All articles tagged with #flyweight
At UFC 331’s pre-fight press conference, reigning flyweight champion Joshua Van and former titleholder Alexandre Pantoja traded trash talk; Pantoja even rose from his chair and moved toward Van before UFC CEO Dana White stepped in to prevent an altercation. Van then taunted Pantoja with his belt as they eyed their Sept. 19 rematch in Los Angeles, with fiery staredowns highlighting the build to the fight.
UFC 331 in Los Angeles on Sept. 19 will crown a flyweight champion in a rematch as Joshua Van defends his title against Alexandre Pantoja, who returns from injury; the card also features Arman Tsarukyan’s five-round clash with Mauricio Ruffy as both lightweights chase a title shot, plus a stacked lineup including Patricio Pitbull vs. Dooho Choi, Renato Moicano vs. Brian Ortega, and more, with the full bout order to be announced.
Manel Kape says he won’t wait for a UFC flyweight title shot, choosing to stay active instead after being offered the option to wait for the winner of Van vs. Taira. He’ll fight Kyoji Horiguchi in UFC Vegas 119, a rematch he sees as part of his ongoing path toward a title. He recalls the first fight as under-prepared on his side, but believes his current level shows he’s evolved; the UFC reportedly offered apologies for the delay and remains a potential path to gold, as Kape emphasizes earning the title on merit and timing rather than waiting.
Sean Strickland defeated Khamzat Chimaev by split decision to reclaim the UFC middleweight title in a main event that left questions about Chimaev’s weight cut and in-fight plan; Joshua Van defended the flyweight title against Tatsuro Taira in a standout performance that keeps Alexandre Pantoja’s name in the title mix; Yaroslav Amosov delivered a highlight-reel finish against Joel Alvarez, Jim Miller earned a landmark victory and a new five‑fight deal at 42, and Sean Brady also won, all adding layers to the event’s evolving storylines, including chatter about Chimaev potentially moving up to light heavyweight and who the true 125‑pound king is.
MMA Fighting’s roundtable weighs whether the Chimaev–Strickland feud could be UFC’s nastiest, including serious real-life threat talk and the UFC’s security measures, while also examining flyweight title implications from the Van vs. Taira co-main and highlighting intriguing undercard battles like Amosov vs. Alvarez, Dawson vs. Rebecki, and Green vs. Stephens, making UFC 328 a drama-rich night with meaningful rankings implications.
Maycee Barber was knocked out by Alexa Grasso at UFC Seattle, with Grasso following up a strong left hand by securing a rear-naked choke as the referee stopped the bout; Barber later posted that she doesn’t remember much but is OK and WILL return, ending her seven-fight win streak and highlighting her ongoing comeback from prior medical issues.
Muhammad Mokaev took a UFC lightweight bout on two days’ notice against Arman Tsarukyan in Brazil, facing a massive size difference (about 31 pounds/14 kg). He was choked unconscious via a rear-naked choke after eight minutes, refused to tap, and left the cage emotional. Post-fight, Mokaev said he’s returning to flyweight and won’t take such mismatches again, while Tsarukyan acknowledged the size gap and floated potential rematches with Oliveira and Danis. The bout highlighted the risks of drastic weight disparities in MMA.
Aaron Tau failed to make the 126-pound flyweight limit at Friday weigh-ins for the Road to UFC Season 4 final against Namsrai Batbayar, initially weighing 122.5 lbs in a privacy box before registering 129 lbs on a standard scale, leading to the bout’s cancellation; Tau apologized on Instagram for not making weight.
Muhammad Mokaev, an undefeated fighter, was upset about his reputation being damaged after the UFC chose not to re-sign him despite his success, but he has moved on to compete in BRAVE CF and remains optimistic about his future, including potential UFC return, while emphasizing his professionalism and support from fans and organizations.
Brandon Royval lost a highly competitive and record-breaking fight to Joshua Van at UFC 317, which was considered a potential Fight of the Year, showcasing incredible striking performance despite the loss, and reaffirming his status as a top flyweight contender.
Alexandre Pantoja successfully defended his UFC flyweight title with a third-round submission of Kai Kara-France at UFC 317, tying records for wins, finishes, and submissions in the division's history, and is now eyeing a higher pound-for-pound ranking and a potential fight against Joshua Van, who recently earned a title shot after a record-breaking fight.
Dana White criticized the lackluster performance of Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Kara-France in their first fight on 'The Ultimate Fighter,' noting that neither fighter did much of significance, with Pantoja fighting strategically to avoid injuries and both fighters failing to showcase much action.
UFC flyweight contender Maycee Barber missed weight by half a pound before her main event fight against Erin Blanchfield, but the bout will still proceed, with Barber forfeiting part of her purse. This is her first weight miss in her UFC career, and the fight is significant as both fighters are ranked in the top five of the division.
Erin Blanchfield suffered a one-sided decision loss to Manon Fiorot at UFC Atlantic City, but remains optimistic about her future in the UFC, expressing determination to come back stronger after the setback. Despite the defeat, Blanchfield's previous successes in the octagon indicate her potential for future accomplishments in the flyweight division.
Manon Fiorot improves to 7-0 in the UFC with a dominant performance over Erin Blanchfield, solidifying her status as the next No. 1 contender for the flyweight title. Fiorot's striking and physicality proved too much for Blanchfield, as she landed cleaner strikes and thwarted takedown attempts enroute to a unanimous 50-45 judges' decision. With a likely title shot on the horizon, Fiorot is ready to face the winner of the championship trilogy match between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko.