to bardzo niedobrze..Szczerze minimalnie faworyzowałem Johnsona no ale to co odwalił to nie mam pytań#ACA114 pic.twitter.com/SG36Xm7rBO

— Tymon Nowak (@TymonNowak5) November 26, 2020 Bellator MMA and One Championship alum Tony Johnson is going to celebrate Thanksgiving in a big way after capturing the Absolute Championship Akhmat heavyweight belt.

In the main event of ACA 114, former Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor Daniel Omielanczuk (24-10-1, 1 NC) clashed with Johnson (14-5-1, 1 NC) for the vacant heavyweight championship. The battle lasted a mere 69 seconds, and saw Omielanczuk aggressively chasing his opponent right out of the gate. At first, Johnson attempted to push away from his opponent’s offensive by extending his fingers towards Omielanczuk, but referee Herb Dean had none of that. After receiving a warning, “The Hulk” clipped Omielanczuk with a deadly duo of punches, sending the Polish fighter crashing to the canv…

Deiveson Figueiredo gets his 50k bonus personally from Dana White...#deivesonfigueiredo #danawhite #ufc pic.twitter.com/Q0JwIsDqfa

— RED CACHE (@redcachenet) November 25, 2020

Deiveson Figueiredo was feeling a little left out when bonuses were announced at the conclusion of UFC 255.

Not anymore.

In a video intially posted as an Instagram story by Figueiredo’s manager, Wallid Ismael, and later shared via Twitter, the reigning flyweight champion can be seen receiving a bag of cash from UFC president Dana White.

“I f—-ed up,” a smiling White says in the video. “I made a mistake.”

Figueiredo made his first 125-pound title defense with a submission of Alex Perez 1:57 into Round 1 of the UFC 255 headliner last weekend. Despite that impressive showing, the Brazilian was initially passed over for a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus in favor of Joaquin Buckley and Antonina Shevchenko.

“I’m the kind of champion who says wh…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKyj_ZD3cUw&w=560&h=315]

Jan Blachowicz can envision an eventual return to the heavyweight division, but the more pressing matter at hand is his first 205-pound title defense.

After Blachowicz claimed the vacant light heavyweight belt with a knockout of Dominick Reyes at UFC 253, he said that March would be an ideal time for him to return n to the Octagon. However, middleweight king Israel Adesanya, the opponent the UFC has targeted next for Blachowicz, wants to fight earlier than that.

Blachowicz isn’t budging on his initial stance.

“I don’t care. I want to fight in March, not earlier,” Blachowicz recently told Submission Radio. “I sent email to the UFC, if they want my next fight, they have to do this in March. March is the perfect month for me. If he wants to fight earlier, it’s not my problem, it’s his problem. I am the champion of 205. So if he will fight against me, my rules, my category — my month is March.”

…

A heavyweight showdown between Linton Vassell and Ronny Markes has been targeted for Bellator 254.

Sherdog.com confirmed the bout, which has not been finalized, with a source close to the situation following an initial report from MMAFighting.com. Bellator 254 takes place on Dec. 10 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, and is headlined by a women’s flyweight championship tilt between Ilima-Lei Macfarlane and Juliana Velasquez.

A two-time light heavyweight title challenger, Vassell moved up to heavyweight in 2019, when he fell to Valentin Moldavsky in his big-man debut at Bellator 218. “The Swarm” rebounded in his last outing, as he scored a second-round technical knockout victory against Sergei Kharitonov at Bellator 234 in November 2019.

Markes has been scheduled to make his promotional debut against Josh Barnett (twice) and Matt Mitrione at two separate events, but on each occasion the fights fell through for various reasons. The five-time UFC ve…

Charles Oliveira has been feeling overlooked in the UFC’s crowded lightweight division, but he’ll get a chance to turn some heads next month.

“Do Bronx” will lock horns with former interim champ Tony Ferguson in the UFC 256 co-main event on Dec. 12. The potentially action-packed 155-pound matchup was a late addition to the card after two title bouts — Amanda Nunes vs. Megan Anderson and Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling — were canceled.

Oliveira enters the bout on a seven-fight winning streak in which he has finished all his opponents inside the distance. Facing a marquee opponent was worth the risk of accepting a short-notice fight, the Brazilian says.

“I’m happy for this opportunity to fight Ferguson; I’m taking this fight on less than 20 days notice, but it’s a chance to display my talent and show I’m ready to fight any Top 5 ranked guy, like I’ve been saying for a while now,” Oliveira recently told UFC.com. “The time has come. I will shock the world on Dec. 12…

Kayla Harrison’s featherweight debut in Invicta FC went much like the majority of her 155-pound appearances in the Professional Fighters League.

That is, the two-time Olympic gold medalist was dominant. Harrison rolled past Courtney King in the Invicta FC 43 headliner, winning via technical knockout 4:48 into Round 2 to run her professional mark to 8-0. Perhaps more importantly, Harrison was able to make weight without issue — though it wasn’t an enjoyable process.

"I got to fight week about 153 pounds and had to quarantine the whole time," Harrison recently told ESPN. "I brought plastics and sat in an Epsom salt bath for the first time ever. It was terrible. But I got down to 146 pounds the night before and ate and drank to help me sleep. I woke up the next morning and only needed 15 more minutes in the bath to be on weight.

"Everybody knows I don't believe in weight cutting. I don't believe it's super healthy. But I also understand I'm in the business of Kayl…

DIVISION ON NOTICE

@AmirAlbazi - welcome to the Octagon!

Action continues on @ESPN / E+ for #UFCFightIsland2 pic.twitter.com/I6NZJCbNCM — UFC (@ufc) July 18, 2020

A proposed flyweight bout pitting Amir Albazi against Zhalgas Zhumagulov has been pulled from the UFC on ESPN 18 lineup.

Russian outlet TASS was first to report the news. The cancellation reportedly occurred because of a passport issue involving Zhumagulov. As it stands now, UFC on ESPN 18 will move forward with 11 fights.

UFC on ESPN 18 takes place on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and is headlined by a heavyweight tilt between Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis. The main card airs on ESPN2 and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, while the prelims stream on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

A veteran of Bellator and Brave CF, Albazi made successful Octagon debut at UFC Fight Night 172, where he submitted Malcolm Gordon with a triangle choke in the opening stanza …

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w04OudFDltM&w=560&h=315]

Joaquin Buckley followed up his “Knockout of the Year” frontrunner with another stoppage victory at UFC 255 this past Saturday, but that doesn’t mean “New Mansa” is going to quit his day job.

Buckley revealed to TMZ Sports that he is working on getting an apparel business up and running, but until that happens, he plans on keeping his gig at national pharmacy store chain Walgreens.

“Besides the UFC, and they’re giving me these big checks, I still don’t have a business of my own,” Buckley said. “I need to just keep working and having that working mentality and work ethic. So I’m just gonna keep holding down the job. Until my business is off the ground, we’re gonna still keep working at Walgreens.”

Buckley likely clinched the top spot for best KO of 2020 with his spinning back kick finish of Impa Kasanganay at UFC Fight Night 179 on Oct. 10. The 26-year-old St. Louis native wasn’t quite as spectacula…