Tag: DWCS 57

DWCS 57 winner Kevin Borjas wants to work on small mistakes, return in December

Kevin Borjas came up big as an underdog at Dana White’s Contender Series 57.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Kevin Borjas[/autotag] came up big as an underdog at Dana White’s Contender Series 57.

Borjas (9-1) defeated Titan FC flyweight champion Victor Dias (11-3) by unanimous decision on Tuesday. He was able to avoid any significant damage on the ground, and outstrike Dias to earn a UFC contract.

Borjas saw multiple opponent changes before landing Dias, and was happy to defy all odds.

“There were some things ,obviously,” Borjas told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter. “The first time they changed my opponent, I was like, OK. The second time, I was like, wow. But things happen for a reason, and if you’re telling me now I was also an underdog? I mean hey, I’m going against all forecasts and predictions. So with me, there’s no problem.”

Borjas plans on getting right back to training, and is looking to return before the end of the year.

“I’m going to keep working. You don’t stop,” Borjas said. “I’m going to keep working on it and try to improve things and all these small mistakes that I think I made … No names to be said here, but December would be great. December would be awesome.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for DWCS 57.

Dana White says he signed 35-year-old DWCS 57 winner Cesar Almeida ‘out of respect’

Dana White doesn’t often sign older fighters, but he saw something in Cesar Almeida.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] doesn’t often sign older fighters, but he saw something in [autotag]Cesar Almeida[/autotag].

Former Glory kickboxer Almeida (4-0) earned a UFC contract Tuesday when he defeated Lucas Fernando (9-2) at Dana White’s Contender Series 57.

White usually eyes younger talent, but respects the resume the 35-year-old Almeida came in with.

“The last guy is the other guy you would question (why he got a contract),” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters. “I’m not looking for 35-year-old contenders. But 47 wins in kickboxing with 27 knockouts. Now he’s 4-0 in MMA with three knockouts.

“If you look at the fact that he came from a kickboxing background and look at what he overcame tonight – he was down on the ground, he was in the bottom position, he got back up – he fought a hell of a fight for a guy who’s 35 and has fought his whole career in kickboxing. So out of respect, I’m giving this kid a shot.”

When asked how the UFC plans on moving forward with Almeida, White said he thinks the Brazilian is ready to jump right into the mix at middleweight.

“Here’s the thing about him: He was in some bad positions tonight that a guy with 50 something kickboxing fights you’d think would be in big trouble,” White said. “(He was) totally composed like a vet and a pro, took his time, worked his way out of positions, never freaked out, never panicked. First of all, he’s not a guy at his age that you sit on and try to move around (with the matchmaking).

“You bring him in and you throw him in there. He’s got the experience. He looked damn well-rounded tonight to me. We’ll see what he’s got when he gets in the UFC. I’m not looking for 35-year-old contenders, but you have to respect the man, his resume and what he did here tonight. So he’s going to get a shot.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for DWCS 57.

DWCS 57 winner Cesar Almeida inspired by Alex Pereira’s success in MMA

Cesar Almeida hopes to follow in the footsteps of former kickboxing foe Alex Pereira.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Cesar Almeida[/autotag] hopes to follow in the footsteps of former kickboxing foe [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag].

Former Glory kickboxer Almeida (4-0) earned a UFC contract Tuesday when he defeated Lucas Fernando (9-2) at Dana White’s Contender Series 57.

Almeida fought Pereira three times in kickboxing – winning once, and losing twice. Pereira was able to make waves in MMA in a short period of time, becoming UFC champion after just three octagon wins – and Almeida takes inspiration from his fast rise.

“I fought him three times. They were very tough fights, and to see him come this far and become the person he is, is obviously something that says I can do it too, and I’m here now,” Almeida told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter. “You keep working at it and obviously it serves as an inspiration. You look up to him and say, ‘I can do it, too.'”

Almeida thinks continuing his history with Pereira in MMA would make for a great storyline in the UFC, but knows he still has work to do.

“First time I fought him was 2013, 2014 so about next year, it’s going to be 10 years,” Almeida said. “Wouldn’t it be great for that to happen? It would be very interesting. It’s not the time for me to think about that now. I just got here. I need to get my wins. But he did mention that he would come back to middleweight to fight (Israel) Adesanya so why not? Wouldn’t it be great to have the (rematch) in Brazil?”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for DWCS 57.

DWCS 57 winner Caio Machado: ‘It wasn’t the most exciting fight, but I dominated’

Caio Machado didn’t put on the most entertaining showing, but was the far more active fighter at Dana White’s Contender Series 57.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Caio Machado[/autotag] can admit he didn’t put on the most entertaining showing, but was the far more active fighter at Dana White’s Contender Series 57.

Machado (8-1-1) swept the judges’ scorecards to defeat Kevin Szaflarski (11-2) by unanimous decision on Tuesday – and it was enough to earn him a UFC contract.

To Machado’s defense, he came out swinging wildly. But the Brazilian says a hand injury in Round 2 limited his offense, which led to an uneventful affair.

“I think I did my best,” Machado told MMA Junkie and other reporters. “I dominated the fight from the beginning to finish. I tried to go for the knockout, but unfortunately I started messing up my hand and foot. I needed to pick my shots a little bit more and not just throw, so I probably would have finished that fight.

“I saw the stats. I think I threw over 100 strikes more than this guy. I defended all the takedowns he attempted. He couldn’t hold me against the cage. He couldn’t hold me down. It wasn’t the most exciting fight, but I dominated. I showed control, I showed dominance, and I know at the end of the day, that’s what I’m here for.”

Machado, who is eyeing his UFC debut in the rumored Nov. 4 card in Sao Paulo, vowed to put on a better showing in his next outing.

“Whoever was watching that, sorry – that’s not my best performance,” Machado said. “I like to go for the KO. I like to go for the finish, and next time and every time after that, that’s what I’m going to be doing. But you can also expect me to work for every second of that fight.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for DWCS 57.

DWCS 57 winner Payton Talbott says Sean O’Malley comparisons drive him crazy

Payton Talbott hopes to fight Sean O’Malley one day just because he hates the comparisons.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Payton Talbott[/autotag] hopes to fight [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] one day just because he hates the comparisons.

Talbott (6-0) rallied to beat Junior Cortez (7-3) Tuesday at Dana White’s Contender Series 57, setting a new bantamweight record for significant strikes landed.

Like O’Malley, Talbott is a long and rangy striker – and also happens to sport a similar hairstyle. O’Malley is about to challenge for the bantamweight title, but Talbott would rather not be compared to him.

“I say this every time, but I’d really like to fight Sean O’Malley because everybody compares me to him, but it drives me crazy,” Talbott told MMA Junkie and other reporters. “If I have a year or two to climb up to those ranks, then I see myself doing really well against him.”

Prior to beating Cortez, Talbott had finished all his fights. He sees value in going the distance for the first time, but would have loved another stoppage win.

“I was pretty pissed that I didn’t finish him,” Talbott said. “I felt like the nut kick kind of changed the pace a little bit. I still had like two minutes, but that’s my bad, I shouldn’t have kicked him in the nuts… I’ve always known that I can go that long, my cardio is fine. But, I really wanted to finish him tonight.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for DWCS 57.

DWCS 57 winner Tom Nolan says follow-up punch after knockout was payback for disrespect

Tom Nolan’s extra blow after knocking out Bogdan Grad was absolutely intentional.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Tom Nolan[/autotag]’s extra blow after knocking out [autotag]Bogdan Grad[/autotag] was absolutely intentional.

Nolan (6-0) secured the only finish of the night when he needed less than 90 seconds to stop Grad (11-2) on Tuesday at Dana White’s Contender Series 57.

Nolan knocked Grad down with a left hook which appeared enough to finish the fight, but proceeded to land a vicious follow-up shot. An animated Nolan mouthed off at Grad, but he said there was a reason for his actions.

“This guy’s been trash talking me the whole time,” Nolan told MMA Junkie and other reporters. “When I was younger, I didn’t quite stand up for myself the way I should have, and I’ve learned from that.

“Now I won’t take disrespect, and he disrespected me and that was me saying, ‘Hey, this is the game you want to play? You want to talk like that?’ Don’t let skinny guys knock you out. That’s my message to him. He’s making fun of me saying I’m a tall, lanky, skinny guy. Well, you better not let me touch your chin because you’re going to sleep. And that’s what happened.”

Nolan, 23, still is young in his MMA career. While he’s confident he can hang with top UFC lightweights, the unbeaten Aussie is looking to take his time.

“I’ve only had six pro fights, but I feel like I’m super experienced,” Nolan said. “I think I can hang with the top 15 right now quite easily. But in saying that, I want to get experience, as well, and I want to get paid. So I would like to build my way up, knock a few people out and do it properly.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for DWCS 57.

Dana White heaps praise on Nate Diaz after Jake Paul loss: UFC is ‘always going to be his house’

UFC president Dana White reacts to Nate Diaz’s loss to Jake Paul and is asked about a potential reunion with the Stockton, Calif. superstar.

LAS VEGAS – UFC president [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] was quite complimentary of [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag]’s efforts in a boxing match loss against Jake Paul.

Following the conclusion of DWCS 57 on Tuesday, White gave reporters including MMA Junkie his first reaction to Saturday’s boxing match, which saw the former UFC star Diaz drop a unanimous decision to Paul at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

“For a kid pushing 40 years old fighting a guy four weight classes bigger than him in boxing and two in MMA and going the distance at his age against a 20-f*cking-something-year-old kid, so far, he’s fared the best,” White said at the UFC Apex. “He looked good. I’m happy for him.”

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During the boxing match’s fight week, Diaz, who left the UFC in late 2022, was cordial about his former promotion. Since his departure, Diaz has indicated it’s his plan to eventually return.

When asked about a potential reunion, White largely remained noncommittal, but also indicated the company still has a lot of appreciation for Diaz and all he accomplished.

“We feel the same way about Nate. We always have,” White said. “I always joke around about dealing with the Diaz Brothers. These two, you see it now. They’re two iconic fighters that 20 years from now everybody will remember and talk about. This will always be Nate’s house. Nate grew up here. He came up on ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’ He fought some of the biggest fights ever here. We love the kid. I don’t know about fighting in the future, but this is always going to be his house. We’ll see.”

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