Upcoming 2025 BKFC event schedule
Table of contents
BKFC 75 Albuquerque
The main event of BKFC 75 Albuquerque will feature a clash for the middleweight championship between David Mundell and Donald Sanchez. 'Redneck' will put the middleweight title on the line for the fourth time, with three stoppage wins in three championship defenses. The defending champion has won seven consecutive fights, with his only defeat dating back to February 2020.
How to watch BKFC 75 Albuquerque on June 6
The BKFC event will take place at the Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico
The card will kick off at 8:00 PM EDT
BKFC 75 Albuquerque will air live on DAZN
BKFC 75 Albuquerque card
David Mundell vs. Donald Sanchez (for the middleweight championship)
Murat Kilimetov vs. Leo Bercier
Derek Perez vs. Rick Caruso
Felipe Chavez vs. James Dennis
William Albrecht vs. Kyle McElroy
Jenny Savage vs. Crystal Van Wyk
Bryant McClain vs. Skyler Mauller
BKFC Fight Night Mohegan Sun
BKFC Mohegan Sun will feature a heavyweight clash between Parker Porter and Dillon Cleckler in the main event. The former UFC veteran will seek to build on the momentum after a first-round knockout victory over Chase Gormley in his BKFC debut in February. Cleckler returns to the squared circle after a three-year layoff, and will look to rebound from a knockout loss to Arnold Adams in May 2022.
How to watch BKFC Fight Night Mohegan Sun on June 14
The BKFC event will take place at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut
The card will begin at 6:00 PM EDT
BKFC Fight Night Mohegan Sun will air live on the BKFC app
BKFC Fight Night Mohegan Sun card
Parker Porter vs. Dillon Cleckler
Yorgan De Castro vs. Josh Watson
Brennan Ward vs. JR Rumley
Rico Disciullo vs. Zach Pannell
Lardy Navarro vs. Anthony Foye
John Howard vs. Pat Casey
Rick Hawn vs. Sergio Lopez
Peter Barrett vs. Nash Diederichs
Joseph Peters vs. Drew Nolan
Jared Lennon vs. Ishiah Carson
Randy Costa vs. Nick Burgos
Gary Balletto III vs. Rodney Thomas
BKFC 76 Texas
The headliner of BKFC 76 Texas will feature a rematch between undefeated lightweight champion Franco Tenaglia and Tony Soto. 'El Rey De La Calle' will make his first defense of the title after he defeated the former champion Soto in a majority decision win last October. 'Loco' is out to avenge the lone loss of his bare-knuckle career and to reclaim the championship belt.
How to watch BKFC 76 Texas on June 21
The BKFC event will take place at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas
The card will begin at 7:00 PM EDT
BKFC 76 Texas will air live on DAZN
BKFC 76 Texas card
Franco Tenaglia vs. Tony Soto (for the lightweight championship)
Andrei Arlovski vs. Geronimo Dos Santos
Jessica Eye vs. Mariya Agapova
Anthony Garrett vs. Haze Wilson
Kenzie Morrison vs. Alex Davis
Terryl Johnson vs. Kevin Sims
Derek Campos vs. Jake Heffernan
Brandon Meneses vs. Willie Gates
Darren Whitney vs. Rodney Hinton
James Gray vs. Roderick Stewart
Why is bare-knuckle boxing illegal?
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Bare-knuckle boxing was outlawed in most states due to its brutality, and the growth of traditional boxing with its in-depth rules. However, just like MMA's battle to change perceptions and gain acceptance, bare-knuckle boxing is slowly gaining legalization across the country and is now legal in 25 states.
What is the difference between UFC
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is a promotion where fighters compete under mixed martial arts rules, which allow grappling, submissions, kicks, knees, and elbow strikes. UFC contests are held in an octagon-shaped cage, and fighters typically wear four-ounce gloves.
BKFC follows the basic rules of boxing, except that fighters compete using only hand wraps around their fists, as opposed to wearing eight to 10-ounce gloves. BKFC contests also take place in a circular ring, which is referred to as the 'squared circle.'
Who owns BKFC?
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Triller purchased a majority share in the world leader of bare-knuckle boxing in 2022. However, in April 2024, Triller was purchased by a Hong Kong financial services company, AGBA, giving them ownership of BKFC.
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Yahoo
15 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sources: Nets eyeing draft-day trade with 76ers, Hornets amid Ace Bailey buzz
Feb 29, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets General Manager Sean Marks speaks to a group of people prior to the game against the Atlanta Hawks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports The post Sources: Nets eyeing draft-day trade with 76ers, Hornets amid Ace Bailey buzz appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Brooklyn Nets are eyeing a move up the board in Wednesday's NBA Draft. Armed with five first-round picks (Nos. 8, 19, 22, 26, 27), the team has inquired with several teams in the top five — including the San Antonio Spurs (No. 2), Philadelphia 76ers (No. 3) and Charlotte Hornets (No. 4) — about trades, league sources told ClutchPoints. Advertisement While Brooklyn is interested in moving up to No. 2, league circles have indicated that it would take a godfather offer to pry the pick away from the Spurs. San Antonio is poised to select Rutgers star Dylan Harper to pair with Victor Wembanyama. However, the Nets are interested in several prospects outside of Harper who are likely to be off the board before No. 8. They've held workouts with Tre Johnson, Jeremiah Fears and Kon Kneuppel. Ace Bailey reportedly views Brooklyn as one of his preferred destinations, alongside the Washington Wizards (No. 6) and New Orleans Pelicans (No. 7). But what would it take for the Nets to pull off a trade into the top five? Nets eyeing trade up the draft board after acquiring fifth first-round pick Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports The price wouldn't be insignificant. However, Brooklyn has no shortage of assets at its disposal. With five first-round picks this year, veterans such as Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton, and cap space to absorb unwanted contracts, general manager Sean Marks has several avenues to craft deals. Advertisement In Philadelphia's case, the Nets' cap space could be intriguing. Shedding Paul George's contract would generate significant financial flexibility moving forward. However, it's unclear whether Brooklyn would consider taking on the remaining three years, $162 million of George's deal. Such a move would be surprising, given Marks' emphasis on the importance of financial flexibility in the new CBA. With Bailey canceling his pre-draft workout with the 76ers and signaling he'd prefer to play elsewhere, rival teams expect Philadelphia to either select Baylor's VJ Edgecombe or trade its pick. Charlotte has reported interest in Edgecombe and Kneuppel. The latter could conceivably be available at No. 8 if the team traded back. Rival teams have also speculated that the Hornets could target Duke center Khaman Maluach. Should the Nets strike out on a move up from No. 8, they could trade up from No. 19 into the late lottery. Advertisement The Raptors hold the No. 9 pick and have been dangling RJ Barrett in trade discussions with multiple teams, sources told ClutchPoints. Brooklyn has previously explored a framework that would send Cam Johnson and No. 19 to Toronto for No. 9 and 'a bad contract,' according to NetsDaily. Phoenix at No. 10 could be another trade partner. After trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets, the Suns must shed more salary if they hope to dip below the second apron. They also need a center as they re-tool their roster around Devin Booker and have been linked to Claxton. The Nets have done their due diligence on several late-lottery prospects. They've met with French forward Noa Essengue, ranked No. 9 on ESPN's big board. 'We had good conversations. That was pretty cool. A good feeling. Nice people in the gym. Nice people around me,' Essengue told ClutchPoints of the meeting. Advertisement Brooklyn also hosted Cedric Coward and Carter Bryant for pre-draft workouts. Both players are projected to be taken in the late lottery of most mock drafts. Related: Danny Wolf among center prospects Nets could target in 2025 NBA Draft Related: Terance Mann has 'crazy' reaction after being traded to Nets
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
UFC 317 Fight Card: Odds, Lines, Prop Bets, Predictions And Picks
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 26: (L-R) Opponents Ilia Topuria of Germany and Charles Oliveira of Brazil ... More face off during the UFC 317 press conference at T-Mobile Arena on June 26, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Saturday's UFC 317 fight card features two title fights at the top of the marquee. In the main event, two former champs battle for the vacant UFC lightweight belt. In that contest, former UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria tangles with former UFC lightweight titleholder Charles Oliveira. In the UFC 317 co-main event, UFC flyweight kingpin Alexandre Pantoja faces Kai Kara-France. Also on the main card is a high-stakes 125-pound contest between Brandon Royval and Joshua Van. We look at the betting odds, line movement, potential prop bets, and picks for the UFC 317 main card. UFC 317 takes place on Saturday, June 28, from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The pay-per-view card is the focal point of the UFC's 2025 International Fight Week. The UFC 317 PPV fight card streams on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass. UFC 317 Fight Card Main Event: Betting Odds, Line Movement And Predictions - Ilia Topuria Vs. Charles Oliveira LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 26: (L-R) Opponents Ilia Topuria of Germany and Charles Oliveira of Brazil ... More face off during the UFC 317 press conference at T-Mobile Arena on June 26, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Ilia Topuria (16-0) is a former Cage Warriors champion. He joined the UFC in 2020 with a 9-0 record. It did not take him long to make a name for himself. He was ranked No. 14 in the featherweight division after three UFC bouts at 145 pounds and one contest in the 155-pound division. Three of those scraps ended with Topuria winning via knockout. In his first fight as a ranked featherweight, Topuria dispatched Bryce Mitchell via submission in the second round, earned his first 'Performance of the Night' bonus and moved to No. 9 in the rankings. A matchup with No. 5 ranked Josh Emmett followed the Mitchell win. Topuria picked up a decision in a 'Fight of the Night' scrap. Topuria's next fight, saw him face Alexander Volkanovski for the UFC featherweight title at UFC 298. Topuria entered that bout as the No. 3 ranked featherweight. He left as the champion after knocking out Volkanovski in the second stanza. In his first defense of the UFC featherweight crown, Topuria made history, becoming the first fighter to finish former 145-pound champion Max Holloway via strikes, knocking out the ex-champion in the third round of their UFC 308 meeting in October 2024. When Topuria decided to move to lightweight and give up his featherweight title, he vowed to sit until he got a 155-pound title shot. That fight takes place at UFC 317. Topuria has a 16-0 record with eight of those wins coming under the UFC banner. Charles Oliveira (35-10-0-1) has been fighting with the UFC since 2010. He won the vacant lightweight title with his win over Chandler and defended the title once, beating Dustin Poirier. He was booked to face Justin Gaethje in his second title defense, but Oliveira missed weight for that fight, which he won by submission, losing the title on the scale. Oliveira had a chance to regain the belt in October 2022, but Islam Makhachev submitted him and claimed the vacant belt. Since that loss, Oliveira is 1-1, beating Beneil Dariush by TKO in June 2023 and losing to Arman Tsarukyan via split decision in April of this year. Oliveira is coming off a November 2024 decision win over Michael Chandler. Oliveira is the No. 2 fighter in the official UFC lightweight rankings. When the betting odds opened for this fight, Topuria was a -425 favorite over the +310 Oliveira. Today, Topuria is listed at -450, while Oliveira is the +350 underdog. The betting public seems to be invested in an upset, as Oliveira has 90 percent of the bets and 63 percent of the handle. ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - OCTOBER 26: Ilia Topuria of Spain reacts after a knockout victory ... More against Max Holloway in the UFC featherweight championship fight during the UFC 308 event at Etihad Arena on October 26, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Oliveira has had a fantastic UFC career, and that career is far from over. However, he is part of the 'old guard' of the UFC's lightweight division. That group of fighters includes the men Oliveira has beaten as of late: Michael Chandler, Beneil Dariush, Justin Gaethje, and Dustin Poirier. The fighters who are not in that group are the men who have defeated Oliveira, competitors such as Arman Tsarukyan and Islam Makhachev. Ilia Topuria is part of that new generation. If Oliveira approaches this fight like he has been competing as of late, he will be in trouble. That means Oliveira cannot opt to strike in range against Topuria, who is a powerful striker with good footwork and finishing skills. Oliveira must fight at distance and keep Topuria from getting in close. Oliveira has not shown a willingness to fight that type of battle. The betting pick is for Ilia Topuria to beat Charles Oliveira to win the UFC lightweight title by knockout. UFC 317 Fight Card Co-Main Event: Betting Odds, Line Movement And Predictions - Alexandre Pantoja Vs. Kai Kara-France LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 26: (L-R) Opponents Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil and Kai Kara-France of New ... More Zealand face off during the UFC 317 press conference at T-Mobile Arena on June 26, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Alexandre Pantoja (29-5) is on a seven-fight winning streak heading into UFC 317. The 35-year-old Brazilian made his UFC debut in July 2017 with a split-decision win over Eric Shelton. Pantoja's career had its ups and downs over the next three years, where he went 5-3, but he has not lost since he dropped a decision to Askar Askarov in July 2020. Pantoja won the UFC flyweight title in July 2023 on the heels of two 'Performance of the Night' submission wins. Pantoja secured the 125-pound title with a split decision win over Brandon Moreno. Since that victory, Pantoja has defended his three times, beating Brandon Royval in December 2023 and Steve Erceg in May 2024. Both fights ended in decision victories. Pantoja picked up his 19th career finish in his third title defense, submitting Kai Asakura at UFC 310 in December 2024. Kai Kara-France (25-11-0-1) was 17-7-0-1 when he got the call from the UFC in 2019. In his first fight with the promotion, the New Zealander faced a short-notice opponent in Elias Garcia. The two won 'Fight of the Night' honors for their efforts, with Kara-France picking up the decision win. Kara-France followed that victory with two more wins on the judge's scorecards. Then, in December 2019, he faced future champion Brandon Moreno on the early prelims of the UFC 245 pay-per-view card. Moreno won that bout by decision. Kara-France went 1-1 in his next two outings. He then tore off three straight wins between March 2021 and March 2022 and found himself as the No. 2 ranked fighter in the division. In his next outing, he faced Moreno, who was ranked No. 1, in the co-main event of UFC 277. At stake was the interim UFC flyweight title. Moreno won that contest by TKO in the third round. Kara-France followed that setback with a split-decision loss to Amir Albazi in June 2023. Kara-France was booked to face Manel Kape in September 2023, but a concussion during training camp prevented Kara-France from competing on that card, UFC 293. The 32-year-old would not return to action until August 2024, where he earned a first-round TKO win, and a 'Performance of the Night' bonus against Steve Erceg. Kara-France enters UFC 317 as the No. 4 fighter in the official UFC flyweight rankings. The betting odds for the UFC 317 co-main event have held steady. Pantoja opened as the -250 favorite, while Kara-France came in at +200. The line is the same today. Kara-France has picked up 67 percent of the bets and 53 percent of the money. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 07: Alexandre Pantoja of Brazil reacts to his win against Kai Asakura ... More of Japan in the UFC flyweight championship bout during the UFC 310 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 07, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) We're looking at a grappler vs. striking battle in the co-main event of UFC 317. The champ is the grappler and the challenger is the striker. These two fought in an exhibition match in 2016 during The Ultimate Fighter. Pantoja won that two-round affair by decision. Don't put much stock in that contest. Look for Pantoja to move forward and strike with Kara-France early, but then look for the takedown where he will be able to drag Kara-France into deep water and outwork him on the mat. Yes, Kara-France has a punchers chance, but not much more than that. The betting pick is for Pantoja to beat Kara-France by decision to retain the UFC flyweight title at UFC 317. UFC 317 Fight Card: Betting Odds, Line Movement And Predictions: Beneil Dariush Vs. Renato Moicano LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 26: (L-R) Opponents Beneil Dariush of Iran and Renato Moicano of Brazil ... More face off during the UFC 317 press conference at T-Mobile Arena on June 26, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Beneil Dariush (22-6-1) joined the UFC in January 2014. At the time, Dariush sported a 6-0 record with five stoppage wins. In his promotional debut, Dariush scored a first-round submission win over Charlie Brenneman. Three months later Dariush tasted defeat for the first time, suffering a knockout loss to Ramsey Nijem. Dariush bounced back from that loss with five wins in a row, besting the likes of Daron Cruickshank (submission), Jim Miller (decision) and Michael Johnson (decision). A submission loss to Michael Chiesa ended that winning streak in April 2016. Wins over James Vick (knockout) and Rashid Magomedov put Dariush's record at 14-2, but a rough patch between March 2017 and March 2018 left Dariush at 14-4-1 as he lost to Edson Barboza (knockout), fought to a draw with Evan Dunham and was knocked out by Alexander Hernandez. Dariush rebounded in a big way from that winless run, picking up eight straight victories between November 2018 and October 2022. The most significant win during Dariush's impressive run was his UFC 280 decision win over Mateusz Gamrot. Following that victory, Dariush found himself as the No. 4 ranked fighter in the official UFC rankings and matched up against former UFC 155-pound champion Charles Oliveira at UFC 289. Oliveira entered the contest as the No. 1 ranked fighter in the promotion's lightweight division. Oliveira won the fight via TKO at 4:10 of the first round, ending Dariush's winning streak. A December 2023 knockout loss to Arman Tsarukyan put Dariush on the first losing skid of his career. He has not competed since the loss to Tsarukyan. Renato Moicano (20-6-1) was riding the first four-fight winning streak of his UFC career when he stepped in to face Makhachev at UFC 311. The 36-year-old opened his run with the promotion at 3-0 record between 2014 and 2017. Since then, Moicano has been up and down. He followed that by going 5-5 over his next 10 outings before beginning his current unbeaten streak in 2022. Moicano is 7-1 dating back to June 2021. His only loss prior to his UFC 311 setback to Makhachev was a March 2022 unanimous decision defeat to former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in a 160-pound catchweight battle. In April 2024, Moicano picked up his first knockout as a member of the UFC, decking Jalin Turner on the early prelims of the UFC 300 fight card. Then, in September 2024, the UFC tapped Moicano for the first main event of his UFC career against Benoît Saint Denis. That fight ended after the second round after Moicano left Saint Denis' face bloody and swollen. The damage Moicano put on his opponent forced the doctor to wave off the fight as Saint Denis' right eye was nearly swollen shut. Moicano enters UFC 317 as the No. 10 fighter in the UFC's 155-pound weight class. When the betting odds opened for this fight, Moicano was a -155 favorite over the +130 Dariush. Today, the bout is a pick 'em with Moicano at -115, and Dariush at -105. The bettors are looking for a Dariush win. He has 57 percent of the bets, and 79 percent of the money in his favor. AUSTIN, TEXAS - DECEMBER 02: Beneil Dariush of Iran prepares before his lightweight fight against ... More Arman Tsarukyan of Georgia during the UFC Fight Night event at Moody Center on December 02, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) We all know that in MMA a fighter is only as good as their most recent outing, or at least that's the logic that many follow. Had this fight been booked before Dariush's two recent losses, he would have likely have been the betting favorite. After all, he is the more skilled competitor in this bout. However, Dariush has lost two straight and Moicano, who might have been considered more of a journeyman than a legit lightweight contender before the winning streak that earned him a last-minute title fight, was on the best run of his UFC career before UFC 311. The betting pick is for Beneil Dariush to use his better overall MMA skills to pick up a decision win and end his losing skid. UFC 317 Fight Card: Betting Odds, Line Movement And Predictions: Brandon Royval Vs. Joshua Van LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 26: (L-R) Opponents Brandon Royval and Joshua Van of Myanmar face off ... More during the UFC 317 press conference at T-Mobile Arena on June 26, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Brandon Royval (17-7) joined the UFC in 2020 with a 10-4 record. At the time, Royval was coming off a November 2019 submission win over Nate Williams, earning him the LFA flyweight title. Royval did not get an easy matchup in his first UFC bout, as he was booked against former UFC flyweight title challenger Tim Elliott in a slight upset. The matchup won 'Fight of the Night' honors. Royval followed that win with another stoppage in another 'Fight of the Night' bonus-winning scrap, submitting the favored Kai Kara-France in the second round of their September 2020 matchup. Royval ended 2020 with a TKO loss to Brandon Moreno and began 2021 with a submission setback to Alexandre Pantoja. Both those men would go on to hold the UFC flyweight title. Bouncing back from those losses, Royval went on a three-fight winning streak, picking up another two performance-based bonuses. Then, in December 2023, he got a chance to avenge his submission loss to Pantoja in a matchup for Pantoja's title. That bout took place at UFC 296, and although Royval went the five-round distance, he was on the wrong end of a unanimous decision. Royval returned in the win column in February 2024 with a split decision triumph over Moreno in another five-round scrap. In October, Royval defeated the rising Tatsuro Taira in the main event of a UFC Fight Night card, beating the 25-year-old by split decision. The 32-year-old Royval has four knockout wins, nine submissions, and four decisions. Royval's losses have come by knockout (one), submission (one), and decision (five). Joshua Van (14-2) won the vacant Fury FC flyweight title in his eighth pro bout, submitting Cleveland McLean in the second round of that matchup. Not long after that, Van was booked to face Kevin Borjas on a Dana White's Contender Series Card, but the UFC plucked him from that event to face Zhalgas Zhumagulov in June 2024. Van won that contest by split decision. Van followed that victory with wins over Kevin Borjas and Felipe Burns. In July 2024, the UFC booked Van against the more experienced Charles Johnson. While Van had success in the first two rounds, he wilted under Johnson's pressure early in the third stanza. Johnson won the bout via knockout. Since that loss, Van has gone 4-0 with three decisions and in his most recent trip to the Octagon, a knockout. Van has looked better in each of his UFC fights and he seems ready to face high-level competition, but the No. 1 ranked contender? No one should question Van for accepting the opportunity to face Royval, but it could be too much too soon for the 23-year-old. Van has seven knockout wins, two submissions and five decisions. His losses have come by knockout and submission. When the odds opened for this fight, Royval was -115, while Van was -105. The lines have shifted. Today, Royval is +105 to Van's -125. Most of the bets (57 percent) are on Royval, while 57 percent of the money is on Van. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 12: Brandon Royval reacts after a victory against Tatsuro Taira of Japan ... More in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) First things first, Joshua Van has nothing to lose in this matchup and everything to gain. If he beats Royval, he gives himself an excellent chance to score a shot at the winner of the UFC 317 co-main event matchup between UFC flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Kara-France. If Van loses, he'll walk away from T-Mobile Arena with the type of high-level experience that he and his team can build upon to make him a better overall fighter. Under ideal circumstances, Van would have had a full camp to fight an opponent ranked between No. 5 and No. 10 following his UFC 316 win. But we know UFC fighters don't always get to compete under ideal circumstances, so Van and Royval find themselves in a fight that neither gets a real opportunity to prepare for. With the way this booking came to be, it benefits the more experienced and more well-rounded fighter, which is Royval. The betting pick is for Royval to hold onto his No. 1 ranking in the UFC flyweight division by turning away another young, rising prospect. Look for Royval to win via decision. UFC 317 Fight Card: Betting Odds, Line Movement And Predictions: Payton Talbott Vs. Felipe Lima LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 26: (L-R) Opponents Payton Talbott and Felipe Lima of Brazil face off ... More during the UFC 317 press conference at T-Mobile Arena on June 26, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Payton Talbott (9-1) joined the UFC in August 2023 when UFC CEO Dana White awarded him a deal for his decision win over Reyes Cortez Jr. on a Dana White's Contender Series card. With his win that night at the UFC Apex, Talbott moved to 6-0. At the time, White said, "Payton broke the record for significant strikes tonight, I think it was 145, in that ball park, I don't have the official number (145 of 282). "This kid is an absolute predator. He keeps moving forward. He seems unfazed by by everything that happened. He plays the mental game. He's talking to his opponent… Payton hit him (Cortez) with everything tonight. Big shots, combinations, leg kicks, head kicks, you name it. He's only 24 years old. 'If this kid can keep his head together, I can't wait to see him at 27' Talbott shined in his first three UFC bouts, picking up stoppage wins over Nick Aguirre (submission), Cameron Saaiman (TKO), and Yanis Ghemmour (KO). In his third outing with the promotion, the UFC decided to give Talbott a test, matching him up against a veteran competitor in Raoni Barcelos. Barcelos was a +675 betting underdog to Talbott, who was listed at -1050, at UFC 311. Barcelos picked up eight takedowns and nearly 10 minutes of control time and added two submission attempts during the matchup. Sure, Talbott had the better striking, but he had no answer for Barcelos's focus on getting the fight to the mat. Talbott appears to be skilled and coachable. At UFC 317, he gets the opportunity to show how he has improved his overall MMA game. Talbott does not turn 27 until September 9. Felipe Lima (14-1) joined the UFC in June 2024 as a late replacement for the injured Melsik Baghdasaryan against Muhammad Naimov. Lima, a former Oktagon MMA bantamweight champ, was training for a defense of that title when he accepted the call from the UFC to compete at 145. Lima ended Naimov's six-fight winning streak via submission on that night, earning a 'Performance of the Night' bonus in the process. Lima followed that with a December 2024 decision win over Miles Johns on the UFC Tampa card. Lima lost his first professional fight in 2015, but the 27-year-old is undefeated since then with 14 consecutive wins. Lima opened as the -180 betting favorite over the +145 Talbott. Today, Lima is -190, while Talbott checks in at +155. Talbott has picked up 82 percent of the bets for this contest and 73 percent of the handle. TAMPA, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 14: Felipe Lima of Brazil prepares to face Miles Johns in a featherweight ... More fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Amalie Arena on December 14, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Talbott has a lot to prove on Saturday. He went from being a +1050 favorite in his last fight to a +165 underdog in this matchup because Barcelos showed that the young man was not a well-rounded competitor. It's now up to Talbott to show that he deserved the hype he had heading into that Barcelos matchup. As for Lima, this is a fight that could allow him to steal some of the shine that Talbott had on him. Lima is a well-rounded fighter who has good wrestling and strong striking. Plus, the wins he has picked up in the UFC are better than the wins Talbott has. From what we've seen, Lima is the better all-around fighter in this matchup, and unless Talbott has done a 180 on his grappling, Lima should get the decision win at UFC 317. *Odds via BetMGM UFC 317 Fight Card Popular Prop Bets To Consider Charles Oliveira by Submission +650 Charles Oliveira by KO/TKO or DQ +1100 Ilia Topuria by KO/TKO or DQ -175 Charles Oliveira by Decision/Technical Decision +1400 Ilia Topuria in round 2 +400 *All bets and odds via BetMGM UFC 317 Fight Card: Date Saturday, June 28, 2025 UFC 317 Fight Card: Location T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV UFC 317 Fight Card: How to Watch Or Stream Main Card: ESPN+ PPV Preliminary Card: ESPN and ESPN+ Early Prelims: UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+ UFC 317 Fight Card: Fight Card Time Early Prelims: 6:00 p.m. ET Prelims: 8:00 p.m. ET Main Card: 10:00 p.m. ET We will have more on the UFC 317 fight card as the event nears. Also, look for live results, reactions, highlights and more for the UFC 317 pay-per-view card on fight night.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Will Blades live long and prosper?
It's Sheffield United, Jim, but not as we know it. The red and white half of the Steel City is set for a fascinating 43 days between now and kick-off in the new Championship season. When the Blades face Bristol City at Bramall Lane on 9 August, a new chapter – heralded by the club's American owners – will begin in earnest. Advertisement For now the dust is beginning to settle on a seismic change for which tremors will undoubtedly be felt for weeks, months and years to come. It's been a busy and dramatic six months since COH Sports acquired Sheffield United. Chris Wilder was quickly given a new three-and-a-half-year contract. United claimed a club record 92 points but missed out on automatic promotion in the final few games. They then lost the Championship play-off final having led with 15 minutes to go before Wilder eventually departed by mutual consent, being replaced by Spaniard Ruben Selles. That decision has split the Blades fanbase, with social media exposing extreme opinions on both sides of the argument for and against change. Boyhood fan and former player Wilder will always be a legendary figure at Bramall Lane. He achieved this status in his first spell when he took the club from League One obscurity to ninth in the Premier League, but he deserves more credit than he has received for his second spell, including last summer's rebuild in the wake of relegation from the top-flight, with a significant turnaround of players, and the protracted takeover which continued until late December. Advertisement At Wembley in May he stood on the brink of achieving something no other manager in the club's history had achieved: three promotions. It will always sting that he came so close for Wilder, his players and the club's supporters. But a significant number of Blades fans took issue with performances last season and the club's style of play, while questioning the success of recruitment in January and the near £450,000 in fines paid over player and staff conduct. Whatever motivated the decision to act, the Blades board has acted, and in doing so, they have thrown their full weight behind former Hull City and Reading boss Selles. Their claim that he "can employ innovative recruitment and analytic strategies" is key - relating to the owners' eagerness to use data and artificial intelligence to "recruit the best and brightest talent", which is central to the intrigue about how the Blades squad will take shape under Selles, who says he will have the final say on transfers. Advertisement How many existing players will be able to deliver the intensity that the Spaniard demands? Will some Wilder regulars find themselves sidelined? Will data-driven arrivals be in the majority or minority, as opposed to "seen it, done it" Championship players? United's new board is seeking "sustainable success" and says "the road ahead may require patience", but having come so close to a Premier League return last season, patience may be in short supply if the Blades aren't in the mix for automatic promotion from an early stage. It's a brave new enterprise at Bramall Lane, with Selles tasked to boldly go and establish the Blades as a regular top-flight club.
