3:52 PM ET LAS VEGAS — I knew I was in trouble when I heard my ribs crack as the air slowly left my body. I’m on my back on the second floor of Randy Couture’s Xtreme Couture MMA gym, wondering whether the last image I would ever see is the smiling face of MMA
MMA
2:23 AM ET Australia’s new UFC recruit Jim Crute has landed the opponent he wanted for his much anticipated debut later this year. Victorian Crute, who has an 8-0 MMA record, will fight Scotsman Paul Craig on December 2 at Adelaide Entertainment Centre. As the latest rising star in a burgeoning crop of Australian MMA
11:46 AM ET Chamatkar SandhuESPN After a rapid start to his MMA career, things have now come to a crashing halt for former reality TV star Aaron Chalmers. Having gone from a regional U.K. promotion to spot on a Bellator MMA card within the space of a year, Chalmers’ career is currently on pause due
10:57 AM ET Immediately following Kayla Harrison‘s first MMA fight in June, it was difficult not to mention the Ronda Rousey comparison. The result, after all, was a first-round armbar. But following her second pro fight — a third-round TKO against lightweight Jozette Cotton last weekend at PFL 6 in Atlantic City — that comparison
4:15 AM ET Press Release The undefeated rising star Roedie Roets joins the main card in Sun City on September 8 when he faces his biggest challenge yet. In a fight bolstering an already stacked card, the wrestling phenom is set to take-on the equally trained Pierre Botha. Starting his career in the small town
7:45 PM ET Patricio “Pitbull” Freire will defend his Bellator featherweight belt against Emmanuel Sanchez on Nov. 15 in Tel Aviv, Israel, the promotion announced Monday afternoon. Freire (27-4), who reclaimed the division’s title in April 2017 by defeating Daniel Straus by submission, is coming off a split-decision win over Daniel Weichel in July in
6:08 PM ET ESPN staff Tyron Woodley‘s first two defenses of his welterweight championship were against one of the sport’s elite strikers, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, and Woodley came out of those bouts still in possession of the belt. Now comes another challenge by a standup star. Darren Till, who also owns a victory over “Wonderboy,”
7:15 AM ET Press Release Undefeated Democratic Republic of Congo enigma Gunther Kalunda will face Brazilian Jose Da Rocha for the interim welterweight title at EFC 73 at Sun City on September 8. Reigning champion Dricus du Plessis has declined the fight against both top contenders Kalunda and Da Rocha with valid reason, and it
9:35 AM ET Ringside doctors in combat sports such as boxing and mixed martial arts have called for suspensions and examinations for fighters who get knocked out to ensure they have enough time to recover. Many state athletic commissions in the U.S. already impose suspensions of 30, 60 or 90 days but Dr. John Neidecker
12:16 AM ET Bellator MMA already has one champion-versus-champion super fight on its 2018 schedule. Darrion Caldwell would apparently like to see it add another one. UFC Fight Night in Beijing will feature a heavyweight bout between Francis Ngannou and Curtis Blaydes, sources tell ESPN’s Ariel Helwani. Caldwell (13-1) dominated Noad Lahat (12-4) in a