Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Check out the four bonus winners from UFC on ESPN 30.
The UFC handed out four post-fight bonuses after Saturday’s card, including four individual performances and a promise from UFC president Dana White to send the “TUF 29” bantamweight finale competitors an extra undisclosed bonus as well.
After UFC on ESPN 30, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out the winners below.
Jamall Emmers entered 50-50 guard against Pat Sabatini at UFC on ESPN 30 – and paid the price when he suffered an injury.
[autotag]Jamall Emmers[/autotag] paid the price Saturday when he engaged in 50-50 guard with [autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 30.
After he dropped Sabatini (15-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) with a short uppercut, Emmers (18-6 MMA, 1-2 UFC) followed his opponent to the canvas and eventually worked for a toehold. In doing so, Emmers opened himself up for a heel hook from Sabatini – and paid the price when he tapped out at 1:53 of Round 1.
UFC on ESPN 30 took place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card aired on ESPN/ESPN+ after prelims on ESPN+.
A painful scream accompanied Emmers’ tap. As Sabatini untangled himself from his writhing opponent, it was evident Emmers’ agony extended beyond the outcome of his fight. An injury was sustained, though to what extent was unknown. Emmers remained on the mat through the official decision as on-site medical professionals tended to his leg.
Forced the tap! @PatSabatini145 w/ the impressive submission finish! #UFCVegas35 pic.twitter.com/4oIUoWST8L
— UFC (@ufc) August 28, 2021
In his post-fight interview, Sabatini expressed disappointment the fight ended in such a gruesome way and wished Emmers well. The win was Sabatini’s 11th by submission, but his first finish in the UFC.
As for Emmers, he lands back into the loss column after a win against Vince Cachero in August 2020.
The up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 30 results include:
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A featherweight matchup between Pat Sabatini and Jamall Emmers is in the works for UFC Fight Night on Aug. 28.
A UFC featherweight matchup between [autotag]Jamall Emmers[/autotag] and [autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag] is being targeted for August.
Emmers (18-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC) is expected to meet Sabatini (14-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at a UFC Fight Night event on Aug. 28, which doesn’t currently have an announced location or venue.
Two people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the booking Wednesday but asked to remain anonymous because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
After getting edged out by featherweight contender Giga Chikadze in his promotional debut at UFC 248, Emmers notched his first octagon win when he defeated Vince Cachero in August. He was scheduled to face Chase Skelly at UFC Fight Night 185 on Feb. 20, but was forced to withdraw just seconds before making the walk to the cage due to back spasms that he suffered backstage.
Sabatini, a former CFFC featherweight champion, made good in his promotional debut when he defeated Tristan Connelly via unanimous decision at UFC 261 in April. The Pennsylvania-based fighter has won six of his past seven, with his lone loss coming due to an arm injury in February 2020.
With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for Aug. 28 includes:
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A featherweight matchup between Pat Sabatini and Jamall Emmers is in the works for UFC Fight Night on Aug. 28.
A UFC featherweight matchup between [autotag]Jamall Emmers[/autotag] and [autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag] is being targeted for August.
Emmers (18-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC) is expected to meet Sabatini (14-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at a UFC Fight Night event on Aug. 28, which doesn’t currently have an announced location or venue.
Two people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the booking Wednesday but asked to remain anonymous because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
After getting edged out by featherweight contender Giga Chikadze in his promotional debut at UFC 248, Emmers notched his first octagon win when he defeated Vince Cachero in August. He was scheduled to face Chase Skelly at UFC Fight Night 185 on Feb. 20, but was forced to withdraw just seconds before making the walk to the cage due to back spasms that he suffered backstage.
Sabatini, a former CFFC featherweight champion, made good in his promotional debut when he defeated Tristan Connelly via unanimous decision at UFC 261 in April. The Pennsylvania-based fighter has won six of his past seven, with his lone loss coming due to an arm injury in February 2020.
With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for Aug. 28 includes:
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UFC 261 has gained a lightweight fight.
[autotag]Tristan Connelly[/autotag] has his first fight booked after undergoing neck surgery months ago.
For the first time since his UFC debut in September 2019, Connelly (14-6 MMA, 1-0 UFC) will return to competition and fight [autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag] at UFC 261 on April 24. The event takes place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.
Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the booking, but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
Connelly made his UFC debut on short notice up a weight class against viral sensation Michel Perreira. An unfamiliar name to most at the time, Connelly entered the fight against Perreira as a sizable underdog. Despite the odds, Connelly stuck to the fundamentals and handed the high-flying Perreira his first UFC loss by unanimous decision.
Sabatini (13-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) signed with the promotion earlier this year as a short-notice replacement to fight Rafael Alves at UFC Fight Night 185 in February, but his fight was canceled when Alves missed weight by 11.5 pounds.
The CFFC featherweight champion, Sabatini enters his UFC debut on a two-fight winning streak. His lone loss in his most recent six fights came due to an arm injury in February 2020.
With the addition, the UFC 261 lineup includes:
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Two-time CFFC featherweight champion Pat Sabatini will step in on short notice to take on Rafael Alves at UFC Fight Night 185.
Two-time CFFC featherweight champion [autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag] has gotten the UFC call.
With Mike Trizano out, Sabatini (13-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has stepped in on short notice to face [autotag]Rafael Alves[/autotag] (19-9 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 185, which takes place Feb. 20 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Alves was first to report the news on his social media.
Winner of five of his past six, Sabatini captured the vacant featherweight title at CFFC 91 in December with a second-round submission of Jesse Stern. Sabatini has finished 11 of his 13 professional victories with 10 submissions and one knockout.
Alves, a former Titan FC lightweight champion, punched his ticket to the UFC on Dana White’s Contender Series this past August with a submission of Alejandro Flores. The Brazilian, who trains at MMA Masters in Florida, has won five in a row.
With the change, the UFC Fight Night 185 lineup includes:
MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET)
Pat Sabatini scored his 10th career submission to become the CFFC champion for the second time.
Entering Friday’s CFFC 91, the promotion’s featherweight title didn’t have a belt-holder.
In the card’s main event, [autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag] changed that with a slick, second-round armbar submission of fellow regional veteran [autotag]Jesse Stirn[/autotag].
After a dominant first round, Sabatini (13-3) dragged Stirn (10-4) to the ground in Round 2. From there, he worked his way up to an armbar, pulled guard, and locked in a torque that was too tight for Stirn to handle. Sabatini picked up another submission win and, with it, title gold.
The title-clinching performance marks the second time Sabatini, 30, has won the CFFC featherweight championship.
Sabatini’s win is his second in a row – and his fifth in his most recent six fights. His lone loss in the stretch was suffered via a gruesome arm injury in 46 seconds and lost his title to James Gonzalez. In 13 professional victories, Sabatini has scored 10 submissions and one knockout.
CFFC 91 took place Friday at Lancaster County Convention Center in Lancaster, Penn. The card streamed on UFC Fight Pass.
Check out Sabatini’s handiwork for yourself in the video clip below courtesy UFC Fight Pass (via Twitter).
Sabatini gets it done! #CFFC91 pic.twitter.com/x7HcQ59MQG
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) December 19, 2020
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It’s fair to say that no one on the planet saw their 2020 live out the way they initially envisioned it, and Pat Sabatini is no different.
It’s fair to say that no one on the planet saw their 2020 live out the way they initially envisioned it, and former CFFC featherweight champion [autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag] is no different. But, at least from a professional fighting perspective, Sabatini’s year was certainly wilder than most.
“This whole year has been a crazy year, to say the least,” Sabatini said.
It started in February, when Sabatini still held the CFFC featherweight title. After having multiple opponents fall through over a five-month period, he agreed to take on a dangerous black belt in James Gonzalez. Though most expected Sabatini to prove victorious, Gonzalez delivered a shocking upset by grabbing on to his opponent’s arm and wrenching it for a technical-submission win, delivering one of the most gruesome scenes from the CFFC all year.
Fortunately for Sabatini, the injury didn’t cause any long-term damage, and he returned to the cage at September’s CFFC 84, where he unleashed a devastating barrage of punches that sent Jordan Titoni slumping to the canvas, where he remained motionless for a frightening amount of time.
“It went from being a very celebratory moment – I got really excited, the training took over, and I got that nice finish – but when I looked over and I seen him still laying down, the happiness went right to immediate concern,” Sabatini said. “I really was super concerned, trying to make sure he was all right. It got really scary there because he wasn’t really moving for a while, and I didn’t know what the hell was going to happen, but I was so glad to see that he ended up OK.”
For Sabatini, the win over Titoni was huge, returning in emphatic fashion after an injury that could have really derailed his career. Once Sabatini knew his opponent was OK, he was able to truly consider the implications.
“It felt great, and it was very ironic because it was the same arm that actually delivered the final punch, so that was a little bit ironic,” Sabatini said. “It felt amazing to get in there, and it just makes me feel more excited to get back in there again.”
Sabatini gets that chance in the main event of Friday’s CFFC 91 event, which streams live on UFC Fight Pass from Lancaster County Convention Center in Lancaster, Penn. Even more exciting for Sabatini, he gets a chance to reclaim the title he lost earlier in the year. After all, he could potentially win back his belt and punch his ticket to the big show in a single result.
“Getting that belt back means everything to me, and I feel by doing that, it’s going to open up the next door and get me to the next level,” Sabatini said.
Sabatini (12-3) had hoped to win the title back from Gonzalez, the man who took it from him. However, he’ll instead face Jesse Stirn (10-3) for a vacant title after Gonzalez elected to give up the strap.
“I’ve tried so much to get that rematch, but he declined on multiple occasions,” Sabatini said. “It’s definitely weird. I don’t know anybody that gets a belt and then just vacates it after that. It’s definitely something I wouldn’t do, but you know, to each his own.
“I feel like sometime in the future, if there was ever an opportunity to get that rematch, it would mean everything to me, but onward and upward. Can’t look back in the past. Everything happens for a reason. Just got to keep moving forward.”
Stirn fought once previously under the CFFC banner in 2016 but now returns to the organization after four years fighting in smaller regional promotions. It’s a big opportunity for the Maryland native, and Sabatini is excited about the matchup.
“I’m familiar with the guy’s camp,” Sabatini said. “He seems like he has a really good amount of experience, a good record. Likes to mix it up on his feet, likes to push a good pace, likes to do some stuff on the ground. Pretty well-rounded guy.”
“Pretty exciting for a matchup, but I feel like my style is a very bad matchup for his style.”
Prior to the surprise loss to Gonzalez, Sabatini was certainly on the UFC’s radar, and his name continues to be mentioned among the top prospects in the game today. The odd outing definitely slowed Sabatini’s progress but certainly didn’t halt it altogether.
Still, he says he’s not looking past anything right now.
“I always take one step at a time,” Sabatini said. “I’m not even looking a day past this guy. The priority is getting in there and getting a finish with this guy, and I really think that this is going to be the one that’s going to open up the next door for me.”
It would be a fitting end to a bizarre 2020, and one that could easily be described as an absolute rollercoaster of emotions, not to mention results. Amidst it all, Sabatini never once lost sight of the ultimate goal, and he’s looking forward to seeing his focus pay dividends.
“I’m actually more hungry to get that belt back this time than I was when I first was going after it because it was taken away from me, and now to get that back just means everything to me,” Sabatini said. “It shows my will to overcome a bad situation and turn a negative into a positive.”
This story was first published at CFFC.tv.
There was a frightening scene at CFFC 84 as Jordan Totoni was unconscious for a long time, but his team reports he’s doing better.
A frightening scene went down Thursday night at CFFC 84.
[autotag]Jordan Titoni[/autotag] laid on the canvas unconscious for about 15 minutes before getting carried out of the cage at the Horeshoe Tunica Hotel and Casino in Robinsonville, Miss., by the on-site medical team on a stretcher.
Titoni lost via standing knockout by [autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag] with a series of shots that left him out on his feet, standing and leaning against the fence in the co-main event of the card. It was a right hand that wobbled Titoni and then a series of punches to the body and chin that forced the referee to stop the bout at the 2:26 mark of round one.
It didn’t seem like a late very stoppage, but after Titoni fell to the mat, he went unconscious for a scarily long period of time. Sabatini and his corner stood across cage while looking very concerned.
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Titoni finally came around, and he did give a thumbs up as he was getting carried out of the cage. While there isn’t a precise prognosis on his condition as of this writing, Titoni’s team, Factory X, put out a statement saying Titoni “is doing better and moving.”
Update: @jordantitoni is doing better & moving (praise Jesus 🙏🏼). Headed to the hospital as a precaution.
Fighters quite literally lay their lives on the line in the name of entertainment. God bless you Jordan & all fighters who risk it all to follow their dreams. pic.twitter.com/R72HRkmA8C— Factory X (@FactoryXMTMMA) September 18, 2020
The event went down at the
Below is a video of the frightening knockout:
Wow… Brutal finish just now at #CFFC84 Pat Sabatini knocked Jordan Titoni out standing and he face plants once the ref waves it off. He's leaving on a stretcher, but gave a thumbs up as he was taken out of the cage 🙏 #CFFC84 pic.twitter.com/BScUXp7i2l
— MMALocksmith (@locks_mma) September 18, 2020
Cage Fury Fighting Championship featherweight titleholder Pat Sabatini has drawn a late replacement for his upcoming title defense.
Cage Fury Fighting Championship featherweight titleholder [autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag] has drawn a late replacement for his upcoming title defense.
MMA Junkie today learned from CFFC officials that [autotag]Mauro Chaulet[/autotag] has been forced out of a planned CFFC 81 bout with Sabatini (11-2), and Serra BJJ Academy product [autotag]James Gonzalez[/autotag] (5-3) has agreed to step in on less than one week’s notice.
The contest now headlines Saturday’s CFFC 81 event, which streams live on UFC Fight Pass from Parx Casino in Bensalem, Penn.
Sabatini is no stranger to late changes to his bookings, with two consecutive planned appearances scrapped during fight week, including this past November’s CFFC 79 and September’s CFFC 78. Sabatini already owns three defenses of his CFFC title and his hoping another win will punch his ticket to the UFC.
Meanwhile, “Speedy” Gonzalez was last in action at this past August’s CFFC 77 event, where he picked up a TKO win over Giorgi Kudukhashvili. The win snapped a two-fight losing streak for Gonzalez, who had some up short in back-to-back Ring of Combat title fights against Bill Algeo and Mike Trizano.
With the change to the card, CFFC 81 now includes:
