Tag: UFC Nashville

Tatiana Suarez chomping at bit for UFC title fight: ‘I’ve worked my way up, whatever they’ve asked, I’ve done’

Tatiana Suarez calls for UFC title shot I've done everything the UFC has askedOff the back of her most high-profile Octagon victory to date, undefeated strawweight contender, Tatiana Suarez has called for a title challenge under the banner of the UFC, pointing to her run of victories since landing in the promotion, as well as her most recent submission win of former division champion, Jessica Andrade. Suarez, who […]

Tatiana Suarez calls for UFC title shot I've done everything the UFC has asked

Off the back of her most high-profile Octagon victory to date, undefeated strawweight contender, Tatiana Suarez has called for a title challenge under the banner of the UFC, pointing to her run of victories since landing in the promotion, as well as her most recent submission win of former division champion, Jessica Andrade.

Suarez, who managed to scoop the number four rank in the official strawweight pile earlier this month, defeating former undisputed strawweight champion, Andrade with a one-sided win at a UFC Fight NIght Nashville, wrapping up a guillotine choke win in the second round.

And prior to that submission stoppage, Covina native, Suarez had landed another guillotine choke win over Montana De La Rosa earlier year in her return to the Octagon following an almost four year layoff from the sport – in tandem with a brief excursion at the flyweight limit.

Tatiana Suarez stakes her claim for a shot at strawweight gold ahead of UFC 292

With one eye locked on next weekend’s UFC 292 co-headliner and strawweight title fight between incumbent and two-time champion, Zhang Weili, and surging Brazilian force, Amanda Lemos, Suarez has laid out plans for her own shot at Octagon gold.

“I just want a title shot because I think that it’s been a long time coming,” Tatiana Suarez told MMA Fighting. “I’ve worked worked my way up twice now. The first time, I didn’t have the opportunity to do that. I got my win over Nina (Nunes) and then I was injured and I was out for three years, and I didn’t have the opportunity to event fight for the belt.”

“And then I did it all over again,” Tatiana Suarez explained. “I worked my way up. I told theme [the UFC] whatever they want to give me, and I did it. Whatever they’ve asked, I’ve done.” 

During her initial run through the strawweight limit, Suarez racked up notable divisional victories over the likes of current flyweight champion, Alexa Grasso, as well as former two-time strawweight championship holder, Carla Esparza. 

Would you like to see Tatiana Suarez fight for UFC gold next?

UFC champ Aljamain Sterling slams Sandhagen’s lack of ‘growth’ in the Octagon, addresses potential rematch

SterlingAljamain Sterling, like many of us, was left disappointed by the UFC Nashville main event between Cory Sandhagen and Rob Font. Fans inside the Bridgestone Arena were treated to some memorable moments and highlight-reel-worthy finishes, but neither one occurred during the evening’s bantamweight headliner. Throughout the 25-minute affair, ‘The Sandman’ put his ground game on […]

Sterling

Aljamain Sterling, like many of us, was left disappointed by the UFC Nashville main event between Cory Sandhagen and Rob Font.

Fans inside the Bridgestone Arena were treated to some memorable moments and highlight-reel-worthy finishes, but neither one occurred during the evening’s bantamweight headliner. Throughout the 25-minute affair, ‘The Sandman’ put his ground game on display and stymied the offense of Rob Font every step of the way. It was an undeniably dominant performance, but far from what fans and UFC President Dana White were hoping to see. Especially with a potential title opportunity hanging in the balance.

Looking back on the uneventful five-rounder, reigning bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling expected to see Font show more urgency in his opportunity to leapfrog into the division’s top-five rankings.

“That main event, I gotta call it what it is,” Sterling said on his YouTube channel. “That was as duck as it gets. I really thought there was going to be a complete opposite turn of events. I figured Rob Font was really gonna come out looking to insert himself. I know he was pressuring forward.

“I’m trying to be respectful and at the same time reasonable in my analysis with this. I just think Font has a lot of holes when it comes to grappling. You can’t just go for a kimura hoping to get off your back with just that. You need a little more than that in your backpack. Your tools, so to speak. I was honestly pretty disappointed with his lack of ability to be able to get back to his feet. I think he might have gotten up once maybe twice out of the five or six takedowns that he’s giving up. That’s tough, man.”

Aljamain Sterling is Not Concerned About Potential Rematch with Cory Sandhagen

‘Funkmaster’ was also critical of Sandhagen’s performance, claiming that ‘The Sandman’ did little to earn himself a title opportunity, let alone suggest that a rematch between the two would go any different than it did the first time around.

“Font, he wanted it. Sandhagen, he wanted it,” Sterling said. “The difference is nobody showed that they wanted the next title shot with a definitive win. Respectfully, when I fought Sandhagen that was my No. 1 contender fight and I definitively shown that I was the next guy in line. Finished him in less than two minutes.“

In June 2020, Aljamain Sterling only needed 88 seconds to submit Cory Sandhagen via a rear-naked choke. The performance earned ‘Funkmaster’ his bantamweight title opportunity against Petr Yan at UFC 259 nearly a year later.

“Now people are saying the rematch is gonna be different,” Sterling continued. “Guys, there’s not much different that I can say will happen in the rematch other than it might go a little bit longer. I haven’t seen the growth from the top position and let me be fair, I know he hurt his tricep, possibly tore it. He had positions where he could have capitalized and done a lot of cool things with the dominant positions that he had and he just kind of chose to stay on top and just coast his way to the finish [line]” (h/t MMAFighting).

Sterling made it clear that he doesn’t see anything wrong with Sandhagen’s more measured approach against Rob Font but reiterated that it’s not the type of showing that earns you a title fight in one of MMA’s most stacked divisions.

“I’m not saying that’s wrong,” Sterling said of Sandhagen’s safer approach. “I’m just saying if you want to insert yourself into the next title shot to fight for the vacant title after I’m done mopping up O’Malley, you leave so much room for doubt where you got Merab who’s already a shoo-in. Who’s his next competitor?”

Cory Sandhagen set for surgery after suffering full tricep tear at UFC Nashville, shows off gruesome injury

Cory Sandhagen suffers entire tricep tear at UFC Nashville set for surgeryFormer interim bantamweight champion, Cory Sandhagen is set for a spell on the sidelines off the back of his unanimous decision win over Rob Font at UFC Nashville over the weekend, suffering a complete tear of his right tricep inside the opening round en route to his judging win. Sandhagen, who currently holds the number […]

Cory Sandhagen suffers entire tricep tear at UFC Nashville set for surgery

Former interim bantamweight champion, Cory Sandhagen is set for a spell on the sidelines off the back of his unanimous decision win over Rob Font at UFC Nashville over the weekend, suffering a complete tear of his right tricep inside the opening round en route to his judging win.

Sandhagen, who currently holds the number four rank in the official bantamweight rankings ahead of the updated rankings release later this week, was intiaily scheduled to headline the Tennessee event against the surging Russian grappler, Umar Nurmagomedov.

Remaining on the Nashville showing amid the withdrawal of Nurmagomedov amid an injury suffered, Sandhagen turned in his third consecutive victory with his win over Font – adding to a prior one-sided split decision win Marlon Vera back in April, and a doctor’s stoppage TKO win over Song Yadong in consecutive headlining fights.

Cory Sandhagen reveals gruesome tricep injury suffered at UFC Nashville

However, faced with severe adversity in the early goings of his dominant wrestling display against New England Cartel staple, Font over the course of the weekend, Sandhagen, who revealed he suffered an injury to his right arm in the very first round, has now confirmed he is set to go under the knife to address an entire right tricep tear.

“Fully torn tricep in round one,” Cory Sandhagen posted on his official Instagram account. “Wasn’t able to punch or elbow with that arm without pain and it feeling like sh*t. Did what I had to do to win that night. Surgery this week – back soon!” 

And despite receiving severe criticizm for his performance off the back of his wrestling-heavy performance against Font – particularly from former foe and current undisputed bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling, Sandhagen has defended his display in Nashville to boot.

“I’m on my way to being one of the best mixed martial artists in the world,” Cory Sandhagen told assembled media after UFC Nashville. “I want to be able to outwrestle the strikers and I want to be able to outstrike the wrestlers. That’s my path. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

Who would you like to see Cory Sandhagen fight in his UFC return?

Jake Hadley details scary weight cut ahead of UFC Nashville: ‘I almost died, I actually saw God for a second’

Jake Hadley weight cut UFC Nashville I saw God I almost diedUFC flyweight, Jake Hadley, details extreme weight cut in the build up to his fight against Cody Durden. Last Saturday saw Haddley and Durden square-off in an exciting 125lb contest was packed with thrilling grappling exchanges. Ultimately though, it was Durden who would earn the judges nod after securing the win in the third round […]

Jake Hadley weight cut UFC Nashville I saw God I almost died

UFC flyweight, Jake Hadley, details extreme weight cut in the build up to his fight against Cody Durden.

Last Saturday saw Haddley and Durden square-off in an exciting 125lb contest was packed with thrilling grappling exchanges. Ultimately though, it was Durden who would earn the judges nod after securing the win in the third round in front of the Nashville crowd.

Following the nights actions, Hadley would post a statement and revealed that during his weight cut the 27-year-old almost died.

“Lost the fight few things went wrong before the fight I almost died during the weight cut I actually saw God for a second. Couldn’t rehydrate like normal felt like that had a major effect on my performance because I couldn’t push like normal anyone who knows me knows I never gas,” said Hadley.

“Fix theses mistakes ready for the next one respect to Cody he showed he was a true warrior surviving that armbar what a gangster. Nashville fans was absolutely amazing they really showed me some love lot of people telling me should of been FOTN I dunno but Durden deserves a bonus.”

Jake Hadley’s full statement via his twitter

What’s next for Jake Hadley and Cody Durden

While the loss puts Hadley’s UFC record at 2-2, the Englishman has shown promise in his short stint with the promotion, including back-to-back stoppages wins prior to last weekend. If Hadley’s weight cutting woes are true, there is absolutely no doubt it would have impacted his performance.

Hopefully Hadley can fix his weight issues and continue down the right path as an emerging British talent.

As for Durden, who took the fight on two weeks’ notice, that now makes it four wins in a row and with back-to-back victories over Charles Johnson and now Hadley, a crack at the top-15 would not be out of the question.

What should Jake Hadley do next?

Aljamain Sterling mocks Cory Sandhagen’s performance in UFC Nashville win: ‘Respectfully, this fight was sh*t’

Aljamain Sterling mocks Cory Sandhagen performance after UFC Nashville that fight was sh*tAttending last night’s headliner at UFC Fight Night Nashville between former opponent, Cory Sandhagen, and New England Cartel staple, Rob Font, undisputed bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling has described the headlining bout as a “sh*t” – amid a wrestling-heavy display from Sandhagen, en route to a dominant judging win. Sterling, the current undisputed bantamweight champion, is […]

Aljamain Sterling mocks Cory Sandhagen performance after UFC Nashville that fight was sh*t

Attending last night’s headliner at UFC Fight Night Nashville between former opponent, Cory Sandhagen, and New England Cartel staple, Rob Font, undisputed bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling has described the headlining bout as a “sh*t” – amid a wrestling-heavy display from Sandhagen, en route to a dominant judging win.

Sterling, the current undisputed bantamweight champion, is slated to take main event honors at UFC 292 next weekend in Boston, Massachusetts – taking on the surging Sean O’Malley in a fourth attempted title defense.

Earlier this year, Uniondale native, Aljamain Sterling managed to land a close, split decision win over former undisputed flyweight and bantamweight champion, Henry Cejudo in Newark, New Jersey – becoming the first gold holder in the division’s history to land three successful title defenses in the UFC. 

Aljamain Sterling blasts Cory Sandhagen’s victory at UFC Nashville

And with a keen eye on last night’s headliner between former opponent, Sandhagen, and Font – Sterling described the pairing as “sh*t” – likely criticizing a wrestling and grappling-heavy display from the surging former foe.

“Respectfully, this fight was sh*t,” Aljamain Sterling posted on his official X account.

Sharing the Octagon with Colorado back in June 2020 in a bantamweight title-eliminator, Serra-Longo MMA staple, Sterling managed to land his first title charge off the back of a stunning opening round submission win over Sandhagen – submitting the latter in less than two minutes with a blistering rear-naked choke. 

Receiving significant criticizm for his performance against short-notice replacement, Font, Sandhagen, who was originally booked to fight the streaking, Umar Nurmagomedov, revealed he suffered a tricep injury in the early goings of last night’s main event in Tennessee – sporting a sling around his right arm and shoulder following his unanimous decision triumph. 

Last night’s victory came as Sandhagen’s third on the trot – prior to a split decision win over Marlon Vera earlier this year, and a prior doctor’s stoppage win over Song Yadong last year in a headliner at the UFC Apex facility.

Conor McGregor backs unbeaten Tatiana Suarez to win title after UFC Nashville win: ‘This women is very, very good’

Conor McGregor backs Tatiana Suarez to win UFC title this women is very goodTuning into last night’s UFC Fight Night Nashville card, former duel-weight promotional champion, Conor McGregor has heaped praise on event co-headliner, Tatiana Suarez – who turned in her second win of the year, backing her to land a championship inside the Octagon to boot. Suarez, an alum and victor of The Ultimate Fighter 23 – […]

Conor McGregor backs Tatiana Suarez to win UFC title this women is very good

Tuning into last night’s UFC Fight Night Nashville card, former duel-weight promotional champion, Conor McGregor has heaped praise on event co-headliner, Tatiana Suarez – who turned in her second win of the year, backing her to land a championship inside the Octagon to boot.

Suarez, an alum and victor of The Ultimate Fighter 23 – turned in a stunning victory in last night’s co-main event clash in Tennessee, defeating former undisputed strawweight titleholder, Jessica Andrade inside the second round.

Improving to 10-0 as a professional, the Californian grappler handed the aforenoted, Andrade a stunning second round loss in Nashville – wrapping up her second consecutive guillotine choke win.

Returning to the Octagon for the first time since 2019 amid a slew of knee, neck, and back injuries, Suarez had made a flyweight comeback earlier this year in February, also submitting Montana De La Rosa with a second round guillotine choke – earning a Performance of the Night bonus. 

Conor McGregor backs Tatiana Suarez to land UFC title in the future

And likely set to crack the top five of the strawweight ranks for the second time in her Octagon tenure at the expense of Brazilian veteran, Andrade, Suarez has received major backing from the aforenoted, Conor McGregor – who described the 32-year-old as “championship material”.

“This women (Tatiana Suarez) is very, very good,” Conor McGregor posted in a now-deleted comment on his official X account. “UFC champion material, 100%!” 

Himself yet to book his return to the Octagon since fracturing his left tibia and fibula back in July 2021, McGregor most recently dropped a first round doctor’s stoppage TKO defeat against former interim lightweight champion, Dustin Poirier. 

McGregor is expected to fight Michael Chandler in a welterweight pairing in his return to the Octagon, however, has recently vetoed the bout – chasing a symbolic BMF title fight with newly-minted championship winner, Justin Gaethje. 

Do you think Tatiana Suarez can win a title under the banner of the UFC?