MMA News

Category: MMA

  • ‘Your Biggest Win In UFC Is Losing To Me’ – Movsar Evloev, Aljamain Sterling, Belal Muhammad, & Others React To Diego Lopes’ Win Over Dan Ige At UFC 303

    ‘Your Biggest Win In UFC Is Losing To Me’ – Movsar Evloev, Aljamain Sterling, Belal Muhammad, & Others React To Diego Lopes’ Win Over Dan Ige At UFC 303

    Diego Lopes secured the decision win over Dan Ige at UFC 303 following one of the most unique builds to a fight in the history of the promotion.

    The Brazilian won the first two rounds fairly convincingly with a mix of his combinations and grappling control but his opponent was able to keep himself in the fight.

    Ige, who agreed to the bout on the very same day after Brian Ortega withdrew due to illness, was able to stay competitive and rally in the third round which was where he had the most success by a considerable distance.

    It was a rollercoaster ride to get to the Octagon for both men with the defining characteristic of the fight being the incredible attitudes of both Lopes and Ige to make it happen. 

    MMA World Reacts To Diego Lopes’ Hard-Fought Win Over Dan Ige

    MMA fans reacted to a co-main event that is sure to go down in the history books because of how we got to that point on June 29.

    Both men stepped up in a fight where despite Lopes getting the win via unanimous decision, neither came away as the loser.

  • Daniel Cormier Describes Importance Of Khabib Nurmagomedov In Islam Makhachev’s Corner For ‘More Difficult Than Anticipated’ UFC 302 Fight

    Daniel Cormier Describes Importance Of Khabib Nurmagomedov In Islam Makhachev’s Corner For ‘More Difficult Than Anticipated’ UFC 302 Fight

    Daniel Cormier believes that Islam Makhachev benefitted massively from the return of Khabib Nurmagomedov to his corner at UFC 302.

    The former lightweight champion has been away from the spotlight for some time after stating that he didn’t want to take away from his fighters and planned to spend more time with his family.

    However, coach Khabib was back at UFC 302 this past weekend and played a very important role in the main event.

    Makhachev was more than capable of striking with Dustin Poirier, and when he wasn’t able to secure takedowns, he was getting the better of the exchanges on the feet.

    Despite this, Nurmagomedov was going crazy at his fighter in the later rounds. That’s because, while the champion was doing good work on the feet, the longer the fight stayed standing, the better chance Poirier had of pulling off a knockout.

    Daniel Cormier Speaks On Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Influence On Islam Makhachev From The Corner

    During his immediate post-event reactions from cageside, Cormier recapped the main event on his YouTube channel.

    The UFC commentator spoke about how Nurmagomedov’s return to the corner was specifically significant for this particular fight because of the way it played out. He says that for all the success Makhachev had with his striking, it was the former champion who constantly told him to not get carried away and to look for takedowns.

    It was “father’s plan” in full effect, and Cormier isn’t sure whether anyone else could have broken through to Makhachev quite like “The Eagle” did.

    “You know what’s very important to me was having Khabib back in his corner for a fight that proved to be much more difficult than they anticipated,” Cormier said. “After the third round, guys, they didn’t show it on the TV, Khabib storms the Octagon, gets right in Islam’s face, because you saw Dustin kind of tell him, ‘Let’s go! let’s go m***********!’ And Islam’s like, ‘Alright, let’s go.’ He didn’t say m*********** because then they would have started fighting, but he said, ‘Let’s go, let’s go.’

    “Islam was like, ‘Okay,’ and Khabib told him, ‘No, when that happens, you need to take him down, it’s too risky to be standing in front of him.’ It was awesome because I don’t know who can relate or relay that message to him more effectively than Khabib Nurmagomedov.”      

  • Former PFL Finalist Returns From Retirement To Headline PFL Europe Card In Glasgow On September 28

    PFL Europe has confirmed details for the third installment of the 2024 season as the promotion heads to Glasgow, Scotland, for the first time.

    The official announcement states that elite MMA hasn’t been featured in this location for seven years, but all of that changes at the OVO Hydro on September 28.

    Two Scottish fighters have also been announced for the top two spots on the card. In the main event, former PFL finalist Stevie Ray comes out of retirement to take on Wales’ Lewis Long.

    “Braveheart” retired in June of last year after back-to-back defeats to Natan Schulte and Clay Collard eliminated him from the regular season.

    Long, meanwhile, is an experienced competitor with 26 fights on his pro record, having competed under the banners of both Bellator and Cage Warriors in the past. He last fought in May of 2022, suffering a decision loss to Thibault Gouti at Bellator 280.

    Scotland’s Robert Whiteford takes the co-main event slot having also not fought since May of 2022 when he competed at Bellator 281.

    He will be taking on the returning Roger Huerta, who has been out of competition since 2021 following a losing streak to some of the top names in Bellator. The 38-fight veteran last won a fight in 2017 and has faced some of the top names in his weight class in the UFC, Bellator, and ONE Championship.

    PFL Europe returns this Saturday in Newcastle, England, for the second stop on the way to the finals later this year in December.

  • UFC Welterweight Backs Michael ‘Venom’ Page To Beat Ian Garry With Ease At UFC 303

    UFC Welterweight Backs Michael ‘Venom’ Page To Beat Ian Garry With Ease At UFC 303

    One rising name at 170 pounds is extremely confident in Michael “Venom” Page’s chances of recording a standout win over Ian Garry at UFC 303.

    The upcoming International Fight Week pay-per-view card at the end of this month got a whole lot stronger with the addition of a crucial welterweight contest that will pit the undefeated Garry against an Octagon newcomer in Page.

    While “The Future” has worked his way up to #6 on the ladder with wins over the likes of Neil Magny and Geoff Neal in recent times, “MVP” only debuted on MMA’s biggest stage in Miami this past March.

    At UFC 299, the Londoner impressed in his first UFC appearance after over a decade competing under the Bellator banner. He showed glimpses of his flashy striking style en route to a decision victory over Kevin Holland.

    In pursuit of a quick rise toward an all-English title showdown with Leon Edwards, Page has the chance to climb close to the top five at the expense of Garry at UFC 303 on June 29.

    And one of the division’s up-and-comers expects him to do just that…

    Randy Brown Has No Doubt Page Defeats Garry On June 29

    During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Randy Brown reflected on his victory over Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos at UFC 302 this past weekend and looked ahead to some other clashes set for his division in the coming weeks and months.

    “Rude Boy” was asked for his take on the sophomore UFC outing for Page, who, like Brown, has Jamaican heritage. Brown not only expects “Venom” to have his hand raised in Las Vegas, but he expects it to come with minimal resistance from Garry.

    “MVP, easy. Yeah, easy,” Brown said. “MVP, man, is super dynamic. I think he brings an element into the division that I think a lot of people are not used to seeing; movement, lateral movement, and just a level of creativity that most people aren’t seeing at all.

    “If you’re not used to seeing that — even a style like mine that’s based off movement alone — it throws people for a loop,” Brown continued. “You look at a guy like MVP, I think that movement is gonna throw Ian Garry off. Ian Garry’s the bigger guy, so he’s also used to using things like that, movement. But when you go against a guy that has a better skillset in that realm and has more experience in that realm… I think he picks him apart.”

    Page will no doubt hope to prove Brown’s assessment correct come fight night. To do so, he’ll need to blemish the perfect record of Garry, a former Cage Warriors champion who has long been touted for title success in the sport’s leading promotion.

  • ‘Something Is Absolutely Going On’ – Fan Speculation On Conor McGregor’s UFC 303 Status Increases After Claims Of Deleted Promotional Material

    The build-up to UFC 303 and the return of Conor McGregor was never going to be a straight forward run.

    After months of debate as to whether the fight would finally come together, not even the official announcement has put fight fans at peace.

    This hasn’t been helped by clips of McGregor seemingly partying during his training camp, leading to questions of whether he will even make it to the fight.

    The biggest concern was when on the day it was set to take place, the press conference in Dublin was postponed without any reason being given.

    McGregor put out the following statement but didn’t address many of the concerns that fans had about whether “The Notorious” was withdrawing from the fight.

    His opponent for June 29 in Las Vegas, Michael Chandler, was reportedly told the day before the press conference that it wouldn’t be going ahead in order to avoid him flying over to Ireland.

    Chandler’s following post on social media also had fans speculating as to whether some unfortunate news was on the way.

    MMA Fans React To More Worrying Signs Regarding UFC 303

    The latest potential red flag that could be a coincidence, or could be even more troubling signs, were spotted by fans on social media.

    An account by the name of MMA Joey on X posted screenshots that showed the removal of both the pre-purchase option for the pay-per-view via ESPN+ and two of McGregor’s previous fights that were recently uploaded to the UFC’s YouTube channel.

    MMA fans responded below both posts with concerns that the full story is yet to be revealed regarding the status of the main event.

    “Something is going on”

    “yea it’s over”

    https://twitter.com/yodalorian9/status/1797849084214264000

    “It’s off then, for sure .”

    “Something is absolutely going on”

    “Poor Chandler”

    “Oh yeah it’s over”

  • Kevin Holland Targets Rematch With Top 10 Middleweight Contender After Return To The Division At UFC 302

    Kevin Holland Targets Rematch With Top 10 Middleweight Contender After Return To The Division At UFC 302

    Should the promotion look to keep him at middleweight post-UFC 302, Kevin Holland has a matchup in mind.

    Holland made the most of a short-notice opportunity on this past weekend’s pay-per-view main card, bouncing back from consecutive defeats to Jack Della Maddalena and Michael “Venom” Page.

    In his return to 185 pounds, “Trailblazer” made quick work of Michał Oleksiejczuk. After being dropped early, Holland was quick to lock his Polish opponent into a gruesome armbar.

    When “Hussar” didn’t tap, the 31-year-old Texan appeared to either break or dislocate his arm, forcing referee Herb Dean’s intervention for the technical submission.

    Given his ambidexterity when it comes to weight classes, Holland is open to making the walk at either welterweight or middleweight next time out. If the UFC favors the latter, though, “Big Mouth” would like to revisit a matchup…

    Holland Wants To Test Improved Wrestling In Vettori Rematch 

    During a backstage interview with Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter at Newark’s Prudential Center, Holland outlined his intentions to make a quick turnaround and highlighted opponent options at both 170 and 185 pounds.

    After offering to “whoop” Joaquin Buckley again at welterweight, “Trailblazer” pointed to another potential rematch, this time against someone who got the better of him first time around. 

    “At ’85, there’s probably a lot of guys I’d like to fight. I’d like a Marvin Vettori rematch if I’m gonna stay at ’85,” Holland said. “I don’t know what he did his last fight. I think I’ve got my wrestling takedown defense a little bit better. You know, I finished him (Oleksiejczuk) off my back. My jiu-jitsu just got better. I don’t know, I just wanna fight.”

    Holland and Vettori shared the cage in a UFC Fight Night main event at the Apex in 2021. In a short-notice contest that came just days on from his headline loss to Derek Brunson, “Big Mouth” was outgrappled en route to a lopsided decision loss.

    Having worked on his takedown defense and ground game in the years since, Holland evidently wants a go at avenging that result down the line.

    Vettori’s current status is unclear. The Italian was set for a main event against Brendan Allen this past April but withdrew through injury after a “freak accident.” It remains to be seen when he’ll be able to compete again, and whether it would fit in with Holland’s plan for a quick return post-UFC 302.

  • Paulo Costa Receives Respectful Callout From Sean Strickland’s Teammate After UFC 302: ‘Would Be An Honor’

    Following his second setback of 2024, UFC middleweight contender Paulo Costa would appear to have at least one option already for his return to action.

    While he impressed in defeat against one former champion in Robert Whittaker at UFC 298 this past February, the same can’t be said for Costa’s performance opposite another on June 1.

    In the co-main event of UFC 302, “Borrachinha” looked to climb the ladder at the expense of Sean Strickland, who was making his first appearance since losing the title in Canada earlier this year.

    Although the pair promised a bloody brawl during fight week, that was far from the case inside Prudential Center, with “Tarzan” ultimately emerging victorious from a lackluster affair.

    In his first statement post-fight, Costa lamented his strategy and insisted that he will return to ‘taking heads off’ next time out. And it seems that one of Strickland’s teammates is among those interested in given the Brazilian that opportunity…

    Chris Curtis Interested In Costa Clash Upon Return From Injury 

    Having seen Costa receive heavy criticism from fans and analysts after his disappointing display in Newark on Saturday night, Chris Curtis took to social media with some words of encouragement.

    “The Action Man” knows full well the struggle that comes with solving Strickland’s unique style having gone numerous rounds with him in the training room. With that in mind, he sympathized with “Borrachinha.”

    And Curtis concluded his message with a proposal, offering to stand and bang with Costa upon his return from injury later this year.

    https://twitter.com/Actionman513/status/1797679068017778918

    “Anybody who has sparred Strickland knows he is a weird style to deal with. @BorrachinhaMMA no shame man, it happens,” Curtis wrote. “If you (want) someone in the middle and swing til someone goes down, I’m cleared soon and looking to fight in September. Would be an honour. @Mickmaynard2”

    Curtis is currently on the shelf after suffering a torn hamstring late on in his memorable five-round war rematch Brendan Allen at the Apex this past April. 

    While that result kept him at #15 in the rankings, it stands to reason that Costa will need to fight down the pecking order next time out after slipping to #8 following his second defeat of 2024.

  • Chael Sonnen Pitches Title Fight For Michael Chandler If Conor McGregor Withdraws From UFC 303

    Should Conor McGregor not make it to fight night at UFC 303 later this month, Chael Sonnen has an idea on whom the promotion could draft in to face Michael Chandler instead.

    Moments after the milestone UFC 300 pay-per-view concluded this past April, the long-awaited return of McGregor was finally confirmed. After over a year of speculation, the former two-division champ had his comeback fight opposite Chandler made official.

    The pair are slated to headline this year’s edition of International Fight Week, topping the lineup at the UFC 303 pay-per-view on June 29. But shortly after entering the month of the event, the fanbase has its concerns.

    McGregor’s antics away from the cage always draw worry about his status, but the recent cancellation of a scheduled sold-out press conference in Dublin on the morning of has some convinced that “The Notorious” star has a potentially fight-canceling issue.

    Sonnen doesn’t believe that to be the case. In the event it is, however, the former fighter thinks the UFC has a strong alternative for Chandler…

    Sonnen Names The ‘Fight To Book’ For Chandler If McGregor Pulls Out

    During a recent episode of his Good Guy/Bad Guy show alongside Daniel Cormier on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Sonnen gave his take on the recent rumors regarding McGregor’s status for UFC 303.

    After claiming that McGregor’s fight “code” means he’s unlikely to pull out of a fight on late notice, “The American Gangster” suggested that a withdrawal would spell the end of his matchup with Chandler for good.

    In that scenario, Sonnen believes the UFC would be wise to turn its attention to a BMF title showdown between “Iron” and Max Holloway.

    “One of Conor’s codes is the show must go on… I just don’t believe, a month in advance — whether it’s illness, injury, or any other excuse — that Conor’s gonna be the one that pulls,” Sonnen said. “But I will tell you this, there will be no postponement of this fight. They either fight on the 29th or we move on.

    “I believe Conor’s gonna be opposite Michael Chandler. I’m very confident in telling you that,” Sonnen continued. “However, if he’s not, Michael Chandler versus Max Holloway for the BMF is the fight to book.”

    Holloway won the symbolic belt in his return to the lightweight division at UFC 300, brutally knocking out Justin Gaethje in the dying seconds after outperforming “The Highlight” for the best part of five rounds.

    “Blessed” has since had his sights set on Ilia Topuria’s featherweight gold. Should the promotion require a savior to replace McGregor, however, perhaps the Hawaiian could be convinced to throw down with Chandler next.

  • UFC Rankings Report: Paulo Costa Falls After UFC 302 Loss, Tom Aspinall Drops Down Pound-For-Pound List

    UFC Rankings Report: Paulo Costa Falls After UFC 302 Loss, Tom Aspinall Drops Down Pound-For-Pound List

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

    And in the aftermath of UFC 302, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.

    Men’s Pound-For-Pound: While the MMA community remains in hot discussion over Dana White’s insistence that Jon Jones should be above Islam Makhachev, the latest shift in the P4P order has affected the other champion in Jones’ division, interim heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall.

    Despite holding gold since knocking out Sergei Pavlovich, the Brit has dropped one place to #13. Benefitting from that is ex-lightweight champ Charles Oliveira, who has moved back up to #12 despite falling short against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300 this past April.

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

    Women’s Strawweight: No changes.

    Women’s Flyweight: No changes.

    Women’s Bantamweight: No changes.

    Flyweight: Months on from suffering his second straight loss to Tim Elliott last December, Sumudaerji has been removed from the rankings at 115 pounds. In his place, Cody Durden has returned at #15. The American was submitted by Tagir Ulanbekov last time out but had previously won four straight.

    Bantamweight: No changes.

    Featherweight: No changes.

    Lightweight: No changes.

    Welterweight: No changes.

    Middleweight: Sean Strickland remains the number one contender at 185 pounds following his victory in a lackluster co-main event at UFC 302. His defeated opponent, meanwhile, has slid further from contention, with Paulo Costa down one position at #8 as a result of his second setback this year. His slight fall has boosted Nassourdine Imavov up one place to #7 ahead of his headliner against Jared Cannonier this weekend in Louisville. 

    Light Heavyweight: No changes.

    Heavyweight: No changes.

    You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

  • Javier Mendez On Khabib Nurmagomedov Getting Them Into Trouble With The Authorities While Cornering At UFC 302: ‘The Commission Kept Yelling At Us!’

    Islam Makhachev successfully defend his lightweight title in the main event of UFC 302 but it wasn’t an easy night for the champion.

    Dustin Poirier came in as a big underdog and was able to make the fight competitive due to a lot of it playing out on the feet.

    The fight also saw the former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov return to his long-time training partner’s corner for this fight.

    As pointed out on commentary during the main event, “The Eagle” was incredibly animated during some of the rounds after Makhachev showed a willingness to stand and strike with Poirier.

    Though the champion got the better of many of the exchanges, boxing with “The Diamond” was always going to be the best chance that the challenger had to win the fight.

    Mendez Says Khabib’s Passion Led To Corner Receiving Multiple Warnings From The Commission 

    During his podcast, coach Javier Mendez recapped the fight and how he felt Makhachev performed in Newark.

    Mendez stated that he was happy with the work that his fighter did in the exchanges with Poirier but was still aware of the danger in doing so, as was proven by some of the shots that the former interim champion landed.

    The AKA head coach stated that the commission in New Jersey were constantly warning their corner to settle down due to Nurmagomedov’s actions during the fight where he repeatedly called for Makhachev to initiate the grappling.

    It has been a while since the former champion was working the corner and Mendez said that he forgot just how passionate “The Eagle” gets when he’s coaching his fighters.

    “I had Khabib in the corner going crazy on me. Like, I forgot how crazy he is in the corner, so nuts man. I’m like, I’m trying to calm him down and say hey, don’t worry, don’t worry, just scream loud but, ‘No coach, I have…’ but that’s his style, that’s his dad’s style, that’s his style. But I’m trying to get him to settle down a little bit, so the commission kept yelling at us, ‘Sit down! Sit down! Sit down!’ And it almost reminded me of the old style. But Khabib’s an unbelievable corner, he gives unbelievable advice.”      

  • Robert Whittaker Dismisses Notion Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier Was Close: ‘I Had Him Winning Every Round…’

    The main event of UFC 302 ended up being more competitive than many were predicting ahead of this past Saturday night.

    Dustin Poirier was able to pose a serious threat to the champion Islam Makhachev, largely by keeping the fight standing and staying safe from submissions.

    Whilst the defending champ did secure a takedown and get the submission in the fifth round, up until that point, a lot of the contest took place on the feet.

    Makhachev showed in his fights with Alexander Volkanovski that though it isn’t necessarily his strongest skillset, he’s more than capable of striking with his opponents as his confidence improves in this area.

    However, just because Poirier was able to stand and strike, doesn’t mean he was necessarily winning the fight.

    Robert Whittaker Says He Had Islam Makhachev Winning Every Round Despite A Great Fight

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_vGA3zudFk

    Makhachev’s corner, and Khabib Nurmagomedov specifically, were calling for the champion to constantly threaten the takedown.

    Whilst he was winning the majority of the striking exchanges, boxing with “The Diamond” is a dangerous game to play.

    Makhachev was ahead on two of the judges’ scorecards going into the fifth and final round with Eric Colon and Sal D’Amato both having Poirier in need of a finish to leave with the 155-pound title.

    Judge Chris Lee had the fight even but as he stated on his MMArcade Podcast, former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker saw it being far more one-sided for Makhachev.

    “The Reaper” stated that despite it being a great fight, the champion was winning each round with his striking or grappling.

    “Makhachev beat him there a lot of the rounds, I had him winning every round. I thought he was outstriking him in a lot of the rounds, I understand there was a lot of significant strikes passed between them, there was a lot of tit-for-tat moments but mate, it was great to watch. I thought that was such a, like I said, I think in my opinion it was one of the better title fights we’ve seen in a long time.”  

  • ‘Big’ John McCarthy Names The Missing ‘Attribute’ Kevin Holland Needs To Be A Top Five Fighter After Impressive UFC 302 Win

    Kevin Holland returned to the win column this past weekend at UFC 302 with a great finish over Michał Oleksiejczuk.

    After being knocked down inside the first minute, Holland was able to quickly recover and lock up an armbar submission from the bottom.

    From there, the position only got worse for Oleksiejczuk who refused to tap as Holland controlled the arm and spoke to him throughout.

    Gradually realizing that his opponent wasn’t going to give him the win without doing significant damage first, “Big Mouth” dialled up the intensity to force an end to the fight through a technical submission.

    Holland has produced some incredible finishes during his time in the promotion and will always be a fan favorite but he has struggled to compete with the very best.

    McCarthy Questions Whether Kevin Holland Is Mean Enough For Top Level Of MMA

    During a recent episode of the Weighing In podcast, Josh Thomson and “Big” John McCarthy recapped all of the action from UFC 302.

    Both men were impressed by Holland’s display as he once again proved his ability to compete at both welterweight and middleweight.

    However, McCarthy noticed one thing in this fight that could prove to be something that holds Holland back when it comes to competing at the highest level.

    The way he only really put the pressure on the arm of his opponent after it became clear that he wasn’t going to tap was compared to fighters in the past that have tried to take the arm home with them as soon as they got the hold locked in.

    “I’m going to be honest about this, the one attribute he doesn’t have, he’s not mean. He’s not, because I’m telling you right now, Frank Mir had that arm, you know just watching that fight, he’s sat there and he’s kind of like trying to put a little more pressure, a little more pressure like it is training and kind of looks up (at the referee) like ‘Hey!’ and finally says ‘Okay, I’m gonna have to do this, I’m sorry’ and puts it under his arm.

    “All I’m telling you is Frank Mir, dude as soon as he grabbed that arm, he’s trying to take it off of your body. Carlos Condit, he’s trying to take it off your body. Josh Barnett, he’s trying to take it off your body. He wants to take that thing, pull it off your body and smack you in the head with it.”     

  • Islam Makhachev’s Coach Outlines Flaw With Sean Strickland’s Performance At UFC 302: ‘Great Fighter, But…’

    The UFC 302 co-main event produced the kind of Sean Strickland performance that UFC fans have become very accustomed to at this stage.

    Strickland defeated Paulo Costa via a split decision at the end of five rounds following a fairly lacklustre fight.

    The former middleweight champion fought out of his standard defensive shell, constantly walked down his opponent and kept his strikes simple with jabs, the occasional combination and front kicks.

    Despite Costa being unable to land anything too significant aside from some leg kicks and body punches, the rounds were still close because despite taking little damage, Strickland didn’t open up.

    This was something that his corner were clearly concerned by following their defeats to Jared Cannonier and Dricus Du Plessis, where despite thinking that their fighter had done enough, they lost a decision following some very close rounds.

    Mendez Says Strickland Needed To Open Up More Against Costa, Credits Coach Nicksick For Urgency 

    There was no change in approach from Strickland even as Costa started to slow down which could have come back to bite him.

    His head coach, Eric Nicksick, was very clear heading into the fifth round that he needed to clearly win the final five minutes just in case the scorecards were close.

    Strickland opened up more as the fight came to a close and landed some eye-catching strikes that sealed the deal for him.

    During his podcast recap of the event, Islam Makhachev’s coach Javier Mendez spoke about Strickland and his defensive style.

    He pointed out how it was a great call from Nicksick to stress urgency after how close the former champion’s style can make fights look.

    “Sean Strickland is a great fighter but unfortunately, for me, he pressured, he pressured, he was in control but it wasn’t until his corner gave him great advice, Eric Nicksick is a great coach, he told him ‘hey, I need you to finish strong’, this and that and he didn’t really finish strong until the very very end and actually that’s what solidified that fight for him because that’s what gave him that round. But up to that point, because you don’t know how the judges are judging these fights. It’s ridiculous the way they were judging this fight so he did it correct, he did great cornering.”    

  • Michael Bisping Assesses What Dustin Poirier Should Do Next After UFC 302 Loss: ‘The Best Thing I Ever Did Was Walk Away’

    Heading into UFC 302 this past weekend, Dustin Poirier was honest about how this could be the last fight of his career.

    He echoed the same sentiment in his post-fight interview after being submitted by Islam Makhachev in the main event.

    With another shot at capturing the lightweight title being unlikely, Poirier said that he needs to look at why he’s still fighting and focus on being with his family.

    “The Diamond” has had an incredible career, competing 40 times in the pro ranks and fighting the very best in his weight class.

    Despite being defeated this past weekend, he would still be going out on a high following a great main event and impressive display.

    A former champion believes that whilst there are still fights out there for him, getting out now may be his best option.

    Michael Bisping Speaks From Personal Experience, Says Dustin Poirier Should Retire 

    Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping spoke about what could be next for Poirier during a video on his YouTube channel.

    He named two opponents that would make a lot of sense for him before he does call time on his career but despite that, is leaning towards Poirier hanging up the gloves.

    “So Justin Gaethje, Alexander Volkanovski, they’re my two top picks or, does he walk off into the sunshine. Listen, make hey whilst the sun is shining but, he’s made a lot of hay, he’s got money in the bank, he’s represented himself with class. He went toe-to-toe with Islam Makhachev, he’s been in there with some of the best fighters on the planet and put on some absolute wars and as he said, if he considers his smokers and his kind of amateur fights, he’s had about 50 fights.”

    Bisping also spoke from personal experience about why Poirier should leave combat sports behind despite it being a tough decision to make.

    Having retired in 2018, “The Count” has been able to explore new avenues and he believes the same may be the case for Louisiana’s finest.

    “He’s only 35 years old, he’s got a lot of life left to live so go off, enjoy yourself. That would be my suggestion. I would love to see him fight Volk, I would love to see him fight Gaethje but for me, I would say the best thing that I ever did was walk away from combat sports. It’s a very, very hard thing. It’s all that you know, you’ve dedicated your entire life to it but when you do it, when you reach those kinds of heights, it opens so many other doors. So Dustin Poirier, whatever you do decide, all the best, congratulations.”        

  • Aljamain Sterling Makes Henry Cejudo Comparison To Back Up Dana White’s Contention That Jon Jones Is P4P #1 Over Islam Makhachev

    Following Islam Makhachev’s lightweight title defense against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302, UFC President Dana White had some thoughts on the current pound-for-pound debate.

    Currently, the top spot on the list is occupied by the 155-pound champion who sits one place above the consensus greatest of all time, Jon Jones.

    White firmly believes that the answer is “Bones” but others have questioned whether his recent activity should factor into the equation.

    Of course, it is a hypothetical argument to be having as the entire list is based around if every fighter was the same weight, who would be the best.

    Makhachev certainly has the edge when you look at his current strength of schedule and recent performances but it is impossible to look past Jones when you take overall careers into account.

    Aljamain Sterling Backs Up Dana White’s Comments With Henry Cejudo Example

    When he decided to vacate the light heavyweight title and move up to heavyweight, it was three years before fans saw Jones compete again.

    His injury ahead of UFC 295 last November hasn’t helped the questions about his activity either.

    Aljamain Sterling, however, said on his YouTube channel that he backs White’s argument because of Jones’ last fight.

    The former light heavyweight king took three years off, came back and made it look easy when he submitted Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in just over two minutes.

    Sterling used the example of Henry Cejudo to demonstrate his point, stating how “Triple C” attempted to come back and was unsuccessful in his title challenge at UFC 288 – which shows why the significance of the Gane victory can’t be overlooked.

    “I was about to say, three years off and to come back and do that to the number one guy like Dana said, I actually really agree with that.  

    “Jon Jones, what he did, is super impressive. Henry Cejudo came back, he tried to do what he tried to do and look what happened. He’s ‘the greatest combat athlete of all time’, no disrespect to him but…” 

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

  • Islam Makhachev’s Coach On Conor McGregor Starting Staph Rumor Ahead Of UFC 302: ‘There Would Be Nothing Better For Me & Khabib…’

    Islam Makhachev emerged victorious at UFC 302 as he stopped Dustin Poirier via submission in round five of their fight. The champ now has three title defenses to his name and is hoping to capture gold at 170 pounds too.

    Although Makhachev outclassed Dustin Poirier on the ground as well as the feet at UFC 302, many were concerned about his staph infection going into the fight, including former UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor. 

    McGregor, as usual, didn’t hold back. In a now-deleted post on X, he went as far as to call Makhachev an “inbred” and attacked his entire team.

    Makhachev confirmed that he indeed had a staph infection going into UFC 302, but his coach Javier Mendez is delighted by the attention McGregor gave to the team and has already imagined the best-case scenario for the UFC lightweight champion. 

    Javier Mendez Wants Conor McGregor to “Get Beat” By Islam Makhachev

    While talking to Red Corner MMA following UFC 302, Islam Makhachev’s coach Javier Mendez was asked about the media’s reaction to the staph infection. The coach claimed that Makhachev was not on antibiotics to cure the staph infection and his performance was unaffected. 

    He further talked about how McGregor bashing Makhachev has more positives than negatives, and he would love to see a fight between the two in the near future. 

    “It’s kind of funny how little simple things, people notice, and you know, change things. Like Conor, goes and starts a rant, starting to create drama, you know, with Islam, which is kind of good because Conor is the kind of guy you want to root against or root for regardless.

    “Everybody wants to see him. Me, I want to see him get beat by Islam. So, for me, him doing what he’s doing is causing a lot of attention. So, you know, there (would) be nothing better for me and Khabib than to have Islam have a fight with him somewhere down the line.”

    Mendez seems unaffected by McGregor’s banter on X and even praised the Irishman for being observant enough to bring up the staph infection. However, as per the coach, the health problem was already three weeks old by the time McGregor highlighted it and it wasn’t going to change the outcome of the fight.  

    A fight between Makhachev and McGregor could become a possibility if the “The Notorious” beats Michael Chandler at UFC 303 and gets a lightweight title shot. 

  • Former UFC Champion Compares ‘Annoying As Hell’ Sean Strickland’s Fighting Style To A Child After UFC 302 Win Over Paulo Costa

    A major talking point both before and after his fight with Paulo Costa this past weekend was the fighting style of Sean Strickland.

    In back-to-back fights, Strickland showed how his unique approach can both be very effective and cause him some issues.

    His title win over Israel Adesanya was a great display of defensive pressure but against Dricus Du Plessis, he lost close rounds by not opening up or landing eye-catching strikes.

    The former middleweight champion got the win at UFC 302 but it was very much more of the same from the Xtreme Couture fighter as he walked Costa down, kept him at range and blocked anything coming back at him.

    It worked for him in New Jersey but there’s no denying that his unique approach can be both his biggest weapon and drawback at the same time.

    Robert Whittaker Doesn’t Envy Paulo Costa After Saying How Frustrating It Must Be To Fight Sean Strickland

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_vGA3zudFk

    In recapping the fights on his MMArcade Podcast, Robert Whittaker spoke about the style that Strickland brings to the Octagon.

    The former champion is one of the few top middleweights that “The Reaper” is yet to cross paths with and from his words, it doesn’t sound like it’s something he’s looking forward to.

    Whittaker spoke about how nobody fights quite like Strickland does in his unorthodox stance and movement and how he could feel the frustration of what is like to compete against just from watching him on TV.  

    “I think that’s just his fight style. His fight style looks annoying as hell dude. He looks like a kid when a brother or sister is like ‘I’m walking forward and if you walk into it, it’s your own fault’ sort of thing. With those teep kicks just like rapid fire one after the other dude and Costa was on his bike the whole time, I think you can’t do that with Sean.” 

  • Former UFC Welterweight King Kamaru Usman Opens Door For Dustin Poirier Fight Next: ‘It’s Like You & Your Main Training Partner…’

    Dustin Poirier and Islam Makhachev went to war at UFC 302 before the champ finally used a D’arce choke in the fifth to retain his title. Although this could potentially be Poirier’s last fight, he’s yet to confirm his retirement. In the meantime, a ton of fun matchups have emerged for “The Diamond.”

    Alexander Volkanovski, who’s been in the Octagon with Makhachev twice, admitted that he would fight Poirier. Now, former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has jumped on the bandwagon as well. 

    Following his second loss to Leon Edwards, Usman has rarely talked about reclaiming welterweight gold. Instead, he’s fought Khamzat Chimaev at 185 pounds on short notice and seems comfortable taking on high-profile fights instead.

    Kamaru Usman Aims To Push Dustin Poirier ‘To The Brink’ If They Fight

    On the June 3 episode of Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru & Henry, Usman and Henry Cejudo were talking about what’s next for Poirier following his loss to Makhachev at UFC 302. 

    Usman first agreed that a fight between Volkanovski and Poirier would be fun and went on to say that if ‘The Diamond’ decides to move up a weight class, he’ll be a great matchup too. 

    Usman then clarified that his call-out of Poirier isn’t mean-spirited but instead, rooted in an interest to fight someone he really respects.

    “I always put my mind there. If I was to ever compete against a guy like Dustin Poirier, that would be a fantastic one, because it’s a guy that I could really respect through and through the process. Really through the process.

    “And we go out. And it’s like you and your main training partner and you just like, yeah, we going to beat each other up. We going to push each other to the brink, you know? That would be a fun fight, but I’m not throwing my hat in.”

    Cejudo didn’t oppose the idea either as he believes that Poirier has plenty of amazing options despite the loss at UFC 302. Even without a title in the picture, fans would no doubt love to see Poirier battle it out with the likes of Max Holloway, Nate Diaz, Usman, and Volkanovski. 

    For now, Poirier deserves all the rest and family time he wants and regardless of his decision to fight in the future, he’s already cemented his legacy as an all-time great.

  • Kevin Holland Open To ‘Whooping’ Joaquin Buckley Again After UFC 302: ‘Keeps Running His Mouth’

    Following his return to the winner’s circle at UFC 302, Kevin Holland named Joaquin Buckley as one option for his next fight.

    Holland entered this past weekend’s pay-per-view event at Newark’s Prudential Center on a losing skid, having dropped consecutive decisions to Jack Della Maddalena and Michael “Venom” Page down at 170 pounds.

    But “Trailblazer” bounced back in style when making a short-notice return to middleweight on June 1, submitting Michał Oleksiejczuk in the first round by way of a brutal armbar.

    Given his usual high level of activity, Holland is unsurprisingly looking to get back into the cage again soon enough. 

    And while open to whatever the UFC should slide across his table, the 31-year-old Texan does have one potential fight in mind…

    Holland Open To Keeping ‘Kid’ Buckley ‘In Line’

    During a backstage interview with Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter in Newark, Holland reflected on his successful performance in “Brick City” on Saturday night and looked ahead to what could await him down the line.

    After noting a willingness to do battle at either welterweight or middleweight, “Big Mouth” threw out the name of Joaquin Buckley as a possible opponent option post-UFC 302.

    “Whatever the UFC wants me to do. I’m pretty sure there’s somebody that needs their ass whooped,” Holland said. “Joaquin Buckley keeps running his mouth. Maybe I have to go whoop him. That is my son. You know, you gotta always keep your kids in line.”

    Holland and Buckley previously collided at the Apex back in 2020, where the former recorded a knockout 32 seconds into the third and final round. The result was the second on a record run of five straight wins in that calendar year for “Trailblazer.”

    Buckley subsequently rose to prominence by delivering an all-time great knockout against Impa Kasanganay. After his progress at 185 pounds stalled, “New Mansa” now finds himself ranked at welterweight following victories over Vicente Luque and Nursulton Ruziboev in 2024.

  • Islam Makhachev Highlights His Biggest Mistake During Dustin Poirier Fight At UFC 302

    UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev wishes he approached striking exchanges with even more confidence this past weekend. 

    Makhachev made his first appearance of 2024 in the main event of Saturday’s pay-per-view card, taking to the Octagon at Newark’s Prudential Center to stake his 155-pound crown against Dustin Poirier. 

    While “The Diamond” performed admirably, he was ultimately unable to bring Makhachev’s reign to an end. Instead, the Dagestani tied Khabib Nurmagomedov and Benson Henderson’s record tally of three defenses each by submitting the challenger in round five.

    The finish came by way of a D’arce choke and followed success on the ground for the champ earlier in the fight. But Makhachev also displayed his ever-developing standup game, catching Poirier clean with a number of shots and combinations. 

    And with his striking gaining plenty of plaudits post-fight, Makhachev seemingly wishes he showcased even more of it…

    Makhachev Reflects On UFC 302 Win: ‘I Have To Believe More In My Striking’

    During an interview with Megan Olivi for ESPN MMA, Makhachev provided an assessment of his performance in New Jersey, which marked his first defense against an established lightweight contender following two victories over then-featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski in 2023.

    While sporting heavy damage of his own as a result of Poirier’s slick boxing, Makhachev noted that he largely gave as good as he got on the feet. With that in mind, he regrets not throwing hands with more confidence.

    “I am happy I finished him,” Makhachev said. “He give me cut. He landed a lot of good punches, but I landed good too. I think the mistake in this fight, I have to believe more in my striking. Honestly, we focused in the wrestling, take him down, make him tired there. But I have to believe in my striking more, I think.”

    Talk of Makhachev’s striking improvements being the major area in which he surpasses the skillset of his mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, increased when he knocked Volkanovski out with a head kick last October.

    Going toe to toe with Poirier in that realm at UFC 302 no doubt boosted Makhachev’s striking stock.

  • Daniel Cormier Calls For Dustin Poirier To Keep Fighting After UFC 302, Lays Out Logical Next Step

    Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier hopes that this past weekend’s event didn’t mark the end for Dustin Poirier.

    In the headliner of Saturday’s UFC 302 pay-per-view event at Newark’s Prudential Center, Poirier fell short of ticking the final box in his career. In competition for the undisputed lightweight crown, “The Diamond” was submitted by Islam Makhachev.

    The result marked Poirier’s third failed attempt at reaching the 155-pound mountaintop, with the former interim champ previously suffering defeats to both Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira with gold on the line.

    Ahead of the June 1 card in New Jersey, the Louisianan noted that retirement could follow regardless of the result. That appears to still be the case, with Poirier telling Joe Rogan inside the Octagon post-fight that his career could well be at its conclusion.

    But after seeing how competitively he performed as a massive underdog at UFC 302, one former fighter hopes to see “The Diamond” continue throwing down…

    Cormier Tells Poirier: There’s Still Money To Be Made, Big Fights To Be Had

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Cormier provided his immediate thoughts on UFC 302 while still sat cageside following the end of the PPV card. 

    Despite Poirier admitting that the event could have marked his last outing inside the cage, “DC” hopes to see the Louisianan fan favorite continue in the form of big-name fights, even if it means he makes the walk less often.

    “If Dustin Poirier’s leaving this game, he leaves us with a ton of memories,” Cormier said. “I don’t want to see him go. I don’t know that he should go. I think that what Dustin Poirier should do is take the big fights. He’s such an attraction now in the world of fighting that he’s got a lot of money to be made, but also a lot of big fights to be had.

    “He’s only 35 years old. He can do this for a long time. Maybe don’t fight as frequently, but continue to make that walk,” Cormier continued. “Because once you’re done, you’re done and you can’t come back from it. Sometimes that sucks, especially for a guy that seemingly has a lot of years ahead of him.”

    It remains to be seen what the future holds for Poirier.

    He’s previously been left in a similar limbo in the aftermath of his failed title bid opposite Oliveira in 2021. “The Diamond” initially suggested that only fun fights would bring him back before ultimately embarking on another run toward the belt.

    Time will tell whether or not the coming months will see Poirier change his stance or commit to a departure from active competition on the back of a valiant performance in Newark.

  • What’s Next After UFC 302? Full Confirmed UFC 303 Main Card For Las Vegas On June 29

    UFC 302 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering.

    The promotion was in Newark, New Jersey, last week, where the Prudential Center played host to a number of intriguing matchups. Of note were victories for UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev, former middleweight kingpin Sean Strickland, the always entertaining Kevin Holland, and heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida.

    While the aftermath of the June 1 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the current crop of elite lightweights to one of the division’s former champs.

    At UFC 303, set for Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on June 29, former two-division UFC titleholder Conor McGregor will make the walk for the first time since suffering a gruesome leg break against Dustin Poirier in July 2021.

    He’ll headline International Fight Week alongside Michael Chandler, the man against whom he coached on The Ultimate Fighter last year.

    Hill, Ulberg, Garry, Page Set The Stage For McGregor Headliner At UFC 303

    Before “The Notorious” Irishman makes his long-awaited comeback in the main event, a number of high-profile names will take to the Octagon looking to make the post of their position on the major card.

    That includes McGregor’s fellow countryman Ian Garry, whose calls for a fight on June 29 were finally answered last month. After Colby Covington frequently rejected the undefeated Dubliner’s callouts, “The Future” will instead defend his position close to the welterweight top five against Michael “Venom” Page.

    After the two elite strikers open the main card, Joe Pyfer and Mayra Bueno Silva will look to bounce back from their defeats earlier this year. After a main event loss to Jack Hermansson, “Bodybagz” is tasked with getting the better of veteran Canadian Marc-André Barriault. “Sheetara,” meanwhile, must rebound at the expense of Macy Chiasson months on from an unsuccessful challenge for the vacant bantamweight gold against Raquel Pennington.

    Then, setting the stage for McGregor vs. Chandler in the co-main event will be former light heavyweight champ Jamahal Hill. “Sweet Dreams” is making a quick turnaround following his knockout loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 300. He’ll share the cage with the charging Carlos Ulberg, who is stepping in as a short-notice replacement for Khalil Rountree.

    See below for the full UFC 303 card, as it stands.

    Main Card:

    • Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler (welterweight main event)
    • Jamahal Hill vs. Carlos Ulberg (light heavyweight co-main event)
    • Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Macy Chiasson (women’s bantamweight)
    • Joe Pyfer vs. Marc-André Barriault (middleweight)
    • Ian Garry vs. Michael Page (welterweight) 
    UFC 298: Ian Garry vs. Geoff Neal

  • Kevin Holland Describes Mangling Michał Oleksiejczuk’s Arm At UFC 302: ‘Herb Dean’s Fault…’

    Kevin Holland has described his point of view as Michał Oleksiejczuk’s arm got bent out of shape at UFC 302 this past weekend.

    On the main card of Saturday’s pay-per-view event at Newark’s Prudential Center, Holland made a short-notice return to middleweight three months on from a defeat to Michael “Venom” Page down at 170 pounds.

    “Trailblazer” quickly returned to the win column, landing a submission victory over Oleksiejczuk that will no doubt go down as one of the most gruesome in recent memory.

    Holland had the Polish fighter locked in an armbar for an extended period, with the limb appearing to either break or dislocate.

    Holland On UFC 302 Armbar: ‘I’m Going To Have To Do A Full-Blown Break…’

    During his post-fight press conference, Holland looked back on the finishing sequence of his clash with Oleksiejczuk, which came just over 90 seconds into the bout.

    “Big Mouth” recalled hearing a quick pop of the arm, which wasn’t enough to draw a tap out of “Hussar.” Holland joked that responsibility for the injury lies with referee Herb Dean, who dismissed his initial calls to halt the fight before applying further pressure on Oleksiejczuk’s arm.

    “Herb Dean’s fault. I asked him to stop it a little earlier, but Herb Dean was like, ‘You’ve got to go a little bit longer.’ Alright, cool, cool,” Holland said jokingly. “When I first put him in the armbar, I heard the pop. After that, it wasn’t popping again and I was like, I’m going to have to do a full-blown break. So I kept trying to do a little chihuahua scoot, get myself underneath there and then hit a good pull after that. But the guy is tough as nails.

    “He hit me with a good shot. Tough guy… I fought John Phillips for my first UFC win, and I had a feeling he would be like John Phillips but better,” Holland continued. “I definitely want to win the fight because I like both of my checks, but (I wish) no harm to him. I hope he’s okay and I hope it’s truly not broken because he seemed to be a cool guy.”

    The result marked Holland’s first victory since a first-round D’arce choke against Michael Chiesa at UFC 291 last July. Defeats to Jack Della Maddalena and Page subsequently halted his charge up the welterweight ladder.

    Having rebounded up at 185 pounds, it remains to be seen which division will stage the 31-year-old’s Texan’s next outing. But given his penchant for high activity, it likely won’t be long until we find out.

  • VIDEO: Israel Adesanya Reacts To Former Opponents Sean Strickland & Paulo Costa’s UFC 302 Fight

    Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya had a vested interest as Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa shared the cage in this past weekend’s co-main event.

    While Saturday’s UFC 302 pay-per-view event in Newark, New Jersey, closed out in style with a blockbuster championship headliner, it wasn’t short on disappointments. According to most, that included the five-round affair between Strickland and Costa.

    The ex-champ and one-time title challenger promised a bloodbath on fight night during their fight week media appearances. When the cage door closed behind them, though, “Tarzan” was able to methodically outpoint “Borrachinha” across 25 minutes.

    Leading into the event, the matchup was widely pointed to as among the most intriguing on the UFC 302 lineup. With that in mind, plenty of eyes were on the co-headliner, including those of Adesanya.

    Adesanya Reacts To Strickland’s UFC 302 Win: ‘Costa Sucks Off His Back Foot’

    During a video recently uploaded to his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Adesanya can be seen reacting to the major moments from the UFC 302 main card on Saturday night.

    Having defeated Costa back in 2020 and lost the middleweight title to Strickland just last September, the Nigerian-New Zealander paid close attention to the co-main event at Prudential Center.

    “Costa sucks off the back foot. He’s not really good off the back foot,” Adesanya said. “He’s doing better in this fight. Costa could set him up here, man, ’cause (Strickland’s) so worried about that leg. He’s marching! (laughs)… It’s easier said than done (to stand your ground against Strickland), I’ll tell you that. But if you’ve worked on it, you know how to do it.”

    Adesanya will likely now have the possibility of a second dance with Strickland at the back of his mind. First things first, though, he’ll need to dethrone Dricus Du Plessis to achieve three-time champ status.

    Although yet to be announced, “The Last Stylebender” is expected to serve as the first challenge in the South African’s reign at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia, this August.

    Regardless of the result, it would appear that Strickland is in line for a championship rematch against the winner of that grudge match.

  • Paulo Costa Releases First Statement On UFC 302 Loss, Promises Return To ‘Taking Heads Off’

    UFC middleweight Paulo Costa fell to a second straight loss in 2024 this past weekend, and he’s now vowing to make changes.

    Costa returned to action after an 18-month layoff this past February in Anaheim, where he impressed in defeat against former champion Robert Whittaker. The same can’t be said when it comes to his efforts against another ex-titleholder on June 1, however.

    In the co-main event of Saturday’s pay-per-view, “Borrachinha” shared the Octagon with Sean Strickland. While the pair promised a bloodbath at last week’s press conference, it turned out to be the opposite on fight night.

    In the end, “Tarzan” emerged victorious from a largely one-sided, lackluster clash. While he staked his claim for a shot at redemption against Dricus Du Plessis, Costa has been left reflecting on what went wrong in Newark.

    Costa Vows Violence From Here On Out After UFC 302 Loss: ‘F*ck Points!’

    A day on from his latest setback — his fourth in five fights since extending his then-undefeated record to 10-0 against Yoel Romero in 2019 — Costa addressed his UFC 302 performance in a video uploaded to X (formerly Twitter).

    Many, including Strickland, were surprised to see the Brazilian on the back foot throughout Saturday’s co-headliner. And Costa evidently regrets that strategy, promising to bring back his violent, forward-pressuring style next time out.

    “I just came to say a few words. Yeah, Sean won. I didn’t perform very well. I think he didn’t either, but at least he did enough to win, right? This is two losses in a row in three fights, three former champs — Luke Rockhold, (Robert) Whittaker, and Sean,” Costa said (h/t MMA Fighting). “I won one and lost two. But let me tell you something, I agree with Dana (White) and Joe Rogan, and I will do that — I will bring back the (old) Paulo to take heads off, to finish the fight. I’m not that kind of counter (fighter), sorry, I’m not that kind of counter guy. I do better (when I) move forward and try to finish and look for heads.

    “Sean is so awkward, so different kind of fighter to fight against, it’s difficult. He was teeping me, keeping (away), pushing me, keep pushing me, keep me far from him, because he knows the power that I have. And I have the power, so I need to deliver that — and I will do that. I won’t give a f*ck. F*ck points or conserving energy or f*ck anything about that. I will come to take heads off,” Costa continued. “And this is who I am, this is the kind of fighter I am, and the fighter who people expect that I perform (as). So I will do that. F*ck points, I’ve (had) enough of this. Even the first round that I was 100 percent sure that I won, some people thought I lost. F*ck them. I will come to take heads off. That’s it, who I am.”

    It remains to be seen what lies in Costa’s future, but it stands to reason that he’ll be defending his #7 spot in the rankings next time out and will need to string together some wins if he’s to return to title contention.