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In the world of combat sports, few names carry as much weight as Francis Ngannou and Deontay Wilder. The two heavyweights have built reputations as some of the most devastating punchers in their respective disciplines, with Ngannou reigning as the UFC's heavyweight champion and Wilder formerly holding the WBC heavyweight title in boxing. And now, with Wilder announcing that he is a free agent, Ngannou has wasted no time in calling him out for a potential showdown. The news of Wilder's free agency came as a surprise to many in the boxing world. Following Wilder’s announcement that he was no longer tied to any promoter or network, it has opened the door to potential fights with other big names in the sport, and Ngannou has thrown his hat in the ring as a potential opponent. The "Bronze Bomber" has made it clear that he would like to compete against Francis Ngannou in both the boxing match and the mixed martial arts octagon. Even though Ngannou is heavily favored to prevail in an MMA match, Wilder's bold challenge suggests that he is eager to step outside of his realm of experience and challenge the previous UFC heavyweight champion on his home turf. The Predator, who lately had been a free agent after being let go by the UFC, has stated repeatedly that he is determined to fulfill his ambition of turning into a professional boxer. Ngannou posted a tweet on learning about the free agency of Wilder. The idea of Ngannou and Wilder squaring off in a crossover bout has been floated for years, with fans and pundits alike salivating at the prospect of two of the most ferocious punchers in combat sports going head-to-head. And with Wilder now free to negotiate his fights, it's a possibility that could become a reality. A potential matchup between the two would be a clash of titans, with both fighters possessing incredible power and athleticism. It's a fight that would have fans on the edge of their seats from start to finish, and it's no surprise that Ngannou is eager to make it happen. Francis Ngannou has drawn increasing attention from numerous combat sports organizations since becoming free, along with all big MMA companies and the bare-knuckle fighting group BKFC. Additionally, several boxers have publicly stated their ambition to face off alongside "The Predator" in the ring. The two most well-known fighters to do so are Tyson Fury, who currently holds the WBC heavyweight title, and former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder. As for Wilder, it remains to be seen whether he will entertain the idea of a crossover fight with Ngannou or if he will look to stay within the boxing world. But one thing is for sure: with both fighters at the top of their games and eager to prove themselves, a showdown between Francis Ngannou and Deontay Wilder would be a can't-miss event for combat sports fans.

Erin Blanchfield claims she didn't hesitate to accept the UFC's offer to face Jéssica Andrade on short notice. The upcoming prospect had to switch to Andrade after Taila Santos' squad had their visas to enter the United States denied at UFC Vegas 69 on Saturday. Santos was originally the opponent for the prospect. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, "Cold Blooded" was fortunate that the promotion led to the discovery of a fighter who was willing to battle on short notice. “My manager called me and told me Taila was out, but Andrade was willing to fight and I was definitely down right away,” said Blanchfield at her media day scrum on Wednesday. “I already put in all the work and I really wanted to fight. Taila is a tough opponent, Andrade is a tough opponent, but everybody’s tough, so I didn’t really care. I was just happy to get a fight.” Many questioned whether Blanchfield would face a "bigger" opponent now that she had transitioned from being a title challenger to a winner. There was no difference in size between Santos and Andrade for the 23-year-old. “I know a lot of people have been saying that, I guess because Andrade has a lot of experience in the UFC,” said Blanchfield. “She has a lot more fights than me or Taila, but I think that’s only reason why. Obviously, she’s super tough. She’s different than Taila, but I don’t think it’s necessarily a bigger fight like skill-wise. I think it may be bigger for people that know Andrade.” Though preparing for a short-notice fight is less than ideal, Blanchfield says her preparation has gone through little to no changes. “I think they’re different body types, a little bit different styles,” said Blanchfield. “It’s just adjusting to that. Andrade has to adjust to me, too. She just fought and she didn’t know she was fighting me until a week ago. We both have to make a little bit of adjustments, so I think we’re on an even playing field with that.”

Featherweight champion 'Leigh-thal' Leigh Wood is set to defend his WBA title against Mexican Mauricio Lara in his hometown of Nottingham on February 18. The fight is expected to be an explosive encounter between two fighters who share the same number of losses and almost the same amount of wins and knockouts. Although they measure up similar in height and reach, their fighting styles are far apart. Wood, who is ten years older than his opponent, is a tall and rangy fighter who uses his jab well to keep his opponents at range. He is durable, tough and experienced. In contrast, Lara is an aggressive fighter who throws a lot of shots and has no respect for his opponents. He stunned the world and defeated Josh Warrington in February 2021. Despite the similar records, Wood's team's decision to fight Lara, a dangerous puncher who travels well and upsets opponents in their own backyard, has raised suspicion that there could be some tricks up Wood's sleeve. Wood's recent fights have been against decent domestic threats, a defending world champion, and an unbeaten Irish sensation, all of whom he knocked out in the ring. Lara, who is on a 15-fight unbeaten streak, will likely try to get in close to land his powerful hooks. Both fighters have been knocked out before, so they are vulnerable, and with their aggressive styles and high KO ratios, it's difficult to see this fight going the distance. Betting odds favor Wood to win, with Lara as a slight underdog. Despite Wood's confidence and solid gameplan, which likely involves throwing straight shots from range and countering Lara's wide, looping hooks with precise punches, the author predicts that Lara will win by KO and finally get his world title. Lara's output, pressure, and power are expected to be the key to his success. However, the author notes that Wood is a tough and brave fighter who is unlikely to go down without a fight. The fight promises to be electrifying, with both boxers expected to land big bombs on each other right from the first bell. Featherweight champion 'Leigh-thal' Leigh Wood is set to defend his WBA title against Mexican Mauricio Lara in his hometown of Nottingham on February 18. The fight is expected to be an explosive encounter between two fighters who share the same number of losses and almost the same amount of wins and knockouts. Although they measure up similar in height and reach, their fighting styles are far apart. Wood, who is ten years older than his opponent, is a tall and rangy fighter who uses his jab well to keep his opponents at range. He is durable, tough and experienced. In contrast, Lara is an aggressive fighter who throws a lot of shots and has no respect for his opponents. He stunned the world and defeated Josh Warrington in February 2021. Despite the similar records, Wood's team's decision to fight Lara, a dangerous puncher who travels well and upsets opponents in their own backyard, has raised suspicion that there could be some tricks up Wood's sleeve. Wood's recent fights have been against decent domestic threats, a defending world champion, and an unbeaten Irish sensation, all of whom he knocked out in the ring. Lara, who is on a 15-fight unbeaten streak, will likely try to get in close to land his powerful hooks. Both fighters have been knocked out before, so they are vulnerable, and with their aggressive styles and high KO ratios, it's difficult to see this fight going the distance. Betting odds favor Wood to win, with Lara as a slight underdog. Despite Wood's confidence and solid gameplan, which likely involves throwing straight shots from range and countering Lara's wide, looping hooks with precise punches, the author predicts that Lara will win by KO and finally get his world title. Lara's output, pressure, and power are expected to be the key to his success. However, the author notes that Wood is a tough and brave fighter who is unlikely to go down without a fight. The fight promises to be electrifying, with both boxers expected to land big bombs on each other right from the first bell.

Paige VanZant has been given a deadline by David Feldman, president of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, regarding her future with the organisation. The BKFC acquired the MMA sensation in 2020. Despite her underwhelming performance with the promotion, the deal was profitable for VanZant and the BKFC due to the fighter's fan base. VanZant has suffered defeats in bare-knuckle boxing to Britain Hart and Rachael Ostovich since giving up her MMA gloves. In a while, her time at the company may be coming to an end. Feldman told in an exclusive interview that he hopes to book a bout for VanZant on April 29. She might no longer be a part of the promotion if she declines to fight on that date. “I’m going to be talking to her this week and there’s a possibility that she returns on a big card we’ve got in April," Feldman told Mirror Fighting . "If she doesn’t, then it’s probable that she won’t be coming back to BKFC. She’s making a lot of money doing her other businesses and maybe she doesn’t want to do this anymore, I will find out this week.” VanZant claims that her pay in BKFC is ten times greater than it was during her UFC stint, where she was given a $40,000 fight guarantee. The 28-year-old, who started her own fan site two years ago and recently joined OnlyFans, is also a successful cover model. Despite her bare-knuckle boxing career not progressing as planned, Feldman has no regrets about spending the money on VanZant. “She is definitely welcome with the organisation it’s just a matter of what she wants to do. I think this helps her other revenue streams, it gives her notoriety to be able to get fans for her other revenue streams. I don’t think she’s going to turn it down because of money, I think the only reason she would turn it down is if she doesn’t have the desire to fight anymore."

Eddie Hearn insists that if Tyson Fury's battle with Oleksandr Usyk doesn't go as planned, Anthony Joshua would have no problem taking on the latter this summer. The undisputed heavyweight title is currently being discussed by Englishman Fury, the WBC champion, and Ukrainian Usyk, the WBO, WBA, IBO, and IBF champion. But after it became obvious that the fight won't probably take place in the Middle East, where both combatants would have received record-breaking pay, negotiations seem to have hit a rough patch. The parties are reportedly at odds over the financial division as it seems the fight may end up taking place in the United Kingdom, potentially at London's Wembley Stadium. This is according to an ESPN report. Hearn, the head of Matchroom Boxing, recently stated that Joshua would be ready to take on Usyk-Fury in the summer if negotiations between the two men fall through. The idea of a battle between Joshua and Fury has been discussed at least a few times. Most recently, they were in advanced talks to engage in combat in December, but they were unable to reach an agreement. Fury-Joshua would not be the next fight, even if Usyk, 36, and Fury, 34, are unable to meet in the ring in the spring. The O2 Arena will host Joshua, 33, and Michigan's Jermaine Franklin on April 1. Hearn, the head of Matchroom Boxing, recently stated that Joshua would be ready to take on Usyk-Fury in the summer if negotiations between the two men fall through. The idea of a battle between Joshua and Fury has been discussed at least a few times. Most recently, they were in advanced talks to engage in combat in December, but they were unable to reach an agreement. Fury-Joshua would not be the next fight, even if Usyk, 36, and Fury, 34, are unable to meet in the ring in the spring. The O2 Arena will host Joshua, 33, and Michigan's Jermaine Franklin on April 1.

In a Baltimore courtroom on Thursday morning, Gervonta Davis entered a plea to four charges related to a hit-and-run incident that occurred in his hometown in November 2020. Davis will be punished on May 5, according to The Baltimore Sun's website. The pay-per-view matchup between Davis and Garcia is still scheduled for April 15 in Las Vegas. Although their teams are still working on completing their contracts, their 12-round, 136-pound battle will soon be officially announced. On several misdemeanor motor vehicle counts connected to the above said hit-and-run collision, Davis was scheduled to go on trial on Thursday. He waived his right to a trial and entered guilty pleas to four charges: leaving the scene of an injury accident, failing to find and inform the owner of unattended property damage, operating a vehicle while having a license that has been suspended, and running a red light. The 28-year-old Davis might receive a jail term on May 5. In the early hours of November 5, 2020, Davis crashed his Lamborghini into the side of a 2004 Toyota Solara after running a red light, according to an inquiry into the two-car collision. The Toyota's driver and three occupants had cuts, bruises, and other wounds that necessitated medical transportation to a nearby hospital. Davis assisted a woman who has not been named in getting out of his SUV's passenger seat, but he fled the scene before police came. In September, prosecutors and Davis' counsel presented Baltimore City Circuit Judge Melissa Phinn with a plea deal that would have sentenced Davis to 60 days of unsupervised home confinement. Due in large part to testimony from Jyair Smith, the woman who was behind the wheel of the Toyota that Davis' car hit, Phinn rejected that plea agreement and instead decided to hold a trial. Smith filed a lawsuit against Davis because she claimed that the accident left her with a severe knee injury that prevented her from playing with her kids or working continuously, even after undergoing extensive physical therapy. Smith added that before leaving the scene, Davis did not offer any help to her or to her three passengers. Davis (28-0, 26 KOs) is currently preparing for his bout with Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs), but he is also scheduled to appear in court on February 23 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he will be charged with misdemeanor domestic violence battery causing physical harm. Davis was detained on December 27 in Parkland, Florida after allegedly hitting Vanessa Posso, the mother of the younger of Davis' two girls, on the right side of her head. Davis had pleaded not guilty in that case. According to a police report of the event, Davis struck Posso with a "closed hand type slap" and scraped the inside of her right lip. Posso, who initially reported the incident to 911, later changed her tale in a post on Instagram, saying that Davis "did not harm me or our daughter." Davis spent one night in a Broward County jail before being released on $1,000 bond on December 28.

The United Fight League (UFL) will hold its first-ever card on February 18, 2023, with a Grand Prix Quarterfinal fight card. The Grand Prix will take place at Bell Bank Park in Mesa, Arizona, and will feature 48 top competitors in six weight divisions from six different nations. The victors of the first round will advance to the semifinals, which will take place on a different day after Saturday. Memphis will host the tournament's second part in a few months. The most relevant subject of discussion with this new promotion, however, is health care, particularly health and life insurance, which every fighter on their roster is entitled to. “The UFL fighters have a full PPO plan with United Healthcare. It provides the co-pays, the prescription refills, max deductibles,” Harrison Rogers, UFL President. “I have the ability to do this because I actually own a lot of other businesses where I have to provide health insurance to my employees. And so I’m able to then access that same ability for our fighters.” Plans for the UFL and the recently established World Fighting League are similar. The WFL, like the UFL, will offer fighters a revenue share and plans to pay athletes half of the total annual revenue. Frank Mir, Rampage Jackson, and Tito Ortiz, all former UFC champions, will collaborate with UFL president Harrison J. Rogers to oversee the promotion and guarantee that competitors are treated fairly. In 2023, the UFL will hold events in Memphis, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City. Next year, they intend to host an event somewhere in the UK. Demarques Jackson, a former Bellator competitor, and Jared Gooden, a former UFC competitor, will square off in the main event of the UFL's debut event.

Jon Kennedy, a light heavyweight competitor in the Power Slap, becomes the first athlete to ever be penalized. Dana White created an innovative slapping league last year, but it has faced criticism following the controversy. The UFC President was caught slamming his spouse in a Mexican bar before the event could perhaps be broadcast. White eventually said that his penance would be that people would no longer recognize him and flatly refused to convict himself. The situation leads TBS to prolong the show's premiere by one week. As if that weren't sufficient, the sport has also faced a lot of criticism. The cause is that numerous people are worried about brain injuries in the league. Resistance in Power Slap is blatantly prohibited, unlike all other combat sports that have led to accidents and fatalities. Hence the increased worry for its participants. Dana White and Power Slap were swiftly sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, lending legitimacy to the league. They made the guidelines more explicit, permitted the utilization of the UFC Apex as a venue, and instructed the business to make sure no one dies. The brand hasn't yet switched to live broadcast performances, but it intends to do so later this year. The episode has been broadcast on TBS thus far, and all the fights have been taped in advance. Despite the show's poor reviews up until today, they have already achieved history. A Power Slap contender received the Nevada Athletic Commission's first drug suspension for cocaine consumption. Having followed his knockout defeat to John Davis, contender, and MMA fighter Jon Kennedy, 37, came back positive for a banned substance, the commission announced at its regular meeting held Wednesday. Kennedy participated in the conference virtually. The Power Slap website shows Kennedy's career record of 2-2. He goes by the moniker "Slap Daddy." Kennedy received a $476 fine, $326 in court costs, and a nine-month suspension. He will indeed be qualified to participate in combat sports in the province yet again on August 30.

In a surprise move, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has extended a public invitation to his long-time rival and fellow former champion, Daniel Cormier, to join him in the commentary booth for the upcoming UFC 285 event. Jones, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in UFC history, took to social media to reach out to Cormier, saying that he would love to have him on the broadcast team for the highly anticipated event. The former UFC light heavyweight champion will be marking his much-anticipated reappearance on March 4 at UFC 285 when he faces Ciryl Gane for the vacated UFC heavyweight championship. Jones and Cormier share perhaps one of the fiercest and most genuine rivalries in sports. Both of them were matched up three times inside the octagon. Jones won two fights of the series, but the final one was declared a no-result after Jones failed a drug test for a turinabol metabolite. There were many things spoken in the trash talk involved during that two-bout series, and even they legendarily got into an altercation at a press conference. While Jones and Cormier's on-screen rivalry was often contentious, their animosity has cooled somewhat in recent years. In any case, Jones appears to have shifted his viewpoint on Cormier mere days before his comeback. Jones stated in a string of tweets on Wednesday that Cormier may commentate for UFC 285 from the cage keeping aside the rivalry. It looks like Jon Jones was having a good day which resulted in him wishing for his former rival to be a part of the biggest event of the year. In one of his tweets, Jones reacted to a fan's desire to let Daniel Cormier do the post-fight interview with the former light heavyweight champion. In reply to that Jones tweeted. Since UFC 247 in February 2020, Jones has not engaged in the competition. In that contest, he defeated Dominick Reyes by a razor-thin and contentious decision to defend his title at 205 pounds. He has been hyping a jump to heavyweight for quite a while, and it will finally take place next month.

Former UFC fighter and current Bellator fighter Alessio Sakara has signed a multifight contract with BKFC. BKFC made the announcement on Wednesday. Sakara is still under contract with Bellator, but he is allowed to compete in bareknuckle boxing. For his debut, no opponent or time have been chosen. From 2005 through 2013, the Italian fought in the UFC. In 2016, he signed a contract with Bellator, where he has since competed six matches, going 4-2. Sakara competed for the Bellator middleweight championship during that time, but was defeated by the champion Rafael Carvalho in 2017. He last competed at Bellator 230 in Milan, when he defeated Canaan Grigsby in the opening round. Sakara has a professional record of 8-1 in boxing and has expertise in both MMA and that boxing. His final professional boxing match was in 2009. It will be interesting to see who his first opponent will be as he has called out many big names recently.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a sport that is unpredictable by nature. Fighters with different backgrounds and skill sets face off against each other in the octagon, often leading to surprising results. While there have been many upsets in the sport's history, one of the biggest upsets in MMA history was the fight between Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm. Before the fight, Ronda Rousey was considered one of the most dominant fighters in the sport. She had a perfect record of 12-0 and had won all of her fights by either submission or knockout. Rousey was the first female fighter to sign with the UFC and was also the first UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion. She had quickly become a superstar and a role model for women all over the world. On the other hand, Holly Holm was a relative newcomer to the UFC. She had a professional record of 9-0 but had only fought in the UFC twice before facing Rousey. Holm was known for her striking ability, having been a professional boxer and kickboxer before transitioning to MMA. Despite Holm's impressive resume, few expected her to defeat Rousey. The odds were heavily in Rousey's favor, with many experts predicting a quick victory for the champion. However, Holm had a game plan and executed it to perfection. From the opening bell, Holm kept her distance from Rousey and used her superior footwork to stay out of range of Rousey's punches. Holm was able to land a few solid kicks to Rousey's body in the early rounds, which began to take their toll on the champion. In the second round, Holm caught Rousey with a left kick to the head, which stunned her and sent her to the canvas. Holm immediately followed up with a barrage of punches, but the referee intervened and stopped the fight. The victory was a huge upset, and the MMA world was left in shock. The aftermath of the fight was difficult for Rousey. She had been the face of women's MMA for years, and the loss to Holm was a major setback for her. She took a break from the sport to recover and regroup, but was never able to regain her dominant form. Holm, on the other hand, became a star in her own right, and went on to win the UFC Women's Featherweight Championship. The fight between Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm will always be remembered as one of the biggest upsets in MMA history. It showed that in the sport of MMA, anything can happen, and that no fighter is invincible. Was this the biggest upset in MMA history? Comment and let us know.

Mixed martial arts fans, get ready for an action-packed weekend as Bellator MMA returns to Hawaii with a thrilling doubleheader on April 21st and 22nd at Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu. Featuring two title fights and some of the sport's most exciting up-and-coming fighters, this event promises to be a must-watch for MMA enthusiasts around the world. The Flyweight title match featuring Liz Carmouche with DeAnna Bennett is the main event of Bellator 294 on April 21st, 2023. Since joining Bellator, Carmouche is 5-0, including a submission victory over Bennett. She also won the 125-pound gold at Bellator 278 in Hawaii this past April by way of a fourth-round TKO victory over Juliana Velasquez. In the rematch at Bellator 289 in December, Carmouche eventually put Velasquez down once more. Despite losing to Carmouche at Bellator 246 in September 2020, Bennett has landed three straight wins, defeating Justine Kish twice by decision and Alejandra Lara by unanimous decision. In April, the Bellator bantamweight grand prix will be coming to an end. The event final, which is the second appearance of a two-night doubleheader, featuring interim bantamweight champion Raufeon Stots versus Patchy Mix, will be the main event of Bellator 295 on April 22. The bout could be a career-defining fight for both men and will be contesting for the $1 million prize and the right to challenge Sergio Pettis for the undisputed title. With a victory over Juan Archuleta at Bellator 279 in April of last year and a decision victory over Danny Sabatello at Bellator 289 in December, Stots qualified for the championship final. Meanwhile, Mix has claimed four straight wins with three finishes, notable victories against previous champion Kyoji Horiguchi by unanimous decision, and Magomed Magomedov through second-round submission to secure his place in the championship match. Bellator has a long history of putting on thrilling events in Hawaii, and this doubleheader promises to be no exception. With some of the sport's most talented fighters set to step into the cage, MMA fans won't want to miss this action-packed weekend of fights. So, mark your calendars for February 25th and 26th and get ready for an unforgettable weekend of MMA action. The new lineups for Bellator 294 and Bellator 295 can be found below: Bellator 294 Main Card, April 21, 2023 Liz Carmouche vs. DeAnna Bennett - flyweight title fight Tim Johnson vs. Said Sowma Arlene Blencowe vs. Sara McMann Bellator 295 Main Card, April 22, 2023 Raufeon Stots vs. Patchy Mix - grand prix finale for interim bantamweight title Ilima-Lei Macfarlane vs. Kana Watanabe