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News24
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News24
Underdog tag no bother for Dricus: ‘He's in for the worst night of his life'
Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images Be among those who shape the future with knowledge. Uncover exclusive stories that captivate your mind and heart with our FREE 14-day subscription trial. Dive into a world of inspiration, learning, and empowerment. You can only trial once. Start your FREE trial now Show Comments ()
Forbes
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC Baku Fight Card Odds And Predictions: Hill Vs. Rountree
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 04: Khalil Rountree Jr. poses on the scale during the UFC 307 ... More ceremonial weigh-in at Salt Palace Convention Center on October 04, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) The next fight card on the UFC schedule, UFC Baku, takes place on Saturday, June 21, from Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan. The UFC Fight Night marks the UFC's first visit to Baku. The main event of the UFC Baku fight card finds former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill facing recent UFC 205-pound title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr. Before that scrap, Rafael Fiziev and Ignacio Bahamondes face off in the lightweight co-main event. UFC Baku has an early start time in the US, with the main card kicking off at 3:00 p.m. ET. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 13: Jamahal Hill prepares to face Alex Pereira of Brazil in the UFC light ... More heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 300 event at T-Mobile Arena on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Jamahal Hill (12-3-0-1) had a 5-0 record when he appeared on a Dana White Contender Series card in July 2019. He won that fight against Alexander Poppeck by TKO in the third round. The victory earned him a UFC contract. Hill made his official UFC debut in January 2020, winning a decision over Darko Stosic on the main card of an ESPN+ event at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. He then faced Klidson Abreu in May 2020. He initially won that bout by first-round TKO, but the result was later overturned to a no-contest because Hill tested positive for marijuana He followed that fight with a December 2020 TKO over former interim light heavyweight title challenger Ovince Saint Preux. Hill's unbeaten streak ended in his next trip to the Octagon, when Paul Craig ended their June 2021 fight in under two minutes by TKO. Hill bounced back from that loss by rattling off three straight 'Performance of the Night' bonus-winning knockouts. That run earned him a shot at then-champion Glover Teixeira. Hill put on a striking clinic in that fight, battering Teixeira over five rounds to earn a one-sided decision win and the UFC 205-pound crown. That fight headlined UFC 283 in January 2023. Misfortune ended Hill's title reign. In July 2023, he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during a UFC fighter basketball game. He relinquished the title and underwent surgery to repair the injury. Hill returned at UFC 300 in a matchup against UFC light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira. Pereira ended that fight via knockout at the 3:14 mark of the first round. Hill returned to the Octagon at UFC 311 when he faced former champ Jiri Prochazka on the main card. Prochazka ended that bout via TKO at 3:01 of Round 3. Hill, the No. 4 ranked UFC light heavyweight, has seven wins by knockout and five decision victories. His three losses have come via knockout. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 09: Khalil Rountree Jr. reacts after his knockout against Anthony Smith ... More in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on December 09, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Khalil Rountree Jr. (13-6-0-1) joined the UFC in July 2016 when a loss to Andrew Sanchez in the season finale of The Ultimate Fighter dropped him to 4-1 as a pro. A submission loss to Tyson Pedro followed Rountree's defeat to Sanchez. However, Rountree went 3-0-0-1 after that setback, scoring three knockout wins in his victories. A knockout loss to Johnny Walker, who Rountree was favored to beat, ended his unbeaten streak. A decision victory over Eryk Anders in April 2019 got Rountree back in the win column, but a TKO loss to Ion Cutelaba and a decision setback against Marcin Prachnio followed. In September 2021, the UFC matchmakers booked Rountree against Modestas Bukauskas. He won that scrap via TKO. That win was the first of five consecutive victories for Rountree. Rountree was scheduled to face former UFC light heavyweight champ Jamahal Hill in June, but a self-reported drug test failure knocked him from that card. The Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended Rountree 4.5 months for that drug test failure. When Rountree returned to action it was at UFC 307 in the main event of the pay-per-view card opposite then-UFC 205-pound champion Alex Pereira. Pereira battered Rountree before ending the fight via TKO in the fourth round. Rountree has nine knockout wins and four decision victories. His losses have come by knockout (three), submission (one) and decision (two). He is the No. 7 ranked competitor in the UFC's 205-pound weight class. When BetOnline first published the betting lines for the UFC Baku main event, Rountree was the -135 betting favorite, while Hill came in at +115. Today, the fight is a pick 'em, with Rountree at -117 and Hill coming in at -103. Age: 34 Height: 6' 4' Reach: 79' Stance: Southpaw Age: 35 Height: 6' 1' Reach: 76' Stance: Southpaw BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - JUNE 18: Khalil Rountree Jr. works out for fans and media during the UFC Fight ... More Night open workout at Dinamo Square on June 18, 2025 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC) The first pick, and maybe easiest pick, for this fight is the outcome, which is for Hill vs. Rountree to end via knockout. Now, as for which fighter will score that knockout, that's where things get a little iffy. Both men have power, both men look to headhunt, but Rountree is the more well-rounded fighter. He has more tools and a deeper arsenal of weapons. He's also a bit more defensively sound than Hill. The betting pick is for Rountree to find an opening for a counter and send Hill to the mat for a knockout win. We will have more on the UFC Baku fight card and the Hill vs. Rountree fight as fight night nears, as well as full fight card results, reactions and highlights on fight night.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
'Put him to sleep in the first round' - Ilia Topuria issues a brutal warning for Charles Oliveira ahead of UFC 317 vacant lightweight title bout
Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira. Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC UFC 317 has everyone's eyes fixated, as fans will see their favourite fighters in action once again after a long hiatus involving weight class moves and multiple rounds of back-and-forth negotiations to finalise the bout. Former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria will now be facing former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title . While Oliveira is on a mission to reclaim the championship belt, Topuria has his sights set on achieving two-weight championship status and issues a brutal warning for the former lightweight. Ilia Topuria acknowledges Charles Oliveira's fighting abilities while being confident about his own set of skills, aims for a finish in first round itself After winning the featherweight championship belt against Alexander Volkanovski, Ilia Topuria's last bout was against Max Holloway, in which the Georgian fighter retained his title. Having defended his title, the fighter announced his move up to the lightweight division in February 2025, and since then, Topuria started calling out Islam Makhachev, the then-lightweight champion, for a title bout, but was met with no response. Makhachev seemingly was not much interested in facing Topuria and instead wanted to move up the weight category. Post UFC 315, where Belal Muhammad lost his title to Jack Della Maddalena, Makhachev, too, vacated his title and shifted to the welterweight division for a direct title shot. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Even though the shakeup across the division killed the expectations for a highly anticipated bout between Topuria and Makhachev, El Matador has now been placed against another strong lightweight contender and former champion of the division, Charles Oliveira. Oliveira won three out of his last five bouts, one of which was a title loss to Makhachev. Despite this, he is known for his striking abilities and submission techniques. Trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the fighter has even knocked out some of the greatest contenders of the division, including Michael Chandler and Beneil Dariush. While both fighters are preparing for the upcoming bout with their respective aims set, Topuria acknowledges the abilities of the former lightweight champion, while also believing that a guaranteed win awaits the former featherweight. In a recent interview, the fighter stated, 'Charles is a great fighter. I'd say he's a legendary fighter, one of the few still active in the UFC.' He further continued, 'But the truth is that his style fits perfectly with mine, to put him to sleep in the first round because he has no mobility, he doesn't move.' Also read: Kamaru Usman stuns audience with a brutal take on former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad ahead of the former's UFC Atlanta showdown Ever since losing the title to Makhachev, Oliveira did not get a title shot despite the fact that he had defended it twice after winning it against Michael Chandler at UFC 262. This makes the upcoming bout crucial for the fighter to establish his prominence once again within the division.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
UFC Vegas 107 main event canceled after Maycee Barber suffers potential seizure minutes before fight
Maycee Barber's main-event fight against Erin Blanchfield was canceled at the last possible moment. (Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC) The main event of the UFC Vegas 107 card was canceled at the last possible moment. Maycee Barber and Erin Blanchfield were set to face off in a clash of ranked flyweights on Saturday in Las Vegas, to the point that the ESPN stream aired their pre-fight feature with interviews from both fighters. Once the video was done, a somber booth of broadcasters explained that Barber wasn't ready to fight. Advertisement One commercial break later, they announced the fight had been canceled due to a "last-minute medical issue" for Barber, who couldn't receive medical clearance to enter the Octagon. Blanchfield later said in an interview that UFC executive Hunter Campbell told her that Barber had suffered a seizure. The day before the fight, Barber missed weight by a half-pound and was forced to forfeit 20% of her purse to Blanchfield, part of a host of weight-related issues on the card for the UFC. Check out full UFC Vegas 107 results and highlights below. Main Card Women's flyweight: Erin Blanchfield vs. Maycee Barber canceled Advertisement Lightweight: Mateusz Gamrot def. Ludovit Klein via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Welterweight: Ramiz Brahimaj def. Billy Ray Goff via submission (guillotine) at 3:16 of R1 | Watch finish Light heavyweight: Dustin Jacoby def. Bruno Lopes via KO (punches) at 1:50 of R1 | Watch finish Women's featherweight: Ketlen Vieira def. Macy Chiasson via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) Middleweight: Zachary Reese def. Dusko Todorovic via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Preliminary Card Flyweight: Allan Nascimento def. Jafel Filho via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Lightweight: Jordan Leavitt def. Kurt Holobaugh via submission (anaconda choke) at 1:39 of R1 | Watch finish Lightweight: Bolaji Oki def. Michael Aswell via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Women's strawweight: Alice Ardelean def. Rayanne dos Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Forbes
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
UFC Vegas 107: Blanchfield Vs. Barber Full Fight Card Opening Odds
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 09: Maycee Barber prepares to face Katlyn Cerminara in a flyweight fight ... More during the UFC 299 event at Kaseya Center on March 09, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) The UFC is headed back to the UFC Apex in Las Vegas for this weekend's UFC Vegas 107 fight card. An important women's flyweight matchup headlines the fight card. In that contest, the No. 4 ranked Erin Blanchfield battles the No. 5 ranked Maycee Barber. We look at the opening betting odds for the full UFC Vegas 107 fight card. Erin Blanchfield (-200) vs. Maycee Barber (+150) Mateusz Gamrot (-200) vs. Ľudovít Klein (+150) Billy Ray Goff (-200) vs. Ko Seok-hyun (+150) Dustin Jacoby (-180) vs. Bruno Lopes (+140) Ramiz Brahimaj (+275) vs. Oban Elliott (-450) Zachary Reese (-225) vs. Duško Todorovi (+160) Jafel Filho (+185) vs. Allan Nascimento (-275) Ketlen Vieira (-145) vs. Macy Chiasson (+105) Trevin Giles (+120) vs. Andreas Gustafsson (-150) Kurt Holobaugh (-120) vs. Jordan Leavitt (-120) MarQuel Mederos (+110) vs. Bolaji Oki (-150) Rayanne dos Santos (-255) vs. Alice Ardelean (+175) *Odds via BetOnline EDMONTON, ALBERTA - NOVEMBER 02: Erin Blanchfield reacts after a victory against Rose Namajunas in a ... More flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Rogers Place on November 02, 2024 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Blanchfield (13-2) is the No. 4 fighter in the official UFC women's flyweight rankings. The 26-year-old Blanchfield was riding a nine-fight winning streak when she faced Manon Fiorot in the main event of a UFC Fight Night card in March 2024. Fiorot won that bout with ease, ringing up three 50-45 scores from the judges. The victory earned Fiorot a UFC 315 matchup against UFC women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko, a bout Shevchenko won via decision. Blanchfield took a step back toward a title fight in November when she scored a decision win over former UFC women's strawweight champion Rose Namajunas. MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 09: Maycee Barber reacts after defeating Katlyn Cerminara in their women's ... More flyweight bout at UFC 299 at Kaseya Center on March 09, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by) Barber (14-2) is the No. 5 fighter in the UFC women's 125-pound division. She opened her UFC career with a 3-2 record, but is undefeated since dropping back-to-back decisions to Roxanne Modafferi and Alexa Grasso in 2020 and 2021. The 27-year-old Barber is riding a six-fight winning streak heading into UFC Vegas 107. Her most recent victory was a March 2024 decision win over Katlyn Cerminara. Barber was schedule to face Rose Namajunas in July 2024, but she dropped out of that fight due to illness. Barber later revealed she had Epstein-barr virus. In December she told Morning Kombat, "Everything's going great now. It has been a long journey. I was so bummed when – well, first of all, I was so excited to fight Rose because not only was I fighting Rose, but I was also fighting in Denver where I made my UFC debut. So for me, it was my first main event. "It was a very huge opportunity for me, and I was so excited and then I was devastated when I was told, 'Hey look, you're not going to fight on this card.' Obviously the health is more important. So I was very devastated, but I have made a lot of progress coming forward, and I can't wait to be back." We will have more on the UFC Vegas 107 fight card as fight night nears, including betting odds, picks, predictions and more. As well as full fight card results, reactions and highlights on fight night.
