Tag Archives: UFC

Nate Diaz & Jorge Masvidal Boxing Match Rescheduled to Independence Day Weekend

Posted on by
Reply

Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal are now preparing for a real fireworks show in the ring.

The 39-year-old half-Mexican American mixed martial artist and professional boxer’s upcoming encounter with the 39-year-old Peruvian & Cuban American professional boxer and former professional mixed martial artist inside a boxing ring has a new date and venue.

Nate DiazDiaz vs. Masvidal, originally slated for June 1 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, will now relocate to the Honda Center in Anaheim and take place during Independence Day weekend on July 6.

The 10-round light heavyweight showdown will be presented on Fanmio PPV.

The original date was met with heavy competition as UFC 302 is scheduled for the same night in Newark, New Jersey, where Islam Makhachev will defend the lightweight championship against Dustin Poirier. The same day, Dmitry Bivol defends his WBA light heavyweight championship against late replacement Malik Zinad while Deontay Wilder returns to action against Zhilei Zhang on the same card.

“I sell pay-per-views for a living,” said Masvidal to ESPN. Masvidal is the promoter of Gamebred boxing as well as the bare-knuckle MMA promotion Gamebred Fighting Championship and MMA promotion iKON FC. “You don’t want to go up against other fight events and you definitely don’t want to go up against the UFC. I have been trying to switch the date from the beginning.”

Masvidal said that Diaz initially wasn’t cooperative and adamant that their boxing match take place on June 1. But the former UFC title contender said that making the move to a new date would prevent splitting the attention of fans who wanted to watch. He also stated that the event, billed as “Last Man Standing,” was moved to Anaheim to service a starved MMA fanbase that routinely turns out for UFC events in the city.

“It just doesn’t make sense but he’s not a boxer and he doesn’t have a boxing fan base,” Masvidal continued. “The fanbase he has is from MMA, from the UFC. Why go up against our own fanbase? As a promoter, I never wanted to go against them. I know fans may buy both events but why do it if there are other dates available? Finally, the promotion heeded my advice and we were able to change dates.”

The inaugural press tour for the fight was a contentious one as two fighters traded barbs with Masvidal accusing Diaz of being a “diva” during the promotion. “Gamebred” does have concerns that Diaz may not make it to the fight.

“I just felt like he didn’t want to be a part of the press tour,” Masvidal said. “I just hope he shows up to the fight because a big part of me doesn’t think he will. We have some backups out there. We have been making some calls and hunting them down because the feeling is out there that he won’t show up. I hope he proves me wrong, but we have a backup just in case.”

Diaz and Masvidal first squared off inside of the UFC‘s Octagon in 2019 when the two fan favorites competed for the inaugural BMF championship at UFC 244. The highly anticipated encounter ended on a sour note when a doctor’s stoppage due to a cut over Diaz’s eye awarded Masvidal the victory. Now the two will settle their differences in a different medium, but both fighters are looking for a definitive result on July 6

“After the fireworks on the Fourth of July you will get to see a funeral on July 6,” said Masvidal.

Alexandre Pantoja Defeats Steve Erceg by Unanimous Decision to Retain UFC Flyweight Title

Posted on by
Reply

Alexandre Pantoja is keeping his title…

The 34-year-old Brazilian professional mixed martial artist turned back a formidable challenge from Steve Erceg to earn a unanimous decision and retain the UFC flyweight championship in the main event of UFC 301 on Saturday night.

Alexandre PantojaFighting in front of his fellow countrymen at the Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the champion dealt with a surprisingly sturdy opponent in Erceg who challenged him at every turn of their 25-minute battle. It would be Pantoja’s experience, grappling and nine takedowns that would turn back the challenge of a fighter many thought was undeserving of a title opportunity.

But Erceg, from Perth, Australia, gave Pantoja all he could handle.

“I’m in here to fight the best in the world and this guy is one of them,” Pantoja said. “What a tough fighter and what a tough division.”

It was a fight that ended up being decided in the final round as two of the three judges had it even after four rounds of action.

However, Erceg’s ill-advised takedown attempt in the fifth round gave the Brazilian the opening to secure a takedown and take control down the stretch.

Pantoja might have underestimated Erceg, who entered the fight as the UFC’s No. 10-ranked fighter. He recklessly charged in with punches in an attempt to overwhelm Erceg in the opening round. But Erceg remained poised and never looked like the moment was too big for him. The second round saw a slight shift in momentum as Erceg began to pick off Pantoja’s advances while utilizing a short elbow to prevent the champion from getting a distinct advantage over him.

Pantoja routinely threatened Erceg’s back in the middle rounds, but Erceg remained calm and fought off “The Cannibal.” The fourth was yet another round where Erceg found success with his striking and won the exchanges on the feet.

With the fight hanging in the balance, both corners felt confident that their fighter had the edge. With blood streaming down his face from a cut in the hairline from an elbow, the champion continued to charge in recklessly and get countered.

But Pantoja took advantage of an overeager Erceg and slid to his opponent’s back.

Pantoja wouldn’t be able to settle into his comfort zone as Erceg escaped and slipped in a short elbow. But Pantoja remained undeterred and was pleasantly surprised when Erceg’s inexperience came into play with a takedown attempt that was reversed with 90 seconds left.

Pantoja maintained control as a panicked Erceg tried to explode to his feet before ultimately taming “Astro Boy” until the final bell.

Erceg’s title opportunity might have come because he was in the right place at the right time and was available when everyone else ranked above him was either dealing with an injury or unavailable. But his performance will certainly move him up the rankings, and it might not be the last time we see Erceg challenging for championship gold.

Pantoja extended his winning streak to six and appears to have rounded into his final form by knocking off another contender in the division. With scores of 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46, Pantoja secured his second title defense and will wait to see which flyweight emerges as next in line for a title opportunity.

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua to be Inducted into UFC Hall of Fame

Posted on by
Reply

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is entering a special hall…

The 42-year-old Brazilian former professional mixed martial artist, one of the most lethal knockout artists of all time,will be inducted by the UFC into the its Hall of Fame later this year.

Mauricio "Shogun" RuaRua holds a special place in combat history, having won titles in the UFC and Pride Fighting Championship.

He rose to prominence as a member of the famed Chute Boxe Academy and won the 2005 Pride Middleweight Grand Prix over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Alistair Overeem and Ricardo Arona.

Rua (27-14-1) moved to the UFC when it acquired Pride in 2007. A knockout win over Chuck Liddell in 2009 earned him a light heavyweight title shot against a seemingly invincible champion in Lyoto Machida. Rua ended up losing to Machida in a highly controversial decision at UFC 104. The UFC booked an immediate rematch and Rua knocked out Machida in the first round.

Rua continued to fight until January 2023, when he retired in the Octagon in Rio de Janeiro after a loss to Ihor Potieria.

He’s already in the UFC Hall of Fame‘s fight wing, thanks to his classic bout against Dan Henderson at UFC 139 in 2011.

He will now enter the modern wing in 2024 along with Wanderlei Silva, Frankie Edgar and Joanna Jedrzejczyk.

Alex Perez Scores Knockout of Matheus Nicolau 

Posted on by
Reply

Alex Perez remains in the title hunt…

The 32-year-old Mexican American mixed martial artist scored a scintillating second-round knockout of Matheus Nicolau in a battle of flyweights jockeying for title contention on Saturday in the main event of UFC Fight Night at the UFC Apex.

Alex Perez Ranked No. 8 by the UFC, Perez (25-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC) stepped into the main event picture after Manel Kape had to pull out of the bout with a rib injury.

Perez put a dramatic halt to a three-fight skid, using a high-volume approach to eventually break through Nicolau’s guard and sink him with a thudding right hand at the 2:16 mark in the second round.

Perez was the busier fighter early on with constant movement and feints. Nicolau, the UFC’s No. 5-ranked flyweight entering the night, remained composed in the opening frame and defended well as Perez routinely launched into multi-punch combinations.

Perez managed to get through with a few body shots and a leg kick before Nicolau got his attention with a counter left hand.

But the sheer amount of activity kept Nicolau on his back foot and without an answer to Perez’s salvos.

Perez kept the volume going in the second round as Nicolau attempted to counter and close the distance. A short right hand clipped the Brazilian and sent him stumbling backward. Perez immediately went for the finish as he rushed forward and launched into another violent barrage of punches as Nicolau’s back was up against the fence. A right hand slipped through and caught the Brazilian flush, immediately crumpling him along the cage wall.

“It feels amazing,” Perez said following the victory. “Everyone counted me out after three losses.”

Perez, who was coming off a loss to Muhammad Mokaev in March, was originally slated to face Tagir Ulanbekov on June 15 but took the opportunity to climb back into the top of the division with a higher-ranked opponent. It was a significant risk, but Perez was up for the challenge and cashed out in a major way.

“I tell people I don’t get paid to sit on the couch, I get paid to fight and this is the reason why,” he said about taking the fight on three weeks’ notice. “Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.”

Nicolau (19-5-1, 7-3 UFC) has dropped two in a row, both by knockout, after going on a four-fight winning streak. Saturday marked his first fight since a knockout loss to Brandon Royval last April.

With the win, Perez will keep a close eye on next week’s flyweight bout between Alexandre Pantoja and Steve Erceg at UFC 301. While a title fight might not be next, a victory of this magnitude will almost certainly land him a fight with title implications in the near future.

Alex Pereira Retains UFC Light Heavyweight Title with First Round Knockout of Jamahal Hill

Posted on by
Reply

Alex Pereira is keeping his title…

The 36-year-old Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer knocked out former champ Jamahal Hill on Saturday to retain the UFC light heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 300 — one of the biggest events in promotion history — at T-Mobile Arena.

Alex Pereira, The finish came at 3 minutes, 14 seconds of the first round after one of Pereira’s trademark left hooks.

The finish will live on highlight reels forever.

Hill kicked Pereira low, prompting referee Herb Dean to step in and try to pause the fight. Pereira held up his right hand, stopping the official from intervening. Pereira then blasted Hill with the left hook and followed with violent punches on the ground.

“I was gauging the distance and timing,” Pereira said through an interpreter. “Everything went perfect.”

Pereira said the groin kick hurt him a little, but he was just starting to figure out that distance and didn’t want to have to reset if the bout was paused. UFC CEO Dana White lauded Pereira not only for the performance but also the style points he gained for how it ended.

“He got hit in the groin,” White said. “He was like, ‘Nuh uh,’ [to Dean] and then knocks [Hill] out. … That was incredibly gangster.”

Pereira landed 24 of 30 significant strikes, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

He has landed 63% of his significant strikes in UFC, which is the fourth-best mark in the promotion’s history. Pereira has eight knockouts in 10 career wins.

Hill relinquished the title last summer after rupturing his left Achilles tendon in a pickup basketball game. Pereira won the vacant belt by knocking out former champ Jiří Procházka in November at UFC 295 in New York.

Coming in, ESPN had Pereira ranked No. 3 in its pound-for-pound rankings.

Afterward, Pereira said he wanted to get right back in the Octagon and fight at UFC 301 on May 4 in his native Brazil. Pereira said he would like to do so at heavyweight, which would be his third weight class in UFC.

“I want this fight,” Pereira said. “I’m not hurt. Nothing happened.”

That wasn’t completely true. White said Pereira suffered a broken toe while training for the fight.

“I had to just push through,” Pereira said.

White said Pereira should probably pump the brakes on a move up in weight.

“The heavyweight division is nasty,” White said. “I don’t know if that’s the right move for him. He looked damn good tonight in the division he’s in.”

Pereira (10-2) is the quickest fighter to win two UFC titles in two divisions (seven fights). The Connecticut resident knocked out Israel Adesanya to win the UFC middleweight title in 2022 before dropping the title back to Adesanya last year.

Pereira is a former two-division champion in Glory Kickboxing and a Hall of Famer in that promotion.

Hill (12-1, 1 NC) had won four straight coming in. The Chicago native, who fights out of Michigan, beat Glover Teixeira, Pereira’s coach and training partner, to win the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 283 in January 2023. Hill, 32, was the first Dana White’s Contender Series alum to win a UFC championship.

“I don’t let this belt go to my head,” Pereira said. “I have to go in here and win this belt every time to be champion.”

Jose Aldo Coming Out of Retirement to Fight Jonathan Martinez at UFC 301

Posted on by
Reply

Jose Aldo is returning to the Octagon…

The 37-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist, a UFC Hall of Fame member and longtime former UFC featherweight champion, will come out of retirement and fight Jonathan Martinez in a bantamweight fight at UFC 301 on May 4 in Aldo’s native Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Jose AldoAldo retired from the UFC after a loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278 in August 2022. He transitioned to boxing, fighting in the ring three times, including one exhibition. His most high-profile boxing match came against former UFC veteran Jeremy Stephens at Jorge Masvidal‘s Gamebred Boxing 4 in April 2023. Aldo and Stephens fought to a draw.

Despite his retirement, Aldo remained under contract with the UFC. Sources said he has one fight remaining on his deal.

Aldo (31-8) had won three straight and was closing in on a UFC bantamweight title shot before the loss to Dvalishvili. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame last summer. Aldo has the most title defenses in UFC featherweight history (7); including his time in WEC, he has nine title defenses.

Martinez (19-4) has won six in a row. A Los Angeles native who trains out of Factory X in Colorado, he has two rare leg-kick TKOs in his past three fights. Martinez, 29, is 10-3 in the UFC since his debut in 2018.

News of Aldo’s return was first reported by Brazilian outlet AG Fight.

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

Posted on by
Reply

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.

Nate Diaz to Fight Jorge Masvidal in 10-Round Boxing Match This June

Posted on by
Reply

Nate Diaz is sidestepping the Octagon for the boxing ring…

In a rematch of a marquee UFC headliner, the 38-year-old half Mexican American mixed martial artist and boxer will fight Jorge Masvidal again, this time in a boxing ring on June 1 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California.

Nate DiazThe two fought in MMA in the UFC 244 main event on November 2, 2019 at Madison Square Garden, for the mythical BMF title. Masvidal won that bout via TKO (doctor’s stoppage).

Diaz vs. Masvidal is contracted for 10 rounds at 175 pounds.

The event, distributed by Fanmio, will be dubbed “Last Man Standing.” A multicity promotional tour is being planned.

Diaz and Masvidal, two of the UFC’s biggest stars of this era, have since departed the promotion, Diaz as a free agent and Masvidal via retirement.

The UFC approved Masvidal to take this fight, as he is still under contract. Diaz and Masvidal have been involved in three of the top 10 UFC pay-per-view events of all time.

Diaz made his pro boxing debut last August in a decision loss to YouTuber-turned-prizefighter Jake Paul. Diaz went into that bout with an arm injury.

This will be Masvidal’s return to competition after retiring in April 2023 following a UFC loss to Gilbert Burns.

Masvidal beat Diaz in the fourth round at UFC 244 when the ringside physician halted the bout because of a Diaz cut. That is an impetus for the rematch. There is unfinished business; Masvidal wants to remove all doubt, while Diaz is out for revenge.

“Nate’s a dead man walking,” Masvidal said in a statement. “I can’t wait to prove that last time was no fluke. He got saved by the referee. Now we are boxing, which he says is his forte, but he’s got no shot at beating me. I’m not going to give him an inch in that ring to even breathe. If he thought our MMA match was bad, this is going to be much worse. I’m going to drown him. I want to put away any talk that him and I are the same, or that the referee saved the day. All of that talk ends June 1. Violence and throwing hands are in both of our bloods but as I proved before, I’m a far superior athlete and I’m a meaner fighter. When June 1 comes I’ll put all unanswered questions to rest, live for the world to see.”

Fanmio has distributed big combat sports events before, including Floyd Mayweather vs. Logan Paul in 2021.

“When we started our journey into boxing, we wanted to bring only the most entertaining fights together that would help transcend the world of combat sports,” Solomon Engel, Fanmio CEO, said in a statement. “Being able to put together the Diaz vs. Masvidal rematch in the boxing ring is in line with that vision. These guys are the original and true BMFs, have continuously sold out arenas and sold millions of pay-per-views. June 1 gives each the opportunity to write a new chapter in their storied history, settle their score and show the world who will be the last man standing.”

Taila Santos Signs Exclusive Deal with Professional Fighters League

Posted on by
Reply

Taila Santos is switching leagues…

The 30-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist and former UFC title challenger has signed an exclusive deal with the Professional Fighters League (PFL).

Taila SantosOfficials haven’t formally announced the deal, but ESPN sources confirmed the news after an initial report by OCP News on Friday. 

Santos (19-3) signed with the UFC after earning a deal on Dana White‘s Contender Series in 2018. She went 4-1 in her first five appearances, including wins over notable names like Molly McCann, Roxanne Modafferi and Joanne Wood.

She challenged Valentina Shevchenko for the 125-pound championship in 2022, and nearly pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history in a split-decision loss.

She made her last UFC appearance against Erin Blanchfield in August, losing by decision.

The PFL will promote a women’s flyweight division for the first time in its regular-season history. The division will debut on April 4 in San Antonio.

Jorge Masvidal Reportedly Training for Boxing Match, Planning MMA Return

Posted on by
Reply

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.