If BJ Penn is not one of your all-time favorite fighters then you’re doing it wrong.

At UFC 31, a 22-year-old BJJ black belt from Hawaii entered the Octagon for the first time to deliver a star-in-the-making performance. Of course, Penn displayed excellent grappling skills, but, more so, Penn showed unique flexibility and devastating punching power as well. Within the year, “The Prodigy” would become a huge fan favorite with his willingness to scrap wherever the fight went and his ability to finish once there.

What UFC fans grew to understand was that with Penn in the cage, everything was possible.

Knockouts and submissions were both on the table. Takedown defense became an art form. Weight classes became pedestrian as Penn went on to win UFC titles as a welterweight and lightweight. The Hawaiian was creating a legacy from Day One and everyone was in on that exciting ride for 13 years.

Here are the 10 most memorable UFC performances from “The Prodigy”.

10. BJ Penn vs. Caol Uno - UFC 34

Following back-to-back first round KO/TKO finishes inside the Octagon in New Jersey, “The Prodigy” had lived up to his moniker and then some by showing heavyweight knockout power in a spry lightweight’s body. Penn’s third trip into the cage had title implications as he was set to scrap with Japanese MMA star Caol Uno, who had already gone the distance in his failed title bid with then champ Jens Pulver. The stage was set for a classic confrontation between the two skilled fighters, but instead it took longer for the introductions than the fight. As the bout started, Uno screamed across the cage to throw a flying knee/sidekick, which Penn swiftly avoided then returned fire with a combination of punches that left Uno out on his back against the cage. “The Prodigy” celebrated his 11-second win by exiting the cage and running back up the entrance ramp.

9. BJ Penn vs. Matt Hughes - UFC 123

It only took 21 seconds for “The Prodigy” to cap off one of the greatest trilogies the Octagon has ever known. In “BJ Penn: A Fighter Retires,” Thomas Gerbasi paints the picture of the former two-time UFC champion sharing an honest and calm moment with his older brother JD prior to highly-anticipated third clash with UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes. After the back-and-forth, Penn calls to UFC site coordinator Burt Watson to yell his name and lead him out to the Octagon like “The Godfather of Soul” James Brown being brought to the stage for one final performance. Once inside the cage, “The Prodigy” stamped out his final UFC win with a counter right, which dropped Hughes and led to Penn following up with some shots on the ground. Nine-plus years in the UFC, “The Prodigy” still packed that one-punch power.

8. BJ Penn vs. Georges St-Pierre - UFC 58

It was the first time fight fans really saw the eventual longtime UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre hurt inside the Octagon. Marking his return to the UFC cage for the first time in over two years, “The Prodigy” collided in a title eliminator with St-Pierre, who was on a three-fight win streak in the organization. The opening round went from bad to worse for St-Pierre, who was clearly outmatched by Penn’s knuckled attack, which tore up St-Pierre’s face as well as his body. Sporting a crimson mask for the first time inside the Octagon, St-Pierre would use his superior gas tank to push the pace and outlast Penn in the next two rounds en route to a split decision victory. While not a win, seeing the damage Penn could do to an uber-athletic specimen like St-Pierre in such a short time span on the feet with his fists was possibly more impressive than the final outcome.

7. BJ Penn vs. Matt Hughes - UFC 63

Part II of the Hughes/Penn trilogy featured the quintessential entrance of “The Prodigy,” with Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s “Hawai’i ‘78” setting an emotional tone for the Hilo warrior. With tears in Penn’s unflinching stare, the music switched to Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” and, for some unknown reason, fight fans now knew they were about to witness a special scrap. Round one, Penn’s takedown defense was can’t miss as he stuffed all of the then-UFC welterweight champion Hughes’ 7 takedown attempts. In the second stanza, the title fight went to the floor and it was shades of their first encounter as Penn, with less than two minutes in the round, exploded from bottom and took Hughes’ back. From there, “The Prodigy” worked his legs up and squeezed a reverse triangle attempt as well as cranked on an armbar with victory seemingly in his grasp. Hughes gutted out the final seconds and made it to round three, where Penn looked listless from either gassing out or some believe a rib injury. With Hughes on a five-fight unbeaten streak since his first meeting with “The Prodigy,” those first two rounds made it clear again that it was the undersized Penn who still had the tools to beat the eventual UFC Hall of Famer Hughes.

6. BJ Penn vs. Jens Pulver - The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale

If one needed to see what waiting for five and a half years of revenge looked like, one would only need to see the coaches’ clash from The Ultimate Fighter 5. Back in early 2002, it appeared to be a foregone conclusion that “The Prodigy” would march into the Octagon and, simply, take the title from then UFC lightweight champ Jens Pulver. Instead, Pulver met Penn head-on and the two battled for 25 minutes to the majority decision in favor of “Lil’ Evil.” Half a decade later, the pair of top 155ers had traveled the globe and found themselves set for another scrap inside the Octagon following a season of being rival coaches on TUF. As the rematch was finally underway, “The Prodigy” was clearly on a mission to right this wrong as quickly as possible. Penn shot for takedowns, passed Pulver’s guard, and threatened submissions from the onset. Penn didn’t just want the win; he wanted to make a statement. In the second round, “The Prodigy” did just that by taking Pulver’s back and trapping his left arm in the process, which gave Penn the express lane toward his rear naked choke victory.

5. BJ Penn vs. Kenny Florian - UFC 101

Takedown defense! Over the course of Penn’s incredible career, fans got to see what a versatile fighter “The Prodigy” was both offensively as well as defensively. Was Penn a BJJ wunderkind? Yep. Did Penn have knockout power in both hands? Affirmative. On top of that, “The Prodigy” was known for his baffling balance, which was the tentpole for his heralded takedown defense that Octagon regulars can remember UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture lauding. In Philadelphia, Penn shook off all 15 of Kenny Florian’s takedown attempts over the course of four rounds. 15?! After successfully defending five in that fourth stanza, “The Prodigy” shot for a takedown of his own, which took Florian off his feet and put his back on the mat. From there, Penn masterfully passed through Florian’s vaunted guard while blasting away with some ground and pound. Finally, “The Prodigy” took Florian’s back and sunk in a rear naked choke for Penn’s second UFC lightweight title defense.

4. BJ Penn vs. Joe Stevenson - UFC 80

Like the rematch with Pulver, it was crystal clear that “The Prodigy” was not letting this opportunity slip through his fingers. In his third bid for the UFC lightweight title, Penn met The Ultimate Fighter 2 winner Joe “Daddy” Stevenson, who was on a four-fight win streak inside the Octagon since his return to the 155-pound division. Maybe Penn hits that hard or it was a sheer intimidation factor, but, two seconds into the bout and one uppercut later, Stevenson was on the ground with “The Prodigy” manhandling him. Penn kept Stevenson on his back with constant top pressure and some fierce ground and pound, with one elbow in particular near the end of the first giving “Daddy” a red mask to wear. The second round featured Penn as a matador and Stevenson as a bull, literally, seeing red (from the blood trickling down his face). “The Prodigy” picked Stevenson apart on the feet with counter rights and lefts until Stevenson crumpled from the punching pressure and succumbed to ground and pound.

3. BJ Penn vs. Sean Sherk - UFC 84

Its frenetic final moments have been rightfully immortalized in the UFC’s “Evolution” intro. Although he won the UFC lightweight title earlier in the year, in the eyes of many critics, Penn’s title as “undisputed” champ would only be secured if he bested the belt’s previous owner: Sean “The Muscle Shark” Sherk. With an unbelievable 34-2-1 pro record at the time, Sherk was undefeated at 155 pounds and was on a three-fight win streak prior to his failed post-fight drug test at UFC 73. When the two top 155-pounders collided in May 2008, Penn put on a technical striking showcase, scoring on 69% of his significant strikes. With only seconds remaining in the third round, Penn pushed Sherk toward the cage with punches while “The Muscle Shark” lazily bounced off the cage toward “The Prodigy,” who exploded with a flying knee to Sherk’s defenseless face. Penn cleaned up the fallen Sherk with punches for a TKO as the round came to a close.

2. BJ Penn vs. Diego Sanchez - UFC 107

Immaculate. Literally, from start to finish, Penn dominated The Ultimate Fighter 1 winner in every capacity on the feet toward Penn’s third UFC lightweight title defense. Offensively, “The Prodigy” landed his heavy hands from the opening moments to the fifth round doctor’s stoppage following Penn’s head kick, which split Sanchez’s forehead in two. Defensively, it was like “The Prodigy” was playing with cheat codes by avoiding 93% of Sanchez’s significant strike attempts and, of course, Penn’s master class takedown defense was in full display by stuffing all 27 of Sanchez’s attempts. Yes, 27. In essence, it’s a 23-minute long 10-8 round, which shows off Penn’s striking brilliance and Sanchez’s granite chin eating it. Punches, kicks, knees, stuffing takedowns, head movement, a full gas tank? “The Prodigy” showed it all.

1. BJ Penn vs. Matt Hughes - UFC 46

With good reason, no win in BJ Penn’s career will eclipse this first round rear naked choke win over Matt Hughes at UFC 46. At the time, “The Prodigy” was easily one of the top lightweights in the world following a one-sided beating of Takanori Gomi outside of the UFC, but this fight was at 170 pounds. The UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes was a wrecking crew, having won 13 straight fights, including five successful defenses of the UFC title. Needless to say, Penn was the underdog prior to the bell, but moments into the bout it was Hughes who appeared in danger early and often. “The Prodigy” quickly stung Hughes with punches, including one that led the then-champ to the floor less than a minute into the bout. With Hughes on the defensive on the ground, Penn almost immediately took Hughes’ back in a scramble, which was foreshadowing what would transpire minutes later. With 30 seconds left, Penn scored a solid punch, jumped into mount, Hughes instinctively spun ,giving up his back, and “The Prodigy” gladly sunk in his hooks. Penn worked over the champ with elbows and punches until Hughes gave an opening for “The Prodigy” to slide in a tap-inducing rear naked choke. It was quick, it was clean, and, once it was over, Penn sealed the win with a kiss on Hughes’ cheek. Without a doubt, there will never be another like “The Prodigy”.

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As he took home the ESPY for 2014's Best Fighter, Floyd Mayweather Jr. was finally introduced to a nemesis he didn't even realize he had. Mayweather was quoted earlier this week saying he didn't even know who UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey was, but that changed Wednesday night as MMA's queen scored her own ESPY for the year's Best Female Athlete.

I wish her congratulations because I didn't know who she was the other day, Mayweather told Fighthub. I apologize because I didn't know. I'm used to watching football and basketball. I'm not really into boxing like that. When they tell me, 'Floyd, you need to check out a fighter, you need to scout a fighter' I'll say, 'Well, let me see him. We need to sign him.'

Worry not. Mayweather added he and his promotion company are still interested in branching out into representing MMA fighters.

Of course, said Mayweather. Mayweather Promotions, we are the past, present and future of sports entertainment. And yes, we will get involved with other contact sports in the future.

Mayweather and Rousey have shared headlines ever since the latter was asked in a radio interview how she would approach a hypothetical fight with Mayweather. Conceding the boxing edge, Rousey was adamant she'd carry the day if the scrap ever happened on the street. UFC president Dana White has taken every opportunity to carry water for the narrative, adamantly professing Rousey wouldn't just beat Mayweather in a fight, 'she'd hurt him bad.'

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Ricky Burns returns to the ring against Dejan Zlaticanin on Friday night for the first time since losing his WBO world lightweight title in March

The 31-year-old lost his belt to Terence Crawford earlier this year after nine successful world title bouts but he goes into a WBC eliminator against unbeaten Montenegrin Dejan Zlaticanin in Glasgow with champion Omar Figueroa firmly in his sights.

However, Burns insisted he would not underestimate dangerous opponent Zlaticanin ahead of the big fight.

The Coatbridge boxer told Sky Sports News: Hopefully after this fight, if all goes well and I get the win, we're going down the WBC route. There are still some big fights out there at lightweight but I never, ever look beyond an opponent.

I've got to give this guy the respect he deserves, coming over here undefeated, a great knockout record so. We're expecting a tough fight but a fight I'm more than confident of winning.

Burns claimed he had enjoyed his 10-week training camp in Essex with new trainer Tony Sims following his split from Billy Nelson but admitted he had missed his family.

He said: I feel as if I've just fitted right in down there now. Obviously it's hard being away from your family but I got home every second or third weekend, getting home where I could, so it really wasn't all that bad.

Hopefully come fight night it's going to pay off and be worth it. Like I said training's gone really well, I'm just looking forward to Friday night now and putting on a good performance.

Burns also concurred with critics' opinions that he had to show big improvement after defeat to Crawford followed a below-par display against Raymundo Beltran, during which the Scot suffered a broken jaw.

That bout followed an unconvincing win over Jose Gonzalez, who was forced to retire with a wrist injury, and when asked if he had a point to prove, Burns added: I do with myself but I don't really want to be putting any more pressure on myself.

The way I'm seeing it is I just need to go out there and do what I've been doing in the gym. I'm confident of going into my next fight and producing the goods.

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Carl Frampton has warned Kiko Martinez there will be 16,000 fans 'baying for his blood' when the duo slug it out for the IBF super-bantamweight title in Belfast on 6 September.

Frampton stopped the Spaniard in the ninth round in February 2013 but Martinez has since won four fights including a portion of the world title with an impressive victory over Jhonatan Romero.

The rematch is expected to sell out and Frampton believes his vociferous home support will hand him a pivotal advantage.

He said: I'm a live fighter, I'm hungry, I'm fighting in my own back yard in front of 16,000 people who are going to be baying for his blood and he's not going to be ready for that.

If you look at Kiko's last performances since losing to me he's won a world title against a weak champion, he's boxed two over-the-hill guys - and looked good against them - but this is a different story.

I know I'm ready. I know from what I've been doing in sparring and to my opponents - I'm sparring light welterweight guys in the gym and throwing them around.

Prime

I just feel everything has fallen into place. I'm 27 now, I'm in the prime of my life and the next few years are going to be the best you're going to see from me.

Frampton, who has won all of his 18 fights since turning professional in 2009, knocked out Hugo Fidel Cazares in the second round in April and stopped Jeremy Pardoi in the sixth round last October.

His bout with Martinez at the Odyssey Arena last year, which drew 9,000 spectators, was, however, a tight contest until Frampton unleashed his decisive blow.

People say it was close - I don't think it was close - you'd be generous to give him two rounds, Frampton said.

We're both aggressive fighters, we're both compact and like to come forward but Kiko can only come forward.

He's had more than 30 fights in his career and in every single one he's always on the front foot whereas I can go backwards, forwards, wherever, so that can make the difference.

Both of us have exciting styles - the first fight was a great fight until the knock-out and I think it'll be more of the same this time round.

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Derry Mathews has tipped Luke Campbell to become a future world champion ahead of his return to the ring.

The 26-year-old Olympic gold medallist took a break from the sport after his father’s cancer diagnosis, but is back in action on Saturday’s bumper Liverpool bill, live on Sky Sports.

Lightweight rival Mathews has watched Campbell’s progress with interest and expects him to succeed at world level.

“He’s the cream of the crop. I just think Luke is going to be one of the best fighters in the world,” Mathews told Sky Sports.

“I’ve been very impressed with him. He’s big for the weight, seems to be a puncher now. Maybe not in the amateurs he wasn’t a puncher, but all of a sudden he’s knocking people out.

“I think he can go right to the very top.”

Welshman Craig Woodruff is expected to be in the opposite corner as Campbell targets his sixth straight win since joining the professional ranks.

Mathews, a two-time British champion, believes Campbell is just two fights away from challenging for a first title.

“With the experience he has got from the amateurs, I think he is ready in two more fights,” said the Liverpudlian.

“I would do a six and an eight or two eight-rounders and then maybe an English title. If I was him, I’d go English title, British title, Commonwealth, European then fight for a world title.

“He’s an Olympic gold medallist, he’s the world’s best and I just think he’s very, very good and it’s just about getting the rounds in the gym and in sparring.”

An exciting domestic division includes the likes of Anthony Crolla and Kevin Mitchell, who are both hoping to land world title fights in the near future.

Manchester’s Crolla is targeting WBA King Richar Abril, while Mitchell has been pursuing IBF champion Miguel Vazquez.

Mathews has twice fought Crolla, halting him in 2012 before a drawn rematch, and doubts whether his old foe can compete with Abril.

“Listen if the fight happens good luck to Anthony but let’s be realistic about this, he can’t beat me,” said the 30-year-old. “He’s not even the best in the North West, that’s what I keep saying and he’s talking about fighting Abril.

“If it does happen, good luck to him let the best man win, but there’s no way he deserves a shot at that let’s be realistic. Kevin Mitchell deserves a shot more than him.”

Reflecting on Mitchell’s possible match-up with Vazquez, Mathews added: “If the fight happens here it will be a great fight and I hope Kevin does it because I like him as a person.

“He’s a massive, massive puncher at the weight and I think he can beat Vazquez.”

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LAS VEGAS, July 5 – The streak continues. Bantamweight contender Urijah Faber, the man who has never lost a non-title fight in a career that spans 38 fights and nearly 11 years, walked away a victor once again Saturday, turning back a tough challenge from Alex Caceres to submit the Ultimate Fighter 12 alum in the third round of their UFC 175 prelim bout at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

An entertaining scramble in the clinch kicked off the bout, with a stalemate against the fence being the result until the two frantically fought for position once again, this time with Faber getting the takedown in the second minute. Faber kept Caceres on the mat for the remainder of the round, though a late scramble at the end of the frame did get the crowd back into it.

A right-left by Faber jarred Caceres early in round two, allowing “The California Kid” to get his opponent to the canvas again. This time, Caceres was able to get out of trouble and back to his feet, and a lead right uppercut got Faber’s attention. The former WEC champion was able to dominate at close range, but while at long range, the lanky Caceres had some success. Unfortunately for “Bruce Leeroy,” the majority of the fight took place at close quarters.

Caceres came out fast for the final round, but Faber met him in intensity, and when the two hit the canvas, Faber took the Floridian’s back, and from there it was academic, with a rear naked choke forcing Caceres to tap out at 1:09 of the frame.

With the win, Faber improves to 31-7; Caceres falls to 10-6, 1 NC.

ROBERTSON vs. ALCANTARA

Welterweight vet Kenny Robertson picked up his second straight victory, winning a three-round unanimous decision over Brazil’s Ildemar Alcantara.

Scores were 30-26 across the board.

Robertson took over from the start, getting Alcantara to the mat and keeping him there for the entire frame, letting loose with enough strikes to avoid a restart by referee Chris Tognoni.

Alcantara was able to stay upright for two minutes in the second frame, but soon he was back on the mat, with Robertson continuing to get his strikes off with little resistance. With under two minutes left, he took the mount position and looked for a submission in the midst of his striking assault, but Alcantara made it out of the round.

Two accidental low kicks by Robertson didn’t make matters any better in the final round, and when it came to everything within the rule book, the Illinois product didn’t slow down either, controlling the bout on the feet and on the mat to sail to the victory.

With the win, Robertson ups his record to 14-3; Alcantara falls to 20-7.

SANTOS vs. CAMOZZI

Brazilian middleweight Bruno Santos’ three-round unanimous decision win over Chris Camozzi wasn’t pretty, but he’ll take the victory, his 11th straight that has gone the distance.

Scores were 29-28 twice, and 28-29 for Santos, who improves to 14-1; Camozzi falls to 19-8.

Camozzi was able to effectively avoid Santos’ smothering grappling attack for the first three minutes of the

fight, but in the final two, it was the Brazilian locking him up against the fence for the remainder of the round.

In the second, Santos landed some hard shots before taking Camozzi down in the midst of a standup exchange, and from there it turned into a typical Santos fight, as he dominated the action on the mat, with only a brief respite for Camozzi in the final minute when he stood for a second, only to be taken down once again.

Working his jab effectively for the opening two minutes of the final round, Camozzi unfortunately found himself grounded with three minutes remaining. The Coloradan tried to work for a kimura as Santos bulled him against the fence, and while that didn’t work, it did allow him to get to his feet. But when Camozzi got a little too aggressive with his striking, he got dumped to the mat by his opponent, who kept him there until the final horn.

FONT vs. ROOP

Octagon newcomer Rob Font had a debut to remember, as he knocked out veteran George Roop in the first round of their bantamweight contest.

The first round had settled into a tactical rhythm, with Roop the more active of the two, but just when the fans were starting to get restless, Font exploded with an overhand right that caught Roop flush. The Arizona product stumbled and then fell to the mat face first, with referee Chris Tognoni stepping in at the 2:19 mark.

With the win, Font improves to 11-1; Roop falls to 15-12-1.

ZACHRICH vs. VASCONCELOS

Middleweight veteran Luke Zachrich picked up his first UFC win, taking a three-round unanimous decision over TUF Brazil 3’s Guilherme Vasconcelos.

Scores were 30-27 twice and 29-28 for Zachrich, a member of the TUF 7 cast who is now 14-3; Vasconcelos falls to 3-2.

Zachrich took advantage of Vasconcelos’ sporadic offensive output in the opening round with a busy stand-up attack that kept the Brazilian from getting untracked.

Both fighters fought on even terms for much of the second frame, but a late surge by Zachrich might have earned the Ohio native another round.

Vasconcelos had a solid third round, but his lack of urgency in the all-striking contest wound up costing him in the end.

CASEY vs. BUSH

Former TUF 17 competitor Kevin Casey made a triumphant return to the Octagon, stopping Bubba Bush in the first round of the middleweight opener.

Casey got the fight where he wanted it to go almost immediately. But the fight’s move to the ground wasn’t due to a takedown, but courtesy of a short left to the jaw. From there, Casey calmly moved in for the finish, with a series of unanswered elbows knocking Bush out at 1:01 of the opening stanza.

With the win, Casey, who had won three straight after losing his UFC debut to Josh Samman in April of 2013, improves to 9-3; Bush falls to 8-3.

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Amir Khan insists the widely-touted fight between him and Floyd Mayweather Jnr will happen – though his next showdown could be against Manny Pacquiao.

Khan was close to a shot at Mayweather earlier in the year but the American opted to fight Marcos Maidana at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas instead.

Before the pound-for-pound king extended his unbeaten record against Maidana, Khan showed his class with an impressive victory over Luis Collazo on Mayweather’s undercard.

That victory has put Khan back in the hunt for a showdown with Mayweather but such a date with destiny will have to wait until next May as Khan will be observing Ramadan when the American plans to next step into the ring.

In the meantime Khan hopes a deal can be agreed to fight Pacquiao in November or December.

“We want to fight the big guys the top names in boxing,” Khan told Ringside. “The next time that I want to fight is around November or December. Ramadan is coming up so I am going to spend time at home and enjoy that month.

Talks

“I am looking at the likes of Marquez and Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather – they are the big names and that is where I belong fighting the top guys. There are talks about Manny Pacquiao happening in the future – may be next. So I have left my team, Al Hayman and my team Khan Promotions to do everything.

“The fight between me and Floyd Mayweather is going to happen one day. As long as I keep winning and putting on great performances, it is definitely going to happen. But I cannot do September because of Ramadan. The next time that it could happen is in May. I can fight then so it could be Floyd’s next fight after September.”

Khan’s fight against Collazo was his first bout at the full welterweight limit and his first contest for over a year.

The move up in weight was just one of a number of recent changes for Khan, including linking up with trainer Virgil Hunter and signing a deal with Mayweather’s promoter Al Haymon. And in four weeks ago he became a father for the first time.

Father

All of which he is relishing, and he credits the guidance of Hunter a major factor in his recent progress in the ring.

“It is a new chapter in my life having the baby and then moving up to 147 in the boxing – a new weight category for me, with new challenges out there for me,” he said.

“I am spending more time in the gym now. I am learning every time I am there and I am spending more time with Virgil. I am getting to know him on a personal level and building that relationship up.

“I am getting more sparring in and more pad work in with him. He is telling me what to do and what not to do, and watching a lot of videos with him, which helps. I see the mistakes I make that way.

“With Virgil he makes sure that you register what he is saying and he wants you to talk back to him. So I know what to do in there. What I like about him most of all is that he is very calm in the gym but very smart in the way that if he starts to shout then you know you’ve done something wrong.”

“He tells me how it is and doesn’t lie to me. I needed someone like him.”

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Nathan Cleverly has vowed to inflict another defeat on bitter rival Tony Bellew, but first he must get past Alejandro Valori on Saturday night.

The Welshman will travel to Bellew’s backyard for his cruiserweight clash with the Argentine at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, live on Sky Sports.

Cleverly claimed a hard-fought points win over the Merseysider in their previous meeting in 2011 and believes a repeat triumph would land him a shot at one of the division’s world champions.

“I believe at the end of this year, or probably at the start of 2015, I will be in line for a shot at the world title,” said Cleverly.

“I want to get this job done on Alejandro Valori and then first and foremost it is important I win that fight in good fashion. Then we will look for that big domestic grudge match between myself and Bellew and when I bash him up we will be looking for the world title fight then.

“I think it is realistic that my next fight after Valori will be Bellew. It is a big fight and maybe it should happen sooner rather than later - strike while the iron is hot.

We are both fresh at the weight and if all goes well after Saturday we will both be coming off two wins in the weight division. It would be the type of fight where the winner goes on to fight for the world title.”

Bellew appears on the same bill, battling Julio Cesar Dos Santos, and is still frustrated by Cleverly’s majority decision win, with one judge scoring their fight a draw.

Return bout

But the Cefn Forest man insists he won clearly and vowed to end any argument in the return bout.

“My verdict on the first fight was that I was 24 years of age, I went into his hometown, defending my world title and I successfully did that,” said Cleverly.

“There is no question in my mind, I certainly won the fight and the verdict was there, that was the final result. But he feels bitter at the loss, he wants his revenge, but ultimately I want the rematch because I want to not just win the rematch but I want to win emphatically, and I feel I will do that in the next fight.

“I think the new weight will suit both of us better. I feel we will be stronger, have more energy, more power, so I think the fight will be a replica of the first fight but a lot more explosive with the added weight.”

The undercard also features super-middleweights Rocky Fielding and Callum Smith, who attempt to extend their unbeaten records, while super-featherweight Stephen Smith stays busy with an eight-rounder ahead of an expected world title clash.

Heavyweight Anthony Joshua takes a step-up in class against former world title challenger Matt Skelton and fellow Team GB stars Luke Campbell and Anthony Ogogo are in action.

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Monster Products, the world leader in high-performance headphones, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization are pleased to announce that UFC® women’s bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey, has chosen Monster as her headphone and audio products partner.

Fresh from successfully defending her championship title against Alexis Davis at UFC 175 in Las Vegas on July 5, with an impressive 16 second knockout victory, and about to make her movie debut in The Expendables 3, Rousey is no stranger to success and working with the best, making the partnership with Monster a knockout choice.

“Music is a huge part of my life. It motivates me while training and before my fights while also helping me relax in my down time,” said Rousey. “Monster shares the same standards for perfection and performance in their products that I bring to the UFC. Regardless of the song, Monster headphones sound incredible and amp up my listening experience.”

Monster and the UFC: The Fusion of Music, Sports and Lifestyle

Monster Products Octagon headphones are the official headphone of the UFC, which includes individual endorsements of UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, and now, Rousey.

“UFC’s collaboration with Monster has been hugely successful in bringing great music to UFC fans. The Octagon headphones unique color and design are an expression of the UFC lifestyle,” stated Head Monster Noel Lee.

Noel continues: “Monster is incredibly proud that Ronda has chosen to partner with us. She is really a superstar inside the Octagon® as well as outside. Ronda represents the Monster brand in her approach to be the very best in what she does. From the first American woman to win a bronze medal in Judo in the Olympic Games, to her current undefeated record as the UFC women’s bantamweight champion, she truly embodies the essence of Monster.”

About Ronda Rousey

Ronda Jean Rousey is an American mixed martial artist and judoka. She has never lost a fight, and is the first and current UFC women’s bantamweight champion, as well as the former Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion. Rousey became the first American woman to earn an Olympic medal in Judo at the Summer Olympics in Beijing in 2008. Outside of the Octagon, she stars in two major blockbusters: Expendables 3, which will be released this summer, and Fast and the Furious 7, which will be released in Summer 2015. Ronda is also one of the female leads of the upcoming Entourage movie.

About Monster®

For the past 35 years, Monster has been a catalyst for innovation and big ideas. Discovering that cables in hi-fi systems influenced the sound, Head Monster Noel Lee developed Monster Cable – an immediate hit. Monster engineered the sound of Beats® headphones, and has since become the world’s leading manufacturer of high-performance headphones, all featuring Pure Monster Sound™ technology. Today, the company offers advanced connectivity solutions for professional musicians, home entertainment, computing, mobile and gaming, as well as high performance AC Power and conditioning products. Monster continues to lead in innovation with Monster having been granted over 500 Patents and 100 patents pending worldwide, offering more than 5,000 products in over 160 countries. Monster® also prides itself in helping those who are in less-than-fortunate circumstances through Monster Cares. Above all, Monster does what it does Because The Music Matters. Explore the world of Monster at www.monsterproducts.com. To become a fan of Monster products, please follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/monsterproducts) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/monsterproducts).

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®

Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Beijing, Singapore and Sao Paulo, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in 129 countries to nearly 800 million TV households worldwide in 28 different languages. The UFC has a multi-year broadcast agreement with FOX in the U.S., which annually includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network, as well as The Ultimate Fighter® reality television show and thousands of hours of programming on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. In 2014, UFC launched UFC FIGHT PASS™, a digital subscription service with exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content. The UFC organization also licenses over 100 UFC GYM® locations, and owns UFC.TV® (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT™ (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC Magazine, and has a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, Octagon™ branded apparel, DVDs and Blu-rays and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter and Instagram: @UFC.

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