MMA News

Author: Aakrit Sharma

  • Aljamain Sterling Out Of Movsar Evloev Fight At UFC 307: ‘I Need All My Tools’

    Aljamain Sterling Out Of Movsar Evloev Fight At UFC 307: ‘I Need All My Tools’

    Aljamain Sterling moved up to featherweight after losing his UFC bantamweight championship to Sean O’Malley. He dominated Calvin Kattar in his divisional debut and was scheduled to fight Movsar Evloev at UFC 307 next.

    However, Sterling has pulled out of the UFC 307 bout because of an injury that he sustained during sparring. Despite taking the right precautions and undergoing stem cell therapy, he hasn’t been able to recover properly and announced his injury via YouTube and X recently.

    “I think it’s a tough test. And I truly do believe I have the abilities to beat you. So, let’s do this in December. And I’ll see you on the other side of the Octagon. But if you decide not to wait, I can respect that also. Because I know you’re trying to fight for a belt as am I and the only way to do that is to go through each other.”

    Aljo still wants to fight Evloev but expects the latter to wait until December. The undefeated Russian featherweight is naturally unhappy with this development, and here’s what he plans to do now…

    Movsar Evloev Responds To Aljamain Sterling Pulling Out Of 307 Because Of Injury

    Evloev has been training for his next featherweight fight in the UFC for four months. Even with all the bad blood between him and Sterling so far, he isn’t interested in pushing back the matchup.

    Evloev shared on X (formerly Twitter) that he is willing to stay on UFC 307 and will fight anybody. From Diego Lopes to Dan Ige to Josh Emmett, there are a bunch of matchups that fans have already suggested.

    With consecutive wins over Ige, Lopes, and Arnold Allen, undefeated Evloev at 18-0 is certainly one of the most interesting prospects in the UFC featherweight division. A win over a former champ like Sterling could have secured him a title shot or, at the very least, put him in a title eliminator.

    Similarly, Sterling looked forward to fighting Diego Lopes after beating Evloev. Such massive wins would’ve put him in a comfortable spot to challenge Ilia Topuria or Max Holloway for the title.

    It is worth noting that Nate Landwehr is also out of his UFC 307 bout against Austin Hubbard. He’ll be replaced by Alexander Hernandez.

  • ‘Completely Insincere’ – UFC Legend Laughs Off Jon Jones Claiming Stipe Miocic Fight As His Last

    ‘Completely Insincere’ – UFC Legend Laughs Off Jon Jones Claiming Stipe Miocic Fight As His Last

    Jon Jones, while talking to the media at UFC 306, hinted at retiring following his UFC 309 headliner against Stipe Miocic. The former UFC light heavyweight champion debuted for the promotion in 2011 and has amassed the most title fight wins (12) so far, naturally making his retirement a big deal among fans.

    After being the most dominant UFC light heavyweight ever, Jones moved up to heavyweight. In March 2023, he beat Ciryl Gane in his heavyweight debut to capture the division’s undisputed championship. However, he has yet to defend the title and despite Tom Aspinall finishing all top contenders, former champ Miocic is getting the title shot.

    Although Jones has mentioned retirement several times at this point, Chael Sonnen simply doesn’t buy it…

    Chael Sonnen Lists Why Jon Jones Isn’t Serious About Retiring After Stipe Miocic Fight

    Sonnen opened up on the recently confirmed matchup between Jones and Miocic for the UFC heavyweight championship on his YouTube channel. He acknowledged that MMA fans are now more excited to see “Bones” being tested by Aspinall who even defended his interim UFC heavyweight belt against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.

    “The American Gangster” believes that Jones’ retirement is not the UFC legend’s idea at all. Somebody from the media or the internet randomly questioned his retirement and since then, he’s agreed to it a couple of times.

    In Sonnen’s view, Jones teasing retirement after fighting Miocic is a clever yet effective marketing idea. Over the years, the light heavyweight GOAT has amassed millions of fans who would tune in to watch him fight for potentially the last time without a second thought.

    “I’m watching this. Oh, Jon has grabbed on to that retirement idea. He did not mean it, it was completely insincere, it wasn’t even his idea. Somebody else said it, he heard it, thought it might be good to go with. And a couple of different reasons guys that are not going to retire say that they’re going to retire. A couple. One could be, he heard somebody else say it thought it might be good marketing. He never comes out and does anything to try for marketing and he went for it. Another one is just the same reason you did things like that when you were a child. So that somebody else would tell, oh no, hey, whoa, we want you, you’re great.”

    Sonnen, Jones’ former rival, is optimistic that we’ll see him in the Octagon against Aspinall before he retires. He stated that “Bones” adding “most likely” to his latest statement about retirement gave it all away. The undisputed heavyweight champ is either selling his upcoming fight or wanting the UFC to stop him from retiring through obvious incentives.

  • ‘He Wasn’t Talking To Merab’ – Chael Sonnen Defends Sean O’Malley’s Coach Amid UFC 306 Excessive Coaching Controversy

    ‘He Wasn’t Talking To Merab’ – Chael Sonnen Defends Sean O’Malley’s Coach Amid UFC 306 Excessive Coaching Controversy

    Merab Dvalishvili defeated Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 to become the undisputed UFC bantamweight champion. He had to win ten fights in a row to get the title shot and shut down the champ with his pressure and pace throughout the five rounds.

    Although the main event received a mixed response from fans, there were some memorable moments. One of these came right at the beginning of the first when Dvalishvili criticized O’Malley’s coach for distracting him and Herb Dean had to step in.

    While many have called Welch unprofessional for implementing his corner tactics, Chael Sonnen has defended the coach…

    Chael Sonnen Clears ‘Misunderstanding’ Around Tim Welch Calling Out Merab Dvalishvili During Sean O’Malley Fight

    Sonnen, while reacting to the UFC 306 main event on his YouTube channel, revealed his close relationship with Welch as a teammate. Despite the natural bias, he had many arguments to prove that the coach didn’t cross any lines at Riyadh Season Noche UFC.

    For starters, the former title challenger remembered that many moves in MMA and boxing are named after pioneers who discovered or popularized them. So, when a coach yells a fighter’s name, they might be referring to a certain move instead of distracting the opponent.

    Sonnen also talked to Welch on the phone and stood by the latter based on the tone of his statements. “The American Gangster” highlighted that the fight had just begun, and there was no way Welch’s comments were out of frustration or anger.

    “When he said pressure Merab, you’re going to have to go Merab. When Tim said that, he had a very similar tone, he was just speaking, raised his voice a little bit. Wasn’t yelling, wasn’t being demeaning, there was by no means, profanity, and would you like to know, why there were none of those things? Would you like to know why that was the tone? It was right at the beginning of the match. I mean, all hell didn’t even break loose. Nobody’s chips are down, nobody’s frustrated.”

    Sonnen also discussed Welch’s intention when O’Malley fought for the title against Aljamain Sterling. In a viral clip, the coach could be heard screaming Aljo’s name following which he went for a punch which helped “Suga” land the knockout blow. However, both incidents are unrelated as Sterling has confirmed he didn’t listen to Welch.

    “And do you want to know why it was so calm? Because he wasn’t talking to Merab, He wasn’t telling Merab what to do, and that has been a misunderstanding of this entire thing.”

    MMA fans seem to be divided over the matter, for now. Although “Funkmaster” has admitted to not hearing Welch and Dvalishvili shut him down fairly quickly, the fact that Welch took an opponent’s name from the corner in consecutive fights is upsetting for many.

  • ‘The Blueprint’s Out’ – Sean Strickland’s Coach To Belal Muhammad On Beating Shavkat Rakhmonov

    ‘The Blueprint’s Out’ – Sean Strickland’s Coach To Belal Muhammad On Beating Shavkat Rakhmonov

    Belal Muhammad dethroned Leon Edwards to become the new UFC welterweight champion at UFC 304. As the first UFC champion from Palestine, he’s naturally become a lot more popular lately and fans are finally getting behind him as he trolls other UFC fighters.

    Muhammad has won eleven fights in a row now. Unlike Merab Dvalishvili who was presented with Umar Nurmagomedov as soon as he won the UFC bantamweight title, the welterweight kingpin has yet to confirm his first title defense.

    Unless he fights Kamaru Usman in a title eliminator first, undefeated prospect Shavkat Rakhmonov is expected to challenge Muhammad. While discussing the matchup, Sean Strickland’s coach Eric Nicksick revealed how Rakhmonov doesn’t seem invincible anymore…

    Sean Strickland’s Coach Appreciates Geoff Neal, Who Beat Belal Muhammad, For Fighting Shavkat Rakhmonov The Perfect Way

    Muhammad recently opened up about the current state of the UFC welterweight division on the Verse Us with Eric Nicksick podcast. Unsurprisingly, he acknowledged the undefeated Rakhmonov with a 100% finish rate as his first potential title defense.

    Nicksick, who coaches Sean Strickland, gave “Nomad” his props but highlighted that Geoff Neal has already revealed the best way to beat him. Although ‘Handz of Steel’ lost via third-round submission, he landed several good shots on Rakhmonov.

    The key for Neal was maintaining distance and movement. He avoided getting into a clinch with Rakhmonov as the latter quickly threw knees and elbows in that position. Whenever “Nomad” landed a good shot, Neal made sure to move out of range instead of letting his opponent do more damage in the pocket or secure a takedown.

    Here are Nicksicks’s two cents on how Muhammad should approach the Rakhmonov matchup:

    “Shavkat’s the kind of boogeyman waiting in the closet. You’re like, oh s**t, what do I do? But the blueprint’s there, right? Geoff Neal fought him very well. I think you know what I mean. I think, I think the blueprint’s out.”

    The coach also explained how Muhammad’s tendency to make his opponents uncomfortable by targeting the holes in their games has worked wonders:

    “That’s the whole point we talked about in the Leon Edwards fight and the matchup is, you have more tools in the toolbox, right? And when you sit down and you break, lay out a game plan. It’s, I don’t, you’re not trying to beat the guy at what he’s best at, so how do I exploit what he’s not good at?

    Of course, Neal was successful against Rakhmonov also because he’s as tough as it gets. However, as per Nicksick, someone like Muhammad who relies a lot on decoding his opponents by watching footage can benefit greatly by analyzing Neal’s performance.

    Interestingly, Neal is the last fighter to beat Muhammad. “Handz of Steel’ defeated the current champ via TKO in 2019 and now, he could indirectly help “Remember the Name” with his first title defense.

  • ‘Not The Funnest Fight’ – Daniel Cormier Compares UFC 306 Co-Main Event To Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili

    ‘Not The Funnest Fight’ – Daniel Cormier Compares UFC 306 Co-Main Event To Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili

    The first three fights on the UFC 306 main card had everyone hyped up. Ronaldo Rodriguez, Esteban Ribovics, and Diego Lopes secured decision wins but the back-and-forth action compensated for the lack of finishes.

    There was a mixed reaction towards the co-main and main event of the night in MMA circles, though. Alexa Grasso was completely dominated by Valentina Shevchenko in their trilogy after the exciting first two fights. Similarly, Sean O’Malley had a few good moments but had no answer for Merab Dvalishvili’s wrestling and pace.

    Daniel Cormier compared the two title fights at UFC 306 and explained what made the main event relatively better than the co-main…

    Daniel Cormier Claims Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili Was More Exciting Than Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko Despite Similar Outcome

    Cormier recently admitted Grasso vs. Shevchenko to be lackluster while reacting to UFC 306 on his YouTube channel. He hesitated but called “Bullet” the better fighter between the two.

    Although Dvalishvili had a similar game plan against O’Malley, the former UFC double champ credited “Suga” for maintaining threats throughout the fight. On the flip side, Grasso spent much of the fight trying to get back on her feet and gathering failed submission attempts.

    “It was not the funniest fight. It felt like the Merab fight was a little more intriguing because of the danger that Sean O’Malley always seemed to possess. But, Alexa just got dominated and she’s going to have to figure that out. She seemed to spend a lot of time trying to fight off of her back because she knew she would get taken down. But all that did was allow for time to run and when time runs and you’re on your back, you’re losing. Sure, she had some good submission attempts but that’s not enough.”

    “The Machine” beat O’Malley via decision comfortably but the latter landed several good shots and won the last round with constant body shots. Fans could sense a finish whenever the fight went to the feet.

    The former women’s UFC flyweight champion, according to Cormier, could not gain Shevchenko’s respect in striking or on the ground. He expected Grasso to show more urgency and hopes that she fixes these holes in her game going forward.

  • Former UFC Champ Describes Brian Ortega’s ‘Moral Kind Of Victory’ Against Diego Lopes At UFC 306

    Former UFC Champ Describes Brian Ortega’s ‘Moral Kind Of Victory’ Against Diego Lopes At UFC 306

    Diego Lopes beat Brian Ortega via decision at UFC 306 to rise to the top ranks of the UFC featherweight division. He almost secured a finish in the first, but unsurprisingly, Ortega showed unbelievable toughness and survived until the final bell.

    Lopes earned a takedown and controlled Ortega for nearly three minutes while the latter struggled to get going throughout the fight. The prospect outstruck the former title challenger and fans are excited to see him face the likes of Max Holloway or Ilia Topuria for UFC featherweight gold.

    Lopes is the new talk of the town after his dominant win, but former UFC champ Michael Bisping has found a silver lining for Ortega as well…

    Michael Bisping Explains Why Diego Lopes Couldn’t Finish Brian Ortega At UFC 306

    Bisping heavily appreciated Lopes for getting the better of Ortega at UFC 306 while reacting to the event on his YouTube channel. However, he believes that losing via decision is better for the veteran than being finished.

    “Lopes, was kind of, he wanted to test his ground game. He wanted to send a message, he wanted to choke him out, and beat Brian Ortega at his own game. Because of that, he kind of allowed Brian to get back into the fight and see the final bell. There’s a moral kind of victory if you’re Brian Ortega and you see the final bell. Trust me, as a fighter, you want to lose by decision rather than getting finished. And there were finishes multiple times for Diego Lopes.”

    “The Count” explained that trying to submit Ortega on the ground worked against Lopes. “T-City” used his experience to get a guard quickly and rejuvenate himself.

    Bisping had an interesting theory about the knockdown in the first too. He claimed that the right hand knocked Ortega out and the left hook pushed him back to his senses. The former UFC champ feels the fight could have been stopped early if the Brazilian fighter stuck to striking.

    Although he couldn’t get a finish, Lopes’ stock is higher than ever. He can either fight another top-ranked contender in a title eliminator or get the opportunity to grab the UFC featherweight title next.

  • Aljamain Sterling Eyes Winner Of Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes If He Beats Movsar Evloev At UFC 307

    Aljamain Sterling Eyes Winner Of Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes If He Beats Movsar Evloev At UFC 307

    Aljamain Sterling defended the UFC bantamweight championship three times before moving up to featherweight. His TKO loss to Sean O’Malley has helped teammate and friend Merab Dvalishvili to get his well-deserved title shot, though.

    Sterling has no plans to move down to bantamweight despite his featherweight debut against Calvin Kattar getting a mixed response in MMA circles. With eight takedowns and almost 11 minutes of control time, he completely shut down the striker, but the bout lacked excitement.

    Aljo is scheduled to fight Movsar Evloev at UFC 307, and he’s already laid down the plan to reach featherweight gold in the promotion after his next fight…

    Aljamain Sterling Discusses His Future In The UFC Featherweight Division If He Wins Against Movsar Evloev

    Sterling was interviewed on the Helen Yee Sports YouTube channel recently. After backing his training partner to win the title at UFC 306, the former UFC bantamweight champ opened up about his plans to reach another division’s top.

    “Funk Master” questioned the UFC ranking Arnold Allen over Evloev even though his upcoming opponent beat Allen via unanimous decision earlier this year. Regardless, his aim is to enter the top 5 ranking with a solid win over Evloev and challenge the winner of Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes in a title eliminator.

    “I beat a guy like that, I think that puts me in a top-five conversation and then maybe the winner of Diego Lopes vs. Ortega. I fight that guy and then I fight for a world title.”

    If everything goes according to this plan, Sterling can very well look forward to fighting for the UFC featherweight champion after a couple of fights. He acknowledged that Evloev is a high-level grappler and his cardio could be a problem in their bout.

    “It’s a tough fight. Two high-level grapplers and, I think I just edge him out in every department. The only thing, that if I’m being fair, the only thing that Movsar might have on me that he’s been able to show of late that I haven’t shown is the cardio. Because he can go at that pace the whole time, kind of, reminds of a Merab and I’m not ignorant to that. I can break things down and not be biased, but I know we’ll be ready to go 15 minutes.”

    “Funk Master” also understands that he has to get a finish in his next fight to get more fans supporting his rise to the title. As a result, we might see some urgency to get a submission from Sterling as soon as the fight begins.

  • UFC Legend Predicts Umar Nurmagomedov ‘Cameo’ After Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili At UFC 306

    UFC Legend Predicts Umar Nurmagomedov ‘Cameo’ After Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili At UFC 306

    Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili will fight for the UFC bantamweight championship at UFC 306 in The Sphere, Las Vegas. The title fight is predicted to go either way because both fighters boast contrasting yet very effective styles.

    However, the bantamweight division has been so stacked lately that a couple of strong contenders are already waiting for the winner. Former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo is riding a three-fight win streak since moving up and Umar Nurmagomedov has solidified his claim as well with a win over Cory Sandhagen.

    Despite no official confirmation, Chael Sonnen believes that Nurmagomedov is indeed the next title contender in UFC’s bantamweight division. He’s also predicted the perfect way to announce the new challenger at UFC 306 itself…

    Chael Sonnen Looks Forward To Umar Nurmagomedov Facing Winner Of Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili

    On his official YouTube channel, Sonnen revealed that he ran into Nurmagomedov at The Sphere which he doesn’t think of as a coincidence. Instead, the UFC veteran predicts that the no. 2 ranked bantamweight will be seated in the front rows to appear instantly in the Octagon after the main event ends.

    “The American Gangster” stated that the UFC would either have Joe Rogan announce Nurmagomedov’s title shot or he would get a proper face-off with the champ inside the ‘Octagon.

    “I’m not having the debate of does he deserve it. I’m not having the debate of 18 straight, four years in the company, six in the Octagon, six wins straight. I’m not having that debate. I fully understand he could be number one contender. What I’m sharing for you, if he’s here, and they plan to put him in the front row to potentially, whether it’s a cameo for an announcement that maybe say Joe Rogan will make or it’s an organic face off. He gets in the ring and he goes nose to nose with either Merab or Sean.”

    Sonnen then talked about O’Malley and Dvalishvili having contrasting takes on the next title challenger in their division. Dvalishvili thinks Figueiredo’s wins over a former champ and a title challenger make him more deserving of a shot. On the other end, O’Malley seems to have accepted the Russian’s title shot following his win over Sandhagen.

    All of this would naturally not matter if Sonnen’s prediction is true. He strongly believes that the undefeated Dagestani prospect is attending the live event only to help the UFC announce the next bantamweight title fight.

    It is worth noting that Sonnen doesn’t believe Figueiredo doesn’t deserve to fight for the title yet. He just sees Nurmagomedov as a bigger draw because of his last win and his training family which comprises Khabib Nurmagomedov, Usman Nurmagomedov, and Islam Makhachev, among other dominant fighters.

    • Read More: Coach Claims Ilia Topuria Is A More Favorable Matchup For Sean O’Malley Than Max Holloway: ‘He’s Pretty Flat-Footed’
  • Justin Gaethje Makes Strong Pick For Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway At UFC 308: ‘In My Mind, I Can’t See Him Losing’

    Justin Gaethje Makes Strong Pick For Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway At UFC 308: ‘In My Mind, I Can’t See Him Losing’

    At UFC 300, Justin Gaethje was on the receiving end of Max Holloway’s iconic last-second KO. The former UFC featherweight champion broke Gaethje’s nose towards the end of the first and was winning comfortably on the scorecards, making the moment all the more special.

    The loss to Holloway might be a tough pill to swallow for “The Highlight”. After losing to Charles Oliveira in a title fight, he bounced back by beating Rafael Fiziev via decision and then knocking out Dustin Poirier with a head kick. A win over Holloway could’ve set him up for a title shot against Islam Makhachev.

    Holloway will soon be back in action, while Gaethje has yet to spar again. Here’s how the former interim UFC lightweight champion thinks the UFC 308 main event would go…

    Justin Gaethje Honestly Admits Why He’s Backing Max Holloway To Beat Ilia Topuria At UFC 308

    Gaethje talked about his UFC return with some reporters from outlets like MMA Junkie at Top Golf in Las Vegas recently. After mentioning the four ideal opponents, he discussed the UFC 308 main event between Ilia Topuria and Holloway.

    “The Highlight” expects the challenger to emerge victorious but was heavily impressed by Topuria’s performance against Volkanovski. He appreciated the current UFC featherweight kingpin for being patient and executing his game plan perfectly at UFC 298.

    Gaethje admitted that he would like Holloway to win also because the latter knocked him out cold at UFC 300. “Blessed” overwhelmed his opponent with patient yet clear striking and a similar strategy might help him reclaim gold at UFC 308.

    Here’s what the former UFC BMF title holder said when asked to pick between Topuria and Holloway:

    “I mean, I really hope that Max wins. I mean, Ilia was so impressive with Volkanovski, his patience. He fought an amazing fight. Um, I don’t know. I expected something different than I saw from Max, I was very impressed. And so, in my mind, I can’t see him losing but that’s cause I just got put to sleep by him.”

    Read More: Merab Dvalishvili Wants To Avenge Aljamain Sterling Loss, Prove O’Malley Got ‘Lucky’

  • Demetrious Johnson Reveals Primary Reason Behind Retiring From MMA

    Demetrious Johnson Reveals Primary Reason Behind Retiring From MMA

    Demetrious Johnson turned pro in 2009 and after 15 long years, he finally announced his retirement from MMA during ONE 168: Denver. The former UFC flyweight champ has 12 title fight wins and boasts one of the longest win streaks (13) in the promotion.

    During his illustrious UFC run, Johnson walked through the flyweight division with ease. Although his one-sided beat downs didn’t gather a ton of PPVs, he’s now regarded as one of the best fighters of all time.

    Many believe that “Mighty Mouse” can still hang with the best flyweight fighters in the world, but here’s why the UFC legend retired from MMA at 38…

    Demetrious Johnson Reveals Why He Didn’t Find Mixed Martial Arts Fun Anymore

    In a YouTube interview recorded before his official announcement, Johnson talked about his retirement from MMA with Merab Dvalishvili. Right away, he mentioned that MMA isn’t fun for him anymore and he prefers competing in Jiu-Jitsu over it.

    Training and fulfillment are also two major reasons why Johnson retired despite being the reigning ONE flyweight MMA champ. He didn’t gain contentment from fighting because he was barely learning anything by spending 25 minutes or fewer in the cage with opponents.

    “I’m not going to fight anymore. And the reason why is, um, I don’t find mixed martial arts fun anymore. Reason why is because I find more fulfillment in doing Jiu-Jitsu because I feel it’s harder. I find more fulfillment in helping and training with different people.”

    Instead, “Mighty Mouse” will now try to master his BJJ which he claims to be a tougher sport, and reap the benefits of training as a retired fighter. He believes athletes feel more secure about showcasing their abilities when there’s no threat of their training partner facing them in the future.

    Here’s how he explained the concept using Dvalishvili’s example:

    “If I ever wanted to feel, how does, I want to feel Merab’s gas tank. I want to see how good he is. I want to feel his strength. The only way that would ever happen is if me and you were to fight each other. If I was a professional athlete, right, it would just never happen. But if I’m like, hey, I don’t care about winning. I don’t care about, you know, ever have an opportunity to fight you. Hey Merab, can I come train with you? Yeah, you’re like, Demetrious come train. And then when we train together, you’re not going to have like, I need to beat you, you’re trying to learn from me. I don’t know, I’ve never trained outside of training camp when I would fight.”

    Based on these statements, it is safe to assume that Johnson will surely compete in specific martial arts like Jiu-Jitsu. However, it is unlikely that fans will ever get to see him mixing it all up inside a cage.

    “Once I get ready for a fight and I beat somebody. It’s like, okay, I mean I beat him, I made this money, which is great. But I didn’t get to learn anything in that 25 minutes, if that makes sense.”

  • ‘Nobody’s Gonna Pay Anything’ – Mexican UFC Fighter To Dana White On High Ticket Prices For The Sphere Event

    ‘Nobody’s Gonna Pay Anything’ – Mexican UFC Fighter To Dana White On High Ticket Prices For The Sphere Event

    The most expensive event in UFC history is right around the corner, and fans worldwide are gearing up for the celebration of Mexican Independence Day through it. In the last few days, Dana White has finally revealed how the event will feature several films showcasing Mexico’s contributions to combat sports.

    UFC 306 has already become a ground-breaking event for the promotion. From rebranding because of sponsors to higher streaming quality on TV to haptic seats for live viewers, there are many never-seen-before elements to look forward to.

    However, Riyadh Season Noche UFC tickets are quite pricey, and Daniel Zellhuber thinks White’s targeting the wrong audience with a high-profile event like this…

    Daniel Zellhuber Claims Dana White Is Targeting ‘Wrong Market’ With UFC 306’s Premium Ticket Pricing

    Zellhuber appeared on the Verse Us With Eric Nicksick podcast on YouTube to discuss his upcoming fight at UFC 306. The Mexican prospect will face another rising talent in Esteban
    Ribovics in the second fight on the main card.

    Zellhuber revealed that his parents would be coming to The Sphere to watch his fight. His mother will travel out of Mexico for the first time, making the moment all the more special.

    However, when Nicksick asked “Golden Boy” about the tickets, he honestly admitted that White has relied on the wrong audience for UFC 306. He explained how unlikely it is for Mexican people to pay thousands of dollars for a ticket, especially when they can see Canelo Álvarez live for a much lower price nearby.

    “You know, it’s funny because I feel that Dana, he target the wrong market with that event. Yeah, in Mexico, we are always watching everything for free, you know, like Mexican people are not going to pay $3000 for a ticket and he’s like, yeah, $3000,the cheapest ticket. No, there’s no way and you know, we have illegal streams so yeah, nobody’s gonna pay anything, you know.”

    The UFC lightweight jokingly claimed that his coach expects him to get a quick knockout so they can watch Álvarez’s fight live.

    The Mexican fighter also mentioned illegal streams, trying to imply that the UFC CEO shouldn’t expect the PPV numbers to be exceptionally high either. Zellhuber admitted to UFC 306 being a spectacular event, though, and he’ll certainly try to make a name for himself by getting an impressive win on the main card.

  • Chael Sonnen Remembers Poor Experience Watching Iconic WWE Fight To Support Dana White

    Chael Sonnen Remembers Poor Experience Watching Iconic WWE Fight To Support Dana White

    The UFC has been around for over three decades and the organization has held stadium shows only four times to date. These events took place in Canada, Australia, Sweden, and Brazil.

    While tons of fans in the United States and the United Kingdom look forward to attending a UFC event in a stadium, Dana White remains adamant about using arenas. He believes that the viewing experience is hindered in a stadium, but many argue that’s not the case, because most of the audience watches the event on a screen in an arena too.

    Here’s what Chael Sonnen thinks about the UFC using stadiums over arenas for events…

    Chael Sonnen Reveals Several Problems With Stadiums While Looking Back At Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle

    Sonnen discussed whether stadiums are the right venue for combat sports events on his YouTube channel recently. He was reacting to White’s latest comments about stadiums ruining the viewing experience for fans.

    “The American Gangster” brought up the time he spent $70 in 2003 to watch Brock Lesnar vs. Kurt Angle. It is one of the most memorable matches in WWE history because Lesnar landed on his face while attempting a Shooting Star Press on Angle who was a bit too far away.

    “Brock hits this flip off the top rope, breaks this – I mean it’s this terrible thing, we had no idea. We’re asking this, so are other people with us. What, what, what is happening? And we weren’t towards the roof by the way. Like, if you looked at for the very worst seat in the house, if you were to turn around and look for it, you wouldn’t even be able to recognize the person. They were that far away, it’s just the ring was so much even further away and this is because it was in a stadium.”

    Despite being in the venue when this happened, Sonnen recalls being confused alongside tons of viewers. This was because he could not see the screens properly and the ring was very far to understand what was going on. The UFC veteran highlighted that he didn’t have cheap tickets and wasn’t sitting in the seats furthest from the ring.

    Sonnen then brought up that most stadiums in the US don’t have a roof. While other sports like soccer can continue in rain and relatively bad weather, the same isn’t true for MMA. As a viewer himself, the former UFC title challenger claims that the bigger the venue, the worse is the live viewing experience.

    “I would feel that the bigger venues you go to, the worse the experience gets. I know the further you’re going to park away, I know the longer you’re going to wait in line. I know to get a hot dog is going to take you that much more time,”

    While understanding why fighters would want to perform in sold-out stadiums, Sonnen agrees with White that the UFC should stick to arenas and refrain from stadium shows. On the flip side, many fans would still argue that most of the problems he’s mentioned exist in arenas as well, and stadiums can help many more people watch the event together.

  • Belal Muhammad Shares Heartwarming Story Of His Parents Getting ‘Superstar Treatment’ Now That He’s UFC Champ

    Belal Muhammad Shares Heartwarming Story Of His Parents Getting ‘Superstar Treatment’ Now That He’s UFC Champ

    Belal Muhammad ran through the UFC welterweight division to finally face Leon Edwards at UFC 304. Before becoming the champ, he already boasted nine consecutive impressive wins over Gilbert Burns, Sean Brady, Vicente Luque, Stephen Thompson, and many top contenders.

    Edwards dominated the striking exchanges in his first fight with Muhammad, but it was ruled No Contest because of an eye poke in the second. Many assumed that “Remember the Name” was no match for “Rocky” and the challenger even had to wait over a year to get the title shot.

    Now that the dust has settled around Muhammad being the UFC welterweight kingpin, he’s revealed how life has changed in the past few weeks…

    Belal Muhammad Reveals How Life Has Changed Since Becoming UFC Welterweight Champion

    Muhammad was recently asked about his experience as a UFC champion on the Believe You Me podcast, hosted by Michael Bisping. He outright mentioned that people have been trying to associate with him a lot more, and there’s been a huge influx of supporters as well.

    Because he’s now stacked with media-related commitments as a champ, Muhammad misses his regular training days. He also had to change his phone number for the first time since high school, as he’s repeatedly getting calls.

    Amidst the obvious downsides of stardom, Muhammad shared that his parents have reaped the benefits of him winning the UFC championship as well. His father has been showing the belt to his peers while his mother is being asked for pictures at grocery stores.

    “I’m getting random calls. So, I had to change the number that I had since high school. But, more you know, for the most part, it’s just seeing my dad be able to celebrate it, right? He’s showing his friends the belt, my mom’s, people are asking my mom for pictures at, you know, the grocery store. So, seeing them get that superstar treatment, is a sweet part for me.”

    Making his parents proud by becoming a UFC champion is a delight for Muhammad. He looked back at the 2020 riots in Chicago during which his father’s cell phone store was looted and destroyed. With his hard work, he’s been able to help his family recover from the financial and emotional losses.

  • ‘Matchmaker’ Belal Muhammad Suggests Fights For Top UFC Welterweights Kamaru Usman, Leon Edwards, Sean Brady &, MVP

    ‘Matchmaker’ Belal Muhammad Suggests Fights For Top UFC Welterweights Kamaru Usman, Leon Edwards, Sean Brady &, MVP

    Belal Muhammad has been as vocal as he can be since winning the UFC welterweight championship against Leon Edwards at UFC 304. His ten-fight unbeaten streak in the division finally led to him winning gold, and he’s now firing back at all his doubters.

    As impressive as Muhammad was in his last fight, fans are now eager to see him defend his belt. From Sean Brady to Kamaru Usman to Shavkat Rakhmonov, the division is stacked with contenders as well.

    While admitting to Rakhmonov most likely being his next opponent, Muhammad has laid down the perfect plan for the rest of the top UFC welterweights….

    Belal Muhammad Reveals How Kamaru Usman, Leon Edwards, Ian Garry, and Jack Dalla Maddalena Can Enter The UFC Welterweight Title Picture

    Muhammad discussed the current state of the UFC welterweight division in the Believe You Me podcast by Michael Bisping on YouTube. Although he thinks that Rakhmonov’s win over Stephen Thompson doesn’t make him a clear contender, he suggested the UFC wouldn’t want to lose on a potential star by testing him once again before the title shot.

    So, with Rakhmonov bagging the next title shot in the division, Muhammad suggested these fights for other top contenders:

    “If I’m matchmaker, I’m looking at Sean Brady versus Usman. And I’m looking at Ian Garry against Leon. And you know, Jack Della, I think he’s out, he’s injured, but even him against, because he’s not even proven himself. He was getting beat by Gilbert Burns until he caught Gilbert Burns at the last minute, so I would give him another test. Maybe, like an MVP.”

    Brady is coming off a dominant win over Gilbert Burns and beating a former champion like Usman would legitimize his title shot. Ian Garry could build a similar claim to the title by beating Edwards, considering not many were convinced by his win over Michael ‘Venom’ Page.

    Last, but not least, Jack Della Maddalena took out Burns after being dominated for two rounds. He can have an illustrious striking matchup with MVP, who would want to bounce back from his loss as well.

    It’s hard to assume whether the UFC will finalize any of these matchups, but the kingpin has his eyes set on all the potential threats to his title.

  • ‘Am I A Snitch?’ – Henry Cejudo Drops Inside Information On Sean O’Malley’s Camp For Merab Dvalishvili Fight

    ‘Am I A Snitch?’ – Henry Cejudo Drops Inside Information On Sean O’Malley’s Camp For Merab Dvalishvili Fight

    At this point, it’s common knowledge in MMA circles that Henry Cejudo and Sean O’Malley aren’t good friends. Both fighters have discredited each other’s fighting styles and skills frequently; from the looks of it, things haven’t improved yet.

    In the latest Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru & Henry podcast episode, O’Malley trolled the hosts by leaving in just 30 seconds. In his brief time, he appreciated Kamaru Usman, asked Cejudo how he let Aljamain Sterling take him down so easily, and left.

    As the UFC bantamweight champion left, Cejudo explained how the former’s camp hasn’t been ideal at all…

    Henry Cejudo Fires Back At Sean O’Malley For Exposing His Injuries Ahead Of Merab Dvalishvili Fight

    Cejudo and O’Malley are from the same city and unsurprisingly, they share training partners. “Triple C” remembered his loss to Dvalishvili and how O’Malley tweeted the injuries Cejudo was struggling with during his camp.

    Following a similar route, the former UFC double champ mentioned that three of his training partners have attended O’Malley’s camp for the Dvalishvili fight. While avoiding specific details, Cejudo hinted that “Suga” cannot get up from bottom positions which is naturally a huge problem against a relentless grappler like Dvalishvili.

    “He doesn’t know how to get off of bottom, he’s having trouble. I’ve had training partners, I have three training partners that gone out there that’s all told me the same s**t. Just like when I’m injured, he always knows, he’s tweeted out like hey, when I lost to Merab Dvalishvili, he knew that I was injured. You know, that’s what happens when you live in the same city. People know other people that will say s**t.”

    This potential training issue, combined with their long history of trolling each other, explains why Cejudo is so confident about Dvalishvili walking out as the new UFC bantamweight champion at UFC 306.

    “It’s a match made in heaven for a guy like Merab. He just needs to be here, he just needs to be careful in those two rounds and as the fight goes on, I can see Merab Dvalishvili f****g taking him out. Am I a snitch? Am I a snitch, Kamaru?”

    The former champ also discussed how O’Malley might be compelled to fight him after losing to “The Machine”. Although he’s planning to move down to flyweight, he could halt those plans based on the outcome of Riyadh Season Noche UFC’s main event.

  • ‘Grow Up & Mature!’ – Former UFC Champ To Nate Diaz After He Gets Into Altercation Like Israel Adesanya

    ‘Grow Up & Mature!’ – Former UFC Champ To Nate Diaz After He Gets Into Altercation Like Israel Adesanya

    Nate Diaz recently made the headlines for getting into an altercation at a club. The UFC veteran retired after submitting Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 and went on to box former rival Jorge Masvidal in July 2024.

    Over the years, Diaz has been in several heated altercations with fellow fighters and regular citizens. Although a lot of fans love to see him throw hands outside the Octagon, such incidents usually end up getting a mixed reaction in MMA circles.

    Diaz’s latest brawl with a club bouncer is no exception. While some fans cheered for the UFC legend as he squared up, others like Michael Bisping have criticized him…

    Michael Bisping Explains Why UFC Fighters Need To Be More Responsible Publicly While Reacting To Nate Diaz And Israel Adesanya Altercations

    Bisping was reacting to Khamzat Chimaev submitting Luke Rockhold in a friendly match on his YouTube channel recently. Before beginning the breakdown, he pointed out how both fighters knew about being recorded.

    On a similar note, “The Count” remembered prominent UFC fighters like Israel Adesanya and Diaz getting into conflicts and being recorded in the last week. Bisping claimed that nowadays, people intentionally try to provoke fighters and then sue them.

    “That guy knew exactly who Israel Adesanya was. He was probably doing it to goad him on to maybe, sue him down the line because that’s just the state of the world we live in.”

    While Adesanya is pressing charges against the person who verbally abused him, the same can’t be said for Diaz. It’s hard to justify his actions as self-defense and Bisping was quite critical of it.

    “Nate Diaz, he did the same thing a few days ago. Once again, getting into some kind of altercation out and about on a night out with a doorman, you know what I mean? I’m not going to sit here and bash Nate Diaz because he’s got legions of fans but come on, what the hell? The man’s almost 40 years old, can’t be going out there and getting into altercations like this every time, every time, right? Listen, I wasn’t innocent when I was a kid but you got to grow up and mature at some point. Nate Diaz is a very very famous man, right? You got to know that people again, are going to be on their phones.”

    “The Count” looked back at the times he used to get into brawls constantly but claimed to have matured with age. He expects Diaz to follow a similar route and avoid such altercations for his own good.

  • Arman Tsarukyan Lays Down Condition For Charles Oliveira Rematch: ‘I Beat Him Via Unanimous Decision’

    Arman Tsarukyan Lays Down Condition For Charles Oliveira Rematch: ‘I Beat Him Via Unanimous Decision’

    Arman Tsarukyan defeated Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 to become the undisputed title challenger in the UFC lightweight division. The champion Islam Makhachev defended his belt against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302, so fans were looking forward to his return before the end of the year.

    Unfortunately, a hand injury has forced Makhachev to be out of action until at least the end of 2024. The UFC might book an interim title fight in the meantime to avoid stalling the division, and Tsarukyan is naturally going to be one-half of it.

    Despite winning a razor-close split decision against Oliveira at UFC 300, Tsarukyan is uninterested in fighting him again unless it’s for the title…

    Arman Tsarukyan Rejects Official Decision And Claims To Have Beaten Charles Oliveira By Unanimous Decision

    In an interview with Red Corner MMA, Tsarukyan revealed that he’s back in training and discussed what’s next for him while Makhachev recovers from injury.

    Right away, Tsarukyan highlighted that his goal is to win the UFC title, regardless of the opponent. So, with the lightweight kingpin out because of injury, he’s ready to fight any top-5 ranked contender for interim gold.

    When asked about how many people weren’t convinced by his latest victory, “Ahalkalakets” claimed that he beat Oliveira comfortably in the second and third rounds. The first round was close, but he strongly believes to have won the fight via unanimous decision.

    “No, I did put a dot on it already. I beat him via unanimous decision in my opinion. In all of the rounds. Yes, the first round was 50-50 but the second and third were one-sided. I was taking him down, beating him up in the stand-up. So, if it’s a rematch in the interim title fight then I wouldn’t care. I’d fight anyone for the title.”

    The stats don’t tell a different story either. Tsarukyan had over twice the significant strikes than “Do Bronxs” in their bout (49 to 19) and had 8 minutes 40 seconds of control time over Oliveira’s 2 minutes and 32 seconds. However, the Brazilian’s submission attempts definitely helped make the fight a lot closer than it seems.

    Regardless, “Ahalkalakets” doesn’t think he has anything more to prove against Oliveira. He’ll be interested in a rematch only if winning it guarantees him interim gold.

  • UFC Analyst Predicts Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili To Be One-Sided: ‘Can’t See A Back & Forth Fight’

    UFC Analyst Predicts Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili To Be One-Sided: ‘Can’t See A Back & Forth Fight’

    UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Brady has concluded, and next week, The Sphere will finally host UFC 306 featuring Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili as the main event. Alongside the exciting fight card, fans are looking forward to enjoying the spectacle promised by Dana White.

    The UFC bantamweight title bout is hard to predict for many. O’Malley and Dvalishvili are masters of different trades, and both have been pretty successful with their styles so far.

    According to UFC analyst Din Thomas, the UFC 306 main event will be one-sided, and it’s unlikely that fans will get to see a persistent brawl…

    Din Thomas Believes Sean O’Malley Is A Harder Opponent For Merab Dvalishvili Than Aljamain Sterling

    Karyn Brant, Paul Felder, and Thomas previewed UFC 306 at the UFC Fight Night Post Show on ESPN MMA recently.

    Felder was hyped up for the main event because of the long history between “Suga” and “The Machine”. From Dvalishvili stealing O’Malley’s jacket inside the Octagon to the latter unknowingly filming the former training in the rain, there have been plenty of memorable moments in their rivalry.

    Felder also mentioned the challenger’s relentless pressure and the champ’s accurate counter-striking that make this fight so unpredictable. According to Din Thomas, the fighter who walks away with the win will make himself known early in the fight.

    Thomas stated that the initial rounds would reveal the entire story of the UFC 306 main event. If Dvalishvili can control O’Malley early on, he’ll most likely continue to do so for five rounds. On the flip side, if the UFC bantamweight kingpin finds his range quickly, he’ll be piecing up “The Machine” from a distance throughout the fight.

    “I think we’re going to know right away. I think if Merab is able to get his hands on Sean early, then I think that’s going to tell the entire story of the fight. And if he can’t, I think that’s going to tell… I can’t see a back-and-forth fight here because their styles are so different and they’re so strong at their offenses that I just can’t imagine it going back-and-forth.”

    The analyst also pointed out that Dvalishvili is shorter than former champ Aljamain Sterling and he also gets hit way more. Thomas concluded that to emerge victorious, the challenger must find a way to not be overwhelmed by O’Malley’s precise distant striking.

    “As sharp as Sean O’Malley is, like that shot that he hit Aljamain Sterling with, that right hand.. just eagle eyed him. Just bang, Merab is more susceptible to getting hit than Aljamain and he’s shorter and he’s going to have a harder time getting in. So, Merab to me, this comes down to what is Merab doing in training to be able to deal with that length.”

  • Sean Brady Reveals How Belal Muhammad Made Him ‘A Completely Different Fighter’

    Sean Brady Reveals How Belal Muhammad Made Him ‘A Completely Different Fighter’

    Sean Brady just emerged victorious in his first UFC main event against Gilbert Burns. The welterweight prospect lost to Belal Muhammad via TKO in October 2022 which led to many doubting his ability to win the title.

    However, Brady has bounced back by beating big names like Kelvin Gastelum and Burns consecutively since that loss. He submitted Gastelum in the third and put on a dominant performance against “Durinho” to restart his welterweight title run.

    Brady seems more than ready to take on another top contender, and he’s interestingly credited Muhammad for his recent success…

    Sean Brady Talks About The Positive Impact Of Losing His Undefeated Status Against Belal Muhammad

    At the UFC Fight Night Post Show on ESPN MMA, Brady was asked about his statement that he would beat Muhammad nine times out of ten. He still agreed to it but highlighted that he didn’t mean to be disrespectful.

    The main-event winner praised the champion’s skills and admitted to not appreciating the hate he gets. At the same time, though, Brady also pointed out how nervous he was going into his fight with Muhammad.

    Brady fought with “Remember the Name” while boasting an impressive 15-0 record. He talked about having bad dreams regarding losing the fight and his undefeated status. The pressure of maintaining his perfect record got to him but after the loss, Brady actually felt relieved.

    “I personally like Belal. I don’t like the hate that Belal’s always gotten. I think he deserves to be where he’s at. He’s an amazing fighter but that night, I beat myself. I was having dreams that entire week, I was going to lose the fight and it was close. I was undefeated and I felt like my entire identity was wrapped into me being this undefeated fighter.”

    Brady rightly mentioned that he’s put on two of his best performances against two of the toughest opponents in his career since losing to Muhammad. He aims to fight Ian Garry or Colby Covington next and finally secure a welterweight title shot.

    “I put so much pressure on myself. The moment I lost that fight, I was like I’m going to be a completely different fighter and my next two performances after that were my two best performances against the hardest guys I’ve ever fought.”

  • ‘The True GOAT!’ – Fans React To UFC Legend Demetrious Johnson Retiring From MMA At ONE 168

    ‘The True GOAT!’ – Fans React To UFC Legend Demetrious Johnson Retiring From MMA At ONE 168

    Demetrious Johnson, the inaugural UFC flyweight champion, just announced his retirement from MMA at ONE 168: Denver. Back in 2019, the UFC traded Johnson with Ben Askren from ONE Championship. In the new promotion, he racked up five wins, including two title fight victories.

    Although he didn’t get much recognition for it back in the day, Johnson is easily one of the best MMA fighters ever. His 13-fight win streak at flyweight is a divisional record as he walked past the likes of Henry Cejudo, Joseph Benavidez (twice), John Dodson (twice), and Tim Elliott, among other top contenders, with ease.

    Johnson has 12 title fight wins in the UFC, lagging behind only Jon Jones and Georges St. Pierre. Now that his legendary MMA career has ended, fans worldwide have nothing but appreciation for one of the greatest fighters to ever do it..

    Fans Look Back At Demetrious Johnson’s Iconic UFC Career Devoid Of Any Controversy

    https://twitter.com/noface_net/status/1832256708028330200

    Unsurprisingly, people who’ve followed Johnson’s career for a long time are more than happy to see him finally get the respect he deserves. Towards the end of his career, he won the super fight against Rodtang Jitmuangnon and submitted heavyweights at BJJ tournaments, boosting his popularity.

    “Mighty Mouse” also never saw himself involved in controversies related to fighting or his personal life. For this reason alone, many call him the true GOAT and one of the most inspiring mixed martial artists of all time.

    Johnson’s emotional retirement speech depicted his immense love for the sport. Although some fans could not help but giggle at his voice breaks, most of them understood the sentiments and teared up alongside the champion.

  • Ariel Helwani On What Makes Noche UFC 306 At The Sphere Truly One Of A Kind

    Ariel Helwani On What Makes Noche UFC 306 At The Sphere Truly One Of A Kind

    Sean O’Malley will defend his UFC bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili to headline UFC 306 on September 14, 2024. Although the fight card looks like just another UFC PPV, fans can look forward to an unprecedented level of production quality during the live event and broadcast.

    This is the first time UFC has rebranded a card based on a sponsor, (Riyadh Season) and UFC 306 is the most expensive event in the promotion’s history by far. It’ll take place at The Sphere in Las Vegas, and media members who got a sneak peek at the planned visual experience have mostly been blown away.

    Ariel Helwani has now reiterated some interesting facts that should make Noche UFC 306 a memorable experience for fans around the world…

    From Broadcast Quality To Haptic Seats, Riyadh Season Noche UFC Is Going To Break Several Traditions

    Helwani took to Twitter to share some outstanding facts about UFC 306 and many things that live viewers and fans at home will experience for the first time.

    The UFC, for the first time in history, will use haptic seats that will provide feedback based on the fight happening. The live audience can also listen to the entire event in Spanish and the fighters will be wearing unique kits designed for the Mexican heritage theme.

    The Parking Lot A of Las Vegas’ Sphere will host a two-day experience for the fans but the exact details remain unknown yet.

    Most importantly, the UFC has collaborated with a wide range of producers who’ve worked on huge sporting and entertainment shows such as Taylor Swift’s Eras tour and the Super Bowl. The crew for Riyadh Season Noche UFC has the following accolades:

    • A Grammy win and two nominations.
    • 29 Emmy wins and 80 nominations.
    • Two Oscar nominations.
    • A Golden Globes Win and five nominations.

    The promotion has also signed eight new Octagon girls for UFC 306 who should inaugurate rounds as usual. Unsurprisingly, all of them have Mexican roots.

    For the fans watching from home, Riyadh Season Noche UFC will be the first ESPN-era UFC event to be broadcast on TV at 1080p. According to Jon Anik, the UFC has ensured that the at-home experience is commendable too.

    It is safe to assume that UFC 306 has everything aligned to make it a groundbreaking sporting event. Now, fans worldwide only expect the fights to deliver as well.

  • ‘A Khabib Rematch’ – MMA Analyst Imagines Conor McGregor’s UFC Career If He Never Fought Floyd Mayweather

    ‘A Khabib Rematch’ – MMA Analyst Imagines Conor McGregor’s UFC Career If He Never Fought Floyd Mayweather

    Conor McGregor’s iconic UFC run between 2013-16 helped skyrocket the popularity of mixed martial arts. He won the UFC featherweight title by knocking out long-time champ José Aldo in just 13 seconds and became the first double champ in the promotion’s history by defeating Eddie Alvarez.

    Instead of defending either of his belts, though, McGregor boxed Floyd Mayweather in one of the most popular boxing bouts in history. He definitely made a fortune from it, but fans often complain about missing a lot of Irishman’s prime in MMA because of it.

    Prominent combat sports analyst Luke Thomas recently pondered how McGregor’s UFC career would’ve been if the Mayweather fight never happened…

    Luke Thomas Predicts Conor McGregor Would’ve ‘Petered Out’ Of MMA For Money-Making Opportunities Regardless Of Floyd Mayweather Bout

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNvyEC-Kh04

    Thomas was recently asked how different McGregor’s UFC career could’ve been had he never fought Mayweather. He right away admitted that stepping into boxing was the dividing line of the Dubliner’s career.

    Before fighting Mayweather, “The Notorious” was one of the most consistent fighters on the UFC roster. He fought three times in 2015 and 2016. Interestingly, he even fought Nate Diaz with no title on the line when Rafael Dos Anjos pulled out of UFC 196. After a huge upset, McGregor avenged the Diaz loss after four months.

    In contrast, fans have been desperately waiting to see a consistent McGregor in the Octagon since the Mayweather fight. He came back to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov for the UFC lightweight title in 2018. After a submission loss, he returned in 2020 against Donald Cerrone.

    After his two consecutive losses to Dustin Poirier in 2021, McGregor hasn’t fought in the UFC. He was scheduled to headline UFC 303 but pulled out of a fight for the first time in his career and to date, there’s no clarity on when he would take on Michael Chandler.

    According to Thomas, McGregor would’ve still explored businesses and not relied on MMA as his primary source of income. Looking at his record, the analyst anticipated that a rematch with Nurmagomedov would’ve been possible and the “Mystic Mac” would’ve had a few more consistent UFC fights instead of having the long layoffs he enjoys currently.

    “I still think he probably would’ve petered out in MMA and found something else to do, whether it was through whiskey or something. Maybe some other opportunity for crossover would’ve emerged and he would have taken it. I know the Floyd circumstance was unique. But I tend to think his career would’ve probably gone a little bit more, obviously more conventionally, you know. He would’ve had a few more fights in closer succession rather than that being the dividing line.”

    However, Thomas doesn’t believe that McGregor not fighting Mayweather would’ve changed things significantly. He predicts that the MMA star would’ve jumped on other crossover opportunities and fans wouldn’t have seen him fight three times a year for the next five years anyway.

    “I tend to think he would have stuck around more. Maybe, there would have been a Khabib rematch, right? Just something more of a conventional approach but I do think he would’ve petered out, like, I don’t think we would have gotten the second half of his prime. It would have been different but I don’t think it would have been radically different.”

  • ‘Is Star Power Enough?’ – Daniel Cormier Questions Jorge Masvidal Wanting To Fight Michael Chandler In UFC

    ‘Is Star Power Enough?’ – Daniel Cormier Questions Jorge Masvidal Wanting To Fight Michael Chandler In UFC

    Jorge Masvidal became one of the biggest stars in the UFC in 2019. He started the year by knocking out top prospect Darren Till and then delivered one of the fastest KOs in UFC history against Ben Askren.

    Masvidal was then offered to fight for the BMF title against Nate Diaz, which he won via doctor’s stoppage. So, just three fights turned the journeyman into a huge draw, helping him get two simultaneous title shots against Kamaru Usman as well.

    Masvidal has been retired from MMA for over a year now, but he’s teased a definite return to the UFC. Daniel Cormier has already raised concerns regarding the potential of this comeback…

    Daniel Cormier Doubts Fans Care About Jorge Masvidal Coming Back To The UFC For Michael Chandler Fight After ‘Fairytale Retirement’

    Cormier recently discussed Masvidal’s decision to fight in the UFC again on his official YouTube channel. Right away, he remembered “Gamebred” retiring after the Gilbert Burns fight and called it one of the best retirements ever for a UFC fighter.

    Masvidal was in an arena filled with fans from his hometown and his promotion Gamebread Bareknuckle MMA was also rising simultaneously. According to the former UFC heavyweight champion, being surrounded by supporters during your last fight while also having a new venture to focus on right away is the best way to walk out of the sport.

    “So, last year in Miami, We watched Jorge Masvidal fight against Gilbert Burns. He loses by decision. He has, what is honestly guys, one of the greatest retirements you could ever ask for in this sport. You’re in a full arena, you’re in your hometown, you just lost to guy that is still competing at the top of the division. Walk away, you’re walking into Gamebred boxing, fighting, bare knuckle MMA, it’s called something like that. But, you’re walking into your own organization where you get to be the boss. You just had a fairytale retirement.”

    DC pointed out that there is no shame in losing your last MMA fight to a top contender like Burns. However, all these narratives could change if Masvidal returns to the Octagon. Also, do fans still care about him now that the welterweight division is stacked with new contenders like Ian Garry, Jack Della Maddalena, and Shavkat Rakhmonov?

    “Is star power enough? Because I can tell you this right now, if Nate Diaz was to say I’m coming back, people would get excited. Is Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal held in the same regard? I just don’t know where it’s coming from.”

    Cormier also appreciated Gamebread Bareknuckle MMA as the promotion has been able to sign big names and generate new talent. As a result, he’s more excited to see Masvidal grow his business instead of fighting at 39 years old in the UFC.

    “He’s 39 years old now, right? Best days would seem to be behind him. He’s lost four in a row. Can he recreate what he did before? And if he can, do we even care to jump on the ride? You guys let me know in those comments. In my regard, I believe with the work that he was doing outside of the Octagon, his promotion, seems to be doing well. I’m happy with seeing that man walk away.”

  • Chael Sonnen Exposes Alex Pereira’s ‘Condescending Big Brother Play’ Against Israel Adesanya By Calling Out Dricus Du Plessis

    Chael Sonnen Exposes Alex Pereira’s ‘Condescending Big Brother Play’ Against Israel Adesanya By Calling Out Dricus Du Plessis

    Dricus Du Plessis became the first fighter to submit Israel Adesanya at UFC 305. Soon after, former kingpin Alex Pereira teased his return to the middleweight division. For any of this to become reality, “Poatan” naturally needs to beat Khalil Rountree at UFC 307 first.

    Fans and Dana White have acknowledged Pereira’s plans to move down a weight class. The CEO is impressed by the UFC light heavyweight champion’s willingness to fight wherever, whenever, and whoever. He claimed that this trait makes Pereira such a massive star.

    However, Chael Sonnen believes that Pereira calling out Du Plessis is not personal but more about gaining an indirect edge over Israel Adesanya…

    Chael Sonnen Sees Alex Pereira Defeating Dricus Du Plessis As ‘Final Nail In The Coffin Of His Rivalry With Adesanya’

    In the latest episode of Good Guy / Bad Guy on the ESPN MMA YouTube channel, Daniel Cormier and Sonnen discussed how likely Pereira is to move down to middleweight. Both hosts think that Du Plessis coming up to light heavyweight for this fight makes far more sense.

    “Like, if you’re seeking a championship and you could have it at 205 pounds, 185 is beneath you and not to mention, DDP could have laughed this off and said, wait a minute, you’re telling me the guy knocked out by the guy that I just finished in the third round is threatening to come back to a division that he already ran away from. Come on down, I mean, because, no, this is never going to happen. Alex was not sincere, now he is sincerely tough and he will fight anybody but he can’t make 185 pounds.”

    The former UFC heavyweight champ highlighted that “Poatan” won’t be at his best because of the brutal weight cut for middleweight. On top of that, Du Plessis should not be overlooked as his unconventional style has done wonders until now.

    According to “The American Gangster”, Pereira’s potential return to middleweight is unrelated to UFC gold. Instead, he aims to get a win over the fighter who just beat Adesanya, arguably the most important rival of his career.

    “Make sure you don’t miss the play here. Like, Alex is tough and he will fight anybody but the play here was a final nail in the coffin of his rivalry with Adesanya. This was a big brother play. This was to be condescending. This was to say, you couldn’t deal, hey, big brother’s got your back.”

    Interestingly, alongside three wins over “The Last Stylebender” across kickboxing and MMA, Pereira has defeated Sean Strickland and Jan Blachowicz who’ve beaten Adesanya previously.

    Cormier and Sonnen also highlighted that Du Plessis’ strong wrestling and Pereira’s reduced power at middleweight could also work against the latter. For all these reasons, he should avoid moving down a weight class and continue racking up title defenses at light heavyweight where he’s been knocking out most opponents with ease.

  • Coach Claims Ilia Topuria Is A More Favorable Matchup For Sean O’Malley Than Max Holloway: ‘He’s Pretty Flat-Footed’

    Coach Claims Ilia Topuria Is A More Favorable Matchup For Sean O’Malley Than Max Holloway: ‘He’s Pretty Flat-Footed’

    Sean O’Malley has come a long way since securing his UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2017 to headlining the most expensive card in the promotion’s history.

    “Suga” will defend his UFC bantamweight championship for the second time against Merab Dvalishvili at Riyadh Season Noche UFC on September 14, 2024. If he walks out with another impressive win, the kingpin might move up weight classes and fight the winner of Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway.

    As per O’Malley’s coach, Topuria is a more winnable fight than Holloway, and here’s why…

    Tim Welch Explains How Ilia Topuria’s Rigid Boxing Stance Could Be A Problem Against Sean O’Malley

    Tim Welch recently discussed how Topuria and Holloway can beat each other at UFC 308 on his YouTube channel. Although O’Malley’s coach appreciated the UFC featherweight kingpin’s ability to close distance and counter punch, he highlighted a couple of problems in his stance.

    As per Welch, Topuria doesn’t move a lot and because he’s significantly shorter than Holloway, the latter might emerge victorious after picking his range.

    “I watched Topuria vs. Bryce Mitchell again, and he’s so f*****g good, his shoulders are so high he’s so good at coming close. If you throw a punch and you’re not bringing it back to your face, he’s so good at counter punching. But there is f****g. I mean, he’s pretty flat-footed, and he’s pretty stationary. And he is not the tallest guy. I would be 0% surprised if Max Holloway came out, found his range, got started first, made Topuria miss a lot, and Max got it done.

    “Red Hawk” used Topuria’s fight against Bryce Mitchell as an example. “Thug Nasty” is mostly known for his grappling, and the current UFC featherweight champion could be seen throwing but missing several powerful punches against him.

    When asked who is a better matchup for O’Malley, here’s what Welch had to say:

    “Topuria, after seeing that. I just think it’s a, people are like you f*****g idiot. I’m like, it’s a winnable fight. I just truly do believe it is.”