Bellator 219 star David Rickels is known to dress up as a caveman for the entrances of his fights. Well, in his most recent fight, he dressed up as WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin for his entrance. The MMA Veteran took A.J. Matthews on the undercard portion of the event that saw […]
Bellator 219 star David Rickels is known to dress up as a caveman for the entrances of his fights. Well, in his most recent fight, he dressed up as WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin for his entrance.
The MMA Veteran took A.J. Matthews on the undercard portion of the event that saw Rickels win by second-round TKO. After the fight, he hit Austin’s finisher, the Stone Cold Stunner.
Bellator 219 took place on March 29, 2019, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California. Saad Awad vs. Brandon Girtz in a lightweight bout headlined this show. Here are the results:
Michelle Waterson has praised her opponent Karolina Kowalkiewicz ahead of their fight at UFC Philadelphia this weekend. Before their fight on Saturday at UFC Philadelphia, Michelle Waterson has praised the skills of her opponent Karolina K…
Michelle Waterson has praised her opponent Karolina Kowalkiewicz ahead of their fight at UFC Philadelphia this weekend.
Before their fight on Saturday at UFC Philadelphia, Michelle Waterson has praised the skills of her opponent Karolina Kowalkiewicz.
Waterson spoke to MMA Fighting earlier this week about the former title challengerse, and why she feels the Pole’s experience inside the Octagon against the division’s best makes her one of the best strikers she’s ever faced.
“I would definitely say so,” Waterson said. “She went all five rounds with Joanna [Jedrzejczyk] and she beat Rose [Namajunas]. To me that says that she has a really good MMA game.”
Waterson is on a two-fight winning streak in the UFC, with decision wins last year against Felice Herrig and Courtney Casey. Meanwhile, Kowalkiewicz had her winning streak snapped by a knockout loss to Jessica Andrade at UFC 228 last year. Both Waterson and Kowalkiewicz know each other from their time fighting for the Invicta FC promotion.
“I feel like even at that point when people were asking me on interviews and stuff, I was asking for her because she is a worthy opponent,” Waterson said. “She’s one of the most well-rounded girls in the top-10 of the division and somebody that has fought everybody and has fought them good. So I thought that it would be a great challenge for me and a way for me to get my name up and above the ranks where I want them.
“But that doesn’t mean that I dislike her. I think she’s actually a really sweet person. I’ve met her when I was actually the champ for Invicta and she was really sweet then. Even fight week, I saw her coming in, signing up, and gave her a hug. I fight because it challenges me and it makes me grow as a person, not because I want to inflict pain on other people.”
UFC on ESPN 2 takes place this Saturday night, March 30th, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A lightweight bout between Edson Barboza and Justin Gaethje will headline the card.
A former foe of Thiago Santos says it would be wise not to count “Marreta” out. On July 6 at UFC 239, Santos will challenge Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title holder Jon Jones. “Bones” will be making th…
A former foe of Thiago Santos says it would be wise not to count “Marreta” out. On July 6 at UFC 239, Santos will challenge Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title holder Jon Jones. “Bones” will be making the second title defense in his current reign as the 205-pound king. This will be Santos’ […]
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will invade Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa., TONIGHT (Sat., March 30, 2019) to stage UFC on ESPN 2, which features a Lightweight showdown between Edson Barboza and Justin Gaethje, while the co-m…
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will invade Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa., TONIGHT (Sat., March 30, 2019) to stage UFC on ESPN 2, which features a Lightweight showdown between Edson Barboza and Justin Gaethje, while the co-main event will see David Branch face Jack Hermansson in Middleweight action.
What’s Hot:
Barboza and Gaethje are two of the most exciting fighters in mixed martial arts arts (MMA), regardless of weight class. So when you put those two combustible elements into the cage together, an explosion of exciting violence is sure to be the outcome. Barboza has been plugging away for quite a while now, and right when he’s on the cusp of perhaps getting into title contention, he suffers a loss … despite putting on an exciting performance doing it. That said, “Junior,” I’m sure, is tired of playing the bridesmaid so a win over Gaethje could help him inch closer to his first-ever shot UFC title shot. This will be fight No. 21 for Barboza under the UFC banner, so the time to make a run is now.
As far as Gaethje is concerned, he is one of the toughest combatants out there and one of the hardest to put away. Sure, the only two losses of his career are via technical knockout, but prior to that, “Highlight” wreaked havoc to the tune of 18 violent wins in a row. Gaethje’s UFC career has been subpar so far, going 2-2. As exciting a fighter as he his, it seems the former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) champion is not too keen on risking his life anymore for smaller pay. Especially in five rounds fights, which he will once again take part in. Still, as much as Gaethje wants to reel it in, it will be easier said than done, as it is simply not in his nature to take it easy and cruise. I fully expect an all-out striking war that could very well end in the very first round as both men only know one way to fight, and that is full speed ahead.
David Branch’s return to the Octagon hasn’t exactly gone as he had hoped, alternating wins and losses for an even 2-2 mark. Prior to that, he was WSOF’s double champion, proving that the levels to this game are very wide apart. That said, Branch is as dangerous as they come, and one blow from the heavy-hitter could prove disastrous for anyone of his foes.
Jack Hermansson, meanwhile, isn’t exactly a top name yet inside the Octagon, but he’s making strides to get some recognition. With two straight wins in his back pocket, an impressive victory over Branch could put him on the path to bigger and better things. He simply needs a nice signature win.
What’s Not:
I can’t complain too much about this card. The main event is going to be bananas, while the main card is very solid. Also, the undercard isn’t too shabby, so we should be in for an overall great night of fights. When you consider UFC is starting to stack its pay-per-view (PPV) events, some cards are left rather weak. This wasn’t the case here.
Original Card Vs. Actual Card:
Jessica Aguilar stepped in for Alexa Grasso — after she was injured — to face off against Marina Rodriguez. Pingyuan Liu was was supposed to face Ray Borg, but after he was removed from the event, Kyler Phillips was tagged as his replacement.
Injuries:
Aside from Grasso coming down with an injury, Liu was forced out of his fight against Borg after he suffered an injury and was ultimately replaced by Octagon newcomer Kyler Phillips. Phillips, meanwhile, was later replaced by Casey Kenney. As for Borg, he’s still fighting, but he came in heavy for the fight and was docked 30 percent of his purse.
New Blood:
Undefeated (6-0) Sabina Mazo will bring her talents to UFC’s women’s Flyweight division when she faces off against veteran Maryna Moroz. At just 22 years of age, Mazo won the Flyweight strap for LFA before getting the call up. Don’t be surprised if you see this up-and-coming star make a splash inside the Octagon rather swiftly. Indeed, a win over a long-time veteran like Moroz could put everyone on notice.
The Light Heavyweight division will get another good addition with the arrival of Kennedy Nzechukwu. The towering 205-pounder came up via “Contender Series,” holding four knockouts of his six victories. Of course, he is still very green, so he will have his work cut out for him in a very crowded division that still sees Jon Jones reigning and eager to take out all of the up-and-coming crop. His first test is Paul Craig, a man who is very capable of spoiling Kennedy’s debut rather violently.
LFA double champ Casey Kenney got the call up to the big show to face off against Ray Borg after Kyler Phillips was forced out. Kenney needed more than a run on “Contender Series” to get to UFC’s cage, and now that he is here, he looks to make a splash against a recognizable name.
To get a more detailed and extensive look at all of the “New Blood” click here.
How The ‘Prelims’ Look:
Long-time MMA veteran Ross Pearson is still going at it and will take part in UFC fight No. 26 when he faces off against Desmond Green. Pearson is one of those guys who simply couldn’t make it to the top of the mountain. And that’s okay, as he made a great living for himself competing for so long inside the Octagon and put on some memorable performances. To that end, I’m sure Green would love nothing more than to catapult himself up with a win over “Real Deal.” Still, if Green thinks he’s going to roll right over the aging veteran, he’s got another thing coming.
Aguilar hasn’t quite enjoyed the success she did while with WSOF, going just 1-3 inside the Octagon. If she can’t get a win over Marina Rodriguez, don’t be too surprised to see “Jag” fighting elsewhere moving forward. She has the skills to be dangerous, but Aguilar just can’t seem to find her groove inside the Octagon for whatever reason.
Borg hasn’t competed since 2017, losing to former UFC Flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. It truly has been one thing or another for Borg, who was caught in the crossfire of Conor McGregor’s temper tantrum in Brooklyn. Aside from injuries setting him back, Borg also took some time to be by his son’s side after he underwent multiple brain surgeries. Now, Borg will look to pick up his first win in 1.5 years against newcomer Casey Kenney.
To learn more about the “Prelims” for UFC on ESPN 2 click here and here.
Who Needs A Win Badly:
Moroz has dropped her last two fights, losing to Angela Hill and Carla Esparza. Her bounce back fight isn’t exactly an easy one, even though she will be facing a newcomer. Indeed, Mazo is capable of handing Moroz her third straight defeat, which won’t sit too well with the UFC higher-ups when it comes time to thin the heard. To be safe, Moroz needs a huge win later this evening.
Interest Level: 7/10
It’s actually a pretty decent offering for UFC’s second show on big ESPN. Aside from the main- and co-main events, the main card boasts a lineup that could provide fireworks. Michelle Waterson will look for her third straight victory when she faces off against former title contender, Karolina Kowalkiewicz. “Karate Hottie” has had her fair share of promotional love from UFC (example here), but she hasn’t quite gotten over the hump when it comes to title contention. A win over Kowalkiewicz should do the trick and set her up nicely to face off against the winner of Rose Namajunas and Jessica Andrade.
Kowalkiewicz, meanwhile, has gotten a taste of a big title fight against former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, so you know she’s itching to get back to the big dance. While it will take more than a win over Waterson to get her there, it is still a good start for her. Losing to “Karate Hottie, though, could set her back quite a bit.
Also, Josh Emmett will look to bounce back after his knockout defeat to Jeremy Stephens when he faces long-time UFC veteran Michael Johnson. “The Menace” has won two straight and is looking to make it three in a row for the first time in a long time. Despite going under the radar in his last few bouts, Johnson is still a capable fighter and can be a top star in UFC, he just needs to keep hitting them out of the park once he gets inside the cage. Taking out Emmett is a good step forward.
It all comes to a conclusion when Barboza and Gaethje collide in what could very well turn out to be a “Fight of the Year” candidate.
Enjoy the fights!
UFC on ESPN 2 Full Fight Card:
UFC on ESPN 2 Main Event:
155 lbs.: Edson Barboza vs. Justin Gaethje
UFC on ESPN 2 Main Card on ESPN (7 p.m. ET):
185 lbs.: David Branch vs. Jack Hermansson 145 lbs.: Josh Emmett vs. Michael Johnson 115 lbs.: Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Michelle Waterson 205 lbs.: Paul Craig vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu 145 lbs.: Sheymon Moraes vs. Sodiq Yusuff
UFC on ESPN 2 Prelims on ESPN (5 p.m. ET):
115 lbs.: Jessica Aguilar vs. Marina Rodriguez 155 lbs.: Desmond Green vs. Ross Pearson 145 lbs.: Kevin Aguilar vs. Enrique Barzola 185 lbs.: Kevin Holland vs. Gerald Meerschaert
Conor McGregor cleared from his infamous Brooklyn bus attack last spring. His attorney Bruce Maffeo presented proof via MMAjunkie stating that he had “fulfilled the terms of a plea agreement.” Thus, this means that the former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion will be cleared of all charges and that he will not be carrying a […]
Conor McGregor cleared from his infamous Brooklyn bus attack last spring. His attorney Bruce Maffeo presented proof via MMAjunkie stating that he had “fulfilled the terms of a plea agreement.”
Thus, this means that the former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion will be cleared of all charges and that he will not be carrying a criminal record from disorderly conduct.
This comes after he completed his mandated five-day church service in Brooklyn earlier this month. The judge ordered him to do 5 days of community service and complete an anger management course.
Back in April during fight week of the UFC 223 pay-per-view event, McGregor and several members of his entourage decided to fly from Ireland to Brooklyn, New York, to get revenge on Khabib.
This led to McGregor attacking the fighter bus that had Nurmagomedov on, and he was arrested as a result, then was charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief. He then accepted a plea deal last July.
Although the belief was that he would make his Octagon return this summer, McGregor has since announced his retirement from MMA competition. Many people believe that this is a negation tactic.
Gloria Allred, who has been hired to represent the reporter, charecterized the incident as ‘sexual assault’ and called for Pulev to lose his boxing license. After defeating Bogdan Dinu via knockout at The Hangar in Costa Mesa, CA last wee…
Gloria Allred, who has been hired to represent the reporter, charecterized the incident as ‘sexual assault’ and called for Pulev to lose his boxing license.
After defeating Bogdan Dinu via knockout at The Hangar in Costa Mesa, CA last weekend Bulgarian heavyweight boxing contender Kubrat Pulev did something unexpected to completely overshadow his victory.
After the fight, Pulev spoke with with Vegas Sports Daily reporter Jennifer Ravalo backstage. At the end of their videotaped interview Pulev clasped a hand around Ravalo’s chin and planted a kiss on her lips.
Pulev later defended his actions, stating he and Ravalo were friends and that they laughed about the incident later. However, at a press conference yesterday Ravalo strongly denied Pulev’s account. Video of the press conference is available below via TMZ Sports.
At the press conference, Ravalo was joined by Gloria Allred. The famed attorney has represented numerous individuals who have accused prominent people of sexual misconduct. Some of Allred’s recent cases include representing 28 women who accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault and harassment and three women who accused U.S. President Donald Trump of sexual misconduct.
During the press conference Ravalo read a short statement in which she claimed Pulev also groped her backside after the forced kiss. Ravalo stated she did not consent to any of these actions. Ravalo also claimed that Pulev asked her to delete footage of the kiss, which she refused to do.
Allred also read a statement. She asked the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) to pull Pulev’s boxing license and conduct an investigation into what she defined as ‘sexual assault.’
The day after the press conference ,CSAC suspended Pulev’s license (per BBC Sport). CSAC Deputy Director of Communications Veronica Harris spoke toBoxing Scene about the situation, stating: “The Claifornia State Athletic Commission is committed to sanctioning events where people of all gender identities are respected as competitors, reports, and fans. We take this incident seriously.”
Harris added that Pulev will not be licensed to fight in California gain unless he appears before the commission to “demonstrate that he will conform to this principle of respect.”
The next CSAC hearing is scheduled for May 14th. Ravalo plans to attend the hearing if Pulev’s license status is placed on the commission’s agenda. If Pulev, who’s the IBF mandatory challenger for current champion Anthony Joshua, is de-licensed by CSAC, it could affect his ability to fight elsewhere in the US or in other jurisdictions under the auspices of the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC).
Survivors of sexual assault can find support via the following organizations:
