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UFC Fight Night 170 start time, who is fighting tonight at ‘Lee vs Oliveira’ in Brasilia

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5 years ago

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It’s business as usual for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), for now, as UFC Fight Night 170 will indeed go down later tonight (Sat., March 14, 2020) inside Nilson Nelson Gymnasium in Brasilia, Brazil, despite the coronavirus outbreak. In the headlining act, Kevin Lee will tango with Charles Oliveira in lightweight action, while Demian Maia and Gilbert Burns collide in a welterweight bout in the co-main event.

What’s Hot:

Despite other major sports organizations such as the NBA, MLS, MLB and NHL postponing or delaying their current seasons because of the coronavirus plaguing the entire planet, UFC decided that the show must go on. With a few adjustments, of course, such as some events relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada, where the promotion owns its very own venue to stage fights. For UFC Fight Night 170, the event will go still go down in Brazil, but fight fans will not be allowed to attend in order to prevent any potential spread of Covid-19. Of course, disaster still nearly struck the event after Lee missed weight for the fight, coming in 2.5 pounds heavy. But after some negotiating, Oliveira agreed on a payout from Lee’s fight purse and the fight will go on as planned.

Barring a last-minute cancelation such as this one, of course.

As for the bout itself, it’s an interesting one to say the least, as Lee and Oliveira both have a lot riding on it for different reasons. For Lee, a win is crucial here as it will give him his first consecutive win streak since 2017. In his last outing, “The Motown Phenom” knocked out Gregor Gillespie at UFC 244, snapping his two-fight losing streak. Over his last four bouts, Lee has gone a sub-par 1-3. Slump aside, Lee is still a dangerous opponent for anyone, and since he is still determined to fight for a world title and possibly score big fights against Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov, he will come in highly-motivated. And he will have to, as all Oliveira has done since mid-2018 is win, earning six straight victories inside the Octagon. By the way, despite “Do Bronx’s” impressive win streak and Lee’s struggles, “The Motown Phenom” is still ranked five spots above the Brazilian bomber, proving once again that UFC’s official rankings are nothing more than a popularity contest. Because if you don’t believe Oliveira is a Top 10 fighter, you’re crazy.

Both men come to scrap, but when it comes to the standup department, I’ll give the edge to Lee, as well as the wrestling advantage. Once on the ground, however, it’s all Oliveira, who has five submissions over his last seven wins. Can he strike? Yes. But against Lee, his best bet is to try and take the fight to the ground, which is easier said than done given the wrestling Kevin possesses. While the Detroit native is simply trying to string together a few wins to stay relevant in the division, Oliveira has something bigger going for him, as he can finally break the Top 10 and inch himself closer to a title shot which at one point seemed impossible to get.

What’s Not:

I can’t complain too much here, as the card is pretty well-balanced for a Fight Night event. Plus, while the world is reeling and adjusting due to the current pandemic affecting literally everyone, UFC went against the grain and decided to proceed with the card. As a result, it will be one of the few sporting events going down this Saturday around the world. While some don’t agree with the move I, for one, welcome it if fighters want to willingly compete. If they had united and decided that fighting at this time simply isn’t the right thing to do, then I’d agree with that, as well.

Original Card vs Actual Card:

Paige VanZant and Amanda Ribas were all set to throw down at this event, but after “12 Gauge” suffered yet another health setback, Randa Markos was pegged as a replacement for the women’s strawweight bout.

Injuries:

Aside from VanZant’s setback, Brad Tavares was forced out of his scheduled middleweight bout against Antonio Carlos Junior with an injury. After UFC booked Junior to take on Makhmud Muradov, he bowed out of the fight weeks later with an injury of his own and Muradov was taken off the card altogether.

New Blood:

For this event, only one person is set to make his Octagon debut, and that is David Dvorak, a flyweight contender looking to pump some new blood into the division. Yes, the 125-pound weight class is still chugging along. Dvorak has been on a tear over the last seven years, winning 13 straight fights, last tasting defeat in 2012. Which begs the question: What took UFC so long to sign him if the weight class needs all the talent it can get? Nevertheless, he is here now and looking to make a splash on the biggest MMA stage of them all. What’s even more impressive about the win streak, is that he has finished every single one of his opponents during that span, with no one making it past round two. Standing in his way is Bruno Silva, who failed to make a splash in his debut after coming up short against Khalid Taha at UFC 243.

How The ‘Prelims’ Look:

The undercard features a couple of intriguing match ups, including the 125-pound showdown between Jussier Formiga and Brandon Moreno. Brandon has looked good since returning to UFC, defeating Kai-Kara France at UFC 245 last December. Formiga, meanwhile, had his four-fight win streak snapped by Joseph Benavidez, so he will be fired up to get back to his winning ways in order to get back in the championship hunt.

Alexey Kunchenko is desperate to get back into the win column after suffering the first loss of his career to Gilbert Burns last October. Prior to the defeat, Alexey had won 20 straight fights. His foe, Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, is also looking to get back on track after having his seven fight win streak snapped last August.

Who Needs A Win Badly:

Renato Moicano was at one time considered to be a legit title contender. But after back-to-back knockout defeats to Jose Aldo and Chan Sung Jung, the Brazilian bomber’s stock took a huge hit. Like many other struggling fighters have done in the past, moving up a weight class wasn’t an option for Renato, who will continue to fight at 145 pounds for the foreseeable future. But if he can’t get a win over Damir Hadzovic on Saturday, expect him to pack on some pounds for his next fight.

Interest Level: 7/10

It’s a pretty good lineup to be honest. In the co-main event, Demian Maia will battle Gilbert Burns. Demian has enjoyed a nice little career resurrection as of late, winning three in a row including scoring an impressive win over Ben Askren. His run is preceded by a horrid three-fight win streak that had the jiu-jitsu ace wondering if retirement was around the corner. But after stringing together his latest win streak, the former title contender has found a new lease on his combat life. Trying to get win number four will prove to be a tough task, as Burns is also on his own run, winning four straight in the highly-competitive welterweight division.

Also, Randa Markos will look to earn her second straight victory as she faces off against Amanda Ribas, who is flying high after handing Mackenzie Dern her first loss, which also earned her consecutive win number three.

We also have a pretty good light heavyweight scrap between Johnny Walker and Nikita Krylov to compliment the main card. Walker is looking to get back into the win column after suffering a knockout loss to Corey Anderson at UFC 244 last November, which ended his nine fight win streak. It won’t be an easy task, as Krylov is a talented individual with his own skills to get the job done inside the cage. While he is only 1-2 in his last three fights, he’s still a formidable foe and it would behoove Walker to take him seriously come fight night.

Enjoy the fights ladies and gentleman, as it will be slim pickins’ for your sports entertainment this weekend.

Full Fight Card:

UFC Fight Night 170 Main Event on ESPN/ESPN+:

155 lbs.: Kevin Lee vs. Charles Oliveira

UFC Fight Night 170 Main Card on ESPN/ESPN+ (6 p.m. ET):

170 lbs.: Demian Maia vs. Gilbert Burns
115 lbs.: Amanda Ribas vs. Randa Markos
155 lbs.: Renato Moicano vs. Damir Hadzovic
205 lbs.: Johnny Walker vs. Nikita Krylov
125 lbs.: Bruno Silva vs. David Dvorak

UFC Fight Night 170 Prelims Card on ESPN/ESPN+ (3 p.m. ET):

155 lbs.: Francisco Trinaldo vs. John Makdessi
170 lbs.: Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos vs. Aleksei Kunchenko
135 lbs.: Enrique Barzola vs. Rani Yahya
125 lbs.: Jussier Formiga vs. Brandon Moreno
125 lbs.: Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Maryna Moroz
135 lbs.: Veronica Macedo vs. Bea Malecki

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Canada’s Marina Stakusic falls in Guadalajara Open quarterfinals

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18 hours ago

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September 13, 2024

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GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Canada’s Marina Stakusic fell 6-4, 6-3 to Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara Open tennis tournament on Friday.

The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., won 61 per cent of her first-serve points and broke on just one of her six opportunities.

Stakusic had upset top-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (0) on Thursday night to advance.

In the opening round, Stakusic defeated Slovakia’s Anna Karolína Schmiedlová 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday.

The fifth-seeded Frech won 62 per cent of her first-serve points and converted on three of her nine break point opportunities.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Kirk’s walk-off single in 11th inning lifts Blue Jays past Cardinals 4-3

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18 hours ago

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September 13, 2024

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TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk’s long single with the bases loaded provided the Toronto Blue Jays with a walk-off 4-3 win in the 11th inning of their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.

With the Cardinals outfield in, Kirk drove a shot off the base of the left-field wall to give the Blue Jays (70-78) their fourth win in 11 outings and halt the Cardinals’ (74-73) two-game win streak before 30,380 at Rogers Centre.

Kirk enjoyed a two-hit, two-RBI outing.

Erik Swanson (2-2) pitched a perfect 11th inning for the win, while Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez (1-5) took the loss.

Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman enjoyed a seven-inning, 104-pitch outing. He surrendered his two runs on nine hits and two walks and fanned only two Cardinals.

He gave way to reliever Genesis Cabrera, who gave up a one-out homer to Thomas Saggese, his first in 2024, that tied the game in the eighth.

The Cardinals started swiftly with four straight singles to open the game. But they exited the first inning with only two runs on an RBI single to centre from Nolan Arendao and a fielder’s choice from Saggese.

Gausman required 28 pitches to escape the first inning but settled down to allow his teammates to snatch the lead in the fourth.

He also deftly pitched out of threats from the visitors in the fifth, sixth and seventh thanks to some solid defence, including Will Wagner’s diving stop, which led to a double play to end the fifth inning.

George Springer led off with a walk and stole second base. He advanced to third on Nathan Lukes’s single and scored when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked in his 95th run with a double off the left-field wall.

Lukes scored on a sacrifice fly to left field from Spencer Horwitz. Guerrero touched home on Kirk’s two-out single to right.

In the ninth, Guerrero made a critical diving catch on an Arenado grounder to throw out the Cardinals’ infielder, with reliever Tommy Nance covering first. The defensive gem ended the inning with a runner on second base.

St. Louis starter Erick Fedde faced the minimum night batters in the first three innings thanks to a pair of double plays. He lasted five innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

ON DECK

Toronto ace Jose Berrios (15-9) will start the second of the three-game series on Saturday. He has a six-game win streak.

The Cardinals will counter with righty Kyle Gibson (8-6).

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Stampeders return to Maier at QB eyeing chance to get on track against Alouettes

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September 13, 2024

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CALGARY – Mired in their first four-game losing skid in 20 years, the Calgary Stampeders are going back to Jake Maier at quarterback on Saturday after he was benched for a game.

It won’t be an easy assignment.

Visiting McMahon Stadium are the Eastern Conference-leading Montreal Alouettes (10-2) who own the CFL’s best record. The Stampeders (4-8) have fallen to last in the Western Conference.

“Six games is plenty of time, but also it is just six games,” said Maier. “We’ve got to be able to get on the right track.”

Calgary is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

“I do still believe in this team,” said Stampeders’ head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson. “I want to see improvement, though. I want to see guys on a weekly basis elevating their game, and we haven’t been doing that.”

Maier is one of the guys under the microscope. Two weeks ago, the second-year starter threw four interceptions in a 35-20 home loss to the Edmonton Elks.

After his replacement, rookie Logan Bonner, threw five picks in last week’s 37-16 loss to the Elks in Edmonton, the football is back in Maier’s hands.

“Any time you fail or something doesn’t go your way in life, does it stink in the moment? Yeah. But then the days go on and you learn things about yourself and you learn how to prepare a little bit better,” said Maier. “It makes you mentally tougher.”

Dickenson wants to see his quarterback making better decisions with the football.

“Things are going to happen, interceptions will happen, but try to take calculated risks, rather than just putting the ball up there and hoping that we catch it,” said Dickenson.

A former quarterback himself, he knows the importance of that vital position.

“You cannot win without good quarterback play,” Dickenson said. “You’ve got to be able to make some plays — off-schedule plays, move-around plays, plays that break down, plays that aren’t designed perfectly, but somehow you found the right guy, and then those big throws where you’re taking that hit.”

But it’s going to take a team effort, and that includes the club’s receiving corp.

“We always have to band together because we need everything to go right for our receivers to get the ball,” said Nik Lewis, the Stampeders’ receivers coach. “The running back has to pick up the blitz, the o-line has to block, the quarterback has to make the right reads, and then give us a catchable ball.”

Lewis brings a unique perspective to this season’s frustrations as he was a 22-year-old rookie in Calgary in 2004 when the Stamps went 4-14 under coach Matt Dunigan. They turned it around the next season and haven’t missed the playoffs since.”

“Thinking back and just looking at it, there’s just got to be an ultimate belief that you can get it done. Look at Montreal, they were 6-7 last year and they’ve gone 18-2 since then,” said Lewis.

Montreal is also looking to rebound from a 37-23 loss to the B.C. Lions last week. But for head coach Jason Maas, he says his team’s mindset doesn’t change, regardless of what happened the previous week.

“Last year when we went through a four-game losing streak, you couldn’t tell if we were on a four-game winning streak or a four-game losing streak by the way the guys were in the building, the way we prepared, the type of work ethic we have,” said Maas. “All our standards are set, so that’s all we focus on.”

While they may have already clinched a playoff spot, Alouettes’ quarterback Cody Fajardo says this closing stretch remains critical because they want to finish the season strong, just like last year when they won their final five regular-season games before ultimately winning the Grey Cup.

“It doesn’t matter about what you do at the beginning of the year,” said Fajardo. “All that matters is how you end the year and how well you’re playing going into the playoffs so that’s what these games are about.”

The Alouettes’ are kicking off a three-game road stretch, one Fajardo looks forward to.

“You understand what kind of team you have when you play on the road because it’s us versus the world mentality and you can feel everybody against you,” said Fajardo. “Plus, I always tend to find more joy in silencing thousands of people than bringing thousands of people to their feet.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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