ABU DHABI – Mounir Lazzez is looking to venture out in 2021.

Lazzez (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), who made history as the first Arab-born and Arab-raised fighter signed to the UFC, had an impressive promotional debut when he upset Abdul Razak Alhassan in July.

Lazzez is set to make his return to “Fight Island” on Wednesday, when he takes on Warlley Alves at UFC on ESPN 20. But Lazzez isn’t only looking for an impressive showing against Alves (13-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC), the Tunisian striker hopes to remain in Abu Dhabi as a backup for any fight that falls through.

No matter what the weight class is.

“If I finish Alves early in this fight, I will ask Dana to give me a fight after three days,” Lazzez told reporters, including MMA Junkie, on Friday ahead of UFC on ESPN 20. “If there’s anyone at lightweight, welterweight or middleweight, for real, I mean it. I can make lightweight now for this fight. I can fight in welterweight. I can fight in middleweight. This is what martial arts is about. I’m not here just (to) give me four months, give me two months to fight. I’m ready anytime, anywhere, and I mean it.”

Training out of Team Nogueira in Dubai, Lazzez missed out on the opportunity to compete on the UFC’s last “Fight Island” stint, when he was forced to withdraw from his October bout against David Zawada due to a positive COVID-19 test. He will be facing a far more octagon experienced fighter in Alves and is well aware of the dangers that the Brazilian brings to the table.

“He’s a good fighter. He’s a well rounded fighter,” Lazzez said. “He comes to fight on the feet, the ground, as well too. He has a good guillotine. He doesn’t attempt takedowns, but he has good striking, and that’s what makes it interesting.”

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/ufc-on-espn-20-mounir-lazzez-ready-three-weight-classes

The Ultimate Fighting Championship kicks off 2021 in a big way with its return to broadcast television.

UFC Fight Island 7 (also known as UFC on ABC 1) will air on the ABC broadcast network. ABC and UFC broadcast partner ESPN are both owned by The Walt Disney company.

UFC’s return to network television is also its return to Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, which kicks off its 2021 schedule of events.

Former featherweight champion Max Holloway headlines the UFC Fight Island 7 fight card opposite rising contender Calvin Kattar. The event also features longtime veterans Carlos Condit and Matt Brown in the co-main event, as they each near the end of their respective careers.

Check out the UFC on ABC 1: Holloway vs. Kattar cold open that UFC president Dana White tweeted on Thursday.

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At long last, hardcore MMA fans will finally be able to see the highly anticipated match-up between UFC welterweight veterans Matt Brown and Carlos Condit at UFC Fight Island 7 on Saturday.

While most fans probably wish this fight took place in prior schedulings between the two when they were closer to their primes, both Brown and Condit will most likely be coming out of the gate looking for the finish on the feet.

Despite always being a fan of “The Natural Born Killer” and cheering for him every time he fights, Brown will not be pulling any punches when the cage door closes.

“Unfortunately for [Condit], he’s got to deal with me this weekend,” Brown said. “After I beat him up, I’m probably going to be sad in the back that I beat him up so bad. But I’m okay with that.”

In terms of how this will affect the legacy of the other corner, Condit says it’s based on how he performs. Not just getting the victory.

“That’s what’s important,” Condit says. “I intend to go out there and do it in violent fashion. Stop Matt Brown, and I think that’ll be a feather in my hat for sure.”

Both fighters acknowledged they are taking the remainder of each of their respective careers fight by fight. 

Condit, however, is on the last fight of his UFC contract. He said he would be interested in fighting in a different promotion if the UFC hands him his walking papers.

UFC Fight Island 7: Holloway vs. Kattar Live Results

“I love what I do,” Condit said. “If I can still get out there and get paid to fight people, I think I’d entertain the idea of fighting for another organization.”

The UFC has been actively paring its roster of late, so that doesn’t bode well for older fighters that are in their twilight years as athletes. An impressive finish at UFC Fight Island 7, however, could add to either fighter’s longevity.

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/carlos-condit-meets-matt-brown-in-hardcore-fans-fantasy-match-up-at-ufc-fight-island-7

Middleweights are the latest addition to the UFC’s March 13 card.

Former University of Alabama linebacker and LFA champion Eryk Anders will return to action to face the United Kingdom’s Darren Stewart at the UFC Fight Night card. The event does not currently have a publicly known location or venue.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie but asked to remain anonymous since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Anders (13-5 MMA, 5-5 UFC) has won two of his most recent three fights. Following wins over Vinicius Moreira and Gerald Meerschaert, Anders lost a unanimous decision to Krzysztof Jotko in May.

Stewart (12-6 MMA, 5-6 UFC) has won three of five outings entering the fight – but also dropped two of his most recent three. He most recently competed in September 2020 when he lost a unanimous decision to Kevin Holland.

The updated UFC Fight Night lineup for March 13 includes:

• Leon Edwards vs. Khamzat Chimaev
• Davey Grant vs. Jonathan Martinez
• Matthew Semelsberger vs. Jason Witt
• Jinh Yu Frey vs. Gloria de Paula
• Ciryl Gane vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
• Ryan Hall vs. Dan Ige
• Matheus Nicolau vs. Tagir Ulanbekov
• Eryk Anders vs. Darren Stewart

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/ufc-eryk-anders-darren-stewart-march-13-mma-fight-booking

Dana White and Khabib Nurmagomedov finally met face to face Friday.

The highly anticipated meeting between the UFC president and the UFC lightweight champion took place at UAE Warriors 15, an event held in Abu Dhabi, not far from the UFC’s “Fight Island” event bubble.

White was in attendance for the filming of an episode of “Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight,” while Nurmagomedov is a frequent attendant at UAE Warriors events.

The event’s broadcast showed White’s bodyguard retrieve Nurmagomedov, who was a special guest attendee, from the stands to escort him backstage.

Pretty sure Dana just sent his security guard for Khabib pic.twitter.com/ffiM3qCpny

— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) January 15, 2021

From there, a video posted by White on social media shows the two walking into a room and shutting the door. An Instagram story video posted by Nurmagomedov shows his boss sitting in a chair directly in front of him.

Oh to be a fly on the wall for this meeting between Dana White and Khabib Nurmagomedov 👀 (via @TeamKhabib) pic.twitter.com/kY4p9hPgHr

— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) January 15, 2021

White and Nurmagomedov were later spotted sitting together cageside. Joining them were former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra and UFC alumnus Din Thomas, who co-star in “Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight.”

#EFC32 pic.twitter.com/orl8GuUQgF

— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) January 15, 2021

Since Nurmagomedov announced his retirement at UFC 254 in October, White has been adamant he thinks the undefeated Russian champion will fight again. Upon the UFC’s return to “Fight Island” for its third stint, White made it a point to seek out a quick meeting with Nurmagomedov in an effort to convince his champion to stick around for another fight.

“When I left Abu Dhabi last time, and he and I were texting, we went back and forth on why I think he should keep fighting,” White said. “He was super emotional coming out of that fight. He’s had time now to rest, think about it, (and) all the other things. This is going to be a five-minute conversation. … I think he’ll fight, but we’ll see. It’s not going to be an argument or a lengthy conversation. It’s going to be a ‘yes’ or ‘no.’”

Nurmagomedov, 32, sits one fight away from a perfect 30-0 record. White has indicated he wants Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor to be the milestone 30th attempt in a rematch if McGregor beats Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 next week.

The UFC’s third stint on “Fight Island” kicks off Saturday with UFC on ABC 1, headlined by featherweights Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar. On Wednesday, UFC on ESPN 20 takes place with a welterweight main event between Michael Chiesa and Neil Magny.

The three-event stretch concludes Saturday, Jan. 23, with UFC 257 and a pay-per-view headliner rematch between McGregor and Poirier.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/ufc-news-dana-white-khabib-nurmagomedov-meeting-video-uae-warriors-abu-dhabi