Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.
MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.
But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.
Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from May 8-15.
All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.
MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.
But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.
Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from April 10-16
All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.
MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.
But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.
Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from March 13-19.
Aaron Pico is set to resume his career after shoulder surgery at Bellator 295 in April.
[autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag] is set to resume his career after shoulder surgery when he competes at Bellator 295 in April.
Pico will welcome promotional newcomer [autotag]Otto Rodrigues[/autotag] to the Bellator cage in a main card featherweight bout at the April 22 event, which takes place at Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.
MMA Junkie verified the booking between Pico (10-4 MMA, 10-4 BMMA) and Rodrigues (13-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) with a person close to the situation. The person requested anonymity because the organization has yet to make an official announcement.
Pico, 26, will return to action after he suffered a separated shoulder in an injury TKO loss to Jeremy Kennedy at Bellator 286 in October. He was forced to undergo surgery to repair the damage, and told MMA Junkie in February he is determined to hold the 145-pound belt this year, and viewed his next fight as the start of that push.
“I’d like to be a world champion at the end of 2023,” Pico said. “I feel I’m ready, I have a new shoulder, I’m just knocking on the door to be a champion, and I think when it’s all said and done in this year, I’ll have the Bellator belt wrapped around my waist.”
Rodrigues, 34, hasn’t competed since July 2021, and before that hadn’t fought since April 2017 due to multiple canceled matchups and other circumstances. The Brazilian has fought the majority of his career under the Jungle Fights, Shooto and LFA banners, earning all six of his career stoppage wins by submission.
[lawrence-related id=2618852,2586519]
The latest Bellator 295 lineup now includes:
MAIN CARD (Showtime, 10 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie, 7 p.m. ET)
When three fighters were deemed unable to progress to the second round, an alternate bout loser advanced to the tournament final.
A new LFA welterweight champion was crowned as the promotion held a four-man, one-night tournament Friday – but the road to get there was winding, long, and unusual.
In the end, [autotag]Carlos Leal[/autotag] (14-3) took home the title at LFA 112 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil when he defeated [autotag]Junior Marques[/autotag] (11-6) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). While Leal’s road to the top was typical, the opposing side of the bracket was the furthest thing from normal.
The tournament began with two quarterfinal fights of three three-minute rounds. The first matchup was a back and forth brawl, in which [autotag]Gabriel Bonfim[/autotag] (11-0) finished [autotag]Brenner Alberth[/autotag] (8-1) via punches at 0:38 of Round 3. On the other side of the bracket, Leal only needed 69 seconds to finish [autotag]Diego Dias[/autotag] (13-4) with a violent knockout punch.
That's a bad man!!!!
Carlos Leal moves on to the finals!!!#LFA112 pic.twitter.com/ve4x8YacMg
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) July 19, 2021
Bonfim vs. Real was lined up for the tournament final – until it wasn’t. Due to concussion like symptoms, Bonfim was removed from the matchup and the promotion turned to two alternates, [autotag]Quemuel Ottoni[/autotag] and [autotag]Wendell Giacomo[/autotag], who won on the non-broadcasted prelims.
However, neither Ottoni and Giacomo received medical clearance. In an unusual turn of events, Marques, who lost to Ottani, was named the No. 3 alternate and was placed into the final against Leal.
While he lasted all three rounds, Marques ultimately lost his second fight of the night when he was swept on all three judges’ scorecards by Leal.
Say hello to your new LFA welterweight champion!
Carlos Leal closes out #LFA112 in dominant fashion. Thank you, Brazil!
Good night from Rio! pic.twitter.com/YikzeqB8BT
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) July 19, 2021
In the co-main event, [autotag]Otto Rodrigues[/autotag] snapped [autotag]Carlos Augusto da Silva[/autotag]’s eye-popping 17-fight winning streak via a unanimous decision that earned six 10-8 rounds across the three judges’ scorecards. Prior to the bout, Rodrigues had not competed since April 2017.
The most violent finish, perhaps occurred when [autotag]Kayan Krushewsky[/autotag] brutally knocked out [autotag]Junior Luiz[/autotag] with a pair of punishing punches. The stoppage came 62 seconds into the fight.
VIOLENT END!#LFA112 pic.twitter.com/wdQizWEzu3
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) July 19, 2021
Also on the main card, hyped flyweight standout [autotag]Carlos Mota[/autotag] (6-0) made his long-awaited return to the cage when he won a fairly one-sided unanimous decision over [autotag]Jefferson Oliveira[/autotag] (5-1).
Check out the full LFA 112 results below:
MAIN CARD (UFC Fight Pass)
DARK PRELIMS (Not broadcasted)
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