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 from May 1-7.
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 Jan. 9-15.
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 Dec. 12-18.
Arman Tsarukyan caused one of the bloodiest cuts in recent memory against Joel Alvarez at UFC Fight Night 202.
[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] caused one of the bloodiest cuts in recent memory against [autotag]Joel Alvarez[/autotag] at UFC Fight Night 202.
Tsarukyan (18-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) opened a gash on Alvarez’s (19-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC) nose in the opening round of the lightweight fight on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and although the bout went longer than many expected from there, he eventually got the finish by TKO at the 1:57 mark of Round 2.
A perfectly placed elbow from the guard sliced Alvarez open, and the blood poured from there in a gruesome scene.
Check out the replay below (via Twitter):
The commentary team knew the end was near when this elbow landed 😳 #UFCVegas49 pic.twitter.com/3ATFeBQAoa
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 27, 2022
The lightweight division just got put on NOTICE 🩸
[ @ArmanUFC | #UFCVegas49 ] pic.twitter.com/3HDaoKx6P4
— UFC (@ufc) February 27, 2022
With the win, Tsarukyan has now won five consecutive fights at 155 pounds. And it’s clear he has big goals going forward.
“I’m getting stronger and I’m getting better every day,” Tsarukyan said in his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping. “It’s my goal (to rematch Islam Makhachev). …We are the best in our division.”
Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 202 results include:
[vertical-gallery id=2526682]
[vertical-gallery id=2526686]
Islam Makhachev is the least-touched fighter in UFC history going into Saturday’s main event with Bobby Green.
The UFC closes its busy February schedule on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 202, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streams entirely on ESPN+.
After an injury forced Beneil Dariush out of the headliner on less than two weeks’ notice, a 160-pound bout will now serve as the main event of the card. [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] (21-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) will attempt to continue his winning streak when he takes on short-notice replacement [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] (29-12-1 MMA, 10-7-1 UFC), who will look to add his name to the list of quickest non-tournament turnaround wins with his second bout in 14 days.
For more on the numbers around the card, check below for 30 pre-event facts about UFC Fight Night 202.
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 Nov. 22-28.
A battle between lightweight prospects Arman Tsarukyan and Joel Alvarez is in the works for February.
A battle between lightweight prospects is in the works for February.
[autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag] is expected to face [autotag]Joel Alvarez[/autotag] at a UFC “Fight Night” event Feb. 26. The card doesn’t yet have an announced venue or location.
MMA Junkie verified verbal agreements are in place for the bout with two people close to the situation. They requested anonymity because the UFC has yet to make an official announcement. Igor Lazorin first reported the news.
Since dropping his promotional debut to lightweight contender Islam Makhachev, Tsarukyan (17-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) has won four straight. The 25-year-old is coming off his first UFC finish, a “Performance of the Night” TKO of Christos Giagos at UFC Fight Night 192 in September.
Alvarez (19-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) has also won four straight since dropping his UFC debut. The Spanish fighter has finished all 16 of his pro wins and is coming off back-to-back stoppages of Alexander Yakovlev and Thiago Moises – missing weight for both bouts.
With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for Feb. 26 includes:
[vertical-gallery id=426194]
[vertical-gallery id=411746]
Rising UFC lightweight contender Joel Alvarez is confident Spain is ready to host a UFC event in 2022.
[autotag]Joel Alvarez[/autotag] is confident his home country is ready to host a UFC event.
The rising UFC lightweight contender would love to see a UFC card go down in Spain. Alvarez (19-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), who’s from Gijon, Spain, thinks there’s a big enough fan base and support in the country to not only host an octagon visit, but it would be a blockbuster turnout.
“There’s a lot of support now and a lot of fans,” Alvarez told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I think it’s a good moment for this coming year in 2022 for the UFC to come to Spain if possible.
“An event in Spain would be tremendous to tell you the truth. I think it’s a good moment. The fan base is ready, and I think they would sell out.”
Spain currently has the strongest representation it’s ever had in the history of the UFC. Alvarez and Ilia Topuria, who are ranked contenders in their respective divisions, and “The Ultimate Fighter 28” winner Juan Espino carry the Spanish flag in the octagon.
[lawrence-related id=1704749,1436845]
The UFC hasn’t hosted any events internationally outside of Abu Dhabi since the COVID-19 pandemic hit a world-wide scale in March 2020. Alvarez hopes things change for next year.
Either way, the 28-year-old will continue to work and climb the rankings wherever he fights next.
“Now we go for the lions of the jungle,” Alvarez said. “I hope to be back in March and get another fight. That way I take a little break and do a good camp for the fight. To be honest, I don’t have anyone in mind, but any of them it’s going to be bad costumer. Any of them would be a great fight. I’m now in the top 15 best in the world.”
Being candid, Alvarez admits he didn’t expect to thrive the way he has in the UFC. He’s happy that he’s now in the official rankings at 155 pounds and is determined to achieve even more.
“To be honest, you don’t imagine it going so well,” Alvarez said. “You expect to be there fighting with obstacles, but I’m now on a four-fight wining streak with all four finishes – that was unimaginable to do something like that. And even more, having debuted with a loss. I think it even served me well that defeat, to mentalize myself on what I need to do.”
[vertical-gallery id=411746]
Thoughts and analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC Fight Night 197, which took place Saturday in Las Vegas.
What mattered most at UFC Fight Night 197 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas? Here are a few post-fight musings …
Joel Alvarez put on a clinic at UFC Fight Night 197 on Saturday and may have inserted himself into the lightweight contenders picture.
[autotag]Joel Alvarez[/autotag] put on a clinic at UFC Fight Night 197 on Saturday and may have inserted himself right into the lightweight contenders picture.
Alvarez (19-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) made it look relatively easy against [autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 4-4 UFC) with a TKO at the 3:01 mark of the opening round. The only downside at all for Alvarez in the win was that he came in heavy for the fight, making him ineligible for a post-fight bonus award.
Alvarez used every bit of his standup arsenal against Moises – punches, kicks, knees and elbows. With Moises backed up against the fence, Alvarez kept the pressure on and with elbows unleashed, he soon had a standing TKO.
Statement made by Joel Alvarez 💥
[ #UFCVegas42 | LIVE on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/Ck4myVEAEq
— UFC (@ufc) November 13, 2021
“I’ve always said I was a striker. I’m here to strike. I can do it,” Alvarez said in his post-fight interview. “It doesn’t matter (who I fight next). I want to be top 15 in the (division). I’ll take any of them.”
Alvarez has four straight wins after a decision loss in his UFC debut in February 2019, and all four of the wins have been by stoppage. The past three have been in the first round.
UFC Fight Night 197 took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card streamed on ESPN+.
[vertical-gallery id=1668923]
[vertical-gallery id=1668919]
