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Du Plessis Targets Adesanya for First Title Defense: ‘That’s the Fight Fans Want to See’

Dricus Du Plessis knew the scorecards were going to be close, but he was confident he did enough get the nod against Sean Strickland in the UFC 297 headliner.

“It was a close fight, make no mistake – but I thought I had it. When that split decision came, I thought, ‘This is, 100 percent, 50-50.’ When they said ‘And new …,’ it felt like 15 years of work and sacrifice together in one single sentence. It feels surreal. It’s amazing,” Du Plessis said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference.

“I thought I did enough to win the fight. It definitely was a close fight. He won the first round and I made the necessary adjustments. … At the end of the day, I went toe-to-toe with the self-proclaimed best boxer in the UFC.”

Strickland got off to a strong start behind his jab, but Du Plessis got better as the fight progressed, mixing in takedowns with his striking to keep his opponent off balance. Ultimately, that was enough for the South African to win a c…

Former Lightweight Champ Frankie Edgar to Be Inducted in UFC Hall of Fame

Frankie Edgar was announced as the first UFC Hall of Fame inductee for the class of 2024 on Saturday night.

Edgar was in attendance at UFC 297 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, where he was greeted with the surprise announcement. The former UFC lightweight champ was seen wiping away tears as the whole arena gave him a standing ovation.

“Frankie Edgar is one of the greatest athletes in UFC history,” UFC CEO Dana White said in a press release. “Frankie had an amazing career and consistently fought the best athletes in the world across multiple weight classes for more than 15 years. He is a legend, and it will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame as part of International Fight Week this summer.”

Edgar’s induction ceremony will take place during the International Fight Week this summer in Las Vegas and will be streamed live on UFC Fight Pass. Edgar will be inducted as part of the UFC Hall of Fame “Modern Era” which includes athl…

Jasmine Jasudavicius Wanted to ‘Torture’ Priscila Cachoeira for Weight Fiasco

Jasmine Jasudavicius really wanted to punish Priscila Cachoeira during their UFC 297 clash.

Jasudavicius was originally scheduled to face Cachoeira at flyweight but was told a day before the weigh-ins that the Brazilian couldn’t make weight. Jasudavicius let her coaches make the call, and they agreed to a bantamweight clash.

However, the Canadian was upset at her opponent’s lack of professionalism and wanted to “torture” her going into the clash. Jasudavicius put on a record-breaking beating on Cachoeira en route to a third-round submission victory in front of her home fans in Toronto. Jasudavicius outlanded her opponent 326-26 in total strikes, which is the biggest strike differential in UFC women’s bantamweight history.

“The entire time that I was in there I was just trying to beat her up, man,” Jasudavicious told reporters after the win. “It pissed me off, that weight discrepancy man. The thing that she did with the weight, it pissed me of…

Carlos Vera to Replace Brady Hiestand Against Rinya Nakamura at UFC 298

Undefeated Japanese prospect Rinya Nakamura has a new opponent for his next Octagon assignment.

Nakamura was originally scheduled to take on Brady Hiestand at UFC 298 on Feb. 17 in Anaheim, California. However, Carlos Vera will now replace an injured Hiestand and face Nakamura on less than a month’s notice. MMAjunkie.com was first to report the new matchup.

“Hybrid” made his professional MMA debut in 2021. Nakamura went on to win the “Road to UFC” tournament in 2022, scoring three finishes in as many outings. The 28-year-old is fresh off a decision win over Fernie Garcia at UFC Fight Night 225 in August.

Meanwhile, the 36-year-old Vera was supposed to make his UFC debut against Daniel Marcos back in December 2022, but was the bout fell through due to Marcos’ visa issues. Vera then competed on “The Ultimate Fighter 31” as a part of team Conor McGregor last year, where he lost a decision in the opening round against Brad Katona. As “TUF” outin…

UFC 297 Bonuses: Sean Strickland, Dricus du Plessis Deliver Fight of the Night

Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis delivered a banger of a title fight in the UFC 297 headliner at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

The two will walk home with an extra $50,000 each for going to war in their middleweight title clash, which earned “Fight of the Night” honors. Strickland’s jab looked on point from the very beginning, while du Plessis struggled to find his footing in the opening round. However, the South African challenger started making adjustments as the fight progressed, putting the champ on his backfoot with his signature pace and volume. While Strickland was leaking near the left eye by the end of the fight, du Plessis’ left eye was almost closed. “Stillknocks” eventually edged out a closely-contested split decision to be crowned the new UFC middleweight champ.

UFC 297 only saw two performance bonuses being handed out, with Canadian women winning both.

Jasmine Jasudavicius earned a $50,000 bonus for a record-breaking beatdown of P…

Dricus Du Plessis Dethrones Sean Strickland in UFC Fight Night 297 Main Event

Dricus Du Plessis planted his flag at the top of the mountain.

The 30-year-old South African captured the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight crown with a hard-fought split decision over Sean Strickland in the UFC 297 headliner on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. All three cageside judges scored it 48-47: Sal D’Amato for Strickland, Derek Cleary and Eric Colon for Du Plessis.

It was close for the duration. Strickland (28-6, 15-6 UFC) operated behind his potent jab and took away the challenger’s low kicks with exquisite defense. Du Plessis (21-2, 7-0 UFC) struck for takedowns in the first second and fourth rounds, opened multiple cuts with clubbing blows upstairs and made it a point to advance on his upright adversary whenever possible. He did his best work in Round 4, where he executed multiple takedowns and drew blood with a lunging straight right hand. Strickland kept his foot on the accelerator across the last five minutes, paired his jab …

UFC 297 ‘Strickland vs. Du Plessis’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Strap in fight fans, as we guide you through the exhilarating action in store with UFC 297, unfolding live from the electrifying Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. This is your front-row seat to a night of epic fights and potential jaw-dropping moments.

We're back in Canada with UFC 297, featuring a main event clash between middleweight champion Sean Strickland and the explosive Dricus Du Plessis.

The co-main event is a showdown for the vacant bantamweight title, as the relentless Raquel Pennington squares off against the dynamic Mayra Bueno Silva. Pennington's five-fight win streak faces a formidable challenge in Silva, whose recent performances have propelled her as a rising force in the division.

Don't miss a moment of the excitement: Join us for the prelims at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by the main card at 10 p.m. ET. Stick with Sherdog for live play-by-play updates, ensuring you won't miss a beat as UFC 297 unfolds in all its glory.

BETTING PREVIEW…

UFC 297 Prelims: Garrett Armfield Upends Favored Brad Katona in Toronto

Garrett Armfield proved he belongs, and he did so in hostile territory.

The Marathon MMA representative took a significant step forward in the Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight division, as he outstruck two-time “The Ultimate Fighter” winner Brad Katona to a unanimous decision in their featured UFC 297 prelim on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Armfield (10-3, 2-1 UFC) swept the scorecards with matching 29-28 marks.

Katona (13-3, 3-3 UFC) had issues getting in gear initially. Armfield called upon an effective jab and multi-punch volleys, all while keeping the Canadian honest with well-disguised kicks, and appeared to have built a narrow lead through two rounds. Katona turned up the heat in Round 3, where he executed multiple takedowns and overwhelmed his opponent with pace and output. By the time it was over, Armfield was gasping for air but had done enough to curry favor with the judges.

The setback closed the book on Katona’s r…

Arek Wrzosek Lamps Ivan Vitasovic in Short-Lived KSW 90 Headliner

WOW!!! 🇵🇱 Arek Wrzosek KO's Ivan Vitasovic!!

He passes the test!! XTB #KSW90 pic.twitter.com/5sPMPbDJlF

— KSW (@KSW_MMA) January 20, 2024

The first Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki card of the year didn’t disappoint as eight out of 10 fights ended within the distance in Warsaw, Poland.

Glory Kickboxing 2021 knockout of the year winner Arkadiusz Wrzosek closed KSW 90 with a 54-second knockout over Ivan Vitasovic in the main event. Wrzosek (4-0) exploded onto the KSW scene since signing with the organization in 2022. Vitasovic, a Croatian heavyweight champion, was expected to be his toughest test but that hypothesis proved shaky after he was dropped seconds into the fight. Vitasovic reached his feet but was followed around the cage as Wrzosek beat him. Despite his inexperience in mixed martial arts, Wrzosek is quickly rising up the ranks as a big man to watch.

One of the fastest KO's in KSW histo…

Cris ‘Cyborg’ Wants to Fight Kayla Harrison Before Facing Larissa Pacheco

Bellator women's featherweight champion Cris Cyborg is willing to fight the reigning Professional Fighters League women’s featherweight and lightweight champion Larissa Pacheco — but only after a showdown with Kayla Harrison.

Following PFL’s acquisition of Bellator MMA, founder Don Davis implied that the promotion would look to match Cyborg with Pacheco in a champ vs. champ meeting. However, the PFL vs Bellator Champs card slated for Feb. 24 has all champions competing except Pacheco and Cyborg.

According to the former UFC champion, a meeting with Harrison is a top priority, especially considering the verbal back-and-forth the two have engaged in over the last few years.

“I don’t have any problem fighting Larissa Pacheco, she’s the champion, but we’ve been promoting this fight against Kayla Harrison for three years,” Cyborg told MMAjunkie.com. “You can use the opportunity after this fight to promote for Larissa... I think everyone is waiti…

Anton Turkalj to Face Ibo Aslan at UFC Atlantic City on March 30

A light heavyweight clash between former regional foes Anton Turkalj and Ibo Aslan has been booked for the UFC Atlantic City event on March 30.

The news was first announced by Turkalj's coach on the Kaftsmallspodden podcast, and the date was confirmed by Aslan on social media.

Prior to making their way to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Turkalj and Aslan faced each other under the Brave Combat Federation banner in Aug 2020 at Brave CF 40. The catchweight meeting ended with a Round 2 submission victory for Turkalj and marked the end of Aslan's undefeated run as a professional.

Since then, Aslan (12-1) has racked up a four-fight winning streak, most recently securing a contract with the UFC following a Round 1 technical knockout victory against Paulo Renato Jr. in an appearance on Dana White's Contender Series in August.

On the other hand, Turkalj (8-3), who also made his way to the UFC through Dana White’s Contender Series, is c…

Ariane Lipski vs. Karine Silva Booked for UFC Fight Night Event on April 27

A flyweight meeting between Ariane Lipski and Dana White's Contender Series alum Karine Silva is set for a UFC Fight Night event on April 27.

The pairing was subsequently confirmed by Silva on social media following an initial report from MMA Hoje. Other bouts for the card are yet to be revealed.

Lipski (17-8) will enter the bout on the back of a successful 2023 that saw the Brazilian rack up consecutive victories against the likes of J.J Aldrich, Melissa Gato, and most recently, Casey O'Neil at UFC 296 in December.

Meanwhile, Silva (17-4) is currently undefeated in the Las Vegas-based promotion and is on a three-fight winning streak, with all victories coming by way of finish in the first round. All of Silva’s 17 professional wins have been secured within distance. “Killer” most recently walked away with a guillotine choke victory at the 4:59 mark of the first frame against Maryna Moroz at UFC 292.

Yusuke Yachi vs. Kyung Pyo Kim Among Seven Bouts Added to Rizin Landmark Vol. 8

Rizin Fighting Federation has announced the addition of multiple bouts to the upcoming Landmark Vol. 8 card a little more than a month away from the highly-anticipated event.

Per a press release provided by the organization on Friday, seven mixed martial arts bouts along with one kickboxing match have been added to the card scheduled to take place at the Saga Arena in Japan on Feb. 24.

Matchups added to the card include a lightweight clash between Yusuke Yachi (25-13) and Kyung Pyo Kim (13-4). Yachi, a veteran of the promotion, is currently on a two-fight winning streak having secured a decision win against Boyd Allen at Rizin 39 in October 2022 followed by a Round 1 submission victory against Zach Zane at Rizin 43 in June 2023.

Meanwhile, Pyo Kim is also currently on a two-fight winning streak in the promotion with both wins coming in the first frame of the respective bouts. The South Korean first secured a Round 1 submission in his promoti…

UFC 297 Weigh-in Results: 2 Fighters Heavy

[embedded content] The Ultimate Fighting Championship hosts its first pay-per-view event of 2024 this weekend.

Atop the UFC 297 card is a middleweight title clash between champion Sean Strickland and No. 1 contender Dricus Du Plessis. Both fighters successfully made weight, as did Raquel Pennington and Mayra Bueno Silva, who will vie for the vacant bantamweight title. There were two weight misses as Malcolm Gordon came in 1.5 pounds over the flyweight limit for his fight against Jimmy Flick, and would-be bantamweight Ramon Taveras weighed 139.75 pounds for his scheduled scrap versus Serhiy Sidey. Both men will be fined a percentage of their purses as a result.

Strickland (28-5) is coming off a shocking upset of Israel Adesanya. Over five rounds, Strickland outpointed "The Last Stylebender" with his jab and solid fundamentals. "Tarzan" is now on a three-fight win streak, having also outclassed Abusupiyan Magomedov and Nassourdine Imavov. The American…

Source: Luke Lessei, Eddie Abasolo Muay Thai Bout Added to One Fight Night 19

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ONE Fight Night 19 is shaping up to be a scintillating card with the addition of a 155-pound muay thai clash between promotional newcomer Luke Lessei and muay thai veteran Eddie Abasolo, Sherdog.com has learned.

The two will face each other in a three-round affair on the Feb. 16 card, which goes down at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok and will be headlined by a 145-pound muay thai clash between reigning champion Jonathan Haggerty and top contender Felipe Lobo.

Lessei will enter the bout on the heels of a tightly-contested loss against Jo Natawutt in his promotional debut at ONE Fight Night 17 in December 2023.

Meanwhile, Abasolo will also look to rebound after dropping a competitive loss against muay thai legend Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong at ONE Friday Fights 22 in June 2023.

Before the loss to Sitsongpeenong, the 37-year-old recorded a Round 2 knockout of Niclas Larsen at One on Prime Video 8 in March 2023.

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Andre Fili Steps In Against Dan Ige at UFC Fight Night 236 in February

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has found a replacement for its lost co-headliner on Feb. 10.

MMA Junkie first broke the news on Friday that Andre Fili (23-10, 1 NC) would be stepping in for Lerone Murphy at UFC Fight Night 236 on Feb. 10. The veteran featherweight will be facing Dan Ige (17-7) at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on that date, likely still in the co-main event slot. This pairing has since been confirmed by other outlets.

“Touchy” Fili returned to the win column in December by knocking out Lucas Almeida in the first round at UFC 296. The Team Alpha Male product has not put a win or losing streak together since 2019 when he won two straight against Myles Jury and Sheymon Moraes. As he has pinballed around the featherweight ladder, Fili has beaten the likes of Bill Algeo and Charles Jourdain but come up short against names like Nathaniel Wood and Bryce Mitchell.

Hawaii’s Ige saw his own win streak come to a close in September 2023 when Mitchell picke…

Anderson Silva Brokenhearted Over Diego Braga’s Death: ‘See You One Day, Brother’

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship great Anderson Silva is crestfallen about the death of his friend, Diego Braga.

The Brazilian mixed martial arts community was shocked by the killing of former MMA fighter Diego Braga on Monday. The news spread all across televised news broadcasts, opening another chapter of the criminal territory dispute between militias and narco criminals in Rio de Janeiro. A litany of famed names in the sport attended the fighter’s funeral on Wednesday at the Jardim da Saudade Cemetery.

In addition to son Gabriel Braga, a Professional Fighters League finalist in 2023, others in attendance included Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Davi Ramos, Gustavo Machado and Anderson Silva. The UFC legend, who had trained muay thai with Braga in his last MMA fights, was devastated and declined to speak to the press. Instead, “The Spider” published a lengthy message on his Instagram in honor of his fallen friend and condemned authorities for the i…

‘Conan’ Silveira Invites Gabriel Braga to Train at American Top Team

Professional Fighters League competitor Gabriel Braga is receiving support from much of the MMA community after the death of his father.

Less than a day after his father, Diego Braga, was killed in Rio de Janeiro, Gabriel Braga was officially confirmed on the inaugural PFL vs. Bellator MMA event in Saudi Arabia. Braga is scheduled to take on Bellator standout Aaron Pico at 145 pounds in Riyadh on Feb. 24. Many teammates and competitors have wondered if Braga can compete with a clear mind, given that his father primarily trained Braga. To help him prepare for the matchup—providing it stays together—Marcus Silveira, the head of American Top Team, told Sherdog that he has offered to train the 25-year-old for his upcoming engagement.

“Gabriel and Joshua [Silveira] fought on the same card for the whole 2023 season,” the coach noted. “And thanks to that and, obviously the fact that me and Diego were former vale tudo fighters helping our sons to keep our road and go beyond […

Kara-Ool Changy Beatdown of Arsenio Balisacan Jr. Marks Arrival at ONE Friday Fights 48

Kara-Ool Changy looks like a real problem for the rest of the ONE Championship strawweight division.

The undefeated 26-year-old Russian prospect kept his perfect professional record intact in what was a stellar promotional debut, as he battered Arsenio Balisacan Jr. to a doctor stoppage in their ONE Friday Fights 48 showcase on Friday at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. A weary and bloodied Balisacan (4-3, 0-1 ONE) bowed out in between the second and third rounds.

Changy (5-0, 1-0 ONE) wore down his Filipino counterpart with a series of trip takedowns and suplexes in the first round, pairing them with suffocating control and steady ground-and-pound. Balisacan simply had no recourse with which to respond. Changy turned up the heat near the end of the middle stanza, where he executed another takedown, hammered the body with knees and opened multiple cuts with a series of brutal elbow strikes from above. As Balisacan wandered back to his corner, it became cl…

Mum’s the Word: Dana White Keeping Conor McGregor Plans Under Wraps

While fans can expect Conor McGregor to return to action this year, the details regarding his return are still not being publicly shared by Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White.

In a social media post back in December, the former two-division champion announced his long-awaited return to the Octagon against Michael Chandler at 185 pounds on June 29 at International Fight Week in Las Vegas.

However, in a recent interview with Sportsnet’s Tim Micallef ahead of UFC 297, White refused to divulge any details regarding McGregor's return fight apart from confirming his return to the Octagon this year.

“McGregor will be back this year. Possibly him and Chandler, we’ll see how this whole thing plays out.”

McGregor has been out of action since UFC 264 in July 2021, where he suffered a Round 1 technical knockout loss to Dustin Poirier due to a devastating leg break. Since then, the Irishman has been nursing himself back to health.

McGre…

Rose Namajunas on Amanda Ribas: ‘I Know I’m Better Everywhere’

Former two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship strawweight queen Rose Namajunas is hoping to make a statement in her second outing in the flyweight division.

Following a split-decision loss to Carla Esparza at UFC 274, Namajunas (11-6) moved up to the 125-pound division in 2023 and faced No. 3-ranked Manon Fiorot at UFC Fight Night 226 .

Despite suffering a broken right hand in the first round of the bout, Namajunas put on a competitive fight, even securing two of the judges' scorecards in the third frame. However, the French national walked away with the unanimous decision victory thanks to her performance in the first two stanzas.

“Thug Rose” is now slated to take on the No. 8-ranked Amanda Ribas (12-4) in a UFC Fight Night main event duel on March 23 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Having time to get more accustomed to the new weight class, the former champ feels more confident and prepared for her upcoming flyweight contest.

“I actually f…

PFL Europe to Start Season on March 7, Cedric Doumbe-‘Baki’ Chamsoudinov Headlines

🚨 @CedricDoumbe vs. @BaysangurHanma IS 𝙊𝙁𝙁𝙄𝘾𝙄𝘼𝙇!

🇫🇷 𝟱-𝟬 vs. 𝟴-𝟬 🇫🇷No Risk, No Reward.#PFLParis | LIVE on DAZN

Tickets will SELL FAST… so make sure you grab them NOW at https://t.co/RSB9QpB8DE or by clicking the link in our bio.

Stay tuned to @pfleurope across… pic.twitter.com/GLst0SuWpd

— PFL Europe (@PFLEurope) January 18, 2024 The Professional Fighters League is wasting little time to get its next European season started.

Via press release on Thursday, the organization announced that PFL Europe’s 2024 Season will begin on March 7. The first event of the year-long tournament will be held at the Accor Arena in Paris, with the promotion returning to the city it first planted its flag in September 2023. Instead of the Zenith Paris La Villette, the fights will post up in the larger arena that has played host to the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Bellator MMA in the past. Just one fight has been announced, and it…

Charles Jourdain Addresses Awkward Tweet About Stepsister

In case you were wondering about that one Charles Jourdain tweet ... 😳 pic.twitter.com/h2dMtw9f4o

— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) January 17, 2024

While Charles Jourdain is known for having a brazen social media personality, one particular post from his X, formerly known as Twitter, account attracted extra attention recently.

Jourdain (15-6) is scheduled to take on Sean Woodson (10-1) in front of his home crowd at UFC 297 this weekend at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Jourdain acknowledged his reach disadvantage against Woodson while also revealing an awkward counter-strategy.

“For this fight, I'm at [a] disadvantage because of the reach. I will use the same strategy I use with my stepsister: penetrate and dominate,” Jourdain wrote.

While the post raised eyebrows for most who saw it, The Mac Life’s Oscar Willis dared to ask Jourdain about it during UFC 297 media day.

“It’s important to take chances in life. I should’ve phrased…

Israel Adesanya Gives His Prediction for UFC 297 Main Event

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Israel Adesanya expects a new middleweight king to be crowned at UFC 297 this weekend.

Sean Strickland (28-5) will defend his strap against Dricus Du Plessis (20-2) in the UFC 297 main event on Jan. 20 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. While Adesanya respects Strickland, having lost to him, “The Last Stylebender” believes du Plessis will be crowned champ via submission.

“I’m going to go with Dricus,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “Is it going to go the distance? I’m going to say no. Not that I don’t respect Sean or his skills; the guy beat me. Of course, I respect his skills. I’ll say [submission]. He’ll submit him.”

While Adesanya was originally scheduled to defend his strap against du Plessis at UFC 293 this past September, Strickland replaced an injured “Stillknocks” on short notice. “Tarzan” shocked the world with one of the best defensive striking displays of recent times and went on to score a massive upset wi…

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