First bouts set for UFC's Contender Series Brazil
(https:)The UFC will produce the second season of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series in 2018, including names like Nick Newell and Greg Hardy. The company will also promote an all-Brazilian season of the show.
It’s still unclear whether or not the fights will air live or not, but 12 bouts are already a done deal for the show, featuring Bellator veteran Augusto Sakai and Rizin tournament semifinalist Maria Oliveira among others.
Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja on Tap For UFC Chile
(https:)It looks like Brandon Moreno may have found his replacement opponent in Alexandre Pantoja.
Combate is reporting that Pantoja will be replacing Ray Borg at UFC Chile to take on Moreno. Borg was removed from the card due to a family emergency. His infant son has undergone two emergency surgeries.
Gunnar Nelson injures knee, withdraws from UFC Liverpool
(https:)Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight contender Gunnar Nelson was hoping to get back inside of the Octagon in 2018 for a matchup with Neil Magny at UFC Fight Night 130 on May 27 from Liverpool, England, but will now have to wait longer to make his return.
According to The MMA Takeover, Nelson has suffered a knee injury in training that will require surgery, knocking him out of his co-main event clash with Magny next month.
Ray Borg out of Moreno fight, UFC looking for replacement
(https:)Translation:
UFC already moves to replace Ray Borg in the card of Chile (19/05), if he leaves fight against Brandon Moreno. The athlete's newborn son has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus and will go through the second brain surgery. UFC is in contact with potential surrogates.
Jose Aldo vs. Jeremy Stephens set for co-main event of UFC on FOX card in Calgary on July 28 (8 other bouts announced)
(https:)The UFC is heading back to Calgary with a major featherweight clash in tow.
Former UFC champion Jose Aldo will fight Jeremy Stephens in the co-main event of a UFC on FOX show scheduled for the Scotia Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, on July 28, per a report from the Calgary Sun. That report was later shared by the official UFC Canada Twitter account.
Sources told MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani that the hope is to schedule UFC women’s flyweight champion Nicco Montano’s first title defense vs. Valentina Shevchenko for the main event but that has not been finalized yet.
Per the Calgary Sun, several other bouts have been confirmed by the UFC. See the updated card below (bout order to be determined):
Kamaru Usman vs. Demian Maia in the works for UFC Chile
(https:)Kamaru Usman needed a new opponent at UFC Chile, and the promotion is bringing in a big name to face him in a five-round main event in Santiago.
Demian Maia, a former title contender at both welterweight and middleweight, is the frontrunner to step in against “The Nigerian Nightmare” on May 19, replacing injured Santiago Ponzinibbio, sources told MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani. The bout is not 100 percent official, but Maia will be the opponent barring a last-minute change.
Michael Bisping ‘probably retired’ but says if Nick Diaz met him at 195 pounds he’s ‘down’ for fight
(https:)We may have seen the last of Michael Bisping.
While Brad Tavares is set on being Bisping’s retirement fight, it appears that the future UFC Hall of Famer has other ideas. On the most recent episode of his Believe You Me podcast, Bisping addressed rumors of a potential fight between him and Nick Diaz as Bisping’s final bout, saying they are completely untrue and that he is “probably retired” anyway, he just hasn’t officially said it.
A Diaz fight, it appears, is one that would interest Bisping though. The former middleweight champion says that he has a lot of respect for the Stockton product and would be willing to forego retirement for a bout with Diaz, with one caveat.
Ronda Rousey admits she never learned how to lose: 'I did a whole lot of crying' after UFC defeats
(mmajunkie.com)Ronda Rousey broke down in tears Wednesday night as she spoke out publicly for the first time about the painful aftermath of the two stunning defeats that prompted the end of her UFC career.
Rousey (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) has remained silent on the shocking upset to Holly Holm in 2015 that broke her unbeaten record in MMA, and the crushing beatdown she suffered against Amanda Nunes a year later.
However, during a public question and answer session hosted by Hollywood director Peter Berg at the Wild Card West boxing gym, Rousey revealed just how deeply the loss of her reputation as the biggest star in the UFC had hurt.
UFC signs former WSOF heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov
(https:)The UFC has added a potential contender to the heavyweight roster.
Former World Series of Fighting (now Professional Fighters League) champion Blagoy Ivanov has signed with the UFC, sources confirmed with MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani. He is expected to debut this summer after amicably parting ways with the PFL.
UFC holding Ultimate Fighter casting call for women’s featherweight, men’s heavyweight fighters
(ufc.com)It appears the UFC is making a legitimate effort to fill out the much-maligned women’s featherweight division.
On Wednesday, the promotion announced it would be holding an Ultimate Fighter casting call for women’s 145-pound fighters on May 22 in Las Vegas. Male heavyweight fighters are also invited to the call. The Ultimate Fighter 28 will begin filming in July and air on FS1 later in the year.
Applicants . They must be age 21-34 and have a winning record with at least three professional fights.
Markus Perez vs. James Bochnovic Added to UFC 224 Lineup in Rio de Janeiro
(sherdog.com)The UFC 224 lineup appears to be nearly complete, as the promotion recently confirmed the addition of a middleweight contest pitting Markus Perez against James Bochnovic to the card.
UFC 224 takes place on May 12 at Juenesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro and is headlined by a women’s bantamweight title clash between Amanda Nunes and Raquel Pennington. The evening’s main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on Fox Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.
