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Douglas Lima will resume his Bellator career and return to the cage in San Diego on Sept. 7, when “The Phenom” takes on Dana White’s Contender Series veteran Aaron Jeffery in a middleweight showdown.

Promotional officials confirmed the booking to MMA Fighting.

The Bellator Champions card will feature Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Alexander Shabliy for the lightweight title in the main event live on MAX.

Lima (33-11) publicly complained he was put “on the sidelines for a year” after PFL allegedly deemed his purse to be “too high” following the PFL-Bellator merger. Lima ultimately reached a deal with the promotion in a matter of days, and now has a bout booked.

Lima was one of the most successful champions in Bellator history, beating the likes of Michael Page, Rory MacDonald, Andrey Koreshkov and Paul Daley, but had his back against the wall after losing four straight. Lima last fought in May 2023, defeating Costello van Steenis via decision.

Jeffery (14-5) won three of five under the Bellator banner, including finishes over Austin Vanderford and Fabio Aguiar. Jeffery, who lost a decision to Caio Borralho at DWCS in 2021, was on the losing end of a decision in his most recent bout versus Fabian Edwards.

The current Bellator Champions Series: San Diego lineup will see Raufeon Stots vs. Marcos Breno in the co-main event spot and Lorenz Larkin battling Levan Chokheli, Bellator announced Tuesday.

Stots (20-2) rebounded from a loss to champion Patchy Mix with a decision victory over Danny Sabatello this past November, boosting his promotional record to 8-1. Stots, who now holds two wins over Sabatello, has also beaten the likes of Juan Archuleta, Magomed Magomedov and Keith Lee under the Bellator banner.

Breno (15-3), on the other hand, is looking to bounce back from a defeat to Sabatello in his most recent appearance in April 2023, dropping his Bellator record to 1-1. The 135-pound talent won a decision over Josh Hill in late 2022 in promotional debut after beating fellow prospects Ary Farias and Leandro da Silva in the Brazilian circuit.

Larkin (26-8, 2 no contests), who stopped Alan Domínguez in under five minutes at PFL 6 this past June, re-enters the Bellator cage looking to put on a streak together after seeing his eight-fight unbeaten streak snap in a split decision to Andrey Koreshkov in July 2023.

Chokheli (13-2, 1 no contest) won his past three under the Bellator banner, collecting decisions over Roman Faraldo and Michael Lombardo before tapping Sabah Homasi in under two minutes at Bellator 299 in Dublin.

MMA Fighting – All Posts

Conor McGregor’s UFC return continues to be surrounded by doubt. Because of this, Michael Chandler is beginning to make backup plans should the long-awaited fight fail to go ahead.

After putting on all-timer matchups since entering the octagon, Chandler’s career has now taken a hit. The former Bellator lightweight champion has sat out a large chunk of his final years in the sport, hindering the heights he may have reached under the UFC banner.

Now, a year on from coaching on The Ultimate Fighter, Michael Chandler is seemingly done waiting around for Conor McGregor.

In a post on social media, the 38-year-old requested a new matchup — against another returning legend of the sport. 

“Better idea,” Chandler said in response to a fan on X. “Me and Nate Diaz fight like real men, while Conor sits on a yacht and watches on PPV in his slippers.”

Sit down, Ron… better idea – me and @NateDiaz209 fight like real men, while Conor sits on a yacht and watches on PPV in his slippers. #ufcnoche #riyadhseason https://t.co/VKR7MFAdg2

— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) July 9, 2024

Chandler is hoping to compete at the Las Vegas Sphere, which is set to host UFC 306 later this year.

If Conor McGregor isn’t available by that date, Nate Diaz could serve as the perfect replacement. Diaz is fresh off an impressive boxing win and has already shared his interest about featuring at the Sphere. Alongside that, he recently made an announcement that he’s ready to return to the UFC in the near future.

Related: Conor McGregor looks ready for UFC return as new footage surfaces

Despite reportedly denying a title fight against Islam Makhachev in order to pursue the McGregor fight, Chandler could now be willing to walk away from the monumental clash.

While no further fight news has been announced, ‘The Notorious’ claims Chandler would be foolish to sign any other bout agreement.

According to the Irishman, the money ‘Iron’ would make for fighting him would be ten-times more than he would receive facing anybody else. McGregor will now try to recover from the injury that forced him out of UFC 303.

MMAWeekly.com | UFC and MMA News, Results, Rumors, and Videos

Oh wow
| BJPenn.com

UFC

This weekend (Sat., July 13, 2024), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) ventures forth to Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., for UFC Denver. Once again, we’re looking at a reasonably good card that got torched by injury. The loss of athletes in both the main- and co-main events hurts, but at least the remaining halves of those match ups — Rose Namajunas and Drew Dober — remain booked against new opposition. All told, 22 athletes are scheduled to compete in the “Mile High City,” and we’ll find out on fight night who took the time to acclimate to the altitude.

Let’s dig into all the main card fights leading up to the co-main event:

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Lightweight: Drew Dober (-105) vs. Jean Silva (-115)

Best Win for Dober? Bobby Green For Silva? Charles Jourdain
Current Streak: Dober lost his last bout, whereas Silva has won two in a row inside the Octagon
X-Factor: Silva fought two weeks ago and is fighting up a weight class
How these two match up: Even disregarding the bout’s status as a last-second booking, this is a banger!

Dober is an all-action Lightweight, a Southpaw kickboxer with proven knockout power and durability. Historically, he’s had difficulty getting held down by superior wrestlers, but Dober has improved that aspect of his game enough to become ranked on at least a couple occasions. Silva, meanwhile, is a power-punching Featherweight who just sparked Charles Jourdain at UFC 303 (watch it). He rebounds quickly here and takes a huge jump up in competition, but it’s also a major opportunity for “Lord Assassin.”

For all but the absolute best Featherweights on the roster, taking on Dober on short-notice seems like a really tall task. He’s one of the largest Lightweights on the roster, which makes the challenge even greater. There’s always a chance that Silva can surprise Dober with his speed early on, but even then, Dober has historically been able to take a big shot and bounce back if necessary.

Most likely, the two throw down, it gets a little chaotic, then Dober’s size, power and preparation all pay off in the form of a Lightweight record-setting knockout win.

Prediction: Dober via knockout

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Welterweight: Gabriel Bonfim (-395) vs. Ange Loosa (+310)

Best Win for Bonfim? Trevin Giles For Loosa? John Howard
Current Streak: Bonfim lost his last bout, whereas Loosa won two in a row prior to his “No Contest” vs. Bryan Battle
X-Factor: How does Bonfim respond from his first career defeat?
How these two match up: This feels like an opportunity for Bonfim to bounce back.

The Brazilian is just 26 years of age, but has been a professional since 2014. In his trio of UFC fights, Bonfim has demonstrated serious skill on the feet and on the mat, though Nicholas Dalby was able to out-dog him and hand “Marrentinha” his first career defeat. Despite that loss, he should still be considered a quality Welterweight prospect.

Loosa, meanwhile, is four fights deep into his UFC career. He doesn’t have any particularly standout skills, but well-roundedness and a decent athletic base have kept him around thus far. Truthfully, he was getting touched up in his last bout versus Battle, but a controversial eye poke allowed him an out via “No Contest.”

This feels like a layup for Bonfim, who is technically better and more athletic than his opponent. Loosa is not Bonfim; he doesn’t have the ultra high pace or ridiculous toughness. Hell, he has fewer fights than Bonfim overall, so expecting that kind of “veteran win” seems improbable.

I’m predicting tapout win No. 13 for Bonfim.

Prediction: Bonfim via submission

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Featherweight: Christian Rodriguez (-205) vs. Julian Erosa (+170)

Best Win for Rodriguez? Raul Rosas Jr. For Erosa? Hakeem Dawodu
Current Streak: Rodriguez has won four in a row, while Erosa won his last bout
X-Factor: Erosa is wildly inconsistent
How these two match up: Expect violence.

The third time was the charm for “Juicy J,” who failed to carve out a spot on UFC’s roster until his third stint in the promotion. He did make up for lost time, however, picking up some of the best wins of his entire career almost immediately and establishing himself as a very fun Featherweight action fighter. His defense, unfortunately, remains a weakness.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, has established himself as a quality prospect. At 26 years of age, “CeeRod” has the composure and well-rounded skills of a much more experienced athlete, and he’s made it a habit to outlast his opponents. That said, this is just his second fight at 145 pounds. since being forced up a weight class following two failed Bantamweight cuts.

This is a difficult match up to predict because we haven’t seen Rodriguez fight anyone quite like Erosa … though admittedly few fight like “Juicy J.” His recent wins have seen him shucking off takedowns and beating up opponents when they tire, but that’s not Erosa’s game at all. Instead, Erosa will be looking to awkwardly pick him apart and make use of his massive height and reach advantages.

Most likely, this one stays on the feet. Rodriguez is the sharper boxer and should have a speed advantage, but the length and craftiness of Erosa remains a significant concern. Rodriguez isn’t much of a knockout artist either, which is historically the way to defeat Erosa.

I think it’s more of a coin toss than the odds indicate, but I’ll still side with the up-and-comer.

Prediction: Rodriguez via decision

Photo by Al Powers/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Middleweight: Cody Brundage (+130) vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan (-155)

Best Win for Brundage? Tresean Gore For Alhassan? Niko Price
Current Streak: Both men lost their last bout
X-Factor: Both tend to win or lose quickly
How these two match up: There’s little chance this one makes it to the judges.

Both athletes are very much finish-or-be-finished fighters, though they go about it in different ways. Brundage is a skilled wrestler who doesn’t like to wait around, pushing the pedal through the floor via heavy overhand swings, big slams, and choke attempts. Alhassan, conversely, is a Judoka who prefers to throw massive bombs, which either knock his opponent senseless or fatigue him badly.

Neither man is particularly defensively savvy here, so it really feels like a question of who lands first whether we’re talking punches or takedowns. Likely, Alhassan is too strong for Brundage to ragdoll to the floor quickly. In that case, he’s stuck on the feet while “Judo Thunder” is at his most powerful, and I’ve never got the feeling that Brundage particularly likes getting hit.

In that case, it won’t take long.

Prediction: Alhassan via knockout

‘X-Factor’ Picks for 2024: 26-17 (2)

Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Denver fight card right here, starting with the ESPN/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches, which are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET, then the remaining main card balance on ESPN (simulcast on ESPN+) at 10 p.m. ET.

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

MMAmania.com – All Posts

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

The Mixed Martial Arts Hour is back in your life! Below is a rundown of Wednesday’s show, which begins at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT / 6 p.m. UK time.

1:05 p.m. ET: Rose Namajunas discusses her upcoming main event against Tracy Cortez at UFC Denver this Saturday.

1:25 p.m.: Michael Page reflects on his loss to Ian Machado Garry at UFC 303.

1:45 p.m.: Brendan Loughnane talks about his upcoming fight against Kai Kamaka this August.

2:05 p.m.: Dustin Poirier joins us in studio to discuss his UFC 302 title loss to Islam Makhachev and what’s next for him.

3:05 p.m.: Amanda Serrano talks about her upcoming fight against Stevie Morgan and her rematch against Katie Taylor.

3:30 p.m.: Ariel answers your latest questions On the Nose, and the parlay pals make their latest pick.

For latest episodes of The MMA Hour, subscribe on Spotify or iTunes.

MMA Fighting – All Posts

Ahead of his return at the end of the month in the main event of UFC 304, incumbent welterweight champion, Leon Edwards has welcomed a potential super fight against current lightweight kingpin, Islam Makhachev, claiming he can definitely forsee a pairing between himself and the Russian soon.

Edwards, the current undisputed welterweight champion, returns this month in Manchester, headlining UFC 304 in a rematch against his fellow surging star, Belal Muhammad in a re-run of their official ‘No Contest’ showdown back in 2020.

Sidelined since last December, Birmingham native, Edwards most recently racked up his second successful defense of the 170lbs championship, turning in a one-sided unanimous decision shutout win over former interim gold holder, Colby Covington.

Leon Edwards welcomes super fight with Islam Makhachev after UFC 304

And forever linked with a super fight against current pound-for-pound lightweight champion, Makhachev for his own welterweight crown, Edwards admitted that while both himself and the 155lbs kingpin has some more work to do, they will likely meet down the line.

“For sure, for sure,” Leon Edwards said of a title fight with Islam Makhachev during an interview with talkSPORT. “I feel like we’ve both got work to do within our division… We’re both on similar paths so I can see that happening in the future. I would like to move up as well, and challenge for the middleweight belt.”

Earlier this week to boot, Team Renegade MMA & BJJ mainstay, Edwards received a call out from former foe, Nate Diaz – who welcomed the chance to take on his past rival in a welterweight championship rematch, off the back of his own boxing win over Jorge Masvidal. 

Who would win in a future title super fight: Leon Edwards or Islam Makhachev?

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts