Tag: UFC 252
Israel Adesanya vs. Paulo Costa middleweight title fight set for UFC 253
The grudge match between UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and unbeaten contender Paulo Costa finally has a date.
The grudge match between UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya [/autotag]and unbeaten contender [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] finally has a date.
Adesanya (19-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) will make his second title defense when he meets Costa (13-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) in the main event of UFC 253, which takes place Sept. 19, likely on “Fight Island” at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
MMA Junkie verified both sides have agreed to the details following an initial report from Brazilian news outlet Combate.
Costa, No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA middleweight rankings, will attempt to extend the undefeated start to his MMA career to 20 consecutive fights. After claiming the UFC title from Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 in October, “The Last Stylebender” registered his first defense against Yoel Romero at UFC 248 in March.
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No. 2-ranked Costa, meanwhile, has not competed since a win of his own against Romero at UFC 241 in August. The Brazilian would have gotten his title shot earlier, but he suffered a shoulder injury which required surgery. He’s been keen to get his hands on Adesanya, though, as he’s verbally attacked the champion to an endless degree for more than a year.
The latest UFC 253 card now includes:
- Israel Adesanya vs. Paulo Costa – for middleweight title
- Mackenzie Dern vs. Randa Markos
- Hakeem Dawodu vs. Zubaira Tukhugov
- Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Ciryl Gane
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Sean O’Malley sees Marlon Vera as toughest test yet, but still predicts knockout at UFC 252
“He’s a decent striker, blackbelt in jiu-jitsu, he’s definitely the toughest opponent to date and that’s what I wanted.”
[autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] may be facing a step up in competition, but he doesn’t see the outcome being any different from his recent performances.
O’Malley (12-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) faces [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] at UFC 252 on Aug. 15, which is expected to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Since returning from a two-year layoff in March, the undefeated O’Malley has shined, scoring two first-round knockouts over Jose Quinonez and Eddie Wineland in the span of three months.
He has made quick work of his last two opponents, making it look easy, but O’Malley expects Vera to be a little more durable than his recent opposition.
“He’s a decent striker, black belt in jiu-jitsu – he’s definitely the toughest opponent to date, and that’s what I wanted,” O’Malley told MMA Junkie.
“I think this fight against ‘Chito’ will really kind of get to show – you know, it’s hard to show your skills when you’re knocking dudes out in two minutes. It’s like, some people might see it as that was a lucky punch, or that was whatever, but I think ‘Chito’ might be able to absorb some extra punishment. So I’ll be able to show more of my skills and be more of a threat, and people will realize that. So I think some guys look at my skills and they’re like, ‘OK, yeah, he’s for real.’ Some don’t. So I think this next fight will get to show a lot.”
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Winner of five straight before a decision loss to Song Yadong in May, Vera (15-6-1 MMA, 9-5 UFC) scored an array of finishes during his winning streak. But many analysts, including O’Malley, thought he beat Yadong.
Despite Vera’s impressive resume, O’Malley thinks he has never faced anyone like him and still expects to shine.
“It’s hard not to see me get a first-round knockout,” O’Malley said. “That’s pretty much how my career has been. Even as an amateur, I was getting a lot of first-round knockouts. He’s never sparred someone like me. He’s never fought someone like me. And a lot of people say that, but a lot of people are basic. He’s pretty basic. He’s got basic striking and good jiu-jitsu. I’ve got excellent striking, and I feel I’ve got really good jiu-jitsu.
“So I think he’s going to try and put me up against the fence, do his little trips that he likes, and get on top and look for a submission. I don’t think he’s going to be able to put me up against the fence, and I think he’s going to absorb a lot of shots trying to put me up against the fence, trying to take me down, and I’ll sneak that one in there. It’s the one you don’t see that gets you knocked out. Jose, that uppercut – that’s what did it on him. Eddie was that right hand. So I have a lot of secret weapons that you’re not going to see that’ll put your lights out.”
If the knockout doesn’t come quickly, O’Malley won’t be surprised. Whether in Round 1 or toward the end of the fight, he envisions another highlight-reel finish.
“Probably first-round knockout, but like I said, Chito’s tough, so I’m planning on being in there for 15 minutes,” O’Malley said. “I could see a second-round knockout or a third-round knockout. I do see myself putting his lights out. (It’s) kind of his choice how fast he wants to get knocked out and how much he pushes the fight.”
UFC 252: John Dodson vs. Merab Dvalishvili added to Las Vegas lineup
UFC-ranked bantamweights will square off in Las Vegas as John Dodson and Merab Dvalishvili sign up to face off at UFC 252 at the UFC Apex.
UFC-ranked 135-pounders are on tap for the promotion’s Aug. 15 pay-per-view card.
Bantamweight contenders [autotag]John Dodson[/autotag] and [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] will square off at UFC 252. The event will take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Multiple people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
Dodson (21-11 MMA, 10-6 UFC) is a former UFC flyweight title challenger. However, the Jackson-Wink MMA standout’s most recent eight outings have taken place at 135 pounds, where he’s gone 4-4. After suffering defeats to Jimmie Rivera and Petr Yan, Dodson bounced back into the win column with a TKO finish of Nathaniel Wood at UFC on ESPN+ 25 in February.
Dvalishvili (11-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC) lost his first two fights in the UFC, but since then has rattled off four straight victories – all by unanimous decision. Most recently, Dvalishvili defeated late replacement Gustavo Lopez at UFC on ESPN 10 by utilizing his relentless pace and takedown abilities throughout the fight.
With the addition, the current UFC 252 lineup includes:
- Stipe Miocic vs. Daniel Cormier – for the UFC heavyweight championship
- Junior Dos Santos vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
- Magomed Ankalaev vs. Ion Cutelaba
- Frankie Edgar vs. Pedro Munhoz
- Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera
- Livinha Souza vs. Ashley Yoder
- Felice Herrig vs. Virna Jandiroba
- Rogerio Bontorin vs. Manel Kape
- Zelim Imadaev vs. Laureano Staropoli
- John Dodson vs. Merab Dvalishvili
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Hakeem Dawodu vs. Zubaira Tukhugov targeted for UFC 252
A featherweight fight is in the works for the UFC’s August pay-per-view event.
A featherweight fight is in the works for the UFC’s August pay-per-view.
The promotion is currently targeting a fight pinning Canada’s [autotag]Hakeem Dawodu[/autotag] and Russia’s [autotag]Zubaira Tukhugov[/autotag] against each other at UFC 252. The event is currently scheduled to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and is headlined by the trilogy bout between heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier.
Two people with knowledge of the situation recently informed MMA Junkie of the targeted booking but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an announcement.
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Dawodu (11-1-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) is riding a four-fight winning streak entering his UFC 252 matchup. Since losing his promotional debut to Danny Henry in March 2018, Dawodu has defeated Austin Arnett, Kyle Bochniak, Yoshinori Horie, and Julio Arce in succession.
Tukhugov (19-4-1 MMA, 4-1-1 UFC), a main training partner and friend of UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, will look to turn a win into a winning streak. He is 1-1-1 in his most recent three outings. In February, Tukhugov punched his ticket back into the win column when he knocked out Kevin Aguilar in 3:21.
With the addition, the UFC 252 lineup includes:
- Champion Stipe Miocic vs. Daniel Cormier – for heavyweight title
- Junior Dos Santos vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
- Magomed Ankalaev vs. Ion Cutelaba
- Frankie Edgar vs. Pedro Munhoz
- Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera
- Livinha Souza vs. Ashley Yoder
- Felice Herrig vs. Virna Jandiroba
- Rogerio Bontorin vs. Manel Kape
- Zelim Imadaev vs. Laureano Staropoli
- Hakeem Dawodu vs. Zubaira Tukhugov
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Official UFC 252 poster revealed as Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier feature, ‘Face/Off’ style
The official poster for UFC 252 features the trilogy bout between heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier.
Two of the greatest heavyweights in UFC history will look to leave no doubt as they bid to settle their trilogy on Aug. 15.
Heavyweight champion [autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag] will face former champion [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] in the main event of UFC 252, which is set to place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
With each man holding a victory over the other, the pair will look to close a pivotal chapter in their careers in their third meeting. Cormier (22-2 MMA, 11-2 UFC) ended Miocic’s championship reign at UFC 226 in July 2018, when he knocked him out in the first round to join a select group of fighters to have held two UFC titles simultaneously.
The pair faced off for a second time at UFC 241 in August 2019, but this time, Miocic (19-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) was able to exact his revenge by stopping Cormier in Round 4 to reclaim his title.
Check out the official poster for their third meeting at UFC 252 below, as the two heavyweight stars feature in pre-fight artwork that bears more than a passing resemblance to the poster for the movie Face/Off, starring Nicolas Cage and John Travolta.
The current UFC 252 lineup includes:
MAIN CARD
- Champion Stipe Miocic vs. Daniel Cormier (for heavyweight title)
- Junior Dos Santos vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
- Magomed Ankalaev vs. Ion Cutelaba
- Frankie Edgar vs. Pedro Munhoz
- Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera
PRELIMINARY CARD
- Livinha Souza vs. Ashley Yoder
- Felice Herrig vs. Virna Jandiroba
- Rogerio Bontorin vs. Manel Kape
The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.
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Frankie Edgar vs. Pedro Munhoz rebooked for UFC 252 on Aug. 15
Frankie Edgar’s twice rebooked bantamweight debut against Pedro Munhoz will now take place on the main card of UFC 252 in Las Vegas.
The bantamweight clash between [autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag] and [autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag] has been rebooked once again, with the pair now set to face off in Las Vegas in August.
The two 135-pound contenders were twice scheduled to meet on Saturday at UFC 251, but the matchup was later pushed back to the UFC’s midweek “Fight Island” Card on Jul. 15. However, that booking didn’t survive, either, when it was revealed the Munhoz (18-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) had tested positive for COVID-19 prior to traveling to Abu Dhabi.
At the time, Edgar (23-8-1 MMA, 17-8-1 UFC) tweeted a message of support for his rival and promised him that he’d be waiting to face him once the Brazilian had recovered from the illness.
Now the pair have been booked on their third fight card, with the duo now set to do battle at bantamweight at UFC 252. The event is set to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Aug. 15. The matchup was officially announced during the UFC 251 broadcast on Saturday night.
Edgar is looking to rediscover peak form after dropping to bantamweight following an unsuccessful attempt to capture the featherweight title.
“The Answer” suffered three losses from his last four outings at 145 pounds as he fell to defeat against Brian Ortega, then-champion Max Holloway and Chan Sung Jung.
Now Edgar is set to try his luck at 135 pounds as he bids to position himself for a shot at the title, and the chance to become a two-division UFC champion.
His first bantamweight test will come against Munhoz, who saw a three-fight win streak come to an end against top contender Aljamain Sterling at UFC 238 last June.
The Brazilian has lost just twice since 2015 and will view his fight with Edgar as an opportunity to insert himself into the title conversation at 135 pounds.
With the addition, the confirmed UFC 252 lineup includes:
MAIN CARD
- Champion Stipe Miocic vs. Daniel Cormier (for heavyweight title)
- Junior Dos Santos vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
- Magomed Ankalaev vs. Ion Cutelaba
- Frankie Edgar vs. Pedro Munhoz
- Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera
PRELIMINARY CARD
- Livinha Souza vs. Ashley Yoder
- Felice Herrig vs. Virna Jandiroba
- Rogerio Bontorin vs. Manel Kape
- Zelim Imadaev vs. Laureano Staropoli
Sean O’Malley to fight Marlon Vera at UFC 252
Sean O’Malley and Marlon Vera have their wish granted to throw down inside the octagon.
[autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] and [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] have made it clear they’d like to throw down inside the octagon, and it appears they’ll get their wish.
O’Malley revealed Saturday on his YouTube channel that he’s slated to fight Vera at UFC 252, which is scheduled for Aug. 15 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. O’Malley said he’s signed his bout agreement.
“It’s signed on my side,” O’Malley said. “I don’t know if it’s signed on his side, but it’s happening. It’s going down.”
MMA Junkie confirmed with Vera that he’s also signed, setting the stage for the two young bantamweights to square off after feuding in recent weeks.
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Late last month, O’Malley (12-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) and Vera (15-6-1 MMA, 9-5 UFC) traded barbs on social media. The two men have some history as they were scheduled to fight in early 2019 at UFC 239, but their bout fell through after O’Malley was suspended by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for six months.
O’Malley, who’s undefeated, returned from a two-year layoff earlier this year and has won both of his bouts in 2020. He is coming off a win over former WEC champion Eddie Wineland by scoring a “Knockout of the Year” candidate June 6 at UFC 250. Meanwhile, Vera fought in mid-May and lost a close decision to Song Yadong, which snapped a five-fight winning streak.
With addition, UFC 252 now includes:
- Champ Stipe Miocic vs. Daniel Cormier – for heavyweight title
- Junior Dos Santos vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
- Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera
- Livinha Souza vs. Ashley Yoder
- Magomed Ankalaev vs. Ion Cutelaba
- Felice Herrig vs. Virna Jandiroba
- Rogerio Bontorin vs. Manel Kape
- Zelim Imadaev vs. Laureano Staropoli
Jairzinho Rozenstruik turns down Junior Dos Santos’ request to spar ahead of UFC 252
Jairzinho Rozenstruik respects the former champ, but he doesn’t think training together for their fight is a good idea.
[autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] likes Junior Dos Santos as a person, but he doesn’t agree with all his ideas.
The Surinamese fighter is set meet the former UFC heavyweight champion at UFC 252 on Aug. 15 in Las Vegas. Both Rozenstruik (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) and Dos Santos train at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Fla.
In a recent interview with Combate, Dos Santos respectfully suggested the two should spar together once a week in the buildup to their heavyweight clash. Although Rozenstruik thinks it’s a nice gesture from the former champ, he’s not really interested in exploring the possibility.
“No, I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Rozenstruik told MMA Junkie. “It’s nice of him, you know what I mean. As I said before, he’s a nice guy and he’s got my respect. Most of the other fighters, even Francis Ngannou, Alistair Overeem, they start trash talk and underestimate me and stuff. But yeah, this fight is different.”
Rozenstruik said he’s seen Dos Santos at the gym, but they’ve never hung out or trained together. He plans on continuing his preparation at ATT but will run his camp with different coaches.
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Rozenstruik is coming off a loss to Francis Ngannou at UFC 249. Before the loss, “Bigi Boy” had a quick rise to title contention after a 4-0 start in the UFC, in which he picked up wins over big names such as Alistair Overeem and Andrei Arlovski.
Dos Santos will be another legend to his list of opponents. Although Rozenstruik is settling as one of the division’s elite, the 32-year-old competitor is still in awe to find himself in the company of fighters with the history and popularity of Dos Santos.
“I still have the same feeling,” Rozenstruik explained. “It’s not like a dream come true, it’s more like my life is a dream. I’m used to playing (video) games with all those guys and now I’m facing these guys in real life, so it feels good. And yeah, it feels like a dream.”
A win over Dos Santos never goes unnoticed in the UFC. Rozenstruik believes he could jump right back into title contention if he were to defeat the former titleholder.
“One hundred percent, we’re right there,” Rozenstruik said. “Right now we’re on the same card as the champion who’s fights Daniel Cormier. We’re going to see who’s next, and by that time, I’m going to still be around, stay active, and wait for my chance. Right now my dream is still alive its kind of on hold, but nothing can stop me going to my dream.”
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Manel Kape to make UFC debut against Rogerio Bontorin at UFC 252
Former Rizin FF bantamweight champion Manel Kape will look to gatecrash the flyweight Top 10 as he takes on Rogerio Bontonin on his debut at UFC 252.
Former Rizin bantamweight champion [autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag] will look to instantly blast his way into title contention as he faces Top 10 opposition on his octagon debut.
Kape (15-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will take on No. 9-ranked flyweight contender [autotag]Rogerio Bontorin[/autotag] at UFC 252, which is scheduled to take place on August 15 at a venue to be confirmed.
Kape recently confirmed the fight on his Facebook page after an initial report from Combate earlier this month.
After going 9-1 on the regional scene in Portugal, Kape built his name during a nine-fight stint with Japanese promotion Rizin FF. His tenure in Japan saw him go 6-3 with the promotion, with all six victories coming by way of stoppage. He arrives in the UFC’s flyweight division riding a three-fight win streak, with his most recent performance featuring an eye-catching second-round knockout of Kai Asakura as he captured the Rizin FF bantamweight title.
Now a UFC fighter, Kape will take on Bontorin (16-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC), who is looking to bounce back to form after suffering the second loss of his professional career. A graduate of the inaugural season of Dana White’s Contender Series, Bontorin picked up UFC victories over Magomed Bibulatov and Raulian Paiva before dropping a unanimous decision to former title challenger Ray Borg at UFC on ESPN+ 25 in February.
UFC 252 takes place Saturday, August 15 at a venue to be confirmed. The card airs on ESPN+ pay per view following prelims on ESPN+ and ESPN.
The latest UFC 252 lineup now includes:
- Stipe Miocic vs. Daniel Cormier
- Livinha Souza vs. Ashley Yoder
- Magomed Ankalaev vs. Ion Cutelaba
- Felice Herrig vs. Virna Jandiroba
- Junior Dos Santos vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
- Rogerio Bontorin vs. Manel Kape
- Zelim Imadaev vs. Laureano Staropoli
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