Matt Brown was back in the Octagon on Saturday at UFC on ESPN 8. In a fight originally expected for Columbus, the Ohio native took on Miguel Baeza. Brown was looking to make it three in a row, although a brief hiatus dealing with a shoulder issue split up his previous two wins. Baeza for his part was in just his second UFC fight — against a battle-hardened veteran.

Matt Brown started off immediately putting Baeza on the backfoot. Brown tried to open up with a flurry to start, but Baeza immediately started throwing some heavy leg kicks. Baeza landed more heavy calf kicks, and Brown seemed to feel it and started to go on the offensive. Brown landed a big combination that seemed to land clean, and then Brown landed a big right hand that knocked Baeza’s mouthpiece out. Baeza seemed really rocked while Brown rained down elbows and right hands against the fence. The referee gave Baeza’s mouthpiece back, and once he did, he seemed recovered. Baeza then landed a one-two that knocked Brown down and hurt him badly. Baeza landed some ground and pound, but Brown made it back to his feet. The round came to a close after a Baeza flurry.

𝙎𝙒𝘼𝙍𝙈𝙄𝙉𝙂! #UFCFL pic.twitter.com/6P9HPAScR2

— UFC (@ufc) May 17, 2020

Baeza opened up with a big left hand to open the second round that landed clean. Brown rushed in and Baeza nailed him with another huge left that knocks him out! Baeza jumped in for the hammer fist and the fight ended! What a fight, and what a knockout for Miguel Baeza. After nearly being finished in the first, Baeza was able to recover enough to rock Brown in round one and finish him in round two. What a victory.

FLORIDA REPRESENT! 🌴

👊 @Thunder92Baeza makes a STATEMENT early RD2!

Watch now ➡️ LIVE on @ESPN #UFCFL pic.twitter.com/OOPnFmEpt3

— UFC (@ufc) May 17, 2020

Miguel Baeza def. Matt Brown by KO (Left Hook) in Round 2 (0:18)

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Staff Writers	Yadong vs. Vera	Anders vs. Jotko	Ige vs. Barboza	Gadelha vs. Hill	Overeem vs. Harris
Ryan Fortune (40-15)
Keith Shillan (38-17)
Joe McDonagh (35-20)
Justin Gibbons (12-7)
Jay Anderson (34-21)
Dylan Bowker (23-18)
Dan Doherty (27-23)
Paarth Pande (15-13)
Eddie Law (15-13)
Josh Evanoff (29-26)
Gabriel Gonzalez (26-29)

The main event of UFC on ESPN 8 features the return of Walt Harris after the tragic death of his stepdaughter. He comes in on a four-fight win streak (one overturned due to a drug test failure), stopping three of those opponents. Alistair Overeem was four seconds away from a three-fight win streak, but was knocked out by Jairzinho Rozenstruik. All but three writers picked Harris.

The co-main event is a solid strawweight scrap between former top contender Claudia Gadelha and Angela Hill. This will be Hill’s seventh fight since the start of 2019 and she’ll be seeking her fourth consecutive win. Gadelha bounced back from a tough loss to Nina Ansaroff with a win over Randa Markos. She is 2-2 in her last four bouts. Gadelha was slightly favored, with six picks to five.

Edson Barboza makes his featherweight debut against the dangerous Dan Ige. Barboza’s lightweight run came to a rough end, losing four of his last five fights (although all the losses were against top 10 opponents). Ige will be a tough welcome party, as he comes in on a five-fight win streak after falling in his UFC debut. All but three writers picked Barboza.

Eryk Anders and Krzysztof Jotko look to win their third consecutive fight. That’s not the only similarity as both middleweights’ current win streak followed a three-fight losing streak. Jotko got the slight edge with six picks to five.

Opening up the main card of UFC on ESPN 8 is (probably) Song Yadong and Marlon Vera. Yadong won his first four UFC fights with three stoppages before fighting to a draw with Cody Stamann. Vera has been with the UFC since 2014 and is currently on a tear with five straight stoppage victories. Yadong was picked by seven of 11 writers.

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Matt Brown was supposed to be fighting this weekend. At UFC on ESPN 8 in Columbus, “The Immortal” was expected to face Miguel Baeza. Of course, Brown is not fighting this weekend. Instead of entering the cage Saturday night at the Nationwide Arena, he’s basically sitting home like the rest of us.

We spoke to Brown, an Ohio native, on the very night he should have been squaring off with Baeza. It has been, needless to say, a hectic time for the long-serving welterweight. When the Columbus card fell through due to Ohio initiating a mass gathering ban, the UFC scrambled to move the event to Nevada, where they own their own small arena/production facility, the UFC Apex.

Brown, however, wasn’t entirely sure what was going on. “It seems like so long ago now. I don’t think anyone actually called me, told me,” he recollected. “I think, I’d just seen the news on Twitter and stuff. Then I got an e-mail asking me for my flight info. I think that was about it. Maybe someone told me, but I don’t remember hearing an official word.”

Had he stepped on a flight, there was no guarantee he’d be coming back. Nevada certainly would have been a safe enough bet, but suddenly it felt like the UFC was looking all over for a venue willing to accept fight. Especially when Nevada became nothing more than a faint hope.

“I don’t know,” Brown answered, when asked if he would step on a plan with no surety of being able to return home to his family. “I was left in limbo there for a few days at least.” Brown had a feeling things were a lost cause, however, when the Nevada Athletic Commission held the first of two meetings, putting a halt to combat sports in the state. They announced a second meeting, just days out from March 28, the night of UFC Columbus.

“I kept training, but I really had the feeling this was a lost cause, it’s not going anywhere any time soon,” said Brown. “It’s just been a mess. The whole world’s a mess right now. What the f*ck do you do?”

Brown’s feeling was right. The Nevada commission cancelled their second meeting, leaving a ban on combat sports in place for the foreseeable future.

Every day I wake up and read worse news about covid and it has me wondering what the end game is here… I mean is it actually possible to completely get rid of the virus? Or is it a part of the world forever now?

— Matt Brown (@IamTheImmortal) March 28, 2020

Like many fighters and non-fighters alike, Brown has taken a hit in several areas, including his gym shutting down during the pandemic, and UFC Columbus falling through. On the bright side, his coffee business has seen an uptick in sales. “I guess more people are probably shopping online and coming across the business, so those numbers are going up, which is probably the best thing to happen for me right now.”

In the meantime, Brown is home schooling his kids, and staying in shape for his return. “Hopefully this thing passes by pretty quick. I guess the numbers are looking pretty grim at this point. It’s a scary thing.”

Still, Brown is trying to turn the downtime into the positive. Spending time with family, getting work done around the house. “Just try to turn this negative into a positive. I know everybody’s going through a hard situation now. I don’t know how everything’s going to play out. I’ve got to try to figure out if the government is going to help out my business [gym]. They’re the ones who forced me to shut it down. They’re offering me loans. You forced me to shut down my business, now you’re going to offer me [the chance] to go into debt?”

In the end, Brown pointed out, “we’ve got to trust these f*cking politicians that we don’t trust.”

Brown’s scheduled opponent this weekend, Miguel Baeza, came as a bit of a surprise to the veteran. And most onlookers. Baeza (8-0) made his octagon debut back in October, and was given Brown, a veteran of nearly 40 fights, for his second outing. He’s a Contender Series veteran with an undefeated record, but Brown has been with the UFC for over a decade.

“I was surprised a little bit. I’d never heard of his name before that, I haven’t got to watch the Contender Series much,” Brown admitted when asked about the booking. “I’d never heard of him or anything, but most of the time, I don’t even ask who the opponent is. They tell me of course, but I just say ‘tell me where and when to fight.’ We’ll figure it out when we get in the cage.”

As for when the fight might be rebooked, “I haven’t had a word. I’m just caught in limbo, trying to get in the best training I can,” said Brown.

Of course, Brown has no idea when he, or anyone else, will be released from what amounts to a quarantine. “The whole world’s changing right now. I don’t know how all this is going to turn out, but I get the feeling the world’s never going to be the same after this.”

Watch our full interview with Matt “The Immortal” Brown below.

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Smilin’ Sam wasn’t certain on whether the card was moving or not when we spoke to him. But he did confirm the UFC doctors had been in touch. “This morning we did get a message from UFC doctors saying ‘hey it might happen [the card moving], it might not. But if it does [move], Sam, you’re going to need a physical also.'”

That physical has nothing to do with the coronavirus, mind you. Rather, explained Alvey, it’s just a requirement of the athletic commission. Although even Vegas is potentially a no-go now, as Nevada has at least temporarily halted combat sports.

Alvey is fighting Khalil Rountree Jr., hopefully, in what Rountree has said will likely be his last fight. Alvey and his opponent have actually trained together in the past, sparring back when Khalil was fresh off the Ultimate Fighter. “I got to spar with him once, hang out with him a little bit. He’s a good dude, lot of fun,” Alvey recalled.

“Happy with the match-up” is how Alvey put this pairing. He’s coming off surgery for this fight. “My hand healed. I broke my hand. I actually got the call, I accepted the fight while I still had pins in my hand. So the pins came out, I’ve been able to hit, punch, do everything with it. It’s been a good camp!”

Whether he will try to knockout the knockout artist that is Rountree was the question. But Alvey, who seemingly has the edge on the ground, feels differently about that. “He is not the knockout artist. I am the knockout artist. I have over twenty knockouts in my career. I probably have more Muay Thai fights than he does, I’m 6-1 in professional Muay Thai.”

“I do feel my stand-up is the better stand-up,” Alvey continued. “That being said, he is going to kick the tar out of my leg. Because one, he’s smart, and anyone that fights me should try and kick my legs. For whatever [reason], there’s some trigger that doesn’t go off, I don’t check kicks. I leave most rings limping a little but, because I don’t check, and he’s got a great couple kicks. So I’m sure my leg is going to be black and blue come the end of the first or second round. But the knockout artist is my forte.”

We’ll find out for sure if the fight goes down as planned on March 28, as UFC on ESPN 8 goes down in Columbus, Ohio Las Vegas, Nevada. Maybe.

Watch our full chat with Smilin’ Sam Alvey below, as we also discuss UFC 248 and more!

The post UFC on ESPN 8: Sam Alvey Feels He’s the Knockout Artist, Not Khalil Rountree Jr. appeared first on Cageside Press.

UFC on ESPN 8 is currently scheduled to take place March 28 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus.

Garbrandt told ESPN that a month ago, he’d been hospitalized for cellulitis in his shin. He beat that, and returned to training, only to encounter new issues last Friday. “The lymph nodes in my groin were inflamed and I didn’t feel well. I thought it was just due to rough training.”

“On Saturday, I had flu-like symptoms. The lymph nodes were so inflamed I couldn’t walk. I took an Uber to the hospital and did a bunch of tests on my blood, kidneys, CAT scan. The doctor sent me home and 20 minutes later I felt even worse and started pissing blood.”

Garbrandt (11-3) has not fought since a March 2019 loss to Pedro Munhoz. The ex-champ is mired in a three-fight slump that included back-to-back losses to rival T.J. Dillashaw — currently sitting out a lengthy suspension handed down by USADA.

He last picked up a win in a career-defining victory over Dominick Cruz at UFC 207 in 2016. That’s the fight that saw him claim the 135lb title.

Assuncao (27-7) has lost two straight, to Cory Sandhagen and Marlon Moraes. He has long been a standout in the bantamweight division.

The UFC has yet to comment on Garbrandt’s withdrawal.

The post Cody Garbrandt Out of Assuncao Bout at UFC on ESPN 8 appeared first on Cageside Press.

On Wednesday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that he would be issuing an order, expected to be signed in the coming days, regarding mass gatherings in Ohio. That came after an earlier request that sporting events move forward in the state with minimal (family only) or no fans present. DeWine went on to say that aside from the obvious safety issue, certain organizations “need an order from the government” for various reasons, including legal ones, in order to call off events. In short, such an order “makes their life easier.”

The announcement was made during a press conference, during which a fourth case of the virus was confirmed in that state.

Hours later, a continent away, Brazil’s Federal District Governor Ibaneis Rocha also instituted a ban on mass gatherings. Under the ban, sporting events, concerts, and other large congregations — including masses — are banned for five days as of Thursday, March 12. The UFC Brasilia card goes down on the March 14.

The UFC did not respond to a request for comment regarding the Ohio situation earlier Wednesday. However, Brazilian outlet Combate reports that with this weekend’s Fight Night card just days away, the promotion is considering holding the event in an empty venue.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are the first NHL team set to host a game in an empty arena as a result of the outbreak. Soccer, basketball, and other sports have already done so. Major tours from Pearl Jam, Madonna, and other acts have been cancelled or rescheduled dates, while Hollywood star Tom Hanks is believed to have tested positive for the virus, along with his wife. The World Health Organization officially declared the coronavirus a pandemic on Wednesday.

Update, 3/12/2020 7AM: The UFC has cancelled its UFC Brasilia media day, issuing a brief statement regarding the decision. “Due to consideration of the government’s decree yesterday, Ultimate Media Day has been cancelled. Content featuring the athletes scheduled to fight in Saturday’s event will be captured and shared with credentialed media members in advance of the event.”

The post UFC Brasilia, Columbus Cards At Risk Due to Coronavirus Measures appeared first on Cageside Press.

MMA Junkie was first to report the development. As a result of Pena’s withdrawal, Ladd is reportedly off the card as well. The hope is that the fight can be re-booked in the short term, rather than finding Ladd a replacement opponent.

The reason for Pena dropping off the card has not been disclosed. The UFC has not officially announced the news.

After taking time off to give birth to a daughter, Pena returned to the octagon last July at UFC Sacramento. She defeated former UFC women’s flyweight champion Nicco Montaño by unanimous decision. Prior to stepping away during her pregnancy, Pena had built up a 4-1 run in the promotion. Her only loss inside the UFC came to current women’s flyweight champ Valentina Shevchenko, at 135lbs in 2017.

Ladd (9-1) is coming off a rebound win over Yana Kunitskaya at UFC DC in December. That win saw her bounce back from her first-ever career loss, against Germaine de Randamie in the UFC Sacramento main event.

UFC Columbus (UFC on ESPN 8) takes place March 28, 2020 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

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The pair of knockout artists will surely put on a show, but Ngannou has some of the scariest power the UFC has ever seen. A former UFC heavyweight title challenger, Ngannou is nearly fearless against anyone not named Stipe Miocic. It appears Rozenstruik is no different.

Speaking to MMA Junkie, Ngannou noted that he was unimpressed by Rozenstruik, but that doesn’t mean he’s underestimating his opponent.

“No I haven’t seen nothing to impress me,” Ngannou told MMA Junkie. “Regarding that fight against Overeem, I mean, he got beat up the entire fight and he got lucky at the end of the fight basically by the early stoppage. The referee, in my opinion was early and you know, he gave him the win but honestly his UFC career, nothing to impress.

“I haven’t seen nothing, but with that being said, it’s not to underestimate him because he was a kickboxer and he has some good hands so he knows the striking game. Now lets find out what he knows about MMA.”

Ngannou is currently on a three-fight win streak, winning each of those fights by way of first-round knockout. All but one of those fights ended in under a minute, the exception being clocked in at one minute and 11 seconds. Now, he’ll be tested by Rozenstruik, the undefeated 31-year-old who has knocked out all of his adversaries inside of the Octagon.

UFC Columbus goes down from the Nationwide Arena on March 28, 2020.

The post Francis Ngannou Unimpressed With Jairzinho Rozenstruik, But Won’t Underestimate Him appeared first on Cageside Press.

De Castro (6-0) made a huge splash in his UFC debut when he Knocked Out Justin Tafa in his opponent’s back yard of Melbourne, Australia at UFC 243. De Castro recently explained to use just how special this win was. “If you wrote a script it couldn’t have gone better than that, it was awesome. We fly over to Australia and not just get the knock out, get the bonus.”

Things haven’t always been bright and sunny for the Cape Verde native. He was 2-4 as an amateur fighter with not many eyes on him when he decided to make the jump to the big leagues. Asked about the reason behind such as drastic turn around, Yorgan explained that “I do believe that all of the losses I had as an amateur helped me out to this day. The fact that I don’t wanna lose any more, it makes me work extra hard. So my discipline and commitment changed when I turned pro.”

His UFC Columbus opponent, Greg Hardy, is well known for the legal trouble he has been in outside of the cage and gridiron. For Yorgan de Castro, however, Hardy’s personal struggles don’t motivate him any more than any other fighter.

“I don’t like to feed off any negativity or any hate or emotion, that will take you off of what really matters,” de Castro said. “I wanna go in there get the job done and move on, I don’t care about Hardy.”

While Hardy is clearly an elite athlete, going the distance with Alexander Volkov recently, that hasn’t effected Yorgan’s mindset on what he expects to go down on March 28.

“I think I’m a better fighter to be honest, I think I’m a better kickboxer, I’m a better wrestler, I’m a better grappler then him,” de Castro observed. “He got the reach, the height and one more thing I definitely have more heart then him so I am fighting for the right reasons. I’m willing to go out there and I don’t think he’s willing go out there, I’m willing to trade punches and go out cold, lets see if he can do that.”

In his last two outings, Yorgan de Castro has KO’d both opponents with his right hook. Just don’t expect the KO artist to go head hunting trying to land that shot on Hardy. “I won’t be looking for that because I know he has good coaching and they will definitely tell him not to circle to my right, de Castro said. “But I have different weapons and I actually hope he circles different ways cause I have different things for him.”

As far as Yorgan’s official prediction goes, he explained that “I think I am going to finish him with a leg kick. He moves good but he does not lift his front leg so I’m going to kick that front leg and I’m gonna kick it a lot and I don’t care, I’m just gonna cover myself and kick.”

Make sure to tune in on March 28 when these two heavyweights throw down at UFC on ESPN 8. The card goes down at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, and is headlined by another heavyweight showdown in Jaizinho Rozenstruik vs. Francis Ngannou.

Check out our full interview with Yorgan de Castro below!

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Matt Brown is certainly proving to be immortal, at least in MMA terns. The longtime UFC veteran will head back to the octagon this March, opposite Miguel Baeza at UFC Columbus. Brown announced the date on social media Wednesday, while MMA Fighting was first to reveal the name of Brown’s opponent.

Brown (22-16) is currently on a two-fight win streak. Between those victories, the gritty welterweight was out of action for a little over two years. He didn’t appear to have missed a step, however, in his knockout win over Ben Saunders at UFC 245.

‘The Immortal’ is a native of Ohio and expressed interest in joining the Columbus card immediately after the Saunders win.

As for Miguel Baeza (8-0), the undefeated Contender Series alum will unquestionably be in the biggest fight of his career against Brown. Baeza made a successful octagon debut in October at UFC Tampa, finishing Hector Aldana by TKO in the second round.

UFC Columbus (UFC on ESPN 8) takes place March 28, 2020 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The card is headlined by a heavyweight fight between Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik. The current line-up for the event includes:

Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Raphael Assuncao vs. Cody Garbrandt
Greg Hardy vs. Yorgan de Castro
Sam Alvey vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
Louis Smolka vs. Davey Grant
Tecia Torres vs. Mizuki Inoue
Randy Costa vs. Martin Day
Punahele Soriano vs. Eric Spicely
Aspen Ladd vs. Julianna Pena
Matt Brown vs. Miguel Baeza

The post Matt Brown vs. Miguel Baeza Targeted for UFC Columbus appeared first on Cageside Press.