Latest news with #UFCFightNight256
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mateusz Gamrot wants to 'ruin' Ludovit Klein's record takedown defense statistic
Michael Morales serious about title run after quick finish of Gilbert Burns UFC Fight Night 256 winner Michael Morales talks to MMA Junkie and other reporters post-fight after his first-round TKO of Gilbert Burns in Las Vegas. 18:32 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC rebooks Rodolfo Bellato vs. Paul Craig days after last-second cancellation
UFC rebooks Rodolfo Bellato vs. Paul Craig days after last-second cancellation Days after it was unexpectedly canceled, Rodolfo Bellato vs. Paul Craig is back on the UFC books. The bout has been rescheduled for UFC on ESPN 69 in Atlanta, which takes place June 14 at State Farm Arena. The bout was scheduled as the co-main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Craig (17-9-1 MMA, 9-9-1 UFC) first reported the rescheduling date Thursday on "Leather'd Podcast", and it was confirmed by Bellato (12-2-1 MMA, 1-0-1 UFC) on social media thereafter. Minutes before the scheduled walkouts at UFC Fight Night 256 on Saturday, Bellato was pulled from his fight vs. Craig by the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) due to visible herpes on his face. Bellato is aligned for the highest-profile bout of his career vs. Craig , who aims to snap a three-fight losing skid. With the addition, the UFC on ESPN 69 lineup includes:
USA Today
21-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, May 20: Michael Morales surges
MMA Junkie Staff USA TODAY Sports UFC Fight Night 256 is in the books with a welterweight contender making his impact felt. In the main event, Michael Morales announced his official arrival into the conversation of the division's elite when he made quick work of former title challenger Gilbert Burns and won by first-round TKO at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings.
USA Today
20-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Q&A: Coach Raul Arvizu on Michael Morales knocking out Gilbert Burns, MMA evolution, more
Q&A: Coach Raul Arvizu on Michael Morales knocking out Gilbert Burns, MMA evolution, more Michael Morales' head coach Raul Arvizu discusses his career following his big KO win at UFC Fight Night 256. Michael Morales is the new kid on the UFC title-contention block. The undefeated rising contender impressed the MMA world and established himself as a title threat with his most recent win in the octagon. This past Saturday, Morales (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) quickly dispatched long-time contender and former title challenger Gilbert Burns (22-9 MMA, 15-9 UFC) in the main event of UFC Fight Night 256 in Las Vegas. Burns, who has fought the who's who at 170 pounds, has never been finished that dominantly. With an exciting title contender on the rise, MMA Junkie caught up with the man behind the man, Entram Gym head-coach Raul Arvizu – who's been alongside Morales this entire UFC journey. Below, you can find a transcription of Arvizu's interview in Spanish on Hablemos MMA discussing Morales' big KO win over Burns, his evolution and potential in MMA, what could be next for his career, and more. First UFC main event, former title challenger in Burns, it was a big moment. Were you nervous? Arvizu: "Yes and no. Part of my job is to not get nervous. I've been in more than 100 UFC corners. I've been in title fights. It's not the first time I'm in a headliner. I always say the day of the fight, 'What a great opportunity. I hope we do well.' That's all I can say. I try to be very cold, and I try to be as stoic as possible for the benefit of Michael. I even get teased by the team for not having emotions. There's an image out there when Michael wins. I don't even move. Part of my job is staying cool and focused on the fight." Not many, including myself, expected Morales to run through Burns. What was your reaction to the KO and was that the plan? Arvizu: "The strategy was obvious from both parties. The jab was very important. The jab to the chest because Burns changes levels a lot, and he could split the jab and counter with an overhand. So stick the jab out there, draw him in to lessen his power, which Michael did well, and work the basics. The one-two, the three-uppercut, which he connected, defend the wrestling to the death. The plan was to secure the first two rounds with distance, rhythm and speed, and then in the third start being more aggressive. But all my planning and strategy, Michael didn't make it happen. He wanted to win in the first. Part of the strategy was so he didn't get tired because it was his first five-round fight." Morales made a big statement. Do you think he's looked at differently now? Arvizu: "I did feel a change in Michael's career after this fight. I don't think it was so much in popularity, but I felt it with the people of the UFC, they see how hard Michael is. I don't think we're in a position to fight for a belt, and I don't even want that personally, Michael does, obviously, but we are in the consideration that one day we will fight for a UFC title. That's what I feel." What do you want next for Morales? Arvizu: "Leon Edwards, I like that fight. I think he might already have something lined up, but hopefully he doesn't. I like (Geof) Neal. Michael has a killer's mentality, if it was up to him, he'd be figjting for the UFC title today. But that's why he has me to slow him down, 'Michael, let's be smart. Not that I don't believe in you, but you are 25 years old.' I already had a champion before, and I told him that we weren't going to be champions at 27 and at 28 it happened. The same with Michael. ... So I think those two, outside of that there's (Kamaru) Usman or (Joaquin) Buckley, Ian Garry, Shavkat Rakhmonov. I think we're a fight or two to be in title contention, so maybe a year or two to be in that position. There's not many Latinos like Michael that find themselves in this position. We have to try to be smart and try to seek growth." How do you see the welterweight title picture? It's a very tough division. Arvizu: "A year or two I thought we had a chance at becoming champions, but it also depends on the division. There are a lot of fighters that could've been champions but because of one fighter, like a Jones, Holloway, Aldo, those fighters never became champions. I thought hopefully the starts align and Michael evolves, and the division is not that complicated, but right now it's tough everywhere. The No. 1 pound-for-pound just went up to welterweight. I was actually rooting for Belal to win, so this wouldn't happen. But this is our reality, we can't do anything about it, but I think you're right. We have young guys like Ian Garry, Michael Morales, behind them like (Gabriel) Bomfin, Carlos Prates, in fact the division is so tough that there are hard fights outside the rankings. The good thing is that Michael is just about to turn 26. I think his prime will be between 28 and 32."
USA Today
20-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Paul Craig opens up on scrapped Rodolfo Bellato UFC bout, reveals plans of June rebooking
Paul Craig opens up on scrapped Rodolfo Bellato UFC bout, reveals plans of June rebooking According to Paul Craig, his fight with Rodolfo Bellato is expected to be rescheduled for June. Craig's (17-9-1 MMA, 9-9-1 UFC) light heavyweight bout vs. Bellato (12-2-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in Saturday's UFC Fight Night 256 co-main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas was scrapped on the night of the event due to a medical issue with Bellato. Craig opened up on Bellato being pulled from their fight just moments before he was scheduled to make the walk to the octagon. "Hunter Campbell comes in and I'm like, 'Whoa, that's very unusual,'" Craig said on the "Believe You Me" podcast. "I don't know why he's coming in, he never comes in and wishes me the best of luck. He comes in and says, 'Look, your opponent has pulled out due to a skin infection.' "It's hard. Have you been in that predicament where you're literally ready to walk out? I'm talking like 30 minutes. It's almost surreal. You're frustrated, you want to kick stuff, you want to hit stuff. Everything you've worked for up until that point is kind of ripped away from you." Craig confirmed that the UFC plans on rebooking their matchup for next month. "They're like, 'Listen, we're going to look after you, we're going to reschedule this fight,' and the fight has been rescheduled," Craig continued. "It's going to be within a month of June, but it's not the same. When you do a 12-week fight camp and then you have to come back home to do another four-week fight camp or five weeks, or six weeks, it's not cool. But, it's part of business and I'm in the game of fighting." Bellato posted on his Instagram story that it was herpes which forced him to withdraw. Craig says he was told it was indeed a cold sore. "It was the referee who noticed that he had a cold sore on his face," Craig said. "From what I'm led to believe, it was a really bad cold sore. Like it was half way up his face and that kind of stuff. Maybe he's shaved or something and it made it worse, but from what they were talking about backstage, it was really bad on his actual face. The referee went and got the commission, and the commission said we can't let you fight and that was the whole process."
