Author: Dan Hiergesell

Alexandre Pantoja is entering a crucial matchup with Brandon Royval later tonight (Sat., Aug. 21, 2021) at UFC Vegas 34 live on ESPN/ESPN+ from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the winner inching closer towards a UFC flyweight title shot.

Pantoja, who has been a staple in the division since his Octagon debut back in 2017, is coming off a huge win over Manel Kape this past February. It was the first victory for Pantoja since scoring a knockout win over Matt Schnell back in Dec. 2019. The Brazilian hasn’t been able to stay as active as he’d like over the past few years, but Pantoja is hoping 2021 brings more consistency.

“I want to fight three times this year,” Pantoja told reports during UFC Vegas 34’s media day (h/t MMA Junkie). “This is my second fight this year, and I think if I win maybe I can get the title shot. Maybe 2021 is a good year for me, but first I have a good challenger on Saturday.

“Brandon Royval is an exciting fighter, and when the UFC gave me this fight, I really appreciated it because he fights like me. It’s a good style. He comes to fight – it’s not just to score. He comes to fight to prove himself, and I think on Saturday him and I will make a big, big show.”

This is certainly a big opportunity for Pantoja at 125 pounds. Not only is he making an appearance on a ESPN main card, but he’s taking on one of the more promising young talents in the division. Adding a name like Royval to his resume will only help Pantoja’s chances of securing a title shot heading into 2022.

Remember, Pantoja already holds a decision win over current UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno from back in 2018. Moreno believes there’s no clear-cut No. 1 contender in the division right now, but a few more wins is all Pantoja needs to lock down a potential rematch with the champ.

“I think Moreno said that because he respects all the guys in the division,” Pantoja said. “But of course, if I win Saturday … I hope I win. I worked a lot with my team, and maybe it’s a good fight for the UFC to see me again with Moreno.”

What do you think, Maniacs? Should Pantoja get a shot at the flyweight title with a win at UFC Vegas 34?

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 34 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN2/ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN/ESPN+ main card start time at 10 p.m. ET.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has parted ways with four additional fighters heading into the final months of the year and you’ll probably recognize each one of them.

According to recent reports by MMA Fighting and MMA Junkie, UFC as decided to part ways with lightweight veteran Yancy Medeiros, flyweight contender Ryan Benoit, exciting featherweight Justin Jaynes, and young prospect Jerome Rivera. All four fighters have competed and lost inside of the Octagon over the past two months.

Medeiros, 33, has been a member of the UFC roster since 2013. The brawling Hawaiian has been part of some pretty exciting fights during his tenure, including his wars against Alex Oliveira and Francisco Trinaldo. In total, Medeiros earned a 6-8 (1 NC) record as a member of the UFC roster, but ended up losing his last four Octagon appearances.

Benoit, 31, made his return to UFC this past July after a one-year absence. While Benoit has lost his last three trips to the Octagon the veteran fighter does hold a key knockout win over Sergio Pettis and went to a split decision with current UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno back in 2016.

Unfortunately for fighters up and down the UFC roster, the promotion is unlikely to stop its monthly cuts anytime soon. UFC just released five fighters from the roster back in July and seem ready to pull the plug on anyone coming off a loss. Nobody is safe.

The legendary Manny Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KO) will be back in action later tonight (Sat., Aug. 21, 2021) live on FITE/FOX pay-per-view (PPV) from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, when “Pacman” takes on Cuban champion Yordenis Ugas (26-4, 12 KO) for the WBA (Super) Welterweight title.

Pacquiao was originally scheduled to fight undefeated WBC and IBF welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. at this event, but a torn retina knocked Spence out of commission (details here). Luckily, Ugas was able to step up and save the card so fight fans can still see Pacquiao compete inside of the boxing ring.

Pacquiao, who turns 43 this December, has looked like a rejuvenated fighter since his unprecedented loss to Jeff Horn back in 2017. Since that defeat, Pacquiao has produced a 3-0 record with massive wins over Lucas Matthysse, Adrien Broner, and most recently Keith Thurman. He has continued to defy the odds at his age and seems ready to go toe-to-toe with anyone in his weight class.

While it would have been interesting to see Pacquiao against someone like Spence there’s no shame in a matchup with Ugas. The Cuban champion is a much longer fighter than Pacquiao and has only lost a split decision to Shawn Porter in his last 12 trips to the ring. He should be able to put up a good fight in his most high-profile matchup to date.

Check out all of the viewing details and start times for “Pacquiao vs. Ugas” below:

Start Time

• Sat., Aug. 21, 2021, from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
• Main card begins at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
• “Pacquiao vs. Ugas” main event begins around 11:15 p.m. ET / 8:15 p.m. PT.

Online Viewing

• “Pacquiao vs. Ugas” PPV main card can be purchased through the FOX Sports network for $74.99.
• “Pacquiao vs. Ugas” PPV main card can also be viewed through FITE.TV. That will also run you $74.99.

Television Viewing

• “Pacquiao vs. Ugas” PPV main card can be purchased through the FOX Sports App via Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Android TV, PlayStation, or Xbox.

Mobile Viewing

• “Pacquiao vs. Ugas” PPV main card will be accessible through the FOX Sports App via Android and Apple.

International Viewing

Main card

• Welterweight: Manny Pacquiao vs. Yordenis Ugas
• Welterweight: Robert Guerrero vs. Victor Ortiz
• Featherweight: Mark Magsayo vs. Julio Ceja
• Featherweight Carlos Castro vs. Oscar Escandon

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MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE coverage of tonight’s main event fight right here. The FITE/FOX PPV kicks off at 9 p.m. ET, with Pacquiao and Ugas likely to make the walk closer to 12 p.m. ET.

It all goes down later this evening (Sat., Aug. 21, 2021) at UFC Vegas 34 live on ESPN/ESPN+ from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, as Jared Cannonier collides with Kelvin Gastelum for a crucial middleweight main event.

In addition to the middleweight headliner, lightweight veteran Clay Guida will be back in co-main event action when he takes on undefeated wrestler Mark Madsen. Also, fight fans will get to see an important flyweight tilt between ranked contenders Alexandre Pantoja and Brandon Royval as well as a heavyweight clash pitting veteran Chase Sherman against Parker Porter.

Take a look below at UFC Vegas 34’s complete fight card line up and start times:

Main Card (ESPN/ESPN+)
10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT

Jared Cannonier vs. Kelvin Gastelum
Clay Guida vs. Mark Madsen
Chase Sherman vs. Parker Porter
Trevin Jones vs. Saidyokub Kakhramonov
Vinc Pichel vs. Austin Hubbard
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval

‘Prelims’ Undercard (ESPN2/ESPN+)
7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT

Austin Lingo vs. Luis Saldana
Brian Kelleher vs. Domingo Pilarte
Bea Malecki vs. Josiane Nunes
William Knight vs. Fabio Cherant
Roosevelt Roberts vs. Ignacio Bahamondes
Sasha Palatnikov vs. Ramiz Brahimaj

Here are all the ways to catch the action:

Online

• UFC Vegas 34: ‘Cannonier vs. Gastelum’ entire fight card can be viewed via the ESPN+ streaming app.
• Subscriptions cost $5.99 per month.

Television

• UFC Vegas 34: ‘Cannonier vs. Gastelum’ main card can be viewed via ESPN and the “Prelims” card via ESPN2. Check with your local providers or click for instant access to ESPN.
• UFC Vegas 34: ‘Cannonier vs. Gastelum’ entire fight card can also be streamed via Xbox One, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, and ChromeCast.

Tablet/Mobile

• UFC Vegas 34: ‘Cannonier vs. Gastelum’ entire fight card can be viewed via ESPN+ streaming app through Google Play and iTunes stores.

Bars

• Check out a list of sports bars and pubs near you that will most likely be showing tonight’s fights CLICK HERE.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 34 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN2/ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN/ESPN+ main card start time at 10 p.m. ET.

Kelvin Gastelum no longer has to worry about failing a drug test for marijuana use. The middleweight contender is happy to see the rule changed by United States Anti-Doping Agency (UDSADA) and the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) earlier this year and it has given Gastelum one less thing to think about come fight time.

Gastelum, who fights Jared Cannonier later tonight (Sat., Aug. 21, 2021) at UFC Vegas 34 live on ESPN/ESPN+ from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, has always been in favor of taking marijuana off the banned substance list. The eight-year UFC vet doesn’t believe it provides any advantage inside or outside of the cage. Gastelum has used it in the past to help him relax, but nothing that gives him an upper hand over an opponent.

“Everybody knows the use (of marijuana) is not something that’s an advantage; if anything I think it’s the contrary,” Gastelum told MMA Junkie. “I think someone that uses marijuana is actually in a way harming themselves, but it also helps athletes like me relax – just relax the muscles and the nerves – and it has many advantages, but in other forms.

“But for athletes to be compare to a PED, I don’t think it’s necessary to label it under a PED like steroids or testosterone. I just don’t see it that way.”

Gastelum, 29, has actually tested positive for marijuana twice throughout his tenure with UFC. His first failed test came prior to a bout with middleweight legend Anderson Silva back in 2017 and also saw his knockout win over Vitor Belfort overturned. Gastelum then popped again for marijuana in late 2019 and was suspended for nine months, but that was later reduced to five months.

“I don’t know (why) that rule has been there for a long time,” Gastelum said. “Obviously there’s a stigma and a certain thought when it comes down to that. I think today there’s still many people who see it in a negative way.”

“(My family) didn’t know. Obviously my mom is Mexican, and she’s sometimes very antiquated in her thoughts, so she was very upset. All my friends who have Hispanic moms also went through the same.”

While Gastelum is no longer using marijuana close to his fights at least he doesn’t have to worry about failing for a third time if something did happen to show up. There are certainly more important things to worry about when preparing for a UFC fight, but Gastelum has found a little relief knowing his hard work won’t be wiped out by a positive test.

“Yeah, of course, it’s one less worry that I need to have in my head,” Gastelum said. “But regardless, during the week of the fight, I’m not consuming. Before the fight, I’m not doing it just to keep my mind clear and not up in the clouds.”

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 34 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN2/ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN/ESPN+ main card start time at 10 p.m. ET.

CM Punk has officially made his return to the world of sports entertainment.

The former WWE champion and UFC fighter made a momentous return to professional wrestling Friday night at AEW’s Rampage live on TNT from Chicago, Illinois. Punk was rumored to make his return after dropping hints on social media of a possible comeback, but nothing was set in stone.

Fortunately, fans didn’t have to wait long for the former WWE champion to make is presence known. Punk came out right as the show started and the top of the building practically blew off. Wrestling fans were crying in the crowd. It was a pretty surreal scene.

Punk, who hasn’t competed as a professional wrestler since parting ways with WWE over seven years ago, made the most of his return. After all, Punk is from Chicago. Pulling off a comeback years in the making in front of his hometown made the night even more special.

Check out Punk’s long-awaited entrance above and some of his in-ring moments below, courtesy of AEW/TNT:

Punk, 42, made an unprecedented move to MMA back in 2016 following his departure from WWE in 2014. The entertainment star ended up making two trips to the Octagon. He lost his UFC debut to Mickey Gall via submission and then lost to Mike Jackson in his return, but that defeat ended up a no contest after Jackson popped for marijuana.