Tag Archives: Anthony Pettis

Raul Rosas Jr. to Fight Christian Rodriguez at UFC 287

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Raul Rosas Jr. has scheduled his return to the Octagon…

The 18-year-old Mexican American mixed martial arts prodigy, who became the youngest fighter to ever sign with the UFC, will return to the Octagon on April 8 to fight fellow prospect Christian Rodriguez at UFC 287, according to ESPN.

Raul Rosas Jr.Former UFC champion Anthony Pettis, who represents Rodriguez under the Showtime Group agency, also posted about the fight on Instagram. A location has yet to be determined, and no main event has been set yet for the pay-per-view card.

Rosas (7-0) was 17 when he signed with the UFC last September. Living and training in Las Vegas, he beat Mando Gutierrez on Dana White‘s Contender Series to earn a UFC contract. Rosas then beat Jay Perrin in his debut with the promotion via first-round submission at UFC 282 in December.

Rodriguez (8-1) is coming off a first-round submission win over Joshua Weems in October. The Milwaukee native is 1-1 in the UFC. Rodriguez, 25, trains out of Roufusport in his hometown and owns wins in CFFC, LFA and on Contender Series.

UFC Eyeing Rematch Between Jorge Masvidal & Nate Diaz

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It looks like Jorge Masvidal could be getting the chance for a repeat…

The UFC is eyeing a welterweight rematch between the 35-year-old Cuban and Peruvian American mixed martial artist and Nate Diaz, according to UFC president Dana White.

Jorge Masvidal

Bout agreements haven’t been signed, but both sides are reportedly interested in the rematch.

The UFC is looking to book the rematch as the next bout for both Masvidal and Diaz, but a date hasn’t been set. TMZ has reported that the fight is targeted for UFC 256 on December 12. But sources tell ESPN the fight could also take place in January.

Masvidal and Diaz squared off last November in the main event of UFC 244 at Madison Square Garden for the inaugural BMF Championship. Masvidal (35-14) defeated Diaz via TKO when ringside physicians stopped the bout after the third round due to a facial cut. Diaz protested the stoppage.

Masvidal, who made history as the first Latino on the cover of the mixed martial arts fighting video game EA Sports UFC, went on to challenge Kamaru Usman for the welterweight championship at UFC 251 last month in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Masvidal accepted the fight on short notice after Usman’s original opponent, Gilbert Burns, was forced off the card at the last minute due to a positive COVID-19 test. Masvidal lost via unanimous decision.

Diaz (20-12) has not fought since the loss to Masvidal. The 35-year-old Mexican American welterweight fought twice in 2019 after a three-year layoff. He defeated Anthony Pettis in August of 2019 before losing to Masvidal in November.

UFC Fighter Nate Diaz Beats Anthony Pettis in First Fight After Three-Year Hiatus

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Nate Diaz is back in a big way…

In his highly anticipated return to the Octagon after a three year absence, the 34-year-old Latino mixed martial artist was excellent in a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) win over Anthony Pettis in the co-main event of UFC 241on Saturday at the Honda Center.

Nate Diaz

Diaz had not fought since a loss to Conor McGregor at UFC 202on August 20, 2016. 

He imposed his will on Pettis early and often. Diaz was able to press Pettis against the cage in every round and land punch combinations, elbows and knees. He closed the first and third rounds in good positions on the ground, an area he also controlled when the fight went there.

Afterward, Diaz said he is interested in fighting Jorge Masvidal next, adding that he was impressed by Masvidal’s five-second knockout of Ben Askren last month.

“All respect to the man, but there ain’t no gangsters in this game anymore. There ain’t nobody who does it right but me and him,” said Diaz, who hails from Stockton, California, and enjoyed a huge partisan crowd on Saturday. “So I know my man’s a gangster, but he ain’t no West Coast gangster.”

At his postfight news conference, UFC president Dana Whitesaid he wouldn’t be opposed to making Diaz-Masvidal fight if that’s what both fighters wanted next.

Diaz (20-11) went 1-1 against McGregor in 2016. They were two of the biggest pay-per-view events in Ultimate Fighting Championshiphistory. Diaz has a huge cult following among fans for his irreverence, exciting fighting style and propensity to flip a double bird. He had not fought since that star-making year because he wasn’t able to come to terms with the UFC.

Rafael dos Anjos to Fight Kevin Lee in UFC Fight Night: Rochester

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Rafael dos Anjos is returning to the octagon…

The 34-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist will face Kevin Lee in a battle of top welterweights at UFC Fight Night: Rochester on May 18, according to ESPN.

Rafael dos Anjos

dos Anjos is a former UFClightweight champion who claimed the belt in 2015 in a victory against Anthony Pettis. He followed that with a win against Donald “Cowboy” Cerronebut is 4-3 in his past seven fights.

dos Anjos, who moved up to welterweight in 2017, will look to rebound from two consecutive losses, unanimous-decision defeats to Colby Covingtonand Kamaru Usman, respectively.

This will mark Lee’s first fight at welterweight after spending his career in the lightweight division. He has won six of his past eight but is coming off a unanimous-decision loss to Al Iaquintain December.