Denis Goltsov and Tim Johnson will headline PFL 7 on Friday night. | PFL
MMA Fighting has PFL 7 results for the Goltsov vs. Johnson fight card and more from the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn., on Friday night.
In the main event, Denis Goltsov and Tim Johnson will clash in a heavyweight contest.
Flyweights Dakota Ditcheva and Jena Bishop will square off in the co-main event.
UFC president Dana White has made his stance clear on a potential boxing fight of Alex Pereira vs. Jake Paul. Poatan’ Pereira is the UFC light heavyweight champion and ‘The Problem Child’ Jake Paul is a professional boxer and YouTube star.
Alex Pereira vs. Jake Paul
A fight rumor between Alex Pereira and Jake Paul had been circulating as of late. After ‘The Problem Child’ knocked out BKFC and UFC athlete Mike Perry in a boxing match, then Jake Paul called out the UFC champion ‘Poatan.’ He even phoned the Brazilian striker while in the ring and Pereira agreed to the matchup.
However, a showdown between the two seems unlikely. The UFC typically does not allow active fighters to compete outside of the organization even in blockbuster boxing fights. Francis Ngannou, heavyweight champion, was hoping to work with the UFC on a boxing career but they were not receptive, and the Cameroonian athlete is not alone. Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather in 2017 was the only exception, a very rare moment in how the UFC acts.
Originally, Pereira did intend to have a boxing career. But with a late start into combat sports, the Brazilian instead chose to become a kickboxer. Since then he has earned two division titles in both GLORY Kickboxing and the UFC. ‘Poatan’ is well known and feared for his knockout power.
On facing Alex Pereira, ‘The Problem Child’ said:
“Alex Pereira, you said you want to box, I’m the king of this. Come over, we can make it happen. I want you Alex Pereira. I just beat a BKFC champion. I beat multiple UFC champions. He said he wants to box. Alex Pereira, after Mike Tyson, let’s make it happen.”
“These guys aren’t their own bosses. I want all the smoke, but at the end of the day, will Dana [White] let him out? That’s too bit of a risk if I could embarrass his No. 1 most praised fighter right now.” [H/t MMAFighting]
Since becoming a professional boxer, the YouTube star Paul has defeated fighters such as Ben Askren, Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley, and Nate Diaz, plus has a lone loss to Tommy Fury.
Dana White Responds to Jake Paul
When asked about a potential Paul vs. Pereira fight, in an interview with TNT Sports, he laughed it off. Dana White added:
“I haven’t even talked to Perry in a long time and I didn’t even know Jake Paul was fighting. I was on vacation in Italy, I had no idea. There’s all these stories that were written, it’s ridiculous. I stopped paying attention to Jake Paul when he lost to Fury, you know what I mean. It’s like when he fought somebody that was his age and actually boxed, he lost and I’m not s******* on the kid, I don’t even think about him anymore.
“It doesn’t even cross my mind. I have no beef with him. ‘They’re trying to get me assassinated’. Nobody’s trying to get you assassinated especially, listen, I respect Perry. Smaller, older, I mean it’s the same blueprint that they’re fighting older, smaller guys that, it’s just I literally don’t even think about him anymore. It’s all b*******.” [H/t MMANews]
Dana White, UFC president, seems like he is not taking the Jake Paul boxing career seriously nor is he paying attention to it. Tommy Fuy, the brother of heavyweight king Tyson Fury, gave Paul his first career loss in boxing. Tommy Fury is not known for his boxing game nor is he highly respected or ranked in boxing, he is best known as a reality TV star. However, Jake paul continues to sell fights and will eventually compete in MMA with the PFL.
UFC Fight Night: Cory Sandhagen vs. Umar Nurmagomedov takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!
After staging its return to Manchester, England, for the UFC 304 pay-per-view last weekend, MMA’s leading promotion has remained on the road for a card inside the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Before returning to the venue for its annual numbered event this October, the UFC will put on a Fight Night event topped by elite bantamweight contenders Cory Sandhagen and Umar Nurmagomedov. The former interim title challenger and his undefeated Russian opponent will be looking to stake their claims for a shot at the winner of Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili.
Saturday’s co-headliner, meanwhile, will see another unbeaten name back in action as Sharabutdin Magomedov looks to make it three from three in the UFC at the expense of Michał Oleksiejczuk.
Before that, a second crucial contest at 135 pounds will go down. Making the walk for the first time since his defeat to O’Malley in their UFC 299 title fight, Marlon Vera will look to revive his championship ambitions before stalling the two-weight goals of ex-flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo.
Elsewhere on the lineup, the likes of former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson and strawweight submission specialist Mackenzie Dern are among those set to be in action.
Ahead of the event, all 26 fighters successfully made weight. With that, all that remains on Friday is for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi ceremonial weigh-ins!
Check out a stream via the official UFC YouTube channel below, commencing at 10 AM ET.
UFC Fight Night Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream
Continue Reading UFC Fight Night: Cory Sandhagen vs. Umar Nurmagomedov Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream at MMA News.
The fighters competing on Saturday’s UFC event in Abu Dhabi officially weighed in on Friday morning. The fight card is headlined by a bantamweight fight between second-ranked Cory Sandhagen and undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov.
Sandhagen (17-4) will enter the fight riding a three-fight winning streak. Nurmagomedov (17-0) hasn’t tasted defeat and has finished three of his five UFC opponents. Ranked 10th in the division, Nurmagomedov has the opportunity to pick up the biggest win of his career.
Nurmagomedov weighed in at 135 pounds while Sandhagen tipped the scales at 136 pounds. The match is essentially a No. 1 contender bout with the winner likely earning a title shot.
Taila Santos feels Dakota Ditcheva was given an easier path to the PFL playoffs.
Santos, a one-time UFC title contender, and Ditcheva are both one win away from the 2024 PFL flyweight final. Santos, who has gone 2-0 since joining PFL this year, told MMA Fighting “it’s pretty clear” that Ditcheva was given favorable matchups during the regular season.
Ditcheva reached the playoffs by beating Lisa Mauldin and Chelsea Hackett, who were 6-3 and 4-2-1 at the time of their fights. The undefeated flyweight entered the season after winning 2023’s PFL Europe tournament, but the combined record of her three opponents in that bracket was 13-10.
“The fights they were giving her in the beginning, it’s pretty clear they were giving her an easy run so she could make it to the finals,” Santos said. “That’s why I said I want to show her what a real fight is all about, a tough fight. I fought tough fights since the beginning and I don’t care. That’s exactly what I want. I want to tough fights to show I’m the best.”
Santos choked out Ilara Joanne in her PFL debut and then won a split decision over Jena Bishop, who faces Ditcheva in her semifinal match Aug. 2 at PFL 7. Santos, who gave Valentina Shevchenko a tough five-round battle in the UFC, and has beaten the likes of Joanne Wood, Roxanne Modafferi, and Molly McCann in the octagon, faces Bellator flyweight champion Liz Carmouche for the other spot in the $ 1 million PFL final.
“It’s going to be really interested to have both of us getting to this final and fighting each other,” Santos said. “I just want to be in the final and face whoever, but it would be quite interesting to fight her. I would really like to fight Dakota because fans would like this one. People are talking about this fight, and I want to show her what a real fight is like. It would be exciting. I’m very excited to face her, really.”
Santos has to get past Carmouche first, and she’s confident she’ll get the job done.
“It’s an incredible fight. All respect to her, an incredible athlete as well, a veteran, and it’s an honor for me to fight her,” Santos said. “I’m very versatile as a fighter, although I grew up training Muay Thai before training jiu-jitsu and wrestling and everything else. I feel super comfortable in all areas today. I like it a lot, and I know she tries to grapple more, to back her opponents against the cage and impose her game. It’s going to be a very interesting game.”
As for the other semifinal, Santos isn’t confident in picking Ditcheva to beat Bishop.
“I think it’s going to be close,” Santos said. “It won’t be an easy fight for either one of them. If Jena can close the distance and take her down quickly and not give Dakota space on the feet — Dakota knows her to use her reach and she’s powerful. Jena surprised me, she’s really strong and I wasn’t expecting that. She’s very experienced, so she can win this if she can close the distance.”
“I came here to win this belt,” Santos added. “I’m ready to go to the final and win, no matter who I’m fighting there. I’m here to fight the best.”
LIVE weigh ins results and real-time updates will start trickling in around 1 a.m. ET in the post below.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is just over 24 hours away from the upcoming UFC Abu Dhabi mixed martial arts (MMA) event, which is set to go down tomorrow (Sat., Aug. 3, 2024) on ABC and ESPN2/ESPN+ from inside Etihad Arena on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi, UAE. UFC Abu Dhabi will be headlined by a bantamweight clash between Cory Sandhagen and Umar Nurmagomedov, a five-round headliner with serious title implications for late 2024 and beyond.
Before the ABC and ESPN2/ESPN+ live streams get underway this weekend in Abu Dhabi, which also include the middleweight showdown between 185-pound rising stars Sharabutdin Magomedov and Michał Oleksiejczuk — filling in for the scrapped co-main event between Nick Diaz and Vicente Luque — all 26 fighters must hit the scale to prove themselves worthy.
Complete UFC Abu Dhabi weigh ins text results below:
UFC Abu Dhabi Main Card On ABC/ESPN+:
135 lbs.: Cory Sandhagen (136) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (135) 185 lbs.: Sharabutdin Magomedov (186) vs. Michał Oleksiejczuk (185) 135 lbs.: Marlon Vera (136) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (135.5) 170 lbs.: Tony Ferguson (170) vs. Michael Chiesa (170) 115 lbs.: Mackenzie Dern (115) vs. Loopy Godinez (115.5) 155 lbs.: Joel Alvarez (155.5) vs. Elves Brener (155)
UFC Abu Dhabi Prelims Card on ESPN2/ESPN+:
155 lbs.: Guram Kutateladze (155) vs. Jordan Vucenic (155) 205 lbs.: Alonzo Menifield (204) vs. Azamat Murzakanov (205) 115 lbs.: Victoria Dudakova (115.5) vs. Sam Hughes (115) 155 lbs.: Mohammad Yahya (155) vs. Kaue Fernandes (155.5) 265 lbs.: Shamil Gaziev (262) vs. Don’Tale Mayes (265) 155 lbs.: Jai Herbert (155.5) vs. Rolando Bedoya (155) 185 lbs.: Sedriques Dumas (186) vs. Denis Tiuliulin (185)
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Abu Dhabi fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN2/ESPN+preliminary card matchups, which are scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining main card balance on ABC/ESPN+at 3 p.m. ET.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC Abu Dhabi news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archives here, here, and here. For the updated and finalized “Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov” fight card and ABC/ESPN+ lineup click here.
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