Monster Energy’s Maycee Barber Defeats Amanda Ribas at UFC Fight Night Jacksonville

Another show-stopping victory! Monster Energy congratulates Maycee “The Future” Barber on defeating Amanda Ribas at UFC Fight Night Jacksonville. In the co-main event fight contested in the Women’s Flyweight division, the 25-year-old from Greeley, Colorado, brutalized her opponent to a second-round TKO victory. The no-holds-barred battle also earned Barber the UFC’s $50,000 Performance of the Night Bonus.

Also on the main card, 27-year-old Brendan Allen from Beaufort, South Carolina, dominated Brazil’s Bruno Silva to a spectacular submission victory in the first round.

UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Topuria was contested in front of a high-energy crowd inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. With 14 fights on the card, the world-class fighting showcase was broadcast live on ESPN+ and ABC 5 Television.

Monster Energy’s Barber (13-2) came to Jacksonville riding a four-fight win streak after most recently defeating Andrea Lee at UFC Fight Night San Antonio in March 2023.

Her opponent, Brazilian MMA athlete Ribas (11-4), most recently earned a decision victory against Viviane Araujo at UFC 285 in March 2023. In terms of weight classes, Riba split time between strawweight and flyweight, and according to sports analysts, presented the biggest test of Barber’s career so far.

The pressure was palpable as the fight got underway, with Ribas edging Barber against the fence only to receive a fierce elbow to the face that opened a headwound early in the fight. Barber proved her strong takedown defense when Ribas attempted a headlock and answered a knee bar attempt by scoring big hits from the top. Gaining the upper hand, the end of Round 1 saw Barber dealing massive ground-and-pound damage as Ribas held on until the bell.

The second round started with Ribas returning fire after a takedown attempt and drawing blood from Barber. Showing her grit, Barber defended against headlock takedown and can opener attempts. Remaining on the offense, Barber continued to land significant shots while also sustaining visible damage in what proved one of the most ferocious and bloody fights the Women’s Flyweight division has seen to date.

Barber’s path to victory opened when she landed a stiff head kick that stunned Ribas, followed by a riveting right hand to the jaw. Seizing the moment, Barber swarmed her opponent with a heavy left-right combo that dropped Ribas to the canvas. Staying in close pursuit, Barber kept raining damaging elbows and punches on her bloodied adversary until referee Keith Peterson called a stop to the savage fight at 3:42 minutes, pronouncing Barber the winner by TKO.

“I feel like I’m a shark. I’m going to come for that blood, and when I see it, I’m coming for it!” said Barber upon winning her fight at UFC Fight Night Jacksonville, adding: “It feels like I just warned the whole 125-pound division that I’m back!”

Barber made her MMA debut on the Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) circuit. In 2018, she joined the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) after a knockout performance on Dana White’s Contender Series and earned the nickname “The Future.”

New Monster Energy athlete “All In” Allen (22-5) came to Jacksonville on a four-fight win streak. Most recently, the rising middleweight contender defeated Andre Muniz in the headline fight at UFC Night 220 in February 2023. Previously, he defeated Krzysztof Jotko, Jacob Malkoun, and Sam Alvey and remains undefeated since February 2022.

Allen’s opponent, Silva (23-9) from Cajazeiras, Brazil, recently earned a thunderous first-round TKO victory over Brad Tavares at UFC Fight Night 222 in April. Would the Brazilian powerhouse put an end to Allen’s victory streak?

Opening the fight, Allen brought the pressure with several high kick attempts to keep Silva on his toes. After Silva defended against a takedown attempt, Allen landed a punishing elbow from the top. Silva stood his ground with a sharp punch that hurt Allen, only to collect instant payback by way of a clean punch followed by another takedown.

The fight’s decisive scene unfolded after Allen absorbed a heavy punch from Silva and fired back an unstoppable combo, dropping the Brazilian to the canvas with a clean right. With Silva slumped against the side of the cage, Allen assumed side control to lock in a rear-naked choke – and it was all over! At 4:39 minutes of Round 1, referee Marc Goddard declared Allen the winner by submission.

“I’m the youngest guy in the top 15 with some of the most fights. I’m really doing this, I’ve been out here, and I haven’t even reached my prime. I haven’t shown everything. I will be the next champion,” said Allen upon winning his fight at UFC Fight Night Jacksonville.

Looking ahead, Allen has his eyes on a title shot: “I’m the only guy to be able to threaten the actual champion everywhere. So, with that being said, Izzy… ‘And New’ in 2024! I’m coming!”

This win brings Allen’s professional record to 10 wins, two losses in the UFC promotion. Allen has now earned four of his past five wins via rear-naked choke submissions.

Allen made his professional MMA debut in 2015 and earned two Middleweight Championship titles in the Legacy Fighting Alliance promotion. After an outstanding performance on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2019, the black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu earned a UFC contract and has been climbing in the Middleweight division rankings.

Maycee Barber and Brendan Allen count amongst Monster Energy’s elite UFC athletes along with Kamaru Usman,Jon “Bones” Jones,Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone,Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal,Chris “The All American” Weidman,Rose Namajunas,Tony Ferguson,Marlon Vera,Joanna Jędrzejczyk,Paulo “The Eraser” Costa,Stipe “Stone Cold” Miocic,Michael Chandler,Justin Gaethje, Jessica-Rose Clark,Valentina Shevchenko,Sean “Sugar” O’Malley,Brandon Moreno,Daniel Rodriguez,Alex Pereira,Punahele Soriano,Gilbert Burns,Giga “Ninja” Chikadze,Islam Makhachev, Johnny Walker, Beneil Dariush, and Gaston Bolanos.

Monster Energy’s Sergio Pettis Defeats Patricio “Pitbull” Freire to Defend Bantamweight Championship Title at Bellator 297 in Chicago

Corey Anderson Earns Split Decision Victory Against Phil Davis in Light Heavyweight Bout

Two wins in one night! Monster Energy congratulates Sergio Pettis on defeating Patricio “Pitbull” Freire in the Bantamweight Division Championship fight at Bellator 297 in Chicago, Illinois. In the co-main event bout, the 29-year-old from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, dominated his opponent for five rounds to earn a unanimous decision victory and retain the title.

Monster Energy teammate, 33-year-old Corey Anderson from Rockford, Illinois, also won by a split decision victory against Phil Davis in their Light Heavyweight Division fight on the main card.

With two title fights on the card, BELLATOR 297: Nemkov vs. Romero was showcased in front of a high-energy crowd inside Wintrust Arena in downtown Chicago. The main card was broadcast live on Showtime, and the Monster Energy Prelims streamed live on YouTube.

Monster Energy’s Pettis (23-5) came to Chicago as the defending Bellator Bantamweight Division Champion. Most recently, “The Phenom” defeated Kyoji Horiguchi at Bellator 272 in December 2021.

Pettis’ opponent on Friday night, Patricio “Pitbull” Freire (35-6), was looking to make MMA history at Bellator 297. Freire competed as the current Bellator Featherweight Champion and took the fight at Bantamweight in search of a double-division championship. The 35-year-old from Mossoró, Brazil, previously held the Bellator Featherweight and Lightweight Championship titles simultaneously. A win in Chicago would have made Freire the first fighter to become champion in two divisions simultaneously twice.

As the high-stakes fight got underway, Pettis came out with speed and aggression, pressuring Freire with jabs and head kicks. Freire attempted to fire back with heavy punches and landed a takedown in the first round, but Pettis retained the upper hand.

A dramatic scene unfolded when Pettis landed a spinning kick at the end of Round 2, significantly wobbling Freire before the clock ran out. In the following rounds, Pettis connected with quick three-punch combos to his opponent’s head and body. In the championship rounds, Pettis established his dominance by landing the most significant strikes and hurting Freire with brutal body kicks down the middle.

When all was said and done, the judges named Pettis the winner by unanimous decision (49–46, 50–45, 50–45) after five grueling rounds. This marks the second successful title defense for Pettis.

“Bellator, I’m taking out all your poster boys. I think it’s time I get some respect. I’m your guy’s next star, 100 percent!” said Pettis upon retaining his Bantamweight Championship at Bellator 297.

Returning after an 18-month hiatus, Pettis solidified his status as the 135-pound Bellator Champion. For his next fight, Pettis will be facing Patchy Mix, winner of the recent Bellator Bantamweight Grand Prix title.

Also, on the main card, Corey “Overtime” Anderson (17-6) came to Chicago as the top-ranked fighter in the Light Heavyweight division. Most recently, Anderson challenged reigning Light Heavyweight Champion Vadim Nemkov at Bellator 288 in November 2022.

His opponent, 38-year-old Phil Davis (24-7) from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, stepped into the Octagon on a two-fight win streak after defeating Julius Anglickas at Bellator 276 in March 2022. Ranked second in the Light Heavyweight class, Davis was looking to win and earn a title shot for his next fight.

Right from the start, both fighters relied heavily on their grappling, with Davis securing the first takedown. Shifting positions and counterattacking, neither could edge out a significant advantage on the ground or during exchanges on the feet. The second round saw a shift towards more striking, as Anderson managed to land the more decisive strikes in the scrap.

The pace of the fight slowed during the third and final round, Anderson chipping away at Davis’ stamina with jabs and straight punches. While the crowd was hoping for a damaging knockout punch, both fighters showed their fight IQ by evading show-stopping punches until the final bell.

At the end of the very close three-round battle, the judges named Anderson the winner by split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28). Back in the winner’s column, Anderson has set his sights on another attempt at securing the 205-pound division Championship.

“You already know what I want. There’s only one thing I’m here for… We want that strap!” said Anderson at Bellator 297 in Chicago. Stay tuned!

Sergio Pettis, Corey Anderson, Patricio “Pitbull” Freire and Phil Davis, count amongst Monster Energy’s elite MMA athletes, along with Aaron Pico, Johnny Eblen, Gaston Bolanos, Valerie Loureda, Kamaru Usman, A.J. McKee, Juan Archuleta, Leah McCourt, Joey Davis, Douglas Lima, Erik Perez, James Gallagher, Austin Vanderford, Jon “Bones” Jones, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal, Chris “The All American” Weidman, Rose Namajunas, Tony Ferguson, Marlon Vera, Joanna Jędrzejczyk, Maycee “The Future” Barber, Paulo “The Eraser” Costa, Stipe “Stone Cold” Miocic, Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje, Jessica-Rose Clark, Valentina Shevchenko, Sean “Suga” O’Malley, Brandon Moreno, Daniel Rodriguez, Alex Pereira, Punahele Soriano, Gilbert Burns, Giga “Ninja” Chikadze, Johnny Walker, Gilbert Burns, Beneil Dariush and Islam Makhachev.

Monster Energy’s Justin Gaethje Defeats Rafael Fiziev at UFC 286 in London

34-Year-Old from Denver, Colorado Wins Three-Round Battle and $50,000 ‘Fight of the Night’ Bonus

LONDON, United Kingdom – March 19, 2023 – ‘The Highlight’ strikes again! Monster Energy congratulates Justin Gaethje on defeating Rafael Fiziev by majority decision in the Lightweight Division fight at UFC 286 in London, United Kingdom.

In Saturday night’s co-main event fight inside O2 Arena, the 34-year-old from Denver, Colorado, went the distance for three rounds to clinch the victory by majority decision (29–28, 29–28, 28–28). The brutal battle also won the UFC’s ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus with a $50,000 payout, marking the seventh ‘Fight of the Night’ honor in Gaethje’s career.

UFC 286: Edwards vs. Usman 3 was contested in front of 18,321 spectators in attendance inside the sold-out O2 Arena. The fight was attended by Hollywood A-listers, including Miles Teller, Jared Leto, and Tom Holland. UFC 286 prelims were broadcast live on ESPN+, and the main card aired on ESPN pay-per-view.

Monster Energy’s Gaethje (24-4) came to London looking to return to the winner’s bracket after a loss in his UFC Lightweight Championship challenge to Charles Oliveira at UFC 274 in May 2022. Saturday’s opponent, professional mixed martial artist, and Muay Thai fighter Rafael Fiziev (12-2) from Azerbaijan stepped into the Octagon on a six-fight victory streak after most recently defeating Rafael Dos Anjos in July 2022.

Right from the opening bell, both fighters collided with reckless power, Gaethje almost knocking Fiziev clean off his feet with the first kick. But Fiziev returned fire with powerful striking and heavy body kicks of his own, as the fight unfolded as an all-out war on the feet with both fighters landing big shots. Proving his toughness, Gaethje absorbed blows to the neck and head that would have sidelined other fighters.

While the first two rounds saw Gaethje and Fiziev holding their ground, the tables turned in Gaethje’s favor in Round 3. Living up to his reputation as the hardest-hitting striker in the UFC, Gaethje dealt massive damage to visibly bloody Fiziev. By the start of the final round, the Azerbaijani’s left eye was severely swollen with blood running over his face while Gaethje kept connecting punishing left jabs.

A heavy uppercut from Gaethje less than 30 seconds before the end stunned Fiziev. In the final moments of the fight, Gaethje took his opponent to the mat and finished the three-round war controlling from the top. It was the exclamation mark on an outstanding performance, earning Gaethje the victory by majority decision (29–28, 29–28, 28–28).

Back in the winner’s column, Gaethje also clinched his seventh ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus with a $50,000 payout for the three-round slugfest.

“I’m taking one more run at the title, but I won’t be around for much longer,” said Gaethje in his post-fight interview at UFC 286 in London. “So, I’m so glad you guys could be here to enjoy this with me. Thank you, guys.”

Currently ranked in third place in the UFC’s Lightweight Division, Gaethje floated the idea of a rematch against Dustin Poirier in his interview, with the goal of another title shot after. “I fought like a complete idiot when I fought Oliveira, so I’d love to have that fight back, but Dustin is a good option.” Stay tuned for more from ‘The Highlight’!

Border City Boxing is Bringing Fighting Back To Hockey!

Border City Boxing has announced that they are bringing fighting back to hockey!

Border City Boxing will be hosting a live boxing showcase this Saturday at The WFCU center before Saturday’s Windsor Spitfires game and during the intermissions. Fans coming to the Windsor Spitfires game will have a chance to see some of Windsor’s best fighters showcase their talents inside the WFCU center.

The Border City Boxing Club was established in 1988 and has developed Champions in both the Amateur and Professional ranks. From Provincial and State Championships, to National Titles, to Commonwealth Games and Continental Gold Medals, to Professional North American and World Titles, Border City has brought home and array of Medals and Belts to Windsor.

Located on Drouillard Road, Border City serves a blue- collar neighbourhood and is involved in several outreach programs to get kids off the street and into the gym where they can learn the discipline of “the Sweet Science.”

In addition to its competitive program and recreational classes, Border City also offers Kids’ Classes, Women’s self-defence classes, and “Rock Steady” classes, designed to help participants with Parkinson’s Disease fight the symptoms of Parkinson’s with forced, intense boxing exercises.

There is a little bit of everything for everyone at Border City. Tickets for Saturdays Windsor Spitfires game vs the Sarnia Sting can be purchased online.

Border City Boxing Brings Fighting Back to Hockey – Saturday March 4th – Doors 6:05PM

Boxing Demonstrations and kids lessons start at 6:05 – Main event starts at 6:30 until puck drop. Arrive early!

Monster Energy’s Johnny Eblen Defends Middleweight World Championship Title Against Anatoly Tokov at Bellator 290 in Inglewood

Reigning Champion Retains Middleweight Belt and Extends Unbeaten MMA Track Record to 13 Wins

And still the champ! Monster Energy congratulates Johnny Eblen on defeating Anatoly Tokov in the co-main event bout at Bellator 290 in Inglewood, California, on Saturday night. In the Bellator MMA Middleweight World Championship fight, the 31-year-old from Des Moines, Iowa, went the distance for a unanimous decision win (50-45, 49-46, 49-46).

BELLATOR 290: Bader vs. Fedor 2 was showcased in front of a high-energy crowd inside the Kia Forum in Inglewood on February 4, 2023. The main card was broadcast live on Showtime, and the Monster Energy Prelims streamed live on YouTube.

Monster Energy’s Eblen (13-0) stepped into the Octagon as the reigning Bellator Middleweight Champion. Eblen earned the title in June 2022 at Bellator 282 with a unanimous decision victory over Gegard Mousasi.

Eblen’s opponent in his first title defense at Bellator 290 was 32-year-old Anatoly Tokov (31-4) from Russia. A former Middleweight Champion in the Absolute Championship Berkut promotion, Tokov received a shot at the Bellator MMA title after a ground-and-pound victory over Muhammad Abdullah at Bellator 282 in June 2022.

In the opening moments of their title fight, Eblen and Tokov traded jabs and kicks from the distance, each trying to find an opening for their grappling skills. Tokov landed lead jab, but Eblen began chipping away at his stamina with punishing calf kicks. Although Eblen was dealing with a cut under his right eye from Tokov’s jabs, he settled the score with a heavy overhand punch.

The second round saw Eblen increase the pressure and take the Russian of his feet with a massive elbow strike. Heading into Round 3, Eblen stepped up the attack on the feet. He also scored the takedowns he was looking for earlier, controlling Tokov from the top and using every opportunity to land elbows and punches.

Although Tokov held his own against the attacks, it was Eblen retaining the upper hand. In the final seconds of the fight, Eblen launched Tokov in the air with a spectacular German Suplex right before the bell. The judges pronounced Eblen the winner by unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) in a showcase of strategy and all-around control.

“That’s how I fight. As the fight goes on, I get better,” said Monster Energy’s Eblen about completing his first successful defense of the Bellator MMA Middleweight World Championship title.

Also known as ‘The Human Cheat Code,’ Eblen made his promotional debut in 2019 at Bellator 218 with a victory against Chauncey Foxworth. Previously, he built his skills as a collegiate wrestler at the University of Missouri before starting his successful MMA career in the Shamrock FC promotion. Eblen remains undefeated in 13 professional appearances.