Tag: Kemran Lachinov

‘The Ultimate Fighter 29,’ Episode 5 highlights

Check out the highlights from the fifth episode of “The Ultimate Fighter 29.”

The UFC’s reality series “The Ultimate Fighter” continues this week with the fifth episode of the 29th season.

This season, teams consist of bantamweight and middleweight fighters coached by featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and former title challenger Brian Ortega.

If you missed the previous episodes, check out those highlights below:

Continue reading for the highlights of the fifth episode, which streamed Tuesday on ESPN+.

‘The Ultimate Fighter 29’ rosters announced, season premiere date revealed

Meet the 16 contestants chosen for the relaunch of the UFC reality series.

“The Ultimate Fighter” is officially back.

After years of UFC president Dana White repeatedly stating the reality series would eventually relaunch, the wheels are fully in motion. The 16 selected bantamweights and middleweights have made their way to Las Vegas for pre-season medicals.

With taping set to begin soon, the promotion announced the season’s full roster during the UFC on ESPN 22 broadcast Saturday. The first episode is set to stream June 1 on ESPN+.

TUF 29 will be coached by UFC featherweight champion [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] (22-1 MMA, 9-0 UFC) and his next title challenger, [autotag]Brian Ortega[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC). The two will square off following the conclusion of the season, in a rebooking of their canceled UFC 260 matchup.

Scroll below for the full TUF 29 bantamweight and middleweight rosters:

Bantamweights

Bellator 254 video: Shamil Nikaev vs. Kemran Lachinov is Bellator’s best 2020 prelim bout

Bellator’s last preliminary fight of 2020 also happened to be its best.

We wouldn’t blame you if you occasionally glossed over Bellator’s preliminary cards. Sure, the undercards boast a fair share of wild finishes and controversies. But sometimes the matchmaking can be the equivalent of a 1980s Saturday morning pro wrestling TV show, a series of mismatches.

If you did this on Thursday night, though, you missed out. Bellator’s final prelim bout of 2020 was quite simply its best, as welterweights [autotag]Shamil Nikaev[/autotag] and [autotag]Kemran Lachinov[/autotag] put on a memorable matchup, particularly in the final round.

Nikaev (10-0 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) got the better of things over the first 10 minutes, as he outgrappled his foe. Lachinov (10-3 MMA, 5-1 BMMA) showed solid defense to keep from getting put in a bad spot, and he landed often enough to keep Nikaev honest.

It was clear going into round three Lachinov needed a finish. And that Nikaev was tiring. Lachinov threw everything but the kitchen sink at his opponent, whose arms kept dropping. Nikaev absorbed blow after blow and often seemed a shot away from being put to sleep. But whenever it would seem he was just about done, he’d find a wind and tag Lachinov hard enough to slow the onslaught.

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The battered and bruised competitors made it to the horn. As compelling as Lachinov’s third-round effort was, it wasn’t enough to make a difference on the scorecards, as the judges got it right with 29-28, across-the-board scores.

Nikaev is now 10-0 in his career, while Lachinov drops to 10-2.

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Kemran Lachinov, Davion Franklin among additions to Bellator 254 prelims

Two fights have been added to Bellator 254’s preliminary card.

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Bellator 254 is three weeks away and the preliminary card is filling up.

A welterweight fight between [autotag]Kemran Lachinov[/autotag] and [autotag]Shamil Nikaev[/autotag], as well as a heavyweight bout between [autotag]Davion Franklin[/autotag] and [autotag]Anthony Garrett[/autotag], has been added to the Dec. 10 event, a promotion official recently informed MMA Junkie.

Lachniov (10-2 MMA, 5-0 BMMA) made his Bellator return in October when he defeated the American Kickboxing Academy’s Kyle Crutchmer by unanimous decision. Turkey’s Lachinov has fought intermittently for Bellator since 2015. While he’s not a rostered fighter, Lachinov has remained undefeated through five appearances.

Nikaev (9-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) signed with the promotion in late 2019, but has yet to debut. He was supposed to debut against Bobby Lee at Bellator 239 in February but the fight was canceled for unknown reasons. The 25-year-old welterweight fighter is an alumnus of ACB and holds a win over UFC lightweight Christos Giagos.

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Franklin (2-0 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) is the second recipient of the JacksonWink-Mata Leon scholarship. A former junior college football and wrestling standout, Franklin has one win by TKO and a second by technical decision.

Garrett (5-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) is most well-known for his lone Bellator appearance to date, in which he was kneed in the groin multiple times by former WWE superstar Jake Hager. The October 2019 fight was ruled a “No Contest” and Garrett has gone 1-0 since.

Bellator 254 takes place Thursday, Dec. 10 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on CBS Sports Network/DAZN following prelims on MMA Junkie.

With the addition, the Bellator 254 lineup includes:

  • Ilima Lei-Macfarlane vs. Julianna Velasquez – for women’s flyweight title
  • Nate Andrews vs. Goiti Yamauchi
  • Matheus Mattos vs. Magomedov Magomedov
  • Jessica Borga vs. Marina Mokhnatina
  • Tyree Fortune vs. Grant Neal
  • Romero Cotton vs. Justin Sumter
  • Kemran Lachinov vs. Shamil Nikaev
  • Davion Franklin vs. Anthony Garrett

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