T.J. Laramie – Syndication Server

UFC veterans in MMA action Nov. 17-19

Check out which veterans of the UFC are competing in combat sports across the globe this weekend.

This week, the UFC returns to its home base in Las Vegas after a big pay-per-view in New York.

UFC Fight Night 232 features a middleweight matchup between [autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag] and [autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag].

Elsewhere, many other combat sports events are taking place that feature a number of familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.

Check out which veterans of the global MMA leader are competing Nov. 17-19.

Scroll below to see how the UFC veterans fared last week, and see the names and details of this weekend’s competitors.

Upcoming event information from Tapology.

UFC veterans in MMA, kickboxing and bareknuckle action Jan. 18-22

Check out which UFC veterans are competing on the regional scene this week.

The UFC is on the verge of its first pay-per-view event of the year in Brazil for UFC 283.

Elsewhere, many other MMA events are taking place that feature familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner as regional promotions are ramping up after the holidays.

These 14 veterans of the global MMA leader are competing in MMA, boxing and bareknuckle this week from Jan. 18-22.

Check out the names and details about their bouts below.

Upcoming event information from Tapology.

T.J. Laramie announces UFC 268 withdrawal after MRSA diagnosis, shares graphic images

The Canadian up-and-comer shared a graphic image of a small, gaping hole in his leg.

[autotag]T.J. Laramie[/autotag] won’t be fighting at the UFC pay-per-view event in New York this November – and for good reason.

On Friday, Laramie (12-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) announced his withdrawal from his UFC 268 bout vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan (6-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) after recently being diagnosed with MRSA. The 24-year-old Canadian fighter shared an image of the infection, along with a Facebook post.

“I’m out of my fight November 6th,” Laramie wrote. “Had an abscess cut out of my inner thigh area on Tuesday and also started developing them on my face. At first, what I thought was an ingrown hair quickly spread and I started feeling some flu-like symptoms and pain in the area, which led me to the Urgent care and then to the ER. Doctors say it is MRSA. After being on the wrong antibiotics at first, I’m now on the correct antibiotics and getting the wound taken care of.

“Obviously I’m extremely disappointed to not be fighting, especially missing the opportunity to be on what is going to be the card of the year. It’s really terrible timing. Luckily the recovery time shouldn’t be long at all, and I can get right back to work for the next opportunity.”

It is unclear if the promotion plans to keep Baghdasaryan on the card.

Check out Laramie’s post and images of the infection below:

UFC 268 takes place Saturday, Nov. 6 at Madison Square Garden in New York. The main card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view after prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.

With the change, the UFC 268 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington – for welterweight title
Rose Namajunas vs. Zhang Weili – for strawweight title
Michael Chandler vs. Justin Gaethje
Shane Burgos vs. Billy Quarantillo
Frankie Edgar vs. Marlon Vera

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPNews, ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

Bobby Green vs. Al Iaquinta
Ian Garry vs. Jordan Williams
Andreas Michailidis vs. Alex Pereira
Nassourdine Imavov vs. Edmen Shahbazyan

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6:15 p.m. ET)

John Allan vs. Aleksa Camur
Melsik Baghdasaryan vs. TBA
Ode Osbourne vs. CJ Vergara
Chris Barnett vs. Gian Villante
Chris Curtis vs. Phil Hawes

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Damon Jackson vs. T.J. Laramie targeted for UFC Fight Night on May 1

A featherweight matchup between Damon Jackson and T.J. Laramie is the first addition to UFC Fight Night on May 1.

A featherweight matchup is the first addition to UFC Fight Night on May 1.

[autotag]Damon Jackson[/autotag] (18-4-1 MMA, 1-2-1 UFC) will take on [autotag]T.J. Laramie[/autotag] (12-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in an event which does not yet have an official venue or location.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently confirmed the targeted booking to MMA Junkie but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. MMA Lock of the Night was first to report the news.

Jackson has fought across a plethora of major organizations, including Bellator, LFA and PFL throughout his career. He rejoined the UFC roster in September and picked up a big upset submission of Mirsad Bektic at UFC Fight Night 178. However, in his most recent outing in December, the Fortis MMA fighter suffered a first-round knockout at the hands of undefeated prospect Ilia Topuria.

After punching his ticket to the UFC with a first-round stoppage over Daniel Swain at Dana White’s Contender Series 28 in August, Laramie saw his four-fight winning streak snapped in a submission loss to Darrick Minner in September. Now the Canadian prospect will take on Jackson looking to pick up his first UFC win at the second attempt.

UFC on ESPN+ 36 medical suspensions: Tyron Woodley, Sarah Alpar, two others face 180-day terms

Three main card fighters and one prelim fighter are facing lengthy suspensions.

Former UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Tyron Woodley[/autotag] is among four fighters facing potential 180-day medical suspensions as a result of damage sustained at UFC on ESPN+ 36 on Saturday.

Woodley suffered a rib injury in the fifth round of his main event fight against [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag], which resulted in a TKO. Monday, Woodley revealed his ribs were broken earlier in the fight and shifted on a fifth-round guillotine choke submission attempt, which led to the finish.

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

Joining Woodley on the list of UFC on ESPN+ 36 fighters facing potential six-month suspensions is co-headliner [autotag]Niko Price[/autotag], who fought to a draw with [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag]. Price may have suffered a serious injury to his right hand, according to the medical records.

[autotag]Randa Markos[/autotag], who was submitted by [autotag]Mackenzie Dern[/autotag] via armbar in the first round of their main card fight, injured her elbow and will need clearance to compete before her 180-day term is up.

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Preliminary card fighter and UFC debutant [autotag]Sarah Alpar[/autotag] suffered a nasal fracture as a result of damage sustained against [autotag]Jessica-Rose Clark[/autotag]. The finish garnered attention from many reporters and viewers alike, including UFC president Dana White. Midway through Round 3, referee Chris Tognoni stopped the fight for a legal knee. The action resumed, but Alpar was finished with strikes shortly thereafter.

Alpar has also been suspended 180 days – or until a doctor grants her clearance.

Below is the full list of UFC on ESPN+ 36 medical suspensions:

Colby Covington: No suspension.
Tyron Woodley: Suspended 180 days or until left costochondral tear is cleared by an orthopedic doctor; also suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days.
Donald Cerrone: No suspension.
Niko Price: Suspended 180 days or until right hand X-ray is cleared by an orthopedic doctor; also suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days.
[autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days.
[autotag]Johnny Walker[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]Ryan Spann[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days.
Mackenzie Dern: No suspension.
Randa Markos: Suspended 180 days or until left elbow is cleared by doctor; also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days.
[autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days due to left eyebrow laceration.
[autotag]Darren Stewart[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]David Dvorak[/autotag]: Suspended for 30 days with no contact for 21 days due to right foot pain.
[autotag]Jordan Espinosa[/autotag]: Suspended for 30 days with no contact for 21 days due to left tibia contusion.
[autotag]Damon Jackson[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]Mirsad Bektic[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]Mayra Bueno Silva[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]Mara Borella[/autotag]: No suspension.
Jessica-Rose Clark: No suspension.
Sarah Alpar: Suspended 180 days or until nasal fracture is cleared by ENT doctor; also suspended 60 days with no contact for 15 days.
[autotag]Darrick Minner[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]T.J. Laramie[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]Randy Costa[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]Journey Newson[/autotag]: Suspended 60 days with no contact for 45 days due to left eye laceration.
[autotag]Andre Ewell[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days due to facial lacerations.
[autotag]Irwin Rivera[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days due to facial abrasions.
[autotag]Tyson Nam[/autotag]: No suspension.
[autotag]Jerome Rivera[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days.

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T.J. Laramie on how quick turnaround benefits him

MMA Junkie Radio catches up with T.J. Laramie

Dana White’s Contender Series targets T.J. Laramie vs. Daniel Swain for Aug. 11 card

The Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 4 lineup continues to grow.

A bantamweight matchup between top Canadian prospect [autotag]T.J. Laramie[/autotag] and former M-1 Challenge competitor [autotag]Daniel Swain[/autotag] is in the works for the season’s second episode, Aug. 11 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Two people with knowledge of the situation recently informed MMA Junkie of the targeted booking but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Laramie (11-3 MMA) is widely considered one of the top pound-for-pound prospects in “The Great White North.” He’s only 22 years old, but Laramie has an unusually high amount of experience for his age. Having competed in TKO and PFC, Laramie has fought and beaten, some legitimate regional tests including current UFC featherweight Charles Jourdain.

Almost a decade after his professional debut, Swain (20-9-1 MMA) finds himself on the UFC’s doorstep. Swain, 29, has competed all over the world for promotions such as M-1 Challenge, Brave CF, KOTC, RFA, and more. Swain has won four of his most recent five fights and hasn’t seen the judges’ scorecards since December 2014.

To stay up to date with all of the DWCS happenings, check out MMA Junkie’s “Dana White’s Contender Series: Your complete guide to Season 4” which will be frequently updated as news comes to light.

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10 featherweights you can expect to see on Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 4

The return of Dana White’s Contender Series isn’t far off, and here are 10 featherweights who are candidates to appear on the show.

Dana White’s Contender Series has become a focal point for fighters on the regional scene. Since its inception in 2017, the UFC Fight Pass-turned-ESPN+ summer original removed some of the guesswork for up-and-comers trying to make it big.

With UFC president Dana White and matchmakers Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby cageside, the stakes are high. Have an impressive, exciting win on the show, and you’re in.

Rumored for a late-June start date, DWCS Season 4 is almost here. The lineups haven’t been announced quite yet, but advanced planning is underway. While there are hundreds of fighters qualified to compete on the show, we’ll be narrowing each divisional pool to 10 fighters you should expect to see on the show this summer.

Up next, the featherweights…

* * * *

Mohammad Alavi

Record: 5-0
Age: 33
Height: 5’8″
Birthplace: Tehran, Iran

It’s hard to build your record when you struggle to find willing opponents. That’s the issue [autotag]Mohammad Alavi[/autotag] has been having lately. At only 5-0, Alavi hasn’t generated much buzz outside of the Australia/New Zealand regional circuit. However, many inside the circuit view him as a force to be reckoned with. He’s finished all of his fights inside the distance, including his 102-second knockout of Jackson Small at XFC 42 in August. With the coronavirus outbreak canceling his March 20 bout for Superfight MMA, Alavi could jump right into DWCS this summer.

Anthony Avila

Record: 18-5
Age: 31
Height: 5’7″
Birthplace: Lemoore, Calif.

It’s crazy that [autotag]Anthony Avila[/autotag] is only 31 years old considering the amount of experience he’s accumulated over the years. From his Shark Fights and Strikeforce Challengers days early on, to his most recent fights in Combate Americas and Tachi Palace Fights, Gutierrez has been around the block. Over the years, the Team Alpha Male product faced top-tier regional talent. He’s had ups and downs, but now he’s ready. A winner of five of his most recent six outings, Avila has proved he’s made the proper advancements to stay consistent.

More fighters on the next page:

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