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After back-to-back losses to close out 2022, Sean Strickland accepted a short-notice fight against Nassourdine Imavov at the UFC’s first event of 2023.

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It wasn’t the most ideal of circumstances for someone badly in need of a victory, but Strickland emerged with a unanimous decision triumph against Imavov in the UFC fight Night 217 headliner on Saturday night in Las Vegas. Since Strickland accepted the fight on less than one week’s notice, the bout was contested at light heavyweight instead of middleweight.

“I got paid flat money just to go fight,” Strickland said at the post-fight press conference. “It was fun. It was nice.”

The former King of the Cage champion emerged as a person of interest at 185 pounds after compiling a six-bout winning streak from October 2018 to February 2022. That momentum slowed, however, when he dropped consecutive fights against Alex Pereira and Jared Cannonier. The second of those, a decision defeat to Cannonier in …

If things keep going as they are, Gregory Rodrigues won’t be able to sneak up on the middleweight division for much longer.

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The burly Brazilian who goes by “RoboCop” entered the UFC to relatively little fanfare a year and a half ago, as a former Dana White's Contender Series competitor and Legacy Fighting Alliance contender, but since then he has won four of five fights, with the lone setback coming in a split decision loss to Armen Petrosyan last February.

Rodrigues, who turns 31 next month, had been scheduled to face Brad Tavares at UFC 283 on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, in a bout that would have propelled him well into the middleweight Top 10 with a win. Instead, Tavares was forced to withdraw with an injury, and Rodrigues is now set to square off with the debuting Brunno Ferreira in a bout that offers a very different ratio of risk to reward. Nonetheless, the Kill Cliff FC export trusts to his team and preparation, and expresses satisfaction wi…

For Jessica Andrade, UFC 283 will be a welcome, yet strange homecoming.

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The 31-year-old, who faces Lauren Murphy in a high-stakes flyweight tilt on Saturday at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, will be competing in her native country for the first time since May 11, 2019, when she wrested the Ultimate Fighting Championship strawweight title from Rose Namajunas at UFC 237. Separated from that glorious night by six fights, nearly four years and a change in weight class, Andrade finds herself at, not merely a career crossroads but a four-way intersection. As “Bate Estaca” prepares to face Murphy, she spoke to Sherdog about her training, her long road back from injury, the nagging desire for a measure of strawweight revenge and the prospect of fighting without her longtime head coach in her corner for the first time in years.

First and foremost, Andrade is clearly pleased to be back fighting in Brazil. “I'm very happy to be able to fight at home,” she …

Before Jon Jones was paired with Ciryl Gane at UFC 285, it was rumored that “Bones” would make his heavyweight debut against Stipe Miocic in late 2022.

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While that bout didn’t come to fruition, Miocic took notice when Jones vs. Gane was announced for the vacant heavyweight crown on Saturday.

“March 4 — I like it,” Moicic wrote on Twitter. “I got winner in July.”

March 4th - I like it.

I got winner in July.

— Stipe Miocic (@stipemiocic) January 15, 2023

A two-time UFC champion regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights in the history of the sport, Miocic is nearing two years of inactivity. The Ohio-based firefighter hasn’t competed since March 27, 2021, when he relinquished the heavyweight crown in a second-round knockout loss to Francis Ngannou at UFC 260. The 40-year-old Strong Style Fight Team product apparently isn’t ready to hang up his four-ounce gloves just yet — a fact that was confirmed by UFC pres…

The news of the fight may have leaked somewhat prematurely on Saturday, but the booking itself was legit: Ciryl Gane will welcome Jon Jones to the heavyweight division at UFC 285 on March 4.

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“I’m really happy to be the first guy in this division fighting with Jon Jones,” Gane said at the UFC Fight Night 217 post-fight press conference. “And I’m sure it’s going to be – he’s a great athlete.”

UFC president Dana White confirmed the bout while revealing that negotiations fell through with former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou for a potential fight with Jones. As a result, Ngannou was stripped of the belt and has been released of his contractual obligations with the promotion, and Gane vs. Jones will be for the vacant heavyweight title.

While Gane doesn’t possess the same fearsome knockout power as Ngannou, the Frenchman is confident that he might be a more difficult matchup for Jones than the ex-champ.

“I know I’ve got good footwork at firs…

A welterweight championship trilogy bout between Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman is official for UFC 286.

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UFC president Dana White announced the booking during the UFC Fight Night 217 post-fight press conference on Saturday. UFC 286 takes place at the O2 Arena in London on March 18 and also includes a lightweight tilt between Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev.

Edwards claimed welterweight gold in shocking fashion at UFC 278, when he knocked out Usman with a head kick 4:04 into the fifth round of their headlining clash this past August. The Englishman appeared to be on his way to a decision defeat prior to the finish. “Rocky” is unbeaten in his last 11 promotional appearances.

Usman, meanwhile, saw a 19-bout professional winning streak snapped in the defeat to Edwards. He claimed the 170-pound throne with a five-round verdict over Tyron Woodley at UFC 235 and then successful defended the belt five times before the upset loss at UFC 278. Usman pre…

Dan Ige lived up to his “50K” moniker on Saturday night.

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Ige received a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” award for his second-round knockout of Damon Jackson in the UFC fight Night 217 co-main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Ige punctuated his victory with a counter left hand that rendered his opponent unconscious at the 4:13 mark of the second frame.

Elsewhere, Roman Kopylov pocketed a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” check thanks to a technical knockout victory against Punahele Soriano in a featured middleweight affair. Kopylov put his foe on the defensive with a kick to the body before sealing his victory with a barrage of punches 3:19 into Round 2.

Umar Nurmagomedov also garnered a $50,000 bonus thanks to an impressive KO triumph against Raoni Barcelos at bantamweight. The undefeated Dagestani set the stage for the finish with a kick to the body before flooring his adversary with a left hook. A follow-up hammerf…

There’s some chaos atop the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s heavyweight division.

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UFC president Dana White announced on Saturday that Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane will square off for the vacant heavyweight belt in the UFC 285 main event on March 4. He also revealed that Francis Ngannou has been released from his UFC contract and is now a free agent. White said that the promotion and Ngannou were unable to come to terms on a deal following his victory over Gane at UFC 270 in January 2022. Ngannou has been on the mend after undergoing knee surgery after that fight, and he also expressed displeasure with his contract following his last Octagon appearance.

“We’ve been negotiating with (Ngannou) for more than two years,” White said. “We offered Francis a deal that would’ve made him the highest paid heavyweight in the history of the company – more than [Brock] Lesnar, more than anybody, and he turned the deal down.”

Jones has been on the sidellines si…

The Ultimate Fighting Championship's first event of the year saw Sean Strickland getting his hand raised against Nassourdine Imavov in the UFC Fight Night 217 main event.

Both men came out looking to strike, with Strickland (25-5) throwing more kicks than usual, slapping the body and legs of Imavov (12-3) with his shin. The pressure and forward movement of "Tarzan" worked well as the French fighter repeatedly got caught by punches in the first round. The second frame would see Imavov finding more success on the feet, which caused Strickland to switch up his attack by incorporating takedown attempts and clinch work. The American would frustrate his opponent with body kicks in the third round and wind up having a lot of success at the close boxing range he imposed.

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The fourth round saw Strickland continue his onslaught as Imavov struggled to deal with the overall pressure of the attack. Imavov would show urgency in the fifth round but never came close…

Sherdog's live UFC Fight Night 217 coverage will begin Saturday at 4 p.m. ET. BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Johnson (-345), Flick (+285)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Keith Shillan scores the round:Jack Dankoff scores the round:

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Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Keith Shillan scores the round:Jack Dankoff scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Keith Shillan scores the round:Jack Dankoff scores the round: The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Argueta (-600), Aguirre (+425)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Keith Shillan scores the round:Jack Dankoff scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Keith Shillan scores the round:Jack Dankoff scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Keith Shillan scores the round:Jack Dankoff scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING RE…

STILL UNDEFEATED! 🙌

❄️🐆 @JavidBasharat moves to a shiny 14-0 to kick off 2023 in style for the Bash Bros! #UFCVegas67 pic.twitter.com/e0yub9RE5H

— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) January 14, 2023

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The UFC Fight Night 217 featured prelim delivered as two undefeated fighters in Javid Basharat and Mateus Mendonca clashed.

Mendonca (10-1) was able to show a varied attack by dragging Basharat (14-0) to the floor and looking to grapple in the back-and-forth opening round. As the fight went on, Basharat emerged as the fresher fighter as he was able to survive the submission threats and rain down some damaging punches while on top. While Mendonca would have his moments, it wound up being too little too late against "The Snow Leopard."

After 15 minutes, the judges awarded the fight to Basharat with scores of 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28. Alhassan Crumbles Ribeiro Middleweights Claudio Ribeiro and Abdul Razak Alhassan didn't need 15 mi…

A lightweight clash pitting Justin Gaethje against Rafael Fiziev has been targeted for UFC 286.

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Promotion broadcast partner ESPN reported on Saturday that the bout has nearly been finalized. UFC 286 takes place at the O2 Arena in London on March 18. A headliner for the event has not been confirmed, but it is rumored to be a welterweight championship trilogy between Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman.

Gaethje will be making his first appearance since suffering a first-round submission loss to Charles Oliveira in a 155-pound title tilt at UFC 274 last May. The former World Series of Fighting champ is 6-4 in the Las Vegas-based promotion, with victories over the likes of Michael Chandler, Tony Ferguson, Donald Cerrone and Edson Barboza.

The 29-year-old Fiziev has compiled a six-bout Octagon winning streak to establish himself as one of the rising contenders in the lightweight division. Most recently, the Tiger Muay Thai standout scored a fifth-round…

#ONEFightNight6 Highlight Video: Chingiz Allazov Destroys Superbon Singha Mawynn https://t.co/xkgcxOgecR pic.twitter.com/vtmlJjKtB1

— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) January 14, 2023 One Championship put on its first combat sports event of 2023 with One on Prime Video 6, which featured three title fights.

The main event for the featherweight kickboxing championship saw defending titleholder Superbon Singha Mawynn take on grand prix winner Chingiz Allazov. It was Allazov that set the pace early and showed he was here to fight by keeping up constant pressure. The second round would see Allazov knock down Mawynn twice with heavy punches and then destroy the champion with a clean overhand right. The official end came at 1:03 of Round 2.

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The co-main event was a flyweight kickboxing bout between Superlek Kiatmookao and Daniel Puertas for the vacant title. While it was Puertas pushing the action forward early, Kiatmookao was able t…

[embedded content] UFC 125-pounder Allan Nascimento may not have had the most traditional path to the UFC, but he intends on making his stay count.

The 31-year-old nicknamed “Puro Osso” trains at the vaunted Chute Boxe camp helmed by coach Diego Lima, famously dying his hair blonde in support of teammate Charles Oliveira in the past. Nascimento (19-6) will be squaring off against fellow Dana White's Contender Series vet Carlos Hernandez (8-1) at UFC Fight Night 217 on Jan. 14. A submission specialist by trade, with 13 of his 19 career victories coming by tapout, he is well-prepared for an opponent that celebrates all of his own finishes by sub. Nascimento spoke to Sherdog about his upcoming matchup, and also discussed what has brought him to this point.

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“Carlos Hernandez is my next opponent,” Nascimento stated. “He’s on a great winning streak. He won his Contender Series bout as well as his UFC debut. I feel he’s a complete fighter. He’s very dangero…

Sean Strickland hits the scale at 204 pounds ⚖️

[ #UFCVegas67 | TOMORROW | LIVE on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/EsXN9OoecM

— UFC (@ufc) January 13, 2023 After an extended break, the Ultimate Fighting Championship returns for its first mixed martial arts event of the year.

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After an injury to Kelvin Gastelum, the makeshift main event for UFC Fight Night 217 is a light heavyweight bout between Sean Strickland and Nassourdine Imavov. While the marquee fighters didn't have any issue making weight, with Strickland coming in at 204 pounds and Imavov at 194, there was still some drama during the weigh-in proceedings. Sijara Eubanks' flyweight bout against Priscila Cachoeira was canceled after Eubanks pulled out due to "weight management issues."

Strickland (25-5) is headlining his second Fight Night event in a row, and will hope this time it goes better than his split decision defeat to Jared Cannonier last time out. "Tarzan…

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter James Krause is about to find himself in a heap of trouble.

According to a report from the UFC’s broadcast partner of ESPN on Thursday, the investigation into Krause has borne some fruit. ESPN staff members were informed that Krause has worked since 2019 as an agent for ABCBetting.ag, a sportsbook and casino in Antigua. Krause’s role, as it has been described, was one that would have him work as the go-between from the offshore book and prospective bettors. Recruiting in those that would be willing to be on events – most likely, fights – would be one major duty, one that would likely accompany him with a share of the action.

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Those individuals stated that Krause offered them a line of credit and login credentials to access the site, one stationed in Antigua but based on Costa Rica. They allegedly paid Krause directly after placing wagers on the site, and he offered them “kickbacks” should they recruit othe…

Europe’s New League is 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝘿𝙔 𝙏𝙊 𝙂𝙊

2️⃣ Regular Season Events1️⃣ Playoff Event1️⃣ ChampionshipWith 100k Prize on the Line💰 🏆

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PFL Europe starts on March 25th, 2023

For more information on PFL Europe:https://t.co/mPplP5QN9Q pic.twitter.com/3dJUkDEfRa

— PFL (@PFLMMA) January 12, 2023 The Professional Fighters League’s European Vacation will begin in March.

According to a press release sent out on Thursday from the league, PFL Europe will commence its inaugural season on March 25. Separate from the Challenger Series or the standard six-division tournament brackets, the PFL is bringing in regional talent from Europe in a qualifying tournament of sorts. The victors of the four unannounced weight classes will each earn $100,000 should they prevail in their bracket, and they may also claim a place in the following year’s million-dollar tourney. The first event will be held at the Vertu Motors Arena in Newcastle, England.<…

.@BellatorMMA’s return to @Accor_Arena is booked for May 12 featuring a wealth of European talent.

Former champion Gegard @Mousasi_MMA will return against @FabianEdwards24 in the main event, while @MansourBarnaoui faces @SidOutlaw in a LWGP quarterfinal. https://t.co/5e1Zz4dHHx pic.twitter.com/0nG36XANHF

— Bellator Public Relations (@BellatorPR) January 12, 2023 Bellator MMA is officially going back to France this year.

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Via press release on Thursday, the organization announced that its return trip to Paris on 2023 will take place on May 12. Posting up once more in the Accor Arena, Bellator will bring a tournament quarterfinal and a middleweight headliner that has major championship implications to the currently unnumbered event. The main event sees ex-champ Gegard Mousasi (49-8-2) seek his 50th pro victory against the resurgent Brit Fabian Edwards (11-2). In the second-to-last tilt, Sidney Outlaw (16-5) battles Mansour …

The first two matchups of the Bellator lightweight grand prix are set for Bellator 292.

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Shortly after the 155-pound field was revealed by Scott Coker, the promotion announced that Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Benson Henderson will serve as the headliner for the March 10 event in San Jose, Calif. Tofiq Musayev will square off against Alexadr Shabliy in another quarterfinal pairing. All lightweight grand prix bouts will be contested over five rounds.

Bellator 292 takes place at the SAP Center in San Jose, and the evening’s main card airs on Showtime beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Nurmagomedov is unbeaten in 16 professional outings. He claimed the lightweight throne at Bellator 288, when he took a five-round unanimous decision against Patricky Freire on Nov. 18. The American Kickboxing Academy product has finished 13 of his 16 victories inside the distance.

Henderson, a former UFC lightweight champ, is coming off back-to-back victories over …

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If you thought Dana White might disappear from the public eye for a while after being caught on camera slapping his wife on New Year’s Eve, that won’t be the case.

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The UFC president fielded questions during UFC Fight Night 217 media day on Thursday, primarily focusing on the incident that has dominated headlines for the past couple weeks. During that session, White indicated that he won’t face punishment from the UFC or parent company Endeavor for the altercation that saw both he and his wife slap each other while on vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. According to White, a more significant punishment is facing the scorn and criticism of his actions that night for the years to come.

“What should the repercussions be? You tell me. I take 30 days off? How does that hurt me?” White said (video via MMAFighting.com) “I told you guys when we were going through COVID, COVID could last 10 years, I could sit it out and — you know what I m…

Polish promotion Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki will break new ground when it debuts in the Czech Republic next month.

KSW 79 will take place on Feb. 25 at the Home Credit Arena in Liberec, Czech Republic. Heavyweight champion Philip De Fries will defend his belt in the main event, while Glory Kickboxing veteran Arek Wrzosek and ex-UFC competitor Viktor Pesta are also expected to compete on the card. Opponents for all three heavyweight will be announced in the coming days.

KSW 79 marks the first time the promotion will hold an event outside of Poland since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a release, the Czech Republic is “the first of several new territories KSW will enter throughout 2023 and 2024.”

Previously, KSW has held events in locations such as Ireland, Croatia and the United Kingdom.

The field is set for Bellator MMA’s upcoming lightweight grand prix.

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Bellator president Scott Coker announced the participants during an appearance on "The MMA Hour” on Wednesday. They are as follows: Usman Nurmagomedov, A.J. McKee, Tofiq Musayev, Alexandr Shabliy, Patricky Freire, Mansour Barnaoui, Benson Henderson and Sidney Outlaw.

The tournament will begin on March 10 in San Jose, Calif., but matchups were not revealed. Reigning 155-pound champion Nurmagomedov headlines the field, which also includes former lightweight king Freire and ex-featherweight champ McKee. McKee has been vocal about wanting to face Nurmagomedov in the opening round of the bracket.

“It’s gonna be a fantastic tournament. If you look at our lightweight division, it’s really stacked,” Coker said. “I’m excited for these guys to all get it on.”

As with previous tournaments, the winner will receive a $1 million payout.

“There’s a lot riding on the line, and I…

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Professional Fighters League has added Saudi Arabian featherweight Abdullah Al-Qahtani to its roster for the 2023 season.

The signing was announced in a release on Wednesday. The 24-year-old Al-Qahtani will compete for both the PFL and Brave Combat Federation as part of a dual promotional agreement. Al-Qahtani is next slated to face Denis Jarkic at Brave CF 69 in Serbia on Feb. 18.

“The Professional Fighters League is committed to growing the sport of MMA and the PFL globally," PFL CEO Peter Murray said in a release. “We are excited about emerging top fighters coming out of the Middle East and our plan to further develop the sport in the region.”

Known as “The Reaper,” Al-Qahtani has compiled a 5-1 record while competing primarily for Brave CF. Most recently, he suffered a split-decision defeat to Ilyor Bakhtiyar Uulu at a Brave CF event on Sept. 30.

A former champion of the Extreme Fighting organization and now the head coach at American Top Team, Conan Silveira will be releasing a book during UFC 283 fight week.

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Settled in the United States since the late 1980s, the co-founder of the most respected MMA academy in the world uses his professional experience in “Mestre de Você” — translated to “Master of You” in English — to propagate concepts that can be applied in any area of life. 

In the book, Conan recalls his hard path in the United States. His first job in North America was as a dishwasher at a hotel, where he worked for up to 17 hours a day. He also reveals many other difficult obstacles he faced inside and outside of the cage and how important they were to building him as a person and professional.

“I'm an MMA coach. Before that, I was a fighter, a champion and my victories, all of them, were conquered with violence and passion. My sport is violent, but it only makes sen…