Cageside Catch-up: Sandhagen vs. Assuncao set for UFC 241

Welcome to "Cageside Catch-up" at theScoreMMA, our roundup of the latest MMA news and announcements.

Bantamweight barnburner booked for Aug. 17

Rising star Cory Sandhagen looks to inch one step closer to title contention when he faces Raphael Assuncao at UFC 241.

Sandhagen (11-1) enters the bout on a six-fight win streak, which includes a split-decision nod over John Lineker at UFC Fort Lauderdale. The 27-year-old has finished five of his last six opponents.

Assuncao (27-6) is coming off a first-round submission loss to Marlon Moraes in their rematch at UFC Fortaleza in August. It was his first stoppage defeat since March 2011, and he now enters this fight needing a win to stay relevant in the 135-pound division.

PFL 2019, Week 2: results

Main card results

• Lance Palmer def. Alex Gilpin via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Chris Wade def. Nate Andrews via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Andre Harrison def. Peter Petties via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27. 30-27)
• Akhmed Aliev def. Carlos Silva via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:21
• Islam Mamedov def. Ylies Djiroun via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Preliminary card results

• Rashid Magomedov def. Loik Radzhabov via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Natan Schulte def. Bao Yincang via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:03
• Luis Rafael Laurentino def. Jeremy Kennedy via TKO (head kick and punches) – Round 1, 0:23
• Movlid Khaybulaev def. Damon Jackson via KO (flying knee) – Round 1, 0:10
• Gadzhi Rabadanov def. Steven Siler via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)

RIZIN vs. Bellator on June 22

Bellator 222 already features RIZIN standout Kyoji Horiguchi, who will square off with Darion Caldwell for the bantamweight title. Now, another cross-promotion matchup will be featured on the card.

Fan favorite Rena Kubota will represent RIZIN against Lindsey Vanzandt in a strawweight bout on June 14. Bellator president Scott Coker announced the fight on Wednesday.

Kubota (8-2) makes her North American debut and is coming off a unanimous-decision victory over Samantha Jean-Francois at RIZIN 15 in April. The shootboxing standout has been finished only once in her MMA career.

Vanzandt (5-1) has won back-to-back fights and enters this contest coming off a second-round TKO victory over Tabatha Ann Watkins in her Bellator debut in February. The 25-year-old has stopped four of her six opponents.

Here's a look at the updated card:

• Lyoto Machida vs. Chael Sonnen
• Rory MacDonald (C) vs. Neiman Gracie (welterweight championship)
• Darrion Caldwell (C) vs. Kyoji Horiguchi (bantamweight championship)
• Dillion Danis vs. Max Humphrey
• Aaron Pico vs. Adam Borics
• Heather Hardy vs. Taylor Turner
• Phil Hawes vs. Micahel Wilcox
• Robson Gracie vs. Oscar Vera
• Ricky Bandejas vs. Patrick Mix
• Mike Kimbal vs. Sebastian Ruiz
• Brandon Polcare vs. Brandon Medina
• John Beneduce vs. Kenny Rivera
• Kastriot Xhema vs. Whitney Francois
• Lindsey Vanzandt vs. Rena Kubota

Araujo drops to flyweight against Davis at UFC 240

Viviane Araujo will be dropping down to flyweight to square off with Alexis Davis on July 27, according to Combate's Raphael Marinho.

Araujo (7-1) made quite the impression in her promotional debut at UFC 237 when she knocked out Talita Bernardo. The fact that the 32-year-old did so after moving up two weight classes from the strawweight division made the feat that much more impressive.

Davis (19-9) suffered a second loss in a row for the first time in her career when she was defeated by Jennifer Maia via unanimous decision at UFC Nashville. The former bantamweight title challenger is 1-2 since dropping down to the 125-pound division in 2017.

UFC 240 will go down at Rogers Place in Edmonton on July 27. Featherweight champion Max Holloway defends his title against Frankie Edgar in the main event.

"Sexyama" ONE Championship debut set

Former UFC middleweight Yoshihiro Akiyama will make his ONE Championship debut June 20 against Agilan Thani, according to the promotion.

Akiyama (14-6, two no-contests) hasn't fought since a 2015 decision loss to Alberto Mina at UFC Fight Night 79. The 43-year-old has lost five of his last six fights, with his lone win coming in 2014 against Amir Sadollah, who retired after their bout.

Thani (8-3) is perhaps best known for his 2017 clash with UFC standout Ben Asken, which he lost via submission in the first round. The 23-year-old heads into the matchup coming off back-to-back losses, with the most recent defeat being a submission setback to Kiamrian Abbasov in December.

Here's an updated look at the event:

• Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Agilan Thani
• Reinier De Ridder vs. Gilberto Galvao
• Koyomi Matsushima vs. Kwon Won Il
• Fan Rong vs. Sherif Mohamed
• Chen Lei vs. Anthony Engelen
• Victorio Senduk vs. Phoe Thaw
• Yoon Chang Min vs. Trestle Tan
• Itsuki Hirata vs. Angelie Sabanal