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	<title>Kevin Natividad Archives - Cageside Press</title>
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	<title>Kevin Natividad Archives - Cageside Press</title>
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	<item>
		<title>LFA 220: Tanner vs. Cyr Full Results</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2025/10/25/lfa-220-results/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Staff]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 25 Oct 2025 21:00:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Results & Recaps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian Natividad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kasey Tanner]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kevin Natividad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LFA 220]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Cyr]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=216719</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Natividad brothers returned to action at LFA 220, a card headlined by a bantamweight showdown between Kasey Tanner and Michael Cyr. Both Tanner and Cyr sported identical 8-1 records to start the night, with Michael Cyr having earned a couple of titles in smaller promotions since his last walk to the LFA cage. Kevin [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/10/25/lfa-220-results/" data-wpel-link="internal">LFA 220: Tanner vs. Cyr Full Results</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Natividad brothers returned to action at LFA 220, a card headlined by a bantamweight showdown between Kasey Tanner and Michael Cyr.</p>
<p>Both Tanner and Cyr sported identical 8-1 records to start the night, with Michael Cyr having earned a couple of titles in smaller promotions since his last walk to the LFA cage.</p>
<p>Kevin Natividad and brother Christian, meanwhile, were looking for a way into, or in Kevin&#8217;s case back to, the UFC. Kevin had gone 0-3 in his first stint with the big show, and was g for the first time since a loss Ricky Turcios in 2022, Natividad&#8217;s final UFC bout (several match-ups had fallen through in the ensuing years). Brother Christian, however, was a perect 7-0 with all seven victories coming under the LFA banner.</p>
<p>Where to Watch LFA 220</p>
<p><em>LFA 220 takes place at the Arizona Financial Theatre in Phoenix, AZ on Saturday, October 25, 2025. The main card streams live on<a href="http://ufc.tv" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer"> UFC Fight Pass</a> starting at 10PM ET, 7PM PT following online prelims. Full results can be found below.</em></p>
<h3>LFA 220: Tanner vs. Cyr Results</h3>
<p>Kasey Tanner def. Michael Cyr via Unanimous Decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)<br />
Christian Natividad def. Jostin Quilca via R1 TKO, 3:07<br />
Ernesto Ibarra def. Kyle Estrada via R1 TKO, 4:02<br />
Ryan Kuse def. Kevin Natividad via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)<br />
Chance Ikei def. Jordan Burkholder via R1 SUB (RNC), 4:50<br />
Leslie Hernandez def. Flor Hernandez via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)<br />
Livio Ribeiro def. Richard Mahan via R1 SUB (RNC), 2:36<br />
Jarom Woodbury def. David Gladfelter via UD<br />
Delton Kaufmann def. Caleb Jensen via R1 TKO, 3:08<br />
Nolan Linebaugh def. Will Hughes via UD<br />
Alex Ortiz def. Matthew Chenault via R3 TKO, 1:13<br />
Quayshan Randelson def. Issouf Doumbia via R2 TKO, 3:56<br />
Brayan Mancilla def. Emmanuel Hill via R1 KO, 0:28</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/10/25/lfa-220-results/" data-wpel-link="internal">LFA 220: Tanner vs. Cyr Full Results</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>Natividad Brothers Aim for Breakthrough Night at LFA 220 in Phoenix</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2025/10/23/natividad-brothers-aim-for-breakthrough-night-at-lfa-220-in-phoenix/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Eddie Law]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Oct 2025 19:56:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LFA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MMA News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian Natividad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kevin Natividad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LFA 220]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=216530</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Natividad brothers are set to make it a family affair at LFA 220 this Saturday in Phoenix, Arizona, as both Kevin and Christian step into the spotlight on home turf. In a night that could redefine their paths, the duo looks to deliver statement performances in front of a hometown crowd eager to see [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/10/23/natividad-brothers-aim-for-breakthrough-night-at-lfa-220-in-phoenix/" data-wpel-link="internal">Natividad Brothers Aim for Breakthrough Night at LFA 220 in Phoenix</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<article class="text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&amp;:has([data-writing-block])&gt;*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id="request-WEB:ccfcc9ad-7c01-49d5-a3d2-1ea2df34498c-9" data-testid="conversation-turn-20" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn="assistant">
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<p data-start="0" data-end="314" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">The Natividad brothers are set to make it a family affair at LFA 220 this Saturday in Phoenix, Arizona, as both Kevin and Christian step into the spotlight on home turf.</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="314" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">In a night that could redefine their paths, the duo looks to deliver statement performances in front of a hometown crowd eager to see them rise.</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="314" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">For <a href="https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/67449-kevin-natividad" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">Kevin</a> (9-4) Saturday marks a long-awaited return to action in his first fight since 2022. A string of injuries, opponent withdrawals, and failed bookings have delayed his comeback, but he now gets his moment at LFA 220 against Ryan Kuse.</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="314" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">&#8220;I&#8217;ve been trying to fight. I was booked to fight in 2023 a couple times so it was kind of out of my control for the most part. If I didn&#8217;t get injured, my opponents would pull out. There would always be something,&#8221; Kevin told Cageside Press.</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="314" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">&#8220;I&#8217;m coming back because, that&#8217;s the main thing, I&#8217;m not done fighting yet. I want to continue fighting.&#8221;</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="314" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">His younger brother <a href="https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/136738-christian-natividad" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">Christian</a> (7-0) isn’t just preparing for his own fight, he’s drawing strength from his brother being on the same card. The siblings have shared this stage before, and history suggests it brings out the best in both of them. Fighting side by side in their hometown adds an extra layer of motivation.</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="314" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">&#8220;I&#8217;m more so excited than nervous, you know, usually when he&#8217;s fighting just him on a card, typically I&#8217;m pretty nervous, but we feed off each other,&#8221; Christian said.</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="314" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">&#8220;We&#8217;ve fought on two MMA cards together, then we also competed on Fight2Win (a Jiu-Jitsu promotion) together, and we&#8217;ve always came out on top. We feed off that same energy so come Saturday I&#8217;m going to be super excited to have him on the card with me.&#8221;</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="330">Kevin didn’t hold back when asked about his brother’s matchup, offering a confident breakdown of why he believes Christian will dominate on fight night. Having seen firsthand the evolution of his brother’s game, Kevin has no doubt that Christian’s skill set is being underestimated. To him, the outcome feels inevitable.</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="314" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">&#8220;I just don&#8217;t think that guy is going to be able to hang with Christian. The pressure, the grappling, the striking. I know this guy&#8217;s more like a Jiu-Jitsu-ish kind of guy. Everyone kind of forgets that Christian&#8217;s a really good grappler too,&#8221; Kevin said.</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="314" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">&#8220;And that blows my mind. D1 college wrestler (Arizona State) come on. He competed at brown belt as a purple belt in the Fight2Win pro thing almost ten years ago and he won that pretty one-sided. After the first round, if that guy doesn&#8217;t quit on the stool, I don&#8217;t see it going past the second.&#8221;</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="273">Christian also returned the praise, making it clear the respect and belief goes both ways. He’s been right there for every step of Kevin’s preparation and knows exactly what has gone into this comeback. From the outside, fans see results, but Christian has seen the grind.</p>
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<p data-start="0" data-end="314" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">&#8220;I&#8217;ve been there a part of pretty much all of his camps. I see the work that he&#8217;s put in throughout drilling, sparring, even strength and conditioning. So I see all the work that he puts in, and this guy trains hard,&#8221; Christian said.</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="314" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">&#8220;It&#8217;s hard to put a list of people that train harder than my brother. Come fight day I&#8217;m pretty sure he&#8217;s going to come out, give it his all, and we&#8217;ll see what happens.&#8221;</p>
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<p data-start="0" data-end="302" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">A win on Saturday would send a clear message to the division that “Quicksand” is back with a vengeance. Kevin isn’t interested in handpicking opponents; he just wants to fight. After years of setbacks and inactivity, he’s ready to make up for lost time and take on anyone willing to step in after LFA 220.</p>
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<p data-start="0" data-end="314" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">&#8220;Anybody, anytime, anywhere, any weight. I&#8217;m down to do a catchweight. I&#8217;ll fight anybody, bro,&#8221; Kevin said.</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="227">Christian is hoping Saturday’s performance does more than just secure a win, he wants it to change his career trajectory. A statement finish should be enough to make the decision easy for the UFC matchmakers.</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="314" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">&#8220;You already know! Dana White, Mick Maynard, Sean Shelby! Call your boy up! I know I missed the interviews (DWCS) last time, but hopefully I could just get the job right away and can skip the interview,&#8221; Christian said.</p>
<article class="text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&amp;:has([data-writing-block])&gt;*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" tabindex="-1" data-turn-id="request-WEB:ccfcc9ad-7c01-49d5-a3d2-1ea2df34498c-17" data-testid="conversation-turn-36" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn="assistant">
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<p data-start="0" data-end="454" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">With both brothers healthy, locked in, and fueled by the energy of a hometown crowd, LFA 220 has the potential to be a career-defining night for the Natividads. A pair of statement wins could not only reignite Kevin’s resurgence but also launch Christian straight into UFC contention.</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="454" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">In Phoenix, surrounded by family, friends, and a city that knows their story, the stage is set for the Natividad brothers to remind the MMA world exactly who they are.</p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="454" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><iframe title="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BvMsTcft5g8" width="428" height="761" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p data-start="0" data-end="454" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><em>Watch the entire interview with Kevin and Christian Natividad above.</em></p>
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<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2025/10/23/natividad-brothers-aim-for-breakthrough-night-at-lfa-220-in-phoenix/" data-wpel-link="internal">Natividad Brothers Aim for Breakthrough Night at LFA 220 in Phoenix</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>Eleven Fighters Removed from UFC Roster Including TUF Alums Trizano, Eubanks</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2023/01/19/eleven-fighters-removed-ufc-roster-including-tuf-alums-trizano-eubanks/</link>
					<comments>https://cagesidepress.com/2023/01/19/eleven-fighters-removed-ufc-roster-including-tuf-alums-trizano-eubanks/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jay Anderson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2023 05:38:07 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[MMA News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alejandro Perez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brandon Davis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gadzhi Omargadzhiev]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jay Perrin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kevin Natividad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Liudvik Sholinian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marcelo Rojo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mike Trizano]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Raulian Paiva]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sijara Eubanks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vince Morales]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=155037</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The UFC has done some house cleaning, as a full eleven fighters appeared to be removed from the promotion&#8217;s roster on Wednesday. As first noticed by automated service UFC Roster Watch, which monitors the UFC&#8217;s fighter database, the following athletes appear to be out of the organization: Sijara Eubanks (7-7) Mike Trizano (10-3) Liudvik Sholinian [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2023/01/19/eleven-fighters-removed-ufc-roster-including-tuf-alums-trizano-eubanks/" data-wpel-link="internal">Eleven Fighters Removed from UFC Roster Including TUF Alums Trizano, Eubanks</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The UFC has done some house cleaning, as a full eleven fighters appeared to be removed from the promotion&#8217;s roster on Wednesday.</p>
<p>As first noticed by automated service<a href="https://twitter.com/UFCRosterWatch" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer"> UFC Roster Watch</a>, which monitors the UFC&#8217;s fighter database, the following athletes appear to be out of the organization:</p>
<ul>
<li>Sijara Eubanks (7-7)</li>
<li>Mike Trizano (10-3)</li>
<li>Liudvik Sholinian (9-3-1)</li>
<li>Marcelo Rojo (16-9)</li>
<li>Jay Perrin (10-7)</li>
<li>Alejandro Perez (22-9-1)</li>
<li>Raulian Paiva (21-5)</li>
<li>Gadzhi Omargadzhiev (13-2)</li>
<li>Kevin Natividad (9-4)</li>
<li>Vince Marales (11-7)</li>
<li>Brandon Davis (14-10)</li>
</ul>
<p>The removal of a fighter from the database does not necessarily mean they have been cut outright. As an example, a fighter may have fought out his or her current contract, and not been immediately re-signed (but could be brought back at a later date).</p>
<p>That having been said, some of the names revealed on Wednesday come as no surprise. Sijara Eubanks missed weight for her fight with Priscila Cachoeira just a week ago, resulting in the bout being scratched from the UFC Vegas 67 card. It was far from Eubanks&#8217; first struggle with the scale: she lost her spot in <em>The Ultimate Fighter 26 </em>finale, where she would have competed for the promotion&#8217;s inaugural women&#8217;s flyweight title, due to a weight cut gone wrong.</p>
<p>Another weight miss followed in 2018, prompting a move to bantamweight. Eubanks then returned to flyweight last year, posting a 1-1 record while missing weight for a fight with Melissa Gatto.</p>
<p>Trizano won <em>The Ultimate Fighter 27 </em>tournament in 2018, and has gone 4-3 inside the octagon including the TUF 27 finale win. He last competed in November, knocking out Seung Woo Choi. Trizano fought out his contract in that bout; he feels like one name that could be brought back under the right circumstances, but that doesn&#8217;t look to be the case in the immediate future.</p>
<p>Mexico&#8217;s Alejandro Perez was 1-3 in his last four, while Jay Perrin just suffered defeat at the hands of teen phenom Raul Rosas Jr.</p>
<p>27-year old Raulian Paiva&#8217;s exit comes as a bit of a surprise. Paiva, who<a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2018/10/30/despite-tragic-death-girlfried-raulian-paiva-will-not-give-ufc-dream/" data-wpel-link="internal"> endured personal tragedy</a> as he started his UFC run, has been ranked at both 125 and 135 pounds. He&#8217;s lost his last two.</p>
<p>Ukraine&#8217;s Liudvik Sholinian, a TUF 29 alum, went 0-2 in the UFC at bantamweight, though given the circumstances with his home country at war with Russia, seeing him gone is unfortunate.</p>
<p>Marcelo Rojo, who spent time at both bantamweight and featherweight, went 0-3 in his UFC run. Gadzhi Omargadzhiev and Kevin Natividad were both winless in their time in the promotion, while Vince Morales had lost his last two. Brandon Davis had lost both his fights since returning to the UFC in 2021. He first competed for the company from 2018-19.</p>
<p>Morales, for one, confirmed the news in entertaining fashion.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/Q23jHYdVl8" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">https://t.co/Q23jHYdVl8</a> <a href="https://t.co/Hj3X4etpxE" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">pic.twitter.com/Hj3X4etpxE</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Vince Morales (@vandetta135) <a href="https://twitter.com/vandetta135/status/1615861185248899072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">January 18, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2023/01/19/eleven-fighters-removed-ufc-roster-including-tuf-alums-trizano-eubanks/" data-wpel-link="internal">Eleven Fighters Removed from UFC Roster Including TUF Alums Trizano, Eubanks</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>UFC Vegas 65: Ricky Turcios Edges Close, Crazy Fight with Kevin Natividad</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2022/11/19/ufc-vegas-65-ricky-turcios-edges-close-and-wild-fight-with-natividad/</link>
					<comments>https://cagesidepress.com/2022/11/19/ufc-vegas-65-ricky-turcios-edges-close-and-wild-fight-with-natividad/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jamie Theodosi]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 19 Nov 2022 19:59:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Results & Recaps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kevin Natividad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ricky Turcios]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Fight Night 215]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=151160</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>After winning The Ultimate Fighter 29 at bantamweight in 2021, Ricky Turcios dropped his first non-TUF bout inside the octagon to Aiemann Zahabi earlier this year. Looking to put that setback behind him, Turcios returned to action at UFC Vegas 65 on Saturday, paired up with Kevin Natividad, who was 0-2 in the promotion to [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2022/11/19/ufc-vegas-65-ricky-turcios-edges-close-and-wild-fight-with-natividad/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Vegas 65: Ricky Turcios Edges Close, Crazy Fight with Kevin Natividad</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>After winning The Ultimate Fighter 29 at bantamweight in 2021, Ricky Turcios dropped his first non-TUF bout inside the octagon to Aiemann Zahabi earlier this year. Looking to put that setback behind him, Turcios returned to action at UFC Vegas 65 on Saturday, paired up with Kevin Natividad, who was 0-2 in the promotion to date.</p>
<p>The eccentric Turcios was extremely calm and collected on his walk to the Apex Octagon, one in which he is extremely familiar with.</p>
<p>The fight began with a huge spinning wheel kick from &#8220;Pretty&#8221; Ricky but Natividad didn&#8217;t take long to get the fight to the ground. Some unorthodox hammer fists from the bottom allowed Turcios to reverse the position and pin Natividad against the cage. Natividad attempted to make some adjustments to get the fight back on the feet, and after attempting a guillotine, managed to get the fight back up. Despite that, he then shot for a takedown moments after returning to the feet, and the creativity of Turcios saw him grabbing the leg of Natividad, putting him in an uncomfortable position. The crazy scramble resulted in Turcios once again finishing on top.</p>
<p>Again, &#8220;Quicksand&#8221; got the fight back to the feet, and momentarily dropped Turcios with a huge elbow. Again, some eccentric scrambling from Turcios saw him reclaim top position on the mat, finishing the round on the back of the 29-year-old.</p>
<p>In the interval between rounds one and two, both fighters opted to utilise their stools in ways other than sitting on them.</p>
<p>Turcios began round two with some more forward pressure, but Natividad landed back-to-back heavy body kicks. Another level change initiation from Turcios saw the fight hit the mat once more, but only momentarily. Natividad landed a takedown of his own shortly after, but the scrambling work from Turcios saw him make it to the cage for some support getting back to his feet. Natividad then rocked Turcios with a huge left hook, which wobbled Turcios, causing him to once again latch onto the single leg. The two then began to trade relentlessly with eachother, both landing some heavy shots. Natividad got Turcios back against the cage and began attempting a high crotch takedown, but a blatant fence grab with just five seconds left allowed Turcios to once again finish the round on the back of Natividad.</p>
<p>This time, both fighters actually sat on their stools in between rounds two and three.</p>
<p>Kevin Natividad had proved to be the more efficient striker of the two, and every strike he threw, came with a lot of power behind it. He then mixed in the wrestling again in round three, but couldn&#8217;t keep Turcios down for long, which was the narrative of the whole fight.</p>
<p>Moments after getting back to the feet, Natividad landed a huge jumping knee as Turcios was dipping his head, dropping the TUF winner. Despite Natividad consistently landing takedowns, Turcios&#8217; exemplary grappling allowed him to get to his feet almost every time. Another jump knee would land moments later, only glancing this time.</p>
<p>Turcios once again gained access to Natividad&#8217;s back, and this time, he had more time to try and finish the fight. &#8220;Pretty&#8221; Ricky sunk in a deep rear-naked-choke attempt, but Natividad managed to unhook one of Turcios&#8217; arms, signalling to the ref that he was okay. With five seconds left, Turcios reigned down some heavy ground-and-pound in what was a razor close round and fight as a whole.</p>
<p><strong><em>Official Result: Ricky Turcios def. Kevin Natividad by Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)</em></strong></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2022/11/19/ufc-vegas-65-ricky-turcios-edges-close-and-wild-fight-with-natividad/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Vegas 65: Ricky Turcios Edges Close, Crazy Fight with Kevin Natividad</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>UFC 261 Results: Danaa Batgerel Finishes Kevin Natividad In 50 Seconds</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2021/04/24/ufc-261-results-danaa-batgerel-finishes-kevin-natividad-in-50-seconds/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Alex Behunin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 25 Apr 2021 00:02:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Results & Recaps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Batgerel Danaa]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kevin Natividad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC 261]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=101669</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The early preliminary card at UFC 261 boasted a wealth of Asian talent, primarily fighters out of China, positioned no doubt because of the increased interest in the region with Weili Zhang on the card. At the top of the early prelims was another fighter from the area &#8211; in this case, Mongolian Danaa Batgerel, [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2021/04/24/ufc-261-results-danaa-batgerel-finishes-kevin-natividad-in-50-seconds/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC 261 Results: Danaa Batgerel Finishes Kevin Natividad In 50 Seconds</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The early preliminary card at UFC 261 boasted a wealth of Asian talent, primarily fighters out of China, positioned no doubt because of the increased interest in the region with Weili Zhang on the card. At the top of the early prelims was another fighter from the area &#8211; in this case, Mongolian Danaa Batgerel, looking for his second straight win inside the octagon against Kevin Natividad.</p>
<p>Hawaii&#8217;s Natividad had dropped his promotional debut to Miles Johns last year and was looking to bounce back. He bounced in the end — but not back.</p>
<p>Both fighters felt each either out for the first 20 seconds. Natividad threw a hook but missed. Natividad rushed forward after Batgerel threw a front kick, and then Batgerel him with a counter-check left hook, moving back. The hook put Natividad on his butt, and then Batgerel pounced with ground and pound, which led Herb Dean to jump in and stop the action. A very impressive, very quick win.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">OH, WHAT A NIGHT 🗣</p>
<p>When Danaa Batgerel finds his shot, IT&#39;S OVER!</p>
<p>[ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFC261?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">#UFC261</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/UFCFightPass?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">@UFCFightPass</a>, ESPN2 &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ESPNPlus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">#ESPNPlus</a> ] <a href="https://t.co/8pm8nBHxDh" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">pic.twitter.com/8pm8nBHxDh</a></p>
<p>&mdash; UFC (@ufc) <a href="https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1386104312301039620?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">April 24, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>After losing his UFC debut, Batgerel is now on a two-fight win streak with two first-round knockouts. He will likely get a big name for his next fight as he tries to climb the ridiculously stacked bantamweight division.</p>
<p>Natividad has now dropped two straight for the first time in his career.</p>
<p><strong><em>Official Result: Danaa Batgerel def. Kevin Natividad via KO (punch) Round 1, 0:50</em></strong></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2021/04/24/ufc-261-results-danaa-batgerel-finishes-kevin-natividad-in-50-seconds/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC 261 Results: Danaa Batgerel Finishes Kevin Natividad In 50 Seconds</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>Kevin Natividad is Focusing on the Here and Now Heading Into UFC 261</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2021/04/22/kevin-natividad-is-focusing-on-the-here-and-now-heading-into-ufc-261/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Sergio Pineiro]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Apr 2021 21:48:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prospects]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kevin Natividad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC 261]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=101302</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Kevin Natividad caught the eye of many UFC fans in July of 2020 when he picked up his fourth consecutive victory under the LFA banner. The organization is a proving ground for many fighters on the fringe f the UFC and for Natividad it was no different. With the win, he joined the likes of [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2021/04/22/kevin-natividad-is-focusing-on-the-here-and-now-heading-into-ufc-261/" data-wpel-link="internal">Kevin Natividad is Focusing on the Here and Now Heading Into UFC 261</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Kevin Natividad caught the eye of many UFC fans in July of 2020 when he picked up his fourth consecutive victory under the LFA banner. The organization is a proving ground for many fighters on the fringe f the UFC and for Natividad it was no different. With the win, he joined the likes of Ryan Spann, Eryk Anders, Ian Heinisch and Ricky Simon as some of the fighters to sign with the UFC after competing for the promotion.</p>
<p>Natividad would taste defeat for the second time in his career against Miles Johns on October 31. Although initially it was a tough pill to swallow, the loss allowed the Hawaiian an opportunity to reflect on what led to the success in his early career.</p>
<p>&#8220;When I first started fighting, I didn&#8217;t care about the end result,&#8221; Natividad told Cageside Press. &#8220;[In my UFC debut] I put all this pressure on myself to win. I got knocked out last time which is one of the worst results you can have for a debut. At the end of the day it wasn&#8217;t even that bad. I&#8217;m here now, I feel good and I&#8217;m ready to fight.&#8221;</p>
<p>Despite owning a 9-2 record with six finishes, Natividad&#8217;s confidence took a hit with the defeat. This led to him seeing a mental coach which has made a huge impact on his outlook.</p>
<p>&#8220;I see [my mental coach] every Monday. I talk to him about everything, and we do a lot of mental exercises,&#8221; shared Natividad. &#8220;[In the John&#8217;s fight] I was thinking about the what ifs heading into the fight. Since I was thinking about then rather than the now it was giving me anxiety. I have to be here right now and control what I can control.&#8221;</p>
<p>Focusing on the present has been key for Natividad heading into this fight and he is prepared to display that on fight night.</p>
<p><em>Kevin Natividad returns to action this weekend at UFC 261 in Jacksonville this Saturday. Natividad is expected to face Danaa Bategerel on ESPN and ESPN+.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2021/04/22/kevin-natividad-is-focusing-on-the-here-and-now-heading-into-ufc-261/" data-wpel-link="internal">Kevin Natividad is Focusing on the Here and Now Heading Into UFC 261</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>UFC Vegas 12 Results: Miles Johns Turns the Lights Out on Kevin Natividad</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2020/10/31/ufc-vegas-12-results-miles-johns-vs-kevin-natividad/</link>
					<comments>https://cagesidepress.com/2020/10/31/ufc-vegas-12-results-miles-johns-vs-kevin-natividad/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jay Anderson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 31 Oct 2020 20:44:04 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Results & Recaps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kevin Natividad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Fight Night 181]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=85425</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>With Fight Island once again behind them, the UFC returned to Las Vegas this week. Saturday&#8217;s UFC Vegas 12 card was the last hurrah for middleweight legend Anderson Silva, but it was opened by a pair of bantamweight prospects. Miles Johns and Kevin Natividad served as the curtain-jerker, with Hawaii&#8217;s Natividad finally making his promotional [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2020/10/31/ufc-vegas-12-results-miles-johns-vs-kevin-natividad/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Vegas 12 Results: Miles Johns Turns the Lights Out on Kevin Natividad</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>With Fight Island once again behind them, the UFC returned to Las Vegas this week. Saturday&#8217;s UFC Vegas 12 card was the last hurrah for middleweight legend <a href="http://cagesidepress.com/tag/anderson-silva/" data-wpel-link="internal">Anderson Silva</a>, but it was opened by a pair of bantamweight prospects. Miles Johns and Kevin Natividad served as the curtain-jerker, with Hawaii&#8217;s Natividad finally making his promotional debut, after it fell through back in September.</p>
<p>That heartbreaking last minute cancellation for Natividad was supposed to be a main card slot against <a href="http://cagesidepress.com/tag/brian-kelleher/" data-wpel-link="internal">Brian Kelleher</a>. But a false positive for COVID-19 pulled the rug out from under the bantamweight.</p>
<p>Saturday night, however, Natividad finally got back in action, an underdog against fellow LFA alum Johns. And through the opening two rounds and then some, Johns lived up to his billing as the favorite.</p>
<p>Firing a half-hearted leg kick early, it wasn&#8217;t long before Miles Johns drove his opponent back against the cage, looking for a takedown. Natividad broke out a whizzer to fend Johns off successfully. A nice little confidence boost, as they moved back to range. Natividad then pressed forward with a combo, only to be briefly taken down off a single leg. Johns was slow to engage, however, and Nativdad moved back to his feet with ease. That would be a trend throughout the bout: Johns either struggling to complete the takedown, or landing it but being unable to keep Kevin Natividad down. Johns also had his jab working as a suitable Plan B, and landed it with ease several times throughout the round, which likely gave him the edge.</p>
<p>The second round saw Johns start things out in similar fashion. His jab was there early; about a minute and a half in, he drove Natividad into the fence. The takedown wasn&#8217;t there, Johns ate a couple of elbows, and the ref then broke the pair up and restarted things at center due to a lack of action. Natividad showed some explosive potential when he launched a jumping knee in the final two minutes of the round. But he landed short, and pretty doesn&#8217;t win points. Johns broke out a spinning backfist closer to the end of the second, which was the highlight of the round.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Watch the backfist! 🌀 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFCVegas12?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">#UFCVegas12</a> <a href="https://t.co/lk6pQiaqyV" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">pic.twitter.com/lk6pQiaqyV</a></p>
<p>&mdash; UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) <a href="https://twitter.com/UFCEurope/status/1322638523875340289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">October 31, 2020</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Round three had Natividad in need of a finish. It was Johns who got that instead. Breaking out of a clinch, Natividad&#8217;s head dipped just as a Johns uppercut connected. It was lights out for Natividad, and Johns had his first finish in the UFC!</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">SENT HIM FLYING 😳<a href="https://twitter.com/milesxjohns?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">@MilesXJohns</a> with launching power to start the night!</p>
<p>[ Action continues on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ESPNPlus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">#ESPNPlus</a> <a href="https://t.co/x0iGD8fyJH" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">pic.twitter.com/x0iGD8fyJH</a></p>
<p>&mdash; UFC (@ufc) <a href="https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1322639993278500864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">October 31, 2020</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><em><strong>Official Result: Miles Johns def. Kevin Natividad by knockout, Round 3, 2:51</strong></em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2020/10/31/ufc-vegas-12-results-miles-johns-vs-kevin-natividad/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Vegas 12 Results: Miles Johns Turns the Lights Out on Kevin Natividad</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>UFC Vegas 9 Loses Two Fighters, One Fight Hours Out From Event</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2020/09/05/ufc-vegas-9-loses-two-fighters-one-fight-hours-event/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jay Anderson]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 05 Sep 2020 19:57:34 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MMA News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kevin Natividad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ray Rodriguez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Thiago Moises]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Fight Night 176]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=80046</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Another week, another last minute change to a UFC card. This time, it&#8217;s UFC Vegas 9, which has lost two fighters the afternoon of: Kevin Natividad, and Thiago Moises. Luckily, only one fight has been lost. That&#8217;s because the UFC opted to have a back-up fighter weigh in Friday for the featherweight bout between Natividad [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2020/09/05/ufc-vegas-9-loses-two-fighters-one-fight-hours-event/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Vegas 9 Loses Two Fighters, One Fight Hours Out From Event</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Another week, another last minute change to a UFC card. This time, it&#8217;s UFC Vegas 9, which has lost two fighters the afternoon of: Kevin Natividad, and Thiago Moises.</p>
<p>Luckily, only one fight has been lost. That&#8217;s because the UFC opted to have a back-up fighter weigh in Friday for the featherweight bout between Natividad and Brian Kelleher. That replacement fighter, Ray Rodriguez, now gets the nod.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.mmafighting.com/2020/9/5/21424189/with-kevin-natividad-out-ray-rodriguez-in-to-face-brian-kelleher-at-ufc-vegas-9" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer">MMA Fighting</a> was first to report the news.</p>
<p>Earlier in the week, Natividad had what was believed to be a false positive for COVID-19. During Thursday&#8217;s UFC Vegas 9 media day, he was sequestered in his room, appearing only via video chat.</p>
<p>The reason for Natividad&#8217;s withdrawal, however, has not been officially confirmed.</p>
<p>Rodriguez (16-6) has not fought since a win in Combate Americas last November. At 3-1 in his last four, his only loss of late was to current UFC fighter<a href="http://cagesidepress.com/tag/tony-gravely/" data-wpel-link="internal"> Tony Gravely</a>.</p>
<p>Moises, meanwhile, is off the card due to testing positive for COVID-19.<a href="https://twitter.com/AnaHissa/status/1302309499408199681" data-wpel-link="external" target="_blank" rel="external noopener noreferrer"> Combate</a> was first to report that development. Unlike Natividad, Moises did participate in the virtual media day this week, which has fighters brought before a webcam one-by-one by the UFC, with everything wiped down between fighters.</p>
<p>Moises was expected to face Jalin Turner at lightweight.</p>
<p>Earlier in Fight Week, UFC Vegas 9 also lost Karol Rosa vs. Sijara Eubanks, with Rosa falling off the card due to complications from her weight cut. As it stands, the event will now move forward with just eight fights.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2020/09/05/ufc-vegas-9-loses-two-fighters-one-fight-hours-event/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Vegas 9 Loses Two Fighters, One Fight Hours Out From Event</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>UFC Vegas 9: Kevin Natividad Would Have Fought Tony Ferguson if it Meant Entry into UFC</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2020/09/05/ufc-vegas-9-kevin-natividad-tony-ferguson/</link>
					<comments>https://cagesidepress.com/2020/09/05/ufc-vegas-9-kevin-natividad-tony-ferguson/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Gabriel Gonzalez]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 05 Sep 2020 16:04:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[MMA News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kevin Natividad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Fight Night 176]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=80023</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Welcome to the UFC, Kevin Natividad. At UFC Vegas 9, Natividad (9-1) steps up on just a couple of day&#8217;s notice to take on the gritty Brian Kelleher. &#8220;Quicksand&#8221; is an LFA veteran, who had expected to fight his way into the UFC via Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series. Instead, he&#8217;s making the jump straight to [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2020/09/05/ufc-vegas-9-kevin-natividad-tony-ferguson/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Vegas 9: Kevin Natividad Would Have Fought Tony Ferguson if it Meant Entry into UFC</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Welcome to the UFC, Kevin Natividad.</p>
<p>At UFC Vegas 9, Natividad (9-1) steps up on just a couple of day&#8217;s notice to take on the gritty Brian Kelleher. &#8220;Quicksand&#8221; is an LFA veteran, who had expected to fight his way into the UFC via Dana White&#8217;s Contender Series. Instead, he&#8217;s making the jump straight to the big show on Saturday night.</p>
<p>&#8220;Since I got the phone call, it&#8217;s been a little overwhelming in a good way,&#8221; Natividad told Cageside Press during this week&#8217;s UFC Vegas 9 media day. &#8220;I&#8217;m kind of just eating it all up. But we were struggling to get all the medicals in and everything I need to do. Other than that, flying to Vegas, this is actually my first time here. It&#8217;s been great. I&#8217;m just excited.&#8221;</p>
<p>Hawaii&#8217;s Natividad, who trains in Arizona, admitted that with the coronavirus restrictions, his first trip to the &#8220;Ninth Island&#8221; is a little anticlimactic. It&#8217;s doubtful his debut will be, however. With a main card spot against a fighter Natividad admits he has watched over the years, it will no doubt be memorable.</p>
<p>&#8220;I used to watch [Brian Kelleher] before. The first fight I remember is when he fought Renan Barao, one of my favorite fighters from way back when,&#8221; recalled Natividad. &#8220;Now, me realizing I&#8217;m about to fight these guys, it&#8217;s crazy. It&#8217;s a dream come true almost.&#8221;</p>
<p>Almost, but not quite. Natividad explained that &#8220;it&#8217;s just the start for me. When I told everybody I wanted to get to the UFC, I told everyone I wanted to take my time, take the fights one at a time, and once we get in, we&#8217;re just going to come and take over.&#8221; Step one comes Saturday.</p>
<p>He also knows that if Kelleher can do it, he can do it too. &#8220;Boom&#8221; got his own start in the UFC by taking a short-notice fight against Iuri Alcantara. Now, Natividad feels that it&#8217;s his turn.</p>
<p>&#8220;Absolutely. Especially doing this sport and everything, aiming to get to the UFC, if you don&#8217;t think you can beat anybody, anytime, why are you trying to get there?&#8221; he observed. &#8220;I normally fight at 135, and I&#8217;m going up to 145 for this one. I know he&#8217;s a bantamweight too. But if it was Brian Kelleher, or even like<a href="http://cagesidepress.com/tag/tony-ferguson/" data-wpel-link="internal"> Tony Ferguson</a>, anybody, I would have took the fight if they offered it to me.&#8221;</p>
<p>Growing up in Hawaii, Natividad plenty of local heroes like BJ Penn and his brothers, and Ronald Jhun, who fought at UFC 49 in 2004, and later in Strikeforce. Natividad actually trained with the latter.</p>
<p>And then there&#8217;s Max Holloway. &#8220;Seeing him get to the UFC, I remember when he fought Dustin Poieir, it was like, if you work hard for it, you can definitely get there.&#8221;</p>
<p>Natividad has worked hard, and now he&#8217;s here. The next step awaits.</p>
<p><em>Watch the full UFC Vegas 9 media day press scrum with Kevin Natividad above. The event takes place this Saturday, September 5 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, NV, airing live on ESPN+ (TSN in Canada).</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2020/09/05/ufc-vegas-9-kevin-natividad-tony-ferguson/" data-wpel-link="internal">UFC Vegas 9: Kevin Natividad Would Have Fought Tony Ferguson if it Meant Entry into UFC</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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		<title>Welcome to the UFC: Kevin Natividad</title>
		<link>https://cagesidepress.com/2020/09/04/welcome-to-the-ufc-kevin-natividad/</link>
					<comments>https://cagesidepress.com/2020/09/04/welcome-to-the-ufc-kevin-natividad/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Shawn Bitter]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Sep 2020 16:56:27 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prospects]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brian Kelleher]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kevin Natividad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UFC Fight Night 176]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://cagesidepress.com/?p=79883</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>UFC Vegas 9 goes down on September 5, with a heavyweight main event. Brazilian Augusto Saki will look to improve to 5-0 inside the octagon against legend and staple Alistair Overeem. In a big featherweight bout, Ricky Simon was supposed to fight Brian Kelleher. With that said, Simon had to pull out because a cornerman [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2020/09/04/welcome-to-the-ufc-kevin-natividad/" data-wpel-link="internal">Welcome to the UFC: Kevin Natividad</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>UFC Vegas 9 goes down on September 5, with a heavyweight main event. Brazilian Augusto Saki will look to improve to 5-0 inside the octagon against legend and staple Alistair Overeem. In a big featherweight bout, Ricky Simon was supposed to fight Brian Kelleher. With that said, Simon had to pull out because a cornerman tested positive for COVID-19. Now Kelleher will fight newcomer Kevin Natividad.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Kevin Natividad</strong><br />
5’6″<br />
Bantamweight<br />
27-years-old<br />
Tempe, Arizona, US<br />
Arizona Combat Sports<br />
9-1<br />
5 KO/TKOs<br />
1 Submission</p>
<h3>How will Natividad fare in the UFC:</h3>
<p>Natividad is an excellent prospect deserving of this opportunity. He’s had many lopsided mismatches but holds wins over a good fighter in Kyle Estrada and UFC fighter Irwin Rivera. On the feet, he has a technical brawling style. He’ll crash into the pocket with a looping hook to the body followed by going upstairs. Natividad does a good job throwing in two’s and three’s. He has also shown a good focus on landing kicks.</p>
<p>Defensively the Hawaiian, who now resides in Arizona, is not bad but has some shortcomings. Natividad has a wide stance and has had problems checking leg kicks due to standing so heavy on his lead leg. With some nice boxing techniques, Natividad is an even better wrestler. Sometimes he will shoot from too far out but he drives in on the hips and press opponents against the cage to chain wrestle. Natividad has glue-like grappling while  transitioning quite well. While in half guard, he&#8217;ll deftly push down on the knee of his foe and slice right into mount. He will go for submissions but will land ground and pound most likely. This is a good signing and I think he has a bright future in the UFC.</p>
<h3>How he matches up with Kelleher:</h3>
<p>Kelleher is a veteran who has seen probably every style and and has been fighting against top guys for a while now. Kelleher has fought good wrestlers like Hunter Azure and Cody Stamann and he held his own. Natividad is going be a challenge everywhere against Kelleher but again he&#8217;s a savvy veteran. Kelleher has a strong guillotine choke so if Natividad doesn&#8217;t time his shots well there is a good possibility of Kelleher snatching that neck. I do think Natividad is the better athlete but Kelleher is more proven.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://cagesidepress.com/2020/09/04/welcome-to-the-ufc-kevin-natividad/" data-wpel-link="internal">Welcome to the UFC: Kevin Natividad</a> appeared first on <a href="https://cagesidepress.com" data-wpel-link="internal">Cageside Press</a>.</p>
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