Latest news with #PFL
USA Today
14 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Kevin Lee signs with PFL, steps into lightweight semifinal vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov
Kevin Lee signs with PFL, steps into lightweight semifinal vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov Kevin Lee has been searching for a home to continue his MMA career. Now he's found it with the PFL and is immediately shaking things up. The promotion announced Wednesday that former interim UFC title challenger Lee (20-8) has signed on to join the roster and will step into the lightweight tournament semifinals against 2024 PFL champion Gadzhi Rabadanov on June 20 at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan. The fight will headline the 2025 PFL World Tournament 6: Semifinals event. Originally, Rabadanov was slated to fight Jay-Jay Wilson, who was forced to withdraw due to injury. "The Motown Phenom" has competed just once per year from 2020-2024, with his most recent bout a first-round submission of Thiago Oliveira at Lights Out Championship 17 in September. Lee, 32, was connected to the upstart GFL organization and one of the outspoken supporters of the proposed MMA promotion before it imploded weeks out from the inaugural event, leaving all signed athletes in limbo. Now Lee, who holds wins over the likes of Diego Sanchez, Edson Barboza, Michael Chiesa and more, will make his way to PFL and immediately position himself to potentially win a tournament title.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
MMA Junkie Radio #3569: Guests Mario Bautista (UFC), Sergio Pettis (PFL), Jon Jones news
MMA Junkie Radio #3569: Guests Mario Bautista (UFC), Sergio Pettis (PFL), Jon Jones news Monday's episode of MMA Junkie Radio with "Gorgeous" George and "Goze" is here. Monday's episode of MMA Junkie Radio with "Gorgeous" George and "Goze" is here. On Episode 3,569, the brosephs brought on guest Mario Bautista, who is charged with welcoming Patchy Mix to the UFC, and former Bellator champion and current PFL bantamweight Sergio Pettis. The also talked about the latest news, including more of the same with heavyweight champion Jon Jones still unbooked for a title unification bout with Tom Aspinall, and the MMA world growing increasingly put off by his apparent lack of urgency to defend his belt. Tune in!
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Mario Bautista vs. Patchy Mix: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 316 bout
Mario Bautista vs. Patchy Mix: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC 316 bout Former Bellator champion Patchy Mix makes his UFC debut against Mario Bautista at UFC 316. Mario Bautista vs. Patchy Mix preview Bautista (15-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) was originally scheduled to face former title challenger Marlon Vera before an injury forced a lineup change. Now, Bautista welcomes Mix (20-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) to the UFC, where they will meet in the UFC 316 main card opener. Bautista enters as a winner of seven consecutive fights. In his previous outing, Bautista won a split decision at UFC 307 over former featherweight champion Jose Aldo. His current winning streak includes stoppages of Guido Cannetti, Benito Lopez and Brian Kelleher. Mix, who was recently granted his release from the PFL, finally gets an opportunity to prove himself in the UFC. Mix brings an eight-fight winning streak to the octagon. In his last outing, he recorded the second defense of his Bellator title by split decision in a rematch against Magomed Magomedov. On his current run, he has stopped five opponents, including Sergio Pettis, Raufeon Stots, James Gallagher, Albert Morales, and Magomedov in their first meeting. Mario Bautista vs. Patchy Mix odds According to FanDuel, Mix will debut in the UFC as a -184 favorite against Bautista, who is a slight underdog at +142. How to watch Mario Bautista vs. Patchy Mix at UFC 316
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
A.J. McKee, Corey Anderson join inaugural PFL Africa lineup in July
A.J. McKee, Corey Anderson join inaugural PFL Africa lineup in July 𝗧𝗪𝗢 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦 𝗔𝗗𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 #PFLCapeTown 𝗙𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗗 Stayed tuned as more fight announcements are on the way! 🔜👀 Tickets are on SALE NOW for July 19th 👇 🎟️ #PFLChampionSeries — PFL (@PFLMMA) May 23, 2025 PFL Africa continues to add some of the promotion's biggest names. Former Bellator champion A.J. McKee (22-2) returns to featherweight to take on Akhmed Magomedov (11-1) July 19 at GrandWest Arena in Cape Town, promotion officials announced Friday morning. McKee is coming off a split decision loss to Paul Hughes this past October at PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants. Meanwhile, Magomedov has won five of his past six fights, most recently submitting Nathan Kelly in January. Also joining the lineup is a heavyweight matchup between Corey Anderson (18-6-1) and Denis Goltsov (36-8). Anderson hasn't competed since claiming the vacant Bellator light heavyweight title with a win over Karl Moore in March 2024. 2024 PFL heavyweight tournament winner Goltsov will look to make it five straight victories. He has finished his past seven wins. The current PFL Africa card includes:
Arab News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Zamzam Al-Hammadi: UAE teen fighter making history in the cage and beyond
Riyadh: At just 17, Zamzam Al-Hammadi is rapidly emerging as one of the Middle East's most promising athletes and a trailblazer for women in combat sports. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The Emirati martial artist recently took center stage at the Fortune Most Powerful Women International Summit in Riyadh, where she joined an elite panel of regional sports pioneers to discuss the evolving role of women in athletics. The summit, hosted at the St. Regis Riyadh, was aligned with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and brought together more than 125 influential women from across sectors. Al-Hammadi spoke during the 'Playing to Win: Women, Sports, and Breaking Barriers' panel alongside motorsport driver Mashael Al-Obaidan, boxing advocate Rasha Alkhamis, and Aalia Al-Rasheed, head of the women's football department at the Saudi Arabian Football Federation. A decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts competitor, Al-Hammadi has already clinched global youth titles under the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation and JJIF World Youth Championships. Now, she is poised to make history as the first female fighter from the UAE to sign a professional MMA contract with the Professional Fighters League. 'Joining the PFL is a dream come true,' Al-Hammadi said. 'Being a part of the PFL MENA roster means that I'll be competing on a bigger platform, and more eyes will be on me. That reach opens the door for global sponsorships, endorsements and partnerships, and that's going to be a massive deal for me and my family.' Her rise reflects a broader momentum in women's sports across the region. With an unbeaten amateur record and a growing following, Al-Hammadi is set to debut in the second season of PFL MENA, a league that has already reshaped the regional MMA landscape. Being the first female fighter from the UAE to become a professional in MMA comes with a responsibility, Al-Hammadi said. 'I want to be one of the best to ever step foot inside the PFL SmartCage. I want to become a champion, and I want to be able to inspire young athletes, young girls like myself, to follow their dreams and work toward achieving their goals, especially in an industry where there aren't a lot of female fighters that come from the Middle East.' Al-Hammadi's passion for martial arts runs deep. She comes from a family of fighters, with her sister Ghala also training in combat sports and her mother, Nada Al-Nuaymi, a seasoned judo and jiu-jitsu practitioner. This generational dedication emphasizes her position as both a pioneer and a role model. Speaking at the summit, Al-Hammadi highlighted the rapid growth of MMA, particularly for women. She said that the sport has never let them down. 'Now, if we watch, all around the world, the fans are cheering for the females more than the males, so this is something good,' she said. She also praised SURJ Sports Investment, whose partnership with the PFL has been central to the success of the league's expansion into the Middle East. 'For me, SURJ Sports Investment is really helping the PFL to organize, especially now that we have four events in the Middle East,' Al-Hammadi said. 'When it comes to martial arts, most people are thinking outside of the Middle East, but now after seeing and discovering the talent that we have here in the Middle East, and also in Africa, for me it's just awesome.' As she prepares for her professional debut in the PFL SmartCage, Al-Hammadi remains focused on both performance and purpose. Her goal: Not only to win titles but to pave the way for a new generation of female fighters in the Arab world. 'More than just making history,' she said, 'I want to make an impact.'
