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Category: MMA

  • Reinier de Ridder Gets Second Fight vs. Kevin Holland At UFC 311 On Jan. 18

    Reinier de Ridder Gets Second Fight vs. Kevin Holland At UFC 311 On Jan. 18

    Fresh off his successful Octagon debut, former two-division ONE champion Reinier de Ridder has his next assignment in the calendar for UFC 311.

    After parting ways with ONE Championship earlier this year and subsequently returning to winning ways under the UAE Warriors banner, de Ridder (18-2) had his lifelong ambition of a venture to the UFC come to fruition.

    The Dutchman made his first appearance on the UFC Vegas 100 card at the Apex earlier this month, sharing the cage with middleweight veteran Gerald Meerschaert. While de Ridder faced some adversity in the opening two rounds, he ultimately added to his submission tally with a third-round arm-triangle choke.

    And it’s not taken long for a new target to be placed in “The Dutch Knight’s” crosshairs. Per MMA Mania’s Alex Behunin, de Ridder will return at UFC 311 inside Los Angeles’ newly built Intuit Dome to do battle with the always entertaining Kevin Holland (26-12, 1 NC).

    “Trailblazer,” a formerly ranked contender at both 185 and 170 pounds, has gone 1-1 since returning to middleweight this year off the back of a defeat to Michael “Venom” Page.

    After landing a gruesome armbar submission to defeat Michał Oleksiejczuk at UFC 302 this past June, Holland most recently saw a difficult start opposite Roman Dolidze compounded by a rib injury that left him unable to continue into round two at UFC 307 last month.

    With this addition the current fights expected to take place at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 are as follows:

    • Jiří Procházka vs. Jamahal Hill (light heavyweight)
    • Jailton Almeida vs. Serghei Spivac (heavyweight)
    • Rinya Nakamura vs. Muin Gafarov (bantamweight)
    • Johnny Walker vs. Bogdan Guskov (light heavyweight)
    • Karol Rosa vs. Ailín Pérez (women’s bantamweight)
    • Zachary Reese vs. Sedriques Dumas (middleweight)
    • Payton Talbott vs. Raoni Barcelos (bantamweight)
    • Grant Dawson vs. Diego Ferreira (lightweight)
    • Ricky Turcios vs. Benardo Sopaj (bantamweight)
  • Jon Anik Predicts When Jon Jones Will Fight Tom Aspinall

    Jon Anik Predicts When Jon Jones Will Fight Tom Aspinall

    UFC broadcaster Jon Anik believes Jon Jones’ next fight should keep him in the heavyweight division, fueling ongoing debate among fans.

    While the heavyweight champion has dismissed a potential clash with his interim counterpart in the division, Tom Aspinall, he has expressed interest in a showdown with reigning light heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira.

    Regardless of the opponent, Jones is reportedly in talks with the UFC for a return in 2025. Anik speculates that the ideal matchup would see Jones face Aspinall in a unification bout.

    “I have no inside information. I truly don’t. You can call it informed speculation,” Anik shared in an interview with MMA Junkie Radio. “But I do believe that fight is going to happen, and I think what was most telling was the way Jon Jones handled his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. I also spoke to him backstage for ESPN, and he sounded far from retirement. That’s very encouraging.”

    And Anik envisions International Fight Week in July 2025, traditionally held in Las Vegas, as the perfect stage for such a high-stakes fight.

    “It just comes down to what Jon Jones’ number is,” Anik explained. “What is Jon Jones’ net worth? What number is he looking for? Is it $25 million to show? What is Michael Jordan worth? What is the greatest of all time worth? I feel like the company is in a great position to make this fight happen. And I think you’ve got to do Las Vegas, you’ve got to do International Fight Week 2025.”

  • Proper No. Twelve Whiskey Ditches Conor McGregor Name In Light Of Sexual Assault Civil Case 

    Proper No. Twelve Whiskey Ditches Conor McGregor Name In Light Of Sexual Assault Civil Case 

    Conor McGregor’s legal turmoil continues to fuel a series of ongoing fallouts, and it seems there are no signs of it slowing down.

    “The Notorious” was found liable by a jury in a civil case at the Dublin High Court for the assault of a woman named Nikita Hand in December 2018. He was ordered to pay €248,000 (approximately $257,000) in damages to the victim.

    According to a recent report by the Irish Independent, Proximo Spirits has announced that it will no longer associate McGregor’s name or likeness with any promotional material for the renowned alcoholic brand Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey. This decision follows the court ruling against the Irishman.

    The former two-division UFC champion launched his alcoholic beverage brand in September 2018, debuting in both Ireland and the United States. Named after the Crumlin neighborhood in Dublin 12, where he was raised, the brand quickly gained traction.

    In 2021, it was revealed that McGregor and his business partners sold their majority stake in the company to Proximo Spirits, which already held a 49% share. The deal was reportedly valued at an astonishing $600 million.

    Even after the takeover, Proximo Spirits continued to feature McGregor in their promotional materials on social media until today, when they severed ties.

    https://twitter.com/ProperWhiskey/status/1568673060257157120

    The fallout with Proximo Spirits dealt another significant setback to McGregor’s public image, coinciding with the announcement from several major European retail chains that they would no longer carry products linked to the UFC superstar in the wake of his assault conviction.

    IO Interactive, the developers behind the popular Hitman video game series, were the first to cut ties, revealing they would be halting their collaboration with McGregor. Despite his recent addition to the game, they confirmed they would be removing all content featuring the fighter in light of the civil case verdict.

    Meanwhile, other businesses connected to McGregor are reportedly facing mounting pressure to sever their ties with his products.

  • Robert Whittaker Shares Shocking Details Of Dental Surgery After UFC 308 Loss To Khamzat Chimaev

    Robert Whittaker Shares Shocking Details Of Dental Surgery After UFC 308 Loss To Khamzat Chimaev

    Robert Whittaker’s dental surgery, prompted by the injury from his last trip to the Octagon, uncovered a startling underlying issue.

    Whittaker endured his first submission loss in the UFC. He suffered a crushing setback that also left him with severe dental damage — a brutal souvenir from Khamzat Chimaev’s relentless face crank in the opening round of UFC 308 last month.

    In the aftermath of the fight, photos emerged showing “The Reaper’s” mouth in disarray, his bottom teeth visibly misaligned. This fueled speculation within the sporting community, with many believing his jaw had been fractured in multiple places.

    However, the Aussie clarified that wasn’t the case. Instead, the injury, which had developed cumulatively since his younger years, affected the lower bone supporting his teeth, causing it to snap and be displaced — steering clear of a full jaw fracture but resulting in considerable damage.

    During a recent episode of his MMArcade Podcast, Whittaker opened up about the longstanding oral issues that have plagued him over the years. The former UFC middleweight champion revealed that his struggles with lower teeth problems resurfaced during his last few fights.

    Although he managed to temporarily address them, the situation progressively worsened, ultimately reaching a breaking point after his latest outing.

    “I’ve always kind of had bad bottom teeth because I’ve had missing teeth here for like 10 years plus,” Whittaker said. “So they’ve always kind of been shot because they’re not stable — they’re not a full circuit; they’re like half… But they kinda got pushed in a little bit when I fought Dricus [Du Plessis]. I had to cast them in there, let them settle, yada yada yada, move on. Then, when I fought Ikram [Aliskerov], I had all the infections. Had to get four root canals, and I think the teeth had just had it, mate.”

    “The Reaper” went on to reveal that his dental problems eventually led to the removal of his entire bottom row of teeth. During the procedure, doctors found a large abscess in his gums, which could have worsened his condition if left untreated.

    “I’ve never been able to bite down on an apple since I was 19. [My teeth] have always been bad, and I should’ve dealt with them much sooner. They’re gone [now], don’t need them, my life is much better without them. Fun fact though, when they took them out, they found a massive cyst in my jaw, and they think that might have been where infections were coming from for the teeth, so everything happens for a reason.”

    Before UFC 308, Whittaker was gaining momentum for a potential third title shot, having strung together two impressive wins over Ikram Aliskerov and Paulo Costa earlier this year. However, after his setback against Chimaev, those championship aspirations have been momentarily sidelined.

  • Chris Weidman Discusses Not Getting Full Pay After Opponent’s UFC 309 Fight-Day Withdrawal

    Chris Weidman Discusses Not Getting Full Pay After Opponent’s UFC 309 Fight-Day Withdrawal

    Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman was left devastated and a sizable chunk of cash down when an illness to Eryk Anders scuppered his plans of competing at Madison Square Garden earlier this month.

    At UFC 309, Weidman was set for his second assignment of 2024 and third since returning from a gruesome broken leg that had kept him out for two years. But his pursuit of a first win streak since 2015 will have to wait.

    After completing his training camp, fight-week obligations, and successfully making weight, Weidman awoke on Saturday, Nov. 16, expecting to make the walk on MMA’s biggest stage for the 20th time.

    But disaster struck just hours before his scheduled preliminary clash with Anders when a bout of food poisoning became too serious for the ex-American football linebacker to fight through.

    That left a devastated Weidman off the card on late notice, with the New York State Athletic Commission rejecting the UFC’s attempts to book a same-day replacement opponent.

    And worse still, it wasn’t just the chance to make it two wins on the bounce that the 40-year-old missed out on…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRQokTnU9YU

    During a recent appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Weidman explained that while he is expecting to be ‘taken care of’ in some way financially, he won’t be getting his full purse.

    The American admitted the situation is difficult to take, especially given his compensation would have already been set aside and is ultimately now being kept by the UFC.

    “My show money is my win money, I have guaranteed money,” Weidman said. “So that was my point, ‘I showed up, you guys had that on the budget sheet to begin with, you guys made a great night, why do you guys keep that money and I don’t?’ That was my thought.

    “Their thoughts were, ‘Listen, this happens on like 40 percent of the cards. If we pay people to not fight…’ They just want to be consistent on what they do in those situations,” Weidman continued. “That’s what I think they’ve decided to do consistently for their business.”

    The situation is similar to that of Stephen Thompson last year. He made public his disappointment at not being paid for his canceled fight with Michel Pereira at UFC 291, which fell through when the Brazilian missed weight after “Wonderboy” had already successfully got under the welterweight limit.

    Fortunately for Weidman, he won’t have to wait long to pick up a full check for sharing the cage with Anders. The pair’s clash has been rescheduled for UFC 310 in Las Vegas on Dec. 7, this time at a catchweight of 195 pounds.

  • Michael Bisping Reflects On Doing A Post-Fight Interview Right After ‘The Worst Knockout’ He’s Ever Seen

    Michael Bisping Reflects On Doing A Post-Fight Interview Right After ‘The Worst Knockout’ He’s Ever Seen

    This past weekend’s UFC Fight Night event in Macau might just have been 2024’s surprise card of the year following some incredible performances and highlight reel knockouts. Though Muslim Salikhov certainly gave it a run for its money later on in the night, a prelim fight went viral following a devastating head kick finish.

    Shi Ming was seemingly down two rounds on the scorecards in her strawweight Road to UFC final match-up against Feng Xiaocan. In the third round, she delivered the kick that ended the fight in an instant, knocking her opponent out cold which you very rarely see in this weight class.

    The incredible joy from Ming following her remarkable accomplishment and comeback was set alongside a scary moment that developed in the immediate aftermath as Xiaocan remained motionless on the canvas. She was eventually stretchered out of the Octagon and throughout the remainder of the card, UFC commentator John Gooden provided promising health updates regarding her status which put fans at ease.

    UFC hall of famer Michael Bisping was on post-fight interview duty in Macau meaning that whilst Feng was still being attended to, he needed to enter the Octagon and prepare to interview the victor. During a recent episode of his Believe You Me Podcast alongside fellow commentator Paul Felder, he spoke about this unnerving experience.

    “The legs are frozen in the air and you know what it’s like Paul, when you walk into the Octagon to interview the winner and the person that’s been knocked out is still on the ground, well this went on for about 20 minutes and they must have been filling and all kinds of stuff. I’m in there and I’m talking to security and the doctors are panicking and they’re like shouting and screaming because they don’t have too many UFC events there and this was the worst knockout I’ve ever seen. She was totally unresponsive and then they bring the stretcher in, she was still unconscious, they had to carry her away and stuff. Dude, it was one of those. I was really starting to worry.”

    Felder responded, using his own experiences to relate to Bisping despite the fact that he wasn’t part of the broadcast team this past weekend.       

    “We know that there’s high risk when you go in there but man, when you see somebody down like that and they just don’t start moving, it’s like oh my god, I don’t want to be here for this. It’s not good for business right. I mean, knockouts are great but we want everyone to get up and move on and be okay afterwards.”

  • Jon Jones’ Coach Says Alex Pereira Makes Him Excited To Try & End His Current Streak

    Jon Jones’ Coach Says Alex Pereira Makes Him Excited To Try & End His Current Streak

    A potential fight between the UFC’s heavyweight and light heavyweight champions is a divisive talking point right now. Despite that, it can’t be forgotten how big a clash between Jon Jones and Alex Pereira would be even if Dana White doesn’t seem sold on the idea.

    There are reasons why this fight shouldn’t be next for both men even if “Poatan” comes through his likely next challenger in Magomed Ankalaev. Not only does interim champion Tom Aspinall make the most sense to face Jones next time out, there’s an argument that putting Pereira in there with a heavyweight who is a dominant grappler could tarnish his star potential.

    However, from the perspective of Jones’ team and the heavyweight champ himself, it’s easy to see why this match-up would be appealing. Jones has some clear advantages in this fight but the striking of Pereira is going to make any potential contest more exciting.

    That’s exactly the point made by Brandon Gibson during a recent interview with Inside Fighting after Jones’ team were left incredibly satisfied by the performance that “Bones” put on against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. Gibson believes that though there are some unknowns surrounding Aspinall, we’ve seen Pereira go into deep waters and come out on top in huge, high-profile fights time and time again and that makes him an interesting puzzle to try and solve.

    “I think that’s a great stylistic match-up. Pereira has such dynamite in his hands and with his kicks. Incredible pressure, championship mentality and to see what he’s accomplished and the streak he’s been on is something that has us exciting to go and try to figure out and solve that puzzle but Jon brings so many tools to the table, I think it’s more challenging for another team and set of coaches to try to solve the riddle, the problem that is Jon Jones.”

  • Rafael Fiziev Discusses Potential Opponents For His Return: ‘A Miracle If I Fight With Dustin’

    Rafael Fiziev Discusses Potential Opponents For His Return: ‘A Miracle If I Fight With Dustin’

    The #11-ranked UFC lightweight contender Rafael Fiziev recently took to social media to announce that he has already been accepting fights and dates for his return. “Ataman” has been out of action since September last year where his main event clash at the Apex with Mateusz Gamrot unfortunately ended when he suffered a leg injury in the second round.

    With his manager reportedly stating that he had agreed a fight for the promotion’s return to Saudi Arabia in February, many fans hoped that this would mean a match-up with Dustin Poirier who has also spoken about wanting to fight early on in 2025 in one of his final Octagon appearances.

    In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Fiziev said that though it would be an honor for him to share the cage with “The Diamond”, he doesn’t think that it is likely to happen.

    “Many people talking something about Dustin like I see some in internet but it’s good. If I fight Dustin, of course it’s good. He’s a legend, he’s a former champion. Yeah for me, it’s like a miracle if I fight with Dustin but I’m not sure with this.”

    Fiziev said in the interview that he has will accept any date that the UFC offer him and would be open to fighting anybody up or down the rankings to get back in the mix. However, he did have one preferred opponent.

    “After my last loss against Gamrot, like after I get surgery, I talk with my manager and I tell him ‘Bro, I want to fight this guy.’ I want a rematch because I still want to feel this pressure, like wrestling pressure and grappling pressure. I still want to fight with elite grappler like him and I still want to check myself against wrestlers like him.”

  • Former Rival: Michael Chandler ‘Looked Like Crap’ In ‘Embarrassing’ UFC 309 Loss

    Former Rival: Michael Chandler ‘Looked Like Crap’ In ‘Embarrassing’ UFC 309 Loss

    Michael Chandler’s recent struggles in the octagon have provided an opportunity for his former rival, Brent Primus, to weigh in on his performance.

    Chandler’s latest fight occurred at UFC 309, where he was defeated by former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira. Over his last six fights, the former Bellator star has a 2-4 record, with his most recent victory being a knockout of Tony Ferguson at UFC 274 in May 2022.

    Primus and Chandler share a contentious history. Their first bout in June 2017 ended with the latter suffering a TKO loss. However, Chandler evened the score in their rematch at Bellator 212 a year later, earning a decision win.

    Speaking to MMA Fighting in a recent interview, Primus didn’t hold back in his criticism of Chandler’s recent performance.

    “Man, he looked like crap in his last fight,” Primus remarked. “His footwork, he was falling everywhere. He was throwing his right hand like he was throwing a baseball. I was not impressed with his performance.

    “His callout was kind of cringey. I don’t like that guy. I think Chandler, he’s a cheater. I feel like he’s a dirty fighter. I just don’t like that guy at all,” Primus continued. “Watching Oliveira pick him apart like that, it was kind of fun to see for sure.”

    Primus went on to describe his ex-opponent’s loss as “embarrassing,” particularly in light of his two-year hiatus while waiting for a fight with Conor McGregor.

    “You sit out for two years and wait for somebody, that’s what happens,” he said.

  • Irish Retailer Delists Drinks Associated With Conor McGregor After Verdict In Sexual Assault Civil Case

    Irish Retailer Delists Drinks Associated With Conor McGregor After Verdict In Sexual Assault Civil Case

    Irish retail giant Musgrave are the latest company to distance themselves from UFC star Conor McGregor following the recent verdict of his sexual assault civil case. Nikita Hand won her case on Friday after claiming that “The Notorious” had sexually assaulted her at the Beacon Hotel in Dublin in December of 2018.

    IO Interactive were the first company to announce that as a result, they would be ceasing their collaboration with McGregor who had appeared in the popular video game series, Hitman. They stated that they would be removing all content features the Irishman after he was recently added into the game this month.

    The Musgrave-group, which owns Irish brands Supervalu, Centra and Donnybook Fair, have since followed suit. The Currency reported the news, stating that though there hasn’t been an official statement produced by Musgrave, a notice listed several products as being “delisted”.

    Away from the Octagon, McGregor has achieved a lot of success via his varies ties to the alcohol industry. Proximo Spirits purchased the majority stake in his Proper No. Twelve Irish whiskey for roughly $600 million back in 2021.

    McGregor has since turned his attention to growing Forged Irish Stout which has also gone on to be a huge brand that is available in major retailors and regularly appears as a sponsor for combat sports events. It remains to be seen whether other major retailers or companies with ties to McGregor will also decide to withdraw the products and collaborations that are associated with the former UFC champ-champ.

  • Daiane Silva, Fighter Hospitalized After Bellator Weight Cut, Out Of Coma

    Daiane Silva, Fighter Hospitalized After Bellator Weight Cut, Out Of Coma

    After a long space of time with no updates, there is finally some positive news regarding the health of Daiane Silva who was hospitalized following a weight cut. The Brazilian was set to make her Bellator debut in London on September 14 but the fight was cancelled after Silva was unable to make featherweight, which would have been her first time competing at this weight class.

    It was later reported that she was placed into in an induced coma in London after suffering from kidney failure and some time later, PFL founder Donn Davis spoke about it for the first time as he explained that the PFL’s decision to not speak on the matter was to give Silva and her loved ones some privacy at this time.

    After staying in London for over a month, Silva’s manager Alex Davis recently relayed the latest update to Ariel Helwani who forwarded the news during Monday’s edition of The Ariel Helwani Show. He said that Silva is back in Brazil where she has spending time at a rehabilitation center where she is able to walk and talk.

    Davis also told Uncrowned’s Helwani that there were major concerns that Silva would be on dialysis for the rest of her life but she has since made some positive steps even if it remains unclear whether she will ever make a full MMA return. Davis thanked the PFL, Mike Kogan and Eduardo Lima in particular, for their help during this difficult period.

    He said that the doctors believe that she will make a full recovery.

  • Kai Asakura Explains Why Title Win Over Alexandre Pantoja Would Be Good For UFC

    Kai Asakura Explains Why Title Win Over Alexandre Pantoja Would Be Good For UFC

    UFC flyweight newcomer Kai Asakura believes the promotion should be rooting for him when he challenges for gold in his very first Octagon outing.

    Asakura, a former champion under the Rizin banner in Asia, has a rare chance to reach a UFC throne in his very first fight for the promotion. After signing earlier this year, the Japanese star’s debut was announced for UFC 310 next month.

    Inside T-Mobile Arena, the 31-year-old will challenge the reign of Alexandre Pantoja in the pay-per-view main event. The pair were elevated to headline status after the withdrawal of Belal Muhammad from his scheduled welterweight title defense.

    While he may be an unknown entity to much of the UFC fanbase, Asakura is bringing over a sizable following from his native Japan. But beyond just that, the incoming fighter sees another reason why a victory on Dec. 7 would be beneficial for his new employer.

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie‘s Mike Bohn, Asakura suggested that a title crowning in his debut would be “good business” for the UFC.

    Though some might point to his stardom in the East as the grounds for that, the ex-Rizin kingpin instead labeled his entertaining style and the first-time matchups that would await him as UFC flyweight champion.

    “Let’s be honest: It’s good business for the UFC if I win,” Asakura said. “I’m here to make it exciting, for people to have interest in the flyweight division and have a whole bunch of new matchups ready to have on future shows.

    “I’m a little bit different than the other fighters in the flyweight division, I have the ability to capitalize on one of (Pantoja’s) misses and put him to sleep. That’s what I’m aiming for, and I think that’s what makes my challenge for this title fight different than anyone else,” Asakura continued. “I hope one day Dana White will turn to the audience and say, ‘This kid is a special KO artist, a KO machine.’”

    Before looking to prove as much by enjoying an exciting rule over the flyweight division, Asakura must first unseat Pantoja. That will be no easy feat given how “The Cannibal” has turned away challenges from Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg since dethroning Brandon Moreno in July 2023.

    Askaura, though, is high in self-belief and plans on making sure his name is known by the MMA masses come fight night at T-Mobile Arena on Dec. 7.

  • ‘Tone Deaf’ PFL Faces Backlash From Fans After Announcing Music Act For World Championship

    ‘Tone Deaf’ PFL Faces Backlash From Fans After Announcing Music Act For World Championship

    With growing discontent from sidelined fighters and unexplained event cancellations, announcing a musical performance from Nav wasn’t exactly the statement fans were hoping for from the Professional Fighters League (PFL)…

    The promotion is returning to Saudi Arabia this week to stage both its PFL World Championship and MENA Championship cards from the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh.

    With showcase fights getting underway at 7:15 AM ET and four inaugural MENA titles being handed out before a main card commencing at 1 PM ET, it’s set to be a long day of action for those planning to tune in from the start.

    And what better way to prolong things than a concert from Nav…is apparently what was said with a worrying level of seriousness at PFL headquarters this month.

    The announcement regarding Nav’s inclusion on the lineup for the Nov. 29 event came days on from a host of prominent fighters under the organization’s banner speaking out against their treatment.

    In a year which had already seen Cris Cyborg frequently bemoan how long it took for her return to come together, medical issues surrounding the likes of Sabah Homasi and Daiane Silva, canceled events, and a lawsuit from Gegard Mousasi, reigning Bellator champions Patricio “Pitbull” Freire and Patchy Mix recently slammed the PFL amid their ongoing inactivity.

    With that in mind, fans didn’t take kindly to the latest instance of a combat sports promotion not learning that the masses do not want mid-card performances.

    We’ll give you this one for free, PFL. They want fights.

    https://twitter.com/uhvaimorre/status/1861172429223047490
  • ‘The Joker’ Wang Cong Issues Statement On Shock UFC Macau Loss: ‘I Still Believe I Am The One’

    ‘The Joker’ Wang Cong Issues Statement On Shock UFC Macau Loss: ‘I Still Believe I Am The One’

    UFC flyweight prospect Wang Cong is keeping her head high after a disappointing and surprising defeat on home soil this past weekend.

    Wang, a former world champion in sanda and ex-Kunlun Fight titleholder, announced her arrival on MMA’s biggest stage in a major way this past August following success on Road to UFC.

    “The Joker” violently knocked out Victoria Leonardo on debut, and her previous kickboxing win over Valentina Shevchenko led to talk of a quick rise up the ladder at 125 pounds.

    That script, however, was emphatically ripped up by Gabriella Fernandes, who headed to enemy territory to face Wang as a significant underdog on the main card of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Macau.

    The Brazilian executed a memorable club-and-sub finish in round two, dealing a blow to the hype behind Wang and the perception of her chances of success inside the Octagon.

    As if often the case when newcomers lose for the first time in the UFC, the defeat to Fernandes caused cries of “fraud checked” from some in the MMA community online. Wang, however, will not be deterred.

    “Thanks for those who came out on Saturday night and fans supported me,” Wang wrote on Instagram. “This is the fight game, one mistake can cost you the match. But I’m good, no injuries and in good spirit. I still believe I’m the one 🏆 without doubt. I will come back soon @ufc . Also congratulation @gabriella_tko , thank you for taking the fight. Hope you enjoy the China trip.❤️🤡 #ufcmacau“

    It remains to be seen what will come next for Wang, but the charismatic Chinese fighter will look to immediately return to winning ways when she makes the walk for the first time in 2025.

  • Leon Edwards Sets Timeline For Achieving Two-Time UFC Champ Status

    Leon Edwards Sets Timeline For Achieving Two-Time UFC Champ Status

    Former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards expects to be holding gold on MMA’s biggest stage again by the end of 2025.

    Edwards is eyeing a big bounce-back year after having his reign — which had successfully gotten past challenges from Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington — brought to an emphatic halt at the hands of Belal Muhammad this past July.

    The pair ran it back in the headline act of UFC 304 at Manchester’s Co-op Live, where “Remember the Name” dominated across five rounds to achieve his championship ambitions on MMA’s biggest stage.

    For “Rocky,” the result brought to an end his 13-fight unbeaten run and marked his first defeat since a setback at the hands of Usman way back in 2015.

    With that in mind, the defeat has understandably been difficult for the Jamaica-born Brit to manage. But as this calendar year approaches its conclusion, Edwards is looking to rectify things with a big campaign in 2025.

    “My goal right now is to obviously get the belt back,” Edwards told Myprotein. “I’d love to be champion again by the end of the year, next year, around this time next year.

    “Just putting steps in place. I haven’t lost a fight now in, like, nine years. So, I was getting used to that feeling again. I think I hate losing more than I love winning,” Edwards continued. “My goal is to be a two-time world champion.”

    For the time being, Edwards will no doubt have his eyes on some key contests coming up toward the top of the 170-pound division.

    After Muhammad’s withdrawal, Shavkat Rakhmonov will defend his status as top contender opposite a fellow undefeated up-and-comer in Ian Garry at UFC 310 in Las Vegas on Dec. 7.

    The following week, the charging Joaquin Buckley will look to take another step up the welterweight ladder in Tampa by adding to the woes of Covington, who has aspirations of a fourth opportunity at reaching the undisputed throne.

  • Frank Mir Recalls The Time He Nearly ‘Killed’ Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller In Training

    Frank Mir Recalls The Time He Nearly ‘Killed’ Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller In Training

    Frank Mir is not someone to take lightly, and things can escalate quickly when ego enters the equation — as it often did with Jason “Mayhem” Miller.

    The two were teammates for years, with Mir becoming a UFC heavyweight champion and Miller experiencing a mix of success and struggles both inside and outside the Octagon. Known for his antics, “Mayhem” often tested the limits with his teammates in training — a habit Mir experienced firsthand.

    During one infamous training session, things reached a boiling point, nearly resulting in a serious injury to Miller. Mir shared the story during an appearance on the JAXXON podcast.

    “We were training at Marc Laimon’s gym, and Laimon said, ‘Hey, Frank, practice is over … once you finish somebody.’ So I just turned it on and started tapping everybody,” Mir recounted. “Then I got to Mayhem, and I put him in a guillotine, and he almost killed himself. He ran his feet up the f***ing cage, trying to flip over me — it was weird. So I let it go, and then I caught him in a kimura.

    “I started cranking it and thought, ‘I’m not letting go. F*** this. Today you’re going to learn!’ So I put his hand to the back of his head.”

  • Ngannou On Claim Jon Jones Is ‘Ducking’ Tom Aspinall: ‘There’s A Negotiation Situation Here We Don’t Know’

    Ngannou On Claim Jon Jones Is ‘Ducking’ Tom Aspinall: ‘There’s A Negotiation Situation Here We Don’t Know’

    Francis Ngannou has shared his perspective on the ongoing situation involving Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall.

    Recently, Jones revealed that he is in discussions with the UFC to make a comeback in 2025 for at least one fight. However, the question remains: who will the heavyweight champion face in his return?

    After his dominant third-round victory over Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Jones outlined his future aspirations. He expressed interest in fighting reigning light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira. Despite speculation about a logical showdown with interim heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall, “Bones” has made his preference clear, suggesting that Aspinall needs the fight more than he does.

    Ngannou, now a prominent figure in the world of combat sports beyond the UFC, offered his take on the situation while speaking with TMZ Sports. He hinted at possible behind-the-scenes negotiations influencing Jones’ decision.

    “I think there’s a negotiation situation here that’s involved that we don’t know all the ups and downs (about),” Ngannou said. “We all know the situation that they use in the negotiation to say, ‘Oh no, he doesn’t want to fight this guy – he’s scared.’ And then that’s how the machine works.”

    Ngannou pointed out that Jones holds significant leverage in determining his next fight, while Aspinall, as an emerging name, stands to gain much more from the potential matchup.

    “He’s in the position to claim what he wants, as he said. He said, ‘Aspinall needs that fight. I don’t need it.’ And when you look at it, it’s pretty much true. There’s nothing that he’s going to have more in that fight other than money. But for Aspinall, who’s someone coming and trying to cement his way in the division, that will be everything.”

    Ngannou’s comments shed light on the complexities of high-stakes negotiations in combat sports, where fighters balance legacy, risk, and financial incentives.

    As Jones weighs his options, fans will eagerly await confirmation of his next opponent — whether it’s a return to his light heavyweight roots against Pereira or a heavyweight unification clash with Aspinall.

  • European Champion Ready To Make History As First Father & Daughter To Compete In The UFC

    European Champion Ready To Make History As First Father & Daughter To Compete In The UFC

    England has a new female champion that is ready to compete on the big show following the Cage Warriors event that took place in Newcastle on Saturday night. CW 181 saw the promotion crown Kennedy Freeman as the new women’s bantamweight champion after she stopped Mafalda Carmona.

    Due to the sheer size of the talent pool that is available, Cage Warriors isn’t a promotion that regularly has female champions. In fact, Freeman is the first since Molly McCann departed the roster to sign with the UFC in 2018 but like McCann, there is something special about Freeman.

    Her exciting striking style and finishing ability has meant that she’s been on the radar for some time but after taking a five-year break between 2018-2023, the 6-0 bantamweight didn’t feel ready for whatever the next step would be even when offers came in. In a post-fight interview with the promotion after putting on a dominant performance that saw Carmona withdraw from the fight in the fourth round, her mentality has changed.

    “Whatever offers come, I’m ready for them now. It’s my birthday on Tuesday and I’m 28, I’m getting on now and I think I proved to myself that I can go nearly five rounds. I was ready for a fifth round there. I felt fit, I felt ready. Yeah, I’m ready for the next step.”  

    Freeman moving up to the UFC would be a big moment for her and her family because of their history with the promotion. Her father and coach, Ian Freeman, was the first British fighter to ever step inside the Octagon.

    Making his debut in March of 2000, “The Machine” went on to fight six times in the UFC which included a signature first-round finish over Frank Mir at UFC 38 in 2002 where Matt Hughes defended his welterweight title against Carlos Newton in the main event. During her post-fight interview, Freeman was joined by her father who said that he’s looking forward to watching his daughter tread new ground in the UFC just like he did over two decades ago.

    “I think we’re the only father and daughter in Cage Warriors, who’ve fought on Cage Warriors. I was the first ever British fighter in the UFC and I think the UFC are going to come knocking and when they do, we will be the first ever father and daughter in the UFC so I mean, we’re breaking history every single time.”  

  • PFL Finalist Admits He Nearly Retired Before Fighting For His Second World Championship Win

    PFL Finalist Admits He Nearly Retired Before Fighting For His Second World Championship Win

    This Friday night in Riyadh, Brendan Loughnane looks to become a two-time PFL champion at featherweight. The Brit’s 2024 campaign comes to an end when he faces the undefeated Timur Khizriev in the main event in a fascinating match-up.

    Loughnane’s run in the regular season has consisted of back-to-back finishes against Pedro Carvalho and Justin Gonzales which were followed by a split decision win over Kai Kamaka III. However, what makes his journey to the finals this year so impressive is what happened in 2023.

    After defeating the likes of Bubba Jenkins and Chris Wade in 2022 to become the champion, Loughnane looked to do it again for the second time in a row. Having already beaten the top names in his division, he would have been a big favorite to do just that at the start of the next season.

    After stopping Marlon Moraes in his first bout, the 35-fight veteran was finished for the first time in his career when he was knocked out by Jesus Pinedo in the opening round with Pinedo going on to win the world championship. After taking the rest of 2023 off, the former champion has since returned with a rejuvenated drive.

    Ahead of his return on November 29, Loughnane revealed in a recent interview with Mirror Fighting that after his loss to Pinedo, he contemplated retirement having already set himself and his family up financially by winning the 2022 season. Now, he has the chance to double that by becoming the first of 18 men to beat Khizriev.

    “It was difficult. I didn’t really want to do it again,” he said. “I thought ‘I’m done with this sport. I’ve been knocked out, I’ve got way over $1million in my account. What am I doing this for?’ I had to reassess everything, but I’ve come back and I’ve shown tenacity in the champion that I am. I’ve come back and shown everyone that sometimes you get knocked down in life, or knocked out in my case and you’ve got to come back stronger.”

  • Jon Jones’ Coach Says They’ve Solved More Complex Problems Than Tom Aspinall Before

    Jon Jones’ Coach Says They’ve Solved More Complex Problems Than Tom Aspinall Before

    With Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall both recently claiming that they’ve been speaking to the UFC about what’s next, the conversation regarding the promotion’s two heavyweight champions isn’t going anywhere just yet. The debate as to whether Jones is avoiding a title unification with the interim champion dominated the talking points both before and after UFC 309.

    For many fans, the key reason that they want to see this fight instead of Jones against Alex Pereira, which is certainly the direction that “Bones” has been leaning, is because of the match-up itself. Whilst the heavyweight champion taking on the light heavyweight champion would be a huge fight, Aspinall presents different problems.

    Pereira is an incredibly dangerous striker but as Dana White said himself, going up to heavyweight to face an elite grappler like Jones is a huge ask even for “Poatan” who has defied expectations throughout his entire run in the UFC. In a recent interview with Inside Fighting, Jones’s coach Brandon Gibson spoke about the match-up with Aspinall.

    He believes that Aspinall’s greatest strength, his ability to finish fights so quickly, also creates question marks which may not have existed with previous opponents that they have beaten in the past. Those same unanswered questions aren’t there with Pereira, even if a fight between him and Jones would create other problems instead.

    “He’s had a great heavyweight career so far. I think there’s still a lot of unknowns which could be a benefit to Tom but also a lot of those unknowns could be a big benefit to us like how is he going to do in deep water? How is he going to do in later rounds? There’ll probably be a lot of pressure on him to try to start fast so with all that said, Tom’s not a match-up, like we have respect for all of these great opponents and champions but I think Jon has solved a lot more complex problems.” 

  • Dana White Touts The Major Success UFC Had Because Of The COVID-19 Pandemic

    Dana White Touts The Major Success UFC Had Because Of The COVID-19 Pandemic

    During the global shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, most sports leagues went on hiatus for several months. However, organizations like the UFC and WWE resumed operations relatively quickly.

    The UFC utilized its Apex facility, conveniently located near its headquarters, to host events without fans in attendance. This setup proved ideal, as Nevada’s relatively lenient restrictions at the time allowed the UFC to avoid disruptions caused by stricter state mandates elsewhere.

    The UFC continues to hold Fight Night events at the Apex, though CEO Dana White has indicated a potential reduction in their frequency in 2025. White recently highlighted the pivotal role the Apex and the UFC’s quick adaptation played during the pandemic — a period that significantly contributed to the organization’s current success.

    “Going through COVID definitely didn’t hurt us,” Dana White told Bloomberg. “There were no sports on TV except for us. Fights that should have been doing 300,000 buys were doing a million. Our fan base grew something like 68 percent during COVID.”

    UFC Apex
    Image: UFC/Zuffa LLC

    Looking ahead, the UFC is showing no signs of slowing down. The organization has ambitious plans for 2025, including its first pay-per-view event at the state-of-the-art Intuit Dome near Los Angeles.

    Additionally, the UFC will return to Saudi Arabia for a major event on February 1 and begin negotiations for a new television deal.

  • VIDEO: IShowSpeed Heads To City Kickboxing, Gets Battered By UFC’s Dan Hooker

    VIDEO: IShowSpeed Heads To City Kickboxing, Gets Battered By UFC’s Dan Hooker

    UFC fighters beating up streamers and social media stars is a trend that has continued to be a talking point throughout 2024. Whilst New Zealand’s Dan Hooker may be one of the kinder fighters to dish out one of these beatings, it can’t be forgotten that “The Hangman” is a trained killer that makes his living inside the Octagon.

    When looking at reoccurring viral patterns, streamer IShowSpeed tends to take things to new levels by taking what others do and elevating them to even more outrageous standards. This meant that during his recent trip to New Zealand, his “IRL stream” wouldn’t have been complete without a stop off at the home of some of the best mixed martial artists on the planet, Auckland’s City Kickboxing.

    A social media clip taken from his stream shows Speed boxing with the UFC lightweight contender who in a real contest, would have forced the referee to step in multiple times even if he was taking it easy.

    Unlike some of the other instances of this trend that seemingly generated more negativity than anything else, the reaction to this clip was slightly different. That’s partly down to Hooker clearly not being someone that is doing this to try and really hurt his opponent and because Speed, across multiple sports, has shown a lot of courage and natural athletic ability which often leaves people impressed rather than scratching their heads.

    Fans reacted via social media with many giving Speed some compliments even if he was totally outclassed as you would expect.

    “Speed doesn’t even look that bad for someone with zero training”

    https://twitter.com/ElonovMMA/status/1860872577364926549

    “Let’s be honest Dan Hooker was taking it easy on him. But props to speed”

    https://twitter.com/sugacoatedwave/status/1860868616042029356

    “That kid has superior physical genetics and if he trained in anything for a year he would give these guys a run for their money.”

    The full stream can be found via Speed’s YouTube channel below:

  • Michael Chandler Compared With Tony Ferguson After Latest Loss: ‘Who’s He Going To Beat?’

    Michael Chandler Compared With Tony Ferguson After Latest Loss: ‘Who’s He Going To Beat?’

    Former MMA referee John McCarthy did not mince his words when analyzing UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler’s latest setback inside the Octagon.

    Chandler returned from a two-year layoff earlier this month, running it back with former champion Charles Oliveira in the co-main event of the UFC 309 pay-per-view at Madison Square Garden.

    After an unsuccessful wait to share the cage with Conor McGregor, “Iron” finally moved on and set his sights on redemption opposite “Do Bronx,” who previously knocked him out in 2021.

    But the former Bellator champion ultimately failed in that pursuit, suffering a lopsided unanimous decision defeat after five rounds of mostly dominance from Oliveira in New York City.

    With the result, Chandler has now lost two straight and four of his six UFC fights. And that’s left one prominent figure in the sport giving a grim outlook on the 38-year-old’s status on MMA’s biggest stage.

    During an episode of his Weighing In podcast alongside former UFC fighter Josh Thomson, McCarthy reflected on Chandler’s convincing defeat to Oliveira, which saw the Brazilian experience little adversity until a late surge from the American in round five.

    The former referee and Bellator commentator compared him with another veteran fighter in Tony Ferguson, who has lost eight straight since his last victory in 2019.

    “Michael Chandler has hit Tony Ferguson status. Just being honest,” McCarthy said. “Who’s he going to beat? He looked slow at times. You want to talk about looking slow, you cannot look slow in the lightweight division. You’re gonna die. And he got outwrestled by a jiu-jitsu guy.

    “Michael Chandler got crushed. I mean, just crushed,” McCarthy continued. “The two years (away) showed that not only did Michael Chandler not improve as a fighter, but he declined, and he watched his career start to expire. … I like Michael Chandler as a person, and I think he’s great for the sport…(but) he’s calling out Conor McGregor after losing again — what the hell?! You can’t do that!”

    Should Chandler get his wish in 2025, he may be departing the 155-pound division next time out.

    During his post-fight Octagon interview, “Iron” once again called out McGregor despite his past failure to secure the lucrative fight. Should that finally come to fruition in the new year, it stands to reason that it would take place at welterweight.

    Oliveira, meanwhile, has his eyes on regaining the ultimate prize. He’s widely expected to challenge the winner of Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan’s championship rematch, which is reportedly in the works for UFC 311 in Los Angeles early next year.

  • Jamahal Hill Looks Forward To Jiří Procházka Clash: ‘It’s Been A Long Time Coming’

    Jamahal Hill Looks Forward To Jiří Procházka Clash: ‘It’s Been A Long Time Coming’

    A clash between two former UFC light heavyweight champions was recently announced during the post-fight show following the Fight Night event in Macau. After the fact that Jamahal Hill will be facing Jiří Procházka at UFC 311 was seemingly accidently said on the broadcast, it was later reported all over social media.

    With Magomed Ankalaev finally being in position to face Alex Pereira for the title, that leaves the #2 and #3-ranked contenders in the division free to settle a score that has existed for a long time. On January 18 in California, Hill and Procházka will finally put this chapter of their careers behind them.

    When Hill defeated Glover Teixeira to become champion, it was because Procházka had vacated the title due to a significant injury. With Hill defending his title against the returning champion set to be the next fight, the same pattern repeated itself with “Sweet Dreams” giving the title up which was then won by Alex Pereira at UFC 295 last November.

    Since then, “Poatan” has finished both men in consecutive fights meaning that a long-awaited match-up between them makes total sense for the division right now. With the news coming out sooner that expected, Hill did not confirm in his recent interview with Inside Fighting that this would be his next fight though he has teased it multiple times.

    “Yeah we should, there’s gonna be an announcement soon. It’s gonna be announced soon, it’s a good one, it’s a good one.”

    When Hill was asked whether he could provide any hints as to which fight it might be, he said that this contest is long overdue which essentially gives the game away without saying the name of his next opponent.

    “It’s been a long time, it’s been a long time coming.”

    Hill was then asked whether the fight he’s signed for is the one that all the fans expect it to be and though the former champion didn’t want to sign off on this, he made it pretty clear that it’s a big, highly anticipated bout.

    “I don’t know which fight y’all think it’s going to be but I know y’all won’t be disappointed by it.”

  • Carlos Ulberg Targets Former Title Challenger After UFC Macau Win

    Carlos Ulberg Targets Former Title Challenger After UFC Macau Win

    Following his latest triumph, UFC light heavyweight Carlos Ulberg is looking to take the next step toward the title.

    Ulberg kept his ball rolling in the 205-pound division at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Macau, China, where he got the better of a former title challenger and longtime top-10 contender in Volkan Oezdemir.

    The City Kickboxing standout put in the kind of polished and technical display that he’s become synonymous with since falling on the wrong side of a wild brawl with Kennedy Nzechukwu back in 2021.

    That marked Ulberg’s last loss, with the New Zealander winning all seven of his fights since. And having likely strengthened his position close to title contention with his performance at the Galaxy Arena, “Black Jag” has a plan to earn a first shot.

    “Obviously Khalil had that opportunity last time, so I think for the next step, my next step would be up against a guy like Khalil Rountree,” Ulberg told the UFC’s Maddyn Johnstone-Thomas.

    Rountree had a surprise opportunity to achieve champ status last month in Salt Lake City, where he challenged Alex Pereira in the main event of UFC 307.

    “The War Horse” put in a valiant effort opposite the former middleweight and reigning light heavyweight kingpin, winning the first two rounds before falling victim to a comeback and the famed power shots of “Poatan” in the fourth stanza.

    Having gotten past the #8-ranked Oezdemir, Ulberg wants a crack at the #6 man in the division next year as he looks to become the latest title challenger to emerge from Auckland’s City Kickboxing camp.