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Category: MMA

  • Trainer: Islam Makhachev Didn’t Want to Vacate But UFC Forced His Hand to Avoid Bottlenecks

    Trainer: Islam Makhachev Didn’t Want to Vacate But UFC Forced His Hand to Avoid Bottlenecks

    Islam Makhachev‘s coach Javier Mendez has said that his student wasn’t particularly happy with having to surrender the UFC lightweight championship.

    As we know, Islam Makhachev is set to move up to welterweight and challenge Jack Della Maddalena for the title. While there’s a lot of excitement over that possible matchup, others are upset that we won’t get the chance to see Islam defend the lightweight crown against Ilia Topuria. Either way, though, there’s a lot of excitement on the horizon in both divisions as we look ahead to the future.

    Some wondered why Islam Makhachev gave up the belt in the first place. In a recent interview with Genting Casino – who offer the best Live Casinos, Javier Mendez made it clear that Islam didn’t really want to give up the 155-pound strap.

    Javier Mendez discusses Islam Makhachev vacating belt

    “I would definitely agree Islam didn’t want to give up his title, but let’s face it at the same time, I believe the UFC is tired of the divisions being held up by two division champions.

    “It causes a bottleneck and the type of situations the UFC wants to avoid for the future, so if Islam wanted to go for the welterweight title, he had to relinquish his lightweight title. And so that was the case.”

    “I don’t think Islam will return to 155 lbs [to face Topuria] no. I don’t think so.”

    Hopefully, at some point, we do get the opportunity to see Makhachev vs Topuria in what is easily one of the biggest fights you can make in mixed martial arts.

  • Dana White Gives Big (and Negative) Update: ‘If Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall Can’t Happen, We’ll Move On Fast’

    Dana White Gives Big (and Negative) Update: ‘If Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall Can’t Happen, We’ll Move On Fast’

    UFC president Dana White has provided a fresh update on the possible title unification fight between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall.

    As we know, Dana White has been trying to get Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall booked for a long time now. It’s a fight that makes sense with both Jones and Aspinall holding gold in the heavyweight division, but for whatever reason, it just doesn’t seem like ‘Bones’ is particularly interested in throwing down with Aspinall – unless it’s for a whole lot of money.

    For Dana White, we can only imagine how much frustration this is causing him. He always wants to put on the biggest and best fights imaginable and after failing to get Jon Jones vs Francis Ngannou over the line, it’d be a real shame if the same thing happens with a fight that’s arguably just as big.

    In a recent interview, Dana White spoke candidly about when fans can expect to hear an announcement regarding what’s happening.

    Dana White provides Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall update

    “Jon Jones has never turned down an opponent here before, or been afraid to fight anybody.”

    “I don’t know, we’ll see how this thing plays out over the next couple of weeks. Yeah, if we can’t get this fight done, we’ll move on quickly.”

    “We’ll have the answers in the next couple of weeks.”

    While White can hope and pray that this fight is going to happen, his tone has certainly changed in the last couple of weeks. Hopefully, we get a surprise announcement confirming the fight sooner rather than later.

  • ‘You Gave Up On Yourself’ – The TUF Stuff: The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 Episode 4 Recap

    ‘You Gave Up On Yourself’ – The TUF Stuff: The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 Episode 4 Recap

    Welcome, everyone, to the fourth edition of The TUF Stuff!

    Each week, I’ll be guiding you through a recap of this season’s edition of The Ultimate Fighter, providing updates on what happens in each episode — from the drama and storylines out of the Octagon, to the looks into who the competing fighters are, to what goes down inside the cage.

    This season celebrates the 20th anniversary of TUF. That inaugural season from 2005 helped to influence many future MMA fans, media members, and fighters (yours truly included). And now, two more fighters this summer will get the opportunity to call themselves TUF champions when it’s all said and done.

    Last week saw the second flyweight matchup of the season, as Team Cormier’s Imanol Rodriguez defeated Team Sonnen’s Arshiyan Memon in a highly entertaining encounter.

    Recap of The Ultimate Fighter Season 33 – Episode 4

    Tonight, it’s back to the 170-pound weight division, as Team Cormier’s Jeff Creighton takes on Team Sonnen’s Andreeas Binder…or will it? (based on the preview shown)

    Let’s get into episode four of The Ultimate Fighter!

    Team Sonnen Training Session – Matt Serra Joins

    This week’s TUF alumnus guest is Matt Serra, who won the fourth season of the show (The Comeback) — and used that TUF win to get momentum and upset Georges St-Pierre at UFC 69 to capture the UFC welterweight championship.

    Serra says even today, he still considers the championship victory “surreal,” albeit something he’s very proud of.

    Serra tells the team to seize the opportunity — and to forget about home life for a while. Serra then leads the team through drills, namely with Serra’s grappling ability, while Sonnen praises Serra for his ability to communicate effectively as a coach.

    Matt Dixon adds his own praise, saying he makes the tips and techniques easy to retain.

    TUF House

    Jeff Creighton, while getting his hair cut, reflects on how he met his wife at a bonfire and how much he misses her — and her own sacrifices.

    Creighton adds he hopes to be able to take care of his parents one day for all that they did for him.

    Jeff Creighton Backstory

    We go to Valley Center, California, where Creighton lives with his wife in a trailer on her parents’ property. Creighton’s wife, Halley, says you would not expect Creighton to be a fighter based on his personality outside of the cage.

    Creighton trains at The Arena in San Diego under the tutelage of Vince Salvador.

    Creighton says he is aggressive in his fighting style, putting pressure on his opponents — regardless of striking or grappling.

    Andreeas Binder Fight Prep

    Sonnen tells Binder that there is nothing that breaks a wrestler more than when his opponent gets up from the bottom. Sonnen reflects on Creighton being the best wrestler — and that Binder is the least effective with his wrestling. Sonnen notes that Ireland, where Binder is from, “sucks” at wrestling and hasn’t made a real attempt at an Olympic medal in a while.

    Sonnen, however, says that Binder is a “dog” and a scrappy fighter. Binder, in a video package, promotes his judo ability — as well as his knockout power.

    Colby Covington helps lead Binder through wrestling training. Binder says he doesn’t focus on anything about Creighton; he’s focused on himself improving.

    Sonnen says Binder told him that he’s not putting his energy in the training, but in the weight cut. Sonnen says he trusts Binder will do things right and get things done…

    Jeff Creighton Fight Prep

    Cormier says that Binder has made a statement about winning the competition, but Cormier has been impressed with what he sees from Creighton.

    Creighton says he typically works on his boxing, and he wants to get his hands on Binder and make it a “dirty” fight.

    Creighton says his nickname is “Jazzy Jeff” because his coach saw pep in his step. Creighton says he’ll do what he has to do to win.

    Cormier adds he wants Creighton to pressure Binder and score takedowns where he gets the chances and grind out a win.

    Andreeas Binder Backstory

    We find out about Binder’s own relationship. Binder’s wife, who he proposed to in 2018, changed jobs to help accommodate Binder pursuing his fighting dreams, according to Binder.

    Binder describes himself as an overweight kid who was bullied a lot. At the encouragement of his coach,

    Binder trains at SBG Charlestown under NAME. Binder says he is doing this for himself and to make a living and provide for his family. “It’s time to show the world…no one works as hard as me.”

    Binder also shows off a WWE championship with his name on it, desiring gold of his own one day.

    Weight Cut — And The Issues

    Binder says that cutting weight is the hardest part of the sport, but “every fighter” has to do it.

    About 18 hours till weigh-in, Binder was at 184.5. We see Binder do some exercises, be in the sauna, and wrap himself in “the burrito” as he tries to sweat off the weight.

    With 14 hours till weigh-in, he is eight pounds away from making the limit. Binder says he’s looking forward to the fight.

    Two hours into cutting weight in the morning, however, and it appears Binder has stopped sweating.

    Binder is at 176 pounds with only a couple of hours to go until the weigh-in. Matt Dixon reflects that something seemed wrong, with Binder uneasy on the stairs. His teammates tell him to stop cutting weight, and that he needs to prioritize his health.

    Sonnen comes by the TUF House to check on the situation. Sonnen reflects on how Dana White doesn’t forgive fighters who miss weight on TUF.

    Sonnen offers $1,000 for every pound Binder is over ($5,000). Creighton asks for $2,500 per pound because of the opportunity that’s at stake and Binder’s irresponsibility.

    Sonnen accepts the request, with Creighton adding “I’m going to kick his a** anyway.” Sonnen says he’s willing to go to the bank and ensure Creighton receives the money. Binder feels upset and wants to pay Sonnen back.

    Cormier seems like he wished Creighton just took the forfeit.

    The Fight: Jeff Creighton vs. Andreeas Binder

    —–IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED THE EPISODE AND DON’T WANT TO BE SPOILED, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO TURN AWAY NOW.———

    Creighton weighs in at 171. Binder weighs in at 175.5. Fight is on despite the weight miss!

    Dana White says while he’s sent people home in the past for missing weight, Sonnen’s actions — a first in TUF history — permits him to let the fight go on. And it seems White has taken up a soft spot for Creighton based on his actions.

    Cormier receives the envelope for Sonnen. Cormier tells Creighton to “look into the eyes of a desperate man” during the staredown. Creighton tells Binder “You gave up on yourself. Now you’re going to give up tomorrow.”

    Creighton says he feels confident about the fight after the weight miss, feeling Binder doesn’t want it and will come out sluggish. Binder, however, says he wants it more than Creighton.

    Jeff Creighton vs. Andreeas Binder

    Round 1

    Creighton goes for a high kick early. Round kick to the body by Creighton. Creighton comes forward. Jab from Binder. Low kick by Binder. Combination from Creighton. Creighton rushes forward, but Binder gets away from the grappling attempt. Binder grabs a leg and lands a right hand. Creighton attacks the body again as Cormier yells “Attack that belly!” Binder blocks another low kick. Right hand from Creighton. Round kick by Creighton as Binder throws a left.

    Cracking one-two from Binder! Creighton recovers and ends up grabbing a leg. Binder escapes, and Cormier tells Creighton to get back on it. Binder blocks a kick and lands a hook. Binder dumps Creighton, and he looks to land from up top. Binder drops into Creighton’s guard. Creighton goes for a leg — and then an armbar attempt! But Binder escapes!

    Creighton throws upkicks at a standing Binder. Binder with a round kick to Creighton’s legs. Another upkick and another round kick to the legs before Creighton gets up. Binder immediately presses him into the fence. Creighton makes his way off with a minute left in the round. Creighton presses now, but Binder gets out of his grasp with some ease. Small combination from Creighton. Binder misses a big right hand but lands a low kick. Jab lands for Creighton as he presses Binder into the fence and lands a cross. Another body kick from Creighton. Binder pins Creighton against the fence before the horn.

    Cormier notes that Creighton busted Binder open badly around his elbow.

    Round 2

    One-two from Creighton. Left hand from each man. Creighton throws the left jab. Body kick from Creighton, followed by a knee. Low kick from Creighton. Left hand from Binder, who is bleeding above his right eyebrow. Creighton presses Binder into the fence. Binder gives up his back. Creighton lands a series of right hands before taking Binder down. Creighton flattens Binder out and goes into ground-and-pound mode. Creighton looks for a choke but settles for taking Binder’s back, locking in a body triangle.

    Creighton continues to do damage, bloodying up Binder (and the canvas) even more. Creighton continues to search for the choke with his ground pressure. Creighton lands a strong elbow. Creighton gets an arm around the neck for the choke. Binder tries to fight and works out of it. Creighton continues to hold the position as Binder continues to fight off the choke attempt. Creighton fires off some more ground strikes. Binder tries to land elbows to Creighton’s leg. The blood is POURING. It is SPEWING out of Binder. Creighton continues to land ground strikes. Creighton lands again and focuses on landing solid elbows to the head as the round ends.

    One of the bloodiest rounds in TUF history — maybe even one of the bloodiest fights in TUF history.

    To the surprise of the coaches, and Binder, the fight is called after two rounds — the judges have seen enough to render a decision after 10 minutes.

    Winner: Jeff Creighton via unanimous decision after two rounds

    Conclusion

    Sonnen felt that Binder won the first round, noting Creighton’s reaction at the end of the round and the fact Binder was standing and trading a lot of the time. But all was needed was Creighton to take Binder down in the second round, where Creighton dominated, bloodying up Binder BADLY. Sonnen said he was okay with Binder defending and conceding the round because he was confident Binder won the first. Sonnen speculates the judges awarded Creighton a 10-8 round two. Sonnen blames himself for that miscalculation.

    Creighton says he wanted a nasty, bloody fight, and he got that. Creighton says he is one of the best welterweights in the world and will continue to prove that.

    The coaches tell Binder he stayed in the fight and they do feel jipped. Binder says Creighton was who he expected and that the loss is just “part of the game.”

    Halfway through the first round now, Cormier announces that Team Cormier’s Alibi Idiris will take on Team Sonnen’s Furkatbek Yokubov in the next flyweight matchup — a fight Cormier says might be the most evenly-matched pairing in round one.

    Season 24 competitor and former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno will join Team Cormier next week. Ryan Clark, former NFL player and current ESPN personality, will also be present to hype up Idiris before his fight.

    What will happen next week? Join alongside us then!

    Thanks for joining me for another edition of The TUF Stuff!

  • Jamahal Hill Promises Fireworks at UFC Baku: ‘There’s Never Been a Boring Fight with My Name On It’

    Jamahal Hill Promises Fireworks at UFC Baku: ‘There’s Never Been a Boring Fight with My Name On It’

    UFC star Jamahal Hill has promised fireworks in his UFC Baku main event against Khalil Rountree Jr.

    On Saturday night, Jamahal Hill is set to try and get back in the win column when he squares off with Khalil Rountree Jr. The two men are both top light heavyweights, and both have their eyes firmly set on trying to get back into the title picture. There are no guarantees, but if one of them gets a big finish, they could well vault themselves into contention.

    Of course, getting the job done is going to be tough given what we know about both men. In a recent interview, Jamahal Hill had the following to say on his upcoming fight.

    Jamahal Hill promises big performance against Khalil Rountree Jr

    “They know what I bring. They know I’m here to deliver a show. Always. I can’t think of a fight of mine that wasn’t entertaining. Even whenever I watch my fights back, I was there, and I still like to see them. 

    “I can pretty much click on any of them because all my fights were entertaining to this point. I don’t think there’s ever been a boring fight tied to my name. That’s one thing I’m proud of. I’ll be able to look back whenever I get older, my kids, grandkids, or whatever, and I can turn it on, and it’s like—oh, the whole time, eyes glued to it. So it’s cool.”

    Buckle up, fight fans, because this is set to be a big one.

  • Conor McGregor Would Be Politics’ Most Bribable Superstar, says 44-year-old Paulie Malignaggi

    Conor McGregor Would Be Politics’ Most Bribable Superstar, says 44-year-old Paulie Malignaggi

    Former rival Paulie Malignaggi has given his thoughts on what Conor McGregor would be like in the world of politics.

    As we know, Conor McGregor isn’t particularly involved in the world of mixed martial arts right now. While he continues to tease the possibility of a return to the UFC at some point in the future, his focus is more on politics. He wants to become president of Ireland, although based on what most people in the country is saying, it seems unlikely at this point.

    Conor McGregor is the definition of a divisive figure and that much is an understatement. He’s made a lot of enemies over the years, including Paulie Malignaggi, who he sparred with in preparation for his boxing match against Floyd Mayweather back in the day.

    In a recent interview with Spin Genie, Paulie Malignaggi gave his thoughts on Conor McGregor properly entering politics.

    https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1932555420000006210

    Paulie Malignaggi’s view on Conor McGregor

    “I don’t think McGregor will ever come back but he’ll tease it. As far as politics, he’s very bribeable as far as being lobbied. He could use his popularity [to get into office] if he gets lobbied and bribed by the right people. “If he lets himself be bought by the right people, it’s possible. And he’s definitely a candidate to be bought by the right people because he’s like I said, he’s got no backbone. 

    “But I notice Ireland is sort of holding its own push back against certain kinds of movements. “Considering all the money he’s made, and the potential that he has to help people, even in politics, he’ll only ever be about himself.”

    Quotes via Spin Genie

  • Kamaru Usman: Why Being a ‘Girl Dad’ Helped Him Overcome His Toughest Fights and Return Stronger

    Kamaru Usman: Why Being a ‘Girl Dad’ Helped Him Overcome His Toughest Fights and Return Stronger

    UFC legend Kamaru Usman has explained how being a girl dad helped him to bounce back from three straight losses in the cage.

    Last weekend, Kamaru Usman surprised a lot of critics by rolling back the years to defeat Joaquin Buckley. Outside of a worrying fifth round, he was largely able to dominate Buckley on the ground, proving that his wrestling game is still significant enough to help him compete amongst the elite at 170 pounds.

    Regardless of whether you’re a fan of his or not, there’s no denying the imapct that Kamaru Usman has had in mixed martial arts. Who knows, maybe he’ll even have another title run left in him.

    During his post-fight press conference, Kamaru Usman had the following to say about his family.

    Kamaru Usman discusses importance of being a girl dad

    “I swear, because I’m a girl dad. This one, it’s hard. I mean, it’s been a while. Not just with getting back in here, but obviously getting in the win column. I battled with a lot of things just to get here—repairing my body, just physically, personally, a lot of things that I had to fight a lot of demons just to get back in here. But, yeah, a lot that I had to go through. 

    “Thankfully, I’m blessed with a great team, great support system, great family. And I’m back here. So I just want to recognize them—my family, my mom, dad, brothers, sister, T-Baby, Sammy, Lulu, Zena, Baby—I love you guys. My coaches, Henry, Trevor, George, Ben, my teammates, Justin, Archie, all these guys, even guys down there at Kill Cliff. 

    “I love and appreciate each and every one of you guys, whether you knew it or not. You played a big, big factor in this tonight. So I just want to say I’m thankful. But, yeah, I guess, like I said, I’m a girl dad now, so I get a little emotional nowadays. But let’s get back to business.”

  • Alexandre Pantoja: To Face a Mike Tyson Threat, I’ll Channel My Inner Muhammad Ali at UFC 317

    Alexandre Pantoja: To Face a Mike Tyson Threat, I’ll Channel My Inner Muhammad Ali at UFC 317

    UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja is ready to channel his inner Muhammad Ali as he prepares to battle Kai Kara-France at UFC 317.

    In the co-main event of UFC 317, Alexandre Pantoja will square off against Kai Kara-France. It’s a fight that has been a long time coming, and while Pantoja has done a great job as champion at 125 pounds, many people believe that Kara-France has a real chance of winning the belt for the very first time.

    Of course, it’s hard to say whether or not it’s going to happen, but we’re all just excited to see how it plays out when they stand across the cage from one another. Alexandre Pantoja has overcome some huge tests in the past, and he’s able to recognize an opponent’s strengths.

    In a recent interview, Alexandre Pantoja spoke about one of the big dangers that awaits him on International Fight Week.

    Alexandre Pantoja previews Kai Kara-France fight

    “If I’m seeing Kai Kara-France as a Mike Tyson, maybe I need to be more like Muhammad Ali. I need the movement. But I know, if he tries to hit me, I have a very good chin. I prove that 100 times. I don’t want to prove that a lot. I want to move my head more. That’s something I really work on. 

    “But I have strong hands too. It’s going to be an amazing opportunity for me to prove myself. For every word, I have strong hands too. If you want to hit me, you need to know I’m going to hit you too. Maybe it’s going to be a good opportunity to knock someone out.”

  • Jon Jones Will Go Down as ‘The Greatest Cheat of All Time’, Says Mark Hunt

    Jon Jones Will Go Down as ‘The Greatest Cheat of All Time’, Says Mark Hunt

    Former UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt is of the belief that Jon Jones will go down in history as the greatest cheat in mixed martial arts.

    As we know, Jon Jones is a pretty divisive figure. He has been involved in many controversies over the years and through all of that, he has earned a reputation for being a bit of a difficult fighter to deal with. Right now, he’s embroiled in a stalemate regarding a potential unification title fight against interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall.

    For whatever reason, the fight isn’t getting made, and a whole lot of people are blaming Jon Jones. That’s without mentioning some of the doping accusations that he’s face, in addition to multiple suspensions and even arrests.

    In a recent interview with Thunderpick, Mark Hunt had the following to say about Jon Jones.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH5J11NgHUg

    Mark Hunt’s view on Jon Jones

    “Jon Jones is the greatest cheat of all time, that’s all he is and that’s how he got to the top end. That’s how he got to hang out with guys like me, he’s a cheating little rat.

    “That’s all he’ll ever be. You can’t be the greatest fighter in the world when you’re sticking needles in your ass and hiding under the octagon from USADA. How are you supposed to be the greatest fighter?

    “UFC have put these cheaters and these shortcut takers in the Hall of Fame. The way I see it, any guy that’s been caught doping or cheating – there goes everything you’ve earned. Your world titles mean nothing, you’ve been caught as a shortcut taker, that’s all you are.“

    Quotes via Thunderpick

  • ‘Not Afraid of the Fire’: Khalil Rountree Jr. Reflects on the Lessons Learned from Alex Pereira Showdown

    ‘Not Afraid of the Fire’: Khalil Rountree Jr. Reflects on the Lessons Learned from Alex Pereira Showdown

    Khalil Rountree Jr. did not emerge victorious against Alex Pereira but that’s not to say that he didn’t learn a lot from that light heavyweight title bid all the same. Rountree Jr. discussed the Pereira fight during a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show. Rountree Jr. was riding a five fight win streak into the clash with the Brazilian knockout artist after punching his ticket to a title shot by finishing former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith via strikes.

    In an outing that saw him drop Pereira to the canvas at one point, Rountree Jr. would eventually succumb to uppercuts from ‘Poatan’ in the final forty seconds of the fourth frame in their UFC 307 clash for the 205 pound title. When touching upon what he learned from that battle with the former two-division UFC champion, Khalil Rountree Jr. said,

    “I saw how far I was willing to go. I was really tested to the very end in that fight. I went as far as I possibly could, and in my mind, I enjoyed the whole thing. I enjoyed it all the way through. It was just something that I remember. I gave my absolute all in that fight, and so I got to experience what that feels like.”

    “I think that it just helped me grow and not necessarily be afraid of the fire, for lack of better words. I’ve been through the fire, and although I didn’t make it out victorious, I’ve been there and I felt that. I felt it, and so I think that it toughened me up a bit.”

    Khalil Rountree Jr. and his path back to UFC gold

    Khalil Rountree Jr. has not stepped into the cage since that Alex Pereira contest last October but the former will don the four ounce gloves once again later this week. The 35-year-old will look to carve a path back to contending for the 205 pound title as Rountree Jr. will test skills with a former UFC light heavyweight champion in Jamahal Hill at UFC Baku on June 21st.

    This Fight Night headliner between Rountree Jr. and Hill certainly positions the winner well in the title challenger hierarchy underneath reigning titleholder Magomed Ankalaev. This bout will see the number seven ranked light heavyweight in the promotion do battle with the UFC’s number four ranked contender in that weight class, respectively.

  • Watch: Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier – Full Fight For Free

    Watch: Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier – Full Fight For Free

    The UFC has decided to treat fans by releasing the full Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier fight for free on YouTube, just in time to stir up excitement ahead of some major lightweight shakeups. If you missed it live, now’s your chance to see what happens when a submission machine meets a man with fists like anvils, all without paying a penny.

    The Fight: Charles Oliveira vs. Dustin Poirier – Watch

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6srwekM-RU

    This matchup was a classic clash of styles. Charles Oliveira, known for his slick submissions and record-setting finish rate, put his lightweight belt on the line against Dustin Poirier, a perennial contender with a reputation for violence and grit. The bout started at a furious pace, with Poirier landing heavy shots and nearly sending Oliveira to the mat early. Oliveira, unfazed, returned fire with knees and body kicks, mixing up his attacks and keeping Poirier guessing.

    The second round saw Oliveira’s ground game take over. He managed to pin Poirier and unleashed a barrage of elbows, making it clear why he holds the record for most submissions in UFC history. Poirier, tough as ever, survived the onslaught but couldn’t get back to his feet or mount any offense.

    In the third, Oliveira wasted no time jumping on Poirier’s back and locking in a rear-naked choke. Poirier tried to fight it off, but Oliveira’s grip was too tight. The tap came just over a minute into the round, cementing Oliveira’s status as the king of submissions and leaving Poirier with another close-but-not-quite moment on the big stage.

    Dustin Poirier
    Image: UFC.com

    What’s Next for Oliveira and Poirier? Charles Oliveira is set to fight Ilia Topuria at UFC 317 on June 28, 2025, in Las Vegas. The stakes? The vacant lightweight crown. Oliveira is coming off a win over Michael Chandler and is looking to reclaim his spot at the top of the division. Dustin Poirier is preparing for his swan song. UFC 318, scheduled for July 19 in New Orleans, will see Poirier face Max Holloway for the BMF title in what’s billed as his retirement fight. The two have history: Poirier won both previous encounters, but Holloway is coming in hot after a move to lightweight and a highlight-reel knockout at UFC 300.

  • Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett: Former UFC Champ Says Fight Is Inevitable ‘Trash Talk, Big Money, and No Love Lost’

    Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett: Former UFC Champ Says Fight Is Inevitable ‘Trash Talk, Big Money, and No Love Lost’

    The UFC rumor mill is spinning, and this time, it’s all about Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett. Former UFC champ Michael Bisping has weighed in, and according to him, this fight is less a question of “if” and more a matter of ‘when.’

    Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett – Soon

    Ilia Topuria, who’s set to face Charles Oliveira next week for the vacant lightweight UFC title, is already looking past the Brazilian and aiming his verbal jabs at the UK-born Paddy Pimblett. As Bisping put it, “Ilia’s going to fight Charles Oliveira next week for the vacant title, and he’s already got his sights on Paddy Pimblett next, because he is a pain in the ass, he is a prick, he does not like him one little bit.”

    The feeling seems mutual. Pimblett has been stirring the pot, calling Topuria “hand sanitizer boy,” tossing water bottles, and generally doing his best to get under Topuria’s skin. And it’s working, Topuria wants to “shut him off” in the Octagon. Bisping, never one to mince words, summed up the UFC’s unique charm: “If people talk, we literally have a forum. You are literally paid life-changing money to go out there and beat the hell out of the guy that is talking crap about you, that is winding you up, that is annoying you to the max.”

    Of course, confidence isn’t in short supply on either side. Topuria has made a habit of changing his social media bio to reflect his next conquest, calling out Islam Makhachev, promising to knock out Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski, and then actually doing it. “But if, by one person’s standard, that makes you cocky, arrogant, a pain in the ass, when you’re doing the same thing, sure, granted he’s backed it up every single time. To be fair, so has Paddy Pimblett,” Bisping noted.

    Paddy Pimblett Responds To Critics Of His Off-Season Look
    Image: @theufcbaddy/Instagram

    Looking ahead, Bisping dismissed the idea that fighters can’t look past their next opponent. “Yes you can if you’re confident. Yes you can if you believe in yourself. Yes you can if you firmly believe that you’re going to go out there and just walk through Oliveira, become the champion of the world. Then, of course, you’re going to look forward and think, ‘Who am I going to fight next? Who is the biggest matchup for me?’” With Islam Makhachev likely tied up with Jack Della Maddalena and Justin Gaethje threatening to walk if he doesn’t get a title shot, Pimblett is the hottest ticket in town.

    Ilia Topuria Drops Bombshell Return Announcement For UFC 317
    Image: @iliatopuria/Instagram

    And why not? Paddy Pimblett remains undefeated in the UFC and just dispatched Michael Chandler in a performance that left little doubt about his credentials. “Paddy Pimblett just beat Michael Chandler, beat him down, made a mockery out of him, beat him to a pulp, and then got the finish,” Bisping recounted. Chandler, after all, was the gatekeeper for title contention, so Pimblett’s case for a title shot is hard to ignore.

    With all the trash talk, the backstory, and the UFC’s love for a money fight, Bisping’s advice is clear: “If I’m Paddy Pimblett right now, I ain’t calling out Justin Gaethje, I ain’t calling out anyone, because that fight happens next Saturday, and if he calls him out, it’s going to happen. The UFC is going to make that match-up, especially when Ilia says stuff like this.”

    Former UFC featherweight Ilia Topuria.
  • Francis Ngannou’s huge possible UFC return clarified by Eric Nicksick

    Francis Ngannou’s huge possible UFC return clarified by Eric Nicksick

    Xtreme Couture coach Eric Nicksick has clarified comments he made recently about Francis Ngannou possibly making his return to the UFC.

    As we know, Francis Ngannou’s focus recently has been on PFL. While he’s competed in the promotion, he’s also enjoyed a side venture in the world of professional boxing. Recently, however, Eric Nicksick has made remarks suggesting that at some point in the future, ‘The Predator’ could make his way back to the UFC.

    In another interview, Nicksick decided to clarify what he meant as fans continue to wonder what could come next for the great Francis Ngannou.

    Eric Nicksick clarifies Francis Ngannou comments

    “It was kind of a question of, with fandom, like, what scenarios would be great. Of course I’m always going to say Francis and Jon are the best competition out there,” Nicksick told MMA Fighting. “So Francis texts me like one of those like, just a clickbait [headlined article], and he’s like, ‘Bubba, did you say this? I’m like, ‘No.’

    “It was like basically, ‘Francis Ngannou wants back in the UFC.’ That’s all. I’m like, bro, ‘What kind of non-f*cking journalistic post was this, dude?’ It was crazy, but yeah, we had a laugh about it because Francis and I are actually on the phone talking about some other stuff and then he’s like, ‘Oh shit, look, Jones just tweeted,’ so we’re kind of laughing about it.”

    “I’m a fan of the sport. That’s all. I’m a fan of Tom, I want to see Tom get his shot. He’s earned it, he’s deserved it, but I think the heavyweight division is in a tough place right now. It really is. And that’s just me talking about what can revitalize this division that needs some help, and there’s some options out there. 

    “I don’t know Francis’s contract deal with the PFL, I don’t know any of that stuff. That’s just like me and you just chopping it up and I’m telling you how I perceive it and how I see it, and if that option is always available, Francis is a businessman, that’s all I know.”

    Quotes via MMA Fighting

  • Paddy Pimblett explains why he believes he’d defeat Ilia Topuria ahead of UFC 317

    Paddy Pimblett explains why he believes he’d defeat Ilia Topuria ahead of UFC 317

    UFC star Paddy Pimblett has explained why he believes he can be the one to defeat Ilia Topuria.

    As we know, Paddy Pimblett is one of the biggest names in all of mixed martial arts. He has already achieved some great things in the sport, but in equal measure, it still feels like he’s got a long way to go before he can convince his critics that he’s an elite lightweight. With that being said, it feels like he could be just one win away from a championship opportunity – with some wondering whether or not that chance will stem from a fight against Justin Gaethje.

    There are lots of different directions the UFC can go in, but for Paddy Pimblett, an eventual collision with Ilia Topuria seems like the right way to go. In a recent chat with Tom Aspinall, ‘The Baddy’ spoke openly about a showdown with ‘El Matador’.

    Paddy Pimblett on possible Ilia Topuria fight

    “I know I’d beat him,” Pimblett said during a conversation with Tom Aspinall.

    “Funny ‘cause I get laughed at for it. But I know I beat him.

    “We’ve already talked about a game plan to beat him. And I know how to beat him.

    “No one goes for his weaknesses when they fight. Everyone just decides to have a boxing match with him. I’m not going to come out and have a boxing match with him. I’m going to beat him with my all-around MMA game.”

    “As I said, I know I’d beat him up. And I reckon I’d proper hurt him and just shut everyone up even more, like I love to do.”

    Quotes via Bloody Elbow

  • Sean O’Malley’s coach discusses timeline for possible UFC return

    Sean O’Malley’s coach discusses timeline for possible UFC return

    UFC star Sean O’Malley‘s head coach Tim Welch has given his thoughts on when ‘Suga’ could make his return to the cage.

    As we know, Sean O’Malley is one of the biggest names in all of mixed martial arts. However, in his last two fights, he’s been unable to stop the incredible rise of Merab Dvalishvili. He lost his UFC bantamweight championship to him in their first meeting, and then in the rematch, Sean was submitted by Dvalishvili as the Georgian sensation continued his reign at the top of the division.

    As we look ahead to the future, it’s hard to know exactly what the next step is for Sean O’Malley. He’s certainly good enough to still compete at 135 pounds, but others are of the belief that a shift up to featherweight would be in his best interests.

    In a video on his YouTube channel, Tim Welch was more than happy to discuss the next move for Sean O’Malley.

    Tim Welch discusses Sean O’Malley’s future

    “It’s so hard to say with him but again, right now we’re not going to clubs, we’re not f*cking partying, we’re saying no to trips. So what else are we going to do?” Welch said on his YouTube channel about O’Malley fighting again.

    “We’re coming to the gym twice a day. We’re going to train. Might as well [fight]. Might as well not let these years go by. He’s only 30 years old. Might as well just knock them out. Let’s just keep knocking them out.”

    “Look at Nate Diaz, how big of a star he is,” Welch said. “How many losses does he have? Jorge Masvidal, how many losses does he have? They’re still just f*cking huge draws. Huge stars.”

    Quotes via MMA Fighting

  • Israel Adesanya reveals his hatred for Joaquin Buckley

    Israel Adesanya reveals his hatred for Joaquin Buckley

    UFC legend Israel Adesanya revealed his hatred for Joaquin Buckley during his recent UFC Atlanta reaction video.

    As we know, Israel Adesanya is pretty close friends with Kamaru Usman. Therefore, it makes sense that he was watching and supporting him during Saturday night’s UFC Atlanta main event. While it was great to see him getting behind his fellow African champion, he also had a few less than pleasant things to say about Joaquin Buckley.

    As we know, Buckley has a tendency to be pretty loud and out there – especially when it comes to trash talk. In the aforementioned video, Israel Adesanya didn’t hold back when telling the world what he thought of the welterweight contender.

    Israel Adesanya voices hatred of Joaquin Buckley

    “I hate this n**** bro. I don’t use the word hate lightly, but I hate this n**** bro. Something about him just f***ing annoys me. Literally, I’m just tryna chill, talk. ‘Hey man you know we gotta get this going man, blah blah blah’, like he’s rapping to me. Every single time.”

    “At one point I just walked away while he was talking. Maybe I’m just a hater bro.”

    When it comes to ‘Stylebender’, he has his own decisions to make when it comes to his future. There’s a chance that he will continue battling middleweight contenders in the hope of making his way to a title shot, whereas others are of the belief that he will ride off into the sunset.

    Regardless of which camp you fall into, there’s no denying that Adesanya has had an unbelievable effect on the world of mixed martial arts – and soon, the same may be true of Joaquin Buckley.

  • 4 Hits & 3 Misses From UFC Atlanta: Kamaru Usman vs. Joaquin Buckley

    4 Hits & 3 Misses From UFC Atlanta: Kamaru Usman vs. Joaquin Buckley

    The UFC returned to Atlanta for the first time in six years this past Saturday night, hosting a Fight Night card that brought out plenty of names and some noteworthy performances.

    The last time the UFC was in Atlanta was for UFC 236, which featured two title fights that have connections to even upcoming UFC events. The main event of that night saw Dustin Poirier defeat Max Holloway in their second encounter to become interim UFC lightweight champion. Those two will face off one more time in Poirier’s retirement fight next month at UFC 318. The co-main event, meanwhile, saw a wild encounter in which Israel Adesanya defeated Kelvin Gastelum to become interim UFC middleweight champion. That fight will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in just a couple of weeks.

    Meanwhile, last night’s UFC Atlanta saw quite a few fights where a rising up-and-comer looked to make a statement against a known name.

    In the main event, Kamaru Usman returned to the Octagon for the first time in nearly two years to take on Joaquin Buckley. Usman had not been seen since his UFC 280 loss to Khamzat Chimaev — a fight that marked Usman’s third straight defeat since dropping the welterweight title to Leon Edwards. Buckley, meanwhile, was riding a six-fight win streak, having most recently finished Usman’s old rival, Colby Covington, in December.

    The co-main event saw Rose Namajunas look to keep positive momentum in the flyweight division against rising star Miranda Maverick. Namajunas entered the fight just 2-2 since moving to 125, having dropped a decision to Erin Blanchfield this past November. Maverick, meanwhile, was on a four-fight win streak and had won six of her previous seven bouts.

    Who came out strong? Who didn’t? Let’s go into it together with this week’s edition of Hits and Misses.

    Hit: Fun-Filled Finishes On Prelims

    UFC Atlanta’s main card may have had the star power; however, it was the prelims that had the big finishes — and was arguably the more entertaining portion of the evening.

    It all began with Phil Rowe going down two rounds against Ange Loosa. Loosa was in fairly dominant control over the bout’s first 10 minutes, even scoring a knockdown on Rowe at the conclusion of a wild second round. But in the third, things changed quickly. Rowe managed to get his combinations going, bringing the pressure right to Loosa, who appeared to be struggling. Rowe managed to land blow after blow, including a series of uppercuts, before a right hand crumbled Loosa to the mat for the finish.

    It was a wild outing for “The Fresh Prince,” who is now 4-3 in the Octagon since coming into the UFC through Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS). He not only avoids a three-fight skid and arguable retained his job, but it was the kind of performance that’s sure to leave a lasting impression on fans and brass alike.

    Then came a violent knockout Jose Ochoa had on Cody Durden and a walk-off KO for Malcolm Wellmaker against Kris Moutinho. It was a pair of violent displays that really got the card on fire — and three finishes in a four-fight span that wet the appetite of Atlanta’s UFC faithful in attendance.

    Hit: Watch Out For Wellmaker

    I know I just mentioned Malcolm Wellmaker in the entry about the card’s finishes, but he deserves a second hit for the impact he left in the Octagon — both on this evening and thus far in his UFC run.

    Taking on a returning Kris Moutinho, Wellmaker pushed the pace against someone who likes to bring pressure and get into striking battles. No matter what Moutinho tried to deliver, Wellmaker was just too strong and too accurate.

    Wellmaker landed a right hand in the center of the Octagon that knocked out Moutinho, bringing the crowd to its feet. In fact, for a second straight fight, Wellmaker walked away from the fight as the referee waved it all off.

    “The Machine” had made his UFC debut less than two months ago, when he stopped Cameron Saaiman — and that was after he knocked out Adam Bramhald on DWCS.

    I know he’s only two fights in, but we need to keep serious eyes on Wellmaker. He deserves recognition for what he’s done thus far, and another one of these performances will just quickly rise his star that is starting to shine.

    Miss: Another Inconclusive Paul Craig vs. Rodolfo Bellato Ending…And Is It An Act?

    After Rodolfo Bellato’s herpes diagnosis forced him out of a fight with Paul Craig just weeks ago, you’d think a quick re-booking would help to solve the issue of which man is the better fighter, right?

    Well, UFC Atlanta didn’t provide that — and it was a fight that left a really bitter taste in fans’ mouths.

    The two men threw their power right away, and after rocking Craig, Bellato took him down and got into a dominant top control. But it was the end of that first round that brought the trouble.

    Craig landed an upkick that appeared to knock out Bellato; however, with Bellato’s knees still grounded, the kick was an illegal one. And when Bellato appeared to be out of it, attempting to take down the ref upon waking the up, the referee decided to stop the fight and rule it a no-contest.

    When looking at the finish, however, it appeared Bellato looked toward the ref, ready to dispute before flopping to the mat. MMA X (fka Twitter) has called him out on it. Anthony Smith has called him out on it. And it appears to be that many are in agreement Bellato looked for the easy way out.

    To be blunt, we’ll see if Bellato has a job after this one. I’m sure Dana White and the rest of the UFC brass won’t be happy with his actions and how his performance is being called out on. If he does, will we have to see a third booking between this pair?

    Miss: Mansur Abdul-Malik Loses Finish On Accidental Headbutt

    It’s bad when a foul causes the end of a fight once. Unfortunately, it happed just a couple of fights later at UFC Atlanta — and this one cost a fighter a strong finish.

    The second fight of the main card saw Mansur Abdul-Malik take on Cody Brundage. The fight was very lackluster to start, with both fighters not taking much control in the first 10 minutes — albeit with Abdul-Malik busting Brundage open behind one of his ears.

    But the two let their hands go to start the third — a round where Brundage appeared to go down in pain, covering up, after a big knee to the body by Abdul-Malik. But just as we thought Abdul-Malik got a third-round finish, fight replay showed an accidental headbutt that triggered Brundage’s pain and crumbling to the mat.

    Due to the foul causing the finish, overruling the ref, and with the fight in the third round, the fight went to a technical decision. Abdul-Malik still won the fight, but it marked the first time the judges’ cards played a role in the victory.

    It was a disappointing fight that saw a great finish ruined by an unfortunate foul. Hopefully Abdul-Malik can still carry this momentum into his next outing.

    Miss: Changes Do Cody Garbrandt No Good

    There was once a time where Cody Garbrandt was undefeated and on top of the bantamweight world as the UFC champion. Those days are long gone, however, and Garbrandt finds himself in quite the position after losing at UFC Atlanta against Raoni Barcelos.

    Garbrandt looked to showcase a vintage performance in the opening round, with speedy crisp strikes that stunned and opened up Barcelos. Barcelos had his moments, however, briefly taking Garbrandt down and busting the former champ open around one of his eyebrows.

    Barcelos, however, took over during the remaining 10 minutes. Barcelos landed clean, strong combinations, led by his right hand, which rocked Garbrandt during the round. Barcelos continued his pressure-based offense in the third, stopping Garbrandt’s takedown attempts and working smartly with his strength and precision.

    Garbrandt has only once per year since losing the bantamweight title with the exception of 2021 — and even then, he didn’t fight at all in 2022. In that time, he has gone from an 11-0 fighter that won the UFC’s 135-pound strap to a 14-7 fighter whose future is uncertain. Obviously he’s had to overcome injuries and health scares — and his health should be priority — but his standing as a fighter should still be in question at this point given his skid.

    Even after supposed changes in his fight camp, Garbrandt is in a bad position.

    Hit: Rose Namajunas Continues To Fly, Puts On War With Miranda Maverick

    Could Rose Namajunas be in contention for a flyweight title opportunity? She may have showed how she definitely belongs at the top of 125 contention with her decision win over Miranda Maverick in the UFC Atlanta co-main event.

    The two did plenty of trading for a wild back-and-forth encounter over 15 minutes. Namajunas seemed to get the better of things during the first round; however, Maverick did get her to stumble on her own attack. Namajunas got Maverick to the ground during the second and worked around Maverick’s guard to get to her back, troubling her with ground strikes and a strong-rear naked choke attempt. Credit needs to given to Maverick, however, for slipping out and locking up a tight arm-triangle in the dying seconds of the round.

    “Thug Rose” scored a knockdown in the third round and controlled from there, going on to win a unanimous decision.

    Namajunas is now 3-2 at 125 — and her only losses have come against former title challengers in Manon Fiorot and Erin Blanchfield. She definitely won’t be getting the next title opportunity, especially if the UFC goes for a fight between Weili Zhang and Valentina Shevchenko, but one or two more wins may nail Namajunas with a chance at gold in a second UFC weight class.

    Hit: Usman’s Back, ‘Nuff Said

    Those who wrote Kamaru Usman’s grave during the time away from the cage may have been sorely mistaken.

    Usman looked like his old self against Joaquin Buckley, putting on a dominant display filled with takedowns, wrestling, and powerful strikes in the main event of UFC Atlanta.

    Though the live crowd didn’t appreciate it as much, Usman used what made him so successful and a UFC champion in the first place — his dominant wrestling skills. Usman used it in style — once he got Buckley down during the first three rounds, Buckley stayed there. Usman added his powerful ground strikes, including busting Buckley openly badly on his face during the second round.

    Buckley appeared to storm back in the fifth, however, dodging all of Usman’s takedown attempts and looking to land wild, powerful strikes for a Leon Edwards-style, last-minute finish. Alas, he didn’t find it, and Usman won a dominant decision.

    It was his first win in three fights; his most recent win prior to this fight came when he defeated Colby Covington at UFC 281 to retain the welterweight title. Now it’ll be interesting to see what happens if Usman gets paired with someone in the top three like Belal Muhammad, Sean Brady or Shavkat Rakhmonov. Usman and Muhammad, in fact, have already traded barbs recently — and if Usman won that, perhaps he could get another opportunity to regain the belt he once had.

  • ‘Still Got It’ – Fans & Fighters React To Kamaru Usman Putting On Vintage Performance In Win Over Joaquin Buckley At UFC Atlanta

    ‘Still Got It’ – Fans & Fighters React To Kamaru Usman Putting On Vintage Performance In Win Over Joaquin Buckley At UFC Atlanta

    About 20 months after his last fight, former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman finally finds himself back in the win column, looking like his old self against rising contender Joaquin Buckley in the main event of UFC Atlanta.

    Usman looked like his vintage self in the opening frame, scoring a takedown of Buckley early and dominating the rest of the first round from the top position. Usman continued this strategy in the second round, taking Buckley down again and making him feel the hurt with his strikes, busting Buckley open around one of his eyes.

    Buckley looked to get things going in the third round, landing a couple of cracking blows on Usman. But at the halfway point of the round, Usman did what he does best and took Buckley down once more, placing him right up against the cage. Despite Buckley’s best efforts, Usman kept him held down and did work with his punching, continuing to land on Buckley’s head. Buckley tried to get things going again in the fourth with his strikes; however, once again, Usman found a takedown a few minutes into the round — and that was all he needed to control the pace.

    Buckley showed more signs of life in the fifth round, unleashing power knowing that he needed a finish. Buckley’s takedown defense suddenly improved as well, defending six straight takedown attempts. Buckley tried to pressure, but it wasn’t enough.

    Two judges scored the fight 49-46 and a third 48-47 — all for Usman.

    Kamaru Usman Wins First Fight In Nearly Two Years, Defeats Joaquin Buckley At UFC Atlanta

    https://twitter.com/HaterReport_/status/1934121061353955599
    https://twitter.com/HaterReport_/status/1934121061353955599

    This marked Usman’s first fight since his short-notice middleweight bout with Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294. He had lost three straight fights, with his last win coming in his UFC 268 title defense against Colby Covington.

    Buckley sees a six-fight win streak snapped with tonight’s defeat.

  • ‘That’s Some Good Back And Forth’ – Fans & Fighters React To Rose Namajunas Dropping, Scoring Decision Over Miranda Maverick In Tug-Of-War Battle At UFC Atlanta

    ‘That’s Some Good Back And Forth’ – Fans & Fighters React To Rose Namajunas Dropping, Scoring Decision Over Miranda Maverick In Tug-Of-War Battle At UFC Atlanta

    In what proved to be a competitive and highly entertaining close encounter, former UFC women’s strawweight champion Rose Namajunas came out on top in the co-main event of UFC Atlanta, defeating rising flyweight contender Miranda Maverick.

    The first round was a back-and-forth, competitive affair that could have fallen either way. Both women landed effective strikes, with Maverick causing Namajunas to stumble halfway through the round. Namajunas, however, appeared to take the edge for the late portion of the round, working combinations.

    Namajunas scored a perfectly-timed takedown of Maverick during the second round, getting a solid top position early. Maverick made work of her guard, however, looking to lock up a triangle before Namajunas escaped the attempt. Namajunas then looked to get to Maverick’s back, while Maverick was able to stand — only to be taken right back down by Namajunas. With about a minute left in the round, Namajunas appeared to be under Maverick’s chin and cranking — but Maverick escaped and quickly got her own submission attempt with an arm-triangle! Namajunas escaped the hold, but she barely got out of the round, dealing with Maverick’s follow-up ground-and-pound attack.

    Maverick looked to get her own takedown on the former UFC champ in the third round, but Namajunas avoided the attempt. She then knocked down Maverick with a quick left hook, and while she didn’t finish, she jumped right into top control and pressured the up-and-comer. Namajunas looked for an arm-triangle choke, but Maverick escaped. And while Maverick looked for a desperate guillotine, she was no match for “Thug Rose” in the third.

    The judges all scored the fight for Namajunas, with two 30-27s and a 29-28.

    Rose Namajunas Tops Miranda Maverick In UFC Atlanta Co-Main

    https://twitter.com/TheCallStandss/status/1934108866305769536

    Namajunas has now won three of her last four and is 3-2 in the Octagon since moving up to flyweight a few years ago.

    This loss snaps a four-fight win streak that Maverick entered this fight with.

  • ‘Very Unfortunate’ – Fans & Fighters React To Mansur Abdul-Malik Scoring Technical Decision After Headbutt Spoils Wild Finish At UFC Atlanta

    ‘Very Unfortunate’ – Fans & Fighters React To Mansur Abdul-Malik Scoring Technical Decision After Headbutt Spoils Wild Finish At UFC Atlanta

    Mansur Abdul-Malik is still undefeated and (technically) still hasn’t gotten a full 15 minutes, though he now has seen a judges’ scorecards — not in the way anyone might expect.

    Abdul-Malik thought he scored a third-round TKO of Cody Brundage, but an accidental clash of heads resulted in the fight going to a decision instead.

    The fight didn’t have much action over the course of the first 10 minutes, with both men taking a cautious approach with their striking. Abdul-Malik had the edge, however, even busting Brundage open behind his ear during the second round. Brundage, however, scored his fair share as well.

    But the two appeared to let their hands go completely to start the third round, throwing wild exchanges. Abdul-Malik landed a strong knee to the body. Brundage soon went down covering up, with Abdul-Malik throwing ground-and-pound in route to a TKO. But upon replay, the fighters accidentally clashed heads, which resulted in Brundage folding up on the ground.

    Due to what the replay review revealed, the finish was called off. With the fight entering the third round, the brief round was scored and went to a technical decision, with Abdul-Malik instead being awarded a technical unanimous decision.

    Headbutt Sees Mansur Abdul-Malik Go From Finish To Decision Win Over Cody Brundage At UFC Atlanta

    https://twitter.com/JessicaPenne/status/1934084494367363462

    Abdul-Malik, an alumnus of Dana White’s Contender Series, is now 3-0 in the Octagon after finishes of Duško Todorović and Nick Klein.

    Brundage is now 3-2 (1 NC) in his last six, coming into tonight off a win over Julian Marquez in March.

  • ‘And The Oscar Goes To…’ – Paul Craig vs. Rodolfo Bellato At UFC Atlanta Ends In Controversial No Contest After Illegal Upkick

    ‘And The Oscar Goes To…’ – Paul Craig vs. Rodolfo Bellato At UFC Atlanta Ends In Controversial No Contest After Illegal Upkick

    Paul Craig and Rodolfo Bellato were scheduled to face off in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 106. But it wasn’t long before walk-outs that the fight was postponed when Bellato was forced out due to herpes.

    The fight finally happened as the featured prelim of UFC Atlanta; however, once again, the fight ended without a clear winner. An accidental foul resulted in Bellato unable to continue in the waning seconds of the first round, leading to the fight being called a no contest.

    Both men brought their power out early, with Craig looking to work the body, while Bellato looked to chop Craig down with leg kicks. Bellato rocked Craig with a punch about midway through the round, and when Craig went for a takedown, Bellato stuffed it and got into top control.

    It was on the ground where the trouble happened, however. Bellato, with his knees grounded, was hit by an up-kick from Craig — an illegal shot. The kick appeared to do damage, knocking Bellato briefly unconscious before he woke up still scrambling and troubling, apparently unaware of what had just happened.

    That said, plenty on the MMA sphere of social media platform X felt Bellato was playing it up — noting his look in the referee’s direction immediately after the kick landed.

    Paul Craig vs. Rodolfo Bellato Ends In No Contest At UFC Atlanta

    https://twitter.com/brentskibikeski/status/1934068576689778815

    Craig is now winless in four straight, heading into tonight on a three-fight losing skid, and he now has just one win in his last seven fights.

    Bellato is now unbeaten in his last six fights, stretching back to fights in the LFA. Prior to tonight, Bellato’s run in the UFC since coming in from Dana White’s Contender Series included a finish of Ihor Potieria and a draw with Jimmy Crute.

  • VIDEO: Malcolm Wellmaker Gets Another First Round Walk-Off KO At UFC Atlanta

    VIDEO: Malcolm Wellmaker Gets Another First Round Walk-Off KO At UFC Atlanta

    For a second straight fight, Malcolm Wellmaker had a night to remember in the Octagon, as he knocked out Kris Mountinho in brutal fashion during the prelims for UFC Atlanta.

    Wellmaker, who entered this fight as the night’s massive favorite of all betting favorites, pushed the pace right away, controlling the action with solid striking. Moutinho tried to press forward himself, but Wellmaker was too much with his combination of power and accuracy. Wellmaker rocked Moutinho with a right hand as he overwhelmed him with combinations.

    Another right hand in the center of the Octagon about halfway through the first round was all he needed to flatten Moutinho for a showcase knockout victory.

    Malcolm Wellmaker Crumbles Kris Mountinho At UFC Atlanta

    Wellmaker now improves to 10-0. After scoring a first-round knockout of Adam Bramhald last year on Dana White’s Contender Series, Wellmaker made his UFC debut less than two months ago at UFC Kansas City, knocking out Cameron Saaiman in almost exactly two minutes.

    This was Moutinho’s first fight back in the UFC, and he sees a five-fight win streak snapped. Moutinho fought twice for the UFC previously, coming up short against Sean O’Malley at UFC 264 and against Guido Cannetti at UFC Vegas 50.

  • VIDEO: Jose Ochoa Violently Puts Away Cody Durden At UFC Atlanta

    VIDEO: Jose Ochoa Violently Puts Away Cody Durden At UFC Atlanta

    Jose Ochoa didn’t need long into the second round to score a solid knockout, finishing Cody Durden in harsh fashion during the preliminary card for UFC Atlanta.

    Ochoa showed off his striking prowess during the opening frame, working the body with sharp kicks and working his combinations well. Durden managed to land a pair of takedowns during the round, but Ochoa worked his way back to the feet quickly both times.

    Durden managed to land a stunning right hand on Ochoa during the closing seconds of the first round, but Ochoa turned things back to his favor in a big way right as the second started. Ochoa came out with a fire under him, landing a flurry of strikes that sent Durden crashing down, slumped against the fence for the knockout.

    Jose Ochoa Scores Highlight KO Of Cody Durden At UFC Atlanta

    Ochoa scores his first Octagon victory here after dropping his UFC debut in November, losing a decision against Lone’er Kavanagh.

    This is Durden’s second straight defeat and his fourth loss in his last five.

  • Justin Gaethje Calls UFC 300 Bout An ‘Exhibition,’ Demands Title Shot Or Bigger Pay

    Justin Gaethje Calls UFC 300 Bout An ‘Exhibition,’ Demands Title Shot Or Bigger Pay

    Justin Gaethje is certainly not happy with being sidelined from the UFC lightweight contention.

    Gaethje returned to the win column with a convincing unanimous decision victory over Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313 this past March. Wasting no time, “The Highlight” made it clear he believed he’d earned the next crack at then-lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.

    However, Makhachev vacated his title to pursue new challenges at welterweight. As a result, former featherweight king Ilia Topuria is now set to collide with Charles Oliveira in the UFC 317 headliner to determine the new lightweight king.

    Gaethje’s critics argue that a title shot would be undeserved, pointing to his dramatic, last-second knockout loss to Max Holloway in their BMF title clash at UFC 300 in April 2024 as a major blemish on his recent resume.

    Image: UFC.com

    Justin Gaethje Says UFC 300 Knockout Is Irrelevant To Title Contention

    During a recent appearance on The Makeshift Podcast, Justin Gaethje reflected on his UFC 300 clash with Max Holloway, describing it as more of a crowd-pleasing showcase for the fans and the promotion than a bout with any real implications for the lightweight division.

    “They owe me a championship fight,” Justin Gaethje said. “I’m 3-1 in my last four. They came to my house begging me to fight Max Holloway at UFC 300. I consider that an exhibition fight. I don’t mean that the loss is not on my record, it had nothing to do with the rankings in my [division at the time]. In the time that I did that, Dustin Poirier, who I had just beat, got a good win over [Benoit] Saint Denis and then fought for the belt.”

    “The Highlight” didn’t hold back as he aired his frustration over the current state of the 155-pound division, making it clear he has no intention of jeopardizing his position with any non-title bout—unless the UFC puts a massive paycheck on the table.

    “Since [I beat Fiziev], [Makhachev] had been saying he wants to fight me. They could’ve easily set that up, but they didn’t. Then he vacates, and then Oliveira is 2-2 in his last [four fights], already has a loss to Makhachev, and they bring a brand new guy in. And I get f**ked again.So I’m not going to fight any of these motherf**kers for fun unless they pay me so much more money… If I’m going to take a risky fight, if I lose, I’m going to be set up [financially], and if I win, I’m fighting for a belt — or I’m not doing it.”

    The former UFC interim lightweight champion has struggled to find consistent form in recent outings, managing a modest 4-3 record across his last seven trips to the Octagon.

    Justin Gaethje has fallen short in both of his previous attempts at undisputed UFC gold, suffering submission losses to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254 in October 2020 and Charles Oliveira at UFC 274 in May 2022.

    Image: @ufc/X

  • ‘No Quit In Phil Rowe’ – Fans & Fighters React To Phil Rowe Pulling Off Last-Minute, Comeback TKO In Slugfest At UFC Atlanta

    ‘No Quit In Phil Rowe’ – Fans & Fighters React To Phil Rowe Pulling Off Last-Minute, Comeback TKO In Slugfest At UFC Atlanta

    Most likely down two rounds heading into the third, Phil Rowe managed to look deep within him and pulled out all the stops, managing to score a literal last-minute finish of Ange Loosa during the preliminary card of UFC Atlanta.

    Loosa was largely in control for the two rounds of the fight, utilizing offensive pressure, including a couple of takedowns. Rowe attempted to get things going with knees and jabs, especially when it came to a wild, back-and-forth ending to the second round. It was at that stage, however, where Loosa dropped Rowe with a right hand.

    Rowe escaped a takedown attempt in the third round and began to take control of the fight from there, working Loosa over with combinations. Rowe continued to pressure during the round, landing a barrage of uppercuts before a crushing right hand that sent Loosa to the mat, where the referee waved it all off.

    Phil Rowe Comes From Behind To Finish Ange Loosa At UFC Atlanta

    This win allows Rowe to avoid a third straight loss. The Dana White Contender’s Series alum entered this fight off back-to-back losses against Neil Magny and Jake Matthews.

    Loosa is now winless in his last three, with 2024 seeing him go to a no contest against Bryan Battle and drop a decision to Gabriel Bonfim.

  • UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Kamaru Usman Decisions Joaquin Buckley

    UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Kamaru Usman Decisions Joaquin Buckley

    UFC Fight Night took place tonight from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights! 

    In the main event, welterweights Kamaru Usman and Joaquin Buckley clashed. While in the co-main event, Rose Namajunas faced off with Miranda Maverick in a women’s flyweight matchup. 

    UFC Fight Night Results: Main Card

    • Kamaru Usman def. Joaquin Buckley via unanimous decision (49-46×2, 48-47)  
    • Rose Namajunas def. Miranda Maverick via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28)
    • Edmen Shahbazyan def. Andre Petroski via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28)
    • Raoni Barcelos def. Cody Garbrandt via unanimous decision (29-28×3) 
    • Mansur Abdul-Malik def. Cody Brundage via technical decision (30-27, 29-28×2)
    • Alonzo Menifield def. Oumar Sy via unanimous decision (29-28×3) 

    Preliminary Card

    • Rodolfo Bellato vs. Paul Craig ruled a no-contest (accidental foul): R1, 4.59
    • Michael Chiesa def. Court McGee via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28)
    • Malcolm Wellmaker def. Kris Moutinho via KO: R1, 2.37
    • Jose Ochoa def. Cody Durden via KO: R2, 0.11
    • Ricky Simon def. Cameron Smotherman via unanimous decision (30-27×2, 29-28)
    • Phil Rowe def. Ange Loosa via TKO: R3, 4.03

    Jamey-Lyn Horth def. Vanessa Demopoulos via unanimous decision (30-27×3)

    Preliminary Card Highlights

    Phil Rowe def. Ange Loosa 

    Phil Rowe earned a TKO late in the third.

    Jose Ochoa def. Cody Durden

    Jose Ochoa stopped Cody Durden early in the second round.

    Malcolm Wellmaker def. Kris Moutinho

    Malcolm Wellmaker made quick work of Kris Moutinho on the latter’s return to the UFC.

    Rodolfo Bellato vs. Paul Craig ruled a no-contest

    Due to an accidental foul by Paul Craig at the end of round one, involving an up-kick that severely dazed Rodolfo Bellato.

    Main Card Highlights

    Alonzo Menifield def. Oumar Sy

    Alonzo Menifield got it done on the scorecards.

    Mansur Abdul-Malik def. Cody Brundage

    Mansur Abdul-Malik earned a decision win after the fight was stopped 36 seconds into the third round due to an accidental headbutt. The bout was scored up to that point.

    Raoni Barcelos def. Cody Garbrandt

    Raoni Barcelos got it done on the scorecards.

    Edmen Shahbazyan def. Andre Petroski

    Edmen Shahbazyan earned a unanimous decision.

    Rose Namajunas def. Miranda Maverick

    Rose Namajunas earned a unanimous decision.

    Kamaru Usman def. Joaquin Buckley

    In the main event, Kamaru Usman earned a unanimous decision against Joaquin Buckley.