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Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Unbeaten Ventura resident Callum Walsh will fight on Chumash Casino card on June 21
Ventura resident Callum Walsh will fight Elias Espadas at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez on Saturday night. Callum Walsh could be a win or two away from fighting on a major platform. Elias Espadas stands in his way. The unbeaten Ventura resident will square off against Espadas on Saturday night at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez. The 10-round junior middleweight bout will headline a 360 Boxing Promotions card that will stream live on UFC Fight Pass at 7 p.m. Advertisement Walsh (13-0, 11 knockouts) last fought on March 16 in New York City, knocking out once-beaten Dean Sutherland in the opening round. Espadas is coming off a close majority decision draw against unbeaten Sadriddin Akhmedov on April 19. The 24-year-old Walsh is the betting favorite going into Saturday's clash, but is not overlooking Espadas. '(Saturday) would be a good win for me, considering he's coming off a draw against a prospect,' Walsh told The Star at a recent open media workout at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, where he trains. 'If I could win and get the job done, it'll show I'm levels above.' Walsh has fought at Chumash before, dropping Mexico's Carlos Ortiz three times en route to a second round knockout victory on June 7, 2024. Advertisement Originally from Ireland, where he was a multi-amateur champion, Walsh recently moved to Ventura. While he enjoys the amenities of the weather and surroundings, a move to Ventura was in play for personal reasons. Walsh is dating MMA star Tabitha Ricci, who resides and trains in Ventura and is an instructor at Paragon Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Ricci is trained by Joseph 'Hoss' Janik at Knuckleheadz Gym in Ventura. 'Ventura is a nice place,' said Walsh, who is trained by Freddie Roach. 'The weather is great. I like living there.' The southpaw Walsh is rated No. 6 by both the IBF and WBC, two of boxing's major sanctioning bodies. A win over Espadas could see Walsh move higher in the rankings and position himself for a possible world title fight next year. Advertisement Besides Ricci, Walsh has a stellar team around him, including promoter Tom Loeffler and UFC President Dana White. Walsh has marketed himself well, appearing at UFC events as a guest of White and at WWE events, as well. Walsh is confident an impressive win over Espadas will position him closer to elite level of the 154-pound division. 'I believe I'm one of the best junior middleweight fighters in the world. I truly believe that. People don't know it yet,' he said. 'I'm looking forward to improving and showing that on a big stage. I will keep fighting those they put in front of me.' Espadas (23-6-1, 16 KOs), who resides in Merida, Mexico, knocked out journeyman Ramon Barajas on Dec. 7, 2024. Prior to the win over Barajas, the 34-year-old Espadas suffered back-to-back knockout losses to Xander Zayas and Fiodor Czerkaszyn. Advertisement In the co-feature, unbeaten junior welterweight Cain Sandoval (15-0, 13 KOs) of Sacramento will face Argentina's Jonathan Eniz (36-22-1, 17 KOs) in an eight-round bout. Daniel Barrera (8-1-1, 4 KOs) of Eastvale will square off against Basilio Franco (10-3, 8 KOs) of Norwalk in an eight-round junior bantamweight bout. Barrera suffered his first loss as a pro to Christopher Rios on Feb. 21. The 23-year-old is managed by Ray Chaparro, who owns Cafe Amri in Oxnard. Jenelyn Olsim of Santa Paula will make her professional debut, facing Jessica Radtke Maltez (1-2-1) of Waconia, Minnesota, in a four-round featherweight bout. Olsim is trained by Janik at Knuckleheadz Gym. Advertisement The Olsim-Radtke fight will stream live on the UFC Fight Pass YouTube page at 6 p.m. Francisco A. Salazar covers boxing for The Star. He has also covered the sport for Ring Magazine and Boxingscene. He can be reached on X/Twitter at FSalazarBoxing. This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Unbeaten Ventura resident Walsh ready for fight at Chumash Casino
USA Today
13-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Bella Mir, daughter of former UFC champion, booked for first MMA fight since 2022
After three years away, the daughter of a former UFC heavyweight champion is resuming her journey. Bella Mir will step in the cage for the first time in over three years on July 27 at Fury Challenger Series 14 in Houston, the promotion announced Thursday. Mir (3-0) will take on Alivia Bierley (2-1) in a women's bantamweight bout at Imagen Venues. The card will stream on UFC Fight Pass. Mir's father, Frank Mir, is a former UFC champion and one of the most notable heavyweights in the promotion's history. Mir, 22, was a 2025 U23 wrestling champion at North Central University, which she transferred to after one year at the University of Iowa, where she was an All-American. In January 2023, Mir became the first athlete ever to be signed to a UFC NIL deal. Thus far in her MMA career, Mir has yet to lose. After a unanimous decision in her pro debut at 17, Mir won back-to-back fights by first-round submission. The upcoming bout will be her first in Fury after stops in iKon Fighting Championship and Oklahoma-based Xtreme Fight Night.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley 2: How to watch UFC 316, full fight card and more
If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Pricing and availability are subject to change. Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley, seen here at the UFC 316 press conference will face each other in the ring on Saturday night, here's how to watch. (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Merab "The Machine" Dvalishvili will defend his UFC bantamweight title when he faces Sean O'Malley this Saturday night at UFC 316. This weekend's fight is the second time the two will meet in a year, O'Malley was defeated by Dvalishvili at UFC 306 back in September 2024. Redemption could prove difficult for former titleholder O'Malley, as Dvalishvili is currently on a 12-match winning streak. The UFC 316 fight card also includes a women's bantamweight title fight between Julianna Peña and Kayla Harrison. Early prelims are scheduled for 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, with main event ringwalks at 10 p.m. Here's everything you need to know about how to watch the Dvalishvili vs. O'Malley 2 fight, including the full fight card and how you can stream it for less. How to watch the Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley 2 fight: Date: Saturday, June 7 Advertisement Start time: event begins at 6 p.m. ET Fight time (approximate): main card fights begin at 10 p.m. ET Location: Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey TV channel/streaming: PPV via ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass PPV price: $79.99 When is the Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley fight? The UFC 316 fight between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley is this Saturday, June 7. What channel is the Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley fight on? The UFC 316 fight between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley will be available through pay-per-view in the US on ESPN+. ESPN+ subscribers can opt to add it on to their monthly plan (click here to see how), and it's a $79.99 add-on to the monthly subscription. Advertisement You can watch the early prelim fights at 6 p.m. on ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass (subscriptions are available for $9.99/month), while the prelim fights at 8 p.m. ET will be available on ESPN and ESPN+, and the main event, which begins at 10 p.m. ET will be on ESPN+ PPV only. Where to watch the Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley fight: How to watch UFC 316 for less with a VPN: UFC 316: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley: Main card, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN+ PPV) Bantamweight championship: (C) Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley Women's bantamweight championship: (C) Julianna Peña vs. Kayla Harrison Middleweight: Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer Bantamweight: Mario Bautista vs. Patchy Mix Welterweight: Vicente Luque vs. Kevin Holland Advertisement Prelims 8 p.m. ET (ESPN/ESPN+) Flyweight: Joshua Van vs. Bruno Silva Light heavyweight: Azamat Murzakanov vs. Brendson Ribeiro Heavyweight: Serghei Spivac vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta Welterweight: Khaos Williams vs. Uros Medic Early prelims, 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+) Women's flyweight: Ariane Da Silva vs. Wang Cong Featherweight: Jeka Saragih vs. Joo Sang Yoo Lightweight: Quillan Salkilld vs. Yanal Ashmouz
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
UFC cookie monster out to back up 19-second masterclass
Quillan Salkilld needed just 19 seconds to taste victory in his UFC debut, now he hopes there will be another memorable ending and lots of celebratory cookies this weekend. Salkilld announced himself as a star of the future in February when he knocked down Anshul Jubli with a vicious right in the opening seconds of their UFC 312 lightweight showdown in Sydney. The performance earned Salkilld a $50,000 fight-of-the-night bonus, but it also left the West Australian with a problem. How can he ever top that stunning display? An unforgettable debut!Quillan Salkilld makes the walk again THIS WEEKEND at #UFC316!Watch his fight on @UFCFightPass — UFC_AUSNZ (@UFC_AUSNZ) June 4, 2025 Fans are about to find out when Salkilld (8-1) takes on Yanal Ashmouz at UFC 316 in New Jersey this weekend. "It was like a fairytale ending," Salkilld said of his 19-second debut. "The way it ended like that, getting the performance of the night bonus in my home country, it couldn't have gone any better. "I'm just trying to figure out how I'm going to top that, which is going to be pretty bloody hard." Salkilld has been training intensely while giving up his favourite foods - with cookies being on top of the banned list. "Cookies mate, that gets me," Salkilld said. "I eat generally clean, but I've got a bit sweet tooth. I've just got to stay away from that in fight camp. For me that's depressing. "I'm in good nick right now. Staying away from the chocolates, the cookies, the cake. "It's been a good six weeks. I'm shredded right now, so it's worth it." So how does he plan to celebrate if he defeats Ashmouz to make it a perfect 2-0 start to his UFC career? "By just eating like a pig. Smoking a couple of cigars and eating all the cookies I want," he said with a laugh. The headline act for UFC 316 will be the bout between bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili and No.1 challenger Sean O'Malley. The co-main event will see women's bantamweight champion Julianna Pena up against two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison. Salkilld was born in Pinjarra, 80km south of Perth. But the 25-year-old spent most of his childhood in the picturesque resort town of Broome, a high-profile tourist destination in the Kimberley region that is a 1600km flight north from Perth. The emergence of Salkilld continues a factory line of UFC fighters from WA, which includes new welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena.
Winnipeg Free Press
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Cody Chovancek looks to defend Unified MMA bantamweight title, make UFC take notice
TORONTO – Cody Chovancek won the Unified MMA bantamweight championship in June 2024 with a particularly nasty calf slicer submission victory over previously unbeaten American Gage (The Gremlin) Gill. And there will likely be more pain Friday when the 26-year-old from Petrolia, Ont., defends his 135-pound title against American Jordan Howard in the Unified 62 main event at the Rebel Entertainment Complex in Toronto. Chovancek (7-0-0) hopes another win will open the door to the UFC. 'It's my time,' he said matter-of-factly. 'I'm going to go out there and do what I do. Give the fans an exciting fight. I've got knockout power in both hands. I can do it all … I want the UFC. I want (UFC president) Dana White, (matchmakers) Mick Maynard, Sean Shelby to let me fight in my 20s in the greatest promotion in the world, the UFC. 'I know they'll be watching (on UFC Fight Pass) and I'll earn my spot on (Friday).' Chovancek turned heads with the painful calf slicer submission in the fifth round against Gill. The move involves using your leg to hook an opponent's leg and then, using your other foot to brace that leg, pulling the opponent's limb back against the grain, so to speak. Done right, it can tear the calf and injure the knee joint. 'Normally when I do it to people in training, they tap very quickly,' Chovancek said. He trains at Niagara Top Team in St. Catharines, Ont., alongside (Proper) Mike Malott and Jasmine Jasudavicius, both of whom posted convincing wins at UFC 315 in Montreal last month. Chovancek was taking it all in fight week, also fitting in some training sessions at TriStar Gym. 'It's really cool to see behind the scenes, how everything works in the UFC because that's where I'm going to be — very shortly,' he said. 'And to see those guys go out there and perform the way they did, it just speaks to the training that we're doing. We're doing all the right things and it can take us to the highest level.' Chovancek has been involved with other UFC shows. In Edmonton in November, he was on standby in case a 135-pounder had to drop off the card. But in Montreal, he was involved in more of the fight week proceedings, including taking the stage with Jasudavicius for the ceremonial weigh-in. Fights have been hard to come by for Chovancek, who had two bouts in 2023 and just one last year. 'It's rough once you're at certain spot,' he said. He had been waiting, in case the UFC called with another short-notice opportunity. 'But I didn't feel like waiting any more,' he said. 'I want to get out there and give the fans what they want to see. I truly believe this will be my last fight on the regional scene.' He sees Friday as a chance for one more show in front of friends and family, hopefully followed later this year by an invitation to showcase his skills on 'Dana White's Contender Series' — the road Malott and Jasudavicius travelled to the promotion. Chovancek applied unsuccessfully for a spot on a cast of Season 32 of 'The Ultimate Fighter,' where he would have competed up a division at featherweight. 'I believe everything happens for a reason and it's just given me more time to hone my skills before the big show,' he said. The five-foot-nine Chovancek, who normally walks around at 160 pounds, fought as a featherweight (145 pounds) in his first three pro fights. He is in 3-0-0 in Unified MMA action and has gone the distance just twice as a pro. Four of his bouts did not make it past the second round. Howard (12-5-5) went 2-2-0 in Bellator. 'I don't think he's fought anyone with this much experience thus far,' Howard speaking in a social media post, said of Chovancek. 'And not just experience but experience at a high level, under the big lights.' Chovancek agrees the 35-year-old Howard is a step up in class but is not fazed. 'He's probably the best fighter I've fought,' said Chovancek. 'It's just going to bring out a better performance in me. The better the opposition, the better I perform.' Chovancek, who is half-Thai, grew up in southwestern Ontario, some 25 kilometres southeast of Sarnia. 'There wasn't a whole lot to do there (other) than fight and fish,' he said. Chovancek started wrestling in high school then added kickboxing at 16. He had just turned 18 when he had his first amateur MMA fight in August 2016. A year later, he went to Thailand to train. Chovancek has spent five years training at Niagara Top Team where he teaches Muay Thai classes, putting aside his job as a steel framer. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2025
