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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Savannah Marshall is bidding for Commonwealth boxing gold to help put her 2012 Olympic misery behind her but knows the competition is getting tougher.

The Sky Sports Scholar has conceded her sharp rise to the pinnacle of women's boxing came at a price when she suffered the heartbreaking defeat in her first bout at London 2012.

The Hartlepool middleweight had headed to the capital as one of the strongest British favourites for gold after bludgeoning her way to world title glory in China just three months prior to the Games.

But out-of-sorts Marshall was dumped out by Kazakhstan's Marina Volnova, beginning a shift in fortune which saw two significant operations as Marshall sought to keep her meteoric rise on track.

Marshall said: I had gone to the world championships as an underdog and just three months later I was favourite for Olympic gold.

I think it was a case of too much, too soon and the pressure was just a bit too heavy.

Marshall has fought in only two competitions since London, winning gold in both the European Union Championships and the World Combat Games last year.

But shoulder operations and wrist problems have limited her chances to right the wrongs of her Olympic flop, and she was left out of the team for last month's European Championships in Romania in order to continue her rehabilitation process.

However, Marshall believes the first difficult chapter of her career is behind her as she looks to make history by becoming one of the first women to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next month.

I was really disappointed after London but I was only 21 and I believe I have really matured a lot since then, she said.

I'm happy and I'm glad things have worked out. I really feel a lot better about everything and my injuries have healed, and I'm over the moon to be part of the team going to the Commonwealth Games.

The level of competition Marshall can expect to face in her 75kg class in Glasgow is testament to the increased strength in depth in women's boxing since it was first accepted into the Olympic programme for 2012.

World number three Marshall will go into the event as the highest-ranked athlete in the competition but will come up against the likes of Welsh fighter Lauren Price and Nigeria's Edith Ogoke, who brought the house down in London with her brawling first round win over Azeri Elena Vystropova, whom Marshall had previously pipped to win her world crown.

The level of competition domestically is also improving with the likes of development squad athlete Stacey Copeland last month winning European silver at 69kg.

Marshall added: Stacey has done brilliantly - despite not being on the GB squad or training full-time, she managed to go out there and get a silver medal.

There are loads more female boxers now than when I started boxing. You have to fight four or five times now to win the ABAs where you used to get straight to the final. It is really good to see the sport so healthy.

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When the UFC returns to Atlantic City, New Jersey on Wednesday night, there will be a slew of notables on both the main card and the preliminary card with a group of veterans and newcomers hoping to make a big impact early in the night.

Gleison Tibau and Pat Healy battle in the featured bout of the undercard, as the two lightweights desperately scratch and claw to hold onto the edge of the 155-pound rankings and look for solid ground after some shaky starts as of late.  Also on the card, former Ultimate Fighter Jessamyn Duke looks to impress after a lackluster showing in her last fight when she takes on ultra tough veteran Leslie Smith.

And the women's strawweight division will officially debut on the undercard of UFC Fight Night from Atlantic City as top-rated competitor Claudia Gadelha takes on Tina Lahdemaki in an intriguing bout at 115 pounds.

In today's fantasy preview, we'll examine some of these undercard fights to see who has the advantage to put you over the edge when the final point tallies are totaled.

GLEISON TIBAU VS. PAT HEALY

With 21 fights in the UFC, Gleison Tibau is a true veteran of the Octagon who has faced the best of the best in the division for the past eight years.  Tibau hasn't ever been considered a title contender, but rarely does anyone that beats the Brazilian veteran not find a way to land in that conversation eventually.  Training out of American Top Team in Florida, Tibau works with the best of the best on a daily basis and he's going to be tough for any 155-pounder to beat in the Octagon.

Tibau has proven to be a relentless ground fighter throughout his UFC career, averaging 4.37 takedowns per 15 minutes with 55.91 percent accuracy - both very good stats, especially when you consider he's had 21 fights in the Octagon.  Tibau's striking is probably his weakest point, but he's no slouch there either and he shows good defense, blocking just over 64 percent of his opponent's punches and kicks.  On the ground is where Tibau is a bear, pushing down on his opponents with a huge frame at lightweight as he routinely cuts upwards of 30 pounds to make the 155-pound limit.  He's almost always the fighter on top as well because he defends nearly 92 percent of takedowns attempted, so chances are if this fight hits the mat it's because Tibau wants it there.

It's that area that causes his opponent Pat Healy some problems.

Healy is a grinder with equal size and wrestling prowess, but can he find a way to drag Tibau into deep water without landing there himself in the process?  Healy came storming out of the gates in his UFC debut with a win over Jim Miller (later reversed to a no contest after Healy failed a post-fight drug test for marijuana), but since that time he's fallen back to Earth with three consecutive losses and no signs of breathing room with this matchup either.  Healy is a Jack-of-all-trades type of fighter - good everywhere but not great anywhere, and that could hurt him against Tibau, especially over the course of a three-round fight.

If Tibau can get Healy down and start pushing his weight on him early, the former Strikeforce fighter may struggle to find a rhythm and that doesn't bode well for his long-term success in this bout.  Expect Tibau to start strong and wear Healy down round after round until the final horn sounds, handing him the win to cap off the preliminary card.

JESSAMYN DUKE VS. LESLIE SMITH

Former Ultimate Fighter competitor Jessamyn Duke will look to erase the memories of a not-so-great performance in her last trip to the cage when she takes on 12-fight veteran Leslie Smith on Wednesday night.

Duke is a long, rangy striker with a 71-inch reach, who displayed some serious toughness and grit while competing on the reality show under the guidance of UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.  Duke is very tall for this division, but she likes to work from inside the clinch with her Muay Thai technique, where she lands an incredible 5.9 strikes per minute with 56.19 percent accuracy.

Smith is going to be a tough test for Duke in only her sixth pro fight, however, as she brings to the table a much higher level of experience with a serious skill set that's already been tested against some of the best fighters in the division.  Smith made her debut on short notice and lost to former Strikeforce champion Sarah Kaufman, but that's only after she nearly knocked out the Canadian in their first fight a year ago.  She's picked up TKO wins over notable names like Kaitlin Young, and also has a win over current UFC fighter Raquel Pennington as well.

Smith is a serious threat as a kickboxer, especially from the outside, where she touts a fight-changing head kick as Kaufman experienced in their first fight.  She's also well versed in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, training with the Cesar Gracie and Skrap Pack fight teams, where names like Gilbert Melendez and Jake Shields are usual training partners.  Smith is a very exciting fighter known for pushing the pace and keeping an incredible work rate throughout all of her bouts.

If Smith can put together her normal level of striking and aggressiveness while avoiding Duke's clinch game, she should earn a clean sweep on the judges' scorecards.  Smith's kickboxing is hard to deal with and she's relentless throughout every minute of every fight.  The fact is that Duke is still trying to find her footing in the UFC and this is going to be another tough test for the young fighter out of Kentucky.  The good side is Smith has a tendency to get into some throwdowns with opponents, so that always leaves an opening for Duke to take advantage, but chances are the veteran will get her first UFC win by decision.

HUGO VIANA VS. ALJAMAIN STERLING

Brazilian Hugo Viana will look for his second win in a row while facing another fighter coming out of the New York camp that produced both middleweight champion Chris Weidman and recent Ultimate Fighter winner Eddie Gordon.

Viana is a very aggressive fighter in his attacks, where he lands 4.6 strikes per minute, but he does tend to get a little wild, which accounts for his 39.51 percent accuracy.  He's never attempted a takedown in his four UFC fights, so it's easy to figure out he'll want this one to stay standing.

Given his nature to plow forward looking for the knockout gives his opponent Aljamain Sterling some opportunities to pick him apart. Sterling is a good counter striker with creative punches and kicks that come from a lot of different angles.  He's got good accuracy, landing on over 50 percent of his strikes, and he's got wrestling to ground the Brazilian as well, with his takedowns hitting 60 percent of the time as well.  Sterling just has to weather the early storm from Viana and then start to pick his shots and this fight will be his to win.

Counter striking is the key for Sterling to win, and if he stays patient and doesn't get drawn into a slugfest with Viana, this will serve as the second win in a row for the young newcomer since joining the UFC earlier this year.

CLAUDIA GADELHA VS. TINA LAHDEMAKI

The women's strawweight division will officially kick off with UFC Fight Night in Atlantic City and, in a rare treat, arguably the best fighter in the weight class will debut on the card.

Claudia Gadelha would have been an early favorite to win The Ultimate Fighter season 20 if she was on the show that is taping right now.  But this massive strawweight will go ahead and fight while waiting for the eventual champion to be crowned so she can target the winner.

Gadelha is the real deal, folks.  She's a Nova Uniao fighter, so she trains alongside Jose Aldo and Renan Barao on any given day, and Gadelha is as good as it gets when it comes to combining a devastating submission game with a powerful striking arsenal as well.  Gadelha is a world class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with several grappling titles under her belt, and her striking isn't far behind as she's knocked out two of her last three opponents.

Lahdemaki isn't a bad fighter by any means, carrying an undefeated record out of Finland, but she's mostly known for her ground game and that will play directly into Gadehla's biggest strengths. The only thing that stops this Brazilian star from running roughshod over Lahdemaki is her weight cut, because that has backfired on her before in previous fights.

Outside of that one issue, Gadelha will likely be the first fighter challenging for the women's strawweight title once TUF 20 is wrapped and a champion is crowned. She's one of the best two or three fighters in the world at 115 pounds and this will be her introduction to the UFC fans in Atlantic City.  Gadehla should be impressive, putting Lahdemaki away in the first round and making a strong statement to all of the women competing at 115 pounds to keep the title warm until she gets her chance to take the gold back to Brazil.

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On August 8, DiBella Entertainment and Dynasty Boxing, in association with Rumble Time Promotions, will head to Fallon, NV, to host that week’s edition of ESPN Friday Night Fights/ ESPN Deportes’ Noche de Combates. Headlining the card will be junior middleweight contender Willie Nelson (22-1-1, 13 KOs) taking on Luis Grajeda (17-2-2, 13 KOs) in the 10-round main event.

In the co-feature, fast-rising 18-year-old phenom Norbert Nemesapati (14-0, 13 KOs) will be looking make a splash in his US debut when he faces fellow unbeaten Lennox Allen (17-0-1, 10KO’s) in an eight-round super middleweight matchup.

Opening up the card will be the highly anticipated pro debut of China’s 2008 Olympic Games silver medalist Zhang Zhilei, in a four-round heavyweight special attraction.

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It was a case of third time lucky for Willie Limond as he finally achieved his British title dream with a stylish performance against Curtis Woodhouse in Glasgow.

The 35-year-old twice floored Woodhouse with some powerful upper cuts on his way to a points victory to take the British light-welterweight belt.

Limond, who also retained his Commonwealth title, was eight points ahead on the referee's card and five ahead with one of the judges at ringside, the other surprisingly scoring it a draw.

“It's taken me 13 years to get it,” a delighted Limond told Sky Sports. “It was a great fight and Curtis pushed me all the way. I think I needed Curtis to do that to make me perform.

“I'd watched every one of Curtis' fights since he'd turned pro. I feel I performed the best I could at the age I'm at.”

Woodhouse, who briefly retired immediately after taking the title from Darren Hamilton in February, felt Limond's relative inactivity in recent years would go against his opponent but the Scot produced a classy display of timing and skill.

Limond - who lost to Alex Arthur and Anthony Crolla in his previous British title fights - was the more accurate puncher in the first two rounds and he stepped up his dominance in the third round when he put Woodhouse flat on his back with a left-handed upper cut, the bell proving a welcome end to the eight-second count for the 34-year-old Englishman.

Desperate Woodhouse

The Scot stayed on top in the fourth and almost caught Woodhouse with another upper cut and, although the Englishman showed great heart to step up the pace and force Limond back, the Scot continued to land some well-timed shots.

Woodhouse seemed to increase his work-rate further but Limond briefly had him on the ropes after a powerful right hook in the ninth and put him on the canvas again late in the 11th after following a left-right counter-attack with another upper cut.

The former Birmingham and Sheffield United player again got back to his feet to give himself a chance of stealing the contest but the Scot stayed out of trouble.

“I was desperate to hang on to my British title, that belt meant the absolute world to me,” a deflated Woodhouse told Sky Sports.

“I fought the hardest I could, but on the night Willie was the better man. I've got no excuses, no complaints. The better man won tonight. I still love the game, and it's still raw. But no one can take away from me that I was one day the British champion.

“I'm disappointed but overall, once the swelling has gone down, I'll be really proud of what I achieved.”

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RIO DE JANEIRO -- Nothing is going to stop Duda Yankovich.

Yankovich, a former WIBA light welterweight boxing champion who is signed with Invicta Fighting Championships, suffered a stroke during a training session at Team Nogueira in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 9. She was rushed to a hospital and underwent surgery.

Eight days later, Yankovich showed up at the gym.

It’s good to be back, Yankovich told MMAFighting.com on Wednesday. I was scared, but everything was done on the right time. We’re subject to this. It happens. It was good that it happened inside the gym and we had people that knew it was a stroke and got me the medical assistance I needed. I’m fine now.

You can’t foresee a stroke, it can happen to anyone. We will do more exams to find out what really happened, because a stroke is not a common thing to happen to young people. It just happened.

The Serbia-native fighter, who cut down from bantamweight to flyweight for her last MMA bout in Brazil, can’t return to sparring yet.

I’m cleared to do normal activities, but I can’t train anything with impact yet, she said. I can’t box or train muay thai, but I’m cleared to do technical training and work out. I will keep doing my normal activities. Nothing’s gonna stop me.

Every Team Nogueira fighter stopped training to talk to Yankovich as soon as she stepped inside the gym, and heavyweight legend Rodrigo Nogueira was one of them.

I called the hospitals and we rushed her to the hospital right away, Minotauro told MMAFighting.com. She underwent surgery 80 minutes after she had the stroke. The doctor said she avoided sequelae because we helped her right away.

I have to thank my coach Vander Valverde, who recognized the symptoms, and ‘Minotauro’ for helping me, Yankovich added. We have angels in the sky that protect us, and we have angels who walk among us. I was saved by my friends, and I have to thank my student Andre Elias, who was there to help me with the toughest part, financials. I can’t thank them enough.

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It’s quite a thing to see an athlete from a niche sport breakthrough into a nation’s broader cultural consciousness. In April 2013, Ireland had yet to break the back of a crushing recession and almost out of nowhere emerged a young, brazen Dubliner.

Winning $60,000 for his ‘Knockout of the Night’ over Marcus Brimage in Stockholm, on returning home Conor McGregor’s first ports of call were opening a bank account and informing the social welfare that he had found meaningful employment in the UFC’s Octagon.

At 25, the John Kavanagh protégé was roughly the same age as the average Irish graduate. For many who had just finished college the only viable route to a career was immigration and there was a sense of doom and gloom around the Emerald Isle despite the economies reported upturn.

McGregor was flashy. He waxed lyrical about frivolous purchases – a car, three piece suits, a gold watch – and his unabiding quest for success appeared to rail against society’s foreboding. He was raw, there were no airs and graces to him, but his self-sacrifice, positivity and determination had brought him to the biggest mixed martial arts stage of all.

That being said, it wasn’t just his personality that separated him from other prospects in the European scene.

The future UFC featherweight’s boxing skills, honed under two-time Olympian Phil Sutcliffe at Crumlin Boxing Club from an early age, gave him a notorious calling card early on in Ireland. Having clocked up a record of 3-1 in his first four professional outings, when McGregor returned to competition after a two-year hiatus to face Conor Dillon at Chaos Fighting Championships 7 he was already being billed as “the most feared lightweight in Ireland”.

His stock was bolstered under the Cage Warriors banner when he began fighting for them in 2011. Irishman Graham Boylan’s overtaking of the promotion in 2010 saw Irish MMA’s finest pitted against the best in the world for the first time. McGregor, Neil Seery, Chris Fields and Cathal Pendred would repay his faith and claim world titles, but it would be “The Notorious” who would benefit the most from their global reach.

The Straight Blast Gym man’s annihilation of Dave Hill to claim the vacant Cage Warriors featherweight strap in June 2012 put him on a pedestal. Teeing off on the experienced Brit, McGregor almost reluctantly finished the fight in the second round with a rear naked choke, his sole submission win.

His routing of Ivan Buchinger for the Cage Warriors 155 lbs strap on New Year’s Eve 2012 set internet forums ablaze with talk of his imminent move to the UFC and the deal was signed and sealed two months later in February 2013.

McGregor’s isn’t the only name that the Irish MMA community was looking out for in terms of the world’s flagship promotion. Nearly every teenager who has taken a Brazilian jiu jitsu class in the country has heard the story of stoic Scandinavian, Gunnar Nelson.

The prodigious Icelandic welterweight cut his teeth on the Irish scene under the watchful eye of SBG boss John Kavanagh and it was no surprise to anyone who witnessed his early performances how he has remained unbeaten even after three tests in the Octagon.

An honorary Irishman, Nelson’s grappling prowess won him an invitation to the ADCC and his lack of animation inside and outside the cage has shrouded him in a certain mystery. Looking to break into the UFC’s top ten and challenge for the welterweight title in 2015, a win against Zak Cummings in his home away from home would surely put him among the sharks of UFC’s 170 lbs bracket.

The reception Norman Parke will receive in Dublin on July 19th will act as a symbol for the continued respect that has been shown between the Republic and Northern Ireland throughout the developmental years of MMA in the country.

The Antrim man’s aggressive style set him apart from a lot of other lightweights on the European scene when he first emerged. His propensity to finish in his fledgling days has not carried over into the UFC and that has provided Parke with a modus operandi for his July 19th clash with Japanese veteran Naoyuki Kotani.

Team Ryano’s Neil Seery has had a ressurgence since moving to flyweight and proved worthy of his short notice UFC call-up when he fought Brad Pickett to a decision back in March. A full-time worker on top of coaching and his own training, the Dubliner’s diligent style reflects his life outside of competition and he constantly pushes the pace on his opponents.

Winning a host of new fans over after capturing the Cage Warriors flyweight belt in June of last year with a submission win over highly touted Finnish talent Mikael Silander, Seery’s fast hands and gameness impressed Dana White who claimed he should have signed the Irishman on a ten fight contract after his display at UFC Fight Night: Gustaffson vs Manuwa.

Ahead of his second clash with Phil Harris, Seery knows nothing less than a win can guarantee him another outing in the Octagon. Courting underdog status throughout his career, Seery has a patent for the upset and his coach Andy Ryan believes he can make a run at the UFC’s gold if he strings a few wins together.

Gunnar Nelson

The dominance of John Kavanagh’s Straight Blast Gym on the advancing Irish scene in the mid to late 2000’s was largely correlated to their dominance on the ground, and there was no better proponent of that than former rugby star, Cathal Pendred.

“The Punisher” had a knack for imposing his will on opponents and won his first national title in 2010 under the Cage Contender banner with a win over Liam Shannon. Proving a worthy dance partner for anyone put in front of him, the Dubliner went on to claim the Cage Warriors welterweight strap in March of last year after taking a decision win over Gael Grimaud.

Pendred proved he had many strings to his bow with his striking display against heavy-handed UFC veteran Che Mills in June 2013 en route to a TKO victory, prompting fans to rally to see the Irishman in the UFC. Through his performances on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Edgar vs Team Penn, the SBG man again showcased a new found ability on his feet.

Despite not being satisfied with his performances on the reality platform, Pendred is looking to put on an “unforgettable” show in his full UFC debut in front of his home crowd on July 19th when he meets fellow TUF cast member, Mike King.

Paddy “The Hooligan” Holohan has mesmerized Irish crowds with his fluid submission game since his introduction to the MMA community in 2007. His KO win over Damien Rooney cemented him as the best bantamweight in the country, before he claimed a victory over one of Irish MMA’s greatest foes, Artemij Sitenkov.

The Lithuanian had spoiled the Irish party on a few occasions before their meeting, handing McGregor his first loss via kneebar in 2008 before using the same weapon to see off Seery four years later.

Attacking the legs of Holohan early in their meeting in June 2012, Sitenkov’s assault did not prove tricky enough for “The Hooligan” who nonchalantly escaped from the attempt. Spinning a web of his own, Holohan chained his attacks together – an armbar, an omoplata and finally a triangle – forcing the tap from the eastern European.

Dropping down to flyweight with a view to competing on TUF 18, Holohan’s early exit after suffering a back injury has lit a fire under him. Dreaming of the UFC’s return to Dublin since failing to make into the TUF house, a stern test against Josh Sampo should force the best out of the jiu jitsu phenom.

Conor McGregor

Usually when a fighter pulls out of a main event the absence can have big implications on ticket sales. However, when Cole Miller pulled out of his meeting with Conor McGregor, just days before the tickets became available to the public, the renamed UFC Fight Night: McGregor vs Brandao still went on to be the fastest selling event in the promotion’s history.

Although Tom Egan became the first man from the Republic of Ireland to step inside the Octagon when UFC visited the Irish capital in January 2009, he appeared to be plucked from relative obscurity compared to the new breed of the Fighting Irish.

A throwback to McGuigan, Collins and McCullough, in McGregor the Irish believe they have found their new champion. A man of the people, his infectious charisma has turned new eyes on the once illicit sport. Indeed, the Pied Piper of the sport in Ireland, he has opened the door that his fellow countrymen have walked through.

Nationwide MMA clubs have noted growing numbers since McGregor’s arrival. Beginners taking their first training sessions donning beards, Wayfairer sunglasses and three-piece suits have become commonplace. The Dubliner’s cultural profile is so prominent that whether they have seen him fight or not, everybody has an opinion on “The Notorious”.

Of course he has his critics. Perhaps they are intimidated by his optimism. Famously cynical, the Irish have cried out for sporting success over the years but there are still a minority who like to dismiss the greatness of our athletes regardless of how evident it might be.

However, the vast majority of the nation is readying itself for McGregor-mania in The 02 on July 19th. It is the homecoming of MMA in Ireland and the card is fittingly star studded with the fruits of John Kavanagh, Andy Ryan and Rodney Moore’s labor, the founding fathers of the sport in Ireland.

www.ufc.com

Less than 24 hours after it was revealed by the British Columbia Athletic Commission that Ali Bagautinov had tested positive for a banned substance prior to his bout against Demetrious Johnson at  UFC 174, Ultimate Fighting Championship has revealed its stance.

In a statement released on Friday, Zuffa has decided to suspend Bagautinov from competing for a full year and will require “Puncher” to take another drug test at the conclusion of his suspension.

Here is the full statement:

“UFC 174 competitor Ali Bagautinov has been suspended by the British Columbia Athletic Commission for testing positive for erythropoietin (EPO). He was also informed that his positive test violated the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy and Promotional Agreement with Zuffa, LLC. The UFC has a strict, consistent policy against the use of any illegal and/or performance-enhancing drugs, stimulants or masking agents by our athletes. Bagautinov will serve a one-year suspension and must pass a drug test at the conclusion of his suspension before receiving clearance to compete in the UFC again.”

Bagautinov was ultimately defeated by Johnson at UFC 174 in Vancouver in a one-sided unanimous decision.

http://www.sherdog.com

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Eric Kelly and Rob Lisita went head-to-head the One Fighting Championship 18 “War of Dragons” main event, as they engaged in a battle that left both fighters soaked in blood by the time the Filipino finished it with a second-round rear-naked choke on Friday at the NTU Arena.

The first round of their featherweight title eliminator provided some non-stop action for the fans in attendance at One FC’s first-ever event on Chinese soil. The bell rang and they met immediately in the center of the cage, trading punches and knees from the clinch.

After a couple of scrambles, Kelly ended up on his back and Lisita landed two hard soccer kicks which were partially blocked. Lisita followed the Filipino to the ground and found himself in north-south position, looking for the choke. Kelly rolled out. Back on the feet, they traded punches again, with the Australian getting the better of the exchanges.

The action was frenetic and both fighters were probably grateful for a moment’s respite when the action was paused after a low blow to Lisita. As soon as the fight was restarted, the Australian landed a hard right to his opponent’s midsection and followed it with an immediate takedown.

There was still time for Lisita to attempt a leg lock, and Kelly, a Universal Reality Combat Championship titleholder, to come close with a rear-naked choke before the end of the round. The second stanza started in identical fashion, with the fighters going straight into the clinch before Lisita took the back of Kelly, who by this stage had blood pouring from his nose.

Kelly reversed, but referee Yuji Shimada called a timeout so the doctor could assess the damage to his nose. He then reset them in the original position, but Lisita escaped and worked his way up.

A stuffed takedown attempt from Kelly allowed Lisita to move into side control and transition to his back. Once again, the Filipino escaped and the roles were reversed, as he took the Australian’s back. This time, he found a finish, sinking a rear-naked choke that brought the tapout at 3:40 of round two.

After the fight, Kelly was taken to the hospital. Depending on how quickly he recovers, a shot at reigning One FC featherweight champion Koji Oishi could be in the cards in Dubai in August. He moves to 11-1 with a ninth career submission win, while Lisita drops to 14-6 and sees a four-fight winning streak snapped.

In the co main event, Rafael Nunes saw his perfect professional record ruined by Koji Ando. The undefeated Brazilian shot for an early takedown, but the incumbent Legend Fighting Championship lightweight titleholder brushed it off before taking his back and sinking a rear-naked choke. The tap came at 1:43.

With the win, Ando moves to 10-3-2, while Nunes drops to 10-1.

In a battle between bantamweight contenders, Koetsu Okazaki (10-3-1) came out on top, with Yusup Saadulaev (12-4-1-1) succumbing to a second-round barrage of ground-and-pound after the Japanese import took his back and flattened him out. Referee Oliver Coste stepped in to stop the fight at 4:32.

Paul Cheng’s fight with Mahmoud Hassan provided plenty of action, with the Taipei-born heavyweight dominating the opening round before getting dropped with a right hook early in the second.

Cheng (5-1) recovered and controlled the remainder of the round, with Hassan (1-4) deciding not to come out for the third. He cited a rib injury in handing his opponent a TKO win.

Earlier, Chi Lewis Parry (6-0) defeated Alain Ngalani (1-2) by elbow-induced TKO at 4:07 of round one in a heavyweight fight; Jake Butler (4-1) scored a punch-induced TKO win over Mohamed Ali (9-7) at 1:21 of round three in light heavyweight action; and Sung Ming Yen (3-1) beat Nick Lee (2-2) by guillotine choke submission at 1:10 of round one in a bantamweight bout.

On the undercard, Jeff Huang (4-1) beat Bala Shetty (0-1) by punch-induced TKO at 3:20 of round one in a welterweight contest; in a clash of lightweights, Eliot Corley (2-2) beat Rayner Kinsiong (2-0), knocking him out with an elbow at 1:36 of round one; and Nathan Ng (1-0) caught Florian Garel (2-4) with a north-south choke submission at 1:23 of round one in their featherweight fight.

http://www.sherdog.com

The last time the UFC traveled to Atlantic City, Gray Maynard and Clay Guida didn't exactly give the New Jersey faithful much to cheer about. The same could not be said of Wednesday night.

Donald Cerrone not only became the first man to knock out Jim Miller, he managed to do it twice in the same round, thanks to a gaffe by referee Dan Miragliotta. Yet somehow that picturesque slice of violence was just the cherry on top of the double-fudge sundae that was UFC Fight Night 45. Edson Barboza and Rick Story catapulted their stock up the rankings with lopsided finishes; John Lineker cemented himself as a viable contender for the 125-pound belt, killing off against a surprisingly game Turkish wildman with seconds to spare; Lucas Martins became the fourth man to emerge victorious in three separate UFC divisions, short-circuiting Alex White's noggin with a ridiculous one-two... and all that's not even mentioning Leslie Smith's super-hyper-combo finish of Jessamyn Duke or Aljamain Sterling's breakout dismantling of Hugo Viana which set the table for the spectacle about to unfold.

All in all, not half-bad theater for a weekday, eh? And as if you didn't already know, the pros were right there loving it every step of the way.

http://www.mmafighting.com

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- One FC “War of Dragons” is set for the NTU Sports Arena Friday and on Wednesday the organization’s CEO Victor Cui announced he would be implementing a bonus scheme which is effective immediately.

Cui broke down the “One Warrior Bonus” in the following message posted on the promotion’s official Facebook account:

“For every event, I will award US $50,000 to the fighter who impresses me the most in terms of:

a) thrilling the fans with exciting action,

b) demonstrating an incredible warrior spirit,

c) exhibiting amazing skill, and

d) delivering a phenomenal finish.

For every event, the bar will be very, very high. If a few fighters impress me, then I will hand out the bonus to a few fighters. If no one impresses me, then no one will get it. Extraordinary performance deserves extraordinary rewards. Ordinary performances deserve ordinary rewards.”

At the conclusion of “One FC: Champion vs Champion,” the promotion’s inaugural event that took place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore, on Sept. 3, 2011, Cui announced that he would be handing out $5,000 rewards to three fighters, but since then the organization’s system of incentives and bonuses have been a closely guarded secret.

As of July 11, fighters will know exactly how much is at stake if they manage to catch Cui’s eye with their performance inside the cage and everyone competing on the 10-bout “One FC: War of Dragons” card will have the added enticement of knowing they could take home the first ever “One Warrior Bonus.”

http://www.sherdog.com

Luke Campbell will end a five month absence from the ring when he returns to action in Liverpool next month.

The Olympic gold medallist took a break from the sport in April after his father was diagnosed with cancer, but he has been added to a packed bill at the Echo Arena on July 12.

Former Great Britain teammates and fellow medal winners at London 2012 Anthony Joshua and Anthony Ogogo, will also appear on a card that includes Tony Bellew, Nathan Cleverly and local duo, Rocky Fielding and Callum Smith.

The unbeaten Campbell last fought in February, picking up his fifth straight win with an eighth round stoppage of Scott Moises in Hull.

Bellew is due to face Brazilian Julio Cesar Dos Santos as he closes on a rematch with bitter rival Cleverly.

The Welshman takes on Argentine Alejandro Emilio Valori at the same venue and will stay on course for a battle with Bellew if he emerges victorious.

Super-middleweight Fielding makes a step-up in class against the experienced Noe Gonzalez, while Joshua faces former world title challenger Matt Skelton.

www1.skysports.com