Episode No. 299 of “The MMA Road Show with John Morgan” podcast is now available for streaming and download.

MMA Junkie lead staff reporter John Morgan hosts the show while traveling the world to cover the sport.

John Morgan is in Pennsylvania to call CFFC 90 and CFFC 91 on UFC Fight Pass, and he sits down to talk about the biggest headlines in the sport while also previewing the Cage Fury Fighting Championships events and bringing interviews with Pat Sabatini, Darrell Horcher and Solomon Renfro.

Check it out on iTunes or at themmaroadshow.com. You can also subscribe via RSS.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/12/the-mma-road-show-with-john-morgan-no-299-pat-sabatini-darrell-horcher-solomon-renfro

Few can hang with Stephen Thompson in the standup.

Thompson faced streaking contender Vicente Luque at UFC 244, where he looked to bounce back from his first career knockout loss to Anthony Pettis.

Luque put the pressure on “Wonderboy” early, connecting with some solid shots in Round 1. Thompson did a good job of evading any significant blows, firing back with straight punches and side kicks to keep Luque at bay.

But mid way through Round 2, Thompson found his timing and took over the fight. He battered Luque with slick combinations and dropped him multiple times in Round 3 to earn the dominant unanimous decision win.

Thompson (15-4-1 MMA, 10-4-1 UFC) returns to action Saturday when he takes on another surging contender in Geoff Neal (13-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) in the main event of UFC Fight Night 183, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Before he faces Neal, relive Thompson’s dominant win over Luque in the video above.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/12/ufc-free-fight-stephen-thompson-defeats-vicente-luque-ufc-244

It’s been more than a year since Stephen Thompson last set foot in the Octagon. He returns on Saturday to headline UFC Vegas 17, the promotion’s final event of a trying 2020.

Thompson faces Geoff Neal in a bout that has significant implications for the welterweight title picture.

Prior to the UFC’s 2020 finale, watch Thompson’s most recent fight, a stellar performance against Vicente Luque at UFC 244 on Nov. 2, 2019.

(Video courtesy of UFC)

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Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/watch-stephen-thompsons-most-recent-victory-ahead-of-ufc-vegas-17

Looking back on his first round TKO of Steven Newell at XFC 43 on November 11 as part of the opening round of the promotion’s Welterweight Grand Prix, Carson Hardman couldn’t be more pleased with how the fight turned out.

Considering he was facing a clearly dangerous opponent on short notice, Hardman feels he was able to step up to the challenge and deliver the kind of performance he was looking for in the bout with Newell.

“I think it went well considering it was a last moment (substitution I faced),” Hardman told MMAWeekly.com. “Literally about six hours before the fight my opponent changed.

“Did I do some mistakes in the fight? Yeah. But considering this guy was 9-1 and has only lost to a man who is in the UFC, and went the distance with him, I think I did pretty good going in there and getting the job in two minutes roughly. I think I did all right. There are some things to polish up, but I won’t complain.”

Having spent the previous nine months waiting to return to action due to the onset of the novel coronavirus lockdown, Hardman was able to return to action like no time had passed.

“Honestly I felt fine in there,” said Hardman. “I didn’t feel like I had any problems with (the layoff). I think it was a little weird to not have a crowd. I was just excited to compete.”

At the close of his 2020, Hardman feels like he’s made the sort of improvements that will have him be even more effective in the year to come.

“As far as fighting style it’s very much the same, but as far as polishing up those little bits and knocking off those tiny bits of rust here and there, I feel we’ve really done that these two fights this year,” Hardman said.

“It’s one thing to do it in the training room, but to put it into action in the cage is a whole other story, but I feel I’ve been able to do most of it. I’m very satisfied with where I’m at, but am still hungry for more and want to keep going.”

With the tournament based format he finds himself in, Hardman is able to look ahead to what’s in store at the next XFC, but he’s not looking beyond that towards the potential rewards for claiming the Grand Prix championship.

“We’re already starting training for the next upcoming fight,” said Hardman. “As far as getting google-y eyes for the belt, we’re not focused on that.

“You have to get through it one step at a time, and the next step is my next fight, getting through these semi-finals. I’m sitting down with my coach, we’re going to go over some things, and then get right back to training.”

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/carson-hardman-happy-with-xfc-43-win-looks-to-the-semi-finals-of-welterweight-grand-prix

For Marlon Vera, a lot ridding is riding on UFC Fight Night 183.

The rising bantamweight contender takes on former UFC and WEC featherweight champion and recent bantamweight title challenger Jose Aldo in the co-main event on Saturday night in Las Vegas. It’s a big fight in the UFC’s 135-pound division, and Vera (18-6-1 MMA, 10-5 UFC) believes it’s one that should put him in the title mix if victorious.

“Yeah, 100 percent, that’s the idea of asking for one of these fights,” Vera told MMA Junkie in Spanish during Thursday’s media day. A victory over someone like him, it puts me directly in line to fight for the belt.

“He was coming off a title fight, which on the business end, if I beat someone who’s coming off a title loss, that puts me in line. We asked for him (Aldo), Edgar or Cruz, and I got him. So I’m happy about the opportunity. I’m prepared, and I can’t wait to do my job.”

Vera is coming off a first-round TKO win over Sean O’Malley at UFC 252 in August. The win extended his latest run to 6-1 in his past seven outings with the lone defeat being a controversial decision against Song Yadong.

Meanwhile, Aldo was last seen in July when he lost to current bantamweight champion Petr Yan for the vacant belt. On paper, Aldo is the highest profile opponent Vera has faced in his career despite the Brazilian coming off three straight defeats.

“This is the opportunity that you ask for when you win a big fight and you’re in a position to see what you can get,” Vera explained. “It’s a fight of styles. He’s on his way down, I’m on my way up, and we’re meeting in the middle. He either stays up or I go up, so one of us is going out on top, and I’m hoping that’s me.”

Despite fighting who many consider to be a living legend, Vera feels differently. He understands it’s a big fight but nothing beyond that.

“Not to disrespect anyone, but I don’t see him that way (like a legend),” Vera said. “For me, he’s just another fighter in front of me, and I can’t fight him looking up. I have to fight him looking into his eyes and moving forward, and that’s it. Looking up is only for God, so for me there is no great man or impossible challenge.

“I’m ready and prepared, and Saturday we’re going to see what I bring. I’m very prepared, and I have a lot of fight in me.”

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/12/ufc-fight-night-183-marlon-vera-expects-title-shot-win-jose-aldo