Author: Dan Hiergesell

The vacant UFC lightweight title left behind by Khabib Nurmagomedov will be up for grabs later tonight (Sat., May 15, 2021) at UFC 262 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Toyota Center in Houston, Tex., when division staple Charles Oliveira locks horns with former Bellator MMA champion Michael Chandler in the main event.

Before the 155-pound championship fight unfolds atop UFC 262’s PPV main card there will be a ton of high-octane matchups that play out in violent fashion. From Tony Ferguson’s co-main event clash with Beneil Dariush to Edson Barboza’s featherweight tilt with Shane Burgos, there should be no shortage of action tonight in Houston.

We will compile the best of the best below — with all video footage courtesy of UFC and ESPN — and will continue to share the action as it rolls in. Enjoy!

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Christos Giagos def. Sean Soriano via second-round submission (D’Arce choke)

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Tucker Lutz def. Kevin Aguilar via Unanimous Decision

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Priscila Cachoeira def. Gina Mazany via second-round TKO (punches)

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Andrea Lee def. Antonina Shevchenko second-round submission (triangle armbar)

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Jordan Wright def. Jamie Pickett via first-round TKO (knee and punches)

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Lando Vannata def. Mike Grundy via Split Decision

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Andre Muniz def. Jacare Souza via first-round submission (armbar)

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Edson Barboza def. Shane Burgos via third-round TKO (punches)

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Katlyn Chookagian def. Viviane Araujo via Unanimous Decision

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Rogerio Bontorin def. Matt Schnell via Unanimous Decision

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Beneil Dariush def. Tony Ferguson via Unanimous Decision

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Charles Oliveira def. Michael Chandler via second-round TKO (punches)

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For complete UFC 262 results and coverage click here.

Christos Giagos captured his fourth Octagon win earlier tonight (Sat., May 15, 2021) at UFC 262 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Toyota Center in Houston, Tex., when the lightweight prospect stopped a returning Sean Soriano via second-round submission (D’Arce choke).

Soriano looked like a man on a mission in the early going as he tagged Giagos with countless punches and heavy leg kicks. Giagos held his own and was able to close the gap a few times to get inside and use his grappling. In Round 2, Giagos secured a huge takedown and gained top control. From there he was able to work his way into position for the choke and eventually put Soriano to sleep.

Check out the highlights above courtesy of UFC/ESPN.

Giagos seemed to be losing momentum early on in the striking department but relied on his wrestling and was able to turn the tide when it mattered most. The California native has now won back-to-back fights at 155 pounds and pushed his overall UFC record to 4-2 since returning back in 2018.

For complete UFC 262 results and coverage click here.

Fight fans almost got to see a boxing match between former UFC champion Georges St-Pierre and boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya, but UFC ultimately shot the idea down (per Bloody Elbow).

De La Hoya, who announced his return to boxing earlier this year, has been searching for the right opponent for his comeback fight. The 48-year-old former world champion has already been linked to a potential clash with MMA veterans Eddie Alvarez and Anthony Pettis, but those bouts never came to fruition.

“Golden Boy” is still looking for his perfect counterpart.

News is now surfacing that De La Hoya was in talks with St-Pierre’s team to book a legend vs. legend fight inside of the boxing ring. The only issue is GSP is still under contract with UFC and the leading MMA promotion is unwilling to sign off on such a matchup, even if it costs St-Pierre a massive payday.

“This f—k nut (Dana White) kept Georges St-Pierre from making the biggest payday with me,” De La Hoya recently wrote on his Instagram page.

“Dana White and UFC just blocked Georges St-Pierre from fighting Oscar De La Hoya,” Triller head Ryan Kavanaugh also wrote. “It is a big payday for GSP and both he and Oscar’s dream to fight each other.

“Dana would rather hold back those who put the UFC where it is and why?” he continued. “I’ve tried to call and text Dana at least five times to make it work for both parties, not even the courtesy of a return call.”

St-Pierre, who officially retired from MMA back in Feb. 2019, has been linked to a potential superfight with Khabib Nurmagomedov for quite some time. That bout never materialized, Khabib retired in late 2020, and St-Pierre was left without a reason to return to combat sports.

A boxing match with De La Hoya could have moved the needle for the former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion, but we’ll never truly know thanks to the decision by UFC.

The action unfolds later this evening (Sat., May 15, 2021) at UFC 262 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Toyota Center in Houston, Tex., as Charles Oliveira meets Michael Chandler for the vacant lightweight title in the main event.

In addition to the lightweight headliner, Tony Ferguson will meet Beneil Dariush in a sure fire co-main event, UFC veteran Edson Barboza will collide with Shane Burgos in an enticing featherweight scrap, and No. 2-ranked women’s flyweight contender Katlyn Chookagian will take on rising Brazilian fighter Viviane Araujo in main card action.

Take a look below at UFC 262’s complete fight card line up and start times:

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

Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler
Tony Ferguson vs. Beneil Dariush
Katlyn Chookagian vs. Viviane Araújo
Shane Burgos vs. Edson Barboza
Matt Schnell vs. Rogerio Bontorin

‘Prelims’ Undercard (ESPN/ESPN+)
8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT

Ronaldo Souza vs. Andre Muniz
Lando Vannata vs. Mike Grundy
Andrea Lee vs. Antonina Shevchenko
Jordan Wright vs. Jamie Pickett

Early ‘Prelims’ Undercard (Fight Pass/ESPN+)
6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT

Gina Mazany vs. Priscila Cachoeira
Kevin Aguilar vs. Tucker Lutz
Christos Giagos vs. Sean Soriano

Online

• UFC 262: “Oliveira vs. Chandler” PPV main card can be viewed via the ESPN+ streaming app.
• Subscriptions cost $5.99 per month. The UFC 262 PPV will cost $69.99 for current subscribers.
• UFC 262: “Oliveira vs. Chandler” undercard “Prelims” can be viewed via ESPN+ as well.

Television

• UFC 262: “Oliveira vs. Chandler” undercard “Prelims” can be viewed via ESPN. Check your local providers or click for instant access to ESPN.
• UFC 262: “Oliveira vs. Chandler” can also be streamed via Xbox One, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, and ChromeCast.

Tablet/Mobile

• UFC 262: “Oliveira vs. Chandler” PPV main card and undercard “Prelims” can be viewed via ESPN+ streaming app through Google Play and iTunes stores.

Bars

• Stay home, be safe. But if you really, really need to go out and watch UFC 262 there is a list of bars near you airing “Oliveira vs. Chandler” right here.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 262 fight card HERE, starting with the early Fight Pass/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

We are just hours away from having a new UFC lightweight champion crowned later tonight (Sat., May 15, 2021) at UFC 262 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside Toyota Center in Houston, Tex., as former Bellator MMA champion Michael Chandler tries to capitalize on a main event bid opposite red-hot contender Charles Oliveira.

Ahead of tonight’s festivities the promotion has released the latest and greatest episode of UFC 262 “Embedded,” which can be seen in the above video player. This time around the action focuses on final weight cuts, a surprise visit from UFC legend Chuck Liddell, and final faceoffs at the ceremonial weight ins.

From the official YouTube description:

Lightweights hit their targets: Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler, plus Beneil Dariush and Tony Ferguson. Chandler gets a boost from his dad; Oliveira from Jacare Souza. Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell visits backstage at the ceremonial weigh-in.

Fight fans will see a new UFC lightweight champion one way or another later tonight at UFC 262. It will either be Oliveira cashing in on a 11-year UFC career or Chandler coming in at the right time and stealing the show.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 262 fight card HERE, starting with the early Fight Pass/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

If you thought the stoppage in the Canelo Alvarez vs. Billy Joe Saunders fight earlier this month wasn’t called for then you’re sadly mistaken.

Saunders, who was undefeated entering his super-middleweight title fight with Alvarez on DAZN, did well for himself over the course of seven rounds. But in the eighth frame Canelo began to tag Saunders and landed a devastating uppercut that left the Englishman in serious trouble and forced his corner to throw the towel in entering the ninth round (highlights).

Some people initially thought the stoppage was premature as Saunders seemed good enough to continue and didn’t have any noticeable damage to his face, but the fact that he told his corner he couldn’t see raised immediate flags. Unfortunately, the damage was more severe than what we originally thought.

In a recent photo shared by MMA journalist Luke Thomas (show below), the damage sustained by Saunders in his loss to Alvarez was pretty significant. The 31-year-old boxer needed some serious work done on his face after eating all of the punches Canelo had to throw, specifically that monstrous uppercut.

Check out what Saunders’ face looks like now below:

This is why it’s never good to throw a fighter and a team under the bus before learning all the facts. It was easy to question why Saunders couldn’t continue his fight with Canelo considering he didn’t suffer any sort of knockdown or major cut, but know we know the severity of the damage he suffered to his face.

Canelo, who captured Saunders’ WBO super-middleweight title with the win, is now 14-0-1 in his last 15 trips to the ring. The Mexican superstar is getting better each and every time we see him and continues to prove why he’s one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world today.

After all, Saunders had never been beaten before, let alone having his face mangled like this.