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Category: MMA

  • Max Holloway Addresses Weight Cut Ahead Of UFC 308 Title Fight

    Max Holloway Addresses Weight Cut Ahead Of UFC 308 Title Fight

    Max Holloway is set to return to the featherweight division, and while fans may be concerned about him making weight, the former champion is not.

    Holloway is scheduled to face Ilia Topuria for the division’s title at UFC 308. He is coming into the fight on a three-fight winning streak, his first in the division in over a year.

    Holloway’s last appearances in the octagon have been impressive. He earned a decision victory over Arnold Allen in April 2023 and followed that up by knocking out Jung Chan-sung in August. Most recently, at UFC 300, Holloway delivered a knockout performance against Justin Gaethje for the BMF title, earning both Performance and Fight of the Night honors.

    Addressing Weight Concerns

    Despite ongoing speculation, Holloway remains unconcerned about making weight for his upcoming bout. On his YouTube channel, he addressed the topic directly:

    “I mean, everybody keeps talking about the weight coming into this fight,” Holloway said. “The whole question before the last fight was [about] the weight, and now the whole question about this fight is the weight because of what we did in the last one.”

    Holloway also acknowledged the hard work it took to get back into title contention and reaffirmed his commitment to making weight:

    “I’ve never missed weight, I’ve never missed no weight in my whole career, and I ain’t planning on starting to miss weight for this fight. This fight took a whole lot of work to get back here, you know.”

  • Julianna PeĂąa Targets UFC International Fight Week 2025 For First Title Defense

    Julianna PeĂąa Targets UFC International Fight Week 2025 For First Title Defense

    UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna PeĂąa is expecting a break from competition spanning eight to nine months before putting her newly won gold on the line.

    PeĂąa achieved two-time titleholder status at the UFC 307 pay-per-view in Salt Lake City, Utah earlier this month, where she made the reign of longtime rival Raquel Pennington a short one.

    The pair went the full five rounds in the card’s co-headliner, with “The Venezuelan Vixen” controversially getting the nod on two of the three scorecards to be crowned queen.

    On the same card, Kayla Harrison extended her UFC record to a perfect 2-0 by outpointing Ketlen Vieira. That result appeared to signal her as first in line for a shot at PeĂąa in her opening defense.

    But it would appear fans could be waiting some time before seeing that matchup play out inside the Octagon…

    PeĂąa Has ‘Things To Do’ Before UFC Return, Targets Mid-2025

    During an appearance on the debut episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, PeĂąa reflected on her title-winning performance in the “Beehive State” and looked ahead to what could await her next.

    After insisting that she’s willing to face Harrison should Nunes stay on the sidelines to potentially fight the winner, the champ pointed to next summer’s International Fight Week in Las Vegas as a potential date for her return.

    “I’m not sure (when I will return). That’s something that the machine and my dogs, my agents and everything like that, we’re going to have to be going back and forth for a while and make sure this is going to be the best-case scenario for me,” PeĂąa said. “That is a bridge that we can’t cross yet.

    “Whenever I text Hunter (Campbell), they’re like, ‘Chill, just enjoy the win, relax.’ That’s kind of what I’m getting right now,” PeĂąa said, before outlining her desired return date. “I don’t know, I think maybe International Fight Week would be a good time. We’ll see. There are some things I need to do on my end.”

    For the time being, “The Venezuelan Vixen” will be enjoying the start of her second stint as bantamweight queen before looking ahead to her sophomore attempt at adding a successful defense to her rĂŠsumĂŠ.

    And in the meantime, she doesn’t appear likely to let up in her pursuit of drawing Amanda Nunes back to complete their trilogy in 2025.

  • Sean O’Malley Didn’t Pull Out Of UFC 306 Despite Injury Because ‘Merab Sucks’ 

    Sean O’Malley Didn’t Pull Out Of UFC 306 Despite Injury Because ‘Merab Sucks’ 

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley says withdrawing from his title defense opposite Merab Dvalishvili was never an option.

    O’Malley was forced to relinquish his grip on the crown at 135 pounds in his second defense, which headlined last month’s UFC 306 (Noche UFC) pay-per-view inside the Sphere in Las Vegas.

    Six months on from an emphatic five-round display to exact revenge on Marlon “Chito” Vera in Miami, “Sugar” had a more difficult 25-minute experience when sharing the Octagon with Dvalishvili.

    The Georgian utilized his relentless pressure and smothering grappling game to secure the decision victory, extending his winning run to 11 straight fights and completing his championship ambitions in the process.

    In the aftermath of the result, O’Malley revealed a long spell on the sidelines awaited him, having fought through a torn labrum at UFC 306.

    O’Malley Doesn’t Regret Fighting Through Injury, Expects To ‘Whoop’ Dvalishvili In Rematch

    During an appearance on the debut episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, O’Malley reflected on the disappointing end to his short title reign in Las Vegas last month.

    In terms of the injury he competed with, “Sugar” insisted that withdrawing and delaying his second defense was not a possibility, partly down to his confidence when it came to having superiority over “The Machine.”

    “I had a torn labrum. 10 weeks before the fight, I f*cking snapped my labrum. It is what it is. … It was unfortunate,” O’Malley said. “No, (I didn’t consider pulling out). UFC Noche, f*cking Merab sucks. There was no reason to pull out.

    “No, (I don’t regret not pulling out). Because I’m going to whoop Merab’s ass, and it’s going to make it that much sweeter when I beat him the second time,” O’Malley continued. “Overall, I had a good camp. Way better camp than the Aljo camp. The rib injury was a lot harder to train with than the torn labrum. The labrum, it’s just pain. … I was able to do a lot more.”

    O’Malley has little doubt that a second dance with Dvalishvili lies in his future.

    And with some uncertainty surrounding the Georgian’s expected title defense against Umar Nurmagomedov coming to fruition before the Dagestani takes a break for Ramadan, “Sugar” is hoping for a faster-than-predicted recovery in order to be a available for a possible rematch with the champ in March or April 2025.

  • Francis Ngannou On Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic: ‘If He Shows Up…’

    Francis Ngannou On Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic: ‘If He Shows Up…’

    Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou won’t dismiss Stipe Miocic’s chances of unseating Jon Jones from the throne next month.

    For only the second time since “The Predator” exited the promotion and relinquished the gold, the UFC’s heavyweight belt will be on the line at the annual Madison Square Garden-held pay-per-view in November

    After capturing the vacant strap with a rapid submission of Ciryl Gane in his divisional debut last year, Jones will return from an injury layoff for a rescheduled defense opposite Miocic.

    The 42-year-old Ohio native hasn’t competed since being brutally knocked out by Ngannou well over three years ago. That fact has left many doubting his prospects of regaining the heavyweight crown, and it’s made the Cameroonian fall on the side of “Bones.”

    Ngannou Leans To Jones In UFC 309 Prediction, Says Miocic ‘Not Getting Any Younger’

    During an appearance on the debut episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Ngannou was asked for his thoughts on the upcoming title fight in the division he formerly ruled over.

    Given Miocic’s long spell on the sidelines and the uncertainty surrounding his fighting condition, “The Predator” is narrowly leaning the way of Jones for the UFC 309 headliner.

    But should his ex-opponent turn up in the state that paved the way for two title reigns, Ngannou wouldn’t be surprised to see Madison Square Garden play host to an upset.

    “Stipe hasn’t fought since what, three years and a half? So I don’t really know where he’s at. I don’t really know how he’ll show up,” Ngannou said. “He always shows up good, but it’s been a while, and he’s not getting younger. I think all those questions makes me slightly shift to Jones’ side.

    “But Stipe is a guy that is very committed. When he shows up, he shows up in full,” Ngannou continued. “If he shows up in full, he can really surprise you. So I wouldn’t be surprised also if he wins.”

    Regardless of Miocic’s condition when he makes the walk for the first time since 2021, Jones will look to establish firm dominance over the heavyweight legend to keep ahold of the belt in what many anticipate to be his final fight.

    Ngannou, meanwhile, is just days away from his long-awaited return to mixed martial arts competition.

    Following a pair of lucrative boxing matches opposite Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, “The Predator” will debut in the SmartCage as the headline act for the upcoming PFL pay-per-view in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

  • PFL Founder Anticipates UFC Attempt To Stifle Ngannou’s Return: ‘What Will Dana White Announce?’

    PFL Founder Anticipates UFC Attempt To Stifle Ngannou’s Return: ‘What Will Dana White Announce?’

    Francis Ngannou makes his PFL debut this weekend, and the promotion is expecting his ex-employers to do what they can to steal the spotlight.

    For the first time since January 2022, Ngannou will enter the cage for an MMA contest on Saturday, October 19. In his last appearance close to three years ago, “The Predator” got the better of Ciryl Gane to remain UFC heavyweight champion.

    On this occasion, the Cameroonian will debut in new surroundings as the headline act for the Professional Fighters League’s second pay-per-view event of 2024.

    After completing his long-desired transition to boxing to do battle with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, the former UFC champ will adjust his sights back to MMA to face 2022 PFL title winner Renan Ferreira in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    And as his first MMA fight week since departing the UFC gets underway, the PFL higher-ups are seemingly expecting some outside efforts to drag the spotlight away from Ngannou…

    Davis Predicts White Announcement In Light Of Ngannou’s PFL Fight Week

    PFL founder, chairman, and co-owner Donn Davis has caused a stir in recent times owing to repeated shots at his organization’s former fighter, two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison.

    To kick off the PFL’s ‘Battle of the Giants’ fight week, Davis once again had his sights on a UFC figure, this time the boss.

    In a social media post, Davis suggested the UFC CEO will no doubt be preparing a major announcement in the hope of stifling Ngannou’s return — a habit of the UFC’s that has become a running joke in the MMA community.

    “PFL Super Fight Week! Francis Ngannou makes his highly anticipated return with @PFLMMA!” Davis wrote on X. “So what will @danawhite announce to try to steal spotlight from THE biggest fight of 2024?? #PFLSuperFights“

    It would stand to reason that no announcement could affect the anticipation for Ngannou’s return, which comes after he took Fury to the limit and suffered a brutal KO to Joshua in the squared circle.

    Ngannou vs. Ferreira headlines Saturday’s card, with the likes of women’s MMA legend Cris Cyborg, reigning Bellator middleweight kingpin Johnny Eblen, and former Bellator champion AJ McKee making up the undercard.

  • ‘Super Disrespectful To Belal’ – Fans React To Shavkat Rakhmonov Being Heavy Favorite To Win Gold At UFC 310

    ‘Super Disrespectful To Belal’ – Fans React To Shavkat Rakhmonov Being Heavy Favorite To Win Gold At UFC 310

    UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad will seemingly have to spring an upset if he’s to stall Shavkat Rakhmonov’s title ambitions.

    The schedule for the last quarter of 2024 is beginning to be finalized, and UFC CEO Dana White recently took to social media to reveal two championship headliners for the final pay-per-view of the year, UFC 310 on Dec. 7.

    Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena will play host as both the welterweight and flyweight belts get put on the line. And in regard to the former, Muhammad will be making his very first defense five months on from a dominant display to win the crown in Manchester.

    If he’s to begin his ascent to a place in the divisional GOAT discussion, Muhammad must first retain the belt at the expense of an undefeated phenom in Rakhmonov.

    “Remember the Name” has long been counted out, and his emphatic performance to unseat Leon Edwards from the throne has seemingly done little to alter his status as a perennial underdog.

    Fans React To UFC 310 Odds As Muhammad Gets Underdog Status vs. Rakhmonov

    Prior to confirmation of their fight later this year, Rakhmonov opened as a -265 favorite on BetOnline.ag to make +225 underdog Muhammad’s reign a quick one.

    Fight fans reacted to those odds — which have since shifted to -205 on the challenger’s side and +175 for the champ — after the bout was announced as the UFC 310 headliner this past weekend.

    Many expressed surprise at Muhammad’s line, with some branding it “disrespectful” and others questioning when the market will “learn.”

  • Umar Nurmagomedov Tells Merab Dvalishvili To Start ‘Talking Like A Champion’

    Umar Nurmagomedov Tells Merab Dvalishvili To Start ‘Talking Like A Champion’

    UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov has sent some advice the way of newly crowned champion Merab Dvalishvili.

    Dvalishvili achieved his title ambitions on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere last month, closing out the UFC 306 (Noche UFC) pay-per-view with a dominant display to dethrone Sean O’Malley.

    With the result, the Georgian standout extended his winning run to 11, avenged teammate Aljamain Sterling’s loss to “Sugar” in 2023, and exited the cage with gold in his possession for the first time.

    But according to the consensus next in line, Dvalishvili hasn’t adjusted well to life as champ…

    Nurmagomedov Tells Dvalishvili He ‘Looks Bad’ After Comments About First Defense

    During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Nurmagomedov provided an update on his hopes to compete for the title next time out and reacted to Dvalishvili’s attempts to dismiss him as a worthy contender.

    In addition to naming Deiveson Figueiredo as a more deserving challenger pre-fight, Dvalishvili snubbed the opportunity to set up a clash with Nurmagomedov inside the Octagon at UFC 306. And in the weeks since, the Georgian has even pitched a rematch with O’Malley.

    Nurmagomedov has frequently hit back at the champ’s remarks. According to the Russian, Dvalishvili needs to start acting like a divisional kingpin instead of shying away from a threat to his rule.

    “Right now, he’s champion. Everybody is pushing. But he’s looking very bad when Joe Rogan or UFC ask him in some interviews about me and he go away and says he can’t talk (pretends to stutter),” Nurmagomedov said. “He’s looking very bad. He has to talk like a champion. He has to be a champion. He has to know he can beat everybody. Right now, you have belt, you are number one.”

    It remains to be seen when Nurmagomedov will have the opportunity to cash in on his expected title shot.

    Regardless, the Dagestani plans on competing prior to Ramadan in 2025, be it in competition for Dvalishvili’s bantamweight gold or against another top contender at 135 pounds.

  • Julianna PeĂąa: Fans ‘Want To See’ Me Fight Amanda Nunes, Not Kayla Harrison

    Julianna PeĂąa: Fans ‘Want To See’ Me Fight Amanda Nunes, Not Kayla Harrison

    When it comes to her desire to avoid Kayla Harrison and run it back with the retired Amanda Nunes, UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Julianna PeĂąa claims to have the support of the masses.

    PeĂąa recently commenced the start of a second stint with UFC gold in her possession, having fallen on the right side of a controversial split decision after five rounds against defending champ Raquel Pennington earlier this month in Salt Lake City.

    The bout marked “The Venezuelan Vixen’s” first since her first divisional rule was brought to an emphatic halt by Nunes in their July 2022 rematch.

    There was plenty of backlash toward PeĂąa receiving an immediate shot in her comeback, and even more regarding the contentious decision in Utah.

    But in addition to the scorecards, another post-fight topic has seen the newly crowned bantamweight queen on the receiving end of criticism.

    PeĂąa Reiterates Dismissal Of Harrison As Top Contender, Cites Fan Support

    In her Octagon interview with Joe Rogan at UFC 307, PeĂąa made good on her promise to call out Nunes, encouraging the “Lioness” to return from retirement in order for the pair to complete their trilogy.

    The champ’s decision to snub Harrison was widely questioned, with many insisting the two-time Olympic gold medalist should be next in line following her victory over Ketlen Vieira on the same pay-per-view card.

    PeĂąa evidently hasn’t been swayed from her pursuit of Nunes in the days since, citing Harrison’s weight cut and fan support for another clash with the Brazilian legend as two reasons behind her preference during an interview with MMA Today on SiriusXM.

    “The girl wants to take time off because she even knows that she can’t make the weight and that she’s not a rightful 135er,” PeĂąa said. “She’s too big! She obviously can’t even make the first fight, which is making it to the Octagon. She needs time off. That, to me, is already a loss.

    “Secondly, there was nothing that I saw in her fight against Ketlen Vieira that was (like), ‘Oh, some world beater! Oh my gosh, I’m terrified, Kayla Harrison!’ Give me a break. She went out there three weeks early and still gassed out,” PeĂąa continued. “Kayla Harrison, get in line. I’ve got unfinished business to attend to. … Harrison just came to the party. Amanda Nunes is the big fight, the money fight, the fight that people want to see.”

    Nunes’ comeback teases in 2024 have come as little surprise to PeĂąa and many others in the community, who branded her retirement at UFC 289 in Canada last year as premature. And the “Lioness” further fueled talk of a return by encouraging UFC CEO Dana White to call her in a recent social media video.

    It remains to be seen whether the former two-division champ is planning to head back into competition in pursuit of settling the score with PeĂąa or facing ex-teammate Kayla Harrison.

    Her bemusement at the American Top Team standout’s decision not to call her out at UFC 300 earlier this year would perhaps suggest the latter.

  • Ilia Topuria Gets Personal During Online Spat With Fellow UFC Champ Belal Muhammad

    Ilia Topuria Gets Personal During Online Spat With Fellow UFC Champ Belal Muhammad

    UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria has plenty of foes in MMA’s leading promotion, and it appears another titleholder in Belal Muhammad just joined the list.

    Topuria completed his ascent to the mountaintop at 145 pounds this past March, knocking out all-time great Alexander Volkanovski to extend his perfect promotional and professional records in violent fashion.

    The Georgian-Spaniard marked the third new divisional champion of the year, and the fourth came five months later when Muhammad unseated Leon Edwards from the welterweight throne in Manchester, England.

    But while they both joined the champs’ club in 2024, the two haven’t exactly been bonding over their newfound title glory…

    Topuria Mocks Muhammad After ‘Fake BMF Belt’ Jibe

    A video recently surfaced on social media showing Topuria backing Shavkat Rakhmonov to defeat Muhammad. The pair were recently confirmed as the headliners for the UFC 310 pay-per-view in Las Vegas this December.

    “Remember the Name” didn’t take too kindly to the prediction, mocking his featherweight counterpart for purchasing his own BMF belt ahead of his showdown with the symbolic title’s current owner, Max Holloway, at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi later this month.

    That caused a back and forth between the pair, with “El Matador” taking aim at Muhammad’s UFC record and personal life alongside a video of him in the aftermath of an eye poke against Edwards back in 2021.

    “NO FINISHES NO KNOCKOUTS NO KNOCKDOWNS NO GIRLFRIEND NO KIDS BELAL HAS NEVER FINISHED ANY MAN OR WOMAN”

    Muhammad hit back by accusing Topuria of copying well-known “memes” instead of coming up with his own retorts.

    “Now ur just copying stuff word for word off memes,” Muhammad responded.

    While his heated exchanges with Holloway will soon be settled inside the Octagon — and disagreements with the likes of Sean O’Malley could be down the line — the gulf in weight between Topuria and Muhammad means this battle will likely remain in the internet realm.

  • Tatsuro Taira Issues First Statement After UFC Fight Night Loss To Brandon Royval

    Tatsuro Taira Issues First Statement After UFC Fight Night Loss To Brandon Royval

    Tatsuro Taira has released his first statement on social media after suffering the first loss of his career in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event.

    After winning his first six outings on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage, Taira had the opportunity to impress opposite the #1-ranked contender at 125 pounds on Saturday night inside the Apex.

    And although he exited the cage with a defeat added to his previously perfect record, the rising Japanese star certainly made a splash in his sophomore experience in the headline spotlight.

    Taira Keeps Eyes On Ultimate Prize After First UFC Setback

    Taira played his part in one of the best main events and fights seen under the UFC banner in 2024, going toe-to-toe with Brandon Royval across 25 minutes in Las Vegas.

    The Japanese 24-year-old earned the nod on one of the judges’ scorecards, but he ultimately fell on the wrong side of a split decision verdict.

    Nevertheless, Taira’s stock didn’t appear to fall with the result, which came after he had overcome notable adversity in round three to avoid being finished.

    And moving forward, the loss has seemingly done little to affect the Okinawa native’s drive to reach the top. In fact, he appears more eager to achieve title glory in the UFC than ever.

    “Thank you so much for all your support. I’m also grateful to my team for coming to the U.S. and supporting me,” Taira wrote on X (translated from Japanese). “Even though I was overcome with emotion after losing, I felt a strong desire to become UFC champion and give back to everyone, even if just a little. I will look forward and come back stronger.”

    While Taira looks ahead to his chance to quickly return to winning ways next time out, gold is no doubt on the mind of Royval.

    “Raw Dawg” has now won back-to-back main events against top-five opposition since falling short against Alexandre Pantoja in his first title shot last December. He’ll now have a close eye on “The Cannibal’s” upcoming defense opposite newcomer Kai Asakura.

  • Dustin Poirier Teases ‘Fight News’ Ahead Of Likely UFC Farewell

    Dustin Poirier Teases ‘Fight News’ Ahead Of Likely UFC Farewell

    Dustin Poirier’s final walk to the Octagon is incoming.

    According to “The Diamond” himself on social media, an announcement for his next fight should be coming at some point in the near future. This bout is expected to ultimately serve as the last of his memorable career.

    “Fight News Coming,” Poirier wrote on X.

    There were thoughts that Poirier’s UFC lightweight title showdown with Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 earlier this year, which ended in a submission loss for Poirier, would be his final fight. The Louisianan, however, ultimately decided to go for one final walk to the cage.

    Dustin Poirier Teases News On Final UFC Fight

    Poirier made his professional MMA debut in 2009, winning seven straight before dropping his WEC debut. He rebounded in his next fight with the promotion before joining the UFC when the two promotions merged. “The Diamond” made his Octagon debut with a win over Josh Grispi at UFC 125.

    While he started his UFC career at featherweight, going on an 8-3 run that included a win over a young, debuting Max Holloway and losses to the likes of “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung-Jung, Cub Swanson, and Conor McGregor, he then moved up to lightweight in 2015.

    At 155 pounds, Poirier went 8-1 (1 NC) before defeating Holloway at UFC 236 to win the interim UFC lightweight championship. He later lost his title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242.

    “The Diamond” then pulled off a come-from-behind win against Dan Hooker and scored a pair of wins against McGregor on pay-per-view in 2021.

    Including the loss to Makhachev, Poirier has gone 2-3 since the wins over McGregor, which also includes unsuccessful title shots against Charles Oliveira (lightweight, at UFC 269) and Justin Gaethje (BMF, at UFC 291).

  • Dan Hooker Reacts To Conor McGregor Naming Him As UFC Return Opponent

    Dan Hooker Reacts To Conor McGregor Naming Him As UFC Return Opponent

    Though Conor McGregor’s newest claims for his return matchup came out of the blue, Dan Hooker says he’s down for a fight.

    While in Spain for the latest BKFC event, Conor McGregor — the BKFC part-owner and former two-division UFC champion — revealed the latest update he has on his return to the Octagon. McGregor told Bloody Elbow that his plan is to return on February 1 in Saudi Arabia, with the opponent now being Dan Hooker, not Michael Chandler.

    Hooker was also present in Spain as one of the cornermen for The Mac Life’s Oscar Willis in his first-round TKO of Ben Davis in a battle of MMA media members. McGregor and Hooker were seen having a conversation in the ring following the fight.

    During an appearance on Submission Radio, Hooker was asked about the exchange and McGregor’s remarks that the two are going to fight next. The #5-ranked UFC lightweight claimed he’s in as long as the UFC gives the green light.

    “We had a few words inside the ring,” Hooker said. “But, yeah, February 1 works for me. We’ll get that thing straight away.

    “I’m on board, he’s on board. We just need to get the UFC on board and we’ll get this thing across the line.”

    Dan Hooker Interested In Conor McGregor’s Plan For Fight In Saudi Arabia Next February

    As far as their conversation in the middle of the ring, Hooker says the two had a casual talk and get along well.

    “We’re kindred spirits, as you can see,” Hooker said. “We get along quite well. I think we’re both very similar. There’s a lot of similarities there.”

    McGregor’s comeback was scheduled to take place at UFC 303 earlier this year before he withdrew due to a toe injury. He and Chandler had been slated to fight ever since the two were announced to be the coaches for The Ultimate Fighter season 31 in 2023

    Last month, it was announced that Chandler would instead face Charles Oliveira in a five-round rematch slated to co-headline UFC 309 on Nov. 16 at New York’s Madison Square Garden. “Iron” has been out of action since a loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 281 in November 2022.

    UFC CEO Dana White had assured that a fight between McGregor and Chandler could still happen down the line.

    McGregor has previously stated he wants to fight twice in 2025. The Irishman has two bouts remaining on his UFC deal, with some insiders attributing the delays of McGregor’s long-awaited return to the promotion wanting to prevent McGregor from hitting free agency.

    The former 145- and 155-pound champion has not fought since his loss to Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.

  • ‘New Mythical Fighter: Round 5 Royval’ – Fans & Fighters React As Brandon Royval Edges Out Tatsuro Taira In Crazy UFC Fight Night Main Event

    ‘New Mythical Fighter: Round 5 Royval’ – Fans & Fighters React As Brandon Royval Edges Out Tatsuro Taira In Crazy UFC Fight Night Main Event

    A highly anticipated UFC Fight Night main event between Brandon Royval and Tatsuro Taira lived up to the hype and then some. And after five rounds of back-and-forth, hard-fought action, Royval ultimately came out on top in a split decision.

    Royval appeared to be getting the better of Taira through most of the first round, landing shots that snapped Taira’s head back. The Japanese fighter, however, appeared to possibly stun the former title challenger late in the round and scored a takedown before its conclusion.

    Taira got back to work in the second round, scoring a takedown early and looking for multiple submission attempts from the back. Royval defended well, but Taira maintained a body triangle and twisted “Raw Dawg” and his limbs on more than one occasion.

    Royval, however, got control back by tagging Taira with a number of hard shots, which had referee Jason Herzog looking close to intervening for the TKO stoppage. The #1-ranked contender went to the ground with Taira and looked for an armbar. However, Taira got out of it and got right back to Royval’s back, looking for a rear-naked choke in the round’s closing seconds.

    Taira brought the fight back to the ground and was in control for nearly the whole of the fourth stanza, riding in top position and working Royval over with his grappling. This led to a suspenseful and highly anticipated final round.

    Royval was getting the better of Taira on the feet, but the latter brought the fight back to the mat. “Raw Dawg,” however, worked his way back to the feet and landed some strong shots. Royval then went for a guillotine and several other submission attempts, staying in control on the ground until the final horn.

    Royval Wins Competitive, Entertaining Flyweight Main Event vs. Taira, Ends Taira’s Undefeated Record

    Royval has now won five of his last six fights, with his sole loss in that span coming from an unsuccessful challenge of flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 296 last December

    Meanwhile, the loss marks the first of Taira’s professional career after starting his Octagon tenure at 6-0.

  • UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Brandon Royval Decisions Tatsuro Taira

    UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Brandon Royval Decisions Tatsuro Taira

    UFC Fight Night took place tonight from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights! 

    In the main event, top-five flyweights Brandon Royval (#1) and Tatsuro Taira (#5) clashed. While in the co-main event, Brad Tavares faced JunYong Park in a middleweight matchup. 

    UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card

    • Flyweight Main Event: Brandon Royval def. Tatsuro Taira via split decision (48-47×2, 47-48)
    • Middleweight Co-Main Event: JunYong Park def. Brad Tavares via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
    • Welterweight: Chidi Njokuani def. Jared Gooden via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
    • Lightweight: Grant Dawson def. Rafa Garcia via TKO: R2, 1.42
    • Welterweight: Daniel Rodriguez def. Alex Morono via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29) 
    • Flyweight: Ramazonbek Temirov def. CJ Vergara via TKO: R1, 2.50

    Preliminary Card

    • Featherweight: Pat Sabatini def. Jonathan Pearce via submission: R1, 4.06
    • Welterweight: Themba Gorimbo def. Niko Price via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
    • Heavyweight: Junior Tafa def. Sean Sharaf via TKO: R2, 2.15
    • Women’s Strawweight: Julia Polastri def. Cory McKenna via split decision (29-28, 30-27, 28-29)
    • Bantamweight: Cody Haddon def. Dan Argueta via unanimous decision (30-27×3)

    Flyweight: Clayton Carpenter def. Lucas Rocha via submission: R2, 2.12

    Preliminary Card Highlights

    Clayton Carpenter def. Lucas Rocha

    In this flyweight bout, Clayton Carpenter locked in a rear-naked choke to get the win against Lucas Rocha.

    Junior Tafa def. Sean Sharaf

    Junior Tafa got it done with a TKO of Sean Sharaf in round two of their heavyweight bout.

    Pat Sabatini def. Jonathan Pearce

    Pat Sabatini earned a first-round submission against Jonathan Pearce in their featherweight bout.

    Main Card Highlights

    Ramazonbek Temirov def. CJ Vergara

    Making his UFC debut, Ramazonbek Temirov earned a first-round TKO against CJ Vergara in their flyweight matchup.

    Daniel Rodriguez def. Alex Morono

    In this welterweight matchup, Daniel Rodriguez earned a split decision win against Alex Morono.

    Grant Dawson def. Rafa Garcia

    Grant Dawson got it done with a TKO of Rafa Garcia in the second round of their lightweight bout.

    Chidi Njokuani def. Jared Gooden

    Chidi Njokuani earned a unanimous decision against Jared Gooden in their welterweight matchup.

    JunYong Park def. Brad Tavares

    In the co-main event, JunYong Park earned a split decision win against Brad Tavares.

    Brandon Royval def. Tatsuro Taira

    In the main event, Brandon Royval earned a split decision victory against Tatsuro Taira.

  • ‘Split Decision Is Insane’ – Fans React As JunYong Park Overcomes Knockdown To Outpoint Brad Tavares In UFC Fight Night Co-Headliner

    ‘Split Decision Is Insane’ – Fans React As JunYong Park Overcomes Knockdown To Outpoint Brad Tavares In UFC Fight Night Co-Headliner

    JunYong Park continued his upward momentum and scored another win in the Octagon, defeating Brad Tavares in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Taira.

    Park and Tavares battled closely in the first round, with the former attempting to pressure and walk down his veteran opponent. Tavares, however, took the frame by landing solid shots, including a 1-2 that dropped Park.

    The South Korean survived to the horn, however, and he and Tavares managed to both land hard on each other during the second frame. Park continued to land at will and did more damage in the final round.

    One judge controversially scored the fight 29-28 for Tavares, but the other two awarded their 29-28 scores to Park for a split decision win.

    JunYong Park Edges Out Brad Tavares On Scorecards In UFC Fight Night Co-Main Event

    The result saw Park rebound from a loss to AndrĂŠ Muniz at the end of last year. He’s won five of his last six and is now 8-3 in the Octagon.

    Tavares, meanwhile, has now lost back-to-back fights and four of his last five.

  • ‘If This Is True…’ – Fans React As Conor McGregor Names New Opponent, Date, Location For His UFC Comeback

    ‘If This Is True…’ – Fans React As Conor McGregor Names New Opponent, Date, Location For His UFC Comeback

    Surprise, surprise, The King…is making claims of another new date and place for a comeback. But if it happens, is there a change in plans for his opponent?

    In an interview with Bloody Elbow while in Marbella for Saturday’s BKFC event, Conor McGregor claimed that his long-awaited, long-delayed return to the Octagon will now come on February 1 when the UFC is scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia for its second event in the country.

    Though rumored, there is no confirmation that this event could serve as UFC 312 — just two weeks after the promotion holds UFC 311 in January as its first pay-per-view for 2025.

    What’s noteworthy about McGregor’s remarks, however, is that the opponent for such a fight would now be Dan Hooker, apparently…

    Michael Chandler had long been planned to be McGregor’s comeback opponent, stretching back to their time coaching season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2023. The two were scheduled to meet at UFC 303 earlier this year before McGregor withdrew.

    Chandler has since been booked to face Charles Oliveira in the co-main event of UFC 309 on Nov. 16 — a rematch of their lightweight title fight from UFC 262 in 2021.

    Conor McGregor Claims He Will Now Face Dan Hooker In Saudi Arabia

    https://twitter.com/Lizard69Talking/status/1845259127817130149

    UFC CEO Dana White had assured that McGregor vs. Chandler was still on the table even with the latter taking the fight with Oliveira. If McGregor’s comments are true, this would be a 180 from those plans.

    The Irishman has previously claimed he wants to fight twice in 2025, which would allow him to complete his UFC contract and enter free agency. He became part-owner of BKFC earlier this year.

    McGregor has not fought since his UFC 264 loss to Dustin Poirier in their July 2021 trilogy fight. Hooker, meanwhile, defeated Mateusz Gamrot in upset fashion at UFC 305 in August to return to the top five at 155 pounds.

  • VIDEO: Oscar Willis Stops Ben ‘The Bane’ Davis In Battle Of MMA Media Members At BKFC Spain

    VIDEO: Oscar Willis Stops Ben ‘The Bane’ Davis In Battle Of MMA Media Members At BKFC Spain

    Perhaps just as anticipated as the title fights at the top of the BKFC card in Marbella, Spain was the battle of MMA media members, as Oscar Willis took on Ben Davis in a lightweight bout on the main card.

    Willis ultimately took home the W via TKO after dropping “The Bane” four times in the opening round.

    Willis Drops Davis Four Times En Route To First-Round Win In BKFC MMA Media Battle

    Willis landed hard early, bringing pressure from the get-go. After two clinches, the Brit was able to get Davis near a corner and scored a knockdown. “The Bane” got up, but Willis quickly got him back to the mat.

    Another right hand brought Davis down for the third time in the round. In the closing seconds of the first frame, the American was knocked down a fourth time. Although he beat the 10 count, the referee had seen enough to wave the fight off.

    Willis, a content manager for The Mac Life — the news outlet of former two-division UFC champion and BKFC part-owner Conor McGregor — had a lone amateur MMA fight in 2022 before taking this bout.

    Davis, a commentator for Anthony Pettis’ APFC promotion, lost a grappling bout with Brad Boulton and was knocked out by Gabriel Silva in a boxing match in 2023. Earlier this year, he scored a decision win over Zuriel Rudi Ayo in Karate Combat.

  • Belal Muhammad vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov Set For UFC 310 Main Event, Pantoja Defense Co-headlines

    Belal Muhammad vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov Set For UFC 310 Main Event, Pantoja Defense Co-headlines

    The UFC will close out its pay-per-view schedule for 2024 with two major championship fights in Las Vegas on December 7.

    With the final quarter of this year well underway, mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is beginning to fill the remaining slots on its fight schedule. And in two of the most prominent ones now sit reigning titleholders.

    UFC CEO Dana White took to social media on Saturday to announce the headline bouts for UFC 310, the promotion’s final PPV of the year.

    Closing out 2024 in style, a highly anticipated welterweight title fight between newly crowned champion Belal Muhammad (24-3, 1 NC) and undefeated challenger Shavkat Rakhmonov (18-0) will top the lineup inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

    There will also be title stakes in the co-headliner, as flyweight kingpin Alexandre Pantoja (28-5) returns for his second defense of the year and third overall. Having turned away the threats posed by Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg, “The Cannibal” will next share the cage with a newcomer in former Rizin champ Kai Asakura (21-4).

    Muhammad captured the 170-pound gold in enemy territory this past July, beating Leon Edwards in dominant fashion to extend his unbeaten run to 11 straight fights. Rakhmonov, meanwhile, has won all six of his Octagon outings to date, submitting both Geoff Neal and Stephen Thompson in his most recent fights.

    Pantoja is deeper into his reign on the throne at 125 pounds, having held the crown since a memorable win over Brandon Moreno in the summer of 2023. After a scare against Australia’s Erceg in Rio de Janeiro earlier this year, the Brazilian will look to increase his grip on the title against a highly regarded debutant in Japan’s Asakura.

    White also confirmed that Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov and Vicente Luque vs. Nick Diaz — matchups postponed from cards in October and August, respectively — have been rescheduled for the same event.

    With these additions, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 310 on Dec. 7 are as follows:

    • Belal Muhammad (C) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov (welterweight championship main event)
    • Alexandre Pantoja (C) vs. Kai Asakura (flyweight championship co-main event)
    • Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov (heavyweight)
    • Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling (featherweight)
    • Vicente Luque vs. Nick Diaz (welterweight)
    • Tatiana Suarez vs. Virna Jandiroba (women’s strawweight)
    • Anthony Smith vs. Dominick Reyes (light heavyweight)
    • Michael Chiesa vs. Max Griffin (welterweight)
    • Clay Guida vs. Chase Hooper (lightweight)
    • Cody Durden vs. Joshua Van (flyweight)
  • Joaquin Buckley Fires Back At Usman’s ‘Get In Line’ Advice

    Joaquin Buckley Fires Back At Usman’s ‘Get In Line’ Advice

    Joaquin Buckley recently retaliated against Kamaru Usman’s dismissive reaction to his callout for a potential matchup.

    Buckley secured the most significant victory of his career thus far with a stunning third-round knockout of former welterweight title challenger Stephen Thompson at UFC 307 last weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah.

    With this victory, “New Mansa” extended his winning streak to five fights and wasted no time calling out Usman during his post-fight interview, making it clear that he’s ready to enter the mix for title contention.

    However, earlier this week, in an episode of the Pound4Pound podcast, “The Nigerian Nightmare” brushed aside Buckley’s callout but left the door open for a potential fight down the line, stating, “Take a number and get in line.”

    Buckley Seeks Title Eliminator Match With Usman

    During a recent interview with Parry Punch, Buckley addressed Usman’s dismissal of his callout. “New Mansa” pointed out that, aside from the reigning UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad, no one else has stepped up to challenge Usman. However, even Muhammad has shifted his attention to his first title defense against Shavkat Rakhmonov.

    “That’s the funny thing; who’s in line?” Buckley said. “The crazy part about Belal was, like, Usman doesn’t even deserve a title shot. Plus, he said Shavkat is an easier fight than Usman, and that’s what I believe the UFC is going to make: the Shavkat vs. Belal fight. The thing with Usman is nobody calls him out, and he’s still a great name. The last fight he had was with Khamzat [Chimaev], so it’s been a whole year. Come and get this word; come and get paid at least.”

    Buckley further emphasized that being a former champion doesn’t guarantee Usman an immediate title shot, especially after experiencing a string of losses. The 30-year-old Missouri native proposed that “The Nigerian Nightmare” should instead face him in a #1 contender’s bout.

    “Just because you’ve been a former champion and held the belt for a significant amount of time doesn’t give you the right to come back and say, ‘All right, I get to fight for the belt again.’ You’re still not accounting for those three losses you’ve had. So prove to the world that you still have the ability to fight for a belt. With me having five wins and three finishes right now in the goddamn welterweight division, I feel like you can sell that idea. If Kamaru Usman beats me, boom, he can fight for the title.”

    Usman is currently navigating the most challenging phase of his career, enduring a three-fight losing streak. The former UFC welterweight champion’s last appearance in the Octagon was at UFC 284 in October 2023, where he suffered a narrow majority decision defeat to Khamzat Chimaev in a welterweight matchup on short notice.

  • Former UFC Champion Breaks Down Where Ilia Topuria May Have An Advantage Over Max Holloway

    Former UFC Champion Breaks Down Where Ilia Topuria May Have An Advantage Over Max Holloway

    The main event of UFC 308 on October 26 can’t come soon enough as one of the biggest fights of the year goes down in Abu Dhabi. One of the most exciting elements of the fight is that both the champion and challenger are known as two of the best boxers in the UFC.

    Ilia Topuria has got dynamite in his hands with the speed to back it up and as for Max Holloway, he’s a record breaker when it comes to significant strikes for a reason.

    Both men do their best work with their hands but one former UFC champion, who is also known for packing a mean punch, believes that Holloway’s reliance on this could cost him in the featherweight title fight headliner.

    Cody Garbrandt Says Ilia Topuria Is The More Diverse Striker And Mixed Martial Artist

    In a recent appearance on the Jaxxon Podcast, Cody Garbrandt gave his thoughts on the fight that everyone is going to be talking about over the next few weeks.

    Garbrandt believes that though both men are excellent boxers, Topuria is the more varied striker and overall mixed martial artist. “No Love” pointed to Holloway’s trilogy of fights against Alexander Volkanovski where despite “Blessed” having success, his boxing wasn’t enough to seal a victory.

    “I don’t think Max, and I love Max to death, I don’t think he mixes it enough for mixed martial arts. He’s boxing heavy, doesn’t throw too many kicks. You look at the Volkanovski fights, he didn’t really mix it together, the MMA together. I thought those fights were super close, he won some of them, they gave them to Volk but with Ilia, he wrestles, he grapples, he does it all, he kicks. But I’m excited to see it like Max is so long, so rangy. Super tough, got a granite chin.”   

  • Cory Sandhagen Pushes For Sean O’Malley Fight: ‘There’s Not A Better Fight You Can Make’

    Cory Sandhagen Pushes For Sean O’Malley Fight: ‘There’s Not A Better Fight You Can Make’

    Cory Sandhagen has made it clear that he wants to fight Sean O’Malley and is actively campaigning for the matchup, which he believes is a no-brainer.

    O’Malley, one of the UFC’s top stars and a former bantamweight champion, is coming off a decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 after winning three straight fights, including capturing and defending the bantamweight title. Sandhagen, meanwhile, recently faced Umar Nurmagomedov and is eager to secure his next big fight.

    Speaking on Michael Bisping’s YouTube channel, Sandhagen expressed his surprise that the UFC hasn’t made more effort to book the fight with O’Malley.

    “You read all the comments, and you talk to fans, and that’s the fight everyone wants to see happen,” Sandhagen said (H/T to MMA Junkie). “I’m actually kind of surprised the UFC hasn’t come to me or Sean, or said anything about that fight yet. They haven’t even asked, ‘Hey, are you willing to wait till June?’ because I would definitely consider that.”

    Sandhagen continued, “One thing I’ve really come to appreciate is giving the fans what they’re paying to see. If that means waiting for the fight they’re most excited for, I would entertain it. I’d prefer it not to be all the way in June, but there’s no better fight you can make. Me and O’Malley would be a banger.”

    Other Options

    Sandhagen also revealed that the UFC offered him a fight against Deiveson Figueiredo for late 2024. However, Figueiredo opted to fight Petr Yan instead. With O’Malley coming off a loss, Sandhagen sees him as the only viable opponent at this point.

  • Chael Sonnen Questions Tom Aspinall’s Takedown Ability Against Alex Pereira 

    Chael Sonnen Questions Tom Aspinall’s Takedown Ability Against Alex Pereira 

    Coming out of UFC 307, fans are buzzing about the possibility of a showdown between Light Heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and interim Heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. After Pereira secured his third title defense by finishing Khalil Rountree in Round 4 of their UFC 307 headliner, he hinted at his future ambitions.

    While he plans to remain in the 205-pound division for now, Pereira expressed interest in eventually moving up to heavyweight. Fueling speculation, Pereira shared an image of Aspinall watching his fight, sparking intrigue from analysts, including former fighter Chael Sonnen.

    Sonnen is captivated by the potential matchup but remains skeptical about how Aspinall would handle Pereira’s grappling.

    Questions Raised

    “I cannot guarantee you that the younger, bigger guy in Tom would win,” Sonnen commented on his YouTube channel. “There’s something special about Alex, and I can’t quite put my finger on it. But I don’t know that Tom has the skills to just go out and take him down, so we might have to take that off the board.”

    Sonnen elaborated on the challenges Aspinall might face: “I think Alex would have a really hard time getting up because of the size, but to get him there, Tom’s probably going to want to trade. He might have a little bit of ego, like everybody else, thinking, ‘Let me show you,’ and it might work out for him. But it could also be a very dangerous proposition.”

    For now, Aspinall’s immediate focus is on the heavyweight division. He’s awaiting a fight against the winner of the upcoming heavyweight title bout between champion Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic, which headlines UFC 309.

  • Kayla Harrison Handles PFL’s Mockery With Grace

    Kayla Harrison Handles PFL’s Mockery With Grace

    Kayla Harrison recently responded to the PFL’s jabs aimed at her ahead of her UFC 307 fight.

    Harrison notched a crucial victory over Ketlen Vieira in their bantamweight clash last weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah. “Fenomeno” put her through a grueling test, but Harrison ultimately prevailed, earning a hard-fought unanimous decision win.

    The 34-year-old Ohio native has spent nearly all of her MMA career dominating the PFL’s lightweight division. The two-time Olympic gold medalist has impressively finished 11 of her 15 victories, with her only professional setback coming in November 2022, when she suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Larissa Pacheco in their trilogy bout.

    Merely hours ahead of her bout with Vieira at UFC 307, her former organization, PFL, shared a promotional clip for Pacheco’s upcoming bout against Cris Cyborg on October 19. In the process, they appeared to ridicule Harrison’s sole career defeat.

    PFL co-founder Donn Davis has also often asserted that Harrison departed the promotion out of fear, avoiding potential matchups with Pacheco and Cyborg. However, Harrison appears undeterred by the incessant criticism…

    Harrison On PFL Targeting Her: ‘I’m not going to go low’

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Harrison weighed in on the PFL’s attempts to mock her through their promotional video. The former Olympic wrestler stated that she has no intention of speaking negatively about her previous organization, emphasizing her pride in having contributed to its growth.

    “I operate from a place of gratitude, and I grew up in that organization,” Harrison said. “I was able to financially provide for my family. I have financial abundance. I grew so much there. I’m grateful for what I believe I helped build over there. I feel like I was a big part of that, and I take pride in that.

    I’m not going to go low. I’m not going to talk sh*t… That’s not who I am as a person. That’s not the kind of business that I want to do. That’s not what I want to be known for. So I’ll just keep my head down, work hard, you want to talk sh*t about me? Go ahead. I helped build that company.”

    At the UFC 307 press conference, UFC CEO Dana White responded to the unfolding drama between the PFL and Harrison with a chuckle, remarking, “When you’re losing as much money as they are, f**king go for it.”

  • Bisping: Alex Pereira Convincing UFC To Sign His Former Rival Speaks Volumes

    Bisping: Alex Pereira Convincing UFC To Sign His Former Rival Speaks Volumes

    Usually it’s up the UFC matchmakers or Dana White himself to decide which talent they want to bring into the promotion. At the Apex this past Tuesday night on another episode of Contender Series, it was the promotion’s light heavyweight champion that helped make this call.

    Alex Pereira told White why he should sign his former kickboxing rival Artem Vakhitov despite the fact that he delivered a performance that wasn’t overly impressive. The elite striker did get the first round finish but he didn’t exactly blow the roof off the place either.

    “Poatan” jokingly remarked to his former opponent in a video that was posted on social media that Vakhitov now owes him one.

    Michael Bisping Gives Credit To Alex Pereira For Pushing UFC To Sign Artem Vakhitov

    Michael Bisping, who was on commentary for this episode of Contender Series, gave his thoughts on the situation in a recent YouTube video. He said that what Pereira did at the Apex shows exactly the kind of competitor that he is.

    Though Vakhitov is a long way away from getting a shot at the light heavyweight title, his history with Pereira as the last man to beat the Brazilian star in kickboxing is exactly why he’s there in the first place.

    Bisping said it should be commended how Pereira could have easily dismissed his previous opponent, knowing that he could be a threat to him at some stage. The former UFC middleweight champion also pointed out that this could be Pereira being motivated by revenge.

    “The fact that Dana asked him, ‘Hey, this guys who’s the last person to beat you,’ that might get kind of fast tracked a little bit, that might possibly get decent favorable match-ups to meet you because there’s a big storyline and he was the last person to beat you and if he stands and trades with you and plays you at your own game, he might take the title off you. Pereira could have said, ‘well it wasn’t that good was it really, I expected more.’ He could have played down the performance but no, he said he absolutely deserves a shot, gibe him a shot. I’m telling you right, that not only speaks about the type of man that he is but it also speaks about the type of competitor that he is.”

  • Sean Strickland To Train With Bellator Champion For Dricus Du Plessis Rematch

    Sean Strickland To Train With Bellator Champion For Dricus Du Plessis Rematch

    It is all but official that Sean Strickland will be fighting Dricus Du Plessis for the UFC middleweight championship next. When they last fought in January 2024, DDP won a razor-close split decision to become the new champion.

    Strickland returned in June 2024 to win yet another split decision, this time against Paulo Costa which he believed to be enough for another title shot. Du Plessis, on the other hand, defended the title against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, becoming the first fighter to submit “The Last Stylebender.”

    To ensure Strickland doesn’t lose the rematch, Eric Nicksick will rely on a Bellator champion who brings out the best in his fighter…

    Sean Strickland’s Coach Trusts Johhny Eblen With Emulating Dricus Du Plessis’ Style In Training

    Nicksick recently appeared on the MMAFightingonSBN YouTube channel to discuss his fighters like Francis Ngannou, Strickland, and Daniel Zellhuber. When asked about the former UFC middleweight champion, he admitted that a better game plan could’ve helped him beat “Stillknocks”.

    The coach then brought up Johnny Eblen, the reigning Bellator middleweight champion. The undefeated American fighter has defended the belt three times and will rematch Fabian Edwards in the upcoming Saudi Arabia card. After healing up from the fight, Nicksick expects Eblen to join Strickland in training for DDP.

    “I’m bringing in Johnny Eblen, for sure. Like, I brought Johhny in, we brought Johnny in for, well, we bring him in all the time but Johnny will fight on the Saudi card so once he gets healed up and ready to come, we’ll have him out here. Johnny brings the best out of Sean, and in styles, I think Johnny can emulate so many different styles for us. He’s another guy I consider a teammate although he’s a, you know, ATT champion. We cross train quite a bit so I’m gonna lean heavy on Johnny Eblen this camp.”

    The coach credited Du Plessis for having an unorthodox yet effective fighting style. Although it is hard to copy such a fighter, he believes Eblen to be the best at it. Despite being an American Top Team fighter, he regularly cross-trains at Xtreme Couture.

    On top of having the best training partners possible, Nicksick wants to rectify a bunch of errors this time around. He highlighted Strickland’s high dependency on his jab and believes adding more tools to his fighter’s arsenal could be worthwhile.