Evan Elder isn’t wasting any time as he aims to rise through the UFC’s lightweight ranks. After a triumphant submission win in July, Elder is eager to keep the momentum going, pushing for two more fights before the end of the year. Known for his fearless approach, Elder jumped at the chance to fight on just four days’ notice last month. His relentless drive to seize opportunities and face challenges head-on led him to a victory over Darrius Flowers, despite the odds being stacked against him. Elder’s recent success is part of a larger plan to make up for lost time after a year on the sidelines. With back-to-back wins and a renewed focus after relocating to Las Vegas, the 27-year-old is determined to keep improving and make a name for himself in the UFC. Now based in Las Vegas, Elder is taking full advantage of the UFC Performance Institute, prioritizing recovery and growth as he sets his sights on climbing the lightweight ladder. With his eyes on future opportunities, Elder is ready to take on all challengers and continue his ascent in the UFC. As 2024 approaches, Elder’s journey is just beginning, and he’s committed to showcasing a better version of himself every time he steps into the Octagon.

Chilean Lightweight Star Ignacio Bahamondes is set to light up UFC 306 with his all-action fighting style, aiming to prove he's the UFC's top finisher. Scheduled to face Mexico's Manuel Torres on the preliminary card of Noche UFC, Bahamondes has long anticipated his moment in this marquee event, knowing from the start he'd be part of it. Fresh off a spectacular knockout win, Bahamondes is determined to keep the momentum going and show the world why he's one of the most thrilling fighters in the division. With a career built on delivering jaw-dropping finishes, he’s ready to face off against Torres in what promises to be a high-stakes battle for the title of "Ultimate Finisher." As they step into the state-of-the-art Sphere in Las Vegas, Bahamondes is prepared for the electric atmosphere and the challenge of facing a tough Mexican opponent on a historic night. With his sights set on climbing the lightweight ranks, Bahamondes is ready to make a statement and prove he's ready for the big leagues. Don’t miss Ignacio Bahamondes in action at UFC 306, live from Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, on September 14, 2024. Prelims start at 8pm ET/5pm PT, with the main card kicking off on PPV at 10pm ET/7pm PT.

WHEN YOU’RE THE ONE who made it, it tastes especially good. You want others to know how good it tastes, so you tell them. But you can’t help yourself, so at the same time you tell them how bad Flavor Aid and Crystal Light taste, comparatively. You become known for making great-tasting Kool-Aid, so much so that your reputation would take a hit if you ever admitted (grudgingly) that Flavor Aid and Crystal Light taste pretty damn good, too. Here is a special article on Self-Defense by Kelly Mccann. You know there are some things about Kool-Aid that aren’t so good, but it wouldn’t further your cause to highlight them, so you don’t. Instead, you focus exclusively on its great taste, low cost and many uses. (You can even make popsicles with it!) When people point out the drawbacks of drinking it all the time, you get mad. You distract and deflect. You attack the critics — because now you’re invested, and everyone knows it.  YOU CAN PROBABLY GUESS that I’m about to liken this to martial arts. When the bulk of someone’s experience and competence is in one discipline or another, many times the person will vehemently defend “his” art (note the ownership in declaring something “your” art) despite what some may consider glaring faults. In fact, the culture and community demand that.  Grandmasters, masters and black belts tend to be heavily invested in their systems. They demand loyalty and frequently dismiss as disrespectful any intellectual opposition, any challenges to the validity of the techniques and sometimes even innocent questions. Systems need doctrine. Adherents must perform to a standard. The standard is achieved by teaching a consistent curriculum based on the tenets of the system. But when doctrine becomes dogma, there are issues. It’s one thing to say, “This is true in our system” (an opinion), and it’s wholly another matter to say, “This is true universally” (a fact).  THIS IS ESPECIALLY THE CASE when stand-up people impugn ground-fighting practitioners or vice versa. It should be obvious that a need exists for both skill sets, just as it does for a mastery of transitions between the two extremes. Combatives practitioners also drink their own Kool-Aid when they promote any technique as a panacea. Examples include throat punching, eye gouging and hammerfisting. To challenge just the first one, ask yourself this: If an attacker has any knowledge or experience at all, won’t he keep his chin down? No more throat punch!  The often-repeated combatives mantra of “Never go to the ground” is said only by people with no ground game and no understanding of the ground. They mistakenly think it will be their choice in a fight to keep it standing without fully understanding that good wrestlers and jiu-jitsu practitioners will take it to the ground eventually and will look to get it to the ground quickly if they’re getting tuned up by someone with hands.  The madness continues with notions of “Punch his groin if he mounts you.” Ummmm, he’s sitting on his testicles, actually, so whatever you’re punching with that limited- range-of-motion hammerfist isn’t likely to matter much at all.  I often say, “No one does anything because they think it’s stupid.” But what is stupid is thinking that any one system, one technique or one discipline gets it all right. And even when it comes close, there isn’t anything to preclude several things from being effective, is there?  EVEN MORE PUZZLING are the true believers who give credence to so-called “no touch” systems. I’m continually amazed that anybody accepts claims of no-touch knockouts or energy transference. Years ago, people in my combatives organization issued a worldwide challenge in which we agreed to pay $15,000 to anyone who could knock out one of us without making contact. We promoted the challenge and made sure the details got the widest possible distribution: We offered to travel to wherever the no-touch practitioner was and sign any waiver, and we stipulated that we would videotape the whole thing and post the video everywhere. But if the no-touch knockout didn’t occur, the practitioner would have to pay our travel expenses and fork over to us $15,000 for the effort.  Guess how many respondents we got?  We received no emails, texts or phone calls. Yet seminars purporting to teach these techniques fill up regularly. Whole systems revolve around the concept. It defies logic. If such a thing existed, every police force and military organization would embrace it immediately. If such a thing could be taught, people would be getting knocked out globally — for all the right and all the wrong reasons.  Rendering someone unconscious always comes down to kinetics or getting that neck squeeze. You can never, ever take the requirement to fight out of defending yourself against an attack. That means there is great risk to both combatants. Every use-of-force situation is subject to the ungovernable elements of risk and chance.  So earn your black belt — it demonstrates discipline and perseverance. Then burn it so you’re not constrained by it. And whatever you do, don’t drink the Kool-Aid.

The 2004 cover features UFC Champion Chuck Liddell in his fighting stance pose. The future Black Belt Hall of Famer was busy making history as one of the greatest fighters in MMA, and one of the most influential athletes of the century. Learn more about this cover and the entire magazine preserved in digital format: https://www.blackbeltmag.com

The latest updates to the UFC rankings across all divisions are in, and there have been some major shake-ups following a thrilling middleweight clash at the UFC APEX. Twelve divisions—men’s and women’s pound-for-pound, bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight, heavyweight, women’s bantamweight, women’s flyweight, and strawweight—experienced changes after the explosive UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Borralho. Men’s Pound-For-Pound Just two weeks after Dricus Du Plessis successfully defended his title against Israel Adesanya, the men’s pound-for-pound rankings saw more upheaval. Du Plessis climbed to No. 5, nudging welterweight champion Belal Muhammad down to No. 6. Bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley moved up to No. 6 ahead of his highly anticipated title fight against Merab Dvalishvili. Interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall surged two spots to No. 8, causing Leon Edwards to slip to No. 9, and former featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski fell to No. 10. Women’s Pound-For-Pound Amanda Lemos advanced to No. 14, pushing Ketlen Vieira down to No. 15 in the women’s pound-for-pound rankings. Bantamweight Rob Font climbed to No. 9, causing José Aldo to drop to No. 10. Mario Bautista moved up to No. 11, with Kyler Phillips now at No. 12. Jonathan Martinez ascended to No. 13, while former champion Dominick Cruz slipped to No. 14. Featherweight Bryce Mitchell dropped one spot to No. 13. Lightweight Rafael Fiziev inched up to No. 9 in the lightweight rankings. Welterweight Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena rose to No. 4, bumping Colby Covington to No. 5. Ecuador’s Michael Morales made his first appearance in the rankings at No. 12 after a first-round victory over Neil Magny. Michael “Venom” Page is now ranked No. 13, followed by Vicente Luque at No. 14, with Magny dropping three spots to No. 15. Middleweight The middleweight division saw significant changes following Caio Borralho’s impressive win over Jared Cannonier. Borralho snatched Cannonier’s spot and now ranks No. 5, pushing Cannonier down to No. 7. Brendan Allen dropped to No. 8, followed by Paulo Costa at No. 9. Jack Hermansson fell to No. 11, while Khamzat Chimaev is now No. 12. Ahead of his main event on October 19, Anthony Hernandez moved up to No. 13, causing Michel Pereira to drop to No. 14. Light Heavyweight Volkan Oezdemir moved up to No. 6, while Nikita Krylov slipped to No. 7. Heavyweight Stipe Miocic dropped to No. 8, with Jarizinho Rozenstruik at No. 9. Tai Tuivasa climbed to No. 12, while Alexandr Romanov fell to No. 13. Women’s Bantamweight Norma Dumont fell to No. 9. Women’s Flyweight Viviane Araujo surged two spots to No. 9, pushing Amanda Ribas down to No. 10 and Karine Silva to No. 11. Women’s Strawweight Mackenzie Dern climbed to No. 7, causing Amanda Ribas to fall to No. 8. Tabatha Ricci’s victory over Angela Hill propelled her to No. 9, with Hill dropping to No. 11. Don't miss the full breakdown of all the latest UFC rankings and see where your favorite fighters stand!

BRAVE Combat Federation’s second event in the Netherlands is set to ignite the fight world as reigning Lightweight champion Abdisalam Kubanychbek faces off against Georgian two-division champion Raul Tutarauli at BRAVE CF 87 on September 22 in Alkmaar. This clash marks Kubanychbek's long-awaited first title defense. Initially slated to defend his title at BRAVE CF 77, the bout was downgraded to a non-title affair when challenger Lucas Martins missed weight. Despite the change, Kubanychbek showcased his dominance, securing a first-round stoppage and reinforcing his reputation as a world-class fighter. The undefeated Kyrgyz star hasn’t lost since 2017, tearing through top-tier opponents like Kamil Magomedov, Olzhas Eskaraev, and Rolando Dy. Dubbed "The Boogeyman of BRAVE CF," Kubanychbek is one of the most feared fighters in the Lightweight division. His challenger, Raul Tutarauli, enters the cage with a mission: to bring the BRAVE CF title to Georgia, succeeding where countrymen Ilia Topuria and Guram Kutateladze have fallen short. Tutarauli, a two-division regional champion with a 34-7 record, boasts a knockout power with 22 wins by KO, making him a formidable adversary. BRAVE CF 87, in partnership with Enfusion’s ECE MMA, will be the organization's seventh event of the year and the second in the Netherlands. This electrifying matchup is a must-watch as part of BRAVE's 70-day world tour, spanning six countries.

A huge co-main event has been added to  GLORY 96  as GLORY middleweight world champion Donovan Wisse (21-1, 10 KO)  puts his title against Germany's  Sergej Braun (45-13, 27 KO)  at the RTM Stage in Rotterdam on October 12. Wisse is the world’s number one middleweight and one of the current best P4P kickboxers on the planet. A win over Braun would put him level with Alex Pereira for most title defenses in GLORY middleweight history (five). Braun is the current ranked two middleweight in the division and holds career victories over Mo Touchassie, Michael Boapeah, and Ertugrul Bayrak, the only man to beat Donovan Wisse. The experienced German fighter will be relishing this opportunity which would certainly be the cherry on the top of what has been a long and illustrious career. The star-studded GLORY 96 will see GLORY welterweight world champion  Chico Kwasi (43-5, 23 KO)  put his title on the line against GLORY lightweight world champion  Tyjani Beztati (27-4, 9 KO)  in the main event. Making for an unmissable night of kickboxing. Tickets for GLORY 96 are available for purchase right now from  GLORYKickboxing.com . GLORY 96 will be available to watch live on Videoland exclusively in the Netherlands, DAZN in France & Belgium, and on Bally Live & Stadium across the United States & Belgium. For full global broadcast information, please visit  GLORYKickboxing.com .

Adrian Lee made his ONE Championship debut in June with a second-round finish at ONE 167. Three months later, he returns for a follow-up performance against Nico Cornejo at ONE 168: Denver on Friday, September 6. The talented teen has already been hard at work studying his opponent for ONE's return to the U.S. "I saw that [Cornejo] is a hard hitter and that he has a pretty good wrestling game, even though he doesn't have any specific wrestling accolades. Our camp will definitely be centered around countering that," Lee told ONE. After his professional debut, Lee expressed mild disappointment that he didn't get a first-round finish. Although he was too hard on himself for a standout showing, he is using that as motivation to shine under the bright lights in Denver. "I plan to bring into this fight how well-rounded I really am. I plan to show more of my striking, more of my grappling, and more of my wrestling in this fight compared to my last," the lightweight talent remarked. The Lee family always wants to finish the matches as soon as possible, and the youngest sibling is carrying that tradition forward. Thus, it is no surprise he has a very brief prediction for how his mainland debut will go on September 6. "I plan on finishing it first round, either TKO, KO, or submission, whatever comes first," Lee predicts. The Lees reside in Hawaii but have never gotten the chance to compete professionally in the United States. After years of traveling to Asia, Adrian will become the first to show off his skills in front of a U.S. audience. That prospect is an exciting development for the 18-year-old, who wears that burden proudly ahead of ONE 168. "It means a lot to me. I'm extremely excited to have my second fight on U.S. soil because me and my family, we've never competed on this level stage in the U.S. before. I'm excited to show the American fans what ONE fighters can do," Lee stated. "I can't wait to show all the American fans how truly ahead of the game we are." Lee also wants to continue ONE's growth in the U.S. and plans to use his performance as an example of what fans can expect moving forward. If his first match was a glimpse into the future, fans are in for a treat come September 6. "The biggest thing I want out of this fight is just to get in there and really make a statement and to show, especially the American fans, how exciting ONE Championship really is," Lee said.

Abdullah Al-Qahtani faces Abdelrahman Alhyasat in the Featherweight Semifinal Main Event Jarrah Al-Selawe meets Omar El Dafrawy in the Welterweight Semifinal Co-Main Event All PFL MENA events air in primetime on MBC Action, SSC and SHAHID The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has revealed the highly anticipated semifinal matchups for PFL MENA 3, set to take place at the PFL MENA Studio in Boulevard City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Fans can now secure their tickets through WeBook. Top contenders in the Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight, and Welterweight Divisions will clash, each vying for a coveted spot in the PFL MENA Finals, inching closer to becoming one of the first-ever PFL MENA Champions. In a thrilling main event, Saudi Arabia's own Abdullah Al-Qahtani (9-1) faces Jordan's undefeated Abdelrahman Alhyasat (4-0) in the Featherweight Semifinals. The co-main event promises fireworks as PFL veteran and former two-division champion Jarrah Al-Selawe (20-6) of Jordan takes on Egypt's Omar El Dafrawy (11-6) in a Welterweight showdown. PFL MENA 3 will be broadcast live in primetime on MBC Action, with free-to-air access for fans across the region. MBC Action will also air other exciting events, including the PFL Global Season, PFL Europe, Bellator Champions Series, and PFL’s Pay-Per-View Superfight Division. Additional semifinal matchups include Algeria’s Souhil Taïri (7-4-1) versus Iran’s Mohsen Mohammadseifi (5-1) in the Lightweight Division, and Iraq’s Ali Taleb (10-1) battling Jordan’s Jalal Al Daaja (11-8) in the Bantamweight Division. Jerome Mazet, General Manager of PFL MENA, expressed his excitement: “We’re thrilled to enter the playoffs of the inaugural PFL MENA season. These fighters are competing for a spot in the finals and the chance to become the first PFL MENA champions. We’re building stars, and we can't wait to see who will shine in the finale.”

Cage Warriors has confirmed a huge bantamweight title fight for its return to the UK capital on Friday, November 15th at Cage Warriors 180. Reigning champion Liam 'Nightmare' Gittins will make the second defence of his championship when he faces 135lb PrizeFighter winner Shirzad Qadrian on the main card of CW 180 at London's indigo at The O2.The bout will be contested over five, five-minute rounds. Southport's Gittins captured the title last November, beating bookmaker's favourite Reece McEwan over five rounds, taking the first four on all three judges scorecards. He followed that up with a successful defence in April, running the table against California's Roberto Hernandez before submitting him in the fifth round. Challenger Qadrian earned his shot with a successful run through the recent PrizeFighter tournament. 'The Lion' defeated old rival Weslley Maia in a dramatic semi-final bout, before outpointing Alexander Loof in the tournament final to capture the $50,000 prize. The victory extended his current winning streak to four, including finishes of Emanuele Zaccaria and Rory Evans. The 23 year old, who fights out of London's Deasil Gym, has spent recent training camps in Dagestan, under the tutelage of lightweight great Khabib Nurmagomedov. Tickets for Cage Warriors 180 go on sale this week. Additional bouts for Cage Warriors 180 are set to be revealed in the coming weeks, with updates via our social channels  @CageWarriors .

BRAVE Combat Federation made a historic debut in Bulgaria with BRAVE CF 86, marking a game-changing moment for the country's MMA industry. The electrifying atmosphere and packed arena made it clear that Bulgarian MMA fans had been eagerly awaiting an event of this scale. The passionate crowd showered the BRAVE CF fighters with overwhelming support, creating an energy that resonated across the globe. What truly set this event apart was the readiness of Bulgarian fighters to take on world-class opponents. Six local fighters stepped into the BRAVE CF 86 cage, each delivering unforgettable performances that showcased the immense potential of Bulgarian MMA talent when given the spotlight. Standouts like Anton Yanchev and Rusi Minev dominated their respective bouts, impressing a global audience and earning thunderous applause from their home crowd. Meanwhile, Pavel Vladev quickly became a fan favorite, bringing his pre-fight intensity into the cage and securing a second-round victory via ground and pound over Christian Mach. Though some local fighters faced defeat, they demonstrated their heart and skill, proving that Bulgarian MMA athletes can hold their own against top international competition. In addition to delivering high-caliber MMA action, BRAVE Combat Federation also introduced some of the world's best fighters to Bulgarian fans, giving a significant boost to the country's growing MMA ecosystem. Since its inception, BRAVE Combat Federation has been instrumental in ushering in a new era of MMA worldwide, impacting 34 countries with its visionary approach. With its successful debut in Bulgaria, the future of MMA in the country looks brighter than ever under the BRAVE CF banner.

There is a 90-percent chance that you’re right-handed. I say that because statistics show left-handed people make up approximately 10 percent of the human population. Here is an article on Warrior Awareness: The Killing Hand. RESEARCH INDICATES that approximately 30 percent of us delegate tasks between hands, the so-called ambidextrous. But if you dig deeper into this, you’ll find that it’s not true equality. Even this 30 percent will show a hand preference for fine-motor-skill work. Disclosure: I’m a righty who boxes southpaw, signs my name with my right hand, works the Bowie knife and tomahawk with my right hand, but finds that my left hand is more suited for gun work. I’m in that 30-percent twilight zone, but when I’m confronted with a new task or when my skills deteriorate during stress training (extreme cold, etc.), my right-hand dominance manifests more starkly. So keep in mind that ambidexterity is not a true 50-50 proposition — for me and for most people. Consider the case of “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler. Even though he was said to be ambidextrous, he wasn’t all the time. When it hit the fan, we could see him shift to his preferred side.  FOR THE PURPOSES OF COMBAT, I will focus on a skill that was part and parcel of the indigenous warrior’s skill set and is still a huge part of awareness training for law-enforcement officers and wise martial artists. I’m referring to the ability to spot pechari mo’obe. That’s the Comanche term for the ability to see the “killing hand.”  The killing hand is the hand that wields the weapon with utmost dexterity, the hand that can flick into the face of an attacker with maximum speed, the hand that is wound up for an uneducated haymaker, the hand that indicates the side of the body that’s favored in grappling and scuffling once an altercation hits the ground.  Historically, warriors were expected to train themselves to detect handedness at a glance — and not merely in human beings. It could be beneficial to spot it in other species, most of which exhibit left and right preferences with the same 90/10 distribution as human beings.  A good warrior would watch which hoof a mustang used to scratch the ground so that he’d know which hoof was most likely to affect a forefoot strike. If the good warrior was also a good horseman, he would then approach said mustang from the offside.  Need another illustration? Toss a toy to your dog or cat and note which paw it uses to swat it out of the air or pin it down. You now have a reading of the animal’s left/right dominance. If your pet should ever turn feral — for example, in the coming domestic- pet zombie apocalypse — you’ll be better able to formulate a strategy for exploiting its offside for corralling and control.  AS FOR READING human handedness ... Whenever anyone walks anywhere with anything in his or her hand, that person tells us what is deemed to be of value. It may not be the dominant hand itself doing the carrying, but we still can get a read on what the person values (more on that in a moment).  Of interest to martial artists is the related notion of “hiding the killing hand.” In many warrior traditions, people were taught to carry nothing in their hands that wasn’t a weapon, a tool or a loved one. Carrying any- thing else showed weakness and insecurity — it tipped your hand, so to speak.  In modern times, this means that men and women who consider them- selves warriors should walk with nothing in their hands so they’re ready to face whatever is out there. It doesn’t matter if it’s just a trip to the grocery store. The only exception is a tool you’re getting ready to use (a shopping cart counts), a weapon at the ready (only in dire times, obviously, or while hunting), a hand of a loved one or perhaps a burden you’re carrying to a car for someone else.  Anything else in your hands is a security blanket, one that often tells a tale of dependence. If it happens to be a cellphone you’re clutching but not using, well, that’s a big reveal.  If you feel the need to travel with an item in your hands, you’re signaling to the world that you need it. The warrior tradition asks you to look at what you hold and question your relationship with it.  HERE ARE A FEW general rules for detecting handedness in others:  • The presence of a firearm on the hip is a rather obvious tell. • The front pocket that’s used to carry one’s car keys is a fairly certain sign of which side is dominant. • Women usually carry their purse suspended from their non-dominant shoulder so they can use their dominant hand to access its contents. • Men usually place their billfold in the back pocket of their non- dominant side so their non-dominant hand can remove it before they use their dominant hand to pluck out its contents. • A phone in the rear pocket of either gender often follows the same rule as the billfold — non-dominant pocket so that extraction can be done with the non-dominant hand, after which the dominant hand is used to swipe and click.  • The hand that reaches for an item, more often than not, indicates which side is dominant. • An infant is often carried with the parent’s non-dominant arm so the dominant side can attend to the child’s needs.  AND NOW your assignment: For the next week, attempt to mentally determine the killing hand of every person you see. With a little practice, it will become second nature. You’ll be able to wander through crowded places while keeping a mental tally: “Right, right, left, right, could be left — no, he’s right-handed! When he stopped to tie his shoes, he gave me a definite signal.”  Also‚ for the next week, every time you place something in your hand, consider your relationship with it. Is it a tool for immediate use? Is it part of an interaction with a loved one? Or is it a dependency gesture that betrays which hand is your killing hand to all who are educated enough to notice?  Mark Hatmaker’s website is extremeselfprotection.com .