Tag Archives: Mixed Martial Artist

Alexandre Pantoja to Make Second Title Defense Against Steve Erceg at UFC 301

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Alexandre Pantoja is going on the defensive again…

The 33-year-old Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and UFC flyweight champion will make his second title defense against Steve Erceg at UFC 301 on May 4 in Rio de Janeiro.

Alexandre PantojaUFC did not specify whether the 125-pound bout will headline the pay-per-view event.

UFC 301 will take place inside Farmasi Arena in the promotion’s first trip to Rio de Janeiro since January 2023.

Pantoja (27-5) was expected to appear on the card from the moment it was announced. He was born in Rio de Janeiro but has not fought in Brazil in his 14-fight UFC career. He trains out of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida. ESPN.com ranks Pantoja the No. 7 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

Erceg (12-1) has seemingly emerged out of nowhere to claim the No. 1 contender spot. Fighting out of Perth, Australia, Erceg signed with UFC midway through last year. He is 3-0 in UFC, with two wins by decision and one finish — a TKO against Matt Schnell earlier this month at a UFC Fight Night event in Las Vegas.

Erceg, 28, has eight career finishes in 12 wins, including six by submission.

Jorge Masvidal Reportedly Training for Boxing Match, Planning MMA Return

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Jorge Masvidal is thisclose to coming out of retirement.

The 39-year-old Cuban & Peruvian American former mixed martial artist and boxer has told ESPN that he’s training for a boxing match later this year and plans to fight again in MMA.

Jorge Masvidal“All I could tell you is I’m getting ready for some type of combat and it’s gonna be in the boxing realm,” Masvidal said in an interview this week. “I don’t know this or that or who it’s going to be.”

Masvidal, who announced his retirement in April after a loss to Gilbert Burns at UFC 287, has been teasing on social media a potential boxing match with fellow former UFC star Nate Diaz. The two fought for the inaugural, symbolic BMF title in 2019 with Masvidal winning via TKO due to a Diaz cut.

But Masvidal doesn’t plan on stopping there. He has also expressed interest in fighting Justin Gaethje, the current BMF titleholder, and Colby Covington, Masvidal’s former best friend and now hated rival. Covington defeated Masvidal via unanimous decision in 2022 at UFC 272.

“I think he’s a f—ing great fighter, but I also think I’d whup his motherf—ing ass,” Masvidal said of Gaethje. “I don’t know why. Something about his style. And I like his style because he comes to fight. He’s not coming to f—ing score points. He’s coming to fight and end a motherf—er.”

Masvidal didn’t have as many positive words for Covington — or any. The deeply personal beef between the two was not quashed after they fought. In fact, Masvidal allegedly attacked Covington and punched him outside a steakhouse in Miami Beach in the weeks after the fight. Masvidal was arrested for the offense and took a plea deal in November, pleading guilty to a misdemeanor and getting sentenced to time served.

“[I’d fight him] in the UFC or f—ing in the parking lot of KFC, I don’t f—ing know,” Masvidal said. “But it’s going to f—ing happen, brother. That’s all I know.”

Masvidal has been focusing on being a promoter during his short-lived retirement. His Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA promotion has an event Saturday in Orlando, Florida, headlined by a heavyweight title fight between former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos and former UFC veteran Alan Belcher.

Jailton Almeida to Fight Curtis Blaydes at UFC 299 in Early 2024

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Jailton Almeida is readying for a return to The Octagon in early 2024…

The 32-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist will face Curtis Blaydes at UFC 299, according to ESPN, in what many are calling a big heavyweight battle.

Jailton AlmeidaThe fight is expected to take place in the first quarter of next year.

Sources say the bout has been signed, though the UFC has yet to make it official. UFC 299 does not have a set official date or location yet, but it will take place in March.

ESPN has Blaydes ranked No. 5 and Almeida ranked No. 8 in the world at heavyweight. The two were supposed to fight on November 4 in the main event of UFC Sao Paulo, but Blaydes withdrew for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Derrick Lewis.

Blaydes (17-4, 1 NC) is coming off a knockout loss to Sergei Pavlovich in April. The Chicago-area native was on a three-fight winning streak prior to that bout. Blaydes, 32, has lost only to power punchers Pavlovich, Francis Ngannou and Lewis in his seven-year UFC career.

Almeida (20-2) has won 15 in a row, including his first six in the UFC. The Brazil native is coming off a unanimous decision win over Lewis last month. He had never gone to a decision before in his 11-year career.

UFC 299 will be headlined by a bantamweight championship fight between champion Sean O’Malley and challenger Marlon “Chito” Vera.

Also on the card, former lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos will take on Mateusz Gamrot, the promotion announced Tuesday.

MMA Fighting first reported the news.

Marlon Moraes to Fight Brendan Loughnane to Help Kick Off PFL’s 2023 Regular Season

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Marlon Moraes will be reporting for kick off duty with the Professional Fighters League.

The 34-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist and former UFC title challenger (23-11-1) will fight Brendan Loughnane (26-4) in April to open the PFL‘s 2023 regular season.

Marlon MoraesThe season will launch with a three-week series of events at Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas.

The season encompasses six weight classes: heavyweight, light heavyweight, welterweight, lightweight, featherweight and women’s featherweight.

The first round of season matchups will take place across three events scheduled on April 1, 7 and 14.

All three main and co-main slots feature the PFL’s returning 2022 champion.

The featherweight bout between Loughnane and Moraes will headline the first event. In the co-main event, Rob Wilkinson (17-2) will meet another former UFC title challenger in Thiago Santos (22-11).

On April 7, heavyweight Ante Delija (23-5) will meet Yorgan De Castro (9-3). Larissa Pacheco (19-4), who upset two-time women’s lightweight champion Kayla Harrison in the 2022 finals, will take on former Bellator MMA champion Julia Budd (16-5) in the new women’s featherweight division.

Capping off the first round on April 14, lightweight Olivier Aubin-Mercier (17-5) will take on free agent acquisition Shane Burgos (15-3). Welterweight Sadibou Sy (13-6-2) will face Jarrah Al-Silawi (18-4).

The PFL is the only major MMA promotion to follow a regular-season format, which includes single-elimination playoffs and finals. Additionally, the PFL hosts its Challengers Series for up-and-coming prospects and a recently announced pay-per-view division, which includes professional boxer Jake Paul.

Souza Defeats Gegard Mousasi in His Quest to Face UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman

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Ronaldo Souza is making the case to battle UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman…

The 34-year old Brazilian Mixed Martial Artist (MMA) dominated Gegard Mousasi in a non-title bout on Friday night to stake his claim to No. 1 contender status.

Ronaldo Souza

Souza (21-3) submitted Mousasi at 4:30 of the third round via a guillotine choke. The middleweight bout headlined a UFC Fight Night event at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, Connecticut.

A jiu-jitsu black belt, Souza took Mousasi down repeatedly during the 185-pound contest and more than held his own on the feet. He wore Mousasi down from top position in each of the three rounds, eventually leading to the finish.

Immediately after the victory, Souza pointed out he finished Mousasi inside three rounds, while it took Lyoto Machida, who fought Weidman for the title in July, a full five-round fight to dispose of Mousasi via unanimous decision in February.

“If anyone doubted [I’m ready for the title], they are completely wrong,” Souza said. “Lyoto fought this guy for five rounds. I finished him.”

Seeking the 15th submission win of his career, Souza came close to producing a tap late in the round, but Mousasi held on to see the third.

A tired-looking Mousasi managed to land a few straight punches and a left hook to start the third, but he surrendered a takedown 90 seconds in. A right hand caused a welt to form under Mousasi’s right eye and he fell into the guillotine moments later.

For Souza, the win avenges a first-round knockout loss to Mousasi in September 2008. That fight, which took place in Saitama, Japan, ended when Mousasi knocked him out cold with an upkick from his back.

It also improves Souza’s UFC record to 4-0, with three finishes. Weidman (12-0) is scheduled to defend his title for a second time against Vitor Belfort at UFC 181 on Dec. 6 in Las Vegas.

Despite the impressive victory, Souza is at least one fight away from a title shot, according to comments made during the postfight news conference by UFC president Dana White.