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Brian Ortega did everything in his power to remain on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 165 card in Busan, South Korea, but it simply wasn’t meant to be.

The former featherweight title challenger revealed on the "UFC Unfiltered” podcast that he suffered a partially torn ACL in training over Thanksgiving weekend.

“It was during wrestling,” Ortega said. “It was a Friday, Thanksgiving Friday or somewhere around there and I went to spar, regular sparring, whatever did everything. I have two fresh guys every two and a half minutes, fourth round I had the second fresh guy and he went for a single leg against the wall and I tried to get out of it.

“He hiked it up, my knee stayed against the wall, my ankle went up and I just heard a big old tear. I heard a crazy noise in it and trying to figure out what it was and he thought it was the Velcro from my shin pad. I was like no dude, that was my knee.”

The injury forced Ortega to withdraw from a headlining clash against Chan …

Some of the main components of this past Saturday’s UFC 245 card are facing potentially lengthy layoffs — including headliners Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington.

Both Usman and Covington looking at 180-day terms, according to medical suspensions released by the Nevada Athletic Commission. Usman, who retained his welterweight crown via fifth-round TKO at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, is out for sixth months unless an x-ray of his left thumb is cleared by a physician. At a minimum, the champ is suspended for 30 days with no contact for 21 days.

Covington, meanwhile, will be sidelined 180 days unless his jaw injury is cleared by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. “Chaos” is also suspended for 60 days with no contact for 45 days.

New featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is suspended 180 days unless he receives clearance on an x-ray of his right hand. Volkanovski defeated Max Holloway by unanimous decision in the UFC 245 co-main event to claim 145-pound gold…

It appears that Megan Anderson will return to the Octagon in early 2020.

Anderson announced on her website that she will be facing promotional newcomer Norma Dumont at UFC Norfolk on Feb. 29. No other bouts have been confirmed for the event, which takes place at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va.

A former Invicta featherweight champion, Anderson is coming off a first-round submission of Zarah Fairn dos Santos at UFC 243 this past October. The 29-year-old is 2-2 in the Las Vegas-baed promotion and 9-4 as a professional overall.

“I really felt like I was able to showcase so much more of my skills and diversity in my last fight at UFC 243, and I’m finally in a place where I can truly show my potential inside the cage,” Anderson wrote on her blog. “I know a lot of people consider me solely a striker, and while I do prefer to punch people in the face haha I was so freaking excited to show all the hard work and improvements I’ve made in my wrestling and grappling!”

B…

It may be a little while before Colby Covington returns to the Octagon, but when he’s healthy, UFC president Dana White has an opponent in mind for the controversial American Top Team standout.

Covington lost to Kamaru Usman via fifth-round technical knockout in the UFC 245 headliner on Saturday, and the man known as “Chaos” suffered a “non-displaced midline mandible fracture” during the action.

“I don’t have a problem with him. I don’t have a problem with Covington,” White said at the UFC 245 post-fight press conference. “I’d love to do him and [Tyron] Woodley next. That would be a fun fight, but if he has a broken jaw, he ain’t going to be around for a minute. After a war like this, he’s going to have to go rest, take care of himself for a while and then we’ll see what he wants to do.”

Covington appeared to be on a collision course with Woodley after capturing the interim welterweight crown with a decision win over Rafael dos Anjos in June 2018. However, Coving…

Brandon Moreno was one of the casualties when it appeared the UFC was doing away with the flyweight division.

However, after a tenuous period, the weight class appears to have a home within the Las Vegas-based promotion and so too does “The Ultimate Fighter 24” alum. On Saturday, Moreno earned his first Octagon triumph since April 2017, as he outpointed Kai Kara-France in a matchup of young 125-pound contenders at UFC 245.

“I feel amazing. I feel a lot of peace in my heart, last year the UFC released me and that was a really dark part of my life,” Moreno said. “I went to fight in LFA and became their flyweight champion and started to feel better, but I always wanted to come back to UFC. I came back in September and got the draw, so it wasn’t as sweet, but now I’m back with my first official win again and I’m happy.”

After winning a title in Legacy Fighting Alliance, Moreno battled Askar Askarov to a split draw in his promotional return at UFC Fight Night 159 on S…

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyQR5RhT7GU&w=560&h=315]

With UFC 245 in the books, anticipation is already building for next month’s blockbuster matchup between Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone.

Over the weekend, the Las Vegas-based organization released the first promotional video for the UFC 246 headliner between McGregor and Cerrone. UFC 246 takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Jan. 18 and airs on pay-per-view.

It will be McGregor’s first fight since falling to Khabib Nurmagomedov in a lightweight title bout at UFC 229 in October 2018. Cerrone is one of the UFC’s most popular fighters and will return to welterweight for the matchup with the Irish star.

After going more than four years with out suffering a defeat in the Octagon, Max Holloway had a rough campaign in 2019 – at least by his standards.

“Blessed” lost for the second time in his last three outings at UFC 245, dropping a unanimous decision to Alexander Volkanovski and relinquishing his featherweight crown in the process. In April, Holloway lost a five-round verdict to Dustin Poirier in a bid for the interim lightweight belt at UFC 236.

Judges scored Saturday’s contest 48-47, 48-47 and 50-45 in favor of Volkanovski, who battered Holloway with low kicks and never allowed Holloway to unleash his trademark volume. Still, Holloway did get stronger as the bout progressed, and he felt he did enough to get the nod.

“First round, I was feeling him out, so he did what he did in the first round,” Holloway said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “Second round I thought I was taking over and then three, four, five, I thought was mine.

“But they saw it…

Kamaru Usman said leading up to his headlining bout at UFC 245 on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas that he had no intention of losing his welterweight title.

When he exited the famed Octagon on Saturday night, he left no doubt that he is the world’s best at 170 pounds as he turned away hated rival Colby Covington by technical knockout at the 4:10 mark of the fifth round. But the contest was not a walk in the park, as the Nigerian withstood an early storm from the polarizing Covington (15-2) before finally getting the finish.

Covington stormed out of his corner in the first and dished out a seemingly endless volley of punches, most notably his overhand left. Usman absorbed plenty of strikes and in the first few minutes of their showdown, it seemed as though “The Nigerian Nightmare” might lose in his first world title defense. However, Usman (16-1) remained calm, stuck to his team’s game plan and eventually turned the tables on his challenger.

Usman apparent…

Colby Covington did not accept his defeat at UFC 245 gracefully.

The outspoken welterweight took to Twitter shortly after his loss to Kamaru Usman in Saturday’s headliner at the T-Mobile Arena to blast referee Marc Goddard. Covington lost by technical knockout in the fifth frame when he was dropped twice and finished with punches on the canvas at the 4:10 mark, but “Chaos” took issue with the stoppage in the aftermath.

“Normally, people do their f—-ing in the bedroom, not the Octagon [Marc Goddard]!” Covington wrote on Twitter. “I go in there to kill or be killed. You robbed me of that. You robbed the people of a fair fight.

“You should be ashamed of yourself. Fake nut shot. Fake eye poke. Fake stoppage. Fake ref.”

Normally people do their fucking in the bedroom, not the octagon @marcgoddard_uk! I go in there to kill or be killed. You robbed me of that. You robbed the people of a fair fight. You should be ashamed of yourself. Fak…

The ordering process for Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-views has changed: UFC 245 is only available on ESPN+ in the U.S.

Sherdog's live UFC 245 coverage will begin at 6:30 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:Keith Shillan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Keith Shillan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Keith Shillan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Keith Shillan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Keith Shillan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Keith Shillan scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Officia…

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The ordering process for Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-views has changed: UFC 245 is only available on ESPN+ in the U.S.[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTYILKTNtag&w=560&h=315] Fight Finder

Geoff @handzofsteelmma Neal melts Platinum #UFC245 pic.twitter.com/wtgEJtMIvV

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 15, 2019

The ordering process for Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-views has changed: UFC 245 is only available on ESPN+ in the U.S.

A new threat has emerged in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s welterweight division, and they call him “Handz of Steel.”

Fortis MMA mainstay Geoff Neal extended his winning streak to seven fights, as he dispatched Mike Perry with a head kick and follow-up punches in the first round of their featured UFC 245 prelim on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Perry (13-6, 6-6 UFC) wilted 90 seconds into Round 1, bowing to strikes for the first time in his 19-fight career.

Neal (13-2, 5-0 UFC) picked his spots. The 29-year-old blindsided Perry with a left high kick, pursued him to the fence and unleashed a volley of pinpoint lefts and rights. Referee Chris Tognoni gave “Platin…

Combate Americas returns to Stockton, California, this Friday for its first event on Axs TV.

The North America vs. South America-themed card will be headlined by a featherweight bout between Mexico's Horacio Gutierrez (145.4) and Peru's Luis Marlon Gonzales Campos (145). Gutierrez went 0-2 inside the Ultimate Fighting Championship but is undefeated within "La Jaula." "The Punisher" is coming off a knockout win over Chase Gibson, and will be looking to pick up a win over the far more experienced Campos. "Fortaleza" made his successful promotional debut in May after edging out a split decision over Pablo Villaseca, and will be looking to extend his win streak to four.

The Combate Americas: Stockton main card is set to air live on Axs TV on Friday at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Combate Americas Stockton Weigh-in Results Luis Marlon Gonzales Campos (145) vs. Horacio Gutierrez (145.4)Maritza Sanchez (134.8) vs. Kristina Pettigrew (135.3)Javier Reyes Rugeles (144.7) vs. Joe Nea…

One Championship will take to the Philippines in January with the 125-pound belt up for grabs.

The promotion released the lineup via press release on Thursday for the event titled "Fire & Fury." The card will take place on Jan. 31 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines. Competing for the strawweight (125-pound) strap will be champ Joshua Pacio (15-3) against Alex Silva (9-4). The event will also feature at least three Muay Thai bouts along with this title fight.

Pacio won his belt back against Yosuke Saruta in April when he knocked out his Japanese foe with a head kick in the fourth frame. He has since defended that title against Rene Catalan in November, tapping "D'Challenger" with an arm-triangle choke in Round 2. For "The Passion," 13 of his 15 career victories have come by stoppage, and he displayed his unusual submission prowess with a first-of-its-kind hammerlock submission of Pongsiri Mitsatit in 2018 with the promotion.

Silva has rattled of…

.@ufc returns to Columbus for the first time in 11 years with an action-packed UFC FIGHT NIGHT @NationwideArena on Saturday, March 28. for future bout announcements featuring top contenders and rising prospects. Tickets go on sale Friday, January 31. pic.twitter.com/m1DNYXQRSS

— Nationwide Arena (@NationwideArena) December 12, 2019

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has announced its return to Ohio for the first time in years.

The promotion announced on Thursday that it would return to Columbus, Ohio, for a Fight Night event at the Nationwide Arena on March 28. No bouts have been announced for the event yet, although several fighters including current heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic, former bantamweight king Cody Garbrandt, former flyweight title challenger Jessica Eye and all-action welterweight Matt Brown are from the Buckeye State.

The last time the Las Vegas-based organization travelled to Ohio came at UFC 203, when …

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OsTq58aI2A&w=560&h=315]

In Dana White’s mind, Amanda Nunes is already the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time.

“One hundred percent. She has destroyed everybody,” the UFC president recently told BT Sport. “Cris Cyborg, so many women feared her for years, Amanda Nunes destroyed her and basically beat her at her own game. She beat Ronda Rousey. She beat [Valentina] Shevchenko twice. She beat Germaine de Randamie. Miesha Tate. The list goes on and on. She viciously knocks people out. She’s a beast.”

It’s an impressive resume, to say the least. Nunes, a two-division champion, will defend her bantamweight crown against de Randamie in a rematch at UFC 245 on Saturday. In attendance will be Olympic gold medalist and boxing champion Claressa Shields, who has been linked to Nunes both in the Sweet Science and MMA. White confirmed that he has been in talks with Shields and her team, and the fighter will be present at the T-Mo…

Conor McGregor’s first Octagon appearance in more than a year will be at welterweight, but if is successful, a lightweight title shot could be next for the Irish star.

McGregor will square off with Donald Cerrone in a 170-pound bout at UFC 246 on Jan. 18, and reigning lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov will face Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 on April 18.

“If Conor can get through ‘Cowboy’ and if Khabib can get through Tony, then we’d be looking at a rematch between Conor and Khabib down the line here pretty soon,” UFC president Dana White told BT Sport in a recent interview.

That statement drew the ire of lightweight contender Justin Gaethje, who called the notion a “crock of s—t” on Twitter. Gaethje has been vocal in calling out McGregor in recent months. The former World Series of Fighting champion is not currently booked against an opponent.

Lol at @danawhite “if Conor gets through Cowboy”... what a crock of shit. http…

Former lightweight champion Brent Primus will meet Peter Queally in the Bellator Dublin co-main event.

Promotion officials initially confirmed the booking to MMAFighting.com. Bellator Dublin takes place at 3Arena on Feb. 22 and is headlined by a bantamweight duel between James Gallagher and Cal Ellenor.

Primus has competed infrequently of late, fighting just once per year since 2014. He claimed the 155-pound belt with an upset victory over Michael Chandler at Bellator 180 in June 2017 but lost the title in a rematch at Bellator 212. The Sports Lab representative has since rebounded to submit Tim Wilde with a gogoplata at Bellator Birmingham on May 4.

Queally, a Dublin native, is 1-1 thus far in his Bellator tenure. After dropping a split decision t Myles Price in his debut at Bellator 217, the SBG Ireland product scored a second-round TKO victory over Ryan Scope in his last outing at Bellator 227.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW1YbPAA4Pk&w=560&h=315]

For the first time in Ultimate Fighting Championship history, a husband and wife will compete on the same card.

Mark De La Rosa will face Raulian Paiva in a flyweight bout at UFC Fight Night in Rio Rancho, N.M., on Feb. 15, ESPN.com confirmed on Tuesday. That same night, Montana De La Rosa, Mark’s wife, will lock horns with Mara Romero Borello.

UFC Rio Rancho takes place at the Santa Ana Star Center and is headlined by a light heavyweight rematch between Corey Anderson and Jan Blachowicz. The card is expected to air on ESPN+.

Mark De La Rosa went 0-2 during his 2019 campaign, falling to Alex Perez and Kai Kara-France via unanimous decision in the Octagon. The 25-year-old Factory X representative is 2-3 in the UFC and 11-3 as a professional overall.

Paiva is looking for his first promotional triumph after dropping a split decision to Kara-France and losing to Rogerio Bontorin via TKO this past y…

Sergio Pettis will make his first Bellator foray early next year.

The UFC veteran will square off against Alfred Khashakyan in a bantamweight bout at Bellator 238 at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., on Jan. 25. Sherdog.com confirmed the booking with a promotion official following an initial report from MMAjunkie.com. Bellator 238 is headlined by a women’s featherweight title bout between Julia Budd and Cristiane Justino.

Pettis parted ways with the UFC earlier this year following a 14-bout stint with the Las Vegas-based promotion. The Roufusport product competed at both flyweight and bantamweight in the UFC but will remain at 135 pounds in Bellator. Pettis is coming off a unanimous decision triumph against Tyson Nam at UFC Fight Night 159 on Sept. 21.

Khashakyan might be best known for facing Sean O’Malley on the first season of Dana White’s Contender Series, where he suffered a first-round knockout loss in July 2017. He has won three straight fights since that de…

The UFC on ESPN 7 main card averaged 1.071 million viewers on Saturday night, according to ShowBuzz Daily.

That’s the third-highest figure for a card televised on ESPN in 2019 behind UFC on ESPN 1 (1.463 million viewers) and UFC on ESPN 3 (1.091 million). The last event, UFC on ESPN 6, aired on ESPN 2 and drew an average audience of 805,000 on a Friday night for a main card headlined by Dominick Reyes and Chris Weidman.

UFC on ESPN 7 took place at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., and saw Jairzinho Rozenstruik knock out Alistair Overeem at the 4:56 mark of the fifth round in the evening’s headliner. Ratings peaked at 1.4 million viewers for the main event.

Meanwhile, the UFC on ESPN 7 preliminary card attracted an average audience of 696,000 to the network. That’s the second highest rating for a UFC on ESPN prelim lineup this year behind UFC on ESPN 1. That portion of the card was topped by a welterweight duel between Tim Means and Thiago Alves, which Means …

Curtis Millender will square off against Moses Murrietta at Bellator 238.

Sherdog.com confirmed the booking with a promotion official on Tuesday following an initial report from FanSided. Bellator 238 takes place on Jan. 25 at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., and is headlined by a featherweight championship clash between Julia Budd and Cristiane Justino. Millender vs. Murrieta will be contested at a 175-pound catchweight.

Millender previously went 2-2 over the course of two separate stints with the California-based promotion. The 32-year-old Californian compiled a nine-fight winning streak from June 2016 to December 2018 that included a trio of triumphs in the UFC. Millender was released from the UFC after back-to-back losses to Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos and Belal Muhammad.

Murrietta, meanwhile, has competed for organizations such as Legacy Fighting Alliance and M-1 Challenge over the course of his professional tenure. The 30-year-old was successful in his lone pr…

UFC HISTORY

@ThugnastyMMA records the second twister EVER in the Octagon!

Action continues on @ESPN pic.twitter.com/vN85j7AAxC— UFC (@ufc) December 8, 2019

These days one can learn pretty much anything by watching YouTube, including rarely-seen mixed martial arts submissions.

Bryce Mitchell pulled off only the second twister in Ultimate Fighting Championship history on Saturday, as he tapped Matt Sayles with the maneuver 4:20 into the opening stanza at UFC on ESPN 7 in Washington, D.C. “Thug Nasty” says he initially picked up the move through observation.

“I’m a huge (10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu founder) Eddie Bravo fan and I got that from YouTube,” Mitchell said after the fight. “I worked so hard for this fight, I almost knew for sure that I was going to get him out of there.

“When I got a hold of Matt, I knew he was working every time he moved. I just had to be patient, you can’t go too early before they’re ready.…