Underdogs and superstars battle it out across two gender divisions and seven weight classes in day one of the two-day tournament.

The 2022 ADCC has commenced with all the typical fanfare to be expected. Samurai light shows and pyrotechnics heralded the entry of the event’s international roster of grapplers. With five male divisions and two women’s divisions, the first day of the two-day tournament will whittle the divisions into quarter-final then semi-final brackets to be completed the next day.

Day one proved to be ruled by the discounted underdogs of the tournament, with established champions and high-seeded fighters being eliminated by shocking opponents.

99+

The 99+kg division kicked off the show, with Gordon Ryan squaring up against Heikki Jussila for the first match. A quick showcase, Ryan quickly took the back of Jussila and locked in an RNC within the first minutes of regulation.

Despite Ryan’s position in the tournament, the star of the bracket in round one was one Haisam Rida of Assembly Jiu Jitsu. Facing Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu in his first match, Rida pulled off a massive upset on the former ADCC champ with an armbar finish in just a single, blistering minute of action.

Bouncing back from his loss to Ryan a month earlier, Felipe Pena outscored opponent Joao Gabriel Rocha with a combination of his trademark back takes and sweeps. Opponent Josh Saunders was able to land an early Uchi Mata, but was unable to capitalize before Pena recovered.

Two matches stood out for slight controversy. Max Gimenis took home a win over former ADCC champ Orlando Sanchez after dominating with position points for regulation, but a seeming chet injury forced the “Cuban Tree Stump” to submit to top pressure after Gimenis took mount. Fellow former ADCC champ and UFC vet Vinny Magalhaes found himself similarly sidelined, after injuring his foot during a guard pass from opponent Josh Hansen.

Leg attacks finally appeared in the event courtesy of Fight Sports black belt Roosevelt Sousa. Taking on an IBJJF staple in Joao Gabriel Rocha, Sousa capitalized on a body lock takedown attempt from his opponent to counter, establish leg control and nab a late heel hook submission.

Several other high-stakes point matches littered the round. B-Team competitor and “Black Belt Slayer” Nick Rodriguez wrestled his way to a point victory over Damon Ramos, nearly sending Ramos into the scoreboard with a takedown before the 4-minute mark. Brazilian star Victor Hugo took home a similar win against New Wave Jiu-Jitsu’s Dan Manasoiu, evading attacks from the bottom while maintaining top control on the larger grappler.

Round two saw the underdog streak end for Rida. Matched with Sousa, the Giraffe was unable to match his round one upset as he found himself taken down and held to zero points before the buzzer. Similarly muted, Ryan had to settle for a points victory against Victor hugo, as the Brazilian weathered Ryan’s onslaught of back attacks and mounted head and arm choke attempts.

Mirror images on the other side of the bracket, Pena and Rodriguez landed dual rear naked chokes on Gimenis and Hansen respectively. Pena spent more of his match working from bottom, threatening leg attacks and eventually getting the reversal and back take. Rodriguez, ever the wrestler, found frustration in Hansen’s guard before Hansen mistakenly gave up his back.

99kg

Never to be outdone in the fast finish department, Craig Jones lit the 99kg bracket on fire with a sub-minute shoulder lock win against Joao Costa. Starting from a guard pull, the Australian immediately bit down on Costa’s right arm from an open half guard. As Jones raised his right leg over Costa’s shoulder, the Brazilian quickly tapped with just 18-seconds on the clock.

American Elder Cruz forced the first decision finish of the evening against GF Team’s Patrick Gaudio after a tough back and forth. Cruz emerged the victor thanks to his passing efforts and top control.

A late replacement to this year’s tournament, The UK’s Owen Lvessey looked to make an impression against longtime competitor and former 99+ kg champion Kaynan Duarte. Originally a pro judoka, Livessey was unfortunately unable to utilize his takedown game as Duarte pulled guard and looked for sweeps. Racking up five points in short order, Duarte scored additional three after passing to mount off of a sweep. Securing the lead, Duarte advanced to the quarter finals.

Vinicius “Trator” Ferreira showcased his heavy game against Paul Ardila-Ibarra, threatening his underhooks early and shutting down attacks. Taking things into over time, Ferreira earned the win by outlasting Ibarra and capitalizing off of two penalties received during regulation.

Kyle Boehm took on Jersey native Devohnte Johnson in a dual ADCC debut. Sitting to guard, Boehm worked his 10th Planet game by stifling Johnson from bottom, forcing him to engage on his terms. Nearly getting a leg secured before regulation ended, Boehm opted to fight on the feet for the start of overtime. Neither man making much progress in OT, Boehm was awarded the decision.

Yuri Simoes and Luke Griffith went toe-to-to for a distance finish next. Showcasing immense strength, Simoes helt on to a rear body lock as Griffith struggled to kick free. The New Wave freshman returned with several near back takes to threaten the older competitor. But Simoe’s passing and aggression ultimately awarded him a win from the judges, as neither athlete was able to score points.

Gi phenom Nicholas Meregali took on Henrique Ceconi to secure the bracket’s second submission. A South African Trials winner, Ceconi exploded with an arm drag to body lock slam on Meregali. As he scrambled to defend the back take, Meregali nearly spun out of bounds as he slipped free. One of the most dynamic matches of the bracket, both men freely initiated leg entanglements and shot in for takedowns off of hand fighting. Multiple resets were required as both men struggled to contain the action to the mat. Ceconi tried to counter a rush from Meregali with a duck under to back take, but Meregali turned to catch Ceconi and isolate his right arm. Meregali quickly established a Kimura lock, and the tap shortly followed.

Jones exited round two and subsequently day one with a 100% submission rate, silencing Boehm with a guillotine. In six-minutes. Departing from his usual strategy, Jones utilized passing and top pressure against the 10th Planet leg locker. This forced Boehm to the feet, where Jones controlled the center and forced Boehm to shoot a double. Prepared, Jones quickly locked in the guillotine as they both fell and the tap followed shortly.

Duarte landed his second victory by ousting Elder Cruz via points. Cruz came out aggressive with snap downs followed by leg attacks, forcing Duarte to defend from bottom half guard. But a scramble later in the match gave Duarte the opening to take the back with a body triangle, netting him three points and an additional two after passing to mount. While Cruz landed two of his own off of a sweep, Duarte’s lead earned him the victory at the bell.

Simoes took Meregali to OT in one of the more subdued matches of the night. Heavy collar ties and hand fighting kept both men on the feet for long periods, nearly leading to dual stalling penalties. Both men sat to guard after five minutes, but neither scored points before over time.Despite some late near takedowns from Simoes, Meregali was awarded the decision.

If this is really Rafael Lovato Jr.’s ADCC swan song, he’s looking for nothing less than the gold. After dominating a very game Perttu Tepponen with points and a late RNC finish in round one, the former Bellator champion took an early two-point lead on Ferreira in the second round and held him to nil.

88kg

We see the match times begin to extend heading into the 88kg division, with all but one match ending via submission. Submission Underground superstar Mason Fowler fought Alexandre De Jesus Robinho heavily on the feet, only opting to jump guard to attack the leg. Offering a touching tribute to recently deceased BJJ legend Leandro Lo at the start, Jesus resisted collar ties and retained top control off of Fowler’s leg attacks. But it was a single leg attempt from Jesus late in the match that gave Fowler an opening for a successful guillotine finish.

Xandre Ribero saw his final ADCC end in a disappointing first round loss to Eoghan O’Flanagan, with the UK black belt scoring a crucial late back take on the Six Blades coach. Vagner Rocha fought “Who’s Next?” winner Izaak Michelle to a near stalemate judge’s decision to the slight annoyance of the crowd.

B-Team prodigy and ADCC Trials Winner Jay Rodriguez was upset by Gracie Barra black belt Pedro Marinho, finding his early explosiveness outdone by Marhino’s late match pass to side control for three points.

Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa and Giancarlo Bodoni found dominant point victories against Santeri Ilius and Isaque Bahiense respectively. Hulk’s pass to the back failed to nab him a submission, but he held Spain’s Ilius to no points for the remaining three minutes. Bodoni capitalized on a late back take of his own, but briefly resetting his hooks net him an additional three points for a total of six.

Roberto Dib Frias of Australia came up short against returning ADCC champion Mattheus Diniz. An Atos staple, Diniz displayed a methodical calm as he worked top position and secured the win with a late body triangle.

The biggest upset to some, ADCC alumni Josh Hinger out scored fellow Atos star Tye Ruotolo in a highly contested showcase. Despite getting on the board early, Ruotolo was unable to recover after an amazing late back take from his older teammate.

Hinger’s upset would break against Hulk in round two, with back control and two takedowns being enough to end the positive momentum.

Repeating his war of attrition, Rocha took Marinho to another deadlocked judges decision. For 15-minutes, the men stood looking for foot sweeps and dominant grip control. Rocha nearly speared Marinho through a FloGrapplong light box as they went off the mat. Through aggressive tactics, center mat control and evasiveness, Rocha won his second decision.

Fowler proved to be the second upset of the bracket, the Caio Terra student being eliminated by O’Flanagan via heel hook. Fowler earned a penalty for lightly kicking O’Flanagan’s legs while he was standing, but O’Flanagan rendered the point moot with a slick 50/50 entry and immediate bite on the outside heel.

Confusion during Diniz vs Bodoni caused Dini to miss out on a crucial back attack. Jumping to a back take near the edge, Diniz appeared to loosen his grip and allowed Bodoni to escape. Reset to the center, Diniz was immediately taken down and Bodoni moved to an armbar. Transferring to a Triangle as Diniz began moving, the New Wave staple received a quick tap and a ticket to the semi-finals.

77kg

One of the kings at 77 kg, JT Toress faced Japan’s Kenta Iwamoto for a 15-minute decision showdown. Pressured with an early single leg, Torres played a controlled bottom game with omoplata attempts and reversals back to the feet. His superior gas tank and late showing secured him the win.

The second Ruotolo brother of the night, Kade Ruotolo faced deadly Australian leg locker Lachlan “Giantslayer” Giles. Nearly put out with a locked heel hook, Ruotolo managed to roll out and pass as Lachlan held his left arm up. Grabbing it as he passed, Ruotolo fell right into an arm bar and got the tap.

Polish grappler Mateusz Szczecinski fought rising star William Tackett later in the brackett, taking the Checkmat athlete into deep water for a short submission win. Operating from the bottom, Szczecinski threaded into 50/50 and turned belly down for a straight ankle lock.

10th Planet’s PJ Barch fought Norway’s Tommy Langaker for a 10-minute exchange. Dominating from the top for most of the match, Barch landed a late back take and nearly took Langaker out with an RNC before the bell rang.

Danaher export turned B-Team member Nicky Ryan took on Renato Canuto next, providing him with one of the biggest challenges of his career thus far. Both landed heavy collar ties and shoves on the feet, Ryan looking to showcase his improved standup game. But a late takedown into a back take from Canuto extinguished Ryan’s explosive journey.

Canada met Brazil as Oliver Taza took on Mica Galvao. Despite each man’s deadly submission game, Galvao’s defense and a combination of another late takedown and back control won him the day.

Roberto Jimenez advanced past stiff competition from Andy Valera. The prodigy was taken down past the mat space early, but rallied for and arm drag takedown in response. Working to the back, Jimenez locked in and RNC and that was that.

Dante Leon fought Magid Hage on the button of the brackett. Making for a unique submission finish, Leon made his way to the back, Leon transitioned to an armbar position as HAge defended. Isolating the arm, Leon opted to go for the wrist lock instead of hyperextending the full arm. Hage tapped, allowing Leon to advance.

Joining his fellow unseated champions, Torres was outscored in a miraculous performance by Barch. The 10th Planet star weathered early pressure and takedowns from Torres to fire a critical double leg once points were allowed. Failing to recover, one of the most beloved starts of the event had met his impassable wall.

Galvao took home his first submission win of the event against a hopeful Canuto. Capitalizing on slight arm control, Galvao made a figure four with his legs as Canuto moved to pass to attempt an armbar. Turning into the pressure, Canuto was forced to tap just after the eight-minute mark.

The fastest submission of the round, Ruotolo advanced past Jimenez with a nasty foot lock inside two minutes. Taken down early by Jimenez, Ruotolo reversed and stood looking for a leg entanglement. Grabbing the right foot, Ruotolo fell back to get the devastatingly simple straight ankle finish.

Leon brought up the last decision of the bracket, outpacing Szczecinski on the ground and the feet to punch his day two ticket.

66kg

Another legend was eliminated in number one seed 66kg competitor Garry Tonon to Irish competitor Shane McNally. To some the most shocking upset of the day, McNally scored a back take and nearly finished the ONE FC star before regulation ended. His future opponent Josh Cicneros landed a late submission on B-Team’s Ethan Crelinsten, locking in a triangle arm bar after securing a superfluous four points, Cicneros exited the match with under two minutes to spare.

Fabricio Andrey and Jeremy Skinner took the round’s two decision finishes, defeating Americans Cole Abate and AJ Agazarm. Andrey took Abate out of bounds numerous times, and showcased excellent positional awareness for his 15-minutes. Skinner and Agazarm dueled leg locks for the majority of regulation, but a late triangle attempt from Skinner likely swayed the judges. Naturally, a disappointed Agazarm complained to the refs and proceeded to give the middle finger to the booing crowd.

Gabriel Sousa took five points in his win over Ruan Alvarenga, landing a big takedown to pass while shutting down the offense. American favorite and ADCC Trials winner Kieth Kirkorian fell in his match against Diego Pato Olivera, who locked in a tight heel hook just three minutes into the competition.

Despite his infamous resiliency, Geo Martinez got caught in a late RNC by fellow American Kennedy Marcial. Showcasing excellent flexibility and standing, The 10th Planet staple was unable to escape after exerting himself over the match.

Welsh grappler Ashley Williams took on Diogo Reis last on the card, the match fairly even until just after points were allowed. Tripoding up with a body lock grip, Reis walked his way through Williams’ guard and secured the points he needed to advance.

Round two saw Mcnally go the distance with Cicneros. The Irishman was put under constant pressure from the top, Cicneros threatening numerous guard passes and submissions to earn the decision and end the Cinderella run. The second decision went to Diogo Reis over Fabricio Andre. Another even matchup, Reis’ late body lock to threaten a takedown sealed the deal in the minds of the judges.

Olivera Took home his second win via submission against Marciel. Finding themselves in 50/50 late in the match, Olivera transferred focus from attacking the bottom leg to the top leg. Applying a twisting pressure, Marciel’s knee gave under the force and he quickly tapped to the Brazilian.

Skinner found similar misfortune in his match against Sousa, the later catching him in a well timed triangle to end his run.

Women’s 60kg+

ADCC regular and former champion Gabi Garcia once again proved her reputation accurate. Facing Nikki Lloyd-Griffiths in round one, the dominant Garcia controlled the smaller grappler for all of regulation, picking up six points for back control. Seeing an opening, Garcia transferred to an armbar for a quick tap.

Zenith BJJ’s Amy Campos had a bit more trouble with Ares athlete Elizabeth Clay. Nearly locking in a D’arce choke in the opening minutes, Campo was unable to finish as Clay transitioned to a knee bar attempt. Clay repositioned as Campo escaped, staying on bottom and looked to isolate Campo’s left arm. A stalemate for the opening, the arrival of points gave Campo’s pass to mount a critical three points. Clay was unable to recover, and Campo advanced.

Rafaela Guedes followed suit with a three-point win over Cyprus’ Elvira Karppinen. Working from top, Guedes used pressure to keep Karppinen from sweeping her while she worked offense. Following several submission attempts, Guedes managed to pass guard in the second half to pick up her points and advance to the semi-finals.

Kendall Reusing dominated her first match against Brazilian Giovana Jara, following her early positional work with a takedown and a pass to net five points. Looking for a finish regardless, a buzzer-bearing tap to a guillotine sealed her win and her place on day two.

Women’s 60kg-

Returning champion Bianca Basilio ran out of the gate with a submission over Norwegian grappler Julia Maele. Early controversy arose when Basilio poked Maele in the eye in the opening seconds, causing a brief time out for doctors to clear her. Both women went out of bounds numerous times, focused on dominating control of the head and neck. Basilio shot for a body lock trip, sending both women down with Basilio on top. As Maele went for an armbar from bottom, Basilio turned to escape and was able to take the back as Maele turtle up. Turning her belly up and sinking her hooks in, Basilio went for a gable-grip RNC. The tap was quick, sending the champ to day two.

WNO champion Bianna Ste-Marie took on a very game Elvira Krappien before moving to round two. Showing incredible heart, Krappien withstood a brutal armbar attempt followed by a deep triangle before escaping, and going for a heel hook without missing a beat. Unfortunately Ste-Marie would escape, and pass for a three-point lead to take the win.

Welsh superstar and ADCC vet Ffion Davies dominated Australia’s Adele Fornarino with a massive point lead followed by a slick submission. Though stalled by Fornarino’s impressive guard game, Davies was able to pass and advance to the back for 10 points. Once the hooks were in, Davies put in the RNC and it was a wrap.

Finally, a dynamic throwdown between Beatriz Mesquita and Mayssa Bastos rounded out the bracket. A skilled guard player, Bastos nevertheless struggled against Beatriz’s pace and intensity. Dying down after the first half, dual penalties would send the competitors back to passing attempts and bottom attacks. A late back take that nearly sent the athletes out of bounds would complete Beatriz’s mission on day one, sending Bastos home and advancing to day two.

Live results can be found here.

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Robert Whittaker admits Israel Adesanya might have his number.

Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker believes he is one of the most skilled competitors in the world, but he can’t ignore the fact that Israel Adesanya is a ‘terrible matchup’ for him and that ‘The Last Stylbender’ might have his number.

Whittaker is 0-2 against Adesanya and admits he hates the idea of a trilogy bout despite proclaiming himself ‘the most dangerous middleweight in the world’ following his unanimous decision victory over Marvin Vettori at UFC Paris.

“I 100 percent agree with that,” Whittaker told MMA on Sirius XM in response to Anthony Smith labeling him the most skilled middleweight in the UFC (h/t Drake Riggs of MMA Mania). “Let me just say thank you to Anthony Smith because that’s a big prop. I really, really appreciate that.”

“But definitely. I 100 percent wholeheartedly agree with it. That’s why I mention a lot of times I’m given the microphone, that’s why I’m the most dangerous Middleweight in the world for that reason [laughs]. Smith said it the best, he’s a terrible matchup for me and I hate that fight. It is annoying, a super annoying fight to go through, but I do truly believe I’m the best Middleweight in the world.”

Whittaker previously hinted at a ‘permanent move’ up to light heavyweight and would like to fight again early next year when the UFC returns to Australia. ‘The Reaper’ is the No. 1-ranked middleweight in the world and is considered the best fighter at 185-pounds after current champ Adesanya.

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All of the super middleweight world title belts are on the line in today’s headlining Las Vegas clash between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin, but even more than that, both men are fighting to prove their point as they reignite their rivalry.

Golovkin- 42-1-1, 37 KOs – believes he won both their previous meetings. Canelo – 57-2-2, 39 KOs – is furious that most onlookers tend to agree. The genuine dislike between them that this has created should make for additional spice to a matchup that has already given us two superb contests the last two times.

This post will provide live play-by-play of the main event. The preliminary card starts at 4.45pm ET on DAZN, with the main card moving to PPV at 8PM ET.

Round-by-Round

Canelo Alvarez vs Gennady Golovkin

Round 1- Canelo looks to push Golovkin back with some big swings, mostly missing. GGG responds by peppering him with jabs. Cagey through the middle of the round, lot of feinting. Tight round, but Golovkin’s jab scored. 10-9 Golovkin

Round 2- Canelo starts round 2 by countering Golovkin’s jabs. Going big on the left hook and overhand right. Not a lot of bodywork from either man yet, Golovkin fires a right downstairs now. Canelo finishing the round the stronger. 10-9 Canelo, 19-19

Round 3- Every time Golovkin throws his right hand Canelo counters hard over the top. Golovkin a bit hesitant to throw. Lands a solid jab but eats a threa-punch counter. Golovkin pushes him back a little to end the round. 10-9 Canelo, 29-28

Round 4- Canelo’s lead left to the head on the money so far. Pushes Golovkin back with right hands to the body. Golovkin not doing much other than jab, and finding that countered too. Lots of twitchy movement but the action is coming from Canelo. 10-9 Canelo, 39-37

Round 5- Golovkin starts the round pushing Canelo back with a busy jab. Soon back to being forced bac, Canelo working the body consistently now. Not everything is landing, but Golovkin isn’t punishing the misses. Some of the bodywork is edging around behind, bringing a warning from the referee, but Golovkin’s starting to feel the pace. 10-9 Canelo, 49-46

Round 6- Golovkin’s corner gave him a talk between rounds, but it’s not happening for him in the ring. Canelo’s slipping most of his jabs. Pushes Canelo back a little bit through the middle of the round, some effectiveness with the jab, but Canelo ends strong with counters again. 10-9 Canelo, 59-55

Round 7- Canelo takes the lead to start the round. Not waiting for counters now, throwing combinations behind his own jab. An uppercut-right-hook combination makes Golovkin wince a bit. Backs off a little but even when not in the corners, Golovkin’s struggling to get off. Finishes with some jabs, Canelo counters with a right to the body. 10-9 Canelo, 69-64

Round 8- The story of the fight here is that both can see what the other one’s doing, but Canelo can avoid it and Golovkin can’t. Canelo working with Golovkin when the Kazakh tries to push, and punishes him when he wants to back off. More right hands coming from GGG now, but Canelo fires right back. 10-9 Canelo, 79-73

Round 9- Golovkin opens with a lead-hand uppercut-hook combination, which scores, but Canelo responds immediately. Golovkin has definitely got the message that he needs to get to work, Catches Canelo mid-combination and Canelo felt that! Pushes Canelo back and Canelo’s taking a few seconds to make sure he gets his legs back. Strong right from Canelo but Golovkin jabs him to the ropes to end the round. 10-9 Golovkin, 83-88

Round 10- Canelo opens the jab on the front foot, a left hook counter from Golovkin backs him off for a second. Canelo’s response is to go back to the well working the body, then slide back to make Golovkin’s counters miss wild. Some success from Golovkin with the lead hand, the jab getting home more consistently now, Canelo scores working with him though. Round ends on an accidental clash of heads. 10-9 Canelo, 98-92

Round 11- Golovkin opens jabing furiously. Canelo eats some of them, but reads the rhythm and counters with a right. Golovkin’s determined here, he’s not going down without a fight. Canelo trying to take the pace out of the round for a bit, Golovkin continues to score with jabs. Canelo looks to close the round strong again, but much of the work misses. 10-9 Golovkin, 102-107

Round 12- They go toe-to-toe to start the 12th, both want to put a stamp on it. Golovkin knows he needs something big. Bit of clinching and shoving around, some success from both inside but Mora breaks as they hold. Canelo holding on whenever Golovkin comes in now. Canelo looks like he’s started to run out of gas, which is remarkable considering the age gap, but Golovkin needs a KO and he’s not going to get one. They finish exchanging in the middle again. Golovkin came to life in the back half, but it’s not going to be enough. 10-9 Golovkin, final score 116-112 Canelo

Official scores: 116-112, 115-113, 115-113 Canelo

Full results:

Main Card (8 PM ET, DAZN PPV)

Undisputed super middleweight championship: Saul Alvarez def. Gennady Golovkin (116-112, 115-113, 115-113)

WBC super flyweight championship: Jesse Rodriguez UD-12 Israel Gonzalez (118-109, 117-110, 114-113)

Super middleweight: Ali Akhmedov UD-10 Gabriel Rosado (100-90, 100-90, 100-90)

Middleweight: Austin Williams UD-10 Kieron Conway (96-93, 97-92, 97-92)

Preliminary Card (4:45 PM ET, DAZN)

Middleweight: Diego Pacheco TKO-5 Enrique Collazo (2:29)

Lightweight: Marc Castro KO-5 Kevin Montiel (1:40)

Super lightweight: Aaron Aponte D-8 Fernando Molina (74-76, 75-75, 76-74)

Super flyweight: Anthony Herrera UD-5 Delvin McKinley (50-45, 50-45, 50-45 [technical decision, fight stopped on clash of heads])

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Join us for a live video stream of the Canelo vs. GGG 3 post-fight press conference live stream which will kick off at approximately 2 AM ET/11 PM PT

Canelo Álvarez and Gennady Golovkin have fought for the third (and potentially) final time on Saturday.

Several years after Álvarez and Golovkin began planting the seeds for a potential fight, the duo stepped into the ring and fought to a split draw in their first meeting in 2017. The very controversial decision (thanks to a scorecard in favor of Álvarez from judge Adalaide Byrd) led to an immediate rematch, which occurred a year later.

An aggressive Álvarez did enough to earn a majority decision in the second meeting in 2018. However, it was still close for some to argue that Golovkin should have gotten the nod.

Fast forward four years, and Álvarez and Golovkin have now brought an end to their well-documented rivalry in front of a raucous crowd at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. All that is left is to hear what they have to say at the post-fight press conference.

You can watch the video below, courtesy of Matchroom boxing on its official YouTube channel:

Gennady Golovkin:

Canelo Álvarez:

Álvarez and Golovkin are expected to be in attendance, as well as other winners from the pay-per-view event, so feel free join us here at BloodyElbow.com and tune in.

It should be noted that the post-fight press conference may start later than scheduled, so it is best to prepare for a delay. Álvarez and Golovkin are expected to walk to the ring around 11 PM ET, and depending on when the fight ends, the tentative start time for the presser could be pushed back.

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Join us today on Bloody Elbow for live results, discussion, round scoring, and play-by-play (main event) as UFC Vegas 60: Sandhagen vs. Song goes down in Sin City.

The headliner comes in the bantamweight division, with title contender Cory Sandhagen facing off with rising star Song Yadong. The co-main will see Chidi Njokuani looking to maintain his win streak when he meets Gregory Rodrigues in a 185-pound tilt.

This card wiil be fully airing on ESPN+. The seven-fight preliminary card is scheduled to start at 4:00pm ET/1:00pm PT. The six-fight main card is scheduled to kick off at 7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT and will stay on ESPN+. You can also catch the prelims on Fight Pass outside of the US.

Main card

Cory Sandhagen vs. Song Yadong

Round 1 – Song backs Sandhagen to the cage, but not much happens and they reset. Sandhagen with a right and he spins but doesn’t connect. Slapping low kick from Sandhagen. Very nice counter uppercut from Song. Jump knee from Sandhagen. Another connection for Song and he stuffs a takedown. He actually ends up on top. They’re up but Song is hanging onto his back. Brief human backpack. Sandhagen sluffs him off. Short elbow from Sandhagen, and a step-in knee. Body kick. Jab from Song. Quick right from Sandhagen. They trade jabs. Song pressing with left hooks. Body kick from Sandhagen. Leg kick. Close round. 10-9 Song.

Round 2 – Sandhagen with a jumping attack. Song with a strong jab. He lands a hard shot. He staggers Sandhagen with a counter! Sandhagen digs to the body. Sandhagen ducks under for a takedown but Song is up right away. They crack heads. Short elbows from both men. Song has a small cut over his eye. Sandhagen closes the distance. Song’s cut isn’t small anymore. Uppercut from Sandhagen. Lots of blood. Right into his eye. Body kick from Sandhagen. Sandhagen with a jab and an elbow. Song with a counter over the top. Low kick from Sandhagen. Sandhagen clinches on the cage. Short punches from both men. Song throwing bombs on the break. 10-9 Song.

Round 3 – Doctor checks the cut and lets the fight continue. Body kick from Sandhagen. Again. Song kicks high. Low kick from Sandhagen. They trade inside. Song stuffs a shot. Body kick from Song. Sandhagen returns it. Step-in knee from Sandhagen. Song wades in but Sandhagen jabs and evades. Low kick. Better round for Sandhagen halfway through. Knee to the chest from Sandhagen. He is changing levels a lot but Song isn’t giving up takedowns. Song with a good left. And a right hook. Head kick attempt from Sandhagen. Song with a right, but Sandhagen pops him back with a counter jab. Sandhagen goes jab and liver punch. 10-9 Sandhagen.

Round 4 – The cut is worse now and the doctor is checking it again. But again he allows it to continue. Jabs from Sandhagen. Body kick from Song. Body kick from Sandhagen and a leg kick. Song with a right. Song cracks him at the same time Cory lands a body kick. Song catches a kick and puts Sandhagen on his back. Whole lot of blood. Sandhagen gives up his back to get up. They battle in the clinch. Sandhagen with a beautiful trip takedown but Song is up right away. He presses with punches. Leg kick from Sandhagen. Counter jab. Another one. Sandhagen gets Song to his butt, and now he’s back against the cage. Dean warns Sandhagen not to pull on the cut. Song squirming but can’t get free. Upkick from Sandhagen. 10-9 Sandhagen.

Round 5 –

Gregory Rodrigues defeated Chidi Njoukuani via TKO (strikes), 1:27 of round 2

Andre Fili defeated Bill Algeo via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)

Joseph Pyfer defeated Alen Amedovski via KO (punches), 3:55 of round 1

Rodrigo Nascimento defeated Tanner Boser via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

Anthony Hernandez defeated Marc-Andre Barriault via submission (arm-triangle choke), 1:53 of round 3

Preliminary Card

Damon Jackson defeated Pat Sabatini via TKO (punches), 1:09 of round 1

Trevin Giles defeated Louis Cosce via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Loma Lookboonmee defeated Denise Gomes via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Trey Ogden defeated Daniel Zellhuber via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Gillian Robertson defeated Mariya Agapova via submission (rear naked choke), 2:19 of round 2

Javif Basharat defeated Tony Gravely via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Nikolas Motta defeated Cameron VanCamp via TKO (punches), 3:49 of round 1

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The UFC veteran is not happy with her opponent coming in heavy for their now-canceled fight at UFC Vegas 60. 

Sara McMann was one of the first fighters to step on the scales on Friday and weigh in for her fight against Aspen Ladd at UFC Vegas 60 on Saturday. The Olympic silver medalist weighed in at 135 pounds, and she was set to compete.

That was until her opponent weighed in at 138 pounds, two pounds over the bantamweight limit. It was an all too familiar story with Ladd, who has struggled on the scales in scheduled appearances against Leslie Smith, Germaine de Randamie and Macy Chiasson. Like Smith and Chiasson, McMann has seen her fight against Ladd canceled due to the weight miss.

The Team Alpha Male product shared her thoughts on her opponent coming in heavy for their fight, something she sees as cheating. She also suggested a new policy be implemented in order to avoid this type of situation in the future.

“What to even say…I’m really disappointed that things went the way they did,” wrote McMann on Instagram. “I’ve never once missed weight in my career in wrestling or fighting. Missing weight is the equivalent of cheating. You gain such an advantage for every pound that you don’t have to cut. I wish that the promotions and commissions would change the policies so this isn’t even an option at the professional level.

“That being said, the [UFC] took very good care of me for coming in and doing my job like always,” continued McMann. “I wish I had been able to compete and show the hard work and growth I’ve made since the last fight. I’ll keep sharpening the ax and do some BJJ tournaments in the meantime until my next fight is scheduled. Thanks for everyone who has reached out, you’re the best!”

This is not the first time a fight between McMann and Ladd has been canceled. A torn ACL and MCL forced Ladd to withdraw from UFC Vegas 4 and a positive COVID-19 test led to her removal at UFC San Diego.

Because this is now the third time Ladd has missed weight in her UFC career, a permanent move to featherweight could be considered. The 27-year-old had fought in the division once before and suffered a unanimous decision loss to Norma Dumont at UFC Vegas 40 last October.

With the removal of McMann vs. Ladd, UFC Vegas 60 moves forward with 13 confirmed fights.

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UFC play-by-play man Jon Anik spills some details of what transpired behind the scenes ahead of the UFC 279 shake-up.

A lot happened in the last 48 hours leading up to UFC 279. But the major shake-up took place during the early morning weigh-ins the day before fight night when Khamzat Chimaev failed to make weight for his scheduled welterweight headliner against Nate Diaz.

The man usually tasked to oversee the early weigh-ins as its emcee is UFC play-by-play man Jon Anik, who didn’t know what was going on at the time. Thanks to the inside information of fellow broadcaster Joe Rogan, he was able to make the necessary adjustments. But according to him, he was “sworn to secrecy.”

“I was sworn to secrecy by the great Joe Rogan, who called me at 9:30 in the morning and suggested that this was what Dana White was trying to do. I appreciated that because, at that point in time, I was in the dark,” Anik told MMA Fighting.

“Every time I would come out [during official weigh-ins], the media was looking for something and I’m saying, ‘Oh, no, Irene Aldana and Macy Chiasson are fighting at a catchweight at 140 pounds,’ and [everyone] was looking at me like, ‘Is that it, bro? Is that the update right now?’”

Anik’s been around for many years now and has seen some of the craziest things unfold. But according to him, UFC 279 takes the cake, so far.

“It was wild. My enthusiasm for this new fight card quickly went from a little bit of anxiety with some of the voice-over work that needed to be done with immediacy, but all’s well that ends well.

“For better or for worse, our whole live production team is well conditioned to a circumstance like this, and I would agree with people that that would say — at least from a competition standpoint for the most part — that the card took on a more competitive look after the fact.

“In terms of wildness during fight week, UFC 279 will be hard to top.”

The event turned out to be a success, at least according to UFC president Dana White, who claimed it was the company’s 25th consecutive sell-out.

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Check out results and schedule for Day 1 and 2 of ADCC 2022 World Championships.

The 2022 ADCC World Championships happens in Las Vegas this weekend, with almost a hundred elite athletes competing for a chance to win submission grappling’s most prestigious title.

Each of the competitors are either returning champions, ADCC trials winners, or BJJ stars that were specifically invited in, making for an incredibly stacked field from young champions to legends. There will be five divisions with 16 competitors each for men, two divisions with eight competitors each for women, along with the absolute or open-weight tournaments following after.

Apart from all these jiujitsu champions competing in these two-day tournaments, there will also be a super-fight and grudge match between two of the best ever in the sport. Andre Galvao, a BJJ legend who’s a 10-time IBJJF world champ and six-time ADCC champ will take on Gordon Ryan, a three-time ADCC champ and the most dominant no-gi grappler in this era.

Join us for live results and for both days of this major event.

The entire event can be streamed at FloGrappling, and the schedule is as follows:

Friday, September 16 – 10:00 p.m. ET – Bracket Reveal and Press Conference

Saturday, September 17 – 1:00 p.m. ET – Opening rounds and Quarterfinals

Sunday, September 18 – 2:00 p.m. ET – Semis and Finals, Absolute bracket draws, ADCC Hall of Fame Ceremony, Absolute divisions, Andre Galvao vs Gordon Ryan Super Fight

Full results and list of competitors for ADCC 2022 can be seen below:

Men’s 66kg Results:

Competitors: Ashley Williams (Draigh), Sam McNally (East Coast Jiu-JItsu), Cole Abate (Art Of Jiu-Jitsu), Keith Krikorian (10th Planet), Diogo Reis (Fight Sports), Fabricio Andrey (Fight Sports), Jeremy Skinner, Kennedy Maciel (Alliance), Gabriel Sousa (Zr Team), Ethan Crelinsten (B-Team), Geo Martinez (10th Planet), Diego “Pato” Oliveira (Dream Art), Ruan Alvarenga (Alliance), AJ Agazarm, Josh Cisneros (Ares BJJ), Garry Tonon (New Wave Jiu-Jitsu)

Brackets:

Day 1:

Day 2:

Podium:

Men’s 77kg Results:

Competitors: JT Torres (Essential BJJ), Tommy Langaker, Oliver Taza (New Wave Jiu-Jitsu), Kade Ruotolo (Atos), William Tackett (Checkmat), Micael Galvao (Fight Sports), Roberto Jimenez, Kenta Iwamoto, Lachlan Giles (Absolute MMA), Mateusz Szczecinski, Magid Hage (Surfight), Nicky Ryan (B-Team), Dante Leon (Pedigo Submission Fighting), Renato Canuto (Checkmat), PJ Barch (10th Planet), Andy Varela (10th Planet)

Brackets:

Day 1:

Day 2:

Podium:

Men’s 88kg Results:

Competitors: Matheus Diniz (Alliance), Santeri Ilius, Eoghan O’Flanagan, Giancarlo Bodoni (New Wave Jiu-Jitsu), Mason Fowler (Brasa CTA), Jay Rodriguez (B-Team), Isaque Bahiense (Dream Art), Alexandre De Jesus “Robinho”, Roberto Dib Frias, Izaak Michell (B-Team), Xande Ribeiro (Six Blades), Josh Hinger (Atos), Tye Ruotolo (Atos), Vagner Rocha (Fight Sports), Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa (Atos), Pedro Marinho (Gracie Barra)

Brackets:

Day 1:

Day 2:

Podium:

Men’s 99kg Results:

Competitors: Perttu Tepponen, Luke Griffith (New Wave), Paul Ardila-Ibarra (Jucao), Joao Costa (Fight Sports), Henrique Ceconi, Kyle Boehm (10th Planet), Vinicius “Trator” Ferreira (Alliance), Rafael Lovato Jr. (Six Blades), Kaynan Duarte (Atos), Yuri Simoes (Brasa CTA), Patrick Gaudio (GF Team), Nicholas Meregali (Dream Art), Elder Cruz (Checkmat), Craig Jones (B-Team), Devhonte Johnson (Unity), Owen Livesey

Brackets:

Day 1:

Day 2:

Podium:

Men’s +99kg Results:

Competitors: Heikki Jussila, Dan Manasoiu (New Wave), John Hansen (Pedigo Submission Fighting), Roosevelt Sousa (Fight Sports), Josh Saunders, Gordon Ryan (New Wave Jiu-Jitsu), Nick Rodriguez (B-Team), Felipe Pena (Gracie Barra), Joao Gabriel Rocha (Alliance), Victor Hugo (Six Blades), Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu (Fight Sports), Haisam Rida (Assembly Jiu-Jitsu), Orlando Sanchez (Gracie Barra), Vinny Magalhaes (10th Planet), Max Gimenis (GF Team), Damon Ramos (Renzo Gracie)

Brackets:

Day 1:

Day 2:

Podium:

Women’s -60kg Results:

Competitors: Bianca Basilio (Atos), Beatriz Mesquita, Ffion Davies (Essential BJJ), Elvira Karppinen (10th Planet), Brianna Ste-Marie (Brazilian Top Team), Mayssa Bastos (Unity), Julia Maele, Adele Fornarino

Brackets:

Day 1:

Day 2:

Podium:

Women’s +60kg Results:

Competitors: Gabi Garcia (Alliance), Giovanna Jara (Dream Art), Amy Campo (Zenith), Eleftheria Christodolou, Rafaela Guedes (Atos), Elisabeth Clay (Ares BJJ), Kendall Reusing (Gracie Barra), Nikki Lloyd-Griffiths

Brackets:

Day 1:

Day 2:

Podium:

Men’s Absolute Results:

Women’s Absolute Results:

Super-Fight Results:

Andre Galvao vs Gordon Ryan

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Round and round and round he goes. Where he stops? That’s a TKO via doctor’s stoppage in round 1.

MMA is a constantly evolving combat sports template. What started as a series of tournaments showcasing various martial arts disciplines and styles, pitted against one another to find out which was strongest (BJJ), slowly morphed into a sport dominated by grinding wrestlers. In the years since, however, as fighters across the world have adapted their training to the variety of grappling necessary to compete in the Octagon, strikers have surged to the forefront with more and more regularity.

As they do so, they bring a wealth of new and more creative techniques with them. The calf kick has caused a revolution in the way fighters target and think about low kicks. More consistent use of the jab and a focus on footwork has seen volume striking shoot through the roof. And there’s still lots of room to grow.

In Romania one man made his own attempt to alter the meta-game of mixed martial arts. Constantin Florin Danila took on super-heavyweight legend Alexandru ‘Sandu’ Lungu in the main event of Heroes Fight League 5: Bombers in Mioveni.

Standing 6’ 3” and weighing in at a whopping 331 lbs, Danila brought all the creativity with him to the cage, unleashing a barrage of spinning strikes on his unsuspecting opponent. Visibly shaken by a spinning backfist early in round 1, Lungu could only stumble after his twinkle-toed opponent, unable to land even a single strike. Fortunately for the 48-year-old former PRIDE and K-1 competitor, he didn’t have to.

Florin unleashed one backfist too many and pulled up grabbing at his groin and hamstring. After a brief attempt to call time out, the referee waved the bout off just 1:38 into the opening frame. You can check out the whole fight, in all it’s amazing glory, below.

A former Judo world champion, Lungu has largely been competing in kickboxing of late—where he’s currently riding a six fight winning streak stretching back to 2018. That same year marked Lungu’s last foray into MMA, where he picked up a loss to the UFC’s own Chris Barnett at Road FC 47 in Beijing, China—followed shortly afterward by a win via “smother” over a debuting opponent back home in Romania.

This latest victory brings his record to 18-5 in MMA, with a 16-2 kickboxing record to boot, and his world-class Judo accolades. A triple threat if ever there was one.

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Episode 192 discussion: The Rock’s shoe deal with the UFC doesn’t actually benefit the fighters, Pederneiras wants Aldo to retire, Whittaker accepts Chimaev’s training invitation, UFC Vegas 60 preview

Welcome to ‘The Level Change Podcast’, our combat sports themed variety show hosted by Stephie Haynes and Victor Rodriguez. Featuring the news of the week, fight card breakdowns and analysis, a roundup of regional promotions’ cards and fights; and whatever else we decide is important enough or entertaining enough to bring to your ears. Here is a summary of the topics discussed, complete with the time stamps for when each interview or special segment begins. As always, we hope you enjoy listening to the show as much as we enjoyed recording it.

June M. Williams

EPISODE 192

Fighters get ZERO for pushing The Rock’s shoes – 4:25

https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2022/9/14/23352464/fighters-asked-to-wear-the-rocks-shoes-but-wont-get-paid-from-new-ufc-sponsorship

Whittaker accepts Chimaev’s training invite – 14:25

https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2022/9/14/23352802/ufc-mma-news-interview-media-podcast-robert-whittaker-khamzat-chimaev-training-fight

DeDe Pederneiras advises Jose Aldo to retire – 18:32

https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/9/14/23352764/andre-pederneiras-jose-aldo-retire-former-champion-finish-contract-ufc-283

WEEKLY PICKS RECAP – 25:27

Mookie: Chimaev, Jingliang, Holland, Aldana, Cutelaba (1-1)

Stephie: Imavov, Jingliang, Holland, Chiasson, Cutelaba (0-2)

Victor: Diaz, Jingliang, Rodriguez, Aldana, Walker (2-0)

*We did not re-pick the fights so the top three switched fights won’t count*

STANDINGS – 26:54

Mookie: 100-61-3

Stephie: 98-63-3

Victor: 91-70-3

UFC VEGAS 60

Hernandez/Barriault – 27:36

Boser/Nascimento – 29:43

Amedovski/Pyfer – 31:57

Fili/Algeo – 35:47

Njokuani/Rodrigues – 41:26

Sandhagen/Song – 45:15

Canelo/GGG 3 – 49:51

Follow our Twitter accounts: Stephie Haynes and Victor Rodriguez and our show account The Level Change Podcast. If you enjoy our variety of shows, give us a shout out in the comments here on Bloody Elbow, and give us a “like”, share & subscribe on your BE Presents Podcast platform of choice: SoundCloud, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, OverCast, Player FM, & Amazon Music – For previous episodes, check out our playlists on any of our BE Presents channels.

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