MMA News

Author: Dylan Bowker

  • BKFC 84’s Josh Dyer Eyes Biggest Bout of His Life vs. Lorenzo Hunt After Getting Sent to the ER in First Fight

    BKFC 84’s Josh Dyer Eyes Biggest Bout of His Life vs. Lorenzo Hunt After Getting Sent to the ER in First Fight

    BKFC 84 will see Josh Dyer defend his light heavyweight championship against a former champion within that lineage. Not just anyone, but against someone who is arguably his arch-rival in Lorenzo Hunt. The sequel clash takes place on November 15th, and Dyer appeared on Bare Knuckle Bowker ahead of this main event clash.

    Touching on the first fight and how important this chance to run it back with ‘The Juggernaut’ is, Dyer said [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

    “He took a piece of my soul a couple years back, so now I need to go back and get that from him.”

    The impactful nature of how the initial Lorenzo Hunt performance played out left a tremendous toll, not just physically, but on all levels. The beating was so comprehensive that right after the fight, Dyer began honing his own unique style for bare knuckle, which has carried him to championship gold, where he now gets to run it back with the lone man to beat him in gloveless combat.

    When asked about the mindset and unique feelings heading into a BKFC contest of this magnitude, Dyer stated [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

    “Well, it honestly just feels like the most important fight of my life. In Bare Knuckle, he was my only loss and he did it in a very brutal way, you know.”

    “So I’m just happy to get the opportunity to get back in there and get that.”

    “My team’s excited for it. Got a lot of friends and fans, they’re excited for it. You know, you always want to see your guy go back and get the dub.”

    “So, you know, to be able to have this opportunity is a big deal for me.”

    The paltry sum BKFC reportedly paid Dyer for the first Hunt fight

    There was also a separate interview Dyer did where he mentioned that he was paid five grand for the first clash with Hunt. When it was playfully mentioned that hopefully he was now making more money to fight the former two-division BKFC champion in Hunt, as Dyer quipped [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

    “Yeah, we’re getting significantly more. My knockout bonus is more than; Yeah, way more than that. So, yeah, I’m really excited for this one.”

    “Now I know what he’s capable of. And yeah, that last one wasn’t worth it for 5Gs.”

    “I would recommend that nobody take that for 5Gs [laughs]. My emergency room bills were 13 Gs.”

    “So, yeah. No, I made sure this time we took it way more seriously with the negotiations.”

  • Rambolek wants to end Abdulla Dayakaev’s winning streak then call out Jonathan Haggerty at ONE FN 37

    Rambolek wants to end Abdulla Dayakaev’s winning streak then call out Jonathan Haggerty at ONE FN 37

    Rambolek is a big fixture in the bantamweight Muay Thai ranks and this next fight could serve to even further along his divisional climb. His opponent Abdulla Dayakaev is ranked number five in the weight category and the two will clash at ONE Fight Night 37. When asked what his thoughts are on his opponent’s resume and skill set heading into this upcoming fight here, Rambolek said [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

    “Okay. I think he’s really good. He’s a really good fighter. He’s strong, and he’s like; his style is like going forward. He’s aggressive.”

    “He has like that knockout power, and he has knocked out so many Thai fighters before.”

    “But I would like to be the one who stopped his winning streak.”

    Rambolek also has a history of calling out Jonathan Haggerty, which you did after your finish in your last fight. When asked if the prolific stand up fighter in the ONE Circle would be someone that he wants to call out if he secures the win tonight, Rambolek stated [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

    “Yes, definitely. I would love to face Haggerty because I feel like a few years ago he got to face Rodtang. I think three years ago too, he got to face Nong-O.”

    “I am also in his position where that day that I want to evaluate myself. I want to know where I am at in my career, in this ranking.”

    “So, I want to face someone who’s strong, who’s really good at Muay Thai or Yeah, the martial arts. So, I just want to see how far could I go.”

    Rambolek will “bring the heat” to ONE FN 37 bout

    A lot of the comments discussing this fight describe it as a battle of KO artists and finishes that frequently come out of nowhere. When mentioning the amount of people who see this as a very exciting fight for the ONE Championship fan base, Rambolek quipped [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

    “Yes. I’m also really looking forward to this fight because me and my trainers we are like very hard working on this.”

    “we are trying to figure him out, trying to guess how he would come into the ring. So, we’re really working on that.”

    “We’re working on our tactics, our techniques, and we are ready to bring in the heat.”

  • “Superbon by decision” or “Noiri by Stoppage”, says Jake Peacock about big ONE 173 main event

    “Superbon by decision” or “Noiri by Stoppage”, says Jake Peacock about big ONE 173 main event

    Superbon and Masaaki Nori will throw down in a featherweight kickboxing unification bout in the headliner of ONE 173 and a prominent fighter on that event has weighed in on the main event.

    The fighter in question is Jake Peacock who will also do battle at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan on November 15th. Peacock will clash with Suakim Sor Jor Tongprajin in a Muay Thai bout. As he offered up his breakdown of the massive champion vs. champion unification showdown, Peacock said [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

    “Yeah, both are quality obviously. I think Superbon might take this with his IQ. noiri will be in his hometown, in front of his hometown fans.”

    “so that will play into effect, but I think Superbon has what it takes to beat him.”

    When asked if he thinks it goes the distance or if there is a finish inside the distance, things got more outcome specific, as Peacock stated [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

    “I think it might go to decision for Superbon. if it doesn’t go decision, I think Noiri takes it.”

    “So either Noiri by stoppage or Superbon by decision.”

    Superbon’s experience with recent Netflix appearance

    Superbon has been engaging in some activities outside of the ONE Circle as of late with a role on a widely popular Netflix series. He appeared on Physical: Asia which premiered on October 28th. The leader of Team Thailand also brought his hardware with him and the distinct ONE Championship title belt will be featured on the global broadcast platform.

    Touching on his anecdotal journey being part of that series, Superbon quipped [via onefc.com],

    “It felt great. I was honored to represent or bring fame to ONE Championship.”

    “I feel like ONE Championship athletes have a global reputation, and the promotion is known worldwide.”

    “I was very honored to be a part of ONE, Physical: Asia, and Netflix.”

  • Ronda Rousey “Complains Too Much” per Norma Dumont: “I Don’t Think She Really Has a Desire to Go Back Into the Octagon”

    Ronda Rousey “Complains Too Much” per Norma Dumont: “I Don’t Think She Really Has a Desire to Go Back Into the Octagon”

    Ronda Rousey has been making waves in the MMA world lately, both for her inflammatory comments about many in the space and also amid rumors that she will return to compete. A surging UFC bantamweight contender recently weighed in on both of those points during a recent interview on The Ariel Helwani Show.

    Norma Dumont is the fighter in question, and as the titular figure of the show, asked her if she truly doesn’t feel like the former UFC bantamweight champion will ever return to fighting in MMA, Dumont said,

    “I don’t think that conditions are right for her to come back. I think the girls today are much stronger, much bigger.”

    “I don’t see why she’d come and do that… I don’t see any upside for her.”

    “I think she complains too much. She complains about the public. She complains about everything.”

    “I don’t think she really has a desire to go back into the octagon.”

    Ronda Rousey would “get beat up a lot” if she fought Norma Dumont, per the ranked UFC contender

    Ronda Rousey has not fought in close to a decade, while Dumont last stepped into the octagon just a few days ago. The number three-ranked UFC bantamweight contender, as of this writing, bested the now-number four-ranked 135-pound fighter in Ketlen Viera. This extended Dumont’s overall winning streak to six straight victories and saw her professional MMA record improve to 13-2.

    This bout saw Dumont emerge victorious with a split decision win during their contest at the UFC Fight Night offering on November 1st. When asked how a hypothetical Dumont vs. Rousey fight would play out today, Dumont stated,

    “That would be an awesome fight. I don’t think she’d be able to get near me. I think she’d get beat up a lot. It would be a great opportunity for me.”

  • Sergio Pettis eyes PFL and Rizin gold for 2026: “I’m here for all the belts”

    Sergio Pettis eyes PFL and Rizin gold for 2026: “I’m here for all the belts”

    Sergio Pettis is well positioned to capture PFL gold in 2026 if all falls into place but also a Rizin belt is on his radar for the coming year. After his highlight reel comeback KO over Magomed Magomedov at PFL Dubai in early October, it seems like that PFL title is squarely in Pettis’ purview.

    When mentioning how it would seem like a clash with PFL champ Marcirley Alves in the first quarter of next year would make sense if the promotion were to pursue that, Pettis said [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

    “100%. I think you got it right on the head. You know, beginning quarter of next year makes the most sense. I don’t think they’ll push us on this December card sort of too soon.”

    “So I’m hoping anywhere from January to March we could get that title shot and I can get my second belt in another organization.”

    Sergio Pettis wants to “go over there and get three belts”

    Sergio Pettis also addressed some past callouts from Rizin champ Naoki Inoue. When touching on the idea of pursuing a belt in another organization if PFL is open to something of that persuasion, Pettis stated [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

    “For sure, man. I’m here for all the belts. I’m here for all the options as well. I would definitely love to fight Inoue or Naoki, or I don’t even know how to say his name [laughs].”

    “But yeah, I would love to get that opportunity and go over there and get three belts. That would be an awesome opportunity.”

    Also, when it was mentioned that his mantle was getting a little stacked and maybe he needs to clear out some more space for 2026, Pettis quipped [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

    “[laughs] Yeah, for sure. I’m going to need something bigger. Actually, they owe me one more belt. Bellator didn’t give me my third belt, so I had to go and get one.”

  • Archie Colgan on RAF: “I’ll step on the mat and wrestle again” if offered

    Archie Colgan on RAF: “I’ll step on the mat and wrestle again” if offered

    Archie Colgan continues to make waves in the PFL smart cage, but he seems open to an RAF opportunity if something ever came up. RAF refers to Real American Freestyle, which is an outlet that has served as the first, shoot professional wrestling organization.

    As someone who can into MMA with an impressive wrestling pedigree, when asked if he has been following what RAF is doing at all and if he is intrigued by their efforts in any way, Coglan said [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

    “Yeah, I think it’s really cool. I think it’s a good outlet for wrestlers to be able to become professional wrestlers.”

    “Be able to get paid for years and years of work. I think it’s cool. I’m going to try my best to follow these events.”

    “They got some weird subscription that it’s like.”

    “I don’t even remember what it’s called but it’s like some weird off like Fox something that you got to like subscribe to something else.”

    “It’s like you would literally only be subscribing to it for that. So I’m going to do my best to try and follow it.”

    “I think it’s sick. I think it’s really cool that these guys are getting opportunities to make money doing wrestling.”

    “If that was ever like an opportunity, I wouldn’t be opposed to like saying, “Yeah, I’ll step on the mat and wrestle again.””

    “Like, I’m not against that for sure. I think it’s great.”

    Archie Colgan thinks RAF is “a good option for MMA fighters”

    RAF has given independent contractor opportunities to accomplished wrestlers and MMA fighters who came from the wrestling world to get reacquainted with their roots.

    When asked for his thoughts on the kind of opportunities that RAF provides and who can benefit in the competitive martial arts scene, Archie Colgan stated [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

    “Yeah, I think it’s cool. I think it’s a good option for MMA fighters to be able to step back and get back on the mat.”

    “make a little bit of money, have some fun, show off their wrestling skills.”

    “But also a really good option for the wrestlers who are still currently wrestling and trying to build something out of that.”

  • Ben Rothwell vs. Gustavo Trujillo Fantasy Fight Broken Down by Ex-BKB Champ

    Ben Rothwell vs. Gustavo Trujillo Fantasy Fight Broken Down by Ex-BKB Champ

    Ben Rothwell and Gustavo Trujillo stand tall among heavyweight bare knuckle fighters but who would win a hypothetical clash between the BKFC and BKB, respectively titleholders? An ex-UFC vet who respects Rothwell quite a bit and also lost his BKB heavyweight crown to Trujillo has weighed in on how he would see the dream bout playing out.

    That fighter in question is Ike Villanueva, who appeared on Bare Knuckle Bowker ahead of his Jarome Hatch title eliminator bout for BKB 48.

    In terms of who the best heavyweight overall in bare knuckle is, many cite names like Leonardo Perdomo, Ben Rothwell, or Gustavo Trujillo. With cross-promotional events not being the norm in combat sports, we will not have a chance to solve these questions in the immediate future. But when asked where he thinks Gustavo Trujillo sits in the general bare knuckle heavyweight landscape, Villanueva said [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

    “The only one that would really give him trouble is Big Ben. Big Ben is; he’s a big; that’s a cornfed mofo, man [laughs].”
    “He’s big, and he can weather that. And like he says, Gustavo will have to be on his A game, but if it plays out.”

    “You fight him in the BKFC style or the BKB style? It favors him in the BKB style, for Big Ben.”

    “because there’s no room for Gustavo really to move because he’s just gonna tie you up and just wear you down.”

    Ben Rothwell vs. Gustavo Trujillo would “be a hell of a fight”, per Villanueva

    Further expounding upon his thoughts regarding a dream-based, mega matchup with Ben Rothwell and Gustavo Trujillo, Villanueva continued [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

    “That’s a lot of weight behind Big Ben, and Gustavo’s like probably like 245. But I think that would be a hell of a fight, like for a fight fan.”

    “You got two just monsters, and you got guys, one is a great boxer.”

    “One’s just like a f****ing; man, I respect him but I hate saying this, it’s like a f***ing bar brawler.

    “because when he touches you, good night. You see what he did to last anyway. I mean God. Now I know why the dude was shying away to fight.”

    “He wanted no part of Big Ben. And I’ve been a fan of Big Ben since day one, and I’m glad he’s doing what he’s doing.”

    “But that’d be a hell of a fight, though. Him and Gustavo? Oh man, that’ll be a hell of a fight.”

  • Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 scorecards and headbutt discussed by PFL Dubai victor

    Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 scorecards and headbutt discussed by PFL Dubai victor

    Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 had many discussing the judging and refereeing aspects of the contest in the aftermath, with a standout performer from that same PFL Dubai card weighing in.

    Archie Colgan is the referenced mixed martial artist here, and Colgan defeated Jay Jay Wilson by way of a unanimous decision at PFL Dubai on October 3rd in a lightweight bout. 

    When touching on the Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 fight, and how it seemed like there was a certain level of controversy surrounding the judges’ scorecards. When asked if he has any thoughts on the Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 scorecards at all, Colgan said [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

    “Not really. I think that, you know, there was a scorecard that said 50-45, meaning that Paul Hughes didn’t win any round.”

    “I don’t see that one. I think he won. In my head, fresh when I was watching the fight right there in front of me, I thought it was like 4-1.”

    “Maybe you could do a 3-2. But I thought Usman won the fight. So yeah, but you know I think the controversy was in somebody saying it was 50-45, that he won no rounds.”

    “Yeah, I disagree with that as well. But I definitely don’t agree with some of the people saying like it was a robbery.”

    “As in you know Usman should have lost. I was like ah no, I thought it was pretty decisive who was winning the fight. But how many rounds you give, like I don’t know.”

    When touching on the instance in the championship clash, where it looked like Usman connected with a headbutt of sorts when a round had ended. Giving his thoughts on that sequence in the bout and commenting on his own curious situation with his appointed referee at PFL Dubai, Colgan stated [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

    “Yeah, I forgot about that. I forgot about that. That was; especially for to [have] no referee intervention between that and being like hey, you know, that was kind of a weird moment.”

    “But I mean that kind of happened all night too. Even in my fight, like me and my opponent kind of got like, in between rounds, second and third round, I think.”

    “Like staring at each other, and the ref shoved me. Like I stumbled backwards.”

    “I was like, “Hey, chill out, man.” So, like, you know, he was on the other spectrum of that where he was doing too much, the other ref didn’t do enough [laughs].”

    “It was just a cluster of emotion” with Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2, says Colgan

    When touching on the different dynamics with assigned referees that can inform how differently his Wilson fight was handled versus how the other assigned ref handled Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2, Colgan quipped [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

    “Yeah, I agree. Yeah, I mean, that was a weird situation. I don’t know if it was like; again, I’d have to watch it back and see it.”

    “Because especially if you’re watching it live. It looked more of like a head-to-head. Like you guys are talking s**t to each other, and then like an extra push.”

    “But you know, I assume it was probably more of that than, like just a straight-up headbutt. But I don’t know.”

    “I’d have to see that like on camera because even in person, it looked like it was just a cluster of emotion, really.”

  • Fabio Wardley Responds to Sports Fans Claiming His Fight Was Stopped Early: “No one gave me a chance.”

    Fabio Wardley Responds to Sports Fans Claiming His Fight Was Stopped Early: “No one gave me a chance.”

    Fabio Wardley recognizes his Joseph Parker win as his biggest moment professionally as an athlete but yet for some, there is still a bit of an asterisk on that moment. Appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show, Wardley discussed several aspects of his win over Parker which saw Wardley cement himself as the new interim WBO heavyweight champion.

    After securing an eleventh round TKO over someone as established as Parker to where a potential fight with Oleksandr Usyk seems well within his grasp, one would think Wardley would purely be celebrating. However there are people out there who have been criticizing the nature of the Parker stoppage as being one that was quite premature.

    After showing his due respect for Fabio Wardley as a fighter, Helwani mentioned he felt the stoppage was quite early but when asking if pundits like himself were being annoying bringing up these thoughts that stoppage was premature in the context of feeling like it was detracting from his win and Wardley said,

    “No, look, thank you. I appreciate it. But no, it doesn’t. It doesn’t upset me. It doesn’t offend me. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion.”

    “That’s no problem for me whatsoever. Again, I just ask that people don’t take away from what actually I achieved on the night because going into that fight, no one even gave me a hope. No one gave me a chance.”

    Fabio Wardley thinks people can say what they want about the stoppage but follow up with due praise

    Fabio Wardley articulated a fairly balanced take where he understands those who felt like the Joseph Parker stoppage came prematurely but also feeling a certain pride in his accomplishment and feeling like that should be acknowledged as such.

    Speaking to Ariel Helwani as he further expounded upon his thoughts from the quote above, Wardley continued,

    “Everyone thought I’d be done for within two, three, four rounds, whichever else. So, it’s fair for everyone to say what they want to say about the stoppage.”

    “but just make sure that’s followed by praising the accomplishment of the achievement. That’s 100% fair.”

  • $1 Million Performance Bonus for UFC Athletes: Former UFC Titleholder Explains Why This Must Happen

    $1 Million Performance Bonus for UFC Athletes: Former UFC Titleholder Explains Why This Must Happen

    UFC needs to offer up bigger financial rewards for exciting fighters, according to a former light heavyweight champion with the promotion.

    This was expressed by Rampage Jackson on a recent episode of the Jaxxon podcast. Jackson as well as TJ Dillashaw and Bobby Green were discussing a lot of the big fallout from the recent UFC 321 show.

    “Imagine how the fights would change if the bonus was a million. Guys would go all out, not just looking to win but looking to entertain, to put on shows that fans remember forever.”

    “It’s about respect for the craft and the risks they take. If the UFC wants to keep the best talent and raise the level of competition, raising the bonuses is the way to do it.”

    “Look, the business side has to catch up with the reality of what these fighters do. They deserve the big bucks.”

    “These bonus payouts could be life-changing, not just for the fighters but for their families. It’s time the UFC steps up and gives them what they deserve.”

    How UFC 321 played into Jackson’s comments above

    UFC 321 resonated with many fans as a bit of an underwhelming affair, even outside of the inauspicious outcome to the Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane main event. A lot of MMA fans do have a certain fixation point on striking-heavy affairs, constituting an exciting fight, which means that the promotion’s alst pay-per-view offering was not seen as a satisfying watch.

    The card actually set the record for most successful takedowns within a singular UFC event, and the Jailton Almeida vs. Alexander Volkov fight seemed to serve as a bit of a microcosm for how many perceived the action from the card.

    Jackson mentioned in the embedded video above that he could see the Ultimate Fighting Championship upping the bonuses, but perhaps to a scale of taking it from 50 K to $100,000. The former UFC light heavyweight titleholder notched multiple performance bonuses during his tenure with the promotion years back.

  • BKFC’s Esteban Rodriguez Hungry for Big Redemptive KO vs. Zac Cavender at 1st BKFC Michigan card

    BKFC’s Esteban Rodriguez Hungry for Big Redemptive KO vs. Zac Cavender at 1st BKFC Michigan card

    This week’s BKFC main event has some redemption related underpinnings as Esteban Rodriguez aims to take out Zac Cavender after Cavender knocked out a long time teammate of Rodriguez’s right in front of him.

    Esteban Rodriguez takes on Zac Cavender at BKFC Fight Night: Michigan on November 1st. Rodriguez appeared on Bare Knuckle Bowker to discuss Cavender stopping training partner and friend Erick Lozano. Zac Cavender secured a brutal first round finish over Lozano at BKFC 74 and when asked if there was any redemptive components associated with getting one back for his teammate/friend, Rodriguez said [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

    “100%, man. Listen, I was in that corner when that happened. I was cornering [Erick] Lozano. I went to go help him out with that. I was so helpless in that corner right there.”

    “It was like; it’s new to me. You know what I mean, being in somebody’s corner. So it was just a whole different experience. But to see your friend get taken out like that and like me not being able to do anything about it.”

    “I was just like, “Oh, man.” And in a way, I kind of manifested it because then it’s like, “Oh, let me get him, man.” I couldn’t get, you know, coming from where we come from, man.”

    “It’s like, you got to challenge him right there. Oh, you took him out? Now, it’s my turn. How dare you. Like, but it’s just; now like being able to see that. I talked to him in the back. You know what I mean?”

    “Cuz I told him, “You coming for that championship in the 205 division, man, that’s my throne right there.” I was like, “You know, you’re going to have to go through me if you’re going to have to handle those men.””

    “So, we had a little talk in the back and he’s like, “Well, yeah. we’ve seen you on the radar and I definitely know we would put on a hell of a hell of a show, man.””

    “Because he’s been able to put pressure, but he’s never felt a pressure fighter like me before. You know what I mean? So, it’s like when I’m going to be able to get; like since this point forward, I’ve been able to see that, you know, all the competition is coming in the 205 division.”

    “Him getting a knockout like that, you know, especially one of my friends and in front of me. Yeah, I’m like, I got to get [that] back, man.”

    “I got to do something about this. I just can’t let that happen, man. And it’s like it’s just not; I don’t know. Regardless of what it is like just there’s something in me that just can’t let that slide.”

    BKFC throws him to the wolves but Esteban Rodriguez is “still standing, baby”

    When playfully mentioning how this seems like one of those BKFC bouts where you have to make sure you got your drink and your snacks lined up. This because Cavender has back-to-back first round knockouts and Rodriguez has a 3 second KO win in his last outing.

    Responding to that comment referencing this being a ‘don’t blink or you’ll miss it’ kind of outings, Rodriguez stated [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

    “Back to back to back, bro. I’m telling you, man. These guys, all they say that there’s these fighters that are undefeated and all that. I’ve been thrown to the wolves every single time. They’ve been trying to take me out since the beginning, man, and I’m still standing, baby.”

    “And I’m still going to be standing strong. Once they send their best, man, when they send their best, that’s when they’re going to see me going pulling out the worst. Where it’s just going to be nitty gritty and just taking them out back to back to back to back, baby.”

  • Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira: “The Fight is Coming in 2026” According to UFC Insider

    Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira: “The Fight is Coming in 2026” According to UFC Insider

    Jon Jones and Alex Pereira is a fight booking that the two seem quite keen to participate in with a prominent MMA analyst foreseeing that blockbuster bout taking place next year. That individual being referenced is Chael Sonnen who mentioned this during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show.

    Touching on the potential of that heavyweight matchup happening and how that plays into the need for clarity with the light heavyweight title picture with Pereira helming over that division, Sonnen said,

    “Pereira and Jones social media talk—the fight is coming in 2026. But Jon Jones is the only fighter not wanting to fight. He took three years off to drink protein shakes, sitting out on suspension.”

    “He jumped back in the pool, can’t decide. If Jon thinks Pereira will sit and do nothing at age 38, it’s not going to solve anything. Jon could call out and fight Pereira in February or March and then do something else.”

    “But instead, Pereira is pointing at heavyweight, and we need to listen to that. If Pereira stays at heavyweight, we need to vacate the belt and move on.”

    Jon Jones takes shot at Tom Aspinall following UFC 321 eye poke

    Jon Jones couldn’t resist getting in a dig at UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall who was poked in the eyes during his recent title defense with Ciryl Gane which led to an anticlimactic no contest at UFC 321. The Jones-Aspinall title unification discourse domianted the media cycle for quite a while with the former eventually retiring and vacating the belt which led then-interim champion Aspinall to become the undisputed champion outright.

    In the wake of the inauspicious ending to the Abu Dhabi-based heavyweight title fight, Jones made reference to the main event outcome when he changed his social media picture of a duck to a duck with an eye patch over it. ‘Bones’ also shared a post that someone put up regaridng the Aspinall vs. Gane clash comparing the time duration where Jones finished Gane, contrasted with how long the Aspinall vs. Gane fight was. Jones would impose text over that post which said ‘never forget who the GOAT is.’

    Jones defeated Gane in a bit over two minutes to claim the then-vacant heavyweight strap in 2023 while Gane-Aspinall was called off a bit over four and a half minutes in.

  • Carlos Ulberg Throws Down The Gauntlet: Alex Pereira Is Next

    Carlos Ulberg Throws Down The Gauntlet: Alex Pereira Is Next

    Carlos Ulberg is riding high after knocking out a former multi time UFC light heavyweight title challenger and feels confident that the 205 pound kingpin Alex Pereira will be next. Ulberg finished Dominick Reyes at UFC Perth and the title challenger queue in that division runs deep with other standouts like Jiri Prochazka close to that opportunity. During an interview with MMA Junkie, Ulberg touched upon his desire to not just fight for the title but with a keenness on it being versus ‘Poatan’.

    Pereira has been putting out messaging lately indicating that he has interest in moving up to heavyweight for a mega fight against Jon Jones at the UFC White House card in June 2026. With the current UFC culture of champions having to vacate their belts if they choose to pursue opportunities at higher weights, this would more than likely lead to Pereira relinquishing the 205 pound strap to seek a fight with ‘Bones’ at heavyweight next Summer.

    Touching on what he wants next and addressing some of the moving parts of this present landscape in his weight division, Ulberg said,

    “You know what? I’d love to fight Alex. I think that’s the big fight. That’s the money fight. That’s an entertaining fight. That’s what the fans would love to see and watch.”

    “I’d hope that he’d stick around the light heavyweight division so I could fight Pereira. That would be amazing. That’d be the fight that I’ve always wanted—to fight Alex.”

    “And you beat someone like Alex, that just means you’re at that top, that top level. So, um… this is putting all the other guys out of the picture, but I want Alex.”

    Carlos Ulberg thinks he has a greater case for an Alex Pereira fight than Jiri Prochazka

    Carlos Ulberg expressly mentioned Alex Pereira as being the money fight in his division and he seems to be holding out some hope that Pereira may want to defend his light heavyweight title at least once during this new reign before seeking heavyweight aspirations thereafter. This was mentioned in the same MMA Junkie interview above with Ulberg making his case for a Pereira fight and throwing cold water on Jiri Prochazka’s campaign.

    Carlos Ulberg’s logic is that Jiri Prochazka is already 0-2 versus Pereira and that it is Ulberg’s time for a championship opportunity. The next few months will surely be quite an intriguing time for the UFC’s light heavyweight division and fans will be certainly locked in to see how all of this plays out.

  • Mackenzie Dern Knows the Hard Part is Just Beginning: “It’s even harder to stay at the top”

    Mackenzie Dern Knows the Hard Part is Just Beginning: “It’s even harder to stay at the top”

    Mackenzie Dern is now at the top of the mountain in the UFC but the newly minted titleholder is prepared for the true grind that now awaits her. This was discussed by the 115 pound champion in the UFC 321 post-fight press conference following her win. Dern bested Virna Jandiroba for the second time to claim the vacant strawweight belt in the Abu Dhabi-based co-main event bout.

    It was massive moment for the decorated jiu jitsu player who holds huge championship distinctions in multiple martial arts disciplines now. As she touched on the journey to get here while also realizing that things will get that much more arduous on the road ahead, with video footage provided from MMA Junkie, Dern said,

    “They say it’s hard to get the belt but it’s even harder to stay at the top and defend it. The hard part starts now, but I’m excited for whoever comes next. I think facing new challengers is going to make me evolve so much as a fighter.”

    “Grapplers, strikers, all these people studying me—I have to redo myself every single fight so they can never find the right way to beat me.”​

    Mackenzie Dern mentions fighter she is intrigued to defend her title against

    Mackenzie Dern had not even left the Etihad Arena yet before expressing thoughts on who she thinks her first title defense will be against. Dern prefaced her comments, at the same UFC 321 post-fight press conference embedded above, by saying that she was not sure how much say she gets as the champion now but is eying former champions and former title challengers alike.

    One of these fighters is Tatiana Suarez with Dern indicating she would be intrigued about testing her grappling against someone like Suarez who has such a strong wrestling pedigree.

    Zhang Weili was also mentioned by Dern with a bit of an asterisk saying the new strawweight champion is unsure if the former titleholder in that weight class will return. Weili caused the belt to be vacated in the first place as she moves up in an attempt to claim Valentina Shevchenko’s flyweight belt at UFC 322 next month.

  • Dana White Targets Tom Aspinall in Controversial UFC 321 Ending: “Didn’t want to continue”

    Dana White Targets Tom Aspinall in Controversial UFC 321 Ending: “Didn’t want to continue”

    Dana White seemed uncertain about some aspects regarding how Tom Aspinall’s UFC 321 played out and indicated as such during a presser in the wake of the October 25th fight playing out. Aspinall was poked in the eye by former UFC interim champion Ciryl Gane with the UFC heavyweight championship fight being declared a no contest after the reigning titleholder Aspinall indicated he could not see.

    At the post-fight press conference following the Abu Dhabi-based pay-per-view over the weekend, White did mention how there would likely be a fair bit more intrigue in a rematch as Ciryl Gane entered a pretty noticable underdog. But the French fighter’s effort was more pronounced than many thought and in a way that belied the perceptions of oddsmakers heading in. Touching on the anticlimactic nature of the main event fight and making comments on the current UFC heavyweight champion, White said,

    “He had Tom bloodied up and Tom didn’t want to continue in the fight. Only Tom knows what happened. Could he see, couldn’t he see, could he continue? Only he knows that.”

    Dana White calls re-booking Aspinall vs. Gane as a “total pain in the a**”

    While Dana White mentioned there would be more interest in an Aspinall vs. Gane sequel clash he also wasn’t shy in hiding that it was a frustrating situation for him. Within the same post-fight press conference embedded above, Dana White touched upon his thoughts on the first fight and how he perceives this rematch for the heavyweight title between Aspinall and Gane, White stated [via MMA Mania],

    “I feel the way everybody feels — great showing, shitty ending. After the Jon Jones fight, a lot of people wrote Ciryl Gane off, but he looked damn good tonight.”

    “It looked like we were in for a few rounds, and it was going to be a good fight… I can’t make people fight. You definitely can’t make somebody continue if they feel they’ve been injured.”

    “Yeah. Total pain in the a**, but yes. What makes sense is to do the rematch. Anything can happen, but right here, right now — and being honest, which I never do when talking about fights — the rematch makes sense.”

    “They’re both in shape, other than whatever’s wrong with his eye. Both guys are not injured. [We’ll make it happen] as soon as possible.”

  • Tom Aspinall’s Father Probably Should Not Have Mentioned The Move to Boxing, According to Former Champ

    Tom Aspinall’s Father Probably Should Not Have Mentioned The Move to Boxing, According to Former Champ

    Tom Aspinall’s dad intimating that his son wanted to make a future move to the boxing world heading into his latest MMA fight was a bit of a misstep according to a former UFC titleholder. This was expressed on the Pound 4 Pound podcast in the wake of UFC 321 with Aspinall’s UFC heavyweight tile defense ending in a no contest after an errant eye poke from Ciryl Gane caused the bout to be waved off in the opening stanza.

    Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman were discussing some of the big fallout from the Abu Dhabi-based pay-per-view from over the weekend with the hosts touching upon an intriguing tid bit that was revealed through fight week by Andy Aspinall. Speaking to RMC Sport Combat, Tom’s father Andy mentioned that the UFC heavyweight champion was coming to the end of his contract and the elder Aspinall was more keen on his son looking for opportunities in the sweet science versus re-signing with the UFC right away.

    Spotlighting that situation with Andy Aspinall and the potential residual effects of those comments, Usman said,

    “His dad was saying about him transferring over to boxing… There’s some things that you probably shouldn’t say publicly, but obviously—dads will be dads—and they’re going to say whatever it is that they want to say.”

    “And his dad was saying, yeah, they don’t—I don’t think they want to resign with the UFC. So that means… he was on a three-fight contract with the UFC to renegotiate. Now he’s down to two because of this fight.”​

    How Tom Aspinall’s lone pro boxing bout went

    Tom Aspinall has previously fought under Queensberry Rules and his closeness with the Fury family benefitted his preparations heading into his lone showdown in the big gloves. It was a quick night of work for the hulking heavyweight as Aspinall would dispatch of Tamas Bajzath with a first round knockout in June 2017.

    The boxing bout mirrored many of Aspinall’s MMA fights as he finished Bajzath in less than ninety seconds after dropping him to the canvas three times before eventually securing the win.

  • Martin Buday lands big Oktagon MMA title bout vs. Will Fleury to close out 2025

    Martin Buday lands big Oktagon MMA title bout vs. Will Fleury to close out 2025

    Martin Buday looks to capture the belt he never lost when he enters the O2 Arena in Prague on the heels of the Christmas holidays.
    Reigning Oktagon MMA heavyweight champion Will Fleury will look to be an immovable object for Buday as the Irish combatant embarks on his first title defense. This Fleury vs. Buday championship clash transpires at OKTAGON 81 on Sunday, December 28th.

    Fleury has made big waves in Oktagon MMA since his April 2024 debut there and the SBG Ireland combatant has halted Daniel Škvor and Pavol Langer. Fleur would capture Oktagon’s light heavyweight championship against Karlos Vémola during their last December and looks to enjoy a big championship victory this December. He would ascend to the status of double champion by besting Lazar Todev in March of this year and now looks to defeat the former Oktagon MMA heavyweight champion who never lost his belt inside the cage.

    Martin Buday’s return to the Oktagon MMA crown he once held

    Martin Buday was shocking released from the UFC earlier this year after authoring a victory in his last UFC fight and having a demonstrably successful winning record in the promotion. He received his walking papers as a top 15 ranked contender with Buday putting together a UFC specific record of 7-1.

    ‘Badys’ secured wins during his UFC tenure over names like former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski, Chris Barnett, and Marcus ‘Buchecha’ Almeida. Buday trains out of that Team Aspinall camp which obviously features the UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall as the titular figure of the team but the group also includes the likes of KSW heavyweight champ Phil De Fries.

    This massive heavyweight title bolsters an OKTAGON 81 lineup which features many tantalizing matchups including a flyweight championship showdown as Zhalgas Zhumagulov clashes with David Dvořák. Also, Patrik Kincl versus Robert Pukač are set to sort out their bad blood while a Kaik Brito versus Amiran Gogoladze clash has already been announced for the year end card as well.

  • BKFC Italy Chris Camozzi vs Alessio Sakara broken down by BKB legend: “he’s a legend in the fight game”

    BKFC Italy Chris Camozzi vs Alessio Sakara broken down by BKB legend: “he’s a legend in the fight game”

    BKFC Italy will see partisan favorite Alessio Sakara look to claim cruiserweight gold from reigning titleholder Chris Camozzi and an Irish bare knuckle legend fighting on that card has given his thoughts on the bout. The combatant being referenced here is Jimmy Sweeney, with this being his sophomore effort in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. The multi-division BKB champion made his debut in BKFC at the last card that saw the promotion come to Italy, and Chris Camozzi was also headlining, defending his cruiserweight crown.

    Sweeeny battles former welterweight title challenger Carlos Trinidad Snake on October 25th with that Saturday clash having big title eliminator potential attached to it. When asked for his thoughts on the Chris Camozzi vs. Alessio Sakara cruiserweight title fight that headlines this BKFC Italy event, Sweeney said [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

    “That’s going to be a good fight. I’ve become good friends with Chris. He’s a great guy. A gentleman, an absolute gentleman. I haven’t seen much of Sakara. I’ve seen highlights of his last bare-knuckle fight, but he’s a legend in the fight game. So, it’ll be a very interesting fight. Yeah, Chris is coming into their backyard and obviously hoping to come away with the win again. But very interesting fight and I wish both of them the very best of luck.”

    BKFC Italy “massive stadium, massive fight card”, Sweeney says ” I’m happy with that”

    Chris Camozzi and Jimmy Sweeney have developed a bond since the last BKFC Italy card heading into this enxt foray into the world of Italian gloveless combat. The two have shown love to one another on social media.

    With Sakara being such a legend of Italian combat sports, there should be a great turnout for that Italy card. When asked how much this bigger crowd and bigger overall presence for BKFC in another part of the world informs his temperament heading into this weekend, Sweeney stated [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

    “Yeah, of course. We got the bigger stadium. We done the smaller stadium in Florence, I think it was 5,000 maybe, something like that. I think this one’s about an 11,000 [seat] stadium. So massive, massive stadium. But whether they’re going to do the 11,000 or cut it down to maybe about 6,000, I don’t know yet. But massive stadium, massive fight card. Yeah, I’m really looking forward to it. This time I can get to watch a couple of fights. So I’m happy with that.”

  • For Jimmy Sweeney “Is the Fire the Same?” Wonders Tyler Goodjohn

    For Jimmy Sweeney “Is the Fire the Same?” Wonders Tyler Goodjohn

    Tyler Goodjohn is a former BKB champion, as well as someone who plied his trade in BKFC, which gives him unique insights into Jimmy Sweeney’s current situation. Sweeney is a former multi-division BKB champion with the Irish legend of gloveless combat seeking his first BKFC-specific win in his second bout with the promotion. Sweeney takes on Carlos Trinidad Snake this weekend and Goodjohn weighed in on that matchup when he appeared on Bare Knuckle Bowker.

    There were some pre-pandemic talks about Goodjohn fighting Jimmy Sweeney which never materialized but there is some quasi connectivity between the two. When asked if he has any particular thoughts on that Sweeney vs. Trinidad Snake match up and if that bout could potentially cement that next BKFC welterweight title challenger for reigning champ Julian Lane, Goodjohn said [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

    “Yeah, like look, I think that Jimmy fought really well against [Rico] Franco in their last fight actually. and showed that he’s got a lot left because what is he like early 40s?”

    “and to be fair to Jimmy, he is like really drilling himself into shape. Like looks in very, very good shape every time he fights now.”

    “So yeah, it’s down to him, isn’t it? It’s, you know, how he looks after himself, how much fire is there? You know, he’s had a lot of bare knuckle fights.”

    “Is the fire the same? I personally think he’ll outpoint that [Carlos] Trinidad Snake. I do. I think that he’s just, he’s got; especially in that circle ring and that, I think that he’s got a very good style in there to be fair.”

    Jimmy Sweeney and the bare knuckle icon who is seeking his first BKFC win

    Jimmy Sweeney is in a truly unique spot in the bare knuckle world where some feel he has a certain amount to prove, relative to them being fixated on just the BKFC circuit, but people who follow the sport as a whole are well aware of his massive pedigree in this world. Not only does he have one of the deepest winning resumes in bare knuckle as far as cumulative bouts, but Sweeney also has an unparalled championship ledger in this world.

    ‘The King’ lived up to his namesake in many ways with BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing as Sweeney cemented himself as a seven time, four weight champion in the BKB space before making his BKB debut. Also of note, BKB utilizes day of weigh ins which meant that Sweeney had to cut weight for this first time in his career when debuting in BKFC, who utilize day before weigh ins.

    After a competitive outing that saw him lose a rubber match to Rico Franco for BKFC European gold, Sweeney also appeared on Bare Knuckle Bowker and mentioned how he retained a lot from his BKFC debut that will make the weight cut for his sophomore BKFC outing so much smoother in comparison. Speaking of rubber matches, a tiebreaker bout could also materialize for Sweeney if he wins this weekend with the Irish legend splitting a pair of BKB fights with BKFC welterweight champion Julian Lane years ago.

  • Tom Aspinall By Submission – Former UFC Champ Explains UFC 321 Prediction

    Tom Aspinall By Submission – Former UFC Champ Explains UFC 321 Prediction

    Tom Aspinall will secure a finish at UFC 321 but it will not come by way of strikes against Ciryl Gane this weekend according to an ex-UFC titleholder. The fighter in question is Michael Bisping who got into breaking down Saturday’s UFC pay-per-view main event on his personal YouTube channel.

    ‘The Count’ has been one to highly tout Aspinall in the past but Bisping is also not siding with oddsmakers insofar as the odds which position the UFC heavyweight champion as such a favorite that it would indicate they think a one-sided beating is on the cards. When touchign on Aspinall’s first defense of the undisputed title, after he previously defended his interim strap last July, Michael Bisping said,

    “It’s going to be an entertaining fight. I don’t necessarily see this being one way traffic the way that Tom has dealt with all his other opponents.”

    “Gane will have learned from the loss to Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou. He knows he’s got some shortcomings and gaps to fill.”

    “Ultimately, I still think that Tom Aspinall gets it done. It will be a stoppage. Probably a submission. If you want to put your bet on by way of finish, I will say a ground and pound finish.”

    Tom Aspinall sees a “pretty obvious” next challenger post-UFC 321

    Tom Aspinall is squarely focused on the task at hand against Ciryl Gane in the coming days but it’s not lost on what could await the UK native if he gets his ideal outcome against Gane in Abu Dhabi. The proximity point to who that next opponent would be exists within a consequential contest on the October 25th undercard and when speaking to assembled reporters at the UFC 321 pre-fight media day, Aspinall stated [via MMA Mania],

    “Whatever the UFC wants to do. It’s pretty obvious that they’re going to do winner vs. winner of me vs Gane, and Volkov vs. Almeida. Not like a tag team match. The winner of us vs. the winner of them, that’s what I think it’s going to be next for the heavyweight title.”

    In a context where Aspinall wins this weekend, Alexander Volkov would be a rematch for him whereas Jailton Almeida would represent a fresh matchup. Either way, Aspinall seems keen to be an active champion after the pro,onger dormancy period at heavyweight when Jon Jones ruled over the division before he ultimately retired without fighting Aspinall in a unification bout.

  • Jimmy Sweeney: “I dominate and probably stop” Carlos Trinidad Snake at BKFC Italy

    Jimmy Sweeney: “I dominate and probably stop” Carlos Trinidad Snake at BKFC Italy

    Jimmy Sweeney battles Carlos Trinidad Snake at BKFC Italy on October 25th, and the former realizes the magnitude of the moment and what it could potentially generate for him afterward.

    This is a fight that would seemingly have title eliminator stakes attached to it as the Irish combatant fights the number two-ranked welterweight contender and a former title challenger for that crown in Trinidad Snake. This was also an opponent he asked for, and when asked what he thinks as he contemplates all of these variables, Jimmy Sweeney said [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

    “So what it is with me is obviously I’ve been around this sport for a very, very long time. I’m 41 now, so I’m not a kid. The last fight I had, even though I felt like I won that fight, or a lot of people felt like I won it. I’ve had a very bad weight cut. Like it’s my first time ever to do a weight cut like that. So, I didn’t know what to expect from it. I didn’t know how to do it right. So I’ve dropped from about 80, 81, 82 kilos to about 73. Which is far too much.”

    “Like I’m again, as I said, I’m 41 years of age. So my body just didn’t recover from it. And even though I want the fight, I made it very hard for myself over that weight cut. So for me, after that, it’s like, right, where do I go from here? What do I do? So I’m looking at the top five. I don’t want anyone outside the top five. So I spoke with my manager, Gabriel, and I said, “Look, Carlos is coming off a loss. I’m coming off a loss. I’m obviously the bigger name in this sport.”

    “I think it makes an absolute great fight. Plus, a win over Carlos puts me straight into the top five. So for me, it just makes sense. Then obviously for him as well to fight someone [with] my credentials, it’s massive for him as well. So it was probably a win-win for both of us.”

    Jimmy Sweeney: “I have to go in and prove them all wrong” in 2nd BKFC bout

    Jimmy Sweeney was previously used to the day of weigh-ins with BKB as opposed to the methodology of BKFC‘s day before weight cut, but he has since course-corrected for his sophomore BKFC bout. Also, when referencing an Instagram post of his, the former multi-division BKB champion had where he touched on how he feels like he has a hell of a lot to prove in this fight and feels like many people are writing him off.

    In that context when asked what he thinks the narrative is going to be after this fight this Saturday, Jimmy Sweeney stated [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],

    “After that fight it’s like, they didn’t see the weight cut. Like everyone; you just have to watch the fight to know that I won the fight. But then it’s like oh, Jimmy’s too old now, he’s done with this and that. So for me now it’s; I have to go in and prove them all wrong. You know what I mean? Like and get that win because obviously you’re only as good as your last fight.”

    Unfortunately, on paper, I’ve lost that fight. With Carlos being the world number two, people have me losing already. You know what I mean? So, to be fair, it’s like I’ve nothing to lose in this fight, you know what I mean? I’m the 41-year-old, old fighter coming in against this 26, 29-year-old, whatever he is. Young, young up and coming star, only lost one fight. So yeah, when I dominate and probably stop him, which I’m good enough to do that, a lot of people are going to get worried.”

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov and first man to beat Royce Gracie appear at MMA card

    Khabib Nurmagomedov and first man to beat Royce Gracie appear at MMA card

    Khabib Nurmagomedov was recently spotted at one of the bigger regional MMA shows around the world, and the first man to put a blemish on Royce Gracie’s MMA record was alongside him.

    At UAE Warriors 64 earlier, the former UFC lightweight champion addressed the viewers, both live and viewing the broadcast, as he spoke on the microphone in the cage with the inimitable Kazushi Sakuraba next to him. Over a quarter century ago, Sakuraba defeated Gracie after a ninety minute clash that became immortalized in the sport’s history as part of 2000 Pride Grand Prix with the bout taking place in May of that year.

    Long time fans of the sport seemed to get a kick out of seeing the two UFC Hall of Famers in the cage with eachother with stalwart MMA die hard Caposa psoting an image of the two to his X account.

    Khabib Nurmagomedov
    Photo via @Grabaka_Hitman on X

    Khabib Nurmagomedov and Kazushi Sakuraba’s UFC HOF induction stories

    Khabib Nurmagomedov become part of the UFC Hall of Fame fold in 2022 as part of the modern wing. This induction also happened at the same time his AKA compatriot Daniel Cormier also found himself being brought into the same wing of the hall.

    In a conversation with ESPN at that time, Khabib Nurmagomedov spoke about how different his life was just ten years before and spoke about how emotional it was for him to be having a moment like this without his father Abdulmanap still around.

    For Kazushi Sakuraba, his inclusion into the UFC Hall of Fame came as part of the class of 2017. Other prominent individuals who were part of that HOF class included former WEC titleholder as well as multi-time UFC title challenger Urijah Faber, former UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, and former UFC heavyweight champion Maurice Smith. Sakuraba predominantly carved out the bulk of his legacy under the Pride FC banner but he did make quite a splash during his lone night fighting in the UFC’s octagon.

    At UFC Japan in 1997, Sakuraba would fight Marcus Silveira twice in the same night due to circumstances with tournament pull outs and the controversial nature of their first fight being stopped prematurely. The man who by today’s standards would have likely been a welterweight submitted the hulking ‘Conan’ Silveira to not only earn his first official MMA win but Sakuraba also won the UFC’s one night heavyweight tournament championship in the process.

  • Ciryl Gane Ready to Welcome Alex Pereira to the Heavyweight Division “Beautiful Idea”

    Ciryl Gane Ready to Welcome Alex Pereira to the Heavyweight Division “Beautiful Idea”

    Ciryl Gane can potentially end up on the throne of UFC’s heavyweight division after this weekend and would welcome a challenge from Alex Pereira if ‘Poatan’ jumped up into the weight category. Gane is vying for the heavyweight crown once again, with the former interim champion hoping that the adage of the third time’s the charm will shine through after two failed bids at the undisputed crown previously.

    On October 25th, Gane will try to claim the strap from UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, with the title challenger taking part in media obligations at the UFC 321 pre-fight media day proceedings. When an on-site media member mentioned past comments from Pereira about being curious about a heavyweight move and what the former UFC interim champion would think of the UFC’s light heavyweight champion moving up, in video footage provided by MMA Junkie, Gane said,

    “Alex Pereira at heavyweight? Beautiful idea. He’s a very dangerous fighter, very marketable, a beautiful story. He’s built himself so well, and like Jon Jones, he can make that move. It’s exciting to watch.”

    Ciryl Gane feels no pressure regarding his drought in undisputed UFC title bids

    Ciryl Gane does not seem to have a meaningful shadow cast over him from his previous title fights with Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou not panning out for him.

    The French fighter was questioned at the same referenced pre-fight media day if those Jones and Ngannou setbacks played into his mindset at all, as Gane stated [via Lowkick MMA],

    “The pressure is less this time, for sure. I remember my first big fight against Francis Ngannou — the storytelling, the media, everything around it was huge.”

    “And then there was Jon Jones — still a big fight but a little less noise. For Tom, there’s less pressure again. I feel calmer, more focused.”

    Gane could also find himself in a similar historical spot to someone like Chael Sonnen insofar as a title challenger who put together a 0-3 ledger in undisputed title bids.

  • Mike Malott Says Kevin Holland Embellished Groin Shot Reaction – It wasn’t That Bad

    Mike Malott Says Kevin Holland Embellished Groin Shot Reaction – It wasn’t That Bad

    Mike Malott doesn’t feel like the low shots landed to Kevin Holland were of a damaging magnitude that the latter presented it to be. Appearing on The Ariel Helwani Show, the Canadian combatant discussed several subjects in the fall out of his big win on home spoil.

    Malott was the partisan favorite at UFC Vancouver and emerged with a win over a tenured UFC vet in Holland but the victory did not come without a touch of controversy attached to it. Low blows took place throughout the bout with Holland being on the receiving end of the errant shots with some detractors describing Malott as a dirty fighter in the wake of those illegal strikes.

    When touching on those aforementioned elements of what happened in the British Columbia-based co-main event, Malott said,

    “It definitely wasn’t the groin shot that it was acted out to be. There might have been a brushing of the cup, but I mostly hit him in the belt line, hip area.”

    “I was a little bit frustrated with it especially afterwards. It wasn’t a bad groin shot. I think he really wanted a point deducted and I think there was a little bit of embellishment there.”

    Mike Malott and Kevin Holland’s tense post-fight exchange at UFC Vancouver

    Mike Malott and Kevin Holland fought things out in the confines of the cage. But there was a certain level of interacting after their clash following the debacle with the low blows and the officiating oversights some saw in how that was all handled. During the embedded interview above with Helwani, Malott mentioned that he went to apologize to Holland backstage but that the gesture was not accepted.

    As the surging welterweight touched on the fact that he was sorry about the unintentional low strikes, Malott mentioned Holland responded by describing that as cheap. Mike Malott also mentioned that the UFC Canada cameras were following him and captured an instance of Holland stating how he could not respect Malott going forward after what had just transpired.

  • Ham Seo Hee enters free agency after over 2 years away from ONE

    Ham Seo Hee enters free agency after over 2 years away from ONE

    Ham Seo Hee has now entered free agency and seems to have left on amicable enough terms while also indicating great enthusiasm for the future. The news likely does not come as a surprise to anyone who actively follows the ONE Championship scene being that it has been over two years since the 38-year-old has competed in the ONE Circle. That outing saw Ham Seo Hee take a loss to multi-sport ONE Championship titleholder Stamp Fairtex at ONE Fight Night 14 in September 2023.

    That setback represented Ham’s first loss in close to a decade with her prior MMA defeat coming during her UFC tenure when she was noticeably outsized fighting at a higher weight. Prior to the Stamp setback in the Fall of 2023, Ham put together a nine fight win streak against huge names like Ayaka Hamasaki as well as two wins over current ONE Championship atomweight titleholder Denice Zamboanga.

    In an Instagram post addressing her current contractual status, Ham said,

    “I’m officially a free agent now!!! I had a difficult time because I couldn’t compete for 2 years, but I had a great time. I’ll come back in a great promotion to show me again!!!!”

    Ham Seo Hee and her huge resume in mixed martial arts

    Ham Seo Hee is a well travelled individual with title accolades across multiple promotions which would likely behoove her in negotiations going forward. The Jewels atomweight title, the Road FC atomweight strap, and the Rizin super atomweight championship are all prizes that ‘Hamderlei Silva’ has adorned on her mantle.

    Ham made her professional MMA debut in February 2007 with a bit of an inauspicious start going 3-3 in her first six fights, albeit while fighting legends like Megumi Fujii who many see as the women’s MMA GOAT. The South Korean combatant would go on a notable run in MMA as well as Shoot Boxing before embarking on a UFC run that lasted from December 2014 to November 2016.