UFC Singapore has tapped Rafael Fiziev and Alex White for a lightweight showdown. The card takes place on October 26 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore. The event will be aired on ESPN+. Fiziev confirmed the news via his official Instagram.

Rafael Fiziev and Alex White

Rafael Fiziev is a 6-1 lightweight contender. He suffered his first and only loss in his young career in his UFC debut. He was put away in the first round by Magomed Mustafaev in April in St. Petersburg. Fiziev looks to rebound and get back to his winning ways in Singapore as he takes on another more experienced fighter than himself.

Alex White has had a tough run since arriving in the UFC. Coming into UFC Singapore, he’s gone 3-5 in the big show. His losses include Jim Miller, James Krause, and Anthony Rocco Martin. White looks to do more than just tread water in the promotion. Coming off a win against Dan Moret in March, White can get his first win streak in the promotion since joining with a victory.

The two fighters come into a stacked lightweight division. Fiziev has a chance to prove himself against a fighter with a lot of experience. On the other hand, White can get some momentum built with a win as well.

Building UFC Singapore

UFC Singapore is headlined by the mother of all MMA science experiments. Ben Askren, wrestling extraordinaire, is set to take on Demian Maia, the most lethal strangler the promotion has to offer. You can expect this fight to go to the ground and see what discipline wins this time around.

Also on the card is kickboxing monster, Cyril Gane who makes his second appearance in the octagon. Gane shocked fans in his UFC debut by winning via triangle in August. Other notable names are Michael Johnson, Stevie Ray, Beneil Dariush, Sergey Pavlovich, Maurice Greene, and Ashley Yoder.

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UFC Sao Paulo had added a monster bout to its already-stacked card as Charles Oliveria and Jared Gordon have been tapped to fight each other in Brazil. The fight will take place on November 16 at the ‪Ibirapuera Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The promotion announced the news via it’s Brazilian website on Thursday.

Charles Oliveria has been on an absolute tear since his loss to Paul Felder in 2017. Since then, he’s won five straight fights. “do Bronx” hasn’t taken the easy path in his win streak either. He’s defeated Clay Guida, Christos Giagos, Jim Miller, David Teymur and Nik Lentz in his run, all five being finishes. Oliveria looks to continue his monster momentum in the stacked lightweight division.

Fan favorite, Jared Gordon is coming off of a win as well. In June he defeated Dan Moret via unanimous decision. Gordon hopes to establish another win streak after dropping two in a row in 2018. Oliveria is a major step up in competition but will present a fun fight for fans with serious Fight of the Night potential.

‬UFC Sao Paulo: Violent Night

UFC Sao Paulo is headlined by a monster match-up between Jan Błachowicz and Jacare Souza. Błachowicz has won five of his last six, with his only loss to Thiago Santos. His last fight had him knocking out Luke Rockhold in his light heavyweight debut. Jacare Souza is making his light heavyweight debut as well. He hasn’t fared so well at middleweight, going 3-3 in his last 6. His last fight was a close bout with Jack Hermansson.

Also on the card is Shogun Rua, who is coming off of an 11 month layoff. He takes on Smilin’ Sam Alvey in what is presumably the co-main event. Other notable names on the card are Ariane Lipski, Kevin Holland, Francisco Trinaldo and Jack Marshman.

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Austin Vanderford will be making his sophomore trip to the Bellator cage this weekend at Bellator 225. It’s a big show in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Vanderford, an undefeated welterweight, is ready to build off what he started in his first Bellator outing.

That came by way of an arm-triangle choke, just prior to the end of the first round at Bellator 215 in February. Coming at 4:49 of the round, it was something of a buzzer beater. Speaking to Cageside Press ahead of his return, Vanderford said that he was happy with the win — but “of course you always take things away.”

“I always look at my fights and I try to take away the things I need to improve on more than what I did good and whatnot. So of course there were some things that I felt like I could work on and improve on afterward,” he explained. That said, “it’s tough to be unhappy with a first round finish.”

“All in all, I was extremely happy.” As he no doubt should be.

Jack of all Trades

If you take a glance at Austin Vanderford’s record thus far, it becomes clear that he’s something of a jack of all trades. Vanderford agreed with that analysis. “It’s MMA, and I pride myself on trying to be the best martial artist that I can be. I truly enjoy getting better and learning all the different martial arts and then applying them to the fights,” he told us. “I love jiu-jitsu, of course I’ve got my wrestling background, I love wrestling, but I love to box, I love Muay Thai, and I love striking and all that.”

That mindset is something he takes with him when training. “I wouldn’t say so far in my career, I’ve ever been preparing for a fight and thought ‘I’m just going to focus specifically on this,'” he said. “To me it’s about getting better in each aspect of fighting. Even working off my back, and jiu-jitsu off my back, being a wrestler, we’re not supposed to go to our backs, but I’m still trying to get better at doing that. I think that’s where that comes from.”

Submission Underground

Back in May, Vanderford stepped away from the cage for a chance to compete at Submission Underground 8. His opponent? None other than Jake Shields, one of the most effective grapplers in MMA over the years. The match went into three overtime periods, and eventually, Shields won. However, going that distance with Shields is impressive.

Speaking about the experience, Vanderford told us that “that was Uncle Chael’s [Chael Sonnen] card, I’ve got a good relationship with him. He’s a good friend.”

“I knew he had a card coming up, and of course my wife [Paige VanZant], she’s somewhat a promoter for me herself. She had dropped my name to him and wanted me to compete in that,” Vanderford recalled. “I think Chael came back with ‘well we have Jake Shields,’ and she’s like ‘yup he’ll take it, he’s doing it,’ so before I even had the chance to say yes, she got me signed up for it. But that just goes to her belief in me and my skills. It was definitely such an awesome opportunity.”

“I had a great match, and a good fun match with [Shields],” he finished. “I think in the sport that we do, competition no matter what is going to help us. I just saw it as a way to get better.”

The Business Side of Things

The fact that Vanderford is married to UFC star VanZant has been covered to death, but it’s also somewhat hard to avoid. She’s a constant presence at his fights, and the pair train together. There’s also the added benefit she brings in terms of knowledge, including on the business side of things.

As Vanderford pointed out, “she’s been fighting twice as long as I have. I wrestled through college, and kind of got started a little bit later. That’s one of the important parts of our dynamic, as far as for me, is being able to have someone who’s been there, done that, competed on the highest level, and she can really help me out.”

There are other factors also. “She’s trained all over the world as well. In fighting, there’s a lot that can be said of being confident. Not too confident, to the point where you’re cocky, but having that confidence in yourself and your skill set.”

“I would say she’s probably the number one contributor to me as far as being confident in my skills.”

The Contender Series Snub

“I’m a man of faith, and I believe things happen for a reason,” said Austin Vanderford when asked about his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series. While he’s got a good home in Bellator MMA, Vanderford was in the spotlight last year on the Contender Series. He won. He won via a submission. And he didn’t get a contract. That came as a shock to many, given his association with one of the UFC’s darlings in Paige VanZant. However, he’s found a silver lining.

“I truly believe that that whole situation created something better for me,” Vanderford explained. “It put me in a situation that I could flourish in even more than the opportunity that I guess I missed out on for whatever reason.” He’s happy in Bellator, he said, adding “if you haven’t been to a Bellator fight, and you haven’t fought for Bellator, it is such an amazing production and experience.”

“Bellator does things definitely that separates them from the rest,” he continued. “Even the grand prix, you wonder why more of these promotions don’t do this. Because it’s such an exciting and fun tournament. You’ve got some of these other promotions who are trying to figure out who’s supposed to fight who, and we’re trying to figure out who the best guy in the world is. I come from a wrestling background, in wrestling when you want to find out who the best guy is, you set them up in a bracket. You let them fight, or wrestle it out. And that’s exactly what Bellator is doing. I think they have the right idea for sure.”

Training for Douglas Usher

At Bellator 225, Vanderford will be taking on Douglas Usher, who enters the night on a six fight win streak outside the promotion — five of those coming by KO/TKO. That hasn’t changed anything in terms of Austin Vanderford’s preparation, however.

“I’m focusing on me, and being the best version of me possible,” he said ahead of the fight. “Of course I have very smart people around me, and smart coaches, and I let them really take over the game planning and all that, and then we implement it in practice and sparring.”

“For me it’s just sticking to what I know. And what you touched on earlier, being a jack of all trades, and being ready for whatever,” he added. “Because when you go out there and fight, you never know what the opponent’s going to bring, or what they’ve been working on or game planning on. So for me, it’s just being the best Austin Vanderford.”

Vanderford vs. Usher takes place on the preliminary portion of Bellator 225 on Saturday, August 24 at the Webstar Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The prelims can be viewed right here on Cageside Press and via the Bellator app!

Note: An injury to Usher resulted in Vanderford facing Joseph Creer instead at Bellator 225.

The post Bellator 225’s Austin Vanderford Reveals Wife Paige VanZant Accepted Jake Shields Grappling Match Before Telling Him appeared first on Cageside Press.

Eryk Anders is set to return to the cage against Gerald Meerschaert at UFC Tampa on October 12. The fight takes place at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida and will stream live on ESPN+. News of the pairing was first reported by the UFC Unfiltered podcast. Cageside Press was able to confirm the bout with a source close to the situation; the fight was later confirmed by Meerschaert on social media.

Eryk Anders (12-4), a former University of Alabama football player, will attempt to get his first win streak since dropping a close fight to Loyoto Machida in early 2018. Anders won his next fight but dropped three straight, including light heavyweight bouts to Thiago Santos and Khalil Rountree Jr.

Gerald Meerschaert (29–11) is coming off a win as well, beating Trevin Giles at UFC Newark on August 3. Meerschaert looks to add Anders to his resume of names to bolster his shot at the top 15 as well. A win over Anders would certainly improve that case.

The fight between Anders and Meerschaert is a classic striker versus grappler matchup. Anders has had a slew of slugfests, including his bout with Thiago Santos. Gerald Meerschaert has 10 recorded submissions to his name.

Building UFC Tampa

UFC Tampa was originally slated to take place in San Francisco before the UFC decided to move it cross country. The card is headlined by former strawweight champion, Joanna Jędrzejczyk, who takes on fan favorite, Michelle Waterson, AKA The Karate Hottie. Also on the card is a stellar match-up between veteran Cub Swanson and MMA newcomer, Kron Gracie. Swanson is on the worst skid of his career, dropping four straight fights. He looks to use his experience to defeat the 5-0 Gracie.

Also fighting at UFC Tampa is Mackenzie Dern. Dern takes on Amanda Ribas in her return to the octagon since May of 2018. Deiveson Figueiredo also makes his return in a dynamite flyweight fight with Tim Elliott.

The post Eryk Anders and Gerald Meerschaert Bout Added to UFC Tampa appeared first on Cageside Press.

Nate Diaz had a triumphant return. Stipe Miocic reclaimed the heavyweight title. Paulo Costa got one up on rival Yoel Romero. UFC 241 offered a ton of action, and in its wake are left a lot of questions. Let’s tackle what’s next for the stars of the show.

Romero and Costa Steal the Show

Next opponent for Yoel Romero: Jacare Souza, Anthony Smith at light heavyweight

On paper, it was the most intriguing match-up. Styles make fights and this was tailor made for a Fight of the Night bonus. It was all that and more. While Yoel Romero lost the fight, many people thought that fight was Romero’s win.

Regardless of the outcome, Yoel Romero continued to defy Father Time at UFC 241. He continued his bull in a china shop fighting style with great success against a very talented Paulo Costa. While Romero is top of the division, there are two or three fights that take precedence over him getting another title shot at 185. If he’s keen on fighting at middleweight, the rematch with Jacare Souza is a good fight that can get Romero in the win column. If Romero wants to beat Father Time and win a title as fast as possible, light heavyweight is the way to go. Matching up with Anthony Smith is a realistic fight and one that puts both fighters in great spots should either win.

Next opponent for Paulo Costa: Whittaker/Adesanya winner, Hermansson/Cannonier winner

Paulo Costa is at the mercy of other fights. While he stamped his way into the elite of his division, the top of the division is all booked up. If the title fight between Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya is pretty one sided, Costa could get the winner of the fight. But, if it’s a competitive fight, the UFC might opt for a rematch. In that case, a number one contender fight would be optimal for Costa and the winner of Jack Hermansson and Jared Cannonier.

Nate Diaz Triumphantly Returns

Next opponent for Anthony Pettis: Robbie Lawler, Kevin Lee

Unfortunately for Anthony Pettis, his body is his own worst enemy. In the first round, Pettis broke his foot. It was downhill for there. Pettis had no answer all night for Diaz’s pressure and phone booth fighting. Anthony Pettis might have found a good home at welterweight. Robbie Lawler and Anthony Pettis provides a great fight between two former champions. Kevin Lee is another great fight between two former lightweights at 170.

Next opponent for Nate Diaz: Jorge Masvidal

Nate Diaz returned and got a great win over Anthony Pettis. Now, he wants to take the fight to Jorge Masvidal. In his post fight interview, Diaz called out Masvidal, who was in the crowd. Masvidal was grinning from ear to ear, and as far as anyone is concerned, this is the fight to make. A pure, fan service, great scrap. I’m not even going to suggest a different fight, that’s the only fight that should be made at this point.

Stipe Miocic Returns The Belt To Ohio

Next opponent for Daniel Cormier: Stipe Trilogy, retirement

Daniel Cormier came out and dominated the rematch with Stipe Miocic with the exception of round 4. He was put down by Miocic after a series of crippling body shots. Cormier is on the end of his ropes. He might want one last fight before the sun sets on his illustrious career. The only fight to make is Stipe Miocic. The Jon Jones ship has sailed. If DC decides to fight again, the Stipe Miocic trilogy is absolutely the fight to make after UFC 241.

Next opponent for Stipe Miocic: Daniel Cormier, Francis N’Gannou rematch, Jon Jones super fight

Stipe Miocic has options now. After getting his belt back, he’s on high and will get to pick what happens in his career next. The rematch with Cormier makes a ton of sense. We might need a rubber match for that one. Another heavyweight option is Francis N’Gannou. The first fight was complete domination by Miocic. But N’Gannou has been on a tear, knocking out wrestlers and strikers alike. He is in line for a title shot, and he’s first in line at that. The third option is a super fight with Jon Jones. The two have been rumored to fight multiple times in the past and fans love it. If Jones wants to move up to heavyweight, he could challenge Miocic for the belt in the biggest fight of both of their careers.

The post UFC 241 Aftermath: What’s Next For Saturday’s Fighters? appeared first on Cageside Press.

The UFC has booked a bout between Katlyn Chookagian and Jennifer Maia for UFC 244 on November 2. The bout is between two of the top ranked women’s flyweight fighters and both fighters will look to get a shot at gold if victorious. Newsday was first to report the pairing.

Katlyn Chookagian is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Joanne Calderwood at UFC 238. Coming into UFC 244, Chookagian is 3-1 in the new women’s flyweight division, only dropping a close split decision to Jessica Eye. Chookagian, who is the number two contender behind Eye, likely wants to continue her momentum and notch another win streak in the flyweight division.

Jennifer Maia lost her UFC debut to title challenger Liz Carmouche. Since then she’s rattled off two straight wins against Alexis Davis and Roxanne Modafferi. Unfortunately for Maia, she missed weight by three pounds in her last fight. However, she still came out with a win Modafferi. While missing weight was a setback, but it wasn’t detrimental as Maia and Chookagian are in a potential title eliminator to take on champion Valentina Shevchenko.

The fight comes on the heels of a disappointing main event between champion Valentina Shevchenko and Liz Carmouche this past weekend. Fans were big on Shevchenko after her highlight head kick of Jessica Eye and were hoping for a repeat performance. Instead, Shevchenko was respectful of Carmouche’s wrestling and was patient. Shevchenko called out women’s bantamweight and flyweight champ, Amanda Nunes. That fight could put the women’s flyweight division on hold for some time, the one thing it might need.

Building UFC 244

Chookagian and Maia are the third fight announced for UFC 244. Last week, the UFC confirmed that newly crowned fan favorite, Johnny Walker, will take on Corey Anderson. It represents a big step up for Walker. A win will put him in sight with Jon Jones for a title shot. The other fight announced features another fan favorite, Derrick Lewis. Lewis makes his return after an eight month layoff. Before that, he suffered back to back loses for the first time in his career. He takes on the very durable Blagoy Ivanov.

UFC 244 takes place November 2, 2019 at the famed Madison Square Garden in New York, NY.

The post Katlyn Chookagian and Jennifer Maia Added to UFC 244 appeared first on Cageside Press.

UFC Uruguay is all said and done. Being headlined by a title fight, plus other major players in the UFC, there’s plenty to speculate on. So let’s do just that.

Ciryl Gane Makes His Debut

Next opponent for Ciryl Gane: Greg Hardy, Cyril Asker

Ciryl Gane was one of the best signings that the UFC can make. A 13-0 kickboxer came in and shocked the world with an arm triangle finish. Gane has loads of potential, but at only 4-0 in his MMA career, he needs a few more fights before taking on elite talent. One good match-up for him to build his star power would be a fight with Greg Hardy. With all the controversy around Hardy’s name, Gane will grow exponentially with a win all while getting good cage time. Another good prospect with octagon experience is Cyril Asker. Both fights would be incredibly beneficial for Gane in different ways.

Volkan Oezdemir Bounces Back

Next opponent for Volkan Oezdemir: Anthony Smith rematch, Reyes/Weidman loser

Volkan Oezdemir had a rough lead in to UFC Uruguay. After dropping a title shot to then-light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, Oezdemir dropped two more fights after that and looked on the brink of being cut after such a great start in the octagon.

Now, Oezdemir will look to win another and get his name moving in the direction of a title shot again. He has two ways he can go at it. If he wants to fast track the process, a high ranked opponent would work well. Anthony Smith is likely not fighting Jon Jones anytime soon. A rematch would be a good idea for Volkan Oezdemir to get his confidence and that win back. If he chooses to go the slow route, Oezdemir could pick a fight with the loser of Dominick Reyes and Chris Weidman. A rematch with Reyes would also help, especially seeing as many thought he won the first fight. Chris Weidman would be a good test for the light heavyweight as well.

Vicente Luque Takes A Win And Mike Perry’s Nose

Next opponent for Mike Perry: Michael Chiesa, Niko Price

This was arguably the best Mike Perry has looked in the UFC. While he didn’t get the win, he surely had his stock rise after UFC Uruguay. Perry is dying to get into the top 15, but keeps coming up short. Perry isn’t ready for a top 15 opponent yet, but he’s certainly improving. Michael Chiesa is an interesting match-up stylistically. Plus, it’s a name fans will recognize. Should Perry beat Chiesa, he’d be back in the contender spot for a top 15 fight. Niko Price is another exciting match-up, but for different reasons. Both fighters would put on an absolutely monster show. Of course, Perry will be waiting for his nose to heal up first.

Next opponent for Vicente Luque: Geoff Neil, Neil Magny

Vicente Luque is absolutely in a prime spot right now. He looked good in a tough fight, and managed to grit out a win. He will be fighting for that top 15 spot that Perry wants. Now riding six straight wins, Luque has arrived. Both Neil Magny and Geoff Neal are ranked, 14 and 15 respectively. These two fighters would be a fantastic test for Luque and could be a perfect skill check to see if he’s ready for the cream of the crop.

Shevchenko and Carmouche Don’t Live Up to Fans Expectations

Next opponent for Liz Carmouche: Roxanne Modafferi, Lee/Calderwood winner

Liz Carmouche got her second shot at UFC gold and unfortunately came up short again. This time, it was a longer fight than the Ronda Rousey bout. Carmouche had no answer for Shevchenko. She had her fight with Roxanne Modafferi rescheduled and fans would like closure on that match-up. In order to sort out the women’s flyweight division even more, the UFC might be keen on seeing how a contender does against Carmouche. Andrea Lee and Joanne Calderwood are fighting for a top five fight and a bout with the winner would be a good test to see where the division heads.

Next opponent for Valentina Shevchenko: Amanda Nunes, Kaitlyn Chookagian

Valentina Shevchenko looks unstoppable. She avenged her loss to Liz Carmouche from 2010. While it wasn’t the exciting, head kick knockout everyone wanted from UFC Uruguay, Shevchenko went in and did exactly what she needed to do to win the fight. As I mentioned in the last Aftermath piece concerning Shevchenko, the division is still sorting itself out. Amanda Nunes is the biggest name in women’s MMA. Going for a third match after giving Nunes hell in the last fight makes sense in more ways than any other option. If Shevchenko wants to stay in division, more power too her. There are plenty of contenders on the rise, but nothing that’ll move the needle like Nunes. Next in line would be Kaitlyn Chookagian.

The post UFC Uruguay Aftermath: What’s Next For The Winners And Losers? appeared first on Cageside Press.

There was plenty to digest at UFC 240 over the weekend. Max Holloway got back in the win column with another featherweight title defense. Felicia Spencer showed plenty of heart against Cris Cyborg. Geoff Neal continued what has been an impressive start to his UFC career.

It’s match-making time, so let’s look at what’s next for those involved.

Gillian Robertson Continues Women’s Flyweight Push

Next opponent for Gillian Robertson: Paige Van Zant, Maycee Barber

Gillian Robertson is one of the best prospects in a young women’s flyweight division. Having notched a win over Molly McCann already, Robertson dropped a fight to Myra Bueno Silva. Since then she’s collected two straight wins, including a TKO finish last Saturday over Sarah Frota. While the division is young, it may be time to give Robertson a ranked opponent. Paige Van Zant would be a great test against an experienced opponent. But, Paige is still recovering from arm surgery. If Van Zant isn’t available, Maycee Barber is a good test, although not ranked. It would be good to see two top prospects go at it.

Deiveson Figueiredo and Alexandre Pantoja Go To War

Deiveson Figueiredo and Alexandre Pantoja went absolutely bonkers at UFC 240. Showcasing some of the the best action the flyweights have to offer, the two earned Fight of the Night. While the flyweight division is in an odd spot, we still have to play matchmaker for the two.

Next opponent for Deiveson Figueiredo: Dustin Ortiz, John Moraga

Figueiredo is in a peculiar place. Three fighters are above him: Henry Cejudo, Joseph Benavidez, and Jussier Formiga. While Cejudo is likely out until next year due to an injury, Benavidez probably won’t fight until Cejudo decides to defend the title, weather it be at flyweight or bantamweight. But he likely won’t fight before then. Formiga already beat Figueiredo, so that rematch won’t happen. The only option for Figueiredo is to fight down and get a solid win streak pieced together.

Next opponent for Alexandre Pantoja: Wilson Reis, Bontorin/Paiva winner

The future is up in the air for Alexandre Pantoja. With the flyweight division being so unstable, one loss can do you in. But, he’ll likely get another fight. Something to test him but not top five. While the UFC cut Wilson Reis, they’ve been signing flyweights back to the roster. That would be a good matchup to test Pantoja. The winner of Rogério Bontorin and Raulian Paiva would be another good test.

Gavin Tucker Returns

Next opponent for Gavin Tucker: Alex Cacares, Kyle Bochniak

Gavin Tucker was one of the highest touted prospects coming into the UFC. The featherweight came in and got a win over Sam Sicilia before being beaten by the ever tough, Rick Glenn in 2017. He hadn’t fought since then until Saturday. Tucker managed to choke out Seung Woo Choi near the end of the third round. I don’t know if confidence was an issue with Tucker in his time off, but the UFC would be smart not to break their prospect so quickly. They should take their time with Tucker and let him get a couple more wins before turning up the heat on him again.

Felicia Spencer Makes Cyborg Look Human Again

Next opponent for Cris Cyborg: Amanda Nunes rematch, Julia Budd

Cris Cyborg looked human in her fight with Felicia Spencer. That’s what happens when you fight someone in your weight class, unlike the bantamweights without a weight cut the UFC has been feeding her. While Cyborg’s contract is up, the itch to get that win, and belt, back from Amanda Nunes must be scratched. Dana White has been getting on Cyborg’s nerves, though. She might opt to go find greener pastures. Julia Budd, Bellator’s champ, is the next best opportunity for her outside of Nunes.

Next opponent for Felicia Spencer: Cat Zingano, Leah Letson

Spencer went out and showed the world what kind of talent Invicta has. She’s already ran through Megan Anderson, and now she gave Cyborg hell. The world knows who Felicia Spencer is. Unfortunately the UFC doesn’t know what women’s featherweights are, so Spencer’s options are limited. Spencer can always take on Cat Zingano, which would be another great name to have under her belt. Macy Chassion, who has a fight booked, and Leah Letson also have fought at featherweight, but that goes back to the old problem, they’re bantamweights.

Max Holloway Reminds Everyone How He Became the Champ

Max Holloway and Frankie Edgar went to war. Holloway pretty much did what he wanted to Edgar the entire fight. Max showed once again why he’s in contention for greatest featherweight in history.

Next opponent for Max Holloway: Alexander Volkanovski

Max might have a short turnaround after his fight with Edgar at UFC 240. With two wins over Jose Aldo already, that’s likely out of the question. Alexander Volkanovski is the obvious choice. He’s beat Aldo and is the clear cut number one contender. Really, that’s all he should fight. Holloway should give the lightweight path a rest for now and finish the featherweight division off.

Next opponent for Frankie Edgar: Urijah Faber at bantamweight, Renato Moicano

Frankie was completely outclassed against Holloway. Plain and simple. He might not be cut out for featherweight any longer. As Joe Rogan said post fight, a move to bantamweight might be a good option given his size. If that’s the case, Urijah Faber would be a fan’s dream fight. If Edgar is keen on staying at featherweight, Renato Moicano is looking for a scrap as well. The two make sense for the division.

The post UFC 240 Aftermath: What’s Next After Edmonton? appeared first on Cageside Press.

After their fight at UFC San Antonio, Juan Adams has repeatedly apologized to Greg Hardy, as well as fans and the UFC, for his actions in the octagon. Now, he’s even reached out to Hardy on one of Hardy’s Instagram posts.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0TY3zlAZXc/?igshid=1vav1q2feuxrz

On Hardy’s Instagram, he called for his fans to give Adams a second chance, saying that it wasn’t long ago he was asking for a second chance.

The caption reads: “To all my fans, hey guys let’s give #juanAdams a second chance. I see people bashing him and reacting to his reaction. But let’s remember when we were asking for my second chance. Let’s be the change and extend a hand of understanding and believe he can be better. #GodBless you Juan and thank you for the scrap. #payitforward #princeofwar”

Exchange between Greg Hardy and Juan Adams in Instagram. pic.twitter.com/ThLICmJRns

— Blaine Henry (@BlaineHenryTFL) July 24, 2019

Juan Adams responded in kind with great class. He wrote:

“Thank you. And I know social media apologies mean nothing but I sincerely apologize for the headache I may have caused you. I spoke to your uncle in the lobby and it opened my eyes to a lot. Have a good career.”

The lead-up to the fight

Juan Adams had lobbied for the Greg Hardy fight since coming in off the Contender Series in 2018. With Hardy’s domestic violence charges from 2014, he was in the cross-hairs of many heavyweights in the division, Adams included. After both were a couple fights deep in the UFC, the promotion decided to make the fight.

The fight went down at UFC San Antonio and in under a minute, Greg Hardy knocked out Juan Adams with vicious ground and pound. Upon leaving the cage, Adams was irate and threw his mouth guard into the stands all while throwing a fit over the stoppage, something he now says he regrets.

Both fighters were hit with scorn across the internet, Hardy for his past and Adams for his actions at UFC San Antonio.It seems like both will now be moving on.

The post Juan Adams and Greg Hardy Make Amends In Instagram Post appeared first on Cageside Press.

We’re back once again. After UFC San Antonio, we break down what’s next for our fighters!

Greg Hardy Wins Again

This is always a point I like to make when Greg Hardy fights. I’m not here to condemn his past actions in this article. I am here strictly to analyze his fight and speculate what’s next.

Hardy and Juan Adams finally had their grudge match, in which Greg Hardy dispatched Adams in under a minute. Adams took the loss hard, but later apologized for his actions.

Next for Greg Hardy: Chase Sherman, Maurice Greene

Hardy is still inexperienced, and you could tell early on in the fight. The wide hook he threw allowed Adams to get in on the takedown. Fortunately for Hardy, he wasn’t far enough in to finish the takedown. While Hardy’s ranking is rising for each win. He might not be ready for a ranked opponent yet, but he will be soon. Although, the UFC and Dana White have been known to rush their prospects. Chase Sherman deserves another UFC call up and Maurice Greene is another hard hitter who would be a good test for Hardy.

Next for Juan Adams: Allen Crowder, Tanner Boser vs. Giacomo Lemos Winner

Juan Adams was highly touted coming out of the Contender Series. He was big, like REALLY big. Look at him next to Tyron Woodley:

Rate the fit: @chosenjuan285’s romper @TWooodley had some thoughts 🤣 pic.twitter.com/QQDrgjsrvm

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 20, 2019

Unfortunately for Adams, he took this grudge match personally and made a mistake that cost him the fight. Adams still might have some left in the UFC, but dropping two straight isn’t a good start. Allen Crowder, who also fought Hardy, would be a good test if he can keep his head clear ahead of the fight. Another good matchup would be the winner of Tanner Boser and Giacomo Lemos on this weekend’s UFC 240 card. The skill matchup would be another good test for Adams.

Walt Harris Notches Quality Win Over Oleinik

We just watched Ben Askren get starched by a flying knee. It JUST happened. You’d think everyone would be on high alert looking for another one. Oleinik didn’t get a chance to take the fight to the ground and was knocked off balance by a flying knee right into a knockout blow.

Next for Walt Harris: Andrei Arlovski Rematch, Derrick Lewis

Walt Harris notched his best win to date over Aleksei Oleinik at UFC San Antonio. The heavyweight hasn’t lost a fight since 2017 and only has 62 seconds of fight time in 2019. It might be time for Harris and Andrei Arlovski to run back their split decision fight that was overturned from last December. Derrick Lewis is also looking for a fight and it would be a good step up in competition for Harris.

Next for Aleksei Oleinik: Ben Rothwell, Fabricio Werdum

Aleksei Oleinik didn’t get the ever-sought-after Ezekiel choke that everyone knows him for at UFC San Antonio. He mentioned that this might be his last fight going in. Oleinik likely wants to go out on a win and might have a spot on the rumored UFC Moscow card. Ben Rothwell will have had ample time to recover after his beating from Arlovski. That might be a good fight for the UFC to make. A name people know and a competitive fight. Another dream matchup would be for the UFC to convince Fabricio Werdum to come back and have the two best grapplers in the heavyweight division go head to head. But who knows what the timetable is for Oleinik’s leg injury and if he’ll ever fight again?

Leon Edwards is in a Tough Situation

Leon Edwards marched down Rafael dos Anjos. It wasn’t that competitive of a fight. Dos Anjos is a very tough fighter too. He fights anyone and everyone. Unfortunately, the fight didn’t go his way.

Next for Leon Edwards: Robbie Lawler, Jorge Masvidal

The next fight for Leon Edwards is not in his control anymore. I believe his next fight relies solely on the outcome of the scrap between Robbie Lawler and Colby Covington. If Covington wins, he will likely get the next shot at the champ, Kamaru Usman. That would leave Jorge Masvidal looking for a fight. With the beef between the two, the fight would be gigantic. Now, if Lawler were to beat Covington, he wouldn’t get the shot because he is riding a two-fight losing streak going in. That would likely send Masvidal to Usman and Lawler to Edwards.

Next for Rafael dos Anjos: Charles Oliveira, Santiago Ponzinibbio

Unfortunately for dos Anjos, he’s running into the bigger fighters of the welterweight division, much like Donald Cerrone did. It might be time for him to return to lightweight again and get his size advantage back. A top 10 opponent would be appropriate for RDA at lightweight. But, if the cut is still too much, a matchup with Santiago Ponzinibbio would be a match made in heaven from UFC San Antonio. 

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