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Category: MMA

  • Muhammad Mokaev Dismisses PFL Talk, Pleads With Dana White To Re-Sign Him After UFC 304

    Muhammad Mokaev Dismisses PFL Talk, Pleads With Dana White To Re-Sign Him After UFC 304

    Following his seventh consecutive win inside the Octagon, 23-year-old undefeated flyweight contender Muhammad Mokaev was removed from the UFC rankings and roster.

    Dana White announced in his post-fight press conference after UFC 304 that the promotion would not be renewing his contract after it expired with his fight against Manel Kape in Manchester.

    While Mokaev claimed that he had been warned by UFC staff about his wrestling-heavy fighting style, White said that this isn’t a factor and that the decision was instead made due to his conduct outside of the cage.

    Another rumor was cleared up once the news was made official as Mokaev’s manager denied any chance of his release being caused by negotiations that were being held with the PFL whilst he was still under contract with the UFC.

    Muhammad Mokaev Posts Statement, Clarifies Lack Of Interest In PFL & Hopes Of Re-Signing With UFC

    Mokaev has spoken about the current situation regarding his status with the UFC now that the dust has settled on this past weekend.

    He made it clear that going to the PFL was never a priority for him for multiple reasons. Not only has his main focus always been to achieve UFC gold, the PFL doesn’t currently have an active flyweight division, or bantamweight for that matter.

    “The Punisher” noted that despite this rocky relationship with the UFC, he still hopes to return to the Octagon in the near future to continue working his way toward the belt.

    “My dream is to become UFC Champion. I turn them all down because UFC gave me the platform to put my name out there and earn money to feed my family! btw PFL don’t have flyweight division. All these journalists that make this shit up are idiots! I hope Dana resigns me, this is my dream to become champion!”

  • Leon Edwards’ Coach Claims Injury Affected UFC 304 Performance: ‘He Couldn’t Wrestle The Way He Needed To’

    Leon Edwards’ Coach Claims Injury Affected UFC 304 Performance: ‘He Couldn’t Wrestle The Way He Needed To’

    Leon Edwards’ coach has looked to add some context to the former UFC welterweight champion’s wrestling struggles against Belal Muhammad.

    Edwards headlined this past weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view event at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, defending the 170-pound gold in a rematch with Muhammad.

    Against the odds and despite many backing the champ to retain, “Remember the Name” proved that his confidence was well placed by putting on a largely dominant display across five rounds en route to a unanimous decision victory.

    A key part of Muhammad’s title triumph was his renowned grappling game, as he utilized a smothering wrestling arsenal to control Edwards for significant portions of the UFC 304 headliner. That came as a surprise to many given Edwards’ strong wrestling defense, which helped him outpoint both Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington last year.

    Now, some extra information has been attached to the former champ’s failure to combat Muhammad’s takedowns…

    Coach Lovell Was ‘Dubious’ About Edwards Fighting Through Injury At UFC 304

    During a recent interview on Submission Radio, coach Dave Lovell reflected on his man’s setback in Manchester this past weekend, which marked his first defeat since a decision loss to Usman in 2015.

    While he acknowledged Muhammad’s display and suggested it simply wasn’t Edwards night, the experienced trainer did reveal some injury troubles that he believes hampered “Rocky’s” ability to handle the challenger’s main offense at UFC 304.

    “Where Leon was concerned, a lot of people don’t know this — and I’m not making any kind of excuses for him — but we had a few niggles in camp. His back was niggling him,” Lovell said. “So he couldn’t wrestle the way he really needed to, offensively and defensively. We’re not taking anything away from Belal’s performance. He did well; the best man won on the night. But Leon will be back.

    “I was very dubious because these niggles were going on for about maybe five or so weeks on or off. He had to go to a chiropractor (for) regular massages. But again, after one session, it was back to square one,” Lovell continued. “In the back part of my mind, I was thinking, ‘Should we go for this?’ But because he hadn’t fought for so long, Leon said he wanted it, so we just pushed forward through the injury, trained through the injury, and then tried to get through and get a victory. Unfortunately, it never happened.”

    Edwards made no mention of the physical problems he seemingly entered the cage with at UFC 304 himself. In a short and succinct post-fight statement, “Rocky” apologized to his fans and vowed to regain the gold.

  • Colby Covington Unimpressed By Belal Muhammad’s UFC 304 Title Win: ‘He’s Obviously On The Right Steroids’

    Colby Covington Unimpressed By Belal Muhammad’s UFC 304 Title Win: ‘He’s Obviously On The Right Steroids’

    We can unsurprisingly count UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington among those unimpressed by his division’s newly crowned champion.

    Belal Muhammad completed his ascent to the mountaintop on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage this past weekend, getting the better of Leon Edwards in the main event of the UFC 304 pay-per-view at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena.

    The five-round headliner was largely dominant for the challenger, who made good on his promise to unseat “Rocky” in emphatic fashion and begin a new era at 170 pounds.

    Of course, while plenty were left impressed by Muhammad’s efforts in England, he still has his fair share of detractors. Among them is Covington…

    Covington On UFC 304 Main Event: ‘I Can Tell You Who Lost & That’s The Fans’

    During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Covington gave his first reaction to Muhammad’s championship victory across the pond this past weekend.

    Despite not watching the fight itself, “Chaos” was confident that it would have been short on entertainment and a poor watch for the fanbase.

    And after taking aim at both the new champ and his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, “Chaos” insisted he would have no problems taking the welterweight gold away from Muhammad, whom he also accused of steroid use.

    “I can tell you who lost and that’s the fans. I feel bad for the fans that they got robbed of some entertainment,” Covington said. “Belal the racist juice monkey won. Now that he finally made his first check off the prelims, he can finally fix that dildo that’s on his face. … That’s only if Ali doesn’t take all his money because we know his scumbag manager is a thief.

    “I didn’t watch the fight, man. … I know that Leon made so much money in the last fight with me that I don’t think he’s hungry anymore,” Covington continued. “(Muhammad’s) a f*cking p*ssy. … The only time (he) wanted to fight me was when I already had a title fight signed, sealed, and delivered. Otherwise he’s never said my name because he knows he’s a little b*tch and he knows what I’d do to him. If I cross paths with him, he won’t be champion anymore. … I’d love to fight him. I’ll do whatever it takes to get to that. … He’s got nothing for me. … He’s obviously on the right steroids right now, doing the right cycles. He had a one night, lightning in a bottle-type performance.”

    Despite Covington’s claims, Muhammad had mentioned him long before his title shot was confirmed last year. “Remember the Name” called out “Chaos” way back in 2017 in the aftermath of his victory over Tim Means at UFC Fight Night 121 in Sydney, Australia.

    It didn’t take long for Muhammad to respond, taking aim at Covington 0-3 record in undisputed UFC welterweight title fights in a comment under a clip of the ex-interim titleholder’s recent remarks.

    Covington most recently fell short of the belt in Edwards’ second defense. A comfortable decision victory for the Brit followed the American’s two previous title losses at the hands of Kamaru Usman in 2019 and 2021.

  • Paddy Pimblett Acknowledges Alternative Option To Renato Moicano For Next Fight After UFC 304: ‘If He Wants His Head Punching In…’ 

    Paddy Pimblett Acknowledges Alternative Option To Renato Moicano For Next Fight After UFC 304: ‘If He Wants His Head Punching In…’ 

    Should his original callout post-fight at UFC 304 not come to fruition, Paddy Pimblett has at least one other name in mind.

    Pimblett was among the biggest winners to emerge from this past weekend’s pay-per-view event at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, where he was one of many home fighters making the walk.

    “The Baddy” put in one of the night’s standout performances, rendering ranked lightweight King Green unconscious with a triangle choke for the technical submission victory in the very first round.

    As a result, Pimblett has found himself debuting in the top 15, meaning a whole new set of possible opponents lie in wait for the Liverpool native. One in particular has caught the former Cage Warriors champion’s eye, with Renato Moicano on the receiving end of his Octagon callout at UFC 304.

    Moicano is currently set to headline the UFC Fight Night in Paris, France, this September opposite Benoît Saint Denis.

    Should the result of that matchup leave a battle with the Brazilian off the table, Pimblett wouldn’t mind throwing down with one of Moicano’s fellow countrymen instead…

    Pimblett Open To ‘Punching In’ Dos Anjos For Past Tweets

    During a backstage interview with Full Send MMA, Pimblett reflected on his performance at UFC 304 and assessed what could be next in his journey up the lightweight ladder.

    While he reiterated his desire to share the Octagon with Renato Moicano, Pimblett did entertain another name, former champion Rafael dos Anjos, who sits one place above him in the 155-pound rankings.

    “There are some names. Renato beat Jalin though,” Pimblett said to shut down Turner as an option. “I’ve seen dos Anjos say himself that he’s moving up to welterweight; he’s not fighting at lightweight anymore. So you never know, I could end up moving up higher than 15 in the rankings if ‘RDA’s’ moving up.

    “I also have seen ‘RDA’ tweet about me in the past, though. So if he wants his head punching in, I’ll punch his head in,” Pimblett continued. “But as I say, I’m thinking Moicano more than likely.”

    Despite suggesting his lightweight stint was over following a knockout loss to Rafael Fiziev in 2022, “RDA” returned to the division unsuccessfully against Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 299 in Miami this past March.

    Following that setback, the Brazilian once again suggested he’ll only consider welterweight contests moving forward. But perhaps his past comments on Pimblett and the high-profile nature of that matchup could draw him back to 155 pounds.

    In the aftermath of “The Baddy’s” win over Tony Ferguson last December, “RDA” branded Pimblett “terrible” and insisted he wouldn’t even need a fight camp to defeat him in the cage.

  • UFC Rankings Report: Paddy Pimblett Arrives At Lightweight, Belal Muhammad Debuts On Pound-For-Pound List

    UFC Rankings Report: Paddy Pimblett Arrives At Lightweight, Belal Muhammad Debuts On Pound-For-Pound List

    As always, the latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the ladder toward contention and others fall away.

    And in the aftermath of UFC 304, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.

    Men’s Pound-For-Pound: In addition to reaching the mountaintop at 170 pounds, Belal Muhammad’s title-winning triumph over Leon Edwards this past weekend has seen him join the P4P rankings. The newly crowned welterweight champion has debuted at #6, with his defeated opponent dropping three spots to #7. Muhammad’s arrival has resulted in the removal of former bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling.

    Also on a climb is the other man who left the Co-op Live with gold in his possession, Tom Aspinall. The interim heavyweight kingpin’s rapid knockout of Curtis Blaydes has seen him rise by two places to #9, jumping above Max Holloway (#10), Dricus Du Plessis (#11), and Alexandre Pantoja (#12).

    Women’s Pound-for-Pound: No changes.

    Women’s Strawweight: No changes.

    Women’s Flyweight: No changes.

    Women’s Bantamweight: No changes.

    Flyweight: After some controversial antics and a lackluster victory at UFC 304, Muhammad Mokaev evidently didn’t do enough to convince the promotion he was worth re-signing. As a result of his departure, “The Punisher” has been quickly removed from the 125-pound rankings. That’s paved the way for Cody Durden to return at #15.

    The man he beat at UFC 304, Manel Kape, has fallen by one position to #9, with both Steve Erceg (#7) and Matheus Nicolau (#8) receiving two-spot boosts to jump above “Starboy.”

    Bantamweight: No changes.

    Featherweight: Arnold Allen’s decision win over Giga Chikadze in the early hours of Sunday morning was enough to secure his return to the top five at 145 pounds. “Almighty” has moved up by one spot to share the #5 place with former opponent Movsar Evloev.

    Lightweight: Paddy Pimblett was among the biggest winners to emerge from UFC 304, putting King Green to sleep with a triangle choke to record his first success over ranked opposition. As expected, the result has pushed “The Baddy” into contention, with the Liverpool native replacing Green at #15.

    Welterweight: With Muhammad surging to the throne in Manchester, Edwards has slipped back to the #1 position as the leader in the chasing pack. That’s also left former champ Kamaru Usman one place worse off at #2.

    Middleweight: No changes.

    Light Heavyweight: No changes.

    Heavyweight: After falling short in his first UFC title shot, Blaydes has been relegated to #5 in the heavyweight pecking order, with Sergei Pavlovich replacing him at #4 a month on from his defeat to Alexander Volkov in Saudi Arabia.

    You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

  • Belal Muhammad Says Trash Talk From Fans At UFC 304 Only Motivated Him More: ‘I’m From The South Side Of Chicago!’ 

    Belal Muhammad Says Trash Talk From Fans At UFC 304 Only Motivated Him More: ‘I’m From The South Side Of Chicago!’ 

    Newly crowned UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad says hostility from fans only aided in his successful pursuit of gold this past weekend.

    Muhammad emerged from enemy territory with the 170-pound title in his possession, having headlined the UFC 304 pay-per-view alongside Leon Edwards at the Co-op Live in Manchester, England.

    Against the odds and predictions of many fans, pundits, and fellow fighters alike, Muhammad made good on his vows to dominate “Rocky” in his own backyard, utilizing his grappling to secure large periods of control and finding success on the feet too.

    With that, “Remember the Name” was able to silence a crowd that didn’t shy away from letting him know their feelings as he made his way to the Octagon. That trend was also visible last week at the press conference and ceremonial weigh-ins.

    While some may be negatively affected by such a reception, Muhammad says it was ideal…

    Muhammad Relished UFC 304 Boos: ‘I Want That Energy’

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2w081fkcBw

    During a backstage interview with Caroline Pearce for TNT Sports, Muhammad reflected on his experience competing in front of a hostile Manchester crowd.

    While Muhammad had downplayed the support Edwards had in the UK, “Remember the Name” was seemingly pleased to be on the receiving end of heavy boos during fight week events and his UFC 304 walkout.

    “Honestly, I liked it. It was motivation,” Muhammad said. “I like to get booed. I want that energy. Like I said, I’ve been doubted my whole career. Those boos, they only push me to go harder.

    “I’m from like, the south side of Chicago, so I’m not afraid of like, altercations or people talking trash to me. I love that type of energy,” Muhammad continued. “When they’re talking trash to me or I get an opponent I can talk trash to, those are the best kind of fights for me.”

    Having proved plenty wrong with his ascent to top spot at 170 pounds, Muhammad will now turn his attention to cementing his grip on that crown and beginning the pursuit of another.

    This week, Muhammad debuted in the pound-for-pound rankings at #6, just behind featherweight champ Ilia Topuria and bantamweight kingpin Sean O’Malley. With some title defenses down the line, “Remember the Name” will hope to further climb that pecking order.

  • Chael Sonnen: Tom Aspinall Knocking Out Big Heavyweights That Mike Tyson Had A ‘Hard Time’ With

    Chael Sonnen: Tom Aspinall Knocking Out Big Heavyweights That Mike Tyson Had A ‘Hard Time’ With

    Chael Sonnen recently lauded Tom Aspinall’s formidable punching power, boldly asserting that the Brit possesses the knockout ability to take down heavyweight boxers against whom even the legendary Mike Tyson struggled.

    Aspinall triumphantly retained his interim heavyweight title with a stunning 60-second knockout of his former foe, Curtis Blaydes, avenging his only loss in the Octagon in the co-main event of UFC 304 this past Saturday in Manchester.

    The 31-year-old Salford native delivered a powerful right hand that sent “Razor” crashing to the floor, then topped it off with a relentless barrage of punches to the head, prompting referee Marc Goddard to stop the fight.

    Since returning from injury in July 2023, Aspinall has been unstoppable, securing three first-round knockout victories. He has now won seven of his UFC fights by first-round stoppage, boasting an average fight time of just 2:02—the shortest in the promotion’s history.

    Sonnen Stunned by Aspinall’s Devastating Punching Power

    During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Sonnen weighed in on Aspinall’s victory over Blaydes at UFC 304. “The Bad Guy” noted that while it may not have been the Englishman’s finest performance in the Octagon, his incredible knockout power still managed to shift the momentum decisively in his favor.

    “I’m watching Tom, surprised by himself that it wasn’t a perfect fight by Tom,” Sonnen said. “Curtis was actually fundamentally doing some things a little bit better than Tom. And one thing about Tom is these boys he’s putting down, these are the big heavyweights, and I’m talking about size. I’m talking about actually getting on the scale and what they tip the scale at.”

    Sonnen went on to say that Aspinall’s punching power is so formidable that he could knock out big heavyweights – something even “Iron Mike” Tyson had trouble with.

    “Mike Tyson had a hard time putting down the heavyweights that were 240, 250, 260 [pounds]. These are the guys that Tom is touching one time; this is shocking power. Tom is getting guys out of here so quickly. I don’t love the reality that in three years, Tom has been in the ring for about three minutes, but the other side of it is, what are you going to do? How are you going to stop him?”

    After his win, Aspinall renewed his call for a unification bout with Jon Jones, who claimed the vacant UFC heavyweight title by defeating Ciryl Gane in March 2023 at UFC 285.

    “Bones” is expected to defend his title for the first time later this year against Stipe Miocic, a matchup that UFC CEO Dana White is adamant about making a reality.

  • Robert Whittaker Feels The Real Leon Edwards Didn’t Show Up Against Belal Muhammad: ‘I Am Wondering Why Leon Had No Answer…’

    Robert Whittaker Feels The Real Leon Edwards Didn’t Show Up Against Belal Muhammad: ‘I Am Wondering Why Leon Had No Answer…’

    Robert Whittaker recently said that he believes Leon Edwards did not perform to the best of his abilities in his rematch against Belal Muhammad at UFC 304.

    “Rocky” relinquished his welterweight championship to Muhammad in his third title defense this Saturday at the Co-Op Live arena in Manchester, England. This was the second showdown between the two fighters, with their first encounter ending in a no-contest after an eye-poke rendered Muhammad unable to continue past the second round.

    Muhammad came out strong in the first round, quickly securing a takedown that highlighted his wrestling dominance. His seamless combination of takedowns and boxing set the tone for the fight. In the second round, he intensified his assault, dropping the defending champion on his head and taking control by securing his back.

    Edwards managed a comeback in the fourth round with aggressive striking, but the challenger quickly closed the distance, taking him down and maintaining a dominant position for most of the round. In a dramatic final push, Edwards reversed the position and unleashed a barrage of elbows, splitting Muhammad open.

    Despite this late effort, it wasn’t enough to retain his belt, as the judges scored the fight 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46 in favor of “Remember the Name”, crowning him the new UFC welterweight champion.

    This setback cost the Jamaican-born Englishman not only his title but also ended his impressive 13-fight unbeaten streak in the Octagon. “The Reaper” believes Edwards didn’t meet the high standards he has set for himself…

    Whittaker Believes Edwards Wasn’t At His Best Against Muhammad

    During a recent episode of the MMArcade Podcast, Whittaker analyzed the rematch between Edwards and Muhammad at UFC 304. The UFC middleweight champion conveyed his surprise at “Rocky’s” uncharacteristic struggle in the bout, noting that his performance starkly contrasted with his last two impressive showings against Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington.

    “I was surprised, not surprised like that Muhammad surprised me,” Whittaker said. “Yeah, no, you know what, I was surprised. I was surprised because Leon’s last two showings against Usman and Colby looked vastly different to the Leon that turned up against Muhammad. Now, what does that mean? Because I don’t want to take away from Belal just turning up and honestly dominating Leon Edwards. Like, he belted him in the stand-up. He put that constant pressure, was punching him up.”

    Whittaker went on to say that Muhammad’s performance may have caught Edwards off guard, as he possibly underestimated how formidable his opponent would be.

    “I am wondering why Leon had no answer for it because we saw him go up against the likes of Usman, we saw him go up against the likes of Colby, and both guys couldn’t do that. Was it because Belal is a much bigger welterweight? He looked strong in that. I don’t want to take away because it was such a good showing from Belal, but it was such a—like, did he shut down that hard that he made Leon look bad, or was it because Leon was off? He said he felt lethargic or whatever.”

    In his post-fight Octagon interview, “Rocky” revealed that he struggled with fatigue in the days leading up to UFC 304, as he attempted to acclimate to the unusual fight schedule in Manchester.

    Edwards made it clear that he doesn’t plan to dwell on the loss. He is eager to return to the Octagon later this year, though his next opponent remains uncertain.

  • Former UFC Champion Explains How Tom Aspinall’s Short Fight Time Could Be His ‘Worst Enemy’ Against Jon Jones

    Former UFC Champion Explains How Tom Aspinall’s Short Fight Time Could Be His ‘Worst Enemy’ Against Jon Jones

    Tom Aspinall came into UFC 304 this past weekend already holding the UFC record for the fastest average fight time for an athlete that has stepped foot in the Octagon several times.

    This streak doesn’t appear to be going anywhere despite his want and expectation for the rematch with Curtis Blaydes to go past the opening rounds.

    All it took was one clean shot from the interim heavyweight champion to send Blaydes off balance, where a barrage of follow-up strikes closed the show in just one minute.

    In nine total appearances since signing with the UFC, Aspinall is still yet to clock in a full 15-minute bout duration – even with all of his fights combined.

    He got this one done even quicker than his average fight time of less than two minutes but a former champion questioned whether this will come back to bite him at a later stage.

    Henry Cejudo Says Tom Aspinall’s Lack Of Cage Time Could Hurt Him Against Jon Jones

    Even before this fight, despite Blaydes being a very tough opponent for Aspinall, the fight that many want to see the Brit in is the title unification clash with Jon Jones.

    This is even more so the case after he avenged his one defeat in the UFC, which was caused by an injury, and made it look relatively simple.

    During the UFC 304 recap episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Henry Cejudo made the case for why this incredibly small amount of fight time could be a disadvantage for Aspinall if he were to fight Jones.

    We’re still yet to see so many elements of his game which an experienced foe like Jones is surely going to want to try and test, if they do ever meet.

    “Last four fights bro! 3 minutes and 37 seconds, Jesus Christ. But, that can also be his worst enemy too because you know a guy like Jones, a guy like Jones is smart bro. A guy like Jones, we cannot doubt the dude. The dude could wrestle and the dude will probably make this dude fight that beast side. But I will say this man, Tom Aspinall’s agility and the fact he’s a counter puncher, like he really did counter that jab very well with that overhand bro. like his IQ on his feet is good but we also have to see him in those other areas.”

    Read also: Kamaru Usman Reacts To Belal Muhammad Dominating Leon Edwards At UFC 304: ‘Leon Doesn’t Necessarily Know How To Fight There…’

  • King Green Breaks Silence After Being Put To Sleep By Paddy Pimblett At UFC 304: ‘Let The Ridicule Begin…’

    King Green Breaks Silence After Being Put To Sleep By Paddy Pimblett At UFC 304: ‘Let The Ridicule Begin…’

    It wasn’t to be King Green’s night at UFC 304 as he made the trip over to Manchester to take on a home crowd favorite.

    Liverpool’s Paddy Pimblett provided a much-needed boost to the fans inside the Co-op Live in the early hours of Sunday morning.

    The energy from his walk out carried into the fight itself, where after Green shot for a takedown and “The Baddy” was able to showcase his submission skills off his back.

    Locking up a slick triangle, Pimblett was able to choke his opponent unconscious whilst extending his arm at the same time, to secure a huge first-round finish against his first ranked opponent.

    King Green Reflects On First Round Loss At UFC 304: ‘Kill Or Be Killed’

    Green spoke for the first time since the fight via a video that he posted on his Instagram stories, where he prepared himself for fan backlash.

    The 50-fight veteran made no excuses for the defeat and said that he expects to receive negative messages and comments from the fans after being submitted.

    Green is no stranger to being on both sides of highlight reel finishes so this isn’t a new experience for him and as he said himself, it’s kill or be killed at his level.

    “What a day. Thank you guys for checking in on me, I’m okay I guess. You know, s*** happens. Felt like I slipped into some s*** and it just all went the perfect way, I had a bad night. No excuses, s*** happens. I live by a code, kill or be killed. Today I got killed. Let the ridicule begin, you know, I know what comes with this. You guys can talk your s***, I know what comes with this. Let’s go.”

    Watch Green’s Instagram story via MMA Crazy on YouTube below:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrI7FJv6-uM

    Read also: Molly McCann Speaks On ‘Sh*t Night At The Office’ At UFC 304: ‘Wasn’t Able To Recover After That Knee…’ 

  • Kamaru Usman Quashes Notion Of Early Stoppage In Tom Aspinall’s Win Over Curtis Blaydes: ‘The Best Heavyweight’

    Kamaru Usman Quashes Notion Of Early Stoppage In Tom Aspinall’s Win Over Curtis Blaydes: ‘The Best Heavyweight’

    Tom Aspinall continued his track record of finishing fights early on, in the co-main event of UFC 304 this past weekend.

    His interim title defense against Curtis Blaydes came to an end in just one minute of the very first round, when he dropped his opponent and landed some follow-up strikes on the floor to get the win.

    The speed and timing of Aspinall was on full display once again, despite taking a punch or two from Blaydes in that opening minute.

    By his own admission, the Brit was still taking some time to work out his opponent’s range and timing after being hit when he thought Blaydes would would miss.

    What makes him so dangerous is that this didn’t even matter in the grand scheme of things as once a shot of his own landed clean, he was able to get the finish.

    Kamaru Usman Says He Had No Issues With Blaydes Stoppage, Calls Aspinall The Best Heavyweight

    Given that it was the jab from Aspinall that tipped Blaydes off balance, some questioned whether it was an early stoppage because nothing appeared to really hurt the challenger.

    Kamaru Usman doesn’t believe this was a factor as he stated during the UFC 304 review episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast.

    Usman said that similar to Aspinall’s own view of the finish, Blaydes had nowhere to go and was only going to take more damage if the referee didn’t step in.

    “Everyone is speculating, ‘Oh, was it an early stoppage.’ At first, I would think so but this is the thing with big boys though. Yes, the jab didn’t completely [drop him]…like it was just kind of momentum. He’s coming in, he ate the jab, okay he sat him down. But when he sat him down, Curtis was still there, Curtis saw him coming, Curtis tried to get back up but those are big boys.

    “He fell on Curtis, he jumped on Curtis and when you jumped on him I mean those boys don’t move as fast and then he starts wailing off and there was moments to where Curtis was there trying to get up, a shot lands on the side of the head, he goes back down, he tries to get up so it was just kind of this grey area. I don’t think it was an early stoppage I just think Curtis was kind of caught off guard and was unable to recover quickly enough before Tom Aspinall was able to pounce on him and completely finish the fight.”

    Usman was also very high in his praise for the interim champion, labelling him as the best in his weight class despite the presence of Jon Jones.

    “I just think it was a tremendous fight. I think the speed of Tom Aspinall sets him apart from every heavyweight now. His speed, his awareness, his fearlessness to go in there and know that, ‘Hey, my shots are going to get there before yours.’ I think you have to put him in there, you have to say that Tom Aspinall right now is the best heavyweight.”

    Read also: Kamaru Usman Reacts To Belal Muhammad Dominating Leon Edwards At UFC 304: ‘Leon Doesn’t Necessarily Know How To Fight There…’

  • Muhammad Mokaev Defends Pulling Manel Kape’s Shorts Down At UFC 304: ‘There’s A Reason We Have Warnings…’ 

    Muhammad Mokaev Defends Pulling Manel Kape’s Shorts Down At UFC 304: ‘There’s A Reason We Have Warnings…’ 

    UFC flyweight Muhammad Mokaev appears keen to make the most of some controversial leniency from mixed martial arts referees.

    Mokaev was among the most talked about fighters leading into this past weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view event in Manchester, England — and in the aftermath.

    The Dagestan-born Brit appeared on the preliminary card, sharing the Octagon with Manel Kape. While relegated from the main card, the matchup was among the most anticipated in the lead-up to the numbered event.

    But despite the pair’s apparent bad blood, fueled by multiple altercations during fight week, the bout fell flat. “The Punisher” ultimately had his hand raised on the scorecards, but the manner of victory left Mokaev as the subject of criticism.

    In addition to that being down to the low-volume and entertainment nature of the fight, the 23-year-old also raised eyebrows with one particular tactic he employed on the ground. After taking Kape down in the first round, the Brit blatantly pulled “Starboy’s” shorts.

    Many have suggested Mokaev was fortunate to escape without losing a point, but the man himself seemingly has no regrets, insisting he’ll use whatever warnings he has in the chamber to stretch the rules…

    Mokaev On UFC 304 Fouling: ‘I Have To Take Every Single Opportunity’

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS5BRRMCNFQ

    During a backstage interview in Manchester with Caroline Pearce for TNT Sports, Mokaev reflected on his victory over Kape and some of the controversy surrounding it.

    In his first post-fight statement on social media, the Angola-born Portuguese flyweight slammed Mokaev for the pull of his shots, as well as multiple other fouls he believes went against him.

    The topic of how referees enforce the rules has long been a prominent one, with frequent fouls such as fence grabs going unpunished and met with a multitude of verbal warnings.

    Mokaev, though, appeared to share a ‘if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying’ mantra.

    “It’s a fight, yeah? You grab, do everything you can to win a fight,” Mokaev said. “There’s a reason we’ve got the warnings. I’ll do everything. I am young, I have to take every single opportunity in the Octagon. I know sometimes stuff doesn’t look (good), but I’ll do what I can.”

    Unfortunately for Mokaev, his performance and conduct in Manchester evidently didn’t impress the UFC, with Dana White revealing during the UFC 304 post-fight press conference that the promotion wouldn’t be re-signing the flyweight up-and-comer.

    It remains to be seen what lies in the future of “The Punisher,” who told TNT Sports in the aftermath of his win that he was hoping to be sent a new contract ahead of a possible title shot against Alexandre Pantoja.

    It now appears that he’ll have to adjust his sights to a championship elsewhere.

  • Sean O’Malley Reacts To Paddy Pimblett Choking King Green Out At UFC 304: ‘He Could Be Champ…’

    Sean O’Malley Reacts To Paddy Pimblett Choking King Green Out At UFC 304: ‘He Could Be Champ…’

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley looks to be extremely high on Paddy Pimblett’s lightweight title chances following this past weekend.

    Pimblett was among the most prominent names in action at the UFC 304 pay-per-view, which took place in front of his home crowd at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England.

    Off the back of decision wins over Jared Gordon and Tony Ferguson, and amid plenty of doubt regarding his ability to compete with the best at 155 pounds, “The Baddy” had his first shot at cracking the rankings opposite King Green.

    Against the odds and expectations of many, Pimblett made good on his promise to dispatch Green with ease, capitalizing on the American veteran’s ill-advised takedown attempt by locking in a triangle choke to put him unconscious.

    The result impressed most and has left Pimblett closer to his goal of touching gold on MMA’s biggest stage. And while that target remains a considerable distance and plenty of major victories away, O’Malley isn’t writing the Liverpool native off…

    O’Malley Lauds Pimblett’s Home Win At UFC 304

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, O’Malley reacted live to the major matchups that played out in the UK this past weekend.

    “Sugar” appeared impressed when Pimblett choked Green out cold, and he proved as much by suggesting that the Brit’s improvements could pave the way for a possible title crowning down the line.

    “Paddy is f*cking focused, ready to go. Got two kids now. He does have skills, he does have f*cking good skills,” O’Malley said. “He’s out! He put him to sleep! Paddy just put Bobby to sleep! … That was f*cking beautiful. Damn, he’s still sleeping.

    “That was sick, bro. Good for him. He answered a lot of questions,” O’Malley continued. “I guess I don’t know how good Bobby’s jiu-jitsu is. I’ve always thought of him as a f*cking brawler, but for Paddy to do that to a guy like Bobby Green is huge. It’s a massive win. … Paddy called out Renato Moicano. … Paddy could definitely be — I mean, if he wins the right fights, he could be champ.”

    For now, Pimblett will be keeping a close eye on Tuesday’s rankings update before turning his attention to the upcoming Paris showdown between Moicano and Benoît Saint Denis on September 28.

  • Chris Curtis vs. Kevin Holland Set For UFC 307 On October 5

    Chris Curtis vs. Kevin Holland Set For UFC 307 On October 5

    The UFC 307 pay-per-view this fall has its latest confirmed fight, and it’ll see Chris Curtis defend his middleweight ranking against the always entertaining Kevin Holland.

    While not confirmed, the promotion is expected to stage its October 5 numbered event in Salt Lake City, Utah. Should that come to fruition, Curtis and Holland will be among those taking to the cage in high altitude.

    The middleweight bout was confirmed by Curtis’ management team, Iridium Sports Agency, on Monday. The announcement marks the second addition to the lineup, joining a crucial featherweight scrap between Movsar Evloev and Aljamain Sterling.

    Holland Targets Second Straight Middleweight Win Against Ranked Curtis

    When they throw down in a few months’ time, Curtis and Holland will be doing so off the back of different fortunes last time out.

    The matchup marks a comeback from injury for Curtis (31-11, 1 NC), who played his part in a Fight of the Year contender opposite Brendan Allen earlier this year before tearing his hamstring in the closing moments of the five-round main event. While confident he deserved the nod and his second straight triumph months on from a win over Marc-André Barriault in Canada, two of the judges ultimately ruled the way of “All In.”

    Having had his calls for a showdown with former title challenger Paulo Costa evidently fall on deaf ears, the #15-ranked middleweight contender will instead face Holland (26-11, 1 NC) at UFC 307.

    “Trailblazer’s” year didn’t begin on the right foot as he fell out of the welterweight rankings owing to a setback against the debuting Michael “Venom” Page at UFC 299 in Miami. With that following a defeat to Jack Della Maddalena, Holland left his losing skid at 170 pounds and returned to the middleweight division on short notice at UFC 302 last month.

    And “Big Mouth” bounced back emphatically in Newark, submitting the experienced Michał Oleksiejczuk with a gruesome armbar just over 90 seconds into their contest.

    Kevin Holland & Michał Oleksiejczuk
    Image: Chris Unger/UFC/Zuffa LLC
  • Daniel Cormier Defends Belal Muhammad Against Criticism Of UFC 304 Title Win: ‘That Was The Furthest Thing From A Boring Fight!’

    Daniel Cormier Defends Belal Muhammad Against Criticism Of UFC 304 Title Win: ‘That Was The Furthest Thing From A Boring Fight!’

    Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier has dismissed the notion that Belal Muhammad captured welterweight gold in “boring” fashion.

    Muhammad achieved his long-held title ambitions on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage at this past weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view event, held inside the Co-op Live in Manchester, England.

    “Remember the Name” entered the Octagon as an underdog against Leon Edwards and with many expecting “Rocky” to handedly defend his title again given how the first round of their 2021 fight played out.

    But the challenger ultimately made good on his promise to dominate the champion in his own backyard, securing control for the majority of the fight and landing some notable shots of his own on the feet en route to a unanimous decision victory.

    With that, Muhammad proved his doubters wrong in a major way. But, of course, not everyone is giving the new welterweight kingpin credit. Some of his detractors have accused him of reaching the top with a less than entertaining style and performance at UFC 304.

    In that regard, Muhammad has the backing of one individual who had a close view of his efforts inside the cage in the UK…

    Cormier Shuts Down ‘Boring’ Accusations After Muhammad’s UFC 304 Triumph

    During a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Cormier gave his take on the events that unfolded at UFC 304 from cageside inside Manchester’s Co-op Live.

    Reflecting on the main event, “DC” had nothing but praise for Muhammad, admitting that he put in a display that went above and beyond what he had expected from the American-Palestinian.

    The ex-heavyweight and light heavyweight titleholder also pushed back on claims the UFC 304 headliner was “boring,” highlighting Muhammad’s impressive performance in all aspects of the game.

    “Tonight, Belal Muhammad fought the absolute perfect fight,” Cormier said. “He said all week that he would make this look easy. I didn’t believe him, and I will say that openly. I thought he was underestimating Leon Edwards. I thought when he was walking out to the Octagon, he looked a bit confident and I wasn’t sure that it was warranted. But what he did in the Octagon tonight was so special.

    “Belal gets a bit of a bad rap, and at times they say he’s boring. But I will tell you right now, that was the furthest thing from a boring fight from the new champion,” Cormier continued. “His pace was amazing, his pressure was amazing, his striking — he fought and struck with Leon Edwards. He outlanded Leon Edwards. … It was a fantastic performance.”

    Continued dismissive remarks from some in the community won’t come as a surprise to Muhammad, who has long dealt with criticism from an abundance of haters. But with the welterweight title now in his possession, it’s safe to say that “Remember the Name” had the last laugh in Manchester.

    He’ll now look to continue that trend by turning back challenges from the division’s pool of contenders and building a lengthy reign.

  • What’s Next After UFC 304? Full Confirmed UFC 305 Main Card For Perth On August 17

    What’s Next After UFC 304? Full Confirmed UFC 305 Main Card For Perth On August 17

    UFC 304 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering.

    The promotion was in Manchester, England last week, where the Co-op Live played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its latest visit across the pond. Of note were victories for newly crowned UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad, Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall, and rising lightweight Paddy Pimblett.

    While the aftermath of the July 27 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the welterweight title picture to the 185-pound championship conversation.

    At UFC 305, set for the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, on August 17, reigning middleweight kingpin Dricus Du Plessis will compete for the second time this year, making his first defense of the gold in a long-awaited grudge match against returning former two-time champ Israel Adesanya.

    There will also be high stakes and Oceanic interest in the co-headliner, as former flyweight title challengers Kai Kara-France and Steve Erceg collide in the latter’s home city in pursuit of staking their claim for a shot at Alexandre Pantoja’s belt down the line.

    Hooker, Tuivasa, ‘The Leech’ Set The Stage For Title Headliner At UFC 305

    Before Du Plessis defends his championship in Adesanya’s home continent and the City Kickboxing standout’s teammate “Don’t Blink” makes his comeback, a number of other high-profile names will take to the Octagon looking to make the most of their position on the major card.

    That includes fan-favorite lightweight veteran Dan Hooker, whose frequent calls for a spot on the Perth card were finally answered in the form of a crucial showdown with the #5-ranked Mateusz Gamrot. While Hooker has won back-to-back outings against Claudio Puelles and Jalin Turner to begin a resurgence, “Gamer” is riding a three-fight win streak.

    Prior to that, Australia’s own Tai Tuivasa will look to bring his patented post-knockout shoey celebration back to the Octagon for the first time since his victory over Derrick Lewis in February 2022. That result marked “Bam Bam’s” fifth straight win and left him at #3 in the heavyweight rankings, but he’s since lost four in a row, the most recent of which came against Marcin Tybura at the Apex this past March. The same month saw his next opponent, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, return to winning ways at the expense of Shamil Gaziev.

    And opening the main card is the return of Li Jingliang, who hasn’t made the walk since a controversial defeat to Daniel Rodriguez in their short-notice 180-pound catchweight contest at UFC 279 in September 2022.

    See below for the full UFC 305 card, as it stands.

    Main Card:

    • Dricus Du Plessis (C) vs. Israel Adesanya (middleweight championship main event)
    • Kai Kara-France vs. Steve Erceg (flyweight co-main event)
    • Mateusz Gamrot vs. Dan Hooker (lightweight)
    • Tai Tuivasa vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (heavyweight)
    • Li Jingliang vs. Carlos Prates (welterweight)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Junior Tafa vs. Valter Walker (heavyweight)
    • Joshua Culibao vs. Ricardo Ramos (featherweight)
    • Casey O’Neill vs. Luana Santos (women’s flyweight)
    • Jack Jenkins vs. Herbert Burns (featherweight)

    Early Preliminary Card:

    • Tom Nolan vs. Alex Reyes (lightweight)
    • Song Kenan vs. Ricky Glenn (welterweight)
    • Stewart Nicoll vs. Jesus Aguilar (flyweight)
    Dan Hooker
    Image: UFC.com
  • Manel Kape Bemoans Muhammad Mokaev’s Fouling In Post-UFC 304 Reaction: ‘I Definitely Won This Fight!’ 

    Manel Kape Bemoans Muhammad Mokaev’s Fouling In Post-UFC 304 Reaction: ‘I Definitely Won This Fight!’ 

    UFC flyweight Manel Kape believes he was robbed of victory against Muhammad Mokaev in Manchester, seemingly by both the judges and referee.

    Kape and Mokaev entered the Octagon during the UFC 304 preliminary card in the early hours of Sunday morning in the UK for a fight that was among the most talked about leading into the pay-per-view event.

    In the eyes of most, the bout was a likely title eliminator at 125 pounds, and the stakes and anticipation only increased when they got into numerous aggressive altercations during fight week.

    The pair ultimately failed to deliver on their promise of a barnburner at the Co-op Live, however, with Mokaev having his hand raised on the scorecards following a low-output and low-entertainment affair.

    While some disagreed with the decision going in “The Punisher’s” favor, the biggest point of contention came in round one when the Dagestan-born brit displayed some of the most egregious fouling in recent memory.

    After landing a takedown, Mokaev blatantly pulled Kape’s shorts down, leading to firm complaints from “Starboy.” But despite the views of the commentary team and many in the community, no point was taken.

    That fact has left the defeated Kape less than pleased…

    Kape Admits He Underperformed At UFC 304 But Claims He Deserved More

    A few hours on from his disappointing setback in Manchester, Kape took to social media to release his first public statement on the result.

    The Angola-born Portuguese flyweight insisted he deserved the victory and pointed out Mokaev’s cheating early on, as well as some other fouls he believes went unpunished from referee Mike Beltran.

    “I definitely won this fight, that pull of the shorts deserved to be removed the point, two fingers in the eyes, 3 kicks in balls,” Kape wrote. “Anyway, It was not the best performance, I apologize for those who expected the best from me but only Allah knows. Alhamdulillah for everything.”

    While he may have had his championship ambitions stalled for the time being, he appears to have had the last laugh in his feud with Mokaev.

    After it emerged that the Dagestan-born Brit would be completing the final fight on his contract at UFC 304, Dana White revealed at the post-fight press conference that the promotion wouldn’t be re-signing “The Punisher,” seemingly owing to issues outside of the Octagon.

  • Kamaru Usman Reacts To Belal Muhammad Dominating Leon Edwards At UFC 304: ‘Leon Doesn’t Necessarily Know How To Fight There…’

    The UK fans inside the Co-op Live in the early hours of Sunday morning left following a disappointing result for the home fighter.

    England’s Leon Edwards failed to make the third defense of his welterweight title after losing a unanimous decision to Belal Muhammad.

    Many expected that given Edwards’ recent run of results against top tier opposition, he would be able to deal with the heavy grappling game of his challenger and out strike him on the feet.

    This wasn’t to be the case as Muhammad regularly secured takedowns and even had success with his boxing when pressuring “Rocky” against the cage.

    The constant output from the challenger kept Edwards on the back foot where he was able to make a clever adjustment that a former opponent of the defending champion’s picked up on.

    Kamaru Usman Breaks Down The Adjustment Belal Muhammad Made And Where Leon Edwards Went Wrong

    Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman knows Edwards better than most due to sharing the Octagon with him on three separate occasions.

    As an elite wrestler, Usman constantly tested the defense of “Rocky” which fans saw improve with each fight that he spent in there with “The Nigerian Nightmare”.

    He spoke on a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast where he broke down where Edwards’ style worked against him in this fight.

    “Now, I fought Leon three times. I would say for a majority of all those fights, Leon put his back up against the cage. Well, he didn’t put his back there, I put him there up against the cage. You pressure him, you pressure him, you pressure him, you take away his space and Leon just doesn’t necessarily know how to fight there when you take away his space. He wants to create the space so he backs up and when he backs up, next thing you know, he puts himself up against the cage.”

    Crucially, Usman broke down what Muhammad did differently to his three fights against Edwards, which meant he was able to regularly take down and control the Brit.

    “Now, when you fight a guy like myself and a guy like Belal Muhammad that can change levels on you, hey, this is what you’re going to get. We’re going to change levels, we’re going to wrap our arms around your legs and we’re going to take you down every time and that’s what I did in almost every one of my fights but Leon over the time got smart enough to know, ‘Hey, I can use the cage to my advantage to stand up or to keep myself upright and make it harder for people to keep me down,’ and that’s what he was doing.

    “But, it’s almost like he counters what I do which is put him up against the fence and take him down by using the fence to stand back up and stay upright but then here comes the counter, the counter-counter shall I say, in Belal Muhammad in understanding that, ‘Hey, he uses the fence very well to stand back up so when he does stand back up, you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to change levels back again and I’m going to dump him either on his head or I’m going to dump him on his back again,’ and this was textbook.”

    Read also: Israel Adesanya Reacts To Belal Muhammad’s Title Win Over Leon Edwards At UFC 304: ‘I’m A Fan Now!’

  • Curtis Blaydes Releases First Statement On 60-Second UFC 304 Loss To Tom Aspinall: ‘Got Greedy When I Touched Him Early’

    Curtis Blaydes Releases First Statement On 60-Second UFC 304 Loss To Tom Aspinall: ‘Got Greedy When I Touched Him Early’

    UFC heavyweight Curtis Blaydes is understandably frustrated to have had his first shot at gold come to a crashing end in quick time.

    Blaydes was back across the pond this past weekend to share the Octagon with Tom Aspinall in England for the second time. “Razor” previously had his hand raised in 2022 after a knee injury to the Brit after just 15 seconds.

    The American targeted a more definitive victory this time around, as well as the capturing of Aspinall’s interim UFC heavyweight championship. But Blaydes was unable to succeed in that goal at the UFC 304 pay-per-view in Manchester.

    In the early hours of Sunday in the UK, Blaydes became the latest victim on Aspinall’s run of rapid finishes, being dropped by a stiff jab and finished with an onslaught of ground-and-pound on the one-minute mark of the very first round.

    Having worked so hard to earn his first opportunity at winning gold on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage, Blaydes bemoaned his failure to make the most of it.

    Blaydes On UFC 304 Loss: ‘I Threw Out The Amazing Gameplan…That Would’ve Worked

    Following his setback in the UFC 304 co-main event, Blaydes released his first public statement on his Instagram Stories.

    “Razor” maintained that the strategy devised by his team would have worked and ensured his crowning as interim champ but admitted to deviating from it after catching Aspinall on the feet early.

    “Sorry guys, I got greedy when I touched him early and threw out the amazing gameplan that my coaches Vinnie Lopez (and) Cody Donovan came up with that would’ve worked I’m sure of it. No excuses Tom was on point tonight I know this isn’t the end of my journey but damnit, I know I’m better than tonight’s performance. I appreciate all the support truly it’s been an eye opening experience to have so many ppl rocking with me,” Blaydes wrote.

    Curtis Blaydes
    Image: @razorblaydes265/Instagram

    Having insisted that he is far from done, Blaydes will soon turn his attention to the pursuit of a second chance at reaching the heavyweight mountaintop.

    Aspinall, meanwhile, has ensured that his reign as interim champ goes on and continues to call for a unification showdown with champion Jon Jones.

    While Dana White stated that the Brit will face the winner of Jones’ expected title clash with Stipe Miocic later this year, backlash to that matchup from the community has only grown after Aspinall’s emphatic performance at UFC 304.

  • Israel Adesanya Turned By Belal Muhammad’s Title Win Over Leon Edwards At UFC 304: ‘I’m A Fan Now!’

    Israel Adesanya Turned By Belal Muhammad’s Title Win Over Leon Edwards At UFC 304: ‘I’m A Fan Now!’

    Belal Muhammad earned at least one new supporter in the form of Israel Adesanya thanks to his championship crowning at UFC 304.

    Muhammad upset the odds against home country favorite Leon Edwards to emerge from this past weekend’s pay-per-view event in Manchester, England, with the welterweight title in his possession.

    Amid doubt from plenty in the MMA community, “Remember the Name” vowed to unseat “Rocky” with a dominant and one-sided display at the Co-op Live. He achieved that feat against most pre-fight predictions, avoiding a few scares across five rounds to secure a convincing victory on the scorecards.

    The new champ quickly began his ‘I told you so’ tour in the aftermath of his title win, and among those who could expect a visit given their pre-UFC 304 thoughts on Muhammad’s chances is former two-time middleweight champ Adesanya…

    Adesanya Will ‘Remember The Name’ After Muhammad’s UFC 304 Triumph

    During a video recently uploaded to his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Adesanya reacted live to the major matchups that played out in the UK this past weekend.

    During UFC 304 fight week, “The Last Stylebender” laid his support behind Edwards, a friend of his who is managed by the same team. Adesanya predicted that “Rocky” would simply have too much for the challenger.

    Having been proved wrong, the Nigerian-New Zealander had nothing but praise for the victorious Muhammad, noting that he is now a fan of the newly crowned welterweight kingpin.

    “He put him on his head! Bro, that rocked him. His head, that was bad. Look at it. That’s bad, bro! Spiked him,” Adesanya said after Muhammad dropped Edwards on his head. “Jesus Christ, Belal. Even if he loses this fight, I’m a fan of him now. I knew his name, of course, but I’ll remember the name.

    “Bro, what the f*ck. Yo, Belal’s nice. What Michael (Bisping) just said; he’s fighting fearlessly. He’s fighting in Leon’s home country, coming for his belt, and fighting like this,” Adesanya continued. “Leon knows. But that, what a rally at the end though. … What a story though, Belal, to do that after coming back from the eye poke, now this in his (Edwards’) backyard. Everybody doubting him, including me. Give it up to him, what a story.”

    Adesanya certainly doesn’t mark the only doubter whom Muhammad proved wrong on fight night in Manchester. “Remember the Name” made good on his promise to dominate the champ in his backyard — a prediction that not many had entertained pre-fight.

    Having extended his unbeaten streak and completed his goal of having the gold wrapped around his waist, Muhammad will now turn his attention to a first defense and beginning to build his championship legacy.

  • Molly McCann Speaks On ‘Sh*t Night At The Office’ At UFC 304: ‘Wasn’t Able To Recover After That Knee…’ 

    Molly McCann Speaks On ‘Sh*t Night At The Office’ At UFC 304: ‘Wasn’t Able To Recover After That Knee…’ 

    UFC strawweight Molly McCann acknowledged the impact of Bruna Brasil’s early body work in her first statement on this past weekend’s defeat.

    McCann was among the home fighters in action at the UFC 304 pay-per-view event, held inside the newly built Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, in the early hours of Sunday morning local time.

    “Meatball” made the walk on the preliminary card in pursuit of her second straight win since moving down to 115 pounds this year. But like her final flyweight outing on UK soil last July, the Liverpool native was unable to replicate her 2022 knockouts in London.

    Opposite kickboxing specialist Bruna Brasil, McCann found herself folding to a pair of brutal body shots in the opening round, the first of which came from a perfectly timed knee to the midsection.

    In her reflection on the unanimous decision setback, the defeated McCann noted the importance that knee had on the rest of the fight…

    McCann On UFC 304 Loss: ‘Few Broken Bones…’

    McCann took to social media on Sunday to give her first public reaction to the defeat close to home.

    Alongside a picture showing her interaction with Brasil and her team at the fighter hotel following UFC 304, “Meatball” praised her victorious opponent on the triumph in enemy territory.

    And in terms of her own performance, McCann suggested she was never able to fully recover from the knee that appeared close to finishing the fight early on.

    “Last night was Bruna’s night! Massive congratulations to her. I wasn’t able to recover after that knee the firm,” McCann wrote. “Few broken bones and some heavy bruises, Shit night in the office for me but it is what it is. Hope you all enjoyed a great night of fights. Thank you to all UFC/ UFC PI staff for the care and love. We live to fight another day. I’m gonna be taking a bit of time off for me mental and physical state. Much love the firm!

    The result stalls the strawweight momentum McCann gained with a career-best display opposite Diana Belbiță at the Apex this past February.

    Brasil, meanwhile, has bounced back from a disappointing decision defeat to Loma Lookboonmee earlier this year. The win also marks victories in back-to-back years in England for “The Special One,” who previously got the better of Shauna Bannon in the country’s capital last July.

  • Jon Jones Gives First Reaction To Tom Aspinall’s 60-Second Knockout At UFC 304, Post-Fight Callout

    Jon Jones Gives First Reaction To Tom Aspinall’s 60-Second Knockout At UFC 304, Post-Fight Callout

    UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones didn’t have much to say after his interim counterpart emerged victorious in Manchester this past weekend.

    With the calls of him and many in the fanbase for a unification showdown with Jones falling on deaf ears, Tom Aspinall returned in the co-main event of UFC 304 to defend his interim title.

    In front of his home fans, the Brit ran it back with Curtis Blaydes, seeking redemption for the setback he fell to after his knee gave way just 15 seconds into their first fight two years ago.

    It didn’t take long for Aspinall to succeed in that goal, dropping “Razor” and pummeling him with ground-and-pound for the TKO stoppage in just 60 seconds at the Co-op Live.

    The dominant nature of his first interim title defense has only increased calls for the UFC and Jones to abandon plans for a Stipe Miocic fight upon his return from injury.

    Jones On UFC 304 Co-Main Event: ‘I Love It…’

    A day on from Aspinall’s latest quick night at the office inside the Octagon, Jones took to social media to give his first reaction to the performance and the Englishman’s post-fight callout.

    “Supply and demand at its finest, I love it,” Jones wrote.

    Pre-fight, Jones had been vocal in dismissing Aspinall’s confidence. The former two-time light heavyweight kingpin suggested that Blaydes was getting the better of the early exchanges in 2022 and could take the Brit down en route to a ground-and-pound stoppage at UFC 304.

    “Bones” didn’t directly address Aspinall proving that prediction wrong in emphatic fashion.

    Judging by his reaction and Dana White’s words at the UFC 304 post-fight press conference, the plan remains for Jones to face Miocic for the title in November. Miocic hasn’t competed since a knockout loss to Francis Ngannou in 2021.

  • Dana White Gives Muted Reaction To Belal Muhammad’s Title Win At UFC 304: ‘Wasn’t A Barnburner’

    Dana White Gives Muted Reaction To Belal Muhammad’s Title Win At UFC 304: ‘Wasn’t A Barnburner’

    Those who are not fans of Belal Muhammad must have felt justified upon seeing UFC CEO Dana White’s mood at the UFC 304 post-fight press conference immediately following his title win.

    Muhammad toppled Leon Edwards in the card’s main event via unanimous decision to capture the UFC welterweight championship. Though he was able to get his shots in on the feet, perhaps his best work came with his strong wrestling background.

    “Remember the Name” constantly pressured Edwards, bringing him to the fence on multiple occasions to score takedowns. Muhammad controlled Edwards in a way no one had ever seen before, though Edwards landed nasty elbows in the fight’s closing seconds that could have troubled Muhammad had the fight had more time.

    Muhammad’s wrestling-heavy offense has led to him being negatively received by many fans, and it appeared from the moment White wrapped the belt around his waist in the Octagon that the UFC CEO was not impressed.

    “It wasn’t a barnburner,” White said matter-of-factly at the press conference.

    Dana White Says Belal Muhammad Gameplan Was ‘What You Would Expect’

    After that comment, a reporter followed up by asking White if Edwards’ performance — along with others on the card — were compromised by a late start time. The card aired in its usual pay-per-view slot, so the pay-per-view did not begin until 3:10 AM in England after being delayed by 10 minutes due to the prelims running over time.

    It should be worth noting that the decision to not move the start time to something more UK-friendly is widely believed to have been an ESPN decision, not UFC’s. Although the extent to which the promotion could have forced alternative plans has been widely debated.

    White declined to comment on that matter, suggesting to reporters in Manchester that they’d have to ask Edwards himself about his performance.

    The UFC did, however, suggest that he was not surprised by Muhammad’s gameplan given his training time with former undefeated UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

    “I know Belal has been training with Khabib,” White said. “So his performance is…what you would expect.”

    Muhammad and Edwards were competing in a rematch from their initial 2021 battle that ended in a no contest after the former was hit with a bad eye poke.

    Both men were on big unbeaten runs. UFC 304 marked “Rocky’s” first loss since his first fight with Kamaru Usman in December 2015. Muhammad, meanwhile, has not lost since a defeat at the hands of Geoff Neal in January 2019.

  • Paddy Pimblett Sends Message To His Haters Following UFC 304 Win Over King Green: ‘People Are Going To Move The Goal Posts’

    Paddy Pimblett Sends Message To His Haters Following UFC 304 Win Over King Green: ‘People Are Going To Move The Goal Posts’

    Paddy Pimblett made a huge statement at UFC 304, scoring an easy first-round submission of King Green in under four minutes and likely clinching a spot in the UFC’s lightweight rankings.

    After Pimblett nailed Green with several low kicks early in the fight, the veteran American made a questionable decision by trying to take down “The Baddy,” who is a grappling expert. Pimblett countered with a guillotine before transitioning into a triangle choke, which Pimblett told ESPN MMA’s Megan Olivi after the fight is his favorite kind of submission.

    As Pimblett looked for an armbar, Green could be seen unconscious, giving him a submission win.

    When Pimblett reflected on how the fight played out, he expressed concern that others might move the goal posts and say that Green, who was ranked No. 15, is not the kind of quality opponent to get him into the rankings.

    The Liverpool native, however, had a counterargument in mind.

    “First person in the UFC to submit Bobby Green, and that’s like his 25th UFC fight or something like that,” Pimblett said. “Even Islam [Makhachev] couldn’t do that. But people are going to keep underestimating me. People are going to move the goal posts now and say, ‘Oh Bobby is finished, Bobby this, Bobby that,’ when last week it was, ‘Bobby’s going to beat Paddy up. Bobby’s going to do this to him, he’s going to do that, he’s going to dog-walk him.’ What happened?”

    Paddy Pimblett May Be Cageside For Renato Moicano vs. Benoît Saint Denis In Paris After UFC 304 Win

    In the Octagon at UFC 304, Pimblett called out Renato Moicano for his next fight. Though the two have had exchanges on social media, the Brazilian s currently booked to face Benoît Saint Denis in Paris on September 28.

    While Pimblett hopes to be placed at No. 10 in the rankings, he will take being at No. 15, as he looks up toward other contenders to continue his momentum and rise up the 155 ranks.

    “Before this Bobby Green fight got made, me and Renato were speaking about each other on Twitter,” Pimblett said. “A lot of people up front of me in the rankings can’t really say no. The only thing about Renato now is that he’s got a fight. He’s fighting BSD in Paris. You never know, might end up going out there. Might end up being cageside for that.”

    Moicano and Saint Denis are set to headline the upcoming UFC Fight Night in the French capital, with the former looking to build on his momentum from a knockout of Jalin Turner at UFC 300 and “God of War” hoping to bounce back from his loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 299.

  • Islam Makhachev Reveals Injury Has Left Planned October UFC Title Defense In Doubt

    The UFC may be receiving a major blow to its schedule for the second half of 2024, as UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev has revealed that he is suffering from a hand injury.

    According to a video interview Makhachev did with Russian MMA and boxing media outlet Ushatayka, Makhachev revealed that a recent MRI has shown damage to the ligaments in one of his hands.

    It is unknown when he suffered this injury, though Makhachev seemed to suggest it may have come from his victory over Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 last month.

    Makhachev is currently exploring options and looking to see if he can recover without surgery. If he has to have the procedure, it will almost certainly leave him unable to compete for the rest of 2024.

    This would mean the planned lightweight championship fight between Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi on October 26 is in major jeopardy.

    “After the fight, my fists hurt, a lot of things hurt,” Makhachev said (translation provided via @ChampRDS on X). “We’ll take time, everything is healing little by little. An MRI recently confirmed that I have a partial ligament tear. Let’s see if I can recover. If not, I might even have to have surgery.

    “(Fighting in Abu Dhabi on October 26) is questionable. We haven’t talked about the fight yet… I really want to perform before the end of the year. I plan to, too…let’s see what happens.”

    Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan Title Fight Potentially Set For Delay

    The UFC has annually held a fall pay-per-view (originally September before moving to October) in Abu Dhabi since 2019. All but one event has seen either Khabib Nurmagomedov or Makhachev main eventing.

    Questions of Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan originally arose because of a nine-month suspension the Nevada State Athletic Commission handed down to Tsarukyan for a pre-fight altercation he had with a fan while making his entrance for UFC 300. However, it’s expected that the Russian-Armenian will do a PSA that will reduce his suspension to six months, allowing him to stay in the plans for an October title fight.

    Tsarukyan defeated former champion Charles Oliveira at the event in a lightweight title eliminator to seemingly secure a second dance with the champ.

    Makhachev, meanwhile, defeated Oliveira to claim the lightweight title at UFC 280. He retained the belt successfully against then-featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski twice in 2023.

    It is unknown what the UFC’s plans would be for Abu Dhabi in October if Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan cannot take place. Mateusz Gamrot, who faces Dan Hooker at UFC 305 in August, is the only lightweight fighter in the top five of the UFC’s lightweight rankings — minus Tsarukyan — with a win in his most recent fight.