Tag: UFC 255

UFC’s Brandon Royval to undergo shoulder surgery, focus on entering title picture in 2021

UFC flyweight Brandon Royval suffered a shoulder injury in a loss to Brandon Moreno in November.

At the beginning of 2020, [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] wasn’t even on the UFC roster. At year’s end, he is the promotion’s No. 6-ranked flyweight.

But his success came with a cost.

Royval (12-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC) sustained a shoulder injury at UFC 255 and lost a title-eliminator fight against Brandon Moreno in November. The damage was significant and he will undergo surgery Jan. 7.

“The outlook is looking like surgery at this point,” Royval recently revealed to MMA Junkie. “I have a torn labrum and I chipped some bones away through repetitive damage of having that torn labrum. It’s looking like surgery at this point, which is very unfortunate. At least I can get this problem fixed a little bit and move on with it. … I’m at the gym right now, but all I’m doing is jogging and throwing up kicks and stuff.”

Shoulder issues have been ongoing for Royval. So as for the upcoming, daunting process of surgery, recovery, and rehab, Royval has been there and done that.

“I’ve had two shoulder surgeries, and that’s why if you see in my corner, my cornerman looked like a goddamn doctor in there,” Royval said. “He’s popped my shoulder back in with my other arm and (before) my other surgeries and stuff. He’s done that before.

“It’ll be about six months’ recovery. Shoulder surgery sucks. What they’re probably looking to do is remove a piece of my collarbone and put it on the bridge of my shoulder, because I’ve been chipping away at that bone for so long, I fractured it. I kind of chipped around the bones that keep your shoulder in place, so they’re looking to remove a piece of my collarbone and put it in there.”

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Despite the difficult ending to a breakthrough year, Royval thinks the timing of his injury will work to his benefit. UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno fought to a draw Dec. 12 at UFC 256. A rematch is expected to happen in 2021. That means Royval can take time to rehab the shoulder without losing standing in the divisional race.

“I think (the rematch) holds up the division a little bit,” Royval said. “I kind of want that. They’re (the next fight) and they want a full training camp to fight each other, which is great. That’s going to be like, what? They’re probably going to fight again in three to four months. That kind of holds up the division for me. That’s a little bit encouraging for me. I don’t lose too much rank and all that stuff. I can kind of get back right where it is. That’s encouraging to me.”

Having faced Moreno, Royval knew Moreno would do well in his bout with Figueiredo. When he’s healed up and healthy, Royval likes the idea of a rematch with Moreno sometime in 2021.

“It was cool to see Brandon Moreno do good (against Figueiredo),” Royval said. “I already knew he was going to do good against Deiveson. I think Deiveson is a little overrated. … Ideally for me, if Brandon Moreno loses the rematch, I could possibly get that fight back. That’d be great because I want to restore (my standing) and just to show what I can do out there more than anything. I feel like I didn’t get a chance to showcase my skills in a sense. I would love that rematch but whatever can get me back in the picture and get me some hype or whatever it is.”

https://youtu.be/2ChBY49Ycig

Brandon Moreno unafraid of champ Deiveson Figueiredo: ‘I’m not going out there to respect him’

Brandon Moreno confident he has the tools to dethrone UFC champion Deiveson Figueiredo.

[autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] respects the UFC’s flyweight champion, but he won’t once he’s standing across from him next month.

The Mexican UFC title challenger fights champ Deiveson Figueiredo in the UFC 256 main event Dec. 12 in Las Vegas. Both Moreno (18-5-1 MMA, 6-0-1 UFC) and Figueiredo (20-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) return to the octagon just 21 days after their most recent appearances, as they both competed at UFC 255 in Nov. 21.

Figueiredo defended his belt for the first time with a first-round submission over Alex Perez, and Moreno finished Brandon Royval with a first-round TKO.

Moreno knows the Brazilian champion is quickly establishing himself king of the flyweights and a force to be reckoned with, but he won’t let that stop him from taking the fight to Figueiredo.

“He’s a very hard rival – very hard,” Moreno said in Spanish on Hablemos MMA. “I’ve known all the time since I called him out that he’s a fighter from another planet in the sense that he’s very powerful and he’s a big fighter for the weight class. He has good conditioning. He’s explosive.

“Alex Perez did what he could, and he actually was doing OK until he got submitted. … I expect this to be a hard fight, but I know what I’m getting myself into. I know what’s ahead. I know how big it is to be a UFC champion. Deiveson is not the champion for no reason, but I promise you that I have zero fear and I promise I’m not going out there to respect him at all.”

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Moreno said it’s just business and there’s no bad blood with Figueiredo. And though he’s focused on beating the champion and proving to fans that he’s the best flyweight in the organization, Moreno said he respects the champion outside the cage.

After all, not only has Figueiredo been calling to fight him, he also accepted the bout with Moreno with three weeks’ notice.

“He’s out there saying it’s personal and that I said something to him, but the truth is that I respect him a lot,” Moreno said. “I respect him and more because he’s the champion and he accepted a fight with only three weeks of training camp, and that speaks volumes to his courage, his want to fight and keep proving he’s the best. He did say at some point he wants to move up to bantamweight, but right now he’s fighting the No. 1 guy at flyweight and I respect that.”

Figueiredo has proven to be a nightmare to most flyweights in the UFC with many impressive knockouts and submissions. The Entram Gym product knows that, but Moreno also thinks he’s got the right skills to get the job done come Dec. 12.

“I’m more technical, I have more tools and I’m a lot quicker than him,” Moreno said. “The only thing you can say about Deiveson is that he’s a one-shot fighter, so I have to make that my advantage. I know that he can surprise. I know that he has a lot of tools, good elbows, good kicks. but I have a lot more speed than him and that’s going to be my advantage against him.”

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UFC 255 ‘Fight Motion’: Flyweight champions hold their thrones

Check out the UFC 254 highlights, including Deiveson Figueiredo and Valentina Shevchenko’s title defenses, in super slow motion.

The UFC flyweight division on both the men’s and women’s side proved again to be in capable hands at UFC 255, with champions [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] and [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] defending their titles atop the card.

The main event saw Figueiredo (20-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) tap out Alex Perez (23-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in less than two minutes for his first defense, while Shevchenko (20-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) retained her belt for the fourth time, beating Jennifer Maia (18-7-1 MMA, 3-3 UFC) by unanimous decision.

Figueiredo and Shevchenko are rapidly turning into a pair of all-time greats, and their mastery is even more impressive in slow motion.

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UFC 255 took place this past Saturday at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card aired on pay-per-view after prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

Check out UFC 255 “Fight Motion” in the video above.

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UFC 255 reactions: Winning and losing fighters on social media

See how the UFC 255 winners and losers reacted on social media outlets such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Since the early days when the sport was anything but a mainstream endeavor the MMA industry has thrived and survived through various websites, forums, and, perhaps most importantly, social-media platforms.

Fighters interact with fans, each other and many more through the likes of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, which helps outsiders get a deeper look into the minds of the athletes.

Following Saturday’s UFC 255 event in Las Vegas, several of the winning and losing fighters, along with their coaches, training partners or family members, took to social media to react to the event or share a message with supporters.

UFC 255 medical suspensions: Alex Perez, Jennifer Maia among nine with potential six-month shutdowns

A total of nine fighters are facing potential six-month shutdowns after their UFC 255 fights, including two from atop the card.

A total of nine fighters are facing potential six-month shutdowns after their UFC 255 fights, including the two who fell short in title bouts atop the card.

[autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag] (24-6 MMA, 6-2 UFC) needs an X-ray to clear his right hand, otherwise he’ll be suspended for 180 days after his submission loss to flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo (20-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) in the main event this past Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

And [autotag]Jennifer Maia[/autotag] (18-7-1 MMA, 3-3 UFC) is looking at a potential six-month sit, as well, following her decision loss to women’s flyweight champ Valentina Shevchenko (20-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) in the co-feature. Maia can return quicker if a nasal fracture is cleared by a doctor, but will be out a minimum of 45 days with 30 days of no contact.

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

Other fighters facing possible six-month medical suspensions unless they get cleared for earlier returns are [autotag]Cynthia Calvillo[/autotag] (9-2-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC) following her loss to Katlyn Chookagian; [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] (12-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC) after his TKO loss to Brandon Moreno; [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] (12-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) after his knockout of [autotag]Jordan Wright[/autotag]; [autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag] (13-6 MMA, 2-3 UFC) following her TKO loss to Antonina Shevchenko; [autotag]Nicolas Dalby[/autotag] (19-4-1 MMA, 3-3-1 UFC) after his decision win over [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag]; and [autotag]Alan Jouban[/autotag] (17-7 MMA, 8-5 UFC) after his decision win over [autotag]Jared Gooden[/autotag].

The full list of UFC 255 medical suspensions includes:

  • Alex Perez: Needs X-ray and clearance of right hand, otherwise suspended 180 days.
  • Jennifer Maia: Needs clearance of nasal fracture, otherwise suspended 180 days. Suspended minimum 45 days with 30 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Tim Means[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days with 21 days no contact due to a right knee injury.
  • [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact due to contusions.
  • Cynthia Calvillo: Needs clearance of right shoulder with MRI, otherwise suspended 180 days. Suspended minimum 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact.
  • Brandon Royval: Needs clearance of right shoulder with MRI, otherwise suspended 180 days. Suspended minimum 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • Joaquin Buckley: Needs clearance of right shoulder with X-ray, otherwise suspended 180 days.
  • Jordan Wright: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact.
  • Ariane Lipski: Needs clearance of orbital fracture, otherwise suspended 180 days. Suspended minimum 45 days with 30 days no contact.
  • Nicolas Dalby: Needs clearance of right foot and right elbow with X-rays, otherwise suspended 180 days. Suspended minimum 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • Daniel Rodriguez: Needs clearance of right hand with X-ray, otherwise suspended 180 days. Suspended minimum 30 days with 21 days no contact.
  • Alan Jouban: Needs clearance of nasal bone fracture, otherwise suspended 180 days. Suspended minimum 45 days with 30 days no contact.
  • Jared Gooden: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Dustin Stoltzfus[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact.
  • [autotag]Sasha Palatnikov[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact due to cuts.
  • [autotag]Louis Cosce[/autotag]: Suspended 45 days with 30 days no contact.

MMA Junkie Radio #3107 with guest Enson Inoue, UFC 255 and Bellator 253 reaction, more (noon ET)

Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio as “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” welcome Enson Inoue to the show.

Monday’s episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here, and you can watch it live-streamed on SportsCastr beginning at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).

On Episode 3,107, the guys welcome MMA pioneer Enson Inoue to the show, and they’ll look back at UFC 255, Bellator 253, and other news and notes. Tune in!

Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at OmnyStudio. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.

Callout Collection: Who UFC 255 winners want next – and how likely they’ll get them

Deiveson Figueiredo and Paul Craig were among those who name-dropped their preferred next opponents at UFC 255 in Las Vegas.

Earning wins in the UFC is certainly no easy task, but what comes next is often even more important: the post-fight callout.

So after Saturday’s UFC 255 event in Las Vegas, who took advantage of their time on the mic?

See below for this week’s Callout Collection – and just how realistic each one is.

After finishing ‘Shogun’ Rua at UFC 255, Paul Craig sets his sights on top 10 opposition

After finishing Mauricio Rua at UFC 255, Scottish light heavyweight Paul Craig says he’s setting his sights on top-10 opposition in 2021.

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LAS VEGAS – Scotland’s Paul Craig picked up a big-name win when he finished former light heavyweight champion Mauricio Rua in their main card opener at UFC 255.

Take a look inside the fight with Craig, who claimed an emphatic victory in his rematch with “Shogun” after the pair fought to a split draw in their first meeting in November 2019.

Alex Perez issues statement on submission loss to champ Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 255

UFC flyweight contender Alex Perez releases statement following quick submission loss to champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 255.

[autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag] came up short Saturday night, but said he’s already moving on.

The UFC flyweight contender was submitted with a guillotine choke in his attempt to dethrone champion Deiveson Figueiredo (20-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) in the UFC 255 main event in Las Vegas. Perez (23-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC) pushed the action early, but the Figueiredo wasted no time to lock up a choke and finish the fight at the 1:57 mark of Round 1.

Perez, a Team Oyama product, said he is blessed to have had the opportunity to fight for the belt and is looking forward to 2021.

“Well, it is what it is,” Perez posted on Instagram. “It’s part of the business. Stuff happens. I’ll be back. 2020 has been a crazy year for me. 3 fights and finding out I’ll be a dad. I’m beyond blessed. Thank you for all the support I’ll be back!

“Thank you to all my teammates coach, family, friends and sponsors for all the support. Without you guys,I wouldn’t be here. #itiswhatitis”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CH5hP04p9xD/

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Perez stepped up on short notice to headline UFC 255 and take on champ Figueiredo after injury forced out Cody Garbrandt, the original title challenger.

With the defeat, Perez is now 3-1 in his past four outings. The title bout was his third bout in 2020. He stopped Jussier Formiga in June and submitted Jordan Espinosa in January.

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