Tag: UFC on ESPN 23

Cub Swanson sees himself as tough test for Giga Chikadze, plans on reminding people why’s he’s still around

Cub Swanson expects his experience to play a major factor against one of the brightest prospects in the division.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Cub Swanson[/autotag] expects his experience to play a major factor against one of the brightest prospects in the UFC’s featherweight division.

Swanson (27-11 MMA, 12-7 UFC) meets [autotag]Giga Chikadze[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 23 co-main event, where he’ll look to hand the streaking contender his first octagon loss.

Having competed against a who’s who list of contenders throughout his UFC tenure, Swanson has seen it all. He holds notable wins over current title challenger Charles Oliveira and former interim champion Dustin Poirier but is also no stranger to killing hype trains such as Doo Ho Choi and Kron Gracie.

In Chikadze, Swanson sees a talented fighter, but one that hasn’t been tested yet, and he plans on showing him that there are levels to this game.

“I really respect his strengths which are obviously his kicks and his kickboxing background,” Swanson told MMA Junkie at UFC on ESPN 23 media day on Wednesday. “I don’t think he’s as well-rounded as he needs to be to be at the top of the UFC in our division. I know he’s working all those things and he’s got a good team. He’s got a good record, and I don’t think the guys he’s fought have been the best of the division yet, so I don’t think he deserves to be up at the top yet. I think he’s on his way, and he’s got to get through me, obviously, and I think I’m going to be a tough test for him. I see myself reminding people why I’ve been around for so long.”

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He continued, “At this point in martial arts, it’s about who dictates the pace and who dictates the distance, and I think that’s the major key here. For him to win, he likes a certain distance. He likes to maintain his pace that he feels comfortable that he can throw all his kicks and move around and be elusive, and I need to disrupt that. I need to be on the outside moving, as well, and in his face and then roughing him up, making him uncomfortable, make him tired, and all those things messes his rhythm up. I’m confident I can do that, and that just makes him think ‘I’m having an off night,’ and that means it’s a good night for me.”

Swanson is back on a winning streak for the first time since April 2017. He’s coming off back-to-back wins over Gracie and Daniel Pineda, and the 37-year-old says he still has some fight left in him as he makes his 20th octagon appearance.

“I honestly think I got a couple more years,” Swanson said. “I literally take every fight like it’s my last. I’ve been doing that for a while because I’ve had some major injuries in my career, and it’s made me really know that it could be taken away at any moment, so that’s been kind of amazing that I’ve been around for this long. But yeah, I think I got a couple more years.

“I don’t really want to put too much on it because a couple of wins drags you this way, losses drag you this way. I’m taking it one thing at a time, but I would love an ideal scenario to work my way up the rankings one more time and above all, I’d love a retirement fight in Palm Springs. They’re building a 10,000-person arena, hockey arena in Palm Springs, and I would love to bring this sport back to my hometown where I started.”

UFC on ESPN 23 takes place at the UFC Apex. The entire card airs on ESPN2 and streams on ESPN+.

Watch the video above for Swanson’s entire UFC on ESPN 23 media day interview.

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Just how serious is Jiri Prochazka ahead of UFC on ESPN 23? Check out his hair

While he picked up a “Performance of the Night” bonus in his UFC debut, Jiri Prochazka says it’s important he fights differently this time.

LAS VEGAS – While he picked up a “Performance of the Night” bonus in his UFC debut, [autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag] says it’s important he fights differently in his return to the cage.

The former Rizin FF light heavyweight champion isn’t satisfied with the danger in which he put himself in the opening round of his UFC 251 clash with Volkan Oezdemir and says he’s worked hard to make sure that doesn’t happen again.

“My first round in my first fight was a little bit dangerous,” Prochazka told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at Wednesday’s media day at the UFC Apex.

But whatever you think about the first round, it’s kind of hard to deny how fantastic he was in the second frame of that July 2020 matchup, scoring a knockout of the former UFC title challenger 49 seconds into the round. That’s the type of performance Prochazka (27-3-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) hopes to replicate at Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 23, when he takes on Dominick Reyes (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in the night’s ESPN2-televised main event.

Still relatively new to the promotion, Prochazka said he doesn’t know a ton about Reyes but does know that his own preparation has been sound.

“I don’t know (Reyes) personally, but he looks like a good man,” Prochazka said. “He’s a very good athlete, very good striker, and that’s how I’m taking him: seriously, not like I was in the first fight, in the first round. I was a little bit – I took it a little bit easier, and now I want to keep it most professionally how I can.”

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It’s a big matchup for both fighters, with Reyes ranked No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie light heavyweight rankings, and Prochazka at No. 13. Both men are certainly capable of vicious knockouts, as well, but Prochazka said he’s prepared for any scenario that might arise in the cage.

“I think I’m ready for the fighting in the standup because that’s my state of fighting,” Prochazka said. “I think maybe he will change the strategy to me, and he wants to take me down, and I’m ready for that, to wrestle with him and to fight on the ground. That was my preparation.”

While Reyes has already twice challenged for the UFC light heavyweight title, the winner of the fight will certainly find themselves in an enviable position in the division. But the 28-year-old Prochazka said he’s not trying to rush himself into a title fight and will happily prove his worth in a rise up the ranks.

“For me, it’s not important right now,” Prochazka said. “I don’t think about it right now because I’m enjoying the journey in the UFC. If this title will be after one fight, two fights, for me it’s not so important. I want to just show my best on this event.”

Another impressive win, and Prochazka might not be the one in control of the speed of his journey. But the Czech import insists he’s ready for any challenges that await. If you need proof, he says, just look at his fight week haircut – a bold style that has become quite the conversation point, which he says was inspired by the traditional mongkon headgear worn by muay Thai athletes when they perform the wai kru.

“I’m enjoying this hair because it’s giving me the power of this week and of this fight,” Prochazka said. “It’s how I’m taking this moment, this fight: importantly and seriously. This is the hair just for this moment.”

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Dominick Reyes ‘went to that dark place,’ eliminated toxicity ahead of UFC on ESPN 23

Dominick Reyes readily admits his last performance was not his best, but he now sees the result as a blessing in disguise.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Dominick Reyes[/autotag] readily admits his last performance was not his best, but after being knocked out for the first time in his career, he now sees the result as a blessing in disguise.

After narrowly (and quite controversially) falling short in a bid to unseat then-light heavyweight champion Jon Jones in February 2020, Reyes then faced Jan Blachowicz for the vacant belt this past September. It proved one of Blachowicz’s finest performances, earning a second-round TKO to claim the title and hand Reyes his second consecutive defeat.

“Second loss, first time ever being beaten,” Reyes told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at Wednesday’s media day at the UFC Apex. “It was tough. It was a lot of soul searching, a lot of examining my camp, examining myself, examining my mindset. Yeah, it sucked, but it was a blessing in disguise because I was able to get back to what makes me, me. I was able to get excited again about fighting and enjoying the whole process of everything.”

Reyes admits he didn’t reach his current mental state immediately after the fight with Blachowicz. But through the process of self-examination, he realized that “I lost myself a little bit there.”

“I realized how much toxicity is out there, and I let it seep into me, previously,” Reyes said. “It was just a learning lesson, you know? But then also, I did go dark. I went to that dark place and really examined myself and everything around me and really, really took a good look at things from a realistic point of view, and then I found the light, and now I’m back.”

Part of that rehabilitation involved just pulling himself away from social media, where he says he had previously engaged trolls and haters before realizing what a negative impact those interactions could have.

“It’s such a toxic environment,” Reyes said. “It’s so toxic, and I realized that, but I was reading all the comments and getting all involved and replying back to people and replying back to the trolls that were sending me messages. Dude, that’s so not good. That’s super bad for your mental health, especially in a sport like this, where mental health is 80 percent of the battle.

“If you’re not mentally there, if you’re not 100 percent ready to go, then man, you’re facing a very uphill battle, and that’s what I dealt with last fight, and I’m very aware of all of it now. It was like a veil got pulled, and I got to see the other side for how it really is. I take everything for what it is now, and I just enjoy the little moments. It’s the little things.”

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Reyes (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) will find himself back in the spotlight this weekend, when he takes on Jiri Prochazka (27-3-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) in the main event of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 23, which airs live on ESPN2 from the UFC Apex. It’s a key matchup in the division, with Reyes ranked No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie light heavyweight rankings, and Prochazka at No. 13.

Reyes believes it’s an opportunity to remind the world why he’s still ranked so highly and also to show that the fight with Blachowicz was quite simply a poor representation of where he actually stands in his career.

“For me, this is just me defending my position and saying, ‘Hey, I’m not going anywhere. I’m better than I was,'” Reyes said. “I’m coming back a better version of myself. I’m not fizzling out. I’m not going anywhere.”

In Prochazka, Reyes faces a man with just one octagon visit to his name. However, much of that was by design, with the 28-year-old Czech long delaying his arrival to the UFC in order to give himself time to improve while fighting on smaller circuits.

The patience seemed to pay off, with Prochazka picking up a “Performance of the Night” bonus in his UFC debut, scoring a second-round TKO over former UFC title challenger Volkan Oezdemir at this past July’s UFC 251.

Reyes recognizes the talent but also sees an opportunity to quickly rebuild his own momentum.

“He was smart not coming to the UFC earlier because his skills weren’t developed,” Reyes said. “I still think they’re not good enough to beat me, so we’ll see. We’re going to see.

“I’m excited about the opportunity. It’s one of those things where this guy has all the hype that I once had, and it’s an opportunity for me to get it all back.”

With a win, Reyes is very much back into the UFC light heavyweight title picture. A loss would cause a significant delay to such a chase, but Reyes said he’s not focusing too much on the outcome of the fight. Instead, it’s all about enjoying the moment and performing to his best, and the rest will take care of itself.

“This is a game of very, very small margins, and if one of those margins catches me, it’s not something that I’m going to dwell over,” Reyes said. “I busted my ass. I’m working my ass off. I’m doing everything I can to be successful, to win. Winning – I love winning. Who doesn’t love winning? There’s no other feeling on earth like winning in the octagon and getting your hand raised. Literally.

“I’ve been in so many other sports. I’ve done so many action sports and different things, and there’s nothing on earth like getting your hand raised in the octagon and defeating another man. It’s addicting, and I want to get back to that feeling.”

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Video: The fights you shouldn’t miss this week – in the UFC and beyond

If you’re only paying attention to the three big letters at the end of the week, you might miss some good stuff.

There are three solid cards this week, and if you’re only paying attention to the three big letters at the end of the week, you might miss some good stuff.

ONE on TNT IV goes down Wednesday night on TNT, 2021 PFL 2 takes place Thursday, and UFC on ESPN 23 wraps up the week Saturday.

All three cards have some intriguing bouts, like Aung La N Sang (26-11) with his light heavyweight title on the line against middleweight champion Reinier de Ridder (13-0) at ONE on TNT IV.

Is that one of the big can’t-miss fights this week? The “Spinning Back Clique” panel of “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Brian “Goze” Garcia and Farah Hannoun broke down that one and more with panel host John Morgan.

You can watch their discussion in the video above, or check out this week’s full episode below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzjbJbtcnW4

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Poliana Botelho looks to present a more well rounded version of herself at UFC on ESPN 23

After losing two of her past three, Poliana Botelho underwent some changes.

After losing two of her past three, [autotag]Poliana Botelho[/autotag] underwent some changes.

Botelho (8-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC), who meets Luana Carolina at UFC on ESPN 23 on May 1, has specifically been working on her ground game by participating in multiple grappling competitions.

The Nova Uniao fighter’s two most recent losses have come on the mat. She was submitted by Cynthia Calvillo in 2018, then controlled on the canvas by Gillian Robertson in her most recent outing at UFC Fight Night 180.

So during her time off, Botelho has been honing her skills and hopes she can return to her finishing ways – she’s scored knockouts in six of her eight pro wins.

“We learn from all experiences – both wins and losses,” Botelho told MMA Junkie. “People tend to say that we learn more from losses. After a loss, we examine videos and manage to spot all the mistakes. However, even wins can be full of errors. After a win, there isn’t as much scrutiny. I have evolved significantly. I’ve trained a lot of jiu-jitsu with coach Marcos Galvao. I participated in jiu-jitsu competitions here in Rio de Janeiro. I’m feeling much more comfortable when grappling. Against Gillian Robertson, it was my fight to lose. I clearly won the first round. I lost my focus on the second and third rounds.

“I lost to myself. Against Cynthia Calvillo, it was the third time I made 115 pounds. My body couldn’t take it anymore. I could barely train. I had several injuries, including a broken nose. It was a very difficult weight cut. I had to move up in weight class after that for medical reasons. Previously, I had been shedding 40 pounds. I am a knockout artist. I haven’t been able to demonstrate that too well. But I’m hoping, after some improvements to my game, I can get back to doing that. I plan to demonstrate that I’m a complete fighter. I look forward to letting my game flow.”

Botelho had multiple opponents fall out before landing Carolina, which made her training camp more difficult than needed. She was first booked to face Ji Yeon Kim. After Kim withdrew, she landed Mayra Bueno Silva, who ended up pulling out due to a back injury.

“I’ve had two opponent changes for this card,” Botelho said. “First, Ji Yeon Kim got hurt, and then so did Mayra Bueno Silva. Now, I get to face Luana Carolina. ‘ll be ready. But opponent changes are difficult – we plan for one specific opponent, and then everything changes. We have to create a new strategy from scratch after watching some video.

“I hope Luana stays on the card, so we can battle it out. It is Brazilian vs Brazilian, which we prefer not to do. But we’re professionals, and we do our jobs in the best way possible. We’ll step in the cage and show the work we’ve been putting in. That’s the main thing, regardless of who’s standing on the other side.”

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UFC on ESPN 23: Mayra Bueno Silva out of Poliana Botelho fight due to back injury

Poliana Botelho will be in search for an opponent yet again after Mayra Bueno Silva withdrew from UFC on ESPN 23.

[autotag]Poliana Botelho[/autotag] will be in search for an opponent yet again.

After Ji Yeon Kim withdrew from their bout at UFC on ESPN 23 on May 1, Botelho (8-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) drew fellow Brazilian [autotag]Mayra Bueno Silva[/autotag] (7-1-1 MMA, 2-1-1 UFC). But a back injury has forced Silva out of their fight and Botelho is still hoping to remain on the card.

MMA Junkie confirmed the news after an initial post from Botelho on her Instagram.

Botelho has split her past four appearances. In her return to flyweight, Botelho defeated Lauren Mueller at UFC 236, then dropped a unanimous decision to Gillian Robertson in October. Silva was looking for a quick turnaround after battling to a majority draw with Montana De La Rosa at UFC Fight Night 186 in February.

With the change, the May 1 lineup now includes:

  • Jiri Prochazka vs. Dominick Reyes
  • TJ Brown vs. Kai Kamaka III
  • Dean Barry vs. Mike Jackson
  • Poliana Botelho vs. TBA
  • K.B. Bhullar vs. Andreas Michailidis
  • Damon Jackson vs. TJ Laramie
  • Sam Hughes vs. Loma Lookboonmee
  • Shamil Abdurakhimov vs. Augusto Sakai
  • Krzysztof Jotko vs. Sean Strickland
  • Giga Chikadze vs. Cub Swanson
  • Gabriel Benitez vs. Jonathan Pearce
  • Felipe Colares vs. Journey Newson
  • Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cody Stamann

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