Lookboonmee had seen a four-fight win streak snapped in her last outing, losing to Alexia Thainara. Amorim was in an identical spot with her four-fight streak halted by Mizuki Inoue.

Lookboonmee loaded up on her leg kicks early, as Amorim walked forward, backing the Thai fighter up to the fence before charging forward, clinching up. A takedown attempt followed, with Lookboonmee defending with a whizzer, just barely staying upright. Locking hands, she reversed, but Amorim went to the ground anyway, rolling for a leg and dragging Lookboonmee with her. Amorim came out on top, though Lookboonmee landed a few elbows and punches off her back before the Brazilian settled in. Soon enough, she moved to side control, then chased a kimura before switching to an arm-bar.

Lookboonmee tried to cut it out, the limb extended at increasingly uncomfortable angles. Before long, Loma had no choice but to tap! In a Mauy Thai versus grappling clash of styles, it was Jaqueline Amorim’s BJJ coming out on top.

Official Result: Jaqueline Amorim def. Loma Lookboonmee by submission (arm-bar), Round 1, 4:04

The post UFC Macau: Clash of Styles Sees Jaqueline Amorim Tap Loma Lookboonmee appeared first on Cageside Press.

With a Muay Thai background, Thailand’s Lookboonmee went to the body with her kicks early; in answer Thainara attempted to clinch up alongside the fence, thinking takedown. It wasn’t there for her, and at close range, Lookboonmee ripped off another kick, this one a front kick that just missed connecting with the Brazilian’s face. Soon, Thainara would look to close the distance again, though this time, she switched to a spinning kick to the body. Another grappling exchange against the fence followed, with Thainara finally landing a trip. In half-guard, she stayed heavy against Lookboonmee, and away from the fence, with two minutes on the clock, she had some time to work.

Still, by the one minute mark, Lookboonmee was back on her feet – but in a miscalculation, she charged forward, wound up clipped, and taken down. Thainara got on top, and started dropping some nasty elbows! If the round had been close before, it’s likely that sequence secured it for Thainara, who finished the frame with more nasty elbows.

Alexia Thainara had the fight back down just past 30 seconds into the second round. With Lookboonmee having been mauled to end the first, Thainara had all the momentum on her side. Still, the Thai strawweight was able to escape back to her feet, where the pair traded kicks. Another takedown for Thainara came before the first half of the round had passed. Again, the pair wouldn’t stay grounded, and this time, to wrap up the frame, the pair traded right to the horn.

Lookboonmee fired a kick to the body early in the third, but Thainara soon clinched up. The pair tumbled to the ground, but it was Lookboonmee on top, briefly, before they got back up. From there, Thainara continued to have the bigger moments, often finding herself in control, against the fence, and from the back. Lookboonmee simply couldn’t find any rhythm, and with time running out, it was increasingly unlikely that she would find a finish. Taken down in the final minute with Thainara taking the back, hooks in, all opportunity for Loma was gone. She made it back up, but with only 14 seconds on the clock, the bout was done. The winner in this one was never really in question.

Official Result: Alexia Thainara def. Loma Lookboonmee by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

The post Alexia Thainara Earns Clear Decision Over Loma Lookboonmee to Kick Off UFC Perth appeared first on Cageside Press.

The strawweight fight found Nunes at 0-4 in the promotion, a rather surprising number considering she’d be kept around for a fifth out, one that was almost certainly do or die.

An exchange of kicks opened up Saturday’s strawweight affair, or “kicked it off,” pardon the pun. Lookboonmee looked sharper there, but Nunes was no slouch either. And about two minutes in, Nunes caught a kick and threatened to dump the Thai fighter. Lookboonmee stayed upright; seconds later, the fight was halted for an eye poked endured by Nunes.

The back half of the round continued to be competitive, with both fighters throwing hard. Surprisingly it was Lookboonmee initiating a takedown, which backfired as she went to the ground first, pulling Nunes down on top of her. Nunes mount up on top, threatening to pass to mount as a result, though Lookboonmee would regain guard.

Round two saw the fight move into grinding territory along the fence, with Istela Nunes putting her weight on Lookboonmee, controlling her. Lookboonmee stayed on her feet as Nunes sought out a takedown, with the Brazilian being warned more than once for having her fingers in the fence. When they did hit the mat, it was Lookboonmee on top, though Nunes had soon locked up a leg, looking for a heel hook.

The opening minute of round three was another battling along the fence, with Lookboonmee landing a takedown, settling down into Nunes’ guard. The rest of the round would play out there, with Lookboonmee in the driver’s seat, but little in the way of action unfolding. When the scores were read, all three judges had it for Lookboonmee, leaving Istela Nunes looking incredulous and exclaiming “what?!?” before exiting the cage.

Lookboonmee said following the win that she hoped to stay active in 2025 after missing most of last year due to a broken hand that required surgery.

Official Result: Loma Lookboonmee def. Istela Nunes by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

The post UFC Vegas 105: Loma Lookboonmee Gives Istela Nunes Fifth Straight Loss appeared first on Cageside Press.

Lookboonmee, the first Thai native to compete in the UFC, was entering her eighth fight in the promotion- though she also had roughly 200 fights in Muay Thai.

It was a slow start in Lookboonmee versus Brasil, with Bruna slowly walking forward, firing a spinning back kick near the midway mark that forced her Thai opponent back. Brasil had the edge in size, but Lookboonmee was explosive when she charged forward with a combination punctuated with a body kick.

Moments later the pair would tie up along the fence, exchanging knees; Loma Lookboonmee, belying her striking background, looked to land a throw, but Brasil stayed upright and moved back to center. Lookboonmee closed out the round with a takedown in the final ten seconds.

Round two played out in similar fashion, the pair trading strike-for-strike, but without much of significance landing. More of a sparring match with a bit of clinching along the fence, which allowed Lookboonmee to show off her knees and elbows. Lookboonmee continued to favor her body kick, and Brasil fired a heavy right hand in the final minute before the pair clinched up again for a bit, then moved back to center after the break.

The third round of a close fight was a land of opportunity for someone to make a statement, but the fight remained evenly matched. Lookboonmee had the edge at range, and Brasil’s lack of offense certainly did her no favors. It was a bit of a stalemate against the fence, but the damage to the body of Brasil in particular seemed to favor Loma Lookboonmee after three rounds.

The judges agreed, and Loma Lookboonmee earned her third straight win, adding to victories over Denis Gomes and Elise Reed.

Official Result: Loma Lookboonmee def. Bruna Brasil by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

The post Bruna Brasil’s Lack of Offense Does Her No Favors, Loma Lookboonmee Claims Decision at UFC Vegas 86 appeared first on Cageside Press.

Tony Ferguson’s DUI Case Dismissed, Takes Plea Deal

UFC 296 star Tony Ferguson, who is set to throw down with Paddy Pimblett, has had a DUI charge dismissed as part of a plea deal. The misdemeanor DUI count was dismissed by a Los Angeles county court in exchange for Ferguson pleading No Contest (or nolo contendere) to a misdemeanor wet reckless driving charge.

Ferguson will serve one year of probation under the deal, agreed up by the prosecution and defense before Judge Shannon K. Cooley this past week.

MMA Junkie was first to report news of the deal. Ferguson was arrested back in May, but it does not appear to have interfered with his fighting career. Still, he’ll enter UFC 296 badly in need of a win — having dropped six straight.

Larissa Pacheco next for Bellator featherweight champ Cris Cyborg

Finally, the best women’s featherweights on the planet are all housed under one roof.

With the UFC scrapping the weight class (which they never truly built) following the retirement of Amanda Nunes, the likes of Cris Cyborg, Cat Zingano, Larissa Pacheco, Kayla Harrison, Arlene Blencowe, Aspen Ladd, and others all fall under the PFL banner — now that the company has acquired Bellator MMA.

While Kayla Harrison vs. Cris Cyborg has long been a dream fight, PFL founder Donn Davis confirmed following the PFL Championship on Friday that it’s newly crowned PFL women’s featherweight champ Larissa Pacheco who will be next for the fearsome Cyborg. That makes sense, as a PFL champions vs. Bellator champions card is planned for early 2024.

“It’s champ vs. champ,” Davis revealed during Friday’s post-fight press conference (h/t MMA Junkie). “Larissa has earned that. But will Cris then fight Kayla in 2024? One-hundred percent. That is going to happen. Cris will have two fights in 2024, Kayla will have two fights in 2024, and one of those will be Cris against Kayla. We think that Larissa has earned that.

“Once again, you have to do champ vs. champ. Cris is the champ of Bellator. Larissa is the champ here. We have to see that fight happen first. Coming out of that, you’ll see Cris Cyborg vs. Kayla Harrison as the next fight in 2024.”

Loma Lookboonmee vs. Bruna Brasil Booked for Feb. 10

A very alliterative women’s strawweight booking has been added to the UFC’s Feb. 10, 2024 Fight Night event, as Loma Lookboonmee will face Bruna Brasil.

News of the booking was first reported by MMA Fighting.

Brasil (9-3-1) is coming off a single win, while Lookboonmee (8-3) has put together back-to-back wins.

The Feb. 10 card is headlined by Jack Hermansson vs. Joe Pyfer in a middleweight match-up.

The post Sunday MMA Quick Hits: Ferguson DUI Dismissed, Pacheco vs. Cyborg Up Next appeared first on Cageside Press.

Lookboonmee vs. Reed was the lone women’s bout on the UFC 284 card, and found both fighters entering the fight off single victories, affording the winner the chance to put together back-to-back wins.

Reed stayed light on her feet on the outside off the opening bell, as Lookboonmee walked forward. She opened the action with a leg kick that landed with a crack. Reed would answer with a spinning kick, that did not land at all. She’d press forward a moment later, getting her hands going, but was soon backed up by the Thai strawweight.

Lookboonmee’s next meaningful strike was a kick to the body; Reed landed a leg kick in return. The snap behind Lookboonmee’s kicks wasn’t three for Reed, but it was Reed slipping a jab to land a right hand moments later. Reed’s thigh, however, was soon sporting some damage, as Lookboonmee was mixing up her kicks well. In the second half of the round, Reed tied things up, looking for a takedown — which was landed instead by Lookboonmee care of a throw.

Not to be outdone, Reed reversed, settling into half-guard to land a bit of ground n’ pound. Reed’s nose, however, was now gushing blood. It didn’t seem to bother her, as she stayed on Lookboonmee, who gave up her back towards the end of the round.

Elise Reed feeling good after Round 1 😤 #UFC284 pic.twitter.com/sezVp17DSc

— UFC (@ufc) February 12, 2023

Loma Lookboonmee turned the tables early in round two. It was Lookboonmee getting the fight down, quickly taking the back of Elise Reed with hooks in. In a flash, the rear-naked choke was in deep, and after a second’s hesitation, Reed tapped!

That makes two wins in a row for @LomaLookboonmee! #UFC284 pic.twitter.com/7Z4POOygEC

— UFC (@ufc) February 12, 2023

Official Result: Loma Lookboonmee def. Elise Reed by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 0:44

The post UFC 284: Spirited Scrap Sees Loma Lookboonmee Submit Elise Reed appeared first on Cageside Press.

The short-notice fight saw Gomes stepping in for Diana Belbita, who withdrew from the bout a little over a month out. Thailand’s Lookboonmee had lost her last outing, to Loopy Godinez, while Gomes entered the night having won five straight.

A couple of heavy leg kick from Muay Thai fighter Lookboonmee started the fight. A strong push kick to the body put Gomes down briefly. Gomes tied up with Lookboonmee trying to take her down. Lookboonmee defended the takedown and got on top and quickly took the back. Too high on the back, Gomes was able to shake Lookboonmee off and get on top. Gomes right away had an arm triangle. She tried to jump to the other side but took the mount instead. Besides trying to solidify a dominant position Gomes went for an arm-bar and let Lookboonmee back in her guard. Lookboonmee ended the round with a few elbows to the already bloody Gomes.

In the second round, Gomes came forward and Lookboonmee countered with a right into a trip takedown. Gomes was attempting a kimura lock but Lookboonmee used it to take the mount. Lookboonmee decided to just stand up and let Gomes to her feet. Gomes pushed Lookboonmee back to the cage right away chasing a takedown. Gomes worked hard to get it down but the elbows and knees of Lookboonmee were making it tough. It was Lookboonmee getting another takedown hitting the outside trip. More elbows from Lookboonmee landed until she stood up and let Gomes up. Lookboonmee looked away though and Gomes tried to capitalize by rushing in on a takedown but was thrown down. The round ends with a heavy exchange from both.

In the final round, Gomes started off with a big combination. She pressed Lookboonmee against the cage and landed a nasty spinning elbow. When they tied up Lookboonmee hit a nice outside trip. Gomes used a heel hook to scramble and take the back of Lookboonmee. Gomes kept the position on the back but did go for an armbar letting Lookboonmee on top and right back to the feet. It had been Lookboonmee scoring the takedowns and she got another one a minute in. Lookboonmee was busy with elbows until the final bell — and came away with the clear decision win.

Official Result: Loma Lookboonmee def. Denise Gomes by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

The post UFC Vegas 60: Loma Lookboonmee Spoils Denise Gomes’ Debut appeared first on Cageside Press.

Brazil’s Gomes (6-1) will face Loma Lookboonmee (6-3) at a UFC Fight Night event on September 17, 2022. News of the booking was announced on Tuesday night’s Contender Series 53 broadcast.

Lookboonmee was originally expected to face Diana Belbita. No reason was given for Belbita’s exit from the fight.

Gomes fought on the Contender Series on August 23, defeating Rayanne Amanda via a unanimous decision, and earning a UFC contract in the process. One fight prior, Gomes had made her Invicta FC debut, defeating UFC alum Milana Dudieva.

Lookboonmee, a multi-time world champion in Muay Thai, will look to bounce back from a loss to Lupita “Loopy” Godinez in the fight. The loss snapped a two-fight win streak for the Thai fighter.

The UFC’s September 17 event is set to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The following bouts have been reported for the card:

• Cory Sandhagen vs. Song Yadong
• Giga Chikadze vs. Sodiq Yusuff
• Gregory Rodrigues vs. Chidi Njokuani
• Tanner Boser vs. Rodrigo Nascimento
• Anthony Hernandez vs. Marc-André Barriault
• Alen Amedovski vs. Joseph Pyfer
• Aspen Ladd vs. Sara McMann
• Mariya Agapova vs. Gillian Robertson
• Trey Ogden vs. Daniel Zellhuber
• Nikolas Motta vs. Cameron VanCamp
• Louis Cosce vs. Trevin Giles
• Pat Sabatini vs. Damon Jackson
• Tony Gravely vs. Javid Basharat
• Andre Fili vs. Bill Algeo
• Loma Lookboonmee vs. Denise Gomes

The post UFC: Denise Gomes Steps Up on Short Notice to Face Loma Lookboonmee on Sept. 17 appeared first on Cageside Press.

When she stepped into the octagon Saturday, Godinez broke Dustin Prague’s record of competing three times in 64 days — taking her third fight in just 42 days. Leaving her time for one more this year if she hurried (we kid).

Early on, Lookboonmee and Godinez had a bit of a back-and-forth in the grappling department, just briefly hitting the canvas. On the feet, unsurprisingly, the Thai fighter utilized a Muay Thai stance. Godinez then opted to drive her opponent into the fence, looking to change levels for a takedown. She’d work for a trip, then a single leg, but Lookboonmee showed some impressive takedown defense before reversing and landing knees in the clinch.

Countered the counter.

[ #UFCVegas43 | Prelims LIVE on @ESPNPlus ] pic.twitter.com/VAbaOZjn5P

— UFC (@ufc) November 20, 2021

In the final minute of the opening round, the pair moved off the fence, with Lookboonmee connecting with a head kick that was partially blocked. It was Godinez, however, who landed one of the better strikes of the round with a right cross connecting, followed shortly after with a takedown, letting her finish in control.

An early takedown put Godinez in the driver’s seat in round two. She landed in half-guard with side control an easy option, which she would take moments later. Godinez then put her knee across Lookboonmee’s neck, pinning her while landing punches until the Thai strawweight escaped out and up.

Back on the feet, Godinez maintained control care of a body lock, which Lookboonmee walking her to the fence. Lupita refused to give up control until Lookboonmee caught her getting too high on the back and, while standing, shook her off and over the top. Moments later, however, Lupita would put her opponent on her back again, giving her well over a minute to work on top.

Round three opened with a takedown by “Loopy” Godinez, and it finished with one. Off the original takedown, Godinez went hunting for a leg lock, and it took Lookboonmee a good long while to escape. When she finally did break free and managed to get back on her feet, a blast double leg put her right back down. Godinez transitioned to the back, but was too high. That was irrelevant, as even with Lookboonmee escaping, there wasn’t enough time for her to turn the tide.

Official Result: Lupita Godinez def. Loma Lookboonmee by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27 30-27)

The post UFC Vegas 43: Lupita Godinez Sets Record, Banks Win Over Loma Lookboonmee appeared first on Cageside Press.

For the third time in her UFC career, which will be hitting just four fights later this month, Godinez is stepping up on short notice. This time, she’s replacing Cheyanne Buys against Loma Lookboonmee at UFC Vegas 43.

Cageside Press confirmed the booking on Wednesday following an initial report by MMA DNA.

Buys announced she was out of the fight on social media earlier in the day. “The Warrior Princess” revealed that she had tested positive for COVID-19, leaving her unable to compete.

Godinez (6-2), a former LFA and BTC strawweight champion, is 1-2 in the UFC thus far. She stepped up on short notice in her debut against Jessica Penne, losing a split decision. With a full camp, she next submitted Silvana Gomez Juarez at UFC Vegas 39 last month — though it should be noted Juarez wasn’t even her original opponent.

“Loopy” Godinez then made a one-week turnaround, up a weight class, losing a unanimous decision against Luana Carolina.

Lookboonmee (6-2), the first fighter out of Thailand to sign with the promotion, has won her last two fights. She’ll enter the bout with Godinez off a win over Sam Hughes back in May.

UFC Vegas 43 is expected to take place at the Apex in Las Vegas on November 20, 2021. Former women’s bantamweight champ Miesha Tate faces Ketlen Vieira in the main event.

The post Lupita Godinez In On Short Notice Again, Fights Loma Lookboonmee at UFC Vegas 43 appeared first on Cageside Press.