The next month is witnessing some incredible sports events, but, in the Combat Sports industry, it is looking to be the biggest month for Boxing matches and MMA events. Here is what fighting fans can look forward to in the next month.
March 16, Nathan Heaney vs Brad Pauls (British Middleweight Title Bout) - Nathan Heaney last fought in November when he claimed the British Middleweight title in Manchester after defeating Denzel Bentley by Majority Decision. Brad Pauls won the English Middleweight title in his last bout, defeating Mitchell Frearson by eighth-round TKO.
Joe Joyce returns to action after his back-to-back losses against Zhilei Zhang. He will look to recover his Boxing record as he faces Kash Ali who last fought in July, losing by a points decision.
March 16, UFC Fight Night: Tuivasa vs Tybura (Heavyweight Bout) - Two Heavyweights are looking for redemption as Tai Tuivasa looks to end his three-fight losing streak with his most recent loss coming against Alexander Volkov by second-round submission at UFC 293. Marcin Tybura last fought at UFC London in July 2023, losing to the current Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion, Tom Aspinall, by first-round TKO.
Other bouts on the fight card include former Light Heavyweight title challenger, Ovince Saint Preux, against Kennedy Nzechukwu and a Women's Bantamweight bout featuring the #6 contender, Pannie Kianzad, against the #10 contender, Macy Chiasson.
Official poster for Tai Tuivasa vs. Marcin Tybura on March 16th at the UFC APEX. #UFCVegas88 pic.twitter.com/lDHhVkJWXU
— COMBAT SPORTS TODAY (@CSTodayNews) February 8, 2024
March 23, Dalton Smith vs Jose Zepeda (Super-Lightweight Bout) - Dalton Smith is an undefeated British Boxer and will be fighting in his hometown of Sheffield for the second consecutive time after he last won by seventh-round TKO against Sam Maxwell. Jose Zepeda failed to capture three titles in his last bout, losing to Richardson Hitchins by unanimous decision.
In the Co-Main Event, Sandy Ryan will be defending her WBO World Welterweight title against WBA Super Welterweight Champion, Terri Harper. Ryan's last Boxing match ended in a split draw against Jessica McCaskill as the IBO, WBA, WBO and WBC World Welterweight titles were on the line. Harper similarly suffered the same fate in her last fight as it ended in a majority draw against Cecilia Braekhus.
March 23, UFC Fight Night: Ribas vs Namajunas (Women's Flyweight Bout) - Amanda Ribas aims to maintain her #8 Flyweight contender's pot as she faces off against the former two-time UFC Strawweight Champion, Rose Namajunas. Ribas competed in two Flyweight bouts in 2023, with a second-round TKO loss to Maycee Barber and an unanimous decision win over Viviane Araujo. Namajunas had one opportunity to enter the Flyweight rankings at UFC Paris, but lost to Manon Fiorot by unanimous decision as she gets another chance to succeed.
A fight that does feature on the same card is recognisable South African fighter, Cameron Saaiman, as he takes on undefeated fighter, Payton Talbott, in the Co-Main Event.
March 30, Tim Tszyu vs Keith Thurman (Catchweight Bout) - WBO World Super Welterweight Champion, Tim Tszyu, is looking to stay undefeated in his Boxing career as he takes on former WBA Super Welterweight Champion, Keith Thurman. Tszyu fought three times last year, winning all three fights with an unanimous decision victory against Brian Mendoza, a first-round knockout win against Carlos Ocamp and a ninth-round TKO win against Tony Harrison. Thurman last fought in February 2022, defeating Mario Barrios by unanimous decision after losing his world title by split decision against Boxing legend, Manny Pacquiao in July 2019.
On the same fight card, Rolly Romero defends his WBA Super-Lightweight title as he takes on Isaac Cruz at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Romero won the vacant championship in his last bout when he defeated Ismael Barroso by ninth-round TKO. Cruz last bout did occur at the T-Mobile Arena as he defeated Giovanni Cabrera by split decision. Both men have one familiar similarity as they have lost to Gervonta Davis, failing to capture the WBA World Lightweight title.
March 30, Arsen Goulamirian vs Gilberto Ramirez (WBA Cruiserweight World Title Bout) - Arsen Goulamirian fights in the USA for the first time as he defends his World Cruiserweight championship against Gilberto Ramirez. The undefeated French fighter last fought in 2022 when he conquered Aleksei Egorov by unanimous decision. Ramirez last fought in October as he showed dominance in his bout against Joe Smith Jr, winning by unanimous decision. Goulamirian will look to successfully earn his fifth title defence whilst Ramirez will become the first fighter to defeat the Frenchman.
March 30, UFC Fight Night: Blanchfield vs Fiorot (Women's Flyweight Bout) - A Flyweight title eliminator is set to take place at Atlantic City, New Jersey as #2 contender, Erin Blanchfield, takes on #3 contender, Manon Fiorot. Blanchfield has six fights in the UFC and has been victorious in all of them, including three submission wins. Fiorot has also competed and been victorious in six UFC bouts with four decision wins and two KO/TKO victories which occurred in the first two fights for the promotion.
Other exciting fights which will be involved in the same event include; former UFC Middleweight Champion, Chris Weidman against Bruno Silva, #12 Light Heavyweight contender, Alonzo Menifield goes up against Carlos Ulberg, and #11 Welterweight contender, Vicente Luque, takes on 2020 Knockout of the Year winner, Joaquin Buckley.
UFC Atlantic City Poster For ‘Blanchfield Vs Fiorot’ https://t.co/VaFfB37n1y
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) March 11, 2024
April 6, UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs Allen (Middleweight Bout) - Brendan Allen has a chance to move up the Middleweight rankings and carry on his six-fight winning streak as he faces against #5 contender and former title challenger, Marvin Vettori. The Italian fighter had two fights last year with an unanimous decision win against Roman Dolidze at UFC 286 and an unanimous decision loss to Jared Cannonier at UFC Vegas 75. Allen's last six wins have ended with a submission as in 2023, he submitted Andre Muniz, Bruno Silva and Paul Craig.
An eye-catching fight to look at in the same fight card as the the former UFC Featherweight Champion, Germaine de Randamie, fights for the first time since October 2020 as she takes on the #11 Bantamweight contender, Norma Dumont, who is currently on a three-fight winning streak.
🚨 #UFCFightNight April 6th🚨
— NoSmokeSport (@NoSmokeSport) January 3, 2024
Marvin Vettori vs. Brendan Allen! #UFC pic.twitter.com/FNIlKTNLx2
April 13, Jared Anderson vs Ryad Merhy (Heavyweight Bout) - Jared Anderson is looking to remain undefeated in his pro Boxing career as he takes former WBA World Cruiserweight Champion, Ryad Merhy. Anderson's last Boxing bout went to plan as he defended his WBO International Heavyweight and WBC USA Heavyweight belts, winning by TKO in the fifth round against Andrii Rudenko. Merhy redeemed his unanimous decision loss in South Africa with a split decision victory against Tony Yoka in Paris.
April 13, UFC 300: Pereira vs Jamahal Hill (Light Heavyweight Title Bout) - An MMA event which is stacked with loads of top-notch fights. Alex Pereira defends his UFC Light Heavyweight belt against the former champion Jamahal HIll. Pereira fought and won his first two MMA Light Heavyweight bouts, one which earned him a title shot when he defeated Jan Blachowicz by unanimous decision at UFC 291 and the other made him become champion of the division after winning the vacated title against Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295. Hill vacated the UFC Light Heavyweight belt during 2023 with an injury as he had won the belt at UFC 283, defeating Glover Teixeira by unanimous decision. Before his title win, he was on a three-fight knockout winning streak; defeating Thiago Santos, Johnny Walker and Jimmy Crute
The second title fight in this event is UFC Strawweight Champion, Zhang Weili, against the #1 Strawweight contender, Yan Xiaonan, as two Chinese fighters are set to face off in the Co-Main Event. Weili successfully defended her championship against Amanda Lemos at UFC 292, winning by unanimous decision. Xiaonan last fought at UFC 288 when she defeated former UFC Strawweight Champion, Jessica Andrade, by first-round knockout.
Another title fight which is set happen is for the BMF belt as Justin Gaethje looks to remain the BMF of the UFC as he goes up against former UFC Featherweight Champion, Max Holloway. Gaethje won the title in his last fight when he knocked out Dustin Poirier with a devastating head kick in the second round at UFC 291. Holloway won two fights last year, defeating Arnold Allen at UFC Kansas City by unanimous decision and Chang Sung Jung, otherwise known as The Korean Zombie, by third-round KO at UFC Singapore.
There are plenty more incredible fights on this PPV event as the UFC are looking to make it their best event to date.
📅 ONE MONTH TO GO 🗓️#UFC300 IS STACKED 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/99AF8U5rDn
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) March 13, 2024
April 20, Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia (WBC World Super-Lightweight Title Bout) - Devin Haney remains undefeated and looks to successfully defend the World Super-Lightweight title for the second time as he goes up against Ryan Garcia. Haney fought twice last year, earning two unanimous decision victories against Vasyl Lomachenko and Regis Prograis. Garcia also fought twice last year, suffering a seventh-round knockout loss to Gervonta Davis in April, but redeeming himself later with an eighth-round KO win against Oscar Duarte Jurado in December.
Which Combat Sports Event are you looking forward to the most? Will you be watching any of these interesting Boxing Bouts or MMA Fights?
Featured Images: Flickr - Boxing Content, Nordoff Robbins, WorldSeriesBoxing, Myumyun Myumyun, Martin Craine, showtime_sports, SPORTEL Awards, TEMMY VILLA, Gokhan Gulmez, Tiago Manzarra.
Written by Charlie Oxtoby
Instagram: charlie_oxtoby
MMA Instagram: undisputed._.mma
Twitter: Charlie_Oxtoby1
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