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UFC 331 card just got deeper with anticipated rematches, return of Gable Steveson

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UFC 331 card just got deeper with anticipated rematches, return of Gable Steveson
Four more bouts have been added to the
Ultimate Fighting Championship's upcoming trip to Los Angeles,
including Gable
Steveson’s second fight in the promotion.

The UFC announced that Steveson will meet Sean Sharaf
in a heavyweight clash at UFC
331, while Robelis
Despaigne returns to the Octagon against Tai
Tuivasa. Also confirmed for the Sept. 19 event is a
middleweight matchup pitting Ryan Gandra
against Osman Diaz
and a lightweight bout between Brian
Ortega and Renato
Carneiro.

Gable Steveson's sophomore UFC bout, Renato Carneiro-Brian
Ortega rematch among new additions to UFC 331

Following the announcement that UFC 331 will be headlined by
Joshua
Van’s flyweight title rematch against former champion Alexandre
Pantoja, the promotion dropped more additions to the
undercard.

Steveson, who made his UFC debut against Elisha
Ellison in July, is set to return against Sharaf, who's 0-2
inside the Octagon. Despaigne returns to the UFC after rebuilding
momentum outside the promotion and will face Tuivasa, who enters
the bout looking to halt a seven-fight losing streak.

Gandra enters his matchup against Diaz high in confidence following
knockout victories over Jose Medina
and Zach
Reese. Diaz is looking to rebound from a loss to Ateba
Abega Gautier.

Carneiro enters his rematch with Ortega coming off a submission
victory over Chris
Duncan. Meanwhile, “T-City,†a former two-time UFC
featherweight title challenger, is committing to a move up to
lightweight in taking on a former title challenger at 155 pounds.
Ortega and “Money Moicano†locked horns at featherweight nearly a
decade ago, with the former winning via submission.

Following the latest set of announcements, the UFC 331 card is as
follows:
Joshua
Van vs. Alexandre
Pantoja 2
Arman
Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio
Ruffy
Patricio
Freire vs. Doo Ho
Choi
Renato
“Money†Moicano vs. Brian
Ortega 2
Alonzo
Menifield vs. Iwo
Baraniewski
Gable
Steveson vs. Sean
Sharaf
Marlon
Vera vs. Charles
Jourdain
Tai
Tuivasa vs. Robelis
Despaigne
Edmen
Shahbazyan vs. Brunno
Ferreira
Giga
Chikadze vs. Joanderson
Brito
Casey
O’Neill vs. Eduarda
Moura
Ryan
Gandra vs. Osman
Diaz
Michael
Aswell vs. Joo Sang
Yoo

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MMA

Morning Report | Paddy Pimblett: Movsar Evloev ‘quit’ in loss to Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 333

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Morning Report | Paddy Pimblett: Movsar Evloev ‘quit’ in loss to Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 333

Movsar Evloev, 20-0 no longer. But apparently, his UFC 333 loss to Alexander Volkanovski is deeper than that.

The top featherweight contender updated his Instagram bio following his disappointing knockout defeat at the hands of Volkanovski, but not to 20-1.

Instead, Evloev is now “0-1,” signaling a new beginning, perhaps? At 32, Evloev is not a young man in the 145-pound division, but perhaps there’s still room for him to grow and even if he can’t beat Volkanovski, can he hang around long enough for Volkanovski to exit and then step into his place as a future champion?

What do you all think of Evloev’s profile tweak?

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Aaron Pico admits he was fighting too out of control before UFC 333

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Aaron Pico admits he was fighting 'too out of control' before UFC 333
Aaron
Pico is learning to be more patient inside the Octagon.

Pico (14-5) is scheduled to face Losene
Keita (17-2) at
UFC 333 on Oct. 24 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Ahead of the
matchup, the former Bellator
fighter said he wants to gain experience rather than rush to
finish.

Aaron Pico explains new fighting mentality ahead of Losene
Keita matchup at UFC 333

Pico was knocked out in his UFC debut last year before earning his
first promotional victory against Patricio
Freire. He said he has since adopted a “beginner
mentality.â€

Pico, who has finished 11 of his 14 professional victories, has
worked with coach Roberto Barreiro to develop a more measured
approach. Instead of trying to end fights as quickly as possible,
he now wants to settle into the action.

“When I say I needed to be humbled, it’s not in the fact that I
walked or carried myself… I needed to humble myself in the way that
I was fighting,†Pico said at the UFC 333 media day. “I was
fighting just too out of control. When I would go do a fight, the
mindset was to get this thing over. I just want to go in there, do
what I have to do, get the win and go home. I've really worked with
coach Roberto Barreiro a lot in Morocco to switch the mindset a
little bit. Now I want to enjoy and cook the fight.â€

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UFC fighter explains nose-picking moment before Dana White handshake

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UFC fighter explains nose-picking moment before Dana White handshake
Mandel
Nallo says his nose-picking gesture at the ceremonial weigh-ins
for the
Ultimate Fighting Championship's recent event in Edmonton,
Alberta, was a message to his children.

Nallo stopped Nate
Landwehr at
UFC Edmonton on Oct. 17. Before the bout, however, the Canadian
lightweight drew attention by conspicuously picking his nose
onstage. He has since explained the gesture.

Mandel Nallo says his sons inspired UFC Edmonton nose-picking
gesture before Dana White’s handshake offer

Nallo said his sons suggested the gesture as a way to acknowledge
them while they watched. That created an awkward moment when UFC
CEO Dana
White extended his hand before Nallo's faceoff with Landwehr.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Nallo explained that refusing the
handshake might have looked disrespectful.

“I have two boys; they’re 5 and 7… I wanted to notify them that I
knew they were watching,†Nallo said. “So I told them, ‘What’s
something I can do so that you guys can see that I know you’re
watching?' They told me, ‘Pick your nose.' I’m a committed nose
picker. I’m not gonna half-*ss it. I’m not gonna pretend. So, I
went up there and that was for them. I’m right-handed. I’m gonna go
up there with my right hand, and then [Dana White] extends his arm
out to you. You don’t have time to explain what just happened. So I
did a finger point so that there was no contact. There was no
disrespect. It was kind of like a ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm' moment. I
got this booger in my hand, but if I go, ‘I don’t want to shake
your hand,' then I look even worse. I just had to roll with
it.â€

Nallo also said his sons don't know what he does for a living.
Although they train jiu-jitsu, he said they are unaware of how
violent MMA can be.

Nallo (15-4, 1 NC) earned his UFC contract on
Dana White's Contender Series last year but lost his
promotional debut to Jai Herbert
by technical knockout earlier this year. The 37-year-old has never
had a professional fight decided by the judges.

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