Round 1 – JDS came out firing with the leg kicks, but Despaigne fired back with one of his own. Then a right hand over the top may have rocked JDS.

Not one to back up very much however, JDS pretended to throw and then looked for a single leg, but Despaigne threw him aside easily. Then a shot from JDS rocked Despaigne.

Despaigne landed a clean calf kick spinning JDS around, but JDS stayed on the pressure looking to land big shots. Despaigne fought with his hands down as he wanted to land shots from an angle JDS wouldn’t see.

JDS landed a leg kick, but ate a clean right hand counter from Despaigne and then an uppercut. JDS was wearing the damage already. JDS shot in for a single and Despaigne let loose with a flurry hurting the former UFC champ.

JDS bloodied and beat up would not relent, but the attacks from Despaigne stopped the pressure from the heavyweight.

Then a massive right hand put JDS’s lights out as Despaigne added a former UFC heavyweight champion to his resume.

Hope JDS is ok, but this might be the time for him to call it quits on fighting permanently.

Official Result: Robelis Despaigne def. Junior dos Santos via R1 KO, 2:01

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After controlling the pace and threatening early against Timmy Cuamba, Sopaj capitalized in the second round with a knockdown followed by a slick submission, securing a statement win inside the distance.

Round 1 – Sopaj took the middle of the octagon with Cuamba working on the outside with his back real close to the fence. Sopaj landed a leg kick before Cuamba sent two his way.

Sopaj did well to lunge in and land a right hook on Cuamba. Sopaj cut the cage off pretty well not allowing Cuamba to travel very far before having to change directions. Cuamba tried to get some real estate back by rushing forward with strikes, but Sopaj made him pay with a stiff jab.

Sopaj rushed in and clinched Cuamba on the fence scoring the takedown and taking his back with the quickness and just under a minute left in the round. Cuamba tried to shake him off, but almost gave the neck up.

Sopaj worked with the arm on the chin and began to crank the neck. He squeezed hard looking to finish the fight, but Cuamba accepted the pain and survived to the second round.

Round 2 – Cuamba stayed in the middle and threw a kick that landed a low blow on Sopaj forcing the ref to call a timeout.

Time out didn’t last long and the two got back to fighting.

Cuamba worked to make his length and quickness to work for him landing a lighting quick body kick. Sopaj rushed in on a takedown, but the under hook was there for Cuamba and he defended it.

Sopaj worked two clean jabs and then a massive left hook that dropped Cuamba.

Sopaj went out of his mind with hammer fists looking to finish the fight. Cuamba tried to defend himself and get to the feet, but Sopaj forced him back to the ground before taking his back.

The arm got under the neck and Sopaj scored a submission victory.

Official Result: Benardo Sopaj def. Timmy Cuamba via R2 SUB (RNC), 2:25

The post Benardo Sopaj Submits Cuamba After Knockdown at UFC Vegas 117 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Round 1 – Both men came out firing with heavy shots. Veretennikov tried to close the distance and engage, but Williams did a good job of countering.

The post Khaos Williams TKO’s Veretennikov, Snaps Losing Streak appeared first on Cageside Press.

Round 1 – Tokkos took the center early and landed a leg kick right away, but Erslan stopped him from settling into a rhythm. A big right hand from Erslan got Tokkos’ attention, forcing him to become more mobile and avoid staying a stationary target for the heavy-hitter.

Tokkos continued to work behind leg kicks and a jab before shooting for a takedown, but he was met with a nasty uppercut from Erslan and ended up defending instead. Once they separated, Erslan unleashed a furious flurry, looking for an early finish.

Tokkos tried to create space with push kicks, but Erslan stayed aggressive, eventually scoring a takedown. In the scramble, however, Tokkos managed to clinch him against the fence and slow things down.

The two continued to scramble, with Tokkos briefly securing a headlock in an attempt to control Erslan, but it didn’t last long once they broke off the fence.

Both fighters began to show signs of fatigue from the pace, though Erslan appeared slightly fresher. Tokkos attempted another takedown, but it was quickly stuffed, and Erslan allowed the fight to return to the feet, confident in his striking advantage.

Tokkos then landed a massive counter that rocked Erslan and surged forward looking to capitalize. Erslan answered right back, and the two exchanged heavy shots in a wild back-and-forth battle until the horn.

It was a high-paced and chaotic opening round.

Hell of a first round!

Round 2 – Tokkos threw a quick 1-2 combination then shot in for a takedown by Erslan threw him aside like it meant nothing to him. He forced Tokkos to work on the outside and circle away, but Erslan continued to land his jab.

Tokkos has a hell of a chin on him taking constant clean shots to the face, but giving some back as well. He shot in on Erslan, but the takedown was stuffed, and he ended up on bottom side control.

Erslan landed damage on Tokkos who tried like hell to create a scramble, but couldn’t get out from under the Croatian. Tokkos tried to go deep half to find his way up, but Erslan held him down well.

Round 3 – Erslan took the middle of the octagon again forcing Tokkos to fight off the back foot. Tokkos worked teep kicks and jabs to create space, but Erslan was adamant about suffocating his opponent.

Tokkos shot in again, against his corner’s advice, and Erslan stuffed it again taking top position in quarter guard. Erslan stayed busy on top, but he wasn’t landing any devastating damage.

Tokkos worked his way to the feet, but Erslan dragged him back down. Running out of time, and energy, it definitely looked bleak for Tokkos at this point. He tried to roll out of the position, but ended up on his back.

Erslan took side control position and landed hammers until Tokkos went to the turtle. Erslan took the back position, but didn’t have much time to finish the fight in this spot.

Official Result: Ivan Erslan def. Tuco Tokkos via Unanimous Decision (29-28×3)

The post Ivan Erslan And Tokkos Go To War Early, Erslan Takes Decision appeared first on Cageside Press.

Round 1 – Petroski applied early pressure, landing calf kicks as Brundage spent much of the opening moments waiting and allowing him to find a rhythm. Brundage mixed in a few teep kicks and leg kicks of his own, trying to create space.

Petroski eventually brought the fight to the ground, taking top position in side control while Brundage focused on defending against incoming elbows.

Petroski worked to set up a cradle, but Brundage disrupted the attempt with strikes from his back.

As the round came to a close, Petroski continued to look for elbows from the top position.

Round 2 – Brundage came out aggressively, firing heavy shots and dropping Petroski before landing on top and unleashing a wild barrage of ground and pound.

Petroski tried to defend himself, but Brundage gave him no room to recover, staying relentless with his offense.

The referee allowed Petroski every opportunity to survive, but ultimately had to step in and stop the fight.

It was a massive victory for Cody Brundage, snapping his three-fight losing streak and potentially securing his spot on the UFC roster.

Not a bad way to celebrate a birthday.

Official Result: Cody Brundage def. Andre Petroski via R2 TKO, 0:44

The post Cody Brundage TKO’s Petroski, Snaps Losing Streak appeared first on Cageside Press.

After weathering early success from Daniel Barez, Gurule’s relentless pressure, power, and grappling control took over, carrying him to a clear-cut unanimous decision victory.

Round 1 – They met in the center with both men bouncing in and out, but it was Barez who landed the first significant shot, cracking Gurule with a clean right hand. Gurule tried to respond, but Barez’s footwork was sharp early.

Barez then began targeting the legs, landing several calf kicks in under a minute before establishing his jab. Gurule fired a body kick that was caught, and Barez attempted to attack the opposite leg for a sweep but couldn’t complete it.

Gurule answered with a blitz, unleashing a flurry that forced Barez to clinch and shoot for a takedown, which led to Gurule briefly giving up his back. Gurule quickly adjusted, spinning to face Barez and settling into half guard.

From there, Gurule locked in a D’Arce choke that tightened as Barez defended, but Barez managed to survive until Gurule released the hold.

Back on the feet, Gurule applied pressure as Barez continued to recover.

Round 2 – Barez returned to his game plan, looking for the calf kick early in the round. Gurule pressed forward again, but this time Barez stood his ground, trading shots and landing a strong right hand.

That clean right began to swing momentum in his favor, with his footwork playing a key role in keeping him out of danger. When he stayed mobile, he found success. When he stood in front of Gurule, he paid for it.

Gurule eventually found his rhythm, landing heavy shots as Barez began to show signs of fatigue and absorb more damage. Undeterred by anything coming back at him, Gurule continued to push forward aggressively.

A massive combination rocked Barez, and Gurule immediately surged forward looking for the finish. Barez tried to clinch and slow things down, but Gurule countered by lifting and slamming him with a suplex.

With Barez down against the fence, Gurule unloaded with ground strikes, landing freely. Barez attempted a takedown in response, but it was unsuccessful. Gurule answered with a big elbow and continued to hunt him down.

Round 3 – Gurule was firmly in control as Barez dug deep, searching for a way back into the fight.

The post Luis Gurule Overwhelms Barez with Pressure, Earns Clear Decision Win appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I’m very happy with my performance, for this victory. I was sure we would win,” Ochoa told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“Even more I’m very happy to be able to dedicate this win to my father, my team, and my entire family.”

Ochoa (9-2) put together a striking masterpiece against Carpenter who badly wanted the takedown, but wasn’t able to secure anything. Ochoa knew he was well-prepared for this fight.

“I’m happy with everything that I did in there. I wasn’t surprised by anything that happened in there. In fact, I thought I was going to get the knockout,” he said.

“But we went the 15 minutes and I was prepared for that as well.”

Following the bout Ochoa used his post-fight interview to propose to the mother of his child back in Brazil. Word traveled fast and he got his answer in the locker room.

“It’s obvious that she said yes,” he said with a smile.

“She was just waiting for me to ask.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Jose Ochoa above.

The post Jose Ochoa Outclasses Carpenter, Caps Night with Engagement News appeared first on Cageside Press.

Battling through personal adversity outside the cage and delivering a quick submission win over Jared Gordon, the veteran once again proved that even after nearly two decades in the sport, he’s still finding ways to win, and still not ready to walk away.

“In there everything’s moving like a mile a minute, or in slow motion, it’s really weird. I wish you guys could see what it’s like,” Miller told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“It’s unique when you get into that flow state, and things just happen. If I was thinking about all those things, if I was thinking about the injuries or my son’s health issues, I mean over the years there’s been plenty of stuff.”

Miller (39-19) had been dealing with his son’s health issues for a while, but the longtime UFC lightweight used it all as motivation to get through camp and into the fight. Even with the seriousness of the situation Miller was able to compartmentalize it better than past fights.

“If I thought about those things when I was warming up or making the walk or in the octagon, I wouldn’t be here today. Fighting immediately after my brother was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do because then during the warm-up I’m seeing him, I’m seeing the look on his face,” he said.

“And it’s like he is not here. Like sh*t, this is not cool. Having to turn that off and wanting to be there for him and just having to go and fight undefeated Iranian national champ wrestler…”

To win in front of his family, and his son, was something he was grateful for after his win over Gordon. Some would think that it would be the perfect time for the 42-year-old father of four to walk away, but that just wouldn’t be his style.

“It felt great. It’s awesome to be here, it’s awesome to get to fight, I get this opportunity. I earned it and I still get to do it,” he said.

“I can very confidently say that a vast majority of (fighters) are retiring because their body’s breaking down or because they’re not able to keep up with the sport. I’ve been able to do both of those things. I’ve been able to stay healthy and I’ve been able to keep up with my opponents.”

With Miller continuing on in his career in hopes of reaching that 50 UFC fights mark he said he didn’t care who he faced next. He did however shoot his shot at a specific lightweight.

“Whoever,” Miller said when asked who he wanted next.

“Unfortunately I think I might have broke my left hand in the four minutes that we were fighting, but I hear there’s an Irishman looking for a fight. I think that would be a fun one.”

Conor McGregor, the ball is in your court.

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Jim Miller above.

The post Jim Miller Balances Family Struggles, Calls For McGregor Bout appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I’m ready to do another one, I’m ready to fight next week,” Green told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“I’ll be honest, if I can get on the Vegas card next week, surprise, come in and surprise everybody and do a fight out there that’d be dope.”

Green (35-17-1) was still so fresh after the fight that he called for a spot on UFC Vegas 117 headlined by Arnold Allen and Melquizael Costa at the Meta APEX. Unlikely as it may be that he gets a fight on the card it shows that Green is in a bit of a hurry to stack some more fights together in 2026.

“I don’t even feel like I got in a fight, and I didn’t like the way I finished it. I wanted to knock him out and get that. Make sure that I solidified myself as one of the greatest fighters to ever step on these mats. That’s what I was saying to Dana is I’m one of the greatest to ever do this,” he said.

“I told him hey bro, I even told him when we were standing on our face off, I was like listen there is no loser,” said Green.

“The work you’ve done in this cage, the work I’ve done in this cage, there is no loser. You’re great no matter what. That’s what I was telling him at the face-off. There is no loser. We’re great fighters, bro.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with King Green above.

The post King Green Unsatisfied After UFC 328 Win, Pushes for Immediate Return appeared first on Cageside Press.

“So much needed right now just wins. Maybe it wasn’t so impressive, but Waldo is f*cking tough mother f*cker. Nobody can finish him,” Volkov told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“I put him knockdown in the second round, but I was so accurate with his tricks.”

Volkov (40-11) was well aware the fight may not have been aesthetically pleasing to fans, especially against a known heavy-hitter like Cortes-Acosta, as the Russian largely relied on a point-scoring game plan to keep himself out of danger. It’s a lesson he learned the hard way in the past against another dangerous knockout artist.

“I learned the lesson. 2008 when Derrick Lewis did the same and (caught) me at the very end of the fight. Everybody reminds me of this again and again every time they see me. So I know this lesson very good,” he said.

“With these tough mother f*ckers who can punch in any minute in fight, better to be very accurate, and just give him lot of damage.”

Volkov has spoken about fighting for the UFC title, including in the cage, but struck a surprisingly self-deprecating tone when discussing his place among the division’s elite following the win. Despite his resume and success, he downplayed his standing and admitted to feeling the pressure that comes with climbing the heavyweight ranks.

“I don’t know. I understand the rules of the game. I’m so scared to fight for the title honestly. This guy is so big, so huge, so talented. I don’t know what I’m doing here in top two honestly,” he said.

“It’s so hard to be there like I need to do every time like new plan, how to win. I hid in my closet and coach can’t find me so I almost miss the bus to arena. I don’t know what I will do when I will fight for the title, I don’t know why I tell this. I was so brave after the win, but now a little bit calm down, I don’t know why I did this.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Alexander Volkov above. 

The post Alexander Volkov Touts Lessons Learned Against Derrick Lewis appeared first on Cageside Press.