MMA News

Chris Taylor - December 11, 2016

Max Holloway became the UFC’s interim featherweight champion at last night’s UFC 206 event in Toronto, Ontario, Canada by scoring a third-round TKO victory over former UFC lightweight title holder Anthony Pettis.

Chris Taylor - December 11, 2016

UFC featherweight contenders Cub Swanson and Dooho Choi went to war on the main card of last night’s UFC 206 pay-per-view event in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The fight, which many fans and analysts are calling “Fight of the year”, went the distance with Swanson earning the unanimous decision victory (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) from the judges in attendance.

Chris Taylor - December 11, 2016

Featherweights Cub Swanson and Dooho Choi stole the show at last night’s UFC 206 pay-per-view event in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Tom Taylor - December 11, 2016

Last night, the UFC returned to Toronto, Ontario, Canada for the first time in over three years. It did so with UFC 206, a card that, despite being short on big names, delivered as one of the most exciting in recent memory. UFC 206 was headlined by a featherweight bout between streaking Hawaiian contender Max Holloway and former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis. Originally this fight was intended to be an interim featherweight title fight. When Pettis missed weight for the fight, however, he lost the opportunity to win interim gold. Only Holloway was eligible to win the title in victory – and win it he did.

Tom Taylor - December 11, 2016

Last night, the UFC returned to snow covered Toronto, Ontario Canada for the first time since 2013. They did so with UFC 206, a fight that was short on big names, but long on incredible action. At the moment, purses for this 12-fight card have not been disclosed. We do, however, know how much the card’s 24 fighters took home through the UFC’s outfitting deal with sports apparel giant Reebok.

Tom Taylor - December 11, 2016

Last night, on the main card of an action-packed UFC 206, fan favorite Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone dazzled with a thunderous third-round knockout of the notoriously durable Matt Brown. With this win, Cowboy improved to a fantastic 4-0 as a welterweight. Given his current streak, and the fact that he is now ranked well inside the welterweight top-10, Cowboy is ready to set his sights on the division’s uppermost players. On that note, the streaking welterweight revealed post-fight that he has his eyes on one potential opponent in particular: decorated grappling whiz Demian Maia.

Tom Taylor - December 11, 2016

Last night, the UFC touched down in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for the first time since September of 2013. The organization did so with UFC 206, a card that, despite being criticized for its lack of big names, produced some of the most memorable moments of the year. Some of the highlights of the card included Lando Vannata’s highlight reel, wheel kick knockout of John Makdessi, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone’s third-round head-kick destruction of Matt Brown, and Max Holloway’s interim featherweight title winning TKO of former lightweight champ Anthony Pettis. As exciting as all of these moments were, however, they all paled in comparison to Cub Swanson’s and Doo Ho Choi’s main card featherweight war.

Tom Taylor - December 11, 2016

Last night, in the main event of UFC 206, Hawaiian contender Max Holloway won the UFC interim featherweight title with a third-round TKO of former lightweight champ Anthony Pettis. This win set the Hawaiian up for a title-unifying showdown with undisputed champ Jose Aldo, who was recently promoted to that role when Conor McGregor was stripped of the title. In the moments after his defeat of Pettis, Holloway issued a callout of Aldo, challenging the featherweight great to a showdown at UFC 208 this February in Brooklyn. He then encouraged fans to use the hashtag #WheresJoseWaldo on social media, referencing Aldo’s regrettable tendency to pull out of fights.

Chris Taylor - December 10, 2016

An interim featherweight title fight between surging division contender Max Holloway and former lightweight title holder Anthony Pettis served as the main event of tonight’s UFC 206 fight card in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Round one begins and Pettis comes forward with a push kick. Max responds with one of his own. Holloway pumps the jab. Pettis circles out and lands a low kick. Anthony moves in with a right hand. He connects with an inside leg kick and then throws a switch kick that connects to the body. Holloway with a push kick but Pettis replies with a nasty body kick. Max goes to the body with jab. Pettis lands a hard spinning back kick. Holloway attempts to come inside with a trip. He doesn’t get it. Pettis circles and lands a push kick. Max fires back with a low kick of his own. The fighters exchange jabs. One minute remains. Pettis circles and comes forward with a right. Max responds with a leg kick and then a left hook. Pettis throws a right that misses. Max counters with two nice right hands. Pettis looks for a takedown but the horn sounds to end round one.

Chris Taylor - December 10, 2016

A key welterweight tilt between Donald Cerrone and Matt Brown served as the co-main event bout of tonight’s UFC 206 fight card in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Round one begins and Brown starts off applying pressure early. Cerrone with a combination. Cerrone with a body kick and then a high kick and Brown looks to be in trouble. Matt swings a combination that misses. He is still the aggressor but eats a nasty leg kick. Brown with a nice combination. He follows that up with a right hand. Cerrone fires back with a leg kick and then a left. Brown continues to stalk him here. He connects with a hard kick to the body of Cowboy. Cerrone with a jab and then a hard leg kick. Cerrone goes upstairs and rocks Brown with a head kick. Somehow Brown stays on his feet. That was nasty. Matt continues to press forward but Donald is connects with a pair of jabs. Brown charges forward with a big combination and lands it. He lands a huge left to the body. Cerrone charges forward and takes Brown to the floor. He ends up in a tight triangle choke. This is deep. Cerrone pulls out but is now in an armbar. Brown cannot secure the submission. They get back up and Brown lands a nice right before the horn.

Chris Taylor - December 10, 2016

A featherweight tilt between Cub Swanson and Dooho Choi took place on tonight’s UFC 206 main card in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Round one begins and Choi presses forward and lands a right. The fighters clinch and Choi lands a pair of knees inside. He grabs a hold of the neck of Swanson and lands two nice knees to Cub’s head. Swanson breaks and throws a kick. He lands a low kick. Choi chases after him and misses with a high kick. Cub responds with a right hand. Choi is pawing with a left jab. Cub cracks him with a counter left. Choi eats it. Swanson charges forward with a combination and then lands a low kick. He cracks Choi with an overhand right. Dooho moves forward and lands an uppercut. He grabs Cub and utilizes the clinch. Swanson with a good knee inside. Choi presses him against the cage and looks to score a trip. It does not work and Swanson switches the position and begins working some knees. They break and Swanson lands a right and then a leg kick. One minute remains. Swanson lands a hard leg kick. He follows that up with a right hand. Choi presses forward and lands a left jab. He is having trouble gauging Swanson here. Round one comes to an end.

Chris Taylor - December 10, 2016

A middleweight tilt between Tim Kennedy and Kelvin Gastelum took place on tonight’s UFC 206 main card in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Round one begins and Kennedy lands a pair of leg kicks to start. Kelvin is pressuring early. Kennedy catches him with a body kick and then a side kick. Kelvin with a low kick. Tim scores with a right hand and presses Gastelum against the cage. Kennedy drags Gastelum to the ground and looks to take his back. He does but Kelvin scrambles and breaks free of one hook. Kennedy is riding him here. Kelvin stands back up but Tim presses him against the cage and starts unloading knees. These knees to the thigh are brutal. Kennedy continues to batter Kelvin with knees to the leg and butt. Kelvin breaks free and lands a nice punch. He begins applying the forward pressure and lands another good counter shot off a Kennedy miss. Tim’s right eye is swollen now. Tim lands a body kick and then another. Kelvin charges forward with punches and tags Kennedy. Another good straight right from Gastelum and then an uppercut to close out round one.

Chris Taylor - December 10, 2016

UFC lightweight standout Lando Vannata scored a knockout of the year candidate earlier tonight at UFC 206 in Toronto when he floored his opponent John Makdessi with spinning heel kick. Check it out:

Chris Taylor - December 10, 2016

A light heavyweight scrap between Nikita Krylov and Misha Cirkunov served as the featured bout of tonight’s UFC 206 prelims in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Round one begins and Krylov connects with a body kick early. Cirkunov is applying pressure but Krylov is keeping him at bay with kicks. Nikita goes for a high kick but Cirkunov catches it and uses the limb to score a takedown. Krylov is looking for a guillotine choke. He uses the submission attempt to get back to his feet. After a brief clinch the fighters break and exchange body kicks. Cirkunov scores with a low kick. Nikita goes to the body with a kick but once again Misha catches it and uses the strike to score a takedown. Krylov scrambles back to his feet and scores a takedown of his own. The top position is short lived however as Misha sweeps Krylov to wind up on top. Nikita rolls and gets back to his feet. Misha with a big left that rocks Nikita. They battle against the cage. Another huge left from Cirkunov drops Krylov. Nikita shoots for a leg but Cirkunov locks in a guillotine choke. It is tight and this one is all over!

Chris Taylor - December 10, 2016

A lightweight tilt between Olivier Aubin-Mercier and Drew Dober took place during tonight’s UFC 206 prelims in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Round one begins and Dober misses a low kick to start. Aubin-Mercier misses with punches but finishes with a low kick that lands. Dober leaps in with a left but eats a counter hook that wobbles him. Dober is busted up from the shot but is still pressing the action. Aubin-Mercier lands a nice jab and then another. Dober circles out but Aubin-Mercier catches him with a counter left. Dober slips to the floor after an Olivier combo but jumps back up. The fighters trade low kicks. Dober’s nose is really bleeding now. The horn sounds to end round one.

Chris Taylor - December 10, 2016

A women’s strawweight scrap between Valerie Letourneau and Viviane Pereira took place during tonight’s UFC 206 prelims in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Round one begins and Letourneau begins by pumping her jab. Pereira clinches but fails with an attempted takedown. Letourneau catches a low kick and pushes the action to the canvas. She’s quickly moves to mount. Pereira trying to buck free but eats a flurry of shots from Letourneau. Pereira gets back to full guard. Letourneau passes to side control. Pereira spins and gets back to her feet. They battle against the cage. Pereira breaks free but Valerie brings her back to the position. They trade knees inside.

Chris Taylor - December 10, 2016

A lightweight scrap between John Makdessi and Lando Vannata served as the featured bout of tonight’s UFC 206 Fight Pass Prelims in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Round one begins and Lando opens with a leg kick. He comes forward with a right hand that lands. Makdessi fires back with a jab to the body. Lando circles out and then lands a body kick. Makdessi with a right hand over the top and then a nice follow up jab. Vannata with a leg kick and then a right hand behind it. Lando misses with a leaping left. Lando with a right hand. He follows that up with a spinning heel kick that floors Makdessi. WOW!

Chris Taylor - December 10, 2016

A lightweight tilt between Jason Saggo and Rustam Khabilov took place on tonight’s UFC 206 Fight Pass Prelims in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Round one begins and Khabilov misses with a right hand and then a high kick. Saggo misses with a front kick but then connects with one to the body. Khabilov charges forward and connects with a left hook and then another. Saggo with a front kick and then a high kick that connects. Khabilov shoots in and scores a big slam takedown. He begins working some short shots from the full guard position. Saggo is eventually able to scramble free after utilizing his rubber guard as an effective defense.