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Watch | Marcus Aurelio shockingly TKO’s opponent with a slam into a moat at INOKI BOM-BA-YE × Ganryujima

Marcus Aurelio did something pretty wild at INOKI BOM-BA-YE × Ganryujima in Ryogoku, Japan on December 28. The event was a blend between MMA and Ganryujima. Ganryujima is a martial arts competition focused on striking and has a unique ring. It is a sideless platform which is surrounded by a smoky moat. Fighters are allowed […]

On Twitter, MMA journalist Marc Raimondi shared:

This was absolutely insane pic.twitter.com/mgPmHNlJPy

— Marc Raimondi (@marcraimondi) December 28, 2022

Brazil’s Marcus Aurélio caught a knee and drove Hidenori Ebata into the ground. Ebata looked to break his fall by sticking his arm out, a brutal mistake as he likely broke or dislocated his shoulder from the looks of things. The Japanese-born athlete was unable to cintue afterwards due to an injury.

This is the same Marcus Aurélio who famously fought Takanori Gomi in PRIDE FC twice in 2006. He would later fight in the UFC and DREAM against opponents such as Clay Guida, Evan Dunham, Shinya Aoki, among many others. In official MMA bouts, Aurélio has not fought since 2012

Marcus Aurélio discusses INOKI BOM-BA-YE × Ganryujima

The Ganryujima website does not entirely explain the rules. They write: “To summarize, Ganryujima’s concept of aiming for “the world’s best strikes with a focus on standing techniques” and “fair mixed martial arts battles” is a manifestation of the “martial arts” orientation. In addition, the athletes want to show a decisive difference from other martial arts events by having the awareness of showing “beautiful fighting” = “martial arts”. Will the players understand that?”

On Instagram, Brazil’s Marcus Aurélio explained the slam:

“This is the result of the fight. Before you ask, yes this is legal, it is part of the rules of Ganryujima. Nobody complained or said anything when I fought Hoshikaze, a Sumo fighter of over 300 Lbs slammed me outside the ring with all his weight. I took the fight knowing the rules and the risks involved. “

The Brazilian MMA veteran continued:

“All us fighters takes fights risking everything, our reputation, our health and even our lives. Respect to my opponent for taking the fight against me. I’m glad he is OK. Respect to all fighters who risk their lives, I’m sure they are gonna change the rules now, I just find it ironic that when it was done to me it was entertainment, and when I do to others it’s “unfair”. Thanks everyone, hope this clarifies any doubts about this fight.”

A.J. McKee targets Usman Nurmagomedov for his first 155lb grand prix bout: “I have the advantage on the feet.”

A.J. McKee has revealed he is hoping to be matched up with Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov in his first grand prix bout. Having made the move up to 155lbs, A.J. McKee was a clear pick to be a part of the recently announced Bellator lightweight grand prix. Whilst the first bouts have not yet […]

A.J. McKee has revealed he is hoping to be matched up with Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov in his first grand prix bout.

Having made the move up to 155lbs, A.J. McKee was a clear pick to be a part of the recently announced Bellator lightweight grand prix. Whilst the first bouts have not yet been announced, ‘The Mercenary’ is already calling his shot.

“I want my title, man,” McKee said on the “Weighing In” podcast. “Usman, then. Look, when I signed up for the 145-pound tournament, I proved myself the entire way through the tournament. I told everybody I’m going to finish everybody. So stepping into another tournament, I have to prove myself again? I mean, I have no problem doing that.“

McKee believes there is very little interest or intrigue in a fight with former champ Patricky Pitbull, stating that he was gifted the belt by his brother, Patricio.

“I think it’s the fight that everybody wants to see – on top of, I want to give him a test,” McKee said. “I don’t feel he’s been really tested yet. Patricky (Freire), he’s not a champ to me. He was gifted that belt from his brother – early Christmas present. To be a champion, you must beat the champion.

“For Usman, stylistically it’s just a good fight. We both have the wrestling. I would be intrigued to see that fight. I feel I have the advantage on the feet. But wrestling wise, maybe he can neutralize my wrestling, maybe I can neutralize his wrestling. And once we get to the ground, we’ve seen him pull off some nice submissions and we’ve seen me pull of some nice submissions. So, I feel like we match up pretty equally once it comes to wrestling and on the ground. It’d be a fun fight.” (H/T MMA Junkie)

Would you like to see A.J. McKee vs. Usman Nurmagomedov?

Jon Anik believes Dustin Poirier has already cemented himself as an MMA Great: “I don’t think he needs an undisputed UFC lightweight championship.”

Jon Anik has praised Dustin Poirier’s legacy as a fighter, and claims ‘The Diamond’ does not need to capture the 155lb title to be considered a divisional great. Dustin Poirier has been one of the standout fighters in terms of pure entertainment and technical violence over the past few years. The native of Louisiana has […]

Jon Anik has praised Dustin Poirier’s legacy as a fighter, and claims ‘The Diamond’ does not need to capture the 155lb title to be considered a divisional great.

Dustin Poirier has been one of the standout fighters in terms of pure entertainment and technical violence over the past few years. The native of Louisiana has squared off against some truly elite opposition, including the likes of Conor McGregor, Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Charles Oliveira. Whilst ‘The Diamond’ may not have won every fight, he truly has been must-watch TV every step of the way.

Poirier’s career still has several years to go, but he has come up short in his attempts to capture the UFC lightweight title twice now, although he did pick up an interim title when he defeated Max Holloway at UFC 236. With Islam Makhachev now champion, and the lightweight division being the shark tank that it is, there is a good chance that ‘The Diamond’ has missed his shot to be an undisputed champion.

However, UFC commentator Jon Anik has argued that Poirier doesn’t need titles to be called a divisional great.

“I don’t even know how to be articulate when talking about Dustin Poirier, I just want to call him an f’ing gangster and say, ‘Oh my f’ing God, this guy, man,’” Anik told MMA Fighting. “Durability, focus, boxing fundamentals — gosh, if you’re in an alley, don’t you want f****** guy [with you], bro?”

“Dustin Poirier is incredible, and I don’t think he needs an undisputed UFC lightweight championship to prove any sort of greatness. This was a difficult matchup [for Poirier] in a lot of respects. Michael Chandler’s explosivity is a problem for a lot of people, and maybe if Chandler makes a little bit of a different decision at times in this fight, the narrative flips.

Anik went on to praise Dustin Poirier for his recent win over Michael Chandler, in which ‘The Diamond’ was forced to overcome massive adversity to order to take home the win.

“Dustin Poirier’s ability to recognize when he’s hurt, bite down on the mouthpiece, and then, obviously, his skill set is such that he is able to submit a guy in this setting, his ability to rise to the occasion, and then just the attitude after the fact to tell Michael Chandler — however respectfully or not — that this is his house, the octagon, which he’s essentially competed 30 times. Huge night for Poirier in proving that his UFC body of work counts for a whole lot, and obviously I have buckets of respect for Chandler in defeat.”

“It’s crazy calling a fight like that, you can be sure. I hope we did it justice,” Anik went on to state. “Brian Stann was texting me that maybe we could’ve done that fight more justice with our commentary, but you know, best we could do.” (H/T MMA Fighting)

Where do you think Dustin Poirier ranks in terms of all-time 155lb greats?

Upset of the Year – LowKickMMA 2022 Awards

As the curtains close in on 2022, it’s time to reflect on what a year it has been for the underdog and how they have shaken up the MMA World. Whether it be an unexpected finish or skeptical judging, there is no doubt it has been a year of exhilarating back-and-forth contests with numerous unexpected […]

As the curtains close in on 2022, it’s time to reflect on what a year it has been for the underdog and how they have shaken up the MMA World.

Whether it be an unexpected finish or skeptical judging, there is no doubt it has been a year of exhilarating back-and-forth contests with numerous unexpected endings, resulting in many bettor’s parlays being blown out of the water along the way.

While there were many upsets throughout the year, we got our team of writers here at LowKickMMA to vote on what was their biggest ‘Upset of the Year.’

Let’s take a look at who our writers believed produced the biggest shock in 2022.

Upset of the Year: UFC 278 Edwards Vs Usman 2 – (9 votes)

Taking the top spot for our Upset of the Year is none other than Leon Edward’s (20-3 MMA) stunning KO finish against Kamaru Usman (20-2 MMA) to become the new Welterweight Champion at UFC 278.

Although Edwards was finally getting a long-overdue title shot, he was going against a former foe in Kamaru Usman.

After taking out Edwards in his UFC debut, following his Ultimate Fighter triumph Usman went on a 13-fight win streak whilst picking up the 170lbs title along the way.

The ‘Nigeran Nightmare’ had looked unbeatable over the course of six years and was rightfully the pound-for-pound king.

Unsurprisingly ‘Rocky’ entered the rematch as a large underdog and it was expected Kamaru Usman would use his superior wrestling to tire and limit Leon Edwards’s striking ability, which he did.

Apart from a well-contested opening round one, Usman was in cruise control for much of the fight. The former champion was able to mix up his martial arts as he constantly threatened the takedown allowing for opportunities to score using elbows and punches, enabling him to dictate the fight.

With only one minute left on the clock in the fifth and final round, Leon Edwards stood dejected in the Octagon knowing his dreams of becoming Champion were slipping away. As a convincing Kamaru Usman decision victory seemed all but secured while the UFC commentary team began to “write his obituary.“

However, Edwards produced something that will be echoed in UFC history for eternity after setting up Usman for an emphatic head kick which left him laid out on the canvas sending the Phoenix crowd and UK fans back home into a frenzy.

Considering the pair’s first meeting and the stature of the opponent he faced, alongside, the back story of all the adversity Leon Edwards had overcome to reach the pinnacle of the sport. There is no doubt he has earned this year’s ‘Upset of the Year’.

Honorable mentions:

UFC 273 Sterling Vs Yan 2 – (1 vote)

Although Edwards Vs Usman 2 is our unanimous pick for the ‘Upset of the Year.’ UFC 273 was also a setting for, yet another dramatic upset in 2022 with the much-anticipated rematch between Aljamain Sterling (22-3 MMA) Vs Petr Yan (16-4 MMA) at UFC 273.

Following the controversial conclusion of the pair’s first meeting, many fans still believed Petr Yan was still the champion at 135lbs and one of the best fighters within the UFC after an almost flawless performance at UFC 259.

Despite Sterling entering UFC 273 as the champion after a year out, much of the MMA community still believed he had a lot to prove before people would label him a ‘legitimate’ champion.

In the meantime, Yan returned to action securing an interim title after a five-round war against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 267 (15-4 MMA) which only added to the pressure.

Regardless of any added pressure, at UFC 273 ‘Funk Master’ showed his championship metal, weathering the storm and displaying a more sophisticated game plan.

Sterling managed his stamina as well as utilizing his wrestling more effectively which as a result, allowed him to nullify Petr Yan’s capability to dictate the fight on the feet, earning himself a closely contested split decision victory.

This was undoubtedly a career-defining fight for Aljamain Sterling, for his legacy and for himself. Against a guy whom many thought would continue to ragdoll the Bantamweight division.

Even against the odds, he came back refocused and proved to everyone why he has the right to have that gold belt wrapped around his waist.

If you ask me that’s one of the biggest ‘Upsets of the Year.’

PFL 10 – 2022 Championships Harrison Vs Pacheco 3 – (1 vote)

When talking about the biggest upsets of the year in 2022, you have to include the 2022 PFL championship trilogy bout between Kayla Harrison (15-1 MMA) Vs Larissa Pacheco (19-4 MMA).

Although Harrison had beaten Pacheco twice before, Pacheco gritted her teeth and fought her way back to an opportunity for redemption at the PFL Championships 2022.

Since her last loss against Harrison in 2019 for PFL gold, the 28-year-old had recorded five straight wins all coming by finish in the first round, which is the Brazilian’s largest win streak since 2014 as she continued to gun Harrison.

Despite coming into the 2022 PFL Championships a large betting underdog, she came in with more favourable odds than her first two encounters with Kayla Harrison.

Through five rounds Larissa Pacheco was able to use her jiu-jitsu to threaten submission off her back, whilst also controlling large portions of the fight.

Pacheco was also able to find success on the feet, backing up Kayla Harrison with heavy shots.

As the final horn sounded there was still uncertainty as to who had done enough to win. However, the judges saw enough to award Larissa Pacheco with a unanimous decision.

Which subsequently ended Harrison’s dream of becoming the first PFL fighter to win three consecutive championships.

The ability Larissa Pacheco showed, not only put all the pieces together to beat an unbeaten mixed martial artist and a judo gold mealiest, but she was also able to combat the occasion and overcome all the mental hurdles standing in her way.

To see someone, rise above extreme adversity and come out on top to achieve greatness is why we watch the sport of MMA and that is why it is one of the biggest ‘Upsets of the Year’.

Full List of Votes for Upset of The Year:

Frank Bonada: Harrison Vs Pacheco 3

Ross Markey: Edwards Vs Usman 2

Ollie Brockett: Sterling Vs Yan 2

Alex Lerman: Edwards Vs Usman 2

Marc Ray: Edwards Vs Usman 2

Keelin McNamara: Edwards Vs Usman 2

Murdo Todd: Edwards Vs Usman 2

Tim Wheaton: Edwards Vs Usman 2

Patrick Post: Edwards Vs Usman 2

Ian Shutts: Edwards Vs Usman 2

Arshan Dhillon: Edwards Vs Usman 2

Which was your pick for the biggest upset in 2022?

Fight of the Year – LowKickMMA 2022 Awards

2022 delivered another fantastic year of fights for combat sports fans across the globe. New champions were crowned, upsets galore, and some simply beautiful displays of violence. Whether it was Gilbert Burns and Khamzat Chimaev’s brutal battle to get this year underway or Jiri Prochazka and Glover Teixeira’s all-out war in the summer, there was […]

2022 delivered another fantastic year of fights for combat sports fans across the globe. New champions were crowned, upsets galore, and some simply beautiful displays of violence.

Whether it was Gilbert Burns and Khamzat Chimaev’s brutal battle to get this year underway or Jiri Prochazka and Glover Teixeira’s all-out war in the summer, there was plenty of excitement to be had for fight fans in 2022.

Given that there was so much excitement to choose from, let us help narrow down some contenders on what the ‘Fight of the Year’ was as the staff here at LowKickMMA submitted their picks on what was 2022’s best contest.

Fight of the Year: Glover Teixeira vs Jiri Prochazka (6 Votes)

Glover Teixeira vs Jiri Prochazka was not only selected as the best fight of the year, but I would even go as far as to say it is one of the best fights I have seen of all time. A back-and-forth brawl that saw both men have their moments during the 25-minute affair.

A large portion of fans believed the aging Brazilian had a slim chance of retaining his title but that was far from the case during the matchup. Teixeira was leading on the scorecards heading into the fifth and final round until the Czech native, Jiri Prochazka, snatched a hail-mary submission to secure himself the light-heavyweight championship.

Arguably one of the best title fights of all time, and with some hope, we may see the two men run it back in the future provided Glover Teixeira can regain the light heavyweight strap at UFC 283.

Honorable Mentions for Fight of the Year

Gilbert Burns vs Khamzat Chimaev (4 Votes)

A close call for second place was taken by Gilbert Burns and Khamzat Chimaev. Opening betting odds would have had you believe that Chimaev was going to run through the former title challenger, and had you seen his previous performances since signing with the UFC the hype was understandable.

Both Burns and Chimaev left it all in the octagon, fifteen minutes of absolute carnage which saw the two men go blow for blow, both being hurt on numerous occasions, kept fans in attendance and those out home out of their seats the entire duration of the fight.

Ultimately it was Chimaev who had his hand raised come to the end of the contest but given just how talented both of these men truly are, do not be surprised if their paths cross once again in the future.

Calvin Kattar vs Giga Chikadze (1 Vote)

Giga Chikadze had begun an impressive run prior to facing Calvin Kattar, a seven-fight winning streak that included finishes over Cub Swanson and Edson Barboza made it somewhat understandable that on recent form, Chikadze opened as the favorite.

However, Kattar took this opportunity to remind the community exactly who he was after his last octagon appearance saw him being simply outclassed by Max Holloway. This time, Kattar did the outclassing. His illustrious movement and technical boxing were put to good use as he laid on the pressure against Chikadze over five rounds in a bout that could have been stopped the further it went. At that moment Kattar killed the hype that surrounded Chikadze and re-instated himself as a serious contender in the featherweight division.

Do you agree with our ‘Fight of the Year’ selections? Let us know in the comments below about any matchups we may have missed.

Opinion | 10 Fights That Have To Be Made in 2023

The UFC has shut up shop for 2022 with UFC Vegas 66 drawing a close of the promotion’s events for the year. Nassourdine Imavov and Kelvin Gastelum will kick-start 2023 for the UFC with the pair scheduled to meet at a UFC Fight Night on January 14th. A month hiatus from the promotion and with […]

A month hiatus from the promotion and with a majority of MMA stopping during the festive period, gives us fight fans plenty of time to speculate on what we would like to see in 2023.

Top 10 UFC Fights To Make In 2023

Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou

This matchup comes as a no-brainer really. Jon Jones’ hiatus from the sport has seen the former light-heavyweight champion out of action since his narrow victory over Dominic Reyes at UFC 247 in February 2020.

Meanwhile, his potential opponent, current UFC heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou has also been side-lined after undergoing surgery to repair an issue with his knee following his victory over former teammate, Ciryl Gane, at UFC 270.

Considered by many the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, Jones could cement that crown should he make a successful entry to the heavyweight division. What better way to do that than by taking on one of the hardest hitters the sport has ever seen and the current division champion?

Valentina Shevchenko vs. Zhang Weili

Valentina Shevchenko has long reigned as the queen in the women’s flyweight division, overcoming any challenger who has been thrown her way. Given the UFC seems reluctant to book a matchup including her and Amanda Nunes once again, why can’t Zhang Weili be considered a worthy new opponent?

Zhang was successful in reclaiming her strawweight championship title following her victory over Carla Esparza and given the 33-year-old has already expressed interest in this matchup why not allow these two elite mixed martial artists to share the octagon together for the first time?

Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 3

Kamaru Usman reigned supreme at the top of the welterweight division after he dethroned Tyron Woodley back at UFC 235. Five consecutive title defenses followed for the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ following his acquisition and he was on route to secure a sixth until Leon Edwards landed what many considered the knockout of the year, stopping Usman dead in his tracks.

It seems only fitting for both men that they should share the octagon for a third time, for Edwards a chance to remove any doubt from those who still may that he is the real deal. For Usman, it is a chance to reclaim the welterweight title which he successfully defended for so long.

Michael Chandler vs. Conor McGregor

Action-packed. That is what you can expect should Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler meet inside the octagon. Whilst speculation still surrounds whether the Irishman will ever return inside the octagon, it has been made explicitly clear by Michael Chandler that he would be honored to be the man to welcome him back.

Chito Vera vs. Sean O’Malley 2

The only man to defeat Sean O’Malley, Chito Vera has recently been scheduled to fight fellow bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen in February in what can only be considered a title eliminator.

This works perfectly in my plan. In an ideal world, Vera defeats Sandhagen whilst Sean O’Malley gets the call to face current division champion, Aljamain Sterling. O’Malley gets the job done and then towards the end of 2023, we get to see this feud ignited once again in a battle for the 125-pound championship.

Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya 2

Technically the second fight of the two inside mixed martial arts but as I am sure you all know this would be the fourth time the two men compete against each other. Pereira seems to be the kryptonite of the ‘Last Stylebender’ having dethroned the former middleweight champion in the final rounds of their main event matchup at UFC 281.

For Pereira, what better first defense to make than to beat the man who has long reigned at the top of the division? In Adesanya’s case, it is only right that he has a chance to reclaim his previously held title having been just minutes away from retaining it in the pair’s UFC 281 meeting.

Khamzat Chimaev vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov

Khamzat Chimaev and Shavkat Rakhmonov are two of the most highly regarded fighters currently on the UFC roster. Chimaev made an explosive entry to the promotion and has since coined himself as a title challenger at 170 pounds. For Rakhmonov, his ascension in the UFC has been somewhat quieter however that may change after his January 14^th matchup against Geoff Neal. 16 fights resulting in all finishes against a man who has only seen the judges’ scorecards once in his career, both destined for the pinnacle of the welterweight division, sign me up.

Arnold Allen vs. Max Holloway

This may come from a British bias as I just want to see Arnold Allen get a shot at the featherweight title. Now, what better way for him to do that than by taking on former title holder, Max Holloway, to earn himself the chance? Allen has been on fire since signing for the promotion winning all of his matchups whilst Holloway had defeated all potential contenders during his reign as the featherweight champion before being taken off of the perch of the division by widely considered pound-for-pound number one, Alexander Volkanovski.

A chance for Holloway to get back into the winning column following his tough stint and for Allen a win over a legend like Max almost certainly guarantees you competing for the gold in your next matchup.

Tom Aspinall vs. Stipe Miocic

Tom Aspinall similarly to Allen has been on fire since joining the promotion until he, unfortunately, suffered a severe injury in his headline clash with Curtis Blaydes at UFC London. Still, considered by many as one of the better prospects in the heavyweight division why not let him return (once he is ready) and compete against the former champion, Stipe Miocic, who hasn’t been seen inside an octagon since his defeat to Francis Ngannou?

Jiri Prochazka vs. Glover Teixeira 2

One of the greatest fights to take place this year I would not turn down the chance to see these two men compete against each other one final time. Whilst Teixeira is coming toward the end of his career that was not evident in his back-and-forth war with Prochazka back in the summer. All could play out perfectly provided the Brazilian can secure the title in his home country when he faces Jamahal Hill for the vacant belt.

Provided Jiri Prochazka can return from his shoulder injury in a timely manner, win or lose, would there be a more fitting way for Teixeira to call a day on his career than by competing against the man not only who took his title from him, but was also so close to beating.

Are there any fights I have missed off of my ‘fights to make’ list that you would like to see? If so, leave them in the comments below.