Tag: Preview/Prediction

Saturday Morning MMA Madness: Watch M-1 Fights Live on Your Computer

M-1 Global is firing up another round of live fights on your computer starting on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. Eastern. M-1 Ukraine European Battle will feature several of the promotion’s fighters, as well as Ukrainian prospects looking to earn a …

M-1 Global is firing up another round of live fights on your computer starting on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. Eastern.

M-1 Ukraine European Battle will feature several of the promotion’s fighters, as well as Ukrainian prospects looking to earn a contract in the Russia-based promotion.

Here is a rundown of the top four fights:

 

Welterweights: Yasubey Enomoto vs. Rafael Moks

Both fighters are 6-3. Enomoto just went 25 minutes with the M-1 welterweight champ, Shamil Zavurov, and he wants another shot at the title.

Moks gave up the M-1 middleweight title to drop down to 170 pounds. We’ll see if that gamble pays off. He won a fight last year with a heel hook in just 19 seconds.

 

Lightweights: Yuri Ivlev vs. Artiom Damkovsky

Damkovsky (8-5) is looking to bounce back from the loss of his M-1 Lightweight title to Jose Figueroa. Ivlev (16-7) will try to use his experience to leap-frog Damkovsky in the lightweight title rankings.

 

Welterweights: Alexander Agafonov vs. Husein Haliev

Agafonov is 2-1 in MMA competition after capturing the Pankration World title and Ukrainian Hand-to-Hand Combat championship. Haliev is a late substitution for rising German star Christian Eckerlin.

 

Lightweights: Antun Racic vs. Vugar Bahshiev

Racic, hailing from Croatia, is 8-2 and has been a judo black belt since he was 15. Bahshiev (5-3) is from Azerbaijan. He has racked up three wins in a row since dropping down to the lightweight division.

 

M-1 Ukraine European Challenge will also feature five other fights under the M-1 Ukraine banner, as well as a five-fight club challenge between Club “SK ARIS” and Club “BK Belarus.”

You can watch the fights on the M-1 Global website or Facebook page.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 Finale: The Top 50 Fighters to Appear on TUF

Power Ranking the Top 50 Fighters in the History of The Ultimate FighterBleacher Report’s Sean Smith:The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) has produced multiple champions and several more legitimate contenders in its 13 seasons of existence. Whether its po…

Power Ranking the Top 50 Fighters in the History of The Ultimate Fighter

Bleacher Report’s Sean Smith:

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) has produced multiple champions and several more legitimate contenders in its 13 seasons of existence. Whether its popularity is waning or not, the series has to be considered a success at this point.

With Season 13 coming to an end on Saturday, a new group of TUF alumni will join the ranks of the welterweight division. It is unlikely that this season will produce the amount of talent that early seasons did, but you can be sure that at least one fighter will emerge from Brock Lesnar‘s or Junior Dos Santos’ teams to become successful in the UFC.

 With that in mind, here are the 50 best fighters to ever appear on TUF.

UFC Lightweight Clay Guida and the 5 Losses That Defined "The Carpenter"

The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 Finale: A Look Back at Clay GuidaBleacher Report’s Danny Acosta:After 13 bouts in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Clay Guida’s nickname “The Carpenter” is more about his ability to outwork opponents in the Oct…

The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 Finale: A Look Back at Clay Guida

Bleacher Report’s Danny Acosta:

After 13 bouts in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Clay Guida’s nickname “The Carpenter” is more about his ability to outwork opponents in the Octagon than his job title prior to prizefighter. Posting an 8-5 record since arriving in the UFC in October 2006 (28-11 overall), the reputation Guida builds with each performance is one of a can’t miss fighter addicted to a feverish pace. 

The 29-year-old lightweight vies for a title shot this Saturday night in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale at The Pearl at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas. Guida enters the bout a slight underdog looking to give the final WEC Lightweight Champion, Anthony “Showtime” Pettis, a fight the Chicagoan promises will be one to be remembered. That statement says everything audiences need to know about this fight: it’s two lightweights finding their prime ready to assert themselves in the most contender-rich division in mixed martial arts. 

Here are five losses that defined Clay Guida leading up to his clash with Duke Roufus’ champion protégé. 

The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 Finale: The Top 5 TUF Finale Fights Ever

TUF Season 13 Finale: Ranking the top 5 TUF Finale FIghts Bleacher Report’s Vince Carey:Fans have been talking about the match up between Clay Guida and Anthony Pettis since the day it was announced, saying it has the potential to be another Fight of …

TUF Season 13 Finale: Ranking the top 5 TUF Finale FIghts

Bleacher Report’s Vince Carey:

Fans have been talking about the match up between Clay Guida and Anthony Pettis since the day it was announced, saying it has the potential to be another Fight of the Year to take place at an Ultimate Fighter Finale.

The event that follows every season of the reality show has had some of the best fights in UFC history take place there and hopefully another classic can be added to this list after Saturday night.

The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale: Clay Guida Tells Anthony Pettis to "Step It Up"

Clay Guida Looking to Make Anthony Pettis “Pay His Dues”Bleacher Report’s Mike Hodges reports:One of the most care-free and beloved fighters in the UFC, Clay Guida is the last person to hold a grudge or any sort of resentment towards an opponent. Howe…

Clay Guida Looking to Make Anthony Pettis “Pay His Dues”

Bleacher Report’s Mike Hodges reports:

One of the most care-free and beloved fighters in the UFC, Clay Guida is the last person to hold a grudge or any sort of resentment towards an opponent. However his opponent, Anthony Pettis, might just be an exception. 

The two lightweights will square off in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter Finale this weekend, with the winner likely earning a title shot by the year’s end. Pettis, who was acquired by the UFC from the WEC merger, is one win away from possibly earning his title shot.

But Guida plans on ruining his chances.

“I’m going to make him pay [his UFC dues] June 4. It’s not out of any rivalry or anything like that, but he’s going to realize that it’s time to step it up,” Guida said in an interview with ESPN.com.

Guida said he respects Pettis and he acknowledges the fact he has fought tough, credible opponents, but he plans on showing the difference in competition.

“He has wins over Shane Roller and Ben Henderson — they are tough guys. But I’ve fought the best in the cage,” he said. 

Guida has a valid point, and one that not many could argue against; plain and simple: the best competition resides in the UFC.

MMA: Power Ranking Every Past Winner of the Ultimate Fighter

The Ultimate Fighter Season 13: Ranking the WinnersBleacher Report’s Sean Smith looks back:In its more than 12 seasons of existence, The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) has produced multiple champions and even more top contenders. On the other hand, we have a…

The Ultimate Fighter Season 13: Ranking the Winners

Bleacher Report’s Sean Smith looks back:

In its more than 12 seasons of existence, The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) has produced multiple champions and even more top contenders. On the other hand, we have also seen a number of former winners being released after not being able to live up to their potential.

Still, The Ultimate Fighter has become an excellent source of new talent for the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC). However, even with all the former TUF talent that exists within the organization today, only series winners have been able to capture a UFC title.

From worst to best, here are the power rankings of the 18 former TUF winners.