11/13/14 Notebook: UFC To Utilize Old Gloves At Madison Square Garden Card

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

• This weekend’s UFC card will see the promotion revert back to their old style of MMA gloves, per Ariel Helwani. Since UFC 302, the promotion has used a new glove that is designed to protect the hands of fighters and prevent eye pokes. In a press scrum Saturday, headliner Jon Jones said he was told UFC made the change this weekend due to “so many veterans [being] on the card.”
• One small change has been made to Saturday’s lineup at Madison Square Garden: David Onama (12-2) has a new opponent. While he was without a fight following Lucas Almeida’s withdrawal from the lineup last week, Onama is now expected to face Roberto Romero (8-3-1). Romero is joining the UFC roster after an eight-fight run in Combate Global, including a first-round submission over veteran Takahiro Ashida in July. Onama will be seeking his third victory of the year after beating Gabriel Santos and Jonathan Pearce.
• Two more fights have joined UFC’s final card of 2024, a December 14th lineup from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, USA.
  • After her fight against Tracy Cortez fell through, Miranda Maverick (14-5) has found a new opponent in Jamey-Lyn Horth (7-1). The fight is a quick turnaround for Horth, who won just earlier this month in a split decision over Ivana Petrovic. Maverick will be hunting for her fourth consecutive win.
  • Rising featherweight Sean Woodson (12-1-1) will take on Fernando Padilla (16-5). Woodson will try to keep his streak alive, fighting for a sixth win since 2021. Most recently, he got past veteran Alex Caceres on scorecards. Padilla bounced back from his first UFC loss in March, submitting Luis Pajuelo in the first round with a D’Arce Choke.
• And here are three fights for UFC’s January 11th card, which hasn’t been officially announced yet:
  • Highly experienced Santiago Ponzinibbio (29-8) will go up against Carlston Harris (19-6) at welterweight, per Alex Behunin. Ponzinibbio has struggled greatly as of late, having won just two of his past seven fights. His most recent appearance was a split decision loss to Muslim Salikhov. Guyana’s Harris is coming back after losing in 90 seconds to Khaos Williams earlier this year.
  • 23-year-old Austin Bashi (13-0) will make his UFC debut against Christian Rodriguez (11-2), as announced by both fighters on social media. After attaining a dozen wins since his 2020 pro debut, Bashi scored a UFC contract in September with a submission win over Dorian Ramos on “Dana White’s Contender Series.” Rodriguez had an impressive four-fight winning streak stopped in July with a submission loss to Julian Erosa.
  • Undefeated lightweight Nurullo Aliev (9-0) will go up against Yanal Ashmouz (8-1) at lightweight. Aliev won his UFC debut in early 2023, beating Rafael Alves via majority decision. The upcoming bout ends a lengthy absence from the cage for him. Ashmouz earned his second UFC win in September, beating Trevor Peek on scorecards.
• Finally returning after back-to-back suspensions, Hamdy Abdelwahab (3-0) will meet Jamal Pogues (11-4) at UFC’s February 1st card, as first reported by Nolan King of MMA Junkie. Abdelwahab won his UFC debut back in July 2022 against Don’Tale Mayes. However, after getting suspended for two years by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency due to violation of the policy, Abdelwahab had the victory overturned to a no-contest. Earlier this year, he was given another violation worth six months due to a failed test under the new Combat Sports Anti-Doping policy. After a year-and-a-half out of the cage he will face Pogues, who has earned two wins and one loss since debuting for the promotion in early 2023.
• The first wave of matchups for UFC 312 in Sydney, Australia have been announced:
  • Undefeated Japanese talent Rei Tsuruya (10-0) has been paired up against Stewart Nicoll (8-1) at flyweight. After winning the 2023-24 “Road To UFC” season, Tsuruya beat Carlos Hernandez to score his first UFC victory. Nicoll had an unsuccessful UFC debut in August, suffering a submission loss to Jesus Aguilar.
  • Jimmy Crute (12-4-1) will return against Marcin Prachnio (17-8). Crute has gone winless since late 2020, with his past four appearances resulting in three losses and one draw. Prachnio has flipped between winning and losing in his past six appearances.
  • After a decision win on the latest season of “Dana White’s Contender Series,” former Eternal MMA Champion Quillan Salkilld (7-1) will debut against Anshul Julbi (7-1). The fight gives Jubli a chance to bounce back after having his undefeated pro record snapped by Mike Breeden at UFC 294 last year.

RIZIN

• Marcos Yoshio Souza (9-3) has been withdrawn from his appearance this Sunday against Igor Tanabe (5-0) at RIZIN LANDMARK 10 due to a broken rib, the promotion announced earlier this week. Sunday’s show is down to 15 fights.

KSW

• A quick rundown of the new matchups added to KSW 101, which will go down on December 20th from Paris, France.
  • Former Bellator talent Davy Gallon (21-9-2) will make his KSW debut against Marcin Held (29-10). France’s Gallon is looking for his first win in over two years, as his past two appearances have resulted in a loss. The highly experienced Held is coming off his first KSW win, beating Roman Szymanski in June.
  • In an all-French matchup, Ramzan Jembiev (5-2) will take on El Hadji Ndiaye (6-2). Jembiev had a five-fight winning streak brought to an end in January with a 47-second submission loss to Isai Ramos. Ndiaye won his promotional debut in April with a split decision over Nicolae Bivol.
  • Former UFC fighter Mickael Lebout (23-12-3) will move over to KSW for a fight against Romain Debienne (10-5). Lebout had a three-fight winning streak broken in his last fight, losing an Ares FC bout against fellow UFC alum Laureano Staropoli. Debienne is coming off a three-fight run with Bellator/PFL, which came to an end after a first-round finish loss against undefeated prospect Thad Jean in April.
  • Undefeated Belgian Alain Van De Merckt (8-0) will step into the KSW cage for the first time when he faces Laid Zerhouni (13-9). Van De Merckt is joining KSW after capturing the Levels Fight League Middleweight Championship in April, stopping Marcos Silva with strikes. Ex-Hexagone MMA champ Zerhouni is returning after suffering a 61-second loss to Radoslaw Paczuski in September.
  • Local talents Fabien Xabidi (2-1) and Nacim Belhouachi (3-3) have been paired up. Xabidi has earned two wins since dropping his 2021 pro debut, and Belhouachi is coming off a regional submission loss from January.
• KSW 103 will take place from the Home Credit Arena in Liberec, Czech Republic on February 21st. The event will be their fourth trip to the Czech Republic since debuting in the country just under two years ago.