MMA News

Author: Andrew Ravens

  • Matt Brown Laid Out The Full Stakes Of Conor McGregor’s UFC 329 Return And It Is Lot Of Pressure

    Matt Brown says simply making it to the cage for his UFC 329 fight against Max Holloway may matter as much as winning for Conor McGregor, and that a loss would effectively end his relevance as a world-class competitor.

    Brown addressed McGregor’s comeback on The Fighter vs. The Writer podcast, laying out the stakes plainly.

    “If he doesn’t make this walk, I think it’s going to be unanimous agreement he’s done and he’s never fighting again. If he doesn’t go in there and win, I think it’s going to be a unanimous agreement that no one wants to see him fight again either. Even if he looks good. He goes in, he actually fights Max Holloway, he loses, I don’t see anybody really interested in seeing him fight again. Of course, everybody will watch. He’s a big enough star, he could fight and lose the next five or 10 times and people will still watch. He’s a big enough star, that’s what’s going to happen, but the interest will wane hugely if he doesn’t make this walk and find a way to win. It’s a lot of pressure on his side.”

    Brown said a win over Holloway specifically would be significant given who Holloway has become since their first meeting.

    “Whether he wins or loses, I have to have some respect for Conor for taking the fight against Max Holloway. A known killer who has had a ton of success since last time they fought. If he goes in and makes that walk, that’s a gigantic risk for him. If he loses this fight, his relevance as a fighter drops dramatically. We’ll watch, he could fight another 10 times, I’m sure everyone would watch. But his relevance as a world-class competitor, pretty much drops off the map. Any fights he does after that is kind of like influencer fights or something along those lines.”

    Brown did acknowledge McGregor has a path to victory.

    “I can see the argument where you think Conor would have a good chance. For one, it’s at 170 and Conor has good power at 170. Max is hittable. He’s certainly a hittable guy. Conor has a win over him in the past. Max has been through the ringer. He’s got a lot of miles on those tires. I can see where you can make that argument where it’s not the worst matchup.”

    McGregor has not competed since suffering a broken leg at UFC 264 in July 2021. Holloway has competed eight times since then, all in main events or title fights.

  • Sean Strickland Has Blunt Take On Fantasy Matchup With Anderson Silva

    Sean Strickland Has Blunt Take On Fantasy Matchup With Anderson Silva

    Sean Strickland says he would beat a prime Anderson Silva, arguing that the sport has evolved to a level where Silva’s game from his era would not hold up today.

    Strickland reclaimed the UFC middleweight title by upsetting Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 earlier this month. Speaking to Nina Drama, he was asked about a fantasy matchup with Silva, who holds the record for most consecutive UFC middleweight title defenses at 10.

    “I’d f*ck him up. I think there’s a big level difference now. If you could take Anderson Silva and bring him into modern time, you know what I’m saying? Every generation gets better and better and better. So it’s kind of one of those hard fights to say, ‘Would I beat this guy up?’ Well, yeah, like naturally the sport is getting better.”

    Strickland has built a resume that includes wins over Chimaev, Israel Adesanya, Nassourdine Imavov, Brendan Allen, Paulo Costa, and Anthony Hernandez.

  • Michael Bisping Watched Alex Pereira’s Heavyweight Sparring And Was Not Reassured By What He Saw

    Michael Bisping Watched Alex Pereira’s Heavyweight Sparring And Was Not Reassured By What He Saw

    Michael Bisping says sparring footage of Alex Pereira working with UFC heavyweight Tallison Teixeira looks concerning ahead of his move up to the heavyweight division at UFC Freedom 250.

    Pereira faces Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title on June 14 at the White House. Bisping addressed the training footage on his YouTube channel.

    “He is going to put on 30 pounds, something like that. So that means he’s going to be slower. It means he’s going to be fighting bigger guys, and it means he’s probably going to be fighting people that can punch harder. What do you do to prepare for such a thing? You spar other heavyweights, and lately some footage has come out. I’ve got to say, it looks a little concerning for Alex Pereira.”

    Bisping walked through a specific sequence from the footage.

    “For Alex Pereira going up against Ciryl Gane, you would think that he would be having his way. We see here, he’s backing him up against the fence, he’s about to go on the attack, nice 1-2, but Tallison fires back with some heavy firepower — cracks him with the right hand. And you know that Ciryl Gane is going to have the speed advantage. He’s also going to be lighter on the feet. Now granted, this is sparring, and we don’t know. Maybe Pereira wasn’t feeling it that day.”

    A win over Gane would make Pereira the first fighter in UFC history to claim a version of the title in three separate weight classes.

  • Justin Gaethje’s Mindset Going Into His Ilia Topuria Fight Is Built Around A Painful Memory From UFC 300

    Justin Gaethje says he is training for his UFC Freedom 250 fight against Ilia Topuria with the mindset of a man who just got knocked out, using his UFC 300 loss to Max Holloway as daily motivation.

    Speaking to Grind City Media ahead of the June 14 title unification bout at the White House, Gaethje described how he approaches fight camp.

    “Coming off of losses, I’m much more dangerous than I am coming off wins. That’s the human mind, and it’s just a tricky, tricky situation to be in when you’re being successful, to stay as committed to the process as you need to. But there’s always a UFC 300 quick reminder — nice knockout. So again, I’m training with the thought of I just got knocked out by Max Holloway. I have had two wins since then, and yeah, it’s been awesome. They tried to get rid of me. They don’t want to get rid of me — obviously I’m a great fighter for the company. But I have held off these young, up-and-coming fighters.”

    Gaethje was direct about his intentions for fight night.

    “These guys are all up-and-comers, and they’re all coming for me. Every time I’ve got the opportunity, I have held them off. I am here for a reason. I’m here because I’m one of the best in the world. I am fighting a guy that is absolutely incredible, but I have a great coach and we’re going to have a great plan. I’m going to change his face, just like I always do to all my opponents.”

  • Usman Nurmagomedov To Return AT PFL New York

    Usman Nurmagomedov To Return AT PFL New York

    Usman Nurmagomedov will defend his PFL Lightweight Championship against undefeated contender Archie Colgan in the July 31 main event at UBS Arena in Long Island, with Dakota Ditcheva also returning in the co-main event against Denise Kielholtz.

    PFL officials announced the bookings to the New York Post.

    Nurmagomedov, 21-0, defended his title by submitting Alfie Davis at PFL Dubai in February. Colgan, 13-0, defeated Jay Jay Wilson by unanimous decision on the same card. The two-time NCAA Championship qualifier in wrestling holds wins over Mansour Barnaoui and Emmanuel Sanchez among others.

    Ditcheva, 15-0, returns from a year-long absence due to a hand injury. The 2024 PFL flyweight tournament winner had previously been booked to face Kielholtz at PFL Dubai before withdrawing. Kielholtz enters on a three-fight winning streak.

  • The Number Paddy Pimblett Is Sitting At Seven Weeks Before His UFC 329 Fight Is Turning Heads Again

    The Number Paddy Pimblett Is Sitting At Seven Weeks Before His UFC 329 Fight Is Turning Heads Again

    Paddy Pimblett revealed he is sitting at 191 pounds seven weeks out from his UFC 329 fight against Benoit Saint Denis, meaning he is preparing for a 35-pound cut to make the 156-pound non-title lightweight limit.

    Pimblett shared the number on his vlog ahead of the July 11 card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

    “It’s nice obviously having an opponent, date set, everything’s ready to go when we’re fighting, know how long I’ve got. It’s all about making weight and being ready for the fight.”

    Despite regularly ballooning between fights, Pimblett has never missed weight in eight UFC appearances. He came in under championship weight at 154 pounds for his interim lightweight title fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 324 in January, a fight he lost by unanimous decision to break his undefeated UFC record.

  • Conor McGregor’s Manager Says UFC 329 Is The Start Of A Season: ‘He’s Looking To Stay Active’

    Conor McGregor’s Manager Says UFC 329 Is The Start Of A Season: ‘He’s Looking To Stay Active’

    Conor McGregor’s manager, Audie Attar, says UFC 329 is not a one-fight comeback and that McGregor intends to stay active following his July 11 return against Max Holloway.

    Attar spoke to MMA Junkie ahead of the welterweight main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

    “I could tell you he’s looking to stay active. I could tell you that we had planned for a season during the COVID period, and that never got going, unfortunately. But this is the new season, and he’s definitely looking to stay active. We’re definitely looking forward to not only this fight, Max Holloway, July 11, and then that next fight — and we’re not going to wait a year, that’s for sure. And then we’ll see. We’ll see kind of what happens from there. I don’t think we’re looking too far ahead of things. We’re just taking it one step at a time as we should because Max Holloway is a formidable opponent, and we’ve got to go and handle business come July 11.”

    Attar acknowledged the challenge the fight presents after a five-year layoff but expressed confidence in McGregor’s preparation.

    “I think it’s a tough matchup. I think when you’re out as long as Conor’s been out for, you’re taking on a formidable opponent, same age, same experience, but one guy has been very active. But I’m also confident in the preparation Conor’s putting in. I’m confident in where his head and his heart is, and I’m confident that come fight night, that the fans are going to be very happy with that fight.”

    McGregor’s original comeback was scheduled against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June 2024 before he withdrew due to injury. A Nate Diaz trilogy was discussed before the Holloway rematch was finalized.

  • Dana White Has Direct Response To Anyone Who Thinks Conor McGregor Announcement Was Shot At MVP

    Dana White Has Direct Response To Anyone Who Thinks Conor McGregor Announcement Was Shot At MVP

    Dana White says the announcement of Conor McGregor’s return during the MVP MMA 1 broadcast had nothing to do with stealing attention from the Netflix event, insisting the deal was simply announced the moment it was finalized.

    White addressed the timing directly in an interview with Fred Talks Fighting.

    “Not a coincidence. I had a fcking fight here that night. Anybody who thinks that I gave a sht what was going on anywhere else is out of their fcking minds. We announced it as soon as we got it done, and we were in the middle of our event. I don’t give a fck what those guys are doing. You kidding me?”

    The announcement came as Francis Ngannou made his walkout to fight Philipe Lins on the Netflix card. Ngannou was asked about the timing after his knockout victory and echoed White’s indifference.

    “And what the f*ck do I have to do with that? So, I should stop my walkout and look at what’s going on? I don’t care, bro. Let’s move on. Life goes on. I’m doing my stuff here, I’m doing good. I have no problem. Everybody can do whatever he wants.”

    The announcement also coincided with the UFC Fight Night 276 broadcast in Las Vegas that same night.

  • UFC Macau: How To Watch, Full Card

    UFC returns to Macau for the first time in 18 months, headlined by a bantamweight clash between Yadong Song and Deiveson Figueiredo on Paramount+.

    Song, 28, enters looking to rebound from a decision loss to Sean O’Malley at UFC 324 in January. Figueiredo, the two-time flyweight champion, is also coming off a loss — a Fight of the Night decision to Umar Nurmagomedov at the same event, his third setback in four fights.

    The co-main event features light heavyweights Alonzo Menifield and Mingyang Zhang, both in need of bounce-back wins. Menifield was knocked out by Volkan Oezdemir in November after two straight decision wins. Zhang, who opened his UFC tenure with three consecutive first-round knockout wins, suffered a shock loss to Johnny Walker on home soil in Shanghai last August.

    Main card (Paramount+, 7 a.m. ET): Yadong Song vs. Deiveson Figueiredo, Alonzo Menifield vs. Mingyang Zhang, Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tallison Teixeira, Kai Asakura vs. Cameron Smotherman, Carlston Harris vs. Jake Matthews, Alex Perez vs. Sumudaerji.

    Preliminary card (Paramount+, 4 a.m. ET): Luis Felipe Dias vs. Yi Sak Lee, Meng Ding vs. José Henrique, Aoriqileng vs. Cody Haddon, Luis Gurule vs. Rei Tsuruya, Angela Hill vs. Jingnan Xiong, Rodrigo Vera vs. Kangjie Zhu, Jaqueline Amorim vs. Loma Lookboonme.

  • Justin Gaethje Admits He Is ‘Much More Dangerous Coming Off Losses’ Than Wins

    Justin Gaethje says he is more dangerous coming off losses than wins, and admits that learning to stay committed to the process during successful stretches has been one of the hardest challenges of his career.

    Gaethje faces Ilia Topuria in a lightweight title unification bout at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14 at the White House. Speaking to Grind City Media ahead of the fight, he reflected on the mental challenge of maintaining edge after victories.

    “Coming off of losses, I’m much more dangerous than I am coming off wins. That’s the human mind and it’s just a tricky, tricky situation to be in when you’re being successful, to stay as committed to the process as you need to.”

    Gaethje pointed to his knockout loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300 as a reset that sharpened him for the two wins that followed, including his interim lightweight title victory over Paddy Pimblett. He has previously said he is glad the Holloway loss happened because of what it unlocked in him.

    June 14 will be Gaethje’s third attempt at winning the undisputed lightweight title. He also noted a pattern in his UFC losses that he has not been able to shake.

    “I’ve only lost to past champions or in championship fights and obviously, that’s not nice. I don’t like that part about my career.”

  • Dana White Compares Jon Jones To Michael Jordan Despite Contract Dispute

    Dana White Compares Jon Jones To Michael Jordan Despite Contract Dispute

    Dana White is still calling Jon Jones the greatest fighter in UFC history despite their public falling out over the UFC White House card, comparing Jones to Michael Jordan in a recent interview.

    Speaking to The New Yorker, White made his position on Jones’ legacy clear.

    “If you’re looking for your Michael Jordan, it would be Jon Jones, who is the greatest. Jon Jones is in his forties now. He’s undefeated still, never been beat. And he’s moved up and down weight classes. It is very, very unique and hard to be undefeated in the UFC.”

    The praise comes despite an increasingly hostile relationship between the two sides. Jones requested his UFC release after claiming to have been lowballed on an offer to fight at UFC White House on June 14, while White denied ever entertaining Jones for that card. Jones has since been publicly pursuing a contract exit, most recently requesting the contact details of Tyron Woodley’s lawyer Sam Spira, who believes a legal route out may exist.

    Jones has also expressed interest in fighting Francis Ngannou outside the UFC and has teased a potential boxing venture, revealing he expects talks with IBA president Umar Kremlev about entering the ring if he can secure his release.

  • Chael Sonnen Lays Out Exact Steps Gina Carano Needs To Take To Get Another Big Fight

    Chael Sonnen Lays Out Exact Steps Gina Carano Needs To Take To Get Another Big Fight

    Chael Sonnen says Gina Carano’s coach coming out to reveal she was “gutted” by her 17-second loss to Ronda Rousey was exactly the right move to keep her fighting career alive, and believes the only logical next opponent is Holly Holm.

    Sonnen had previously criticized Carano’s seemingly indifferent demeanor after the loss at MVP MMA 1. When coach John Wood revealed this week that Carano was devastated and considering another fight, Sonnen welcomed the update on his podcast.

    “This was very helpful. This was great that coach Wood came out and did this, because that was the part that was missing. I don’t know if Gina can get another walk. I don’t know if she can get another contract. It would be tough, and you’d need a lot of really perfect things to happen to get Gina, particularly in a headlining role. But that’s what happened with the Ronda fight. Nobody thought 240-pound, ex-fighter, 17 years removed, was going to get a headlining role, that sets records, that pays millions of dollars. Nobody thought that would happen, but everything lined up just right. So, it can be done, as long as the ingredient that she cares is part of this. And that’s why it was so helpful that coach Wood came out and said she’s gutted.”

    Sonnen explained why Carano’s post-fight demeanor was damaging and what needed to happen to course-correct.

    “This is great, because when Gina got up and smiled, and talked about how wonderful this was, and how proud she was for this moment, how grateful, it does break the deal with the audience. It literally could end her career that she got up and smiled and hugged it out, because now she’s letting everyone know, ‘I don’t care.’ And if you don’t care, then we can’t care. It’s not possible.”

    He laid out the formula Carano would need to follow to earn another opportunity.

    “Now what does she need? She needs to get back to the gym. Again, it’s just a story, guys. We don’t know if she didn’t care just because she looked like she didn’t. We don’t know if she’s gutted, just because her coach said she was. We don’t know if she’s back in the gym. It’s a story. But the story has to be told this way. If she truly cares and this is a passion of hers, she’d be back in the gym. Then, once you set the table in this way — she cares, she’s back, she’s in shape, she’s embarrassed, she’s coming back — then the fourth and final ingredient, which comes about a week from now, then you tell us the proposed opponent.”

    On who that opponent should be, Sonnen pointed to one name.

    “Gina’s putting pieces, but the final one is who? And then you’ve got to sit back and react. I don’t know what the community is going to do to the idea of Gina vs. Holly Holm. I just know that’s the direction. That’s the only possible direction. So you’ve got to build it, you’ve got to set it out there, and the community is going to jump on it. They’re either going to like it, or they’re not. But that’s still the way the game is played.”

    A rematch with Rousey is off the table following her retirement. Holm is the woman who handed Rousey her first career loss in 2015.

  • Tyron Woodley Delivers Brutal Assessment Of Colby Covington’s Legacy

    Tyron Woodley Delivers Brutal Assessment Of Colby Covington’s Legacy

    Tyron Woodley delivered a scathing assessment of Colby Covington following news of his retirement, saying Covington was an opportunist who manufactured a persona and talked himself into positions his record never justified.

    Woodley fought Covington in September 2020, losing by TKO due to a rib injury in the fifth round. The two were former training partners at American Top Team before their relationship soured. Speaking to New Betting Sites U.K., Woodley did not hold back.

    “His whole brand was modeled around an act that he was such a Trump supporter, America this and that, when really he was just a Drake-listening, Beats headphones-wearing, hanging out in Miami, thinking he’s a gangster guy, who put on an act and a character. Your whole thing was baiting. Colby was piggybacking that because it was causing controversy. He wanted to create his own version of being a heel but in MMA. I paid Colby weekly to be a training partner for Rory just to torture him. He was an opportunist who took advantage of a quiet moment in MMA.”

    Woodley acknowledged Covington’s physical attributes while dismissing his work ethic.

    “I would say he’s tough. I would say he’s durable. I would say he’s a person that doesn’t work very hard, but he has crazy cardio. People hated him in the gym because he wouldn’t work very hard, but he had a gas tank, and he knew staying close to you was the best for him. He found a way to do that. He talked himself into positions that his record and ranking weren’t ever in. The sport was quiet. Ronda was gone. Jon was chilling out. Conor was out, and nobody was there, so we were willing to listen to him. He’s an opportunist that took advantage of a moment where the sport was quiet with stars, and we were just willing to listen to WWE and go on the ride with him. That’s his legacy.”

    Covington’s UFC status was changed to retired earlier this week. He has not competed in the organization since a doctor’s stoppage TKO loss to Joaquin Buckley in December 2024. He remains active in Real American Freestyle wrestling and meets Chris Weidman at RAF 09 on May 30 in Dallas.

  • Jon Jones Is Taking Serious Steps To Get Out Of His UFC Contract

    Jon Jones Is Taking Serious Steps To Get Out Of His UFC Contract

    Tyron Woodley says Jon Jones texted him after the MVP MMA 1 broadcast, asking for the lawyer who could potentially help him pursue a Francis Ngannou fight outside the UFC.

    Jones said during the Netflix broadcast that getting out of his UFC contract would be the primary obstacle to making a Ngannou fight happen. Woodley, who was on the broadcast alongside Jones, told NewBettingSites.uk that his attorney Sam Spira was involved in the legal framework explored before Conor McGregor’s 2017 boxing match with Floyd Mayweather — and that a similar route could be available to Jones.

    “Conor McGregor boxed Floyd Mayweather. My lawyer is the lawyer that actually gave Audie Attar and Conor the play and the manoeuvre to do it through the Ali Act. His name is Sam Spira. He doesn’t get a lot of credit for it. If Jon wanted to fight Francis Ngannou, there is a legal way where he can do it. It’s not going to be a cakewalk, but have the legal team deal with it.”

    Woodley said Jones reached out to him directly after the broadcast.

    “Jon texted me afterwards, because Jon knows me. He knows if I say something, I’m not going to be sugarcoating it. As I was saying it on air, my lawyer was watching it, so he sent me a text message of exactly the injunction he would have to do, how he would have to file it, and the process. It’s going to be a battle, but this is the way you can do it. Jon asked me himself, he said, ‘Tyron, send me that lawyer’s number that knows that play.’ I said fine, and I forwarded him my lawyer’s info.”

    The Ali Act is a federal boxing law covering anti-competitive practices in professional boxing. It was not written for MMA, meaning any legal strategy would require Jones’ team to find an applicable angle rather than directly invoking the act.

    Woodley also noted that Jones may not feel urgency to pursue a legal battle, given his current business ventures including mentoring Gable Steveson, working with Dirty Boxing, and staying active through appearances and seminars.

    “I would say he has the information he needs, if he legally wants to pursue that. But he is doing well business-wise. He’s got a lot of things keeping him busy. So if he wants to fight, he’s got the information to do it. The ball’s in his court.”

  • MVP Confirms Their MMA Plans Go Way Beyond A One-Off Netflix Event

    MVP Confirms Their MMA Plans Go Way Beyond A One-Off Netflix Event

    MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian says the promotion is fully committed to staying in MMA following the success of their Netflix debut, and believes there is a real opportunity to become the sport’s number two promotion.

    Speaking to Uncrowned, Bidarian laid out the vision for what comes next.

    “One hundred percent, MVP is in the MMA business. There is a clear opportunity to create an alternative avenue for fighters that truly represents the best of the sport and is fighters first. Our hope is that’s with our partners at Netflix. We’ve been very fortunate with the outreach we’ve gotten around what we did and what we accomplished and what we delivered.”

    Bidarian explained why he sees MMA as a better space to compete in than boxing.

    “Boxing is more difficult to own than MMA. UFC is obviously the reference brand. They’re going to be that for many years to come. But there’s no true No. 2 player. Boxing, there’s six or seven of us putting on premium big events every single week. So, do I think we can come and take a real share within the MMA sphere? Yes. Do I believe we can convince Netflix to do it on a more regular basis than they’ve shown to do so with boxing? If we have the product and we show them the path of how this can work and set expectations appropriately, and ask for the right amount of rights fees that are appropriate for that, my hope is that the answer is yes. But I will say that there’s Amazon, Fox, ESPN. There’s definitely other outlets that, once we present them this whole package, will have interest in what we’re doing.”

    MVP MMA 1 peaked at 17 million viewers on Netflix and drew a live attendance of 15,795 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

  • Chael Sonnen’s Breakdown Of Gina Carano’s MVP MMA 1 Failure Puts The Blame On A Specific Group

    Chael Sonnen’s Breakdown Of Gina Carano’s MVP MMA 1 Failure Puts The Blame On A Specific Group

    Chael Sonnen says Gina Carano’s team failed her at MVP MMA 1, pointing to her showing up five pounds underweight at the weigh-ins as evidence of unprofessionalism that set her up for failure.

    Carano weighed in at 141 pounds for the 145-pound featherweight bout, well below the contracted limit. She was submitted by Ronda Rousey in 17 seconds. Sonnen addressed both issues on Smash Cast.

    “Gina Carano shows up to the weigh-in at 141 pounds. I spoke to Gina one time in my life, and it was very pleasant; she treated me very respectfully and kindly — but this is a reality: Gina weighed in five pounds less than she needed to. Contracted weight of 145 and she got a one-pound allowance. They ask her ‘Why?’, and that is beyond unprofessional by everybody on that team. Whoever the coach is, the strength and conditioning coach, to get their athlete five pounds underweight, failed at their job. You can teach that to a nine or ten-year-old. If you’re underweight, you don’t need to cut more weight.”

    Sonnen said Carano also showed no urgency once the fight started.

    “Then she comes into a fist fight and doesn’t throw any punches, and doesn’t care. She could’ve quickly spun that — her days in Hollywood got taken from her, very unfairly. But she could’ve used a paycheck like this, and a Gina Carano vs. Holly Holm fight would’ve been really compelling. But not when you do it like that. You had an opportunity, and her team failed her. Those women botched the spot.”

    Carano has not responded to Sonnen’s remarks.

  • Dricus Du Plessis Has A Clear Opinion On The Khamzat Chimaev Rematch Debate

    Dricus Du Plessis Has A Clear Opinion On The Khamzat Chimaev Rematch Debate

    Dricus Du Plessis says he is surprised the Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland fight was even a split decision, calling the outcome clear and pushing back on the idea that Chimaev deserves an immediate rematch.

    Strickland dethroned Chimaev by split decision at UFC 328 earlier this month. Media scores were nearly evenly divided, but Du Plessis told Fight Forecast he saw it differently.

    “Crazy thing is where people go, ‘Oh, it was a robbery.’ I can’t believe it was a split decision. It was a very clear three rounds for Strickland, two rounds for Khamzat. That was it, and it was a great fight. I think Strickland did what most people thought he couldn’t do, but I just had the feeling being in there with both of these guys, both of them are phenomenal at what they do. I just think that Strickland was better being able to be all around than Khamzat in that fight.”

    On the question of a Chimaev rematch, Du Plessis was firm.

    “I don’t think he deserves a rematch. He definitely doesn’t because he has no title defenses, zero. So, it doesn’t justify a rematch at all, but it’s going to be interesting to see what he does next.”

    Du Plessis also offered a broader take on what Chimaev’s first career loss means for him going forward.

    “People don’t necessarily enjoy that fighting style, but he’s so dominant, he has been. This fight is going to go one of two ways for him. Is this going to break him or is this going to motivate him to say, ‘Listen, I can’t just rely on my wrestling, I need to fight MMA,’ because that is at the end of the day where this sport is heading. The wrestling guys have been so dominant that everybody’s starting to catch up.”

    Du Plessis lost his middleweight title to Chimaev and will look to re-enter the title picture in his next fight.

  • Max Holloway Warns Doubters On Conor McGregor Ahead Of UFC 329

    Max Holloway Warns Doubters On Conor McGregor Ahead Of UFC 329

    Max Holloway says Conor McGregor is still dangerous heading into their UFC 329 rematch and warned that anyone writing off the Irishman is making a mistake.

    Holloway is a significant betting favorite for the July 11 headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, but speaking on his Kick stream, he made clear he is not taking McGregor lightly.

    “It’s a hard fight. Conor’s still dangerous. You’d be dumb as hell to think he’s not.”

    Holloway said he has known about the fight for several months and found it difficult to keep quiet. He also addressed fighting at welterweight for the first time in his career, noting one clear upside.

    “I’m excited. I get to eat good all of camp. I get to eat what I want to eat. Imagine I miss weight at 170? Holy sh*t.”

    On whether he expected McGregor to come out talking trash ahead of the fight, Holloway had a simple response.

    “Of course. Why wouldn’t his mic skills be the same? Why wouldn’t they be?”

    McGregor defeated Holloway in their first meeting at UFC Fight Night 26 in August 2013. McGregor has not competed since suffering a broken leg at UFC 264 in July 2021.

  • Tom Aspinall Reveals His UFC Return Has Been Pushed Back

    Tom Aspinall Reveals His UFC Return Has Been Pushed Back

    Tom Aspinall is picking Ciryl Gane to beat Alex Pereira on points at UFC Freedom 250, predicting that Pereira will struggle against a big, mobile heavyweight who moves well.

    Aspinall has already been told he will fight the winner of Pereira vs. Gane. He broke down the matchup for the first time on Fight Your Corner, expressing doubt about how Pereira’s game will translate to the heavyweight division.

    “Alex Pereira is very good when he fights light heavyweights or middleweights who don’t move a lot. Ciryl Gane is a massive heavyweight who moves a lot. Moves really well. So, stylistically, I think it’s a good matchup for Gane. That being said, Gane doesn’t like leg kicks. He doesn’t fare well against leg kicks. He’s a good kicker, but if someone kicks him, his leg kick defense isn’t great. I struggle to pick a winner at this stage to be honest. I would say Gane by points. I think he’s just going to move too much for him and beat him on points.”

    Aspinall also revealed that his own return has been pushed back after a recent scan of the eye injuries he sustained in his first undisputed title defense showed he needs more time.

    “I’ve just had my recent scan. I thought it was going to get cleared actually to spar and fight straight away but they actually said they’ve given me another couple of months so I’m just waiting.”

    Pereira faces Gane for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship on June 14 at the White House. A win would make him the first fighter in UFC history to claim a version of the title in three separate weight classes.

  • Marvin Vettori Pulls Out Of UFC Baku Fight

    Marvin Vettori Pulls Out Of UFC Baku Fight

    Marvin Vettori has pulled out of his fight against Ismail Naurdiev at UFC Baku on June 27 after suffering a broken rib in training.

    Vettori revealed the injury on his Instagram Stories, explaining the timeline and what comes next.

    “Unfortunately, I am here to tell you that a few days ago I got hurt on my rib. I did an MRI and it came back today showing that the rib is broken. So I won’t be fighting on June 27. I was really looking forward to this fight. I moved from Florida to California for this camp. I wanted to get back to my roots, train with Beneil Dariush. I was feeling good. Sometimes sh*t happens and you can’t do nothing about it. Now I’m just gonna focus on my recovery. Hopefully it doesn’t take too long. Four to six weeks I am good to train again. For everybody that supported me, I am thankful for that. I promise you that I will be back.”

    Vettori has gone 2-5 in his last seven fights since challenging Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title at UFC 263 in 2021. He is winless since beating Roman Dolidze in London three years ago.

    UFC Baku takes place June 27 at the National Gymnastics Arena in Azerbaijan. The event is headlined by Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres.

  • Top Five Ranked Fighter Among Names Cut By UFC

    Ketlen Vieira has been released by the UFC despite winning her most recent fight, according to MMA Fighting.

    Vieira, ranked No. 5 in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, parted ways with the promotion following her May 16 victory over Jacqueline Cavalcanti at UFC Fight Night 276.

    She went 10-5 across nearly a decade with the UFC, with notable wins over Sara McMann, Cat Zingano, Miesha Tate, and Holly Holm. Her final stretch included decision losses to Kayla Harrison, Raquel Pennington, and Norma Dumont.

    Ivan Erslan was also cut despite picking up his first UFC win over Tuco Tokkos on the same card. Tokkos was released following the loss, and Daniel Barez of Spain was also removed from the roster after going 1-3 in the promotion, most recently losing to Luis Gurule.

  • Conor McGregor’s First Statement On UFC 329 Return Sets Very High Bar For What Fans Should Expect

    Conor McGregor’s First Statement On UFC 329 Return Sets Very High Bar For What Fans Should Expect

    Conor McGregor says he is better than ever ahead of his UFC 329 return against Max Holloway and is relishing the chance to showcase his skills on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

    McGregor broke his silence on Instagram following Dana White’s announcement of the fight, his first competitive appearance since suffering a broken leg at UFC 264 in July 2021.

    “Thank you for all the love, support, and encouragement over the last few days, people. I am feeling very energized entering intense training camp because of it. I am very grateful for the team I have around me. My coaches and training partners, we are all fully tuned in for the challenge at hand and it is a glorious time in our gym. I am better than ever, and I relish the opportunity to once again show my mastery in martial arts to the world.”

    McGregor defeated Holloway in their first meeting nearly 13 years ago at UFC Fight Night 26. Holloway enters the rematch coming off a lopsided decision loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 327 in March.

  • Dricus Du Plessis Had A Blunt Response To Khamzat Chimaev Weight Cut Narrative

    Dricus Du Plessis Had A Blunt Response To Khamzat Chimaev Weight Cut Narrative

    Dricus Du Plessis dismissed the suggestion that Khamzat Chimaev’s weight cut played a significant role in his split decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328, calling it a rookie-level cut that does not justify being used as an excuse.

    Chimaev’s teammate Arman Tsarukyan revealed after the fight that Chimaev had to cut 12 to 13 pounds in the final 24 hours before weigh-ins, with some attributing his early slowdown to the drastic cut. Du Plessis, who lost his middleweight title to Chimaev before Chimaev dropped it to Strickland, had no sympathy speaking on Fight Forecast.

    “I think this whole weight cut excuse is ridiculous. I mean, they said he cut 12 pounds in the 24 hours. Those are rookie numbers. 12 pounds in 24 hours, that’s not that bad. What matters is that last 24 hours and 12 pounds is not that much. I definitely done more than that. Sometimes I’ve had bad weight cuts, too. Everybody that cuts weight has had that experience where the next day you feel, ‘Ugh,’ and you have a bad cut. One kilogram can make the world of difference in a weight cut. I just think using a weight cut as an excuse when it comes to the fight, even if you did have a bad weight cut, it’s fine.”

    Du Plessis delivered a broader message about accountability in the sport.

    “It’s happened to all of us, but you don’t go out and say, ‘Oh, I lost the fight because of that.’ No. If you want to change weight divisions, change weight divisions. But blaming a bad weight cut is like saying, ‘I lost the fight because I wasn’t fit.’ It’s on you. Be more disciplined. Be more disciplined and the weight cut would be easier. When you get to octagon, there is no excuse. Be a man and take your loss like a man. Don’t make any excuses. There are no excuses.”

    Chimaev initially told Dana White he wanted to move to light heavyweight after the loss, but later reversed course and expressed a desire to rematch Strickland.

  • Benson Henderson’s Return To MMA Came Down To One Persistent Text Message

    Benson Henderson’s Return To MMA Came Down To One Persistent Text Message

    Benson Henderson says PFL matchmaker Mike Kogan kept needling him about what people were saying online until he finally agreed to come out of retirement for a fight against Patrick Habirora at PFL Brussels on Saturday.

    Henderson retired from MMA in 2023 but remained active in boxing, karate combat, and freestyle wrestling. Speaking to MMA Fighting, he explained exactly how the comeback came together.

    “My man Mike Kogan, the head matchmaker for PFL, great guy, I love him, he’s always done me right. But he texted me, he needled me a couple of times like ‘oh man, Henderson, guys online are talking smack, saying this, saying that’ and I’m like people can say whatever, it’s cool, no big deal. They’re saying you don’t have it anymore. I told him, I don’t care. People have been after me my whole career. I’ve done all right. People are allowed to have their opinion. But he kept needling me a couple more times and then he texted me two days later and said ‘hey, I’ve got a matchup for you, Patrick Habirora, why don’t you remind the world who you are, what you did and what you can do. You know what? Sounds good, Kogan. Let’s remind the world who I am and what I’ve done and how I do it.”

    Henderson, 42, said he never truly stepped away from training at The MMA Lab in Arizona, returning to the gym the week after retiring.

    “Since the day I retired, I was back in the gym the next week, on the mats training again. Our whole thing at The MMA Lab is being the hardest working gym in the world. We fight on Saturdays and back in the gym on Monday working to get better, win or lose, it doesn’t matter. I never stopped. I never stopped training.”

    Henderson said he is signed to a three-fight deal with PFL but is taking things one fight at a time.

    “My mindset after I beat Patrick, after the referee pulls me off of him, my mindset is more along the lines of whatever comes. I’m not itching to fight this guy or that guy. I’m not looking to get another belt around my waist. I’ll take it a fight at a time. I like to compete. I will compete until my body won’t allow me anymore.”

  • Carlos Prates Says Something Happened In His UFC Meeting After Perth That Makes Him Very Confident About What’s Next

    Carlos Prates Says Something Happened In His UFC Meeting After Perth That Makes Him Very Confident About What’s Next

    Carlos Prates says he has spoken with the UFC after his knockout of Jack Della Maddalena and believes he will be the next welterweight title challenger, regardless of whether Islam Makhachev or Ian Machado Garry holds the belt.

    Speaking to Yahoo Sports, Prates was direct about what he expects to happen next.

    “I think Ian’s gonna fight Makhachev, and I’m going to fight the winner. I talked with them, with the UFC after my fight. Of course, we talked some things I cannot say, but I really think I will be the next. It doesn’t matter who gets the win between Islam and Ian Garry, I will be the next.”

    Prates has gone seven wins, seven stoppages, and seven Performance of the Night bonuses in eight UFC appearances. His third-round knockout of Della Maddalena at UFC Perth earlier this month was his third consecutive finish and made a title shot impossible to ignore.

    A Makhachev vs. Garry fight has been rumored but not officially announced, with the August numbered event reported as a possible target. That timeline could leave Prates waiting close to a year before fighting for the belt — a long layoff for a fighter who has competed eight times in two and a half years. He said the wait would not hurt him.

    “It’s good for me. Get my injuries better, train a little bit more, improve, grow up as a fighter. If it’s long to fight for the belt, I will be more well-prepared.”

    On the question of Ilia Topuria potentially jumping to welterweight to fight Makhachev, Prates said he does not see it happening and has a long-term plan if Topuria does want the fight.

    “No. I think he’s going to still fight at 155. I’m thinking about to get the belt and then asking Topuria if he wants to come to 170. Let’s do this. Let’s dance!”