Tag: Marc Diakiese

Bellator Champions Series Results & Highlights: Sara Collins Submits Leah McCourt

The fifth Bellator Champions Series event went down on Saturday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action. After taking the newly created Bellator Champions Series to Belfast, Paris, Dublin, and San Diego thus far since acquiring its rival promotion late last year, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) brought the brand back to […]

Continue Reading Bellator Champions Series Results & Highlights: Sara Collins Submits Leah McCourt at MMA News.

The fifth Bellator Champions Series event went down on Saturday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action.

After taking the newly created Bellator Champions Series to Belfast, Paris, Dublin, and San Diego thus far since acquiring its rival promotion late last year, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) brought the brand back to English soil for the first time in 2024.

And headlining inside the OVO Arena Wembley in London on September 14 was nine-fight Bellator veteran Leah McCourt. After the cancellation of a championship rematch between Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards, her clash with Australia’s Sara Collins was promoted to main event status.

The Melbourne native remained undefeated, submitting McCourt inside the opening round to secure top contender status for Cris Cyborg’s Bellator women’s featherweight title.

Also of note was the return of England’s own Simeon Powell, who overcame two knockdowns in the opening round to fall on the right side of a split decision against Rafael Xavier in the co-headliner. Beforehand, former UFC athlete Marc Diakiese made a successful debut and unbeaten American prospect Archie Colgan continued his winning ways.

With that said, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights.

Bellator Champions Series: McCourt vs. Collins Results & Highlights

Full Card:

  • Women’s Featherweight: Sara Collins def. Leah McCourt via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 2:25
  • Light Heavyweight: Simeon Powell def. Rafael Xavier via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
  • Light Heavyweight: Luke Trainer def. Laurynas Urbonavicius via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 4:15
  • Lightweight: Marc Diakiese def. Tim Wilde via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Lightweight: Archie Colgan def. Manoel Sousa via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Middleweight: Mike Shipman def. Eslam Abdul Baset via TKO (knee and punches): R2, 2:32
  • Catchweight (170lbs): Joseph Luciano def. Steven Hill via submission (anaconda choke): R2, 1:22
  • Catchweight (140lbs): Ciaran Clarke def. Tuomas Grönvall via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Lightweight: Darragh Kelly def. Dmytrii Hrytsenko via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

Darragh Kelly Def. Dmytrii Hrytsenko

Ciaran Clarke Def. Tuomas Grönvall

Joseph Luciano Def. Steven Hill

Mike Shipman Def. Eslam Abdul Baset

Archie Colgan Def. Manoel Sousa

Marc Diakiese Def. Tim Wilde

Luke Trainer Def. Laurynas Urbonavicius

Simeon Powell Def. Rafael Xavier

Sara Collins Def. Leah McCourt

Continue Reading Bellator Champions Series Results & Highlights: Sara Collins Submits Leah McCourt at MMA News.

Bellator Champions Series: Leah McCourt vs. Sara Collins Results & Highlights (1 PM ET)

The fifth Bellator Champions Series event goes down on Saturday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action. After taking the newly created Bellator Champions Series to Belfast, Paris, Dublin, and San Diego thus far since acquiring its rival promotion late last year, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) has brought the brand back […]

Continue Reading Bellator Champions Series: Leah McCourt vs. Sara Collins Results & Highlights (1 PM ET) at MMA News.

The fifth Bellator Champions Series event goes down on Saturday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action.

After taking the newly created Bellator Champions Series to Belfast, Paris, Dublin, and San Diego thus far since acquiring its rival promotion late last year, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) has brought the brand back to English soil for the first time in 2024.

And headlining inside the OVO Arena Wembley in London on September 14 is nine-fight Bellator veteran Leah McCourt. After the cancellation of a championship rematch between Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards, her clash with Australia’s Sara Collins has been promoted to main event status.

Also of note is the return of England’s own Simeon Powell, who will co-headline in his first fight since falling short of PFL Europe title glory in late 2023, the debut of former UFC athlete Marc Diakiese, and the latest outing for undefeated American prospect Archie Colgan.

Ahead of today’s event, see below for the full card and broadcast information, and be sure to check back later for live results and all the highlights.

Bellator Champions Series: McCourt vs. Collins Results & Highlights

Full Card (1 PM ET, MAX):

  • Women’s Featherweight: Leah McCourt vs. Sara Collins
  • Light Heavyweight: Simeon Powell vs. Rafael Xavier
  • Light Heavyweight: Luke Trainer vs. Laurynas Urbonavicius
  • Lightweight: Tim Wilde vs. Marc Diakiese
  • Lightweight: Archie Colgan vs. Manoel Sousa
  • Middleweight: Mike Shipman vs. Eslam Abdel Baset
  • Catchweight (170lbs): Joseph Luciano vs. Steven Hill
  • Catchweight (140lbs): Ciaran Clarke vs. Tuomas Gronvall
  • Lightweight: Darragh Kelly vs. Dmytrii Hrytsenko

Continue Reading Bellator Champions Series: Leah McCourt vs. Sara Collins Results & Highlights (1 PM ET) at MMA News.

Joel Alvarez slaps D’Arce choke win on Marc Diakiese following clash of heads – UFC London Highlights

Joel Alvarez lands D'Arce choke submission win Marc Diakiese at UFC London HighlightsSpanish lightweight grappler, Joel Alvarez returns to the winner’s enclosure for the first time since his one-sided loss to Arman Tsarukyan back in February of last year, locking up his staggering seventeenth submission victory across his career, with a second round D’Arce choke submission win over British veteran, Marc Diakiese on the preliminary card of […]

Joel Alvarez lands D'Arce choke submission win Marc Diakiese at UFC London Highlights

Spanish lightweight grappler, Joel Alvarez returns to the winner’s enclosure for the first time since his one-sided loss to Arman Tsarukyan back in February of last year, locking up his staggering seventeenth submission victory across his career, with a second round D’Arce choke submission win over British veteran, Marc Diakiese on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night London.

Alvarez, who had suffered a second round TKO loss to the above-mentioned Armenian contender, Tsarukyan in a bloody defeat in February of last year, saw a staggering run of four straight wins over the likes of Thiago Moises, and Joseph Duffy come to an end.

Returning tonight in the English capital, Alvarez, a native of Gijon, managed to capitalize late in the second round of his clash with Cage Warriors alum, Diakiese – wrapping up an impressive D’Arce choke submission win over the Kinshaha-born lightweight after an accident clash of heads.

Below, catch the highlights from Joel Alvarez’s win at UFC London

Marc Diakiese Explains ‘Relief’ Switching From UFC To PFL: ‘The Way They Treated Me As A Fighter…’

Former UFC lightweight Marc Diakiese is one of the latest fighters to make the switch over from the UFC to the Professional Fighters League (PFL). He leaves behind a seven-year stint in the promotion, a run that saw him compete 15 times inside the Octagon. His PFL signing was announced at the recent PFL Europe […]

Continue Reading Marc Diakiese Explains ‘Relief’ Switching From UFC To PFL: ‘The Way They Treated Me As A Fighter…’ at MMA News.

Former UFC lightweight Marc Diakiese is one of the latest fighters to make the switch over from the UFC to the Professional Fighters League (PFL).

He leaves behind a seven-year stint in the promotion, a run that saw him compete 15 times inside the Octagon.

His PFL signing was announced at the recent PFL Europe event in Newcastle and his debut fight has already been made official.

“Bonecrusher” will compete in a battle of Brit strikers when he faces Tim Wilde in London on September 14 in his Bellator Champions Series debut.

Diakiese has now spoken more about his decision to make the switch in order to start what he sees as a new chapter for his career.

Marc Diakiese Says Lack Of Activity Led To Him Leaving UFC, Joining PFL

Diakiese spoke about his departure from the UFC in a recent interview with InsideFighting, during which he made it clear that he didn’t want to say the wrong thing or give the wrong impression.

For him, the decision became an easy one over time because of two main factors, one from both sides.

Diakiese was becoming frustrated with how long he was having to wait before receiving fights, and after his win over Kauê Fernandes last November, he was even waiting to be cut by the promotion.

He detailed how this growing frustration and desire to be active meant that he felt like he was being “set free” when everything was finalized with the PFL.

“Fresh start. For me, people see it different, but for me, it’s actually a relief. I can actually focus on certain things that I want to focus on, as in my career, so it’s a perfect spot for me and I’m really happy where I am,” Diakiese said. “There was a couple issues with myself before leaving, so I’m just happy that I’ve been given a spot where I can perform because I’m 31. Like I said, I want to be busy, active, put on a show. Not just one win and wait six months. For me, I can’t be doing that.

“It might come out wrong but it was just like, I don’t want to wait, I don’t want to wait around. It were like okay, I had a fight in Brazil, after that I got given another fight in Vegas but it was another five-week notice, it was too short for me and I was hoping for something (in) Europe. Then they said July, so I was waiting for that, but then for some reason I got nothing from them on the July card. So I’m going to wait around and just keep waiting. I want to be active.”

The other side to the coin was that although he was hoping to be kept more active in the UFC, he was coming around to the idea of signing with the PFL after attending events and speaking to fighters on the roster.

As he has previously stated, Francis Ngannou played a role in the move, which only made the decision easier once it became time for him to make the call.

“Just the way they treated me as a fighter and like, yeah, I’m sure you know I’ve been speaking to Francis Ngannou for quite a while and he spoke to me like I was a younger brother and talked to me maybe like six months ago, eight months ago. You know when you’ve come back to it and you just think about it and you’re like, ‘Is it right? Is it not?’ But when it came, it was the easiest decision, like, ‘Yeah okay, I don’t want to sign with anybody else but PFL.’”

Continue Reading Marc Diakiese Explains ‘Relief’ Switching From UFC To PFL: ‘The Way They Treated Me As A Fighter…’ at MMA News.

Rafael Fiziev Puts Striking Clinic On Marc Diakiese – UFC Fight Island 2 Results

Fiziev DiakieseNext up on the UFC Fight Island 2 main card is a lightweight bout between Marc Diakiese and Rafael Fiziev. Round 1: Diakiese starts off with a strong calf kick. Diakiese lands another one that momentarily drops Fiziev. Diakiese misses a spinning wheel kick. Fiziev lands a heavy body kick before transitioning to the body […]

Fiziev Diakiese

Next up on the UFC Fight Island 2 main card is a lightweight bout between Marc Diakiese and Rafael Fiziev.

Round 1: Diakiese starts off with a strong calf kick. Diakiese lands another one that momentarily drops Fiziev. Diakiese misses a spinning wheel kick. Fiziev lands a heavy body kick before transitioning to the body lock. He clinches the Briton against the fence before taking him down. The fight eventually gets to the feet again with little action on the ground. Fiziev lands another huge body kick that echoes across the empty arena. Diakiese partially lands a body kick. Fiviez responds with another body kick before swarming Diakiese. Diakiese looks for a takedown with some panic but finds Fiziev on top of him. Diakiese eventually gets up to his feet again but Fiziev lands another huge body kick that later drops Diakese. The round ends.

Round 2: The fight returns with striking again. Fiziev continues with the body kicks. Diakiese attempts a powerful head kick but Fiziev brings out the matrix and ducks his head back. Fiziev lands a body kick and follows it up with a couple of strong leg kicks. Fiziev is showing great head movement. He lands a body shot soon after and follows it up with two big leg kicks to Diakiese’s left leg. It has been all Fiziev this round. Diakiese clinches Fiziev up against the fence but they separate eventually. He continues with the leg kicks. Diakiese lands a body shot. However, it’s still all Fiziev as the round comes to an end.

Round 3: Diakiese is showing more urgency but Fiziev responds with a barrage of strikes, mainly body kicks. Diakiese clinches him up but to no major effect. Fiziev lands another body kick. Diakiese lands a big counter in what is undoubtedly his best strike of the fight. However, Fiziev remains composed and continues the onslaught. Diakiese has one minute left to find the finish. Fiziev lands a body kick. Diakiese jabs to the body. He misses a spinning wheel kick soon after. Fiziev sees his spinning backfist blocked. Diakiese attempts a flying knee that Fiziev blocks. Fiziev uses head movement to avoid strikes before landing a spinning back kick as the fight ends.

Official result: Rafael Fiziev defeats Marc Diakiese via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).

EXCLUSIVE | Marc Diakiese Aiming For Lightweight Ranking In 2020

Marc DiakieseLightweight Marc Diakiese was supposed to be fighting Jai Herbert at UFC London before COVID-19 triggered the event’s postponement. Speaking exclusively to LowKickMMA during fight camp Diakiese revealed he plans to crack the lightweight rankings this year and he’ll fight whoever it takes to do so. “My ambition is to be entering the rankings this […]

Marc Diakiese

Lightweight Marc Diakiese was supposed to be fighting Jai Herbert at UFC London before COVID-19 triggered the event’s postponement.

Speaking exclusively to LowKickMMA during fight camp Diakiese revealed he plans to crack the lightweight rankings this year and he’ll fight whoever it takes to do so.

“My ambition is to be entering the rankings this year.
I’m really looking forward to putting on a great performance so I can get into
those rankings and fight somebody who is ranked.”

The 26-year-old Brit suffered three consecutive losses between 2017-2018 and admittedly had fallen out of love with the sport. Reflecting on the worst period of his career Diakiese said. “As a fighter, you go through a lot of phases, but people just see you as a fighter, but I was going through a lot in my personal life.

“When you’re at the top everyone wants to know you, you get a different call from everybody, they all want something from you. I was getting depressed thinking I had to give something back to everybody when I didn’t have to. I do this for me you know. I’m happy. I’m grounded and ready to go. I didn’t enjoy it before if I’m honest I don’t know why I did it really but I know now and I’m ready to go.”

On the back of two wins ‘Bonecrusher’ is enjoying the sport again. Now all he wants is the chance to avenge his losses to Drakkar Klose, Dan Hooker, and Nasrat Haqparast.

“I know I’m going to meet these guys
again. That’s my goal. Right now, it’s like, I’m giving everything I can and
doing my best to enter the ranks and I’ll see these guys again. I know for a
fact I will because I know where I belong, and I know I can beat these guys.”

Will Marc Diakiese enter the lightweight rankings
in 2020?