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Santiago Ponzinibbio is starting to see the end of the tunnel ahead of next UFC fight

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Santiago Ponzinibbio is starting to see the end of the tunnel ahead of next UFC fight

UFC veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio has looked to the future ahead of his clash with Sam Patterson at UFC Abu Dhabi.

For the longest time, Santiago Ponzinibbio has been a consistent presence in the UFC's welterweight division. He has picked up some big wins throughout the course of his tenure with the promotion, and on Saturday, he will try to get another when he faces off against Sam Patterson.

RELATED: Santiago Ponzinibbio vents frustration following split decision loss at UFC Denver: “Whenever we go to the judges, this is how it goes for meâ€

Given that Ponzinibbio is 39 years of age, there is every chance that this could be his final showing in the Octagon. At the same time, if he can secure a nice victory, perhaps he has more gas left than many thought.

In a recent interview, Ponzinibbio had the following to say about the possibility of retirement.

Ponzinibbio looks to the future

“I was supposed to fight Jack Hermansson, but he ended up getting injured, and I was offered Patterson,†Ponzinibbio said. “It's a much different challenge, but it is still a challenge. It's one of those clashes of generations that the company likes to make, and it's a great opportunity to show that I'm still good and relevant and that I can hang with the new generation. I'm not focused on him. I'm focused on me.â€

“You can try to plan everything in your head, but the truth is that you have to take things day by day,†Ponzinibbio said. “I'm in a chapter where I'm starting to see the end of the tunnel. It's something I think about, but not something I want. I don't see it too close because I still feel good. Now, everything is always changing, and you have to take things fight by fight. As of today, I feel great, and I want to be competing, but I don't plan ahead too much because I know how things work and how quickly things can change.â€

Quotes via MMA Junkie

Do you back Santiago this weekend? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!

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MMA

Oscar De La Hoya claims Zuffa Boxing is overpaying big names to create a monopoly: "Never a long-term deal"

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Oscar De La Hoya claims Zuffa Boxing is overpaying big names to create a monopoly: "Never a long-term deal"

Oscar De La Hoya believes Zuffa Boxing is trying to fool fighters by offering select names bigger paydays in the short term.

Recently, the promotion booked its biggest match to date with Conor Benn challenging Ryan Garcia for the WBC welterweight title on Sept. 12. Benn is signed to Zuffa Boxing, while Garcia is under De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions. While this will be a co-promoted event, De La Hoya still has major issues with TKO and Zuffa Boxing.

In a new video posted on his Instagram page, De La Hoya ripped the Dana White-led promotion for attempting to trick boxers into thinking their big money payouts will last (via MMAFighting).

“So I saw The Odyssey the other day,†De La Hoya said. “It was about the Greeks and how they invaded the city of Troy by disguising themselves inside a Trojan Horse. They tricked their enemies to get inside their gates and the rest is history. Today, Zuffa Boxing is the Trojan Horse.

“They are overpaying a few boxers to make it seem like this big money will continue, but it won't. Once they monopolize the sport like they want to, Zuffa will pay fighters peanuts, exactly like the UFC. It's the same model. They want to change the Muhammad Ali Act so they can operate as their own league with their own rules, their own rankings, their own unicorn belt. They're luring in the biggest names for fight-by-fight deals. No long contracts. That's why you see Shakur and Conor fighting a one- or two-fight deal. Never a long-term deal. But again, this is the Trojan Horse.â€

Shakur Stevenson has been Zuffa Boxing's biggest acquisition to date. The deal was largely expected given Terence Crawford's close ties to White. Crawford has taken Stevenson under his wing throughout the years.

Many other longtime promoters, such as Matchroom's Eddie Hearn, have also taken aim at Zuffa for attempting to monopolize boxing. White has insisted that he's doing his own thing and isn't trying to step on anyone's toes.

Do you agree with Oscar De La Hoya, or is it sour grapes now that Zuffa Boxing is establishing its brand? Share your opinion in the comments below.

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UFC 330 card takes hit after Erin Blanchfield withdrawal

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UFC 330 card takes hit after Erin Blanchfield withdrawal
A pivotal women’s flyweight matchup has been removed from the next

Ultimate Fighting Championship numbered event.

Erin
Blanchfield’s bout against Jasmine
Jasudavicius has been scrapped from the Aug. 15 card at Xfinity
Mobile Arena in Philadelphia due to an injury on Blanchfield's end,
per MMA Junkie's Nolan King. The promotion is reportedly looking to
rebook the contest for a UFC Fight Night event on Oct. 17 at Rogers
Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, instead.

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Erin Blanchfield injury forces UFC 330 card change as UFC
targets Edmonton rebooking

The withdrawal marks the first time Blanchfield has been forced out
of a fight during her UFC tenure. She is on a two-fight win streak,
beating Rose
Namajunas and Tracy
Cortez in her most recent Octagon appearances.

Meanwhile, Jasudavicius was looking to build on a unanimous
decision win over Karine
Silva in April. With her clash with Blanchfield now being
targeted for the next UFC event in Canada, she'll have the crowd
behind her when they eventually collide.

The UFC 330 lineup is currently as follows:

Islam
Makhachev vs. Ian Machado
Garry – for welterweight title
Mackenzie
Dern vs. Gillian
Robertson – for women’s strawweight title
Edson
Barboza vs. Esteban
Ribovics
Tresean
Gore vs. Vicente
Luque
Mansur
Abdul-Malik vs. Dustin
Stoltzfus
Myktybek
Orolbai vs. Jeremiah
Wells
Geoff
Neal vs. Chidi
Njokuani
Ramiz
Brahimaj vs. Neil
Magny
Kaue
Fernandes vs. Jalin
Turner
Charles
Johnson vs. Jose
Ochoa
Lucas
Fernando vs. Rafael
Tobias
Donte
Johnson vs. Eric
McConico

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UFC finalizes Aug. 8 Fight Night card with Darren Elkins farewell

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UFC finalizes Aug. 8 Fight Night card with Darren Elkins farewell

After 15 years, Darren Elkins is set for his final UFC bout. |
📷: Getty/UFC



The
Ultimate Fighting Championship has finalized the lineup for its
next Fight Night at Meta Apex in Las Vegas, including Octagon
veteran Darren
Elkins' final appearance in the promotion.

The card, headlined by Mateusz
Gamrot and Quillan
Salkilld, is scheduled for Aug. 8.

UFC Fight Night lineup features Darren Elkins vs. Yadier Del
Valle and Gamrot vs. Salkilld

Elkins (29-12) will square off against
Dana White's Contender Series alum Yadier Del
Valle.

The 42-year-old has been on the UFC roster since 2010, earning
memorable victories over the likes of Mirsad
Bektic, Michael
Johnson, Dennis
Bermudez and Luiz
Eduardo Garagorri. Furthermore, Elkins has shared the cage with
several former champions and fan favorites, albeit in losing
efforts, against Alexander
Volkanovski, Charles
Oliveira, Chad Mendes
and UFC Hall of Famer Cub
Swanson.

New matchups added to the card include Ty Cole
Miller vs. Billy Goff,
Juliana
Miller vs. Ravena
Oliveira, Diego
Ferreira vs. Billy
Quarantillo and Diyar
Nurgozhay vs. Bruno
Lopes, among others. Gamrot and Salkilld lock horns in the main
event, with former strawweight title challenger Amanda
Lemos facing Alexia
Thainara in the co-headliner.

The updated card as of June 23 is as follows:

Mateusz
Gamrot vs. Quillan
Salkilld (lightweight main event)
Amanda
Lemos vs. Alexia
Thainara (women's strawweight)
Diego
Ferreira vs. Billy
Quarantillo (lightweight)
Steven
Asplund vs. Guilherme
Pat (heavyweight)
Diyar
Nurgozhay vs. Bruno Lopes
(light heavyweight)
Louie
Sutherland vs. Jose Luiz
(heavyweight)
Juliana
Miller vs. Ravena
Oliveira (women’s flyweight)
Darren
Elkins vs. Yadier Del
Valle (featherweight)
Ty
Cole Miller vs. Billy Goff
(welterweight)

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