Tag: UFC Fight Night 229

Dan Hooker: If Mateusz Gamrot doesn’t want it, ‘me and Bobby Green mix it up’

Dan Hooker’s first choice is Mateusz Gamrot, but welcomes Bobby Green if he doesn’t get his preference.

[autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag]’s first choice is [autotag]Mateusz Gamrot[/autotag], but welcomes [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] if he doesn’t get his preference.

Green called out Hooker (23-12 MMA, 13-8 UFC) after needing just 33 seconds to knock out Grant Dawson in this past Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 229 headliner, and Hooker was quick to respond.

But “The Hangman” clarifies that he’d rather fight Gamrot (23-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) if possible.

“Bobby’s a fun one, right? We go out there and touch gloves, like, we’re just going to have a fight,” Hooker told Submission Radio. “That sounds like fun to me. That’s a fun one. Gamrot’s a tricky one in that you’re going to have to be a bit more patient and a bit more slowed down. But Gamrot is the fight that gets me to where I want to go.”

Gamrot is coming off a TKO win due to injury over Rafael Fiziev last month. He has been dubbed as the official backup for lightweight champion Islam Makhachev’s title-fight rematch with Charles Oliveira at UFC 294 on Oct. 21, but Hooker doesn’t plan on waiting for him for too long. If Gamrot isn’t willing to fight in December or January, he’d be happy to take on Green.

“That’s it – Gamrot. I’m asking for Gamrot,” Hooker said. “If Gamrot doesn’t want it, me and Bobby Green mix it up. My manager’s already contacted Sean Shelby and the UFC that I’m good to go and I want to have a fight. So it’s first in, best dressed. If Gamrot wants to sit and wait, I’m not going to sit and wait. I’m not going to wait around for him. I’m ready for action.”

Green (31-14-1 MMA, 12-9-1 UFC) came up big as an underdog when he handed Dawson his first octagon loss. Hooker was impressed by his performance.

“Dawson’s legit. That kid’s a problem. That kid’s a problem,” Hooker said. “And then for Bobby to go out there and clean him up the way that he cleaned him up, that’s a heap of momentum. Beating No. 10, he’ll probably be No. 10 by the end of this week.

“You want to fight people that have heaps of momentum. You want to fight people that get you excited. I don’t think too much about it. Now I have a manager. I have to message him before I start calling people out. Bu I just straight away called after that performance. I was just like, ‘I’d love to fight him.'”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 229.

Bill Algeo tells Billy Quarantillo to ‘shut the f*ck up’: ‘We’ll fight at some point’

Bill Algeo sees a fight with Billy Quarantillo happening, but on his terms.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Bill Algeo[/autotag] sees a fight with [autotag]Billy Quarantillo[/autotag] happening, but on his terms.

Algeo (18-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) called out Quarantillo amongst other names after defeating Alexander Hernandez (14-7 MMA, 6-6 UFC) in this past Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 229 main card opener at the UFC Apex.

Quarantillo (18-5 MMA, 6-3 UFC) was quick to respond, suggesting December for a potential fight.

“I’m downnnnnn… didn’t take much damage down for December? @ElSenorPerfecto.”

“Tell him to shut the f*ck up,” Algeo told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “We’ll fight when we need to. I think he’s fighting Nate Landwehr – I thought I saw that, or at least they’re chirping at each other.

“We were supposed to fight before, so that’s why this fight makes sense. We both fought Alexander Hernandez. He finished him before I did, but I landed a lot more strikes because I also fought double the amount of time, but whatever. We’ll fight at some point.”

Algeo has now won four of his past five, but isn’t concerned with his placement in the featherweight division. He just wants to continue putting on entertaining fights and cashing in extra paychecks.

“Just keeps me moving up the chain,” Algeo said. “It just cements my job as a UFC fighter. As long as I can keep having good fights and keep making money, I’m happy. I don’t really care about numbers too much or belts or anything like that.

“I’m just here to provide for my family, my future kids, and just continue to make a name for myself, grow my student base, grow my fanbase, and just really prove to myself the things I’m working on are working. Stay at it. Let’s go.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 229.

Joaquin Buckley eyes rematch with Kevin Holland in UFC Fight Night headliner

After arguably his best-career performance, Joaquin Buckley wants to run things back with Kevin Holland.

LAS VEGAS – After arguably his best-career performance, [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] wants to run things back with [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag].

Buckley (17-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) picked up a dominant decision win over Alex Morono (23-9 MMA, 12-6 UFC) in this past Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 229 main card – his second straight victory since returning to welterweight.

Buckley made his UFC debut on short notice against Holland (25-10 MMA, 12-7 UFC) in August 2020, just one week after emerging victorious at LFA 87. He lost the fight by second-round TKO, and would love to get a chance to rematch Holland.

“I think that would be big,” Buckley told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “We’re always going back-and-forth, and it’s a friendly competition at the end of the day. I like Kevin Holland’s personality, I like what he does in the octagon to promote himself, and if I’m able to get that win, it’s just going to show everybody that I have improved in this company.”

Most of Buckley’s wins have come by knockout. While he would have loved to put Morono away, he was happy to display the cardio to go three hard rounds, and is confident he could even go the championship rounds with that pace.

“That was the plan from the beginning, to show everybody that my conditioning, the hard work, has really pushed me to another level – definitely when it comes to my conditioning,” Buckley said. “I still want to finish these fights, but it is what it is. I’ve got to show the world we’re conditioned and if we’re going to the fourth and the fifth, it would probably be difficult for somebody to survive that.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 229.

Drew Dober channeled dad strength at UFC Fight Night 229, pitches Michael Chandler fight next

Dad mode was activated Saturday at the UFC Apex as Drew Dober battered Ricky Glenn in front of his newborn daughter.

LAS VEGAS – “Daddy Dober” has arrived.

[autotag]Drew Dober[/autotag] fought as a father for the first time Saturday when he defeated Ricky Glenn in short order at UFC Fight Night 229 as his wife and newborn daughter looked on.

“That was No. 1, as ‘Daddy Dober,'” Dober told MMA Junkie and other reporters after the fight. “I didn’t do as much wrestling as I planned on doing but there’s going to be more fights to show off that. … It’s not anything that I’ve ever imagined or fantasized. It’s one of the most beautiful moments that I never ever thought about.

“It took me off guard on how amazing this moment was. Every single time, I’m getting choked up thinking about it. Being a fighter is absolutely amazing, but being a father is even more incredible. Being able to combine it tonight was just a feeling that will never go away.”

With the win, Dober reentered the win column after a TKO defeat suffered against Matt Frevola at UFC 288 in May. The victory moves him to 3-1 in his most recent four fights. Settling into the dad role, Dober (27-12 MMA, 13-8 UFC) joked the post-fight celebrations will be a bit different going forward.

“Less late night shenanigans and probably just going hard at the local Shake Shack,” Dober said.

Dober’s daughter, Sonya, was shown on the broadcast, feet away from the cage as his father gave his post-fight interview. Over the years, Sonya will likely watch more of her dad’s fights. Should she be inspired to follow in his footsteps, Dober indicated he’d support the decision – though he hopes other career paths inspire her.

“I just think it’s incredible to be able to share this moment with her and hopefully she doesn’t end up fighting,” Dober said. “Being named Sonya, looking like me, please don’t step in the cage. … I’m just going to embrace her passions. She might be into fighting, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, guitar, art, whatever she wants to do. I think the way I’ve lived my life is (to) pursue passion, chase greatness and ignore failure. That’s what I want to be able to teach her and show her.”

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As for his own career, Dober proposed a bout vs. Michael Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) should Chandler’s fight vs. Conor McGregor not materialize soon. One way or another, Dober wants to step back in the cage before 2024.

“Yes, I want to fight again this year,” Dober said. “I’m not a man who wants to wait for bigger and better opportunities. I want to be able to share this moment with you guys and step in that cage. I want to be able to fight as many times as I possibly can until it’s all over. … If Chandler wants a 5’9′ southpaw to warm him up for McGregor, I’m always available.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 229.

Spinning Back Clique LIVE: Bellator 300 and the company’s future, Islam Makhachev, Bobby Green, more

Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel discusses Bellator 300 and the promotion’s future, UFC Fight Night 229’s big upst and much more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts, with a new special start time of 11 a.m. ET, which will lead straight into our live-streamed coverage of the Dana White’s Contender Series 65 weigh-ins in Las Vegas.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Danny Segura and Dan Tom will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at 11 a.m. ET (8 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate:

  • Usman Nurmagomedov stayed unbeaten and defended his lightweight title to close out Bellator 300. Champs from other promotions always are being compared to the titleholders in the UFC. How would Nurmagomedov fare in the UFC?
  • Cris Cyborg lost to Amanda Nunes in the UFC a few years ago, which seemed to make Nunes the new women’s MMA GOAT. But Cyborg’s numbers are more impressive. Can she overtake Nunes at some point for that coveted spot?
  • Islam Makhachev, the UFC’s lightweight champion, thinks he can move up to welterweight and beat the upcoming title fight winner between champ Leon Edwards and Colby Covington. Does that interest us at all?
  • Bobby Green beat a ranked fighter in Grant Dawson at UFC Fight Night 230’s main event. What should his next move be?/li>
  • Cris Cyborg lost to Amanda Nunes in the UFC a few years ago, which seemed to make Nunes the new women’s MMA GOAT. But Cyborg’s numbers are more impressive. Can she overtake Nunes at some point for that coveted spot?
  • Bellator 300 was the biggest event in the promotion’s history. But there are rumors that it might even have been the last one, given the company is on the auction block. What’s going on with Bellator’s future? Is Paramount trying to kill off the promotion?
  • And much more …

UFC Fight Night 229 post-event facts: Drew Dober passes Dustin Poirier, sets KO record

Check out all the facts from UFC Fight Night 229, which saw Drew Dober pass Dustin Poirier on the all-time lightweight KO list.

The UFC returned from a one-week hiatus on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 229, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and saw four of 10 fights end in a stoppage.

The quickest of those finishes came in the lightweight headliner, where Bobby Green (31-15-1 MMA, 12-9-1 UFC) pulled off a stunning upset of Grant Dawson (20-2-1 MMA, 8-1-1 UFC) courtesy of a 33-second knockout.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC Fight Night 229.

5 biggest takeaways from UFC Fight Night 229/Bellator 300: Future demise? Green’s upset? Which storyline stole the night?

Thoughts and analysis of the biggest storylines from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 229 and Bellator 300 double header.

What mattered most at Saturday’s doubleheader of UFC Fight Night 229 in Las Vegas and Bellator 300 in San Diego? Here are a few post-fight musings …

Joe Pyfer: I’m glad I won at UFC Fight Night 229, but ‘performance was dogsh*t’

Following his technical submission win at UFC Fight Night 229, Joe Pyfer expressed mixed emotions.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Joe Pyfer[/autotag] exits UFC Fight Night 229 with mixed feelings.

On one hand, Pyfer (12-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) is elated he picked up another victory and maintained his unbeaten promotion al record in his first UFC co-main event appearance. On the other hand, Pyfer doesn’t think he fought up to par, despite a second-round submission of Abdul Razak Alhassan (12-6 MMA, 6-6 UFC).

“The performance was dogsh*t. The victory was amazing,” Pyfer told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “Mental strength was weak this week. It was good, man. It was good. I feel really good. I don’t feel surprised. I told you I was better than him everywhere. I told everybody that and I was. I was better than him everywhere. I think I pretty much dominated except when he kicked me in the calf and it hit my frickin nerve.”

Pyfer, 27, was mainly bummed he didn’t provide a knockout to the fans. Nicknamed “Bodybagz,” Pyfer is known for his explosive power. While he didn’t provide the sort of striking violence he wanted to, Pyfer did choke Alhassan unconscious with an arm-triangle.

Nerves could’ve played a role, as Pyfer said they were more prevalent than usual. Camp was rough.

“I tried to relax, but I couldn’t,” Pyfer said. “I was nervous. You know, I respected this man. And I worked my ass off. I had an up-and-down (camp). I had MRSA. I split my toes open. I was sick. I had everything go wrong go wrong. It kept interrupting me for like a week at a time. I think that was just anxiety and nerves and then on top of it dealing with… I can’t even say the co-main slot because it didn’t bother me… but I was just dealing with a guy who I thought disrespected me.”

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The past is in the past, though. Pyfer is focused on the future, getting better, making more money, and eventually fighting the best of the best opponents.

“I’m just saying if you want me to fight the top guys, I respect these men,” Pyfer said. “They’re all tough. They’re the best in the world. But just let me fight for some of the money that’s the best in the world. I don’t want to be guaranteed less than a certain amount if I lost, by taking a chance. That’s all.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 229.

Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Grant Dawson after UFC Fight Night 229 loss?

Grant Dawson’s unblemished octagon record was damaged in a big way with a 33-second upset loss in the UFC Fight Night 229 main event.

(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Bobby Green after UFC Fight Night 229 win?)

[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag]’s chance to break through in his first octagon headliner was derailed in a big way on Saturday when he was brutally finished by Bobby Green at UFC Fight Night 229.

After going nine appearances in the promotion without a loss, Dawson (20-2-1 MMA, 8-1-1 UFC) had his first setback when Green (31-15-1 MMA, 12-9-1 UFC) knocked him out in a mere 33 seconds in the lightweight headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

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Where does Dawson go from here, and how can he rebound from the defeat? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on his future after UFC Fight Night 229.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 229.

Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Bobby Green after UFC Fight Night 229 win?

Bobby Green put himself in line for another high-profile lightweight bout after his UFC Fight Night 229 33-second KO upset of Grant Dawson.

(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Grant Dawson after UFC Fight Night 229 loss?)

[autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] pulled off arguably the biggest non-title UFC main event upset of the year on Saturday when he downed Grant Dawson in dramatic fashion

Green (31-15-1 MMA, 12-9-1 UFC) needed just 33 seconds to knock down and knock out Dawson (20-2-1 MMA, 8-1-1 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 229 lightweight headliner, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streamed on ESPN+.

“King” came into the fight as a massive betting underdog, and he overcame that in flawless fashion to elevate his stock in the 155-pound division and become a desired matchup for many in the weight class.

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Green discussed the likes of Dan Hooker (23-12 MMA, 13-8 UFC) and Renato Moicano (17-5-1 MMA, 9-5 UFC) and potential next opponents in the aftermath of his win, but what makes most sense?

Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on Green’s future after his UFC Fight Night 229 main event upset.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 229.