Former UFC heavyweight Aleksei Oleinik put down by Oli Thompson right hand

Aleksei Okeinik is a lot of fun, as one of the most well-travelled veterans of heavyweight MMA today. His signature Ezekiel choke submission is one few fighters have ever hit; he pulled it off twice in the UFC alone. But after watching this brief encounter with journeyman and fellow UFC vet Oli Thompson, “The Boa Constrictor,” who calls Florida home, may want to call it a career.

Oli Thompson destroys Alexey Oleynik with a massive right hand in the first round pic.twitter.com/AdWy25dQxR

— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) May 26, 2023

Mark Coleman announces Celebrity Boxing match

Speaking of things we did not want to see: UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman has announced he’s signed on for a celebrity boxing match. No opponent has been named; the bout will take place in October, consisting of three two-minute rounds.

😞 https://t.co/egWNhq72Y2 pic.twitter.com/Q7PBvpLoqk

— Alex Behunin (@AlexBehunin) May 26, 2023

At least we know it’s not Jake Paul. Yes, beating elderly MMA stars is basically his blueprint, but Paul is otherwise occupied with Nate Diaz.

Coleman, for the record, is 58, and has had to overcome serious health issues over the years.

Poirier picks winner in McGregor vs. Chandler

Dustin “The Diamond” Porier has weighed in on who he sees winning when Conor McGregor throws down with Michael Chandler.

Having shared the cage with both men, Poirier is perhaps better suited than anyone to break down the fight. The former interim lightweight champ submitted Chandler in November, and is 2-1 in his career series with McGregor — though the second win came via injury TKO when McGregor broke his leg in the rubber match of their trilogy.

The world has waited nearly two years for “The Notorious” to make his return, which appears to be lined up for later this year. And should McGregor return to form, Poirier believes he can stop Chandler.

“I think that if Conor comes back anything like he was with his timing and rhythm, with the injury that he had and this long of a layoff, and we’re not getting any younger either — if he comes back similar to who he was before he left, I think he stops Michael Chandler,” Poirier recently predicted on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour (h/t MMA Fighting).

“If Conor is who he was before the injury and stuff, I think two rounds — I think the fight’s over in two rounds.”

The Ultimate Fighter 31, featuring McGregor and Chandler as coaches, kicks off on May 30.

Rigged? Latest Aleksander Emelianenko fight looks awfully fishy

Claims of “rigged” fights in MMA are almost always made by fans unhappy with the outcome of a given match-up. Actual bout fixing is incredibly rare, mainly because it’s a) extremely hard to pull off and b) not lucrative enough to risk jail time over.

Of course, things operate a little different in Russia, where things like law, order, and not invading your neighbor do not apply. And so we present (h/t Al Zullino) Emelienenko versus some Russian vlogger, who appears to have a TKO win, then backs off and lets the contest continue. Aleksander goes on to win by submission in a fight that should in no way be counted on his official record.

This is the same card as the Oleinik fight.

So, this just happened in Russia.

A vlogger TKOs Aleksander Emelianenko, the ref steps in and stops the fight. But the vlogger says "Nah, why? Let's keep it on!", then shots and takedown and gets submitted?

Couldn't have been more fixed.

(h/t @pelunaton pic.twitter.com/vZMKtwZkgX

— Al Zullino (@phre) May 26, 2023

Ivan Emelianenko debuts

With Fedor retired and brother Aleksander clearly a living joke, the youngest Emelianenko brother, Ivan, made his pro debut this past week. Fighting on the same card as brother Aleksander, his finish at least looks legit, if sloppy. Judge for yourself.

Ivan Emelianenko def. Alexei Ledenev by unanimous decision. Successful MMA debut for the mysterious third Emelianenko brother. pic.twitter.com/6vimXNRsWw

— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) May 26, 2023

Nothing is over!

Nothing is over! Nothing. You just don’t turn it off!

Seems like Alex Pereira will do whatever it takes to continue his rivalry with Israel Adesanya, despite moving up to 205lbs. Including siding with the rival to Israel Adesanya’s rugby team.

Alex Pereira visited Israel Adesanya’s rival rugby team pic.twitter.com/BxeQF6OipR

— Bloody Elbow (@BloodyElbow) May 26, 2023

Sam Alvey returns to win column in heavyweight debut

Sam Alvey has a reason to smile again. The former UFC middleweight moved to heavyweight over the weekend, competing at a B2FS event that aired on Fite.tv. “Smile’n” Sam was successful in that debut, finding the TKO finish in the third.

The victory over Cameron Graham was Alvey’s first since 2018. He finished his UFC run on an unheard of 0-8-1 run.

😁 @smilensam is successful in his heavyweight debut getting the 3rd round TKO finish over Cam Graham at #B2FS183.

[ Streaming LIVE on #FITE 🔴 https://t.co/2MEwQun58y ] pic.twitter.com/p88Iql9vvY

— TrillerTV (@Triller_TV) May 28, 2023

Li Kai Wen dazzles as part of Road to UFC 2

ONE Championship tournament winner Li Kai Wen pulled off this stunning elbow strike KO as part of Road to UFC 2 on Saturday. If you missed it, the tournament has returned, with quarterfinal action unfolding over the weekend in Shanghai. Catch up on UFC Fight Pass.

This was one of a number of explosive finishes across the four-episode opening round.

There have been some seriously good finishes on #RoadtoUFC2 so far, but THIS ONE takes the cake.pic.twitter.com/gzxdFOHDN5

— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) May 27, 2023

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Oleinik, 45, lost an uneventful unanimous decision to Ilir Latifi at UFC Vegas 61 earlier this month. The bout was the last on his UFC deal, and dropped “The Boa Constrictor” to 1-4 in his last five fights.

UFC Roster Watch, an automated service on Twitter, was first to note Oleinik being removed from the promotion’s fighter database.

The Russian joined the UFC in 2014, and is the only fighter in the company’s history to successfully pull off an Ezekiel choke (with 14 career wins via Ezekiel, two would come inside the octagon). Oleinik had also represented the most experienced name in the organization, with 78 pro fights as of October 1.

Oleinik holds notable wins over former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum, title contender Mark Hunt, Travis Browne, and outside of the UFC, the legendary Mirko Cro-Cop. His career began way back in 1996, when he won the single-night Minamoto Cup Heavyweight Tournament.

Joining the UFC late is his career, Oleinik had over fifty pro fights by the time he arrived in the octagon — an almost unheard of statistic. He would headline three events in his time with the promotion, against Mark Hunt, Alistair Overeem, and Derrick Lewis, going 1-2 in those appearances. Always a threat on the ground, Oleinik secured his most recent win earlier this year, submitting Jared Vanderaa via scarf-hold choke.

The post Heavyweight Vet Aleksei Oleinik Off UFC Roster After Fighting Out Deal appeared first on Cageside Press.

The bout had originally been booked for March at UFC Columbus, only for Latifi to withdraw due to illness on the day of the fight. A rescheduled date at UFC 273 weeks later also fell through; Saturday would turn out to be the charm, with the pair finally throwing down.

The end result was a very reserved affair, which saw the Swede fight smart, and stay away from Oleinik’s submission game.

A very cordial start to the heavyweight fight saw the fighters shake hands before getting down to business. Oleinik connected with his hands, while Latifi looked to land his own right. Latifi then landed a takedown, which of course put Oleinik in his wheelhouse. Oleinik trapped both of Latifi’s arms with overhooks, forcing the ref to consider standing them how. Latifi pulled one arm free, however, and the action was allowed to continue.

By the final minute, Oleinik had a cut opened up by an eye, possibly due to an accidental head butt. Latifi did get some strikes in, going body-head in the final minute. More impressively, he stayed out of danger in terms of submissions.

Round two saw Latifi fire an uppercut early, while Olienik looked to close the distance for a takedown. He fired wild over the top, with Latifi successfully countering. Latifi then landed a left hand; Oleinik fired a low kick. Oleinik put the pressure on, walking Latifi down and throwing looping punches and leg kicks. It wasn’t pretty, but was likely earning him points. When Latifi shot for a takedown, Oleinik sprawled. A second attempt, with more power behind it, landed for Latifi, however.

That gave the Swede 90 seconds to work. Latifi moved to side control, landing some nasty elbows and forcing Oleinik to scramble. Latifi had the back momentarily at the end of the round, before Latifi moved back to side control.

Oleinik pressed forward once again to start the third. Latifi answered him with a left hand. Latifi then feinted a takedown, which Oleinik fell for. Oleinik fired a knee shortly after, which Latifi answered with an uppercut. Clinching, they battled it out by the fence; Oleinik would land a knee, but Latifi had most of the control time. They’d go the distance, with Ilir Latifi the clear winner.

After the win, Latifi revealed that the bout was the last on his contract, and at 40 he was unsure of his future. He also said he’d picked up a staph infection in his leg two days out from the fight, but didn’t tell his coaches.

Official Result: Ilir Latifi def. Aleksei Oleinik by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

The post UFC Vegas 61: Ilir Latifi Avoids Aleksei Oleinik’s Submission Game, Wins Decision appeared first on Cageside Press.

None lived up to expectations that way Chimaev vs. Burns did, either. Considered the first true test of Chimaev at a high level, “Borz” came through, though not without some adversity. There was no “smeshing” at UFC 273 for a fighter used to quick finishes. Instead, it was a three-round war of attrition, back-and-forth with both fighters taking serious damage.

For their efforts, Chimaev and Burns picked up Fight of the Night at UFC 273 in Jacksonville, Florida. UFC President Dana White announced the news in comical fashion during the event’s post-fight press conference at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. “If I need to tell you what Fight of the Night is, you shouldn’t be here,” White quipped.

Performance of the Night bonuses at UFC 273 went to featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski, and 44-year old heavyweight Aleksei Oleinik. Volkanovski put his title on the line against The Korean Zombie, putting on a dominant performance that ended in a fourth round TKO.

Oleinik, seemingly ageless, was himself in danger of being submitted by opponent Jared Vanderaa. But the veteran grappler reversed position, and put Vanderaa away with a scarf-hold choke to secure his 60th win as a pro.

All four fighters will pocket an extra $50,000 for their efforts.

The post UFC 273: Volkanovski, Oleinik Earn Performance Bonuses, FOTN Goes to Chimaev-Burns appeared first on Cageside Press.

But with Oleinik’s 44 years comes a wealth of experience unrivaled in the major promotions. 76 fights, with 14 wins by the rarely seen Ezekiel choke (two of those have come inside the UFC octagon). At UFC 273, opponent Jared Vanderaa’s 12-7 record was dwarfed by Oleinik. He was also stepping in on short notice in a heavyweight scrap that had both men badly in need of a win.

Oleinik was once again hunting win number sixty. Once the fight went to the ground Saturday night, he locked it up.

Both fighters took the center of the octagon after a touch of gloves. A low kick from Oleinik followed by two looping hooks started the fight. Oleinik landed another jab and hook. Front kick from Oleinik, and he ate a stiff right hand. Oleinik pulled guard but Vanderaa defended. Vanderaa decided to go to follow Oleinik to the ground. Vanderaa caught Oleinik in a triangle and started landing punches. Oleinik survived and transitioned to Vanderaa’s back in a flash. Vanderaa survived Oleinik’s rear-naked choke but then got caught in a scarf hold. Vanderaa tried to pop his head out, but it was too late, and he was forced to trap.

Win # 6️⃣0️⃣ @OleynikUFC JUST DID THAT!

[ #UFC273 | Early Prelims on @UFCFightPass & E+ ] pic.twitter.com/XQmoeJ1xEZ

— UFC (@ufc) April 9, 2022

Oleinik snapped his three-fight losing streak, and obtained pro win #60, while handing Vandreaa his third straight loss. Vanderaa might be headed back to the regional scene in his next fight, though taking this match-up on short notice may just keep him on the roster for another go.

Official Result: Aleksei Oleinik def. Jared Vanderaa via submission (scarf-hold) Round 1, 3:39

The post UFC 273: Aleksei Oleinik Taps Jared Vanderaa With Scarf-Hold for Sixtieth Win appeared first on Cageside Press.

With Latifi pulling out of the bout, Oleinik has now been matched up with Jared Vanderaa, per an updated fight card on UFC.com. No reason has been given for Latifi’s withdrawal, but he did drop out of the pair’s original date this past weekend at UFC Columbus due to illness.

Oleinik vs. Vanderaa will be part of a six-fight main card at the UFC 273 Pay-Per-View, which is topped by a featherweight title fight featuring Alexander Volkanovski defending his belt against The Korean Zombie.

Oleinik (59-16-1), at 44, is the oldest fighter currently featured on the UFC roster. He’ll be looking to snap a three-fight skid against the much younger, and vastly less experienced Vanderaa (12-7).

Vanderaa has come up short in his last two fights, most recently losing a split decision against former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski. Oleinik, likewise, is coming off a decision loss to Sergey Spivak.

UFC 273 is set to take place at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday, April 9, 2022. The full card currently breaks down as follows:

• Alexander Volkanovski (c) vs. Chan Sung Jung – for the UFC featherweight championship
• Aljamain Sterling (c) vs. Petr Yan (ic) – for the UFC bantamweight championship / title unification bout
• Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev
• Mackenzie Dern vs. Tecia Torres
• Aleksei Oleinik vs. Jared Vanderaa
• Kelvin Gastelum vs. Dricus Du Plessis
• Aspen Ladd vs. Raquel Pennington
• Ian Garry vs. Darian Weeks
• Josh Fremd vs. Anthony Hernandez
• Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Marcin Tybura
• Mickey Gall vs. Mike Malott
• Julio Arce vs. Daniel Santos
• Mark Madsen vs. Vinc Pichel
• Kay Hansen vs. Piera Rodriguez

The post Latifi Out Again, Aleksei Oleinik Now Gets Jared Vanderaa at UFC 273 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Following the bout dropping off the UFC Columbus card due to Latifi falling ill, it has been moved to UFC 273 on April 9. UFC officials announced the move on Monday via the promotion’s official website. Oleinik also confirmed the new date via social media.

Oleinik (59-16-1) will be looking to snap a three-fight skid when he takes on Sweden’s Latifi (15-8, 1NC). In his past three bouts, Oleinik has fallen to Derrick Lewis, Chris Daukaus, and Sergey Spivak. At 44, he is the oldest active UFC fighter, and unquestionably the most experienced, with over 75 professional fights to his name.

Latifi recently returned to the win column, picking up a split decision victory against Canadian Tanner Boser. The victory marked Latifi’s first win as a heavyweight in the UFC.

UFC 273 takes place April 9, 2022 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. The following bouts have been reported for the card thus far:

Alexander Volkanovski (c) vs. Chan Sung Jung – for the UFC featherweight championship
Aljamain Sterling (c) vs. Petr Yan (ic) – for the UFC bantamweight championship / title unification bout
Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev
Mackenzie Dern vs. Tecia Torres
Ian Garry vs. Darian Weeks
Dricus du Plessis vs. Anthony Hernandez
Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Marcin Tybura
Mickey Gall vs. Mike Malott
Julio Arce vs. Daniel Santos
Mark Madsen vs. Vinc Pichel
Piera Rodriguez vs. Kay Hansen
Aspen Ladd vs. Raquel Pennington
Aleksei Oleinik vs. Ilir Latifi

The post After Misfire in Columbus, Aleksei Oleinik vs. Ilir Latifi Moved to UFC 273 appeared first on Cageside Press.

As much as he had defied father time through a career spanning over 75 professional fights, Aleksei Oleinik (59-16-1) found himself in must-win territory at the event.

Opposite Ilir Latifi (15-8), “The Boa Constrictor” was looking to snap a three-fight skid, while Sweden’s “Sledgehammer” himself was coming in off a lone win over Tanner Boser.

The fight just wasn’t to be, however. In a late withdrawal, Latifi dropped off the card, the result of a “non-COVID” related illness.

UFC officials confirmed the news as the UFC Columbus broadcast got underway. As a result, the welterweight bout between Neil Magny and Max Griffin, which had been penciled in as the night’s featured preliminary card fight, was promoted to the main card.

Sara McMann vs. Karol Rosa, a women’s bantamweight bout with the potential to propel Rosa into the title picture, moved to the featured prelim spot in turn.

UFC Columbus moves forward with 12 fights, including the heavyweight main event between Curtis Blaydes and Chris Daukaus. Left on the docket are:

• Curtis Blaydes vs. Chris Daukaus
• Joanne Wood vs. Alexa Grasso
• Matt Brown vs. Bryan Barberena
• Askar Askarov vs. Kai Kara-France
• Marc Diakiese vs. Viacheslav Borshchev
• Neil Magny vs. Max Griffin
• Sara McMann vs. Karol Rosa
• Chris Gutiérrez vs. Danaa Batgerel
• Aliaskhab Khizriev vs. Denis Tiuliulin
• Jennifer Maia vs. Manon Fiorot
• Matheus Nicolau vs. David Dvořák
• Luis Saldaña vs. Bruno Souza

The post UFC Columbus Loses Aleksei Oleinik vs. Ilir Latifi At Last Minute appeared first on Cageside Press.

BJPenn.com was first to report the news, which Latifi subsequently confirmed on social media.

Latifi (15-8) had been expected to face Alexander Romanov on February 19. However, as Romanov pulled out, it left “The Sledgehammer” in need of a new opponent.

The Swedish fighter last fought against Tanner Boser in June of last year, picking up a split decision win. That snapped a career-worst three-fight skid for Latifi. Since returning to heavyweight, where he fought prior to his UFC run, Ilir Latifi is 1-1.

Oleinik (59-16-1), now the oldest and most experienced fighter on the roster, was supposed to face off with Greg Hardy at UFC 270. Forced out of the fight, he’ll go up against Latifi in March looking to snap a three-fight losing streak, which has seen him fall short against Derrick Lewis, Chris Daukaus, and Sergey Spivak.

“The Boa Constrictor” holds notable wins over former UFC champ Fabricio Werdum, former title challenger Mark Hunt, and outside the UFC, the legendary Mirko Cro-Cop. Oleinik holds a mind-boggling 14 career finishes by way of Ezekiel choke — two of which have come inside the octagon.

No other fighter has successfully used the choke in UFC history.

UFC Columbus is set to take place on March 26, 2022 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The following match-ups have been reported for the card to date:

• Askar Askarov vs. Kai Kara-France
• Matt Brown vs. Bryan Barberena
• Michelle Waterson vs. Amanda Ribas
• Nate Landwehr vs. Lerone Murphy
• Joanne Wood vs. Alexa Grasso
• Tucker Lutz vs. Seung Woo Choi
• Sara McMann vs. Karol Rosa
• Montel Jackson vs. Danaa Batgerel
• Matheus Nicolau vs. David Dvořák
• Aliskhab Khizriev vs. Abusupiyan Magomedov
• Max Griffin vs. Neil Magny
• Bruno Souza vs. Luis Saldana
• Marc Diakiese vs. Viacheslav Borshchev
• Ilir Latifi vs. Aleksei Oleinik

The post With Romanov Fight Off, Ilir Latifi Gets Aleksei Oleinik at UFC Columbus appeared first on Cageside Press.

In place of Oleinik, Hardy will now face Moldovan heavyweight Sergei Spivak. “The Polar Bear” switching spots with “The Boa Constrictor” was first reported by Ariel Helwani.

Spivak (13-3) recently saw a three-fight winning streak snapped when he was finished by England’s Tom Aspinall back in September. Prior to that setback, the 26-year old had secured wins against Carlos Felipe, Jared Vanderaa, and Aleksei Oleinik — coincidentally the man he is now replacing.

Hardy (7-4, 1NC), the infamous former NFL star, is one the first losing streak of his fighting career. “The Prince of War” has lost back-to-back fights against Marcin Tybura and Tai Tuivasa, having been finished in both.

That means Hardy’s MMA experiment could be on life support.

The UFC 270 card takes place on Saturday, January 22 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The card currently breaks down as follows:

Francis Ngannou (c) vs. Ciryl Gane (ic) – for the UFC heavyweight championship
Brandon Moreno (c) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo – for the UFC flyweight championship
Cody Stamann vs. Said Nurmagomedov
Rodolfo Vieira vs. Wellington Turman
Tony Gravely vs. Saimon Oliveira
Raoni Barcelos vs. Victor Henry
Matt Frevola vs. Genaro Valdez
Trevin Giles vs. Michael Morales
Kay Hansen vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
TBA vs. Jack Della Maddalena
Michel Pereira vs. Andre Fialho
Silvana Gomez Juarez vs. Vanessa Demopoulos
Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Jourdain
Greg Hardy vs. Sergey Spivak

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