Paige VanZant and Rachael Ostovich will run it back in a different combat discipline atop the BKFC 19 card. The two will test skills in a pseudo-sequel to their UFC fight in January 2019. Can PVZ go 2-0 over Rachael Ostovich, or will Ostovich gain a measure of revenge against PVZ and make a successful debut in BKFC?

There is a possible heavyweight title eliminator positioned in the co-main event when Arnold Adams and BKFC debutant/unbeaten BKB champion Mick Terrill toe the line.

Britain Hart and Jenny Savage will knuckle up in a clash at 125 pounds. This is a heated grudge match with divisional importance as talks of a women’s featherweight tournament heat up.

Also, there will be multiple platform showdowns between a myriad of Youtubers and Tik Tokers. Most notably, in this writer’s estimation, the collision between Blueface and Kane Trujillo. The “Thotiana” rapper looks to put away one of the biggest heels on Tik Tok while Trujillo looks to Bleed It when he puts hands on the Lyrical Lemonade featured artist.

Below are your BKFC 19 live results.

BKFC 19

Paige VanZant vs Rachael Ostovich: Ostovich wins via unanimous decision

Arnold Adams vs Mick Terrill: Adams wins via third-round KO at 0:38

Britain Hart vs Jenny Savage: Hart wins via third-round TKO at 1:55

Taylor Starling vs. Cassie Robb: Starling wins via first-round TKO at 0:28

Abdiel Velazquez vs Geane Herrera: Herrera wins via second-round TKO at 0:14

Blue Face vs Kane Trujillo: Blue Face wins via unanimous decision

Nick Ireland vs DK Money: Ireland wins via majority decision

Evil Hero vs Dakota Olave: Evil Hero wins via unanimous decision

Terry Janoski vs Richard Carsten: Janoski wins via first-round TKO at 1:55

Joshua Sikes vs Sandy Antonio Soto: Soto wins via unanimous decision

Jared Warren vs Zion Tomlinson Sr.: Warren wins via first-round KO at 1:14

Jay Jackson vs Damon Bell: Jackson wins via third-round KO at 1:58

Chris Jensen vs Kyle Mcelroy: Jensen wins via first-round TKO at 1:17

Branden Allen vs Jordan Nash: Nash wins via unanimous decision

The post BKFC 19: VanZant vs Ostovich Live Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

𝙋 𝙑 𝙕 !

🤫 Don't forget the striking skills of @PaigeVanZant.#InAbuDhabi @VisitAbuDhabi #UFC251 pic.twitter.com/Uk9nezBSi3

— UFC (@ufc) July 7, 2020

In a time where the definition of a pay-per-view star is being redefined, there is no question that both Paige VanZant and Rachael Ostovich know how to bring in a crowd.  Their drawing power has already been proven; they both have successful fan sites that bring them tremendous revenue despite a paywall.  This Friday, however, will be a true test to see if the fans who pay to see them outside the ring will be willing to pay top dollar to see them compete inside of it.

Paige VanZant has already made this leap.  After a UFC run that saw her become a bonafide crossover star, “12 Gauge” signed a lucrative deal with BareKnuckle FC and went the distance in her debut against Britain Hart in February.  She came up short in the contest and it was far from the rousing debut she hoped to have as she embarked on her post-UFC career.  Going into her second bareknuckle bout, she has worked more exclusively with a traditional boxing coach in Florida as opposed to MMA striking coaches at American Top Team that helped her prepare for Hart.

3️⃣ fights, 3️⃣ finishes!#TUFFinale is off to a HELLUVA start!! What a win for @RachaelOstovich! pic.twitter.com/orMrhabteZ

— UFC (@ufc) December 2, 2017

Rachael Ostovich arguably has more to prove.  In MMA, she has struggled to keep a consistent schedule and is 0-3 in the last three years.  Her loss to Gina Mazany last year led to her release from the UFC and she quietly fielded offers on the free agent market.  BKFC ended up being the ones to sign her, following successful signings of fan-favorites VanZant, Pearl Gonzalez, and most recently re-signing Bec Rawlings.  A successful run could rejuvenate her competitive career, making her a top attraction for a promotion that has struggled to create one.

It should be noted, wins or losses for either woman are unlikely to matter to BKFC.  The quartet of VanZant, Ostovich, Rawlings, and Gonzalez is interchangeable to the point that they can be matched up in the immediate future and still draw interest regardless if one or both is coming off a loss.

@PaigeVanZant and @RachaelOstovich Toe the line tomorrow night 👀🍿

[ Watch Live on BKTV & @FiteTV ] pic.twitter.com/MRef3ZOeUR

— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) July 23, 2021

The bout between VanZant and Ostovich in MMA is hard one to draw much from stylistically.  Virtually the entirety of the bout involved grappling or kicks that are both banned in a bareknuckle match.  Both were better known for their skills on the ground than their striking in MMA.  VanZant should look to use her movement and a high volume attack to outwork the more plodding Ostovich.  Ostovich by comparison should look to use her physicality and push forward to keep VanZant on her heels and close to the ropes where she is easier to corral into a corner.  It is vital that Ostovich unload with heavy shots to do damage when she has VanZant at close range to cut away at her gas tank that has been proven in long bouts.

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Two of MMA’s most popular fighters will meet again, this time in the squared circle as Paige VanZant will face Rachael Ostovich for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on July 23.  The two met back in 2019 under the UFC banner, where VanZant submitted Ostovich via second round armbar.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPYuWy2MeJe/

Last year, VanZant became the highest profile signing for BKFC after amassing nearly three million followers on Instagram following several years in the UFC.  “12 Gauge” entered the UFC as one of the youngest fighters on the roster and quickly became one of their most popular stars in headlining multiple events on network television and booking crossover opportunities on Dancing with the Stars, Chopped, and appearing in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.  VanZant made her BKFC debut this past February where she dropped a decision victory to Britain Hart.

Ostovich has amassed a respectable following of her own with 751k followers on social media.  After fighting for Invicta FC, Ostovich entered the UFC through The Ultimate Fighter in 2017.  The Hawaiian native went 1-3 in the Octagon and last fought in November of 2020 where she was stopped by Gina Mazany.  Ostovich was subsequently released from her contract and signed with BKFC along with fellow UFC veteran Pearl Gonzalez as part of the promotion’s efforts to build their roster.

No further details were given about the undercard or venue for the event.

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One of the more popular women in mixed martial arts has found a new home, as Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship announced the signing of fan favorite Rachael Ostovich on Tuesday afternoon.

https://www.instagram.com/p/COLa2WEpEfu/

A professional since 2014, Ostovich is best known for joining the UFC after being a part of Season 26 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2017.  The Hawaiian native was cast on the show after a four fight stint in Invicta and made it to the quarterfinals of the competition before being eliminated.  Ostovich was given a shot at a UFC contract after the show and had a four fight run in the Octagon that saw her go 1-3.  Along the way, she built up one of the strongest social media followings by a UFC fighter with over 750k followers on Instagram.  She has faced several notable names throughout her career such as Paige VanZant, Andrea Lee, and Montana De La Rosa.  Most recently, she lost via second round TKO to Gina Mazany last November and was subsequently released from the promotion.

Recently, BKFC has made headlines in signing fellow UFC and Invicta veterans Paige VanZant and Pearl Gonzalez.  It is expected that the promotion will look to book the three in bouts against each other in the future as they all compete in the same weight class.  No date or opponent was given for Ostovich’s debut.

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Following the UFC Vegas 16 card over the weekend, UFC President Dana White shed some light into the thought process behind releasing the “Solider of God” — and warned that more cuts are coming. A lot of them.

“It’s not just Yoel. We’re gonna go through some serious cuts here at the end of the year. Probably gonna have 60 cuts coming up before the first of the year,” White said following the event this past Saturday. “Yoel has lost four of his last five, he’s 44-years old. Our roster is very inflated right now. We’re gonna have some big cuts coming before the end of the year. You’re gonna see a lot of names going here in the next several weeks.”

“We’re just literally starting to to through the list,” White added.

It appears that process has already begun. On Monday, MMA Junkie reported that Rachael Ostovich had been released by the promotion. The Hawaiian fought just over a week ago, losing her third straight bout. Ostovich had been blunt prior to the fight, admitting to media outlets including Cageside Press that a third straight loss could very likely cost her her job.

Just a few days ago, news also broke that Cole Smith, Justin Ledet, Bevon Lewis, and Collin Huckbody had also parted ways with the promotion. While none of those names carries the high profile of Romero, there are likely to be at least a few more big names shown the door. After all, following his most recent defeat, on Halloween, even Anderson Silva was handed his walking papers by the promotion.

The next few weeks could mark a bleak holiday period for a large number of fighters. While the UFC tends to clean house every now and then, it’s been a while since they made cuts to the extent White has suggested. At the same time, their roster has grown to immense size in recent years — as of this writing, their website lists 724 active fighters. While that number may not be 100% accurate depending on how up-to-date the promotion’s official website is (it does not currently include the recent cuts, for example), it’s clear the cuts are not without reason.

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Among those is main card fighter Parker Porter who, along with Josh Parisian, broke the record for heavyweight strikes landed in a three-round bout. So maybe it’s not surprising that at least one of those punches landed appeared to do some damage to the left hand of Porter, who will need that looked at and cleared before he can come back.

Others facing the same sort of suspension are Bill Algeo (who won a one-sided decision over Spike Carlyle), Norma Dumont and Ashlee Evans-Smith (who fought one another), and Rachael Ostovich (who was defeated in the third round by Gina Mazany).

Jonathan Pearce will also be looking for clearance via x-ray before he can step back in. However, it is the right foot of Pearce that needs to be looked at to avoid the six months off.

Full list of UFC Vegas 15 medical suspensions:

Takashi Sato – 180 days or until cleared by oral maxillary facial surgeon
Parker Porter – 180 days or until cleared by left hand x-ray
Josh Parisian – 60 days
Bill Algeo – 180 days or until cleared by left hand x-ray
Spike Carlyle – 30 days
Norma Dumont – 180 days or until cleared by right hand x-ray
Ashlee Evans-Smith – 180 days or until cleared by left hand x-ray
Jonathan Pearce – 180 days or until cleared by right foot x-ray
Kai Kamaka – 45 days
Gina Mazany – 15 days
Rachael Ostovich – 180 days or until cleared by right hand x-ray
Malcolm Gordon – 60 days
Luke Sanders – 30 days

Suspensions originally reported by Kirik Jenness.

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Ostovich was 1-2 in the UFC, having fought just once a year since 2017. A myriad of mishaps had kept her from competing on a regular basis, and cut her some slack, but a third consecutive loss would be disastrous.

Mazany, meanwhile, was on her second run with the UFC, but with a 1-4 record between two stints, she was badly in need of a win as well. “Danger” was also dropping to flyweight for the first time at UFC Vegas 15.

Gina Mazany looked to put the pressure on early on Saturday night, but Ostovich answered by landing a body kick. The Hawaiian’s hands got going as well, so Mazany went the takedown route, taking the back and locking on a body triangle. That was bad news early in a fight with both ladies dry. Ostovich broke free and scrambled out, however, leaving the pair back on their feet. Ostovich found her range, landing overhands and hooks, leading Mazany to tie her up against the fence, kneeing her opponent’s thigh and no doubt thinking of taking the fight back down.

That didn’t happen — but Mazany had the fight back to the ground early in the second. Ostovich immediately looked for an arm-bar from bottom. Back on the feet, a bit of a brawl erupted until Mazany initiated another takedown and moved to mount. Ostovich eventually worked her way up, with Mazany keeping the pressure on, taking the back and throwing her back down. Mazany’s wrestling was making all the difference, with Ostovich being controlled, and soon pieced up a bit one the feet as well.

Round three saw Mazany immediately tie her opponent up. Hawaii’s Ostovich looked exhausted. She managed to fight off a takedown, however. On the feet, she was still landing, but Mazany was as well. Including a nasty kick to the body. When Mazany took the back, she unloaded on Ostovich, who was forced to cover up. Ostovich showed her Hawaiian fighting spirit, enduring the beating and getting back to her feet. But another kick to the body then put her down, and gave Mazany the finish!

Powerful shots to the body earns @GinaDangerAK the 3rd round finish!

📺 #UFCVegas15 live on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/yvpY2kBSVt

— UFC (@ufc) November 29, 2020

Gina Mazany looked like a new fighter at UFC Vegas 15. Her strikes were on-point, her wrestling dominant, and her kicks served as the icing on the cake. It’s a fresh start for “Danger” who appears to have found a new home at 125lbs.

Official Result: Gina Mazany def. Rachael Ostovich by TKO, Round 3, 4:10

The post UFC Vegas 15 Results: New-Look Gina Mazany Stops Rachael Ostovich in Third appeared first on Cageside Press.

“This roller coaster did not stop,” Ostovich told Cageside Press during this week’s UFC Vegas 15 media day when asked about her experiences in 2020. Getting back into the fight game, however, “feels nice. I feel really refreshed to be here. Just getting here, with my last fight, all those obstacles I had to go through and jump through, I’m glad it’s all over, and I’m back here and ready to do the damn thing.”

Ostovich returns against Gina Mazany, but it was supposed to be Shana Dobson last February that the 29-year old went up against. A positive test for Ostarine, a common contaminant in athletic supplements, saw her hit with an eight-month sanction.

When it comes to the USADA process, “I couldn’t have asked for a better conclusion. I’m happy it’s over,” Ostovich said Wednesday. She still doesn’t know how her positive test happened precisely, although a supplement appears to be the culprit. Coming out of it, Ostovich is now hoping to see “more awareness” make its way to both other fighters, and the general public.

While Ostovich said the USADA “situation” is behind her, she did add that “I feel like a lot of people aren’t educated on the supplement industry, with how they aren’t regulated.” But she also maintained that “I take responsibility, at the end of the day.” Which has her double checking labels on everything. “I can’t even go to Jamba Juice to drink their protein drinks. It’s come down to that. Something I never thought I had to worry about, I worry about now, and I’m a lot more aware of it.”

Heading into UFC Vegas 15, both Ostovich and opponent Mazany have their backs against the wall. “I know that she needs this win just as much as I do. But I’m going in there, and I’m coming for that win,” said the Hawaiian. “This is serous. This could be my last fight. I’m looking at it in those terms. Despite the COVID and those circumstances, I’ve had a really great training camp, so I’m feeling really good going into this fight.”

It’s that dire, in Ostovich’s eyes. She sports a 4-5 record, almost unheard of in the UFC. The circumstances of her life in the past few years have cut her some slack, but she also knows she needs the win. “I’m thinking [this is] maybe the last fight in the UFC. You never really know. People get cut for way less,” she added.

If that does happen, she’ll remain in the sport. Ostovich is, of course, not planning to lose. “The plan is to stay in MMA, and the UFC. I’m not saying that this is my last fight. I just think that another loss, three in a row, that won’t be good,” she explained later. “I know how it looks. I’ve seen people get cut for way less. That’s how I look at things. MMA, I’ve been doing it for 10 years. That’s what I love to do. If they decided to keep me even after a loss, which [losing] is not gonna happen, I’ll be grateful too.”

Watch the full UFC Vegas 15 virtual media day press scrum with Rachael Ostovich above. The event takes place this Saturday, November 28, airing live on ESPN. The main card kicks off at 10PM ET.

The post UFC Vegas 15: Rachael Ostovich on USADA Ban, Being Cut with a Loss appeared first on Cageside Press.

USADA (the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency) oversees the UFC’s anti-doping program.

Ostovich, 29, tested positive for “ostarine and GW1516 (also known as GW-501516) metabolites GW1516 sulfone and GW1516 sulfoxide as the result of a urine sample collected out-of-competition on January 3, 2020,” USADA officials revealed. After analysis at a WADA-accredited lab in Salt Lake City, it was found that a supplement Ostovich provided contained the prohibited substances in question. Some were not listed on the label, though at least one was. Ostovich was apparently unaware.

The fighter initially faced a two-year ban from the sport. However, as with other similar cases, USADA deemed a reduction in sanction was justified, due to lack of intent on the fighter’s part. While initially given a one-year ban from competition, Ostovich also received a further four-month credit “due to time served under a provisional suspension in the latter half of 2019 for an atypical finding that was being investigated by USADA and which did not result in a sanction once the 2019 UFC ADP was announced, making her total period of ineligibility eight months.”

That eight-month period will end in August, as the flyweight’s period of ineligibility began January 3, 2020 — the date her positive sample was collected.

Ostovich (4-5) has not fought since suffering a loss to Paige VanZant at UFC Brooklyn in 2019. Just weeks prior, she was victim of a domestic assault by her now-former husband, fellow MMA fighter Arnold Berdon. She had been linked to a fight with Shana Dobson at UFC Auckland earlier this year, but withdrew for undisclosed reasons at the time.

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The UFC’s next trip to New Zealand has a women’s flyweight contest set. MMA Junkie was first to report that Rachael Ostovich will return to the octagon opposite Shana Dobson at UFC Auckland this February. The promotion has yet to announce the fight, however Ostovich has confirmed the bout on social media.

Ostovich (4-5) will look to snap a two-fight losing skid when she makes the trip to Auckland. The Ultimate Fighter 26 cast member has lost two straight to Montana De La Rosa and Paige VanZant. The loss to VanZant came in January 2019, meaning it will be over a year between fights for the Hawaiian. However, Ostovich went through a horrific ordeal prior to that fight involving abuse at the hands of her then-husband, Arnold Berdon. Berdon was later sentenced to four years of probation after assaulting Ostovich, breaking her orbital bone in the process.

Shana Dobson (3-3), like Ostovich, appeared on The Ultimate Fighter 26, losing to Roxanne Modafferi on the show. She’d win her octagon debut at the TUF 26 finale, defeating Ariel Beck via TKO. Her next two fights, however, would result in unanimous decision losses. End result, the fighter nicknamed ‘Danger’ is in just that, as an 0-3 run would put her in danger of being cut by the promotion.

With Ostovich potentially in a similar spot, the pair should be plenty motivated come February. UFC Auckland takes place February 23, 2020 at the Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand. The event is anticipated to air on ESPN+.

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