Tag: Parker Porter

Parker Porter breathes new life into career with big BKFC knockout of fellow UFC alum

Parker Porter devastated a fellow UFC alumnus in his BKFC debut Saturday at Mohegan Sun.

[autotag]Parker Porter[/autotag] feels reinvigorated, reignited and more motivated than ever. All it took was removing the gloves.

At BKFC on DAZN 4 on Saturday, Porter (1-0) stepped into his first bareknuckle boxing match – and swiftly finished fellow UFC alum [autotag]Chase Gormley[/autotag] (1-1) with punches in 44 seconds. Porter knocked Gormley down twice in that stretch.

The bout took place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., one hour from where Porter lives.

“I wasn’t sure about it at first, but when it came across the table, I was like, ‘Let’s go.’ I’m definitely not done fighting,” Porter told MMA Junkie on Sunday. “This might be the new niche for me. The staff and the promotion were awesome. They were super organized and took care of everything real well. They were super professional and easy to work with. I like this style of fighting a lot. I think I could mesh into it very, very well.”

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Porter is 39 and has fought professionally since 2007. It’s been a long and winding road that included eight UFC appearances over the course of which he went 4-4. After three losses in a four-outing stretch, Porter was not renewed by the promotion after a defeat to Justin Tafa in August 2023.

When he entered the free agent pool, Porter admits he wasn’t sure what avenues would even be out there. He’s glad the BKFC door opened and now he wants more.

“My mindset coming out (of the UFC) was just like despair, almost,” Porter said. “The UFC is considered the gold standard for MMA. It’s the biggest, baddest promotion out there with the best fighters in the world when it comes to MMA. To have that taken away after working so many years and working so hard to get there, it was daunting to have it taken away like that in the way that it got taken away. But having this opportunity come across my table has totally rejuvenated my excitement for training. … The universe just put everything in place for me and I’m ready to grab it.”

Porter still has two fights left on his promotional agreement. It’s up to BKFC as to what they want to do next. Porter hopes to build up a little more experience and ring time, and then eventually fight the creme of the crop at heavyweight.

“I wouldn’t mind getting a little bit more experience before that, but that’s definitely the target,” Porter said. “If I’m going to stick around with this, I’m not going to just do it to hover it around in the midsection or just break the top 10. I want to definitely make a title run.”

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Four former UFC fighters set to compete at BKFC on DAZN at Mohegan Sun

BKFC has inked some familiar names for its return to Mohegan Sun.

In a pause period over the holidays and into the New Year like many other combat sports promotions, BKFC is looking to kick off 2025 with a bang.

Among its year-opening events is a BKFC on DAZN card scheduled for Feb. 1 at Mohegan Sun Arena. The card is the promotion’s second in New England after its debut in the Uncasville, Conn., venue in 2024.

The lineup continues to fill, but some names notable to MMA fans have already been added, including four UFC alumni, two “TUF” competitors and a veteran Bellator brawler.

Names from UFC yesteryears set to compete on the card include [autotag]Cameron VanCamp[/autotag], who headlines vs. “TUF” notable [autotag]Julian Lane[/autotag]. In the co-main event, former Bellator fan-favorite [autotag]Brennan Ward[/autotag] debuts vs. [autotag]James Dennis[/autotag].

Also on the card, former UFC heavyweights [autotag]Chase Gormley[/autotag] and [autotag]Parker Porter[/autotag] collide. UFC and PFL alum [autotag]Yorgan De Castro[/autotag] makes his bareknuckle debut vs. seasoned journeyman [autotag]Bobby Brents[/autotag]. Additionally, “TUF 31” cast member [autotag]Rico DiSciullo[/autotag] fights [autotag]Anthony Foye[/autotag].

The full BKFC on DAZN lineup for Mohegan Sun includes:

  • Julian Lane vs. Cameron VanCamp
  • James Dennis vs. Brennan Ward
  • Dakota Cochrane vs. Will Santiago
  • Adam De Freitas vs. Kastriot Xhema
  • Chase Gormley vs. Parker Porter
  • Rico DiSciullo vs. Anthony Foye
  • Bobby Brents vs. Yorgan De Castro
  • Jack Grady vs. Lardy Navarro
  • Jared Lennon vs. Danny Pettit
  • Spencer Meehan vs. Grady Wall
  • Tyler Randall vs. Andrew Strode

Previously unreleased footage of young Jon Jones fight surfaces before UFC 309

Ahead of UFC 309, check out this throwback video of 20-year-old Jon Jones laying it on Parker Porter.

When [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] steps into the cage Saturday at UFC 309, it’ll mark more than 16 years that he’s competed as a professional fighter.

The UFC snagged him within his first year of competition. He fought six times regionally before the promotion came calling. All eight of those bouts occurred between April and July 2008.

One of those fights was against fellow future UFC fighter [autotag]Parker Porter[/autotag] in Wilmington, Mass., for World Championship Fighting (now Combat FC). Jones, then 20, would sign with the UFC one win later.

Up until now, the only footage that existed in the public forum was a grainy handheld angle from cageside. However, promoter Joe Cavallaro released professional footage of the fight Thursday for all to enjoy – for as long as it lasted.

Ahead of UFC 309, check out the previously unreleased video of Jones vs. Porter in the video above.

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UFC Fight Night 225 post-event facts: Max Holloway sets record with KO of ‘The Korean Zombie’

Check out all the facts from UFC Fight Night 225, which saw Max Holloway add to his legendary resume with a highlight knockout win.

UFC Fight Night 225 took place Saturday at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore and saw seven of 13 fights end in a stoppage.

None of those finishes were more memorable than the main event, where former champ [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] (25-7 MMA, 21-7 UFC) lived up to expectations when he scored a brutal third-round knockout of [autotag]Chan Sung Jung[/autotag] (17-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC) to send “The Korean Zombie” into retirement in the featherweight bout.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC Fight Night 225.

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UFC Fight Night 225 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Max Holloway among three with top non-title money

UFC Fight Night 225 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 225 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $196,000.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC Fight Night 225 took place at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 225 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Chan Sung Jung[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Ryan Spann[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Alex Caceres[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Rinya Nakamura[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Fernie Garcia[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Erin Blanchfield[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Taila Santos[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Junior Tafa[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Parker Porter[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Waldo Cortes-Acosta[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Lukasz Brzeski[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Garrett Armfield[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Toshiomi Kazama[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Michal Oleksiejczuk[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Chidi Njokuani[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Song Kenan[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Rolando Bedoya[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Billy Goff[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Yusaku Kinoshita[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]JJ Aldrich[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Na Liang[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Seungwoo Choi[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jarno Errens[/autotag]: $4,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2251 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $5,735,500
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $20,324,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 225.

UFC Fight Night 225 play-by-play and live results

Check out live play-by-play and official results from UFC Fight Night 225 in Singapore.

UFC Fight Night 225 took place at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore.

In the main event, former featherweight champion Max Holloway (25-7 MMA, 21-7 UFC) takes on “The Korean Zombie,” Chan Sung Jung (17-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC). In the co-feature, former light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith (37-18 MMA, 12-8 UFC) meets Ryan Spann (21-9 MMA, 7-4 UFC) in a rematch.

Enjoy the fights, everyone.

UFC Fight Night 225 video: Junior Tafa faceplants Parker Porter with one-punch KO

Junior Tafa showed off his striking en route to a quick finish of Parker Porter at UFC Fight Night 225.

[autotag]Junior Tafa[/autotag] showed off his striking en route to a quick finish of [autotag]Parker Porter[/autotag] at UFC Fight Night 225.

Tafa (5-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) rocked Porter (14-9 MMA, 4-4 UFC) early with a knee up the middle, followed by a right hand, which forced Porter to desperately shoot for a takedown. But Porter never really recovered, as Tafa backed him up against the cage and landed a big overhand right which face planted him. Tafa’s knockout came at the 1:24 mark of Round 1 Saturday at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore.

Check out the replay of Tafa’s finish below (via Twitter):

Like his brother Justin Tafa, Tafa was able to finish Porter in the first round. Tafa rebounded from his debut loss to Mohammed Usman in April. All five of his professional wins have come by knockout.

Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 225 results include:

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 225.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (July 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 or officially announced by a promotion from July 10-16.

UFC heavyweight Braxton Smith suspended for exogenous testosterone administration

After a failed UFC debut, Braxton Smith also is dealing with a failed drug test that will keep him out of action for a long time.

UFC heavyweight [autotag]Braxton Smith[/autotag] failed in his attempt to capture his first promotional win – and now he’s failed a drug test, too.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency publicly announced a two-year suspension for Smith after a urine sample he submitted tested positive for exogenous administration of testosterone and its precursors in two out-of-competition tests on April 19 and May 4, and one in-competition test May 6.

“Smith’s urine sample was analyzed using a specialized test, known as Carbon Isotope Ratio (CIR) testing, that differentiates between anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) naturally produced by the body and prohibited anabolic agents of external origin,” USADA said in a statement. “The CIR test confirmed the presence of testosterone and/or its metabolites of external origin in Smith’s urine sample. All AAS are non-Specified Substances in the class of Anabolic Agents and prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy and UFC Prohibited List.”

Since Smith was not notified of his failures until the third sample was already submitted, the three tests only count as one violation. The tests occurred in and around his May 6 bout vs. [autotag]Parker Porter[/autotag] at UFC 288. Since Smith lost by first-round TKO, no changes to the bout result are required.

Smith will be eligible to return to competition April 19, 2025 by USADA standards, but he could face different sanctions from the New Jersey State Athletic Commission, who has yet to publicly rule on the matter.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 288.

Parker Porter ‘can’t get away’ from UFC champ Jon Jones, finished contract with TKO win at UFC 288

Parker Porter beat Braxton Smith and snapped a two-fight skid for his first stoppage win since 2019 with a first-round TKO at UFC 288.

NEWARK, N.J. – [autotag]Parker Porter[/autotag] beat Braxton Smith with a first-round TKO Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC 288 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Take a look inside the fight with Porter, who snapped a two-fight skid for his first stoppage win since 2019.