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Yuki Yoza sets his sights on a path back to bantamweight gold

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Yuki Yoza sets his sights on a path back to bantamweight gold

A rebound win is one thing. Turning it into a genuine path back to gold is another matter entirely.

Yuki Yoza powered past Ben Woolliss to score a hard-fought unanimous decision in bantamweight kickboxing action at The Inner Circle 22 on Friday, July 17. The card streamed live for subscribers from Bangkok's Lumpinee Stadium.

The win snapped a rough stretch that began with a unanimous decision loss to reigning ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty at ONE SAMURAI 1 this past April. Yoza did not walk away from Friday's fight fully satisfied with his performance, crediting Woolliss for the grit he showed throughout a grueling battle.

“I'm relieved that I was able to finish with a win. But in terms of the performance, I still have a long way to go. It felt like I was able to execute about half of what I prepared,†Yoza said.

Yuki Yoza names the two fights he wants most

Yuki Yoza's win matters far more than the record alone. Haggerty is already confirmed to defend his undisputed crown against Hiroki Akimoto at ONE SAMURAI 4 this October, and Yoza has no intention of watching that fight from the sidelines.

When asked what comes next, Yoza did not hesitate to name the two fights he wants most, starting with former ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nabil Anane.

“When you think of a major name in the division, Nabil is probably the first one who comes to mind. If I receive the offer, I will absolutely fight him,†Yoza said.

“As for Haggerty, my goal is not simply to earn another chance. I want to take the belt from Haggerty. I will make my way back there. I will catch him and surpass him.â€

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MMA

Rizvan Kuniev won a UFC Fight of the Night bonus; he still wasn’t happy

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Rizvan Kuniev won a UFC Fight of the Night bonus; he still wasn’t happy
Rizvan
Kuniev bagged his second win in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship, getting his hand raised at

UFC Abu Dhabi, but he isn't entirely content with his
performance.

Kuniev secured a finish against Tyrell
Fortune at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The back-and-forth
heavyweight clash was later awarded Fight of the Night, with both
heavyweights having their moments before the third-round
stoppage.

Rizvan Kuniev reflects on mistakes after Tyrell Fortune
stoppage at UFC Abu Dhabi

Fortune (18-4) proved to be a solid test for the Russian, who
eventually landed two back-to-back knees to prompt the referee to
intervene. Despite finding a finish, Kuniev (14-3) later admitted
that he expects more from himself moving forward, especially
considering his championship aspirations.

“Of course I made some mistakes,†Kuniev said in a post-fight
interview. “Because I rushed sometimes too fast into the fight, but
we will work it out and as my coach said, I'm on top now. Top 15,
you know. And you cannot make mistakes at this level if you want to
be a champion.â€

Kuniev is now 2-1 in the UFC after earning a contract on
Dana White's Contender Series. He lost his Octagon debut to
former title challenger Curtis
Blaydes before returning to winning ways against Jailton
Almeida.

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Ramazonbek Temirov says UFC flyweights aren’t ready for his power

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Ramazonbek Temirov says UFC flyweights aren’t ready for his power
Ramazonbek
Temirov has highlighted what separates himself from the rest of
the
Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight division.

Temirov delivered a resounding statement against former title
challenger Steve Erceg
at
UFC Abu Dhabi. The Uzbek prospect secured a first-round
knockout, taking his professional record to 20-3. In a post-fight
interview, he discussed the X-factor he possesses at 125
pounds.

Ramazonbek Temirov's knockout ability stands out after UFC Abu
Dhabi win over Steve Erceg

Temirov put his Australian counterpart to sleep with a crushing
right hand in the co-main event of UFC Abu Dhabi, extending his UFC
record to 3-0 and earning a Performance of the Night bonus for his
efforts. Speaking after the victory, he explained why he feels he’s
different from the rest of the division, emphasizing how flyweights
rarely pull off one-shot knockouts as he did against Erceg.

“I haven't seen all the fighters just fighting like me. Just
striking punches, just making knockouts,†he said. “But my punches
will just kill them all.â€

The emphatic finish marked Temirov’s 11th first-round stoppage
victory and 13th overall, further solidifying his reputation as one
of the UFC’s most explosive flyweights. He has now won 12
consecutive fights.

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MMA

On To the Next One: Matches to make after UFC Abu Dhabi

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On To the Next One: Matches to make after UFC Abu Dhabi

Magomed Ankalaev certainly has the résumé and credentials to be next in line to fight for the UFC light heavyweight title, but the former champ's performance in the UFC Abu Dhabi main event didn't seem to impress the MMA community. With new champ Carlos Ulberg out with an injury and expected to return in the first half of 2027, does Ankalaev get the first crack at Ulberg in an attempt to regain the belt?

On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss what's next for Ankalaev after his fifth-round stoppage win over Guskov, and if a title fight is coming up in his next fight, or if he has to compete again. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Ramazan Temirov following his first-round destruction over Steve Erceg in the co-main event, along with fellow main card winners Magomed Zaynukov, Rizvan Kuniev, Abubakar Vagaev, and more.

Plus, the fellas take your matchmaking suggestions at the end of the show.

Catch the UFC Abu Dhabi edition of On To the Next One below.

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