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It took the Ultimate Fighting Championship one day to rope in a middleweight happy to headline an event at the Apex.

On Thursday, news broke that Marvin Vettori had suffered an injury and could no longer compete against Brendan Allen (23-5) at UFC Fight Night 240. In his stead will be Chris Curtis (31-10, 1 NC), preserving the middleweight main attraction on April 6. The UFC made this announcement on Friday, running back a fight that first took place in December 2021.

When they first met at UFC on ESPN 31, Curtis was riding a six-fight win streak, including a victory inside the Octagon as an unexpected middleweight threat. “The Action Man” dropped the first round but came back in the second stanza, hurting and ultimately putting Allen away with punches and knees. Since then, Curtis has maintained a UFC record slightly over .500 while beating Rodolfo Vieira, Joaquin Buckley and Marc-Andre Barriault to remain a 185-pound contender.

Since suffering the knockout lo…

Matheus Pereira put on a thrilling performance to walk away with a third-round guillotine choke submission victory against Khasan Khaliev in their ONE Friday Fights 55 lightweight showcase on Friday at the Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. It was the lone mixed martial arts contest on the bill.

Both competitors came out exchanging a few kicks to the legs and breadbasket before Khaliev managed to catch one and take his foe to the ground. However, the Brazilian was able to get back to his feet when Khaliev attempted to land a punch from top. Khaliev was quick to shoot in for a single-leg, only to be thrown to the canvas by the Brazilian, who followed him to the ground with a thunderous right hand from top. A hurt but relentless Khaliev found the space to attack with another takedown, eventually finding his way back to his feet. A visibly gassed Khaliev then attempted to clinch with the bigger Pereira, who was quick to drop him with a sneaky uppercut. Instead of go…

One half the #UFCVegas88 main event is locked in! 🔒@BamBamTuivasa weighs in at 265.5lbs

[ LIVE tomorrow on @ESPNPlus | 7pmET/4pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/fZEb8p4sL0

— UFC (@ufc) March 15, 2024 The weigh-ins were anything but smooth on Friday morning ahead of the upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship show.

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Headlining UFC Fight Night 239 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas is an intriguing heavyweight fight between the hard-hitting Tai Tuivasa and Poland's Marcin Tybura. The Australian will be the larger man in the cage as he weighs 18.5 pounds more than "Tybur." As for the rest of the card, three competitors came in overweight: Natan Levy (.5 pounds), Chelsea Chandler (one pound) and Danny Silva (2.5 pounds). All three will be fined 20% of their respective purses.

A fan-favorite in the Octagon, Tuivasa (14-6) is looking to bounce back from a three-fight losing streak. While "Bam Bam" has struggled recently, it has been to the …

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has three weeks to come up with a top-10 middleweight or an upcoming show will be in dire straits.

As first reported by Fight Bananas on Thursday, and subsequently confirmed by multiple outlets, Marvin Vettori (19-7-1) will no longer be competing in the main event of UFC Fight Night 240 on April 4. The reasons for his withdrawal are currently undisclosed. His foe Brendan Allen (23-5) suggested earlier on Thursday on Instagram that the fight was off, while calling for names including Jared Cannonier, Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya.

This marks the first time that “The Italian Dream” has pulled out of a UFC fight. The veteran middleweight has had numerous fight cancelations over the years, but none had been previously attributed to him. The former title challenger has struggled as of late, alternating wins and losses since a clear-cut defeat to champion Adesanya in 2021. While the newfound Xtreme Couture product pulled off wins …

Huge Announcement: Today marks the official launch of FIGHT NIGHT AT THE TECH! This event will feature premier mixed martial arts series at Tech CU Arena on Saturday, May 18.

Tickets go on sale Monday 3/18 at 10AM. pic.twitter.com/tLH6cXnZRG

— Tech CU Arena (@TechCUArena) March 13, 2024 If former Bellator MMA head Scott Coker had to sign a non-compete agreement after leaving the company, it was not very strict.

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The Tech CU Arena, which operates in San Jose, California, and is also home to the San Jose Barracuda AHL hockey team, made an announcement on Wednesday that it would be the location of a new MMA league. The organization, called “Fight Night at the Tech,” is co-founded by Coker and longtime MMA veteran Gilbert Melendez. On May 18, the first of a series of events will run in this arena.

Details are otherwise sparse on the new promotion, including any combatants or broadcast information. MMA Junkie reported that …

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While Tai Tuivasa would prefer every fight to end within 10 seconds, it doesn’t mean he isn’t prepared for a five-rounder.

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Tuivasa (14-6) was originally scheduled to fight Marcin Tybura (24-8) at UFC 298 last month but couldn’t recover in time from a meniscus surgery.

“Bam Bam” will now take on Tybura in the main event at UFC Fight Night 239 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday. While their UFC 298 clash was scheduled for three rounds, the new main event booking is for five rounds.

Although Tuivasa admits he doesn’t prefer a long fight, the Australian certainly has been preparing for one.

“He gave me five rounds and my coaches didn’t let me down. And I know Marcin can fight those five rounds and he can fight them hard. Which is something we’ve been preparing from. I don’t like going the rounds, but I’ve never gassed out. My fitness is good, I feel good, but to be honest I want to get this party started, I want to get …

While Corey Anderson isn’t fretting about his missed trilogy clash against Vadim Nemkov, “Overtime” is hoping for an opportunity to make things right down the line.

Nemkov vacated the Bellator MMA light heavyweight title earlier this year in favor of a full-time move to heavyweight, robbing Anderson (17-6) of the opportunity to avenge his loss. Anderson now will fight surging light heavyweight contender Karl Moore (12-2) for the vacant strap in the main event at Bellator 302 on March 22 at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

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While Anderson would have preferred to face Nemkov for the title once again, winning the belt is a priority for the Ultimate Fighting Championship alum. Anderson hasn’t lost all hope of avenging his loss to Nemkov though, keeping the door open for a matchup at both light heavyweight and heavyweight.

“I’m disappointed in the fact that I don't get to fight Nemkov again right now. But the title fight is the title fight, y…

Having fought all around the globe, Jeremy Kennedy didn’t have to think twice before accepting a short-notice title shot against Patricio “Pitbull” Freire.

Freire (35-7) was originally scheduled to defend his featherweight strap against Professional Fighters League 2023 champ Jesus Pinedo at the PFL vs. Bellator Champs card in Saudi Arabia last month. However, a week before the fight, Pinedo was replaced by PFL runner-up Gabriel Braga, who pulled out hours before the weigh-ins.

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The promotion didn’t waste time in finding Pitbull an opponent for the co-main event at Bellator 302 on March 22 at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Kennedy (19-3), who has been rallying for a tilt against Pitbull for a while now, accepted the bout offer at the drop of a hat.

“I mean I was following along obviously because I was planning on meeting Pitbull later on in the year, so I was following along with his opponents falling through and [Jesus] Pinedo …

The worst may be behind MMA legend Mark Coleman, who is alert and responsive in the hospital after rescuing his parents from a house fire.

On Tuesday morning, Coleman was airlifted to a local hospital after saving his parents from a fire at their home, and he was in critical condition for smoke inhalation. The emergency recovery efforts have gone well, as the medical personnel have reportedly cleared a great deal of material from his lungs to allow him to regain consciousness and speak again. “The Hammer” is no longer on a machine to assist his breathing, as he is breathing on his own, according to a post on Thursday from daughter McKenzie.

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“Update: this is Kenzie. God is good. Miracles do happen. Our dad is breathing on his own. We still have a long road ahead of us but we are truly thankful. We want to thank you all for the love and support from the bottom of our hearts,” she wrote on social media.

While the caption thanked everyone for support a…

A March 8 question and answer session in Miami held to promote UFC 300 was the platform for offensive fan behavior.

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In addition to Arman Tsarukyan (21-3) being insulted and receiving death threats from fans, “Ahalkalkets” was also asked an inappropriate question about Kayla Harrison (16-1) who was sharing the stage with him. While the exchange between Tsarukyan and the fan was in Russian, translations flooded the internet shortly after.

The fan reportedly asked Tsarukyan “how many sticks” he would throw at Harrison, which seemingly translates to whether he would have sex with her. Tsarukyan answered with, “a couple,” apparently in the affirmative.

Harrison, who was tagged in endless clips of the exchange on social media, finally addressed the issue during an appearance on “The MMA Hour.”

“The guy asked him [Tsarukyan] basically how many times he would… He asked him a really inappropriate question about me. And Arman answered it. And I loo…

After an impressive win against Drew Dober last month, Renato Carneiro’s request for another ranked opponent was granted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

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“Moicano” will face Jalin Turner at UFC 300 on April 13 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Carneiro vs. Turner was the last fight added to the promotion’s landmark event.

"I thought [my opponent] would be the [No. 9 in UFC rankings] Dan Hooker in Brazil, but I couldn't deny the invitation to be on a historic card like this one at UFC 300 fighting Turner, [who is above me in the rankings],“ Carneiro told Sherdog.com.

"Of course five weeks is not ideal, but that's not a problem to someone who already accepted a fight on three days’ notice against a former champion, like [Rafael dos Anjos].”

Carneiro won’t change much in regards to his preparation for Turner, who has finished all 14 of his victories inside the distance and is coming off a first-round knockout of Bobby Gr…

It’s official 🥊 and it's happening!! Deadman walking @NateDiaz209 June 1 – early pricing on sale NOW!!! @Fanmio (LINK IN BIO)

Get the PPV at https://t.co/KrkcgxWZFu pic.twitter.com/Kkq5rZG8k3

— Jorge Masvidal (@GamebredFighter) March 13, 2024

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The second meeting between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz will come under boxing rules.

The popular UFC veterans will square off in a 10-round boxing match on June 1 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. The bout will be contested at 175 pounds and be available via pay-per-view through Fanmio. The event can be purchased for $49.99 through April 12, but after that the price point will rise to $79.99. The matchup was initially announced on "The MMA Hour” on Wednesday.

Masvidal and Diaz initially fought for the inaugural BMF title at UFC 244 in November 2019, with “Gamebred” winning via doctor stoppage after three rounds. Masvidal would lose his next four Octagon appearances — includin…

A lightweight clash between Grant Dawson and Joe Solecki has been targeted for UFC 302.

Dawson confirmed the pairing following an initial report from MMAFighting.com. UFC 302 takes place on June 1 and is expected to be held at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. A headliner for the event has not been announced.

After going unbeaten in his first 10 Octagon appearances, Dawson suffered a 33-second knockout loss in his last outing at UFC Fight Night 229 this past October. The American Top Team product owns victories over the likes of Damir Ismagulov, Mark O. Madsen, Jared Gordon and Leonardo Santos during his promotional tenure.

Solecki, meanwhile, is 5-2 in UFC competition since appearing on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2019. Most recently, Solecki suffered a first-round knockout loss against Drakkar Klose at UFC on ESPN 52 on Dec. 2.

Jack Della Maddalena’s victory over Gilbert Burns might be even a little more impressive than it initially seemed.

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The Australian welterweight’s coach, Tim Simpson, revealed on Instagram that his fighter suffered a broken arm early in the UFC 299.

“Jack Della Maddalena’s arm snapped clean early in the fight,” Simpson wrote. “Rallied for a finish in the third. Soldier! P.S. Gilbert kicks hard!”

🚨| Jack Della Maddalena’s manager, Tim Simpson, has revealed that the Australian broke his arm early in the fight with Gilbert Burns at #UFC299. 😳 pic.twitter.com/89nZtn81to

— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) March 13, 2024

That injury didn’t prevent Della Maddalena from rallying for a technical knockout victory at the 3:43 mark of Round 3. The Scrappy MMA product set the stage for the comeback by landing a knee on Burns as he attempted a takedown before sealing the victory with a barrage of elbows on the canvas. The 27-year-old Madd…

Contrary to popular belief, Michael Page claims a fight against Stephen Thompson could be “boring.”

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Page made his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut at UFC 299 on March 9 against Kevin Holland. “Venom” completely outclassed the American on the feet over the course of three rounds, also putting on a show with his signature showboating. While he believes he could have gotten the finish, Page thinks he has done enough to draw potential opponents rather than him having to chase anyone.

At the moment, Page doesn’t have a particular opponent in mind.

“Nobody specific,” he told Sportsnet “I don’t care to call anybody’s name. I feel like I put a spotlight on myself, there will be people that are drawn to me. I want that challenge, so let’s go from there.”

Page’s performance against Holland immediately gave rise to talks of a booking with fellow elite striker Stephen Thompson. However, Page claims that a clash between the two could lead to an…

Gilbert Burns has issued a statement addressing his loss to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 299.

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After surviving an early onslaught from Maddalena, Burns took his Australian foe down towards the end of the first and spent almost the entirety of the second round in top control. While Maddalena was visibly inflicting damage in every striking exchange, Burns landed a takedown in the third as well. Having won the first two frames on two of the judges’ scorecards, “Durinho” seemed to be on the way to a decision win if he could just stay on top of the Australian. However, Maddalena got back to his feet with a desperate scramble and landed a massive knee before unleashing a flurry to get the finish with less than a minute and a half left.

Burns has now addressed the loss, blaming it on a mistake he made in the fight. “Durinho” also didn’t take anything away from Maddalena’s victory and gave him due credit.

“Felt great in there! Put on a great training c…

Merab Dvalishvili sounds confident that Sean O'Malley won’t get a double-champ bid before fighting him.

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Dvalishvili extended his winning streak to 10 with a dominant decision win over former two-division champion Henry Cejudo at UFC 298 last month. “The Machine” was logically expected to be the opponent for Sean O’Malley’s first title defense before “Sugar” called out Marlon Vera.

O’Malley put on a striking clinic to defend his strap against “Chito” via unanimous decision at UFC 299 on March 9, avenging the lone professional loss of his career. Awaiting his long-deserved title shot next, Dvalishvili, who was sitting cage side, expected O’Malley to call him out. However, “The Machine” was “mad” to hear O’Malley call out featherweight champion Ilia Topuria instead.

While O’Malley is plotting a double-champ bid against Topuria, “El Matador” has dismissed the callout until “Sugar” defends his strap against Dvalishvili. “The Machine” believes the…

Dylan Budka will make his short-notice Ultimate Fighting Championship debut against fellow newcomer Cesar Almeida on April 6.

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Almeida was originally scheduled to face Josh Fremd in a middleweight bout at UFC Fight Night 240 on April 6 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. However, Budka has now stepped in on three weeks’ notice for Fremd, who was forced out due to an injury. The change was first reported by MMAjunkie.com.

Fremd also provided an update on his Instagram Stories, although he didn’t specify the injury. The 30-year-old fighter hopes to avoid surgery and make a return this summer.

“For the [three people] who follow my career: Unfortunately I had to pull [out] from my fight April 6. Been trying to work through an injury to make it to the fight,” Fremd wrote. “I’ve had a series of things out of my control happen, which really aggravated this injury to the point I can't train at full clip [right now]. Hoping to avoid surgery, hit PT really …

Mark Coleman saved both his parents from a raging house fire, then went back in for the dog. He had to be lifeflighted to the hospital.

If anyone can beat back death itself, it's Mark.

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We were close to doing a book and it would have been a fascinating ride. A big, badass life. pic.twitter.com/Ll7ILAP995 — Jonathan Snowden (@JESnowden) March 12, 2024

Mark Coleman is fighting for his life after saving his parents from a fire at their home in Fremont, Ohio, on Tuesday.

According to an Instagram post from his daughter, Morgan Coleman, the UFC Hall of Famer was airlifted to a local hospital, where he is currently in critical condition due to smoke inhalation.

“As many know, our dad was involved in a house fire early this morning along with his parents and beloved dog, hammer,” Morgan Coleman wrote. “He managed to carry both of his parents out of the house but despite his best efforts was not able to save [our dog] Hamm…

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Valentina Shevchenko doesn’t want the weight of Mexican Independence Day bearing down on her trilogy clash with Alexa Grasso.

Shevchenko and Grasso will serve as rival coaches on “The Ultimate Fighter 32,” which features a middleweight and featherweight cast. The two are expected to clash for the third time sometime after the series concludes, potentially at UFC 306 on Sept. 14, when Dana White has vowed to put on a one-of-kind spectacle at The Sphere in Las Vegas in celebration of Mexican Independence Day. Having already fought Grasso once on a Noche UFC card last year, Shevchenko wants to have something celebrating her home country of Kyrgyzstan in the trilogy fight.

“I think more fair it’s gonna be one for her, one for me,” Shevchenko said during a promotional press conference for “TUF 32.” “We fought on Mexican Independence Day before. Now we have to find out something with Kyrgyzstan. Even now, I was briefly looking for the [TUF] fighters.…

A light heavyweight clash pitting Anthony Smith against Vitor Petrino has been added to the UFC 301 lineup.

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Multliple outlets confirmed the pairing following an initial report from Laerte Viana. UFC 301 takes place on May 4 at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro. A headliner for the event has not been announced.

A former 205-pound title challenger, Smith has lost three of his last four Octagon appearances. Most recently, the 35-year-old “Lionheart” suffered a third-round technical knockout defeat against Khalil Rountree at UFC Fight Night 233 on Dec. 9.

The 26-year-old Petrino is undefeated in 11 professional outings — including four fights under the UFC banner. The Dana White's Contender Series alum was victorious in his first bout of 2024, a three-round verdict over Tyson Pedro at UFC Fight Night 238 on March 2.

#Madonna's "Celebration" tour has been a smash hit, earning rave reviews and leaving fans breathless.

To mark the tour's grand finale, the star is throwing a FREE concert for fans in Rio de Janeiro. Click below for details. (📸: MEGA) https://t.co/PmryIpnSZM pic.twitter.com/ylNQ3aQFy3

— Q Magazine (@QMagazine) March 11, 2024

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A high-profile concert could potentially take attention away from the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s upcoming pay-per-view in Rio de Janeiro.

While it has yet to be confirmed, there are multiple reports that pop star Madonna will perform a massive show at Copacabana Beach on May 4 — the same day as UFC 301. Because the show will be free with an estimated audience of more than 1 million people, it has already made a significant impact in Brazil, with thousands of fans reserving hotels and making plans to attend even before the show was confirmed.

That scheduling conflict is just the latest p…

As if his impressive UFC 299 victory over Benoit St. Denis wasn’t message enough, Dustin Poirier had a few words for UFC CEO Dana White in the immediate aftermath of the win.

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When an unranked St. Denis called out Poirier last November, “The Diamond” was initially dismissive of the callout. Poirier was taken by surprise when the Ultimate Fighting Championship called him up with the offer and had to find inner motivation to accept the fight.

An underdog going into his UFC 299 clash against “God of War,” Poirier struggled in wrestling exchanges in the opening. However, Louisiana’s finest came from behind to shut St. Denis lights out with a right hook in the second round.

Having already made a statement with the nature of his win, “The Diamond” then walked over to the UFC head honcho to share a few words. While it initially seemed like Poirier was talking to former U.S. President Donald Trump, Poirier revealed that his message was for White.

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