Tag: UFC Vegas 100

‘Heartbroken’ Karolina Kowalkiewicz Answers Retirement Questions After UFC Vegas 100 Loss

UFC women’s strawweight Karolina Kowalkiewicz doesn’t plan on letting her defeat at the Apex this past weekend mark the end of her journey in MMA. Kowalkiewicz, who has amassed 18 fights worth of Octagon experience since debuting way back in 2015, returned for her second assignment of the year in Saturday’s UFC Vegas 100 featured […]

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UFC women’s strawweight Karolina Kowalkiewicz doesn’t plan on letting her defeat at the Apex this past weekend mark the end of her journey in MMA.

Kowalkiewicz, who has amassed 18 fights worth of Octagon experience since debuting way back in 2015, returned for her second assignment of the year in Saturday’s UFC Vegas 100 featured preliminary bout.

The Polish standout had hoped to bounce back against Denise Gomes after dropping a decision to the fast-rising Iasmin Lucindo this past May at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro.

But the 39-year-old once again fell short to a young Brazilian fighter, with “Dee” also getting the nod on all three scorecards following 15 minutes of action.

A day on from her second straight setback, Kowalkiewicz took to her Instagram Story to address her supporters.

The Polish veteran gave an honest assessment of her performance and the result, admitting that Gomes was simply better. That fact hasn’t, however, brought her to the brink of calling it quits.

“Hey guys, I’m so sorry. But thank you for your support, for your love. I’m okay, as you can see, I’m okay, just my heart is broken,” Kowalkiewicz said. “I had a really great fight camp, perfect weight-cutting, I felt really, really good. Really good shape, but my opponent, she’s better than me, what can I say?

“Give me some time and see you soon. I’m not going to retire, don’t worry,” Kowalkiewicz added.

It remains to be seen what comes next for Kowalkiewicz, but it appears certain that fans haven’t seen the last of the former KSW women’s flyweight champion inside the Octagon.

Gomes, meanwhile, has now won two on the bounce since failing to climb the ladder against Angela Hill in November 2023. The Brazilian will no doubt look to keep her sights on those above her in pursuit of a spot in contention.

Continue Reading ‘Heartbroken’ Karolina Kowalkiewicz Answers Retirement Questions After UFC Vegas 100 Loss at MMA News.

Reinier de Ridder Targets Khamzat Chimaev After Successful UFC Debut: ‘I’m Ready’

Former two-division ONE champion and UFC newcomer Reinier de Ridder would welcome the chance to hand Khamzat Chimaev his first defeat inside the cage. De Ridder arrived in mixed martial arts’ leading promotion this year, having had his two pieces of ONE Championship gold ripped from his grasp by Anatoly Malykhin and becoming angered by […]

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Former two-division ONE champion and UFC newcomer Reinier de Ridder would welcome the chance to hand Khamzat Chimaev his first defeat inside the cage.

De Ridder arrived in mixed martial arts’ leading promotion this year, having had his two pieces of ONE Championship gold ripped from his grasp by Anatoly Malykhin and becoming angered by the workings of the Asia-based promotion.

After bouncing back under the UAE Warriors banner in the summer, “The Dutch Knight” put pen to paper on a dream move to the UFC. And his pursuit of adding the organization’s middleweight belt to his trophy cabinet got underway this past weekend at the Apex.

Co-headlining UFC Vegas 100, de Ridder shared the cage with a former training partner and fellow grappling specialist in Gerald Meerschaert. The Breda, Netherlands native emerged victorious from a competitive and grueling affair by way of submission in round three.

De Ridder’s debut performance split opinion in the community, with many already writing off his chances of defeating the top names high up the ladder at 185 pounds.

The former ONE double champ, however, says he’s “ready” for the toughest tests.

During his post-fight press conference on Saturday night, de Ridder reflected on his first foray into the Octagon, admitting that not everything went how he had envisioned pre-fight.

“On the floor, I made a few mistakes, especially in the second round,” de Ridder said. “I shouldn’t have went for those (D’arce chokes), I thought I had them but they weren’t there. There’s a few little tweaks I should make there.

“But I’m happy it happened this way, the fight happened this way. Because normally he’s the guy who lasts longer, he takes some shots and he’s still there and he finishes guys at the end of the second or in the third round,” de Ridder continued. “So it’s cool I was that guy this time.”

Nevertheless, the manner in which the fight played out hasn’t dented his confidence. In fact, de Ridder has maintained his self-belief when it comes to defeating the best contenders, even calling for the opportunity to blemish Khamzat Chimaev’s perfect record.

“Why not Khamzat? That would be a nice matchup, grappling wise, it would be cool,” de Ridder suggested. “Whatever the UFC wants of me, I’ll do it. Just give me a call. I’m ready.”

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‘This Dude Is Legit’ – Fans & Fighters React As Carlos Prates Adds Neil Magny To His List Of KO Victims At UFC Vegas 100

The violent start to Carlos Prates’ Octagon career continued at the expense of veteran contender Neil Magny at UFC Vegas 100. Prates had already staked a strong claim for this year’s Newcomer of the Year accolade, having followed a contract-winning performance on Dana White’s Contender Series 14 months ago with three straight UFC knockouts in […]

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The violent start to Carlos Prates’ Octagon career continued at the expense of veteran contender Neil Magny at UFC Vegas 100.

Prates had already staked a strong claim for this year’s Newcomer of the Year accolade, having followed a contract-winning performance on Dana White’s Contender Series 14 months ago with three straight UFC knockouts in 2024.

And if his brutal finishes of Trevin Giles, Charles Radtke, and Li Jingliang weren’t enough to get some aboard the Prates hype train, his quick night at the office opposite “The Haitian Sensation” Saturday night likely did the trick.

The Brazilian immediately had his grappling defense tested by Magny, who looked to avoid his opponent’s renowned power at any and all cost.

But the 37-year-old quickly found himself hurt and backpedaling after being struck by the prolific knockout artist. And with short time remaining in round one, “The Nightmare” shut Magny’s lights out and faceplanted him with a glancing left hand.

Prates Showered With Praise After Magny KO In UFC Vegas 100 Main Event

Unsurprisingly, the MMA community was abuzz in the aftermath of the Brazilian’s latest display of violence. Both fellow fighters and fans took to social media to express shock and awe.

The common theme? “Legit.”

With the result, “The Nightmare’s” winning run now stands at 11 straight fights spanning seven years. He’s expected to inherit Magny’s #15 spot inside the welterweight rankings come next week’s update.

“The Haitian Sensation,” meanwhile, has now lost consecutive bouts for the first time since 2013. While his year opened in style when he stalled the surge of Canada’s Mike Malott, he’s now dropped back-to-back outings against two highly regarded names in Michael Morales and Prates.

Continue Reading ‘This Dude Is Legit’ – Fans & Fighters React As Carlos Prates Adds Neil Magny To His List Of KO Victims At UFC Vegas 100 at MMA News.

Reinier de Ridder On What Is Required In UFC Debut: ‘The Top Dogs Finish Gerald’

Newly signed UFC middleweight Reinier de Ridder says a victory is not enough when he debuts inside the Octagon this weekend at the Apex. Among the most notable storylines set to play out at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night is the arrival of de Ridder, a former two-division titleholder under the ONE Championship banner over in […]

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Newly signed UFC middleweight Reinier de Ridder says a victory is not enough when he debuts inside the Octagon this weekend at the Apex.

Among the most notable storylines set to play out at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night is the arrival of de Ridder, a former two-division titleholder under the ONE Championship banner over in Asia.

After losing his undefeated record in addition to his 205- and 225-pound belts to Russian behemoth Anatoly Malykhin, “The Dutch Knight” departed ONE earlier this year. And after getting back to the win column opposite Magomedmurad Khasaev at UAE Warriors 51, the 34-year-old put pen to paper on a deal with the UFC.

While he’ll no doubt hope to walk through an arena crowd soon enough, his first taste of Octagon action will come in the serene surroundings of the Apex on Nov. 9, where veteran Gerald Meerschaert is set to await him.

During his appearance at UFC Vegas 100 media day on Wednesday, de Ridder looked ahead to his first foray into the cage in his new promotion and assessed what he must do to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with on the sport’s biggest stage.

“Finally, after all these years of talking about the top guys, to finally be close to getting them is very cool,” de Ridder said. “The most important this is Gerald first. It’s a very cool matchup. … A win is not enough – the top dogs finish Gerald and I want to prove I’m one of them. … I’ve always watched his fights and that’s a great thing for this fight as well. There’s so much tape to study. He has so much fights. He has a really difficult style.

“The ways he finishes fights, there’s a few things he’s very dangerous at, there’s a few things he does that I think I can really capitalize as well. But it’s a great matchup,” de Ridder continued. “I’m very happy that they’ve given me him for my first fight because he’s a veteran, he’s a real name, and I think if I can put a stamp on this one, I have some leverage to start calling out some bigger names.”

De Ridder will look to make good on those remarks by delivering an emphatic finish of Meerschaert on the main card of the promotion’s centennial Apex-held UFC Fight Night.

Should he do so, the Dutchman has the likes of Bo Nickal in his sights as he hopes to add UFC gold to his already illustrious trophy cabinet in mixed martial arts.

Continue Reading Reinier de Ridder On What Is Required In UFC Debut: ‘The Top Dogs Finish Gerald’ at MMA News.

Reinier de Ridder On What Is Required In UFC Debut: ‘The Top Dogs Finish Gerald’

Newly signed UFC middleweight Reinier de Ridder says a victory is not enough when he debuts inside the Octagon this weekend at the Apex. Among the most notable storylines set to play out at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night is the arrival of de Ridder, a former two-division titleholder under the ONE Championship banner over in […]

Continue Reading Reinier de Ridder On What Is Required In UFC Debut: ‘The Top Dogs Finish Gerald’ at MMA News.

Newly signed UFC middleweight Reinier de Ridder says a victory is not enough when he debuts inside the Octagon this weekend at the Apex.

Among the most notable storylines set to play out at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night is the arrival of de Ridder, a former two-division titleholder under the ONE Championship banner over in Asia.

After losing his undefeated record in addition to his 205- and 225-pound belts to Russian behemoth Anatoly Malykhin, “The Dutch Knight” departed ONE earlier this year. And after getting back to the win column opposite Magomedmurad Khasaev at UAE Warriors 51, the 34-year-old put pen to paper on a deal with the UFC.

While he’ll no doubt hope to walk through an arena crowd soon enough, his first taste of Octagon action will come in the serene surroundings of the Apex on Nov. 9, where veteran Gerald Meerschaert is set to await him.

During his appearance at UFC Vegas 100 media day on Wednesday, de Ridder looked ahead to his first foray into the cage in his new promotion and assessed what he must do to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with on the sport’s biggest stage.

“Finally, after all these years of talking about the top guys, to finally be close to getting them is very cool,” de Ridder said. “The most important this is Gerald first. It’s a very cool matchup. … A win is not enough – the top dogs finish Gerald and I want to prove I’m one of them. … I’ve always watched his fights and that’s a great thing for this fight as well. There’s so much tape to study. He has so much fights. He has a really difficult style.

“The ways he finishes fights, there’s a few things he’s very dangerous at, there’s a few things he does that I think I can really capitalize as well. But it’s a great matchup,” de Ridder continued. “I’m very happy that they’ve given me him for my first fight because he’s a veteran, he’s a real name, and I think if I can put a stamp on this one, I have some leverage to start calling out some bigger names.”

De Ridder will look to make good on those remarks by delivering an emphatic finish of Meerschaert on the main card of the promotion’s centennial Apex-held UFC Fight Night.

Should he do so, the Dutchman has the likes of Bo Nickal in his sights as he hopes to add UFC gold to his already illustrious trophy cabinet in mixed martial arts.

Continue Reading Reinier de Ridder On What Is Required In UFC Debut: ‘The Top Dogs Finish Gerald’ at MMA News.

Carlos Prates Reflects On Dana White Comparing Him To Anderson Silva When He Signed To The UFC

Brazil’s Carlos Prates is set to step into his first main event spotlight this weekend when he faces ranked welterweight Neil Magny at the UFC Apex. The Brazilian has been phenomenal since he arrived in the promotion and made an early impression. Prates was one of the highlights of last year’s season of the Contender […]

Continue Reading Carlos Prates Reflects On Dana White Comparing Him To Anderson Silva When He Signed To The UFC at MMA News.

Brazil’s Carlos Prates is set to step into his first main event spotlight this weekend when he faces ranked welterweight Neil Magny at the UFC Apex. The Brazilian has been phenomenal since he arrived in the promotion and made an early impression.

Prates was one of the highlights of last year’s season of the Contender Series where he stopped Mitch Ramirez in another big win for the Fighting Nerds team. The 31-year olds striking was so accurate and dangerous that his performance earned him a huge compliment from the boss.

When Dana White announced that Prates would be joining the UFC’s welterweight roster, he compared him to one of the all-time greats by saying that his striking reminded him of a prime Anderson Silva. Since then, he has produced three wins inside the Octagon with finishes and performance of the night bonuses in each of them.

In a recent interview with Kevin Iole, the rising welterweight contender was asked about what it was like to receive this kind of comparison and whether it added any additional pressure to his shoulders. For a Brazilian fighter to be compared to the former long-reigning middleweight champion, a compliment simply doesn’t get much bigger.

However, Prates was able to take this in his stride and continue to do what he does best. He hopes that in many years when he’s created his own legacy in the sport, he will become a bench mark for fighters to be measured against like “The Spider” has been for so many.

“It’s good, I don’t feel any pressure to be honest. I just step inside of the cage and try to do my best. I can win the fight but if I didn’t give my best, I’m not happy, you know. All the time I look to do my best and of course I hear about I look like Anderson Silva. It’s really nice but I’m working hard to maybe in five years or ten years, Dana White coming to another guy and say, ‘Hey, that guy looks like Carlos Prates in his prime.’”

Continue Reading Carlos Prates Reflects On Dana White Comparing Him To Anderson Silva When He Signed To The UFC at MMA News.