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Category: MMA

  • Valentina Shevchenko Surprised At Number Of Alexa Grasso Backers Pre-UFC 306: ‘When Pro Fighters Say That…’

    Valentina Shevchenko Surprised At Number Of Alexa Grasso Backers Pre-UFC 306: ‘When Pro Fighters Say That…’

    UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko was shocked to be on the wrong side of so many predictions from fellow fighters prior to her victory inside the Sphere earlier this month.

    Shevchenko began her second reign on the 125-pound throne at the UFC 306 (Noche UFC) pay-per-view event in Las Vegas on September 14, where she finally got the better of Alexa Grasso at the third time of asking.

    Having previously been submitted by the Mexican to lose the belt and failed to regain it in a split draw, “Bullet” turned to her smothering wrestling game to get the job done in lopsided fashion when the pair completed their trilogy.

    The way the bout played out was a stark contrast to what most had expected, with some branding it among the toughest championship fights to predict so far this year in the lead-up.

    That view left plenty edging to the side of the defending champion ahead of UFC 306, which evidently left Shevchenko baffled…

    Shevchenko Shocked To See UFC Peers Picking Against Her

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Shevchenko took a moment to address the number of people — specifically other professional fighters — who had leant the way of Grasso in their pre-fight picks.

    While the newly crowned champ would have expected such takes from the fanbase, she expressed surprise at how many of her UFC peers dismissed her chances of unseating the Mexican on fight night.

    “Surprisingly for me, many UFC fighters, many pro fighters, when they had their picks before our third fight, they said, ‘Grasso…oh Grasso.’ It was kind of one-sided,” Shevchenko said. “It was a little bit surprising for me. I would take it from people who don’t know much about martial arts, and they just want to see (stupidity) in the striking, like (finding out) who has a stronger chin, a stronger head, and it doesn’t involve too much technique, too much fighter IQ, too much of the character of the fighter.

    “I would take it from those people, but when pro fighters say that, it was like, ‘Oh my God. There’s something wrong with this world,’” Shevchenko continued. “That’s another reason I had to show domination. I had to show I’m superior in every field.”

    Regardless, Shevchenko proved her doubters wrong inside the Sphere to commence a second rule of the flyweight division. She’ll now set her sights on adding another defense to her résumé, which will likely need to come at the expense of the charging Manon Fiorot.

  • Sean O’Malley Gives Merab Dvalishvili Advice On Umar Nurmagomedov Title Defense

    Sean O’Malley Gives Merab Dvalishvili Advice On Umar Nurmagomedov Title Defense

    Sean O’Malley recently shared some tips for Merab Dvalishvili regarding his potential first title defense against the rising contender, Umar Nurmagomedov.

    Dvalishvili secured the bantamweight title, dominantly defeating reigning titleholder O’Malley by unanimous decision in the main event of Noche UFC 306, held on September 14 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    After “The Machine” captured the 135-pound crown, anticipation quickly mounted over who would emerge as his first challenger. Even before becoming champion, Dvalishvili often pointed to former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo as the most meritorious opponent.

    Meanwhile, the 34-year-old Georgian has shown clear reluctance to face Nurmagomedov, citing the Dagestani’s lack of experience against top-ranked opponents. However, last week, Dvalishvili appeared to shift his stance on Nurmagomedov in a post on X, stating that he’s ready to take on whoever the UFC places in front of him next.

    O’Malley, for his part, believes “The Machine” is making a smart move by aligning with the UFC’s plans for his future…

    O’Malley Suggests Dvalishvili Could Strain UFC Ties By Refusing Nurmagomedov Fight

    During a recent episode of his TimboSugarShow, O’Malley weighed in on who Dvalishvili should face in his first title defense. “Suga” advised that if the UFC wants the newly crowned champion to take on Nurmagomedov next, he should accept the fight. Otherwise, Dvalishvili risks jeopardizing his relationship with the promotion, which O’Malley believes would be an unwise move.

    “He [Dvalishvili] said he’s not fighting Umar. I’m like, bro, do you not learn from Aljo [Aljamain Sterling]?” O’Malley said. “You’re not going to come out and say, ‘I’m not fighting Umar.’ You’re the champ, and Umar was supposed to be the next guy… If I’m giving any advice, it’s just f**king don’t go against what the UFC wants. If the UFC wants you to fight Umar, f**king fight Umar. Don’t say, ‘I’m not going to fight Umar.’ It’s like, then you’re not going to have a good relationship with the UFC.”

    Nurmagomedov is fresh off a commanding victory over former interim title challenger Cory Sandhagen at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi last month. This triumph not only extended the 28-year-old Dagestani’s unbeaten streak to six but also solidified his standing as a top contender for the bantamweight belt. However, only time will reveal who Dvalishvili will face next.

    Read More: Merab Dvalishvili Explains Why He Questioned Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov & Other Fighters Representing Russia

  • Merab Dvalishvili Uses ‘Bully’ Petr Yan Example To Explain Dislike Of Russia

    Merab Dvalishvili Uses ‘Bully’ Petr Yan Example To Explain Dislike Of Russia

    Merab Dvalishvili recently referenced Petr Yan as an example to articulate his disdain for Russia as a nation.

    Earlier this month, in the main event of Noche UFC 306 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, Dvalishivili showcased his superiority over Sean O’Malley with relentless grappling and punishing ground control to become the new UFC bantamweight champion.

    Despite his energetic persona, “The Machine” typically avoids the harsh trash talk that often surrounds UFC fighters. But in his pursuit of a title shot against “Suga”, Dvalishvili created a series of humorous skits, playfully mocking the former champion to help bring the fight to fruition.

    When Dvalishvili faced Petr Yan in March 2023, his typically composed demeanor cracked, revealing fiery emotions as he fiercely condemned the Russian regime and voiced his deep resentment over its aggressive military occupations of neighboring countries over the years.

    Dvalishvili Blames Russian Occupation Of Georgia For His Loathing Of The Country

    During a recent interview with former UFC welterweight Jake Shields, Dvalishvili candidly discussed his deep-seated contempt for the Russian state. “The Machine” revealed that his animosity toward Yan was fueled by a larger resentment toward Russia, a nation that has repeatedly waged war against his homeland of Georgia over territorial conflicts, resulting in significant casualties.

    “Petr Yan, he’s from Russia; he’s a bully,” Dvalishvili said. “[I don’t hate] Russian people. It’s the country because they are corrupt, and Russia occupied my country—20% of Georgia. They are my enemies. You know, when they come, of course, we treat them as guests, no problem. Of course, they love our food, they love our hospitality, but they throw bombs in the city and kill people. And we are a small country, so we ask, ‘Why are you killing us?’ I’m saying, let’s just be friends with everybody.”

    Dvalishvili went on to share that at just 17 years old; he witnessed the devastation of the Russo-Georgian War in August 2008. The brutal conflict claimed the lives of many of his close friends and relatives as Russian bombs rained down on Tbilisi.

    “In 1991, when they took Abkhazia, and then the second time, I was 17 in 2008, they occupied Ossetia, and so many people lost their homes. We lost so many people, and they threw bombs in the capital city.”

  • Valentina Shevchenko Says Judges Influenced Noche UFC 306 Game Plan

    Valentina Shevchenko Says Judges Influenced Noche UFC 306 Game Plan

    After what happened at last year’s Noche UFC card, Valentina Shevchenko made it perfectly clear that she wanted a trilogy fight with Alexa Grasso on neutral ground.

    The current UFC flyweight champion failed to reclaim her title in the second fight with Grasso after the bout was controversially scored as a draw.

    Shevchenko had no problem stating that the result was an outcome of their fight taking place on a card that was set to celebrate Mexican Independence Day.

    Though she won the belt back at UFC 306 with a dominant performance on the same exact weekend one calendar year later, the “Bullet” says that she was forced to change up her approach as a result of the location of the fight.

    Valentina Shevchenko Says That She Adapted Her Game Plan To Counter Biased Judging At UFC 306

    In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Shevchenko was asked whether the fight taking place at Noche UFC once again made her nervous about the way that the judges would score the fight.

    The champ went on to reveal that the setting of UFC 306 at the Sphere made her adjust her game plan in order to try and counter any potentially biased scoring.

    “I knew exactly what had happened last time and now even being the bigger event, it’s like all about the culture, all about celebrating the Mexican culture and having the Mexican champion on the card, of course definitely everyone want to celebrate. Definitely I know exactly what is like how much pressure on my shoulders and I just say they don’t leave me any other choice.”

    Shevchenko received some criticism for putting on a boring display in the co-main event where the majority of the fight saw her controlling Grasso with her wrestling.

    She revealed that this was somewhat intentional because if the judges were going to value Grasso’s success higher than hers, her best route to victory was to shut her opponent down entirely.

    “I knew going into this fight that I cannot let this happen again. I didn’t have another choice. Don’t let her have this successful combination, not even one. That’s why it was like pure, I was faster in the striking so she could not respond on my striking and definitely I wanted to show them my skills in the ground game.

    “It was like no choice for me, they didn’t leave me another one. Just only completely destroy the game plan of Alexa and show that she cannot do anything. Not in the striking, not in the wrestling, not in the grappling.”

    Read also: Jon Anik Outlines ‘Silver Lining’ For The UFC After Sean O’Malley’s Title Loss

  • Michael Chandler Responds To Fan Who Says Conor McGregor Ducked Him: ‘I Knew All Along…’

    Michael Chandler Responds To Fan Who Says Conor McGregor Ducked Him: ‘I Knew All Along…’

    Michael Chandler has spent a long time talking about Conor McGregor, his actions outside of the cage and whether their fight was going to happen or not.

    After the many months of trying to focus on himself, this ended up paying off once it was announced that the fight wouldn’t be next for “Iron” Mike.

    He will instead face Charles Oliveira in a rematch over five rounds at Madison Square Garden, for UFC 309.

    Given the number of times McGregor has teased an imminent UFC return, it would be understandable that his opponent would be left with a bad taste in his mouth.

    However, a recent post from Chandler on social media points to the idea that he isn’t frustrated after waiting all this time, only for the fight to not happen.

    It also appears that Chandler doesn’t hold any hard feelings towards McGregor for this period of his career where he has been left to his own devices.

    Michael Chandler Says That The Conor McGregor Fight Not Happening Is ‘Water Under The Bridge’

    A fan on X tagged Chandler and McGregor in a post, claiming that in the middle of this major news cycle, it has been left out that “The Notorious” ducked the fight.

    This isn’t the way that “Iron” Mike sees the outcome as is apparent in his response.

    Chandler suggests that the fight taking place was always something that he had reservations about, but that doesn’t mean he is letting it bother him.

    Instead, he hopes to take positives away from this time off, having spoken about changing his mindset by reflecting on his previous fights and looking at where he wants to be.

    “Water under the bridge. I knew all along it was a long shot…I took the time to calibrate and plan this Chandler 2.0 season.”

    Read also: Jon Anik Outlines ‘Silver Lining’ For The UFC After Sean O’Malley’s Title Loss

  • John McCarthy: Merab Dvalishvili Could Have Lost Points For ‘Unsportsmanlike Conduct’ At UFC 306

    John McCarthy: Merab Dvalishvili Could Have Lost Points For ‘Unsportsmanlike Conduct’ At UFC 306

    According to former referee John McCarthy, Herb Dean would have been well within his rights to penalize UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili for his actions against Sean O’Malley.

    Dvalishvili secured his long-awaited crowning moment on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage at this month’s UFC 306 (Noche UFC) pay-per-view. The Georgian topped the lineup, staged inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere, in competition for O’Malley’s title.

    While “Suga” was able to find the fight-ending blow against Dvalishvili’s friend and teammate Aljamain Sterling last year to capture the gold, that wasn’t the case on September 14.

    Instead, “The Machine” used his renowned gas tank and grappling abilities to earn the nod on all three scorecards. But while there was little debate over the decision, there’s been plenty of discussion surrounding other aspects of the fight.

    In addition to a verbal altercation between Dvalishvili and O’Malley’s coach in the opening moments of round one, the second stanza came to a close with controversy after the Georgian used his dominant position to repeatedly kiss the champ’s back.

    The moment almost ended in disaster for Dvalishvili, who took the referee’s calls to stop as the end of the round and turned his back on O’Malley with seconds remaining, leading to him eating a strike.

    But according to McCarthy, Dvalishvili would have faced further consequences had he been officiating the UFC 306 main event…

    McCarthy Recalls Docking Fighter 2 Points For Kissing Opponent In Light Of UFC 306 Moment

    During a recent episode of his Weighing In podcast alongside former Strikeforce and UFC fighter Josh Thomson, McCarthy looked back on how Dean officiated the September 14 main event in Las Vegas.

    On the topic of Dvalishvili’s back kisses toward the end of round two, McCarthy recalled how he dealt with a similar situation during his days as an active referee.

    “I’ve been in this position where I had a fighter kiss another fighter. You look and you go…’What the f*ck did you just do?’ It takes you a second to realize, ‘You just f*cking kissed him!’ Then it’s a matter of how you are going to deal with it,” McCarthy said. “I took two points from him. You want to do something that is absolutely not part of our sport, nobody asked you to do it, nobody wants you to do it, and you want to be cute? Congratulations, you better go finish the fight now. I can disqualify you if I want.

    “When that happened, Herb was caught off guard, let’s just be honest,” McCarthy continued. “He should have either made a decisive, ‘Stop! Time, you get over there, you get over there,’ and do something about what just occurred. If he wants to give him a hard warning over it, that’s fine. If he wants to take points, take points for unsportsmanlike conduct, that’s fine. But he got caught in the middle of it.”

    O’Malley and his coach, Tim Welch, have since given their own verdict on the moment, suggesting that had the referee kept completely out of the way, “Suga” could have launched a potentially fight-ending head kick from behind.

    Alas, that wasn’t to be, and Dvalishvili instead ground out a convincing victory on the scorecards. But with some referees evidently favoring stern punishment for his actions inside the Sphere, perhaps he’ll be a little less keen to place his lips on his next opponent.

  • Paddy Pimblett Gives Latest Update: ‘Only Card That I Could Possibly Fight On…’

    Paddy Pimblett Gives Latest Update: ‘Only Card That I Could Possibly Fight On…’

    After fighting three times in 2022, Paddy Pimblett has only fought once per year in 2023 and in 2024 thus far.

    “The Baddy” hasn’t been able to stay as active as he would have wanted and now that he has a top 15 ranking next to his name in the UFC’s lightweight division, he’s waiting for the right opportunities.

    Having submitted King Green at UFC 304 in July, a big fight awaits Pimblett on his return regardless of when that ends up taking place.

    He recently spoke about what his timeframe is looking like right now whilst being in attendance at Cage Warriors 178 this past weekend to support his Next Generation MMA teammates.

    Paddy Pimblett Says UFC 210 Or Early Next Year Are The Options For His Return

    In an interview backstage at the event, Pimblett revealed that it’s looking unlikely that he will fight before the end of the year.

    In both 2022 and 2023, he competed on the final PPV card of the year, earning victories over Jared Gordon and Tony Ferguson.

    “The Baddy” stated that if he does fight for a second time in 2024, it will be three in a row for competing on PPV in December with UFC 310 on December 7 being the only possibility.

    However, an issue with that date is the potential opponent that Pimblett has had in mind for some time now.

    He has gone back-and-forth with Renato Moicano who is set to return in this weekend’s main event in France against Benoît Saint Denis.

    With that fight in mind, Pimblett said that he may need to wait until 2025 before making his seventh appearance inside the Octagon.

    “I have no idea at the minute. I think the only card that I could possibly fight on is December again in Vegas but nothing’s been said at the minute. I know Moicano’s fighting next week, can’t see him coming back soon enough for December so could end up being next year, early next year.”

    Read also: Jon Anik Outlines ‘Silver Lining’ For The UFC After Sean O’Malley’s Title Loss

  • Jon Anik Outlines ‘Silver Lining’ For The UFC After Sean O’Malley’s Title Loss

    Jon Anik Outlines ‘Silver Lining’ For The UFC After Sean O’Malley’s Title Loss

    Play-by-play commentator Jon Anik thinks one recent revelation may have boosted the UFC’s spirits following the unseating of Sean O’Malley from the bantamweight throne.

    O’Malley’s reign came to an emphatic halt at the hands of Merab Dvalishvili earlier this month when the pair headlined the UFC 306 (Noche UFC) pay-per-view event inside the Sphere.

    The Georgian challenger closed out the Mexican Independence Day celebration by utilizing his renowned cardio and grappling prowess en route to a convincing unanimous decision triumph over “Suga.”

    That result saw O’Malley’s divisional rule end in his second defense, six months on from his first opposite Marlon “Chito” Vera in Miami. In the eyes of some, “The Machine” played spoiler for the UFC’s plan to ascend O’Malley to superstar status.

    Anik, however, has explained why the organization may not be as down on the Montana native’s loss as many would expect…

    Anik: UFC Avoided Possible Interim Title Scenario With O’Malley Defeat

    During a recent interview with MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck, Anik reflected on the UFC’s debut event inside the Sphere on September 14, paying particular attention to the result that closed out the show.

    Anik appeared to acknowledge that Dvalishvili’s win was perhaps not the outcome favored by the promotion at the time. But with the revelation regarding “Suga’s” injury — a torn labrum that requires surgery — the commentator suggested that the title changing hands could be a blessing in disguise for the UFC.

    “I think the good news if you’re looking for a silver lining for the UFC is that had Sean won this fight, maybe this hip injury would have had to be repaired anyway, right?” Anik said. “And then you wonder if you need an interim champion. So I think right now, your new champion is pretty durable and willing to take on all challengers.

    “And a murderers’ row, of course, awaits Sean O’Malley with the Cory Sandhagens of all the world and everybody else,” Anik continued. “There are a lot of dream-type matchups at ’35 for fight fans, right? Even Sean O’Malley and Dominick Cruz makes some semblance of sense right now. So there’s a lot of different fights at ’35 that make a lot of sense.”

    It remains to be seen when O’Malley will have his chance to bounce back inside the cage, with the former champ himself giving timelines ranging from eight months to a full one-year layoff.

    But throughout his stint on the sidelines, it would appear that fans are set to see plenty more social media posts claiming victory over Dvalishvili — and alongside that, plenty of X community notes…

  • Jorge Masvidal Continues Long-Standing Leon Edwards Feud: ‘I Will Whoop Your F**king Ass!’

    Former UFC star Jorge Masvidal doesn’t appear keen to bury the hatchet with welterweight contender Leon Edwards anytime soon.

    Significant animosity has existed between Masvidal, a former two-time UFC title challenger, and Edwards, who was unseated from the throne just this past July, ever since a London-held UFC Fight Night in 2019.

    Both men emerged victorious that night, with “Rocky” defeating Gunnar Nelson and “Gamebred” knocking out Darren Till in the main event. But the real talking point came in the aftermath backstage, where Masvidal and Edwards exchanged words before the former struck the Brit with a quick combination.

    The Miami native later dubbed the strikes a “three piece and a soda.” But despite Edwards long vowing to get his revenge in the cage, they’re still yet to collide for a second time. That’s even despite and official booking in late 2021, which fell away after Masvidal pulled out due to a rib injury. And “Gamebred’s” subsequent retirement last year appeared to take away any chance of their feud reaching the Octagon.

    Now, however, the 39-year-old has his sights set on a return. But while that could perhaps reignite talk of a long-awaited clash with Edwards, Masvidal expects the former champ to avoid him.

    Masvidal Pitches Date For Edwards Fight, Suggests He ‘Don’t Want This’

    During an interview with MMA Fighting, Masvidal reiterated his plans to bring his short-lived MMA retirement to an end,

    In terms of the ambitions he still holds inside the Octagon, “Gamebred” would like to settle his unfinished business with Edwards, even pitching UFC 310 in Las Vegas on December 7 as a possible fight date.

    But in addition to the promotion seemingly not being onboard with that idea, Masvidal claims Edwards has no interest in throwing down with him.

    “I know he wouldn’t fight me,” Masvidal said (h/t Damon Martin). “He got offered and turned it down. He don’t want this. I tried [to fight him]. Leon Edwards don’t want this. He had other options, he went for other things except fight me, basically. I’ll tell you that much.

    “I’ll tell you right now, Leon, I will whoop your f*cking ass,” Masvidal continued. “Let’s f*cking go. I don’t know, maybe Dec. 7 in Vegas, maybe next year at the Super Bowl. I don’t know but I’ll beat the f*ck out of your little skinny ass.”

    It remains to be seen if and when Masvidal will make his UFC comeback — and who could be chosen to welcome “Gamebred” back to the Octagon.

    But the Miami native is seemingly preparing hard for it at the American Top Team facility. He recently got some work in with former Bellator champ Yaroslav Amosov, who has entered free agency and is rumored to be on his way to the UFC himself.

  • Sean Strickland Set To Join Alex Pereira’s Camp For UFC 307 Title Defense

    Sean Strickland Set To Join Alex Pereira’s Camp For UFC 307 Title Defense

    UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira will have the help of an ex-opponent ahead of his return in Salt Lake City.

    Pereira has had a bumper 2024 thus far, firmly putting himself in Fighter of the Year contention by recording consecutive successful title defenses in major main events at UFC 300 and UFC 303.

    “Poatan” leapt to the promotion’s rescue on both occasions, first when other avenues for the milestone April pay-per-view didn’t come to fruition and then when Conor McGregor pulled out of International Fight Week on late notice.

    The Brazilian boosted his stock at the expense of Jamahal Hill and Jiří Procházka, both of whom fell to the same violent fate to ensure Pereira’s continued reign on the throne at 205 pounds.

    And Pereira is far from done with his high level of activity. He’s set to to return at the Utah-held UFC 307 event on October 5, a PPV he’ll headline against a surprise challenger in the #8-ranked Khalil Rountree.

    To prepare, “Poatan” is seeking help from a man who has not exactly seen eye to eye with Rountree in recent years…

    Pereira Seeks Aid Of Former Opponent Strickland For UFC 307 Defense

    Much is often said about the challenges of fighting in the conditions brought with it by Salt Lake City’s elevation. As a result, fighters usually head out early to acclimatize.

    That’s currently the case for Pereira, whose latest YouTube video detailed his early training sessions in the “Beehive State” after arriving with his team a few weeks out from UFC 307. Among those with him is head coach Glover Teixeira, fellow UFC 307 fighter César Almeida, and his sister Aline Pereira.

    That group will also soon be joined by much different character in former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland. Since “Poatan” knocked the American out back in 2022, the pair have formed a friendship and even trained together.

    Pereira revealed during his video that Strickland is set to arrive in Salt Lake City to aid in his preparations this week.

    While “Tarzan” has never shared the cage with Rountree, the pair do appear to have some animosity stemming from Strickland’s reaction to “War Horse’s” emotional post-fight speech at the Apex back in 2022.

  • Stacked UFC 308 Lineup Takes A Hit As Main Card Fight Gets Postponed

    Stacked UFC 308 Lineup Takes A Hit As Main Card Fight Gets Postponed

    While still loaded with prominent names and big stakes, next month’s UFC 308 pay-per-view has lost one of its main card matchups.

    After staging a UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi early last month, mixed martial arts’ leading promotion will soon be back in the Middle East for its annual October numbered event at the Etihad Arena.

    And the UFC has put together a stacked card for the occasion, headlined by a highly anticipated featherweight title fight between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway. Setting the stage for them will be a rearranged middleweight showdown that sees Khamzat Chimaev return against Robert Whittaker.

    Among a slew of other ranked collisions was set to be a heavyweight rematch between former interim champion Ciryl Gane and charging Russian Alexander Volkov. That, however, doesn’t appear to be the case anymore.

    Per French outlet La Sueur, the bout has been postponed due to an injury on the side of “Drago.” The pair are now expected to run back their 2021 bout at UFC 310 in Las Vegas on December 7.

    With this news, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 26 are as follows:

    • Ilia Topuria (C) vs. Max Holloway (featherweight championship main event)
    • Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev (middleweight co-main event)
    • Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakić (light heavyweight)
    • Lerone Murphy vs. Dan Ige (featherweight)
    • Geoff Neal vs. Rafael dos Anjos (welterweight)
    • Sharabutdin Magomedov vs. Armen Petrosyan (middleweight)
    • Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Nursulton Ruziboev (welterweight)
    • Said Nurmagomedov vs. Daniel Santos (bantamweight)
    • Mateusz Rębecki vs. Myktybek Orolbai (lightweight)
    • Bruno Silva vs. Ismail Naurdiev (middleweight)
    • Farid Basharat vs. Victor Hugo (bantamweight)
    • Justin Tafa vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu (heavyweight)
    • Abus Magomedov vs. Brunno Ferreira (middleweight)
    • Ibo Aslan vs. Raffael Cerqueira (light heavyweight)
  • ‘This Is Attempted Murder’ – Fans React To Colby Covington Ignoring Taps To Choke Rapper Lil Pump Unconscious

    ‘This Is Attempted Murder’ – Fans React To Colby Covington Ignoring Taps To Choke Rapper Lil Pump Unconscious

    Colby Covington is not exactly known as a finisher in the Octagon, but he was able to secure a submission during a recent sparring session caught on video.

    Unfortunately for him, it was not on a fellow fighter but on rapper Lil Pump. And Covington is under heavy criticism for his behavior in the midst of the rear-naked choke submission he applied.

    Covington locked in the submission, to which Lil Pump tapped out multiple times. But the former interim UFC welterweight champion elected to not let go, instead holding on to the choke even after Lil Pump tapped multiple times. Covington kept the move on until the rapper was rendered unconscious.

    Since the incident was posted to social media, many have criticized Covington for his acts. Some have called for him to be demoted in jiu-jitsu belt ranking, while others say his behavior should get him thrown out of the sport.

    Colby Covington Sparks Controversy By Choking Rapper Lip Pump Unconscious

    https://twitter.com/offsetmistress/status/1837705823155286048
    https://twitter.com/TKsMantis/status/1837893668835151875?t=5xCzL8mOcwWRt3j3wAxW8g&s=19
    https://twitter.com/1KevHamilton/status/1837961259532128646?t=aBUvfTHPAK52-F5muqyoWg&s=19

    This is not the first time that a fighter has sparked controversy for the events of a sparring session. Earlier this year, a particularly violent exchange broke out involving Sean Strickland and streamer Sneako.

    Covington has not been seen in action since his unsuccessful challenge of the UFC welterweight championship against Leon Edwards at UFC 296.

  • Former Boxing Opponent Calls Jake Paul Out For MMA Debut After Training With Tom Aspinall

    Jake Paul has plenty to focus on right now. In addition to helping the PFL with its promotion of Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira on Oct. 19 in Saudi Arabia, Paul is preparing himself for his highly anticipated boxing showdown with Mike Tyson on Nov. 15 in Dallas.

    What comes next for “The Problem Child” in the aftermath of the Tyson fight is unknown. Will he try for another boxing match? Or will he finally look to make his PFL debut after signing with the promotion at the start of 2023?

    The younger of the Paul brothers has found plenty of success in the boxing ring regardless of who has come his way — all except for one person: Tommy Fury.

    Many have wondered when a rematch between the two will come, especially given Paul and Fury failed to come to terms on a rematch, and the Brit has fought just once since their initial encounter, defeating KSI in a highly lackluster outing in October 2023.

    Though one might expect that Fury would pursue a rematch with Paul in the boxing ring, it appears he’s open to doing battle in the cage, too.

    In a recent YouTube video, Fury showed off some of his time training alongside Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall.

    Tommy Fury Calls Out Jake Paul For PFL Debut After Training With UFC Champion Tom Aspinall

    In the video, Fury suggested that he is more than willing to cross over to MMA if it means getting his hands on Paul again.

    “Jake Paul’s in the PFL, isn’t he?” Fury said. “I’m going to smash his face in when I get better at MMA. I’ll beat him in boxing, and in the cage. A big useless prick. I reckon a year-and-a-half to two years of training until I’ll beat him in a [MMA] fight. It’ll be no problem in the cage.

    “He’s got the funds, he’s got the best trainers in the world, he’s got the best sparring in the world. So, he’s doing all right. But he’s no match for me. I swear to you, next time I fight him, I’ll knock him out.”

    Paul has not responded to Fury’s remarks as of writing.

    Since the loss to Fury, the Cleveland native has gone on to defeat Nate Diaz by decision and score knockouts against Andre August, Ryan Bourland, and Mike Perry.

  • Bryce Mitchell Open To Facing Movsar Evloev But Not On Short Notice: ‘You Know What Happened Last Time…’

    Bryce Mitchell Open To Facing Movsar Evloev But Not On Short Notice: ‘You Know What Happened Last Time…’

    Movsar Evloev is in need of a new opponent, and Bryce Mitchell may be willing to step up.

    The Russian was scheduled to face former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling in a battle of featherweight contenders at UFC 307 on Oct. 5 in Salt Lake City.

    Sterling, however, was recently announced to be out of UFC 307 due to an injury. The UFC is intending to keep Evloev on the card as long as they can find a short-notice opponent.

    Mitchell appears to be willing to fulfill that role, throwing his name into the hat in a recent video interview with The Schmo.

    That said, he would take the fight if it could be delayed until right before the end of the year.

    Bryce Mitchell Says If He Gets Two Months, He’ll Step Up Against Movsar Evloev

    “[I heard Sterling] hurt his elbow,” Mitchell said. “You know what happened last time I took one on short notice. It was ugly. I’m wise enough to respect that I need a little bit more training. I want that fight. Give me two months, I’m down. That’s all I need. Two months. And I think that’s fair to ask.

    “And if he really wants that fight, two months is not that long of a wait for what they’re paying him. He can survive two more months without a paycheck. I think he should fight me in two months.”

    Mitchell, however, also did note that he wouldn’t want to take the fight from Sterling if he still wanted it — attesting to he and “Funk Master” being good friends.

    Mitchell’s most recent fight was also a short-notice bout, one that did not end particularly well for “Thug Nasty.” Stepping up on late notice against Josh Emmett at UFC 296, Mitchell was brutally knocked out in what was a late Knockout of the Year contender.

    After starting his career 15-0, the Arkansas native has lost two of his last three.

    Evloev, meanwhile, is undefeated at 18-0. He was most recently in action at January’s UFC 297, defeating Arnold Allen.

  • Conor McGregor’s UFC Comeback Saga Continues With Concerning Social Media Activity

    The Song That Never Ends could be the perfect theme song that goes along with the saga that is Conor McGregor’s return to the UFC. But, the question at this point is now if that comeback will actually ever happen.

    Questions about this comeback arose further last weekend when Michael Chandler — McGregor’s planned comeback opponent — was booked in a five-round battle against former foe Charles Oliveira in the co-main event of November’s UFC 309.

    While McGregor’s response in the immediate aftermath seemed to indicate he was uncertain of his Octagon status, UFC CEO Dana White claimed that a McGregor fight with Chandler was still possible after UFC 309.

    And in an interview with Ariel Helwani during the DAZN broadcast of Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois, McGregor seemed to indicate he still wants to fight Chandler and wants to compete twice in 2025 in order to complete his UFC contract.

    Now, though, new social media activity from McGregor may have already caused major concern if those plans are still in fruition…

    ‘Like’ From Conor McGregor Hints At Him Potentially Never Returning To UFC

    X account ACD MMA made a post on the social media platform involving video of McGregor entering Wembley Stadium with a cigar in his mouth. ACD MMA stated, “Bro Conor McGregor is never coming back to MMA. This man is just enjoying his life.”

    The poster followed up with an update some time later, showing a screenshot that showed McGregor’s official X account “liking” the post.

    A fight between McGregor and Chandler has long been anticipated since the two were announced in early 2023 to be the coaches for season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter.

    The two were scheduled to be the main event of UFC 303 until McGregor reportedly suffered an injury to his toe in training camp.

    The Dubliner has not been seen in the Octagon since his UFC 264 loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021. He has since acquired a part-ownership in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.

    Meanwhile, Chandler’s fight with Oliveira will be his first since losing to Poirier at UFC 281 in November 2022. “Iron” and “Do Bronx” previously met for the UFC lightweight title at UFC 262, a fight that the latter won via second-round TKO.

  • ‘If Sean O’Malley Had Won…’ – Jon Anik’s Unique Argument To Defend Jon Jones In Pound-For-Pound Rankings

    ‘If Sean O’Malley Had Won…’ – Jon Anik’s Unique Argument To Defend Jon Jones In Pound-For-Pound Rankings

    Jon Jones last fought in the UFC in March 2023, when he submitted Ciryl Gane to win the promotion’s heavyweight title. Stipe Miocic was supposed to be his first title defense but a shoulder injury compelled the champion to take time off from training.

    While Jones has been inactive, Islam Makhachev has defended his UFC lightweight title twice and sits comfortably at the top of the company’s pound-for-pound rankings. The community is divided on the matter though, especially after Dana White bluntly dismissed the rankings and called Jones the undisputed pound-for-pound best fighter.

    Although Jon Anik believes Makhachev to be the P4P best, he might not be in favor of Jones being excluded from the rankings because of inactivity…

    Jon Anik Imagines How Sean O’Malley’s Pound-For-Pound Rank Would’ve Changed Due To Injury Like Jon Jones

    Anik recently appeared on the official MMAFightingonSBN YouTube channel to discuss all things UFC. When asked for his two cents on the endless P4P debate, the UFC commentator made a clear distinction between Jones being the greatest fighter of all time and Makhachev being the best skill-to-skill fighter in the world right now.

    “jon Jones is the greatest mixed martial arts athlete for me. Pound-for-pound in the world, today, I think it’s pretty consensus that Islam Makhachev is the guy. But yeah, when Jonny Jones is in an active competition cycle and given body of work, yeah, he’s the guy. But right now, Islam for me, is you know, skill-for-skill, and given activity, number one.”

    Anik was then informed about MMA Fighting’s criteria for removing fighters who haven’t competed in over 18 months from the P4P list. As a result, Jones is not even in their top 20 men’s pound-for-pound fighters, let alone fighting for the top spots.

    This is when one of UFC’s most familiar play-by-play voices brought up Sean O’Malley, who’ll be out of action because of requiring hip surgery. While not targeting MMA Fighting specifically, he suggested that it would’ve been interesting how MMA media would’ve handled O’Malley’s pound-for-pound rank had he beaten Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 and then taken a year or more to recover from the hip injury as the active champ.

    Anik also pointed out that the UFC bantamweight division is stacked with talented contenders, which would’ve made O’Malley’s case even more intriguing.

    “It really would’ve been interesting if Sean O’Malley had won and had to get his hip prepared, you know. And you don’t see him for a year, you know, because there’s so many 35ers but there’s a new world order and it’s Merab Dvalishvili. You know, and, exciting times buddy.”

  • Merab Dvalishvili Explains Why He Questioned Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov & Other Fighters Representing Russia

    Merab Dvalishvili Explains Why He Questioned Islam Makhachev, Umar Nurmagomedov & Other Fighters Representing Russia

    Merab Dvalishvili has won tons of fans with his unhinged social media personality. Ahead of his fight with Sean O’Malley, “The Machine” released several skits mocking the champ and they’ve aged like fine wine now that he’s champion.

    Similarly, Dvalishvili has repeatedly spoken his mind on Umar Nurmagomedov getting a title shot after just one win over a ranked UFC bantamweight. His rivalry with the undefeated prospect has taken a new turn since he questioned the latter representing Russia.

    Dvalishvili recently explained the history of Georgia in detail and why he’s not a big fan of many fighters representing Russia.

    Merab Dvalishvili Reveals Why He Doesn’t Consider Umar Nurmagomedov, Khabib, Islam Makhachev, And Other ‘Caucasian’ Fighters Russian

    In a recent episode of the Fight Back podcast hosted by Jake Shields on YouTube, Dvalishvili discussed the history of Georgia. He told Shields about Russia still occupying 20% of Georgia and looked back at the terrors of the 2008 Russo-Georgian war.

    Dvalishvili didn’t hide his understandable animosity toward the Russian government as he witnessed several war crimes as a teenager. However, he admitted to not having the same feelings for Russian citizens who’ve always appreciated Georgia’s hospitality as well.

    The UFC bantamweight kingpin then reiterated that the following UFC fighters represent Russia but they technically belong to different independent nations:

    • Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Umar Nurmagomedov come from Dagestan.
    • Khamzat Chimaev belongs to Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.
    • Movsar Evloev hails from Ingushetia.

    “They are all on, I mean, it’s not independent country but all different countries. They are Muslim people, they have own culture, own tradition. That people, we call them Caucasian people, like because we have Caucas mountains. So, we are this side, they are other side. And then, but now, so like, I’m not going to say occupied but yeah somehow the Russia take over those countries and they have to ‘represent’ Russia. So, and I say, when somebody asked me Umar is from Russia, that’s why you don’t…I said, no, Umar not from Russia. He’s from Dagestan.”

    Dvalishvili made sure to point out that he understands the aforementioned fighters choosing to represent Russia for political, personal, or any other reasons. It’ll be interesting to see whether these remarks will add to the intensity of his rivalry with Nurmagomedov, though.

  • Conor McGregor Reveals Preferred Opponent For UFC Return After Chandler vs. Oliveira Booking

    Conor McGregor Reveals Preferred Opponent For UFC Return After Chandler vs. Oliveira Booking

    After last weekend’s announcement of Michael Chandler competing later this year in a fight that does not involve him, many are now left questioning what is next for Conor McGregor in the UFC.

    UFC CEO Dana White announced last weekend that Chandler will not be facing McGregor next. Instead, “Iron” will face former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira in a five-round co-main event at UFC 309 on Nov. 16.

    White added at the time that they were looking at some point in 2025 for McGregor’s next fight, reiterating comments he made a month earlier following the Dana White’s Contender Series season premiere that McGregor will not compete in 2024.

    In the immediate aftermath, McGregor expressed confusion about his placement in the UFC following the booking of Oliveira vs. Chandler 2. A week later, however, the former UFC two-division champion has seemed to have changed his tone.

    In an interview with Ariel Helwani during the DAZN broadcast of Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois on Saturday night, McGregor claimed he’s unbothered by waiting until 2025.

    Conor McGregor Still Wants Michael Chandler, Says It Is A ‘Must’ To Fight Out UFC Contract

    “It will be 2025,” McGregor said. “It is what it is. I just take it on board and just rock on. And my job is just to be in the gym, be in the gym, be in shape. One thing is for sure: whenever it is, and wherever it is, I will be 100 percent ready. That’s all I can focus on right now.”

    McGregor added that it is a “must” to compete twice in 2025. McGregor has two fights remaining on his current UFC contract but said he was unsure what happens when he becomes a free agent.

    White, last week, stated that McGregor vs. Chandler is not completely shut down and could still happen after Chandler fights Oliveira.

    When asked about who he wants across the cage from him in his return, McGregor, while uncertain, claimed plans are still unchanged in his mind. He wants to finish his business with Chandler.

    “Man, who knows now?” McGregor said. “It does not matter. I’d like it to be Chandler; I’d like that to be squared away. I wish him well against Oliveira, but let’s see how it goes.”

    McGregor has not been seen in the UFC since breaking his leg in a loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

    Chandler and Oliveira, meanwhile, previously fought in the main event of UFC 262 in 2021, facing each other for the then-vacant UFC lightweight championship. “Do Bronx” scored the win via second-round TKO.

  • Charles Oliveira Open To Conor McGregor Fight Should He Beat Michael Chandler On One Condition

    Charles Oliveira Open To Conor McGregor Fight Should He Beat Michael Chandler On One Condition

    The fate of Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler is more uncertain than ever, but Charles Oliveira says he’s open to fighting McGregor as long as a certain stipulation is met.

    After even more time has passed without a set date for McGregor vs. Chandler, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed just prior to Noche UFC (UFC 3060 last weekend that Chandler has opted to take a fight with Oliveira.

    The clash between “Do Bronx” and “Iron” will serve as a five-round co-main event for UFC 309, which takes place on Nov. 16 at New York’s Madison Square Garden. It will be a rematch from their lightweight title bout at UFC 262 and Chandler’s first fight since losing to Dustin Poirier at the same venue two years earlier.

    There has been some supposed reassurance that Chandler’s planned fight with McGregor, which has been long awaited since the two were announced as the coaches for The Ultimate Fighter season 31 in early 2023, can still happen following the Oliveira bout. But given the Brazilian’s status as as former lightweight champion who is still high up in the UFC’s lightweight rankings, it brings about questions as to how Oliveira vs. Chandler 2’s outcome could impact plans for both the UFC lightweight title and McGregor.

    In an interview with MMA Fighting, Oliveira said he does not blame Chandler for waiting as long as he did. However, he himself would not have had the same patience.

    That said, Oliveira was also asked about choosing between another crack at the lightweight gold and McGregor.

    Charles Oliveira Says He’d Fight Conor McGregor As Long As He’d Get Title Shot In Next Fight: ‘Why Not?’

    Ultimately, Oliveira said if he was forced to pick between the two, he would lean toward the title fight. But, the ex-titleholder said he would be down to fight McGregor if it guaranteed him a title fight in the next outing.

    “Am I next in line if I beat McGregor? If that’s the plan, then I’m 100 percent in. But if you say, ‘No, you have to choose one of the two,’ I’m definitely going for the title,” Oliveira said. “If I have the opportunity to fight Conor and we make a lot of money, because he sells a lot and so do I — and we would definitely brow the roofs off with this pay-per-view —, not to mention the money off the purse, and I’m still next for the belt, I would definitely do it. Why not?

    “(My managers Diego Lima and Jorge Patino) know what my plan is. I want the fights that take me to the belt. I’ve been posting a lot these days, ‘Waiting for the boss to call,’ and the UFC definitely sees that. Diego and ‘Macaco’ came with the Chandler fight, and I’m definitely much closer to the title with a win over Chandler. I’ll just stay focused now. Chandler is super tough and deserves all the respect. He knows how much I respect and care for him, so it’s definitely going to be a great fight.”

    Oliveira will be looking to rebound from a split decision loss to Arman Tsarukyan in a title eliminator at UFC 300. “Do Bronx” defeated Chandler for the then-vacant lightweight title at UFC 262 and defended the title against Poirier at UFC 269. He controversially lost the title on the scale before UFC 274 and then lost a vacant title fight with current champ Islam Makhachev at UFC 280.

    The UFC lightweight title is next expected to be defended in early 2025 in a fight between Makhachev and Tsarukyan.

    Chandler is 2-3 in the UFC, with victories over Dan Hooker and Tony Ferguson in addition to his losses opposite Poirier, Oliveira, and Gaethje.

    McGregor, meanwhile, has not fought since breaking his leg in a trilogy bout with Poirier at UFC 264.

  • Dan Hooker Lays Down Beer-Related Stipulation To Fight Conor McGregor As Michael Chandler Matchup ‘Stopped Making Sense’

    Dan Hooker Lays Down Beer-Related Stipulation To Fight Conor McGregor As Michael Chandler Matchup ‘Stopped Making Sense’

    Michael Chandler finally moving past the Conor McGregor fight to take on Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 is bound to shake up the UFC lightweight division. Ahead of the return of the former title challenger, Dan Hooker has also emerged as a new contender with three straight wins.

    Hooker has returned to the top five lightweight rankings and claims to be more serious than ever about earning a title shot. He wouldn’t risk going into fights injured or without proper training. “The Hangman” is open to money fights with the likes of McGregor as well.

    Here’s why Hooker thinks it makes more sense for McGregor to fight him than Chandler but the Dubliner must fulfill a unique condition…

    Dan Hooker Expects Him And Conor McGregor To Drink Beers Every Day During Their Fight Camps

    Hooker opened up on the current state of the UFC lightweight division in an interview on the Submission Radio YouTube channel recently. He explained that after a nearly two-year-long layoff, the Chandler matchup wasn’t intriguing enough for McGregor.

    Beating Chandler wouldn’t have helped the Irishman claim a title shot or even enter the top five UFC lightweight rankings. So, Hooker suggests that fighting a top ranked and active lightweight like himself is a more sensible option for “The Notorious” at this point.

    “He’s without a fight. I know Conor’s hungry to fight, um, and fight someone that he can get something from and make a lot of sense. That’s why I feel like Chandler kind of sitting there and waiting, he, and not staying active, you kind of lose. Like what does he get out of Chandler. He doesn’t even get in the… he knocks out Michael Chandler in the first round, Conor McGregor doesn’t even get in the top five off of that performance. So, therefore, like, it doesn’t. It stopped making sense for Conor McGregor to fight Michael Chandler.”

    Hooker also admitted he’d be more than happy to fight McGregor. He remembered that there’s no bad blood between the two and stylistically, their bout would be quite entertaining for fans of striking and violence.

    “The Hangman” joked (or maybe not) about the stipulation he’ll lay down for fighting McGregor. Both fighters must prove that they’ve been drinking beers every day of fight camp or they show failed breathalyzer tests daily.

    “That’s a stipulation of the fight, we have to send each other drinking beers every single day of fight camp. We have to, we have to both agree to both agree. We maybe, we can get a breathalyzer, we can send each other a failed breathalyzer test every day of fight camp and we’ll get this thing squared away.”

  • UFC Veteran Expects ‘Great Champion’ Sean O’Malley To Get Immediate Title Rematch Like Israel Adesanya After Loss

    UFC Veteran Expects ‘Great Champion’ Sean O’Malley To Get Immediate Title Rematch Like Israel Adesanya After Loss

    At the culmination of UFC 306, the consensus was that Merab Dvalishvili had dominated Sean O’Malley to win the bantamweight title. However, the former champion has tried to flip the narrative by claiming he won three rounds and the fight.

    As per O’Malley, he got the better of Dvalishvili in rounds one, three, and five. An immediate rematch seems to be off the table, though. “Suga” requires hip surgery which will keep him out of action for almost a year. In the meantime, “The Machine” can take on contenders such as Umar Nurmagomedov or Deiveson Figueiredo.

    Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen is not a huge fan of the UFC’s reaction to O’Malley losing the title. He believes that the former champ deserves an immediate rematch upon his return and here’s why…

    Chael Sonnen Justifies Sean O’Malley Getting Immediate Title Rematch Because He Could ‘ Move The Needle’ Like Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey & Israel Adesanya

    He might be in the minority here, but Sonnen strongly opposed the UFC’s decision to not consider giving O’Malley an immediate rematch on his YouTube channel recently. He backed the claim by calling “Suga” one of the biggest draws in the promotion currently and remembering that he’s headlined events with massive gates (UFC 299 and UFC 306).

    “The American Gangster” then compared O’Malley to Israel Adesanya. He stated that the latter chose his opponents strategically and compensated for it by promoting himself brilliantly. Despite being a good promoter, O’Malley never got this trade-off according to Sonnen. He was bringing in fans, but at the same time, was fighting everyone that the UFC put in front of him.

    “The very first option is the champion that drops the belt gets a rematch for his belt. It was a respect that was shown to every single great champion. And by great champion, I’m talking about champions that could also move the needle. All of them were offered rematches. From Conor on down. More recently, Israel Adesanya. Right into it, I’m sharing with you, all the greats except Sean.”

    Sonnen looked back at O’Malley’s UFC run which included a major bump in competition as Petr Yan. He then fought Sterling to grab the title and defended it against Marlon Vera. Even if he had beaten Dvalishvili, the next contender was already ready for him as Nurmagomedov or Figueiredo.

    All the history, combined with the fact that rounds one, three, and five could’ve potentially gone to O’Malley, is enough for him to get an immediate rematch according to the UFC veteran.

    “Motivation could largely be based upon opportunities. Of which I didn’t see any add, I only saw him taken away. I’m just sharing, that is what I saw. But now you’ve got Merab, you’ve got Nurmagomedov, and you got Figueiredo, and they can’t seem to quite figure it out. Well, there’s also a final option that should’ve come in front of all of them which is if there’s controversy, we look at a rematch. There’s controversy, go see rounds 1, 3, and 5. Watch that without commentating. Come back and tell me you don’t see controversy.”

    O’Malley will be out of action because of injury so it’s safe to assume that at least one UFC bantamweight title fight will happen before his return. With contrasting opinions surrounding his loss, it’ll be interesting to see who “Suga” returns against, though.

  • Dan Hooker Theorizes Why UFC Booked Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler: ‘Bidding War’

    Dan Hooker Theorizes Why UFC Booked Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler: ‘Bidding War’

    Michael Chandler had been sitting out to fight Conor McGregor for nearly two years. However, with uncertainty still surrounding that matchup, he’s moved on to face Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 in a five-round co-main event.

    Chandler and Oliveira previously fought at UFC 262 for lightweight gold, which was the former’s second fight in the UFC. “Do Bronxs” almost got knocked out in the first but bounced back by finishing “Iron” early in the second.

    Top five UFC lightweight Dan Hooker is also close to a title shot following his win over Mateusz Gamrot. The fan-favorite brawler has an interesting theory on why the UFC has booked Oliveira and Chandler and how it benefits the promotion to have multiple contenders…

    Dan Hooker Calls Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler A Weird Fight But Understands Why The UFC Booked It

    Hooker discussed the highly anticipated lightweight matchup between Chandler and Oliveira during an interview on the Submission Radio YouTube channel recently. He didn’t initially seem too excited about the booking but also revealed why it makes sense for the UFC.

    According to “The Hangman”, the UFC wouldn’t want Arman Tsarukyan to be the only title contender at lightweight for financial reasons. Negotiating with a fighter is harder if they’re the only obvious choice to fight for any division’s title, not just lightweight.

    So, by booking Oliveira and Chandler for UFC 309, the UFC is looking to get another potential lightweight title contender. Meanwhile, Hooker can solidify a title shot too after winning his next fight. This way, the UFC will have three contenders for the belt and instead of rigid negotiations, the promotion can initiate a bidding war between the three.

    “Yeah, I still think it’s Arman next and then, I feel like it’s such a. I can see why the UFC’s kind of matching the fights that they’re matching these fights is because they want options, right? Because if there’s just, if there’s just one guy that’s like head and shoulders next in line for the title and it’s set in stone, then, obviously, negotiating becomes very difficult for them because they’re like everyone expects this fight, the pressure’s on the UFC to make this fight so obviously, the bloke can ask for a s**t ton more money.”

    “The Hangman” then explained how the situation mentioned above can be neutralized by having multiple contenders:

    “If the UFC matches a bunch of fights and gets like three or four contenders and no one’s really sure about who’s next. Then, like, it becomes like just a bit of a bidding war between the fighters. So, I get why the UFC is doing it the way they’re doing it is because they want as many guys that make sense for the title as they possibly can. So, yeah, Chandler gets by him, you know, I win my next fight, then you got three guys that have like justification for getting a title shot.”

    Despite it being obvious to most fans, the UFC hasn’t booked Islam Makhachev against Tsarukyan because of the champion’s injury. The lightweight kingpin is expected to return by the end of 2024 or early 2025, and getting a couple more contenders by then seems like the best-case scenario for the promotion, according to Hooker’s theory.

  • 2024 PFL MENA 3: Playoffs Results & Highlights

    2024 PFL MENA 3: Playoffs Results & Highlights

    The inaugural PFL MENA season continued on Friday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    Having broken onto the scene with its regular season and playoff format in North America, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) has begun its pursuit of further prominence around the globe.

    In 2023, that took sizable step forward with the maiden PFL Europe season. And this year, the promotion continues to grow with its latest regional expansion, PFL MENA (Middle East and North Africa).

    Like the inaugural and sophomore cards in May and July of this year, the playoffs event took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The PFL MENA Studio in Boulevard City played host as a number of athletes booked their spots at the championship finals later this year.

    The main event came at 145 pounds, where Saudi Arabia’s own Abdullah Al-Qahtani had hope to advance from his semifinal against Jordan’s Abdelrahman Alhyasat. After recording two wins at PFL global events in 2023 and opening his 2024 with another knockout triumph on the PFL vs. Bellator card, “The Reaper” was now nearing regional dominance.

    However, hopes of that came to a crashing halt courtesy of Alhyasat’s efforts on fight night. He outpointed the home favorite on all three scorecards to take home the upset win.

    While the event was broadcast on DAZN for select countries, it was unfortunately not available to audiences in the United States. However, MMA News has you covered below with the full results and all the highlights below.

    2024 PFL MENA Playoffs Results & Highlights

    • Featherweight Semifinal: Abdelrahman Alhyasat def. Abdullah Al-Qahtani via unanimous decision
    • Welterweight Semifinal: Omar El Dafrawy def. Jarrah Al-Selawe via TKO: R1, 3:11
    • Welterweight Semifinal: Mohammad Alaqraa def. Amir Fazli via unanimous decision
    • Lightweight Semifinal: Mohsen Mohammadseifi def. Souhil Tairi via unanimous decision
    • Bantamweight Semifinal: Ali Taleb def. Jalal Al Daaja via KO (punch): R1, 2:18
    • Featherweight Semifinal: Islam Reda def. Marouane Bellagouit via unanimous decision
    • Bantamweight Semifinal: Rachid El Hazoume def. Elias Boudegzdame via unanimous decision
    • Lightweight Semifinal: Georges Eid def. Omar Reguigui via TKO (punches): R1, 1:39
    • Amateur Flyweight Showcase: Malik Basahel def. Saher Qasmieh via unanimous decision
    • Featherweight Showcase: Adam Meskini def. Yazeed Hasanain via split decision

    Adam Meskini Def. Yazeed Hasanain

    Malik Basahel Def. Saher Qasmieh

    Georges Eid Def. Omar Reguigui

    Rachid El Hazoume Def. Elias Boudegzdame

    Islam Reda Def. Marouane Bellagouit

    Ali Taleb Def. Jalal Al Daaja

    Mohsen Mohammadseifi Def. Souhil Tairi

    Mohammad Alaqraa Def. Amir Fazli

    Omar El Dafrawy Def. Jarrah Al-Selawe

    Abdelrahman Alhyasat Def. Abdullah Al-Qahtani

  • Aljamain Sterling Details Altercation With Sean O’Malley’s ‘A**hole’ Friends Ahead Of UFC 306

    Aljamain Sterling Details Altercation With Sean O’Malley’s ‘A**hole’ Friends Ahead Of UFC 306

    Aljamain Sterling recently opened up about the events that led to the heated altercation with Sean O’Malley’s entourage before Noche UFC 306.

    Sterling’s close friend and training partner, Merab Dvalishvili, avenged O’Malley with a unanimous decision victory to capture the UFC bantamweight title last Saturday at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    In the lead-up to the fight, tensions between the opponents remained mostly verbal, with nothing crossing into personal or physical territory. However, things escalated during the final face-offs last Friday. Sterling and Dvalishvili found themselves in a fiery confrontation with several rowdy “Suga” fans outside the arena while “The Machine” was taking photos with his supporters.

    The former UFC bantamweight champion took to X to clarify that the individuals taunting them were not just random fans but actually two of O’Malley’s close friends, including his podcast producer, Ricky Schmitt.

    Sterling Shares His Reason For Not Retaliating Against O’Malley’s Friends

    During a recent appearance on SiriusXM’s MMA Today, “Funk Master” opened up about the scuffle with O’Malley’s friends outside the Sphere. Sterling explained that both he and Dvalishvili chose not to engage with the naysayers, as they didn’t want to jeopardize the fight they had worked so hard to prepare for by getting caught up in unnecessary drama.

    “When Merab went on the bus after the Friday evening face-off, we saw a whole bunch of people waving him down, so he gets off the bus to go over,” Sterling said. “Now, his minions Sch*tty and the other skinny twig were on the other side. I see these guys screaming and yelling, coming all the way back over to be a*holes. I was like, alright guys, the presser’s done, and now you’re in our personal space. I told him, ‘Dude, you’re really close now, and you’re being straight-up disrespectful. I’m right here now, so if you wanna sit behind this, you’re not very far away from me.’”

    Sterling went on to explain that people have become far too bold in mocking and antagonizing others, especially in public. He hinted that the situation would have played out very differently if there hadn’t been cameras around to capture the scene.

    “People have gotten way too comfortable with just being complete aholes and thinking that there’s nothing wrong with them being aholes. We’re not in the arena where you can chirp and pay up money, now we’re in our personal space, we’re working and being professional with what we’re trying to do, and you’re literally walking over and being a complete prick. There’s nothing cool about that whatsoever.”

    Sterling was set to face Movsar Evloev in a crucial featherweight clash at UFC 308 on October 5, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. However, earlier this week, “Funk Master” revealed that he was unfortunately forced to pull out of the bout due to an elbow injury.

  • UFC Middleweight Josh Fremd Feels Merab Dvalishvili Didn’t ‘Beat’ Champion Sean O’Malley (Exclusive)

    UFC Middleweight Josh Fremd Feels Merab Dvalishvili Didn’t ‘Beat’ Champion Sean O’Malley (Exclusive)

    Josh Fremd recently voiced his opinion that Merab Dvalishvili didn’t definitively defeat Sean O’Malley at Noche UFC 306.

    Dvalishvili outclassed O’Malley with superior striking and dominant grappling, resoundingly securing the UFC bantamweight title via unanimous decision last weekend at the Las Vegas Sphere.

    “The Machine” racked up six takedowns over the course of the 25-minute bout. He dominated large portions of the fight on the ground, effortlessly nullifying his opponent’s power striking.

    “Suga” endured the most one-sided loss of his career, yet he has since contested the judges’ scorecards. In a series of posts on X, he argued that he should have been awarded the decision, claiming to have won rounds one, three, and five.

    Fremd echoed O’Malley’s sentiments, questioning whether Dvalishvili truly deserved the victory…

    Fremd After Reviewing O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili: ‘It Depends On What The Judges Were Looking For’

    During a recent interview with MMA News’ Ryan Jarrell, Fremd shared his thoughts on the O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili title fight. The UFC middleweight prospect revealed that after rewatching the bout, he felt “Suga” didn’t showcase his full potential, and Dvalishvili’s victory wasn’t as decisive as it seemed.

    Fremd also voiced concerns about the judges’ scorecards, suggesting they may not have accurately reflected the matchup.

    “I thought it looked like O’Malley had an off night,” Fremd said. “After watching it again without commentary or anything like that, I don’t know. I feel like you have to beat, beat the champion, and I don’t know… after rewatching it, in the moment, it definitely seemed like Merab won with his wrestling, grappling, and dominance. But when you go back and look at it, I don’t know… it depends on what the judges were looking for and how exactly they scored it. But congrats to Merab, that was an amazing performance.”

    The 30-year-old Colorado native further discussed whether “Suga” deserves an immediate rematch upon his return or if he should face another opponent first to work his way back into the title picture.

    “I think, personally, since he’s such a huge star, he should get an immediate rematch,” Fremd responded. “If not, then him versus [Cory] Sandhagen would be an amazing fight to watch, so either one, I think, works.”