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A past winner of The Ultimate Fighter will compete in a familiar building in November.
Multiple people with knowledge of the promotion’s plans confirmed to MMA Fighting that a bantamweight bout between Ricky Turcios and Bernardo Sopai is set for the UFC’s Fight Night event on Nov. 9 at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas.
Turcios, the bantamweight winner of TUF 29 in 2021, makes his fifth walk to the octagon, and hopes to get back to his winning ways. In his most recent outing, Turcios was submitted by Raul Rosas Jr. in the second round at June’s UFC Louisville event. That was Turcios’ first fight since a win over Kevin Natividad in November 2022.
Sopai is searching for his first UFC victory. In his promotional debut, the 23-year-old was on the receiving end of one of the most vicious knockouts of the year when he was stopped via flying knee by Vinicius Oliveira at UFC Vegas 87 in March.
Merab Dvalishvili recently voiced his belief that a former UFC champion is far more deserving of the next bantamweight title shot than rising star Umar Nurmagomedov. Dvalishvili is gearing up for his first title opportunity against bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley in the main event of UFC 306, which is set to go down next weekend […]
Continue Reading Merab Dvalishvili Feels Former Champ More Deserving Of Next Title Shot Than Umar Nurmagomedov at MMA News.
Just when you thought the Dana White promotional push of Jon Jones’ UFC greatness would slow down a touch, it got taken to another level this week with a promo dedicated to Jones being the greatest fighter in the promotion’s history. Was this a move that should be taken as a positive one, or negative?
On an all-new episode of Between the Links, the panel reacts to the airing of the Jones promo during Tuesday’s edition of DWCS, how White has been handling the situation, along with the UFC heavyweight champ. Additionally, topics include Alex Pereira teasing a move to middleweight to fight Dricus du Plessis after his UFC 307 main event with Khalil Rountree Jr., Shavkat Rakhmonov claiming Belal Muhammad declined a title fight for October, and the back-and-forth continuing between the two, the UFC bringing UFC Vegas 97 headlined by Gilbert Burns vs. Sean Brady, while Bellator counters with Bellator San Diego with a lightweight title fight between Usman Nurmagomedov and Alexander Shabily, and more.
Host Mike Heck moderates the matchup between MMA Fighting’s Jed Meshew and Shaun Al-Shatti.
Watch the show live at 12:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. PT in the video above.
If you missed the show live, you can still watch above, or listen to the podcast version, which can be found below and on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your pods.
When BKFC flyweight champion Christine Ferea got a call almost a decade ago about participating in a brain health study involving fighters, she was just looking for some quick cash.
At the time, she was struggling to make ends meet, so the promise of an extra few hundred dollars just to get an MRI and some other scans done by the Cleveland Clinic sounded like a great deal. Little did she know that the brain health study provided her with so much insight that she’s remained part of the program ever since, undergoing yearly updates provided by her doctors to ensure she’s still cognitively fit to compete.
“I didn’t know what it was at first, and I went in and they do a brain scan on you, and it lets you know if your cognitive [function] is getting messed up, if your brain is damaged from the hits,” Ferea told MMA Fighting. “The first one is like a two-hour scan, and then every three years they do the two-hour scan, and then I do [another scan] every year.
“They let me know if I’m cognitively declining, if my brain is declining, if there’s brain damage accumulating. They do several cognitive tests, balance, so many different things to make sure [I’m healthy].”
Ferea admits she didn’t really concern herself with long-term health when she first became involved with fighting because she was just doing something that she loved. She also displayed incredible heart and durability during many of her fights across several combat sports, but that also meant she took a lot of damage along the way.
Once she got involved with the brain health study, Ferea started to see the benefits of understanding what effect the repeated blows to the head were having on her. It was a wake-up call that serves as a constant reminder that she can’t fight forever.
“Now I don’t have to wonder,” Ferea explained. “Am I getting messed up? Am I taking too many hits? How am I going to affected down the road? Because I have a meeting with the doctor after every MRI and the cognitive [testing] and all that kind of testing, and then they read the results, and then I meet with him right after. He runs down everything for me, he’ll tell me. I trust him. It’s good not to wonder what I’m doing to my brain every year.
“If I’m starting to decline, I’m quitting. Period. I’m not messing with my brain. If I break bones, if my back hurts, my shoulder, if that hurts I still care about that, but not as much as my brain.”
Ferea’s commitment to the study is so strong that she’s already planning on donating her brain to science after her death because there’s so much information that doctors can only retrieve post-mortem.
In particular, chronic traumatic encephalopathy — better known as CTE — can only be detected in examinations done during an autopsy.
“I definitely will give my brain to the study,” Ferea said. “It’s not like I need to keep it or anyone else needs to keep it.”
While long-term brain health has remained incredibly important to her, especially after getting involved with Cleveland Clinic, Ferea dealt with a situation recently that hit a little too close to home.
Back in May, Ferea was scheduled to face former boxing champion and Bellator veteran Heather Hardy in a BKFC title fight. Just days before they were scheduled to meet, Hardy dropped out of the fight and revealed that her career was likely over due to the amount of head trauma she suffered throughout her career.
“After finally seeing a doctor, he said I’ve had too many concussions,” Hardy said in a sobering social media post. “When you have a concussion, a piece of your brain dies and you never get it back. Imagine that? In 10 years I’ve had too much brain damage. I can’t get any more or else I won’t be able to see. No running, no jogging, no jumping rope, and no getting hit in the head.”
Hearing that served as a harsh reminder to Ferea that no amount of toughness or grit can save you from something as serious as brain damage.
After Hardy made that post, which effectively served as a retirement announcement, Ferea reached out in an attempt to connect her with the same doctors she’s been working with for the better part of the past decade.
“It’s very, very scary,” Ferea said of Hardy’s situation. “I’m the type of person, I have a chin so I can take a lot of damage. I’ll sit there and take it like whatever, it doesn’t affect me. That’s the kind of fighter Heather was. She’ll take a lot of damage because she has a lot of heart and a high pain tolerance. That really puts you in check in terms of being tough and just taking shot.
“You’ve got to be responsible even though you’re playing defense and you can take the hits and stuff like that.”
Now Ferea openly states that her dedication to long-term brain health hasn’t changed the way she fights because that would be a detriment to her career.
That said, the 41-year-old veteran promises if she ever finds out that her cognitive function has been compromised, she’ll retire on the spot.
“You’ve got to have a little bit of that ‘f*ck it’ [attitude] because you can’t go in there too careful,” Ferea said. “If you’re too careful, you’re not going to perform right or you’re going to hesitate. You can get knocked out hesitating.
“If it gets bad, I’m going to stop. I love this with all my heart and I love being champion and I love competing and I love dominating people, but it’s not worth not being able to speak my name or not being able to remember my family and all that.”
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Flyweight sluggers Jessica Andrade and Natalia Silva will go to war this weekend (Sat., Sept. 7, 2024) at UFC Vegas 97 inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Andrade has rebounded nicely from a rough 2023, winning her last two bouts opposite quality competition. Now that the former champion has a bit of 115-pound momentum, she’s — once again! — going to risk it all by jumping up 10 pounds and facing off with a top-notch Flyweight prospect.
Cash rules.
Silva has been highly impressive in her two years on the UFC roster. Undefeated in five trips to the Octagon, the 27-year-old Brazilian has picked apart all of her opponents and shown impressive athleticism. She looks like a future contender, and she’ll get a chance to prove her time is now in this match up.
Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete:
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Andrade vs. Silva Betting Odds
Jessica Andrade victory: +240
Jessica Andrade via TKO/KO/DQ: TBD
Jessica Andrade via submission: TBD
Jessica Andrade via decision: TBD
Natalia Silva victory: -298
Natalia Silva via TKO/KO/DQ: TBD
Natalia Silva via submission: TBD
Natalia Silva via decision: TBD
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
How Andrade Wins
Andrade is a powerhouse. She’s more physically dominant at Strawweight, but she’s still a powerful hitter and big takedown threat at 125-pounds. Aside from raw power and huge slams, Andrade is known for putting together body-head combinations of hooks.
Closing the distance is going to be a huge key here. Silva’s kickboxing at times leans more towards enthusiastic than technical, but she is still often able to keep opponents away by spamming them with a variety of kicks. Given Andrade’s height and reach disadvantages, closing into the pocket will be very important.
It’s a common situation for the former champion.
Andrade does her best work at closing range when she doesn’t headhunt. Her low kicks are a great weapon, as they can disrupt her opponent’s stance, leaving them stationary for follow-up punches. Body-head combinations are more likely to catch Silva circling with her chin high as well.
Generally, Andrade has to answer every kick. Whether she blocks, evades, or absorbs a Silva kick, “Bate Estaca” has to swarm forward with her own offense afterward rather than hang back.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
How Silva Wins
Silva has a Taekwondo background, and it shows in the cage! Strong and fast, Silva stabs at her opponent with lots of powerful kicks. When pressed, she’ll stand her ground and fire hard counter punches before returning to her bike and punishing kicking game. It’s an exhausting style, but Silva has the athleticism to pull it off.
We’ve seen Andrade cracked on the counter many times as she tries to come forward. Notably, Yan Xiaonan knocked her cold just last year with a plant right hand. Joanna Jedrzejczyk landed about 100 plant counters in her 25-minute domination of Andrade. Silva has the power to make that shot hurt as well as the style to land it often.
It starts with the jab, kicks, and movement. If Silva keeps her feet moving and offense flowing, she’ll force aggressive charges from the Brazilian. Silva can take her time, get a sense of Andrade’s timing, then plant her feet and try to make Andrade pay for her reckless nature.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Andrade Vs. Silva Prediction
Jessica Andrade’s career management is tragic.
On one hand, I get it: divorce and alleged embezzlement are expensive. Being a UFC fighter isn’t THAT profitable even for former champions. Andrade takes on any fight the UFC offers because she signed a lucrative contract relatively recently and wants to cash in on all those fights.
Alas, it’s very bad strategy for earning another title shot. All of Andrade’s style relies on her physicality advantage, which just isn’t as prominent at Flyweight. Silva in particular can probably match her speed and strength, which means Andrade is facing a range disadvantage without the skill to compensate.
Andrade is a gamer and could always pull it off via sudden KO or submission, but it sure feels like Silva picks her apart and ruins her Strawweight win streak.
Prediction: Natalia Silva via decision (odds not yet released)
Is Demetrious Johnson ready to make a definitive decision about the future of his fighting career?
Over the past 16 months, the reigning ONE Championship flyweight champion has been mulling retirement or possibly coming back for one more fight but he hasn’t said for certain which will happen. Johnson’s main focus lately has been competing in Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournaments, building his YouTube channel and continuing to expand his businesses outside the sport.
He said just recently that he wasn’t “officially retired” but admitted that MMA “is not on my mind right now.”
ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong can’t say with any certainty what Johnson is planning but he supports whatever decision the 38-year-old veteran makes.
“I talked to DJ nine months ago, six months ago and a month ago and I said hey, the ball’s in your court,” Sityodtong told MMA Fighting. “Whatever you want to do, we’ll support it. Nine months ago, he called me ‘hey Chatri, I want to make a run at gi jiu-jitsu, I want to try and compete in brown belt Worlds Masters.’ He obviously won that world championship. He just competed in the black belt Masters last weekend and got to the quarterfinals, which is unbelievable.
“I mean think about his resume as a martial artist. He’s an elite striker, an elite wrestler, an elite jiu-jitsu competitor and obviously the GOAT of mixed martial arts. But he is 38 and he’s literally not sparred in 18 months. I’m not pushing him or anything but the ball’s in his court. DJ’s in Denver. So let’s see what he says.”
On Friday, ONE Championship lands in Denver for ONE 168, which is the Singapore based promotion’s third card in the United States with a fourth planned in Atlanta in November.
Johnson is expected to attend the event as a special guest and Sityodtong teased that perhaps the former UFC champion will address his future during the show.
“I think DJ’s in Denver for a reason,” Sityodtong said. “I think people have got to ask him why he’s in Denver. Maybe DJ’s going to announce the biggest fight ever or maybe he’s going to retire. I don’t know but let’s see.”
Johnson has stated that for him to return to fighting, he would have to be enticed by the right opportunity.
Considering the long list of accomplishments that Johnson already has on his resume, Sityodtong understands why “Mighty Mouse” isn’t really interested in just facing the next person in line for his flyweight title.
That’s why Sityodtong believes it really comes down to finding a particular opponent that would draw Johnson’s interest enough for him to fight again.
“It has to be a very big, big fight that would move the needle,” Sityodtong said. “I don’t think he could just take a regular fight, a regular title defense. It would have to be something very special. Something unique.
“Something like the special rules fight he did with Rodtang [Jitmuangno], something crazy like that, that would get him adrenaline and goosebumps and ready to go.”
On the flipside, Sityodtong can’t argue with Johnson if he ultimately decides to call it a career and retire with the record setting resume he’s already built since first debuting back in 2006.
Johnson remains the longest reigning champion across any division in the UFC with 11 consecutive title defenses and that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his accomplishments.
He’s also claimed the ONE Flyweight Grand Prix title and then became ONE flyweight champion with a stunning knockout over Adriano Moraes to avenge his own loss to the Brazilian from the previous year. Johnson has done just about everything he’s ever wanted so Sityodtong understands if he just wants to hang up his gloves for good.
“The thing is he’s been there, done that,” Sityodtong said. “In the two largest organizations in the world, he’s been there, done that. He’s conquered the mountain of UFC and he’s conquered the mountain of ONE. The only person to do so, which is just incredible.
“He’s almost like those old Ronin warriors that would travel the world fighting anybody to prove that they’re the best. He is very special. We all know DJ is very special.”
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images 
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images 
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images 
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images 
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