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Rafael dos Anjos Returns to Lightweight for UFC 254 Showdown with Islam Makhachev

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After a stint at 170 pounds, Rafael dos Anjos will return to the lightweight division to face Islam Makhachev at UFC 254.

BJPenn.com was first to report the pairing. UFC 254 is expected to take place on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 24 and is headlined by a lightweight championship bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje.

A former UFC lightweight champion, dos Anjos went 4-4 at welterweight, earning victories against the likes of Robbie Lawler, Neil Magny, Kevin Lee and Tarec Saffiedine. The Brazilian had struggled recently, though, losing four of five Octagon appearances — including a unanimous decision defeat to Michael Chiesa in his last outing at UFC Fight Night 166.

Makhachev will return to action for the first time since outpointing Davi Ramos at UFC 242 last September. The 28-year-old Dagest…

Davis-Machida Tops Bellator 245 on Sept. 11; Archuleta-Mix Headlines Bellator 246 on Sept. 12

Bellator MMA will hold a pair of significant cards on back-to-back days in September.

The California-based promotion will run Bellator 245 on Sept. 11 with a card that is headlined by a rematch between Phil Davis and Lyoto Machida. The lineup will also include Cat Zingano’s Bellator debut against Gabrielle Holloway at 145 pounds.

One day later, Bellator 246 will feature a showdown between Juan Archuleta and Patrick Mix for the organization’s vacant bantamweight crown. Also at that event, Jon Fitch will meet Neiman Gracie at welterweight, while Liz Carmouche will make her first promotional foray against DeAnna Bennett at flyweight. Additionally, Roger Huerta will lock horns with Derek Campos.

Sherdog.com confirmed the events and bouts with a promotion official following an initial report from ESPN. Both Bellator 245 and Bellator 246 are likely to take place at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. The promotion has held all of its events at the same venue du…

Dana White Fine with Jon Jones Getting Heavyweight Title Shot, Just Not Before Ngannou

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

Jon Jones doesn’t necessarily need to get a win at heavyweight before he receives a title shot, but “Bones” will have to wait his turn behind current No. 1 contender Francis Ngannou.

During an appearance on SportsCenter, UFC president Dana White briefly discussed Jones’ prospects at heavyweight after the light heavyweight champion vacated his belt earlier this week. Perhaps the most interesting takeaway was that White believes Jones has the credentials to step into a championship bout immediately.

"[Jones is] the longtime light heavyweight champion. In my opinion he's the greatest of all time, and if he wants to come back and take a shot at the heavyweight championship, I wouldn't have a problem with that," White said. "But he can't just jump in front of Ngannou right now."

Ngannou is the next planned opponent for reigning heavyweight king Stipe Miocic, who is coming off a victory over Daniel Corm…

Welterweights Carlos Condit, Court McGee to Meet at UFC’s Oct. 3 Card

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Former interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit will lock horns with Court McGee at the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s Oct. 3 event.

Condit initially announced the booking on ”The Buck and Dex Podcast.” The card is expected to take place on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi and is headlined by a women’s bantamweight clash between Holly Holm and Irene Aldana.

Condit is currently on a five-bout skid that dates back to a split-decision loss against Robbie Lawler in a 170-pound title clash at UFC 195. In his last outing, “The Natural Born Killer” suffered a second-round submission loss to Michael Chiesa at UFC 232. The 36-year-old Albuquerque, New Mexico, native did not compete at all in 2019, as a detached retina forced him out of a showdown with Mickey Gall at UFC on ESPN 7.

McGee has also fallen on hard times of late,…

Anderson Silva to Face Uriah Hall in UFC Main Event on Oct. 31

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Former middleweight champion Anderson Silva will return against Uriah Hall in a featured middleweight bout at a UFC event on Oct. 31.

UFC president Dana White confirmed the pairing to ESPN late on Tuesday. During a media scrum following the Contender Series earlier in the evening, White said that it could be the final fight of Silva’s MMA career. However, Silva’s management told ESPN that a decision has yet to be made on “The Spider’s” final bout.

The 45-year-old Silva last appeared at UFC 237, where he suffered an injury due to a leg kick from Jared Cannonier in May 2019. The legendary Brazilian has won just once in his last eight promotional appearances dating back to 2013.

Hall, meanwhile, has won three of his last four Octagon outings, including a split verdict over Antonio Carlos Jr. at UFC Fight Night 158 …

Dominick Reyes, Jan Blachowicz to Vie for Vacant Light Heavyweight Title at UFC 253

Credit: Jay Pettry/Sherdog.com

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With Jon Jones out of the picture, Dominick Reyes and Jan Blachowicz will square off for the vacant light heavyweight belt in the UFC 253 co-main event on Sept. 26.

The Las Vegas-based promotion confirmed the title bout on Tuesday night. UFC 253 is headlined by a middleweight championship clash between Israel Adesanya and Paulo Henrique Costa.

Jones vacated the title earlier this week, hinting at a future move to heavyweight if negotiations with the UFC prove to his liking.

Reyes is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Jones in the UFC 247 headliner on Feb. 8, a bout many observers thought “The Devastator” deserved to win. The 30-year-old Victorville, California, native kicked off his professional career with 12 consecutive triumphs, including six victories under the UFC banner.…

Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Matthews, Two Other Bouts Set for UFC 253

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A welterweight clash pitting Diego Sanchez against Jake Matthews is one of three new additions to the UFC 253 lineup.

Also announced were a featherweight bout between Brad Riddell and Alex Da Silva as well as a lightweight matchup between Nate Landwehr and Shane Young. UFC 253 takes place on Sept. 26 and is likely to be held on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The card is headlined by a middleweight title tilt between Israel Adesanya and Paulo Henrique Costa.

The 38-year-old Sanchez has won three of his last four Octagon appearances. “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 1 winner is coming off a bizarre matchup with Michel Pereira in which he prevailed after his opponent landed an illegal knee in the third round.

Matthews, 25, has won five of his last six promotional outings. Most recently, “The Celtic Kid” outpointed Emil Meek…

Week 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series Ships Four More Fighters to the UFC

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. Dana White’s Contender Series in its fourth year of existence continues to infuse the Ultimate Fighting Championship with untapped talent. Four more competitors—welterweights Louis Cosce and Orion Cosce, strawweight Cheyanne Buys and heavyweight Josh Parisian—were signed by the promotion on Week 3 of DWCS on Tuesday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Since the season started on Aug. 4, a total of 12 fighters have punched their tickets to the UFC.

Lost Boys Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai’s Louis Cosce cut down Victor Reyna with punches in the first round of their welterweight showcase. Reyna (11-5), who had never before been knocked out, bit the dust just 72 seconds into Round 1. Cosce (7-0) elected to forego the feeling-out process and rushed out throwing heat with kicks and punches. He sent Reyna crashing to the canvas with a chopping ov…

Dana White’s Contender Series 2020 Week 3 Play-by-Play & Results

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. Sherdog's live DWCS 2020 Week 3 coverage kicks off Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. Check out the MMA Forums to discuss the card or enter your comments and predictions below. Round 1 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Mike Fridley scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Mike Fridley scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Mike Fridley scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Mike Fridley scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Brian Knapp scores the round:Mike Fridley scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Tristen Critchfield scores the round:Bri…

‘Korean Zombie’ vs. Brian Ortega to Headline UFC Card on Oct. 17

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A pivotal featherweight showdown between Chan Sung Jung and Brian Ortega is expected to headline an Ultimate Fighting Championship event on Oct. 17.

Milenio was first to report the booking, and it was later confirmed by ESPN. A location for the event has not yet been announced, but the card is also expected to include a women’s flyweight clash pitting Jessica Andrade against Jessica Eye.

“The Korean Zombie” and Ortega were originally scheduled to meet at UFC Fight Night 165 on Dec. 21, but a knee injury forced Ortega to exit the bout. Jung then dispatched replacement opponent Frankie Edgar via first-round technical knockout in the card’s new main event. Jung has won three of his last four UFC appearances, with his only defeat coming thanks to a Hail Mary KO from Yair Rodriguez in November 2018.

Ortega has not c…

Curtis Blaydes, Derrick Lewis to Meet in Main Event of UFC Card on Nov. 28

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A heavyweight showdown pitting Curtis Blaydes against Derrick Lewis will serve as the main event of a UFC card on Nov. 28.

ESPN was first to report the booking. A location for the event has not been announced.

"I'm happy and excited about it," Blaydes told ESPN. "This is the one I asked for, and I'm happy the UFC listened and made it a main event. I know Derrick Lewis is a name, he has a large following and a win over him will solidify my case as the next one to go after the heavyweight title. I know [Francis] Ngannou is up next, and I want to build my case for after him.”

Blaydes has won four straight bouts since a 45-second TKO loss to current heavyweight No. 1 contender Francis Ngannou at UFC Fight Night 141 in November 2018. Most recently, Blaydes earned a five-round verdict against Alexander Volkov in the …

UFC 252 Preliminary Card Averages 831,000 Viewers on ESPN

Just ate it @JimMiller_155 was absolutely unfazed by Pichel's headkick.

Prelims close now on @ESPN pic.twitter.com/l5lRfLjArr

— UFC (@ufc) August 16, 2020 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. The UFC 252 preliminary card averaged 831,000 viewers this past Saturday on ESPN, according to ShowBuzz Daily.

That ranks as the fifth best offering for a pay-per-view preliminary card on ESPN thus far in 2020. However, it does surpass the ratings of the last two cards, UFC 250 (775,000) and UFC 251 (809,000). The highest rated prelims of 2020 remains UFC 246, with 1.767 million viewers for the lead-in to a pay-per-view headlined by Conor McGregor’s Octagon return.

The UFC 252 prelims, which featured a lightweight clash between Vinc Pichel and Jim Miller, peaked at 1.2 million viewers for the broadcast. That card also secured a 0.29 rati…

Shane Kruchten vs. Lance Gibson Jr. Removed from Friday’s Bellator 244 Card

Bellator 244 is now down one fight, as a proposed lightweight clash between Shane Kruchten and Lance Gibson Jr. has been removed from Friday’s card.

According to a promotion official, Kruchten was not licensed by the Mohegan Sun commission. MMAjunkie.com was first to report the cancellation.

As it currently stands, Bellator 244 will move forward with 11 bouts. The card takes place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, and is headlined by a light heavyweight title clash between Ryan Bader and Vadim Nemkov. The evening’s main card airs on Paramount Network and Dazn at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT, while the prelims stream immediately prior on Bellator’s YouTube channel beginning at 7:30 ET/4:30 PT. Kruchten vs. Gibson Jr. was slated for the preliminary draw.

The 36-year-old Kruchten is 0-2 with the California-based promotion after being finished by Aaron Pico and Daniel Straus in his first two appearances. The 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu representative is 12-5 as a …

Mauricio Rua-Paul Craig Rematch Added to UFC 255 Lineup on Nov. 21

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A light heavyweight rematch between Mauricio Rua and Paul Craig has been scheduled for UFC 255.

ESPN was first to report the booking. UFC 255 takes place on Nov. 21 and is headlined by a flyweight championship tilt between Deiveson Figueiredo and Cody Garbrandt. In the co-main event, Valentina Shevchenko will defend her 125-pound belt against Jennifer Maia. A location for the event has not been announced.

Rua and Craig initially squared off at UFC Fight Night 164, where their clash ended in a split draw this past November.

“Shogun” returned to the win column in his most recent outing, as he captured a split-decision triumph over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC on ESPN 14 on July 25. The 38-year-old Brazilian has been victorious in five of his last seven Octagon appearances dating back to 2015.

Craig was …

Welsh Prospect Ben Ellis to Square Off with Kingsley Crawford at CW 115

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TqKQUNk5JA&w=560&h=315]

Cage Warriors 115 has added an exciting clash between two up-and-coming fighters.

Welshman Ben Ellis is taking on Kingsley Crawford in a 145-pound clash at the second of the three events Cage Warriors announced for its September return. A person with knowledge of the situation informed Sherdog about the matchup, which was then confirmed by a promotion official.

Ellis (2-0) is arguably one of the most promising young talents fighting out of Wales at the moment. He made his pro debut last year after a brilliant amateur career that ended with a record of 7-0. So far, all his fights have ended in the opening stanza, as he trashed both Brad Evans and Rafael Skouras at CW 104 and CW 108, respectively.

Crawford (5-2) is currently riding a two-bout streak after he steamrolled Scott Butters at CW 111 before submitting Lewis Monarch via triangle choke at CW 113. So fa…

‘Rumble’ Johnson Enters Drug Testing Pool, Plans UFC Return at Light Heavyweight

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It appears that Anthony Johnson will be cutting weight when he makes his long-awaited comeback to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Johnson’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, told ESPN that “Rumble” will enter the UFC’s drug testing pool this week. He must be available for testing six months before he is eligible to fight again. Johnson removed him self from USADA testing following a loss to Daniel Cormier in a 205-pound title bout at UFC 210 in April 2017.

While Johnson initially considered making a return at heavyweight after watching the Cormier-Stipe Miocic rematch at UFC 241, “Rumble” is now planning on competing in the light heavyweight division.

Johnson’s news comes on the heels of Cormier’s retirement following a loss to Miocic in their trilogy at UFC 252 and the announcement that Jon Jones has vacated his lig…

UFC 252 Medical Suspensions: Miocic, Cormier Both Require Clearance from Eye Doctor

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Eye pokes were once again a story in the third meeting between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier, so it’s no surprise that both will need medical clearance from eye specialists.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission released a full list of medical suspensions from UFC 252 on Monday. Miocic retained his heavyweight crown with a unanimous decision victory over Cormier in Saturday’s main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Miocic, who underwent surgery after being poked in the eye in his second bout with Cormier, was on the receiving end of another foul in the opening stanza at UFC 252. The Strong Style Fight Team member must have retinal specialist clearance on his left eye before he can compete at again. At a minimum he is suspended until Sept. 30 with no contact until Sept. 15.

Cormier, meanwhile, endured an eye pok…

Jon Jones Says He’s Officially Vacated UFC Light Heavyweight Title

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Jon Jones is no longer king of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s light heavyweight division.

The reigning light heavyweight champion announced via Twitter on Monday that he has officially vacated his 205-pound belt.

“Just got off the phone with [the UFC],” Jones wrote. “Today I confirm that I’m vacating the light heavyweight championship. It’s officially up for grabs. It’s been an amazing journey, sincere thank you to all my competition, UFC and most importantly, you fans.”

Just got off the phone with @Ufc, today I confirm that I’m vacating the light heavyweight championship. It’s officially up for grabs. It’s been an amazing journey, sincere thank you to all my competition, Ufc and most importantly you fans.

— BONY (@JonnyBones) August 17, 2020

Jones threatened to vacate the belt …

Daniel Cormier Releases Statement After UFC 252 Loss: ‘Been a Helluva Ride, Huh?’

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Outside of a post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Daniel Cormier didn’t get to say his piece following a unanimous decision loss to Stipe Miocic in the UFC 252 main event this past weekend.

Cormier was transported to a nearby hospital shortly thereafter to be treated for a potential injury that resulted from an accidental eye poke by Miocic in the third round of their heavyweight title clash. As a result, “DC” did not attend Saturday’s post-fight press conference to further address his future.

However, Cormier has frequently said UFC 252 would be his last fight, and a statement issued on his Instagram account Monday seemed to confirm those plans. The American Kickboxing Academy captain was classy in defeat, thanking, Miocic, his family, fans, team and the UFC for all the support over the years.

“Thank you all fo…

Edson Barboza vs. Sodiq Yusuff Targeted for UFC’s Oct. 10 Event

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A featherweight matchup pitting Edson Barboza against Sodiq Yusuff is in the works for the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s Oct. 10 card.

Multiple outlets confirmed the booking following an initial report from Combate. That means that a previously reported bout between Barboza and Jeremy Stephens that was targeted for Oct. 3 did not come to fruition. The Oct. 10 card is expected to take place on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, though a location has not been officially confirmed.

Barboza made his 145-pound debut at UFC on ESPN 8, where he dropped a narrow split verdict against Dan Ige. The 35-year-old Brazilian has lost five of his last six Octagon appearances, with his lone victory coming over Dan Hooker at UFC on Fox 31 during that slump.

Yusuff, 27, has emerged as a prospect to watch in the featherweight division a…

Anderson Silva Discusses Potential Anthony Pettis Bout, Son’s Future in MMA

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Brazilian sports television program "Esporte Espetacular," broadcast by Rede Globo every Sunday morning, recently aired an extensive interview with Anderson Silva and his son, Gabriel Silva.

In a video produced by MMA journalists Raphael Marinho and Marcelo Barone from Combate.com, Anderson Silva revealed that after two surgeries he is already training for a UFC return either at the end of 2020 or the beginning of next year. “The Spider” is just waiting on the UFC to confirm Anthony Pettis as his next opponent.

"UFC owes me a super fight by contract. Conor [McGregor] called me out right after my fight with [Israel] Adesanya. Our team talked to his team and we agreed upon a bout at [170 pounds], but something happened and UFC decided to not make it,” Silva said. “Then Anthony Pettis proposed that super fight, and I li…

UFC Vet Craig White Set to Square Off with James Webb at Cage Warriors 115

HIGH LEVEL.

Former champion @JamesWebbMMA takes on @theTHNDRcat at CW115!

An important fight for 2 of Europe's elite at 185lbs. pic.twitter.com/7ZrkOcU1Cf — Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) August 17, 2020

Two former Cage Warriors champions are colliding in a 185-pound clash.

Former welterweight champion Craig White is moving up to the middleweight division to take on the former divisional champion James Webb at CW 115. MMA Junkie initially reported the news before the British promotion officially announced it on Monday morning.

Ultimate Fighting Championship alum White (14-11) is looking to bounce back from a four-bout skid. White's stint in the UFC didn't go according to plan, as "The Thundercat" was first steamrolled by Neil Magny at UFC Fight Night 130 before dropping a decision to Diego Sanchez at UFC 228. After his Cage Warriors return, he was edged by Joilton Lutterbach at CW 102, and then he had to verbally tap out to Lou…

Lukasz Rajewski Set to Clash with Bartlomiej Kopera in Lightweight Affair at KSW 54

Two brothers will compete on the same KSW card.

On Sunday morning, a person with knowledge of the situation informed Sherdog that Lukasz Rajewski would be locking horns with Bartlomiej Kopera in a lightweight clash at KSW 54. The Polish organization officially announced the match a few hours later.

In his latest cage appearance, Rajewski (9-6-1NC) submitted Piotr Przepiorka via rear-naked Choke in the third stanza of their encounter at Babilon MMA 11. Prior, "Raju" went on a three-bout skid. His last KSW appearance dates back to the KSW 44 event, when he submitted Leo Zulic thanks to a kneebar in the opening stanza in June 2018.

Kopera (9-5) is still looking for his first victory under the KSW banner. So far, he dropped a couple of decisions to Filip Wolanski and Maciej Kazieczko at KSW 42 and KSW 47, respectively.

On the same night, "Raju"'s brother, Sebastian Rajewski (8-5), will put his four-bout winning streak on the line agains…

Dana White’s Contender Series Weigh-in Results: All Fighters Cleared for Competition

There were no issues on the scales for Week 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series, as all 10 fighters slated for action made weight without issue.

Dana White’s Contender Series takes place on Tuesday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and features a welterweight showdown pitting Victor Reyna against Louis Cosce. Reyna weighed in at 170.5 pounds on Monday, while Cosce tipped the scales at 170 pounds. The Contender Series streams on ESPN+ beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Reyna appeared on Season 3 of the Contender Series, where he dropped a unanimous verdict to current UFC talent Miguel Baeza in June 2019. He has since rebounded from that defeat, posting a three-round verdict over Nick Gay under the Combate Americas banner to run his career mark to 11-4.

Cosce is unbeaten in six professional outings, with each of those victories coming via knockout, technical knockout or submission. Most recently, the Lost Boys Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai representative scored an 18-second kn…