Latest news with #RoadToUFC
NZ Herald
22-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
On The Up: Aaron Tau, Lawrence Lui begin Road To UFC quest for contracts with promotion
Tau and City Kickboxing (CKB) teammate Lawrence Lui will both be fighting for UFC contracts over the coming month in the promotion's Road To UFC series at flyweight – a bracket-style tournament pitting the best prospects in the Asia-Pacific region against each other – at flyweight and bantamweight, respectively. While some may call it a shot at redemption for Tau, he's looking at it from a different direction. 'In Māori, you call it utu; the cost. The cost of me losing, to myself, to my family, to my coaches, to my supporters, to Aotearoa, is I have to do this tournament,' he told the Herald. 'I'm happy to pay that cost because I think this redirection was a part of the bigger picture and what was actually meant for me, and how I'm meant to proceed in this sport. I wouldn't say it's so much redemption, it's just alignment. 'I was realigned with what actually is for me, and I think my direction of travel now is going to be a lot quicker because the flyweight roster is not as big as the bantamweight roster, so if I get a few good wins in a row, Uncle Dana [White] is going to be my best friend real quick.' The tournament offers the athletes the potential for three bouts over a six-month period, the first of which takes place this week at the UFC Performance Institute in Shanghai, China. Tau (9-1) will meet undefeated Indonesian prospect Rio Tirto (8-0); a bout that had some heat sprinkled over it after Tau caught Tirto and his team appearing to take video of the Kiwi during a training session. For Lui, it's an opportunity that he wasn't initially certain would eventuate. Former CKB fighter and now striking coach at the UFC PI in Shanghai Mark Timms suggested him for the tournament, and Lui was originally listed as the alternate. 'Euge [Bareman] and Brogan [Anderson] told me that there was a high chance that someone was going to pull out, and, three weeks later, someone did, and here I am,' he said. Had it been an opportunity with less on the line, Lui said he might have approached it differently. But upon hearing he would be the alternate, he began training as if he had a fight. Lui (5-1 and champion with local promotion Shuriken Fight Series) will meet experienced Chinese athlete Qinghe Zhang (16-7-1) in Shanghai and although he admits the opportunity came earlier than he might have anticipated, he was ready for it. 'I did think I would have a few more fights before [getting] here, but honestly, I will take this opportunity or any opportunity that comes my way and make the most out of it. 'Give me an inch, I'll take a mile.' Road To UFC quarter-finals Aaron Tau v Rio Tirto (flyweight) – episode two, from 1am Friday Lawrence Lui v Qinghe Zhang (bantamweight) – episode four, from 1am Saturday All episodes are broadcast live on UFC Fight Pass, the promotion's subscription platform, and ESPN.
NZ Herald
02-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
On The Up: Why UFC fighter Rongzhu looked to Auckland gym to make most of second chance
'At that time, I was very young,' he told the Herald through a translator. 'When I signed the contract with the UFC the first time, I hadn't realised it was totally different between the UFC and the other [promotions]. 'I thought it would be the same level, but it's different.' In the years since, Rongzhu has again proved his worth to the UFC, being re-signed by the promotion in 2024 after winning the Road To UFC feeder tournament. However, he was beaten again in his first fight back at the top level. It was soon after that loss, in September last year, that he made the decision to travel to New Zealand. He had already trained with several different gyms around the world, but wanted to see if training with Eugene Bareman's team at City Kickboxing would be a good fit for him. Rongzhu carried out his next camp with the gym before winning a unanimous decision in his return to the octagon at UFC 312 in Sydney in February. His bout against highly touted newcomer Kody Steele earned him a US$50,000 fight of the night bonus, too. Now, having found himself at home in Auckland, he's looking to make the most of his second shot under the brightest lights. 'Every fighter is very, very difficult. Now, this time, I've prepared more, learned more and my passion is much stronger than before,' he said. It's a relationship that has been mutually beneficial for fighter and gym, City Kickboxing striking coach Mike Angove said. Discover more 'Styles don't just make fights, they make coaching pairings and gym cultures the same way; different cultures appeal to different athletes. Obviously, there's something Rongzhu enjoyed and we made it work.' Angove first coached Rongzhu when he was working as the head striking coach at the UFC Performance Institute in China, a role now held by former CKB fighter Mark Timms. That relationship seemed to be the catalyst for Rongzhu taking the leap to try the Kiwi gym. After the success of their first camp together, he appears set to carry out preparations for his next fight in Auckland too. He's the latest in a growing list of international fighters coming to Auckland to hone their skills, with top-level fighters arriving to train or to scope out a full fight camp. 'We have a kind of 'no dickheads' policy in the gym, and he's slotted in well,' Angove said of Rongzhu. 'Guys who have that overt aggressiveness or the inability to adapt to a new [gym] culture don't fit in. He's done that really well. 'Previously, people had to go overseas. Now, overseas people are coming to us. This is just part of that continued growth and evolution of City Kickboxing and of New Zealand [MMA] in general, in terms of coaching, skill set, and developing the game here. 'We're now at the point where we have a legitimate pathway, but not just a legitimate pathway right now. We're now at the point where we're seeding talent for the future. Rong's just turned 25. It's incredibly young for a guy who's had over 30 MMA fights. Incredibly young.'
USA Today
17-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
He'll tell you now how he feels inside: Takedowns worked for SuYoung You
LAS VEGAS – SuYoung You beat AJ Cunningham with a unanimous decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 254 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Take a look inside the fight with You, the 2024 Road to UFC bantamweight winner, who was a 6-1 favorite in the fight. SuYoung You def. AJ Cunningham Result: SuYoung You def. AJ Cunningham via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Updated records: You (15-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC), Cunningham (11-5 MMA, 0-2 UFC) Key stats: You landed five takedowns, which led to nearly eight minutes of control time in a dominant win. He landed 80 percent of his total strikes. You on the fight's key moment 'I'm happy with the win, but it didn't go as well as the game plan. I was more focused on the game plan and striking, and I couldn't do better on the ground. I still got the win, but I have to work on my game. Next fight, I'll be better.' Dominant Display 👏 #UFCVegas104 SuYoung You beats AJ Cunningham by unanimous decision! Watch our prelims LIVE NOW on @UFCFightPass 📺 — UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) March 15, 2025 You on his scorecard sweep 'This was my actual UFC debut after the Road to UFC final, so I feel really good – especially with a (three rounds to zero) scorecard. I'm disappointed I couldn't get the finish. When I won the Road to UFC final, I was really happy. But to get a first win as a UFC fighter, I'm even happier.' You on what he wants next 'I'd like to fight around August or September. Right now, there are a lot of Korean fighters on the roster in the UFC, so hopefully the UFC goes to (South) Korea soon.' 'Through (Road To UFC), I learned a lot.' SuYoung You leaned on his experience on the Road To UFC and was able to secure a decision victory.#UFCVegas104 Results, Interviews & More ➡️: — UFC News (@UFCNews) March 15, 2025 To hear more from You, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above. For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 254. Gallery UFC Fight Night 254: Best photos from Las Vegas View 130 photos
