Boxing World Champion Savannah Marshall to make her PFL SmartCage debut in her hometown of Newcastle at PFL Europe  2024 PFL Europe event in Newcastle to take place on June 8 at the Utilita Arena with Bantamweight and Women’s Flyweights also in action Tickets for PFL Europe Newcastle are available from   www.ticketmaster.co .uk and will be streamed live on DAZN The Professional Fighters League (PFL), is today announcing that PFL Europe Newcastle on Saturday, June 8 will be headlined by Super Middleweight Boxing World Champion  Savannah Marshall  making her mixed martial arts debut at Utilita Arena. In addition to Marshall’s debut, the 2024 PFL Europe Regular Season continues, with Bantamweights and Women’s Flyweight beginning their “Path to Greatness” and looking to secure spots in the PFL Europe Playoffs this September. Participants and matchups to be announced shortly.PFL Europe Newcastle will air exclusively in the U.K. on DAZN beginning at 5pm GMT, with tickets on sale now.  “The Professional Fighters League prides itself on having the best athletes in the world on its roster and on June 8, PFL welcomes boxing world champion and combat sports Icon Savannah Marshall to the SmartCage for her MMA debut, where she will compete in front of her hometown fans in Newcastle,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray. “Savannah and Claressa Shields competed in one of the most-watched women’s boxing matchups in history when they first fought, and now with Savannah’s MMA debut, the two are on a collision course for a rematch wearing four ounce gloves and settling the score in the PFL SmartCage. "IBF, WBA, and WBO Super Middleweight Boxing World Champion Savannah Marshall’s MMA debut will take place at Women’s Lightweight on June 8. A high-profile signing that shook the combat sports world in 2023, Marshall is ready to assert her dominance in a new sport, setting down the boxing gloves for MMA gloves. A native of Newcastle, Marshall is a must-watch talent, boasting 10 victories by knockout in her illustrious boxing career. Marshall joins the deepest female combat sports roster in the world, which includes a familiar foe in Claressa Shields.Marshall’s debut will continue to lay the foundation for PFLW, which puts the focus on women in combat sports while continuing the PFL’s fighter-first merit-based approach to MMA. Driven by a commitment to empowerment and innovation, PFL will showcase the exceptional athleticism, strength and achievements of our female competitors on a global stage. By taking part in PFLW, Marshall is raising the profile of women in MMA along with Claressa Shields, Dakota Ditcheva, Amanda Serrano, and Hattan Alsaif, amongst others. The 2024 PFL Europe Season began last month with an incredible sold-out show in Paris, before rolling into Newcastle Upon-Tyne at Utilita Arena on June 8, and moving into new territory in Glasgow for a huge night of playoff action at OVO Hydro on September 28. The season will conclude with an epic Championship event at a venue to be announced in the near future.The 2024 PFL Europe Season promises non-stop action, new elite talent from across Europe making their PFL debuts, all looking to begin their ‘Path to Greatness’ for the coveted PFL Europe Championship and $100,000 in prize money.

The UFC is making a landmark debut in Saudi Arabia, headlined by a thrilling middleweight No. 1 contender's bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Robert Whittaker on June 22. UFC CEO Dana White unveiled this main event and four additional matchups for the inaugural UFC Saudi Arabia card, set to be broadcasted on ABC in the United States. Highlighting the card, Sergei Pavlovich will face Alexander Volkov in a heavyweight co-main event that promises fireworks. The welterweight division will see action as Kelvin Gastelum takes on Daniel Rodriguez. Light heavyweight fighters Johnny Walker and Volkan Oezdemir are also slated to clash, with another light heavyweight fight featuring Sharabutdin Magomedov, also known as Shara Bullet, against Ihor Potieria. This event not only brings UFC stars to Saudi Arabia but also signifies the start of a significant partnership between the UFC and the Kingdom, broadening the UFC's influence in the Middle East beyond its longstanding collaboration with Abu Dhabi. Chimaev enters the ring maintaining an unbeaten 13-0 record, fresh from a victory over former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. He faces a stern challenge in former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, who is coming off an impressive win against Paulo Costa. With the UFC Saudi Arabia event already shaping up to be a monumental occasion, more fight announcements are anticipated in the weeks ahead.

ONE Championship returns to the United States on Friday, September 6, in Denver, Colorado, for ONE 168: Denver. On Wednesday, the premier martial arts organization announced two World Championship super-fights for the return to the Mile High City. The event will emanate from Ball Arena in downtown Denver, and at the top of the bill will be a showdown for the ONE Women’s Strawweight MMA World Championship. Xiong Jing Nan has ruled over the division since its inception, and she will defend the belt against ONE Atomweight MMA World Champion Stamp Fairtex. Stamp was part of ONE’s epic U.S. debut last May when she defeated Alyse Anderson with a crushing body kick TKO. In her return to the U.S., she will look to continue her incredible legacy by becoming a two-division World Champion. Also announced was a sensational showdown for the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Championship. Two-sport king Jonathan Haggerty defends the gold against reigning ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9 in a matchup with pound-for-pound implications. Tickets for the star-studded event will go on sale Wednesday, April 24, at 10 a.m. MT on Ticketmaster . Presale tickets will be available on Wednesday, April 10, at 10 a.m. MT and fans can register here  to purchase first-access tickets. Exclusive corporate group ticket packages can also be purchased here or by emailing ticketing@onefc.com . VIP packages will be made available by Stage Front VIP, ONE’s exclusive VIP experience partner. Sign up for more information here .

Many of the things that people teach — and possibly some things that you learned — in self-defense class are wrong. This should not be overly surprising when two things are taken into consideration. The first is that self-defense classes are based on martial arts curricula, and the martial arts were passed down as secret transmissions to be guarded from outsiders. The arts were intentionally mistaught to everyone except trusted “closed door” disciples, and to become a closed-door disciple required training with the same teacher for 10 to 20 years. Walk into a dojo and instead of asking the teacher, “How long have you been in the martial arts?” ask “How long did you study martial arts before you began to teach?” Your next question should be, “How long did your teacher study before he or she began to teach?” The answer is that, on average, people train for three years before they begin teaching. So chances are few of the teachers — and few of the teachers’ teachers — trained with one master long enough to have received correct instruction before they became teachers. Some of them began teaching after learning only the mistaught methods reserved for outsiders. But if self-defense is so often taught incorrectly, why do some martial artists continue to practice and teach what they learned instead of fixing the problem or seeking out more complete instruction? There’s no easy answer to this, but one explanation is that martial artists are accomplished athletes. An athlete trains to perform a skill that’s both difficult and challenging. So after some years of practice, a martial artist can perform movements in a manner that’s convincing enough for every setting — except an actual, fully committed attack. And this is the second simple fact about self-defense that explains why much of what the public encounters is wrong: Self-defense classes are generally developed and taught by martial artists, which means by athletes who can make techniques look workable even if they aren’t very good techniques. But who takes self-defense classes? Non-athletes looking for effective and simple techniques. So much of what you see in self-defense class is wrong. And it may be wrong in three ways: wrong from a biomechanical perspective, wrong from a strategic perspective and wrong from a learning perspective. Biomechanical Consider this common scenario: Someone is choking you from the front. In the usual self-defense class, people are taught to raise their arms between the attacker’s arms and then knock the hands away from their neck. Typically, this is followed by a palm to the chin and a knee to the groin. Sounds good — until you consider the reality of physiology. Think about exercising in the gym. You lie on your back and work your chest by doing dumbbell flyes. Maybe you can use 15 pounds in each hand. Then you stand up, lean forward and work your back by doing bent-over flyes. Suddenly, you can manage only 5 pounds in each hand. The action of bringing your arms together to the front (called adduction) is much stronger than the action of separating your arms toward the rear (called abduction). BAD RESPONSE: Chris Martingilio chokes April Taylor (1). The defender raises her arms between her opponent’s forearms (2) and attempts to push them away from her neck (3). Because her motion depends on weaker abductor muscles, she’s unable to overcome his choking action, which uses stronger adductor muscles. When an attacker squeezes your neck, he’s bringing his hands together in the strong movement of adduction. If you bring your hands up between his arms and try to knock them away, you’re using the weaker action of abduction. Now, an attacker is likely to be a man, so he’s likely to have greater upper-body strength than the defender. How does it make sense for women or children in self-defense classes to choose a weak movement as their go-to technique? If you reverse that approach, however, everything changes. As the assailant chokes, you raise your forearms outside of his forearms and squeeze inward and down toward your chest. Suddenly, you’re using your strongest motion to gain an advantage and to take the pressure off your neck.  Then what? Well, he may be stronger than you are in general, but your hand is stronger than his little finger. So it becomes a ridiculously easy matter to grab his pinkie and crank it back. And the bigger and stronger the man is, the more vulnerable his little finger is. It’s surprising how quickly a macho man will drop, screaming in pain, when his little finger is properly manipulated. Now, the word “properly” is important here. Just the description above can get someone close to doing this move effectively. But with only about 10 minutes of instruction — and a little practice — that person can learn to do this reliably even under stress. Strategic Another thing commonly taught in self-defense class is how to escape from a grab. The teacher will explain that when you’re grabbed, you should pull against the assailant’s thumb to break his grasp. And this is true. But what happens when this is done successfully? You’re grabbed and you pull away. Does the attacker quit? Does he walk away? Or does he charge forward, grabbing you more forcefully and securely? By pulling out of his grasp, you’ve informed him that he needs to grab you harder, use both hands, wrap you in a bear hug or maybe throw you to the ground. You’ve done nothing to improve your situation and have actually made it worse by escalating the level of force being directed against you. This is wrong because you’re playing the role the assailant assigned: You’re prey to his predator. Now consider a different solution: When grabbed, you don’t move back and pull away. Instead, you bend your arm and squeeze his arm tight against your chest. He grabbed you, but somehow he ended up being the one who’s trapped. You’ve turned the tables and rescripted the encounter. This simple action is so confusing to an assailant — so psychologically unanticipated — that you gain the strategic upper hand. It’s easy to capitalize on this advantage by kicking the inside of his leg and sending him sprawling. When attacked, it’s not enough to block a punch or break a hold. You must defeat the assailant at a level that’s about more than physical technique. It’s about strategic resolve. You must accept the situation, draw the assailant into your strength and change the relationship of victim to assailant. In essence, you must welcome the attack. What’s so important about this concept is that it empowers the victim to take action and exert control over the situation. Learning In the typical self-defense class, the teacher will offer instruction for a variety of possible attacks. If you’re grabbed, do this. If you’re choked, do that. If you’re choked while standing, respond thusly. If you’re choked on the ground, try this other thing. In other words, the instructor will offer a unique response for each situation. This is known by the rather inelegant term “single-scenario tactical solution.” That means you must know and be competent with a specific technique for every likely attack. Now, a typical martial artist will be able to show specific ways of dealing with many different situations. But such a repertoire of responses takes years to learn and many more years to use effectively at the instant of an attack. How can such an approach be taught in a self-defense class that lasts a few weeks at best? In contrast, consider the examples shown in the photo sequences featured in this article. At heart, they’re the same basic response: Bend your arm, pull it close to welcome the attack and then go after something vulnerable. What if he’s choking you on the ground? Do exactly the same thing as you would do standing up: Squeeze inward and pull his forearms to you, then grab and manipulate his little finger. What if he grabs your wrists instead of your arm? Bring your arms in, squeeze, trap his hands tight against your body and then kick the inside of his leg. What if he grabs one wrist and pulls you forward? Bend your elbow and pull it close while moving toward him, then blast the inside of his leg with your knee. In each example, the fundamental response is the same: Bend your arm, pull it close to welcome the attack, then go after something vulnerable. There aren’t different techniques for every possible situation, just a set of sound physical and strategic principles that are consistently applied in every case. This is the only practical way people can learn self-defense in a short time. It doesn’t help to know that the teachers of most self-defense classes are sincere in their desire to help. That sincerity won’t matter if a student is attacked and she tries unsuccessfully to defend herself using a technique that’s biomechanically unsound, strategically flawed and impossible to remember. There’s no escaping this simple truth:  Much of what’s taught in self-defense classes is wrong. But understanding what’s wrong can equip us to be more discriminating in our search for truly effective techniques to use and teach. They may be harder to find, but they’re out there. About the author: Chris Thomas has trained active-duty military personnel, law-enforcement officers, hospital workers, schoolteachers, legislative aids and martial arts instructors around the world. He’s written for Black Belt on numerous occasions and is the co-author of several books, including Humane Pressure Point Self-Defense and Effortless Self Defense for Women. Thomas created Self-Defense Rescripted and CAST: Compassionate Awareness and Safety Training. About the demonstrators: Chris Martingilio (attacker) is the owner of and chief instructor at Martingilio Martial Arts in Madison, Wisconsin. April Taylor (defender) is a registered nurse and a mother of two.

Rickson Gracie is widely regarded as the best of the best in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but he’s so much more than that. He’s a Warrior, a philosopher, a thinker, an inspiration, and a role Model. Which is why we’re presenting these glimpses of The man that not many black belt readers have seen. The Water “Whether it’s the ocean or a river, I always have to be on the water. Coming from Brazil, I’ve always been exposed to the ocean. I’ve been at the beach and surfing all my life. The most valuable thing I get from the ocean is at the energetic level. I truly believe we’re affected by the energy — maybe it’s the electromagnetic field. It’s not something we can sense at the physical or mental level; it’s at the energy level. Exposure to this makes me feel like my energy level is balanced. If I need more energy, I feel like I can get it at the ocean. If I feel stressed, I go there to relax. The feeling of equilibrium is beautiful.” A Brazilian Thing “I don’t think it’s necessarily a Brazilian thing. Brazilians like to stay at the coast because of the weather, the breeze, the marine layer, the fresh air. It’s so different from being in the high desert or the mountains. But for some Brazilians, they really like the contact with the ocean, which is relevant at that energetic level.” Teaching Jiu-Jitsu “I don’t think education should be based on fear. I never expose the student to a situation in which he has to feel afraid in order to succeed. With a growing knowledge of jiu-jitsu, you learn when to use different techniques and when to let it go.” Gentle Art “Jiu-jitsu practice is definitely more gentle on the body and less traumatic. An older guy can practice jiu-jitsu differently than he does kickboxing or judo. That doesn’t mean the idea of practicing jiu-jitsu in a sportive way diminishes the necessity to learn self-defense. The practice of self-defense gives the student a sense of empowerment. If you just do it to empower your brain, that’s a great thing. If you add the physical component, it becomes a physical exercise. Jiu-jitsu is accessible for older people, for children, for people who are uncoordinated or handicapped. It can adapt to the person’s needs, but the core of the teachings has to be based on self-defense.” MMA Now “Especially from Japan, I get many invitations to endorse [MMA events]. In the U.S., I feel MMA has taken a turn toward entertainment and is getting away from martial arts beliefs, so I don’t feel like I would fit in anymore. It’s more like a circus than anything else. But I still watch the fights — and notice the problems out there. In my mind, I have solutions for everything I see, so I’m very comfortable regarding what the future holds.” Diet for Health “As my dad always said, ‘Health comes in through your mouth.’ If you are not concerned about what you eat, you’re silly. It’s like going out in the winter and not caring about what you’re going to wear to stay warm. Eating is crucial for health. I don’t follow the Gracie Diet 100 percent because I have my own evolution of it that I adapted for my own use. But I think we should all respect our bodies and avoid putting bad things in them. My routine is to avoid preservatives and food in boxes — no junk.” Diet and Jiu-Jitsu “I don’t think the jiu-jitsu curriculum has to interfere in your health practices. That’s something you should [decide for] yourself— morals, values, attitudes toward life and [pathways to] grow as a man or woman. Good nutrition is the same. But breathing well, eating well and good practice are the fundamentals for any jiu-jitsu development.” Staying Fit “I’m not training anymore with the expectation of [engaging in] any kind of performance. I live for maintenance. I have many injuries, so I try to go around them and have fun. I surf a lot with different-size boards and different- size waves. I appreciate the details in everything I do. If I have to change my board [to one that’s] a little thicker to have fun, I do it. My limitations keep me out of the risk areas, though. I don’t try to prove anything to anybody. My mission now is to live as long as possible and spread these concepts about jiu-jitsu. I’m highly motivated but physically engaged at about 20 percent because of my body. But my mind is going at full speed. “I also bike ride and do stand-up paddleboarding. And I walk with the dogs, swim and snorkel. And I like skateboarding. I try to have fun.” Some People’s Fear of Learning Jiu-Jitsu “That’s because they’ve never been exposed to real jiu-jitsu, the traditional martial art that Helio Gracie taught all his life.” Final Photo Shoot (Black Belt conducted a photo session with Helio Gracie when he was 89, and he repeatedly threw his son Rorion Gracie for the camera.) “I think it was having happiness in his heart. Something I heard of that pertains to this is they did a study of places that have the greatest longevity, like a part of Spain, Okinawa and so on. One of the things these people don’t even have a word for is retirement. A fisherman said he had very heavy fishing days when he was 20, and even when he was 80, he would go to the beach and throw his line in the ocean. It’s different, but he’s still fishing. “My dad was connected to jiu-jitsu with his soul, his DNA, his spirit and his brain. Every time he would invite me to go to his ranch, he would say, ‘Don’t forget your jiujitsu gear!’ He lived completely in his mental, physical and spiritual world, and that way he can live forever.”

BRAVE Combat Federation’s debut event in Mauritius has a headliner and it is going to be a historic fight for the organization. Bantamweight World champion  Nkosi 'The Future' Ndebele  will be putting his title on the line against his arch-rival  Jose ‘Shorty’ Torres  in the main event of BRAVE CF 82 in Mauritius on 11th May.  The fight will be the first-ever trilogy in BRAVE Combat Federation history and it will also be the first-ever trilogy in MMA history with each fight taking place in a different continent.  The first fight between the two fighters happened at BRAVE CF 73 in Bogota, Colombia for the vacant Bantamweight world title. Torres emerged victorious in that fight via a split decision after two judges scored in his favor after five action-packed rounds. The narrow defeat made Ndebele call for a rematch and his demand materialized at BRAVE CF 80 in Bahrain. In the second showdown which also served as the headliner for BRAVE CF 80, Ndebele made sure that the fight did not go to the judges and forced Torres to quit in the third-round. With the win, Nkosi captured the Bantamweight World Title and earned the name of being the first homemade BRAVE CF champion as all his nine professional MMA fights happened in the organization. The inaugural clash between Ndebele and Torres occurred in Colombia, South America; the second showdown unfolded in Bahrain, Asia. With both fighters holding one win against each other, the rivalry was bound to have a fitting conclusion and it will happen at BRAVE CF 82 in Mauritius, Africa making it an action packed trilogy.  BRAVE CF 82 will mark the debut event of BRAVE Combat Federation in Mauritius and the fourth overall event in Africa for the organization. The milestone card now has a worthy main event and the fans can expect the announcement of more fights from the event in coming days.

It is not every day that you get to see a top name in boxing entering the MMA cage.  Agron Smakici  did just that when he ventured into the world of MMA back in 2015 and at BRAVE CF 81, he will be hoping to make his mark in  BRAVE Combat Federation . Croatia’s Smakici will be stepping into the BRAVE CF cage for the first time at BRAVE CF 81. Holding a professional boxing record of 20-2 and an MMA record of 1-1 to his name, Smakici will be making his BRAVE CF debut against Poland’s Patryk Dubiela at BRAVE CF 81 in Slovenia.  While MMA fighters entering the boxing realm has become a common occurrence in the present scenario, Smakici is swimming against this wave and that too, by taking up a fight in the most global MMA organization in the world. Having started his professional boxing career back in 2011, Smakici has fought across the globe over the past decade. He is currently one of the top ranked Heavyweight boxers in Croatia.  With 18 out of his 20 wins in boxing coming through knockouts, the punching power of Smakici needs no special mention. In fact, Smakici’s punching power has its own place in the history books of boxing as it was due to Smakici’s punch that the scheduled bout between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk had to be postponed.  A sparring partner for boxing superstars like Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, the 6-foot 6-inch Croatian cut open Fury during one of the sparring sessions which in turn postponed the Fury vs. Usyk showdown scheduled for 17 February 2024. Despite the incident, Smakici gained the respect of Tyson Fury who even recommended the Croatian as a sparring partner for Joseph Parker. Having fought twice in MMA so far, Smakici is now hoping to make his mark on a global MMA stage when he steps into the BRAVE Combat Federation cage. BRAVE CF 81 will take place in Ljubljana on 20th April and will see the representation of 13 nations on the fight card.

Former Combat Sambo World Champion Velimurad Alkhasov has some big plans for 2024 and capturing the BRAVE CF Bantamweight Title tops the list The Russian, who currently holds a professional MMA record of 9-1 to his name, made a move to the Bantamweight division at BRAVE CF 71. In his divisional debut, Alkhasov made a statement as well by securing a decision victory against one of the top names in the division, Nicholas Hwende. Prior to this, Alkhasov was a mainstay in the BRAVE CF Flyweight division. Having made his promotional debut back in 2018, Alkhasov secured four wins in the Flyweight division before he shifted his attention to the 135-pound division.  With one win over a top-ranked Bantamweight already on his resume, Alkhasov is full of confidence and is eager to fight Bantamweight World Champion Nkosi Ndebele.  ‘’I beat every Flyweight in BRAVE CF and I think it will be even easier to do that in Bantamweight. I’m used to fighting the best of the best from the beginning of my career. BRAVE CF Bantamweights have never fought someone like me. I want to fight Nkosi Ndebele or wherever Nkosi Ndebele is fighting. I want to be alternate for title fight, and I will be ready,” Alkhasov said.  The Bantamweight division is currently ruled by Nkosi who captured the World Title by outclassing his arch-rival and Alkhasov’s KHK MMA Teammate Jose ‘Shorty’ Torres at BRAVE CF 80.  Surprisingly, Nkosi has already expressed his interest in defending his belt against Alkhasov after the Russian recently announced his permanent move to the Bantamweight division. At the same time, a trilogy fight with Jose Torres is also waiting for Nkosi making things interesting in the BRAVE CF Bantamweight Division.

Former BRAVE CF Super Welterweight champion Marcin Bandel might not be fighting at BRAVE CF 81 but the impact of Bandel on Polish MMA will be on full display at the event in Slovenia Hailing from Lodz in Poland, Marcin Bandel is hands down the biggest Polish star in the history of BRAVE Combat Federation. After making his promotional debut at BRAVE CF 54 on home soil, Bandel ascended to the top of the Super Welterweight division within the span of just 13 months.  He won the BRAVE CF Super Welterweight World Title at BRAVE CF 63 back in 2022 by outclassing Ismail Naurdiev and this historic moment has inspired a new wave of MMA fighters in Poland with the city of Lodz leading the charge.  Sylwia Juśkiewicz who is set to take on Monika Kučinič at BRAVE CF 81 is from Lodz, the hometown of Bandel. She will be making her BRAVE CF debut at the event and will also be returning to MMA after a long gap of almost three years.  Having started her professional MMA career back in 2012 by debuting against the legendary Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Sylwia currently holds a professional MMA record of 10-6 to her name and will be eager to follow in the footsteps of her fellow Lodz native. Polish Heavyweight Patryk Dubiela has a similar storyline. In fact, Dubiela trains under Bandel himself which puts some added pressure on his shoulders as he takes on Croatia’s Agron Smakici at BRAVE CF 81.  With five wins already on his resume, Dubiela has his hands full as he takes on Boxer-turned-MMA fighter Smakici who is the training partner of big names like Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. Then again, having someone like Bandel by his side will serve as a big boost for Dubiela who is also from Lodz. Fuelled by the legacy of Bandel, Sylwia and Dubeila will be carrying the torch for Lodz and Poland at BRAVE CF 81 and it would be safe to say that the world is bound to witness a new chapter in Polish MMA at the event.

Pavel Dailidko is eager to etch his name into the BRAVE Combat Federation history books by becoming the first-ever BRAVE CF Heavyweight World Champion Fighting out of the training camp which boasts names like Tom Aspinall, Phil De Fries and British strongman Eddie Hall, Dailidko is currently riding on a three-fight winning streak in BRAVE CF. Pavel Dailidko will be making his return at BRAVE CF 81 when he takes on promotional debutant Valdrin Istrefi in a Heavyweight showdown. And ahead of the fight, he has his eyes firmly set on the uninaugurated Heavyweight World Title.  Dailidko feels that he is the best heavyweight in BRAVE CF. He wants a chance to prove it and at the same time, the fact that his teammates Aspinall and Phil De Fries are already Heavyweight champions in other MMA promotions which makes Dailidko desperate to get hold of the World title in BRAVE CF.  ‘’I thought this fight would be for the title, you know. I have done a lot last year and I deserve this title shot. Now, it’s about to go out there and prove that my next fight should definitely be for the title,” he said. Dailidko first entered the BRAVE CF cage back in 2022 at BRAVE CF 65 when he went up against Shamil Gaziev. His debut in the promotion, however, had a disappointing ending as he was stopped by Gaziev in the second round. While such a setback would have slowed down most fighters, for Dailidko, the loss against Gaziev acted as an extra motivation.  Six months after his loss to Gaziev, Dailidko returned to the BRAVE CF cage at BRAVE CF 70 and knocked out Luka Podkrajsek in the first round. He then followed this up with two more first round finishes against Salim El Ouassaidi and Janos Csukas respectively, making him the first-ever fighter to get three back-to-back knockout wins in BRAVE Combat Federation. Dailidko was under the impression that these impressive performances would earn him a title shot in the Heavyweight division. However, there is one more challenge awaiting him on his path to the world title: Valdrin Istrefi.

In an electrifying night of mixed martial arts action, UFC Fight Night in Atlantic City delivered a series of unforgettable battles, headlined by the much-anticipated flyweight showdown between Erin Blanchfield and Manon Fiorot. Telecast on ESPN+, the event showcased the pinnacle of fighting spirit, technical prowess, and the sheer will to win. Fiorot emerged victorious in a unanimous decision over Blanchfield, setting the tone for a night filled with dramatic finishes and technical masterclasses. Erin Blanchfield vs. Manon Fiorot : The flyweight main event was a tactical affair, with Fiorot's striking accuracy and control dictating the pace. Fiorot's ability to maintain distance and land significant shots earned her a unanimous decision victory, marking a significant milestone in her career. Vicente Luque vs. Joaquin Buckley : Buckley's explosive power came to the forefront against Luque, securing a victory via KO/TKO with a ground and pound technique that left fans in awe at 3:17 of Round 2. Bruno Silva vs. Chris Weidman : Weidman, a veteran of the sport, displayed his striking prowess with a knockout victory over Silva, utilizing precise punches to end the bout at 2:18 of the third round. Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Sedriques Dumas : Ruziboev showcased his knockout power with a stunning uppercut followed by ground punches, finishing Dumas early in the first round. Bill Algeo vs. Kyle Nelson : Algeo delivered a spectacular performance, ending the fight with a combination of punches and a knee, securing a KO/TKO victory at 4:00 of the first round. Chidi Njokuani vs. Rhys McKee : In a closely contested battle, Njokuani edged out McKee via split decision, demonstrating skill and determination. The preliminary bouts were not short of action, featuring knockout victories and decisive finishes. Notably, Nate Landwehr and Julio Arce delivered stunning KO/TKO victories, while Virna Jandiroba and Caolán Loughran impressed with unanimous decision wins. The evening also saw the unfortunate cancellation of Melissa Gatto vs. Victoria Dudakova due to a medical issue with Dudakova. Result of UFC Fight Night: Blanchfield vs. Fiorot Atlantic City MAIN EVENT | FLYWEIGHT · 125 LBS | PRO MMA Erin Blanchfield vs. Manon Fiorot Fiorot defeats Blanchfield via unanimous decision CO-MAIN EVENT | WELTERWEIGHT · 170 LBS | PRO MMA Vicente Luque vs. Joaquin Buckley Buckley defeats Luque via KO/TKO, Ground and Pound at 3:17 Round 2 of 3 MAIN CARD | MIDDLEWEIGHT · 185 LBS | PRO MMA Bruno Silva vs. Chris Weidman Weidman defeats Silva via KO/TKO, Punches at 2:18 Round 3 of 3 MAIN CARD | MIDDLEWEIGHT · 185 LBS | PRO MMA Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Sedriques Dumas Ruziboev defeats Dumas via KO/TKO, Uppercut and Ground Punches at 3:18 of Round 1 MAIN CARD | FEATHERWEIGHT · 145 LBS | PRO MMA Bill Algeo vs. Kyle Nelson Algeo defeats Nelson via KO/TKO, Punches and Knee at 4:00 Round 1 of 3 MAIN CARD | WELTERWEIGHT · 170 LBS | PRO MMA Chidi Njokuani vs. Rhys McKee Njokuani defeats McKee via Split Decision PRELIMINARY CARD | FEATHERWEIGHT · 145 LBS | PRO MMA Nate Landwehr vs. Jamall Emmers Landwehr defeats Emmers via KO/TKO, Uppercut, Right Hook, and Hammerfists at 4:43 Round 1 of 3 PRELIMINARY CARD | STRAWWEIGHT · 115 LBS | PRO MMA Virna Jandiroba vs. Lupita Godinez Jandiroba defeats Godinez via Unanimous Decision PRELIMINARY CARD | FEATHERWEIGHT · 145 LBS | PRO MMA Julio Arce vs. Herbert Burns Arce defeats Burns via KO/TKO, Punches at 2:00 Round 2 of 3 PRELIMINARY CARD | FEATHERWEIGHT · 145 LBS | PRO MMA Connor Matthews vs. Dennis Buzukja Buzukja defeats Matthews via KO/TKO, Left Hook to Hammerfists at 0:22 Round 3 of 3 PRELIMINARY CARD | LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT · 205 LBS | PRO MMA Ibo Aslan vs. Anton Turkalj II Aslan defeats Turkalj via KO/TKO, Overhand Right at 1:32 Round 3 of 3 PRELIMINARY CARD | FLYWEIGHT · 125 LBS | PRO MMA Melissa Gatto vs. Victoria Dudakova Bout Cancelled due to Victoria Dudakova Medical Issue PRELIMINARY CARD | MIDDLEWEIGHT · 185 LBS | PRO MMA Andre Petroski vs. Jacob Malkoun Malkoun defeats Petroski via KO/TKO, Hammerfists at 0:39 Round 2 of 3 PRELIMINARY CARD | BANTAMWEIGHT · 135 LBS | PRO MMA Angel Pacheco vs. Caolán Loughran Loughran defeats Pacheco via Unanimous Decision

Explosive heavyweight action comes to St. Louis on May 11th as Derrick Lewis and Rodrigo Nascimento headline UFC Fight Night at the Enterprise Center. This marks the UFC's highly anticipated return to St. Louis for the first time since 2018. The No. 12 ranked Lewis has been a fixture in the UFC heavyweight division for almost a decade, racking up wins and knockouts all the way to the top of the game. No fighter in the history of the UFC has more knockouts (14) than “The Black Beast” and he’ll look to add another to his record when he collides with Nascimento. Nascimento enters the bout with Lewis riding the momentum of a three-fight win streak and he’ll look to shine in his first UFC main event. Currently ranked No. 15, Nascimento’s first time atop the marquee is an important one and could propel him toward contention with a statement victory. Get ready for a heavyweight showdown with title implications on the line!