It's been five long years since the UFC last landed on the Emerald Isle of Ireland, but this weekend marks the return of the biggest MMA show to one of the biggest fan bases in the entire world, as home country favorite Conor McGregor headlines his first card inside the Octagon against former Ultimate Fighter winner Diego Brandao.

In the co-main event, grappling prodigy Gunnar Nelson takes on Zak Cummings in a pivotal welterweight matchup between two very tough competitors at 170 pounds, and also on the main card, England's own Brad Pickett will face Ian McCall in a fight that could have title implications on the line for the winner following John Dodson's unfortunate knee injury that put him out of action until 2015.

All told, the UFC Fight Night card in Ireland (which airs on UFC FIGHT PASS) is stacked, but as we break down some of these fights, who has the advantage to come out on top, and how will they get there on Saturday night?  Today’s fantasy preview looks at those very factors as we look ahead to this weekend's card.

CONOR MCGREGOR VS. DIEGO BRANDAO

Following a year-long layoff after knee surgery, Conor McGregor returns to the Octagon as he looks to continue his warpath toward an eventual shot at the UFC featherweight title when he faces Diego Brandao in the headliner of the UFC Fight Night card.

McGregor is full of bluster and confidence, but don't be fooled by his brash words and over the top personality - this kid is for real.  McGregor possesses some of the slickest boxing in the 145-pound division, landing 4.59 strikes per minute while showcasing 74 percent defense, which is dramatically higher than the UFC average (58 percent).  As a boxer primarily, McGregor is good from the outside or as a counter striker, which will work wonders in this fight against an ultra aggressive fighter like Brandao.

There's no denying the Brazilian is like the Tasmanian Devil when he gets in the cage, usually unloading dynamite as soon as the fight starts.  Brandao isn't reckless with his strikes, as he lands with 45 percent accuracy, but his wild nature generally results in two problems - first, it leaves him open to counter strikes as witnessed in his fight against Dustin Poirier and, second, it doesn't give Brandao the greatest of gas tanks to go for five hard rounds, which he could be forced to do in this fight.

McGregor is a master of getting into his opponent's head and making them see red before ever stepping foot in the Octagon, and the fact is that Brandao has shown to be an emotional fighter in the past.  If he wants any chance of winning this bout he has to be patient and force McGregor to step forward.  Otherwise, his night will be spent with an Irishman's fists in his face over and over again.

Given McGregor's layoff, he may be a bit tentative in the first round, not to mention the over 10,000 fans in attendance in Dublin all rooting for him to win.  Once his nerves settle, McGregor should be able to pick his shots on Brandao coming in, and then pick him apart with power shots as the Brazilian starts to fade.  By third round, McGregor should be on his way to target practice before putting Brandao away with strikes.  McGregor has to be careful early, but once he finds his rhythm, Brandao is in trouble.

GUNNAR NELSON VS. ZAK CUMMINGS

If you haven't heard the name Gunnar Nelson yet, you've probably been living under a rock because this young man from Iceland has been all the rage for the last year after finally debuting in the UFC following an undefeated record in MMA and a prolific background in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world.  Nelson is a black belt under famed trainer Renzo Gracie, and his overall fight game has evolved dramatically in the last couple of years to the point where some predict he will have UFC gold around his waist one day.

Nelson is more than just a grappler, however, because his hands have come a long way lately.  He's landing around three significant strikes per minute, but he's on target 61 percent of the time, which is a phenomenal rate. To put that in perspective, Matt Brown has the best striking accuracy in the welterweight division with 59 percent accuracy. Nelson doesn't get put in the same category yet because he only has three UFC fights thus far, but he's well on his way to proving he can stand and trade with the best of them.

Hype and expectations are great, but Nelson has a very tough test ahead of him this weekend facing former Ultimate Fighter Zak Cummings.

Cummings is a sizable underdog, but he thrives in that position.  He just faced another world-class grappler in Yan Cabral and not only won the fight, but virtually controlled every facet of the matchup from striking to the ground game.  Cummings is a massive welterweight who will have a size advantage over almost everyone in the division, and Nelson is no exception.  Cummings has a wrestling background and a toughness that can't be measured by statistics.

The smart pick remains with Nelson, given his pedigree and overall skill set.  He's a world-class submission specialist with 67 percent takedown accuracy, but more important is his striking game, which is deceptive and often overlooked.  Still, if there's an upset brewing on this main card, it comes courtesy of Cummings.  He showed no fear taking on another high-level grappler in his last fight, and if he can be confident in his attacks during this fight, he could give Nelson some major headaches while handing him the first loss of his career.

IAN MCCALL VS. BRAD PICKETT

The flyweight division is looking for a new top contender following an injury that put John Dodson out of the picture for the next year, and the next challenger for the title could come from this fight between Ian McCall and Brad Pickett.

This fight might also be the toughest one on the entire card to choose who comes out on top.

Pickett enters only his second fight at flyweight after spending his entire career with the UFC / WEC as a bantamweight, where he picked up several notable wins, including a victory over current 125-pound king Demetrious Johnson.  Pickett is a heavy-handed boxer with a good ground game as well.  He's finished a ton of his fights by submission, so don't doubt that he can take this fight to the mat and look to put away McCall there just as easily as he can with his hands.  Pickett lands strikes at 3.35 per minute while also averaging 3.11 takedowns per 15 minutes.  If his weight cut goes smoothly, he'll also have a slight size advantage over McCall, although both fought at 135 pounds for much of their careers, so that really shouldn't be an issue.

McCall is the enigma in this fight, but it's not based on his fight skills, which are excellent.  He's as well-rounded as anyone in the flyweight division with a slick wrestling game mixed with an above average kickboxing pedigree as well.  McCall is never going to be an easy out for anyone in the division, but it also depends on which version shows up in Ireland.  As witnessed in his debut fight in the UFC against Demetrious Johnson or in his last fight against Illiarde Santos, McCall is very capable of pulling off a nearly flawless performance against the best of the best in the division.  Then again, McCall has failed to show up for some fights as well, just like in his rematch with Johnson or his fight against Joseph Benavidez. There's no shame in losing to either of those fighters, but McCall didn't perform very well either time and that led to unanimous decision defeats both times.

Pickett knows what's riding on this fight - an impressive showing means he probably gets the next crack at Johnson for the flyweight title.  It's impossible for the British banger to fight safe, so he's going to go out and try to put McCall away from the first second of the opening round until their bout is over.  Pickett's flyweight debut wasn't great, but if he learned how to properly cut the weight to get to 125 pounds, he should be able to outwork McCall on the feet, avoid takedowns, and counter with his signature brand of punishment.  It all leads to a Pickett win when the night is over.

NORMAN PARKE VS. NAOYUKI KOTANI

Former Ultimate Fighter winner Norman Parke looked like a very bright prospect coming off the reality show, but in his last couple of performances, the luster has been knocked off this Northern Irish lightweight.  Saturday is his chance to polish his credentials again as he faces returning Japanese fighter Naoyuki Kotani.

Kotani lost in his previous two fights in the UFC in 2007, but a 13-fight win streak earned him a second chance, although it's hard to tell if he'll perform any differently this time around. Kotani is primarily a submission fighter, finishing 25 of his 33 wins on the ground.  He's got a variety of finishes in his bag of tricks, including a nasty heel hook, which does a lot of damage in a hurry.  Kotani's weakness, however, has been his level of competition, as he's beaten a lot of no names in the last few years, which means his experiences since leaving the UFC haven't prepared him all that well for a return to the Octagon.

Parke is a dynamic stand-up fighter who lands nearly four significant strikes per minute.  In this fight he needs to up that rate and really put the pressure on Kotani early to see if he can put away the Japanese fighter before he ever has a chance to truly get his feet wet again in the Octagon.  Parke has the ability to put combinations together, and given Kotani's brief flashes of striking in the past, this is a chance for the former Ultimate Fighter winner to get back on track with an impressive finish.  If he swings for the fences early, Parke could get this one done before the first round ends.

www.ufc.com

Police will take no further action after investigating an incident which resulted in the arrest of boxer Amir Khan.

Khan was arrested and questioned in the early hours of Friday morning, 4 July, on suspicion of common assault during an incident involving two youths in his home town of Bolton.

He was bailed, pending further enquiries, but on Monday police confirmed that allegations have been dropped and they will not be pursuing the matter further.

A statement from Khan’s camp read: “This was a minor incident involving a misunderstanding between Amir Khan and two other youths.

On Monday 7th July Amir was notified by the police that the allegations against him had been withdrawn and the matter would not be pursued any further.”

Khan is hoping to challenge Floyd Mayweather for the unbeaten WBA and WBC titles.

American Mayweather beat Argentinian Marcos Maidana on points in a title fight in Las Vegas in May and on the undercard of the same bill Khan outpointed Luis Collazo.

www1.skysports.com

Curtis Woodhouse expects a hostile reception when he faces Willie Limond in a double title fight in Glasgow later this month.

The British light-welterweight champion will be hoping to add Limond’s Commonwealth crown to his CV at the Braehead Arena on June 27, in a bout to be screened live on Sky Sports.

It will be Woodhouse’s maiden title defence, and first fight in more than a year, since defeating Darren Hamilton on points in Hull and he is aware taking on the 35-year-old in his home city will be tough,

I chose to come to Scotland, nobody has forced me to come, this is a voluntary defence, he said.

“If I wasn’t up for the atmosphere or I was scared by it I would have gone a different route and looked for somebody else or demanded Willie came to England.

“I am sure with the British title on the line he would have come to England. The atmosphere is something I am excited about and is one of the reasons I wanted to fight Willie Limond in Glasgow.

“I am not running away from it, I am going to embrace it and I play quite a good pantomime villain so I will enjoy the stick I am going to get.

“A lot of boxers who have been to fight in Scotland have always spoken highly of the fans and of how they have been treated and I am sure the Scottish fans are going to love my style because I am not coming to fiddle about on the outside and knick this on points.

“I am coming to have a fight and I think the Scottish fans appreciate that. I think they will probably hate me during the fight but by the end of the fight I will have gained their respect.”

On the same bill, Ricky Burns takes on Dejan Zlaticanin for the WBC International Lightweight crown in an official eliminator for the world title.

www1.skysports.com

Vasyl Lomachenko has beaten Gary Russell by majority decision to win the vacant WBO featherweight title in Carson City, California.

The Ukrainian dropped a split decision to Orlando Salido in March but, after the Mexican fighter was stripped of his belt for failing to make the weight, Lomachenko was handed a second chance against Washington DC's Russell.

While the American did manage to hit his opponent with quick combos in the early rounds on Saturday night, Lomachenko grew into the bout and scored a left uppercut to the chin before stunning Russell right at the final bell.

The judges' scorecards read 14-114, 116-112 and 116-112, with double Olympic and triple world amateur champion Lomachenko telling ESPN: I'm very happy and excited to be a world champion.

I just worked by the plan built by our team. I was just working hard.

Russell added: It's definitely a little disappointing. But it's all good - we are gladiators, we are warriors.

We need to go back to the drawing board. He had good movement and I take my hat off to him.

www1.skysports.com

RIO DE JANEIRO -- World Series of Fighting welterweight champion Rousimar Palhares is back in the gym, and he’s training to beat Jon Fitch.

The leglock specialist asked to be taken off the WSOF 11 card on July 5 to assist his mother on her surgery for thrombosis in her legs, but Fitch, who was set to fight for the welterweight title, didn’t approve of his decision.

Fitch called Palhares unprofessional, wishing he had manned up and fought him. By saying that, he made things personal.

My family is my life, Palhares told MMAFighting.com. I was sad that he said those things, but I’m not bothered. We’ll settle our things inside the cage. I don’t hope he’s my next opponent, I want him to be. I’m coming after him. I will train for him. I want him.

I don’t know how the fight would go, he added, but I will be ready to do what I want.

After losing to Josh Burkman in his WSOF debut, Fitch returned to the win column with decision wins over Marcelo Alfaya and Dennis Hallman, but Palhares isn’t worried about Fitch’s recent performances.

I don’t care. I don’t even watch (his fights). I’m worried about myself and what I’m going to do in the fight, he said. I will be ready to fight anytime they want. I want to fight this year. Please, let me fight this year, and let me fight Jon Fitch.

Toquinho returned to training this week at Team Nogueira, and he’s happy to see his mother recover.

She’s way better now, he said. She doesn’t feel any pain anymore after the surgery. I’m feeling better now that I know she’s fine. It’s tough to see your mother in a situation like that. I did everything I could to help her.

http://www.mmafighting.com

The UFC 175 main card took a blow Saturday night when the heavyweight bout between Stefan Struve and Matt Mitrione was scratched after Struve took ill in the locker room.

Returning for the first time since a medical scare after his 2013 bout against Mark Hunt, the 26-year-old Struve began to black out backstage and his heart rate was elevated, with the assumption being that he was having a panic attack. After being checked out by doctors in attendance, Struve was pulled from the bout as a precautionary measure. He has since been treated and released by medical staff. His vital signs are normal and he told doctors he is feeling better.

OFFICIAL UFC STATEMENT

Stefan Struve suffered a non-life-threatening, near-fainting spell backstage. Afterwards, the medical team did not feel he was fit to compete. With his health and safety in mind, he’s been removed from the card and is currently under the care of the medical staff. We will provide further updates as they become available.

STATEMENT FROM MATT MITRIONE

“I found out what happened and went to talk to Stefan. He was still in his chair and was very apologetic. He’s such a competitor. Obviously health and safety come first.”

www.ufc.com

Every year I hope that the biggest fights in boxing will happen. I’m pretty much always disappointed but it doesn’t stop me dreaming. I am not a fan of MMA/UFC at all, never watch it but in some ways boxing could learn from it.

With all their fighters centrally contracted the best fights always happen. Boxing has been going on so long and has become such a monster we feel lucky if any big fights happen year on year. The mafia were the ones who ran the sport in the 30s through the 50s. These days the problems are more covert but no less awkward.

With 4 main governing bodies, super champions at the WBA, unlimited promoters, managers and competing tv channels its a real battle to get fights over the line. This article looks at some of the biggest potential fights from Heavyweight to Super Bantamweight in 2015 and the likelihood that they could happen.

Heavyweight

Wladimir Klitschko 62-3 (52) v Deontay Wilder 31-0 (31)

(K2 Promotions v Golden Boy)

50% likely

This is not so much a promotional as a boxing issue. A lot of chess pieces need to move exactly into place for this to come off. Wlad has to get past Kubrat Pulev, who with wins over Tony Thompson, Alexander Dimitrenko and Alexander Ustinov is a big threat. Its obvious Wladimir’s final objective in boxing is to hold all 4 titles simultaneously. Bermaine Stiverne is the WBC champion at the moment. Wilder needs to get a fight with Stiverne and win. That won’t be easy to organize or win. If Wilder did get past that hurdle he would probably need to fight a mandatory like Bryant Jennings or Mike Perez before a unification bout could be organised.

Cruserweight

Yoan Pablo Hernandez 28-1 (14) v Marco Huck 37-2-1 (26)

(Sauerland v Sauerland)

70% likely

From a promotional point of view they both fight under the Sauerland banner so no issues there. The main stumbling block would be that they are both world champions so a unification bout would need to be agreed. I almost bypassed this because its such a boring division. Cruserweight desperately needs a shot in the arm. There’s no money in it which is why your Evander Holyfields, David Haye and even Huck himself gave heavyweight a go. These two are defending their titles against all the same opponents. They have been the best two for a long time and need to fight each other.

Light Heavyweight

Sergiy Kovalev  24-0-1 (22) v Adonis Stevenson 24-1 (20)

(Yvon Michel v Kathy Duva)

25% likely

Unfortunately in late 2013 this seemed a 100% certainty. They were both fighting on HBO and on the same fight cards. Everything was set up for a huge fight this year. Then all of a sudden Stevenson moves to showtime. Apparently HBO wouldn’t match the offer for the Stevenson-Fanfara fight. Superman’s performance in that fight was awful and at 36 he is probably going to be quite selective in his next few fights so I see a Stevenson-Hopkins bout as more likely. A war of words has already started between Duva and Michel lets hope the females can sort it out and be less bitchy than the males.

Super Middleweight

Andre Ward 27-0 (14) v Gennady Golovkin 29-0 (26)

(Dan Goosen v K2)

10% likely

I only give Andre Ward a 50% chance of even fighting at all with his promotional issues at present. He is having loads of issues with Goosen and guys like Mayweather Promotions are waiting in the wings for his signature. On top of this Golovkin doesn’t seem to want the fight. He is only a 160 fighter and because a lot of his qualities are based on hid strength it doesn’t benefit him to fight at 168. I think its more likely he’ll be after Canelo or Cotto.

Middleweight

Miguel Cotto 39-4 (32) v Saul Alvarez 44-1-1 (31)

(Top rank v Golden Boy)

30% likely

I really hope this fight happens. Their styles are made for each other. A few months ago the likelihood of this happening would be close to nil as Top Rank and Golden Boy would not negotiate as Richard Schafer and Bob Arum were at odds. Now Schaefer is gone De La Hoya has opened the door again. I really think Oscar will have his fighters best interest at heart and get them the big money fights. Cotto v Canelo would be absolutely huge.

Light Middleweight

Erislandy Lara 19-2-2 (12) v James Kirkland 32-1 (28)

(Goldenboy v 50 Cent - SMS Promotions)

40% likely

I think Lara was damaged in his loss to Canelo but if he is drawn into a fight like he was with Angulo we will see the best in him. The only other guy at 154 that can do this is Kirkland. They both need a big fight. Kirkland has been so inactive and Lara needs to look good in an entertaining fight to win back the fans. The main issue I see with this is that although Lara still has his belt Kirkland is not in the top 15 with WBA. He is quite high with other organizations but it would need to be a voluntary defence. I think Canelo could end up fighting Kirkland and Lara will face Sergiy Rabchenko.

Welterweight

Floyd Mayweather 46-0 (26) v Manny Pacquaio 56-5-2 (38)

(Mayweather v Top Rank)

10% likely

I think we’ve about given up on this now. Both guys need it for their legacy. Pacquaio has been with top rank for so long he is running out of guys to fight. Mayweather is just waiting around for Pac to lose again so he can justify not fighting him. This story is probably the saddest in boxing history and proves the mess of bureaucracy that we are in right now. This fight has to happen but it probably never will.

Light Welterweight

Lucas Matthyse 35-3 (33) v Ruslan Provodnikov 23-3 (16)

(Goldenboy v Top Rank)

10% likely

Obviously if I was picking the best fighters in this division it would probably involve Danny Garcia and Juan Manuel Marquez but I can’t think of a more exciting fight in boxing than this right now. It has best fight of all time potential written all over it. The old unstoppable force versus immovable object. I can’t even think who would be the aggressor here. Bombs away. Again unless Goldenboy and Top Rank can resolve their differences one can only dream.

Lightweight

Terence Crawford 24-0 (17) v Miguel Vazquez 34-3 (13)

(Top Rank v Zanfer Promotions)

70% likely

Quite hopeful for this one. Might not be a great spectacle with both being jab and move fighters. Crawford may have superstar potential but if he wants to move up in weight he should really face Vasquez first. As Vasquez promoter is relatively unknown he probably hasn’t made the big bucks yet. His only losses have came to Canelo x2 and Tim Bradley. He has been extremely dominant since moving down to lightweight. Its only right that Crawford takes this fight before he goes up to 140 and there’s no way Vazquez would turn it own.

Super Featherweight

Mikey Garcia 34-0 (28) v Yuriorkis Gamboa 23-1 (16)

(Top Rank v SMS Promotions, 50Cent)

50% likely

Mikey Garcia didn’t seem to want this fight when he was offered it last year. Now that Gamboa has lost maybe this will peak his interest. Gamboa is highly likely to move down to 130 to chase this fight. He has made his position clear to 50 cent that he wants more fights. Top Rank and SMS obviously managed to negotiate for the Gamboa-Crawford fight so I’m hopeful. An issue with this though is that Garcia seems to have a few problems with his management at the moment. It is also rumoured that Arum would like to put Garia and Donaire in against each other despite their friendship and a further jump in weight for the Filipino Donaire.

Featherweight

Vasyl Lomachenko 2-1 (1) v Nonito Donaire 33-2 (21)

(Top Rank v Top Rank)

75% likely

This is the fight i’d prefer for Donaire. Nonito looked like he was on the slide after he lost to Rigondeaux followed by a below par performance against Darchinyan before he stopped him. I think he would prefer to stay at featherweight than move up again after he won against Vetyeka. Both are now title holders at 126 so this would be a unification bout. I would imagine that the WBO would make Lomachenko fight a mandatory before any unification as they have been very generous in even giving him a title shot in the first place. The top 3 challengers in the WBO are Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo 51-1 (33), Abner Mares 27-1-1 (14) and Gamalier Rodriguez 24-2-3 (16). 1 and 3 are extremely winnable and Mares is bound to have his sights set on a Jhonny Gonzalez rematch before anything else.

Super Bantamweight

Guillermo Rigondeaux 13-0 (8) v Leo Santa Cruz 27-0-1 (15)

(Top Rank v Golden Boy)

20% likely

Again its the old Goldenboy v Top Rank scenario. Only time will tell if they can reconcile their differences. Arum is finding it very difficult to promote Cuban Rigondeaux because even though he is so good he fights that perfect but rarely exciting amateur style. Personally as a boxing purist I’m a big fan but he needs an exciting fight. Leo Santa Cruz should deliver that. He is tall and rangy but with a good jab and body shots. This would no doubt be an exciting fight with his kind of pressure. Rigondeaux has said he wants a unification bout after his next win. I think its highly likely that if favourite Carl Frampton takes the title from Kiko Martinez then the Cuban could face Frampton or Scott Quigg before Santa Cruz. There would be some good money in it for Rigondeaux to come to the UK or Ireland so those fights are more likely.

Of course there are many other fights that can be made but those are just my personal favourites from Super Bantamweight to Heavyweight. Of course it will be interesting to see if these promoters can deliver the fights that the fans want rather than looking to line their own pockets. I hope to revisit this at the end of next year and say that most of these fights happened but I am not hopeful.

Read more at http://www.boxingnews24.com/2014/07/the-must-have-fights-of-2015/#LaAotAWVfHUV1UTP.99

On April 4th, 2014 the Legacy FC 30 event was held inside the Route 66 Casino. Much of the promotion during the lead-up to the event was focused on the main event between Holly Holm and Juliana Werner despite the most significant bout of the evening being held two fights prior to the headlining fight. A Flyweight match-up between two Albuquerque trained fighters would be the marquee bout for the hardcore MMA fans in the area and when the dust settled on Legacy FC 30, that fight left the most significant impact on the New Mexico MMA scene.

*Author’s Note – (This opinion piece is not indicative of the opinion of the Southwest Fight News Staff. This in one author’s (mine) opinion and dissection of the encompassing content. I do not speak on behalf of my colleagues and any reaction, specifically negative should not be reflected upon a group for an opinion of one. – Phillip L.)

There are several, maybe even dozens of MMA clichés that have been used so much that they have become common statements that are believed by fight fans to be more like laws than opinions. Examples of those are that fighters need to be part of big gyms to succeed, they need world-class training partners to get to the UFC level, and the list goes on in that direction. Those cliché statements can often be found to be true, for the New Mexico fight fans it can be easy to pinpoint to these statements being that our area boasts one of MMA’s most talked about gyms and is host to several of the sport’s most recognized coaches.

This past Friday night, several miles outside of New Mexico, an extremely talented 20-year old fighter won a fight over another talented fighter. He did so not unlike any of his previous victories, the fight was exciting just as his previous fights were, and he stamped his signature, maybe even trademark maneuver on an opponent just as he had seven times prior but the fight result may have changed the landscape of our local MMA scene.

There is nothing special about the Jackson-Winkeljohn gym or the FIT NHB gym when gazing upon the buildings from outside the gym doors. Two warehouse-type buildings, nothing that would really catch your eye should you be passing by; in fact, the Jackson-Winkeljohn gym is so remote on a side street in Albuquerque that it would be very odd to stumble across it accidentally. The two premier Albuquerque gyms are little more than your typical, run-of-the-mill structures that a commoner would never identify to be locations of elite level MMA gyms.

There is a story between these two gyms. The two coaches have ties to one another stemming back several years when FIT NHB Coach Tom Vaughn and Greg Jackson were actually training beneath the same roof and for hardcore fans in the area, it is well-known that the two head coaches no longer operate in coordination of one another. The storylines dig deeper between the gyms, it was well-documented that former Interim UFC Champion and former WEC Champion Carlos Condit made the move from FIT NHB to the Jackson-Winkeljohn gyms years ago. The Condit move caused a rift between invested individuals that remain strong to the present time.

The rivalry between FIT NHB and the Jackson-Winkeljohn gym is often just an undertone; not many people like to discuss it and the topic has become essentially taboo. Some are afraid to speak of it in fear of aligning themselves to one side which might bring scorn from the other side and many refrain from opinion to remain in the good graces of people in positions of “power”.

But the rivalry exists.

The rivalry isn’t exemplified through combat however, the rivalry actually has a very non-combative structure to it. There is a line, an imaginary line where the two never cross to the other side. You don’t find much inter-mingling between the two groups, Jackson-Winkeljohn fighters don’t fight for the King of the Cage promotion of which FIT NHB finds their fighters a constant home and you don’t see FIT NHB fighters included in the Jackson’s MMA Series events where the host gym dominates the fight card. There really isn’t any neutral promotions in the area either, as Fresquez Productions events have been filled with Jackson-Winkeljohn fighters. When you see FIT NHB fighters on a card, there isn’t likely to be a Jackson-Winkeljohn fighter also on the listing.

Smaller and up-and-coming gyms also share the imaginary line in the rivalry; the Rio Rancho Judgement MMA gym has close ties to FIT NHB and the Lutrell’s MMA gym shares the same ties to the Jackson-Winkeljohn gym. The same sentiment from before about how when you see one, you don’t see the other applies here as well.

Interestingly, in a sport focused on combat and two people locked inside a cage in a proverbial “who’s bigger and badder” contest, the two rival gyms have never sent their competitors into action against each other. That all changed this past Friday night when FIT NHB sent their best prospect Ray Borg to the Legacy FC cage to meet up with the best prospect from the Jackson-Winkeljohn gym, Nick Urso.

The reasoning for the lack of direct competition between the two gyms can be expressed in numerous opinions but the most likely of course is the politics and pressure that comes with dueling with a rival. With a win, one gym owns bragging rights over the other and with a loss, one gym loses steam in the rivalry even though once again it will be expressed as an undertone.

The Jackson-Winkeljohn gym is the state’s most celebrated gym possessing world-wide recognition and being included in discussions as MMA royalty. Head Coach Greg Jackson is easily MMA’s most popular coach and Mike Winkeljohn is one of the sport’s most polarizing striking savants. There is no argument to that assessment and the labels are well deserved. On the flip side, FIT NHB is regarded as the step-child to the Jackson-Winkeljohn gym; produces good fighters but never receives the same attention as their rivals from down the road. Despite the coaching staff holding their own respectable accreditation, they are often a second-thought to the Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn led coaching staff.

But why? Where does that thought-process come from?

The Jackson-Winkeljohn gym is considered MMA’s first “Super-Gym”. Much like the Blackzillian fight camp and even the Nova Unaio gym down in Brazil, a “Super-Gym” is a place where the best-of-the-best accumulate to make for a place where notable names are plenty. Ask any casual follower of New Mexico MMA to name 10 fighters from the Jackson-Winkeljohn roster and you may find yourself with 20-answers before you know it. Ask the same question about FIT NHB’s MMA roster and one may struggle to round out the ten. That isn’t a knock on FIT NHB, that is a resounding observation on how the Jackson-Winkeljohn gym attracts fighters.

When Nick Urso prepared for Ray Borg, the talk was about how Urso training with UFC contender John Dodson, former WEC/UFC fighter and Legacy top contender Damacio Page, and the other highly praised fighters at the gym would prepare him for this fight and the opportunity to be in the UFC better than opponent Ray Borg’s preparation at FIT NHB. While Borg trained with respectable teammates, in the eye’s of many, none stacked up to the elite caliber of Urso’s teammates.

Now incorporate the coaching staff of each fighter and many wrote Borg off as a huge underdog. If you don’t believe that these factors didn’t make a difference, one needs to simply visit a site like Tapology where fans of MMA can vote on fight outcomes. The percentage for Urso stood in the 90-percentile from the time the fight was announced until the bell sounded for the start of the fight. Having Greg Jackson, Mike Winkeljohn, the rest of that coaching staff and world-class training partners swayed fans to believe that with all that on Urso’s side, the minimal comparison that Borg could produce would lead to a sure loss.

The outcome of Friday night’s fight changed clichés surrounding a “Super-Gym” mentality and in my opinion changed the landscape of New Mexico’s MMA scene.

Ray Borg dominated Nick Urso from start to finish. Urso had his flashed of offense but never placed Borg into any sort of trouble while Borg attacked for nine-minutes and one-second whether it was from his back, from top position or standing. If a fan didn’t know any better, it looked as if Ray Borg was the considerable favorite in the bout and Urso was the out-matched underdog. While extremely talented, Nick Urso had run into New Mexico’s premier unsigned prospect and unfortunately was dealt a loss in what could be considered a “winner makes it big” fight. On a nationally televised fight card, Borg was the most impressive winner of the night and if not for the immense fandom Holly Holm brings to every outing, Ray Borg’s name would be synonymous with the “Fight of the Night” label.

While Urso enjoyed and reaped the benefits of training with UFC fighters, with elite caliber coaches, and in state-of-the-art training facilities, Ray Borg ran the FIT KIDZ youth program, training alongside lesser-known teammates and trained under a coaching staff that often goes undervalued. If that isn’t a code-breaker I don’t know what is!

The constant migration of fighters to the Jackson-Winkeljohn gym makes the gym more prominent in notoriety and notable memberships but doesn’t guarantee fighters the success needed to make it to the big show. While most of the gym’s stable of talented fighters will still make it, including Nick Urso who undoubtedly will bounce back and make a UFC run, the need for that type of gym was diminished in under ten minutes when Ray Borg secured a fight ending rear-naked choke at 4:01 in the second round of his career defining fight.

Ray Borg of Tucumcari, New Mexico, a town of just over five-thousand people won the biggest fight in New Mexico’s storied MMA history. He placed himself atop the list of fighters to make the jump to the UFC and he did so through the hard work dedicated in a gym not many outside of New Mexico even know about. He did so inside a gym that people even in New Mexico hardy recognize to be a place of top-level combat training.

And he did so in the perfect possible way.

Ray Borg fought four times as an amateur and now six times professionally and his career progression has been nothing short of brilliant. The career handling of Borg as an individual and from his fight team should be celebrated as the best way to bring along a talented fighter. The coaches over at FIT NHB, Tom and Arlene Vaughn and Jon Judy watched as a small-town kid emerged from beneath their wings to become the well-polished, mature individual that entertains hundreds and even thousands of people every year. While the coaching staff didn’t receive the attention that their Jackson-Winkeljohn counterparts did, they played a tremendous role in sculpting a fighter through the ranks.

Through the grooming of the gym and self-discipline imposed on himself, Borg won several amateur bouts and without a loss in four outings, he made the jump to the professional level. He entered into MMA as a pro with experience but hardly with any competition as each amateur bout ended before the two-minute mark.

In Borg’s professional debut he was matched with Gene Perez, a veteran of two sports and a tough-out for any fighter. Borg won quickly and then went on to win his next two King of the Cage bouts in the same fashion. Borg was now 3-0, had beaten everyone handily and the argument could have been made then that he was being built up with overmatched opponents. Quickly dispelling that logic, Borg moved up 10-pounds to fight an individual who typically actually fought twenty-pounds higher than Borg and was one of New Mexico’s most prominent and successful local fighters. Angelo Sanchez was and remains New Mexico MMA royalty and would surely be inducted to a New Mexico MMA Hall of Fame if one existed. Borg thoroughly and dominantly defeated Sanchez in a three-round fight and would not only see his first judge’s decision but get the raised eyebrows of fight fans who were now acknowledging his talents.

Traveling out to Oklahoma, Borg would then win a promotional title against a fellow prospect from another region. He had fought to his record level in his initial bouts with a win over a more experienced fighter, won a marquee bout against a proven local veteran and now beat a fellow prospect from another area for a title. The career progression was transitionally sound and perfect for his career. Borg had made it look easy in his nine fights and was now considered a full-blown breakout star in New Mexico’s MMA scene.

With his win over Urso, Borg now holds a win over a fighter from a world-acclaimed gym who was considered one fight away from a UFC roster slot. In each professional fight, Borg climbed the ladder and each time became that much more impressive. The homegrown talents of Borg redefines conventional knowledge and cliché, he didn’t fight lesser-talent to pad a record and he didn’t need the grooming of a world-famous gym to show him the doors to the next level.

Undoubtedly on the UFC radar, Ray Borg took the biggest fight of his career and turned into the biggest local victory in New Mexico’s MMA history. If, and when Borg enters the realm of the sport’s brightest stage, he will have done so starting from the bottom and blossoming in a way we may have never seen before. Inside the walls of FIT NHB, a star trains and the method of which he earned that shine will change how our local scene is viewed in a historical context. It may not be felt today, or even in the following weeks but when we look back years from now, Ray Borg’s win this past Friday night and his career progression these last 10-fights will have shaped New Mexico MMA into a different mold and  changed the fight landscape for years to come.

Ray Borg welcomed in the youth movement in MMA into New Mexico, the hybrid-styled, new generation of fighting. Without a “Super-Gym” and UFC training partners, Borg ushered in the new wave of success to be found fighting in New Mexico’s regional MMA scene.

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Yoshihiro Akiyama will look to put four straight losses behind him when he returns to the Octagon against Kyle Noke at  UFC Fight Night “Hunt vs. Nelson.”

UFC officials announced the pairing through a promotional video in Japan to promote the Sept. 20 event.

For “Sexyama,” the matchup will serve as his first fight in almost two and a half years. The last time the 38-year-old fought was against Jake Shields at UFC 144 in 2012, which he lost by decision. Prior to that contest, Akiyama was knocked out with punches by Vitor Belfort at UFC 133; outpointed by Michael Bisping in the main event of UFC 120; and submitted by Chris Leben at UFC 116.

Akiyama’s lone victory in the UFC came against Alan Belcher at UFC 100, where he notched a split-decision win. While the judoka’s record on American soil is less than stellar, he has only suffered one loss in his home country while competing for promotions like Dream and K-1.

The defeat occurred in the same venue that UFC Fight Night will take place, Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Noke will be trying to bounce back from a unanimous decision loss against Patrick Cote at “The Ultimate Fighter Nations” Finale in April. The Jackson-Wink MMA product has dropped three of his last four tilts under the Zuffa banner, but with a fight similar to his knockout of Charlie Brenneman at UFC 152, “KO” can quickly jump back up the welterweight ladder.

The Australian is a capable kickboxer who also maintains a solid chin -- his only knockout loss in 27 career bouts came at the hands of Scott Smith during an EliteXC event in 2008.

UFC Fight Night Japan is anchored by a heavyweight clash featuring Roy Nelson versus Mark Hunt, and co-stars Takanori Gomi vs. Myles Jury at 155 pounds. Also, Miesha Tate will lock horns with the undefeated Rin Nakai and Chris Cariaso will do battle with Kyoji Horiguchi in a bantamweight tilt.

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Ricky Burns' new trainer Tony Sims says the Scottish fighter has not lost any of his desire or determination despite losing his world belt earlier this year.

The Scot’s reign as WBO lightweight champion was ended in March by a points defeat against Terence Crawford, but he will move back into title contention with a win over Dejan Zlaticanin on Friday, live on Sky Sports 3 from 8pm.

His meeting with the Montenegrin serves as an eliminator for the WBC title, currently held by Omar Figueroa, and Burns remains determined to rule this division after a 10-week camp with new trainer Sims in Essex.

Sims believes he has the desire needed to be a champion again, telling Sky Sports: “I’ve had fighters in the past that have lost important fights, you can see they’ve lost that bit of desire and will to do the extra bit that you need to do to be champion.

“And Ricky’s got that in abundance – if he’s left his wife and family behind in Scotland and moved down to Essex for 10 weeks for training and that takes a lot to do that.”

More determined

Burns himself feels like he is on top of his game to face Zlaticanin, who is undefeated in 18 fights, with 13 KOs.

“I was gutted losing my world title, it’s just made me more determined to go out there and prove a point to myself more than anything that I’ve still got it.

“I still believe that I do belong at a higher level.”

Burns feels the sacrifice of his Essex training camp was worth paying, saying: “The variety of training and that you’re doing, I think that’s what’s really got me here.

“Going down south, I knew it was going to be hard. Down there, you can concentrate fully on the boxing side of things, you’ve got no distractions at all.”

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Katie Taylor made it six European finals in a row as she got the better of Denitsa Eliseeva on Friday.

The Wicklow fighter saw off the Bulgarian, who was the last woman to beat her back in 2011, 3-0 as she qualified for a 16th career final.

It was a clinical performance from the odds-on favourite, who will now meet Estelle Mossely for the 60kg medal on Saturday.

Honoured to be representing Ireland in another European final, the Olympic champion wrote on Twitter.

Thanks for all the support, it's incredible.

However, Taylor will not be joined on finals day by compatriot Clare Grace, who was outpointed by England's Stacey Copeland in the 69kg category. The Stockport woman will face Elena Vystropova, who saw off Cristiana Mihaela.

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The day has finally arrive fight fans, it is fight day for Legacy FC 30 and the popular Texas MMA promotion will host a stacked fight card tonight at the Route 66 Casino just outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico. In conjunction with Fresquez Productions, Legacy FC brings their successful show to the very first time to our state and they didn’t pull any punches when match-making for the professional card. From the headliner to the highly anticipated Flyweight tilt, Legacy FC has a little something for every kind of fight fan. Whether you like knockouts or submissions, grueling chess matches or all-out wars; Legacy FC 30 has the type of match-ups and fighters to entertain any type of fan.

Prior to the event, we encourage you to browse through the site, we have dedicated a tremendous amount of time and effort to covering the event. However, in our best effort to prepare fight fans for tonight’s evening we though we’d bring you a quick “fan guide” focusing on the main card of the event. You could even call this the cliff notes of all of our coverage from the event.

Holly Holm (6-0) vs. Juliana Werner (7-3)

Quick Synopsis: When this event was announced. it came as no surprise to anyone that Holly Holm would be the headliner. Fresquez Productions and the Legacy FC promotion have their eye on their prize which is building off of the popularity Holm has garnered since being mentioned by the UFC as a potential addition to their roster. Holm is not a stranger to main event status, aside from her Bellator MMA bout last year, Holm traditionally takes the helm as an event’s headlining act and featured fighter.

What To Watch For: Holm is known for her World Championship Boxing skills but Holm’s strength rests in her kicks and footwork. It is very hard to catch Holm inside the cage and seemingly impossible to close the distance enough to grapple or wrestle. Her kicks land hard and she has a highlight reel of kicks that have ended the night for very unfortunate girls. I expect Holm to keep his distance while launching her accurate strikes to pepper her opponent until she finds a home for that big head kick. As usual, fight fans should expect Holm to throw leg kicks plenty which have softened up most of her opponents so far in her young MMA career.

Brazil’s Juliana Werner typically fights 10-pounds lighter at 125-pounds so it is unlikely she will entertain the idea of trying to out-muscle Holm, I expect the durable Werner to fight patient and look for openings. If she can catch a kick or time a kick in hopes Holm will slip, she can get the fight to the ground without the risk of eating big strikes. Werner is definitely out-matched on the feet and she will be the next girl in a long line of girls who is supposed to challenge Holm’s ground game.

Post-Fight Effects: As we discussed in one of our mini-series articles on Legacy FC, every victory going forward going be Holm’s last on the regional circuit. She has been knocking on the door of the UFC for some time now and if it wasn’t for negotiations stalling between UFC President Dana White and Holm’s management, we could expect her to be on the UFC card for June which is being held in Albuquerque. Unfortunately, Dana White doesn’t break his business model for fighters and Holm isn’t as heralded by fight fans across the world as she is in her home state. With a win, Holm’s inclusion in the UFC will be a hot topic; of course, with a loss, all that goes out the window for Holm as the UFC will have more bargaining leverage should her undefeated aura be taken away.

Donald Sanchez (29-13) vs. Flavio Alvaro (46-10)

Quick Synopsis: Donald Sanchez is a local legend and one of the most experienced fighters around the State of New Mexico; it seems as if they same can be said about Flavio Alvaro in his home town of Sao Paulo, Brazil. When we broke down this fight we discussed the experience between the two fighters and how rare it is to find guys who combine for 100-fights in MMA experience. Sanchez moved gyms, from FIT NHB to the Jackson-Winkeljohn gym after his last bout and the effects of the change will be a point of intrigue when Sanchez fights tonight.

What To Watch For: I would definitely warn fight fans of an aggressive, exciting all-out war between these two grizzled veterans. This could be the “Fight of the Night” and as I have said before, I don’t recall a boring Donald Sanchez fight. The Albuquerquean is inept for using all eight limbs any way possible to hurt his opponent. The lead strikes of Sanchez have amazing accuracy and the usage of lead strikes (other than typical jabs) really set up the use of combination and volume striking. I expect Sanchez to push the pace and take the fight right to Alvaro.

Alvaro is explosive and dynamic, he has finished a lot of fights and has done so quickly, and ferociously. Alvaro can be very calculated and methodical inside the cage but don’t let that fool you, Alvaro is waiting for a shot and when he throws, Alvaro throws with bad intentions. Look for Alvaro’s loaded punches which he tucks back in exchanges awaiting the opening to land it. He will often use head movement to dodge strikes which allows him to load up and land knockout inducing punches and kicks.

Post-Fight Effects: This is a huge fight for both fighters. The UFC is expanding to both Brazil and New Mexico and a win by either fighter places him in a good place to get the call-up to the big leagues for a fight in their respective hometowns. For both fighters, the change to fight in the UFC is a long-time coming as both men have dedicated long careers to MMA and the end result will be rewarding for the fighters and their fan base.

Nick Urso (7-1) vs. Ray Borg (5-0)

Quick Synopsis: Anyone who follows this site for MMA news knows that this fight is our pick for the best fight of the event. We have dedicated lots of attention to this bout and believe that Urso vs. Borg is the biggest local fight in New Mexico MMA history. We gave you several reasons why fans need to tune in to watch this event and this lone match-up should be reason enough to make the trip. The two fighters are from rival gyms and represent the #1 and #2 prospects in New Mexico regardless of weight class and even though Tapology seems to favor Urso, this fight is as good as you will get on the regional circuit.

What To Watch For: The blazing speed of the Flyweights will be on center stage tonight as both Urso and Borg are insanely quick and explosive. While the fighters and coaches won’t publicly admit it, Urso and Borg have more than wins or losses hanging in the balance. Representing rival gyms, these two fighters will be fighting to change the landscape of the local, regional MMA scene in New Mexico.

I would keep an eye on the transitional dominant of Borg who can move from striking to wrestling to Jiu Jitsu in a blink of an eye. His hybrid style of fighting has coined Borg the label of being one of the “Breakout Stars” of our State’s fight scene. While Borg is still very young in his career and only 20-years of age, the maturity level in his fighting style has him poised to make a run at the big show. Also keep an eye out for the grappling fluidity of Borg, I believe that if anyone at 125-pounds makes a mistake on the ground, “The Taz-Mexican” can submit them.

When Urso touches gloves, watch for his technical precision in his striking delivery. He is refined, well-tuned, and extremely dedicated to his craft; those characteristics should make for a tall task for anyone to overcome. Urso has very crisp, powerful punches and should he be able to stifle the wrestling attack of Borg, the Floridian Urso has been well-known to put on striking clinics inside the cage.

Post-Fight Effects: More so than any other fight on the fight card, this bout has the most significant ramifications for the winner. Whoever has their hand raised tonight will become undoubtedly the best fighter in the lighter weight classes not signed by the UFC and will also be considered the number one prospect in the State of New Mexico. A big win for either fighter may just be the marquee-victory needed to get the call to the UFC, or even to the World Series of Fighting. Not only that, the winner brings home bragging rights for his gym in a very competitive and storied rivalry between FIT NHB and the Jackson-Winkeljohn gym.

Adrian Cruz (5-1) vs. Henry Briones (13-4)

Quick Synopsis: In another battle of local gyms sending out their fighters for some bragging rights, Judgement MMA’s Adrian Cruz represents the best-of-the-best from the Rio Rancho gym and Henry Briones represents the Jackson-Winkeljohn gym as part of the wave of Mexican fighters poised to make a run for the UFC when they expand into Mexico. Cruz is a hard-worker, really a work horse as a fighter and he will bring in well-polished skills and elite level conditioning. Briones is a naturally talented fighter who made a name for himself fighting in Mexico where he would showcase well-rounded striking and grappling skills.

What To Watch For: Each minute that passes in the 15-minute fight, the more favorable the fight is for Cruz who’s conditioning is outright impressive. “Killa” Cruz can work opponents from top position and in the striking game. Cruz hits hard when he throws and when he is on the ground, he mixes us crafty submissions with powerful ground and pound. Briones is dynamite in his talents, he has the ability to end the fight with precision counter strikes and solid offensive grappling. The two fighters are similar in that they push the pace and prefer to be in command of the pace of the fight.

Post-Fight Effects: This is definitely a statement fight for Briones and a redemption fight for Cruz. Briones, part of the Mexican influx at the Jackson-Winkeljohn gym is expected to be UFC bound so long that he keeps winning. A win over Cruz will definitely turn some heads and start to build a fanbase in his new home of Albuquerque. For Cruz, coming off of a loss is one of the hardest things to do as a fighter and the highly touted prospect will need a convincing win to propel himself up the ladder towards bigger fights. The fight is between two tough fighters, fighting for something vastly different and both simply need a “W” over the other.

Mikey Lovato (10-3) vs. Gene Perez (3-6)

Quick Synopsis: Belen vs. Albuquerque fight fans, Mikey Lovato returns to MMA action and meets up with Belen’s talented striker Gene Perez. Currently revamped and poised to make another run inside the cage, Mikey Lovato will fight in the 125-pound weight class where he has only lost once in his career. With his powerhouse wrestling skills engraved into his person, Lovato has worked with Albuquerque Kickboxing Academy’s Ray Yee to polish up his striking. Gene Perez of the Perez Fighting Systems is a well-known fighter in the area as he has fought several notable opponents during his career. A win over Lovato would mark his biggest career victory to date.

What To Watch For: The single and double leg takedowns of Lovato will be a spectacle to see should he work a wrestling oriented game plan. Lovato has been known to get deep on a takedown and pick opponents up over his head to slam them down emphatically seconds later. The technical dominance of Lovato’s wrestling has been showcased on amateur wrestling’s brightest stages and his MMA career was full of grappling dominance. Being a dominant wrestler, watch out for arm-locks such as kimuras and americanas should the fight hit the mat.

Don’t blink an eye when Gene Perez is whipping his right hand towards an opponent as the Belen fighter has knockout power waiting to be unleashed. Perez is a stand-up fighter still improving his ground game; if Perez is able to use his length to keep Lovato out of wrestling range, watch out for that striking to really be a lot for Lovato to handle.

Post-Fight Effects: A loss for either fighter can be devastating, for Lovato it could derail his comeback campaign and for Perez it places him in a big hole in his attempt to get on the right side of .500. When there is so much on the line, I expect both fighters to come into this fight extremely hungry. Perez would get a marquee victory over a storied and celebrated veteran in MMA and Lovato would start his MMA return with a huge showing of positivity. I expect both fighters to leave it all in the cage.

That wraps up our Legacy FC 30 pre-fight coverage! Follow our Twitter handle (@SWFight) tonight for round-by-round updates and results. As always, we encourage the fight fans to come out and support our local fighters. IF you aren’t able to make it to the Route 66 Casino by 7:00 PM, tune in to AXS TV to catch the Legacy FC event live!

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