MMA
Bilal Hasan, top flyweight prospect, set for second UFC fight in 3 months
Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLCUFC flyweight prospect Bilal Hasan will make his second UFC appearance of the year after earning a contract via DWCS last month.
Undefeated UFC flyweight Bilal Hasan wasted no time making a statement in his promotional debut last month, just days after earning a contract via Dana White's Contender Series.
Hasan knocked out Mridul Saikia in 45 seconds on the August 11th episode of this year's rendition of DWCS. Just days after signing the dotted line of his first UFC contract, Hasan was booked for his UFC debut at UFC Shanghai.
Hasan responded by earning a one-punch knockout against fellow unbeaten Nilson Rojas at UFC Shanghai. The talented flyweight is the latest top prospect to make a quick impact in the resurgent division.
After a successful UFC debut, Hasan will face another promising flyweight at the historic Madison Square Garden at UFC 334.
Generational prospect Bilal Hasan's return added to UFC's MSG card
As reported by MMA Fighting, Hasan will face Luis Gurule (11-4) at UFC 334 on November 14th. Gurule, a fellow DWCS alum, has lost four of his first five fights with the promotion since his promotional debut last year.
Before his recent UFC success, Hasan won the Cage Fury FC flyweight championship by defeating Jose Leon in September 2024. He went on to defend the title against Brian Hauser, Jason Eastman, and Renaldy Manse in three straight knockout victories.
Hasan could potentially move closer to a Top 15 spot in the flyweight rankings with a win over Gurule. Meanwhile, Gurule is looking to get back into the win column and to stop Hasan's quick ascent.
As of this writing, the UFC hasn't announced a headliner for the upcoming Madison Square Garden card. The card could potentially be headlined by a heavyweight title unification bout between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane.
What are your expectations for Bilal Hasan's flyweight future? Share your thoughts in the comments!
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
ONE ChampionshipA single loss will not slow down the role Hyu wants to play in ONE Championship's future.
Hyu faces RISE Super Featherweight Champion Hyuma Hitachi in a flyweight kickboxing showdown at Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan, this Saturday, September 12.
The 23-year-old dropped his first professional decision to Taiki Naito at ONE SAMURAI 1 this past April, a result he has attributed entirely to a lapse in his own composure rather than his opponent's game plan. A karate black belt who transitioned to kickboxing at 19, Hyu had carried a 5-1 ONE Championship record into that fight before the setback.
“I'm frustrated with the version of myself that couldn't stay composed through the end of the fight,†Hyu said. “Now I have a strong desire to come back and prove something.â€
The rapid growth of ONE SAMURAI has opened up regular opportunities for Japanese fighters to compete at home, a shift Hyu did not expect when he first signed with the promotion.
“Recently, more martial arts fans have started talking about the ‘next generation,' and I feel like I have to be one of the people leading ONE SAMURAI,†he said.
Hyu Iwata eyes Di Bella and Naito rematch down the line
Beating Hitachi, a 28-year-old RISE champion making his ONE debut, is only the immediate target. Hyu has already begun eyeing the names that could define his climb back up the flyweight kickboxing ladder, including a rematch with Naito and a potential clash with strawweight champion Jonathan Di Bella.
Both represent the kind of statement opportunities that could push him back into the championship conversation he occupied before the Naito loss.
“My goal is to keep beating the fighters who are in the title picture,†Hyu said.
“I do have the feeling that I'd like to face one of them first.â€
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
Credit: Atlanta Police DepartmentThe Atlanta Police Department published new footage of UFC legend Dustin Poirier's arrest for public intoxication earlier this year.
Dustin Poirier returned to the UFC's broadcast desk last month for the first time since his arrest for public intoxication. After he was kicked off a plane at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Poirier was arrested after berating flight attendants and other airport staff.
Poirier was quickly released on bond and faces up to a year in prison if convicted of the misdemeanor charge. As of this writing, Poirier's role as a UFC analyst remains intact, but Paramount could potentially punish the former UFC title challenger for his conduct.
Initial footage of Poirier's arrest showed him highly intoxicated and challenging one of the responding officers to a fist fight. Luckily, Poirier was eventually taken into custody without issue.
Poirier has since publicly apologized for the incident and revealed he's dealt with alcohol abuse since retiring from fighting last year. His last fight came against then-BMF titleholder Max Holloway at UFC 318, losing by unanimous decision.
WATCH: New footage of Dustin Poirier's arrest: ‘F— the fans'
YouTuber Mark Fighting shared the full footage of Poirier's arrest and detainment, courtesy of the Atlanta Police Department.
Several of Poirier's longtime fighting adversaries, including Colby Covington and Conor McGregor, have scolded the former interim titleholder in the months following his arrest. UFC CEO Dana White shared a compassionate reaction to Poirier's legal issues and revealed the promotion's post-career care program for fighters.
As of this writing, Poirier hasn't addressed the newly released footage of his June arrest.
Poirier isn't the only former fighter dealing with legal issues since hanging up the gloves. Former UFC title challenger Anthony Smith faces a lengthy prison sentence if convicted of domestic violence, false imprisonment, and other charges linked to an altercation with his wife in Nebraska.
Share your thoughts on the latest news of Dustin Poirier's arrest in the comments
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
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