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Dustin Poirier has seemingly altered the lightweight title picture with his victory over Benoit St. Denis in the UFC 299 co-main event on Saturday.

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The lightweight contender was an underdog going into his clash against an unranked St. Denis. After surviving high pace and pressure from the Frenchman in the opening frame, Poirier came from behind to score a brutal knockout in the second round.

Having bounced back from a knockout loss against Justin Gaethje in perfect fashion, Poirier called for a title shot against Islam Makhachev in June.

Islam in June 😤

— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) March 10, 2024

Makhachev, meanwhile, was impressed by Poirier’s performance and praised him on social media.

Very impressive Dustin 👏🏻💎

— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) March 10, 2024

Makhachev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, later claimed on social media that the reigning lightweight champ “would be gam…

Allycia Hellen Rodrigues wants to run things back with Stamp Fairtex after successfully defending her ONE Championship women’s atomweight muay thai world title against Cristina Morales.

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Rodrigues picked up a unanimous decision win over the Spanish standout in the co-main event at One on Prime Video 20 on International Women’s Day at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Thailand on March 9. Rodrigues subsequently called for a rematch against reigning ONE women’s atomweight world champion Fairtex, who she defeated for the muay thai title in 2020. Rodrigues is also open to a clash against Phetjeeja, who unified the ONE women’s atomweight kickboxing title against Janet Todd in the evening’s main event.

“I’m expecting to fight against Phetjeeja or Stamp Fairtex, if she comes back to muay thai,” Rodrigues said at the post-fight press conference. ‌

Phetjeeja also expressed double-champ aspirations after the event and has her eyes on Rodrigues’ muay thai ti…

Phetjeeja OrMeekhun is eyeing another title after successfully unifying the ONE Championship women’s atomweight kickboxing title with a victory over Janet Todd in the main event at One on Prime Video 20.

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Phetjeeja picked up an emphatic unanimous decision win over Todd, who announced her retirement after the defeat. Phetjeeja was happy to have shared the ring with Todd in her final fight.

“It's such an honor to fight Janet Todd in her retirement fight,” Phetjeeja said at the post-fight press conference. “I’m very happy that I was part of her last fight so she can remember me, and I can remember her. It’s a historic moment for both of us.”

Having extended her promotional winning streak to six with the victory over Todd, Phetjeeja is now looking for double champ glory. The former Thailand National boxing team representative is plotting a clash against ONE women’s atomweight muay thai champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues, who successfully defended …

If it seems like Benoit St. Denis faded in the second round of his fight at UFC 299, there may have been a good reason for that.

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After a dominant opening stanza, St. Denis suffered a knockout loss against Dustin Poirier at the 2:32 mark of Round 2 in Saturday’s co-main event at the Kaseya Center in Miami. Afterward, the “God of War” took to Instagram to reveal that antibiotics may have hindered his performance as the fight progressed.

“Unfortunately this evening I was not able to fully express myself,” St. Denis wrote (via Google Translate). “My body didn’t respond after a week of antibiotics to fight an infection.

“Throughout I was present, but my body was absent. It did not react as usual. I only had one round to give you.”

Heading into the bout, St. Denis appeared to have a sore on his head, which led to speculation that the Frenchman may have been dealing with a staph infection. While St. Denis did not give specifics on the nature of his …

If it seems like Benoit St. Denis faded in the second round of his fight at UFC 299, there may have been a good reason for that.

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After a dominant opening stanza, St. Denis suffered a knockout loss against Dustin Poirier at the 2:32 mark of Round 2 in Saturday’s co-main event at the Kaseya Center in Miami. Afterward, the “God of War” took to Instagram to reveal that antibiotics may have hindered his performance as the fight progressed.

“Unfortunately this evening I was not able to fully express myself,” St. Denis wrote (via Google Translate). “My body didn’t respond after a week of antibiotics to fight an infection.

“Throughout I was present, but my body was absent. It did not react as usual. I only had one round to give you.”

Heading into the bout, St. Denis appeared to have a sore on his head, which led to speculation that the Frenchman may have been dealing with a staph infection. While St. Denis did not give specifics on the nature of his …

There was one thing missing from Sean O'Malley’s lopsided victory over Marlon Vera in the UFC 299 main event.

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“Something about not getting the finish doesn’t sit right with me,” O’Malley said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “It was just  like, ‘f—k.’ But I also haven’t watched it. Once I watch it back, I think I’ll get a little bit more excited. I aways want to get that finish.”

To be fair, nobody has finished Vera in 33 professional fights. Still, there was plenty to like about O’Malley’s performance outside of that, as he avenged a previous loss to “Chito” with a striking masterclass over 25 dominant minutes.

“I knew I was better than this guy for three and a half years,” O’Malley said. “I knew the first fight was a fluke. I proved that, and it felt good.”

At the conclusion of the event, UFC CEO Dana White praised O’Malley, calling the Arizona native the biggest star in bantamweight history. Meanwhile, O’Malley himself was i…

Based on his own lofty standards, UFC 299 wasn’t the typical Dustin Poirier fight.

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After all, the American Top Team product has faced Conor McGregor three times, fought for undisputed lightweight gold twice and headlined numerous cards over the course of his career. While Benoit St. Denis entered UFC 299 as a rising star on a five-bout finishing streak, he didn’t necessarily fit the profile of the usual Poirier opponent.

“It was kind of a timing thing and the situation of the lightweight division. There wasn’t any big names to fight,” Poirier explained at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “I wanted to fight, especially coming off a loss. Nothing was big that they could put together.

“But this guy is on a streak and has a lot of momentum. When they offered it to me, that’s why we did it. There was nothing else at the time, and I honor what I do, man. Eddie Alvarez gave me a shot when he was a former champion and I was an up-and-comer…

When it comes to the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s bantamweight division, it didn’t get any bigger than UFC 299.

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That’s according to UFC CEO Dana White, who began Saturday’s post-fight press conference by praising Miami as a host city.

“The gate was $14.14 million. It was a sellout, 19,165 people. The highest-grossing event ever at the arena,” White said. “We broke our own record, and it is the fourth-highest grossing UFC event of all-time. Miami is on fire. This place is unbelievable. What they’ve done in this state and in this city in the last 10 years is phenomenal.”

In the evening’s featured bout, Sean O'Malley made his first successful bantamweight title defense with a lopsided five-round verdict against Marlon Vera at the Kaseya Center. About the only thing missing from the performance for “Suga” was a finish of his Ecuadorean rival. It wasn’t for a lack of trying, however. O’Malley bloodied and battered his opponent, o…

According to Kyler Phillips, bantamweights from the MMA Lab won’t avoid fighting one another if the situation calls for it.

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Phillips took on veteran Pedro Munhoz on the UFC 299 preliminary card at the Kaseya Center in Miami on Saturday. “Matrix” put on a striking clinic to earn a unanimous decision victory, extending his winning streak to three and his promotional record to 6-1.

Phillips trains at the MMA Lab in Phoenix, which is home to a number of talented bantamweight fighters, including reigning champ Sean O’Malley. Top bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili had previously irked UFC CEO Dana White by refusing a title shot during the reign of good friend and Serra-Longo Fight Team training partner Aljamain Sterling. However, Phillips claims that MMA Lab bantamweights are not averse to the idea of competing against each other. Phillips also notes that with the sheer number of surging bantamweight prospects training at the gym, some of them wil…

Joanna Jedrzejczyk will become the second female fighter ever to be inducted to the Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Fame when she enters the Modern Era wing this summer.

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It was announced during the UFC 299 broadcast that Jedrzejczyk will join Ronda Rousey in the Hall of Fame during the International Fight Week in June. Jedrzejczyk was also in attendance at the Kaseya Center in Miami for the event, supporting fellow polish fighter Mateusz Gamrot, who picked up a hard-fought unanimous decision win over Rafael dos Anjos.

“Joanna is one of the greatest athletes in combat sports history,” UFC CEO Dana White said in a release. “Joanna is an amazing person who has been an incredible champion, ambassador, and role model for women’s MMA, as well as an absolute killer inside the Octagon. She fought the best of the best in her division and never backed down from an opponent. Joanna is one of the toughest athletes we’ve ever seen, and it will be an hon…

Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC

Robelis Despaigne is in a rush to attain championship gold after a stellar promotional debut at UFC 299 at the Kaseya Center in Miami on Saturday.

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After starting his career with four first-round knockouts, Despaigne’s UFC contract was announced during the broadcast of his last outing at Fury FC 84 this past December. The former taekwondo Olympic medalist announced his arrival to the promotion by brutally knocking out Josh Parisian while moving backwards 18 seconds into the opening round of their UFC 299 clash. The Cuban star’s last four outings now have a combined fight time of 37 seconds.

At 35 years old, Despaigne is in a hurry to reach a title shot. He has called for a quick turnaround matchup for UFC 300, which goes down on April 13. Additionally, “The Bad Boy” believes he might be four or five outings away from a potential championship opportunity.

“He wants to take step by step but h…

A total of seven $50,000 bonuses were handed out by the promotion at the conclusion of UFC 299.

The co-main event clash between Dustin Poirier and Benoit St. Denis was an easy choice for “Fight of the Night,” which sent both lightweights home with an additional $50,000. After St. Denis dominated the opening frame with his grappling, Poirier rallied to score a resounding knockout victory at the 2:32 mark of Round 2.

Elsewhere, reigning bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley was the only fighter on the card to receive a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check despite not securing a finish. However, “Suga” was dominant for five rounds against Marlon Vera in the evening’s headliner, avenging a 2020 defeat to his Ecuadorean rival in his first successful title defense.

Finally, the other four fighters who finished their opponents at UFC 299 received $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonuses. This includes Jack Della Maddalena, Curtis Blaydes, Michel Pereira and Robelis …

This might well be remembered as Sean O’Malley masterpiece.

The 29-year-old MMA Lab product avenged the only blemish on his resume and did so with near-flawless precision, as he retained his undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight title with a unanimous decision over Marlon Vera in the UFC 299 headliner on Saturday at the Kaseya Center in Miami. Scores were 50-45, 50-45 and 50-44, all for O’Malley (18-1, 10-1 UFC).

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Vera (23-9-1, 15-8 UFC)—who had beaten “Suga Sean” in their first encounter in August 2020—had no recourse for the champion’s hand speed, footwork and distance management in the rematch. O’Malley blasted him with one-twos, switched stances almost instinctively and peppered him with jabs from both hands. He connected with a concussive knee strike in the second round that may have knocked out every other bantamweight in the world; the notoriously durable Vera ate it without so much as a buckle. Nevertheless, the Ecuadorian was…

Strap in fight fans, as Sherdog guides you through the exhilarating action in store with UFC 299 “O’Malley vs. Vera 2,” airing live from the electrifying Kaseya Center in Miami. This is your front-row seat to a night of epic fights set to unfold on March 9.

The main event features a bantamweight rematch, which took over three years in the making as Sean O'Malley, the 135-pound king, locks horns with Marlon Vera in the marquee attraction. Before that, Dustin Poirier and Benoit St. Denis engage in a bout that has all the makings of a blockbuster clash. Meanwhile, the card also features the Ultimate Fighting Championship debut of multi-combat sport star Michael Page, who will take on Kevin Holland.

Don't miss a moment of the excitement: Join us for the prelims at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by the main card on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET. Stick with Sherdog for live play-by-play updates, ensuring you won't miss a beat as UFC 299 unfolds in all its glory. BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUT…

Curtis Blaydes capitalized on an opponent’s overconfidence and lack of vision.

The Elevation Fight Team standout reasserted himself in the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight division, as he took out Jailton Almeida with punches in the second round of their featured UFC 299 prelim on Saturday at the Kaseya Center in Miami. Blaydes (18-4, 13-4 UFC) pulled the plug 36 seconds into Round 2, authoring his fourth win in five appearances.

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Almeida (20-3, 6-1 UFC) executed repeated takedowns and mat returns in the first round but did nothing to accrue damage in what turned out to be a meaningless exercise. Blaydes sprawled on an attempted takedown to start the middle stanza and let fly with rapid-fire hammerfists while the Brazilian stubbornly clung to his leg. Eventually, the shots took their intended toll and prompted referee Mike Beltran to intervene.

The loss was Almeida’s first since Jan. 28, 2018 and halted his run of consecutive victories at…

The UFC 300 lineup appears to be complete with the addition of a lightweight bout between Renato Carneiro and Jalin Turner.

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The promotion announced the pairing during the UFC 299 broadcast on Saturday night. UFC 300 takes place on April 13 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and is headlined by a light heavyweight championship tilt pitting Alex Pereira against Jamahal Hill. Carneiro vs. Turner is slated for the preliminary portion of the card.

“Moicano” has been victorious in four of his last five bouts in UFC competition. Most recently, the Brazilian earned a unanimous decision triumph over Drew Dober at UFC Fight Night 235 on Feb. 3.

Turner last appeared at UFC on ESPN 52, where he snapped a two-fight skid with a first-round knockout of Bobby Green this past December. “The Tarantula” is 7-4 during his tenure with the Las Vegas-based promotion, with all of his victories coming inside the distance.

Left it all out in the Octagon 👏

Joanne Wood retires from MMA on top, securing the split decision win at #UFC299 💪 pic.twitter.com/u0b0GcixAm

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 9, 2024

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If this truly is goodbye, Joanne Wood went out on a high note.

The Scottish muay thai stylist announced her retirement following a split-decision triumph against Maryna Moroz in the opening bout at UFC 299 on Saturday at the Kaseya Center in Miami. The 38-year-old Wood leaves the sport with a 17-8 career career that included a 17-bout stint in the Las Vegas-based promotion.

“Jojo” left a lasting impression in the late stages of her swan song, as she wobbled Moroz with a spinning backfist and aggresively pursued the finish until the final horn. While that moment didn’t arrive, Wood did avenge a first-round submission loss to Moroz that occurred at UFC Fight Night 64 on April 11, 2015.

"It’s hard to get to the UFC, never mind stay in the UF…

Featherweights and middleweights will take center stage when “The Ultimate Fighter 32” debuts later this year.

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship announced the roster for the long-running reality series on Saturday, touting it in a release as “the most international cast ever assembled for the show, with 14 nations being represented by 16 rising prospects.”

The 12-episode season of “TUF 32” will air on ESPN beginning on June 4 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and will also be available to stream on demand via ESPN+. Reigning flyweight queen Alexa Grasso and rival Valentina Shevchenko will serve as opposing coaches on the show. Grasso and Shevchenko are expected to meet in a trilogy bout at the conclusion of “TUF 32,” but a date for that championship fight has not been announced.

FeatherweightsEdwin Cooper Jr. | Albuquerque, N.M.Nathan Fletcher | Liverpool, EnglandZygimantas Ramaska | Ukmergė, LithuaniaRoedie Roets | Polokwane, South AfricaBekhzod Usm…

Former Matrix Fight Night featherweight champion Sanjeet Budhwar (11-2) recorded his 11th professional victory at MFN 14, as he knocked out Afghanistan’s Abdul Azim Badakhshi (14-4) in their main event meeting on Saturday at the Noida Indoor Stadium, in Uttar Pradesh, India.

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The opening minutes of the first frame saw both competitors feel each other out, with Badakhshi looking to control the center while keeping his foe on the end of creative spinning-kick attacks and punches. Budhwar, on the other hand, seemed content staying on the outside while making his reads, clearly looking for counter shots. However, the round soon came to a halt, first due to a groin strike by Badakhshi followed by an accidental eye poke by the Afghan with 10 seconds left in the first stanza.

Following a check-up on Budhwar by the ringside physicians and an eight-minute gap in action, the athletes resumed directly in Round 2. Budhwar managed to control the center of the…

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Bantamweights Rani Yahya and Victor Henry will lock horns at UFC on ESPN 55 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on April 27.

The news was first reported by Eurosport NL’s Marcel Dorff on X (formerly known as Twitter). UFC on ESPN 55 will be headlined by a flyweight clash between Matheus Nicolau and Manel Kape.

Yahya (28-11) has gone 2-1 in his last three Octagon outings and is coming off a Round 1 knockout loss at the hands of Montel Jackson in April last year. The loss snapped a two-fight winning streak for the 39-year-old Brazilian, which included a unanimous decision win over Kyung Ho Kang and a Round 2 submission victory over Ray Rodriguez in 2021.

Meanwhile, Henry (23-6) made his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut back in January 2022 and sports a 2-1 promotional record. “La Mangosta” will enter the Octagon on the heels of a meeting with Javid Basharat at UFC 294 that was ruled a no-contest due to an accidental groin kick landed by Basharat in Round 2. …

Phetjeeja and Janet Todd are ON FIRE 🔥

Tune in to Prime Video and Sky Sports NOW to catch the rest of ONE Fight Night 20!#ONEFightNight20 | 🔴 Live Now🇺🇸🇨🇦 Watch Live on Prime 👉 https://t.co/AnbuSRJ3X2🇬🇧🇮🇪 Watch Live on Sky Sports🌍 Live TV broadcast in 190+ countries… pic.twitter.com/iT6qWjptZj

— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) March 9, 2024

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Thai star Phetjeeja OrMeekhun unified the ONE Championship atomweight kickboxing title with a five-round unanimous decision win over Janet Todd in the ONE Fight Night 20 main event at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok.

Phetjeeja and Todd headlined a nine-fight, all-female card to celebrate International Women’s Day and left it all in the ring. Todd, who entered as the reigning champion, hadn’t fought in over a year, while Phetjeeja, the interim champion, stayed busy with five wins during that span.

Phetjeeja’s activity showed early as the 22-year-old’s timing led the way.…

ONE Championship presents ONE Fight Night 20, a celebration of International Women’s Day with an all-female card showcasing top tier-talent from around the globe. The main event pits reigning ONE women’s 115-pound kickboxing champion Janet Todd against interim champ Phetjeeja OrMeekhun.

The event will also feature the final bout of Todd’s illustrious career as she aims to defend her title against the formidable Thai bruiser. The narrative for the main event is set: can Todd retire as the undisputed queen of kickboxing or will Phetjeeja spoil her farewell? Brazilian powerhouse Allycia Hellen Rodrigues occupies the co-main event spot in a bid to defend her ONE 115-pound women’s muay thai world championship against fiery Spanish sensation Cristina Morales.

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Stay tuned to Sherdog.com for live play-by-play updates starting at 8 p.m. ET, ensuring you won't miss any action from ONE on Prime Video 20 on March 8. Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result …

WHAAAT JOSHUA KILLS NGANNOU! #JoshuaNgannou pic.twitter.com/yMqpWRkoG0

— TakeruCigarra (@TakeruCigarra) March 9, 2024 Anthony Joshua reminded the masses that it only takes one shot at the heavyweight division.

To headline the all-day boxing showcase in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Anthony Joshua represented the sweet science against the marauding Francis Ngannou. The former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight king acquitted himself extremely well in his pro boxing debut against Tyson Fury in 2023, but the same could not be said when he took on “AJ.” Joshua wasted little time putting the dangerous Ngannou on ice, dropping the MMA fighter twice before completely flattening him with a right hand in the second round.

Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) only needed to score five power punches, according to Compubox numbers, to record three knockdowns in their heavyweight main attraction. Ngannou (0-2, 0 KOs) kept things close to start, jabbing the head and…