MMA News

Category: UFC

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

  • UFC 310: Alexander Volkov Explains How One-Sided Ciryl Gane, Tom Aspinall Losses Benefitted Him

    UFC 310: Alexander Volkov Explains How One-Sided Ciryl Gane, Tom Aspinall Losses Benefitted Him

    UFC heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov saw his defeats to former interim champion Ciryl Gane and current titleholder Tom Aspinall as a key turning point in his career.

    The former Bellator and M-1 Global champion is a day away from his shot at redemption opposite Gane, with the pair among the main card bouts set for the UFC 310 pay-per-view in Las Vegas this weekend.

    The Russian and French fighters are running it back three years on from their first clash — a UFC Fight Night headliner at the Apex that ended in a convincing five-round unanimous decision victory for Gane.

    After a bounce-back performance against Marcin Tybura, Volkov tasted defeat again soon after, this time by way of submission at the hands of a charging Aspinall. Since then, however, “Drago” has been unstoppable.

    Knockouts of Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Alexandr Romanov, a submission versus Tai Tuivasa, and an underdog triumph against fellow countryman Sergei Pavlovich have seen Volkov leap up the ladder to #3 in the rankings, leaving him firmly in the championship conversation.

    During an interview with Zac Pacleb for UFC.com ahead of his return this weekend, the 36-year-old assessed the key components to his current winning run and the impact that past defeats to “Bon Gamin” and the reigning interim champ had.

    “I learned to be confident in myself,” Volkov said. “It’s one of the biggest problems for many fighters, and at the time, you feel a little bit kind of bored in the fight. It’s hard to push yourself, to motivate yourself. I got some motivation after this loss (to Gane) and the fight with Tom Aspinall. It made me more risky, more dangerous, and more well-rounded because I started to work on skills I didn’t work before.”

    Volkov will look to utilize those new skills en route to avenging his 2021 setback opposite Gane in their rematch this Saturday night.

    Should the Russian do so successfully, a potential first shot at gold on MMA’s biggest stage and a chance to avenge the Aspinall defeat could await him in 2025.

  • Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano Joins Stacked Lineup For UFC 311 In Los Angeles

    Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano Joins Stacked Lineup For UFC 311 In Los Angeles

    The lineup for the promotion’s first pay-per-view of 2025, UFC 311 in Los Angeles, continues to get stronger.

    The mixed martial arts will kick off its schedule of numbered events for the new year at the Intuit Dome, where two highly anticipated championship fights and a host of intriguing matchups will go down.

    And not long after Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan and Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov were announced as the two headliners, the card has deepened even further.

    Joining the undercard bouts set to play out at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 is a ranked lightweight clash between veteran Beneil Dariush (22-6-1) and the charging Renato Moicano (20-5-1). The fight was announced by the UFC on social media.

    For Dariush, UFC 311 will mark his return after sitting out the entirety of 2024 following consecutive knockout losses to Charles Oliveira and Tsarukyan in the year prior. Before those setbacks, the 35-year-old had won eight straight to move to within touching distance of a first title shot.

    Moicano, meanwhile, is on the opposite trajectory having won four on the bounce since a decision loss to Rafael dos Anjos in March 2022. After an injury kept him out for over a year post-submission victory over Brad Riddell, the Brazilian has reeled off three triumphs in 2024, most recently battering Benoît Saint Denis in the UFC Paris main event this past September.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 311 in Los Angeles on Jan. 18 are as follows:

    • Islam Makhachev (C) vs. Arman Tsarukyan (lightweight championship)
    • Merab Dvalishvili (C) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (bantamweight championship)
    • Jiří Procházka vs. Jamahal Hill (light heavyweight)
    • Reinier de Ridder vs. Kevin Holland (middleweight)
    • Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano (lightweight)
    • Jailton Almeida vs. Serghei Spivac (heavyweight)
    • Rinya Nakamura vs. Muin Gafarov (bantamweight)
    • Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Clay Carpenter (flyweight)
    • Johnny Walker vs. Bogdan Guskov (light heavyweight)
    • Karol Rosa vs. Ailín Pérez (women’s bantamweight)
    • Zachary Reese vs. Sedriques Dumas (middleweight)
    • Payton Talbott vs. Raoni Barcelos (bantamweight)
    • Grant Dawson vs. Diego Ferreira (lightweight)
    • Ricky Turcios vs. Benardo Sopaj (bantamweight)
  • Vicente Luque Doesn’t Expect To Revisit Nick Diaz Fight Post-UFC 310

    Vicente Luque Doesn’t Expect To Revisit Nick Diaz Fight Post-UFC 310

    UFC welterweight contender Vicente Luque is turning the page on his attempts to do battle with Nick Diaz.

    Diaz was initially scheduled to face Vicente Luque at the UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi this August, but the bout was scrapped due to travel issues on the Stockton native’s end. The matchup was later rebooked for UFC 310 on Dec. 7, marking what would have been Diaz’s first fight in over three years.

    However, the fight was canceled as Diaz withdrew once again after a concerning video emerged that appeared to show him attempting to light grass on fire in the street. In his place, Luque is now set to face Themba Gorimbo at UFC 310.

    The last time Diaz competed was at UFC 266 in September 2021, where he suffered a TKO loss to Robbie Lawler. Luque, meanwhile, has been struggling to regain his momentum in the Octagon. He holds a 1-3 record in his last four fights and is coming off a TKO loss to Joaquin Buckley in March.

    Reflecting on the scrapped matchup during media day on Wednesday, Luque expressed doubts about ever facing Diaz in the future.

    “At this point, I don’t think it will happen again,” Luque said. “Maybe – who knows. But I’m up the division. I’m looking to get past Themba. That’s the first mission to be accomplished, and after that, I’m looking up. I think that the Nick fight is past.”

  • Anthony Smith: Jiří Procházka In For ‘A Bad Night’ vs. Jamahal Hill At UFC 311

    Anthony Smith: Jiří Procházka In For ‘A Bad Night’ vs. Jamahal Hill At UFC 311

    Anthony Smith has developed a close friendship with Jamahal Hill and is openly rooting for him as Hill prepares to take on another former UFC light heavyweight champion in Jiří Procházka at UFC 311 on Jan. 18.

    Meanwhile, Smith has his own battle to focus on this Saturday at UFC 310, where he faces Dominick Reyes. Assessing the upcoming Procházka-Hill clash during media day, Smith acknowledged the challenges posed by the Czech star’s unorthodox fighting style but remains confident that Hill will secure a knockout victory.

    Hill is coming off a strong run in the division, having put together a four-fight winning streak with three TKOs against Jimmy Crute, Johnny Walker, and Thiago Santos, followed by a decision victory over Glover Teixeira at UFC 283 to claim the title. However, he lost the belt to Alex Pereira via KO at UFC 300 this past April.

    Procházka, heading into this fight, holds a 1-2 record in his last three bouts. Both losses came against Pereira via TKO — first for the vacant title at UFC 295 and again for the belt at UFC 303. His lone win during this stretch was a TKO victory over Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 300.

    Smith shared his thoughts on the matchup during UFC 310 media day.

    “Jiří is such a pain in the ass. He’s just got such a unique style and fights so free,” Smith said. “But anybody that’s as hittable as Jiří standing in front of Jamahal is going to have a bad night. That’s not just because Jamahal’s my friend — the power that guy carries is different. His ability to find shots is different, and you’re not going to have to work too hard to find Jiří’s head.”

  • Belal Muhammad Considered Amputating Infected Toe To Save UFC 310 Main Event

    Belal Muhammad Considered Amputating Infected Toe To Save UFC 310 Main Event

    UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad pondered drastic measures in a bid to keep his scheduled title defense at the final pay-per-view of 2024 intact.

    Saturday will see Muhammad’s next opponent in 2025 decided, as undefeated contenders Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Garry do battle in the co-main event of UFC 310 at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

    For Rakhmonov, the bout will see him attempt to regain his status as number one contender. The Kazakh star had already earned his shot at UFC gold and was set to challenge Muhammad in the Dec. 7 headliner.

    Last month, however, disaster struck when a bone infection to the champ’s toe hospitalized him and forced a change of plans.

    If Muhammad’s frustration at the cancellation wasn’t clear enough, a recent revelation surrounding the lengths he was willing to go to make the walk at UFC 310 should do the trick…

    During an interview with MMA Junkie on the red carpet for the annual World MMA Awards, Muhammad revealed that he enquired about having the infected toe removed to speed up the recovery process.

    “It got to the point where I was like, ‘Bro, what if you got rid of the toe? What do I need to do to get back in there as quickly as possible?’” Muhammad said. “But the way the doctor was saying it, it was like a bone infection. So it wasn’t like people were saying, ‘Oh, you got a broken toe.’ I’m like, bro, if it was a toe? I had a broken toe for over a year.

    “And then that toe got infected because of that, so that went directly into the bone and it was climbing up the foot. So he was like, ‘Bro, you’ll get your foot amputated.’ It ain’t that. So for me it’s like, it was heartbreaking obviously, but just trusting God, trusting God has a plan for me, knowing that everything happens for a reason. And now that I look at it from a bigger picture side, I’m hoping that there’s a reason for it.”

    That ultimately wasn’t a possibility, forcing Muhammad to bite the bullet and put a delay to his first defense of the 170-pound title.

    “Remember the Name” captured champ status with a dominant display against the odds this past July in Manchester, where he comfortably outpointed Leon Edwards across five rounds.

    With many backing Rakhmonov to get past Garry this weekend before unseating Muhammad, the reigning kingpin will look to once again prove his doubters wrong when he returns to full fitness.

  • UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura, Rakhmonov vs. Garry Press Conference Highlights & Faceoffs

    UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura, Rakhmonov vs. Garry Press Conference Highlights & Faceoffs

    We’re deep into UFC 310 fight week, meaning it was recently time for the fighters set to be in action on Dec. 7 to take to the stage and answer some questions.

    The MMA leader’s latest numbered event takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the main attraction will see UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja put his belt on the line against promotional newcomer Kai Asakura.

    Setting the stage for the UFC 310 headliners will be a crucial five-round contest at 170 pounds, with Shavkat Rakhmonov looking to defend his top contender status opposite a fellow undefeated rising star in Ian Garry.

    Also on pay-per-view will be former interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane, who makes the walk for the first time in over 14 months to run it back with in-form Russian veteran Alexander Volkov. That’s in addition to featherweight grappling specialist Bryce Mitchell, who looks to bounce back from his brutal knockout loss to Josh Emmett last December by defeating the returning Kron Gracie.

    The UFC 310 main card will open with the always entertaining Nate Landwehr, who will be back in the cage nine months on from a KO triumph over Jamall Emmers. To return to a win streak, “The Train” must prevent “Korean Superboy” Dooho Choi from accomplishing the same feat after the UFC Hall of Fame Fight Wing member recorded a first victory in eight years this past July.

    As is customary during major fight weeks, the athletes took to the stage on Thursday for the UFC 310 pre-fight press conference. The latest edition saw Pantoja, Asakura, Rakhmonov, Garry, Gane and Volkov with mic in hand.

    Check out a replay of the presser below via the UFC’s official YouTube channel, followed by the highlights and faceoffs.

    UFC 310 Press Conference Highlights

    UFC 310 Press Conference Faceoffs

  • VIDEO: Alex Pereira & Jamahal Hill Get Into Heated Confrontation At UFC PI

    VIDEO: Alex Pereira & Jamahal Hill Get Into Heated Confrontation At UFC PI

    The animosity between former UFC opponents Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill threatened to boil over this week.

    Pereira, the reigning light heavyweight champion, and former titleholder Hill met inside the cage at UFC 300 this past April, headlining the pay-per-view with “Poatan’s” gold on the line. The American’s plan to regain the belt was quickly foiled when he fell victim to the Brazilian’s renowned left hook inside the very first round.

    Since then, “Sweet Dreams” has attracted plenty of criticism from the MMA community for his reaction to defeat. Hill has continuously blamed Herb Dean’s brief intervention after Pereira was struck low, despite subsequently touching gloves with the champ to resume the fight and throwing a strike at the same time as the shot that floored him.

    Those remarks have been joined by claims that Pereira ‘fears’ running it back with the #3-ranked contender. Unsurprisingly, “Poatan” didn’t look scared when Hill confronted him at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas on Thursday.

    A video released by Full Send MMA shows Hill approaching his ex-opponent before stating, “Not on Twitter now,” as Pereira went for a respectful fist bump.

    At that point, “Poatan” switched his attitude toward “Sweet Dreams,” throwing a pair of gloves and inviting him to spar. Hill did not take up the offer.

    Before the possibility of the pair sharing the Octagon once again becomes a reality, they’ll both seemingly have other work to do in the new year.

    For Hill, a fight date is officially in the calendar. He’ll meet a fellow former champ in Jiří Procházka at the first PPV of 2025, UFC 311 at Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome on Jan. 19.

    Pereira, meanwhile, is without a date for his fourth title defense. He is, however, expected to next face the challenge of Magomed Ankalaev.

  • UFC 310 Debutant Kai Asakura Promises Fans: You’ve ‘Never Seen Anybody Like Me Fight’

    UFC 310 Debutant Kai Asakura Promises Fans: You’ve ‘Never Seen Anybody Like Me Fight’

    While he may be somewhat of an unknown quantity to the UFC community, Kai Asakura insists that won’t be the case following his debut performance this weekend.

    Saturday sees the mixed martial arts leader close out its pay-per-view schedule for 2024 with UFC 310. The event, slated for the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, was originally set for two title fights, with Belal Muhammad and Alexandre Pantoja defending their gold.

    After the welterweight kingpin’s withdrawal due to injury, Pantoja is the last champ standing this week. And his elevation to main event status will see a promotional newcomer enter the headline spotlight in his very first Octagon outing.

    Asakura, a former Rizin bantamweight titleholder, will join the limited group of fighters to debut in competition for a UFC belt on Dec. 7, when he looks to bring “The Cannibal’s” 125-pound reign to an end in its third defense.

    While the Japanese star has made a splash in his native Asia, much of the UFC fanbase appear unfamiliar with his game. That, Asakura says, will change soon enough.

    During his appearance at UFC 310 media day on Wednesday, Asakura spoke about what the MMA masses can expect once the Octagon door closes behind him and Pantoja in a couple of days’ time.

    “The UFC fans have never seen anybody like me fight before,” Asakura said. “I always aim to go for the KO finish, and I’m here to bring excitement back to the flyweight division.”

    Asakura will look to prove those remarks correct come fight night at UFC 310. In the process, the Japanese debutant will hope to open a new chapter in the flyweight division.

  • Shavkat Rakhmonov Reacts To Ian Garry’s ‘Delusional’ UFC 310 Fight Prediction

    Shavkat Rakhmonov Reacts To Ian Garry’s ‘Delusional’ UFC 310 Fight Prediction

    Shavkat Rakhmonov enters UFC 310 brimming with confidence as he prepares for a five-round welterweight clash against Ian Garry.

    The bout, now serving as the co-main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, was a shift from the original plan. Rakhmonov was initially slated to face UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad but he withdrew from the fight due to injury, opening the door for Garry to step in.

    The Kazakh star, boasting an undefeated 18-0 record with all his wins coming via finish, remains confident that his streak will continue on Saturday night. With that in mind, he was surprised by Garry’s bold prediction of securing a stoppage victory in “Sin City.”

    “I don’t think that’s how it’s going to happen; I think he’s delusional,” Rakhmonov said at UFC 310 media day. “I think I’m going to beat him and get to my goal.”

    While Rakhmonov respects Garry as a worthy opponent, he is hesitant to label him the toughest test of his career.

    “We’ll see whether that’s true come fight night,” Rakhmonov added.

    With the spotlight firmly on this co-main event, Rakhmonov looks to not only extend his perfect record but also solidify his place as the top contender in the welterweight division.

  • Aljamain Sterling: Exciting Movsar Evloev Fight At UFC 310 Will Be A ‘Win-Win’ For Both Of Us

    Aljamain Sterling: Exciting Movsar Evloev Fight At UFC 310 Will Be A ‘Win-Win’ For Both Of Us

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling is just days away from his return to the Octagon, where he will face Movsar Evloev at UFC 310. The fight is set to take place this Saturday as part of a stacked pay-per-view card.

    Sterling heads into this fight riding momentum from a significant victory over Calvin Kattar at UFC 300 this past April. That win helped him bounce back after losing his bantamweight title to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292.

    For “Funk Master,” the matchup with Evloev represents an opportunity to position himself back in title contention. Speaking at UFC 310 media day, Sterling shared his mindset.

    “The path [to the title] is dominate Movsar. I dominate Movsar, and I think I take care of a lot of issues outside of things I can’t really control. I can only control my performance. The UFC is going to say who they want to fight for the belt next, and hopefully, it gives me a shot if I go out there and do a great job and win.”

    Sterling is confident the fight will deliver an exciting contest for fans, predicting a showcase of high-level grappling. At the same time, he’s open to the possibility of striking exchanges, which could lead to thrilling moments inside the Octagon.

    “It’s a win-win for both of our careers,” Sterling noted.

    As Sterling looks to prove his case for another title shot, the clash with Evloev has the potential to be a pivotal moment in his career and the UFC featherweight division.

  • UFC 310: Vicente Luque Explains How Joaquin Buckley ‘Woke’ Him Up With Knockout

    UFC 310: Vicente Luque Explains How Joaquin Buckley ‘Woke’ Him Up With Knockout

    At UFC 310 this weekend, welterweight staple Vicente Luque will look to return to the win column by halting the winning streak of Themba Gorimbo. For the 33-fight veteran, defending his position in the rankings isn’t something that he’s used to but he was forced into this role in his last fight.

    In Atlantic City this past March, Luque came up against Joaquin Buckley who was looking to build on his back-to-back wins by earning his biggest victory to date. “New Mansa” did exactly that by stopping the Brazilian in the second round for the first of three breakout wins for him in 2024.

    During a recent interview with UFC.com ahead of his return in Las Vegas, Luque spoke about what he was able to learn and take from this fight and how that will benefit him against Gorimbo who has won his last four since losing his UFC debut.

    “Against Buckley, that was the first time I was in that position, and it was a fight for me to understand that it’s different. It was good for me to face Buckley and live that before I fight Themba because now I know what kind of energy I have to have in there.”

    He believes that unlike some of his recent matchups against the likes of Rafael dos Anjos, Geoff Neal and Belal Muhammad, he needed to bring a different mentality with him into the Buckley fight. In his opinion, in order to beat the rising and hungry contenders in his division, he needs to match the fire that they bring into the Octagon.

    “Now when we’re fighting up-and-comers, I remember all the tenacity I brought into fights, and I’ve got to bring that back. Buckley woke me up to that.

    “I’ve got to go in there and really want it more than them; not just come in here and think my technique and my experience is gonna be enough.”

  • Jiří Procházka Gives Latest Update On Postponed Middleweight Plans

    Jiří Procházka Gives Latest Update On Postponed Middleweight Plans

    Jiří Procházka has recently spoken about a potential move to middleweight in the future which caught a lot of fans by surprise given his size. The former light heavyweight champion is still one of the top contenders at 205-pounds with his only losses in the UFC coming to Alex Pereira.

    With his next outing being confirmed for UFC 311 in January where he will face Jamahal Hill in a clash of former titleholders that has been a long time coming, it looks like 185-pounds is on the backburner for now. Given the amount of contenders that are currently at middleweight, it only makes sense for him to continue campaigning in his natural weight class.

    In a recent interview with James Lynch for Sportskeeda, Procházka spoke about his future at the weight class below and why he has chosen to stay at light heavyweight for the time being. He says that he wanted to make a significant change following his loss to “Poatan” at UFC 303 but he has found ways to do that which don’t mean that he has to leave the division entirely.

    Ahead of his return to take on “Sweet Dreams”, he believes that he still has unfinished business to attend to at 205 before he thinks about cutting a bit more weight.

    “I thought about that a lot but it was like decision to change something, to make a big change because I know my body is working really, really well when I don’t eat a lot so I’m keeping that but still. I’ve got the power, I got the strength and I have the endurance and all the abilities and everything to beat the guys in the light heavyweight so for me, this is the best. Maybe I will jump to the middleweight, maybe or I will jump to middleweight, but first, I said to myself I want to win the light heavyweight title. That’s all what’s on my mind right now and win the next fight especially.”

  • Ian Garry On Tapping To Shavkat Rakhmonov In Training: ‘Let’s See If He Can Do It When It Matters’ 

    Ian Garry On Tapping To Shavkat Rakhmonov In Training: ‘Let’s See If He Can Do It When It Matters’ 

    UFC welterweight contender Ian Garry isn’t paying attention to what happened when he met upcoming opponent Shavkat Rakhmonov on the Kill Cliff FC mats.

    The pair of undefeated rising stars are set to do battle in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC 310 pay-per-view at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, where a shot at Belal Muhammad’s gold is expected to await the victor in 2025.

    While it will mark the Rakhmonov and Garry’s first time colliding inside the Octagon, they are familiar with one another owing to their brief time training under the same roof in Florida.

    And as they prepare to reacquaint one another with their respective arsenals, much has been made of the Kazakh revealing he forced his Irish counterpart to tap to a choke in the gym.

    During an interview with talkSPORT, Garry reacted to that remark, admitting it was true but dismissing any suggestion that it could matter leading up to their clash on Dec. 7.

    “Look, if he’s hanging on to something like that from training two or three years ago, then guess what? Do it on Saturday night,” Garry said. “Do it underneath the bright lights. Do it when it matters most. Let’s see if he can do it.

    “I promise you now, he is not ready for the speed and the beauty. He’s going to look at me and go, ‘Oh my god, this guy’s beautiful. What do I do?’ He’s going to be left speechless,” Garry continued. “He’s going to see how fast I move and go, ‘Wow, this kid’s special,’ and that’s all he’s going to think. … It’s training. If I told you about all the people I absolutely burned and choked in training, you would sit here and say I’m the best fighter in the world already.”

    Garry will look to prove those comments correct come fight night in “Sin City.”

    His third outing of this year, following triumphs over Geoff Neal and Michael “Venom” Page goes down in the UFC 310 co-main event, with Alexandre Pantoja headlining in defense of his flyweight title opposite newcomer Kai Asakura.

  • Dana White Cancels Trip To Watch Fighter From UFC 308 Presser After Martial Law Declared In South Korea

    Dana White Cancels Trip To Watch Fighter From UFC 308 Presser After Martial Law Declared In South Korea

    At the UFC 308 press conference in October, undefeated fighter Dorobshokh Nabotov stole headlines when he made the most of his time on the mic. Speaking directly to UFC President Dana White, he called for an opportunity to prove himself inside the Octagon and after listing his accomplishments, he was called down from the crowd and onto the stage where he shook hands with the boss.

    It was later announced that Nabotov would be offered the chance to fight on Z-Fight Night, the South Korean MMA promotion which is owned by MMA legend, Chan Sung Jung, AKA “The Korean Zombie”. The promotion is set to host it’s second event on December 14 in Goyang on the same night as the UFC’s final event of 2024 in Tampa.

    White said that they would be attending the card in order to record a new episode of “Looking For A Fight”, a UFC series where White often travels alongside Matt Serra and Din Thomas to visit some tourist attractions, dine on some local delicacies and most importantly, head to a fight card that features a few interesting fighters. If Nabotov had looked impressive in his fight against Brazil’s Matheus Camilo, it’s likely that he would have been offered another big opportunity right there on the night.

    However, travel plans have been changed as a result of what is happening in South Korea right now. On Tuesday, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, sending heavily armed forces into the streets which has led to significant protesting and unrest. Though opposing parties were able to cancel Yoon’s declaration just six hours after it began by voting against it, this difficult situation is still far from over.

    In a post put up on the promotion’s Instagram, Z-Fight Night announced that White will no longer be attending their event as a result.

    “Due to the declaration of martial law in South Korea on December 3, Dana White, who was scheduled to attend ZFN 02 on December 14, will unfortunately no longer be able to attend the event. We sincerely apologize to everyone who was looking forward to his visit. ZFN will do its best to invite Dana White to a future event. Thank you for your understanding.”

    It appears that the event will be streamed live on UFC Fight Pass so Nabotov will still have a big opportunity to impress people from the UFC that will be tuning in to see how he performs.

  • Anik Says Jon Jones Has Surpassed Other Undefeated Greats: ‘With Respect To Calzaghe & Mayweather…’

    Anik Says Jon Jones Has Surpassed Other Undefeated Greats: ‘With Respect To Calzaghe & Mayweather…’

    UFC broadcaster Jon Anik has declared Jon Jones as not just the greatest fighter in MMA history but arguably in all combat sports.

    Jones boasts a 28-1 professional record, with his sole loss being a disqualification for an illegal 12-6 elbow against Matt Hamill. Interestingly, the 12-6 elbow is now legal under the new MMA Unified Rules adopted in New York. His résumé includes victories over some of the most elite fighters to ever step inside the Octagon, solidifying his status as a legend in the sport.

    “I think, with respect to Joe Calzaghe and Floyd Mayweather, that Jon Jones has already pushed himself beyond those guys,” Anik told MMA Junkie. “Even if people want to denigrate the Stipe win because it happened at 42 years of age, I don’t think there really is anything left for Jon Jones to accomplish. But there is financial gain to be had.”

    Though the reigning heavyweight champion has dismissed the idea of facing interim titleholder Tom Aspinall, Jones has expressed interest in a blockbuster matchup with current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.

    As speculation swirls, Jones is reportedly in discussions with the UFC for a potential return in 2025, keeping fans eager for what’s next in his legendary career.

  • Movsar Evloev Differs From Aljamain Sterling On View Of UFC 310 Card Placement

    Movsar Evloev Differs From Aljamain Sterling On View Of UFC 310 Card Placement

    Undefeated UFC featherweight contender Movsar Evloev couldn’t care less whether he makes the walk at the start or end of a fight card.

    Evloev is set for a crucial outing this weekend at UFC 310, where he looks to stake his claim for a first shot at gold on MMA’s biggest stage at the expense of former bantamweight kingpin Aljamain Sterling.

    The Russian opened his account for 2024 by getting the better of Arnold Allen in Canada this past January. The result pushed him into the top five at 145 pounds and left him 8-0 since joining the UFC from M-1 Global in 2019.

    But he’s come under fire for failing to find a finish in his UFC tenure to date, and Dana White’s reaction to his latest win would suggest Evloev isn’t Mr. Popular among the promotional higher-ups.

    That’s perhaps contributed to the controversial decision to place Evloev’s clash with Sterling — another whose entertainment value has been called into question by some — on Saturday’s preliminary card.

    The move hasn’t pleased “Funk Master,” who has vowed to prove that the UFC made a mistake. Evloev, however, is seemingly unbothered.

    “Guys my fight will be broadcasted on ESPN, way more people will watch my fight than on the PPV, I don’t even care if I’m the first fight of the night, I get paid the same,” Evloev wrote on X. “All my life I worked hard to earn thing nothing was ever given to me”

    Regardless of their position on the lineup, both Evloev and Sterling will be looking to put themselves among the night’s biggest winners by extending their respective unbeaten featherweight records. “Funk Master” is 1-0 in the division, having gotten the better of Calvin Kattar on debut this past April.

  • Israel Adesanya Explains Picking Ian Garry To Upset Shavkat Rakhmonov At UFC 310

    Israel Adesanya Explains Picking Ian Garry To Upset Shavkat Rakhmonov At UFC 310

    Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is envisioning Ian Garry having his hand raised over Shavkat Rakhmonov this weekend.

    Garry has the opportunity to stake his claim for a first shot at the welterweight title on Saturday night, when he co-headlines the UC 310 pay-per-view opposite a fellow undefeated contender in Rakhmonov.

    The Irishman was originally slated to return in the main event of next weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Tampa against Joaquin Buckley. But with champ Belal Muhammad being forced out of his defense against “Nomad” in Las Vegas, “The Future” has stepped up for a title eliminator.

    Despite never tasting defeat in his professional career, Garry will enter the cage as a sizable underdog on Dec. 7, with his line reading +295 compared to the Kazakh star at -375.

    That, however, hasn’t stopped one of the sport’s best backing the Dublin native to get the job done at Rakhmonov’s expense.

    During a recent video uploaded to his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Adesanya broke down this weekend’s numbered event at T-Mobile Arena.

    “The Last Stylebender” gave a particularly thorough breakdown for the co-main event, which is arguably set to be the night’s most anticipated matchup.

    And when it comes to his prediction, Adesanya is expecting Garry’s technical striking and underrated grappling to pave the way for an upset over Rakhmonov.

    “Shavkat, he’s a mauler. … Ian, second Irish sensation,” Adesanya said. “I grappled with him (Garry), he’s a good grappler…he’s slick. He knows how to put things together well. You watch his striking, his distance, his awareness. … That’s where he’s going to have an advantage in this fight.

    “I think he’s going to be able to touch Shavkat. But he’s got to be careful,” Adesanya continued. “Use that jab, use the teep, keep Shavkat away. … For me, I like this fight. I’mma go with Ian Garry. I think it’s going to go to a decision. … There was something he (Garry) was saying. I saw a clip of him at a press conference talking about Shavkat, talking about, ‘I want to be the guy to take that 0 away.’ That’s the energy. That’s that Goku spirit very few people have.”

    Garry will look to prove Adesanya’s assessment correct come fight night in “Sin City,” when he and his former training partner Rakhmonov feature on a PPV main card that will be topped by Alexandre Pantoja’s latest flyweight title defense.

    https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1864504980562231419
  • Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan 2, Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov Official For UFC 311

    Makhachev vs. Tsarukyan 2, Dvalishvili vs. Nurmagomedov Official For UFC 311

    The mixed martial arts leader is set to open its pay-per-view schedule for 2025 in style, having confirmed championship defenses for both Islam Makhachev and Merab Dvalishvili for UFC 311.

    Octagon action will head to Los Angeles for the first numbered event of the new year, with the new Intuit Dome playing host to a lineup that already looks likely to be among the most stacked across the next 12 months.

    And following additions like Jiří Procházka vs. Jamahal Hill and Reinier de Ridder vs. Kevin Holland, as well as returns for Jailton Almeida and Johnny Walker, a pair of blockbuster headliners are now official.

    UFC CEO Dana White took to social media this week to confirm that the long-rumored rematch between Makhachev (26-1) and Arman Tsarukyan (22-3) for the lightweight gold will indeed headline the event on Jan. 18.

    And despite his callout of other contenders, bantamweight king Dvalishvili (18-4) will put his belt on the line against the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov (18-0), who looks to set the stage for his stablemate’s defense in the final fight of the night by adding to the team’s trophy cabinet.

    Makhachev has recorded three defenses since defeating Charles Oliveira to achieve champ status. After back-to-back wins over Alexander Volkanovski in 2023, the Dagestani most recently turned back the challenge of Dustin Poirier. Makhachev is now set to run it back with a charging contender whom he narrowly outpointed back in 2019. Tsarukyan enters his first title shot riding momentum from a triumph over Oliveira at UFC 300.

    Dvalishvili, meanwhile, will be making his first defense at UFC 311, five months on from his victory over Sean O’Malley at the Sphere. That result extended his winning run to 11 straight fights and followed success opposite former champions Petr Yan and Henry Cejudo. Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, is yet to taste defeat inside the cage. The Russian most recently staked his claim for a championship opportunity by getting the better of the highly regarded Cory Sandhagen across five rounds in Abu Dhabi.

    With these additions, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 311 in Los Angeles on Jan. 18 are as follows:

    • Islam Makhachev (C) vs. Arman Tsarukyan (lightweight championship)
    • Merab Dvalishvili (C) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (bantamweight championship)
    • Jiří Procházka vs. Jamahal Hill (light heavyweight)
    • Reinier de Ridder vs. Kevin Holland (middleweight)
    • Jailton Almeida vs. Serghei Spivac (heavyweight)
    • Rinya Nakamura vs. Muin Gafarov (bantamweight)
    • Johnny Walker vs. Bogdan Guskov (light heavyweight)
    • Karol Rosa vs. Ailín Pérez (women’s bantamweight)
    • Zachary Reese vs. Sedriques Dumas (middleweight)
    • Payton Talbott vs. Raoni Barcelos (bantamweight)
    • Grant Dawson vs. Diego Ferreira (lightweight)
    • Ricky Turcios vs. Benardo Sopaj (bantamweight)
  • Jon Jones’ Coach On Tom Aspinall: ‘It’s Not A Matchup That Scares Us At All’

    Jon Jones’ Coach On Tom Aspinall: ‘It’s Not A Matchup That Scares Us At All’

    UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones’ coach, Brandon Gibson, is confident in his fighter’s ability to dominate any opponent, including interim heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall.

    While many fans — and UFC CEO Dana White — view a title unification bout between Jones and Aspinall as the logical next step, “Bones” has expressed a preference for facing light heavyweight king Alex Pereira instead.

    This decision has sparked accusations that Jones is avoiding the tougher challenge in Aspinall. However, Gibson dismissed these claims, framing Jones’ strategy as a matter of timing and maximizing opportunities in his career.

    According to Gibson, Jones is in a commanding position and has the leverage to dictate his terms.

    “I think the fans want that from a lineal standpoint,” Gibson told SiriusXM Fight Nation. “You want to see the belt get passed, not just a belt get vacated. But I always tell Jon, ‘Dude, you don’t owe anybody anything.’ We owed Stipe Miocic and the UFC that night on Nov. 16. That’s what we owed. We’ll see if negotiations can get done right, but Jon’s not ducking anybody.”

    Gibson also dismissed concerns about a potential fight with Aspinall, noting that Jones thrives against elite competition, especially in long, grueling bouts.

    “I actually think Jon is a tough matchup for Tom Aspinall. Obviously, we haven’t seen Tom with an average fight time of two and a half minutes — we haven’t seen much out of Tom, but that’s also a positive on our part.

    “Jon is great at taking champion-level caliber fighters into deep waters. Jon is great in that fourth round and that fifth round. It’s not a matchup that scares us at all. It’s a matter of what’s best for Jon and his family.”

    With Jones holding all the cards, the decision about his next opponent remains uncertain.

    Whether it’s Aspinall for heavyweight unification or Pereira for a high-stakes superfight, Jones’ next move will undoubtedly shape the UFC landscape.

  • Shavkat Rakhmonov Downplays Importance Of Making Ian Garry Tap In Training: ‘The Fight Is Different’

    Shavkat Rakhmonov Downplays Importance Of Making Ian Garry Tap In Training: ‘The Fight Is Different’

    Shavkat Rakhmonov is entering UFC 310 with unwavering confidence as he prepares for a five-round welterweight clash against Ian Garry. The highly anticipated bout is set to co-headline this Saturday’s pay-per-view at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

    Rakhmonov boasts a flawless 18-0 professional record, with every victory coming by way of knockout or submission. His recent dominance includes three straight wins via rear-naked choke against top-tier opponents in Neil Magny, Geoff Neal, and Stephen Thompson.

    In a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Rakhmonov addressed footage circulating from a 2023 sparring session with Garry at Kill Cliff FC, clarifying that the clips don’t show the full story.

    “Ian Garry taps,” Rakhmonov said. “It was a submission, choke.”

    Despite the sparring history, Rakhmonov emphasized that past sessions are irrelevant compared to their upcoming fight.

    “The most important for me is the win,” he explained. “Sparring is sparring. The fight is different. Ian Garry is a very tough opponent who is a good tactician, who comes in with a good game plan. So for me, it doesn’t matter [whether it’s] submission or stoppage. For me, what’s most important is to win.”

    With his undefeated streak on the line and Garry presenting a formidable challenge, Rakhmonov is determined to maintain his perfect record and solidify his place as a top contender in the UFC welterweight division.

  • Kai Asakura On Alexandre Pantoja: ‘Great At Everything, Not Special At Anything’

    Kai Asakura On Alexandre Pantoja: ‘Great At Everything, Not Special At Anything’

    UFC flyweight title challenger Kai Asakura doesn’t envision Alexandre Pantoja posing problems for him in any department this weekend.

    Asakura will join the rare group of fighters to challenge for gold in their Octagon debut when he arrives on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage this Saturday night.

    Following bantamweight championship success under the Rizin banner in Asia, the Japanese star will have the chance to add the UFC flyweight belt to his trophy cabinet in the UFC 310 main event.

    On paper, though, that will be no easy feat.

    Asakura is coming up against a divisional kingpin who has gone 9-0 against names currently occupying spots inside the top 10 at 125 pounds. And since dethroning Brandon Moreno last year, Alexandre Pantoja has already pushed past challenges from Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg.

    But judging by his remarks during an interview with E. Spencer Kyte for UFC.com, Asakura is seemingly expecting a relatively comfortable night at the office…

    “Pantoja is great at everything, but he’s not special at anything; he doesn’t have a unique skill in one area that makes him better than anyone else,” Asakura said. “What makes him better than anyone else is his heart — he’s got great heart, and that’s what makes him a great champion.

    “But I don’t see him representing any problems for me anywhere. He’s someone I don’t think I’ll have any problem dealing with,” Asakura continued. “The advantage I hold over Pantoja is that I have one-shot knockout power, so it only takes one shot,” he added. “And I’m expecting this fight to be over with one shot.”

    Asakura will look to prove his assessment of Pantoja correct come fight night in “Sin City,” where the pair headline a pay-per-view lineup that also features the likes of Shavkat Rakhmonov, Ian Garry, Ciryl Gane, Bryce Mitchell, Aljamain Sterling and Chris Weidman.

  • Tom Aspinall Breaks Down Crucial Aspect Of Ciryl Gane & Alexander Volkov’s Rematch

    Tom Aspinall Breaks Down Crucial Aspect Of Ciryl Gane & Alexander Volkov’s Rematch

    A big heavyweight rematch is set to take place in Las Vegas this weekend as Ciryl Gane and Alexander Volkov meet again at UFC 310. As two of the top three ranked contenders in the division, both men could set themselves up for a title fight in the near future with a win here.

    If interim champion Tom Aspinall doesn’t end up getting his desired title unification bout with Jon Jones, the Brit could be targeting a clash with Gane or a rematch with Volkov, giving him a specific interest in this matchup. He has been spoken about as a potential opponent for Gane multiple times and the Brit has already beaten Volkov when they faced off in London two years ago.

    If that didn’t provide the interim champion with enough to work off, there’s also the five rounds that Gane and Volkov have already spent with each other inside the Octagon back in 2021 where “Gon Gamin” won a one-sided unanimous decision. In a recent episode of Tom Aspinall’s Fight Lab on TNT Sports, he broke down the fight.

    Aspinall specifically drew attention to one aspect of the contest which he thinks will be crucial on Saturday night. With the height and reach advantage that he brings to the table, Volkov is very effective at walking opponents down but the speed and footwork of Gane are his best attributes.

    Whoever is able to win this battle will be able to dictate where the fight takes place and therefore, will likely get their hand raised in Aspinall’s opinion.

    “The feet are very important in this fight in my opinion. When I say the feet, I’m not talking about the kicking as such, I’m talking about the positioning of their feet. If Volkov can get him going backwards and keep him against the fence, he can just use that length and tee off on him with the kicks and the punches like we’re seeing there. On the contrary to that, Cyril Gane is really good moving backwards, that’s his strength is he lures his opponents in and moves off on them angles so it’s just an interesting matchup of styles and we love heavyweight fights.”   

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3gGqrhbfng
  • Ian Garry Names Former Opponent As His Toughest Style Matchup At Welterweight

    Ian Garry Names Former Opponent As His Toughest Style Matchup At Welterweight

    Ian Machado Garry put his money where his mouth is in the lead up to UFC 310. The undefeated welterweight has been calling out all the names that are ranked ahead of him but when none of them would take the fight, he agreed to face Joaquin Buckley on December 14.

    His decision to take this matchup came with one other promise to the UFC, that he would be ready to step in if either of the men involved in the UFC 310 main event were forced to withdraw. With the welterweight champion Belal Muhammad out of the fight, Garry proved to be a man of his word and he will now face Shavkat Rakhmonov in the co-main event this weekend.

    Calling opponents out for avoiding him is one thing but agreeing to face the man that everyone sees as the boogeyman of the division really shows that Garry backs himself against any and all of his fellow welterweights. In fact, he already believes that he’s overcome the toughest style clash for him.

    In a recent video on his YouTube channel, the 27-year old answered some questions from the fans. One of which asked him who he believes is the toughest style matchup for him in the division.

    Though many would assume that a grappling-heavy fighter might be his biggest challenge as an excellent striker, he responded by naming an opponent that he has already beaten. In February, he won 30-27 on two of the judges scorecards at UFC 298 to earn his seventh consecutive win inside the Octagon.

    “I believe I’ve already fought him, his name is Geoff Neal. Someone who hits like a truck, has clean striking, very hard to take down. So I believe that he was one of the dark horses in the division and I went out there and I beat him clean, so for me that’s it.” 

  • Islam Makhachev On Potentially Fighting Ilia Topuria: ‘Everybody Will Once Again Say I Beat A Featherweight’

    Islam Makhachev On Potentially Fighting Ilia Topuria: ‘Everybody Will Once Again Say I Beat A Featherweight’

    Following the year that Ilia Topuria has had, some fans are coming around to the idea of seeing him move up a weight class in the future. Many are growing tired of the want for every fighter to become a two-division champion rather than achieving total dominance in their own weight class and this was the case with “El Matador” at first.

    However, after he did exactly what he said he would do and stopped Max Holloway at UFC 308, it’s becoming hard to deny him what he wants. With his back-to-back wins over “Blessed” and Alexander Volkanovski, Topuria has proved that he’s one of the best in the world right now.

    It just so happens that the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC is the champion in the weight class above him. In a recent interview via matchtv, lightweight king Islam Makhachev gave his thoughts on Topuria calling him out.

    “We’ll have to talk. It will happen 100 percent. He’s been talking about me non stop, he probably wants to let us know something but I have no idea what. Well, we will talk and find out… We will fight if we have to.”

    Despite saying that they can make the fight happen if it’s called for, Makhachev went on to say that he isn’t particularly excited about the idea. The 155-pound champion had his own plans to move up a weight class until his training partner Belal Muhammad became the welterweight champion in July.

    Having defeated Volkanovski twice whilst “The Great” was the featherweight champion, it makes sense why he wouldn’t want to fight another titleholder from the division below just yet.

    “In terms of my fighting career, I have no interest in fighting Ilia Topuria. He represents another weight class so what if we fight and I beat him, what’s there for me? I won’t win another belt and everybody will once again say that I beat a featherweight and that’s it. But, if people really want to see him lose, well, we can do it.”    

  • Kron Gracie Says Fans Who Complain About His Main Card Spot Are The Ones ‘Stealing The PPV’

    Kron Gracie Says Fans Who Complain About His Main Card Spot Are The Ones ‘Stealing The PPV’

    The final UFC PPV card of the year is a strong one from top to bottom so whilst we may have lost some names towards the top of the card, there is still lots to be excited about this Saturday. However, some fans and fighters have questioned the bout order for UFC 310.

    One fight in particular has been targeted, that being the featherweight contest between Bryce Mitchell and Kron Gracie. Of course, it’s not their fault that they have been given this position on the card but some did take issue with this for several reasons.

    Gracie hasn’t fought since May of 2023 where he returned from a four-year break and suffered his second consecutive loss. Mitchell, on the other hand, is ranked #13 in the division having suffered a devastating knockout loss to Josh Emmett in December last year at UFC 296.

    There are plenty of big names and strong match-ups on the prelims that could have taken this slot but none are as fitting as the fight between top 10 contenders which takes place in the very same weight class. Former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling will look to halt the undefeated run of Movsar Evloev with both men having a case for a title shot if they get their hand raised.

    In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Gracie responded to the criticism of his fight featuring on the PPV portion of the card.

    “I think it’s funny because the people always have something to say and it’s interesting that people who would complain about something like that are probably the people who are not even paying for the PPV. They’re streaming it for free, they’re stealing the PPV and they’re the ones complaining about where the fight is. If anything, it’s a free fight for the fans that they get to watch sooner. I don’t see why it’s such a big deal.”

    Gracie continued, adding that he doesn’t think the bout order is a decision that the promotion has made in order to diminish certain fighters or match-ups, as has been theorized.

    “I think that the placement of the fight is not the most important thing and I don’t care where I’m at on the card, the sooner the better really. I get to go on with my life after that so. Obviously the UFC knows what they’re doing and they’re in the business of making fights and matchmaking so no one does it better than them. I’m sure they didn’t do this on spitefulness, I’m sure this is a business deal and it is what it is.”