Tag: Johnny Eblen

Bellator champ Johnny Eblen considers himself, UFC’s Sean Strickland top MMA middleweights

Bellator champ Johnny Eblen dubs himself and former UFC champ Sean Strickland as the best middleweights in the world.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Bellator champion [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] dubs himself and former UFC champion [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] the best middleweights in the world.

Eblen (15-0) defends his title against Fabian Edwards (13-3) in a rematch at Saturday’s PFL: Battle of the Giants main card (DAZN, ESPN+) at The Mayadeen. Eblen is undefeated in his professional MMA career, with his most recent four wins coming over Gegard Mousasi, Anatoly Tokov, Edwards, and Impa Kasanganay. Meanwhile, Strickland has won four of his past five fights, including a title win over Israel Adesanya.

Having trained with Strickland at Xtreme Couture, Eblen spoke highly of the former UFC champ.

“I’m going to have to go with my boy Sean Strickland,” Eblen told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “Every time I go out and train with him in Vegas, it’s tough rounds. He gets me sometimes, and I get him sometimes.

“I think truly we’re the best middleweights in the world. The fact that I get to train with him, and we happen to be in different promotions right now is kind of cool. And that we get to train together, and also we’re both making good money.”

Eblen knocked out Edwards in the third round of their first title meeting in September 2023. The judges were split on the scorecards prior to the knockout, with one judge having Edwards up 2-0, one judge having Eblen up 2-0, and the third judge having it tied 1-1 heading into the third.

This time, Eblen wants to make sure he leaves no doubt that he’s the better fighter.

“I think I dominate every single minute of every single round,” Eblen said. “Whether I get a finish in the first or the fifth, it doesn’t really matter. I’m prepared for everything he’s going to throw at me. I don’t think he’s prepared for everything I’m going to throw at him.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

PFL: Battle of the Giants video: First faceoffs of fight week with Ngannou vs. Ferreira, more

PFL: Battle of the Giants headliners Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira, along with others, got their first up-close look at each other Wednesday.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – The first faceoffs of PFL: Battle of the Giants fight week are in the books, and MMA Junkie was on the scene to capture them.

In the main event, former UFC champion [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] (17-3) takes on 2023 PFL champion [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag] (13-3) in a heavyweight clash. And in the co-main event, Bellator women’s featherweight champion [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] (27-2-1) meets two-time PFL champion [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] (23-4). The promotion’s first super fights title belts are at stake in both fights.

Still three days before they meet in the cage, all four fighters got a chance to size each other up Wednesday at a promotional appearance. So, too, did Bellator middleweight champion [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] and [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] ahead of their rematch, as well as former Bellator champ [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag] and [autotag]Paul Hughes[/autotag].

You can watch all four main card faceoffs in the video above.

PFL: Battle of the Giants takes place Saturday at The Mayadeen. The main card streams on DAZN and ESPN+ pay-per-view.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

PFL releases full fight card for Battle of the Giants: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira

Check out the full fight card headlined by Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira.

PFL is pegging Battle of the Giants to be one of its biggest events of the year – and now a full fight card has been revealed.

On Thursday, the promotion announced its finalized 10-fight lineup including a handful of notable names as new additions. The event takes place Oct. 19 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with the main card on ESPN+/DAZN pay-per-view.

In the main event, former UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] returns to MMA after a two-fight boxing stint to take on [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag]. In the co-main event, [autotag]Cris Cyborg[/autotag] and [autotag]Larissa Pacheco[/autotag] finally meet in a highly-anticipated showdown.

Also on the main card, Bellator middleweight champion [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] defends his title in a rematch vs. [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag], and [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag] meets [autotag]Paul Hughes[/autotag] in a lightweight bout.

The new additions announced Tuesday include a main card clash between [autotag]Husein Kadimagomaev[/autotag] and [autotag]Zafar Mohsen[/autotag], as well as a rescheduled bantamweight bout between [autotag]Raufeon Stots[/autotag] and [autotag]Marcos Breno[/autotag].

Additional bouts include [autotag]Makkasharip Zaynukov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Dedrek Sanders[/autotag], [autotag]Ibragim Ibragimov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Nacho Campos[/autotag], [autotag]Mostafa Nada[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Ahmed Sami[/autotag], and [autotag]Youssef Al Housani[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Taha Bendaoud[/autotag].

The full PFL: Battle of the Giants lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (4 p.m. ET)

  • Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira
  • Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco
  • Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards – for Bellator middleweight title
  • Husein Kadimagomaev vs. Zafar Mohsen
  • Paul Hughes vs. A.J. McKee

PRELIMINARY CARD (1:30 p.m. ET)

  • Marcos Breno vs. Raufeon Stots
  • Dedrek Sanders vs. Makkasharip Zaynukov
  • Nacho Campos vs. Ibragim Ibragimov
  • Mostafa Nada vs. Ahmed Sami
  • Youssef Al Housani vs. Taha Bendaoud

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards title fight rebooked for PFL: Battle of the Giants PPV in October

Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards has been rescheduled for PFL: Battle of the Giants PPV on Oct. 19.

[autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] and [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] have a new date for their Bellator championship rematch.

The two middleweights, who were originally scheduled to fight in the main event of Bellator Champions Series: London last week, have been booked to fight at the PFL: Battle of the Giants pay-per-view event, which is headlined by Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira. The card is set to go down Oct. 19 at The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and it will be available on ESPN+.

PFL announced the re-scheduling of the bout Tuesday.

Eblen (15-0) and Edwards (13-3) fought back in September 2023. Eblen successfully defended his title by knocking out Edwards in the third round.

Since their first meeting, Eblen survived a knockdown to edge out Impa Kasanganay in February in the PFL vs. Bellator: Champions co-main event. Edwards rebounded from his knockout loss to Eblen with a unanimous decision win over Aaron Jeffery in their title eliminator at Bellator Champions Series: Belfast this past March.

With the addition, here’s the updated lineup for PFL: Battle of the Giants:

  • Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira
  • Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco
  • Champ Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards – for Bellator middleweight title
  • A.J. McKee vs. Paul Hughes

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL: Battle of the Giants.

Bellator Champions Series: London loses Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards title-fight headliner

Bellator Championship Series: London event will be without a title fight as Leah McCourt vs. Sara Collins becomes the new headliner.

Bellator Champions Series: London has lost its main event.

The middleweight championship rematch between [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] and [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] has been removed from the card, the promotion announced Tuesday. No reason was given for the cancellation. A new date for Eblen (15-0) vs. Edwards (13-3) is expected to be announced in the coming days.

With the removal, the women’s featherweight bout pitting [autotag]Leah McCourt[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Sara Collins[/autotag], which was set as the co-main event, has been elevated to top billing.

BCS: London takes place Sept. 14 at OVO Arena in London, England.

McCourt (8-3) looks to build off her win over former UFC title challenger Sara McMann back in October. Meanwhile, Collins (5-0), who also hasn’t fought since 2023, is in search of her third Bellator win.

With the cancellation, here’s the BCS: London lineup:

MAIN CARD (Max, noon ET)

  • Leah McCourt vs. Sara Collins
  • Simeon Powell vs. Rafael Xavier
  • Luke Trainer vs. Laurynas Urbonavicius
  • Marc Diakiese vs. Tim Wilde
  • Archie Colgan vs. Manoel Sousa
  • Eslam Abdel Baset vs. Mike Shipman
  • Steven Hill vs. Joseph Luciano
  • Ciaran Clarke vs. Zebenzui Ruiz
  • Dmytri Hrytsenko vs. Darragh Kelly
  • Eman Almudhaf vs. Daiane Da Silva

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator Champions Series: London.

Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards rematch headlines Bellator Champions Series: London

Bellator is running back Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards in London.

[autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag] and [autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] will run things back in London.

Middleweight champion Eblen (15-0) takes on Edwards (13-3) in the Bellator Champions Series: London main event Sept. 14 at The OVO Arena Wembley, promotion officials announced Tuesday morning.

Eblen notched his second title defense when he knocked out Edwards in Round 3 of their Bellator 299 main event this past September in Dublin. Prior to the knockout, all three judges were split in scoring. One judge had Eblen up two rounds, one judge had Edwards up 2-0, and the third judge had it one round apiece.

Since then, Eblen survived a knockdown to edge out Impa Kasanganay February in the PFL vs. Bellator: Champions co-main event to claim the “Super Belt.”

Meanwhile, Edwards rebounded from his knockout loss to Eblen with a unanimous decision win over Aaron Jeffery in their title eliminator at Bellator Champions Series: Belfast in March.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator Champions Series: London.

Fabian Edwards hopes Johnny Eblen stays champion: ‘Even a loss confirmed that I can beat that guy’

Fabian Edwards is eager to run things back with Johnny Eblen.

[autotag]Fabian Edwards[/autotag] is eager to run things back with [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag].

Edwards (12-3 MMA, 8-3 BMMA) meets Aaron Jeffery (14-4 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) March 22 at Bellator Champions Series: Belfast at SSE Arena, in what he projects to be a title eliminator.

Edwards is coming off a knockout loss to middleweight champion Eblen (15-0 MMAA, 10-0 BMMA) this past September at Bellator 299. One judge had him up two rounds, and Edwards thinks he was en route to winning before he got caught in Round 3.

“Even a loss confirmed that I can beat that guy,” Edwards told MMA Junkie Radio. “I gave him a nasty cut. I felt like I was winning that fight. I defended the takedowns, he never landed anything before the fight was ended.

“He never landed anything I thought was too powerful. I’ve been working for the past six months to get back to that title fight and Bellator say I’m one fight away from it now so, I’m excited.”

Eblen squeaked past Impa Kasanganay at PFL vs. Bellator: Champions in February. Edwards is not a fan of Eblen as a person – branding him as fake, but is glad to see him remain unbeaten.

“He needs to keep that belt,” Edwards said. “When I’d seen that he won the fight against Impa, I was like, ‘OK, I don’t like the guy, but I’m happy he kept it,’ because I feel like it’s part of my story for him to keep the belt, for me to come back and take it off him.”

After seeing his performance against Kasanganay, Edwards wasn’t impressed at all by Eblen.

“He looked terrible,” Edwards said. “He looked like he hadn’t improved one bit. I know he’s the champ and all of that so you have to give him credit, but people can’t look at me and say skill for skill, he’s the best guy in the fighting world. I feel like he hasn’t improved in the areas he needs to improve on.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 302.

MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month for February: Middleweight contenders net another bonus

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from February 2024.

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from February 2024: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month award for February.

At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.

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Nominees

Johnny Eblen def. Impa Kasanganay at PFL vs. Bellator: Champions: Best photos

Check out these photos from Johnny Eblen vs. Impa Kasanganay at PFL vs. Bellator: Champions in Saudi Arabia.

Check out these photos from [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag]’s split decision victory over Impa Kasanganay at PFL vs. Bellator: Champions, which took place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photos courtesy of PFL)

PFL vs. Bellator: Champions live and official results

Check out the full results of PFL vs. Bellator: Champions which takes place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

PFL vs. Bellator: Champions took place Saturday and MMA Junkie provided coverage of live and official results throughout the entire card.

The event featured PFL fighters vs. Bellator fighters at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Champions of both promotions clashed in the main and co-main bouts. The main event was a heavyweight bout between PFL’s [autotag]Renan Ferreira[/autotag] and Bellator’s [autotag]Ryan Bader[/autotag]. Middleweights battled in the co-feature as PFL’s [autotag]Impa Kasanganay[/autotag] took on Bellator’s [autotag]Johnny Eblen[/autotag].

The 11-fight event featured several notable names including [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag], [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag], [autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag], [autotag]Claressa Shields[/autotag], and the pro debut of Muhammad Ali’s grandson [autotag]Biaggio Ali Walsh[/autotag].

Check out the official results, details and highlight clips from each bout below.