Anyone else feeling nostalgic for the World Football League? World Fighting League (WFL), the new league-based mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion debuting in 2023, now has an official website with a “c…
https://mmawfl.com
Anyone else feeling nostalgic for the World Football League?
World Fighting League (WFL), the new league-based mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion debuting in 2023, now has an official website with a “coming soon” tease to help get combat sports fans talking about the future of fighting.
With UFC, Bellator MMA, PFL, Combate Americas, and ONE Championship all battling for global domination (and decent ratings), I’m not sure the industry can support another full-time promotion with a thinned-out talent pool.
But I’ll root for any organization that gives “broke” fighters a place to compete.
“The group is made up of several former and current professional athletes from the world of NFL, NBA and MMA, including multiple MMA world champions, five former respected MMA promoters, former MMA executives and matchmakers, actors and recording artists,” longtime MMA reporter Ariel Helwani wrote on his substack.
WFL is hoping to lure top talent with revenue sharing, health insurance, and pensions, among other perks not typically found in current MMA promotions. That said, franchise owners won’t be able to move forward until a fighter union is established.
“Any approved franchise owner has signed agreements that enforces certain terms and conditions they must abide by,” Helwani continued. “Some of these provisions are put into place so they will not be able to take more than a 50 percent revenue share. Additionally, per sources, they must provide specific levels of health insurance, career-ending insurance, and pension plan for their athletes. When the union is established, the plan is for athletes and owners to finalize negotiations and agreements.”
Six franchise owners have already put pen to paper.
WFL will feature four conferences, represented by North America (1), South America (2), Europe and Africa (3), and Asia and Oceana (4). Team rosters are comprised of 24 athletes with three fighters per weight-class, though each conference must have a minimum of eight teams and no more than 24.
Gable Steveson has revealed the hate he’s received online for choosing to sign with the WWE instead of a venture into mixed martial arts. Steveson’s future was one of the hottest topics of the summer. The 21-year-old’s stock rapidly rose after he won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. In the freestyle wrestling discipline, […]
Gable Steveson has revealed the hate he’s received online for choosing to sign with the WWE instead of a venture into mixed martial arts.
Steveson’s future was one of the hottest topics of the summer. The 21-year-old’s stock rapidly rose after he won gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. In the freestyle wrestling discipline, Steveson defeated three-time and reigning World Champion Geno Petriashvili to secure his place on the top step of the podium.
It’s #gold for Gable Steveson of #USA in the men’s 125kg freestyle #wrestling.
In the months that followed his Olympic success, Steveson teased a move to various sports and promotions. Making the most of free agency, the newest combat sports sensation turned up at Bellator 265, appeared at a PFL event, and turned heads with a segment at WWE SummerSlam last month. He even flirted with a potential signing with the UFC.
But on September 4, Steveson finalized his immediate future. After productive conversations with Vince McMahon, the promising young athlete chose to join the WWE. And despite remaining open to a stint on MMA’s biggest stage later down the line, Steveson told Ariel Helwani on a recent episode of The MMA Hour that he’s committed to the WWE.
“As of right now, I’m 100% WWE. And I will forever probably be. It would be cool to hold the UFC belt, like I said before. I know there’s a lot of people on Twitter, ‘Oh, he’s soft. He didn’t want to go to the UFC right away.’ But I want to pave my own way. I don’t want to follow what no one else does. I don’t even read Twitter comments anymore. They’re just terrible.”
When asked about the negative comments he’s received on Twitter, Steveson revealed the amount of hate he’s received for favoring a move into professional wrestling over MMA. But like many Olympic wrestlers before him, the Indiana native believes he can capture UFC gold in the future.
“I’m just getting a lot of hate, you know? People are just like, ‘Oh, you want to go here and do this instead of actually fighting somebody? You’re soft.’ But you know how it goes. It’s typical haters. But I mean, if that time came, I would love to fight. I secured the Olympic gold in wrestling….why not go out there and get the UFC belt?”
Childhood dream accomplished.. I have officially signed with the @WWE!!! Thank you for the opportunity!! LETS WORK
After Gable Steveson announced his decision, the UFC’s plans for him had the promotion secured his signing were revealed. Reports suggest the 21-year-old would have been taken on board through a developmental deal. Similar to the agreement signed by Greg Hardy in 2018, the signing would have seen Steveson compete on the regional circuit before competing to earn a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series.
But unaware of those potential plans, Steveson followed the advice of the likes of Daniel Cormier. “DC” had suggested that his fellow wrestler’s best chance at success was to follow the “Brock Lesnar approach.” According to the former two-division UFC champion, Steveson should make the switch to the UFC once he has made his name and increased his value in the WWE.
With the first part of that plan now in motion, it remains to be seen whether the bright prospect will enter the Octagon further into his career.
Who do you think Gable Steveson should have signed for? Do you agree with his decision to put pen to paper with WWE?
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is locked and loaded for the UFC Vegas 37 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, which takes place TONIGHT (Sat., Sept. 18, 2021) from inside UFC AP…
Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is locked and loaded for the UFC Vegas 37 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, which takes place TONIGHT (Sat., Sept. 18, 2021) from inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, streaming LIVE on ESPN+. Main event duties fall to light heavyweight contenders Anthony Smith and Ryan Spann, who collide for a spot in the division title chase. In the 205-pound co-headliner, Ion Cutelaba goes to war against Devin Clark.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 37 fight card below, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” bouts at 4 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN+ main card start time at 7 p.m. ET.
Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Smith vs. Spann.” Without further delay, see below for the updated UFC Vegas 37 results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action).
UFC VEGAS 37 QUICK RESULTS:
205 lbs.: Anthony Smith vs. Ryan Spann — Smith def. Spann by submission (rear naked choke) at 3:47 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS 205 lbs.: Devin Clark vs. Ion Cutelaba — Cutelaba def. Clark by unanimous decision (30-26, 29-26, 29-27) 125 lbs.: Mandy Bohm vs. Ariane Lipski — Lipski def. Bohm by unanimous decision (30-27 x3) 155 lbs.: Christos Giagos vs. Arman Tsarukyan — Tsarukyan def. Giagos by TKO (punches) at 2:09 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS 135 lbs.: Tony Gravely vs. Nate Maness — Maness def. Gravely by TKO (punches) at 2:10 of Round Two — HIGHLIGHTS 185 lbs.: Antonio Arroyo vs. Joaquin Buckley — Buckley def. Arroyo by KO (punches) at 2:26 of Round Three — HIGHLIGHTS 205 lbs.: Tafon Nchukwi vs. Mike Rodriguez — Nchukwi def. Rodriguez by unanimous decision (30-27 x3) 135 lbs.: Pannie Kianzad vs. Raquel Pennington — Pennington def. Kianzad by unanimous decision (29-28 x3) 155 lbs.: Brandon Jenkins vs. Rongzhu — Rongzhu def. Jenkins by TKO (punches) at 4:35 of Round Three — HIGHLIGHTS 135 lbs.: JP Buys vs. Montel Jackson — Jackson def. Buys by unanimous decision (30-27 x3) 125 lbs.: Sarah Alpar vs. Erin Blanchfield — Blanchfield def. Alpar by unanimous decision (30-25 x2, 30-26) 170 lbs.: Carlston Harris vs. Impa Kasanganay — Harris def. Kasanganay by TKO (punches) at 2:38 of Round One — HIGHLIGHTS 135 lbs.: Alatengheili vs. Gustavo Lopez — Unanimous draw (28-28 x3) ?125 lbs.: Hannah Goldy vs. Emily Whitmire — Goldy def. Whitmire via submission (armbar) at 4:17 in round one — HIGHLIGHTS
UFC VEGAS 37 PLAY-BY-PLAY:
205 lbs.: Anthony Smith vs. Ryan Spann
Round 1: Low kick from Smith to start. Spann checks the next one. Counter left from Spann and he wraps up a rear waistlock before hauling Smith to his corner. Smith escapes, then as Spann gets overeager, Smith drops him with a right hook. Hunting a front headlock. Great transition from the back to an armbar, but Spann slips out and slams a knee into Smith’s midsection. Back to the feet two minutes in. Jab from Spann, 1-2 to answers a leg kick. Smith wobbles him with a left hook in return and Spann’s legs are gone. Spann shoots, struggling on his knees. Two minutes to go.
Smith puts in a hook, then another. Hard elbow from the back. He flattens Spann out and wraps up the RNC, forcing the tap.
Final result: Smith def. Spann by submission (rear naked choke)
205 lbs.: Devin Clark vs. Ion Cutelaba
Round 1: They meet in the center and Clark hits a quick takedown. Cutelaba pops right back up, gives up double underhooks. Clark pressing him against the fence, eats a pair of knees before separating a minute in. Body kick from Cutelaba. Clark with a hard low kick. Surprisingly tentative at the moment. Clark tries a hook kick two minutes in. Jab to head kick from Clark. Cutelaba lands a good knee downstairs, eats an overhand right and low kick in return. Cutelabe walks him down and crumples him with a 1-1-2. Heavy GnP from Cutelaba. Two minutes to go.
Clark gets to his feet, caught in a rear waist lock. Cutelaba looking for the back, dropping punches. Clark with the baseball grip and manages to stand. Cutelaba’s still attached. Short-range head kick by Cutelaba. One minute to go. Cutelaba drags him down again and drops punches. Clark gets to his feet, eating shots all the way. Cutelaba drops him down into mount and drops nasty elbows. 10-8 Cutelaba.
Round 2: Cutelaba looking a bit winded. Low kick from Clark, then a head kick attempt. Cutelaba falls short with another right hand. One minute in. Cutelaba wraps up a body lock and trips him into full mount once again. Cutelaba postures up for some elbows, most of which Clark blocks two minutes in. Cutelaba staying heavy on top, not exploding at the moment. Solid balance. Two minutes to go.
Cutelaba tries to step over Clark’s arm and Clark takes the opportunity to stand. Wheel kick attempt. Cutelaba shoots and grabs the body lock. Good knee up top. One minute to go. Another knee by Cutelaba. Good trip, can’t keep him down. 10-9 Cutelaba.
Round 3: Clark rushes out of the corner with a single-leg attempt. Left hand on the exit. Cutelaba hits a nice inside trip into top position. Back to mount a minute in. Good scramble by Clark to get back to his feet. Cutelaba still attached, denies a trip. Cutelaba tries a spinning elbow and impressively denies Clark’s level change before coming back with his own two minutes in. Pinning down one of Clark’s arms. Side control, knee on belly, full mount with two minutes to go.
Elbows from Cutelaba. Clark slips out the back door and cracks Cutelaba with a right hand. He counters Cutelaba’s takedown and sets up in guard with a minute to go. Cutelaba looking to hold him down, now kicks him off. Clark goes for a flurry and a knee before Cutelaba takes him down one last time. 10-9 Clark on the late effort? Cutelaba didn’t land a ton.
Final result: Cutelaba def. Clark by unanimous decision
125 lbs.: Mandy Bohm vs. Ariane Lipski
Round 1: ESPN+ kicked me out for some reason, so we’ll start a minute in with Lipski on top in half guard. Bohm manages to regain guard. Body triangle from Bohm. Lipski with the occasional right hand two minutes in. Bohm not doing much off of her back. Now she kicks Lipski off and stands. Two minutes to go.
Body kick from Bohm. Lipski tries a head kick, then blasts her with a flurry that prompts Bohm to clinch. One minute to go. They separate 30 seconds later. Bohm tries a combination. 10-9 Lipski.
Round 2: Tentative start. Left hook from Bohm a minute in. Overhand right lands for Lipski. Glancing low kick. Very slow pace this round. Low kick and left hook by Bohm. Two minutes in. Right from Lipski on the break. Bohm changes levels, eats a knee before they separate. Lipski tries a low kick, lands a body shot. Jab downstairs, combination up top. Two minutes to go.
Bohm fires a lead right. Spinning back fist to head kick attempt. Lipski stops a level change and fires knees from double underhooks. More knees. They separate. Lipski continuing to simply outwork Bohm, then punctuates it by knocking her down with an overhand right. Side control, then north-south.
Round 3: Same as before; Bohm just isn’t throwing nearly enough. One minute in. Counter right lands for Lipski. Two minutes in. Lipski with a low kick, answers one with a vicious three-piece that drops Bohm again. Hammerfists from Lipski, ends up in guard and Bohm closes it. Two minutes to go.
Lipski stands over Bohm and lets her up. Bohm ties up, then pulls half guard. Lipski lets her up again and throws heat. Bohm with some desperation strikes that do decently well. 10-9 Lipski.
Final result: Lipski def. Bohm by unanimous decision
155 lbs.: Christos Giagos vs. Arman Tsarukyan
Round 1: Tsarukyan pressuring early. They trade on the fence. Giagos manages to counter a well-timed level change and land on top in guard. One minute in. Tsarukyan makes it back to his feet. Giagos tries an elbow on the break. Tsarukyan with a head kick to left hand, then drops Giagos with a left hook. Giagos falls to his seat against the fence and Tsarukyan just hammers him with punches until the ref intervenes.
Final result: Tsarukyan def. Giagos by TKO (punches)
135 lbs.: Tony Gravely vs. Nate Maness
Round 1: Gravely opens with a body kick and low kick. He swings some right hands, lands an elbow and knee. Clean cross from Maness. Calf kick from Gravely, jab from Maness. Solid takedown defense by Maness and he separates a minute in. Continuing to send out the jab. Landing some solid ones. Low kick from Gravely, still trying to press forward. Body kick attempt. Nice body shot and a counter left hook. Maness responds with a nice combination but gets tripped to the mat two minutes in. Right to his knees, caught in a front headlock. Maness suddenly hits his own takedown and some right hands on the way up. Both land good right hands and Gravely shoots with two minutes to go.
Short punches from Maness as he defends. Gravely with a knee to the body. Continuing to trade in the clinch. Maness gets double unders and separates with a minute to go. Maness with a combination, has to fight off another takedown. Right hand from Gravely on the break. Body kick from Gravely met by a counter. More body kicks by Gravely, who clobbers Maness with a right hook and very nearly knocks him unconscious before the bell intervenes. 10-9 Gravely.
Round 2: Gravely advancing, lands a left hook. Heavy right hands on the fence and he ties up. Short elbow. Knee to the body. Maness separates just under a minute in. Trading punches. Calf kick from Gravely, eats a punch, gets sprawled on. They trade rights. Jab exchange. Two minutes in. Maness answers a body shot with a right hand that sits Gravely down. Maness pours it on and scores the comeback stoppage.
Final result: Maness def. Gravely by TKO (punches)
185 lbs.: Antonio Arroyo vs. Joaquin Buckley
Round 1: Buckley tries to burst in with low kicks. There’s a couple that land. One minute in. Arroyo tries a head kick, as does Buckley. Buckley attempts a body kick. Arroyo slips throwing a head kick, fires an upkick as Buckley tries to jump on him. Two minutes in. Arroyo nearly catches him leaning with a head kick, eats a low blow. Arroyo comes back with a head kick and counter right when they resume. Buckley to the body. Two minutes to go.
Both falling short with kicks. Now a body kick connects for Arroyo, who nearly times a flying knee. Low kick from Buckley. One minute to go. Buckley tries his own head kick, slips, scrambles up. Arroyo tries another head kick. Buckley shoots in the final seconds, can’t get it. 10-9 Arroyo, I guess?
Round 2: Back to trading kicks. Good jab from Buckley. He tries a head kick, lands a leg kick. Body kick from Arroyo a minute in. Buckley the more active of the two by a decent margin so far. Body kick connects. Jabs low and high. Low kick by Arroyo two minutes in. Buckley continuing to simply do more than the Brazilian. He shoots, denied. Two minutes to go.
I’m not sure Arroyo has actually thrown a punch yet. He tries a head kick. Buckley tries one as well. Arroyo times a flying knee to the face that Buckley absorbs to put him on the fence. They separate in the waning seconds. Body kick by Arroyo. 10-9 Buckley.
Round 3: Arroyo lands a body kick, sprawls on a shot, and jumps on Buckley’s back. He’s too high and Buckley slips out a minute in. Right hand lands for Buckley. Hard hooks after walking through a left hook. He puts Arroyo on the fence, can’t keep him there. Two minutes in. Arroyo tries a knee downstairs. Uppercut attempt. Buckley tries a head kick, avoids an intercepting knee, and hurts Arroyo with a shot to the back of the head and a follow-up uppercut. He pours it on until the lights go out.
Final result: Buckley def. Arroyo by KO (punches)
205 lbs.: Tafon Nchukwi vs. Mike Rodriguez
Round 1: Rodriguez sending out jabs. Nchukwi to the body. Body jabs. He hauls Rodriguez to the fence, lands a knee, eats one in return a minute in. Short punches connecting. Heavy elbows from Nchukwi after Rodriguez tries one. More short clinch strikes from Nchukwi. Two minutes in. Hard elbow by Nchukwi, who eats a big one on the exit. Rodriguez prodding with kicks. Nchukwi marches right back into the clinch with punches and takes him down into half guard. Two minutes to go.
Nchukwi landing punches, moves to turtle position. He snuffs out an attempt to stand. Rodriguez makes it up, continues eating strikes. One minute to go. Brutal punches on the break. Rodriguez leg kick. Counter rights from Rodriguez. Big exchange. 10-9 Nchukwi.
Round 2: Rodriguez tries a front kick. 1-2. Low kick connects. Cross counter by Nchukwi a minute in. Body shots by Nchukwi. Rodriguez low kicks, eats a right hook. Brutal four-piece from Nchukwi, who easily re-enters the clinch. Two minutes in. Knees from Nchukwi. He gets a bit of space and lands a volley of punches before Rodriguez circles off. Jab lands for Rodriguez, leg kick. Nchukwi digs a right downstairs. Overhand right. Two minutes to go.
Sneaky uppercut from Rodriguez, who eats a series of heavy hooks and a spinning elbow. Nchukwi puts him on the fence again. Good right hands before separating. One minute to go. Rodriguez body kick. Rodriguez tries an elbow, eats a left hook. Double jab. Lead left by Nchukwi, then an overhand. 10-9 Nchukwi.
Round 3: Trading punches to start. Jab lands for Nchukwi. Knee to the body. More heavy blows from Nchukwi. One minute in. Rodriguez totally unable to keep the fight at a distance. Big overhand lefts from Nchukwi. Rodriguez tries to put him on the fence and immediately gets reversed. Punches from Nchukwi on the break. Two minutes in. Clean jabs. Lead left. Brutal left hand. Right hook and jab. Rodriguez tries to counter a body shot. Two minutes to go.
They trade low kicks, Nchukwi follows his with a right hook. Another clean right hook as he steps right into the clinch. Good elbow by Nchukwi. One minute to go. Punches on the break. Rodriguez showing no urgency. There’s a combination with a knee on the end. Right hook, 3-2. Nchukwi hauls him to the fence and takes him down. 10-9 Nchukwi.
Final result: Nchukwi def. Rodriguez by unanimous decision
135 lbs.: Pannie Kianzad vs. Raquel Pennington
Round 1: Early punching exchanges, then Pennington puts her on the fence. Kianzad reverses and lands a knee downstairs. One minute in. Trading knees to the body. Kianzad tries to drag her down, moves to a rear waist lock. Pennington trying to set up a single-leg. Kianzad with some nice knees. Pennington with short uppercuts. Hard knee to the head by Kianzad. Two minutes to go.
Kianzad briefly considers a single-leg. Solid knees. She tries an elbow, lands a right hand after getting a bit of space. One minute to go. Pennington briefly considers a single-leg, separates, walks right back into the clinch. Kianzad reverses. More solid knees. 10-9 Kianzad.
Round 2: Pennington walks right back into the clinch. Heavy punches from both women, back into the clinch again a minute in. Good elbow from Pennington. Three-piece by Kianzad. Pennington jabs the body. Two minutes in. Pennington low kick and jab, back into the clinch. Good single-leg into guard. Two minutes to go.
Kianzad bringing her legs up, nothing there. Pennington takes the back. Both hooks in. One minute to go. Kianzad scrambles back into guard. Pennington latches onto a body lock as Kianzad stands. 10-9 Pennington.
Round 3: Low kick from Pennington. Good jab. Kianzad tries to spin. Trading in the clinch. Double underhooks from Pennington. Kianzad reverses and digs in a body shot. One minute in. Trading knees downstairs. Kianzad pressing her against the fence, exits with an elbow. Right hands from Pennington land clean and she puts her on the fence again. Kianzad reverses, lands a knee, gets reversed. Trading elbows. Two minutes in. Good left from Pennington on the break, clean 1-2. Kianzad with a knee to the body, briefly considers a guillotine. She reverses on the fence. Good knees upstairs, clean elbow and a counter right. Two minutes to go.
Pennington fires a Superman punch into the clinch. Kianzad puts her on the fence, eats knees downstairs. Trading in the clinch. Right hand from Kianzad. Counter 1-2 from Kianzad. Clean right cross with a minute to go. 1-2-3. Counter knee from Kianzad. Pennington marching forward. Pennington lead right, Kianzad left hook. Trading at point blank. Think Kianzad eked it out but it could go either way. 10-9 Kianzad.
Final result: Pennington def. Kianzad by unanimous decision
155 lbs.: Brandon Jenkins vs. Rongzhu
Round 1: Jenkins launches some early kicks. Rongzhu bouncing around, eats another leg kick. Low kick exchange. Jenkins with a front kick and left hook, then a shin to the nards that Rongzhu elects not to take time for. Back to cracking each other’s calves a minute in. Jenkins tries an axe kick. Rongzhu to the body. Jab and counter right land for Jenkins. 2-3 from Rongzhu. Jenkins tries a flying knee behind a calf kick. Brutal counter right from Rongzhu that draws a smile. Jenkins tries a shifting overhand. Continuing to attack the lead leg. Four-piece combo lands for Rongzhu, then a counter right that catches Jenkins spinning and drops him. Two minutes to go.
Rongzhu on top, dropping punches. Looking for the back as Jenkins scoots to the fence and tries to stand. One hook in, can’t get the choke, moves to mount with an elbow. One minute to go. Good escape attempt from Jenkins, Rongzhu once again puts a hook in and cracks him with punches. Back to half guard, now full. Rongzhu stands over him and blasts him with a vicious left, Jenkins tries an elbow off his back and eats a bigger one in return. 10-9 Rongzhu.
Round 2: Jenkins comes out aggressively, but eats a solid combo and has to fight off a takedown. Rongzhu drags him to a knee against the fence. Rear waist lock standing. One minute in. Rongzhu pulls him off the fence, can’t keep him away. Now he pulls his hips out and sets up on top. Hard elbow connects. Punches as well. Jenkins tries an upkick. Two minutes to go.
Good control from Rongzhu. Wants the back. Jenkins defending that but not really improving position. Full mount for Rongzhu. Jenkins kicks off the fence to stand, gets slung to his knees and punched with a mintue to go. Mount again for Rongzhu. Jenkins kicks off the fence for a sweep and lands some hard shots on the way up. Rongzhu reacts with a lengthy series of brutal punches that Jenkins tanks before trying to come back with a flying knee. Rongzhu 1-2, Jenkins spin. 10-9 Rongzhu.
Round 3: Rongzhu continuing to stalk. Jenkins firing back and connecting. Counter right from Rongzhu, then another. Body shot a minute in. Counter right catches Jenkins spinning again and drops him. Rongzhu on top in guard. Jenkins tries to stand, dragged back to his knees. Rongzhu gets a hook in with two minutes to go. Jenkins turns to his back, then sits against the fence. Back up, back down with two minutes to go.
Jenkins trying to scramble, manages to get to butterfly guard. Rongzhu drops some heavy punches. Continuing to land as Jenkins tries and fails to stand. Brief RNC attempt, then one huge right hand to the head from under the armpit sends the ref into action.
Final result: Rongzhu def. Jenkins by TKO (punches)
135 lbs.: JP Buys vs. Montel Jackson
Round 1: Buys tries an early leg kick, then has a long-range shot easily rebuffed. Jackson tries a 3-2 and initially sprawls on the next shot, but Buys chains his way to a successful takedown. RIght to mount a minute in. Now hunting the back and he’s under the chin. Jackson rolling, ultimately manage to stand and shake Buys off. Buys shoots in again but Jackson threatens a guillotine. Jackson drags him down and lands a couple good punches before trying to take the back. Two minutes to go.
Nice scramble, hard hammerfists from Jackson. Buys blasts him with a knee, eats an uppercut, then jumps on a good-looking guillotine. Jackson gets to his side, then turns into guard. Buys turns for an armbar, eats hammerfists with a minute to go. Buys turns to his knees and stands, eating left hands. Sneaky knee. Fun round. 10-9 Jackson.
Round 2: Jackson blasts Buys with a pair of straight lefts that force him to the ground. Jackson follows, looks to establish. Buys rolls for a leg, eats a shot, commits to a kimura. Another guillotine attempt as Jackson carries him around the cage to his corner a minute in. Jackson pops his head out and looks to settle in guard. Buys looking for a kimura again. Two minutes in. Bit of a stalemate. Buys stuck on his knees, Jackson with an awkward cradle. Buys stands and eats a knee. Two minutes to go.
They separate 30 seconds later. Jackson drops him with a counter right, lets him up. Buys hunts a single-leg and eats a knee for his trouble. One minute to go. Buys ties up, gets slung to the mat when his own takedown attempt fails. 10-9 Jackson.
Round 3: Brutal 1-2 from Jackson to start. Another monstrous left on the counter knocks Buys silly, though he somehow wakes up when he hits the bat. Buys tries a desperation shot, Jackson lets him up. Buys ties up and eats a knee to the junk a minute in. To his credit, he doesn’t try to milk it and they resume less than a minute later. Another straight left put Buys on his butt, again Jackson lets him up. Failed shot by Buys. He shoots again and pulls guard two minutes in. Not much action for the next sixty seconds. Two minutes to go.
Buys trying to isolate an arm for something as Jackson chills on top. Kimura attempt. One minute to go. Jackson protecting his arm, claims Buys is grabbing his gloves. Nothing doing. 10-9 Jackson; had the dominance and damage, but not duration.
Final result: Jackson def. Buys by unanimous decision
125 lbs.: Sarah Alpar vs. Erin Blanchfield
Round 1: They meet in the center and start throwing punches. Low kick from Alpar. She shoots, denied, combinations from Blanchfield. Body kick lands for her. Alpar ties up, disengages. Blanchfield cracks her with some right crosses. Double jab a minute in. Short elbow in the clinch, bigger one soon after. She separates, lands combinations. Alpar throwing back, eats a body kick. Counter left lands for Alpar. Another two minutes in. Blanchfield opens up on the fence. Clean right cross, elbow, right cross. Knees to the body in the clinch. Jockeying for position. Blanchfield trips her down and moves directly to side control. Two minutes to go.
Blanchfield looking for mount. Caught in quarter guard. Solid punches and there’s the mount. Now the back, landing hard shots. Alpar manages to regain half guard with a minute to go. More punches from Blanchfield. She stands over Alpar and kicks at her legs. Close to a 10-8, but 10-9 Blanchfield.
Round 2: Blanchfield comes out aggressively, firing head kicks and punches. Clean jab and cross. Low kick from Alpar. More 1-2s from Blanchfield, shifting lefts. One minute in. Alpar continuing to throw back but getting pieced up. Blanchfield follows a combo with a takedown, hunting the back. Chipping away with a hook in two minutes in. Good left hands. Two minutes to go.
Alpar defending her neck but unable to stand while Blanchfield connects. Now she regains half guard, eating shots. One minute to go. Blanchfield hunting an arm triangle setup. Nearly passes to mount, postures up with hard punches. 10-8 Blanchfield.
Round 3: Alpar lands an early body shot. Blanchfield responds with a body kick as she pushes forward. More body kicks. Alpar leg kick, Blanchfield elbows. One minute in. Knees to the body in the clinch. Brutal elbow on the break. Alpar comes back with one of her own. Alpar sending out combos and low kicks. Two minutes in. 1-2-1. Blanchfield body kick, then an easy double-leg into half guard. Side control now. Trying to set up a front choke, allows Alpar onto her knees. Two minutes to go.
Now looking for the back. One hook in, same position as last round. Landing left hands. Hammerfists from half guard. One minute to go. Blanchfield passes to side control. Arm triangle attempt, postures up for a vicious flurry instead. 10-9 Blanchfield.
Final result: Blanchfield def. Alpar by unanimous decision
170 lbs.: Carlston Harris vs. Impa Kasanganay
Round 1: Early exchange. Harris tries a body kick, falls short with right hands. Harris barrels into the clinch. Kasanganay separates. They trade heat a minute in, good connections from Kasanganay. Both land hard right hands. Two minutes in. They swat each other with rights again. Kasanganay body kick. They trade punches and Harris hurts him with a chopping right, ultimately sending him to his knees with follow-up shots and polishing him off with a series of heavy right hands.
Final result: Harris def. Kasanganay by TKO (punches)
135 lbs.: Alatengheili vs. Gustavo Lopez
Round 1: Alatengheili tries an overhand right, then another; both fall short. Lopez ties up and takes him to the fence. Alatengheili reverses and separates. One minute in. Both try lefts. Another near-miss from Alatengheili’s right hand. The next one connects but Lopez responds with a heavy flurry and shoots. Denied two minutes in. Low kick from Lopez. Right cross lands for Alatengheili. Counter hook from Lopez, walks into a nasty counter right, comes back with a left hook. Two minutes to go.
Clean 1-2 from Alatengheili. Low-high. Counter 2-3 as he pressures. Lopez sporting a cut around the left eye. One minute to go. Lopez just misses with a left hook and body kick. Alatengheili 1-2 misses, as does a flying knee attempt. 10-9 Alatengheili, but it’s close.
Round 2: They trade low kicks to start. Lopez circling, good low kick. Alatengheili tries a 1-2, eats another low kick. One minute in. Alatengheili wings a right that whiffs and again Lopez answers with low kicks. Two minutes in. 2-3 from Alatengheili. Much slower pace this round. There’s another 2-3 by the Mongolian, then a combination behind it. Two minutes to go.
Lopez now on the front foot, takes a leg kick. Lopez shoots, completes it on the fence, Alatengheili immediately pops back up. One minute to go. Trading lefts in the center. Low kick by Lopez. Alatengheili with a low-high 1-2. Lopez leg kick. 10-9 Alatengheili.
Round 3: Alatengheili tries some early volleys. Right hand connects. One minute in. Lopez looks for a head kick, blocked. Heavy overhand right lands for Alatengheili. Left hook knocks Lopez back. Two minutes in. Jab exchange. Lopez suddenly bursts forward with a brutal combination, chasing Alatengheili around the cage with punches before changing levels and looking for the back. Knee to the body. Alatengheili grabs the fence repeatedly despite warnings and loses a point for it. Two minutes to go.
Lopez hunting the RNC. Hard punches with a hook in. Alatengheili manages to turn into him and stand. Alatengheili shoots, sprawled on, caught in a guillotine. It looks deep. One minute to go. Alatengheili manages to fight his way out and lets Lopez up. Lopez shoots, sprawled on, separation. Both swing big in the waning seconds. 10-8 Lopez with the point deduction; going to be some interesting cards.
Final result: Unanimous draw
125 lbs.: Hannah Goldy vs. Emily Whitmire
Round 1: Whitmire comes out pumping a left jab, with Goldy opening the action with a right kick to the body. Whitmire with a nice low kick, which she followed up with a few combinations upstairs. Goldy, right hand cocked, stalked Whitmire into the corner and was able to get Goldy to the ground. She took some pot shots from a standing position, with Goldy eventually able to get back to her feet. Goldy ended up on her back in the corner again after another trip. This time she followed her to the canvas and worked some ground-and-pound. Goldy angled for a kimura off her back, but settled for some side hammer fists to Whitmire’s temple. Whitmire backed off and Goldy began to stand up, but Whitmire pounced and tried to sink in a rear-naked choke. It didn’t pan out and she got back to her feet, with Goldy firing away upkicks in desperation. Whitmire jumped back on top and Goldy quickly trapped her arm. Whitmire struggled, tried to pull out her arm, put Goldy was just too strong and Whitmire was forced to verbally tap as she was still standing. Whitmire had seemingly won the round … until she lost the fight.
Final result: Goldy def. Whitmire via submission (armbar) at 4:17 of round one
We are all set for our MMA double-header tomorrow night, with UFC Vegas 37 & Bellator 266 both set to take place on Saturday, September 18. We’ve got the full scoop for you below. UFC Vegas 37: Smith vs. Spann Weigh-In Results Tomorrow night, UFC Vegas 37 takes place from the UFC APEX in Las […]
We are all set for our MMA double-header tomorrow night, with UFC Vegas 37 & Bellator 266 both set to take place on Saturday, September 18. We’ve got the full scoop for you below.
UFC Vegas 37: Smith vs. Spann Weigh-In Results
Tomorrow night, UFC Vegas 37 takes place from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the man event, Anthony Smith (#6) will face Ryan Spann (#11). Both fighters successfully made weight, as did the co-main eventers Devin Clark and Ion Cutelaba.
Also competing on the card will be the #14-ranked lightweight Arman Tsarukyan. Tsarukyan said that he would be willing to give unranked fighters an opportunity, and he will do just that when he faces Christos Giagos. Will Tsarukyan continue to build on his hype and potentially put himself in line for the grudge match against Dan Hooker he’s been actively pursuing?
Only one fighter missed weight, that being lightweight Rong Zhu, who came in two pounds over the lightweight limit ahead of his preliminary card bout against Brandon Jenkins.
The main card begins at 7:00 PM ET, with the preliminary card starting at 4 PM. The entire card will be available on ESPN+. You can find the official weigh-in results below, courtesy of UFC.com:
MAIN CARD (10:00 PM ET, ESPN+)
Main Event – Light Heavyweight Bout: Anthony Smith (205.5) vs Ryan Spann (206)
Co-Main Event – Light Heavyweight Bout: Ion Cutelaba (205) vs Devin Clark (206)
Women’s Flyweight Bout: Ariane Lipski (126) vs Mandy Bohm (125.5)
Lightweight Bout: Arman Tsarukyan (155.5) vs Christos Giagos (155.5)
Bantamweight Bout: Nate Maness (135) vs Tony Gravely (135.5)
Middleweight Bout: Joaquin Buckley (184.5) vs Antonio Arroyo (186)
PRELIMS (10:00 PM ET, ESPN+)
Light Heavyweight Bout: Mike Rodriguez (202) vs Tafon Nchukwi (204.5)
Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Pannie Kianzad (136) vs Raquel Pennington (135.5)
Lightweight Bout: Rongzhu (158*) vs Brandon Jenkins (155.5)
Bantamweight Bout: Montel Jackson (136) vs JP Buys (136)
Women’s Flyweight Bout: Erin Blanchfield (125) vs Sarah Alpar (126)
Welterweight Bout: Impa Kasanganay (170.5) vs Carlston Harris (170)
Bantamweight Bout: Gustavo Lopez (135) vs Alatengheili (136)
Women’s Strawweight Bout: Emily Whitmire (125) vs Hannah Goldy (125)
Bellator 266 Weigh-In Results
San Jose’s SAP Center will play host to Saturday night’s Bellator 266 event. The headline feature for the card will be Yoel Romero making his Bellator debut against “Mr. Wonderful” Phil Davis.
Yoel Romero has said that he plans on fighting into his 50s, so this debut could be a fresh start as opposed to a career’s winding down. How will he fare against the #3-ranked light heavyweight? We will find out tomorrow night! In the co-main event, the #4-ranked welterweight Neiman Gracie will be in action when he takes on Mark Lemminger.
All four of the above fighters successfully made weight. There was one fight cancellation, however. With Eddie Abasolo unable to make it to the scales, his main card bout against Art Hernandez has been canceled.
The main card for Bellator 266 will begin at 10 PM ET on Showtime, with the preliminary card starting at 7 PM on YouTube.
You can view the weigh-in results and final card for Bellator 266 below.
MAIN CARD (10:00 PM ET, SHOWTIME)
Phil Davis (206) vs. Yoel Romero (205.4)
Neiman Gracie (170.6) vs. Mark Lemminger (169.9)
DeAnna Bennett (129.2)* vs. Alejandra Lara (125.2)
Georgi Karakhanyan (155.6) vs. Saul Rogers (155.7)
Christian Edwards (204.3) vs. Ben Parrish (205.6)
PRELIMINARY CARD (7:00 PM ET, YouTube)
Grant Neal (204.1) vs. Alex Polizzi (204.9)
Anthony Adams (185.3) vs. Khalid Murtazaliev (185.3)
Albert Gonzales (175) vs. Abraham Vaesau (175)
Socrates Hernandez (135.9) vs. Bobby Seronio III (135.4)
Rhalan Gracie (171) vs. Shane Keefe (169.1)
Jon Adams (125.4) vs. Edwin De Los Santos (125.3)
Jesse Delgado (129.5) vs. Joshua Dillon (130)
You can expect full results and highlights from both UFC Vegas 37 and Bellator 266 right here tomorrow night on MMANews.com!
Which card are you more excited about? UFC Vegas 37 or Bellator 266?
Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker facing off on media day ahead of UFC 243. | Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2 may happen in January 2022. The rematch between Isr…
Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker facing off on media day ahead of UFC 243. | Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2 may happen in January 2022.
The rematch between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker may happen early next year, per UFC president Dana White.
White recently spoke to The Daily Telegraph and revealed that Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2 was being targeted for January. It has been difficult to get this fight done as the COVID-19 travel restrictions and quarantine guidelines in both Australia and New Zealand have delayed the long-awaited rematch, but the promotion has continued to work on it.
White also said that he wanted the second fight to be in the same region as their first fight, but conceded that is unlikely.
“That’s a fight we want to make, so we’re working on it,” said White. “I will get that done. You know what sucks? With everything that’s going on right now, when you think about that fight, that fight should be done over there [in Australia or New Zealand] but that ain’t going to happen.
“Listen, I don’t want to be all cocky and s—t, but we will do everything in our power to get that stuff worked out,” continued White. “That’s what we’re working on. We’re working on January.”
Adesanya and Whittaker met in a title unification fight at UFC 243, where the ‘Last Stylebender’ stopped the ‘Reaper’ by way of second-round knockout. Adesanya went on to defend the title against Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa at UFC 248 and UFC 253 respectively before he made his light heavyweight debut on a quest to become a two-division champion. He suffered the first loss of his professional career as he was defeated by champion Jan Blachowicz via unanimous decision.
Adesanya returned to the middleweight for his next title defense in a rematch against Marvin Vettori, who he shut down over the course of five rounds at UFC 263 this past June.
Whittaker rebounded from his loss to Adesanya with three consecutive wins over Darren Till, Jared Cannonier and Kelvin Gastelum. His most recent appearance cemented his status as the No. 1 contender in the division, which is why he called for another shot at Adesanya.
Episode 141 discussion: Luke Rockhold goes in on the Venum deal, Joe Benavidez calls it a career, Moreno-Figueiredo III booked, UFC Vegas 37 predictions Welcome to the The Level Ch…
Episode 141 discussion: Luke Rockhold goes in on the Venum deal, Joe Benavidez calls it a career, Moreno-Figueiredo III booked, UFC Vegas 37 predictions
Welcome to the The Level Change Podcast, our combat sports themed variety show hosted by Stephie Haynes, Mookie Alexander and Victor Rodriguez, featuring the news of the week, fight card breakdowns and analysis, a roundup of regional promotions’ cards and fights, and whatever else we decide is important enough or entertaining enough to bring to your ears. Here is a summary of the topics discussed, complete with the time stamps for when each interview or special segment begins. As always, we hope you enjoy listening to the show as much as we enjoyed recording it.
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