Grappling Report: SUG 19 Crowns Inaugural Women’s Champion as Mason Fowler Retains his Title
A rundown of the biggest headlines and news from the world of competitive grappling.
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Submission Underground 19 saw a huge step forward for Chael Sonnen’s promotion as they crowned their very first female champion. Amanda Loewen overcame a stiff challenge from UFC Featherweight title contender Felicia Spencer by locking up an armbar inside the four minute-mark to be awarded the title. The rest of the card was stacked with plenty of elite MMA fighters in one of SUG’s biggest events to date.
BROOKLYN, NY - APRIL 04: UFC President Dana White (L) talks with Max Holloway during the UFC 223 Press Conference at the Music Hall of Williamsburg on April 4, 2018 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Since moving to ESPN from Fox, UFC events have primarily been watchable via the ESPN+ streaming service. That won’t be the case to start in 2021.
According to MMA Junkie, the UFC’s January 16 Fight Night event will air on the ABC network instead of any ESPN channels or the ESPN+ streaming service. No reason for why this is happening was given. But speculation has already begun surrounding exactly what the reasons could be.
Grappling Report: Kaynan Duarte submits Viera, Israel Adesanya gets purple belt from Galvao
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The final Who’s Number One event of 2020 was headlined by an exciting match between Kaynan Duarte and Rodolfo Vieira but in the end, Duarte made short work of the ADCC & IBJJF World Champion. That wasn’t the only exciting matchup on a card that was stacked with elite grapplers however, and 10th Planet was heavily represented with three competitors taking on big challenges.
Jon ‘Thor’ Blank and Grace Gundrum led the charge against Vagner Rocha and Mayssa Bastos respectively, although both would come up just short in close decision losses. Then the co-main event saw Geo Martinez face off with the streaking young competitor Kennedy Maciel and although he made a valiant effort for the first ten minutes, he was eventually forced to tap to a tight Head and Arm Choke.