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Forbes
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC Reveals New Kansas City Main Event That Has Fans Buzzing
NEWARK, NJ - MAY 04: Dana White speaks to the press and the fans at the UFC 288 media day on May 4, ... More 2023, at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) The UFC was on a roll on Tuesday. In addition to Dana White announcing the main and co-main event for UFC 316 in Newark, New Jersey on June 7, the promotion also unveiled a new headliner for the UFC Kansas City card on April 26. Ian Machado Garry is stepping up to replace Geoff Neal, and he will take on hard-charging welterweight contender Carlos Prates. That fight will now be the UFC Kansas City main event, with Khalil Rountree vs. Jamahal Hill being scrapped because of an injury to the latter's leg. Many fans took to social media after the announcement, and the sentiment seems to be the replacement fight is even better than the original. Garry is coming off a hard-fought loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov in December. He was a late replacement for injured UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in that fight. A win for Garry in this fight would put him right back in the immediate title picture. It won't be easy. Prates is enjoying a meteoric rise through the welterweight rankings. The 31-year-old Brazilian is on an 11-fight win streak. He hasn't lost a fight in six years. Prates is a perfect 5-0 if you count his impressive showing on the Dana White's Contender Series in August 2023. Prates is also on a run, having captured four consecutive Performance Bonuses. Most recently, he destroyed Neil Magny via first-round TKO in November 2024. This welterweight clash looks excellent on paper. The previously scheduled main event between Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree was removed after Hill suffered a leg injury. Rountree discussed the cancellation in the video below. The fight was expected to take place at light heavyweight and had potential rankings implications. No replacement opponent has been announced for Rountree, and he doesn't know when he'll be back in the Octagon. Rountree's last fight was an epic clash with former UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira in October 2024. Rountree fell via fourth-round TKO; however, he raised his stock in the process. He dropped Pereira and pushed the champion to his brink before being overcome by one of the best pure strikers in the sport. Hill lost his last fight as well. He was stopped by Jiri Prochazka in January at UFC 311. Hill is on a two-fight losing streak, so it would make sense that he'd want to be at 100 percent for his next fight. He cannot afford to drop three in a row, and likewise, it will be tough to defeat Rountree at 100 percent—let alone if he is compromised. Here is a look at the updated fight card for UFC Kansas City.
Forbes
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
‘I Am Leaving My Gloves In This Post' UFC Veteran Announces Retirement
LAS VEGAS, NV - JANUARY 14: Dana White meets with the press following Vegas 67 at UFC Apex for UFC ... More Fight Night - Vegas 67 - Strickland vs Imavov - Event on January 14, 2023 in Las Vegas, NV, United States. (Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) The UFC made three fairly noteworthy roster cuts this week, and one of them was the release of Antonina Shevchenko, the sister of reigning UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko. On Thursday, Antonina, 40, the oldest of the two Shevchenko sisters, announced her retirement from mixed martial arts on her Instagram page. Her message was lengthy and heartfelt, which displays why she was a fan favorite during her eight fights in the UFC. NEWARK, NJ - AUGUST 03: Antonina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan poses for a portrait backstage during the ... More UFC Fight Night event at the Prudential Center on August 3, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) 'Dear friends,' Shevchenko wrote. "I didn't have the opportunity to leave my gloves in the octagon by tradition, I didn't think my fight in UFC in 2022 would be the last. 'I am leaving my gloves' in this post." At the end of Shevchenko's post, she shouted out Valentina and invited fans to cheer her on as she continues her career in the UFC. 'And of course, thanks to the fans who cheered up and supported! We will cheer together for my sister now! @bulletvalentina.' JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - APRIL 24: (L-R) Valentina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan poses with her sister ... More Antonina Shevchenko for a post fight portrait backstage during the UFC 261 event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on April 24, 2021 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC) Shevchenko's decision comes as no surprise as she hasn't fought in nearly three years. Shevchenko also recently had a son and has taken up a career as a pilot, according to her Instagram page. It appears Shevchenko and the promotion have parted on good terms, and Valentina–someone UFC CEO Dana White has always spoken glowingly about–is set to defend her title against Manon Fiorot on May 10 at UFC 315. Antonina's last fight was a unanimous decision win over Cortney Casey in July 2022. The victory snapped a two-fight losing streak and, as it turns out, was likely the best possible retirement bout for her. While Antonina's career never reached the heights of her younger sister's, the former's 10-4 career mark is above average. She owns wins over Ji Yeon Kim, Lucie Pudilova, Ariane Lipski da Silva and Casey. Here is a breakdown of Shevchenko's MMA career record.
Forbes
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC Cuts Undefeated Fighter With Perfect Finish Rate After Drug Ban
Dana White (Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Nothing will derail a promising MMA career like testing positive for a banned substance. It's worse when that substance is one that is almost never associated with a tainted supplement. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 24: Danylo Voievodkin of Ukraine reacts after being awarded a UFC ... More contract during Dana White's Contender Series season eight, week seven at UFC APEX on September 24, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) On Thursday, the UFC revealed Voievodkin had been issued and accepted a 24-month suspension from the Combat Sports Anti-Doping commission (CSAD) for violating the promotion's anti-doping policy. According to the UFC's release, Voievodkin tested positive for meldonium. The drug is common in Eastern Europe, but it has been banned in combat sports and other athletics since 2016. Meldonium is banned because it provides a cardiovascular and endurance boost, offering an unfair advantage in high-intensity sports like MMA. Voievodkin tested positive for the drug during an out-of-competition sample collection in October 2024 while he was in Lithuania. As a result of the two-year ban, the UFC decided to release Voievodkin. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 24: (L-R) Danylo Voievodkin of Ukraine secures a rear choke submission ... More against Bailey Schoenfelder in a heavyweight fight during Dana White's Contender Series season eight, week seven at UFC APEX on September 24, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Voievodkin looked like one of the brightest young heavyweights to come into the UFC in a while following his impressive first-round submission win over Bailey Schoenfelder in September 2024 on the Season 8 of Dana White Contender Series. The 24-year-old Ukrainian whose pro record is a sparkling 7-0 with all his wins by first-round finish was seemingly set to make a mark in the UFC. If Voievodkin makes a mark in the sport anytime soon, it probably won't be with the UFC, and he'll have to wait at least two years to get back to action. With his UFC contract terminated and a two-year suspension in effect, Voievodkin faces an uncertain future in professional mixed martial arts. The suspension prohibits him from competing in any CSAD-sanctioned events until November 10, 2026. Rebuilding his career will require not only maintaining his physical conditioning during this hiatus but also restoring his reputation within the MMA community. Athletes returning from doping suspensions often face skepticism and increased scrutiny. Voievodkin's path back to prominence will depend on his ability to demonstrate compliance with anti-doping regulations and to perform at a high level upon his return. Voievodkin is the second heavyweight the UFC has released in the past week following Marcos Rogerio de Lima. The UFC is in London for a high-profile Fight Night card. Former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards returns to the Octagon to face Sean Brady. Here is a look at the entire card. Main Card (Starting at 3:00 PM ET): Preliminary Card (Starting at 12:00 PM ET):
