Valentina Shevchenko's sister, Antonina, loses DWCS 11 opponent; replacement sought
(https:)Antonina Shevchenko’s shot at the UFC appears to be in jeopardy.
The older sister of UFC flyweight title challenger Valentina, Shevchenko’s opponent for next week’s Dana White’s Contender Series 11 women’s flyweight bout, Silvana Juarez, has been forced to withdraw, a UFC official told MMAjunkie.
The nature of Silvana’s injury wasn’t disclosed; a replacement is being sought for Shevchenko.
The latest Dana White’s Contender Series 11 lineup:
Antonina Shevchenko vs. TBD
Te Edwards vs. Austin Tweedy
Oscar Cota vs. Greg Rebello
Jamall Emmers vs. Julian Erosa
Tim Caron vs. Andrew Todhunter
Leon Tabbs, legendary cutman who worked UFC 1, dies at 86
(https:)Leon Tabbs, the first official cutman for the UFC, died Friday evening in Atlanta. He was 86.
Tabbs’ son, Bruce, told MMAjunkie that his father passed away after struggling with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
“Our father is our hero,” Bruce said in a statement to MMAjunkie. “He lived a simple life enjoying it to the fullest and deserved all he earned, and more, and earned all he received. Family, boxing, and friends and laughter were his life.”
Tabbs, who got his start in boxing, worked UFC 1 and served as the promotion’s cutman for 19 years. He retired from the fight game in 2012. In 2013, Tabbs received a lifetime achievement award at the Fighters Only World MMA Awards.
Alexa Grasso vs. Angela Hill added to UFC Fight Night 135 in Lincoln
(https:)A strawweight bout between Alexa Grasso and Angela Hill is the latest addition to August’s UFC Fight Night 135 lineup.
MMAjunkie verified the matchup between Grasso (10-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) and Hill (8-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC) through a person with knowledge of the situation following an initial report from MMAWeekly.com. The person requested anonymity because the UFC has yet to formally announce the bout.
UFC Fight Night 135 takes place Aug. 25 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb. The event airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass, though the bout order hasn’t been finalized.
The latest UFC Fight Night 135 lineup includes:
Justin Gaethje vs. Al Iaquinta
Antonio Braga Neto vs. Andrew Sanchez
Eryk Anders vs. Tim Williams
Luke Sanders vs. Rani Yahya
Drew Dober vs. Jon Tuck
Alexa Grasso vs. Angela Hill
Thiago Silva out of ACB 88 main event due to visa issues, Camozzi fight scratched
(https:)UFC veteran Thiago Silva is out of his main event bout against fellow Octagon alumn Chris Camozzi, at Absolute Champion Berkut ‘88, in Brisbane, Australia. According to an Instagram post made by Silva himself, visa issues rendered him unable to enter the country and the promotion could not find a suitable replacement on such short notice.
According to Silva, however, he still has interest to take the fight. As he wrote on his post, the 35-year-old looks forward to beating Camozzi.
“Unfortunately my fight in Australia got canceled because of visa issues. Unfortunately the organization didn’t tell the truth to @chriscamozzi7, so he’s saying he doesn’t know the reason on social media. Don’t worry honey bim we will fight soon. Keep your hard work because you will need it for the next time I see you. You like to talk. I like to punch and kick and slap the big talkers In the face inside the cage, Brandon Vera style. Be ready, you will face me soon.”
New matchups bring Boise's UFC Fight Night 133 lineup to 13 fights
(https:)Two new fights make it a baker’s dozen for next month’s UFC Fight Night 133 event in Idaho.
The matchups include bantamweights Mark De La Rosa (9-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) vs. Elias Garcia (5-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and featherweights Raoni Barcelos (11-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) vs. Kurt Holobaugh (17-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC), officials announced via centurylinkarenaboise.com.
The latest UFC Fight Night 133 card includes:
Junior Dos Santos vs. Blagoy Ivanov
Paul Felder vs. James Vick
Myles Jury vs. Chad Mendes
Dennis Bermudez vs. Rick Glenn
Marion Reneau vs. Cat Zingano
Darren Elkins vs. Alex Volkanovski
Said Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Scoggins
Liz Carmouche vs. Jennifer Maia
Alejandro Perez vs. Eddie Wineland
Jessica Aguilar vs. Jodie Esquibel
Sage Northcutt vs. Zak Ottow
Mark De La Rosa vs. Elias Garcia
Raoni Barcelos vs. Kurt Holobaugh
Thiago Santos heading to Vegas for possible TUF 27 Finale replacement headliner
(https:)Despite UFC President Dana White announcing the veteran fighter has a broken foot and is out of The Ultimate fighter 27 Finale headliner, Brad Tavares is going to try to push through an injury and fight Israel Adesanya.
If Tavares (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) can’t fight, though, the UFC is going to be prepared with a backup; Thiago “Marreta” Santos (17-6 MMA, 9-5 UFC) has agreed to do the duty, his manager confirmed to MMAjunkie following an initial report from MMAFighting.com.
The TUF 27 Finale takes place July 6 at Pearl Theater in Las Vegas. The middleweight bout between Tavares and Adesanya (13-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) headlines the FS1-televised card following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.
Jimmie Rivera vs. John Dodson added to UFC 228 in September
(https:)Not long after his first loss in nine years, Jimmie Rivera was already talking about his next fight.
“I’m thinking about going back to training again and getting ready for the next fight,” Rivera told MMAjunkie following his knockout loss to Marlon Moraes earlier this month. “That’s it. You always get knocked down off the horse. It’s about what you do afterwards. And me and from Tiger Schulmann and my discipline, just get back on and try again.
“I’m just going to go back to the drawing board, get back working again and get my next fight in line.”
He meant every word.
The latest UFC 228 card now includes:
Champ Nicco Montano vs. Valentina Shevchenko – for women’s flyweight title
Zabit Magomedsharipov vs. Yair Rodriguez
John Dodson vs. Jimmie Rivera
UFC champ Nicco Montano says she's ready to fight Valentina Shevchenko on Sept. 8
(https:)UFC women’s flyweight champion Nicco Montano’s injury layoff has come to a sudden end.
Montano (4-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) today announced she’s ready to take on No. 1 contender Valentina Shevchenko (15-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC) on Sept. 8, ending a long drama over scheduling the title bout.
Sept. 8 is the date targeted for UFC 228, though officials have yet to confirm the pay-per-view event, and a request for comment to UFC officials wasn’t immediately returned.
Brad Pickett ends retirement after 17 months, signs with ACB for August debut
(https:)Veteran bantamweight Brad Pickett has ended his retirement and will return to the cage just 17 months after declaring he was done competing for good.
It was announced today that Pickett (25-14) has signed a multi-fight deal with ACB and is expected to make his promotional debut Aug. 11 in his hometown of London.
“I’m delighted and excited to sign with ACB,” Pickett said in a press release. “They’re a great organization doing exciting things within the sport. I retired as I had fell out of love with the sport. My health and body are great, and coaching the fighters at the gym has given me a desire to return.”
Alexander Gustafsson wants to welcome Yoel Romero to UFC light heavyweight division
(https:)Alexander Gustafsson is on board for a matchup with Yoel Romero, or any other big fight the UFC will give him in the light-heavyweight or heavyweight divisions.
After Romero (13-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) missed weight for his UFC middleweight title fight against Robert Whittaker (20-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) at UFC 225 this past weekend, UFC President Dana White said he would like to see “The Soldier of God” move up a division and see what he can do at light heavyweight.
In particular, White said he would be interested in a showdown between Romero and two-time UFC title challenger Gustafsson (18-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC), likely to determine who gets the next shot at current 205-pound champion Daniel Cormier (20-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC).
Tyrell Fortune vs. Josue Lugo added to Bellator 201
(https:)Standout wrestler Tyrell Fortune has been added to this month’s Bellator 201 preliminary card.
Fortune (4-0 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) is slated to fight heavyweight Josue Lugo (8-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), officials announced.
Bellator 201 takes place June 29 at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. The main card airs on Paramount following prelims on the Bellator app.
The latest Bellator 201 card includes:
MAIN CARD (Paramount, 9 p.m. ET)
Champ Ilima-Lei Macfarlane vs. Alejandra Lara – for women’s flyweight title
Saad Awad vs. Ryan Couture
Valerie Letourneau vs. Kristina Williams
Juan Archuleta vs. Robbie Peralta
PRELIMINARY CARD (MMAjunkie, 7 p.m. ET)
Andy Murad vs. Ed Ruth
Keri Melendez vs. Tiani Valle
Tyrell Fortune vs. Josue Lugo
Kristi Lopez vs. Paola Ramirez
Jamal Pogues vs. Jordan Young
Joshua Jones vs. Jacob Rosales
David Conte vs. Jay Jay Wilson
Julio Aguilera vs. Ricky Furar
Damian Stasiak vs. Pingyuan Liu added to UFC Fight Night 134 in Germany
(https:)Next month’s UFC return to Germany – UFC Fight Night 134 – has a new bantamweight fight.
It features Damian Stasiak (10-5 MMA, 2-3 UFC) vs. Pingyuan Liu (11-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC), officials announced.
The latest UFC Fight Night 134 card includes:
Volkan Oezdemir vs. Mauricio Rua
Stefan Struve vs. Marcin Tybura
Marc Diakiese vs. Nasrat Haqparast
Jeremy Kimball vs. Darko Stosic
Ilir Latifi vs. Glover Teixeira
Justin Ledet vs. Aleksandar Rakic
Bartosz Fabinski vs. Emil Meek
Damir Hadzovic vs. Nick Hein
Abu Azaitar vs. Vitor Miranda
Alan Jouban vs. Danny Roberts
Pingyuan Liu vs. Damian Stasiak
Justin Gaethje vs. Al Iaquinta headliner, other bouts official for UFC Fight Night 135 in Lincoln
(https:)The fight card is taking shape for the UFC’s debut in Lincoln and just its third overall event in Nebraska.
UFC officials on Wednesday made official a slew of bouts, including a previously reported fight between lightweight contenders Justin Gaethje (18-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) and Al Iaquinta (13-4-1 MMA, 8-3 UFC).
It serves as the main event of UFC Fight Night 135, which takes place Aug. 25 at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb. It airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass, though the full fight card and bout order are still a long way from being finalized
The latest UFC Fight Night 135 lineup includes:
Justin Gaethje vs. Al Iaquinta
Antonio Braga Neto vs. Andrew Sanchez
Eryk Anders vs. Tim Williams
Luke Sanders vs. Rani Yahya
Drew Dober vs. Jon Tuck
Erick Silva kicks off post-UFC run, headlines LFA 45 on July 20
(https:)After a 15-fight run in the UFC, Brazilian welterweight Erick Silva now headlines LFA 45.
Promotion officials today announced that Silva (19-9) will face Nick Barnes (12-3) in the featured bout of the card, which takes place July 20 at Morongo Casino Outdoor Pavilion in Cabazon, Calif. The night’s main card airs on AXS TV.
The current LFA 45 card includes:
Erick Silva vs. Nick Barnes
Moses Murrietta vs. Casey Ryan
James Cannon vs. Blake Troop
Luc Bondole vs. Taylor Johnson
Dana White's Contender Series 9 results: Menifield UFC-bound, Hardy scores developmental deal
(https:)In his second visit to Dana White’s Contender Series, Alonzo Menifield (7-0) made a statement against Dashawn Boatwright (3-1)
In the opening seconds, the two men clashed in the center, and a Boatwright high kick turned out to be his undoing. Menifield pushed forward, and an off-balance Boatwright fell to the canvas. Menifield immediately jumped on top and punched away until referee Mark Smith called a halt to the contest just eight seconds after it began.
Complete Dana White’s Contender Series 9 results include:
Alonzo Menifield def. Dashawn Boatwright via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:08
Chris Curtis def. Sean Lally TKO (kick, punches) – Round 3, 1:37
Greg Hardy def. Austen Lane via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:57
Montel Jackson def. Rico DiSciullo via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 2:15
Kevin Holland def. Will Santiago via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
James Nakashima to Defend Welterweight Crown vs. Kyle Stewart in LFA 46 Main Event
(m.sherdog.com)A pair of fighters with Arizona ties will vie for welterweight gold when James Nakashima defends his 170-pound title against Kyle Stewart at Legacy Fighting Alliance 46.
The promotion announced the championship headliner on Wednesday. LFA 46 takes place at U.S. military facility Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Newport News, Va., and airs on AXS-TV at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. In the co-main event, Alexandre Bezerra will face Mike Pope at featherweight.
Nakashima, who trains at the MMA Lab in Glendale, Ariz., is 8-0 as a professional. The former University of Nebraska wrestler last appeared at LFA 23, where he took a five-round split decision against Derrick Krantz in September 2017. According to a release, Nakashima has been sidelined by injuries since then.
UFC vet Erick Silva to make LFA debut vs. Nick Barnes on July 20
(https:)Once one of the UFC’s most intriguing welterweight prospects, Erick Silva is set to make a fresh start.
The 33-year-old Brazilian makes his Legacy Fighting Alliance debut on July 20 when he fights Nick Barnes (12-3) in the main event of LFA 45 at the Morongo Casino Outdoor Pavilion in Cabazon, Calif.
Silva’s contract with the UFC expired following his unanimous decision loss to Jordan Mein last December and he was in talks with several promotions before Wednesday’s announcement by the LFA. He lost four of his last five fights inside the Octagon.
Rafael dos Anjos reacts to UFC 225 loss to Colby Covington: ‘Bad guys win sometimes in real life’
(https:)Rafael dos Anjos had the chance to join the club of fighters who managed to win UFC titles in two different weight classes, but was defeated by Colby Covington for the interim welterweight belt in the co-main event of UFC 225 in Chicago in Saturday night.
Two days after the defeat, dos Anjos’ first loss since moving up from 155 pounds, the Brazilian released a statement on his social media, promising to bounce back a better fighter, like he did after his 2014 loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov, and losing to one of the “bad guys” in Chicago.
UFC 227 tickets: $362 gets you cageside for Dillashaw-Garbrandt, Johnson-Cejudo rematches
(https:)If you’re headed to Los Angeles for a pair of championship rematches, $362 will get on the floor for UFC 227.
Officials today announced UFC 227 ticket prices, which range from $62.10 for nosebleeds to $362.25 for floor/cageside seats.
UFC 227 takes place Aug. 4 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass, though the full fight card and bout order haven’t been finalized.
Tickets, which are capped at eight per order, go on sale to to the general public beginning Friday at 10 a.m. PT. However, UFC 226 ticket pre-sale periods begin Wednesday at 10 a.m. PT for UFC Fight Club members and Thursday at 10 a.m. PT for UFC.com e-newsletter subscribers.
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