Knockdown Daily 5/18/22: Mohammed Usman Wins on 'The Ultimate Fighter'
The most recent episode of "TUF" leads the MMA headlines for Wednesday
Welcome to the Wednesday edition of the Knockdown Daily. Here are the top headlines from the past couple of days.
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Mohammed Usman Takes Decision Nod Over Mitchell Sipe on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’
Mohammed Usman is the second heavyweight fighter to advance to the semi-finals on the current season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”
Usman’s victory, which aired for the first time on Tuesday, saw him work toward a close decision victory over Mitchell Sipe. Their fight utilized its overtime round, as scorecards had it tied after two rounds of action.
The heavyweights engaged in a back-and-forth stand-up battle through all three rounds.
The most action-packed round was the first frame, as both heavyweights earned knockdowns. Sipe struck first, cracking Usman with an overhand right.
Usman answered back shortly after, getting Sipe to the ground with a punch. Both fighters landed ground and pound shots briefly after their knockdowns as well.
Usman received the decision nod following tight second and third rounds on the feet. The heavyweights unloaded with combinations throughout the fight, although it was Usman that landed the cleaner punches.
Usman, a PFL and Titan FC alum, entered this season of “TUF” with a pro record of seven wins and two losses.
Usman now joins Zac Pauga in the semi-finals of the heavyweight bracket for Season 30 of “TUF.” Pauga won on the season premiere earlier this year, defeating Nyle Bartling via decision.
The show will return to the flyweight division for next week’s episode.
The next episode is scheduled to include a bout between Chantel Coates and Brogan Walker.
The preview for the episode teased that issues leading up to the fight might cause it to not happen. It was specifically mentioned that Walker suffered a knee injury in training and that Coates struggled greatly with her weight cut.
Brad Riddell vs. Jalin Turner Joins UFC 276 Lineup
Brad Riddell will attempt to bounce back from his sole UFC loss at the promotion’s July 2nd event, facing Jalin Turner in a three-round bout. News of the pairing was confirmed Tuesday by Mike Heck of MMA Fighting.
The matchup is joining UFC 276, which is scheduled to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Riddell’s gradual climb up the lightweight division reached a road bump late last year, as Rafael Fiziev earned a third-round knockout win against him. This halted a four-fight winning streak that Riddell had put together in the UFC, including a 2021 victory over Drew Dober.
Attempting to return to the win column, Riddell will face a rising name in Turner.
Turner currently has a strong four-fight series of wins, with all of the bouts ending via finish. His last win came at UFC 272 a couple of months back when he finished Jamie Mullarkey with strikes.
Two Fights Set For July 16th UFC ‘Fight Night’
Two more matchups have joined UFC’s July 16th show. The fights are now part of a lineup that doesn’t have a confirmed location at the moment.
Undefeated Shore Set To Face Simon
Rising bantamweight Jack Shore will put his flawless record on the line in July when he faces Ricky Simon. The matchup was confirmed Monday by reporter Alex Behunin.
Shore has yet to lose through five appearances in the UFC cage. His last victory came in March when he earned a unanimous decision victory against Timur Valiev.
Simon is also on a strong run, having scored four consecutive victories in the UFC. He scored a big win in his most recent booking, stopping veteran Raphael Assuncao in the second round of a bout late last year.
Quarantillo, Algeo To Compete
Featherweights Billy Quarantillo and Bill Algeo are expected to meet in July, per Sherdog reporter Tudor Leonte.
Algeo is coming off a recent victory, defeating UFC newcomer Joanderson Brito via unanimous decision in January. His promotional record is now an even two wins and two losses since first debuting in 2020.
Quarantillo will be fighting to bounce back from a unanimous decision loss that he took against Shane Burgos last year at UFC 268.
Drew Dober To Face Rafael Alves At UFC 277
Lightweights Rafael Alves and Drew Dober have been matched for UFC’s July 30th event, per MMA Fight Universe.
Dober snapped a two-fight skid with an appearance earlier this year. Matched against short-notice opponent Terrance McKinney, Dober scored a first-round finish to score his first victory in over a year.
Losses earlier on Dober’s record came against high-level names at lightweight like Islam Makhachev and Brad Riddell.
On the other hand, experienced name Alves is coming off his first UFC victory. That win occurred in November 2021, when he submitted Marc Diakiese in the first round via guillotine choke.
Alves’ previous fight was an unsuccessful UFC debut against Damir Ismagulov.
Featherweights Danny Chavez, Ricardo Ramos Paired For June 18th UFC Card
Both fighting to get back to their winning ways, featherweights Danny Chavez and Ricardo Ramos will meet at UFC’s June 18th show.
The matchup will take place at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, USA, per a report from Farah Hannoun and Nolan King of MMA Junkie.
Chavez has not been able to secure a victory since his 2020 UFC debut against TJ Brown. He has competed twice since then, suffering a decision loss against Jared Gordon and later settling for a draw against Kai Kamaka III.
Ramos also took a defeat in his last showing, suffering a unanimous decision loss against Zubaira Tukhugov. He still has a strong UFC record overall, earning six wins through nine fights.
Ramos last won in May 2021, defeating Bill Algeo on scorecards.
Ashlee Evans-Smith Given 14-Month USADA Suspension For Positive Steroid Test
Eight-fight UFC vet Ashlee Evans-Smith has been handed a lengthy 14-month suspension by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency after recent tests found prohibited substances in her system.
Evans-Smith tested positive for “an anabolic androgenic steroid of exogenous origin” in tests collected by USADA on January 3rd and 27th, per a release issued Monday.
A normal USADA suspension would see a fighter get sidelined for two years in total. The program decided to give Evans-Smith just 14 months since she provided evidence that a doctor incorrectly prescribed the steroid to her.
Time was also deducted from her suspension due to her cooperation with the process.
Evans-Smith’s suspension period is retroactive to January 3rd, meaning she is banned from competing in UFC bouts until March 2023.
Evans-Smith currently holds a UFC record of three wins and five losses since first joining the promotion in 2014. She has been inactive for over a year, with her last victory dating back to November 2020 when she lost a unanimous decision to Norma Dumont.
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