“To be honest I’m not truly happy with my performance,” Khizriev told Cageside Press through a translator at his post-fight scrum.

“A win is a win, but I just didn’t feel like I was fully there. My normal level of energy was not present, and I think it’s partially because of Ramadan. Normally I don’t have problem with weight cutting, and this time I had a little problem getting there.”

Khizriev (15-0) normally has to deal with opponents trying to stay on the feet in order to avoid his grappling. Johns opted to grapple with the Russian.

“No (I was) not surprised by his wrestling. As a matter of fact I felt like that’s actually the only chance he had. With striking I think he realized he doesn’t have a chance with me. I’m not really happy with the way I was on the ground today,” he said.

“I know he has wrestling. He fought cool guys like (Aljamain) Sterling.”

With the way the point system works during the regular season it’s possible Khizriev will need a first round finish his next fight out.

“Overall it wasn’t the best performance. I wanted to finish the first round here as well. Next one I’ll do my best to finish up by the first round,” said Khizriev.

“It was a tough guy.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Timur Khizriev above.

The post Timur Khizriev Disappointed With His Performance appeared first on Cageside Press.

That fight, however, won’t be happening. With Gallagher pulling out a month and a half before the fight, Johns instead will face the unheralded Jordan Winski — while hoping that the Gallagher match-up can be put back together down the road.

“I was super annoyed about it, you know?” Johns (18-3) told Cageside Press in a recent exclusive interview when asked about his reaction to Gallagher pulling out. “With how big the fight was, even in regards to sponsorships— I didn’t even need to open my mouth, that fight sold itself. It was a big fight. Unfortunately six weeks before the fight, he pulled out. At least we got a replacement.”

Johns went on to add that “the good thing with me is, regardless of who the fight’s against, when I sign the contract, I turn up to fight. I turn up on that day and I fight, regardless of who it is.”

Through “four scheduled bouts with Bellator,” Johns noted that “in three of them there’s been pullouts of some sort.” Still, he’s not sweating the unpredictable nature of the fight game. “It does happen, I don’t feel I’ve been unlucky with that side of things.”

Johns also believes the bout with Irish star Gallagher could still be on the table.

“That James Gallagher fight, it’s still in my sights,” Johns added in regards to the original match-up. “Obviously I’ve got to concentrate on Jordan Winski first. Jordan is a fight that I’m not overlooking, I know how good he is and I know how awkward he can be in his fights. We’ve got to get that win over him first, and then we’ll start screaming, crying, and kicking a fuss up about fighting James Gallagher next.”

Jordan “I’m Gonna” Winski may have the best nickname in combat sports, but he’s not exactly a household name. That having been said, Johns is not taking his lesser known opponent any more lightly than the original booking.

“I’ve watched a couple of his older fights, I haven’t really been able to see some of the newer fights,” Johns admitted. “He’s got a good record, he’s a tough guy. He’s fought some okay guys on the regional circuit.”

“I do feel like I’m that next step up a level,” Johns opined. “I think he’s going to come undone, and he’s going to struggle a little bit.” The Welsh star also feels as though he has the edge in all areas. “Striking, wrestling, grappling, you know. But having said that, I feel like he’s had fights in the past where he’s been fighting guys who spoke exactly the same as I’m speaking, but they struggled in their fight. So he’s not a fight that I’m taking lightly. He’s a super-tough guy, veteran of the game like myself. I know full well that it’s not going to be an easy night at the office, but we’re prepared for that.”

Brett Johns vs. Jordan Winski takes place this Friday, September 23, 2022 at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.

The post Brett Johns Still Hoping to Face James Gallagher Following Bellator 285 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Ireland’s James Gallagher (11-2) will face Brett Johns (18-3) at the event, set for the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland on September 23. Cageside Press confirmed the booking with a source familiar with the situation on Thursday, following an initial report by Ariel Helwani.

For Gallagher, a.k.a. “The StrabAnimal,” the fight is a chance to bounce back from a loss to Patchy Mix last November. The defeat was just the second of his pro career.

Gallagher had been expected to take part in the promotion’s bantamweight grand prix, which kicked off last month. However, the Strabane native was forced to pull out due to injury.

Brett Johns, hailing from Swansea, Wales, got back in the win column this past February. After dropping his promotional debut to Danny Sabatello, Johns finished Khurshed Kakhorov via TKO at Bellator 275 — which also took place in Dublin.

The second Bellator Dublin card of 2022 is expected to feature two other highly anticipated match-ups. In one, Yoel Romero, fresh off his first win in the promotion last week, will face off with fellow veteran Melvin Manhoef. That fight was supposed to happen at Bellator 280 in Paris, only for an injured Manhoef to be forced to withdraw.

The other fight announced sees ex-UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson taking on former Bellator title challenger Peter Queally.

The post James Gallagher vs. Brett Johns Set for Bellator Dublin In September appeared first on Cageside Press.

Things looked very different at Bellator 275 on Friday, with Johns (18-3) bouncing back care of a third-round TKO win against Khurshed Kakhorov.

Getting that win, and making it a statement, “I think it’s important for me,” Johns told media outlets following the fight. “At the end of the day, look, I’m not one to stand here and make excuses. But the last time just didn’t feel right, I guess you could say. I lost to the better guy on the night, I’m not denying that, but one thing I will say, I think the change of opponent six days out with a change of style, it wasn’t in my favor.”

After a tough year in 2021, the Welsh standout said Friday that “I wanted to start this year off with a bang. I’ve got a lot of things [riding] on this year. Like I said, I want to get back to my winning ways. Tonight I did it, and I’m just happy to get the stoppage as well.”

Moving forward, Johns is hoping to lead the charge for a Bellator card in Wales. The promotion has made frequent visits to England and Ireland, but the company has yet to set foot in Johns’ homeland.

“My only job was to leave here with a win, and there was one more. We’ve had major organizations come to Ireland, come to Northern Ireland, come to Scotland, come to England, but little old Wales is still waiting for that big event. And I think Bellator can do that,” Johns exclaimed. “Now we’ve got the guys for the job. We’ve got the boys there that can do that job. We want to bring her over to Wales. I’ve had to bring a ferry full of people over the little river between Wales and Ireland. I want that show, and I’ve pleaded to Scott Coker, let’s have a Bellator Wales, let’s do it!”

Watch the full Bellator 275 post-fight press scrum with Brett Johns above.

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Johns (17-3) is set to face Khurshed Kakhorov (8-0) at Bellator 275 on February 25, 2022 at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. Cageside Press confirmed the booking with a source familiar with the situation, following an initial report by TJ Sport.

Come fight night, Johns will be looking to secure his first win under the Bellator promotional banner. He debuted for the organization last year, off the strength of back-to-back wins in the UFC. The Welsh fighter would come up short against Danny Sabatello at Bellator 259 in May, however.

Johns had been expected to return to action in October against fellow UFC ex-pat Erick Perez. With Perez pulling out of the bout, Johns was left without a fight.

Khurshed Kakhorov will also be entering the Bellator cage for the second time when he takes on “The Pikey.” Undefeated through eight fights as a pro, he picked up a unanimous decision win in his promotional debut, against Jair Junior.

Bellator 275 is expected to be headlined by a middleweight title fight, with Gegard Mousasi defending his 185lb championship against Austin Vanderford. The following bouts have been reported for the event thus far:

Gegard Mousasi (c) vs. Austin Vanderford — for the Bellator MMA middleweight championship
Peter Queally vs. Kane Mousah
Leah McCourt vs. Sinead Kavanagh
Charlie Leary vs. Davy Gallon
Junior Morgan vs. Darragh Kelly
Danni McCormack vs. Stephanie Ielö
Page Nathan Kelly vs. Scott Pedersen
Khasan Magomedsharipov vs. Jose Sanchez
Khurshed Kakhorov vs. Brett Johns
Brian Moore vs. Jornel Lugo

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Long a UFC bantamweight, Johns (17-2) last fought inside the octagon last July when he earned a unanimous decision against Montel Jackson. It was the Shore MMA fighter’s second consecutive win — but his final bout for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Instead, he signed as a free agent with Bellator, looking to be paid his worth, and perhaps rekindle the fire that had dampened in him.

“I feel like I’m happier now,” Johns told media outlets including Cageside Press at this week’s Bellator 259 virtual media day.

People ask Johns what skills he’s been working on during his time away, he observed. The answer, “obviously I work on skills every day. But I worked on my own personal [issues], being more happy at what I do. Back in 2018 when the fights took place, I remember going through that period of time and it was more a 9 to 5 job, and not this passion that I love doing.”

The fights Johns is referring to were a pair of losses to top 135lb’ers in Pedro Munhoz and Aljamain Sterling. But from the sounds of it, as he makes the crossover in promotions in a “good fight for sure” against Danny Sabatello, Johns is in a better place.

“I’m happy to be here, I’m treated very well as a fighter. I haven’t got any bad things to say about the company. I’m just excited to add my bit to this promotion,” Johns stated.

Watch the full Bellator 259 media day scrum with Brett Johns above.

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The signing of Nurmagomedov was announced via press release on Friday. Johns joining the promotion was first reported by ESPN.

Usman Nurmagomedov (11-0) most recently fought for Fight Nights Global, and has also competed for Brave CF, UAE Warriors, and GFC, among others. Among his eleven victories as a pro, the Dagestani fighter has ten finishes.

“With today’s signing of Usman Nurmagomedov, we are making it clear that Bellator is home to the best fighters on the planet and an organization where the sport’s future stars are coming to compete,” Bellator President Scott Coker said in Friday’s press release. “I am thrilled to have Usman join the promotion and he will be placed in an immediate position to showcase his skills and contend at 155-pounds. We hope to have him in action inside the Bellator cage by December or January.”

Nurmagomedov has previously appeared on our own Weekly MMA Prospect Report several times, and was one of our 10 Prospects the UFC Should Sign in 2020. Clearly, Bellator beat the competition to the punch.

Brett Johns (17-2), meanwhile, becomes an instant contender in Bellator’s bantamweight division. New champion Juan Archuleta rules the roost there, with Sergio Pettis in all likelihood the number one contender. In his UFC tenure, Johns went 5-2 inside the octagon.

Nurmagomedov and Johns will be joined by Rustam Khabilov (24-4), who leaves the UFC off a win at UFC Moscow last year. Among other recent signings, Bellator has also picked up former UFC fighter Jeremy Kennedy, Jared Scoggins (brother of ex-UFC flyweight Justin Scoggins), Bryce Logan, Levan Chokheli, Alan Omer, Jaylon Bates (whose signing was first reported by Cageside Press), Jaleel Willis, Desiree Yanez, Arbi Mezhidov, Randi Field, Steven MacDonald, Jose Augusto, Cody Law, Justin Gonzales, and Invicta FC flyweight champ Vanessa Porto.

The post Brett Johns, Usman Nurmagomedov Among Flurry of Bellator Signings appeared first on Cageside Press.

Among the other notable layoffs from Saturday’s card is Brett Johns. The Welshman took a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Montel Jackson winning 29-28 on each of the judges scorecards. In the first round of the fight, Johns was dropped with a shot, but recovered to win the last two rounds. He’s looking at 45 days on the shelf. Jackson, on the other hand, only faces seven days off from the bout.

Also of note, Kelvin Gastelum appears to have sustained no structural damage to his knee following a heel hook loss to Jack Hermansson. The second leg lock finish of the night only resulted in a mere seven day mandatory suspension for Gastelum.

Because of the lack of a governing body at the events in Abu Dhabi, the suspensions are handed down internally by the UFC and reported out.

Deiveson Figueiredo – 7 days
Joseph Benavidez – 45 days
Jack Hermansson – 7 days
Kelvin Gastelum – 7 days
Rafael Fiziev – 30 days
Marc Diakiese – 30 days
Luana Carolina – 180 days or until cleared by MRI on left knee
Ariane Lipski – 7 days
Askar Askarov – 7 days
Alexandre Pantoja – 7 days
Roman Dolidze – 7 days
Khadis Ibragimov – 45 days
Grant Dawson – 7 days
Nad Narimani – 30 days
Joel Alvarez – 7 days
Joesph Duffy – 7 days
Brett Johns – 45 days
Montel Jackson – 7 days
Amir Albazi – 7 days
Malcolm Gordon – 7 days
Arman Tsarukyan – 30 days
Davi Ramos – 45 days
Serghei Spivak – 7 days
Carlos Felipe – 7 days

Numbers originally reported by Kirik Jenness

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Securing his second straight win at UFC Fight Island 2 was Welsh bantamweight Brett Johns. Although, after picking up a unanimous decision win over Montel Jackson, he almost sounded more like a fighter coming off a loss.

“I think my coaches are going to slap me about after this. I’ve been saying this for the last hour or so: I’m not particularly happy with my performance,” he told Cageside Press following the win. Johns (17-2) was dropped in the fight, which may have something to do with it. “But there was a lot of adversity going into this camp. My actual preparation for the fight was fantastic. Just with a new team and stuff, was a different experience.”

Of course, overcoming adversity in a fight could be seen as a positive, Johns noted. “I showed a different character. Not that you plan on getting dropped in a fight. But that side of it does happen and you’ve got to try and get on top of that and win,” he observed. “It was a tough fight, it was a prospect I was fighting tonight as well. Which is another thing off my bucket list of people to fight. Someone who’s an up-and-comer, very dangerous, three-fight win streak.”

In fact, said Johns, “I felt like I was brought in here to lose to someone like him.”

If that was the case, it didn’t happen. The matchmakers got it wrong. But at only 28, Brett Johns has plenty of room for growth himself. Especially now that he’s with a new team, and coach Richard Shore. If that name sounds familiar, it should: son Jack Shore is currently a UFC fighter. One who picked up his own win an event prior.

When we spoke to Jack Shore, he addressed the topic of Welsh MMA, saying “give us five years and we’re going to take over.”

Johns agrees. When it comes to Shore MMA, “they’re creating these absolute monsters in the gym. And it’s amazing, because nobody’s listening to us right now. We’re telling people that we’re creating these monsters, and nobody is listening.”

Remember those words. “But give us five years and these names are going to be so loud that you can’t avoid them,” Johns added. “People like Oban Elliott. Then up-and-comers who are coming through the ranks. We’ve got youngsters there who are absolutely terrifying. To be honest, I’m just happy to be part of that team and happy to be part of that list of killers.”

Watch our full UFC Fight Island 2 virtual post-fight interview with Brett Johns above.

The post UFC Fight Island 2: Brett Johns Says Gym is “Creating Monsters, but Nobody’s Listening” appeared first on Cageside Press.

Welsh fighter Brett Johns was back in action at UFC Fight Island 2 on Saturday. After a promising start to his career in the UFC’s bantamweight division, “The Pikey” had stumbled in steps up in competition against Aljamain Sterling and Pedro Munhoz. However, he’d bounced back against Tony Gravely in his last bout, and was looking to put together a modest win streak against Montel Jackson.

Jackson, a Contender Series alum, had won three straight coming into the night.

Jackson was very cautious in the early moments of the fight, while Johns was trying to get in on the taller fighter. Johns got the single leg quickly but was unable to get the takedown. Jackson eventually got a takedown of his own, but Johns got up quickly and returned the favor by getting his own takedown. Jackson was able to scramble up to his feet and did a good job of framing Johns off before landing a thunderous 1-2 that dropped Johns. Jackson jumped on top and landed some ground and pound but Johns did a good job of locking Jackson down and going for an armbar off his back to survive the round.

Johns jumped in on a single leg to start the round and did a good job of dragging Jackson down. Jackson was able to get up and defend well enough, but Johns was absolutely relentless in the grappling. Jackson shrugged Johns off and landed a nice combination but once again Johns was on him and got the takedown. He eventually got Jackson’s back and started to look for the rear-naked-choke. Jackson was able to fight off the choke and move into full guard where Johns tried to get the triangle choke but couldn’t lock it in. Jackson would then end the round on top.

Jackson tried pumping the jab to start round three, but Johns was once again in on a single leg takedown. Jackson did a good job of stuffing it at first, but Johns dragged him down again. Jackson was able to get his way back to the feet and landed a 1-2 but Johns was in on a takedown once again. Jackson was able to get up again and landed a 1-2 followed by a head kick. They treaded elbows in the clinch, and Johns got a big takedown in the final 90 seconds. Johns nearly got the back again but Jackson fought it off and shot for a takedown of his own. Johns went for a guillotine off the takedown and nearly got it, but Jackson fought out and they ended the fight in the clinch.

Official Result: Brett Johns def. Montel Jackson via unanimous decision (29-28 3x) 

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