Tag: Devonte Smith

With Erick Gonzalez out, Ludovit Klein steps in to face Devonte Smith at UFC 272

Devonte Smith will get a change in opponent just a week out from UFC 272.

[autotag]Devonte Smith[/autotag] will get a change in opponent just a week out from UFC 272.

[autotag]Erick Gonzalez[/autotag] has been forced out and [autotag]Ludovit Klein[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) will step in on short notice to face Smith (11-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) next Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Smith confirmed the booking on social media Thursday following an initial report from Eurosport Nederland.

Smith has split his past four appearances. After returning from an almost two-year layoff in February 2021 to score a TKO over Justin Jaynes, the Dana White’s Contender Series graduate was stopped in the second round by Jamie Mullarkey at UFC Fight Night 193.

Klein also will look to rebound. After scoring a head kick knockout of Shane Young in his promotional debut at UFC 253, the 27-year-old saw his eight-fight winning streak snapped when he dropped back-to-back bouts to Mike Trizano and, most recently, Nate Landwehr.

The current lineup for UFC 272 includes:

  • Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal – five-round fight
  • Rafael dos Anjos vs. Rafael Fiziev – five-round fight
  • Marina Rodriguez vs. Yan Xiaonan
  • Edson Barboza vs. Bryce Mitchell
  • Greg Hardy vs. Serghei Spivac
  • Ludovit Klein vs. Devonte Smith
  • Mariya Agapova vs. Maryna Moroz
  • Jamie Mullarkey vs. Jalin Turner
  • Nicolae Negumereanu vs. Ihor Potieria
  • Kevin Holland vs. Alex Oliveira
  • Jessica Eye vs. Manon Fiorot
  • Tim Elliott vs. Tagir Ulanbekov
  • Dustin Jacoby vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
  • Brian Kelleher vs. Umar Nurmagomedov

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UFC Fight Night 193 medical suspensions: Thiago Santos, Johnny Walker face 180-day terms

Headliners Thiago Santos and Johnny Walker are both looking at six months after UFC Fight Night 193.

Although [autotag]Thiago Santos[/autotag] and [autotag]Johnny Walker[/autotag] didn’t deliver the barnburner fans expected, they are both looking at six months after UFC Fight Night 193.

Former title challenger Santos defeated Walker via unanimous decision in the main event on Saturday, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streamed on ESPN+.

After their five-round battle, Santos will need doctor clearance on his left ring finger, left foot, left knee, and an X-ray on his left ribs before he can resume competition. Meanwhile, Walker needs an X-ray on his left foot before getting cleared.

Also potentially sidelined for 180 days is [autotag]Niko Price[/autotag], who needs an X-ray on his left knee after defeating Alex Oliveira; [autotag]Krzysztof Jotko[/autotag], who needs an X-ray on his left foot after edging out Misha Cirkunov; [autotag]Devonte Smith[/autotag], who needs his right orbital fracture cleared by a doctor after his knockout loss to Jamie Mullarkey, and [autotag]Johnny Eduardo[/autotag], who also needs his right orbital fracture cleared after his submission loss to Alejandro Perez.

The full list of UFC Fight Night 193 medical suspensions can be seen below:

UFC Fight Night 193 video: Jamie Mullarkey goes berserk for TKO of Devonte Smith

Jamie Mullarkey wouldn’t stop throwing until he was pulled off Devonte Smith to end their bout at UFC Fight Night 193.

[autotag]Jamie Mullarkey[/autotag] wouldn’t stop throwing until he was pulled off [autotag]Devonte Smith[/autotag] to end their bout at UFC Fight Night 193.

After a first round where he struggled with Smith’s (11-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) speed in the lightweight bout, Mullarkey (14-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) turned up the heat in the second frame and came after his opponent in ferocious fashion.

Once Smith got hurt, Mullarkey threw an endless stream of punches, elbows, and knees until Smith fell down for the finish at the TIME mark of Round 2 on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Check out the replay of the finish below (via Twitter):

With the win, Mullarkey has now earned back-to-back wins after starting his UFC career with consecutive losses. He also kept the momentum going for the Oceanic fighters. Dan Hooker was cageside showing support, and UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski lauded praise on his fellow Aussie (via Twitter):

Up-to-date UFC Fight Night 193 results:

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Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (July 19-25)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from July 19-25:

UFC adds Devonte Smith vs. Jamie Mullarkey to Oct. 2 event

A lightweight matchup between Devonte Smith and Jamie Mullarkey is the latest addition to UFC Fight Night on Oct. 2.

A lightweight matchup between two prolific finishers is the latest addition to UFC Fight Night on Oct. 2

[autotag]Devonte Smith[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) will take on [autotag]Jamie Mullarkey[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) in an event which doesn’t yet have a known venue or location.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie of the booking Friday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Smith is coming off a second-round doctor’s stoppage TKO win over Justin Jaynes in February. The Dana White’s Contender Series graduate returned from an 18-month long layoff due to a tear in his achilles tendon, which he suffered after his upset knockout loss to Khama Worthy at UFC 241.

Also looking to build momentum from his recent stoppage win is Mullarkey, who scored a 46-second knockout of Khama Worthy at UFC 260 in March. The win marked the 26-year-old Aussie’s first in the UFC, rebounding from back-to-back decision losses to Brad Riddell and Fares Ziam.

With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for Oct. 2 includes:

  • Thiago Santos vs. Johnny Walker
  • Grant Dawson vs. Diego Ferreira
  • Jared Gordon vs. Joe Solecki
  • Bethe Correia vs. Karol Rosa
  • Fernando Padilla vs. Sean Soriano
  • Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. Gaetano Pirrello
  • Kyle Daukaus vs. Kevin Holland
  • Jimmy Crute vs. Jamahal Hill
  • Jamie Mullarkey vs. Devonte Smith

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UFC Fight Night 184 medical suspensions: Overeem among seven facing six-month layoffs

Alistair Overeem is among seven fighters who could be facing lengthy time off after UFC Fight Night 184.

[autotag]Alistair Overeem[/autotag] is among seven fighters who could be facing a lengthy time off after UFC Fight Night 184.

Overeem, who suffered a fractured nose in his second-round TKO loss to Alexander Volkov in the main event, will need doctor clearance or he could be facing up to six months on the sidelines.

Joining Overeem with potential 180-day terms is [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag], who defeated newcomer [autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag] via unanimous decision. Pantoja must have X-rays on both hands cleared. Kape is also dealing with a hand injury of his own, and requires his right thumb to be cleared by a doctor.

MMA Junkie on Monday obtained the full list of suspensions from MixedMartialArts.com, the Association of Boxing Commissions’ official record keeper.

The full list of UFC Fight Night 184 medical suspensions includes:

  • Alistair Overeem: Suspended 180 days or until nasal bone fracture is cleared by ENT; also suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days.
  • [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with 45 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Michael Johnson[/autotag]: Suspended 21 days with 14 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Clay Guida[/autotag]: Needs forehead laceration cleared by doctor, otherwise suspended 30 days; minimum suspension is 21 days.
  • Alexandre Pantoja: Needs X-ray of both hands, and clearance by doctor, otherwise suspended 180 days; minimum suspension is 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • Manel Kape: Needs doctor clearance of right thumb swelling, otherwise suspended 180 days.
  • [autotag]Diego Ferreira[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Beneil Dariush[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact due to left eye laceration.
  • [autotag]Mike Rodriguez[/autotag]: Needs MRI of left shoulder, doctor clearance, otherwise suspended 180 days; minimum suspension is 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Danilo Marques[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Devonte Smith[/autotag]: Needs X-ray of right hand and wrist, doctor clearance, otherwise suspended 180 days; minimum suspension is 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Justin Jaynes[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact due to left eye swelling.
  • [autotag]Karol Rosa[/autotag]: Needs X-ray of left hand, doctor clearance, otherwise suspended 180 days; minimum suspension is 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Joselyne Edwards[/autotag]: Needs doctor clearance for left shoulder sprain, otherwise suspended 180 days.
  • [autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Lara Procopio[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Seungwoo Choi[/autotag]: Suspended 21 days with 14 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Youssef Zalal[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Timur Valiev[/autotag]: Suspended 21 days with 14 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Martin Day[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Ode Osbourne[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Jerome Rivera[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact.

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UFC Fight Night 184: Devonte Smith post-fight interview

UFC Fight Night 184: Devonte Smith post-fight interview

UFC Fight Night 184: Devonte Smith post-fight interview

UFC Fight Night 184: Justin Jaynes suffers nasty eye injury, which ends fight vs. Devonte Smith

The cageside official took just a few seconds to wave off UFC Fight Night 184’s featured prelim bout.

Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 184 featured prelim ended due to a gruesome eye injury.

The 160-pound catchweight fight between [autotag]Devonte Smith[/autotag] and short-notice replacement [autotag]Justin Jaynes[/autotag] was waved off at the 3:38 mark of Round 2 following an assessment by the cageside physician at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

The damage occurred after Smith (10-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) took Jaynes (16-6 MMA, 1-2 UFC) to the canvas. From side control, Smith leaned on Jaynes’ face and landed short elbows. Smith unsuccessfully worked for a rear-naked choke and he rose back to his feet. Referee Keith Peterson allowed the grounded Jaynes to return to his feet to square off with the standing Smith.

Immediately after he signaled the restart, Peterson called timeout, as Jaynes sported nasty, purple-blue swelling under his left eye. The doctor took less than five seconds to give his assessment. He saw enough and the fight was called.

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The victory punches Smith’s ticket back into the win column following a loss in August 2019 to Khama Worthy. Smith had not competed since, as he spent 19 months recovering from a torn Achilles and the death of his sister, Dariene.

Check out Jaynes’ eye in the image below:

 

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Justin Jaynes steps in to fight Devonte Smith at UFC Fight Night 184

With Alex da Silva out, Justin Jaynes has stepped in to fight Saturday in Las Vegas.

One week ago, [autotag]Justin Jaynes[/autotag] didn’t have a fight on the books. Now, he’s fighting Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

After Alex da Silva withdrew from UFC Fight Night 184 due to undisclosed reasons, Jaynes (16-6 MMA, 1-2 UFC) was offered the open lightweight slot against [autotag]Devonte Smith[/autotag] (10-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC), which he since accepted.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie of the booking Monday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Jaynes made his promotional debut in June 2020 when he knocked out Frank Camacho in 41 seconds. Following his emphatic first impression, Jaynes has lost back-to-back outings vs. Gavin Tucker and Gabriel Benitez. Both losses came inside the distance.

Smith has not competed since a knockout loss to Khama Worthy at UFC 241 in August 2019. After the fight, Smith tore his Achilles tendon, which required surgery and months of rehabilitation.

With the change, the UFC Fight Night 184 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Alistair Overeem vs. Alexander Volkov
  • Frankie Edgar vs. Cory Sandhagen
  • Macy Chiasson vs. Marion Reneau
  • Manel Kape vs. Alexandre Pantoja
  • Andre Ewell vs. Cody Stamann
  • Beneil Dariush vs. Diego Ferreira

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET)

  • Clay Guida vs. Michael Johnson
  • Danilo Marques vs. Mike Rodriguez
  • Martin Day vs. Timur Valiev
  • Justin Jaynes vs. Devonte Smith
  • Joselyne Edwards vs. Karol Rosa
  • Molly McCann vs. Lara Procopio
  • Seungwoo Choi vs. Youssef Zalal
  • Denys Bondar vs. Ode Osbourne

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Devonte Smith returns vs. Alex da Silva at UFC Fight Night on Feb. 6

Just over one year removed from surgery, Devonte Smith is finally set to return against Alex da Silva on Feb. 6.

Just over one year removed from surgery, [autotag]Devonte Smith[/autotag] is finally booked for his next fight.

Smith (10-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC), who’s been sidelined due to a torn Achilles tendon, will return at a UFC Fight Night event Feb. 6, when he takes on [autotag]Alex da Silva[/autotag] (21-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC).

A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie on Tuesday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. The fight was first reported by MMA reporter James Lynch.

Smith hasn’t competed since August 2019, when he suffered an upset knockout loss to Khama Worthy at UFC 241. Smith’s bad luck would continue when he tore his Achilles tendon in practice, undergoing surgery that has kept him on the shelf ever since. Prior to that, Smith had won 10 of his past 11, all by way of finish.

After splitting his first two UFC appearances in a loss to Alexander Yakovlev and a win over Rodrigo Vargas, Brazil’s da Silva dropped a unanimous decision to Brad Riddell at UFC 253 in September.

With the addition, the current lineup for UFC Fight Night 187 includes:

  • Frankie Edgar vs. Cory Sandhagen
  • Alistair Overeem vs. Alexander Volkov
  • Macy Chiasson vs. Marion Reneau
  • Molly McCann vs. Lara Procopio
  • Macy Chiasson vs. Marion Reneau
  • Aliaskhab Khizriev vs. Wellington Turman
  • Julio Arce vs. Timur Valiev
  • Seungwoo Choi vs. Steven Peterson
  • Clay Guida vs. Michael Johnson
  • Beneil Dariush vs. Diego Ferreira
  • Alex da Silva vs. Devonte Smith

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