UFC Fight Night 196 Update: Jai Herbert, Khama Worthy to Clash on Oct. 23

Credit: Getty/UFC Credit: Getty/UFC

A lightweight bout pitting Jai Herbert against Khama Worthy has been added to the UFC Fight Night 196 lineup.

MMA DNA was first to report the booking. UFC Fight Night 196 takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Oct. 23 and is headlined by a middleweight tilt between Paulo Costa and Marvin Vettori.

A former Cage Warriors 155-pound champion, Herbert entered his promotional debut on a six-fight winning streak but has since been finished by Francisco Trinaldo and Renato Carneiro in his first two UFC appearances. The 33-year-old Renegade Jiu-Jitsu product is 10-3 as a professional with eight of those triumphs coming via KO or TKO.

Worthy, meanwhile, made a splash in his first promotional foray, as he stopped Devonte Smith in the opening stanza at UFC 241. “The Deathstar” then submitted Luis Pena in his sophomore outing at UFC on ESPN 12 but has since suffered consecutive knockout losses at the hands of Ottman Azaitar and Jam…

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Brian Kelleher vs. Saidyokub Kakhramonov Set for Jan. 15 UFC Event

Brian Kelleher will square off against Saidyokub Kakhramonov in a bantamweight scrap at an Ultimate Fighting Championship event on Jan. 15.

MMA DNA was first to report the booking. The card does not have an official location or headliner at this time.

Kelleher went 1-1 in 2020, dropping a unanimous verdict against Ricky Simon at UFC 258 before outpointing Domingo Pilarte at UFC on ESPN 29. The 35-year-old known as “Boom” is 7-5 during his Octagon tenure and 23-12 as a professional overall.

A former Cage Fury Fighting Championships bantamweight title holder, Kakhramonov submitted Trevin Jones in his promotional debut at UFC on ESPN 29 on Aug. 21. The 25-year-old Team Top Notch product has won four of five professional outings since falling to Umar Nurmagomedov under the Professional Fighters League banner in 2018.

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Johnny Walker Says Potential Broken Foot Limited Kicking Output at UFC Fight Night 193

The UFC Fight Night 193 main event was expected to be a barnburner between two Brazilian light heavyweights with a penchant for finishing.

Instead, Thiago Santos and Johnny Walker engaged in a rather forgettable affair, with Santos emerging with a unanimous decision triumph after five lackluster rounds on Saturday night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Particularly troubling was the lack of output and aggression from Walker, who recently relocated camps to SBG Ireland. All told, Walker landed just 48 significant strikes.

As it turns out, Walker may have been limited early in the fight. The 29-year-old Rio de Janeiro native revealed via his Instagram story that he may have suffered an injury in the bout. He doesn’t make it clear exactly when the injury might have occurred, however

“I think I broke my foot a little bit,” Walker says in the video. “A little fracture. That’s why I stop kicking.”

Johnny Walker believes he broke his foot.#UFCVe…

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Thiago Santos Believes He’s Still Title Contender, Calls for Showdown against Jiri Prochazka

Over the past couple years, Thiago Santos has endured double knee surgeries and a three-bout losing streak, but the former light heavyweight title challenger believes he can be a contender once again.

“Marreta” took a step toward achieving that goal with a five-round unanimous decision victory against Johnny Walker in the UFC Fight Night 193 headliner at the UFC Apex on Saturday night. It was the 37-year-old Brazilian’s first triumph after falling to Jon Jones, Glover Teixeira and Aleksandar Rakic in succession. Even in defeat, Santos argued that he’s always been competitive.

“I went through hard times since when I did my surgery – it’s hard to recover. I stopped [fighting] for a year and a half,” Santos said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “I fought against Glover, lost. I took another fight against Rakic, lost. But no one run me over. It’s a tough fight. I fought against them against tough guys. Every single fight I feel better. It’s important to me. I go do…
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UFC Fight Night 193 Bonuses: Four Fighters Garner ‘Performance of the Night’ Checks

Still undefeated! @KingCaseyMMA adds ANOTHER finish to her resume at #UFCVegas38 pic.twitter.com/5cd5AL8GJe

— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) October 2, 2021

The UFC Fight Night 193 card got off to an explosive start, and that was reflected in how the bonus money was distributed — with four athletes from the preliminary draw receiving $50,000 “Performance of the Night” awards.

Flyweight prospect Casey O'Neill earned a “Performance of the Night” bonus on the strength of her second-round technical knockout of Antonina Shevchenko. The Xtreme Couture product pressured Shevchenko, landed a takedown and eventually transitioned to full mount in Round 2, where she forced a stoppage with a barrage of punches, elbows and hammerfists at the 4:47 mark.

Elsewhere, Jamie Mullarkey captured a “Performance of the Night” check by virtue of a come-from-behind win over Devonte Smith in a preliminary lightweight affair. After a rough opening stanza, Mullarkey turned i…

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UFC 267 Main Card to Air Without Pay-Per-View Charge for ESPN+ Subscribers on Oct. 30

ESPN+ subscribers will be getting their money’s worth when it comes to Ultimate Fighting Championship coverage this month.

The Las Vegas-based promotion confirmed on Saturday that the UFC 267 main card will air free of charge to those who pay the $6.99 monthly subscription fee. Normally, the UFC’s numbered events are only available through ESPN+ via pay-per-view for $69.99.

UFC 267 takes place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 30 and is headlined by a light heavyweight championship clash between Jan Blachowicz and Glover Teixeira. In the co-main event, Petr Yan and Cory Sandhagen will vie for the interim bantamweight crown. Four other fights round out the six-bout main card: Islam Makhachev vs. Dan Hooker at lightweight; Alexander Volkov vs. Marcin Tybura at heavyweight; Jingliang Li vs. Khamzat Chimaev at welterweight and Magomed Ankalaev vs. Volkan Oezdemir at light heavyweight.

The UFC 267 main card begins at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT on ESPN+, while the preli…

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Thiago Santos Outpoints Johnny Walker in Tepid UFC Fight Night 193 Main Event

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL, Dana White’s Contender Series and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. It may be remembered as memorably unmemorable. American Top Team’s Thiago Santos closed the book on a career-worst three-fight losing streak and recorded his first win since Feb. 23, 2019, as he captured a unanimous decision over Johnny Walker in a shockingly uneventful UFC Fight Night 193 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. All three cageside judges scored it 48-47 for Santos (22-9, 14-8 UFC).

Santos lands clean, but Walker

[ #UFCVegas38 | LIVE on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/ycK0sBggRc

— UFC (@ufc) October 3, 2021

Walker (18-6, 4-3 UFC) zeroed in on the legs with kicks but lacked the throw-caution-to-the-wind aggression for which he has become known. Santos remained content to throw punches and kicks at a leisurel…

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UFC Fight Night 193 ‘Santos vs. Walker’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL, Dana White’s Contender Series and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Sherdog's live UFC Fight Night 193 coverage will begin Saturday at 4 p.m. ET. Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below. Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round…
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UFC Fight Night 193 Prelims: Underdog Jared Gordon Stymies Joe Solecki in Las Vegas

Ambos @JoeSolecki y @JFlashGordonMMA a la ofensiva buscando la victoria #UFCVegas38 pic.twitter.com/MczGHFCOAK

— UFC Español (@UFCEspanol) October 2, 2021

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL, Dana White’s Contender Series and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.

Former Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder Jared Gordon made a triumphant return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s lightweight division, as he eked out a split decision over Joe Solecki in the featured UFC Fight Night 193 prelim on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

All three cageside judges scored it 29-28: Derek Cleary for Solecki, Sal D’Amato and Dave Hagen for Gordon. It was his first outing at 155 pounds in nearly two years. Afterward, the Sanford MMA export set his sights on a showdown with top British prospect Paddy Pimblett.

Everything went ac…

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Bethe Correia Announces Retirement Following UFC Fight Night 193 Defeat

Congrats to @BetheCorreia on an amazing career in the UFC #UFCVegas38 pic.twitter.com/QY7aAQ7ouB

— UFC (@ufc) October 2, 2021

UFC Fight Night 193 was expected to be Bethe Correia’s farewell in the Octagon, and the Brazilian bantamweight didn’t alter course following the conclusion of her bout against Karol Rosa.

Correia confirmed her decision following a clear-cut decision loss to Rosa in a preliminary 135-pound contest at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

“Very emotional moment for me,” Correia said in a post-fight interview in the cage. “It’s been very emotional for me, a lot of deja vu moments for me. I can only thank the UFC for all the opportunities they gave me.”

Correia, 38, ends her MMA career with an 11-6-1 mark. She began her professional tenure with nine consecutive wins, including triumphs over Julie Kedzie, Jessamyn Duke and Shayna Baszler in UFC competition. The wins over Duke and Baszler — both part of the…

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Sam Creasey Submits Luke Shanks, Captures Vacant Flyweight Belt at Cage Warriors 129

AND NEW! CREASEY HAS DONE IT!

Pure drama.

In his third flyweight title fight, Sam Creasey weathers early adversity and secures the submission finish. #CW129 pic.twitter.com/TJWNWE862J — Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) October 2, 2021

The final installment of the Cage Warriors Fighting Championship trilogy saw more guillotines than the French Revolution.

In the Cage Warriors 129 main event, Sam Creasey (15-3, 10-3 CW) took on former divisional title holder Luke Shanks (8-3, 4-2 CW) for the vacant flyweight championship. Only “Urai” was eligible to win the title since his Shanks missed the championship weight by 2.7 pounds ahead of their clash. Creasey relied on his wrestling and grappling skills early in the bout, forcing “The Apocalypse” to defend himself from a rear-naked choke from his back. Shanks fought his way out of the sticky situation and back to his feet, but the stream cut off shortly thereafter and left viewers wonderi…

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Michael Page Narrowly Tops Three-Time Champion Douglas Lima in Bellator 267 Rematch

Michael Page looks like Bellator MMA’s next No. 1 contender at 170 pounds.

The London Shootfighters star picked his spots and avenged the only defeat on his resume, as he eked out a split decision over three-time welterweight champion Douglas Lima in the Bellator 267 headliner on Friday at The SSE Arena in London. All three cageside judges scored it 29-28: Ben Cartlidge for Lima, Eric Colon and Douglas Crosby for Page.

Lima (32-10, 14-6 Bellator) controlled a substantial chunk of the rematch with takedowns, topside grappling and ground-and-pound but seemed to get lost in the big moments. Page (20-1, 16-1 Bellator) twice knocked down the off-balance Brazilian with right hands, stealing his thunder and the momentum that accompanied it. Lima executed takedowns in the first and third rounds and remained calm under duress, only to have his inability to find the Brit in the standup exchanges come back to haunt him.

The 34-year-old Page has won six fights in a row and figures…

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UFC Fight Night 193 Weigh-in Results: Shaky Aspen Ladd Among 3 Heavy Fighters

Aspen Ladd weighs 137. #UFCVegas38 pic.twitter.com/FCOQCMTTjN

— Helen Yee (@HelenYeeSports) October 1, 2021 Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Editor's note: The article has been updated at 2:30 p.m. ET on Friday to add information from UFC officials regarding a bout cancelation. There was plenty of drama at the latest Ultimate Fighting Championship weigh-in, as three UFC Fight Night 193 fighters missed weight.

While headliners Thiago Santos and Johnny Walker had no issue making weight, three other bouts were impacted. Bethe Correia missed weight badly for her upcoming retirement bout by coming in 2.5 pounds heavy against Karol Rosa. Short-notice replacement fighter Mike Breeden also missed his weight category's limit by 2.5 pounds, exceeding the lightweight cap ahead of his match with Alexander Hernandez. However, the most concern…

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Paul Hughes Edges Morgan Charriere, Seizes Interim Belt at CW 128

Unforgettable.

How did you score it?!#CW128 pic.twitter.com/NHH9HMwaFz

— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) October 1, 2021 Proud Irish and French fans packed the York Hall in London for the second segment of this Cage Warriors Fighting Championship trilogy series. The CW 128 headliner saw Paul Hughes (8-1, 5-1 CW) throw down with Morgan Charriere (16-9-1, 3-3 CW) in a barnburner for the interim featherweight championship. Both contenders shined brightly in the first stanza, but the Frenchman scored the more precise shots. Charriere intelligently protected himself from damage, and ended the round dramatically with a big judo throw shortly before the bell. The second round was very close, as the Australian-born fighter fought off a guillotine choke attempt and retaliated with crisp punches. Hughes gained momentum after wobbling “The Last Pirate” with a heavy combination in the third frame. The Fight Academy Ireland standout dragged his opponent t…
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Bellator 267 ‘Lima vs. MVP 2’ Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

Sherdog's live Bellator 267 coverage kicks off at 1 p.m. ET.

Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below.

Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 The Official Result
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Police Audio Before Jon Jones’ Domestic Violence Arrest Released

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJgwukbD5p0&w=560&h=315] The 911 call leading to former Ultimate Fighting Championship champ Jon Jones’ latest arrest sheds a little light on the scene.

On Friday, audio of the call to the police from Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas has been released regarding Jon Jones. The call was obtained by MMA Fighting, and it chronicles the communication from Caesar’s Palace security to the authorities about Jones’ alleged domestic violence offense on fiancée Jessie Moses. Jones was arrested last Friday for battery domestic violence, a misdemeanor, and tampering or damaging a vehicle to cause damage in excess of $5,000, a felony.

Since then, details have emerged that in addition to an alleged unseen altercation between Jones and Moses in their hotel room, Jones was picked up for headbutting a police car. Regarding the incident with Moses, the security officer, Eduardo, told the 911 dispatch officer that a bloodied Moses came down to the mai…
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Sean O’Malley-Raulian Paiva Matchup in the Works for UFC 269, O’Malley Disputes Booking

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. A standoff appears to be brewing between the Ultimate Fighting Championship and a fighter it wants to build to stardom. ESPN broke the news on Thursday night that Sean O'Malley (14-1) will likely be returning to action on Dec. 11 at UFC 269 against Raulian Paiva (21-3) at bantamweight. The matchup has not been made official as the contracts have yet to be signed. On a subsequent Twitch broadcast, per MMA reporter Alex Behunin shortly after the story came out, O’Malley claimed that he had no knowledge of the booking and that it came as a surprise to him.

Should the fight come to fruition, it would be O’Malley’s third in 2021. He knocked Thomas Almeida out in March, and then came back to decimate Kris Moutinho in July to lift his career finish rate to 79%. The victories served as a successful rebound from his first defeat since turn…

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Dominique Wooding Upsets Nathan Fletcher, Claims Bantamweight Title at CW 127

#CW127 had it ALL!

Check out the 60 second highlight before we do it all again for #CW128.

The action keeps coming, live on @UFCFightPass. pic.twitter.com/zbEsSGyfUS — Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) September 30, 2021 Wicked knockouts, wily submissions and wild comebacks treated fans to kick off this Cage Warriors Fighting Championship trilogy.

The CW 127 main event saw Bellator MMA vet Dominique Wooding (8-4, 2-0 CW) facing Nathan Fletcher (6-1, 6-1 CW) for the vacant bantamweight belt. It took only a few seconds for Fletcher to implement his gameplan, taking Wooding down and keeping him down for the remainder of the round. The Next Generation MMA Liverpool standout punished his opponent with shots from on top before pursuing a rear-naked choke that failed to deliver a finish. The second frame followed the same script as the first, with Liverpool-based fighter grinding his way and spending ample energy staying on top of Wooding.

T…

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Cub Swanson vs. Darren Elkins Added to Dec. 18 UFC Fight Night Card

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. It may come as a shock that these two grizzled veterans with 44 combined Ultimate Fighting Championship appearances have never crossed paths. The UFC added a featherweight matchup on its event lineup to the upcoming UFC Fight Night card on Dec. 18 on Thursday. With 20 UFC fights or more apiece, Cub Swanson (27-12) and Darren Elkins (26-9) had never faced one another, and the two will throw down at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

For the first time in over a decade, Swanson fell to strikes when he faced Giga Chikadze in May. The Georgian finished Swanson with a body kick and follow-up punches in 63 seconds to put an end to Swanson’s first win streak since 2017. Before beating Kron Gracie and Daniel Pineda in 2019 and 2020, respectively, “Killer Cub” had dropped four straight bouts to Brian Ortega, Frankie Edgar, Renato Carneiro and Sha…

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Dan Hooker to Replace Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 267 Against Islam Makhachev

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight contender Islam Makhachev has scored an exciting replacement opponent for his bout in October. The UFC’s broadcast partner of ESPN announced on Thursday that Dan Hooker (21-10) has stepped in against Makhachev (20-1) at UFC 267. Makhachev was initially slated to face Rafael dos Anjos, but their pairing was scratched for the third time last week due to knee surgery for the Brazilian. Hooker vs. Makhachev will likely take place on the main card of this Oct. 30 event that will be held at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Hooker competed on Sept. 25 at UFC 266, receiving his visa and flying into the U.S. mere days before the event to make weight and defeat Nasrat Haqparast by a spirited decision. The win ended a two-fight skid for the Kiwi, who had fallen sh…

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Bellator 267 Weigh-in Results: 24 Fighters Make Weight; 1 Bout Canceled

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx9bHNMQVXY&w=640&h=360] Bellator MMA's return to England is officially on as the Bellator 267 weigh-ins largely went on without any issues. Twenty-four fighters on the card, including headliners Douglas Lima and Michael Page, made weight for the event. However, a bout between Benjamin Brander and Charlie Leary was pulled due to COVID-19 protocols.

The former welterweight champion is currently riding a two-fight losing streak after coming up short against Gegard Mousasi at middleweight and dropping his title to Yaroslav Amosov in June. Lima (32-9) hadn't lost two straight bouts since 2009, and will look to bounce back against a familiar foe in Page (19-1), whom he viciously knocked out in their first meeting two years ago. Lima officially weighed 169.4 pounds for the bout.

Looking to avenge his lone defeat is Page. The 34-year-old has bounced back in style with five straight wins, four of which were finishes. He most recently de…

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Douglas Lima’s Coach Expects Another Second Round Finish Against ‘MVP’

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQzEfqrYB0c&w=560&h=315] Former Bellator MMA welterweight champ Douglas Lima may be around even money going into his rematch with Michael Page, but many expect the result will be the same as their first meeting.

At Bellator 267 on Friday in the SSE Arena in London, American Top Team product Lima (32-9) rematches boisterous Brit Page (19-1) atop the card. Already in London to be in Lima’s corner, Lima’s coach Roan Carneiro spoke to Sherdog about the climate of revenge in the hometown of “MVP.”

“MVP were pretty respectful in the first meetings we had,” Carneiro noted, “a natural attitude from someone who got knocked out in the first fight, but we know he will change when we start to have events open to the public.”

The organization, which will be staging the card on Showtime in the U.S. and the BBC iPlayer for British crowds, has put a lot into building up the crowd for U.K. audiences. The coach was quite impressed by the quantity…

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Pedro Munhoz, Dominick Cruz Agree to Meet at UFC 269 in December

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Pedro Munhoz has decided not to move to flyweight just yet. On Wednesday night, MMA Fighting was the first to report the bantamweight matchup between Munhoz (19-6, 1 NC) and Dominick Cruz (23-3) at UFC 269. Per the report, one that was later confirmed by other outlets, the two have agreed to their Dec. 11 meeting but the contracts have not been signed. Should it come to fruition, Munhoz and Cruz are expected to face off inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Munhoz has lost three of four, with defeats coming to current bantamweight king Aljamain Sterling as well as ex-lightweight champ Frankie Edgar and former featherweight titleholder Jose Aldo. Along the way, he won a thrilling rematch against Jimmie Rivera to even their record to one and one against one another. In his last five appearances, “The Young Punisher” has captured…

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PFL CEO Hints at Expanded Schedule, Pay-Per-View Events, Challenger Series for 2022

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p40WVD9nO1Q&w=560&h=315]

As the 2021 Professional Fighters League campaign draws to a close, it appears that big things are in store for the promotion in the year to come.

During a press conference on Wednesday to promote the PFL Championship on Oct. 27, CEO Peter Murray alluded to several new “properties” on tap for the organization in 2022. Those include what sounds like the PFL’s first foray into pay-per-view as well as something similar to what Dana White’s Contender Series does for the UFC in terms of bringing new talent into the promotion.

“Not only are we excited about the upcoming championship, we’re excited about the 2022 season ahead,” Murray said. “We’ll expand our season events, but in addition to that we’re gonna launch new properties. The PFL will be launching a new pay-per-view division and a lineup of events. We’ll also launch the new PFL Challenger Series for pro fighters aspiring to get into the PFL season form…

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