Tag: Ibo Aslan

UFC on ESPN 54 official weigh-in results: Fighter somehow gains weight between attempts, misses mark

The UFC on ESPN 54 weigh-ins ended oddly as Julio Arce somehow gained 0.25 pounds between attempts and his team was scratching their heads.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Ahead of Saturday’s fights at Boardwalk Hall, the 28 fighters involved in UFC on ESPN 54 hit the scales at the host hotel. One missed weight.

Atop the event, which airs on ESPN/ESPN+, is a pivotal women’s flyweight main event between top contenders [autotag]Erin Blanchfield[/autotag] (12-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and [autotag]Manon Fiorot[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC).

In the co-main event, welterweight standouts [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] (22-9-1 MMA, 15-5 UFC) and [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] (17-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) collide. Also on the card, former UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Chris Weidman[/autotag] (15-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC) attempts to reenter the win column against [autotag]Bruno Silva[/autotag] (23-10 MMA, 4-4 UFC).

All of those fighters made weight, but one from the prelims. [autotag]Julio Arce[/autotag] missed the featherweight limit after previously missing at bantamweight in April 2022. He was given two attempts and gained 0.25 pounds between attempts.

Arce’s re-weigh was the last weigh-in of the day. A different New Jersey State Athletic Commission (NJSAC) representative than who weighed in the other 27 fighters and Arce’s first attempt, weighed in Arce the second time. This caused further frustration and disbelief from Arce’s team, who said they had weighed 146 on their own scale. Arce was fined 20 percent of his purse and the fight will continue as scheduled.

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Check out the full UFC on ESPN 54 weigh-ins results below:

MAIN CARD (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Erin Blanchfield (125) vs. Manon Fiorot (125.25)
  • Joaquin Buckley (170) vs. Vicente Luque (170)
  • Bruno Silva (186) vs. Chris Weidman (186)
  • Sedriques Dumas (185) vs. Nursulton Ruziboev (185)
  • Bill Algeo (146) vs. Kyle Nelson (145)
  • Rhys McKee (170.25) vs. Chidi Njokuani (170)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)

  • Nate Landwehr (145.25) vs. Jamall Emmers (145)
  • Loopy Godinez (115) vs. Virna Jandiroba (115)
  • Julio Arce (147)* vs. Herbert Burns (145)
  • Dennis Buzukja (145.25) vs. Connor Matthews (145)
  • Ibo Aslan (205) vs. Anton Turkalj (205)
  • Viktoriia Dudakova (125) vs. Melissa Gatto (125)
  • Jacob Malkoun (185) vs. Andre Petroski (186)
  • Caolan Loughran (135) vs. Angel Pacheco (135)

* Arce missed featherweight limit by 1 pound; 20 percent fine

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 54.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC, PFL, Bellator fights announced in the past week (Jan. 15-21)

Check out the UFC, PFL, and Bellator fights that were first reported 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, PFL, and Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Jan. 15-21.

Fresh Ink: Meet the 30 fighters the UFC signed in August 2023

Find out who joined the UFC in August and learn more about them here.

The UFC roster is bigger than ever – and it continues to expand.

Fresh faces appear on nearly every card, whether onboarded as short-notice opening fillers, “Dana White’s Contender Series” signees, or rare straight-up additions. Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of the hustle and bustle of the mixed martial arts news beat, but here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got you covered.

“Fresh Ink” is your list of fighters added to the UFC roster the previous month and provides background on who they are and where they came from.

Check out the August 2023 list below.

Fueled by ‘Turkish power,’ DWCS 58 winner Ibo Aslan puts UFC light heavyweights on notice

“I am coming for all of you,” Turkish knockout artist Ibo Aslan said after securing a UFC contract at Dana White’s Contender Series 58.

LAS VEGAS – What we saw Tuesday from [autotag]Ibo Aslan[/autotag] was a display of what he likes to call “Turkish power.”

Aslan made quick work of Paulo Renato Jr. in their Dana White’s Contender Series 58 fight, winning by knockout with punches at the 2:22 mark of the first round to secure a UFC contract.

So, about that “Turkish power,” what is it exactly? That was a question one reporter asked Aslan after his win.

“Do you eat Turkish food?” Aslan responded.

“No,” the reporter said.

“Bro, you must eat, because if you eat Turkish food, you will get this knockout power,” Aslan said. “… I eat Turkish food every day, and they give me energy, they give me power. It’s something from my power.”

Well then.

Aslan, 27, pushed his winning streak to four and improved his overall record to 12-1, with all 12 of his wins coming by way of knockout. In due time – or perhaps sooner than later – this “Turkish power” could be a problem for the UFC light heavyweight division.

Not that Aslan has any particular names in mind, although that could be simply because he has everyone in mind.

“I don’t think about other fighters,” Aslan said. “I have my team, my management, Ali Abdelaziz. I talk to him, and step by step to the top.”

His message to the UFC’s 205-pound division?

“I am coming for all of you, all of you,” he said.

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For more on the card, check out MMA Junkie’s event hub for Dana White’s Contender Series 58.

Dana White’s Contender Series 58 results: 5-for-5 on contracts for second week in a row

Season 7 of Dana White’s Contender Series continues Tuesday, and MMA Junkie will have live results from on-site at the UFC Apex.

LAS VEGAS – MMA Junkie was on scene and reported live from Tuesday’s Dana White’s Contender Series 58 event.

Dana White’s Contender Series cards see prospects fighting for the opportunity to sign a UFC deal, with UFC president Dana White on hand to make the decisions.

The second episode of Season 7 saw 10 fighters compete for their shot at a UFC contract. A lightweight contest between George Hardwick (12-1) and Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady (14-3) served as the featured bout of the five-bout lineup.

Although there were two decisions, all five winners received UFC contracts from White for the second week in a row.

Full results of Dana White’s Contender Series 58 below:

  • Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady def. George Hardwick via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Ibo Aslan def. Paulo Renato Jr. via knockout (punches) –  Round 1, 2:22
  • Hyder Amil def. Emrah Sonmez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Eduarda Moura def. Janaina Silva via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 4:00
  • Charalampos Grigoriou def. Cameron Smotherman via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:00

Continue reading below for more details about each fight.

Dana White’s Contender Series 58 video: Turkey’s Ibo Aslan blitzes for first-round knockout

Ibo Aslan is a proven finisher, and got the job done with a crushing knockout in the first round at Dana White’s Contender Series 58.

The UFC’s light heavyweight division may have a new addition in [autotag]Ibo Aslan[/autotag].

A Turkish light heavyweight with serious power, Aslan (12-1) stepped into the octagon at the UFC Apex to face Paulo Renato Jr. (12-3) for a shot at a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series 58. It didn’t take long for Aslan to show off his fight-finishing ability, as he blitzed forward with punches, putting Renato Jr. down and out at 2:22 of Round 1.

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

Aslan is a heavy-handed knockout artist who has won every fight of his professional career by stoppage. Tuesday’s result not only marked his fourth-straight victory, but also his fourth-straight first-round stoppage.

Up-to-the-minute results of DWCS 58 include:

  • Ibo Aslan def. Paulo Renato Jr. via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:22
  • Hyder Amil def. Emrah Sonmez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Eduarda Moura def. Janaina Silva via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 4:00
  • Charalampos Grigoriou def. Cameron Smotherman via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:00

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Ibo Aslan, Paulo Renato Jr. to fight for UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series

UFC hopefuls Ibo Aslan and Paulo Renato Jr. will fight for a potential contract on Dana White’s Contender Series this summer.

Two more light heavyweights will fight for a UFC contract this summer.

Brazil’s [autotag]Paulo Renato Jr.[/autotag] will get his second shot on Dana White’s Contender Series when he meets [autotag]Ibo Aslan[/autotag]. The bout is set for DWCS 58, the seventh season’s second episode, on Aug. 15 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

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

Turkey’s Aslan (11-1) had previously been targeted for DWCS, but the opportunity never materialized. He enters the bout on a three-fight winning streak and a 100 percent finishing rate. All of his career wins have come by knockout or TKO.

Renato (12-2) competed on DWCS, Season 6 in 2022 when he lost a unanimous decision to Jamal Pogues. The bout was at heavyweight. Since the fight, Renato is 2-0 with two first-round stoppages due to strikes.

With the addition, the DWCS 58 lineup includes:

  • Abdul-Kerim Al-Sewady vs. George Hardwick
  • Eduarda Moura vs. Janaina Silva
  • Hyder Amil vs. Emrah Sonmez
  • Ibo Aslan vs. Paulo Renato Jr.
  • Charalampos Grigoriou vs. Cameron Smotherman

You can check out the full DWCS, Season 7 lineup here.

10 light heavyweights you should see compete on Dana White’s Contender Series season 4

Dana White’s Contender Series season 4 is right around the corner. Check out 10 light heavyweights who could be featured.

Dana White’s Contender Series has become a key platform for fighters on the regional scene. Since its conception, the UFC Fight Pass-turned-ESPN+ summer original removed some of the guesswork for up-and-comers trying to make it big.

With UFC president Dana White and matchmakers Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby cage-side, the stakes are high. Have an impressive, exciting win on the show, you’re in.

Rumored for a late-June 2020 start date, the fourth season of DWCS isn’t that far off almost. The lineups haven’t been announced yet, but advanced planning is underway. While there are hundreds of fighters qualified to compete on the show, we’ll narrow each divisional pool to 10 fighters who you should see compete on the show this summer.

Up next, the light heavyweights.

Ibo Aslan*

Record: 8-0
Age: 23
Height: 6’2″
Birthplace: Austria

A main training partner of light heavyweight contender Aleksandar Rakic, [autotag]Ibo Aslan[/autotag] is the next beastly light heavyweight to come out of Austria. Looking at Aslan’s physique, it’s no surprise his strength and power are above average. He fits the part. A ground-and-pound specialist, Aslan has finished the majority of his opponents inside the distance. Competing for top Austrian regional promotions Vendetta and Austrian FC, Aslan has taken out the who’s who of fighters in his home country – and he’ll look to continue that success on the summer series.

* = Aslan’s participation in DWCS season 4 has already been confirmed

Dustin Jacoby*

Record: 11-5
Age: 31
Height: 6’4″
Birthplace: Fort Morgan, Colo.

Fans who only follow mainstream promotions may recognize [autotag]Dustin Jacoby[/autotag]. A pro MMA fighter since 2010, Jacoby has competed in the UFC (twice), WSOF (once), Titan FC (once), and Bellator (twice). Jacoby has also competed 11 times in GLORY kickboxing. Despite some struggles in his kickboxing career early on, Jacoby turned a corner in 2015. He won his last five GLORY fights – all of which he finished inside the distance. The Factory X member will test the waters at 205 pounds and propel himself to the ranks of the UFC.

* = Jacoby’s participation in DWCS season 4 has already been confirmed

More fighters on the next page:

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