Liam Lindsay

Israel Adesanya has announced that he has officially split from longtime head coach Eugene Bareman and City Kickboxing. The former two-time UFC Middleweight Champion confirmed the news on Instagram on Thursday, revealing he told Bareman face-to-face that he would not be returning to the Auckland gym he has called home since 2009.

## The End of an Era

Israel Adesanya described the decision as "something a long time coming behind the scenes," admitting the split has been difficult to process. "Something behind the scenes" could be hinting at a rift between Adesanya and UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion Carlos Ulberg, although that's just speculation. "The Last Stylebender" didn't reveal exactly what led to the breakup, but he hinted that his training and preparation needed to change before he books his next fight, stating that he now requires focused, individual attention in camp.

The 36-year-old was keen to stress there is no bad blood, crediting City Kickboxing for building him into the fighter he became while also pointing out that he was one of the main pillars that put the gym on the world stage. It's a fair claim; Adesanya's rise under Bareman produced one of the great Middleweight title runs, with five consecutive defenses between 2019 and 2022 before dropping the belt to Alex Pereira, a loss he avenged in stunning fashion at UFC 287 in 2023. But, that was also his last win.

## A Fresh Look

The move comes with Adesanya at the lowest point of his career. He is currently on a four-fight losing streak, the latest a second-round TKO defeat to Joe Pyfer in March, and he referenced the old adage about insanity being doing the same thing while expecting a different result. After 17 years under the same roof, a change of scenery might be exactly the reset he needs.

## What is Next?

Adesanya gave no indication of where he'll train next or who will lead his future fight camps. He has already shut down retirement talk after the Pyfer loss, so a return to the octagon is expected; the only question is who will be standing in his corner when it happens. Wherever he lands, his next camp will be the first of his UFC career without Eugene Bareman.

Do you think leaving City Kickboxing is the right move for Israel Adesanya, and where should he train next? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know with a comment down below.

Israel Adesanya Confirms City Kickboxing Exit: "A Long Time Coming"

A Bantamweight fight is set for August 29th when Umar Nurmagomedov meets Song Yadong in the main event of UFC Shanghai, first reported by Red Fury MMA. The bout takes place at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center and marks the promotion's return to mainland China.

## Nurmagomedov Seeking Return to Title Picture

Umar Nurmagomedov (20-1) heads into hostile territory as he looks to climb back into title contention. The Dagestani standout suffered the first loss of his career against Merab Dvalishvili in a title bid at UFC 311, but has rattled off back-to-back wins since, finishing Deiveson Figueiredo and outpointing Mario Bautista. Nurmagomedov was previously linked to a bout with David Martinez at UFC Abu Dhabi before Martinez withdrew, opening the door for this matchup instead.

## Yadong Fighting for Second Straight Home Crowd

Song Yadong (23-9-1) will headline in front of his home fans for the second consecutive time, having submitted Figueiredo in the second round at UFC Macau in his last outing. Before that win, the Kung Fu Kid dropped a competitive decision to Sean O'Malley at UFC 324. Yadong has been vocal about the matchup, previously calling out Nurmagomedov and stating he has tools prepared specifically for this fight.

What is your prediction for Nurmagomedov vs. Yadong? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know with a comment down below.

Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Song Yadong Set for UFC Return to Shanghai

UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs. Torres heads to Baku tomorrow, live on Paramount+ from the National Gymnastics Arena, headlined by a Lightweight bout between Rafael Fiziev and Manuel Torres. The official weigh-ins took place today, with all 26 athletes hitting their contracted weights. Here are the results.

## Main Card — 12PM ET

**Lightweight:** Rafael Fiziev (156) vs. Manuel Torres (156)

**Middleweight:** Shara Magomedov (186) vs. Michel Pereira (185.5)

**Lightweight:** Matheus Camilo (156) vs. Nazim Sadykhov (156)

**Flyweight:** Asu Almabayev (126) vs. Charles Johnson (125.5)

**Middleweight:** Ikram Aliskerov (186) vs. Brunno Ferreira (185)

**Middleweight:** Abus Magomedov (185.5) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (186)

## Prelims — 9 AM ET

**Welterweight:** Farman Hasanov (170.5) vs. Eric Nolan (170.5)

**Light Heavyweight:** Julius Walker (206) vs. Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev (206)

**Middleweight:** Andrey Pulyaev (186) vs. Nursulton Ruziboev (186)

**Featherweight:** Kaan Ofli (146) vs. Javier Reyes (145.5)

**Welterweight:** Theodor Berggren (171) vs. Daniil Donchenko (170.5)

**Bantamweight:** Bekzat Almakhan (136) vs. Jean Matsumoto (135.5)

**Welterweight:** Tahir Abdullayev (170.5) vs. Jefferson Nascimento (171)

Who are you backing in the main event? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know with a comment down below.

UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs. Torres Weigh-in Results

Alex Pereira has broken his silence following his knockout loss to Ciryl Gane, accusing the new Interim Heavyweight Champion of landing "dirty" shots during their bout at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House.

### Pereira Cries Foul

Ciryl Gane knocked out Alex Pereira in the second round of their Interim UFC Heavyweight Title fight. After taking the first round on all three judges' scorecards, Gane dropped Pereira with a jab and followed up with heavy ground strikes, some of which appeared to land on the back of Pereira's head. Referee Herb Dean issued no warning and deducted no points. Although badly rocked, Pereira managed to get back to his feet, but Gane closed the show shortly after to secure the win.

> This guy has a long history of it. Dirty shots, punches to the back of the head. - Alex Pereira

Speaking on his YouTube channel two days after the fight, Pereira didn't hold back. He claimed Gane has a long history of landing illegal strikes and said he had flagged the issue with the referee before the fight even began. Pereira argued that multiple shots and elbows landed behind the head and felt the officiating let him down on the night.

### A History of Controversy

Gane has a bit of a history of leaning into the dark arts of martial arts. His fight before Alex Pereira was ruled a No Contest due to an eye poke he landed on Tom Aspinall. There have also been previous accusations of back-of-the-head strikes, notably in his fights against Junior Dos Santos and Sergei Spivac.

> I brought that up with Herb Dean ahead of time and asked him to keep an eye on it. He shouldn’t have been refereeing that fight. A guy like that should be punished. - Alex Pereira

Back-of-the-head strikes continue to be a very loosely enforced rule in the UFC, almost as if the referees ignore them most of the time for fear of interrupting a fight at a critical moment.

What do you make of Pereira's comments, and do you think Gane's shots were dirty? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know in the comments below.


Alex Pereira Rips Herb Dean and Ciryl Gane's Tactics After Heavyweight Loss

RIZIN Landmark 14 heads to Sendai tomorrow, live on PPV from Xebio Arena Sendai, headlined by a RIZIN Flyweight Championship bout between Hiromasa Ougikubo and Makoto "Shinryu" Takahashi. The official weigh-ins took place today. Here are the results.

## Main Card — 3:00 PM JST / 2:00 AM ET

**Flyweight Championship:** Hiromasa Ougikubo (57.00kg) vs. Makoto "Shinryu" Takahashi (56.95kg)

**Bantamweight:** Yuki Motoya (59.00kg) vs. Tony "The Wildman" Laramie (58.85kg)

**Catchweight (121.20kg):** Ryo Sakai (111.85kg) vs. Takakenshin (121.20kg)*

**Catchweight (71.10kg):** Noah "Black Panther" Noah (70.90kg) vs. Bilal Kai Haga (71.10kg)**

**Welterweight:** Yusuke Yachi (70.80kg) vs. ISAO (70.65kg)

**Flyweight:** Daichi Tomizawa (57.00kg) vs. Rui Kato (56.75kg)

## Prelims — YouTube

**Featherweight:** Naoki Tanaka (66.00kg) vs. Kaisei Kuroi (65.90kg)

**Bantamweight:** Koki Akada (60.95kg) vs. Seiya Inoue (60.90kg)

**Kickboxing:** Hayato Kikuchi (56.70kg) vs. Taylan Yuasa (57.00kg)

**Kickboxing:** Koya Saito (67.40kg) vs. TAaaaCHAN (67.30kg)

**Kickboxing:** Daichi Akahira (56.45kg) vs. Sho Uchida (56.50kg)

**Kickboxing:** Yusuke Iwaki (61.85kg) vs. Sho Nakaizumi (61.90kg)


*Takakenshin weighed 121.20kg, 1.20kg over the original 120.00kg limit. The bout will proceed as a Catchweight contest; only Sakai will be eligible for a decision victory.

**Bilal Kai Haga weighed 71.10kg, 0.10kg over the original 71.00kg limit. The bout will proceed as a Catchweight contest; only Noah Bey will be eligible for a decision victory.

RIZIN Landmark 14 Weigh-In Results

UFC Fight Night returns to the Meta APEX tomorrow, live on Paramount+ from Las Vegas, headlined by a Welterweight bout between former champion Belal Muhammad and rising contender Gabriel Bonfim. The official weigh-ins took place today. Here are the results.

## Main Card — 8 PM ET

**Welterweight:** Belal Muhammad (170.5) vs. Gabriel Bonfim (170.5)

**Middleweight:** Brendan Allen (185.5) vs. Edmen Shahbazyan (186)

**Lightweight:** Fares Ziam (156) vs. Tom Nolan (155)

**Bantamweight:** Bryce Mitchell (135.5) vs. Santiago Luna (136)

**Light Heavyweight:** Iwo Baraniewski (206) vs. Junior Tafa (206.5)*

## Prelims — 5 PM ET

**Catchweight (130):** Matt Schnell (129.5) vs. Alessandro Costa (129.5)

**Bantamweight:** Marcus McGhee (136) vs. John Yannis (136)

**Flyweight:** Bruno Silva () vs. Edgar Chairez (126)

**Women's Bantamweight:** Priscila Cachoeira (135.5) vs. Chelsea Chandler (135)

**Featherweight:** Jordan Leavitt (145.5) vs. Joanderson Brito (145.5)

**Women's Flyweight:** Jeisla Chaves (124) vs. Yuneisy Duben (125)

**Women's Strawweight:** Ketlen Souza (116) vs. Ariane Carnelossi (116)

*Junior Tafa weighed in at 206.5, 0.5lbs over the Light Heavyweight limit.

Are you tuned in for UFC Fight Night tomorrow? Who are you backing in the main event? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know with a comment down below.

UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs. Bonfim Weigh-In Results

BKFC 90: Tierney vs. Franco is live from the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, England, featuring an Interim Title Fight rematch between Connor Tierney and Rico Franco. UK MMA legend **Darren "The Gorilla" Till** takes the co-main event spot against Aaron Chalmers. Till is making his **BKFC debut tonight** against Chalmers, who is 2-0 in bare-knuckle boxing. Here are the live results for the card.

**Prelims 7pm BST / 2pm ET (Free on YouTube)**

## Lightweight Bout: Nathan Leeson vs. Stevie Devenport

**Result:** Nathan Leeson def. Stevie Devonport via TKO (Doctor Stoppage, 1:29) Round 4.

## Heavyweight Bout: Lucasz Parobiec vs. Kaseem Saleem

**Result:** Lucasz Parobiec def. Kaseem Saleem via TKO (punches, 0:47) Round 4. 

![kaseem-vs-lukasz.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/ed57c283-680a-46ce-0840-bafab1929c00/pub "Lucasz Parobiec exchanging with Kaseem Saleem. Credits to: BKFC.")

## Welterweight Bout: Kris Trezise vs. Luke Brassfield

**Result:** Kris Trezise def. Luke Brassfield via TKO (punches, 1:53) Round 4.

## Main Card (Available on BKFC.com)

## Lightweight Bout: Tommy Hawthorn vs. Will Smith

**Result:** Tommy Hawthorn def. Will Smith via TKO (corner stoppage, 1:42) Round 3.

**The Action:** It was a dominant display from Tommy Hawthorn who dropped Will Smith early in the first round with a flurry of punches. The damage from Hawthorn kept up into rounds two and three, and following another knockdown in the third, the corner threw in the towel for Smith.

## Middleweight Bout: Paul O'Sullivan vs. Paul Hilz

**Result:** Paul O'Sullivan def. Paul Hilz via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)

![paul-vs-paul.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/51c5dcff-743c-4f58-8f7d-7b14cd308200/pub "Paul O'Sullivan def. Paul Hilz via UD. Credits to: BKFC.")

## Middleweight Bout: Liam Hutchinson vs. Simeon Ottley

**Result:** Liam Hutchinson def. Simeon Ottley via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 48-47, 50-45)

## Featherweight Bout: Michal Lesniak vs. Martin McDonough

**Result:** Michal Lesniak def. Martin McDonough via TKO (punches, 0:57) Round 4.

![polish.jpeg](https://imagedelivery.net/kd_oB-9dZCrENaJzp7HSCA/21843fc9-679e-4b8d-d9fc-f7bb8e162700/pub "Michal Lesniak celebrates his win over McDonough. via UD. Credits to: BKFC.")

## Middleweight Bout: George Thorpe vs. Leigh Cohoon

**Result:** George Thorpe def. Leigh Cohoon via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)

## Bantamweight Bout: Jonno Chipchase vs. Brian Hyslop

**Result:** Brian Hyslop def. Jonno Chipchase via Unanimous Decision (50-43, 49-45, 50-53)

## Cruiserweight Bout: John Phillips vs. Ryan Barrett

**Result:** John Phillips def. Ryan Barrett via TKO (punches, 1:03) Round 1.

## Co-Main Event: Light-Heavyweight Bout: Darren Till vs. Aaron Chalmers

**Result:** Darren Till def. Aaron Chalmers via KO (punch, 0:22) Round 2.

## Interim BKFC Welterweight Championship: Connor Tierney vs. Rico Franco

**Result:** Rico Franco def. Connor Tierney via KO (punch, 0:50) Round 2.



BKFC 90: Tierney vs. Franco Live Results

UFC Macau delivered one of the better cards of the year, with four fighters each taking home the $100,000 bonus. The UFC has confirmed the post-fight bonuses following Saturday's event in China, with Song Yadong's guillotine finish of Deiveson Figueiredo headlining a night full of stoppages.

## Fight of the Night: Alonzo Menifield vs. Zhang Mingyang

Alonzo Menifield went straight at Zhang Mingyang from the off, had him in serious trouble early, and punished him when Zhang tried to trade. Zhang stuck in the fight and landed some good shots too, but the power difference was real. The result was a first-round TKO for Menifield, his tenth career knockout win, and eleventh UFC victory, and he leaves China with $100,000 for his efforts. Zhang will also recieve $100,000 for a fun fight while it lasted.

## Performance of the Night: Song Yadong

Song Yadong saved the night for the home nation. The Bantamweight contender bounced back from his close defeat to Sean O'Malley by submitting former Flyweight Champion Deiveson Figueiredo with a guillotine choke in the second round, countering a takedown attempt to pull off the finish. A much needed main event win that keeps him in the top-5 of the division, and he takes home the $100K bonus.

## Performance of the Night:  Kai Asakura

The final performance bonus was delivered to Kai Asakura, who got a long awaited UFC win after losing his first two fights to Alexandre Pantoja and Tim Elliott. He destroyed his opponent Cameron Smotherman with a viscious combination, earning his first win in the UFC and first bonus too. 

## Finish Bonuses ($25,000 each)

Several fighters earned finish bonuses on the night: Jaqueline Amorim opened the card with an armbar finish over Loma Lookboonmee, Rodrigo Vera stopped Zhu Kangjie on his UFC debut, and Cody Haddon dominated Aoriqileng for a second-round TKO. Rei Tsuruya submitted Luis Gurule early in the first, debutant Luis Felipe Dias got the finish against Yi Sak Lee, and Sergei Pavlovich re-announced himself as a Haeavyweight title challenger by knocking out Tallison Teixeira in the opening seconds.

Who stood out to you most from UFC Macau? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know with a comment down below.

UFC Macau Bonus Winners Confirmed: Who Took Home $100K?

UFC Macau makes its return to Galaxy Arena tomorrow, live on Paramount+ from Macau, China, headlined by a Bantamweight bout between Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo. All fighters hit their marks on the scale at Friday's official weigh-ins. Here are the results.

## Main Card — 6 AM ET

**Bantamweight:** Song Yadong (136) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (135.5)
**Light Heavyweight:** Zhang Mingyang (205) vs. Alonzo Menifield (206)
**Heavyweight:** Sergei Pavlovich (257) vs. Tallison Teixeira (250)
**Bantamweight:** Kai Asakura (135.5) vs. Cameron Smotherman (135.5)
**Welterweight:** Jake Matthews (170) vs. Carlston Harris (170.5)
**Flyweight:** Su Mudaerji (126) vs. Alex Perez (125.5)

## Prelims — 4 AM ET

**Middleweight:** Yi Sak Lee (185) vs. Luis Felipe Dias (184.5)
**Welterweight:** Ding Meng (170.5) vs. Jose Souza (170.5)
**Bantamweight:** Aoriqileng (135) vs. Cody Haddon (135)
**Bantamweight:** Rei Tsuruya (135) vs. Luis Gurule (135)
**Strawweight:** Angela Hill (115) vs. Xiong Jing Nan (115.5)
**Featherweight:** Zhu Kangjie (145) vs. Rodrigo Vera (145)
**Strawweight:** Loma Lookboonmee (115) vs. Jaqueline Amorim

Who are you most excited to watch? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know with a comment down below.

UFC Macau Weigh-In Results

Darren "The Gorilla" Till made his presence felt at the BKFC 90 press conference in Birmingham today, and he wasted absolutely no time putting the entire roster on notice. Two days out from his bare-knuckle debut against Aaron "The Joker" Chalmers at the Utilita Arena, Till was the loudest voice in the room.

# Till Fires Shots At Everyone

Till made clear his ambitions stretch far beyond Saturday night, declaring he intends to wipe the whole BKFC roster out, naming Mike Perry, Lorenzo Hunt, and John Phillips specifically as fighters he views as "punch-drunk mongoloids." He also said he believes the fight with Mike Perry may not happen because Perry is desperately trying to avoid him.

John Phillips, the former UFC and BAMMA Middleweight veteran who fights Ryan Barrett on the same card, was sat in the same room when Till made those remarks. The exchange between the two turned heated, with Till dismissing Phillips by telling him he's not fighting him and that he doesn't even know who he is. Phillips was gunning for the moneyfight against Darren Till, and he might get it if they're both victorious on Saturday.

## The Fight

Chalmers enters as a significant underdog at +650. He believe's his experience in the BKFC will give him an edge, but whether he can back that up against a former UFC title challenger making his bare-knuckle debut is another question entirely.

Till is on a multi-fight deal with BKFC and has made clear he sees himself as the future face of the sport. A matchup with Mike Perry is definitely one that needs to happen.

What do you make of Till's comments, and does his arrival shake up the BKFC landscape? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know with a comment down below.

Kristian Rothaermel