LAS VEGAS — Cecilia Braekhus was supposed to be fighting for a junior middleweight world title this weekend. But when Ema Kozin was unable to travel to the United States, Braekhus needed another opponent. Someone familiar stepped in: Maricela Cornejo. “It’s going to be an…

LAS VEGAS — There’s been plenty of talk about who Vergil Ortiz could face if he defeats Serhii Bohachuk this Saturday. Ortiz’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions, said on Wednesday that he wants Ortiz vs. Terence Crawford in the first…

Dana White wasn’t kidding when he teased that UFC was breaking the bank to produce the first ever live sporting event at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The UFC CEO disclosed recently that the promotion has already spent at least $17 million on production for…

LAS VEGAS – Nikolay Veretennikov has no intention of stirring things up with UFC on ESPN 61 opponent Danny Barlow before they step into the octagon. Quite the opposite, actually. Veretennikov (12-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) said he’s crossed paths with Barlow (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC)…

Kenneth Sims Jr. will make his ring return in a 10-round junior welterweight contest against Jair Valtierra on Saturday in Las Vegas. The fight, which will be featured on the Vergil Ortiz Jr.-Serhii Bohachuk undercard at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, will be the…

LAS VEGAS – They’re running it back, but for Marcin Tybura, it’s a much more different fight. Saturday, Tybura (25-8 MMA, 12-7 UFC) takes on Serghei Spivac in a rematch that serves as the headlining act of UFC on ESPN 61 which takes place at…

LAS VEGAS – Damon Jackson is stunned by the betting lines for his UFC on ESPN 61 co-main event against Chepe Mariscal. Jackson (23-6-1 MMA, 6-4-1 UFC) is currently tabbed as a +185 betting underdog against Mariscal (16-6 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who comes back as…

LAS VEGAS – Chris Gutierrez is just happy to be fighting this weekend. Gutierrez’s return this Saturday at UFC on ESPN 61 – which marks his first bout of 2024 – almost got canceled, as his original fight against Javid Basharat fell through just days…

As if two fighters nearing a title shot, bringing close to a 100 percent knockout rate isn’t enough, Saturday’s Vergil Ortiz-Serhii Bohachuk junior-middleweight bout now has the full attention of the sport’s new fight-making wizard, Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh. Texas’ Ortiz (21-0, 21 KOs), coming…