Terence Crawford and Ismail Madrimov fight for the WBA super welterweight title at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. | Esther Lin, DAZN
MMA Fighting has Crawford vs. Madrimov results live for the Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov fight card at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif., on Saturday night.
When the main event begins around 11 p.m. ET, check out our Crawford vs. Madrimov live round-by-round updates for our live blog of the main event. Crawford is moving up in weight to try to win Madrimov’s WBA super welterweight title.
Check out Crawford vs. Madrimov results below.
Main card (DAZN, PPV.com at 6 p.m. ET)
Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov
Andy Ruiz vs. Jarrell Miller
Jared Anderson vs. Martin Bakole
Isaac Cruz vs. Jose Valenzuela
David Morrell vs. Radivoje Kalajdzic
Andy Cruz vs. Antonio Moran
Prelims (MMA Fighting at 4:20 p.m. ET)
Steve Nelson vs. Marcos Ramon Vazquez
Ziyad Almaayouf vs. Michal Bulk
Follow Crawford vs. Madrimov undercard live blog below:
Muhammad Mokaev’s rough stretch just keeps getting rougher.
Less than a week after getting unceremoniously dumped by the UFC following a victory over Manel Kape at UFC 304, Mokaev saw his options for future employment shrink further when PFL president Ray Sefo shot down PFL’s interest in vying for the flyweight’s services.
“I’ve spoken to people that are in the know and apparently he’s just a pain in the ass to deal with,” Sefo said Friday after PFL 7. “And so, no, we’re not interested.”
Mokaev, 24, is generally regarded as one of the top flyweight talents in the world, currently sitting at No. 10 on MMA Fighting’s global rankings. His victory over Kape pushed his UFC record to 7-0, with additional wins over ranked contenders Tim Elliott, Alex Perez, and Cody Durden. However, UFC 304 also served as the last fight on Mokaev’s contract, and UFC CEO Dana White made it clear after the event that UFC is not interested in re-signing Mokaev.
“The matchmakers aren’t big fans of his for many different reasons,” White said.
“I think the PFL’s going to get a great undefeated guy. Good luck to him.”
The lead-up to UFC 304 did not help Mokaev’s case, as the two fighters got into a brawl at the UFC Performance Institute and then went for round two at the host hotel during fight week in Manchester. Following the latter incident, Mokaev openly admitted that he tricked Kape into taking a photo together before sucker-punching him and igniting a wild scene.
Mokaev ultimately defeated Kape in a largely uneventful decision, but White noted that Mokaev’s behavior surrounding UFC 304 was only one part of a larger picture.
“There was so much bad shit that happened behind the scenes with that thing,” White said.
“Listen, the stuff that played out here over the last several months that started at the [UFC Performance Institute] and other stories of this breaking out, plus many other things — these guys [UFC matchmakers] don’t want to re-sign him.”
After hearing White’s comments, Mokaev attempted to explain his actions on social media and stated that his dream is still to become UFC champion.
Cory Sandhagen and Umar Nurmagomedov will clash in the UFC Abu Dhabi main event Saturday. | Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
MMA Fighting has UFC Abu Dhabi results for the Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov fight card, live blogs for the top five fights, and more from the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Saturday afternoon.
In the main event, Cory Sandhagen will to hand Umar Nurmagomedov his first career loss in a key bantamweight contest. Sandhagen has won his past three fights.
Shara Magomedov and Michal Oleksiejczuk will compete in the co-main event in a middleweight fight.
Cory Sandhagen and Umar Nurmagomedov, the floor is yours.
Everything is lining up for one of Saturday’s UFC Abu Dhabi headliners to lay claim to the No. 1 contender spot at 135 pounds. Bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley finally faces off with Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 on Sept. 14, and a fresh challenger could be waiting for them before they even step into the octagon.
Will it be the battle-tested Sandhagen? “The Sandman” has already been in one championship fight, an interim title clash with Petr Yan that was one of the best fights of 2021. It was also a loss for Sandhagen, and he’s had to rattle off three straight wins over ranked opponents to stay in title contention. If he beats the heavily favored Nurmagomedov, that surely puts him at the front of the line.
The path looks even clearer for Nurmagomedov, the bearer of a name that now resonates more with the average fan than “Gracie.” Nurmagomedov is the blueprint for the modern MMA fighter, and he’s yet to taste defeat in his 17-fight career. For pundits who have closely followed him, it’s a matter of when for Nurmagomedov, not if.
Stars fill out the rest of the UFC Abu Dhabi main card, including unbeaten Shara Magomedov taking on Michal Oleksiejczuk in the middleweight co-main event, bantamweight contenders Marlon Vera and Deiveson Figueiredo squaring off, fan favorite Tony Ferguson aiming to avoid the longest losing streak in UFC history when he fights Michael Chiesa, strawweight standouts Mackenzie Dern and Loopy Godinez in action, and an absolute banger of an opener between lightweights Joel Alvarez and Elves Brener.
What: UFC Abu Dhabi
Where: Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday, Aug. 3. The seven-fight preliminary card begins at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and ESPN+, followed by a six-fight main card at 3 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+.
(Numbers in parentheses indicate standing in MMA Fighting’s Global Rankings)
Cory Sandhagen (4) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (8)
Yeah, I’ve settled at about a 16/10 as far as my level of excitement for this one.
Isn’t this why we watch MMA? To see the best fight the best? For the stars to align to give us a true No. 1 contender in a division? And make no mistake, whoever wins Saturday has every right to hold out for a title shot as soon as one can be booked.
Cory Sandhagen has an airtight case if he becomes the first fighter to hand Umar Nurmagomedov an L. The proud Coloradan has built his reputation on being that dude in the division who will fight anyone, anywhere. Just look at his résumé over the past few years, it’s nothing but the absolute best at 135 pounds, including Marlon Vera, who was tagged for a title shot over Sandhagen due to his history with Sean O’Malley.
Wherever the fight goes, Sandhagen is a handful for Nurmagomedov. He wants to keep the fight standing, but he’s also adept at mixing the martial arts. He’ll chase highlights, but he’s not afraid to grind out a win either. He’s the perfect foil at this stage of Nurmagomedov’s career.
Nurmagomedov made his UFC debut in 2021 with a ton of hype behind him and outside of a few hiccups, he’s more than lived up to it. When it comes to the middle tier of bantamweights, he’s faced some of the best, including Raoni Barcelos and the under-appreciated Sergey Morozov, not to mention dangerous newcomer Bekzat Almakhan. Still, the fact stands: Sandhagen is an enormous step up in competition from anyone Nurmagomedov has previously fought.
Normally, I put a lot of weight on experience and strength of schedule, but Nurmagomedov is a special talent. He’s always been levels above the opponents he’s faced, so he’s well-prepared to take on a contender of Sandhagen’s caliber. This won’t be an easy fight for either man — if one of them somehow dominates the other, just book the title shot as soon as they finish their post-fight interview — so I’m going with Nurmagomedov to win a decision in a Fight of the Year candidate.
Pick: Nurmagomedov
Shara Magomedov vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
If Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov is the ideal contenders’ fight, this is the ideal replacement co-main event.
With respect to Nick Diaz and Vicente Luque, little was lost when that bout was postponed and replaced by Shara Magomedov vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk. They might not have the same name value, but if I have to choose between seeing these two wild boys throw down and a 41-year-old Diaz dragging himself to the cage for a paycheck, the choice is easy.
“Shara Bullet” has been inconsistent in his two UFC fights, so the time is now for him to show that he has skills are as impressive as his social media numbers. He’s an awesome striker with some truly scary finishes on his résumé, but if he doesn’t start showing that he can get it done inside the octagon, it won’t be long until fans sour on his act.
Even though a win over Oleksiejczuk won’t put a number next to Magomedov’s name, this is a beatable opponent being served up on a platter. Oleksiejczuk rarely goes to the cards, so the pressure is on Magomedov to match that pace and deliver a finish.
Magomedov by first-round knockout. Don’t make me regret this pick, Shara Bullet!
Pick: Magomedov
Marlon Vera (12) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (T9)
My logic for picking Deiveson Figueiredo here is that the two-time flyweight champion is just … better? Searing analysis, I know.
With respect to Marlon Vera, it feels like we’ve seen his ceiling. He’s a slow starter, he can finish anywhere, and he’s tough as all hell. Despite being in the cage with a slew of knockout artists, none of them have put a significant dent in Chito’s chin. It’s remarkable.
Figueiredo was widely recognized as one of the hardest hitters in the flyweight division and while the impact of his strikes is understandably dulled 10 pounds up, he still has more than enough pop to earn Vera’s respect. Vera can’t just walk Figueiredo down if he expects to win.
The size difference can’t make up for the skill difference here, because Vera isn’t going to just hoss Figueiredo around. He’ll test Figueiredo’s standup, land a few good shots, and look to power his way to a decision. It’s a strategy that has served him well in his career, but against the speedy “Deus da Guerra,” I can’t see him connecting enough times to take the decision. This is Figgy’s fight to lose.
Pick: Figueiredo
Tony Ferguson vs. Michael Chiesa
What’s this? A winnable fight for Tony Ferguson?
Look, I really want to talk myself into an “El Cucuy” comeback here. If we cherry pick the best moments from his recent performances (remember how well he was doing against Michael Chandler before his face was removed from his face?), we can see hints of the guy who once looked unbeatable at 155 pounds. On paper, Michael Chiesa shouldn’t be an impossible opponent for him to beat, especially if the Chiesa that fell so flat against Kevin Holland shows up.
It’s not like Chiesa is a spring chicken either, having turned 36 this year, only four years younger than Ferguson. His performance against Holland might have been a sign that his best days are truly behind him.
All that said, Chiesa has a clear path to victory with his grappling and easy to picture Ferguson avoiding being wrestled into oblivion. I close my eyes to envision how this fight goes and all I see is Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush ragdolling Ferguson for 15 minutes. Chiesa isn’t as good as either of those guys, but he doesn’t need to be.
This is MMA, so Ferguson pulling a rabbit out of a hat would be a delight, but I vowed a long time ago to stop picking Ferguson to win fights and I see no reason to veer from that strategy.
Chiesa by decision.
Pick: Chiesa
Mackenzie Dern (8) vs. Loopy Godinez (10)
The strawweight division is fun!
Look, I could not care less at this point whether or not Mackenzie Dern ever “wins the big one” or whatever narrative we’re imposing on her fights these days. She always puts on a show, even if it’s at her own expense, and at this point in her career that’s all you can ask for. Maybe she fights for a title someday. Maybe she doesn’t. ‘Tis of no concern to me.
I feel much the same about Loopy Godinez, an absolute maniac who would fight every week if medically permitted to do so. Godinez is going to see red as soon as that bell rings. Don’t be surprised if she tackles Dern right out of the gate and dares the jiu-jitsu queen to tap her out. I mean, she probably can, but I guarantee you Godinez doesn’t give a hoot.
Dern’s limitations are well-documented. She struggles to find another gear of offense even when she has a dominant position, and on the feet she remains a hard puncher with limited setups. It’s entirely possible that Godinez exploits these weaknesses and cruises to a decision.
I still think Dern is below the elite (her past four losses are to fighters who have competed in title fights, and Marina Rodriguez, a woman who would have were it not for bad timing), but a notch above the next tier of fighters, which includes Godinez. Dern holds onto her spot here, catching Godinez with a submission in the second or third round.
Pick: Dern
Joel Alvarez vs. Elves Brener
Elves Brener is a premier agent of chaos and I like his chances to score the upset against Joel Alvarez.
If this goes to the ground, the wiry Alvarez presents all kinds of problems for Brener and it will likely be a matter of time before Alvarez adds to his impressive submission tally. It’s imperative that Brener keep this on the feet if he’s to work his unique brand of madness. Brener is a serious submission threat in his own right, but the size difference will be too much for him if this turns into a strict grappling contest.
Look for Brener to use his grappling defensively to stifle Alvarez’s offense and tire him out, before letting his hands go after a tense opening minutes. Alvarez will do his best to return fire before eventually succumbing to a power punch on the money.
Kaue Fernandes returns to the octagon Saturday at UFC Abu Dhabi to face Mohammad Yahya and achieve redemption after suffering a split decision loss to Marc Diakiese at UFC 301 in his native Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Fernandes is switching from home-field advantage to enemy territory in his second UFC appearance, but is focusing more on the things he has to do inside the cage rather any pressure brought from the stands, either with cheers or boos.
“I think I had a good debut,” Fernandes told MMA Fighting. “I made mistakes, but I think I won the fight. There was only one aggressor in that fight, and I was the aggressor. His only good moment in the fight was to stall. He’s an excellent fighter but he didn’t want to fight me, and they gave him the win even though he was almost knocked out and submitted with an armbar.”
Only one judge scored the bout in Fernandes’ favor, giving him a 29-28 scorecard with advantages in rounds one and two, however the other two judges disagreed.
Fernandes said he learned lessons from that fight, mainly to focus on improving his wrestling and conditioning.
“It’s a lot of pressure to debut in the UFC and I expected to feel very nervous, but I think I did well. I wasn’t intimidated,” said Fernandes, whose opponent had a 7-7 UFC record going into that bout. “Many people choke under those circumstances and I’ve shown I’ll perform and give my all against whoever, so that gives me confidence going forward.”
Diakiese completed his UFC contract that night and chose not to re-sign with the promotion, inking a deal with PFL instead.
Fernandes doubles down on his opinion that Diakiese should’ve left on a three-fight losing skid — following prior defeats to Michael Johnson and Joel Alvarez — rather than a win.
“I can’t cry over spilled milk,” Fernandes said. “I’ve rewatched that fight 1,000 times and I think he won the third round, but you can’t give him rounds one and two.”
“UFC naturally renews its roster and they wouldn’t re-sign him without an excellent performance, and he won in highly contested fashion,” he continued. “The fight was exciting until he made it boring. I’d rather get beat up and bloody and lose than [that]. … I left with a clean face and he went straight to the hospital. Who won the fight? He realized in the first round he couldn’t stand and trade with me. I could have done more. I have to get out of those situations because I might face that again, but it’s hard to fight someone who just doesn’t want to get finished.”
Yahya, a former lightweight champion in his native United Arab Emirates, is also attempting to rebound from a decision defeat in his UFC debut after losing to Trevor Peek at UFC 294.
Fernandes vows to do anything needed to emerge victorious for the first time inside the octagon.
“I think Mohammad might come to grapple after seeing that opening in my last fight, or he might do his thing and stand and trade,” Fernandes said. “Or maybe I can grapple him? Winning is what matters. If I have to grapple to beat him, so be it. I don’t rule anything out in this fight. I’m very powerful in the first round, and if it lands, he will feel it. That’s the perfect scenario, but I’m in no rush. I’m ready to go three rounds too.”
Elves Brener | Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Elves Brener vows to be more professional year-round to ensure his weight is on-point following a rough experience before, during, and after his recent UFC bout in May.
Brener made weight for a UFC 301 lightweight clash against Myktybek Orolbai in Brazil, but lost a decision. The Chute Boxe prospect was 3-0 in the UFC with two bonuses claimed prior to that, and now looks back at his experience in Rio de Janeiro as a learning lesson.
“I was having a lot of problems with my weight cut,” Brener told MMA Fighting ahead of his fight with Joel Alvarez on Saturday at UFC Abu Dhabi. “I was always returning to Sao Paulo from Amazonas at around 200 pounds and agreed to a fight and had to rush things to make 155 in two or three months, and that wasn’t good for me. After this fight, I sat down with [coaches] Diego [Lima] and Allan [Nascimento] and set a limit I could go up before having to cut down again.”
Brener traveled early to Abu Dhabi this time and said he wouldn’t go over 176 pounds while in camp for the fight. Off camp, Brener won’t go over 180 pounds.
“It was messed up. I was drained, and it won’t happen again,” Brener said of his UFC 301 weight cut. “I’ll be more professional. Not that I wasn’t being a professional, but we always believe we’ll make weight. I went there and made weight, but how healthy is that for me and my future? I want to see my kids grow up and enjoy retirement.
“I have a professional mindset now and I won’t be defeated by my mouth. I came from the bottom and I’m poor, I’ve never seen so much food in my life [laughs], but I won’t be defeated by my mouth. I’ll live like an athlete all year round. Some people don’t do that. I’ve learned that when it happened to me. We see others say, ‘This guy doesn’t live like an athlete and it will come back at him eventually’. But we only learn when it happens to us. It has happened to me and it’s all good, I’ve learned it.”
“I don’t want to go to a fight like that anymore, having to make weight that way with my vision blurry during the weight and and after the fight, during the fight,” he continued. “I don’t want to feel that again. Only I know what I went through. I don’t see that fight as a loss itself, but as a learning experience. I learned the worst way possible. I’ll come back to rebuild my company again and again and how many times I have to.”
Brener believes he would have beaten Orolbai at UFC 301 if it wasn’t for his weight-cutting drama, but expects to meet him for a rematch in the future. Brener sees Alvarez s a great opponent to bring him closer to the top 15 of the UFC lightweight division, and feels ready for the task after adding specific boxing training to his camp at Chute Boxe.
“It’s going to be just the two of us in there and we’ll break each other up,” Brener said of Alvarez, who enters the cage coming off a submission win over Marc Diakiese. “That’s what fans want to see in the cage, and I’m going there to give them that. I’ll put my hands on this guy. He’s not one of those guys with a boring wrestling style. He has a good guillotine, a good kick, but we’ll see how he does walking backwards. I’m going there to walk forward, representing the Chute Boxe style, to hit hard and puts my hands on this guy.”
Denis Goltsov vs. Tim Johnson headlines PFL 7 from Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn. | PFL
MMA Fighting has PFL 7 results for the Goltsov vs. Johnson fight card and more from Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn.
In the main event, PFL veteran finalist Denis Goltsov looks to make it back-to-back trips to the heavyweight finals when he takes on longtime Bellator contender Tim Johnson. Goltsov went 2-0 in the regular season, while Johnson needed just one quick finish to qualify for the semifinals.
Undefeated flyweight Dakota Ditcheva fights Jena Bishop in the co-main event.
Mackenzie Dern facing Gabi Garcia in 2015 | Photo via Eduardo Ferreira
Jiu-jitsu legend Mackenzie Dern is ready to face Loopy Godinez this Saturday at UFC Abu Dhabi, and she feels at home competing at the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
Dern made a name for herself collecting gold medals in jiu-jitsu before transitioning to MMA in 2016, and the victory that brought her biggest jiu-jitsu spotlight onto her took place in 2015 in Abu Dhabi, when she defeated the much heavier Gabi Garcia en route to capturing the absolute title at the Abu Dhabi World Pro.
“I have so much love for Abu Dhabi and the people here, the sheik, and their support for jiu-jitsu and fight itself,” Dern told MMA Fighting. “They’ve been investing so much in the sport for so long. The vibe I feel being back here is so good, I’m feeling 100 percent that the win will come Saturday.”
Photo via Eduardo FerreiraDern def. Garcia
Dern defeated Michelle Nicolini and Vanessa Oliveira to win double gold at the 2015 World Pro, but it was her hard-fought absolute semifinal win over Garcia that changed everything in her career.
“If that hadn’t happen, maybe I wouldn’t have taken the next step of coming to MMA and everything else,” Dern said. “It’s crazy the steps we take in life, and now I’m back here. I believe it’s going to be another incredible moment here.”
Grappling promotion ADXC will hold an event Friday featuring the likes of Urijah Faber, Bibiano Fernandes, and Chad Mendes in no-gi matches, and Dern said she’s in talks for a potential match on Oct. 25, the night before UFC 308 lands in Abu Dhabi. Her father, jiu-jitsu legend Megaton Dias, could also be on the card.
For now, she’s focused on beating Godinez at UFC Abu Dhabi to snap a two-fight losing skid at the hands of Jessica Andrade and Amanda Lemos, and feels more motivated having her daughter Moa with her during fight week.
“I joke that I lost those fights and Moa wasn’t there watching me fight, so she’s here in Abu Dhabi with me,” said Dern. “I came here two weeks early and I’m feeling at home. It calms down my heart a bit, and that’s something I’ve been working on more because sometimes I go in too emotional and turn the fight into a brawl after the first punch lands, and sometimes that’s unnecessary. The fight can be 10 times easier for me if I stay calm.”
“I know it won’t be an easy fight, not at all, but I just fought Amanda Lemos, Jessica Andrade, Amanda Hill, who also beat Loopy,” she continued. “I’ve fought a former champion, former contenders. Loopy is very tough, but I don’t know if she’s fought opponents like that, you know? I believe Loopy has to evolve in some areas to win this fight, but I’ve been evolving as well.”
Carla Esparza and Tecia Pennington after competing on The Ultimate Fighter 20
Carla Esparza is ready to hang up the gloves.
MMA Fighting confirmed with sources with knowledge of the matchup that Esparza and Tecia Pennington are set to face off at UFC 307, which is expected to take place at Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Oct. 5. MMA Junkie was first to report the strawweight bout.
Esparza, a two-time champion at 115 pounds, announced Friday that this is to be the final fight of her 15-year career.
*RETIREMENT FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENT* I will be stepping into The UFC Octagon on Saturday, October 5th for the final time. After almost 15 years as a professional, fighting the best of the best, I feel it’s time to hang up my gloves. #UFC307 pic.twitter.com/NUZwPcOqxx
— Carla Esparza (@CarlaEsparza1) August 2, 2024
The Oct. 5 matchup is actually a rematch from 2014, when Esparza defeated Pennington (then Torres) via majority decision in an exhibition bout to advance to The Ultimate Fighter 20 semifinals. Esparza went on to win that season’s tournament and become the UFC’s inaugural strawweight champion.
Esparza (19-7) has not fought since a loss to Zhang Weili at UFC 281 in November 2022, which ended her brief second reign as strawweight champion. The following March, Esparza announced that she was pregnant and she gave birth this past September.
Among Esparza’s career highlights are a who’s who of notable wins, including Rose Namajunas (twice), Yan Xiaonan, Marina Rodriguez, Michelle Waterson-Gomez, and Alexa Grasso.
Also a proud mom, Pennington (13-7) recently returned from a long layoff after giving birth in June 2023. She lost a split decision to Tabatha Ricci in her most recent outing.
Photo via Eduardo Ferreira
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