Greg Hardy To Face Returning Jarjis Danho At UFC Fight Night Singapore

UFC’s most polarizing prospect Greg Hardy is back on assignment. First reported by MMAFighting, Hardy is scheduled to face Jarjis Danho at UFC on ESPN+ 20 on October 26th, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore, which is headlined by Ben Askren and Demian Maia.

Hardy is coming off a win against Juan Adams, making it his 5th professional win, also continuing his habit of not escaping the first round when he wins. Syrian fighter Jarjis Danho has prior UFC experience, being 0-1-1. It’s worth noting that Danho’s last fight was in 2016.

Hardy’s past opponents have also been somewhat inexperienced. Two of the three of Hardy’s prior opponents in the UFC were making their promotional debut in their respective fight.

Hardy had two appearances on Dana White’s Contender Series prior to his signing. A former NFL athlete, Hardy has his fair share of controversy around him due to domestic violence charges which were dropped after the victim wasn’t present to testify at the appeal for his case.

This is the current lineup for the UFC on ESPN+ 20 card:

Demian Maia (27-9) vs. Ben Askren (19-1) (Welterweight)
Ciryl Gane (4-0) vs. Dontale Mayes (7-2) (Heavyweight)
Michael Johnson (19-14) vs. Stevie Ray (22-9) (Lightweight)
Ian Heinisch (13-2) vs. Brad Tavares (17-5) (Middleweight)
Beneil Dariush (16-4-1) vs. Frank Camacho (22-7) (Lightweight)
Greg Hardy (5-1) vs. Jarjis Danho (5-1-1) (Heavyweight)
Sergey Pavlovich (13-1) vs. Maurice Greene (8-2) (Heavyweight)

Cris Cyborg Signs “Multi-Fight, Multi-Year” Deal With Bellator

After a seven-fight stint in the UFC, Cris Cyborg will now call Bellator her home. The deal was announced by Bellator promoter Scott Coker on Monday afternoon via Twitter. The tweet included a video from Cyborg, who said at the end “I just want to say Cyborg Nation, welcome to Bellator!”

Shortly after the news broke, Scott Coker hopped on ESPN podcast “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show,” touting the importance of the deal. “I think we have the biggest contract put together in the history of women’s MMA… We all know what the value of Cyborg is and I think we represent it in our deal.” The fight was announced as a multi-year and multi-fight deal.

When asked about how Cyborg was treated in the UFC, Coker said “I don’t think the UFC knew what to do with her. They’re not in the 145 pound weight class business.” Bellator’s current female Featherweight Champion is Julia Budd, a 15 fight veteran who has spent just under half of her career within Bellator.

Bellator’s first Women’s Featherweight Championship fight took place in March 2017, a month after UFC declared their first champ. The current UFC Featherweight Champion is Amanda Nunes, who defeated Cyborg for the belt in December of 2018.

The partnership won’t be the first time that Cris Cyborg has worked with Scott Coker. The Brazilian fighter had a five-fight run earlier in her career in Strikeforce, who was managed by Coker at the time.

Bellator currently has nine events scheduled in 2019, including a big upcoming event on September 28th, with Patricio Freire putting his Featherweight Championship on the line against Juan Archuleta at The Forum in Inglewood, California.

The September 2019 MMA P4P List

Here is the very first pound-for-pound MMA ranking list on the site. This will be updated monthly as fights change the list. Let’s start:

Men’s P4P Top 15:

1. Khabib Numagomedov (27-0)

Khabib Nurmagomedov has been a flawless fighter in his whole professional career. After getting a round four victory over Conor McGregor, Numagomedov not only became the best fighter in his weight class, but became the best in the world. In days he will be tested once again when he faces interim champion Dustin Poirier.

2. Jon Jones (25-1)

While Jon Jones has been a highly ranked fighter for quite some time, his recent nail-biting performance against Thiago Santos has knocked him down a spot on the list. On paper, Jones continues to reign terror over the light heavyweight division.
3. Henry Cejudo (15-2)

If 2019 has been a breakout year for anyone, it was for Henry Cejudo. After pulling off an upset last summer against Demetrious Johnson, Cejudo has successfully defended his belt while also climbing up to bantamweight, claiming that championship over Marlon Moraes. While being the only male double champ is a valid case to take the #1 spot, Cejudo’s championship reign has been short thus far. Nonetheless, his success in 2019 can’t be emphasized enough.

4. Robert Whittaker (20-4)

Since it’s been a year and some change before Robert Whittaker last fought, his skillset isn’t necessarily fresh in our minds. But, looking at the stats, it’s there, and nobody has proven superior to it yet. Carrying a win streak that dates back to 2014, “Bobby Knuckles” won a title fight over Yoel Romero back in 2018 to earn Middleweight gold. In October, Whittaker will face Israel Adesanya in his home country of Australia.

5. Stipe Miocic (19-3)

After a year’s absence from the MMA, Stipe Miocic came back last weekend to reclaim his Heavyweight Championship, taking Daniel Cormier four rounds deep before finishing him with punches. After having three defenses before, Miocic showed that his chapter with the championship isn’t done as he started his second reign as the champ in July.

6. Max Holloway (21-4)

If this list was created months ago, Max Holloway would be in the conversation of being one of the top fighters. Although after his loss to Dustin Poirier in April, losing his interim Lightweight belt, he lost some value. In a bounce-back bout back in July, beating Frankie Edgar and retaining his Featherweight Championship, Holloway showed that he is still a very valuable fighter in the division.

7. Kamaru Usman (15-1)

Kamaru Usman earned his long-deserving Welterweight Championship shot back in March, defeating Tyron Woodley via decision. With a fifteen win record with only one blemish, Usman has been nearly perfect in his career. People are awaiting the announcement of his next fight.

8. Israel Adesanya (17-0)

Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker’s time on the bench has given Israel Adesanya a chance to fight up the division’s rankings. Only joining the UFC in 2018, Adesanya has went 6-0 since then, defeating big names like Derek Brunson, Anderson Silva and most recently, Kelvin Gastelum. His recent win pushed him to the front of the divisions line, as Gastelum was aimed to be the next person to fight Whittaker.

9. Dustin Poirier (25-5)

“Diamond” Dustin Poirier dethroned Max Holloway back in April, and now awaits his championship fight in September against Khabib Nurmagomedov, unifying the interim and Lightweight UFC Championship. His impressive recent wins have put him on this list, but his next particular fight give him a chance to shoot even higher up the rankings.

10. Daniel Cormier (22-2)

While Daniel Cormier lost to Stipe Miocic on Saturday, the loss ended a year long stretch of high level wins. Cormier had a strong 2018, continuing to defend the light heavyweight championship and claiming the heavyweight championship. Now, despite only losing once, Cormier is now beltless. And while politics could describe the end of his light heavyweight reign, Miocic beat “DC” fair and square. Since Cormier has been public about contemplating ending his MMA career lately. So, his next move, whether it’s in or out of the octagon is yet to be seen.

11. Colby Covington (15-1)

For a year or so now, Colby Covington has been the odd man out of the Welterweight title picture. In 2018, he beat Rafael dos Anjos in an interim title match. After getting his belt taken away from him, he came back in early August to beat Robbie Lawler in a five round clash. Likely being the next person to face Usman, Covington is one of the biggest names to watch.

12. Paulo Costa (13-0)

In July, Paulo Costa defeated Yoel Romero in a three-round war, moving to the front of the Middleweight lineup. The jacked Brazilian fighter has been undefeated since his entrance into the UFC in 2017. His more notable wins came over Uriah Hall and Johny Hendricks.

13. Demetrious Johnson (29-3-1)

Easily the best Flyweight outside of the UFC, Demetrious Johnson has had a graceful transition into ONE Championship, after being traded there in early 2019. Heading into the Flyweight GP finals in October, “DJ” has defeated Yuya Wakamatsu and Tatsumitsu Wada before. His exit in the UFC came after taking his first loss in a long time against Henry Cejudo via split decision.

14. Tony Ferguson (25-3)

Tony Ferguson has been chasing the Lightweight Championship for a long time. Despite his resume, Ferguson isn’t the next person to get a shot, something he’s heard before. In the meantime, he’s beat high profile names like Kevin Lee, Anthony Pettis and most recently, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. Showcasing his “SnapJitsu” on the big stage, “El Cucuy” is one of the many big names within the stacked 155-pound division.

15. Kai Asakura (13-1)

At RIZIN 18, Kai Asakura went from prospect to title contender, defeating Kyoji Horiguchi in over a minute, causing a huge upset in Japanese promotion RIZIN. The win makes it so that Asakura will likely get another fight with Horiguchi, but that time in a championship setting. Becoming the best in the bantamweight division overnight, Asakura is someone to watch.

Women’s P4P Top 15:

1. Amanda Nunes (18-4)

There’s no doubt, Amanda Nunes is the best female fighter on the planet. Being the Bantamweight Champion for three years, and winning the Featherweight Championship from Cris Cyborg in December, Nunes is one of the two double-champs in the UFC. Attempting to make her fifth bantamweight title defence, Nunes will face Germaine de Randamie in December.

2. Valentina Shevchenko (18-3)

Claiming the Flyweight Championship back in December, Valentina Shevchenko has kept a close hold onto her belt. After defeating Joanna Jedrzejczyk in a five round decision, she has beat Jessica Eye with a rude head kick and Liz Carmouche in a heavily dominant bout. The Flyweight division’s biggest struggle is finding someone who can actually give the Kyrgyzstan fighter a run for her money.

3. Weili Zhang (20-1)

For all of 2019 so far, the UFC Strawweight Championship has been a hot potato. From Rose Namajunas, to Jessica Andrade, and now to Weili Zhang, the belt hasn’t had any real home. Zhang claimed the belt last weekend, steamrolling Andrade in a fight that could fit within an Instagram video. Being China’s first Champion, Zhang could open business doors for the UFC with her reign.

4. Cris Cyborg (21-2)

Cris Cyborg’s short run in the UFC seemingly ended back in June, when she went three rounds with featherweight prospect Felicia Spencer, getting the nod via the judges. But, although that is the case, Cyborg is still a very high level fighter. Despite a sudden loss to Amanda Nunes in 2018, Cyborg has had a nearly flawless career. Wherever she goes next in her career, she will be expected to continue her dominance.

5. Jessica Andrade (20-7)

Jessica Andrade suffered a loss to Weili Zhang last weekend via strikes. Before then, she wrapped up her four-fight winning streak with a slam KO over Rose Namajunas. Andrade’s sudden loss is one that likely won’t make her fall too far away from the title picture. While she might have to fight someone else before another title shot as many people are high level contenders currently, Andrade getting another shot in the future is not a wild prediction.

6. Germaine de Randamie (9-3)

Germaine de Randamie has been a dominant fighter in her UFC career, although she hasn’t always been in the spotlight. Many could remember her controversial win over Holly Holm back in 2017, making her the first Featherweight Champion. Since then she has only fought twice, bettering Raquel Pennington and most recently Aspen Ladd. In December, de Randamie will have the biggest challenge of her career ahead of her, facing Amanda Nunes for the UFC Bantamweight Championship.

7. Rose Namajunas (8-4)

Sometimes it’s easy to forget how fights went when the finish stealed the show. Rose Namajunas lost to Jessica Andrade back in May via a second round slam KO. While the knockout was absolutely brutal, it’s worth remembering that Namajunas was putting up a good battle before then. While seemingly being prone to takedowns, Namajunas didn’t disappoint in the striking department. It’s clear that Namajunas is a high level strawweight, and now no longer being a champion, is clearly a high level prospect.

8. Tatiana Suarez (8-0)

Despite having a short MMA career, Tatiana Suarez can say something about herself that many other fighters can’t: she’s undefeated. While the strawweight division is easily the most stacked women’s division, Suarez’s track record shows that she is likely a win or so away from a title shot. However, it looks like that can’t come immediately as the top dogs of the division have to hash out their fights.

9. Ilima-Lei MacFarlane (10-0)

Bellator were either really lucky or had a great eye for talent when they signed the 1-0 Ilima-Lei MacFarlane. The Hawaiian born fighter is approaching her second full year as their flyweight champion, with three title defenses since being crowned. While all opponents have been fair matchups, her biggest win was over UFC alumni Valerie Letourneau, which took place in Honolulu.

10. Julia Budd (13-2)

Julia Budd is also an example of talent that was early in their career when Bellator discovered them. Julia Budd fought in Strikeforce and Invicta before her 2015 Bellator debut. It’s worth noting that her two losses were in Strikeforce and came to Amanda Nunes and Ronda Rousey. Similar to the promotion’s Flyweight Champion, Budd is riding a three-fight winning streak and is undefeated within the promotion. While not at the highest tier of MMA, Budd’s skill level is undoubtedly at a high tier.

11. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (15-3)

For a large portion of her career now, Joanna Jedrzejczyk has competed at a high level of MMA. The Polish fighter has a record of 2-3 in her last three fights, recently losing a title fight to Valentina Shevchenko in December. She has a chance to bounce back into title contender status when she faces Michelle Waterson in October.

12. Michelle Waterson (17-6)

Michelle Waterson has been a real up-and-comer in the strawweight division recently. On a three fight winning streak, Waterson has defeated big names in Karolina Kowalkiewicz and Felice Herrig recently. Wanting to become the first “Mom Champ,” undoubtedly the biggest test for the Jackson Wink fighter will come in a five round fight against Joanna Jedrzejczyk in October on ESPN+.

13. Ayaka Hamasaki (19-2)

The atomweight divison has long been a (no pun intended) small division in MMA. It’s not represented in many large organizations like UFC or Bellator. But in Japan, the weight class has it’s niche, and it definately has it’s #1 fighter in Ayaka Hamasaki. The experienced fighter is on a five-fight winning streak. She punched in her title fight ticket by defeating DEEP Jewels Champion Mine Kuroba. On New Year’s Eve, she dethroned Kanna Asakura, and has won in a rematch against Jing Yu Frey and defeated Thailand prospect Suwanan Boonsorn A.K.A AMP The Rocket. Many people predict a superfight between her and Road FC Champion Seo Hee Ham on the horizon. The fight would be the biggest in the division in years.
14. Viviane Araujo (8-1)

Viviane Araujo has quickly made a name for herself in the UFC. Taking a short notice fight against Talita Bernardo in May was what got her foot through the door. She won the fight with an overhand right, which was working for her in the three rounds she competed. She has since defeated Alexis Davis via decision and landed a December fight against Jessica Eye. The fight would spring her up the rankings even more, as currently she is still not on the radar of some MMA viewers.

15. Andrea Lee (11-2)

Andrea Lee’s short UFC career has made her one to watch. Coming from Invicta FC including a couple fights within LFA, Lee has went to the scorecards three times in the UFC, all earning herself a win. In a week’s time, Lee will face arguably a similar-level fighter in Joanne Calderwood, who fell to Katlyn Chookagian in June.

Radar Fights:

This is the section that shows upcoming fights from fighters on the P4P lists.

9/7/19: Khabib Nurmagomedov (#1) vs. Dustin Poirier (#9) – UFC 242

8/7/19: Andrea Lee (#15) vs. Joanne Calderwood – UFC 242

10/5/19: Robert Whittaker (#4) vs. Israel Adesanya (#8) – UFC 243

10/12/19: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (#11) vs. Michelle Waterson (#12) – UFC on ESPN+ 19

10/13/19: Demetrious Johnson (#13) vs. Danny Kingad – ONE Championship: Century Show 1

12/14/19: Amanda Nunes (#1) vs. Germaine de Randamie (#6) – UFC 245

12/14/19: Viviane Araujo (#14) vs. Jessica Eye – UFC 245

UFC on ESPN+ 15: Andrade vs. Zhang Full Report

It was a rare early morning of UFC on the east, as the top MMA promotion travelled to Shenzhen, China for UFC on ESPN+ 15. In the main event of the card, Weili Zhang attempted to become the first-ever Chinese UFC Champion, facing Jessica Andrade, who got her belt by defeating Rose Namajunas at UFC 237 back in May. Also on the card is tons of Chinese and Asian MMA talent and a real focus on newcomers to the promotion on the undercard.

Bout 1: Lara Procopio (6-0) vs. Karol Rosa (11-3) (Bantamweight)

Kicking off the evening of fights was an all Brazilian competition between Lara Procopio and Karol Rosa. Rosa was landing good jabs early on. Procopio warmed up more in the later minutes of the first round, landing solid punches. Procopio shot for a takedown at the end of the first round but couldn’t secure it. Rosa continued to successfully defend takedowns through the second round. The pace of striking that they had in the first round carried through the whole fight. In the third round, Rosa landed a right hook which dropped Procopio. Rosa wasn’t able to finish the fight, standing back up shortly after. The fight went the distance, two of the scorecards giving Karol Rosa her 12th professional victory (29-28 Procopio, 30-27 Rosa & 29-28 Rosa)

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Procopio	10	9	9	28
Rosa	9	10	10	29

Bout 2: Danaa Batgerel (6-1) vs. Alatengheili (12-7-1) (Bantamweight)

Staying in the bantamweight class, two newcomers in Danaa Batgerel and Alatengheili battled. Both fighters had solid punches early on, although it was Alatengheili who was landing better combinations. Alatengheili had another great string of punches in the final minute of the first round, with Batgerel backpedalling. The second round saw Batgerel be the more aggressive fighter. Batgerel also had a good opening minute of the third round. Alatengheili landed the first takedown of the fight, grabbing onto a leg and not letting go, despite being kneed and punched on the way down. While having his opponent on his back, Batgerel continued to pour on strikes, throwing tons of elbows. Batgerel got the top position but lost it shortly after. Alatengheili threw punches until the round ran out of time. Going to the scorecards, it was Alatengheili who walked away with the win (29-27, 29-27 & 29-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Batgerel	9	10	10	29
Alatengheili	10	9	9	28

Bout 3: Thiago Moises (12-3) vs. Damir Ismagulov (18-2) (Lightweight)

The third bout of the evening was a lightweight clash between Thiago Moises and Damir Ismagulov. The first round was pretty even until Moises was dropped by punches in the final minute. Standing over a grounded Moises, Ismagulov threw some more punches before the round concluded. Moises tried for the first takedown of the fight in the second round but was refused. Moises had some good punches late in the second round. Ismagulov failed to get a takedown in the final minute of the second round. The final round was expectedly the slowest of the three, with no real huge moments from either fighter. After the fight ended, Ismagulov did push-ups in the octagon. All three judges saw Damir Ismagulov as the clear winner (30-26, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Moises	9	9	9	27
Ismagulov	10	10	10	30

Bout 4: Khadis Ibragimov (8-0) vs. Da Un Jung (11-2) (Light Heavyweight)

Continuing on the prelims, the next fight saw Khadis Ibragimov put his undefeated streak on the line against Da Un Jung. Ibragimov was coming forward with tons of punches in the first minute of the fight, with Jung not really answering back with anything. He laid off the pressure after the flurry which seemingly didn’t do much damage to Jung. Ibragimov would come forward with wailing punches many more times in the first round, completely out-striking Jung. Ibragimov got a bad cut around his nose as the first round was closing out. The fighters were quite fatigued come the second round but were still trading some hard punches. In the absence of Ibragimov’s crazy flurries of punches, Jung landed more punches in this round. The mouthpiece of Jung fell out many times in the second round. As the round was wrapping up, Ibragimov got top position on the ground. Ibragimov shot for a takedown early in the final round. Ibragimov landed a takedown. When they stood up against the cage, Jung put in a guillotine that made Ibragimov tap out. Da Un Jung brought his victory tally up to a dozen, also giving Ibragimov his first pro loss.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Ibragimov	10	9
Jung	8	10

Bout 5: Andre Soukhamthath (13-7) vs. Sumudaerji (10-4) (Bantamweight)

In the third bantamweight fight of the evening, Andre Soukhamthath fought Sumudaerji. Halfway through the first round, Soukhamthath shot for a takedown but instead stayed standing up against the cage. While in the position you could hear Soukhamthath try to tell the ref that his glove was being grabbed. Sumudaerji had solid punches throughout the round. In-between rounds, Soukhamthath claimed he broke his left hand. Staying in stand-up throughout the second round, with Sumudaerji showcasing his ability to come in with strikes then avoid a counter-punch. In the final round, Sumudaerji landed a big leg sweep to get the top position. While in the position he threw some elbows. The fight went the full three rounds, with the crowd giving quite the ovation as it ended. With some very decisive scorecards, Sumudarji walked away with the victory (30-26, 30-26 & 30-25).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Soukhamthath	9	9	8	26
Sumudaerji	10	10	10	30

Bout 6: Anthony Hernandez (7-1) vs. Jun Yong Park (10-3) (Middleweight)

In the featured preliminary bout of the show, Jun Yong Park faced Anthony Hernandez in a middleweight contest. This was the debut fight for Park, while Hernandez attempted to bounce back from his debut loss. Park had Hernandez backed up against the cage and was landing good punches, but Hernandez shot for a takedown to stop the combination. Hernandez took down Park many times, but Park kept getting back up. Hernandez had a good series of punches as the first round ended. In the second round, Park was putting together some good punches. Hernandez scored a takedown, then but Park got up and tried for a standing guillotine. Hernandez fought out of it and then got a slam takedown, although they got up shortly after. Hernandez put together a combination of punches and a knee before getting a takedown and getting Park’s back. Hernandez landed tons of punches on the ground before putting in an anaconda choke which made Park tap out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Hernandez	10
Park	9

Bout 7: Mizuki (13-5) vs. Wu Yanan (10-2) (Flyweight)

Kicking off the main card, Japanese fighter Mizuki made her UFC debut against Wu Yanan, who got her last in via a first-round armbar. When the fight started you could tell Wu had a clear height advantage. In the first round, Wu had some pretty solid punches. Mizuki seemed to be the more controlling fighter in the second round, although Wu was the only fighter utilizing leg kicks. In the third round, Mizuki defended a takedown attempt, keeping the fight in stand-up. While nobody was getting shook hard by punches, Wu was out-striking throughout the fight. The fight went all fifteen minutes, with Mizuki getting a split decision victory (29-28 Wu, 29-28 Mizuki & 29-28 Mizuki).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Mizuki	9	10	9	28
Wu	10	9	10	29

Bout 8: Derrick Krantz (24-11) vs. Song Kenan (14-5) (Welterweight)

Moving up to the welterweight division, two experienced UFC fighters in Derrick Krantz and Song Kenan fought. The crowd was on fire at this point, doing a chant as this fight was starting up. Kenan seemingly had better strikes in the first round. Kenan landed an amazing combination, faking a flying knee then landing a head kick right after. While Song had a guillotine choke on, Krantz landed a slam takedown. Krantz took side position, then transitioned into half guard. Song was able to flip the script on the ground, taking the back of Krantz, although it was short-lived. Krantz went back into the top position in half guard with over a minute left in the round. Krantz put in a guillotine when they stood up against the cage, although Song escaped. Krantz stayed mostly in control until the second round ended. Early in the final round, Krantz was in trouble as Song was putting on the pressure and coming forward with tons of punches. Stopping the momentum, Krantz got another takedown. Song was able to escape the position within a reasonable amount of time. In seemingly the same situation as before, Song landed clean strikes before Krantz got another takedown. They got back up with under two minutes left in the fight. Song was still putting on the pressure, although it was clear both fighters were quite tired. The fight turned to scorecards to find a winner, with Song Kenan earning the unanimous decision victory (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Krantz	9	10	9	28
Kenan	10	9	10	29

Bout 9: Mark De La Rosa (11-2) (#14) vs. Kai Kara-France (19-7 1 NC) (#10) (Flyweight)

The next bout included the first fight of the evening featuring ranked fighters. From the thin flyweight division, #14 ranked Mark De La Rosa faced #10 ranked Kai Kara-France. Mark De La Rosa’s corner was quite vocal throughout the fight, sometimes being the only voice on the broadcast. Halfway through the round, Kara-France landed a good slam takedown, but they did stand up moments after. Early in the second round, Kara-France landed a right cross which floored De La Rosa. When he got back up, De La Rosa failed to get a single leg takedown. In the third round, De La Rosa got a cut above his left eye. After three rounds of dominant performance, Kai Kara-France took home the W via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
De La Rosa	9	9	9	27
Kara-France	10	10	10	30

Bout 10: Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (21-5) (#14) vs. Li Jingliang (16-5) (Welterweight)

In the co-main event of the evening, China’s Li Jingliang faced Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos. The first round was pretty evenly matched until the final seconds, where Li dropped dos Santos with a punch. He was able to recover, putting Li in a standing clinch up against the cage until the round ended. Both fighters landed good strikes in the purely stand-up based second round. The third round was mostly like the two before, with Li out-striking although dos Santos was clearly still in the fight. This was the case at least until Li dropped dos Santos with an uppercut, and then dropped him a second time through more punches up against the cage, ending the fight in the final seconds of the fight. Li Jingliang got his third victory in a row, and will likely crash the welterweight rankings, defeated a ranked fighter.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Dos Santos	9	9
Li	10	10

Bout 11: Zhang Weili (19-1) (#6) vs. Jessica Andrade (20-6) © (UFC Strawweight Championship)

In the main event of the show, China’s Weili Zhang faced UFC Strawweight Champion, Jessica Andrade. From the very start, Zhang was landing tons of low kicks. They landed some punches, although a right hook for Zhang made Andrade lean over. Zhang got tons of knee strikes to the gut in a clinch up against the cage. Exiting clinch, Andrade was hit with two punches while retreating which dropped her. Zhang threw two more punches before the referee stepped in, ending the fight in under a minute. Zhang Weili became China’s first UFC Champion, and in the best location possible to do so. China finished the evening with an impressive record of 5-1 in all of their fights.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Total
Weili
Andrade

In a rare occasion of events, next week will have the second UFC event in a row with a Championship fight. Live from Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Khabib Nurmagomedov will attempt to defend his UFC Lightweight Championship against the interim champion, “Diamond” Dustin Poirier. The card will also include appearances from fellow Russian talent in Islam Makhachev, Mairbek Taisumov, Zubaira Tukhugov and many others. Being a PPV card, the show will also have very recognizable names in Paul Felder, Curtis Blaydes, Joanne Calderwood and others competing.

Dana White’s Contender Series Season 3 Episode 10 Full Report

The third season of Dana White’s Contender Series saw it’s finale on Tuesday, with five more fights including MMA fighters that aspire to earn a UFC contract.

Bout 1: Dylan Lockard (6-1) vs. TJ Brown (13-6) (Featherweight)

The first fight on the card was a featherweight battle between featherweights. Dylan Lockhard had a better but less experienced record, while TJ Brown has had many more professional fights before this. In the first 20 seconds of the fight, Lockard dropped Brown with some punches. Brown recovered and defended by trying to take control on the ground. A lot happened on the ground in this round with both fighters having big moments. With a minute left in the first round, Brown landed a knee to the grounded Lockard, which is obviously not allowed. A point was taken from Brown for this round. The fight resumed in stand-up. Brown landed a takedown as the round ended. In the second round, Brown got another takedown. Brown controlled Lockard on the ground for the whole round. The strikes landed on the ground started to show on Lockard’s face. Lockard got a takedown after a minute of traded strikes in the third round. Brown took Lockard’s back, then switched over into side control. Brown put in a side control which made Lockard tap out. Aside from the rocky first round, TJ Brown had a great performance.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Lockard	10	9
Brown	8	10

Bout 2: Ben Sosoli (7-2) vs. Dustin Joynson (5-0) (Heavyweight)

In the second fight of the evening, the show moved to the heavyweight division, with Ben Sosoli and Dustin Joynson facing off. Joynson was the first of four 5-0 fighters to fight on this card. The fight was paused after a couple of minutes due to Joynson getting hit in the eye. After a doctor checked him out, the fight had a anti-climactic ending. The fight was ruled a no contest.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Sosoli
Joynson

Bout 3: Sang Hoon Yoo (5-0) vs. Peter Barrett (10-3) (Lightweight)

Moving down to the lightweight division, undefeated Sang Hoon Yoo faced Peter Barrett. In the first minute of the round, Yoo landed a takedown with a clinch. In top position, Yoo landed very small punches before putting in an armbar which Barrett fought out of. When they went back to stand-up there was tons of chaotics strikes, mainly from Yoo. Early in the second round, Barrett put Yoo in a standing clinch up against the cage. Yoo had a much slower second round, with Barrett pushing the pace the whole time. Barrett landed numerous takedowns throughout the round. Early in the final round there was a pause at Barrett was kicked in the groin. Yoo had a better final round, coming forward with his aggressive strikes again. Their fatigue showed though, as there was tons of standing clinches. Barrett landed a takedown in the final minute of the fight, although they got up shortly after. The fight went the distance with the fighters swinging until it came to a close. The judges chose Peter Barrett as the winner of the bout (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Barrett	9	10
Yoo	10	9

Bout 4: Kailan Hill (5-0) vs. Impa Kasanganay (5-0) (Middleweight)

In the second last bout of the night it was a classic “two O’s one’s got to go” scenario, with middleweights Kailan Hill and Impa Kasanganay putting their undefeated streaks on the line. Very early in the bout, Kasanganay landed a takedown. When they got back up, both fighters were swinging for the fences with their strikes. Kasanganay landed another takedown before the first round concluded. In the second round, Kasanganay got on Hill’s back but didn’t do much. In stand-up, Kasanganay landed a few punches before getting taken down as the round ended. Kasanganay was in control on the ground for a few minutes before they stood up with 90 seconds left in the fight. They went on the ground again with Hill in control before the fight ended. When the fight went to the scorecards, the judges all gave a clean scorecard to Impa Kasanganay (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27). He became the first fighter of the night to extend his undefeated streak.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Hill	9	9	9	27
Kasanganay	10	10	10	30

Bout 5: Dusko Todorovic (8-0) vs. Teddy Ash (14-4) (Middleweight)

The final fight of the evening was undefeated Dusko Todorovic facing the more experienced Teddy Ash. In the opening moments, Todorovic went for a takedown against Ash. They spent the whole round up against the cage in a standing clinch, with Todorovic in control the whole time. Ash got a cut on his face below the eye during the round. The second round was somewhat quiet, although both fighters really started to unload in the final minute. Both fighters were quite bloody in the third round. The final round showed how tired both fighters were. Dusko Torodorovic extended their undefeated streak when they went to scorecards (30-27, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Todorovic	10	9	9	27
Ash	9	10	10	30

At the end of the show, Dana White awarded contracts to TJ Brown, Peter Barrett and Dusko Todorovic. In total, this season of the Contender Series signed 30 fighters and gave one fighter a developmental contract.

Bellator 225: Mitrione vs. Kharitonov 2 Live Coverage

In a weekend without a UFC show, Bellator took center stage with Bellator 225. Live from the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA, Matt Mitrione faced Sergei Kharitonov in a rematch. Their first meeting wasn’t a satisfying one, as an accidental groin strike only seconds into the bout made it end in a no contest. Fighting once again, the fighters will have a chance to put on a more competitive and fairer performance. Along with the main event was 13 other fights which were broadcasted through the Paramount Network and DAZN in a simulcast. If you’re following along live, this article will be updated as the night continues.

Bout 1: Khonry Gracie (1-1) vs. Oscar Vera (0-1) (Welterweight)

The first fight of the evening was Gracie family member Khonry Gracie versus Oscar Vera. Gracie got a takedown after one minute of slow stand-up. He eventually went for an armbar which made Vera tap out. This was the second armbar loss that Vera took from a Gracie in a row.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gracie
Vera

Bout 2: Aviv Gozali (2-0) vs. Eduard Muravitskiy (9-8) (Catchweight 165 lbs)

The second fight was a catchweight bout at 165 pounds between undefeated Aviv Gozali and the more experienced Eduard Muravitskiy. Immediately, Aviv went for an imanari roll. He put in a heel hook and made Muravitskiy tap out in 11 seconds. This set the new record for quickest Bellator submission.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gozali
Muravitskiy

Bout 3: Sabah Homasi (12-8) vs. Micah Terrill (14-7) (Welterweight)

In the third fight, two more experienced fighters in Sabah Homasi and Micah Terrill faced off. Homasi trains out of American Top Team. Homasi came forward quickly with a right hook which dropped Terrill. In 17 seconds, the fight had concluded.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Homasi
Terrill

Bout 4: Austin Vanderford (7-0) vs. Joseph Creer (6-0-1) (Middleweight)

The next bout included the significant other of UFC fighter Paige VanZant, Austin Vanderford facing Joseph Creer. VanZant was in the corner for Vanderford for this fight. He is making the move down to middleweight in this bout. After a couple of minutes of close stand-up, Vanderford landed a slam takedown. He threw punches while on top in half guard. While in the position his mouthguard fell out, which he put back in without the referee having to step in. Vanderford landed some good hammerfist punches in the final minute of the round. Creer was cut open from an elbow. For the first time in the evening, a fight left the first round. Vanderford quickly got top position in the second round. More elbows cut Creer open badly in the second round. Much worse than in the first. The two major cuts were under and below the right eye of Creer. In-between rounds, Austin Vanderford extended his undefeated streak by doctor’s stoppage.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Vanderford	10	10
Creer	9	9

Bout 5: Ricky Bandejas (11-3) vs. Ahmet Kayretli (8-3) (Bantamweight)

In the fifth preliminary fight of the evening, Bellator prospect Ricky Bandejas faced Ahmet Kayretli, who was making his Bellator debut after a stint in LFA. A notable win that Bandejas picked up was over James Gallagher last year. Kayretli was landing good low kicks early. While Kayretli was coming forward with punches, Bandejas countered with a right hook which took down Kayretli and ended the fight. After two consecutive losses, Ricky Bandejas has finally found himself in the winners column.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Bandejas
Kayretli

Bout 6: Mike Kimbel (3-1) vs. Chris Disonell (3-3) (Catchweight 140 lbs)

The next fight included Waterbury’s own Mike Kimbel. Kimbel made some waves in his second Bellator fight, getting a six second KO victory over Alex Potts. He faced Chris Disonell in the next fight. Both fighters took turns charging forward with punch combinations. Disonell initiated a clinch up against the cage. When they left the clinch, Kimbel had a good flurry of strikes. Kimbel landed a takedown. When they got back up they were both landing good shots, although Kimbel was clearly ahead. Disonell was able to put Kimbel on the ground. He postured up and swung away until the referee ended the bout. It was quite a turn of events for Chris Disonell, earning him the win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Kimbel
Disonell

Bout 7: Jon Manley (11-6) vs. Thiago Rela (13-7) (Catchweight 175 lbs)

In a double debut bout, Jon Manley faced Thiago Rela in a catchweight bout. Rela came from CFFC on a losing streak while Manley has primarily fought in the CES and AMMO promotions. Both fighters have been in the UFC before. Early on, Rela caught a caught a kick and put Manley up against the cage. Rela got on Manley’s back, taking him to the ground. Manley tried for a kimura but couldn’t get it. They got back up, but Rela mounted Manley’s back once again and took him down. Rela chased a rear naked choke until the round concluded. Early in the second round Vera was kicked in the groin. A warning was issued as the kick was accidental. Rela took his time, but was able to continue in the fight eventually. Rela got on the back of Manley again, eventually taking him to the ground again. In the third round, Manley was on Rela’s back on the ground landing punches. These shots continued for quite some time, all unanswered. In the final seconds of the fight, Manley put in a rear naked choke which got him the win.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Manley	9	9
Rela	10	10

Bout 8: Kastriot Xhema (3-3) vs. Connor Dixon (0-0) (Catchweight 165 lbs)

Another home-state fighter in Kastriot Xhema faced Connor Dixon, who was making his professional debut. After a chaotic first minute, Dixon tried for a guillotine but couldn’t secure it. Dixon was trying for tons of takendowns although he didn’t do a ton. He was clearly tired after trying for so many takedowns. Dixon was in control on the ground through the second round. Dixon tried for an arm triangle, then went for an armbar but couldn’t get either. In-between rounds, Xhema told his corner that he broke his right thumb. Xhema got cut badly at some point in the fight. Dixon got another takedown early in the final round. Dixon put in an armbar that made Xhema tap out. A great debut for Connor Dixon, in the final two rounds he always kept the fight where he wanted it to be.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Xhema	9	9
Dixon	10	10

Bout 9: Nick Newell (15-2) vs. Corey Browning (5-2) (Lightweights)

Finishing off the preliminary part of the card, Nick Newell fought Corey Browning. Newell is known for having only one hand, and fought in his hometown on this show. Browning was coined as the “hype killer,” having a high profile win over Kevin Ferguson Jr., also known as “Baby Slice.” Newell early on took Browning to the ground and tried for an arm triangle choke. He fought for it for a few minutes, eventually making Browning tap out. Newell cut a great promo after the fight.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Newell
Browning

Bout 10: Tyrell Fortune (6-0) vs. Rudy Schaffroth (6-0) (Heavyweight)

Starting off the main card was two undefeated heavyweights in Tyrell Fortune and Rudy Schaffroth facing off. Fortune tried for a takedown in the second minute of the first round but couldn’t get it. Fortune was hit with leg kicks that seemingly affected him hard. Schafforth was caught with punches after a leg kick made him fall. Fortune hit him with tons of punches on the ground before putting in a rear naked choke which made Schaffroth tap out.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Fortune	9
Schaffroth	10

Bout 11: David Rickels (21-5) vs. Yaroslav Amosov (21-0) (Catchweights 175 lbs)

Bellator’s greatest showman and longest-time employee David Rickels fought undefeated Yaroslav Amosov. Rickels did his best tribute to Japanese fighter turned politician Genki Sudo with his walkout. Among the many things he did to tribute Sudo was the “We Are All One” flag which a cornerman carried to the cage. Amosov landed a single leg takedown in the first minute of the fight. Amosov had top position for most of the round. Rickels was taken down again in the second round. Amosov put in a d’arce choke which made Rickels tap out. Yaroslav Amosov extended his undefeated record beyond the amount of pro wins that “The Caveman” has attained. This was also the first career submission loss for Rickels.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Rickels	9
Amosov	10

Bout 12: Alejandra Lara (7-3) vs. Taylor Turner (4-5) (Bantamweights)

In the only women’s fight of the evening, Alejandra Lara faced Taylor Turner. Turner was known for her win over championship level boxer Heather Hardy. Lara was making her bantamweight debut in this fight. Lara got a trip takedown early in the fight. Lara landed a few punches before Turner got up and went into a standing clinch against the cage. Lara scored another takedown. She landed a lot of strikes in top position. She took the back of Turner and continued with strikes until the referee ended it.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Lara
Turner

Bout 13: Vitaly Minakov (21-1) vs. Tim Johnson (12-5) (Heavyweight)

Before the co-main event of the show, we had the fighters from the Welterweight Grand Prix finals show up. Douglas Lima and Rory MacDonald came to the cage for an interview with John McCarthy. They faced off at the end of the interview. That fight will take place on October 26th, being a rematch between the two. It was also announced on October 25th Frank Mir will fight Rory Nelson. In the co-main event of the evening, Vitaly Minakov faced Tim Johnson in a short notice matchup. Minakov opened with some good punches before he landed two suplexes to take Johnson down, although he got back up seconds later. They went back to striking. Johnson was stunned by a right jab, then taken out cold by a few more punches.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Minakov
Johnson

Bout 14: Matt Mitrione (13-6) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (29-7) (Heavyweight)

In the main event of the evening, Matt Mitrione faced Sergei Kharitonov in a rematch. In their faceoff at the start, referee Dan Mirgliotta ribbed on them, asking if their cups are in. Mitrione was active from the start, throwing tons of punches. Near the end of the round, Mitrione’s mouthpiece kept falling out. On the third time that it fell out, he was warned that a point could be taken away. In-between rounds, Mitrione said he was wearing the wrong mouthpiece. Mitrione’s mouthpiece fell out again in the second round. Mitrione was hit with a punch and then a knee which dropped him, then was finished shortly after. Mitrione looked distracted before he was hit with the shots, looking at where his mouthpiece went. While this fight, like their first meeting had a controversial finish, this time around a winner left the cage.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Mitrione	10
Kharitonov	9

From start to finish, Bellator 225 was only stoppages. Bellator will return on September 7th, with Ryan Bader facing Cheick Kongo, with the Bellator Heavyweight Championship on the line. The event will be the first of three September events that the promotion will be putting on.

Dana White Contender Series Season 3 Episode 9 Full Report

In the second last episode of the third season of Dana White’s Contender Series, 10 more fighters compete for their spot on the UFC roster.

Bout 1: Ricky Steele (5-0) vs. Phil Caracappa (8-0) (Bantamweight)

The first fight of the evening was a battle of two undefeated fighters. Ricky Steele was a competitor on Season 27 of The Ultimate Fighter, but withdrew after one fight due to injury. Phil Caracappa has found eight fights in the Ring of Combat promotion. Caracappa came forward with punches early on. They clinched up against the cage for a few moments and then separated again. Caracappa tried for a takedown for a whole minute before landing it. They got back up with two minutes left. Caracappa got another takedown in the final minute of the first round. Steele got up, but Caracappa stayed on his back. They went back to the ground with Steele in top position as the round ended. Steele got a takedown in the first minute of the second round, landing an elbow from above before trying for a guillotine. They got up and went back into clinch against the cage. In stand-up, Caracappa tried for another takedown but couldn’t get it. After being in clinch up against the cage for a while, Steele let his hands go, throwing a few punches. They went back to the ground in the final moments of the round as Caracappa slipped after missing a kick. They went back up against the cage in the final round. Steele landed a good elbow in this position. Caracappa landed some elbows which had Steel retreating. Steele got a takedown but found himself in a guillotine attempt. He escaped the hold and stayed on the bottom position until the round ended. In a split decision, Ricky Steele was favoured on two of the three scorecards (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Steele	9	10	9	28
Caracappa	10	9	10	29

Bout 2: Micol di Segni (7-2) vs. Mallory Martin (4-2) (Strawweight)

In the lighest weight class bout of the night, Italian fighter Micol di Segni faced Mallory Martin. After a minute of stand-up, Martin scored a takedown. Martin was in complete control on top position, transitioning seamlessly from side control to half guard many times, and while doing all of this landed strikes. Segni got up against the cage eventually, but Martin brought them back down short after. When they stood back up, Martin tried for a guillotine but wasn’t successful. They went back to striking for the final seconds of the first round. The first half of the second round had both fighters showing decend striking. Martin got a trip takedown. They got back up with a minute left in the second round. Martin got a second takedown as the round ended. Segni was getting absolutely dominated. In the final round, Segni was landing knees in a standing clinch. The fight went the distance with Mallory Martin getting the win (30-27, 30-27 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Segni	9	9	9	27
Martin	10	10	10	30

Bout 3: Desmond Torres (7-1) vs. Steve Garcia Jr. (9-3) (Bantamweight)

In the third fight of the evening, bantamweights Desmond Torres and Steve Garcia Jr. faced off. When the match started you could tell Garcia had a huge size advantage. Torres chased after a takedown early in the fight but didn’t get it. After both fighters threw tons of strikes in a short amount of time, Torres got a single leg takedown which Garcia got up from immediately. Near the end of the first round, Garcia started to string together lots of shots, making Torres go into total defensive mode. Torres fell on the canvas and was given a few hammerfist strikes before the fight ended. Worth noting that Garcia missed weight for this fight (139.5 lbs in a 130 lb bout).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Torres
Garcia Jr.

Bout 4: Marcos Brigagao (11-0) vs. Jamal Pogues (6-2) (Light Heavyweight)

In the co-main event of the show, undefeated light heavyweight Marcos Brigagao faced Jamal Pogues. Right off the bat they were trading hard punches. Pogues scored a takedown a minute later. Pogues was clearly the better ground fighter. He tried for an armbar but couldn’t get it. When they stood back up in the final minute of the round, Pogues landed a good knee. Pogues got a third takedown to close out the round. Brigagao threatened a triangle choke but lost it. Pogues had another great round, landing many more takedowns and strikes in many positions. The final round felt like an identical one to the two before, with Pogues landing many more takedowns and grinding away at the tough Brigagao. The fight went the distance with Jamal Pogues getting the unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Brigagao	9	9
Pogues	10	10

Bout 5: Leon Shahbazyan (7-1) vs. Philip Rowe (6-2) (Welterweight)

The main event of this episode was Leon Shahbazyan versus Philip Rowe in a welterweight bout. After a minute of close stand-up, Shahbazyan caught a leg and took down Rowe, landing punches on the ground. Rowe got back up but was in full defense mode. Rowe had his moments in the round but Shahbazyan never backed down. Rowe put Shahbazyan up against the cage in the first minute of the second round. With Shahbazyan up against the cage, Rowe started to land a ton of punches. Shahbazyan possibly saved himself by landing a takedown. Rowe landed some shots in top position on the ground. Rowe had a large flurry of strikes at the end of the round, with the horn potentially saving Shahbazyan. Rowe had a quick start to the final round, dropping Shahbazyan with strikes and landing a few more before referee Herb Dean ended it. Rowe was able to overcome a failed first round, turning the tides and closing the show in the following six minutes. Philip Rowe came off as a real character in his post-fight interview.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Shahbazyan	10	9
Rowe	9	10

At the end of the night, Dana White awarded a contract to Philip Rowe.

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

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.