Wishing a joyful Cinco de Mayo Week to those who are celebrating. As we bid farewell to April with a light week in the world of martial arts, May approaches with an exciting lineup of UFC and boxing pay-per-view events.
Last week on Combat Sports Today, we discussed Ryan Garcia’s surprising victory over Devin Haney, Paul Hughes’ signing with the PFL, and the steep prices of UFC 303 tickets that seem to be increasing by the day.
Without further delay, here are the key highlights for the first weekend of May, along with updates on NBA, NHL Playoffs, and BKFC Knucklemania 4.
more: Canelo vs. Munguia start time, date, betting odds, PPV price, fight card
UFC 301 vs. Canelo’s Annual Las Vegas Weekend
This weekend, fight enthusiasts face a tough decision on where to invest their money. At the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (60-2-2) will defend his super middleweight title against a promising young undefeated challenger, Jaime Munguia (43-0), in front of a massive audience of over 20,000 spectators.
Alvarez’s fights have become a tradition to honor his Hispanic heritage and give fans a reason to celebrate his remarkable achievements in the boxing world.
However, in recent years, including this year, Alvarez will be up against the highly anticipated UFC 301 pay-per-view event.
The UFC event features a title fight for the flyweight championship, with local favorite Alexandre Pantoja (27-5 MMA, 11-3 UFC) taking on Steve Arceg (12-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the main event from Brazil. This matchup has raised some eyebrows within the MMA community, but it seems the UFC had limited options due to previous events and Conor McGregor’s forthcoming return.
In addition to the title fight, former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo (31-8 MMA, 13-7 UFC) will make his octagon return after a brief stint in boxing, facing off against Cub Swanson (29-13 MMA, 14-9 UFC) and Adrian Yanez (16-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC).
While Alvarez’s boxing event and UFC 301 both offer compelling matchups, viewers may find it challenging to watch both simultaneously as they air on different streaming platforms. This dilemma may force fans to make a choice between the two.
Despite the similarities in price point, UFC 301 seems to offer better value with a more established reputation, a strong undercard, and significant matchups that fans won’t want to miss.
Make sure to choose wisely, with the UFC event starting at 6:00 PM ET/3:00 PM PT and the boxing match kicking off at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT.
Alex Perez’s Future Title Prospects Post UFC Vegas 91
After clinching a victory over Mateusz Nicolaou (19-4-1 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in the main event of UFC Vegas 91, Alex Perez (25-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC) is one step closer to a shot at the flyweight title. Despite setbacks in recent fights, Perez’s win signifies progress towards achieving his long-term goal and solidifying his position in the division.
While Perez may need to secure a few more wins to strengthen his claim, recent events have demonstrated that in martial arts, anything is possible with the right performances.
Failure in Boxing’s Latest Fresno Event
In a recent DAZN main event featuring Jose Ramirez vs. Rances Barthelemy, referee Jack Reese faced a contentious moment. Ramirez, seeming like the clear winner, continued the fight into the 11th round, leading to confusion on the scorecards. The decision ultimately favored Ramirez with scores of 119-109, 119-109, 118-110, despite the fight arguably ending earlier.
Ramirez acknowledged the fight was not his best performance but expressed optimism about the future opportunities it might bring.
The Future of Martial Arts
Stay tuned for more coverage as we approach UFC 301, including predictions for the main card. With a record of 93-80-3 in 2024 and a successful month of April, continuous updates will be provided on MMA Knockout.
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