Dana White’s Contender Series 2022 Week 10 Play-by-Play and Results
Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below.
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Round 1 Nova Uniao export Estevam owns a 12-0 mark that includes experience in Legacy Fighting Alliance and Shooto Brazil. Elias, meanwhile, is a Gile Ribeiro Team member and has submitted his last three foes inside of a round. Jason Herzog will be the third man in the cage. Elias opens with an inside leg kick in lieu of a glove touch and they’re wasting no time. It’s a rapid pace to begin and Elias is already framing an armbar following a scramble. Elias pushes off the floor and pops to his feet, only to pull guard and go back to work. Estevam is doing what he can to pass guard, but it’s quite difficult due to his foe’s active guard. Elias posts near the fence, while Estevam keeps his hands connected. Elias rolls and suddenly has a kneebar attempt. Estevam defends, spins around and dro…Bellator MMA Signs Pancrase Welterweight Champ Masayuki Kikuiri
Bellator MMA has bolstered its roster with the signing of King of Pancrase welterweight champion Masayuki Kikuiri.
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The promotion announced Tuesday that it has inked Kikuiri to an exclusive multi-fight, multi-year contract. A date for Kikuiri’s Bellator debut is currently unclear.“I’m very grateful to (Bellator president) Mr. Scott Coker for this opportunity and everyone involved in making this happen. I promise I’m coming for finishes and will be a Bellator fighter that’ll make Japan proud,” Kikuiri said in a release.
“I’ve fought only for Pancrase from my MMA debut and every fight until becoming champion. I’m grateful to Pancrase for helping me grow and kindly sending me out to fight under the Pancrase banner. I’ll be sure to proudly show the strength of the long line of King of Pancrase Champions to the world.”
Kikuiri brings an 8-2-1 record into his Bellator debut. He ended his Pancrase tenure with a five-r…
Invicta FC 49 Weigh-in Results: Delboni, DeCoursey Official for Atomweight Title Tilt
The #InvictaFC49 main event is OFFICIAL! Atomweight champion @Jessicadmma defends her title against @lionheartjill TOMORROW NIGHT!#InvictaFC49 | Wednesday, Sept. 28 | LIVE at 8/7c on @axstv + @fightnet + @facebook + @youtube! pic.twitter.com/doqJvcDGqi
— Invicta FC (@InvictaFights) September 27, 2022The Invicta FC 49 headliner is now official, as both Jessica Correa Delboni and Jillian DeCoursey made weight ahead of their atomweight title showdown.
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Delboni, the reigning champion, tipped the scales at 104.8 pounds, while Jillian DeCoursey checked in at 104.7. Invicta FC 49 takes place on Wednesday at the Sugar Creek Casino in Hinton, Okla., and airs on AXS TV and the Invicta FC YouTube channel and Facebook page beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.After a controversial loss to Alesha Zappitella in her first title bid in May 2021, Delboni claimed the atomweight throne with a five-round verdict in a rematch at Invicta FC 45…
Aspen Ladd Released from UFC Roster After Latest Weight Miss
Once-promising bantamweight prospect Aspen Ladd is no longer on the UFC roster following her latest mishap on the scales.
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MMAFighting.com was first to confirm Ladd’s release after Twitter account UFC Roster Watch revealed that the figher had been removed from the UFC women’s bantamweight rankings. Ladd has lost three of her last four Octagon appearances.Fighter removed: Aspen Ladd
— UFC Roster Watch (@UFCRosterWatch) September 27, 2022Ladd was scheduled to face Sara McMann at UFC Fight Night 210 on Sept. 17, but the bout was canceled after Ladd checked in two pounds overweight for the 135-pound clash. That was Ladd’s third weight miss in the UFC, as she also came in heavy for fights against Macy Chiasson in 2021 and against Leslie Smith in 2018. Both of those bouts were scrapped as a result. She also missed weight for a fight against Jessica Hoy under the Invicta FC banner in 2016, but that bout went ahead as planned…
Martin Batur Suspended, One Championship Win Overturned Due to Failed Drug Test
One Championship heavyweight Martin Batur is facing sanctions from the promotion after failing a drug test in relation to his most recent fight.
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One Championship announced Tuesday that Batur has been suspended for 1 year after testing positive for an androgenic anabolic steroid. As a result, his first-round technical knockout victory against Paul Elliott at One Championship 160 on Aug. 26 has been overturned to a no contest.According to a statement, Batur’s sample was collected and processed by International Doping Tests and Management (IDTM). Additionally, the Croatian will be subject to in- and out-of-competition testing in the future.
One Championship 160 was Batur’s debut with the Singapore-based organization. Prior to that, the UFD Gym export compiled a 7-3 career mark, with a notable loss to UFC heavyweight Aleksander Rakic at Austrian Fight Challenge 1 in 2015.
Shane Burgos, Marlon Moraes Agree to Clash at PFL Championship Event
The Professional Fighters League isn’t waiting until next season to throw Shane Burgos and Marlon Moraes into the fire.
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According to ESPN, the recently-signed fighters have agreed to square off at the PFL Championships in November at featherweight. The promotion hasn’t officially announced a date or venue for the event, but the card is expected to take place on Nov. 25.Burgos recently parted ways with the UFC following an 8-3 stint with the Las Vegas-based organization, which prompted Dana White to admit that it was a mistake not re-signing the Team Tiger Schulmann representative. The 31-year-old known as “Hurricane” is coming off back-to-back decision triumphs over Billy Quarantillo and Charles Jourdain in the Octagon.
Moraes, meanwhile, announced his retirement in April before returning to sign with the PFL. Moraes was the World Series of Fighting’s first bantamweight champion before signing with the UFC, where he earned wins over the li…
Video: Mike Perry Nearly Brawls with Russian Fighter During Faceoff in TV Studio
Mike Perry isn’t scheduled to fight anyone in Russia, but that didn’t prevent him from nearly brawling with Magomed Ismailov during an impromptu faceoff.
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Perry was reportedly in Russia to corner traininer partner and fellow UFC veteran Alex Nicholson against Vagab Vagabov. Perry appeared on Russian TV to promote the event, and for some reason he squared off against Ismailov during the event. That ultimately led to a brawl nearly breaking out in a television studio before the two fighters were separated.According to Perry, Ismailov mistook an expletive for a more serious insult.
“I almost got jumped in there,” Perry said on his Instagram stories. “Luckily, people was breaking it up. But in Russia if you call someone a motherf——er, they think you’re talking about someone’s mom so then the whole team coming to get you. But in America when you say motherf——er it’s like normal words. It’s normal. I’m not talking about your mama,…
Bo Nickal ‘Not a Hater in Any Way’ on Raul Rosas Jr. Earning UFC Deal Before Him
If anyone has a right to be bitter about 17-year-old Raul Rosas Jr. Jr. securing a UFC contract on his first Dana White’s Contender Series appearance, it’s Bo Nickal.
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After all Nickal is a three-time NCAA national champion wrestler at Penn State University, won an under-23 world championship and was a finalist at the 2020 U.S. Olympic team trials. As one of the most highly-touted prospects in recent memory, Nickal rolled through Zachary Borrego on Week 3 of the Contender Series, winning via submission in 62 seconds. And yet, UFC president Dana White needed to see more.“I don’t know what else he could have done to look any better. He looked incredible. The only reason I didn’t sign him tonight is because he’s 2-0 now,” White said after the fight. “We got eight more weeks of this. Why not have him fight here again, you know what I mean? It just makes sense.”
It would seem that Nickal’s credentials would far surpass that of someone like Rosas Jr.…Contender Series Weigh-in Results: Bo Nickal, All Other Fighters on Point for Week 10
Nickal made weight without issue ahead of his second appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series, tipping the scales at 185.5 pounds on Monday. All nine other athletes slated to compete on Week 10 of the show — the last episode of the season — hit their contracted marks, as well.
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The Contender Series takes place on Tuesday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and airs on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The evening’s featured matchup is a middleweight clash between Nickal and Donovan Beard (184).Nickal, a three-time NCAA national champion at Penn State University, is one of the most high-touted MMA prospects in recent memory. The 26-year-old was dominant in his first Contender Series appearance, submitting Zachary Borrego with a rear-naked choke in just 62 seconds on Aug. 9.
Beard, 32, has been victorious in seven of eight professioal outings. Most recently, he cla…
Bellator MMA Announces Return to Dublin on Feb. 24
BELLATOR MMA, the leading mixed martial arts organization, will return to 3Arena on Friday, February 24, marking the promotion’s ninth event in the Irish capital, following the massive success of BELLATOR 285! 3Presale kicks off Wednesday morning followed by general sale Friday pic.twitter.com/gLKjmVRtXt
— 3Arena (@3ArenaDublin) September 26, 2022Bellator MMA will return to the Irish capital early next year.
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The California-based promotion recently announced that it will hold an event at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland on Feb. 24. No bouts were announced for the card, which will mark Bellator’s ninth event in the country.Bellator held its initial event in Ireland in 2016. Most recently, Bellator 285 took place at the same venue and saw Benson Henderson captured a unanimous decision over Peter Queally in the evening’s lightweight headliner this past Friday. Afterward, the promotion claimed that the latest event set an attenda…
Jose Landi-Johns Suffers KO Loss, Thor Silva Victorious at Fight Music Show 2
popo drops pele early in the first and knocks him out shortly after #FMS2 pic.twitter.com/kcOPpGc5lu
— jake (@jakeshreds420) September 26, 2022After a successful debut, the Fight Music Promotion held its second event on Sunday at Arena de Baixada in Curitiba, Brazil. According to the promotion, 7,000 people attended the card, and it was broadcast live in Brazil on the Combate Channel.
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While the boxing debut of Cristiane Justino drew the majority of the attention from the MMA community, the show featured five MMA fights on the undercard and five boxing bouts on the main draw. In the main event, 47-year-old Acelino Popo Freitas face 49-year-old Vale Tudo legend Jose Landi-Johns in a 165-pound catchweight bout. Landi-Johns, who has been retired since 2015 and has no professional boxing experience, was knocked out by Freitas 1:25 into Round 1.Freitas floored “Pele” within the fight’s opening 10 seconds with a straight r…
Jose Landi-Jons Suffers KO Loss, Thor Silva Victorious at Fight Music Show 2
popo drops pele early in the first and knocks him out shortly after #FMS2 pic.twitter.com/kcOPpGc5lu
— jake (@jakeshreds420) September 26, 2022After a successful debut, the Fight Music Promotion held its second event on Sunday at Arena de Baixada in Curitiba, Brazil. According to the promotion, 7,000 people attended the card, and it was broadcast live in Brazil on the Combate Channel.
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While the boxing debut of Cristiane Justino drew the majority of the attention from the MMA community, the show featured five MMA fights on the undercard and five boxing bouts on the main draw. In the main event, 47-year-old Acelino Popo Freitas face 49-year-old Vale Tudo legend Jose Landi-Jons in a 165-pound catchweight bout. Landi-Jons, who has been retired since 2015 and has no professional boxing experience, was knocked out by Freitas 1:25 into Round 1.Freitas floored “Pele” within the fight’s opening 10 seconds with a straight rig…
Mounir Lazzez vs. Gabriel Bonfim Set for UFC 283 in Rio de Janeiro
A welterweight clash pitting Mounir Lazzez against Gabriel de Souza Bonfim is on tap for UFC 283.
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Multiple outlets confirmed the booking after Bonfim initially announced the bout on social media. UFC 283 marks the Las Vegas-based promotion’s first visit to Rio de Janeiro since May 2019. The event does not currently have a headliner.Lazzez has been victorious in two of his first three Octagon appearances. Most recently, the Tunisian known as “Sniper” outpoined Ange Loosa at UFC on ESPN 34 on April 16. The Team Nogueira Duba representative is 11-2 as a professional, with eight wins via KO or TKO.
Bonfim earned a UFC contract thanks to a first-round shoulder choke of Trey Waters at Dana White’s Contender Series on Sept. 6. The former Legacy Fighting Alliance welterweight king is 13-0 since beginning his professional tenure in 2014.
Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Justino Wins Unanimous Decision in Boxing Debut
cris cyborg wins her pro boxing debut against simone silva via unanimous decision #FMS2 pic.twitter.com/52UZEtwr93
— jake (@jakeshreds420) September 26, 2022Cristiane Justino enjoyed a successful debut in the Sweet Science, taking a unanimous verdict against Simone Silva in a boxing match on Sunday night.
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The bout was contested over eight rounds and served as the co-main event of the Fight Music 2 card at Arena da Baixada in Curitiba, Brazil. While the promotion billed it as a professional fight, it is still unclear if it will ultimately be recognized as a pro or exhibition bout, according to MMAFighting.com.“Cyborg” reportedly landed the harder shots throughout the fight, but Silva was able to survive the power of the Bellator MMA featherweight queen. The contest ended with a wild exchange of punches in Round 8. Judges’ scores were not announced.
R8 entre Cyborg y Silva #CyborgSilva pic.…
Mayweather Destroys Asakura, Kyoji Horiguchi Chokes Out ‘Kintaro’ in Rizin Doubleheader
A right hand from Floyd just before the bell brings an end to the bout, and Asakura suffers his first KO loss ‼️
『The Battle Cats presents SUPER RIZIN』🎟PPV🔻https://t.co/xluM3LdybU pic.twitter.com/hivHA3WrUn
— RIZIN FF English (@rizin_English) September 25, 2022Advertisement
It took a little over two rounds for Mikuru Asakura to learn the same lesson his countryman and Rizin FF stablemate Tenshin Nasukawa did back on New Year’s Eve 2018: An exhibition against Floyd Mayweather is exactly as serious as you make it.In the main event of the Super Rizin card that formed half of a doubleheader with Rizin 38 on Saturday at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, the undefeated boxing legend was content to move and trade jabs and three-quarter-speed body shots with the Rizin featherweight contender for most of the first round. Late in that round, Asakura dialed up the intensity, leading to some awkward collisions and a clean head shot or…
Mayweather Destroys Asakura, Horiguchi Chokes Out ‘Kintaro’ in Rizin Doubleheader
It took a little under two rounds for Mikuru Asakura to learn the same lesson his countryman and Rizin FF stablemate Tenshin Nasukawa did back on New Year’s Eve 2018: An exhibition against Floyd Mayweather is exactly as serious as you want to make it.
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In the main event of the Super Rizin card that formed half of a doubleheader with Rizin 38 on Saturday at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, the undefeated boxing legend was content to move and trade jabs and three-quarter-speed body shots with the Rizin featherweight contender for most of the first round. Late in that round, Asakura dialed up the intensity, leading to some awkward collisions and a clean head shot or two landed on Mayweather. At that point, Mayweather flipped a switch, stinging Asakura with several hard shots before the round expired.A right hand from Floyd just before the bell brings an end to the bout, and Asakura suffers his first KO loss ‼️
『The Bat…Middleweights Chris Curtis, Joaquin Buckley to Clash at UFC 282
Derrick Lewis vs. Sergey Spivak to Headline UFC Event on Nov. 19
A heavyweight clash pitting Derrick Lewis against Sergey Spivak will headline an Ultimate Fighting Championship card on Nov. 19.
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The Las Vegas-based promotion confirmed the booking on Saturday. The UFC Fight Night card takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.A two-time heavyweight title challenger, Lewis has lost three of his last four Octagon appearances. Most recently, “The Black Beast” suffered a 55-second TKO defeat at the hands of Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 277 on July 30.
The 27-year-old Spivak has quietly won five of six in UFC competition since July 2020. “The Polar Bear” is 2-0 in 2022, with TKO wins against Augusto Sakai and Greg Hardy to his credit.
With a combined 28 KOs, these two heavy hitters won't go all 5 rounds 👀@TheBeast_UFC vs Serghei Spivac is OFFICIAL for Nov 19! pic.twitter.com/rtTCGVttGE
— UFC (@ufc) September 24, 2022Melvin Manhoef Announces Retirement Following Bellator 285 Defeat
Melvin Manhoef is hanging up the four ounce gloves following a mixed martial arts career that began in 1995.
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The Dutch knockout artist announced his decision following a third-round knockout loss to Yoel Romero in the Bellator 285 co-main event in Dublin on Friday.“I want to thank everybody for supporting my career for 28 years – 28 years I’m fighting and I didn’t want to fight a nobody,” Manhoef said during an in-cage interview. “I want to fight names. I did the best that I can. And for 28 years I’m doing this, this is what I love. I appreciate all the support that you gave me. But today I think we have to hang up the gloves after 28 years of fighting. Thanks for the support. You make my life great. Thank you, Ireland.”
The 46-year-old Amsterdam native retires with a record of 32-16-1 with two no contests. In addition to Bellator, “No Mercy” competed for organizations such as Strikeforce, One Championship, Dream and K-1. His record includes…
Erick Sanchez Annihilates James Lynch with First-Round Knockout at CW 143
𝗪𝗢𝗪! 🤯
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Erick Sanchez lands a huge right hand and scores a 𝗕𝗥𝗨𝗧𝗔𝗟 walk-off KO 🔥📺 Watch #CW143 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘 on @UFCFightPass pic.twitter.com/AudZlnGSfa
— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) September 24, 2022 The CW 143 headliner on Friday in San Diego featured a lightweight clash between Erick Sanchez and James Lynch. Sanchez (11-6, 1-0 CW) pushed on the gas and connected with quick punches, which left a mark on his opponent’s face. In turn, Lynch (5-3, 3-2 CW) looked to stop Sanchez’s footwork with some leg kicks. The fighters engaged in a brief scramble on the canvas before bouncing back to their feet. Sanchez’s elusiveness paid off after the clash entered its second minute. The Team Alpha Male representative made the most of a feint to mask an absolute right-hand bomb which immediately dropped Lynch to the canvas, lights out. The official…Benson Henderson Outclasses Peter Queally in Bellator 285 Main Event
That kick... @BensonHenderson 👀 #Bellator285 | 🇺🇸 @SHOSports | 🇬🇧 @BBCThree pic.twitter.com/5KulvEPXnx
— BellatorMMA (@BellatorMMA) September 23, 2022 Benson Henderson, even at 38 years of age, can still get the job done.The former Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Extreme Cagefighting titleholder ran circles around Peter Queally and strengthened his position in the Bellator MMA lightweight division with a lopsided unanimous decision in their Bellator 285 headliner on Friday at 3Arena in Dublin. All three judges arrived at the same verdict: 49-45 for Henderson (30-11, 7-6 Bellator), who was deducted a point for an inadvertent low blow in the second round.
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Nothing worked for Queally (13-7-1, 2-3 Bellator). Henderson pulled when the Irishman pushed, lured him into a tarpit clinches, executed takedowns, racked up points with ground-and-pound—his knees to the thigh were particularly effective—and kept “The Showst…Bellator 285 ‘Henderson vs. Queally’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring
Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below.
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Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:John Brannigan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:John Brannigan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round: Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:John Brannigan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:John Brannigan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:John Brannigan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:John Brannigan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:John Brannigan scores the round:Tyler…Bellator 285 Weigh-in Results: All Fighters Make Weight
The headline fight will see former champion Benson Henderson take on Irish contender Peter Queally over five rounds. Both headliners looked great on the scale, with "Smooth" weighing 155.4 pounds while his Irish opponent officially came in at a trim 154.2 pounds. All fighters successfully made weight for the 13-fight card.
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Henderson (29-11) made it clear he still had more left in the tank in his last bout against Islam Mamedov. After taking a split decision win, "Smooth" re-signed with the promotion. This key victory put an end to three straight defeats for the veteran lightweight. He'll look to go on his first win streak since 2019 by prevailing here."The Showstopper" has won two of his last three bouts, splitting matchups with Patricky Freire in his last two outings. While he was on the wrong side of a TKO in his last…