The UFC takes the week off to ramp up the hype for their upcoming PPV next week, but we still have a wealth of quality fights and events this week. Bellator and RIZIN are stepping up big time, but other promotions are poised to have some big moments as well.
This Friday, M-1 has a great card set up with international talent and action bouts. Main event honors go to Spains Enoc Torres (23-10, 1 draw) and Ruslan Shalimov (5-0), but the real meat on this bone is former UFC fighter Mickael Lebout (17-9, 3 draws) up against Alexey Makhno (20-6). Fellow UFC vet Chris Kelades (12-4) has gone 3-1 from his departure from the big show, and is up against 6-1 Klyuev.
M-1 Challenge 97 prelims will be streaming free on FITE.TV, starting at noon EST. The main card begins at 1pm EST and is also available at FITE for $7.99.
Shooto Brazil 88 had former UFC talent Hacran Dias (24-6, 1 draw) in the main even slot, but that fight against Ecuador’s Ricardo Centeno (4-4) was cancelled due to a failed weight cut. There will also be three title fights for their 120lb, 140lb and 145lb belts.
The event starts at 5:00pm EST. No available live viewing information is available.
Unifiied MMA Supremacy has a great action card set up from Alberta, Canada. Teddy Ash (11-3) fights UFC vet Seth Baczynski (22-14) for the vacant middleweight title. Of note is the fact that Ash just won the vacant light heavyweight title for that same promotion not long ago against Kobe Ortiz.
Baczynski went 1-1 after his UFC release and made it to the comeback season of The Ultimate Fighter, where he lost to Gilbert Smith. He notched back to back finishes after that, and this should make for a promising fight as well.
Former Bellator fighter Ryan “The Real Deal“ Ford (22-5) was on hiatus from MMA to focus on boxing, but returns to action for this event as well. His last fight was a loss to Jake Shields in World Series of Fighting back in 2014. After a bout with Yushin Okami failed to materialize in 2015, he left the sport altogether and brings his brand of athleticism and violence back. His opponent is Matt Delanoit (27-14), who has faced a slew of different opponents on the midwest regional scene, and has only one win by decision.
Unified MMA Supremacy kicks off Friday night at 9:30pm EST, and will be also available on FITE.TV for $19.99.
Combate Americas begins to set their stage for their second one-night tournament later this year with qualifying fights beginning this week. California’s Erick Gonzalez (8-2) comes off a blistering win over Danny Ramirez in April and now faces Chris Luttrell protegé Andres ”The Bullet” Quintana (14-2) in a one round, five minute fight. Quintana’s boxing and pace are his strong suit, while Gonzalez has great athleticism and killer instinct, becoming more well-rounded with each fight.
Francis “Hitgirl” Hernandez (3-2) showed off her submission game in her last fight, but will have a super tough fight against Melissa Martinez (4-0), known for her thundering knockout from last year.
Mexican standout prospect Pablo Sabori takes on fellow Mexican Alejandro Flores, and the aforementioned Danny Ramirez (6-4) steps in against Dominic Clarc (11-8). Action fighter “Malicious“ Michael Reyes (4-4) greets Hugo Aranda (2-0) at flyweight, with another flyweight fight between submission specialist Heinrich Wassmer (6-3) faces another one of the company’s most talented flyweights in David Duran (6-4).
Combate Americas will be streaming live via DAZN, starting at 10:00pm EST.
LFA suffered a pretty big hit this week, as a planned main event was cancelled due to an injury to Jaimee Nievera. She was set to face Colombian trailblazer Sabina Mazo in what could be one of the better women’s action fights of the month.
The new main event will be between former UFC fighter Cody Gibson and (15-7) and Brazilian bantamweight Gustavo Erak (19-3, 1 draw, 1 no contest). Gibson’s been 3-1 since his UFC release, but remains a tough fighter with a steady wrestleboxing base. Erak has 12 of his 19 wins via strikes, and has torn it up on the Brazilian regional scene.
Fellow bantamweights Nohelin Hernandez (8-2) and Rolando Velasco (13-5, 1 draw) are set for the co-main event.
LFA 51 begins at 10:00pm EST on their television home, AXS TV.
URCC sees the return of Mark Striegl (17-2) challenging for the featherweight title against ferocious Korean Do Gyeom Lee (5-1). A women’s flyweight title fight between Geli Bulaong (2-0) and Ji Yeon So (5-2) will also be on this card. URCC Colossal starts at 3:00am EST Friday night into Saturday morning.
Saturday also gives us Cage Warriors 97, live from Wales. The bantamweight title headlines this card, with savage Jack Shore (8-0) fighting Oemer Cankardesler (8-5, 2 draws) fighting for the vacant title. Shore’s only decision win was against UFC vet Vaughn Lee in his last bout, having a savvy submission game and aggressive finishing game. Cankardesler has no decision wins, although they’ve mostly been wins against largely inexperienced opposition. Still makes for a great fight.
Another great bantamweight fight is brewing as Brian Bouland (7-2) facees Kris Edwards (12-9). Bouland’s got a funky highlight reel, and Edwards has a sneaky left hand with a decent submission game.
Cage Warriors 97 streams exclusively on Fight Pass, starting at 4:00pm EST.
Saturday brings all the weird stuff out, though.
Tony Lopez (61-28) looks like he’ll keep bouncing between MMA and bare knuckle boxing, taking on World Warrior Fighting Championship heavyweight champion Sergey Spivak (8-0) for the belt. That event starts Saturday morning at 10:00pm
Travis Fulton (256-54, 10 draws!!) will be in Germany to steal the soul of Admir Bogucanin (10-1) at GNX Series 2018’s one-night tournament event in Germany. Fulton’s fight will be at heavyweight, and not part of the titular tournament, which is among featherweights. That card starts at noon EST for those of us that are stateside.
Greg Hardy (2-0 pro) will be fighting 1-1 Rasheem Jones. You know what this is. XFN 352 takes place at 11:30EST on Fight Pass.
Mightiest Daddy 
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