Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN+ 29 event in Jacksonville, Fla.
While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.
Inside, see what the fighters from UFC on ESPN+ 29 went with as their backing tracks in Jacksonville, Fla.
Thiago Moises picked up the biggest win of his career when he defeated Michael Johnson in a stunning turnaround at UFC on ESPN+ 29.
[autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag] picked up the biggest win of his career on Saturday when he defeated [autotag]Michael Johnson[/autotag] in a stunning turnaround at UFC on ESPN+ 29.
In the beginning of the fight it seemed the version of Johnson (19-16 MMA, 11-12 UFC) who owns victories over the likes of Tony Ferguson and Dustin Poirier had arrived. He stopped Moises’ (13-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) takedowns and got his striking off in the first round of the lightweight bout, which took place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.
Then the second round came, and Moises was a different fighter. He rushed Johnson immediately and pulled guard when he was met with resistance. From there, he fell back and locked in a tight heel hook that forced Johnson to tap out at the 0:25 mark of Round 2.
The defeat put Johnson on a three-fight skid and dropped him to 3-8 in his past 11 UFC appearances. He appeared to suffer damage to his knee during the finish, too.
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Moises, for his part, completed his UFC contract with a big finish. He made it clear he wants to stick around with a new contract, and called out former lightweight champ Anthony Pettis, who said after his UFC 249 win over Donald Cerrone that he was making a return to 155 pounds.
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The best stats and figures about UFC on ESPN+ 29, which features an Anthony Smith vs. Glover Teixeira main event.
The UFC’s busy schedule returning from the coronavirus pandemic continues on Wednesday with UFC on ESPN+ 29, which takes place at VyStar Veteran Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., with a 12-fight lineup set to stream on ESPN+.
A pair of light heavyweight contenders are set to clash in the main event. [autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag] (32-14 MMA, 8-4 UFC) returns from an 11-month layoff when he takes on former title challenger [autotag]Glover Teixeira[/autotag] (30-7 MMA, 13-5 UFC) in a matchup with high implications for both men.
That’s not all the card has to offer, though. For more on the numbers, check below for 40 pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN+ 29.
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Smith competes in his fifth consecutive UFC headliner. He’s 3-1 in previous main event appearances.
Smith is 4-1 since he moved up to the UFC light heavyweight division in June 2018.
Smith is 8-3 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in February 2016. He’s 15-4 since he was first released from the promotion in June 2013.
Smith has earned 30 of his 32 career victories by stoppage. That includes seven of his eight UFC wins.
Smith’s four stoppage victories since 2018 in UFC light heavyweight competition are most in the division.
Smith has been awarded a fight-night bonus in his past three UFC wins.
Teixeira’s three-fight UFC winning streak at light heavyweight is the fourth-longest active streak in the division behind Jon Jones (four), Magomed Ankalaev (four) and Ryan Spann (four).
Teixeira’s 13 victories in UFC light heavyweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Jones (20) and Ryan Bader (15).
Teixeira’s 10 stoppage victories in UFC light heavyweight competition are tied with Jones and Ovince Saint Preux for most in divisional history.
Teixeira’s five submission victories in UFC light heavyweight competition are tied with Jones, Saint Preux and Misha Cirkunov for most in divisional history.
Teixeira has landed 86.6 percent of his significant strikes in UFC light-heavyweight competition to his opponent’s head, the largest proportion in divisional history.
[autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag] (37-12 MMA, 7-6 UFC) is 1-2 since he returned to competition in March 2019 after a nearly three-year layoff.
Rothwell has earned 34 of his 37 career victories by stoppage. That includes four of his seven UFC wins.
[autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag] (24-13 MMA, 12-8 UFC) moves up to the UFC heavyweight division for the first time after spending his previous 20 octagon appearance at light heavyweight.
Saint Preux’s 11 victories since 2013 in UFC light heavyweight competition are the most in the division.
Saint Preux’s 10 stoppage victories in UFC light heavyweight competition are tied with Teixeira, Jones and Chuck Liddell for most in divisional history.
Saint Preux’s five submission victories in UFC light heavyweight competition are tied with Teixeira, Jones and Cirkunov for most in divisional history.
Saint Preux’s four submission victories by Von Flue choke are the most in UFC/WEC/PRIDE/Strikeforce combined organizational history.
Saint Preux’s four submission victories by Von Flue choke are the most in UFC history.
Saint Preux has earned four of the six Von Flue choke submissions in UFC history. Jason Von Flue and Jordan Rinaldi also won with the technique.
Saint Preux’s two technical submission victories in UFC competition are tied for second most in company history behind Frank Mir (three).
Saint Preux vs. Yushin Okami at UFC Fight Night 117 was just the second fight in modern UFC history to feature zero combined significant strike attempts. Ilir Latifi vs. Cyrille Diabate at UFC on FUEL TV 6 was the other.
Saint Preux’s seven fight-night bonuses for UFC light heavyweight bouts are tied for third most in divisional history behind Jones (eight) and Mauricio Rua (eight).
[autotag]Ricky Simon[/autotag]’s (15-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) victory at the 5:00 mark of Round 3 at UFC Fight Night 128 is the latest stoppage in a three-round UFC fight.
[autotag]Andrei Arlovski[/autotag] (28-19 MMA, 17-13 UFC) competes in his 32nd UFC bout, the most in heavyweight history and the fourth most appearances in company history behind Donald Cerrone (35), Jim Miller (34) and Jeremy Stephens (33).
Arlovski is 3-9 (with one no contest) in his past 12 UFC appearances dating back to January 2016.
Arlovski is 7-9 (with one no contest) since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in June 2014.
Arlovski’s total fight time of 4:33:42 in UFC heavyweight competition is the most in divisional history.
Arlovski’s 17 victories in UFC heavyweight competition are most in divisional history.
Arlovski’s 11 stoppage victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied with Gabriel Gonzaga and Stefan Struve for second most in divisional history behind Frank Mir (13).
Arlovski’s nine knockout victories in UFC heavyweight competition are tied for fourth most in divisional history behind Cain Velasquez (10), Derrick Lewis (10) and Junior Dos Santos (10).
Arlovski’s 10 knockdowns landed in UFC heavyweight competition are tied with Velasquez for second most in divisional history behind Dos Santos (14).
Arlovski landed 152 significant strikes at UFC on ESPN 4, the single-fight record for a three-round UFC heavyweight bout.
Arlovski defends 80.6 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, the third highest rate in divisional history behind Alexander Volkov (82.8 percent), Marcin Tybura (82.1 percent) and Dos Santos (81.8 percent).
Arlovski’s nine knockout losses in UFC/WEC/PRIDE/Strikeforce competition are second most in combined organizational history behind Alistair Overeem (12).
[autotag]Michael Johnson[/autotag] (19-15 MMA, 11-11 UFC) was unsuccessful in his return to the lightweight division at UFC on ESPN+ 20. He hasn’t earned a victory in the weight class since September 2016.
Johnson is 3-7 in his past 10 fights dating back to August 2015.
Johnson’s nine knockdowns landed in UFC lightweight competition are fourth most in divisional history behind Melvin Guillard (13), Cerrone (11) and Edson Barboza (10).
[autotag]Sijara Eubanks[/autotag] (4-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) is 0-2 since she moved up to the UFC women’s bantamweight division in May 2019.
[autotag]Gabriel Benitez[/autotag] (21-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) is one of 11 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a slam. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 129.
Benitez defends 71.4 percent of all opponent significant strike attempts in UFC featherweight competition, the second best rate in divisional history behind Josh Emmett (72 percent).
[autotag]Chase Sherman[/autotag] (13-6 MMA, 2-5 UFC) returns to the UFC for a second stint after going 2-0 outside the promotion. He hasn’t earned an octagon victory since September 2018.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
Michael Johnson has beaten some of the biggest names in the sport, and he hopes to climb his way back up to top-tier competition.
[autotag]Michael Johnson[/autotag] has beaten some of the biggest names in the sport, and he hopes to earn his way back up to top-tier competition.
Johnson (19-15 MMA, 11-11 UFC) holds wins over the likes of Edson Barboza and former UFC interim lightweight champions Dustin Poirer and Tony Ferguson. He also has fought UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, Justin Gaethje and Nate Diaz.
He has been in there with the elite and is keen on working his way back up to compete against the division’s best.
Johnson faces Thiago Moises next Wednesday in what will be his third opponent switch during the COVID-19 madness. After his fight with Evan Dunham fell through for UFC on ESPN+ 31, Johnson was matched up with Khama Worthy at UFC 249. But after the cancellation of the April 18 card, he drew Moises.
Johnson, who’s lost two in a row, admitted he wasn’t too familiar with some of those names, but is motivated to climb his way back up to some higher-profile matchups.
“Unfortunately, I put myself in a position to where I’m having to fight these newer guys,” Johnson told MMA Junkie Radio. “It doesn’t really sit well for me, but I’m in the trenches and I’ve got to fight my way back up to the top and get back to these big names.
“I’m training to get that spot back. I want that fight back with Justin. I want to be back at the top. I want to get Khabib again before he gets out of here. It’s all or nothing for me these days, and I’m just trying to get back to that top.”
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He takes on Dana White’s Contender Series alum Moises, who hasn’t been able to get his feet wet in the UFC just yet. He has gone 1-2 in his first three bouts.
So Johnson is going into the matchup with his back against the wall, hoping to make a statement on fight night and position himself one step closer to the upper echelon at 155 pounds.
“I’ve been in training camp, I can say, for like five months – and all I’ve been envisioning is just domination,” Johnson said. “Dominate, dominate, dominate. I’m not going in looking for knockouts. I’m not going in thinking too much. I just have to beat him in every aspect of the game and I’ve got a lot of pressure on me. I’m not in a good position. I’ve had some tough losses. I’m sitting on a few fights left on my contract, and now I’m fighting newcomers.”
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A lightweight matchup between Michael Johnson and Thiago Moises is expected to be the latest addition to the UFC’s May 13 card.
A lightweight matchup is in the works for the UFC’s May 13 card.
[autotag]Michael Johnson[/autotag] (19-15 MMA, 11-11 UFC) will take on [autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) at the UFC’s rare Wednesday night event. MMA Junkie confirmed that verbal agreements for the booking are set after an initial report from Combate.
The UFC’s May 13 event takes place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card is expected to air live on ESPN, with the preliminary card streamed live on ESPN+.
After going 2-2 at featherweight with wins over Andre Fili and Artem Lobov, Johnson moved back up to lightweight, but suffered a majority decision loss to Scotland’s Stevie Ray this past October.
Dana White’s Contender Series alum Moises has gone 1-2 since joining the UFC roster, with his lone win coming over Kurt Holobaugh.
With the addition, the current UFC lineup for May 13 includes:
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Relive his “Fight of the Year” with Michael Johnson from Justin Gaethje’s octagon debut.
Those who didn’t already know quickly found out about[autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag]’s fighting mentality when he made his UFC debut in 2017.
The former WSOF lightweight champion was matched up with [autotag]Michael Johnson[/autotag] in what turned out to be an absolute barnburner at The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale.
Gaethje (21-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) quickly found a home for his leg kicks early, before breaking Johnson down with body shots, then going up top to round off his combinations. But, with less than 30 seconds remaining in Round 1, Johnson tagged Gaethje with a right hand that wobbled him, but “The Highlight” was able to survive the round.
That late scare didn’t deter Gaethje, who continued to walk Johnson down in Round 2. However, he was forced to dig deep once again when Johnson landed another big right and Gaethje found himself in survival mode one more time.
Gaethje’s constant forward pressure eventually paid dividends, though, as he landed a big uppercut late in the round that got a tired Johnson’s attention, and eventually brought about the finish. Gaethje poured on the pressure, backed Johnson against the fence, and finished the fight with a final salvo of shots.
Gaethje was able to show off his heart, cardio and durability on his debut by weathering the storm and completely turning the momentum in his favor in a thrilling performance.
Despite that thrilling victory, Gaethje went on to lose back-to-back fights to Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier in two more instant-classic matchups, but has recently rebounded with three straight first-round knockouts, as he has surged into title contention.
Check out Gaethje’s war with Johnson in the video above.
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Not quite the “baddest ever card in MMA history,” but the revamped UFC 249 lineup certainly has some fights of significance.
It might not fit Dana White’s description as the “baddest ever card in MMA history,” but the revamped UFC 249 lineup certainly has some fights of significance.
With the coronavirus pandemic impacting the sports world as a whole, the UFC was not immune. The promotion postponed three events but remained focused on hosting UFC 249 on April 18, even after travel restrictions were implemented around the globe and lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov – who was supposed to fight [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] in the main event – fell off the card.
Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) now meets [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] (21-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) for the interim lightweight title in the headliner, but the UFC still has not announced an official location, although broadcast partner ESPN reported on Sunday that a venue on the West Coast is close to being finalized.
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The situation has caused UFC matchmakers to shuffle the deck from the original UFC 249 lineup meant for Brooklyn, N.Y. Some fights have fallen off, while others were added.
UFC officials announced on Monday that the strawweight rematch between former champions [autotag]Jessica Andrade[/autotag] (20-7 MMA, 11-5 UFC) and [autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] (8-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) will remain as the co-main event, and a heavyweight fight between [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) vs. [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] (10-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) – who were originally booked for UFC on ESPN 8 on March 28 – have been added to the main card.
Other notable matchups include: [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] (20-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) vs. [autotag]Jeremy Stephens[/autotag] (28-17 MMA, 15-16 UFC) at featherweight; [autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag] (15-9 MMA, 7-7 UFC) vs. [autotag]Ronaldo Souza[/autotag] (26-8 MMA, 9-5 UFC) at middleweight; and [autotag]Greg Hardy[/autotag] (5-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) vs. [autotag]Yorgan De Castro[/autotag] (6-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at heavyweight.
The broadcast plans are unknown, but the latest UFC 249 lineup includes:
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With uncertainties surrounding their opponents, Michael Johnson has challenged Alexander Hernandez to a fight at UFC 249.
[autotag]Michael Johnson[/autotag] has issued a challenge to [autotag]Alexander Hernandez[/autotag].
According to a tweet from Johnson (19-15 MMA, 11-11 UFC) on Saturday, he needs a new opponent. Conversely, Hernandez (11-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) recently told MMA Junkie he’s unsure his UFC 249 fight will happen, considering potential travel restrictions for his opponent Islam Makhachev.
“So @TheGreat155 we were fighting a week apart and looks like neither one of us have opponents at the moment!” Johnson wrote. “I’ll step in (and) fight you 110% if the fights still go on!!!”
To the public’s knowledge, both are currently booked for fights in April. Johnson was scheduled to fight April 25 vs. Evan Dunham at UFC on ESPN+ 31. The event is still scheduled to take place in Lincoln, Neb. Johnson’s tweet was the first reference to a possible Dunham withdrawal and no further details are known at this time.
As for Hernandez, he’s booked to fight April 18 against Makhachev at UFC 249 – an event which currently does not have a location.
“The circumstances of my opponent are a little hazy at this point,” Hernandez recently told MMA Junkie. “Everything has been hazy. They are keeping all of the information close to their chest because I’m certain they don’t want to be making any more false announcements. It’s just been kind of a fog. I’ll just keep following this UFC yellow brick road through all the scary (expletive) on the sides. I just hope there’s an arena and a pot of gold at the end. We’re kind of in the dark.”
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Johnson is coming off back-to-back losses against Stevie Ray and Josh Emmett. After a loss to Donald Cerrone in January 2019, Hernandez rebounded in September, defeating Francisco Trinaldo by unanimous decision.
so @TheGreat155 we were fighting a week apart and looks like neither one of us have opponents at the moment! I’ll step in a fight you 110% if the fights still go on!!!
— Michael Johnson (@FollowTheMenace) April 4, 2020
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See whom Charles Oliveira should fight next after his victory over Kevin Lee at UFC on ESPN+ 28.
After every event, fans wonder whom the winners will be matched up with next.
And with another night of UFC action in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look forward, put on a pair of Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard’s shoes, and play UFC matchmaker for UFC on ESPN+ 28’s most noteworthy winning fighters.
Those winners included [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] (29-8 MMA, 17-8 UFC), who submitted Kevin Lee (19-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) in the third round of the lightweight headliner at Ginasio Nilson Nelson in Brasilia, Brazil, as well as [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag] (18-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC), [autotag]Renato Moicano[/autotag] (14-3-1 MMA, 6-3 UFC), [autotag]Nikita Krylov[/autotag] (26-7 MMA, 8-5 UFC) and [autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC).
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Should fight: [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag]
Why they should fight: Ribas provided another example why she might be the most promising prospect in the strawweight division when she completely overwhelmed Randa Markos for three rounds for a lopsided unanimous decision win.
Originally, Ribas was supposed to fight VanZant (8-4 MMA, 5-3 UFC) on the card, but “PVZ” had another setback with her recurring arm injury and had to pull out. It’s clear Ribas still wants that fight, though, because she repeatedly called VanZant’s name after the win.
Given the situation, it makes sense to give it to her. Ribas is a flourishing star, and VanZant is seemingly on her way out the door of the UFC as she has just one fight remaining on her current contract, and her husband Austin Vanderford has made his home with Bellator MMA. She could soon join him there, and using VanZant’s star power to give Ribas a boost on the way out the door is just smart business.
Should fight: [autotag]Alexander Gustafsson[/autotag]
Why they should fight: Krylov’s second UFC run continues to be a reflection of his best work. It wasn’t the prettiest of fights, but Krylov managed to take the wind out of Johnny Walker and ride out a unanimous decision win.
The fight marked the first time Krylov has ever won a fight on the scorecards, and in that unfamiliar territory he showed he can shut down a dangerous opponent. Now, it’s time to see if he can use the momentum of this win to make moves in the light heavyweight division.
If the talk of Gustafsson (18-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) returning from retirement turn out to be true, then Krylov would be an interesting welcome back. Gustafsson walked away from the sport last summer following a loss to Anthony Smith, but by all appearances he’s not done. Krylov is a fighter that Gustafsson “should” beat, but Krylov could also rise to the occasion. Either way, we’re learning something important about both men by booking this.
Should fight: Winner of [autotag]Evan Dunham[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Michael Johnson[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN+ 32
Why they should fight: It was an impressive lightweight debut for Moicano, who dispatched of Damir Hadzovic with a rear-naked choke less than a minute into the bout.
Moicano called out Paul Felder in his post-fight interview, but that doesn’t seem like a fight Felder would care to take at this point. The Brazilian had the right idea shooting for a big name, but it will take more work before he gets those type of fights in the deep 155-pound weight class.
Although neither man is ranked, the winner of April’s UFC on ESPN+ 31 matchup between veterans Johnson (19-15 MMA, 11-11 UFC) and Dunham (18-8-1 MMA, 11-8-1 UFC) would be a great deal of fun. Both men have a mountain of UFC experience and don’t roll over easily, and those are the type of fights Moicano needs to be taken seriously as a contender in his new division.
Should fight: [autotag]Santiago Ponzinibbio[/autotag]
Why they should fight: Burns netted a signature win for his resume when he cracked Demian Maia with a massive punch in the first round of their welterweight co-main event, setting himself up for the TKO triumph.
The dangerous Brazilian is now 3-0 since he moved up to welterweight, and his performances are only getting better over time. Beating Maia in the fashion he did is rather unprecedented, so it should most definitely set him up for a big-fight opportunity.
Burns called out Colby Covington during his post-fight media rounds, but that one seems unlikely. A name who would make more sense is Ponzinibbio, who has won his past seven fights but has been out of action since November 2018 due to health issues. He recently told MMA Junkie he’d be back soon, though, and Burns would be a fitting matchup for him to come back to.
Should fight: [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag]
Why they should fight: Watch the video above to see why Oliveira should rematch Cerrone (36-14 MMA, 23-11 UFC) next after his main event win.
The #BodyShotChallene is insane and not recommended for anyone without abs of steel or a tolerance for pain.
Anyone who has followed the career of two-division ONE Championship kingpin [autotag]Aung La N Sang[/autotag] will already know that he is one of the toughest athletes in the game today.
“The Burmese Python” has served up a host of crowd-pleasing wars in the cage as he has won, then defended, his ONE middleweight and light-heavyweight titles for the Asian promotion over the last couple of years. In addition, in his last fight he defeated the current ONE heavyweight champion, Brandon Vera, who dropped down in a bid to take N Sang’s light heavyweight belt.
But now the Florida-based Myanmar fighter has decided to issue a challenge to his fellow fighters on social media: the #BodyShotChallenge.
N Sang got the ball rolling as he asked three of his teammates from Hard Knocks 365: Bellator featherweight [autotag]Adam Borics[/autotag], UFC lightweight [autotag]Michael Johnson[/autotag] and Bellator welterweight [autotag]Jason Jackson[/autotag], to unleash their best body shots on his midsection.
The trio didn’t disappoint as they wound up and let fly with a vicious series of body shots. But N Sang took them all with apparent ease as he laid down the challenge to his fellow pros, tagging UFC fighters Derek Brunson and Volkan Oezdemir, plus ONE flyweight Muay Thai champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon to take up the challenge and post videos of their own.
This one definitely falls into the “don’t try this at home” category, but if this becomes a craze within the sport of MMA and we get to see more wild videos of pro fighters taking body shots like a boss, then we’re absolutely fine with that.
The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.
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