Tag: UFC Fight Night 248

Cory Sandhagen praises Petr Yan, still wants to avenge UFC loss

Cory Sandhagen has his sights set on Petr Yan after UFC Fight Night 248.

[autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] has his sights set on [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] after UFC Fight Night 248.

Yan (18-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) picked up his second consecutive win when he defeated Deiveison Figueiredo (24-4-1 MMA, 13-4-1 UFC) by unanimous decision in this past Saturday’s headliner in Macau.

Sandhagen (17-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) wasn’t surprised to see the former champion get his hand raised.

“It was a really interesting fight. Yan looked amazing to be honest,” Sandhagen said on his YouTube channel. “I kind of figured that the fight would go the way that it was just because Figgy is more chaotic, square version. Yan is a much bladed, technical guy.

“That’s not a knock on Figgy. Figgy usually makes his chaos work, but you kind of saw that that’s the way the fight was going to go. Congrats to Yan, he looked really great. Figgy is a really good matchup for him to look really good in specifically.”

Sandhagen fought Yan for the interim bantamweight title at UFC 267 in October 2021. After winning Round 1, Sandhagen was outstruck in a unanimous decision loss. He rebounded with three straight wins berfore falling short against Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC on ABC 7 in August.

With Sandhagen just one spot behind Yan in the UFC’s bantamweight rankings, he’d like an opportunity to run things back – a proposition Daniel Cormier agrees with.

“Congrats to Yan, maybe we’ll do it next,” Sandhagen said. “I don’t really know what the division’s going on. I haven’t really heard too much. I was hoping to hear probably sometime next week about the direction that they are going to go in because I know they were waiting on this fight to play out. Congrats to Yan. I still want to get that one back. We’ll see if it’ll be next or not.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 248.

USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Nov. 26: Petr Yan back on the rise

Check out the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings following UFC Fight Night 248 in Macau.

UFC Fight Night 248 took place last weekend in Macau, and it produced a key shift in the men’s bantamweight division.

Former UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] returned to action in the main event at Galaxy Arena, where he outperformed former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo in an exciting headliner.

Entering the week at No. 5, the former champ climbs to No. 4 after back-to-back wins.

Check out all the latest pound-for-pound and divisional USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings.

Sean O’Malley, Tim Welch put UFC champ Merab Dvalishvili on blast for wanting Petr Yan next

Sean O’Malley doubles down on his accusation of UFC champ Merab Dvalishvili being afraid of Umar Nurmagomedov.

[autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] has doubled down on his accusation of UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] being afraid of [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag].

After [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] (18-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) defeated Deiveison Figueiredo in a Fight of the Night battle in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 248 headliner in Macau, his callout was accepted by Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC), who lauded him for his performance. That set off Nurmagomedov, who, unlike Yan, would present a fresh challenge to Dvalishvili. “The Machine” already defeated Yan by lopsided decision in their March 2023 main event.

“Umar wants to fight Merab in January,” O’Malley said on his “TimboSugaShow” podcast. “Petr wants to fight Merab in March. I want to fight Merab in April. Merab is absolutely sh*tting himself terrified of Umar. He doesn’t want to fight Umar. Now he’s saying he wants to fight Petr. He wanted to fight me. Petr got 50-45’d to Merab.”

O’Malley lost his bantamweight title to Dvalishvili this past September at UFC 306. His head coach, Tim Welch, thinks Dvalishvili as champion is not good for the bantamweight division.

“Think of how exciting and lit the division would be if Merab wasn’t a part of it,” Welch said. “That’s no disrespect. The guy is really good at getting in those positions and getting through the fight. But, man, it would be lit. But the dude’s a serious problem.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 248.

Video: Was Petr Yan’s UFC Macau win enough to steal Umar Nurmagomedov’s title shot?

Petr Yan was spectacular at UFC Macau to the point champ Merab Dvalishvili wants him next over unbeaten Umar Nurmagomedov.

[autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] showed he’s still very much among the elite of the bantamweight division Saturday when he won every round of his UFC Fight Night 248 main event against Deiveson Figueiredo.

After an ACL injury sidelined him for eight months, Yan (18-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) returned looking as sharp as ever when he delivered a clinical unanimous decision beating of fellow former UFC champ Figueiredo in their headlining bout at Galaxy Arena in Macau, and now there’s calls for him to fight for the belt once more.

One of those calls came form reigning 135-pound champion [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) himself, who again pushed the already-named next challenger Umar Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) to the wayside and pitched a rematch with Yan, who he defeated by lopsided decision in March 2023, for a rematch at UFC 313 on March 8 in Las Vegas.

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Is there any chance Yan’s performance can leapfrog him over Nurmagomedov? That was a topic of discussion on this week’s episode of “Spinning Back Clique” with panelists Mike Bohn, Nolan King and Dan Tom, who joined host “Gorgeous” George Garcia to debate the state of the bantamweight division.

Check out the segment above, or watch the complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below.

https://youtube.com/live/aHtEtvJT6g4

Wang Cong reacts to big upset loss to Gabriella Fernandes at UFC Macau: ‘I still believe I’m the one’

Wang Cong won’t be deterred after suffering her first-career loss at UFC Fight Night 248.

[autotag]Wang Cong[/autotag] won’t be deterred after suffering her first-career loss at UFC Fight Night 248.

[autotag]Gabriella Fernandes[/autotag](10-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) was a whopping +750 underdog when she dropped and submitted Cong (6-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) in the second round of Saturday’s flyweight bout at Galaxy Arena in Macau, China.

Fernandes cashed in as one of the biggest underdogs in UFC history, which left many stunned. However, Cong remains positive that she will bounce back. The 32-year-old Chinese fighter released a statement on Instagram to address her loss.

“Thanks for those who came out on Saturday night and fans supported me. This is the fight game, one mistake can cost you the match. But I’m good, no injuries and in good spirit. I still believe I’m the one 🏆 without doubt. I will come back soon @ufc . Also congratulation @gabriella_tko , thank you for taking the fight. Hope you enjoy the China trip.❤️🤡 #ufcmacau.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DCyEIadJXSc/?igsh=MWlqbzg2dTNsdHRiNQ%3D%3D

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 248.

Muslim Salikhov wants to try that kung fu wheel kick on karate wiz ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson after UFC Macau

No stranger to highlight-reel finishes, Muslim Salikhov added another to his resume Saturday.

No stranger to highlight-reel finishes, [autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag] added another to his resume Saturday.

Then he made a callout that makes so much sense, particularly in an age of jumping lines for fights based on tweets or other non-sporting reasons, that if it doesn’t come to fruition fans ought be truly disappointed.

After his bonus-winning wheel-kick knockout of Song Kenan (22-8 MMA, 6-4 UFC), Salikhov (20-5 MMA, 7-4 UFC) called out Stephen Thompson for a fight – preferably soon, too.

“I’m just starting to understand what’s going on here (in the UFC),” Salikhov told the UFC after his win on the main card at UFC Fight Night 248 in Macau. “I want to show people who’s the real king of kung fu. I’m ready to fight before Ramadan if it’s a top guy. ‘Wonderboy’ (Thompson would be his) karate vs. kung fu. We’re both old fighters, but still good – good strikers. I want to try this. I hope he’s going to be interested in this, too. Let’s do it.”

Thompson (17-8-1 MMA, 12-8-1 UFC) will turn 42 in February, and soon after that will hit about eight years since his second welterweight title loss to Tyron Woodley in March 2017. That majority decision setback was a rematch after a majority draw four months prior.

But since then, Thompson has gone just 4-6 and has dropped four of his past five.

Salikhov also had a bonus-winning spinning wheel kick finish of Andre Fialho in 2022, so this latest one put him back on the map as a highlight-reel contender. Given he’s 40, he’d prefer to get things rolling sooner rather than later, particularly given his observance of Ramadan near the second quarter of 2025 will impede his training and ability to take a fight.

But he knows he’ll be working that same kick that got Kenan and Fialho no matter what and the opportunity to use it against famed karate striker Thompson could be a unique fight for the UFC – one without any real title implications, but one that would be your favorite fighter’s favorite fight.

“Believe me – if I have more fights, I’m going to have more knockouts with this kick,” Salikhov said. “I know everyone expects this kick and everyone’s waiting for it. But it’s so fast, and I can finish anyone with it. … All my life, 30 years, I still do 100 kicks (training that one).”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 248.

Deiveson Figueiredo vows to ‘come back stronger’ after UFC Fight Night 248 loss to Petr Yan

Deiveson Figueiredo was as humble as it gets in the aftermath of his UFC Macau main event loss to Petr Yan.

[autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] was as humble as it gets in the aftermath of his UFC Fight Night 248 main event loss to Petr Yan.

Figueiredo (24-4-1 MMA, 13-4-1 UFC) saw his perfect run since moving up to bantamweight spoiled by fellow former champion Yan (18-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) on Saturday in the form of a unanimous decision loss at Galaxy Arena in Macau. It was an entertaining battle, but ultimately the Brazilian lost every round on all three judges’ scorecards, setting him back in his pursuit to add another divisional title to his resume alongside the flyweight strap.

Instead of making excuses about why his hand wasn’t raised, though, Figueiredo paid all credit forward to Yan, and promised to make a strong comeback from the defeat.

“God damn, what a fight,” Figueiredo said through an interpreter during his in-cage interview with Michael Bisping. “You know guys, tonight was Petr Yan’s night. But God doesn’t give you a burden heavier than you can carry. Tonight was his night and we’ll come back stronger. I always do this. I always come back stronger, but tonight was Petr Yan’s night.”

After holding the 125-pound title on two occasions, Figueiredo moved up to bantamweight in December and rattled off consecutive wins over Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt and Marlon Vera. He could not get past Yan, however, who put on a clinic over five rounds to put himself back on the map as a title contender.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 248.

Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Deiveson Figueiredo after UFC Fight Night 248 loss?

What does the future hold for Deiveson Figueiredo after a UFC Fight Night 248 main event loss? We attempt to play matchmaker.

(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Petr Yan after UFC Fight Night 248 win?)

[autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] saw his perfect run at bantamweight come to an end against Petr Yan in the UFC Fight Night 248 main event.

After changing divisions from flyweight and going 3-0, two-time former champion Figueiredo (24-4-1 MMA, 13-4-1 UFC) couldn’t quite meet the level of Yan (18-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC), who controlled the action en route to a unanimous decision triumph at Galaxy Arena in Macau.

It was a tough setback for the Brazilian, but he vowed to “come back stronger” in his post-fight interview, and still seems to have the skills to compete with an beat many of the best at 135 pounds.

What next for Figueiredo? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on his future after UFC Fight Night 248.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 248.

Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Petr Yan after UFC Fight Night 248 win?

What does the future hold for UFC Macau main event winner Petr Yan? We attempt to play matchmaker.

(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Deiveson Figueiredo after UFC Fight Night 248 loss?)

[autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] put himself back in the bantamweight title mix with a standout performance against Deiveson Figueiredo in the UFC Fight Night 248 main event.

Yan (18-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) showed the form that once led him to a UFC championship when he outclassed Figueiredo (24-4-1 MMA, 13-4-1 UFC) over the course of five rounds to a win a unanimous decision at Galaxy Arena in Macau, and afterward called for a title shot against current champ Merab Dvalishvili, who reciprocated with interest.

Will Yan get the shot, or does he have more work to do? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on his future after UFC Fight Night 248.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 248.

Zhang Mingyang eyes bigger contracts, bigger names, bigger wins after UFC Macau

Zhang Mingyang only has one certainty in his fighting life so far: If he walks away hand up, it’ll be after quick work.

[autotag]Zhang Mingyang[/autotag] only has one certainty in his fighting life so far: If he walks away hand up, it’ll be after quick work.

That was the case again Saturday when Mingyang (18-6 MMA, 2-0 UFC) tore through Ozzy Diaz (9-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in less than a half-round to open up the main card at UFC Fight Night 248 in Macau. Mingyang’s light heavyweight knockout finish came courtesy of a lethal elbow that he said was something he planned on having available.

“I prepared so many weapons in my arsenal – this is one of them,” Mingyang told the UFC through a translator after his win. “When I studied my opponent, I felt there was a big hole when he throws his cross – and there was a chance I can throw an elbow to hurt him, and I did it.”

Mingyang’s win came in front of his home fans in China and also scored his second straight Performance of the Night bonus for an extra $50,000.

It also extended the 26-year-old’s impressive overall record of first-round finishes in all 18 of his pro wins. And that definitely put a spark into the fans.

“It’s kind of like I achieved my little dream – because I always wanted to fight in China to entertain my people at home,” Mingyang said. “I know they waited for a UFC event for such a long time. They can feel the energy of a UFC fight, the atmosphere, and be entertained – and I’m very happy I did that. I made them happy. I’m very happy about that.”

Now that he’s got his proverbial sea legs in the promotion two fights in, the former Road to UFC contestant is starting to look at the bigger picture. In 2025, he wants the kinds of opponents that lead to more money, more prestige and the kind of resume that puts him into title consideration at light heavyweight.

“There are so many plans in my mind, but I think next year, please – I’m looking forward to some big things. UFC – I deserve a bigger contract. I deserve a bigger opponent, a bigger fight,” Mingyang said. “If you give me a ‘money’ fight, I can fight anyone in this division.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 248.