Knocking Off Your Week - 2025-02-24

February 24, 2025   |   Read Online Knocking Off Your Week - Your MMA Rundown Welcome to Knocking Off Your Week! The cage is set, the lights are on, and we're bringing you everything you need to stay ahead in the fight game. From match breakdowns and bold predictions to breaking news and insider analysis, this is your go-to source for all things MMA. This week, we dive into the biggest upcoming fights, key storylines, and rising prospects you need to watch. We'll break down what's next for top contenders and what it all means for the divisions in play. Stay sharp, stay informed, and let's get into the action. UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song - Main Card Results Saturday, February 22, 2025 Bantamweight – Main Event WINNER Song Yadong vs. LOSER Henry Cejudo Decision – Round 3 (5:00) Middleweight – Co-Main Event WINNER Anthony Hernandez vs. LOSER Brendan Allen Decision – Round 3 (5:00) Catchweight Bout WINNER Rob Font vs. LOSER Jean Matsumoto Decision – Round 3 (5:00) Featherweight Bout WINNER Jean Silva vs. LOSER Melsik Baghdasaryan KO/TKO – Round 1 (4:15) Light Heavyweight Bout WINNER Alonzo Menifield vs. LOSER Julius Walker Decision – Round 3 (5:00) UFC News & Updates 1. Song Yadong Wins, But It Doesn't Feel Like a Victory Song Yadong secured the biggest win of his career at UFC Seattle, defeating former bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo via technical decision. However, the victory felt bittersweet after an accidental eye poke in the third round left Cejudo compromised. Despite taking the full recovery time, Cejudo continued into the fourth round, where the fight was stopped, leading to the judges' decision in Song's favor. In his post-fight interview, Song expressed disappointment, admitting he felt bad for Cejudo and acknowledged that if his opponent had stopped earlier, the fight could have been ruled a no contest. While a rematch seems unlikely, Song has his eyes on big names like Marlon "Chito" Vera and Rob Font for his next challenge. 2. Bivol Beats Beterbiev, Becomes Undisputed Light Heavyweight Champ Dmitry Bivol avenged his previous loss to Artur Beterbiev, winning a hard-fought majority decision to claim the undisputed light heavyweight championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Adjusting his strategy from their first bout, Bivol stood his ground and outworked Beterbiev with precise combinations and a sharp jab. Despite Beterbiev's relentless pressure and heavy body shots, Bivol maintained his composure and took control in the later rounds. A late surge from Beterbiev, including a powerful right hand in the 12th round that cut Bivol, wasn't enough to change the outcome. The judges scored it 116-112, 115-113, and 114-114 in favor of Bivol, solidifying his place as the undisputed champion. 3. Israeli Fighter Calls Out Bryce Mitchell Over Controversial Hitler Remarks Israeli fighter Ilay Barzilay is set to face UFC featherweight Bryce Mitchell in a grappling match at Karate Combat 53 on February 28 in Denver. However, their upcoming clash has gained attention for reasons beyond the fight itself. Barzilay responded strongly to Mitchell's recent controversial remarks about Adolf Hitler, in which the UFC fighter suggested that Hitler was a "good guy" before drug use, making offensive claims about Jewish people. In response, Barzilay took to social media, calling Mitchell "dumb" and warning that he and his Jewish friends "will not be quiet" about the comments. Their match at KC53 will be a Pit Submission bout at a 180-pound catchweight, but the heated exchange has added another layer of intensity to the fight, with fans closely watching how the drama unfolds inside and outside the ring. 4. Alex Pereira Fires Back at Daniel Cormier Over UFC 313 Training Criticism Ahead of his UFC 313 title fight against Magomed Ankalaev on March 8, Alex Pereira has responded to criticism from Daniel Cormier regarding his training focus. Cormier questioned Pereira's preparation after the Brazilian was seen attending concerts and staying in Australia post-UFC 312, while Ankalaev remained locked in on training. Pereira dismissed the concerns, posting training footage on social media with the caption, "Don't worry, Daniel Cormier, we're over here working." The footage showed him drilling takedown defense at Teixeira MMA, aiming to counter Ankalaev's dominant wrestling. Chael Sonnen also raised concerns over Pereira sparring without headgear, warning that it could shorten his career. However, 'Poatan' remains confident, having defended his 205lb title three times in 2024 and proving his durability in past fights. With UFC 313 fast approaching, all eyes are on whether Pereira's unconventional approach will pay off in the octagon. 5. Dana White Clarifies UFC's Stance on Double Champions Following Ilia Topuria's decision to vacate the UFC featherweight title, Dana White addressed the promotion's stance on double champions at UFC Fight Night 252. White made it clear that the UFC isn't against fighters holding multiple belts but emphasized that they must be active champions willing to defend both titles. "If you think you can do it and defend both belts, I have no problem with it. But you're going to be busy," White stated, citing Jon Jones as an example of someone who dominated a division before moving up. He also mentioned Weili Zhang, who has nearly cleaned out her division and could be considered for champ-champ status. White praised Topuria's decision to vacate his belt, noting that the move prevents holding up the 145-pound division. While Topuria's next fight is unknown, his move to 155 pounds could set up major lightweight matchups. With only four fighters in UFC history—Conor McGregor, Henry Cejudo, Daniel Cormier, and Amanda Nunes—having held two belts simultaneously, the double champ path remains rare. However, White's comments indicate that future contenders will need to prove they can handle the responsibility before getting the opportunity. UFC Fight Announcements UFC 314: Volkanovski vs. Lopes Date: April 12, 2025 Location: Kaseya Center, Miami, Florida Main Event: Vacant UFC Featherweight Championship bout between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes Co-Main Event: Five-round lightweight bout featuring Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett Additional Bouts: Featherweight bout: Patrício "Pitbull" Freire vs. Yair Rodríguez Welterweight bout: Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates Lightweight bout: Jim Miller vs. Chase Hooper UFC 315: Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena Date: May 10, 2025 Location: Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Main Event: UFC Welterweight Championship bout with Belal Muhammad defending his title against Jack Della Maddalena Co-Main Event: UFC Women's Flyweight Championship fight featuring Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot Additional Bouts: Welterweight bout: Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales Lightweight bout: Benoît Saint-Denis vs. Joel Álvarez Welterweight bout: Mike Malott vs. Charlie Radtke Bantamweight bout: Brad Katona vs. Bekzat Almakhan Women's Bantamweight bout: Hailey Cowan vs. Nora Cornolle Next UFC Main Card: UFC 314 Main Event (Light Heavyweight) Alex Pereira (12-2-0) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (20-1-1, 1NC) Moneyline: Pereira -110 | Ankalaev -116 Bet on UFC 314 and earn a 50% match + $10 Casino Chip Co-Main Event (Lightweight) Justin Gaethje (25-5-0) vs. Dan Hooker (24-12-0) Moneyline: Gaethje -155 | Hooker +122 Bet on UFC 314 and earn a 50% match + $10 Casino Chip Lightweight Bout Jalin Turner (14-8-0) vs. Ignacio Bahamondes (16-5-0) Women's Strawweight Bout Amanda Lemos (14-4-1) vs. Iasmin Lucindo (17-5-0) Lightweight Bout King Green (32-16-1, 1NC) vs. Mauricio Ruffy (11-1-0)   Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here © 2025 Knocking Off Your Week 228 Park Ave S, #29976, New York, New York 10003, United States Powered by beehiiv Terms of Service