MMA News

Category: MMA

  • Chael Sonnen Supports Sean Strickland’s UFC Title Shot: ‘Hasn’t Been Given A Damn Thing Since He Got Here!’ 

    Former fighter Chael Sonnen has no qualms about Sean Strickland getting the next opportunity at the UFC middleweight title.

    The promotion confirmed earlier this month that Strickland will indeed get his shot at redemption opposite reigning 185-pound kingpin Dricus Du Plessis 13 months on from their showdown in Canada this past January.

    The pair are tasked with headlining the UFC 312 pay-per-view in Sydney, Australia next February, with the South African returning to the nation in which he recorded a successful first defense of the gold against Israel Adesanya this past August.

    Confirmation of Strickland’s shot has split opinion. Many expected the chance to go to Khamzat Chimaev after his emphatic submission win over Robert Whittaker, with even the champ himself branding “Borz” his preference.

    Sonnen, though, doesn’t think there can be any complaints about the fight going to “Tarzan.”

    During a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen dismissed any and all claims that Strickland is being handed the chance to return to the throne after his short four-month reign before running into Du Plessis.

    And in contrast to many in the MMA community, Sonnen seemingly saw “Tarzan’s” five-round performance opposite Paulo Costa earlier this year as worthy of a shot at the gold that he entered 2024 holding.

    “Daniel Cormier asked me what I thought about Sean Strickland being next for Dricus Du Plessis,” Sonnen said. “Excuse me? What do I think about that? That’s a great question to ask me six months ago when Sean Strickland took out Paulo Costa five straight rounds and became the number one contender.

    “Do I believe Chimaev should be next? Yes, with the information I have now. But I’m going to get new information that I would like to be able to process the night that Strickland and Du Plessis fight. And not for nothing, if Strickland beats him, we’ve got to go into the trilogy match,” Sonnen continued. “The idea that Sean should somehow be happy, ‘Thank you to the Twittersphere for doing this, thank you to Dana White and Hunter Campbell.’ F you, times three. He took it. Strickland hasn’t been given a damn thing since he got here, and the only things he has are the things that he took.”

    Strickland had made it clear in the aftermath of his lackluster win over “Borrachinha” that he would entertain nothing but a second dance with Du Plessis next time out.

    While the likes of Whittaker and plenty of fans were surprised to see that stance rewarded by the promotion, “Tarzan” will be heading back Down Under, where he shocked the world in September 2023 by dethroning Israel Adesanya.

  • UFC Veteran Says It’s ‘Clear’ Colby Covington Isn’t Elite: ‘Lived Off His Shtick More So Than His Performances’

    UFC Veteran Says It’s ‘Clear’ Colby Covington Isn’t Elite: ‘Lived Off His Shtick More So Than His Performances’

    One former fighter thinks Colby Covington’s time as an elite UFC welterweight might have been up even before this past weekend’s result.

    Covington had his pursuit of a fourth shot at the undisputed 170-pound crown stalled emphatically by Joaquin Buckley in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event at Tampa’s Amalie Arena.

    After a dominant opening two rounds for the rising “New Mansa,” a cut sustained early on by “Chaos” proved too severe for him to continue, with the cageside doctor advising referee Dan Miragliotta to wave off the fight in the third frame.

    The result has left Covington 2-4 across his last six, 0-4 opposite currently ranked welterweights, and down at #9 in the pecking order.

    Given his struggles, many have suggested the 36-year-old has declined and is no longer able to compete with the best the division has to offer.

    During the latest episode of MMA Fighting’s The Fighter vs. The Writer, UFC veteran Matt Brown questioned whether that might have already been the case prior to the year-ending event in Florida.

    “It’s hard to argue he’s really been elite for a while,” Brown said. “He hasn’t done anything elite for a long time. I’m not even sure if the door was already closed. I thought this was kind of his chance to show that he is still an elite welterweight, and he didn’t pass the test. I think that door might have already been closed is the only caveat to that. We’ll see.

    “I guess the question is whether he retires. It’s not even whether he’s an elite welterweight anymore. I think that answer’s pretty clear,” Brown continued. “Is he going to stick around? Is he going to keep fighting? Because he’s kind of lived off of his shtick more so than his performances, right?”

    Covington was quick to reject any talk of retirement post-fight. On the contrary, he claimed this is “just the beginning.”

    With that, it would appear that “Chaos” will be making the walk again in 2025. But after a defeat to a rising name like Buckley, his chances of returning to championship fights have no doubt slimmed significantly.

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov: Merab Dvalishvili ‘Cannot Deal’ With Life As A UFC Champion

    Khabib Nurmagomedov: Merab Dvalishvili ‘Cannot Deal’ With Life As A UFC Champion

    Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is planning to guide a prominent member of his team to title glory at the expense of a riled-up Merab Dvalishvili next month.

    Dvalishvili has his first defense of the bantamweight title in the calendar, coming four months on from his crowning against Sean O’Malley at the Sphere this past September.

    To cement his grip on the crown, the Georgian is tasked with pushing away a challenge from undefeated contender Umar Nurmagomedov, cousin of the legendary Khabib.

    “The Machine” had been vocal in attempting to dismiss Nurmagomedov’s title claims, branding the Dagestani unworthy of the opportunity despite his five-round triumph over Cory Sandhagen last time out.

    But with the UFC higher-ups seeing things differently, Dvalishvili will indeed put the gold on the line against the highly regarded 28-year-old at UFC 311 on Jan. 18. In the lead-up, the champ still isn’t keeping quiet about his frustration, and that threatened to boil over at the recent on-sale press conference in Las Vegas.

    During an interview posted by Red Corner MMA on Instagram, Khabib assessed Dvalishvili’s ongoing fury about his cousin being granted a first championship opportunity, questioning whether the Georgian is cut out to occupy a throne on MMA’s biggest stage.

    “I think when (Dvalishvili was) beginning his career, he was acting good. When he became champion, he cannot deal with this,” Khabib said. “Because life changing. Before champion and after champion, there is two (lives). You have to deal with this.

    “About Umar (getting a) gift — I think Umar deserves (it). I don’t know why Merab (is) nervous,” Khabib continued. “Umar’s here not because he is my cousin. He’s here because he’s 18-0 and 6-0 in the UFC. Umar wants to create his legacy. January 18, he will show why Merab (is) nervous.”

    Should Khabib and his team have their way in Los Angeles, Dvalishvili will return to life as a contender soon enough.

    But “The Machine” is hell bent on proving his view of Nurmagomedov correct come fight night early next year by emphatically stalling the Russian’s title ambitions in their tracks.

  • Jake Paul Reacts To Conor McGregor Revealing Talks For Logan Paul Boxing Match: ‘Now It All Makes Sense…’

    Jake Paul Reacts To Conor McGregor Revealing Talks For Logan Paul Boxing Match: ‘Now It All Makes Sense…’

    Should it come to fruition, Jake Paul has no doubt that his brother would get the better of former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor inside the boxing ring.

    At the end of a year in which he was found liable of assault on a woman who accused him of rape, McGregor’s combat sports future remains uncertain.

    The Irishman hasn’t competed in any form since breaking his leg at UFC 264 in July 2021. Post-recovery, he initially had a return announced opposite Michael Chandler toward the start of 2023. But their run as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter, as well as multiple rumored and official fight dates, passed by without their matchup reaching the cage.

    While that’s left many doubting McGregor’s comeback plans, the Dublin native has reiterated his intention of sharing the Octagon with Chandler ahead of 2025. A recent social media post, however, would suggest that’s not his immediate priority.

    On X this week, “The Notorious” claimed he’s agreed to an exhibition boxing match against Logan Paul, put together by the billionaire Ambani family for an event in India.

    Reacting to that revelation, Logan’s younger brother, fellow YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, alleged that McGregor’s team have also been attempting to negotiate a clash in the ring with him.

    “Now it all makes sense why Conor Mcgregor & his management team have been desperately trying to get MVP to negotiate for a fight between us,” Paul wrote on X.

    Paul continued, outlining what would need to happen for him to accept a showdown with the “washed” UFC star.

    “As we told them them privately & I’m now saying it publicly…the only way we’re willing to explore me vs Conor in a pro boxing / mma fight is if Dana White / UFC are at the table directly or make it clear they are ok with discussions.

    “Conor is washed. Needs the Paul’s. Logan by however he wants.”

    It remains to be seen how much truth there is to McGregor’s post. Logan, who has recently thrived as a professional wrestler with WWE, is yet to comment on the claim.

  • Islam Makhachev’s Coach Not Interested In Ilia Topuria Fight, Hopes Welterweight Title Will Be ‘Available’ Instead

    Islam Makhachev’s Coach Not Interested In Ilia Topuria Fight, Hopes Welterweight Title Will Be ‘Available’ Instead

    Islam Makhachev, the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world, has the record to justify his place at the top. Next month, at UFC 311 in Los Angeles, he will put his lightweight title on the line against Arman Tsarukyan.

    Makhachev, a longtime friend and training partner of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s, is coached by Javier Mendez, who also guided Khabib throughout his career. Mendez believes history will repeat itself, predicting that the current champ will follow in “The Eagle’s” footsteps and retire early.

    “He’s going to probably do what Khabib [Nurmagomedov] did and retire at 35,” Mendez said. “Well, Khabib did it a lot earlier, but I think 35 is the magic number for these guys. They have that in their head, that 35 is the cut-off point. Some will go over, but I think Islam is already set financially. He’s done really well with his money, so I think it will probably be lights out after 35.”

    The UFC champion is currrently 33 years old. A matchup that has fans buzzing is a potential superfight between Makhachev and featherweight kingpin Ilia Topuria. However, Mendez has dismissed that bout as something they are not currently considering.

    “I think it’s great that he’s motivated,” Mendez said of Topuria. “He’s a champion, for sure. He’s proven it. He’s gone up in weight. I also was told his coach said he was 187. Islam, I don’t think, has ever been that heavy. When he starts training camp about two months out, Islam is about 179, 178.

    “The guy [Topuria] is a great fighter. He’s got the best boxing hands in the business, I feel — most technical. He can do a lot of damage if he goes up in weight, but I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m not interested in that fight whatsoever at the present time. I’m interested in [Islam] defending against Arman, and then who knows — maybe the welterweight title will be available at that particular time.”

  • Aljamain Sterling Targets Two Top Names After Claiming UFC 310 Loss ‘Should Be Treated As A W’

    Aljamain Sterling Targets Two Top Names After Claiming UFC 310 Loss ‘Should Be Treated As A W’

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling didn’t get the result he wanted in his latest fight, but he’s already looking ahead.

    Sterling fell to Movsar Evloev at UFC 310, marking a setback in his pursuit of two-division glory.

    His recent journey had taken a positive turn at UFC 300 in April, where he secured an impressive victory over Calvin Kattar. That win temporarily revived Sterling’s momentum after losing his bantamweight title to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292 in 2023.

    Now, having dismissed brief thoughts of retirement, the former champion has his sights set on a comeback in March and is targeting either Arnold Allen or Brian Ortega as potential opponents.

    “I would like to make a March return,” Sterling told Home of Fight. “If I do get a fight for March, April at the latest, I’d like to fight Arnold Allen or Brian Ortega. I don’t think that loss to Movsar should push me down the rankings. I almost feel like it should be treated as a ‘W.’

    “It’s weird to say it like that because it might come off as funny to people to hear me say that, but honestly, that’s just how I feel. I feel that I shouldn’t have to fight down the rankings after being 1-1 and losing to a guy that people are saying is going to be the next champion, in a fight that a lot of people still think I won.”

  • Colby Covington: The Doctor Beat Me At UFC Tampa, Not Joaquin Buckley

    Colby Covington: The Doctor Beat Me At UFC Tampa, Not Joaquin Buckley

    Colby Covington does not believe that he was beaten by the better man in the main event of the final UFC event of 2024 this past weekend. The former interim welterweight champion stepped in on several weeks notice to take on Joaquin Buckley at the Amalie Arena after Ian Machado Garry was moved into the co-main event of UFC 310.

    The fight ended in the third round after the doctor waved the fight off due to a cut above the right eye of Covington. “New Mansa” appeared to open up the cut with an uppercut early on in the fight which continued to get worse as Buckley dominated the contest.

    In between rounds, the doctor had even warned Covington ahead of time that if he didn’t do a better job or protecting the eye, she would be forced to stop the fight, claiming that he would lose the eyelid if he continued past the third round. The cut was significant but we have certainly seen fights continue with worse injuries and that sentiment was echoed by both Dana White and “Chaos” himself.

    Covington spoke in a behind the scenes video posted on his YouTube channel about the outcome of the fight and how badly he was impacted by the cut. Despite this, he still believes that it shouldn’t have been stopped and that in his opinion, the fight was starting to turn in his favor. At the time of the stoppage, all three judges had Buckley winning both of the first two rounds.

    “We came in close contact, and I felt like there was a headbutt, and as soon as it cut in the first round, I couldn’t see,” Covington said. “I had blurred vision, I was seeing three different people, I was like, ‘F**k, which one do I punch?’ I didn’t know what to do. I was kind of confused, but I knew I had to keep fighting. I had to give the UFC and the fans a show. That’s what they pay their hard-earned money to come for and I’m a warrior. We’re gladiators. I’m not going to stop.

    “I’ve had way worse in fights than a little cut over my eye, so it’s unfortunate that the doctor stopped the fight like that because if we’re in Vegas, I know the fight gets to keep going. I feel like I was really just starting to gain momentum. Like I was starting to wear him out, I could see him breathing out of his mouth. There wasn’t as much volume at that point, so I feel like it was going to be my fight in the championship rounds, so it was an unfortunate stop and I feel like the doctor is the one that beat me tonight. I didn’t feel like I lost to another opponent.”

  • Top-10 UFC Lightweight Down To Fight Paddy Pimblett In London: ‘Sounds Great’

    Top-10 UFC Lightweight Down To Fight Paddy Pimblett In London: ‘Sounds Great’

    The UFC is set to return to London, England on March 22 where it’s expected that Paddy Pimblett will make his seventh appearance inside the Octagon. “The Baddy” has gone 6-0 in the promotion with his last win, a first round submission finish over King Green at UFC 304, seeing him earn the #13-spot in the rankings.

    Though the former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards has recently claimed that he will be one half of the main event at the O2 Arena, Pimblett has become a staple of the UK cards and he always draws lots of attention to them. Given that his next fight will be a big matchup at 155-pounds, if he’s going to get a spot in London, it should make for a pretty significant Fight Night event with multiple high stakes clashes.

    Both Beneil Dariush and Renato Moicano could have been potential opponents for the scouse contender but with them being booked against each other for UFC 311 in January, there aren’t too many names that make sense for Pimblett right now. Ranked one spot above Dariush at #8 is a potential opponent that has put his hand up to be the away fighter in London.

    Poland’s Mateusz Gamrot is looking to bounce back from his loss to Dan Hooker at UFC 305 this past August which snapped his three-fight win streak against top names in Jalin Turner, Rafael Fiziev and Rafael dos Anjos. Having recently claimed that a report which matched him and Fiziev for a rematch was false, Gamrot followed that up with a post on X that called for a fight with “The Baddy”.

    Given Gamrot’s list of wins and opponents since he joined the UFC back in 2020, this would definitely be the biggest test of Pimblett’s career to date and an opportunity for him to make some serious headway into the lightweight top 10.

  • Ilia Topuria On Conor McGregor Dismissing Fight Rumors: ‘I Don’t Fight Nor Am I Interested In Fighting With A Rapist’

    Ilia Topuria On Conor McGregor Dismissing Fight Rumors: ‘I Don’t Fight Nor Am I Interested In Fighting With A Rapist’

    In a recent social media post, Conor McGregor outlined plans for the future of his career in combat sports. “The Notorious” claims that he is in “preliminary agreements” for a return to the boxing ring against Logan Paul in India. Once that is settled, he will turn his attention back towards making a long awaited return to the UFC.

    McGregor also stated in the post that there is no truth to any rumors of him coming back to face off with the promotion’s current featherweight champion, Ilia Topuria.

    “El Matador” is a huge star, but while the fight might make sense in terms of how big it would be following the comments exchanged by the two men, it doesn’t appear to be a realistic option for either right now.

    Following the clarification from the often cryptic McGregor on X, Topuria has provided his own response to “The Notorious.”

    Posting several hours later on his own X account, the 145-pound king posted a scathing message aimed at the Dublin native, which suggests that even if the fight was on the table, he wouldn’t be interested in it.

    Topuria’s post makes reference to the recent verdict of McGregor’s civil case, where he was found liable of assault after being accused of raping Nikita Hand.

    “The rumors of bout with mchicken are false. I don’t fight nor am I interested in fighting with a rapist,” Topuria wrote.

    https://twitter.com/Topuriailia/status/1869010107994194407

    Topuria has recently declared that he intends on moving up to lightweight in the near future but doesn’t plan on vacating the featherweight title in order to do so.

    McGregor, meanwhile, recently posted the following statement on X after being threatened with contempt of court over the comments he shared on social media relating to the verdict of the case.

    https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1868939287657619621

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov Advises Former Opponents Dustin Poirier & Justin Gaethje To Retire

    Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov retired on top, leaving the sport after a dominant submission victory over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254.

    Despite UFC CEO Dana White’s efforts to lure him back, Khabib remains firm in his decision to stay retired. However, he remains active in the sport as a trainer and continues to keep a close eye on the MMA landscape.

    The Dagestani has witnessed the decline of several notable fighters, including Dustin Poirier, Gaethje, and Tony Ferguson, and he has urged them to step away from competition.

    “I think Poirier has to stop fighting. I think he’s finished,” Khabib said during an interview on the Pound 4 Pound podcast. “Justin Gaethje, Khabib, Dustin Poirier, Tony Ferguson — this is old school, brother. Stop fighting. We have to recognize relevance.”

    Khabib’s protégé, Islam Makhachev, recently defeated Poirier to retain the lightweight title. That loss marked the Louisianan’s third failed title bid, and he has since announced that he will retire after his next fight.

    Meanwhile, Gaethje is coming off a brutal knockout loss at UFC 300 and has yet to schedule a return. Ferguson, on the other hand, is on an eight-fight losing streak and hasn’t won a bout since 2019.

  • Michael Chandler Lays Down Ultimatum To Conor McGregor Regarding UFC Fight In 2025

    Michael Chandler Lays Down Ultimatum To Conor McGregor Regarding UFC Fight In 2025

    Michael Chandler has spent a long time waiting for the Octagon return of Conor McGregor but it appears that now, he has drawn a line in the sand. “Iron” Mike has already had to go past the deadline that he set for “The Notorious” once before which led to him returning at UFC 309.

    When the UFC offered him the opportunity to rematch Charles Oliveira at Madison Square Garden last month, he knew that it was the right time to put the McGregor fight on hold and step back inside the Octagon. The fight didn’t go his way but that doesn’t seem to have impacted whether he will get the opportunity to face off with the Irishman if he ever does come back.

    McGregor recently claimed, after being found guilty of sexual assault in a civil case, that he’s currently working on a boxing match against Logan Paul and will turn his attention towards the UFC after that. With the former champ-champ being impossible to predict or decipher at times, Chandler is smartly making his own calls so that his career won’t be dictated by a potential opponent.

    Speaking in a recent interview with Lucky Block, he revealed that he has a new timeframe in mind for the long awaited clash with McGregor. Chandler was happy to have some time off before he came back to face Oliveira but after returning in November, he wants to get back to regular activity with or without his long awaited dance partner.

    “If Conor doesn’t come back in the first half of 2025, I will be fighting someone else,” Chandler said. “There are other fights I’m interested in. I didn’t fight for two years but that wasn’t all waiting, I wanted to take some time and give my body a break after my first five fights in the promotion which included a title fight and fight of the nights and the fight of the year.

    “My body needed a little bit of a break and I was happy to. Part of me was hanging onto this Conor thing but also kind of a little bit of gamesmanship, enjoying the time off, letting my body heal up a little bit,” Chandler continued. ” It was all supposed to come to fruition with a really great performance, getting my hand raised against Charles, becoming the number one contender, fighting for the title. Obviously that didn’t work out, but we continue to press on no matter what.”

  • Dana White Gives Short Reaction To Host Of UFC Veterans Returning For Global Fight League Launch

    Dana White Gives Short Reaction To Host Of UFC Veterans Returning For Global Fight League Launch

    The Global Fight League (GFL) recently announced a huge number of additions to its roster ahead of the promotion’s full launch in 2025. Many of the names are familiar to fight fans as a whole host of former UFC fighters, veterans and champions are available to be drafted before the GFL’s team-based season format gets underway.

    Despite this being a major announcement in the MMA landscape, the reaction from a lot of fans wasn’t overly positive because many of the top names that have come to terms with the GFL are fighters that are either in the final years of their careers or seen to be past their primes. Given his previous comments on other promotions that have looked to change the MMA landscape, it’s not surprising that UFC boss Dana White was sceptical to say the least.

    Rather than criticizing the GFL, White welcomed them to come and try their hand at mixed martial arts during his post-fight press conference in Tampa this past weekend. With a smirk on his face, he is happy to see how other promotions will attempt to compete and do things differently.

    “I actually don’t know anything about it. I saw this all the time, I welcome everybody. Listen, there’s no barrier to get into this sport. I hear a lot of people saying that we ‘don’t do this right’ or we ‘don’t do that right’. Come on in everybody, dive in.”

    Though White said that he wasn’t familiar with the promotion’s recent announcement, after having a list of some of the top signings read out to him, he gave his response to hearing some of the names that GFL has acquired. There was a particular emphasis places on the inclusion of Wanderlei Silva who at 48-years old, hasn’t fought since he departed the UFC in 2013 and returned to fight twice in Bellator in 2017 and 2018.

    “Fascinating. I’ll believe it when I see it.”

  • Jon Jones ‘Amused’ By Watching Colby Covington ‘Fail Repeatedly’ After Latest UFC Loss

    Jon Jones ‘Amused’ By Watching Colby Covington ‘Fail Repeatedly’ After Latest UFC Loss

    UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones has become the latest to express joy over Colby Covington’s recent setback inside the cage.

    After a third failed attempt at capturing the undisputed welterweight crown against Leon Edwards 12 months ago, Covington returned on short notice in pursuit of a key bounce-back victory.

    But while he hoped that would come at the expense of Joaquin Buckley, the polarizing former interim champ was soundly beaten at the year-ending UFC Fight Night in Tampa this past weekend.

    Though a doctor’s stoppage brought a close to proceedings in round three, many believed the writing was on the wall after “New Mansa” largely beat Covington up for the duration of the main event.

    Given his antics on the mic, “Chaos” isn’t short on enemies and detractors. And from those in the fanbase to current welterweight kingpin Belal Muhammad, plenty got a laugh out of Saturday’s headline result.

    The latest to do so is Jones, who shares a bitter beef with Covington, a former roommate of his at Central Iowa Community College.

    “Big shoutout to Colby Covington for skipping training to get President Trump ‘ready’—we all appreciate the sacrifice (clown emoji) At least he got to see me win,” Jones wrote on X.

    “Bones” later shared a laugh with a responding fan about the litany of excuses Covington often comes up with to explain his defeats.

    “That’s what I find the most hilarious, listening to what he’s gonna come up with next after getting his ass whooped”

    And Jones later pointed to his history with the veteran welterweight, who has frequently criticized the former light heavyweight titleholder.

    “I know I shouldn’t but it’s just so much fun. It’s amusing watching someone you know hate you fail repeatedly.”

    With the result at Tampa’s Amalie Arena, Covington is now 2-4 across his last six and 0-4 against names currently inside the welterweight top 15.

    It remains to be seen what comes next for the 36-year-old, but it’s safe to say his chances of a fourth crack at the undisputed belt have slimmed dramatically.

  • Joaquin Buckley Vows To ‘Take Over’ In 2025: ‘I’ve Done Enough To Earn A Title Shot

    Joaquin Buckley Vows To ‘Take Over’ In 2025: ‘I’ve Done Enough To Earn A Title Shot

    Joaquin Buckley delivered a dominant performance against Colby Covington in the main event of UFC Tampa on Saturday night, and he’s now got his sights on the welterweight gold.

    The fight came to an unexpected conclusion when the ringside physician stopped the contest due to a severe cut on Covington’s face. The injury worsened as the fight progressed, sparking concern that the former interim welterweight champion might lose his eyelid. After consulting the doctor, the referee called off the fight.

    With this victory, Buckley extended his winning streak to six, further solidifying his place among the UFC elite. He now believes he deserves a title shot after the highly anticipated bout between Belal Muhammad and Shavkat Rakhmonov but also envisions a potential matchup against Kamaru Usman in the future.

    “I feel like my fight shouldn’t have been stopped. But it is what it is. You gotta protect the fighters,” Buckley remarked post-fight. “2025 is definitely my year, and we’re taking over. This is a six-fight winning streak. I’ve got eight knockouts within the UFC. I feel like I’ve done enough to earn a title shot.”

    Buckley expressed his readiness to step in if the Muhammad vs. Rakhmonov fight falls through.

    “Even though I know that Shavkat is next — blessings to that fight — if anything happens where Shavkat or Belal doesn’t step up into the octagon, I’m willing to face them,” he said. “At the end of the day, we’re keeping this short. I’m definitely looking to take that throne, man. 2025, bro. So we out, baby. Thank you.”

  • Dakota Ditcheva Says Taila Santos’ Face Changed After One Leg Kick In PFL Title Fight: ‘She Underestimated Me’

    Dakota Ditcheva Says Taila Santos’ Face Changed After One Leg Kick In PFL Title Fight: ‘She Underestimated Me’

    2024 PFL Women’s Flyweight Champion Dakota Ditcheva was pleased to teach Taila Santos a lesson in not underestimating opponents.

    Ditcheva recorded the biggest win of her blossoming career to date in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last month when she co-headlined this year’s PFL World Championship.

    The Brit figured in one of six title fights on the main card at King Saud University — and arguably the most highly anticipated — after winning gold in PFL Europe last year and announcing herself on the global roster with three knockouts en route to her toughest test to date.

    Ditcheva’s detractors have long used competition level as a means by which to take away from her unbeaten run. But that is no longer viable after she dominated Santos, a former top UFC contender whom many believed did enough to defeat Valentina Shevchenko two years ago.

    The Brazilian fell the same way as many have to “Dangerous,” being overwhelmed by her striking offense before succumbing to brutal body shots in round two.

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Ditcheva looked back on her successful trip to the Middle East, which saw her exit the SmartCage on Nov. 19 with gold wrapped around her waist and $1 million in prize money secured.

    The 26-year-old acknowledged Santos’ dismissive pre-fight remarks inside the cage during her celebration and interview. And reflecting on them once again, Ditcheva suggested the experienced Brazilian made the surprising and fatal mistake of failing to “respect” the threat she was facing.

    “I think honestly she probably underestimated me a little bit,” Ditcheva said. “Like, she has been saying through the whole tournament, not just this fight, from the very beginning that I’m just a Barbie, she’s a different level. I genuinely don’t think she respected me at all and where me, I respected every girl in this tournament, whether they’ve been in the UFC or not.

    “I think genuinely she got shocked when I hit her. As soon as I hit with the first inside leg kick, I saw her face change, and then every shot I hit her with, she was just like making noises like it was hurting,” Ditcheva continued. “I think she probably underestimated me, which is a silly move to do and something I’m surprised she did at her level.”

    Suffice to say, the chances of Ditcheva’s future opponents making the same mistake have no doubt slimmed after the manner with which she dispatched Santos at the PFL World Championship.

    For now, it remains to be seen who will be opposite the “Dangerous” Brit next time out — and in which of the PFL’s entities. Ditcheva has already expressed hesitancy when it comes to competing in a second season, with the pay-per-view Super Fights events seemingly on her radar instead.

  • Conor McGregor Reveals Logan Paul Exhibition Boxing Match Is In The Works

    Conor McGregor Reveals Logan Paul Exhibition Boxing Match Is In The Works

    While uncertainty surrounds his return to the Octagon, it seems that UFC star Conor McGregor is eyeing an opportunity inside the ring instead.

    McGregor hasn’t competed in any form of the fight game since UFC 264 in July 2021, where his main event trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier came to a shocking conclusion at the end of round one when the Irishman suffered a gruesome broken leg.

    After a lengthy period of recovery on the sidelines, the Irishman had his return to action announced toward the start of 2023, as he was penciled in to face opposition TUF coach Michael Chandler. That is still yet to come to fruition, however, with multiple rumored and one official fight date falling through across the past two calendar years.

    While that’s left some doubting that “The Notorious” will make the walk again — a sentiment that only gained traction after he was found liable for assault in a civil case last month after being accused of rape — McGregor has continued to dismiss those claims and set his sights on a 2025 comeback.

    But in the new year, the UFC might not be his first port of call…

    The Dublin native took to social media this week, first to dismiss rumors of an Ilia Topuria fight inside the Octagon. And in the same post, McGregor suddenly announced that an exhibition boxing match with YouTuber-turned-pugilist and professional wrestler Logan Paul is in the works.

    He also named a location, claiming the Ambani family is looking to put the bout together for an event in India. The Ambani family topped the 2017 Forbes list of Asia’s richest families with a net worth of $44.8 billion.

    “The rumors of a bout with topurio (Ilia Topuria) are false. I am in preliminary agreements with the Ambani family to face Logan Paul in a boxing exhibition in India,” McGregor wrote on X. “I have agreed. I will then seek my return to the Octagon.”

    Paul, like his younger brother Jake, has experience in the exhibition and crossover boxing game. The 29-year-old battled fellow online star KSI twice as YouTube boxing began to rise to prominence over five years ago.

    Since then, “The Maverick” has fought a shared opponent with McGregor in Floyd Mayweather. After going the distance in their exhibition, Paul returned to the ring last October to defeat Dillon Danis in a professional affair before turning his attention to a pro wrestling career in the WWE.

    McGregor, meanwhile, has not appeared in the ring since being stopped by Mayweather in their lucrative 2017 crossover clash, which marked “Money’s” 50th and final professional victory.

  • Kamaru Usman Gives Frustrated Response To Joaquin Buckley Callout: ‘No One’s Listening To What I’m Saying!’ 

    Kamaru Usman Gives Frustrated Response To Joaquin Buckley Callout: ‘No One’s Listening To What I’m Saying!’ 

    Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman is evidently tired of responding to callouts.

    The latest to have “The Nigerian Nightmare’s” name on his lips was Joaquin Buckley, who included the ex-titleholder among his options for 2025 after emerging victorious from the final UFC main event and fight of this year.

    After a 5-0 start to life at 170 pounds, Buckley had the opportunity to climb the ladder into contention in the division by sharing the cage with Colby Covington. “New Mansa” made the most of it, beating up and bloodying “Chaos” through two rounds before a deep cut forced a doctor’s stoppage in the third.

    While Buckley was widely ridiculed for his callout of Conor McGregor post-fight earlier this year, he delivered an improved promo this time around by opening up the floor for the audience at Amalie Arena to select their preference for his next fight.

    The biggest cheers were when a clash opposite Usman was pitched.

    During the latest episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast alongside fellow former UFC champion Henry Cejudo, Usman reacted to yet another rising welterweight figure expressing interest in a fight.

    Suffice to say, the former champ is tired of repeating himself.

    “It’s almost like no ones listening to what I’m saying,” Usman said. “No one’s getting what I’m saying. Shavkat, Belal, Ian, Buckley, JDM — I don’t care who it is.

    “One thing I won’t do, which is what I’ve done for so long and too much, which is partially why I’m having to take this layoff, is compete when I’m not ready,” Usman continued. “When I am healthy, I don’t care who it is.”

    Usman evidently has no qualms about Buckley being his next opponent. Whether the UFC will give the green light for that matchup, however, remains to be seen.

    Regardless, “New Mansa” is no doubt in line for a high-profile opponent next time out — one that will give him the chance to stake his claim for a first title shot on MMA’s biggest stage.

  • UFC Tampa Winner Confident Of His Chances Against Ilia Topuria: ‘Carries Himself Like He’s Better Than He Is’

    UFC Tampa Winner Confident Of His Chances Against Ilia Topuria: ‘Carries Himself Like He’s Better Than He Is’

    UFC featherweight Sean Woodson sees himself as a difficult matchup for champion Ilia Topuria.

    Woodson was one of the biggest winners to emerge from this past weekend’s year-ending UFC Fight Night in Tampa, where he stopped the highly touted Fernando Padilla with strikes seconds out from the first round coming to a close.

    The result has left “The Sniper” riding a four-fight win streak and unbeaten across his last seven — a run that has him tied with ranked standouts Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy for the longest active unbeaten streak in the featherweight division.

    With that in mind, Woodson is looking to join them in the top 15 soon enough as he looks to surge all the way to the gold, which is currently held by the undefeated Topuria.

    And should “El Matador” still be on the throne when he gets there, the Missouri native likes his chances.

    During his post-fight press conference, Woodson expressed confidence when it comes to how he matches up against the Spaniard.

    Given his height and frame, “The Sniper” insisted that he wouldn’t fall to the same fate against Topuria as both Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway did this year.

    “(Topuria’s) super good – what he’s done so far is,” Woodson said. “But I’m not going to hold my tongue at all. I don’t feel like he’d be able to do me the way he’s done other people at all. He’s too small, too short. I’m a bad matchup for him. I saw online somebody say he gets up to like 187 (pounds), 190 (outside of camp). I don’t believe that at all. I don’t even get that big. He carries himself like he’s better than he is.

    “I will say that I would love to fight him. I know I’m a long ways off from that, but I want that fight bad. I would love to fight him one day. I know it sounds crazy. I haven’t had the best (résumé). I ain’t fought (big names), whatever,” Woodson continued. “But I’m telling you right now, they do not do me like he’s done everybody.”

    Woodson has plenty of work to do before having the opportunity to prove that assessment correct opposite Topuria inside the Octagon.

    For now, he’ll be celebrating his latest triumph on MMA’s biggest stage and looking ahead to what he’ll no doubt hope will be a big 2025 in the career of “The Sniper.”

  • Undefeated Bellator Champion Calls Jake Paul Out For MMA Fight With ‘Modified Rules’

    Undefeated Bellator Champion Calls Jake Paul Out For MMA Fight With ‘Modified Rules’

    It isn’t yet known who Jake Paul will face in his combat sports return following his huge contest with Mike Tyson last month. Given that he’s coming off of a record breaking event, it appears that all bets are off for “The Problem Child” in terms of the opponents that he is capable of drawing in.

    Though he has signed to the PFL, there hasn’t been any news in some time regarding Paul’s MMA debut but there has been one name that has been mentioned time and time again. In August last year, he defeated Nate Diaz in a boxing match and has since been trying to get the former UFC fighter to face him in a rematch that would take place in MMA.

    Diaz hasn’t showed any interest in doing that because he would prefer to do it in boxing and he doesn’t want to fight in the PFL after being a big part of the UFC for so long. Paul once again called Diaz out at a recent press conference.

    “It’s funny that Nate Diaz is actually scared to fight me in MMA, actually. The biggest payday of his life would be me and him in MMA. Yeah, so I’m ready.”

    Underneath the clip posted by MMA Fighting on Instagram, one of the top names on the PFL roster called for a modified rules fight with Paul seeing that he can’t get Diaz to step in there with him. Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen has won back-to-back fights this year, improving his overall record to 16-0.

    In October, he defeated Fabian Edwards for a second time at Battle of the Giants to successfully defend the 185-pound title for a third time. As seen in this rematch, Eblen’s greatest strength is his wrestling but clearly he would be open to meeting Paul in the middle in terms of the ruleset if that’s something he would be interested in.

  • Joe Rogan Puts Conor McGregor’s Decline Down To ‘Getting Hit In The Head A Lot’

    Many fight fans agree that Conor McGregor hasn’t been the same fighter — or person — since earning generational wealth from his high-profile boxing match with Floyd Mayweather years ago.

    Once tied to a potential bout with Michael Chandler this year, McGregor’s return to the Octagon was ultimately scrapped. Despite UFC CEO Dana White’s insistence that the irishman will fight again, the former two-division champion has been absent from competition since July 2021, when he suffered a gruesome leg injury.

    Notably, McGregor has won only one fight since November 2016, posting a 1-3 record during that time.

    During a conversation with YouTuber Derek Munro of More Plates More Dates on the Joe Rogan Experience, the color commentator weighed in on McGregor’s ongoing controversies, including a recent guilty civil verdict for sexual assault in Ireland and his turbulent behavior outside the cage. Rogan speculated that McGregor’s decline may be attributed to head trauma and drug use, including alleged cocaine use.

    “I don’t know if Conor’s ever going to fight again,” Rogan said. “I don’t know the real details of that case. I know his version of it, her version of it, and what played out in court. But the reality is, that guy’s partying, and he’s partying real hard. He talked about it in the court case. He was talking about cocaine. That was the whole thing: ‘We were all doing cocaine and we were f**king.’”

    Munro referenced recent viral videos showing McGregor seemingly under the influence, but Rogan emphasized that these allegations remain unconfirmed.

    “A lot of fighters have sustained significant damage over the course of their careers, and there’s no way to avoid it,” Rogan continued. “We’ve all seen Conor get beat up and knocked out. We’ve seen his sparring footage with elite fighters. You’re getting hit in the head. A lot. And for many fighters, especially toward the end of their careers, drugs become an outlet.”

    Rogan highlighted the cumulative toll of years of training and fighting, explaining how consistent head trauma disrupts brain chemistry and can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms.

    “You’re not supposed to get punched in the head a thousand times a year,” Rogan said. “That’s the reality of consistent training. Then you mix in a little bit of coke, and you’re feeling good again. I bet it becomes addictive.”

    He also drew parallels to other fighters with tumultuous personal lives, such as Jon Jones, emphasizing the wild and extreme nature of many elite athletes.

    “The guy obviously likes extreme things, which is why he’s such a great fighter,” Rogan noted. “They’re wild people.”

  • Jan Błachowicz: Magomed Ankalaev Must ‘Change’ To Have A Chance Of Beating Alex Pereira

    Jan Błachowicz: Magomed Ankalaev Must ‘Change’ To Have A Chance Of Beating Alex Pereira

    Following his win over Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 308 in October, it looks like the next time that we see Magomed Ankalaev, he will finally get his long awaited title shot against Alex Pereira. Many expected that this would be the next test for “Poatan” following his wins over Jamahal Hill and Jiří Procházka earlier this year but instead, he defended the title at UFC 307 by finishing Khalil Rountree Jr.

    In Abu Dhabi, Ankalaev got his hand raised once again after sticking to his word and beating Rakić over three rounds by only striking with him. The Russian has continued to push the idea that when he eventually faced Pereira, he will do the same and will knockout the kickboxing specialist to win the 205-pound gold.

    One fellow top contender who doesn’t think this that applying the same approach is the best idea is the former champion, Jan Błachowicz. In his last outing at UFC 291, “Polish Power” became the closest of anyone to beating Pereira at light heavyweight when he welcomed the former middleweight champion to his new weight class.

    Błachowicz came out on the wrong side of a split decision and though he wasn’t able to land a lot of offense, he did have some success with his grappling and once he became tired, he was able to avoid eating anything too damaging from the Brazilian. Błachowicz gave his thoughts on that potential title fight in a recent interview with James Lynch for Home of Fight.

    He believes that in order for Ankalaev to leave with the title, he needs to take more risks to really put a stamp on the fight instead of simply trying to win each round without taking damage.

    “If Ankalaev will fight like last fight with [Aleksandar] Rakic, he’s going to lose the fight. He needs to do something more. He needs to be like, I don’t know, but – he is good fighter, but it’s not enough for Pereira in this kind of style. He needs to change.

    “He needs to be more – he has to believe in that which he’s doing. I think he doesn’t believe. He just wants to win the fight, but don’t take too much punches. He is very careful in this what he’s doing and I think this kind of way, fighting with Pereira, will not work.”

  • Colby Covington’s Losing Run Blamed On American Top Team Exit: ‘Since He Left…’

    Colby Covington’s Losing Run Blamed On American Top Team Exit: ‘Since He Left…’

    For the first time in his pro career, Colby Covington is currently coming off of back-to-back losses. The former UFC interim welterweight champion returned this past weekend in Tampa where he was beaten by the surging Joaquin Buckley.

    “Chaos” has already spoken about the defeat where he outlined the significance of taking the fight on short notice and the cut that he suffered above his right eye which eventually led to the doctor waving the fight off in the third round. Covington stated that he was only just getting going at the time of the stoppage but up until that point, “New Mansa” was clearly and comfortably winning the fight.

    Many fans and fellow fighters were also very critical about Covington’s previous outing at UFC 296 last December where he was totally shut out by Leon Edwards in a welterweight title fight. Having been 15-1 heading into his first meeting with Kamaru Usman in 2019 to now being 17-5, some may simply put his decline in form down to his age.

    At 36-years old, it’s not surprising that Covington would begin to slow down especially as a fighter whose biggest weapon is his cardio and output. Josh Thomson, however, believes that the controversial welterweight might not be preparing as well as he could be.

    Covington’s nine years at American Top Team in Florida ended in 2020 following several altercations with some of his teammates who had made it very clear that they no longer wanted him on the team due to some of his comments about them. The likes of Jorge Masvidal and Dustin Poirier have remained at ATT whilst Covington has since moved to MMA Masters in Miami.

    Thomson, who is a former fighter turned commentator, said on the Weighing In Podcast that he believes this is taking away from the three-time title challenger.

    “I’m going to simply say that once you’ve trained at a prestigious gym like American Top Team [ATT], and then you find your way out of it, running your own camp in a smaller facility without many top-level people to train with, especially after leaving a gym with a plethora of world-class fighters…. it’s noticeable. You saw it tonight. I don’t know if it’s the age, because I know he’s older, but let’s be honest, within two fights, he doesn’t look like the same person since he left American Top Team.”

    Thomson believes that not having the kind of people that he needs to really push him has taken away what made Covington so effective in the first place. If he was going to beat Buckley on Saturday night, he needed to put the pace on him but if anything, it was the other way round.

    “Those are the rounds where you’re trying to catch your second, sometimes third, wind. But not having the talent that he needs to help push his pace in training is what I feel like I’m seeing right now. I’m seeing a fighter who is having a hard time setting a pace inside the cage against world-class fighters because he doesn’t have world-class fighters to train with anymore.”

  • VIDEO: Israel Adesanya Reacts To Inclusion In Manel Kape’s UFC Tampa Octagon Interview

    VIDEO: Israel Adesanya Reacts To Inclusion In Manel Kape’s UFC Tampa Octagon Interview

    One of the stand out performances from the final UFC event of 2024 came courtesy of Manel “Starboy” Kape. The flyweight contender returned to the win column with one of his best performances inside the Octagon to date against Bruno Silva.

    Kape looked incredibly fast and accurate in Tampa and though he can still be a divisive character, displays like this make it easy to remember why some fans were so excited for him to arrive in the UFC. It doesn’t seem like this win will be enough for him to get his first shot at the title but he won’t be far off following this victory.

    Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya was enjoying some food whilst watching the Portuguese stand out go to work during his YouTube reactions to the fights.

    Suddenly, out of nowhere, he heard his own name after Kape used his time on the mic to reignite an old feud. At UFC 293, Kape and Adesanya got into a heated exchange at the press conference due to the flyweight’s comments about one of Adesanya’s close teammates, Kai Kara-France.

    After getting his hand raised, Kape spent part of his post-fight interview calling out the likes of Kara-France, Adesanya and Brandon Moreno. Having just given “Starboy” lots of credit for his performance, “The Last Stylebender” was caught off guard but he did find the whole thing amusing rather than taking it to heart.

    “Why’d he say f*** me for? Man, I give this guy this credit like he’s looking nice and then he said ‘F*** you’. Hey, I still keep it real man, he f****** showed out. Hey man, this shows I been in his head this whole time, I didn’t even think it was like that but he did well, good job… little b**** a** n****.”

  • ONE Championship Announces Fight For Title Vacated After Demetrious Johnson’s Retirement

    ONE Championship Announces Fight For Title Vacated After Demetrious Johnson’s Retirement

    ONE Championship has announced that on March 23 at ONE 172, the promotion will crown a new flyweight champion in the co-main event of the evening. The title has been left vacant ever since Demetrious Johnson announced his retirement at the Ball Arena in Denver this past September at ONE 168.

    Following several high stakes contests at flyweight, the two top contenders that will battle for the gold have emerged. Brazil’s Adriano Moraes is a multiple time flyweight champion in ONE and was the inaugural holder of the title back in 2014. In his latest title reign, he ended his trilogy of fights with Geje Eustaquio before becoming the first man to finish Johnson in 2021 which kickstarted their trilogy of fights.

    Moraes recently returned to the win column in Johnson’s absence by beating Danny Kingad at ONE 169 in November via a submission in the second round. “Mikinho” is now set to face off with Japan’s Yuya Wakamatsu who is sure to receive an incredible amount of support at the Saitama Super Arena on March 23.

    Wakamatsu previously challenged Moraes for the flyweight title in 2022 at ONE: X where he was submitted in the third round. After suffering back-to-back defeats, “Little Pranha” has won three in a row including a dominant victory at the start of December over Gilbert Nakatani.

    This huge card is set to be headlined by arguably the biggest fight in the history of the promotion as Rodtang Jitmuangnon faces off with Takeru Segawa in a kickboxing super fight that has been building ever since their matchup at ONE 165 earlier this year fell through due to an injury to the Thai superstar. There is sure to be a lot more top Japanese talent on the card for what will be ONE’s biggest event to date.

  • Chael Sonnen Claims He Was Ready To Throw In The Towel While Cornering Colby Covington At UFC Tampa

    Chael Sonnen Claims He Was Ready To Throw In The Towel While Cornering Colby Covington At UFC Tampa

    If the doctor hadn’t have called off Colby Covington’s UFC Tampa main event this past weekend, cornerman Chael Sonnen was seemingly prepared to.

    Sonnen had a cageside view as the former interim welterweight champion returned to action 12 months on from his third failed attempt at capturing the undisputed crown.

    Covington made the walk to headline the year-ending UFC Fight Night on short notice, doing battle with the charging Joaquin Buckley inside Amalie Arena.

    The polarizing veteran’s pursuit of a fourth shot at the gold began in difficult fashion, with “New Mansa” opening up a deep cut above his eye early before largely beating “Chaos” up through two rounds. And the first-round wound became so severe that the doctor stepped in to call off proceedings.

    Both Dana White and Covington expressed disagreement with the call in the aftermath. One of those in the defeated fighter’s team, however, was apparently prepared to make the decision if the physician had not.

    During a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen reflected on fight night in Florida, where Covington fell to a 2-4 record across his last six bouts and 0-4 against names currently inside the rankings at 170 pounds.

    Interestingly, “The American Gangster” suggested he had the towel close by to throw in after seeing Covington’s struggles to fight through the deep and bloody cut.

    “Colby was getting hit on his feet with everything you could do, he’s busted open so bad that the doctor has to look at it three times,” Sonnen said (h/t Bloody Elbow). “Twice, he stops the action to let it keep going, the third time he goes, ‘Man we can’t keep going anymore.’ I was going to stop that fight, I already grabbed the towel.

    “When the doctor came in for the third time, and I’m watching that blood, it’s not stopping,” Sonnen continued. “It’s going into the eye, and that’s the only thing you’re really looking for. When we as fight fans, as ‘tough guys’, think the doctor should’ve stopped it, we’re talking about it doesn’t matter how bad the cut is from our perspective, as long as it’s not going in the eye. If it’s blinding the guy, it doesn’t matter if it’s a little or a lot…it’s the exact same thing. I said, ‘Hand me that towel, I’m stopping this.’”

    That ultimately wasn’t required, however, with the cageside doctor advising referee Dan Miragliotta to wave off the contest in fear of Covington losing his eyelid.

    With that, “Chaos” has now gone winless across a second straight calendar year, having not had his hand raised since a pay-per-view main event opposite longtime rival Jorge Masvidal in March 2022.