On Tuesday, automated service UFC Roster Watch noted the removal of multiple fighters from the promotion’s athlete database. Among them, longtime Canadian standout John Makdessi, who recently dropped a decision many saw as a robbery.

The full list of fighters let go (which could include releases or contracts simply not renewed) to date is as follows:

• JP Buys
• Carl Deaton
• Andre Fialho
• AJ Fletcher
• Kamuela Kirk
• Tucker Lutz
• John Makdessi
• Shane Young

Additionally, both Hannah Goldy and Jake Collier were removed from the roster earlier this month.

Buys confirmed his exit from the promotion on social media, writing a brief message on his Instagram Story. “Thank you and so long UFC. It’s never been easy for me but at the time I gave it all I had.”

Carl Deaton also confirmed his removal from the roster, thanking fans and adding “I’m in a new ring.” There’s no confirmation as to where Deaton has landed just yet.

Makdessi’s name, however, is likely the one that will take most fans by surprise. “The Bull” joined the promotion in 2010 and posted an 11-9 record through twenty fights with the company. Most recently, he was on the wrong end of a unanimous decision at UFC 293 in Sydney against Jamie Mullarkey — and made headlines after he revealed how much he had lost to taxes while fighting abroad in Australia.

Andre Fialho being out, meanwhile, doesn’t quite come as a shock having lost four straight. But as a sure-fire entertainer coming off a Fight of the Night bonus-winning effort, it’s still somewhat surprising to see him shown the door, even after the four-pack of setbacks. In seven fights with the promotion, Fialho bagged three post-fight bonuses.

The post John Makdessi, Andre Fialho Among Multiple Names Removed from UFC Roster appeared first on Cageside Press.

“Blessed as always. Woke up this morning, that was a great start,” McGhee told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“Getting the finish was a great mid-day thing.”

With the full camp done for this one McGhee was able to avoid cutting a lot of weight in a short amount of time which definitely seemed to help his performance in the octagon.

“I feel good about it (my performance). I think I did what I was supposed to do. I wanted to pull the trigger a little sooner, but I also told myself to be free in there, not to chase anything, and to pick my shots,” he said.

“Part of me was like, I wanted to be my normal self, and be like throw 300 things right off the bat, overload this guy, get everybody ah-ing and oooh-ing. Another part of me was like just be calm, be composed, find a shot, let’s win this fight.”

With now two UFC victories under his belt McGhee looks to fight at least one more time in 2023.

“Soon as possible. I was talking to my manager, he was saying a quick turnaround, so that’d be good too. At least one more this year that’s the plan,” he said.

“When it happens, who it happens against, we’ll figure that all out, but at least one more this year would be great. If it makes money, it makes dollars, it makes sense.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Marcus McGhee above.

The post Marcus McGhee Happy With Full Camp, Wants One More Fight In 2023 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Buys had lost all three of his fights in the UFC prior to Saturday, after earning a spot in the promotion on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020.

McGhee flashed a spinning kick early, while Buys worked his jab. McGhee hit home with a leg kick, while Buys landed a right. A fair amount of action played out early in the round, mostly single strikes. But a 1-2 by McGhee appeared to stun Buys just a little, after both the jab and follow-up right hit the mark.

Moments later, McGhee put the fight away. He stepped into a right hand that dropped Buys face-down on the canvas. McGhee chose not to fire any follow-up strikes, saving Buys from unnecessary damage. Buys, who didn’t seem to know where he was, instinctively went after a leg, but the ref was already waving off the fight!

OH MY GOODNESS 😳😳😳@ManiacMcGhee07 just did that! #UFCVegas78 pic.twitter.com/pgB7pBTOmb

— UFC (@ufc) August 12, 2023

McGhee now has two stoppages in two UFC fights. And UFC Vegas 78 saw seven straight finishes play out on the preliminary card.

Official Result: Marcus McGhee def. JP Buys by knockout, Round 1, 2:19

The post UFC Vegas 78: Marcus McGhee Drops JP Buys with Right for Walk-Off KO appeared first on Cageside Press.

Although Qileng actually does hail from China, many saw the comments as implying that Durden didn’t see foreigners as welcome stateside. But after Durden was annihilated by Muhammad Mokaev at UFC London back in March, all that was quickly forgotten.

At UFC Vegas 57, Durden returned, looking to avoid a third loss in four outings when he went up against JP Buys. The South African, who had won his way into the promotion on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020, had lost his first two bouts inside the octagon.

With the affair underway on Saturday, Buys opened with a high kick; he’d later land to the calf. But Durden wobbled the South African within the first 30 seconds! They’d tie up, Durden looking for a takedown. Back at center, Durden rocked Buys again! Buys had shot in wild, and paid for it, ending up dropped. Durden swarmed with hammer fists. Though the ref gave JP Buys plenty of time to defend or escape, he pretty much just wound up battered.

“I belong here!” Cody Durden hollered after the win, admitting in his post-fight interview that he had faced a fair amount of adversity in his last fight, and had been looking to prove something Saturday.

Official Result: Cody Durden def. JP Buys by TKO (punches), Round 1, 1:08

The post UFC Vegas 57: Cody Durden Overwhelms JP Buys Early appeared first on Cageside Press.

Posting a 4-2 record since entering the UFC in 2018, Montel Jackson was sitting comfortably in the UFC’s bantamweight division. Entering UFC Vegas 37 on Saturday night, he was looking to make it two in a row against South Africa’s JP Buys.

With wife Cheyanne Buys having picked up a big win earlier this year, it was JP’s turn to shine, after faltering in his promotional debut back in March.

Buys attempted to get the fight to the ground early against Jackson, his first takedown was stuffed, and soon ate a clean left straight from Jackson. But Buys did get the second takedown he attempted and almost immediately made his way to mount. Jackson gave up his back and Buys nearly got the rear-naked choke, but Jackson did a good job of fighting out of the choke. Jackson made his way to the top where he attempted a standing guillotine choke but Buys fought out of that as well. The scrambles were by far the biggest story of the hectic round one.

Jackson came out and dropped Buys almost immediately to start round two with two heavy left hands. Buys quickly recovered and made his way back to his feet where he jumped a guillotine attempt on Jackson, where Jackson walked him over to the other side of the cage and slammed him down to get out of the choke. Jackson got out of the choke and made his way back to the feet, where he dropped Buys again with a straight right. Despite the knockdowns and damage, Buys survived to see round three.

Jackson opened the third round with a clean 1-2 that dropped Buys hard again. Jackson dove on with the ground and pound but let Buys back to his feet, but there was a brief halt in the action following a knee downstairs in the clinch by Jackson. Following the quick break, Jackson knocked Buys down again with a straight right, but Jackson let him up this time. The fight soon went to the ground with Buys pulling guard, and seemingly against all odds the fight went to a decision.

Utter domination by Montel Jackson, who sets a new bantamweight record for most knockdowns in a fight with four.

Official Result: Montel Jackson def. JP Buys via unanimous decision (30-27 3x)

The post UFC Vegas 37 Results: Montel Jackson Dominates JP Buys appeared first on Cageside Press.

MMA DNA was first to report the news that Jackson will now face JP Buys, who will be moving up a weight class, on September 18 at UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Spann. Buys subsequently confirmed the booking on social media.

Jackson (10-2) got back to his winning ways in March when he finished Jesse Strader in less than two minutes. Before that, he has his three-fight win streak snapped against Brett Johns last year at UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2 on ‘Fight Island.’ “Quik” would lose a unanimous decision. Jackson is 4-2 in the octagon since joining the promotion in 2018.

Buys (9-3) had his five-fight win streak snapped when he lost his promotional debut to Bruno Silva. He was knocked out in the second round. “Young Savage” received a UFC contract on season four of Dana White’s Contender Series when he submitted Jacob Silva.

The South African last fought at bantamweight in 2019, and was an EFC champ at 135lbs. However, he dropped to flyweight for his DWCS appearance last year, and remained there upon joining the big show.

No location, venue, or broadcast plan has been announced for the September 18 event, but UFC President Dana White said that all Fight Nights will be staying at the Apex in Las Vegas, NV.

So far, the Fight Night card looks like this:

• Anthony Smith vs. Ryan Spann
• Pannie Kianzad vs. Raquel Pennington
• Montel Jackson vs. JP Buys
• Christos Giagos vs. Arman Tsarukyan
• Dakota Bush vs. Zhu Rong
• Devin Clark vs. Ion Cutelaba
• Mike Rodriguez vs. Tafon Nchukwi
• Impa Kasanganay vs. Carlston Harris
• Jim Miller vs. Nikolas Motta
• Gustavo Lopez vs. Heili Alateng
• Antonio Arroyo vs. Joaquin Buckley
• Cory McKenna vs. Emily Whitmire

The post Montel Jackson Gets New Opponent For September 18 UFC Event, JP Buys appeared first on Cageside Press.

That, however, was quickly remedied on Monday. First reported by Ag.Fight, replacing Flick will be recent UFC debutant JP Buys. Buys confirmed the booking on social media, thanking his manager and the promotion’s matchmakers for affording him the quick turnaround, short-notice fight.

Buys (9-3), who won his way into the UFC as part of Dana White’s Contender Series last year, made his octagon debut just last month. It did not go as planned. Competing on the same card as wife Cheyanne, also making her promotional debut, Buys lost via knockout against Bruno Silva. The loss snapped a five-fight win streak for Buys.

With Cheyanne Buys also losing that night, there’s little surprise at seeing either fighter chomping at the bit for a short turnaround. But when he does return on May 8, the South African known as “Young Savage” will go up against Francisco Figueiredo. Brother of UFC flyweight champ Deiveson Figueiredo, Francisco (12-3-1) won his own promotional debut earlier this year on Fight Island.

Thanks to the switch-up in opponents, the UFC’s May 8 card now breaks down as follows:

Cory Sandhagen vs. T.J. Dillashaw
Jun Yong Park vs. Tafon Nchukwi
Zarrukh Adashev vs. Ryan Benoit
Maurice Greene vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima[
Christian Aguilera vs. Carlston Harris
Damir Hadžović vs. Nikolas Motta
Diego Sanchez vs. Donald Cerrone
Ben Rothwell vs. Philipe Lins
Angela Hill vs. Amanda Ribas
Neil Magny vs. Geoff Neal
Michael Trizano vs. Ľudovít Klein
Francisco Figueiredo vs. JP Buys

The post With Jimmy Flick Retired, JP Buys Steps in Against Francisco Figueiredo appeared first on Cageside Press.

Buys made his promotional debut on Saturday, taking on Bruno Silva in the card-opener at UFC Vegas 22. The flyweight from South Africa had won his way into the promotion on last year’s edition of Dana White’s Contender Series, in what was actually his second appearance on the show.

Making a little bit of history on Saturday, Buys, alongside wife Cheyanne, became the first husband and wife duo to make their UFC debut on the same night. A win, of course, would make things even sweeter.

Brazil’s Silva, mind you, would have something to say about that. But his first statement was a low blow landed squarely between the legs of Buys. As soon as the action had started, it was paused. Luckily, not for long; Buys was able to continue, but ate a number of calf kicks from Silva. Moments later, however, the action was paused again when Silva landed a poke to Buys’ eye.

On the second restart, the pair went to the ground, Silva getting on top. He nearly passed to guard, and by the midway point of the round, Buys had been fouled twice, with no point deduction, and controlled on the mat. When he made it back up, Buys was slammed back down face-first.

The first round did not belong to Buys, whose brightest moments came in the second half, using a kimura to stop another takedown from Bruno Silva, and holding his own grappling along the fence. The second round didn’t start much better. Buys was planted on his back right in the center of the cage. He would scramble up, only to be forced to block a head kick on the break.

As the round progressed, Buys finally got his hands going, and added a nasty standing elbow off a clinch. Silva, not lost on the feet himself, then dropped Buys, with a solid right. In survival mode, Buys rolled out of harm’s way, but was rocked again on the way up and went back down. Buys was then under heavy fire, but somehow survived, struggling back to his feet — only to be rocked once more moments later. The ref, having seen enough, made the save.

WOULDN'T BE DENIED 😤

🦴 @BrunoBuldogUFC finishes the newcomer in RD 2!

[ #UFCVegas22 – LIVE on ESPNews and #ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/TGE8pGBDA9

— UFC (@ufc) March 21, 2021

It wasn’t Buys’ night, but it was a big night for Bruno Silva, who earned his first UFC win in the bout.

Official Result: Bruno Silva def. JP Buys by TKO (punches), Round 2, 2:56

The post UFC Vegas 22 Results: Bruno Silva Spoils JP Buys’ Debut appeared first on Cageside Press.

For UFC Vegas 22 we will take a look at some fighters with only a few (5 or less) fights in the UFC, rather than those fighters that are long-time UFC veterans with a bunch of finishes with the promotion.

Gustavo Lopez (12-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC)

Total Number of Pro MMA Finishes: 11

Via KO/TKO:  5

Via Submission: 6

Total Number of UFC Finishes: 1

Via KO/TKO: 0

Via Submission: 1

(Anthony Birchak)

Gustavo Lopez is a former Combate Americas Bantamweight Champion who is a grappling specialist, though he does have power in his hands. Lopez not only has six submission finishes on his record, but has done it with multiple different submissions. (Von Flue Choke, Guillotine Choke and Rear Naked Choke)

Lopez also has multiple finishes via ground n’ pound. Gustavo’s three-fight first round finish streak beginning at the end of 2018 is what got him the call up to the UFC. A 50 second finish of Vicente Marquez via submission, a 2:19 finish of Jose Alday via gound n’ pound and a 1:45 finish of Joey Ruquet via a single punch.

Gustavo Lopez got his opportunity in the UFC just last year when made his debut against Merab Dvalishvili. In his next fight, and his most recent one, Gustavo finished Anthony Birchak with a rear naked choke in the first round, capturing his first UFC win.

Gustavo Lopez is the best Bantamweight in @combateamericas & 1 of the best anywhere. STILL the Champ 🏆, in impressive fashion. #CombateTahoe pic.twitter.com/bc0Yvi87Wh

— Maximiliano Bretos (@MaxBretosSports) August 24, 2019

The post Finishing the Fight: UFC Vegas 22 appeared first on Cageside Press.

]]> https://cagesidepress.com/2021/03/19/finishing-the-fight-ufc-vegas-22/feed/ 0 https://cagesidepress.com/2021/02/15/bruno-silva-vs-jp-buys-set-for-ufc-fight-night-on-march-20/ https://cagesidepress.com/2021/02/15/bruno-silva-vs-jp-buys-set-for-ufc-fight-night-on-march-20/#respond Tue, 16 Feb 2021 01:55:24 +0000 https://cagesidepress.com/?p=94435 UFC flyweight JP Buys will make his UFC debut next month. MMA DNA was the first to report that Brazilian flyweight Bruno Silva will welcome Buys to the UFC on March 20. Buys (9-2) had a rollercoaster of a 2020 but is finally making his UFC debut after winning a UFC contract on Dana White’s […]

The post Bruno Silva vs. JP Buys Set For UFC Fight Night On March 20 appeared first on Cageside Press.

]]> UFC flyweight JP Buys will make his UFC debut next month.

MMA DNA was the first to report that Brazilian flyweight Bruno Silva will welcome Buys to the UFC on March 20.

Buys (9-2) had a rollercoaster of a 2020 but is finally making his UFC debut after winning a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. Buys was scheduled to fight Nate Smith twice on season four of DWCS but the fight never happened. The pair were first set to fight in week two, but the bout was rescheduled three weeks later. The South African had to pull out of the fight a second time because of travel issues due to the coronavirus pandemic. He was replaced by Jimmy Flick, who won the fight and earned his own UFC contract.

Hope was not lost for Buys as he got his chance to fight for a contract again in the final week of the show, in the main event. Buys defeated Jacob Silva via guillotine choke to finally secure a UFC deal.

Buys will also join his wife, Cheyanne Buys, on March 20 as she makes her UFC debut.

Silva (10-5-2) may be fighting for his job in March as he has lost all three of his UFC fights so far. He first lost to Khalid Taha via submission, only to have the loss got overturned due to Taha’s failed drug test. Next, Silva lost to David Dvorák and Tagir Ulanbekov both via unanimous decision.

As of now, the UFC’s March 20 fight night card looks like this:

• Derek Brunson vs. Kevin Holland
• Cheyanne Buys vs. Kay Hansen
• Julia Avila vs. Julija Stoliarenko
• Max Griffin vs. Song Kenan
• Gustavo Lopez vs. Adrian Yanez
• Dricus Du Plessis vs. Trevin Giles
• Paul Craig vs. Jamahal Hill
• Don’Tale Mayes vs. Tai Tuivasa
• Grant Dawson vs. Leonardo Santos
• JP Buys vs. Bruno Silva

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