MMA News

Category: MMA

  • UFC Vet Rejects Notion Jon Jones’ Legacy Will Be Affected By Avoiding Tom Aspinall: ‘It Will Be Forgotten’ 

    UFC Vet Rejects Notion Jon Jones’ Legacy Will Be Affected By Avoiding Tom Aspinall: ‘It Will Be Forgotten’ 

    According to one record-holding former UFC fighter, Jon Jones isn’t at risk of hampering his legacy should he continue avoiding Tom Aspinall.

    The heavyweight title picture remains one of the most prominent and polarizing discussions currently at the surface of the MMA community, largely centering around the presence of two champions.

    First came Jones, who was crowned in his divisional debut 18 months ago. More recently, Aspinall captured interim gold by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich, a matchup that came about at Madison Square Garden after an injury to Jones delayed his clash with the returning Stipe Miocic.

    Since then, one man has recorded their first successful title defense, with Aspinall emphatically exacting his redemption against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in Manchester this past July.

    But despite the presence of an interim titleholder who has already withstood one challenge, both Jones and the UFC remain steadfast on rescheduling the bout against Miocic. The pair are now expected to give their matchup a second go at reaching the cage this November, once again at the annual MSG-held pay-per-view.

    That fact has left Aspinall and many fans, fighters, and pundits bemused. Some have even gone as far as to suggest that avoiding a unification fight with his interim counterpart will leave a negative, lasting impact on Jones’ legacy.

    According to Matt Brown, news isn’t remembered long enough for that to be the case…

    Brown Doubts Jones ‘Ducking’ Aspinall Will Be Remembered

    During the latest episode of MMA Fighting’s The Fighter vs. The Writer, Brown gave his take on the current championship conversation at heavyweight.

    “The Immortal,” who retired earlier this year as the record holder for most knockouts and finishes in UFC welterweight history, believes that should Jones defeat Miocic at UFC 309 and subsequently retire over meeting the challenge of Aspinall, it would simply be “forgotten” down the line.

    “The fact is, it will be forgotten,” Brown said. “No matter what Tom does. If Jon retires after he beats Stipe, we’re in the age of news is news for a day. Maybe for a day or two, there will be some people on Reddit saying Jon was scared of Tom or whatever. By next week or whatever…he’ll still be the greatest ever. No one’s going to be like, ‘Oh, Jon’s not the greatest ever because he didn’t fight Tom Aspinall.’ I don’t think a single person’s going to say that. They’re just going to talk a little bit of silly stuff for a couple of days and it will be completely forgotten.

    “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t remember Jon ever saying, ‘I’m out here now to try to be the greatest heavyweight.’ He’s like, ‘I’m the greatest fighter, I got that in the bag. I’m the greatest fighter of all time. I’m going to fight a couple heavyweight fights. Yeah, I might be a little bit picky about who I fight. I’m the greatest fighter of all time, b*tch. I get to pick my fights now,’” Brown continued. “I don’t remember him ever saying, ‘I’m out here to attempt to prove I can also be the greatest heavyweight.’ He’s like, ‘No, I’m moving up to get a couple paydays, getting some big fights, having some fun, not have to cut weight, and move on with my life.’”

    Talk of Jones’ potential GOAT status has been a prominent topic as of late, largely thanks to UFC CEO Dana White’s staunch campaigning for the heavyweight kingpin to be moved back to top position in the pound-for-pound pecking order.

    It remains to be seen whether Aspinall will get his wish to share the cage with Jones. But as Brown noted, the Rochester native appears to be paying more attention to his overall place in MMA lore as opposed to a heavyweight legacy.

  • Former Ranked UFC Heavyweight Handed 22-Month Suspension For Drug Test Failure One Fight Into PFL Career

    Former Ranked UFC Heavyweight Handed 22-Month Suspension For Drug Test Failure One Fight Into PFL Career

    Former UFC heavyweight contender Blagoy Ivanov won’t be making his sophomore appearance under the PFL banner anytime soon.

    Ivanov, a former Bellator fighter and WSOF champion, competed eight times in the UFC, defeating Ben Rothwell and Tai Tuivasa en route to the rankings early into his Octagon tenure.

    The Bulgarian fell to consecutive decision defeats opposite Marcin Tybura and Alexandr Romanov in 2023, after which he departed mixed martial arts’ leading promotion and signed with the Professional Fighters League.

    The veteran made his SmartCage debut at event one of this year’s regular season, battling Sergei Bilostenniy in a memorable three-round war. Ivanov once again failed to earn the judges’ nod, and that marked his sole shot at putting points on the board.

    Blagoy Ivanov
    Image: PFL MMA

    Ivanov was scheduled to next face Oleg Popov in June but was pulled on late notice. That cancellation now has some aded context following the announcement of an indiscretion in the drug test department.

    Ivanov Slapped With Lengthy Suspension After Failing Drug Test

    On Wednesday, USADA officials announced that Ivanov tested positive for a substance that violated the PFL’s anti-doping policy during an out-of-competition test on March 28, 2024.

    As a result of the drug test failure, the former UFC heavyweight-turned-PFL newcomer has been handed a 22-month suspension, a reduced term due to his cooperation throughout the investigation.

    “Ivanov, 37, tested positive for an anabolic agent as the result of an out-of-competition sample collected on March 28, 2024,” a USADA statement read. “His urine sample was analyzed using a specialized test that differentiates between anabolic androgenic steroids naturally produced by the body and prohibited anabolic agents of external origin.

    “Ivanov received a reduction to the default period of ineligibility for his full and complete cooperation. Ivanov’s 22-month period of ineligibility began on March 28, 2024, the date his positive sample was collected.”

    It remains to be seen whether Ivanov will remain a part of the PFL roster following confirmation of his failed drugs test and subsequent suspension.

    What is certain, however, is that the Bulgarian won’t be a part of the 2025 heavyweight season or any other events until January 2026 at the earliest.

  • Former Champ Cautions Alex Pereira: Don’t Overlook ‘Kickboxer Killer’ Khalil Rountree

    Former Champ Cautions Alex Pereira: Don’t Overlook ‘Kickboxer Killer’ Khalil Rountree

    Michael Bisping recently warned Alex Pereira, urging him not to underestimate the formidable threat that Khalil Rountree brings to their upcoming clash.

    “Poatan” is preparing for his third light heavyweight title defense in 2024, as he is set to square off against Rountree in the main event of UFC 307, scheduled for October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

    Pereira has been an indomitable force since storming into the 205-pound division, kicking things off with a decisive win over Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291. His meteoric rise continued as he claimed the vacant light heavyweight title with a dominant victory over Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295.

    From there, the Brazilian striking phenom wasted no time solidifying his reign, successfully defending his belt twice in just two months. His most recent triumph came with a second-round knockout of Prochazka in their rematch at UFC 303.

    As for Rountree, many have raised concerns about the fight, citing “The War Horse’s” suspension for the consumption of the banned substance Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which is set to end on September 18. Meanwhile, others contend that Magomed Ankalaev would have been a more deserving challenger for Pereira’s title.

    However, “The Count” believes that Rountree possesses the complete arsenal needed to threaten Pereira’s striking-centric style…

    Bisping Uncertain About Pereira’s Chances Facing Rountree

    In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Bisping weighed in on ‘Poatan’s’ callout of UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis. The UFC Hall of Famer was quick to point out that Pereira has a more immediate challenge looming in the form of Rountree, one he can’t afford to overlook.

    “He’s the light heavyweight champion of the world,” Bisping said. “Being the light heavyweight champion comes with some responsibility. Now, as I said, first and foremost, number one, he’s got people to fight already—he’s fighting Khalil Rountree. You cannot look past killer Khalil. He’s the kickboxer killer, he really is. Think about this: he beat Gokhan Saki, a very good kickboxer who transitioned to MMA, and Dustin Jacoby, another excellent Glory kickboxer who moved to MMA. Could he do the same to Alex Pereira? I don’t know—it’s a tough ask.

    Widely regarded as one of the most dangerous strikers in MMA, Pereira’s legacy as a two-division Glory Kickboxing champion strikes fear into opponents. While conventional wisdom suggests that wrestling is the blueprint to topple him, Rountree sees things differently.

    Though Rountree doesn’t dispute the wrestling strategy, he’s made it clear that he wants to keep the fight standing and deliver a striking masterclass.

  • ONE Muay Thai Champion Jonathan Haggerty Lists Best Strikers In The UFC

    ONE Muay Thai Champion Jonathan Haggerty Lists Best Strikers In The UFC

    Jonathan Haggerty recently revealed his picks for who he believes are the top strikers in the UFC.

    Over the course of UFC history, a multitude of elite strikers have etched their names into the sport’s legacy. Icons like Anderson Silva, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipović, and José Aldo not only defined their eras but revolutionized the art of striking.

    However, the current generation of fighters has evolved alongside the ever-changing landscape of mixed martial arts, showcasing even more refined and diverse striking repertoires.

    As a reigning ONE bantamweight Muay Thai and kickboxing champion with elite striking prowess, it’s no surprise that Haggerty keeps a close eye on the sport. His expertise gives him a sharp understanding of the top fighters in the world’s premier MMA organization, making his opinions on striking particularly insightful…

    Haggerty Says Strikers Are Best Suited For UFC Championships

    During a recent interview with talkSPORT MMA, Haggerty was asked to share who he believes are the most elite strikers to ever grace the UFC Octagon. “The General” wasted no time in naming former middleweight king Israel Adesanya, former strawweight champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk, and former flyweight titleholder Valentina Shevchenko, alongside a list of other accomplished UFC champions.

    “I think the strikers are mainly all the champions,” Haggerty said. “I quite like Adesanya. Joanna Jędrzejczyk, she was great. Valentina Shevchenko, she was an amazing fighter. Alex Pereira, you know, he’s very lethal. I think being a stand-up striker, all the fights start on their feet, so we get the head start, really. I think Sean O’Malley’s there as well.”

    He also went on to say that if he had to choose one MMA champion across promotions who he’d like to challenge for the belt, it would be UFC’s bantamweight king O’Malley.

    However, “The General” did mention that he is very happy at ONE Championship, where he is preparing to defend his bantamweight Muay Thai title in a highly anticipated showdown against the current ONE flyweight kickboxing champion, Superlek, in the main event of ONE 168: Denver this weekend.

    Haggerty is riding the momentum of an impressive seven-fight win streak, with his only two setbacks in his ONE Championship career coming at the hands of the formidable Rodtang Jitmuangnon.

  • Gilbert Burns Clarifies Sean Brady’s BJJ Black Belt Credentials

    Gilbert Burns Clarifies Sean Brady’s BJJ Black Belt Credentials

    Gilbert Burns recently shared his thoughts on whether Sean Brady poses a legitimate threat on the ground, given his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

    Burns is gearing up to face Brady in a crucial welterweight showdown, set to headline this weekend’s Fight Night event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    “Durinho” has been absent from the Octagon since suffering a third-round knockout at the hands of Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 299 this past March. That setback came just two months after another tough loss, when the 38-year-old Brazilian veteran was defeated by newly crowned welterweight champion Belal Muhammad at UFC 288 in May 2023.

    Meanwhile, Brady is stepping into uncharted territory with his first-ever five-round bout under the UFC banner. The 31-year-old American has only gone past the third round once in his career. In his last appearance, he secured an impressive submission victory over seasoned veteran Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Fight Night Austin last December, bouncing back from the first setback of his career against Muhammad at UFC 280 in October 2022.

    Burns is a formidable force on the mat, a dangerous grappler who has dominated since his return to the welterweight division in 2019, racking up the second-highest number of takedowns in the division. On the other hand, Brady is no slouch on the ground either, bringing his own savage submission game to the table, potentially making their matchup a fascinating chess contest of technical prowess and ground control…

    Burns Holds Brady’s Grappling Skills In High Regard

    During a recent interview with MMA journalist Kevin Iole, Burns was asked to weigh in on just how dangerous he believes Brady’s grappling game truly is. As a decorated BJJ black belt world champion himself, ‘Durinho’ acknowledged that his opponent is far from an ordinary grappler, noting that Brady trains under the tutelage of BJJ legend Daniel Gracie.

    “He’s legit. His coach is Daniel Gracie, you know. Daniel Gracie grew up with Renzo [Gracie], so he’s very, very good,” Burns said. “Daniel Gracie saw Brady since he was a kid, so he’s a legit black belt.”

    Burns went on to highlight Brady’s impressive grappling credentials, pointing out that Brady managed to defeat ADCC submission champion Craig Jones—an accomplishment that Burns himself couldn’t achieve.

    “He beat Craig Jones even when [the bout] was set with no leg locks. When I lost to Craig Jones, it was with leg locks—he went quick on my leg. So, Sean Brady beat him under no leg lock rules. Yeah, he’s a great fighter.”

    “Durinho” is currently navigating the first back-to-back losses of his career, and he’s well aware that the outcome on Saturday night carries critical weight if he hopes to climb back into title contention.

  • Former Opponent On Overlooking Belal Muhammad: ‘How Is This Dude Even Here?’

    Former Opponent On Overlooking Belal Muhammad: ‘How Is This Dude Even Here?’

    Belal Muhammad has been counted out for a lot of his UFC career and that has given him a lot of motivation during his rise to the top of the welterweight division.

    Even now that he is the champion, “Remember The Name” wants to keep proving people wrong by beating the guys that everyone says he has no chance against.

    Whether it’s some of the things he says online or his fighting style that is incredibly effective but not the most glamorous to watch, Muhammad is one of the more underappreciated high-level fighters that we have seen inside the Octagon.

    A former opponent of his spoke about this and how overlooking the current champ is something that cost him when they fought several years ago.

    Randy Brown Explains Why He Underestimated Belal Muhammad When They Fought And How It Affected Him

    In an interview with Inside Fighting, Randy Brown said that he was happy to see Muhammad become the champion at UFC 304 in Manchester.

    On the subject of Muhammad being an often overlooked fighter before his clash with Leon Edwards, “RudeBoy” said that this is a hole that he also fell into when facing off with him back at UFC 208.

    “I feel like a lot of people underestimate him and it’s easy to underestimate him going into a fight and I saw that with Leon. I did it myself when we fought, you know what I mean, and I was just like, ‘I’m gonna run through this dude.’ But then you realize how sticky he is when you’re in there. Belal is actually pretty damn good and I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves, unfairly.”

    Brown said that he underestimated Muhammad because of what he had seen with his own eyes in a training room, rather than any reputation that may have had.

    As we saw at UFC 304, the champion’s striking has come a long way during his time on the UFC roster but back at the start of his journey, this is what gave Brown a false sense of security.

    “We were both fighting someone from the same camp and I remember we were warming up in the room and I’m watching him shadow box and hit mitts and s*** and he looked f****** horrible. He looked terrible and I looked over to my coach and I said like, ‘How is this dude even here? Like what is he, this dude looks like s***.” So in my mind, I’m like, ‘Yo if I ever get a fight with this dude, I’ll take it in a heart beat. He’s 170, I’d whoop his f****** a**.’”

    Having been given that impression of Muhammad, Brown was happy to accept a late-notice fight with him further down the line at UFC 208 back in 2017.

    After coming into the fight with the expectation that he would be far too good for his opponent, “Remember The Name” would secure his second UFC win via unanimous decision.

    “Completely underestimated him. I already did a camp, I kind of just bull******* whatever and went in to fight him and I brought that energy into the fight.”

    Read also: ‘I’m Team Belal Muhammad’ – Gilbert Burns Extends Support For UFC Welterweight Champ Against Shavkat Rakhmonov

  • ‘Colby Covington With An Afrikaans Accent’ – MMA Fans Hammer Du Plessis After He Proposes Pereira vs. Strickland Title Eliminator

    ‘Colby Covington With An Afrikaans Accent’ – MMA Fans Hammer Du Plessis After He Proposes Pereira vs. Strickland Title Eliminator

    UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis could well have his next two title defenses already laid out in front of him if he keeps hold of the belt.

    After earning his first successful defense by submitting Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, a rematch is seemingly on the cards for his new challenge.

    Sean Strickland and Du Plessis fought to a very close split decision at UFC 297 to kick off the year where “Stillknocks” became champion.

    However, another challenger looms overhead at this time as Alex Pereira is apparently planning to move back down to middleweight for one more fight, after his light heavyweight title defense at UFC 307.

    Given the fact that Strickland and Pereira have become friends after they met inside the Octagon at UFC 276, Du Plessis suggested that they should fight each other for the number one contender status rather than challenging him one after the other.

    MMA Fans React To Dricus Du Plessis Calling The Middleweight Shots

    The fans on social media didn’t respond well to Du Plessis’ call for Strickland and Pereira to run it back, which isn’t necessarily surprising given the large and vocal fan bases of both fighters.

    Though some were complimenting the champion’s trash talk, many didn’t see why “Poatan” would possibly fight anyone but the titleholder at this stage.

    “Makes literally no sense. Alex would immediately get a title shot if he wanted being he’s the champ and has already been the MW champ before. Silly to even say this”

    “New champions always talk like they run the UFC. It’s f***** annoying.”

    “alex and a contender fight do not go together”

    “DDP just says stupid s*** and idiots eat it up. He’s Colby Covington with an Afrikaans accent.”

    https://twitter.com/tony2studs/status/1830952520522621286

    “Bro is scared af. There’s absolutely no reason alex should be fighting Sean lmao”

    “Damn dricus low key a decent s*** talker”

    “doesnt make sense considering that Pereira is a champ who already beat strickland”

    https://twitter.com/RawEggBrah/status/1831261874941317135

    Read also: Demetrious Johnson Gives Stamp Of Approval To UFC Champion

  • Dana White Compares DWCS Lightweight War To Miocic vs. Ngannou

    Dana White Compares DWCS Lightweight War To Miocic vs. Ngannou

    Week four of this year’s instalment of Dana White’s Contender Series delivered some big upsets and one of the show’s most memorable knockouts.

    Whilst it was Yuneisy Duben that stole all the headlines with her one-punch knockout over Shannon Clark, the evening’s opener set the tone.

    The first fight between Quillan Salkilld and Gauge Young was a high-level and super competitive three-round affair in the lightweight division.

    Though Salkilld earned the win and thus, his place on the UFC roster, the UFC boss went into the Octagon after the fight to give praise to both men – something he rarely does.

    Dana White Says The Shots Landing Between Salkilld & Young Were Comparable To Ngannou vs Miocic 2

    In his post-fight press conference after the event, Dana White spoke about how impressed he was by this fight from both men’s perspectives.

    The opening bout of the card has delivered great fights or moments across season 8 of the series and this one was no different.

    To emphasize how powerful and durable both men were, White described the impact of some of the shots that they were both landing and receiving across the 15-minute duration.

    He compared the sound of these strikes to when Francis Ngannou met Stipe Miocic in a rematch for the heavyweight title back at UFC 260, which took place in a near-vacant UFC Apex due to the restrictions for hosting live events at the time.

    “Both of those kids were 24 years old and you know, my thing was however the judges score this fight, however this plays out, both of you have a bright future in this sport. Both durable, tough guys, well-rounded no matter where the fight went. Head kicks, eating nasty head kicks, the body shots that both of those took, the punches. I mean when they hit each other with some of those right hands, it sounded like heavyweights. It reminded me of the night that Francis and Stipe fought in here. When Francis and Stipe were hitting each other that night and you were just like God damn! Those two were throwing those kind of punches at each other, it was a great fight.”

    Read also: Merab Dvalishvili Doesn’t Regret Social Media Post That Angered Dana White: ‘This Is Who I Am!’

  • Nate Maness Signs With New Promotion Following Public Complaints Over Shock UFC Exit

    After his well-supported push for a UFC re-signing fell on deaf ears, Nate Maness has his next career step confirmed.

    Maness competed seven times inside the Octagon after signing in 2020, going 5-2 and recording three finishes in the process. His only defeats came at the hands of the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov at 135 pounds and ranked flyweight Tagir Ulanbekov.

    Following those back-to-back losses, “Mayhem” bounced back with a first-round knockout of Mateus Mendonça last October and a decision win over Jimmy Flick this past June. But while those results built momentum for the 33-year-old, his contract was not renewed.

    That decision drew plenty of backlash across the mixed martial arts community, especially when Maness revealed he was told by UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard that he was not exciting enough to remain on the 125-pound roster.

    Maness Becomes Latest Ex-UFC Fighter To Join BKFC

    Despite his bemusement and disappointment regarding his forced departure from the UFC being widely shared by fans and analysts, Maness will need to continue his career in combat sports elsewhere.

    And more than just exiting MMA’s leading promotion, “Mayhem’s” next step sees him depart the sport as a whole for the time being.

    This week, it was confirmed that Maness is BKFC bound, having signed a multi-fight deal with the top bare-knuckle boxing organization, which is part-owned by UFC star Conor McGregor and boasts the likes of Mike Perry under its banner.

    “News is out. We’re @bareknucklefc bound,” Maness wrote on X.

    It remains to be seen when Maness will make his debut in the BKFC ring. But when he does, the 33-year-old will look to prove that the UFC made the wrong decision by not offering him a new deal.

  • Jon Anik Defends UFC Champion Against Ducking Allegations

    Jon Anik Defends UFC Champion Against Ducking Allegations

    There has been a lot of talk of late regarding who will be Belal Muhammad’s first title challenger, after winning the welterweight belt at UFC 304.

    The undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov is quite clearly the most deserving contender but there has been some debate over whether former champion Kamaru Usman should also be in the discussion.

    Rakhmonov recently said in an interview that he had already been offered the title shot for UFC 307, which takes place in Salt Lake City on October 5.

    He claims that Muhammad turned the fight down because he couldn’t make that turnaround, which isn’t surprising considering he fought five rounds at the end of July.

    A long-time supporter of the champion has come to his defense after some fans tried to accuse Muhammad of dodging what many believe will be a big challenge for him.

    Jon Anik Says That Belal Muhammad Isn’t Ducking Shavkat Rakhmonov, Explains Motivation Behind Potential Usman Fight

    In a series of posts on X, UFC commentator Jon Anik gave his thoughts on the current layout of the welterweight division.

    Anik stressed that Muhammad shouldn’t be criticized for talking about what would be a big fight against Usman and that he certainly isn’t trying to avoid Rakhmonov at the same time.

    “1) For his legacy, not at all surprising Belal Muhammad would want the chance to defend his title against one of the all-time welterweight greats in Kamaru Usman but the notion he is somehow trying to sidestep Shavkat Rakhmonov is straight fake news.”

    Anik then went on to explain how everyone, including the UFC, knows that Rakhmonov is the next rightful contender, stating that Muhammad’s willingness to fight the unbeaten contender isn’t a barrier in the way of making that fight happen.

    “2) Shavkat Rakhmonov is 18-0 w/ 18 finishes. 6-0 in the UFC. Whether he has the No. 3 or No. 1 ranking matters not. Most of us see him as the largely unquestioned, rightful, next title challenger. And I think the UFC concurs! But the champion ain’t the f*cking problem. Trust.”

    Read also: Demetrious Johnson Gives Stamp Of Approval To UFC Champion

  • Demetrious Johnson Gives Stamp Of Approval To UFC Champion

    Demetrious Johnson Gives Stamp Of Approval To UFC Champion

    When Demetrious Johnson was the UFC flyweight champion, the division suffered to some degree because of how dominant he was.

    No one could knock “Mighty Mouse” off the top spot and that gave his fights a feeling of predictability, because he was levels above all challengers.

    After he left the UFC following his loss to Henry Cejudo, the division became a lot more competitive and after title reigns from Cejudo, Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno, a new champion has started to make his mark at 125 pounds.

    Alexandre Pantoja has produced back-to-back title defenses since becoming champion at UFC 290 last year and the flyweight GOAT believes that the Brazilian is here to stay.

    Demetrious Johnson Says Alexandre Pantoja Was Underappreciated, Doesn’t See Him Losing The Title Soon

    In a recent appearance on the JAXXON Podcast, Johnson gave his thoughts on the man that currently holds the title that once belonged to him.

    The current flyweight king in ONE Championship is a big fan of Pantoja and said that he has been for a long time, after feeling like he was underappreciated for many years.

    “I think he’s great. Alex Pantoja, I’ve always felt he’s been a dark horse at the beginning of his career in the UFC… I just felt, well to begin with, I feel like the flyweight division always had a hard time picking up any traction. This isn’t something new, I mean even when I was a champion in the UFC, it wasn’t the most popular in the whole roster of the UFC and I think Alex Pantoja, he came into The Ultimate Fighter, he didn’t win The Ultimate Fighter, Tim Elliott ended up winning it.”

    As he stated, Pantoja made his way into the promotion through The Ultimate Fighter where if he had won the series, he would’ve challenged Johnson for the title.

    Johnson then went on to say how in his opinion, there aren’t many contenders left for Pantoja that aren’t rematches because he beat many of them on his way to the title already.

    The one exception being Muhammad Mokaev, who is no longer in the UFC after the promotion chose not to resign him at the end of July.

    Due to this reason, “Mighty Mouse” doesn’t see Pantoja losing his grasp at 125 pounds anytime soon.

    “It’s his [Pantoja’s] division and I think it’s his time to shine. He’s worked very hard his whole entire career and I’m very happy for him.”

    Read also: Brandon Moreno Set To Return In UFC Fight Night Edmonton Main Event On Nov. 2

  • Merab Dvalishvili Doesn’t Regret Social Media Post That Angered Dana White: ‘This Is Who I Am!’

    Merab Dvalishvili Doesn’t Regret Social Media Post That Angered Dana White: ‘This Is Who I Am!’

    Should top bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili sustain more cuts in the lead-up to major UFC fights, Dana White can expect them to be broadcast across social media.

    Dvalishvili is currently gearing up for about as big an assignment possible, with the Georgian scheduled to challenge for Sean O’Malley’s title in the main event of Noche UFC at the Sphere next weekend.

    But a few weeks out, concern arose when the challenger displayed a worrisome cut sustained to his face during a training session on social media.

    While Dvalishvili and his team eventually clarified that the blemish was by no means a threat to his monumental headliner going ahead on September 14, that didn’t stop “The Machine” catching the wrath of his boss.

    “The whole world knows about Merab’s cut. He posted it. Our guys are so dumb, it’s next-level unbelievable,” White said during a DWCS press conference. “All the stuff I talk about boxing, what I will give boxing, is when something happens in a camp, man, let me tell you what, it does not leak. Our guys can’t f*cking wait to throw it up on social media.

    “It’s a small cut. It’s no big deal. But obviously, it needed to be posted,” White continued. “Why the f*ck would you want him to know that? It is next-level stupid. Some of these guys are so stupid it’s mind-boggling. It’s unbelievable.”

    Despite that, though, Dvalishvili has no regrets.

    Dvalishvili On UFC Backlash For Cut Post: ‘It Wasn’t A Big Deal’

    During a recent interview with Mike Bohn for MMA Junkie, Dvalishvili addressed his post revealing the cut suffered in training and the subsequent reaction from White.

    While he noted that upsetting the promotion and its higher-ups is by no means a desire of his, the Georgian contender did suggest that such actions are simply part of who he is as a fighter.

    “I never regret what I did, you know? I post this because I post everything on my social media. It wasn’t a big deal because I had more than three weeks after I got cut,” Dvalishvili said. “This cut (had) no effect on my training, my sparring. As you see, I healed up and everything is good.

    “Yeah, when I see Dana was upset, of course, like, I don’t want to upset Dana White and the UFC. But I was very calm and relaxed because it wasn’t a big deal,” Dvalishvili continued. “I don’t regret nothing. This is who I am. This is what I do. This is my life. I am a fighter.”

    Fortunately, Dvalishvili’s confidence regarding the cut’s healing time proved not to be misplaced, with the Georgian quickly being able to resume normal training as the lead-up to his first title challenge nears its conclusion.

  • Bellator Champions Series London Loses Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards On Late Notice, New Main Event Confirmed

    Bellator Champions Series London Loses Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards On Late Notice, New Main Event Confirmed

    The return of the Bellator brand to England’s capital has taken a major blow less than two weeks out.

    After the Professional Fighters League (PFL) acquired Bellator MMA and announced the Bellator Champions Series, founder Donn Davis outlined plans for two titles to be on the line at each of the eight events.

    While that promise came through for event one in Belfast, the subsequent cards in Paris and Dublin saw just one piece of gold at stake. And although that trend continues in San Diego this week, London has now lost its one and only championship clash.

    Following a lightweight title showdown between Usman Nurmagomedov and Alexandr Shabliy on US soil this coming Saturday, the Bellator Champions Series will cross the pond to stage its fifth event of the year inside London’s OVO Arena Wembley.

    But just days out, fans planning to attend have received some disastrous news…

    Eblen vs. Edwards Postponed, McCourt Headlines Championshipless Champions Series Card

    Topping the lineup on Sept. 14 was scheduled to be middleweight kingpin Johnny Eblen and England’s own Fabian Edwards, with the latter slated to challenge for “The Human Cheat Code’s” title for the second time in as many years.

    On Tuesday, however, a post on the Bellator MMA social media accounts announced that the pair’s main event has been scrapped from the card and will be rescheduled for a later date. The reason for the cancellation is unclear as of this writing.

    With insufficient time to book a replacement bout with similar stakes and name value, the original women’s featherweight co-main event between Leah McCourt and Sara Collins has been elevated to the headline spotlight.

    That news was met with frustration from plenty of UK fans, some of whom took to the comment sections on X and Instagram to enquire about possible refunds.

    Below the promoted main event matchup, notable UK names like former PFL Europe standout Simeon Powell, ex-UFC contender Marc Diakiese, and highly touted American Archie Colgan are all set to be in action.

  • Brandon Moreno Set To Return In UFC Fight Night Edmonton Main Event On Nov. 2

    Former two-time UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno will bring his brief layoff to an end in the “Great White North” later this year.

    The changes keep on coming for the promotion’s return to Edmonton in Canada on November 2. When the card was originally announced, a flyweight showdown between Rose Namajunas and Erin Blanchfield was set as the main event, with heavyweights Derrick Lewis and Alexandr Romanov co-headlining.

    But after the latter of those bouts was split in two to create fresh matchups, the UFC Fight Night in Alberta now has a new headline pairing.

    UFC CEO Dana White revealed in a social media video this week that Mexico’s Moreno (21-8-2) will make his return in the main event for a rearranged clash against rising contender Amir Albazi (17-1).

    Moreno Looks To End Losing Skid, Albazi’s Perfect UFC Record

    When he makes the walk this November, Moreno will be looking to break his first losing skid since 2018.

    “The Assassin Baby” enjoyed a strong start to 2023, regaining the flyweight gold from longtime rival Deiveson Figueiredo six months on from an interim title win over Kai Kara-France. But as was the case with his first reign, Moreno fell short in his attempt at recording a successful defense, with Alexandre Pantoja emerging victorious from their Fight of the Year war at UFC 290.

    The Mexican return this past February for an appearance on home soil, where he was scheduled to do battle with Albazi. But after an injury forced the Iraqi out, Moreno fell on the wrong side of a narrow split decision against replacement opponent Brandon Royval.

    While he announced plans to take an extended period away from the cage to recharge, Moreno will be back in action just nine months later, looking for his matchup with Albazi to make it to the cage at the second time of trying.

    For “The Prince,” the Nov. 2 headliner marks the opportunity for him to stake his claim for a first shot at title glory on MMA’s biggest stage. The former Brave CF standout has gone 5-0 in the Octagon thus far, most recently outpointing Kara-France in a tight five-round main event at the Apex in June 2023.

    With this addition, the fights currently expected to take place at UFC Fight Night Edmonton on Nov. 2 are as follows:

    • Brandon Moreno vs. Amir Albazi (flyweight main event)
    • Erin Blanchfield vs. Rose Namajunas (women’s flyweight co-main event)
    • Derrick Lewis vs. Jhonata Diniz (heavyweight)
    • Pedro Munhoz vs. Aiemann Zahabi (bantamweight)
    • Ariane da Silva vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius (women’s flyweight)
    • Mike Malott vs. Trevin Giles (welterweight)
    • Marc-André Barriault vs. Dustin Stoltzfus (middleweight)
    • Serhiy Sidey vs. Garrett Armfield (bantamweight)
    • Alexandr Romanov vs. Rodrigo Nascimento (heavyweight)
    • Chad Anheliger vs. Cody Gibson (bantamweight)
    • Jamey-Lyn Horth vs. Ivana Petrović (women’s flyweight)
    • Caio Machado vs. Brendson Ribeiro (light heavyweight)
    Amir Albazi
    Image: UFC/Zuffa LLC
  • Dana White’s Contender Series Season 8, Week 4 Highlights As 5 Prospects Secure Contracts

    Dana White’s Contender Series Season 8, Week 4 Highlights As 5 Prospects Secure Contracts

    The latest season of Dana White’s Contender Series continued with some memorable highlights on Tuesday night in Las Vegas.

    DWCS, the inaugural season of which took place back in 2017, sees some of the top prospects in mixed martial arts enter the cage in front of White and the matchmakers, looking to put in a performance worthy of a place on the UFC roster.

    Last year’s edition saw 46 fighters bag a deal with the sport’s premier promotion across 10 events, up on the 43 from 2022. Through three episodes of season eight, 12 prospects moved a step closer to their title dreams on MMA’s biggest stage.

    And the fourth added another five talents to the UFC roster. That included Venezuela’s Yuneisy Duben, who delivered the highlight of the night in fight two by brutally knocking heavy favorite Shannon Clark out cold inside the very first round.

    There was just one other finish on the lineup, with Austin Bashi locking in a tight rear-naked choke for the submission win over Dorian Ramos. While unable to stop their opponents inside the distance, Quilan Salkilld, Djorden Santos, and Seok Hyun Ko were also granted contracts to mark a perfect night for the victors.

    With that in mind, see below for the moments that landed five athletes contracts with the UFC.

    Quillan Salkilld Def. Gauge Young Via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

    Yuneisy Duben Def. Shannon Clark Via KO (punch): R1, 1:13

    Austin Bashi Def. Dorian Ramos Via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) – R2, 3:15

    Djorden Santos Def. Will Currie Via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

    Seok Hyun Ko Def. Igor Cavalcanti Via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Coach Doesn’t Consider Sean O’Malley ‘A Huge Star Yet’ To Sell More PPVs Than Canelo

    Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Coach Doesn’t Consider Sean O’Malley ‘A Huge Star Yet’ To Sell More PPVs Than Canelo

    Sean O’Malley will defend his UFC bantamweight championship against Merab Dvalishvili on September 14, 2024. Riyadh Season Noche UFC is the most expensive UFC event ever and it’ll go toe-to-toe with a boxing event featuring Canelo Álvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga.

    While UFC 306 is booked for the Las Vegas Sphere, Álvarez will defend one of his super middleweight titles against Berlanga at the T-Mobile Arena. The date and timings of the boxing and MMA bouts will clash, and fans can’t help but anticipate which event will be a bigger commercial success.

    According to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coach, O’Malley won’t be able to outsell Álvarez in PPV terms despite the UFC calling its event a celebration of Mexican heritage…

    Javier Mendez Blames Prices And Sean O’Malley Not Being As Popular As Conor McGregor For Underwhelming Noche UFC Sales

    Nurmagomedov’s coach discussed whether O’Malley is a big enough draw to compete with Álvarez directly on the Javier Mendez Podcast recently. He outright highlighted the boxer’s massive following in Mexico and how “Suga” is yet to achieve Conor McGregor’s levels of stardom.

    “That’s mexican’s day for pay-per-view, it’s always been that way for as long as I remember. And Canelo being the biggest superstar in Mexico fighting on that night, I think on a pay-per-view level, it’s going to be difficult to compete. On top of that, if you look at the prices.”

    The Mexican Independence Day is September 16, and unsurprisingly, sporting events around the date have usually been headlined by the most popular Mexican athletes. Mendez called Álvarez the biggest star in Mexico and predicted that his fight could generate more revenue than Riyadh Season Noche UFC.

    Mendez didn’t put all the blame on O’Malley, though. Despite the recent price drop, the cheapest tickets for Riyadh Season Noche UFC cost over $700. In contrast, the cheapest tickets to Canelo vs. Berlanga are $400 at the time of writing.

    According to Nurmagomedov’s coach, unless someone’s a huge MMA fan, they would consider watching one of the biggest names in boxing history for a lesser price.

    “I don’t think that O’Malley’s a huge star yet. I think he can be, and I, but I don’t think he’s Conor-ish. I don’t think he’s, honestly speaking, where he needs to be yet. I mean, he’s got all the charismatic personality. He’s got the fighting style. But I just don’t think he has that he has that, the people that can propel him into that next level.”

    Mendez admitted that “Suga” has the personality and fighting style to be a much bigger star in the future. However, he’s more interested in the winner of the UFC 306 main event defending their belt against Umar Nurmagomedov, who potentially secured a title shot by defeating Cory Sandhagen recently.

    As of now, around 1,700 Riyadh Season Noche UFC tickets remain to be sold and Dana White expects a sell-out and a record $21 million gate.

  • ‘I’m Team Belal Muhammad’ – Gilbert Burns Extends Support For UFC Welterweight Champ Against Shavkat Rakhmonov

    ‘I’m Team Belal Muhammad’ – Gilbert Burns Extends Support For UFC Welterweight Champ Against Shavkat Rakhmonov

    For the first time in his pro MMA career, Gilbert Burns has two consecutive losses on his record. He lost a decision to Belal Muhammad after getting injured early in the fight, followed by a late TKO loss to Jack Della Maddalena.

    Despite the losses, fans aren’t overlooking Burns as he takes on Sean Brady this weekend. Brady’s last loss came against Muhammad as well, but he bounced back by submitting Kelvin Gastelum in December 2023.

    Burns is hopeful about beginning another title run at welterweight by beating Brady, and he wants Muhammad to be the champion until he reaches the belt again…

    Gilbert Burns Praises Belal Muhammad’s Approach As Champion While Hoping To Get His Rematch

    Burns talked about his ambition to get another chance at becoming the UFC welterweight kingpin in an interview with MMA Junkie recently. He naturally needs to get past Brady first and hopes that Muhammad beats Shavkat Rakhmonov to remain champion.

    “Durinho” not only wants to get his rematch but also likes how Muhammad has carried himself since becoming champ. For instance, “Remember the Name” aims to move up a weight class only after fighting all top contenders at welterweight.

    Burns acknowledged that he’s trained with Rakhmonov quite a few times when they share camps. However, he’ll still be backing Muhammad to win as it’s the most ideal scenario for his rematch.

    “I want Belal to stay champion when I fight for the title, you know, that’s my goal and then get the rematch for the title. That would be great so I’m team Belal Muhammad, you know, I want this guy to keep winning and then whenever I’m there, that’s the guy that I’m facing.”

    The former title challenger also talked about how things have changed in the UFC welterweight division after Kamaru Usman’s dominant reign ended. He praised Muhammad for wanting to fight Rakhmonov over Usman as the former kingpin has now lost three UFC fights in a row.

    “I like that Belal is being a good champion, you know, he said he wants to fight, face the number one contender guys, before thinking on moving up or moving, you know, fighting another champion. I like that, that’s my, that was my go-to you know. Go over there, beat the number one fighters, keep beating these guys and especially he, you know, he need to make that fan base, you know. He needs to make the fans excited. He’s doing a great job right now the way he talks and I think he’s gonna be a great champion.

    Because he’s been saying the right things and wants to give his division’s contenders opportunities, Burns totally supports Muhammad to remain the champ for at least a year or two. Unsurprisingly, he would want to fight Muhammad again at his best and grab a UFC belt for the first time in his career.

  • ‘He Only Beat Cory Sandhagen’ – Merab Dvalishvili Doubles Down On Deiveson Figueiredo Deserving Next Bantamweight Title Shot Over Umar Nurmagomedov

    ‘He Only Beat Cory Sandhagen’ – Merab Dvalishvili Doubles Down On Deiveson Figueiredo Deserving Next Bantamweight Title Shot Over Umar Nurmagomedov

    After winning ten UFC fights in a row, Merab Dvalishvili will rightly challenge Sean O’Malley for the promotion’s bantamweight championship at The Sphere in Las Vegas on September 14, 2024.

    The classic striker vs. grappler matchup already has fans on the edge of their seats. On top of that, Dvalishvili posting his cut and then taking his stitches out with the biggest scissors possible in viral clips further added to the hype.

    Interestingly, regardless of the outcome of the Riyadh Season Noche UFC main event, Dvalishvili doesn’t want Umar Nurmagomedov to be the next bantamweight title challenger…

    Merab Dvalishvili Opposes Umar Nurmagomedov Getting A UFC Title Shot With Just One Win Over A Ranked Opponent

    Dvalishvili discussed who he thinks should get the next title shot in the UFC bantamweight division during an interview with MMA Junkie recently. Although the consensus is that Nurmagomedov’s win over Cory Sandhagen makes him the next contender, “The Machine” disagrees.

    As someone who had to fight several top-ranked opponents to secure a title shot, Dvalishvili wants other fighters in his division to follow a similar route. He thinks that former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo should fight for the belt next because of his wins over Rob Font, Chito Vera, and Cody Garbrandt.

    Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, needs to fight more contenders according to Dvalishvili. He pointed out that the undefeated prospect was fighting non-ranked opponents before Sandhagen, so his resume is not worthy of a title shot yet.

    “He beat one former champion in this weight class and one title challenger. And he beat Rob Font. And Figueiredo is former champion, and he has big name and he deserves. Umar, he only beat Cory Sandhagen from top 15, only one guy he beat from top 15. And why he deserve fight for the belt? I’m not saying, you know, even if I would be champion, he has to fight Sean O’Malley. He don’t have to, I don’t think he deserves to fight for the belt, you know, that’s my opinion.”

    Dvalishvili’s focus is to naturally win the UFC bantamweight title first. He seems to have healed up perfectly from the infamous cut and is ready to show the world his well-rounded game on September 14, 2024.

  • Michael ‘Venom’ Page Wants MMA Judging To Stop Fighters From ‘Sneaking’ Wins

    Michael ‘Venom’ Page Wants MMA Judging To Stop Fighters From ‘Sneaking’ Wins

    Michael Page recently voiced his opinion that MMA judges should deliver verdicts in a manner that discourages fighters from narrowly securing victories by relying on a single fighting style.

    MMA judging has been a hotly debated topic within the sport for years. Many argue that certain cage-side judges occasionally stray from the sport’s established guidelines, possess limited expertise, and sometimes deliver decisions that raise eyebrows or award points that are hard to justify.

    Accusations of an inconsistent scoring system and insufficient quality control in the training and selection of judges fuel the ongoing controversy, making it a persistent source of contention at numerous events. And “Venom” is pushing for a reform in how judges evaluate and score fights…

    Page on MMA judging: ‘There’s So Many Wayward Decisions’

    During a recent Q&A video on his YouTube channel, Page delved into the changes he believes are necessary in the MMA world, touching on topics like judging, weight cuts, and more. The 37-year-old striking sensation highlighted the recent incident involving judge Howie Booth, who was removed from his position following a controversial scorecard in the heavyweight clash between Tai Tuivasa and Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC 305.

    “The game is slowly changing, and there have been some adjustments,” Page said. “So with the judges, I feel like we’ve had so many just random scores to the point where, even the other day, a judge got told to bounce. Yeah, so it means that there are these guys—I don’t know what’s going on—are they getting tired, or do they need to change judges like every other fight or something? But there are so many wayward decisions sometimes, so something is going wrong.”

    “Venom” also stressed the importance of revamping the scoring system, calling for judges to favor fighters who actively seek to finish their opponents and take risks, rather than those who attempt to secure a victory by relying solely on one fighting style.

    “I think the rule set is changing a bit to accommodate more people who want to finish a fight. I’ve always said, if it’s wrestler versus striker, I don’t mind the wrestling if you wrestle with the intention of trying to finish the fight—whether it be from a submission or, you know, ground and pound, trying to take someone’s head off. But if you’re wrestling just to survive and sneak a win, I don’t believe you should be allowed to win a fight. There should be a lot more intention in what you’re doing.”

    Page had a turbulent introduction to the Octagon, earning a win against Kevin Holland in his UFC 299 debut, but later suffering a tightly contested decision loss to Ian Garry at UFC 303. As of now, there’s no official word on when “Venom” will make his return to the cage.

  • DC’s Coach Disputes Jon Jones GOAT Talk With One Name: Lance Armstrong

    DC’s Coach Disputes Jon Jones GOAT Talk With One Name: Lance Armstrong

    Daniel Cormier’s coach, Javier Mendez, recently stirred the debate around Jon Jones’ GOAT status by invoking a comparison to Lance Armstrong.

    In recent months, the conversation surrounding the pound-for-pound greatest MMA fighter of all time has intensified, with Jones’ name consistently leading the discussion. UFC CEO Dana White has been especially vocal, passionately championing the reigning heavyweight kingpin’s place at the top of the all-time rankings.

    Jones etched his name in the history books as the youngest champion in UFC history, seizing the light heavyweight title at just 23 years old with a commanding victory over Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 in March 2011. Since that momentous win, “Bones” has stepped into the octagon for 15 title fights, emerging victorious in every single one, save for the no-contest in his rematch against Cormier at UFC 214 in July 2017.

    Jones’ resume is arguably unmatched in the sport, but his illustrious career has been marred by a series of high-profile scandals, most notably his positive test for the banned substance turinabol. This tainted legacy is precisely why Mendez believes that, despite his achievements, Jones is unworthy of the GOAT status…

    Mendez Asserts Jones’ Doping Test ‘Disqualifies’ Him From GOAT Status

    During a recent episode of the Javier Mendez Podcast, the renowned MMA coach weighed in on White’s persistent endorsement of Jones as the GOAT. Mendez drew a striking comparison between “Bones” and legendary cyclist Armstrong, who famously won the Tour de France a record seven times, only to have all his titles and accolades stripped away following his admission to using performance-enhancing drugs.

    “Dana is still insisting that Jon Jones is pound-for-pound #1,” Mendez said. “He has his valid points, but my valid point is I just want to say one thing: Lance Armstrong. Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France how many times, and basically, he got all those titles taken away from him because of one thing—doping. And even though it was many years later that they caught him, he lost all the Tour de France titles. Well, it’s been a fact, it’s been proven, Jon Jones has been caught doping. So, I’m sorry, I think that disqualifies him just based on that alone.”

    “Bones” has been inactive since his move to the heavyweight division in March 2023, where he made a triumphant debut by securing a first-round submission victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 to clinch the vacant title.

    Jones was initially set to make his first title defense against former champion Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 in November 2023. However, just days before the fight, the heavyweight champ had to pull out due to a shoulder injury. Now, the highly anticipated clash between the two is rumored to headline UFC 309, scheduled for November.

  • Tyron Woodley Reveals How Nate Diaz Backtrack Led To Dana White Feud

    Tyron Woodley Reveals How Nate Diaz Backtrack Led To Dana White Feud

    Tyron Woodley recently opened up about how the fallout over a proposed fight with Nate Diaz sparked tension between him and Dana White.

    “The Chosen One” has always had a rocky relationship with the UFC CEO, with both men frequently exchanging sharp words about one another. Following Woodley’s one-sided defeat to Kamaru Usman at UFC 235, White didn’t hold back, openly criticizing the 42-year-old former welterweight champion for his fighting style.

    White was one of Woodley’s harshest critics, even after his victory over Demian Maia at UFC 214. The UFC head honcho chastised the Missouri native for what he perceived as a lackluster striking performance, ultimately costing Woodley the chance to fight Georges St-Pierre. In response, Woodley publicly fired back at White, demanding a public apology for the harsh treatment.

    The tension between the two became even more evident when White publicly dismissed any rumors that a Woodley vs. Nate Diaz fight was ever planned for UFC 219 in December 2017—a matchup that “The Chosen One” had previously claimed was on the table…

    Woodley Opens Up About Diss Track On White After Diaz Fight Fallout: ‘That Was My Way Of Expressing Myself’

    During a recent appearance on the Overdogs Podcast, Woodley shared the backstory of his frustration. After his victory over Maia, White and Hunter Campbell approached him with the idea of defending his title against Diaz, who was then competing in the lightweight division. Despite suffering a torn labrum in the previous bout, Woodley agreed to the challenge.

    However, when Woodley publicly announced the fight in an interview, he was met with a fiery denial from White, who swiftly dismissed the matchup. The UFC CEO’s abrupt U-turn left “The Chosen One” so infuriated that he chaneled his anger into creating a diss track aimed at White.

    “Why the f**k would you make me look stupid on air when you just asked me to fight this dude?” Woodley said. “Then I was so mad, but I recognized I don’t own the UFC—this is their promotion, they do what the f**k they want to do. I’m thankful and I’m blessed that I can go out there and show I’m the best. So, I couldn’t beat his a, but I surely went into the studio and made a song called ‘I Beat Your A**.’ When I made that song ‘I Beat Your A**,’ the story behind that song—it was really for Dana because I wanted to beat his a**.”

    “I wrote that song because that was my way of expressing myself. At that time, when I tried to speak on it, Fox would cut me off—they cut my microphone. They told me, ‘You can’t speak on this.’ Because after he made that statement, I was prepared to go back to work and defend my motherf**kin’ self.”

    Woodley parted ways with the UFC in March 2021 after enduring a tough stretch of four consecutive losses from 2019 to 2021. Before this challenging period, he was riding high on a seven-fight unbeaten streak, during which he successfully defended the welterweight title four times.

  • Torrez Finney Shares How Third Contender Series Call-Up Stopped Him From Signing Elsewhere

    Torrez Finney Shares How Third Contender Series Call-Up Stopped Him From Signing Elsewhere

    Torrez Finney recently disclosed that his third opportunity to join the UFC via Dana White’s Contender Series ultimately stopped him from committing to another promotion.

    Despite securing a unanimous decision victory over Cam Rowston at DWCS 68 on August 20, Finney found himself overlooked for a UFC contract by Dana White for the second time. The UFC CEO harshly criticized “The Punisher” in a segment that swiftly made headlines for its blunt severity.

    Additionally, White expressed disappointment that Finney had only taken one fight since his initial DWCS appearance last October, where he secured a second-round submission against Yuri Panferov. However, the door hasn’t closed on Finney just yet. He’s set to make his comeback on October 1, facing Abdellah Er-Remy in episode eight.

    Finney will have a rare third chance to clinch a UFC contract—an opportunity granted to only a select few fighters. However, this chance comes at a cost, as he had to forgo a more lucrative deal to chase his UFC dreams…

    Finney On His Third DWCS Spot: ‘I Didn’t Think Twice About It Too Much’

    During a recent interview with Inside Fighting, Finney revealed that just before receiving a call from his manager for the DWCS fight, he was on the verge of finalizing a deal with another promotion. However, he decided to walk away from it, choosing instead to chase his ultimate dream of fighting in the UFC.

    “Not going to point them out, but I was actually almost in the process of signing with another promotion,” Finney said. “Big deal, great pay. I was actually getting close to making that announcement, and then I get a phone call from Malki [Kawa] from First Round Management, and he’s like, ‘Have you signed that contract yet?’ I said, ‘No, not yet.’ He’s like, ‘Well, hold on,’ and I was like, ‘All right, what is it?’ ‘Cause there’s only one thing, there could only be one possible promotion that could hold me off from that. And I said, ‘What?’ And there was the opportunity. He told me all the details behind it, and I talked with my team. You know, I’m gonna be honest, I was happy.”

    “The Punisher” went on to express his excitement for the upcoming fight but admitted that his family is no longer supporting his pursuit of the UFC dream, especially after White’s harsh criticism.

    “My team was behind me, but my family—they are not the biggest Dana White fans—and they were no longer on the side of me ever pursuing the UFC. Necessarily, like, obviously, they would support wherever I fight, but with the UFC, it was like, ‘Man, forget that,’ based off his comments. But I didn’t feel that way; I never have any personal issues with Dana… If you look at the opportunity, based off of what you see—an opportunity to be the first guy ever to go 3-0 in the Contender Series—the story, it hit so big. Right now, I’m 25, so let’s go for it. I didn’t think twice about it.”

    Finney boasts an undefeated 9-0 record in his MMA career, with seven of those victories coming by way of stoppage. He made his professional debut in February 2022, taking on Wesley McCracken under the Conflict MMA banner.

  • Michael Bisping Argues For Conor McGregor’s Spot On MMA Mount Rushmore: A Name For The Ages

    Michael Bisping Argues For Conor McGregor’s Spot On MMA Mount Rushmore: A Name For The Ages

    One of the most common debates that MMA fans are sure to have with one another is who are the greatest and most significant fighters of all time.

    Mixed martial arts is still a very young sport but even with that in mind, picking just four names and faces to fill up a Mount Rushmore of MMA is no easy task.

    This is what former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping attempted to get to the bottom of, on a recent episode of his Believe You Me podcast.

    Of course, all the usual names were thrown into the mix like Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre and Royce Gracie but one big omission throws a major additional factor into the debate.

    Whilst he may not have the same strength of resume or longevity as some of the other names in consideration, MMA would not be what it is today without “The Notorious”.

    Michael Bisping Says Conor McGregor Will Have Long Lasting Legacy On His Side In Mount Rushmore Debate

    After he was left out of the bulk of the discussion, Bisping made the case for why Conor McGregor has to be spoken about as someone that has earned his spot on the sport’s four figureheads.

    The impact that the first-ever UFC champ-champ has had is simply unmatched when you look at the money and attention that he has brought in.

    Bisping made his case by posing the question of what the debate will look like in the distant future and when looking at the list of fighters from that angle, there’s no chance that McGregor isn’t a first-round draft pick.

    “What about this point of view, let’s remember the sport’s only thirty years old. Let’s look at this in a hundred years time from now. Who will be the name that’s really stood out? You cannot deny the impact that McGregor had on this sport and bringing it to the next level and you know, I’m the last person to sit here and fluff him up but you can’t deny that, you just can’t.”

    Read also: Kayla Harrison On How Julianna Peña Reached The Top In UFC: ‘Pretty, Tough As Nails, & Got A Big Mouth’

  • Chael Sonnen Outlines What He Wants To See Next For Alexander Volkanovski: ‘Unless You Want To Be A Gatekeeper…’ 

    Chael Sonnen Outlines What He Wants To See Next For Alexander Volkanovski: ‘Unless You Want To Be A Gatekeeper…’ 

    Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes lightweight is a must if Alexander Volkanovski wants to continue fighting at the highest level.

    It’s uncertain what the future holds for Volkanovski, who has lost three of four fights since the start of 2023. While the first came in narrow fashion against Islam Makhachev, he’s since suffered brutal knockouts at the hands of the Dagestani lightweight king and Ilia Topuria.

    The Australian hasn’t been in action since being unseated from the featherweight throne by Topuria this past February, but it appears “Alexander the Great” is ready to bring his layoff to a close.

    The questions is: featherweight or lightweight?

    While Volkanovski has set his sights on regaining the strap at 145 pounds, he’s also pondered taking a fun matchup at 155 pounds while “El Matador” and Max Holloway handle business at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi next month.

    The Aussie’s most recent comments saw him express a willingness to wait for a showdown with the winner of the October 26 main event. Sonnen, however, thinks remaining at featherweight and insisting on a title bout could prove unwise…

    Sonnen Advises Volkanovski To Fight Oliveira, Avoid Another Title Fight Next

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen pondered the position that Volkanovski currently finds himself in.

    “The American Gangster” acknowledged talk of the Aussie having a third attempt at entering the 155-pound winner’s circle against Charles Oliveira, advising him to push for that over potential “gatekeeper” status in the featherweight division should he lose another title fight.

    “Volk still wants to come back. Where do we want to put him?” Sonnen asked. “If he came in and said, ‘I’m a title shot guy, that’s it,’ I believe they would say, ‘Okay.’ … But he doesn’t want to fight anyone specific…he just wants the title back. That is a different motivation. I won’t question it. I’m speaking for me, as a fan; I would rather a match, a specific match.

    “You wanna know what I want for Volk? … I want him at ’55. And I don’t want to talk about titles right now. I want to see an awesome match. I want to see Volk and Charles Oliveira at 155 pounds,” Sonnen continued. “I also think outcome-wise, I think you land in a higher spot whether you beat Charles or you don’t beat Charles. You go into a championship (fight) and you get beat, that will never return. That hope and dream is gone forever, forever. … It’s to the point where unless you want to be a gatekeeper of some regard, here are your walking papers. It would be that severe in a title fight. That would not be the case at 155 versus Charles.”

    Whether or not Volkanovski heeds Sonnen’s advice remains to be seen.

    But regardless, it’s clear that the Australian standout hasn’t lost his fire and motivation to have his hand raised inside the Octagon once again.

  • Merab Dvalishvili Told To Borrow From Pedro Munhoz’s Approach Against ‘Suga’: ‘Let O’Malley Make The Mistakes…’

    Merab Dvalishvili Told To Borrow From Pedro Munhoz’s Approach Against ‘Suga’: ‘Let O’Malley Make The Mistakes…’

    A lot of fans are going to be tuning into the main event of UFC 306 expecting Merab Dvalishvili to come out and fight with a very high work rate.

    The bantamweight contender is one of the best fighters in the sport when it comes to weaponizing his conditioning, especially over five rounds.

    His grappling and relentless output is sure to be a difficult problem for the sniper-like striking of Sean O’Malley but Dvalishvili’s teammate has a different option in mind.

    The former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling pointed to one of O’Malley’s past fights as a good example of how the opposite strategy can be effective against “Suga”.

    Aljamain Sterling Points Out How Pedro Munhoz Had Success Against Sean O’Malley By Letting Him Go First

    O’Malley’s best skillset is far and above his counter-striking, as we saw in his title defense against Marlon Vera and his bantamweight title win over Sterling.

    On that night at UFC 292, “Funkmaster” made a mistake in trying to press the action and was caught during his takedown entry.

    In a recent interview with Jake Noecker for Home of Fight, Sterling spoke out about how being reserved so that you aren’t giving the counter-striker many opportunities to land shots or make reads, could be an option for his long-time friend and training partner.

    He pointed to O’Malley’s fight against Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276 as a good example of this.

    Though the fight was declared a no-contest in the second round after Munhoz couldn’t continue from an eye poke, he won the opening stanza on two of the three scorecards by fighting with a much more calculated and controlled approach.

    “I think it’s gonna come down to a patience game. I think if Merab implements the same game plan that I used in the first round, just make it a slow fight, let O’Malley be the one to make mistakes. He’s used to people chasing him and he’s a very good counter fighter so don’t give him what he needs which is what the game plan was in our fight.

    “So just speaking to Merab, letting him know those are his keys to victory. You watch his fight with Pedro Munhoz, it’s a very slow paced fight, not much happens if you don’t give him what he wants and I think anyone who’s an analyst in the sport knows what he’s good at, knows what he needs to have to have success. You take those tools away from him then he doesn’t really, I don’t want to say he doesn’t really have much but we haven’t seen that side of him. Having to be the aggressor when his opponent is not hurt.”

    Read also: Sean O’Malley’s Coach On Henry Cejudo: ‘Thinks He’s God’s Gift…’