UFC veterans in MMA and bareknuckle MMA action May 5-6
This week, the UFC is travelling to New Jersey for a big pay-per-view event, which features the return of former two-division champion and Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo challenging for Aljamain Sterling’s bantamweight title in the main event of UFC 288.
Elsewhere, many other combat sports events are taking place that feature a number of familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.
This weekend, there are a total of 22 veterans of the global MMA leader competing in MMA and boxing this week from May 5-6.
Check out the names and details about their bouts below.
Upcoming event information from Tapology.
Francisco Rivera (15-10 MMA, 4-6 UFC)
Francisco Rivera
Next fight: May 5 vs. Ricky Bandejas at XMMA 6
Last MMA fight: Submission loss to Cody Gibson at UNF 3 on Nov. 19, 2022
Last UFC fight: Unanimous decision loss to Erik Perez at UFC 201 on July 30, 2016
Record since UFC exit: 4-3
Glaico Franca (22-8 MMA, 1-2 UFC)
Glaico Franca
Next fight: May 5 vs. Nah-shon Burrell at XMMA 6
Last MMA fight: TKO loss to Marco Tulio Silva at Fight Music Show 1 on Jan. 30, 2022
Last UFC fight: Unanimous decision loss to Gregor Gillespie at UFC Fight Night 95 on Sept. 24, 2016
Record since UFC exit: 9-3
Nah-shon Burrell (19-12 MMA, 1-1 UFC)
Next fight: May 5 vs. Glaico Franca at XMMA 6
Last MMA fight: Unanimous decision loss to Ikram Aliskerov at Eagle FC 46 on March 11, 2022
Last UFC fight: Unanimous decision loss to Stephen Thompson at UFC 160 on May 25, 2013
Record since UFC exit: 10-9
Teruto Ishihara (13-10-3 MMA, 3-5-1 UFC)
Next fight: May 5 vs. Vince Morales at XMMA 6
Last MMA fight: Submission win over Willie Gates at Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat 9 on March 18, 2023
Last UFC fight: Submission loss to Kyung Ho Hang at UFC 234 on Feb. 9, 2019
Record since UFC exit: 3-3
Vince Morales (11-7 MMA, 3-5 UFC)
Vince Morales
Next fight: May 5 vs. Teruto Ishihara at XMMA 6
Last MMA fight (also last UFC bout): Unanimous decision loss to Miles Johns at UFC Fight Night 215 on Nov. 19, 2022
Record since UFC exit: 0-0
Saidyokub Kakhramonov (10-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC)
Next fight: May 5 vs. Rafael Costa at XMMA 6
Last MMA fight (also last UFC bout): Submission loss to Said Nurmagomedov at UFC Fight Night 216 on Dec. 17, 2022
Record since UFC exit: 0-0
Justin Scoggins (13-6 MMA, 4-5 UFC)
BKFC 35 weigh-ins
Next fight: May 5 vs. Josh Smith at XMMA 6
Last MMA fight: Unanimous decision win over Eduardo Diaz at iKON FC 2 on March 18, 2022
Last UFC fight: Split decision loss to Said Nurmagomedov at UFC Fight Night 133 on July 14, 2018
Record since UFC exit: 2-1 MMA, 0-1 bareknuckle boxing
Danielle Taylor (11-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC)
Next fight: May 3 vs. Jessica Delboni at Invicta FC 53
Last MMA fight: Split decision loss to Caroline Gallardo at Combate Global on Sept. 30, 2022
Last UFC fight: Unanimous decision loss to Zhang Weili at UFC 227 on Aug. 4, 2018
Record since UFC exit: 2-4
Carlos Huachin (12-6-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC)
Sep 20, 2019; Mexico City, MEX; Carlos Huachin poses during weigh ins for UFC Fight Night at JW Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
Next fight: May 4 vs. Rickson Thai Zenidim at FFC 60
Last MMA fight: Unanimous decision win over Riran Zenidim at FFC 57 on Feb. 2, 2023
Last UFC fight: Unanimous decision loss to Jose Alberto Quinonez at UFC Fight Night 159 on Sept. 21, 2019
Record since UFC exit: 2-1
Darian Weeks (5-3 MMA, 0-3 UFC)
Next fight: May 5 vs. Muhammad Abdullah at B2 Fighting Series 181
Last MMA fight (also last UFC bout): Split decision loss to Yohan Lainesse at UFC 279 on Sept. 10, 2022
Record since UFC exit: 0-1 boxing
Roy Nelson (23-19 MMA, 9-10 UFC)
Next fight: May 5 vs. Dillon Cleckler at Gamebred Fighting Championship 4 (bareknuckle MMA)
Last MMA fight: Unanimous decision loss to Valentin Moldavsky at Belabor 244 on Aug. 21, 2020
Last UFC fight: Unanimous decision loss to Alexander Volvo at UFC on FOX 24 on April 15, 2017
Record since UFC exit: 1-5
Markus Perez (14-6 MMA, 2-5 UFC)
Next fight: May 5 vs. Emiliano Sordi at Gamebred Fighting Championship 4 (bareknuckle MMA)
Last MMA fight: Submission win over Chase Gamble at AFL: Invincible 2023 on Jan. 20, 2023
Last UFC fight: Unanimous decision loss to Dacha Lungiambula at UFC on ESPN 20 on Jan. 20, 2021
Record since UFC exit: 2-1 MMA, 1-0 boxing
Sean Soriano (14-9 MMA, 0-5 UFC)
Next fight: May 5 vs. Ago Huskic at Gamebred Fighting Championship 4 (bareknuckle MMA)
Last MMA fight: Split decision loss to Paulo Silva at Eagle FC 47 on May 20, 2022
Last UFC fight: Unanimous decision loss to Shayilan Nuerdanbieke at UFC Fight Night 198 on Nov. 20, 2021
Record since UFC exit: 0-1
Anthony Njokuani (16-13 MMA, 3-5 UFC)
Anthony Njokuani
Next fight: May 5 vs. James Freeman at Gamebred Fighting Championship 4 (bareknuckle MMA)
Last MMA fight: TKO loss to Raimond Magomedaliev at Eagle FC 44 on Jan. 28, 2022
Last UFC fight: Unanimous decision loss to Daron Cruickshank at UFC Fight Night 54 on Oct. 4, 2014
Record since UFC exit: 0-3 MMA, 2-0 muay Thai, 1-1 kickboxing, 1-0 bareknuckle MMA
Irwin Rivera (11-6 MMA, 1-2 UFC)
Next fight: May 5 vs. Joe Penafiel at Gamebred Fighting Championship 4 (bareknuckle MMA)
Last MMA fight: Knockout win over Firdavs Khasanov at Eagle FC 46 on March 11, 2022
Last UFC fight: Split decision loss to Andre Ewell at UFC Fight Night 178 on Sept. 19, 2020
Record since UFC exit: 1-0
Demetrious Johnson (24-4-1 MMA, 15-2-1 UFC)
Next fight: May 5 vs. Adriano Moraes at ONE Fight Night 10
Last MMA fight: Knockout win over Adriano Moraes at ONE Fight Night 1 on Aug. 26, 2022
Last UFC fight: Split decision loss to Henry Cejudo at UFC 227 on Aug. 4, 2018
Record since UFC exit: 4-1 MMA, 1-0 custom rules
Sage Northcutt (11-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC)
Oct 3, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Sage Northcutt (blue gloves) celebrates after defeating Francisco Trevino (not pictured) during UFC 192 at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Next fight: May 5 vs. Ahmed Mujtaba at ONE Fight Night 10
Last MMA fight: Knockout loss to Cosmo Alexandre at ONE Championship: Enter the Dragon on May 17, 2019
Last UFC fight: TKO win over Zak Ottow at UFC Fight Night 133 on July 14, 2018
Record since UFC exit: 0-1
Naoki Inoue (16-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC)
Naoki Inoue
Next fight: May 6 vs. Juan Archuleta at Rizin 42
Last MMA fight: Submission win over Kenta Takizawa at Rizin 40 on Dec. 31, 2022
Last UFC fight: Split decision loss to Matt Schnell at UFC Fight Night 132 on June 23, 2018
Record since UFC exit: 7-2
Spike Carlyle (14-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC)
Next fight: May 6 vs. Roberto de Souza at Rizin 42
Last MMA fight: Unanimous decision loss to AJ McKee Jr. at Bellator 286 on Oct. 1, 2022
Last UFC fight: Unanimous decision loss to Bill Algeo at UFC on ESPN 18 on Nov. 28, 2020
Record since UFC exit: 5-1
John Dodson (23-13 MMA, 10-7 UFC)
John Dodson BKFC Knucklemania 3 weigh-ins
Next fight: May 6 vs. Tatsuki Saomoto at Rizin 42
Last MMA fight: TKO win over Video Tokoro at Rizin 40 on Dec. 31, 2022
Last UFC fight: Unanimous decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 252 on Aug. 15, 2020
Record since UFC exit: 2-1 MMA, 2-0 bareknuckle boxing
Ulka Sasaki (23-10-2 MMA, 4-5 UFC)
Next fight: May 6 vs. Boyd Allen at Rizin 42
Last MMA fight: Submission loss to Kleber Kokke Erbst at Rizin Trigger 2nd on Feb. 23, 2022
Last UFC fight: Submission loss to Alexandre Pantoja at UFC Fight Night 140 on Nov. 17, 2018
Record since UFC exit: 2-4
Darren Stewart (13-9 MMA, 5-7 UFC)
Next fight: May 6 vs. Leon Aliu at Cage Warriors 154
Last MMA fight: TKO win over Guilherme Cadena at Cage Warriors 148 on Dec. 31, 2022
Last UFC fight: TKO loss to Dustin Jacoby at UFC on ESPN 30 on Aug. 28, 2021
Record since UFC exit: 1-1
