Tag: UFC on ESPN 13
UFC on ESPN 13: Fighters face-off one last time before fight night
UFC on ESPN 13 official weigh-in highlight
Weight cut issues for Kenneth Bergh force cancellation of Jorge Gonzalez fight at UFC on ESPN 13
The Kenneth Bergh vs. Jorge Gonzalez bout has been removed from UFC on ESPN 13 after Norway’s Bergh suffered issues during his weight cut.
The light heavyweight bout between [autotag]Kenneth Bergh[/autotag] and [autotag]Jorge Gonzalez[/autotag] has been removed from the UFC on ESPN 13 card.
Norway’s Bergh (8-0-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who was scheduled to open up Wednesday’s card against Gonzalez at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, reportedly had issues during his weight cut and did not make it to the scale for the weigh-ins on Tuesday morning.
He was deemed unfit to continue cutting down to the 206-pound light heavyweight limit and, as a result, has been removed from the card. Gonzalez weighed in at 205 pounds, but their late-addition bout was subsequently scrapped.
MMA Junkie confirmed the news of the bout removal following an initial report from MMA Viking.
Norway’s Bergh picked up a first-round submission win over Antonio Trocoli at “Dana White’s Contender Series” in July 2019, but the result was overturned to a no-contest after he tested positive for a banned substance.
He went on to pick up two sub-60-second finishes later that year to earn his short-notice call-up to the UFC. But he will now have to wait before he gets to make his first walk to the octagon.
Winner of seven of his last eight, Gonzalez (16-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is coming off a first-round finish less than two weeks ago at Mexican promotion Ultimate Warrior Challenge.
UFC on ESPN 13: Cody Stamann thinks ‘one-dimensional’ Jimmie Rivera hasn’t evolved
“This game is constantly evolving and I don’t feel like Jimmie has evolved with it.”
ABU DHABI – [autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag] thinks the game has passed [autotag]Jimmie Rivera[/autotag] by.
Stamann (19-2-1 MMA, 5-1-1 UFC) will be making a quick turnaround when he faces Rivera (22-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) this Wednesday at UFC on ESPN 13 at Flash Forum on Yas Island in a featherweight bout.
Though Rivera has lost three of his last four, all his losses have come to top-tier competition. But Stamann thinks Rivera hasn’t made any changes to adapt to the new flock of contenders at 135 pounds.
“Jimmie is one of those guys that stands in the pocket, sits down on punches and tries to figure it out like that,” Stamann told reporters during the UFC on ESPN 13 virtual media day. “Kelleher was kind of the same way, maybe a little more damage than Jimmie. Jimmie is a little more technical, a little more explosive. I look at Jimmie like a dying breed in MMA.
“He’s one of those guys that really is kind of one-dimensional, fights in one stance, can’t really move, but is really good at what he does. Really fundamentally sound, but this game is constantly evolving, and I don’t feel like Jimmie has evolved with it.”
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Stamann on the other hand, has only lost to projected title challenger Aljamain Sterling since joining the UFC roster in 2017. Just last month at UFC 250, he picked up a unanimous decision win over Brian Kelleher.
Despite this fight being contested at 145 pounds due to its late addition to the card, Stamann sees a win over Rivera putting him in the contention mix at 135 pounds.
“I look at bantamweight as the most stacked division in the UFC right now,” Stamann said. “I mean it’s insane how many big names and talented guys there are, probably 1-to-20, and to be in that mix, it’s amazing.
“There are no easy fights at the top, and after watching that title fight (between Petr Yan and Jose Aldo) this weekend, I feel like I’m not that far away from a fight like that.”
UFC on ESPN 13 airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
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UFC on ESPN 13 weigh-in results (9 a.m. ET)
Check out the results from the official UFC on ESPN 13 fighter weigh-ins.
ABU DHABI – MMA Junkie is on scene and reporting live from Tuesday’s early and official UFC on ESPN 13 fighter weigh-ins, which kick off at 9 a.m. ET (6 a.m. PT).
The early weigh-ins take place at the Flash Forum in at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. UFC on ESPN 13 takes place Wednesday at the same venue. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
Among those weighing in are Calvin Kattar (21-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and Dan Ige (14-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC), who meet in the featherweight main event.
The full UFC on ESPN 13 weigh-in results include:
MAIN CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET)
- Calvin Kattar () vs. Dan Ige ()
- Ryan Benoit () vs. Tim Elliott ()
- Jimmie Rivera () vs. Cody Stamann ()
- Molly McCann () vs. Taila Santos ()
- Abdul Razak Alhassan () vs. Mounir Lazzez ()
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
- Modestas Bukauskas () vs. Andreas Michailidis ()
- Molly McCann () vs. Taila Santos ()
- Lerone Murphy () vs. Ricardo Ramos ()
- John Phillips () vs. Khamzat Chimaev ()
- Ryan Benoit () vs. Tim Elliott ()
- Diana Belbita () vs. Liana Jojua ()
- Aaron Phillips () vs. Jack Shore ()
- Kenneth Bergh () vs. Jorge Gonzalez ()
Mounir Lazzez explains how friend’s encounter with Dana White led to UFC signing
Mounir Lazzez broke into the UFC in an unusual way.
ABU DHABI – [autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag]’s entry into the UFC was unorthodox.
Ahead of his promotional debut at UFC on ESPN 13, Lazzez (9-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) spoke about his signing with reporters during a pre-fight media scrum held Monday.
According to Lazzez, a friend ran into UFC president Dana White at a Las Vegas restaurant. In an effort to convince White to sign Lazzez, his friend showed White his highlight reel. The rest is history.
“Yes, by chance he came across Dana White in some restaurant in Vegas, and he showed him my highlight reel,” Lazzez told MMA Junkie. “My name was there on the table since the last (event), Khabib vs. Poirier, that they had here in Abu Dhabi. That’s how they get the deal done. He showed him my highlight reel. (White) followed him on social media, and he put me in contact with Sean Shelby. He offered me a direct fight on July 15 against my opponent. I got the message on social media. I told him I’m up for it. Just direct, I put him in contact with my manager, and we got the deal done.”
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Tack it up to luck. Tack it up to skill. Whatever you attribute his signing to, Lazzez thinks it happened at a perfect time.
“Everything happens for a reason,” Lazzez said. “I believe everything happened at the right time in the right moment. Whatever you want to call it. Hard work got me here – or luck. Whatever. I’m here.”
Lazzez, a Dubai resident, will make his first UFC walk in his own backyard when he takes on Razak Abdul Alhassan (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) in the main card opened. Lazzez always envisioned traveling across the world for his debut but is proud to be fighting on the big stage regardless of location.
“It’s a happy moment,” Lazzez said. “I’m proud. I was always visualizing (for) a long time that I would make the walk to the octagon in Las Vegas in MGM Grand or somewhere. But you know, it’s in my (backyard) here. I live in Dubai (for) like 10 years now – or nine. This is a proud moment for me to make it here in ‘Fight Island.'”
UFC on ESPN 13 takes place Wednesday at Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The event airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
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UFC on ESPN 13 pre-event facts: Jimmie Rivera brings best takedown defense in UFC history
The best facts and figures about UFC on ESPN 13, which features a Calvin Kattar vs. Dan Ige featherweight main event.
The UFC’s four-card series on “Fight Island” continues Wednesday with UFC on ESPN 13, which takes place at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi with a card that airs entirely on ESPN.
A matchup of featherweight contenders takes center stage in the main event. [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] (21-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and [autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) are set to meet in a five-round bout that will allow one man to continue their surge up the divisional pecking order while the other will face a difficult setback.
For more on the numbers behind the card, check below for 25 pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN 13.
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Main event
Kattar has earned all four of his UFC stoppage victories by knockout.
Ige’s six-fight UFC winning streak at featherweight is tied with Zabit Magomedsharipov for the third longest active streak behind Arnold Allen (seven) and Alexander Volkanovski (seven).
Ige has completed at least one takedown against all seven of his UFC opponents.
Co-main event
[autotag]Tim Elliott[/autotag]’s (15-11-1 MMA, 4-9 UFC) three-fight losing skid is tied for the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since December 2017.
Elliott is 2-5 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in December 2016.
Elliott lands 55.1 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC flyweight competition, the second best rate in divisional history behind Justin Scoggins (62.9 percent).
Elliott landed 290 total strikes at UFC 164, the single-fight record for a UFC flyweight bout.
Elliott’s three fight-night bonuses for UFC flyweight bouts are tie for third most in divisional history behind Demetrious Johnson (nine) and Joseph Benavidez (four).
[autotag]Ryan Benoit[/autotag] (10-6 MMA, 3-4 UFC) has alternated wins and losses over his past 10 fights. He lost his most recent bout at UFC on ESPN+ 23 in December.
Benoit is one of three flyweights in UFC history to earn a knockout victory stemming from a head kick. Louis Smolka and Dustin Ortiz also accomplished the feat.
Remaining main card
[autotag]Jimmie Rivera[/autotag] (22-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) enters the event on the first losing skid of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since September 2018.
Rivera has earned 16 of his 22 career victories by decision. That includes five of his six UFC wins.
Rivera has defended 95.5 percent of all opponent takedown attempts in UFC competition, the best rate in company history.
[autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag] (19-2-1 MMA, 5-1-1 UFC) has earned all five of his UFC victories by decision.
[autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag]’s (10-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) three-fight UFC winning streak at women’s flyweight is tied for the second longest active streak in the division behind Valentina Shevchenko (five).
McCann has earned all three of her UFC victories by decision.
McCann is the only fighter in UFC history to land 100 or more significant strikes in three consecutive women’s flyweight fights.
[autotag]Abdul Razak Alhassan[/autotag] (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Sept. 8, 2018. The 676-day layoff is the longest of his nearly seven-year career.
Alhassan’s average fight time of 4:57 in UFC welterweight competition is shortest among active fighters in the weight class.
Alhassan has earned all his career victories by first-round knockout. He’s finished six of those wins in less than one minute.
Alhassan averages 3.64 knockdowns per 15 minutes of fighting in UFC competition, the second highest rate in company history behind Drew McFederies (4.27).
Preliminary card
[autotag]John Phillips[/autotag] (22-9 MMA, 1-3 UFC) has earned all 22 of his career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 19 of those wins by knockout.
Phillips’ 17-second knockout at UFC on ESPN+ 18 is third fastest in UFC middleweight history.
[autotag]Ricardo Ramos[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) was successful in his featherweight debut at UFC on ESPN+ 22 in November.
[autotag]Aaron Phillips[/autotag] (12-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC) returns to the UFC for the first time since August 2014. He went winless in his previous tenure with the promotion.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
Ahead of UFC on ESPN 13, Ryan Benoit’s main goal is to fight more consistently: ‘I just want to be back to being busy’
Ryan Benoit’s octagon inconsistency has been his biggest battle to date.
ABU DHABI – [autotag]Ryan Benoit[/autotag]’s octagon inconsistency has been his biggest battle to date.
Benoit (10-6 MMA, 3-4 UFC) faces Tim Elliott on Wednesday in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 13 in just his second fight in nearly three years.
He’s been forced to the sidelines due to an array of injuries, including a fractured rib, but is now ready to plow through the remainder of his contract while avoiding long layoffs in between each fight.
“I just want to be back to being busy,” Benoit said Monday in Abu Dhabi. “This may be the quickest turnaround – even though it’s been seven months since the last fight, I’ve had a lot of time in between each fight camp, so I feel like just being consistent. I’m ready to be back in there. I’m ready to get more fights. I have three fights left on my contract and I’d like to really knock those out quickly. I think that’s been my biggest obstacle is getting fights consistently. The more time you have in the UFC, the more mat time you have.
“I think that’s kind of been my hardest part is getting consistent fights, and so that’s kind of my goal here. I want to be able to not be so uncomfortable coming into the fight. I’ve been here. I was just here a few months ago, so I actually feel very comfortable. This is probably the most comfortable I’ve ever prepared for a fight and it’s probably the most comfortable I’ve ever felt coming into a fight.”
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He takes on former UFC flyweight title challenger Elliott, who presents an unorthodox style that even Benoit’s teammates had a hard time mimicking in training camp.
But Benoit is confident in his preparation, picking up on specific habits in Elliott’s game that he was able to break down with his team by watching plenty of tape.
“We looked at a lot of footage,” Benoit said. “Tim has a lot of fights in the UFC. He’s a big veteran and he’s got a lot of rounds, not just a lot of fights. He has a lot of time in the UFC. He’s had a lot of decision fights, so we really went back and studied a lot of habits, a lot of things that he’s done consistently in each fight, and we tried to have training partners implement those things.
“It was an awkward style to prepare for. I think it was harder on my training partners to prepare so awkwardly for some of the wild stuff Tim does. But we were actually able to pick apart pretty consistent stuff that we were able to see.”