Demian Maia vs. Anthony Rocco Martin is in the works for UFC Fight Night Minneapolis on June 29, sources told ESPN. Maia (26-9) is coming off a win over Lyman Good, while Martin (16-4) has won four in a row since moving up to welterweight. The fight isn't officially signed just yet, but that's the direction the promotion is going. Brazilian outlet Canal Combate first reported the news.

Ariel Helwani, ESPN Staff Writer4h ago

Desmond Green got his wish. The Rochester-native desperately wanted to fight on next month's UFC Rochester card, and the promotion has obliged by booking him against former TKO champion Charles "Air" Jourdain (9-1), sources told ESPN. Jourdain, of Montreal, will be making his UFC debut on the May 18 card. Green (22-8) is coming off a win over Ross Pearson last month. The news was first reported by Le Journal de Montreal.

Ariel Helwani, ESPN Staff Writer1d ago

Walt Harris accepted a four-month sanction from USADA for testing positive for a prohibited substance from a contaminated supplement. Harris tested positive for LGD-4033 ahead of UFC 232 in December. He is eligible to compete at UFC Ottawa on May 4.

Greg Rosenstein, ESPN Staff Writer3d ago

That's a wrap in St. Petersburg, as Alistair Overeem used an array of knee strikes to the body and head to beat Aleksei Oleinik by first-round TKO in the heavyweight main event.

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPN5d ago

A couple of notes on these headlining heavyweights: Alistair Overeem lands 73.1 percent of his significant strikes, best all-time in any UFC weight class, while Aleksei Oleinik averages 2.7 submissions per 15 minutes in the cage, by far the best ever for a UFC heavyweight.

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPN5d ago

Time for the main event in St. Petersburg, featuring a pair of heavyweights that are not new to MMA. Alistair Overeem, 38, is 44-17, with one no contest, while 41-year-old Aleksei Oleinik is 57-11-1 – with 45 submissions.

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPN5d ago

Islam Makhachev wore down a tough Armen Tsarukyan with relentless grappling and won a unanimous decision in the lightweight co-main event. Makhachev improved to 17-1, while Tsarukyan is 13-2 after his UFC debut.

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPN5d ago

Sergei Pavlovich made quick work of Marcelo Golm, putting him down with a flurry of punches punctuated by an overhand right that produced a TKO at 1:06 of Round 1 in this heavyweight slugfest. It was the first UFC win for Pavlovich (13-1), who fights out of Moscow, while Brazilian Golm falls to 6-3.

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPN5d ago

Heavyweights stepping up now. Russian Sergei Pavlovich (12-1) is coming off a loss in his UFC debut, while Marcelo Golm (6-2), out of Brazil, has dropped his last two.

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPN5d ago

Roxanne Modafferi handed Antonina Shevchenko her first career loss with a smothering grappling display that earned her a split-decision victory in the card’s only women’s fight. Modafferi (23-15) never allowed Shevchenko (8-1) to get her striking game into rhythm, controlling the action most of the way -- at least in the eyes of two judges.

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPN5d ago

Up next is the only women’s fight on the card, as veteran Roxanne Modafferi (22-15) takes on fellow flyweight Antonina Shevchenko (7-0), older sister of Valentina Shevchenko, the champion at this weight class.

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPN5d ago

Krzysztof Jotko broke out of a three-fight losing streak with a dominant decision win over previously undefeated middleweight Alen Amedovski. The 29-year-old Pole (20-4) smothered Amedovski (8-1) for the better part of three rounds to earn 30-25, 30-26 and 30-26 scorecards.

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPN5d ago

Main Card getting started in St. Petersburg with Polish middleweight Krzysztof Jotko (19-4), who has lost three in a row. He faces 8-0 Alen Amedovski, out of Macedonia.

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPN5d ago

Movsar Evloev closed out the UFC Fight Night prelims in St. Petersburg by earning a decisive unanimous decision victory over Seungwoo Choi. Judges scored the fight 29-27, 29-27 and 29-26, after Evloev had a point deducted in Round 2.

Tim Fiorvanti, ESPN.com5d ago

Now it’s time for the UFC debut of … both guys. They have only one loss between them. Movsar Evloev is a 25-year-old Russian who is 10-0 with a wrestling-heavy game. South Korea’s Seungwoo Choi is 7-1 and will rely on his Muay Thai striking.

Jeff Wagenheim, ESPN5d ago