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PFL Tampa results: Cris Cyborg defends title in hard-fought battle, sends message to Claressa Shields, Kayla Harrison

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PFL Tampa results: Cris Cyborg defends title in hard-fought battle, sends message to Claressa Shields, Kayla Harrison

Cris Cyborg defended her PFL featherweight title against Ketlen Vieira—who was ineligible to win the title due to missing weight by seven pounds—in the main event of PFL Tampa, which went down Saturday night in Florida, and appears to be far from done in combat sports.

Early on, Cyborg attacked Vieira with jabs to the body, but had a hard time finding the distance to even secure a takedown against her heavier opponent. Cyborg hurt Vieira with a calf kick in Round 2, but the Nova União fighter fired back to rock her late in the round.

Cyborg entered Round 3 focused on takedowns, scoring points with heavy ground-and-pound while Vieira tried to close guard and threaten with armbars. Vieira's success on the feet made Cyborg once again clinch and go for takedowns, but Vieira countered a takedown with a judo throw to leave Cyborg bloodied with ground-and-pound of her own.

The final stanza began and Cyborg scored a takedown early, but Vieira quickly got back to her feet and then took the champion down. Cyborg only managed to get back up with 90 seconds left on the clock, and from that point on they traded blows until the final horn sounded.

Cyborg and Vieira combined for 308 strikes over five rounds of action at Benchmark International Arena, and all three judges scored it for Cyborg (49-46, 48-47, 49-46). The longtime veteran now enters free agency with a 30-2 record and a 10-fight win streak, and is now undefeated for nearly eight years.

Post-fight, Cyborg called Vieira “a big test†and said she's “ready for anybody, anytime, any weight.†The former UFC, Strikeforce, Bellator, and Invicta FC featherweight queen called out boxing great Claressa Shields and sent a message to UFC bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison after getting her hand raised in Tampa.

First, Cyborg told Shields to “eat less†and make 160 pounds for a boxing clash, and then took a shot at Harrison, a former PFL champion who attended the event Saturday to cheer for her American Top Team teammates.

“Kayla Harrison is here? Come here,†Cyborg said. “Kayla, you've been running for so long. You ran from PFL from me, now you're coming to watch my fight? I'm ready for you. I hope you heal your neck and you go challenge Amanda Nunes. I'm here.â€

In the co-main event, PFL newcomer Tracy Reeder stepped in as a short-notice replacement against top lightweight contender Gadzhi Rabadanov, but he was no match for the former PFL tournament winner.

Rabadanov kept the PFL debutant away with jabs on the feet until Reeder shot for a takedown from a mile away. Rabadanov easily ended up on top position, and from there he patiently used his ground-and-pound to hurt Reeder and secure the TKO late in the opening round.

Also on the main card, multiple-time amateur MMA champion Sabrinna de Sousa scored the biggest win of her pro MMA career by topping one-time UFC flyweight title challenger Taila Santos via unanimous decision. Luke Trainer opened the main card with a nasty front kick knockout over Roland Dunlap.

Watch Trainer's finish below, and click here for full PFL Tampa results.

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Henry Cejudo gets his revenge, pins Merab Dvalishvili in just 36 seconds in RAF 12 main event

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Henry Cejudo gets his revenge, pins Merab Dvalishvili in just 36 seconds in RAF 12 main event

Henry Cejudo made quite a statement in his rematch with Merab Dvalishvili in the RAF 12 main event.

After traveling to Georgia for their first wrestling match where Cejudo was up 8-0 before Dvalishvili came storming back to get the win, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist had no interest in allowing the rematch to look anything like the first encounter.

As soon as the match got started, Cejudo shot inside and scored a quick four-point takedown but then he immediately trapped Dvalishvili on the ground and the former UFC bantamweight champion was struggling to escape. Cejudo was quick to secure the position and he put Dvalishvili's shoulders to the mat and that was enugh for the referee to score the pinfall victory.

The end came just 36 seconds into the match.

“Merab is a machine,†Cejudo said after his win. “I've been fighting for 13 years on my feet and I took the ‘L' from him. I knew that he wasn't necessarily scrambling … obviously I got the pin. Cody Garbrandt, you're next bitch.â€

The win crowned Cejudo as the newest crossover champion for RAF and it sounds like he's ready to defend his title sooner than later after calling out another former UFC champion.

As for Dvalishvili, the night didn't go his way but now he'll turn his full attention towards his trilogy against Petr Yan set for the UFC 333 co-main event in October. But he's definitely open for a third match against Cejudo at some point in the future.

“Absoutely. I love challenges,†Dvalishvili said. “Henry Cejudo called me out and I said yes. He's an Olympic champion for a reason. He beat me today. Let's go for a trilogy in wrestling.â€

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Gregory Rodrigues overcomes Anthony Hernandez in brutal five-round UFC Sacramento main event

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Gregory Rodrigues overcomes Anthony Hernandez in brutal five-round UFC Sacramento main event

Gregory Rodrigues might just be championship material after all.

The Brazilian veteran won his fourth straight fight, outstriking and outlasting Anthony Hernandez (15-4, 1 NC) in Saturday's UFC Sacramento main event en route to a unanimous decision win (49-46, 48-47 x2). With the win, Rodrigues (20-6) throws his name into the middleweight title contender mix, as he entered tonight's headliner at No. 15 at 185 pounds in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings with Hernandez defending his No. 5 (tied) spot.

Following the emotional victory, Rodrigues celebrated winning his first-ever five-round decision and called for a bout with former UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis.

“Dricus du Plessis, where are you, man?†Rodrigues said in his post-fight interview. “I want you. Let's go. No. 1 contender to fight for the belt. Dricus du Plessis, I want you.â€

Rodrigues certainly put on a performance worthy of championship chatter as he overcame a vintage effort from Hernandez to secure the victory. Fighting just a short drive south of his hometown of Dunnigan, Calif., Hernandez immediately put the pressure on Rodrigues by shooting for takedowns early and often. Rodrigues showed excellent takedown defense even as Hernandez muscled him against the cage, changed levels, and changed grips to work to put Rodrigues on his back.

Despite Hernandez's attempts to smother him, Rodrigues found success in the first two rounds, doing more damage when they were separated and chopping Hernandez down with leg kicks that appeared to have Hernandez severely compromised. However, Hernandez charged back in the third, finally grounding Rodrigues, and seemingly wearing him down as he started to find his own success on the feet.

Hernandez is known for thriving in the later rounds, but on Saturday, it was Rodrigues who made the right adjustments to turn the tide back in his favor. Rodrigues' corner told him to stop backing up and he followed their advice precisely, marching forward in the fourth and forcing Hernandez to battle him in the middle of the octagon. That limited Hernandez' leverage when it came to setting up takedowns, and instead Hernandez had to trade punches with Rodrigues, a challenge he didn't shy away from.

Rodrigues sealed the deal with a strong fifth round, consistently outscoring Hernandez on the feet, despite Hernandez somehow never being rocked or knocked down by Rodrigues' on-point punches.

With the win, Rodrigues improved to 11-3 in the UFC and is knocking on the door of a title shot. Hernandez has now lost two straight fights for the first time in his career following an eight-fight win streak.

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RAF 12 results: Jordan Burroughs slams Sean Brady before winning 11-0 shutout victory

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RAF 12 results: Jordan Burroughs slams Sean Brady before winning 11-0 shutout victory

Following a two-year layoff, Jordan Burroughs returned to wrestling and needed less than two periods to dispatch UFC welterweight contender Sean Brady at RAF 12.

While it was almost a mismatch based on skills and accomplishments, Burroughs didn't take it easy on Brady as he stayed on the attack even with his opponent stalking him across the mats. But Burroughs explosiveness and quickness was just too much for Brady to handle, especially in the biggest moments during the match.

A step out put Burroughs on the board first before the Olympic gold medalist got in deep on his signature double-leg takedown as he lifted Brady into the air and then slammed him back down to the mat for a five-point score.

To his credit, Brady stayed on the attack trying to catch Burroughs off guard but he ended up getting his leg caught before another push out. Burroughs ended the first period up 7-0.

As the second period got started, Burroughs exploded forward with another powerful double-leg takedown as he mowed down Brady for another four-point score. That put Burroughs up 11-0 to end the match by tech fall.

“I'm going to Moscow on Sept. 5. I'm open for a third match,†Burroughs said after inking a three-match deal with RAF. “I'm extremely blessed. I'm thankful that Sean Brady even took this … I'm blessed.â€

Brady, who is one of the top grapplers in the UFC but never wrestled before, made a valiant effort but the cards were definitely stacked against him. Burroughs showed why he's one of the greatest American wrestlers of all time and obviously he's still got plenty of gas left in the tank.

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