MMA

Andreas Hale, ESPNApr 27, 2024, 10:12 PM ET Open Extended Reactions LAS VEGAS — Alex Perez scored a scintillating second-round knockout of Matheus Nicolau in a battle of flyweights jockeying for title contention Saturday in the main event of UFC Fight Night at the UFC Apex. Ranked No. 8 by the UFC, Perez (25-8 MMA,

Andres Waters, ESPNApr 26, 2024, 08:00 AM ET Open Extended Reactions MMA is still a relatively new professional sport, but it has created plenty of historical moments, and the UFC, the sport’s most recognizable promotion, has developed countless stars. Many fighters have built impressive records, highlight reels full of wild knockouts and crazy submissions and

ESPN Apr 22, 2024, 02:57 PM ET Email Print Open Extended Reactions Matheus Nicolau meets Alex Perez in the men’s flyweight main event of UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Las Vegas. The main card at UFC Apex will be on ESPN and ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET, with prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+ at

Jeff Wagenheim Apr 23, 2024, 12:15 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Bellator MMA’s event in Paris next month is down to one title bout, but the fight card has added the anticipated debut of a popular Frenchman. The PFL, which owns Bellator, said undefeated lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov has withdrawn from his title defense against

Andreas Hale Apr 22, 2024, 11:59 AM ET Open Extended Reactions WWE, in partnership with the UFC, has announced that NXT Battleground will take place at the UFC Apex on Sunday, June 9 in Las Vegas. This will mark the first-ever WWE event that will be hosted at the 130,000-square foot production facility, home of

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPNApr 21, 2024, 01:28 PM ET Open Extended Reactions It’s been over a week since UFC 300, and the sport is still abuzz. What keeps this milestone evening of fights at the forefront of fans’ minds, in part, is the juicy array of questions it poses. Was UFC 300 the greatest event in

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterApr 20, 2024, 12:48 AM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions CHICAGO — Magomed Umalatov has yet to compete in the PFL playoffs, but he has also yet to lose in the PFL SmartCage. Umalatov (15-0) dominated former

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterApr 19, 2024, 09:42 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions Jamahal Hill is wasting no time moving on from UFC 300. Less than one week after suffering a knockout loss to Alex Pereira in the main event

Andreas Hale Apr 19, 2024, 01:18 PM ET Open Extended Reactions A lawsuit has been filed against Nate Diaz following an altercation in New Orleans nearly a year ago. Diaz was arrested and charged with second-degree battery in April 2023 when a social media video surfaced of him applying a chokehold to a man who

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPNApr 19, 2024, 08:41 AM ET Open Extended Reactions The Bellator vs. PFL rivalry continues. After buying Bellator MMA in November, the PFL immediately seized the moment by putting together a champion-vs.-champion event to kick off 2024. The fight card in February delivered fireworks and, throughout the night, established a balance of power.

Andreas Hale Apr 18, 2024, 04:07 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Jorge Masvidal may be getting ready to lace up the boxing gloves for his upcoming fight with Nate Diaz on June 1, but he has made it clear that his career as a mixed martial artist is far from done. The former BMF champion

Ian Parker, ESPNApr 18, 2024, 09:15 AM ET Open Extended Reactions The two remaining PFL weight classes get their first action of this season at 2024 PFL Regular Season: Welterweights and Featherweights at Wintrust Arena in Chicago on Friday night (9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, with prelims at 7 p.m. on ESPN+). In the main

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterApr 13, 2024, 08:59 PM ET Open Extended Reactions LAS VEGAS — Kayla Harrison‘s UFC debut could not have gone any better. The former two-time Olympic judo champion dominated former champion and combat sports legend Holly Holm, beating Holm with a rear-naked choke submission at 1 minute, 47 seconds of the

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterApr 13, 2024, 11:38 PM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions The UFC will induct the first chapter of Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen‘s historic rivalry into its Hall of Fame later this year. Silva and Sonnen met

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterApr 15, 2024, 09:39 AM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions Safe to say, UFC 300 delivered in every way imaginable. For starters, the card stayed remarkably intact. Not a single canceled fight, which is relatively unheard of

Andreas Hale Apr 14, 2024, 02:53 AM ET Open Extended Reactions Islam Makhachev will defend his lightweight championship against Dustin Poirier in the main event of UFC 302 on June 1 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. UFC president Dana White made the announcement following UFC 300 on Saturday night. Makhachev, 32, is

Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterApr 14, 2024, 01:23 AM ET Close MMA columnist for ESPN.com Analyst for “MMA Live” Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun Open Extended Reactions LAS VEGAS — Zhang Weili put Yan Xiaonan to sleep in the opening round of their strawweight title fight on Saturday — and still barely got away

Apr 14, 2024, 02:13 AM ET Open Extended Reactions On a historic night in MMA history, UFC 300 delivered throughout its loaded 13-fight card with big finishes, strong debuts and drama throughout the night. Alex Pereira leaves Las Vegas with no doubt as to who is the UFC’s best light heavyweight. Zhang Weili and Yan