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Malcolm Wellmaker dropped the hammer.

The Faglier’s MMA rep was one of four hopefuls to nail down an Ultimate Fighting Championship contract during Week 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series, as he punched out Adam Bramhald in the first round of their bantamweight showcase on Tuesday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Bramhald (13-3, 0-1 DWCS) crashed and burned 2:29 into Round 1, his 11-fight winning streak having run its course.

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Wellmaker (8-0, 1-0 DWCS) operated behind a punishing jab, absorbed a few leg kicks and waited for an opportunity to present itself. The Augusta, Georgia, native countered a jab from Bramhald with a crushing counter right hook and dropped the Asylum Vale Tudo where he stood. No follow-up shots were necessary.

Middleweight Marco Tulio will join Wellmaker on the UFC roster, along with featherweight Bogdan Grad and middleweight Andrey Pulyaev.

Chute Boxe’s Tulio buried Hexagone MMA champion Matthieu Letho Duclos with a spinnin…

Sherdog's coverage of Dana White's Contender Series Week 3 begins Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Round 1 Keith Peterson will be the ref for this flyweight affair. Duffy is starting the fight on his back with his feet resting on the fence, but he rolls into position at the last second. Duffy comes out throwing a variety of kicks before shooting for a takedown. Piccininni keeps his balance, gets an underhook and drives a knee into the midsection. They continue to trade knees against the fence and Peterson urges them to keep working. Piccininni pulls Duffy off the fence and gets a takedown. Duffy starts hunting for submissions immediately, and Piccininni stands over his grounded foe. Piccininni and just misses a big right hand. Duffy has an extremely active guard from bottom, and he forces Piccininni to defend a kneebar. Piccininni frees himself and they stand. Piccininni lands a quick left. Duffy leaps in with a knee and then connects with a heavy leg kick. Duffy goes up high…

The financial strain of being a professional mixed martial artist has become too much for Darren Stewart.

The 33-year-old Brit announced his retirement from MMA on Tuesday in a post on his Instagram account. According to Stewart, continuing to pursue a fighting career has become a burden on his family.

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“It hurts me to write this, but I think it’s time to call it a day,” Stewart wrote. “Not by choice, but I’m forced to because I’ve lost a lot to this game trying to survive, and I can’t do it no more. When UFC let me go I should have invested something, but instead I put all my eggs in one basket AGAIN to get back to the top and life has gotten even worse. I’ve got family, and it’s not fair on them stressing just to keep food on the table.

“I love fighting, and I don’t want to call it as I’m only 33, but I’m not getting any help financially. Spoke about it a few times, so not going to go into it. Maybe I’ll get into boxing if it ever arises, bu…

A lightweight bout pitting Myktybek Orolbai against Mateusz Rebecki has been added to the UFC 308 lineup.

Full Violence was first to report the pairing. UFC 308 takes place on Oct. 26 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi and is headlined by a featherweight championship tilt between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway.

A native of Kyrgysztan, Orolbai has been victorious in eight consecutive professional outings. The 26-year-old has kicked off his UFC tenure with back-to-back triumphs against Uros Medic and Elves Brener.

A winner on Dana White's Contender Series in 2022, Poland’s Rebecki began his UFC career with three straight victories. However, a 16-bout professional winning streak came to an end in his last appearance at UFC on ESPN 56, where he fell to Diego Ferreira via third-round TKO.

Twenty-fight mixed martial arts veteran Andrew Osborne was recently sentenced to 25 years in prison for stabbing a man to death earlier this year.

According to a statement from the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office (via via MMAjunkie.com), Osborne pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated manslaughter this past Thursday. Osborne must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.

Osborne, 36, stabbed 47-year-old Brian Wilkinson to death inside at hotel room at Ocean Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on May 30. According to a separate report from NJ.com, Osborne stabbed Wilkinson in the head and neck and left the room wearing the victim’s shoes and pants. Osborne then fled with his wife to Philadelphia, where he was located by detectives from the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office’s Major Crimes Unit and arrested.

Osborne competed as a pro MMA fighter from 2011 to 2017, compiling an 8-11 mark with one no contest. He fought…

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Randy Couture isn’t surprised about the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s spat with Francis Ngannou given his own history of the promotion.

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Ngannou exited the promotion as the heavyweight champion in January 2023 over a lengthy contract dispute. Couture, meanwhile, had a lengthy legal battle with the UFC in 2007, even publicly resigning for a brief period. Ngannou had fought for rights to simultaneously compete in boxing along with other stipulations like health insurance for fighters and an advocate to represent fighters at contract meetings.

Ngannou went on join rival promotion Professional Fighters League, where he will make his debut against the 2023 season heavyweight king Renan Ferreira on Oct. 18 in Saudi Arabia. Former UFC champ Israel Adesanya, who considers himself one of the first three Africa UFC champs along with Ngannou and Kamaru Usman, recently called out the promotion for trying to erase “The Predator’s” legacy.…

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Robert Whittaker advises Alex Pereira against moving down to middleweight to fight Dricus Du Plessis.

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Du Plessis defended his middleweight strap for the first time with a fourth-round submission win in an absolute war against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in Perth on Aug. 17. Pereira was one of the many elite names who subsequently called for a clash against Du Plessis. The former middleweight champ and reigning light heavyweight champ expressed interest in moving back down to 185 pounds to challenge “Stillknocks.”

However, Whittaker, another former middleweight champ and top contender, would advise Pereira against it. Whittaker notes that Pereira’s potential cut to middleweight would drain him with the Brazilian now having been a staple at light heavyweight. While Pereira has been known to starch people on the feet, Whittaker highlights Du Plessis’ ability to get hit and stay standing. Whittaker further points out that Du Plessis’ p…

Mixed martial arts veteran Benji Radach, who competed for promotions such as the UFC, Strikeforce and the International Fight League, has died at 45 years old.

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Members of Radach’s family, including his brother, Beau, initially brought word of his passing on social media. The cause of death is currently unknown.

Radach compiled a 21-7 mark with one no contest over the course of 14-year professional tenure that began in 2001. The Washington native known as “The Razor” went undefeated in his first 10 bouts before signing with the UFC, where he enjoyed a three-bout stint before moving on to other organizations.

The well-traveled Radach notably went 5-1 with the IFL in 2007. His career also included stops in EliteXC, Bellator MMA, King of the Cage and WEC. Over the years, Radach squared off against the likes of Sean Sherk, Chris Leben, Gerald Harris, Murilo Rua, Scott Smith and Ovince St. Preux.

Outside of the cage, Radach added to his le…

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The surprise announcement that Khalil Rountree would be next in line to challenge Alex Pereira in the UFC 307 main event led to speculation that the reigning light heavyweight champion had snubbed top contender Magomed Ankalaev.

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That is not the case, according to Pereira. While Ankalaev is considered to be a difficult style matchup for the Brazilian, “Poatan” claims that the decision to postpone the bout came from the Dagestani standout himself.

“I always wanted to fight Ankalaev, and I made it very clear to the organization, but Ankalaev didn't want to fight me,” Pereira said on his YouTube channel. “I don't know why, if that's where he would fight, if he didn't want to fight... He's not a champion. He's not in the position to choose anything. I think it was an opportunity that appeared, and he didn't want to take advantage of it. He has his reasons, which I don't know what they are, but I come here to tell you that I'm not afrai…

All 10 fighters slated to compete on Week 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series made weight ahead of their bouts on Monday.

The Contender Series takes place on Tuesday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and features a middleweight clash pitting Andrey Pulyaev (185) against Liam Anderson (185). The card airs on ESPN+ beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Pulyaev will take a four-fight finishing streak into the matchup with Anderson. Most recently, the 26-year-old Russian scored a 77-second KO of Weldon Silva de Oliveira at Shlemenko Fighting Championship 9 in February. He has finished all but one of his eight career triumphs inside the distance.

A native of Rochester, New York, Anderson has also finished his last four professional fights. Three of those victories have occurred under the Legacy Fighting Alliance banner, including a head kick KO of Maurice Morris on Feb. 23.

Contender Series Weigh-in Results:Andrey Pulyaev (185) vs. Liam Anderson (185)Bogdan Grad (145.5) vs…

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The 2024 Professional Fighters League season saw a new weight class open up, and as a direct result, a star was born in the women’s flyweight division.

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When the company announced the women’s flyweight division as part of its regular season in 2024, much attention was paid to newcomer Dakota Ditcheva, the 2023 PFL Europe champion. Now part of the global season, fans wanted to see how Ditcheva would transition to tougher challenges on the global roster, with more media and attention surrounding her. So far, it’s been nothing but success for both sides. That success has given Donn Davis and the PFL team an opportunity to consider adding more weight classes in the near future.

There has been no denying the success of Ditcheva in her 2024 regular season and playoff run. She would make quick work in all three of her fights this year, picking up first-round finishes against Lisa Mauldin and Chelsea Hackett in the regular season, then d…

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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With the business of the Professional Fighters League continuing to grow and expand, the decision makers have plenty to hang their hat on.

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With the launch of PFL MENA in 2024 and the announcement of PFL Africa coming in 2025 to add to the already established PFL Europe, the visions of Donn Davis, Peter Murray, and Co. continue to be met. During the PFL semifinals event in Washington, D.C., this past weekend, Davis spoke to the media covering a litany of topics, including his pride in the success of the PFL thus far.

Speaking to Sherdog.com in his scrum, Davis was asked about all the success and opportunities that the PFL offers in a variety of ways. Not only did he speak glowingly of the avenues the company has available but also how it is relatable to everyday people who are fighting to improve.

“Look, ‘What do you fight for?’ is on the steps to the cage,” Davis said. “Fighters are certainly fighting to a…

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Jiri Prochazka is plotting a move to middleweight after Dricus Du Plessis’ first title defense.

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Prochazka claims to have been considering the move leading up to Du Plessis’ UFC 305 main-event clash against former champ Israel Adesanya in Perth, Australia on Aug. 17. According to “BJP,” he would have stayed put at light heavyweight if Adesanya dethroned Du Plessis, as he has the same management as the Nigerian-born Kiwi. However, “Stillknocks” successfully defended his title with a fourth-round submission win in an entertaining title bout, hastening Prochazka’s planned move to 185 pounds.

However, Prochazka notes that the potential move isn’t due to him having a size or power disadvantage at light heavyweight. While the Czech has no problems staying a top contender at 205 pounds, he just wants to challenge himself in another weight class.

“I’ve been considering that if Adesanya wins, I’ll stay in the light heavyweight divisio…

It’s weird how this guy knows me…it’s like we’ve spent hours studying eachother’s moves and fought multiple times or sumn’. I mean that. 🫡 https://t.co/Up7U8DyT2Q

— Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) August 25, 2024

Israel Adesanya claims Alex Pereira knows him all too well, which is no surprise considering the number of times they have traded leather throughout their stellar careers.

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Adesanya attempted to reclaim the middleweight title against Dricus Du Plessis in the main event at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia, on Aug. 17. Both fighters went to war in a bout that showed glimpses of both Adesanya’s most elite form and Du Plessis’ usual awkward brawling style. The South African eventually defended his title with a fourth-round submission win over Adesanya.

Adesanya’s former foe, Pereira, was keeping a keen eye on the fight and even mentioned a potential move back down to middleweight to challenge “Stillknocks” upon its conclu…

Cong Wang was a late addition to the list of bonus winners at UFC on ESPN 62.

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Wang set a high standard for the night in the first preliminary bout of the card against Victoria Leonardo at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday. “The Joker,” who has appeared at the face-offs dressed as her moniker, took just 62 seconds to shut the lights out on Leonardo with a blistering right hand.

Wang understandably expected a $50,000 bonus for the highlight-reel finish, which was also the fastest by a debutant in UFC flyweight history. However, the undefeated Chinese standout was surprised to see her name missing from the list of bonus winners, which initially included “Performance of the Night” bonuses for Gerald Meerschaert and Michael Morales and “Fight of the Night” for Caio Borralho and Jared Cannonier. Wang expressed her disappointment on social media, promising an even flashier finish in her next performance, which got the attention of Dana White.

I…

Caio Borralho knows he’s on the precipice of big things in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s middleweight division.

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The Fighting Nerds product earned the most signifcant victory of his career to date in the UFC on ESPN 62 headliner, as he weathered a game effort from Jared Cannonier to capture a unanimous decision triumph on Saturday night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Borralho nearly finished the contest in the fifth round to put a stamp on his seventh consecutive promotional triumph. The Brazilian known as “The Natural” came away quite pleased with his performance against a former middleweight title challenger.

“I wasn’t there to grapple. I was there to bring fire and be comfortable in the danger, because Jared’s a very dangerous opponent,” Borralho said at the post-fight press conference. “My jab was was on point, my calf kicks were on point, and I just did the job. I almost got the finish.

“I think the ref should have finished it, shou…

Michael Morales called out Ian Garry — along with a few other names — after a statement win over Neil Magny at UFC on ESPN 62.

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Moraels faced his biggest step up in competition so far in Magny, who is widely considered the welterweight gatekeeper. The Ecuadorian dropped Magny with a spinning elbow before finishing him off with brutal ground-and-pound with less than half a minute to go in the first round. Morales maintained his undefeated record while also earning a “Performance of the Night” $50,000 bonus.

While Morales subsequently called out veterans Michael Chiesa and Vicente Luque, his callout of Garry stands out the most.

“Whenever there’s a fight and they want me to fight, I will be ready to go,” Morales said during a post-fight media scrum. “I will always be ready to fight. I want to fight in December. But as far as names are concerned, I think there’s a couple of names out there. I think [Vicente] Luque is somebody that is an opportuni…

Cong Wang believes she can beat Valentina Shevchenko yet again after a highlight-reel finish to start off her Ultimate Fighting Championship career.

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Wang started off the preliminary action opposite Victoria Leonardo at UFC on ESPN 62 on Saturday. “The Joker,” who dressed up as her moniker during pre-fight face-offs, took just 62 seconds to shut the lights out on Leonardo with a vicious right hand. This also marked the fastest finish in history for a UFC women’s flyweight debutant.

The undefeated Chinese standout subsequently called out Casey O’Neill in a bid to fast track her way to the rankings.

“Just looking at the rankings. I think it’s a good fight,” Wang said during a post-fight media scrum. “I just want to jump in the rankings and get my title shot.”

Wang also holds a unanimous decision victory in kickboxing over former UFC champ Shevchenko in 2015 under the Kunlun Fight banner. The former 32-year-old Wushu champion, Asian Games …

Four fighters walked away with $50,000 bonuses in a night filled with finishes at UFC on ESPN 62 on Saturday.

Veteran middleweight contender Jared Cannonier and up-and-coming Brazilian Caio Borralho (17-1) delivered as advertised in the UFC Vegas 96 headliner at The Apex in Las Vegas. While Borralho took the lead in the first round, Cannonier regained some momentum as the fight progressed. Both fighters rocked each other, going toe-to-toe in a barnburner that had many online scorecards tied at two rounds each way going into Round 5. Borralho knocked down Cannonier (17-8) a final time in the last stanza to seal a unanimous decision victory. Both fighters were awarded $50,000 for their “Fight of the Night” performance.

Meanwhile, middleweight veteran Gerald Meerschaert (37-17) received a “Performance of the Night” bonus for his come-from-behind upset of Edmen Shahbazyan (13-5). “GM 3” was dominated by Shahbazyan for the better part of two rounds before he turned the tab…

Caio Borralho broke down the door to the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s middleweight elite.

A potent jab, punishing leg kicks and powerful punching combinations carried the Fighting Nerds star to a unanimous decision over Jared Cannonier in the UFC on ESPN 62 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Borralho (17-1, 7-0 UFC) swept the scorecards with 49-45, 49-45 and 48-46 marks from the cageside judiciary, as he posted his 14th consecutive win.

Cannonier (17-8, 10-8 UFC) made him earn it and kept the fight competitive for four-plus rounds. The MMA Lab mainstay unleashed multi-punch volleys of his own and did visible damage to the Brazilian, opening a sickle-shaped cut underneath Borralho’s right eye in the fourth round. However, much of his good work was erased in the fifth. There, Borralho sent him crashing to the canvas with a crisp one-two, piled on with elbow-infused ground-and-pound and framed an arm-triangle choke in the waning seconds. A finish did …

Sherdog's live UFC on ESPN 62 coverage will begin Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Wang (-1000), Leonardo (+650)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:

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Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Ramaska (+135), Fletcher (-155)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round: Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Cava…

Francis Marshall re-established a foothold in the Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight division with a split decision over Dennis Buzukja in their featured UFC on ESPN 62 prelim on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Judges Ben Cartlidge and Junichiro Kamijo scored it 29-28 for Marshall, while Adalaide Byrd saw it 30-27 for Buzukja.

A short-notice replacement for Danny Silva, Marshall (8-2, 2-2 UFC) stormed out to a strong start. He employed a time-killing clinch for much of the first round and floored Buzukja with a clubbing right hook in the second. Marshall flurried for a potential finish, only to see the former Ring of Combat champion survive and slowly turn the tide. Buzukja (12-5, 1-3 UFC) regained his faculties and found a home for his left hook, both on the lead and on the counter. He also bloodied Marshall’s nose with a penetrating jab. It was not enough. Marshall answered in Round 3, where he stepped into right hands and managed to sneak punches over th…

😬Sean O'Malley is not impressed with the promotion of his fight against Merab Dvalishvili at #UFC 306:

"A little annoyed-ish about the promotion of the'the sphere, the sphere, the show'. I'm the one doing interviews not the sphere, let's promote Sean vs Merab, The Suga Show,… pic.twitter.com/iYTbeehmiV

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) August 23, 2024

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Sean O'Malley believes, as the defending champ in the main event, that he should be the focus of UFC 306 instead of the venue.

O’Malley (18-1) will defend his bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili (17-4) in the UFC 306 headliner, which goes down on Sept. 14 at The Sphere in Las Vegas. The event, which also marks the UFC’s yearly tribute to Mexican Independence Day, is being promoted as the most spectacular venue in combat sports history.

The UFC has also taken the step of partnering with Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the board of directors of the General Ente…

Brendan Loughnane defeats Kai Kamaka by split decision (30-27, 29-28, 28-29) in the Semifinals, earning a spot in the 2024 #PFLWorldChampionship#PFLPlayoffs #PFLDC pic.twitter.com/xzRppzUtIo

— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 24, 2024 The Professional Fighters League determined its welterweight and featherweight finals during its PFL DC card.

The main event of the nine-fight card saw 2022 featherweight champion Brendan Loughnane take on Kai Kamaka III for a shot at a second PFL finals appearance. Loughnane (29-5) wasted little time to make a statement, using pinpoint punches and some well-placed knees to knock down Kamaka (14-6-1) late in Round 1. "The Fighting Hawaiian" lived up to his nickname, though, not just surviving the barrage but finding plenty of success in the second round. The final frame would see Loughnane outpoint his opponent to secure a split-decision victory with scores of 29-28, 28-29 and 30-27.

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Loughnane will…