Tag: UFC on ESPN+ 21

Gregor Gillespie unfazed by losing unbeaten record: I ‘can erase all that bad stuff’ at UFC on ESPN 21

Roughly 16 months since a knockout loss, Gregor Gillespie is simply focused on reminding everyone what he’s all about.

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LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Gregor Gillespie[/autotag] isn’t sweating the fact that he’s no longer undefeated.

The UFC lightweight doesn’t think losses hold too much weight in the UFC and MMA in general. Gillespie (13-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC), who makes his return against Brad Riddell this Saturday in the UFC on ESPN 21 co-main event, hasn’t competed since suffering his first defeat in November 2019 when he was knocked out by Kevin Lee.

It was a tough pill to swallow, like any defeat, but the 33-year-old Gillespie made sure to move on quickly and said the way he lost made it easier to process.

“It’s been behind me, the few weeks following the loss it was behind me,” Gillespie told reporters, including MMA Junkie, on Wednesday at UFC on ESPN 21 media day. “I want to say this, too: The way I lost was easier to accept for me. It was easier to accept for me than getting beat up for three rounds or get taken down and getting held down.

“If I had been dragged through the mud and then lost a bad decision, that would’ve hurt me way more. I got hit with a really nice punch followed by a really clean kick. Props to Kevin Lee on that. That was a beautiful combo. I don’t know if you can do it better than that. It wasn’t lucky. It wasn’t ‘I got caught.’ It was perfectly executed and credit to him on that.”

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Prior to the fight with Lee, Gillespie was considered by many as the dark horse of the lightweight division and a potential threat to the title. He had six consecutive wins in the UFC, with five of those coming by stoppage.

Gillespie thinks the loss to Lee altered his trajectory in the division but not by much.

“The great thing about the UFC and the fight game in general, but really the UFC, the zero at the end of your record, it isn’t all they care about – and they actually said that to me,” Gillespie said. “A few of the guys higher up said, ‘Don’t worry about that, just keep performing,’ and I think that the thing about fighting in the UFC and MMA in general is that you can erase all that bad stuff with a good performance on Saturday night.

“They only care about the last one, and that’s the proof right here, is that I had 13 wins in a row with 5 finishes in the UFC and I lost one, and that’s all people remember. I get it: That’s part of the culture.”

On Saturday night against Riddell, the four-time NCAA Division I All-American plans to remind every one why just a few years ago he was regarded as a possible threat to even Khabib Nurmagomedov.

“Winning is the only thig that matters,” Gillespie said. “And to parlay that, wining and looking good doing it, not being a boring fight or looking cautious, not being a fight where I wish I’d done more. I don’t want to underperform. I want to go out there and let loose. I want to go out there and show people I’m the grappler of this division. Winning is the biggest, most important thing, but I want to do it the right way with some conviction.”

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Don’Tale Mayes pulled from UFC on ESPN 21; Tai Tuivasa needs new opponent

The plan is for Tai Tuivasa to remain on the card against a new opponent.

The UFC is seeking a new opponent for [autotag]Tai Tuivasa[/autotag].

His originally scheduled UFC on ESPN 21 matchup, [autotag]Don’Tale Mayes[/autotag], will no longer be fighting Saturday. Mayes (8-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) was not medically cleared and subsequently pulled from the event.

Two people with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the change Wednesday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Tuivasa (10-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) most recently competed at UFC 254 in October when he snapped a three-fight losing skid with a first-round knockout of Stefan Struve.

UFC on ESPN 21 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN2.

MAIN CARD (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Derek Brunson vs. Kevin Holland
  • Gregor Gillespie vs. Brad Riddell
  • Tai Tuivasa vs. TBA
  • Gustavo Lopez vs. Adrian Yanez
  • Max Griffin vs. Song Kenan
  • Cheyanne Buys vs. Montserrat Ruiz

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2, 7 p.m. ET)

  • Macy Chiasson vs. Marion Reneau
  • Grant Dawson vs. Leonardo Santos
  • Roman Dolidze vs. Trevin Giles
  • Montel Jackson vs. Jesse Strader
  • Julia Avila vs. Julija Stoliarenko
  • J.P. Buys vs. Bruno Silva
  • Anthony Birchak vs. Johnny Eduardo

UFC on ESPN 21: Make your predictions for Derek Brunson vs. Kevin Holland

We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 21 event in Las Vegas.

We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 21 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 MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the UFC on ESPN 21 main card staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC on ESPN 21 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event streams on ESPN+.

Make your picks for the fights below.

UFC free fight: Derek Brunson derails Edmen Shahbazyan’s hype train in Vegas

Ahead of his headliner against Kevin Holland at UFC on ESPN 21, relive Derek Brunson’s finish of Edmen Shahbazyan at UFC Fight Night 173.

Continuously underestimated, [autotag]Derek Brunson[/autotag] played the role of spoiler when he took on a highly-touted prospect.

Brunson faced the formerly unbeaten [autotag]Edmen Shahbazyan[/autotag] in the UFC Fight Night 173 main event in August, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Looking to claim his third straight win, Brunson showed off his more patient self, as he adopted a tactical approach in Round 1. After some good exchanges on the feet by both men, Brunson was able to briefly take Shahbazyan down, but Shahbazyan worked his way back up and started to fire big shots Brunson’s way. Brunson went back to the clinch and, even though he was unsuccessful in his takedown attempt, the pressure started to wear on Shahbazyan, who had only gone past Round 1 once in his professional MMA career.

In Round 2, Brunson continued to mix up his approach, with his switch from striking to wrestling eventually paying dividends. He landed a takedown on a visibly tired Shahbazyan at the end of the round and proceeded to unleash heavy ground and pound that cut Shahbazyan open right at the sound of the horn.

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Shahbazyan barely made it back to his corner and, just 26 seconds into the third round, Brunson was able to drag Shahbazyan down and put him away.

Brunson (21-7 MMA, 12-5 UFC) returns to action this week when he faces [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag] (21-5 MMA, 8-2 UFC) in the main event of UFC on ESPN 21, which takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Before he faces Holland, relive Brunson’s finish over Shahbazyan in the video above.

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UFC on ESPN 21 co-main event scrapped after Jamahal Hill forced to withdraw from Paul Craig bout

The UFC on ESPN 21 co-main event between Paul Craig and Jamahal Hill has been scrapped, according to the Scottish light heavyweight.

UFC on ESPN 21 has lost its co-main event.

Scottish light heavyweight [autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag] took to social media Wednesday to announce that his scheduled opponent [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] has been forced out of their bout, which was set to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on March 20. As a result, Craig said, the fight has been canceled.

Craig (14-4-1 MMA, 6-4-1 UFC) shared the news via his Instagram page and revealed that the pair have already agreed to rebook the fight, though “Bearjew” did not disclose the new bout date.

“Fight has been cancelled due to Hill pulling out. Rematch has been agreed. #bearjew#mma #comingforyou #bearjewjitsu#moretimetogetbetter #gutted #ufc#ufcfighter”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CMOyoOPBwms/?igshid=15xvdmxqmhjeo

 

Hill (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) had previously announced on Twitter on March 3 that he had tested positive for COVID-19, and would assess how he was recovering before deciding whether to proceed with the bout.

MMA Junkie subsequently confirmed Hill’s withdrawal via a second person, who wished to remain anonymous as the UFC has not officially confirmed the bout’s cancellation.

Undefeated Contender Series graduate Hill is coming off a second-round finish of former interim title challenger Ovince Saint Preux at UFC on ESPN 19 in December.

Craig is currently enjoying his best run of form since joining the UFC in 2016. The Coatbridge native is 3-0-1 in his past four outings and scored a significant win at UFC 255 in November, where he finished former light heavyweight champion Mauricio Rua via second-round TKO.

With the change, the UFC on ESPN 21 lineup now includes:

  • Derek Brunson vs. Kevin Holland
  • Cheyanne Buys vs. Kay Hansen
  • Julia Avila vs. Julija Stoliarenko
  • Max Griffin vs. Song Kenan
  • Gustavo Lopez vs. Adrian Yanez
  • Dricus Du Plessis vs. Trevin Giles
  • Don’Tale Mayes vs. Tai Tuivasa
  • Grant Dawson vs. Leonardo Santos
  • JP Buys vs. Bruno Silva
  • Anthony Birchak vs. Johnny Eduardo
  • Gregor Gillespie vs. Brad Riddell
  • Macy Chiasson vs. Marion Reneau

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MMA Junkie’s ‘Fight of the Month’ for November: A ‘BMF’ champ is crowned

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from November 2019.

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from November 2019: Here are the four nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s “Fight of the Month” award for November.

At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.

* * * *

The Nominees

Stephen Thompson def. Vicente Luque at UFC 244

In case there were any doubters — and going in, there sure seemed to be — [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] (18-6-1 MMA, 11-2 UFC) proved he’s still very much a factor in the UFC welterweight division against [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] (17-6-1 MMA, 10-2 UFC).

The two time title challenger returned to vintage “Wonderboy” form as he picked apart one of the division’s hottest fighters in Luque over the course of three rounds. The judges’ scores at New York’s Madison Square Garden were 30-26, 30-26, and 29-27 as Thompson won by unanimous decision.

Jorge Masvidal def. Nate Diaz at UFC 244

[autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] (35-13 MMA, 12-6 UFC) became the UFC’s “Baddest Mother(expletive)” after defeating [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] (20-12 MMA, 15-10 UFC) in their highly anticipated welterweight matchup.

Masvidal continued the most stellar run of his career, and perhaps wrapped up his claim to “Fight of the Year,” when he picked Diaz apart to claim the “BMF” belt. Unfortunately the end came in an anticlimactic matter, with “Gamebred” winning by doctor stoppage TKO in the third round after multiple cuts on Diaz’s face.

John Salter def. Costello van Steenis at Bellator 233

Prior to his encounter with [autotag]Costello van Steenis[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) in their middleweight main event, [autotag]John Salter[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 7-1 BMMA) never went the distance in 20 pro mixed martial arts fights, win or lose.

Finally, that changed. Salter dominated the first two rounds in his bout with van Steenis, which was enough to win out over a later rally as he earned a unanimous decision. The judges’ scores were 29-28 across the board, putting Salter back in contention in Bellator’s 185-pound division.

Zabit Magomedsharipov def. Calvin Kattar at UFC on ESPN+ 21

[autotag]Zabit Magomedsharipov[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) was made to work for it, but the Dagestani featherweight contender picked up arguably the most important win of his UFC career against [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] (20-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC).

The matchup was rearranged from their original booking at UFC on ESPN 6 in October, with the matchup kept as a three-round affair despite headlining status. And after three entertaining rounds, it was Kattar who was in the ascendency, but Magomedsharipov who was ahead on the scorecards to take a unanimous decision.

* * * *

The Winner: Jorge Masvidal vs. Nate Diaz

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On a night in which the president of the United States and Hollywood superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson were both in the house, New York State Athletic Commission Chief Medical Officer Nitin K. Sethi apparently decided he wanted to be the star of the show.

Masvidal and Diaz delivered as advertised through the first three rounds of their main event for the “BMF” title. Diaz, however, was cut above and below his right eye, and while Diaz has fought his way through plenty worse in his career, Sethi took a cursory glance at Diaz between rounds and decided to call off the fight, much to the chagrin of the capacity crowd at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

It went in the books as a TKO stoppage at 5:00 of the third round, but Masvidal, for his part, made it clear he was unsatisfied with the stoppage and was ready to run things back as soon as possible.

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“For a fact, you gave me the love I’ll give you the love,” Masvidal told Diaz. “I don’t like to leave the ring like this with my opponent still conscious. We have to run it back.”

Masvidal was sharp from the fight’s outset, firing heavy hands with malicious intent. What turned out to be the bout’s most important sequence occurred early in the first round. Masvidal caught Diaz with a wicked elbow off the break, then landed a sneaky head kick which dropped Diaz to the mat. Somewhere in that flurry, Diaz was busted open around his right eye.

Masvidal was cautious about going to the mat with Diaz, which enabled Diaz to recover, but he continued to outwork Diaz in the standup throughout the first and into the second.

Diaz likes to stalk his foes, use pressure, and turn up the volume. But every time it appeared Diaz was going to turn up the heat, Masvidal managed to escape and reset.

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Diaz is a cardio machine known for coming on in the late rounds. While Masvidal also won the third round, the round was also Diaz’s best, as he started to show signs he was getting it together, landing effective combos.

That built the anticipation for the championship rounds, but that’s when the doctor decided it was a good idea to step in and end the fight.

“The Rock” came in and placed the specially made “BMF” belt around Masvidal’s waist, and while Masvidal accepted it, he made it clear he wants a rematch. Diaz, for his part, let everyone know he’s down.

“I’m going back for this mother(expletive), right back,” Diaz said. “Let me heal this up and go again.”

[opinary poll=”what-was-your-fight-of-the-month-for-nov” customer=”mmajunkie”]

MMA Junkie’s ‘Submission of the Month’ for November: A Nurmagomedov loses

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best submission from November 2019.

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best submissions from November 2019: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s “Submission of the Month” award for November.

At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting for your choice.

* * * *

The Nominees

Joshua Pacio def. Rene Catalan at ONE Championship 102

[autotag]Joshua Pacio[/autotag] (18-3) earned his first ONE Championship flyweight title defense when he halted streaking challenger Rene Catalan (6-3) in the second round due to a slick choke.

Pacio finished Catalan with an arm-triangle choke midway through the second round. Before that, the champion displayed dominance in wearing Catalan down with strikes and grappling until he found the opening to finish the fight by submission.

David Zawada def. Abubakar Nurmagomedov at UFC on ESPN+ 21

Despite entering his matchup against [autotag]David Zawada[/autotag] (17-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC) as a sizable favorite according to the oddsmakers, Abubakar Nurmagomedov (15-3-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) was submitted in the opening round.

The cousin of UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, Abubakar, was surprised with Zawada’s submission skills in the welterweight bout. The underdog locked in a tight triangle choke from bottom position that caused Nurmagomedov to tap out and spoiling his anticipated octagon debut.

Karl Roberson def. Roman Kopylov at UFC on ESPN+ 21

A nasty eye poke couldn’t stop [autotag]Karl Roberson[/autotag] (9-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) from achieving victory against highly touted Russian prospect Roman Kopylov (8-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in their middleweight bout.

Despite taking a nasty poke from Kopylov in the fight, Roberson managed to finish the fight with a rear-naked choke. He overcame adversity and managed to wear down the previously unbeaten Kopylov until he took the back and locked in the choke deep enough to force the tap.

Randy Brown def. Warlley Alves at UFC on ESPN+ 22

[autotag]Randy Brown[/autotag] (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) showed once again that he’s a future talent to watch in the welterweight division when he became the first man to submit Warlley Alves (13-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC).

The odds indicated an evenly matched fight coming in, and for much of the more than six minutes of action, it was. Brown proved to be more the more dangerous of the pair, though, locking in a triangle choke from bottom in the second. Alves tried to struggle, but he had to tap out in front of the fans in his native Brazil.

Ricardo Ramos def. Eduardo Garagorri at UFC on ESPN+ 22

[autotag]Ricardo Ramos[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) was successful in his move up to the featherweight division, defeating previously unbeaten opponent Eduardo Garagorri (13-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) inside the first round.

Ramos’ finishing ability clearly translated up from bantamweight, because he managed to quickly take Garagorri’s back from a standing position and work toward a rear-naked choke. Garagorri did his best to resist Ramos’ advances, but eventually they fell to the ground, the choke was sunk in deep and the fight was over.

* * * *

The Winner: David Zawada

With his back against the wall and his UFC career likely hanging in the balance, Zawada rose the occasion in a big way against Nurmagomedov.

After dropping consecutive fights in 2018 to begin his octagon tenure, Zawada took nearly a year away from competition before coming back at UFC on ESPN+ 21 in Moscow.

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He got no easy draw of opponent for his comeback in Nurmagomedov, either, but used the platform to make the most of the moment.

Zawada strangled Nurmagomedov into submission with a textbook triangle choke, putting himself back in the win column for the first time in 19 months and getting his hand raised under the UFC banner for the first time.

[opinary poll=”what-was-your-submission-of-the-month-fo-nDub” customer=”mmajunkie”]

MMA Junkie’s ‘Knockout of the Month’ for November: A rare rolling thunder finish

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best knockouts from November 2019.

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best knockouts from November 2019. Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s “Knockout of the Month” award for November.

At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting for your choice.

* * * *

The Nominees

Kevin Lee def. Gregor Gillespie at UFC 244

Fighting in his opponent’s home territory in New York, [autotag]Kevin Lee[/autotag] (17-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) knocked previously unbeaten Gregor Gillespie (13-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) cold in his return to the lightweight division.

It took less than three minutes and one perfectly placed head kick for Lee to take back attention as a lightweight contender. Following some early exchanges, “The Motown Phenom” separated Gillespie from consciousness in devastating fashion.

Andrew Kapel def. Muhammed Lawal at Bellator 232

[autotag]Andrew Kapel[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) made sure it was an unhappy end to Muhammed Lawal’s (21-10 MMA, 10-7 BMMA) career, because he sent “King Mo” into retirement on a knockout loss in their 195-pound catchweight fight.

After a brief feeling out process to begin the fight, Kapel threw a body kick which Lawal caught. He went to throw a punch, but Kapel timed the perfect counter shot on him coming in. Lawal immediately went down and out, and retired following the defeat.

Magomed Ankalaev def. Dalcha Lungiambula at UFC on ESPN+ 21

[autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag] (12-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) capped off a solid performance with a highlight-reel finish when he defeated Dalcha Lungiambula (10-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) in their light heavyweight matchup.

Ankalaev connected with a perfect front kick that made a sickening thud and instantly rocked Lungiambula. From there, the Russian unloaded a clean follow-up shot that put Lungiambula down to stop the fight in the third round.

Davy Gallon def. Ross Pearson at “MTK MMA: Probellum”

Ross Pearson (20-17) had a rude welcome back to MMA from his retirement courtesy of the unheralded [autotag]Davy Gallon[/autotag] (18-7-2), who delivered what could go down as an all-time knockout in the sport’s history.

The lightweight fight was relatively competitive for more than two rounds. In the closing stages of the third, though, Gallon went airborne and unleashed a rolling thunder kick. The heel landed flush on Pearson’s face, and “The Ultimate Fighter 9” winner was immediately knocked out in a shocking finish.

Michael Page def. Giovanni Melillo at Bellator Europe 6

[autotag]Michael Page[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 12-1 BMMA) gave his hometown fans what they wanted as he closed the show in style against Giovanni Melillo (13-5 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) with the latest addition to his highlight reel.

Page finished late-notice replacement Melillo in less than two minutes with a thumping right hand. Melillo was out on impact, and “MVP” had the walk-off finish to close the welterweight contest.

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The Winner: Davy Gallon

Pearson’s MMA return was one for the highlight reel – but not in the way he envisioned.

In his first fight in his native U.K. in over four years, Pearson headlined “MTK MMA: Probellum” in London. Taking on Gallon, Pearson was brutally knocked out in the most improbable of fashions.

As the clock wound down in the final round, Gallon threw a rolling thunder kick, which landed flush on the head of Pearson.

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Upon impact, Pearson was knocked out cold and flew backwards, crashing to the mat. The announcer’s, “Oh, sh*t” reaction sums up just how spectacular it was.

“I’ve only hit it in training,” Gallon told MMA Junkie of the knockout. “I saw a kyokushin video on YouTube, and I tried maybe once or twice in training. I was in the hotel room the day before the fight with my coach. I said, ‘Oh coach, come on. I want to try this kick.’ He told me, ‘You know it’s Ross Pearson? It’s a good guy. It’s a big fighter, you know?’ I said yeah, and he told me, ‘OK, you can try the kick. But you have to do it at the end of the fight.'”

The fight was Pearson’s first since being released by the UFC earlier this year. Prior to his UFC departure, Pearson had dropped six out of his final seven fights with the promotion.

[opinary poll=”whats-your-knockout-of-the-month-for-nov” customer=”mmajunkie”]

Greg Hardy, four others face lengthy medical suspensions after UFC on ESPN+ 21

Greg Hardy is potentially out up to 180 days after injuring his hand at UFC Moscow.

[autotag]Greg Hardy[/autotag] is one of five fighters facing lengthy medical suspensions after UFC on ESPN+ 21.

The event took place Nov. 9 at CSKA Arena in Moscow and streamed on ESPN+.

One half of the co-main event, Hardy (5-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) dropped a three-round, unanimous decision to heavyweight contender [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag]. As speculated on the broadcast, Hardy injured his right hand/wrist and faces a 180-day medical suspension as a result.

Additionally, four other fighters have been handed out six-month suspensions. [autotag]Dalcha Lungiambula[/autotag], [autotag]Abubakar Nurmagomedov[/autotag], [autotag]Jessica-Rose Clark[/autotag], and [autotag]Grigorii Popov[/autotag] were also handed 180-day suspensions for injuries sustained in their respective losses.

Check out the entire UFC on ESPN+ 21 medical suspension list below (acquired via MixedMartialArts.com):

  • [autotag]Grigorii Popov[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until nasal x-ray is cleared by physician; also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Davey Grant[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest
  • [autotag]Jessica-Rose Clark[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by ENT physician; also suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days
  • [autotag]Pannie Kianzad[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest
  • [autotag]Alexander Yakovlev[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest
  • [autotag]Roosevelt Roberts[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest
  • [autotag]Abubakar Nurmagomedov[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until left elbow x-ray is cleared by physician; also suspended 14 days for mandatory rest
  • [autotag]Roman Kopylov[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest
  • [autotag]Karl Roberson[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for right eyelid laceration with 21 days no contact
  • [autotag]Rustam Khabilov[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest
  • [autotag]Sergey Khandozhko[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest
  • [autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest
  • [autotag]Dalcha Lungiambula[/autotag]: Suspended 180 days or until cleared by OMF physician; also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Shamil Gamzatov[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest
  • [autotag]Klidson Abreu[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest
  • [autotag]Ramazan Emeev[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest
  • [autotag]Anthony Rocco Martin[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for nasal laceration with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Khadis Ibragimov[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest
  • [autotag]Ed Herman[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for hard bout with 21 days no contact
  • [autotag]Zelim Imadaev[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest
  • [autotag]Danny Roberts[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for right temple laceration with 21 days no contact
  • Alexander Volkov: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest
  • Greg Hardy: Suspended 180 days or until right hand/wrist x-ray is cleared by physician; also suspended 30 days with no contact for 21 days
  • [autotag]Zabit Magomedsharipov[/autotag]: Suspended seven days for mandatory rest
  • [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag]: Suspended 30 days for hard bout with 21 days no contact

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Davey Grant promises improvement after UFC Moscow victory: ‘I can do 10 times better than that’

British bantamweight Davey Grant says better performances are just around the corner after his split-decision win at UFC on ESPN+ 21 in Moscow.

British UFC bantamweight [autotag]Davey Grant[/autotag] is back in the win column but says he knows significantly better performances are just around the corner after admitting he was disappointed in his display in Russia.

Prior to his split-decision win over [autotag]Grigorii Popov[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN+ 21 in Moscow, the Bishop Auckland man hadn’t picked up a victory in the UFC since his unanimous decision win over Marlon Vera at UFC Fight Night 84 in London back in February 2016.

It meant there was a certain amount of pressure on the 33-year-old heading into the contest, but he stepped up to the challenge and picked up a hard-earned victory to right the ship after a tricky few years battling injuries and poor form.

“It was super important,” he said, as he reflected on his performance. “Every fight is always massive, but it’s just really nice to go and get back in the win column. It had been a while since I’d won.

“I didn’t have the greatest of performances last time out, and I know I’m a lot better than that, so it’s nice to get the win and show a fraction of what I’m capable of, (but) I still feel that I’ve got a lot more to give.”

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Grant (9-4 MMA, 2-3 UFC) admitted that his previous performance – a first-round submission defeat to Manny Bermudez at UFC Fight Night 134 in July 2018 – saw him succumb to complacency as he was caught by “The Bermudez Triangle” in his namesake triangle choke in the first minute of the bout.

“The fight before, I came in a bit too complacent,” he said. “I feel like I’m sort of finding my feet again now, when before I just got a bit too confident and then obviously got beat pretty bad. I just needed to realize that I’ve still got to go and put in the work; it’s not going to do itself.”

Grant said that although he picked up the victory in Moscow, he didn’t put in the performance he wanted. And the Englishman vowed to bring more action and aggression to the octagon in his next outing.

“I’m a little bit disappointed in myself, as I wasn’t as aggressive as I usually am, and I was a little bit cautious,” he admitted. “I usually throw a lot more combinations, and I usually get into a lot more of a fight. I think I was slightly worried about getting clipped because of the fight before, where I thought I was so much better than the guy opposite me but ended up getting dropped by a big right hand.

“I’m usually a lot more of an exciting fighter, and I thought I played the game a little bit, but I managed to sneak out the win. I’m pleased overall but know I can do 10 times better than that, so (I’m) a little disappointed.

“For the next fight, I just want to go back to the way I fight, be a bit more aggressive, taking the fight to my opponent and just keep on improving in all areas.”

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And the modest Brit, who earned his spot in the UFC after reaching the final of “The Ultimate Fighter 18” back in 2013, said he hopes to be back in the cage sooner rather than later in a bid to build some momentum in early 2020.

“I’ve got no injuries; I’m literally just going to start training straight away, keep the weight down and then get back in the octagon as soon as possible,” he said. “I’ve never been someone who picks a fight. I always let Sean Shelby do his work and then just turn up on the day. I’m literally comfortable with anything.”

But while calling out opponents might not be Grant’s style, he did admit he’d love to make his first appearance of 2020 on home soil at the UFC’s annual date at The O2 Arena in London in March.

“Yes, I think it’s very logical – I love to fight in England any time I get the chance,” Grant said. “But if UFC wants me to go abroad and fight, I’ll go abroad and fight. I’ll literally fight anyone, anywhere. As long as I’m fighting, I’m really not fussed.”