Martial Arts Videos

Fabricio Werdum to Host ‘Papo Cruzado’ MMA Talk Show on Combate

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight titleholder Fabricio Werdum is ready to move to the next stage of his career.

In September 2023, Werdum returned from a lengthy layoff to test himself in bare-knuckle MMA. He faced former opponent Junior dos Santos at Gamebred FC 5, and he suffered a split decision loss to “Cigano.” Following the match, Canal Combate produced a documentary about the ex-champ titled “Werdum, Acima da Dor,” chronicling the late stage of his career. This arrangement led to a partnership with the heavyweight, and he has joined influencer Kefera Buchmann to host an MMA-themed talk show on the network called “Papo Cruzado.” Werdum spoke to Sherdog about his new show that will debut at the second half of 2024.

“These are topics that go beyond the usual routine of talking about when the next fight is, who you want to fight against, how your training is going,” Werdum explained. “I thought it was cool that we covered topic…

Rodrigo Nascimento: I Only Need One Takedown to Finish Derrick Lewis

Rodrigo Nascimento has no intentions of stalling the fight by simply maintaining top position against Derrick Lewis in their upcoming showdown.

Nascimento (11-1) will face a step up in competition when he takes on Derrick Lewis (27-12) in the main event at UFC St. Louis on May 11. While Lewis is known for his highlight reel knockouts, Nascimento is not underestimating his opponent’s well-roundedness going into his first Ultimate Fighting Championship headliner.

“So I think he’s an unpredictable fighter right… He’s super dangerous, you know, he has heavy hands but he’s a complete fighter,” the Brazilian said during UFC St. Louis media day. “I know this, I watch his fights; he knows how to put someone down. He can strike, he can fake. He’s a complete fighter for sure.”

Lewis is coming off a lopsided unanimous decision loss against Jailton Almeida in November 2023, where “Malhadinho” mostly controlled him on the ground without scoring much damage. Wh…

Sidelined Former Champ Jan Blachowicz Calls for Alex Pereira Rematch

Jan Blachowicz has made his case for a rematch against Alex Pereira upon his return to action.

Pereira (10-2) earned a narrow split decision over Blachowicz (29-10) to make good on his debut in the light heavyweight division at UFC 291 in July 2023. While Blachowicz was scheduled to fight Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 297 this past January, the former champ was forced to withdraw due to a shoulder injury that required surgery.

Meanwhile, Pereira went on to secure the 205-pound title in a clash against Jiri Prochazka and then defended his second UFC title with a brutal knockout win over Jamahal Hill in the main event at UFC 300 last month. While Blachowicz considers “Poatan” to be a better fighter than Hill, he doesn’t think the Brazilian is better than himself.

Making his case for a rematch against the reigning 205-pound king, Blachowicz is steadfast in his belief that he won their first encounter. The Polish standout also noted that while Pereira has k…

Cory Sandhagen Pushes Back on Jose Aldo UFC Bantamweight Title Shot Chatter

While Jose Aldo’s UFC 301 win over Jonathan Martinez was undoubtedly impressive, bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen disagrees with the idea of awarding the former champion a title shot next.

Although Aldo had hung up his gloves following a unanimous decision loss against Merab Dvalishvili in August 2022, “Junior” recently ended his retirement to co-headline UFC 301 UFC 301 in Brazil. Aldo denied the odds to score a shut-out unanimous decision victory at Farmasi Arena on May 4.

While Aldo’s fight against Martinez was the last on his Ultimate Fighting Championship contract, the Brazilian is open to re-signing with the promotion if they match his best offers. “King of Rio” is also hoping to jump the queue for a title shot straight away.

Jose Aldo said at the post-fight presser that he has completed his UFC deal but the promotion still has the option to match whatever offer he gets so he will sit with Dana White to discuss his…

Vitor Belfort Expects ‘Sparring’ Match Between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson

[embedded content] Count former Ultimate Fighting Championship king Vitor Belfort among those throwing cold water on the upcoming boxing spectacle between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson.

Belfort held little back when discussing the upcoming boxing match of Paul vs. Tyson. The YouTuber-turned-boxer and the former heavyweight champ will be squaring off on July 20 in Arlington, Texas, and many have debated the legitimacy of their upcoming encounter. The rules, as approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations, consist of the bout lasting eight two-minute rounds, with the heavyweights wearing 14-ounce gloves. Despite this, the Texas commission has declared it will be a professional bout. Belfort, speaking to Sherdog about the matchup on Wednesday, was not a fan.

“Sixteen-ounce gloves are used only in sparring to protect fighters,” the former champ noted. “Jake Paul and Mike Tyson will do a sparring [match] live on Netflix, making millions of dol…

Olympic Taekwondo Medalist Robelis Despaigne Eyes UFC Title Shot

[embedded content]

Heavyweight knockout artist Robelis Despaigne is eyeing a title shot within a year of his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut.

Despaigne (5-0) needed just 18 seconds to knock out Josh Parisian in his promotional debut at UFC 299 in March. The undefeated prospect is now set to make his sophomore walk to the Octagon against Waldo Cortes-Acosta (11-1) at UFC on ESPN 56 on May 11. Despaigne believes a win over Costa, followed by a few others will secure a title shot for him next year.

“Look, if all goes according to plan, I think that by the beginning of next year I’ll be fighting for the UFC heavyweight title, or at least the interim.” Despaigne told MMA Junkie’s Danny Segura.

Despaigne has finished all of his fights in the first round, with a total fight time of 37 seconds for his last four outings combined. Given that the landscape has witnessed Alex Pereira’s meteoric rise to double champ status in less than two years o…

UFC 1 Pioneer Art Jimmerson Dies at 60

A memorable competitor from the inaugural Ultimate Fighting Championship show has died at the age of 60.

Art Jimmerson represented the sport of boxing at UFC 1 in 1993, famously wearing one glove when facing Royce Gracie. This drew him the nickname of “One Glove,” and despite competing just once in the sport of MMA, it was a memorable appearance. Gracie, around 20 pounds lighter, took Jimmerson down and forced him to submit 2:18 into their bout. The UFC’s broadcast partner of ESPN reported that Jimmerson had died on Wednesday, according to Jimmerson’s daughter. His son also confirmed Jimmerson’s passing on social media.

[embedded content] “It’s funny looking back, I just never knew,” Jimmerson told Sherdog in 2009 about his match with Gracie. “But I said, ‘No problem,’ because it was only going to take me one punch.”

Jimmerson continued, “I won't say I was young and dumb, it’s that I'm always up for a challenge. I don’t want to be perceived as a …

PFL MENA Weigh-in Results: Debut Card Reshuffled on Eve of Combat

MAIN EVENT - Featherweight 🔥

Abdullah Al-Qahtani: 145.6 LBSYazeed Hasanain: 146.6 LBS

PFL MENA | LIVE on MBC Action at 6:30 PM (GMT+3)

Tickets on SALE NOW! https://t.co/NtUBc3UAGX#PFL #MMA #MakingHistory #SaudiArabia #MENA @PFLMMA pic.twitter.com/vsT4ozLrIX

— PFL MENA (@PFLMENA) May 9, 2024 The first Professional Fighters League card for its MENA branch has changed significantly on weigh-in day.

PFL MENA, a venture that will serve as the brightest stage for fighters from the Middle East and North Africa region competing in the PFL Season format. May 10’s debut will go down at The Green Halls in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and the card's lineup has been reshaped to 10 matchups on weigh-in day. Multiple fighters missed weight, resulting in a transformation of the main event.

The card is set to ignite a new wave in the region’s combat sports landscape and features fighters in the featherweight and bantamweight …

Muhammad Mokaev Announces Showdown with Manel Kape at UFC 304 in Manchester

A flyweight pairing pitting Muhammad Mokaev against Manel Kape is in the works for UFC 304.

Mokaev announced the fight on social media, and it was later confirmed by MMAjunkie.com that Kape has verbally agreed to the booking. UFC 304 takes place on July 27 at Co-op Live in Manchester, England. The event is also expected to include a featherweight clash between Arnold Allen and Giga Chikadze.

Mokaev has emerged as a contender at 125 pounds with victories in his first six Octagon appearances. Most recently, the 23-year-old known as “The Punisher” outpointed former title challenger Alex Perez at UFC Fight Night 238 on March 2. The Brave Combat Federation veteran is 12-0 with one no contest over the course of his professional tenure.

Kape was supposed to compete at UFC on ESPN 55 on April 27, but he withdrew from a proposed bout against Matheus Nicolau after suffering a rib injury. After dropping his first two promotional outings, the former Ri…

Chael Sonnen Praises Jaleel Willis Ahead of Bellator Paris Clash with Cedric Doumbe

Things are starting to get REAL between Cedric and Jaleel… 😳#BellatorParis | Friday May 17 pic.twitter.com/FfHV84XhEl

— Chael Sonnen (@ChaelSonnen) May 8, 2024

Chael Sonnen is one of the greatest heels in mixed martial arts history, but even he thinks Jaleel Willis is approaching dangerous territory.

Willis might be the most hated man in Paris by the time he squares off with French kickboxing phenom Cedric Doumbe at Accor Arena on May 17 in the Bellator Champions Series Paris co-main event. The Memphis native’s verbal jabs have been non-stop, much to the delight of the “American Gangster.”

Sonnen praised — albeit warned — Willis on his X (formerly known as Twitter) account Wednesday after Willis insulted the French fanbase’s MMA knowledge. Willis (16-5) criticized Doumbe’s (5-1) lack of cage time and implied his fans only support him because they know no better.

“When you call yourself a veteran, you’re calling t…

Mauricio Ruffy Explains Islam Makhachev Callout, Targets Bobby Green Next

There was a method behind the madness of Mauricio Ruffy’s post-fight callout of UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev last weekend.

“Since I beat his best sparring partner (Raimond Magomedaliev) in a higher weight class (170 pounds) on the Contender Series, I thought it was a good moment to make a statement,” Ruffy told Sherdog.com. “After all, the UFC lightweight champion guaranteed [Magomedaliev] was going to be the new king of the 170-pound division. And Magomedaliev is really tough. Before facing me, he beat the 2023 PFL light heavyweight champ, Impa Kasangany, who fights three divisions above.”

Ruffy has made a habit of knocking out sparring partners of high-profile fighters. Last year, he scored a first-round stoppage of Corneliu Lascar Rotaru, who has trained with Irish superstar Conor McGregor.

“A few months before receiving the invitation to the Contender Series, I broke my left hand in the first fight of the Centurion FC Grand P…

Two UAE Prospects Signed to Compete for PFL MENA

[embedded content]

Professional Fighters League has added a pair of prospects from the United Arab Emirates to its roster.

The organization announced on Wednesday that flyweight Hadi Omar Al Hussaini and featherweight Youssef Al Housani have signed exclusive, multi-fight contracts with the PFL. Al Hussaini and Al Housani are expected to compete in showcase bouts during the PFL MENA season this year before joining the season format in 2025.

“We are thrilled to welcome two of the UAE’s top prospects to PFL MENA,” said PFL MENA vice president of fighter operations Gustavo Firmino in a release. “The mission of the PFL is to find the best fighters in every region around the world. Our partnership with SRJ Sports has allowed the PFL to identify and sign exceptional fighters like Al Hussaini and Al Housani, who we know have the potential to become global stars in the sport.”

Al Hussaini is 5-0-1 since beginning his professional MMA career in 2021. H…

Derrick Lewis Blames Herb Dean for Jalin Turner’s UFC 300 Loss to Renato ‘Moicano’

Herb Dean fault @ufc #ufc300

— Derrick Lewis (@Thebeast_ufc) April 14, 2024

Derrick Lewis has a different take on the walkoff knockout that wasn’t for Jalin Turner at UFC 300.

Turner took on Renato Carneiro on at UFC 300 on April 13. A sizeable favorite going into the bout, Turner dropped Moicano with a left hook in the closing seconds of the opening frame. However, Turner bizarrely chose to walk away, although referee Herb Dean hadn’t stopped the fight. “Moicano” was back up on his feet in seconds and came from behind to finish “The Tarantula” in the second round.

Lewis, who hadn’t tweeted since February 2022, opted to weigh in on Turner vs. Moicano after the fight, declaring it “Herb Dean fault.” While many praised Dean for allowing “Money” the opportunity to recover, Lewis believes otherwise. Explaining his comments in a recent interview, “The Black Beast” said that the fight should have been stopped when Moicano go…

Matt Brown Discusses Emotional Retirement Decision

Longtime Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran Matt Brown recently shared his feelings about his decision to hang up his gloves.

While Brown announced his retirement on Saturday via X (formerly known as Twitter), he had informed the UFC of his decision a while back. Despite having arrived at the decision much earlier, Brown was admittedly impassive about it until he had the conversation with UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby.

Brown was waiting to board a flight at Los Angeles International Airport and was admittedly overwhelmed with emotions while informing Shelby of his retirement. “The Immortal” also admitted to feeling similarly emotional while recently announcing his retirement on social media.

“When I first called Sean Shelby and told him, ‘I’m pretty sure this is what I’m gonna do,’ I was at an airport at the time”, the 43-year-old told MMAFighting.com. “This was a few months ago. I was at an airport and I think he returned my call, which is…

Movsar Evloev: Dana White Was Watching Football During My Fight with Arnold Allen

Movsar Evloev claims that while Dana White criticized his fight against Arnold Allen, the UFC CEO wasn’t even paying close attention to the bout.

Evloev took on Allen in a featherweight matchup at UFC 297 this past January. While Evloev maintained his perfect record with a unanimous decision win, the fight failed to live up to the hype, as the Russian cruised to victory through takedowns and positional control.

White was clearly unimpressed with Evloev’s performance and voiced his thoughts during the post-fight press conference.

“That fight sucked the wind right out of the arena… That was the least fun fight anybody’s ever seen,” White said.

Evloev took issue with White’s criticism of the fight, which apparently didn’t have the UFC boss’ full attention. Evloev claims that American Top Team founder Dan Lambert told him that he saw White watching the NFL playoffs during the bout.

Allen caught Evloev in a front headlock in the final roun…

Michael Chandler Threatens to Retire Conor McGregor at UFC 303

[embedded content]

Michael Chandler claims UFC 303 will either see Conor McGregor retire or mount the greatest comeback in combat sports history.

After a build-up of more than a year, Chandler is finally scheduled to fight McGregor in the main event on June 29. "Iron" advises everyone to not miss the card, as it might be the last time they can witness “Notorious” set foot inside the Octagon.

The former Bellator MMA champion vows to force retirement on McGregor. However, Chandler also acknowledges the opportunity the former two-division champion has to mount arguably the greatest comeback in combat sports history.

McGregor has been out of action since July 2021, recovering from a broken leg he suffered in his trilogy loss against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. Given Chandler’s status as one of the biggest fan favorites in the UFC, “Iron” admits McGregor defeating him could potentially be the greatest comeback in combat sports history.

“You h…

Jorge Masvidal-Nate Diaz Boxing Match Moves to July 6, Avoids Overlap with UFC 302

Diaz-Masvidal moving to July 6 in Anaheim https://t.co/6IHcHJ2Bj8

— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) May 8, 2024

The target demographic for the boxing clash between former UFC stars Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz might be a little occupied on June 1.

As a result, the fight has moved from June 1 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, to July 6 at the Honda Center in Anaheim. The primary motive behind the shift was to avoid conflict with UFC 302, which takes place on June 1 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey and is headlined by a light heavyweight title tilt between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier. Multiple outlets confirmed the new date and venue for Masvidal vs. Diaz following an initial report from Boxing Scene.

Masvidal vs. Diaz will take place over 10 rounds and will be contested at 175 pounds. The card is available via pay-per-view through Fanmio at a price point of $79.99.

Masvidal and Diaz ini…

UFC, Saudi Arabia Extend Agreement to Include Future Event, Sponsorship

A strategic agreement has been signed between Riyadh Season and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), including the sponsorship of the UFC event in Las Vegas, the UFC event in Riyadh, and Power Slap competitions 🇸🇦❤️ #RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/JFe6hVE4jO

— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) May 7, 2024

The partnership between the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Saudi Arabia will extend beyond the promotion’s June debut in the country.

On Tuesday, Turki Alalshikh, the country’s chairman of the board of directors of the general entertainment authority, announced in a press release that the UFC will hold another event in Saudi Arabia in 2024-25. Additionally, Riyadh Season will serve as a sponsor for UFC 306, which takes place at The Sphere in Las Vegas on Sept. 14. Riyadh Season, which was founded in 2019, is a yearly state-funded entertainment and sports festival and typically runs from October through March. Read more

Payton Talbott vs. Yanis Ghemmouri Added to UFC 303 on June 29

Payton Talbott will square off against Yanis Ghemmouri at UFC 303.

The promotion recently announced the bantamweight pairing via social media. UFC 303 takes place on June 29 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and is headlined by a welterweight clash pitting Conor McGregor against Michael Chandler.

Talbott has kicked off his professional tenure with eight consecutive triumphs — including two in UFC competition. After earning a contract on Dana White's Contender Series last August, the Reno, Nevada, resident began his UFC career with stoppages of Nick Aguirre and Cameron Saaiman in his first two outings.

Ghemmouri, meanwhile, made his Octagon debut at UFC Fight Night 226, where he suffered a a third-round technical knockout defeat to William Gomis this past September. Prior to that loss, the 29-year-old Frenchman had been victorious in his last nine professional appearances.

Ex-Bellator Fighter Heather Hardy’s Career Likely Over Due to ‘Brain Damage’

Heather Hardy’s combat sports career appears to have reached its end.

The former boxing champion and Bellator MMA veteran was preparing for a fight against Christine Ferea in BKFC on May 11, but Hardy struggled with her vision and was unable to eat or sleep as she began her camp. According to Hardy, a visit to the doctor revealed that she had suffered too many concussions over the course of her fighting career and any further head injuries could permanently impair her vision.

Hardy’s full Instagram post on the matter is as follows:

My fight for May 11 is off. After my fight last summer with Amanda [Serrano], my vision remained blurred for a few days. I went for an MRI and to get my eyes checked while I was still in TX and it was diagnosed the after effects of a concussion. 6-8 months i should be fine. So basically I needed a fight, and it never got better. My daughter is in college. Everyone thinks I made millions in my career but i didn’t, i w…

PFL Adjusts Lineup for Regular Season Event on June 13

𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟: Updated PFL Mohegan Sun Fight Card

•Blagoy Ivanov is out•New Matchup: Marcelo Nunes vs Oleg Popov•Steve Mowry is out•New Matchup: Danilo Marques vs. Gokhan Saricam•Kaytlin Neil is out.•New Matchup: Saray Orozoco vs. Sumiko Inaba•Melissa Balic vs.… pic.twitter.com/bCB89EkoqZ

— PFL (@PFLMMA) May 7, 2024

Professional Fighters League has done some reshuffling for its next regular season event.

The organization on Tuesday announced multiple changes and updates to PFL 4, which features heavyweights and women’s flyweights and takes place on June 13 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

In the heavyweight division, Steve Mowry, who was supposed to face Gokhan Saricam, and Blagoy Ivanov, who was slated to meet Oleg Popov, have withdrawn from the card for undisclosed reasons. Instead, Danilo Marques will lock horns with Saricam, while Marcelo Nunes will square off against Popov. Marques and Nunes were…

Anshul Jubli Welcomes Responsibility of Representing India in the UFC

Credit: Getty Images/Zuffa Credit: Getty Images/Zuffa Credit: Getty Images/Zuffa

India’s Anshul Jubli isn’t shying away from the responsibility that comes with representing an entire country on the biggest mixed martial arts platform in the world.

While former Matrix Fight Night champ Puja Tomar recently joined Jubli as the only other Indian on the Ultimate Fighting Championship roster, “King of Lions” is widely regarded as the face of Indian MMA.

While Jubli acknowledges the gravity of the responsibility of shouldering an entire country’s expectations, the 29-year-old welcomes the opportunity. Jubli believes not everyone is blessed with such a burden and that no one could have shouldered it better than him.

“Yes, it’s a huge, huge responsibility to represent the entire country on a platform like the UFC. But I think it’s a good thing, right?” Jubli told fans during a recent meet and greet. “Such responsibilities don’t come to everyone like …

Coach Hopes Sean Strickland Trusts Corner’s Instincts in Paulo Costa Matchup

Sean Strickland coach Eric Nicksick revealed that there is always a risk of the former middleweight champ not listening to his corner.

Strickland (28-6) is scheduled to fight Paulo Costa (14-3) in the co-main event at UFC302 on June 1 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Strickland’s only knockout loss in the recent past came against Alex Pereira in 2022, when he inexplicably chose to stand in the pocket against the former Glory Kickboxing champion. With Costa also being known for an explosive style, Nicksick admitted that there is always the possibility of Strickland fighting the Brazilian’s game.

“Of course, I’m always worried. He doesn’t listen for s—t,” Eric Nicksick told Sportskeeda MMA. “There’s elements I think that we need to address. Especially in a five-round fight, it’s important to utilize a full MMA skills set. You’ve heard me say this time and time again with Sean. And will he probably listen, probably not.”

Following …

Paul Hughes on Choosing PFL Over UFC: ‘It Was Just a Way Better Offer’

Next stop @3ArenaDublin ☘️ pic.twitter.com/UpDYghVPDc

— Paul Hughes MMA (@paulhughesmma) April 29, 2024

Coveted mixed martial arts prospect Paul Hughes claims the choice between the Professional Fighters League and the Ultimate Fighting Championship was a no-brainer for him.

After fighting out his Cage Warriors Fighting Championship contract with a first-round knockout win over Fabiano Silva last month, Hughes briefly explored free agency before signing with the PFL. “Big News” recently explained that while the UFC had an offer on the table, it stood no comparison to the PFL’s.

“It [the choice] wasn’t really difficult, to be honest, at all. [The PFL’s offer] was just a lot better, a lot better," Hughes said on "The MMA Hour". “They [the UFC] had an offer but it just wasn’t… No, it wasn’t [a Contender Series offer], it was mentioned but it wasn’t concrete and that was it. It [the PFL’s] was just a way better offer, it…

Martial Arts Videos

About Me