But MMA is more than likely one of the last things on Ortega’s mind at the moment. In a recent post to social media, he revealed that he was involved in some sort of undisclosed police incident this week and isn’t able to return to the U.S. after his license was taken by officers.
Brian Ortega told these corrupt cops in Mexico that wanted his money to fuck off, they took his license so now he won't be able to leave. I hope the @ufc can help him out somehow. pic.twitter.com/cfxFGPKeJi
“Bitch ass corrupt cops wanted my money I told them fuck you so they took my license so I won’t be able to get back home,” Ortega shared on his Instagram story.
While Ortega’s activity in the UFC has been lacking in recent years, he remains one of the top featherweights in the promotion. Before the loss to Volkanovski, he earned big wins over the likes of ‘The Korean Zombie’ and Frankie Edgar in the cage.
There is no official update on Ortega’s whereabouts and status of returning stateside, but MMA News will keep you updated with the latest developments.
What is your reaction to Brian Ortega’s situation?
Ilia Topuria doesn’t expect tensions to have eased if he collides with lightweight prospect Paddy Pimblett again in London this week.
While they both have opponents of their own to focus on for this weekend, Kazula Vargas for the Englishman and Jai Herbert for the Georgian, Pimblett and Topuria have formed a more intense feud between themselves.
After Topuria approached Pimbett, objects and insults were exchanged, with the ranked UFC featherweight seemingly landing a punch to the Liverpudlian’s arm.
I warned you! This is what happens when you disrespect me and my country! You saw me and wanted to greet me because you shit your pants… and you should thank my team because of it wasn’t for them separating me, I would have taken your head off. @theufcbaddy 🖕 pic.twitter.com/PEdPRNGH5n
At media day, Pimblett gave his side of the story, accusing “El Matador,” who he branded “hand sanitizer boy,” of trying to “act hard” and doing “nothing” despite a clear number advantage.
During an appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Topuria responded. He claimed Pimblett initially tried to act friendly. According to the Georgian, while he tries to be a “gangster” online, the Englishman was “quiet like a bitch” in person.
“He saw me and he was like, smiling at me, and he wanted me to shake his hand. I don’t know what he wanted for my part,” recalled Topuria. “And (when) I saw him, I threw a bottle to his face and then everything started. But he was quiet like a bitch. He didn’t say anything. Fuck him. He’s just a man on Twitter. This is not Twitter. This is real life. If you wanna play a gangster, be a gangster by the end. If not, just stay quiet, kid.”
When asked what would happen if he comes across Pimblett again prior to Saturday’s fight night, Topuria revealed he’s expecting a similar situation. However, if he were to find himself alone with “The Baddy,” he expects things to end very differently for the Brit.
“The same thing you saw in the video (will happen if I see him again). If I have the chance, I don’t know, if they give me the chance to be with him alone in a room, I’m gonna kill this motherfucker,” asserted Topuria.
Topuria: Pimblett Should Be Thankful After Hotel Clash
Ultimately, while footage of the incident has gone viral, the pair avoided a full-blown brawl, with members of Topuria’s entourage quickly separating their man from his fellow main-card competitor.
When recalling the incident, Pimblett suggested he escaped a six-on-one clash unscathed. But further into his conversation with Helwani, Topuria noted that the members of his team mostly played peacekeeping roles.
He believes Pimblett should be thankful for that, because if they didn’t, he would’ve ended up in hospital.
“He saw me and he shit on his pants… I was trying to take his head off. He (posted) something like, ‘It was six versus me.’ You can see in the video, my coach was on his back making a coffee,” said Topuria. “(He was) calm. He didn’t even move.
“No one touched him. My brother was separating me. Can you imagine if everyone go against him? He was alone. We will kill him,” added Topuria. “He should be thankful (to) all my teammates because they separated me. If not, he will be, I don’t know, in the hospital right now.”
the reason why I threw the bottle and right hand 👊🏻@theufcbaddy I’m a man of my word. I told you what would happen if I saw you. The one who said that was going to do something was you and you didn’t do anything other than shit your pants. Stay quiet kid🤫 pic.twitter.com/wj7rEBIsMv
UFC fan favorite Dan Hooker is looking forward to taking Arnold Allen’s featherweight momentum this weekend at UFC London.
After falling to some of the top names at lightweight, leaving him 1-3 across his last four in the division, Hooker will return to 145 pounds for the first time since 2016 on Saturday.
In his way of a successful return to the weight class will be Arnold Allen. The #7-ranked contender is unbeaten in the UFC at 8-0, a record that includes victories over Nik Lentz and Sodiq Yusuff. The “Almighty” Englishman will be hoping to surge into the title picture by adding the established name of Hooker to his résumé next.
But while Allen’s goal is to take an unblemished 9-0 slate towards the top five, “The Hangman” is looking to nab that win streak from the 28-year-old’s grasp.
Hooker: “I’m Taking That Win Streak”
Despite recording wins over high-level names like Gilbert Burns, Al Iaquinta, and Paul Felder at lightweight, Hooker believes featherweight is the weight he can thrive at. He’s looking to show that, as well as a decade of hard work, when he shares the Octagon with Allen inside London’s O2 Arena on March 19.
And while leaving with a victory over the Ipswich native is the aim, the New Zealander believes a triumph on Saturday will see him exit the Octagon with a whole lot more than a sole success.
“Man, he’s on an eight-fight win streak. I saw one of those things (graphics) pop up, and there’s only Max Holloway ahead of him,” noted Hooker at UFC London media day on Wednesday. “I saw José Aldo’s win streak was only a six-fight win streak. So you have to say, an eight-fight win streak puts him up there. He’s the second-longest win streak in featherweight history. So, that is to be respected. He just hasn’t had that name. The guys that he’s beaten have obviously been world class and incredibly talented, but they just didn’t have that drawing power.
“It’s a win-win situation for the UFC. Either they get a guy on a win streak that beats someone with some name value, or they get a guy with some name value who—I’m taking that win streak. After this, I’m gonna be on a nine-fight win streak. So I’m excited to move on to the future on my nine-fight win streak,” Hooker jested.
UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns isn’t sure whether or not to 100% trust that a win over Khamzat Chimaev will earn him a title shot.
Burns will square off with the rising star Chimaev at UFC 273. He is coming off of an impressive win over Stephen Thompson at UFC 264 and is looking to get back into the welterweight title chase.
“Yeah, but Dana also said that women (are) never gonna fight MMA,” Burns said. “He said a lot of things that I respect that when you have one opinion, but later on, you change it. And it can change. We will see. I think everything is about performance. I gotta go there and get a finish, and then I can have a title shot. But it’s all about performance. If the fight (ends) up being boring or being not what people expect, for sure we gotta do one more fight.”
Burns’ thoughts on White aren’t exactly far-fetched. White has repeatedly pivoted on various UFC-related issues, including his once unmistakable enthusiasm about getting into boxing.
Burns is looking to earn another shot at the welterweight title after losing to Kamaru Usman at UFC 258. Before that, he earned dominant wins over the likes of Tyron Woodley and Demian Maia.
Chimaev has surged into the welterweight title picture following an undefeated run in the UFC. He most recently defeated Li Jingliang at UFC 267.
Burns will look to force White and the UFC’s hand with an impressive win and potentially another welterweight title shot next.
What is your prediction for Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev?
Kayla Harrison has come to the defense of fellow MMA fighters against trolls.
Kayla Harrison is not going to sit back and let people bash her fellow MMA fighters. Harrison is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about female fighters in the world and having all that spotlight shining on her seems like a good opportunity to express her true feelings.
In an interview with Sirius XM, Harrison spoke about her feelings towards people on the internet dissing the women she faces.
“The internet is just full of all this noise,” Harrison said. “I used to get so upset by it, but I really just want to say to them, shame on you. Shame on you for calling these women—first of all, women’s MMA wasn’t even a real thing how many years ago. This has been built very quickly and it’s grown exponentially because of Miesha, because of Ronda, because of all these girls who are like, ‘I’m so good you can’t ignore me’ basically. Now we have women who are stepping into the cage who are working two jobs and who are single moms and are doing all this stuff and they are actually chasing their dreams and who are literally fighting for what they love.”
Kayla Harrison (Photo: Instagram @JudoKayla)
Harrison recently re-signed with PFL. PFL has been her home for MMA for the past three seasons. Leading up to this 2022 season, Harrison was toying with the idea of leaving the promotion and targeted a potential bout with Cris Cyborg in Bellator.
“And these a–holes on the internet have the balls to call them cans, like no, you’re a can,” Harrison said. “You’re a can, you’re a tomato can, you’re a POS, how dare you talk about these women like that? It’s so frustrating to me.”
UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett heard some criticisms of his performance early on in his UFC debut, and he used it to eventually earn a finish.
Pimblett made his long-awaited UFC debut against Luigi Vendramini last September. After suffering some heavy blows early on in the fight, he would go on to blitz Vendramini and earn a first-round knockout.
Pimblett was arguably the biggest signing by the UFC last year after a successful run in Cage Warriors, which included a featherweight title win over Julian Erosa. Some questioned if Pimblett was ready for the big stage in the UFC despite his recent successes.
“Yeah, they were just going against me to be honest,” Pimblett opined. “That’s why at one point I heard DC go like, ‘He’s losing this round’, and then I was like, ‘Am I yeah? I’m losing this round?’ and that’s when I bit down on me gummy and started going on him. I think it’s hard to take him down and then when we got straight back up, I went at him and started throwing punches. I knew I broke him, he hit me with his biggest shot and I stood there. And then I heard DC and Bisping and went forward and put it on him.”
Pimblett isn’t the only one to criticize Cormier for his commentary. Rising UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley blasted Cormier for perceived biased commentary during his UFC 264 victory over Kris Moutinho.
The only time Pimblett has been finished in MMA came against Cameron Else via anaconda choke submission at Cage Warriors 60. After that, he would go on to win nine in a row including the featherweight title.
Pimblett will face a tough task in the form of Kazula Vargas at UFC London this weekend. While Vargas has had his fair share of ups and downs in the UFC, he’s an experienced fighter who could test Pimblett in a plethora of ways.
Pimblett is expected to receive quite the reception when he makes his walk to the Octagon on Saturday night. He’ll look to continue to silence his critics and continue his climb in the UFC.
What is your prediction for Paddy Pimblett’s UFC return?
UFC welterweight star Colby Covington believes he’s clearly done enough to earn a shot at Israel Adesanya’s middleweight title.
Since dropping a second championship shot against reigning 170-pound king Kamaru Usman at UFC 268 last November, Covington has mostly had three names on his lips: Adesanya, Jorge Masvidal, and Dustin Poirier.
But with “The Diamond” suggesting he’ll never share the Octagon with Covington, it’s appearing unlikely that the grudge match will come to fruition. Rounding out his list is “The Last Stylebender,” but the recent remarks of UFC President Dana White seem to suggest that’s also off the table.
“I mean, Colby would have to go up and beat [Jared] Cannonier or [Robert] Whittaker or somebody like that to even be in the discussion with a fight with Adesanya.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
Covington Disagrees With White’s Stance
During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Covington, who’s targeting a summer return, discussed his options should Poirier maintain his current attitude towards a matchup with him.
“I think I could definitely go up to ’85 and fight Adesanya (in the summer),” said Covington. “But I don’t know if he’s gonna turn around like that. He doesn’t have a dance partner right now. I mean, some of the guys they’re trying to line him up with is unoriginal. Why could Usman fight him? All the fans want that…I beat Usman twice. Usman sucks, dude. Everybody knew, in Madison Square Garden, I won those last three rounds. It was an easy win for me. Easy decision victory, unanimous.
“So why can’t I fight Adesanya? That guy can’t stop my wrestling,” claimed Covington. “I’ll pick him up and drop him on his fucking head. He’s a cardio kickboxer. They’ve got enough cardio kickboxers in women’s classes around the US. I can go join one of those. I decided to pick up hard, grueling American wrestling. I don’t think Adesanya can stop my American wrestling and I don’t think he’s that good of a fighter.”
UFC welterweight contender Stephen Thompson wants to run it back with Jorge Masvidal as both fighters look to stay in the title chase.
Thompson and Masvidal are both on losing streaks in the UFC’s welterweight division, which would’ve surprised many back in 2019. Masvidal most recently fell to Colby Covington at UFC 272, while Thompson lost a lopsided unanimous decision to Belal Muhammad last December.
Thompson still has aspirations of another UFC welterweight title shot before he calls it a career. Now, he feels the time is right to fight Masvidal in a matchup between two welterweights in desperate need of a win.
Stephen Thompson, Jorge Masvidal
Thompson fought Masvidal at UFC 217, earning a unanimous decision victory. This was Masvidal’s last fight before his self-proclaimed “resurrection” in which he won three straight in 2019.
“I would like to fight in May, we will see though. I had some names thrown at me like Robbie Lawler and now Masvidal came off the loss so that would be a fun rematch,” Thompson said. “The NMF vs. the BMF, so yeah man those are the kind of the guys I’m looking at. Give me a striker for my next fight. Don’t give me a wrestler, and the wrestlers are just a different pedigree. I’ve fought wrestlers in the past but now they are on a different level.”
Masvidal has squashed speculation that he may retire after the loss to Covington and seems intent on a quick return to the Octagon later this year. The timing may make sense for a fight with Thompson on an upcoming pay-per-view card.
Masvidal is looking to potentially get another shot with his former friend turned rival Covington shortly. If he wants any chance at redemption, a win over Thompson could be a big step in the right direction.
Do you want to see Stephen Thompson vs. Jorge Masvidal 2?
Rising UFC lightweight prospect Paddy Pimblett believes former two-division champion Conor McGregor deserves more respect for what he’s achieved in the sport of MMA.
Pimblett is the latest fighter from across the Atlantic labeled the ‘next McGregor’. Through his entertaining fighting style, previous Cage Warriors championship success, and outspoken personality, many expect “The Baddy,” who made a successful UFC debut last September, to follow in the Irishman’s footsteps.
Ahead of his latest appearance inside the Octagon, Pimblett has returned the favor by speaking incredibly highly of the UFC’s first simultaneous double champ.
Pimblett Returns The Favor With McGregor Compliment
Despite his accomplishments in MMA’s premier promotion, which includes title glory at both featherweight and lightweight, and wins over names like Dustin Poirier, Nate Diaz, Chad Mendes, Max Holloway, and José Aldo, McGregor’s achievements are often pushed behind his famed trash talk, outside-the-cage antics, and current losing skid in discussions.
For Pimblett, that needs to change. During a recent interview with Combat Sports UK, “The Baddy” asserted that McGregor deserves more respect for changing the game in MMA, both in terms of ability and wealth.
“He changed the game, simple as that. He’s changed the game for when it comes to fighter pay and stuff like that,” claimed Pimblett. “I don’t understand how people can put him down. He’s the first double champ. People need to put more respect on his name. Man, it’s easy to kick someone when he’s down but when he was at his highest, he was taking the sport to levels we’ve never seen.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
To continue that pursuit, he’ll have to get past Rodrigo “Kazula” Vargas in his sophomore Octagon outing this weekend at UFC London.
If he manages to secure a win in front of his home crowd, he’ll certainly increase the attention around his name and perhaps even prove that an Anfield headliner isn’t too far away…
https://www.instagram.com/p/CbIRLrSuhE0/
Do you think Paddy Pimblett can get close to reaching the heights Conor McGregor has in the UFC?
Namajunas is coming off of back-to-back wins over Zhang Weili in 2021, including most recently in an immediate title rematch at UFC 268. She reclaimed UFC gold by knocking Weili out with a head kick at UFC 261.
Namajunas has won three straight fights since losing her strawweight title to Jéssica Andrade at UFC 237, before getting revenge against Andrade in a non-title bout at UFC 251.
Carla Esparza, Image Credit: Getty Images
Esparza makes her return to the strawweight title fight following five-straight wins. She most recently earned a dominant second-round submission of Yan Xiaonan last May after winning a close split decision over Marina Rodriguez.
Esparza won the then-vacant strawweight championship following a win over Namajunas on The Ultimate Fighter 20. She went on to lose to Joanna Jędrzejczyk in her first title defense at UFC 185.
Namajunas hasn’t had many stumbles since the loss to Esparza. She has earned dominant wins over Jędrzejczyk, Paige VanZant, and Michelle Waterson, to name a few.
UFC 274 will be headlined by a lightweight title bout between Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje. It’s expected that Namajunas vs. Esparza 2 will serve as the co-main event.
The Scotsman, who had a string of bad luck when it came to fights falling through late last year, cited his hopes to avoid unnecessary damage as the reason for his relatively early desired exit from the sport.
However, as Craig gets set for his first appearance of 2022 and since a brutal victory over Jamahal Hill last June, he’s provided a positive update for those hoping to see a lot more of him inside the Octagon.
(via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
Speaking to BT Sport’s Nick Peet ahead of this Saturday’s UFC London card, “Bearjew” agreed to extend his retirement plan by two years. He named the pursuit of light heavyweight gold as the reason for his change of heart.
“Let’s do it. Let’s add two years,” said Craig. “You know what changes people’s minds? There’s a few things in life that will change people’s minds. One of them is a sniff of gold, a gold rush. So I’ve got a gold fever and I’m here for the long haul. The other thing is women. If a woman decides you’re not retiring, then you’re working. So there’s two factors that stop people from retiring. One of them is definitely in my mind at the moment.”
Discussing the open landscape of the light heavyweight division, Craig suggested he’s got a newfound appetite for rising the ranks and joining the likes of Jan Blachowicz, Magomed Ankalaev, and Jiří Procházka in contention.
“It’s getting that gold. The light heavyweight division is moving so quickly,” noted Craig. “We’ve got guys like Jan, who just lost the belt to Glover (Teixeira). Glover’s 42. People believe they can beat him. Jiří Procházka believes he can beat him. So we’ve got that fight happening, we’ve got Ankalaev, who won at the weekend, he’s looking for that gold.
“This is one of the most exciting divisions because we’ve not got somebody like Kamaru Usman,” Craig continued. “You’ve got divisions where the champ stays there and it’s very, very hard to dethrone them. In this division, the champ can be there and he can be there for six months and he’s gone. I’m excited to be part of this.”
Paul Craig’s Path To Gold Starts At UFC London
Seemingly possessing a fresh motivation and sense of ambition, Craig’s targeted march towards Teixeira’s throne will begin this weekend at UFC London.
He further told BT Sport that in order to break through into the group of elite, he must beat “The Minor” convincingly.
“This fight with Krylov, I’m just outside the top 10, I believe I have put in my work, I believe I have done the hard work, I’ve done the unbeaten fighters, I’ve done the guys who the UFC expect to be pushed, like Jamahal Hill… I want to be that. I want to get that push. I want to get higher, into that top five. I want to beat Krylov convincingly.
“I want to be in that top five and I want to be in that mention of, ‘Ankalaev’s close to the title, Procházka’s close to the title, what about Paul Craig? I’m excited to see what a jiu-jitsu practitioner can do in that top five.’ That’s what I want,” Craig concluded.
Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC London this weekend, Paul Craig or Nikita Krylov?
UFC bantamweight titleholder Aljamain Sterling and former champ Petr Yan are back at it again on social media ahead of their rematch.
Sterling and Yan will finally meet in their highly-anticipated bantamweight title rematch at UFC 273. This comes nearly a year to the day of their first matchup when Sterling earned the belt via disqualification after Yan landed an illegal knee late in the fight.
In a recent tweet, Sterling roasted Yan for how he’s handled the loss in their first fight last year.
In order to grow you need to accept your losses like a man. The first step in the process of healing is accepting your short-comings. In other words, bro, you lost! 🤦🏾♂️ https://t.co/slWxoAKDNDpic.twitter.com/8pY0YJ3YAZ
“In order to grow you need to accept your losses like a man,” Sterling said. “The first step in the process of healing is accepting your short-comings. In other words, bro, you lost!”
If recent history was any indicator, it didn’t take Yan long to respond to Sterling’s banter. He responded by attacking how Sterling handled his controversial win over him at UFC 259.
“At least I didn’t (lose) my dignity like you,” Yan replied. “I can envision yourself crying after our next fight again. I will beat the living shit out of you dog. Looking forward to your healing process.”
While Yan fired back in a big way, it was Sterling that would get the final word for now, making a play on words on Yan’s first name.
The only tears I’ll be shedding are for your funeral, after I body bag you April 9th for the world to see.
“The only tears I’ll be shedding are for your funeral, after I body bag you April 9th for the world to see,” Sterling responded. “You “Betr” show up!”
The rematch between Sterling and Yan was supposed to take place on multiple occasions in 2021, but the fight was moved due to various circumstances. Sterling has been battling injuries over the last few months and appears fully recovered and ready for his rematch with Yan.
After Sterling pulled out of their originally scheduled bout at UFC 267, Yan would fight and defeat Cory Sandhagen for the interim bantamweight title. Before his controversial loss to Sterling, Yan earned the then-vacant title over José Aldo at UFC 251.
We are just weeks away from the Sterling/Yan rematch and fans can expect plenty of banter back-and-forth between these two top 135-pounders.
What is your prediction for Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan 2?
Vargas and Pimblett will square off on the UFC London main card in front of what should be a raucous crowd at The O2 Arena. This will be Pimblett’s second fight in the UFC, and first in the U.K. since his time in Cage Warriors.
Vargas is looking to steal the show and earn a big win over Pimblett. He’s coming off of a unanimous decision win over Zhu Rong at UFC 261 last year.
Pimblett earned the main card slot due to a massive following. But, Vargas isn’t sure if Pimblett is deserving of the added attention this early in his UFC tenure.
During his UFC London pre-fight press conference, Vargas questioned whether or not Pimblett’s accolades in MMA are worth the intense hype ahead of their fight.
“It’s normal for him to have all this hype, he’s from London and most of his fights have been here. But I actually think he’s a bit of a kid. He’s got good things, but he’s got a lot of bad things as well.
“He’s probably overrated.”
Vargas went on to explain why he feels Pimblett is overrated and what he’s taken from his past performances.
“I haven’t seen all of his fights, but I’ve seen about five or six. I think he’s got a lot of holes in his fights and we’ll try to take advantage of that. But like all UFC fighters, we’re here because we’re the best and we’ll try to take advantage of those holes.”
Pimblett was arguably the biggest signing by the UFC in 2021, following a decorated stint in Cage Warriors. His debut arguably lived up to the immense hype with a first-round knockout of Luigi Vendramini last September.
Vargas is looking to back up his claim that Pimblett is overrated this weekend at UFC London. If he’s able to earn a win over Pimblett, he may steal some of his hype in the process.
What is your prediction for Kazula Vargas vs. Paddy Pimblett?
Former UFC double champion Daniel Cormier has laughed off Alex Pereira’s callout of Jared Cannonier telling the fighter to be realistic.
Pereira took the opportunity in his post-fight press conference at UFC Vegas 50 to call out ‘The Killa Gorilla’ following his unanimous decision win over Bruno Silva.
The UFC middleweight is now 2-0 in the UFC having already defeated Andreas Michailidis in his spectacular UFC debut where he pulled off a flying knee knockout.
Since joining the UFC, it hasn’t taken long for Pereira to bring up his former foe Israel Adesanya with the Brazilian mentioning him often in the build-up to UFC Vegas 50.
Their rivalry goes far back to Pereira’s early days competing in Glory where he is widely known as the only man to defeat Adesanya having done so twice. Once via unanimous decision, with the second time coming in even more convincing fashion scoring a KO/TKO victory.
It now appears Pereira is looking for the quickest route possible to a title shot against the UFC middleweight champion. His latest callout of Cannonier seems ambitious in implying the former Glory kickboxing double-champion wants to fight Adesanya as soon as possible.
Alex Pereira
Yet Cannonier looks set for the next title shot himself meaning the Brazilian’s callout seems unrealistic at this stage. Especially considering Pereira has only had two fights in the organization and is yet to face a ranked opponent.
Cormier has now taken the opportunity to give his thoughts on Pereira’s callout on his ESPN show DC & RC. (h/t BJPenn.com)
“He goes and calls out a guy in Jared Cannonier who’s obviously fighting for the championship,” said Cormier. “Like what are we doing here? I mean, fight someone in the top 15 [first], fight someone in the top 10. Like, I get shooting for the stars, but the stars is anyone with a number next to their name at this point.
“Then again, it’s the wins over Izzy in kickboxing that gives him this sense of invincibility. He’s watching this guy that he knocked out run roughshod over the division, become a megastar and make tons of money. Ultimately, he’s trying to find the shortest path to get to where he feels he belongs. So, hats off to him. But, come on man! Let’s be realistic in the way that we approach our journey through the UFC’s rankings.”
It’s clear Cormier wants to see Pereira face a ranked opponent before he is even mentioned amongst the top contenders at middleweight. We may well see Pereira modify his preferred opponent should Cannonier be confirmed to face Adesanya next any time soon.
What do you make of Alex Pereira’s callout of Jared Cannonier?
Joanna Jędrzejczyk believes we will hear “And Still” when Rose Namajunas rematches Carla Esparza sometime later this year at a date TBD.
Namajunas and Esparza first fought back in 2014 for the inaugural strawweight title which Esparza won by third-round submission in the finale of TUF 20. After that, Jędrzejczyk went on to beat Esparza to win the belt and had it until Namajunas knocked her out in 2017.
With Namajunas reclaiming the belt in 2021, she now appears set to rematch Esparza sometime this year. It’s an intriguing matchup as Esparza has had a career turnaround of sorts but in the rematch, Jędrzejczyk believes it will be Namajunas getting her hand raised this time around.
“I think that Rose will defend her belt,” Jedrzejczyk told MMA Junkie. “Carla won back in the day in 2014, but both of them are totally different fighters, different athletes with different mentality, as well, but I think that Rose will win this fight. She’s very strong. She’s very, very fast. Her timing is just perfect with her footwork. Of course, Carla has a few wins streak, but Rose is a different level, I think.”
If Rosa Namajunas does defeat Carla Esparza as Joanna Jędrzejczyk thinks it’s likely Marina Rodriguez would be next for the champ. However, the Pole has made it known she still wants the third fight against ‘Thug’ even though she’s 0-2 to the champ.
The plan for Jędrzejczyk is to rematch Weili Zhang sometime this year and should she win, she could very well earn another title shot. She still remains a big name in the sport and she could help sell the fight against Namajunas, which could happen sometime in 2023 as she looks to reclaim her belt.
Who do you think will win the fight between Rose Namajunas and Carla Esparza?
UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler has revealed he’s picking champion Charles Oliveira to emerge victorious over Justin Gaethje at UFC 274.
Despite riding an eight-fight win streak this time last year, which included triumphs over Kevin Lee and Tony Ferguson, not many would have expected Oliveira to accomplish the feats he did in 2021.
After Khabib Nurmagomedov’s retirement, “Do Bronx” found himself opposite relative newcomer Chandler in a battle for 155-pound gold at UFC 262. After five minutes of main event action, Oliveira had been knocked down, beaten, and almost finished. Less than 20 seconds into round two, though, and the Brazilian turned the tide and TKO’d the former Bellator champion.
Gaethje secured his position as number one contender over the likes of Beneil Dariush and Islam Makhachev by getting the better of Chandler in a Fight of the Year-worthy contest last November at UFC 268. Having failed to reach the undisputed throne in a unification showdown against Khabib in 2019, “The Highlight” will hope it’s second-time lucky later this year.
But in his way will be a veteran of the sport who has proven everyone wrong in his recent outings. During an episode of DC & RC, Chandler praised Oliveira’s resurgence from a 10-8-1 record in his first 19 Octagon appearances to 10-0 since his loss to Paul Felder in 2017.
“I think a lot of people would agree with me when I say that I would not have given Charles Oliveira a chance at beating Justin Gaethje up until about the last 12 months,” said Chandler. “Charles Oliveira has come back, essentially from the dead; resurrected his career from the dead.
Sports Illustrated
“He was spotty up and down, could never be relied upon when it came to performances, and just, the way that he has turned into a deadly striker, as well as one of the greatest submission artists that the sport has ever seen, as well as going out there and finishing myself, going out there and finishing Dustin Poirier; that kind of stuff comes with a little bit of added extra confidence with each time he steps inside of the Octagon,” added Chandler.
Having faced both men in 2021, the #5-ranked Chandler is in a unique position to provide a prediction for the next lightweight title clash. While he knows full well how dangerous Gaethje can be, “Iron” believes Oliveira has “too many tools.”
“I think he’s gonna be the most confident Charles Oliveira that we have ever seen, after the year of 2021 that we just saw and him gaining that title and then defending that title, when he steps inside the Octagon against Justin Gaethje. But Justin Gaethje, we all know he’s a killer.
“I think it’s an extremely exciting fight. I still think I give the edge to Charles Oliveira, to be honest. He just has too many tools. And we all know how Justin Gaethje can win. But Charles Oliveira has also proven a lot of us and a lot of the doubters wrong, that he can be in there in those wars. He’s a lot tougher and a lot more resilient than we thought he was,” concluded Chandler.
While Oliveira’s reign advances towards a date with the #1-ranked lightweight on May 7, Chandler will be hoping to secure a potential rematch against either man in his own next appearance against Tony Ferguson on the same date.
Should the 35-year-old’s prediction come true at UFC 274, perhaps he’ll have the chance to exact revenge on Oliveira for their UFC 262 clash before the year is out.
Who do you think will have their hand raised at UFC 274, Charles Oliveira or Justin Gaethje?
Lightweight prospect Paddy Pimblett has detailed his hotel altercation with fellow UFC London competitor Ilia Topuria, and even debuted a new nickname for the Georgian.
This weekend sees the UFC return to England’s capital for the first time since 2019. In two notable main card lightweight scraps, Paddy Pimblett will be making his sophomore appearance in the Octagon, while #15-ranked featherweight Topuria will be competing at 155 pounds for the first time.
While they may be preparing for different opponents, Pimblett and Topuria nearly got into full-blown fight themselves at the fighter hotel on Tuesday, which was apparently over a tweet posted by the Brit in 2021.
In a video recorded by a member of Topuria’s entourage, the Georgian can be seen approaching the Liverpudlian. The pair were split after a number of thrown items and insults were exchanged.
Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria got into an altercation at the host hotel in London 👀
“Who’s that? Oh, hand sanitizer boy? Is that who you mean? Yeah, that’s his name from now on,” said Pimblett. “Don’t refer to him as his name lad, his name’s hand sanitizer. It got bounced off his head. But I don’t concern myself with none of that lad. He wanted to come at me and try to act hard, and he got put in his place.
“I was stood there, on me own, and there was about six of them. And he done nothing,” Pimblett continued. “If he wanted to do something, he would’ve come around the table and tried to have a fight with me. But he didn’t. He stood on the other side of the table because he knows what’s good for him.”
After confirming that Topuria approached him prior to the incident, Pimblett branded the Georgian’s actions as “little man syndrome.”
“As soon as he come out of those double doors he snarled me. So I looked at him and said, ‘What?’” Pimblett recalled. “And then he walked towards me and I said, ‘What’s happening lad?’ And then as he got close to me, he like, swiped a slap at me. Obviously lad, if you raise your hand to me, I’m gonna do something.
“I stepped back and picked the hand sanitizer up and bounced it off his head. He swung… I moved out of the way with a bit of ease. He’s just got a little bit of small man syndrome. He’s only 5’7″, isn’t he?”
Pimblett Explains Why He Didn’t Let Topuria Clash Escalate
Despite the launching of sanitary objects and a few loose swings from Topuria, the pair’s altercation didn’t quite reach the point where fists connected.
Pimblett explained that, with an exciting appearance at UFC London looming, he couldn’t risk losing his spot on the card, either through injury or disciplinary actions.
“I wasn’t punching him because I’m not breaking my hand and not being able to fight and earn my money on the weekend… I can’t let something like that happen lad. I can’t start throwing punches and get cut off the card… Especially (against) someone so meaningless. Who even is he? Seriously, who is Mr. Hand Sanitizer? He’s a no one.”
While the interaction remains a hot topic, both Pimblett and Topuria will be looking to turn their full attention to the task at hand this Saturday. if both are victorious, perhaps we’ll see them share the Octagon down the line.
Would you like to see Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria settle their differences inside the Octagon?
Chael Sonnen has suggested reigning UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski has validated an immediate return to title contention for Conor McGregor.
McGregor hasn’t been in action since suffering a brutal leg break at UFC 264 last July. The injury, which resulted in a TKO loss, marked his second defeat to Dustin Poirier in 2021 and his third setback in four appearances.
“Obviously, Conor’s always gonna get his name out there,” Volkanovski said. “You’ve gotta remember, he was a featherweight, he was a champion of my division. So, I’ve taken out the featherweight champs, so to take out, the only one left, isn’t he? Yeah, it’s just Conor. There was me, (José) Aldo, Max (Holloway), and Conor. So it makes a lot of sense. Obviously, it would be a dream. And then I’ve taken out all the other champs in my division. So that would be incredible.”
While at first glance, the remarks perhaps appear harmless and to simply be a casual comment on a dream matchup, former middleweight and light heavyweight UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen has suggested Volkanovski’s words could mean a lot in the context of McGregor’s return.
Sonnen Suggests Volkanovski Co-Signed A McGregor Title Shot
In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen discussed Volkanovski’s comments. He claimed that the Australian had, whether by intention or not, provided validation for a potential McGregor title shot.
“There is an ongoing conversation of should Conor McGregor be able to return off of a loss, off of a previous loss, off of an injury, and fight for a world championship,” said Sonnen. “There seems to be a very meaningful discussion, which got supported when Islam Makhachev got re-booked against Dariush.
“Many people are pushing back on it, saying Conor should not be able to come off a loss into a world championship fight… It doesn’t sound like Volkanovski agrees with you,” noted Sonnen. “Volkanovski, whether he meant to or not, just gave validation, as a sitting champion of the world, that Conor McGregor can, in fact, come right back into a world title fight.”
Conor McGregor (Photo: Sportsfile)
Sonnen did, however, acknowledge Volkanovski’s words came from his own desire to meet McGregor, which, at featherweight at least, is unlikely. Nevertheless, the 44-year-old claimed that the Aussie’s quote, given his place at the champions’ table, means something, regardless of which title conversation McGregor is in.
“Volkanovski, of course, was personalizing and talking about him(self), and I don’t think Conor’s gonna be making featherweight any time soon,” admitted Sonnen. “But set that aside, you now have a world champion, whether he intended to or not, that just co-signed the statement that Conor McGregor qualifies for a world title fight upon his return. One world champion, one sitting and reigning world champion, has got to speak for how many of us? What’s his opinion worth? He’s got skin in the game. He’s got credibility.
“You’ve now got somebody with a seat at the head table, who is saying that Conor should qualify based on his laurels, based on the success that he has had before. I don’t disagree with that, I don’t disagree with that at all,” Sonnen concluded.
UFC lightweight Renato Moicano has revealed that he told his corner not to stop his UFC 272 co-main event fight against Rafael dos Anjos.
At this month’s pay-per-view, Moicano earned the respect of the masses by going 25 minutes with former champion dos Anjos on just four days’ notice. The Brazilian’s opportunity arose when Rafael Fiziev tested positive for COVID-19 at the start of fight week.
Despite making it to the judges’ scorecards, some believe the decision to allow Moicano to fight beyond the third frame was irresponsible on the part of referee Marc Goddard, the cageside doctor, and the Brazilian’s American Top Team corner.
That sentiment certainly wasn’t shared by Moicano, who suggested the opportunity to continue allowed him to show what he’s made of.
“The fifth round was my best round because I was already tired and the ref asked me if the fight kept going like that, he would stop it,” Moicano explained. “I knew I had to give everything I had and gave all my energy to knock him out and I showed a lot of heart. They could not take this from me. It was good for me because I took the fight on such short notice (that) if they stopped it, I would’ve been really upset.
“The cornerman has to know their fighters and the corner asked me if I was in the fight, and I said yes, I still wanted to fight. They told me to go out there and try to win and that is what I did. If I said I wasn’t ready or I’m done, he would’ve stopped it, but I told him I’m still in the fight. But, if he decided to throw the towel, I’m not going to be mad because he cares about me.” (h/t BJPenn.com)
Moicano: UFC Turned Down 3-Round Request
With the clash between ‘RDA’ and Fiziev originally being slated for a UFC Fight Night headliner in February, it had been kept as five rounds after being delayed to UFC 272. Despite the late call-up for Moicano, the co-main remained set for 25 minutes.
It turns out that was in spite of a request from Moicano’s team. The Brasilia native confirmed to BJPenn.com that a pursuit of a three-round bout failed during negotiations with the promotion.
“I asked for it to be three rounds and that’s what we wanted, but at the end of the day, I knew they wanted it to be five rounds,” Moicano said. “With that, I was willing to take the chance because he is a big name, a former champion, and a top contender.”
Having taken the fight with the five-round stipulation attached, Moicano says he knew his conditioning would prove to be an issue if dos Anjos managed to impose a wrestling attack.
Once that happened, Moicano says he anticipated a long night.
“I was a little bit worried as I knew I couldn’t wrestle as going into the fight, I was focused on striking all five rounds as I didn’t have the energy to take him down,” Moicano added about his cardio. “If I missed a shot, I would be exhausted. I did what I could with what I had. It was a mental game for me as I knew I couldn’t put a high pace or get takedowns or grapple.
“After he got the first takedown, I thought, ‘Man, this is going to be a long night,’” Moicano said. “In the back of my head, I thought he would shoot for the takedown but I didn’t know for sure. When I hit him and he took me down, I thought this would be hard because I didn’t have enough training to prepare for his wrestling.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CawYDMNLN_N/
Do you think the UFC 272 co-main event should have been stopped?
UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski believes the recently incarcerated Cain Velasquez is “paying a crazy price” following his arrest.
While fights continue each weekend, trash talk flies, and signings and extensions hit the headlines, one story has gripped the entire MMA and combat sport community in recent weeks.
Velasquez, a former two-time UFC heavyweight titleholder and widely-respected mixed martial artist, was arrested on February 28 for attempted, premeditated murder. The arrest and charge came after Velasquez allegedly pursued and intended on shooting a man named Henry Goularte, who’s accused of molesting one of Velasquez’s young relatives.
After reportedly shooting and injuring the man’s stepfather, Velasquez was arrested, charged, and later denied bail by Judge Shelyna Brown, much to the fury of his attorney and supporters.
In recent days and weeks, a host of fighters, pundits and personalities have flocked to support the former UFC star. Per ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, the likes of Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Daniel Cormier, Scott Coker, Kamaru Usman, and Brandon Moreno have all penned letters of support for Velasquez to the Santa Clara County Superior Court.
Including UFC President Dana White and Khabib Nurmagomedov, there were 37 letters written to the judge on behalf of Cain Velasquez to allow him bail. Unfortunately, bail was denied.
Meanwhile, alleged child molester Harry Goulaerte was released with zero dollar bail. pic.twitter.com/4gORWnDIXv
Now, the UFC’s 145-pound kingpin has given his thoughts on the tragic incident. Like many, Volkanovski has highlighted what he perceives to be an injustice.
Volkanovski: Velasquez Case Shows The Law Can Be Pretty Messed Up
During an exclusive interview with MMA News, Volkanovski, who holds gold in the promotion Velasquez twice ruled in, suggested the Californian is paying a “crazy” price for his actions, something that he believes shows a clear double standard in how these cases are handled.
“Yeah, it is unfortunate. You see some people doing shit like that and they almost get (just) a slap on the wrist,” Volkanovski said during his conversation with James Lynch. “And then you see someone like that, who in the heat of the moment, you can see the emotions that would’ve been involved in something like that.
“Then he’s gonna be paying a crazy price, when these other guys get a slap on the wrist, which is just complete bullshit. Obviously, someone’s not gonna be thinking completely straight when some shit like that happens.”
According to Volkanovski, a father himself, White’s take was exactly right.
“This hits close to home. Anyone with a kid is gonna know. I think Dana hit the nail on the head,” Volkanovski further told MMA News. “He did exactly what everyone says that they would do if they were in that situation. That’s true. It’s ridiculous. Obviously, laws are laws, but, I mean, some things need to come into play.
“You can’t treat this as just a crazy act of madness. Let’s be real. He would’ve been emotionally unstable in that situation. That has to come into play, especially when your kid is involved… I’m hoping he doesn’t get in too much trouble for it. I don’t know. The law can be pretty messed up sometimes,” concluded Volkanovski.
Ahead of UFC London, fan favorite Dan Hooker has revealed one heavy weight that’s been lifted off his shoulders since his last Octagon appearance.
This weekend sees a host of returns. While the promotion is returning to England’s capital for the first time since 2019, Hooker will be heading back to the featherweight division for the first time since transitioning to lightweight in 2017.
While a return to his old stomping ground is reason enough to be excited, on March 19, Hooker will be fighting for the first time without the cloud of travel uncertainty looming overhead.
Hooker Excited To Embrace Post-Fight “Freedom”
Fighters across the world have dealt with adversity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. But not many have had the kind of struggles that have plagued Dan Hooker.
Those issues were well publicized prior to UFC 266 last September. Hooker, who fought and defeated Haqparast at the US-held event, was forced to train away from his gym due to the lockdown in place at the time, even encountering the police when he attempted to use his facility.
Coupled with that were visa issues. When the veteran made a social media appeal calling for the process to be completed in time for the event, it seemed his fight was in jeopardy. Eventually, he made it to America the day before the weigh-ins.
As if that wasn’t hard enough, Hooker has also spent extended periods away from his family due to his inability to re-enter the country following his bouts. However, that is no longer the case.
During an appearance on The MMA Hour on Monday, Hooker revealed his relief at the opening of borders in New Zealand for the country’s citizens.
“Freedom. We’re like, we’re back. There’s (still) restrictions, but not to our training. Our training will never be shut down again. We’re through it. Our border is now open for New Zealand citizens, so I can go and fight, and I can come home, which is just unreal. It’s unreal the weight that that lifts off your shoulders.”
While he often appeared calm and unfazed by his lengthy stays in the US and away from his wife and child, “The Hangman” admitted it played on his mind during his fights.
“You play it pretty cool when people are like, ‘Oh, you’re gonna go over and fight and then you’re not gonna be home for four months,’ and you’re like, ‘Yeah, yeah. I’m not gonna think about that.’ Of course, that plays on your mind when you’re fighting, especially—I’m not saying it’s any kind of excuse, but with the kind of fights I get myself into take a certain amount of time to recover from, months.
Dan Hooker
“And that’s the part of fighting that people don’t see. They see you on the television and a couple days after the fight, every now and then when you post something on social media, but I’ve had some fights in my career that have taken months to recover from. Being back home, being on your couch, being surrounded by your friends, your family, having my child there, my wife there; that is everything. That helps you heal.”
Following his clash at UFC London, Hooker will be able to immediately fly out and reunite with his family, who he’s yet to see in 2022.
“Of course, it would play on your mind when you’re going away to fight and you can’t do any of that, you can’t see any of those people, and you’re going to be stranded in a foreign country with no friendly faces for months on end. It definitely changes the ingredients. But now it’s all changed. We’re back to normal. I fly straight back home. It’s just like, a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca1hxwEBQ8c/
With travel stress gone and the anticipation for a new venture at featherweight, we could well see a new Dan Hooker take to the cage on March 19. If he makes a successful return to the division, featherweight will have the addition of another top contender.
Do you expect Dan Hooker to make a successful return to featherweight by defeatingArnold Allen this weekend?
In among his first comments addressing Jake Paul since vowing to never speak of him again, UFC President Dana White has explained why a fight between Conor McGregor and the YouTuber is “probably not” going to happen.
So far in his 5-0 boxing career, Paul has knocked out two former UFC welterweights, one of which held gold on MMA’s biggest stage between 2016 and 2019. But while his MMA foes have, to date, been retired or released following a losing skid, “The Problem Child” has often set his sights on bigger fish.
As opponents have changed, rivalries developed, and his influence in combat sports has grown, one thing has remained a constant in Paul’s career: callouts to “The Notorious” McGregor.
Paul’s interest and mentions of a potential clash are seemingly increasing with every step closer to a return the Irishman makes. The former two-division champion has been out of action since breaking his leg last July.
When asked if he could see a McGregor vs. Paul event in the future, White suggested that while he won’t shut the door on anything, it’s unlikely.
“Probably not (happening), no. I’m never completely closed off to anything. I used to say that about things, but I don’t say that anymore. Cause you never know, you never know what could happen,” said White.
The crossover market has grown exponentially in recent years, with Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, Vitor Belfort, and Frank Mir all representing former UFC stars who have dipped their toes into the boxing ring.
Despite helping start the trend with the 2017 ‘Money Fight’ between McGregor and Floyd Mayweather, as well as bringing some notable professional wrestling stars to the Octagon, White says UFC bookings involving internet stars like the Pauls goes against his promotion’s main goal: pitting the best against the best.
“Everything we do kills the bottom. I mean, we have the most successful combat sports business of all time. What we do here is completely different than what him (Logan Paul) and his brother are doing,” claimed White. “I’m looking for the absolute best in the world. These guys who have trained their whole lives, they fight at these smaller shows, and then they make it to the UFC, and we put the best against the best.
CM Punk, Brock Lesnar
“It’s just not what you do. There’s a market for what you guys do and there’s money to be made in it. I’m not saying that I don’t do those types of thing,” White continued. “I brought Brock (Lesnar) in. But Brock won the heavyweight championship. I brought CM Punk in, that one didn’t work out as well as Brock [LAUGHS]. It’s not like I don’t try to do these—the Floyd/Conor fight, you know? The fans wanted to see it; everybody wanted to see it. That’s why it took on a life of its own. Floyd and I got together and figured it out, it made sense, and we did it.”
Even if that level of interest was there for a McGregor vs. Paul bout, White explained why the pair’s size difference would make it an unrealistic matchup.
“Well, he shouldn’t even be fighting Conor McGregor. These guys (Pauls) are fucking huge, he’s (Jake) fucking huge. What’s your brother, 6’1″? 210 (pounds)? Conor McGregor’s 155 pounds… There’s weight classes for a reason.”
Paul Responds To White’s Comments On McGregor Fight
White also went on to suggest that even fighting at welterweight is a stretch for McGregor, something Paul later disputed on Twitter. He called for a fight with the Dublin native at 175 pounds.
Dana White is begging for Diaz and Conor to fight for a third time…they have fought at 170 pounds in both their fights
Interestingly, during his conversation with White, Logan suggested his brother couldn’t make 170 pounds to meet McGregor for a welterweight bout. With that in mind, 175 would perhaps be a stretch for “The Problem Child,” who weighed in for his rematch with Woodley at 191.6 pounds.
How do you think a fight between Conor McGregor and Jake Paul would play out?
Ahead of Tom Aspinall’s upcoming UFC London main event, boxing heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has sent him a motivational message.
This Saturday, Tom Aspinall faces Alexander Volkov at UFC London. Aspinall (11-2) possesses a strong record leading up to his match with the 6 foot 7 “Drago.” Additionally, none of his professional fights have gone to a decision.
At just 28 years of age, the English fighter has racked up nothing but nasty early-round submissions and knockouts. Aspinall’s last seven, back-to-back victories mostly ended in TKOs, one including a leg injury when he fought with Cage Warriors.
Tom Aspinall and Sergey Spivak at UFC Fight Night 191, Photo Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Clearly, Aspinall is capable of destroying his opponents, but in case he needs some extra encouragement, WBC Champion Tyson Fury, who defends his title again next month, wished his friend good luck and clear instructions on how to deal with Volkov.
“Hey Tyson Fury, here. I just want to wish my buddy Tom Aspinall all the best in his upcoming UFC heavyweight fight. Good luck, Tom. Do the business. Smash his face in. Get up there, my boy, all the way to the mother(beep) bank, man, do it.”
Having “The Gypsy King” offer words of encouragement before a big fight carries some world champion weight to it. And it may be necessary as Aspinall faces an opponent with a very experienced career.
Russian-born Alexander Volkov has accumulated 22 knockouts in his 34 wins. His most recent fight was a loss to the #1 heavyweight contender, Ciryl Gane.
Both fighters enter their match with a win, but can Volkov end Aspinall’s devastating seven-fight win streak, or will Aspinall “smash his face in” and continue on his path of victory?
What are your thoughts on Tyson Fury’s message to Tom Aspinall?
Canelo Álvarez’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, is open to potentially negotiating a crossover match with UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.
Usman teased the idea of a potential fight against Canelo in the leadup to his fight against Colby Covington at UFC 268. After defeating Covington for a second time, the interest in a matchup with Álvarez has remained afloat.
Álvarez is getting ready for his fight against Dmitry Bivol for the WBA super light heavyweight title on May 7 in Las Vegas. At the same time, he also hasn’t dismissed the idea of a big-money fight with Usman happening in the future.
During a recent appearance on The DAZN Boxing Show, Hearn addressed the potential of a Usman vs. Canelo fight coming to fruition.
“He’s under contract with UFC, but if Dana White wants to do it, we’d love to discuss it,” Hearn said. (h/t Mirror)
Usman’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, has already communicated his interest in a matchup with Álvarez. He went as far as predicting that Usman would defeat the boxing superstar inside of three rounds.
While Usman and Canelo’s respective management teams seem on board with the prospect of a fight, UFC President Dana White and his promotion could be a major hurdle. White has shut down the idea of a Usman vs. Canelo fight, although he has been known to change his mind on various topics.
Usman and Canelo are both considered at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings in their respective disciplines. Usman is likely to face Leon Edwards in the UFC later this year but may focus on a potential fight with Canelo with a win.
Do you think we’ll see Kamaru Usman vs. Canelo Álvarez at some point?
Two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison has detailed the negotiations that took place and the offer she received from the UFC during her time as a free agent.
While the past six months have seen new stories and headlines develop, one constant point of discussion has been the future of Harrison.
Following her victory over Taylor Guardado in October, a triumph that extended her unbeaten record to 12-0 and secured her second consecutive PFL lightweight championship, the Ohio native entered the uncertain waters of free agency.
Despite the final weeks of her free agency suggesting either a signing with Bellator or another stint with PFL, Harrison recently revealed she had positive discussions with the UFC.
Harrison Also Received ‘First-Of-Its-Kind’ Offer From UFC
As it turns out, that wasn’t the only special deal on her table.
During a recent interview with ESPN MMA’s Marc Raimondi, Harrison detailed the negotiations that took place between her team and the UFC, revealing that the Dana White-led promotion also sent a ‘first-of-its-kind’ deal her way.
“There were good interactions (with the UFC). It was a great deal (that they offered). And I think, again, I was very pleased to hear that it’s an offer that hasn’t really happened before,” said Harrison.
Ultimately, the 31-year-old cited different guarantees and timing as the reasons why the UFC’s offer wasn’t further assessed.
“But I think that the guarantee is a little bit different. I don’t really know how to say this. It was a great offer, but getting into all the moving parts, getting into behind the scenes, getting into all the little things that people may not understand or know about—it didn’t make sense and the timing wasn’t right. And also, it didn’t matter because PFL would’ve matched that one,” Harrison concluded.
For now, at least, fans will continue seeing Harrison in the PFL. While she plans on making a run for her third straight championship in this year’s season, the former judoka is targeting big fights in 2023.
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