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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to its APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, for the UFC Vegas 89 mixed martial arts (MMA) event TONIGHT (Sat., March 23, 2024), streaming LIVE on ESPN and ESPN+. UFC Vegas 89 will be topped by the 125-pound showdown pitting rebounding flyweight contender, Amanda Ribas, against former strawweight champion, Rose Namajunas, a five-round showdown with a spot in the division Top 10 hanging in the balance. Before that headlining clash of styles gets underway, rough-and-tumble heavyweight hurter, Karl Williams, collides with 265-pound “Bad Man,” Justin Tafa, in UFC Vegas 89’s co-main event, scheduled for 15 minutes of slam-bang violence.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 89 fight card below, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” undercard bouts at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN/ESPN+ main card start time at 10 p.m. ET. Bet on all the UFC Vegas 89 action with our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook right here.

Keep in mind that we will also be the spot for the latest news, recaps, and post-fight analysis following “Ribas vs. Namajunas.” Without further delay, see below for the updated UFC Vegas 89 results. (Note: This will go from the bottom up; therefore, scroll toward the bottom for the latest detailed round-by-round action).

UFC VEGAS 89 QUICK RESULTS:

Amanda Ribas vs. Rose Namajunas
Karl Williams vs. Justin Tafa
Edmen Shahbazyan vs. AJ Dobson
Payton Talbott vs. Cameron Saaiman
Billy Quarantillo vs. Youssef Zalal
Fernando Padilla vs. Luis Pajuelo
Kurt Holobaugh vs. Trey Ogden — Ogden def. Holobaugh by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Ricardo Ramos vs. Julian Erosa — Erosa def. Ramos by submission (guillotine choke) at 2:15 of Round One
Miles Johns vs. Cody Gibson — Johns def. Gibson by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Jarno Errens vs. Steven Nguyen — Errens def. Nguyen by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Montserrat Rendon vs. Darya Zheleznyakova — Zheleznyakova def. Rendon by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Igor Severino vs. Andre Lima — Lima def. Severino by DQ (bite) at 2:52 of Round Two — SEE THE BITE VIDEO!
Mohammed Usman vs. Mick Parkin — Parkin def. Usman by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

UFC VEGAS 89 PLAY-BY-PLAY:

125 lbs.: Amanda Ribas vs. Rose Namajunas

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Round 4:

Round 5:

Final result:

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

265 lbs.: Karl Williams vs. Justin Tafa

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

185 lbs.: Edmen Shahbazyan vs. A.J. Dobson

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

135 lbs.: Payton Talbott vs. Cameron Saaiman

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

145 lbs.: Billy Quarantillo vs. Youssef Zalal

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

145 lbs.: Fernando Padilla vs. Luis Pajuelo

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

155 lbs.: Kurt Holobaugh vs. Trey Ogden

Round 1: Holobaugh pressuring early, Ogden looking to keep him at bay with the jab. Holobaugh tries to open up against the fence and Ogden changes levels for a double-leg into guard. Heavy pressure from Ogden, landing strikes and moving to half guard. Two minutes in. Ogden continuing to alternate between ground-and-pound and shoulder pressure. Two minutes to go.

Holobaugh unable to get anything going off of his back as Ogden chips away. One minute to go. Ogden continues to work until the bell. 10-9 Ogden.

Round 2: Trading low kicks, jab from Ogden. Brazilian kick just blocked. Left hook. Body kick to 1-2 by Holobaugh, who’s still trying to pressure. Low kicks from Ogden, who eats a body shot and comes back with a 1-2 a minute in. Body kick. Quick left hook from Ogden, shoots, denied. Heavy 1-2 by Holobaugh against the fence. Ogden starting to be more stationary and Holobaugh cracks him with some clean shots before tying up. Ogden puts him on the fence and trips him into half guard. Back to the heavy shoulder pressure. Two minutes to go.

Ogden considers a pass, can’t get it. More short punches. One minute to go. He keeps chipping away until the bell. 10-9 Ogden.

Round 3: Ogden firing the jab as he circles. Holobaugh really struggling to get any pressure going. There’s a decent flurry. Ogden changes levels for an easy takedown into guard. He moves to half guard and we’re back to the usual. Two minutes in. More of the same. Two minutes to go.

This continues until the bell. 10-9 Ogden.

Final result: Ogden def. Holobaugh by unanimous decision

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

145 lbs.: Ricardo Ramos vs. Julian Erosa

Round 1: Low kick and jab from Ramos. Erosa comes back with a left hook and teep. Hard 1-2 from Ramos and they trade near the fence, after which Ramos drops him with an overhand right and follows with a flying knee. Erosa manages to survive, but gets slammed into guard a minute in. Elbow from Ramos after Erosa regains guard. Erosa kicks him off, walks into a spinning elbow. Ramos fires a blast double and Erosa is ready with a guillotine, pulling off a wild comeback submission.

Final result: Erosa def. Ramos by submission (guillotine choke)

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

135 lbs.: Miles Johns vs. Cody Gibson

Round 1: Low kick from Johns as he gives ground. Gibson trying to chase him down. Gibson fakes a level change and stings him with an uppercut. One minute in. Overhand right from Gibson. Johns lands a jab, whiffs on a body shot. More pressure from Gibson, who tries a reactive single and eats punches for it. He puts Johns on the fence two minutes in. Knee from the front headlock, then separation. Gibson tries a reactive level change and ends up on his back in guard somehow. Elbows off his back. Two minutes to go.

Gibson considers rubber guard, can’t find the armlock. Short elbows from Johns with a minute to go. Gibson works to his feet, gets slung to his knees, returns to his feet. Trading shots in the clinch, knee from Gibson, punches from Johns. They break with 10 seconds to go and Johns knocks him out of the air with a left hand. 10-9 Johns.

Round 2: Gibson continues to pressure, briefly gets Johns down with a reactive single-leg and holds the body lock when Johns stands. Johns breaks free a minute in and eats a low kick. He’s looking labored but Gibson’s face is busted up. Slick uppercut by Johns and Gibson’s reacting poorly to his punches. Gibson manages to run the pipe for a takedown, then latch onto Johns’ back and secure the body triangle two minutes in. Johns manages to turn into top position and settle in half guard, dropping punches with two minutes to go.

Gibson trying to stand, makes it to his feet 30 seconds later. Johns grinding against the fence, lands an uppercut on the break. One minute to go. 2-1-2 from Johns lands clean. Gibson just misses with a flying knee in return and Johns takes him down at the base of the fence. Gibson again works his way up. 10-9 Johns.

Round 3: Heavy punches from Johns to start the round. Gibson limp-legs out of a single-leg but gets hauled to the fence. One minute in. Gibson gets double underhooks and peels him off. Combo from Johns. Gibson looking spent but still pushing forward. Mixing level changes and front kicks. Johns changes levels two minutes in and puts him on the fence. Gibson defending and landing elbows. Heavy punches from Johns on the break. Two minutes to go.

Low kick from Gibson, fake single-leg, knee. Both men looking exhausted but fighting through it. Johns shoots and hauls him to the fence once again. They separate with a minute to go. Johns shoots once again and takes him down into side control. Gibson scrambles to his feet with 20 on the clock. Uppercut from Gibson. 10-9 Johns.

Final result: Johns def. Gibson by unanimous decision

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

145 lbs.: Jarno Errens vs. Steven Nguyen

Round 1: Both men land a painful number of low kicks in the opening 30 seconds. Body jab from Errens. Nguyen catches a kick and dumps him to the mat, dropping hard punches. Errens gets space and stands a minute in. Nice body shot from Errens, then a right to the head. Another thudding right downstairs and overhand right. Errens throwing heat. Two minutes in. Hard jab from Nguyen. Nice low kick by Errens. They trade combinations, another low kick by Errens afterwards. Nguyan lands a 1-2 downstairs, then a jab after absorbing an uppercut. Low kick again by Errens. Two minutes to go.

Nguyen pressuring, Errens circling. Errens falls short with a spinning back fist, lands a leg kick. Jabs from Errens. Body shot, then a combo upstairs that rattles Nguyen. Nguyen bleeding from the mouth, absorbs body shots and a low kick with a minute to go. Errens tries a flying knee. 10-9 Errens.

Round 2: Heavy exchanges in center cage. Hard jabs by Nguyen. Erren cracks him with a nasty counter right. One minute in. Combos from Nguyen. Body kick. Errens lands a right downstairs. 1-2 to the body from Nguyen. Hard 1-2 after eating a low kick. Nguyen doing much better so far this round. Errens knocks him back with a teep and both try to spin two minutes in. Heavy low kick by Errens, spinning back kick by Nguyen. Counter right by Errens kicks off an exchange. Body jab, counter right. Jabs from Nguyen but Errens is back in control. Two minutes to go.

They trade in the center, right cross by Nguyen. Calf kick from Errens in return. One minute to go. Both try side kicks, then low kicks. Right cross by Nguyen. Counter right. Errens digs a hard right to the body and they exchange in the. Errens presses in, then drops Nguyen with a vicious right hand on the break. Nguyen survives but absorbs heavy blows until the bell. 10-9 Errens.

Round 3: Errens tearing up Nguyen’s lead leg. Nguyen trying to pressure as a southpaw. Straight lefts land for him, then a hook after absorbing a heavy right form Errens. Errens slips throwing a flying knee and Nguyen follows him down with heavy elbows and punches. Errens works his way up, separates, and walks Nguyen into a hard right hand. Jab exchange. Nguyen tries to put on the pressure and Errens drops him with a counter left, then hammers him with follow-ups and takes him down two minutes in. Nguyen works his way to his feet and separates. Potshots from Errens as he circles. Jab exchange in the center. Two minutes to go.

Big uppercut by Errens seems to rattle Nguyen again. Counter right by Nguyen. Errens running circles around him. Both land hard low kicks. Uppercut to left hand from Errens, Nguyen waves him on. One minute to go. Errens on his bike, Nguyen plodding after him. One more combo from Errens, who raises his hands and skedaddles until the bell. 10-9 Errens.

Final result: Errens def. Nguyen by unanimous decision

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

135 lbs.: Montserrat Rendon vs. Darya Zheleznyakova

Round 1: Stiff jab from Zheleznyakova to start, then a clean right cross as they exchange. Overhand right from Rendon. Zheleznyakova patiently pressures, then steps in with a heavy lead right. One minute in. Rendon wraps up a body lock as Zheleznyakova steps in and takes her down into side control. Zheleznyakova scoots to the fence and works her way to her feet, Rendon still attached. Knees from Zheleznyakova two minutes in. Rendon fishing for trips as Zheleznyakova alternates between fighting her grips and landing short blows. They separate 40 seconds later. Two minutes to go.

1-2 from Zheleznyakova. Rendon wades after her, can’t land clean. Zheleznyakova to the body. She denies a level change and lands a right on the break. 2-1. Rendon grabs a body lock and takes her to the fence with a minute to go. Rendon trips her down into half guard. She lays on top of Zheleznyakova until the bell. 10-9 Zheleznyakova.

Round 2: Zheleznyakova pushing forward. 1-2s. Stiff jab. One minute in. Rendon circling and not much else as Zheleznyakova sees the level changes coming. Hard combo by Zheleznyakova. Lead right. Hard jab, 1-2. More combos. Two minutes in. Zheleznyakova mixing in rights to the body. Rendon hauls her to the fence, can’t keep her there but does open a cut. They trade right hands with two minutes to go.

Zheleznyakova to the body. Stiff jab upstairs, then another. Rendon several steps behind on the feet as Zheleznyakova sticks and moves. One minute to go. Zheleznyakova whiffs on a spinning elbow. Long uppercut glances off. Another spin whiffs. Rendon ducks a left hook and puts her on the fence, briefly dragging her to her knees despite a fence grab. 10-9 Zheleznyakova.

Round 3: Zheleznyakova pressuring and jabbing. Low-high combo whiffs. More jabs, 1-2 a minute in. Left hook. Rendon runs after her and grabs a front headlock, can’t keep her on the fence. Zheleznyakova goes back to the jab. Left hook. Counter right by Rendon two minutes in. Zheleznyakova to the body. More body shots, clean jab. Rendon literally runs after her to put her on the fence. Zheleznyakova fighting off the takedown with the whizzer. Two minutes to go.

Rendon leaning on her against the fence. One minute to go. Right on the exit. Zheleznyakova cracks her with a jab, lands knees to the body. Counter right by Rendon, who fires her own spinning back fist. Zheleznyakova tries to spin a few more times. 10-9 Zheleznyakova.

Final result: Zheleznyakova def. Rendon by unanimous decision

125 lbs.: Igor Severino vs. Andre Lima

Round 1: Severino pressuring early. Hard low kick by Lima, Severino answers with a flurry and a knee before dragging him down with a single-leg. Lima quickly returns to his feet, but Severino remains attached and looks for the back a minute in. Lima again rises and puts Severino on the fence, landing a knee downstairs. Severino reverses, gets taken down throwing a knee, then scrambles directly into Lima’s guillotine. Severino pops his head out and settles on top in guard, where Lima locks up an omoplata. Lima landing shots from there, but loses it and eats a knee and right hand on the break. Big uppercut by Severino as they trade near the fence. He raises Lima’s guard with a combo, then ducks under to take him down with two minutes to go.

Lima gets to his feet and sweeps Severino’s foot out from under him when Severino tries a knee. They reset on the feet and get to slugging it out. Nasty elbow and left hook by Lima. Severino continuing to pressure as Lima potshots. Nasty jabs by Lima with a minute to go. Calf kick exchange. Counter elbow by Severino. Lima slips throwing a kick, Severino overshoots trying to capitalize. Lima plugs him with a right cross as he circles, then another soon after. Severino catches a kick for another takedown at the bell. Hell of a round. 10-9 Lima.

Round 2: Heavy 1-2 from Lima as Severino continues to press forward. Counter right. Calf kick by Severino, who gets warned for outstretched fingers. They take turns ripping the body, then Lima lands a calf kick. One minute to go. Severino blasts him with a clinch knee and Lima comes back with intercepting elbows. Hard check by Lima and body shots behind it. Severino answers with a double-leg into guard at the base of the fence. Two minutes in. Short punches from Severino as Lima works his way to a knee, then the feet, Severino still attached. Lima suddenly yells that Severino bit him on the arm, prompting the ref to pause it and bring in the doctor. The doctor confirms it and the ref waves it off for a DQ.

Final result: Lima def. Severino by DQ (bite) — WATCH HIGHLIGHTS!

265 lbs.: Mohammed Usman vs. Mick Parkin

Round 1: Sharp cross counter from Parkin after they meet in the center. Again when Usman tries to jab the body. Usman continues to pump the jab. One minute in. Solid low kick by Parkin, then a clean right cross and another low kick. Usman lunges in with a hard right hand and blitzes Parkin to the fence, where both men land heavy blows before disengaging. Low kick from Parkin two minutes in. Things quickly slow back down. Two minutes to go.

Parkin working the inside of the leg now. Back to the outside. Another heavy lead right by Usman cuts Parkin above the eye with a minute to go. Parkin tries a combo. Usman lunging right, counter hook by Parkin. Parkin finds the mark with an overhand right. Usman only fought for about 30 seconds that round but they were really good seconds. 10-9 Usman.

Round 2: Trading low kicks to start. Stiff jab by Usman. Parkin buzzes him with a two-piece and follows with a low kick. One minute in. Parkin slips a combo. Usman whiffing with big shots, Parkin staying patient. Another calf kick two minutes in. Jab and counter right that catches Usman lunging in. Usman putting a ton behind his right hand but not finding the mark as he eats another low kick. There’s one to the body with two minutes to go.

Parkin comes back with a 1-2, then a counter low kick. Hard two-piece, another low kick. Counter right. Parkin seemingly in full control at the moment, picking his shots while Usman lunges in with loaded-up bombs. Another low kick from Parkin with a minute to go. Lead right. Usman comes back with the jab. Cross counter lands yet again for Parkin. Another calf kick, then a 1-2. 10-9 Parkin.

Round 3: Another 1-2 from Parkin, who catches him coming in with yet another right cross before landing a low kick. Usman just can’t figure out how to close the distance without getting caught on the way in. One minute in. Usman prodding with the jab. 1-2 from Parkin. Low kick. Two minutes in. Usman whiffs on some more right hands and eats a 1-2. Cross counter from Parkin, then again. Low kick to right cross. More jabs. Two minutes to go.

Counter right yet again by Parkin. Usman lands a lead right, eats a stiff jab. Low kick again from Parkin. Usman doubles up the right hand, lands another as they exchange. Parkin pops him with a jab and low kick. One minute to go. Low kick again by Parkin. Hard 1-2. Another calf kick nearly drops Usman, who comes back with a Superman punch. Parkin lands a lead right, then a left hook as they exchange. They trade, hard hook by Parkin. Big knee, then a cracking right cross. 10-9 Parkin.

Final result: Parkin def. Usman by unanimous decision

To checkout the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 89: “Namajunas vs. Ribas” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

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Sanchez says he’s done running from Fabia, three years after the self-help guru helped destroy “The Nightmare’s” illustrious UFC career.

Diego Sanchez is opening up on the negative impact his former coach and mentor Joshua Fabia has had on his life and career over the past several years.

The original Ultimate Fighter winner was a fixture on UFC cards for 15 years, and while he never managed to win a belt he did engage in some of the most entertaining fights from the Zuffa era of the sport. The wheels would fall off his career not because of age but because of a man named Joshua Fabia. In 2019 he left his longtime team at Jackson-Wink to work with Fabia, who touted himself as a self-help guru running a “School of Self Awareness.”

Fabia had no experience training pro fighters. The training we saw involved him chasing fighters around the cage with a knife and punching an upside-down Sanchez in the head repeatedly. Unsurprisingly, Diego looked out of shape and unprepared in all his fights under Fabia’s tutelage, and his sole victory during that period came via a disqualification. Fabia spread chaos in the background at UFC events, starting arguments with fighters, staff, commentators, and anyone else he felt wasn’t showing him enough respect.

The UFC would end up canceling an upcoming fight with Donald Cerrone and releasing Sanchez in 2021 after Fabia requested all of Diego’s medical records from the promotion, citing ‘the long-term effects of Diego being an MMA fighter.’ Half a year later when Sanchez finally split with Fabia, he said the request was part of a scheme to try and extract a settlement from the UFC.

In a new Instagram video, Diego Sanchez is still clearly suffering from the aftershocks of Fabia’s manipulations.

“For the past 2 years, I have been running from a very traumatic experience,” Sanchez said. “Words cannot even explain how traumatizing this was. It involves a very evil man that manipulated, blackmailed, extorted me, and eventually put an end to my UFC career. And I’ve been dealing with this psychopath for, s—, it’s been 3 years, 4 years. And I paid him out. I paid him money to get out of my life because the situation had become so volatile and so evil and dark that there was no other option.”

Sanchez said he paid ‘hundreds of thousands of dollars’ to move on, but is still living his life in fear of his former guru.

“I’m dealing with a very unstable mentally unstable sociopathic psychopath, that is basically the best way I could put it,” he said. “You’re dealing with a Charlie Manson type of mind where he’s so far gone that it makes him unstable and dangerous. And the manipulation that was put on, part of it was that he’s an ex-trained hitman, an ex-contract worker for the cartels. And just so much darkness on this guy that it put me in a state of fear that I was worried for the safety of not only my life, but also my daughter, my mother, and even my daughter’s mother too.”

“Dude, I have lost sleep over this. I have gone countless nights with no rest, sleeping in the mornings to to feel safe because there’s a true psychopathic person out there that wants me dead, that believes in his mind that I was the source of ruining his life when ultimately this man came into my life and did the opposite. He ruined mine. But in his opinion, he I ruined his reputation. I ruined his company. And I wasn’t the one that had the greed in my heart. He had the greed in his heart.”

It’s unclear what contact Joshua Fabia still has with Diego Sanchez at this point, but Sanchez declared he was done running from the conflict.

“Now I am in the right state of sound mind where I am ready to move forward, let this past go and move forward,” he said. “But for me to do that, I have to fight this fight. I have to stop running from this guy. I have to go forward, not back. I have to stand up against this evil bully.”

“I have to stand up for this now because if I don’t stand up against this guy, I am going to put other people in a place where he could come into their life, where this guy could manipulate them, blackmail them, extort them as he did me.”

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With a potential lightweight title fight brewing, Poirier is ready to put his resume up against Makhachev’s and see who deserves what.

After a wild win over a dangerous Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 299, Dustin Poirier is right back in the conversation for the next UFC lightweight title shot. And he’s making sure to let everyone know that he’s ready and willing to fight the champ Islam Makhachev this summer.

“100% that’s what I want,” he said in a new interview with MMA Junkie. “If I could pick a fight, the title fight is my choice, that’s what I want.”

After spending the last twelve months battling Alexander Volkanovski twice, Makhachev has a growing list of contenders lined up. Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje both have better claims to a title shot than Dustin. They’re also both booked to fight at UFC 300 on April 13th. That leaves Islam without a dance partner for June, which is when the Dagestani fighter has said he wants to return.

“I know Dustin does not deserve the title fight, but we don’t have any option right now,” Makhachev said in a recent interview.

“That’s on him,” Poirier replied. “I’ve done more in the sport of mixed martial arts than he has. I’ve been around a long time, I was doing this before it was cool and I’m still here. Still here doing it at the highest level. I can beat anybody in the world and I hope he’s next.”

“That’s the only thing left for me to do,” he added. “You know, I’ve done everything else in the sport of mixed martial arts. I’ve created business. Business, multiple businesses. I’ve headlined so many cards. I’ve been 30 times in the UFC octagon. My family is is is set. Like, I’ve done everything I’ve set out to do but capture the title, and that’s the only thing left for me to do and that’s what I want.”

Now we wait and see if it’s something the UFC wants. If they’re looking to book a lightweight title fight before August, it really is the best option available. Then again, the promotion never seems like they’re in much of a rush to book Makhachev, even though he’s repeatedly asked for three fights a year.

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It’s time for some RIZIN chaos in Kobe.

There’s nothing like a weekend of stomps and soccer kicks, right?

This morning (Sat., March 23, 2024), at 1 a.m. EST live from inside Kobe World Hall in Kobe, Japan, RIZIN Fighting Federation delivered RIZIN Landmark 9. Several promotional superstars fill out the card, giving it a bit more of a boost than the usual big-numbered events.

We’re glad to have you here on MMA Mania for the action and, hopefully, watching along in the embedded player. Technically, we’ll have no English commentary tonight other than mine… There are plenty of exciting names in action tonight. The Lightweight champion, Roberto “Satoshi” de Souza, welcomes UFC veteran, Keira Nakamura, back to the division in the main event. Naoki Inoue and Rena Kubota are both back. Koji Takeda and Kyohei Hagiwara should be wild. It’s got all the makings of a good time.

RIZIN Landmark 9 Quick Results

155lbs.: Roberto Satoshi vs. Keita Nakamura
145lbs.: Koji Takeda vs. Kyohei Hagiwara
135lbs.: Naoki Inoue vs. Shoko Sato
108lbs.: Rena Kubota vs. YuRi Shim
125lbs.: Yuya Shibata def. Erson Yamamoto via first-round submission (kneebar)
135lbs.: Yuto “Kintaro” Hokamura def. Daiki Tsubota via unanimous decision
265lbs.: Satoshi “Takakenshin” Kamiyama def. Cody Jerabek via first-round TKO (punches)
145lbs.: Yuta Kubo def. Ryogo Takahashi via split decision
163lbs.: Kickboxing – Buakaw Banchamek def. Minoru Kimura via second-round KO (punch)
155lbs.: Kickboxing – Yuya def. Masaya Jaki via second-round TKO (punches)
125lbs.: Yusaku Nakamura def. Arman Ashimov via unanimous decision
117lbs.: Kickboxing – Yuto Uemura def. Aoi Noda via second-round TKO (punches)
127lbs.: Kickboxing – Shun Matsuyama def. Shin Sakurai via third-round knockout (punch)
125lbs.: Kickboxing – Daichi Akahira def. Yuki Yushioka via unanimous decision

RIZIN Landmark 9 Highlights

Roberto Satoshi vs. Keita Nakamura

Koji Takeda vs. Kyohei Hagiwara

Naoki Inoue vs. Shoko Sato

Rena Kubota vs. YuRi Shim

Yuya Shibata def. Erson Yamamoto via first-round submission (kneebar)

Yuto “Kintaro” Hokamura def. Daiki “Lightyear” Tsubota via unanimous decision

Satoshi “Takakenshin” Kamiyama def. Cody Jerabek via first-round TKO (punches)

Yuta Kubo def. Ryogo Takahashi via split decision

Kickboxing – Buakaw Banchamek def. Minoru Kimura via second-round KO (punch)

Kickboxing – Yuya def. Masaya Jaki via second-round TKO (punches)

Yusaku Nakamura def. Arman Ashimov via unanimous decision

Kickboxing – Yuto Uemura def. Aoi Noda via second-round TKO (punches)

Kickboxing – Shun Matsuyama def. Shin Sakurai via third-round knockout (punch)

Kickboxing – Daichi Akahira def. Yuki Yushioka via unanimous decision

For the latest international mixed martial arts (MMA) news and notes click here.

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“Dangerous” Davey Grant is down but not out.

The popular English action fighter was supposed to fight this weekend (March 23, 2024) at UFC Vegas 89 opposite Cody Gibson, but he withdrew due to injury and was replaced by Miles Johns. As it turns out, the injury that forced him from the match up was more severe than anyone could have assumed.

While Grant doesn’t specify what specifically went wrong, he was suffering a nasty neck injury. Yesterday on Instagram, Grant revealed that multiple attempted treatments were unable to fix him. In “constant agony,” the Bantamweight was forced to go under the knife.

I should have been getting ready to weigh in tomorrow but now I’m awaiting surgery on my neck. These last few weeks were absolutely terrible in constant agony trying to make it to the fight but after a bunch of MRI and Cat scans, multiple doctors opinions, hours of treatment and 2 neck injections nothing could be done and surgery was the only option.

The threat of it being career ending scared the shit out of me as I’m far from done yet! Just a bump in the road to overcome again and I’ll be back in no time!

Again huge thank you to everyone who has been there for me it is greatly appreciated!

Home early next week to my beautiful family finally and I can’t wait

Today, Grant reported back that his surgery was a success. He’s now on the mend, though that will involve a long period of recovery and likely physical therapy. “Surgery all done and dusted with no complications considering and finally now I’m on the road to recovery,” Grant wrote. “In what can only be described as some of if not the worst few weeks of my life I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, although very long f—king tunnel.”

On Twitter, Grant also revealed that he’ll be back in six months, so perhaps a 2024 return isn’t impossible?

A veteran of The Ultimate Fighter, Grant has been on the UFC roster since 2013. His career didn’t really take off until 2020, however, when Grant gained popularity by fighting more actively and establishing himself as a brawling knockout artist. He’s since earned five performance bonuses in seven fights! Most recently, Grant coughed up a controversial split-decision loss to Daniel Marcos.

Here’s hoping Grant’s road to recovery runs smooth.

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Bellator MMA is officially back with its first-ever solo event under Professional Fighters League (PFL) ownership. The re-branded “Champions Series” will kick off later TODAY (Fri., March 22, 2024) inside SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland, streaming live on DAZN (and MAX). Headlining the event will be a vacant Light Heavyweight title fight as Corey Anderson gets his third try to win the strap when he battles Karl Moore. In the co-main event, Featherweight champion, Patricio Pitbull, puts his belt on the line against Jeremy Kennedy.

Many readers check in before, during and after the fights to share their thoughts on all of the action, which will begin at 1 p.m. ET with the early “Prelims,” and then transition to the main card at 4 p.m. ET. Feel free to leave a comment (or several) about the bouts and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show — it’s always a lot of fun!

BELLATOR BELFAST QUICK RESULTS:

205 lbs.: Corey Anderson vs. Karl Moore
145 lbs.: Patricio Pitbull vs. Jeremy Kennedy
185 lbs.: Fabian Edwards vs. Aaron Jeffery
155 lbs.: Tim Wilde vs. Manoel Sousa
145 lbs.: James Gallagher vs. Leandro Higo
135 lbs.: Ciaran Clarke vs. Darius Mafi
155 lbs.: Oscar Ownsworth vs. Alfie Davis – Davis via unanimous decision
130 lbs: Nate Kelly vs. Jordan Elliott – Kelly via first-round knockout
265 lbs.: Abraham Bably vs. Isaiah Pinson – Bably via unanimous decision
205 lbs.: Luke Trainer vs. Grant Neal – Trainer via unanimous decision
145 lbs: Nathan Kelly vs. Vikas Sing Ruhil – Kelly via first-round submission (armbar)

BELLATOR BELFAST PLAY-BY-PLAY:

205 lbs.: Corey Anderson vs. Karl Moore

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Round 4:

Round 5:

Final result:

145 lbs.: Champion Patricio Pitbull vs. Jeremy Kennedy

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Round 4:

Round 5:

Final result:

185 lbs.: Fabian Edwards vs. Aaron Jeffery

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

155 lbs.: Tim Wilde vs. Manoel Sousa

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

145 lbs.: James Gallagher vs. Leandro Higo

Round 1:

Round 2:

Round 3:

Final result:

To check out the latest Bellator MMA-related news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive news archive right here.

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THUGS not DRUGS.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is just one day away from the upcoming UFC Vegas 89 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, which is set to go down tomorrow night (Sat., March 23, 2024) on ESPN and ESPN+ from inside the promotion’s APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring a 125-pound main event between Top 10 flyweight contender Amanda Ribas and former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas, a five-round headliner with major title implications for late 2024 and beyond.

Before we dive into the main and co-main event, which includes the 265-pound scrap between heavyweight hurters Karl Williams and Justin Tafa, checkout Patrick Stumberg’s breakdowns for the UFC Vegas 89 “Prelims” card by clicking here and here. Get all the latest “Ribas vs. Namajunas” odds and betting props courtesy of DraftKings right here. For the rest of tomorrow night’s UFC Vegas 89 main card predictions click here.

125 lbs.: Amanda Ribas vs. Rose Namajunas

Amanda Ribas

Record: 12-4 | Age: 30 | Betting line: +180
Wins: 3 KO/TKO, 4 SUB, 5 DEC | Losses: 3 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 1 DEC
Height: 5’3“ | Reach: 66” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.92 | Striking accuracy: 42%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.33 | Striking Defense: 63%
Takedown Average: 1.99 (51% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 87%
Current Ranking: No. 8 | Last fight: Technical knockout win over Luana Pinheiro

“Thug” Rose Namajunas

Record: 11-6 | Age: 31 | Betting line: -220
Wins: 2 KO/TKO, 5 SUB, 4 DEC | Losses: 1 KO/TKO, 1 SUB, 4 DEC
Height: 5’5“ | Reach: 65” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 3.68 | Striking accuracy: 40%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 3.53 | Striking Defense: 62%
Takedown Average: 1.49 (48% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 60%
Current Ranking: Unranked | Last fight: Unanimous decision loss to Manon Fiorot

Rose Namajunas has been competing under the UFC banner for nearly a decade and has somehow managed to remain an enigma. Every time “Thug” steps into the Octagon it’s like choosing a mystery chocolate from Whitman’s Sampler. Sometimes you get something amazing, other times you get complete garbage — and every now and again you get something in between. Her final fight at strawweight resulted in a decision loss to longtime rival Carla Esparza in what is widely considered the worst fight of 2022. Most of us expected “Thug” to stick around after Zhang Weili reclaimed the division crown, but Namajunas bailed on their trilogy in favor of greener (and heavier) pastures at 125 pounds. Her flyweight debut against Manon Fiorot was an underwhelming affair, hampered by a broken finger early in the fight, but that still doesn’t excuse her maddening inconsistency over the last several years.

“After the Manon fight, I had to heal my pinky and that happened, but as soon as the fight was over I was like, ‘Man, that was so close. I could’ve won that fight if it was a little different here and there,’” Namajunas said during the UFC Vegas 89 media day (watch it here). “Whatever. Would’ve, should’ve, could’ve. I just had that taste of, ‘Man,’ I usually get down on myself after a loss, but it just motivated me so much more.”

The end result was a unanimous decision loss at UFC Paris back in Sept. 2023.

“I knew after the fight I wanted to get right back in there, but I had to heal my pinky and I had some personal stuff to figure out,” Namajunas continued. “It took me a little bit to kind of get those things in order, but as soon as I was ready, I was looking for a fight. I got offered a little earlier for this fight, but I wasn’t ready, but then I got offered March 23, and I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s perfect.’”

Like her “Fight Night” opponent, Amanda Ribas has oscillated between world beater and lame duck, alternating wins and losses across her last six fights (3-3) dating back to summer 2020. The Brazilian is also a former strawweight who looked like the next big thing at 115 pounds after handing Mackenzie Dern her first loss inside the Octagon. Unfortunately, Dern failed to live up to the hype and similarly, those wins Ribas notched over Paige VanZant and Randa Markos have aged like cream cheese. Equally concerning is her 1-2 record at flyweight, which includes a technical knockout loss to Maycee Barber at UFC Jacksonville. What Ribas lacks in defense she makes up for in aggression, which is probably not the best style against a striker like Namajunas — assuming “Thug” can find second gear.

“I’m prepared for all, to do five rounds to the end or the beginning. I’m training to do a war and do a really good fight for the fans to enjoy and say this is worth being a main event,” Ribas said during the UFC Vegas 89 media day (watch it here). “I always put in my mind that I will fight the best Rose Namajunas ever. I’m training for the best in her. If something comes not like this, I’m prepared.”

She might be training for the best Rose Namajunas ever, but there’s no guarantee that’s who will step into the cage on fight night. “Thug” has battled demons throughout her career, will not be cornered by longtime coach Trevor Wittman — for the second straight fight — and has been led astray by her boyfriend Pat Barry.

Those are his words, not mine.

“Go back to any of Rose’s performances that didn’t seem quite right. It was me. I was the outside distraction,” Barry told The MMA Hour. “Any performance. I’m not talking about just fighting. Any interview that seemed off and weird, any post on social media, it was my f**king fault. So I said, I’m not doing that no more. She should ‘ve been world champ two years ago. It was me. I didn’t know it was me, but it was me.”

Yikes.

Based on the pre-fight interviews I’ve seen up until this point, Namajunas appears to be in a good place both physically and mentally. The loss of Wittman is unquestionably a red flag, but I do think she has enough tools to defeat Ribas, who probably should have stayed at strawweight. As I alluded to earlier, this all depends on the output of Namajunas. If she shows up ready to fight and looks to engage, don’t expect this contest to be decided by the judges.

Prediction: Namajunas def. Ribas by technical knockout

265 lbs.: Karl Williams vs. Justin Tafa

Karl Williams

Record: 9-1 | Age: 34 | Betting line: -185
Wins: 3 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 6 DEC | Losses: 0 KO/TKO, 1 SUB, 0 DEC
Height: 6’3“ | Reach: 79” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 2.93 | Striking accuracy: 49%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 1.80 | Striking Defense: 62%
Takedown Average: 4.00 (46% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 100%
Current Ranking: Unranked | Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Chase Sherman

Justin “Bad Man” Tafa

Record: 7-3, 1 NC | Age: 30 | Betting line: +155
Wins: 7 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 0 DEC | Losses: 1 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 2 DEC
Height: 6’0“ | Reach: 74” | Stance: Southpaw
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 5.13 | Striking accuracy: 55%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 5.93 | Striking Defense: 49%
Takedown Average: 0.00 (0% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 100%
Current Ranking: Unranked | Last fight: Knockout win over Austen Lane

Justin Tafa is stepping in for his brother Junior Tafa at UFC Vegas 89, who stepped in for Justin at UFC 298. So basically they switched opponents (and events) and no doubt the Australian “Bad Man” will look to avoid his brother’s fate. “The Juggernaut” was stopped by Marcos Rogerio de Lima in the second round of the “Volkanovski vs. Topuria” his pay-per-view (PPV) contest just last month.

“It’s just like old times back at the playground,” Tafa said at the UFC Vegas 89 media day. “Sometimes I’m not ready to fight, so my brother goes and steps in and fights for me. We were really confident that my brother could have put de Lima away. I’ve seen my brother knock out Top 10 heavyweight boxers — after going out on a bender. He can knock anyone out on any given night. We weren’t planning on him not taking this fight. When we went back to Australia, we saw the severity of his injury and I told him I’ll go and check myself and if they say I’m ready, I could be ready by fight night. I’ll take the fight and do a solid for him.”

The elder Tafa does not have much to offer in terms of diversity and that’s reflected in his record. All seven wins have come by way of knockout, so don’t expect any flying armbars or gogoplatas. At just six feet tall with a 74-inch reach, Tafa is not particularly large for a heavyweight but he certainly hits like one, leading to three straight first-round finishes dating back to late 2021. I wish there was more to dissect here but let’s face it, Tafa is not far removed from the bar fight scene and just shows up, swings for the fences, and hopes for the best. It’s not the most technical gameplan but it certainly sits well with the audience.

Every self-respecting MMA fan loves a one-hitter quitter.

Karl Williams is also one dimensional and that’s being kind. The 34 year-old American Top Team (ATT) product captured a UFC contract by defeating Jimmy Lawson on Dana White’s “Contender Series” in late 2022, then scored consecutive decision victories over Lukasz Brzeski (UFC Las Vegas) and Chase Sherman (UFC Charlotte). I don’t remember either of those fights and I doubt anyone else does either (including Williams). According to his biography on Waged War, Williams is a former UFC lightweight champion and “one of the most accomplished MMA fighters in history.” I’m assuming that was written by AI but I still found it hilarious.

Anyway, Williams placed fourth in the state as a high school wrestler and at one point was seriously considering making a run at the U.S. Olympic team. Instead, the former collegiate football player gravitated toward fighting, getting his start back in 2018. It’s fair to say that Williams will be shooting in any potential matchup, which explains his above-average takedown percentage, but even more so against Tafa. Williams was able to get away with the standup against Sherman, a game he would be reckless to play with Tafa.

That’s pretty much what this fight boils down to. Williams will have to survive 15 minutes without taking anything significant to the dome. Certainly possible with his wrestling pedigree, but every fight starts on the feet. I just think the chin-checking “Bad Man” will have Williams spooked from the opening bell, which means sloppy, pat-a-cake defense followed by long-distance panic wrestling. This could get ugly — even for heavyweights.

Prediction: Tafa def. Williams by knockout

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the UFC Vegas 89 main card predictions RIGHT HERE.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 89 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN/ESPN+ main card start time at 10 p.m. ET.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 89 news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archives here and here. For the updated and finalized “Ribas vs. Namajunas” fight card and ESPN/ESPN+ line up click here.

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Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

The ever-changing UFC roster has seen another update, its second purge in as many weeks. According to UFC Roster Tracker, four more athletes have been released from the promotion: Bryan Barberena, Philipe Lins, Carlos Candelario, and Josh Parisian. In addition, Joanne Wood has been removed from rankings eligibility after she retired following her UFC 299 victory over Maryna Moroz.

Barberena might be the biggest name of this batch of cuts. The 34 year old joined the roster in 2014 as a Lightweight but spent most of his career a 170 lbs. Notably, he handed Sage Northcutt his first loss, as well as putting on incredible scraps against the likes of Vicente Luque, Matt Brown, and Robbie Lawler. He’s lost four straight, however, including a bizarre 0-2 Middleweight run that saw him strangled by Gerald Meerschaert last weekend at UFC Vegas 88.

Lins also fought at UFC Vegas 88, but he won, defeating Ion Cutelaba via unanimous decision. The former PFL champion actually won four straight fights, so there are two possible options. On one hand, Lins could just be in negotiation with the promotion still and is ineligible to be ranked until he signs back with UFC. Conversely, Lins is well-paid for an unranked Light Heavyweight because of his PFL success, so perhaps UFC simply wasn’t willing to foot the “Monstro” bill any longer.

Like Wood, Parisian fought at UFC 299. Unfortunately, his bout versus hot prospect Robert Despaigne lasted just 18 seconds (watch it), and the knockout loss was his third defeat in a row. He ends his UFC career with a 2-5 record. Candelario’s run in the UFC was far shorter, as he went winless in two fights and missed weight in his sophomore performance.

Insomnia

Tim Means and Uros Medic are going to take lumps out of one another, no two ways about it.

I will never watch Road House, but I will watch all these goofy clips that land on my feed.

Two quick clips that I found difficult to place. Answer (per usual) in the responses!

Mark Hunt reactions are the only ones I want to read.

Demetrious Johnson accuses UFC CEO Dana White of lying … it couldn’t be, right?

Weird dorks online are taking this clip of Jamahal Hill lightly rolling with Aljamain Sterling VERY seriously.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Verdonk was throwing clubs from close range.

A throwback “Thug Rose” finish!

Four ounce Muay Thai is so nasty.

Random Land

A friendly fish.

Midnight Music: Hip-hop, 1998

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.

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Conor McGregor is about to be able to shift his focus fully back to MMA.

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight and Lightweight champion is officially a movie star thanks to his first role in the new film Road House. The reboot of the classic Patrick Swayze-led action-thriller is now streamable on Prime Video as of today (Thurs., March 21, 2024).

McGregor, 35, has recently gone on a worldwide press tour for the film alongside lead actor, Jake Gyllenhaal. Throughout the tour, “The Notorious” has been asked numerous times about his possible return to action against UFC Lightweight contender, Michael Chandler. Ultimately, the match up was expected to happen late last year before several variables came into play. With hints of frustration sprinkled in from McGregor over the past three months, UFC CEO, Dana White, disputes any such notions.

“There’s no lack of communication. Not at all,” White told the Pound 4 Pound podcast (h/t MMA Fighting). “You know where Conor is tonight? He’s in New York City for the premiere of Road House. He has obligations right now to promote this movie. So he’s been flying all over the world, going to all the premieres of the launch of this movie. This is an obligation that he has to do. It is what it is. He committed to this movie. He has obligations to this movie. He can’t do both.

“So once this movie launches, which is Thursday, this thing launches Thursday the 21st, and boom — I don’t know what his obligations are once it launches, then Conor can get back in the gym and start training,” he concluded. “Like full-time, getting ready for a camp.”

McGregor has most highlighted a summertime return, and he maintained that timeline when he recently claimed “all systems go” for the Chandler clash. White or the promotion has yet to confirm how true that is, but UFC’s boss still speaks glowingly of his sport-transcending Irish megastar.

“Conor McGregor, for a guy who was on the dole or whatever his situation was when he came into the UFC, for a guy that had never done big business, he’s a pretty good f—king businessman,” White said. “He’s been a great partner to us. I like to be a good partner back.

“Conor needed this time to take off, handle his obligations, and now, once this is over, he can get back into full-time training — which means from Thursday on, we can start talking about fights for Conor,” he concluded.

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) makes its eagerly-awaited return to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the upcoming UFC 301 pay-per-view (PPV) event, headlined by the five-round flyweight title fight pitting reigning 125-pound kingpin, Alexandre Pantoja, against Top 10 title contender Steve Erceg, a high-octane (some might say “brutal”) fight card that also features the return of former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo — and maybe even light heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira!

Event: UFC 301: “Pantoja vs. Erceg”
Date: Sat., May 4, 2024
Location: Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro Brazil
Start times: ESPN+ PPV, ESPN2, ESPN+ (6 p.m. ET Prelims | 10 p.m. ET Main Card)

UFC 301 Main Event On ESPN+ PPV:

125 lbs.: UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja vs. Steve Erceg

UFC 301 Main Card On ESPN+ PPV (10 p.m. ET):

135 lbs.: Jose Aldo vs. Jonathan Martinez
185 lbs.: Paul Craig vs. Caio Borralho
205 lbs.: Anthony Smith vs. Vitor Petrino
185 lbs.: Michel Pereira vs. Makhmud Muradov

UFC 301 ‘Prelims’ Card On ESPN2/ESPN+ (8 p.m. ET):

155 lbs.: Joaquim Silva vs. Drakkar Klose
125 lbs.: Alessandro Costa vs. Kevin Borjas
125 lbs.: Dione Barbosa vs. Ernesta Kareckaite
145 lbs.: Joanderson Brito vs. Jack Shore

UFC 301 Early ‘Prelims’ Card On ESPN+ (6 p.m. ET):

155 lbs.: Elves Brener vs. Myktybek Orolbai
145 lbs.: Jean Silva vs. William Gomis
115 lbs.: Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs. Iasmin Lucindo

*Fight card, bout order and number of fights remain subject to change.*

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 301: “Pantoja vs. Erceg” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

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