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REPORT: Alexandre Pantoja's return in the works for UFC 331 after year-long hiatus

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REPORT: Alexandre Pantoja's return in the works for UFC 331 after year-long hiatus

Former UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja will get a crack at getting his former title back, reportedly at UFC 331.

After UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van defeated Tatsuro Taira in one of the wildest fights of the year at UFC 328, the current champ seemed destined to run it back with former titleholder Alexander Pantoja. Pantoja lost the UFC flyweight title to Van after suffering an arm injury just minutes into their fight at UFC 317.

Many questioned when Pantoja would return to the Octagon after suffering the injury. Luckily, Pantoja's injury wasn't as severe as first thought, and the future UFC Hall of Famer has been chomping at the bit to get another shot at the current flyweight titleholder.

According to recent reporting, the UFC is planning on booking Van vs. Pantoja 2 for the promotion's rumored return to the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

Alexandre Pantoja set to run it back with Joshua Van after injury in first fight

As first reported by MMA content creator Kevin K on X, Van vs. Pantoja 2 is in the works for UFC 331 on September 19th. As of this writing, the fight hasn't been confirmed by the promotion, and UFC 331 remains without an official main event booked.

If the reporting rings true, Van and Pantoja will clash in one of the biggest fights in UFC flyweight history. Van's stock has risen during Pantoja's hiatus after his instant classic against Taira earlier this year.

Before suffering the arm injury against Van, Pantoja won eight consecutive fights, including a split decision win over Brandon Moreno to win the title at UFC 290. He went on to defend the belt against Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, Kai Asakura, and Kai Kara-France before the Van fight.

UFC 331 features a heavyweight matchup between Curtis Blaydes and Waldo Cortes-Acosta, along with a bantamweight bout between Marlon Vera and Charles Jourdain.

What is your early prediction for Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

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MMA

Austin McBroom scores terrifying knockout over Faze Temper in Brand Risk 15 main event

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Austin McBroom scores terrifying knockout over Faze Temper in Brand Risk 15 main event

Austin McBroom delivered one of the scariest knockouts in recent history after he demolished Faze Temper with a single punch the end the Brand Risk 15 main event on Saturday.

Both fighters showed confidence as they exchanged on the feet with McBroom all smiles as he set up his punches with Temperrr using his length and size to his advantage. Time and again, the fighters were just tempting fate as they stepped into the exchanges without showing much defense.

That strategy backfired in a major way when both McBroom and Temperrr stepped into the pocket and they threw with fight-finishing intentions.

But only McBroom landed this time as he uncorked a hellacious left hand that landed directly on the button and Faze Temperrr went down on a heap on the canvas. The reaction from the commentary team and the crowd told the whole story as just about everybody involved got scared for a moment on whether or not Faze Temperrr was actually going to make it off the canvas.

It was a jaw-dropping knockout delivered by McBroom to cap off the Brand Risk 15 main event. The card was so interesting that even UFC CEO Dana White got caught on camera watching the show while the UFC Sacramento card was happening at the same time. Bryce Hall could be next for McBroom at a future Brand Risk show.

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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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