Plenty of things can happen in the world of MMA in seven days.

From event announcements and the fights on the weekend to the best tweets and latest trash talk between fighters, we’ll keep you in the know at the end of each week with the latest happenings in the sport.

But first off, make sure you read issue 140 of Fighters Only Magazine! It’s now available on all good newsstands and on the Fighters Only app, featuring the women who blazed a trail in mixed martial arts.

While you’re at it, go and check out the 5Dimes Guide to MMA! It’s filled with massive insights, betting tips and more!

 

MMA News

UFC Auckland: Dan Hooker edges Paul Felder in hometown return

Dan Hooker and Paul Felder fought their hearts out over 25 minutes in Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday.

The top 10 UFC lightweights left it all in the cage, but it was hometown hero Hooker who swayed two of the judges sat cageside to give him the split decision victory.

Both men traded crushing leg kicks and marked each other up with big punching combinations in a close, competitive fight.

Felder hinted at retirement after his defeat. Let’s see if we’ll be seeing the “Irish Dragon” back in the Octagon.

Read all about the fight at UFC Auckland, and catch all the event’s results, here.

 

UFC Auckland: Jimmy Crute wins battle of light heavyweight prospects against Michał Oleksiejczuk

Australia’s Jimmy Crute made quick work of Poland’s Michał Oleksiejczuk in a fight between two of the UFC light heavyweight division’s most promising prospects.

Looking to avoid the Pole’s punching power, Crute sought to take the fight to the ground and as quickly as possible.

The 23-year-old got his wish and was in control as soon as the fight hit the canvas.

Crute finished the fight with a nasty kimura from side control, forcing Oleksiejczuk to submit.

Read all about the fight at UFC Auckland, and catch all the event’s results, here.

 

Bellator Dublin/Bellator 240: Leah McCourt and Brent Primus win big

Northern Ireland’s Leah McCourt got the nod, earning a unanimous decision win over Germany’s Judith Ruis in the main event of Bellator Dublin.

McCourt’s fourth consecutive win came at a historic moment as she and Ruis took part in the first female non-title fight to ever headline a Bellator card.

Former Bellator lightweight champion Brent Primus added another submission win to his resume on the Bellator 240 portion of the card in Dublin’s 3 Arena.

He caught Chris Bungard with a rear-naked choke less than two minutes into round one.

 

Bellator Dublin/Bellator 240 Full results

Women’s Featherweight: Leah McCourt def. Judith Ruis by unanimous decision after three rounds
Middleweight: Charlie Ward def. Kyle Kurtz by TKO (punches) at 4:24 of round three
Welterweight: Austin Clem def. Aaron Chalmers by unanimous decision after three rounds
Lightweight: Brent Primus def. Chris Bungard by submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:55 of round one
Catchweight (160 lbs.): Kiefer Crosbie def. Iamik Furtado by split decision after three rounds
Women’s Flyweight: Bec Rawlings def. Elina Kallionidou by unanimous decision after three rounds
Featherweight: Ricky Bandejas def. Frans Mlambo by KO (punches) at 1:25 of round two
Welterweight: Oliver Enkamp def. Lewis Long by KO (spinning back fist) at 4:10 of round one
Catchweight (180 lbs): George Hardwick def. Richard Kiely by submission (guillotine choke) at 3:40 of round two
Lightweight: Georgi Karakhanyan def. Paul Redmond by submission (guillotine choke) at 0:42 of round two
Women’s Strawweight: Danni Neilan def. Chiara Penco by unanimous decision after three rounds
Featherweight: Alberth Dias def. Richie Smullen by split decision after three rounds
Middleweight: Will Fleury def. Justin Moore by submission (arm-triangle choke) at 4:14 of round one
Lightweight: Christopher Duncan def. Mateusz Piskorz by TKO (punches) at 2:43 of round two
Featherweight: Calum Murrie def. Dylan Logan by submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:02 of round one
Flyweight: Blaine O’Driscoll def. Ezzoubair Bouarsa by TKO (punches) at 4:12 of round one
Featherweight: Ciaran Clarke def. Jamie Faulding by unanimous decision after three rounds
Lightweight: Constantin Blanita def. Asael Adjoudj by split decision after three rounds
Featherweight: Ilias Bulaid def. Diego Freitas by unanimous decision after three rounds

 

Rizin 21: Mikuru Asakura makes it eight wins in a row, defeats Daniel Salas

In the main event, Mikuru Asakura put on a clinic against Mexico’s Daniel Salas at Rizin 21 in Hamamatsu, Japan on Saturday.

After pouring on the inventive, flashy strikes which are quickly becoming the Japanese fighter’s staple, Salas eventually succumbed to the knockout, coming via a head kick followed up with a volley of punches on the ground.

Rizin 21 Full Results for MMA fights

Catchweight (68 kg): Mikuru Asakura def. Daniel Salas by TKO (head kick and punches) at 2:34 of round two
Bantamweight: Victor Henry def. Masanori Kanehara by TKO (punches) 0:45 of round two
Heavyweight: Roque Martinez def. Hideki Sekine by TKO (soccer kicks) at 4:04 of round one
Catchweight (79 kg): Marcos de Souza def. Portugal Falco Neto by TKO (punches) at 1:27 of round one
Bantamweight: Yuto Hokamura def. Kenji Kato by submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:21 of round one
Bantamweight: Naoki Inoue def. Trent Girdham by unanimous decision after three rounds
Featherweight: Vugar Kyaramov def. Kyle Aguon by unanimous decision after three rounds

 

Henry Cejudo to defend UFC bantamweight title against Jose Aldo

Read more about this here.

 

Best of MMA social media

Curtis Blaydes and Anthony “Rumble” Johnson

Yup. That’s UFC heavyweight Curtis Blaydes and former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Anthony “Rumble” Johnson squaring off in a sumo wrestling match.

See them take part in their celebrity sumo wrestling bouts in the video above.

 

Paul Felder and Dan Hooker

https://www.instagram.com/p/B85Sd5LhTFd/?igshid=1d0jpdg8ewccc

After sharing a 25-minute war, Paul Felder posted this photo strapped to a hospital bed alongside opponent Dan Hooker.

 

Conor Mcgregor

Conor McGregor had this to say ahead of the enthralling boxing rematch between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury.

Fury emerged the victor, earning a stoppage win in the 7th round to lift the WBC world heavyweight championship.