Tag: Uriah Hall

UFC on ESPN+ 33 poster revealed: Frankie Edgar’s bantamweight debut vs. Pedro Munhoz headlines event

The UFC has released the official fight poster for its Aug. 22 event, with a bantamweight matchup headlining the card in Las Vegas.

[autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag] is finally set to make his 135-pound debut.

Edgar, the former UFC lightweight champion, will drop down to bantamweight for the first time in his career when he takes on [autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag] in the UFC on ESPN+ 33 main event, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

The pair were initially scheduled to fight on July 15 at UFC on ESPN 13, but the fight was scratched after Munhoz tested positive for COVID-19.

After 19 pro fights at lightweight, Edgar (23-8-1 MMA, 17-8-1 UFC) dropped down to featherweight in 2013. He picked up notable wins over the likes of Chad Mendes, Cub Swanson (twice) and Yair Rodriguez, but fell short in claiming the featherweight title on three attempts. After back-to-back losses to Max Holloway and Chan Sung Jung, Edgar decided to make the move down.

Munhoz (18-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Aljamain Sterling in June 2019. Prior to that, he won three straight, including a knockout over former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt.

Also included in the poster is the co-main event, which features an intriguing stylistic clash between middleweights [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) and [autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag] (15-9 MMA, 8-7 UFC).

Check out the official poster for the UFC’s Aug. 22 event below:

The latest lineup for UFC’s Aug. 22 card includes:

  • Pedro Munhoz vs. Frankie Edgar
  • Uriah Hall vs. Yoel Romero
  • Shamil Gamzatov vs. Ovince Saint Preux
  • Mariya Agapova vs. Shana Dobson
  • Mizuki Inoue vs. Amanda Lemos
  • Angela Hill vs. Michelle Waterson
  • Daniel Rodriguez vs. Takashi Sato
  • Marcin Prachnio vs. Mike Rodriguez
  • Jared Gooden vs. Dwight Grant

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.

[vertical-gallery id=436122]

Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Derek Brunson after UFC on ESPN+ 31 win?

See who Derek Brunson should fight next after his TKO victory over Edmen Shahbazyan in the UFC on ESPN+ 31 main event.

(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Edmen Shahbazyan after UFC on ESPN+ 31 loss?)

[autotag]Derek Brunson[/autotag] shined bright on Saturday when he handed Edmen Shahbazyan his first loss in a statement performance in the UFC on ESPN+ 31 main event.

Brunson (21-7 MMA, 12-5 UFC) extended his winning streak in the UFC middleweight division to three consecutive fights with a third-round TKO of Shahbazyan (11-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC), who had all the hype going into the main event matchup at UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

With the streak, Brunson has put himself on the map for a big fight at 185 pounds. Would a rematch against the winner or [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) and [autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag] (15-9 MMA, 8-7 UFC), who meet on the UFC’s upcoming Aug. 22 card, make the most sense? Or should it be someone else?

Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on Brunson’s future after UFC on ESPN+ 31.

[jwplayer d1rTdtIU-RbnemIYZ]

Who’s next for Derek Brunson after beating Edmen Shahbazyan? | UFC on ESPN+ 31 matchmaker

MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn plays matchmaker and looks ahead to what makes sense for Derek Brunson in this edition of “Sean Shelby’s Shoes.”

MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn plays matchmaker and looks ahead to what makes sense for Derek Brunson in this edition of “Sean Shelby’s Shoes.”

Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Darren Till after UFC on ESPN 14 loss?

See who Darren Till should fight next after his loss to Robert Whittaker in the UFC on ESPN 14 headliner.

(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Robert Whittaker after UFC on ESPN 14 win?)

[autotag]Darren Till[/autotag] experienced his first setback as a middleweight on Saturday when he fell short against former champ [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] in the main event of UFC on ESPN 14.

Till (18-3-1 MMA, 6-3-1 UFC) produced five competitive rounds with Whittaker (21-5 MMA, 12-3 UFC) in his second fight since moving up to 185 pounds, going all five rounds but losing a unanimous decision in the headlining contest, which took place at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.

It was the first time in Till’s career that he’s lost a fight on the scorecards, but he digested the situation well post-fight. The Brit expressed some disappointment in the outcome, but the bigger concern appears to be his claim of suffering a blown out knee that he expects to require surgery coming out of the fight.

Till’s performance proved he belongs with the upper tier of middleweights, but the extent of the injury could prolong the 27-year-old from returning as soon as he’d like.

[lawrence-related id=538800,538395]

Once he’s able to return, though, there are many fights on the table for “The Gorilla,” potentially including the winner of the Aug. 22 matchup between [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (13-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) and [autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag] (15-9 MMA, 8-7 UFC).

Is that the fight that makes most sense for Till next, though? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on his future coming out of UFC on ESPN 14.

[jwplayer Qj3I5b9A-RbnemIYZ]

Uriah Hall won’t fight Yoel Romero ‘to survive,’ plans to ‘go after him’ and earn title shot

Uriah Hall thinks being the first to finish Yoel Romero in UFC competition would give him a strong case for a title shot.

[autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag] expects that a win over [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] in August will do big things for his career.

Hall (15-9 MMA, 8-7 UFC) will have an opportunity to take a major leap forward in the middleweight pecking order on Aug. 22 when he meets Romero (13-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) in a key matchup for the weight class.

Several middleweights, such as champion Israel Adesanya, former champ Robert Whittaker and top contender Darren Till, have referenced Romero as being the “scariest” fighter in the division. Hall doesn’t disagree, and that’s why this matchup fills him with a genuine excitement.

“I’ve wanted Yoel for so long,”” Hall told MMA Junkie. “Yoel’s one of the best. He’s an elite. This is the baddest, toughest and now I’m realizing is the best sport in the world, and why would I not want to test myself against the best. If I’m going to be in the best sport in the world, why wouldn’t I want to go up against the best?”

After mixed results early in his UFC tenure, Hall believes he’s now in the midst of his prime. He’s riding consecutive wins over Antonio Carlos Junior and Bevon Lewis, and his newfound success coincides with a move to the Dallas-based Fortis MMA team under coach Sayif Saud.

Hall will be the first to admit the mental side of the sport has been his biggest hurdle, but he said he’s now in the best place he can be. He was ready to show exactly where he stands in May when he was scheduled to fight Ronaldo Souza at UFC 249, but then “Jacare” tested positive for COVID-19 and was pulled from the card one night prior.

Souza has been a perennial contender at 185 pounds for years, so it was difficult for Hall to not get that chance. But he said it ultimately led to a more substantial opportunity.

“I had to collect myself,” Hall said. “I dedicated so much being isolated with quarantine and COVID and not being able to train properly and low on calories because you couldn’t burn them a certain way. I just had to readjust right away and luckily I had good people in my corner like my mom who just said, ‘Listen, your disappointment is God’s appointment.’ Now, looking back it’s like, it didn’t happen, but it brought me to a better place.”

Hall said the fight offer for Romero lifted his spirits a great deal and gave him a new goal to focus on. Moreover, it added a more defined path to his overall career arch.

[lawrence-related id=519143,517347]

“I know the type of fights that will bring the best out of me stylistically and I’m trying to get to Izzy,” Hall said. “I’m trying to get to him and in doing so I think taking out Yoel was solidify that spot. If they want to throw Darren Till out there I would love to smash him too, but I’m just trying to climb the ladder.”

With Adesanya next expected to defend against Paulo Costa and top contenders Whittaker and Till scheduled to fight July 25, the matchup between Hall and Romero very much fits into the upper tier of important middleweight matchups.

Hall knows performances will likely determine who gets the next title shot, and being the first to stop Romero in the UFC would be a statement to everyone and get him the fight with Adesanya he’s been pushing hard for.

“I’m not trying to fight Yoel to survive, I’m trying to fight him to take him out,” Hall said. “I feel like I’m in my prime. I thought I was in my prime at 28, I’m definitely in my prime now. Regardless of what the UFC wants to give or show, I’m ready. I’m ready to show those attributes and a guy like Yoel, you’ve got to go after him. You’ve got to fight him. I just want to go after him. I’m excited to go after him. I’m not going to be reckless or careless because that dude hits like a truck, but I’m trying to get a title shot. My main focus is to get to the champ. I’m not even looking at the belt. Izzy is the trophy. I want to fight his style. That excites me more than a (expletive) belt.”

[vertical-gallery id=442299]

Uriah Hall, Yoel Romero agree to August middleweight matchup

A middleweight bout between Uriah Hall and Yoel Romero will go down this summer.

A middleweight bout between [autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag] and [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] will go down this summer.

MMA Junkie confirmed Hall (15-9 MMA, 8-7 UFC) and Romero (13-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) have agreed to fight on an undetermined card in August following an initial report of the booking from ESPN  on Tuesday. The promotion has multiple cards lined up throughout the month, but the exact date has not been finalized.

Romero, No. 5 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA middleweight rankings, is coming off a title-fight loss to champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 248 in March. “The Soldier of God” is on a three-fight skid, with his most recent win being a knockout of Luke Rockhold at UFC 221 in February 2018.

He will attempt to get back on track against Hall, who has won three of his past four. “Primetime” was supposed to fight Ronaldo Souza at UFC 249 in May, but the fight was pulled the night before the event when “Jacare” tested positive for COVID-19 and was deemed ineligible to compete.

[vertical-gallery id=442299]

[vertical-gallery id=497932]

Callout Collection: Who UFC 250 winners want next – and how likely they’ll get them

Herbert Burns and Neil Magny were among those who name-dropped their preferred next opponents at UFC 250 in Las Vegas.

Earning wins in the UFC is certainly no easy task, but what comes next is often even more important: the post-fight callout.

So after Saturday’s UFC 250 event in Las Vegas, who took advantage of their time on the mic? See below for this week’s Callout Collection – and just how realistic each one is.

* * * * *

First up, let’s take a look at the preliminary card …

Herbert Burns

Wants to fight: [autotag]Ryan Hall[/autotag] or [autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag]

The callout: “I want to get back quickly, I want to get back soon. I want to fight on the ‘Fight Island’. We already know the location – they already decided it’s in Abu Dhabi – so the plan is to go there and fight again soon, and hopefully against a good guy. I gave two names: Bryce Mitchell and Ryan Hall, two grapplers. Ryan Hall’s even ranked – he’d be my first choice. But if he doesn’t want (it), I know Mitchell is a tough guy (and) he doesn’t run from a challenger. I’m a challenger, so let’s go.”

The reality: [autotag]Herbert Burns[/autotag] may have kicked off his UFC career with a knockout, but he returned to his grappling roots to score an impressive win over Evan Dunham at UFC 250 and his post-fight suggestions for his next opponent showed where his strengths lie.

Burns very smartly called out a pair of fellow grapplers who few people are keen to face right now, which should give him a great chance of landing one of them for his next fight. Mitchell will face anyone and would have no qualms about testing his own impressive ground game against the Brazilian grappling ace. But the fight that offers the most intrigue for me is the Hall fight. “The Wizard’s” very specific set of ground skills has made him a must-avoid opponent at 145 pounds, which makes Burns’ callout all the more interesting.

Both matchups seem like valid options for Burns, but the Hall fight offers a bout against ranked opposition and gives “The Blaze” the chance to catapult himself towards title contention at 145 pounds while his older brother Gilbert attempts to capture gold at 170. A two-pronged Burns brothers title charge would certainly make for an interesting narrative, so sending Herbert down the faster track could make promotional sense here.

Next up: Middleweight campaigner offers two solid options

[opinary poll=”herbert-burns-vs-ryan-hall_mmajunkie-60qRMs” customer=”mmajunkie”]

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5

Krzysztof Jotko targets Uriah Hall rematch after frustrating win in Jacksonville

Krzysztof Jotko is targeting a swift return to the octagon after a successful, but frustrating, fight with Eryk Anders at UFC on ESPN 8.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Polish middleweight contender [autotag]Krzysztof Jotko[/autotag] went into his fight with Eryk Anders aware of his unwanted reputation, so the nature of his victory at UFC on ESPN 8 left him a little less than satisfied.

Jotko (22-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) defeated Anders (13-5 MMA, 5-5 UFC) via unanimous decision at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena to claim his third straight victory inside the octagon. But the fact that all three of those wins came on the scorecards is a source of frustration with the Pole, who had arrived in Florida targeting a stoppage victory.

“I’m a little disappointed because I wanted to fight him and I wanted to have a good fight because my fans and people say that I am a boring fighter,” he told reporters, including MMA Junkie, backstage after his win. “So in this fight, I wanted to give my fans what they want, but Eryk tried to cuddle with me.”

Jotko revealed his frustration also stemmed from a frosty exchange between the pair during fight week.

[lawrence-related id=519892,426429]

“I was all week with big positive energy, and Eric really pissed me off,” he explained. “We were sitting on the bus and I said ‘Hi,’ and he showed me (blowing a kiss), so this pissed me off and (I) came there to (expletive) him up.

“It’s not like I was fighting angry, I was controlling everything. But I came to the octagon too angry, but I controlled myself, because that’s what I can do. I can control myself.”

Jotko’s preparation for the fight was punctuated with schedule changes, as his fight was pushed back twice from its original Apr. 11 date. But the 30-year-old said that he’ll ready to capitalize on his momentum and get back in the cage again soon. Just give him a short break first.

“I want to come back fast, but give me like a one-month break because my body was feeling so bad,” he requested. “I started with pain everywhere, because I’m human. I can’t train all year without (a) stop. So give me a little rest and I can come back to the octagon.”

When that time comes, he knows exactly who he wants to fight – former foe [autotag]Uriah Hall[/autotag], who defeated him via second-round TKO back in September 2017.

“This (defeat) still hurts me,” he admitted. “I dropped him three times in the first round and I fought him with my broken left hand, so I want to see him when I’m healed and 100%, like now.”

He also revealed beef with Israel Adesanya, and said he was convinced that he would one day get to settle his differences with the current UFC middleweight champion.

“Yeah, I still feel this, and I always will feel this (animosity),” he said. “I hate him, man. Of course, now is not the time to fight Adesanya, but in the future we will see each other inside the octagon.”

[vertical-gallery id=520268]

Callout Collection: Who UFC on ESPN 8 winners want next – and how likely they’ll get them

Claudia Gadelha and Dan Ige were among those who name-dropped their preferred next opponents at UFC on ESPN 8 in Jacksonville.

Earning wins in the UFC is certainly no easy task, but what comes next is often even more important: the post-fight callout.

So after Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 8 event in Jacksonville, Fla., who took advantage of their time on the mic? See below for this week’s Callout Collection – and just how realistic each one is.

* * * * *

Let’s take a look at the main card …

Rodrigo Nascimento

Wants to fight: [autotag]Chase Sherman[/autotag]

The callout: “Yeah, there is a name I’d like: Chase Sherman. I saw him fight. He won; I won. Why don’t we do that fight?”

The reality: [autotag]Rodrigo Nascimento[/autotag] produced an impressive performance in his octagon debut to defeat Don’Tale Mayes, then issued a perfectly pitched callout against a fellow fighter looking to move his way up the heavyweight division.

Chase Sherman made a victorious return to the UFC as he kicked off his second stint with the promotion with a solid win over Ike Villanueva at UFC on ESPN+ 29 earlier in the week, and Nascimento reckons the pair should meet next.

It’s a callout that makes perfect sense. Both men are on the same timeline, both are coming off wins, and both appear to have some promise as rising heavyweight prospects. One of them can move their way up the ladder with a win, so why not book it?

[opinary poll=”rodrigo-nascimento-vs-chase-sherman_mmaj-ialeok” customer=”mmajunkie”]

Next up: “The Trailblazer” fancies a drop to 170

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5