Tag: UFC on ESPN 11

UFC on ESPN 11 results: Lauren Murphy downs Roxanne Modafferi for third straight win

Don’t look now, but Lauren Murphy is blitzing her way up the UFC women’s flyweight division.

[autotag]Lauren Murphy[/autotag] has been doing this for a decade, and her veteran experience is finally starting to pay off.

Murphy (13-4 MMA, 5-4 UFC) met up with a fellow veteran Saturday night in a flyweight bout when she faced [autotag]Roxanne Modafferi[/autotag]. Murphy used a patient but effective approach to earn the unanimous decision on the undercard of UFC on ESPN 11.

The judges’ scores at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas were 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28, as Murphy won for the third consecutive time and fourth in her past five fights.

Murphy set the tone in the opening round, landing at a higher volume than her opponent. A clean right hand late in the round that stunned Modafferi (24-17 MMA, 3-4 UFC) was the round’s most telling blow.

Modafferi rebounded with her best round in the second. While Murphy wasn’t without her moments, Modafferi was the one who pressed the action, moved forward, outgrappled Murphy, and outworked her in the clinch.

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Murphy, however, doubled down in the third round and appeared to be the fighter with more gas left in the tank. This time around, Murphy once again pressed the action, countered well when Modafferi tried to pick up the tempo, stymied her opponent’s grappling attempts, and added a late takedown to seal the deal.

The victory was the fifth via decision in Murphy’s career. Modafferi has now dropped two of her past three bouts.

Up to the minute UFC on ESPN 11 results:

  • Lauren Murphy def. Roxanne Modafferi via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
  • Austin Hubbard def. Max Rohskopf via TKO (doctor stoppage) – Round 2, 5:00

Max Rohskopf calls off fight himself after corner refuses to stop UFC on ESPN 11 bout

Max Rohskopf told coach Robert Drysdale to “call it” multiple times but to no avail, so he took matters into his own hands.

[autotag]Max Rohskopf[/autotag] had to take stopping his UFC debut into his own hands.

Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 11 fight with Austin Hubbard into his own hands after his corner refused to it for him.

Rohskopf (5-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC), who entered the fight as an unbeaten lightweight prospect each win by submission, was outmatched by Austin Hubbard (12-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) through two rounds after taking the matchup on just 10 days’ notice.

The fight became increasingly dominant in Hubbard’s favor as it wore on, but not so much that Rohskopf found himself in true danger of being finished. He was clearly defeated, though, after Round 2 as he went back to his corner telling coach Robert Drysdale that he didn’t want to continue.

Rohskopf told Drysdale to “call it” several times and also said “I don’t have it.” Drysdale refused to oblige to Rohskopf’s request, instead urging him to push through. Drysdale attempted to leave the octagon after telling his fighter to go out and establish top position.

 

Rohskopf didn’t get off the stool, though, which caught the attention of referee Mark Smith, who called for a timeout before the start of the third round.

Smith approached Rohskopf and asked him if he wanted to continue the fight, and Rohskopf answered no. The fight was immediately called off.

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Dana White sympathizes with rival promotions over staff layoffs: ‘I don’t wish that on anybody’

UFC president Dana White refused to take a victory lap over rival promotion ONE Championship’s recently-announced job losses.

The battle to succeed in combat sports can often pit rival promotions against each other as organizations battle for space in a crowded marketplace. But, with the entire world facing the same challenges as they attempt to stay afloat during the global COVID-19 pandemic, UFC president Dana White said he takes no satisfaction from seeing his rivals struggle.

Asian MMA promotion ONE Championship – which has often sought to position itself in contrast to the UFC with regard to the way they promote the sport – announced this week that it had laid off a fifth of its workforce in a bid to “streamline operations” at the Singapore-based organization.

But, while ONE has made huge cuts to its staff, White has consistently maintained his desire not to lay off any of his employees, and although there may be a competitive business relationship between the two organizations, White had no intention of taking a victory lap over his promotion’s ability to maintain its headcount compared to its rivals.

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Speaking to reporters ahead of UFC on ESPN 11 in Las Vegas, White said he appreciated the difficulty promotions have operating during the pandemic and said he didn’t wish job losses on anybody, in any promotion.

“No. I know how hard this is, believe me,” he said.

“You guys, most of you have known me for a very long time. Whether you like me, you hate me; you don’t agree with me, you agree with me – when I come out and tell you something is the hardest thing that I’ve ever done, this is the hardest thing I’ve ever done and there were a lot of powerful forces battling against us for this to happen. And I don’t wish that on anybody.

“I know everybody thinks I hate all these … I don’t hate all these other groups. All these other groups need to survive for this thing to work for everybody. People getting laid off and losing their jobs – I don’t wish that on anybody, ever.”

UFC on ESPN 11: Alexander Volkov vs. Curtis Blaydes odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 11 fight between Alexander Volkov and Curtis Blaydes, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

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Alexander Volkov and Curtis Blaydes square off in a heavyweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN 11 – also known as UFC Fight Night 173 – Saturday at the UFC’s APEX Facility in Las Vegas. The prelims kick off at 5 p.m. ET, followed by the main card set for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.

Blaydes (13-2) enters the octagon with a sparkling record, and “Razor” is on a three-bout win streak since being dropped by Francis Ngannou in the headline event Nov. 24, 2018. In fact, Blaydes is 0-2 against Ngannou, but 13-0 with one no contest in his 14 other professional bouts. His last two victories – against Junior Dos Santos in the main event Jan. 25 and against Shamil Abdurakhimov Sept. 7, 2019 at UFC 242 – were Round 2 knockouts. Four of Blaydes’ past five outings have finished inside the distance, including four KO/TKO (3-1) endings. He enters this event leading all active heavyweights with a 53:36 control time and 52.8 control-time percentage. In addition, he leads the class with a 43:03 top-position time, and 42.4 top-position percentage. Blaydes is also tops with 45 takedowns landed and a 55.6 takedown-accuracy percentage, and he knows how to avoid a punch, leading the class with just 1.86 strikes absorbed per minute.

Volkov (31-7) enters this one looking to building upon his unanimous decision victory over Greg Hardy Nov. 9, 2019. Volkov has posted five wins in six fights at the UFC level, including a pair of KO/TKO wins and three unanimous decisions wins. His only setback was at UFC 229 Oct. 6, 2018 when he was decked by Derrick Lewis for the KO/TKO. Volkov’s calling card is his devastating punch, and he is third in the heavyweight division with a 59.8 significant strike-accuracy percentage, while checking in seventh among active heavyweights with 557 significant strikes landed. He also leads the division with an outstanding 6.19 significant strikes landed per minute and a 3.42 striking differential. On the plus side, he is tops in the heavyweight class with a 59.5 significant strike defense, too, and is No. 1 among heavyweights with an 82.8 takedown-defense percentage.

Want to place a bet on UFC Fight Night 173? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Alexander Volkov vs. Curtis Blaydes betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday, June 19 at 3:55 a.m. ET.

Blaydes (-400) is quite expensive at this price, so you’ll have to be a little creative. He should be able to push past Volkov (+305) in what is expected to be a brawl. However, Blaydes is more than just a puncher, as he has strong takedown ability and work on the canvas.

Taking KO/TKO/DQ (-313) for the method of victory by either fighter is a bit of an expensive proposition, too. I think the best bet here, and it’s not as costly, is rolling with BLAYDES BY KO/TKO, DQ or SUBMISSION (-200) on the 5-way line. You have a little wiggle room with how Blaydes wins, and the only way you lose is if it goes to the judges, or, of course, Volkov pulls the upset.

As far as length of the fight, the odds are heavily in favor of this bout finishing inside the distance. No (-400) on “Will the fight go the distance?” is also a lot of chalk to eat. I expect this to be a brawl, but I think it goes into the second half of Round 2, at the very least. Therefore, the best bet on bout length is taking OVER 1.5 ROUNDS (-176).

New to sports betting? A winning $10 bet on Blaydes (-400) to win outright on the 2-way line returns just $2.50 in profit. A $10 play on Blaydes (-200) to win by KO/TKO, DQ or Submission on the 5-way line fetches a profit of $5. A $10 wager on the Over 1.5 (-176) rounds nets a profit of $5.68.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC on ESPN 11: Josh Emmett vs. Shane Burgos odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 11 fight between Josh Emmett and Shane Burgos, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

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Josh Emmett and Shane Burgos lock horns in a featherweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN 11 – also known as UFC Fight Night 173 – Saturday at the UFC’s APEX Facility in Las Vegas. The prelims kick off at 5 p.m. ET, followed by the main card set for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.

Emmett (15-2) heads into the octagon with a sparkling record, looking to add to his win column. However, he has a five-inch disadvantage both in height and reach against Burgos (13-1).

Emmett enters fifth in the featherweight division with the shortest average fight time at 8:57, and ranks second among active featherweights with eight knockdowns landed. Each of his past four bouts have ended via KO/TKO, winning three of those battles. Like Emmett, Burgos has seen each of his past four fights finish inside the distance, winning three of four, including a pair of submission wins and a KO/TKO of Makwan Amirkhani at UFC 244 last time out on Nov. 2, 2019.

Burgos is tied for fourth among all active featherweights with six knockdowns landed, and is fourth in the class with a 1.07 knockdown average per 15 minutes. He is also an effective puncher, posting 597 significant strikes landed, ninth among featherweights, and is fifth in the class with a 50.3 significant strike-accuracy percentage. That equates to an amazing 7.09 significant strikes landed per minute, tops among active featherweights, ahead of the likes of Max Holloway (6.49) and Conor McGregor (5.53) to name a few, while posting a 1.75 striking differential. While that’s all well and good, Burgos is tremendous defensively, sitting at the top of the division with a 72.0 significant strike-defense percentage, while absorbing just 2.63 strikes per minute.

Neither fighter is particularly strong in the takedown game, but Burgos is second in the class with a 90.9 takedown-defense percentage.

Want to place a bet on UFC Fight Night 173? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Josh Emmett vs. Shane Burgos betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday, June 19 at 4:30 a.m. ET.

Burgos (-143) is a slight favorite over Emmett (+120) on the 2-way line, but frankly, this one could go either way. The best bet, based upon each fighter’s recent history, is playing NO (-200): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? Both fighters have finished inside the distance in each of their past four outings. If I had to pick a winner, I’d take BURGOS BY KO/TKO, DQ or SUBMISSION (+160) on the 5-way method of victory line, but only on a very small-unit play.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Burgos (-143) to win outright on the 2-way line returns $6.99 in profit. A $10 play on Burgos (+160) to win by KO/TKO, DQ or Submission on the 5-way line fetches a profit of $16. A $10 wager on No (-200): Will the fight go the distance? nets a profit of $5.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC on ESPN 11: Raquel Pennington vs. Marion Reneau odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 11 fight between Raquel Pennington and Marion Reneau, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

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Raquel Pennington and Marion Reneau square off in a women’s bantamweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN 11 – also known as UFC Fight Night 173 – Saturday at the UFC’s APEX Facility in Las Vegas. The prelims kick off at 5 p.m. ET, followed by the main card set for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.

Pennington (10-9) heads into this one with a 1-3 record across her past four bouts, although losses to Holly Holm at UFC 246 (Jan. 18), Germaine de Randamie at UFC Fight Night: Korean Zombie vs. Rodriguez (Nov. 10, 2018) and Amanda Nunes at UFC 224 (May 12, 2018) is nothing to be ashamed of. Those three ladies have been at the top of the division for a while now. Before Pennington’s 1-3 run, she was on a four-bout win streak, which saw her get a chance at the title against Nunes at UFC 224. Pennington proved she isn’t quite ready for prime time, but she is always a tough out since she is a grinder. She has gone the distance in three straight and six of the past seven. In fact, Pennington ranks No. 1 in the women’s bantamweight division with five decision wins, and is tops in total fight time at 2:52:33.

Reneau (9-5-1) is on a two-bout skid, falling to Yana Kunitskaya March 9, 2019, and Cat Zingano July 14, 2018. Reneau’s last victory came in a submission win over Sara McMann Feb. 24, 2018, so she is itching to get off the schneid. Three of her past five outings have ended up going the distance, and six of her 10 fights at the UFC level have been decided by the judges. Reneau is seventh in the class in average fight time at 12:51, while checking in eighth with 3.46 significant strikes landed per minute to 3.11 for Pennington. Reneau and Pennington are also very good at significant strike defense, with Reneau at 65.2 percent and Pennington at 63.6. Both are at the top of their class, tied with nine submission attempts, too.

Want to place a bet on UFC Fight Night 173? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Raquel Pennington vs. Marion Reneau betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday, June 19 at 5 a.m. ET.

PENNINGTON (-179) is a moderate favorite in this battle between division veterans, with Reneau (+150) likely headed for a third straight setback. While Pennington is expected to win, the best bet here is taking YES (-304): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? Pennington is a grinder who doesn’t knock opponents out, and seems a little apprehensive about getting mixed up in the ground game, too. PENNINGTON (+110) BY DECISION is also worth a play.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Pennington (-179) to win outright returns a profit of $5.59. A $10 wager on Yes (-304) for the fight to go the distance fetches a return of just $ 3.29. A $10 play on Pennington (+110) to win by decision returns a profit of $11.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC on ESPN 11: Belal Muhammad vs. Lyman Good odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 11 fight between Belal Muhammad and Lyman Good, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

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Belal Muhammad and Lyman Good will battle in a welterweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN 11 – also known as UFC Fight Night 173 – Saturday at the UFC’s APEX Facility in Las Vegas. The prelims kick off at 5 p.m. ET, followed by the main card set for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.

Muhammad (16-3) dumped Takashi Sato by submission at UFC 242 in his most recent showing Sept. 7, 2019, giving him back-to-back victories and six wins in his past seven matches. The submission was a rarity, however, as six of those previous seven fights went the distance. He is strong on the mat, ranking seventh in bottom position time at 3:12. Good (21-5) is even better, ranking second in the division with a 0:40 bottom position time, and 1.68 bottom position percentage.

Good will be looking to throw hands early and often, posting 5.32 strikes landed per minute – he is third in the division with a 1.86 striking differential. Good is tremendous at avoiding the big blows, too, posting a 67.4 significant strike-defense percentage, second in the division. He has alternated wins and losses in his five fights at the UFC level, with four of the bouts ending inside the distance, including a KO/TKO Round 3 win at UFC 244 over Chance Rencountre last time out on Nov. 2, 2019.

Want to place a bet on UFC Fight Night 173? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Belal Muhammad vs. Lyman Good betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday, June 19 at 5:15 a.m. ET.

GOOD (+105) is worth a small-unit play against Muhammad (-125) in what should be a fairly entertaining affair. Both of these guys can bomb, and it will be interesting to see if Good can continue his outstanding ability to avoid the big blow. His significant strike defense has been on point in the fledgling days of his UFC career. While Good has seen his fights end rather early at times, Muhammad is much more methodical, thus why YES (-154): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? is a decent amount of chalk to eat. Taking GOOD BY KO/TKO, DQ or SUBMISSION (+200) could help you double up, too.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Good (+105) returns a profit of $10.50. A $10 wager on Yes (-154): Will the fight go the distance? pays a profit of $6.49, while a $10 bet on Good (+200) winning by KO/TKO or Submission doubles your money for a profit of $20.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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