Latest news with #onESPN66
USA Today
13-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Trust the process: Evan Elder's patience and persistence have paid off during UFC run
Sometimes, it's hard to patient. But good things come to those who wait. Evan Elder has been on the UFC roster for three years. He's fought five times. While there was a bumpy entrance and an 0-2 start, Elder (10-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has come into his own with three straight wins since. "I think more than anything, it was just sticking to the process," Elder recently told MMA Junkie. "It's not that I changed anything drastically. I'd say experience, getting more comfortable, getting more reps, dealing with the nerves, being able to lock in on the weight cut and everything else. I think more so than anything it's experience and staying consistent, sticking to the plan. I didn't freak out whenever things didn't go right and try to totally shake things up, other than move to Vegas. I continued to stick to what I believe was working and what I believe would give me the results that I wanted and I stayed true to that. Even whenever I fell short, I knew if I stuck to those principles that I thought would eventually give me success, they would. That is working. I'm just continuing to stick to them and evolve and keep progressing." Elder, 28, has competed in MMA since he was 18 years old in 2015. He turned professional in 2018. His journey has taken him across the country to Florida, when he trained under Henri Hooft at what was then called Hard Knocks 365. It then returned him home where he trained with James Krause. Now, Elder finds himself out in Las Vegas, training at the UFC Performance Institute with a small contingency of partners. "I started working with Joe Schilling," Elder said. "He's helped my striking a ton. I've only been working with him for a month but we made a lot of ground in that month. I'm really excited to keep working with him." Elder is less than three weeks removed from a UFC on ESPN 66 victory over Gauge Young, a fighter he trained with in the past. The event took place in Elder's home state of Missouri, which made the experience a special one. "Every time I win, it's nothing crazy. It's more of a relief," Elder said. "It's like, 'Well, that's what was supposed to happen. It's not a big celebratory thing. It's like, 'Awesome. I'm glad it worked.' Because it's the work I'm putting in. It's the results I'm expecting. I'm happy. I'm really happy with the win. But honestly, I'm excited to heal up and get back to work. I've got a lot to improve on." What the future has in store for him, Elder does not know. He'll sit by the phone and wait to hear from UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby through his manager Jason House. He hopes the call comes sooner rather than later – but is willing to exercise patience once again, if needed. "I try to stay ready all the time," Elder said. "The only thing that prevents me from being able to fight quickly or on short notice is my weight. I feel like I'm a pretty big 155er. I have to cut a pretty excessive amount of weight. I'm going to work on keeping my weight down and just be ready to fight within a few weeks' notice or whatever. I've really just been ready to fight all the time. ... I'd love to fight two more times this year for sure. Maybe an August timeframe and then one more before the end of the year. That would be ideal for me to have a pretty active year. "... But until then, I'm going to be in the gym and keep getting better. My goal is that every time I step in the cage, I want people to be like, 'Wow, that dude looks like a whole new fighter. He's evolved so much,' every time I get in the cage. The longer they give me between fights, the worse I think it's going to be for whoever I fight next and the bigger evolution you're going to see in my game." "I'll tell you what. One of the coolest parts for sure was the walkout. I was so locked in for the walkout. I was in the zone, ready to fight. I just am in in the middle of me being dialed in and I just start seeing people that I know, close enough I could give high-fives and stuff. That sh*t hyped me up so much. That was definitely one of the coolest parts of the whole fight was getting to see some of my people on the way out."
USA Today
28-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 66 medical suspensions: Anthony Smith (one last time) among 3 out indefinitely
UFC on ESPN 66 medical suspensions: Anthony Smith (one last time) among 3 out indefinitely The vast majority of fighters who competed at UFC on ESPN 66 have been handed medical suspensions by the event's sanctioning body. On Monday, the Missouri Office of Athletics released a list of medical suspensions for the athletes who competed at Saturday's event at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. The commission did not release specific details as to what injuries were sustained. Twenty-one of the 28 competitors received 30 to 90-day suspensions. Three of those fighters also received additional indefinite suspensions that will end only after neurological clearance. Check out a full list of medical suspensions below. It's important to note fighters can return prior to the end of their assigned suspension if they receive sooner medical clearance. Joselyne Edwards def. Chelsea Chandler Joselyne Edwards: No suspension. Chelsea Chandler: Suspended 30 days. Timmy Cuamba def. Roberto Romero Timmy Cuamba: Suspended 60 days. Roberto Romero: Suspended 90 days. Jaqueline Amorim def. Polyana Viana Jaqueline Amorim: No suspension. Polyana Viana: Suspended 30 days. Malcolm Wellmaker def. Cameron Saaiman Malcolm Wellmaker: No suspension. Cameron Saaiman: Suspended 90 days; also suspended indefinitely pending neurological clearance. Da'Mon Blackshear def. Heili Alateng Da'Mon Blackshear: Suspended 30 days. Heili Alateng: Suspended 60 days. Chris Gutierrez def. John Castaneda Chris Gutierrez: Suspended 30 days. John Castaneda: Suspended 30 days. Evan Elder def. Gauge Young Evan Elder: Suspended 30 days. Gauge Young: Suspended 30 days. Matt Schnell def. Jimmy Flick Matt Schnell: Suspended 30 days. Jimmy Flick: Suspended 90 days. Ikram Aliskerov def. Andre Muniz Ikram Aliskerov: No suspension. Andre Muniz: Suspended 30 days. Randy Brown def. Nicolas Dalby Randy Brown: Suspended 30 days. Nicolas Dalby: Suspended 90 days; also suspended indefinitely pending neurological clearance. Abus Magomedov def. Michel Pereira Abus Magomedov: Suspended 30 days. Michel Pereira: Suspended 30 days. David Onama def. Giga Chikadze David Onama: Suspended 30 days. Giga Chikadze: Suspended 30 days. Mingyang Zhang def. Anthony Smith Mingyang Zhang: No suspension. Anthony Smith: Suspended 90 days; also suspended indefinitely pending neurological clearance. Ian Machado Garry def. Carlos Prates Ian Machado Garry: No suspension. Carlos Prates: No suspension.
USA Today
27-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Sean Shelby's Shoes: What's next for Carlos Prates after UFC on ESPN 66 loss?
Sean Shelby's Shoes: What's next for Carlos Prates after UFC on ESPN 66 loss? Show Caption Hide Caption Who's next for Carlos Prates after Ian Machado Garry loss? | UFC on ESPN 66 matchmaker MMA Junkie's Mike Bohn plays matchmaker and looks ahead to what makes sense for Carlos Prates in this edition of "Sean Shelby's Shoes." Carlos Prates tasted defeat for the first time in nearly six years Saturday when he fell short against Ian Machado Garry in the UFC on ESPN 66 main event. Prates (21-7 MMA, 4-1 UFC) was riding high on a 10-fight knockout streak, but just as he said he would, Machado Garry (16-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) brought an end to all that in the form of a unanimous decision in the welterweight contender matchup at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. What does the loss mean for Prates and his title trajectory at 170 pounds? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on his future.
USA Today
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Anthony Smith 'refusing to be sad' about UFC retirement loss, explains flipping off fan
Anthony Smith 'refusing to be sad' about UFC retirement loss, explains flipping off fan Show Caption Hide Caption UFC Kansas City video: Dana White full post-fight interview UFC CEO Dana White spoke to reporters at the UFC on ESPN 66 post-fight press conference and talked Ian Machado Garry's win, the Du Plessis vs. Chimaev, Makhachev vs. Topuria, Jones vs. Aspinall and more. Anthony Smith's final fight at UFC on ESPN 66 was a one-sided bloodbath that ended with him flipping off a fan in the crowd. Smith (38-22 MMA, 13-12 UFC) suffered a first-round TKO defeat to Zhang Mingyang (19-6 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in his retirement bout Saturday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. He was cut open by an elbow early, then battered into a stoppage on the ground, and as he was getting up lifted the middle finger and pointed it into the camera, much to the confusion of viewers. According to Smith, his post-fight actions were directed as a random fan in the crowd, who he said was behaving in a disrespectful manner from the time he walked to the octagon for the final time, to the time his opponent was mercifully pulled off him. 'There was a guy in a Nebraska shirt and he was like booing me and flipping me off and kind of talking trash before the fight,' Smith said on ESPN's UFC on ESPN 66 post-fight show. 'But I was really focused on what I had to do. Then after the fight, his friend is cheering and he's still flipping me off and saying some pretty disrespectful things. 'I was so mad. He was wearing a Nebraska shirt. We're supposed to be family here. It's not a very big community of people here. … I just couldn't believe that. I pour my heart and soul into this game and I don't care if you think that I suck or that I'm not very good, if you're sitting in the crowd, you're definitely not doing what I'm doing, especially wearing a Nebraska shirt. You can't talk trash wearing a Nebraska shirt. Like come on now. That's all that was.' Smith, 36, told MMA Junkie prior to his fight with Mingyang that he was actually excited about the prospect of retirement because the competition side of MMA and sacrifices required has put such a heavy burden on his life. Now, Smith is free of that burden and can focus on his family and next chapter of his life, which includes serving as a prominent analyst for UFC and ESPN. The new reality hasn't yet fully set in on "Lionheart," but he said he's going to do his best not to mourn the past, and instead appreciate the bright future. 'It's weird,' Smith said. 'Because I'm used to fighting, whether you win or you lose, you go onto whatever's next. You start rolling through this Rolodex like, 'All right, I lost, so I've got to find this guy, I've got to chase this ranking.' You win, you're looking ahead. There is nothing else. 'So I'm refusing to be sad. I shouldn't be allowed to be sad. It's been a long journey. I've been doing this since I was 17 years old, I'm going to be 37 in a couple of months. I got enough. I built my life around what I was able to do in this sport. It's afforded me opportunities I was never, ever able to have. I'm forcing myself to be happy that it happened and not sad that it's over.'
USA Today
27-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ESPN 66 post-event facts: Zhang Mingyang's streak continues at Anthony Smith's expense
UFC on ESPN 66 post-event facts: Zhang Mingyang's streak continues at Anthony Smith's expense Show Caption Hide Caption UFC Kansas City video: Dana White full post-fight interview UFC CEO Dana White spoke to reporters at the UFC on ESPN 66 post-fight press conference and talked Ian Machado Garry's win, the Du Plessis vs. Chimaev, Makhachev vs. Topuria, Jones vs. Aspinall and more. The UFC's return to Kansas City, Mo., delivered on Saturday with UFC on ESPN 66 at T-Mobile Center. In the main event, Ian Machado Garry (16-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) proved too much for Carlos Prates (21-7 MMA, 4-1 UFC) when put on a largely one-sided performance for a unanimous decision to put himself back in title contention at 170 pounds. For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie's post-event facts from UFC on ESPN 66. * * * * Event stats The UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payout for the event totaled $201,500. Debuting fighters went 1-1 at the event. Randy Brown, Nicolas Dalby, Zhang Mingyang, Malcolm Wellmaker earned $50,000 UFC on ESPN 66 fight-night bonuses. UFC on ESPN 66 drew an announced attendance of 15,984 for a live gate of $2,204,307. Betting favorites went 12-1 on the card. One fight had even odds. Betting favorites improved to 9-5 in UFC headliners this year. Total fight time for the 14-bout card was 2:30:50. Ian Machado Garry def. Carlos Prates Machado Garry was successful in his first UFC main event. Prates had his 10-fight winning streak snapped for his first defeat since June 2019. Mingyang Zhang def. Anthony Smith Mingyang (19-6 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has earned all 19 of his career victories by stoppage. He's finished all of those wins in Round 1. Mingyang's three-fight UFC knockout streak is tied for the second-longest streak among active fighters on the roster behind Steve Garcia (five). Anthony Smith (37-22 MMA, 13-12 UFC) fell to 9-9 since he moved up to the UFC light heavyweight division in June 2018. Smith has suffered 17 of his 22 career losses by stoppage. David Onama def. Giga Chikadze Giga Chikadze (15-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) has suffered three of his four career losses by decision. That includes all three of his UFC defeats. Abus Magomedov def. Michel Pereira Michel Pereira (30-13 MMA, 9-4 UFC) fell to 3-2 since he moved up to the middleweight division in October 2023. Pereira has suffered nine of his 13 career losses by decision. That includes two of his four UFC defeats. Randy Brown def. Nicolas Dalby Brown (20-6 MMA, 14-6 UFC) has earned 13 of his 20 career victories by stoppage. He's finished his opponent in seven of his 14 UFC wins. Dalby (23-6-1 MMA, 7-5-1 UFC) fell to 6-3 with one no contest since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in September 2019. Dalby suffered the first stoppage loss of his career with a knockout defeat. Ikram Aliskerov def. Andre Muniz Ikram Aliskerov (16-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) has earned all three of his UFC victories by knockout. Andre Muniz (24-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC) has suffered all seven of his career losses by stoppage. Muniz has suffered six of his seven career losses by knockout. Matt Schnell def. Jimmy Flick Matt Schnell (17-9 MMA, 7-7 UFC) has earned four of his seven UFC victories by decision. Evan Elder def. Gauge Young Evan Elder (10-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has earned two of his three UFC victories by decision. Gauge Young (9-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has suffered two of his three career losses by decision. Chris Gutierrez def. John Castaneda Chris Gutierrez (22-6-2 MMA, 10-3-1 UFC) has earned seven of his 10 UFC victories by decision. John Castaneda (21-8 MMA, 4-4 UFC) fell to 5-6 in his past 11 fights dating back to November 2017. Castaneda has suffered six of his eight career losses by decision. Da'Mon Blackshear def. Heili Alateng Heili Alateng (17-10-2 MMA, 5-3-1 UFC) has suffered all three of his UFC losses by decision. Malcolm Wellmaker def. Cameron Saaiman Malcolm Wellmaker (9-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has earned seven of his nine career victories by stoppage. Cameron Saaiman (9-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) has suffered three consecutive losses after starting his career 9-0. Saaiman has suffered both of his career stoppage losses by knockout. Jaqueline Amorim def. Polyana Viana Jaqueline Amorim's (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at strawweight is tied for the third-longest active streak in the division behind Zhang Weili (five) and Virna Jandiroba (five). Amorim's three submission victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied for the second-most in divisional history behind Mackenzie Dern (five). Amorim's four-fight UFC stoppage streak is tied for the third-longest active streak in the division behind Garcia (five) and Jean Silva (five). Amorim has earned all 10 of her career victories by stoppage. She's finished eight of those wins by submission. Polyana Viana (13-8 MMA, 4-7 UFC) has suffered three of four of her career stoppage losses by submission. Timmy Cuamba def. Roberto Romero Timmy Cuamba (9-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) has earned all five of his career stoppage victories by knockout. Roberto Romero (8-5-1 MMA, 0-2 UFC) has suffered both of his career stoppage losses by knockout. Joselyne Edwards def. Chelsea Chandler Joselyne Edwards (15-6 MMA, 6-4 UFC) has earned 10 of her 15 career victories by stoppage. Chelsea Chandler (6-4 MMA, 2-3 UFC) suffered the first stoppage loss of her career with a first-round TKO defeat. UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on X @MJCflipdascript.
