Alex Pereira Becomes Fastest MMA Fighter to Two Championships in UFC History

Posted on November 13, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Alex Pereira is making swift championship moves…

The 36-year-old Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer has claimed the vacant UFC light heavyweight championship after stopping Jiri Prochazka via TKO at 4:08 of the second round on Saturday night in the main event of UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden.

Pereira, who has been in the UFC for just two years, has now won championships in two weight classes.

Pereira is the ninth two-division champion in UFC history. He was previously the UFC middleweight champion earlier this year.

Pereira is the fastest to two championships in UFC history, doing it in just seven UFC fights. No other fighter has won titles at middleweight and light heavyweight.

“It’s incredible,” UFC CEO Dana White said in the post-fight news conference. “I don’t know about an all-time great [yet]. But it’s incredibly impressive what he’s done in a short amount of time.”

Pereira dropped Prochazka with a left hook with Pereira’s back against the cage. Prochazka was clearly hurt, and Pereira fell right into mount, landing punches and elbows in the process. Prochazka seemed to still be fighting back, but referee Marc Goddard stopped the bout. Some fans booed at the stoppage.

“I’m not surprised after the first left hook,” Pereira said in his post-fight interview. “He fell down on my legs, and I looked for the finish. I don’t think it was a bad stoppage.”

Prochazka said he agreed with the stoppage.

“I think it was right,” he said. “I was out. But you know, I will never stop.”

The UFC light heavyweight title has had a rough stretch since Jon Jones, the division’s all-time best fighter, voluntarily gave up the championship before moving to heavyweight. Perhaps Pereira will bring stability.

Prochazka vacated the belt in late 2022 due to a severe shoulder injury. Jamahal Hill then won it by beating Glover Teixeira in January. But Hill tore an Achilles tendon in July and had to relinquish the title.

ESPN had Pereira ranked No. 2 in the division coming into Saturday.

Afterward, Pereira called out Israel Adesanya to move up to light heavyweight and face him. Pereira and Adesanya have split their two meetings in the UFC, and Pereira has beaten him twice in kickboxing. It’s more likely Hill will be next for Pereira when Hill recovers.

Adesanya, who loss the middleweight title to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in Australia, said last month that he is “not going to fight for a long time.”

“He doesn’t seem motivated and I think it’s a fight everybody would like to see,” Pereira said of Adesanya.

Pereira dropped Prochazka with a leg kick in the first round. Prochazka came back with a takedown late in the first and did some damage with elbows. Pereira continued to work the leg kicks in the second round, leading into the finish.

“He knew it. He kept kicking that leg,” White said. “And that leg was going to be a problem as the fight went on. The kicking power. The punching power. He moves like a middleweight. He’s pretty nasty.”

Pereira (9-2), a training partner of Teixeira, is the only fighter to headline back-to-back UFC cards at Madison Square Garden. The Brazilian-born fighter, who lives and trains in Connecticut, knocked out Adesanya to win the UFC middleweight title at MSG in November 2022.

Pereira is a former two-division Glory Kickboxing champion and was recently inducted into that promotion’s Hall of Fame. He is now 3-0 at MSG.

“It’s my house here now,” Pereira said of the Garden. “How do I get the key?”

Prochazka (29-4-1) had won 13 straight fights, including his first three in the UFC by finish. The Czech Republic native beat Teixeira to win the UFC light heavyweight title in June 2022. Prochazka, 31, is the former light heavyweight champion of Japan’s Rizin promotion.

Jailton Almeida to Now Face Derrick Lewis at UFC Fight Night in November

Posted on October 10, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jailton Almeida has locked in a new opponent…

The 32-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist will face off against Derrick Lewis in a UFC heavyweight battle next month.

Almeida was originally schedule to fight Curtis Blaydes in the main event fight before Lewis was selected to replace him.

Lewis (27-11) just signed a new deal after fighting out his contract in July. The new heavyweight matchup will headline UFC Fight Night on November 4 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Almeida and Lewis are currently ranked as the Nos. 9 and 10 heavyweights, respectively, by UFC. Lewis is far more established, having fought in the UFC since 2014, and he holds the record for most knockouts in the promotion’s history.

Almeida (19-2), however, comes in riding a wave of momentum. He is 4-0 in the UFC with four finishes, three of which came in the opening round. Most recently, he submitted Jairzinho Rozenstruik in May.

Current heavyweight champion Jon Jones is scheduled to defend his title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 in November.

If Almeida wins, he would enter title contention, along with Sergei Pavlovich and Tom Aspinall.

Anderson Silva Inducted into UFC Hall of Fame

Posted on July 8, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Anderson Silva has been immortalized by UFC.

The 48-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist and boxer has been inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

But he’s not the only legendary fighter in the Hall.

Jose Aldo, who also helped build the popularity of MMA in Brazil, was among the honorees celebrated this week at T-Mobile Arena

Silva and Aldo headlined a star-studded class that included fan favorite Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, lighter weight MMA pioneer Jens Pulver and a classic, knockdown, drag-out fight between Robbie Lawler and Rory MacDonald from 2015.

Silva, is on the short list of the best fighters ever. “The Spider” still holds the UFC record of 16 straight victories and has the second-most consecutive title defenses (10, behind Jon Jones and Demetrious Johnson at 11). Silva had the longest title reign in UFC history, holding the middleweight championship for 2,457 days. He did it all with flair, too. Silva, a flashy striker, has the most finishes (nine), knockouts (seven) and knockdowns (10) in UFC title fights.

Silva did not attend the ceremony Thursday because of “scheduling issues,” according to his son Kalyl, who accepted on his behalf. Silva posted an Instagram video in Portuguese thanking his team, family and fans.

“They’re both icons,” Kalyl told ESPN of Aldo and his father. “Jose Aldo, ‘The King of Rio,’ and Anderson Silva in the same class is just perfect. It couldn’t have been written any better.”

Aldo’s accolades are nearly as impressive. He is the most decorated featherweight fighter in MMA history. Aldo, 36, had a combined nine successful title defenses in the UFC and WEC, which was eventually purchased and absorbed into the UFC. He was the youngest champion in WEC history at 23 years old. He even moved down to bantamweight late in his career and had a solid run there, too, falling to Petr Yan in a vacant title fight in 2020.

“It’s very emotional, very hard to explain,” Aldo told ESPN’s C. Contreras Legaspi via an interpreter. “Ever since I wanted to come to the UFC, [I wanted to] be a champion, and I got so much more. So, this is a lot of dreams coming through at the same time.”

Cerrone has the most fights (48) and most wins (29) in Zuffa history (between UFC, WEC, Strikeforce and Pride). But he was most known for being an action fighter and taking fights when the UFC needed him.

“It’s just cool that I got recognized for answering the call every time they called,” Cerrone told ESPN. “And that was my job. When they said, ‘We got a guy,’ then I’m your man, let’s go. And I never turned down a fight, never backing down and just fighting until I couldn’t fight anymore. And that’s what I wanted. That was my legacy. I wanted [people to say], ‘Cowboy’ is fighting? Oh, we got to find a bar. We got to pull the car over. We got to figure it out.’ And I think I succeeded.”

Pulver, 48, was the first UFC lightweight champion, winning the belt in 2001 when the 155-pound division was called “bantamweight” and successfully defending it against the likes of BJ Penn. The UFC later abolished that weight class, and it didn’t resurface for five years. Pulver, who was undersized for even that weight class, would go on to have success in Japan before returning to the UFC and then WEC at 145 pounds.

“I battled, for a long time, with anxiety and depression,” Pulver said in a moving speech. “And I learned, never close the door on the person you’re going to be in five years. Because time is different. Those problems, those memories will change. If you’re busy growing your world, those problems will get a lot stronger. Never close the door and do something drastic. I love you, believe me. I love all of you. I love you very much.”

The contributions of lighter weight fighters like him early on helped create opportunities for others such as Conor McGregor, who would go on to become the biggest star in the history of the sport fighting at 145 and 155 pounds.

Also on Thursday, the Nogueira brothers, Antonio Rodrigo and Antonio Rogerio, were named the 2023 recipients of the Forrest Griffin Community Award, which recognizes contributions in volunteer and charity work. The brothers are legends of Brazilian MMA and mentors for Silva and others.

UFC Legend Anderson Silva to be Inducted into UFC Hall of Fame

Posted on March 19, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Anderson Silva is headed to the hall…

The 47-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist and boxer, a former UFC Middleweight Champion who holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days, will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer, the promotion announced during the UFC 286 broadcast.

Considered one of the greatest MMA fighters to ever live will enter the Hall as part of the pioneer wing.

The Spider, as he’s nicknamed, has dominated the sport. He held the UFC middleweight title from 2006 to 2013 and compiled 16 straight victories in the UFC, the longest winning streak in promotion history.

Silva had 10 middleweight title defenses, second all-time after Jon Jones and Demetrious Johnson (11).

“Anderson Silva is one of the greatest athletes of all time,” UFC president Dana White said in a statement. “Anderson’s 16-fight winning streak in the UFC, 10 successful title defenses and almost seven years as middleweight champion were one of the most remarkable things we’ve ever seen in professional sports. He was an absolute artist inside the Octagon, and it will be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.”

It wasn’t just that Silva would win, either. He put opponents away with a flourish, sometimes making foes look foolish in the process. His nine UFC title finishes are the most in promotion history, and he’s tied for the most KO/TKOs in UFC middleweight history.

Silva asked for his UFC release in 2020 and went on to win boxing matches against former world champ Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and fellow UFC luminary Tito Ortiz. Jake Paul defeated Silva in a boxing match, Silva’s most recent fight, last October.

In the UFC, Silva owns victories over the likes of Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson, Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen (twice) and Forrest Griffin.

Raul Rosas Jr. Becomes Youngest MMA Fighter to Sign with UFC

Posted on September 21, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Raul Rosas Jr. has earned his place in UFC history…

The 17-year-old Mexican mixed martial artist has become the youngest fighter to sign with the UFC.

Rosas signed with UFC Tuesday night, following a unanimous decision win over Mando Gutierrez on Dana White‘s Contender Series.

White, impressed by Rosas’ performance, offered the teen a contract before the end of the show, which he accepted. Rosas is the youngest fighter to compete on the series.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” White said of Rosas’ age and outing against Gutierrez. “Not only that, the amount of fighters blowing me up saying you’re crazy not to (sign him). … He’s absolutely, positively talented. He’s special, he’s different.”

Rosas, a bantamweight fighter, dominated the 25-year-old Gutierrez for most of the fight with his grappling prowess. He nearly finished Gutierrez in the first round with a rarely used Suloev stretch submission from back control. Gutierrez had moments, taking Rosas down and landing some ground-and-pound. But almost always, Rosas would end up in the better position, using his dexterity, skill and creativity on the ground to scramble his way to the top.

Rosas (6-0) had finished all of his previous opponents before Tuesday night. The Mexican-born fighter, who trains out of Las Vegas, previously fought in the UWC promotion in Tijuana.

Dan Lauzon holds the record as the youngest fighter to compete in the UFC (18 years, 198 days), per ESPN Stats & Information research. As long as Rosas steps into the Octagon within the next 216 days — a likely scenario — he will beat that mark.

And Rosas is already talking about winning championships. The youngest UFC champion was Jon Jones at age 23 in 2011.

“Everybody shouldn’t be surprised,” Rosas said. “I’m the new king in here, so I’m coming for that belt now. … I’m gonna be champion when I’m 20. Respect to everybody, but I’m gonna be champion when I’m 20, or even earlier. Nobody is gonna stop me.”

Thiago Santos Signs with Professional Fighters League

Posted on September 11, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Thiago Santos is headed to the PFL…

The 38-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist and former UFC title challenger has signed an exclusive deal with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), according to promotion president Ray Sefo.

Santos will make his PFL debut in 2023 when he competes in the promotion’s season format with a tournament championship purse of $1 million. Santos will fight in the 205-pound division.

“We are very excited to bring in Thiago Santos to the PFL light heavyweight division,” Sefo told ESPN. “He is known throughout the MMA world as a guy who delivers exciting fights, and I’m looking forward to seeing his elite knockout power up close.”

Santos most recently appeared in a UFC Fight Night main event against Jamahal Hill in August, losing via fourth-round TKO. Six of his past seven appearances in UFC were in main events, including a failed title shot against then-champion Jon Jones at UFC 239 in July 2019. Santos lost that fight via split decision.

He was nearing the end of his UFC contract, and the two sides ultimately decided to part ways. Santos had fought exclusively in UFC since 2013.

“It was an amicable separation with the UFC,” Santos’ manager Alex Davis told ESPN. “Thiago is very grateful for everything the UFC did for him, and he’s very grateful toward the PFL for signing with him. He’s looking forward to winning a million dollars.”

Fighting out of Brazil, Santos came close to dethroning Jones in their five-round title fight despite suffering a serious knee injury during the bout. He has struggled to regain his old form since the injury, suffering losses to Glover Teixeira, Aleksandar Rakic, Magomed Ankalaev and Hill. Nevertheless, he was still ranked No. 9 in UFC’s light heavyweight division.

The 2022 PFL finals are in November. The light heavyweight final will feature two former UFC veterans in Robert Wilkinson and Omari Akhmedov.

Glover Teixeira to Defend UFC Light Heavyweight Title Against Jiri Prochazka

Posted on January 22, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Glover Teixeira is going on the defensive…

The 42-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist and UFC light heavyweight champion will defend his title against Jiri Prochazka on May 7, according to ESPN sources.

Both Teixeira and Prochazka have committed to the date and opponent.

The 205-pound title fight will take place on a UFC 274 pay-per-view event. The UFC has not announced an official venue for the event.

Teixeira (33-7) capped off an improbable run to the UFC title in October, when he submitted Jan Blachowicz at UFC 267 to capture a belt at age 42. The victory came more than seven years after Teixeira came up short in his first title bid against Jon Jones in 2014.

Originally from Brazil, now fighting out of Connecticut, Teixeira has won six in a row, including finishes of Blachowicz, Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith.

Prochazka (28-3-1) has been a dark horse in the 205-pound division ever since signing with the UFC in 2020. He’s fought only twice inside the Octagon, but he’s been supremely impressive in finishes of Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes.

Prochazka, of Czech Republic, has recorded 10 consecutive knockout finishes.

Thiago Santos In Final Talks to Face Magomed Ankalaev in UFC Fight Night Next March

Posted on November 15, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Thiago Santos could be returning to The Octagon in March…

The UFC is finalizing a light heavyweight fight between the 37-year-old mixed martial artist and Magomed Ankalaev to headline an event in March, according to ESPN.

The 205-pound contest will serve as the main event of a UFC Fight Night on March 12. The UFC has not announced a location yet for the event.

A former title challenger, Santos (22-9) is coming off a decision win over Johnny Walker in October. The Brazilian fighter challenged former champion Jon Jones for the title in July 2019 and suffered a serious knee injury in a decision loss. He dropped his next two bouts coming off knee surgery before rebounding in October.

Ankalaev (16-1) is one of the fastest-rising contenders in the division. The 29-year-old Russian is on a seven-fight win streak, including a decision over former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir at UFC 267 two weeks ago.

Glover Teixeira Becomes Oldest First-Time Champion in UFC History

Posted on October 31, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Glover Teixeira has accomplished what many thought impossible.

The 42-year-old Brazilian-American mixed martial artist defeated Jan Blachowicz via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:02 of the second round to win the UFC light heavyweight title on Saturday in the main event of UFC 267 in Abu Dhabi.

Teixeira was a +210 underdog, per Caesars Sportsbook.

At 42 years old, Teixeira is the oldest first-time champion in UFC history and the second-oldest fighter to win a UFC title, behind only Randy Couture.

Teixeira joins Couture and Daniel Cormier as only the third UFC fighter to win a title at age 40 or older.

The 14 UFC fights between Teixeira’s title loss to Jon Jones at UFC 172 on April 26, 2014, and Saturday, were the most between title shots in the same division in UFC history.

“Never give up on your dreams,” Teixeira said in his postfight interview. “No matter what people say, don’t listen to them. They’re gonna put you down. Don’t listen to those negative people. Believe in yourself.”

Teixeira took down Blachowicz in the first round and basically kept him there for the duration. In the second round, Blachowicz had success with his boxing. But Teixeira wobbled him with a left hook and then took him down again. This time, Teixeira was able to get mount, then take Blachowicz’s back and lock in the choke. “I’m breaking the rules — 42 years old,” Teixeira said. “I’m gonna keep breaking those rules.”

ESPN has Blachowicz ranked No. 5 in the world on its pound-for-pound MMA list. At light heavyweight, ESPN has Blachowicz ranked No. 1 and Teixeira at No. 2.

Teixeira (33-7) has won six straight and seven of his past eight, most recently before this weekend a third-round submission win over Thiago Santos in November 2020.

The Brazil native has 28 finishes in 33 career victories. Teixeira, a Connecticut resident, has been considered one of the top light heavyweights in the world for more than a decade, an incredible stretch of consistency and quality.

He has the most finishes (13) and submission victories (7) in UFC light heavyweight history. Teixeira’s 16 UFC light heavyweight wins are second most next to Jones (20).

“Glover Teixeira is and has been one of the toughest guys in the division for a very long time, this was his dream forever to get this title shot,” UFC president Dana White said. “He finally gets it and did it tonight.”

On Saturday, Teixeira said he would be returning to his childhood town of Sobralia, Minas Gerais, Brazil, with the UFC gold. “I told you guys I’m coming home with the belt,” Teixeira said. “And I am. The promise is done.”

“This guy never gave up,” White said. “All the adversity that he’s faced in his career and here at 42 years old, a few days after his birthday, he wins the title. It’s a pretty cool story. Couldn’t happen to a better guy, too.”

Anderson Silva Knocks Out Tito Ortiz in First Round

Posted on September 12, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Anderson Silva has knocked out a fellow MMA legend…

The 46-year-old Brazilian mixed martial-artist-turned-boxer stopped fellow MMA legend Tito Ortiz via knockout at 1:21 of the first round on Saturday night in Hollywood, Florida.

Ortiz had Silva trapped in the corner, throwing punches. But Silva ducked an Ortiz shot and landed a huge counter right hook. Silva followed up with a left as Ortiz slumped against the corner to put him down for good. Ortiz appeared to be completely unconscious.

Silva defeated former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. via split decision on June 19 in Guadalajara, Mexico. That was Silva’s first pro boxing match in 16 years.

The Silva-Ortiz bout — Ortiz’s pro boxing debut — took place on the undercard of the Evander Holyfield–Vitor Belfort boxing match under the Triller Fight Club banner at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

“I trained hard to show my respect for boxing,” Silva said in his post-fight interview. “I continue to work every day to prove my respect for the martial arts and for Wing Chun and for Bruce Lee.

“The grandmaster Bruce Lee said, ‘Be water, my friend.’ That’s what I do today.”

Both Silva and Ortiz are 46 years old. The bout was contracted for eight, two-minute rounds and at 195 pounds. Ortiz weighed five pounds over that catchweight limit on Friday, coming in at 200 pounds.

Silva is the former longtime UFCmiddleweight champion and considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. He holds the longest winning streak in UFC history (16) and has the most knockouts ever in UFC title fights at seven. Silva asked for and was granted his release from the UFC in November. “The Spider” had just one win in his past nine UFC fights. Silva has said he is effectively retired now from MMA.

Ortiz, meanwhile, is one of the best UFC light heavyweight champions of all time. “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” had five successful UFC 205-pound title defenses, the second-highest total in division history behind only all-time great Jon Jones. Ortiz, a California native, is also considered one of the biggest financial draws for the UFC over the years, with notable rivalries against Chuck Liddell and Ken Shamrock.

Ortiz most recently fought in December 2019, an MMA bout against former WWE champion Alberto Del Rio under the Combate Americas banner. Ortiz won that bout via first-round submission.

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