MMA News

Author: Kyle Dimond

  • ‘Big’ John McCarthy Explains Why Jon Jones Isn’t On MMA Mount Rushmore

    ‘Big’ John McCarthy Explains Why Jon Jones Isn’t On MMA Mount Rushmore

    There is no denying that if you’re listing the names for an MMA Mount Rushmore that is about the most talented and successful fighters we’ve seen in the sport, Jon Jones deserves a spot.

    The current UFC heavyweight champion is arguably the greatest to ever do it but as is always the case with “Bones”, it’s not that simple.

    Some will have reservations about putting Jones on this list due to the various controversies that have clouded his career.

    This means that if you’re looking at MMA Mount Rushmore from the angle of fighters who have had the biggest impact – or if they’ve got a clean disciplinary record – there’s an argument to be made that he misses out.

    ‘Big’ John McCarthy Excludes Jon Jones From Mount Rushmore Due To Various Controversies

    During a recent episode of the Weighing In podcast, veteran referee “Big” John McCarthy explained his approach to this debate.

    He said that he prefers to look at this conversation in regards to impact on the sport rather than actual skill which in turn, makes him leave Jones out of the equation.

    “I look at it different. If you want to say best fighters for Mount Rushmore, the best fighters there ever was, well Jon Jones is on it. If you’re going to say give me an MMA Mount Rushmore, the criteria for it is different than just best fighter and there’s things that, you know, have been done in the past that I go no, I can’t put you on that. Let’s just be honest.”

    McCarthy believes that for all of Jones’ success, his headline-generating antics have had a negative impact on the sport during his career.

    He said that this parameter would also disqualify Conor McGregor, despite the unmatched impact that he has had.

    “I take a look at outside of the sport, Jon hasn’t been the greatest ambassador for the sport. He’s had more controversy than I can give him.”

    Read also: Daniel Cormier On Jon Jones’ Likely Retirement: ‘There Is Work Left To Be Done’ 

  • Aljamain Sterling Excited At Prospect Of Facing Diego Lopes In Title Eliminator After UFC 307

    Aljamain Sterling Excited At Prospect Of Facing Diego Lopes In Title Eliminator After UFC 307

    It’s a huge few weeks for the UFC’s featherweight division leading up to UFC 308, where the champion will be making his first title defense.

    Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway is one of the most anticipated fights of the year, but in the meantime, there’s still plenty of movement to happen at the top of the division.

    Diego Lopes earned his spot in the top five this past weekend at UFC 306 (Noche UFC), where he defeated former two-time title challenger Brian Ortega.

    However, despite his incredible rise after losing his UFC debut, Lopes could need one more win in order to earn a title shot, and his next opponent could be decided at UFC 307…

    Aljamain Sterling Talks About The Potential Of Facing Diego Lopes In A Title Eliminator

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling is looking to earn back-to-back wins at 145 pounds when he clashes with the undefeated Movsar Evloev on October 5 in Salt Lake City.

    Whoever wins that fight will be in a great position to fight someone right near the top of the rankings which, as Sterling pointed out, could end up being Lopes.

    In an interview with Submission Radio, “Funk Master” laid out his idea of how things will play out.

    “I can see, because (Alexander) Volkanovski’s guaranteed his next title shot no matter who wins between Ilia and Holloway, that Lopes is probably gonna have to fight again. So, I would imagine that between the the winner of myself and Movsar, I think that’ll probably end up being the next title challenger.”

    Sterling also said that off the back of Lopes’ win over Ortega, this is a fight that gets him excited because he sees the Brazilian as a tough test.

    Getting past the undefeated Russian is a big hurdle in the first place, but a fight with Lopes would have huge title implications for the winner.

    “It definitely is an exciting time for the featherweight division and for myself because that’s not an easy fight and that excites me. That’s the most exciting part about it.”

  • ‘Georges It Is Past Your Bedtime’ – MMA Fans React After St-Pierre Posts UFO Update On Social Media

    ‘Georges It Is Past Your Bedtime’ – MMA Fans React After St-Pierre Posts UFO Update On Social Media

    Former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion Georges St-Pierre will always be remembered as one of the greatest to ever do it. That was the case when he retired on top of the sport back in 2013 but his return at UFC 217 in 2017, where he defeated Michael Bisping to win the 185-pound belt, added to it.

    However, if there’s one thing that was slightly bizarre about the time that St-Pierre decided to go on hiatus after his welterweight title reign, it was his fascination with aliens.

    It has been some time since the days where “GSP” would make comments that would have fans both puzzled and concerned all at the same time. But if you thought that he had moved on from this passion of his, you are sorely mistaken, as a recent social media post proves.

    St-Pierre looked to get his followers talking about the latest development in UFO sightings, claiming that, “If you are not aware of this topic, it is high time you learn more about it.”

    Fight Fans React To Georges St-Pierre’s Recent Dive Back Into The World Of Aliens & UFOs

    It certainly didn’t take MMA fans too long before giving their take on St-Pierre’s latest social media post.

    In addition to some mocking remarks, his statement did seem to generate the desired conversation regarding UFOs and UAPs with a fair amount of responses back to him with follow-up points.

    “Most of the time it’s the government trying out new military stuff that will quite frankly be announced to the public 50 years from now They’re always ahead.”

    “Thank you for raising awareness on this subject, George! I’ve been covering this topic extensively. More people need to realize this is absolutely real and the implications of this phenomena are extremely significant for our world. We need answers.”

    On the other hand, there were those that were, once again, puzzled to say the least.

    “Georges it is past your bedtime”

    “GSP talking about UFOs did not see that coming”

    “welcome to the gang George”

    “Talk about when they kidnapped you”

    “You were a UFM in the UFC- Unbeatable Fighting Machine”

    “That was a curve ball”

    “7 Missed Calls from Joe Rogan”

    “Thanks for the heads up George’s St-Pierre I’ll keep an eye on the situation”
  • Cory Sandhagen Claims Top Five Contender Turned Him Down For December

    Cory Sandhagen Claims Top Five Contender Turned Him Down For December

    Former interim UFC bantamweight title challenger Cory Sandhagen says a notable name toward the top of the rankings recently rejected the chance to throw down with him before the end of this year.

    Merab Dvalishvili now sits at the top of the bantamweight division following his win over Sean O’Malley this past weekend at UFC 306. With “Suga” now set to return to the contender ranks, there is sure to be several other 135-pounders wanting to face him in his next outing.

    One of those names is Cory Sandhagen, who is looking to bounce back from his defeat to Umar Nurmagomedov in August.

    With the Dagestani likely being the next contender in line, Sandhagen thinks that he and O’Malley makes a lot of sense, especially after he claims he was turned down by another top contender…

    Cory Sandhagen Says Deiveson Figueiredo Rejected December Fight

    Dvalishvili has made it pretty clear that, in his opinion, former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo is most deserving of the next title shot. The Brazilian has won three in a row since moving up a weight class with impressive performances against Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt, and Marlon Vera.

    With O’Malley potentially taking some time off, a fight between Sandhagen and “Deus Da Guerra” would make a lot of sense while Nurmagomedov challenges for the belt.

    However, in his post-event breakdown of UFC 306, Sandhagen revealed on his YouTube channel that this fight has already been offered and declined on Figueiredo’s side.

    “The Sandman” initially said that the fight was targeted for September but later corrected himself by saying that it was on the table for December.

    With the other top names in the division being busy or inactive, he sees this as the perfect time to finally match him and O’Malley up.

    “I got to say, I think that you’re absolutely insane if you don’t want to see me and O’Malley fight next, okay. I am pretty sure that maybe the entire division is going to be calling out Sean O’Malley next, just because that’s the way that people do things, but you guys know that this has been a fight that’s been in the works for a long time. I’m not going to try to sound like I’m trying to throw this idea at you guys, you guys know it’s a good idea. Back me up on all that stuff, me and O’Malley got next.

    “Figgy turned down a fight against me in September, which is just kind of whack because I thought that Figgy was a little bit more about that life than that. I’m kind of actually hurt that Figgy doesn’t want to fight me in December. I don’t know what that dude’s plan is, I think Yan’s out for a little bit, Henry’s like hurt/not hurt sometimes. I don’t really know what goes on with that guy, but me and O’Malley got next.”

  • UFC Bantamweight Recalls Michael ‘Venom’ Page Scuffle At UFC 304: ‘I Just Kind Of Lost It…’

    UFC Bantamweight Recalls Michael ‘Venom’ Page Scuffle At UFC 304: ‘I Just Kind Of Lost It…’

    Michael “Venom” Page may not have been competing on home soil at UFC 304 but he was still in the headlines for a fight that could have happened.

    Video footage captured after the event showed an altercation between Page and UFC bantamweight Farid Basharat at the fighter hotel.

    Alexander Volkanovski also detailed the situation after being caught in the middle of it, where, despite his best attempts to keep Basharat from getting to “MVP,” he was unsuccessful.

    The two men, at least from the video, tried to get at each other for some time until, with the help of security, they were separated and situation was deescalated.

    Ahead of his return against Victor Hugo at UFC 308, Basharat gave his side of the story.

    Farid Basharat Explains How He Nearly Came To Blows With Michael ‘Venom’ Page

    In an interview with InsideFighting, Basharat explained exactly what happened at the fighter hotel following UFC 304 in Manchester.

    He said that his relationship with Page goes way back to when he and his brother Javid were training at the same gym as “MVP,” London Shootfighters.

    Having left that gym on less than ideal terms, they didn’t want anything to do with Page or the rest of the team. Although he had a brief interaction with the welterweight contender on the shuttle back to the hotel after the July event, Farid said there was no drama at first when Page started speaking to him.

    “I shake his hand, I say ‘Okay, good.’ I keep it short because I don’t really want to, I don’t really like him, I don’t want to speak with him. Anyway, we get off the shuttle, we go back to, I just walk off and we’re in the hotel. I go through the lobby and he kind of tries to put his arm around my shoulder and I just kind of like brush it off and say like, ‘No, I don’t really want to speak with you, thank you.’ He was obviously drunk a little bit because I could smell it and his ego must have got a little dented.”

    Basharat then said that despite his wishes for them to go their separate ways and leave it at that, Page continued to press him on what the issue was.

    The 27-year-old added that things got heated from there, stating that getting into a fight at 7 AM in the morning with a fighter four weight classes above him wasn’t something that he was actively pursuing.

    He claimed to have flipped was when Page threw a “cheap shot” at him while he was distracted by one of the Londoner’s friends.

    What made him tip even further over the edge was that despite Basharat being the one who needed to get through members of security and a former UFC featherweight champion, it was Page who was backing up.

    “In my head, I was so annoyed. I was thinking, ‘Just step to the left a little bit and we can make something happen. We could at least throw a couple of exchanges, a couple of shots,’ you know? But look, these situations, I’m not sitting here like some bad boy trying to create hostile situations, trying to get into fights, but sometimes when you have to go, you have to go. If someone starts on you, it doesn’t matter.

    “It doesn’t matter who, why, where, when and at that point. I just lost it to be honest, and you’ll see in the video, I was trying to get ahold of him for probably about 10 minutes. The video cuts out short but honestly, I just kind of lost it because I couldn’t believe I was trying to deescalate a situation, I was trying to go my way and stuff and this coward…he’s the one that throws a punch. In my head, I was so p*****, I just wanted, at that point, I would have done anything to get my hands on him. But now, whatever, I don’t care about this guy. When I see him, we’ll deal with it however.”

  • Aljamain Sterling Uses O’Malley vs. Vera To Justify Merab Dvalishvili’s Preferred Next Opponent

    Aljamain Sterling Uses O’Malley vs. Vera To Justify Merab Dvalishvili’s Preferred Next Opponent

    Despite the UFC’s attempt to get the ball rolling toward the next bantamweight title fight, Merab Dvalishvili has other plans in mind.

    The 135-pound weight class crowned a new champion in the main event of UFC 306, where Dvalishvili comfortably defeated Sean O’Malley.

    It was known going into the fight that Umar Nurmagomedov was likely going to be next, and that was only solidified when he was there in-person for the new champ being asked about the prospect of facing him.

    Dvalishvili, however, believes that it is Deiveson Figueiredo who is the most deserving contender because he has more wins over top bantamweight contenders.

    Aljamain Sterling Says Merab Dvalishvili Has Strong Case For Deiveson Figueiredo Being Next

    In an interview with Submission Radio, Aljamain Sterling weighed in with his thoughts on Dvalishvili’s stance on his first title challenger.

    The former bantamweight champion and long-term friend and training partner of the Georgian titleholder believes that his reasoning makes a lot of sense.

    “Funk Master” pointed to how there have been many more instances where a title challenger was less deserving of this opportunity than Figueiredo currently is.

    With this in mind, Sterling hopes that his teammate will get to have some input into deciding what will be the first step of his title reign.

    “I don’t know who the UFC actually wants to push. I know Merab wants to face Deiveson Figueiredo based on his merit of what he’s done in the bantamweight division. I believe he’s beaten Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt, submitted him, and ‘Chito’ Vera. So it’s kind of hard to argue Merab’s point. I do understand that Umar did beat Sandhagen, who was ranked #2 at the time, so there’s an argument there. But I think I can see both sides, and if the champ wants to fight Deiveson Figueiredo, I mean, O’Malley got to fight a guy that wasn’t even ranked in the top five (Marlon Vera).

    “So I don’t think it’s that crazy of a matchup. I don’t think the guy’s undeserving. I don’t think anyone could say he’s undeserving. But, you know, the UFC is going to do what makes the most money for them and hopefully the champ has a say in that.”

  • South Africa Reportedly Planning $1.7 Million Stadium Renovation To Host Dricus Du Plessis UFC Title Fight

    South Africa Reportedly Planning $1.7 Million Stadium Renovation To Host Dricus Du Plessis UFC Title Fight

    In his post-fight press conference after UFC 306, Dana White once again stressed that finally bringing the Octagon to Africa is a big priority for the promotion.

    Hosting events in new locations is never an easy process for the MMA leader, but when you have a champion like Dricus Du Plessis, where there is a will, there is a way.

    The reaction that the middleweight champion received after his title-winning performance at UFC 297 really got the ball rolling.

    It’s clear that there would be huge interest in seeing the Octagon touch down in South Africa with Du Plessis headlining the show, but the logistics of making it happen is where issues occur.

    The biggest hurdle to get past when looking at stadium shows is the weather, something White has long cited when pushing back on such events. However, it looks like Cape Town Stadium are ready to make some sizable investments to remove this barrier to entry…

    Mayor Of Cape Town Reveals Proposal To Build Temporary Roof Over Cape Town Stadium

    The Executive Major of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, recently spoke about plans to build a temporary roof in order to bring the UFC to the stadium.

    In an interview with Cape Talk, Hill-Lewis said that he expects things to move relatively quickly.

    “We’ve said to the national government, the minister (Gayton McKenzie), that we think we could do it absolutely soon, sometime around March next year. But we would need confirmation quite soon so that we could get cracking.” (h/t IOL)

    Though there are other venues that could host a major UFC event, they simply don’t have the capacity of the 55,000 seater that was built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

    Hill-Lewis approximated that it would take around two months to build and would cost upwards of R30m (around $1.7 million).

    There has been some pushback from other figures, such as the founder of lobby group Stop CoCT Sandra Dickson, who have criticized whether it’s necessary to do this rather than hosting it another venue, calling the plan “a limited short-term and temporary solution.”

    Dricus Du Plessis & Robert Whittaker
    Image: Chris Unger/UFC/Zuffa LLC
  • Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards 2 Rescheduled For PFL’s Battle Of The Giants

    Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards 2 Rescheduled For PFL’s Battle Of The Giants

    A huge rematch in Bellator’s middleweight division has been announced as the latest addition to the PFL’s Battle Of The Giants event on October 19.

    185-pound champion Johnny Eblen was set to defend his title for a third time in a rematch with Fabian Edwards in London this past weekend.

    Unfortunately, the bout fell off the card with no reason being given, meaning that the latest instalment of the Bellator Champions Series went down without a title fight headliner.

    The two men previously met back at Bellator 299 in September last year where Eblen retained the gold via a third round stoppage in Dublin, Ireland.

    A win over Aaron Jeffery put Edwards back in the title picture for another chance to bring the Bellator belt back to Birmingham, England.

    Eblen, on the other hand, remained undefeated in a tough fight with Impa Kasanganay earlier this year at the PFL vs. Bellator event in February.

    As per the official press release, the fight will now take place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on the same night as Francis Ngannou’s long awaited return to MMA.

    He takes on PFL’s 2023 heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira with Cris Cyborg and Larissa Pacheco serving as the co-main event for the debut of the PFL’s PPV Super Fights division.

    Also announced for the card is Bellator star A.J. McKee, who takes on one of the PFL’s most exciting additions in recent times, Irish prospect Paul Hughes who will be facing his toughest test to date.

    Read also: Brendan Schaub On UFC Show At ‘Rainforest Cafe’ Sphere: ‘Looks Great But The Product Is Sh*t’

  • Roy Jones Jr. Names Who He Thinks Is The Best Striker In MMA Today

    Roy Jones Jr. Names Who He Thinks Is The Best Striker In MMA Today

    As the sport of MMA continues to grow and evolve, so do the athletes and the skill sets that they bring to the table.

    There have always been great strikers competing in MMA and though grappling may still be an incredibly dominant aspect of the game, some of the top fighters in the world do their best work on the feet.

    Roy Jones Jr. knows a thing or two about the art of hitting without getting hit back as one of the greatest to ever step inside a boxing ring.

    As an avid MMA fan, who was sat front row for UFC 306 at the Sphere this past weekend, who better to talk about the best strikers in the sport right now.

    He pointed to a fighter that combines all aspects of what you would want to see from an exciting and dangerous stand-up artist, a point that was also made by Teddy Atlas.

    Roy Jones Jr. Says Sean O’Malley May Be The Best Striker In MMA Today

    During his appearance on the debut episode of The Ariel Helwani Show, Jones was asked a question that required his expert opinion.

    When asked who he believes is the best striker in MMA today, there are a few strong contenders that come to mind as viable options.

    Jones’ answer ended up being a fighter that he was already talking about at the time of the question and someone that he got to watch up close this past weekend.

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley possesses one of the best striking toolkits that the Octagon has seen in some time.

    With excellent distance management and ability to read a fight, his sniper-like accuracy has helped turn him into one of the biggest stars on the roster.

    “Right now, he may be, because he’s a hell of a striker. I love to see Sean O’Malley strike because he strikes like a full-fledged fighter, boxer.”

    Read also: Sean O’Malley Makes Statement Following Title Loss To Merab Dvalishvili At Noche UFC 306

  • Michael Chandler Explains What Will Be Different In Charles Oliveira Rematch: ‘Chandler 2.0…’

    Michael Chandler Explains What Will Be Different In Charles Oliveira Rematch: ‘Chandler 2.0…’

    During his long wait for the return of Conor McGregor, Michael Chandler has had a lot of time to think about how he wants to spend the remainder of his career.

    “Iron” Mike has delivered non-stop entertainment since arriving in the UFC back in 2021 where all but one of his Octagon appearances have seen him earn a performance or fight of the night bonus.

    That one exception is his first encounter with Charles Oliveira at UFC 262 where the two men fought for the vacant lightweight title in the aftermath of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement.

    The two men are now set to run it back over five rounds at UFC 309 in New York where Chandler believes that fans will see a new version of himself that has changed over time.

    Michael Chandler Explains Shift In Mindset Ahead Of Long Awaited Octagon Return

    Chandler states that during the two-year break between fights whilst he was waiting to face McGregor, he fell back in love with the sport due to the separation he had from it.

    In that time, the former Bellator champion underwent a change in mindset which he recently explained in an interview on Bussin’ With The Boys.

    Chandler describes how his mentality when he arrived in the UFC was to make as much noise as possible, throwing caution to the wind in order to get the fans off their seats.

    He certainly did that but in MMA, when you live by the sword, you die by it too and that all-action style can sometimes only get you so far.

    When asked what will be different about this rematch with “Do Bronx” over three years on from their first meeting, Chandler said that he’s coming into Madison Square Garden with a refreshed outlook.

    “The maturation process of who I am as an individual and fighter. For better or worse, I needed to come into the UFC and stake my claim and prove myself, right, and now I have proven myself. So, Chandler 1.0 was come into the UFC, prove the doubters wrong that this Bellator dude can’t come in and compete with the best guys in the world, obviously I have done that.

    “Win, lose or draw, it’s a great fight. Win, lose or draw, I’ve hurt everybody that I’ve fought. Win, lose or draw, I’m getting fight of the night. Win, lose or draw, you’re on the edge of your seat when Michael Chandler steps inside the Octagon right? And now, Chandler 2.0 is okay, I had an opportunity to step back, fall back in love with the sport and now I truly believe now more than ever that it’s time for me to go win the title so fighting Oliveira puts me in that position.”

    Read also: Former UFC Champion Explains Path To McGregor vs. Chandler Fight Despite Oliveira Booking

  • Aljamain Sterling On Narrative That O’Malley Looked ‘Flat’: ‘Like Conor McGregor Against Khabib…’

    Aljamain Sterling On Narrative That O’Malley Looked ‘Flat’: ‘Like Conor McGregor Against Khabib…’

    After losing the bantamweight title in the main event of UFC 306 on Saturday night, some questioned whether Sean O’Malley had an off night.

    Dana White in his post-fight press conference said that in his opinion, “Suga” didn’t look himself but this has since been dispelled by O’Malley himself.

    The former champ said that he was coming into the fight feeling great and there were glimpses of that in the fight.

    Despite it feeling fairly one-sided to a lot of people, O’Malley won two rounds on two of the scorecards meaning that he wasn’t that far away from retaining the belt via split decision.

    A former opponent of his disagrees with the idea that the main event played out how it did due to one man not firing, rather than Merab Dvalishvili being incredibly effective.

    Aljamain Sterling Disputes The Idea That Sean O’Malley Looked Off At UFC 306

    In his recap of UFC 306, Aljamain Sterling disagreed that O’Malley wasn’t firing on all cylinders at the Sphere this past weekend.

    The former bantamweight champion, who was in Dvalishvili’s corner, pointed to how “Suga” started the fight looking great, saying that this only changed once the challenger started to have success.

    Not to mention the third round, which he won on two scorecards, and the final round where he hurt his opponent with a body kick and tried to find the finish in the closing moments.

    Having faced O’Malley back at UFC 292, Sterling helped Dvalishvili prepare for him by replicating his style.

    When reflecting on the fight, he said that the defending champion came out exactly how they expected him to which meant they were able to execute their game plan.

    “I give credit where due, he was well prepared to say he looked flat makes no sense. The opening bell when he’s coming out with those faints, those hip twitches that he does so well where he’s shaking off to the side, shaking off to the other side and then looking for those long strikes. He came out exactly like Conor McGregor did against Khabib. Now I gave Merab that same exact look, coming out with the fingers, long, trying to hit the feints and trying to go to the body, trying to go up top.”

    Read also: Demetrious Johnson Highlights ‘X-Factor’ That Could Make A Difference In Dvalishvili vs Nurmagomedov

  • Demetrious Johnson Highlights ‘X-Factor’ That Could Make A Difference In Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov

    Demetrious Johnson Highlights ‘X-Factor’ That Could Make A Difference In Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov

    The next bantamweight title fight already appears to be lined up following the main event of UFC 306 this past weekend.

    Merab Dvalishvili defeated Sean O’Malley inside the Sphere to become the new champion and was immediately asked about the prospect of facing Umar Nurmagomedov next.

    Though Dvalishvili doesn’t seem too sold on the idea, the UFC is clearly heading in this direction after Nurmagomedov defeated Cory Sandhagen in August.

    In a clash of two of the most feared grapplers in the UFC right now, a former UFC champion believes that cardio may be the difference between them.

    Demetrious Johnson Says Conditioning Could Be Key For Merab Dvalishvili Against Umar Nurmagomedov

    In his post-fight breakdown of the main event at Noche UFC, Demetrious Johnson spoke about the next step for the new king of the bantamweights.

    The former UFC flyweight champion said that when looking at Dvalishvili and how he matches up with Nurmagomedov, a few key differences stand out.

    “Mighty Mouse”, who recently announced his retirement, drew attention to the fact that whilst the champion is known for smothering his opponents, Nurmagomedov is usually less reliant on pressure.

    Johnson therefore believes that Dvalishvili’s seemingly endless gas tank could be his biggest weapon in this fight because we haven’t seen that same pace and output from the potential challenger.

    “This is going to be interesting because I feel his [Merab] conditioning is going to be the X-factor because we know he’s not going to stop, he’s going to be a busy bee around the Octagon to where this gentleman [Umar] has the high kicks, he’s very long, he’s very big and he also has the wrestling but he does not have the work ethic like this man [Merab]. Not saying he doesn’t have the work ethic, he doesn’t have just that, ‘I’m coming to smash you, I’m coming to smother you,’ like Khabib. This man [Merab] has that bear gene were he just comes and gets you where he’s [Umar] more strategic.”

    Read also: Umar Nurmagomedov’s Coach On Merab Dvalishvili: ‘Cain Velasquez In The Bantamweight Division’

  • Conor McGregor’s Coach On Whether Islam Makhachev Can Outdo Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Legacy

    Conor McGregor’s Coach On Whether Islam Makhachev Can Outdo Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Legacy

    It almost seemed written in the stars that after Khabib Nurmagomedov retired on top of the lightweight division, Islam Makhachev would take over in his place.

    What wasn’t predictable at the time was that Makhachev would go on to be arguably the best fighter in the sport today.

    The current lightweight champion has been so impressive since winning the belt at UFC 280 that it has led to the conversation of whether he’s better than “The Eagle” ever was.

    Another big question is whether Makhachev will ever be able to overtake his close friend’s legacy after Nurmagomedov retired with an undefeated record of 29-0.

    Though there isn’t competition between them, the 32-year old was always going to have high expectations hanging over him.

    John Kavanagh Outlines How Islam Makhachev Can Potentially Overtake Khabib Nurmagomedov

    Though Makhachev doesn’t have the option of beating Nurmagomedov’s undefeated run, there are ways that he can accomplish feats that the former champion didn’t.

    The current 155-pound king has spoken a lot about wanting to move to welterweight in the near future though those plans seem to have been put on hold now that Belal Muhammad, who does parts of his camps with Makhachev and Nurmagomedov, has become the 170-pound champion.

    In a recent interview with Islam Babadzhanov, John Kavanagh gave his take on if and how Makhachev can pull out in front of “The Eagle”.

    The long-time coach of Conor McGregor at SBG Ireland also pointed to the lightweight champion adding a second belt to his collection which Nurmagomedov never had the option to do.

    “Wow. I’m sure there is [a chance for him to outdo Khabib] but it’s hard. You know, Khabib had obviously such a fantastic run. Maybe Islam can do a ‘champ champ’ and go up some weight classes. We will see.”

    Read also: ‘That Was A Fluke Too’ – Former UFC Champ Questions O’Malley’s Win Over Sterling After UFC 306

  • Jon Jones: Stipe Miocic Fight At UFC 309 Is ‘Gonna Be The Last Time’

    Jon Jones: Stipe Miocic Fight At UFC 309 Is ‘Gonna Be The Last Time’

    Jon Jones’ return to the Octagon was confirmed this past weekend after the UFC announced more details for UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden.

    It has been clear for a long time now that “Bones” would be defending his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic after their fight at UFC 295 was postponed due to a long-term injury.

    They are once again booked to headline MSG in November and though this match-up taking place on this card has been known but not made official, there is one other big question hanging over this fight.

    Many expected that at UFC 295 last year, there was a strong possibility that both Jones and Miocic would retire after meeting each other inside the Octagon for the first time.

    Despite Dana White’s wishes, that still looks to be on the cards.

    Jon Jones Says That UFC 309 Will Be ‘More Than Likely’ His Last Dance

    There has been a lot of debate about Jones returning to defend his heavyweight title against Miocic.

    Most of this has revolved around interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, who believes that he should be getting the opportunity to unify the belts later this year.

    Jones has made it pretty clear that this fight against the surging Brit isn’t a priority for him and he doubled down on that in a recent interview.

    As the consensus greatest of all time was leaving the Sphere after being in attendance at UFC 306 this past weekend, he was stopped and asked about how he’s feeling before returning from another long lay-off.

    The heavyweight champ told Clocked N’ Loaded that he’s raring to go.

    “I feel great, yeah, I feel really, really good. I’m about 250 pounds, lean and strong.”

    Jones was also asked whether he thinks that this will be the final fight of what will potentially end as a 30-fight career following his first heavyweight title defense.

    Though the writing has been on the wall regarding the status of his career after UFC 309, he personally confirmed that this is looking like his last ride.

    “This is gonna be the last time. Gonna be the last time. More than likely.”

    Read also: ‘That Was A Fluke Too’ – Former UFC Champ Questions O’Malley’s Win Over Sterling After UFC 306

  • Kamaru Usman Tells Merab Dvalishvili To ‘Embrace’ Umar Nurmagomedov Challenge: ‘I Had Colby Covington’

    Kamaru Usman Tells Merab Dvalishvili To ‘Embrace’ Umar Nurmagomedov Challenge: ‘I Had Colby Covington’

    Following his bantamweight title win in the main event of UFC 306, the promotion was clearly looking to set Merab Dvalishvili up for his first title defense.

    Joe Rogan asked the new champion what he thought about the match-up with Umar Nurmagomedov, which is likely next for him.

    Despite the broadcast capturing Nurmagomedov’s reaction live from the Sphere, Dvalishvili didn’t answer the question that had been posed to him.

    He instead spoke about having a conversation with Dana White first and later, in his post-fight press conference, stated once again that in his opinion, Deiveson Figueiredo is more deserving of the next title shot.

    Kamaru Usman Advises Merab Dvalishvili To Face Umar Nurmagomedov Challenge Head-On

    In an interview with Dvalishvili on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Kamaru Usman had offered some words of advice to the title challenger before UFC 306 got underway.

    The former welterweight champion said that the Georgian fighter should look to capitalize on his time as champion by securing the biggest fights possible, meaning that he should welcome a fight with Nurmagomedov rather than pointing to alternatives.

    During his post-event recap alongside Henry Cejudo, Usman once again stressed why he thinks that Dvalishvili should be pushing for this fight.

    Having already made the case that it’s the biggest fight out there for him right now, Usman also believes that this kind of challenge could elevate the new champion.

    Every great fighter needs great rivals to push themselves further than before and “The Nigerian Nightmare” believes that Nurmagomedov offers that.

    He referenced his own welterweight title reign and how his two tough fights against Colby Covington were highly significant moments in his career that helped take him to another level in terms of popularity and influence within the organisation.

    “Merab is not afraid but I know he’s worried about a guy like Umar and sometimes those are the guys that really put you on that next level. Merab might come out there and look like freaking the best we’ve ever seen. So you, and I needed that dance partner. Colby Covington gave me that and so that’s what Merab, at this point, I think if I had any advice for Merab, it’s too embrace that. It’s too embrace that. You’re right, when they did ask him that question, he kinda danced around it.”

    Read also: Sean O’Malley’s Coach Reveals What He Said To Enrage Merab Dvalishvili At Noche UFC 306

  • Robert Whittaker: Alexa Grasso Didn’t Want To Be In There Against Valentina Shevchenko

    Robert Whittaker: Alexa Grasso Didn’t Want To Be In There Against Valentina Shevchenko

    Valentina Shevchenko closed out her trilogy with Alexa Grasso in dominant fashion in the co-main event of UFC 306.

    The former champion was able to reclaim the title after a controversial rematch that ended in a draw, following their first encounter where she was shockingly submitted.

    Though the second fight between them was very close, no one has been clamouring to see a fourth contest between them after how one-sided the trilogy was, this past weekend.

    The takedowns from Shevchenko totally shut down Grasso’s boxing skills and aside from a few submission attempts, she wasn’t able to stop the challenger’s takedowns which led to her being stuck on the floor for the majority of the duration.

    Robert Whittaker Questions How The Match-Up Was Ever Close After Watching UFC 306

    On a recent episode of his MMArcade Podcast, former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker gave his analysis of the co-main event.

    He pointed to the fact that there was a huge gap between them this time around compared to their prior encounter at last year’s Noche UFC.

    Even though Grasso was able to secure one of the biggest upsets in UFC history when she submitted Shevchenko at UFC 285, she was down on the scorecards at the time.

    Having seen how easy the “Bullet” made the fight look at points inside the Sphere, Whittaker questioned how this match-up was ever competitive.

    “They’ve fought three times now. I don’t know how Grasso won the first, well I do, she was losing until she submitted Shevchenko right? And then I don’t know how the second one was a draw because this third fight like Grasso did nothing. I don’t want to come down hard on her okay because maybe she was just shut down that heavy but it was a draw last fight.

    “I don’t know, it didn’t look like Grasso wanted to be in that fight. It looked like a significant level difference this time around.”

    Read also: Sean O’Malley’s Coach Reveals What He Said To Enrage Merab Dvalishvili At Noche UFC 306

  • ‘That Was A Fluke Too’ – Former UFC Champ Questions O’Malley’s Win Over Sterling After UFC 306

    ‘That Was A Fluke Too’ – Former UFC Champ Questions O’Malley’s Win Over Sterling After UFC 306

    Merab Dvalishvili proved in the main event of UFC 306 that he had the counter to Sean O’Malley’s style.

    The new bantamweight champion was able to close the distance on “Suga” and implement his grappling and despite several close scorecards, the challenger was seemingly in control of the fight for the vast majority of the duration.

    O’Malley did have some success with his striking, especially in the final moments of the fight but he wasn’t able to catch Dvalishvili in the same way that he was able to his teammate, Aljamain Sterling.

    The “Funkmaster” has openly admitted that he made some crucial mistakes in that fight back at UFC 292 that as we saw this past weekend, could have been very different if Sterling had more effectively closed the gap on his opponent.

    Henry Cejudo Reviews Sean O’Malley’s Performance At UFC 306

    On a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast, former bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo weighed in with his thoughts on the fight.

    “Triple C” took this opportunity to gloat about how he correctly predicted how the main event would play out based on what he has seen from both men.

    Having faced both Sterling and Dvalishvili in the past, Cejudo felt that the challenger would be too much for O’Malley over five rounds.

    He also believes that O’Malley’s title back at UFC 292 was a “fluke” after he was able to stop Sterling without really having his grappling game put to the test.

    Cejudo made reference to how he was able to put up a better fight against Dvalishvili at UFC 298, where he lost via unanimous decision.

    “What can I say? I predicted these things. Sean is not accustomed to going five rounds and he is no accustomed to people on his legs and I just felt like, I still go back and say hey, that fight with Aljamain Sterling, that was a fluke too. Aljamain was still in that fight and people thought I was just hating. It’s like no, I’ve been in there with Merab, I did a whole lot better than Sean did when I fought Merab. I mean I took down Merab, like Merab is lucky that I had that groin injury.”

    Read also: Sean O’Malley’s Coach Reveals What He Said To Enrage Merab Dvalishvili At Noche UFC 306

  • ‘Valentina Dvalishvili’ – MMA Fighters & Fans React To Shevchenko’s Total Domination Over Alexa Grasso At UFC 306

    ‘Valentina Dvalishvili’ – MMA Fighters & Fans React To Shevchenko’s Total Domination Over Alexa Grasso At UFC 306

    In the co-main event of UFC 306, Valentina Shevchenko reclaimed the UFC flyweight title from Alexa Grasso in their third meeting.

    The former champ was able to execute a game plan that saw her strike from distance before securing takedowns and dominating the fight with her wrestling, making for an impressive display but a slow fight.

    Grasso was able to threaten with several submission attempts but none of them were close enough to really sway any of the rounds in her favor as she was beaten 50-45 across all three scorecards.

    Despite them now being 1-1-1 in their trilogy of fights, this was by far the most one-sided of their encounters and with many believing that Shevchenko deserved to win the rematch, there isn’t likely to be one more fight between them as of right now.

    MMA Fans React To The Conclusion Of Alexa Grasso & Valentina Shevchenko’s Trilogy

    The first-ever trilogy of fights between two women in the UFC has come to an end with Shevchenko once again reigning at the top of the flyweight division.

    MMA fans and fellow fighters reacted to the dominant grappling display from the “Bullet” inside the Sphere.

    Read also: Noche UFC 306: Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili Live Results & Highlights

  • ‘You Can’t Have A Close Fight Against A Mexican…’ – MMA Fans Unhappy With Judges Giving Ronaldo Rodriguez Win Over Ode Osbourne In UFC 306 Banger

    ‘You Can’t Have A Close Fight Against A Mexican…’ – MMA Fans Unhappy With Judges Giving Ronaldo Rodriguez Win Over Ode Osbourne In UFC 306 Banger

    The PPV main card of UFC 306 kicked off with a bang as Ronaldo Rodriguez and Ode Osbourne delivered a fantastic flyweight fight.

    With a stunning use of the Sphere’s visuals as a backdrop, the two men went back-and-forth with Rodriguez taking the unanimous decision.

    The Mexican fighter had to face some serious adversity in the first round after being dropped by Osbourne and caught in a triangle choke that looked to be the end of the fight.

    He battled his way back into the fight and though his comeback was impressive, the scorecards appeared to suggest that the following rounds were less competitive than they were in reality.

    With two judges scoring the fight 29-27 for Rodriguez, some fans were left scratching their heads, questioning whether they just watched the same fight.

    Adalaide Byrd and Ron McCarthy both gave the victor a 10-8 in the second round which brings up the debate as to why that is a more dominant round than the first was for Osbourne.

    MMA Fans React To Questionable Scorecards In UFC 306 Main Card Opener

    Rodriguez’s performance was certainly worth praising but not necessarily to the point where there was a clear 10-8 round.

    Fans reacted on social media as the 25-year old flyweight picked up another win for the Mexican fighters at Noche UFC.

    https://twitter.com/Actionman513/status/1835149025458233810
    https://twitter.com/BriarNelson10/status/1835148792020058251

    Read also: Noche UFC 306: Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili Live Results & Highlights

  • ‘I Mean It Looks Cool But I Don’t See What The Hype Was About’ – MMA Fans Provide Early Reactions To Noche UFC 306 At The Sphere

    ‘I Mean It Looks Cool But I Don’t See What The Hype Was About’ – MMA Fans Provide Early Reactions To Noche UFC 306 At The Sphere

    UFC 306 is still yet to hit the heights that the fans were expecting with the PPV main card yet to come as of this writing, but there have been a lot of talking points already.

    Most importantly, the prelim action delivered with a fantastic flyweight fight between Joshua Van and Edgar Chairez and several impressive finishes.

    However, the reaction from fans online pointed to many being underwhelmed at how the Sphere was being utilized but there have been a few glimpses of what is still in store.

    Several transitions of the background itself have produced some very impressive visuals that have certainly added to the spectacle from the opposite side of a screen.

    MMA Fans React To The Early Stages Of UFC 306 Inside The Sphere

    UFC 306 had a lot to live up to and as a result, the reaction online was always going to somewhat critical due to the high expectations.

    The fans were promised something special and though the main card is set to be the real attraction that differentiates itself from anything we have ever seen from the MMA leader, fight fans on social media weighed in with their thoughts from the prelim card at Noche UFC.

    A post from Ariel Helwani on X attracted several criticisms of the event thus far.

    Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen chimed in with a brilliant take, describing the backdrop that surrounded the featured prelim between Irene Aldana and Norma Dumont.

    https://twitter.com/JohnnyEblen/status/1835129123670310964

    Read also: Noche UFC 306: Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili Live Results & Highlights

  • Fans React As Joshua Van & Edgar Cháirez Put On Early FOTN Contender At Noche UFC 306

    Joshua Van came out on top in an early fight of the night contender against Edgar Cháirez at UFC 306.

    After Raul Rosas Jr. got proceedings underway inside the Sphere with a largely uneventful performance, the flyweights in the second fight of the night turned the heat up.

    The second round in particular produced one of the best back-and-forth battles of the year, where both men could have been finished at different points.

    Ultimately, Van did enough to seal the victory after stepping in late notice, taking the second and third rounds to win 29-28 across all three scorecards.

    MMA Fans React To Flyweight Barnburner Between Joshua Van & Edgar Cháirez

    Just like that, Noche UFC feels like it is properly underway after Van and Cháirez helped to set the tone for the rest of the evening.

    MMA fans reacted on social media to a fantastic clash at 125 pounds which featured some vintage Mexican fighting spirit.

    Read also: Noche UFC 306: Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili Live Results & Highlights

  • Belal Muhammad Predicts Big Things For Teammate At Noche UFC 306: ‘People Are Going To Be Surprised…’

    Belal Muhammad Predicts Big Things For Teammate At Noche UFC 306: ‘People Are Going To Be Surprised…’

    UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad has arrived at the fight capital of the world to help support a teammate of his.

    Iron sharpens iron is a clichéd saying in combat sports, but it’s a commonly used phrase because it is largely true.

    At UFC 306 this weekend, Muhammad believes that fight fans are going to see the evolution of one of his close training partners, who has helped him reach the top of the 170-pound weight class.

    Lightweight contender Ignacio Bahamondes has been incredibly entertaining during his UFC tenure, and “Remember The Name” is expecting big things from him on September 14…

    Belal Muhammad Says Ignacio Bahamondes Will ‘Show Out’ At The Sphere

    Bahamondes has been in the UFC for four years now, winning his contract via Dana White’s Contender Series on the same episode as light heavyweight contender Carlos Ulberg.

    With some incredibly flashy finishes on his highlight reel, he’s always worth keeping an eye out for, and his clash with Manuel Torres this weekend is no different.

    The 27-year old knockout artist is looking to secure back-to-back victories at the Sphere and his teammate only has positive things to say about him.

    Speaking on an episode of UFC 306 Embedded, Muhammad spoke about the relationship they have built and the hard work Bahamondes has been putting in for this fight.

    “Biggest show of the year so far, the Sphere. Excited for it, here with my brother Ignacio Bahamondes. Literally my right hand man for all my camps, so to be able to come here, support him, and watch him make history, it’s going to be an epic week.

    “Honestly, that’s my brother so I would do anything for him and he’s helped me and he’s helped me grow so much in all my fight camps, and especially more recently, everything that we’ve done together, I’ve seen him come in and grow as a fighter. To see where he is now, people are going to be surprised when he shows out on Saturday at the Sphere.”

  • ‘Maybe That $20 Million Wasn’t So Well Spent…’ – Fans React To Dana White Hologram At The Sphere For Noche UFC 306

    ‘Maybe That $20 Million Wasn’t So Well Spent…’ – Fans React To Dana White Hologram At The Sphere For Noche UFC 306

    The UFC has attempted to go above and beyond to make Noche UFC (UFC 306) an event for the ages that will no one will forget in a hurry.

    From the moment that Dana White started hyping the event up as a once in a lifetime spectacle, there have been high expectations for the first combat sports event that will be taking place inside the Sphere.

    Details of what fans inside the building and those watching from home will experience have certainly helped to shed some light on what exactly will be different on September 14. That being said, by the UFC CEO’s own admission, there are some things that everyone is going to have to wait and see to find out whether it works or not.

    One thing that fans who are in attendance this Saturday can expect is a greeting from the boss himself, as well as several fighters, via the use of holograms in the lobby of the Sphere.

    A press release provided more information on this additional feature for the fans.

    “Top names from the UFC roster will appear in life-size, volumetric 4K in Proto machines for fans to interact with in the lobby of  Sphere. UFC CEO Dana White will also appear in hologram form. It is the first time Proto holograms have been used in the world of MMA. It will give fans an unprecedented selfie experience with their heroes. It is also the first time Proto will be used inside Sphere.”

    MMA Fans React To Dana White & UFC Fighter Holograms For UFC 306

    There has been some criticism regarding UFC 306, even if the event sounds like it’s going to be fairly unique and distinct from regular PPV cards.

    The promotion has certainly spent a lot of money to deliver that, largely thanks to the backing of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, which is sponsoring the event as part of Riyadh Season.

    Fans on social media reacted to the news that, going along with all of the new bells and whistles that have been added for Saturday night, holograms are now in on the act also.

    “If no one slips in a ‘Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi-you’re my only hope.’ Opportunity lost.”

    “Maybe that $20 million for production wasn’t so well spent…”

    https://twitter.com/TrentReinsmith/status/1834299483368161333

    “Tickets to UFC Noche: $3,000 UFC Noche Fighter Merch: $250 Food and Drinks at the Sphere: $450 Having hologram Dana White scream at you that Jon Jones is the P4P number 1 as soon as you enter the Sphere: PRICELESS!”

    “A hologram of Dana White and Jon Jones hugging probably”

    “ah yes, the star of the show”

    “Cringe lmaoooo”

  • Dan Hardy Reignites Talk Of MMA Return: ‘I Said To The PFL…’

    Dan Hardy Reignites Talk Of MMA Return: ‘I Said To The PFL…’

    In 2013, UK MMA pioneer Dan Hardy retired from competition after being diagnosed with Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome, which meant he wouldn’t be cleared to fight.

    Hardy would later find out and reveal five years down the line that a second opinion from a different doctor revealed that with him not feeling any of the effects of the condition, he could’ve continued fighting.

    Instead, the former UFC welterweight title challenger had already began his career as a commentator and analyst, which would eventually lead him to the Professional Fighters League (PFL).

    As a key figure in the promotion as both a color commentator and the head of fighter operations for PFL Europe, Hardy is playing a pivotal role in helping to structure the promotion.

    “The Outlaw” spoke in a recent interview with Sky Sports about wanting to bring in a “masters division” for older fighters who want to continue competing. Instead of fighting the next wave of upcoming contenders, they’d be facing opponents who are ay similar stage of their careers.

    In fact, Hardy himself would be open to the idea of competing in that bracket.

    Dan Hardy Teases Potentially Competing In ‘Masters Division’ In The PFL

    Hardy has wanted to make a combat sports return for many years now, but in every instance, the fights or plans have fallen through for various reasons.

    However, competing under the PFL banner against fellow legends and veterans of the sport would appear to be the most realistic and suitable option for an MMA comeback.

    When asked whether he would put himself forward for a masters division, Hardy said that he has recently tried to speak to the PFL about having him step back inside the cage.

    “Hey, why not? Yeah, why not. I actually said to the PFL the other day, we were coming out of an event and I said, ‘Look, like, I’ll dust off and come back for another 12 months,’ and I gave them three or four names. I’d be like, ‘Look, this is a good little selection of names.’”

    When asked if he was being serious, he doubled down on the idea of competing once again to cap off his 36-fight pro career.

    “Yeah, I’ll always fight. I’ll always fight, I love fighting, I love the adrenaline rush of it. I love the ‘do or die’ feeling of a fight, it’s the singlemindedness. You’re getting in there, you’re throwing techniques and you know, you’re hoping that your game plan is going to be the one that is victorious. I’m a little bit older now, absolutely, but of course, if we’ve got a masters division and I’ve got a few good ideas in mind…”

    Sky Sports’ Nik Hobbs questioned whether Hardy would be willing to reveal any of the names that he put forward to the PFL. After some hesitation, he named former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis as a potential opponent.

    “Not right now, no. But, well, I will say Anthony Pettis has always been someone I’ve had a lot of respect for and his name has been thrown around a few times regarding a future opponent for me. So maybe that’s an option, but we’ll see.”

  • Conor McGregor’s Coach Predicts Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili: ‘Going To Be In A Lot Of Trouble…’

    Conor McGregor’s Coach Predicts Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili: ‘Going To Be In A Lot Of Trouble…’

    The main event of UFC 306 that goes down on Saturday night inside the Sphere has proven to be a tough one to call for many people.

    In the champion Sean O’Malley, you have an incredibly dangerous striker who is always calm under pressure and reads fights incredible well. Merab Dvalishvili, meanwhile, is a perfect counter part to that and swaps aesthetically pleasing offense for an unbreakable will and never-ending gas tank, which he uses to overwhelm opponents from bell to bell.

    In many ways, the two men are the perfect counter to one another and that provides the question: who will be able to implement their specific skillset the best?

    This clash of styles that goes back to the earliest days of mixed martial arts is something that John Kavanagh referenced when weighing in with his thoughts.

    John Kavanagh Breaks Down UFC 306 Main Event, Picks His Winner

    Speaking to Lucky Block in a recent interview, the head coach of Conor McGregor described the upcoming bantamweight title fight as a “throwback.”

    Both O’Malley and Dvalishvili are capable in all areas but there’s no denying where they are at their best, which just so happens to be their opponent’s kryptonite in this fight.

    “I’m really, I’m really looking forward to that. In MMA today it’s usually two guys that are quite well skilled everywhere. And this one I feel is a bit of a throwback to when you’ve somebody very skilled in striking versus somebody very skilled in grappling, so the classic striker versus grappler. If Merab is unable to close that distance, he’s going to be in a lot of trouble. If Merab can close that distance and start chaining his takedowns together, he’s got the most incredible gas tank. He just goes and goes and goes. If he’s able to get attached, Sean’s in a lot of trouble. So it’s a very interesting fight for me as a fan and as a coach.”

    Kavanagh followed up his thoughts on the matchup by giving his prediction for the fight, leaning toward the belt staying in O’Malley’s possession thanks to his lethal striking.

    “If you were to put a gun to my head for a prediction, I do think Sean will catch him. He’s such a sharp shooter. He’s got fantastic striking and I could see him landing some of those big stray shots. He has a win over Merab’s teammate Aljamain Sterling so I’m sure that Aljamain is helping out Merab a lot in the preparation for this but Sean is on a real run at the moment and I could just see him getting that finish.”