Ezra Elliot couldn’t have asked for a much tougher set of circumstances heading into UFC Oklahoma City, but none of it mattered once the cage door closed. Elliot put on a wrestling clinic against Damien Anderson, setting a UFC record for takedowns in a three-round fight while proving he belongs on the sport’s biggest stage.

“I was tired. Three days notice to make 145 pounds wasn’t the easiest,” Elliot told Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“A super game opponent. If he wasn’t so good at grappling I’d probably get him out of there. He’s ranked in the world in grappling, one of the best grapplers in the world, and I went and put a wrestling clinic on him. Of course, I’d like to show some more things in my skillset, but with three days notice, had to go in and try to break him as good as I could.”

Elliot knew he was in for a tough test against Anderson and had plenty of respect for his opponent going into fight night. That made the dominant performance in his UFC debut all the more satisfying.

“Damien’s super game. I followed him for years. I respect him a ton. Once I got the matchup against him I knew it was going to be a tough fight. I didn’t know exactly what the game plan was going to be,” he said.

Elliot also explained why he missed weight ahead of his UFC debut, revealing he accepted the fight on just three days notice and had a massive cut to make. While he came up one pound short, he wasn’t making excuses after earning the victory.

“45’s not hard for me to make. You can tell I’m not a very big 45er, but with three days to make 145 pounds, I had to lose 18 pounds. I lost 17,” said Elliot.

“Missed by a pound and I had to give up some of purse for it. It is what it is. Come out, still got the win.”

Elliot didn’t have anyone specific in mind for his next fight, but he made one thing clear, he’s ready to get right back in there. Whoever the UFC puts in front of him next, he’s more than happy to welcome the challenge.

“No one off the top of my head. I wish I had a name for you guys right now,” he said.

“UFC just give me another name and I’ll keep taking them out, and we’ll keep going. This is my first performance with UFC, I heard I got the takedown record in a three-round fight. That’s cool. Hopefully get to show a little more notches in my game and get to finish this next fight.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Ezra Elliot above.

The post Ezra Elliot Explains Missed Weight, Dominant Wrestling Clinic Victory Over Anderson appeared first on Cageside Press.

After weathering an aggressive start from Ramirez at UFC Oklahoma City, Hooper wasted little time turning the fight into his world. Once the fight hit the canvas, the talented grappler methodically worked through every position, taking the back, locking in a body triangle, and patiently hunting for the finish before sinking in a suffocating rear-naked choke.

Round 1 – Ramirez came out aggressively, marching Hooper down and forcing him onto the back foot early. That striking battle didn’t last long, however, as Hooper did what he does best, changing levels, dragging the fight to the mat, and immediately taking Ramirez’s back. Ramirez desperately tried to scramble free, but Hooper stayed glued to him, briefly advancing to mount before seamlessly transitioning back to back control and locking in a body triangle.

From there, it was only a matter of time. Hooper patiently worked his arm under Ramirez’s chin, adjusting his grip with every defensive movement. As he tightened the choke, Ramirez’s face turned bright red while desperately trying to peel Hooper’s hands apart.

Ramirez made one final attempt to roll out of danger, but Hooper had every escape covered. The rear-naked choke was fully locked in, forcing the tap and giving Hooper yet another submission victory inside the cage.

It was another reminder of why Hooper is one of the most dangerous submission artists in the lightweight division. The moment the fight hit the canvas, the outcome felt almost inevitable. It was a flawless, methodical performance from Chase Hooper, who made another talented opponent look completely out of answers.

Official Result: Chase Hooper def. Mitch Ramirez via R1 SUB (RNC), 2:15

The post Chase Hooper’s Grappling Clinic Ends With R1 Submission Victory appeared first on Cageside Press.

The undefeated prospect fought like a man who had somewhere else to be Saturday night at UFC Oklahoma City, overwhelming Montes with a relentless pace that never let up. From the opening bell, McMillen marched forward behind nonstop pressure, brutal body work, and combinations that seemed to come in waves.

Round 1 – McMillen came out like he was trying to end the fight in the opening minute, storming across the cage and unloading combinations that immediately backed Montes to the fence. Montes fired back with counters, but McMillen never took his foot off the gas, keeping a blistering pace and refusing to give his opponent any room to breathe.

Montes eventually fought his way off the cage and found a few openings in the pocket, but during one of the exchanges McMillen changed levels, scored a takedown, and settled into top position inside Montes’ guard. He mixed in heavy ground-and-pound before standing back up to blast away with kicks. Montes made it back to his feet, only to eat another clean shot for his efforts.

Looking to swing the momentum, Montes pressed forward, but McMillen welcomed the firefight. While he dialed the pace back just enough to stay composed, the pressure never stopped. Every time Montes tried to get something going, McMillen answered with another combination.

Montes finally found a moment of success, catching McMillen off balance and sending him to the canvas with a well-timed shot. It hardly mattered. McMillen bounced right back to his feet, jawing at Montes the entire time as he marched forward looking for more violence. Montes tried to pick his spots, but McMillen refused to give him any space, constantly forcing him backward and pinning him against the fence.

McMillen went to work with a vicious mix of body and head shots, digging hooks downstairs before bringing the attack upstairs. A crushing body shot visibly hurt Montes, prompting McMillen to empty the tank with wave after wave of combinations. Punches to the ribs, hooks to the head, and straight shots down the middle all found their mark. Another body shot folded Montes momentarily, but the Brazilian answered with a huge counter that briefly rocked McMillen.

McMillen recovered almost instantly and closed the round the same way he started it—marching forward, throwing everything he had until the final horn sounded.

Round 2 – McMillen came out for the second round exactly how he finished the first—marching Montes down without a hint of hesitation. Montes landed a clean right hand early, but it did nothing to slow the American’s relentless forward pressure. Before long, Montes found himself backed up against the fence once again as McMillen continued to pour on the offense.

To Montes’ credit, he found his rhythm and had success landing solid counters throughout the round. The problem was volume. Every clean shot Montes landed was answered by three or four from McMillen, who simply refused to let him dictate the pace.

The second frame turned into an all-out firefight, albeit at a slightly slower tempo than the chaotic opening round. McMillen was the busier fighter, piling up combinations and consistently touching Montes with volume, while Montes looked to make every punch count with heavier counters. With 30 seconds remaining, McMillen emptied the tank, unleashing another furious barrage of punches that forced Montes into survival mode. The Brazilian did just enough to weather the storm and make it to the third round.

Round 3 – McMillen wasted no time picking up where he left off, storming forward and cracking Montes with a vicious uppercut before digging brutal shots to the body. The combination folded Montes, sending him crashing to the canvas.

Somehow, Montes beat the count and got back to his feet, but the fight had completely swung in McMillen’s favor. McMillen smelled blood and never let up, unloading combination after combination while Montes showed unbelievable toughness. Despite absorbing crushing body shots, uppercuts, and hooks, the Brazilian simply refused to go away.

The confidence was overflowing from McMillen. After landing a clean shot, he even flipped Montes the bird before immediately jumping back into another barrage of punches, putting an exclamation point on his complete control of the fight.

McMillen looked like a man possessed, blasting Montes with another crushing combination that sent him stumbling backward. Still, Montes somehow stayed on his feet, refusing to quit despite the mounting damage.

With just over 90 seconds remaining, the referee finally stepped in, waving off the contest after watching McMillen dish out an overwhelming amount of unanswered punishment.

Tommy McMillen remained undefeated in spectacular fashion, delivering a violent, relentless performance that announced him as a prospect every UFC fan should have on their radar.

Official Result: Tommy McMillen def. Alberto Montes via R3 TKO, 3:29

The post Tommy McMillen Delivers Statement Performance, Finishes Montes at UFC OKC appeared first on Cageside Press.

Delgado stayed composed when it mattered most. Every time Bashi looked ready to seize control, Delgado answered with cleaner striking and timely defense, grinding out a unanimous decision victory and getting his win streak to two.

Round 1 – Delgado came out looking to be the aggressor, immediately taking the center of the Octagon and forcing Bashi onto the back foot. Bashi answered with a couple of sharp jabs before detonating a huge punch that sent Delgado crashing to the canvas.

Smelling an opportunity, Bashi shot in and drove Delgado to the fence, but the position didn’t last long. Once back at range, Delgado looked to make the most of his reach advantage while Bashi remained committed to turning the fight into a grappling battle, repeatedly locking up the body and pressing his opponent against the cage.

Delgado initially stuffed the takedown attempts and got back to striking, but Bashi showed no hesitation exchanging hands. The young prospect uncorked a wild combination after they separated, landing another big shot that rocked Delgado and opened the door for another takedown. Delgado defended well at first, but Bashi eventually muscled him off the mat with a lift and slam.

As the round wore on, Delgado found success digging hooks to the body and ripping hard body kicks. Bashi continued winging heavy shots upstairs, sometimes recklessly, and it cost him. Delgado cracked him with a clean punch that dropped Bashi, forcing the grappler to desperately shoot for another takedown. Delgado stuffed it and punished him with punches as Bashi tried to recover.

Rather than follow him to the mat, Delgado allowed Bashi back to his feet and immediately fired a head kick. When Bashi changed levels once more, he ran straight into a devastating flying knee that dropped him again. Delgado pounced, threatening to take the back before advancing to full mount with just over 30 seconds remaining.

In the closing moments, Delgado secured Bashi’s back, locked in a body triangle, and closed out the round with relentless ground-and-pound, putting an emphatic stamp on a wildly entertaining five minutes.

Round 2 – Delgado came out for round two with the same game plan, marching Bashi down and forcing another takedown attempt. This time, Delgado defended beautifully, turning Bashi into the fence before creating space with punches as they broke apart.

Bashi looked much more composed after surviving the rough opening round and quickly returned to his wrestling. He managed to drag Delgado to the mat and briefly established top position, but Delgado wasted little time scrambling back to his feet.

Delgado ripped a body kick that Bashi caught, but the Australian could only use it to pin him against the fence while hunting for a single-leg takedown. Delgado continued to make Bashi work for every inch, frustrating most of the grappling exchanges.

In the closing seconds of the round, however, Bashi finally broke through, securing a takedown just before the horn to end the frame on a strong note.

Round 3 – Bashi opened the final round throwing a variety of kicks, attacking the body before whipping one up high. He quickly changed levels for another takedown, but this time Delgado reversed the sequence beautifully, scoring a trip takedown of his own. Once they returned to the feet, Delgado snapped Bashi’s head back with a crisp left hand and followed it with a sharp combination.

As the round wore on, Bashi’s gas tank appeared to be fading while Delgado continued to land the cleaner, more effective strikes. Delgado even mixed in his own single-leg takedown, but Bashi immediately snatched up a guillotine and used the submission attempt to sweep into mount. Delgado stayed composed, recovering half guard before Bashi could capitalize on the dominant position.

Bashi landed a handful of punches from the top, but he couldn’t generate enough offense to find the finish. Delgado’s resilience allowed him to survive the late grappling exchanges and hear the final horn after an action-packed three-round battle.

Jose Delgado got the nod and scored his second consecutive UFC victory.

Official Result: Jose Delgado def. Austin Bashi via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

The post Jose Delgado Earns Gritty Decision Victory Over Bashi appeared first on Cageside Press.

Ahead of their middleweight showdown at UFC Oklahoma City, Duncan told reporters he’s preparing for the best version of “The Killa Gorilla,” calling Cannonier the most experienced opponent he’s faced and one of the toughest challenges of his career.

“I would say so. I progress in the UFC and my opponents have risen. This will be my most experienced fighter I’ve fought. A guy that’s fought for the title and fought some of the best in the division,” Duncan told Cageside Press at media day.

“I look forward to putting off a good performance against him as he deserves as such a respectable fighter here in the UFC.”

Duncan has done his homework on Cannonier, studying years of tape to get a feel for how the former heavyweight has changed throughout his career. One matchup especially caught his attention.

“We done a lot of studying on Jared Cannonier, there’s a lot of film on him, and how he’s kind of adjusted and changed and both grown from being a heavyweight down to middleweight,” he said.

“That fight with MVP was an interesting one for sure.”

Age may be the first thing people bring up when talking about Cannonier, but Duncan isn’t buying into that narrative. As far as he’s concerned, he’s preparing for the toughest version of “The Killa Gorilla.”

“Yeah you say his age 42, but not many 42-year-olds look like Jared Cannonier. He’s well-experienced and over the years he’s kind of refined the way that he fights. It hasn’t changed much, but he’s very good at what he does,” said Duncan.

“I’ve treated him that way. I approach preparing for this fight as if I’m fighting the best version of Jared.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Christian Leroy Duncan above. He faces Jared Cannonier at UFC OKC on Saturday night.

The post Christian Leroy Duncan Calls Cannonier His Toughest Test Yet appeared first on Cageside Press.

“When she fought Rose (Namajunas) her eye lashes flew out during the fight so (I) prepared eye lashes in case she needed it,” Wang told reporters including Cageside Press through a translator at her post-fight scrum.

Wang explained that the playful gift of fake eyelashes wasn’t meant as a jab at Cortez. She said it stemmed from a misunderstanding over the rules during fight week, and once everything was cleared up, she quickly shifted her full attention back to the fight.

“(I) felt like maybe there’s misunderstanding in the language and the translation about the rules,” she said.

“But it’s alright. (I) adjusted very quick and (got) back into the fight.”

Wang also has her sights set on unfinished business at the top of the flyweight division. Believing she already holds a win over champion Valentina Shevchenko, she’s ready to settle the debate once and for all inside the octagon.

“You guys know she lost to me, and she (did) not agree on the result. If she (doesn’t) agree then let’s find out again in the octagon,” she said.

Wang also cleared up a common misconception about her nickname. While many assume it’s a reference to the famous comic book villain, she explained that “Joker” actually comes from the card game, where the Joker is considered the most powerful card.

“Joker’s not meaning the character in the movie. The joker is top card, the most powerful card in the poker game, that’s what (my) nickname means,” she said.

“The Joker means most powerful card.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Wang Cong above.

The post Wang Cong Explains Fake Eyelash Gift, Calls for Valentina Shevchenko Rematch appeared first on Cageside Press.

After stopping Kai Kamaka III at UFC 329 on Saturday night, the surging featherweight brushed aside criticism of the stoppage while making it clear that his confidence comes from honesty, not delusion. With three UFC wins under his belt and another statement performance on one of the promotion’s biggest stages, Riley believes he’s only getting started.

“Unbelieveable. Look, I’m a happy man. People who watched my past two fights have been very harsh on myself. This one I can go back and just be happy,” Riley told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“Started off Qatar. First time in the UFC being Qatar in me first fight. Second one, co-main my second fight, which I don’t know if that’s ever been done. Now third fight on McGregor card. It’s pretty big. It’s been a crazy ride. It’s only chapter one in the book which is crazy.”

Riley believes confidence is essential in this sport, but says too many fighters mistake it for blind confidence. He prides himself on staying realistic about where he’s at, insisting that being brutally honest with himself is what will eventually lead him to a UFC title.

“What it is with fighters, I feel there’s a very, very thin line between confidence and sort of delusion. There’s fighters who are very delusional, I’m not one of them, I know what needs to be done. I know I want to win a belt in this division. I know what I need to do,” he said.

“I’m not delusional about myself. When I show a bad performance I’ll call myself out on it. I’m my own worst critic and that’s going to pay off in the end.”

Riley had no patience for the criticism that followed the finish. While some fans, fighters, and even analysts like Joe Rogan, questioned whether the referee stepped in too soon, he believes the outcome was obvious and that the stoppage prevented unnecessary damage.

“They f*cking lost their minds. Two more seconds he would have been face down on the canvas, honestly,” said Riley.

“That’s baffled me a bit that one. I don’t even know what to say about it. If you think that was sort of a early stoppage then I feel like you shouldn’t be watching fighting, but it is what it is.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Luke Riley above.

The post Luke Riley Fires Back at Early Stoppage Critics After UFC 329 appeared first on Cageside Press.

After earning the biggest win of his career with a victory over former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt on Saturday night, Yanez made it clear he isn’t satisfied with simply beating a former titleholder.

“Honestly, this is a better version of me, and we’re expecting more. I’m just getting started. I feel like I’m 21-years-old again, and just learning so much,” Yanez told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“MMA IQ to me has been amazing. Not just physically training, but mentally training. There’s going to be a better version of me next time I step in here.”

With a former UFC champion now on his resume, Yanez believes the rest of the bantamweight division should start paying attention. He says fans have only seen a glimpse of what he’s capable of, insisting there’s plenty more left to unveil as he continues to evolve.

“Division should be scared. The division should be scared, man. I got secret weapons that nobody knows about and we’re just scratching the surface level of my whole round game. I haven’t shown everything, and I’m going to keep a lot of that secret. There’s a lot more to come and I’m getting better every single day,” he said.

“We’re on the path to growing and building.”

Yanez isn’t worried about calling out the next guy just yet. He said all of his focus was on Garbrandt, knowing that overlooking a former champion could’ve cost him the biggest win of his career.

“I don’t have any names. All my attention was on Cody Garbrandt because he’s a former world champ and I had to make sure that’s all I saw in front of me. I was not looking past him because again he came out pretty fast, he put me in a little bit of trouble in those for 20, 30 seconds. If I had a name already lined up, I probably wouldn’t have gotten out of there,” he said.

“I had to make sure he had all my full attention.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Adrian Yanez above.

The post Adrian Yanez Warns Bantamweight Division After Beating Garbrandt at UFC 329 appeared first on Cageside Press.

After dominating Elisha Ellison in his long-awaited promotional debut on Saturday night in Las Vegas, Steveson left the Octagon with a statement victory, fired back at fellow wrestling star Bo Nickal, joked about the accidental low blow that briefly paused the action, and made it clear he’s already targeting a quick turnaround at Madison Square Garden.

“What a cool thing, you know. Go out there on a big card, a lot of pressure, a lot of people waiting to see what can Gable Steveson do, and I hopefully I delivered to everyone on their TV screens and to everyone who was an average fan that may not know me,” Steveson told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“(They know) me now.”

Steveson also had a little fun with the accidental low blow that briefly halted the fight, joking that Ellison welcomed the timeout after struggling with the relentless pressure. In classic post-fight fashion he laughed off the moment while insisting the break ultimately didn’t change the outcome.

“All kudos to Elisha Ellison, but I think Elisha wanted a break, and Marc (Goddard) saw it and was like hey can I give Elisha a break before he gets whooped by Gable Steveson?  Sadly, it happened to him,” he said.

“He got his break. He got time to recuperate, but it just had to happen to him. Today wasn’t his day.”

Steveson couldn’t resist firing back after Bo Nickal joked that he’d gas out in his UFC debut, but he made it clear the trash talk came from a place of mutual respect. While he poked fun at Nickal’s own cardio issues in a recent fight, he emphasized there’s no bad blood between two of the greatest collegiate wrestlers of their generation.

“I like Bo Nickal. I didn’t mean no harm. Bo Nickal telling me that he’s going to gas me out after he got gassed out a couple fights ago is a crazy thing. So Bo Nickal, I didn’t mean no harm, I had to take a shot back at you if you take a shot at me,” he said.

“But we’re friends. Wrestlers always got to stay together. Bo Nickal is one of the best collegiate wrestlers of all time and I hope he keeps winning and I hope he keeps doing his thing. I’ll always be a fan of his just because of wrestling.”

With a dominant UFC debut now in the books, Steveson isn’t planning on taking much time off. The Olympic gold medalist said he’ll celebrate the win with his family before getting right back into training, while already eyeing a potential return at Madison Square Garden later this year.

“Today I’m going to enjoy the moment. Tomorrow I’m going to go home and enjoy it with my family. Monday I go back to work,” said Steveson.

“If it means something fast and it comes quick, I would love to, but I think MSG is in November. MSG would be amazing. The last time I was at MSG Jon Jones spinning back kick Stipe (Miocic) so it would be cool to keep that legacy going at Madison Square Garden.”

Watch the entire media day scrum with Gable Steveson above.

The post Gable Steveson Jokes About Low Blow, Responds to Nickal appeared first on Cageside Press.

Making his debut at 205 pounds, the former UFC middleweight champion showcased the speed, timing, and precision that made him one of the best strikers in the sport, picking apart veteran Nikita Krylov for nearly three rounds before scoring a highlight-reel knockout at UFC 329 on Saturday night.

Round 1 – Whittaker came out bouncing on his feet, immediately making the size difference obvious—but so was the speed advantage. He cracked Krylov with a clean right hand as the bigger man charged forward, then followed with a left as Krylov bullied him toward the fence.

Whittaker circled off the cage and got back to open space, where he clearly wanted the fight. Krylov answered with a head kick, a right hand, and another takedown attempt, looking to turn the bout into a grappling match rather than trade strikes with the quicker opponent.

Whittaker initially defended well, but Krylov eventually muscled him to the mat with a throw. The larger fighter swarmed with a right hand before locking up a body lock to secure the takedown. Krylov briefly threatened with a bulldog choke, but Whittaker stayed calm, slipped free, and escaped after absorbing a short left hand.

Back on the feet, Whittaker went right back to work. He snapped Krylov’s head back with a clean right, showing off his hand speed. Krylov fired back with a pair of thudding body kicks, but Whittaker answered with two hard right hands of his own. As the round wore on, Whittaker’s jab became a major weapon, allowing him to pick Krylov apart while slipping the bigger man’s lunging attacks and countering with precision.

Krylov spent the final minute chasing Whittaker more than cutting him off, absorbing damage whenever he overcommitted. He managed to pin Whittaker against the fence in the closing seconds, but Whittaker escaped one last time and punctuated the round with a sharp punch and a head kick just before the horn.

Round 2 – Krylov came out with a better game plan in the second, chopping at Whittaker’s lead leg in an effort to slow the constant movement. He mixed in punches behind the kicks, but Whittaker never abandoned the jab that had been giving Krylov fits since the opening bell.

The former middleweight champion stayed light on his feet, darting in and out of range while forcing Krylov to lunge after him. Every time the bigger man reached, Whittaker seemed to have an answer waiting. His jab was lightning fast, snapping Krylov’s head back over and over before he opened up with a crisp combination that had Krylov retreating.

Krylov finally found a moment of success when he blitzed forward and landed enough shots to make Whittaker shell up. It didn’t last long. Whittaker immediately fired back with a blistering series of straight punches that rocked Krylov and reminded everyone who was controlling the striking exchanges.

Whittaker’s timing was on another level. He consistently beat Krylov to the punch, forcing the longtime light heavyweight to work at a pace he simply couldn’t sustain. By the final minute, Krylov was chasing more than attacking, while Whittaker calmly picked his spots.

The round closed with Whittaker effortlessly slipping Krylov’s final flurry, leaving the bigger man swinging at air as the horn sounded.

Round 3 – Krylov looked for kicks to the body early with Whittaker wanting the jabs even more. At this point in the fight Krylov had all but abandoned the wrestling that taxed his gas tank so early in the first.

Whittaker landed a nasty shot on Krylov and was clearly rocked, and then he landed a big right hand that ended the fight.

Standing knockout victory for Robert Whittaker in his middleweight debut.

Official Result: Robert Whittaker def. Nikita Krylov via R3 TKO, 1:01

The post Robert Whittaker Scores Stunning TKO Victory Over Krylov appeared first on Cageside Press.