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UFC

Think you can figure out which UFC fighter we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out.

We’re back for another day of the SB Nation UFC in-5 daily trivia game, and we’re switching to a system of a new article each day for the game.

We tried using a single article for the game, updated with the latest game each day, but it was creating a bit of an unwieldy experience in the comments. So, we’ll have the current day’s game plus the previous three days in each new article. That way, you can catch up if you miss a day.

Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game!

What we need from you

1. Play the game
2. Share your result in the comments and on social media
3. Provide feedback (Google Form or in comments below)

Today’s UFC in-5 game

Tuesday’s UFC in-5 game

Monday’s UFC in-5 game

Sunday’s UFC in-5 game

The goal of the game is to guess the correct random UFC fighter player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED FIGHTERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it. It will be a mix of well-known players and some “that guys” that we haven’t thought of in some time. The game will appear in slot #3 of the MMA Fighting layout each morning, with occasional movement later in the day.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media.

MMA Fighting – All Posts

Artem Vakhitov has an opportunity to earn a UFC contract when he competes on The Contender Series on Oct. 8, but even before he sets foot in the octagon for the first time, he’s got light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira’s attention.

The former rivals who met twice in GLORY with Vakhitov holding the final win over Pereira before he left the promotion to sign with the UFC have already engaged in a war of words. With Vakhitov making his transition into MMA — with a 2-1 record, which is almost identical to Pereira when he joined the UFC roster — he’ll have plenty of eyes on him when he fights next Tuesday night.

While he still has to perform and impress the UFC executives in attendance to guarantee himself a contract, Vakhitov knows Pereira is already looking over his shoulder.

“I didn’t ask for any attention from him but he already knows he lost to me two times,” Vakhitov said about Pereira when speaking to MMA Fighting. “It’s worrying him a little bit.

“For sure for fans around the world, it’s very interesting. Let’s see for the future. I think we can do it.”

Much like Pereira signing with the UFC largely due to his wins over then champion Israel Adesanya in kickboxing, Vakhitov knows he’s got a leg up on the competition when it comes to a fast rise up the ranks.

Add to that, the 33-year-old Russian doesn’t believe there are many strikers even close to Pereira’s level on the feet, which is another reason why he wants to shake things up with his arrival.

“You see now that he is very easily beating all the guys now,” Vakhitov said. “For sure, they really needed some guy who can beat him in that striking style. I guess we will see who is the best striker very soon.”

Because he shares so much history with Pereira thanks to those back-to-back fights in 2021, Vakhitov competes on The Contender Series with a much brighter spotlight on him than the average prospect.

That might intimidate some fighters but don’t count Vakhitov among them.

“I’m not getting any pressure,” Vakhitov said. “I just have it in my own way. My aim and my focus is only on Dana White’s Contender Series for sure. If I will get Pereira in the future, I will show a great fight and let’s hope that will be meet soon in the octagon.

“I was thinking that I could get in the UFC directly without Dana White’s Contender Series but anyway it’s a very good chance for me. A great opportunity to get there. I will take this chance and for sure I will only show great fights in the future. I think it’s a very good opportunity for me.”

Beyond his training at home in Russia, Vakhitov has also spent significant time training at Kill Cliff FC in Florida, the same gym that houses notable UFC fighters such as Shavkat Rakhmonov, Gilbert Burns and Michael Chandler.

Making the move from kickboxing to MMA is never easy but Vakhitov believes he’s learned a lot already and he’s still adding more and more weapons to his arsenal everyday.

“From the beginning, I was starting to work on defense from takedowns, about things to help me defend from guys on the ground,” Vakhitov said. “I’ve got a few camps in Moscow and here in [Florida] so I’m already experienced and a lot of high level guys are training with us.

“It for sure helped me with the experience and I’m getting more into this stuff. It looks like the transition is going well and we are still working on it. Continuing to work on it.”

Assuming he wins next Tuesday and UFC CEO Dana White offers him a contract, Vakhitov doesn’t expect that he’ll just get handed a fight against Pereira right away.

Vakhitov has no problem earning the chance to face his old foe again but until then he’ll keep rooting for Pereira to hold onto his title — just like he did in his latest defense over Khalil Rountree at UFC 307.

“For sure [rooting] for Alex to win, it’s all I can wish for him,” Vakhitov said. “Just continue to win and I hope we will meet very soon. He just has to wait for me.”

MMA Fighting – All Posts

Chip on the shoulder
| BJPenn.com

UFC

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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

All eyes were on Artem Vakhitov ahead of his Contenders Series main event slot versus Islem Masraf, which wrapped up earlier on Tuesday (Oct. 8, 2024) from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Why was everyone so interested in a 2-1 Light Heavyweight?

Being a Glory champion certainly separates him from the pack at bit, but the real answer is that he’s the last man to defeat Alex Pereira in kickboxing! After the whole Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira saga in the Octagon, we know just how substantial a rivalry from the ring to the cage can be. These two fought twice in 2021, and their connection was enough that Pereira — who just fought four bloody rounds in Utah three days ago — flew in to attend his kickboxing rival’s fight.

Vakhitov hit a bit of trouble early against Masraf, finding himself controlled in close quarters. Masraf didn’t actually manage to take down the striker, but Vakhitov was getting pinned to the fence for a fair portion of the first. Fortunately, he made it count when he did create separation. Masraf was a touch winded from the grappling, leaving him very vulnerable to a series of right hands.

Check out the knockout clip below:

With the knockout, Vakhitov improves to 3-1 as a professional. Despite the win and history with “Poatan,” it was still up in the air whether Vakhitov would score the contract, because he has very little cage time overall and showed some wrestling inexperience in the bout. UFC CEO Dana White turned to Pereira for advice, and the Brazilian acknowledged his former foe as skilled and experienced enough for UFC competition.

It will be very exciting to see Vakhitov’s career develop. He’s still a long way from earning an MMA rubber match versus the champion, but Adesanya and “Poatan” both demonstrated that elite kickboxers are capable of fast rises up the ladder. If nothing else, any injection of talent at 205-pounds is sorely needed!

Insomnia

It’s cool to see fan art of unranked fighters, although I don’t know that Bryan Battle will hold that status for much longer.

Khalil Rountree motivating his team!

Retired UFC fighter Tim Kennedy somehow found his way onto Last Week Tonight, and it’s not because he found Hitler.

Renato Moicano and company have released the most accurate theoretical UFC salary numbers yet.

There’s only one Nick Diaz.

Joshua Van is a glutton for punishment. This is going to be a great fight, but I see no way it doesn’t end with these two taking lumps out of each other.

In other Flyweight news, Tatsuro Taira is the main event and does very cool stuff on the canvas. Click through for the full thread!

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Being a kickboxing legend from several decades ago, sadly, is not a good recipe for success in 2024.

The ten finger guillotine always creates such unpleasant pressure on the neck and spine. Blue should’ve tried kicking off the fence, it bizarrely works sometimes.

Stand-and-bang until somebody falls down!

Random Land

Surfing the green!

Midnight Music: Chappell Roan has taken over the pop world in the last 12 months or so, and I finally got around to listening to her work. I like an earworm chorus!

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

MMAmania.com – All Posts

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

The plaintiffs in one of the two UFC antitrust lawsuits filed a massive brief on Monday outlining details of a new settlement agreement reached with TKO Group Holdings — the majority owners of the MMA promotion — with 56 fighters writing letters of support.

On Sept. 26, the UFC and the fighters involved in the lawsuit agreed to a new $ 375 million settlement to close out litigation that first started all the way back in 2014. An initial settlement agreement for $ 335 million to settle both antitrust lawsuits — the first covering fighters from 2010 to 2017 and the second for fighters from 2017 to the present — was denied by U.S. District Court Judge Richard Boulware from Nevada.

The new settlement agreement only covers the first lawsuit with the two sides in the second lawsuit still working towards a potential trial date. In the brief, the plaintiffs lay out a detailed breakdown why this settlement is so beneficial for the fighters, especially those in desperate need of financial relief now rather than potentially waiting several more years for a trial and possible appeals to play out in court.

Among the fighters writing letters of support was Spencer Fisher, who was declared permanently disabled and unable to work from the damage done in a career spent as a professional fighter including 17 fights over 12 years in the UFC.

“While fighting for the UFC, I suffered many significant injuries including broken hands, torn shoulder, torn retina, fused neck, bulging discs, a plastic buckle in my right eye, and many concussions,” Fisher wrote. “I had a right hip replacement in 2021 and am facing a left hip replacement in the near future. I have had two spinal taps that show the presence of the Tau protein which is a positive indicator of dementia. I struggle with problem solving and rationalization skills and get confused easily. I rely on my amazing wife Emily to function in daily living skills. I fear that during my career I have suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI) and am noticing symptoms common with TBI and CTE including depression, mood swings, and irritability. To date, no treatment for CTE has been found. I have been diagnosed permanently disabled by an independent neurologist. I also suffer bouts of vertigo. I experience memory loss and endure frequent headaches.

“This would truly be life-changing money for me and for other members of the class. These funds would ease the burden on my spouse Emily and allow me to obtain healthcare I need and assist my family in paying for basic life necessities. The sad reality is that funds years from now may be of no use to me. I desperately need these funds now.”

UFC Hall of Famer Wanderlei Silva, who spent six years with the promotion after making a name for himself in PRIDE FC in Japan, revealed that he believes he’s dealing with serious brain damage as a result of his fighting career.

With his health compromised, Silva is hoping that the financial relief provided by the lawsuit settlement will help him and his family.

“While fighting for the UFC, I suffered many significant injuries, including concussions,” Silva wrote. “I fear that during my career I have suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI) and am noticing symptoms common with TBI and CTE including depression, mood swings, and irritability…. I suffer from sleep apnea and have difficulty sleeping and breathing. That I can recall, I have had four surgeries on my nose, 1 on my face, 2 on my left knee, 1 on my right knee and 1 on my elbow.

“These funds would also allow me to obtain the healthcare I need and keep a roof over my head and food on my table. The sad reality is that funds years from now may be of no use to me. I can use and enjoy.”

Cung Le, who was one of the founding members of the antitrust lawsuit filed against the UFC in 2014, admitted that he’s nearing bankruptcy and he’s needed to rely on friends to help support him in recent years.

“Due to the strain of my current health limiting my everyday activity from working consistently, I’ve been relying on a friend who, through God’s provision, has generously sponsored my essential needs, including food and shelter, while I await the settlement of this case,” Le stated. “Without this support, I would likely need to file bankruptcy and apply for disability to manage my basic living and healthcare needs.”

Former interim UFC heavyweight champion Shane Carwin wrote in his letter of support that he’s been unable to maintain employment with his engineering degree due to health issues that continue to haunt him long after his fighting career was over.

“Despite having a degree in engineering from the Colorado School of Mines, I have been unable to maintain adequate focus to hold down an engineering job,” Carwin wrote. “I face serious challenges in meeting basic everyday expenses for food, shelter, and transportation and in basic life skills necessary to function.

“These funds would also allow me to obtain the healthcare I need and keep a roof over my head and food on my table. The sad reality is that funds years from now may be of no use to me. I desperately need these funds now.”

Additional fighters providing letters of support for the UFC antitrust lawsuit settlement include Nate Quarry, Ross Pearson, Joe Stevenson, Cat Zingano, Gray Maynard, Matt Brown, Nate Marquardt, Jon Fitch, Chris Leben, Sage Northcutt and many more.

As far as the financial compensation many of the fighters would receive, the brief filed by the plaintiffs laid out the benefits to this settlement, particularly with the increase in funds as part of this new agreement.

“The $ 375 million all cash recovery provides a swift and significant payment to the Class against the delay, costs, and risks of a trial and appeals. As discussed above, Plaintiffs had initially proposed to allocate 75% of the Prior Settlement to the Le Class (75% of $ 335 million is $ 251.25 million), and thus this Settlement would increase the amount going to the Le Class by $ 123.75 million. Plaintiffs subsequently proposed to allocate 90% of the Prior Settlement to the Le Class (90% of $ 335 million is $ 301.5 million), and in that light, this Settlement involves $ 73.5 million more for the Le Class.

“Under the Settlement, Le Class members would recover (on average), after all fees and costs are deducted, $ 250,000. Thirty-five Class members would net over $ 1 million; nearly 100 fighters would net over $ 500,000; more than 200 fighters would recover over $ 250,000; over 500 fighters would net in excess of $ 100,000; and nearly 800 would recover over $ 50,000. By any reasonable measure, the Settlement, if approved, would put “life changing” cash into the hands of the families of several hundred fighters now.”

When the judge previously issued his denial, he stated that he objected to the settlement because the agreed upon payout seemed low and that the fighters represented in the second lawsuit — covering athletes from 2017 to the present — could object to arbitration and class-action waiver clauses in existing contracts.

Under the terms of this new agreement, the $ 375 million payment only goes to the fighters involved in the first lawsuit while litigation in the second lawsuit continues.

It remains to be seen if the judge will sign off on the new agreement or not.

MMA Fighting – All Posts

UFC

Alex Pereira’s nemesis is now in the UFC, with a little help from the champ himself.

On Tuesday night, the eighth episode of season eight of Contender Series took place in Las Vegas at the UFC APEX, and after five fights, UFC CEO Dana White handed out contracts to four of the five winners.

But the biggest story of the night was the main event bout between Artem Vakhitov and Islem Masraf — and the audience it garnered.

Vakhitov is a former two-time Glory Kickboxing champion and best known for a pair of bouts with current UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. In fact, Vakhitov is the last man to beat Pereira in kickboxing, so with a potential UFC contract on the line, Pereira flew out to Las Vegas to sit cageside for his fight.

That turned out to be a good decision for both men as Vakhitov overcame a slow start to knock out Masraf in the first round. Despite the finish, it was still and up-and-down performance from Vakhitov that left Dana White on the fence. Ultimately, White said he brought Pereira back to speak with him and it was “Poatan” who vouched for his former Glory foe, leading White to offer him a UFC contract.

Steele breaks Blair

In the penultimate fight of the evening, Kody Steele finally got his shot on Contender Series and he made the most of it with a brutal body shot knockout of Chasen Blair.

Steele was supposed to compete earlier this season on Contender Series until his opponent withdrew from the fight moments before their bout. No such thing happened tonight though as Blair not only made the walk, but made Steele work for it, stuffing takedowns and landing good combinations on the feet. In the second round though, Steele landed a short hook to the body that leveled Blair and earned him a shot in the UFC.

Pinto demolishes Camacho

In the third bout of the evening, undefeated prospect Mario Pinto obliterated Luis Camacho in under two minutes to punch his ticket to the UFC.

Just 26 years old and 8-0 in his career, Pinto was a heavy favorite over Camacho and he showed the composure of a fighter with many more years of experience, taking his time to find the range before flooring Camacho with a short left hook. Some follow-up punches finished the job and Pinto moved to 9-0 and into the UFC.

Dulatov ices Antunes

In the second bout of the evening, Islam Dulatov destroyed Vanilto Antunes with a brutal first-round knockout.

Dulatov entered Contender Series as a big-time prospect and the part-time male model delivered, putting it on Antunes right from the opening bell. Antunes did his best to hand tough but ultimately Dulatov found a home for a nasty right elbow behind the ear that floored Antunes instantly and earned Dulatov a UFC contract.

Gauci outworks Drilich

In the opening bout of the evening, Sean Gauci defeated fellow Australian Anthony Drilich with a workmanlike performance.

Both Gauci and Drilich showed advanced skills in a nip-and-tuck battle that lasted the full 15 minutes. Gauci was unable to score takedowns early and Drilich made him pay with combinations, but as the HEX Fight Series champion began to settle in, he started landing good strikes of his own and mixing in enough takedowns to outlast his fellow Australian fighter.

At the end of the evening, White praised both Gauci and Drilich for their skills saying they have a bright future but that he will not offer either of them a contract right now.

Check out the DWCS week 9 results below.

Artem Vakhitov def. Islem Masraf via TKO (punches) — R1, 4:23

Kody Steele def. Chasen Blair via TKO (punches) — R2, 4:07

Mario Pinto def. Luis Camacho via TKO (punches) — R1, 1:43

Islam Dulatov def. Vanilto Antunes via knockout (elbow) — R1, 2:44

Sean Gauci def. Anthony Drilich via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

MMA Fighting – All Posts