Even away from the Octagon, rising UFC welterweight star Khamzat Chimaev continues to show the threat he poses to the rest of the 170-pound roster.
Having returned to action last October at UFC 267 by brutally dominating and choking out Li Jingliang, Chimaev’s name is well and truly back on the agenda. With his dominance in the cage so far, which has seen him build an unblemished 4-0 UFC record that includes four finishes, many are touting “Borz” as a future champion.
Despite being in-between fights, training footage from Chimaev’s ongoing stint at Thailand’s Tiger Muay Thai gym has continued to show why he’s regarded highly in all aspects of MMA.
We’ve consistently seen his ability to rag-doll his opponents on the ground, and we even saw his knockout power in his third outing against Gerald Meerschaert, but how about the ability to land a crippling body shot?
Given the way he dropped a partner in a recent sparring session, we can certainly check that off the list…
Chimaev Trains With Fellow UFC Stars Ahead Of Rumored Burns Clash
Expanding beyond his usual preparation at the Allstar Training Center in Stockholm, Sweden, Chimaev has been getting set for his next appearance in the Octagon at the renowned Tiger Muay Thai facility in Phuket, Thailand.
There, the Chechen-born Swede has been training alongside some of the biggest names in the sport, from UFC stars Petr Yan, Rafael Fiziev, and Marlon Moraes, to undefeated Bellator champion Yaroslav Amosov, and ONE Championship kickboxers Chingiz Allazov and Roman Kryklia.
Khamzat Chimaev, Rafael Fiziev, and Petr Yan sharpening the tools in Thailand 🐯🇹🇭
With many believing “Borz” is just one big victory away from a shot at Kamaru Usman’s 170-pound gold, a win against “Durinho,” who fought for the belt last February and defeated top contender Stephen Thompson five months later, could well book Chimaev a date with “The Nigerian Nightmare.”
Would you like to see Khamzat Chimaev face Gilbert Burns next?
After two rounds, Ngannou was down, troubled by his injury, and unable to get close to the technical and fast “Bon Gamin.” That all changed with one third-round takedown.
After turning to his wrestling game, a facet of his development not many had considered heading into the unification showdown, the Cameroonian controlled the remainder of the contest and took home a unanimous decision verdict.
A dominant performance from your HW champ 👏🏆 #AndStill
Ngannou’s Camp Dealt With A Lot Ahead Of Fight Night
An incredible amount was riding on Ngannou’s first title defense. As well as the possibility of “irreversible damage” to his knee, “The Predator” entered the PPV headliner with a bitter feud with his former coach Fernand Lopez in the limelight and his ongoing uncertain future with the UFC attracting major attention.
Ngannou and his team have long been vocal about their displeasure with the champ’s current contract, which would have expired had he been defeated by Gane; another reason the clash was so crucial for Ngannou’s negotiating position.
While most will acknowledge Martin’s endeavour to fulfil his client’s wishes in the world’s premier MMA organization as a positive, one individual clearly sees his role in the contractual dispute differently, as they displayed ahead of UFC 270 with an abusive anonymous text.
The rant, which included a racial slur, branded Ngannou a “dumb piece of sh*t” for listening to Martin’s advice. The expletive-ridden text, which came from a number with a Las Vegas area code, showed another side to Ngannou’s difficult lead-up to his Octagon walk.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZCUlZlFRwe/
In the caption, Martin didn’t make any accusations or infer who the text could have come from. Instead, he sent a message to others who have received racism for simply doing their jobs.
“Just a small piece of what has been going on recently. All for trying to do my job to the best of my ability. All supporting my brother Francis. All for trying to do what’s right and fair. All for believing in respect. I don’t share this for pity, I know I’m not perfect, but I share this to help show support and uplift Anyone who is or has experienced ANY type of racism, hatred, self-doubt, etc. I feel it trust me. Especially this week haha. It will be hard, it will be scary but stand strong and keep the faith.
“Also sharing because I am thankful for these experiences (trials). I have grown SO much. So thank you to my enemies, God bless you. I have grown in wisdom, I have grown in patience, I have grown in spirit and I have grown in knowing who I KNOW I am as a man…And I’m proud of myself.”
If the message was intended to play a part on Ngannou and his team’s mindset, it certainly failed. With one of the best performances of his career, through extreme adversity, “The Predator” maintained his spot on the heavyweight throne.
Is Francis Ngannou’s victory even more impressive given the factors he and his team dealt with prior to the fight?
Jack Claffey, formerly Jack Gallagher of the WWE, will debut in the BKFC in 2022. His release from the WWE followed sexual assault allegations in 2020. Claffey issued a statement where he took responsibility for drinking heavily and behaving inappropriately with a young woman at a 2014 New Year’s Eve party.
Mid-year will mark the lightweight’s first professional venture outside of the WWE.
The “Captain” also falls in line with a number of other WWE wrestlers that either left to join another promotion or participate simultaneously. Brock Lesnar and CM Punk have records in the UFC, and Bobby Lashley fought under Bellator and various other MMA promotions.
Brock Lesnar, Bobby Lashley, CM Punk; Photo Credit: Getty Images
Impressively, the England-born fighter won both of his amateur bouts by submission—one by armbar and one by guillotine choke.
Fans of Jack “Captain” Claffey have not seen him in action since his loss to Jake Atlas during a live WWE event in June 2020, and are surely anticipating his debut in the bloody combat sport.
Julianna Peña is looking to have some fun before she takes on Nunes again.
The new UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña is already making plans for her next move in the division. Peña made headlines when she defeated two-division champ Amanda Nunes at UFC 269. The win by Peña shocked many, as Nunes was on a 12-fight winning streak and defeated some of the best names in women’s MMA along her way. Now that Peña is holding the belt, she has an idea of what could be next.
“A dream come true for me would be to coach The Ultimate Fighter and then go right into the rematch,” she told BT Sports. “So, that’s a perfect-world scenario. I know we don’t live in a perfect world, but that’s what I would like. As long as I can get the rematch at whatever time, that’s what’s gonna make me happiest.”
At the moment, this is all a dream for Peña, but that doesn’t mean that it will never happen. Peña claims that this idea is already in the planning phase and talks have begun.
“Yeah, it has,” Peña said of TUF talks. “So, I mean, we’ll see.
The future is unclear for Nunes, who has a bit more freedom than Peña at this point. Nunes still holds the featherweight title and could very well defend that as her next fight.
Also, Nunes is in the process of changing gyms and fight camps. This fact could delay her return. If Nunes is indeed looking for an immediate rematch, the idea of coaching on TUF could be a good way to have some training time before getting back in the Octagon.
UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou has revealed why he chose to fight through a knee injury at UFC 270 rather than withdraw.
Without considering the injury he carried into the fight, Ngannou’s successful defense and ability to overcome adversity this past weekend were impressive enough. In the opening two rounds, “The Predator” slipped behind in the contest and appeared unable to get close to his former teammate Ciryl Gane.
But in the third round, one takedown changed the tide. Once it was clear he could find success and control in the wrestling department, Ngannou put his improved ground game on full display. After winning the last three rounds, the champion left the cage with a unanimous decision triumph.
In the aftermath of his victory, Ngannou confirmed that rumors of a pre-fight injury were indeed true, something his choice to wear kneepads also suggested. During his post-fight interview, the Cameroonian revealed he’d suffered a grade 3 MCL tear and a damaged ACL just 25 days prior to the year’s opening pay-per-view.
Speaking to the media shortly after, Ngannou explained his decision to go through with his unification showdown against Gane rather than withdraw and push for another date, a choice he admitted was perhaps “dumb.”
“Leading up to this fight, I get injured. But you don’t know what will happen. I could have withdrawn from this fight, and then get into another fight, get (injured) even worse, you know?” Ngannou said. “We are doing a sport that is very dangerous and you can hurt yourself all the time. So if you feel like there is a chance that you can do it, I think you have to do it.
“And I believe in myself. I’ve been through a lot of stuff in my life,” added Ngannou. “So I was sure (I could do it). I mean, that must be a dumb decision, but I didn’t wanna withdraw from this fight. I was very confident in my skills in this fight.”
A dominant performance from your HW champ 👏🏆 #AndStill
With his contractual dispute clearly not sorted with the promotion, the question begs, will we see “The Predator” continue to defend the title or will he sit out his contract for the rest of 2022 and crossover to boxing next year?
One thing for certain is that with the possibility of knee surgery looming, the UFC will likely have quite a few months to attempt to come to an agreement before the champ would be ready to enter the Octagon again.
How impressed were you with Francis Ngannou’s performance at UFC 270, especially given his knee injury?
Ranked welterweights Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad are set to meet in the main event of UFC’s April 16th card.
The five-round matchup between top welterweights was first reported by Brett Okamoto of ESPN on Tuesday. It’s expected to headline a Fight Night card that doesn’t have a confirmed location at the moment.
The matchup allows the welterweight division to come one step closer to finding the next challenger for current champ Kamaru Usman. Luque is currently ranked at #4 in the division, with Muhammad listed just behind him.
Luque is currently on a four-fight winning streak that has been in development over the past two years. His most recent appearance was in August, where he secured a first-round submission victory over Michael Chiesa.
Prior victories from Luque include wins over notable names like former champ Tyron Woodley and divisional vet Randy Brown. His UFC career has been highly successful since joining in 2015, attaining 14 wins through 17 fights.
Muhammad has also maintained a lengthy win streak in recent years. He has gone undefeated since April 2019, attaining six victories in that time. He overcame two veterans in 2021, first going through Demian Maia before beating Stephen Thompson in December.
The new booking is a chance for Muhammad to get a proper re-appearance into the main event picture. He made his first UFC main event appearance in March 2021, although that fight didn’t produce a satisfying result. His bout against Leon Edwards was ruled a no-contest finish, as Muhammad suffered a brutal eye poke just moments into the second round.
Who do you favor in a fight between Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad?
UFC lightweight contender Justin Gaethje had a significantly different take than most fans while he fought Michael Chandler at UFC 268.
In the promotion’s return to Madison Square Garden last November, a host of moments took the roof off the iconic arena and had fans across the world stuck to their TV sets.
From Chris Barnett’s spinning wheel kick, Ian Garry’s McGregor-esque debut knockout, and Alex Pereira’s memorable flying knee KO, to Rose Namajunas and Kamaru Usman’s successful title defenses, the event certainly didn’t disappoint.
But the one fight that left everybody talking was the clash of lightweight contenders between Gaethje and Chandler. Leaving everything in the cage, both men swung hard and put their bodies on the line. After 15 minutes, Gaethje walked away with the unanimous decision verdict, but both played their part in what was the consensus fight of the year bout.
Whether it was FOTY or not, everybody has and continues to recognize the incredible contest. But one man had a different version of events at the time, that man being one half of the memorable clash.
During a recent interview with BT Sport while in attendance at UFC 270 last weekend, Gaethje incredibly claimed he thought the fight was “boring” while he was inside the Octagon. “The Highlight” said he didn’t like it because the main card opener represented a rare moment where he favored securing the victory over putting “Iron” to sleep.
“To be completely honest with you, I felt like that was kind of a boring fight when I was in there,” said Gaethje. “Yeah, it just makes no sense. It’s the first time I’ve ever wanted to win more than to knock somebody out. So, yeah, it was not good, I didn’t like it. I wanna go back to just wanting to hurt somebody and finish them. But, now that I’ve won, I got my title shot, I can go back to how it should be.”
Thrilling, exhilarating, exciting, enthralling, memorable, crazy, and a host of other adjectives have been used to describe UFC’s 268’s Fight of the Night. But I guess we now have to add… boring to it? I’m okay leaving that out if you are.
How would you describe Justin Gaethje’s barnburner with Michael Chandler at UFC 268?
UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley has given his take on the upcoming UFC 272 main event between former title challengers Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal.
After Alexander Volkanovski’s trilogy fight with Max Holloway collapsed and his next defense was pushed back to UFC 273, the March pay-per-view was left needing a new headliner. What better replacement than one of the most highly-anticipated grudge matches in the UFC right now?
Both Covington and Masvidal are coming off losses to reigning welterweight king Kamaru Usman. “Gamebred” fell to back-to-back setbacks against the champion at UFC 251 and 261. “Chaos,” meanwhile, failed in his attempts to reach the 170-pound mountaintop at UFC 245 and UFC 268.
Nevertheless, the Miami native had been in fine form before colliding with Usman, securing finishes against Darren Till, Ben Askren, and Nate Diaz in 2019. Rising bantamweight star O’Malley believes Masvidal could return to that level of form when he enters the Octagon with Covington in March.
“Jorge has never really been taken down and just beaten up for 25 minutes, ever in his career,” O’Malley said on an episode of his YouTube podcast. “If anyone was going to do it, you think it would have been Usman. Usman didn’t go out there, take him down, and maul him. He did knock him out but I don’t know.
“That’s a sick fight. I just get a gut feeling right now that Masvidal could definitely piece up Colby if he shuts down the striking or shuts down the takedowns,” added O’Malley. “Colby brings an insane pace, but Masvidal, that’s going to be such a sick fight. This is the fight I’m most hyped about out of all the big ones.” (h/t Pundit Arena)
Given Covington’s antics prior to his rematch with Usman, we can expect an even more bitter build-up this time around, especially given the former interim champ’s history with former ATT teammate Masvidal.
How do you see the UFC 272 main event between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington playing out?
Chael Sonnen isn’t a fan of Brandon Moreno’s fighting style.
At UC 270, Moreno suffered a decision loss to Deiveson Figueiredo in their trilogy match to lose his flyweight title. For Sonnen, he wasn’t surprised Moreno lost, as he says his style is completely wrong.
“He’s been a complete dud. There is nothing even good about his fighting style except for his offense. Oh boy, is his offense on point,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel (via PunditArena). “His stance is wrong, his motion is wrong. Do not be an aspiring fighter and go watch Moreno and then go do it.”
Sonnen believes the way Moreno holds his hands was the reason he lost the fight as it allowed Figueiredo to connect on shots that dropped him. Had the Mexican not been dropped, says Sonnen, he would’ve won the fight.
The former UFC title challenger questions Brandon Moreno’s defense and says it is a big issue the Mexican needs to change.
Brandon Moreno
“The son (of a) b***h fights with his hands right here [below his face]. It’s like he’s peaking out from under a blanket just making sure you have all the good stuff to hit. Why not just put your hands down,” Sonnen said of Moreno. “If your hands are not in front of your face, why not just put them down? It’s infuriating to watch but his offense is good, I got to give him that. He’s quick, he’s tough as an old leather boot. There’s a lot of compliments I could give him. But world champion? Come on, man. No.”
With the loss, Moreno drops to 19-6-2 as a pro and never successfully defended his flyweight title. It’s uncertain if he will get an immediate rematch, which would be the fourth fight between him and Figueiredo. If that fight is made once again, Sonnen hopes the Mexican makes a serious change to his style to keep his hands up to avoid Figueiredo’s power shots.
What do you make of Chael Sonnen’s criticism of Brandon Moreno?
The UFC rankings have been updated following UFC 270, and we’ve got the full report for you below!
Men’s Pound for Pound: One man shot up the pound-for-pound rankings after UFC 270, and that man is the newly crowned flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo, who went from unranked to #12 after defeating former champion Brandon Moreno via unanimous decision. As a result of the loss, Moreno falls three spots down to #13.
Also moving down this week are Stipe Miocic (#10), Robert Whittaker (#14), and Jan Blachowicz (#15). Moving up we have Glover Teixeira (#11), and Petr Yan moved up two spots to #9.
As for the big winner of the heavyweight championship unification bout, Francis Ngannou, he remains at #4 behind Israel Adesanya (#3), Alexander Volkanovski, and Kamaru Usman (#1), who was in Ngannou’s corner during the event.
Women’s Pound for Pound: No Changes
Strawweight: No Changes
Women’s Flyweight: No Changes
Women’s Bantamweight: No Changes
Women’s Featherweight: N/A
Flyweight: Brandon Moreno is now the #1 contender following his UFC 270 title loss to Deiveson Figueiredo.
Bantamweight: Pedro Munhoz (#9) and Marlon Moraes (#10) swap positions.
Featherweight: No Changes
Lightweight: No Changes
Welterweight: No Changes
Middleweight: No Changes
Light Heavyweight: No Changes
Heavyweight: No Changes, as Ciryl Gane remains ranked #1 following his main event loss to Francis Ngannou at UFC 270.
Dan Hooker has stood by the comments he directed at Jon Jones, and suggested those who defend the former UFC light heavyweight champion are “f”cking idiots.”
After Jones appeared to mock Chael Sonnen’s December arrest and compared it to his own, Hooker defended the former two-division UFC title challenger and, in doing so, slammed Jones’ September incident.
Imagine beating up 5 people and not one of them is your wife. (JJones RN 🤯) https://t.co/Jzw6oVC640
In response to Hooker’s remarks, Jones suggested the New Zealander was only getting vocal because he was jealous of the former light heavyweight titleholder’s success.
“@danthehangman, every opportunity you’ve had to make a name for yourself and be closer to your boy Izzy, you dropped the ball. You can’t achieve greatness, so you hop online and attack someone who has. Sounds about right.”
Not one to back down, Hooker turned the attention back to Jones’ domestic violence charge.
Life hack: if you don’t beat up your wife, family events will be more enjoyable. Merry Xmas bitch. https://t.co/tc1uQNm8ov
After going back-and-forth with Jones on social media, Hooker appeared to have the last laugh after “Bones” deleted his post. Now, in an interview with John Hyon Ko for The AllStar, “The Hangman” has looked back on his interaction with his UFC peer.
Hooker’s takeaway from the incident? Don’t come for him when he’s at least two beers deep on Christmas Day.
“It is what it is. It’s the internet. Brendan Schaub was right, he’s not wrong. I feel like he (Jones) definitely didn’t receive a lot of criticism for the things he’s definitely done,” said Hooker. “But it wasn’t really until he bit back at me… I didn’t tag him in it or anything like that, then he decides Christmas Day to tag me in. Dan Hangman was drinking some beers on Christmas Day. It’s a bad day to come at me on Twitter. If I’ve had a couple beers, it’s a bad day to come at me because I’m gonna shoot back, and I’m not gonna bite my tongue as most people would.”
Ultimately, Hooker said he completely stands by his words, and while an official fight with Jones wouldn’t make sense, the fan-favorite New Zealander says he’d be open to a car park scrap if Jones still harbors ill will towards him, something he’d never back down from after criticizing someone publicly.
“I said what I said and I stand by it. I would never say anything about someone or to someone and not give them the opportunity to not punch me in the face,” added Hooker. “Do I have any kind of malice or ill will towards Jon Jones? Definitely not, I don’t spend any time thinking about Jon Jones, I couldn’t care less about Jon Jones. Would we have a fight? No, the fight would never make sense. Would I fight him in the car park? If he had a problem with me, of course, I would oblige.
Dan Hooker, Jon Jones
“I would never insult someone and not give them the opportunity to punch me in the face. That’s an entirely different discussion. But do I have any ill will towards Jon Jones? Nah, definitely not.”
Discussing how the exchange came about, Hooker said he was compelled to defend his “mentor” and “good guy” Sonnen after Jones attempted to group the retired fighter’s arrest, which seemingly came after he attempted to defend his wife, with his domestic violence charge.
“I don’t know too much about Jon Jones, you can only see what he’s done… It was more that Chael Sonnen’s my guy. That’s my guy. I view Chael as a mentor… He’s a good dude, he’s a great guy,” Hooker continued. “As Brendan Schaub said, those are two entirely different situations, and the way that Jon tried to portray it with Chael was that they were similar. He goes out his way to share the thing of Chael getting arrested.
“He’s trying to compare them but, there’s like, a definite line. To me, defending your wife from people insulting her is one of the most honorable things you could possibly do. And then to put hands on your wife is one of the most terrible things. This is just my viewpoint.”
I was triggered by your disingenuous attempt to bring attention to Chael’s situation. He was arrested for defending his wife, you were arrested for assaulting yours. 🍎 & 🍊
In Hooker’s mind, the sides of the coin are simple; either you’re against domestic violence in all forms or you think it’s fine as long as the attacker is good at a sport. For “The Hangman,” those who follow the latter mindset are “f*cking idiots.”
“As far as I’m concerned from what I said, there’s like, only two arguments. that come to it, it’s people that think it’s not okay to physically abuse your spouse, and then the other side of it is people that think it’s okay if you’re really good at a sport. Those people are, excuse my French, those people are f*cking idiots, like, those people are just young and immature and not up to scratch. It’s just not okay… There’s no possible way you could convince me there’s any kind of exception,” concluded Hooker.
With his social media fight versus Jones now behind him, Hooker will turn his attention to his return to the Octagon. He’ll hope to push back towards contention when he moves down to 145 pounds to face Arnold Allen.
While his toughness and willingness to trade blows inside the cage have always been clear, the New Zealand brawler is evidently not afraid to bite back at his fellow fighters on Twitter when he thinks they’re in the wrong.
Francis Ngannou claims he received a threat from the UFC right before UFC 270.
Francis Ngannou has just successfully defended his UFC heavyweight title for the first time. In the leadup to the fight, a good portion of the attention he was getting was regarding the relationship between him and the UFC.
“I walked into the room waiting for my manager, my coach,” Ngannou explained on The MMA Hour (via ESPN). “And they were like, ‘Wow.’ I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ They told me they just received an email from the UFC saying they’re going to sue [Marquel Martin] for talking with this guy, Nakisa. Yeah. I’m like, ‘Who is Nakisa?’ I wouldn’t recognize him if you put him in front of me.”
Ngannou has been talking about his desire to box for a while now. When he was having trouble securing the purse he wanted from the UFC, he mentioned wanting to try out boxing because of the significant pay differential. A few former UFC fighters have made the switch over and made more than they ever have in the UFC. Ngannou wants to get in on that money but his contract prevents him from doing so.
“You can be free and fight for the UFC,” Ngannou said. “I just want to be free. We are supposedly independent contractors. [An] independent contractor is technically a free person. That’s the reason why they need some adjustments in that contract. That’s what I’ve been fighting for. It doesn’t look like they want to talk to me anymore.”
UFC President Dana White is holding a fan Q&A session exclusively for ESPN+ subscribers amidst his recent Francis Ngannou snub.
Fans around the MMA community have remained perplexed on why White didn’t put the belt around Ngannou following his win over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. Arguably even more surprising was White’s noted absence from post-fight media obligations.
This comes just days after a wild weekend in the UFC at UFC 270, the promotion’s first pay-per-view of 2022. Ngannou’s win over Gane was preceded by Deiveson Figueiredo’s win over Brandon Moreno to reclaim the UFC flyweight title.
White has been under fire in recent days for how he’s handled the promotion’s ongoing dispute with Ngannou. The two sides are currently at a standstill as contract talks have seemingly hit a dead end.
Following the win over Gane, details have surfaced regarding what Ngannou had to go through in the lead up to UFC 270. He alleged that the UFC threatened to sue his manager, Marquel Martin for being in contact with Jake Paul’s team to talk boxing.
Ngannou has remained in a holding pattern in his stance against the UFC and White. He’s adamant that money alone won’t fix the relationship he has with the promotion, as speculation runs rampant regarding his next Octagon appearance.
As for White, we could get answers regarding all of the Ngannou controversies as soon as tomorrow, unless White declines to answer those questions at the upcoming Q&A.
Paul cannot help himself when it comes to rustling the UFC and Dana White’s feathers. Paul has made himself famous by beating former UFC fighters inside the boxing ring, but he might be equally as known for his hot takes on how the UFC conducts their business. He is constantly calling out Dana White on fighter pay and the treatment of fighters under the UFC banner. Now, Paul is actively trying to make some changes in that organization.
He announced on Tuesday morning that he has decided to invest his money and purchase stocks of the UFC’s parent company called Endeavor (EDR).
“I’ve invested in EDR (UFC) stock with my partner @geoffreywoo 2 focus on UFCs ESG standards relating to fighters,” he wrote on Twitter. “We believe EDR can drive long-term economic value by increasing UFC fighter pay & providing them healthcare. Reaching out to @EngineNo_1 to partner on this “endeavor.”
I’ve invested in EDR (UFC) stock with my partner @geoffreywoo 2 focus on UFCs ESG standards relating to fighters. We believe EDR can drive long-term economic value by increasing UFC fighter pay & providing them healthcare. Reaching out to @EngineNo_1 to partner on this “endeavor”
Paul’s business partner, Geoffrey Woo, also released a series of tweets addressing the move.
“Jake Paul, our partners, and I are excited to announce our latest @antifundvc investment — Endeavor (NYSE: EDR), the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (@UFC) — and our goals for the business as impact investors & venture capitalists.
“My partner Jake has lead the way in changing the business of combat sports by not just talking about it, but being about it — fighter pay, healthcare, & championing women’s sport. And today is our next step in our vision of revolutionizing the industry.
“UFC has faced a rising chorus of criticism for the exploitation of its athletes — the [heart] of biz. The ratio of revenue going to athletes vs. owners & leagues is well below industry standard. This disparity hurts long-term shareholder value & this is not going to magically change.
“Jake is the archetype of the future, where individual transcends the machine. This is happening across all sectors — media, entertainment, & tech start ups where dynamic, innovative individuals & creators are bargaining toe-to-toe w the owners, the institutions, and the academy.
“We believe the best way to accelerate this inevitable revolution is to lead it from within the UFC as co-owners & impact investors. We will use our investment stake to rally fans, athletes, fellow shareholders, and management to do the right thing.
Who am I? I come from Silicon Valley & web3/crypto. Skin in the game, shared equity, and long-term alignment is the underlying incentive model that made Silicon Valley and crypto the most impactful business models of the last 20 years. We intend to apply these models to the UFC,” Woo wrote.
Paul thinks the UFC can do better and has been calling out Dana White to make things right. He feels that by buying these shares of EDR, he can somehow make a change to the UFC pay structure and healthcare options.
The amount of stock purchased was not revealed, and it seems unlikely that Paul will have voting rights on such issues. Endeavor is a publicly traded company that purchased the UFC back in 2016 for $4 billion.
Do you think Jake Paul will have any success at changing the UFC pay structure as a shareholder?
Justin Gaethje has strong words regarding Conor McGregor’s current status in the lightweight division.
After Charles Oliveira’s successful title defense in late 2021, it’s unknown who he will face next at lightweight. Gaethje believes he is next in line for a title shot, and he hopes McGregor won’t get a fight before him.
When appearing at UFC 270 last weekend, Gaethje was asked how he would feel about McGregor getting a title shot next. He reacted strongly to this scenario, mentioning how he disagrees with that potential situation.
“I don’t know, I don’t wanna talk about it. The only reason it’s even almost (a thing) is because you guys keep asking me about it, you guys keep talking about it. You’re really just doing your job, and it’s just to create a story,” said Gaethje in an interview with BT Sport. “He’s irrelevant right now, he’s got a broken leg.
“With that question, you have to question the integrity, and you, as a journalist, have to stand behind it, and you know that it should never happen and you should do everything from keeping it from happening.”
McGregor On Two Fight Skid, Gaethje Coming Off Recent Win
Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
A title shot for McGregor would certainly be odd circumstances. The former two-division champion is currently on a two-fight skid at lightweight. Both of those losses came last year in main event fights against Dustin Poirier.
Gaethje is currently the top-ranked contender at lightweight. He secured this place in the rankings after defeating former Bellator Champion Michael Chandler last year. This victory didn’t come easy, as he brawled to a “Fight of the Year” contender decision win after three rounds.
Gaethje has been in the title picture before. He challenged Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2020, getting submitted in the second round of that fight. Nurmagomedov would later retire from competition after that victory.
Do you agree with Justin Gaethje’s assessment of Conor McGregor?
In 2021, “The Notorious” Conor McGregor earned more than $150 million through endorsements alone.
McGregor took home the L twice against Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier in his only two fights of 2021, yet the Irishman still made millions off both bouts.
With fighter pay being a concerning issue in the UFC, some may be astounded to see a fighter pull in so much money without winning a single fight in the year.
But the real shocker is the amount of money Conor accrued outside the Octagon.
From sports betting site DraftKings to his shares in Irish whiskey brand Proper No. Twelve, McGregor totaled $158 million before the year ended, according to a report from olbg.com.
Conor McGregor, Photo Credit: Lawrie/Getty Images
The former two-time UFC Champion outearned Roger Federer, one of the greatest Tennis players of all time, who came close at $90 million. He also earned more than Lebron James, winner of three National Basketball Association championships and 4-time NBA MVP, who earned over $90 million less than McGregor.
McGregor is ranked at the top of the list when it comes to making money beyond his profession.
Conor McGregor Is UFC Royalty
Conor McGregor, Photo Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images
McGregor’s wins and irreverent persona have brought big money to himself and the UFC.
The OG champ-champ has certainly earned his respect. 19 wins by knockout and becoming the first champion in two weight classes(flyweight and lightweight) is no easy accomplishment. His 2013 UFC debut was a win by round 1 KO/TKO. And his 22 wins include famous names such as Max Holloway, José Aldo, Nate Diaz.
The list of headlining accomplishments is lengthy for the 32-year-old Ireland-born fighter.
There is no question that when it comes to “The Notorious,” the UFC is always listening. Although other lightweights are hungry for the title shot, McGregor, ranked #9, might be first in line.
2021 was a losing year for Conor, but he could turn it around with another championship win.
Win or lose, his popularity steadily increases. Companies invest in Conor because his name is on headlines and billboards, and the size of his fanbase is unmatched.
A title match between Oliveira and McGregor would rock the house and be a PPV cash cow. And with the astronomical monetary gain he acquires from his endorsements, 2022 could be his richest year yet.
Do you think Conor McGregor will increase his net worth in 2022?
UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou has insisted his fractured relationship and ongoing contractual dispute with the UFC is about much more than money.
At UFC 270 last weekend, Ngannou returned to the Octagon for the first time since last March with a cloud of uncertainty looming large over his future. A defeat could have spelled the end for his time in the UFC and sent him into free agency.
Despite successfully defeating former teammate Ciryl Gane and retaining his belt, that cloud of uncertainty has become even greyer and filled with even more questions, some of which have now rained down on the MMA community in a recent interview.
Self peace is a key part of every accomplishment and success, but you don't have that until you have the right people around you. People who truly care for you and your beliefs and don’t just see you as a opportunity to exploit. Thank you for my team who got it all figured out pic.twitter.com/kjYXGTc9re
The UFC was also under flak after the purses for fighters competing at UFC 270 were disclosed. The number, later confirmed by Ngannou, revealed “The Predator” walked away with $600,000, a sum that has left some fans and pundits bemused.
“Even when they’re trying to reach out for a deal, they came out with a good amount of money, but at this point, that doesn’t even matter. I left all that down on the table,” Ngannou told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “I’m taking my $600,000, I’m going there, I’m doing this and I’m winning everything. I left a lot more on the table. Overall, I’ve been leaving a lot of money on the table even since the Stipe (Miocic) fight. By now, I might be down $7 million that I left on the table, but I’m still happy with my $600,000, because I still fight for what I care for.”
While he admitted the offers were tempting, Ngannou insisted that no amount of remuneration could fix his battered and bruised relationship with the promotion. In the eyes of the heavyweight king, fighting in the UFC is a form of captivity, a sentiment he also shared post-fight at the weekend when he claimed he doesn’t feel like “a free man.”
Like others have in the past, the Cameroonian brought up the need for healthcare insurance and also pleaded for contracts to be clearer in terms of whether athletes are employees or independent contractors.
“The money was tempting, it was good, but this is not just about money. Just money cannot fix this situation,” added Ngannou. “I don’t believe that. The term of the contract, everything that they put into, they hold you in captivity. You can’t do anything. You have no rights.”
“The contract is one-sided, although you still don’t have nothing. You don’t even have health insurance, even while you’re putting your body on the line to provide to put on the show.
“You’re risking everything. There’s a lot of things. We have no insurance. Nothing. No guarantee, which I understand as an independent contractor, but treat me as such, if I am. Whether I’m going to be an employee or an independent contractor, make it very clear in the contract. It’s very mixed up. That’s probably the thing that I hated most about this, how they hold all the cards, the power to just destroy you. As soon as you don’t say yes, they just take you down. There’s something wrong with me with those kind of things, that I just can’t take it,” concluded Ngannou. (h/t Fox Sports)
Francis Ngannou, asked if UFC officials reached out to him after the fight: "You mean after leaving the arena without putting the belt on my waist and not showing up for the press conference? [Chuckles.] What do you think? No. No, no, no." #themmahour
It’s anyone’s guess what happens in the coming months, but it appears to be becoming more and more likely that we’ve seen Ngannou throw hands in the Octagon for the final time.
UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou has the support of a former light heavyweight champion in his battle with the UFC.
Ngannou most recently defended his heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 via unanimous decision. While it wasn’t exactly the showcase UFC fans expected, Ngannou showed off his improved wrestling after allegedly suffering a significant knee injury in camp.
Ngannou continues to be at odds with the UFC brass, and more specifically company president Dana White, regarding contract negotiations. This prompted former UFC star Tito Ortiz to reach out to Ngannou on social media in support of his cause.
.@francis_ngannou Congrats on the fight and standing your ground for the future of all #MMA fighters. I did it and they tried to erase me from the UFC’s history books. I hope they don’t the same to you.
“[Francis Ngannou] congrats on the fight and standing your ground for the future of all MMA fighters,” Ortiz said. “I did it and they tried to erase me from the UFC’s history books. I hope they don’t [do] the same to you.”
Ngannou has been vocal over the past year regarding his displeasure with how the UFC has treated him. This quarrel was allegedly part of the reasoning for the promotion organizing an interim title bout between Gane and Derrick Lewis just months after Ngannou earned the title at UFC 260.
Ortiz has plenty of experience dealing with the promotion and White after his legendary career in the cage. Ortiz’s relationship with White became so heated that the two of them nearly competed in a boxing exhibition against each other.
Like Ortiz, Ngannou’s issues with the UFC are financially focused and also term-based. Ngannou has made it clear that he wants the freedom to pursue potential boxing matches to go alongside his MMA fights.
Ngannou is expected to undergo surgery on his injured right knee and could miss significant time. In the meantime, the ongoing negotiations with the UFC continue.
What do you think is next for Francis Ngannou in the UFC?
Deiveson Figueiredo has dismissed Brandon Moreno’s post-fight comments following UFC 270.
The co-main event of UFC 270 was supposed to put an end to the ongoing trilogy between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno; however, it might have done the opposite. In the third meeting between these two men, it was Figueiredo who walked away with the victory. Now, they are both 1-1-1 in the trilogy.
Moreno believed that he won the last bout, but Figueiredo thinks he is just being dramatic, despite this fact he would entertain another matchup down the road.
“It was 4-1, I mean, there were five knockdowns, it was 4-1,” Figueiredo said following UFC 270 (via MMAFighting.com). “They could have just gotten me every round… Okay cry baby, let’s take it up at the next one man, let’s take it up at the next one.”
Figueiredo regained his lost flyweight title with this UFC 270 win over Moreno. Not only did he regain the belt, but he might have gained some confidence as well. The first time he faced Moreno, the result was a majority draw, the second was a loss. Now he is holding the belt and ready to defend and move forward.
This three-fight set between Figueiredo and Moreno locked up the flyweight division for over a year. In that time, contenders such as Askar Askarov, Alexandre Pantoja, and Kai Kara France were making names for themselves. Figueiredo seems open to running it back a fourth time with Moreno, and Moreno is willing, but the UFC may decide to move on with the decision.
Figueiredo became champion when he defeated Joseph Benavidez at UFC Fight Night 172. He could have been champ even before that had he not missed weight at UFC Fight Night 169. He defended his title once before the draw with Moreno. Now will be his chance to show he is a true champion at 125 pounds, which may include fighting some different contenders before a fourth Moreno fight.
Do you think the UFC should book the fourth fight between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno right away?
UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou entered UFC 270 with more than just the pressure of facing his former teammate Ciryl Gane.
Ngannou defeated Gane via unanimous decision in their heavyweight battle to begin 2022. To the surprise of almost everyone, Ngannou’s wrestling gave him the path to victory and not his trademark striking.
As Ngannou walked into the Octagon, the commentary team was quick to note that both of his knees were covered. This caused many to question whether or not the heavyweight champ entered the fight healthy.
After the fight, Ngannou told media members that he had suffered a significant right knee injury that nearly forced him to pull out of the fight.
“I saw the doctor on Tuesday to clear me and he wasn’t very optimistic about it,” Ngannou said. “But I still decided to move on… My team was by my side regardless, whatever I decided to do, that’s what they said. But the doctor said he wouldn’t recommend me because I could have irreversible damage if I got kicked on that knee. That’s why I couldn’t switch my stance.”
This explains why Ngannou was in the orthodox stance for the majority of the fight. He also appeared timid to throw punches which could’ve been the result of not having the proper torque in his lower half.
Ngannou then revealed just how exposed his knee was entering the fight with Gane.
“It was pretty bad. I had a grade three MCL (tear), I have a damaged ACL, and a damaged MPFL. That was 25 days ago.”
Ngannou was then asked if he thinks he’ll need surgery done on his compromised knee.
“Yeah, I think so,” he replied.
It’s unclear how long Ngannou will be sidelined with his injured knee. He remains amid contract negotiations with the UFC regarding a new deal and has hinted at a potential move to boxing.
For now, it appears that Ngannou will turn his attention to the health of his knee and begin the road to recovery following his UFC 270 win.
What do you think the future holds for Francis Ngannou?
UFC Bantamweight Champion Julianna Peña doesn’t understand all of the heat coming Joe Rogan’s way after recent COVID-19 claims.
Peña is on top of the world after her upset win over Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight title at UFC 269. She has made the rounds in the media since earning the belt and is enjoying the perks of fame and fortune.
“I was like, ‘Joe, I wanna come on the podcast.’ He was like, ‘Let’s f–king go. How about January 26?’”
Peña went on to elaborate on why she feels perplexed by the amount of hate and critique heading Rogan’s direction.
“It’s a little crazy to me how mad people get about his opinions,” Peña said. “I have a philosophy where if people aren’t inciting violence, or in positions of government authority where they hold power over others, I don’t get hung up over anybody’s opinions. I get much more mad about actions than people’s opinions. I see him as someone trying to learn in real-time, and just because he says something now that people think is bad, it’s not necessarily a permanent harmful thought. I think he’s valuable for the proverbial conversation.”
Joe Rogan Interviews Julianna Peña After UFC 269 Championship Win
“I find him very interesting. I actually find a lot of what he says to be like-minded with the way that I feel. Not all things, obviously. I listen to the podcast, but it’s not like I’m waiting for him to say something people disagree with him.”
Some have wondered why Rogan continues to commentate given the success he’s found in other ventures, including landing a $100 million Spotify deal. Peña thinks Rogan is still in the booth because of his love for the sport.
“It is, and the fact that we even still get him is a blessing,” Peña said. “The fact that he still wants to do it, and that he’s still passionate about it, shows the kind of person he is, where his heart is and how loyal he is. I admire that. There’s not anything bad that I can say about Joe. I think he’s a genuine, what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of person, and that’s a rarity in this day and age – to see people who are “no bulls–t.”
Rogan has been accused of spreading COVID-19 misinformation and some have called for Spotify to part ways with the prominent podcaster. Some have criticized him for promoting the drug Ivermectin, which he used as a treatment for COVID-19 but is not officially recommended as a treatment by the FDA. UFC President Dana White and many others disagree and have shared their own testimonies and viewpoints on the subject in defense of Rogan.
Peña and Rogan have never shied away from expressing their thoughts, and their planned podcast episode will certainly be seen and heard by millions.
What are your thoughts on Julianna Peña and Joe Rogan?
TJ Dillashaw would be open to a fight with José Aldo.
TJ Dillashaw knows what it is like to be a UFC champion. He was on top of the bantamweight division for three years before having to serve a suspension for a failed drug test. Now that Dillashaw is back and ready to continue his UFC career, he has one goal in mind, which is to regain his lost title.
“Let’s be honest, I left as a champion,” Dillashaw told ESPN. “I came back, fought a No. 1 contender after a 2.5-year layoff. I was able to beat him. What else is there for me? Nothing is going to get me up and excited except getting my belt back. That’s my goal. There’s nothing else for me to really set my eyes on.”
Dillashaw is in a bit of a holding pattern right now. He suffered an injury that required him to undergo surgery. His last bout was back in July when he defeated interim title challenger Cory Sandhagen. Although the surgery went well, Dillashaw still has some healing to do. He spoke a bit about his timeline for return.
“I wouldn’t say an exact timeframe, but I imagine halfway through the year,” he explained. “I’m able to hit mitts, strength, and conditioning. I haven’t done any grappling yet. That’s the last thing I’ll feel comfortable about again. And then I have to start thinking about getting into a camp.”
TJ Dillashaw Open To Fighting José Aldo
Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
“I think he has called me out after every one of his fights recently which is amazing,” Dillashaw said. “I’ve looked up to Aldo, I think everyone has looked up to Aldo. Aldo’s been like one of the godfathers of the lower weight classes, but we’ll have our time, he keeps doing what he’s doing, I’m going to get my belt back, and then it would be really amazing.”
Aldo recently won three in a row at bantamweight and could be in the title hunt himself. A possible #1-contender fight with Dillashaw could be an interesting one and a real possibility depending on what happens with Sterling vs. Yan at UFC 273.
Do you think Dillashaw will get a title shot without fighting José Aldo first?
Vanessa Demopoulos quit her job as a stripper just weeks before her second UFC appearance, but that previous career is proving beneficial to her as a mixed martial artist.
Demopoulos was set to return at UFC 270 against Silvana Juarez Gomez and the strawweight contender made a big change to her life in the lead-up to the fight. The 33-year-old stopped her 13-year pole dancing career to focus on her training camp and her MMA career, she revealed.
“I don’t think it’s a secret, I was an exotic entertainer for 13 years,” Demopoulos said after UFC 270 (via The Sun). “And I didn’t actually say it on the mic, but I’d like to say it right now—I walked away from being a stripper to continue this camp. I quit dancing about six to eight weeks ago just so I could focus full-time on MMA, take this extremely seriously in the gym every single day. But yeah, that’s where that background comes from and that’s where the splits come from. And a lot of my jiu-jitsu, actually, comes from my expertise as a pole dancer.”
The move ended up paying off as Demopoulos scored a first-round submission win over Gomez to pick up her first UFC victory. She made her UFC debut against JJ Aldrich losing by decision. She’s currently 7-4 as a pro and is the former LFA strawweight champion. She defeated current UFC fighter Sam Hughes to win the vacant belt.
Vanessa Demopoulos went on to explain how her background in pole dancing has helped her with her agility and flexibility which helps her jiu-jitsu.
“Pole dancing takes a lot of agility, a lot of body awareness, a lot of dexterity and flexibility, and you have to be quick with your reactions,” Demopoulos said. “It’s similar to what jiu-jitsu feels like, but in jiu-jitsu, you have options of tapping if you have to, or you’re safe if you are on the ground. With pole dancing, it’s very death-defying in the sense that you’re literally hanging on with, like, a limb, and one wrong move, you’re done. Like, I’m falling from two stories and that’s it. You only fall once.”
What did you make of Vanessa Demopoulous’ performance at UFC 270?
UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman has praised heavyweight king Francis Ngannou for his adaptability at UFC 270, branding him the “evolution” of the heavyweights.
At the opening pay-per-view of 2022 this past weekend, Ngannou returned to defend his title for the first time since winning it at UFC 260 last March. Ahead of his unification showdown with former teammate Gane, a lot was being made about his future, preparation, and mindset.
Would his ongoing contractual dispute with the UFC affect his performance? Would his desire for a crossover to boxing distract him from the threat of “Bon Gamin?” Would Gane’s technical style and fast movement nullify his power? Was a knockout his only path to victory?
After struggling on the feet for the opening two rounds, it appeared “The Predator” was on his way to a first defeat since 2018 and a potential departure from the promotion. But in the third frame, a momentous takedown changed the game.
After seeing the control he could employ on the ground, the UFC’s hardest-hitting knockout artist put his grappling improvements on full display, earning the nickname “Francis Ngannoumedov” from some fans with the performance.
One man who had a front-row seat for Ngannou’s impressive strategy towards the end of the UFC 270 main event, and who knows a bit or two about wrestling, was reigning welterweight king Usman.
Speaking to BT Sport in the aftermath of his fellow African champ’s victory, “The Nigerian Nightmare” described Ngannou as the evolution of the heavyweights and suggested even he doesn’t perform the sweep “The Predator” employed while on his back in the fifth and final frame.
“Francis, that’s the thing about him, he’s one of those special athletes that he takes everything as it comes,” said Usman. “He was gonna be able to deal with whatever was coming at him. He didn’t initially engage in the clinch or the wrestling the first round. That came from Gane, which I thought was an excellent game plan.
“But we’re just seeing the evolution of heavyweights. I mean, did you see that sweep in the fifth? I mean, damn. Even I don’t do that one. So you’re seeing the evolution of the game, and Francis is a scary man.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZEAYxtrwZf/
While an Ngannou prediction was hardly left field prior to UFC 270, the manner in which he defeated the previously unbeaten Gane was one in which not many, if anybody, had seen coming.
With a clearly developed ground game to go along with the immense KO power that has left the likes of Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Stipe Miocuc unconscious, the champion is a scary prospect for the rest of the division—if he remains in the promotion beyond 2022, that is.
What did you make of Francis Ngannou’s performance at UFC 270?
UFC bantamweight prospect Jack Shore has big aspirations for his time on MMA’s biggest stage, including a quest to bring the promotion to Wales.
In a talent-stacked 135-pound division, a host of prospects are emerging, some of whom would perhaps already be ranked had they been part of a less talent-filled roster. One of those individuals is UK MMA star Shore.
At just 26 years of age, the Welshman has emerged as a future star at bantamweight. Shore, a former cage Warriors champion, boasts an unblemished 15-0 record that includes 12 finishes, eight by way of submission.
Since arriving in the UFC in 2019, “Tank” has extended his unbeaten record with four triumphs, two of which came over Hunter Azure and Liudvik Sholinian.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CTl5oSzMmO3/
Now, for the first time in his UFC career, Shore is set to fight on home soil, sort of…
At UFC London on March 19, a card that represents the promotion’s return to England for the first time since 2019, Shore will face his toughest test to date in the form of Russia’s Timur Valiev. He was initially scheduled to face Umar Nurmagomedov that month, but after the highly-touted cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov pulled out, his compatriot Valiev stepped in.
While it may not be a fight in his home country, Shore told LowKick MMA it’s about as close as he can get to one at the moment.
“It’s the closest we’re going to get to a hometown fight at the minute is London,” Shore said. “We are a bit of a way from me being able to call for a Cardiff card.”
Shore: Wales Card Would Be “A Dream Come True”
While he admits it’s a distant possibility, Shore boasts aspirations of bringing the UFC to his own backyard down the line. Hoping to follow in the footsteps of Conor McGregor and Michael Bisping, who took the promotion to Dublin and Manchester, respectively, “Tank” wants to experience a Wales crowd cheering him on down the line.
For it to happen, however, Shore believes a new arena needs to be made, with the only current options in Cardiff being too small, or too big.
“Yeah, I think so (I’ll be the one to bring the UFC to Wales). At the minute, I think there’s three of us from Wales in the UFC,” said Shore. “I’m in a position at the minute where I’m probably the closest to being in those rankings and fighting those big names and becoming a bit of a, you know, getting that chance to finally break through into the mainstream a little bit.
“It is something I obviously wanna do,” added Shore. “At the minute, venue-wise in Wales, we’ve got an indoor arena, but it only seats like 8,000. And we’ve got the Millennium Stadium, which seats 80,000. So, we’re a bit two ends of the scale at the minute. If they can knock us up like a 20,000-seater, then I can start to get in Dana (White’s) and Sean (Shelby’s) ear.”
Nevertheless, Shore believes if everything falls into place in his career he can turn his homecoming dream into a reality.
“Obviously I’d love to do it, and I’d love to just fight on a UFC card in Wales, but to be the guy that brought it to Wales like how Conor (McGregor) brought it back to Dublin, or how Bisping took it to Manchester, would be insane, it would be a dream come true. So, who knows what the future holds. Obviously, that’d be a dream of mine. Never say never. It’s not too far away. it’s just a case of the right timing and things falling into place,” concluded Shore.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVAGNBasW_f/
To make it happen, Shore’s goal is simple: continue winning and continue climbing the bantamweight ladder.
With a victory over Valiev at UFC London, Shore will certainly take a big step closer towards the rankings. From there, it’ll be big names and a big rise to the top should he maintain his unbeaten start in the UFC. Perhaps a UFC Cardiff event won’t be too far down the line soon after.
Do you think the UFC could head to Wales in the future?
