Category Archives: UFC

Home Field Advantage: Fan Favorite Sean O’Malley Bulldozes Sterling at UFC 292, Chris Weidman’s Return Sparks Talk of Retirement, Katona vs. Gibson Earns Fight of the Night…and much more from the UFC’s return to Boston last Saturday

By: Rich Bergeron

UFC 292 was the first UFC event I attended in 16 years. As the MMA writer most known for exposing the Xyience scandal (see www.xyiencesucks.com), I dug out my old Xyience hat to commemorate the occasion. Once the UFC’s most prolific sponsor, Xyience is now primarily an energy drink company and does not even associate with any MMA league anymore. Needless to say, I was the only one in the entire arena sporting Xyience merch.

I paid for my own tickets this time, but I couldn’t avoid thinking about what my UFC 292 experience would have been like if my UFC 78 experience, paid for by Xyience, had turned out much differently for me almost 16 years ago.

I will be ruminating more on the personal story of my own Boston homecoming and the changes we’ve seen for the UFC between the last fight I attended and this one in a new piece I plan to write on www.paythefighters.com. Stay tuned for that, but first let’s get to the UFC’s well constructed fight card for Saturday night.

It began with a tale of two flyweight Silvas: Karine Silva and Natalia Silva. Those bouts ended with two Silva wins by two different methods, but each fighter proved dominant in their particular styles. Karine dispatched Maryna Moroz with a last-second guillotine choke just before the end of the first round. It was a fantastic start to a show that had a few peaks and valleys as far as the entertainment value of some of the match-ups. Natalia took her time and picked apart a game Andrea Lee from a distance for the majority of the contest. She cruised to a unanimous decision by being cautious and careful with her striking aim.

Next, a controversial split decision gave the odds-makers’ favorite fighter Andre Petrovski a win over Gerald Meershaert. Petrovski did not appear to have the cardio to hang with the seasoned veteran Meerschaert. All that was lacking in this fight was the concentrated striking power from Meershaert to put Petrovski down and out. Both fighters had their moments, but it seemed obvious to me Gerald was the busier and more effective fighter. He was only one of the robbery victims accosted by the judges Saturday night after clearly winning a primarily technical fight. The touches of slugfest sprinkled in from time to time seemed to always favor the more game and eager Meerschaert. He definitely deserved the win. We’ll talk about another robbery of equal caliber a bit later.

A pair of Ultimate Fighter Finale fights came next with Bantamweights Brad Katona and Cody Gibson kicking it off by earning “Fight of the Night” honors. Their toe-to-toe kickboxing match that rarely hit the ground for very long certainly had the crowd riled up from start to finish. Katona ended up being a second quicker on the draw and sharp enough with his jabs and counters to secure a win in a scrap where he often had to take one good punch to land two of his own. Gibson wore the results of Brad’s accuracy on his battered face at the final bell, but he also earned great respect for his never-quit approach from both the crowd and the organization. The UFC offered both fighters contracts for their efforts instead of only the winner getting the nod.

Kurt Holobaugh had to fight friend and fellow Team Chandler fighter Austin Hubbard in the Lightweight finale. It was a fight that started better for Hubbard than it ended. Eventually after a short feeling out process, Holobaugh took the momentum away and secured a phenomenal Triangle Choke just 2:39 into the second frame. Both fighters had their dominating moments, but it was Holobaugh’s black belt jiu jitsu skills that won the night and the TUF trophy.

Gregory Rodrigues absolutely demolished Russian Dennis Tiuliulin in a middleweight fight that had the Beantown crowd chanting “USA” briefly while rooting for a Brazilian fighter. “Robocop” enjoyed the crowd support and quickly obliged their cheers with his finishing skills in full display. Rodrigues coincidentally looks a bit like the main character in Netflix’s “The Lincoln Lawyer,” if the character bulked up after a few rounds of steroids. Rodrigues certainly laid down the law and pummeled the Russian into unconsciousness with a machine-like precision. He took just one minute and 43 seconds to give the crowd their last stoppage until the main event.

Five straight decisions followed, two of them decided by perfect placement of monstrous leg kicks from the victors. The most painful of those two bouts to watch was Chris Weidman finishing out the preliminaries by facing off with Brad Tavares in a punishing middleweight battle. Weidman, coming back from a vicious rubber chicken leg injury where he tried to plant on a completely broken leg against Uriah Hall, looked rusty as rusty can be. Every takedown he attempted seemed to get stuffed easily by Tavares.

Every punching exchange seemed to be too little, too late for Weidman to come back from the constant leg kicks peppering both the leg with the old injury and Weidman’s other leg for good measure. Even with a torn MCL or ACL (according to Dana White who compelled Weidman to retire after the fight), Weidman stalked Tavares around the cage and tried his best to take the fight to him despite the busted wheel. Tavares won a very strategic and smart fight, disappointing the entire pro-Weidman crowd hoping for that miracle comeback performance that never came.

Marlon “Chito” Vera and Pedro Munhoz opened up the main card with a one-sided affair showcasing Vera’s patience, striking acumen, and nearly-flawless technique. Munhoz finished the fight on his feet, but he endured plenty of facial damage getting there. Chito stayed at a safe range for the majority of the bout and took few risks on the way to his unanimous decision win. The reach and speed of Vera seemed to be the most effective advantages he enjoyed against the shorter and stockier Munhoz. Vera, boring as he may be to watch at times, proved he deserves his own bantamweight title shot.

The third-straight decision gave Mario Bautista a very controversial unanimous decision win over Da’Mon Blackshear. Bautista edged out Blackshear in terms of ground control, but Blackshear was more accurate in his striking and landed more significant strikes in the featherweight scrap. I certainly thought he did enough to win, but the judges did not see the fight the same way and gave the contest to Bautista.

Ian Garry and Neil Magny clashed next in a mismatched welterweight contest. Magny showed tremendous heart in getting back up after every knockdown, but he could not overcome the incessant leg kicks thrown by Garry. Referee Keith Peterson came close to stopping the bout a few times, but Magny kept doing just enough to keep it going, hopping around on one leg at times. Garry’s striking was just as on point as his trash talk game, evoking the spirit of Nate Diaz with a few well-timed hand gestures. The crowd celebrated his continued dominance with Garry telling them about his desire to be the best fighter on the face of the earth someday in his post-fight speech. Magny will have to find an answer to his recent struggles if he wants to remain relevant in the UFC.

Weili Zhang and Amanda Lemos squared off in an epic title fight next. Lemos nearly secured a couple miraculous submission attempts, but the strawweight title fight turned into a question of whether or not Lemos could survive until the final bell. Zhang showcased her talents in all her areas of expertise, and Lemos could only hope to win by way of a couple Hail Mary submission attempts Zhang wriggled out of. Zhang’s speed, power and durability overwhelmed Lemos and left her struggling to avoid a stoppage through much of the later rounds. Somehow she managed to do it, taking a tremendous amount of damage on her way. Zhang walked away retaining her title, much to the delight of fans who backed her through the entire fight.

Finally, the main event arrived, well after midnight. Sean O’Malley entered the arena first, and the crowd erupted. Many of them sported green or pink wigs to imitate O’Malley’s signature look. O’Malley honestly looked pretty petrified, as if he didn’t even sleep at all the night before the event. Aljamain Sterling entered the cage to a chorus of boos he attempted to make light of by egging the crowd on to boo him more.

The first round was mostly a showcase of footwork from both fighters. O’Malley’s head games might have worked on Sterling, because he promised in pre-fight interviews he would secure a first round TKO of his own. Rather than rely on his greatest strength, his wrestling, Sterling wanted to beat O’Malley at his own game. That turned out to be the wrong strategy, a fact Sterling eventually realized by the time he ended up on the wrong side of that TKO. There were scant attempts to take O’Malley down, and all of them were completely stuffed. Sterling folded and fell to the canvas after getting hit with an O’Malley counter punch early in the second round. The rest was history as O’Malley closed “the Suga show” with some McGregor-esque ground and pound.

Both fighters gave great post-fight speeches, true to form. Sterling was gracious in defeat and showed his respect for O’Malley striving to reach his dream. Considering Sterling criticized O’Malley before the fight for being Dana White’s pet project and not deserving a title shot, it was a huge mea culpa. Also, if it was indeed all about being favored by Mr. White, O’Malley might have ticked off the Baldfather by indicating he’d like to fight Boxer Gervonta Davis more than any other actual UFC fighter.

As only the second Dana White Contender Series fighter to earn a world title, O’Malley can certainly call his own shots to some extent, but a boxing crossover is a very sensitive subject in the wake of Francis Ngannou recently making waves for backing out of his UFC contract and signing up for a heavyweight boxing match with Tyson Fury that will eclipse his career UFC earnings by a mile. Only Conor McGregor has been able to convince UFC brass to go all in on a crossover fight into boxing so far. Dana White has since completely scrapped tentative plans to create “Zuffa Boxing” to account for his fighters wanting to emulate McGregor’s profile, financial track record and bold bravado that earned him that opportunity to fight Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition bout.

Often, to get Dana White’s attention and respect, fighters simply have to sell themselves enough for that to translate into massive merchandise and ticket sales generated off their buzz. Much like the WWE, big personas and colorful characters often win out on opportunities in the UFC over athletes who just concentrate on their physical skill sets. Strikers are especially favored, because they deliver on the UFC’s implied “put on a show” standard of excellence imposed on every fighter who steps into the cage. It’s a style of management and carrot and stick leadership that fools fighters into thinking it’s better for their careers to constantly come forward with little concern for defense and take tremendous risks to be much more exciting and entertaining than they need to be to win a particular fight.

Now this kid O’Malley confesses to want to be like Dana himself, comfortable enough financially to bet $250,000 per poker hand. The most special talent prior to O’Malley used his own rising star persona to build his own name brands and buy his own whiskey company. He has a yacht and a Lamborghini, and he’s still the most talked about and called out fighter in the organization even after losing such a one-sided battle with Dustin Poirier and being sidelined with a broken leg for a few years. The fact that O’Malley can realize and internalize that he’ll probably never get to Conor’s level without a huge crossover fight in boxing speaks volumes about where the UFC is at today.

It is the kind of development I have to chuckle at knowing how hard it’s been to bring all the fighter pay and contract issues to court without an army of lawyers to face the UFC’s formidable legal team. One such legal army recently secured the go ahead to pursue a class action anti-trust lawsuit on behalf of over 1,200 former UFC fighters. The judge in the case appears to be already siding with the plaintiffs. Reaction to UFC class-action lawsuit certification: What happened, and what’s next? (msn.com)

Whenever the organization is confronted by statistics that show the revenue share for fighters is minuscule compared to other major sports with players’ associations, the response is typically something to the effect of: “We’ve made so many millionaires. Our fighters are doing just fine, and they all get plenty of financial opportunities with the fame we’ve helped them achieve.”

As an expert on the UFC’s financial history and an audience member at UFC 292, I couldn’t avoid confronting the reality that so many “UFC Nut-hugger” journalists get all the fringe benefits of press privileges because they play along so well with that “Zuffa Myth” mentality. The folks who put the UFC on the map subliminally seduce their supporters with access and promises of fame and opportunity, and fighters and media members alike get sucked into those kind of management theatrics. In turn, you don’t end up with much investigative reporting in MMA media circles, and fighters who ask a lot of questions and demand better contract conditions don’t get re-signed or set up with prime fight match-ups.

It took the main event result to really clarify the issue for me of how the UFC constantly keeps the focus on their supposed ability to create superstars just by letting a fighter sign any contract with the organization. Some who agree that’s the case would say it was the organization’s ability to see enough talent in O’Malley to put him on Dana White’s Contender Series that led to the spectacular rise to fame the new champ’s riding. Certainly, O’Malley wouldn’t have even been in Boston Saturday night if he never got into the organization. However, there have been plenty of DWCS fighters who didn’t get any more UFC opportunities because they lost that entry-level fight. O’Malley had to win and keep winning to be where he was on Saturday night.

The point is: Sean O’Malley’s cult following and tremendous self-confidence is a result of his own personal crusade to be someone special with unlimited potential and amazing talent. He would never even be in the conversation for a title if he did not put in all the untold hours in the gym striving to be better. The UFC did not create Sean O’Malley, they just gave him a platform to show what kind of fighter he could be. And while he is enjoying the superstardom the UFC will credit themselves for, O’Malley has to know the only way he can maximize his earning potential is to eclipse the organization itself. He has to go above and beyond their restrictive financial borders to a sport where the revenue share is so much better and a guy like Francis Ngannou can make more in one fight than he made in his entire UFC career.

So, If Dana White really did make Sean O’Malley his pet project as Aljamain Sterling suggested, he did a great job. Unfortunately, the monster he created may come back to bite him in the long run. Another UFC co-promoted boxing card will get too many of their employees trying to take the same route and wondering why Dana’s little buddy is getting all the breaks and benefits. Veterans and newcomers will both likely look at any hyped up Davis vs. O’Malley boxing match as an admission by their leadership that the UFC can’t pay their fighters enough to keep them in the cage.

“Kid, you have no idea how much money you’re gonna to make,” Dana White told O’Malley after the win according to a recent O’Malley interview. I imagine in his head, Dana finished that thought with “us.”

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Turkish super middleweight prospect Cem “Champ” Kilic living the American Dream Headlining this Thursday in Montebello, CA, steaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS

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LAS VEGAS (March 9, 2022) – What a long, strange trip it’s been for Turkish super middleweight prospect Cem “Champ” Kilic, part of a growing 3 Point Management (3 PM) stable, resettling in California from Germany despite the pandemic, to headline this Thursday night’s “Hollywood Fight Nights, presented by 360 Promotions, at Quiet Cannon Country Club in Montebello, California.

The 27-year-old Kilic faces Andrew “Hurricane” Hernandez (21-8-2, 9 KOs) in the 8-round main event, which will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®.


A member of the Turkish National Boxing Team, Kilic moved eight years ago from Germany to Sherman Oaks, California, where he still resides. A native of Germany whose family comes from Turkey, Kilic showed tremendous courage simply by relocating halfway around the world with a mere $200 in his pockets, as well as the inability to speak English other than a few words.


“I still spend a lot of time at home,” Kilic remarked. “During the pandemic, I lived with my family in Germany, and I have a lot of family in Turkey. It was very rough growing up. I had always dreamed of living in the United States from watching movies. I wanted to do something different. I’m a big fan of Hollywood movies. Muhammad Ali is my idol and that’s another reason I wanted to come here to box.


“I didn’t speak English when I first came to America, only basics, and nobody I met here spoke German or Turkish. but I learned English watching old movies and using Google translator. I learned quicky, though, and was comfortable speaking English in six months. And now I live only 10-minutes from Hollywood.”


Kilic hit rock bottom after suffering his first loss January 11, 2020, to 15-0 Steve Nelson in Atlantic City, in which his corner threw in the towel midway through the eighth round due to several facial cuts. The fight was for the vacant North American Boxing Organization (NABO) title. Cem took time off in the U.S. during the pandemic.


“Everything was closed,” he explained. “I put on weight and become even more depressed. I let myself go after my first loss. My wife said I needed to get back in shape, so I watched a training video on YouTube and, at first, I couldn’t get through the warmup. But I slowly got in shape and that fueled my interest again in boxing. I didn’t have a promoter and I separated from my manager and trainer. I was trained by a friend and went up to Abel Sanchez’ place in Big Bear and got some good work. I sparred a lot of champions: Jermell Charlo, (Gilberto) ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez, Callum Smith, and David Benavidez.”


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(L) Cem Kilic is a fighter’s fighter


A self-described aggressive fighter with a warrior mentality, Kilic says the late Arturo Gatti was one of his favorite fighters, who he emulates in terms of style. Cem has watched the Gatti-(Micky) Ward trilogy about 20 times, which led him into boxing as a career.

“I knew about Gatti, but I really got into boxing after watching his fights with Micky Ward,” Kilic fondly remembered. “They were so tough, and I love the way they fought. They were throwback fighters to the ’40 and ‘50s.”


The current Team Kilic was formed after his only loss. He is trained by 4-time, 2-division World champion Brian Viloria, in addition to being managed (3PM), which also manages 43-0 “Zurdo” Ramirez, the former World Super Middleweight Champion, presently the top-ranked World light heavyweight contender.


“I knew Brian and met him at Brickhouse,” Kilic explained. “One day I told my strength-and-conditioning coach I needed a new coach and asked him to talk to Brian about me. I liked Brian and knew he was a world champion with a lot of knowledge. We’ve only worked together for one fight, but I’ve improved in a lot of ways.


“I was waiting for an opportunity to sign with a manager and did with 3PM. The guys are great and I’m much more motivated than before. It’s been amazing.”


Kilic is prepared to display his development under Viloria and 3PM this Thursday night against Hernandez. “I can’t wait,” Kilic concluded. “He has fought some good names (Caleb Plant, Jesse Hart, Ali Akhmedov, Ahmed Elbiali, Patrick Teixeira, and Arif Magomedov). I always prepare to go the full distance. I never go into a fight looking for a knockout, but I look for openings.”


Cem “Champ” Kilic is truly living the American Dream, especially because of the support he has from his new team members.


INFORMATION:
Website:  www.ZurdoPromotions.com
Facebook: /CemKilic
Instagram: @zurdoramirez, @zurdopromotions, @KilicBoxing
Twitter:  @ZurdoPromotions, @GilbertoZurdoRamirez

UFC #1 Ranked Featherweight Max Holloway Becomes CHERRY BO2MB® Business Partner

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LAS VEGAS, NV. – CHERRY BO2MB and UFC #1 Ranked Featherweight Max Holloway, fresh off his Saturday night main event victory, has joined the team as a business partner.
 
Holloway (23-6), who took care of Yair Rodriguez on Saturday night, will become one of the faces of CHERRY BO2MB®, the leading brand in cognitive enhancers that improves memory, creativity, motivation and enhances brain neuron oxygenation. CHERRY BO2MB®is a BSCG certified drug-free powder supplement that when added to water becomes a brain-stimulating nutritional beverage designed for all ages wanting to think smarter, react faster and perform better. Whether you are an elite   athlete, a weekend warrior in any sport, a student immersed in studies or an employee who needs to have sharp focus to get the job done, this product is for you.
 
To be a champion and perform at the highest level, the mind must be incredibly sharp to make split-second decisions, process information and think ahead of the competition.
 
“CHERRY BO2MB®is a great supplement to my daily training program not only for getting me ready for my next test in the Octagon, but also for improving my reaction times for my gaming career,” said Holloway.
 
About CHERRY BO2MB®
 
CHERRY BO2MB® is more than just an average energy drink: it is a powerful and complete dietary supplement packed with essential vitamins, minerals amino acids and nutritional 27 extracts to promote a healthy mind and healthy body. 
 
CHERRY BO2MB® provides amino acids, minerals, botanicals and essential nutrients to maintain your brain and body at optimum performance. We use ingredients that have been clinically proven in independent studies to increase your mental alertness, clarity and focus; to give you give you more energy; and to last longer than most other energy drinks. 
 
CHERRY BO2MB® helps the body and the brain work together smoothly. The amino acids in CHERRY BO2MB® contribute directly to the proper functioning of the brain’s neurotransmitters, which are responsible for sending signals to the rest of the body. The vitamins and minerals in CHERRY BO2MB® keep muscles and organs functioning properly. 
 
CHERRY BO2MB® is the first, and ONLY, energy shot featuring an oxygen-charged component to help promote energy production. Oxygen is the key to all metabolic energy. And with the brain demanding more than 25% of the oxygen we breathe, oxygen is at the heart of memory and mental acuity (sharpness) and alertness. Our powerful blend of nutritional ingredients assists in the breakdown of the magnesium oxide blend which releases oxygen to be absorbed into the bloodstream. No other energy drink contains our powerful nutritional blend for complete body and mind health and wellness. Because it’s in a water-soluble powered blend, we’ve eliminated unhealthy preservatives, stabilizers and coloring chemicals. We deliver pure nutrition in a delicious formula. 
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cherrybo2mb/

RJJ Boxing results from Texas

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Undefeated Eridson Garcia crowned NABF Super Featherweight Champion

RJJ Boxing Official Results from Texas

HUMBLE, Texas (August 27, 2021) – Houston boxer Eridson Garcia (14-0, 9 KOs) remained undefeated and captured the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) Super Featherweight Championship, winning the main event last night on the latest installment of RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS, presented by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing in association with Next Up Fight and the World Cup Boxing Series, at Humble Civic Center, Humble, Texas.
 
Fights were streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, with James “Smitty” Smith (blow-by-blow) and former WBA World super lightweight champion Roger Prograis (color commentator) calling the action from ringside To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com.
 
The 27-year-old Garcia, who is a native of the Dominican Republic, took a 10-round unanimous decision in convincing fashion from intra-state rival Armando Frausto (9-2-1, 5 KOs), fighting out of La Marque, Texas.
 
In the co-featured event, Detroit middleweight Wilfred Harris, Jr. (19-1-1, 9 KOs) and Vaughn “The Animal” Alexander (15-6-1, 9 KOs), fought to an 8-round draw. Alexander, of Saint Louis (MO), is the older brother of brother of 3-time, 2-division World champion Devon Alexander.
 
There was another draw on last night’s RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS as Austin (TX) super lightweight Robert Kevin Garcia (8-0-1, 6 KOs) and Antonius Grable (3-1-1, 3 KOs), of Sarasota, Florida, fought to a 6-round draw.
 
In the opening UFC FIGHT PASS bout of the evening, Houston middleweight Eugene Hill, Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs) blasted out New Mexico’s Shane Hall (0-2) at the 45-seconds mark of the opening round.  Hall dropped Hall early and the fight was quickly stopped after a subsequent flurry of unanswered punches.
 
Houston lightweight prospect Luis Acosta (12-0, 11 KOs) remained perfect as a professional, registering his 12th victory with 11 knockouts, versus Italian-born Christian Danilo Guido, who  fights out of Argentina, midway through round one.
 
Veteran Houston super featherweight Pablo “The Lethal Mosquito” Cruz (22-4, 6 KOs) out-boxed his Mexican opponent, Jonathan “Zorro” Lecona Ramos (18-32-5, 6 KOs) en route to a 6-round unanimous decision.
   
Complete results below

OFFICIAL RESULTS
 
MAIN EVENT – VACANT NABF SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Eridson Garcia (14-0, 9 KOs), Houston, TX
WDEC10 (98-91, 97-92, 96-93)
Armando Frausto (9-2-1, 5 KOs), La Marque, TX
(Garcia won the NABF super featherweight title)
 
CO-FEATURE – MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Winfred Harris, Jr. (19-1-1, 9 KOs), Detroit, MI
D8 (77-75, 74-78, 76-76)
Vaugh Alexander (15-6-1, 9 KOs)

SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS
Robert Kevin Garcia (8-0-1, 6 KOs), Austin, TX
D6 (57-57, 57-57, 56-58)
Antonius Grable (3-1-1, 3 KOs), Sarasota, FL
 
MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Eugene Hill, Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs), Houston, TX
WTKO1 (0:45)
Shane Hall (0-2), Clovis, NM
 
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Luis Acosta (12-0, 11 KOs), Houston, TX
WKO1 (1:03)
Christian Danilo Guido (8-20, 6 KOs), Tigre, Buenos Aires, Argentina
 
SUPER FEATHERWEIGHTS (6)
Pablo Cruz (22-4, 6 KOs), Houston, TX
WDEC6 (60-54, 59-55, 58-56)
Jonathan Lecona Ramos (18-32-5, 5 KOs), Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico  
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INFORMATION:
 
Websites:  http://www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.comwww.ufcfightpass.com
Facebook: /UFCFightPass, /KeithVeltre
Twitter: @UFCFightPass, @Keith_Veltre, @RoyjonesJRfa @RoyJonesJrOfficial
Instagram: @UFCFightPass, @KeithVeltre, @RoyJonesJrBoxing

19-1 Winfred Harris, Jr. predicts an “easy win” against Vaughn Alexander

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STREAMING LIVE & EXCLUSIVELY AUG. 26TH ON UFC FIGHT PASS® FROM TEXAS

LAS VEGAS (August 19, 2021) — Detroit super middleweight Winfred Harris, Jr. (19-1, 9 KOs) is aware of future implications regarding his August 26th match against Vaughn “The Animal” Alexander (15-6, 9 KOs) in the 8-roiund co-featured event on the next installment of RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGH PASS®.


Presented by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing in association with Next Up Fight and the World Cup Boxing Series, the Aug. 26th event will stream live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, from Humble Civic Center in Humble, Texas.
 
Texas rivals Eridson Garcia (13-0, 9 KOs) and Armando Frausto (9-1-1, 5 KOs) headline in the 10-round main event for the vacant North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super featherweight title.


Harris’ most impressive victories to date have been a pair of 2017 8-round unanimous decisions over former California State welterweight and New England middleweight champion, Chris Chatman (14-7-1), and veteran Lanardo Tyner (32-10-2) for the vacant UBF All American middleweight title.


St. Louis’ Alexander is the brother of 3-time, 2-division World champion Devon Alexander. In 2017, “The Animal” stopped former IBF World Middleweight Champion Elvin Ayala in seven rounds and two years later, Alexander took an 8-round majority decision from previously undefeated prospect Money Powell (10-0, 7 KOs).


“I’ll probably come out boxing him, beat on him a little, and then see from there,” Harris predicted. “He may take me the distance, but I’m going to win easily. I’ll have 20 wins and that should position me at the next level, especially fighting on UFC FIGHT PASS. I’ve never fought on a televised (or streamed) show before.


“I’m a boxer-puncher with real good power and speed. I’m a big guy for my weight class and smart. I do a lot of different things and I definitely have a lot of heart.”


Undefeated Austin (TX) super lightweight Robert Kevin Garcia (8-0, 6 KOs) will meet Antonius Grable (3-1, 3 KOs), of Sarasota (FL), in a 6-round match.


Opening the UFC FIGHT PASS stream is a 4-round middleweight bout between Houston prospect Eugene Hill, Jr. (1-0, 1 KO) and Shane Hall (0-1), of Clovis, New Mexico.


Former WBA World light welterweight champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout will join veteran James “Smitty” Smith on the RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS announcing team for this show.


Priced at $800.00 (VIP table of 6), $75.00 (reserved) and $50.00 (general admission), tickets are available to purchase online at https://events.com/r/en_US/registration/nextfightup-xiii—ufc-fightpass-humble-august-815051

INFORMATION:
 
Websites:  http://www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.comwww.ufcfightpass.com
Facebook: /UFCFightPass, /KeithVeltre
Twitter: @UFCFightPass, @Keith_Veltre, @RoyjonesJRfa @RoyJonesJrOfficial
Instagram: @UFCFightPass, @KeithVeltre, @RoyJonesJrBoxing
 

Paradigm Sports Signs UFC Strawweight Mackenzie Dern

#6 UFC Strawweight Mackenzie Dern signs with Paradigm Sports

Irvine, CA (June 22, 2021) – Paradigm Sports is proud to announce its full-service representation of mixed martial arts (MMA) star Mackenzie Dern.

Dern is the current #6 ranked UFC Strawweight, and has been steadily climbing the rankings with a 4-fight win streak. Dern boasts an impressive professional record of 11-1, her most recent win being a first round submission over Nina Nunes in April.

On signing with Paradigm Sports, Dern said: “I’m excited for the next phase of my career and working with Paradigm. I really feel that, as a team, we will reach my full potential as a fighter inside and outside of the cage!”

Paradigm Sports Senior Vice President, Tim Simpson, stated: “We are thrilled to welcome Mackenzie into the Paradigm Sports family. She is a phenomenal athlete and one with championship potential. On behalf of our whole team, it is an honor to partner with her and her family, and we look forward to helping her build upon the successful career she has already begun.”

Paradigm Sports is a full-service management agency that has set itself apart as a multi-platform sports business and media company that handles the careers of a global roster of elite combat sports athletes, including Conor McGregor, Israel Adesanya, Michael Page and Cris Cyborg.

Roy Jones, Jr.-trained Kevin Newman vs. Manuel Gallegos headlines RJJ Boxing card in Mexico

(Kevin Newman)



STREAMING LIVE AND EXCLUSIVELY THIS THURSDAY ON UFC FIGHT PASS® FROM MEXICO


LAS VEGAS (June 7, 2021) – Las Vegas-based Kevin “The Second Coming” Newman (11-2-1, 6 KOs), trained by living legend Roy Jones, Jr., is fully prepared to challenge his Mexican opponent, Manuel “Meno” Gallegos (17-1, 15 KOs), THIS tHURSDAY in the RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS® 10-round main event for the vacant NBA Americas Super Middleweight Championship, at Benito Juarez Auditorium in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico.
 
Presented by by Roy Jones, Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions and De La O Promotions, the stacked June 10th card will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. To sign-up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com.
 
Newman, whose 4-right win streak was snapped in his most recent fight, last February in Las Vegas to Geno Pilana by way of a close 10-round decision 96-94 X 3), is anxious to showcase his improvements working under the guidance of Jones.
 
“I’m really looking forward to this fight,” Newman said. “It’s a great opportunity for me thanks to Roy, my team, and RJJ Boxing Promotions to get me back on the path to chase my dream of becoming world champion. I’ve been in the gym with Roy since April of last year, working day in and day out down in Pensacola, Florida. This is my first fight with Roy as my head trainer and having an official camp with him. I’m excited to show what we’ve been working on. 
 
“Gallegos is a solid opponent wo comes to fight. I’m extremely focused and look forward to going out and putting on a great performance and gaining new fans in Los Mochis. Tune in to UFC FIGHT PASS on June 10th because this is going to be a fight fans don’t want to miss.”
 
The main event finds 23-year-old Mexican super middleweight Manuel “El Meno” Gallegos (17-1, 15 KOs) matched against his Las Vegas opponent, Kevin “The Second Coming” Newman (11-2-1, 6 KOs), in a 10-round bout.
 
A dangerous puncher, Gallegos stopped 15 of his opponents in his 17 pro wins. His undefeated record was snapped in his last fight at 17-0, when the 23-year-old last October, when he dropped an 8-round unanimous decision to 10-1-1 (7 KOs) Oziel Santoyo
 
“I want to thank RJJ Boxing and UFC FIGHT PASS for the opportunity to fight in front of my countrymen,” Gallegos commented. “I hope my opponent is training hard because I’m coming after him.”
 
Two other 10-round bouts are on tap. World Boxing Organization (WBO) Latino featherweight champion Alan “Cacharro” Solis (13-0-1, 7 KOs), rated No. 12 by the WBO, takes on Pablo “Diamente” Robles (14-2, 9 KOs) In the co-featured event.  
 
Nineteen-year-old Luis “Koreano” Torres (11-0, 8 KOs), the reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth Silver Lightweight Champion, faces Diego “Pato” Eligio (20-5-1, 8 KOs) in a Special Featherweight Attraction. 
 
Undefeated Mexican super featherweight Ricardo “El Rojas” Bracamontes (6-0, 3 KOs) is scheduled to fight in a 6-rounder against an opponent to be determined.
 
Also fighting on the undercard, both in 4-round matches, are Mexican lightweights Jose Alberto “Jorjito” Lugo Cota (3-0, 2 KOs) vs. Mario “Belocka” Duran (3-2, 2 KOs), as well as Pensacola, Florida middleweight Andrew Murray (2-0, 1 KO) vs. Luis Jesus Alcarez (2-4).
 
Card subject to change.
 
INFORMATION:
 
Websites:  http://www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.comwww.ufcfightpass.com
Facebook: /UFCFightPass, /KeithVeltre
Twitter: @UFCFightPass, @Keith_Veltre, @RoyjonesJRfa @RoyJonesJrOfficial
Instagram: @UFCFightPass, @KeithVeltre, @RoyJonesJrBoxing
 
ABOUT ROY JONES JR, BOXING PROMOTIONS: Co-founded in 2013 by 10-time world champion Roy Jones, Jr. and Keith Veltre, Roy Jones, Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions is on its way to reinventing boxing. RJJ has already made a huge impact in the boxing community in a few short years. Creating exhilarating content for UFC Fight Pass, CBS Sports, Showtime, ESPN and beIN Sports in some of the finest venues across the country, RJJ has proven it is conquering the sweet science of the sport.   


Based in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas, NV, Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions is climbing to the top at a fast pace, adding young talent to its growing stable: NABF super flyweight champion, IBF #8 and WBC # 14 Jade “Hurricane” Bornea (15-0, 10 KOs); two-time world title challenger, bantamweight “Mighty” Aston Palicte (26-4-1, 22 KOs); NABF welterweight champion, WBC #15 and Santiago “Somer” Dominguez (24-0, 18 KOs); former NABA welterweight champion Kendo “Tremendo” Castaneda (17-3, 8 KOs), former Interim World middleweight title challenger John “The Phenom” Vera (20-1, 12 KO), unbeaten super middleweight prospect Juan “Just Business” Barajas (11-0-1, 7 KOs), and former WBC World Youth heavyweight titlist Alexander “The Great” Flores (18-3-1, 16 KOs). 
 
ABOUT UFC FIGHT PASS®UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, UFC FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. UFC FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 20,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access UFC FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV. For more information, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com.
 

Multi-World boxing champion Amanda Serrano to headline iKON 7 MMA event

STREAMING LIVE & EXCLUSIVELY ON UFC FIGHT PASS®June 11th FROM LOS MOCHIS, SINALOA, MEXICO
LAS VEGAS (May 20, 2021) – Multiple World boxing champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano will headline iKON 7, presented by iKON Fighting Federation, the mixed-martial-arts division of Roy Jones Jr. Boxing, June 11th at Benito Juarez Auditorium in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico.
 
iKON 7 will be streamed live and exclusively JUNE 11 on UFC FIGHT PASS®, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com or download the UFC app.
 
Puerto Rico native Serrano, fighting out of Brooklyn, New York, is 1-0-1 in mixed-martial-arts competition. She will face pro-debuting Valentia Garcia, of Mexico, in the iKON 7main event.  One of the greatest female boxers of all-time, Serrano is a 10-time, 7-division World champion, who sports a remarkable 40-1-1(30 Kos) pro record.
 
“We are thrilled to have Amanda Serrano headlining our card,” iKON Fighting Federation president Keith Veltre said. “She is a great boxing champion, one of the all-time best, who is going to make waves in MMA. She can really fight! Her fight is also a continuation of the terrific Puerto Rico versus Mexico sports rivalry.”
 
In the co-featured event, Las Vegas fighter Johnny “The Paradox” Parsons (6-2-0, iKON: 2-0-0) faces Ricardo “Woody” Chavez (5-1-0), of Mexico, at a 175-pound catchweight.
 
Undefeated Tucson welterweight Pete “Dead Game” Rodriguez, a familiar iKON fighter, goes for his fourth straight victory without a loss – all in iKON competition – versus Mexican opponent Roberto “Pixley 2B” Pixley (5-1-0).
 
Scheduled to fight on the undercard is Yakima, Washington featherweight Jorge “The Natural” Alcala (4-1-0) vs. Sergio “The Animal” Cortez (3-2-0), Hong Kong female featherweight Ramona Pasqual (4-2-0) vs. pro-debuting Guadalupe Guzman, Miami by way of Egypt welterweight Manmoud Sebie vs. Enrique Hernandez in a battle of pro-debuting fighters, pro-debuting female flyweights Rosselyn Chavira, of Tucson (AZ) and Sofia Salacar, and Mexican featherweights Luis “Mano” Garcia (1-2, iKON: 1-1-0) vs. pro-debuting Angel Rivera
 
Card subject to change.
 
INFORMATION:
 
Websites:  http://www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.comwww.ufcfightpass.com
Facebook: /UFCFightPass, /KeithVeltre
Twitter: @iKONFightingFederation, @UFCFightPass, @Keith_Veltre, @RoyjonesJRfa @RoyJonesJrOfficial
Instagram: @iKONFightingFederation, @UFCFightPass, @KeithVeltre, @RoyJonesJrBoxing

Top Mexican prospects showcased on stacked June 10th rjj boxing card

STREAMING LIVE AND EXCLUSIVELY ON UFC FIGHT PASS® FROM MEXICO 

LAS VEGAS (May 13, 2021) — RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS®, presented by Roy Jones, Jr. Boxing Promotions and De La O Promotions, returns to Mexico on Thursday, June 10,to showcase some of the top Mexican boxing prospects.  

All the action will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT from Benito Juarez Auditorium in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. To sign-up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com

“RJJ Boxing continues to showcase some of the best prospects in Mexico,” RJJ Boxing CEO/co-founder Keith Veltre said.  “The future of Mexican boxing will be in action once again on UFC FIGHT PASS.  We have been able to continue promoting during the pandemic by following COVID-19 protocols, working with Emanuel Romo (DLA O Promotions), a dedicated staff and young fighters anxious to prove themselves in the boxing world outside of Mexico.” 

The main event finds 23-year-old Mexican super middleweight Manuel “El Meno” Gallegos (17-1, 15 KOs) matched against his Las Vegas opponent, Kevin “The Second Coming” Newman (11-2-1, 6 KOs), in a 10-round bout. 

Gallegos, who has stopped 15 pf his opponents in his 17 pro wins, is coming off his only loss as a pro last October, by way of an 8-round unanimous decision to 10-1-1 (7 KOs) Oziel Santoyo.  Gallegos’ most impressive victory to date was an 8-round unanimous decision over 37-7 Marco Reyes.  Upset-minded Newman has won four of his last five fights. 

In the co-featured event, World Boxing Organization (WBO) Latino featherweight champion Alan “Cacharro” Solis (13-0-1, 7 KOs), rated No. 12 by the WBO, will face the toughest test of his young pro career, Pablo “Diamente” Robles (14-2, 9 KOs), in a 10-round, non-title fight.  Solis, also from Mexico, has become a semi-regular fighter on RJJ Boxing cards in Mexico.  

Another Mexican fan favorite, World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth Silver Lightweight Champion Luis “Koreano” Torres (11-0, 8 KOs) faces fellow Mexican, Diego “Pato” Eligio (20-5-1, 8 KOs), in a 10-round Special Featherweight Attraction.  The 19-year-old Torres is another familiar fighter on RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS in Mexico. 

Card subject to change. Additional fights to soon be announced. 

INFORMATION:  

Websites:   http://www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.comwww.ufcfightpass.com  

Facebook: /UFCFightPass, /KeithVeltre  

Twitter: @UFCFightPass, @Keith_Veltre, @RoyjonesJRfa @RoyJonesJrOfficial 

Instagram: @UFCFightPass, @KeithVeltre, @RoyJonesJrBoxing 

ABOUT ROY JONES JR, BOXING PROMOTIONS: Co-founded in 2013 by 10-time world champion Roy Jones, Jr. and Keith Veltre, Roy Jones, Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions is on its way to reinventing boxing.  RJJ has already made a huge impact in the boxing community in a few short years.  Creating exhilarating content for UFC Fight Pass, CBS Sports, Showtime, ESPN and beIN Sports in some of the finest venues across the country, RJJ has proven it is conquering the sweet science of the sport.    


Based in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas, NV, Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions is climbing to the top at a fast pace, adding young talent to its growing stable: NABF super flyweight champion, IBF #8 and WBC # 14 Jade “Hurricane” Bornea (15-0, 10 KOs); two-time world title challenger, bantamweight “Mighty” Aston Palicte (26-4-1, 22 KOs); NABF welterweight champion, WBC #15 and Santiago “Somer” Dominguez (24-0, 18 KOs); former NABA welterweight champion Kendo “Tremendo” Castaneda (17-3, 8 KOs), former Interim World middleweight title challenger John “The Phenom” Vera (20-1, 12 KO), unbeaten super middleweight prospect Juan “Just Business” Barajas (11-0-1, 7 KOs), and former WBC World Youth heavyweight titlist Alexander “The Great” Flores (18-3-1, 16 KOs).  

ABOUT UFC FIGHT PASS®UFC FIGHT PASS® is the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports. Since launching in 2013, UFC FIGHT PASS is now available in more than 200 countries and territories. UFC FIGHT PASS provides its members with unlimited access to live UFC FIGHT PASS Prelims; live mixed martial arts and combat sports from around the world; original series and historical programming; special features; behind-the-scenes content; in-depth interviews; and up-to-the minute reports on the world of combat sports. UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers also have 24/7 access to the world’s largest fight library, featuring more than 20,000 bouts from dozens of combats sports organizations, as well as every fight in UFC history. Fight fans can access UFC FIGHT PASS on personal computers, iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, and Sony TVs with Android TV. For more information, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com