All articles tagged with #middleweight
Israel Adesanya weighed in at the middleweight limit for his UFC Seattle comeback against Joe Pyfer, with fans worried by his drained look on the scales; the fight could determine whether the former champ continues in the UFC.
Ahead of UFC Seattle, Joe Pyfer and Israel Adesanya shared a classy final face-off as Pyfer thanked Adesanya for accepting the bout. The main event pits a rising middleweight in Pyfer against the former champ Adesanya, who is chasing a turnaround after recent losses, while Pyfer seeks momentum in his own winning streak.
Costello van Steenis halted Fabian Edwards in the third round to defend the PFL middleweight title in Madrid, capitalizing on Edwards’s grappling decisions and finishing with a flurry of elbows as a takedown attempt backfired; it marked Van Steenis’s second win over Edwards and his first title defense in front of a home crowd, while Edwards’ world-title hopes—after two prior defeats—were dashed.
Costello van Steenis defended his PFL middleweight title in Madrid by stopping Fabian Edwards with elbows at 1:48 of Round 3, capping a night that also featured A.J. McKee’s decision over Adam Borics, Luciano Pereira’s KO of Kevin Cordero, Linton Vassell’s TKO of Jose Augusto, Jacinta Austin’s first-round KO of Benita van Rooij, Franco Tenaglia’s second-round TKO of Yassin Najid (injury), and multiple decisions including Mattia Giordano over Ernesto Schisano, Gino van Steenis KO’ing Mark Ewen, Borja Garcia Heres over Rafael Calderon, Claudio Pacella over David Mora, and Nacho Campos over Mathys Duragrin.
Michael Page says his UFC tenure has been frustratingly quiet since late 2023, moving up to middleweight to stay active after a win over Jared Cannonier, but he’s struggled to secure welterweight bouts and has been waiting for another fight since August. He eventually fought Sam Patterson at UFC London, but Page insists he wants to return to welterweight and stay busy while his career remains active, noting the long layoff and irregular scheduling as the main issues.
Sean Strickland ended Anthony Hernandez’s win streak with a third‑round TKO in the UFC Fight Night 267 main event in Houston, marking his return from a yearlong layoff and putting him back into the middleweight title conversation as reactions roll in.
Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland returns from a year-long layoff to fight Anthony Hernandez at UFC Fight Night in Houston, promising a five-round grappling-heavy battle as he seeks to climb back up the division with strong support from his Xtreme Couture teammates.
Anthony Hernandez responds to Sean Strickland’s racist post by saying he’ll “torture” him in the five‑round UFC Houston main event, which could determine the next middleweight title challenger for Khamzat Chimaev. Hernandez isn’t offended, cites support from the Mexican community, and remains focused on winning to push back into title contention even as he recognizes the fight’s significance.
UFC has booked a marquee middleweight showdown in Seattle: Israel Adesanya vs. Joe Pyfer headlines UFC Fight Night on March 28 at Climate Pledge Arena, with Adesanya aiming to snap a winless run since his KO of Pereira and Pyfer seeking to prove he belongs among the division's elites, alongside a flyweight title rematch between Alexa Grasso and Maycee Barber.
Reinier de Ridder's recent weight update and fight schedule at UFC Vancouver have sparked fan debates about his weight management and potential struggles with weight cuts, amid concerns and humorous comments about his clothing and weight fluctuations, though his past fighting at higher weights suggests he is experienced with weight management.
Khamzat Chimaev expressed his desire to fight Alex Pereira for the light heavyweight title, citing Pereira as a good matchup and a potential second belt opportunity, while also being open to other contenders if the fight pays well.
Reinier de Ridder will now face Brendan Allen at UFC Vancouver on October 18 after Anthony Hernandez withdrew from their scheduled bout, which was part of a middleweight title eliminator. The change raises questions about the title shot implications, with de Ridder aiming to continue his winning streak in the UFC.
Kelvin Gastelum missed weight by five pounds for his UFC fight at Noche UFC, marking his fourth such failure, which has led to criticism from fighters and fans. The bout will proceed as a catchweight with Gastelum paying a fine, but the incident has further tarnished his reputation among the MMA community.
Nassourdine Imavov won his UFC Fight Night main event in Paris, calling out Khamzat Chimaev for a title shot after a dominant decision over Caio Borralho, positioning himself as a top contender in the middleweight division.
Nassourdine Imavov secured a decisive victory over Caio Borralho in Paris, strengthening his claim for a UFC middleweight title shot and calling for a fight against Khamzat Chimaev, amid a night of notable UFC performances and retirements.