Tag: UFC on ESPN+ 11

UFC on ESPN+ 33 free fight: Aleksandar Rakic starches Jimi Manuwa in 42 seconds

Relive Aleksandar Rakic’s head-kick knockout of Jimi Manuwa at UFC on ESPN+ 11.

It didn’t take long for [autotag]Aleksandar Rakic[/autotag] to put the UFC light heavyweight division on notice.

After notching three wins over Francimar Barroso, Justin Ledet and Devin Clark, Rakic (12-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) was matched up with fellow knockout artist Jimi Manuwa at UFC on ESPN+ 11 in June 2019.

In his highest-profile fight to date, Rakic passed the test with flying colors. After a few feints and fakes, Rakic lunged forward with a combination, capping it off with a brutal head kick that knocked Manuwa out cold just 42 seconds into the fight. The win established the Austrian as a legitimate threat to the division’s best at 205 pounds as he confirmed his status as a title contender after just four fights with the promotion.

Although Rakic lost a split decision to Volkan Oezdemir in December 2019 at UFC on ESPN+ 23, he later signed a new six-fight deal with the promotion. Now his next assignment will pit him against former light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith in the main event of UFC on ESPN+ 33, which takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

Before he faces Smith (33-15 MMA, 8-5 UFC), relive Rakic’s finish of Manuwa in the video above.

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Matt Frevola out of UFC on ESPN 11 after cornerman Billy Quarantillo tests positive for COVID-19

Matt Frevola has been forced to withdraw from UFC on ESPN 11 due to his cornerman Billy Quarantillo testing positive for COVID-19.

[autotag]Matt Frevola[/autotag] won’t compete this Saturday at UFC on ESPN 11.

Frevola (8-1-1 MMA, 2-1-1 UFC) has been forced out of his fight with Frank Camacho after revealing Thursday that his teammate and cornerman, UFC featherweight – [autotag]Billy Quarantillo[/autotag], tested positive for COVID-19.

Although Frevola has tested negative on two occasions since then, the UFC has decided it was best for him not to compete.

Frevola issued a statement on his Instagram expressing his disappointment about the news.

View this post on Instagram

The UFC has pulled me from my fight due to one of my cornerman testing positive for COVID-19. We did everything possible to make this fight happen. They tested me twice and both results came back negative. I also provided proof of my positive antibodies test from April 30th but the UFC did not want any liability or to risk it. Being that there is a lack of knowledge on the incubation period and still so many unknowns regarding covid 19, they decided to pull me bc of the positive test result from my teammate and brother, Billy Q. He’s been a huge help and source of support throughout camp and I have no hard feelings. He is 100% healthy at the moment and feels fine, so he must be a symptomatic. This is a Crazy situation and everything happens for a reason. I am on weight and prepared to the fullest. I was really excited for this fight with Frank and told him if they find him a new opponent for Saturday I will be rooting for him. If not, I’m willing to rebook this fight ASAP or when ever he wants. I’m sorry to everyone who was excited to watch me fight and supports me along this journey, I really felt the love ❤️ ✊🏻. Can’t believe I’m the first fighter to get 2 fights canceled due to this virus (without even having it) but I know it has effected a lot more lives in worse ways 🙏🏻 . Figuring out the next move from here and will keep moving forward, that’s what we do! Should be booked to fight again ASAP and hope the UFC continues to take care of me.

A post shared by Matt Frevola (@steamrollafrevola_mma) on

“The UFC has pulled me from my fight due to one of my cornerman testing positive for COVID-19. We did everything possible to make this fight happen. They tested me twice and both results came back negative. I also provided proof of my positive antibodies test from April 30th but the UFC did not want any liability or to risk it. Being that there is a lack of knowledge on the incubation period and still so many unknowns regarding covid 19, they decided to pull me bc of the positive test result from my teammate and brother, Billy Q. He’s been a huge help and source of support throughout camp and I have no hard feelings. He is 100% healthy at the moment and feels fine, so he must be a symptomatic. This is a Crazy situation and everything happens for a reason. I am on weight and prepared to the fullest. I was really excited for this fight with Frank and told him if they find him a new opponent for Saturday I will be rooting for him. If not, I’m willing to rebook this fight ASAP or when ever he wants. I’m sorry to everyone who was excited to watch me fight and supports me along this journey, I really felt the love ❤️ ✊🏻. Can’t believe I’m the first fighter to get 2 fights canceled due to this virus (without even having it) but I know it has effected a lot more lives in worse ways 🙏🏻 . Figuring out the next move from here and will keep moving forward, that’s what we do! Should be booked to fight again ASAP and hope the UFC continues to take care of me.”

Quarantillo competed nearly three weeks ago on May 30 when he picked up a unanimous decision win over Spike Carlyle at UFC on ESPN 9. There have been no announcements or reports of anyone involved in that event testing positive for the coronavirus until now.

Frevola hasn’t fought since last October and is coming off back-to-back wins over Jalin Turner and Luis Pena.

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Joe Solecki announces he’s out of UFC on ESPN 11 fight vs. Austin Hubbard

Joe Solecki won’t be fighting on June 20.

[autotag]Joe Solecki[/autotag] won’t be fighting at UFC on ESPN 11.

In an Instagram post Saturday, Solecki (9-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC), a UFC lightweight, announced his removal from his scheduled fight June 20 against [autotag]Austin Hubbard[/autotag] at UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Solecki, 26, did not specify the exact reason he won’t be fighting. However, Solecki indicated the reason is one that was outside of his control.

“I am beyond disappointed to announce that, due to reasons beyond my control, I have been forced to (withdraw) from next week’s fight,” Solecki wrote. “I hopped in a fight camp at the end of March to be ready for a fight when it came up and was beyond prepared for the 20th. Unfortunately, it isn’t our plans that prevail sometimes. All I can do is recover, get back in the gym as soon as I am able to, and work harder to get back in the UFC octagon as soon as possible.”

No replacement opponent has been announced for Hubbard at this time.

With Solecki out, the UFC on ESPN 11 lineup now includes:

MAIN CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Curtis Blaydes vs. Alexander Volkov
  • Shane Burgos vs. Josh Emmett
  • Raquel Pennington vs. Marion Reneau
  • Lyman Good vs. Belal Muhammad
  • Jim Miller vs. Roosevelt Roberts

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET)

  • Bobby Green vs. Clay Guida
  • Tecia Torres vs. Brianna Van Buren
  • Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Oskar Piechota
  • Cortney Casey vs. Gillian Robertson
  • Frank Camacho vs. Matt Frevola
  • Roxanne Modafferi vs. Lauren Murphy
  • Austin Hubbard vs. TBA

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UFC announces lineups for June 20 and 27 events; fights still to come

The UFC will keep rolling with its latest batch of fights in consecutive weeks.

The UFC doesn’t quite have every fight secured for its next two events, but still an announcement was made Friday about what’s to come.

UFC president Dana White revealed the lineups for UFC on ESPN 11 and UFC on ESPN 12 during an interview with broadcast partner ESPN. Both events will take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and be simulcast on ESPN and ESPN+.

UFC on ESPN 11, which takes place June 20, has been finalized with 12 fights and is headlined by a heavyweight clash between [autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] and [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag], with both men looking to take a step toward a title shot. Blaydes will head into the headliner riding a three-fight winning streak, although his two career losses are to No. 1 contender Francis Ngannou.

“The heavyweight division is finally heating up here,” White said. “Get that title fight out there and then find out who’s next. Obviously Ngannou is the man right now. No matter what happens with Curtis Blaydes, he’s lost to Ngannou twice.”

UFC on ESPN 12, which takes place June 27, currently has 10 fights booked witha complete main card that features a pivotal lightweight main event between former interim champion [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] and surging [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag]. Poirer hasn’t fought since losing to champion Khabib Nurmagomedov last September in their title unification bout at UFC 242, which snapped a five-fight winning streak. Hooker, meanwhile, is on a three-fight winning streak and most recently won a hard-fought split decision over Paul Felder this past February.

“This is an important fight for both guys,” White said. “Obviously Poirier wants to get a shot at that title. And if Hooker comes in and beats Poirier, he (will have) finally arrived. He (will be) one of the top five guys in the world and on his way to a title fight.”

UFC on ESPN 11 lineup includes:

  • MAIN CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
  • Curtis Blaydes vs. Alexander Volkov
  • Shane Burgos vs. Josh Emmett
  • Raquel Pennington vs. Marion Reneau
  • Lyman Good vs. Belal Muhammad
  • Jim Miller vs. Roosevelt Roberts

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 5 p.m. ET)

  • Bobby Green vs. Clay Guida
  • Tecia Torres vs. Brianna Van Buren
  • Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Oskar Piechota
  • Cortney Casey vs. Gillian Robertson
  • Frank Camacho vs. Matt Frevola
  • Roxanne Modafferi vs. Lauren Murphy
  • Austin Hubbard vs. Joe Solecki

UFC on ESPN 12 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Dustin Poirier vs. Dan Hooker
  • Mickey Gall vs. Mike Perry
  • Brendan Allen vs. Ian Heinisch
  • Maurice Greene vs. Gian Villante
  • Aspen Ladd vs. Sara McMann

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Viviane Araujo vs. Jennifer Maia
  • Luis Pena vs. Khama Worthy
  • Tanner Boser vs. Philipe Lins
  • Alexa Grasso vs. Ji Yeon Kim
  • Kyle Nelson vs. Sean Woodson

Curtis Blaydes plans on waiting for title shot with win over Alexander Volkov

Curtis Blaydes expects to solidify himself as the next title challenger with a win over Alexander Volkov.

[autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] doesn’t want to book any more fights should he emerge victorious in his next appearance.

Blaydes (13-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) takes on Alexander Volkov in the headliner of the UFC’s June 20 event at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, where he expects to solidify himself as the next title challenger.

The UFC heavyweight title fight between champion Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier has finally been signed on for Aug. 15, and with Francis Ngannou already pegged as the No. 1 contender, Blaydes thinks he shouldn’t have to fight anyone after Volkov to earn his shot.

“Yeah, that’s what I’ve discussed with my coaches and my management,” Blaydes told MMA Junkie. “There isn’t anyone else worth it, and I’ll have enough money to sit. If I have to sit eight months, I have enough, so I’ll be OK.”

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Blaydes’ only two losses in the UFC have come to Ngannou. He has won his last three in a row, with back-to-back finishes over Shamil Abdurakhimov and former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos.

Cormier will likely retire after his trilogy fight with Miocic, but if it were up to Blaydes, he’d rather fight Miocic for the title anyway, since he is widely regarded as greatest heavyweight of all time.

“The way I fight, it’s universal,” Blaydes said. “It works for Stipe, it works for DC. I know DC is also an accomplished wrestler – Olympics and all that – but I’m bigger, I’m faster, I’m more explosive at this stage of my career than he is. I’m longer, I have all the dimensional advantages so my game plan works for both of them.

“I would prefer though, honestly, Stipe because I think a lot of people would agree (that) he’s going to go down as probably the No. 1 or No. 2 heavyweight of all time when he retires.”