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 July 11-17.
Pat Downey once again has his MMA debut scheduled.
[autotag]Pat Downey[/autotag] once again has his MMA debut scheduled.
Downey, a former Division-I All-American wrestler at Iowa State and USA Wrestling team member, will fight [autotag]Jeff Souder[/autotag] in a middleweight bout at Bellator 284 next month in South Dakota, he told Sports Illustrated. Souder will be making his pro debut, as well. Downey was supposed to make his pro debut at Bellator 277 earlier this year, but had to pull out.
Bellator 284 takes place Aug. 12 at Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.
Downey was set to take on Daniel Compton at Bellator 277, but withdrew from the fight after he was diagnosed with topical steroid withdrawal syndrome, also known as red skin syndrome. Downey posted a series of images and videos, which showed his neck and chest broken out in a red, oozing rash, to his Instagram account prior to the diagnosis.
He later announced in a follow-up post that his diagnosis was topical steroid withdrawal syndrome after he saw an allergist. Downey attributed the issue to stopping the use of topical cortisone creams, oral medications and injections.
Downey, who will turn 30 just before he fights at Bellator 284, was a USA Wrestling world team member who was at one point ranked No. 10 in the world. His resume includes a Dave Schultz Memorial International title, matches in the U.S. Open and World Team Trials and his NCAA All-American status.
With the addition, the Bellator 284 lineup now includes:
MAIN CARD (Showtime)
PRELIMINARY CARD (MMA Junkie)
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Former Division I All-American wrestler Pat Downey is out of his MMA debut – and for seemingly understandable reason.
The long-awaited mixed martial arts debut of amateur wrestling standout [autotag]Pat Downey[/autotag] will have to wait.
A former Division I All-American, Downey (0-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) has withdrawn from his scheduled April 15 bout at Bellator 277 after he was diagnosed Tuesday with topical steroid withdrawal syndrome, also known as “red skin syndrome.”
Downey posted a series of graphic images and videos to his Instagram prior to the diagnosis, which showed his neck and chest broken out in a red, oozing rash.
“Between this progressively escalating undiagnosed flesh-eating disease & recently tearing my MCL / ankle I’m not sure I’ll be able to make my professional MMA debut April 15th,” Downey wrote in one post.
In a follow-up post, Downey revealed his diagnosis after he saw an allergist. He said it was his eighth doctor visit in six days. Downey attributed the health issue to stopping the use of topical cortisone creams, oral medications, and injections. Downey has an MRI scheduled for Monday.
“The worst side effect of this is the inability to ever feel comfortable,” Downey wrote. “Insomnia is a b*tch & I miss sleeping, training, walking my dog, & most of all; sleeping with beautiful south Floridian woman.”
MMA Junkie has since confirmed with a Bellator official that Downey is officially out of his scheduled fight vs. Daniel Compton (4-3 MMA, 0-1 BMMA). The event will roll on without him at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.
Downey, 29, was a USA Wrestling world team member, ranked No. 10 in the world, an undefeated 2019 senior-level circuit, a Dave Schultz Memorial International champion, a competitor in the U.S. Open and World Team Trials, and NCAA All-American.
With the addition, the Bellator 277 lineup includes:
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A controversial figure, Pat Downey was a standout wrestler on the mats before he pivoted to MMA in January.
Former NCAA Division I All-American [autotag]Pat Downey[/autotag] has long hinted at a move to mixed martial arts. Now, he finally has a debut opponent, date, and event locked in.
Downey (0-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) will make his promotional debut April 15 at Bellator 277 in San Jose, Calif. in a middleweight bout against [autotag]Daniel Compton[/autotag] (4-3 MMA, 0-1 BMMA), a promotion official Tuesday confirmed to MMA Junkie after an initial report by Ariel Helwani. The event takes place at SAP Center. The main card airs on Showtime after prelims on MMA Junkie.
Downey, 29, was a USA Wrestling world team member, ranked No. 10 in the world, an undefeated 2019 senior-level circuit, a Dave Schultz Memorial International champion, a competitor in the U.S. Open and World Team Trials, and NCAA All-American.
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It’s always been one of Downey’s goals to compete in MMA. It’s just been a matter of when. In 2020, Downey told MMA Junkie his MMA career would follow the delayed Olympic trials. In April 2021, Downey came up short when he placed fourth in the trials. In early 2021, Downey announced his retirement from wrestling and pivot to MMA before he signed with Bellator.
A controversial figure in the eyes of many in the amateur wrestling community, Downey described his incompatible relationship with the wrestling community when he spoke to MMA Junkie in January.
“Even when I did everything I set out to do in the sport, they still didn’t want me being their representative,” Downey said. “I just feel like I wasn’t the wrestling poster boy they wanted representing Team USA. When I say ‘they,’ I mean team USA Wrestling, the governing body. I was always getting reprimanded for sh*t I was saying or what I was doing or how I was behaving, just because I didn’t go to church on Sunday and then go secretly closet-sin on Monday, like all them fake motherf*ckers are doing. I was a little bit more open about my lifestyle and how I live and what I do.”
With the addition, the Bellator 277 lineup includes:
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Pat Downey, a polarizing figure in the world of wrestling, is headed MMA.
[autotag]Pat Downey[/autotag] is headed to Bellator MMA.
A Bellator official confirmed Downey’s signing Thursday to MMA Junkie after an initial report from journalist Ariel Helwani. No date or opponent has been set for Downey’s debut.
Downey, 29, was a USA Wrestling world team member, ranked No. 10 in the world, an undefeated 2019 senior-level circuit, a Dave Schultz Memorial International champion, a competitor in the U.S. Open and World Team Trials, and NCAA All-American.
It’s always been one of Downey’s goals to compete in MMA. It’s just been a matter of when. In 2020, Downey told MMA Junkie his MMA career would follow the delayed Olympic trials. In April 2021, Downey came up short when he placed fourth in the trials. Last week, Downey announced his retirement from wrestling and pivot to MMA.
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Downey encountered legal issues during his time as a standout wrestling recruit, stemming from fights. Downey was arrested multiple times from 2009-2010 and lost his full-ride scholarship to Penn State University.
His collegiate wrestling career consisted of stints at the University of Nebraska, Iowa Central Community College, Iowa State University, and the University of Iowa.
“For me, fighting you usually have to pay to get out of trouble,” Downey told MMA Junkie in September 2020. “Now you’re telling me I can get paid to do this? Sign me up.”
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Team USA wrestler and Olympic hopeful Pat Downey has his sights set on MMA.
[autotag]Pat Downey[/autotag] doesn’t like to brag. It makes him uncomfortable.
While he’d rather let others do the talking for him, it’s hard not to focus on his wrestling credentials, especially considering his lengthy resume – including four collegiate stints at the University of Nebraska, Iowa Central Community College, Iowa State University and the University of Iowa.
Downey is a USA Wrestling world team member, ranked No. 10 in the world, an undefeated 2019 senior-level circuit, a Dave Schultz Memorial International champion, a competitor in the U.S. Open and World Team Trials, and NCAA All-American.
“It’s like they say: ‘When you’re good, you tell everyone about it. When you’re great they tell you about it,” Downey said in a recent interview with MMA Junkie.
After that highly decorated wrestling career, Downey has now declared his future will focus on mixed martial arts.
Sure, Downey has put it out in the open now, but MMA has always been in his future plans. Downey, 27, thinks he’s been destined to fistfight for as long as he’s been an athletic competitor.
“It couldn’t be more official… (but) ever since I can remember, I’ve enjoyed fighting and the whole concept of one-on-one, whether it’s judo, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, boxing, or just fighting street fights as a kid,” Downey said. “Whatever it is, I’ve always loved it.”
Fighting is something Downey hopes will pay the bills someday, but he’s also suffered because of it. Downey encountered legal issues during his time as a standout wrestling recruit, stemming from fights. He was arrested multiple times from 2009-2010 and lost his full-ride to Penn State University – but he never soured on his pursuit of combat sports glory.
“I had three first-degree felony assault charges just defending myself,” Downey said. “I was charged as an adult as a 16- o-17-year-old. Around that time, you start seeing guys like Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, and Chael Sonnen – guys that I idolized, if you will. They were pioneers of the sport – a new game, the UFC, MMA. I was always intrigued by it.
“For me, fighting you usually have to pay to get out of trouble. Now you’re telling me I can get paid to do this? Sign me up.”
He’s yet to make his professional debut, or even to go 100 percent all-in on fight training just yet, but Downey has intermingled with some of the sport’s best. Sure, he’s competed against and trained with some of wrestling’s crossover MMA stars like UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and contender Colby Covington. But he’s also made an effort to learn from non-wrestlers, too, including lethwei legend Dave Leduc and grappling superstars Gordon Ryan and Nick Rodriguez.
“I’m lucky enough to have a father who’s not only my dad and my best friend,” Downey said. “It’s almost like he strategically raised me in East Baltimore where I had no choice but to get good with my hands. I developed all these other skills. Wrestling was just what we saw as the best building block. Say you had a pyramid of things, we just thought that was the most important foundation.
“It was really organic. I just naturally gravitated toward wrestling. That being said, I believe the transition has been seemingly effortless. … Everything I do, I do for one reason: to be the best at it.”
After he makes a run at making representing the U.S. in the next Olympic Games (with trials happening in April), Downey will turn his attention to MMA full-time. “Fighting for money” can wait a little longer, especially considering how much fighting and wrestling go hand-in-hand. When that time comes, however, Downey already knows where he’ll likely end up training.
“Unless a really big offer comes that would change my life money-wise, I’m not rushing my debut just for the pure essence of I’m one of six athletes qualified for the Olympic trials,” Downey said. “That’s my true goal. That’s my ultimate goal. That said, I think American Top Team is the best spot to accomplish that goal in conjunction with developing all my skills.
“I’m 27, so I’m not in a rush, either. If I keep winning and making the world team and representing my country, I’ll do both. I’m not opposed to training for a fight, then training for the U.S. Open – or training for the Olympic trials, then training for a fight. I’ll be at American Top Team with Steve Mocco, Yoel Romero, Jorge Masvidal, and countless others are. I don’t even know if I’ll be working with these guys yet, but I just see the people that are there and the countless bodies. If I’m not ready from being there, then I’m not doing something right.”
As for his longer-term MMA aspirations, Downey is open to all opportunities. Recently signing with MMA management company SuckerPunch Entertainment, Downey said he’ll let his team lead the way.
“I trust my guys,” Downey said. “Whatever my guys think is best for me, I’m here to be an entertainer. I want to fight the best. I don’t want to get rich and famous. I want to be the best. That’s why I’m doing this. That’s probably why everyone is doing it, right?”
Once his MMA career kicks off, Downey predicts he’ll compete at either welterweight or middleweight. While it’ll still be a while before he’s ranked as one of the best in the world, Downey is amused by the idea of meeting his old pal Usman inside the cage, even invoking the welterweight champion’s Covington-appointed nickname.
“I’ll be ready to beat up Marty,” Downey laughed. “Then, I’ll be good. I’ll be the best. It doesn’t sound that hard to me. It’s laughable because no one really knows me and I’ve never fought before, but I know and he knows what I’m capable of. Time will reveal all truth. I don’t need to talk.”
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