Song Yadong earned a controversial win over Henry Cejudo in the UFC Seattle main event Saturday n...

Song Yadong earned a controversial win over Henry Cejudo in the UFC Seattle main event Saturday night.Cejudo was unable to continue at the end of the third round because of an eye poke. As a result, the fight went to the scorecards and Song won via technical decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).Song poked Cejudo in the eye with less than two minutes left in the third round. Cejudo took the full five minutes of recovery time allotted for eye pokes, then agreed to continue. After Song and Cejudo completed the round, Cejudo told his corner he still couldn't see out of his left eye, and the fight was stopped shortly thereafter.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"I didn't know what he was throwing at me," Cejudo said in his postfight interview. "I wanted to continue. But if I can't see, then he's gonna hurt me."Per the Unified Rules of MMA, the fight went to the scorecards because more than half of the scheduled rounds had been completed. Had the fight ended as soon as the eye poke occurred in the third round, it would've either resulted in a no-contest or a disqualification victory for Cejudo.Also, had referee Jason Herzog deducted a point from Song, the fight would've been ruled a majority draw after three rounds of action (because two judges had it scored 29-28 for Song).Song said afterward that he wants a rematch. Cejudo was in agreement that it could happen next, seemingly ruling out another retirement for the time being."Of course. We can run it back," Cejudo said. "100%. F--k dude. That finger went in my eye pretty good."The fight - which took place entirely on the feet - was relatively competitive through three rounds. Song was the quicker, sharper striker and outlanded Cejudo 84-67 in significant strikes. But Cejudo got in his own offense and traded punches with his younger opponent. Cejudo failed on three takedown attempts.Song and Cejudo were ranked No. 8 and No. 7, respectively, in the division going in.Song got back in the win column after suffering a decision loss to former champion Petr Yan at UFC 299 last March. The 27-year-old Chinese fighter is 3-1 in his last four outings.Cejudo is riding a three-fight losing streak for the first time in his career. The 38-year-old came out of retirement in 2023 and lost to Aljamain Sterling by split decision in a bantamweight title fight. Then he lost to current champ Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision at UFC 298 last February.Cejudo, a former simultaneous two-division champion, hasn't earned a victory since a bantamweight title defense against Dominick Cruz in May 2020, after which he announced his retirement. "Triple C" held the flyweight title from 2018-2020 and the bantamweight belt from 2019-2020.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - FEBRUARY 22: Henry Cejudo reacts after a n eye poke from Song Yadong of China in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Climate Pledge Arena on February 22, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.

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Song beats Cejudo after eye poke ends UFC Seattle main event

Anthony Hernandez continued his rise in the middleweight division with a unanimous decision win o...

Anthony Hernandez continued his rise in the middleweight division with a unanimous decision win over Brendan Allen in the UFC Seattle co-main event Saturday.All three judges scored the fight 29-28 in Hernandez's favor.The bout was a rematch of a 2018 LFA title fight that Hernandez also won by unanimous decision.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Hernandez, ranked No. 12 at 185 pounds, has now won seven fights in a row and will likely crack the top 10 next week after taking out the No. 9-ranked Allen.Hernandez outgrappled Allen over 15 minutes to secure the biggest victory of his career. He converted four of eight takedown attempts, passing former champion Chris Weidman for the most takedowns in UFC middleweight history (44). Hernandez attempted multiple submissions throughout the contest, but Allen's defense held up.Hernandez, a 31-year-old from California, hasn't fallen short inside the Octagon since a first-round TKO loss to Kevin Holland in May 2020. He beat Michel Pereira in his first UFC main event last October.Allen, 29, has now lost two in a row after falling short to Nassourdine Imavov last September.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - FEBRUARY 22: (L-R) Anthony Hernandez punches Brendan Allen in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Climate Pledge Arena on February 22, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.

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Hernandez outgrapples Allen to lift UFC win streak to 7

Dmitry Bivol is the undisputed light heavyweight champion after getting revenge in his highly ant...

Dmitry Bivol is the undisputed light heavyweight champion after getting revenge in his highly anticipated rematch with Artur Beterbiev.Bivol defeated Beterbiev via majority decision to capture the undisputed 175-pound title Saturday at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Two judges scored the fight in Bivol's favor - 116-112 and 115-113, respectively - while the third had it a 114-114 draw.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>With the victory, Bivol avenged a majority decision loss to Beterbiev last October, in which Beterbiev became the first undisputed 175-pound champion since Roy Jones Jr. in 2000."I was better," Bivol said of how the rematch compared to the first fight. "I was pushing myself more. I was confident. I just wanted to win so much today."Bivol handed Beterbiev his first career defeat, with the Russian-Canadian falling to 21-1. Bivol, who suffered his first loss in the first fight with Beterbiev, lifted his professional record to 24-1.Beterbiev said he wants to complete the trilogy with Bivol."Now it's my time to come back," Beterbiev said. "We are gonna do third fight."The rematch was another competitive, back-and-forth battle with multiple momentum shifts. Bivol outworked Beterbiev over 12 rounds, topping him 170-121 in total punches and 85-78 in power shots. Bivol landed more punches than Beterbiev in nine of 12 rounds.Bivol had a strong start to the fight, countering an aggressive Beterbiev from the outside. Bivol used good footwork to avoid trouble, and his elite jab was on display.The tide turned in Beterbiev's favor in the fourth round, and he was the superior boxer in the middle rounds. Beterbiev maintained constant pressure and backed Bivol up against the ropes, landing flurries of punches. Beterbiev stayed busier as Bivol's movement got worse.But Bivol stepped on the gas in the second half of the fight and seemed back in control by the ninth round. Bivol's output was higher than earlier in the fight, and his footwork improved.The last three rounds were close, with Bivol appearing to get the better of the exchanges. Beterbiev landed a big right hand late in the 12th round - one of his best punches of the fight - but it wasn't enough to secure the decision.Bivol said he wants to take some time off after back-to-back fights with Beterbiev."I'm ready for any challenge," Bivol said. "I want a little bit of rest because I had some injuries last summer. And this time, I had some injuries. I want to heal myself and come back."Bivol held the WBA light heavyweight title for seven years - and defended it 12 times - before dropping it in last October's defeat to Beterbiev. Now, the 34-year-old Russian again holds the WBA title in addition to the WBC, IBF, and WBO belts.This is the first time Beterbiev hasn't held a world championship since 2017. Beterbiev captured the IBF title in 2017, the WBC belt in 2019, the WBO strap in 2022, and then the WBA championship when he defeated Bivol. The 41-year-old recorded nine consecutive title defenses.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - FEBRUARY 22: Dmitrii Bivol punches Artur Beterbiev during the Undisputed IBF, IBO, WBC and WBO World Light Heavyweight Titles' fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitrii Bivol as part of Beterbiev v Bivol 2: The Last Crescendo at Kingdom Arena on February 22, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Bivol beats Beterbiev in rematch to claim undisputed title

Joseph Parker made quick work of short-notice replacement Martin Bakole on Saturday.  Parker, the...

Joseph Parker made quick work of short-notice replacement Martin Bakole on Saturday.Parker, the WBO interim heavyweight champion, knocked out Bakole at the 2:17 mark of the second round to retain his title at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Parker dropped Bakole with a right hand that hit the top of his head. Bakole returned to his feet, but his corner stopped the fight.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Bakole agreed to the matchup on two days' notice after Parker's original opponent, IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, withdrew from the highly anticipated co-main event due to illness. Bakole arrived in Riyadh less than 24 hours before the bout after a multi-leg journey from his native Congo.Parker said after the victory that he wants to challenge either Oleksandr Usyk or Dubois for a world championship next."Who's next? How about I fight for the world title?" Parker said. "If Usyk wants a dance partner ... I'd like to be champion of the world again."I will fight anyone and everyone," he added.Parker is riding a six-fight winning streak, with three of those victories coming by knockout. The 33-year-old New Zealand native is now 36-3 as a professional.Bakole falls to 21-2 as a pro. The 29-year-old was coming off a career-best knockout win over Jared Anderson last August. Bakole had a fight scheduled for May before agreeing to face Parker.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - FEBRUARY 22: Joseph Parker knocks out Martin Bakole during the WBO Interim World Heavyweight title fight between Martin Bakole and Joseph Parker as part of Beterbiev v Bivol 2: The Last Crescendo at Kingdom Arena on February 22, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Parker easily KOs Bakole in 2nd round

Shakur Stevenson earned a much-needed stoppage in his latest WBC lightweight title defense.  Stev...

Shakur Stevenson earned a much-needed stoppage in his latest WBC lightweight title defense.Stevenson defeated short-notice replacement Josh Padley via TKO Saturday at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to retain the championship for the second time.Padley's corner threw in the towel at the end of the ninth round after Stevenson scored three knockdowns - all with body shots - in that stanza.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Padley stepped in on three days' notice for the biggest fight of his career. He replaced Floyd Schofield, who withdrew earlier this week because of an illness.Stevenson remained undefeated as a professional with the victory, lifting his record to 23-0. The 27-year-old Newark, New Jersey, native earned his first knockout since 2023. He had faced criticism after scoring lackluster decision wins in back-to-back appearances before Saturday.Stevenson dominated Padley for much of the fight, outlanding him 225-72 in total punches and 157-62 in power shots. Stevenson controlled the range and pace of the fight and picked Padley apart with his jab.Stevenson hurt Padley with punches to the body in the fifth and seventh rounds before finding the finish in the ninth. Padley showed an immense amount of heart and toughness as he suffered the first loss of his career, falling to 15-1.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - FEBRUARY 22: Shakur Stevenson punches Josh Padley during the WBC World Lightweight Title fight between Shakur Stevenson and Josh Padley as part of Beterbiev v Bivol 2: The Last Crescendo at Kingdom Arena on February 22, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Stevenson TKOs Padley to retain WBC lightweight title

One of the biggest rematches of the year is good to go for Saturday.  Undisputed light heavyweigh...

One of the biggest rematches of the year is good to go for Saturday.Undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev and former WBA titleholder Dmitry Bivol made weight Friday before they square off for the second time in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Beterbiev and Bivol weighed in at 175 and 174.1 pounds, respectively.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Beterbiev defeated Bivol by majority decision last October to retain the WBC, IBF, and WBO titles and add the WBA belt, becoming the first undisputed 175-pound champion since 2000.Bivol, 23-1 as a professional, is looking to rebound from the first loss of his career. Beterbiev, meanwhile, holds a 21-0 career record with 20 knockout wins.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - FEBRUARY 20: Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol face off, ahead of their Undisputed Light Heavyweight Title Fight during press conference as part of Beterbiev v Bivol 2: The Last Crescendo at Boulevard City on February 20, 2025 in Riyadh, .

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Beterbiev, Bivol make weight for undisputed title rematch

UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad doesn't anticipate it being very difficult to get past J...

UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad doesn't anticipate it being very difficult to get past Jack Della Maddalena.Muhammad, who's scheduled to defend his title for the first time against Della Maddalena at UFC 315 on May 10 in Montreal, said he sees himself winning in every area."If I'm being honest with you, I'm better everywhere," Muhammad said Thursday on his "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/wrZWg9H7LCs">Remember The Show</a>" podcast. "People are gonna say and come out, like, 'Oh, he's got hands, he's got hands.' But I think they just underestimate my hands and my striking."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Muhammad was expected to face Shavkat Rakhmonov next, but UFC CEO Dana White announced earlier this week that Rakhmonov couldn't accept the fight due to an injury.As a result, the promotion pulled Della Maddalena from the UFC London main event against former champion Leon Edwards on March 22. He'll now challenge Muhammad instead.Della Maddalena, ranked No. 4 in the division, is 7-0 in the Octagon and has won 17 in a row overall. His biggest victory to date is a come-from-behind, third-round TKO of Gilbert Burns at UFC 299 last March.Muhammad said he believes Della Maddalena will be in for a rude awakening in his first title fight."He has really good hands, he has good power, but he breaks a lot of these guys down because he hasn't fought anybody like me," Muhammad said. "His biggest weakness is his experience. He's never been in a big fight like that. He hasn't had a pressure fight yet. He hasn't fought a pressure fighter yet."So, for me, I think I'm gonna go in there and I'm gonna walk through him - like I thought I was gonna do to everybody else, and I've done to everybody else."

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 07: Belal Muhammad of the United States looks on after a welterweight fight during UFC 310 at T-Mobile Arena on December 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Muhammad says he'll 'walk through' Della Maddalena at UFC 315

It's easy to forget that Henry Cejudo is one of the greatest fighters in MMA history - particular...

It's easy to forget that Henry Cejudo is one of the greatest fighters in MMA history - particularly in the lighter weight classes - when you see he's more than a 2-1 betting underdog for the UFC Seattle main event against Song Yadong.Gone are the days of "Triple C" doing the unthinkable by dethroning Demetrious Johnson, knocking out TJ Dillashaw in under a minute to save the flyweight division, and finishing another all-time great in Dominick Cruz. Cejudo, 38, has lost two in a row since coming out of retirement in 2023, and at this point in time, he's far removed from the bantamweight title conversation.Granted, Cejudo shouldn't feel too bad about his recent losses. He had two close fights against current bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili and former champ Aljamain Sterling, the latter of whom is now a top-10 contender at featherweight. No shame in that.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Based on what we've seen from Cejudo in his last two fights (keeping in mind that one judge did score the Sterling fight in his favor), there's still a chance he could turn things around and perhaps even contend for a title again. Time isn't on his side, but we've seen some pretty unreal career turnarounds in this sport.This is why Saturday's fight against Song is so important for Cejudo.When Cejudo was in his prime five or six years ago - when he was a simultaneous two-division champion - he wouldn't have had much issue beating Song. The 27-year-old Chinese fighter is very good, but he has a clear ceiling in the bantamweight division, at least in his current form. (A unanimous decision loss to former champ Petr Yan last March was pretty evident of that.)So, if Cejudo is even remotely the same fighter he was back in 2019 or 2020, he'll come out on top at UFC Seattle. But if the oddsmakers are right and Cejudo does suffer his third straight loss - something that has never happened before - he'll need to ask himself if there's any point in continuing.Sure, Cejudo could theoretically fight until an athletic commission deems him unfit to do so, but it'd just be for the paycheck at that point. Right now, the Olympic gold medalist can hang on to the fact he was competitive against the current bantamweight champion just one year ago. But any glimmer of hope - in terms of being a contender or getting the belt back - all but disappears with a loss to Song.And given that Cejudo has already retired from the sport once before, it wouldn't be surprising to see him walk away - for good this time - if the fight goes the wrong way.

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Cejudo needs win at UFC Seattle to keep career alive

Former Bellator two-division champion Patricio "Pitbull" Freire has agreed to a deal with the UFC...

Former Bellator two-division champion Patricio "Pitbull" Freire has agreed to a deal with the UFC and will make his debut against Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314 on April 12 in Miami.UFC CEO Dana White announced the news Wednesday.Freire was granted his release from the PFL in January after he publicly criticized the promotion for not keeping its fighters active and communicating with them. The Brazilian featherweight came under contract with the PFL when it acquired Bellator in late 2023.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"It's time to conquer a new crown," Freire <a href="https://x.com/PatricioPitbull/status/1892426802426990835">wrote</a> on X. "Featherweights, your future king has arrived."Freire was the face of Bellator and is considered one of the greatest fighters who has never fought in the UFC. He held the Bellator featherweight title on three occasions and the lightweight belt once.The 37-year-old most recently stepped into the cage last March, finishing Jeremy Kennedy by third-round TKO in a featherweight title defense at Bellator Champions Series Belfast.Freire's most notable victory came against current UFC lightweight Michael Chandler in 2019. Freire knocked out Chandler in 61 seconds to capture the Bellator lightweight title. He has also beaten the likes of AJ McKee, Juan Archuleta, Emmanuel Sanchez, and Adam Borics.Freire was Bellator's second-ever simultaneous two-division champion, defended the 145-pound title nine times overall, and has the most wins in Bellator history (24).Rodriguez will look to snap a two-fight skid when he welcomes Freire to the Octagon. The 32-year-old Mexico native suffered a submission loss to Brian Ortega in February 2024 and a TKO loss to then-champ Alexander Volkanovski in a July 2023 featherweight title bout. Rodriguez is a former UFC interim champion and is ranked No. 5 in the division.

Northern Ireland , United Kingdom - 22 March 2024; Patricio Pitbull, right, in action against Jeremy Kennedy in their featherweight title bout during the Bellator Champions Series at the SSE Arena in Belfast.

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Patricio 'Pitbull' signs with UFC, will debut vs. Rodriguez 

Sean Brady agreed to face former welterweight champion Leon Edwards in the main event of UFC Lond...

Sean Brady agreed to face former welterweight champion Leon Edwards in the main event of UFC London on March 22 after the promotion <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3221689" href="https://thescore.com/news/3221689">pulled</a> Jack Della Maddalena from the card, UFC CEO Dana White announced Wednesday.Brady, ranked No. 5 in the division, could secure a title shot with a win over Edwards. The 32-year-old Philadelphia native is coming off a unanimous decision win over Gilbert Burns in a UFC Fight Night main event last September. Brady has won two in a row and holds a 17-1 career record. His lone professional loss came against current 170-pound champ Belal Muhammad in 2022.Edwards will be making his first Octagon appearance since dropping the title to Muhammad at UFC 304 last July in his home country of England. The unanimous decision defeat ended Edwards' 13-fight unbeaten streak.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The 33-year-old Birmingham resident captured the championship with a knockout win over Kamaru Usman in 2022 and defended it twice - against Usman and Colby Covington.UFC London will also feature a pivotal light heavyweight matchup between former champ Jan Blachowicz and Carlos Ulberg.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 07: (L-R) Sean Brady punches Gilbert Burns of Brazil in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on September 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Brady steps in vs. Edwards at UFC London with Della Maddalena out

The UFC's first trip to Montreal in over a decade will feature a pair of title fights.  Belal Muh...

The UFC's first trip to Montreal in over a decade will feature a pair of title fights.Belal Muhammad will defend the welterweight championship against Jack Della Maddalena in the UFC 315 main event May 10 at Bell Centre, UFC CEO Dana White announced Wednesday.Women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko will face Manon Fiorot in the co-main event.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Della Maddalena, the fourth-ranked welterweight, is getting an unexpected crack at Muhammad's title after No. 2 Shavkat Rakhmonov was unable to take the fight due to an injury.The promotion <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3221694" href="https://thescore.com/news/3221694">pulled</a> Della Maddalena from his UFC London main-event bout against Leon Edwards on March 22 so he could challenge Muhammad for the title instead.Muhammad will be making his first defense since dethroning Edwards in a unanimous decision victory at UFC 304 last July. The 34-year-old is riding an 11-fight unbeaten streak and hasn't lost since 2019.Muhammad was scheduled to face Rakhmonov at UFC 310 last December but withdrew after developing a bone infection in his foot. Rakhmonov went on to defeat short-notice replacement Ian Machado Garry by decision."Big thanks to the UFC for offering me the shot at the belt first," Rakhmonov <a href="https://x.com/Rakhmonov1994/status/1892424493433573562">wrote</a> on X. "Unfortunately, due to injury, I won't be ready for May. I'll be facing the winner later this year."Della Maddalena holds a 7-0 record in the Octagon and is riding a 17-fight winning streak dating back to 2016. He's coming off a knockout win over Gilbert Burns last March.Shevchenko is set to defend the women's 125-pound title for the first time since reclaiming it with a dominant victory over Alexa Grasso at UFC 306 last September. Shevchenko faced Grasso in three straight outings, first losing the title to the Mexico native in March 2023 and then fighting her to a split draw that September.Fiorot, the No. 2-ranked women's flyweight, earned a crack at Shevchenko's championship by winning seven straight fights to begin her Octagon career. The Frenchwoman beat Erin Blanchfield and former strawweight champ Rose Namajunas in her last two outings.White also announced that a welterweight bout between Burns and Michael Morales will take place at UFC 315.

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 09: Jack Della Maddalena of Australia reacts after his TKO over Gilbert Burns of Brazil in a welterweight fight during the UFC 299 event at Kaseya Center on March 09, 2024 in Miami, Florida.

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Muhammad-Della Maddalena, Shevchenko-Fiorot to headline UFC 315

Ilia Topuria is relinquishing the UFC featherweight championship and will move up to the lightwei...

Ilia Topuria is relinquishing the UFC featherweight championship and will move up to the lightweight division for his next fight, UFC CEO Dana White announced Wednesday.As a result, former 145-pound champion Alexander Volkanovski will take on Diego Lopes for the vacant title in the UFC 314 main event April 12 in Miami.White said Topuria will officially lose the title when Volkanovski-Lopes begins. He didn't announce Topuria's next fight.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"Topuria has felt like he's done all that he can in that division, and he feels like he's cemented his legacy," White said on Instagram Live. "And his body cannot make the weight anymore. ... We will announce what Topuria's next fight will be when we get it done."Topuria captured the belt with a second-round knockout of Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February 2024. The 28-year-old defended the title once, knocking out former champ Max Holloway at UFC 308 last October. The win over Holloway cemented Topuria as a candidate for Fighter of the Year.Topuria, ranked No. 4 on the UFC's men's pound-for-pound list, hinted at a move to 155 pounds in December and has expressed interest in a superfight against Islam Makhachev.The plan is for Topuria to challenge Makhachev for a second title later this year, according to <a href="https://x.com/arielhelwani/status/1892432086876754151">Uncrowned's Ariel Helwani</a>, though the matchup hasn't been finalized.Topuria, who represents Georgia and Spain, is one of the biggest stars in MMA at the moment. He's undefeated as a professional, holding an 8-0 record in the UFC and a 16-0 record overall. Topuria has fought at 155 pounds once before - in 2022 - and won the fight by knockout.White announced several other notable matchups for UFC 314, including a five-round co-main event between lightweights Michael Chandler and Paddy Pimblett.Chandler, the No. 7-ranked contender, is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 last November. That was his first fight in over two years. Chandler opted to sit on the sidelines after a loss to Dustin Poirier in November 2022 and pursue a megafight against UFC star Conor McGregor. It was scheduled to headline UFC 303 last June, but McGregor withdrew two weeks before the event due to a toe injury. Months later, Chandler decided to return to the Octagon against Oliveira instead.Pimblett, ranked No. 12 at 155 pounds, will get the biggest test of his career when he faces Chandler. The 30-year-old Liverpool native is 6-0 in the Octagon, with wins over the likes of King Green and former interim champ Tony Ferguson.UFC 314 will also feature a welterweight bout between top-15 contenders Geoff Neal and Carlos Prates, as well as former Bellator two-division champion Patricio "Pitbull" Freire's <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3221699" href="https://thescore.com/news/3221699">highly anticipated debut</a> against Yair Rodriguez.Here's the entire card as of Wednesday:<ul>
<li>Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes</li>
<li>Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett</li>
<li>Yair Rodriguez vs. Patricio Freire</li>
<li>Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates</li>
<li>Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes</li>
<li>Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson</li>
<li>Yan Xiaonan vs. Virna Jandiroba</li>
<li>Jim Miller vs. Chase Hooper</li>
<li>Darren Elkins vs. Julian Erosa</li>
<li>Sedriques Dumas vs. Michael Oleksiejczuk</li>
<li>Sumudaerji vs. Mitch Raposo</li>
<li>Alberto Montes vs. Roberto Romero</li>
</ul>

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - OCTOBER 26:Ilia Topuria of Spain prepares to face Max Holloway in the UFC featherweight championship fight during the UFC 308 event at Etihad Arena on October 26, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

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Topuria vacating UFC featherweight title; Volkanovski-Lopes set

Alexa Grasso's first fight since losing the UFC women's flyweight title is set.  The former champ...

Alexa Grasso's first fight since losing the UFC women's flyweight title is set.The former champion will face Natalia Silva at UFC 315 on May 10 at Bell Centre in Montreal, the promotion announced Tuesday.Grasso dropped the title in a one-sided, unanimous decision defeat to Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 306 last September. The 31-year-old Mexican dethroned Shevchenko with a stunning submission victory in March 2023, and then the two fought to a split draw in an immediate rematch later that year.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>This will be Grasso's first fight against someone other than Shevchenko since October 2022.Silva is one of the top up-and-comers in the women's 125-pound division. The 28-year-old Brazilian holds a 6-0 record in the Octagon and has won 12 straight overall. Silva is coming off a decision win over former strawweight champ Jessica Andrade last September.Grasso and Silva are ranked No. 1 and No. 5 in the division, respectively.The winner of the Grasso-Silva fight could be in line for a title shot. Shevchenko's next defense isn't booked yet, but most expect it to come against top contender Manon Fiorot. UFC CEO Dana White has also said a superfight between Shevchenko and strawweight titleholder Zhang Weili is a "possibility."UFC 315 doesn't have a main event yet. It will mark the promotion's first trip to Montreal since April 2015.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 13: Alexa Grasso of Mexico poses on the scale during the UFC 306 at Riyadh Season Noche UFC Ceremonial Weigh-in at Sphere on September 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Grasso to return vs. Silva at UFC 315

WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson has a new opponent for Saturday's mega event in Riyadh,...

WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson has a new opponent for Saturday's mega event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Josh Padley agreed to challenge Stevenson on three days' notice, Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, announced Wednesday morning.Stevenson's original opponent, Floyd Schofield, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3220886" href="https://thescore.com/news/3220886">withdrew</a> from the title fight Tuesday due to an illness.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Padley is an undefeated 29-year-old from England. He's coming off a unanimous decision win over Mark Chamberlain last September on the Daniel Dubois-Anthony Joshua undercard. Padley has four knockouts in 15 professional wins.Stevenson is making the second defense of his 135-pound belt since capturing it with a decision win over Edwin De Los Santos in November 2023. The 27-year-old Newark native has been a champion in three different weight classes.In Saturday's main event, Artur Beterbiev will defend the undisputed light heavyweight championship in a highly anticipated rematch with Dmitry Bivol. In the co-headliner, Dubois will put the IBF heavyweight title on the line against Joseph Parker.

Josh Padley celebrates victory against Mark Chamberlain following the light weight bout at Wembley Stadium, London. Picture date: Saturday September 21, 2024.

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Padley steps in for Feb. 22 title fight vs. Stevenson

Jared Cannonier reminded the world he's still one of the top middleweights in the UFC on Saturday...

Jared Cannonier reminded the world he's still one of the top middleweights in the UFC on Saturday.The 40-year-old former title challenger rallied to finish Gregory Rodrigues with a TKO in the UFC Fight Night main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The stoppage came 21 seconds into the fourth round.Cannonier, ranked No. 7 in the 185-pound division, snapped a two-fight losing streak with the victory.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"I felt great," Cannonier said in his postfight interview. "I could do this for five more rounds if I needed to."Cannonier overcame some early adversity to secure the win. Rodrigues started strong and dropped Cannonier twice in the first round, with a right hand and then a left hook. Cannonier recovered well from both knockdowns, but Rodrigues landed punches at a higher clip and pressured his opponent all round."I guess I was hurt enough to get jumped on my ass a couple of times in that fight," Cannonier said. "But naturally so. Gregory hits hard as hell, and he was slinging big ass shots. I was able to weather the storm and keep my composure even in those really tough spots."The momentum shifted toward Cannonier in the second as Rodrigues began to slow down. Cannonier outlanded Rodrigues 35-26 in that frame.Cannonier and Rodrigues traded heavy blows in the third, with Rodrigues getting the better of the exchanges. But Cannonier stole the round with a ferocious knockdown in the final 20 seconds, flooring Rodrigues with a right elbow in the clinch. Cannonier followed up with a handful of heavy shots on the ground, but time expired.Cannonier said he didn't hear the horn and thought referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight - for good."I got up and I was looking around like, 'How come nobody's as excited as I am?'" Cannonier said. "But then they reaffirmed that it was just the end of the round, and I was like, 'Ugh, OK.'"Rodrigues never seemed to truly recover from the knockdown. Cannonier, smelling blood, immediately went back on the attack at the start of the fourth round. "The Killa Gorilla" landed a barrage of shots up against the fence, hurt "RoboCop" again, and forced the referee to wave off the fight - this time, for good.Cannonier earned his first victory since a unanimous decision over Marvin Vettori in June 2023 and his first stoppage win since knocking out Derek Brunson in February 2022.The bout was Cannonier's third straight fight against an up-and-coming middleweight who was either ranked below him or not in the top 15 at all. Cannonier dropped losses to Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho - via fourth-round TKO and unanimous decision, respectively - last year, but he prevailed against the unranked Rodrigues to keep his top-10 position intact.Rodrigues' three-fight winning streak ended as the 32-year-old Brazilian came up short for the first time since a knockout loss to Brunno Ferreira in June 2023.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 15: (L-R) Jared Cannonier punches Gregory Rodrigues of Brazil in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on February 15, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Cannonier rebounds with TKO of Rodrigues in UFC main event

PFL superfight heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou plans to return to boxing before he competes ...

PFL superfight heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou plans to return to boxing before he competes in MMA again."I will do boxing next," Ngannou told <a href="https://www.sportsbookreview.com/picks/ufc/francis-ngannou-next-fight-deontay-wilder-jon-jones-jake-paul/">Sportsbook Review's James Bisson</a>. "I want to. I'm not done with boxing. It's not that MMA is easy - it's the sport that I understand better and I have more experience in - but I say go for boxing."Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, is 0-2 as a professional boxer. He lost to then-WBC heavyweight champ Tyson Fury by split decision in October 2023 and former titleholder Anthony Joshua by knockout in March 2024.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The 38-year-old Cameroonian returned to MMA after the two lucrative boxing matches, earning a dominant, first-round TKO win over Renan Ferreira in his PFL debut last October. The victory marked Ngannou's first MMA fight in nearly three years.Ngannou's head coach, Eric Nicksick, said after the Ferreira bout that he'd prefer to see "The Predator" stay in MMA.However, Ngannou said he now has his sights set on a boxing match against Deontay Wilder, a former WBC heavyweight champ who's reeling from back-to-back losses."There's an 80% chance that somebody will go to sleep," Ngannou said of how a potential Wilder fight would play out. "It will be one or the other."

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - OCTOBER 28: Francis Ngannou looks on prior to the Heavyweight fight between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou at Boulevard Hall on October 28, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira's recent call-out apparently caught the attention of ...

UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira's recent call-out apparently caught the attention of unified heavyweight boxing champ Oleksandr Usyk.Usyk told <a href="https://x.com/boxingontnt/status/1890025211573256269">TNT Sports</a> in an interview published Thursday that he would be willing to fight Pereira after the latter said in January that he was interested in the crossover bout."First, it's who wins next fight (between Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker), Feb. 22," Usyk said. "But next, maybe (a) show fight with Alex Pereira. Maybe. Why not? Alex wants it."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Usyk, who holds the WBA, WBC, and WBO heavyweight titles, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3216567" href="https://thescore.com/news/3216567">said</a> earlier this week he plans to fight twice more before retiring from professional competition.The 38-year-old Ukrainian is expected to face the winner of the IBF heavyweight title fight between Dubois and Parker next, though that plan has yet to be finalized.Pereira, one of the top pound-for-pound fighters and biggest stars in mixed martial arts, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3205860" href="https://thescore.com/news/3205860">told</a> the "Jaxxon Podcast" he wants to step into the boxing ring before he retires from combat sports - and that his first choice would be a fight with Usyk."I'm the champ, I'd like to fight a champ," Pereira said through an interpreter. "So Oleksandr Usyk is the fight that I would want."I feel that I could do really good. ... I think I could go head-to-head with him."Pereira is scheduled to defend his 205-pound title against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 on March 8 in Las Vegas.Usyk, meanwhile, is coming off back-to-back wins over former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in 2024. Usyk beat Fury by split decision in May to become the first undisputed heavyweight champ since 2000 and then earned a more convincing unanimous decision victory in their December rematch.

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - DECEMBER 21: Oleksandr Usyk celebrates victory following the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC and WBO Undisputed World Heavyweight titles' fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury as part of Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury 2, Reignited card at Kingdom Arena on December 21, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Sean Strickland doesn't expect to have Eric Nicksick in his corner moving forward.  The former UF...

Sean Strickland doesn't expect to have Eric Nicksick in his corner moving forward.The former UFC middleweight champion said Wednesday he'll likely move on from the Xtreme Couture head coach as one of his cornermen after Nicksick <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3215909" href="https://thescore.com/news/3215909">criticized</a> Strickland's performance against Dricus Du Plessis earlier this week."I like Eric. He's a friend of mine. And he's gonna continue to be a friend of mine," Strickland <a href="https://x.com/SStricklandMMA/status/1889821960722587854">said</a> in a video posted to X. "Will he probably be in my corner? Probably not.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"We have so many great guys at Xtreme. ... We have so many savages that would love to corner me."Strickland suffered a lopsided unanimous decision loss in a rematch with Du Plessis, the current 185-pound champion, at UFC 312 last weekend in Sydney, Australia. Strickland dropped a narrow split decision in his first fight against Du Plessis in January 2024.Nicksick was critical of Strickland's most recent showing during a Tuesday appearance on "The Ariel Helwani Show," calling it "very underwhelming" and "flat.""I think (Strickland) needs to evaluate what he wants to do in this sport," Nicksick said. "If it's just to make money, then that's great - let us know. I want to coach world champions. My motivations are different. I think that just to kind of show up and do that and not really back it up, just, to me, was kind of uninspiring."Strickland revealed Wednesday he faced numerous hurdles in the lead-up to UFC 312. He said he broke his arm during training camp and received stem cells in Colombia seven or eight weeks before the event. Strickland said he also developed a staph infection ahead of the fight."That entire fight camp was just a struggle," Strickland said.He added: "This is not an excuse, but that entire camp was just a struggle of, 'I'm good, I'm good,' knowing you're not good. ... (The) bone healed fine, not an excuse, it just kind of weighs in the back of your head."Strickland, 33, has now lost two of his last three fights and sits outside the title conversation. However, the Las Vegas resident - who pulled off an all-time upset against Israel Adesanya in 2023 to win the middleweight title - is adamant he still wants to compete."I don't fight to put belts on the wall," Strickland said. "I don't f-----g fight because Eric wants to go do a fancy podcast. That's not why I fight. ... I f-----g love it. I got a lot of fights left on my contract. I love fighting. I'm going back to the gym, I'm working my ass off, and I'm starting from f-----g square one."And that's just kind of how life is. You always get a setback, where you're like, 'All right, well, I gotta start over again.' And you have a choice: you either sack up and you do it, or you f-----g quit. And I'm gonna sack up and do it."

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 06: Sean Strickland is seen on stage during the UFC 312 press conference at Qudos Bank Arena on February 06, 2025 in Sydney, Australia.

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A featherweight bout between Josh Emmett and Lerone Murphy is expected to serve as the main event...

A featherweight bout between Josh Emmett and Lerone Murphy is expected to serve as the main event for UFC Fight Night on April 5, sources told <a href="https://x.com/MikeHeck_JR/status/1889778929478598858">MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Damon Martin</a>.The card is scheduled to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.Emmett is returning to the Octagon for the first time since his Knockout of the Year-candidate win over Bryce Mitchell at UFC 296 in December 2023. The 39-year-old Sacramento resident is 2-2 in his last four appearances and ranked No. 8 at 145 pounds.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The 11th-ranked Murphy is one of the division's rising contenders. He earned wins over Dan Ige and Edson Barboza last year, the latter of which came in his first UFC main event in May. The 33-year-old Englishman is 7-0-1 in the Octagon and 15-0-1 as a professional.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 16: Josh Emmett enters the Octagon in a featherweight fight during the UFC 296 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 16, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn could see a trilogy bout between Katie Taylor and Amanda Se...

Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn could see a trilogy bout between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano coming to fruition in the near future."True," Hearn said Wednesday on "<a href="https://x.com/arielhelwani/status/1889765552736051370">The Ariel Helwani Show</a>" when asked if he believes the fight will happen in 2025. "I'm not gonna go into it too much. But I've actually been having some pleasant conversations with Nakisa (Bidarian) and (Most Valuable Promotions) - about a number of stuff, but around this fight."It just makes so much sense. The opportunity, bouncing off the platform and the numbers it did last time - there is a very good chance that we see that fight next."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Hearn promotes Taylor, the undisputed women's junior welterweight champion, while Most Valuable Promotions promotes Serrano, who holds the WBA and WBO featherweight titles.Taylor beat Serrano by a razor-thin unanimous decision in a highly anticipated rematch last November on the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson undercard. The event, which streamed live on Netflix, broke numerous viewership records. Taylor previously earned a split-decision win over Serrano in an April 2022 undisputed lightweight title defense. Both matchups were Fight of the Year candidates.Taylor has said that trilogy fights against Serrano and former undisputed junior welterweight champ Chantelle Cameron are both options for her next appearance in the ring."I think fight fans deserve it. I think Amanda Serrano deserves it," Hearn said of Taylor-Serrano 3. "She's given us two epic fights against Katie Taylor. Both fights were razor-thin decisions. Katie deserves everything. So, the talks continue, we'll have to see, but I'm confident you see that next."

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 15: (L-R) Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano fight during LIVE On Netflix: Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson at AT&T Stadium on November 15, 2024 in Arlington, Texas.

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