MMA News

Author: Thomas Albano

  • VIDEO: Zhang Mingyang Sends Home Crowd Wild With Career’s 18th First-Round Finish At UFC Macau

    VIDEO: Zhang Mingyang Sends Home Crowd Wild With Career’s 18th First-Round Finish At UFC Macau

    Zhang Mingyang’s incredible run in MMA continued as he racked up yet another first-round knockout, defeating Ozzy Diaz to start off the UFC Macau main card.

    Just over two minutes into the fight, Mingyang landed a step-in elbow from distance that dropped Diaz. He then finished the fight with a series of ground-and-pound strikes.

    According to the UFC on social media, this was the first time in UFC light heavyweight history — and the 10th time in UFC history altogether — that a fight was finished due to this elbow strike.

    Zhang Mingyang Continues Long Streak Of First-Round KOs At UFC Macau

    After coming into the UFC off a win over Tuco Tokkos in 2022, Mingyang is now 2-0 in the Octagon after finishing Brendson Ribeiro earlier this year at UFC 298. The Chinese standout has incredibly won all 18 of his career wins by way of first-round finishes.

    Meanwhile, this fight marked the UFC debut for Diaz, who is a former LFA middleweight champion.

  • VIDEO: Chinese Doctor Who Hid MMA Career From Parents Wins Road To UFC With Violent Head-Kick KO

    VIDEO: Chinese Doctor Who Hid MMA Career From Parents Wins Road To UFC With Violent Head-Kick KO

    Perhaps the most notable thing about Shi Ming entering her fight at UFC Macau today was the fact that, despite working as a doctor and being a TikTok sensation, her parents and colleagues had no idea of her MMA activity.

    That may not be for much longer after she landed a jaw-dropping, brutal knockout of Feng Xiaocan to win the strawweight bracket of the Road to UFC tournament.

    Early in the third round, Ming made her impact by landing a head kick that came suddenly, dropping Xiaocan in dramatic fashion to earn the knockout victory.

    Shi Ming Wins Road To UFC Tournament With Violent Head Kick KO

    Xiaocan was unresponsive for some time, with a stretcher and neck brace required as she exited the Octagon. Xiaocan, according to the commentary team, was being transported to the hospital in the aftermath of the fight.

    Ming has now won five straight fights and 11 of her last 12. Meanwhile, this was Xiaocan’s first loss since dropping her third and fourth professional bouts, winning eight consecutive outings prior to tonight.

    The UFC Fight Night at Macau’s Galaxy Arena is set to be headlined by a crucial bantamweight bout between former champion Petr Yan and ex-flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo.

  • Former UFC Title Challenger Darren Till Set To Box Tommy Fury At Misfits Event

    Former UFC Title Challenger Darren Till Set To Box Tommy Fury At Misfits Event

    Former UFC welterweight and middleweight contender Darren Till will be returning to the boxing ring, this time making his professional debut.

    Till, who competed unsuccessfully for the 170-pound gold on MMA’s biggest stage, will face Tommy Fury on Jan. 18 in the main event of a Misfits Boxing card at the Co-op Live in Manchester, England.

    Ariel Helwani broke the news on social media this weekend.

    Till competed in a boxing ring for the first time earlier this year, defeating Mohammad Mutie at an event in Dubai. The bout was infamous for Mutie being ruled unable to continue due to an injury from what appeared to be rabbit shots to the back of the head, but the two continued to brawl after the bout was declared over.

    Darren Till To Make Professional Boxing Debut Against Tommy Fury

    Till was once a rising English prospect who joined the UFC as an undefeated fighter in 2015. “The Gorilla” went 5-0-1 to start his UFC run, which included wins over Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson.

    That earned him a welterweight title shot against Tyron Woodley at UFC 228, which the Scouser lost via second-round submission.

    Till went on to get knocked out by Jorge Masvidal in upset fashion, marking the start of “Gamebred’s” sudden rise to superstardom. The Brit then rebounded with a decision win over Kelvin Gastelum in his middleweight debut, but he was unable to continue that winning form at 185 pounds.

    “The Gorilla’s” UFC run ended with three straight losses against Robert Whittaker, Derek Brunson, and current middleweight champ Dricus Du Plessis.

    The 10-0 Fury, meanwhile — the half-brother of former WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury — will be fighting after being inactive throughout 2024. “”TNT” handed Jake Paul his sole boxing loss in February 2023 before a decision win over KSI eight months later.

  • ‘As Impressive As Jake Paul’s Win Over Mike Tyson’ – Fans React As Jon Jones Sends Stipe Miocic Into Retirement With UFC 309 Finish

    ‘As Impressive As Jake Paul’s Win Over Mike Tyson’ – Fans React As Jon Jones Sends Stipe Miocic Into Retirement With UFC 309 Finish

    The UFC’s GOAT battle ended with Jones adding another name to his long list of fallen opponents, as he finished Stipe Miocic to retain the UFC heavyweight championship in the main event of UFC 309 at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

    Jones had a strong start after a feeling out process to start the fight, scoring a takedown a couple of minutes into the round and landing some brutal elbows that could have finished the outing.

    The Rochester native seemed to take the second frame off but still landed the better shots. He then finished off Miocic in the third with a brutal spinning kick to the body.

    Miocic announced his retirement from MMA after the fight. Jones, meanwhile, did not commit to calling it quits, but stated he’d have to do some negotiating with Dana White and Hunter Campbell before signing on for a fight with either interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall or light heavyweight kingpin Alex Pereira.

    Jon Jones Puts Stipe Miocic Into Retirement With Third-Round Finish To Retain Heavyweight Title At UFC 309

    Jones and Miocic were originally set to clash at last year’s Madison Square Garden event, UFC 295, before Jones tore his pec.

    This marked his first defense of the UFC heavyweight title since winning the then-vacant belt with a submission of Ciryl Gane at UFC 285.

    Meanwhile, Saturday’s headliner was Miocic’s first fight since losing the heavyweight title to Francis Ngannou at UFC 260 in March 2021.

  • ‘Khamzat Kills Bo’ – Fans React As Bo Nickal’s UFC 309 Decision Over Paul Craig Draws ‘Overrated’ Chants Inside MSG

    ‘Khamzat Kills Bo’ – Fans React As Bo Nickal’s UFC 309 Decision Over Paul Craig Draws ‘Overrated’ Chants Inside MSG

    New Yorkers are unafraid to show their honest opinions, and that resulted in a harsh reaction toward Bo Nickal as he took a decision win over Paul Craig at UFC 309.

    The fight was ultimately quiet throughout the 15 minutes. The first round could have fallen either way, as Nickal looked to stand in front of Craig and land low kicks. “Bearjew,” however, checked those and landed kicks of his own.

    The second frame saw the American wrestler land the harder strikes, though the round felt quieter than the first. The third stanza saw Nickal stun Craig on a couple of occasions but not follow up on it. That round also saw a brutal reaction from the MSG crowd, bringing down boos and chants of “Overrated!”

    The undefeated prospect ultimately swept the judges’ scorecards for the win.

    Bo Nickal Gets Booed By MSG Crowd As He Defeats Paul Craig At UFC 309

    https://twitter.com/BackPackCamX/status/1858010989452525718

    This marked Nickal’s fourth bout in the UFC after winning a pair of fights on Dana White’s Contender Series. His run in the Octagon thus far has seen him score finishes of Jamie Pickett, Val Woodburn, and Cody Brundage.

    Craig, meanwhile, has now lost three straight and five of his last six.

  • VIDEO: Marcin Tybura Bloodies Jhonata Diniz With Elbows To End His Undefeated Streak At UFC 309

    VIDEO: Marcin Tybura Bloodies Jhonata Diniz With Elbows To End His Undefeated Streak At UFC 309

    The experience of Marcin Tybura ultimately proved to be too much for Jhonata Diniz at Saturday’s UFC 309 pay-per-view, as the veteran heavyweight took the victory following a doctor’s stoppage after two rounds.

    The previously undefeated prospect had a strong start when he appeared to catch Tybura in the opening seconds of the fight, stunning him. The fight ended up going to the ground, where Diniz tried to work and get the finish. A leg-lock submission attempt, however, saw the Polish contender end his offensive attack and take top control for the remainder of the round.

    Tybura brought even more intensity with seconds left in the second frame, working his way into full mount and landing some nasty elbows that busted Diniz wide open.

    The doctor would not allow Diniz to continue into the third round, forcing the TKO win.

    Marcin Tybura Brutally Causes Doctor’s Stoppage In Win Over Jhonata Diniz At UFC 309

    https://twitter.com/Haduuuucken/status/1857958864299143246

    Tybura has won two of four and four of his last six now.

    Meanwhile, this marked Diniz’s first loss in professional MMA. He and Derrick Lewis were scheduled to face off at UFC Edmonton earlier this month before Lewis was pulled from the card one day before the event.

    Prior to tonight, Diniz, an alumnus of Dana White’s Contender Series, defeated Austen Lane and Karl Williams in the Octagon.

  • Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders Canceled Due To Medical Issue Hours Before UFC 309 Clash

    Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders Canceled Due To Medical Issue Hours Before UFC 309 Clash

    Chris Weidman’s return to New York at UFC 309, which some anticipated to be a potential retirement fight, will now not take place.

    Just hours before he and Eryk Anders were scheduled to make the walk for their fight on the preliminary card at Madison Square Garden, Anders was forced out of the bout with a medical issue, per an announcement at the start of the early prelim broadcast.

    The reports of the fight’s cancelation were first reported on X by users @TheMMAFoo and @MagicM_MMABets.

    Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders Scrapped From UFC 309 At Last Minute

    This was to be Weidman’s first fight in New York since being knocked out by Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza at UFC 230.

    Weidman is 1-1 in his comeback from his horrific leg break against Uriah Hall at UFC 261. His retirement bout was not confirmed, but plenty of pundits and fans expected the former middleweight champion to potentially call time on his career after tonight’s bout.

    Anders, meanwhile, last fought in March, defeating Jamie Pickett.

    As a result of the cancellation, the preliminary card start time has been pushed back to 6:30pm ET.

  • Mike Tyson Issues First Statement On Jake Paul Loss: ‘I Almost Died In June’

    Mike Tyson Issues First Statement On Jake Paul Loss: ‘I Almost Died In June’

    Mike Tyson has come out with his first remarks since losing to Jake Paul in the main event of their card at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas less than 24 hours ago.

    “Iron Mike” was not knocked down during the fight but was significantly slow and tired as the fight went on. The 58-year-old, who was competing in his first sanctioned professional boxing outing since 2005, lost to the younger Paul brother via unanimous decision.

    That said, in his statement released on social media, the heavyweight great expressed having no regrets for entering the ring at his age.

    Tyson, in fact, considered his performance a moral victory, given the circumstances of his health from this past summer. On May 31, Tyson suffered an ulcer flare up on an airplane. The former champion revealed in the statement that he almost died, having had multiple blood transfusions and losing about 25 pounds.

    Mike Tyson Releases Statement Declaring Victory In Defeat

    “To have my children see me stand toe to toe and finish 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboy stadium is an experience that no man has the right to ask for,” Tyson said in the statement.

    Tyson came out strong on the front foot in the opening round, bringing out that aggressive style he was known for over the course of his career.

    But “Iron Mike” slowed from the second round on, as Paul worked him over with combinations and landed at will. Though the heavyweight legend showed defense, he had landed less than 20 punches by the time the final round came.

    Paul, during the event’s post-fight press conference, said he carried the veteran when he realized midway through the fight how drained he appeared, stating he “didn’t want to hurt someone that wasn’t able to do much.”

    Paul responded to Tyson’s statement, praising him for his legendary status in the sport and thanking him for the opportunity to fight.

    Paul has now won five straight since his loss to Tommy Fury.

    Paul has teased an announcement soon, but it is unknown what could be in hold for his next fight.

  • Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Garry Official For UFC 310, Colby Covington Fills vs. Buckley

    Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Ian Garry Official For UFC 310, Colby Covington Fills vs. Buckley

    After a toe infection to Belal Muhammad forced the UFC welterweight champion out of UFC 310, the Dec. 7 card now has an answer to who will be headlining.

    Per an announcement from UFC CEO Dana White that dropped during Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson, intended title challenger Shavkat Rakhmonov will no longer be competing in the main event of UFC 310.

    Tha Kazakh star has instead been moved to the co-main event slot and will face fellow undefeated contender Ian Garry in a five-round, non-title fight.

    The UFC flyweight championship match between champion Alexandre Pantoja and his latest challenger, debutant Kai Asakura, has been promoted to the new UFC 310 main event.

    Furthermore, as a result of Garry competing at UFC 310, Colby Covington will be filling in for him in the UFC Tampa main event on Dec. 14 against the Irishman’s originally booked opponent, Joaquin Buckley.

    Garry Replaces Muhammad In UFC 310 Bout vs. Rakhmonov, Pantoja vs. Asakura Promoted To Main Event

    Rakhmonov became next in line for the welterweight title after his finish of Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, as well as Muhammad’s title win against Leon Edwards at UFC 304. But “Nomad” will now have to put his shot on the line in a matchup with Garry.

    The Irish rising star has fought twice in 2024, earning decision wins over Geoff Neal in February and Michael “Venom” Page four months later.

    Garry and Covington, meanwhile, had been linked to face one another over the course of the last year due to intense hatred between the two seen across social media. “Chaos,” however, has previously stated that he does not feel “The Future” deserves a fight with him.

    Covington is also on the outside looking in of the welterweight title picture, having not fought since his own disappointing outing against Edwards at UFC 296 last year.

    Buckley, on the other hand, has won five straight, most recently knocking out “Wonderboy” at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City just last month.

  • ‘Jake Paul About To Call Out Joe Biden’ – Conor McGregor, Ryan Garcia, & Others React As Paul Comfortably Beats 58-Year-Old Mike Tyson On Netflix

    ‘Jake Paul About To Call Out Joe Biden’ – Conor McGregor, Ryan Garcia, & Others React As Paul Comfortably Beats 58-Year-Old Mike Tyson On Netflix

    Those who believed Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson would be the same old song and dance as other Jake Paul spectacles in the ring proved to be correct.

    The YouTuber-turned-boxer defeated Tyson in a one-sided decision in the main event of a card at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas.

    Tyson, in his vintage style, came out aggressive, looking to chase down the 27-year-old and flashing his power with his initial shots. Paul tried to clinch up more than once in the round, landing a key right hand.

    “El Gallo,” however, started to get into a groove over the next few rounds, working Tyson over with combinations. Paul became the fighter on the front foot when Tyson slowed down as the minutes went on. While “Iron Mike” tried to increase his pace, his younger opponent was simply faster and landed at will.

    Tyson seemed to pick things up in the seventh round, but by this point, had landed just 16 punches. And he did nothing in the eighth round to change the tide, as Paul ended up pulling off a near complete sweep on the scorecards to win a unanimous decision.

    Fighters & Fans React As Jake Paul Easily Defeats Mike Tyson

    Conor McGregor

    The fight was originally scheduled to take place in July, but the bout was postponed after Tyson suffered an ulcer flare up on a flight.

    “The Problem Child” instead face Mike Perry, defeating the bare-knuckle champion via sixth-round knockout. That was the Cleveland native’s fourth straight win since suffering the lone loss of his boxing career against Tommy Fury.

    Meanwhile, Friday’s results marked Tyson’s first professional boxing match since his loss to Kevin McBride in 2005. Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. fought in an exhibition bout in November 2020.

  • ‘Like Holloway vs. Kattar’ – Fans React To Brandon Moreno’s Masterclass Against Amir Albazi In UFC Edmonton Main Event

    ‘Like Holloway vs. Kattar’ – Fans React To Brandon Moreno’s Masterclass Against Amir Albazi In UFC Edmonton Main Event

    Anyone who tried to write off Brandon Moreno was taught a lesson in Saturday night’s UFC Edmonton main event, where the former two-time flyweight champion put a beatdown on fellow top contender Amir Albazi.

    From the get go, Moreno looked to utilize his striking to the nth degree. And it was a strong start in the first round, as he landed notable combinations and used his right hand to put Albazi on the back foot, even causing a slip at one point. “The Prince” seemed to be too patient as the fight stretched into the second frame, which saw the Mexican continue to land, land, and land some more.

    Moreno’s pacing and accuracy continued to the point where Albazi’s coaches berated him at one point, stating that he was losing every single round with brutal honesty. However, the Iraqi had no answer in the championship rounds despite his best efforts.

    “The Assassin Baby” won on all three judges’ scorecards (49-46, 50-45, 50-45) in a masterclass domination.

    Brandon Moreno Dominates Amir Albazi In UFC Edmonton Main Event

    https://twitter.com/MMAGamblingtips/status/1852915629235269778
    https://twitter.com/GuillotineGeeks/status/1852916926185410629

    Moreno vs. Albazi was originally scheduled to take place in February at UFC Mexico City, but a neck injury forced the Iraqi contender to withdraw. The home favorite ended up being defeated by Brandon Royval in the main event of that card.

    That result came in the Mexican’s first fight since dropping the UFC flyweight title to Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 290 in July 2023.

    Meanwhile, the Canada-held card this weekend was Albazi’s first loss in the Octagon and saw his six-fight win streak snapped. Albazi’s last loss prior to tonight came against Jose “Shorty” Torres in Brave CF back in April 2019.

  • ‘Imagine What Shevchenko Would Do’ – Fans React As Erin Blanchfield Outpoints Rose Namajunas At UFC Edmonton

    ‘Imagine What Shevchenko Would Do’ – Fans React As Erin Blanchfield Outpoints Rose Namajunas At UFC Edmonton

    Erin Blanchfield pulled off a reverse sweep and earned a win over another former UFC champion, defeating Rose Namajunas in the UFC Edmonton co-main event.

    Namajunas had early control of the fight, utilizing her striking over the course of the first two rounds. While Blanchfield had bright spots in the opening frame, “Thug Rose’s” striking was on complete display in the second, showing the crispness and accuracy that helped elevate her to two UFC strawweight championships previously.

    “Cold Blooded” entered tonight with the significant advantage in grappling, and that was on display in the third round. Blanchfield was able to get Namajunas to the ground and controlled the action, but the veteran wasn’t going down without a fight.

    Blanchfield was able to get her striking going in the fourth round, finding her range and landing her targets with a solid pace. Namajunas, however, battled back and used her pressure and accuracy for a strong final minute.

    The #3-ranked contender got the fight back down and controlled the action there in the final stanza, completing the 48-47 decision win on all three judges’ scorecards.

    Erin Blanchfield Pulls Off Reverse Sweep Over Rose Namajunas In UFC Edmonton Co-Main Event

    https://twitter.com/beachsand503/status/1852906606696276184

    With the result, Blanchfield rebounded from a loss to Manon Fiorot at UFC Atlantic City in March. Prior to that loss, she had been on a solid winning streak that stretched back to her days with Invicta FC. Her recent wins came against former title challenger Taila Santos and ex-strawweight champion Jéssica Andrade.

    Namajunas, meanwhile, is now 2-2 since moving up to flyweight after her second strawweight title reign came to an end. She lost to Fiorot last year in Paris but rebounded with wins over Amanda Ribas and Tracy Cortez in 2024.

  • ‘Fought Like Strickland’ – Fans React As Mike Malott Bounces Back From Magny Loss In Lackluster UFC Edmonton Fight

    ‘Fought Like Strickland’ – Fans React As Mike Malott Bounces Back From Magny Loss In Lackluster UFC Edmonton Fight

    After his winning streak was snapped in his last outing, Mike Malott is now back in the green column after getting the better of Trevin Giles as part of the UFC Edmonton main card.

    The first round didn’t bring a lot of activity, with Malott controlling the action. The Canadian continued to control the action in the second, picking up his pacing toward the end. Giles, meanwhile, seemed to be unable or unwilling to pull the trigger.

    “Proper” had a notable kick-based attack in the third round, doing damage to Giles’ body and legs. The American, however, did land some significant shots that busted up Malott’s face some.

    Ultimately, the home favorite took a decision, sweeping the scorecards after three rounds of action that failed to impress the MMA masses.

    Mike Malott Rebounds With Decision Over Trevin Giles At UFC Edmonton

    https://twitter.com/StephBoyarthree/status/1852870454048096350?t=Ctktzb92AeQkD0I7sR4JPA&s=19
    https://twitter.com/WillNilgesMMA/status/1852872323784675736?t=MkNbmbTML6Ga6ie4To_88A&s=19

    After entering the UFC with a win over Shimon Smotritsky on Dana White’s Contender Series, Malott earned victories against Mickey Gall, Yohan Lainesse, and Adam Fugitt before a loss to Neil Magny at UFC 297.

    Giles, meanwhile, has now lost three straight fights.

  • VIDEO: Youssef Zalal Sets Up Club & Sub With Brutal Knee At UFC Edmonton

    VIDEO: Youssef Zalal Sets Up Club & Sub With Brutal Knee At UFC Edmonton

    Youssef Zalal is definitely a name to look out for moving forward after he racked up a third straight finish courtesy of a submission during the UFC Edmonton preliminary card.

    The first round between Zalal and Welsh standout Jack Shore was close, with the latter having the better quality action. The Moroccan, however, had more control time that prevented Shore from mounting additional attacks.

    Things quickly came to an end early in the second round when Zalal landed a perfectly timed knee that dropped Shore. “The Moroccan Devil| followed his stricken opponent to the mat and delivered some strong ground-and-pound before locking up an arm-triangle choke that scored the tap.

    Youssef Zalal Earns Third Straight Submission With Victory Over Jack Shore At UFC Edmonton

    The result marked Zalal’s third straight submission, all coming this year, after he defeated Billy Quarantillo in March and Jarno Errens in August.

    Meanwhile, after starting his career 16-0, former bantamweight Shore has now lost three of his last four Octagon outings.

  • VIDEO: Highlights As Michael ‘Venom’ Page Beats Carlos Condit In Polaris Grappling Match

    VIDEO: Highlights As Michael ‘Venom’ Page Beats Carlos Condit In Polaris Grappling Match

    Michael “Venom” Page and Carlos Condit were back in action tonight, but it wasn’t in a cage that they competed in.

    The two faced off as the featured match at Polaris 30 in London, England with “MVP” coming out on top against the former interim UFC welterweight champion.

    After the Brit comically feinting a jab to start off the grappling match, the two felt each other out before Page stopped a Condit takedown attempt, ending up on top after the first minute.

    The currently ranked UFC welterweight contender looked to score a takedown of his own about a minute later, but both men went out of bounds.

    He did, however, score a highlight by getting behind Condit and landing a flashy takedown with just under six minutes left.

    Michael ‘Venom’ Page Scores Takedown, Defeats Carlos Condit At Polaris 30

    With less than four minutes to go, Condit looked to go after Page’s leg and looked for a submission, but “Venom” fought it well.

    The former Bellator title challenger was able to prevent another takedown attempt from Condit not long after and held his own for the remaining competitive couple of minutes en route to scoring the decision win.

  • Max Holloway Reaches Definitive Decision On His Next Step After UFC 308 Title Loss

    Max Holloway Reaches Definitive Decision On His Next Step After UFC 308 Title Loss

    There has been plenty of speculation on what Max Holloway’s next move will be following his loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 308. And now, Holloway has revealed his decision — and it’s speculation that most expected.

    In a new video on his YouTube channel, the former 145-pound kingpin officially confirmed his decision to move up to lightweight.

    “155 (pounds) here we come, and 155 is where I want to stay,” Holloway said. “This is a new chapter. This is where we start. This is where we begin. I cannot wait.”

    Max Holloway Announces Move To Lightweight, Doubts He’ll Compete At Featherweight Ever Again

    While Holloway’s boxing was on full display in his bout with Topuria, the champ’s aggressiveness and power led him to become the first fighter to knock “Blessed” out. The Hawaiian is neither holding any negative feelings nor making excuses, knowing how long he’s been at the top at 145 pounds.

    It was Holloway’s third unsuccessful challenge to regain the featherweight strap after already losing twice in rematches with the man who snatched the belt from him at UFC 245 in 2019, Alexander Volkanovski.

    Volkanovski and Topuria are the only fighters to have beaten Holloway since his long featherweight winning streak that ran between 2013 and 2019. However, with Holloway likely far from another featherweight title shot, the logical choice is to move up.

    “I can honestly look you guys in the eye and tell you guys, I’m probably not ever going back to ’45,” Holloway said. “I love what I did. I did what I did. I did what I had to do there. I worked my way back, I clawed my back to the championship fight multiple times there. I was a champion. I defended at that weight.

    “Now it’s time to move on to the next chapter, and (at) 155 there’s a bunch of fun fights that I cannot wait to take.”

    Holloway’s decision now opens up a variety of potential options for opponents, including Charles Oliveira, Michael Chandler, Dan Hooker and champion Islam Makhachev. Rematches with Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier — who is expected to retire after one or two more fights in 2025 — are in the mix as well.

    “Blessed” has fought twice at lightweight previously, losing to Poirier in an interim title match at UFC 236 and famously defeating Gaethje for the BMF title at UFC 300 earlier this year.

  • Max Holloway Addresses His Future After Suffering First Knockout At UFC 308

    Max Holloway Addresses His Future After Suffering First Knockout At UFC 308

    Though he had a strong performance against Ilia Topuria, Max Holloway’s efforts were not enough. He was knocked out for the first time in his professional career as Ilia Topuria retained the featherweight championship in the main event of UFC 308.

    Holloway appeared to be performing well, getting into his groove late in the first round and trying to keep distance to land counterstrikes and combinations. But the former champ was caught in the third round, eating a flurry and being dropped by a right hand.

    “It is what it is, I felt good,” Holloway said during his UFC 308 post-fight press conference. “Showing off my hands, I was landing, I was being fast, I think I had him surprised in there. Like I said, I was doing good until I wasn’t.

    “Game of inches. He landed something that I found myself looking up from the ground.”

    Max Holloway Mulling Over Potential Full-Time Move To Lightweight After UFC 308 Setback

    Holloway originally became undisputed featherweight champion with a TKO of José Aldo at UFC 212. He retained the title against the Brazilian legend, Brian Ortega, and Frankie Edgar before losing to Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 245.

    Since then, Holloway has rematched Volkanovski for the title twice, losing both times. UFC 308 marked the third time “Blessed” has unsuccessfully attempted to win back the 145-pound UFC gold. However, those are his only losses at the weight class since becoming the champion.

    So what could be next for Holloway? He isn’t ruling out, and is even thinking hard about, a potential move up in weight class given the potential fights that could happen there. But the Hawaiian said he’s not looking to fight again until the middle of 2025, and so there is time to think things over in full.

    “We’ll sit down with the team, relax, there’s nothing needed to be rushing back right now,” Holloway said. “[I’ll] probably try to come back summer, big July card in Vegas, do something, see what happens. [Lightweight] looks really good right now.

    “I had a couple of times to reclaim [the featherweight title], new guys coming up, that would be fun, but I think ’55 looks more fun…”

    Holloway earned the title shot against Topuria through his famed knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 earlier this year, which gave him the BMF belt.

    “Blessed” fought at lightweight in the UFC just once prior to that, losing an interim title fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 236.

  • Robert Whittaker Issues First Statement On Brutal Submission Loss To Khamzat Chimaev

    Robert Whittaker Issues First Statement On Brutal Submission Loss To Khamzat Chimaev

    UFC 308 proved to be a night to forget for Robert Whittaker, as he lost to Khamzat Chimaev in the evening’s co-main event and suffered a gruesome injury in the process.

    Chimaev was easily able to take Whittaker down and maintained complete control, never letting the former champion get out of his grasp for most of the fight. “Borz” landed a devastating elbow on Whittaker before locking in a face crank, which saw the Australian tap almost immediately.

    During the UFC 308 commentary team’s wrap-up at the end of the pay-per-view, Daniel Cormier displayed a graphic image of the hold’s aftermath, showing Whittaker’s front teeth damaged and sparking fears of a jaw fracture.

    Whittaker took to social media early on Oct. 27 to release a statement following the loss.

    Robert Whittaker Says His Jaw ‘Is Good’ Following UFC 308 Loss To Khamzat Chimaev

    https://twitter.com/acdmma_/status/1850479744732594223

    With the win, Chimaev improved to 14-0 in his career, including an 8-0 Octagon record. It was his first win since his triumph over Kamaru Usman one year ago.

    Whittaker and Chimaev were originally supposed to fight in June before the latter withdrew due to illness. “The Reaper” defeated short-notice replacement Ikram Aliskerov on that card in Saudi Arabia.

    Chimaev became just the third person to defeat Whittaker at 185 pounds since the former champ moved up to middleweight about a decade ago. The other two are names that have also gone on to win the UFC middleweight belt — former two-time champ Israel Adesanya and current kingpin Dricus Du Plessis.

  • PHOTO: Robert Whittaker Shows Gruesome Injury From Khamzat Chimaev Face Crank At UFC 308 (GRAPHIC)

    PHOTO: Robert Whittaker Shows Gruesome Injury From Khamzat Chimaev Face Crank At UFC 308 (GRAPHIC)

    The MMA world was taken aback with how easily Khamzat Chimaev defeated Robert Whittaker in the co-main event of UFC 308, namely pointing to how quick the former champion tapped as Chimaev was locking in a face crank.

    The commentary team suggested that the Australian may have suffered a dislocated jaw — and the results from the crank ended up being as damaging as some have feared.

    During the commentary team’s wrap-up segment, Cormier showed a picture on his phone that showed Whittaker’s front teeth crushed. He also confirmed that Whittaker’s jaw was indeed fractured by Chimaev’s submission hold.

    https://twitter.com/jaypettry/status/1850283116423962941

    Robert Whittaker’s Teeth Crushed, Jaw Fractured As A Result Of Khamzat Chimaev’s Face Crank

    Chimaev was easily able to take down his opponent mere seconds into their fight, having complete control in the exchanges on the ground and dominant grappling position up to the submission.

    “Borz” improved to 14-0 after a year-long layoff, with an 8-0 UFC record since his promotional debut in 2020. His fight with the Aussie was originally supposed to take place at the inaugural UFC card in Saudi Arabia this past June before Chimaev fell violently ill.

    The Chechen-born UAE resident also became just the third man to defeat (and finish) Whittaker since “The Reaper” moved up to 185 pounds about a decade ago. The only two other men to accomplish that is current UFC Middleweight hampion Dricus Du Plessis and former two-time titleholder Israel Adesanya.

    Chimaev’s performance gives speculation as to if he will now be next to challenge “Stillknocks.”

  • ‘Scariest 145er Of All Time’ – Fans, Fighters React As Ilia Topuria Becomes First To KO Max Holloway At UFC 308

    ‘Scariest 145er Of All Time’ – Fans, Fighters React As Ilia Topuria Becomes First To KO Max Holloway At UFC 308

    Ilia Topuria may have picked up more believers and fans with his successful title defense against Max Holloway in a wild fight that saw the champion become the first man in MMA history to knock out “Blessed.”

    After Holloway refused his offer to throw down in the center of the Octagon right away, Topuria managed to be patient and connected on several key combinations that busted up the former champ’s nose.

    “El Matador” also scored a pair of takedowns on Holloway in the first five minutes and landed a number of leg kicks. “Blessed,” however, brought out his usual volume and found his groove late in the round, forming a mousse around one of Topuria’s eyes — in addition to leg kicks of his own.

    The Spaniard continued to bring his power punching in the second round, looking to get inside, while Holloway looked to keep his distance and catch the reigning titleholder coming in.

    Topuria, however, brought things to an end in the third round with a cracking right hand that rocked Holloway. While the 32-year-old legend got away from the first flurry, he was dropped by a left hook in the second round before some ground-and-pounded finished the fight.

    Ilia Topuria Scores Third-Round KO Of Max Holloway To Cap Off UFC 308

    Topuria was 8-0 in the UFC and 15-0 in MMA entering tonight’s bout. This was his first fight as UFC featherweight champion after knocking out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 in February.

    Holloway, meanwhile, became interim UFC featherweight champion at UFC 206 with a win over Anthony Pettis before defeating José Aldo at UFC 212 to become undisputed champion. He defended the title successfully against Aldo, Brian Ortega, and Frankie Edgar. “Blessed” lost the title at UFC 245 to Alexander Volkanovski, with the Australian being the only one at 145 pounds to defeat Holloway since his five-year unbeaten streak between 2014 and 2019.

    The Hawaiian had won his last three fights and five of his last six, including his last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 earlier this year to win the BMF title.

  • ‘Ain’t Beating Pereira’ – Fans React As Magomed Ankalaev Outpoints Aleksandar Rakić At UFC 308

    ‘Ain’t Beating Pereira’ – Fans React As Magomed Ankalaev Outpoints Aleksandar Rakić At UFC 308

    Is Magomed Ankalaev next in line to face Alex Pereira for the light heavyweight title? That’s what the question is following his victory over Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 308.

    The first round saw plenty of leg kick trading, with Rakić using his attacks to pile on damage to Ankalaev’s lower body. The Russian, however, slowly found success with the left hand, and that extended into the second round. In another close round, Ankalaev’s left hand proved to be a powerful weapon, with “Rocket” seemingly troubled by its attack toward his body.

    Ankalaev continued to find success, while Rakić sought for a takedown in the third round and hoped to play things safe — after his corner controversially told him he was up two rounds.

    The Austrian’s team may have been shocked (unlike plenty of others) then to find out the judges all gave 29-28 nods to Ankalaev.

    Magomed Ankalev Gets Decision Win At UFC 308, Tells Alex Pereira To ‘Stop Running’

    https://twitter.com/ElonovMMA/status/1850263439480111541
    https://twitter.com/ElonovMMA/status/1850262537285390678

    The top contender is unbeaten since dropping his UFC debut in 2018. He came into this fight off a brutal knockout of Johnny Walker in January.

    Rakić, meanwhile, has now lost three straight, which also includes a TKO loss to former champion Jiří Procházka at UFC 300.

  • ‘Coolest F**king Dagestani’ – Fans React As Shara Magomedov Lands Crazy Double Spinning Backfist KO At UFC 308

    ‘Coolest F**king Dagestani’ – Fans React As Shara Magomedov Lands Crazy Double Spinning Backfist KO At UFC 308

    In what may have been a historic finish, Shara Magomedov landed a double spinning backfist en route to scoring a finish of Armen Petrosyan to kick off the main card for UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi.

    Magomedov actually found himself in trouble early on, as Petrosyan landed a number of rocking blows that hurt the Dagestani in the opening round. “Bullet,” however, managed to battle back and land several low kicks as he took control of the fight.

    In the closing seconds of the second round, Magomedov managed to land a short spinning backfist before spinning right back around and landing another with the opposite hand, dropping Petrosyan to the mat for a walk-off TKO.

    Shara Magomedov Pulls Off Highlight Double Spinning Backfist Finish At UFC 308

    https://twitter.com/MMAPauli/status/1850244615053381935

    Magomedov is now 4-0 in the UFC and is unbeaten in MMA at 15-0. The Russian already defeated Antonio Trócoli and Michał Oleksiejczuk this past summer.

    Petrosyan, meanwhile, has now lost two straight fights and three of his last five.

  • VIDEO: Chris Barnett Stopped In UFC 308 Return After Injuring Leg During Bruce Buffer’s Intro

    VIDEO: Chris Barnett Stopped In UFC 308 Return After Injuring Leg During Bruce Buffer’s Intro

    Chris Barnett’s first UFC fight in two years ended in rough fashion — in more than one way — as he was stopped by Kennedy Nzechukwu during the UFC 308 prelims.

    Nzechukwu tried to come out on the front foot and bring the pressure as the two traded low kicks. “African Savage” got the better of their exchanges, though his opponent looked to catch him coming in — and he did with a couple of solid right overhands.

    Nzechukwu continued his kick-based attack, landing a number of low kicks and front kicks to the stomach. Barnett appeared to be stumbling late in the round with a leg injury while trying to defend against Nzechukwu’s attack. A pair of knees (one to the liver) mixed in with a flurry of fists later, and Nzechuwku was able to secure the first-round finish.

    Upon review of Barnett’s motions during Bruce Buffer’s introduction, it appeared that he hurt himself on a jump, bringing back memories of when Brian Ortega hurt himself prior to his rematch with Yair Rodríguez in February.

    https://twitter.com/Haduuuucken/status/1850205142257152384

    Barnett could be seen after the fight on the edge of the Octagon steps, still writhing in pain.

    This was the heavyweight debut for “African Savage” following back-to-back losses to Dustin Jacoby and Ovince Saint Preux at light heavyweight.

    Barnett, meanwhile, took this fight on short notice, replacing an injured Justin Tafa. It was the fan favorite’s first fight since defeating Jake Collier at UFC 279.

  • ‘2024 Beatdown Of The Year’ – Fans React As Anthony Hernandez Dominates Michel Pereira In UFC Fight Night Main Event

    ‘2024 Beatdown Of The Year’ – Fans React As Anthony Hernandez Dominates Michel Pereira In UFC Fight Night Main Event

    “Fluffy” has made a statement in a brutal manner, as Anthony Hernandez put a beating on Michel Pereira in the middleweight main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night.

    The first round ultimately proved to be a close one, with both men having their moments. Pereira made Hernandez take on barrages of shots, but the American was able to survive and adjust, scoring takedowns and having the momentum at the end of the round.

    “Demolidor” came out strong in the first 30 seconds of the second round, but his foe was able to bring relentless pressure throughout the rest of the round. “Fluffy” got Pereira in trouble with a pair of submission attempts and nearly finished the fight with striking on the ground.

    Hernandez brought the fight back to the ground in the third and seemed to just have his way with him, with Pereira offering up no defense or answer to his positioning and attacks. This continued into the fourth before Hernandez bloodied up the Brazilian in the fifth, forcing a stoppage approximately halfway through the round.

    Anthony Hernandez Batters Michel Pereira In One-Sided UFC Fight Night Main Event

    Hernandez came into this fight on a five-fight win streak. Prior to tonight, he had most recently finished Roman Kopylov at UFC 298 this past February.

    Pereira, meanwhile, entered this fight on a solid eight-fight win streak with victories over the likes of Michał Oleksiejczuk, Andre Petroski, Santiago Ponzinibbio and, most recently at UFC 301, Ihor Potieria.

  • ‘Looked Like A Brand New Fighter’ – Fans React As Rob Font Snaps Losing Skid In UFC Fight Night Co-Headliner

    ‘Looked Like A Brand New Fighter’ – Fans React As Rob Font Snaps Losing Skid In UFC Fight Night Co-Headliner

    Though it’s been a tough go for Rob Font as of late, he looked sharp in the final two rounds of his clash with Kyler Phillips in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Pereira, winning via decision.

    Phillips brought the fight to the ground in less than 20 seconds, with Font offering little in the way of defense as his opponent worked in side control. The longtime contender was finally able to get away from Phillips’ pressure in the final minute of the round. He chased after his own takedown attempt but wasn’t able to secure it.

    The #10-ranked contender was able to answer back in the second round, bringing pressure and making the most of his expert-level boxing to trouble Phillips. Font then continued to work over a tired Phillips in the third round with the same approach, going on to earn a unanimous decision win.

    Rob Font Outpoints Kyler Phillips In UFC Fight Night Co-Main Event

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    https://twitter.com/ProchazkaSzn/status/1847809711585874048

    Font lost four of his last five fights entering tonight’s contest. This was his first appearance since the UFC event in Austin last December, where he dropped a decision to Deiveson Figueiredo.

    Phillips, meanwhile, had won six of his seven UFC fights prior to tonight. He defeated Pedro Munhoz earlier this year at UFC 299 to climb to #12 at 135 pounds.