1/11/24: Zhang Weili To Face Yan Xiaonan At UFC 300
Also: ONE Championship Announces Return To U.S.
Welcome to the Thursday edition of the Knockdown Daily. It’s been another busy 24 hours in the MMA world, with tons of big and small news stories breaking. Here’s a quick recap on the biggest stories to start your day.
Zhang Weili vs. Yan Xiaonan Booked For UFC 300
UFC 300 has its first title fight set.
UFC Strawweight Champion Zhang Weili will look to defend her belt for the second time when she faces Yan Xiaonan on April 13th in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, per an announcement by UFC CEO Dana White on Wednesday evening.
The fight marks Yan’s first title opportunity after years of climbing up the strawweight division.
Yan entered the UFC roster in 2017 after attaining success in the Chinese regional scene. She slowly built up an impressive winning streak in the UFC, eventually putting together six consecutive victories.
Yan’s campaign hit a rough patch in 2021, suffering a stoppage loss to Carla Esparza then dropping a close split decision to Marina Rodriguez. However, she was still quite close to a title shot. She sealed a chance at the champ after picking up a pair of high-level wins in the division, beating Mackenzie Dern in a five-round result and stopping former champ Jessica Andrade in the first round with punches.
Zhang regained the strawweight title in late 2022 with a victory over Carla Esparza. She defended the title for the first time at UFC 292 last year, going the distance against Amanda Lemos to win via unanimous decision.
A win at UFC 300 would make Zhang’s current title run more successful than her 603-day title reign from 2019 to 2021. Her first time as champion involved just one title defense: A 2020 victory over Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
Here’s an updated look at UFC 300:
Bout 5: Zhang Weili (24-3) vs. Yan Xiaonan (17-3) (UFC Strawweight Championship)
Bout 4: Jiri Prochazka (29-4-1) vs. Aleksandar Rakic (14-3) (Light Heavyweight)
Bout 3: Charles Oliveira (34-9) vs. Arman Tsarukyan (21-3) (Lightweight)
Bout 2: Calvin Kattar (23-7) vs. Aljamain Sterling (23-4) (Featherweight)
Bout 1: Bo Nickal (5-0) vs. Cody Brundage (10-5) (Middleweight)
ONE Championship Announces Return To The U.S.
ONE Championship’s next two events in the U.S. are on the schedule.
The Singapore-based MMA promotion announced Wednesday that they will head to the U.S. twice during the latter half of their 2024 schedule.
On September 6th, ONE Championship “Fight Night 26” will take place at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. The event will be the promotion’s second time in the state. They notably made their U.S. debut last year in Broomfield, Colorado, with a show headlined by a trilogy bout between Demetrious Johnson and Adriano Moraes.
Two months later, “Fight Night 28” will be held at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on November 8th.
Both venues will be an increase in size compared to the promotion’s 2023 event in the U.S. While the 1stBank Center in Broomfield has a capacity of 6,500, ONE’s 2024 venues in America can hold 18,000 and 16,600 respectively.
The announcement continues a wave of events announced for 2024 that see ONE Championship travel the world. Later this month, the promotion will return to Japan for the first time since 2019 with ONE 165. In early March, ONE will also head to Qatar for the first time.
Israel Adesanya ‘Discharged Without Conviction’ In August 2023 Drinking And Driving Case
Former UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya was handed a driving suspension and a small fine for his drinking and driving case, but left court on Wednesday without a conviction.
Adesanya was discharged without conviction from a New Zealand court this week after facing a drinking and driving charge that stemmed from an August 2023 stop, per a report from Edward Gay of Stuff.
“Discharge without conviction,” as defined by the New Zealand District Courts, “means the defendant, although guilty of an offense, will have no criminal record.” Discharging a defendant without conviction is a decision a judge can make in court cases. While not exactly alike, similarities can be drawn between discharge without conviction and “Nolo contendere,” also known as “No contest,” in the U.S. legal system.
Along with the verdict, Judge Peter Winter suspended Adesanya’s driving license for six months and fined him $1,500 New Zealand Dollars (roughly $937 U.S. dollars). He is also expected to partake in an anti-drinking and driving campaign.
Adesanya was stopped on August 19th at a breathalyzer checkpoint put up by police in New Zealand. The former champ admitted that he had two drinks earlier that night and blew 87 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood, which was 37 milligrams over the legal limit.
Adesanya faced up to three months in prison or a fine of $4,500 New Zealand Dollars due to the violation.
Adesanya’s lawyer, Karl Trotter, argued that a conviction for violating drinking and driving limits would endanger the fighter’s lucrative sponsorships and stop him from leaving the country. Trotter referenced Adesanya’s intentions to appear at UFC 297 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, next week, and how a conviction might block that trip from happening.
Judge Winter certainly considered Trotter’s argument when weighing the punishment that Adesanya would face. In his verdict, Judge Winter claimed that Adesanya losing sponsorships and not being able to leave the country would be a punishment far stronger than what he deemed fair for the violation committed. He also said that Adesanya’s result on the breathalyzer test was, in comparison to other violations, low.
Adesanya, who last fought in September 2023, avoided a conviction in the end.
“I am disappointed with my decision to drive,” Adesanya told Stuff reporter Edward Gay on Wednesday. “It was wrong. I know that people might follow me and I want them to know I do not think this behavior is acceptable.”
Notes On: UFC, ONE Championship, OKTAGON, Cage Warriors & LFA
Christian Quinonez (18-4) vs. Raoni Barcelos (17-5) has been added to UFC’s Mexico City, Mexico card on February 24th, per Carlos Contreras Legaspi of ESPN Deportes. Quinonez took his first UFC defeat in June of last year, getting submitted by veteran Kang Kyung-ho. Barcelos, a 10-fight UFC vet, has lost four of his last five.
Former UAE Warriors Bantamweight Champion Vinicius Oliveira (19-3) will make his UFC debut on March 2nd against Yanis Ghemmouri (12-2), as first reported by Marcel Dorff. Oliveira is a Brazilian talent who has put together numerous quick finishes and earned a UFC contract last year with a win on “Dana White’s Contender Series.” Ghemmouri will be trying to bounce back from a UFC debut loss to William Gomis.
Two fights have joined UFC’s March 16th “Fight Night” card.
A pair of welterweights on winning streaks will collide when Bryan Battle (10-2) and Ange Loosa (10-3) face off. Battle earned a pair of finish victories last year. Loosa bounced back from his UFC debut defeat with wins from 2022 to 2023. The welterweight bout was first announced by management group Iridium Sports Agency.
Former LFA Strawweight Champion Jaqueline Amorim (7-1) and Cage Warriors alum Cory McKenna (8-2) will meet, per Marcel Dorff. Amorim scored her first UFC win in August 2023, stopping Monserrat Conejo Ruiz late with ground and pound. McKenna has been out of the cage for a year but returns on a two-fight winning streak.
A pair of fights have joined UFC’s March 30th card from the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA.
Chidi Njokuani (22-10) will return to welterweight for the first time since 2016 in a fight against Rhys McKee (13-5-1), per an announcement by Iridium Sports Agency. Njokuani has lost three consecutive fights since 2022, including two stoppage defeats. McKee lost in his return to the UFC last year, dropping a decision to Ange Loosa.
Caolan Loughran (8-1) will try to bounce back from his first pro loss when he faces Angel Pacheco, per Nolan King of MMA Junkie. Loughran had an unsuccessful UFC debut, losing on scorecards to Taylor Lapilus last year. Pacheco is a rare fighter entering the UFC off a loss, with his last appearance being a decision defeat to Danny Silva on “Dana White’s Contender Series.” Despite losing on the show, Pacheco was given a UFC contract — something that has happened just a few times in the show’s history.
ONE Championship’s first “Friday Fights” event of 2024 will take place this weekend at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. Two MMA bouts are expected to take place as part of the mostly Muay Thai lineup.
Undefeated bantamweight Khalim Nazruloev (8-0) will make his ONE debut against Ilimbek Akylbek Uulu (8-1). Nazruloev has picked up eight wins in Russia since turning pro in 2019. Akylbek Uulu won his ONE debut in September with a decision victory over Gadzhimurad Gasanguseynov.
After winning his ONE debut via submission in under two minutes, Cooper Royal (4-0) will face Kamron Ortikov (2-0) at bantamweight. Ortikov is still in his rookie year as a pro, having scored two victories since his May 2023 debut.
Miroslav Broz (16-3-1) will try to keep his winning streak going at welterweight next month, as he will take on promotional newcomer Tom Crosby (8-3-1) at OKTAGON 53 on February 10th from Oberhausen, Germany. Broz won in his return to OKTAGON last year with a split decision over Robert Pukac.
Cage Warriors is beginning to announce details on their February 23rd event from the Sycuan Casino Resort in San Diego, California, USA.
Former UFC and Bellator talent Wilson Reis (27-13) will return against Toby Misech (12-8). Reis will be trying to bounce back from a September loss to Trevin Jones. Misech, a former Bellator and “Dana White’s Contender Series” alum, lost via finish in his last Cage Warriors appearance.
Bobby Winther (2-0), Xaiver Vines (2-1), Anthony Orozco (2-0) and Sean Rose (1-2) were all announced for the card as well, although their matchups haven’t been confirmed.
LFA has announced four events for its 2024 schedule.
LFA 177 will take place at the Seneca Niagara Event Center in Niagara Falls, New York, USA.
After making their debut at the KP Arena in Santa Cruz, California, USA last year, the promotion will return with LFA 178 on March 8th.
While LFA heads to Brazil numerous times a year, they’re almost always heading to Sao Paulo. That will change with LFA 179 on March 23rd, as the promotion will head to the Complexo Ribalta for their first Rio de Janeiro card since 2022.
They will make their Louisville, Kentucky, USA debut on March 29th with LFA 180 from the Broadbent Arena. LFA’s sole previous Kentucky event was a show in Owensboro last year.
Nicholas Gjelaj (0-0) has received a change in opponent for LFA 176 on February 9th. Instead of facing Brandan Olivas (1-0), he is now booked to meet Jared Braun (1-0).