Welcome to the notebook, a quick catchup of all the smaller (but still important) stories from the world of MMA!
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Here are the latest stories we’re following:
UFC
- Fighting Nerds gym talent Mauricio Ruffy (10-1) has received a new opponent for UFC 309 on November 16th. While originally positioned to face Charlie Campbell (9-2), Ruffy is now expected to fight James Llontop (14-4) next month, as first reported by Te La Cante. Ruffy won his UFC debut in May, scoring a first-round stoppage over Jamie Mullarkey. Llonton is still hunting for his first UFC win following losses to Chris Padilla and Viacheslav Borshchev.
- Two more fights have joined UFC’s end-of-year December 14th card in Tampa, Florida:
- Daniel Marcos (16-0) has been lined up to face Adrian Yanez (17-5), as confirmed this week by Marcel Dorff. Marcos, who is looking for his fourth UFC win and 17th victory since turning pro, was originally expected to fight Said Nurmagomedov (18-3). He will now meet Yanez, who snapped a two-fight skid in May with a stoppage win over Vinicius Salvador.
- Sean Woodson (12-1-1) is expected to face Fernando Padilla (16-5), as first reported by Carlos Contreras Legaspi of ESPN Deportes. Woodson will try to earn his third win of 2024, coming back after beating Charles Jourdain and Alex Caceres. Padilla is coming off a first-round submission over Luis Pajuelo from March.
- Looking to bounce back after an unsuccessful UFC debut, Felipe Bunes (13-7) will take on Jose Johnson (16-9) at the promotion’s January 11th card, as first reported by Nolan King of MMA Junkie. Former LFA champ Bunes was stopped in his previous fight, getting finished in the second round by Joshua Van. Johnson is also trying to rebound from a loss, coming back after dropping a decision to Asu Almabayev in June.
- UFC will host a card on February 1st, with reports stating that the card will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A pair of fights have joined the lineup thus far:
- Appearing for the first time since his first UFC setback, Ikram Aliskerov (15-2) will meet Andre Muniz (24-6) in a middleweight fight, as first reported by Alex Behunin of MMA Mania. Aliskerov had a lengthy winning streak including two UFC appearances stopped in June when he lost a short-notice fight against former champ Robert Whittaker. Muniz returned to the win column in his last appearance, snapping a two-fight skid in late 2023 in a split decision over Park Jun-yong.
- Former interim heavyweight title challenger Sergei Pavlovich (18-3) is booked to face Jairzinho Rozenstruik (15-5), also first reported by Behunin of MMA Mania. Pavlovich has lost to a pair of high-profile heavyweights over the past year, dropping bouts to Tom Aspinall and Alexander Volkov. Rozenstruik on the other hand is coming off back-to-back wins from earlier this year, stopping Shamil Gaziev in a main event bout and then getting past Tai Tuivasa at UFC 305.
ONE Championship
- A clash between ONE 170-pound MMA champ Christian Lee (17-4) and undefeated Russian challenger Alibeg Rasulov (14-0) has been moved. While originally expected to take place at the promotion’s November 8th card, it was announced recently that they will headline ONE Fight Night 26 on December 6th from Bangkok, Thailand. No other bouts have been revealed for the card just yet.
- A clash at 115 pounds has joined ONE’s card on November 8th: Long-time promotional talent Ayaka Miura (13-5) is booked to face off against Argentinian newcomer Macarena Aragon (3-0). Miura will be fighting for her third consecutive win, something she has waited long for due to a pair of fights getting cancelled earlier this year. Aragon has won two of her three fights via submission since debuting a little over a year ago.
- ONE 170 has been announced for January 24th at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand. Only Muay Thai fights have been revealed for the show thus far, albeit notable matchups in the sport: Tawanchai P.K. Saenchaimuaythaigym vs. Superbon for the 155-pound title, Superlek Kiatmoo9 vs. Nico Carrillo for the 145-pound title, and a catchweight bout between Seksan Or Kwanmuang vs. Soe Lin Oo.
Invicta FC
- Invicta FC 58 has suffered numerous changes. While the November 6th card is up to eight fights in total, three previously announced matchups were lost along the way.
- Kate Bacik (5-1) has withdrawn from her fight against DeAnna Bennett (14-9-1) and has since been replaced by Thaiane Souza (9-7). Brazil’s Souza is coming off a submission loss from last year against now-UFC fighter Alexia Thainara. Bennett won in her return to Invicta FC last month, beating Liz Tracy.
- Shanna Young (9-7) will no longer face Amanda Torres (9-7) and is instead now expected to meet Pamela Boveda Aguirre (5-4). Representing Paraguay, Boveda Aguirre is returning to MMA for the first time since a 2021 loss on Combate Global. Young will be fighting for her first win since an unsuccessful run in the 2024 PFL season.
- A clash between Saori Oshima (14-5) and Ana Palacios (9-3-1) has also been removed from the lineup. No bout is currently replacing that atomweight clash.
- Former UFC talent Victoria Leonardo (9-6) will return to Invicta FC, facing Amanda Torres (9-7). Leonardo departed the UFC roster earlier this year after winning just one of her five appearances with the promotion. She now comes back to Invicta FC to face a talent from Brazil who has run into a similar amount of struggle in recent years.
- Looking to bounce back from her first pro loss, Sayury Canon (3-1) will meet Abril Anguiano (6-3) at strawweight. Canon had her undefeated record stopped in June by UFC alum Kay Hansen, who beat her via split decision. She now meets Anguiano, who is riding the momentum of a pair of wins from regional U.S. promotion Peak Fighting.
- Returning after winning her pro debut at Invicta FC 55, Zoe Nowicki (1-0) will face Barbara Grabowska (0-0). Nowicki beat Josiane Oliveira in her pro debut after an impressive amateur career. Poland’s Grabowska is turning pro after earning seven wins and three losses as an amateur.
OKTAGON
- OKTAGON has announced a pair of debuts in new locations to kick off their 2025 schedule:
- OKTAGON 66 will take place at the PSD Bank Dome in Dusseldorf, Germany on February 1st. The venue has a capacity of 15,000.
- OKTAGON 67 will go down a few weeks later from the Werk Arena in Trinec, Czech Republic on February 22nd. The town of Trinec has a small 34,000 population, and the Werk Arena holds roughly 5,000.
Knockdown News 