After every UFC event we feature every post-fight callout in our regular post-fight feature, “Callout Collection,” and one man who expects to be front and center in our UFC on ABC 1 edition is surging middleweight Joaquin Buckley.

Buckley (12-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is in confident mood ahead of Saturday’s middleweight main card clash with Italian Alessio Di Chirico, and said that he’s planning a big-name callout after he gets his hand raised at the Etihad Arena.

Speaking to TMZ, he said he doesn’t expect to earn a ranked position with victory in Abu Dhabi, but he did reveal his intention to issue a callout to a ranked fighter after his performance.

“No (I don’t expect to be ranked), but I’m going to look for a ranked opponent, for sure,” he said. “As soon as I beat Alessio, I’ve already got a callout, so y’all better be ready for that.”

Buckley became the viral star of 2020 when he landed the “Knockout of the Year” against Impa Kasanganay with a stunning spinning back kick at UFC Fight Night 179 in Abu Dhabi, and “New Mansa” plans on producing another highlight-reel moment to wow the fans watching on network television.

“Being on ABC is an awesome thing, man,” he said. “Definitely, it’s a history-making card, especially with it being its debut. So for me to go out there and put on a show for millions of people, that’s pretty cool, man. I’ve got a lot of new fans coming my way pretty soon, so that’s awesome.

“I got to show up and I gotta show out, man. This is just what I do. Every time I go out there it’s always going to be a banger, no matter if it’s only five people watching me fight. So when I go out there, it’s always going to be fun to watch. But you never know what you’re going to see with me, so you never know what to expect. A flying kick, a crazy knee, or an elbow to the jaw. Either way, I’m trying to separate this man from his consciousness, so y’all better watch out.”

As for the identity of his potential callout target, Buckley would only leave a cryptic clue.

“He fights like me!”

UFC on ABC 1 takes place Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on ABC and ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN+.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/ufc-on-abc-1-joaquin-buckley-planning-to-call-out-ranked-contender

The next UFC featherweight title fight is set.

UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovksi will defend his title against Brian Ortega at UFC 260, which will take place at a location and venue still to be announced.

Two people with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie on Saturday but asked for anonymity since the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

The news was first reported by UFC broadcast partner ESPN, which also reported the promotion is aiming for Volkanovksi (22-1 MMA, 9-0 UFC) vs. Ortega (15-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) to be the co-main event to a UFC heavyweight title rematch between Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou.

The pay-per-view event is expected to take place March 27 and will be the promotion’s second in March, with UFC 259 taking place three weeks earlier.

Volkanovski, 32, is riding a 19-fight winning streak into his second UFC title defense attempt. Following six straight wins to kick off his UFC tenure, Volkanovski defeated then-champion Max Holloway by unanimous decision at UFC 245 in December 2019.

Seven months later, at UFC 251 in July 2020, Volkanovski and Holloway fought for a second time. Volkanovski successfully defended his title for the first time when he defeated Holloway by split decision.

In October, Ortega, 29, returned from a 22-month absence from competition. Over the course of five rounds, Ortega dominated surging contender Chan Sung Jung for a unanimous decision and reentered the win column following a devastating title shot loss to Holloway in December 2018.

With the addition, the UFC 260 lineup includes:

• Champion Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega – for UFC featherweight title
• Jim Crute vs. Johnny Walker
• Modestas Bukauskas vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/01/ufc-260-alexander-volkanovski-vs-brian-ortega-featherweight-title-fight-booking-mma

Round 1 – Lingo applies pressure right out of the gate and land a big right hand that briefly drops Kilburn. He gets right back up, but Lingo continues to attack with combinations. Kilburn appears to recover and settles into his offense. Kilburn isn’t give him much time, though, and is landing some clean shots. Kilburn tries for a takedown that’s easily stuffed. Kilburn goes for another one moments later, and is able to hold Lingo against the fence. Lingo gets his back of the cage and goes back to striking to the body and the head. Kilburn is struggling to get anything going, as he has another takedown attempt stuffed. He eats more punches, then kicks Lingo in the groin, forcing a break in the action. Kilburn lands a spinning backfist that tags Lingo late, but it’s not enough. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 easily for Lingo.

Round 2 – They exchange to start the round, and Lingo lands a pair of nice let hooks that snap Kilburn’s head back and force him on the back foot. Kilburn times a single-leg takedown, and this time it’s good. He briefly get on top, but Lingo kicks him of and immediately lands the left hand again. Then again. He then connects with a right, and Kilburn comes up the middle with a front kick to the gut. Kilburn shoots in for another takedown, but Lingo denies and they work inside the clinch. They break free an Lingo tries to attack with low kicks. Lingo closes range and presses Kilburn against the cage. Lingo reverses, but then gets turned back around. Kilburn tries a spinning elbow off the break, but it whiffs big time. Kilburn gets deep on a takedown, but Lingo shows incredible hips in shutting it down, then responds with a successful takedown of his own. He can’t do much with it, but takedowns the round. MMA Junkie scores it 10-9 for Lingo, and he’s up 20-18 on our card.

Round 3 – Lingo opens with a low kick to start the final frame. Kilburn lands a tight left hand, then a spinning back kick to the body. They get into a bit of a reckless exchange, which is followed by a takedown attempt from Kilburn. Lingo stops it then denies a head-and-arm throw from Kilburn, resulting in him securing top position and partial side control. They get into a bit of a stalled out position. They scramble back to the feet, and Lingo clinches Kilburn up against the fence. They break away a few seconds later, then Lingo comes forward with his body shot, left hook combination. He stings Kilburn with a jab and is really running away with the fight. Kilburn is beginning to get desperate with less than 90 seconds remaining, but Lingo keeps him at bay with his punching combinations, riding it out until the final bell. MMA Junkie scores the round 10-9 for Lingo, giving him the 30-27 sweep on our scorecard.

Result: Austin Lingo def. Jacob Kilburn via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
Photos: Austin Lingo vs. Jacob Kilburn fight photos
Records: Austin Lingo (8-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC), Jacob Kilburn (8-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Broadcast: ESPN+
Referee: Marc Goddard
Judging:

Article source: https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-on-abc-1-max-holloway-calvin-kattar-play-by-play-live-results

(Click on the fight below and then scroll down to see in-fight live stats and full results, courtesy of Fight Analytics. Full live results for the first UFC Fight Island 7: Holloway vs. Kattar (aka UFC on ABC 1) from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT on Saturday, Jan. 16, on MMAWeekly.com)

UFC Fight Island 7: Holloway vs. Kattar start times

• UFC Fight Island 7: Holloway vs. Kattar main card start time: 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT on ABC and ESPN+
• UFC Fight Island 7: Holloway vs. Kattar prelims start time: 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT ESPN+

NOTE: To select the appropriate fight, click on the images with the yellow name plates at the bottom of the Fight Analytics window and drag until you see the fight you are interested in. Quick results are located below the Fight Analytics window.

UFC Fight Island 7: Holloway vs. Kattar live results

UFC Fight Island 7: Holloway vs. Kattar takes place on Saturday, Jan. 16, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. It is the promotion’s first event of a three-event, eight-day return to Fight Island and kicks off its 2021 schedule.

UFC President Dana White and Company restarted the professional sports world with UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje on May 9, 2020, followed by two more events in Jacksonville, Fla., all within an eight-day span.

UFC Fight Island 7 is headlined by a featherweight bout between former champion Max Holloway and rising contender Calvin Kattar. It also features two popular welterweight veterans, Carlos Condit and Matt Brown, squaring off in what could be the final fight of either man’s career.

The UFC’s latest stint on Fight Island – it’s third – culminates in UFC 257 on Saturday, Jan. 23, which features Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor in a main event rematch.

Check out the MMAWeekly.com Rumors page for more scheduled events and rumored fight cards.

UFC Fight Island 7: Holloway vs. Kattar results

UFC Fight Island 7 Main Card (3 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+)

• Max Holloway vs Calvin Kattar
• Carlos Condit vs Matt Brown
• Santiago Ponzinibbio vs Li Jingliang
• Joaquin Buckley vs Alessio di Chirico
• Punahele Soriano vs Dusko Todorovic

UFC Fight Island 7 Preliminary Card (12 p.m. ET on ESPN+)

• Phil Hawes vs Nassourdine Imavov
• Wu Yanan vs Joselyne Edwards
• Carlos Felipe vs Justin Tafa
• David Zawada vs Ramazan Emeev
• Sarah Moras vs Vanessa Melo
• Jacob Kilburn vs Austin Lingo

UFC Vegas 17: Thompson vs. Neal face-offs

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Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-fight-island-7-holloway-vs-kattar-live-results

UFC Fight Island 7 is down one bout with the last minute cancellation of a middleweight clash between Phil Hawes and Nassourdine Imavov.

Sources confirmed that cancellation following an initial report by RTSport.

Hawes’ manager, Daniel Rubenstein, told ESPN that his fighter was not medically cleared Saturday morning, but that the issue was not COVID-19 related. He added that the bout could be rescheduled as soon as next Saturday’s UFC 257, which also takes place in Abu Dhabi.

Hawes vs. Nassourdine was slated to be the featured bout on the UFC Fight Island 7 prelims. The main card is topped by former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway and rising contender Calvin Kattar and will be simulcast on ESPN+ and ABC.

TRENDING Conor McGregor believes Manny Pacquiao boxing match likely in 2021

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-fight-island-7-loses-fight-at-the-last-minute