Tag: UFC on ESPN+ 8

UFC on ESPN 8: Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik official poster released

Check out the official event poster for UFC on ESPN 8 has dropped.

Heavy hitters headline UFC Columbus.

Top contenders [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) and [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] (10-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) take center stage at UFC on ESPN 8, which goes down on March 28 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

The official poster for the event has been released, as seen below.

Along with the heavyweights, former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt (11-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC) is featured facing off against his opponent Rafael Assuncao (27-7 MMA, 11-4 UFC).

UFC on ESPN 8 marks the first time since the UFC visits Ohio’s state capital in 11 years. The last UFC event in town was UFC 96 in 2009.

 

The UFC on ESPN 8 lineup includes:

  • Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
  • Raphael Assuncao vs Cody Garbrandt
  • Aspen Ladd vs. Julianna Pena
  • Miguel Baeza vs. Matt Brown
  • Yorgan De Castro vs. Greg Hardy
  • Sam Alvey vs. Khalil Rountree
  • Punahele Soriano vs. Eric Spicely
  • Davey Grant vs. Louis Smolka
  • Mizuki Inoue vs. Tecia Torres
  • Carlos Felipe vs. Jeff Hughes
  • Raoni Barcelos vs. Cody Stamann
  • Randy Costa vs. Martin Day
  • Phil Rowe vs. Laureano Staropoli

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

Next Floyd Mayweather? Francis Ngannou wants to take young boxer under his wing

UFC standout Francis Ngannou found an online video of a young African boy hitting pads and he wants to mentor him.

[autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] wants to pay it forward.

Ngannou, who comes from a boxing background, found an online video of a young African boy by the name of Adeyemo Abdul Somod Ayomide hitting pads, and he wants to mentor him.

The heavyweight contender finally located Ayomide, dubbing the four-year-old Nigerian boy as the next Floyd Mayweather.

“I found the next @floydmayweather his name is Adeyemo Abdul Somod Ayomide. He’s from Nigeria and just about to turn 5 on March 23th. I spoke with his dad @team_smd_sr who coaches him and other students. They train outside since they don’t have a gym. 🔜 Next move: Nigeria 🇳🇬 #AFRICAGOTTALENTS”

And it appears that he plans on visiting Nigeria, to help build a facility for young Ayomide to train in.

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Born in Cameroon, Ngannou is very connected to his African roots. He visits home on a regular basis and even started the Francis Ngannou Foundation, a combat sports gym, to help build future generations.

Ngannou returns to action March 28 when he headlines UFC on ESPN 8 in Columbus, Ohio, against the undefeated Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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Jairzinho Rozenstruik unfazed by Francis Ngannou’s KO power, wants title shot if victorious at UFC Columbus

Jairzinho Rozenstruik discusses challenges with Francis Ngannou matchup ahead of UFC Columbus.

It won’t be easy to top, but [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] is looking to make 2020 a better year than 2019.

The heavyweight striker, who won MMA Junkie’s 2019 “Breakout Fighter of the Year” award, kicks off 2020 with a high-profile bout against fellow contender Francis Ngannou in the UFC on ESPN 8 main event in Columbus, Ohio, on March 28.

Rozenstruik (10-0 MMA, 4-0 MMA) went 4-0 in 2019 with stoppages of Junior Albini, Allen Crowder, Andrei Arlovski and Alistair Overeem, so he’ll need remarkable results in order to beat a 2019 that had him rise from debutant to title contender.

“Bigi Boy” knows what he needs to do to make 2020 the best year of his career and has a simple plan to get that done.

“Basically, what I’ve heard people say is that I’m supposed to get the title shot, and I think (Ngannou is) also risking his spot for that,” Rozenstruik told MMA Junkie. “So I’m going to beat him, take his spot, and I’m going to go for the title.”

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It’s easier said than done since Ngannou has only been defeated twice in the UFC – once by current champ Stipe Miocic and once by Derrick Lewis in a fight many consider an anomaly.

Ngannou has carved his path in MMA with wild knockouts of world-class fighters. Rozenstruik is aware of the challenges the Cameroonian poses, but remains unfazed toward them.

“I fought a lot of strong guys before – big, scary guys – and I used to knock them out. This won’t be any different,” Rozenstruik said. “The only thing I know is that we’re working and we’re going to get the job done. That’s what we’re going in for.

“I don’t think he’s the best striker I’m going to face, but he is the biggest challenge. We believe we’re going to put him away. It’s a fight. It’s going to go back and forth – who lands first, who can take a shot, who cannot. We’re going to see March 28.”

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Raoni Barcelos vs. Cody Stamann in the works for UFC on ESPN 8 in Columbus

A bantamweight matchup between Raoni Barcelos and Cody Stamann is the latest addition to UFC Columbus.

A bantamweight matchup is the latest addition to the UFC Columbus card.

[autotag]Raoni Barcelos[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) will face [autotag]Cody Stamann[/autotag] (18-2-1 MMA, 4-1-1 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 8, MMA Junkie confirmed with a person with knowledge of the booking following an initial report from Combate. The person requested to remain anonymous because UFC officials have yet to formally announce the contest.

UFC on ESPN 8 takes place March 28 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The card airs on ESPN.

Brazil’s Barcelos is coming off a unanimous decision win over Said Nurmagomedov in December. Former RFA featherweight champion Barcelos will look to remain perfect in the octagon when he takes on Stamann.

Meanwhile, Stamann fought to a controversial majority draw vs. Song Yadong at UFC on ESPN 7 this past December. He landed five takedowns in the fight, and heavily outstruck Yadong, who was even deducted a point for an illegal knee. But that wasn’t enough to award Stamann the win in the judges’ eyes.

The latest UFC on ESPN 8 lineup includes:

  • Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
  • Raphael Assuncao vs. Cody Garbrandt
  • Aspen Ladd vs. Julianna Pena
  • Yorgan De Castro vs. Greg Hardy
  • Mizuki Inoue vs. Tecia Torres
  • Miguel Baeza vs. Matt Brown
  • Davey Grant vs. Louis Smolka
  • Sam Alvey vs. Khalil Rountree
  • Punahele Soriano vs. Eric Spicely
  • Carlos Felipe vs. Jeff Hughes
  • Phil Rowe vs. Laureano Staropoli
  • Randy Costa vs. Martin Day
  • Raoni Barcelos vs. Cody Stamann

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Tickets on sale this week for UFC on ESPN 8 in Ohio

In March, the UFC returns to Ohio for the first time since 2016, and tickets go on sale for the card this week.

In March, the UFC returns to Ohio for the first time since 2016, and tickets go on sale for the card this week.

“UFC on ESPN 8: Ngannou vs. Rozenstruik” takes place March 28 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. A key heavyweight matchup headlines the card, with heavy-handed knockout artists [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) and [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag] (10-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) set to clash in the main event.

Ngannou is currently ranked No. 3 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie heavyweight rankings, while Rozenstruik checks in at No. 10.

The full broadcast lineup has yet to be revealed, but the full card is expected to air on ESPN.

Tickets for UFC on ESPN 8 are on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m. ET through Ticketmaster.com.

UFC Fight Club members can purchase tickets Wednesday via UFCFightClub.com beginning at 10 a.m. ET. UFC e-newsletter subscribers can purchase tickets Thursday at 10 a.m. ET.

There is an eight-ticket. Purchases during the general sales period can include up to eight tickets. Ticket prices have not been announced.

The latest UFC on ESPN 8 lineup includes:

  • Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
  • Raphael Assuncao vs. Cody Garbrandt
  • Aspen Ladd vs. Julianna Pena
  • Yorgan De Castro vs. Greg Hardy
  • Mizuki Inoue vs. Tecia Torres
  • Miguel Baeza vs. Matt Brown
  • Davey Grant vs. Louis Smolka
  • Sam Alvey vs. Khalil Rountree
  • Punahele Soriano vs. Eric Spicely
  • Carlos Felipe vs. Jeff Hughes
  • Phil Rowe vs. Laureano Staropoli
  • Randy Costa vs. Martin Day

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Jairzinho Rozenstruik title shot ‘no-brainer’ with win over Francis Ngannou, manager says

If he beats Francis Ngannou, Jairzinho Rozenstruik will have opened his UFC tenure 5-0 and made a strong case for himself.

LAS VEGAS – Manager Abraham Kawa thinks it’s pretty clear that if his client, [autotag]Jairzinho Rozenstruik[/autotag], gets past [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag], he’s next in line for a UFC heavyweight title shot.

Rozenstruik (10-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) headlines UFC on ESPN 8 in Columbus against Ngannou. It’s a matchup that pits arguably the two hardest hitters in the division.

And with Ngannou sitting at the top of the UFC heavyweight rankings, anxious to get another crack at the title, a win for Rozenstruik could cement him as the No. 1 contender.

“If he beats Francis Ngannou, I think it’s a no-brainer he needs to be next for the title,” Kawa told MMA Junkie. “We know we’re still waiting for the whole Stipe-DC thing to get figured out if that fight ever happens, eventually it does. If Jair beats Francis, who skips him? Just give me a name.”

UFC heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic is projected to return around summer time and complete his trilogy with former dual champion Daniel Cormier.

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That leaves an opening for a new contender to emerge, and the only person Kawa can think of that could leap-frog Rozenstruik is superstar and former UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar.

In a recent interview with TSN, UFC president Dana White said he likes the odds of a Lesnar return in 2020, but Kawa thinks there’s no need for Lesnar to jump the line and cause turbulence for the heavyweight contenders.

The way Kawa sees it, Lesnar can just fight UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones, since everyone has been eager to see “Bones” compete at heavyweight. That’s a fight that Kawa, who manages Jones, is confident would be bigger than any heavyweight title fight.

“I would pitch Jon Jones with Brock Lesnar,” Kawa said. “Why does Jair need to get skipped? What’s the bigger fight: Brock vs. Stipe or Brock vs. Jon? Brock vs. DC or Brock vs. Jon? I would present that as a fight rather than Brock vs. the current champion.

“Give him the big, scary monster that is in Brock Lesnar, and we could go from there and let Jair actually go fight for the title against Stipe or DC or whoever it may be that’s there.”

To hear more from Kawa on Rozenstruik, watch the video above. You can also check out the full interview below.

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Off Guard: Punahele Soriano loves living in Las Vegas next to UFC Performance Institute

Punahele Soriano discusses how living near the UFC Performance Institute has helped transform his body.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Puna Soriano[/autotag] has seen plenty of benefits by kickstarting his UFC career while living in Las Vegas.

The “Dana White’s Contender Series” veteran made good in his UFC debut with a first-round knockout over Oskar Piechota at UFC 245.

And the undefeated Soriano (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) attributes his early success to being based in Vegas, home of the UFC Performance Institute, which he credits for transforming his body.

“Huge difference,” Soriano told MMA Junkie about the UFC PI. “Even just like on my wallet, I’m not buying anything to eat. Everything’s made for me. I can get food sent to me, just like Trifecta meals and all that. Even if you look at my physique from before getting into the UFC to getting into the UFC, I got a lot bigger just from the food, the rehab, everything just right in front of me.

“I do my strength and conditioning in the PI, and every now and then we’ll do mitts and stuff or like a circuit training day over there, but mostly the bulk is done here at Xtreme Couture.”

Soriano saw a slight delay in his promotional debut when he was initially scheduled to take on Adam Yandiev at UFC 242 in September. A knee injury forced Yandiev out of the fight, and the bout was scrapped from the card.

Two months later, Soriano got to make the walk and delivered in spectacular fashion.

“Yeah, there was a little jitters, but almost in a different way like the week and even the warm-up, everything was too good,” Soriano said. “I was a little nervous. I was going to jinx myself. Everything just felt really good and too perfect, but it ended up working out.”

Soriano takes on fellow Las-Vegas based fighter Eric Spicely (12-5 MMA, 4-5 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 8.

“I’ve seen him a few times here and there,” Soriano said. “We haven’t trained together from what I recall, but he’s always seemed like a cool dude.”

UFC on ESPN 8 takes place March 28 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The card streams on ESPN.

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Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Jan. 13-19)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels for news to break through, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC and Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from Jan. 13-19:

Bellator 238: Jan. 24, Inglewood, Calif.

Welterweight: With Craig Plaskett out, David Pacheco (1-0 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) fights Miguel Jacob (3-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA)

Featherweight: With Tyler Beneke out, Jarrett Connor (0-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) fights Tony Bartovich (0-0 MMA, 0-0 BMMA)

UFC on ESPN+ 24: Jan. 25, Raleigh, N.C.

Featherweight: With Josh Emmett and Nad Narimani out, Arnold Allen (15-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and Nik Lentz (30-10-2 MMA, 14-7-1 UFC) get matched up

UFC 247: Feb. 8, Houston

Bantamweight: Andre Ewell (15-6 MMA, 2-2 UFC) vs. Jonathan Martinez (11-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) (BJPenn.com)

Next page: Bellator 239, UFC 248

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

Matt Brown gets home state matchup vs. Miguel Baeza at UFC Columbus

Matt Brown will fight in his home state for the first time in nearly six years.

[autotag]Matt Brown[/autotag] will fight in his home state for the first time in nearly six years.

Brown (22-16 MMA, 15-10 UFC) takes on [autotag]Miguel Baeza[/autotag] (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 8. MMA Junkie verified the matchup following an initial report from MMA Fighting.

UFC on ESPN 8 takes place March 28 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The card airs on ESPN following early prelims on ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

Brown returned after a one-year layoff due to injury in December and delivered a second-round knockout of Ben Saunders at UFC 245 for his second straight finish. It was the first time he had strung together consecutive wins since 2014.

Brown most recently fought in Ohio in May 2014 in the UFC Fight Night 40 main event against Erick Silva. He finished Silva with a third-round TKO to win a double bonus for “Fight of the Night” and “Performance of the Night.”

Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Baeza scored his ticket to the UFC with a unanimous decision over Victor Reyna this past June. He made his official UFC debut in October and took out Hector Aldana at UFC on ESPN+ 19. He gets a big opportunity in March against veteran Brown.

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With the addition, the UFC on ESPN 8 lineup now includes:

  • Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
  • Raphael Assuncao vs. Cody Garbrandt
  • Yorgan De Castro vs. Greg Hardy
  • Sam Alvey vs. Khalil Rountree
  • Carlos Felipe vs. Jeff Hughes
  • Davey Grant vs. Louis Smolka
  • Mizuki Inoue vs. Tecia Torres
  • Randy Costa vs. Martin Day
  • Punahele Soriano vs. Eric Spicely
  • Aspen Ladd vs. Julianna Pena
  • Miguel Baeza vs. Matt Brown

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Aspen Ladd vs. Julianna Pena in the works for UFC on ESPN 8 in Columbus

A crucial women’s bantamweight bout between Aspen Ladd and Julianna Pena is close to being finalized for March’s UFC on ESPN 8 lineup.

A crucial women’s bantamweight bout between [autotag]Aspen Ladd[/autotag] and [autotag]Julianna Pena[/autotag] is close to being finalized for March’s UFC on ESPN 8 lineup.

MMA Junkie today confirmed with multiple persons close to the booking that contracts have been issued to Ladd (9-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) and Pena (9-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC) following an initial report of the matchup from ESPN.com. The persons requested anonymity because UFC hasn’t made the fight official.

UFC on ESPN 8 takes place March 28 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The card airs on ESPN following early prelims on ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

Ladd, No. 3 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA women’s bantamweight rankings, successfully rebounded from her lone career loss in December when she scored a big-time TKO of Yana Kunitskaya at UFC on ESPN 7.

No. 4 ranked Pena will attempt to hand Ladd another setback in what will be her second fight since returning from a 2.5-year hiatus due to giving birth to her daughter. “The Venezuelan Vixen” has lost just once in her UFC career, against current women’s flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko.

With the addition, the UFC on ESPN 8 lineup now includes:

  • Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
  • Raphael Assuncao vs. Cody Garbrandt
  • Yorgan De Castro vs. Greg Hardy
  • Sam Alvey vs. Khalil Rountree
  • Carlos Felipe vs. Jeff Hughes
  • Davey Grant vs. Louis Smolka
  • Mizuki Inoue vs. Tecia Torres
  • Randy Costa vs. Martin Day
  • Punahele Soriano vs. Eric Spicely
  • Aspen Ladd vs. Julianna Pena

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