Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements 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 or Bellator.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Sept. 11-17.
All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements 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 or Bellator.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by a promotion from May 22-28.
All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements 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 or Bellator.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from Feb. 6-12.
Patricio Freire added to his records for most wins and title-fight victories in Bellator history with a dominant defense at Bellator 286.
The final stretch of Bellator’s 2022 schedule kicked off Saturday with Bellator 286, which took place at Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, Calif., and featured a 13-fight lineup.
The main event saw the most decorated fighter in company history further enhance his legacy when [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] (34-5 MMA, 22-5 BMMA) cruised to a lopsided unanimous decision over [autotag]Adam Borics[/autotag] (18-2 MMA, 9-2 BMMA) to defend his featherweight title for the first time in what’s his third title reign in the division.
For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from Bellator 286.
Two big fights and four prelims have been added to the Bellator 286 card.
Two big fights and four prelims have been added to the Bellator 286 card.
[autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag]’s fight with [autotag]Jeremy Kennedy[/autotag] is rebooked for Oct. 1 at Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, Calif. Another key matchup also joins the lineup as ex-bantamweight champion [autotag]Juan Archuleta[/autotag] meets [autotag]Enrique Barzola[/autotag].
A person with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the bookings to MMA Junkie on Tuesday but asked to remain anonymous because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. ESPN was first to report the news.
Pico (10-3 MMA, 10-3 BMMA) was originally scheduled to face Kennedy at Bellator 277 in April, but Kennedy withdrew due to a broken orbital. Pico faced short-notice replacement Adil Edwards instead, knocking him out in Round 3 for his sixth straight win. Meanwhile, ex-UFC fighter Kennedy (17-3-1 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) hasn’t competed since defeating Emmanuel Sanchez via unanimous decision last December at Bellator 272.
Archuleta (25-4 MMA, 7-3 BMMA) will look to snap a two-fight losing skid. After he defeated Patchy Mix to capture the vacant bantamweight title in September 2020, Archuleta lost his belt to Sergio Pettis at Bellator 258, followed by a knockout loss to Raufeon Stots for the interim title in the bantamweight grand prix quarterfinal at Bellator 279.
Barzola (18-6-2 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) was also eliminated in the bantamweight grand prix quarterfinal when he was submitted by Magomed Magomedov at Bellator 282 in June. Prior to that, the Peruvian fighter won his first two Bellator fights against Darrion Caldwell and Nikita Mikhailov.
Prelim additions include the promotional debut of former UFC fighter [autotag]Max Rohskopf[/autotag] (7-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA), as he battles [autotag]Mike Hamel[/autotag] (9-5 MMA, 2-2 BMMA). Also, lightweight contender [autotag]Islam Mamedov[/autotag] (21-2-1 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) takes on former LFA champion [autotag]Nick Browne[/autotag] (13-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA).
With the additions, the Bellator 286 lineup includes:
MAIN CARD
PRELIMINARY CARD
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 286.
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Check out these photos from Eagle FC 47 which took place at FLXcast Arena in Miami.
Check out these photos from Eagle FC 47 at FLXcast Arena in Miami, which was headlined by Junior Dos Santos vs. Yorgan De Castro. (Photos courtesy of Eagle FC)
Eagle FC 47 weigh-ins took place Thursday, featuring UFC alums Junior Dos Santos, Yorgan De Castro, Hector Lombard, Thiago Silva, and more.
Check out these photos from the Eagle FC 47 official weigh-ins at the FLXcast Arena. (Photos courtesy of Ryan Loco, Eagle FC).
Islam Mamedov was a heavy favorite, and Benson Henderson not only gave him a true test, but gave him his first loss in more than 12 years.
[autotag]Islam Mamedov[/autotag] was a heavy favorite, and [autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag] not only gave him a true test, but gave him his first loss in more than 12 years.
Henderson (29-11 MMA, 6-6 BMMA) grinded out a split decision against Mamedov (20-2-1 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) in a fight that saw big momentum swings and submission attempts from both fighters. Henderson took the fight with a pair of 29-28 scores in the Bellator 273 co-main event at Footprint Center in Phoenix. A third judge had it 29-28 for Mamedov.
Mamedov came into the bout on a 20-fight unbeaten streak. He hadn’t lost since his second pro fight in July 2009. Mamedov was as much as a 6-1 favorite in the lightweight bout.
Henderson tried to create distance early with some kick feints. Mamedov stayed patient in the middle looking for openings. Ninety seconds in, Henderson landed a solid inside low kick, and he followed it with a left to the body. After two minutes, Mamedov threw a combination that backed Henderson up, and a body kick came behind it. Midway through the round, Mamedov clinched Henderson and pushed him to the fence. When Mamedov tried a trip takedown, Henderson wound up on top, then went after a guillotine choke. He held it for a a lengthy stretch, but Mamedov worked his way out of it and finished the round on top.
Mamedov faked a few punches in the second, then finally fired off a punch. But when he went for a takedown again, Henderson rolled and went after another guillotine choke. It failed, though, and Mamedov wound up in side control. Then he took Henderson’s back and went for a rear-naked choke. Henderson survived the first effort, but Mamedov drilled him with punches midway through the round. Henderson rallied and went after a heel hook. Mamedov broke free perhaps with the aid of the fence and tried to take Henderson’s back again with a minute left in the round. With 30 seconds left, Mamedov locked in a rear-naked choke and went to the canvas when Henderson slammed them down. Henderson survived the middle frame to see a third.
The two traded punches early in the third, and Henderson pushed forward after 90 seconds with punches and kicks. He went after a big uppercut that missed, then tried a high kick. Midway through the round, Mamedov dropped down and took Henderson to the canvas in a key move to score points with the judges in a close fight. With 90 seconds left, Henderson rolled and looked for a leg submission. He had to eat punches from Mamedov for his effort while Henderson kept his right leg tied up with his own legs.
“I don’t know if I’m going to fight again, so going off with a ‘W’ is good,” Henderson said in the cage after the win.
Henderson snapped a three-fight skid with the upset. It was the longest losing stretch of his career.
Check out our staff members’ picks for the Bellator 273 main card with heavyweight champ Ryan Bader vs. interim champ Valentin Moldavsky.
| Bader vs. Moldavsky |
Henderson vs. Mamedov |
Corrales vs. Lee |
Homasi vs. Willis |
|
| MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 6-5 |
 Moldavsky (65%) |
 Mamedov (80%) |
 Corrales (71%) |
 Willis (75%) |
| John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 9-2  2021 Champion |
Moldavsky |
Mamedov |
Corrales |
Willis |
| Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 7-4 |
Moldavsky |
Mamedov |
Corrales |
Willis |
| Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 7-4 |
 Bader |
 Henderson |
 Lee |
 Homasi |
| George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 7-4 |
Bader |
Mamedov |
Corrales |
Willis |
| Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 6-5 2014 Champion |
Bader |
Mamedov |
Corrales |
Willis |
| Matthew Wells @MrMWells 6-5 |
Moldavsky |
Mamedov |
Corrales |
Homasi |
| Simon Samano @SJSamano 6-5 |
Moldavsky |
Mamedov |
Lee |
Willis |
| Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 6-5 2018 Champion |
Moldavsky |
Mamedov |
Corrales |
Willis |
| Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 6-5 |
Moldavsky |
Mamedov |
Corrales |
Homasi |
| Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 5-6 |
Moldavsky |
Mamedov |
Corrales |
Willis |
| Brian Garcia @thegoze 5-6 2017 Champion |
Moldavsky |
Mamedov |
Corrales |
Willis |
| Nolan King @mma_kings 5-6 |
Moldavsky |
Mamedov |
Corrales |
Willis |
Bellator is back for the first time in 2022, and there’s a heavyweight title unification bout at the top of the lineup.
Bellator 273 takes place Saturday at Footprint Center in Phoenix. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
In the main event, heavyweight champion [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag] (28-7 MMA, 6-2 BMMA) takes on interim champ [autotag]Valentin Moldavsky[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 6-0 BMMA), in a title unification fight. Moldavsky is a sizable -260 favorite at Tipico; the comeback on Bader is +195. Our 12 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers are backing Moldavsky fairly heavily at a 9-3 clip.
In the co-feature, former UFC and WEC lightweight champ [autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag] (28-11 MMA, 5-6 BMMA) will try to snap a three-fight slide against [autotag]Islam Mamedov[/autotag] (20-1-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA). Mamedov is a big -475 favorite, and he’s got a huge 11-1 lead in the picks.
Also on the main card, [autotag]Henry Corrales[/autotag] (19-6 MMA, 7-6 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Aiden Lee[/autotag] (10-5 MMA, 3-2 BMMA) in a featherweight fight. And though Lee is a -125 favorite in a close fight at the betting window, our staff members are going with Corrales with a big 10-2 margin.
And to open the main card, [autotag]Jaleel Willis[/autotag] (15-3 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) is a -230 favorite at welterweight against [autotag]Sabah Homasi[/autotag] (15-10 MMA, 4-4 BMMA). Willis, like Corrales, has a hefty 10-2 lead in the picks.
In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Moldavsky (65 percent), Mamedov (80 percent), Corrales (71 percent) and Willis (75 percent) are the choices.
Check out all the picks above.
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“If Islam is the guy who if I beat him, I’m that much quicker, faster to a title shot then absolutely.”
PHOENIX – [autotag]Benson Henderson[/autotag] says he asked Scott Coker for an opponent who would get him closest to a title shot.
Despite losing three in a row, former WEC and UFC lightweight champion Henderson (28-11 MMA, 5-6 BMMA) has not given up on his hopes to add another belt to his collection.
Henderson will be making a quick turnaround after losing to Brent Primus in October when he meets [autotag]Islam Mamedov[/autotag] (20-1-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) in Saturday’s Bellator 273 co-main event. It’s a tough outing that he asked for.
“I asked them point blank, ‘Hey, what do I need to do?’ I know three losses in a row doesn’t look good,” Henderson told reporters, including MMA Junkie, during Wednesday’s Bellator 273 media day in Phoenix. “One’s at 170 (instead of lightweight) – it is what it is. But three losses in a row doesn’t look good. But what do I need to do? What’s the quickest way I can get back to a title shot? Of course I’m biased in my own opinion, but I feel I’m still the best lightweight in the world. How can I go back to there and prove it? How can I get a chance to prove that? And they threw out Islam’s name.”
Henderson will be taking on another strong grappler in Mamedov, who hasn’t lost since dropping his second professional bout. Henderson, a two-time Bellator title challenger, hopes his willingness to take on all comers will help facilitate his path to another shot at the lightweight belt.
“They said this guy is on a 19-fight win streak. He just beat the guy that beat you, Brent Primus, and no one else can fight him,” Henderson said. “They couldn’t get anybody. Everyone is saying no to Islam. So yeah, sign me up. I’m your huckleberry. If Islam is the guy who if I beat him, I’m that much quicker, faster to a title shot then absolutely. I’m all for it.”
Bellator 273 takes place Saturday at Footprint Center. The main card airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.
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