MMA News

Category: UFC

Latest UFC news articles, interviews and more covering the world’s top Mixed Martial Arts promotion.

  • Colby Covington: Arman Tsarukyan Has The Power To Knock Out Islam Makhachev At UFC 311

    Colby Covington: Arman Tsarukyan Has The Power To Knock Out Islam Makhachev At UFC 311

    A UFC lightweight championship bout between current kingpin Islam Makhachev and challengerArman Tsarukyan is set to headline UFC 311. The pay-per-view event will take place on Jan. 18 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

    While Tsarukyan enters the fight as the underdog, former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington believes an upset is possible. “Chaos” noted that if Tsarukyan can keep the fight on the feet, he has a realistic shot at dethroning the reigning champion.

    Tsarukyan trains at American Top Team, Covington’s former gym, which is now preparing for its second consecutive lightweight title fight. “Chaos” expressed confidence in the challenger during an interview with Submission Radio.

    “I do think he can get it done. I think he’s an athlete. Look how flexible he is. Look how he got out of that choke with Charles (Oliveira). That was impressive. He dug deep for that, and you know he’s got a better coach. He’s got a great coach. I believe in Arman. He’s an athlete. He’s got big power in his hands. If he believes in his hands, I think he can knock out Makhachev.”

    This fight marks a rematch between Makhachev and Tsarukyan. They first faced off in April 2019 at a UFC Fight Night event in Moscow, where Makhachev secured a unanimous decision victory.

  • Chael Sonnen On Khamzat Chimaev vs. Bo Nickal: ‘Can’t Keep These Guys Separated Forever’

    Chael Sonnen has pushed the idea of having the UFC book a fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Bo Nickal in the not-too-distant future. 

    Chimaev faced Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 last October, winning the fight via face-crank submission in the first round. As a result, it earned “Borz” another Performance of the Night award for his efforts. 

    Nickal, meanwhile, is still learning the world of MMA in his early career, as he holds an undefeated record and is coming off a decision win over Paul Craig at UFC 309. Despite that, though, Sonnen thinks the fight must happen as their paths are going to eventually cross. 

    ”I’ve got to get Bo Nickal and Chimaev,” Sonnen said during an interview with Nickal himself. “I can’t keep these guys separated forever. We’re told that we don’t get to see this fight because of the discrepancy in the rankings. Now, Chimaev has put himself in a spot to go fight for a title.

    “Those two have been aligned from Jump Street. … Chimaev’s undefeated, Bo’s undefeated. Chimaev’s good with the wrestling, Bo’s good with the wrestling, Chimaev’s got a bunch of fans, that’s up and coming as a future title contender. Check, check, and check for Bo. I don’t know why we’re keeping them apart when we got guys under contract. Make the fight.”

  • Michael Bisping Calls Jon Jones’ Negotiation Tactics For Tom Aspinall Fight A ‘Stroke Of Genius’

    Michael Bisping Calls Jon Jones’ Negotiation Tactics For Tom Aspinall Fight A ‘Stroke Of Genius’

    Michael Bisping is impressed by the negotiation tactics that UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones appears to be using regarding whether he will fight Tom Aspinall.

    The top UFC fighter has been dismissive about a potential encounter with the interim titleholder and has expressed his desire to be paid well for a potential unification bout. 

    Jones is coming off an impressive finish victory over Stipe Miocic. Following the UFC 309 fight last November, UFC CEO Dana White has guaranteed he can make the fight happen this year. 

    Joe Rogan first noted that he heard “Bones” wanted $30 million for the fight. For ex-UFC middleweight king Bisping, Jones’ plan is coming right along. 

    “As we know, Jon Jones kind of shied away from fighting Tom Aspinall leading up to the Stipe fight, which was an absolute stroke of genius in terms of marketing, because it drove the demand through the roof, sky high, made it the fight that everybody wants to see,” Bisping said. “Well, guess what? The man is going to get paid properly more than likely. That’s the rumor.”

  • Henry Cejudo Sends 4-Word Warning To Song Yadong After Confirmation Of UFC Seattle Headliner

    Henry Cejudo Sends 4-Word Warning To Song Yadong After Confirmation Of UFC Seattle Headliner

    Henry Cejudo is set to return to the Octagon on February 22 where he will once again look to earn his first win since deciding to comeback from his 2020 retirement. “Triple C” has suffered back-to-back losses in consecutive years to teammates Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili who are the former and current holders of the bantamweight title.

    Following multiple reports, it has since been confirmed by the UFC that Cejudo will headline the promotion’s long awaited return to Seattle when he faces off with Song Yadong over five rounds at the Climate Pledge Arena. The former two-weight champion is currently ranked one spot above China’s Yadong in the top-15 rankings at 135-pounds, occupying the #7-position.

    With Yadong coming off of a loss to Petr Yan at UFC 299 in March last year, this is a massive opportunity for him to regain some serious momentum by earning the biggest win of his career to date against one of the top names in the lower weight classes. Cejudo, on the other hand, seemingly has a lot at stake in this contest.

    For as much as his return has been stifled by back-to-back losses, losing to the titleholder at the time and the man that would go on to become the champion are two defeats that he can bounce back from. The 37-year old has been fighting either champions or the top contenders for a long time so suffering a third consecutive defeat to the #8-ranked guy would be a tough moment for him to bounce back from.

    Despite what this might could mean for his career, anyone expecting a more serious version of “Triple C” appears to be mistaken. His first message on social media after the fight was confirmed followed the same pattern that fight fans have to expect from Cejudo.

  • Unranked UFC Fighter Debunks MMA Math: ‘I Can Beat Anyone In The Top 10’

    Unranked UFC Fighter Debunks MMA Math: ‘I Can Beat Anyone In The Top 10’

    It has been proven time and time again that MMA math doesn’t work. Every fight is different and the sport is at its very best when it is unpredictable rather than it being a constantly looping pattern where you can see the results coming from a mile away.

    Alexander Volkanovski may have beaten Max Holloway on three separate occasions but that doesn’t mean that he would put on the same kind of emphatic performance that “Blessed” produced against Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 last April just because he has Holloway’s number. Unfortunately for anyone that has ever missed out on a huge bet coming in, it simply doesn’t work that way in this sport, as was stressed by a member of the UFC roster in a recent social media post.

    England’s Nathaniel Wood has had a good UFC career thus far since debuting back in 2018, having 8-3 inside the Octagon across both the bantamweight and featherweight divisions. The 31-year old currently coming off of a win over Daniel Pineda at UFC 304 in Manchester with his only losses in the promotion coming to Muhammad Naimov, Casey Kenny and John Dodson.

    “The Prospect” made the point that in the UFC, anyone can beat anyone on the night. In a statement that looked to highlight his own potential, Wood stated that with the tools that he has at his disposal, if he performs as he should, he can go all the way in this sport if things fall into place for him.

    “MMA math doesn’t exist , anyone in the UFC is dangerous, I can beat anyone in the top 10 and could also lose to anyone. With my skill set I just need the opportunity and my A game on the night.”

  • Merab Dvalishvili Will Be The Bantamweight GOAT If He Beats Umar Nurmagomedov, Asserts Coach

    Merab Dvalishvili Will Be The Bantamweight GOAT If He Beats Umar Nurmagomedov, Asserts Coach

    Merab Dvalishvili has made it very clear that he didn’t want to fight as soon as UFC 311 in January and he didn’t want to face Umar Nurmagomedov in his first title defense. The undefeated challenger presents a big threat to the champion but, to Merab’s point, has only beaten one top contender in the division to earn his shot.

    Whilst it is a risky fight for Dvalishvili who seemed to get on board with the matchup when he became emotionally invested in beating Nurmagomedov to silence some of the criticism that he has faced, his coach believes that this is a massive opportunity for the Georgian. In fact, John Wood thinks that this fight could separate his fighter as the best 135-pounder of all time.

    On one hand, it seems like a very bold claim to state that you can be considered the best ever in your weight class following one successful title defense but that isn’t necessarily the case that Wood is making. A huge reason why Dvalishvili didn’t want to fight Nurmagomedov is because he felt like the challenger hadn’t earned his shot the hard way unlike him who had to accumulate 10 consecutive wins to get his first title fight inside the Octagon.

    Many believed that the 33-year old had been the champion in waiting for a long time and if you factor in his wins over top contenders like Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan and José Aldo who he beat before he faced Sean O’Malley for the gold, it presents a much better picture.

    “(If) Merab goes out and beats Umar, which I believe he will, I think there’s no question that he’s the bantamweight GOAT,” Wood told Inside Fighting. “And had all those guys that he beat been title defenses, it’s not even a question now. So I think we’re looking at the next bantamweight GOAT here shortly.”

  • Mark Zuckerberg On UFC CEO Dana White Joining Meta’s Board Of Directors: ‘His Ability To Build Such A Beloved Brand…’

    Mark Zuckerberg On UFC CEO Dana White Joining Meta’s Board Of Directors: ‘His Ability To Build Such A Beloved Brand…’

    Mark Zuckerberg announced on Monday that UFC CEO Dana White has become a member of Meta’s board of directors. The two business men have struck up a relationship in recent years due to their mutual interest in each other’s companies which has seen Zuckerberg sit cage-side for multiple UFC events.

    At one point, there was even talks of White promoting a fight between the Meta CEO and Elon Musk although that eventually dissolved.

    This move presents a new challenge for White who is always looking to challenge himself. Of course, the financial gain in becoming a part of a massive organization like Meta is sure to be a motivating factor also with White set to reportedly receive a retainer of at least $50,000 after joining the board alongside two other new members.

    Zuckerberg and Meta have been specifically linked to the UFC in recent times following White’s comments on the way that the promotion creates its ranking system for the fighters. He has spoken about wanting to use AI in order to take opinion out of the conversation following his criticism throughout 2024 regarding the current method.

    “I’ve never been interested in joining a board of directors until I got the offer to join Meta’s board,” White said in a statement. “I am a huge believer that social media and AI are the future.”

    Zuckerberg is also excited to see the value that White can bring to Meta as in his own statement. As an avid mixed martial arts fan, he praised the UFC boss for the work that he has done to transform the promotion into a major player in sport which in turn, has made MMA into a mainstream product.

    “(White) has built (UFC) into one of the most valuable, fastest growing and most popular sports enterprises in the world,” Zuckerberg wrote on Facebook. “I’ve admired him as an entrepreneur and his ability to build such a beloved brand.”

  • Movsar Evloev: Weight Change Won’t Stop Me ‘Going After’ Ilia Topuria

    Movsar Evloev: Weight Change Won’t Stop Me ‘Going After’ Ilia Topuria

    UFC featherweight contender Movsar Evloev won’t give up in his pursuit of Ilia Topuria, even if it means following him to other divisions.

    Evloev, who currently occupies the #4 spot in the 145-pound rankings, staked his claim for the next shot at Topuria’s gold with two important victories in 2024.

    The undefeated Russian outpointed perennial contender Arnold Allen and former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling to extend his perfect professional and UFC records to 19-0 and 9-0, respectively.

    With that, Evloev has entered the new year with his sights firmly set on “El Matador,” whom he was slated to face back in 2022 before a cancellation.

    Unfortunately for the charging 30-year-old, though, Topuria may have different plans. The champ recently caused a stir by revealing plans to move up to the lightweight division, even suggesting his title defense opposite Max Holloway last October may have marked his final time competing at 145 pounds.

    Should that be the case, Evloev has insisted that the door will remain open for him and Topuria to settle their differences.

    “To be honest, it’s not easy to even understand what’s going on,” Evloev told MMA Fighting regarding his next fight. “Because Max [Holloway] said he will not come back to featherweight again. So Ilia’s talking that he’s moving up, also, especially after my fight. I don’t know what’s going on. For me, it doesn’t matter who will be my next opponent.

    “Even if the champion moves up, he will leave the title. I will get the title and then I will follow him. Lightweight is not too far for me,” Evloev continued. “Even if he moves up, I will take the belt first because this is my first goal. So then I will go after him, even if he goes to middleweight. It doesn’t matter. He’s not a big guy. I don’t need to cut the weight to beat this guy. I need his head on my list.”

    Despite his comments and talk of potentially dropping the featherweight belt to avoid more rough weight cuts in the division, Topuria attempted to clarify things last month, insisting he won’t leave the belt vacant.

  • Colby Covington On How ‘Easy’ Michael Chandler Fight Would Go: ‘Definitely Done Some Steroids…’

    Colby Covington On How ‘Easy’ Michael Chandler Fight Would Go: ‘Definitely Done Some Steroids…’

    Former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington likes his chances in a potential clash with Michael Chandler.

    Sine the start of 2023, Chandler has had his sights firmly set on being the opposition for Conor McGregor’s comeback fight. And that appears to still be the case despite close to two years passing by.

    In the meantime, the ex-Bellator titleholder faced and lost to Charles Oliveira last November, pushing him to a 2-4 record inside the Octagon. Nevertheless, his entertaining style looks to have kept the McGregor fight on the table.

    But like last year, Chandler isn’t without backup options.

    Last month, the veteran lightweight contender suggested he’d be open to doing battle with Covington up at welterweight. The comments came shortly before “Chaos” suffered a brutal loss at the hands of Joaquin Buckley in Tampa.

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Covington looked ahead to what 2025 could have in store for him following two straight defeats. He noted Chandler’s interest in a fight, sharing the same sentiment while slipping in a steroid allegation for good measure.

    “I don’t blame Michael for wanting the next biggest fight he could possibly get. That’s me,” Covington said. “So, he loves to get beat up. He loves to get his face smacked, and if that’s the fight the UFC wants, then I love that fight. … I hope it comes to fruition. But, I don’t know. I think he’s all talk, I don’t think he’s any walk.

    “I see myself overpowering him. He’s definitely done some steroids to bulk up, so ’70 looks like a weight class he could fit into. … He’s like a (Islam) Makhachev. These guys are weight bullies. … There’s no reason he shouldn’t come up to 170,” Covington continued. “How I see the fight going, it’s a very easy fight. I see me breaking his will. If it’s five rounds, for sure he’s not hanging out. … I just see him quitting, him breaking, like in the Dustin (Poirier) fight. … It would be a catastrophe for him.”

    With the result on Dec. 14, Covington is now 2-4 across his last six fights and 0-4 against those currently ranked inside the welterweight top 15.

  • UFC 311: Arman Tsarukyan Teases ‘One Trick’ That Will Make The Difference Against Islam Makhachev

    UFC 311: Arman Tsarukyan Teases ‘One Trick’ That Will Make The Difference Against Islam Makhachev

    Arman Tsarukyan seemingly has a special weapon ready to bring out when he challenges for Islam Makhachev’s lightweight title at UFC 311.

    Tsarukyan will have his first shot at gold on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage next weekend, when he headlines the first pay-per-view of the new year opposite Makhachev.

    The pair will run it back almost six years on from their first showdown, a three-round clash at a UFC Fight Night in Moscow that went the distance and was won by the current champ.

    During a fight camp video uploaded to the Red Corner MMA YouTube channel, Tsarukyan explained how he plans on securing a different outcome against the Dagestani second time around.

    “Of course, I’ve got one trick prepared that I believe in,” Tsarukyan said. “I know it will work. And it will change the whole course of the fight.”

    The rematch between Makhachev and Tsarukyan headlines the Jan. 18 card inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome, with Merab Dvalishvili’s first bantamweight defense opposite Umar Nurmagomedov marking the other title fight on the lineup.

    Elsewhere, the likes of Jiří Procházka, Renato Moicano, Kevin Holland, Johnny Walker, Payton Talbott and Jailton Almeida will look to kick off their year in style.

  • Chael Sonnen Backs Khabib Nurmagomedov On Topic Of Dagestan’s MMA Superiority: ‘It Might Offend You, But…’

    Chael Sonnen Backs Khabib Nurmagomedov On Topic Of Dagestan’s MMA Superiority: ‘It Might Offend You, But…’

    Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen doesn’t believe Khabib Nurmagomedov said anything egregious when outlining his region’s dominance over the rest of the world in mixed martial arts.

    The topic of Dagestani superiority in MMA has risen to the surface ahead of Usman Nurmagomedov’s Bellator lightweight title defense later this month. The cousin of Khabib will put his gold on the line in the United Arab Emirates, headlining the PFL’s Champions Series: Road to Dubai event opposite Paul Hughes.

    With the challenger hailing from Ireland, comparisons have been made to “The Eagle’s” bad-blood clash with Conor McGregor in 2018. And when it comes to Dagestan and Ireland colliding, Khabib doesn’t think there’s any debate about which region is in front.

    In fact, while outlining that on social media, the former UFC champ went a step further and expressed confidence in a Dagestan team getting the better of a squad from around the world in amateur MMA.

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen dismissed any suggestion that Khabib’s remarks weren’t accurate.

    “The village that Khabib lives in, there’s 2,000 people, there was seven Olympic champions. Seven of them have Olympic gold medals. That is crazy,” Sonnen said. “2,000, that’s how many people I had in my high school. Khabib’s point of bragging about Dagestan, per-capita versus anywhere on Earth, you might not like it, it might offend you, but there’s no way to say he’s wrong.”

    While Usman will be hoping to prove his relative correct come fight night on Jan. 15, when “The Eagle” will be in his corner, Hughes has vowed to upset the Dagestani contingent before throwing an ‘I told you so’ comment the way of Khabib.

  • ‘Where Is Topuria?’ – Fans Debate Islam Makhachev Being Heavy Favorite To Finish 2025 As UFC LW Champion

    ‘Where Is Topuria?’ – Fans Debate Islam Makhachev Being Heavy Favorite To Finish 2025 As UFC LW Champion

    The odds are in for the UFC’s champions in 2025, and betting lines for a number of divisions have stirred debate.

    As always, titles are expected to change hands on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage in the new year. DraftKings doesn’t, however, have the lightweight class as one in which a new kingpin will likely be crowned.

    Opening odds for who will have UFC gold in their possession in 12 months’ time recently emerged, with Islam Makhachev set as the favorite to be occupying the 155-pound throne at the end of 2025.

    For that to be the case, the Dagestani will first need to get past the second favorite on the list, Arman Tsarukyan, in their headlining rematch at UFC 311 in Los Angeles next weekend.

    The odds have Tsarukyan at +500 to finish 2025 as the UFC lightweight titleholder, being pipped to the post by Makhachev’s -120 line.

    That, in addition to the figures beside names like Charles Oliveira, Renato Moicano, and Dan Hooker, have split opinion in the MMA community online.

    One of the biggest talking points came via an absent name from the list — UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria, who has expressed interest in returning to 155 pounds this year.

    https://twitter.com/nobody_goat_mma/status/1875939245405380921
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  • Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong Headlines UFC Seattle, Dominick Cruz Returns In Co-Main Event

    Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong Headlines UFC Seattle, Dominick Cruz Returns In Co-Main Event

    Next month’s UFC Fight Night in Seattle looks likely to be a key one in the context of the bantamweight division.

    The mixed martial arts leader will head to Washington to close out its February schedule from the Climate Pledge Arena, where multiple former champions and ranked contenders will be in action.

    Prior to this week, Edson Barboza vs. Steve Garcia, Brendan Allen vs. Anthony Hernandez, and Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev marked some of the bouts already announced. And now, the Seattle event on Feb. 22 has its main and co-main events set.

    UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell confirmed to ESPN Monday that former two-division champion Henry Cejudo (16-4) will return in the main event, sharing the cage with fellow top 10 bantamweight contender Song Yadong (21-8-1, 1 NC). The matchup was first reported earlier in the day by @realkevink on X.

    Campbell also revealed to Mike Coppinger that the co-headliner will see legendary 135lber Dominick Cruz (24-4) compete for the first time in over two years. The former UFC and WEC champion is slated to do battle with a fellow veteran in Rob Font (21-8), which could mark Cruz’s “last dance” if his most recent comments on a comeback prove true.

    With these additions, the current fights expected to take place at the UFC Fight Night in Seattle on Feb. 22 are as follows:

    • Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong (bantamweight main event)
    • Rob Font vs. Dominick Cruz (bantamweight co-main event)
    • Edson Barboza vs. Steve Garcia (featherweight)
    • Brendan Allen vs. Anthony Hernandez (middleweight)
    • Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev (heavyweight)
    • Jean Silva vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan (featherweight)
    • Ion Cutelaba vs. Ibo Aslan (light heavyweight)
    • Adam Fugitt vs. Islam Dulatov (welterweight)
    • Modestas Bukauskas vs. Raffael Cerqueira (light heavyweight)
    • Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Antonio Trócoli (middleweight)
  • Sean O’Malley’s Coach Claims Umar Nurmagomedov Can Afford Fighting Injured Due To His Last Name

    Sean O’Malley’s Coach Claims Umar Nurmagomedov Can Afford Fighting Injured Due To His Last Name

    The first UFC pay-per-view for 2025, UFC 311, will be headlined by Islam Makhachev as he defends his lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan. In the co-main event, Merab Dvalishvili will also aim to defend his UFC bantamweight title against Umar Nurmagomedov.

    Two highly competitive title fights on a single card is naturally a delight for fans worldwide. However, it didn’t sit well with many when Nurmagomedov shed light on his arm injury leading up to UFC 311.

    Early rumors suggested that the arm injury would stop him from competing this month. However, the Dagestani eventually agreed to fight “The Machine.” Even though X-ray reports suggested that he broke his arm, Nurmagomedov continued training and now feels fit enough to take part in his first UFC title fight.

    Sean O’Malley is no stranger to enterting the Octagon with injuries. While discussing the topic in an interview for the Submission Radio YouTube channel, the former champ’s coach Tim Welch had an interesting take on why Nurmagomedov could be fighting with an injury at UFC 311.

    “They know they’re going to get the title shot eventually. So, I don’t think he’s going to be that hurt. I think he’s probably going to be, probably more healthy and more ready than people think. And, yeah, it’s like I said, for these title shots, it’s like, for some people, you’ll get one title shot your whole career, the rest of your life. For Umar, with his last name, I feel like even if he lost this Merab fight, he wins two more, he gets back into the title picture.”

    According to “Red Hawk,” being associated with the Nurmagomedov clan greatly benefits the UFC 311 title challenger. He stated that even if the undefeated bantamweight loses his first shot at the title, he’ll likely find himself in the same scenario with another win or two.

    Welch thinks that having some of the best and most popular MMA fighters in his camp also ensures that Nurmagomedov’s decision to fight at UFC 311 is calculated. He expects the Dagestani team to stop Dvalishvili from getting into comfortable ground positions which will eventually affect his cardio.

  • UFC 311: Arman Tsarukyan Reveals Islam Makhachev’s Supportive Words After Defeat In First Fight

    UFC 311: Arman Tsarukyan Reveals Islam Makhachev’s Supportive Words After Defeat In First Fight

    On April 20 in 2019, Arman Tsarukyan would suffer just the second loss of his pro career at the time when he stepped into his UFC debut on short notice. Little did he know that six years later, at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, he would get the opportunity to earn his revenge against the same opponent that welcomed him to the Octagon in St. Petersburg.

    The top contender in the lightweight division will face Islam Makhachev for the 155-pound title in the main event of UFC 311 in their second encounter. Despite their history with one another, and Tsarukyan’s pursuit of his former foe up the division’s rankings, there isn’t any bad blood between them in the build-up to January 18.

    In fact, Tsarukyan recently revealed that the current lightweight champion game him plenty of praise and encouragement in the immediate aftermath of their first contest in Russia. The Armenian may have lost the fight but he was able to impress a lot of people with his performance after he was able to really test one of the most highly regarded rising contenders in the division over three rounds.

    It seems that it wasn’t just fans that came away with good things to say about the lightweight division’s newest arrival. The challenger spoke in a video put out by Red Corner MMA about how Makhachev consoled him after he was devastated to have lost his UFC debut.

    “Yes, of course I do. After the battle, he supported me and said, ‘You’re still young. Everything is ahead of you. Don’t be upset.’ And I was like, ‘I’m not that young,’ fell down, well, sat down and covered my eyes. Yes, I never liked losing, no matter how young I was.”

  • UFC Hall Of Famer: Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson ‘Made Me Want To Vomit’

    UFC Hall Of Famer: Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson ‘Made Me Want To Vomit’

    The boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson may have broken viewership records after being streamed live on Netflix but that doesn’t mean that every audience member came away satisfied. It was always going to be a controversial bout from the moment that it was announced due to the huge age gap between the two men.

    Anyone tuning in and expecting a great contest was likely destined to be underwhelmed and that’s the lasting feeling that many were left with once Paul got his hand raised via a unanimous decision. “The Problem Child” has always been divisive and nowhere is that more true than when it comes to veteran fighters who made their names by competing at the highest level.

    One of the latest icons to voice his displeasure is MMA pioneer and UFC legend, Don Frye. The 59-year old is known for putting on some classic fights during the early days of the sport including the iconic battle he had with Yoshihiro Takayama in PRIDE which won fight of the year 23 years ago.

    A lot has changed since Frye was at his peak and it’s not surprising in the slightest that he didn’t enjoy the time that he spent in the company of the most talked about fight of 2024. He gave his thoughts on the fight and revealed how he attempted to wash it down with an immediate palette cleanser during a recent video on the YouTube channel of his former UFC and PRIDE opponent, Gary Goodridge.

    “That made me want to vomit. I was so disgusted with that. I had to go home and put in Tommy Hearns and Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard and Jake Lamotta, Rocky Marciano. [I] had to watch some real fighters. If I didn’t do that, I’d never watch another boxing match again. That was a fraud.”

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  • Colby Covington Pondering Middleweight Move To Face ‘Cardio Kickboxer’ Sean Strickland

    Colby Covington Pondering Middleweight Move To Face ‘Cardio Kickboxer’ Sean Strickland

    Former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington is pondering a career change following his latest setback.

    Covington made his first appearance of 2024 in the year’s final fight, headlining the UFC event in Tampa, Florida on Dec. 14 opposite the fast-charging Joaquin Buckley.

    While “Chaos” had hoped to bounce back from his third failed attempt at achieving undisputed kingpin status at 170 pounds, he was unable to blemish Buckley’s still-perfect record in the division since he made the move down from middleweight.

    And weeks on from that result, Covington is now pondering going the other way.

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Covington once again shut down the idea of cutting weight to compete in the lightweight class. Instead, he suggested that a move up to 185 pounds could be on the cards, especially given his view on the likes of former middleweight champ Sean Strickland.

    “Colby realized that he doesn’t want to kill himself. He doesn’t want to be a weight bully. You know Islam (Makhachev), these guys at lightweight, the Khabibs of the world, they’re little lightweight bullies,” Covington said. “They just have such a weight advantage of 30-40 pounds, but it’s just not healthy. … I don’t see myself ever trying to go to (155 pounds), even though I know I could make it and I’d probably be way stronger. … But (185 pounds) honestly is intriguing.

    “I mean the Sean Strickland fight’s always interesting. He’s had his things to say about me in the past. I don’t think he’s any special,” Covington continued. “He’s got a jab, he’s got a front kick, but besides that, you shut down those weapons down and he’s very limited. He’s just a cardio kickboxer essentially, so you know, I don’t see any threats.”

    Strickland and Covington have gone back and forth numerous times in the past, with the former notably scathing “Chaos” back in 2022 and branding him a “Karen” for how he reacted to an altercation with Fabrício Werdum.

    For now, “Tarzan” has his sights on regaining the middleweight crown from Dricus Du Plessis in their rematch next month. The pair are set to run it back in the main event of UFC 312 in Australia on Feb. 8.

  • Kayla Harrison Called Out For Interim Title Fight Amid Rumors Of Julianna Peña Injury

    Kayla Harrison Called Out For Interim Title Fight Amid Rumors Of Julianna Peña Injury

    Should Kayla Harrison’s first UFC title fight come in the interim variety, one fellow contender has thrown her name into the hat.

    Harrison staked her claim for a championship opportunity with a 2-0 debut year in the UFC, which saw her submit former champion Holly Holm and defeat Ketlen Vieira on the scorecards.

    Her win over the Brazilian came on the same card that saw Julianna Peña return to the throne at Raquel Pennington’s expense, seemingly setting up their showdown for 2025.

    But should recent remarks from Harrison’s manager prove to be true, the two-time Olympic gold medalist may have some work to do before facing “The Venezuelan Vixen.”

    “This is what I was being told. Julianna Peña, if she’s not ready to fight Kayla, she might have some health problem, it’s going to be an interim title,” Ali Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. “Hundred percent this is what’s going to happen. And the UFC is just not going to hold the division because somebody don’t want to fight or are injured.”

    And in terms of who an interim title fight could come against, Norma Dumont evidently sees herself as the only logical choice.

    “I hope they don’t accept a fight for the interim belt with an athlete who is coming off a defeat to Julianna. I am the athlete with the longest streak in the (weight class) and the only one who has the physical and technical capacity to overcome it, Dumont was quoted as saying by Brazilian outlet Ag. Fight. “And you know it! So we’re going to have a really interesting fight for the bantamweight (interim title).” 

    Dumont has risen to #4 in the rankings courtesy of two straight wins since returning to bantamweight. After getting the better of former champ Germaine de Randamie, the 34-year-old most recently outpointed Irene Aldana at the Sphere-held UFC 306 pay-per-view.

  • ‘Bet The House On Ankalaev’ – Fans Debate Alex Pereira Being Favorite To End 2025 As UFC LHW Champion

    ‘Bet The House On Ankalaev’ – Fans Debate Alex Pereira Being Favorite To End 2025 As UFC LHW Champion

    The odds are in for the UFC’s champions in 2025, and betting lines for a number of divisions have stirred debate.

    As always, titles are expected to change hands on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage in the new year. DraftKings doesn’t, however, have the light heavyweight class as one in which a new kingpin could be crowned.

    Opening odds for who will have UFC gold in their possession in 12 months’ time recently emerged, with Alex Pereira set as the favorite to be occupying the 205-pound throne at the end of 2025.

    For that to be the case, the Brazilian would seemingly need to get past the challenge of top contender Magomed Ankalaev. The Russian has long staked his claim for a shot at Pereira, and despite the champ pointing to a different assignment next time out, many still expect the one-time challenger to get his opportunity this year.

    The odds have Ankalaev as the second favorite to finish 2025 as the UFC light heavyweight titleholder at +195, being pipped to the post by “Poatan’s” -120 line.

    That, in addition to the figures beside names like Khamzat Chimaev, Jamahal Hill, and Jan Błachowicz, have split opinion in the MMA community online.

    https://twitter.com/michaeljdr77/status/1875678189395354109
    https://twitter.com/mma_zay/status/1875729388186300608
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  • Lightweight Prospect Calls For Michael Chandler’s Removal From The Rankings: ‘He’s 2-4 In The UFC!’

    According to one up-and-comer, Michael Chandler has no business having a number next to his name in the UFC lightweight division.

    Chandler has had an up and down run since joining the UFC from Bellator, where he was a former three-time champion. He’s been unable to win gold on MMA’s biggest stage and has accumulated a negative record.

    While “Iron” has scored memorable knockouts of Dan Hooker and Tony Ferguson, he’s tasted defeat twice as much as he has victory in the UFC, falling to Charles Oliveira twice in addition to Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje.

    Despite the state of his Octagon record, however, Chandler remains highly ranked at #7. During a recent interview with Inside Fighting, the unranked Grant Dawson gave his assessment of that, calling for the veteran to be booted from the top 15.

    “There are people who do not belong in the top 15 let alone the top 10,” Dawson said. “If you like at somebody like Michael Chandler, he’s 2-4 in the UFC. You put his record up against my record, 11-1 in the UFC, assuming I beat Diego (Ferreira). 11-1 in the UFC compared to 2-4 in the UFC, and you say, ‘Yeah, the 11-1 guy (is) not ranked. The 2-4 guy ranked in the top 10, top seven.’ It doesn’t make any sense.

    “You’ve got these guys, they’re not looking to fight the up-and-comers,” Dawson continued. “They need to take Michael Chandler out of there.”

    After going unbeaten across his first nine UFC fights and defeating the highly regarded Damir Ismagulov, Dawson broke through into the lightweight rankings. But a shock 33-second knockout loss to King Green quickly changed that.

    The American Top Team standout has since been looking to work his way back up the ladder. Thus far, that’s seen him outpoint Joe Solecki and stop Rafa Garcia via TKO in back-to-back contests.

    He’ll next look to make it three wins on the bounce when he collides with lightweight vet Diego Ferreira at UFC 311 in Los Angeles on Jan. 18.

  • Sean O’Malley Sets Ideal Scenario For His Journey To Reclaiming UFC Bantamweight Title

    Sean O’Malley Sets Ideal Scenario For His Journey To Reclaiming UFC Bantamweight Title

    Sean O’Malley is determined to reclaim his place on the UFC’s bantamweight throne.

    The former champion, one of the UFC’s top stars, is coming off a decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 last September, a setback that ended a three-fight winning streak that included capturing and defending the bantamweight title.

    “Suga” was largely outgrappled by Dvalishvili inside the Sphere but showed flashes of his striking prowess, including a body kick that hurt the Georgian late in the fight. Now, O’Malley is already eyeing a path back to the title.

    Speaking at a pre-fight press conference ahead of RIZIN 49, O’Malley expressed his hopes for a rematch with Dvalishvili, who is set to defend the bantamweight title against undefeated rising star Umar Nurmagomedov on Jan. 18.

    “Ideally, Merab beats Umar and I get the rematch,” O’Malley said. “But if Umar wins, it’ll be Umar. That’s what I want next: a title fight. Hopefully mid-next year. So, the winner of that one. That fight’s coming up very, very soon.”

  • UFC 311: Beneil Dariush Explains The Key To Beating Islam Makhachev

    Beneil Dariush believes that defeating UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev requires mastering the striking game and has shared his insights on how he would approach such a challenge.

    Makhachev is set to defend his title in a highly anticipated rematch against Arman Tsarukyan later this month in the UFC 311 main event at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

    Makhachev has been nearly unstoppable in his career, boasting a 14-fight winning streak since his sole loss — a knockout defeat to Adriano Martins in October 2015. His dominance in grappling and pressure-heavy style has made him one of the most formidable fighters in the division.

    “You have to meet his feints,” Dariush explained to Inside Fighting. “He does a lot of feints and fakes. If you don’t meet those, he’s going to push you back and put pressure on you just with that. If you can meet his feints, you start to see his reactions and understand what he wants to do.”

    Dariush emphasized the importance of being a well-rounded fighter but suggested that a specialization in striking, combined with solid grappling skills, could be the key to dethroning the champion.

    “He specializes in grappling, so it’s going to cancel out [if you’re also a good grappler]. But if you specialize in striking and are good enough to grapple, I think you can put more pressure on him.”

    The UFC veteran will also be in action at UFC 311, facing Renato Moicano in a lightweight bout on the same main card.

  • Daniel Cormier Thinks Ilia Topuria Is Poised To Become ‘Global Superstar’ In 2025

    Daniel Cormier Thinks Ilia Topuria Is Poised To Become ‘Global Superstar’ In 2025

    Ilia Topuria had an extraordinary 2024, solidifying his position as a dominant force in the UFC featherweight division.

    The undefeated fighter’s knockout victories over Alexander Volkanovski to claim the title in February and Max Holloway in October’s title defense have caught the attention of UFC Hall of Famer and commentator Daniel Cormier.

    For Cormier, Topuria’s skill and dominance are undeniable, but he acknowledges that the rising star doesn’t yet have the same name recognition as Volkanovski or Holloway. However, “DC” believes the Spaniard’s recent victories and growing exposure could propel him to superstardom.

    “You have to beat the prior generation to take from it,” Cormier explained to MMA Junkie. “It’s like [professional] wrestling. The old champion gets pinned by the new champion to build. That’s why The Ultimate Warrior pinned Hulk Hogan, and Hogan didn’t like to get pinned. But they needed him to get the rub. Now, what Ilia is going to do is take a lot of that shine from Volkanovski and Max — especially if Volk gets a rematch and he beats him again — and turn that into global superstardom.”

    Cormier emphasized that Topuria’s ability to draw numbers will be tested in fights against less established names.

    “I think he’s still got work to do at 145,” Cormier said. “Unfortunately, he’s going to beat the guys that sell early, so he’s going to have to carry Diego Lopes, he’s going to have to carry [Movsar] Evloev to numbers. Because the numbers in the weight class now for the last nine years have belonged to Volkanovski and Holloway. He’s going to have to carry those new guys because they don’t have the cache that these last two had.”

    As Topuria continues to dominate, his ability to grow into a marquee star will depend on how effectively he can translate his in-cage success into broader fan appeal, particularly against up-and-coming opponents.

  • Umar Nurmagomedov Interview Revealing Broken Arm Ahead Of UFC 311 Fight Gets Pulled

    Umar Nurmagomedov Interview Revealing Broken Arm Ahead Of UFC 311 Fight Gets Pulled

    Umar Nurmagomedov recently hinted that Merab Dvalishvili might withdraw from their UFC 311 co-main event title fight, scheduled for Jan. 18 in Los Angeles. However, some fight fans speculate the opposite — that Nurmagomedov could be the one to pull out.

    The speculation stems from Nurmagomedov’s broken arm sustained late last year. Initially, he deemed the injury too severe to compete in January, but he eventually agreed to the bout. In an interview with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto, Nurmagomedov admitted he is not fully recovered.

    “After I was in Dagestan, I punched my arm,” Nurmagomedov said. “I went to the doctor, got an X-ray, and they said, ‘You broke [your arm].’ Even after that, 20 days later, I started running and doing shadowboxing to stay in shape. The pain was still there, but I kept training. Over time, it felt better.”

    Nurmagomedov detailed how he resumed training despite concerns from his team.

    “I started grappling, wrestling, and even throwing punches,” he continued. “I told my manager Ali [Abdelaziz], ‘I want to fight.’ He reminded me I was injured, but I insisted. Even my brother said, ‘Are you crazy? You can’t fight like this.’ But when the UFC asked again, I told Ali to make it happen. I want to fight in Ramadan if Merab agrees.”

    Interestingly, UFC has since removed Nurmagomedov’s interview from YouTube, further fueling speculation.

    As of now, it remains unavailable, though it could be reuploaded at a later time.

  • Cain Velasquez Signs As Global Fight League Team Manager Weeks Before Sentencing For Attempted Murder Charge

    Cain Velasquez Signs As Global Fight League Team Manager Weeks Before Sentencing For Attempted Murder Charge

    Cain Velasquez is now set to channel his fighting spirit into a managerial role with one of the newest MMA organizations on the scene.

    On Friday, the Global Fight League (GFL) revealed in an official statement that former UFC heavyweight champion Velasquez has signed on with the promotion as a team manager. Accompanying him in this venture is his trusted associate, the esteemed American Kickboxing Academy coach Javier Mendez, who will take on the role of head coach for Velasquez’s team.

    This announcement comes at a pivotal moment, as Velasquez is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 24 for sentencing related to attempted murder charges. In August 2024, he entered a no-contest plea in a California court to charges including felony attempted murder, assault, and multiple weapons-related offenses arising from a February 2022 altercation.

    The 42-year-old Californian is facing allegations of firing several shots at Harry Goularte, who was allegedly involved in molesting Velasquez’s then-four-year-old son. In the chaos of the high-speed pursuit, Velasquez struck Goularte’s stepfather, Paul Bender, instead.

    Velasquez was arrested without resistance by local authorities and, due to the severity of the charges, spent eight months in incarceration. He was eventually granted bail in November 2022, set at a $1 million bond.

    GFL is set to make its debut in April, though the exact date remains under wraps. Unlike traditional formats, GFL introduces a league-based structure with playoffs, offering a fresh approach by incorporating a team-oriented format, unlike the PFL’s individual-centric model.

    The promotion has already signed an impressive roster of over 300 fighters, many of whom are well-known names from major organizations like the UFC, Bellator, and PFL. Notable fighters such as Paige VanZant, Tyron Woodley, Luke Rockhold, and other prominent figures will headline the action.