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Category: MMA

  • Former UFC Fighter Suggests Sean Strickland’s ‘Constant Sparring’ Is Hurting Him

    Former UFC Fighter Suggests Sean Strickland’s ‘Constant Sparring’ Is Hurting Him

    Sean Strickland is known for his intense and sometimes unorthodox approach to sparring — something that former UFC fighter Matt Brown believes may be holding him back.

    Strickland’s sparring sessions are notoriously intense, pushing his training partners hard while focusing on realistic fight simulations. His sparring habits reflect his personality and approach to fighting as intense, technical, and often entertaining. However, Brown believes the former middleweight champ’s constant sparring could be limiting his growth as a fighter.

    “The problem with the constant sparring — a lot of people talk about the brain damage and stuff like that. I don’t think that’s nearly as big of a deal as people make it out to be,” Brown said on MMA Fighting’s The Fighter vs. The Writer. “But you don’t evolve quite as much. You’re not compartmentalizing little skills and building on them.

    “For instance, I’ve got a guy fighting pretty soon, and today we literally only worked on his jab and stepping outside because he’s fighting a southpaw—so getting his left foot outside of his [opponent’s]. So guys were sparring against him at about 50 or 60 percent, and his only job was to throw a jab and get outside. You’re not throwing right hands, you’re not throwing kicks, so we’re compartmentalizing these little skills.

    “So now when he goes and spars again, he’s going to have a much better jab — hopefully. If what we did worked, he’s going to get outside better, and all those other things are going to open up. I don’t really see Strickland doing that because he’s just sparring all the time.”

    Brown acknowledges the benefits of Strickland’s heavy sparring approach but argues that it comes at a cost.

    “The advantage is he gets his timing very well, he knows exactly what he’s looking for all the time, he knows himself very well as a fighter, he doesn’t get as nervous,” Brown said. “There’s a lot of advantages. But you don’t evolve that way.”

    Strickland is set to challenge current middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis in a rematch for the title on Feb. 8 at UFC 312.

  • Daniel Cormier: Jon Jones Is DQ’d From GOAT Talk Due To His ‘Dirty Sh*t’ History

    Daniel Cormier: Jon Jones Is DQ’d From GOAT Talk Due To His ‘Dirty Sh*t’ History

    The rivalry between Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones is one of the most intense and storied in UFC history.

    As Cormier climbed the ranks, the rivalry intensified. Jones made disrespectful comments, and Cormier retaliated. The two fought twice for the light heavyweight title, with “Bones” winning both bouts. However, the victories were later marred by controversy.

    Cormier has been vocal about his frustration with the circumstances surrounding their fights, believing that Jones’ history with performance-enhancing drugs tainted the competition. The Rochester native failed multiple drug tests, casting a shadow over his wins and raising questions about their legitimacy. 

    Because of Jones’ history, Cormier — now a UFC color commentator — refuses to consider him the greatest fighter of all time.

    “You really can’t deny his greatness, right? Look at what he has done,” Cormier said during the UFC 312 Q&A in Sydney. “The guy has really fought through three generations of fighters. He fought that early generation with (Lyoto) Machida and them. He went through my generation, and now he’s fighting a whole other generation of guys.

    “So yeah, of course he’s one of the greatest fighters of all time. But when you do dirty sh*t, you don’t get to be called the greatest of all time.”

  • Patchy Mix On Being ‘Shelved’ By PFL: ‘I’ve Had Two Fights Canceled Without Being Compensated!’

    Patchy Mix continues to express frustration with his situation under the PFL banner. The Bellator bantamweight champion finds himself under contract but without a fight lined up or any indication of when he will compete next.

    Mix has been vocal on social media, calling out PFL and requesting his release so he can continue his fighting career elsewhere. He reiterated his stance in a recent appearance on MMA Junkie Radio.

    “I have to voice it because I’m in the prime of my career, and not only because I’m in the prime of my career, but because I’m the best bantamweight in the world,” Mix said. “(My record is) 20-1 with 15 finishes, and I’ve been shelved. I’ve had one fight in the last 14 months. I do very well with activity — my whole career. This is the longest layoff of my career.”

    Mix also highlighted the financial burden of canceled fights.

    “I’ve had two fights canceled without being compensated,” Mix said. “I’ve spent thousands and thousands of dollars to bring my cornermen and coaches out for those fights—first in November in Paris, and then in January in Dubai.”

    Since PFL purchased Bellator in November 2023, Mix has only fought once, successfully defending his Bellator bantamweight title against Magomed Magomedov in May 2024. He was originally scheduled to fight in November, but just two weeks before the event, PFL canceled the entire show.

    Now, Mix wants clarity on his future — either a fight or a release so he can pursue a UFC career.

    “A lot of it has to do with momentum, and I’m a momentum fighter,” Mix said. “My whole entire career, between amateur and professional, I’m 31 wins and one loss, and I have fought 32 times over the last 11 years. Every four or five months, I’ve fought consistently, and I’ve never had to deal with injuries. So to have that momentum ripped out, not knowing what happens with the promotion, my contract, my belt — next thing you know, I’m sitting out for a long time.

    “My momentum is kind of done, and now they’re sitting me for another 10 months to a year. Momentum is hard to attain in this game, but there’s no doubt in my mind — I just need the fights to stay active. If they don’t want to let me fight, then release me, and in 365 days, I will be the UFC champion.”

  • Dustin Poirier Provides Update On UFC’s Plans For His Retirement Fight

    Dustin Poirier Provides Update On UFC’s Plans For His Retirement Fight

    Dustin Poirier is hoping to end his MMA career with a final fight in his home state of Louisiana — and he may get his wish.

    The former interim lightweight champion is actively working with the UFC to make it happen. Poirier’s last fight was a title bout loss to UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 last June.

    According to records obtained by MMA Junkie, the UFC has expressed interest in holding an event in New Orleans in 2025. The promotion hasn’t hosted an event in Louisiana since 2015, when Poirier secured a first-round TKO victory over Yancy Medeiros on the card.

    “I wish I could tell you more. I’ve actually been having calls every week with the UFC,” Poirier told The Schmo. “But it’s looking like summer in New Orleans is close to happening for my retirement fight. A pay-per-view in New Orleans this summer would be incredible.

    “That’s what I’m pushing for. That’s what the UFC’s working toward, and things are getting pretty close: Lay the gloves down where it all started in Louisiana. It would be an honor for me.”

  • Dana White Shares What Gets People UFC Contracts, & It’s Not ‘A Personality Like Conor & Ronda…’

    Dana White Shares What Gets People UFC Contracts, & It’s Not ‘A Personality Like Conor & Ronda…’

    UFC is the biggest MMA promotion in the world, by far. Because most competitor promotions have turned into dust, it’s almost every MMA fighter’s dream to be a part of the esteemed UFC roaster. Unfortunately, not everyone succeeds in securing such an opportunity, given the promotion only picks the most elite fighters from around the world.

    Dana White, the businessman credited for the UFC’s rise, has no biases. He believes that having the desired fighting skills is the only basis on which a fighter can expect to be part of his promotion.

    In a recent interview with Mark Bouris leading up to UFC 312 in Australia, the UFC CEO was asked:

    “When you go out to put people into the UFC, you got your contender’s series. Are you looking for individuals who are happy to express themselves like as part or just the skill?”

    White had a straightforward answer.

    “Skills. You can be a deaf-mute, if you’re a bad*** I’m that’s what I’m interested in. I’m interested in how good are you at fighting. If you have a personality like Conor and Ronda and these others, that’s just, you know that’s just a homerun, it doesn’t suck.”

    Although White is aware that the UFC is a star-driven business, he still believes that a diverse skillset and potent fighting style make the foundation of a fighter he’d want fighting under his banner.

    By keeping skill as an entry barrier, the UFC ensures that the champions in every weight class are always reaching that pinnacle after fighting the best competition available in the world. In contrast, other promotions like PFL and ONE Championship are yet to make such an image among the fans.

    The UFC also keeps the competition healthy by constantly signing new names in all their divisions. From picking up the local superstars from regional circuits to poaching established names from the PFL, One Championship, and RIZIN, there are many ways to go about this.

    On top of that, of course, the UFC has dedicated shows like Dana White’s Contender Series, Road to UFC, and The Ultimate Fighter, that revolve around handing out contracts to up-and-coming fighters.

  • ‘Coolest Thing Ever’ – Dricus Du Plessis Reveals Fighter Who Got Him Into Fighting Instead Of Rugby

    ‘Coolest Thing Ever’ – Dricus Du Plessis Reveals Fighter Who Got Him Into Fighting Instead Of Rugby

    UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis has had a long and amusing path to becoming an MMA Fighter. Considering the several twists and turns, it’s a storyline that you’d see in TV shows or movies.

    The South African did not start professional MMA until the age of 19. However, the build-up to becoming a modern-day gladiator began when he was just five. The 31-year-old trained different combat arts including judo, wrestling and kickboxing, and finally ended up becoming a fighter for a rising MMA promotion in South Africa.

    However, Du Plessis’ life as an athlete really changed when he entered the UFC in October 2020. “Stillknocks” seized this opportunity and went on to become a champion within just seven fights in the promotion. He is set to defend his title for the second time now, against former champion and rival Sean Strickland this Saturday in Sydney, Australia, at UFC 312.

    The champ recently sat down with UFC legend Demetrious Johnson for an episode of MightyCast, where he broke down the journey of turning into a mixed martial artist after early dreams of being a Rugby pro.

    “I started fighting professionally at 19, I did Judo since I was five years old. I started Judo, yeah, when I was five, I did that for a couple of years, maybe six years. Then, I wrestled for, but I didn’t wrestle very long just, primary school. Like, from the age of 10 to 12, 13 and then at 14, I started with K1 kickboxing.”

    Lack of a wrestling and MMA culture in his school didn’t stop Du Plessis from exploring combat sports. However, he was very close to choosing Rugby as his careeer after completing his secondary education.

    “We don’t have any of those things in our school system. We don’t have a college wrestling, we don’t have that. You have to do this extracurricular activity after school, so in school, I played rugby, I played I wanted to become a professional rugby player. I played rugby up until I was 19. I played rugby my whole life but, you know kickboxing K1 kickboxing wrestling, judo, all of those were things that that you basically did privately after school. Your parents would take you and I got classes so we moved that’s why we moved, away from where I used to stay with, where I had really good Judo coach and then there was a wrestling club in the new place we stayed and I went to join the wrestling club, did it for two years three years I wasn’t into it.”

    Amidst the constant dillema of which career to choose, Du Plessis thanked legendary Croatian martial artist Mirko
    Filipovic for making him fall in love with kickboxing. Although the veteran’s record doesn’t look the best on paper, he easily had one of the most memorable runs ever in PRIDE, knocking out opponents left and right and with his head kicks.

    “And then, with the kickboxing,I just fell in love with that I watched Mirko Cro Cop videos on YouTube and I thought that’s the coolest thing ever. Till this day. one of the the greatest kickboxing. kickboxing K1 fighters in the world to me. He’s somebody that got me into this and yeah, I mean, I became national champion, two years later in kickboxing, and at 18, I became a wacker junior world champion. K1 world champion, I fought in Slovakia. You know, obviously, I loved fighting and I wanted to make a career out of this but you know in kickboxing, I mean, there’s no way to earn a living, not from South Africa. And then the local scene was booming in the EFC here in South Africa with MMA. We have a very good EFC Africa now, worldwide scene, and yeah,19. I started fighting professional MMA and that’s how it all started.”

    It isn’t surprising at all that “Cro Cop” inspired Du Plessis to be a fighter becauses anyone who’s seen him fight in PRIDE knows what the UFC middlweight champion is talking about.

  • Debuting Aleksandre Topuria ‘Not His Brother’, Says UFC 312 Opponent

    Debuting Aleksandre Topuria ‘Not His Brother’, Says UFC 312 Opponent

    Colby Thicknesse is vowing to show the difference in ability between Ilia Topuria and the featherweight kingpin’s UFC debuting brother this weekend.

    The preliminary card of Saturday’s UFC 312 pay-per-view will see two prominent newcomers collide, with Thicknesse and Aleksandre Topuria getting their first taste of Octagon action against one another.

    The Australian bantamweight, a teammate of Alexander Volkanovski’s, boasts an undefeated record and is coming off championship success under the HEX Fight Series banner. In “El Conquistador,” though, Thicknesse is facing the sibling of one of the most feared and dominant men in the UFC right now.

    But challenging an opponent who trains alongside the current 145-pound champ and shares the same name doesn’t faze the local favorite, who is confident in rejecting any comparison between the two when it comes to skill level.

    “He’s definitely got the same sort of style because they train together, but he’s not his brother, and I’m going to go out there on (Saturday) and show it,” Thicknesse said during UFC 312 media day. “He hasn’t really beaten anybody noticeable. His opponent’s combined records aren’t that great. Come (Saturday), I get to go out and show that against him.”

  • Dana White Reacts To Dricus Du Plessis Admitting He’s Prepared To Kill A Man In Front Of His Family

    Dana White Reacts To Dricus Du Plessis Admitting He’s Prepared To Kill A Man In Front Of His Family

    Dana White recently reviewed the bone-chilling mentality of Dricus Du Plessis that spread like wildfire in MMA circles. Unlike many fans who found the champion’s quotes cold and intimidating, the UFC President admitted that this mentality is exactly what makes fighters champions in the most competitive MMA organization in the world.

    The UFC middleweight champion is all set to defend his title for the second time this Saturday night in a grudge-fueled rematch against former champ Sean Strickland. In an interview with Mark Bouris, the South African made a ruthless admission.

    The 31-year-old not only claimed that he’ll be willing to die in the ring to emerge victorious like any other MMA fighter, but he took things further and also confessed to be fine with killing a man in front of his family if needed.

    In another interview by Bouris, Dana White had this to say when the host reminded him about Du Plessis’ remarks:

    “All of these guys, I mean if you go in and you’re going to stand toe-to-toe for five rounds. And remember, you can punch, kick, knee, elbow, take a shin to the head, all I mean, these people are wired differently than the rest of us. That’s what makes professional fighters and especially in MMA so different as far as humans go.”

    White explained that the lack of this killer instinct is why there’s only a few MMA world champions out there. Considering he’s been dealing with such personalities for decades now, he definitely understands them more than an average human.

    “There’s this many of them right here, that become world champions and have that type of mindset. They’re not wired like you and I. They’re different, they’re special human beings and yeah, I mean, I think that’s all of their mindset when they go in and fight.”

    There is no doubt MMA fighters are modern-day gladiators and “Stillknocks” is clearly a fighter who’s embraced this mindset in the perfect way. He’s calm, composed, and collected outside the Octagon but only wreaks havoc as soon as the time to fight begins.

    Unlike the previous outing against Strickland which ended in a razor-close split decision win, Du Plessis aims to resolve the rivalry with a KO victory this time around.

  • UFC 312: Coach Predicts Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland 2 Will Be A ‘Violent Chess Match’

    UFC 312: Coach Predicts Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland 2 Will Be A ‘Violent Chess Match’

    Sayif Saud, head coach at Fortis MMA, anticipates an all-out war between Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland in their UFC 312 rematch this Saturday.

    The two middleweights will run it back less than a year after their closely contested fight at UFC 297, where Du Plessis captured the middleweight title by split decision. Their first encounter was action-packed, with both fighters believing they had done enough to win.

    Now, they meet again in Sydney, with Strickland blaming his previous loss on an alleged illegal headbutt and questionable judging. Meanwhile, Du Plessis sees no controversy and aims for a decisive victory to silence any doubts.

    “Sean Strickland is not a f*cking game,” Saud told MMA Junkie. “Sean Strickland is a guy that I think builds confidence with experience. He has experience in there with Dricus, going at Dricus. People are kind of counting him out a little bit more in this fight, saying, ‘Well, Dricus is going to finish, Dricus is getting better and better.’ That might be the case, but I still see this as a very close fight. I just think with the experience that Sean Strickland has, mentally, I feel like he’ll be more prepared. But again, the champion is 30 percent better every time.

    “You become the champion, you’re literally 30 percent better. The confidence that comes with that. Dricus is a f*cking beast. He knows it doesn’t look great, but he don’t care. His whole thing is, ‘I’m going to out-will you.’ And that’s powerful, man. Fighting is about will, and he out-wills people. He really, really does. But that ain’t going to be easy to go do against Sean Strickland, because Sean Strickland is a five-round fighter.”

    Saud believes Du Plessis will be ready if Strickland comes out aggressively looking for a finish. Because of this, he dismisses any predictions of a dull fight, expecting an even more intense battle than their first encounter.

    “I think we’re going to see what we saw (in the first fight), but a little more aggressive version of that,” Saud said. “I think they’re going to add on a bit, they’re going to study the tape, and they’re going to come up with some more stuff. But Dricus’ coach is really, really good at game planning. This is going to be a real chess match between these two, and it’s going to be violent.”

  • UFC 312: Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland 2 Weigh-In Results: One Fight Canceled

    UFC 312: Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland 2 Weigh-In Results: One Fight Canceled

    UFC 312 takes place tomorrow night, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    For the first time in 2025, the Octagon is Down Under, with the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia playing host to the promotion’s latest pay-per-view event. And for its trip across the globe, the mixed martial arts leader has brought with it two championship contests.

    The title clash at the top of the card will see Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland’s feud reach a second chapter 13 months on from the South African’s crowning in Canada. They’ll renew hostilities after both recording a victory apiece since their tight five-round headliner at UFC 297.

    Beforehand, another champ will be in action as strawweight queen Zhang Weili gets her campaign for the new year underway. To extend her second reign beyond its third title defense, the Chinese standout is tasked with blemishing the currently perfect record of challenger Tatiana Suarez.

    UFC 312: Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 Weigh-In Results

    UFC 312 takes place Saturday, February 8 (February 9 local time) at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.

    See above for a replay of the UFC 312 Weigh-In Show, and check out the results below.

    Main Card:

    • Middleweight Championship: Dricus Du Plessis (185lbs) vs. Sean Strickland (185lbs)
    • Women’s Strawweight Championship: Zhang Weili (115lbs) vs. Tatiana Suarez (114.5lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Justin Tafa (266lbs) vs. Tallison Teixeira (263lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight: Jimmy Crute (206lbs) vs. Rodolfo Bellato (205lbs)
    • Welterweight: Jake Matthews (170.5lbs) vs. Francisco Prado (170.5lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Featherweight: Jack Jenkins (146lbs) vs. Gabriel Santos (145.5lbs)
    • Lightweight: Tom Nolan (155.5lbs) vs. Viacheslav Borshchev (156lbs)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Wang Cong (125lbs) vs. Bruna Brasil (125.5lbs)
    • Bantamweight: Colby Thicknesse (135.5lbs) vs. Aleksandre Topuria (135.5lbs)

    Early Preliminary Card:

    • Lightweight: Rongzhu (156lbs) vs. Kody Steele (156lbs)
    • Welterweight: Kevin Jousset (171lbs) vs. Jonathan Micallef (170lbs)
    • Lightweight: Quillan Salkilld (156lbs) vs. Anshul Jubli (155.5lbs)
    • Flyweight: HyunSung Park vs. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel*

    *Due to weight management issues with Nyamjargal Tumendemberel, his flyweight bout with HyunSung Park has been canceled. 

  • Throwback: Dricus Du Plessis Claims Conor McGregor Who Fought Alvarez Would’ve Beaten Khabib Nurmagomedov

    Throwback: Dricus Du Plessis Claims Conor McGregor Who Fought Alvarez Would’ve Beaten Khabib Nurmagomedov

    In one of his most popular interviews ever, Dricus Du Plessis claimed that the version of Conor McGregor who displayed a perfect clinical performance against the then-lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, would’ve defeated Khabib Nurmagomedov.

    The reigning UFC middleweight champion is a huge “Notorious” fan. Du Plessis has also frequently expressed his desire to move up a weight class to be a double champ, a feat first achieved by “The Mystic Mac” in the UFC.

    Despite the gradually heating rivalry with Alex Pereira, “Stillknocks” believes in making at least three title defenses against rising contenders like Khamzat Chimaev and Nassourdine Imavov in the middlweight division. On the other hand, McGregor moved up to lightweight without ever defending his featherweight belt, a trend which fans call out quickly now a days.

    In an interview with Shadow Banned back in April 2024 , Du Plessis had said:

    “He deserved to go up there because he absolutely made That look easy against Alvarez. One of the best performances at the highest level, I’ve seen in my whole life.”

    He had further added:

    “His fight against Alvarez. I mean, I was already a professional long time then and I mean everybody, you look at that fight it was Flawless. He didn’t do anything wrong. He fought one of the greatest fighters in the world and he made him look like an amateur. Conor McGregor, as a favorite fighter, I said Gilbert Burns one of my favourite fighters, and so is Conor.”

    When asked whether the 2016 version of McGregor who fought Alvarez woould’ve given Nurmagomedov more problems, the 31-year-old replied:

    “I think he beats Khabib.”

    It is safe to assume that Du Plessis still holds high regard for everything McGregor has achieved inside the Octagon. In his recent interviews with Mark Bouris, he yet again praised the former UFC double champ for introducing mental warfare to fighting and elevating the overall pay scale of mixed martial arts athletes worldwide.

    As of now, the South African is all set for his upcoming rematch against Sean Strickland this Saturday night at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.

  • Dana White Highlights Boxing’s Edge Over MMA Using Ronda Rousey Example

    Dana White Highlights Boxing’s Edge Over MMA Using Ronda Rousey Example

    While looking back at Ronda Rousey’s loss to Holly Holm at UFC 193, Dana White pointed out a key difference in MMA fighters and boxers. He didn’t necessarily blame the fighters but stated the primary benefit boxers have during preparation because they represent a much older sport.

    The UFC President is back in Australia with a highly anticipated event in front of him, featuring a rematch between arch-rivals Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland for the UFC middleweight title.

    Discussing the preparation of both fighters leading up to the fight in an interview with Mark Bouris, White said:

    “Well, I ran, listen Sean Strickland, for all of his, you know, the talking that he does, when he gets into the Octagon, you know he’s got a very very good style, nice jab, always stays composed. I ran into Du Plessis in the elevator at the hotel and his coach and they were telling me, I mean, these guys do everything right. They’re actually really smart in how they approach everything. He got here, I’ll give you an example, he got here over two weeks ago to acclimate to the time and all the other things.”

    White claimed that boxers at the pinnacle of the sport are able to invest a lot more resources into their training camps before fights. From dedicated training partners to relocating their entire teams, they leave no stone unturned to be fully prepared.

    In contrast, UFC fighters, according to White, are often burdened by small yet significant factors like time zones and weather changes during their careers.

    “I think that’s one of the things that boxing has over us. Because we had such humble beginnings and we’re only like 30 years old as a sport, these guys don’t do the things that that boxers do. Like, when you were a boxer at that level making that kind of money and you were the main event, the camp was all built around you. You had your own Camp, your own training Partners. You would get into a place early, you know like I said,to acclimate whether it’s to altitude or time differences or temperature or humidity, all these different things play a factor in the fight and I think Du Plesis’ Camp did a great job of getting here early.”

    Giving the example of UFC Hall of Famer, Ronda Rousey, White explained the importance of preparation for combat sports athletes. While not taking away anything from Holm, he highlighted that Rousey had a hectic schedule ahead of her title defense and the lack of a more intensive training camp might’ve led to the massive upset.

    “Ronda Rousey, when she flew over here to Australia and lost to Holly Holm, she came straight from filming a movie. Got here three days before the fight, had a hard time making weight because of it, and obviously the time difference and you saw how that fight ended for Ronda”

    Having said that, White was delighted to see Du Plessis’ camp doing all the right things ahead of UFC 312. Getting used to Australian conditions might end up giving the champ an edge over Strickland, who, according to White, also boasts a very composed and safe fighting style.

  • UFC Legend Dominick Cruz Announces His Retirement After Having Plans For Final Fight Derailed By Injury

    UFC Legend Dominick Cruz Announces His Retirement After Having Plans For Final Fight Derailed By Injury

    Fans won’t be seeing legendary former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz back in the Octagon.

    Cruz, who held gold under the WEC banner before becoming a two-time titleholder on MMA’s biggest stage, last competed in the main event of a UFC Fight Night in San Diego back in August 2022.

    Following a knockout loss to Marlon Vera halting his charge back up the ladder, “The Dominator” set his sights on one final farewell. But after a familiar foe in physical issues away from the cage prevented that being booked until 2025, disaster struck once again this week.

    On Wednesday, news emerged that Cruz had been forced out of his scheduled retirement fight — a co-main event clash against Rob Font in Seattle on Feb. 22.

    Having sustained another serious injury, revealed to be a second dislocated shoulder in a matter of months, the 39-year-old confirmed his decision to call time on his active career in a heartfelt social media post on Thursday.

    “I have poured every ounce of myself into this sport for the last 25 years. I was really hopeful for one final fight but unfortunately, two shoulder dislocations in 8 months calls an end to this guy’s career.

    “I gave everything I had and put it into preparation and training for this fight —focusing on my cardio and my body for the past year. But sometimes, the body just doesn’t cooperate.

    “The pain isn’t as bad now that my shoulder is back in place, but the second dislocation was far more complicated than the first.

    “This sport has been everything to me—it’s helped to shape who I am.

    “Thank you to the @ufc for building this platform and paving the way for fighters like myself and so many others. The UFC broke barriers to set the stage not just for us as fighters. Also for every mma sports organization that followed them across the bridge created throughout politics in order to allow our sport to take place LEGALLY in the United States and now the world.

    “I am incredibly grateful to everyone who booked tickets, hotels, and flights to support me. Thank you all for being there through every moment, every victory, and every challenge. You’ve made this journey unforgettable. Thank you for the love and support. I will carry it with me always.”

    Cruz finishes his career with a 24-4 professional record and multiple stints as champion under his belt. Widely regarded as among the greatest bantamweights of all time, the frequent color commentator no doubt has a UFC Hall of Fame spot in his future.

  • Jairzinho Rozenstruik Blames Paint Fumes, Injury For UFC Saudi Arabia Loss: ‘I Felt Dizzy’

    Jairzinho Rozenstruik Blames Paint Fumes, Injury For UFC Saudi Arabia Loss: ‘I Felt Dizzy’

    Jairzinho Rozenstruik has finally spoken out after being cut from the UFC roster.

    Rozenstruik endured a crushing unanimous decision defeat this past weekend against former interim UFC heavyweight title challenger Sergei Pavlovich at UFC Saudi Arabia in Riyadh. The bout was disappointingly lopsided, prompting criticism from UFC CEO Dana White in its aftermath.

    Shockingly, just two days later, news broke that “Bigi Boy” had been released from his UFC contract, bringing an end to his six-year run with the promotion.

    On Thursday, Rozenstruik took to social media to address the UFC’s decision and reflect on his underwhelming performance. Interestingly, he partially attributed his struggles to the locker room’s paint fumes, claiming they left him feeling dizzy before the fight.

    “I came to Riyadh to win and pull off the upset. After a strong fight week, I felt dizzy on Saturday due to the paint fumes. Then, just 70 seconds into the fight, I injured my left foot. The moment my switch kick landed on his elbow, I felt it instantly and knew the fight would play out differently than planned.

    “At the end of 2018, I signed my first contract with the @ufc, embarking on an incredible journey. I’ve been honored to compete on the biggest stage, and I want to express my deepest gratitude to the UFC staff for their professionalism and support over the years. Thank you.

    “From being Rookie of the Year to becoming an MMA veteran, this has been an unforgettable adventure. While this chapter closes, my story is far from over. I will continue to fight, take on new challenges, and settle unfinished business in the cage. I’m ready for whatever comes next!” Rozenstruik wrote on X.

    “Bigi Boy” made his Octagon debut in in February 2019 with a third-round knockout victory over Junior Albini, eventually amassing a promotional record of 9-6, with eight of those wins coming by knockout.

    However, Rozenstruik struggled to find his rhythm in the later stages of his tenure, falling short of his true potential as he went 5-6 in his last 11 outings.

  • Manel Kape Gets New Opponent For UFC Fight Night Main Event After Brandon Royval’s Withdrawal

    Manel Kape Gets New Opponent For UFC Fight Night Main Event After Brandon Royval’s Withdrawal

    Manel Kape finds himself facing a new challenger for his UFC Fight Night main event after his originally scheduled bout fell through.

    Kape was originally slated to clash with former UFC flyweight title challenger Brandon Royval in the headlining bout of a Fight Night card on March 1 at the Apex in Las Vegas. However, “Starboy” suddenly found himself without an opponent on Wednesday after Royval withdrew due to an undisclosed injury.

    According to a recent report from Sportilinet, Kape is now set to battle Asu Almabayev on March 1. The update was also confirmed by MMA journalist Marcel Dorff on X.

    Almabayev had been lined up to face Allan Nascimento on the same card but stepped up on short notice for the main event opportunity. Meanwhile, it remains uncertain whether Nascimento will stay on the lineup.

    “Starboy” is fresh off a third-round knockout win over Bruno Silva at UFC Tampa this past December. His momentum, however, was briefly derailed last July at UFC 304 when Muhammad Mokaev snapped his four-fight winning streak. Kape currently boasts a 6-3 record in the UFC, with five of those victories coming by way of knockout.

    On the other hand, “Zulfikar” last entered the Octagon at a Fight Night event in October, where he earned a unanimous decision win over Matheus Nicolau. Since making his UFC debut in August 2023, he has remained undefeated across four appearances.

  • Sean Strickland Dismisses Staph Infection Speculation Ahead Of UFC 312 Headliner

    Sean Strickland Dismisses Staph Infection Speculation Ahead Of UFC 312 Headliner

    Ahead of his middleweight title rematch against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 this Saturday in Sydney, Sean Strickland has reassured fans that there is nothing to worry about following speculation that he might have a staph infection.

    Concern arose after Strickland’s pre-fight photoshoot was released, with some observers noting a mark on his arm that resembled a staph infection. Even Du Plessis alluded to it in a post on his Instagram Story, fueling speculation.

    However, Strickland addressed the rumors during the UFC 312 pre-fight press conference, dismissing any health concerns.

    “Listen, motherf*ckers, I’m immune to staph,” Strickland said. “You see this f*cking mustache? I give staph — I don’t f*cking get staph. Calm the f*ck down.

    “I don’t get sick, I don’t get f*cking injured, I don’t get f*cking staph. So, relax. I’m going to be out there on Sunday, and I’m going to come out f*cking hard and strong. The hardest and strongest you’ve ever f*cking seen. To the f*cking death, Dutch man.”

  • Daniel Cormier Warns Islam Makhachev Against Potential Middleweight Move

    Daniel Cormier Warns Islam Makhachev Against Potential Middleweight Move

    Daniel Cormier has cautioned UFC lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev against a potential move to middleweight despite a fight against welterweight champion Belal Muhammad likely being off the table.

    Makhachev has expressed interest in skipping the welterweight division entirely and jumping straight to middleweight in pursuit of becoming a two-division UFC champ. However, Cormier believes that current middleweight titleholder Dricus Du Plessis is often underestimated, despite recent wins over top-tier opponents in Robert Whittaker, Sean Strickland, and Israel Adesanya.

    “I know it may not look as appealing to some as they want their world champions to look, but we just watched him submit Israel Adesanya,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “We just watched him break him down over the course of three rounds and get him to a point where Izzy got submitted by him — something we’d never seen before. We have seen him beat Sean Strickland, we have seen him finish Robert Whittaker. At some point, we have to respect Dricus Du Plessis.

    “I think Islam respects him. I don’t know that Islam would understand how hard it would be to fight a guy of that size. I think this guy might weigh 220 when he’s not making weight. Many people talk about the amount of weight that the Russians cut, and Islam cuts weight to make 155, but I don’t know even on his heaviest days if he weighs 185. Now, I’m not saying that he can’t do it — I just think that it’s much harder than anyone understands to go up two weight classes.”

    Du Plessis is set to defend his title against Strickland in a rematch at UFC 312 this Saturday in Sydney, Australia.

  • UFC Analyst: Everyone Falls Off, Israel Adesanya Is No Different

    UFC Analyst: Everyone Falls Off, Israel Adesanya Is No Different

    Din Thomas isn’t surprised to see Israel Adesanya on a losing skid at this stage of his career.

    The former fighter-turned-analyst recently weighed in on Adesanya’s latest defeat, when he was knocked out by Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night Saudi Arabia. The loss marked Adesanya’s third consecutive setback and has fueled widespread speculation about his future in the sport.

    Thomas pointed out that many UFC legends have experienced similar declines toward the end of their careers, and “The Last Stylebender” is no exception.

    “Well, that’s just the thing. You know when you make it to the top, and he (Adesanya) is done right? In my opinion at the top-top,” Thomas said during MMA Today on Sirius XM. “But it happens to everybody. No one escapes that except for Jon Jones. It’s a handful, and they’re all on Mount Rushmore. Even Anderson Silva fell off. It happens to everybody. This might be a bad message to send to fighters, but if you make it to the top, it comes crashing down hard. Harder than if you don’t make it to the top, and you kind of teeter around the UFC for a while.

    “When you make it to the top top, your losses are always magnified,” Thomas added. “Everybody’s watching them and it looks like a hard fall. It happened to Chuck Liddell, it happened to B.J. Penn, it happened to all the greats, and that’s just what’s happening to Izzy right now.”

  • UFC Schedule Continues To Take Hits As Dominick Cruz Reportedly Pulls Out Of Seattle Co-Headliner

    UFC Schedule Continues To Take Hits As Dominick Cruz Reportedly Pulls Out Of Seattle Co-Headliner

    The blows keep on coming for the UFC in 2025.

    After losing its first pay-per-view main event of the new year on just 24 hours’ notice last month in Los Angeles, the opening week of February has seen the mixed martial arts dealt two hits to its Q1 calendar in the form of canceled main and co-main events.

    On Wednesday, former flyweight title challenger Brandon Royval revealed in an Instagram post that injury has forced him out of a main event opposite Manel Kape at the Apex on March 1.

    Just hours on, the UFC’s event in Seattle on Feb. 22 has reportedly lost its bantamweight co-headliner between the legendary Dominick Cruz and perennial contender Rob Font.

    The bout was set to mark “The Dominator’s” return after two and a half years away, and expected to serve as his retirement fight.

    But per Cageside Press, a familiar foe in the injury curse has struck the 39-year-old just weeks out.

    With no timeframe attached to Cruz’s recovery as of writing, it remains to be seen whether the promotion plans to seek a replacement opponent for Font or reschedule his matchup with the former champ for a later date.

    With this cancellation, the current fights expected to take place at the UFC Fight Night in Seattle on Feb. 22 are as follows:

    • Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong
    • Brendan Allen vs. Anthony Hernandez
    • Jean Silva vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan
    • Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev
    • Edson Barboza vs. Steve Garcia
    • Ion Cuțelaba vs. Ibo Aslan
    • Adam Fugitt vs. Billy Goff
    • Ketlen Vieira vs. Macy Chiasson
    • Ricky Simón vs. Javid Basharat
    • Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Nick Klein
    • Modestas Bukauskas vs. Raffael Cerqueira
    • Andre Fili vs. Melquizael Costa
  • Manel Kape Pitches Replacement After Losing UFC Fight Night Main Event Opponent

    Manel Kape Pitches Replacement After Losing UFC Fight Night Main Event Opponent

    UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape is wasting little time searching for a new foe after losing his planned opponent early next month.

    Following a return to winning ways via a knockout of Bruno Silva in Tampa last December, Kape was booked for a potential title eliminator against Brandon Royval in the UFC Vegas 103 main event on March 1.

    On Wednesday, however, “Raw Dawg” announced his withdrawal due to injury on Instagram.

    After unsurprisingly firing shots at his stricken rival on social media, “Starboy” quickly turned his attention to securing a different opponent for that date.

    And he has one high-profile name in mind…

    “Moreno step in!!!”

    Unfortunately for the Angola-born Portuguese flyweight, recent reports have Brandon Moreno slated to headline the UFC Fight Night in Mexico City later in the month against Steve Erceg.

    But should that be the case, the former Rizin champion still won’t be without options. He’s already agreed to one alternative, giving the green light to a clash with the in-form Charles Johnson.

    Having won four straight in the division, many were surprised to see the #12-ranked Johnson booked against a name outside the top 15 in Ramazon Temirov next time out.

    With that bout set for the same March 1 event that Kape was scheduled to headline, perhaps “InnerG” will get his wish for a more prominent booking and be elevated to headline status versus “Starboy.”

  • Dricus Du Plessis Backs Israel Adesanya’s Firm Take On His Legacy Amid UFC Losing Skid

    Dricus Du Plessis Backs Israel Adesanya’s Firm Take On His Legacy Amid UFC Losing Skid

    UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis recently assessed former rival Israel Adesanya’s legacy following a third straight defeat inside the Octagon.

    After consecutive losses to Sean Strickland and Du Plessis in title fights, Adesanya returned to non-championship, non-pay-per-view competition this past weekend in Saudi Arabia.

    He was unable to rediscover winning form, instead falling via knockout to the surging Nassourdine Imavov seconds into the sophomore round in Riyadh.

    During fight week for the Feb. 1 event, “The Last Stylebender” insisted he has zero worry about his current losing skid affecting his standing as one of the all-time greats, claiming that even 10 defeats in a row would not affect his legacy.

    With that sentiment, Adesanya evidently has the support of a former opponent.

    “For Izzy, I don’t think there’s another title run,” Du Plessis said during UFC 312 media day on Wednesday. “With all due respect. I think his legacy is cemented and will always be there, and whatever he feels like doing, he can do. I put him in the same category as Anderson Silva at this stage of, lose as many fights as you want. You’ll always have your legacy.

    “Anderson Silva, after his reign ended, I don’t care how many times he lost. He was still my GOAT. He was still the greatest middleweight of all time,” Du Plessis continued. “And I feel like Izzy is in that area, where whatever you decided to do – take super fights here or there if you want to, if you still have the passion for it.”

    Du Plessis submitted Adesanya at UFC 305 in Perth last August. He’s back Down Under this week to defend the middleweight belt again, this time against the man he snatched the belt from 13 months ago, Sean Strickland.

    The Nigerian-New Zealander, meanwhile, is planning on taking some time away from the cage to rest and recuperate, before assessing his next step on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

  • Ilia Topuria Explains Why He Prefers Islam Makhachev Superfight Over UFC Title Defense

    Ilia Topuria Explains Why He Prefers Islam Makhachev Superfight Over UFC Title Defense

    Ilia Topuria is eager to secure a fight with UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev, believing that a victory would solidify his status as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

    The reigning featherweight champ has set his sights on the top spot as the sport’s best, putting him at odds with Makhachev. Topuria has repeatedly expressed his desire to move up in weight for a superfight, a sentiment he reiterated in a recent interview with Fox Sports Australia.

    “Me, personally, what I want to do is move up to 155 because I know that I can become a two-weight world champion,” Topuria said. “Islam, he’s a great fighter, he’s the No. 1 pound-for-pound for the people. For me, it’s me, myself — I’m the best fighter in the world. I know that I can do with him whatever I want to do because I know that I am much better than him.”

    Topuria has built a strong case for being the best fighter in the world, topping multiple Fighter of the Year lists at the end of 2024, surpassing names like Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway.

    “This is something that I want to do,” Topuria said. “The UFC knows that. But at the end of the day, this is something that the UFC decides because they know how to run the business. They know how to do it, they have a lot of experience. So if they tell me that they want me to keep defending the belt in the 145 division, maybe I will do that. But if they let me go up to 155, I will do that also.”

    If “El Matador” remains at featherweight, potential challengers include Diego Lopes and Movsar Evloev, as well as a rumored rematch with Alexander Volkanovski.

    “I think Diego deserves it more because Movsar has more fights in the UFC, but he has eight fights, eight decisions, [one] by split decision. You need to finish someone,” Topuria said. “Do something, do something relevant, put yourself in that spot, and why not? We can do it.

    “But if you don’t finish anyone, I fight for the fans. I fight to entertain the fans, and I need someone inside the cage to be entertained. I don’t need someone who is only looking for the win and grabs you and this and that. Which, by the way, he wouldn’t be able to do that with me—I would knock him out in the first round. But I need someone to hype up the fight.”

  • ‘No Way Bro Stopped Ducking Big Tom’ – Fans React As Jon Jones Teases ‘Huge Announcement’ In 24 Hours

    ‘No Way Bro Stopped Ducking Big Tom’ – Fans React As Jon Jones Teases ‘Huge Announcement’ In 24 Hours

    UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones has caused a stir, as speculation about his future in the cage continues.

    Jones returned from a lengthy layoff to defend the heavyweight gold for the first time last November, headlining UFC 309 in New York City opposite former champion Stipe Miocic.

    “Bones” received plenty of flak for facing the veteran over his division’s interim titleholder, Tom Aspinall. And despite the division still having two champs, there remains no confirmation that they will face one another in 2025.

    But could that change in less than 24 hours’ time?

    Jones took to X on Wednesday to announce an announcement.

    “In 24 hours I’ll be making a huge announcement! #Andstill”

    The post unsurprisingly gained plenty of attention, with the fanbase speculating on what tomorrow’s news could be.

    The two leading theories? A unification showdown with Aspinall…or retirement.

  • Umar Nurmagomedov Branded ‘Scared’ By Rising UFC Bantamweight Prospect: ‘I’m The Russian Hunter!’

    Umar Nurmagomedov Branded ‘Scared’ By Rising UFC Bantamweight Prospect: ‘I’m The Russian Hunter!’

    UFC bantamweight prospect Vinicius Oliveira is continuing to taunt recent title challenger Umar Nurmagomedov, as his push for a showdown with the Dagestani goes on.

    Oliveira has made a sizable splash since arriving in the Octagon by way of Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023. “Lok Dog” has gone 3-0 on MMA’s biggest stage, most recently outpointing Said Nurmagomedov at the UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia this past weekend.

    Now, the Brazilian has his sights on a different Nurmagomedov.

    Oliveira has long expressed confidence when it comes to a future clash with Umar, who fell short of the title against Merab Dvalishvili last month in Los Angeles.

    Post-fight on Feb. 1, Oliveira again targeted the Russian. And he doubled down on his statements during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned this week, suggesting that Nurmagomedov is afraid of facing “the Russian hunter.”

    “(Nurmagomedov) is scared of me because he knows that I’m taller than him, I’m stronger than him, and I am an unpredictable fighter,” Oliveira said. “I’m a dangerous fight because I am good at stand up. I’m good on the ground. I’m good in all situations inside the fight.

    “I don’t fear nobody,” Oliveira continued. “When he looks at my eyes he can see the demons inside. … I’m the Russian hunter.”

    Nurmagomedov fell to his first defeat as a professional mixed martial artist at UFC 311, with the champ’s renowned pace and cardio doing the trick in the latter rounds to secure a decision victory. The Russian will now focus on bouncing back next time out.

    Given his status as an unranked prospect, it remains to be seen whether the promotion will look to pair Oliveira up with the recent title challenger.

  • VIDEO: Sean Strickland Thrown From His Motorcycle Days Ahead Of UFC 312 Title Fight

    VIDEO: Sean Strickland Thrown From His Motorcycle Days Ahead Of UFC 312 Title Fight

    Sean Strickland aims to recapture the middleweight title in a rematch against current champion Dricus Du Plessis in the UFC 312 main event this weekend in Sydney. Du Plessis previously defeated Strickland at UFC 297.

    After the UFC 311 lost its main event on late notice last month, Saturday’s challenger may have given the promotion a scare with his recent motorcycle mishap during the filming of UFC 312 Embedded. In the footage, Strickland attempted to show off for the cameras but ended up taking a spill.

    The incident brings to mind other fighters who have suffered serious motorcycle accidents before major UFC events, including Jose Aldo and Frank Mir, some of whom faced nearly career-ending injuries. Strickland’s fall occurred while attempting a wheelie, resulting in him losing control and falling off the back of the bike.

    “Gotta let it warm up, like a woman—gotta ease her into it, get her right,” Strickland said. “Motorcycles are fun because they’re f*cking scary. Every time you get on one, your butthole puckers a little bit and you’re like, ‘Oh, this is real scary, but it’s real fun.’”