Tag: UFC Fight Night 240

Morgan Charriere expresses ‘weird feelings’ of fighting at UFC Apex after debuting in front of 15,000 in France

UFC’s Morgan Charriere debuted in front of over 15,000 fans at home in France. His second fight will be in the virtually empty UFC Apex.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Morgan Charriere[/autotag] is torn about his first UFC fight on American soil.

In his second UFC fight, Charriere (19-9-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) will compete in the U.S. for the first time in his pro career, taking on Chepe Mariscal at UFC Fight Night 240 at the UFC Apex. The 28-year-old Frenchman had a debut to remember in September, recording a first-round finish in front of a lively home crowd.

Charriere knows it will be tough to top the full experience of his debut and the performance that he displayed, but he plans to continue hunting for exciting finishes and hopes to score another against Mariscal (15-6 MMA, 2-0 UFC).

“That’s really hard to top that,” Charriere told reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “I just try to really stay focused and I’m not trying to top my last performances. Like, ‘OK, this fight has been done, it was a really great performance.’ No, I’m just sticking to my plan, to my training. If the next fight, or so this fight, can get better – I don’t think so, because it’s really hard – it would be great. But otherwise, as long as I win the fight, it’s good for me. I’m just trying to win it in a great way, with a great finish. … It will be another great performance, but top the Paris performance? Really hard.”

Charriere could, in theory, match the outcome of what happens inside the cage. However, the atmosphere surrounding the octagon will be guaranteed to be different at the UFC Apex. The few hundred people watching will pale compared to a sold-out Accor Arena in Paris, France, with over 15,000 fans in September.

“I’ve thought about that, we’ve talked about this with my team, but I have a lot of experience,” Charriere said when asked about preparing for the different atmosphere. ” I’ve fought a lot in Cage Warriors during COVID, I had the world title during COVID, so I’m used to empty venues. It’s not the first time. I think I had maybe three fights in an empty venue with really small (amount of) people.

“… I know what will happen on Saturday with the atmosphere, but yeah, it will be weird because my last fight, it was in Paris, and it was a crazy crowd.”

Charriere’s mixed feelings about fighting at the UFC Apex match the sentiment of many of his peers on the roster. Fighting under the promotion’s big three letters is a good thing for most, regardless of the venue. However, some fighters want the energy and excitement of a full arena. Groans from fighters and fans about UFC Apex, which has hosted over than half of the promotion’s events since the COVID-19 pandemic, have been growing louder as of late.

“I’m excited, but you know, I love to fight in front of a crowd,” Charriere said. “So it’s like, I’m excited, but there’s this thing like – ahh, I’m in the Apex. There’s not so much people. So, it’s weird feelings. Like, I’m happy to be there, to be fighting for the UFC, to have all this stuff. To have been to the UFC PI was crazy, but I love crowds. I love to put on a show, so that’s what I will miss in this fight.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 240.

UFC Fight Night 240’s Alexander Hernandez: Damon Jackson’s reason for not liking me is ‘pretty homosexual’

When learning why his UFC Fight Night 240 opponent dislikes him, Alexander Hernandez injected homosexuality into his immediate response.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Alexander Hernandez[/autotag] doesn’t share in a dislike of his UFC Fight Night 240 opponent Damon Jackson, but finds the reasons for his aversion to be “pretty homosexual.”

Hernandez (14-7 MMA, 6-6 UFC) is days away from meeting Jackson (22-6-1 MMA, 5-4-1 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 240 at the UFC Apex. During Wednesday’s media day, Hernandez learned that his opponent is holding a grudge against him.

“I don’t know (why), I’m pretty neutral about him myself,” Hernandez responded to a reporter.

After being told that Jackson held resentment due to the way Hernandez talked trash to Donald Cerrone in the days ahead of their 2019 bout, the 31-year-old featherweight injected sexuality into his immediate response.

“Oh, that’s pretty homosexual,” Hernandez said. “That was a long time ago. That’s like the softest sh*t of all time, dude. I promise ‘Cowboy’ doesn’t care about you. I was just drinking beers and eating hot dogs in San Antonio with ‘Cowboy’ when he made it to the Hall of Fame. So, yeah, that’s kind of silly to cry over another man’s woes.

“… That was, I don’t know, the first year I was here, maybe? Five, six years ago? That’s a wild thing to be holding on to.”

During an earlier media day interview, Jackson told reporters that he and Cerrone are close friends and the way the “arrogant” Hernandez treated him before that fight rubbed him the wrong way. He also said there was “something about his face” that he doesn’t like as well, which he has used as motivation for this fight.

Hernandez scoffed at the notion, but is ready to take care of business inside the cage.

“It seems a little bit like straw grasping,” Hernandez said. “I don’t know. I’m stoked to do him in, though. I’m really excited. …. I’m really excited to hurt Damon. So, he can be mad or be however he wants to be, but I’m going to be calculated.”

Hernandez will compete for the first time in 2024, looking to move past a unanimous decision loss to Bill Algeo in October, which was a fight he says he went into with a torn MCL. Since then, he has been focusing on recovery and was able to avoid surgery. He plans to not put himself in that sort of position again in the future.

“Sturdy, stable, feeling good,” Hernandez said, describing the status of his knee. “… I wouldn’t step back in again compromised to that extent, so I am good. I feel good.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 240.

Germaine de Randamie returns at UFC Fight Night 240 with new mindset, goal to revive ‘dead’ division

Former UFC champion Germaine de Randamie returns after 3.5 years at UFC Fight Night 240 and only has one goal of winning another title.

Former UFC champion [autotag]Germaine de Randamie[/autotag] is ready to re-enter the fold after at UFC Fight Night 240 following 42 months away from the octagon. And she does so with renewed motivation.

De Randamie (10-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) hasn’t competed since October 2020, when she choked Julianna Peña unconscious. It was one of many notable wins on her resume, which also includes current women’s bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington, Holly Holm and two-time PFL champ Larissa Pacheco.

The third-round submission of Peña in her most recent trip to the octagon was significant at the time. It propelled de Randamie, who won the inaugural UFC women’s featherweight title in February 2017, into the title picture at women’s bantamweight. But then she vanished for 3.5 years.

“I fought Peña and then the (COVID-19) pandemic came,” de Randamie told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “I didn’t get vaccinated because I wanted to become a mom one day. It was my wish since I was a little girl. So, I wasn’t allowed to travel to the United States. And at the same time after the Peña fight I was a little bit burned out.

“I was a little bit burned out, so I thought I would take some time off and I’m like, ‘I’m not getting any younger.’ It was the right time for me to see if I could get a baby in. I got a baby, and I’m the happiest woman alive right now.”

And that’s the big change for de Randamie. She’s now a mother to a nearly one-year-old boy, and it has altered her outlook on the world.

De Randamie said she probably wouldn’t have returned to the UFC if she didn’t give birth to a child. She could’ve continued her full-time job as a police officer at home in the Netherlands and led a fulfilling life as she did during the long hiatus from MMA. She found a new reason to fight, though, and that’s why she back on Saturday against Norma Dumont (10-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas (ESPN+).

“Five weeks after I gave birth to my son, I was back in training,” de Randamie said. “If I didn’t have my son, honestly, I don’t know if I would have come back to fighting. Having a son, I’m not just raising a son: I’m raising somebody’s husband one day, I’m raising a father probably some day, and I want to set an example for him. I want to show him through hard work, dedication that anything is possible.

“I want to be his role model. One time, when he’s ready and understands, I want to show him and explain to him and show him what I’ve done, and I hope he’ll be proud of me. I hope he realizes and takes strength out of it.”

Set to turn 40 on April 24, and on the heels of such a long layoff, only the performance will show if de Randamie is still top tier. However, she hasn’t taken much damage throughout a more than 20-year combat sports career.

De Randamie went 46-0 during her decorated kickboxing run, and has never been knocked down in MMA competition. She’s only been finished once in more than a decade under the UFC banner, and that was by ground-and-pound from Amanda Nunes back in November 2013.

Those are advantages on the side of an aging fighter, and de Randamie said she’s ticked all the boxes to come back at her best. But she admits some cage rust is expected.

“Seventy-five percent of fighting is mental,” de Randamie said. “(Mentally) I’m the strongest I’ve ever been. I can say that. Do I expect to be the very best version of myself this Saturday after 3.5 years? No. But, I do know I gave it my all in this camp, and I will give it my all Saturday night. No matter what happens Saturday night, I will walk out of that octagon with my head held high. Because Sunday the sun will go up and I’ll jump on a plane and go back home and cuddle with my son. That’s all that matters.”

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If de Randamie is able to get past Dumont, she said she will be shooting for the top of the women’s bantamweight division, which has changed vastly in the past few years. Nunes is retired. Pennington now has the belt, and Peña is chasing the gold she won and lost during de Randamie’s absence.

There’s also next week’s UFC 300 fight between Holm and the debuting Kayla Harrison, who has tons of hype and could be thrust into a title bout with a strong first impression.

With a unanimous decision victory over Pennington from November 2018 already on her record, de Randamie thinks defeating Dumont gives her the best case.

“I’m going to fight Raquel next,” de Randamie said. “Julianna Peña is out of the rankings because she’s been inactive. The division is quite dead since Amanda left. You’ve got a great fight next week with Kayla vs. Holly. But I defeated Holly. I defeated Peña. I defeated Raquel. Raquel asked everyone she lost to (for a) rematch, except me. My only loss in the UFC comes by the hands of Amanda Nunes. I defeated Larissa Pacheco. I defeated Aspen Ladd. If I defeat Norma on Saturday, I’m going to ask the UFC, very friendly, to give me my title shot.

“I should be the one fighting next for the title. I absolutely respect Raquel. But a true champion knows – if you ask anybody you lost to a rematch, then you should also rematch me. Peña is out. Why should we wait? The division since Amanda left is a little bit quiet. Not a lot of things happening. Let’s make it exciting again.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 240.

Brendan Allen thinks UFC Fight Night 240 win still propels him past Marvin Vettori: ‘See you later, buddy’

The opponent is different but Brendan Allen still thinks the reward remains the same at UFC Fight Night 240.

LAS VEGAS – Because of outside forces, [autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag] missed the opportunity to fight [autotag]Marvin Vettori[/autotag] on Saturday. He doesn’t think, however, the reward potential has been minimized by fighting a lesser-ranked opponent.

Allen (23-5 MMA, 11-2 UFC) fights Chris Curtis (31-10 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 240 main event at the UFC Apex. At a pre-fight news conference Wednesday, Allen admitted he sought to steal the No. 5 ranking from Vettori (19-6-1 MMA, 9-5-1 UFC) and still thinks it’s possible with a victory over Curtis.

“If I beat Chris on Saturday, I’m still going to be No. 5 next week,” Allen told MMA Junkie and other reporters. “You shouldn’t be able to stay where you’re at after being out for so long and then pulling out of fights. Other than that, I don’t really care. I’m going to move up. I’m going to go up and it’s old news from there. You could have fought me last year. You could’ve fought me this weekend. So, kind of, see you later, buddy.”

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According to Allen, the discrepancy in UFC rankings doesn’t accurately reflect the skill difference between Vettori and Curtis. He thinks Saturday’s outing actually got more difficult because of the swap.

“(Curtis’) IQ is better,” Allen said. “He’s got better technical abilities, in my opinion. I would say Chris is a lot tougher test than Marvin is. It is what it is. We’ve faced each other before, obviously. We only had a couple days or whatever to prepare if anything. Now, we have a little bit more time to prepare for each other. We’ll see who can make those adjustments and we’ll see what happens.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 240.

UFC Fight Night 240’s Damon Jackson explains dislike toward ‘arrogant’ opponent Alexander Hernandez

Trash talk from Alexander Hernandez toward Damon Jackson’s UFC Hall of Fame friend “lit some fire underneath” him.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Damon Jackson[/autotag]’s Hall of Fame friend Donald Cerrone was once the target of Alexander Hernandez’s trash talk, which never quite sat right with the UFC featherweight.

In the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 240 at the UFC Apex, Jackson (22-6-1 MMA, 5-4-1 UFC) will have the opportunity to settle his differences with Hernandez (14-7 MMA, 6-6 UFC) in a fight that was once nearly booked outside of the UFC years ago.

Jackson became friends with Cerrone through Fortis MMA’s head coach Sayif Saud. “The Leech” did not like how Hernandez handled himself ahead of a matchup against Cerrone in 2019, when he delivered a few fiery statements during pre-fight press obligations.

“I’m actually really tight with ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone,” Jackson told reporters at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 240 media day. “Him and my coach, they used to be teammates, and so when he talked a lot of smack with ‘Cowboy,’ it kind of lit some fire underneath me. I was like, ‘Dude this guy’s so arrogant. He talks so much smack.’ So, ever since then I just haven’t liked him. So definitely when I got the matchup I was excited, for sure.

“… He talked a lot of smack, man. It is what it is. It wasn’t about me. I don’t take anything personally, really. I don’t really not like a whole lot of people, but I just don’t like him. I don’t know what it is, but it’s something about his face. I don’t know.”

Although Hernandez may not share in the dislike for his opponent, Jackson has found motivation to pick up a win over someone he doesn’t find likable. The fight will be the first for Jackson in 2024, which he hopes kickstarts a busy year moving forward as he aims to bounce back into the win column by stopping Hernandez.

“I’m expecting a third-round battle, but I’m looking for finish.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 240.

Newcomer Pedro Falcao steps into UFC Fight Night 240 on three days’ notice

UFC Fight Night 240 was down a man, but the math is even once again as Pedro Falcao is set for his promotional debut.

[autotag]Pedro Falcao[/autotag] will make his UFC debut on three days’ notice Saturday in Las Vegas.

After [autotag]Heili Alateng[/autotag] fell ill days before UFC Fight Night 240 at the UFC Apex, Falcao (16-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) was signed to fight fellow Brazilian [autotag]Victor Hugo[/autotag] (24-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC), the promotion announced Wednesday. MMA Mania was first to report the new booking.

Falcao, 31, is a member of Xtreme Couture, and he competed on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021 when he finished James Barnes with ground-and-pound. Despite the win and finish, Falcao was not signed. After the fight, he went on a hiatus from MMA but remained active in other combat sports competition. In November, he returned at Tuff-N-Uff 134 and submitted UFC alum Leonardo Morales.

“(I) haven’t lost a fight since 2015,” Falcao told MMA Junkie for “On The Doorstep” in November. “I am always working to get better. I know I can not only compete, but win, at a high level in the UFC. I believe I can compete in the top 15 of the UFC right now.”

Hugo, 31, has won 13 fights in a row. He earned his UFC contract with a submission of Eduardo Matias Torres Caut in 2023. Hugo was expected to debut vs. Daniel Marcos in November, but the fight was canceled after he missed weight.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 240.

Chris Curtis would ‘rather fight than f*ck’ – and that’s why UFC Fight Night 240 rematch vs. Brendan Allen is happening

Chris Curtis had a plan to take a break from MMA to rebuild his body. Then the phone rang for a UFC main event rematch with Brendan Allen.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Chris Curtis[/autotag] had a plan in place to take a break from MMA to rebuild his body. Then the phone rang.

After Marvin Vettori suffered an injury that forced him out of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 240 headliner with Brendan Allen (23-5 MMA, 11-2 UFC) at the UFC Apex (ESPN+), the promotion called Curtis (31-10 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and offered him a replacement opportunity.

“We were not supposed to fight,” Curtis told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “We had an agreement with caches. Like my strength coaches and everything else like, ‘OK, we’re going to stay at ’85 (and not drop to welterweight). We’re going to put on some weight.’ I’m walking around at 200 pounds and wanted to get to 210, put on muscle and be 210, be a little bit bigger. Then this happened. So I was like, ‘OK, we’re abandoning that plan, and we have a new plan.’ Here we are.”

Although Curtis vocalized his desire to get a main event fight at the UFC Apex in an interview with MMA Junkie Radio following his win over Marc-Andre Barriault at UFC 297, he wasn’t expecting it to come so quick.

The UFC sweetened the pot for him to agree, too, so Curtis simply couldn’t say no.

“I deeply enjoy money,” Curtis said. “I will do awful, awful things for money, when you offer to pay me and I love to fight. I love to fight more than anything else. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: I’d rather fight than f*ck, honestly. This is what I do.”

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For Curtis, the rematch with Allen is a compelling opportunity. Curtis won the initial meeting at UFC on ESPN 31 in December 2021, storming Allen for a second-round TKO upset to win Performance of the Night honors.

Since that fight, Curtis is 3-2 with one no contest. Allen, meanwhile, has reeled off six consecutive victories – five by stoppage – to surge past Curtis in the rankings.

It would be significant for Curtis to repeat the feat this weekend, and he thinks getting this victory is more important for the trajectory of his career than it is for Allen’s.

“Brendan’s a dog,” Curtis said. “He’s done really well since we fought last time. Brendan’s 27. My god, I wish I was 27. At 27 years old, I can’t imagine the things he’s going to accomplish in this sport. He’s got 10 more years left in him at the earliest, so he’s going to accomplish big things, man. It’s going to be crazy. But this is a chance for me.

“I’ll be 37 this year. I don’t have time to do the slow way. I’m not going to have a 10-year career in the UFC. So, anytime I get those opportunities to see a number above mine and take it, I’ve got to take it. This is one of those times.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 240.

UFC implements new Apex seating policy for fighters’ families, friends on fight nights

The UFC attempts to rectify a long-standing gripe amongst its fighters regarding the complimentary ticketing policy at the Apex.

Members of the UFC roster were notified Tuesday of the implementation of a new ticketing policy for family and friends during events at the UFC Apex.

In a memo obtained by MMA Junkie on Tuesday, UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell notified fighters and their teams that beginning with UFC Fight Night 240 on Saturday, fighters will receive four tickets for family and friends to watch their individual fights only.

“Beginning with UFC FIGHT NIGHT this Saturday, April 6, athletes who compete on cards at UFC APEX will receive four (4) seats for friends and family to watch their fight only,” Campbell wrote. “Following the bout, your guests will be escorted out of APEX. This practice will be in effect for all events at UFC APEX going forward.

“UFC Event Operations VIP Hosts will coordinate all details with you during fighter check-in of your respective fight weeks at the host hotel. All details will be provided, including specific arrival times for your guests.”

UFC fighters typically receive four complimentary tickets for events on the road. However, tickets were not typically guaranteed to the athletes at the UFC Apex prior to this policy implementation. According to numerous people with knowledge of the procedures, family and friends often purchased premium-priced tickets to in order to attend, though comps were occasionally given on a more rare, situational basis, as well.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 240.

Heili Alateng out of UFC Fight Night 240 fight vs. Victor Hugo

Saturday’s UFC event is down a man – as the promotion seeks a replacement.

Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 240 is down a man.

With [autotag]Heili Alateng[/autotag] out due to illness, the promotion is seeking a replacement bantamweight to fight [autotag]Victor Hugo[/autotag] on four days’ notice at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Two people with knowledge of the withdrawal informed MMA Junkie of it Tuesday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Alateng (16-9-2 MMA, 4-2-1 UFC) most recently competed in October when he lost a unanimous decision to Chris Gutierrez. The defeat snapped a two-fight winning streak that included victories over Kevin Croom and Chad Anheliger.

Hugo (24-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) has won 13 fights in a row. He earned his UFC contract with a submission of Eduardo Matias Torres Caut in 2023. Hugo was expected to debut vs. Daniel Marcos in November, but the fight was canceled after he missed weight.

With the change, the UFC Fight Night 240 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Brendan Allen vs. Chris Curtis
  • Alexander Hernandez vs. Damon Jackson
  • Morgan Charriere vs. Chepe Mariscal
  • Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Christos Giagos
  • Lukasz Brzeski vs. Valter Walker
  • Charlie Campbell vs. Trevor Peek

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET)

  • Court McGee vs. Alex Morono
  • Germaine de Randamie vs. Norma Dumont
  • Victor Hugo vs. TBA
  • Cynthia Calvillo vs. Piera Rodriguez
  • Dan Argueta vs. Jean Matsumoto
  • Cesar Almeida vs. Dylan Budka
  • Nora Cornolle vs. Melissa Mullins

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 240.

UFC Fight Night 240: Make your predictions for Brendan Allen vs. Chris Curtis

UFC Fight Night 240: Make your predictions for Brendan Allen vs. Chris Curtis
We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 54 event in Las Vegas.

We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 240 event in Las Vegas.

Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).

Those reader consensus picks will be part of the main card staff predictions we release Friday ahead of UFC on ESPN 54 (ESPN+), which takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Make your picks below.