Duel Arena will makes its combat sport debut this Saturday (Aug. 29, 2026) with Duel Arena 1, an event that promises fight fans entertainment with a mixture of combat fisticuffs from mixed martial arts (MMA), boxing and kickboxing. And honestly, I don’t know how to feel about it. Nevertheless, this is a real thing and it’s happening. Headlining the event will be an MMA bout between Mike Perry and Brandon Jenkins. While the co-main event will see Paul Miller vs. Ben Azoulay in a kickboxing match.
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DUEL ARENA 1 CHEAT SHEET
What MMA event is on tonight? Duel Arena 1: “Perry vs. Jenkins”
Who is fighting tonight at Duel Arena 1? Mike Perry vs. Brandon Jenkins Welterweight fight is the five-round main event.
What time does Duel Arena 1 start? TONIGHT (Sat., Aug. 29, 2026), beginning at 6 p.m. ET on YouTube.
Where will Duel Arena 1 take place? Kia Center in Orlando, Florida
How can I watch Duel Arena 1? YouTube “Prelims” undercard matches are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining main card balance on at 8 p.m. ET on Duel Arena PPV.
Where can I get Duel Arena 1 updates and results? Get full Duel Arena 1 play-by-play updates and live coverage here!
Mike Perry will attempt to kick off the event with the fireworks he is accustomed to bringing to all of his fights. He has made a name for himself in MMA and the bare knuckle arena and has brought it time after time win, lose or draw. “Platinum” was last seen beating the brakes off Nate Diaz at MVP MMA 1(see it here), his first win in MMA in six years. He hopes to keep that momentum going against Jenkins, who got the call up after Dillon Danis bowed out of the card (more on that later). Perry has long been known as the “King of Violence,” a moniker he has earned via his all-out wars. And that is one thing that is always a guarantee when it comes to his fights, you will be entertained in one way or another whether it’s in the boxing ring, MMA cage or the BKFC ring. And that is perhaps why there is no better man to headline this card than one that has tried just about every combat sport out there.
As for Jenkins, he was also last seen competing on the MVP MMA 1 event, as he defeated Chris Avila — one of Nate Diaz’s sparring partners — via split-decision. Jenkins has not exactly been lighting it up in the MMA scene, going just 3-5 in his last eight fights dating back to 2021, which includes losing his only two fights under the UFC banner. Despite his shortcomings, he does put it all on the line and while he may not be favored by any stretch of the imagination to beat Perry, he will at least get in there and try to give it all he has. And who knows, he may pull off one of the biggest upsets we’ve seen in a while. Though it will be tough to top this one.
Original Card Vs. Actual Card/Injuries:
The original main event was supposed to feature Perry facing off against Dillon Danis before Danis, unsurprisingly, bowed out of the fight. He later posted pictures showing a gnarly injury to his arm as the culprit. Danis has a history of withdrawingfrom fights, so not too many people where shocked with the news.
How The ‘Prelims’ Look:
AJ Cunningham vs. Joe Penafiel – MMA
This is legitimate MMA matchup buried underneath all that pointless spectacle. Cunningham is 11-5 and has UFC experience, though he did lose both of his fights inside the Octagon. He has four knockouts and four submissions to his name, proving that he is pretty well-rounded. Penafiel is a veteran fighter with a substantial amount of professional experience, but that doesn’t mean he has gone to the winner’s circle that often. He is currently on a three-fight losing streak and is 2-8 in his last 10 fights. This guy needs a win badly here just to get his confidence back up.
Daniel Cao vs. Mason Ajester – Boxing
Honestly, I do not know anything about these two as they will be making their combat sports debuts. There isn’t much on paper about them, so this one has me perplexed.
Shane King vs. Thomas Phillips – Boxing
These two “influencers” will also be making their combat sports debut on YouTube, and since there is no documented sports history on them, I don’t know what to tell you except to tune in if you want to see two newbies embarrass themselves in one of the hardest sports imagineable. If you’re into that sort of thing.
Who Needs A Win Badly:
Heavyweight: Alex Nicholson vs. Brad Taylor – MMA
The big boys will come to play here in a fight that could end early. Nicholson enters with a listed 19-14 record and 17 KO/TKO victories. Taylor is 7-10 with three KO/TKO victories. Nicholson is also coming off a loss to Yoel Romero via TKO in May 2026, after previous losses to Darion Abbey and Frank Tatem bringing his losing streak to three in a row. The nickname “The Spartan” is appropriate because he brings it, he just has to get back into the win column. Taylor is coming off a win over Clay Jackson in May 2026, stopping him by punches in the first round, which was his second straight first-round knockout win. That said, he has the power to put Nicholson to sleep, so this is one of those fights where it will end in the blink of an eye.
Interest Level: 4/10:
Paul “Gypsy Crusader” Miller vs. Ben “King” Azoulay – Kickboxing
The co-main event between Miller and Azoulay is probably the strangest matchup on the entire card and that’s saying something in a card full of questionable and downright laughable fights. Miller enters with a legitimate striking background. He is listed 6-foot-1 and tips the scales at close to 200 pounds, and he has competed in kickboxing and Muay Thai before becoming an internet personality. He also picked up a professional boxing win earlier this year so he has some striking skills. Azoulay, meanwhile, has competed on influencer cards but has no documented combat-sports record comparable to Miller’s, so this pretty much seems like a layup for Miller.
Jimi Manuwa vs. Chase Sherman – Boxing
Jimi Manuwa vs. Chase Sherman is one of the most intriguing fights because both men are known primarily as MMA fighters with a bevy of UFC experience. Manuwa hasn’t competed since June 2019, when Aleksandar Rakic stopped him via knockout. That’s more than seven years away from competition. Manuwa was a guy I had high hopes for when he made his way to UFC, but he never amounted to much before retiring after four straight losses. Sherman, meanwhile, is a former UFC Heavyweight with a 16-12 MMA record and 15 knockout victories, and he has also competed outside MMA since leaving the UFC in 2023, mostly under the Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA umbrella. The scary part about Manuwa has always been his power, so if he tags Sherman he can sleep him That said, he is going to have to put some mustard behind because Sherman is a big boy that doesn’t need a whole ton to put you to sleep.
Blake Anthony vs. Nate Morrow – MMA
This might actually be the best fight on the entire card from a pure MMA standpoint. Anthony is 7-0, while Morrow is 7-3. They’re both 5-foot-8 and competing at featherweight. Anthony has a better striking background and has secured three knockouts in his young MMA career with one submission and three decisions. He’s also extremely active. Anthony fought on August 1, just three weeks ago.That could be a huge advantage since he is already in fight rhythm. Morrow, on the other hand, is the grappling threat as five of his seven professional victories have come by submission. That’s the clearest path to victory for him because Anthony will out-strike him if he decides to keep the fight on the feet. A true clash of styles. The ring will play a big factor here.
Phil Rowe vs. Javanis Ross – Boxing
This is another fascinating crossover matchup. Rowe is making his professional boxing debut after a UFC career that saw him go 4-5 inside the Octagon. He’s 6-foot-3 and is 12-7 in MMA with seven knockouts. Ross has considerably more boxing experience because he’s already competed professionally in boxing, although his boxing record is listed as 0-2. He’s also a veteran of MMA and bare-knuckle competition, so he will definitely have the striking advantage here. If it turns into a full-blown MMA fight on the ground, it will be game over for him.
“Velveteen Dream” Patrick Clark Jr. vs. Ryan Pownall – Boxing
Clark is a former WWE “star” known as “Velveteen Dream,“ while Pownall is a Canadian social-media personality and host of PillowTalk. Both are making their professional boxing debuts, so don’t expect a lot of high class striking here. Clark is the better athlete of the two so I do expect him to have his way with Pownall. Should Pownall get a few good licks in, I don’t think they will do much to hurt Clark because he is used to taking punishment. This fight has all them makings of a slug fest slop fest.
Jack Grady vs. Wade Stokan – Influencer boxing
Why am I not taking this card seriously? Because of “fights” like this that pits a magician up against a juggler. Circus show, anyone? Grady performs as The Great Assdini, while Stokan is known as The Juggler. Neither has a professional boxing record, so this may be the most pathetic display of striking anyone has seen inside a ring…ever.
Enjoy the fights?
Full Duel Arena 1 Fight Card:
Duel Arena 1 Main Event
170 lbs.: Mike Perry vs. Brandon Jenkins (not Dillon Danis)- MMA
Duel Arena 1 Co-main Event
Heavyweight: Paul “Gypsy Crusader” Miller vs. Ben “King” Azoulay – Kickboxing
Duel Arena 1 Main Card
Heavyweight: Jimi Manuwa vs. Chase Sherman – Boxing
145 lbs.: Blake Anthony vs. Nate Morrow – MMA
175 lbs.: Phil Rowe vs. Javanis Ross – Boxing
Heavyweight: Alex Nicholson vs. Brad Taylor – MMA
200 lbs.: “Velveteen Dream” Patrick Clark Jr. vs. Ryan Pownall – Boxing
165 lbs.: Jack Grady vs. Wade Stokan – Influencer boxing
Duel Arena 1 Prelims (Free on YouTube)
155 lbs.: AJ Cunningham vs. Joe Penafiel – MMA
165 lbs.: Daniel Cao vs. Mason Ajester – Boxing
120 lbs.: Shane King vs. Thomas Phillips – Boxing
*Fight card, bout order and number of fights subject to change.*
