MMA News

Category: MMA

  • VIDEO: Costello van Steenis Opens PFL World Championship Card With Head-Kick KO In 48 Seconds

    VIDEO: Costello van Steenis Opens PFL World Championship Card With Head-Kick KO In 48 Seconds

    This year’s PFL World Championship began in violent fashion, with longtime Bellator contender Costello van Steenis landing a brutal knockout in the first round.

    10 title fights are set to go down today inside the King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where both this year’s PFL Global and PFL MENA champions will be determined.

    Before gold is dished out, a series of showcase bouts are opening proceedings. And while the cancellation of Jesus Pinedo’s return dealt a blow to the lineup, a number of notable names are still featuring.

    That included van Steenis, who has figured in Bellator middleweight title contention ever since getting the better of Fabian Edwards back in 2020.

    He advanced his ambitions in a big way at the PFL World Championship, face-planting opponent Joao Dantas in just 48 seconds with a perfectly timed head kick.

    During his celebrations, “The Spaniard” called for a shot at PFL middleweight gold and also pitched a clash with the current Bellator 185-pound kingpin, Johnny Eblen.

    Van Steenis originally appeared in line for a shot at gold following a victory earlier this year. After having his charge toward the top stalled by Douglas Lima in 2023, the Dutch-born 32-year-old bounced back by submitting Gregory Babane in a clash branded a title eliminator this past May.

    For whatever reason, that classification was forgotten about and van Steenis was further made to earn a potential opportunity this week in the Middle East.

    Suffice to say, he did just that.

  • Daniel Cormier Pitches Next Fights For O’Malley, Yan, Figueiredo At Bantamweight

    Daniel Cormier Pitches Next Fights For O’Malley, Yan, Figueiredo At Bantamweight

    Former UFC double champion Daniel Cormier has some matchups in mind for the bantamweight division in 2025, including the next outings for Sean O’Malley and Petr Yan.

    The 135-pound weight class is entering the new year with a fresh champion at the helm and a number of hungry contenders chasing him down.

    Merab Dvalishvili achieved his title ambitions on MMA’s biggest stage by dethroning O’Malley inside the Sphere this past September. While “Suga” eyes a shot at redemption in his return from injury next March or April, Umar Nurmagomedov sits as the consensus number one contender.

    In spite of the Georgian’s ongoing attempts to push that matchup away, the Dagestani has plenty of support when it comes to his claim to an opportunity, including from Cormier.

    During a recent episode of his Good Guy/Bad Guy show alongside Chael Sonnen on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Cormier pointed to Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov as the logical next title fight in the bantamweight division.

    And in terms of how the rest of the top names should be matched up, “DC” has some ideas for that too.

    “There is a bunch of guys at 135 that need to be matched up. So I figured, it’s time for some matchmaking,” Cormier began. “For the title…easy, Merab vs. Umar. … Then I go Yan vs. Sandhagen (2) as my second fight, Chael. Because then it gives you a clear number one contender.

    “Sean O’Malley needs a big fight, right? You know who else needs a big fight? Henry Cejudo. These guys have a beef, an easy beef to sell…I say put Sean O’Malley in there with the former champion Henry Cejudo. That means more than a win over Cory Sandhagen,” Cormier continued. “After that, I’m going Figgy (Deiveson Figueiredo) vs. Dominick Cruz. And my last one, Chael, we’ve got to give Mario Bautista a chance. … I’m giving him (Marlon) ‘Chito’ Vera.”

    It remains to be seen whether or not the UFC higher-ups will share Cormier’s view of the division. For now, it doesn’t appear the champ himself does.

    Having previously pointed to others as more worthy of challenging for his gold than Nurmagomedov, Dvalishvili most recently called for a rematch with Yan following “No Mercy’s” decision win over Figueiredo in Macau last weekend.

  • Dan Hardy: Dakota Ditcheva Can Prove Herself To Be The Best Flyweight In The World vs. Taila Santos

    Dan Hardy: Dakota Ditcheva Can Prove Herself To Be The Best Flyweight In The World vs. Taila Santos

    At the 2024 PFL Championships this Friday in Riyadh, Dakota Ditcheva faces her toughest test to date as the undefeated striker takes on Taila Santos. For all of the hype surrounding the British striker, there has been a lot of doubts as well with some saying that she hasn’t been tested at the top level yet.

    With every step-up in the quality of her opponents, the former PFL Europe champion has blasted through them also, winning all three of her fights this season via a knockout in the first round. Santos, however, is an opponent that fight fans know is a legitimate threat to her.

    The former UFC fighter competed in one of the most controversial bouts in recent years when at UFC 275 she fought to a split decision against Valentina Shevchenko with many believing that she did enough to secure the victory. PFL commentator Dan Hardy believes that with a strong showing against Santos, Ditcheva can prove that she isn’t just the best flyweight in the PFL, she’s the best in the world.

    In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Hardy said that Santos is a tough test for Ditcheva but she’s also a measuring stick for the undefeated star to use.

    “I mean I certainly think so and the fact that Santos has been the distance with Shevchenko is going to make it easier for the fans to see the difference in Dakota’s skills compared to Shevchenko.”

    After comparing the point fighting style of Shevchenko to the lethal striking of Ditcheva, Hardy said if she’s able to beat Santos and look impressive whilst doing it, there can be no more doubting her.

    “If Dakota’s got enough skills in her game to stuff takedowns or to get back to her feet or to defend any submissions that she finds herself in in this fight coming up, if she proves that she’s got enough grappling for people to go, ‘You know what, I think that would work against Shevchenko as well’, then I don’t really think there’s much of a question around Dakota’s striking compared to Shevchenko.”

  • Anthony Hernandez Says Brendan Allen Has Got A Lot Better Since Their First Fight: ‘I Just Think I Have His Number’

    Anthony Hernandez Says Brendan Allen Has Got A Lot Better Since Their First Fight: ‘I Just Think I Have His Number’

    Top 15 middleweights are set to meet for the second time in their careers on February 22 in a huge fight for both men. Anthony Hernandez is one of the surging contenders at 185-pounds right now following his main event win over Michel Pereira last time out where his relentless output was the story of the fight once again.

    His next opponent, Brendan Allen, was another one of of middleweight’s most in-form fighters until a recent loss to Nassourdine Imavov halted his winning streak. The two men first met all the way back in 2018 in a five-round fight that had a huge impact on their careers.

    Hernandez got the win at LFA 32 and went on to receive an opportunity on Dana White’s Contender Series. Allen, on the other hand, secured a few more wins in order to bounce back and join his former foe in the UFC where he has been incredibly active to climb up the rankings quickly.

    Hernandez recalls that his first fight with Allen was a tough outing and he gives his opponent a lot of respect for the improvements he had made over the past six years. However, as he revealed in a recent interview with Inside Fighting, he still believes that he will get his hand raised once again regardless of how much better Allen has become.

    “I mean he called me out and it’s like all right well if you want to f****** run it back I mean it’s the perfect opportunity because obviously he’s ahead of me, he’s been healthy and he’s, well his last fight he lost, but he’s been winning and stuff and like the kid’s gotten so much f****** better. I just think I have his number, you know what I mean.”

  • MMA Analyst Says Colby Covington Might Regret His Return Decision: ‘That’s A Different Buckley’

    MMA Analyst Says Colby Covington Might Regret His Return Decision: ‘That’s A Different Buckley’

    At UFC Tampa in the promotion’s final event of 2024, Colby Covington makes a somewhat unexpected return to face Joaquin Buckley in the main event on December 14. The former interim welterweight champion has been linked with a lot of different match-ups since his last fight against Leon Edwards in December of last year but none of them have come together.

    Covington will now be replacing Ian Machado Garry to take on the surging Buckley after Garry moved into the co-main event of UFC 310 to face Shavkat Rakhmonov. Though “New Mansa” is in the best form of his life right now, many see Buckley as a more winnable fight for Covington than some of the other names he has been linked with.

    For as good as his winning streak at welterweight has been, he’s got some losses on his record and in some of those, he was outwrestled which is where the former three-time title challenger could get his hand raised.

    Josh Thomson and “Big” John McCarthy raised this point during a recent episode of the Weighing In podcast where they said that “Chaos” may be underestimating Buckley for this very reason. McCarthy spoke about why Covington has decided to come back for this fight in particular.

    “I look and I think Colby actually bit on this fight thinking ‘Alright, I’ve seen people out wrestle Buckley in the past and I can out wrestle him and take him down’. Now, that’s a different Buckley though too, Buckley’s a different fighter.”

    McCarthy also made reference to Buckley’s 2018 loss in Bellator to Logan Storley, using this as a comparison to his next match-up.

    “You can look at that and say well, Logan just outwrestled him and dropped him anytime he wanted and takedown stuff. Logan’s a better wrestler than Colby Covington ever was okay, sorry, and Buckley is way better now than he was back then.”

  • Jamahal Hill Responds To Fans Being ‘Weird’ About Jon Jones Calling Him Out

    Jamahal Hill Responds To Fans Being ‘Weird’ About Jon Jones Calling Him Out

    The former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill had his name brought up in an unexpected conversation during UFC 309 fight week. A huge talking point surrounding the event was Jon Jones’ future after many expected that the consensus greatest of all time would retire after headlining Madison Square Garden.

    Amongst the debate of him fighting Tom Aspinall or Alex Pereira next, Jones suggested a few other options that caught a lot of fight fans by surprise. “Bones” claimed that he only wanted to compete in fights against guy that are similar to him and in fights that the fans wanted to see.

    He proceeded to name Derrick Lewis and Hill as two of those match-ups, much to the surprise of everyone else. “Sweet Dreams” hasn’t been a name that has been heavily linked to Jones, especially after he lost the 205-pound title at UFC 300 earlier this year.

    In a recent interview with Inside Fighting, he gave his reaction to hearing Jones mention his name and the reaction that it brought from the fans.

    “Yeah 100% it did. However, people getting weird about it, it’s like, he called me out?! You know what I mean. Which, that’s a fight that I’ve wanted since I got here. That was the first name that came out of my mouth whenever they put a UFC camera in front of me so for him to say that now to me, lets me know that I’ve been doing the right things.”

    Hil’s attention is currently focused on Jiří Procházka who he will face at UFC 311 in January though he did say that with a potential fight against Jones likely taking place at heavyweight, moving up a weight class is something that is in his future.

    “Yeah, that’s my plan eventually. I got a couple challenges here that I want to have, questions that I want to answer at this weight but then yeah, eventually I do want to move up.”

  • 2024 PFL World Championship Weigh-In Results

    2024 PFL World Championship Weigh-In Results

    The 2024 PFL World Championship takes place on Friday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    The upcoming show takes place Friday, November 29, at the King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card of global title fights begins at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT, with the MENA championship card and showcase card starting at 9:30 AM ET/6:30 AM PT and 7:15 AM ET/4:15 AM ET, respectively.

    In the main event. England’s Brendan Loughnane will shoot for his second title in the SmartCage, having previously emerged with gold in his possession at the conclusion of the 2022 season.

    To repeat that feat, he must upset the odds to hand 17-0 Russian Timur Khizriev his first professional defeat in mixed martial arts.

    Perhaps the most intriguing matchup comes in the co-headliner as another UK standout challenges for season glory. Striking specialist Dakota Ditcheva will get her toughest test to date, with former UFC title challenger Taila Santos marking the latest looking to take her ‘0’ inside the cage.

    2024 PFL World Championship Weigh-In Results

    PFL World Championship Card (3 PM ET, ESPN+):

    • Featherweight Championship: Brendan Loughnane (144.8lbs) vs. Timur Khizriev (144.7lbs)
    • Women’s Flyweight Championship: Dakota Ditcheva (124.9lbs) vs. Taila Santos (125lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight Championship: Impa Kasanganay (204.6lbs) vs. Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov (204.1lbs)
    • Welterweight: Championship: Magomed Umalatov (168.8lbs) vs. Shamil Musaev (169.8lbs)
    • Lightweight Championship: Brent Primus (154.3lbs) vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov (155lbs)
    • Heavyweight Championship: Denis Goltsov (245.8lbs) vs. Oleg Popov (249.5lbs)

    PFL MENA Championship Card (9:30 AM ET, ESPN+):

    • MENA Featherweight Championship: Maraoune Bellagouit (144.8lbs) vs. Abdullah Al-Qahtani (144.4lbs)
    • MENA Welterweight Championship: Mohammad Alaqraa (169.6lbs) vs. Omar El Dafrawy (170lbs)
    • Amateur Women’s Atomweight: Hattan Alsaif (105.4lbs) vs. Lilia Osmani (108.3lbs)**
    • MENA Bantamweight Championship: Ali Taleb (134lbs) vs. Rachid El Hazoume (134.8lbs)
    • MENA Lightweight Championship: Mohsen Mohammadseifi (154.6lbs) vs. Georges Eid (155lbs)

    Showcase Fight Card (7:15 AM ET, ESPN+):

    • Lightweight: Mansour Barnaoui (153.6lbs) vs. Alfie Davis (155.7lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Slim Trabelsi (243.5lbs) vs. Abraham Bably (251.8lbs)
    • Featherweight: Jesus Pinedo (152lbs)* vs. Jeremy Kennedy
    • Featherweight: Asael Adjoudj (145.9lbs) vs. Jose Perez (145lbs)
    • Middleweight: Costello van Steenis (185.9lbs) vs. Joao Dantas (185lbs)

    *Jesus Pinedo missed the featherweight limit by 6 pounds, replaced by Gabriel Braga

    **Lilia Osmani missed the atomweight limit by 2.3 pounds, fight to proceed at catchweight of 109 pounds

  • PFL Finalist Dakota Ditcheva Sees ‘Jealousy’ In How Other Fighters View Her

    PFL Finalist Dakota Ditcheva Sees ‘Jealousy’ In How Other Fighters View Her

    PFL flyweight finalist Dakota Ditcheva isn’t one bit bothered about what her fighting peers say about her rise, believing it to be nothing but jealousy.

    Ditcheva established herself as one of the world’s top 125-pound prospects in her first outings under the PFL banner, later securing her spot in the inaugural global flyweight season by winning PFL Europe gold in 2023.

    And the British standout has kept her ‘0’ intact through three bouts this year to date, stopping Lisa Mauldin, Chelsea Hackett, and Jena Bishop by way of first-round knockouts to carve a violent path to this week’s PFL World Championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    The promotion has been accused of giving “Dangerous” favorable matchups to ensure qualification into the postseason, even by her fellow fighters. But all debate over her level of competition will be disregarded should she win $1 million with a victory over the highly thought of Taila Santos on Friday.

    And regardless of what others in the sport may say, Ditcheva is focused on herself.

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Ditcheva discussed the negative takes some fighters have shared regarding her budding career.

    The undefeated striking specialist put their perspectives down to jealousy.

    “There is definitely a little bit of jealousy I think and a bit of frustration from a few fighters,” Ditcheva said. “I get it…it’s a business. We have to be able to sell these fights in order to get paid. If you want to get paid, do something. Make your fights exciting or get on social media and make an effort. You have to.

    “The people that were mad at these fighters, certain fighters making money, but if you look at the ones making money, it’s the personalities in the sport. Or the fighters that are doing something different,” Ditcheva continued. “I don’t know why anybody is getting frustrated just with me. Because I’m just like, getting what I can out of my years in this sport and I feel like that would be the clever thing to do.”

    “Dangerous” will look to dismiss the competition narrative as a legitimate way for others to detract from her accomplishments this weekend, when she squares off with a woman who many believe deserved to get the nod over Valentina Shevchenko in their 2021 UFC title fight.

    Their bout will co-headline the PFL World Championship lineup at the King Saud University on Nov. 29, with Ditcheva’s compatriot Brendan Loughnane looking to achieve two-time champ status in the main event.

  • ‘The Math Ain’t Mathing’ – Fans React As Michael Chandler Claims He’d Beat Charles Oliveira ‘9 Times Out Of 10’

    ‘The Math Ain’t Mathing’ – Fans React As Michael Chandler Claims He’d Beat Charles Oliveira ‘9 Times Out Of 10’

    UFC lightweight Michael Chandler is 0-2 against Charles Oliveira but believes he’d go 9-1 against him. Work that one out.

    Chandler is currently weeks on from his second defeat at the hands of Oliveira, having been comfortably outpointed across five rounds by “do Bronx” in the co-main event of UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden.

    The result was a more emphatic setback for “Iron” than his previous loss to Oliveira, which saw his strong start and near-finish in round one rendered null by a mighty comeback from the Brazilian at UFC 262 in May 2021.

    Appearing on Wednesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Chandler reflected on his losing performance in New York City earlier this month.

    The former Bellator champion was honest about his display, admitting it fell way short of what he had anticipated and rating it just two out of 10. But Chandler had a more eyebrow-raising figure when it came to a different topic…

    “I’m not happy with my performance. I would give myself a two out of 10,” he said. “I cannot overstate how horrible of a performance this was compared to what my vision was for what I’m capable of. I believe I beat Charles Oliveira 9 times out of 10.”

    Be it the math that went into that equation or Chandler’s confidence given his losing 2-4 record since joining the promotion, it’s safe to say the MMA fanbase had a field day reacting to the 38-year-old’s remarks.

  • 2023 PFL Champion Jesus Pinedo Misses Weight By 6 Pounds, First Fight In A Year Scrapped

    2023 PFL Champion Jesus Pinedo Misses Weight By 6 Pounds, First Fight In A Year Scrapped

    The long wait to see 2023 PFL featherweight champion Jesus Pinedo back in action will continue after he failed to hit the featherweight limit on Thursday.

    Pinedo broke through in a major way last year. A few years on from a 1-1 run in the UFC, the Peruvian standout signed to compete in the PFL’s 145-pound season, where his campaign got off to a difficult start in defeat against Gabriel Braga.

    But “El Mudo” mounted a quick resurgence, delivering one of the upsets of the year when he knocked out ex-champ Brendan Loughnane. After then stopping Bubba Jenkins to reach the featherweight final, Pinedo got his revenge on Braga to have gold wrapped around his waist.

    Unfortunately, that was the last time we saw Pinedo inside the SmartCage. He was scheduled to figure in a prominent matchup on the PFL vs. Bellator lineup this past February opposite all-time great Patrício “Pitbull” Freire, but a back injury forced him out.

    And after subsequently missing the chance to defend his crown in the 2024 featherweight season, Pinedo finally had his return set for this week’s PFL World Championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    A day out from his return in a showcase clash against Jeremy Kennedy, however, disaster has struck. Pinedo was announced to have missed weight by a mammoth six pounds on Thursday, forcing his removal from the card.

    MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin first reported the news.

    With Pinedo out, his former two-time opponent Braga will fill in on short notice to face Kennedy on Friday’s showcase card, which kicks off the lengthy lineup at 7:15 AM ET. Also competing before 10 title fights play out are the likes of Slim Trabelsi and Costello van Steenis.

    The King Saud University will then play host to four inaugural PFL MENA championship matchups at 9:30 AM ET, before the global belts and $1 million in prize money are handed out to six names on the main card.

  • Cory Sandhagen Suggests Petr Yan Rematch In 2025: ‘I Still Want To Get That One Back’

    Cory Sandhagen Suggests Petr Yan Rematch In 2025: ‘I Still Want To Get That One Back’

    UFC bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen has become the latest to express interest in running it back with ex-champion Petr Yan next year.

    Yan continued his winning form at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Macau, China, where he headlined in defense of his position on the 135-pound ladder against former two-time flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo.

    Having snapped a three-fight losing skid with a victory over Song Yadong this past March, “No Mercy” got back to a win streak at the expense of “Deus Da Guerra,” whom he defeated by way of a lopsided unanimous decision.

    Among others, Yan’s display caught the eye of a familiar foe…

    In a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sandhagen broke down Yan’s victorious performance against Figueiredo.

    During it, “The Sandman” pointed to a rematch opposite the Russian as a possible next assignment for him in 2025, having fallen short of staking his claim for a title shot when sharing the cage with Umar Nurmagomedov this past August.

    Sandhagen previously lost to Yan in their interim title fight, which played out at UFC 267 in Abu Dhabi just over three years ago.

    “Congrats to Yan, maybe we’ll do it next,” Sandhagen said. “I don’t really know what the division’s going on. I haven’t really heard too much. I was hoping to hear probably sometime next week about the direction that they are going to go in because I know they were waiting on this fight to play out.

    “Congrats to Yan. I still want to get that one back,” Sandhagen continued. “We’ll see if it’ll be next or not.”

    Yan has already responded to one of his former opponents requesting a second dance, none other than the bantamweight champ himself.

    In his continued trend of calling to face top contenders not named Umar Nurmagomedov, Dvalishvili suggested his first title defense in 2025 should come against the man whom he dominantly 50-45’d on the scorecards last year.

  • ‘Rampage’ Jackson Thought Miocic Would Be A Tougher Challenge For Jon Jones Than Aspinall

    ‘Rampage’ Jackson Thought Miocic Would Be A Tougher Challenge For Jon Jones Than Aspinall

    Quinton “Rampage” Jackson joined the MMA community in reflecting on the clash between Stipe Miocic and UFC heavyweight king Jon Jones.

    The UFC 309 headliner saw the Rochester native claim victory in spectacular fashion, finishing the former two-time champion with ease. This dominant performance fueled discussions among fight fans about Jones’ status as the greatest of all time in MMA given his impressive résumé, which includes titles in two weight classes.

    Jackson, who suffered a loss to “Bones” over a decade ago, initially believed Miocic would pose a significant threat to the reigning champ. However, in light of the fight’s outcome, “Rampage” revised his perspective, especially regarding a potential matchup between Jones and interim heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall.

    “I feel like Jon Jones’ last performance, I don’t even think any heavyweight could beat (him),” Jackson said on Uncrowned’s The Ariel Helwani Show. “I think he solidified himself as one of the greatest fighters on the planet. No disrespect to Aspinall — I think he’s a great fighter, and I’m a fan of his — but I thought Stipe would be a tougher challenge on paper. I think Jon Jones is the Neo of MMA. He’s Neo.”

    The heavyweight kingpin has hinted at discussions with the UFC about a potential 2025 return, targeting a bout with current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.

  • Michael Chandler Unhappy With ‘Narrative’ Painted By UFC 309 Commentary Team: ‘I’m An Honest Guy’ 

    Michael Chandler Unhappy With ‘Narrative’ Painted By UFC 309 Commentary Team: ‘I’m An Honest Guy’ 

    UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler believes his “integrity” was wrongly called into question in the aftermath of his defeat earlier this month.

    Two years on from a submission loss to Dustin Poirier at Madison Square Garden, Chandler made his long-awaited return inside the same venue on Nov. 16, running it back with Charles Oliveira in the co-main event of UFC 309.

    Having previously been on the wrong end of a memorable comeback form “do Bronx” in their 2021 title showdown, the former Bellator champion had his sights set on redemption in New York City.

    But “Iron” fell convincingly short of that on fight night, with Oliveira securing a convincing decision victory following a dominant five rounds from the Brazilian.

    As was the case after his setback against “The Diamond,” Chandler has been accused of seeking advantages outside the boundaries of the ruleset, with cries of fence grabs, eye pokes, and egregious back of the head strikes filling social media.

    According to Chandler, however, the claim he consistently fouled at UFC 309 was a lie created by those sat cageside with mic in hand.

    During an appearance on Wednesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Chandler commented on how his actions were commentated over by Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Daniel Cormier after rewatching the broadcast.

    “Watching it on TV wasn’t as appealing to me,” Chandler said. “A little bit of the commentary (bothered me) when it comes to some of the stuff they were saying — the misinterpretation of what the back of the head is by the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial arts, the misinterpretation of what cage-grabbing is, and a couple of different things.

    “I’m an honest guy. I try to live pretty full of integrity and full of honest, and a narrative that has been painted is not very interesting to me. I’m not very happy about it,” Chandler continued. “I’m not going to say I didn’t do anything wrong. … (But) 90 percent of the shots at least, most of them…all of them, my hand, my fist was catching the ear. If you’re catching the ear, that is not the back of the head. … A referee who was within two feet away never said one thing about it. Then you’ve got commentators 35 feet away saying it’s the back of the head.”

    Those controversial strikes came in the final round when Chandler enjoyed his only success of the fight. With that in mind, he gave his performance a “2 out of 10” rating during the same interview with Helwani.

    And although he maintained his reputation as an entertainer in the dying moments at UFC 309, the result has left “Iron” with a losing 2-4 record in the Octagon — something he’ll look to rectify in 2025.

  • PFL World Championship Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Loughnane vs. Khizriev, Ditcheva vs. Santos, & More

    PFL World Championship Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Loughnane vs. Khizriev, Ditcheva vs. Santos, & More

    The 2024 PFL World Championship is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this week’s long lineup.

    The upcoming show takes place Friday, November 29, at the King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card of global title fights begins at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT, with the MENA championship card and showcase card starting at 9:30 AM ET/6:30 AM PT and 7:15 AM ET/4:15 AM ET, respectively.

    At the lengthy event, plenty of gold will be handed out as the latest global champions and the inaugural MENA kingpins are crowned following the conclusion of this year’s regular seasons.

    And the headlining spots have gone to a pair of British standouts, with 2022 featherweight title winner Brendan Loughnane shooting for two-time status in the main event opposite Timur Khizriev. Before that comes a matchup long pointed to as one of the most intriguing in the promotion, as last year’s PFL Europe flyweight queen Dakota Ditcheva meets former UFC title challenger Taila Santos.

    Also competing for championships will be the likes of Impa Kasnaganay, Brent Primus, and Denis Goltsov, while notable names like Mansour Bernaoui, Slim Trabelsi, Jesus Pinedo and Costello van Steenis will appear in showcase bouts.

    2024 PFL World Championship Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for this year’s PFL World Championship (as of 11/27), courtesy of DraftKings.

    PFL World Championship Card (3 PM ET, ESPN+):

    • Featherweight Championship: Brendan Loughnane (+260) vs. Timur Khizriev (-325)
    • Women’s Flyweight Championship: Dakota Ditcheva (-380) vs. Taila Santos (+300)
    • Light Heavyweight Championship: Impa Kasanganay (-180) vs. Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov (+150)
    • Welterweight: Championship: Magomed Umalatov (+220) vs. Shamil Musaev (-270)
    • Lightweight Championship: Brent Primus (+410) vs. Gadzhi Rabadanov (-550)
    • Heavyweight Championship: Denis Goltsov (+110) vs. Oleg Popov (-130)

    PFL MENA Championship Card (9:30 AM ET, ESPN+):

    • MENA Featherweight Championship: Abdelrahman Alhyasat (-115) vs. Abdullah Al-Qahtani (-105)
    • MENA Welterweight Championship: Mohammad Alaqraa (-410) vs. Omar El Dafrawy (+320)
    • MENA Bantamweight Championship: Ali Taleb (-290) vs. Rachid El Hazoume (+235)
    • MENA Lightweight Championship: Mohsen Mohammadseifi (-218) vs. Georges Eid (+180)

    Showcase Fight Card (7:15 AM ET, ESPN+):

    • Lightweight: Mansour Barnaoui (-298) vs. Alfie Davis (+240)
    • Heavyweight: Slim Trabelsi (-148) vs. Abraham Bably (+124)
    • Featherweight: Jesus Pinedo (-290) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (+235)
    • Featherweight: Asael Adjoudj (-142) vs. Jose Perez (+120)
    • Middleweight: Costello van Steenis (-625) vs. Joao Dantas (+455)
  • Robert Whittaker Reveals Planned UFC Return Date After Crushing Loss To Khamzat Chimaev

    Robert Whittaker Reveals Planned UFC Return Date After Crushing Loss To Khamzat Chimaev

    Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has his eyes on a mid-2025 return after repairing the damage he sustained at the hands of Khamzat Chimaev last month.

    Following two strong appearances in 2024 that saw him outpoint Paulo Costa and knock out the highly touted Ikram Aliskerov, Whittaker hoped to make it three on the bounce at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi.

    But his pursuit of a rematch with current titleholder Dricus Du Plessis came to an emphatic halt at the hands of Chimaev, who added “The Reaper” to the list of victims on his undefeated record.

    And the result was up there with the Chechen star’s most vicious in the UFC to date, as he dragged Whittaker down before displacing his front teeth with a brutal face crank in the very first round.

    During a recent episode of his MMArcade Podcast, Whittaker provided an update on his status, revealing he underwent a procedure to remove and replace the damaged teeth — dental surgery that also uncovered a sizable cyst in the Australian’s jaw.

    But the former champ is now on the mend, and he’s even eyeing a return to action as soon as May 2025.

    “I’m going to give a bit of time. I’m not going to rush into the next fight, because there are some things I want to address,” Whittaker said. “I’m probably looking to return in June. June-ish? End of May? I don’t know. We’ll play with the dates next year.”

    And when he does make the walk again, “The Reaper” is promising to adapt and show new wrinkles to his game.

    “I’m 34 in December,” Whittaker noted. “I still have, I feel like some tricks up my sleeve. I still have some goals that I want to hit. Like I said, I am building some new skills. But that’s just how I look at things. Every obstacle and setback just makes me stronger, it makes the comeback better. I’m looking forward to getting back in there. I’m enjoying training. I’m excited for the next, what I could be.”

    While Whittaker focuses on his recovery and plan to display a new and improved “Bobby Knuckles” next year, Chimaev has his sights set on the middleweight gold.

    Although he’s yet to be confirmed as next in line over Sean Strickland, “Borz” appears to have plenty of support from his peers and the MMA masses when it comes to Du Plessis’ second defense of the 185-pound title.

  • Bo Nickal On Abandoning Wrestling At UFC 309: ‘A Great Step In The Right Direction’

    Bo Nickal On Abandoning Wrestling At UFC 309: ‘A Great Step In The Right Direction’

    Bo Nickal secured another impressive victory earlier this month at UFC 309, defeating Paul Craig on the main card at Madison Square Garden.

    This win added to Nickal’s growing undefeated record, which now includes four victories under the UFC banner. His previous finishes came against Jamie Pickett, Val Woodburn, and Cody Brundage.

    While many expected Nickal to lean on his world-class wrestling skills in the Craig fight, he surprised fans by focusing on his striking. This decision drew mixed reactions from fight fans, some of whom questioned his strategy.

    However, Nickal defended his approach during an appearance on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, expressing joy about his performance.

    “I think that this last fight, even though people didn’t love the performance, was a great step in the right direction,” Nickal said. “I dominated a veteran — a guy who has 26 fights — for three straight rounds just using striking. I didn’t even use my biggest asset. I think people now are saying, ‘Oh, Bo, he can’t wrestle,’ this or that. Bro, trust me, I can wrestle.”

    Nickal reassured fans that his wrestling remains a key weapon in his arsenal and promised to continue dominating opponents in future fights.

  • Paddy Pimblett Explains Dramatic Weight Gain After UFC Fights: ‘I Can Go Up To About 95 kg’

    Paddy Pimblett Explains Dramatic Weight Gain After UFC Fights: ‘I Can Go Up To About 95 kg’

    Although Paddy Pimblett competes in the UFC lightweight division at 155 pounds, he is notorious for walking around at a much heavier weight between fights.

    Known for his love of food, Pimblett frequently undergoes dramatic weight fluctuations. Despite these challenges, the fan-favorite Scouse fighter continues to rack up impressive victories.

    Pimblett has extended his winning streak to eight, with his most recent victories coming over Tony Ferguson via decision at UFC 296 and King Green via submission at UFC 304.

    During an appearance on the Still Talking Show, Pimblett revealed that he typically walks around at 194 pounds before cutting down to the lightweight limit. However, after fights, he can balloon up to as much as 205 pounds due to the body’s reaction to his extreme weight-cutting process.

    “Now I’m just back to my normal weight,” Pimblett explained. “I’m walking around at 88kgs (194 pounds). After a fight week, I can go up to about 95 kg (209.4 pounds) or 93 (205). It’s just where you have depleted your body — it holds onto everything.

    “Where I’ve half put it in starvation mode for the week making weight, your body holds on to everything. So, as soon as I have salty stuff, it just retains the water. That’s why I look bloated, and I look fat. It’s my cheeks—it’s just bloated because I go overboard, I’ll be honest.”

    Although Pimblett does not currently have his next fight scheduled, the UFC is set to return to the UK with a Fight Night event at The O2 Arena on March 22.

  • Former UFC Champion Points Out Huge Difference Kai Asakura Will Have To Adapt To At UFC 310

    Former UFC Champion Points Out Huge Difference Kai Asakura Will Have To Adapt To At UFC 310

    One of the most exciting elements of the UFC’s final PPV event of 2024 is the introduction of a new superstar who is going right into a main event title fight. Kai Asakura has already become a huge name in Japan through the time he has spent in RIZIN.

    Though the 31-year old has fought some names that UFC fans will recognise, not to mention some of the acclaim he has received during his time in Japan, December 7 is when we all get to find out how he will fare in the UFC’s flyweight division when he challenges Alexandre Pantoja for the 125-pound title.

    Asakura’s highlight reel, which fans will become used to seeing in the promos for UFC 310, paints a good picture of who he is as a fighter. He does his best work on the feet and has some signature finishes to go with his striking skills.

    That then opens up the question of how he will perform when facing a very high-level grappler in Pantoja who is usually so dominant on the ground. In a recent YouTube video, UFC commentator and former champion Michael Bisping added another question mark to this debate.

    He pointed out that just like when the UFC and PRIDE fighters would crossover back in the day, fighters would have to adapt to fighting in a ring or a cage and that could be a factor in Las Vegas’ main event clash because it changes the way that you defend takedowns.

    “The big difference between PRIDE and the UFC is that they are competed in a ring and the reason why this is going to be interesting is because has he adapted his style to the UFC, has he been training in a cage? In his fights, for example his last one against Juan Archuleta, Juan Archuleta was trying to take him down. Up against the ring, under the ropes, he was sprawling and his legs were all the way past, they were right past the end of the ropes on the apron of the ring… obviously, in a cage, you can’t do that. So if you’re pushed up against it, your feet are perpendicular to your body and that makes it easier for somebody like Alexandre Pantoja to get a hold of a leg.”

  • UFC Produces In-Depth Conversation With Concussion Expert: ‘I’m Not Concerned About Concussion Injuries’

    UFC Produces In-Depth Conversation With Concussion Expert: ‘I’m Not Concerned About Concussion Injuries’

    The conversation and knowledge surrounding concussions and the affects they can have on a fighter both during and after their careers are more prominent and extensive today than they have ever been. This is a huge positive for combat sports across the board and it’s something that the MMA leader is placing more focus and emphasis on.

    Alongside studies written and posted by the likes of Erik Magraken, the UFC has started taking responsibility into it’s own hands by releasing its own studies or recently announcing the promotion’s first brain health education summit with invites being sent to athletes, managers and coaches.

    In the latest release of more important information regarding brain health from the promotion, UFC commentator John Gooden sat down for an extensive and in-depth conversation with concussion expert Dr Cameron Marshall. The full discussion lasts nearly one hour and 20 minutes and is available via the UFC Fight Pass platform or the YouTube channel.

    The chat is full of interesting takeaways but perhaps one of the most important is the following statement from Marshall. He explains why, when looking at the studies and research that has been conducted, receiving numerous concussions throughout a fighter’s career isn’t the main cause for concern.

    The real danger is when those concussions come in a short space of time meaning that they have a greater impact.

    “I’m not one to try and change sports like there’s people to be like, ‘we gotta ban MMA because of concussion.’ It’s not the concussion that’s the problem and I say this as a concussion researcher. I’m not concerned about concussion injuries, I’m concerned about multiple concussions in a short-time proximity because the research basically shows so far that if you get a concussion and you recover from that concussion and you get another one, it’s just another concussion. You don’t have this additive cumulative effect but when they’re back-to-back within that temporal window of vulnerability we call it, then you start to get additive and cumulative effects.”     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBl8irmkbXo&list=WL&index=59
  • Demetrious Johnson & Ben Askren Agree ‘Everybody Won’ In UFC-ONE Championship Trade

    Demetrious Johnson & Ben Askren Agree ‘Everybody Won’ In UFC-ONE Championship Trade

    In October of 2018, the MMA world was left stunned by a first of it’s kind trade that saw two big names in the sport switch promotions. The UFC gained the trash-talking and controversial Ben Askren with the promotion’s former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson going the other way and joining ONE Championship.

    From a basic view, it appears that ONE got the better of the deal. “Mighty Mouse” still had years of elite level competition in him after fighting for the last time in 2023 and during his time in the promotion, he produced some of their biggest moments, was a great ambassador for them and remained one of the greatest to ever do it.

    However, though Askren would only fight three times inside the Octagon, he created a lot of interest for his two fights against Robbie Lawler and Jorge Masvidal in particular and though Johnson was loved by hardcore fans, he didn’t have that same draw that bringing Askren in created, even if it did only last a short time.

    During a recent episode of Johnson’s MightyCast, he was joined by Askren as the two men spoke about the details of the trade and the time they spent in both promotions. The flyweight GOAT started off by outlining his thoughts on how it all played out which Askren quickly agreed with.

    “My standpoint, I said everybody won. I got to go to ONE Championship, make good money. You got to come to UFC, get the opportunity to fight and see if you can do it there.”

    With Johnson referencing those big fights and moments that Askren created during his time in the UFC, “Funky” then responded by talking about how ONE didn’t lose any of the interest that Askren brought to the table because at that point, he was already retired unless an opportunity like the UFC landed on his table.

    “I mean ONE Championship, the thing that was golden for them is like I wasn’t gonna fight. I was done. If you stay in UFC, I’m assuming you’re going to continue to fight at least for a while until you don’t enjoy it enough to be done and in ONE Championship, I was legit done. I wasn’t fighting anymore and so they essentially sold an asset that was off market and you had a five-year run.”

  • UFC Commentator: Jon Jones Losing To Tom Aspinall Isn’t ‘Legacy Diminishing,’ But He Must Get Big Money For The Fight

    UFC Commentator: Jon Jones Losing To Tom Aspinall Isn’t ‘Legacy Diminishing,’ But He Must Get Big Money For The Fight

    UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones made it perfectly clear in the aftermath of his UFC 309 main event win that if the promotion wants him back inside the Octagon for a huge fight, they’ll have to get the chequebook out. “Bones” has already mentioned getting “F*** you” money for a return and that is likely to be even more so the case if he’s going to be tempted into fighting Tom Aspinall.

    Even with a fight as big as Jones vs the light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira, being one of two options, most fight fans are leaning towards the other. The only issue being that the heavyweight unification fight is something that the consensus greatest of all time doesn’t seem overly interested in.

    Though he’s said that he doesn’t think a fight with Aspinall adds to his legacy, many have criticized Jones for avoiding the fight because it’s the biggest threat to his stellar record. UFC commentator Jon Anik believes that even if he was to lose to the interim champion, it wouldn’t tarnish all of the incredible performances he has put on inside the Octagon.

    However, with the threat that Aspinall brings to the table, Anik agrees with Jones that he would deserve a career-high payday for this fight not just because of how big it is but because of the risk in taking it. He told MMA Junkie that the assurance of receiving a huge purse to end his career on could be the turning point that makes this fight happen.

    “I think what he wants is like that $30, $40, $50 million payday which he so deserves at this point in time because in heavyweight MMA, anything can happen and certainly in light heavyweight, anything can happen but the consequences are so great when it comes to four ounce gloves with these guys chucking that I mean yeah, Tom Aspinall could knock Jon Jones out in a minute and I don’t think it’s legacy diminishing whatsoever but you better make $30 million because then at that point in time, maybe Jon Jones doesn’t want to have another training camp and rematch Tom Aspinall or have two or three more fights.”

  • Paddy Pimblett Confident He Can Beat Islam Makhachev In Future Fight

    Paddy Pimblett Confident He Can Beat Islam Makhachev In Future Fight

    Paddy Pimblett is boldly declaring that he has what it takes to dethrone Islam Makhachev if their paths ever cross in the Octagon.

    “The Baddy” is on a red-hot six-fight win streak in the UFC since his electrifying debut in September 2021. He is fresh off a dominant first-round submission victory over King Green at UFC 304 in July and is now waiting in the wings for his next showdown in the Octagon.

    Pimblett has demonstrated remarkable potential with a string of standout performances in the UFC. Now, brimming with self-assurance, as he believes his skills can conquer anything the division throws his way—even reigning UFC lightweight champion Makhachev.

    During a recent appearance on the StillTalkingShow, Pimblett acknowledged Makhachev’s undeniable skillset but remained steadfast in his belief that he could defeat the Dagestani powerhouse if they ever shared the Octagon.

    “Of course, people always say, ‘Do you think you’d beat Islam Makhachev?’” Pimblett said. “I’m like, ‘Obviously.’ You’ve got to. Do you think I’m going to sit here and just be like, ‘No, he’d beat me?’ Then I’m not a fighter. I’m a coward.

    “I respect Islam. He’s a great champion. People will probably laugh at me for saying this, but obviously, I think I’d beat him. I don’t think any man on this planet would beat me if we got in a cage, I think I’d beat everyone.”

    “The Baddy” further explained that his confidence in his abilities fuels his conviction that he can defeat anyone in the division, even Makhachev.

    “I always say, anyone in your division or anyone that you’re rivals with can beat you, you’re in the wrong sport. Go and do footy or rugby or cricket or basketball or hockey, where you’ve got a team, you can say, ‘It was fault, it was his fault.’ In a fight, it’s only going to be your fault, no one else’s fault.”

    Makhachev is riding an impressive 14-fight unbeaten streak, most recently securing his third successful title defense against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 in June.

    He claimed the 155-pound title with a dominant win over Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 in June 2022 and followed that up with back-to-back defenses against former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski last year.

  • Sean O’Malley Slams Merab Dvalishvili Pushing For Petr Yan Rematch: ‘Sh*tting Himself Terrified Of Umar’

    Sean O’Malley Slams Merab Dvalishvili Pushing For Petr Yan Rematch: ‘Sh*tting Himself Terrified Of Umar’

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley hasn’t been impressed with the actions of Merab Dvalishvili since he ascended to the throne this past September.

    Dvalishvili achieved his title ambitions on MMA’s biggest stage inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere, where he comfortably got the better of O’Malley across five rounds.

    In attendance was Umar Nurmagomedov, the consensus number one contender who staked his claim for a shot against the Noche UFC main event winner when he defeated Cory Sandhagen in Abu Dhabi the previous month.

    But the Dagestani hasn’t been getting a positive response from the champ ever since, with “The Machine” instead first branding Deiveson Figueiredo a more worthy challenger before pitching dates to run it back with both O’Malley and Petr Yan.

    The latter caught Dvalishvili’s attention when he outpointed Figueiredo in this past weekend’s UFC Macau main event. The Georgian has called for “No Mercy” to be the opponent in his first defense at UFC 313 next March.

    During a recent episode of his TimboSugarShow alongside coach Tim Welch, O’Malley joined plenty in calling out Dvalishvili’s push to once again face Yan, whom he convincingly defeated across five rounds in March 2023.

    “Sugar” echoed the sentiments of Nurmagomedov himself, branding the newly crowned bantamweight kingpin “terrified” of him.

    “Umar wants to fight Merab in January. Petr wants to fight Merab in March. I want to fight Merab in April,” O’Malley said. “Merab is absolutely sh*tting himself terrified of Umar. He doesn’t want to fight Umar. Now he’s saying he wants to fight Petr. He wanted to fight me. Petr got 50-45’d to Merab.”

    It remains to be seen whether or not Nurmagomedov will indeed get his shot next. Be it a title opportunity or clash against another contender, the Dagestani has insisted on a return to action before he observes Ramadan in 2025.

    O’Malley, meanwhile, has made his intentions of pursuing redemption against Dvalishvili upon his recovery from labrum surgery next year clear.

    For now, though, the Georgian continues to campaign for a second dance opposite Yan.

  • VIDEO: PFL Finalists Have First Faceoffs In Riyadh Ahead of 2024 Championship

    VIDEO: PFL Finalists Have First Faceoffs In Riyadh Ahead of 2024 Championship

    The fighters set to compete for gold at this year’s PFL World Championship stood toe to toe days out from their title showdowns in the Middle East.

    After completing its main and regional seasons, it’s championship time for the Professional Fighters League. Before the sophomore PFL Europe champions are crowned next month, the global and MENA kings — as well as one queen — will be decided.

    A long lineup featuring plenty of notable names is set for the 2024 PFL World Championship this Friday, Nov. 29 at the King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    Following a series of showcase fights and four MENA finals, six global champions will emerge on the main card, where the headline spots have gone to a pair of UK standouts in 2022 PFL featherweight king Brendan Loughnane and last year’s PFL Europe flyweight champ Dakota Ditcheva, who are slated to collide with Timur Khizriev at featherweight and Taila Santos, respectively.

    Ahead of the main and co-main events, those fighters faced off under the observation of former UFC title challenger Dan Hardy this week, as did heavyweights Denis Goltsov and Oleg Popov, light heavyweights Impa Kasanganay and Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov, welterweights Magomed Umalatov and Shamil Musaev, and lightweights Brent Primus and Gadzhi Rabadanov.

    Before those matchups play out inside the SmartCage, MENA gold will be wrapped around waists for the very first time, with the likes of Abdullah Al-Qahtani and Ali Taleb looking to end their 2024 campaigns with title glory in Riyadh.

    Meanwhile, the showcase bouts that will kick off proceedings at 7:15 AM ET on ESPN+ will include the return of 2023 featherweight title winner Jesus Pinedo, the next fight for top Bellator middleweight contender Costello van Steenis, and an outing for undefeated heavyweight Slim Trabelsi.

    For the first time, the PFL championship matchups will see the fighters permitted to throw elbows, which have previously been banned throughout the season and playoff format.

  • Jiří Procházka Takes Aim At UFC 311 Opponent Jamahal Hill: ‘In Your last Fight…’

    Jiří Procházka Takes Aim At UFC 311 Opponent Jamahal Hill: ‘In Your last Fight…’

    Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiří Procházka hasn’t forgotten some past remarks from upcoming opponent Jamahal Hill.

    Procházka announced his return to action last week, taking to social media to reveal a clash with fellow former titleholder Hill for the year-opening UFC 311 pay-per-view in Los Angeles.

    The bout will mark both men’s first appearances since respective knockout losses to reigning 205-pound kingpin Alex Pereira. While “Sweet Dreams” was stopped in one round at UFC 300, “BJP” narrowly made it to a second frame at UFC 303 before being violently stopped by “Poatan” for a second time.

    Despite his own setback to the Brazilian, Hill had plenty to say about Procházka’s loss during International Fight Week. And the Czech star evidently still has that on his mind…

    “I’m really looking forward for my next fight,” Procházka said in a recent video posted on X. “Jamahal, don’t speak about my performances, fight IQ, and all these things, because in your last fight, you didn’t show (anything), really.”

    And it wasn’t just Hill who found himself in the firing line.

    Procházka also sent shots the way of Magomed Ankalaev, who is expected to be next in line for a shot at Pereira’s gold after defending his spot on the ladder opposite Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 308 last month.

    “This same guy, Ankalaev, in your last three fights, you showed totally nothing, so stay on the ground,” Procházka said.

    Ankalaev is yet to face either Procházka or Hill. Regardless of the result of his expected challenge against Pereira, a showdown with one of the two could await him soon after, whether as defending champion or contender working his way back to the gold.