Tag: Mounir Lazzez

With Christian Aguilera out, Warlley Alves vs. Mounir Lazzez targeted for UFC Fight Night on Jan. 20

Mounir Lazzez is targeted to return on “Fight Island” when he meets Warlley Alves at UFC Fight Night on Jan. 20.

[autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag]’s return fight is in the works.

Christian Aguilera has been forced out of his Jan. 16 bout vs. [autotag]Warlley Alves[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) due to undisclosed reasons. Lazzez (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) is now targeted to face Alves, but four days later at UFC Fight Night on Jan. 20 on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

Two people with knowledge of the targeted booking informed MMA Junkie of the matchup but requested anonymity because the UFC has yet to make a formal announcement.

Tunisia-born striker Lazzez picked up a big upset win over Abdul Razak Alhassan in his UFC debut in July. He was scheduled to return vs. David Zawada at UFC on ESPN+ 38, but withdrew after testing positive for COVID-19.

Alves, a winner of “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil,” has lost two of his past three fights. After knocking out Sergio Moraes at UFC 237, Alves suffered a second-round submission loss to Randy Brown at UFC on ESPN+ 22 last November.

With the change, here’s the updated lineup for UFC Fight Night on Jan. 20:

  • Michael Chiesa vs. Neil Magny
  • Viviane Araujo vs. Roxanne Modafferi
  • Tyson Nam vs. Matt Schnell
  • Francisco Figueredo vs. Jerome Rivera
  • Pedro Munhoz vs. Jimmie Rivera
  • Matt Brown vs. Carlos Condit
  • Zarrukh Adashev vs. Su Mudaerji
  • Lerone Murphy vs. Douglas Silva de Andrade
  • Vinicius Moreira vs. Ike Villanueva
  • Manon Fiorot vs. Victoria Leonardo
  • Dalcha Lungiambula vs. Markus Perez
  • Warlley Alves vs. Mounir Lazzez

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Mounir Lazzez tests positive for COVID-19, out of David Zawada fight at UFC on ESPN+ 38

Mounir Lazzez has been forced out of his Oct. 17 fight due to testing positive for COVID-19.

[autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag] has been forced out of what would have been his second UFC fight due to testing positive for COVID-19.

Lazzez (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) was scheduled to face [autotag]David Zawada[/autotag] (17-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC) at UFC on ESPN+ 38 on Oct. 17 at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, but the Dubai-based Tunisian has been hit with the coronavirus.

Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation recently informed MMA Junkie of the news but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Lazzez made history in July, when he became the first fighter born and raised in an Arab country to sign with UFC. He shined in his promotional debut, upsetting knockout artist Abdul Razak Alhassan at UFC on ESPN 13, claiming a “Fight of the Night” bonus in the process.

Germany’s Zawada was also coming off an upset of his own, when he earned the “Performance of the Night” bonus for submitting Abubakar Nurmagomedov in the first round at UFC on ESPN+ 21 last November.

The latest UFC on ESPN+ 38 lineup includes:

  • Brian Ortega vs. Chan Sung Jung
  • Ante Delija vs. Ciryl Gane
  • Modestas Bukauskas vs. Jimmy Crute
  • Said Nurmagomedov vs. Mark Striegl
  • Krzysztof Jotko vs. Makhmud Muradov
  • Jessica Andrade vs. Katlyn Chookagian
  • David Zawada vs. opponent TBA
  • Jun Yong Park vs. John Phillips
  • Jamie Mullarkey vs. Fares Ziam
  • Gadzhimurad Antigulov vs. Maxim Grishin
  • Poliana Botelho vs. Gillian Robertson
  • Mateusz Gamrot vs. Magomed Mustafaev
  • James Krause vs. Claudio Silva

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Mounir Lazzez vs. David Zawada targeted for UFC’s Oct. 17 event

After impressing on his UFC debut, Mounir Lazzez will return to action at “UFC Fight Island” when he faces David Zawada.

After impressing in his UFC debut, [autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag] will return to action on “UFC Fight Island.”

Lazzez (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) will face [autotag]David Zawada[/autotag] (17-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC) at the UFC’s Oct. 17 event, which will take place at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.

MMA Junkie confirmed the targeted booking with two people with knowledge of the situation. The people requested anonymity because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Lazzez, the first born-and-raised Arab fighter to be signed to the UFC, cashed in as a big underdog when he upset the highly touted Abdul Razak Alhassan at UFC on ESPN 13 in July. Lazzez stood toe-to-toe with the power puncher and weathered an early storm before going on to showcase his well-rounded game en route to a unanimous decision victory.

His upcoming opponent Zawada is coming off a big upset of his own, when he earned the “Performance of the Night” bonus for submitting the debuting Abubakar Nurmagomedov in the first round last November at UFC on ESPN+ 21 in Moscow.

With the addition, the latest Oct. 17 lineup includes:

  • Chan Sung Jung vs. Brian Ortega
  • Jessica Andrade vs. Katlyn Chookagian
  • Modestas Bukauskas vs. Jimmy Crute
  • Muslim Salikhov vs. Claudio Silva
  • Renato Moicano vs. Magomed Mustafaev
  • Poliana Botelho vs. Gillian Robertson
  • Jun Yong Park vs. John Phillips
  • Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Ciryl Gane
  • Gadzhimurad Antigulov vs. Maxim Grishin
  • Said Nurmagomedov vs. Mark Striegl
  • Mounir Lazzez vs. David Zawada

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MMA Junkie’s ‘Fight of the Month’ for July: A rematch between former champs delivers

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from July 2020.

With another action-packed month in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from July 2020: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s “Fight of the Month” award for July.

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

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The Nominees

Rose Namajunas def. Jessica Andrade at UFC 251

[autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] (9-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) got the revenge she was looking for when she defeated fellow former UFC champion [autotag]Jessica Andrade[/autotag] (20-8 MMA, 11-6 UFC) in their anticipated rematch.

After Andrade took the strawweight title with a stunning slam knockout in May 2019, Namajunas emerged victorious in the rematch with a split decision win. She used superior footwork and striking to win the early portion of the fight, then resisted a late push from her Brazilian foe to secure the win.

Petr Yan def. Jose Aldo via punches at UFC 251

[autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] (28-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) had moments when it looked like he might become a two-division UFC champion. But in the end, [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) may have brought about a changing of the guard in the lighter weight classes.

Yan became the UFC’s new bantamweight champion with a fifth-round TKO of former featherweight champ Aldo. Yan used pinpoint striking and a dangerous overall assault to overcome the moments where Aldo looked like he could successfully turn back the clock and began a new arena in the 135-pound division.

Mounir Lazzez def. Abdul Razak Alhassan at UFC on ESPN 13

[autotag]Abdul Razak Alhassan[/autotag] (10-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) proved that after two years away he’s still one of the most exciting welterweights on the UFC roster. Newcomer [autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) just managed to shine a little brighter, though.

Lazzez made his UFC debut as a relative unknown, but did not leave that way after beating Alhassan by unanimous decision. The pair threw down for 15 minutes, with Lazzez standing up to the trademark power of Alhassan and taking over to claim his first octagon win in the “Fight of the Night.”

Rafael Fiziev def. Marc Diakiese at UFC on ESPN+ 30

[autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) showed how different striking levels can be when he outworked a well respected standup artist in [autotag]Marc Diakiese[/autotag] (14-4 MMA, 5-4 UFC) over 15 minutes of lightweight action.

Fiziev was one step ahead of Diakiese in his unanimous decision win, using techniques that were just a touch more effective than what his opponent brought to the table. In the end, both men took home an extra $50,000 for “Fight of the Night.”

Mauricio Rua def. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC on ESPN 14

[autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag] (27-11-1 MMA, 11-9-1 UFC) left no doubt he’s superior to [autotag]Antonio Rogerio Nogueira[/autotag] (23-10 MMA, 6-7 UFC) when he made it 3-0 over his longtime rival in their trilogy fight.

After “Shogun” picked up wins in the first two meetings in 2005 and 2015, Rua made it a clean series sweep over Nogueira with a split decision victory. They slugged it out in classic fashion, and although it seemed Nogueira might slide out with a win, the judges once again saw it for Rua.

* * * *

The Winner: Namajunas vs. Andrade

The rematch between Namajunas and Andrade was well worth the wait – for both Namajunas and the viewers who got to witness a tremendous scrap.

In their first meeting, at UFC 237, Andrade took the strawweight belt from Namajunas via a memorable, second-round knockout slam.

Fourteen months later, the duo met again. Namajunas put together two stellar rounds, then showed great heart in withstanding a furious third-round onslaught.

Namajunas, competing for the first time since losing the title, eked out a split decision victor with the better end of two of three 29-28 scorecards.

Andrade make clear from the jump she planned on pushing a strong pace, using fast movement to dart in and out. Namajunas, however, didn’t need much time to figure out her range, and she began using a pinpoint jab, crisp straight hands, and solid counters on the occasion Andrade manage to break through.

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This continued for the better part of two rounds, but Andrade might have the heaviest hands at 115 pounds, and she threw them, like with a wicked body shot in the second, she landed.

And then Andrade turned it on in the third. Andrade threw everything but the kitchen sink at her foe, leaving Namajunas with her nose cut open and her left eye nearly swollen shut. Things looked bad when Andrade landed a strong throw to take her opponent to the mat.

But Namajunas got back to her feet, gritted her way through the onslaught, and got to the final horn to seal the win.

“She went into desperation and started really unloading and she caught me a couple times, obviously,” Namajunas said. “But I just stayed strong.”

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Mounir Lazzez hopes his UFC debut performance showed Arab region’s MMA potential

“I believe what I offered the regional MMA fighters is hope.”

[autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag] hopes his successful UFC debut will help open doors for his fellow fighters in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Tunisia’s Lazzez (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), the first born-and-raised Arab fighter to ever get signed to the UFC, showed off his well rounded game when he defeated knockout artist Abdul Razak Alhassan last week at UFC on ESPN 13.

Lazzez’s signing gave many fighters based in MENA a glimmer of hope, potentially showing the UFC’s willingness to invest in the region. The outpouring of support from the MENA region’s fans, media and fellow fighters put a massive spotlight on Lazzez, who admits it weighed on him a little bit, but ultimately he was able to capitalize.

“I tried my best to not have that pressure, but I couldn’t evade it, and thank God it had a positive impact on my performance,” Lazzez told MMA Junkie. “I believe what I offered the regional MMA fighters is hope. They know they can make it now because they saw I could do it. I’m not going to lie: It did feel like the regional fighters have been ignored.

“We only had the regional circuits, and there was never any interest from the UFC or international promotions. Things did seem to happen at the right time, though. We are ready now, and we will show it. I will certainly keep showing and proving it.”

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Training out of Team Nogueira in Dubai, Lazzez has fought all across the Middle East under the Desert Force, BRAVE CF and UAE Warriors banners. Desert Force has been instrumental in developing the region’s talent, providing them a platform to pursue MMA as a full-time career.

Plenty of the region’s fighters have proven their ability to compete against talent from all over the world, and Lazzez thinks it’s only a matter of time that these fighters will start getting the call to the UFC.

“Truth is, there is a handful that would make an impact,” Lazzez said. “I don’t want to name names, but I believe the UFC is in talks with the most prominent names in the region, and I hope as many as possible make it. I hope that my performance shows that there is potential in the region and gives hope to both the UFC and the regional MMA fighters that this is indeed a worthwhile investment.”

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UFC’s Mounir Lazzez really wants to fight Mike Perry or Niko Price – but really Mike Perry

“He also has beef with my teammate, Darren Till, so he’s got beef with me.”

[autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag] is looking to capitalize on his impressive UFC debut.

Lazzez (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) defeated highly touted Abdul Razak Alhassan in the main card opener of UFC on ESPN 13 last week in Abu Dhabi, and he wants to keep the ball rolling.

Lazzez came up big as an underdog, containing Alhassan’s early barrage by using his well rounded skillset to take control of the fight. His creative and technical standup was on full display, and he even mixed things up with his takedowns, making a massive impression in his debut.

The UFC appears to be heading back to Abu Dhabi in the fall, and the Dubai-based Lazzez certainly hopes to land on that card. He previously called out Mike Perry in his post-fight interview. He’s also interested in [autotag]Niko Price[/autotag], another opponent he sees propelling him one step closer to hitting the 170-pound rankings.

“Next Abu Dhabi event, be it in September or October, I’ll be ready and waiting for Mike Perry or Niko Price or whoever the UFC has for me,” Lazzez told MMA Junkie. “I don’t just want to be here. I want to make a run. Give me someone that will advance me significantly. I am ready and able and want to continue climbing the ranks.

“The way I see it, I took everything Alhassan had gained from his UFC performances. Whatever hype he had is now mine. I plan to do the same with Mike Perry or Niko Price and reach closer to the top 20. After knocking Mike Perry’s head straight and taking all his hype from him, as well, I would crack the tougher competition. From there on, it would be only a matter of time until I can prove myself worthy of being among the contenders.”

There’s a little bit of meaning behind the Perry callout. Lazzez, like Darren Till, is also managed by MTK Global, so the two have trained together before on numerous occasions.

Till’s beef with Perry is well documented, and Lazzez wants to back his teammate by taking out Perry. He also sees Perry, whom he’s not a fan of as a person, as a logical next opponent after his statement win over Alhassan.

“He’s a name with a hype that is reachable soon without looking too ambitious,” Lazzez said. “His style matches with mine and would certainly be a very entertaining fight. He also has beef with my teammate, Darren Till, so he’s got beef with me. You want to get to him, you gotta go through me.

“Lastly, his personality, as fun as it may be to some, is just negative, and his actions prove that. He should go through some rehab and wherever that gets him, I’ll then execute my rehab on him and hopefully set his head straight. There isn’t a single aspect of the game that he can beat me in. I want to take his hype and his popularity and turn it into mine. He can start his healing, and I’ll be ready for him in September or October in Abu Dhabi.”

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UFC must invest in fighting talent of Middle East, North Africa | Opinion

With the UFC continuing to strengthen it’s ties with Abu Dhabi, it’s time they started looking at the talent in the region.

With the UFC continuing to strengthen its ties with Abu Dhabi, it’s time promotion officials started taking a closer look at the fighting talent in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

[autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag], the first born-and-bred Arab fighter to ever get signed to the UFC, made his successful debut on July 15 with an impressive showing against the highly-touted Abdul Razak Alhassan.

But Lazzez’s signing was not a result of the UFC scouting talent from the region. It was a chance encounter, when a 17-year-old friend of Dana White’s son approached the UFC president with a highlight-reel video of Lazzez, urging White to sign him.

White contacted the matchmakers, who offered Lazzez (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) a main card spot on UFC on ESPN 13, but he was handed no favors when he was matched up with knockout artist Alhassan.

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Tunisia’s Lazzez is a decorated striker who trains out of Team Nogueira in Dubai. He has spent his entire MMA career fighting all across the region’s top promotions such as Desert Force, BRAVE CF and UAE Warriors.

He was able to display incredible standup skills, composure, cardio and fight IQ to contain Alhassan’s early barrage and take control of the contest. Right after the fight, Lazzez capitalized on his big win by calling out Mike Perry in the post-fight interview.

Lazzez’s win was instrumental for the region because it proved that there is high-level talent to be discovered. A lot of the region’s fighters have been chomping at the bit for their opportunity and Lazzez has given them that hope. His stunning performance put the region on the map.

The entire Middle East area is no stranger to hosting MMA events, with many fighters from all over the world having competed in Jordan, for instance, under the Cage Warriors, Desert Force and BRAVE CF banner.

The likes of former UFC-dual champ Conor McGregor, Sodiq Yusuff, Arnold Allen, Jack Hermansson and super prospect Khamzat Chimaev have all competed in Jordan in the past.

Jordan is also home to BRAVE CF’s welterweight champion Jarrah Al-Selawe, who’s won nine of his last 10 and is highly regarded as one of the best talents to ever come out of the region. Having recently turned 27, Al-Selawe is only just coming into his prime.

It’s just a matter of giving these fighters an opportunity, and with the UFC projected to return to Abu Dhabi at least one more time before the end of the year, it’s time matchmakers increased their scouting on fighters from the region.

If not a direct signing, doors should at least be opened in the form of “The Ultimate Fighter” or Dana White’s Contender Series, as many of the region’s top talents have moved their training over to the U.S.

White’s “Lookin’ for a Fight” is also another option, since fighters such as Chimaev, Amir Albazi, Khalid Taha and Ottman Azaitar all last competed for BRAVE CF in the Middle East, before getting signed to the UFC.

The region’s interest in the sport is at an all-time high, and there’s no better time for the UFC to tap into market and capitalize on signing some fighters because the talent is certainly there.

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UFC on ESPN 13 medical suspensions: Ryan Benoit, three others facing lengthy time off

Four fighters face potential 180-day medical suspensions after UFC on ESPN 13.

Four fighters face potential 180-day medical suspensions as a result of injuries sustained in their UFC on ESPN 13 fights Wednesday.

Friday, MMA Junkie obtained the full list from MixedMartialArts.com, the ABC’s official recordkeeper.

According to the list, UFC on ESPN 13 main card fighters [autotag]Ryan Benoit[/autotag] and [autotag]Taila Santos[/autotag], as well as prelim competitors [autotag]Modestas Bukauskas[/autotag] and [autotag]Diana Belbita[/autotag], received 180-day suspensions. Fighters can return sooner than the duration of their suspension if cleared by a doctor.

Headliners [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] and [autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag], however, walked away relatively unscathed, despite their 25-minute back-and-forth battle. Kattar (22-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) was handed a 30-day suspension for a “hard bout,” while Ige (14-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) received 45 days on the shelf for bilateral brow lacerations.

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UFC on ESPN 13 took place Wednesday at Flash Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The main card streamed on pay-per-view after prelims simulcasted on ESPN and ESPN+.

The complete list of UFC on ESPN 13 medical suspensions:

  • Calvin Kattar: Suspended 30 days for “hard bout” with no contact for 21 days
  • Dan Ige: Suspended 45 days for bilateral brow lacerations with no contact for 30 days
  • [autotag]Tim Elliott[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for left brow lacerations with no contact for 21 days
  • Ryan Benoit: Suspended 180 days or until right thumb x-ray is cleared by a doctor; Also suspended 21 days with no contact
  • [autotag]Jimmie Rivera[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for right shoulder pain with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for scalp laceration with no contact for 21 days
  • Taila Santos: Suspended 180 days or until right foot x-ray is cleared by a doctor; Also suspended 21 days with no contact
  • [autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for right eye swelling with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for “hard bout” with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Abdul Razak Alhassan[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for right hand pain with no contact for 30 days
  • [autotag]Khazmat Chimaev[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]John Phillips[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for bilateral brow lacerations with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Lerone Murphy[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]Ricardo Ramos[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for TKO loss with no contact for 30 days
  • Modestas Bukauskas: Suspended 180 days or until left knee MRI cleared by a doctor; Also suspended 21 days with no contact
  • [autotag]Andreas Michailidis[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for TKO loss with no contact for 30 days
  • [autotag]Jared Gordon[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]Chris Fishgold[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days for a “hard bout” with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Liana Jouja[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • Diana Belbita: Suspended 180 days or until right elbow MRI is cleared by doctor; Also suspended 21 days with no contact
  • [autotag]Jack Shore[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest)
  • [autotag]Aaron Phillips[/autotag]: Suspended 7 days (mandatory rest

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The MMA Road Show with John Morgan, No. 277: UFC Fight Island updates with Oscar Willis

Episode No. 277 of “The MMA Road Show with John Morgan” podcast is now available for streaming and download.

Episode No. 277 of “The MMA Road Show with John Morgan” podcast is now available for streaming and download.

MMA Junkie lead staff reporter John Morgan hosts the show while traveling the world to cover the sport.

It’s one of the craziest days in recent memory for anyone covering the UFC, with a live event followed hours later by a media day for another card. John Morgan sits down with The Mac Life’s Oscar Willis to talk about it all, and interviews with [autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag], [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] and [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] are shared along the way.

Check it out on iTunes or at themmaroadshow.com. You can also subscribe via RSS.