Sean Woodson continues to score wins, and this time it came with a bang as he pulled off a major finish of Fernando Padilla during the preliminary card of UFC Tampa.
Woodson had to outlast an early surge from Padilla, but he fought back to fire off his own flurries during the second half of the first round.
“The Sniper” then fired off back-to-back powerful one-two combinations to drop the Mexican in the closing seconds of the first round. Woodson needed just a little ground-and-pound before the referee stepped in to wave off the fight.
This UFC Tampa victory increased Woodson’s run without a defeat to eight straight fights, tying him for longest active unbeaten streak in the UFC’s featherweight division. Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy have the same kind of streak currently.
The 32-year-old finishes 2024 3-0, defeating Charles Jourdain and Alex Caceres earlier this year.
Padilla., meanwhile, falls to 2-2 since making his UFC debut in April 2023.
Tom Aspinall has shared a compelling argument for why Jon Jones might not be regarded as the greatest fighter of all time.
For years, Jones’ name has been enshrined in conversations about the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, with his career achievements loudly affirming why he’s often seen as deserving of that title.
“Bones” cemented his place in UFC history as the youngest champion ever, capturing the light heavyweight title at just 23 years old. With a remarkable career record of 28-1, his sole loss remains a hotly debated blemish. Furthermore, Jones holds an unbroken streak in 16 world title fights, underscoring his dominance in the sport.
However, as the saying goes, nothing in this universe is flawless.
Jones’ decorated career has not been without its blemishes, plagued by a string of high-profile controversies, including multiple notorious positive tests for banned substances. It’s this shadow over his legacy that fuels Aspinall’s belief that, despite Jones’ monumental achievements, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion falls short of earning the GOAT title.
During a recent interview with Piers Morgan, Aspinall began by recognizing “Bones” for his impressive achievements but quickly shifted focus to the American’s failed drug tests, calling him a cheat. According to the Brit, those infractions gave Jones an unfair advantage over his opponents.
“Let me first start by saying Jon is absolutely elite, and I completely agree with the notion that he’s one of the best fighters ever,” Aspinall said. “Potentially [the greatest], but the way that I look at is he has failed a couple of drug tests. To me, that rules you out of being the best of all-time. For me, personally.
“If you’re on steroids or whatever — I don’t think he was on steroids, but he was on PEDs, performance-enhancing drugs. If you’re on PEDs and your opponent isn’t, that’s absolutely cheating in my book unless you’re both allowed to do it.”
British heavyweight Tom Aspinall brands UFC rival Jon Jones a cheat for failing drugs tests.
"To me that rules you out of being the best of all time."
Watch the full interview on YouTube at 7pm(UK) / 2pm(EST).
Jones made the first defense of his heavyweight title with a dominant third-round TKO victory over Stipe Miocic at UFC 309. Since then, speculation has been running rampant about who might be next in line to challenge him. As the interim heavyweight champion, Aspinall is widely regarded as the natural contender for a shot at the undisputed title.
Alexander Gustafsson, widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists to never capture a UFC title, is officially parting ways with the promotion after 15 years and 18 fights.
The Swedish star’s most iconic moment came at UFC 165 in September 2013, where he pushed Jon Jones to the limit in a fight many consider one of the greatest in UFC history. Although Gustafsson lost by decision, some fans and analysts believed he had done enough to win. He later challenged for the light heavyweight championship on two more occasions, falling short against Daniel Cormier and in a rematch with Jones.
In recent years, “The Mauler” has struggled to find his footing, losing his last four fights. These include a knockout loss to Jones in their rematch, submission defeats to Anthony Smith and Fabricio Werdum, and a KO loss to Nikita Krylov in July 2022, which marked his most recent bout.
In a recent interview with Matias Andres of Maximum Sports, Gustafsson’s manager, Majdi Shammas, revealed that the veteran fighter had requested and been granted his release from the UFC.
“We asked the UFC to release Alex from his contract,” Shammas said. “They agreed, and we’re grateful for that.”
Gustafsson has since signed a lucrative deal with the Global Fight League (GFL), although the terms allow him to pick and choose his fights rather than locking him into an exclusive contract.
“There are a lot of interesting things that could come up along the way,” Shammas explained. “The GFL has given us a very appealing deal at this stage of our careers, and it’s simply the right time and the right place to strike a deal like this.”
🚨The Global Fight League will launch in April 2025 🗓️ #HelwaniShow
✅6 teams ✅4 continents ✅MMA Draft ✅300+ fighters eligible to be drafted ✅120 fighters will be drafted ✅20 fighters ✅10 divisions (2 fighters per division) ✅GFL Draft will begin in January 2025… pic.twitter.com/oD7tl4odVs
In addition to his GFL deal, Gustafsson has reportedly received an offer from the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC). He is expected to debut against a well-known former UFC or Bellator fighter, potentially adding an exciting new chapter to his storied career.
The main event between Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov won’t be the only huge middleweight fight toward the top of the UFC Saudi Arabia lineup.
The Octagon is set to touch down in Riyadh for the second time on Feb. 1, 2025. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed the headliner between Adesanya and Imavov in a social media video this week, alongside an intriguing co-main event that should excite striking fans.
After Red Corner MMA first reported that Shara Magomedov had agreed to meet welterweight contender Michael “Venom” Page in a clash between two of MMA’s most dangerous and exciting standup fighters, White officially announced the UFC Saudi Arabia matchup. Page previously expressed interest in this bout following Magomedov’s latest win, stating that he’d be happy to compete at middleweight.
This fight at UFC Saudi Arabia sees “MVP” move to 185 pounds after fighting twice inside the Octagon at welterweight. The former Bellator star has gone 1-1 since debuting in the UFC earlier this year. A decisive win over Kevin Holland in March was followed by a decision loss to Ian Garry at UFC 303, where the Irishman lent on his grappling ability to secure the victory.
Magomedov, meanwhile, has been incredible value for money since his arrival in the promotion last year, winning four in a row to obtain a top 15 ranking next to his name at 185 pounds. In his toughest test to date, “Bullet” secured his third consecutive Performance of the Night bonus by knocking out Armen Petrosyan with a double spinning backfist at UFC 308 last month.
With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC Saudi Arabia are as follows:
Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov (middleweight main event)
Shara Magomedov vs. Michael Page (middleweight co-main event)
Ikram Aliskerov vs. Andre Muniz (middleweight)
Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (heavyweight)
Said Nurmagomedov vs. Vinicius Oliveira (bantamweight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Jamal Pogues (heavyweight)
Bogdan Grad vs. Lucas Alexander (featherweight)
Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady vs. Jordan Leavitt (lightweight)
Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Mayra Bueno Silva (women’s flywight)
Shamil Gaziev vs. Thomas Petersen (heavyweight)
Muhammad Naimov vs. Kaan Ofli (featherweight)
Terrance McKinney vs. Damir Hadžović (lightweight)
The UFC has finalized a fight between former two-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and the rising Nassourdine Imavov for early 2025.
Knockout Alerts reported a number of weeks ago that the bout was planned to headline the second UFC Fight Night event in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1, 2025, at The Venue in Riyadh. That’s now been made official, with UFC CEO Dana White announcing the matchup in a social media video.
Israel Adesanya, once unbeaten with a 20-0 record and a dominant reign at middleweight, has faced a turbulent career path in recent years.
After his first career loss to Jan Błachowicz at UFC 259 in a bid for the light heavyweight title, the Nigerian-New Zealander defended the belt against Marvin Vettori, Robert Whittaker, and Jared Cannonier. He lost the championship to Alex Pereira at UFC 281, only to reclaim it one fight later with a spectacular KO victory over “Poatan” at UFC 287.
His momentum faltered again when Sean Strickland defeated him by decision at UFC 293, and he subsequently lost a chance to reclaim the title against Dricus Du Plessis by submission this past August. This upcoming fight could be a crucial step toward getting Adesanya back into title contention.
Nassourdine Imavov, currently holding a 15-4 record, has been building momentum with three consecutive victories, including two by decision. Most recently, he defeated Brendan Allen in a UFC Fight Night main event in Paris this past September.
A win over Adesanya would be the biggest of “The Sniper’s” career and could propel him into the middleweight title conversation.
With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC Fight Night Saudi Arabia are as follows:
Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov (middleweight main event)
Shara Magomedov vs. Michael Page (middleweight co-main event)
Ikram Aliskerov vs. Andre Muniz (middleweight)
Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (heavyweight)
Said Nurmagomedov vs. Vinicius Oliveira (bantamweight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Jamal Pogues (heavyweight)
Bogdan Grad vs. Lucas Alexander (featherweight)
Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady vs. Jordan Leavitt (lightweight)
Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Mayra Bueno Silva (women’s flywight)
Shamil Gaziev vs. Thomas Petersen (heavyweight)
Muhammad Naimov vs. Kaan Ofli (featherweight)
Terrance McKinney vs. Damir Hadžović (lightweight)
This card promises to be a thrilling showcase of talent as the UFC continues its expansion into the Middle East.
Belal Muhammad has made it clear that he will be rooting against Colby Covington in the UFC Tampa main event, where “Chaos” is set to face Joaquin Buckley at the Amalie Arena.
Muhammad and Covington share a long-standing history of animosity, having exchanged verbal jabs for years. Despite the bad blood, the two have never faced off in the Octagon. Now, the reigning welterweight champ hopes Buckley delivers a decisive victory over the ex-interim titleholder.
“I’m hoping that Buckley breaks his jaw,” Muhammad said. “I hope that Buckley puts him out cold, and I think that Buckley can put him out cold. Colby’s striking is terrible, and his wrestling looked awful in his last fight. I think Buckley is athletic enough to defend those takedowns.”
Shifting gears, Muhammad provided a detailed analysis of how Buckley could secure a win while highlighting areas where caution will be necessary against the three-time title challenger’s skillset.
“If Buckley doesn’t get crazy — he throws a lot of wide hooks that leave openings for shots underneath — he just can’t let Colby push him to the fence,” Muhammad explained. “He can’t let Colby keep him on the fence and wear him down. In his last fight against ‘Wonderboy,’ he was getting a little bit tired, but I think that was more because he was offensive wrestling ‘Wonderboy.’ He was taking ‘Wonderboy’ down, ‘Wonderboy’ would get up, he was trying to hold him down, and you don’t really need to hold Colby down.”
Muhammad emphasized that the primary strategy for “Chaos” would be to rely on takedowns, as he believes the polarizing veteran lacks striking power.
“Colby can’t strike, and nothing he throws is dangerous,” Muhammad said. “We’ve seen Colby have his jaw broken before by Kamaru (Usman), who isn’t great at striking. So, I think Buckley, who has way more power and way better boxing, can put Colby to sleep.”
It was a successful return to action for Muhammad Mokaev (13-0) on Friday, as he emerged victorious from his first fight since departing the UFC earlier this year.
Mokaev’s tenure on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage came to a surprise end this past July. After extending his perfect professional and Octagon records with a victory over Manel Kape at UFC 304, “The Punisher’s” contract wasn’t renewed.
With his pleas for an immediate return to the promotion falling on deaf ears, Mokaev has frequently vowed to earn his spot back on the UFC roster. And the first step toward achieving that got underway Friday in Bahrain.
Mokaev made his return to one of his former organizations, competing at Brave CF 91. After his original opponent withdrew, the Dagestan-born Brit shared the cage with replacement Joevincent So on two days’ notice.
“Chain” didn’t last long, falling by way of submission in under two minutes after being dragged down and locked in a D’arce choke.
It remains to be seen what the future holds for Mokaev, as well as the specifics of his contractual agreement with Brave CF.
But with UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja appearing short on fresh options following his third title defense last weekend, perhaps an Octagon return will arrive sooner rather than later for “The Punisher” following an emphatic outing on Dec. 13.
UFC Fight Night: Colby Covington vs. Joaquin Buckley takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!
In the main event, the polarizing Covington makes his first appearance of 2024. 12 months on from a third failed attempt at capturing the undisputed welterweight crown, “Chaos” will look to keep his late-career title hopes alive by stalling the charge of Joaquin Buckley.
Elsewhere, the likes of UFC Hall of Famer Cub Swanson, former Rizin champion Manel Kape, and heavy hitting light heavyweight Vitor Petrino will all be in action.
Ahead of the event, all 26 fighters successfully made weight. With that, every fight is intact, and all that remains on Friday is for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC Fight Night Tampa ceremonial weigh-ins.
Joaquin Buckley and Colby Covington are set to clash in the main event of UFC Tampa, and the buildup has been as intense as expected.
Both fighters have engaged in their share of trash talk, but Buckley couldn’t help but laugh at Covington’s attempts to dismiss their history.
According to “New Mansa,” the two once trained together at the MMA Masters gym in Florida, where he even offered to help the former interim champion prepare for a UFC title fight. However, he claims Covington avoided sparring with him.
“It’s funny how he was scared to just train with me, and now he’s stepping in the cage with me,” Buckley said during UFC Tampa media day. “For real, Colby’s been quiet and he hasn’t been saying anything because he knows the truth. I think he’s really nervous to step in that cage with me.”
Buckley didn’t stop there, accusing Covington of cherry-picking opponents outside his weight class.
“He wants to fight 145-pound fighters. He wants to fight Paddy Pimblett, Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira — guys that aren’t welterweights,” Buckley said. “In my opinion, this might be his last fight on his contract. I’m just assuming that. If you want to fight and it’s going to be your last one, you want to go off on top. I really feel like with that being said, he had no choice but to take this fight because it’s his last one.”
As fight night approaches, the tension between the two headliners is palpable, setting the stage for an explosive showdown.
Dominick Reyes continued his resurgence at UFC 310, securing a second consecutive victory with a TKO win over fellow former title challenger Anthony Smith. After the fight, “Lionheart” hinted at the possibility of retirement, a sentiment shared by UFC CEO Dana White, who suggested it might be time for Smith to step away.
The call for his retirement comes as the veteran light heavyweight has now lost two consecutive fights, including a decision defeat to Roman Dolidze at UFC 303. Despite the speculation, he appears to be reconsidering retirement, indicating his desire to step into the Octagon one more time before calling it quits.
Smith also faced challenges outside the fight itself following the passing of a friend and coach, leading to his emotional walkout and post-fight remarks at UFC 310.
Speaking on SiriusXM’s MMA Today show, Smith reflected on the idea of a farewell bout.
“There’s a circumstance that probably exists where I would do one more,” Smith shared. “It would have to be the perfect scenario — timing, opponent, and situation. I know there’s almost never the perfect sendoff, but having the opportunity to give all the people who supported me a chance to experience fight week knowing it’s the last time would be special.
“Being able to tell everyone in that process what they’ve meant to me over all these years, like one final fight… Win, lose, or draw, who gives a f*ck? But one final sendoff would be cool, I think,” Smith added.
"I've never felt grief like this ever…I've never struggled like this before."
Anthony Smith candidly speaks about dealing with the loss of his friend, training partner, and coach Scott Morton ahead of #UFC310
Topping the lineup will be former interim welterweight titleholder Colby Covington. A year on from his third failed shot at the undisputed championship, “Chaos” will look to insert himself back into the equation by stalling the charge of Joaquin Buckley.
Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see two veterans collide in Cub Swanson and Billy Quarantillo. And also set to make the walk on Saturday will be the likes of Manel Kape, Vitor Petrino, and Michael Johnson.
UFC Tampa: Covington vs. Buckley Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC Tampa (as of 12/13), courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Colby Covington (+200) vs. Joaquin Buckley (-245)
Cub Swanson (+124) vs. Billy Quarantillo (-148)
Manel Kape (-380) vs. Bruno Silva (+300)
Vitor Petrino (-340) vs. Dustin Jacoby (+270)
Adrian Yañez (+185) vs. Daniel Marcos (-225)
Navajo Stirling (-750) vs. Tuco Tokkos (+525)
Preliminary Card:
Michael Johnson (-230) vs. Ottman Azaitar (+190)
Joel Álvarez (-425) vs. Drakkar Klose (+330)
Sean Woodson (-155) vs. Fernando Padilla (+130)
Miles Johns (+200) vs. Felipe Lima (-245)
Miranda Maverick (-600) vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth (+440)
Davey Grant (-122) vs. Ramon Taveras (+102)
Josefine Knutsson (-245) vs. Piera Rodriguez (+200)
Arman Tsarukyan is set to face Islam Makhachev in a highly anticipated rematch for the UFC lightweight championship on Jan. 18 at UFC 311. This clash comes nearly six years after their first encounter in April 2019, which Makhachev emerged victorious from via unanimous decision.
Since their initial meeting, Tsarukyan has been on an impressive run, fighting 10 times with a record of 9-1. His sole defeat during this stretch came via decision against Mateusz Gamrot. Currently riding a four-fight winning streak, the Russian-Armenian’s recent victories include dominant performances over top contenders Beneil Dariush and Charles Oliveira.
Makhachev, with an overall record of 26-1, has maintained his position as one of the most dominant forces in the division. His only career loss came via first-round knockout to Adriano Martins at UFC 192 in 2015. While Martins has since parted ways with the UFC, he is playing an indirect role in the upcoming fight. Tsarukyan trained with Martins during his training camp at American Top Team, as revealed through posts from both on Instagram.
Fans were quick to give their thoughts on the link-up, with some laughing off any suggestion Martins’ presence could benefit the challenger come fight night in Los Angeles.
This does absolutely nothing wtf is he gonna remember about one KO 9 years ago
UFC 311 promises to be a blockbuster event, with the 155-pound title fight headlining the card. Additionally, the co-main event will feature a UFC bantamweight championship bout between current champion Merab Dvalishvili and rising contender Umar Nurmagomedov, adding another layer of excitement to an already stacked card.
The main event will see Colby Covington make the walk for the first time since his third failed bid to achieve undisputed champion status last December. “Chaos” will meet the charging Joaquin Buckley in a short-notice clash, with “New Mansa” look to continue his unbeaten run at 170 pounds all the way to a place in title contention.
Before that, the likes of fan-favorite featherweight Cub Swanson, former Rizin champion Manel Kape, light heavyweight powerhouse Vitor Petrino and the always entertaining Adrian Yañez will all be in action.
UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Buckley Weigh-In Results
UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Buckley takes place on Saturday, December 14, at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The main card begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
See above for a replay of the weigh-ins via MMA Fighting, and check out the full results below!
Main Card:
Welterweight Main Event: Colby Covington (171lbs) vs. Joaquin Buckley (171lbs)
Featherweight Co-Main Event: Cub Swanson (146lbs) vs. Billy Quarantillo (146lbs)
Flyweight: Manel Kape (125lbs) vs. Bruno Silva (126lbs)
Light Heavyweight: Vitor Petrino (204.5lbs) vs. Dustin Jacoby (205.5lbs)
Bantamweight: Adrian Yañez (136lbs) vs. Daniel Marcos (136lbs)
Light Heavyweight: Navajo Stirling (206lbs) vs. Tuco Tokkos (206lbs)
Preliminary Card:
Lightweight: Michael Johnson (156lbs) vs. Ottman Azaitar (156lbs)
Lightweight: Joel Álvarez (156lbs) vs. Drakkar Klose (156lbs)
Featherweight: Sean Woodson (145.5lbs) vs. Fernando Padilla (145.5lbs)
Featherweight: Miles Johns (146lbs) vs. Felipe Lima (146lbs)
Women’s Flyweight: Miranda Maverick (126lbs) vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth (126lbs)
Bantamweight: Davey Grant (136lbs) vs. Ramon Taveras
Women’s Strawweight: Josefine Knutsson (116lbs) vs. Piera Rodriguez (116lbs)
Tensions are running high between welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley and UFC veteran Cub Swanson as both prepare for their respective fights at UFC Tampa this Saturday.
Buckley is set to headline the event in a clash against Colby Covington, while Swanson will face Billy Quarantillo in the co-main event. With both fighters sharing the card, their simmering feud became a hot topic during media day.
“I stand by what I said,” Swanson remarked when asked about the ongoing beef. “I don’t think the younger guys should be disrespecting the older guys. That’s just what I think. I believe the people who paved the way always deserve respect.
“I’m sure I will [run into him], and I’m not going to back down from what I said,” Swanson continued. “I was a fan of his until he opened his mouth a little bit. I’ve got no ill will towards him, but, like I said, I think people need to show respect.”
The animosity began when Buckley claimed he could knock out a prime Georges St-Pierre, a statement that struck a nerve with Swanson, a close friend and former teammate of the legendary welterweight and middleweight champion. “Killer” came to GSP’s defense, which prompted Buckley to respond with harsh words, including questioning the entirety of the veteran’s career.
The situation escalated when Buckley referred to Swanson using derogatory language. This weekend’s co-headlined addressed this directly.
“An apology for calling me a ‘ho,’ because that’s one thing I’m not,” he stated. “I’ve stayed true to myself, I’ve stayed true to who I am my entire career, so the name-calling was just a little over the line. But I was a fan of his until that moment.”
Despite the friction, both fighters remain focused on their respective matchups, but the tension adds an extra layer of drama to an already highly anticipated UFC Tampa card.
UFC 310 was an incredibly difficult night for Anthony Smith who in the featured prelim, suffered a loss to Dominick Reyes. It was clear from the first few seconds of his walk out that this fight would be unlike any other for the former title challenger following the recent loss of his longtime friend and coach, Scott Morton.
Smith was visibly struggling to keep it together on his walk to the cage which is completely understandable when you consider what he was going through. After being stopped in the second round, he told Joe Rogan in his post-fight interview that in the moment, he thought this would “probably” be the last fight of his career.
In a recent interview with SiriusXM, Smith spoke openly about his mental state going into that fight and how he wasn’t able to control his emotions despite believing that he would be able to “power through it”. He also gave more context to one of the most alarming moments in the fight where it looked like he was allowing Reyes to repeatedly punch him without defending or throwing anything back.
“I got impatient,” Smith said. “I just wanted something to f*cking happen. I just forced it. I just got impatient. Nothing was happening. He wasn’t engaging. I’d seen everything. That was the worst part, too. I was in there, and I was like, ‘Goddamn, you’re not that good.’ And then it hit me like, ‘F*ck, maybe I’m not either.’
“Maybe I’m not either anymore. The left hand wasn’t nearly as fast as I expected it to be. I think I over-predicted how good he was going to be on his feet. He landed a shot here or there, and then at some point where I was like, ‘F*cking hit me or something. I need to f*cking feel something. Give me something here.’”
However, unlike his long-time training partner and the former 155-pound king, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev has had several tough fights and moments of serious adversity inside the Octagon. One of those difficult tests was against late notice replacement Arman Tsarukyan in 2019 where the Armenian was able to really push the man that many considered to be on his way to being a top contender.
At UFC 311 in January, they will run it back for the lightweight gold in Los Angeles and in order to help him prepare, the challenger has brought in another man that caused Makhachev some serious problems. Through 27 pro fights, the current champion has only ever tasted defeat once.
In his second fight with the promotion at UFC 192 in 2015, he was knocked out in the first round by Brazil’s Adriano Martins who at the time, had 22 more pro fights on his record. After Makhachev missed a big overhand left, Martins countered with his own and dropped the Russian with the referee immediately stepping in.
Following back-to-back losses to Leonardo Santos and Kajan Johnson after this win, Martins was cut from the UFC, ending his run in the promotion with an overall record of 4-3. In March this year, he defeated Donovan Desmae to snap a run of six fights without a win that dated back to his final UFC fights.
He’s now set to return to the cage later this month but before then, Tsarukyan looked to engage in a bit of mental warfare with his next opponent by sharing a gym photo of him and the only man to defeat Makhachev.
Arman Tsarukyan is training with Adriano Martins ahead of his fight against Islam Makhachev
Adriano is the only man to knock out Islam Makhachev 😅
UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria recently sparked a lot of conversation by revealing that he plans to move up to lightweight much sooner than expected. “El Matador” told Spanish radio show El Partidazo de COPE that he would like to face Charles Oliveira next time out at 155-pounds, claiming that we’ve already likely seen his last fight at featherweight.
Topuria’s coach, Jorge Climent, backed up this statement by providing more details about the difficult weight cut that the champion has to undergo in order to fight at featherweight. He claimed that the undefeated superstar is often 85 kilos which would make him over 40 pounds heavier than he needs to be on weigh-in day.
Topuria has received some criticism in the past for comments that he made about not wanting to stay in this division for too long so that he can pursue a second belt. In a response to some of the feedback he has received off the back of his latest lightweight plan, the 145-pound titleholder attempted to provide more context on X.
Following their respectful encounter inside the Octagon at UFC 308, it seemed clear that Topuria’s next title defense would be a rematch against the former champion Alexander Volkanovski. However, following the champion’s interview on Spanish radio, there was already talk about whether there should be a vacant title fight if he does leave the division.
He posted a message on social media to make it clear that though he does see a move up coming in the very near future, he doesn’t intend on giving up his belt in order to make that happen. He also clarified that there aren’t any concrete plans in place for his next steps as of yet.
“I will not leave the title vacant. The decision to move up to the next category is entirely mine. I haven’t had any conversations with the UFC yet, so everything is still to be decided. Stop celebrating because I’m not going anywhere. I have conquered my division and I will do the same in the next one.”
I will not leave the title vacant. The decision to move up to the next category is entirely mine. I haven't had any conversations with the UFC yet, so everything is still to be decided. Stop celebrating because I’m not going anywhere. I have conquered my division and I will do…
Chael Sonnen has joined the fight world in marking Feb. 8, 2025, on their calendars for UFC 312, where Sean Strickland will face middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis in Sydney.
This rematch comes after Strickland lost his title to Du Plessis via split decision at UFC 297 this past January. The razor-close bout has sparked speculation that the belt could change hands again come fight night.
While Strickland maintains he won their first encounter, Sonnen firmly disagrees.
“If there has ever been a guy that turns out to be one heck of a lot better than I knew he was, it’s Dricus Du Plessis,” Sonnen said during a recent episode of Good Guy / Bad Guy on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel. “The other side of that coin, Sean Strickland has talked himself up very much and has a high level of confidence because he believes he beat him the first time. He believes he dominated him. That’s not what I saw.
“As a matter of fact, I’m not sure Sean didn’t lose all five rounds on my scorecard. Very close, real tight, but at the end of it, if you got to go a 10-9, I’m not sure I didn’t give them all to Dricus. The only reason I’m saying this is I don’t want Sean to necessarily fall for what he’s believing. I want him to study this guy, I want him to have a different game plan for this guy, I want him to really take Dricus seriously.”
Sonnen believes that Strickland, now in the role of challenger, will approach the fight with heightened motivation.
“The moment he lost that belt, boy, that care meter went through the roof. And I do believe Sean is going to fight better trying to regain something than to defend something. That’s my own belief, but that’s the fight to make. Winner draws in (Khamzat) Chimaev, I can drink to that.”
The stakes are high for both fighters as they prepare for what promises to be another thrilling showdown.
Jamahal Hill has his eyes firmly set on UFC 311, where he’ll face Jiří Procházka in a light heavyweight contenders’ match. However, “Sweet Dreams: isn’t just thinking about the Czech star; he’s already envisioning the 205-pound title belt wrapped around his waist.
Hill recently made headlines after nearly getting into a physical altercation with Alex Pereira at the UFC Performance Institute. The incident, which began as a heated exchange, was sparked by their rivalry on social media. The American addressed the confrontation in a YouTube interview with Helen Yee.
“We had an exchange where he said something on Twitter,” Hill explained. “And I just went to go tell him in person, ‘Yo, I’m coming. I’m putting in the work. Don’t run to heavyweight. After I handle this guy, you’re next.’ That was pretty much how it started, and then it went from there.”
The tension escalated quickly, with Hill recounting Pereira’s verbal jab.
“He said, ‘You woke up from UFC 300,’ and I was like, ‘I’m wide awake now and I’m going to put you to sleep for real.’ It was never anything like, ‘Oh, let’s fight right now,’ or nothing like that. It was just competitive talk, and then it went from that to what people saw.”
😳 Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill ran into each other and were ready to throw down pic.twitter.com/tkMgzRO1m9
Reflecting on the altercation, and his decision not to lace the gloves upon Pereira’s invitation, Hill emphasized that he’s motivated by the opportunity to make a statement — and get paid while doing it.
“Like I told him, we don’t need gloves because if we going to fight right here, right now, we just gonna fight. You know what I’m saying? But I get paid. I’m here to make money, and I’mma knock your ass out and I’mma collect a check for it.”
For Hill, a clash with Pereira is the ultimate goal. Frst, he’s determined to handle business at UFC 311 against and make his case for a title shot.
Colby Covington and Jon Jones have a long-standing feud that dates back to their days as wrestling teammates at Central Iowa Community College. Since then, the two have seized every opportunity to trash-talk one another.
While Covington is focused on his upcoming UFC Tampa showdown against Joaquin Buckley this Saturday, he’s also keeping an eye on Jones, the UFC heavyweight champion, and his future plans.
“Bones” recently revealed that he’s in discussions with the UFC about returning to action in 2025 following his dominant third-round victory over Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. The question now is who Jones will face in his potential comeback.
Though he’s expressed interest in a fight with reigning light heavyweight kingpin Alex Pereira, UFC CEO Dana White has suggested that a title unification bout with Tom Aspinall is the more logical option.
Like many who disagree with Jones’ stance on dodging Aspinall, Covington didn’t hold back his criticism of Jones at the UFC Tampa media day.
“I think Jon needs to stop ducking Tom Aspinall just like he ducked [Francis] Ngannou,” Covington said. “He ducked Ngannou for years, now he’s ducking Aspinall. He doesn’t want to fight the guys he knows he’s going to get his ass beat against. So I don’t think anything special of Jon Jones.”
Covington also dismissed Jones’ performance against Miocic, claiming the UFC legend deliberately chose an opponent past his prime.
“Miocic is an older fighter who shouldn’t have been in the Octagon with Jones. He was just looking to get paid. So, I don’t think Jon’s performance was anything special,” Covington added.
With Covington preparing for his own fight and Jones plotting a return, the verbal jabs between the two continue to fuel one of the UFC’s longest-running rivalries.
On December 13, Muhammad Mokaev is set to make his return to MMA following a very significant and unpredictable 12 months in 2024. “The Punisher” last fought at UFC 304 in July where he defeated Manel Kape to earn his seventh consecutive win inside the Octagon.
At just 24-years old he has already shown that he isn’t just the future of the flyweight division but he was the present as well and off the back of another big win over a highly ranked opponent, it seemed clear that he would challenge for the UFC’s 125-pound title in the near future. Instead, in the post-fight press conference, Dana White announced that the promotion would be parting ways with Mokaev due to the issues and complications that he has caused outside of the cage with his behaviour.
Mokaev had got into several fights with fellow fighters including one with his last UFC opponent, Portugal’s Kape who also returns this weekend at UFC Tampa. For now, he is set to put this behind him in order to continue with his incredibly promising career.
It was announced shortly after his UFC departure that he had re-signed with his former home before he stepped inside the Octagon, BRAVE Combat Federation. His return at BRAVE CF 91 at the Khalifa Sports City Arena in Bahrain sees him take on a short notice replacement opponent in Filipino flyweight Joevincent So.
In a recent interview with Fight Book MMA, Mokaev spoke about his mentality after what he has been through in the past few months and how it hasn’t derailed his dream of proving himself to be the best in the world.
“I see a lot of people recognize that I’m one of the best Flyweights in the world. But I believe I’m still young, I’m still not in my prime,” Mokaev stated. “I’m winning because of my hard work. I think once I get in my physical prime, like around 26 or 27, I’ll be even stronger and that’s when you’ll see the difference. I will be the pound-for-pound number one fighter in the world! When you’re going against the best in the world, you have to sacrifice everything. That’s what separates a champion from a non-champion.”
Sean Strickland is set to challenge for the UFC middleweight title for the second time in his upcoming rematch with Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312. The former champion stuck to the idea that he would wait for his shot at “Stillknocks” following his win over Paulo Costa in June and it paid off for him with the fight being announced this past weekend at UFC 310.
For his head coach at Xtreme Couture, Eric Nicksick, the next few months will be all about looking at what they need to do differently in order to defeat Du Plessis in Sydney, Australia. Their first meeting at UFC 297 came down to a close split decision that saw the South African become the 185-pound champion.
Nicksick spoke in a recent interview with Submission Radio about which opponent is a bigger threat to Strickland out of the current champion and the other top contender in the division. He explained why in his opinion, as of right now, Du Plessis is their biggest challenge.
“I mean, you would have to say [Dricus du Plessis] because he won, he beat us. Right now you have to say that [he’s the tougher matchup] because that’s the task at hand. I think Khamzat presents tons of different variables to his style that we’re gonna have to look at how to break down once that challenge presents itself. But right now, DDP is the toughest challenge for us.”
The coach of UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria has explained why his man is hoping to leave the 145-pound division behind him and pursue success elsewhere.
Those comments come one defense into the Spaniard’s reign, which begun with an emphatic knockout of Alexander Volkanovski this past February. He’s since repeated the feat at the expense of Max Holloway in Abu Dhabi to keep hold of the belt.
While many have been pondering a rematch with “Alexander the Great” or first-time clashes with in-form contenders like Movsar Evloev and Diego Lopes, Topuria is instead looking to compete in a title eliminator against Charles Oliveira at 155 pounds.
Many have been shocked by “El Matador’s” remarks, and during a recent appearance on Submission Radio, his coach added some context behind the decision by noting that a lack of motivation from potential opposition isn’t the reason.
“I think he is — he hates that weight (cut),” Climent said. “He do it a lot of times and it’s (much) harder every time we do it. He don’t want to do this anymore, and that’s why I want to go up to the next weight class.
“His normal way is in that weight class (lightweight),” Climent continued. “Ilia fighting (featherweight), he’s young, you know? Your body is changing. When you’re 20, you have the body. When you’re 25, you have another. And when you are 30, you have another, you know? Sometimes I see Ilia at 85 kilos, you know, and he needs to be 66. We do a very big weight cut.”
Ilia Topuria’s Coach Jorge Climent Reveals Weight Cut is the Main Reason Ilia Won’t Be Defending His Belt at 145 and moving to 155 Next:
While Topuria and Islam Makhachev have gone back and forth in recent months, the lightweight champ currently has business to attend to against Arman Tsarukyan before entertaining the prospect of a clash with his featherweight counterpart.
UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape is set to return this weekend in Tampa where he closes out his 2024 campaign by facing off with the dangerous Bruno Silva at the Amelie Arena. This contest will be his first fight back since his controversial clash with Muhammad Mokaev at UFC 304 in Manchester this past July.
There was a lot of tension between the two men throughout fight week that spilled over once they got inside the Octagon. However, once the fight itself had actually started, it wasn’t the most exciting contest. Mokaev’s win should’ve seen the undefeated contender solidify his status as the next in line for a flyweight title shot but instead, the UFC chose to not re-sign him after he had no fights left on his deal.
Considering all of the drama between them in the lead up to their fight, it’s not surprising that Kape isn’t upset about his former opponent departing the promotion. During his media day interviews, “Starboy” labelled “The Punisher” as “dirty”, accusing him of committing multiple fouls in their fight that changed the outcome.
Kape also places some of the blame for that fight on the third man inside the Octagon, referee Mike Beltran. He believes that he was having to do Beltran’s job for him after the official failed to spot and penalize Mokaev’s infringements and for that, he thinks Beltran should have also been forced to leave.
“What is even worse is the referee. I don’t think he was a man; it was a b*tch move,” Kape said. “He was looking at him when he grabbed my shorts, and when I dropped my hands to lose the position, Mokaev still grabbed my shorts out of fear because it was one of my favorite submissions, the kneebar. I felt the victory in the moment. If I had gotten the victory, no one would have called the fight boring because I would have finished him.
“The referee should have taken a point; he didn’t do his job. Mokaev got fired, and one of the other people that should have been fired was the referee, as he didn’t do his job…the referee was the main issue. Listen,” Kape continued. “There was also an issue when I punched Mokaev, and he put a finger in my eye, so I gave my back because it was bad, and the referee didn’t do anything…I felt in that fight that I was a fighter and referee because it was me who stopped the fight multiple times…there were multiple fouls, and I think the UFC should fire him as well. So, it was just Mokaev.”
Watch Kape’s full media day interview via MMA Fighting below:
When Khabib Nurmagomedov announced that he would be retiring from MMA at UFC 254 in 2020, he did what very few athletes are able to do. “The Eagle” left the sport that he had dedicated his life to whilst being at the very top of the game.
With an undefeated record of 29-0 and three title defenses under his belt, Nurmagomedov stuck to the promise that he had made his mother following the tragic loss of his father and coach, Abdulmanap. Who knows how much longer the champion could’ve stayed at the top but his final performance inside the Octagon against Justin Gaethje proved that he was still the best lightweight in the world by some distance.
In an interview with Bloody Elbow, Rabadanov spoke about the former UFC lightweight king and how he continues to be incredibly dedicated even after hanging up the gloves for good.
“He trains like a professional fighter still, ever single day, he’s never going to stop. If he could he’d train while he’s flying or in the Arabian dessert.”
Though he is still constantly training alongside his teammates, Nurmagomedov has put on a fair bit of size since stepping away which isn’t necessarily surprising given that lightweight was a difficult weight cut for him at several points in his career. With that in mind, though he doesn’t think Khabib will ever come back, Rabadanov believes that he could be a champion again in whatever weight class he ends up in.
He believes that 185-pounds would probably be a better fit for “The Eagle” at this point in time but that doesn’t mean that Dricus Du Plessis would be able to stop from him getting his hands on UFC gold again if that’s what he really wanted.
“He’s not lightweight any more. I think maybe middleweight is good. 100 per cent [he could beat Dricus Du Plessis]. Khabib is different level.”
