MMA News

Author: Thomas Albano

  • Ilia Topuria’s Custom Shorts For UFC 308 Get Rave Reviews

    Ilia Topuria is looking to make a statement when he does battle with Max Holloway at UFC 308 next weekend. But he already appears set to be making one with what he will be wearing to the cage!

    Topuria’s custom-made fight shorts for the event have been revealed in a post on social media by the @ClubDeLasMMA account.

    The shorts are red with the designs in the championship gold that include a bull — a reference to Topuria’s nationality and “El Matador” nickname — the Venum snake, a sun and more.

    The shorts’ appearance on social media brought about significant praise for its look.

    This fight will mark Topuria’s first attempt at defending the UFC featherweight championship. He won the title earlier this year at UFC 298, defeating Alexander Volkanovski.

    Holloway, meanwhile, became interim featherweight champion with a win over Anthony Pettis at UFC 206 before unifying the title with a win over then-champion José Aldo at UFC 212. “Blessed” dropped the title to Volkanovski at UFC 245.

    This fight marks Holloway’s first since his legendary encounter with Justin Gaethje at UFC 300, where he scored a last-second knockout to win the BMF title.

  • Dustin Poirier Teases ‘Fight News’ Ahead Of Likely UFC Farewell

    Dustin Poirier Teases ‘Fight News’ Ahead Of Likely UFC Farewell

    Dustin Poirier’s final walk to the Octagon is incoming.

    According to “The Diamond” himself on social media, an announcement for his next fight should be coming at some point in the near future. This bout is expected to ultimately serve as the last of his memorable career.

    “Fight News Coming,” Poirier wrote on X.

    There were thoughts that Poirier’s UFC lightweight title showdown with Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 earlier this year, which ended in a submission loss for Poirier, would be his final fight. The Louisianan, however, ultimately decided to go for one final walk to the cage.

    Dustin Poirier Teases News On Final UFC Fight

    Poirier made his professional MMA debut in 2009, winning seven straight before dropping his WEC debut. He rebounded in his next fight with the promotion before joining the UFC when the two promotions merged. “The Diamond” made his Octagon debut with a win over Josh Grispi at UFC 125.

    While he started his UFC career at featherweight, going on an 8-3 run that included a win over a young, debuting Max Holloway and losses to the likes of “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung-Jung, Cub Swanson, and Conor McGregor, he then moved up to lightweight in 2015.

    At 155 pounds, Poirier went 8-1 (1 NC) before defeating Holloway at UFC 236 to win the interim UFC lightweight championship. He later lost his title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242.

    “The Diamond” then pulled off a come-from-behind win against Dan Hooker and scored a pair of wins against McGregor on pay-per-view in 2021.

    Including the loss to Makhachev, Poirier has gone 2-3 since the wins over McGregor, which also includes unsuccessful title shots against Charles Oliveira (lightweight, at UFC 269) and Justin Gaethje (BMF, at UFC 291).

  • Dan Hooker Reacts To Conor McGregor Naming Him As UFC Return Opponent

    Dan Hooker Reacts To Conor McGregor Naming Him As UFC Return Opponent

    Though Conor McGregor’s newest claims for his return matchup came out of the blue, Dan Hooker says he’s down for a fight.

    While in Spain for the latest BKFC event, Conor McGregor — the BKFC part-owner and former two-division UFC champion — revealed the latest update he has on his return to the Octagon. McGregor told Bloody Elbow that his plan is to return on February 1 in Saudi Arabia, with the opponent now being Dan Hooker, not Michael Chandler.

    Hooker was also present in Spain as one of the cornermen for The Mac Life’s Oscar Willis in his first-round TKO of Ben Davis in a battle of MMA media members. McGregor and Hooker were seen having a conversation in the ring following the fight.

    During an appearance on Submission Radio, Hooker was asked about the exchange and McGregor’s remarks that the two are going to fight next. The #5-ranked UFC lightweight claimed he’s in as long as the UFC gives the green light.

    “We had a few words inside the ring,” Hooker said. “But, yeah, February 1 works for me. We’ll get that thing straight away.

    “I’m on board, he’s on board. We just need to get the UFC on board and we’ll get this thing across the line.”

    Dan Hooker Interested In Conor McGregor’s Plan For Fight In Saudi Arabia Next February

    As far as their conversation in the middle of the ring, Hooker says the two had a casual talk and get along well.

    “We’re kindred spirits, as you can see,” Hooker said. “We get along quite well. I think we’re both very similar. There’s a lot of similarities there.”

    McGregor’s comeback was scheduled to take place at UFC 303 earlier this year before he withdrew due to a toe injury. He and Chandler had been slated to fight ever since the two were announced to be the coaches for The Ultimate Fighter season 31 in 2023

    Last month, it was announced that Chandler would instead face Charles Oliveira in a five-round rematch slated to co-headline UFC 309 on Nov. 16 at New York’s Madison Square Garden. “Iron” has been out of action since a loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 281 in November 2022.

    UFC CEO Dana White had assured that a fight between McGregor and Chandler could still happen down the line.

    McGregor has previously stated he wants to fight twice in 2025. The Irishman has two bouts remaining on his UFC deal, with some insiders attributing the delays of McGregor’s long-awaited return to the promotion wanting to prevent McGregor from hitting free agency.

    The former 145- and 155-pound champion has not fought since his loss to Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.

  • ‘New Mythical Fighter: Round 5 Royval’ – Fans & Fighters React As Brandon Royval Edges Out Tatsuro Taira In Crazy UFC Fight Night Main Event

    ‘New Mythical Fighter: Round 5 Royval’ – Fans & Fighters React As Brandon Royval Edges Out Tatsuro Taira In Crazy UFC Fight Night Main Event

    A highly anticipated UFC Fight Night main event between Brandon Royval and Tatsuro Taira lived up to the hype and then some. And after five rounds of back-and-forth, hard-fought action, Royval ultimately came out on top in a split decision.

    Royval appeared to be getting the better of Taira through most of the first round, landing shots that snapped Taira’s head back. The Japanese fighter, however, appeared to possibly stun the former title challenger late in the round and scored a takedown before its conclusion.

    Taira got back to work in the second round, scoring a takedown early and looking for multiple submission attempts from the back. Royval defended well, but Taira maintained a body triangle and twisted “Raw Dawg” and his limbs on more than one occasion.

    Royval, however, got control back by tagging Taira with a number of hard shots, which had referee Jason Herzog looking close to intervening for the TKO stoppage. The #1-ranked contender went to the ground with Taira and looked for an armbar. However, Taira got out of it and got right back to Royval’s back, looking for a rear-naked choke in the round’s closing seconds.

    Taira brought the fight back to the ground and was in control for nearly the whole of the fourth stanza, riding in top position and working Royval over with his grappling. This led to a suspenseful and highly anticipated final round.

    Royval was getting the better of Taira on the feet, but the latter brought the fight back to the mat. “Raw Dawg,” however, worked his way back to the feet and landed some strong shots. Royval then went for a guillotine and several other submission attempts, staying in control on the ground until the final horn.

    Royval Wins Competitive, Entertaining Flyweight Main Event vs. Taira, Ends Taira’s Undefeated Record

    Royval has now won five of his last six fights, with his sole loss in that span coming from an unsuccessful challenge of flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 296 last December

    Meanwhile, the loss marks the first of Taira’s professional career after starting his Octagon tenure at 6-0.

  • ‘Split Decision Is Insane’ – Fans React As JunYong Park Overcomes Knockdown To Outpoint Brad Tavares In UFC Fight Night Co-Headliner

    ‘Split Decision Is Insane’ – Fans React As JunYong Park Overcomes Knockdown To Outpoint Brad Tavares In UFC Fight Night Co-Headliner

    JunYong Park continued his upward momentum and scored another win in the Octagon, defeating Brad Tavares in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Taira.

    Park and Tavares battled closely in the first round, with the former attempting to pressure and walk down his veteran opponent. Tavares, however, took the frame by landing solid shots, including a 1-2 that dropped Park.

    The South Korean survived to the horn, however, and he and Tavares managed to both land hard on each other during the second frame. Park continued to land at will and did more damage in the final round.

    One judge controversially scored the fight 29-28 for Tavares, but the other two awarded their 29-28 scores to Park for a split decision win.

    JunYong Park Edges Out Brad Tavares On Scorecards In UFC Fight Night Co-Main Event

    The result saw Park rebound from a loss to André Muniz at the end of last year. He’s won five of his last six and is now 8-3 in the Octagon.

    Tavares, meanwhile, has now lost back-to-back fights and four of his last five.

  • ‘If This Is True…’ – Fans React As Conor McGregor Names New Opponent, Date, Location For His UFC Comeback

    ‘If This Is True…’ – Fans React As Conor McGregor Names New Opponent, Date, Location For His UFC Comeback

    Surprise, surprise, The King…is making claims of another new date and place for a comeback. But if it happens, is there a change in plans for his opponent?

    In an interview with Bloody Elbow while in Marbella for Saturday’s BKFC event, Conor McGregor claimed that his long-awaited, long-delayed return to the Octagon will now come on February 1 when the UFC is scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia for its second event in the country.

    Though rumored, there is no confirmation that this event could serve as UFC 312 — just two weeks after the promotion holds UFC 311 in January as its first pay-per-view for 2025.

    What’s noteworthy about McGregor’s remarks, however, is that the opponent for such a fight would now be Dan Hooker, apparently…

    Michael Chandler had long been planned to be McGregor’s comeback opponent, stretching back to their time coaching season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023. The two were scheduled to meet at UFC 303 earlier this year before McGregor withdrew.

    Chandler has since been booked to face Charles Oliveira in the co-main event of UFC 309 on Nov. 16 — a rematch of their lightweight title fight from UFC 262 in 2021.

    Conor McGregor Claims He Will Now Face Dan Hooker In Saudi Arabia

    https://twitter.com/Lizard69Talking/status/1845259127817130149

    UFC CEO Dana White had assured that McGregor vs. Chandler was still on the table even with the latter taking the fight with Oliveira. If McGregor’s comments are true, this would be a 180 from those plans.

    The Irishman has previously claimed he wants to fight twice in 2025, which would allow him to complete his UFC contract and enter free agency. He became part-owner of BKFC earlier this year.

    McGregor has not fought since his UFC 264 loss to Dustin Poirier in their July 2021 trilogy fight. Hooker, meanwhile, defeated Mateusz Gamrot in upset fashion at UFC 305 in August to return to the top five at 155 pounds.

  • ‘Judges Again’ – MMA Fighters React To Controversial Result In Classic Between Artur Beterbiev & Dmitry Bivol

    ‘Judges Again’ – MMA Fighters React To Controversial Result In Classic Between Artur Beterbiev & Dmitry Bivol

    After a highly anticipated and closely contested battle, Artur Beterbiev can now call himself the one and only king of boxing’s light heavyweight division.

    Beterbiev defeated Dmitry Bivol to become the undisputed light heavyweight champion in the main event of a card held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 39-year-old retained the IBF, WBO, and WBC titles in this contest, in addition to capturing the WBA (Super) title held by Bivol.

    With the win, Beterbiev has become the first undisputed light heavyweight champion since Roy Jones Jr. accomplished the feat in 2000 — and the first in the four-belt era.

    Beterbiev and Bivol battered one another, with the two bringing war for the full 12 rounds that the fight lasted.

    The latter got off to a strong start over the first couple of rounds before Beterbiev picked up the pace in the third frame and turned up the pressure more in the fourth. Beterbiev continued to land power shots in the fifth round, but Bivol defended well and responded with strong combinations in the sixth.

    Both men appeared to do damage in the seventh round, with Bivol rocking Beterbiev early before Beterbiev pressured him before the round’s end. After a quieter eighth stanza, Bivol worked his counterpunching and defense well over the next two rounds. Beterbiev then brought back the pressure in the 11th before a close, competitive final round.

    Beterbiev Captures Undisputed Light Heavyweight Title With Close, Controversial Decision Over Bivol

    One judge scored the fight a draw 114-114. However, he was overruled by the other two judges with scores of 115-113 and 116-112 in Beterbiev’s favor.

    https://twitter.com/DonCaolan135/status/1845235581925683239

    This was the first time that Beterbiev did not score a KO or TKO in his professional career.

    The Russian captured the IBF light heavyweight title with a KO of Enrico Kolling in November 2017. He won the WBC title by defeating Oleksandr Gvozdyk in October 2019 and the WBO title with a win over Joe Smith Jr. in June 2022.

    Bivol, meanwhile, won the WBA (Regular) light heavyweight title with a first-round knockout of Trent Boradhurst in November 2017. He was elevated to WBA (Super) champion in October 2019.

  • VIDEO: Oscar Willis Stops Ben ‘The Bane’ Davis In Battle Of MMA Media Members At BKFC Spain

    VIDEO: Oscar Willis Stops Ben ‘The Bane’ Davis In Battle Of MMA Media Members At BKFC Spain

    Perhaps just as anticipated as the title fights at the top of the BKFC card in Marbella, Spain was the battle of MMA media members, as Oscar Willis took on Ben Davis in a lightweight bout on the main card.

    Willis ultimately took home the W via TKO after dropping “The Bane” four times in the opening round.

    Willis Drops Davis Four Times En Route To First-Round Win In BKFC MMA Media Battle

    Willis landed hard early, bringing pressure from the get-go. After two clinches, the Brit was able to get Davis near a corner and scored a knockdown. “The Bane” got up, but Willis quickly got him back to the mat.

    Another right hand brought Davis down for the third time in the round. In the closing seconds of the first frame, the American was knocked down a fourth time. Although he beat the 10 count, the referee had seen enough to wave the fight off.

    Willis, a content manager for The Mac Life — the news outlet of former two-division UFC champion and BKFC part-owner Conor McGregor — had a lone amateur MMA fight in 2022 before taking this bout.

    Davis, a commentator for Anthony Pettis’ APFC promotion, lost a grappling bout with Brad Boulton and was knocked out by Gabriel Silva in a boxing match in 2023. Earlier this year, he scored a decision win over Zuriel Rudi Ayo in Karate Combat.

  • VIDEO: Boxing Entertainer Ben Whittaker Leaves In Wheelchair After Royal Rumble-Style Incident On Beterbiev vs. Bivol Undercard

    VIDEO: Boxing Entertainer Ben Whittaker Leaves In Wheelchair After Royal Rumble-Style Incident On Beterbiev vs. Bivol Undercard

    There is concern over the condition of Ben Whittaker after his boxing match with Liam Cameron came to an end in a bizarre manner on Saturday night.

    During the fifth round of their fight — which took place on the undercard for Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — Whittaker and Cameron both managed to flip over the top rope and seemed to land hard.

    https://twitter.com/combat2747/status/1845159204656418994

    Ben Whittaker Leaves Ring In Wheelchair After He & Liam Cameron Flip Over Top Rope

    Whittaker appeared to suffer some sort of injury, potentially to one of his legs. The 2020 Olympic silver medalist was escorted from the ring in a wheelchair.

    The bout was ultimately ruled a technical split draw by the judges.

    Whittaker won the then-vacant IBF international light heavyweight title earlier this year with a win over Eworitse Ezra Arenyeka.

  • ‘That Is A Terrifying Man’ – Fans React As Alex Pereira Comes From Behind To Mangle Khalil Rountree With Strikes At UFC 307

    ‘That Is A Terrifying Man’ – Fans React As Alex Pereira Comes From Behind To Mangle Khalil Rountree With Strikes At UFC 307

    Khalil Rountree brought a challenge, but Alex Pereira managed to bring out another legendary performance — comeback style this time — as he finished the challenger to retain the UFC light heavyweight championship in the main event of UFC 307.

    Rountree got off to a strong start with his activity, landing singular shots and doing a good job of getting away from the fence. Pereira was doing work with leg kicks, but he found himself in some trouble in the second round. “The War Horse” rocked “Poatan” with a strong right hook and followed that up by landing a big head kick.

    Rountree, however, appeared to be gassed by this point. Pereira, sensing a tired out foe, picked things back up in the third frame. The Brazilian worked his jab and landed combinations, finding openings and busting up Rountree’s nose.

    Pereira’s output increased greatly in the fourth round, as he poured it on and continued to damage his challenger — to the point his nose may have been broken.

    “The War Horse” tried to survive, but with blood pouring down his rocked body, Pereira landed a combination with a pair of body shots that dropped him, bringing the fight to a stop.

    Alex Pereira Puts On Battering To Finish Khalil Rountree In Fourth Round At UFC 307

    Moving up to light heavyweight last year after his middleweight title run came to an end, Pereira captured the then-vacant championship with a win over Jiří Procházka at UFC 295. He then defended the title this year against Jamahal Hill and Procházka at UFC 300 and 303, respectively.

    Rountree, meanwhile, entered his first title challenge on a five-fight win streak. He had most recently fought in December, scoring a finish of Anthony Smith.

  • ‘Dirt Decision’ – Conor McGregor & Others Take Issue With Judges As José Aldo Falls Short At UFC 307

    ‘Dirt Decision’ – Conor McGregor & Others Take Issue With Judges As José Aldo Falls Short At UFC 307

    José Aldo came close but ultimately fell short in a decision at UFC 307, losing to Mario Bautista.

    Bautista looked to take control of the action right away, bringing out a heavy leg kick attack — landing 23 of them in the first round. Additionally, Aldo seemed inactive outside of a few late shots, with the American landing his fair share and pinning the former featherweight champion against the fence more than once.

    Aldo, however, landed a pair of harsh jabs, one of which busted Bautista open around one of his eyes. The Brazilian started to work his jabs and combinations. The 31-year-old, however, continued to bring forward pressure and looked to tire Aldo out further with his wrestling-based attack.

    Bautista continued to bring his pressure into the third round. And while Aldo tried to get anything going, the #11-ranked contender continued to go for takedowns and use a wrestle-heavy approach, forcing Aldo to defend.

    Mario Bautista Stalls Title Plans Of Former Champion José Aldo Via Split Decision At UFC 307

    https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1842769765942898824?t=Eluc9alfEO2yQYTGP9TjpA&s=19
    https://twitter.com/dillondanis/status/1842769386714648635

    After initially retiring in late 2022 following a loss to current UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili, Aldo returned to the Octagon at UFC 301 this past May, defeating Jonathan Martinez. “Junior,” a former UFC featherweight champion, was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2023.

    Bautista, meanwhile, entered tonight on a six-fight win streak, most recently defeating Ricky Simón at the UFC Apex in January.

  • ‘Looked Beatable’ – Fans Split As Kayla Harrison Outworks Ketlen Vieira At UFC 307

    ‘Looked Beatable’ – Fans Split As Kayla Harrison Outworks Ketlen Vieira At UFC 307

    Kayla Harrison faced some adversity thanks to Ketlen Vieira’s game but still managed to score a decision win at UFC 307, potentially setting herself up to face the winner of tonight’s Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña women’s bantamweight title fight.

    The fight’s opening round was fairly quiet, with Harrison looking to find an opening. The two-time PFL champion managed to get Vieira pinned against the fence, but the Brazilian successfully defended against the takedown and was able to work herself off. The final minute, however, saw Harrison land a big takedown and get in top position, searching for a submission and landing a vicious elbow before the horn.

    Harrison maintained her control of the fight’s pacing through the second round, but Vieira landed a damaging elbow late in the round that left a hematoma on the two-time Olympic gold medalist.

    By the halfway mark of the third round, Harrison was able to bloody up Vieira and scored another takedown, doing work in the #2-ranked contender’s guard.

    Kayla Harrison Faces Challenges But Still Gets Judges’ Nod Over Ketlen Vieira At UFC 307

    https://twitter.com/dillondanis/status/1842756023607607737

    Harrison signed with the UFC in January 2024 after starting her MMA career with the PFL, becoming a two-time PFL women’s lightweight champion in the process. The 34-year-old made her Octagon debut at UFC 300, finishing Holly Holm.

    Vieira, meanwhile, had won three of her last four entering Saturday’s event in Salt Lake City, which included wins over former champions Holm and Miesha Tate. She had most recently fought in July 2023, defeating Pannie Kianzad by decision in England.

  • ‘Get This Idiot Out The Cage’ – Fans Slam Referee For Unpunished Eye Pokes, Rapid Clinch Separations In UFC 307 Fight

    ‘Get This Idiot Out The Cage’ – Fans Slam Referee For Unpunished Eye Pokes, Rapid Clinch Separations In UFC 307 Fight

    Cesar Almeida got the win over Ihor Potieria in a fight that kicked off the televised portion of the UFC 307 prelims, but the story of the fight more revolves around the bout’s referee, Dave Seljestad.

    Within the first couple of rounds in the fight, Potieria was the victim of four eye pokes and a low blow. Under most circumstances, at least one point deduction would have been handed out.

    But in a world of MMA where referees are coming under fire for not enforcing the rules adequately, Seljestad’s work served as the latest prime example. The official did not even give as much as a hard warning during the course of these fouls.

    Stretching into the third frame, Seljestad also separated the two from the clinch multiple times after just a matter of seconds in the position. That drew baffled reactions from both the commentary team and fans inside the Delta Center.

    The widely criticized bout ultimately went Almeida’s way, with the Brazilian getting the nod from all three judges.

    Referee Slammed For Lack Of Rule Enforcement At UFC 307

    https://twitter.com/SignatureSuga/status/1842725444270858574
    https://twitter.com/May_twenty3rd/status/1842727945783369905

    With the win, Almeida rebounds from his UFC 302 loss to Roman Kopylov earlier this year, leaving him now 3-1 in the Octagon since coming over from Dana White’s Contender Series.

    Potieria, meanwhile, has now lost four of his last five fights.

  • ‘Left It All Out There’ – Fans React As Carla Esparza Finishes Career Dropping Elbows In Retirement Fight Loss At UFC 307

    ‘Left It All Out There’ – Fans React As Carla Esparza Finishes Career Dropping Elbows In Retirement Fight Loss At UFC 307

    Carla Esparza was given her flowers, but not a win, in her retirement fight during the early prelims at UFC 307, losing by decision to Tecia Pennington.

    The fight served as a rematch from both women’s time during season 20 of The Ultimate Fighter, which Esparza went on to win and become the first UFC strawweight champion.

    Esparza found herself in some trouble early in the opening round, as Pennington appeared to be ripping her apart on the feet, and her legs were battered by low kicks. Once the fight went to the ground, however, “Cookie Monster” was in complete control, maintaining top position for about three minutes.

    The second frame proved to be close, though Pennington had the upper hand in striking once again. Esparza’s striking picked up in the third stanza, and she could have finished Pennington had there been more time in the round.

    Pennington, however, continued to beat down the legs of Esparza, making her eat leg kick after leg kick.

    The judges ultimately gave the close fight to Pennington, with two 29-28 cards and a 30-27.

    Carla Esparza Retires Following Loss To Tecia Pennington At UFC 307

    “It’s been an amazing journey, these last 15 years,” Esparza said in the Octagon following the fight. “I’ve fought the best of the best. It’s not always easy. There’s ups and downs in this sport, but I wouldn’t have done it any other way. This is the greatest sport in the world.”

    Esparza was given a tribute video following the fight.

    Esparza began her professional MMA career in 2010, going 6-2, including a pair of fights in Bellator, before finding a stride in the initial days of Invicta FC in 2012. At Invicta FC 4, Esparza defeated Bec Rawlings to become the inaugural strawweight champion of the promotion.

    By the next year, however, “Cookie Monster” would sign with the UFC and be a contestant on season 20 of The Ultimate Fighter, which determined the UFC’s inaugural champion of its then-new women’s strawweight division.

    Esparza defeated Angela Hill, Pennington (then-Tecia Torres), and Jessica Penne before finishing Rose Namajunas to win the tournament and championship. Esparza subsequently lost the belt in her first defense at UFC 185, dropping it to Joanna Jędrzejczyk.

    The wrestling specialist went 3-3 in her next six fights before starting a noteworthy win streak in 2019, having her hand raised in six straight. That run was highlighted by a second-round finish of Yan Xiaonan and culminated in her beating Namajunas again at UFC 274 to become a two-time UFC strawweight champion.

    Esparza, again, lost the title in her first defense, getting finished by current champ Weili Zhang at UFC 281. This was Esparza’s most recent fight prior to tonight, as she gave birth to her son in September 2023.

  • X-Ray Shows Extent Of Shoulder Injury Renato Moicano Fought Through At UFC Paris, Dana White Reacts

    X-Ray Shows Extent Of Shoulder Injury Renato Moicano Fought Through At UFC Paris, Dana White Reacts

    Some already thought that Renato Moicano’s doctor’s stoppage win over Benoît Saint Denis was impressive enough as it was. But new information coming out in the aftermath of the fight has made it just that much more so.

    As it turned out, Moicano suffered a severe shoulder injury during the fight, powering his way through the second round with it. Kevin Iole was the first to obtain and share photos of the damaged shoulder, including a gruesome X-ray.

    Dana White Brands Renato Moicano A ‘Beast’ After Fighting Through Injury To Win UFC Paris Main Event

    UFC CEO Dana White took notice of the injury and was blown away, sharing his thoughts in Iole’s Instagram comments.

    “Kids a BEAST!!!!!!”

    Moicano put a beating on Saint Denis over the course of the first round. While the Brazilian did not do much in the second frame, the damage his French opponent sustained was enough to warrant the doctor stepping in to halt the bout.

    With the result, Moicano has now won four straight and six of his last seven as he continues to rise up the 155-pound rankings.

    After a long winning streak, meanwhile, Saint Denis has now been finished in back-to-back fights, having previously lost to Dustin Poirier at UFC 299 earlier this year.

    With Moicano’s win, it will be interesting to see if a fight with Paddy Pimblett will come next given “The Baddy’s” call out of him after UFC 304 in Manchester this past July.

  • Dricus Du Plessis Mocks Brendan Allen After UFC Paris Loss: ‘You Suck, Loser’

    Dricus Du Plessis Mocks Brendan Allen After UFC Paris Loss: ‘You Suck, Loser’

    It was not the best of nights for Brendan Allen at UFC Paris, coming up short against Nassourdine Imavov in a crucial co-main event clash of top middleweight contenders.

    Allen appeared to be in complete control of the fight over the first five minutes, laying into Imavov and delivering most, if not all, of the activity in the first round. But the American seemed to fatigue from there.

    That led to the Frenchman taking control, especially in the grappling realm. Imavov ultimately scored the judges’ nod on all three scorecards.

    This fight did not do Allen any favors as he aims to finally capture a shot at the UFC middleweight championship. And current champ, Dricus Du Plessis — someone who Allen is not fond of — let him know it on social media after the performance.

    Dricus Du Plessis, Brendan Allen Trade Barbs On Social Media After Allen’s Loss At UFC Paris

    Allen was not going to let Du Plessis’ comments go unnoticed, giving him a response back. “All In” reiterated a past claim, stating that the South African has been avoiding him during his rise up the middleweight ranks.

    Allen saw a seven-fight win streak snapped as a result of his loss in Paris.

  • Benoît Saint Denis Makes First Statement After Devastating UFC Paris Beating At The Hands Of Renato Moicano

    Benoît Saint Denis Makes First Statement After Devastating UFC Paris Beating At The Hands Of Renato Moicano

    Benoît Saint Denis displayed a valuable amount of heart and resilience during the main event of UFC Paris. But it wasn’t enough, as the damage he took forced the doctor to wave off the contest against Renato Moicano after two rounds.

    Moicano put a battering on the Frenchman, causing great swelling and damage along his face — especially his eyes. Moicano appeared to take the second round off as Saint Denis battled back.

    But as the doctor checked him out after the second, it became apparent that “God of War” was unable to see out of his right eye, forcing the bout’s end.

    Saint Denis took to social media to state his thoughts in the immediate aftermath of the defeat.

    Benoît Saint Denis Gives Respect To Renato Moicano After Loss At UFC Paris

    https://twitter.com/BenoitSt_Denis/status/1840336809638699156

    “It wasn’t my day, this sport is tough but amazing,” Saint Denis wrote in French. “Thank you all for your continued support. Proud to have been able to represent the (French flag) in the octagon. Respect to my opponent @moicanoufc for facing me at home and congratulations to him.”

    Moicano, who battled through his own injury, expressed gratitude to Saint Denis after the fight, even inviting him to train together at some point.

    After dropping his UFC debut, “God of War” won five straight, but he has now lost back-to-back outings. Saint Denis was finished by Dustin Poirier at UFC 299 earlier this year.

  • ‘Looks Like He Fought 10 Rounds’ – MMA Fans React As Renato Moicano Disfigures Benoît Saint Denis In Brutal Beating At UFC Paris

    ‘Looks Like He Fought 10 Rounds’ – MMA Fans React As Renato Moicano Disfigures Benoît Saint Denis In Brutal Beating At UFC Paris

    Benoît Saint Denis was left with quite the battle scars on his face as the doctor stepped in to stop his UFC Paris fight with Renato Moicano.

    The Brazilian put on a completely dominating display in the opening round, taking the fight to the ground early and having over four minutes of control time there. He landed some vicious ground-and-pound on Saint Denis, busting up his face.

    Moicano appeared to take the second frame off, as Saint Denis pressed forward. The damage, however, was not getting any better.

    The doctor observed “God of War” and his severely swollen eyes after the second round, and it was determined that Saint Denis’ vision in his right eye was obscured, causing the fight to be waved off.

    Benoît Saint Denis Left Battered As Doctor Steps In To Stop UFC Paris Main Event vs. Renato Moicano

    Moicano has now won four straight and scored three finishes in this stretch. He called out Paddy Pimblett following the fight after “The Baddy” expressed interest in fighting him post-UFC 304 this past July.

    After winning 13 of 15 to start his MMA career, meanwhile, Saint Denis has now dropped back-to-back outings after previously getting finished by Dustin Poirier at UFC 299 in March.

  • ‘Imagine What Du Plessis Would Do To These Two’ – MMA Fans React As Nassourdine Imavov Decisions Brendan Allen At UFC Paris

    ‘Imagine What Du Plessis Would Do To These Two’ – MMA Fans React As Nassourdine Imavov Decisions Brendan Allen At UFC Paris

    A battle of middleweight contenders in the co-main event of UFC Paris saw Nassourdine Imavov come out on top over Brendan Allen.

    Allen was in complete control of the fight in the first round, bringing virtually all of the activity. But in the second frame, the momentum shifted swiftly. Imavov won the grappling battle in that round, taking advantage of a tired “All In” and displaying strong shots from the top ground position.

    The American’s striking seemed off in the second stanza, and that stretched into the third, with his French counterpart landing the better strikes and having control of the fight on the mat.

    Imavov ultimately scored the judges’ nod on all three scorecards.

    Nassourdine Imavov Keeps Momentum Alive With Decision Win Over Brendan Allen In Paris

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    Imavov has now won three straight since his no contest with Chris Curtis at UFC 289. The Frenchman’s win streak has also seen him score a majority decision over Roman Dolidze and a controversial finish of Jared Cannonier.

    Meanwhile, Allen’s seven-fight winning run was snapped in Paris, a streak that saw him earn victories over Curtis, Paul Craig, and Bruno Silva.

  • VIDEO: Bryan Battle Riles Up French Crowd With ‘All-Time Promo’ After Beating Kevin Jousset At UFC Paris

    VIDEO: Bryan Battle Riles Up French Crowd With ‘All-Time Promo’ After Beating Kevin Jousset At UFC Paris

    Bryan Battle may have come out on top with a finish at UFC Paris, but he also may have made himself public enemy No. 1 in France with his post-fight promo…

    Battle put on a solid striking display before scoring a finish in the second round of his fight with Kevin Jousset. He then landed a brutal flurry of strikes that resulted in a referee’s stoppage, giving “The Butcher” the victory.

    The American flipped the home crowd off following the fight as the fans inside Accor Arena expressed displeasure in their compatriot losing.

    Battle then took to the mic and encouraged the French crowd to continuously rain down the jeers they were bringing to him.

    Bryan Battle Encourages Boos From Crowd After Finish Of France’s Kevin Jousset At UFC Paris

    “Keep booing me, baby” Battle said. “Keep booing me. I love it. I love it. Listen, listen. People have been booing me and doubting me since I started training. I love it. The more you boo me, the stronger I get, baby! I’m used to this. Nobody can stop me!”

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    The Ultimate Fighter season 29 winner now improves to 6-1 (1 NC) in the UFC. He is unbeaten in four straight and five of his last six fights.

    Meanwhile, the loss snaps a five-fight win streak Jousset was coming into this fight with and marks his first setback in the UFC.

  • ‘Arguably The Greatest Knee I’ve Seen In MMA’ – Fans React As Farès Ziam Knocks Matt Frevola Out Cold At UFC Paris

    ‘Arguably The Greatest Knee I’ve Seen In MMA’ – Fans React As Farès Ziam Knocks Matt Frevola Out Cold At UFC Paris

    In his native France, Farès Ziam pulled off a vicious knockout that seemed to come out of nowhere to score a late victory over Matt Frevola on the main card of UFC Paris.

    Ziam appeared to show continued improvement over the course of the fight’s first two rounds, seemingly in a comfortable lead as the contest headed into the third.

    It was there, however, where Ziam unleashed violence that no one saw coming.

    With the two of them against the fence, Ziam turned Frevola and landed a stunning knee to the head that dropped the American out cold to score a KO of the Year contender.

    Frevola was unconscious for several minutes after the finish.

    Farès Ziam Lands Brutal KO Of The Year Contender With Vicious Knee On Matt Frevola’s Head

    https://twitter.com/Full_Violence/status/1840116288762343532

    Ziam has now won four straight and has lost just twice since making his UFC debut in late 2019.

    Frevola, meanwhile, has now lost back-to-back fights and has dropped four of his last seven.

  • VIDEO: Nick Diaz Releases Training Footage After Confirmation Of UFC Return Date

    VIDEO: Nick Diaz Releases Training Footage After Confirmation Of UFC Return Date

    For the first time since his 2021 return, Nick Diaz will be back in the Octagon once again, taking on Vicente Luque as part of the main card for UFC 310 on Dec. 7 in Las Vegas.

    Following the announcement of that rescheduled contest, Diaz posted a teaser to his Instagram page, showcasing footage of a training session to the tune of Limp Bizkit’s “My Way.”

    Diaz and Luque were originally scheduled to face off at UFC Abu Dhabi early last month before the fight was postponed due to travel issues on the side of the Stockton native.

    Nick Diaz Releases Training Footage Ahead Of UFC 310 Return

    Diaz last fought in the Octagon at UFC 266, losing a rematch with old foe Robbie Lawler by way of TKO.

    That fight was Diaz’s first since his infamous UFC 183 main event bout with Anderson Silva — a fight in which Diaz failed a drug test and was nearly banned for life by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

    Diaz’s last UFC win came against BJ Penn at UFC 137 well over a decade ago.

    Luque, meanwhile, has suffered defeat in three of his last four, most recently losing to Joaquin Buckley in Atlantic City back in March.

  • VIDEO: Ailín Pérez Submits Opponent Before Twerking In Her Face At UFC Paris

    VIDEO: Ailín Pérez Submits Opponent Before Twerking In Her Face At UFC Paris

    Another finish and another post-fight show from Ailín Pérez, as she scores a first-round submission of Darya Zheleznyakova on the preliminary card of UFC Paris.

    Pérez was able to bring the fight to the ground and locked up Zheleznyakova in an arm-triangle choke, scoring the submission quickly in the opening round.

    Following the submission, in classic Pérez style, she started to twerk, notably doing so in the direction of her opponent.

    Ailín Pérez Twerks In Darya Zheleznyakova’s Face After Submitting Her At UFC Paris

    Pérez has now won four straight in the Octagon, scoring her first finish since 2022 in this bout. The Argentine did, however, miss weight by 0.5 pounds for this fight.

    Zheleznyakova, meanwhile, is now 1-1 in the Octagon since coming over from ARES FC.

  • Alex Pereira Sheds Light On Talk Of Middleweight Return: ‘I Just Needed A Break’

    Alex Pereira Sheds Light On Talk Of Middleweight Return: ‘I Just Needed A Break’

    In his relatively short time in the UFC thus far, Alex Pereira has quickly earned a pair of championships and status as a top name in the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings.

    Some are eyeing a potential move to heavyweight for Pereira, who defends the UFC light heavyweight championship next weekend against Khalil Rountree at UFC 307. But he has previously noted that he could be looking at a move back down to middleweight in the wake of Dricus Du Plessis retaining the UFC middleweight title against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305.

    In a new interview with The Schmo, “Poatan” stated the move to 205 pounds was done in order to take a break from tough weight cuts.

    “I would like [a fight with Du Plessis] to be at middleweight,” Pereira said. “I told everybody that I just needed a break from 185, from all those weight cuts. I feel good, I feel healthy right now.”

    Pereira, who was also a middleweight and light heavyweight champion in GLORY Kickboxing, made his UFC debut as a middleweight at UFC 268. He quickly won three straight before challenging Adesanya, his old kickboxing foe, for the middleweight title at UFC 281.

    Pereira won via fifth-round finish but was knocked out by Adesanya in a rematch at UFC 287.

    Pereira then moved up to light heavyweight, defeating Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291 before defeating Jiří Procházka  at UFC 295 for the light heavyweight title.

    Pereira has since defended the 205-pound title against Jamahal Hill and Procházka at UFC 300 and 303, respectively.

  • ‘This Is Attempted Murder’ – Fans React To Colby Covington Ignoring Taps To Choke Rapper Lil Pump Unconscious

    ‘This Is Attempted Murder’ – Fans React To Colby Covington Ignoring Taps To Choke Rapper Lil Pump Unconscious

    Colby Covington is not exactly known as a finisher in the Octagon, but he was able to secure a submission during a recent sparring session caught on video.

    Unfortunately for him, it was not on a fellow fighter but on rapper Lil Pump. And Covington is under heavy criticism for his behavior in the midst of the rear-naked choke submission he applied.

    Covington locked in the submission, to which Lil Pump tapped out multiple times. But the former interim UFC welterweight champion elected to not let go, instead holding on to the choke even after Lil Pump tapped multiple times. Covington kept the move on until the rapper was rendered unconscious.

    Since the incident was posted to social media, many have criticized Covington for his acts. Some have called for him to be demoted in jiu-jitsu belt ranking, while others say his behavior should get him thrown out of the sport.

    Colby Covington Sparks Controversy By Choking Rapper Lip Pump Unconscious

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    This is not the first time that a fighter has sparked controversy for the events of a sparring session. Earlier this year, a particularly violent exchange broke out involving Sean Strickland and streamer Sneako.

    Covington has not been seen in action since his unsuccessful challenge of the UFC welterweight championship against Leon Edwards at UFC 296.