MMA news

• Cain Velasquez’s future past Francis Ngannou depends on teammate Daniel Cormier

  17-02-2019 23:00 via mmafighting.com
  WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Cain Velasquez can’t really plan his next steps after he fights Francis Ngannou in the main event of UFC Phoenix on Sunday.It’s not just that Ngannou is a tough opponent, not one to look past. Velasquez could theoretically be in a No. 1 contender or even title fight if he wins in the ESPN headliner. But there could be limitations to what the former UFC heavyweight champion can do.Daniel Cormier, Velasquez’s close friend and longtime teammate at A
  
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• Paul Daley: Loss to Michael Page was Bellator ‘protecting their investment’

  17-02-2019 22:03 via mmafighting.com
  Fans expecting a striking showdown weren’t the only ones disappointed by how the Bellator 216 main event unfolded.
  In a stunning shift of style, Paul Daley spent much of Saturday’s grudge match with Michael Page circling around the cage and looking for openings to take or trip “Venom” down to the mat. Considering that both men are known for their vicious KOs, this strategy was eyebrow-raising to say the least and perhaps worst of all for Daley, it did not lead to a win a
  
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• Jodie Esquibel vs. Jessica Penne Pulled from UFC on ESPN 1 Card

  17-02-2019 21:53 via sherdog.com
  A preliminary strawweight clash pitting Jodie Esquibel against Jessica Penne has been removed from the UFC on ESPN 1 lineup.
  
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• Leo Santa Cruz Decisions Rafael Rivera, Retains WBA Featherweight Title

  17-02-2019 21:51 via sherdog.com
  Leo Santa Cruz got the expected win Saturday in the main event of a Fox-televised boxing card inside Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles, but it wasn’t the walkover many expected.
  
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• Jessica Penne vs. Jodie Esquibel fight off at UFC Phoenix

  17-02-2019 21:41 via mmafighting.com
  The return of Jessica Penne and Jodie Esquibel to the Octagon will have to wait a little bit longer.
  Penne’s fight against Jodie Esquibel at Sunday night’s UFC Phoenix has been called off due to an injury to Penne, according to UFC officials via MMA Fighting’s Marc Raimondi. ESPN broke the story earlier Sunday afternoon.
  The UFC released the following statement Sunday:
  “Due to injury, Jessica Penne has been removed from her Sunday bout against Jodie Esquibel. The UFC Pho
  
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• Vicente Luque says he’s found ‘holes’ in game of ‘awkward’ Bryan Barberena ahead of UFC Phoenix

  17-02-2019 21:00 via mmafighting.com
  At long last, Vicente Luque will enter the Octagon to battle Bryan Barberena at Sunday night’s UFC Phoenix. The bout was almost booked for UFC Fortaleza, a couple of weeks ago in Brazil, before landing a spot on the preliminary portion of the card in Arizona. In the end, Luque approved the change.
  Even though he was hoping for another chance to compete in Brazil, Luque celebrated being part of UFC’s first event on ESPN. “The Silent Assassin”, who competed in two cards he
  
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• Daniel Cormier says to expect ‘vintage’ Cain Velasquez at UFC on ESPN

  17-02-2019 20:00 via mmafighting.com
  Given that it’s been 30 months since Cain Velasquez last competed, it’s understandable that one might be skeptical as to how the former UFC titleholder will perform this weekend.
  It wasn’t long ago that Velasquez was on track to become the greatest heavyweight fighter of all time. He won 13 of his first 14 fights, making short work of names like Brock Lesnar and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira before going on to win his eventual best-of-three series against Junior dos Santos. Unfortu
  
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• Valerie Loureda was emotional in victory, but found herself ‘crying all day’ before Bellator debut

  17-02-2019 19:30 via mmafighting.com
  UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Of all the big names and potential fireworks fights at Bellator 216 on Saturday night’s main card, only one drew a raucous ovation from the assembled at the Mohegan Sun.
  That was Bellator’s debutante Valerie Loureda’s TKO victory over Colby Fletcher.
  The 20-year-old taekwondo master Loureda tried out an assortment of kicks on Fletcher, and ultimately landed one to the body that spelled the beginning of the end midway through the first round.The offici
  
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• UFC vet Tim Credeur compares Andrea Lee to old pupil Dustin Poirier: ‘She is intent on your destruction’

  17-02-2019 19:00 via mmafighting.com
  Andrea Lee has had a difficult few months personally. For her, though, it also extended into her professional life.
  In August, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Lee’s husband — and coach — Donny Aaron on a charge of domestic violence. Aaron is being accused of choking Lee, threatening to put a cigarette out on her arm and menacing her. The Shreveport (La.) Police Department are charging Aaron with domestic battery and false imprisonment, though he has yet to be captured b
  
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• Cain Velasquez to WWE? It seems like a future possibility

  17-02-2019 18:00 via mmafighting.com
  Cain Velasquez, Daniel Cormier, their families, a few teammates and other UFC fighters and employees were sitting ringside at WWE Elimination Chamber last year in Las Vegas. They were there at T-Mobile Arena to see Ronda Rousey, the former UFC women’s bantamweight champion, make her first scheduled appearance as a contracted WWE talent.By the time the show was over there, it was Velasquez who had caught a bit of the pro-wrestling bug. He and Cormier, the UFC heavyweight champion and longt
  
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• ‘Mama, we made it’: For UFC fighters, MMA on ESPN is an opportunity to take sport to new level

  17-02-2019 17:00 via mmafighting.com
  It’s a new era in the UFC.For almost a decade, the world’s largest fight promotion has had a home with FOX.
  But on Sunday night, at UFC Phoenix, the UFC makes its main-card debut on ESPN and for fighters competing on the card, it’s truly a dream come true.
  “Honestly, I was never sure we’d ever get to this platform and to see that we’re here, it’s like getting to that mountain and saying ‘mama, we made it,” UFC bantamweight Aljamain Sterling
  
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• After winning close decision, Michael Page says Paul Daley should retire

  17-02-2019 16:30 via mmafighting.com
  UNCASVILLE – After their five-round fight ended in a unanimous decision for Michael Page at Bellator 216, Paul Daley left the arena at the Mohegan Sun without a word. However, his manager — Ali Abdel-Aziz — had some parting words for the press that had assembled for the post-fight scrums.
  He shouted something to the effect that he didn’t like the cageside judges, who scored the contest 48-47 across the board for Page.Meanwhile Page, who did show up to speak to the media,
  
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• Cain Velasquez’s road back to UFC title is unclear, but there are still asses to kick

  17-02-2019 16:00 via mmafighting.com
  Cain Velasquez is the best heavyweight of the last decade, an honorific that comes with a huge caveat: he hasn’t fought for a full quarter of that time period. For the last two-and-a-half years, Velasquez has not journeyed to the inside of an octagon, partly due to a back injury, partly due to a paternity leave, and partly due to a contract renegotiation that dragged on. All of those situations have apparently been concluded to his satisfaction, finally leading Velasquez back to action at
  
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• UFC Phoenix predictions

  17-02-2019 15:00 via mmafighting.com
  The UFC is about to make its debut on ESPN and that momentous occasion somehow feels like an afterthought compared to the return of Cain Velasquez.
  Believe it, after 31 months out of competition, the two-time heavyweight champion is back. In what will be just his second fight since June 2015, Velasquez has the daunting task of facing a redeemed Francis Ngannou in the main event of UFC Phoenix. In his last fight against Curtis Blaydes, Ngannou scored a stunning first-round knockout, a win that d
  
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• UFC Phoenix: Pros predict Ngannou vs. Velasquez

  17-02-2019 14:00 via mmafighting.com
  PHOENIX, Ariz. — The return of Cain Velasquez is imminent.
  On Sunday night, inside Talking Stick Resort Arena in downtown Phoenix, the former UFC champion will enter the Octagon after a two-year layoff against the heavy handed Francis Ngannou.
  For many, Velasquez stands as one of, if not the single greatest heavyweight in mixed martial arts history. During his reign atop the division he tore through opponents like Brock Lesnar, Junior dos Santos and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira with rel
  
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• UFC Phoenix start time, TV schedule for Francis Ngannou vs. Cain Velasquez

  17-02-2019 13:00 via mmafighting.com
  The UFC Phoenix start time, TV schedule for the Francis Ngannou vs. Cain Velasquez fight card at the Talking Stick Arena in Phoenix, Arizona on Sunday night. The fight card is broken into three different parts and airing on two different mediums. This post will help explain which fights are airing where and at which times.
  Main card (ESPN at 9 p.m. ET)
  Francis Ngannou vs. Cain Velasquez
  James Vick vs. Paul Felder
  Cortney Casey vs. Cynthia Calvillo
  Alex Caceres vs. Kron Gracie
  Vicente Luque vs.
  
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• UFC Phoenix preview show

  17-02-2019 13:00 via mmafighting.com
  PHOENIX — With UFC Phoenix hours away, MMA Fighting’s Shaun Al-Shatti and Jose Youngs break down the top storylines.
  
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• UFC Phoenix Results: Ngannou vs. Velasquez

  17-02-2019 08:21 via mmafighting.com
  MMA Fighting has UFC Phoenix results for the Ngannou vs. Velasquez fight card at the Talking Stick Resort Arena, live blogs of the top fights, and live UFC Phoenix Twitter updates.
  In the main event, former UFC champion Cain Velasquez makes his long-awaited return when he squares off against Francis Ngannou in a key heavyweight fight. Also on the main card, Kron Gracie makes his UFC debut when he faces Alex Caceres.
  Check out UFC Phoenix results below.
  Main card (ESPN at 9 p.m. ET)
  Francis Ngan
  
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• Bellator 216 in Tweets: Pros react to surprising MVP vs. Daley grapplefest, Mirko Cro Cop win

  17-02-2019 07:15 via mmafighting.com
  Raise your hand if you predicted that Michael Page’s wrestling and jiu-jitsu would propel him to his latest win.
  “MVP” improved to 14-0 as a professional and came out on top of his long-awaited grudge match against fellow U.K. star Paul Daley in the main event of Bellator 216 by winning the takedown and position battle, much to the surprise of many who expected an all-out war on the feet given their reputations. The win also moved Page into the semifinals of the Bellator Welte
  
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• Michael Page vs. Paul Daley full fight video highlights

  17-02-2019 07:07 via mmafighting.com
  Watch Michael Page vs. Paul Daley full fight video highlights from Bellator 216’s main event above, courtesy of Bellator.
  Bellator 216: MVP vs. Daley took place Feb. 16 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Michael Page (14-0) squared off against Paul Daley (40-17-2) in a long-anticipated showdown in the night’s main event and part of the Bellator Welterweight Grand Prix, which aired live on DAZN.
  For more on Page vs. Daley check out the play-by-play, courtesy of MMA Fightin
  
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• Michael Page Outlasts Paul Daley in Welterweight Grand Prix Quarterfinals at Bellator 216

  17-02-2019 07:03 via sherdog.com
  Michael Page and his supporters can breathe a sigh of relief.
  
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• Bellator 216 results: Michael ‘Venom’ Page earns tactical win over Paul Daley

  17-02-2019 07:00 via mmafighting.com
  Bellator MMA did a fine job hyping the main event for Bellator 216’s main event, playing up the real-life grudge between two of England’s finest competitors, Michael “Venom” Page and Paul Daley.The company showed promotional smarts, too, in putting the duo together in the quarterfinal round of the Welterweight World Grand Prix tournament.
  But once the cage door shuts, it’s on the fighter from there, and a bout which promised fireworks never quite got untracked.As t
  
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• Bellator 216 results: Mirko Cro Cop earns unanimous decision over Roy Nelson

  17-02-2019 06:10 via mmafighting.com
  It’s 2019, and one of the highest-profile double-digit win streaks in the sport belongs to ... Mirko Cro Cop.
  As farfetched as the previous sentence might have sounded about five years ago, it’s true. Making his Bellator MMA debut Saturday night, Cro Cop, winner of the legendary 2006 PRIDE Open Weight Grand Prix, earned a unanimous decision over Roy Nelson in the co-feature bout of Bellator 216. The judges’ scores at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. were 30-27 and a pair
  
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• Bellator 216 live blog: Page vs. Daley

  17-02-2019 06:02 via mmafighting.com
  This is the Bellator 216 live blog for Michael Page vs. Paul Daley, a Welterweight World Grand Prix opening round bout at Saturday’s Bellator event at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
  Page, who is unbeaten in 13 pro bouts, faces Daley, a one-time Strikeforce title challenger who has alternated wins and losses in his last six bouts, in the main event.
  Check out the Bellator 216 live blog below.
  Round 1: Kevin MacDonald is the referee for tonight’s main event. Page with a side s
  
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• Bellator 216 results: Cheick Kongo gets unanimous decision nod over Vitaly Minakov

  17-02-2019 05:42 via mmafighting.com
  Cheick Kongo wasn’t invited to be a part of the recently concluded Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix, but it looks like a title shot is going to his anyway.
  The 43-year old Paris native grinded his way to victory over former Bellator heavyweight champ Vitaly Minakov on Saturday night’s Bellator 216 main card en route to a unanimous decision victory. The judges’ scores were 30-27 and a pair of 29-28s in favor of Kongo.
  The victory was Kongo’s eighth in a row; 10th in his la
  
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• Bellator 216 live blog: Cro Cop vs. Nelson 2

  17-02-2019 05:31 via mmafighting.com
  This is the Bellator 216 live blog for Mirko Cro Cop vs. Roy Nelson 2, a heavyweight bout at Saturday’s Bellator event at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
  Cro Cop, the Pride legend who is currently on a career-best nine-fight winning streak, faces Nelson, a former UFC heavyweight contender who is 3-7 in his last 10 fights, in the co-main event.
  This will be a rematch from UFC 137 back on Oct. 29, 2011. Nelson won the first fight by third-round TKO.
  Check out the Bellator 216 live bl
  
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• Video: Sofiane Boukichou suffers broken leg in Cage Warriors 101 main event

  17-02-2019 00:38 via mmafighting.com
  Sofiane Boukichou suffered a brutal break in the Cage Warriors 101 main event Saturday evening.Tom Aspinall checked a leg kick from his opponent early in the first round, which snapped Boukichou’s leg in the same fashion that Anderson Silva suffered the injury in his second meeting with Chris Weidman.An unfortunate ending to our main event here at #CW101.We wish Sofiane Boukichou a speedy recovery. pic.twitter.com/1VKpCnxF8h— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) February 16, 2019Aspinall k
  
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