MMA News

Author: Aakrit Sharma

  • Islam Makhachev’s Coach On Conor McGregor Starting Staph Rumor Ahead Of UFC 302: ‘There Would Be Nothing Better For Me & Khabib…’

    Islam Makhachev emerged victorious at UFC 302 as he stopped Dustin Poirier via submission in round five of their fight. The champ now has three title defenses to his name and is hoping to capture gold at 170 pounds too.

    Although Makhachev outclassed Dustin Poirier on the ground as well as the feet at UFC 302, many were concerned about his staph infection going into the fight, including former UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor. 

    McGregor, as usual, didn’t hold back. In a now-deleted post on X, he went as far as to call Makhachev an “inbred” and attacked his entire team.

    Makhachev confirmed that he indeed had a staph infection going into UFC 302, but his coach Javier Mendez is delighted by the attention McGregor gave to the team and has already imagined the best-case scenario for the UFC lightweight champion. 

    Javier Mendez Wants Conor McGregor to “Get Beat” By Islam Makhachev

    While talking to Red Corner MMA following UFC 302, Islam Makhachev’s coach Javier Mendez was asked about the media’s reaction to the staph infection. The coach claimed that Makhachev was not on antibiotics to cure the staph infection and his performance was unaffected. 

    He further talked about how McGregor bashing Makhachev has more positives than negatives, and he would love to see a fight between the two in the near future. 

    “It’s kind of funny how little simple things, people notice, and you know, change things. Like Conor, goes and starts a rant, starting to create drama, you know, with Islam, which is kind of good because Conor is the kind of guy you want to root against or root for regardless.

    “Everybody wants to see him. Me, I want to see him get beat by Islam. So, for me, him doing what he’s doing is causing a lot of attention. So, you know, there (would) be nothing better for me and Khabib than to have Islam have a fight with him somewhere down the line.”

    Mendez seems unaffected by McGregor’s banter on X and even praised the Irishman for being observant enough to bring up the staph infection. However, as per the coach, the health problem was already three weeks old by the time McGregor highlighted it and it wasn’t going to change the outcome of the fight.  

    A fight between Makhachev and McGregor could become a possibility if the “The Notorious” beats Michael Chandler at UFC 303 and gets a lightweight title shot. 

  • Former UFC Welterweight King Kamaru Usman Opens Door For Dustin Poirier Fight Next: ‘It’s Like You & Your Main Training Partner…’

    Dustin Poirier and Islam Makhachev went to war at UFC 302 before the champ finally used a D’arce choke in the fifth to retain his title. Although this could potentially be Poirier’s last fight, he’s yet to confirm his retirement. In the meantime, a ton of fun matchups have emerged for “The Diamond.”

    Alexander Volkanovski, who’s been in the Octagon with Makhachev twice, admitted that he would fight Poirier. Now, former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has jumped on the bandwagon as well. 

    Following his second loss to Leon Edwards, Usman has rarely talked about reclaiming welterweight gold. Instead, he’s fought Khamzat Chimaev at 185 pounds on short notice and seems comfortable taking on high-profile fights instead.

    Kamaru Usman Aims To Push Dustin Poirier ‘To The Brink’ If They Fight

    On the June 3 episode of Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru & Henry, Usman and Henry Cejudo were talking about what’s next for Poirier following his loss to Makhachev at UFC 302. 

    Usman first agreed that a fight between Volkanovski and Poirier would be fun and went on to say that if ‘The Diamond’ decides to move up a weight class, he’ll be a great matchup too. 

    Usman then clarified that his call-out of Poirier isn’t mean-spirited but instead, rooted in an interest to fight someone he really respects.

    “I always put my mind there. If I was to ever compete against a guy like Dustin Poirier, that would be a fantastic one, because it’s a guy that I could really respect through and through the process. Really through the process.

    “And we go out. And it’s like you and your main training partner and you just like, yeah, we going to beat each other up. We going to push each other to the brink, you know? That would be a fun fight, but I’m not throwing my hat in.”

    Cejudo didn’t oppose the idea either as he believes that Poirier has plenty of amazing options despite the loss at UFC 302. Even without a title in the picture, fans would no doubt love to see Poirier battle it out with the likes of Max Holloway, Nate Diaz, Usman, and Volkanovski. 

    For now, Poirier deserves all the rest and family time he wants and regardless of his decision to fight in the future, he’s already cemented his legacy as an all-time great.

  • Jalin Turner Attributes Hesitation To Finish Renato Moicano At UFC 300 To Late Stoppage In Bobby Green Fight: ‘My Conscience Kicked In…’

    Jalin Turner Attributes Hesitation To Finish Renato Moicano At UFC 300 To Late Stoppage In Bobby Green Fight: ‘My Conscience Kicked In…’

    Jalin Turner was on the verge of beginning an impressive win streak by defeating Renato Moicano at UFC 300 and reclaiming his position as a promising contender in the lightweight division. 

    However, this is not how things went and many believe it to be because of Turner walking off after knocking down Moicano toward the end of the first round.  Instead of getting on top and getting a likely TKO win, Turner turned away as if the fight was over.

    Moicano, on the other hand, was far from knocked out and quickly got back up on his feet. Despite being wobbly, Moicano survived the last 15 seconds and ended up winning the fight via TKO in the second round. 

    Turner’s decision to not follow up with ground and pound was widely criticized. Looking back at it, the fighter has finally revealed what was going through his mind in that moment…

    ‘Rampage’ Jackson Correctly Predicts Why Turner Didn’t Finish Moicano At UFC 300

    Turner recently appeared on the Jaxxon Podcast, hosted by former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson. “Rampage,” who was a devastating KO artist during his prime, was able to accurately make out how Turner’s controversial TKO win over Bobby Green affected his mentality. 

    “I’ve been thinking about this. I think I know why you walked off [against Moicano]. ‘Cause the last time the referee took his damn time stopping the fight and you such a good guy, you didn’t want to hurt nobody.”

    As it turns out, this is exactly what stopped Turner from going for the finish against Moicano.

    He recollected the backlash he received after the fight with Green as he landed several shots before the referee finally stepped in, even after it was apparent that Green wasn’t fighting back at all. 

    “That’s exactly what it is. My conscience just kind of kicked in a little bit, like mid-fight.

    “My conscience really kicked in the fight, like even before the fight, I didn’t, like, fully, like, get to that, ‘Oh, I gotta like kill this dude instinct.’ I was just like, it’s a fight. I’m just, ‘Go, do a like, you know, just go perform,’ and yeah, that’s what happened.”

  • Georges St-Pierre’s Coach Feels Islam Makhachev Is Going Into UFC 302 Compromised: ‘I Can Tell You A Staph Infection When I See It!’

    Georges St-Pierre’s Coach Feels Islam Makhachev Is Going Into UFC 302 Compromised: ‘I Can Tell You A Staph Infection When I See It!’

    Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier will fight for the lightweight title at UFC 302, and the official photo shoots have led to many believing that the champion is dealing with a nasty staph infection. 

    Once the pictures went out, fans could not help but notice the apparent infection right under Makhachev’s left knee. This was followed by people searching for Makhachev’s pictures during camp and noticing that he might have had the infection for quite some time because his knee was covered during training. 

    Not just MMA fans, but the likes of Conor McGregor has also been vocal about Makhachev’s infection heading into the fight. Another name on the list is Georges St-Pierre’s coach, Firas Zahabi, who thinks that the lightweight champ isn’t going to be at his best during the fight as a result of it.

    St-Pierre’s Coach Coach Calls Islam Makhachev’s Staph Infection ‘Pretty Bad’

    While discussing UFC 302 on the Tristar Gym YouTube channel, Zahabi was asked how Makhachev’s alleged staph infection could influence his fight. The coach first checked out the pictures from the latest photo shoot and was quick to suggest that Makhachev indeed absolutely has a staph infection.

    “That’s pretty bad, yeah. That’s staph my friends. I could tell you. I’m not a doctor, okay? I didn’t go to medical school, okay? But I know staph when I see it. I’ve travelled all over the world. I’ve trained with thousands of people, thousands. I can tell you a staph infection when I see it.”

    Zahabi was clearly stunned to see Makhachev’s leg. He went on to claim that having a staph infection right before such a huge fight isn’t ideal at all, and that antibiotic medication could negatively impact the champ’s performance at UFC 302. 

    “Damn, listen. If he’s on staph meds, and the fight’s this weekend, if that picture was this week, damn, that’s not good news.”

    It is worth noting that Poirier’s last opponent, Benoît Saint Denis, went into their fight at UFC 299 with a staph infection as well. After a strong first round, the Frenchman was knocked out. He claimed that the antibiotics drained his energy and he could only maintain pressure for one round. 

    Could a similar fate be awaiting the current lightweight champion as well?

  • ‘Islam Is Maybe Even Tougher Than Khabib…’ – Paulo Costa, Michael Chandler, Kevin Holland, & Other UFC Fighters Predict UFC 302 Main Event

    ‘Islam Is Maybe Even Tougher Than Khabib…’ – Paulo Costa, Michael Chandler, Kevin Holland, & Other UFC Fighters Predict UFC 302 Main Event

    Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier will fight at UFC 302 for the UFC lightweight title and the champion is a huge favorite.

    Of late, however, Israel Adesanya, Kamaru Usman, and Alexander Volkanovski have lost their titles in fights that they were favorites to win. 

    And over the years, heavy underdog challengers like Matt Serra, Holly Holm, Sean Strickland, and Michael Bisping have proven the oddsmakers wrong in title fights. 

    Can Dustin Poirier follow suit and finally become an undisputed UFC champion?

    Here are notable UFC fighters providing us with their thoughts on the UFC 302 lightweight title fight.

    Michael Chandler, Kevin Holland, & Paulo Costa Pick Islam Makhachev To Beat Dustin Poirier At UFC 302

    MMA Fighting recently shared a compilation of fighters predicting the winner of the UFC 302 main event. 

    Michael Chandler claimed that Poirier was the most skilled fighter he’s stepped in the Octagon with, but even then, he couldn’t see “The Diamond” surviving Makhachev’s wrestling. 

    “He’ll do all of these different things to win the fight. He’s a certified competitor. With that being said, I think Islam is better than him in every single aspect of the sport, except for the sheer boxing.”

    Paulo Costa went a step ahead and claimed that Makhachev might have a better chin than Khabib Nurmagomedov, which further reduces the chances of Poirier coming out with a win.

    “Islam is maybe even tougher than Khabib, maybe. You know, because he has best, in my opinion, he has good striker, good striking skills. And in the ground and grappling, I don’t need to say nothing. You know he’s unbelievable good.”

    Despite favoring the lightweight champ, Costa agreed this wouldn’t be an easy fight for either side. 

    Kevin Holland also picked Makhachev to win against Poirier but made it clear that the veteran finally getting to complete his story isn’t an impossible outcome either. 

    “So, either way the story can be wrote however, imma be good with it. As long as I get my dub and my check, you know what I mean? I’m good to go baby.”

    Cory Sandhagen looked back at recent high-profile upsets to state that anyone has a chance in MMA – and that doesn’t exclude Poirier. 

    Jailton Almeida though, who’s a huge fan of Nurmagomedov, thinks Makhachev will certainly defend his belt at UFC 302. 

    Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, who’ll face Randy Brown in the first fight on the main card, is one of the few people rooting for Poirier based on the striking advantage.

    Randy Brown, too, had all the praise for Poirier’s ability to come back from adversity. Calling “The Diamond” his inspiration and someone he relates to, Brown hopes that Poirier wins, even though it’s a hard fight for him stylistically. 

  • ‘If I Lose This, Will They Cut Me?’ – Kevin Holland Warned Against Negative Thought Process As He Looks To Bounce Back From Two Fight Skid At UFC 302

    ‘If I Lose This, Will They Cut Me?’ – Kevin Holland Warned Against Negative Thought Process As He Looks To Bounce Back From Two Fight Skid At UFC 302

    Kevin Holland will face Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC 302 right before the five-round co-main event between Paulo Costa and Sean Strickland. 

    Many, including Weighing In hosts John McCarthy and Josh Thompson, believe that this fight is important for Holland to reassure the UFC about his prowess as a title contender and that he’s not just a gatekeeper in the welterweight division. 

    Although Holland is on a two-fight losing streak, this isn’t the first time he’s been in this situation. In the UFC, he’s previously lost consecutively to Derek Brunson and Marvin Vettori but came back with a KO win over Alex Oliviera. 

    Then, he again lost two fights in a row against Khamzat Chimaev and Stephen Thompson, but returned with a KO win over Santiago Ponzinibbio.

    Ahead of UFC 302, Holland finds himself in a similar situation as he’s lost to Jack Della Maddalena and Michael Venom Page, and here’s what the Weighing In podcast hosts believe he should do to bounce back. 

    John McCarthy Claims Kevin Holland Is A ‘Problem For Everyone’

    While discussing the UFC 302 card on his podcast, “Big” John McCarthy had all the praise for Holland,who is easily one of the most active fighters in the UFC roster. 

    McCarthy agreed that Holland is tough and can create problems for anyone inside the Octagon, and that “MVP” wasn’t an ideal matchup for him in many ways. 

    “Kevin Holland, he’s a problem for everyone. He’s in that position. Against MVP, I thought he would end up having a problem and everyone does, because they don’t realize how fast Michal is. 

    “Oleksiejczuk, I love the guy. He’s tough as hell. He is just a grinding monster. I don’t think he can beat Kevin Holland”

    While McCarthy seemed confident about Holland being the better fighter, Thomson was more concerned about the impact of a losing streak on a fighter. The former UFC fighter explained how each loss adds to the mental burden and even someone like Holland could be affected by it.  

    “Losing to Jack Della Maddalena and ‘MVP.’ Now you’re fighting another guy who’s got a good chin, who likes to put the pressure. But one of my points is, though, that two losses in a row, you start thinking, ‘I’ve never lost three in a row. If I lose this, will they cut me?’ Those are the things that start going through your mind.

    “In a fighter’s mind, you’re thinking to yourself. Three in a row, man, after three, it could be four, and then you really start thinking.”

    Both Thomson and McCarthy then agreed on the fact that the UFC is unlikely to cut Holland even if he loses to Oleksiejczuk at UFC 302 – something we can likely all agree on too.

  • Sean Strickland’s Coach On How He Can Win More Rounds In Judges’ Eyes & Not Lose Close Decisions: ‘You Almost Kinda Get Lulled To Sleep…’

    Sean Strickland’s Coach On How He Can Win More Rounds In Judges’ Eyes & Not Lose Close Decisions: ‘You Almost Kinda Get Lulled To Sleep…’

    Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa will face each other at UFC 302 and the highly anticipated five-round middleweight fight will serve as the co-main event. Because the stakes are high, Strickland’s coach Erick Nicksick wants to make his fighter’s style more impressive for the judges. 

    Strickland is coming off a bitter title loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 as the fight was razor close and the challenger bagged a split decision win. Costa, on the other hand, went to war with Robert Whittaker at UFC 298 but lost unanimously on the judges’ scorecards.

    Despite losses, both Strickland and Costa haven’t lost credibility as top middleweight contenders, and winning at UFC 302 can put either on the path to the title again. 

    Nicksick expanded on some things in Strickland’s fighting style that he believes can bore the judges, and he hopes not to repeat the same mistakes this time. 

    Sean Strickland’s Coach Shares Lessons From the Du Plessis Fight  

    In an interview with CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri, Nicksick was asked whether Strickland’s style needs to change so his fights don’t end up becoming close decisions.

    “I think you just have to give more scoring elements, more things for the judges to be able to see, you know. Sean is so predicated off his lead side and his lead hand,” Nicksick said. “You get a death by a thousand paper cuts. You almost kinda get lulled to sleep by the same offensive action over and over and over. So, you know, in the Dricus fight, I think there was a lot of things we could have done better. 

    “I think we could have implemented some more kicks, some more teeps. The one thing that really stood out to me was you know when we hit the switches on the ground. Instead of getting up and popping right back up, there was an opportunity for us to lay some ground and pound on him.”

    Nicksick went on to acknowledge that a more aggressive or diverse approach would help Strickland in not having frequent split-decision fights. Since joining the UFC, he’s been in five split decisions where he clinched victory against three opponents but lost to Jared Cannonier and Du Plessis. 

    Former featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski raised similar concerns about Strickland’s fighting style being too defensive and how it affects scoring even though he doesn’t take a lot of damage.