RFA and Legacy FC announce merger Per a press release Monday afternoon, regional powerhouse promotions RFA and Legacy have announced they will join forces to form “Legacy Fighting Alliance.” The promotion will officially launch in January 2017, with RFA President Ed Soares serving as CEO and Sven Bean as COO. Soares explained the merger in a press release: “This is an exciting day for everyone involved. What our two companies have accomplished individually is remarkable, but the sky is truly the limit when you consider what will come next. Our athletes will have an unrivaled platform to compete in front of a nationally televised audience – not to mention in more than 40 countries around the world – and prove they are worthy of a spot at the sport’s highest level. Our existing companies have placed more than 100 fighters in just the UFC and Bellator, alone. Quite simply, for the fighters on our roster, the future is now. I have no doubt Legacy Fighting Alliance will be the premier destination for fighters hoping to reach a global stage. In the same way that college football provides athletes a chance to prove they belong in the NFL or AAA baseball allows players to reach the Major Leagues, our organization will give fighters a chance to gain the experience of competing in a top-tier organization, develop a fanbase on national and international TV, and potentially reach the next level of their career.” Jim Miller replaces Al Iaquinta at UFC 205 According to an interview with FOX Sports Damon Martin, lightweight Al Iaquinta is off UFC 205 in New York due to a contract dispute. Iaquinta (12-3-1) revealed he couldn’t take the matchup due to the terms of his contract. “I got the contract and I was just looking at it for a couple of days. I was like I just can’t sign it. I can’t do it, I felt like it wasn’t right. I talked to my manager. I said, listen I really want to fight in New York. There’s nothing I want to do more than fight in New York, but I can’t take a pay cut for this fight. Before these injuries, I might have fought for $10, but you see things through a different spectrum. I thought my career was over. I got my personal training, I got my real estate license, and I’m living comfortably. I don’t need to fight now. If I did take this fight, I would have to stop everything else I was doing and I wouldn’t make money and there’s got to be some stability.” Instead according to MMA insider Talk MMA, Jim Miller will now replace Iaquinta against Thiago Alves.
#BREAKING – A source out of New Jersey tells me Jim Miller is stepping in to face Thaigo Alves at #UFC205
— #Dizz © (@TalkMMA) September 19, 2016
Miller (27-8 NC) heads into this matchup off back-to-back victories including split decision victory in a rematch with Joe Lauzon at UFC on FOX 21. UFC 205 takes place November 12th at Madison Square Garden. Here’s an updated look at the card… Tyron Woodley (16-3) (c) vs. Stephen Thompson (13-1) **welterweight championship Chris Weidman (13-1) vs. Yoel Romero (12-1) Donald Cerrone (31-7) vs. Kelvin Gastelum (12-2) Rashad Evans (19-5-1) vs. Tim Kennedy (18-5) Thiago Alves (21-10) vs. Jim Miller (27-8 NC) Gian Villante (14-7) vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima (14-3-1) Liz Carmouche (10-5) vs. Katlyn Chookagian (8-0) Neil Seery vs Ian McCall, Amanda Cooper vs. Anna Elmose set for UFC Fight Night 99 in Belfast UFC officials announced that flyweights Ian McCall and Neil Seery will clash in Belfast, along strawweights Amanda Cooper and Anna Elmose. McCall (13-5-1) hasn’t competed since January 2015 first due to injury and then due to two cancelled matchups. Seery (16-12) is coming off a unanimous decision setback to Kyoji Horiguchi at UFC Rotterdam this past May. McCall discussed a potential matchup with me last week on a “1 on 1” edition of The Parting Shot Podcast (at 5:52 mark) Cooper (1-2) lost her UFC debut at the TUF 23 tournament finals, suffering a submission loss to Tatiana Suarez. Elmose (3-1) heads into this matchup off the first loss of her career. She made her UFC debut back in May and suffered a knockout setback to Germaine de Randamie. UFC Fight Night 99 takes place Nov. 19 at SSE Arena in Belfast. Here’s an updated look at the card… Dong Hyun Kim vs. Gunnar Nelson Ian McCall vs. Neil Seery Amanda Cooper vs. Anna Elmose