RIZIN 18 Live Report

RIZIN wrapped up it’s action-packed summer of shows on Sunday, with RIZIN 18. The show had many of it’s big names like Kyoji Horiguchi, Kanna Asakura and Ayaka Hamasaki along with many other big names. The show also had a big focus on kickboxing, with many bouts under the ruleset throughout the show. In the promotions return to Nagoya, the show had lots of big matches. Follow along throughout the evening (or morning, depending on what timezone you’re in) for updates.

All MMA fights on this card have elbows allowed in them, as opposed to previous cards which had some fights without elbows allowed.

Bout 1: Uchu Sakurai (4-1) vs. Ryuji Horio (19-9-2) (Kickboxing Rules) (126 lbs)

Before the first fight, RIZIN had their usual fighter introductions. There was no large pyro since they’re in a venue with no real stage. Just like last time RIZIN was in Nagoya, there was a visible amount of empty seats in the venue. The first fight on the card was a kickboxing match between Uchu Sakurai and Ryuji Horio. It’s worth noting that Sakurai is 16 years old. Sakurai was getting most of the offence in through the first round. Horio was rocked in the end of the round, getting hit with a combination of strikes which made him stay put in guard until the round ended. He was hit with a knee to the head, then hit with punches after. Horio had a better second round, putting Sakurai in a corner and throwing lots of punches. There was a pause in the third round as seemingly Sakurai’s mouthguard wasn’t put back in in-between rounds. Sakurai was put in the corner and getting absolutely pummeled. He was given a standing 10 count with 30 seconds left. Sensing blood in the water, Horio kept coming forward. He couldn’t land another knockdown before the fight ran out of time. All three judges gave the fight to Ryuji Horio, earning his 20th professional win.

Bout 2: Kazuki Osaki (24-5-2 1 NC) vs. Shota Takiya (32-13) (Kickboxing Rules) (117 lbs)

The second match was a kickboxing battle, with two experienced kickboxers in Kazuki Osaki and Shota Takiya facing off. Takiya is apparently a big Dragon Ball fan, wanting to be a real-life Goku. Osaki was coming into this fight with more of a muay thai stance, versus the karate stance of Takiya. Both guys started really trading hard punches as the first round was in its final minute. Whenever they clinched up, Osaki would try to throw Takiya down. As the second round was concluding, Takiya was dropped by a combination of punches. He got back up and had an intense exchange with Osaki as the round ended. Takiya was completely defensive in the final round, with Osaki teeing off. Osaki was dropped yet again, this time in the final round from a right hook. Going to decision, Kazuki Osaki took the unanimous decision victory.

Bout 3: Tabatha Watkins (3-2) vs. AI (3-0) (MMA Rules) (108 lbs)

In the first MMA fight of the night, Krazy Bee prospect AI faced Tabatha Watkins. In the first minute of the fight, AI landed a takedown. Watkins put in an armbar which was very tight. AI stood up and started landing stomps to the head while in the move. AI eventually got out of the armbar, and tried landing strikes from above. On the ground in the second round, Watkins put in another armbar which was tight. There was a hand motion from AI which made it look like she tapped. Although it was either never seen, or it was just not considered a tap. AI got out of it, and almost found herself in a triangle choke but escaped it and moved into a north south. From that position, AI landed knees to the head. In side position, AI did knees to the mid-section. She also threw elbows to the body. Before the final round, Kanako Murata was spotted in the crowd. In the final round, AI had Watkins on the ground and threw strikes from above. AI dove down into side position again, throwing knees to the head. She threw tons of elbows to the head. Watkins started to bleed heavily. AI started to throw hammerfist punches, with it looking scary for Watkins for a second. The fight went the distance. While Watkins had two rounds with near finished, AI did a lot of damage in the final round, which is important since RIZIN doesn’t use the 10 point must system, but instead scores a fight altogether. The decision was unanimous, with all three judges giving AI the win.

Bout 4: Yutaro Muramoto (6-4-2) vs. Takaki Soya (10-4-1) (MMA Rules) (130 lbs)

The next fight had the RIZIN debut of Yutaro Muramoto versus Takaki Soya, who got a brutal victory two shows ago. Right off the bat, Muramoto tried for a jumping knee. It missed, making them go to the ground for a few moments before returning to stand-up. Muramoto had a takedown blocked by Soya. Muramoto was dropped by a right hook when they were trading punches halfway through the round. The fight went to the ground, with Muramoto landing punches from top position. In-between rounds, Yuki Motoya was spotted in the crowd. They traded punches in the second round, with Soya landing real good punches. After he strung together enough strikes, the referee stepped in and ended the fight. Another impressive win from Soya comes this summer.

Bout 5: Justin Scoggins (11-6) vs. Kazuma Sone (23-18-1) (134 lbs)

In a clash between two fighters on a multiple fight losing streak, Justin Scoggins fought Kazuma Sone. Scoggins lost his RIZIN debut on New Year’s Eve, coming from the UFC before then. Sone has lost in Shooto, also losing in Nagoya last year at RIZIN 12. When they faced off in the ring before the fight started, Scoggins had his fists up and looked intense. The English commentary mentioned numerous times on the broadcast that a 135 pound tournament could happen soon. The first round of this fight had close stand-up action, with both fighters landing good shots. In the second round, Scoggins clipped Sone with a right hook. Sone gave up his back after coming forward trying something, but got back to stand-up. A big cut around Sone’s right eye opened up in the second round. In the third round, Scoggins was confident, taunting frequently. Scoggins dropped Sone again with punches. The fight went all three rounds, and while Sone stayed in it until the end, Scoggins was clearly the better fighter. All three judges gave the fight to Justin Scoggins, who was confident way before his name was called. Scoggins got his first win since 2016, and his first win in RIZIN.

Bout 6: Yves Landu (15-7) vs. Hiroto Uesako (17-7) (157 lbs)

Before the next fight, the broadcast told us that this was a qualifier for the RIZIN Lightweight GP. From France, Yves Landu face Hiroto Uesako, who has found success on the Japanese regional circuit. Landu had athletic tape around his left shoulder and arm. Landu slipped after throwing a punch, which made Uesako throw a knee. Landu scored a takedown, They got up and went into a clinch up against the ropes/corner. Uesako did a judo throw, then tried for a kick which Landu caught. On the ground, Lando threw a few elbows as the round ended. Before the second round, Roberto Satoshi Souza was shown in the audience. Landu had a good start to the second round, throwing tons of punches and kicks including a switch kick. His movement shows that he’s very light on his feet. Uesako took top position on the ground and held it for a large amount of the round. He threw tons of punches, with the referee eventually ending the bout. While the punches weren’t hard, Landu was stuck in his position for quite some time.

Bout 7: Jarred Brooks (14-2) vs. Haruo Ochi (19-7-2) (117 lbs)

Jarred Brooks, who has the nickname “The Monkey God,” came out with a monkey mask, throwing bananas into the crowd. In his RIZIN debut, he faced Haruo Ochi, who sent Mitsuhisa Sunabe into the shadow realm back in the Fall at RIZIN 13. Right off the bat, Brooks landed a takedown. The fighters clashed heads, which made Ochi’s forehead cut open horribly. The fight was ruled a no-contest, with both fighters being visibly frustrated with the outcome.

Bout 8: Alesha Zappitella (5-1 1 NC) vs. Kanna Asakura (14-4) (108 lbs)

In the final fight before the intermission, Kanna Asakura attempted to bounce back from her loss against Miyuu Yamamoto, facing Alesha Zappitella, who has fought in the American Women’s promotion Invicta many times. Tenshin Nasukawa was shown sitting at ringside for this fight. Early in the fight, Zappitella was throwing hard punches. Asakura tried for a takedown but it was stopped in the first minute. Asakura was coming in with good shots. While Zappatella did a good job at defending takedowns throughout the round, Asakura kept landing good shots. In the second round, Zappitella scored a takedown, although most of the round stayed in stand-up. Zappitella took down Asakura in the final round and threw a short flurry of punches. They were both landing solid punches in the final round. Zappitella was walking around the edges of the ring. Zappitella tried for a single leg takedown in the final seconds of the fight which was landed. Zappitella’s corner was very confident as the fight ended. The judges had a split decision, with the third and final judge giving the fight to Kanna Asakura. Nasukawa looked happy at ringside, which is fitting since it was also his birthday.

Bout 9: Danilo Zanolini (41-12) vs. John Wayne Parr (99-33-1) (Kickboxing Rules) (165 lbs)

After the intermission, Tenshin Nasukawa came to the ring to speak. He talked about his September 16 fight in RISE, competing in the finals of a Grand Prix. He said he will return to RIZIN once the tournament is over. He also talked about how he is happy that it is his birthday. The next fight was a big one, as kickboxing legend John Wayne Parr looked for his 100th professional win against Danilo Zanolini. Parr walked out to Old Town Road. The first round had a ton of low kicks from both fighters. Parr got a cut on the left side of his head before round one ended. Zanolini was doing well throughout the first two rounds, although they could go either way. Zanolini was warned to not land elbows. Keeping a fast tempo through all three rounds, this fight was a close one to call. The fight went the distance, with both fighters putting on a close performance. The decision was a split decision, with Danilo Zanolini getting the win. John Wayne Parr was unable to earn his 100th pro career win.

Bout 10: Takeya Mizugaki (23-13-2) vs. Manel Kape (13-4) (MMA Rules) (134 lbs)

Shifting back to MMA for the rest of the night, the first match was Takeya Mizugaki versus Manel Kape. Mizugaki is a very experienced fighter, competing in the UFC up until 2017, being with them since 2011. Also, he competed in WEC from 2009 to 2010. Kape is a veteran of RIZIN, attempting to bounce back from a loss against Seiichiro Ito. Kape wore shoes and socks for this fight, making him the first person to do so on this show. After a minute of striking from both fighters, a pause came after Mizugaki was hit in the groin. Halfway through the round, Kape started to showboat, throwing slaps and fancy kicks behind the other leg. As the round ended, Kape did the pose that Tenshin Nasukawa often does. There were many times in the round where both fighters threw numerous punch combos. Just over a minute into the second round, Kape landed a right hook which gave him the win. He didn’t have to land another punch before the referee intervened. He mocked Nasukawa’s stance once again after the fight. After the fight, he called out Kyoji Horiguchi. Also, Kape claimed he is the most pretty boy fighter in Japan.

Bout 11: Trent Girdham (11-2) vs. Victor Henry (18-4) (MMA Rules) (134 lbs)

In the next fight, DEEP Bantamweight Champion Victor Henry challenged Trent Girdham. Both fighters made their RIZIN debut with this fight. There was a pause in the first round was Henry was kicked in the groin. With two minutes left in the round, Henry had Girdham retreating due to shots. A trip attempt by Girdham was defended, staying in standing clinch. Girdham threw down Henry and took his back. When they stood back up, Henry had a great combination of strikes and then scored a takedown as the round ended. Henry got hit in the groin again in the second round. Girdham was given another warning. A minute later it was Girdham who got hit with a low kick, cause another pause. Henry landed a takedown but Girdham reversed it. Girdham was in control for most of the time on the ground. Henry got a takedown as the second round closed out. Unfortunately, at the start of the final round, Girdham was hit in the round while throwing a spinning back kick. When they resumed, Henry took top position on the ground. Henry tried for a triangle choke on Girdham’s back, making him tap out. Right after he won, Victor Henry put on Zumba pants.

Bout 12: AMP The Rocket (3-1) vs. Ayaka Hamasaki (18-2) (MMA Rules) (108 lbs)

In the co-main event, Suwanan Boonsorn, also known as AMP The Rocket made her RIZIN debut against Ayaka Hamasaki. The commentary team said AMP has a muay thai record of 74-4. She came out sporting DEEP Jewels merch. Hamasaki has the RIZIN Super Atomweight Championship, although she is not defending it in this contest. Flowers were given to both fighters before the bout started. AMP landed a takedown in the first few seconds of the right. Hamasaki tried for a kimura while AMP was on her back. That didn’t work. AMP tried for a rear naked choke. It stayed on the chin of Hamasaki, never getting below that. AMP transitioned into a head and arm lock. Hamasaki was able to take mount, flipping around the position. Hamasaki put in an armbar, making AMP tap out in the first round.

Bout 13: Kai Asakura (12-1) vs. Kyoji Horiguchi (28-2) (MMA Rules) (134 lbs)

In the main event of the evening, Kai Asakura challenged the king of RIZIN, Kyoji Horiguchi. Mikuru Asakura, who won just a few weeks ago against Yusuke Yachi, was in the corner of his brother. In the first minute of the fight, Horiguchi was rocked by a right hook. Retreating, Horiguchi was hit with more punches, especially another right hook which dropped him and ended the fight. The crowd erupted, as this was a big upset. This ended Horiguchi’s 13 MMA fight winning streak, which goes into the last fights of his UFC run. The fight was not for Horiguchi’s RIZIN or Bellator Championships, but the victory certainly puts him in line for a shot.

UFC 241: Cormier vs. Miocic 2 Full Report

In one of the biggest pay-per-views of the year, Stipe Miocic will attempt to take the Heavyweight Championship from Daniel Cormier in a rematch. The former champ was stopped in one round against Cormier a year ago. He attempts to take back his belt after a year’s layoff. Also on the card is the return of Nate Diaz after almost three days of a layoff. In his return, he’ll face Anthony Pettis. Along with those two fights is 10 other fights. Stay tuned on this post for updates throughout the night.

Bout 1: Sabina Mazo (6-1) vs. Shana Dobson (3-2) (Flyweight)

Starting off the evening was a flyweight bout between Sabina Mazo and Shana Dobson. Dobson has been absent from MMA for a year due to injury, making her return with this fight. Very early in the fight, Mazo hurt Dobson with a kick to the mid-section. She came forward with punches, and then landed a takedown. After Mazo landed punches from above for a while, Dobson tried to take her back. It worked for a second before Mazo brought them back to the position they were in. They stood up in clinch up against the cage, but Mazo took them back down shortly after. Mazo utilized her kicks quite a bit at the start of the second round. Dobson searched for a takedown but couldn’t get one, being put in a standing clinch against the cage. With two minutes left in the second round, Mazo got a takedown. They went back to stand-up as the round concluded. Halfway through the final round, Dobson was put up against the cage and was getting hit with tons of knees. Referee Frank Trigg was getting closer, warning Dobson that she needs to fight back. Mazo got a trip takedown with just for 90 seconds left. The fight ran out of time as Mazo landed punches from above. The judges gave Sabina Mazo the win in very decisive fashion (30-24, 30-25 & 30-25).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Mazo	10	10	10	30
Dobson	9	9	8	26

Bout 2: Brandon Davis (10-6) vs. Kyung Ho Kang (15-8) (Bantamweight)

The next fight was a bantamweight battle between UFC veteran Kyung Ho Kang and Brandon Davis. In the first round, Kang was landing good jabs. Davis was targeting the left leg. Kang rocked Davis with a right jab, then took his back with a minute left in the round. Kang switched over into full mount before the round concluded. In the second round, Davis tried for an armbar to counter a takedown attempt by Kang. That didn’t work, with Kang taking top position moments later. When they went back to stand-up, Davis was swinging for the fences. His fought without his mouthguard for a minute or so. They went to the groudn early in the final round after Davis slipped and fell after throwing a kick. When they were on the ground in side control for a minute or so, the referee stood them up. The commentators seemed to be in disbelief about that. Kang got another takedown moments later. Davis got up and threw some punches before Kang landed a third takedown. The fight ended with Kang in top position. In a split decision, Kyung Ho Kang got the victory (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Davis	9	10	9	28
Kang	10	9	10	29

Bout 3: Hannah Cifers (9-3) vs. Jodie Esquibel (6-5) (Strawweight)

Finishing off the Fight Pass early prelims was Hannah Cifers and Jodie Esquibel in a strawweight fight. The first round of the fight was a slow one from both fighters. It was strictly stand-up. Esquibel got a takedown early in the second round. They were stood back up, although Cifers got another takedown right after. Cifers tried for an omoplata but couldn’t get it. They went back to stand-up with a minute left in the round. Halfway through the final round, Esquibel got another takedown. The fight went the distance with Hannah Cifers getting the victory (30-28, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Cifers	10	10	9	30
Esquibel	9	9	10	27

Bout 4: Manny Bermudez (14-0) vs. Casey Kenney (12-1-1) (Catchweight 140lbs)

Kicking off the prelims on ESPN, Manny Bermudez put his undefeated record up against Casey Kenney in a 140 pound fight. Bermudez got a takedown after a minute of the first round. Both fighters had a fair share of control on the ground in the round. With more close ground fighting in the second round, Kenney tried for a choke. It was obvious that both fighters preferred being on the ground. Near the end of the second round, Bermudez had some good striking when they went back to stand-up. Kenney started to look very fatigued. Bermudez brought it to the ground and tried for a choke but Kenney got out and took top position as the round ended. On the ground in the final round, Bermudez tried for a guillotine but couldn’t get it. All three judges had it in favour of Casey Kenney (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28). Throughout it was a close competition on the ground.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Bermudez	10	9	10	29
Kenney	9	10	9	28

Bout 5: Drakkar Klose (10-1-1) vs. Christos Giagos (17-7) (Lightweight)

Continuing on the prelims was Drakkar Klose versus Christos Giagos. The first round was a quiet one, with Giagos doing most of the work. Klose landed a good shot right at the for at the end of the first round. On the ground in the second round, Klose was put in a rear naked choke. When they went back to stand-up, Klose was landing tons of punches. He got a trip takedown and took top position with a hammerfist. In the final round Klose looked like the fresher fighter. Klose continued to apply the pressure in the final round with striking. With a minute left in the final round, Klose picked up Giagos and did quite the ceremonial slam to the ground. Both fighters traded punches as the final round ended. The judges all were in agreement that Drakkar Klose had won the fight (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Klose	9	10	10	29
Giagos	10	9	9	28

Bout 6: Raphael Assuncao (27-6) (#3) vs. Cory Sandhagen (11-1) (#9) (Bantamweight)

In the first fight of the evening with ranked fighters, Cory Sandhagen fought Raphael Assuncao. Sandhagen was frequently the fighter coming forward with strikes in the first round. Assuncao wasn’t doing much in the first round, although he didn’t leave himself open to a ton of strikes. In the second round, Assuncao caught a leg kick and turned it into a takedown. Sandhagen was able to take control for most of the time on the ground in the second round. Assuncao got another takedown after a minute of the final round. They got back up immediately. Assuncao got a few more takedowns as the round continued, but they never stayed on the ground. The fight went in favour of Cory Sandhagen (30-27, 30-27 & 29-28). This was the highest profile win that Sandhagen got in his career up until this point.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Assuncao	9	9	10	28
Sandhagen	10	10	9	29

Bout 7: Devonte Smith (10-1) vs. Khama Worthy (14-6) (Lightweight)

Finishing off the preliminary section of the card was Devonte Smith and Khama Worthy in a lightweight competition. Worthy came into this fight was a steep underdog. This was also his UFC debut. Halfway through the first round there was a pause because Worthy was poked in the eye. The crowd started to boo as the first round was closing out. Both fighters were very methodical through the first few minutes. Worthy landed a combo of punches which dropped Smith, then finished the fight on the ground. The fighter who took the fight on less than a week’s time made a lot of underdog betters happy tonight. He asked for a performance bonus in the post-fight interview since he’s the first finish of the evening.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Smith
Worthy

Bout 8: Derek Brunson (19-7) (#8) vs. Ian Heinisch (13-1) (#10) (Middleweight)

The PPV started off with middleweight gatekeeper Derek Brunson facing up and coming fighter Ian Heinisch. Right off the bat, Heinisch opened with punches and a clean head kick which had Brunson in trouble. Brunson clinched up which stopped the momentum from the very start. They went back to stand-up. Brunson tried for a takedown with over a minute left in the round. Heinisch stayed hopping on one foot while throwing punches. He was able to avoid being taken to the ground. Brunson failed to score another takedown as the round ended. Heinisch tried for a takedown in the second round but Brunson stuffed it. Heinisch looked more tired in the second round, getting hit more in stand-up. In between rounds the crowd erupted with boos as Colby Covington walked into the venue. Both fighters were quite tired in the final round. Brunson was dictating the fight through the final round. The fight went all 15 minutes, with Derrick Brunson getting the unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Brunson	9	10	10	29
Heinisch	10	9	9	28

Bout 9: Sodiq Yusuff (9-1) vs. Gabriel Benitez (21-6) (Featherweight)

In the next main card fight, Sodiq Yusuff, a prospect from the Contender Series fought Gabriel Benitez. Yusuff was in control from the start, with powerful strikes making Benitez backtrack. Halfway through the round Benitez landed some strikes that had Yusuff in trouble. It seemed like both fighters were taking turns dictating the fight. With a minute left in the round, Yusuff landed a right hook which dropped Benitez. He landed lots of shots on the ground before referee Herb Dean stepped in. He was in trouble during moments in the fight, but his power to finish the fight got him the win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Yusuff
Benitez

Bout 10: Yoel Romero (13-3) (#2) vs. Paulo Costa (12-0) (#7) (Middleweight)

In a real middleweight division superfight, Yoel Romero faced Paulo Costa in the next bout. Romero landed a high kick in the first minute and then got a takedown, but Costa got up right after. Romero was clipped with a punch after a minute of the fight, but when he got up he dropped Costa with a punch. He stood back up and went back to stand-up. Romero stayed on the outside of the octagon while Costa was coming forward. After being up against the cage for a while, Romero came forward with a flurry of punches. The action was paused after Romero was kneed in the groin. They resumed after a minute or two of a break. Romero tried for a takedown but it was blocked, with Costa landing punches to the body while stuffing it. Back on the feet, both fighters were eating hard shots. Costa seemed to be controlling the second round Romero was backtracking throughout the round. Romero threw a lot of jabs. Romero scored a takedown in the final 10 seconds of the second round. The crowd was cheering in appreciation before the final round started. There was a pause due to Costa getting poked in the eye. After they traded punches for a few minutes, they started taunting. Costa saluted Romero and stuck his tongue out. Romero had strung together some good combinations. Romero got a takedown again in the finale seconds of the round. The fight went the distance, with the crowd cheering quite a bit when it ended. The judges all favoured Paulo Costa (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28). The crowd was booing after the result was announced. He called out the winner between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Romero	9	9	10	28
Costa	10	10	9	29

Bout 11: Nate Diaz (19-11) vs. Anthony Pettis (22-8) (#7) (Welterweight)

In a long awaited return, Nate Diaz fought Anthony Pettis in the co-main event of the evening. Diaz’s last fight was his sequel bout against Conor McGregor, in the summer of 2016. Pettis has stayed active through that time, recently defeating Stephen Thompson via superman punch. Diaz took a takedown with 90 seconds left in the round, thought Pettis tried for a guillotine from it. Diaz got out of it in short time. Diaz took the back of Pettis twice. He was completely dominant on the ground. After a couple minutes in the second round, the referee paused the fight so that a doctor could check an eye of Diaz. He said he was fine, so they resumed. Diaz landed a good knee to the head and then a hard elbow in clinch. Up against the cage, Pettis was getting hurt by strikes. Diaz was landing punches until the last moment of the round. Up against the cage again, Diaz was landing punches and knees that dropped Pettis. Diaz took the back of Pettis, but Pettis flipped around. Diaz continued to be in control on the ground. With 30 seconds left, he tried for a rear naked choke. Pettis escaped as the fight ended. Diaz was cut around his right eye. Nate Diaz walked away with a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27 & 29-28). After the fight, Diaz called out Jorge Masvidal, saying he’s a gangster but not like him.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Diaz	10	10	10	30
Pettis	9	9	9	27

Bout 12: Daniel Cormier (22-1) © vs. Stipe Miocic (#1) (18-3) (UFC Heavyweight Championship)

Finally, in the main event of the evening, Daniel Cormier faced Stipe Miocic in a fight for the UFC Heavyweight Championship. This rematch is the second time DC attempted to defend his Heavyweight Championship. Both fighters threw leg kicks in the first minute. Cormier started to dip into the pocket with some punches, then backing up. He shot for a single leg takedown after a few punches. Cormier held Miocic up high for a few moments before dumping him onto the canvas. In top position, Cormier landed punches to the mid-section. On the back of Miocic, Cormier landed hammerfists. Cormier would land punches after grabbing the hands of Miocic. Cormier started coming forward more, but started get clipped with punches. They clinched against the cage after both fighters landed hard shots. Miocic started to utilize his reach advantage more with jabs. Upon replay it became obvious that Miocic was poked in the eye during the round. Miocic tried for a takedown in the opening minute of the third round but couldn’t secure it. They continued to practically take turns landing shots. Miocic put Cormier up against the cage in a standing clinch. Miocic got a takedown later in the round. They got back up wand went back to striking with a minute left in the round. Both fighters seemed very fatigued. Miocic was coming forward throughout the fourth round. Miocic hurt Cormier with a with a punch which stunned him, then dropped him with a few more. After numerous strikes, referee Herb Dean stepped in to end the fight. Stipe Miocic has gotten his UFC Heavyweight Championship back. Cormier said that he has to make an educated decision about his career moving forward.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Total
Cormier	10	10	9
Miocic	9	9	10

UFC’s next show is on the 31st in Shenzen, China, with Weili Zhang challenging UFC Strawweight Champion Jessica Andrade. That show will be broadcasted on the ESPN+ platform. Before then, UFC’s final two episodes of the Contender Series will air on Tuesday at 8 PM Eastern Time.

UFC 241: Cormier vs. Miocic 2 Preview

In one of the UFC’s biggest shows of the year, Daniel Cormier will attempt to repeat history, beating Stipe Miocic for the second time. Last year in the summer, Cormier earned a first-round KO victory over Miocic, ending the Ohio raised fighter’s two-year reign over the heavyweight division. In a well-deserved rematch, Miocic will try to take back the belt that he had for quite some time. Also on the card is the return of Nate Diaz. The polarizing fighter from Stockton will face Anthony Pettis after a few days short of a three-year absence from MMA. Along with those two fights are 10 other fights on the UFC 241 PPV card. Let’s start by looking at the preliminary card for the show.

Bout 1: Sabina Mazo (6-1) vs. Shana Dobson (3-2) (Flyweight)

Starting off the evening will be a flyweight competition between two fighters with small records. Mazo is coming back from her first pro loss, which came in her UFC debut against Maryna Moroz. Before then, she was a success story from the LFA promotion. Shana Dobson is coming back from a near year and a half layoff, losing to Lauren Mueller. Both early in their UFC runs, these fighters have something to prove on Saturday.

Bout 2: Brandon Davis (10-6) vs. Kyung Ho Kang (15-8) (Bantamweight)

The second fight of the show is a battle between two fighters who are no new faces to the UFC. Kyung Ho Kang joined the UFC in 2013 and since has racked up the respectable record of 4-2 1 NC. His recent win came over Teruto Ishihara in the February PPV in Australia. The placement of Kang on this card makes the timing work out that he can be on UFC’s end of year show in Korea. While Davis has spent less time in the UFC, his record is of a similar size, with 2-3. He’ll look to even his UFC record on Saturday against Kang.

Bout 3: Hannah Cifers (9-3) vs. Jodie Esquibel (6-5) (Strawweight)

Jodie Esquibel’s run in the UFC has so far been unsuccessful. Entering the promotion with a record of 6-2, Esquibel has since lost three in a row. In what’s likely her last chance to stay in the UFC, she will face Hannah Cifers, who has a 1-1 record in the UFC. With Cifers being the favourite to win the bout, Esquibel will try to beat the odds on Saturday evening.

Bout 4: Manny Bermudez (14-0) vs. Casey Kenney (12-1-1) (Bantamweight)

Ending the early prelims and moving to the prelims on ESPN, two big bantamweight prospects will face off. Casey Kenney, a fighter who has only faced defeat once in his career, will face the undefeated Manny Bermudez. Kenney took his loss in 2017 on the Dana White Contender Series. He since then went off to LFA, where he earned four straight wins. He got signed to the UFC, and most recently in March got a win over Ray Borg. Bermudez has had quick submission losses throughout his career. With 14 wins, he has only left the first round four times. In his three-fight UFC career, he has stopped all of his opponents within two rounds. In what could be an explosive fight, these two bantamweights will likely put on a show.

Bout 5: Drakkar Klose (10-1-1) vs. Christo Giagos (17-7) (Lightweight)

Both Drakkar Klose and Christo Giagos have been successful recently in their MMA career. Klose, who has been in the UFC for a few years now, is riding a two-fight win streak currently. Same is the case for Giagos. All of those aforementioned wins came from decision. Actually, neither fighter has seen a stoppage victory since they joined the UFC. Both fighters have gotten their first UFC win, but one of them might get a first in a stoppage on Saturday. What’s more likely though is that someone’s streak will end.

Bout 6: Raphael Assuncao (27-6) vs. Cory Sandhagen (11-1) (Bantamweight)

Cory Sandhagen has had an undefeated run in the UFC thus far but will meet his biggest challenge on Saturday when he faces Raphael Assuncao. Assuncao is currently coming off a loss from Marlon Moraes, but his decade of high-level MMA experience gives him an edge over Sandhagen. With a 4-0 UFC record, Sandhagen has gotten wins via strikes, submissions and decisions. His recent win came over John Lineker in April. Who will prevail on the prelims with near perfection faces a veteran of the sport.

Bout 7: Devonte Smith (10-1) vs. Khama Worthy (14-6) (Lightweight)

Finishing off the prelims of the card on ESPN is Devonte Smith versus Khama Worthy in a lightweight bout. Smith came from the Contender Series and has gotten two first-round victories since his debut. He’s a tall order for Worthy, who will be making his UFC debut. While he’s coming in as a huge underdog, Worthy is on a five-fight winning streak, all within a two year period.

Bout 8: Derek Brunson (19-7) vs. Ian Heinisch (13-1) (Middleweight)

Starting off the main card of UFC 241 is Derek Brunson facing Ian Heinisch. Brunson is coming off a victory of Elias Theodorou, which was a bounce back from losses to high profile fighters in Jacare Souza and Israel Adesanya. Heinisch is heading into his third UFC fight, coming from the Contender Series back in 2018. Heinisch has quickly established himself in the middleweight division. A win over Brunson would make it his first win over a real gatekeeper/contender fighter.

Bout 9: Sodiq Yusuff (9-1) vs. Gabriel Benitez (21-6) (Featherweight)

Before the AKA gym puts their focus on Daniel Cormier’s fight, they’ll have duty watching Gabriel Benitez face featherweight prospect Sodiq Yusuff. Making his UFC debut in 2014, Benitez has a record of 5-2. Yusuff has been perfect since his arrival, with 2 wins, one of them coming via first-round punches. He impressed in 2018 on the Contender Series, earning his contract. While Yusuff’s record in MMA is small, his success arguably makes him a fair opponent for Benitez, who hasn’t been doing too bad for himself either.

Bout 10: Yoel Romero (13-3) vs. Paulo Costa (12-0) (Middleweight)

In a fight that has been a long time coming, Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa will finally face off on Saturday. This matchup was first planned for November, but couldn’t happen as Romero wasn’t cleared to fight. Romero was then matched up with Jacare Souza, but pulled out of the bout due to pneumonia. Costa was offered to fight as a replacement in that bout but turned it down. Now, with tons of cancelled bouts, these two are paired up once again. Both fighters haven’t competed in over a year, but are both still valued highly in the middleweight division. Costa will be putting his undefeated record in the bout. Romero’s last fight was a championship loss to Robert Whittaker at UFC 225. Will Costa continue his slow but steady climb up the middleweight division, or will Romero prove he deserves another shot at the title?

Bout 11: Nate Diaz (19-11) vs. Anthony Pettis (22-8) (Welterweight)

In the co-main event, the fan-friendly fighter Nate Diaz will make his long-awaited return against Anthony Pettis. Diaz’s last two fights were his famous original and sequel bout against Conor McGregor. Since then, he’s faded into the background of the UFC. He was expected to face Dustin Poirier back in the fall, but Poirier pulled out with an injury, he was benched once again. Pettis has remained busy as of late, recently knocking out Stephen Thompson with a superman punch in a fight night main event. He took a loss to Tony Ferguson in the Fall, defeating Michael Chiesa before then. Those two fights were lightweight bouts. While Pettis won’t have the concern for ring rust like Diaz might, he is still testing the welterweight waters.

Bout 12: Daniel Cormier (22-1) vs. Stipe Miocic (18-3) (UFC Heavyweight Championship)

In the main event of the PPV, Daniel Cormier will attempt to defend his UFC Heavyweight Championship against Stipe Miocic. He earned the belt in their first meeting, knocking out Miocic with an elbow while in a clinch. Cormier has since fought once, defeating Derrick Lewis to make the first defence of his belt. Miocic hasn’t fought since last summer.

The first fight with Miocic was an uphill battle for Cormier, being the short fighter by quite the length. His win proved that he can hang with Miocic, though the sudden fashion of the victory opened speculation about if he could do it again. On Saturday he’ll have the chance to prove it wasn’t a fluke, while Miocic will have the opportunity to do the opposite.

UFC will take a week off next weekend after having many consecutive weeks of events. The promotion will come back at the end of the month, with Weili Zhang facing Jessica Andrade for the Strawweight Championship in Shenzen, China. While there will be no fight night next weekend, the promotion will air the second last episode of Season 3 of the Contender Series on Tuesday. The show will conclude on the following week.

Dana White’s Contender Series Season 3 Episode 8 Full Report

On Tuesday, another episode of the Contender Series aired, with MMA fighters getting the opportunity for a UFC contract. On this week’s five fight card, the main event saw two undefeated light heavyweights in Herdem Alacabek and William Knight face off. Whether either of them or others earned contracts was determined by their performances. Let’s look at the first fight of the evening.

Bout 1: Karl Reed (6-1) vs. Julius Anglickas (6-1) (Light Heavyweight)

The first fight of the evening was also a light heavyweight bout. Former LFA Champion Julius Anglickas fought Karl Reed, who had an identical record of 6-1. Reed tried for a single leg takedown in the first minute of the fight. He couldn’t get it, with Anglickas staying standing up against the cage. They took turns having their backs up against the cage. Anglickas got the first takedown of the fight, getting on Reed’s back. Reed got back up, then they went back to stand-up with under two minutes left in the round. Reed his first takedown with over a minute left. Back to stand-up with a few seconds left in the round, Anglickas strung together a few good punches. Anglickas had a decent first minute of the second round, throwing kicks and punches. He landed another takedown after a few moments of looking for one. Just like last time, Reed got right back up. While up against the cage, there was a timeout called by the referee as Reed was hit in the groin. Anglickas landed another takedown when they resumed, but Reed got up immediately after. They were clinched up against the cage for long enough that referee Jason Herzog brought them back to stand-up. Reed got a takedown with a minute left in the second round. When they stood back up and separated, Anglickas had some good strikes again. In the final round, Anglickas had a great combination of knees and punches, then went into a body lock up against the cage. Anglickas got another takedown. On the back of Reed, Anglickas put in a rear naked choke which made his opponent tap out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Reed	10	9
Anglickas	9	10

Bout 2: Tony Gravely (18-5) vs. Ray Rodriguez (15-5) (Bantamweight)

In the second fight, we went to a lighter weight division in the bantamweight division for Tony Gravely versus Ray Rodriguez. Both fighters had quite experienced records. Gravely was coming forward with strong punches early on. He got a takedown in the second minute after Rodriguez landed a combo. After landing punches in top position, Gravely tried for a guillotine choke. He couldn’t secure it, as Rodriguez got up shortly after. Gravely got another takedown as the first round was closing out. Gravely had a good start to the second round, although Rodriguez landed a takedown and took his back in the second minute of the round. Gravely scored a slam takedown and then assumed the dominant position on the ground. Gravely tried for a rear naked choke with a minute left in the round. Rodriguez slipped out of the hold before the round ended. At the start of the final round, Rodriguez tried to come forward with a running strike but didn’t really connect. He slipped and had to fight out of a guillotine attempt. Rodriguez got on the back of Gravely. On the ground, Gravely took the back of Rodriguez and started to throw tons of punches. After numerous unanswered strikes, the referee stepped in and ended the bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gravely	10	10
Rodriguez	9	9

Bout 3: Shanna Young (6-1) vs. Sarah Alpar (8-4) (Bantamweight)

The third fight was another bantamweight clash, with Shanna Young and Sarah Alper competing. Alpar was coming forward with strong punches at the start, landing a single leg takedown shortly after. Alpar landed another takedown and took Young’s back. She put in a rear naked choke which made Young tap out. Sarah Alpar got the third stoppage victory of the evening.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Young	9
Alpar	10

Bout 4: Brok Weaver (13-4) vs. Devin Smyth (9-1) (Welterweight)

On the co-main event of the show, Brok Weaver and Devin Smyth fought in a welterweight bout. Weaver came from the Island Fights promotion, with Smyth having a 10 fight record in numerous promotions. Right at the start of the first round, Smyth threw a kick and got a takedown. They stood up against the cage, with Smyth getting a slam takedown the second time. Smyth tried for many for takedowns throughout the round, but wasn’t as successful. At the very start of the second round the referee called a timeout as Smyth was hit with a low kick. Smyth shot for another takedown but it was defended by Weaver. Weaver got much more offense in through the second round. Smyth got a takedown in the final minute of the second round. Smyth’s corner was in his face screaming as the round ended. Weaver was landing even more punches in the final round, with Smyth stopping the flurries with clinches. The round ended after a dominant round by Weaver. The judges all picked Brock Weaver as the winner of the fight (30-27, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Weaver	9	10	10	29
Smyth	10	9	9	28

Bout 5: Herdem Alacabek (5-0) vs. William Knight (4-0) (Light Heavyweight)

In the main event, undefeated light heavyweights Herdem Alacabek and William Knight fought for a potential UFC contract. In the opening minutes, both fighters were going wild with strikes. Alacabek landed a takedown halfway through the first round. He tried for a rear naked choke but couldn’t keep it in. Knight took top position in the final minute, where Alacabek tried for an armbar but didn’t get it. A lot of clinch strikes were thrown in the second round. Alacabek got a slam takedown halfway through the second round. Knight scored a takedown in the final minute of the round. He postured up and started to tee off on Knight. Knight landed a knee in the first minute of the final round which rocked Alacabek. Later on, Knight took Alacabek to the ground and went back to ground and pound. Knight landed an elbow that cut open Alacabek. The referee stepped in and ended the fight with under 30 seconds left in the contest.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Alacabek	10	9
Knight	9	10

At the end of the episode, Dana White offered contracts to Tony Gravely, Sarah Alpar, Brock Weaver and William Knight. White said he wants Alpar to drop a weight class and he wants to develop Knight.

WWE Smackdown Live 8/13/19 Preview

This week’s episode of Smackdown Live will feature the fallout from Summerslam on Sunday. WWE.com published a preview for tonight’s show earlier today. Smackdown will take place at 8PM EST, live from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The event will be the fourth and final appearance from the promotion in Toronto this week.

On Monday afternoon, Buddy Murphy challenged Roman Reigns to a match on Smackdown via Twitter. Later that day, Roman responded and of course accepted the challenge. The match is scheduled to be the in-ring debut for Murphy, who has limited himself to the Cruiserweight brand 205 Live before. Murphy was attacked by Erick Rowan on the Summerslam pre-show on Sunday. This attack happened because Murphy told Reigns that Rowan was the mystery identity who attacked him recently. After his Summerslam match was interrupted, Murphy claims the match tonight will be an opportunity to “show what I can do.”

In the highest profile Smackdown match on Sunday, Kofi Kingston and Randy Orton ended their WWE Championship bout with a double count-out. What happened after the bell became the most discussed, as Kingston teed off on Orton with a kendo stick after Orton stared down his family, who were sitting at ringside.

Kevin Owens got on Sunday in a grudge match against Shane McMahon, defeating him with the help of a low-blow when the ref was distracted and a stunner. It may be seen on TV this week whether Owens will continue to feud with Shane or if he will move onto another conflict.

Ember Moon will face Charlotte Flair on the show, which is ironic since Flair was a winner on Sunday while Moon wasn’t. Moon took a loss to Bayley in the Smackdown Women’s Championship at Summerslam, while Flair defeated WWE alumni Trish Stratus. Bayley is also expected to show up at the event.

Also promoted for the show is Daniel Bryan, Samoa Joe, Drew McIntyre, Xavier Woods, Big E and Rowan. Whether the appearances will occur on or off TV is not known.

UFC on ESPN+ 14: Shevchenko vs. Carmouche 2 Full Report

In a rare fight night that includes a championship fight, UFC went to Montevideo, Uruguay for a ESPN+ card. In the main event, Liz Carmouche challenged Valentina Shevchenko, in an attempt to take Shevchenko’s flyweight championship.

Bout 1: Polyana Viana (10-3) vs. Veronica Macedo (5-3-1) (Flyweight)

Before the flyweight championship fight, the night started with a normal three round flyweight bout. Polyana Viana and Veronica Macedo kicked off the card. Right off the bat, Viana landed a trip takedown and took top position on the ground. Macedo was able to get an armbar after a minute, getting a win in quick fashion.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Viana
Macedo

Bout 2: Alex da Silva (20-2) vs. Kazula Vargas (10-2) (Lightweight)

Moving to the flyweight division, Alex da Silva fought Kazula Vargas. Early on, Vargas came out aggressively. Silva took him down to stop his momentum. Silva got on his back and was starting to fight for a rear naked choke. Silva was in the better position until the final 30 seconds where Vargas flipped over and stood up, landing strikes from above. Silva got in the top position once again early in the second. He didn’t do much on the ground, but stayed in the dominant position. The final round had two minutes of stand-up before the fight went to the ground yet again. Just like the rounds before, not much happened on the ground. The fight went the distance with the judges giving the fight to Alex da Silva unanimously (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Da Silva	10	10	10	30
Vargas	9	9	9	27

Bout 3: Chris Gutierrez (13-3-1) vs. Geraldo de Freitas (12-4) (Bantamweight)

Finishing off the early prelims was Chris “El Guapo” Gutierrez versus Geraldo de Freitas. Both fighters had some close striking in the first few minutes of the fight. De Freitas tried for a takedown but couldn’t really get it. In the closing seconds of the first round, de Freitas landed a trip takedown after being clinched against the cage. De Freitas got another takedown in the second round. Gutierrez was able to flip around the position and get off the ground. Gutierrez had an explosive start to the final round, stopping takedowns and throwing tons of kicks and punches. Both fighters got cut on the face. Gutierrez was targeting the legs of Freitas, who seemingly was hurting from it. On replay, we saw a cut came from both fighters clashing heads. In the second half of the closing round, de Freitas started to connect with hard punches. The fight went all three rounds, with the final one being the most fast-paced one. The judges had a split decision, with two of the three favouring Chris Gutierrez (29-28 Gutierrez, 30-27 Freitas & 29-28 Gutierrez).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gutierrez	10	9	9	28
Freitas	9	10	10	29

Bout 4: Raulian Paiva (18-2) (#14) vs. Rogerio Bontorin (15-1 1 NC) (#8) (Flyweight)

The next fight showcased two success stories from the Brazilian edition of The Dana White Contender Series. Flyweights Raulian Paiva and Rogerio Bontorin faced off as the prelims continued. Bontorin got a cut below the left eye early in the first round, causing the doctors to check on him. They went back to fighting, and despite being on the ground before, resumed in stand-up. A second later, they went back to the ground through the ref’s decision. Bontorin was blowing his nose, which sometimes can inflate the bruises on your face. When they stood back up, Bontorin was landing good punches. After Bontorin score a takedown, a dcotor came in to check a cut again, this time on Paiva’s face. It was a brutal cut, which was opened through a knee that landed during Bontorin’s flurry of strikes. The fight was ended due to the cut, with Rogerio Bontorin being the winner.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Paiva
Bontorin

Bout 5: Marina Rodriguez (11-0-1) vs. Tecia Torres (10-4) (#8) (Strawweight)

In the lightest weight fight of the evening, strawweight fighters Marina Rodriguez and Tecia Torres fought. The first few minutes of the fight was some pretty close striking. Torres tried for a takedown but it didn’t work. While neither fighter was really landing well with their strikes, Rodriguez looked like she had more success. Torres caught a kick and put Rodriguez up against the cage as the round was closing out. They exited clinch, where Rodriguez landed a few good punches. Back in clinch, she got good knees in. The second round was purely close stand-up. Rodriguez continued to have the edge in the fight through the third round. The judges all gave the win to Marina Rodriguez (30-27, 30-27 & 30-26). Rodriguez continues to be undefeated.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Rodriguez	10	10	10	30
Torres	9	9	9	27

Bout 6: Raphael Pessoa (9-0) vs. Ciryl Gane (3-0) (Heavyweight)

In the next fight, we had two heavyweights put their undefeated streaks on the record. Pessoa did a trip takedown but it was Gane in the top position. Gane put in an arm triangle choke which made Pessoa tap out quickly.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Pessoa
Gane

Bout 7: Aleksei Kunchenko (20-0) vs. Gilbert Burns (15-3) (Welterweight)

Closing out the prelims was undefeated Aleksei Kunchenko facing Gilbert Burns. In the first round, Burns had a great start. After showcasing great striking, he took Kunchenko to the ground. Burns kept Kunchenko up against the cage for the whole round, not really doing much. Burns dove for a takedown after three minutes of stand-up in the second round. Early in the final round, Burns had Kunchenko against the cage. Burns kept trying for the takedown but couldn’t get it. Nonetheless, Kunchenko was on the defence the whole time. The fight went the distance, with Kunchenko never really having a dominant moment in the fight. The judges all decided on Gilbert Burns is the winner, breaking the 20-0 undefeated record of Aleksei Kunchenko (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Kunchenko	9	9	9	27
Burns	10	10	10	30

Bout 8: Bobby Moffett (14-4) vs. Enrique Barzola (16-4-1) (Featherweight)

Starting off the main card was a featherweight showdown between Bobby Moffett and Enrique Barzola. The first round had a consistently fast-pace of striking from both fighters. The first takedown of the fight came from Barzola in the final seconds of the round. Barzola tried for takedowns early in the second round but couldn’t land them. Moffett tried for one as well, but Barzola defended it. Barzola started to come forward with good combinations. There was a pause with 90 seconds left in the second round because Moffett kicked Barzola in the groin. After another fast-paced round, the striking from both fighters even sped up near the end. Barzola got another takedown as the second round ended. The final round was continued slugging from both fighters. The fight went the distance, with a split decision going in favour of Enrique Barzola (29-28 Moffett, 30-27 Barzola & 29-28 Barzola).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Moffett	10	10	9	29
Barzola	9	9	10	28

Bout 9: Oskar Piechota (11-1-1) vs. Rodolfo Vieira (5-0) (Middleweight)

In the next fight, Oskar Piechota, who has more MMA experience, faced Rodolfo Vieira, who has been perfect in his career thus far. Vieira got a takedown halfway through the first round. Vieira was dominant on the ground for a long time, although Piechota was able to get up against the cage and land elbows to the head. After a minute in the second round, Vieira got another takedown. Later on in the final minute of the second round, Vieira put in a head and arm choke which made Piechota tap out. His dominant ground game was more than showcased in this bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Piechota	9
Vieira	10

Bout 10: Ilir Latifi (15-6 1 NC) (#9) vs. Volkan Oezdemir (15-4) (#7) (Light Heavyweight)

In the next fight, we had a clash of two ranked fighters in Ilir Latifi and Volkan Oezdemir. Latifi had a great slam takedown after a minute of the first round, almost dumping Oezdemir on his head. Oezdemir was back up moments later. Apart from that, it was mostly Oezdemir doing the work in this fight, out-striking Latifi in the first round. Both fighters were trading stand-up, with a knee to the head dropping Latifi. They got back up, with Oezdemir trying to close out the fight. Oezdemir landed a left hook that took down Latifi once again, with the fight ending after a few more strikes. Oezdemir showed composure and patience, chasing a finish but not rushing it.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Latifi	9
Oezdemir	10

Bout 11: Humberto Bandernay (14-6 1 NC) vs. Eduardo Garagorri (12-0) (Featherweight)

The next fight featured the only fighter from Uruguay on this card, in Eduardo Garagorri. The crowd was completely behind Garagorri. Also, he went into this fight with an undefeated record. Bandenay got a double leg takedown after a minute of uneventful stand-up. Garagorri got up quite quickly. Garagorri got a takedown off his own with a trip. Garagorri got up, but Bandenay wanted to stay on the ground. Jokingly, Garagorri offered his hand to help him up. The referee stood up Bandernay. Garagorri strung together some great punches, but Badenay landed a takedown to stop the momentum. Early in the second round, Bandenay had a stand-out combination of punches and knees. Bandenay got a takedown as the second round ended. The last round was an intense one, with both fighters swinging as it closed out. The fight went the distance with Eduardo Garagorri getting the unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27). The crowd was overwhelmingly loud for Garagorri.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Bandernay	9	10	10	29
Garagorri	10	9	9	28

Bout 12: Mike Perry (13-4) vs. Vicente Luque (16-6-1) (Welterweight)

In the co-main event, we had the fan-friendly fighter “Platinum” Mike Perry face Vicente Luque. The first round of stand-up gave Perry a cut around his left eye. He had a good charge of punches near the end of the first. Perry seemed to be the more aggressive fighter in the second round. The tempo of the second round was much quicker than the first. Perry was showing the damage much more at the end of the second round. Heading into the final round, Perry’s corner told him he was up 2-0. Luque landed a good knee and then tried for a rear naked choke on the ground with 90 seconds left. Perry was bleeding profusely on the ground. After fighting for a while he finally escaped the hold. They stayed on the ground as the fight ended. Perry’s nose was all sorts of messed up by the time the fight was over. Hard to even describe it really. In a split decision, Vicente Luque walked away with the win from this fight (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Perry	9	10	9	28
Luque	10	9	10	29

Bout 13: Liz Carmouche (13-6) (#3) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (17-3) (C) (UFC Flyweight Championship)

In the main event of the evening, Valentina Shevchenko attempted to defend her Flyweight Championship against #3 ranked Liz Carmouche. The first round didn’t have much action from either fighter. In the third round, Shevchenko dropped Carmouche after a combination, with Carmouche standing up shortly after. With over a minute left in the third round, Shevchenko landed a trip takedown. Shevchenko took advantage of a takedown attempt by Carmouche in the fourth round, getting top position. The referee eventually stood them up as not much was happening on the ground. Shevchenko blocked another takedown before the fourth round ended. The final round had Shevchenko in top position for most of the round. The crowd had a pretty lukewarm reaction to the final horn sounding. All three judges were in agreement for the fight, with Valentina Shevchenko getting a clean sweep (50-45, 50-45 & 50-45). This became Shevchenko’s second defence of the belt.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Total
Carmouche	9	9	9	9	9	45
Shevchenko	10	10	10	10	10	50

UFC returns next week with a PPV featuring Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic in the main event. The fight will be a rematch, as Cormier won the championship from Miocic a year ago with a first round KO. Also on the card is the return of Nate Diaz. A preview of the full card will be put on the site later this week.

King of the Ring To Return Next Week On RAW

During this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW it was announced that the King of the Ring tournament would return on next week’s episode of the show. The tournament, which has run in 20 previous iterations will see it’s return after it last happened in 2015, with Sheamus winning.

Next week’s episode of Monday Night RAW will take place at the Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. WWE.com’s current listed lineup for the show promotes Seth Rollins, Baron Corbin, Becky Lynch, Lacey Evans, Braun Stroman, Bray Wyatt, AJ Styles, Ricochet, Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, Natalya and Alexa Bliss.

Invicta FC 36 Live Report

After two major MMA shows already this week, we march past the halfway point of the fight with Invicta FC, live from Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas, USA. The nine fight card is headlined by Pam Sorenson and Kaitlin Young, fighting for the vacated Invicta FC Featherweight Championship.

Bout 1: Megan Cawley (0-0) vs. Julia Ottolino (0-0) (Bantamweight)

The evening started off with two fighters making their professional debut. Early on, Cawley landeda good overhand right. Ottolino was consistently landing leg kicks. Ottolino stormed forward with punches in the third minute, then clinched up against the cage. The second round had Ottolino mostly on the perimeter of the octagon. In the second minute of the final round, Ottolino came forward with tons of punches. Cawley stayed in the fight, but there was a moment where it looked scary for her. The fight went the distance with all three judges picking Julia Ottolino as the winner (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27)

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Cawley	9	9	9	27
Ottolino	10	10	10	30

Bout 2: Erin Harpe (1-0) vs. Auttumn Norton (0-0) (Bantamweight)

In the next fight we had two fighters who are also very early into their careers. Harpe landed a takedown after Norton had a good minute or so of striking. Harpe was in control on the ground for most of the round. Norton was able to defend a takedown in the second round. Norton had some great striking throughout the rest of the round. At the very start of the final round, Harpe scored a takedown. From bottom position, Norton started to bleed quite a bit around her nose. Near the end of the fight they stood up from the ground, with Harpe getting hit with after the bell. Also, at some point on the ground Harpe landed a knee to Norton, although it looked like a mistake. The fight went the distance, with Erin Harpe getting the split decision win (29-28 Harpe, 29-28 Norton & 29-27 Harpe).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Harpe	10	9	10	29
Norton	9	10	9	28

Bout 3: Chantel Coates (1-0) vs. Caitlin Sammons (1-0) (Flyweight)

Two undefeated fighters faced off in only their second fight of their careers respectively. The crowd was behind Chantel Coates as she is from Kansas. Her first fight set the record for the quickest finish in Invicta history (28 seconds). With 90 seconds left in the first round, Sammons got hurt by punches. As a response, she smiled. Coates had the better striking, and the fight stayed in stand-up for the whole first round. Sammons finally scored a takedown with a minute left in the second round. She took the back of Coates and put in a rear naked choke, ending the bout. After having a rough start, once Sammons got the fight into her comfort zone she was able to close it out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Coates	10
Sammons	9

Bout 4: Alyse Anderson (4-1) vs. Katie Saull (3-3) (Atomweight)

In the first fight atomweight fight of the evening, Alyse Anderson fought Katie Saull, who is from Canada and fighting out of Ireland. Saull had UFC fighter Brad Katona in her corner. Anderson got on the back of Saull while standing, halfway through the round. She tried for a rear naked choke but couldn’t get it. Anderson was completely in control on the ground. When Saull went on her back, Anderson landed some strikes before she went back to trying for the rear naked choke. When the second round started, Anderson got it back to the ground after a minute of stand-up. Another takedown was landed with under a minute left in the second round. The final round was much like the ones before, with Anderson getting the fight to the ground and staying in the dominant position. The fight went the distance with Alyse Anderson getting the split decision win (30-27 Anderson, 29-28 Saull & 29-28 Anderson).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Anderson	10	10	10	30
Saull	9	9	9	27

Bout 5: Stephanie Geltmacher (4-0) vs. Victoria Leonardo (5-1) (Flyweight)

In the next fight, Stephanie Geltmacher put her undefeated record on the line against Victoria Leonardo. Throughout the first round it was Geltmacher who came forward with punches. Geltmacher was bleeding from the nose at the end of the round. In the first minute of the second round, Geltmacher did a judo throw for a takedown. She took the back of Leonardo and attempted a rear naked choke. Geltmacher’s bleeding was still going on. Geltmacher lost the position, not being able to get the choke under the chin of Leonardo. When they stood back up, Leonardo was the more mobile of the two fighters, still hopping around on her feet. With just over a minute left in the second round, Leonardo landed a great kick to the head. By the time the fight ended, Geltmacher was very bloody. The final round was slower paced stand-up, with the fighters throwing smaller combos. It wasn’t until the ten second clapper sounded that both fighters started to throw their fast punches from before. The fight went all three rounds, with Stephanie Geltmacher being told she was the winner (29-28 Leonardo, 29-28 Geltmacher & 29-28 Geltmacher). She was emotional in the post fight interview. After that, we were told by someone in the commission that they counted the scorecards wrong, and Victoria Leonardo actually won the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Geltmacher	10	9	9	28
Leonardo	9	10	10	29

Bout 6: Jessica Delboni (8-1) vs. Lindsey VanZandt (6-1) (Atomweight)

In the sixth fight of the evening, Lindsey VanZandt made her return to Invicta, facing Jessica Delboni, in her Invicta debut. Some people might recognize VanZandt as the fighter who choked out JMMA fighter RENA cold back in June at Bellator. Delboni scored a takedown in the third minute of the fight. VanZandt was the dominant fighter in the second round, being in control on thr ground for most of the round. Delboni got a takedown early in the final round. The referee stood them up after a minute or so of inactivity. Delboni got another takedown as the fight reached the 15th minute. In yet another split decision, Jessica Delboni got the victory (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Delboni	10	9	10	29
VanZandt	9	10	9	28

Bout 7: Janaisa Morandin (10-2) vs. Emily Ducote (7-5) (Catchweight 120lbs)

The co-main event of the evening had somewhat experienced strawweights in Janaisa Morandin and Emily Ducote facing off. In what was originally scheduled to be a strawweight bout, it was changed to a catchweight after Morandin weighed in at 119.6 lbs on Thursday. Ducote was often the one advancing in the first round. With a minute left in the first round, Ducote anded a right cross with dropped Morandin. After a few more punches, the referee stepped in and ended the bout.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Morandin
Ducote

Bout 8: Pam Sorenson (7-3) vs. Kaitlin Young (10-9-1) (Invicta Bantamweight Championship)

In the main event of the evening, Pam Sorenson and Kaitlin Young battled for the vacant Invicta Bantamweight Championship. Sorenson got a takedown in the second minute of the song. Young stood up, but Sorenson was still on her back. In the final minute of the song, Sorenson got another takedown and took the back of Young. When getting up, Young landed a knee to the head of Sorenson, who was grounded. A point was taken away due to this incident. Sorenson got on Young’s back and tried for a rear naked choke in the second round but had her arm above the chin. Young was able to take the top position for a minute or so before the referee stood them up. Sorenson failed at two takedown attempts before the round ended. Sorenson got a takedown after Young ruled the first two minutes of stand-up in the third round. On the ground, Young was on the top position. Sorenson caught her in an armbar, but Young escaped. Sorenson got another takedown in the first minute of the fourth round. Young got the most out of the exchange on the ground, trying for an arm and head choke it looked like. Young opened the final round with good striking, but like many times before, Sorenson landed a takedown. While on the ground, Sorenson started to bleed. She spent most of the round trying for a rear naked choke. The fight went all five rounds, leaving the fate of the fight in the hands of the judges. The judges scored it in favour of Pam Sorenson (50-44, 49-45 & 48-45).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Total
Sorenson	10	10	10	9	10	49
Young	8	9	9	10	9	45

The next Invicta show will be on September 6th, with the second Phoenix Series event, which is a one-night eight-fighter tournament. This time around, it will be a flyweight bracket.

UFC on ESPN+ 14: Shevchenko vs. Carmouche 2 Preview

It’s not often that we get a Championship bout on a UFC Fight Night show. As a matter of fact, it has only happened once before in 2019, that being Henry Cejudo versus TJ Dillashaw for the UFC Flyweight Championship, and that was UFC’s debut on the ESPN+ platform. A championship fight on TV will happen for the second time in 2019 and the ESPN era on Saturday, when Valentina Shevchenko attempts to retain her Flyweight Championship against Liz Carmouche. It will main event a 13 fight card from Montevideo, Uruguay, with the show kicking off at 5 PM Eastern Time. Let’s look at the whole card, starting with the prelims.

Bout 1: Polyana Viana (10-3) vs. Veronica Macedo (5-3-1) (Flyweight)

Long before the Flyweight Championship will be on the line, the evening will kick off with another flyweight fight. Polyana Viana and Veronica Macedo both haven’t won in a while. Vaina hasn’t seen a win in over a year, losing her last two fights. It’s much worse for Macedo, as she hasn’t won in over three years, with a record of 0-3-1 since then. While both not long into their careers, a loss for either fighter could call an end to their UFC stint. It’s a potential do or die fight to start off the show on Saturday. Worth noting that Viana took the fight on short notice, as the original opponent for Macedo, Rachel Ostovich, pulled out due to injury.

Bout 2: Alex da Silva (20-2) vs. Rodrigo Vargas (11-2) (Lightweight)

The third fight of the evening will be between two fighters who haven’t seen success in the UFC yet. Alex da Silva came into the UFC with a 20-1 record, and took a loss to Alexander Yakolev three months ago ago in his debut. He will look to turn around his tough first impression in the UFC when he faes Rodrigo Vargas, who has yet to make an impression within the promotion. He fought a few times in the Hispanic MMA promotion Combate Americas prior to his fight on Saturday.

Bout 3: Geraldo de Freitas (12-4) vs. Chris Gutierrez (13-3-1) (Bantamweight)

In the fourth fight of the show, two similar fighters in Geraldo de Freitas and Chris Gutierrez will compete. Both have similar amounts of fights and are still getting used to being in the UFC. Six months ago, de Freitas lost his promotional debut against undefeated Felipe Colares. Gutierrez is 1-1 in the UFC, with his stint in the promotion beginning under a year ago.

Bout 4: Raulian Paiva (18-2) vs. Rogerio Bontorin (15-1) (Flyweight)

In an all Brazilian matchup, rookie UFC flyweights Raulian Paiva and Rogerio Bontorin will face off. Both coming from the Brazilian spinoff of Dana White’s Contender Series, each fighter has fought once in the UFC before this meeting. Both going to decision, Paiva won his fight while Bontorin lost his. With finishes coming frequently from both fighters in the past, they’ll try to do so for the first time in the UFC on Saturday.

Bout 5: Tecia Torres (10-4) vs. Marina Rodriguez (11-0-1) (Strawweight)

Tecia Torres has had a rough year and a half. Losing three times in a row, all via decision, Torres will look to snap her losing streak against undefeated Marina Rodriguez. The Brazilian earned her stay in the UFC via the Contender Series, and has since picked up a win and a rare draw. While experience in the promotion weighs in favour of Torres, Rodriguez has yet to be bested by an opponent.

Bout 6: Ciryl Gane (3-0) vs. Raphael Pessoa (9-0) (Heavyweight)

In the next bout of the evening, it will be a classic “two O’s, one’s got to go” situation. Undefeated heavyweights in Ciryl Gane and Raphael Pessoa will face off, putting their flawless records on the line. Gane will be making his UFC debut, with his three pro wins coming from the French-Canadian MMA promotion TKO. Pessoa has never had loyalties to a promotion, but he has definitely been dominant everywhere he’s went, whether it’s LFA, Shooto Brazil or other places.

Bout 7: Gilbert Burns (15-3) vs. Alexey Kunchenko (20-0) (Welterweight)

Alexey Kunchenko has gotten big tests in his UFC run so far, yet he has stayed undefeated. In what should be yet another test for the Russian fighter, Kunchenko will face Gilbert Burns. The original bout for Kunchenko was against Laureano Staropoli, who has a less experienced record of 9-1 compared to Burns.

Bout 8: Enrique Barzola (15-4-1) vs. Bobby Moffett (14-4) (Featherweight)

Starting off the main card will be a featherweight clash between Enrique Barzola and Bobby Moffett. Training out of American Top Team, Barzola has had an extensive career in the UFC, despite holding a similar record to Moffett, who will be entering his third UFC fight. In his seventh UFC fight back in March, Barzola suffered his loss since his 2015 entrance into the promotion. Bobby Moffett was scouted through the Contender Series, and has since had a 1-1 record in the UFC. Back in March, he lost to Kevin Aguilar via decision. On Saturday, one fighter will come back from a loss, while the other will likely continue to struggle.

Bout 9: Oskar Piechota (11-1-1) vs. Rodolfo Vieira (5-0) (Middleweight)

One of the many undefeated fighters on the card is Rodolfo Vieira, who will make his UFC debut with a record of 5-0. A few of those fights were in the Russian MMA promotion ACB. His recent win was a first round rear naked choke, which ended the undefeated 10-0 pro run of Vitaliy Nemchinov. “The Black Belt Hunter” will see a challenge in his matchup with Oskar Piechota, who has a 2-1 record in the UFC. Piechota’s wins come from both striking and submissions, which differs himself from the BJJ focused Vieira. His first career loss came to Gerald Meerschaert in his last bout.

Bout 10: Volkan Oezdemir (15-4) (#7) vs. Ilir Latifi (14-6) (#9) (Light Heavyweight)

With three fights left on the card, names that are familiar to most UFC fans start to appear. The next bout is Volkan Oezdemir versus Ilir Latifi. Oezdemir came into the UFC with three straight wins, two of those via first round, sorry, first minute punches. But since then, the Swiss fighter has found himself in a losing streak, dropping to big names in Dominick Reyes, Anthony Smith and Daniel Cormier. He will try to turn around his misfortunes on Saturday, facing Ilir Latifi, who has had a consistent amount of wins with intermittent losses. He took a decision loss on the last 2018 show for UFC, losing to Corey Anderson. A win for either individual will advance them up the light heavyweight rankings, which they have already established themselves in.

Bout 11: Humberto Bandenay (14-6) vs. Luiz Eduardo Garagorri (12-0) (Featherweight)

Luiz Eduardo Garagorri will attempt to extend his undefeated record to 13-0 on Saturday when he faces Humberto Bandenay. Being the only fighter on the card from Uruguay, Garagorri will have the crowd behind him when he makes his UFC debut. His opponent, Humberto Bandenay is on a two fight losing streak. He won in his UFC debut against Martin Bravo with a head kick, but since then he has lost twice.

Bout 12: Vicente Luque (16-6-1) vs. Mike Perry (13-4) (Welterweight)

In the co-main event of the show, Vicente Luque will face fellow welterweight Mike Perry. Despite being on a five-fight winning streak, with all of those wins coming via stoppage, Luque is an unranked welterweight. On the absolute edge of the rankings, another victory could put him into the list. “Platinum” Mike Perry hasn’t had as flawless of a record as of late (8-4 since Luque started his winning streak, 6-4 in the UFC), his personality and fighting style has made him a fan favourite. His face-off with Luque earlier in the week included his significant other who is referred to as the “Platinum Princess” in the crowd taunting Luque with comments like “He lookin’ nervous” and “He not ready” And, like many Perry incidents before, he let out a loud shriek to express intensity before he left the stage. His radiating energy as a person, and his explosive style as a fighter is what has put him so high on cards as of late, despite being 2-3 in his last five. Similar to Luque, if he wins this bout, chances are he will crash the welterweight rankings.

The main event of the card is Valentina Shevchenko attempting to defend her UFC Flyweight Championship against #3 ranked flyweight Liz Carmouche. Both fighters have faced off before, with that fight taking place back in 2010 before either fighter stepped foot in the UFC. Carmouche came out of the fight as the winner, breaking Shevchenko’s 10-0 undefeated record at the time. A lot of things have changed since then. Carmouche went through Strikeforce and Invicta, and made her UFC debut in a title fight against Ronda Rousey, where Rousey came out as the victor in one of her biggest fights of her career. Shevchenko entered the UFC in 2015, going undefeated besides her two losses to Amanda Nunes, who currently holds the bantamweight and featherweight championships.

“Bullet” Valentina Shevchenko won her belt back in December at UFC 231, defeating Joanna Jedrzejczyk in the co-main event of the evening. Just two months ago she made her first defense of the title, stopping Jessica Eye in the second round with a head kick. Carmouche’s last two wins have come against Jennifer Maia and Lucie Pudilova, both via decision. A win for Shevchenko would let her overtake Nicco Montano for longest time to hold the flyweight belt. Montano had it for 280 days in total, with Shevchenko marking the 245th day tomorrow.

Next week, UFC will hold UFC 241, including another rematch in the main event slot. Heavyweight champ Daniel Cormier will face Stipe Miocic after defeating him via KO back in July of last year. Miocic will aim to reclaim his heavyweight belt, which he defended three times prior to losing. The co-main will see the long awaited return of Nate Diaz, as he faces Anthony Pettis.

Andy Ruiz vs. Anthony Joshua 2 To Take Place On December 7th In Saudi Arabia

It was announced Friday afternoon that the heavyweight rematch between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz will take place on December 7th in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia. The fight was originally announced by The Athletic, with Anthony Joshua posting a poster for the event online minutes later. Rumours of the location were also reported by The Athletic earlier in the week.

The rematch comes after Andy Ruiz Jr. upset Anthony Joshua in a seven round performance, scoring four knockdowns. The fight gave him the WBA Super, IBF, WBO and IBO Heavyweight championships which Joshua had before.

With the tagline “Clash of The Dunes,” the rematch will take place in a newly built outdoor stadium, per Mike Coppinger of The Athletic. It was also reported that a press conference will take place in London on Monday by Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing and Saudi Arabian representatives.

Prior to the recent days, rumours floated around about many locations for the rematch. The three big locations that people talked about were the USA, Mexico and the United Kingdom.