Dan Hardy’s Boxing Debut Against Diego Sanchez Dropped from Card

Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy will not be returning to combat sports after all. At least, not as planned, and possibly not ever.

Hardy recently revealed that the fight had been dropped from Saturday’s Ricky Hatton vs. Marco Antonio Barrera card, which aired on Sky Sports in the UK. In fact, it was the move to Sky Sports which Hardy believes caused the fight to be cancelled.

“So, basically the card was picked up by Sky Sports,” Hardy told Submission Radio recently (h/t MMA Mania). “And they decided that they wanted the Hatton vs. Barrera [undercard] fights off the card and to add all the rest of their own fights to it. Cause obviously they got a deal with Boxer and they’ve got loads of fighters signed to their management team.

“So yeah, they basically just took the Hatton vs. Barrera fight and they canceled the rest of the fights,” he continued. “I’ve had a bit of a chat with Diego about it. Of course, he was disappointed as well, but you know, it’s the fight game. It’s chaotic at the moment, and with new promoters getting into the businesses, I think sometimes they buy themselves a bit more than they can chew, and I think that’s what happened. I hope it goes really well. But, aside from following Ricky Hatton’s Instagram, I’m not really hearing anything about it.”

A former UFC welterweight title challenger, Hardy last competed in 2012, when he defeated Amir Sadollah via decision that September. He has not competed in any form of combat sports since. Having been diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome, Hardy was eventually cleared to return to competition in 2018. Instead, he focused on a broadcast career, but had a falling out with the UFC last year following an argument with a female UFC employee.

The fallout from that dispute saw Hardy released from his fight contract with the promotion — which opened the door to other promotions, including the planned boxing gig. It seems, however, that Hardy may simply walk away from actively competing for good.

“My Mum said it kind of feels like the universe is kind of telling you something here — maybe it is,” he said. “Maybe I’m just clinging onto something. But to be honest, I’m still feeling great, I still feel in good condition, my mind’s sharp, and there are a couple of options for the new year. Yeah, there’s a couple of options, couple of people’s names I’ve got in mind.”

Power Slap launch officially announced, White says he’s been working on sport since 2017

There’s no question that Dana White made a smart decision when he convinced the Fertitta brothers to scoop up the then-struggling UFC in 2001, for a cool $2 million USD. Another smart decision came in 2005 with the launch of The Ultimate Fighter, saving the promotion when it was on the brink of bankruptcy. The UFC is now a $4 billion dollar enterprise and the leading promotion in MMA. White deserves a lot of the credit.

Being honest, Power Slap is unlikely to yield similar results. Dana White has got behind the sport of “slap fighting,” in which participants wind up and slap one another in the fact, undefended.

It’s dumb. It’s a concussion waiting to happen. It’s somehow been regulated, however, and this past week, the UFC announced that Power Slap would run an eight-episode series of events on TBS starting in early 2023.

“I’m very excited for the launch of Power Slap,” Dana White was quoted as saying in a press release this past Friday. “I’ve been working on this since 2017. I saw some footage of slap fighting on social media and I was instantly hooked.  From the first day I saw it, I felt like this could be big. I knew what needed to be done to make it a real sport just like we did with MMA. We got it sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) with defined rules, rankings and weight classes. Power Slap is built for the modern sports fan.”

Sean O’Malley Gets Penile Stem Cell Injection

Welcome to sentences we never wanted to write. Sean O’Malley has always been a little off-beat, but getting stem cells injected into your penis (supposedly to increase girth) just sounds like a bad idea. A really, really bad idea, as any needle to the member should sound.

If you dare, watch the video below for more details.

Slick Submission Alert

KSW 76 on Saturday saw the first-ever Peruvian Necktie submission in the promotion, and it’s definitely worth checking out!

PERUVIAN NECKTIE!!! #KSW76

🇳🇬🇮🇪 Henry Fadipe makes KSW history!! First ever Peruvian necktie submission ever in KSW!! pic.twitter.com/JkWN15BthL

— KSW (@KSW_MMA) November 12, 2022

And a Killer Head Kick

The fun at KSW 76 didn’t stop there, as Artur Szczepaniak finished off Brian Hooi care of a head kick.

HEADKICK KNOCKOUT!! 💥 #KSW76

🇵🇱🇧🇪 @KingArturMMA KO's Brian Hooi! pic.twitter.com/5gEMD7N6xl

— KSW (@KSW_MMA) November 12, 2022

Mike Trizano was barred from wearing American flag cowboy hat at UFC 281 weigh-ins… on Veteran’s Day

File this under good intent gone awry… the UFC banned fighters from carrying flags after Russia invaded Ukraine. That was no doubt to avoid some hurt feelings, as a large number of Russians are under contract to the UFC, and a smaller number of Ukrainian fighters as well.

Out of sight, out of mind, right? A large number of people prefer their sports, and MMA, without a side of politics anyway.

Banning an American flag hat on Veteran’s Day, however, was an unintended side effect that swept up UFC 281 winner Mike Trinzano on weigh-in day. The TUF 27 winner has worn the hat before, but this time out — on a day to remember American troops, of all things — it was a no-go.

Mike Trizano calls it "a little ridiculous" that he was stopped from walking out with his American flag cowboy hat on Veterans Day.

Full #UFC281 post-fight scrum ▶️ https://t.co/SmW5KSMBHW pic.twitter.com/tfad512jph

— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) November 13, 2022

Valerie Loureda comments on in-ring debut for WWE

It’s been a year since what appears to have been her final Bellator MMA fight, and on Saturday, Valerie Loureda made her debut for WWE. After the match, she posted an emotional video celebrating the start of her new journey.

“I love what I do, and I was born to do it,” Loureda states in the clip.

Valerie Loureda & her gear 🤩@valerielouredaa pic.twitter.com/BxDgJEUt7W

— Sonya Bayley 🐑🌈 (@SDevilleLive) November 13, 2022

Moicano Wants Money!

In what may have been the GOAT of post-fight interviews, Renato Moicano referred to himself in third person at UFC 281, dropped more F-bombs than a George Carlin routine, kept the ESPN censors busy, and made sure to tell Joe Rogan that he wants money.

Here’s just part of it:

https://twitter.com/JustTheFights/status/1591624418568343552

The post Sunday MMA Quick Hits: Sean O’Malley Did What? Plus Killer Finishes at KSW 76 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Parnasse, originally expected to face 155lb champ Marian Ziołkowski, drew Sabastian  Rajewski instead after Ziolkowski was forced off the card due to injury. Which meant that, rather than an undisputed title, Parnasse would have to settle for collecting an interim belt, should he prove able to get past Rajewski in Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland.

Also featured on Saturday’s KSW 76 card, Antun Racic faced off with Zuriko
Jojua, while Argentina’s Francisco Albano Barrio looked for his fourth consecutive win, and third under the KSW banner, against Maciej Kazieczko.

England’s Tom Breese, meanwhile, looked to maintain his undefeated record since leaving the UFC against fellow octagon vet Pawel Pawlak.

KSW 76 takes place at the Sports and Entertainment Hall in Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland on Saturday, November 12, 2022. Full results from the event, which streams via KSWTV.com, can be found below.

KSW 76: Parnasse vs. Rajewski Results

Salahdine Parnasse def. Sebastian Rajewski by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 4, 2:20 – for the vacant KSW interim lightweight championship
Adrian Bartosiński def. Krystian Kaszubowski by TKO (punches), Round 1, 4:58
Paweł Pawlak def. Tom Breese by TKO (ground n’ pound), Round 1, 3:54
Artur Szczepaniak def. Brian Hooi by KO (head kick/punches), Round 1, 0:43
Maciej Kazieczko def. Francisco Barrio by KO, Round 3, 3:20
Zuriko Jojua def. Antun Račić by unanimous decision
Henry Fadipe def. Albert Odzimkowski by submission (Peruvian necktie), Round 2, 0:39
Valeriu Mircea def. Gracjan Szadziński by KO (punches), Round 1, 1:37
Kamil Gawryjołek def. Marek Samociuk by TKO (ground n’ pound), Round 1, 4:36

The post KSW 76: Parnasse vs. Rajewski Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Parnasse, the Polish promotion’s reigning featherweight king, will look to collect a second title at lightweight. Thanks to an injury suffered by 155lb champion Marian Ziolkowski, however, it will be an interim title on the line in Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland this weekend. Parnasse will face off with Sebastian Rajewski for that interim belt.

KSW has produced some serious talent when it comes to double-champs, as current UFC star Mateusz Gamrot previously captured two title with the company, at featherweight and lightweight.

Also featured on the KSW 76 card, British middleweight Tom Breese, who will look to make it four straight wins since leaving the UFC when he takes on another UFC alum, Pawel Pawlak.

The full KSW 76 card made weight for the event at Friday’s official weigh-in. Weigh-in results can be found below.

KSW 76: Parnasse vs. Rajewski Weigh-In Results

Main Event
Interim-KSW Lightweight Title
Salahdine Parnasse (70.3kg/155lb) vs. Sebastian Rajewski (70.3kg/155lb)

Co-Main Event
Welterweight
Adrian Bartosinski (77.6kg/171lb) vs. Krystian Kaszubowski (77.3kg/170lb)

Middleweight
Pawel Pawlak (84.3kg/186lb) vs. Tom Breese (84kg/185lb)

Welterweight
Brian Hooi (77.5kg/171lb) vs. Artur Szczepaniak (77.4kg/171lb)

Lightweight
Maciej Kazieczko (70.8kg/156lb) vs. Francisco Barrio (70.7kg/156lb)

Bantamweight
Antun Racic (61.7kg/136lb) vs. Zuriko Jojua (61.7kg/136lb)

Middleweight
Albert Odzimkowski (83.9kg/185lb) vs. Henry Fadipe (84kg/185lb)

Lightweight
Gracjan Szadzinski (70.7kg/156lb) vs. Valeriu Mircea (70.2kg/155lb)

Heavyweight
Marek Samociuk (116.6kg/257lb) vs. Kamil Gawryjołek (101.8kg/224lb)

The post KSW 76 Weigh-In Results: Full Card Makes Weight, Title Fight Official appeared first on Cageside Press.

In his place, Sebastian Rajewski will face Salahdine Parnasse for interim lightweight gold. Parnasse, who was originally booked to face Ziółkowski atop the show, is the promotion’s reigning featherweight champion, and was looking to add a second KSW belt to his collection this November.

That may still come to pass, but for now, it will be the interim variety.

Promotion officials announced the switch on Friday, during the broadcast of KSW 75. The circumstances of Ziółkowski’s injury were not disclosed.

Parnasse (16-1) has won three straight, and has long been considered one of the best 145lb prospects outside of the UFC and Bellator MMA. He’ll enter the bout off the first defense of his featherweight title, against Daniel Rutkowski back in March.

Rajewski (12-7) was defeated by Ziółkowski in a lightweight title fight this past June.

KSW 76 is expected to take place in Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland on November 12, 2022. The following bouts are attached to the card thus far:

• Salahdine Parnasse vs. Sebastian Rajewski – for the KSW interim lightweight championship
• Adrian Bartosiński vs. Krystian Kaszubowski
• Paweł Pawlak vs. Bartosz Leśko
• Brian Hooi vs. Artur Szczepaniak

The post KSW 76 Sees Main Event Change, Salahdine Parnasse vs. Sebastian Rajewski Now Fight for Interim Lightweight Title appeared first on Cageside Press.