Tag: Pedro Munhoz

Video: UFC 265 press conference live stream with Derrick Lewis vs. Ciryl Gane (6 p.m. ET)

Watch the UFC 265 press conference live stream at 6 p.m. ET.

HOUSTON – You can watch Thursday’s UFC 265 news conference from Toyota Center in Houston on MMA Junkie at 6 p.m. ET.

UFC president Dana White hosts the event, which features headliners [autotag]Derrick Lewis[/autotag] and [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag]. They meet for the interim heavyweight title in the main event.

Additionally, main card fighters [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag], [autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag], [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag], [autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag], [autotag]Tecia Torres[/autotag], [autotag]Angela Hill[/autotag], [autotag]Song Yadong[/autotag] and [autotag]Casey Kenney[/autotag] will be in attendance to answer questions from the media.

UFC 265 takes place Saturday at Toyota Center in Houston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (May 17-23)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were broken 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 17-23.

Jose Aldo vs. Pedro Munhoz in the works for UFC 265 on August 7

A win for Jose Aldo or Pedro Munhoz would go a long way toward title contention in a crowded bantamweight division.

[autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] and [autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag] got on track in their last fights. Now one of them is guaranteed to have a setback in their next one.

That’s because a bantamweight bout between the two top-10 Brazilian contenders is in the works for UFC 265 on August 7. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the impending booking to MMA Junkie on Thursday after an initial report from Combate. The person, who requested anonymity because the UFC has yet to make an official announcement, categorized the fight as being a “done deal.”

Aldo (29-7 MMA, 11-6 UFC), the former UFC featherweight champion, picked up his first win as a 135 pounder in his most recent fight, defeating Marlon Vera by unanimous decision last December. The victory snapped a three-fight losing streak for Aldo, which included bantamweight losses to Marlon Moraes and Petr Yan, which was for the then-vacant title.

[lawrence-related id=611602,611740]

Munhoz (19-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) returned to the win column in his most recent fight to snap a two-fight skid. In February at UFC Fight Night 186, Munhoz took a unanimous decision from Jimmie Rivera in the “Fight of the Night.”

A win for Aldo or Munhoz would go a long way toward title contention in what’s quickly become a crowded bantamweight division.

The current UFC 265 lineup includes:

  • Champ Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Pena – for women’s bantamweight title
  • Jose Aldo vs. Pedro Munhoz
  • Vince Morales vs. Drako Rodriguez
  • Johnny Munoz vs. Jamey Simmons
  • Uriah Hall vs. Sean Strickland

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqvpne7c1q486dvv player_id=none image=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

MMA Junkie’s ‘Fight of the Month’ for February: Former teammates fight for gold

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from February 2021.

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from February 2021: Here are the four nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s “Fight of the Month” award for February.

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

Nominees

UFC Fight Night 186 medical suspensions: Thiago Moises among 3 facing potential 6 months

Check out the full list of medical suspensions for UFC Fight Night 186.

Three fighters from last week’s UFC Fight Night 186 event could be out six months from competition.

[autotag]Thiago Moises[/autotag], [autotag]Sabina Mazo[/autotag] and [autotag]Ronald Lawrence[/autotag], who competed at last Saturday’s UFC event in Las Vegas, all are required further testing and doctor clearance in order to avoid lengthy 180-day suspensions. Lawrence (7-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and Moises (15-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) require foot x-rays to get clearance, while Mazo (9-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) needs an x-ray on her left leg.

On the other hand, headliners [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag] and [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] do not need further medical clearance to return to competition after their five-round fight. Gane (8-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) wasn’t given a suspension while Rozenstruik (11-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) was given 21 days off with 14 days no contact.

MMA Junkie on Tuesday obtained the full list of suspensions from MixedMartialArts.com, the Association of Boxing Commissions’ official record keeper.

The full list of UFC Fight Night 186 medical suspensions includes:

  • Ciryl Gane: No suspension
  • Jairzinho Rozenstruik: Suspended 21 days with 14 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag]: No suspension
  • [autotag]Nikita Krylov[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Montana de la Rosa[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Mayra Bueno Silv[/autotag]a: No suspension
  • [autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Jimmie Rivera[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with 60 days no contact due to face lacerations. Rivera must have new MRI and Neurologist clearance.
  • [autotag]Alex Caceres[/autotag]: No suspension
  • [autotag]Kevin Croom[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact.
  • Thiago Moises: Minimum 30-day suspension with 21 days no contact. Needs X-ray on right foot. If positive, then he needs orthopedic clearance or no contest for six months.
  • [autotag]Alexander Hernadez[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Alexis Davis[/autotag]: No suspension
  • Sabina Mazo: Minimum 30-day suspension with 21 days no contact. Needs X-ray on left leg. If positive, then she needs orthopedic clearance or no contest for six months.
  • Ronald Lawrence: Minimum 30-day suspension with 21 days no contact. Needs X-ray on left foot and left ribs. If positive, then she needs orthopedic clearance or no contest for six months.
  • [autotag]Vince Cachero[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Dustin Jacoby[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact
  • [autotag]Maxim Grishin[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact

[vertical-gallery id=591504]

Pedro Munhoz details use of calf kicks in UFC Fight Night 186 victory

Pedro Munhoz details use of calf kicks in UFC Fight Night 186 victory

Pedro Munhoz details use of calf kicks in UFC Fight Night 186 victory

5 biggest takeaways from UFC Fight Night 186: Who is to blame for ho-hum headliner?

Thoughts and analysis on the biggest storylines coming out of UFC Fight Night 186, which saw eight of nine fights end in a decision.

What mattered most at UFC Fight Night 186 at the UFC Apex on Las Vegas? Here are a few post-fight musings …

Pedro Munhoz wants to be return fight for former UFC champion T.J. Dillashaw

Bantamweight contender Pedro Munhoz wants to welcome former champion T.J. Dillashaw back to the UFC after a two-year USADA suspension.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag] is targeting a big name at 135 pounds.

The UFC bantamweight contender wants to take on former champion [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] following his win Saturday at UFC Fight Night 186. Munhoz (19-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) avenged his 2015 loss to Jimmie Rivera (23-5 MMA, 7-4 UFC) with a unanimous decision on the main card. The win put Munhoz back in the win column after a controversial split decision loss to Frankie Edgar in August 2020.

Now, with a win under his belt, Munhoz wants to be Dillashaw’s return fight. The former champ is eligible to compete after serving a two-year suspension from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

“I heard some rumors that T.J. Dillashaw is coming back,” Munhoz told reporters at the UFC Fight Night 186 post-fight news conference. “The possibility of fighting Marlon (Moraes) – it wont happen so soon. Besides training partners, we became friends. We wouldn’t fight unless it was for the title.

“We also have so many big names out there in the mix that I want to fight. I think a fight with T.J. Dillashaw would make sense. T.J. Dillashaw is coming back. I heard some stuff that he’s coming back. I have nothing against him. I’m nobody to judge him or whatever. If the UFC thinks that fight makes sense, I would be willing to fight him or anyone else.”

[lawrence-related id=591747,591770]

Dillashaw’s USADA suspension ended in late January. He was suspended in January 2019 after testing positive for recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) in an in-competition test prior to his loss in a flyweight title fight against then-champion Henry Cejudo. Dillashaw relinquished his UFC 135-pound title with the suspension looming.

Munhoz, who’s ranked in the top 10 of the UFC’s official bantamweight rankings, has no problem with Dillashaw diving right into the top of the division. The Brazilian steered away from any criticism toward Dillashaw.

“I think (he should fight the best in his return). I’m not looking to point and judge him for anything,” Munhoz said. “When he got off from the game, he was the champion. So he’s coming back, I think they’re going to give him a big name or a big fight. I’ll be willing to fight anyone the UFC offers me.”

[listicle id=591357]

[listicle id=591702]

[vertical-gallery id=591504]

UFC Fight Night 186 post-event facts: Ciryl Gane, Magomed Ankalaev extend streaks

Check out all the facts and figures from UFC Fight Night 186, which saw Ciryl Gane beat Jairzinho Rozenstruik in Las Vegas.

The UFC’s final event of February took place Saturday with UFC Fight Night 186 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

The heavyweight main event saw [autotag]Ciryl Gane[/autotag] (8-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) continue to flourish as a potential future title challenger when he outpointed [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) to a unanimous decision.

For more on the numbers to come out of the card, check below for 30 post-event facts to come out of UFC Fight Night 186.