Jimmie Rivera News
After cancelled Caraway bout, Jimmie Rivera sets sights on Dominick Cruz
Tom Taylor - January 9, 2017
Until last week, rising bantamweight contender Jimmie Rivera expected to take on dangerous veteran Bryan Caraway on the main card of the UFC’s upcoming return to Phoenix. Then, Caraway pulled out of the fight with an injury. Though Ecuador’s Marlon “Chito” Vera was briefly targeted as Caraway’s replacement, Rivera ultimately turned down this last-minute challenge, explaining that, at this juncture of his career, it just didn’t make sense. “I found out Monday Caraway was out,” Rivera told MMAFighting.com’s Ariel Helwani. “Didn’t find anyone new until Thursday. My coach and I discussed that it wouldn’t be a fair fight for the guy. I’m not bullying some guy who wins some and loses some. I want to fight the best of the best. I trained for Caraway, so either I wait for him to get better or fight someone at the very top of the weight class.”
Three more fights added to UFC Fight Night 103 in Phoenix including pivotal bantamweight matchup
Tom Taylor - December 2, 2016
On January 15th, the UFC will return to Phoenix, Arizona. The card will be topped by a battle between rising Mexican featherweight Yair Rodriguez, and our very own BJ Penn, who will be returning after more than two years away from the sport. The UFC announced three new fights added to the Phoenix event.
Jimmie Rivera Wants Number-One-Contender Fight with TJ Dillashaw
Tom Taylor - September 12, 2016
Last Saturday, on the main card of UFC 203, New Jersey’s Jimmie Rivera defeated Urijah Faber by unanimous decision. It was undoubtedly the biggest win of the bantamweight contender’s career. Now an incredible 20-1 overall, and an deeply-embedded member of the bantamweight division’s top-10, Rivera is undoubtedly is now ready for another big step up the ladder. And while he’s currently dealing with a fairly serious eye injury, he says he’s already got an opponent in mind for his next fight.
Ouch: Jimmie Rivera Sustains Crack Behind Retina After Urijah Faber Eye-Poke
Tom Taylor - September 11, 2016
On the main card of UFC 203, Jimmie Rivera earned a unanimous decision win over Urijah Faber, becoming the first bantamweight to defeat the long-time contender in a three-round, non-title fight. The decision win goes down as the biggest of the 27-year-old prospect’s career, and is likely to have earned him a spot deep inside the bantamweight division’s top-10 rankings. Unfortunately, Rivera did not escape the encounter unscathed. In the third round of the fight, the Puerto Rican fighter found himself on the receiving end of a nasty eye-poke, which forced a momentary break in the action. And though he was ultimately able to continue fighting to the final bell, Rivera has since revealed the extent of the damage caused by Faber’s eye-poke.
