Conor McGregor To Return On Jan. 18 To Face Donald Cerrone

After a 15-month layoff from MMA which included numerous controversies, Conor McGregor will return to fight “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone at UFC 246 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

First reported by Brett Okamoto at ESPN, news broke Thursday afternoon that McGregor and Cerrone would fight in a headlining fight that is not for a championship and is a welterweight bout.

In his time off, McGregor has been competing in court. Last March, McGregor had criminal charges dismissed in a case where he took someone’s phone and threw it into the ground.

More famously, in August a video surfaced of McGregor punching a man at a bar. Earlier this month he received a fine of 1,000 euro, pleading guilty to assault.

Last month, the New York Times reported that McGregor was being investigated in Ireland for sexual assault for the second time this year.

McGregor’s last fight was in late 2018, losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov in the fourth round via rear naked choke. That fight was for the Lightweight Championship.

Cerrone will attempt to snap a two-fight losing streak, recently losing in the first round to Justin Gathje.

Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson In The Works For April

The highly anticipated matchup between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson could happen on April 18th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, USA, sources say.

First reported by Brett Okamoto of ESPN and further backed up by Damon Martin at MMAFighting, it has been reported that the two lightweights will headline a card on that date. An official announcement by the UFC has yet to be made.

On Monday, Nurmagomedov’s manager Ali Abdelaziz tweeted a photo of a contract, saying “The champ signed his bout agreement against Tony Ferguson.”

Ferguson and Nurmagomedov were first supposed to face off at UFC 223, although a torn knee ligament for Ferguson soiled the plans.

He returned from his injury in late 2018, defeating Anthony Pettis on UFC 229, a card which Nurmagomedov headlined against Conor McGregor.

Nurmagomedov made his second defence of his UFC Lightweight Championship in September, defeating Dustin Poirier with a third-round rear naked choke.

Ferguson is riding a 12-fight winning streak that dates back to 2013. Most recently, he prevailed over Donald Cerrone after a doctor’s stoppage before round three.

Deontay Wilder Stops Luis Ortiz With 7th Round Stoppage

Deontay Wilder earned a sixth round TKO victory of Luis Ortiz on Saturday, retaining his WBC Heavyweight Championship in a rematch.

As the seventh round was closing out, Wilder landed a right-cross which dropped Ortiz. The fight was concluded by referee Kenny Bayless as Ortiz was attempting to get up.

Before Wilder landed his fight-ending punch, the bout was a slow ordeal. Ortiz was the more active fighter, landing the better of the minimal punches in the fight.

After the fight, Wilder said the plan is for him to face Tyson Fury next. He also mentioned that he wants a unification bout in the future.

“I want champion, one face, one name,” said Wilder in his post-fight interview.

In their first meeting, Wilder stopped Ortiz in the 10th round. Wilder had a record of 1-0-1 between then and this fight, with Ortiz going 3-0.

Before the main event, Leo Santa Cruz defeated Miguel Flores via unanimous decision (115-112, 117-110 and 117-110), getting the vacant WBA Super Super Featherweight title.

Jairzinho Rozenstruik Finishes Andrei Arlovski In 29 Seconds on UFC 244 Prelims

Jairzinho Rozenstruik extended his undefeated record on Saturday, defeating Andrei Arlovski in 29 seconds on the preliminary card of UFC 244.

Rozenstruik got his win in no time, rushing his opponent with strikes. He landed a counter left hook which dropped Arlovski, giving him a walk-off victory.

The win not only continues his career-long undefeated record, but continues his UFC-long run of victories via finishing his opponent.

Rozenstruik fought once in RIZIN, defeating Andrey Kovalev at RIZIN 10. He was signed to a UFC contract after getting another win on the regional level.

The loss puts Arlovski at 1-3 1 NC in his last five outings, and 3-6 1 NC in his last 10.

This article is part of a series of coverage called the “JMMA Tracker.” The series keeps track of Japanese MMA fighter’s activities in other promotions around the world.

UFC 244: Masvidal vs. Diaz Live Report

This Saturday night, UFC will hold UFC 244, a pay-per-view live from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, USA. The stacked card is headlined by Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz battling for the B.M.F Championship. Follow this article throughout the night for live results and updates.

The preliminary card begins at 6:30 PM EDT. For prerequisite reading, check the site’s UFC 244 preview article.

Bout 1: Julio Arce (16-3) vs. Hakeem Dawodu (10-1-1) (Featherweight)

The first fight of the evening was Julio Arce returning to MSG to face Canadian prospect Hakeem Dawodu. Dawodu was landing good leg kicks early on. Dawodu put Arce in a clinch against the cage, but they separated shortly after. Arce landed a good left straight with two minutes to go which stunned Dawodu. Dawodu continued with his stellar kicks. Dawodu landed good knees in another standing clinch.

In the second round, the fighters went into a clinch after exchanging hard strikes. They separated after a minute or so. When Dawodu initiated another clinch with two minutes left, Arce got a trip takedown, taking top position. Arce took the back of Dawodu and then pursued a rear naked choke. Dawodu flipped over and took top position. Dawodu got up and landed some leg kicks before Arce got up.

Dawodu put Arce up against the cage in the first minute of the final round. Arce shoved him off and they returned to striking. The same exchange happened again later in the round. Arce tried for a takedown in the final minute of the fight which Dawodu defended. The striking hit the highest gear in the final moments, as both fighters were landing good shots. The fight went the distance, with Hakeem Dawodu getting the victory via split decision (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28). Dawodu was upset about his performance afterwards.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Arce	9	10	9	28
Dawodu	10	9	10	29

Bout 2: Lyman Good (20-5) vs. Chance Rencountre (14-3) (Welterweight)

The next fight saw up-and-coming welterweights in Lyman Good and Chance Rencountre face off. Good landed a jab right off the bat in the fight. He was landing the better strikes early on, especially leg kicks. Rencountre tried for a takedown in the third minute. Good got pinned against the cage but resisted takedown and eventually got back to striking. Rencountre clinched up again after Good landed some hard punches. Good kept tagging him, although Rencountre was absorbing the shots. Good landed a solid head kick in the closing ten seconds of the first round.

At the start of the second round, good capitalized off a failed flying knee attempt from Rencountre, coming in and landing a combination of punches. While Rencountre was landing some strikes, Good was pushing the pace of the fight throughout the second round.

Good continued to land good shots in the final round. Good landed a right which dropped Rencountre in the second minute of the third round. Only seconds later, the referee came in to end the fight. In nothing short of an impressive showcase, Lyman Good stopped Chance Rencountre in the third round.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Good	10	10
Rencountre	9	9

Bout 3: Katlyn Chookagian (12-2) (#1) vs. Jennifer Maia (17-5-1) (#5) (Catchweight 127 lbs).

Finishing off the early prelims was Katlyn Chookagian and Jennifer Maia. What was originally set to be a flyweight match was changed to catchweight after Maia missed weight. Chookagian had some solid strikes early on. Maia put Chookagian up against the cage with two minutes left in the first round.

The second round was another one where Chookagian was out-striking Maia.

Maia put Chookagian in a clinch in the first minute of the final round. She let go of the clinch, going back to stand-up. Maia finally landed a takedown with a minute left in the round. The fight went the distance, with Katlyn Chookagian getting the win (29-28, 29-28 & 29-28).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Chookagian	10	10	10	30
Maia	9	9	9	27

Bout 8: Kevin Lee (17-5) (#10) vs. Gregor Gillespie (13-0) (#11) (Lightweight)

The main card started with a battle between Kevin Lee and undefeated Gregor Gillespie. Starting the fight, both fighters had close striking, mostly throwing jabs. With just over two minutes left in the round, Lee landed a punch and a head kick which absolutely shut Gillespie off. Kevin Lee got a vicious first round knockout victory, taking Gregor Gillespie’s undefeated record.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Lee
Gillespie

Bout 9: Derrick Lewis (21-7) (#5) vs. Blagoy Ivanov (18-2) (#8) (Heavyweight)

In a ranked heavyweight clash, Derrick Lewis faced Blagoy Ivanov. Early on, Ivanov caught a kick and brought Lewis to the ground. Lewis got up and landed some punches. They went into a standing clinch, then Lewis got a takedown. They stood up shortly after. The rest of the round had close striking from the fighters.

Ivanov landed a good right straight in the first minute of the second round. Ivanov landed a trip takedown after both fighters landed good punches. In top position, Ivanov put in a kimura. Lewis was in it deep, but escaped and got back up. He stormed Ivanov with punches, then had a stand-off. Ivanov came in for a clinch up against the cage again. Lewis landed a knee and punches exiting the clinch. Ivanov initiated another clinch after scoring a few strikes. Ivanov got a throw takedown and tried for a choke before the round ended.

The final round was mostly slow from both fighters until Lewis had a flurry of punches at the very end. Heading to the scorecards, it was Derrick Lewis who took a split decision victory (30-27 Lewis, 29-28 Ivanov & 29-28 Lewis).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Lewis	10	9	10	29
Ivanov	9	10	9	28

Bout 10: Stephen Thompson (14-4-1) (#9) vs. Vicente Luque (17-6-1) (#14) (Welterweight)

The next fight saw well-known Stephen Thompson face the red-hot Vicente Luque. The first round had very close striking from both fighters. Both fighters were very selective with their shots.

The second round was a continuation of the one before. It was clear that each fighter respected the other’s power. Thompson landed a sidekick to the head which dropped Luque. When he got back up and resumed, Luque got stunned by a punch.

In the first minute of the third and final round, Luque was getting picked apart. Luque got knocked down by a punch, and then was forced to stand back up moments after. By the end of the fight, Luque was showing real damage on his face. The judges all had the fight heavily in favour of Stephen Thompson (30-26, 30-26 & 29-27).

My Scorecard:

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

Bout 11: Kelvin Gastelum (16-4) (#4) vs. Darren Till (17-2-1) (Middleweight)

In the co-main event of the evening Darren Till moved up to middleweight to face Kelvin Gastelum. Many clinches happened in the first round, although each one didn’t seem to have much action in them.

Till constantly kept his distance from Gastelum, dipping in for a strike or two before backing up again. A pause came after Till was poked in the eye. They resumed quite quickly. The crowd started to boo with a minute left in the round.

Till caught a kick early in the third round and landed a punch because of it. Gastelum tried for a double leg takedown but Till avoided it. Till was able to take down Gastelum by catching another kick, although he got up moments later. Gastelum finally landed a takedown in the final minute of the fight. Till got up within seconds and continued with stand-up. The fight went all 15 minutes, with Darren Till getting a split decision win (30-27 Gastelum, 29-28 Till & 30-27 Till).

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
Gastelum	9	9	9	27
Till	10	10	10	30

Bout 12: Jorge Masvidal (34-13) (#3) vs. Nate Diaz (20-11) (#7) (Welterweight)

In the main event of the evening, Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz battle for the B.M.F belt. Masvidal started the fight running similar to when he fought Ben Askren, but stopped himself before doing anything. Masvidal clinched up with Diaz against the cage after Diaz came forward with a few punches. Masvidal landed elbows while leaving clinch, and then dropped Diaz with a leg kick. Diaz was on his back on the ground. He got hit with some punches and become quite bloodied. Diaz did a front kick to Masvidal which he seemingly pretended to be hurt by. Diaz was eventually stood up by the referee. Diaz exploded forward with punches which Masvidal ate. Masvidal went into a clinch smiling. Diaz landed another left straight before the round ended.

Both fighters had good strikes in the opening minutes of the second round. Diaz got hurt by a right hand, dropping him for the second time in the fight. He stayed on his back after falling, but was told to stand up by the referee. To an extent it felt like Diaz was just absorbing damage in this round. Masvidal got the first takedown of the fight with a minute left in the round.

Masvidal landed a strong right straight in the first minute of the third round. Diaz had some good combinations at the start of the round, although he was the fighter circling the outside of the octagon. Just over halfway through the round both fighters were trading punches. After being in a standing clinch for some time, Masvidal took Diaz down and landed strikes from above.

Before the fourth round was about to start, a doctor came in to check on Diaz. After seeing the cuts on his head, the fight was waved off. Jorge Masvidal won the fight via doctor’s stoppage, and had the B.M.F belt put on him by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

My Scorecard:

Fighter	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Total
Masvidal	10	10	10
Diaz	9	9	9

Invicta FC 38: Murata vs. Ducote Full Preview

Invicta FC will return on Friday night, including a main event that will see an up-and-coming flyweight in challenge Karina Rodriguez challenge long-time Invicta fighter Vanessa Porto. Also on the show, a new strawweight champion will be crowned as Kanako Murata and Emily Ducote compete. Live from the Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas, USA, let’s look at Invicta FC 38.

Bout 1: Serena DeJesus (1-0) vs. Taneisha Tennant (1-0) (Bantamweight)

The evening will open with two bantamweight fighters making their Invicta debut. Both undefeated with one victory, Serena DeJesus and Taneisha Tennant will face off. DeJesus first fought as an amateur in 2014, racking up a 5-2 record before moving to professional MMA, getting a decision victory. Tennant stayed undefeated as an amateur at 3-0, then got a first round stoppage victory in her pro debut.

Bout 2: Shaianna Rincon (2-0) vs. Auttumn Norton (0-1) (Featherweight)

The second bout of the evening is between two fighters very early in their careers. Undefeated featherweight Shaianna Rincon will face Auttumn Norton, who is attempting to come back from a loss. Both fighters have had all of their professional fights within Invicta. Norton had a 7-2 record as an amateur, with Rincon being an undefeated 4-0.

Bout 3: Lisa Verzosa (4-0) vs. Kerri Kenneson (3-1) (Bantamweight)

The third fight will see undefeated Lisa Verzosa face Kerri Kenneson. Verzosa has only been a pro since 2018, although she’s picked up four wins, all via decision. She has been fighting since 2014, finishing her amateur career with a 9-1 record. Kenneson got her first loss as a pro recently, losing in the first round to Stephanie Geltmacher. Unlike Verzosas, Kenneson’s career has happened in promotions outside of Invicta.

Bout 4: Shanna Young (6-2) vs. Maiju Suotama (8-4) (Flyweight)

Shanna Young and Maiju Suotama will face off for the second time this year. While their first meeting was only a one-round fight, Young defeated Suotama in September on an Invicta card. Previously, Young lost on Dana White’s Contender Series, a show where fighters compete for UFC contracts. This is the first proper fight that Suotama has taken in the Invicta promotion.

Bout 5: Mallory Martin (5-2) vs. Cynthia Arceo (5-1-1) (Strawweight)

Mallory Martin got a victory on Dana White’s Contender Series last summer, but sadly didn’t impress UFC brass. She returns to Invicta on Friday, facing Cynthia Arceo, who is making her Invicta debut. Arceo attained a 5-1-1 record within the King of the Cage promotion, 9-1-1 if you include the amateur bouts. On the same night as the strawweight championship bout, either Martin or Arceo could set themself up as a contender.

Bout 6: Vanessa Porto (21-8) vs. Karina Rodriguez (8-3) (Flyweight)

Vanessa Poro and Karina Rodriguez go up against each other in the co-main event of the evening. What was originally meant to be the main event for the Invicta Flyweight Championship was demoted to co-main after Rodriguez missed weight for the fight. Rodriguez is currently on a two-fight winning streak, getting decision victories against Milana Dudieva and DeAnna Bennett. Porto is on a three-fight winning streak, defeating Milana Dudieva and Mariana Morais before facing Pearl Gonzalez for the promotion’s flyweight belt. Porto has been in Invicta since nearly the start, fighting on the promotion’s second card ever in 2012.

Bout 7: Kanako Murata (10-1) vs. Emily Ducote (8-5) (Invicta Vacant Strawweight Championship)

In the main event of the evening, Kanako Murata and Emily Ducote will compete for the currently vacant strawweight championship. The former champion was Brianna Van Buren, who vacated the belt once she got a UFC contract. Murata has been undefeated since 2017, on a six-fight winning streak. She has four wins in RIZIN and most recently defeated Liana Pirosin via submission at Invicta FC 35. Ducote is coming off an Invicta win against Janaisa Morandin via first-round punches. Ducote previously had a 4-4 record in Bellator, notably fighting current Bellator Flyweight Champion Ilima-Lei MacFarlane.

PFL 2019 #9 Live Report

Happy Halloween! PFL held their final quarter-final and semi-final evening of fights in 2019 on Halloween night. The show showcased their light heavyweight and heavyweight fighters aiming to reach the New Year’s Eve grand finals.

All of the quarter-final fights this evening were two-rounds long, with the semi-final bouts being three-rounds.

Bout 1: Emiliano Sordi (19-8) (#1) vs. Sigi Pesaleli (1-2) (#8) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The evening opened up with a quarter-final fight between top seed Emiliano Sordi and Sigi Pesaleli. Sordi was the more dominant striker from the start. Sordi started to pour on punches and kicks early on to Pesaleli, who was up against the cage. Pesaleli was dropped from uppercuts, getting hit a couple more times before the referee stepped in.

Bout 2: Bozigit Ataev (21-4) (#4) vs. Viktor Nemkov (30-7) (#5) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The next light heavyweight bout was between the two closest light heavyweight seeds, Bozigit Ataev and Viktor Nemkov. Nemkov got a takedown in the first minute of the fight. They stood back up, with Nemkov keeping Ataev in a clinch against the cage. Ataev dropped Nemkov with strikes while in clinch. Nemkov was able to recover and stayed on the ground until the referee stood him back up. Ataev kept coming forward, landing punches. Nemkov stopped Ataev’s momentum with a headlock. Ataev got a takedown in the final minute of the round, catching a leg of Nemkov and throwing him.

In the second minute of the final round, Nemkov put Ataev up against the cage, attempting a takedown. Nemkov tried for another takedown which was stuffed. Not much more happened before the fight concluded. When heading to the scorecards, the fight was ruled a draw. When the judges were asked to pick one fighter, two of the three fighters chose Bozigit Ataev.

Bout 3: Maxim Grishin (30-7-1) (#2) vs. Jordan Johnson (11-1) (#7) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The third light-heavyweight quarter-final saw the more experienced Maxim Grishin face Jordan Johnson. Johnson got a takedown in the first minute of the fight, taking the back of Grishin. They got back up shortly after, where Johnson pursued another takedown. Grishin was taken down by a strike and a shove, although he got back up quickly. Grishin had Johnson backing up in the final moments as he landed some good strikes.

At the very start of the second round, Johnson got another takedown. They stood back up after a minute or so. Grishin stopped another takedown attempt but was put up against the cage for some time. When going to the scorecards, the fight was ruled a majority draw. The tiebreaker had all three judges pick Jordan Johnson move on to the semi-finals.

Bout 4: Vinny Magalhaes (19-11) (#3) vs. Rashid Yusupov (11-2) (#6) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The final light heavyweight quarter-final fight was between Rashid Yusupov and Vinny Magalhaes. After a close striking competition for a few minutes, Yusupov dropped Magalhaes with a two-punch combination, earning a walkoff knockout victory.

Bout 5: Kelvin Tiller (11-3) (#4) vs. Ali Isaev (6-0) (#5) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The first heavyweight quarter-final of the evening was between Ali Isaev and Kelvin Tiller. Tiller clinched up early, although it was Isaev that got the takedown. Isaev did ground and pound on top of Tiller for most of the round.

Tiller found himself in the same position that he was in the round before, as Isaev took top position and continued ground and pound. When going to the scorecards, all judges favoured Ali Isaev in moving on (20-16, 20-17 & 20-17).

Bout 6: Mo DeReese (8-1) (#2) vs. Jared Rosholt (18-7) (#7) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The next heavyweight bout saw Jared Rosholt face Muhammed DeReese. A leg kick brought Rosholt to the ground early. Rosholt took lots of damage on the ground but after a few minutes got up. Rosholt got a takedown and took the back of DeReese. Rosholt kept throwing punches from the back, with DeReese not doing anything to fight out of it. The referee eventually got involved, giving Rosholt a win.

Bout 7: Denis Goltsov (24-5) (#1) vs. Satoshi Ishii (22-9-1) (#8) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

Moving from ESPN+ to ESPN 2, the heavyweight quarter-finals continued. Satoshi Ishii faced top seed Denis Golstov. Ishii had Mirko Cro Cop cornering him for this fight. After a minute of slow striking from both fighters, Ishii tried for a single leg takedown. The referee stood them back up. Ishii eventually got a takedown, taking top position with a minute left in the round.

The second round was another slow one. Ishii stayed on his back for a lot of the round, while Goltsov threw strikes while standing. Selected to move on via majority decision, Denis Goltsov got the win (19-19, 20-18 & 20-18).

Bout 8: Alex Nicholson (14-8) (#3) vs. Francimar Barroso (24-7-1) (#6) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The final quarter-final fight of the evening was between Alex Nicholson and Francimar Barroso. In the first minute of the fight, Barroso got a takedown. When they stood back up, both fighters were trading hard punches. Barroso landed an overhand right that shoot Nicholson. He later connected with another overhand, this time it dropped Nicholson. Barroso took top position on the ground. They got back up, with Nicholson throwing bombs. Nicholson landed a low blow knee to Barroso while up against the cage, causing a pause in the fight. They eventually resumed, with Barroso trying for a single leg. They went to the ground for a short moment. Nicholson stormed forward with punches as the round ended.

Nicholson started the second round with another charge forward of strikes. Nicholson slipped while doing a kick, hitting Barroso in the groin once again. Referee Herb Dean did not opt to take a point away from Nicholson. When they resumed, Nicholson landed a push kick which hit Barroso in the groin. A point was taken away that time. Nicholson got hurt by a punch from Barroso, falling to the ground. He recovered and got back up, but was taken down moments later. Nicholson tried for a kimura from the bottom position but couldn’t secure it. After going the distance, all three judges put Francimar Barroso to the semi-finals (20-17, 19-18 & 19-18).

Bout 9: Jordan Johnson (11-1-1) (#7) vs. Rashid Yusupov (12-2) (#6) (Light Heavyweight Semi-Final)

The first semi-final fight of the evening was between Jordan Johnson and Rashid Yusupov. The first round was a striking battle, with both fighters having good combinations.

Johnson got a takedown halfway through the second round. While both fighters were active strikers, it was clear that Johnson was the more active striker.

Johnson dumped Yusupov onto the ground in the opening of the second round as well. He kept the pressure from top position for the whole round. When going to the scorecards, all three judges selected Jordan Johnson as the winner (30-26, 30-26 & 29-27).

Bout 10: Bozigit Ataev (20-4-1) (#4) vs. Emiliano Sordi (20-8) (#1) (Light Heavyweight Semi-Final)

To find the grand final opponent of Jordan Johnson, Emiliano Sordi and Bozigit Ataev faced off next. This was a rematch from August, where Sordi beat Atave in the first round. Sordi had the better striking early on, although Ataev landed a punch which stunned Sordi for a moment late in the round. Sordi got a takedown, eventually took the back of Ataev and put in a rear naked choke which made Ataev tap out. After quite the quick and successful evening, Emiliano Sordi punched his ticket to PFL 10.

Bout 11: Kelvin Tiller (11-4) (#4) vs. Jared Rosholt (19-7) (#7) (Heavyweight Semi-Final)

In the first of two heavyweight semi-final fights, Jared Rosholt and Kelvin Tiller competed. Tiller was the replacement fighter after neither Francimar Barroso or Alex Nicholson were able to fight. Rosholt looked like he was in pain when doing his walkout. Rosholt got a takedown in the second minute of the fight. He stayed in that position until the round concluded.

After Rosholt was on top of Tiller on the ground for a while, the referee stood them back up for the final 30 seconds of the second round.

Rosholt got a takedown early in the final round, assuming the position he was in for the two prior rounds as well. They stayed on the ground until the fight concluded. Jared Rosholt won over the judges with his performance, moving on to the finals (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

Bout 12: Ali Isaev (7-0) (#5) vs. Denis Goltsov (25-5) (#1) (Heavyweight Semi-Final)

The main event of the evening determined the final entrant into the PFL finals. Undefeated heavyweight Ali Isaev went up against top seed Denis Goltsov. The first round was a very methodical one from both fighters.

In the second minute of the second round, Isaev tried for a takedown but Goltsov got out of it shortly. Isaev got a takedown again, but it was Goltsov who got the better position. Isaev eventually got in top position and kept control until the round ended.

The final round was mostly inactive until the final moments when Isaev dropped Goltsov with a punch. He continued to throw down punches from above until the referee stepped in with only a few seconds left. Ali Isaev is the final entry into the PFL 10 grand finals.

Jarred Brooks Gets First Win Since UFC Run, Submitting Victor Altamirano

One-time RIZIN and Pancrase fighter Jarred Brooks picked up a second-round rear naked choke win over Victor Altamirano on Wednesday in Southgate, Michigan, USA.

After a dominant first round, Brooks closed the show with a rear naked choke. The win was the co-main event of the WXC 83: Warrior Wednesday 8 card.

“Man this win means so much to me… This past year and a half I’ve had so much happen to me,” said Brooks after his victory.

The fight was a return to the flyweight division after Brooks’ last fight was a strawweight bout. That fight, which was his RIZIN debut against Haruo Ochi ended in a no-contest after an accidental headbutt 10 seconds in.

The loss was the first of Altamirano’s professional career, being undefeated in his pro run in LFA prior to this fight.

In the main event of the show, Eric Shelton defeated Jesse Bazzi via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27 & 29-28). Shelton’s win was his first since his departure from the UFC earlier this year.

This article is part of a series of coverage called the “JMMA Tracker.” The series keeps track of Japanese MMA fighters wherever they go around the world.

PFL 2019 #9 Preview

PFL’s third and second last playoff evening of 2019 will take place on Thursday, with light heavyweights and heavyweights taking the stage. Between the two divisions, eight quarter-final fights and four semi-final fights will take place. Just like the two evenings before, the quarter-final bouts are two-five minute rounds, as the semi-finals are three-five minute rounds.

Bout 1: Emiliano Sordi (19-8) (#1) vs. Sigi Pesaleli (1-2) (#8) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The evening will begin on ESPN+ at 5PM EST with six bouts. The first of the half-dozen is top light heavyweight seed Emiliano Sordi facing Sigi Pesaleli. Sordi did damage in his two-season fights, finishing Vinny Magalhaes and Bozigit Ataev. Pesaleli somehow made it into the playoffs despite losing his two-season matchups. Having a negative professional MMA record, Pesaleli is fighting an uphill battle to say the least.

Bout 2: Bozigit Ataev (21-4) (#4) vs. Viktor Nemkov (30-7) (#5) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

Bozigit Ataev will find himself in the PFL playoffs for the second time in his career, starting the evening off against Viktor Nemkov. Ataev lost one of his fights but secured a playoff spot by finishing Dan Spohn in the first round of a fight. Nemkov was 2-0 through the season, but went to the scorecards twice, hence his low ranking.

Bout 3: Maxim Grishin (30-7-1) (#2) vs. Jordan Johnson (11-1) (#7) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

Second year PFL competitor Maxim Grishin will face former UFC fighter Jordan Johnson. Grishin made it to the light heavyweight quarter-finals last season, falling short to Smealinho Rama. This season he got a decision win and a first round finish to move on to the playoffs. Johnson went 1-1 on decision fights in the season to move on. Johnson fought in the UFC four times prior to being in the PFL, going undefeated.

Bout 4: Vinny Magalhaes (19-11) (#3) vs. Rashid Yusupov (11-2) (#6) (Light Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The final quarter-final light heavyweight bout of the evening will be between Vinny Magalhaes and Rashid Yusupov. Magalhaes was a finalist of the 2018 PFL season, attempting to win it all this time around. While Magalhaes lost his first fight via second-round punches, he got a first-round armbar victory against Rakim Cleveland to get into the playoffs. Yusupov was 1-2 in the regular season, defeating Mikhail Mokhnatkin via decision to get points and move to the playoffs.

Bout 5: Kelvin Tiller (11-3) (#4) vs. Ali Isaev (6-0) (#5) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

In the first of four quarter-final Heavyweight matches, Kelvin Tiller will face undefeated PFL rookie Ali Isaev. Tiller punches his ticket into the playoffs by getting a first round kimura victory. Isaev got two decision wins to make it into the playoffs. Isaev fought in Fight Nights Global before debuting in PFL this year.

Bout 6: Mo DeReese (8-1) (#2) vs. Jared Rosholt (18-7) (#7) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

Number two seeded Mo DeReese faces Jared Rosholt in the next fight. DeReese started his season with a loss, but bounced back with a first round stoppage against Valdrin Istrefi. Rosholt also had a 1-1 record, but is seeded lower since his victory was via decision. Rosholt has a clear experience advantage.

Bout 7: Denis Goltsov (24-5) (#1) vs. Satoshi Ishii (22-9-1) (#8) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

After six preliminary fights on ESPN+, the show will head to ESPN 2 for the rest of the card at 8 PM EST. The #1 Heavyweight seed Denis Goltsov will have a similarly experienced opponent in Satoshi Ishii in the quarter-finals. Goltsov got the top seed by winning twice, finishing Jared Rosholt and Kelvin Tiller. Ishii had a less successful season, getting a decision win and then losing to Rosholt at PFL 6.

Bout 8: Alex Nicholson (14-8) (#3) vs. Francimar Barroso (24-7-1) (#6) (Heavyweight Quarter-Final)

The final quarter-final fight of the evening will be a heavyweight clash between Alex Nicholson and Francimar Barroso. This fight will be a rematch from the regular season, where Barroso prevailed in a split decision. Nicholson defeated Zeke Tuinei-Wily in his sole win of the regular season, finishing him with strikes. Barroso was undefeated through the season, getting two wins through scorecards.

The show will feature four more semi-final fights, with the finalists competing at PFL 10 on New Year’s Eve for the 1 Million Dollar prize.

PFL 8 2019 Live Report

The Professional Fighters League had it’s second of three playoff evenings on Thursday, with the lightweight and featherweight quarter-finals and semi-finals taking place. As usual, the show had the structure of fighting twice in one night to make it to the finals at a later date. Live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, it was PFL 8.

The quarter-final fights were two-five minute rounds, as the semi-finals were three-five minute rounds.

Bout 1: Alexandre Almeida (21-9) (#9) vs. Lance Palmer (19-3) (#1) (Featherweight Quarter-Final)

The first undercard fight of the evening saw the top seed Lance Palmer versus Alexandre Almeida. Almeida tried for a takedown early but ended up in bottom position against Palmer. They were stood up with over a minute left in the first round. Palmer got another takedown shortly after. They stayed in that position until the round ended.

In the first minute of the final round, Palmer dropped Almeida with strikes. He then went into top position and threw strikes periodically, similar to what he did in the round before. He continued to throw strikes from top position until the round ended.

When consulting the judges, all three favoured Lance Palmer as the winner (20-17, 20-18 & 20-18).

Bout 2: Andre Harrison (21-1-1) (#5) vs. Alex Gilpin (13-2) (#4) (Featherweight Quarter-Final)

The second featherweight quarter-final fight of evening with Andre Harrison and Alex Gilpin. Harrison stopped a takedown successfully early on. After getting hit with some strikes in stand-up, Gilpin landed a trip takedown. Harrison got up, but was taken back down when Gilpin tried for a guillotine choke. They got back up with a minute left. Both fighters started to up their tempo of strikes. Harrison put Gilpin up against the cage as the round ended.

Harrison scored a double leg takedown early in the second round. Gilpin put in a choke which took out Harrison cold, giving Alex Gilpin the win. He got the choke in stand-up, bringing the fight to the ground with it.

Despite having a rough first round, Alex Gilpin pulled through and got a victory, moving on to the semi-finals.

Bout 3: Daniel Pineda (26-13) (#7) vs. Movlid Khaybulaev (14-0-1) (#2) (Featherweight Quarter-Final)

The next featherweight quarter-final fight saw Daniel Pineda face Movlid Khaybulaev. Earlier in the year, the undefeated Khaybulaev made the rounds online for a vicious knee knockout over Damon Jackson. Very early in this fight, Pineda stunned Khaybulaev with strikes. He kept pressing him until the referee saw enough. Underdog Daniel Pineda moved to the semi-finals scoring a quick stoppage over Movlid Khaybulaev, ending his undefeated record as well.

Bout 4: Jeremy Kennedy (14-2) (#6) vs. Luis Rafael Laurentino (34-2) (#3) (Featherweight Quarter-Final)

The final quarter-final featherweight fight of the evening was between Jeremy Kennedy and Luis Rafael Laurentino. Kennedy landed a jab early on which knocked Laurentino back. Kennedy tried for a takedown, pinning Laurentino up against the cage for a minute before eventually getting it. Laurentino tried for a leg lock on the ground.

Kennedy got a takedown early in the second round. He landed punches from top position, continuing until the referee stopped the bout.

Bout 5: Ramsey Nijem (10-7) (#8) vs. Natan Schulte (17-3-1) (#1) (Lightweight Quarter-Final)

The lightweight portion of the quarter-finals was next, starting with the top seed Natan Schulte facing Ramsey Nijem. Schulte was rocked early on but was able to find a rear naked choke on the ground which took Nijem out cold. Despite a rocky start to the round, Natan Schulte advanced to the next round.

Bout 6: Alex Gilpin (14-2) (#4) vs. Lance Palmer (20-3) (#1) (Featherweight Semi-Final)

The next fight was the first semi-final fight of the featherweight division, between Alex Gilpin and Lance Palmer. Before the fight started we saw Henry Cejudo in attendance. Gilpin was the more active striker early on, but that was ended after Palmer landed a takedown. Back in stand-up, Gilpin was the more aggressive striker. Palmer caught a flying knee attempt, putting Gilpin up against the cage as the round ended.

The fighters had pretty evenly matched stand-up in the second round. Palmer got a takedown with just over a minute left in the second round. He kept him on the ground until the round ended.

Palmer landed good punches early in the third round, though none of it seemed to shake Gilpin. Palmer got hurt my a knee then shot for a takedown. Palmer took top position with three minutes left in the round. With less than a minute left in the fight, Palmer started to pick up the ground and pound.

For the second time this evening, Lance Palmer looked at the scorecards to get a victory (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27). He’ll fight next on New Year’s Eve in the grand finals, attempting to win his second tournament in a row.

Bout 7: Rashid Magomedov (23-4-1) (#5) vs. Akhmed Aliev (18-5) (#4) (Lightweight Quarter-Final)

Starting the main card was a quarter-final match between Rashid Magomedov and Akhmed Aliev. The fight started with some good striking from both fighters. Magomedov landed a solid two-punch and knee combination. Aliev was landing good counter-punches. Aliev landed a german suplex in the final minute of the round. Aliev got a trip takedown as the round closed out.

Aliev had a strong second round, pushing the pace and landing the better shots. Akhmed Aliev won over all three judges to advance to the semi-finals (20-18, 20-18 & 20-18).

Bout 8: Loik Radzhabov (12-1) (#7) vs. Islam Mamedov (18-1) (#2) (Lightweight Quarter-Final)

The next lightweight quarter-final matchup was between Loik Radzhabov and Islam Mamedov. Early on Mamedov was stunned while trying for a single leg takedown. He was able to endure the strikes and eventually get his takedown, although they stood up seconds later. After Mamedov had top position again they stood up again. Mamedov got a third takedown with a minute left in the round. Mamedov was on the back of Radzhabov as the round ended.

Mamedov went into a standing clinch early in the second round, eventually getting a trip takedown. Radzhabov got a takedown in the final minute of the fight and slipped in a choke which threatened Mamedov. When going to the scorecards, the bout was ruled a majority draw. When going to a tiebreaker, each judge picked Loik Radzhabov as the winner of the fight as a whole, making him advance in the fight.

Bout 9: Nate Andrews (16-2) (#6) vs. Chris Wade (16-5) (#2) (Lightweight Quarter-Final)

The final quarter-final fight of the evening was between Nate Andrews and Chris Wade. Wave clinched up in the first 10 seconds of the fight. Andrews got a takedown from the clinch, but they got up seconds later with Wade getting the takedown that time. Wade held top position until the round concluded.

Wade put Andrews up against the cage in the first minute although they separated shortly after. Andrews landed a good jab before being taken down. When they got back up, Andrews connected with a few more punches. Wade got another takedown and kept the fight on the ground yet again until it concluded.

The scorecards sent Chris Wade to the semi-finals over Nate Andrews (19-19, 20-18 & 20-18).

Bout 10: Daniel Pineda (27-13) (#7) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (15-2) (#6) (Featherweight Semi-Final)

The three last fights of the evening were semi-final bouts. The first of the trio was between Daniel Pineda and Jeremy Kennedy. Kennedy got a takedown early on, though Pineda was able to flip the position on the ground quickly. After Kennedy was controlling Pineda on the ground, Pineda came out of nowhere with a guillotine choke which made Kennedy tap out.

Bout 11: Akhmed Aliev (19-5) (#4) vs. Natan Schulte (18-3-1) (#1) (Lightweight Semi-Final)

The first of two lightweight semi-final matches was between Akhmed Aliev and defending champion Natan Schulte. Aliev got a trip takedown in the first minute, with two more seconds later. In the second minute of the fight, Schulte was able to get up and eventually take the back of Aliev. Aliev shook him off and went back to a standing clinch, getting another trip takedown. Aliev was the more active striker in the round.

Staying in stand-up for the first minute of the second round, Aliev got to show more striking. Schulte got a judo throw takedown in the second minute, getting top position from it. He put in a head and arm choke which gave him the win. Natan Schulte punched his ticket to New Year’s Eve for the second year in a row, getting a finish victory.

Bout 12: Loik Radzhabov (12-1-1) (#7) vs. Chris Wade (17-5) (#3) (Lightweight Semi-Finals)

The main event of the evening decided who the second spot in the lightweight grand finals would go to. The fight was between Loik Radzhabov and Chris Wade. At the very start, Wade tried for a flying kick which Radzhabov caught and took down Wade with. When they got back up, Wade did a judo throw to get Radzhabov back down. While both fighters were exchanging strikes in stand-up, a pause cause as Wade was kneed in the groin. The fight resumed after a few minutes of a break. Radzhabov was coming forward with good punches. He threw Wade to the ground and tried for a north south choke.

In the second round, Wade took top position on the ground after throwing Radzhabov down. He was able to escape and return to stand-up. Both fighters were clearly tired by this point in the fight. Both fighters had good stand-up moments. Radzhabov was hit hard from a punch which knocked out his mouthpiece. Radzhabov put in a choke near the end of the second round which Wade escaped.

Radzhabov was on the back of Wade in the final round, trying for a rear naked choke. He was dominant on the ground for a couple of minutes. All three judges gave the fight to Loik Radzhabov (30-27, 30-27 & 30-27).

PFL will return with PFL 9 on October 31st, with the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight brackets finding their finalists.