Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a sport that involves two opponents grappling and striking each other in an attempt to end the match by forcing a knockout, a submission, or a referee stoppage. The roots of this sport, like most martial arts, lie in Asia. MMA officials award fighters with points each round to decide a winner if a fight goes the distance; however fans and fighters alike prefer when fights end before the scheduled number of rounds. Betway98 provides a variety of MMA betting markets. There are many different Mixed Martial Arts leagues; the biggest ones include the One Championship, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) , the World Combat League (WCL), and Bellator. Read up on these tips to improve your MMA betting skills.
Featured Upcoming Bouts (Outside of UFC)
| Monday, November 3rd 2025: Rizin FF - Landmark Vol. 12 | |||
 [#1 W105] Seika Izawa | [#4 W105] Saori Oshima | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 7/27/2025 [Rizin Fighting Federation] Last Opponent: [#24 W105] Yu Jin Shin Last 5: W W W W W | Last Fight Date: 9/15/2025 [DEEP] Last Opponent: [#7 W105] Moeri Suda Last 5: W W L L W | ||
| Friday, October 3rd 2025: Professional Fighters League PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series 3: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 | |||
 [#4 LHW] Corey Anderson |  [#10 LHW] Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 7/19/2025 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#13 HW] Denis Goltsov Last 5: NC L W W W | Last Fight Date: 11/29/2024 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#21 MW] Impa Kasanganay Last 5: W W W W W | ||
| Friday, October 3rd 2025: Professional Fighters League PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series 3: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 | |||
 [#9 LW] Usman Nurmagomedov (-164) |  [#14 LW] Paul Hughes (+128) | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 1/25/2025 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#14 LW] Paul Hughes Last 5: W W NC W W | Last Fight Date: 5/10/2025 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#51 LW] Bruno Miranda Last 5: W W W L W | ||
Featured Fighters
| [NR] | Chris Lytle | [NR] | Matt Brown | |
| [#4 LW] |  Charles Oliveira | [#1 LW] | Islam Makhachev | |
| [#2 LW] |  Ilia Topuria | [NR] |  Conor McGregor | |
| [NR] | Raja Jackson | [#123 LHW] |  Frederic Vosgrone | |
| [#1 MW] |  Khamzat Chimaev | [NR] | Jon Jones |
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET A BLACK BELT IN JIU JITSU?
To achieve a black belt is the purpose of most people who practice martial arts. Doesn’t really matter what type of martial arts you are doing – you feel inside that the black belts are supposed to come from a totally different universe. They move with elegance, full of self-confidence, you feel they are reading your every move, and you desire to reach this level. For sure it’s not an easy road, and not everyone can accomplish it. But honestly, does it matter? If you think that you haven’t mastered an art until you get your black belt, you do not really understand the point of the martial arts, including BJJ.
Fight Matrix Program- UFC on ESPN+ 22: Blachowicz vs. Jacare (11-16-2019)
Light Heavyweight (205)
[#8MW] Ronaldo Souza (26-7-0, +172) vs. [#6] Jan Blachowicz (24-8-0, -209)
Jan Blachowicz is the All-Time #41 ranked Light Heavyweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Ronaldo Souza (1-2-0)
2019-04-27: L vs. [#11MW] Jack Hermansson (20-5-0) via UD (49-45, 48-47, 48-47)
2018-11-03: W vs. [#14MW] Chris Weidman (14-5-0) via KO (Punches) in 2:46 of round 3
2018-05-12: L vs. [#10MW] Kelvin Gastelum (15-5-0) via SD (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Last 3 Fights: Jan Blachowicz (2-1-0)
2019-07-06: W vs. [#11LHW] Luke Rockhold (16-5-0) via KO (Punches) in 1:39 of round 2
2019-02-23: L vs. [#2LHW] Thiago Santos (21-7-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:39 of round 3
2018-09-15: W vs. [#15LHW] Nikita Krylov (25-7-0) via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 2:41 of round 2
Odds Favorite (Implied): Jan Blachowicz – Win%: 64.78
Elo Favorite (Standard): Ronaldo Souza (2000.46) [+27.83] – Win%: 53.17
Elo Favorite (Modified): Ronaldo Souza (2070.32) [+101.03] – Win%: 60.88
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Ronaldo Souza (2043.82) [+88.86] – Win%: 66.14
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Ronaldo Souza 203, Jan Blachowicz 133
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Jan Blachowicz leads 1-0
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Light Heavyweight (205)
[#25] Mauricio Rua (26-11-0, -258) vs. [#66] Paul Craig (12-4-0, +212)
Mauricio Rua is the All-Time #8 ranked Light Heavyweight and #35 ranked Absolute fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Mauricio Rua (2-1-0)
2018-12-01: W vs. [#52LHW] Tyson Pedro (7-3-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:43 of round 3
2018-07-22: L vs. [#3LHW] Anthony Smith (32-14-0) via KO (Elbow) in 1:29 of round 1
2017-03-11: W vs. [#46LHW] Gian Villante (17-11-0) via TKO in 0:59 of round 3
Last 3 Fights: Paul Craig (2-1-0)
2019-09-21: W vs. [#160LHW] Vinicius Moreira Castro (9-4-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:19 of round 1
2019-06-29: L vs. [#48LHW] Alonzo Menifield (9-0-0) via KO (Punches) in 3:19 of round 1
2019-03-30: W vs. [#86LHW] Kennedy Nzechukwu (7-1-0) via Submission (Triangle Choke) in 4:20 of round 3
Odds Favorite (Implied): Mauricio Rua – Win%: 69.21
Elo Favorite (Standard): Mauricio Rua (1836.81) [+327.87] – Win%: 81.73
Elo Favorite (Modified): Mauricio Rua (1846.21) [+275.63] – Win%: 76.97
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Mauricio Rua (1801.88) [+229.91] – Win%: 85.15
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Mauricio Rua 350, Paul Craig 56
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Mauricio Rua leads 1-0
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Lightweight (155)
[#7] Charles Oliveira (27-8-0, -357) vs. [#106] Jared Gordon (15-3-0, +284)
Charles Oliveira is the All-Time #40 ranked Lightweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Charles Oliveira (3-0-0)
2019-05-18: W vs. [#28LW] Nik Lentz (30-10-2) via TKO (Punches) in 2:11 of round 2
2019-02-02: W vs. [#36LW] David Teymur (8-2-0) via Submission (Anaconda Choke) in 0:55 of round 2
2018-12-15: W vs. [#27LW] Jim Miller (31-13-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:15 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: Jared Gordon (1-2-0)
2019-06-29: W vs. [#279LW] Dan Moret (13-6-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
2018-12-15: L vs. [#111LW] Joaquim Silva (11-2-0) via KO (Punches) in 2:39 of round 3
2018-02-18: L vs. [#15LW] Diego Ferreira (16-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:58 of round 1
Odds Favorite (Implied): Charles Oliveira – Win%: 75.00
Elo Favorite (Standard): Charles Oliveira (2054.74) [+454.45] – Win%: 88.86
Elo Favorite (Modified): Charles Oliveira (2054.19) [+446.20] – Win%: 87.58
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Charles Oliveira (2038.89) [+426.77] – Win%: 96.01
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Charles Oliveira 182, Jared Gordon 140
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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4 Professional Boxers and Fighters who are Known for Gambling
Fighters are known for living on the edge and for their eccentric personalities. Many of them are also known for being big gamblers. Maybe it’s the rush of adrenaline they crave whenever they’re out of the ring, or the millions and millions in disposable income, but some seem to always be in the headlines because of some outlandish bet they’ve made. Online betting has also democratized gambling, and made it more accessible and popular with the masses, not only boxers. Let’s take a look at some of the most well known boxers and fighters who are into gambling.
Tyson Fury
The flamboyant Fury is not only known for being flashy inside the ring, but outside of it as well. One would imagine that a fighter would want to go home after a tough fight like the one he had against the very game Otto Wallin, but not Fury. After getting 47 stitches, the boxer went straight to the casino in his hotel and ended the night with $500 USD extra in his pockets.
Fight Matrix Program- UFC on ESPN+ 1: Magomedsharipov vs. Kattar (11-09-2019)
Featherweight (145)
[#8] Zabit Magomedsharipov (17-1-0, -254) vs. [#10] Calvin Kattar (20-3-0, +204)
Last 3 Fights: Zabit Magomedsharipov (3-0-0)
2019-03-02: W vs. [#13FW] Jeremy Stephens (28-17-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2018-09-08: W vs. [#227FW] Brandon Davis (10-8-0) via Submission (Kneebar) in 4:36 of round 2
2018-04-07: W vs. [#190FW] Kyle Bochniak (8-5-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Last 3 Fights: Calvin Kattar (2-1-0)
2019-06-08: W vs. [#18FW] Ricardo Lamas (19-8-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:06 of round 1
2018-10-27: W vs. [#123FW] Chris Fishgold (18-3-1) via TKO (Punches) in 4:11 of round 1
2018-04-07: L vs. [#20FW] Renato Carneiro (13-3-1) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Odds Favorite (Implied): Zabit Magomedsharipov – Win%: 68.56
Elo Favorite (Standard): Zabit Magomedsharipov (1968.45) [+62.43] – Win%: 57.08
Elo Favorite (Modified): Zabit Magomedsharipov (1969.33) [+86.02] – Win%: 59.30
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Zabit Magomedsharipov (1961.90) [+67.70] – Win%: 62.31
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Zabit Magomedsharipov 252, Calvin Kattar 154
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Heavyweight (265)
[#9] Alexander Volkov (30-7-0, -288) vs. [#105] Greg Hardy (5-1-0, +232)
Alexander Volkov is the All-Time #45 ranked Heavyweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Alexander Volkov (2-1-0)
2018-10-06: L vs. [#5HW+] Derrick Lewis (22-7-0) via KO (Punches) in 4:49 of round 3
2018-03-17: W vs. [*] Fabricio Werdum (23-8-1) via KO (Punches) in 1:38 of round 4
2017-09-02: W vs. [#28HW+] Stefan Struve (29-11-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:30 of round 3
Last 3 Fights: Greg Hardy (2-0-0, 1 NC)
2019-10-18: NC vs. [#141HW+] Ben Sosoli (7-2-0)
2019-07-20: W vs. [#163HW+] Juan Adams (5-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:45 of round 1
2019-04-27: W vs. [#338HW+] Dmitry Smoliakov (9-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:15 of round 1
Odds Favorite (Implied): Alexander Volkov – Win%: 71.13
Elo Favorite (Standard): Alexander Volkov (1953.20) [+546.90] – Win%: 92.40
Elo Favorite (Modified): Alexander Volkov (1982.95) [+410.90] – Win%: 85.80
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Alexander Volkov (1929.06) [+408.31] – Win%: 95.71
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Alexander Volkov 399, Greg Hardy 22
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Welterweight (170)
[#141] Danny Roberts (16-5-0, +153) vs. [#377] Zelim Imadaev (8-1-0, -183)
Last 3 Fights: Danny Roberts (1-2-0)
2019-05-18: L vs. [#140WW] Michel Pereira (24-10-0) via KO (Flying Knee and Punch) in 1:47 of round 1
2019-03-16: L vs. [#43WW] Claudio Henrique Da Silva (14-1-0) via Submission (Armbar) in 2:37 of round 3
2018-07-22: W vs. [#167WW] David Zawada (16-5-0) via SD (29-28, 29-28, 27-30)
Last 3 Fights: Zelim Imadaev (2-1-0)
2019-04-13: L vs. [#70WW] Max Griffin (15-7-0) via MD (28-28, 29-27, 29-27)
2018-03-30: W vs. [*] Ivan Gluhak (17-9-1) via KO (Punch) in 0:13 of round 1
2017-09-29: W vs. [*] Yuri Izotov (9-10-0) via KO (Spinning Back Elbow) in 3:17 of round 1
Odds Favorite (Implied): Zelim Imadaev – Win%: 62.05
Elo Favorite (Standard): Danny Roberts (1527.63) [+161.83] – Win%: 67.69
Elo Favorite (Modified): Danny Roberts (1532.82) [+93.99] – Win%: 60.14
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Zelim Imadaev (1469.05) [+5.62] – Win%: 51.11
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Danny Roberts 175, Zelim Imadaev 210
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Fight Matrix Program- UFC 244: Masvidal vs. Diaz (11-02-2019)
Welterweight (170)
[#4] Jorge Masvidal (34-13-0, -168) vs. [#9] Nate Diaz (20-11-0, +139)
Jorge Masvidal is the All-Time #31 ranked Welterweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Jorge Masvidal (2-1-0)
2019-07-06: W vs. [#20WW] Ben Askren (19-2-0) via KO (Flying Knee) in 0:05 of round 1
2019-03-16: W vs. [#14MW] Darren Till (17-2-1) via KO (Punches) in 3:05 of round 2
2017-11-04: L vs. [#12WW] Stephen Thompson (14-4-1) via UD (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)
Last 3 Fights: Nate Diaz (2-1-0)
2019-08-17: W vs. [#11WW] Anthony Pettis (22-9-0) via UD (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
2016-08-20: L vs. [*] Conor McGregor (21-4-0) via MD (47-47, 48-47, 48-47)
2016-03-05: W vs. [*] Conor McGregor (21-4-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 4:12 of round 2
Odds Favorite (Implied): Jorge Masvidal – Win%: 59.97
Elo Favorite (Standard): Jorge Masvidal (2152.31) [+71.33] – Win%: 58.08
Elo Favorite (Modified): Jorge Masvidal (2158.80) [+91.98] – Win%: 59.93
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Jorge Masvidal (2160.78) [+92.25] – Win%: 66.52
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Jorge Masvidal 119, Nate Diaz 77
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
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Middleweight (185)
[#7] Kelvin Gastelum (15-4-0, -165) vs. [#14] Darren Till (17-2-1, +137)
Kelvin Gastelum is the All-Time #38 ranked Middleweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Kelvin Gastelum (2-1-0)
2019-04-13: L vs. [#1MW/#10P4P] Israel Adesanya (18-0-0) via UD (48-46, 48-46, 48-46)
2018-05-12: W vs. [#9MW] Ronaldo Souza (26-7-0) via SD (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
2017-11-25: W vs. [*] Michael Bisping (30-9-0) via KO (Punch) in 2:30 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: Darren Till (1-2-0)
2019-03-16: L vs. [#4WW] Jorge Masvidal (34-13-0) via KO (Punches) in 3:05 of round 2
2018-09-08: L vs. [#2WW/#10DD] Tyron Woodley (19-4-1) via Submission (Brabo Choke) in 4:19 of round 2
2018-05-27: W vs. [#12WW] Stephen Thompson (14-4-1) via UD (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)
Odds Favorite (Implied): Kelvin Gastelum – Win%: 59.60
Elo Favorite (Standard): Kelvin Gastelum (2058.95) [+142.40] – Win%: 65.72
Elo Favorite (Modified): Kelvin Gastelum (2041.07) [+126.07] – Win%: 63.46
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Kelvin Gastelum (2026.87) [+95.42] – Win%: 66.89
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Kelvin Gastelum 203, Darren Till 231
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Welterweight (170)
[#12] Stephen Thompson (14-4-1, -152) vs. [#19] Vicente Luque (17-6-1, +126)
Stephen Thompson is the All-Time #12 ranked Welterweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Stephen Thompson (1-2-0)
2019-03-23: L vs. [#11WW] Anthony Pettis (22-9-0) via KO (Punches) in 4:55 of round 2
2018-05-27: L vs. [#14MW] Darren Till (17-2-1) via UD (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)
2017-11-04: W vs. [#4WW] Jorge Masvidal (34-13-0) via UD (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)
Last 3 Fights: Vicente Luque (3-0-0)
2019-08-10: W vs. [#26WW] Mike Perry (13-5-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2019-05-18: W vs. [#110WW] Derrick Krantz (24-12-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:52 of round 1
2019-02-17: W vs. [#88WW] Bryan Barberena (14-7-0) via TKO (Knees and Punches) in 4:54 of round 3
Odds Favorite (Implied): Stephen Thompson – Win%: 57.68
Elo Favorite (Standard): Vicente Luque (1968.59) [+66.53] – Win%: 57.54
Elo Favorite (Modified): Stephen Thompson (1925.44) [+16.91] – Win%: 51.85
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Vicente Luque (1926.22) [+7.68] – Win%: 51.42
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Stephen Thompson 224, Vicente Luque 84
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Fight Matrix Program- UFC on ESPN+ 20: Askren vs. Maia (10-26-2019)
Welterweight (170)
[#13] Demian Maia (27-9-0, +135) vs. [#16] Ben Askren (19-1-0, -161)
Demian Maia is the All-Time #17 ranked Welterweight fighter.
Ben Askren is the All-Time #33 ranked Welterweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Demian Maia (2-1-0)
2019-06-29: W vs. [#21WW] Anthony Rocco Martin (16-5-0) via MD (29-28, 29-28, 28-28)
2019-02-02: W vs. [#66WW] Lyman Good (20-5-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 2:38 of round 1
2018-05-19: L vs. [#1WW/#5DD/#6P4P] Kamaru Usman (15-1-0) via UD (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
Last 3 Fights: Ben Askren (2-1-0)
2019-07-06: L vs. [#4WW] Jorge Masvidal (34-13-0) via KO (Flying Knee) in 0:05 of round 1
2019-03-02: W vs. [#17WW] Robbie Lawler (28-14-0) via Technical Submission (Bulldog Choke) in 3:20 of round 1
2017-11-24: W vs. [#109WW] Shinya Aoki (44-9-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:57 of round 1
Odds Favorite (Implied): Ben Askren – Win%: 59.18
Elo Favorite (Standard): Ben Askren (2077.05) [+5.49] – Win%: 50.63
Elo Favorite (Modified): Ben Askren (2060.15) [+39.18] – Win%: 54.28
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Ben Askren (2091.33) [+67.66] – Win%: 62.10
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Demian Maia 119, Ben Askren 112
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Demian Maia leads 2-1
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Welterweight (170)
[#62] Laureano Staropoli (9-1-0, +123) vs. [#63] Muslim Salikhov (15-2-0, -147)
Last 3 Fights: Laureano Staropoli (3-0-0)
2019-05-11: W vs. [#79WW] Thiago Alves (23-14-0) via UD (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
2018-11-17: W vs. [#1195WW] Hector Aldana (4-3-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2017-06-10: W vs. [#506MW] Carlos Alberto Bazan Roja (8-7-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:00 of round 2
Last 3 Fights: Muslim Salikhov (2-1-0)
2019-09-07: W vs. [#100WW] Nordine Taleb (15-7-0) via KO (Punch) in 4:26 of round 1
2018-04-14: W vs. [#149WW] Ricky Rainey (13-6-0) via KO (Punches) in 4:12 of round 2
2017-11-25: L vs. [#102WW] Alex Garcia (15-6-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 3:22 of round 2
Odds Favorite (Implied): Muslim Salikhov – Win%: 57.02
Elo Favorite (Standard): Muslim Salikhov (1746.38) [+198.69] – Win%: 71.26
Elo Favorite (Modified): Muslim Salikhov (1755.55) [+209.25] – Win%: 71.42
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Muslim Salikhov (1738.87) [+179.73] – Win%: 79.85
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Laureano Staropoli 168, Muslim Salikhov 49
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Heavyweight (265)
[#82] Ciryl Gane (4-0-0, -306) vs. [#94] Dontale Mayes (7-2-0, +245)
Last 3 Fights: Ciryl Gane (3-0-0)
2019-08-10: W vs. [#146HW+] Raphael Pessoa (9-1-0) via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 4:12 of round 1
2019-05-24: W vs. [#121HW+] Roggers Souza (9-2-0) via TKO in 4:26 of round 1
2018-09-21: W vs. [#280HW+] Adam Dyczka (8-1-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:57 of round 2
Last 3 Fights: Dontale Mayes (3-0-0)
2019-07-16: W vs. [#147HW+] Ricardo Prasel (10-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:59 of round 1
2018-11-17: W vs. [NA] Nkemdirim Oti (2-6-0) via SUB in 2:15 of round 3
2018-07-31: W vs. [#341HW+] Mitchell Sipe (4-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:49 of round 2
Odds Favorite (Implied): Ciryl Gane – Win%: 72.22
Elo Favorite (Standard): Ciryl Gane (1465.81) [+3.56] – Win%: 50.41
Elo Favorite (Modified): Ciryl Gane (1622.22) [+94.49] – Win%: 60.20
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Dontale Mayes (1522.67) [+6.37] – Win%: 51.23
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Ciryl Gane 77, Dontale Mayes 102
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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The Greatest MMA Fighters – Part 2
Photo by Justin Ng / The Unsplash License
We’ve recently published an article about three of the greatest unheralded fighters in MMA: Frankie Edgar, Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Justino, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. While ‘unheralded’ is perhaps an unfair term to use as these fighters are recognized by fans and pundits alike as all-time greats, they are typically not considered in the ‘GOAT’ discussion for various reasons. Today, we are going to discuss the careers of another five fighters who may have been at one point the best in their weight division – or even the sport of MMA as a whole – but their greatness might not be recognized by fans who have not been following the sport since it’s inception.
MMA fighters need to exhibit not only skill and strength but also persistence and resilience. They put their all into what they do and deserve the recognition that comes with success. Each of these fighters below has shown the true spirit of an MMA warrior and came out on top, showing that strength and brawn are not the only things necessary to achieve greatness. Each one has their unique methods and strategies, and they have carved a name for themselves as the some of the fighters to compete in the young sport that is Mixed Martial Arts.
These fighters have made watching MMA fights worth while. But who will be the next best MMA fighter? If you want to impress your friends with all of your MMA knowledge, betting sites can offer another way that fans can stay up to date on UFC fighters’ actions: offering advanced statistics, trends, and tips on which fighters are likely to come out on top. That way, you’ll know the picks for the next best-of list before it even comes out.
Fight Matrix Program- UFC on ESPN 6: Weidman vs. Reyes (10-18-2019)
Light Heavyweight (205)
[#11MW] Chris Weidman (14-4-0, +135) vs. [#9] Dominick Reyes (11-0-0, -162)
Chris Weidman is the All-Time #18 ranked Absolute fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Chris Weidman (1-2-0)
2018-11-03: L vs. [#9MW] Ronaldo Souza (26-7-0) via KO (Punches) in 2:46 of round 3
2017-07-22: W vs. [#7MW] Kelvin Gastelum (15-4-0) via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 3:45 of round 3
2017-04-08: L vs. [#6MW] Gegard Mousasi (46-7-2) via TKO (Knees) in 3:13 of round 2
Last 3 Fights: Dominick Reyes (3-0-0)
2019-03-16: W vs. [#10LHW] Volkan Oezdemir (16-4-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2018-10-06: W vs. [#18LHW] Ovince St. Preux (24-13-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2018-05-19: W vs. [#8MW] Jared Cannonier (13-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:55 of round 1
Odds Favorite (Implied): Dominick Reyes – Win%: 59.23
Elo Favorite (Standard): Chris Weidman (1983.66) [+110.40] – Win%: 62.35
Elo Favorite (Modified): Chris Weidman (2005.17) [+183.36] – Win%: 69.06
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Chris Weidman (2015.71) [+189.44] – Win%: 80.24
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Chris Weidman 349, Dominick Reyes 216
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Featherweight (145)
[#9] Jeremy Stephens (28-16-0, -109) vs. [#28] Yair Rodriguez (11-2-0, -115)
Jeremy Stephens is the All-Time #17 ranked Featherweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Jeremy Stephens (0-2-0, 1 NC)
2019-09-21: NC vs. [#28FW] Yair Rodriguez (11-2-0)
2019-03-02: L vs. [#8FW] Zabit Magomedsharipov (17-1-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2018-07-28: L vs. [#3FW] Jose Aldo (28-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:19 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: Yair Rodriguez (1-1-0, 1 NC)
2019-09-21: NC vs. [#9FW] Jeremy Stephens (28-16-0)
2018-11-10: W vs. [#15FW] Chan Sung Jung (15-5-0) via KO (Elbow) in 4:59 of round 5
2017-05-13: L vs. [#6FW] Frankie Edgar (23-7-1) via TKO (Doctor Stoppage) in 5:00 of round 2
Odds Favorite (Implied): Yair Rodriguez – Win%: 50.63
Elo Favorite (Standard): Yair Rodriguez (1870.78) [+50.18] – Win%: 55.71
Elo Favorite (Modified): Jeremy Stephens (1825.13) [+17.61] – Win%: 51.93
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Jeremy Stephens (1845.52) [+28.92] – Win%: 55.39
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Jeremy Stephens 27, Yair Rodriguez 27
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Heavyweight (265)
[#106] Greg Hardy (5-1-0, -257) vs. [#139] Ben Sosoli (7-2-0, +203)
Last 3 Fights: Greg Hardy (2-1-0)
2019-07-20: W vs. [#161HW+] Juan Adams (5-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:45 of round 1
2019-04-27: W vs. [#338HW+] Dmitry Smoliakov (9-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:15 of round 1
2019-01-19: L vs. [#140HW+] Allen Crowder (10-4-0) via DQ (Illegal Knee to Grounded Fighter) in 2:28 of round 2
Last 3 Fights: Ben Sosoli (2-0-0, 1 NC)
2019-08-27: NC vs. [#215HW+] Dustin Joynson (5-0-0)
2019-03-29: W vs. [#315HW+] Kelvin Fitial (15-9-2) via TKO in of round 1
2018-03-10: W vs. [*] Mike Turner (7-6-0) via TKO (Punches) in of round 3
Odds Favorite (Implied): Greg Hardy – Win%: 68.56
Elo Favorite (Standard): Greg Hardy (1406.29) [+46.25] – Win%: 55.26
Elo Favorite (Modified): Greg Hardy (1587.05) [+231.19] – Win%: 73.34
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Greg Hardy (1459.00) [+70.83] – Win%: 63.67
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Greg Hardy 90, Ben Sosoli 52
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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