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2nd generation fighter Taisei Sakuraba set to make his MMA debut in RIZIN, 31 December 2024. He brings a judo black belt background along with the amateur and catch wrestling lineage of his father, Kazushi. #RIZIN @KS_SAKU39 @rizin_PR pic.twitter.com/vR9ZdXKHfm

— Sᴛoo Fᴜʟᴛᴏɴ (@_StewartFulton) July 29, 2024 A Sakuraba will be competing in MMA again very soon.

In preparation for the Rizin 49 Decade event on Dec. 31, Rizin Fighting Federation sent out a press release announcing a trio of new matchups for the show at the Saitama Super Arena. Most notable of the three is the debut of Taisei Sakuraba (0-0), son of MMA legend Kazushi Sakuraba. He will be competing at 155 pounds, and his first bout in a ring will be against longtime vet Yusuke Yachi (27-14).

Sakuraba first began training while a teenager, studying judo until it blossomed into full-bore MMA practice. The youngster made his way on the scene in 2023, appearing at Quintet 4 and tapp…

A matchup of bantamweight prospects has been added to the UFC 311 card.

Ricky Turcios (11-3) will trade leather with Bernardo Sopai (12-4) at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. The matchup was first reported by Damon Martin. Turcios and Sopai were originally scheduled to headline UFC Vegas 100 in November but an injury forced Turcios out after weighing in for the contest.

Turcios has fought only four times in the UFC since his debut in 2021, going 2-2. “Pretty” most recently suffered a submission loss against Raul Rosas Jr. in his Octagon return after a hiatus of over a year and a half this past June.

Meanwhile, Albania’s Sopai came into the UFC as a highly-touted prospect with a near 100% finish rate. However, his UFC debut was foiled by Vinicius Oliveira with a vicious flying knee this past March.

🚨 Eddie Alvarez x Jeremy Stephens at BKFC Knucklemania V on Jan. 25 at Wells Fargo Center in Philly, per @arielhelwani pic.twitter.com/y0VlDAxOFL

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) November 19, 2024

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship stars will meet in a bare knuckle clash in January 2025.

Former UFC lightweights Eddie Alvarez (30-8) and Jeremy Stephens (29-21) are set to clash at BKFC Knucklemania 5 on Jan. 25 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The matchup was first reported by Ariel Helwani.

Stephens exited the UFC with a five-fight winless streak in 2021. “Lil’ Heathen” went on to compete in the Professional Fighters League’s 2022 Season, where he came up short in the semi-finals. Stephens then competed in a couple of boxing matches before signing with the BKFC last year. The 38-year-old has since picked up consecutive victories over Jimmie Rivera and most recently Bobby Taylor in September.

Meanwhile, Alvarez had a…

Shamil Gaziev will fight Thomas Petersen at #UFCSaudiArabia on February 1st. (first rep. @realkevink) #UFC #MMA #UFCESPN #UFC2025 pic.twitter.com/RwiLww3qD0

— Marcel Dorff 🇳🇱🇮🇩 (@BigMarcel24) November 20, 2024

A heavyweight matchup has been announced for UFC Saudi Arabia.

Shamil Gaziev is set to meet Thomas Petersen at a UFC Fight Night event on Feb. 1 at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Gaziev (13-1) made his promotional debut as an undefeated prospect at UFC 296 last year, where he knocked out Martin Buday. The Bahraini then faced a steep climb in competition against Jairzinho Rozenstruik, who handed him his first career loss by rendering him unable to continue beyond the fourth stanza. Gaziev has since bounced back with a unanimous decision win over Don'Tale Mayes in August.

Meanwhile, Petersen (9-2) earned his Ultimate Fighting Championship contract with a keylock submission win over Chandler Cole on the Dana Whit…

🚨Rematch!🚨

Brendan Allen will fight Anthony Hernandez on February 22, 2025, per sources

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The UFC event is eyed for Seattle pic.twitter.com/w1HMRZPycp — Alex Behunin (@AlexBehunin) November 19, 2024

Brendan Allen is set to trade leather against Anthony Hernandez in February 2025.

The middleweight prospects will meet in a rematch on Feb. 22, likely in Seattle. The matchup was first reported by Alex Behunin.

They first met in the LFA 32 main event in 2018 where “All in” dropped a unanimous decision against Hernandez. Hernandez (13-2) got a spot on Dana White’s Contender Series immediately after and a subsequent Ultimate Fighting Championship contract. While Hernandez went 1-2 to start his UFC journey, “Fluffy” has since completely turned his career around. Hernandez is currently on a spectacular six-fight winning streak with five finishes, leaving behind the likes of Marc-Andre Barriault, Roman Kopylov and M…

Dana White is NOT happy with the updated pound-for-pound rankings after Jon Jones' win at #UFC309

"I have to get rid of these CLOWNS!!"#UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/8ORJpjmVvS

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 19, 2024

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Dana White is so angry about the Ultimate Fighting Championship rankings system that he might change it for good.

The UFC rankings are decided by the votes of a panel of media members whom White has been criticizing for years. The UFC head honcho’s primary grouse seemingly is Jon Jones (28-1) not topping the pound-for-pound list.

Jones refused to unify his heavyweight title against interim champ Tom Aspinall (15-3) and chose to fight Stipe Miocic (20-5), who was inactive for three years. However, White thoroughly defended “Bones,” also rallying for him to be branded the P4P king. Jones successfully defended his strap with a third-round technical knockout over Miocic at UFC 309 in New York l…

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Michael Page is anticipating a standup fest in a potential clash against Sharabutdin Magomedov.

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Two of the most dynamic strikers on the Ultimate Fighting Championship roster, Page (23-3) and Magomedov (15-0) have recently been teasing a clash for UFC Saudi Arabia in February 2025. Page acknowledged Magomedov’s unorthodox striking, which was further highlighted by a double spinning backfist knockout win over Armen Petrosyan at UFC 308 last month.

“Very fast but a bit unpredictable because some of the angles and some of the stuff that he throws, like that double [backfist],” “MVP” told Red Corner MMA. “Obviously, it seemed like he’s trained that before but certain things like that. He looks like the kind of guy that doesn’t even know what he’s going to throw next.”

When asked about his gameplan for a clash against Page, Magomedov recently vowed that he won’t be the one shooting for takedowns. While Page has heard similar pro…

Professional Fighters League MENA breakout star Hattan Alsaif will face Lilia Osmani on Nov. 29 at #PFLWorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/9BpiTHgkjW

— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) November 19, 2024

On Nov. 29, the Professional Fighters League returns to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a special one-night championship event, and they’re showcasing some special talent from the region.

In what will see all six of the PFL Global Championships matchups, the league will also be holding their MENA finals on the same card, which features the return of Saudi Arabia’s own Hattan Alsaif.

The first ever woman from Saudi Arabia to sign with the PFL, Alsaif has been an electrifying addition to its roster. In her first two amateur fights, Alsaif has picked up two stoppages in the second round, including a viral head kick in her SmartCage debut. Alsaif will face Lilia Osmani on Nov. 29.

PFL MENA is another expansion league to what the PFL is doing gl…

Bo Nickal is asked what he was thinking when he heard the crowd chant "Overrated".

Later, Nickal talks UFC 309 broadcast team criticism: It was a little disappointing to hear some of those comments from people I respect a lot.#HelwaniShow pic.twitter.com/HVQb90mXFe

— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) November 18, 2024 Many fans and pundits were not impressed with Bo Nickal’s performance.

On the main card of UFC 309, Nickal (7-0) picked up a unanimous decision win over Paul Craig (17-9-1) in striking contest where the vaunted wrestler did not even attempt a single takedown. The lackluster back-and-forth did not thrill the audience or commentary team, drawing chants of “overrated” from those in attendance. The multiple-time NCAA Division I champ suggested in his post-fight interviews that he did not wish to put himself in danger of an unlikely submission from “Bearjew,” and ran a risk-adverse strategy he thought went well. Nickal, however, di…

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is making a first in Saudi Arabia this February.

According to Canadian outlet Sportsnet and immediately confirmed by the promotion on Monday, Mayra Bueno Silva (10-4-1, 1 NC) will be returning to flyweight for an encounter on Feb. 1. The Brazilian will come to blows with Jasmine Jasudavicius (12-3) at UFC Saudi Arabia, also known as a currently unnumbered UFC Fight Night event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The venue has not been made official as to whether it will be held at the Kingdom Arena like the past UFC show in the city or at the building named “The Venue.”

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The two ladies will serve as the first women’s bout in the Octagon in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is not the first female match for the promotion in the Middle East, with that honor going to Sarah Moras vs. Liana Jojua at UFC 242 in 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This event will be organization’s second jaunt to Saudi Arabia, with the first UFC on…

Signs are pointing to a Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight championship unification battle in the not-too-distant future.

At UFC 309, disputed heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones (28-1, 1 NC) defended his throne against Stipe Miocic, dispatching the longtime titleholder with a spinning back kick and follow-up punches. In his post-fight interview, Jones expressed that he would not likely be retiring after his victory, while not naming his next opponent as he noted there are plenty of options going forward. According to one of those options, Tom Aspinall (15-3), he will be the next challenge to “Bones.”

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Despite the excitement potential of a title unification, Jones was not entirely sold on the endeavor. He suggested that instead, light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira should move up to try to become the UFC’s first beltholder in three weight classes. The New Yorker again flirted with retirement if he does not battle “Poatan” next, but the UFC might not …

Darren Till will take on Tommy Fury inside the squared circle in January.

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Till and Fury will trade leather at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester on Jan. 18, 2025. The matchup was confirmed by Ariel Helwani.

Breaking:

Darren Till x Tommy Fury is going down Jan. 18 on @DAZNBoxing. pic.twitter.com/zNbkErIfGO

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) November 17, 2024

Former UFC welterweight and middleweight contender Till put his MMA career on hiatus last year on the back of a three-fight losing streak to pursue other ventures. “The Gorilla” made his exhibition boxing debut against Mohammad Mutie this past July, earning a technical knockout win as Mutie was rendered unable to continue due to an injury. However, the fight was marred by controversy thanks to a massive post-fight brawl.

Meanwhile, Fury is best known for being the younger brother of multiple-time heavyweight champ Tyson Fury, and for being the first fight…

After beating Michael Chandler for the second time in the co-main event of UFC 309, UFC 309 revealed that he had torn two knee ligaments two weeks before the fight.

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“I didn’t want to talk about that, because if I lose it sounds like an excuse and if I win, it sounds like I'm overvaluing myself, but unfortunately someone leaked,” Oliveira told UFC Fight Pass Brazil reporter Evelyn Rodrigues, revealing that the possibility of withdrawing from the fight had never been contemplated. “After I tore these two ligaments, the doctor indicated I should go between four and six weeks without training. I stopped training for the last 15 days and just kept doing some work out in the gym. I knew these fights would lead me back to a title shot, so there was no way I would drop out.”

Oliveira also criticized referee Keith Peterson's lack of attention during the fight, during which his opponent committed several fouls including a stream of hammerfists to the back of…

VUGAR KARAMOV ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

⏱️ 28 SECOND KO WIN FOR THE FORMER CHAMPION!

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🆓 WATCH FOR FREE ON #RIZINTV!📡 https://t.co/LChPUvqSqh pic.twitter.com/3USPuhYOou — RIZIN.tv (@RIZINTV_) November 17, 2024 Former Rizin Fighting Federation featherweight champion Vugar Karamov made a triumphant return to the cage and needed just 28 seconds to dispatch of opponent Kazumasa Majima in the main event of Rizin FF: Landmark Vol. 10 on Saturday in Nagoya, Japan. Karamov dropped Majima with a right hook seconds into the fight and finished him with punches and elbows on the ground for a crucial victory that put him back in the title hunt.

Karamov (20-5, 6-2 Rizin), who lost his featherweight title one year ago at Landmark Vol. 7, was forced out of competition for most of 2024 after being jailed for “hooliganism” in his native Azerbaijan earlier this year. Saturday's comeback fight was an important one for the 32-year-old, and he mad…

Put on a show on the biggest stage 👏@JonnyBones, @170Ramiz & Oban Elliott are taking home the #UFC309 POTN bonuses 💰

[ B2YB @PrimeHydrate ] pic.twitter.com/gGQUhBkfbn

— UFC (@ufc) November 17, 2024

UFC 309 in Madison Square Garden saw perhaps the most accomplished Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight of all-time, Stipe Miocic, take on arguably the greatest mixed martial artist of ever and reigning heavyweight king, Jon Jones. And just like old times, Jones took home extra money as he was rewarded $50,000 for “Performance of the Night.”

For a solid performance that saw him dominate four rounds out of five, former lightweight ace Charles Oliveira set a record for his 20th post-fight bonus, getting awarded “Fight of the Night” honors. Following four rounds of total domination, Oliveira was able to hold off a late rally from Chandler in the final frame and may have secured another opportunity at the UFC lightweight title fi…

Jon Jones could not have soared any higher—a terrifying thought for anyone who might rise to challenge him in the not-too-distant future.

“Bones” retained the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight crown in utterly dominant fashion, as he disposed of Stipe Miocic with a brutal spinning back kick to the body and follow-up punches in the third round of their UFC 309 headliner on Saturday at Madison Square Garden. Miocic (20-5, 14-5 UFC) met his end 4:29 into Round 3, then announced his retirement from the sport.

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With President-elect Donald Trump seated cageside, Jones (28-1, 22-1 UFC) tormented the Strong Style Fight Team linchpin with rear-leg front kicks to the body, piercing jabs and thudding power punches. He took down Miocic with breathtaking ease in the first round and unsheathed his ground-and-pound to devastating effect. Jones put it in cruise control from that point forward. He buckled Miocic with a right cross in the third round, toyed wi…

Sherdog's live UFC 309 coverage will begin Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic. Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now! BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Hardy (-142), Moura (+120)Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:

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Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round: The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS:Round 1 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 2 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:Round 3 Sherdog Scores Jay Pettry scores the round:Ben Duffy scores the round:Tyler Treese scores the round:The Official Result BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | O…

The Maniac stays UNDEFEATED in the UFC 👏

Marcus McGhee takes the W in his first trip to the big stage! #UFC309 pic.twitter.com/aPet3mNlMa

— UFC (@ufc) November 17, 2024

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Marcus McGhee passed another test in the Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight division but not without considerable difficulty.

The MMA Lab representative outstruck and outlasted Jonathan Martinez to a unanimous decision in the featured UFC 309 prelim on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. McGhee (10-1, 4-0 UFC) swept the scorecards with matching 29-28 marks from all three members of the cageside judiciary.

Martinez (19-6, 10-5 UFC) was slow out of the gate. The muscular McGhee cracked him with stout jabs, multi-punch bursts and the occasional kick to the leg or midsection. The approach bought him a two-rounds-to-none lead, and he needed every bit of it. Martinez hobbled him with a heavy leg kick at the end of the middle stanza,…

Respect to both fighters 👏

🎥: @MostVpromotions #PaulTyson pic.twitter.com/XymB9tLQvf

— PFL (@PFLMMA) November 16, 2024

After a nearly 20-year hiatus from professional boxing, “Iron” Mike Tyson finally returned to the ring. Unfortunately for his millions of fans around the world, his return to the ring was anything but explosive.

Tyson was outboxed over eight, two-minute rounds by YouTube sensation Jake Paul en route to a unanimous decision loss (80-72, 79-73, 79-73) in Saturday night’s main event at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Paul (11-1) showed little interest in trading bombs with the former heavyweight champ and used his youth and energy to outbox the 58-year-old legend.

Tyson last fought Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition bout back in 2020, but had not fought professionally since 2005. Paul understood that he was in a lose-lose situation from the start but still managed to find the best outcome. After surviving Tyson’s advan…

vs.

coverage will begin with the first preliminary bout at 5:30 p.m. ET. J.L. Kirven will have results of the undercard and will be joined by Brian Knapp and Mike Fridley for full play-by-play and round-by-round scoring of the main event at approximately 12 a.m. ET.

Undercard Results Live Updates

Lucas Bahdi (18-0) stayed unbeaten with a majority decision win (95-95, 96-93, 98-92) over Armando Casamonica (14-1) in junior welterweight action.

Shadasia Green claimed the WBO women's super middleweight title with a split decision win over Melinda Watpool (97-93, 94-96, 96-94).

Neeraj Goyat cruised to a clear unanimous decision win over Whindersson Nunes (59-55, 60-54, 60-54) in super middleweight action.

Mario Barrios retained the WBC welterweight title after brawling Abel Ramos to a split draw (114-112, 116-110, 113-113)

Katie Taylor retained the WBA, WBC, WBO and IBF super-lightweight titles in a 10-round war over seven-division…

The one and only! 🐐@JonnyBones hits the scale at 237.6lbs ahead of his first heavyweight title defense!

[ #UFC309 LIVE TOMORROW on @ESPNPlus PPV | 10pmET/7pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/MBKLKjQIff

— UFC (@ufc) November 15, 2024

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UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic. Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!

The Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to New York for a heavyweight title fight between reigning champion Jon Jones and a returning Stipe Miocic.

As expected, both UFC 309 main event fighters successfully came in under the 265-pound limit. Jones will be the smaller fighter as Miocic weighed 248.6 pounds, while the champion came in at 237.6 pounds. All other fighters successfully made weight except for James Llontop, who came in 1.2 pounds over for his 165-pound catchweight fight against Mauricio Ruffy. The fight will continue, with Llontop being fined a percentage of his purse.

Jones (27-1, 1 NC) is currently riding a five-f…

🚨 BREAKING 🚨 #InvictaFC59 closes out the year on @CBSSportsNet at the @eastern_atl on 12/13 with a HUGE title fight between @Talita_MMA and @jennimaiaufc! #Atlanta #IFC59

FULL FIGHT CARD IN PRESS RELEASEhttps://t.co/GhXgZeJPwQ

— Invicta FC (@InvictaFights) November 15, 2024 A win for Jennifer Maia would make her one of a small few Invicta Fighting Championships titleholders in multiple divisions.

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Firmly back in the Invicta FC ranks after a decision win over Mayra Cantuaria in August, Maia (22-10-1) needed that one victory to earn a crack at bantamweight gold. The former Invicta flyweight queen—who won the interim strap in 2016, later receiving undisputed distinction and defending it twice—will be battling the streaking Talita Bernardo (11-4) atop Invicta FC 59. The promotion sent out a press release on Friday detailing the full lineup of this Dec. 13 event, one that will be held at The Eastern in Atlanta.

Maia left…

[embedded content] Meet the new Ultimate Fighting Championship gloves, same as the old gloves.UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic. Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!

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During the UFC 309 press conference, UFC chief Dana White confirmed that the newly designed gloves launched earlier this year will no longer be in use at this event. Taking it a step further, White then noted these gloves designed by equipment company Dyaco would not be worn going forward. The promotion, effective Saturday, will revert back to the original glove design it has used for years.

Currently heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones complained about the new gloves at media day, stating that they were uncomfortable and required him to go up several sizes. He later expressed relief that the UFC had gone back to the original set. During the presser, The Mac Life asked why the UFC planned on switching back to its previous model at this event.

“Because…there were a lot of complaints about them,” W…

[embedded content] According to his countrymen, former Ultimate Fighting Championship champ Charles Oliveira will not disappoint come Saturday.UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic. Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order Now!

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With Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic drawing up most of the attention for UFC 309, the co-headlining affair between Oliveira (34-10, 1 NC) and Michael Chandler (23-8) is flying a bit under the radar. The two first met at UFC 262, with Chandler posing a significant challenge to “Do Bronx.” Before getting knocked out early in the second frame, the ex-Bellator MMA champion dominated the first five minutes while earning a 10-8 score on two judges’ scorecards.

On Saturday inside of Madison Square Garden in New York, the two will clash again, with the victor likely earning the opportunity to fight for the lightweight belt. While no title is on the line this time, the organization has granted it five-round status. Sherdog spoke to multiple Brazilian specialists…