Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Check out a full recap of 2023’s most significant footnotes and milestones from the events, the fights and individual performances.
Now that the year has come to a close, and with a major assist from UFC research analyst and live statistics producers Michael Carroll, here are some of 2023’s most significant milestones from the events, the fights and individual performances.
All the UFC 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.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Dec. 11-17.
UFC is revisiting a previosuly-booked matchup that fell through between heavyweight contenders Jailton Almeida and Curtis Blaydes.
The UFC has rebooked a previously scheduled heavyweight main event that fell through.
At UFC Fight Night 231 in November, [autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] was set to face [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] in a five-round headliner. Blaydes withdrew due to injury, and Alemida ended up fighting and defeating Derrick Lewis.
The promotion has decided to revisit the matchup, booking Almeida (20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) against Blaydes (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) in a three-round bout March 9 at UFC 299. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie following an initial report from MMA Fighting on Tuesday.
The event is expected to take place in Miami, but the promotion has yet to officially confirm the location and venue.
Almeida’s unanimous decision win over Lewis was a dominant outing, but also the first time the undefeated Brazilian heavyweight went the distance in his UFC career. “Malhadinho” entered that contest on the heels of a first-round submission win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik.
Blaydes will be looking to rebound from a first-round TKO loss to Sergei Pavlovich in April. The setback halted a three fight winning streak.
With the addition the UFC 299 lineup includes:
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.
Jailton Almeida says an interim title fight with Tom Aspinall makes sense because it’s for the future of the UFC heavyweight division.
[autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] wants to challenge interim UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] next.
Currently riding a 15-fight winning streak, Almeida (20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) initially called out Ciryl Gane after his beatdown of former title challenger Derrick Lewis last month. While he still thinks Gane makes sense for him next, the Brazilian contender has shifted his focus to Aspinall.
With undisputed heavyweight champion Jon Jones expected to defend his belt against Stipe Miocic upon his return from injury next year, Aspinall (14-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) won’t get to unify his belt any time soon. Almeida suggests they fight each other in the meantime.
“Against Ciryl Gane would be ideal, but Tom Aspinall already spoke to the media or whoever and is already talking about a fight with Jailton,” Almeida told MMA Junkie through an interpreter in an interview facilitated by Stake.com. “So, I think probably the Tom Aspinall fight will come first.”
Aspinall knocked out Sergei Pavlovich in just 69 seconds to claim interim gold, which Almeida was very impressed by. He believes a matchup with Aspinall would represent the future of the division.
“It will be a very good fight because Tom Aspinall is a complete fighter,” Almeida said. “He has really good movement. I see myself as an equal in the sense that it would be a good, fair fight. It would be for the future of the category. It’s going to be the future fight for the title.”
Aspinall called for Jones to be stripped of the heavyweight title, which UFC CEO Dana White dismissed. Almeida also disagrees.
“Jon Jones is still the best in the division,” Almeida said. “I believe Tom Aspinall could eventually get there, but for me, there is no doubt that Jon Jones is still No. 1.”
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New interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall shut down Ciryl Gane’s callout after UFC 295.
[autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] shut down [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag]’s callout after UFC 295.
Aspinall (14-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) knocked out Sergei Pavlovich in the first round to become interim heavyweight champion in Saturday’s co-headliner at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Prior to getting the call to face Pavlovich, Aspinall flew to Paris to watch Ciryl Gane beat Sergei Spivac. Aspinall wanted Gane next, but “Bon Gamin” was solely focused on fighting up the rankings. Now that Aspinall is interim champion, Gane is interested in the fight.
“Congratulations, Tom. You are now the champion and become the one being pursued, and I am the hunter. See you soon
.”
Congratulations, Tom.
You are now the champion and become the one being pursued, and I am the hunter. See you soon 👀
— Ciryl Gane (@ciryl_gane) November 12, 2023
Aspinall flipped the tables on Gane, suggesting he fight [autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] (20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) instead.
“That’s interesting after I just called him out, went to France, and he turned the fight down,” Aspinall told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at the UFC 295 post-event news conference. “I think he should fight Almeida. I think them guys should fight each other first and see what happens there.”
Almeida agrees with Aspinall. The Brazilian, who’s unbeaten in the octagon, called out Gane (12-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) after he dominated Derrick Lewis in the UFC Fight Night 231 headliner. Almeida doubled down on his callout.
“I have bad news for you, my friend. You will have to face me before!
@Mickmaynard2 @danawhite.”
I have bad news for you, my friend. You will have to face me before! 🖊️📄 @Mickmaynard2 @danawhite https://t.co/pjyAvaou6Z
— Jailton Almeida “Malhadinho” (@Malhadinho_UFC) November 12, 2023
“The champ already said Bon Gamin. The time is now. Me and you. Almeida vs Gane and the winner go to the title! Lets do it! Can be in France, can be in Brazil, can be in Saudit Arabia, can be UFC 300, anyplace, any time @ciryl_gane @Mickmaynard2 @danawhite.”
The champ already said Bon Gamin. The time is now. Me and you. Almeida vs Gane and the winner go to the title! Lets do it! Can be in France, can be in Brazil, can be in Saudit Arabia, can be UFC 300, anyplace, any time @ciryl_gane @Mickmaynard2 @danawhite pic.twitter.com/lFg2JmOlmo
— Jailton Almeida “Malhadinho” (@Malhadinho_UFC) November 12, 2023
Aspinall hopes to land his dream fight against UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones next. However, Jones is expected to have his title fight with Stipe Miocic rebooked once he returns from injury.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 295.
Check out which veterans of the UFC are competing in combat sports across the globe this weekend.
This week, the UFC returns to New York for a big pay-per-view event at Madison Square Garden.
UFC 295 features a pair of title fights in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. In the co-feature, [autotag]Sergei Pavlovich[/autotag] takes on [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] for the interim heavyweight title, while [autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag] meets [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] for the vacant light heavyweight crown in the main event.
Elsewhere, many other combat sports events are taking place that feature a number of familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.
Check out which veterans of the global MMA leader are competing in MMA, bareknuckle MMA and boxing Nov. 8-12.
Scroll below to see how the UFC veterans fared last week, and see the names and details of this weekend’s competitors.
Upcoming event information from Tapology.
Check out the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings following UFC Fight Night 231 in Brazil.
The UFC may have a new contender in its heavyweight division.
At UFC Fight Night 231, Jailton Almeida defeated former title challenger Derrick Lewis in the headliner Ginasio Do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It was a dominant performance in which Almeida clocked a ton of control time on the mat, as Lewis struggled to keep the fight standing. After 25 minutes, it was a clear unanimous decision win for Almeida, and one of the biggest of his UFC run thus far.
Entering the week at No. 15, Almeida climbs three spots to No. 12, replacing Lewis, who drops one spot in this week’s USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie heavyweight rankings.
Check out all the latest pound-for-pound and divisional USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings above.
Analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC Fight Night 231, including positive words for Jailton Almeida and Derrick Lewis.
What mattered most at UFC Fight Night 231 at Ginasio Do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo? Here are a few post-fight musings …
Jailton Almeida dominated Derrick Lewis at UFC Fight Night 231 but his momentum was seemingly slowed by the performance.
(ALSO SEE: Mick Maynard’s Shoes: What’s next for Derrick Lewis after UFC Fight Night 231 loss?)
[autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] remained undefeated in the octagon at UFC Fight Night 231 when he dominated perennial contender Derrick Lewis in the main event.
Almeida (20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) failed to finish an opponent for the first time in his career, but he still overwhelmed Lewis (27-12 MMA, 18-10 UFC) with his grappling over the course of five rounds to win a unanimous decision at Ginasio Do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo.
Although the performance didn’t come with the most positive reviews, Almeida still appears poised for heavyweight title contention and another big name next.
The Brazilian called out Ciryl Gane after the win, but is that the fight to make? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on Almeida’s future after UFC Fight Night 231.
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 231.
Jailton Almeida continued to run over the UFC’s heavyweight division, albeit in a different manner than fans have become accustomed to.
[autotag]Jailton Almeida[/autotag] continued to run over the top of the UFC’s heavyweight division Saturday, albeit in a different manner than fans have become accustomed to.
Almeida (20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) used a takedown-heavy game plan that led to a UFC heavyweight record for ground control time at more than 21 minutes in a five-round domination of two-time title challenger Derrick Lewis (27-12 MMA, 18-10 UFC) in the UFC fight Night 231 main event in Sao Paulo. The Brazilian moved to 6-0 in the UFC, and did so in front of his home fans.
Going into the fight, the 32-year-old had been to a decision just one time – which happened to be his most recent loss nearly six years ago, more than four years before he arrived in the UFC after a win on Dana White’s Contender Series. While there were moments when Almeida and Lewis swung for the fences, it clearly wasn’t in Almeida’s plans to get into a slugfest with Lewis.
The result was a sweep of the scorecards and the aforementioned new UFC record, but Almeida’s streak of finishes (14) and post-fight bonuses (three) came to an end. Almeida had to change his focus from Curtis Blaydes to Lewis on about three weeks’ notice when Blaydes pulled out. That led to the wrestle-centric attack.
“Remember that (Friday) I said he wanted a brawl, and I said it was going to be a show? Did I give you guys a show, or what?” Almeida said through a translator in his in-cage interview after the win. “We knew he had a heavy hand, and we had 15 or 20 days to come up with a strategy for this fight. We were able to do that and keep him down and avoid his right hand. I was touched, and I didn’t really feel it.”
The heavyweight title picture in the UFC is a bit of a mess, which historically might be par for the course for the division. But champion Jon Jones, who was supposed to headline UFC 295 on Saturday against ex-champ Stipe Miocic, is out for at least eight months with an injury. Miocic wasn’t offered an interim title shot, and he’ll wait for a fight with Jones.
At UFC 295, instead, an interim heavyweight belt will go to the winner between Sergei Pavlovich and Tom Aspinall, and that big man then apparently will wait for the Jones-Miocic winner.
All the commotion up top means other contenders like Almeida have to just keep fighting while the clock ticks for the fighters around the belts. So Almeida called out former interim champ [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag] (12-2 MMAA, 9-2 UFC).
“I want Ciryl Gane,” Almeida said of the Frenchman. “We can do it in Paris. We can do it in Salvador. We can do it wherever. I’m ready. Let’s do it, Ciryl Gane.”
Gane fought Jones for the vacant heavyweight title in March and was submitted in the first round. But he bounced back two months ago with a bonus-winning TKO of Serghei Spivac in the UFC Paris headliner in front of his home fans. After a 10-0 start to his career, he has alternated losses and wins his past four fights. Both setbacks, to Jones and Francis Ngannou, came in title bouts.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 231.
