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  • ‘Everybody Suffers’ – Frank Mir Explains How UFL Could Get Past The Conor McGregor Effect Seen In The UFC

    ‘Everybody Suffers’ – Frank Mir Explains How UFL Could Get Past The Conor McGregor Effect Seen In The UFC

    MMA teams led by former UFC champions Frank Mir and Henry Cejudo will go toe to toe at the United Fight League 5 on August 30, 2024, at The Gila River Wild Horse Pass Casino in Arizona. The sold-out event will be streamed on Kick and Rumble for free as well.

    Mir and Cejudo coach UFL’s Team Las Vegas and Team Phoenix, respectively. Although the fighting rules are the same, the state-inspired teams and the team-based scoring system in the promotion are like a breath of fresh air in MMA. It is also the first and only combat sports league to provide health insurance to fighters.

    Here’s how the UFL aims to set a new standard for combat sports promotions through its newly introduced scoring system…

    Frank Mir Explains How Relying On Stars Like Conor McGregor Produces Inconsistent Results For The UFC

    Mir appeared on the talkSPORT MMA YouTube channel to discuss UFL 5’s format and innovative scoring system. Including Las Vegas and Phoenix, UFL will have a total of eight teams with Rashad Evans and Quinton Jackson confirmed to lead Team Florida and Southern California, respectively.

    Here’s how teams will score points at UFL 5:

    • Finishing a fight in the first round grants 4 points in a standard bout and 6 points in the main event.
    • Finishing a fight in the second round grants 3 points in a standard bout and 5 points in the main event.
    • Finishing a fight in the third round grants 2 points in a standard bout and 4 points in the main event.
    • Finishing a main event fight in the fourth round grants 3 points.
    • Finishing a main event fight in the fifth round grants 2 points.
    • A decision win grants 1 point in a standard bout as well as the main event.

    In case there’s a tie after all the fights, the team with the least cage time will get the nod, bragging rights, and $50,000.

    As per Mir, this is how the UFL aims to tackle the problem of being overly dependent on a limited number of stars. He claimed that the UFC benefitted heavily from Conor McGregor but the promotion will always produce fewer numbers when he isn’t fighting.

    “It made sense to me because I was like, you know, it sucks because when fighters come and go. You know, he’s like, Conor is a phenomenal example. Conor moved the needle like no other fighter, but when he’s not on the card, or he’s not part of there, everybody suffers. He doesn’t know, not as many people are going to view the fights because he’s not fighting. And so, I was like, how can we get around that. And I always watch college wrestling and seen how, here in the States, you can have a guy from Iowa, you know, wrestling Penn State, Minnesota, and Ohio, and all these powerhouses of wrestling that have long traditions and they have, you know, a car stadium, it fills up 60,000 people.”

    The two-time UFC heavyweight champ also stated how this isn’t an issue in wrestling. For instance, team-based college wrestling events in the United States attract thousands of viewers constantly despite the absence of huge names. Mir believes that a team-based setting helps them build loyal fans who care more about a team’s progress instead of just wanting to see one fighter.

    It is too early to predict how commercially successful UFL’s new format will be in the long run. For now, fans can enjoy Team Phoenix vs. Team Las Vegas which features a bantamweight championship main event bout between Hunter Azure and Vince Morales.

    ALSO READ: Shavkat Rakhmonov Trusts UFC’s Meritocracy To Prevent Conor McGregor Title Shot Hijack, Reveals Belal Muhammad Turned Down UFC 307 Date

  • Former UFC Heavyweight Champ Joins Quinton Jackson In Favoring Jon Jones Against Tom Aspinall: ‘GOAT Of Our Sport!’

    Former UFC Heavyweight Champ Joins Quinton Jackson In Favoring Jon Jones Against Tom Aspinall: ‘GOAT Of Our Sport!’

    The UFC heavyweight division has been a hot topic in MMA circles lately. Dana White is adamant about booking current champ Jon Jones against Stipe Miocic in 2024. On the flip side, fans seem more interested in seeing “Bones” take on Tom Aspinall who defended his interim belt against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 via first-round TKO.

    Jones has yet to defend his UFC heavyweight championship since beating Ciryl Gane for it in March 2023. A shoulder injury forced him out of action for almost a year, and the delay in his return has led to many opposing Miocic getting a title shot despite not fighting in over three years.

    Although there’s no guarantee that it will happen, Frank Mir has picked Jones to beat Aspinall if they ever fight in the UFC…

    Frank Mir Believes Jon Jones Has A 90% Chance Of Beating Tom Aspinall In The UFC Heavyweight Division

    Mir discussed a potential fight between Jones and Aspinall on the talkSPORT MMA YouTube channel recently. He acknowledged that the English heavyweight is quite skilled but just doesn’t see him beating the UFC light heavyweight GOAT in the next 12 months.

    “Jon’s the GOAT of our sport right now. I get that Tom, and I totally don’t blame him. I would do everything if I was Tom Aspinall. I would do everything I possibly could, maybe show up at his house, get him pissed enough to take that fight because that could just catapult his career.”

    The former UFC heavyweight champ believes that Aspinall won’t be able to submit or even take down Jones due to the latter’s superior wrestling. He backed this claim by mentioning Jones’ two wins over Daniel Cormier, arguably one of the best wrestlers to ever fight in the UFC.

    “If you said, put my money down on it. If they fought this year or fought within 12 months from now, from what I know training with Jon, from what I’ve seen from Tom, I think Jon has about a 70 to 80, 90% chance of winning the fight.”

    “If Tom closes distance, he’s never submitting Jon. And, Jon outwrestles him absolutely. They had a take down contest, he can’t take Jon down one time, zero. Absolutely zero. Jon’s wrestling is unreal. If Jon had gone a different path in life, and maybe had not problem in school, he would have absolutely been the Olympic world champion at wrestling, you know. That’s just the part of me. He outwrestled Cormier, you know what I mean? Cormier’s accolades in wrestling are through the roof.”

    Mir added that Aspinall’s explosive and fast striking, especially for a heavyweight, could be his only way to victory against Jones. He remembered the likes of Vitor Belfort and Dominick Reyes who had success against “Bones” due to their speed advantage in striking exchanges.

    Interestingly, former rival Quinton “Rampage” Jackson also favored Jones to win against Aspinall for similar reasons in a recent interview with Inside Fighting. The former UFC light heavyweight kingpin praised the interim UFC heavyweight champ’s skills but doesn’t think it’ll be enough for him to unify the title against the current undisputed champion.

  • UFC Fighter Francis Marshall Opens Up About Career As Fire Fighter: ‘You’re Going Into Someone’s House On The Worst Day Of Their Life!’ (Exclusive)

    UFC Fighter Francis Marshall Opens Up About Career As Fire Fighter: ‘You’re Going Into Someone’s House On The Worst Day Of Their Life!’ (Exclusive)

    Francis Marshall is living the dream of being a UFC fighter after competing four times inside the Octagon as a member of the lightweight roster.

    His latest appearance saw him bounce back from consecutive defeats by besting Dennis Buzukja on short notice this past weekend at the UFC Apex.

    Though Marshall is focused on keeping this dream going by continuing to pick up wins and evolve as a martial artist, he does have another pursuit and passion.

    The 25-year-old doesn’t carry the nickname “Fire” just because that’s what he always looks to bring when stepping inside the cage.

    Alongside his MMA career, Marshall works as a firefighter, though for obvious reasons, that’s currently on hold because of his fight career.

    Francis Marshall Talks About The Rewarding Nature Of Being A Fire Fighter

    In a recent interview with MMA News, Marshall spoke about his love for being a firefighter where getting to help others is incredibly rewarding for him.

    Competing as a professional athlete has become a career option for him at this stage in his life so his other job has had to be left in the background for the time being.

    That being said, it isn’t something that he plans on leaving behind for good depending on what happens during his MMA journey.

    The 155-pound fighter said that being there for others in their most desperate time of need isn’t something he takes for granted, even if he’s competing at the highest level in MMA.

    “Right now, I’m on the leave of absence from work so I’m training full-time. I got to see where my future goes. Obviously, I would love to fight forever and then see what happens after that but I mean, it’s a great career. It’s a great job, it’s great to help people like that. It was always like, you’re going to someone’s house on the worst day of their life like nobody wants that. So you kind of go there with the respect of that, with the courtesy, like you don’t wanna ruin their day anymore than it is. You’re going there to help so whatever that homeowner or that resident needs in that time, that’s what we’re kinda there for.”

    Read also: Undefeated UFC Contender Targets Michael ‘Venom’ Page Having Emulated Him In The Past: “I Know The Way To Knock The Guy Out”

  • Former Khalil Rountree Training Partner Predicts First-Round Knockout For ‘Guy Of The Moment’ Alex Pereira

    Former Khalil Rountree Training Partner Predicts First-Round Knockout For ‘Guy Of The Moment’ Alex Pereira

    The main event of UFC 307 is sure to be an exciting contest while it lasts as knockout artists compete for the light heavyweight title in Salt Lake City.

    Many were surprised to see Khalil Rountree get the next shot at Alex Pereira’s title but in some ways, the match-up speaks for itself.

    A lot is going to be made from now up to October 5 about Rountree’s comments regarding his willingness to stand and strike with the former GLORY kickboxer.

    Despite rating his skills as a fighter and his conduct as a person, a former training partner of his isn’t sure that he can hang in there against “Poatan”.

    Carlos Prates Can’t See How Khalil Rountree Will Compete With Alex Pereira On The Feet

    In a recent interview with Sherdog.com, breakout welterweight Carlos Prates gave his thoughts on the main event clash at 205 pounds.

    As someone who has spent some time in the company of Rountree, he was able to give an educated prediction for this fight.

    Prates, like many, simply doesn’t believe that Rountree will be able to have success when striking with Pereira, even if he has been very effective on the feet.

    The 170-pounder picked out Magomed Ankalaev, who many expected would be next for the title shot, as the only fighter that might be able to cause Pereira some problems, likely due to his grappling game.

    “To be honest, I train before with Khalil Rountree. He’s a nice guy, he’s a good fighter but I don’t think he can fight with ‘Poatan’. ‘Poatan’ is a different level of striking. I also see an interview of Khalil, he saying he have no plans to try take down so I think he, the first round, ‘Poatan’ gonna knock him out and that’s it. In light heavyweight, maybe Ankalaev can fight good against him but that’s it. Other guys, I don’t think they win the fight against ‘Poatan’. now ‘Poatan’ is the guy of the moment, the guy of the UFC right now.”

    Read also: Khalil Rountree Receives Lighter Sentence After Self-Reporting PED Usage

  • UFC Contender Targets Michael ‘Venom’ Page Having Emulated Him In The Past: “I Know The Way To Knock The Guy Out”

    UFC Contender Targets Michael ‘Venom’ Page Having Emulated Him In The Past: “I Know The Way To Knock The Guy Out”

    Carlos Prates has been a fantastic edition to the UFC roster since earning his contract via the last season of the Contender Series.

    The Fighting Nerds athlete has gone 3-0 inside the Octagon, stopping all three opponents with devastating finishes.

    His latest win over Li Jingliang at UFC 305 set him up well for an even bigger name next time out, and given the fact that he has put on a show with each appearance, a ranked opponent isn’t out of the question.

    When looking at the fighters that occupy the ranking sports from 15-10, one name in particular stands out to Prates.

    Carlos Prates Reveals That He Emulated Michael Page For ‘MVP’s Only Knockout Loss

    In a recent interview with Sherdog.com, Prates gave his thoughts on all of the potential ranked opponents that he could be matched with in the near future.

    He revealed an interesting story from his earlier career when arriving at the name of one of the division’s most talented strikers.

    Michael “Venom” Page is an incredibly difficult opponent to train for because you don’t find people that have his unique style combined with size and reach, very easily.

    Prates said that he has been a stand in for “MVP” when he was training alongside Douglas Lima, who fought Page twice in Bellator.

    In their first meeting, Lima would hand the Brit his first defeat at Bellator, via a ruthless second-round knockout.

    Prates believes that after being a part of the camp for this fight, he has the secret to become the second man to stop Page.

    “Michael Page would be a really good fight. I would like to fight him, it would be a great bonus again. You know the first time he lost to Douglas Lima? I was a sparring partner of Douglas. I was doing like MVP and Douglas was doing his game. He, Douglas and his coach, came to Thailand and we trained all together… So it’s kinda I know the way to knock the guy out.”

    Read also: Shavkat Rakhmonov Trusts UFC’s Meritocracy To Prevent Conor McGregor Title Shot Hijack, Reveals Belal Muhammad Turned Down UFC 307 Date

  • Caio Borralho Makes Convincing Argument To Fight Israel Adesanya Next: ‘So Dominant In His Prime…’

    Caio Borralho Makes Convincing Argument To Fight Israel Adesanya Next: ‘So Dominant In His Prime…’

    Following his biggest win to date this past weekend, Caio Borralho finds himself in the top five of the UFC’s middleweight division.

    The Contender Series alum capitalized on his first main event opportunity by beating Jared Cannonier to inject some new blood into the mix at 185-pounds.

    Though he would like to be in the title picture already, it appears likely that Borralho will need one more big win in order to really solidify his case, due to Sean Strickland being in line to challenge Dricus Du Plessis next.

    The Brazilian has now targeted the next best thing to fighting for the belt and that means facing off with the division’s biggest name.

    Caio Borralho Says Fighting Israel Adesanya Means He Gets To Face A Legend

    For the first time in a long time, Israel Adesanya’s next outing inside the Octagon will not be in a UFC title fight.

    “The Last Stylebender” said after his defeat at UFC 305 that he isn’t going anywhere just yet, meaning that he will go back to joining the list of contenders.

    In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Borralho made a strong case for why he should be next for the former champion.

    When you look at the other top fights in the rankings right now, Adesanya has already faced many of them aside from Brendan Allen and Nassourdine Imavov, who are already matched up with one another as the #5 contender pointed out.

    Borralho said that he wants this fight next because it would be a big moment for his own legacy to face someone that has represented the very best of the weight class for such a long time.

    “Let’s see, I want to fight him [Adesanya]. I think it will be a good fight on my resume and if the UFC wants me to do one more fight before I go to the belt, I think this is the fight to make. Why not fight a guy that is a legend of this sport and that was so dominant in his prime, so definitely a guy that I want to face just because nothing personal but just because it makes sense right now for him and it makes sense for me too.”

    Borralho then went on to explain how Adesanya has fought all the other names in the top 8 of the division, except Imavov and Allen – who are going to fight one another.

    Hence, the only realistic fight for Adesanya is the Brazilian, and Borralho is only too happy to oblige.

    Read also: MMA Analyst Believes Israel Adesanya Following ‘The Khabib Model’ Might Have Led To Dricus Du Plessis Loss

  • UFC Middleweight On Brendan Allen – Marvin Vettori Casino Bust Up: ‘Talk Some S**t To The Wrong Person They’ll Punch You In The Mouth’ [Exclusive]

    UFC Middleweight On Brendan Allen – Marvin Vettori Casino Bust Up: ‘Talk Some S**t To The Wrong Person They’ll Punch You In The Mouth’ [Exclusive]

    After a lot of tension between the two men due to their history where they were set to meet inside the Octagon, UFC middleweights Brendan Allen and Marvin Vettori were involved in a brawl several weeks ago.

    Sources reported that the Italian fighter had gotten into an altercation with UFC fighter Tuco Tokkos which Allen then intervened in, whilst they were in attendance at a PFL event.

    The fight, which was captured on video, shows Allen going at “The Italian Dream” as both men traded blows.

    They have exchanged comments on social media and in interviews multiple times before so this beef certainly didn’t come out of nowhere.

    Zach Reese Says Online Trash Talking Isn’t For Him

    In a recent interview with MMA News, UFC middleweight Zach Reese gave his thoughts on the viral brawl between Vettori and Allen.

    The 30-year-old has got back-to-back wins in the 185-pound weight class.

    Reese believes that whilst he understands that trash-talking is a big part of the sport today, it’s not something that he likes to partake in.

    “Savage” has no problem saying what he thinks but he isn’t going to say anything that he can’t physically back up in person, as opposed to making comments from the other side of a screen.

    “I don’t believe in jumping, I think that’s what’s gone down the world is that people won’t have one-on-one fist fights anymore and you know dude, if you talk s*** on the internet, I think talking s*** on the internet’s lame as f*** to be honest man. I don’t even know the whole backstory on that or who started it or whatever but there’s something in me as like a man, it’s just I don’t like the idea of talking s*** on the internet dude, it’s kind of weird. I know it’s kind of the name of the game in MMA and it gets the fans excited and stuff but yeah, if you talk crap to somebody man then you better be willing to face the consequences or say it to their face. Talk some s*** to the wrong person, they’ll punch you in the mouth.”

    Read also: Khamzat Chimaev’s Former ‘Main Sparring Partner’ Caio Borralho Warns Robert Whittaker: ‘I Didn’t See Any Other Guy In My Life…’

  • Shavkat Rakhmonov Trusts UFC’s Meritocracy To Prevent Conor McGregor Title Shot Hijack, Reveals Belal Muhammad Turned Down UFC 307 Date

    Shavkat Rakhmonov Trusts UFC’s Meritocracy To Prevent Conor McGregor Title Shot Hijack, Reveals Belal Muhammad Turned Down UFC 307 Date

    Shavkat Rakhmonov hasn’t put a foot wrong during his ascent up the welterweight ladder towards a title shot.

    With a undefeated record and all of his wins coming via finish, the 170-pound contender appears to be set up to challenge Belal Muhammad for the belt next time out. unless something unexpected occurs.

    The UFC has been known to temporarily swerve the rankings if it means putting something big together and when you’re talking big in MMA, there’s no one larger than Conor McGregor.

    Despite there being no rescheduled date for his welterweight return against Michael Chandler, “The Notorious” returning with a win could completely change the top of the weight class.

    Rakhmonov spoke in a recent interview with MMA Fighting about how he believes the promotion will do right by him even in the instance that “The Mac” is back in the mix.

    “He’s been getting ready to fight a long time but wasn’t able to do that yet so in my head, I don’t even think about him winning this one fight in three years is going to do something. I understand he’s a big star but in my head, I don’t see it being possible. I believe UFC is the best and the most fair organization so I believe they’re gonna do everything right.”

    Shavkat Rakhmonov Reveals That Belal Muhammad Turned Down UFC 307 Title Fight

    Though there has been some debate over whether Rakhmonov will definitely be the next title challenger for Muhammad, the contender answered this question all by himself.

    He revealed during the same interview that he has already been offered the title shot but it didn’t come to fruition due to the champion not being able to make a 70-day turnaround to fight at elevation in Salt Lake City, Utah.

    Alex Pereira will be headlining UFC 307 instead, which always seemed to be an optimistic target for Muhammad after he won the belt at the end of July.

    “Yeah, actually I had already been offered to fight Belal and I accepted the fight against Belal but unfortunately, he declined to fight me due to the timing issues, he wasn’t ready to defend his belt on that time. So, we’ll see what’s gonna happen and when he’s gonna be ready so I will be able to fight him. Before he became a champion and after he won the belt, he said he’s gonna be an active champion and he will defend his belt more often but at the moment, he isn’t backing up what he said so let’s see what’s going to happen, when he’s going to be ready to fight me.”

    Read also: Khalil Rountree Says He Would Fire His Coaches If They Insisted He Grapple Alex Pereira

  • Khalil Rountree Says He Would Fire His Coaches If They Insisted He Grapple Alex Pereira

    Khalil Rountree Says He Would Fire His Coaches If They Insisted He Grapple Alex Pereira

    Khalil Rountree has made it pretty clear that if he’s going to leave UFC 307 on October 5 with the light heavyweight title, and he’s going to do it with his striking skills.

    The title challenger is a very skilled and dangerous stand-up fighter who has finished four of the five wins on his current streak.

    However, standing with most opponents and standing with Alex Pereira are two extremely different prospects.

    The current 205-pound champion and former GLORY kickboxing legend is one of the best strikers that we have seen inside the Octagon, meaning that if there’s a best path to victory against him, it’s to avoid the striking range altogether.

    Rountree wouldn’t even consider this as a potential backup plan because it’s not who he is as a fighter.

    Khalil Rountree Says Coaches Asking Him To Grapple Would Show Lack Of Confidence

    In a recent interview with former middleweight champion Michael Bisping on his YouTube channel, “The Count” posed a question to Rountree about his strategy for this fight.

    Bisping asked what his thoughts would be if his coach were to come to the title challenger and suggest that for this fight, they implement a grappling-focused game plan because it’s the weaker part of Pereira’s game.

    Rountree responded by saying that even just this idea would make him have serious doubts in his coaches because of how much time they have spent working on his striking.

    Whilst he may be able to grapple when he needs to, this would mean completely going against what it is that he does best. which would show a lack of faith in his ability to get the job done.

    “If it were my coach, I’d say maybe I need to look for another coach man. Yeah I mean, it doesn’t make sense, I’m not a wrestler. Yes, I’m a mixed martial artist, I’m able to do a lot of different things.

    “My grappling’s good, my wrestling’s decent but that’s just not me, that’s not my instinct and so like why would I put myself in harm’s way to try to secure this victory when that’s just not me, that’s just not my style.

    “So it would just show me that if my coach were telling me, ‘Hey this is the way’, I’d be like man, who are you coaching because this has never been the game plan so why at the height of my career would we switch everything that we’ve ever done to secure some victory? Like where is your belief in what I do? So it would make me question my coaches if anything.”

    Read also: Khalil Rountree Receives Lighter Sentence After Self-Reporting PED Usage

  • Khamzat Chimaev’s Former ‘Main Sparring Partner’ Caio Borralho Warns Robert Whittaker: ‘I Didn’t See Any Other Guy In My Life…’

    Khamzat Chimaev’s Former ‘Main Sparring Partner’ Caio Borralho Warns Robert Whittaker: ‘I Didn’t See Any Other Guy In My Life…’

    Khamzat Chimaev is set to return to action at UFC 308 where his fight with former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has been rescheduled for the co-main event.

    Despite the fact that he debuted in the UFC four years ago, it still feels like there are so many unanswered questions surrounding the undefeated contender.

    Chimaev has an element of mystery and myth that still surrounds him, largely thanks to the stories you will hear from the fighters that have trained alongside him.

    One of those athletes is the #5-ranked middleweight Caio Borralho who got some work in with Chimaev two years ago.

    Caio Borralho Reflects On Experience Training With Khamzat Chimaev In Sweden

    Borralho had two main takeaways from the time that he spent training with Chimaev in the past, as he detailed in a recent interview with Submission Radio.

    His first major talking point was about the level of wrestling that his fellow middleweight contender brings to the table and how Whittaker will need to be working with the right training partners in order to prepare himself for this.

    “I already training with him, spent some time in Sweden with him for his training camp against Nate Diaz, the fight that never happened. I was there training with him every day, was my main sparring partner for this camp and I think it’s a very tough fight for Whittaker ‘cuz Khamzat has very great wrestling and there’s one thing about Khamzat that people don’t realize too much. They don’t know what kind of level to expect from him. Like they know by seeing but when feel it, think it’s a little bit different. This kind of level of wrestling, of grappling, I think the best wrestler in the division is Khamzat and we saw how he dominated Kamaru Usman, that’s a great, great wrestler.”

    Along with his wrestling pedigree, the other major characteristic of Chimaev’s approach to MMA has been his intense work ethic.

    Borralho gave some insight into this by detailing one particular session where “Borz” continued to work after completing the sparring session for the day.

    “He trains a lot, like I didn’t see any other guy in my life that trains as much as he trains. Maybe that’s why sometimes he like kills his body and doesn’t make it to the fight but definitely a guy that over train everyone in the room. There was a time that we did like five rounds sparring and after sparring, he did like three or four rounds of pads and then after that, he did like a 30-minute run and I was like, ‘What the f*** is this guy doing?’”

    Read also: MMA Analyst Believes Israel Adesanya Following ‘The Khabib Model’ Might Have Led To Dricus Du Plessis Loss

  • MMA Analyst Believes Israel Adesanya Following ‘The Khabib Model’ Might Have Led To Dricus Du Plessis Loss

    MMA Analyst Believes Israel Adesanya Following ‘The Khabib Model’ Might Have Led To Dricus Du Plessis Loss

    Israel Adesanya failed to reclaim the UFC middleweight championship from Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305. He lost the belt to Sean Strickland in a huge upset and for the first time in his pro MMA career, he has two consecutive losses on his record.

    Like Kamaru Usman at welterweight and Alexander Volkanovski at featherweight, Adesanya lost his title after a dominant run in the middleweight division. He beat top contenders like Paulo Costa, Yoel Romero, Marvin Vettori, Robert Whittaker, and Jared Cannonier without much trouble.

    While fans ponder what’s next for him, MMA analyst Luke Thomas shared his two cents on the decline of “The Last Stylebender”…

    Luke Thomas Blames Israel Adesanya’s One-Dimensional Style For His Loss To Dricus Du Plessis At UFC 305

    Thomas discussed why Adesanya’s dominant reign ended abruptly on his YouTube channel recently. He responded to a fan asking whether Izzy never developed his skills in accordance with other fighters in the middleweight division.

    He pointed out two ways for champions to dominate their weight class. They can rely on a well-rounded style like Islam Makhachev who possesses dangerous wrestling alongside accurate boxing and kicks. Or, they can master one facet of their game like Khabib Nurmagomedov who was an unstoppable force due to his wrestling despite never having a commendable standup.

    “You can be dominant in the UFC via two different models. One is, you are sort of well-rounded but you’ve got one ace in the hole. And you know, you can play the levels a little bit if you have to, but you kind of lean on your strengths. And that’s a common skill set like Islam is kind of like that, right? Or you can go a little bit more like Khabib where, you know, you can get by on the other stuff as long as you might need to for a couple of minutes. But you’ve got one skill set and it’s way better than everybody else and you just lord that over somebody like the Khabib model. Izzy was kind of always on that second model.”

    According to Thomas, Izzy’s dominance at middleweight was similar to Nurmagomedov’s. He had decent takedown defense but outscored all his opponents on the feet. His wins over Whittaker and Alex Pereira exemplify this perfectly.

    The combat sports analyst also highlighted that Adesanya never submitted an opponent in the UFC and most of his wins came in a similar fashion. He used this to explain why the former UFC middleweight kingpin couldn’t sustain his dominance like José Aldo, who’s still winning fights after making his promotional debut in 2011.

    “He got pretty far but could you argue, had there been a little more development and weaponization of the ground game or a bare minimum like submissions, you know, had he got taken down and have to spend time constantly fighting or if his wrestling had gotten really good, what could that have done like Jose Aldo.”

    Although Thomas brought up a couple of notable holes in Adesanya’s game, he called him the second-best middleweight of all time without a doubt. So, even though “The Last Stylebender” has struggled to beat the new generation of middleweights lately, one can’t deny that his striking prowess was enough to make him an all-time great.

  • ‘This Is Really Unfair!’ – Chael Sonnen Sticks Up For Jon Jones & Stipe Miocic As Dana White Defends Heavyweight Matchup

    ‘This Is Really Unfair!’ – Chael Sonnen Sticks Up For Jon Jones & Stipe Miocic As Dana White Defends Heavyweight Matchup

    MMA fans worldwide are currently divided over Jon Jones defending the UFC heavyweight championship against Stipe Miocic next. This is primarily because Jones hasn’t fought since March 2023 and in the meantime, Tom Aspinall has solidified his claim on the undisputed title by winning and defending the interim heavyweight belt.

    To add fuel to the fire, Dana White has missed no opportunity to call Jones the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world lately. He regularly shares this opinion on social media and even argued with the media for over 10 minutes about it recently.

    Chael Sonnen has sided with White on the matter and has explained why fans shouldn’t complain about the imminent Jones vs. Miocic matchup…

    Chael Sonnen Explains Why Dana White Won’t Cancel Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic For UFC Heavyweight Title

    Sonnen reacted to White defending Jones vs. Miocic in a DWCS press conference on his official YouTube channel recently. The former UFC title contender reminded viewers that this match was booked before Aspinall knocked out Sergei Pavlovich in less than 90 seconds.

    Sonnen remembered when “Bones” agreed to fight Miocic soon after his flawless win over Ciryl Gane. He pointed out that fans didn’t necessarily oppose the booking. However, things turned complex when the champ had to pull out due to a shoulder injury. He’s been out of action for over 18 months now, and the UFC still not confirming a date for his return is a bone of contention among many.

    “This is really unfair, what you’re doing to Jon Jones. This is really unfair, what you’re doing to Stipe. It’s unfair that Dana White had to answer this question. So, let me take your short-term memories, down memory lane.”

    Aspinall has been constantly calling out Jones as well since defending the interim UFC heavyweight championship against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304. Yet again, he emerged victorious via knockout in the first and believes that he should now get the chance to unify the belts once and for all.

    As per “The American Gangster”, White is correct in not disrespecting Miocic by taking away arguably his final shot at the title. The former UFC heavyweight champ hasn’t lost a fight or sustained an injury, due to which Sonnen believes that he still deserves to fight Jones.

    “It’s the same fight with the same guys. They haven’t done anything different. Stipe has not slowed down. Stipe has not lost. He hasn’t done anything in front of you that’s any different. And I mean, I will just tell you, like, in this sport, you’re not wrong. Fans going to do what fans want. I understand it, but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything quite to this degree in an attempt to get Aspinall in there with Jon.”

    “It turned nasty against Stipe. That’s the part that’s incorrect. As soon as Stipe falls on his face. As soon as he slips on a banana peal. Go ahead and go after him, that’s fair game, that’s this sport. That hasn’t happened. Stipe has not done that. Stipe has not done anything like that. As a matter of fact, he got a little bit longer to train and this is a consummate professional. He would’ve used that time very wisely.

    Despite the backlash, it is safe to assume that the UFC will book Jones vs. Miocic sometime in 2024. It is also worth noting that Aspinall is guaranteed to be the backup fighter for this title match.

  • ‘I’m Not A Wrestler!’ – Khalil Rountree Has No Plans To Shoot His First UFC Takedown Against Alex Pereira

    ‘I’m Not A Wrestler!’ – Khalil Rountree Has No Plans To Shoot His First UFC Takedown Against Alex Pereira

    Khalil Rountree is riding an impressive five-fight win streak in the UFC, earning him a title shot against the light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira. Four of these wins came via knockout; from the looks of it, he aims to win at UFC 307 similarly.

    Interestingly, Rountree has never attempted a takedown in his UFC career, which began as early as 2016. He’s trained in Thailand to hone his skills in Muay Thai which unsurprisingly is his favorite mixed martial art.

    “The War Horse” has frequently showcased explosive striking and fans are naturally curious to see how it will fare against “Poatan”. Here’s how the light heavyweight championship contender plans to get it done at UFC 307 without amending his fighting style…

    Khalil Rountree Explains Why He Won’t Grapple Against Alex Pereira At UFC 307

    Rountree discussed his next fight on the Believe You Me podcast hosted by Michael Bisping, recently. Despite Israel Adesanya having success on the ground against “Poatan”, the contender will rely on his striking to get the victory.

    Rountree stated that he’s achieved everything in his MMA career through his striking prowess. As a result, he doesn’t want to change his core fighting style ahead of arguably the most important fight of his career.

    “It doesn’t make sense. I’m not a wrestler! Like, yes, I’m a mixed martial artist, I’m able to do a lot of, you know, different things. My grappling’s good, you know, my wrestling’s decent. But that’s just not me. It’s not my instinct, you know. And, so like, why would I put myself in harm’s way to try to secure this victory when that’s just not me!”

    When asked how he would react if his coaches suggested him to wrestle Pereira, here’s what Rountree had to say:

    “If my coach were telling me, hey, this is the way, I’ll be like, man, then, like, who are you coaching? Because, this has never been the game plan. Why at the height of my career would we switch everything we’ve ever done, you know what I Mean, to try to like secure a victory? Like where’s your belief in what I do?”

    Rountree further discussed what went wrong when Pereira’s former opponents like Jiří Procházka and Jan Błachowicz stepped into the Octagon. He believes that the UFC light heavyweight champion simply had an answer for all their tactics, and one can’t blame the strategies used by these former light heavyweight contenders.

    All in all, fans can look forward to a classic striking match between Rountree, a Muay Thai expert, and Pereira, a heavily accomplished kickboxer, at UFC 307.

  • ‘Mokaev & Chandler Might Have To Share This One’ – Fans Debate Which UFC Fighter Has Taken The ‘Biggest L’ In 2024

    ‘Mokaev & Chandler Might Have To Share This One’ – Fans Debate Which UFC Fighter Has Taken The ‘Biggest L’ In 2024

    The UFC has long been a proving ground where legends are forged, but in this arena, triumph is fleeting for those who fail to time their moves and play their cards wisely.

    Some fighters ascend to their full potential, while others struggle to break through the barriers holding them back. It’s unfortunate to see those with the potential for success fall short of what they were meant to achieve, and what they could have ultimately become.

    Popular MMA fan account Dovy on X recently polled their followers on who they believe took the “biggest L” in the UFC this year. The question sparked a flurry of responses from the MMA community, with many pointing to figures like Michael Chandler and Muhammad Mokaev as major candidates for this dubious distinction.

    Chandler has been sidelined since his third-round submission defeat to Dustin Poirier at UFC 281 in November 2022, eagerly awaiting the realization of a highly anticipated bout with Conor McGregor.

    Following that fight, “Iron” took on the role of coach opposite McGregor on The Ultimate Fighter 31, with the expectation that the two would clash sometime in 2023. Despite frequent speculation throughout the past year, the bout never materialized. It was eventually scheduled to headline UFC 303 this past June, but just over two weeks before the event, “The Notorious” withdrew due to an injury, leaving Chandler once again in limbo.

    Many contend that, at 38 years old, the former Bellator MMA lightweight champion might have taken another fight in the interim to remain active and maintain his momentum.

    In contrast, Mokaev’s situation is markedly different. “The Punisher” was released from the UFC last month, a decision attributed by UFC CEO Dana White to a string of off-the-Octagon complications that led the matchmakers to hesitate in offering him a new contract.

    Mokaev was riding an undefeated seven-fight streak in the Octagon and was widely regarded as one of the brightest talents in the flyweight division. With his dominant grappling-heavy style, he was seen as a potential future champion. But now, he’ll need to find a way back to rejoin the world’s premier MMA promotion.

    MMA Fans Debate Which UFC Fighter Experienced The Biggest Career Slide This Year

    Combat sports enthusiasts responded with a flurry of opinions on which UFC fighter experienced the most significant career downturn in 2024.

    “Chandler, and he hasn’t even fought, lol. He was promised a fight vs. McGregor this year, but it got canceled, and then Dana White said in press conferences that the McGregor vs. Chandler fight won’t be happening this year and that it will happen next year instead”

    “Clearly Mokaev lol”

    “Mokaev and Chandler might have to share this one”

    One fan proposed that the former UFC interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson deserves the nod, given he’s currently enduring an eight-fight losing streak.

    “The guy with the longest ‘L’ streak in UFC history!”

    Another fan humorously suggested that he should be deemed the recipient of the “biggest L” of the year due to his string of unsuccessful betting parlays.

    “Me on these UFC parlays”

    https://twitter.com/deeecreates/status/1828950061801451571

    “Michael Chandler 100%, it’s been 655 days since he fought”

    https://twitter.com/MMAAndyx/status/1828970606660116627

    One fan jokingly remarked that the real “biggest L” should go to the fellow fans who have had to endure the constant frustration of questionable decisions from UFC judges.

    “The fans via robbery decisions”

    One user commented that it should be former longtime middleweight champion Israel Adesanya after experiencing the first back-to-back losses of his career, with his most recent setback coming against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305.

    “Adesanya is having a rough year”

    “Michael Chandler, lol. Wasting years of his life for a McGregor fight that probably won’t ever happen.”
    https://twitter.com/VicConnects/status/1828962481424732169

    “Mike Mallot. Hype train Derailed in his home town by Neil Magny”

  • Khalil Rountree Receives Lighter Sentence After Self-Reporting PED Usage

    Khalil Rountree Receives Lighter Sentence After Self-Reporting PED Usage

    Khalil Rountree can now breathe a sigh of relief, having recently received a reduced penalty for self-reporting his use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).

    “The War Horse” withdrew from his scheduled bout against Jamahal Hill in the co-main event of UFC 303 on June 29, after disclosing that he had tested positive for a banned substance known as Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a type of steroid hormone.

    Rountree explained that he had been using a customized supplement and that the provider had mistakenly delivered a tainted product containing the prohibited substance.

    However, according to a recent report by MMA journalist John Morgan, the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) announced on Thursday that Rountree’s ongoing sanction, which began on May 4, has been reduced to four and a half months.

    Alongside the suspension, which wraps up on September 18, “The War Horse” has been ordered to pay prosecution fees amounting to $157. The NAC highlighted that Rountree’s proactive self-reporting played a crucial role in mitigating his penalty.

    With the reduced suspension, Rountree is now cleared to participate in his eagerly awaited title bout against reigning light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, slated to headline UFC 307 on October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

    Rountree is coming off a third-round knockout victory over former title challenger Anthony Smith at a Fight Night event in December 2023. He is currently riding a five-fight win streak, including finishes over Chris Daukaus, Karl Roberson, and Modestas Bukauskas.

  • Chael Sonnen Feels Kamaru Usman Can Hijack Title Shot: UFC Not Ready For Muhammad vs Rakhmonov Presser

    Chael Sonnen Feels Kamaru Usman Can Hijack Title Shot: UFC Not Ready For Muhammad vs Rakhmonov Presser

    When Belal Muhammad defeated Leon Edwards to become the welterweight champion at UFC 304, there was a common consensus for who his first challenger would be.

    At 18-0 with all finishes, Shavkat Rakhmonov currently holds the #3-ranking at 170-pounds and is a huge threat to anyone in the division.

    There is, however, another contender that is still ranked above Rakhmonov despite the fact that he has lost his last three fights.

    Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman was beaten by Edwards in consecutive fights before taking a short notice opportunity against Khamzat Chimaev up at middleweight.

    Though he may be lacking some momentum right now, Usman was a dominant champion whose name still carries a lot of weight, which could be enough to see him jump back into the title picture.

    Chael Sonnen Says Kamaru Usman Needs To Push For Welterweight Title Shot Because He’s So Close

    In a recent YouTube video, Chael Sonnen was very keen to push just how close Usman is to the title shot for a number of reasons.

    He said that he needed to come out and say this after “The Nigerian Nightmare” had called out Rakhmonov when in reality, he should be trying to get the title shot instead because it’s possible.

    Sonnen made reference to how despite both men having fanbases away from the usual US audience of the UFC, the promotion might have some doubts about having Muhammad and Rakhmonov headline an event – which Usman can use to better his case.

    With Usman being a much more familiar face, he could jump in front of Rakhmonov thanks to his name and pedigree even if his fellow contender is much more deserving based on current form.

    “He is right there about to get Belal, I mean he is right there. There is only one guy even in discussion that might nudge him out and that is Rakhmonov and it’s wildly important that they get this figured out. If Rakhmonov nudges him out, there’s probably not going to be another time that Kamaru’s going to be needed.

    “This is the time, he’s got to beat him. Rakhmonov has got to shine himself up just a little bit more. The UFC, no matter how big it is and no matter what the fan base is, is not ready for a press conference with Muhammad and Rakhmonov and Kamaru Usman has got to push that narrative. I’m only sharing that because he is this close and at one point he didn’t know it.”

    Read also: Former Opponent Reveals He Perfectly Predicted ‘Randy Couture Style’ Welterweight Title Win For Belal Muhammad At UFC 304

  • Jake Paul Tries To Broker Multi-Million Dollar Payday For “Bones” To Fight Tom Aspinall: ‘Jon Jones Doesn’t Dodge Anyone’

    Jake Paul Tries To Broker Multi-Million Dollar Payday For “Bones” To Fight Tom Aspinall: ‘Jon Jones Doesn’t Dodge Anyone’

    Jake Paul recently attempted to broker a multi-million dollar deal to entice Jon Jones into a showdown with Tom Aspinall.

    Since capturing the interim heavyweight title with a knockout victory over Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 in November 2023—an opportunity that arose after “Bones” had to withdraw from his undisputed title clash with Stipe Miocic due to injury—Aspinall has been unabashedly outspoken about his desire to test himself against Jones in a title unification bout.

    However, Jones has consistently dismissed the challenge, even going so far as to disparage Aspinall’s standing as the interim champion. Rather than entertain a clash with Aspinall, the reigning heavyweight titleholder has made it clear that his sights are set on rekindling his bout with Miocic, a showdown that is rumored to headline UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden this November.

    “Bones” has frequently hinted at the prospect of retirement after defeating a legendary heavyweight champion like Miocic, thereby cementing his GOAT status. Many speculate that this might be why Jones is hesitant to risk his legacy against a formidable contender like Aspinall.

    However, “The Problem Child” suggests that the real reason Jones is sidestepping the Brit’s challenge is the lack of a lucrative payday on the table…

    Paul Claims Jones Would Accept Aspinall Bout If The Paycheck Fits

    Paul, well-known for his frequent critiques of UFC fighter pay, recently took to X to refute the narrative that Jones is avoiding a fight with Aspinall. The YouTuber-turned-boxer argued that Jones isn’t one to shy away from any opponent but suggested that the real issue lies in the financial incentive.

    He believes that if the right financial deal is presented, tapping into both the American and English pay-per-view (PPV) markets, Jones would be more than willing to step into the Octagon with Aspinall.

    “Jon Jones doesn’t dodge anyone. He knows exactly what he’s doing,” Paul tweeted. “Show him the money – that real money. Not that spin the narrative money. Him versus Aspinal is massive as it hits two big PPV markets. A $25M guarantee plus PPV seems about right. @JonnyBones”

    During a post-event press conference for DWCS, UFC CEO Dana White suggested that, despite Jones’s occasional talk of retirement, he is confident that “if the Aspinall thing is really flying out there,” Jones would rise to the occasion and accept the matchup.

  • Randy Couture On Whether Saudi Arabia Can Make UFC vs PFL Happen: ‘That Kinda Money…’

    Randy Couture On Whether Saudi Arabia Can Make UFC vs PFL Happen: ‘That Kinda Money…’

    Randy Couture recently offered his thoughts on whether Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority head, Turki Alalshikh, possesses the influence to bring the highly anticipated super fight between Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones to life.

    For years, the most monumental heavyweight bout the UFC could have delivered was a showdown between Ngannou and then-light-heavyweight champion Jones, who declared his intent to move up a weight class in 2020. However, a bitter contract dispute with UFC CEO Dana White led to “The Predator” entirely parting ways with the organization. Ngannou later inked a multi-fight deal with the PFL, which included the freedom to explore his passion for boxing.

    White has repeatedly asserted that it was Ngannou who blocked the eagerly awaited matchup, while the former heavyweight champion countered by saying that it was “Bones” who was reluctant to fight him as he tried to negotiate a new contract to remain with the UFC. In the end, any negotiations that were in place fell through.

    However, now with Saudi Arabia owning a modest share in the PFL, Alalshikh seemingly has the sway to potentially orchestrate this long-dreamed-of clash. Even White, who has traditionally opposed cross-promotion, was questioned about the possibility during the UFC 303 post-fight press conference in June, and surprisingly, he didn’t dismiss the notion outright.

    “The Natural” thinks the UFC would never gamble with their reigning champion by jeopardizing a loss to someone like Ngannou, whose stock continues to soar. However, he believes the Ngannou vs. Jones clash could become a reality if authorities higher than White step in to make it happen…

    Couture Sees TKO CEO & Alalshikh As Key To Ngannou vs. Jones Fight

    During a recent interview with MMAFightingonSBN, Couture shared his thoughts on the likelihood of a Ngannou vs. Jones showdown ever materializing. The former two-division champion expressed his doubt, stating that it’s highly improbable the UFC would ever agree to a cross-promotion bout.

    “I don’t see the champ in the UFC ever getting a shot at fighting the champ from PFL or any other organization for that matter, and that’s unfortunate,” Couture said. “That’s a shame that the fans are never going to get to see those types of matchups. That’s one of the flaws and issues in our sport right now.”

    However, “The Natural” added that a bout of such magnitude could only come to fruition with the involvement of UFC’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings, under the leadership of CEO Ari Emanuel, along with the influence of Alalshikh.

    “At the end of the day, I think Ari [Emanuel] is the one calling the shots. He’s the one who bought the company from Zuffa. It’s his business. He has shareholders and people he has to answer to, and he needs to do what’s best for the bottom line for that company, which includes WWE and UFC and everything that’s going on there.”

    “Certainly, what the Saudis are holding and what they’re doing with LIV Golf, and all the other things that they’re doing to build culture and create opportunity for their citizens and their athletes in their country, that [fight] could very well happen because that kind of money can make a lot of things happen.”

  • Classy Khabib Nurmagomedov Sets Record Straight After Tony Ferguson Aims Vulgar Taunts At Him: ‘Enjoy Your Life & Your Family’

    Classy Khabib Nurmagomedov Sets Record Straight After Tony Ferguson Aims Vulgar Taunts At Him: ‘Enjoy Your Life & Your Family’

    Khabib Nurmagomedov facing Tony Ferguson inside the Octagon will always be one of the biggest fights that fans never got to watch happen.

    The two men were at the top of the lightweight division at the same time and whilst their paths never crossed, they beat nearly every other top contender between them.

    Ferguson and Khabib both had incredible winning streaks but the fight simply wouldn’t happen, despite getting close on multiple occasions.

    Though “The Eagle” appeared to move on from this, especially after he announced his retirement, “El Cucuy” doesn’t seem to have ever let this one go even after their careers have gone in completely different directions.

    A recent post from the former interim lightweight champion appeared to hit back at comments that he had seen which were allegedly made by his former rival, claiming that Ferguson’s only chance of beating him was to land a lucky shot.

    Ferguson responded via his usual style of cryptic posting on social media.

    Khabib Nurmagomedov Clears The Air With Tony Ferguson, Tells Him To Enjoy Life

    Rather than just ignoring these kinds of posts from Ferguson, which were once a common occurrence, Nurmagomedov responded to this one via his X profile.

    The undefeated former lightweight king replied underneath Ferguson’s pinned post on his account and offered a classy response.

    Rather than biting back and saying how he would have beaten “El Cucuy” if they did ever face off with one another, Nurmagomedov clarified that these comments weren’t made by him.

    He ended his statement by telling Ferguson to go and appreciate his loved ones, insinuating that he should walk away from the sport for good after he appeared to half-retire following his eighth consecutive UFC loss earlier this month.

    “You know what’s interesting, i didn’t say anything about you, people just post whatever they want on the internet and write that it’s Khabib. Enjoy your life and your family, leave this sport for the young fighters.”

    Read also: Dan Hooker On Learning His Lessons From Initial Top Five Stint, Vows Not To ‘Sell His Title Shot Again’

  • Israel Adesanya’s Coach Honest About UFC 305 Loss: ‘I Prefer The Way He Loses Than The Way He Wins…’

    Israel Adesanya’s Coach Honest About UFC 305 Loss: ‘I Prefer The Way He Loses Than The Way He Wins…’

    Israel Adesanya suffered a defeat on his return at UFC 305 but as always, he was incredibly respectful and humble in defeat.

    Fight fans have seen “The Last Stylebender” come up short on four occasions during his time in the promotion.

    Which each loss, he has always continued to represent himself and his team incredibly well and this is something that his coach takes a lot of pride in.

    The only slight exception to this was his loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293, where Adesanya decided to not speak to the media but this was understandable after the amount of time he had spent doing his media duties throughout his UFC career.

    In fact, the former middleweight champion’s character after a defeat is so strong that his coach prefers this side of him to the celebratory one after a win.

    Eugene Bareman Says Israel Adesanya Is Better At Handling Losses Than Anyone Else In MMA

    Though City Kickboxing head coach Eugene Bareman would obviously rather that Adesanya wins each and every one of his fights, he does like seeing the man that his fighter is in the difficult moments where he lets his opponent have their moment without stepping in the way.

    There was a lot of tension between Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis heading into this fight but any beef was squashed after the two men faced off in Perth.

    During a recent appearance on the ‘Who The Fook Are These Guys?’ podcast, Bareman spoke about how great “The Last Stylebender” is after a defeat.

    He also referenced how the shock upset loss to Strickland is an exception because they weren’t able to take positives or lessons from that particular setback.

    “Yeah he keeps handling it well and you’re right, I love the way he loses. I actually prefer the way he loses than the way he wins. I’m not a big fan of some of the ways he win but I’m definitely a big fan of the way he loses. I think he does it better than anyone in the sport. In a sport that’s proliferated with a bunch of idiots that make up all sorts of the most ridiculous things I’ve seen over the years, especially at that level it’s just crazy, and I think he does it the best but I mean the Strickland loss, he’ll never get over. You just fought badly and it was unexplainable.”

    Read also: Dan Hooker’s Coach Feels Unlucky Mateusz Gamrot Let Down By ‘The Machine’: ‘That Should Have Been His Opportunity…’

  • Jon Jones Has NSFW Response To Tom Aspinall Labeling Him The ‘Champion Of Fight Dodging’: ‘I Absolutely Guarantee He Will Not Win…’

    Jon Jones Has NSFW Response To Tom Aspinall Labeling Him The ‘Champion Of Fight Dodging’: ‘I Absolutely Guarantee He Will Not Win…’

    The war of words between UFC heavyweight champions Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall is still going on. despite the fact that it seems unlikely that they will fight one another.

    Interim champ Aspinall has previously said that he is no longer focused on fighting “Bones” before he calls time on his career.

    Many expect that Jones will retire after fighting former champ Stipe Miocic later this year. following a long recovery process from the injury that forced him out of his title defense at UFC 295 last year.

    While the Brit may be ready to move on, he has become more vocal when taking little digs at Jones which, in fairness, is only a response to some of the comments that Jones has been making.

    In a recent social media clip that was posted by Sport Bible, Aspinall was asked who the champion of ducking fights is and obviously, he had an answer already in mind.

    “Fight dodging? That would have to be Jon Jones wouldn’t it. We know he’s trying to fight old man Stipe, well he’s going to fight old man Stipe so he’s the fight dodger around here.”

    Jon Jones Hits Back At Tom Aspinall’s ‘Fight Dodger’ Comment With Fiery Response

    Jones responded to their particular statement from Aspinall directly via a reply underneath the post.

    Most of his comments about the interim champion have come from interactions with MMA fans on X but this time, he fired straight back at the interim titleholder and didn’t hold back either.

    In a NSFW post, the consensus greatest of all time reminded his fellow heavyweight and the fans just what he has accomplished in his career.

    He also referenced how Aspinall won’t stop talking about him which appears to be true on both sides, despite Jones being lined up to fight Miocic next.

    “This dude literally has my large black c*** in his mouth every week. I’m flattered. I absolutely guarantee he will not win more world championships than me. That’s truly all that matters at the end of the day. There’s been good champions, no one like me. I sleep good at night.”

    Read also: Tom Aspinall Sneakily Reveals Why He Looks Up To Stipe Miocic More Than Jon Jones: ‘Don’t Make Me Say It!’

  • Former Champ Analyzes Topuria vs. Holloway Title Fight At UFC 308: ‘What Happens If You Could Set A Little Fatigue In Him?’

    Former Champ Analyzes Topuria vs. Holloway Title Fight At UFC 308: ‘What Happens If You Could Set A Little Fatigue In Him?’

    Aljamain Sterling recently offered his insights on the upcoming featherweight title clash between reigning champion Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway at UFC 308.

    “El Matador” is gearing up to put his title on the line for the first time against Holloway in the headlining bout of an eagerly awaited pay-per-view event set to take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on October 26.

    Topuria claimed the 145-pound championship with a stunning knockout of former titleholder Alexander Volkanovski in the second round at UFC 298 in February. He has secured five victories in under two rounds, dismantling formidable foes such as Bryce Mitchell, Jai Herbert, and Josh Emmett.

    On the other hand, “Blessed” is preparing for his third bid to recapture the featherweight crown, which slipped from his grasp against Volkanovski back in December 2019. Despite two valiant rematch efforts that fell short, Holloway has roared back with a trio of victories. He is coming off a last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje in a lightweight showdown at UFC 300 in April, a victory that also crowned him the BMF champion.

    Topuria has built his reputation on a combination of aggressive striking and powerful grappling. Meanwhile, Holloway’s extensive experience and resilience make him a daunting challenge for any opponent.

    “Funk Master” suggests that if Holloway can expertly control the distance and fully capitalize on his reach advantage, he has a real shot at toppling Topuria.

    Sterling Predicts Holloway Might Push Topuria To His Limits In Championship Rounds

    During a recent appearance on Verse Us with Eric Nicksick, Sterling weighed in on the Topuria vs. Holloway clash at UFC 308. The former UFC bantamweight champion acknowledged “El Matador’s” knockout power, yet he pointed out several potential vulnerabilities.

    Sterling believes that if Holloway can maintain the fight on the feet and execute his striking game with precision, it could spell trouble for the defending champion.

    “Topuria is a savage; that guy can crack, but he struggled with Volkanovski in the first round,” Sterling said. “Enter Max Holloway: great footwork, high guard, long punches. He has shorter reach than Volkanovski, but his footwork is what helps him so much in his fights, and he’s great durability. So if he gets back to his kicking game and stays in his range—Topuria, I think, is 5’6″, maybe 5’7″. Max has a shorter reach for a guy at 145 pounds; I think it’s like 67″. So you look at that, you look at Topuria’s great grappling, but Max has great takedown defense. If Max could stay on his bike and touch him from the outside, it would be very interesting to see what happens in the later rounds.”

    “Funk Master” went on to highlight that Topuria’s cardio remains relatively untested, and he suggested that if “Blessed” can extend the fight into the fourth and fifth rounds while maintaining a measured striking approach, it could pose yet another challenge for the undefeated Georgian-Spaniard.

    “We haven’t seen Topuria [get] exhausted or tired yet. In round five with Josh Emmett, he was in the driver’s seat the whole time, but what happens if you could set a little fatigue in him—him having some failed takedown attempts, or even if he gets the takedowns and Max can get back up—it makes the fight very interesting. He’s always in your face with those spinning back kicks. If Max gets back to the old-school Max, it’s a very intriguing fight.”

  • Dan Hooker On Learning His Lessons From Initial Top Five Stint, Vows Not To ‘Sell His Title Shot Again’

    Dan Hooker On Learning His Lessons From Initial Top Five Stint, Vows Not To ‘Sell His Title Shot Again’

    It has been a long journey full of ups and downs for Dan Hooker to work his back into the top five of the lightweight division.

    After defeating Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 305, he’s riding a three-fight winning streak which has seen him bounce back from consecutive losses.

    Hooker, at one stage, had just one win in his last five Octagon outings and that came after he made it into the top five for the first time in his career. And in his opinion, that skid was caused by a few crucial mistakes he made.

    He has learned a lot in this four-year-period and is now confident that he won’t make the same mistakes that he did last time.

    Dan Hooker Says That Fighting Michael Chandler At UFC 257 Was A Mistake On His Part

    Hooker is now seemingly on the verge of what could be a title eliminator against the likes of Charles Oliveira or Justin Gaethje.

    Though he took big fights against Dustin Poirier and the debuting Michael Chandler the last time he was in this position, he believes that the latter in particular was a mistake.

    “Iron” Mike would hit the ground running in the promotion by stopping the Kiwi fighter in the opening round in Abu Dhabi.

    Hooker didn’t need to risk his ranking against a new arrival like Chandler, even if competing in the co-main event of a Conor McGregor card was a big opportunity for him.

    The major issue with taking this fight is that it took place during the COVID-19 pandemic where New Zealand had very strict regulations, which compromised his preparations.

    Having admitted in an interview with ESPN Australia that he has a whole new level of respect for the team around him, Hooker said that he has learned from the missteps that he has made in his career and isn’t going to waste this opportunity.

    “I kind of have learnt that from my first rodeo, is to just kind of not do anything dumb this time around. I mean the last time I was number five, I agreed to fight Michael Chandler. Gave Michael Chandler a shot, it was his first fight in the UFC, I flew to Abu Dhabi so other side of the world with absolutely no coaches and went and fought him with a guy I’d been training for six months in my corner. so it was not the smartest of decisions so I guess this time around, I’m just not gonna do anything dumb or sell my title shot again.”

    Read also: Israel Adesanya’s Coach Says Du Plessis Defeat Better Than ‘Unexplainable’ Strickland Upset: ‘It Was A Good Loss…’

  • Aljamain Sterling’s Cornerman Clarifies Any Doubt Over Faking Petr Yan Disqualification & Title Win

    Aljamain Sterling’s Cornerman Clarifies Any Doubt Over Faking Petr Yan Disqualification & Title Win

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling has always had a somewhat rocky relationship with certain parts of the MMA fanbase.

    “Funkmaster” has an awkward striking style and a strong grappling game which means that his fights aren’t always the most exciting to watch, even if he’s incredibly effective at what he does.

    Aside from this, another point that saw some of the UFC’s audience take a dislike to Sterling was what happened at UFC 259, where he challenged Petr Yan for the 135-pound title.

    Yan landed an illegal knee to Sterling’s head whilst he was a downed opponent in the fourth round which the challenger couldn’t recover from.

    As a result, Yan was disqualified, meaning that the title changed hands in disappointing fashion.

    Eric Nicksick Recalls How Aljamain Sterling Had No Memory Of UFC 259 On His Journey Home

    Despite the knee strike being a clear and obvious foul on Yan’s side, some fans didn’t like the way Sterling won the title as a result, and questioned whether he actually couldn’t continue or if he was looking for a way out because the fight wasn’t going his way.

    This was cleared up during a recent episode of the Verse Us podcast where Sterling joined Xtreme Couture head coach Eric Nicksick, who was in his corner on that night.

    Nicksick provided more details about how that decision was made to not continue and what the aftermath of that knee landing was like.

    He recalled how, after nominating himself to stay with Sterling and take him back home from the hospital, it was clear that he had no memory of what had just happened.

    “I said to Ray [Longo], I’ll go to the hospital with him and I had to sit in the f****** parking lot. You didn’t get to sit in the waiting room, this is COVID era so I get a text from him or whoever was kind of there, one of the nurses or UFC personnel, ‘Hey, he’s ready, you can come around the back, you can pick him up.’

    “We get in the car and what, 30-minute ride home and this is why I know, from a personal level, that this dude wasn’t faking. 30-minutes of him asking round after round after round. I say this because guys that I know that have been knocked out or have had head trauma have asked the same questions. ‘What happened in round one? What happened in round two?’ Going through everything in their head.”

    Sterling returns at UFC 307 where he faces Movsar Evloev in search of his second consecutive win at featherweight.

    Read also: Aljamain Sterling Accuses Sean O’Malley Of Being Given The ‘Jake Paul Route’ By The UFC: “Stacking The Deck Against His Opponent”

  • Aljamain Sterling Accuses Sean O’Malley Of Being Given The ‘Jake Paul Route’ By The UFC: ‘Stacking The Deck Against His Opponent’

    Aljamain Sterling Accuses Sean O’Malley Of Being Given The ‘Jake Paul Route’ By The UFC: ‘Stacking The Deck Against His Opponent’

    Aljamain Sterling believes that UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has had assistance from the promotion to help build him into a star.

    Though “Suga” still has to beat the opponents that are put in front of him, and has done so in spectacular fashion, his former opponent thinks that this has been aided to some degree.

    The previous titleholder compared O’Malley’s run in the bantamweight division to Jake Paul’s career in boxing, where at a face level, he’s delivering inside the ring by producing huge fights and big knockouts.

    Where a lot of people have issues with Paul’s victories is where the odds are heavily weighted in his favor by things like weight discrepancies and big differentials in both activity and experience.

    Aljamain Sterling Says UFC Always Planned To Talk Him Into Quick Turnaround For Sean O’Malley Title Defense

    Sterling recently appeared on the Verse Us podcast with Xtreme Couture head coach Eric Nicksick where he spoke about O’Malley’s upcoming title defense against his friend and training partner, Merab Dvalishvili.

    “Funkmaster” used his own experiences of fighting “Suga” at UFC 292 to explain why he believes there is a comparison that can be made to “The Problem Child”.

    Sterling says that not only was O’Malley fast-tracked into a title shot, he was made to defend his belt against the returning Henry Cejudo first and claims that the promotion were always going to push him towards making a quick turnaround for UFC 292, which would hinder his preparations and recovery.

    The current featherweight contender, who is back in action at UFC 307, has been very outspoken about this decision and how he was eventually talked into fighting O’Malley in Boston shortly after beating Cejudo.

    “I want to see the best of the best compete, no excuses. Now, enter O’Malley, he fights one ranked guy, gets a title shot, split decision albeit and this is not me hating, this is just calling a spade a spade. He’s supposed to fight me next which would give me enough time to prepare but instead, they say, ‘Oh Cejudo’s coming back, we want you to fight him.’ In the back of their mind, they’re like whoever wins this, we’re gonna turn them around for August.

    “So he knows all this, I’m pretty sure he knows all this and only O’Malley can disclose all this. Or at least, the UFC knew for sure that this is what they wanted to do. Give him the best opportunity that they could to become a world champion by hindering and stacking the deck against his opponent. It’s like the Jake Paul route. Stacking the deck so that you get these highlights or you get these favorable match ups and these wins to look as good as you do.”

    Read also: Sean O’Malley’s Coach Calls Merab Dvalishvili ‘Scary’ But Highlights Major Flaw In His Game: ‘Too Close To The Fight Now To Fix’