Tag: Jordan Leavitt

UFC Fight Night 208 video: Paddy Pimblett clowns Jordan Leavitt, rejects handshake at final faceoff

Ahead of UFC Fight Night 208, lightweights Paddy Pimblett and Jordan Leavitt squared off for the final time ahead of their fight.

LONDON – [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] and [autotag]Jordan Leavitt[/autotag]’s final face off on Friday ahead of their pivotal clash Saturday was an intense one.

Pimblett and Leavitt square off in a featured lightweight bout at UFC Fight Night 208, which takes place at The O2 in London. The card streams on ESPN+.

Pimblett will look to make it 3-0 in the octagon. The Liverpool native has finished Luigi Vendramini and Kazula Vargas in the first round. Meanwhile, Leavitt is coming off back-to-back wins over Matt Sayles and Trey Ogden.

The ceremonial faceoffs took place Friday, hours after fighters officially made weight. Check out Pimblett and Leavitt faceoff in the video above, where Pimblett had his troll game on for Leavitt.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 208.

UFC Fight Night 208 weigh-in video: Paddy Pimblett moons cameras after hitting mark

The lightweight featured bout for UFC Fight Night 208 is official after Paddy Pimblett and Jordan Leavitt made weight.

LONDON – [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] had no issues hitting the lightweight mark on Friday ahead of UFC Fight Night 208, and he made sure to let everyone know.

Pimblett gets criticized for ballooning up in between fights, but is yet to miss weight as a lightweight. He meets [autotag]Jordan Leavitt[/autotag] in a featured bout on the main card.

Pimblett (18-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) weighed in at 156 pounds, then immediate proceeded to moon the cameras as he pushed back on his haters. Leavitt (10-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC), meanwhile, came in at 155 pounds on the nose.

Check out the video of both men weighing in above.

The UFC Fight Night 208 card streams on ESPN+ from The O2.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 208.

Paddy Pimblett not amused by Jordan Leavitt, vows ‘to proper batter’ and ‘tea bag’ him at UFC Fight Night 208

Ahead of UFC Fight Night 208, Paddy Pimblett says he’s never been as “pissed off” at an opponent as he is at Jordan Leavitt.

LONDON – [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] does not like [autotag]Jordan Leavitt[/autotag].

So much so in fact, that Pimblett can’t remember if he’s ever been as “pissed off” as he is toward his UFC Fight Night 208 opponent.

“I didn’t mind him up before the fight got announced, do you know what I mean?” Pimblett told reporters, including MMA Junkie, on Wednesday at media day. “But he’s talking all sorts of crazy sh*t, lad. He’s an absolute crab. Do you know what I mean? He can’t throw a punch to save his life, and he’s trying to talk sh*t. It’s mad. He’s talking about my opponents? I’d say that my nan is dead, and she’d finish him. Do you know what I mean?”

Since the matchup was announced in May, Leavitt has said he likes Pimblett but also indicated he’s not impressed with the budding U.K. star’s skills. Leavitt repeatedly has said he plans to upset Pimblett and twerking to celebrate.

Pimblett is not amused and has a unique celebration of his own planned for Saturday after he beats Leavitt.

“I’m gonna tea bag him, man,” Pimblett said. “I’m gonna tea bag him like it’s Modern Warfare 2. … I squat as close to his head as I possibly can with the ref shouting at me. I’ll just squat up and down like I’m on Modern Warfare 2.”

Minutes before Pimblett took the stage, Leavitt had a news conference of his own. He predicted the matchup wouldn’t be as thrilling as some fans anticipate, with both fighters likely resorting to their grappling. Pimblett had a different vision, however.

“I’m going to take his head off,” Pimblett said. “I’m not going to be shooting on takedowns. I’m coming to stand with him to take his head – off. I’m going to take his chin home with me. He can’t throw a punch to save his life, lad. He can’t, lad. He comes to fight not to lose. He doesn’t come to fight to win. He comes in to fight not to lose. Do you know what I mean? Try to take me down and sit on top of me and sniff my balls for three rounds. It’s not going to work.”

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Leavitt has fought only at the UFC Apex over the span of his three-fight promotional tenure. Pimblett thinks the magnitude of The O2 packed to the rafters with screaming fans could present some problems “The Monkey King” might be overlooking.

“All my mates will be in a mess by then,” Pimblett said. “I’m sure they’re going to be sloshed. 9 o’clock. That’s what I mean. He’s only ever fought in the Apex. He’s never fought anywhere else. He’s never fought with a crowd. Now he’s fighting with my crowd. Like I said, his head is going to fall off. As I was saying before, this probably might be the first ever time someone sh*ts themself in the octagon.”

There will be no touch of gloves at the beginning of this fight, said Pimblett. That’s a deviation from the norm for him. Another difference from past matchups? Pimblett said he actually intends on hurting Leavitt. It’s more than just a competition at this point.

“I’ve never really been pissed off leading up to a fight,” Pimblett said. “(Luigi) Vendramini and (Kazula) Vargas were respectful, as I was to them. He’s a little maggot, and I’m going to proper batter him for it. I’ve never come into a fight once to hurt my opponent. I’m going to hurt him. If I get the chance, I’m going to split him open with elbows or rearrange his face.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 208.

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UFC Fight Night 208 media day faceoffs: Blaydes-Aspinall, Hermansson-Curtis, Pimblett-Leavitt

UFC Fight Night 208 fight week is officially underway in England, with media day and a handful of faceoffs going down.

LONDON – UFC Fight Night 208 fight week is officially underway, with media day and a handful of faceoffs going down Wednesday.

After notable athletes from the card spoke with reporters, the top three matchups for Saturday’s event, which streams on ESPN+ at The O2, locked eyes for the first time in front of cameras.

Everyone stayed professional, from heavyweight headliners [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] (16-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) and [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC), to middleweight co-headliners [autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag] (22-7 MMA, 9-5 UFC) and [autotag]Chris Curtis[/autotag] (29-8 MMA, 3-0 UFC), and finally the lightweight featured bout between [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] (18-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and [autotag]Jordan Leavitt[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC).

Check out the video above to see the faceoffs from all three bouts at UFC Fight Night 208 media day.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 208.

Paddy Pimblett returns at UFC London vs. Jordan Leavitt

A British rising star will get his wish when he returns to action this summer in his home country.

A British rising star will get his wish when he returns to action this summer in his home country.

[autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] (18-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has been booked for a lightweight fight against [autotag]Jordan Leavitt[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) for the UFC’s July return to London. The promotion announced the new booking Friday ahead of the on-sale date for tickets to the event.

The UFC London card, expected to be a Fight Night event, takes place July 23 at The O2. The card will stream on ESPN+.

Pimblett, a former Cage Warriors champion, made his highly anticipated UFC debut in September 2021 and finished Luigi Vendramini in the first round for a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus. When the UFC returned to London in March, he had one of the night’s most electrifying performances, along with Liverpool-based teammate Molly McCann, and picked up a bonus for a first-round submission of Rodrigo Vargas.

The UFC’s return to London in March was its first event there in three years. It featured nine finishes in 12 fights and caused UFC president Dana White to announce the promotion would rearrange its 2022 schedule to return quicker than originally planned. Pimblett’s inclusion on that return was thought to be all but a certainty, and now it’s official.

Leavitt earned his way into the UFC with a first-round submission on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020. When he made his promotional debut later that year, he stunned Matt Wiman with a slam knockout in just 22 seconds and picked up a $50,000 bonus. After a decision loss to Claudio Puelles in June 2021, the first setback of his career, he rebounded with a submission of Matt Sayles and, most recently, a split decision win over Trey Ogden in April.

With the addition, the UFC London lineup now includes:

  • Curtis Blaydes vs. Tom Aspinall
  • Jack Hermansson vs. Darren Till
  • Charles Johnson vs. Muhammad Mokaev
  • Alexander Gustafsson vs. Nikita Krylov
  • Hannah Goldy vs. Molly McCann
  • Paul Craig vs. Volkan Oezdemir
  • Makwan Amirkhani vs. Jonathan Pearce
  • Marc Diakiese vs. Damir Hadzovic
  • Jordan Leavitt vs. Paddy Pimblett

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UFC Fight Night 199 medical suspensions: Six fighters face potential six-month suspensions

Check out the full list of the fighter medical suspensions from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 199 in Las Vegas.

The last UFC event of the year left six fighters facing potential 6-month suspensions.

UFC Fight Night 199 went down on Saturday, Dec. 18 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. In the main event former UFC heavyweight title challenger [autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag] stopped [autotag]Chris Daukaus[/autotag] in the first round.

Neither fighter faced the maximum standard suspension of 6 months, but others fighting outside the top billing did. [autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag], [autotag]Jordan Leavitt[/autotag], [autotag]Don’Tale Mayes[/autotag], [autotag]Harry Hunsucker[/autotag], [autotag]Justin Tafa[/autotag] and [autotag]Raphael Assuncao[/autotag] were the six facing potential six-month outings.

On Tuesday, MMA Junkie acquired a full list of the UFC Fight Night 199 medical suspensions handed out by the NAC from MixedMartialArts.com, the Association of Boxing Commission’s official record keeper.

Below is the full list of medical suspensions from UFC Fight Night 199:

UFC Fight Night 199 video: Jordan Leavitt taps Matt Sayles with a slick inverted triangle

Jordan Leavitt flashed his slick ground game with an inverted triangle submission of Matt Sayles at UFC Fight Night 199.

The final UFC card of the year started off with an impressive finish by [autotag]Jordan Leavitt[/autotag].

The Dana White’s Contender Series veteran picked up his second stoppage win in the UFC by locking in a super slick submission on his opponent Matt Sayles.

Once Leavitt (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) got the fight to the ground, he was able to catch Sayles (8-4 MMA, 1-3 UFC) off guard, and locked in an inverted triangle out of nowhere. At first, the submission appeared to not be locked in tight enough to get the finish, but the squeeze from Leavitt forced a tap.

The official stoppage was recorded at 2:05 of the second round.

Leavitt, 26, rebounds from a unanimous decision loss to Claudio Puelles in June in an impressive fashion. Both wins by “The Monkey King” under the UFC banner have come by stoppage. In his UFC debut in December 2020, Leavitt defeated Matt Wilman by slam just 22 seconds into the first round.

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UFC Fight Night 199 pre-event facts: Derrick Lewis goes for all-time knockout record

The best facts and figures about UFC Fight Night 199 where Derrick Lewis will attempt to set the UFC’s all-time knockout record.

The UFC closes out its 2021 schedule on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 199, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streams on ESPN+.

A clash of heavyweight contenders takes the main event spotlight, with [autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag] (25-8 MMA, 16-6 UFC) set to attempt another climb to a title shot when he meets [autotag]Chris Daukaus[/autotag] (12-3 MMA, 4-0 UFC), who is undefeated in the octagon thus far.

For more on the numbers behind the main event and rest of the lineup, check below for 60 pre-event facts about UFC Fight Night 199.

UFC in 2020: A ridiculously robust look at the stats, streaks, skids, and records

Check out a full recap of 2020’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 2020’s most significant milestones from the events, the fights and individual performances.

UFC on ESPN 19 medical suspensions: Jack Hermansson, Jamahal Hill facing six months

Five fighters face potential six-month layoffs following UFC on ESPN 19.

[autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag] heads a list of five fighters facing potential six-month suspensions after their respective bouts at UFC on ESPN 19, per commission records.

Hermansson (21-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC), who lost a unanimous decision to short-notice replacement [autotag]Marvin Vettori[/autotag] (16-4-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC), was given a 180-day term after suffering a fractured left orbital bone during the night’s main event.

Co-headliner [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who picked up his biggest win to date with a second-round finish of [autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag] (25-15 MMA, 13-10 UFC), requires his left hand to be cleared by a doctor or he may also face a 180-day suspension.

MMA Junkie obtained the full list of medical suspensions from MixedMartialArts.com for UFC on ESPN 19, which took place this past Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Other fighters facing possible six-month medical suspensions include [autotag]John Allan[/autotag], [autotag]Damon Jackson[/autotag], and [autotag]Jake Collier[/autotag].

The full list of UFC on ESPN 19 medical suspensions includes:

  • Jack Hermansson: Suspended 180 days or until fractured left orbital is cleared by a doctor; also suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days.
  • Marvin Vettori: Suspended 45 days or until cut to left eyelid is cleared by a doctor; also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days.
  • Ovince Saint Preux: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact.
  • Jamahal Hill: Needs clearance of left hand with x-ray, otherwise suspended 180 days.
  • [autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag]: Suspended 14 days with 7 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Justin Jaynes[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • John Allan: Needs clearance of right knee with MRI and right ankle with x-ray, otherwise suspended 180 days. Suspended minimum 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Matt Wiman[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Jordan Leavitt[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • [autotag]Louis Smolka[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days due to cut on right eyebrow.
  • [autotag]Jose Quinonez[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag]: No suspension.
  • Damon Jackson: Suspended 180 days or until possible nasal fracture is cleared by a doctor; also suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days.
  • [autotag]Gian Villante[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact due to contusions.
  • Jake Collier: Suspended 180 days or until possible non-displaced fracture of left lateral orbital wall is cleared by an ophthalmologist; also suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days.

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