Florida State kicker Ryan Fitzgerald understood his assignment playing in Dublin, Ireland.
After launching a massive 59-yard field goal through the uprights on Saturday, Fitzgerald celebrated with the billionaire strut first demonstrated by disgraced former WWE owner Vince McMahon but then infamously co-opted by Irish superstar Conor McGregor.
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Fitzgerald hit the booming kick and turned to celebrate with his teammates, who were equally excited after he tied the game 14-14 at the end of the first half.
The 59-yard field goal was the longest of Fitzgerald’s career and the second-longest in Florida State history.
Unfortunately, Fitzgerald’s heroics came in a losing effort, as unranked Georgia Tech knocked off Florida State in the opening college football game of the season.
Prior to the loss, Florida State was ranked No. 10 but that number will definitely change after Georgia Tech pulled off the upset with a final score of 24-21.
Still, Fitzgerald put on a show to remember in front of the Dublin faithful watching at Aviva Stadium.
The featherweight fight between Zygimantas Ramaska and Nathan Fletcher has been scrapped at the last minute from the UFC Vegas 96 card on Saturday.
Flecher was forced out of the contest at the last minute due to a medical issue. The news was announced at the start of the broadcast.
No further details were given or whether UFC plans to rebook the fight for a later date.
Fletcher was set to make his octagon debut after signing with the organization following a pair of recent wins in Cage Warriors. The 26-year-old prospect holds an 8-1 record overall, with his only loss coming to PFL and Bellator veteran Dominique Wooding in 2021.
As for Ramaska, he was also appearing in UFC for the first time after building a 9-2 record in regional promotions, primarily fighting out of Lithuania.
With Ramaska vs. Fletcher cancelled, the UFC Vegas 96 card moves forward with 11 total fights on the card, including The Ultimate Fighter 32 finales at middleweight and featherweight as well as the main event between Jared Cannonier and Caio Borralho.
Kaan Ofli | Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Kaan Ofli won’t be satisfied with just winning The Ultimate Fighter 32.
The Australian-Turkish veteran competes this Saturday at UFC Vegas 96 in the finals of this season’s featherweight tournament against fellow Team Alexa Grasso fighter Mairon Santos (13-1), with the winner earning a UFC contract. Ofli, 31, has waited 10 years for his chance to not only compete inside the octagon, but to conquer it.
In an interview with MMA Fighting, Ofli gave a firm timeline on when he expects to challenge for UFC gold.
“I give myself about two to two-and-a-half years to be fighting for the belt,” Ofli said. “I want to be active, I want to fight three times next year. I want to fight early in the year, in Australia. I want to fight midyear, June, July, and then I want to fight at the end of the year. Between Australia, Abu Dhabi, Europe, I’m going to basically tell the UFC, ‘Listen, this is my plan, because you guys better plan yourselves because this is what I want.’
“There’s been many guys that have fought for the belt at their fifth or sixth fight, and [I can too] if I keep winning. I’m currently on a 10-fight win streak including my two recent wins [on TUF 32], even though they’re exhibition fights, whatever, I don’t care.”
Heading into the TUF house, Ofli sported an 11-2-1 record competing for promotions such as Australia’s Hex Fight Series, as well as Brave Combat Federation and UAE Warriors. He was coach Alexa Grasso’s second featherweight selection and didn’t disappoint, defeating Cage Warriors prospect Nathan Fletcher and South African grappler Roedie Roets en route to the finale.
Semifinal submission alert
Kaan Ofli is headed to the #TUF32 finals! pic.twitter.com/jJk89G7gbC
— The Ultimate Fighter (@UltimateFighter) August 7, 2024
“Genghis” expects to hit the ground running and put together a win streak that will make him the No. 1 contender in short time. He was one of the most experienced fighters on the TUF 32 roster and counts former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski among his past training partners.
“The math works out, but I’ve also trained with Volkanovski a few times,” Ofli said. “We’ve kind of had a mutual friendship. He invited me one time to help him with the Korean Zombie fight. Because of that relationship, I could never verbally say that I wanted to be the UFC champion because I’m humble and I’m respectful, and I felt like there was a little bit of a block because he was the champ and we’re both Aussies and we both trained together and whatnot.
“Now that he isn’t the champion, I have got so much more confidence saying what I want to say and what I feel, and that is what I truly feel. That’s why I believe in myself.”
When Ofli first sparred with Volkanovski, he admits it didn’t go well. However, once Ofli became more comfortable with the UFC star, he’s confident that he gave Volkanovski a run for his money.
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“In all honesty, I was a little bit starstruck,” Ofli said of first working with Volkanovski. “I had just had COVID too, so I had just got over COVID, and then I heard he was in the gym. I was like, ‘I’ve got to take this chance. I’ve got to spar with the champ.’ I didn’t do as good as I would have thought, and it was also because I was giving so much respect to this guy. As the rounds went on and I started essentially not respecting him as much and just treating it like a fight, I started doing better and better.
“Then, the next time I trained with him — the reason why he invited me to train with him is obviously because I’m good and that I was giving him good work —the last time I got to train with him was in New Zealand at City Kickboxing. We’ve had a few interactions, and there’s no disrespect to him, I’m not saying anything bad towards that guy, he’s an amazing guy, but he’s at the end of his career. He’s Alexander ‘The Great’ and I am ‘Gengis Kaan the Great,’ so it’s time for me to pass.”
By the time Ofli arrived in Las Vegas to shoot TUF 32, he’d spent plenty of cagetime with elite fighters, and that trend continued with Grasso’s coaching staff. Among the names chosen to assist Grasso was featherweight contender Diego Lopes.
Ofli and Lopes have shared the training room, and if Ofli’s championship plan is to come to fruition, there’s a good chance they’ll share the octagon in the near future.
“I was thinking about that,” Ofli said. “Me and Diego had a couple of rounds sparring and grappling and stuff. Obviously, in the heat of the moment, I was just like, ‘He’s an awesome guy. He’s being really friendly, he’s being really helpful.’ Now I’m thinking about it, ‘Hey, wait a second. You can’t be fighting No. 3 [Brian Ortega], I want that too.’ So there’s a chance that me and him could fight and I would love that fight, but I don’t want to promote that or say that right now just out of respect.”
Caio Borralho knocked out Paul Craig | Photo by Leandro Bernardes/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Caio Borralho promised to knock out Paul Craig in front of the Rio de Janeiro crowd this past May at UFC 301. Borralho had no knockout wins since joining UFC, but did just that, flooring Craig to announce his presence in the middleweight rankings. His new promise for UFC Vegas 96 is a message he plans to deliver to the MMA world — that he’s winning the middleweight title, sooner or later.
Borralho gets his first main event Saturday, battling Jared Cannonier at the UFC APEX, and told MMA Fighting that he will prove to be ready for a shot at the world’s best.
“Everything we’ve built so far has brought us here, and now it’s an opportunity to show the world that the champion has arrived,” Borralho said. “My mantra for the last fight was that I would knock out Paul Craig, and the mantra for this fight is that I will show everybody that the champion has arrived. Show the UFC, show the division, show myself, show the fans.
“Jared has fought great fighters and only lost to champions. He’s had this recent loss that was kind of controversial [to Nassourdine Imavov]. He’s tough to beat, and he’s on a good run at middleweight. A good win over him, a submission or a knockout, definitely puts me in the mix to be the next title contender. I don’t know what the UFC thinks about it or not, if they’ll ask me to do one more fight or something like that, but I’ll be ready for the belt at all times. Beating this guy is what matters now.”
Borralho faced criticism from fans online, even in his native Brazil, when he predicted a knockout of Craig, given the fact he had won four of his first five UFC bouts via decision, but says he won’t bother to pay attention to anyone downplaying his new goal.
“If it bothers people, it means it’s working,” Borralho said. “People will talk about it, it’s going to become a topic, and when it happens, jaws will be dropped: ‘He really called it.’ But I don’t care what people say, as long as it’s a topic of discussion. The goal is to be talked about and get more attention because that sells fights and makes my image bigger. My mantra is this, I’ll show them the new middleweight champion has arrived, and they will have to put up with me.”
The Fighting Nerds representative admitted Cannonier is “very hard to fight,” but sees the 40-year-old veteran slowing down as of late.
“People haven’t seen my standup game yet and that’s what I want to show in this fight,” Borralho said. “I’ll stay on his face the entire time and put on a pace he can’t keep up with. He’s 40 now and we’ve seen him slow down after the second round. I’ll use my age and conditioning and cardio, which is perfect for five rounds, to make him work. Let’s see what he can do.”
Cannonier has fought all five rounds just one under the UFC banner, when he challenged Israel Adesanya for the belt in a lackluster showdown. Borralho attempts his first 25-minute bout in the octagon at UFC Vegas 96, but he’s confident in his preparation.
“I think I’ll stop him early,” Borralho said. “Depending on how he reacts early in the fight, I can knock him out in the first round. But I’m ready to go five rounds, I’m ready for a war. I don’t think he’s ready for a war, I don’t think he has cardio for that. I’m ready for the toughest fight of my career.
“Don’t get me wrong, I respect Jared Cannonier a lot. He’s a phenomenal athlete and might surprise with a good cardio and come well prepared, looking to get back to the path for the belt, but I’m ready for everything. I’m ready for the unexpected.”
Jared Cannonier | Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Following a thrilling UFC 305, the world’s leading MMA promotion returns to the hallowed halls of the UFC APEX for UFC Vegas 96. Headlined by a middleweight matchup between Jared Cannonier and Caio Borralho, the card also features several other fights between the old guard and a rising crop of contenders. Can the old heads deliver veteran lessons or will the new breed assert themselves?
Let’s dive into the bets.
As always, all odds are courtesy of our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Straight Bets
Tabatha Ricci (-115)
In the co-main event, Ricci takes on divisional staple Angela Hill in a strawweight contest, and for as much as I respect and enjoy Hill, her time has come.
“Overkill” is pushing 40 in a division where no one ages gracefully and she’s facing an opponent who is on the rise. Ricci has only lost to top shelf competition (Manon Fiorot at flyweight and Loopy Godinez), and has the grappling chops to score takedowns and control Hill. I think she grinds out a decision.
Ryan Loder (+142)
This is nearly a full-on shot in the dark. Loder takes on Robert Valentin in The Ultimate Fighter 32 middleweight final, and while Valentin looked great on the show, Loder has an NCAA All-America pedigree that I believe in. Man just needs two takedowns to win this one and be on his way in the UFC, and historically, betting on NCAA wrestlers has been a successful strategy so I’m sticking to it.
Josiane Nunes (+180)
Nunes takes on Jacqueline Cavalcanti in a women’s bantamweight prelim bout, and I like her chances at pulling off the upset. Nunes is extremely small for bantamweight (and was even smaller at featherweight), but she carries real power — the kind Cavalcanti doesn’t have. Cavalcanti is strictly a high-volume kickboxer, who has to out-point opponents to win decisions. Nunes doesn’t need 15 good minutes, she just needs one good punch. That’s good underdog upside.
Photo by Leandro Bernardes/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Prop Bets
Caio Borralho -5.5 Points Spread (-125)
For the uninitiated, points spread bets work in MMA the same they do in other sports, just with regard to totaling all three judges’ scorecards. So, this bet cashes if Borralho wins a decision by six or more collective points (50-45, 50-45, 49-46, for example) or finishes the fight. If Cannonier wins, or if Borralho only wins by five or fewer points (48-47, 48-47, and 48-47, for example) then the bet is a loser. So basically, does Borralho dominate?
I think he does. Cannonier is a very good fighter, but he’s 40 years old and past his prime. Borralho, on the other hand, is neither of those things. The Fighting Nerds contender is 6-0 in UFC and has looked sensational. He’s a developing and capable striker, and a very good wrestler and grappler. Given Cannonier’s decline, Borralho should be able to compete on the feet, and he has a decided edge on the mat. Cannonier may be tough enough to survive the full five, but I expect a comfortable win for Borralho.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Parlay of the Week
Let’s put together a little violence parlay.
Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Gerald Meerschaert Under 2.5 Rounds (-295)
In his 20 UFC fights, Meerschaert has hit under 2.5 rounds in 15 of them. For Shahbazyan, it’s eight out of 10. Simply put, both men come to get or get got. I suspect Meerschaert is the one who will get got, but you can’t count out his penchant for early submission wins either.
Zach Reese vs. Jose Medina Under 2.5 Rounds (-390)
Always bet the under when Reese is fighting. The man is all violence with minimal regard for defense, which is probably why he’s never been out of the first round in his career. Add in that Medina only has three decisions in his 14-fight career, and this should be over quickly.
Parlay these twp bets together for -147 odds.
Wrap Up
UFC 305 was very profitable for us, but of course, that was a good card. These APEX events are always hit or miss. Hopefully it’s a hit this time.
Until next week, enjoy the fights, good luck, and gamble responsibly!
All information in this article is provided to readers of MMA Fighting for entertainment, news, and amusement purposes only. It is the responsibility of the reader to learn and abide by online gambling laws in their region before placing any online sports betting wagers.
Francis Ngannou faces off with Renan Ferreira | Cooper Neill, PFL
Renan Ferreira reached out to PFL opponent Francis Ngannou to clear the air after a comment made during Thursday’s press conference in Washington D.C. was interpreted as Ferreira saying their fight would be tougher than Ngannou losing his 15-month-old son.
In one of his first answers at the press conference, Ferreira said the former UFC champion was having a rough year — referring to his boxing losses to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, plus the time away from MMA — however the PFL translator sitting next to him translated his quotes as, “Francis has been going through a tough year in his life.” The “in his life” part was never said in Portuguese, and it led to criticism on social media.
“There was a bad misinterpretation of everything I said,” Ferreira told MMA Fighting. “I was referring to a bad year in fighting, him coming off two losses in boxing and a long time without fighting in MMA, so I said I was going to be a big problem in fighting, but it was interpreted as me getting personal. I would never do that. I’m a father as well, I have two kids, and I felt his loss. I had already sent him my condolences.”
Ferreira said his team reached out to Ngannou after the controversy kicked up online to explain what he really meant with his comment, and said “at no point Francis interpreted that [otherwise].” The two heavyweights are scheduled to face off in the main event of the PFL Super Fights pay-per-view show on Oct. 19 in Saudi Arabia.
“He knows the respect I have for him, just like he respects me a lot,” Ferreira said. “He knows I would never touch such a delicate topic like this, and it’s all good now. I would never go that low to promote a fight, say a fight would be bigger than the feeling of losing a son or loved ones, or anyone for that matter. What I said was about his career as an athlete and the two losses he’s had and everything he’s going through as an athlete. I would never go personal like that.”
Floyd Mayweather (right) and John Gotti III rematch in an exhibition bout on August 24 in Mexico City. | Photo by Daniel Cardenas/Anadolu via Getty Images
The Floyd Mayweather vs. John Gotti III start time, TV schedule, and ring walks are below for the Mayweather vs. Gotti III fight card on Saturday at Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico.
This post will help explain the Mayweather vs. Gotti III fight card and at which time the headliners are expected to make their ring walks.
The event features a 12-fight card headlined by the Floyd Mayweather vs. John Gotti III exhibition rematch on DAZN and PPV.com. The Mayweather vs. Gotti III ring walks are expected to take place approximately around 12 a.m. ET.
The Mayweather vs. Gotti III preliminary card will be unaired. The eight-fight schedule for this portion of the card is below:
Luis Ocana vs. Cesar Espinoza
Aaron Silva vs. Alfonso Flores
Silvia Torres vs. Cecilia Rodriguez
Luis Arjas vs. Francisco Amezquita
Jursly Vargas vs. Bryan Carrillo
Sekaye Terry vs. Carlos Rosas
John Easter vs. Luis Duran
Trenton Brown vs. Jose Antonio Guadaramma
The action then picks up on DAZN and PPV.com at 7:30 p.m. ET. Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather and John Gotti III collide in an exhibition match following their chaotic first meeting in June 2023, which ended in a mass brawl after referee Kenny Bayless waved off the bout in the sixth round.
The schedule for this portion of the card is as follows:
Floyd Mayweather (right) rematches John Gotti III in an exhibition fight on Saturday in Mexico City. | Photo by ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP via Getty Images
MMA Fighting has Floyd Mayweather vs. John Gotti III live round-by-round updates for one of the most anticipated boxing exhibitions of the year at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico,on Saturday night.
The main event is expected to begin around 12 a.m. ET on DAZN and PPV.com pay-per-view. Check out our Mayweather vs. Gotti III results page to find out what happened on the undercard.
Floyd Mayweather (50-0) and John Gotti III (2-0) are squaring off again after having a wild ending to their last encounter. Their last exhibition was stopped in the sixth round due to excessive trash talking, sparking a series of brawls in and out of the ring at the FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Fla., on June 11, 2023.
It will be the first fight of the year for Mayweather and Gotti III.
Check out the Mayweather vs. Gotti III live blog below:
Jared Cannonier and Caio Borralho will clash in the UFC Vegas 96 main event Saturday. | Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
MMA Fighting has UFC Vegas 96 results for the Cannonier vs. Borralho fight card, a live blog for the main event, and more from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
In the main event, one-time UFC middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier puts his ranking on the line against up-and-coming contender Caio Borralho in a five-round showdown. Cannonier, 40, aims to bounce back from a recent TKO loss to Nassourdine Imavov, while Borralho, 31, looks to continue his climb up the UFC ladder after winning his first six octagon appearances, capped off by a recent knockout of Paul Craig.
Strawweight veterans Angela Hill and Tabatha Ricci collide in the co-main event.
Floyd Mayweather (right) rematches John Gotti III in an exhibition fight on Saturday in Mexico City. | Photo by Daniel Cardenas/Anadolu via Getty Images
MMA Fighting has Mayweather vs. Gotti III results live for the Floyd Mayweather vs. John Gotti III fight card at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico, on Saturday night.
When the main event begins around 12 a.m. ET, check out our Mayweather vs. Gotti live round-by-round updates for our live blog of the main event. Floyd Mayweather will square off against John Gotti III again in an exhibition rematch. Their first fight ended in a brawl after a sixth-round stoppage.
Check out Mayweather vs. Gotti III results below:
Main card (DAZN and PPV.com at 7:30 p.m. ET)
Floyd Mayweather vs. John Gotti III
Victor Ortiz vs. Rodrigo Damian Coria
Alan David Picasso vs. Azat Hovhannisyan
Curmel TramayneMoton vs. Victor Vazquez
Prelims:
Luis Ocana vs. Cesar Espinoza
Aaron Silva vs. Alfonso Flores
Silvia Torres vs. Cecilia Rodriguez
Luis Arjas vs. Francisco Amezquita
Jursly Vargas vs. Bryan Carrillo
Sekaye Terry vs. Carlos Rosas
John Easter vs. Luis Duran
Trenton Brown vs. Jose Antonio Guadaramma
Check out our Mayweather vs. Gotti undercard live blog below:
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images 
Photo by Leandro Bernardes/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images 
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images 
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