Latest news with #ESPN71
USA Today
3 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Chris Duncan explains how ATT teammate Mateusz Rebecki's 'bad move' led to UFC on ESPN 71
LAS VEGAS – Chris Duncan was glad to accept the offer to face Mateusz Rebecki at UFC on ESPN 71 despite their extensive history as training partners at American Top Team. Typically, Duncan (13-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) wouldn't have been keen to move forward with this situation, but it's different. He claims Rebecki (20-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) once offered to fight him on short notice in early 2023, just as they began their time as teammates in South Florida. Duncan hasn't forgotten that, so when UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby offered him Rebecki in the co-main event slot of Saturday's card at UFC Apex (ESPN, ESPN+), he felt it was within his right to take it. "I think it's a bad move on him, but I'm happy to do it," Duncan told MMA Junkie at Wednesday's UFC on ESPN 71 media day. "I think he's a very respectful opponent. He was super respectful to me in the gym. We're just going to go out there and clash and I'm going to show him I'm the better fighter. "It's just unfortunate we train under the same gym, but I'm just very fortunate American Top Team were so professional in regard to keeping us separate in our training in stuff like that. It is what it is. I'm going to make his wish come true." Duncan knows what is required to get his hand raised, and said he needs to be sharp defensively against someone with Rebecki's level of aggression. "We all know he comes forward," Duncan said. "He's a brawler. I think he's going to try to wrestle me a little bit, to be honest. It takes no genius to know he's going to come forward with some heat, so have to make sure to not get caught, getting caught in stupid places. I'm looking forward to it. He's a great opponent for me."
USA Today
6 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 71 headliner Tatsuro Taira excited to show growth after first career loss
LAS VEGAS – Tatsuro Taira went back to the lab with plenty of notes after his first career loss and is excited to show off his new improvements. In the main event of UFC on ESPN 71 (ESPN, ESPN+) at the UFC Apex, Taira (16-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) faces short-notice opponent HyunSung Park, who replaced an injured Amir Albazi on less than one week's notice. It's a shakeup and a different opponent style than what he was preparing for, but Tairia remains confident his preparation will lead to a return to the win column against Park (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC). "Obviously, the opponent changed on short notice, last-minute, but I've been preparing very well together with my team," Taira told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday's media day. "My team has been very supportive. I've been working on my strength to get stronger and get better. I train with a lot of fighters from my team, so I was actually prepared to fight anyone. I'm ready for this fight." The fight will be Taira's first since losing a split decision against former title challenger Brandon Royval in October. It was the first loss of Taira's professional career. As the saying goes, "You either win or you learn." Taira took plenty of notes from his battle against "Raw Dog" and is "100 percent confident" he will rebound with a win. "The last fight against Royval, five-minute, five-round tough fight, definitely made me realize I need to get better conditioning and, of course, the striking side as well," Taira said. "So, I think I'm back now, definitely as a better fighter. ... Conditioning and striking for sure, but not just that. I learned a lot from that fight in gaining experience as well. Now I'm fighting HyunSung Park, who is a younger opponent. Now it's my turn to show the experience and what UFC fighters are." Park, an undefeated fighter who has finished nine consecutive opponents, including all three of his UFC fights, believes he will be able to knock out Taira by the second or third round. Taira believes the difference in experience and level of opposition will be apparent early in the fight. "I would say this will be the first time Park will be fighting against a fighter at my level," Taira said. "Likely in the first round, he would understand that what he said was a mistake." With a win against Park, Taira hopes his third UFC Apex main event will lead to him fighting on bigger cards at bigger venues. Six of Taira's seven UFC bouts have taken place at the UFC Apex. His lone appearance elsewhere came at the UFC's home for pay-per-view events in Las Vegas, T-Mobile Arena. "Obviously, fighting a T-Mobile or big arenas would be something that I would be excited and looking forward to, but at the same time, I'm excited for this main event, as always," Taira said. "I hope to get this win and hope to get into a bigger venue like T-Mobile."
USA Today
7 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC signs former GLORY title challenger Yousri Belgaroui for Azamat Bekoev showdown
After two appearances on Dana White's Contender Series, Yousri Belgaroui will finally make the walk to the octagon. Belgaroui (8-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) takes on Azamat Bekoev (20-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in a middleweight bout at a UFC Fight Night event on Oct. 18 from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, promotion officials announced Monday. The pair were originally in discussions to fight at Saturday's UFC on ESPN 71 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, but the bout was scrapped due to Belgaroui's visa issues. Belgaroui, 33, split his two appearances on DWCS. In his second attempt at a UFC contract, the former GLORY Kickboxing title challenger scored a late TKO of Taiga Iwasaki at DWCS 71 this past September, but still wasn't awarded a deal. Belgaroui fought both former UFC champions Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira in kickboxing, but lost to both of them. Bekoev, 29, is on a an eight-fight win streak. The former LFA champion finished both Zach Reese and "The Ultimate Fighter," Season 32 winner Ryan Loder by first-round TKO in the UFC. With the addition, the UFC Vancouver lineup includes:
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 71: Make your predictions for Tatsuro Taira vs. HyunSung Park
We want your predictions for UFC on ESPN 71. Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we'll use the official tallies that are registered by Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT). Those reader consensus picks will be part of the main card staff predictions we release ahead of UFC on ESPN 71 (ESPN, ESPN+), which takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Make your picks below. Austin Bashi vs. John Yannis Piera Rodriguez vs. Ketlen Souza Felipe Bunes vs. Rafael Estevam Nick Klein vs. Andrey Pulyaev Tresean Gore vs. Rodolfo Vieira Nathan Fletcher vs. Rinya Nakamura Danny Silva vs. Kevin Vallejos Neil Magny vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos Nora Cornolle vs. Karol Rosa Elves Brener vs. Esteban Ribovics Chris Duncan vs. Mateusz Rebecki Tatsuro Taira vs. HyunSung Park UFC on ESPN 71 fight card (as of July 29, 3 p.m. ET) MAIN CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 9 p.m. ET) PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
'Heartbroken' Amir Albazi reveals UFC, NAC pulled him from main event for his own safety
Amir Albazi is out of Saturday's UFC on ESPN 71 – but not on his own accord. In his first statement since news he withdrew from his main event vs. Tatsuro Taira, Albazi (17-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) said Tuesday the decision not to compete was made by the UFC and Nevada Athletic Commission. He did not reveal injury specifics. "I'm heartbroken to announce that I won't be fighting on August 2nd," Albazi wrote on Instagram. "I finished my whole training camp and did everything I could, but I wasn't medically cleared in time. The UFC and the commission made the call for my safety. I respect their decision even though I wanted to step in to that cage and take care of business. I'll be back stronger and better. this is just a setback, not the end. Thank you to my fans, my team, and everyone who supports me through the ups and downs." Albazi, was removed from the bout late last week, and was replaced by South Korean up-and-comer Hyun Sung Park (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who will now face Taira (16-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) at the UFC Apex. Albazi's injury extends his stretch of inactivity beyond the nine-month mark. He's only competed once since June 2023, having also undergone neck surgery in January 2024. he returned in November and lost a unanimous decision to Brandon Moreno. The current UFC on ESPN 71 lineup includes:
