Curtis Blaydes sees no issue with Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall believing his own hype, as a select few have suggested.
The pair of hard-hitting behemoths are set to run it back in the co-headliner of this weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view event, with Aspinall putting his interim title on the line at the Co-op Live arena in his home city of Manchester, England.
The Brit captured the belt with a thunderous and quick knockout of Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 inside Madison Square Garden last November. That result has unsurprisingly given Aspinall a major boost in confidence, especially given the circumstances he competed under on the night.
“Razor” was specifically asked about talk of Aspinall’s potential and the belief held by the likes of Jones that the interim titleholder may be buying into his own hype too much.
Blaydes insisted only those close to Aspinall would know if that’s true, and even if it is, he pointed out that there is nothing wrong with elite athletes claiming to be the best. In fact, he suggested that level of self-belief is a must.
“I mean, I can’t say as to whether he is or he isn’t (drinking his own Kool-Aid). I don’t think anybody would be able to tell that besides people in his own inner circle,” Blaydes said. “But if he is, can you really blame him? Like, he knocked out Sergei and Jon seems — I don’t want to say scared, but he seems apprehensive about the prospect of potentially fighting Aspinall.
“I would be a little gassed up also. Ain’t nothing wrong with that,” Blaydes continued. “I think you have to have that mindset. You’ve got to be feeling yourself. That goes for any sport. Like, if you ask Joe Burrow right now if he thinks he’s the best in the league in his position, he’ll say yeah. Even though we probably wouldn’t agree, he has to think that way.”
Nevertheless, Blaydes will look to show that the interim champ’s confidence regarding their own matchup is misplaced when they share the Octagon for the second time at UFC 304 this weekend.
Having had a win over Aspinall added to his record in 2022 courtesy of a freak knee injury suffered by the Brit, “Razor” will look to add a more definitive triumph to his résumé at UFC 304.
UFC Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards believes he’ll have the advantage of more recent activity over Belal Muhammad this weekend.
Edwards will put his 170-pound title on the line for the third time at the UFC 304 pay-per-view event on Saturday night, headlining the card in front of his home fans at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England.
Having retained possession of the gold at the expense of Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington in 2023, Edwards is next tasked with revisiting his history with Muhammad over three years on from their first fight.
The pair had a UFC Fight Night main event back in 2021 end in disaster after an accidental eye poke rendered “Remember the Name” unable to continue.
Some have pointed to that impressive run to justify their predictions for ‘and new’ in the UFC 304 main event. Edwards, however, believes the wait to extend the streak will be to Muhammad’s disadvantage…
Edwards: 14-Month Layoff Could Impact Muhammad At UFC 304
During a recent interview with Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter, Edwards looked ahead to his third defense of the welterweight title and second on home soil since capturing it at the expense of Usman almost two years ago.
“Rocky” pointed out that Muhammad has been awaiting his opportunity ever since outpointing Burns in May 2023. And with the champ having got the better of Covington last December, he expects the seven-month disparity in their layoffs to show itself at UFC 304.
“Come next Saturday, he hasn’t fought for more than a year. He’s 36 years old now? 37 years old? Whatever he is. And he was slow anyway,” Edwards said with a laugh. “I feel like me now coming out, I fought in December and been training ever since. I feel like I’ve had the harder fights. I’ve had similar style matchups my last three or four fights. So I feel like it’s all playing out well, you know?”
When he enters the cage on July 27, Muhammad will be looking to break a record and prove a notable stat regarding age wrong. A victory would mark him as the oldest title challenger to win gold in the 170-pound division or lower.
Nevertheless, while stats would point to his age as a significant advantage for the champ, Edwards insisted he is preparing for and ready to dispatch the best possible Muhammad come fight night in Manchester.
And in the aftermath of UFC Fight Night: Amanda Lemos vs. Virna Jandiroba, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.
Men’s Pound-For-Pound: No changes.
Women’s Pound-for-Pound: Jandiroba’s submission of Lemos in Saturday’s main event has advanced both her divisional and P4P ambitions. The Brazilian has debuted in the latter list at #13, one spot behind the climbing Kayla Harrison. The defeated Lemos, meanwhile, has dropped three positions to #15, while flyweight contender Maycee Barber has fallen out entirely.
Women’s Strawweight: At 115 pounds, Jandiroba finds herself two spots better off at #3 courtesy of her efforts at the Apex. Lemos has made way for that rise and now occupies her recent opponent’s formerly occupied #5 place.
Flyweight: Bruno Silva mounted a memorable comeback this past weekend to knock out fellow American Top Team standout Cody Durden. He’s been rewarded with an entry into the 125-pound rankings at #15, with his defeated teammate now out of the top 15.
Bantamweight: While he’s had to wait an extra week, Montel Jackson’s 18-second knockout of Da’Mon Blackshear in Denver has netted him the #15 position in the division. His arrival has led to the removal of longtime veteran contender Pedro Munhoz.
Two very different styles will clash during the main card of UFC 304 this weekend as Paddy Pimblett takes on Bobby Green in a huge lightweight contest.
“The Baddy” has gone to the scorecards in his last two fights after finishing his first three opponents inside the Octagon but he’s always dangerous.
With this fight being the big number 50 on his pro record, the veteran lightweight contender is a slick boxer who often tricks opponents into overcommitting.
A former UFC champion believes that this could be the story of the fight come Saturday night in Manchester.
Alexander Volkanovski Expects King Green To Play The Matador Against Paddy Pimblett
During his breakdown of the card on his YouTube channel, former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski spoke about the difficulties of fighting someone like Green.
Green often carries his hands by his side and will rely on his reaction time to get opponents to throw at him so that he can slip and counter with his fast hands and combinations.
Pimblett has been working extensively on his striking in recent times and there have been questions in the past about how solid his technique is, when fists start flying.
Volkanovski sided with Green when giving his picks for the card and he believes that a crucial aspect of this fight will be the 155-pound stalwart playing his usual game.
“I’m going to have to go with Bobby Green, I think he’s the safer bet here. It’s going to be a three-round fight. Paddy Pimblett, yeah I find it, it’s going to be hard for him to take him down and get a finish. Can he go and upset, you know, hometown crowd. I don’t think that’s going to faze Bobby Green.
“Again, Bobby Green’s going to put himself in positions where Paddy Pimblett’s going to feel he can fire and going to lull him into shots. I guarantee we’re going to see that pretty much straight away. I feel Bobby Green’s going to hit him, hurt him, maybe Paddy Pimblett would start trying to look for the shots straight after that. Does he get them? Or does he get hurt straight away? I’m not sure.”
Leon Edwards has outlined his hopes of trying to become a two-weight world champion if he’s able to keep hold of the welterweight title this Saturday at UFC 304.
His third title defense comes in Manchester against Belal Muhammad but whilst “Rocky” has plans to go up, the champion at the weight class below may have something to say about that.
Despite Makhachev being considered by many to be the most in-form fighter in the world right now, the welterweight champion’s coach believes that he isn’t a big threat to Edwards’ title.
Dave Lovell Questions If Islam Makhachev Would Be Able To Cause Leon Edwards Problems
During an interview with Submission Radio, Team Renegade’s Dave Lovell spoke about how he sees a fight between Makhachev and his fighter playing out.
Lovell doesn’t believe that the lightweight champion is a major concern to Edwards for a few different reasons.
With Makhachev moving up in weight there will be a clear size difference between the two men and that gives Lovell confidence that “Rocky” would be too big and too skilled should the fight ever happen.
“Would he be big enough? Would he have the same effect that he has at his weight now? I don’t think so. Has he met a sharp shooter like Leon? No he hasn’t. Again, what can Islam bring to Leon? Size wise, Leon’s physically bigger than him, outreaches him.
“So again, he’s going to resort to what he knows which is his wrestling so it’s just unfortunate that you look at the last guys Leon fought. Usman twice, Colby, all wrestlers. Now Belal, wrestler. So, Islam is not known for his striking. They’re known for their wrestling and basically, Leon’s improving, people don’t understand.”
Alexander Volkanovski appears uncertain whether Jon Jones can prevail against Tom Aspinall in a potential heavyweight showdown.
When Aspinall stepped up on short notice and knocked out Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 last November to claim the interim heavyweight title, he immediately set his sights on a title unification bout against the reigning champion.
However, “Bones” has consistently dismissed the challenge, even belittling Aspinall’s dominance in the division. Instead, Jones has expressed his desire to reschedule his canceled bout with former longtime titleholder Stipe Miocic, with their anticipated clash seemingly set for later this year.
With Jones currently out of the picture for now, Aspinall has chosen to make the first defense of his interim heavyweight belt against former foe Curtis Blaydes. The rematch will serve as the co-main event of UFC 304, set to take place this Saturday on Aspinall’s home turf in Manchester.
Manchester, are you ready??#UFC304 fight week is HERE 👊
“Bones” is widely regarded as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. However, Volkanovski believes Aspinall possesses the complete arsenal necessary to challenge and potentially disrupt Jones’ storied legacy…
Volkanovski Foresees Aspinall’s Victory Over Jones
During a recent video on his YouTube channel, “The Great” delved into his predictions for the upcoming UFC 304 card. Volkanovski confidently picked Aspinall to triumph over Blaydes and went on to heap praise on the Brit, assessing his chances against Jones in a potential heavyweight showdown.
“I think Tom Aspinall is too good,” Volkanovski said. “But what I mean is compared to other fighters, which I’m always going to pick Tom Aspinall. Because I believe he’s that good Jon Jones, I want to see that fight. Jon Jones is that good, and he can maybe handle a heavyweight Tom Aspinall.
“But if anyone’s ever going to beat Jon Jones, it’s someone like Tom Aspinall. He can really mix it up still fast; he’s going to be just as fast as Jon Jones you get what I mean it’s he’s that good.”
Aspinall’s sole setback in his eight Octagon appearances occurred two years ago at UFC Fight Night London when he sustained a severe knee injury in the first round against “Razor”. Now, he is determined to rectify that misfortune.
While the prospect of a Jones vs. Aspinall showdown tantalizes the MMA community, its realization seems distant. Jones remains steadfast in his desire to face Miocic upon his return and has even hinted at potentially hanging up his gloves after that bout.
The last two years has brought about a sea of change in some of the UFC’s weight divisions, with new champions such as Dricus Du Plessis, Ilia Topuria and Leon Edwards ousting some established names on their way to the top.
With this influx of new title holders comes a changing of the guard. Some former champions have to get back in line and attempt to climb the mountain once more, while some other members of the ‘old guard’ may be watching their last opportunities at claiming UFC gold slip through their fingers.
Today, let’s take a look at five fan favourites who should have won UFC gold, but most likely won’t.
Dustin Poirier
Poirier fell short of the mark during his third (and likely final) attempt at winning an undisputed UFC title when he was submitted by the pound-for-pound number one Islam Makhachev in the fifth round of their encounter at UFC 302 earlier this year.
https://youtu.be/V6qcxW2dwMc?si=3NFUKh2HZTy4c09x
“The Diamond” made his UFC debut way back in January of 2011 when he faced Josh Grispi at UFC 125. After originally competing as a featherweight, a defeat to Conor McGregor in 2014 convinced Poirier to make the switch to 155lbs. He won nine of his next ten fights to earn a title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2019.
Unfortunately for him, he suffered the same result as every other fighter who has ever stepped into the Octagon to face Khabib: heartbreaking defeat. Undeterred, he worked his way back into title contention, memorably picking up two consecutive wins over his old foe Conor McGregor, before again suffering a submission loss in a world title fight when he faced Charles Oliveira in December of 2021.
To add insult to injury, Poirier was knocked out in spectacular fashion by Justin Gaethje when the pair fought for the vacant BMF title in 2023.
Back in 2011, “El Cucuy” knocked out three opponents to make it to the finals of The Ultimate Fighter Season 13, where he stopped Ramsay Nijem inside the first round to earn himself a UFC contract.
The UFC booked the pair to fight on five separate occasions between 2015 and 2020, but the match up seemed to be cursed and destined never to happen. A combination of injuries to both fighters, a global pandemic, and a bizarre incident with a TV studio cable that resulted in torn knee ligaments for Ferguson meant the fight never came to fruition.
The fifth and final cancellation (due to Covid pulling the plug on UFC 249 ) cost Ferguson a shot at glory, as by that time Nurmagomedov had won the 155lb title by beating Conor McGregor.
When the event eventually did take place, Ferguson found himself standing across from a new opponent: Justin Gaethje. He was soundly beaten in what has turned out to be the first of seven consecutive losses inside the Octagon.
Gaethje, much like his former opponents Poirier and Ferguson, is another fighter who will likely look back on his career when all is said and done and think “what if?”
The former World Series of Fighting world champion arrived in the UFC in 2017 with a reputation for a wild and reckless approach to fighting. After a mixed start to career inside the Octagon, he linked up with coach Trevor Wittman and refined his game, before embarking on an impressive winning run.
The dominant victory over Tony Ferguson at the height of the pandemic in 2020 earned him a title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov. Much like Poirier, however, he was submitted with relative ease by the Dagestani, who announced his retirement immediately afterwards.
A victory over Michael Chandler upon his return a year later was enough to earn him another shot at glory, and he took on Charles Oliveira at UFC 274. “The Highlight” fell short of the mark once again, as “Do Bronx” submitted him in little over three minutes.
After returning to winning ways against Rafael Fiziev, Gaethje took on Dustin Poirier for the BMF title at UFC 291. The second-round head knockout remains one of the finest moments of his storied UFC career and elevated him back into the number one contender spot in the lightweight rankings.
Gaethje put that ranking on the line when he agreed to defend his BMF belt against Max Holloway at UFC 300 earlier this year, and the gamble failed miserably. Gaethje was knocked out in the final second of the five-round match up, and fellow contenders Dustin Poirier and Arman Tsarukyan leapfrogged him in the title picture at 155lbs.
Thompson transitioned into MMA in 2010 after an insanely successful kickboxing career. Between his amateur and professional careers in the kickboxing ring, “Wonderboy” amassed a record of sixty-two wins and zero defeats.
Image: Stephen Thompson IG
After an unbeaten start to his MMA career, he announced his arrival in the UFC with a first-round headkick knockout win over Dan Stittgen in 2012. Thompson won nine of his first ten fights inside the Octagon, beating some notable names such as Johnny Hendricks, Robert Whittaker and Rory McDonald before earning a title shot against then-welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.
Their five-round clash at UFC 205 finished as a majority draw, a result which meant Woodley kept the belt, but many fans felt Thompson should have won. The rematch four months later was ruled a majority decision victory for Woodley, but again many observers had felt that Thompson should have been the one getting his hand raised.
Four wins and five defeats in the years since have meant Thompson being seen as somewhat of a gatekeeper in the welterweight division, and the 41-year-old will surely look back at those two title fights and wonder what might have been.
Nick Diaz
For younger fans of MMA, Nick Diaz’s younger brother Nate will be regarded as somewhat of a superstar in the world of combat sports. For the generation of spectators old enough to remember promotions such as Elite XC, Strikeforce and Pride, 40-year-old Nick Diaz will always be known as a true “O.G.” of the sport.
In two separate stints in the UFC between 2003 and 2011, the older Diaz brother beat legends such as Robbie Lawler and BJ Penn, while also racking up impressive wins over Franks Shamrock, Paul Daley and Takanori Gomi during his sabbatical in other promotions.
In 2012, Diaz lost an interim title fight to Carlos Condit, before losing to UFC welterweight champion George St-Pierre in a title fight the following year. His fight against Anderson Silva in 2015 was retrospectively changed to a “no contest” and a five-year suspension due to a marijuana violation followed.
Dan Hardy asserts that Curtis Blaydes has the potential to truly challenge Tom Aspinall and push him into deep waters with his elite wrestling skills at UFC 304.
“Razor” is poised to challenge Aspinall for his interim heavyweight title in a rematch, set as the co-main event of UFC’s upcoming pay-per-view. This showdown is scheduled to electrify the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, this weekend.
Although the American is one-up on his former opponent, Aspinall is widely regarded as the heavy favorite against Blaydes and is expected to finish him.
Aspinall’s strengths lie in his striking and knockout power, while Blaydes relies on his wrestling prowess. If Blaydes can bring the fight to the ground, he might dominate—a scenario that “The Outlaw” envisions unfolding on July 27…
Hardy Views Blaydes’ Wrestling As ‘Interesting Test’ For Aspinall
During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Hardy previewed the upcoming rematch between Aspinall and Blaydes. The PFL head of fighter operations noted that while the interim titleholder holds an advantage over “Razor,” he could face significant challenges if Blaydes successfully imposes his wrestling dominance.
“There are a few questions to ask around Tom Aspinall,” Hardy said. “We’ve seen various different parts of his game. We know how well-rounded he is, but if we’re breaking mixed martial arts down into three components, if you’ve got the grappling on the floor, you’ve got the wrestling in the middle, and then you’ve got the striking at distance, we know Tom is really good at two aspects of that.
“We know that Curtis Blaydes is very good at the wrestling portion—the middle piece, the bit that holds it all together. And you know there’s no doubt that someone with the wrestling experience of Curtis Blaydes is going to be able to get the better of Tom Aspinall in a straight wrestling match.”
The former UFC welterweight fighter added that Aspinall should leverage his own strengths and avoid letting the fight go to the ground.
“Tom on the feet is going to be a lot quicker than most people that Curtis Blaydes had to deal with. And I also think one of the factors as well for Tom is his ability to strike in the clinch very quickly—you know, elbows to knees and vice versa when he’s defending takedowns are going to be really, really useful for him. It’s an interesting test for Tom. I think a lot of people have got their eyes on this as if it’s the real heavyweight championship.”
Belal Muhammad will challenge Leon Edwards for the UFC welterweight championship in the main event of UFC 304 on July 28, 2024. The former is riding an impressive nine-fight win streak and has defeated the likes of Gilbert Burns, Stephen Thompson, and Vicente Luque.
Muhammad’s primary weapon has been his wrestling. However, he also showcased his striking prowess by knocking out Sean Brady. On the flip side, Edwards is considered one of the best strikers in the UFC and he’s nullified Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington’s wrestling in his two title defenses.
“Remember the Name” and “Rocky” fought previously in March 2021 but the fight was ruled a no-contest due to an eye poke. Here’s how Muhammad plans to win the rematch and why he’s confident about doing so…
Belal Muhammad Claims Leon Edwards Doesn’t Have The Tools And Cardio To Beat Him
Muhammad appeared on the Weighing In podcast hosted by “Big” John McCarthy and Josh “The Punk” Thomson recently. While discussing his next fight, he outright discarded Edwards’ cardio by using the Covington bout as an example. The champion landed 57 significant strikes and had around 90 seconds of control time.
“It’s still only one round. So people could say, make their excuses, but, there’s not even need for me to make excuses because it was only one round there’s still four more rounds to go.”
The challenger seems unbothered by Edwards succeeding on the feet in the first round of their previous fight. He claims to have the advantage in a five-round battle.
“Remember The Name” then also took a sly dig at “Rocky” for not being aggressive enough against an opponent who disrespected his family.
Muhammad is riding high on confidence ahead of his first chance at winning UFC gold. He isn’t worried about anything that Edwards brings to the Octagon and plans to shut the kingpin’s gameplan down over five rounds.
“Bro, he literally threw 60 strikes against Colby and gassed out in the fifth round. I’m looking at this guy, like bro, you’re a dominant striker, this guy disrespected your family, your father, and you still went out there and only threw 60 strikes against a guy with, you know, cardio kickboxing striking. It is hilarious that they call this guy the sniper, the killer, this and that. But when I look at his fights, when I look at his matches, I don’t really see nothing that I can’t walk through.”
Muhammad has been out of action since May 2023, waiting for his title shot. However, he’s been training with UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov, convincing many fans that his wrestling has improved drastically.
The Brit briefly shared the cage with Curtis Blaydes in London two years ago, with their UFC Fight Night main event lasting just 15 seconds before Aspinall suffered a freak knee injury.
Aspinall Full Of Self-Belief After Pulling Off UFC Title Win In ‘Worst Circumstances’
During a recent interview with Karyn Bryant, Rashad Evans, and Alan Jouban for ESPN MMA, Aspinall looked ahead to his upcoming defense of the interim title and second dance in the cage with Blaydes.
When it comes to his evolution as a fighter since their first clash in 2022, Aspinall believes the differences are night and day. That includes when it comes to confidence, in large part down to how the Brit was able to dispatch Sergei Pavlovich in less than ideal circumstances eight months ago.
“(I’ve improved) absolutely everywhere (since the first fight against Blaydes),” Aspinall said. “Every fight is different anyway, but I think now, everything is way different about me. Especially after my last performance; I took so much confidence from that. I took the fight on short notice, I took the fight injured, and I still managed to pull it off in the worst circumstances. Feeling pretty confident after that one, feeling pretty good.”
Aspinall will look to prove as much by having his hand raised on home soil this Saturday, avenging his unfortunate setback opposite “Razor” and maintaining his grip on the interim heavyweight gold in the process.
His defense will mark the first of two championship rematches set for UFC 304, with fellow UK titleholder Leon Edwards running it back with Belal Muhammad in defense of his welterweight strap.
Manchester, are you ready??#UFC304 fight week is HERE 👊
Since their first fight ended in a No Contest over three years ago, Edwards has worked his way to the gold and subsequently defended it successfully twice to date. “Remember the Name,” meanwhile, has extended his unbeaten run to 10 with five straight wins over Demian Maia, Stephen Thompson, Vicente Luque, Sean Brady, and Gilbert Burns.
Muhammad Insists He Boasts Tougher Strength Of Schedule Than Edwards
During a recent interview with Kevin Iole, Muhammad looked ahead to his long-awaited first opportunity at achieving champion status on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.
The #2-ranked welterweight had his attention turned to Edwards’ remarks about his winning run and fired back in kind, suggesting that “Rocky” fought nothing but 155lbers to secure his 2022 title shot.
“When I look at his résumé for him to get the title fight, he fought nothing but lightweights,” Muhammad said. “Donald Cerrone, RDA, Nate Diaz. Like, okay? Look at the guys that I beat, when I beat them. Gilbert Burns was on a two-fight winning streak. Luque was on a five or six-fight winning streak when I beat him. Sean Brady was on a 15-fight winning streak when I beat him. ‘Wonderboy’ was like 3-1 out of his last four fights when I beat him. Demian Maia was like 3-1…
“He can say whatever he wants, but I know what I had to do to fight those guys,” Muhammad continued. “And when I trained for those guys, every single one of those camps I picked up something different, right, because I had to train for a grappler, then I had to train for a striker, then I had to train for a guy who knocked me out before. Every single one of those guys, every single one of those camps, I evolved as a fighter. … I fought the best version of them and I got the best version of myself out of it.”
Muhammad will look to demonstrate that evolution since the unfortunate ending to his and Edwards’ first clash when they run it back in Manchester this weekend.
“The Tajik Tank,” who was defeated on the preliminary card of Jandiroba’s main event, made some negative remarks about the women’s side of mixed martial arts last week, branding it a “break” to go to the bathroom during cards.
“Well, I don’t watch it, no matter who is fighting,” Radzhabov told Red Corner MMA. “Actually, when women fight, I take a break to get some snacks or go to the toilet.”
Jandiroba Tells Radzhabov To Get Help To ‘Overcome Issues’
During her post-fight press conference on Saturday night, Jandiroba reflected on her first headline victory in the UFC and reacted to Radzhabov’s comments about her and other women competing in MMA’s premier promotion.
In a brief response to the remarks, the Brazilian strawweight suggested Razhabov has “issues” that only a specialist would be able to solve.
“I’m not someone that is going to be able to help him, but maybe he needs to go get some analysis. You know, find a therapist that is going to help him overcome those issues that he has. There is probably something there that he needs to sort out and he is going to have to find a specialist to do it.”
Having fallen to 2-2 in the UFC courtesy of a decision setback at the hands of Trey Ogden on July 20, Radzhabov will hope to bounce back next time out to avoid a losing record inside the Octagon.
The pair first collided at a London-held UFC Fight Night back in the summer of 2021. The bout lasted just 15 seconds, with a devastating knee injury suffered by Aspinall bringing it to a premature end and handing the Brit his first Octagon setback.
Aspinall has since rebounded in a major way, first by getting the better of Marcin Tybura last July and then by capturing interim UFC gold in a short-notice clash with Sergei Pavlovich four months later.
After an injury to Jon Jones saw his planned heavyweight defense against Stipe Miocic off the UFC 295 card, Aspinall stepped up to meet the original backup fighter at Madison Square Garden.
Despite a lack of preparation and not being at full fitness, the Englishman closed the show in just over a minute, stopping his Russian counterpart by way of knockout to have a UFC title wrapped around his waist.
Ahead of Saturday’s event, the promotion has released the full Aspinall vs. Pavlovich fight from UFC 295 on its official YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1-hFm-a_N4
Aspinall will hope to repeat that performance at the expense of Blaydes this weekend.
When Edwards and Muhammad first collided back in 2021, an accidental eye poke rendered “Remember the Name” unable to continue. While “Rocky’s” early success in that bout has left him as a heavy favorite in the eyes of many, Muhammad has vowed to finish him with ease at UFC 304.
One ex-titleholder doesn’t see much chance of that coming to fruition across the pond…
Volkanovski Expects Edwards To Retain Welterweight Gold At UFC 304
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Volkanovski provided his picks and predictions for four major matchups set to play out in Manchester this Saturday night, including the two championship headliners.
Rounding out a whitewash for the favorites, “Alexander the Great” is backing Edwards to get the job done against Muhammad at the second time of trying.
While Volkanovski acknowledged the challenger’s ability, he dismissed the notion that Muhammad boasts any tools capable of threatening Edwards come fight night. And with that in mind, he wouldn’t be surprised to see the champ find the knockout on July 27.
“I thought Leon was looking good before that (eye poke) happened,” Volkanovski said of their first fight. “I’m gonna go with Leon Edwards. … He’s definitely the favorite. He’s rock solid. You’ve seen his wrestling defense, you’ve seen his grappling. He’s actually very well-rounded. Everyone has always thought he was a striker, but he’s very well-rounded. He was able to take Colby down…and Usman. It just shows you how good Leon Edwards is. And his striking is beautiful.
“Belal Muhammad, a lot of people give him a hard time. … He is very calculated, doesn’t take unnecessary risks,” Volkanovski continued. “But the thing is, I thought he (Edwards) was quite aggressive in their first fight, and I think we’re gonna see that again. … He’s gonna let his hands go, which is gonna make him a lot more dangerous. … Belal, obviously is on a mad tear. He’s well-rounded, he’s got a lot of tools. But the tools that he has won’t work anywhere that’s gonna give Leon Edwards a massive threat. Can’t see him getting a finish; I think it’s gonna be very hard for him to win a decision too. … Can Leon Edwards get the finish? I think he can…TKO or KO, I definitely can see.”
Edwards will hope to prove Volkanovski right and further enhance his legacy at 170 pounds in the process.
And in addition to recording a third successful defense and cementing his grip on that divisional crown, another retention will only move “Rocky” closer to his goal of challenging for two-weight glory up at 185 pounds down the line.
Two belts. Two rematches.#UFC304 is bringing all the drama 👀
A staggering fourth title fight has been added to ONE Championship’s debut in Atlanta and it features one of their biggest stars, Rodtang Jitumuagnon.
As the biggest name in Muay Thai today, “The Iron Man” has become a social media sensation because of his always entertaining fighting style.
Having featured on ONE Championship’s debut event in the United States last year (ONE Fight Night 10 in Denver), he’s now set to return to the US in November as reported by Sports Illustrated.
The ONE flyweight Muay Thai world champion will be putting his belt on the line in a rematch with England’s Jacob Smith at the State Farm Arena on November 8.
They last met back in May of 2022 where Rodtang secured a unanimous decision win to advance in the flyweight Muay Thai Grand Prix.
The Thai star returned to action in June where he went three rounds with Denis Puric in a kickboxing bout that delivered one of the best fights of the year so far in ONE Championship.
He last defended his world championship back in November of 2022 where he convincingly beat strawweight champion Joseph Lasiri over five rounds.
This now makes for a total of four world championship fights for Atlanta, two in MMA and two in Muay Thai.
The other title fight sees Tawanchai defend his ONE featherweight Muay Thai world championship against Jo Nattawut in a trilogy fight between the two Thai strikers.
November 8 has also been rumoured to feature a boxing match between former UFC rivals Rashad Evans and ‘Rampage’ Jackson.
Fight week for the UFC 304 pay-per-view this Saturday night has kicked off with the release of the promotion’s latest Countdown episode.
Under the spotlight in this edition is the headliner between Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad and the co-main event between Tom Aspinall and Curtis Blaydes.
Saturday’s lineup is topped by a championship rematch, with welterweight kingpin Edwards (22-3, 1 NC) looking to add a third successful defense to his reign, which got underway with a victory over Kamaru Usman at UFC 278 in August 2022. He’s since retained possession of the belt by getting the better of Usman again and Colby Covington in 2023.
If “Rocky” is to continue his rule atop the 170-pound mountain, he must record a victory over Muhammad (23-3, 1 NC) at the second time of trying. The pair first collided in a UFC Fight Night main event back in 2021, which ended prematurely when accidental eye pokes left “Remember the Name” unable to continue. He’s since won five straight over Demian Maia, Stephen Thompson, Vicente Luque, Sean Brady, and Gilbert Burns to finally earn his first shot at gold.
Before those two run it back in the main event at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena, another home fighter will put his title on the line in a rematch.
Two years on from a devastating knee injury handing him his first UFC loss, interim heavyweight champion Aspinall (14-3) will look to right that wrong by leveling the score with Blaydes (18-4, 1 NC). In defense of the strap he captured with a thunderous knockout of Sergei Pavlovich last November, Aspinall is tasked with preventing “Razor” following his TKO of Jailton Almeida with first-time title glory on July 27.
Ahead of those two contests across the pond, fans can catch previews in the full episode of UFC 304 Countdown on the promotion’s YouTube channel.
The pair’s main event on DAZN pay-per-view came to a close in the sixth round when Paul followed early knockdowns and frequent success at the expense of “Platinum” with one final damaging flurry to earn the knockout.
Perry, who made his name in the cage, marked the latest mixed martial arts name added to Paul’s record, joining Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, and Nate Diaz in that group.
But not everyone in MMA is against Paul’s boxing approach…
O’Malley Happy To Keep Watching Paul vs. MMA Fighters
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, O’Malley reacted to Paul’s latest success inside the ring and his unexpected post-match callout.
While many laughed off Paul’s decision to put Pereira’s name on his lips in the ring, “Sugar” had nothing but praise for the callout.
“He called out Alex Pereira. That fight won’t happen unless Dana (White) says, ‘I’m sick of seeing Jake beat all these UFC guys.’ … Imagine Alex Pereira vs. Jake Paul. Dude, Alex has crazy power in both hands, but the dude literally throws from his hips. He is there to be hit,” O’Malley said. “I love the callout. Imagine we get to see that. Imagine Jake Paul goes out there and knocks out Mike Tyson, Jake Paul vs. Alex Pereira, huge.
“Jake looks like he’s improving every single fight. I’m excited to continue to watch him fight,” O’Malley continued. “Jake is doing such a good job. After a fight, the biggest thing is what’s next. You’ve gotta set yourself up for those opportunities, and Jake’s doing that better than anybody right now.”
And the callout wasn’t the only criticism of Paul that O’Malley defended against. He also differed from many with his view on “The Problem Child” continuing to welcome MMA veterans into the ring.
“He hasn’t fought a top let’s say 20 guy in the world; a top-20 boxer in his weight class,” O’Malley noted. “That’s when you’re really gonna be able to see how good Jake Paul is. … I personally enjoy watching him fight these MMA guys. I like those fights. But I’m here for whatever. … I like these crossover fights.”
Paul will move away from focusing on a prominent MMA name for the time being, instead putting his sights back on heavyweight legend Mike Tyson ahead of their rearranged Netflix showdown this November.
1) Mike Perry is a fucking beast and has a lot more balls than that little leprechaun
2) Where all those mma experts at that said Mike Perry was going to end me?
3) Next up is me vs Mike Tyson and Serrano vs Taylor on Netflix, November 15th. It will be the biggest combat…
It was a tough night at the office this past weekend for UFC flyweight contender Cody Durden, who was left with significant damage courtesy of teammate Bruno Silva’s hands.
It was ultimately the Brazilian who advanced his ambitions, likely securing a ranking by knocking Durden out in comeback fashion to extend his win streak on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage to four.
The finish came midway through round two, at a time when the American appeared in control and en route to bouncing back from his submission defeat to Tagir Ulanbekov last December. But that all changed when a vicious uppercut sent his mouthpiece flying and body to the canvas.
“Bulldog” subsequently pounced on his stricken opponent, laying down brutal ground-and-pound before referee Chris Tognoni intervened to save a bloodied Durden from further damage.
Durden Gets Fixed Up After Tough Knockout Defeat At UFC Fight Night
Having eaten one of the most devastating uppercuts in recent memory in addition to multiple shots on the ground, Durden was unsurprisingly left with some notable blemishes to his face, including a nasty cut under his right eye.
He gave fans a glimpse into the medical process post-fight, posting a video of the cut being stitched up by medical personnel on social media.
In another post, Durden thanked the UFC and the medical team behind the scenes for fixing him up, before putting his name in matchmaker Mick Maynard’s hat for any short-notice opportunities.
The @ufc is the best promotion in the world. They took great care of me behind the scenes. Roger, Rambo, Shay, Sarah, Justin, Heather, Dr. Davis, and many more!Thank you! I’m taking one week off, getting these stitches out and I’ll put my name in when someonepulls @Mickmaynard2
“The @ufc is the best promotion in the world. They took great care of me behind the scenes. Roger, Rambo, Shay, Sarah, Justin, Heather, Dr. Davis, and many more!Thank you! I’m taking one week off, getting these stitches out and I’ll put my name in when someone pulls @Mickmaynard2”
UFC’s schedule will continue with notable matchups from its stacked roster. The company has several events confirmed to occur this year, including five pay-per-views announced thus far.
This weekend, the promotion will take a break from their event schedule. UFC returns on September 7 with a fight night event at their Apex Facility with a welterweight bout between Gilbert Burns and Sean Brady. “Durinho” hopes to rebound from his last defeat to Jack Della Maddalena by TKO at UFC 299 on March 9. DraftKings currently has Brady as the favorite to give Burns his third consecutive loss.
Virna Jandiroba may have proven herself worthy of the next shot at UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili thanks to a submission win over former title challenger Amanda Lemos in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event.
Jandiroba looked to utilize her grappling from the get-go, scoring an early takedown and battling with her fellow Brazilian for top position and submission attempts. “Carcara,” a grappling expert, managed to lock in an armbar and submit Lemos during round two.
“The fight went in the best scenario I could imagine,” Jandiroba said through a translator at the post-fight press conference. “I was for sure going to try to take it to the ground, and I was able to do it and find the submission.”
Virna Jandiroba Confident She Can Get Title Shot, Beat Zhang Weili After UFC Fight Night Main Event Win
Jandiroba, a former Invicta strawweight champion, has now won four straight and five of her last six fights. Entering this weekend’s UFC Fight Night at No. 5 in the strawweight rankings, there is a good chance she could be next in line for a title shot.
Jandiroba, in fact, called out Zhang in the Octagon following her victory. And at the post-fight conference, Jandiroba expressed how her unique fighting style can help lead her to a win — let alone a title fight — that plenty previously doubted could happen.
“My style’s a little different,” Jandiroba said. “The way that I grapple is a little strange. I know my wrestling is very effective, my jiu-jitsu is very good, but it’s not like you can say, ‘Oh, she’s like a proper wrestler.’ But I make it work.
“And within the weirdness of everything that I do, I think that I create problems for most people, and that’s how I can beat her. With the weirdness, that’s how I get my arm raised.”
Conor McGregor may be among those who took Perry’s knockout loss to Jake Paul the roughest, publicly trashing both men before and claiming that “Platinum” will be released by the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.
McGregor, who became a part-owner of BKFC a couple of months ago, fired off the posts on X (formerly Twitter) moments following Perry being stopped by Paul in their headlining boxing match at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, on Saturday night.
Perry was dropped twice in the opening two rounds, and while he tried to walk through Paul’s punches and walk the ex-Disney star down, Paul’s power and technical skills were just too much.
After getting dropped in the sixth round, Perry made it back to his feet but stumbled, forcing the referee to wave off the fight.
Perry Hits Back AT BKFC Part-Owner McGregor: ‘He Can’t Fire Me!’
Perry was asked about McGregor’s actions during his post-fight press conference. He claimed the Irishman has no power to release him. Perry even offered to settle the differences in the BKFC ring.
"Me and him are both owners of BKFC, so he can't fire me."
Mike Perry responds to Conor McGregor and says McGregor fighting Jake Paul would be "worse than Conor McGregor vs. [Floyd] Mayweather" 👀 #PaulPerrypic.twitter.com/fGo8klU0qY
“Me and him are both co-owners of BKFC,” Perry said. “So he can’t fire me. We can fight in Bare Knuckle. Look at me, I lost to Jake Paul. Why don’t you go fight Jake Paul in boxing with gloves on? I think it would be worse than Conor McGregor vs. [Floyd] Mayweather.”
McGregor’s post made reference to Perry announcing the formation of Dirty Boxing Championship, a promotion that will mix in boxing and ground-and-pound mechanics.
Perry is BKFC’s “King of Violence” and has amassed a 5-0 record in the organization since coming over from the UFC in 2021.
McGregor’s return to the UFC is still to be determined, meanwhile, after a planned comeback against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 was scrapped. The current rumor is the bout will be rebooked for UFC 310 in December.
Virna Jandiroba could now be in prime position to challenge Weili Zhang for the strawweight championship following a submission win over former title challenger Amanda Lemos in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night.
Jandiroba scored a takedown in the opening minute of the fight, looking to do what she does best. Lemos, however, had an arm around the neck and looked for a guillotine. The 36-year-old escaped, however, and remained in top control. A couple of minutes later, Lemos looked to scramble, only for Jandiroba to reverse and look for a leg lock. The longtime contender responded in kind with a toe hold.
Lemos landed some notable striking during that opening frame between scrambles, and she tried to bring out her striking again and focused on that in the second round. However, Jandiroba scored another takedown a couple of minutes into the round and got to Lemos’ back in a scramble.
In the closing seconds of the round, the #5-ranked contender locked in an armbar and scored the submission.
Virna Jandiroba Submits Amanda Lemos In Headlining UFC Fight Night Strawweight Battle
Jandiroba has now won four straight and five of her last six. She called for a title fight in her post-fight interview and will likely be alongside Tatiana Suarez as one of two logical next challengers for the Chinese champ.
Lemos, meanwhile, is now 1-1 since losing a strawweight title fight with Weili Zhang at UFC 292 nearly one year ago.
UFC Fight Night took place tonight from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights!
In the main event, top-five ranked strawweights Amanda Lemos (#3) and Virna Jandiroba (#5) clashed. While in the co-main event, Steve Garcia faced Seungwoo Choi in a featherweight matchup.
UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card
Women’s Strawweight Main Event: Virna Jandiroba def. Amanda Lemos via submission: R2, 4.48
Featherweight: Steve Garcia def. Seungwoo Choi via TKO: R1, 1.36
Lightweight: Kurt Holobaugh def. Kaynan Kruschewsky via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Flyweight: Bruno Silva def. Cody Durden via TKO: R2 2.58
Featherweight: Dooho Choi def Bill Algeo via TKO: R2, 3.38
Featherweight: Hyder Amil def. JeongYeong Lee via TKO: R1, 1.05
Preliminary Card
Bantamweight: Cody Gibson def. Brian Kelleher via submission: R1, 3.58
Women’s Flyweight: Miranda Maverick def. Dione Barbosa via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27×2)
Those who were hoping to see another Nick Diaz appearance in the Octagon really soon will be disappointed.
Per the broadcast of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night, a “travel issue” has left Diaz unable to compete in his scheduled co-main event bout with Vicente Luque on Aug. 3, when the promotion holds a UFC Fight Night card at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
It was announced that undefeated middleweight prospect Sharabutdin “Bullet” Magomedov will now be featured in the new co-main event, taking on Michal Oleksiejczuk.
Diaz’s last UFC appearance came at UFC 266 in September 2021, losing to Robbie Lawler. That marked the Stockton star’s first MMA fight since his January 2015 clash with Anderson Silva.
Luque, meanwhile, has lost three of his last four, most recently being stopped by Joaquin Buckley at UFC Fight Night Atlantic City.
The UFC is expected to reschedule Luque vs. Diaz for an event at a late date.
Luque & Diaz Out, Magomedov In For UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi
Magomedov competed just last month at UFC Fight Night Saudi Arabia, scoring a third-round finish of Antonio Trócoli. He made his Octagon debut in Abu Dhabi last year, defeating Bruno Silva at UFC 294.
Oleksiejczuk, on the other hand, has lost three of his last four, most recently being submitted by Kevin Holland at UFC 302 last month in Newark.
UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi on August 3 will be headlined by Cory Sandhagen vs. Umar Nurmagomedov. It is the first of two events to take place in Abu Dhabi this year, with UFC 308 to be held in the same location on October 26.
Dooho Choi scored his first victory in the Octagon since 2016 during the main card of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night at the Apex, defeating fellow featherweight veteran Bill Algeo.
After already threatening a choke during the opening round, Choi landed a vicious left hook in the second round, causing Algeo to collapse to the mat. The American grabbed at his face while doing so, with some speculation he may have shattered an orbital bone taking the punch.
After the fight, “The Korean Superboy” expressed a desire to compete at least three times a year from this point forward.
Choi is now unbeaten in back-to-back fights since his return to the Octagon. Prior to tonight, his last fight came at a UFC Fight Night in February 2023, marking the end of a three-year layoff. He battled Kyle Nelson to a majority draw.
The Korean had dropped three straight before the draw, including a fight with Cub Swanson at UFC 206 that earned him Fight of the Year honors and scored both men spots in the Fight Wing of the UFC Hall of Fame.
Algeo, meanwhile, has now dropped back-to-back fights, having lost to Nelson via first-round TKO at UFC Fight Night Atlantic City this past March.
