Tag: Noche UFC

Daniel Rodriguez pulled from Noche UFC fight after testing positive for ostarine in USADA trial

Collage Maker 18 Aug 2023 12 01 PM 8801Daniel Rodriguez has confirmed his removal from a scheduled return to the Octagon at Noche UFC next month against Santiago Ponzinibbio, after revealing he failed a in-competiton drug test administed by anti-doping agency, USADA, for the banned substance, ostarine. Rodriguez, a welterweight staple, most recently featured at UFC Nashville back in April, suffering a devastating […]

Collage Maker 18 Aug 2023 12 01 PM 8801

Daniel Rodriguez has confirmed his removal from a scheduled return to the Octagon at Noche UFC next month against Santiago Ponzinibbio, after revealing he failed a in-competiton drug test administed by anti-doping agency, USADA, for the banned substance, ostarine.

Rodriguez, a welterweight staple, most recently featured at UFC Nashville back in April, suffering a devastating first round high kick and strikes TKO loss to incoming UFC 292 main card festure, Ian Machado Garry.

Daniel Rodriguez confirms removal from Noche UFC

Seeing his matchup with Ponzinibbio now shelved for next month’s Noche UFC event, Rodriguez confirmed his positive drug test finding in a post on his official social media.

Following a communication from USADA today, I wanted to clarify the current situation to the media, my supporters, and everybody involved in the sport of mixed martial arts,” Daniel Rodriguez posted on his official Instagram account. 

“Today I was notified that an out-of-competition sample that I provided to USADA was positive for an extremely low level of Ostarine. First and foremost, I want to clarify I did not intentionally use Ostarine, nor have I ever knowingly used any prohibited substance in my career. I rarely take any form of supplements and have always strived to care for my body in the most natural ways.”

“I strongly believe that a supplement contaminant is the reason for my low-level positive, and am actively working with my manager, USADA, and The UFC on reviewing and testing the supplements I took prior to my test,” Daniel Rodriguez explained. “While I am extremely disappointed in this development and am now unable to fight on September 16th, I am looking forward to finding a definitive explanation for my low-level positive test and am ready to fully cooperate with the USADA.”

Noche UFC is currently scheduled to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 16., with an undisputed flyweight title rematch between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko slated to take main event honors. 

Sean O’Malley Didn’t Pull Out Of UFC 306 Despite Injury Because ‘Merab Sucks’ 

Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley says withdrawing from his title defense opposite Merab Dvalishvili was never an option. O’Malley was forced to relinquish his grip on the crown at 135 pounds in his second defense, which headlined last month’s UFC 306 (Noche UFC) pay-per-view inside the Sphere in Las Vegas. Six months on from […]

Continue Reading Sean O’Malley Didn’t Pull Out Of UFC 306 Despite Injury Because ‘Merab Sucks’  at MMA News.

Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley says withdrawing from his title defense opposite Merab Dvalishvili was never an option.

O’Malley was forced to relinquish his grip on the crown at 135 pounds in his second defense, which headlined last month’s UFC 306 (Noche UFC) pay-per-view inside the Sphere in Las Vegas.

Six months on from an emphatic five-round display to exact revenge on Marlon “Chito” Vera in Miami, “Sugar” had a more difficult 25-minute experience when sharing the Octagon with Dvalishvili.

The Georgian utilized his relentless pressure and smothering grappling game to secure the decision victory, extending his winning run to 11 straight fights and completing his championship ambitions in the process.

In the aftermath of the result, O’Malley revealed a long spell on the sidelines awaited him, having fought through a torn labrum at UFC 306.

O’Malley Doesn’t Regret Fighting Through Injury, Expects To ‘Whoop’ Dvalishvili In Rematch

During an appearance on the debut episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, O’Malley reflected on the disappointing end to his short title reign in Las Vegas last month.

In terms of the injury he competed with, “Sugar” insisted that withdrawing and delaying his second defense was not a possibility, partly down to his confidence when it came to having superiority over “The Machine.”

“I had a torn labrum. 10 weeks before the fight, I f*cking snapped my labrum. It is what it is. … It was unfortunate,” O’Malley said. “No, (I didn’t consider pulling out). UFC Noche, f*cking Merab sucks. There was no reason to pull out.

“No, (I don’t regret not pulling out). Because I’m going to whoop Merab’s ass, and it’s going to make it that much sweeter when I beat him the second time,” O’Malley continued. “Overall, I had a good camp. Way better camp than the Aljo camp. The rib injury was a lot harder to train with than the torn labrum. The labrum, it’s just pain. … I was able to do a lot more.”

O’Malley has little doubt that a second dance with Dvalishvili lies in his future.

And with some uncertainty surrounding the Georgian’s expected title defense against Umar Nurmagomedov coming to fruition before the Dagestani takes a break for Ramadan, “Sugar” is hoping for a faster-than-predicted recovery in order to be a available for a possible rematch with the champ in March or April 2025.

Continue Reading Sean O’Malley Didn’t Pull Out Of UFC 306 Despite Injury Because ‘Merab Sucks’  at MMA News.

Valentina Shevchenko Surprised At Number Of Alexa Grasso Backers Pre-UFC 306: ‘When Pro Fighters Say That…’

UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko was shocked to be on the wrong side of so many predictions from fellow fighters prior to her victory inside the Sphere earlier this month. Shevchenko began her second reign on the 125-pound throne at the UFC 306 (Noche UFC) pay-per-view event in Las Vegas on September 14, where […]

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UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko was shocked to be on the wrong side of so many predictions from fellow fighters prior to her victory inside the Sphere earlier this month.

Shevchenko began her second reign on the 125-pound throne at the UFC 306 (Noche UFC) pay-per-view event in Las Vegas on September 14, where she finally got the better of Alexa Grasso at the third time of asking.

Having previously been submitted by the Mexican to lose the belt and failed to regain it in a split draw, “Bullet” turned to her smothering wrestling game to get the job done in lopsided fashion when the pair completed their trilogy.

The way the bout played out was a stark contrast to what most had expected, with some branding it among the toughest championship fights to predict so far this year in the lead-up.

That view left plenty edging to the side of the defending champion ahead of UFC 306, which evidently left Shevchenko baffled…

Shevchenko Shocked To See UFC Peers Picking Against Her

During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Shevchenko took a moment to address the number of people — specifically other professional fighters — who had leant the way of Grasso in their pre-fight picks.

While the newly crowned champ would have expected such takes from the fanbase, she expressed surprise at how many of her UFC peers dismissed her chances of unseating the Mexican on fight night.

“Surprisingly for me, many UFC fighters, many pro fighters, when they had their picks before our third fight, they said, ‘Grasso…oh Grasso.’ It was kind of one-sided,” Shevchenko said. “It was a little bit surprising for me. I would take it from people who don’t know much about martial arts, and they just want to see (stupidity) in the striking, like (finding out) who has a stronger chin, a stronger head, and it doesn’t involve too much technique, too much fighter IQ, too much of the character of the fighter.

“I would take it from those people, but when pro fighters say that, it was like, ‘Oh my God. There’s something wrong with this world,’” Shevchenko continued. “That’s another reason I had to show domination. I had to show I’m superior in every field.”

Regardless, Shevchenko proved her doubters wrong inside the Sphere to commence a second rule of the flyweight division. She’ll now set her sights on adding another defense to her résumé, which will likely need to come at the expense of the charging Manon Fiorot.

Continue Reading Valentina Shevchenko Surprised At Number Of Alexa Grasso Backers Pre-UFC 306: ‘When Pro Fighters Say That…’ at MMA News.

Alexa Grasso Makes A Promise After Losing Title To Valentina Shevchenko At UFC 306

Having been unseated from the flyweight throne at Noche UFC (UFC 306) this past weekend, Alexa Grasso is vowing to bounce back stronger. Grasso met Valentina Shevchenko once again in Saturday night’s co-main event inside Las Vegas’ Sphere, hoping to get the better of the MMA legend for a second time and close out their […]

Continue Reading Alexa Grasso Makes A Promise After Losing Title To Valentina Shevchenko At UFC 306 at MMA News.

Having been unseated from the flyweight throne at Noche UFC (UFC 306) this past weekend, Alexa Grasso is vowing to bounce back stronger.

Grasso met Valentina Shevchenko once again in Saturday night’s co-main event inside Las Vegas’ Sphere, hoping to get the better of the MMA legend for a second time and close out their trilogy on top.

That didn’t come to fruition, however, with “Bullet” instead leveling the score in their most one-sided fight thus far.

After falling to a surprise submission first time around and subsequently failing to regain the belt in a tight rematch that was ruled a draw, Shevchenko left no doubt about her superiority at UFC 306, using a smothering wrestling attack to pitch a shutout on the scorecards.

Given the difficulty many had predicting a winner in the lead-up, Grasso’s uncompetitive display came as a surprise. And reacting to the result herself, the Mexican has pledged better next time out.

Grasso Thanks Fans, Promises Improvements

A couple of days on from the end of her reign, which came at the UFC’s second annual celebration of Mexican Independence Day, Grasso made her first statement in relation to the result.

The now-former champ thanked her fans for their support and unsurprisingly admitted that things went far from how she had hoped.

That’s something she promised to rectify next time out when she attempts to work her way back toward the flyweight gold.

“I want to thank you for all your support ? It wasn’t the night I wanted,” Grasso wrote in Spanish. “I’ll get back to training and I promise the next fight will be much better.”

While Grasso looks to rebound in her return down the line, Shevchenko will have her sights on cementing her second divisional rule and establishing the kind of dominance she was able to find first time around.

It would appear likely that the first step in that pursuit comes against Manon Fiorot in early 2025. The Frenchwoman has established herself as a top contender by winning all seven of her UFC fights to date, including over Rose Namajunas and Erin Blanchfield. She was also in Las Vegas last week to weigh in as the backup fighter for the UFC 306 co-main event.

Continue Reading Alexa Grasso Makes A Promise After Losing Title To Valentina Shevchenko At UFC 306 at MMA News.

‘This Dude Is Going To Be One Of The Greats’ – Islam Makhachev, Aljamain Sterling & Other UFC Fighters React To Diego Lopes’ Dominant Win Over Brian Ortega At UFC 306

Fight fans and UFC featherweight division – if you didn’t believe in Diego Lopes, do you now? In a fight that was originally supposed to happen at UFC 303 before Brian Ortega’s day-of pull-out due to a 103-degree fever, Lopes ended up making a statement scoring a win in a featured bout at Noche UFC […]

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Fight fans and UFC featherweight division – if you didn’t believe in Diego Lopes, do you now?

In a fight that was originally supposed to happen at UFC 303 before Brian Ortega’s day-of pull-out due to a 103-degree fever, Lopes ended up making a statement scoring a win in a featured bout at Noche UFC 306.

Lopes managed to drop Ortega in the fight’s opening minute, but Ortega managed to survive a follow-up flurry from the rising featherweight contender.

The former featherweight title challenger was rocked again during the second round, with Lopes landing a head kick before knocking him down with a vicious leg kick. That combined with a series of leg kicks throughout the fight appeared to do damage and leave a welt on one of Ortega’s legs.

Lopes rocked Ortega hard with a combination in the third round, dropping him once more, though Ortega was able to get up and throw down until the final horn.

Diego Lopes Puts On Dominant Display In Victory Over Former Title Challenger Brian Ortega

Lopes earned respect in his UFC debut, a short-notice loss to Movsar Evolev at UFC 288, and he’s now won five straight since.

Ortega, meanwhile, has now lost three of his last four, including an unsuccessful challenge of Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title at UFC 266 in September 2021.

Continue Reading ‘This Dude Is Going To Be One Of The Greats’ – Islam Makhachev, Aljamain Sterling & Other UFC Fighters React To Diego Lopes’ Dominant Win Over Brian Ortega At UFC 306 at MMA News.

Conor McGregor’s Coach Predicts Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili: ‘Going To Be In A Lot Of Trouble…’

The main event of UFC 306 that goes down on Saturday night inside the Sphere has proven to be a tough one to call for many people. In the champion Sean O’Malley, you have an incredibly dangerous striker who is always calm under pressure and reads fights incredible well. Merab Dvalishvili, meanwhile, is a perfect […]

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The main event of UFC 306 that goes down on Saturday night inside the Sphere has proven to be a tough one to call for many people.

In the champion Sean O’Malley, you have an incredibly dangerous striker who is always calm under pressure and reads fights incredible well. Merab Dvalishvili, meanwhile, is a perfect counter part to that and swaps aesthetically pleasing offense for an unbreakable will and never-ending gas tank, which he uses to overwhelm opponents from bell to bell.

In many ways, the two men are the perfect counter to one another and that provides the question: who will be able to implement their specific skillset the best?

This clash of styles that goes back to the earliest days of mixed martial arts is something that John Kavanagh referenced when weighing in with his thoughts.

John Kavanagh Breaks Down UFC 306 Main Event, Picks His Winner

Speaking to Lucky Block in a recent interview, the head coach of Conor McGregor described the upcoming bantamweight title fight as a “throwback.”

Both O’Malley and Dvalishvili are capable in all areas but there’s no denying where they are at their best, which just so happens to be their opponent’s kryptonite in this fight.

“I’m really, I’m really looking forward to that. In MMA today it’s usually two guys that are quite well skilled everywhere. And this one I feel is a bit of a throwback to when you’ve somebody very skilled in striking versus somebody very skilled in grappling, so the classic striker versus grappler. If Merab is unable to close that distance, he’s going to be in a lot of trouble. If Merab can close that distance and start chaining his takedowns together, he’s got the most incredible gas tank. He just goes and goes and goes. If he’s able to get attached, Sean’s in a lot of trouble. So it’s a very interesting fight for me as a fan and as a coach.”

Kavanagh followed up his thoughts on the matchup by giving his prediction for the fight, leaning toward the belt staying in O’Malley’s possession thanks to his lethal striking.

“If you were to put a gun to my head for a prediction, I do think Sean will catch him. He’s such a sharp shooter. He’s got fantastic striking and I could see him landing some of those big stray shots. He has a win over Merab’s teammate Aljamain Sterling so I’m sure that Aljamain is helping out Merab a lot in the preparation for this but Sean is on a real run at the moment and I could just see him getting that finish.”

Continue Reading Conor McGregor’s Coach Predicts Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili: ‘Going To Be In A Lot Of Trouble…’ at MMA News.