Saturday’s UFC Fight Night may not have been the most hyped card the UFC has ever put on, but the opening matchup of the main card produced fireworks.
Hyder Amil won the bout, needing just over a minute to put away JeongYeong Lee.
The two produced a firefight for the short time it lasted, trading powerful and crisp strikes. Amil had the upper hand following a leg kick, landing hard-hitting combination after combination, filled with hooks aplenty and living up to his nickname of “The Hurricane.”
The undefeated American backed his South Korean opponent up to the fence, and while Lee was still on his feet, he took so many strikes that the referee was forced to step in and wave the fight off.
Hyder Amil Knocks Off JeongYeong Lee In Wild Striking Encounter At Apex-Held UFC Fight Night
Amil, an alumnus of Bellator and LFA, now improves to 10-0. After defeating Emrah Sonmez on Dana White’s Contender Series last year, “The Hurricane” debuted in the Octagon this past February, scoring a finish of Fernie Garcia.
Meanwhile, this result marked Lee’s first loss in the UFC after starting his Octagon run 2-0. Before arriving in the Octagon, “The Korean Tiger” was a Road FC champion and won a pair of bouts on Road to UFC in 2022.
In what will have to go down as one of the most confusing suspensions given out in the history of the UFC, Irina Alekseeva, known as “Russian Ronda,” has been suspended for a failed drug test stemming from just over one year ago.
The promotion outlined in a statemen this week that the positive drug test sample for testosterone was originally collected on June 21, 2023, when the UFC’s anti-drug program was still being overseen by USADA.
According to the UFC, Alekseeva was not notified of the failure until Oct. 31 — four months after the sample was collected. By that time, Alekseeva had already competed in another fight, losing to Melissa Mullins at the Apex-held UFC Fight Night on Oct. 14.
The UFC has since switched partners of the anti-drug program to Combat Sports Anti Doping (CSAD), who branded USADA’s handling of the failed 2023 test “unacceptable.”
“While CSAD was not the independent administrator of the UFC ADP during the above-described time period, CSAD recognizes the importance of promptly reporting results on samples collected in the months and weeks leading up to a UFC event BEFORE the event takes place. CSAD also recognizes that positive results reported out more than 4-months after a sample is collected, and where the athlete is allowed to compete in a UFC bout in the interim, is unacceptable.”
Irina Alekseeva Retroactively Suspended One Year After “Unacceptable” Handling By USADA, According To UFC
Alekseeva passed three drug tests prior to the failure and passed three drug test in the time between the failure and when she was notified. As a result of this unique situation, CSAD lowered the fighter’s perceived fault level.
Alekseeva’s suspension is retroactive to Oct. 15, 2023, as that marks the first day following her most recent fight. She will be eligible to return to competition on Oct. 15, 2024.
CSAD released a statement that reads: “Under the UFC Anti-Doping Program, CSAD, in its sole discretion may suspend all or any part of ineligibility and other consequences imposed in an individual case in which it has results management authority where the athlete has provided full and complete cooperation, where the athlete did not intend to enhance their performance and has provided full, prompt and truthful responses and information.
“CSAD has determined that Alekseeva’s efforts and the evidence of this case, fits these criteria, and thus CSAD is reducing the sanction against her to 12-months.”
The next UFC bout for Raul Rosas Jr. will take place at The Sphere in Las Vegas, as the bantamweight top prospect will be featured at Noche UFC for the second straight year.
As announced by his management team, Iridium Sports Agency, Rosas Jr. will take on Aoriqileng at UFC 306 on September 14.
— IridiumSportsAgency (@TeamIridiumISA) July 19, 2024
Rosas Jr. was in action just last month at UFC Fight Night Louisville, defeating Ricky Turcios. It was the 19-year-old’s first fight since competing on the inaugural Noche UFC card in September 2023, where he needed just 54 seconds to finish Terrence Mitchell.
“El Niño Problema” is 3-1 in the UFC since earning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series.
Raul Rosas Jr. To Face Aoriqileng At Noche UFC 2
Aoriqileng, meanwhile, was last in action this past February, with an unintentional groin strike resulting in his fight with Daniel Marcos ending in a No Contest. He has won three of his last five fights.
UFC 306, branded as “Riyadh Season Noche UFC 2,” is expected to be headlined by Sean O’Malley defending the bantamweight championship against Merab Dvalishvili.
Also expected for the card is the next women’s flyweight title defense for champion Alexa Grasso. She’s long been expected to face divisional legend Valentina Shevchenko following their stint as coaches on The Ultimate Fighter this year. After Grasso’s upset win at UFC 285, the two headlined last year’s Noche UFC card, with their main event ending in a controversial draw.
UFC CEO Dana White told Pat McAfee recently that UFC 306, a one-time UFC event to be held at the new Sphere in Vegas, is expected to have 10 fights booked for it.
UFC commentator John Gooden recently said that Jon Jones should give due recognition to Tom Aspinall if he manages to overcome Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.
Last November, the undisputed heavyweight champion was slated to put his title on the line against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295. However, a torn pectoral muscle forced Jones out of action, postponing the highly anticipated fight.
As a result, Aspinall rose to the occasion on short notice to face the backup fighter, Sergei Pavlovich, for the interim heavyweight title. The Englishman delivered an electrifying performance, clinching a knockout triumph just over a minute into the first round.
Riding high on his victory, Aspinall called for a title unification bout with “Bones”. However, the American has persistently rebuffed the challenge and even downplayed Aspinall’s status as an interim champion. Instead, Jones has expressed his intention to reconvene his bout with Miocic, which is seemingly targeted for November.
Frustrated by the inactivity, Aspinall chose to defend his interim title in a rematch against former adversary Blaydes. The showdown is set as the co-main event at UFC 304, taking place on July 27 in his hometown of Manchester.
Gooden Foresees Blaydes as Aspinall’s Stepping Stone to Jones Clash
During a recent interview with MiddleEasy, Gooden offered a preview of Aspinall’s upcoming title defense against Blaydes, suggesting that “Razor” constitutes a formidable threat for the Salford native if he relies on his wrestling and grappling prowess.
However, the English UFC commentator noted that Aspinall could surmount this challenge by applying relentless pressure with his precise striking.
“He [Blaydes] is a very, very dangerous guy, a legitimate perennial contender who has been there or thereabouts for the longest time,” Gooden said. “He’s also crossed those leaderboards with his style, obviously with the wrestling-heavy grappling style. But the man will open you up if he lands an elbow, and he will change the fight.”
Gooden also hinted that defeating Blaydes could catapult Aspinall to a status that would force “Bones” to recognize his legitimacy.
“If Tom Aspinall gets past Curtis Blaydes, and particularly in an impressive fashion, then I think that Jon Jones cannot do anything but acknowledge that victory and therefore surely must creep a little bit further into those two getting together, but of course, Tom’s got a big appointment ahead.”
Aspinall holds an Octagon record of seven victories since his promotional debut in July 2022, highlighted by six first-round finishes against formidable adversaries such as Sergei Pavlovich, Alexander Volkov, and Marcin Tybura.
The only blemish on his record during this UFC run has been a TKO loss resulting from an unforeseen knee injury just 15 seconds into his bout against Blaydes at UFC Fight Night London in July 2022.
UFC commentator John Gooden recently voiced his astonishment after Paddy Pimblett revealed he is contemplating a move to influencer boxing as he approaches the final fight of his UFC contract.
“The Baddy” is poised to go head-to-head against King Green on the main card of UFC 304. The pay-per-view will take place on July 27 at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, giving Pimblett the opportunity to shine in front of his home crowd.
Pimblett is gearing up for his sixth UFC bout, which will also mark the end of his initial contract with the MMA promotion. A victory against “King” could launch him into the lightweight rankings.
Pimblett’s remarks have left Gooden utterly perplexed, prompting him to question what could drive one of the UFC’s most promising prospects to even consider boxing YouTubers…
Gooden Trusts Pimblett’s Hard-Earned UFC Spot Will Keep Him Grounded
During a recent interview with MiddleEasy, Gooden reacted to Pimblett’s notion of leaving the UFC for a boxing career. The British UFC commentator stressed that “The Baddy” needs to secure a win in his upcoming fight to gain leverage in negotiations for his second contract with the promotion.
He believes a victory would significantly strengthen Pimblett’s bargaining power when discussing his future with the UFC.
“It would just hurt the numbers right if he doesn’t come away with a win against King Green,” Gooden said. “Then you know that you’re negotiating; you’re going to the table with a quite different approach. I would imagine I was surprised to hear him talk about boxing.”
“I don’t know if it was just something that had been across his socials like 30 minutes before he jumped on whatever it was and then spoke about it.”
Gooden further elaborated, praising Pimblett as a high-caliber MMA fighter who has made a tremendous effort to reach the UFC. He mentioned that Pimblett shouldn’t squander this hard-earned opportunity so easily.
“Paddy, for me, is one of the most dynamic grapplers that we’ve seen come out of the UK. His ability to take the back is phenomenal, and his finishing ability with submissions is his top draw, so seeing him go into boxing is like, really, are you sure? I’m a little confused about that, and deep down, you know Paddy had a.” “I think he turned down the UFC in the past in order to really make a good, conscientious run with enough kinds of veteran-ship to make a run in the UFC, so I know it means something for him to be in the organization.”
Pimblett is riding high after securing a unanimous decision victory over Tony Ferguson at UFC 296 last December. Since joining the UFC in September 2021, the Englishman has racked up an impressive five-fight win streak.
Given his strong fan base in Europe and his status as a rising star, it wouldn’t make sense for the promotion to let him go easily. Pimblett’s popularity and potential make him a valuable asset for the UFC.
He received some criticism from fans for this performance after not backing up some of his words about how the striking battle would play out.
Garry’s been known to ruffle some feathers during his UFC tenure, not least during the build up to his fight with the veteran 170-pound competitor Neil Magny.
The two men met at UFC 292 last year where the rising contender said some things about Magny that didn’t really resonate with a lot of the fans.
Despite their previous tensions, there is no bad blood towards the Irishman at least from Magny’s point of view as has been clear in the past.
Neal Magny Praises Ian Garry For His ‘Smart’ & ‘Patient’ Performance At UFC 303
During a recent interview with James Lynch for InsideFighting, Magny spoke about his former opponent’s last outing.
The welterweight staple is set to return on August 24 where he looks to make it back-to-back wins since his loss to Garry when facing Michael Morales.
“Yeah I watched it, it’s one of those fighters where it’s a tough call. When you have so much time to prepare for a fight, every move you make has to be very calculated where had one guy or the other slipped up one way or the other like had MVP [been] able to stuff one takedown, it would change the outcome of the fight. Had Ian Garry missed one takedown it could change the outcome of the fight, had MVP landed one more significant strike it could change the outcome of the fight so it was just one of those fights that was close going into it and anything can literally happen.
“That fight literally came down to who made the least amount of mistakes. I mean even some of the takedowns that Ian Garry was able to score on MPV, it didn’t really come from like, ‘Oh I’m going to set up a shot with my strikes and feint and get in this way.’ It was off a caught kick or something like that and he took full advantage of it.”
Where some fans criticized Garry for relying on his grappling skills to make the fight a more gruelling affair, Magny credited him for this.
He spoke about how when you’re up against an opponent like Page, doing anything other than keeping it simple can result in a rough awakening.
“It was a very close fight I was definitely impressed with the grappling display that Ian Garry was able to pull out of that fight. I definitely tip my hat to the performance that Ian Garry. It was one of those fights that is very difficult to prepare for because if you go out there and try to do a little bit too much against MVP, you end up waking up looking at the ceiling so he fought a very smart fight, a very patient fight and was able to get it done.”
Conor McGregor has been back in the headlines this week as he hosted his first press conference as part-owner of BKFC ahead of the company’s scheduled event in Marbella, Spain later this year.
The former UFC two-weight world champion was scheduled to fight in the Octagon for the first time in three years at UFC 303 recently, but a foot injury put paid to those plans. Speaking at the BKFC press conference, the Irishman revealed that he only has two fights left on his current contract with the UFC and said that he has ambitions to test the waters inside the bareknuckle ring once those commitments are fulfilled.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at five intriguing options we would love to see “The Notorious” face in BKFC.
Nate Diaz
The rivalry between McGregor and Diaz has simply refused to go away ever since the pair first met inside the Octagon at UFC 196 back in 2016. Diaz took the fight on short notice as a replacement for McGregor’s original opponent Rafael Dos Anjos and shocked the world by handing the then-featherweight champion his first defeat in the UFC.
https://youtu.be/G3ZsRG5gcNY?si=vAOP6EX4-yil60Ug
McGregor won an immediate rematch via majority decision just five months later and it seemed it would only be a matter of time before the pair would square off again. The rubber match never came, however, and Diaz fought out his UFC contract, finishing up with a submission victory over Tony Ferguson in September of 2022.
Although he failed to enter the title picture during his career inside the Octagon, Perry is now regarded as one of the biggest draws in combat sports outside the UFC.
Jorge Masvidal
“Gamebred” was a mainstay in the UFC’s lightweight and welterweight divisions between 2013-2023. He twice fought for the 170lb title against Kamaru Usman but was unsuccessful both times. After leaving the UFC (and temporarily retiring) in 2023 he recently made his first foray into the world of boxing when he faced Nate Diaz.
McGregor invited the former IBF and WBA welterweight boxing champion into his camp as a sparring partner in the lead up to his infamous boxing match against Floyd “Money” Mayweather back in 2017. After sharing multiple clips of McGregor knocking down Malignaggi during the workouts all over social media, tensions between the pair spiralled and rumors circulated that they would meet in a boxing match further down the line.
Malignaggi has carved out a career as a boxing commentator and analyst and has worked on BKFC events since his retirement from fighting. At 42-years-old, could we see him tempted into one more fight with his old rival?
After Nurmagomedov conclusively beat “The Notorious” at UFC 229 back in 2018 to claim the UFC lightweight championship, the Irishman campaigned tirelessly for a rematch. His disappointment at Khabib announcing his retirement just two years later was captured on camera during the filming of his documentary McGregor Forever, and the Dubliner has never missed an opportunity to berate Nurmagomedov when given the chance in the years that have passed.
Top UFC featherweights Movsar Evloev and Aljamain Sterling will look to stake their claim for a first title shot in the division when they share the cage later this year.
The undefeated Russian and the former UFC bantamweight champion have been going back and forth on social media about doing battle ever since the latter successfully debuted in the weight class this past April.
A victory over Calvin Kattar at UFC 300 saw Sterling enter the rankings at #8, and “Funk Master” will now have the chance to crack the featherweight top five at the expense of Evloev.
As first reported by MMA Propagande and subsequently confirmed by both men on social media, Evloev and Sterling are slated to collide on the UFC 307 pay-per-view card on October 5.
A location and venue is yet to be officially announced by the promotion, but the expectation is for UFC 307 to take place at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Evloev, Sterling To Vie For Shot At Topuria’s Gold At UFC 307
When they finally meet in the Octagon after months of online discussion regarding a date and ducking allegations, both Evloev and Sterling will hope to continue their winning form all the way to the top.
Evloev (18-0) further climbed the 145-pound pecking order this year by narrowly getting the better of Arnold Allen on the scorecards at UFC 297 in Canada this past January. The result marked the former M-1 Global bantamweight champ’s eighth straight victory on MMA’s biggest stage, following triumphs over Dan Ige and Diego Lopes.
The Russian, however, has come under fire for his tendency to go the distance inside the Octagon, having yet to find a finish in the UFC since his debut back in 2019. He’ll look to rectify that unwanted statistic at the expense of the division’s newest contender.
Sterling (24-4) brought his time making a difficult weight cut down to 135 pounds to an end following his title loss to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292 in Boston last August. With his calls for an immediate rematch falling on deaf ears, “Funk Master” committed to the pursuit of gold in a second weight class, which he began successfully by outgrappling Kattar at April’s milestone PPV.
The 34-year-old must now get past Evloev if he’s to put himself in position for a future shot at Topuria’s featherweight title.
Following a solid UFC debut against Kevin Holland, Michael Page lost to Ian Garry at UFC 303 via unanimous decision. Despite having success on the feet, he could not stop a couple of Garry’s takedowns and was controlled for over seven minutes.
The fight was close with Garry decisively winning the first and Page bouncing back in the second. MVP started strong in the third but a late takedown helped “Machado” get the judges’ nod.
Here’s what Georges St-Pierre’s coach, Firas Zahabi, thinks of MVP’s future in the UFC welterweight division and whether he can be the champion one day…
Georges St-Pierre’s Coach Expects Michael ‘Venom’ Page To Improve His Resume In The UFC
Zahabi recently talked about MVP’s potential to become the UFC welterweight champion on his YouTube channel. Although he claimed Page to be the better striker in the Garry fight, he is skeptical about the Bellator star’s ability to handle other high-level opponents.
“I think MVP looked good in the striking. The third round was close. I gave the first round, obviously to Ian. Second round, I gave it to MVP. Third round, I had MVP and then Ian Garry came out with the double leg.”
While looking at Page’s record, Zahabi highlighted that many of his opponents in Bellator can’t be compared to the top-ranked UFC welterweights. Apart from Holland and Douglas Lima, his most notable win is over Paul Daley. According to GSP’s coach, Lima won the rematch against “Venom”, which is why he isn’t impressed by the latter’s resume.
“It was a close fight but those are just higher level competitors. And It Was the First Time We see Him Against higher level competitors. The THing is MVP’s Had a lot of fights in his career but he’s fought a lot of guys you’ve never heard of. He’s fought a lot of guys you’ve never heard of.”
The coach said that most of Page’s opponents won’t make it to the top 15 in the UFC welterweight division. As a result, “Venom” might be overwhelmed by the competition in the promotion.
Zahabi gave Page his props for the impressive win over Holland and advised him to continue fighting the top 15 ranked UFC welterweights. He didn’t sound confident about MVP winning gold at 170 pounds, though.
UFC commentator John Gooden believes Belal Muhammad might be overconfident with his trash talk aimed at reigning welterweight champion Leon Edwards ahead of their rematch at UFC 304.
“Rocky” is preparing to defend his title against Muhammad in the headlining bout of the upcoming UFC pay-per-view, set for July 27 at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England.
After their initial bout, Edwards earned a title shot by defeating Nate Diaz at UFC 263 and ultimately overcame Kamaru Usman to claim the 170-pound championship at UFC 278 in August 2022. Meanwhile, Muhammad had to achieve a five-fight undefeated streak to finally secure his first UFC title opportunity.
However, Gooden thinks Muhammad might have been overreaching with his verbal jabs…
Gooden Argues Muhammad’s Discrediting of Edwards Is Misjudgment
During a recent interview with MiddleEasy, Gooden weighed in on his compatriot Edwards’ upcoming bout against Muhammad. The British UFC broadcaster remarked that the American’s unwarranted verbal jabs at “Rocky” won’t win him any fans in the champion’s homeland and may even backfire.
He mentioned that Edwards has garnered a substantial fan base in the UK thanks to his consistently stellar performances, which have cemented his reputation as a hometown hero.
“He’s [Edwards] won over the British public through his success,” Gooden said. “I mean, Belal is talking a lot at the moment, and he is saying some pretty… Well, he’s discrediting Leon in a lot of ways. He’s got a lot of thoughts about his personality and his marketability, etc., etc., but Leon has earned this fanfare in the UK.”
“The wider populous likes winners and Leon’s done nothing but that right, so he’s earned the popularity. So Belal is deluded if he thinks he’s going to walk out, and he’s going to get the cheers, and Leon’s going to get the boos like it’s not going to be that way.”
Edwards isn’t celebrated for his microphone skills and had previously shrugged off Muhammad’s attempts to downplay him, questioning where his rival’s newfound confidence is coming from. Regardless, seeing how both fighters approach UFC 304 in the coming days will be fascinating.
Issues with fighting in the United States have made it harder for the UFC to book him fights but the much bigger problem has been his own health.
“Borz” has been kept relatively inactive for a long time largely due to his current condition which seems to have significantly impacted his progress in MMA.
All of this could have been put behind him in June when he was set to return against former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker.
With the hopes of returning later this year at what will likely be UFC 307, there is still hope that he can return to form inside the Octagon.
Guram Kutateladze Says Khamzat Chimaev Is Back Training With October Return In Mind
Georgian lightweight contender Guram Kutateladze is a close friend and training partner of Chimaev’s at Allstars Training Center in Sweden.
During a recent interview with James Lynch for Sportskeeda MMA, he spoke about how Chimaev is progressing after overcoming the illness which led to Ikram Aliskerov taking his place last month.
Kutateladze had some promising and hopeful things to say about the middleweight contender’s current situation.
He believes that we will see him in Abu Dhabi in Octoberm which will be roughly one year on from his last appearance where he defeated Kamaru Usman via majority decision at UFC 294.
“It was unfortunate but again, we have to keep positive thoughts, positive mentality. He’s feeling better now. He’s been for a few weeks in Caucasian Mountains, breathing fresh air, mountain air and training there with his team. With his brothers and team and I think boxing national team too so hopefully, as he said himself, we gonna see him in Abu Dhabi in October and I’m sure 100% that he will be ready and as always, energized.”
UFC Fight Night: Amanda Lemos vs. Virna Jandiroba takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!
Before crossing the pond for its latest pay-per-viewevent in Manchester, England, the promotion will host yet another low-key card from the Apex facility in Las Vegas.
After the women’s flyweights took center stage last weekend in Denver, the July 20 event sees strawweights under the main event spotlight, as former title challenger Amanda Lemos looks to continue working her way back to the belt at the expense of another Brazilian contender in Virna Jandiroba.
Elsewhere on the lineup, the likes of “The Korean Superboy” Dooho Choi and undefeated featherweight Hyder Amil are among those set to be in action.
UFC Fight Night: Lemos vs. Jandiroba Weigh-In Results
UFC Fight Night: Lemos vs. Jandiroba takes place on Saturday, July 20, at the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.
See above for a replay of the weigh-ins via MMA Junkie, and check out the full results below!
Main Card:
Women’s Strawweight Main Event: Amanda Lemos (116lbs) vs. Virna Jandiroba (115.5lbs)
Middleweight: Brad Tavares (185.5lbs) vs. Junyong Park (186lbs)*
Featherweight: Steve Garcia (144.5lbs) vs. Seungwoo Choi (145lbs)
Lightweight: Kurt Holobaugh (155lbs) vs. Kaynan Kruschewsky (154lbs)
Flyweight: Cody Durden (125.5lbs) vs. Bruno Silva (126lbs)
Featherweight: Dooho Choi (146lbs) vs. Bill Algeo (146lbs)
Preliminary Card:
Featherweight: JeongYeong Lee (145.5lbs) vs. Hyder Amil (145lbs)
Bantamweight: Brian Kelleher (136lbs) vs. Cody Gibson (136lbs)
Women’s Flyweight: Miranda Maverick (125.5lbs) vs. Dione Barbosa (125.5lbs)
Lightweight: Loik Radzhabov (155.5lbs) vs. Trey Ogden (156lbs)
Women’s Flyweight: Luana Carolina (125.5lbs) vs. Lucie Pudilová (126lbs)
Heavyweight: Mohammed Usman (236.5lbs) vs. Thomas Petersen (258.5lbs)
*The co-main event between Brad Tavares and Junyong Park was canceled after both fighters had weighed in due to a medical issue on the side of Park
During Conor McGregor’s first press conference as a part owner of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, he spoke about how he first got interested in the promotion.
For many, BKFC will come with a big barrier to entry because of the raw and brutal nature of the sport once the gloves are off.
Others will see this as a draw because by taking away the gloves, you’re one step closer to it being a true fight between two athletes rather than a sporting contest.
It was very much love at first sight for McGregor, who has always been passionate about boxing and supporting his fellow fighters.
His route into the sport and BKFC specifically came though a former member of the UFC roster.
Conor McGregor Says Former UFC Fighter Bec Rawlings Was His Introduction To BKFC
The success of BKFC owes a lot to former UFC fighters making the jump over and bringing some added attention and eyeballs with them.
Australia’s Bec Rawlings competed seven times in the Octagon before she was released by the promotion, which led to her finding her way to BKFC as one of the first fighters to make this switch.
“Rowdy” competed at the promotion’s very first event back in June of 2018 where she became the inaugural women’s featherweight champion.
After a brief stint in Bellator, she returned to BKFC in 2022 and last fought under their banner in December of last year.
McGregor spoke at a press conference for BKFC’s upcoming event in Spain about his initial experience with watching the promotion and how Rawlings was the first domino that set this path in motion.
“Just watch one fight and you’ll be hooked, like me. Now I started this, I watched a lady I know through the UFC named ‘Rowdy’ Bec Rawlings and she was a female world champion in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. I was just taken back by what the sport was, what it was about.
“Any real fighter, any real true fighter, inside of them knows that to have a bare knuckle fighting world championship is a real feather in the cap and then once I came down live to see an event, I was blown away by it.”
Conor McGregor was drawn to bare knuckle because of how intense and raw the sport is by taking away the gloves.
His decision to become a part owner in BKFC obviously comes from a business stand point where he knows he can add major value to this promotion on the rise.
At the same time, it’s clearly something that “The Notorious” is very passionate about because of the mindset of the fighters that step into such an unforgiving arena.
He believes that the sport of bare knuckle has one thing over any other combat sport and that’s the respect for the athletes.
Conor McGregor Says Competing In Bare Knuckle Comes With A Certain Amount Of Respect
Ask any boxer about whether they want to compete in MMA and you’re sure to get an answer along the lines of not wanting to spend time training their grappling skills.
However, ask most boxers or MMA fighters about competing in bare knuckle and the issue isn’t that it’s a new skillset for them to learn, it’s that it’s too damaging.
McGregor believes that this puts the athletes in BKFC on a pedestal in combat sports which makes them a small minority in an already very unique profession.
“The Notorious” spoke at his first press conference for the promotion where he used Mike Perry as a reference for how fighters can come and reinvent themselves in the promotion.
He believes that competing in this sport comes with a certain amount of respect in the combat sports world because frankly, most wouldn’t sign on the dotted line.
“Make a new name for yourself. Look at what has happened to Michael Perry, one of our big stars here, the ‘King of Violence’ he titles himself. He’s had such a rise in the sport, now he’s up against a little dweeb of a thing in a fight this weekend that we’re all rooting for him.
“This is the real deal. No one in this combat sports space can speak one bad word about a bare knuckle fighting world champion and that for me, is money in the bank.”
Henry Cejudo recently weighed in on his teammate Tracy Cortez’s defeat against Rose Namajunas, suggesting that she had the potential to perform much better.
Last Saturday night, Cortez gave it her all but fell short on the judges’ scorecards, enduring her first UFC defeat in a grueling five-round battle against “Thug Rose,” who won by unanimous decision.
Despite the limited preparation time, the 30-year-old Arizona native went toe-to-toe for the full 25 minutes against the former two-time strawweight champion. However, her teammate at Fight Ready gym, Cejudo, believes that Cortez could have delivered a much stronger performance with a different game plan…
During a recent Pound 4 Pound podcast episode with former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, “Triple C” dissected Cortez’s performance against Namajunas. He noted that “Thug Rose” effectively utilized her lateral movements and found better striking angles with well-timed takedowns, ultimately securing her victory over his teammate.
“Rose was able to use her lateral movements, pick her shots, and then eventually bring in takedowns, which kind of surprised me,” Cejudo said. “But I’m not surprised with her because she did the same thing to Weili [Zhang] towards the end of the round to secure the rounds.”
Cejudo further critiqued that Cortez lacked mindfulness throughout the fight and failed to capitalize on key takedown opportunities, a misstep that decisively cost her the bout.
“Tracy didn’t show up, man. I just don’t know how to say it; man, that’s not the Tracy that we know. I watched the fight again, and she never once attempted the takedowns; after she attempted one takedown, that’s it, there’s no level changes involved. I talked to her on Saturday afterward and just said, ‘Hey, just keep your head up, dude. It was an experience, but I just know you’re better than that, Tracy’.”
Cortez began the bout stronger, aiming to counter Namajunas’ speed and striking skills. Although she secured an early takedown, Cortez frequently found herself on the receiving end, being taken down multiple times by her opponent throughout the fight.
Ilia Topuria shocked the world by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski for the UFC featherweight title at UFC 298. Rumors suggest that his first title defense will be against Max Holloway.
Although Holloway has lost thrice to Volkanovski, his brand is at an all-time high after his last-second KO win over lightweight Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. He looked flawless in the Octagon that night, and even called out Topuria following the victory.
Here’s how a fight between Topuria and Holloway could go down according to other UFC fighters like Renato Moicano and Gilbert Burns…
Renato Moicano & Gilbert Burns Discuss Whether Ilia Topuria Has The Tools To Beat Max Holloway
Moicano and Burns discussed Topuria vs. Holloway on the Show Me The Money podcast on YouTube recently. The former UFC welterweight title challenger looked back at the events he’s shared with “Blessed” and appreciated the latter’s hard work and skillset.
Burns remembered watching Holloway grapple against elite wrestlers ahead of his fight against “The Korean Zombie” at UFC Singapore. He was amazed by the featherweight’s well-roundedness, strength, and physique.
“He was there, for like a month. oh guys, a high super strong dude. He looks like a 55er, he’s small, but he’s big, he’s very strong dude. I saw him wrestle the good wrestlers, he grappling. Both guys got cardio, both guys got good grappling, they super high level so I gotta, gotta kind of study that fight before.”
“Durinho” isn’t overlooking Topuria though. He acknowledged that the UFC featherweight kingpin is technically gifted too and has the cardio to match Holloway’s pace.
“What’s he gonna do to Max Holloway, let’s be honest. Max Holloway, he’s this crazy, he’s just a little bit old.”
Moicano, on the other hand, isn’t riding on the Topuria hype train. He thinks that “El Matador” cannot harm the former champ on the feet or the ground. The lightweight contender admitted that he picked Volkanovski to beat Topuria too, but he is still not confident about the champ’s ability to get past “Blessed”.
Ronda Rousey elevated into a superstar during her iconic UFC run between 2013 and 2015. She became one of the biggest draws in the promotion by defending the UFC women’s bantamweight title five times against top competition like Miesha Tate, Cat Zingano, and Liz Carmouche.
Rousey’s loss to Holly Holm was a huge upset, though. It was followed by her absence from the sport for over a year, and upon her return, she suffered another loss to Amanda Nunes.
While MMA fans are still divided over Rousey’s abrupt retirement after the loss to Nunes, Dana White has all the praise in the world for her…
Dana White Explains How Ronda Rousey’s Greatness Led To Her Downfall In The UFC
White recently appeared on The Big Podcast by Shaquille O’Neal and revealed his top three favorite UFC fighters to work with. Off the top of his head, he named Chuck Liddell and Rousey and then unsurprisingly mentioned Conor McGregor.
“My two all-time favorites, the two people that were the best ever to deal with and that I absolutely love, Chuck Liddell, Ronda Rousey. Ronda Rousey is the greatest athlete I’ve ever worked with, by 100 miles, okay. And then, Conor McGregor has been a great athlete to work with for me.
However, the UFC President highlighted that “Rowdy” has been his favorite athlete to work with by far. He appreciated the former UFC champ’s willingness to do big things in life and take on any responsibilities thrown at her.
White remembered that Rousey never backed down from a challenge. While the rest of the women’s bantamweight fighters were solely training to beat the champ, she took part in various ventures that helped the company.
When asked what made “Rowdy” special, here’s what he had to say:
“She ended up becoming so big and so popular that she took on so many different things at the same time. Meanwhile, all the other women in the division are just training to beat Ronda. Exactly, right, you break Ronda down and you just figure out how to beat Ronda. Ronda took everything on her back and carried it and she would never say no to anything.”
The UFC CEO then claimed that Rousey’s aim to keep achieving also affected her career. Had she been more focused on just fighting like the rest of her competitors, she might’ve been able to extend her remarkable title defense streak further.
Like countless MMA enthusiasts, White credited Rousey for popularizing women’s MMA and opening his eyes to its true potential.
Belal Muhammad recently claimed that reigning UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards would be a walk in the park for him, suggesting that the division has lost its edge and currently lacks competitiveness.
“Remember the Name” is gearing up to challenge Edwards in a highly anticipated rematch for the title in the main event of UFC 304, scheduled for July 27 at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England.
“I see weaknesses in a lot of these guys,” Muhammad said. “I don’t think there are going to be easy fights, but looking at this division, Leon is my easiest fight.”
Muhammad further emphasized that his extensive experience and relentless pursuit of improvement will be his greatest assets in the upcoming bout on July 27.
“I’ve had the highest highs and the lowest lows. After every fight, I analyze what I did wrong. I train year-round to be a better fighter. I really think I’m behind a lot of these guys. So I’ve always had that mentality that I’m behind and have to keep learning, growing, and getting better. And I think that’s what separates me from the rest. Every single fight, I come as a different fighter.”
Muhammad initially faced Edwards in a short-notice bout during a UFC Fight Night main event in March 2021. Unfortunately, an accidental eye poke in the second round forced Muhammad to withdraw, resulting in the fight being declared a no-contest.
One of the most anticipated fights of the year is sure to be what many expect as the next UFC featherweight title fixture.
For many years, Max Holloway has been considered to be the second-best 145-pound fighter on the planet as he wasn’t able to solve the problem that is Alexander Volkanovski.
A current featherweight contender believes that in giving Topuria the edge in this fight, he isn’t just better than Holloway, he’s one of the top two in the world today.
Nathaniel Wood Says Ilia Topuria Is In The Pound-For-Pound Conversation On Skill Alone
In a recent interview with InsideFighting, London’s Nathaniel Wood spoke about the title fight that is set to go down in his division.
“The Prospect” is set to return at UFC 304 where he takes on Daniel Pineda after going 3-1 since making the move up from bantamweight.
He believes that whilst Holloway may have the best chance of anyone else in the mix, “El Matador” is the more skilled fighter overall.
“See, I see Ilia Topuria as one of the pound-for-pound best at the moment. I think he’s better than Max but I feel like Max could cause him problems with his style and Max is obviously as tough as they come. I do think out of that top 10, if anyone was to beat Topuria, I’d put it on Max Holloway.”
Elaborating on his high praise for Topuria, Wood put this in context regarding the debate at the top of the pound-for-pound ladder.
He believes that whilst the current featherweight champion doesn’t have the accolades just yet, his talent and performances prove that he belongs just below the greatest of all time, Jon Jones.
“Gotta be Jon Jones, I don’t see how anyone can ever go against him, obviously if you’re going off of the CV. Now, Ilia Topuria, I think pound-for-pound one of the best just the way he moves. I think if you look at him on the CV, okay he’s obviously just become the champion. Okay, how can you say he’s the pound-for-pound but you just know when someone’s special and me personally, I think he is.
“I’ve said before I think he’d be the hardest fight for me in the division when he wasn’t even ranked I think in the top 10, because you can just see when someone’s got that something. Obviously, Alex Pereira, he’s just that knockout machine, you know what I mean but skill set wise, I think Topuria’s a better fighter, better athlete all round.”
It would appear that UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis’ entire team has been reaping the benefits of his title crowning.
Du Plessis completed his rise to glory in mixed martial arts’ premier promotion as an undefeated fighter inside the Octagon this past January in Canada, where he headlined the UFC 297 pay-per-view in competition for Sean Strickland’s belt.
In addition to achieving his own title ambitions, Du Plessis became the first South African to bring UFC gold back to his nation. And that fact has evidently encouraged his teammates to raise their game now that they have the chance to share a gym with the 185-pound kingpin…
Du Plessis: Team CIT Has Found ‘Another Level’ After UFC Title Win
During an interview with Fox West Texas, Du Plessis spoke about how he’s been enjoying life as a champion thus far.
After noting that his crowning in Toronto earlier this year has only increased his personal drive for more success on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage, “Stillknocks” pointed to the positive impact it’s also had on his team as a whole.
“It’s been great. It’s been everything that I expected, everything that I hoped for, and better,” Du Plessis said. “And training-wise, once I got that belt, I got a fire under me. A lot of people might think once you win that belt, you lose some of that hunger. I always said it, becoming UFC champion is not my end goal, not at all. … There’s a new hunger. There’s that championship hunger because now I’m defending my throne, and I’ll do anything to defend that throne.
“In training, the team, everybody’s stepped it up because now they’re going up against the world champion. Everybody wants to land a shot on the world champion,” Du Plessis continued. “If you can give the world champ a hard time, you’re not far off getting that big shot. My team’s amazing. The coaches, everybody’s stepped it up. Everybody realized, we are now world champions and we should behave as such when it comes to training, recovering. … Just another level.”
Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier has backed Sean Strickland’s claim to a title shot, as noise regarding Robert Whittaker getting the next opportunity instead continues to increase.
Even prior to his victory last month, Strickland felt hard done by having been overlooked by the promotion for Dricus Du Plessis’ first title defense this summer. “Tarzan,” of course, lost the middleweight belt to the South African by narrow margins at UFC 297 in Canada this past January.
He then begrudgingly accepted a bout with Paulo Costa, outpointing the former title challenger in a lackluster five-round co-main event at the UFC 302 pay-per-view in Newark. In the immediate aftermath, Strickland laid down his stance by insisting that he’ll only make the walk for a title fight next time out.
Cormier Asks: Why Are People ‘So Quick To Discredit’ Strickland?!
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Cormier gave his take on the major topics currently appearing in mixed martial arts headlines, including Khamzat Chimaev’s push for a middleweight title shot.
Cormier questioned how Strickland keeps being left out of the discussion over who could fight the winner of Du Plessis vs. Adesanya. Ironically, “DC” initially left Strickland out himself and branded the victor of a potential Chimaev vs. Whittaker fight as next in line.
“Khamzat vs. Robert Whittaker to determine who’s next. You know what, or Sean Strickland,” Cormier said. “I don’t understand how Sean Strickland keeps getting forgotten. He does everything he’s supposed to do. He wins the fights. He was the number one contender. He should not always seem to be put on the backburner.
“He beat Paulo Costa better than Robert Whittaker beat Paulo Costa,” Cormier continued. “Rob goes and has that crazy fight in Saudi Arabia and we immediately start talking about him as the number one contender. What about Sean Strickland? I don’t know why people are so quick to discount this man. We saw it on his rise to the championship, we saw it when he was champion, we saw it when he was coming back. I don’t know why people are so quick to discredit this man.”
While known for his tendency to say yes to whichever fights the UFC slides across his desk, the former champ has been firm in rejecting a possible clash with “The Reaper,” as well as any other matchup that doesn’t come with the 185-pound belt on the line.
The thought that whittaker gets a title shot before me is fucking wild..
Conor McGregor’s first question that he faced at his very first press conference for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship was seemingly asked by himself.
“The Notorious” was in attendance at his debut media event since becoming a part owner of the promotion in April as they promoted BKFC heading to Spain on October 12.
The first question that came his way was delivered via an impression of “The Mac” himself as McGregor was asked whether he thinks his former UFC rival Khabib Nurmagomedov could ever make some quick money by competing in BKFC if needed.
“There is a well known rat, who owes his b******* off to the Russian government. You know, would you get that man to BKFC if that man needed a dollar or two, you know. He clearly needs the money to pay back the Russian government, the man is a fool of a thing. With bare knuckle, a man versus a man, let it all end there in the coliseum, the Conor-seum. Let’s make it happen, that little scurrying rat.”
McGregor, who laughed throughout, responded with one of his most iconic press conference lines.
“It sounds like I’m talking, who the f*** is that? Who the f*** is that guy?”
Conor McGregor Slams Khabib Nurmagomedov Over Financial Reports
After taking a moment to laugh about the impression, McGregor did answer the question to some degree about the former UFC lightweight champion who has recently been in the news over financial issues with the Russian government.
“The Notorious” spoke about how Nurmagomedov walked away from MMA, let alone stepping into bare knuckle which, as McGregor said himself, requires a certain type of person and mindset.
“The guy won’t even fight, come on. The one thing that really attracts me to this game is these are bad men and women here in this f****** company, for real, these are bad men and women. You’ve got to be, you’re all talking about cutting each other up. A jab splits the skin in this game so the stakes are on another level, the intensity is on another level and again, it’s what drew me to this.
“The Russian who, he’s not even a Russian, he doesn’t represent Russia. He owes his b*******, he’s gone running. I’d love to fight one of these m************ in bare knuckle but they won’t fight so.”
McGregor did say during the press conference that with two fights left on his UFC contract, competing in BKFC at a later date is something that he is interested in.
UFC light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith sympathizes with former opponent Jon Jones as he battles his latest legal case.
The reigning heavyweight champion has once again found himself the subject of concerning allegations, this time involving a female agent for Drug Free Sport International — the organization that administers the UFC’s new anti-doping program.
A few months on from details of the alleged incident emerging, Jones has officially been charged with assault, a petty misdemeanor, and interference with communications, a misdemeanor.
The MMA great is unsurprisingly challenging the tester’s account of events, having been firm with his denial in the days after the accusations initially emerged. And having had his own experience with drug testers in the past, one former opponent of Jones’ appears to support him…
Smith On Jones’ Drug-Tester Charges: ‘Sometimes They Can Be Assholes…’
During a recent episode of Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast, Smith reacted to the charges against Jones, which mark the latest controversy outside of the cage involving his ex-rival.
“Lionheart,” who unsuccessfully challenged for Jones’ light heavyweight title back in 2019, explained why he was compelled to support Jones following news of the charges, noting that not every tester is well-mannered and appreciative of fighters’ time.
“I kind of stuck up for him at the beginning because it is a pain in the ass to do the whole drug-testing thing,” Smith said. “I’ve always been lucky that my drug testers have always been pretty cool. They’re fairly respectful of your time, they’re fairly respectful of the inconvenience that they’re creating for you. So they always show up like, ‘Hey, I know it’s not the best time, sorry, let me get this sample and we’ll get out of here.’ But I have had one…not here at home or in Denver, but just been out somewhere and they find this random person, somebody you’ve never had before, and sometimes they can be assholes. They have this power trip…like they want to boss you around.
“If he (Jones) got one of those bad ones…because he’s a little bit hot-headed at times, I can understand him kind of flipping out and going off,” Smith continued. “And apparently he was having a party, so I think he was drinking and had some friends over. They show up, started to be assholes, kind of being disrespectful at times, I could see him kind of going off. But once you start touching people and taking their phones and stuff, that’s a problem. But if (the testers were) being an asshole to him, then it’s kind of in his right. That’s not illegal.”
Days on from the charges being confirmed, Jones appeared at Bernalillo Country Metropolitan Court on Wednesday for his bail arraignment, pleading not guilty to the misdemeanors.
Having had the conditions for his ongoing release set, the UFC star will have his bench trial scheduled for a date between 30 and 45 days down the line.
Jon Jones appeared for his bond arraignment hearing this morning at Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court with his lawyer Christopher Dodd where he entered a "not guilty" plea on misdemeanor charges of assault and interference with communications, per the court's public…
Having seen a portion of the fanbase turn against him, UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett expects to reverse that at the expense of Bobby Green.
Pimblett broke onto the scene in a big way following his UFC signing in 2021, winning his debut via knockout and subsequently recording two memorable submissions on home soil at London-held UFC Fight Nights in 2022.
But just as his following grew and rise to stardom accelerated, the tide appeared to turn when “The Baddy” made his pay-per-view debut opposite Jared Gordon in Las Vegas later that year.
While all three scorecards went in his favor, many cried robbery and began to dismiss the Liverpudlian as a legitimate threat to those high up the 155-pound ladder. And having suffered a foot injury, Pimblett had to wait a full year to answer his critics.
And with a violent victory over Bobby “King” Green on July 27, the former Cage Warriors champ expects the “fickle” MMA fans to start backing him once again…
When asked about some of the backlash he gets from the fans for topics ranging from in-cage performances to weight gain in-between his Octagon appearances, Pimblett suggested that it’s simply “popular” to speak negatively about him.
But with a dominant and emphatic display at the expense of Green at UFC 304, “The Baddy” expects his former supporters to return.
“Haters are gonna hate. I don’t give a f*ck what people on the Internet say, lad. I see people comment stuff all the time,” Pimblett said. “It’s a popular thing at the minute to hate on me. Ever since that Jared Gordon fight, it’s popular. Before that fight, I was the best thing since sliced bread. I was great, everyone loved me. Then I have a close decision that three judges decided I won — not me, I didn’t pick the winner — and everyone turns on you.
“That’s the thing in this sport, lad. MMA fans are so fickle. It’s one of them. I come out in this fight and knock Bobby Green, everyone will be back on side,” Pimblett added.
Pimblett will look to make good on his promise to finish Green inside the distance. More so than regaining fan support, that’s in order for “The Baddy” to debut in the lightweight rankings and begin his planned four-fight path to the title.
“Borrachinha’s” stock took a hit at UFC 302 last month when he fell short in a lackluster five-round affair with Curtis’ teammate, ex-champ Sean Strickland.
Should Costa accept a clash in the cage with Strickland’s fellow Xtreme Couture standout, however, he can seemingly expect a dancing partner ready and willing to throw down in the middle of the Octagon.
“I cornered Sean that fight. When he took that fight…I literally went back, watched all of the Costa fights, and I had like a freakin’ four-page bulletin report on what to do…everything that Costa does, when he does it, why I think he does it,” Curtis said. “I just think it’s a fight that I match up well with.
“Costa’s usually a really fun guy to watch but the Strickland fight was just weird for him because Sean’s a weird guy to fight,” Curtis continued. “I think me and Costa, I think we can just sit there and beat on each other until somebody falls, and I’m okay with that. Sean doesn’t want to fight that way. He’s not trying to get his head bust in. I will gladly stand in front of you and we will just swing at each other.”
Curtis initially shared his interest in keeping Xtreme Couture’s eyes locked on Costa the day after the UFC 302 event in Newark. “The Action Man” respectfully offered to throw down with the Brazilian after sympathizing with his struggles against Strickland.
