That made for some interesting match-ups, and the possibility of a number of redemption stories.

Topping the event was two-time UFC flyweight title challenger John Dodson, looking to snap a two-fight skid against fellow UFC alum Francisco Rivera in a bantamweight match-up. Rivera, who had last competed in the octagon in 2016, had returned to action last year, going 2-1 in 2021.

The co-feature saw Bellator, UFC, and PFL vet Curtis Millender in action against Jared “Nite Train” Gooden, fresh off a win at iKon FC 1 over Aaron Highbaugh.

Zak Ottow, meanwhile, was looking for his fourth straight win since parting ways with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, against Kyle Stewart — with the explicit goal of returning to the big show with a big finish.

Be sure to check out our exclusive interview with Zak Ottow ahead of this one.

XMMA 4: Black Magic goes down Saturday, April 2, 2022 at The Fillmore in New Orleans, Louisiana. The card airs live exclusively on Fight Network, with the broadcast getting underway at 7PM ET. Full results from the event can be found below.

XMMA 4: Black Magic Results

Main Card

John Dodson def. Francisco Rivera Jr. by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Jared Gooden def. Curtis Millender by TKO, Round 2, 0:16
Kyle Bochniak def. Carlton Minus by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Ange Loosa def. John Howard by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Kyle Stewart def. Zak Ottow by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Preliminary Card

John Sweeney def. Cole Smith by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
Sasha Palatnikov def. Kyron Bowen by TKO (ground n’ pound), Round 1, 4:03
Westin Wilson def. Tyrek Malveaux by submission (side choke), Round 1, 1:59
Louie Sanoudakis def. Tateki Matsuda by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Adli Edwards def. Josh Harvey by submission (arm-triangle choke), Round 1, 4:45
Andrew Garrette def. Justin Mead by TKO, Round 1, 1:36

The post XMMA 4: Black Magic Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Ottow (20-7) returns to action for the second time in 2022 this Saturday. He faces fellow former UFC fighter Kyle Stewart in the main event of XMMA 4: Black Magic.

“The Barbarian” is coming off a first-round submission win over Derek Smith in January. He initially thought that would be enough for him to return to the UFC.

“I thought three in a row would probably do the trick,” Ottow told Cageside Press in an exclusive interview. “But that fight just happened in January, and I don’t really want to just sit and wait. I want to stay active and keep building up my resume and keep getting in there. Keep getting better. Keep, you know, testing myself, and so I took this fight. So, let’s make it four in a row. Get another finish and make it hard for them not to take me.”

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Ottow is 3-0 since fighting out his UFC contract in 2019. Now at a new weight class, he feels like the time is perfect for another run inside of the UFC. First, he has to get through a tough veteran like Stewart. The Wisconsin native believes he will get the finish before the fight is over.

“I always go for the finish, but I know not to rush it or hunt for it. It always just kind of seems to fall in my lap. XMMA pays a little bit extra if you get a finish, which is nice. If it’s on the regional level, I tend to get those [finishes]. It may take a little bit of time, though; I know he’s tough, maybe a second or third round,” Otttow said.

With a win, Ottow absolutely believes the UFC will resign him.

“Yes. Yep. Yeah, I’m gonna get this win, and then yeah, my poor manager. I am going to be a major pain in the ass after this. I wanted an opportunity like this,” Ottow said. “So, I’m pretty excited for this fight. And this is the right fight for me. It’s the right organization. But after this, if I get another win, Jason House is going to f*cking hate me because I’m going to be in his DMS every day.”

Watch the rest of our interview with Zak Ottow, where he talks about his UFC release, Montel Jackson, coaching, XMMA 4, and more. Ottow vs. Stewart goes down this Saturday, April 2 at XMMA 4, which you can watch on XMMA.com

The post XMMA 4: Zak Ottow Plans To Finish Kyle Stewart And Return To The UFC appeared first on Cageside Press.

Last week, XMMA released their entire XMMA 4: Black Magic fight card via press release. 13 former UFC fighters are featured on the card as well as Bellator and PFL veterans. Among the familiar names is former Ultimate Fighter winner and flyweight weight challenger John Dodson. Jared Gooden and Sasha Palatinikov, who were released very recently, will also take part.

• John Dodson vs. Francisco Rivera (Main Event)
• Curtis Millender vs. Jared Gooden (Main Card)
• John Howard vs. Ange Loosa (Main Card)
• Kyle Bochniak vs. Carlton Minus (Main Card)
• Kyle Stewart vs. Zak Ottow (Main Card)
• Matt Sayles vs. Tyrek Malveaux (Prelim)
• Kyron Bowen vs. Sasha Palatnikov (Prelim)
• Louie Sanoudakis vs Tateki Matsuda (Main Card)
• John Sweeney vs. Cole Smith (Prelim)
• Josh Harvey vs. Adli Edwards (Prelim)
• Andrew Garrette vs. Justin Mead (Prelim)

In October, Dodson (21-13) lost his XMMA debut, dropping a unanimous decision to Cody Gibson. Dodson was involved in a near-fatal car accident during a family trip a few months prior.

Rivera (13-8-1) finished Ryan Lilley in his XMMA debut. The 40-year old fighter would then make it to the finals of the Combate Global: Bantamweight Tournament but would get knocked out.

Bobby Nash vs. Felipe Boaventura was supposed to be on the card; however, Nash had to pull out with an injury.

Per the press release, “After several successful fights in both Florida and South Carolina, we are excited to be bringing XMMA 4 – Black Magic to New Orleans for an action-packed night of fun and must-see fights for the fans,” said XMMA. “We see the future of interactive entertainment all around us, and we’re always looking for ways to super-charge fan engagement and interaction. We’re looking forward to doing everything we can to make MMA content open and accessible to fan communities and to continue showcasing top-tier fighters and electrifying new talent to MMA fans and enthusiasts as this sport continues to grow in popularity.”

The post Full XMMA 4: Black Magic Fight Card Announced appeared first on Cageside Press.