MMA News

Category: MMA

  • Sean Strickland On Islam Makhachev’s Middleweight Hopes: ‘Stay In Your Weight Class!’

    Sean Strickland On Islam Makhachev’s Middleweight Hopes: ‘Stay In Your Weight Class!’

    Sean Strickland intends to remind Islam Makhachev that the UFC’s distinct weight classes exist for a reason.

    Following his commanding fourth title defense against Renato Moicano at UFC 311, the lightweight champion’s aspirations to conquer a second weight class have reached new heights — something he has been expressing for some time now.

    However, the Dagestani champion faces a difficult conundrum, as he is on good terms with reigning welterweight champ Belal Muhammad, which complicates his path toward two-division glory.

    As a result, Makhachev has proposed an ambitious vision, declaring that his physique and skill set are more than capable of propelling him up two weight classes to take on middleweight kingpin Dricus Du Plessis.

    “Stillknocks” has already cautioned the 155-pound champion that he might be biting off more than he can chew, suggesting it would be wise to rethink his bold move — a sentiment that Strickland fully supports.

    Strickland is poised for a title rematch with Du Plessis, which will headline UFC 312 next weekend. If “Tarzan” secures victory in this highly anticipated showdown, it’s almost unfathomable to think that the first defense of his second reign as 185-pound champion could be against Makhachev.

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Strickland was probed about the possibility of facing Makhachev should the Russian champion decide to step into his division.

    “We fought on the same card once, right? Bro, I actually really like that guy,” Strickland told. “He’s actually a really f**king good dude, which is funny because I think a lot of Muslims don’t like me because I talk a lot of sh*t. But he’s a good dude.”

    The outspoken American fighter went on to suggest that Makhachev might be able to handle a move up to welterweight, but stepping into the middleweight division would be a bridge too far for him.

    “Again, there’s weight classes for a f*king reason. Stay in your weight class, maybe do 170 [pounds], but there are weight classes for a f**king reason, dude. I don’t want to talk too much sh*t on you because I like you, but stay in your weight class.”

    Strickland and Makhachev both featured on the UFC 302 card this past June, where Makhachev successfully defended his lightweight title with a submission victory over Dustin Poirier, while “Tarzan” triumphed over Paulo Costa, securing himself a second shot at the middleweight crown.

  • Dana White Admits UFC Could ‘Move On’ From Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall

    Dana White Admits UFC Could ‘Move On’ From Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall

    Fight fans were caught off guard when UFC CEO Dana White made a rare on-the-record ‘guarantee’ that Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall for the unified heavyweight championship would take place in 2025.

    Two months later, the fight remains far from finalized.

    Talks of this potential bout began after Jones defended his title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November. However, Jones dismissed the idea of facing the interim champion unless he received “f*ck you money” from the UFC, while also teasing retirement. Despite this, White has remained confident the fight will happen.

    Speaking to Oscar Willis of The Mac Life, White confirmed that discussions are ongoing. But although the UFC boss previously stated they would get the fight done, he acknowledged that nothing is guaranteed.

    “One hundred percent,” White said. “If we don’t get the fight done, we move on and make another fight. But not last night, but the night before, I was up in my room with my people until like 6 in the morning. We’re working on lots of stuff right now. There’s lots of really good sh*t going on right now.”

    Negotiations are still underway regarding Jones’ payout, which remains a key sticking point. White reaffirmed that this is the biggest fight the UFC can put together.

    “There’s no situation. It’s the biggest fight we can make,” White said. “I know the fans like to mess with Jon or whatever. Jon Jones isn’t afraid of anybody, and Jon Jones will fight anybody. It’s just a matter of getting the fight done now. That’s our job.”

  • Israel Adesanya Weighs In On Sean Strickland’s ‘Silly’ Striking-Only Proposal For Dricus Du Plessis At UFC 312

    Israel Adesanya Weighs In On Sean Strickland’s ‘Silly’ Striking-Only Proposal For Dricus Du Plessis At UFC 312

    Israel Adesanya isn’t buying into Sean Strickland’s stand-and-bang ultimatum for reigning UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis ahead of their rematch.

    Du Plessis and Strickland are set to reignite their rivalry in the main event of UFC 312 on Feb. 8 at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. This highly anticipated rematch comes a year after their intense first encounter at UFC 297 in January 2024, where “Stillknocks” clinched a hard-fought split decision to claim the 185-pound crown.

    Their initial clash was a savage striking war, and Strickland is hell-bent on keeping it just as intense for their rematch.

    In a fiery social media video earlier this month, “Tarzan” urged Du Plessis to “be a f**king man” and stick to the battle on the feet, dismissing any grappling exchanges when they meet in the “Land Down Under.”

    The South African champion has already dismissed Strickland’s proposals as “ridiculous” and made it clear that he’s unafraid to bring a full spectrum of skills to the Octagon.

    “The Last Stylebender” shares a history with both men and will be keeping a close eye on the UFC 312 headliner, having faced them in his last two outings before shifting his focus to Nassourdine Imavov for his return at UFC Saudi Arabia this Saturday.

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Adesanya shared his thoughts on Strickland’s striking-only proposal for Du Plessis. The seasoned former UFC middleweight champion trashed the outspoken American’s suggestion, pointing out that it reflects poorly on Strickland to try and remove an essential aspect of a MMA fight.

    “That’s kind of silly,” Adesanya said. “It’s silly to say. I don’t think he means it because Dricus is good at what he does. Trying to take that away from him would be you’re not really proving you’re the best then.”

    While the first encounter between Du Plessis and Strickland was a closely contested affair, Adesanya, drawing from his own experience, still backs Du Plessis to successfully defend his title at UFC 312.

    “Look, I think Dricus is probably going to win that fight. He’s great at what he does.”

  • Yoel Romero Claims He Put Lyoto Machida Into A Coma With UFC Knockout

    Yoel Romero Claims He Put Lyoto Machida Into A Coma With UFC Knockout

    Yoel Romero has made a startling claim regarding former opponent Lyoto Machida.

    While he’s now nearly 50 and past his prime, Romero was once regarded as an extremely dangerous competitor. Throughout his career, the Cuban faced some of the biggest names in MMA but never secured a championship, though he came close on multiple occasions.

    During an appearance on Mike Perry’s OverDogs Podcast, Romero revealed that his knockout victory over Machida had serious, lasting consequences for “The Dragon.” They met in June 2015 at a UFC Fight Night event, where Romero finished him in the third round.

    “Lyoto was too worn out,” he said. “Let’s put it this way — after he fought me, he wasn’t the same. He suffered brutal damage. You know he was in a coma, right? He was in a coma. I was worried about him. I kept talking to his managers because he was in a coma. That’s why I respect any gladiator that does this, because your life is at risk, bro.”

    Following his loss to Romero, Machida went on to compete nine more times as a professional, winning four of those bouts. He retired from MMA in 2022 after a knockout loss to Fabian Edwards in Bellator.

    “Soldier of God,” meanwhile, is coming off a knockout win in Dirty Boxing and is currently part of the Global Fight League roster.

  • UFC Insider Predicts Serious Backlash For Bryce Mitchell’s Hitler-Sympathizing Remarks

    UFC Insider Predicts Serious Backlash For Bryce Mitchell’s Hitler-Sympathizing Remarks

    Bryce Mitchell is unlikely to avoid the long-lasting consequences of his anti-Semitic comments, or so predicts a UFC insider.

    Mitchell, notorious for regularly making bizarre statements that even the most sensible would reject, coupled with his promotion of numerous conspiracy theories that defy scientific logic, has once again raised eyebrows with his latest remarks.

    During the first episode of his freshly launched ArkanSanity Podcast, “Thug Nasty” stunned listeners with a striking rant, oddly praising Adolf Hitler as a “good guy,” and going on to reject the Holocaust as a fabricated event in history.

    UFC CEO Dana White wasted no time responding to Mitchell’s shocking comments during the post-event press conference for Power Slap on Thursday. The UFC head honcho expressed his outrage, calling Mitchell’s statements “probably the worst” viewpoint he had ever come across.

    Despite emphasizing the gravity of the situation, White clarified that no disciplinary action would be taken against “Thug Nasty” and that the UFC would not sever ties with him due to free speech.

    However, despite the UFC refraining from issuing a formal action against Mitchell, Chael Sonnen is convinced that the polarizing fighter will still face significant consequences down the line.

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Sonnen predicted that Mitchell would suffer a financial setback for expressing his sympathy toward the Nazi dictator, suggesting that the fallout would likely cost him valuable sponsorships.

    “Please understand, there’s a checks and balances for these guys that run their mouth or say something bad or say something that’s really offensive,” Sonnen said. “There’s other things you can do, there’s checks and balances. Mark my words, he’s having calls from whatever sponsors he’s got, he doesn’t have them anymore. In the best case scenario, they all got frozen – in a best case scenario.”

    The former UFC fighter-turned-analyst further warned that the 30-year-old Arkansas native that the repercussions would extend beyond the public eye.

    “Now, the audience is going to look at him different. Those things don’t go away. To pretend that there’s not a punishment, is not true… There’s criminals out there, but some of them jaywalk, and some of them rob a bank. There’s different levels, and there’s checks and balances for all of them. So please, let’s not pretend that Bryce has got away with something here. He most definitely did not.”

  • Dana White On GFL: ‘I Think These Guys Are Blowing Real Cash’

    Dana White On GFL: ‘I Think These Guys Are Blowing Real Cash’

    Dana White has made it clear that he does not see the Global Fight League (GFL) as a serious competitor to the UFC empire he has built over the past 24 years.

    Since its launch, GFL has signed several former UFC fighters, including Chris Weidman, Luke Rockhold, Tyron Woodley, Alexander Gustafsson and Urijah Faber. The promotion is structured as a team-based league, set to begin in April, featuring a regular season, semifinals, and finals. GFL held its draft last Friday.

    Following a recent Power Slap event, White was asked for his thoughts on the GFL.

    The promotion has touted a 50-50 revenue split with fighters, along with retirement and insurance funds aimed at enhancing financial security and professional well-being. GFL claims to offer unprecedented profit-sharing opportunities to support both male and female athletes throughout their careers.

    “I don’t think it’s blowing smoke — I think these guys are blowing real cash,” White said. “These guys are throwing a lot of money around, and I love it. Good for the fighters—it’s good for them. I don’t know anything about their business plan or what the deal is, but no, I don’t consider any combat sports my competition. My competition is the NFL, college football, soccer, big movies that come out on Saturday. I don’t look at other combat sports as competitors.”

  • Dricus Du Plessis Scoffs At Alex Pereira Cornering Sean Strickland At UFC 312: ‘Doesn’t Really Make A Difference’

    Dricus Du Plessis Scoffs At Alex Pereira Cornering Sean Strickland At UFC 312: ‘Doesn’t Really Make A Difference’

    Dricus Du Plessis believes Alex Pereira’s presence in Sean Strickland’s corner at UFC 312 won’t make a difference.

    Du Plessis is set to put his middleweight title on the line in a highly anticipated rematch against longtime rival Strickland, headlining UFC 312 on Feb. 8 at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena.

    Strickland’s head coach, Eric Nicksick, disclosed earlier this week that reigning UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Pereira will lend his seasoned expertise to the outspoken fighter as he eyes a second shot at the 185-pound title.

    Pereira himself is preparing to put his belt on the line for the fourth time against Magomed Ankalaev in the main event of UFC 313, set for March 8 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

    After Pereira knocked out Strickland at UFC 276 in 2022, the two formed a camaraderie and regularly train alongside each other. UFC 312 will mark the second time “Poatan” corners Strickland, having previously been in his corner at UFC 297, where the American lost his title to Du Plessis in a gritty split decision.

    During a recent interview with CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri, “Stillknocks” laughed off Pereira cornering Strickland at UFC 312, dismissing it as a non-factor. He pointed to the Brazilian’s presence at UFC 297, where Strickland still lost.

    “He was in the corner in the first fight too,” Du Plessis said. “I mean, they don’t even speak the same language. It doesn’t really make it much of a difference whether he’s in the corner or not. Strickland could barely understand his own coach who’s also American. How is he going to understand Alex Pereira [laughs]?”

    After capturing the middleweight title in January last year, Du Plessis has defended it once, securing a submission victory over Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in August.

    Meanwhile, Strickland has stepped into the Octagon just once since losing the belt, edging out Paulo Costa via split decision at UFC 303 last June.

  • Daniel Cormier: UFC Light Heavyweight Division Is Going To Have Alex Pereira Problem For A ‘Long Time’

    Daniel Cormier: UFC Light Heavyweight Division Is Going To Have Alex Pereira Problem For A ‘Long Time’

    Daniel Cormier has witnessed firsthand what Alex Pereira can do inside the Octagon, showcasing dominant performances against some of the light heavyweight division’s best.

    Pereira is set to make his fourth title defense against former title challenger Magomed Ankalaev on March 8, at UFC 313. He won his first UFC title in just his eighth professional MMA fight and claimed his second championship in his 11th bout.

    UFC color commentator Cormier, who previously held both the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles, made it clear that he would not doubt Pereira’s abilities. In fact, he believes Pereira will be a force in the division for years to come.

    “Now one thing I won’t do is question Alex,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “I’m done. I won’t question whether or not he can wrestle, I won’t question any of that anymore, because he has proven it time and time again that whatever he’s doing is right and it’s allowed for him to become one of the greatest fighters of all time.

    “Yes, he is one of the greatest fighters of all time in the shortest amount of time I have ever seen anyone building a legacy that is that strong or a résumé that is that strong, never seen it.

    “I’ve never seen someone do what Pereira has done, and he’s a free spirit—maybe that free spirit allows for him to be as good as he’s been. This dude’s the man, and if he gets through this next challenge, if he gets through Ankalaev, I’m going on the record and saying that light heavyweight is going to have a ‘Poatan‘ problem for a really long time.”

  • UFC Fight Night: Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    Before heading to Australia to stage its second pay-per-view of 2025 next weekend, the mixed martial arts leader has Fight Night business to attend to in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    The main event presents an opportunity for Israel Adesanya to return to winning ways following consecutive defeats to Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis. To avoid a three-fight skid in his return to non-title bouts, the Nigerian-New Zealander must stall the rise of Nassourdine Imavov.

    Before that, welterweight contender Michael “Venom” Page will move up for a one-off middleweight scrap with Shara Magomedov. With the in-form Dagestani showing his striking prowess since joining the UFC, Saturday’s co-main event promises to be an entertaining stand-up battle.

    Elsewhere, the likes of Sergei Pavlovich, Vinicius Oliveira, and Jasmine Jasudavicius will all be in action.

    UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Imavov Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Imavov takes place on Saturday, February 1, at the anb Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card begins at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT.

    Check out the full weigh-in results below.

    Main Card:

    • Middleweight: Israel Adesanya (185lbs) vs. Nassourdine Imavov (185lbs)
    • Middleweight: Sharabutdin Magomedov (185lbs) vs. Michael Page (185.5lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Sergei Pavlovich (249lbs) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (252lbs)
    • Bantamweight: Said Nurmagomedov (135.5lbs) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (135lbs)
    • Lightweight: Mike Davis (156lbs) vs. Farès Ziam (155.5lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Featherweight: Muhammad Naimov (145.5lbs) vs. Kaan Ofli (145lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Shamil Gaziev (260lbs) vs. Thomas Petersen (263lbs)
    • Lightweight: Damir Hadžović (155.5lbs) vs. Terrance McKinney (156lbs)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Jasmine Jasudavicius (125lbs) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva (126lbs)
    • Featherweight: Lucas Alexander (148.5lbs)* vs. Bogdan Grad (145.5lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Hamdy Abdelwahab (260lbs) vs. Jamal Pogues (264lbs)

    *Lucas Alexander missed the featherweight limit by 2.5 pounds, forfeits 30 percent of his purse to Bogdan Grad

  • Dana White ‘Beyond Disgusted’ By UFC Fighter Bryce Mitchell Praising Hitler

    Dana White ‘Beyond Disgusted’ By UFC Fighter Bryce Mitchell Praising Hitler

    Dana White is having none of the nonsense Bryce Mitchell recently spewed.

    Mitchell has carved out a unique reputation in the MMA world as a staunch advocate for a variety of conspiracy theories, often voicing such outlandish opinions that even the most rational minds wouldn’t entertain.

    “Thug Nasty” has repeatedly sparked controversy with his provocative views, exploring subjects like promoting the flat Earth theory, rejecting the concept of human evolution, and claiming that wearing seat belts in cars is pointless, alongside a slew of other equally shocking opinions.

    This time, however, the UFC featherweight fighter surpassed all bounds of utter absurdity during the debut episode of his ArkanSanity Podcast. Mitchell unleashed a shocking Adolf Hitler diatribe, bizarrely praising the Nazi dictator as a well-meaning figure with noble intentions.

    “I really don’t think that he was, because I honestly think that Hitler was a good guy based upon my own research, not my public education indoctrination,” Mitchell said. “I really do think before Hitler got on meth, he was a guy I’d go fishing with. He fought for his country.”

    During the post-event press conference for Power Slap on Thursday, White castigated Mitchell’s outrageous remarks.

    The UFC CEO vehemently blasted the 30-year-old Arkansas native, calling it the most idiotic opinion he had ever encountered.

    “I’ve heard a lot of dumb, ignorant sh*t in my day, but this one is probably the worst,” White said. “Second of all, Hitler is one of the most disgusting and evil human beings to ever walk the earth, and anyone who even tries to take an opposing position is a moron. That’s a problem with the Internet — and social media. You provide a platform for a lot of dumb, ignorant people. We’ve obviously reached out to Bryce and when we read what he said and let him know how we feel about it … we’re beyond disgusted.”

    Despite mounting calls from the MMA community to axe out Mitchell from the UFC, White further stated that “Thug Nasty” wouldn’t face any disciplinary action or be released from the promotion.

    “That’s what everybody wants to hear about, punishment. It’s free speech, I don’t have to love it, you don’t have to love it… That’s the beautiful thing about this business, for all of you who hate Bryce Mitchell, you get to see him hopefully get his a** whooped on global television. What do you want me to say about it? You know where I am with free speech. We’re disgusted by it.”

  • Daniel Cormier Explains Why Alex Pereira Cornering Sean Strickland Is ‘Risky’

    Daniel Cormier Explains Why Alex Pereira Cornering Sean Strickland Is ‘Risky’

    Daniel Cormier has given his take on the growing partnership between UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira and former middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland. He recently cautioned Pereira about overextending himself.

    Pereira is set to defend his title for the fourth time against former title challenger Magomed Ankalaev on March 8 at UFC 313. Meanwhile, Strickland is scheduled to compete for the 185-pound belt in a rematch against current champion Dricus du Plessis on February 8 at UFC 312.

    “Poatan” will be in Strickland’s corner for the fight, marking the second time he has taken on that role.

    He was also part of Strickland’s team at UFC 297, where the American lost the middleweight title to du Plessis via a close split decision. Pereira and Strickland formed a friendship after their fight in 2022, which the Brazilian won by knockout.

    Speaking on his YouTube channel, Cormier highlighted the depth of their bond.

    “We don’t know what those training sessions look like, but I think what you don’t understand as people on the outside is it’s more than just the training,” Cormier said. “It’s the bond that’s built outside of the training. How much time are these guys spending together to build a relationship once they are outside of the gym? This, to me, tells me that Pereira and Strickland are building a relationship that’s very strong. Why? Because we already know that Pereira has a fight on the books. Las Vegas. UFC 313.

    “What we do know is that Alex Pereira is going to be fighting a guy who could be his most formidable opponent because of the style. But we also have to take into effect that his relationship with Strickland is so strong that he’s willing to travel across the world to corner him. To me, it seems dangerous. To me, it seems risky for Alex to go all the way to Australia knowing everything that goes into a training camp and how hard that travel can be on your body when you’re preparing to continue to defend your world championship. So how strong is that bond? How much does Sean Strickland now mean to Alex Pereira for him to take that risk? Because trust me, it is a risk.”

  • Sean Strickland To Dricus Du Plessis: ‘You’re A Wrecking Ball, I’m A F**king Scalpel’

    Sean Strickland To Dricus Du Plessis: ‘You’re A Wrecking Ball, I’m A F**king Scalpel’

    Sean Strickland is confident that he can improve upon his performance at UFC 297 in order to reclaim the middleweight title. After shocking the world by beating Israel Adesanya for the belt at UFC 293, Strickland’s first title defence came in January last year against Dricus Du Plessis.

    The fight came right down to the wire with the judges scoring the fight in favor of the challenger, seeing Du Plessis become the new champion via a split decision. Strickland has developed a trademark style in recent years which has led to many questioning what he can do differently in his rematch with the South African at UFC 312 on February 8.

    Whilst “Stillknocks” has a wide variety of attacks at his disposal, Strickland is very much the opposite with the former champ utilizing a fairly straight forward approach that relies heavily on defense and pressure. He recognizes that Du Plessis is a good opponent but he believes that the two men simply have different approaches, rather than one having the advantage over the other.

    In an interview with Mike Bohn for MMA Junkie, the challenger spoke about what he expects from his main event clash in Australia.

    “It comes down to what I said [before about] f***ing Dricus [du Plessis] on that short bus. I respect him for it. He goes f***ing full send… But you know, you’re a wrecking ball, I’m a f***ing scalpel. It just comes down to who’s better.”

    The big question heading into the title fight rematch is whether Strickland can make small adjustments to his game plan in order to make it more effective the second time around. Having had his moments in their first encounter, he’s clearly confident that he will get his hand raised at the second time of asking.

    ”Last time I think I was better. This time, I think I’m gonna f***ing piece you apart. Your face will look the exact same after (as last fight) if not worse.”

  • Joe Rogan Recalls Proposal He Made To Ari Emanuel When Endeavor Bought UFC: ‘The Fights Would Be Better…’

    Joe Rogan Recalls Proposal He Made To Ari Emanuel When Endeavor Bought UFC: ‘The Fights Would Be Better…’

    Weight cutting in MMA has been a problem for decades. Joe Rogan, for one, wants to see a significant rule change in the UFC to eliminate it for good. 

    The longtime UFC color commentator has talked about this problem frequently and did so yet again while speaking with former light heavyweight champion Jiří Procházka on his podcast.

    He sees the dangers it causes to fighters’ bodies. Rogan said he’d prefer the UFC to implement more weight classes to prevent significant cuts, an idea he pitched to Ari Emanuel when Endeavor bought the promotion’s parent company, Zuffa.

    “I think weight cutting should be eliminated,” Rogan said on The Joe Rogan Experience. “I said this to Ari Emanuel when they first bought the UFC. I said, ‘Listen, man, you know what we should do? Get rid of weight cutting. Just stop it.’ Look, if you can randomly test people for drugs, you can randomly test their weight.

    “Show up with a scale. ‘Hey, buddy, step on the scale. You’re 190 pounds? How the f*ck are you making 145?’ Do something like that and come up with more weight classes. There should be a weight class every 10 pounds. This idea of these giant gaps like 185 to 205, that’s a 20-pound gap. That’s huge. That doesn’t exist in boxing. They should have every 10 pounds: 85, 95, 205, 225, and then unlimited.”

    Rogan believes that it should be where the weight cuts are catered around the UFC champions and what they walk around at. That would eliminate wild cuts where fighters lose dozens of pounds. 

    “Instead of having weight cuts, just take the champions, find out what the champion weighs – like don’t get rid of the championship belts,” Rogan said. “Find out what does Islam Makhachev weigh. Islam Makhachev is a UFC champion, best pound-for-pound fighter on Earth. Find out what he weighs.

    “What do you weigh if you were healthy, if weight cutting didn’t exist? Would it be 185, 190? Whatever that is, that’s how you fight now, and we’re not going to weigh you in the day before and let you rehydrate. That’s crazy talk. Fight people your size. The fights would be better because too many people get depleted horribly.”

  • Former Teammate Describes Experience Training With Khamzat Chimaev 

    Former Teammate Describes Experience Training With Khamzat Chimaev 

    It seems like everybody who trains with Khamzat Chimaev has got nothing but great things to say about him. When “Borz” first arrived in the UFC, there was an unmatched aura around him.

    The undefeated contender was dominating opponents without taking any damage whilst competing at both welterweight and middleweight. His run of being ready to take on and run straight through anyone in the world encountered some speed bumps along the way but despite this, Chimaev is finally in the middleweight title picture after debuting inside the Octagon back in 2020.

    For all of his health issues that have prevented him from being overly active, no one has been able to solve the unique puzzle that he brings to the table as of yet and his latest win over Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 showed just how dangerous Chimaev still is. A huge part of the boogeyman atmosphere surrounding him in the early days of his UFC career were the stories that you heard from training partners.

    In a recent interview with Dylan Bowker, Matěj Peňáz gave his insight on what it is like to train alongside a man who fight fans still have so many questions about. Peňáz is a very dangerous striker who currently competes in OKTAGON with the only loss of his pro career coming on Dana White’s Contender Series back in 2022 where he was submitted by Sedriques Dumas.

    Unsurprisingly, the Czech athlete had glowing reviews for Chimaev as he spoke about his experience working with him on the mats in Sweden.

    “Oh with Khamzat [Chimaev], we train together in Allstars gym in Sweden. Yeah, Khamzat is a really hard worker. He’s like; he’s the guy who is like first in the gym and last. So yeah, it was very good experience for me. His wrestling is amazing. He’s like really; I never met anybody with wrestling like this.

    “He is so fast and so; he has like such good skills in the wrestling. He’s really good fighter and I’m always looking for his fights. How he can dominate his opponents and he [does] not [make] mistake[s].”

  • Shara Magomedov Reveals Encouragement From Cristiano Ronaldo During Meeting Ahead Of UFC Saudi Arabia

    Shara Magomedov Reveals Encouragement From Cristiano Ronaldo During Meeting Ahead Of UFC Saudi Arabia

    Shara Magomedov has received a tip of the hat from one of the biggest sporting stars in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo. The undefeated middleweight contender is back for his fifth appearance inside the Octagon this Saturday in Saudi Arabia.

    The 30-year old was always going to turn heads due to his look and fighting style but he has backed that up with his performances since joining the UFC in 2023. He’s recorded three consecutive bonuses in his recent outings and his matchup in Riyadh on February 1 promises to be another fan friendly watch as he takes on fellow striking specialist and former welterweight, Michael “Venom” Page.

    With the #14-ranking next to his name, Magomedov could seemingly find himself in the title picture if he is able to string together two more wins. His upcoming clash with “MVP” may not be the most difficult test for him stylistically, because both men prefer to keep the fight standing, but they have a track record for winning in style.

    Some of the biggest fights in combat sports have taken place in Riyadh in recent years and they always end up having a star-studded front row. Ronaldo, who currently plays for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, has become a regular audience member and it looks like that will be the case for the Octagon’s return this weekend.

    A recent video posted by Ronaldo’s club showed the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star meeting up with “Bullet” where they got to briefly meet each other during fight week. In an interview with Michael Bisping, Magomedov revealed what was said between them as he was given the seal of approval from the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

    “I met the whole team but with Ronaldo specifically, I spoke with him for about half an hour. He knows a whole bunch about the UFC, he’s a huge fan, he said he’s gonna be at the fight and he said that I have potential to be the champ.”

  • Sean Strickland Praises Opponent-Turned-Friend Alex Pereira’s Journey: ‘The American Dream’

    Sean Strickland Praises Opponent-Turned-Friend Alex Pereira’s Journey: ‘The American Dream’

    Sean Strickland is going to have one of his former opponents in his corner once again when he returns at UFC 312. The former middleweight champion has struck up a great relationship with Alex Pereira ever since the two men faced each other inside the Octagon at UFC 276 in 2022.

    Strickland’s head coach, Eric Nicksick, recently confirmed that “Poatan” will be a part of his coaching staff on February 8 in Australia when he takes on Dricus Du Plessis in a rematch for the 185-pound gold. In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Strickland told Mike Bohn that having Pereira step in was his idea.

    “Alex was out there and I asked him like, ‘You’re out there, if you’re free, come on through’. I asked Eric as well and he said he’s down. He’s a good f****** dude. He has a tough fight coming up with Ankalaev and if he needs me for that to help, I’ll be out there helping him so it kind of goes mutual.”

    The most surprising element of this is that whilst Pereira has cornered Strickland in the past, he has his own huge fight coming up the following month at UFC 313 in Las Vegas. His opponent on that night, Magomed Ankalaev, has also spent some time training with Strickland at Xtreme Couture in the fight capital but this hasn’t been the case for his recent camps.

    Strickland said that with that in mind, there isn’t a conflict of interests when it comes to choosing which guy to help out.

    “Alex has gone out of his way to help me. Me and Ankalaev, we have this mutual respect in the same place and Ankalaev’s a great guy but if Alex needs me after this fight, I’ll be going to Connecticut to give him some work.”

    When asked about what Pereira brings to the table as a cornerman for his upcoming title fight, Strickland spoke more about the character of the light heavyweight champion than anything else. He values the Brazilian as someone that he would fight alongside in the street and having those kinds of people make the walk with him is an asset.

    Strickland stated that the friendship between him and Pereira doesn’t even run that deep but there is a lot of respect between them. He spoke about how it’s impossible to not be impressed and inspired by what “Poatan” has been able to accomplish after turning his life around to become a huge star in combat sports after finding himself in a rough spot.

    “Dude, we’re not even that close. We don’t even speak the same language, he doesn’t speak English. It’s more of like and you got to have respect for Alex. Like dude, where did that man come from? A tire shop, dude. He came from literally nothing and has made a life for himself. As an American, Alex is kind of the American dream. Likes guns. You know, as an American, you have to have respect for someone with that kind of drive and dedication.”

  • Israel Adesanya Ahead Of UFC Saudi Arabia: I Could Lose ‘My Next 10 Fights’ & My Legacy Wouldn’t Be Affected

    Israel Adesanya Ahead Of UFC Saudi Arabia: I Could Lose ‘My Next 10 Fights’ & My Legacy Wouldn’t Be Affected

    Regardless of the result this weekend — and in any future fight, for that matter — former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya believes his legacy in mixed martial arts is safe.

    Adesanya established himself as an all-time great at 185 pounds with a lengthy first title reign and an emphatic regaining of the gold against Alex Pereira to achieve two-time status.

    But the days of his dominance over the division appear to be behind him, with the Nigerian-New Zealander coming off consecutive defeats at the hands of Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis.

    Looking to make it three losses on the bounce is Nassourdine Imavov, who is set to battle Adesanya in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia. If the Frenchman achieves the feat, questions over “The Last Stylebender’s” future will no doubt arise.

    One thing that won’t be questioned, according to Adesanya, is his lasting legacy on MMA’s biggest stage.

    “I feel honestly, God forbid if I lose my next 10 fights, it wouldn’t affect my legacy,” Adesanya told reporters during media day in Riyadh. “I put pressure on myself. Don’t get me wrong, when it comes time, I will put pressure on myself. If [Imavov] doesn’t feel the pressure good on him, but he’ll find out.”

    It remains to be seen what the future holds for Adesanya and how many more battles he’s got left inside the Octagon.

    For now, his focus will be 100 percent on having his hand raised inside anb Arena and recording his first victory since April 2023.

  • Kevin Holland Gets Quick Turnaround With London Fight After Submission Loss At UFC 311

    Kevin Holland is wasting no time getting back into action, returning to welterweight to face Gunnar Nelson at the UFC Fight Night on March 22 at The O2 in London, England.

    Holland confirmed the fight on Instagram by reposting a graphic of the matchup. In his caption, he wrote, “Got rid of the ex, back at Welterweight/lock in twin. Imma see you around.”

    Nelson, meanwhile, continues his trend of fighting once a year in London, as he did in both 2022 and 2023. In his last outing, “Gunni” submitted Bryan Barberena in the first round. Before that, he defeated Takashi Sato after a three-year layoff. He’ll now return from two years away to face “Big Mouth.”

    Holland is coming off a quick loss to Reinier de Ridder at UFC 311, where he was submitted in under four minutes. The defeat marked his second consecutive defeat, prompting a move back down to 170 pounds — a division in which he previously found success with wins over Michael Chiesa and Santiago Ponzinibbio.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC London on March 22 are as follows:

    • Leon Edwards vs. Jack Della Maddalena
    • Jan Blachowicz vs. Carlos Ulberg
    • Kevin Holland vs. Gunnar Nelson
    • Molly McCann vs. Istela Nunes
    • Mick Parkin vs. Marcin Tybura
    • Felipe Dos Santos vs. Lone’er Kavanagh
    • Alonzo Menifield vs. Oumar Sy
    • Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Andrey Pulyaev
    • Morgan Charriere vs. Nathaniel Wood
    • Nathan Fletcher vs. Caolan Loughran
    • Jai Herbert vs. Chris Padilla
    • Shauna Bannon vs. Puja Tomar
  • Report: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France Set For UFC 314 In Miami On April 12

    Report: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France Set For UFC 314 In Miami On April 12

    The card for April’s UFC 314 pay-per-view is beginning to take shape, and it looks to have had its first title fight added.

    Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is slated to return to the Kaseya Center in “The Magic City” on April 12, when its fourth numbered event of 2025 will go down.

    While the lineup is in its early days of being formed, one of the most prominent spots on the card has seemingly been filled, with UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja (29-5) taking the co-main event for his fourth defense of the title.

    Per Benny P — an insider when it comes to Oceanic fighters who has broken news such as Khamzat Chimaev’s withdrawal from the Robert Whittaker fight last June and, more recently, Jack Della Maddalena’s upcoming headliner in London versus Leon Edwards — Pantoja will run it back with Kai Kara-France (25-11, 1 NC) at UFC 314.

    “The Cannibal” is riding a seven-fight win streak, during which he’s captured the crown from Brandon Moreno and successfully retained it at the expense of Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, and Kai Asakura.

    His first challenger of 2025 looks set be a familiar face in Kara-France, whom the Brazilian defeated by decision in a quarterfinal bout on The Ultimate Fighter 24 back in 2016.

    Despite suffering consecutive losses to Moreno and Amir Albazi ahead of his return to action in 2024, “Don’t Blink” looks to have earned his first shot at an undisputed belt at UFC 314 with a thunderous first-round knockout of Erceg at UFC 305 in Perth last August.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 314 on April 12 are as follows:

    • Alexandre Pantoja (C) vs. Kai Kara-France (flyweight championship)
    • Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales (welterweight)
    • Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes (light heavyweight)
    • Virna Jandiroba vs. Yan Xiaonan (women’s strawweight)
    • Chase Hooper vs. Jim Miller (lightweight)
  • Paul Hughes Shrugs Off Conor McGregor’s Social Media Tirade: ‘I Wasn’t Offended At All’

    Paul Hughes Shrugs Off Conor McGregor’s Social Media Tirade: ‘I Wasn’t Offended At All’

    Paul Hughes isn’t sparing a second thought on Conor McGregor’s social media outbursts directed at him.

    Hughes is fresh off a hard-fought five-round war at PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai, where he dropped a majority decision to lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov this past Saturday — a performance that initially even had McGregor singing his praises.

    However, all hell broke loose after a video of “Big News” sharing an in-cage moment with Khabib Nurmagomedov in the aftermath of his fight went viral on social media, where he attempted to distance himself from McGregor. The clip ultimately caught the attention of “The Notorious” himself.

    McGregor lashed out at Hughes, firing off a series of now-deleted tweets that mocked his fellow Irishman and targeted his Northern Irish roots. In reply, the 27-year-old first extended a measure of respect to McGregor, all the while probing the former UFC two-division champion’s mental clarity.

    During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Hughes broke down McGregor’s social media outburst, calmly stating that he wasn’t the slightest bit offended by the UFC superstar’s public tirade.

    “Big News” explained that he understands McGregor’s tendency to let his emotions run wild online, brushing off the insults with an air of indifference.

    “I wasn’t offended at all,” Hughes said. “A lot of people in Ireland, especially in Northern Ireland, could be deeply affected by the things he said, but I’m not actually offended or didn’t take it personally at all because it sounds bad, but it just seems like another day in his life—just tweeting madness. It’s not like I saw that and went, ‘Oh, you know what, I can’t believe he said this about me.’ I think it’s just another day in his life for him, and I just don’t have any opinion on it anymore… In fact, I just laughed at it when I saw it. It’s not something that I’ve been thinking about all day.”

    Hughes, who had originally extended an invitation to “The Notorious” to be in his corner for the Nurmagomedov fight, went on to express that while he has always respected what McGregor has done for the sport, the 36-year-old Irishman’s words no longer resonate with him.

    “I’ve always shown respect to Conor at every opportunity. I’ve consistently called him the greatest to ever do it, and I’ll always believe that. But honestly, it just didn’t bother me coming from him because his words don’t carry the same weight anymore.”

  • Sean Strickland Asks PFL To Release Undefeated Champion For UFC Move

    Sean Strickland Asks PFL To Release Undefeated Champion For UFC Move

    Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland is pushing for one of his top teammates to be competing under the same banner as him soon enough.

    Strickland is currently gearing up for his first assignment of the new year — a chance at redemption opposite current 185-pound kingpin Dricus Du Plessis in the main event of UFC 312 on Feb. 8.

    In the lead-up to his rematch with the South African in Sydney, Australia, Strickland hasn’t been short on top-tier training partners over at Xtreme Couture. And one of his most prominent teammates is Bellator Middleweight Champion Johnny Eblen.

    Eblen is 16-0 as a professional and has held Bellator gold since a dominant decision victory to dethrone Gegard Mousasi in 2022. He’s since defended the title three times, twice against Fabian Edwards, and defeated Impa Kasanganay to win a “PFL vs. Bellator Champion of Champions” Super Belt.

    The 33-year-old’s future is somewhat uncertain after the PFL announced the end of the Bellator brand. While the promotion will no doubt be keen to have Eblen front and center as it enters a new era, Strickland hopes his teammate’s future lies in the Octagon.

    He showed as much in a recent post on his Instagram Stories, which saw him ask the PFL to release “Johnny Pressure” in order to facilitate a move to the UFC.

    Sean Strickland & Johnny Eblen

    The PFL has been dealing with many unhappy Bellator titleholders in recent times, with both Patricio Pitbull and Patchy Mix publicly requesting their releases after not receiving their desired level of activity in 2024.

    Eblen, meanwhile, has remained relatively tight-lipped about his feelings toward the PFL — though he did express some confusion over his status as a Bellator champ following the elimination of the brand this year.

  • Nassourdine Imavov Predicts Israel Adesanya’s Mindset Heading Into UFC Saudi Arabia Main Event

    Nassourdine Imavov Predicts Israel Adesanya’s Mindset Heading Into UFC Saudi Arabia Main Event

    Nassourdine Imavov is preparing for his next challenge as he faces Israel Adesanya in the main event of the second UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1.

    Imavov is currently on a three-fight winning streak, with his most recent victory coming against Brendan Allen in Paris, France last September.

    “The Sniper” thought Adesanya looked good against Dricus Du Plessis before getting submitted in round four at UFC 305 the previous month.

    Days ahead of their fight in Riyadh, the Frenchman stated that he doesn’t buy into the narrative that the former UFC king’s ability and motivation has depleted with age. Instead, he expects a very dangerous opponent. 

    “I don’t think he’s getting older,” Imavov said media day. “If you look at his fight against DDP, he was doing very well. In my opinion, he was winning the fight before the submission. So, I think he’s going to come very focused, very hungry.

    “Even though I don’t focus too much on him, I focus more on myself, what I’m going to do, the shape I’m going to be in the fight, and I hope he’s going to be in the best shape so I can beat the best Israel Adesanya.”

  • Shara Magomedov Claims His Spinning Backfist KO Was Better Than Max Holloway’s UFC 300 Buzzer-Beater

    Shara Magomedov Claims His Spinning Backfist KO Was Better Than Max Holloway’s UFC 300 Buzzer-Beater

    Rising UFC middleweight Shara Magomedov has explained why he believes his double spinning backfist finish last time out was superior to the consensus Knockout of the Year in 2024.

    Magomedov was in fine form inside the Octagon across the past 12 months, winning three straight fights to bring his UFC tally of victories to four and perfect professional record to 15-0.

    The best of those results came in the Dagestani’s most recent outing, which saw him stop Armen Petrosyan with an innovative and memorable double spinning backfist at UFC 308 last October.

    That finish perhaps could have been in contention for Knockout of the Year awards at the end of 2024 if it wasn’t for the work of one Max Holloway, whose offer to throw down with Justin Gaethje in the closing seconds of their BMF title fight at UFC 300 culminated in one of the sport’s all-time highlights.

    Magomedov, though, would still give his violent KO the edge.

    “Of course, I think mine is better because mine was really a work of art,” Magomedov told MMA Fighting via his translator. “The Max knockout, even though it was fun to watch, it was basically a brawl, and how many times have we seen a brawl in a UFC fight? There’s been tons of them. But the one that I’ve done has never been done or never has been performed before in the Octagon.”

    While most media outlets and fans would likely disagree given the way they went with Knockout of the Year awards, Magomedov is bestowing himself with a grander honor.

    “I guess they’re right, they really did have a Knockout of the Year,” Magomedov said. “But mine was a Knockout of the Century.”

    Magomedov will now look to raise the bar even further with a 13th career knockout this weekend. To do so, he’s tasked with sending Michael “Venom” Page to the first losing skid of his career in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    Given “MVP’s” penchant for KOs, Magomedov may need to be wary, lest he find himself on the receiving end of such a finish inside anb Arena.

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov Sends Supportive Message To Paul Hughes After Conor McGregor’s Attack: ‘You Are A Real Irishman!’

    Khabib Nurmagomedov Sends Supportive Message To Paul Hughes After Conor McGregor’s Attack: ‘You Are A Real Irishman!’

    Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has unsurprisingly taken aim at longtime rival Conor McGregor and backed Paul Hughes in the Irishman’s sudden back and forth with “The Notorious.”

    The relationship between Hughes and McGregor has taken a firm downward turn this week after footage emerged of “Big News” discussing Ireland’s most prominent fighter while in conversation with Khabib.

    Hughes spoke to “The Eagle” inside the cage at the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai event last weekend, where the former Cage Warriors standout pushed Khabib’s cousin, Usman Nurmagomedov, all the way in their Bellator lightweight title fight.

    While much of the lead-up had been heated with a “Dagestan vs. Ireland” narrative, Usman showed respect to Hughes after taking the decision win. And the defeated challenger was keen to express to the opposition team that he’s far from the same as another Irish fighter whose controversial nature Khabib got to know very well a few years ago.

    Footage of Hughes making that point to the former UFC champ quickly went viral and found its way to McGregor, who has since been slamming “Big News” in a series of tweets, one of which saw him question Hughes’ Irish heritage.

    Though Hughes has been garnering support with his own firm responses to McGregor, he also received some backing from “The Eagle,” who branded his rival a “rapist and drug addict” in a post on his Instagram Stories.

    “You are a real Irishman @paulhughesmma and not a rapist and drug addict like this bastard,” Nurmagomedov wrote.

    McGregor was recently embroiled in a civil court case after being accused of rape by Nikita Hand. He was found civilly liable for the assault late last year and forced to pay the victim almost €250,000.

    The Irishman’s troubles appear far from ending, too, after he was sued by a woman who claims he sexually assaulted her during the Heat vs. Celtics NBA game in June 2023.

  • Israel Adesanya Insists Lack Of Title Doesn’t Make Nassourdine Imavov Fight At UFC Saudi Arabia Unimportant

    Israel Adesanya Insists Lack Of Title Doesn’t Make Nassourdine Imavov Fight At UFC Saudi Arabia Unimportant

    Israel Adesanya’s journey in the UFC has been marked by triumph and adversity. Now, he will look to get back on track when he fights Nassourdine Imavov in the main event of the second UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia. The bout is scheduled for Feb. 1 in Riyadh.

    After dropping his first pro-MMA loss at UFC 259 against Jan Błachowicz in an attempt to claim the light heavyweight title, he rebounded by successfully defending his middleweight belt against Marvin Vettori, Robert Whittaker, and Jared Cannonier.

    However, he was dethroned by Alex Pereira at UFC 281, only to win it back thanks to a knockout victory over Pereira at UFC 287. He would suffer a decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 and then a submission defeat to Dricus Du Plessis last August in his bid to reclaim the middleweight crown.

    “Just because there’s not a belt on the line, I don’t want to diminish this fight like it’s not important,” Adesanya said during Wednesday’s media day. “This is still an important fight for me. Again, I’m saying I’m doing this for myself. I’m kind of being selfish.

    “Like, I fight for myself, I fight for my team, my family, and my real fans, but this one I’m putting myself first. I’m trying to do this one for myself, so it’s really important to me.”