Looking back over his 2018, lightweight Demarques Jackson feels like the year went almost perfectly.

In three bouts last year, Jackson managed to win all three, picking up finishes in two of the bouts, and position himself for big things in 2019.

“Last year was a big year for me,” Jackson told MMAWeekly.com. “I went 3-0 with three good wins against solid opponents. Getting those three wins there gave us this (upcoming) opportunity to fight for the belt.

“The decision over Bryce Logan I wish I could have done better in that. I wish I could have gotten a finish, but that happens sometimes against good, game, opponents. The next fight after that one, I knew I definitely had to put the guy away, and I did against Bobby Lee. I have the same mindset for upcoming fights; I have to put these guys away if I want to get a shot at the bigger shows.”

Having been four months since his win over Lee, Jackson has worked on developing his game, but doesn’t feel he’ll truly be able to see where he is at until he has his first fight of 2019.

“You can always have an idea where you’re at with in training, but it doesn’t matter until you go out there in a fight and show it,” said Jackson. “I feel like I’m next level, but I have to go out in this (upcoming) fight and show it.”

At LFA 64 on Friday in Sioux Falls, S.D., Jackson (10-2) will get to showcase his skills in a lightweight championship main event against Harvey Park (11-2).

TRENDING  Ex-UFC champ Nicco Montano releases statement following USADA suspension

“I have to go out there and put on the performance of a lifetime; the best performance I’ve ever put on; and put him away,” Jackson said of Park.

“Every fight starts out striking, and if I like the striking and can land my shots on the feet, I will try to finish it there. If I don’t like how the striking is going, I’ll take the fight to the ground and go for the finish there. Either way I’m looking for a finish, whether it’s on the feet or on the ground.”

For Jackson, getting finishes is the biggest thing in 2019. He feels that if he can not only win, but finish all of his opponents, he’ll be able to step up to the next level before the year is out.

“I go fight by fight, finish by finish,” said Jackson. “Everybody they put in front of me, I’ll finish them until I get the call. I don’t care who they put in front of me, if I finish every fight eventually I’ll get the call.”

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/demarques-jackson-ready-to-put-on-performance-of-a-lifeteime-lfa-64-title-fight

You ready to make your picks in the MMAWeekly.com and MyBookie FREE mixed martial arts pick ’em contest? The contest has been so overwhelming, we just can’t stop!

UFC Saint Petersburg Pick ‘Em Contest

NEXT UP: UFC on ESPN+ 8 from Sunrise (Ft. Lauderdale), Florida, where Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza hopes to make the definitive statement in his case for a UFC middleweight title shot.

Jacare had been hoping to avenge a narrow split-decision loss to Yoel Romero at UFC on ESPN+ 8, but Romero withdraw because of a bout with pneumonia. Jacare will instead square off with rising contender Jack Hermansson, who hopes to pull off the upset and leap frog Jacare in the hunt for a title shot.

Will Jacare finally earn his shot at the belt or will Hermansson take advantage of this golden opportunity? That’s where you come in.

As many of you already know, the pick ’em contest is a free and easy way to turn your handicapping skills into cash.

You think you have the skill and the knowledge to pick the winners at this weekend’s event – UFC on ESPN+ 8: Jacare vs. Hermansson? Then go over to https://www.tapology.com/groups/98 and enter your picks and see how you match up and possibly win a prize. See the details below.

If you want to participate, all you have to do is open an account at Tapology, join our group MMAWEEKLY, and make your winning picks for the next UFC event. Prizes are awarded on an event by event basis.

See the details below:

MMA Pick Em Contest with Prizes!

Group Name: MMAWEEKLY

Step 1: Open an account at Tapology.com: https://www.tapology.com/groups/98
Step 2: Join group MMAWEEKLY
Step3: Enter picks for the Current UFC Event.

Top 3 leaderboard finishers will win Freeplay bonus money at Mybookie.ag. To receive a prize open a player account at mybookie.ag or https://bit.ly/2Dh88Hl.

Promo code: MMAWEEKLY

Freeplay Prizes to be awarded after each event: 1st $200 (Freeplay), 2nd $100 (Freeplay), and 3rd $50 (Freeplay). Standard Freeplay rollover will apply on the bonus money before it can be cashed out.

Any player who does not finish in the top 3 but goes 10/13 is eligible to claim a $50 Freeplay Prize for hitting such a high win/loss ratio of 76% or better.

How to collect your Pick ‘Em Contest prize

Please note: All prizes are awarded in the form of a Freeplay bonus, which means you’ll have to meet the minimum rollover requirement before you can cash it out. The rollover on these contest bonuses is 3x. For example, if you win a $200 Freeplay this means you’ll have to roll it through 3 times putting $600 in action before you can cash it out.

After the event, email editor@mmaweekly.com or affiliates@webpartners.co your player account details. We need both your Tapology username and Mybookie account number to confirm and award the Freeplay prize to your Mybookie account.

Be sure to follow us on twitter at @MybookieMMA and at @MMAWeeklycom for the latest MMA news.

TRENDING Opponent says Conor McGregor cheap-shotted him in recent boxing exhibition in Ireland

Tune in Saturday, April 27 to MMAWeekly.com for UFC on ESPN+ 8: Jacare vs. Hermansson full live results from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-events-pick-em-contest

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/ufc-st-petersburg-medical-suspensions-aleksei-oleinik-facing-lengthy-suspension

After claiming a FFC title in his last bout of 2018, welterweight Ben Egli was looking to successfully defend it for the first time in his first bout of 2019 on April 19 against Joey Holt.

While the bout against Holt didn’t quite go the way Egli had envisioned, he was able to pick up the win with a second-round submission and put himself on a two-fight winning streak in the process.

“I got the result I wanted,” Egli told MMAWeekly.com. “Joey Holt was a very tough opponent. We knew he was wanting to throw hands, and we knew when he hit me he was going to hit hard, so we tried to move a little bit, and try to work my game and get him to the ground.

“I didn’t work my strategy quite like my coach or I would have liked, and got hit with a huge shot, and the rest of the fight was kind of a blur. I had to rely on my instincts and it just kind of worked out.”

With Holt having been a late replacement, it was Egli’s training that helped him make an adjustment to his new opponent and pick up the victory.

“I think a lot of fighters like me who have been doing it for a while know where we are really at and where we need some improvements, so as long as we can work on our weaknesses in between fights and we can continue to protect those weaknesses with our strengths and work on being well-rounded, it’s a pretty easy shift (from one opponent to the next),” said Egli.

“My skills and things that I’ve trained to be well-rounded are going to keep me safe and get the win.”

TRENDING  Kamaru Usman explains why Colby Covington may or may not get the next title shot

Though Egli is able to work on his game between fights, he understands that he’s not going to be able to change everything at once, so he’ll be a constant work in progress going forward.

“Some of those things are things I’ve wanted to change since day one,” Egli said. “Some of it takes time. It’s not going to be done in just a few practices. There’s always going to be little adjustments.

“Every time you fight there’s always something to learn. Even with wins, there are always things that I want to do better. It’s about putting things together and making sure those (negative) things don’t happen again.”

For Egli, as long as he’s making those improvements, he’s happy to continue down the path he’s headed, regardless of what may come his way.

“I’m just trying to be the best fighter I can be,” said Egli. “That’s always been my goal: To be the best fighter I can be and go as far as I can and see where it can take me.

“I hope to get in at least two more fights in before the end of the year. I’m not going to look past anybody. I’m going to take whoever comes my way. I just plan on improving and continuing to win. With every win comes more opportunities, and I’m just happy and ready for whatever comes my way.”

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/after-first-ffc-title-defense-ben-egli-looking-forward-to-more-opportunities

Dustin Poirier has nothing personal against Khabib Nurmagomedov other than the UFC lightweight title that’s currently wrapped around his waist.

At UFC 236, Poirier solidified his place as Nurmagomedov’s next opponent after he became the interim lightweight champion with a hard fought five round decision against reigning featherweight king Max Holloway.

In the aftermath of that victory, Nurmagomedov admitted he was impressed by Poirier’s performance but that wouldn’t stop him from imposing his will on the Louisiana native when they met inside the Octagon.

“I think I have to maul him like I do with everybody,” Nurmagomedov said this past Saturday in his native Russia. “This is what I have to do. I respect him like a fighter, like a human but when we go to the cage, I have to maul this guy.”

Considering the way that Nurmagomedov has laid waste to every opponent who has faced him during his career, it’s not a surprise he’s predicting a similar outcome for his fight against Poirier.

While some fighters might get fired up after hearing those words from an opponent, Poirier actually expects nothing less because he’s going to say much the same when asked about his plans for Nurmagomedov.

There’s no bad blood between the two lightweight champions but Poirier plans to do bodily harm to Nurmagomedov when they meet and he fully expects the undefeated Russian to do everything possible to hold onto his lightweight title.

“This is fighting. I’m going to try to hurt him for 25 minutes. I’m going to try to stop his body from working,” Poirier said when speaking to MMAWeekly. “That means nothing saying ‘I’m going to maul him’. You’re supposed to. I expect the same from him when I say I’m going to hurt him, I expect the same that he’s going to try to hurt me and take me out. That’s what fighting is.

“We’re not in there playing tennis. What can a guy say at this point? 40 fights into this crazy thing called mixed martial arts, I don’t care anymore. None of that bothers me anymore.”

All that matters to Poirier is getting his hand raised at the end of the night.

It could come from a first round knockout or a grueling five round war, Poirier doesn’t seem to care much so long as he gets the job done and he’s crowned the undisputed UFC lightweight champion.

“I know what I need to do,” Poirier said. “I know how long I have to do it — 25 minutes — that’s all I care about.”

As far as the timing for the fight, Poirier hopes that Nurmagomedov’s request for September is granted because that would be the perfect timing for him as well.

Outside of a few bumps and bruises, Poirier is healthy and ready to tackle another championship training camp after taking a little bit of time off to spend with his family.

Poirier says as of now, the UFC hasn’t made any official offer to him for the fight but he fully expects that to be the next piece of business he has to handle later this year.

“That’s exactly what I want,” Poirier said about fighting in September. “Just that. I want to spend a couple months at home training, helping out local guys, friends of mine who fight professionally here in Louisiana. Maybe I’ll take a couple weekend trips up to Florida just to work on some stuff. But I’d really like to lock in July sometime, head up to Florida for the long haul for another camp.

“We’ll see. This is a crazy sport. Nothing’s certain. I don’t know what month we’re going to fight. I’m hoping that’s the next fight. Dana [White] said it is. Khabib [Nurmagomedov] said it is so that’s what I’m expecting.”

Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/dustin-poirier-responds-to-khabib-nurmagomedov-saying-hes-going-to-maul-him