MMA News

Category: UFC

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

  • Cory Sandhagen Believes Overestimating Umar Nurmagomedov’s Wrestling Cost Him

    Cory Sandhagen Believes Overestimating Umar Nurmagomedov’s Wrestling Cost Him

    In his return to action in Abu Dhabi this past August, Cory Sandhagen’s three-fight winning streak came to an end. “The Sandman” has been one of the top contenders at bantamweight for a long time but in his latest outing, a new major threat emerged with his biggest win to date.

    The undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov was able to skyrocket up the 135-pound rankings by decisively beating Sandhagen in the main event on August 3. The cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov showed that he isn’t just a threat on the ground by standing and striking with his opponent for long stretches in the fight.

    During a recent appearance on the JAXXON Podcast, he recapped the fight and where he believes he went wrong in his preparations. Sandhagen was able to compete with Nurmagomedov in the grappling exchanges after putting a lot of time into his wrestling throughout his training camp.

    However, as a result, he encountered a problem that many fighters have when going up against a wrestling specialist. In his opinion, he became so focused on this aspect of the fight that it negatively impacted his striking which is where you’d imagine him to hold an advantage in this match-up.

    He found that grappling with his opponent wasn’t the issue that he had, taking advantage of the time they spent standing was. Sandhagen was happy to learn from this fight but admitted that the narrative surrounding his opponent’s dominant grappling played a major factor inside the Octagon.

    “I grappled a ton, I was wrestling a lot. Just the normal s*** man like I really thought that I would have a little bit more of a edge in the striking but should have done a little bit more striking and a little bit less wrestling because the wrestling, I kind of overestimated him big time on that. Everyone talks about how strong the Dagestani guys are and stuff and I had a little bit of that swirling around in my head so I overdid that I think a little bit.” 

  • Former UFC Title Challenger ‘Doesn’t See’ Jon Jones Destroying Miocic: ‘Going To Be Really Close’

    Former UFC Title Challenger ‘Doesn’t See’ Jon Jones Destroying Miocic: ‘Going To Be Really Close’

    When the fight was scheduled to take place last year at UFC 295, a lot of people were quick to write off Stipe Miocic’s chances of dethroning the heavyweight champion, Jon Jones. Miocic has accomplished a lot a former two-time champion but his years away from the Octagon and last fight meant that a lot of people didn’t think that he would be at his best.

    This same narrative has only increased since that fight was postponed due to Jones’ injury and rescheduled for UFC 309 this weekend, over one year on from their previously scheduled encounter. However, there are some fellow fighters that believe that this fight will end up being far more competitive than many are expecting.

    Miocic was knocked out by Francis Ngannou the last time that we saw him in action but “The Predator” might be the most devastating puncher in the sport and Jones is not known for his heavy hands. In his trilogy with Daniel Cormier, Miocic was able to showcase his wrestling, boxing and fight IQ in order to win their second and third clashes.

    Former UFC title challenger Steve Erceg is one member of the roster who believes that Miocic will prove to be a tough test for “Bones”. The Aussie flyweight recently gave his thoughts on the fight in an interview with Fox Sports Australia.

    “I’ve been thinking about this fight and believe it’s going to be a really close. Even though everyone is saying Jon Jones will destroy Stipe, I don’t see it because I just can’t see Jon taking Miocic down consistently. I think people are overlooking that.

    “Jon Jones also isn’t known for his ridiculous knockout power, so to win he’ll have to beat Stipe through five rounds and I can’t see him (Miocic) being picked apart for five rounds, either. When it comes to Stipe Miocic, I think most people know – or should know – that he isn’t someone to be trifled with. That’s why I think it’s going to be a barn burner. So while I’m probably still leaning towards Jon, if I was having a punt I’d go Stipe because in what I believe will be a close fight, he’s great value.”

  • Jon Jones: My Fight Against Stipe Miocic Has Become ‘Very Personal’

    Jon Jones: My Fight Against Stipe Miocic Has Become ‘Very Personal’

    Jon Jones is approaching his first UFC heavyweight title defense with a different mindset as he prepares to face Stipe Miocic in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden.

    Although the two fighters had mutual respect for much of the lead-up to the fight, tensions have escalated. Jones has taken a more personal approach to the matchup due to Miocic’s alleged comments.

    The shift began when Miocic called Jones a “bitch,” a remark Jones did not take lightly. Matters escalated further when Miocic allegedly mentioned Jones’ children, which Jones interpreted as a direct attack on his family. However, Micoic has denied those remarks.

    “Everyone likes first responders, and I actually respect men and women in the armed forces and law enforcement, things like that,” Jones said during the UFC 309 press conference. “So I made it a point to try to be very respectful to him. But there’ve been two scenarios now. First, he said, ‘My kids will never look at me like I’m an asshole.’ That was a direct attack at me, my family, and my relationship with my kids. The second was him calling me a bitch. So, the respect is a little bit out the window, and we’ll see that on Saturday. It’s very personal to me, yes.” Don’t ever mention my kids again.

    Miocic replied, “I never mentioned your kids.” With these personal stakes adding fuel to the fire, fans can expect a charged performance from Jones as he looks to defend his title against the former UFC heavyweight champion.

  • Dana White: I Think Jon Will Eventually Come Back & Fight Tom Aspinall

    Dana White: I Think Jon Will Eventually Come Back & Fight Tom Aspinall

    Jon Jones is set to defend his UFC heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. However, discussions about Jones’ future fights have taken center stage. There is speculation about potential matchups against UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira for a BMF title or against Tom Aspinall.

    Ahead of UFC 309, Jones stirred controversy by calling the interim heavyweight champion an “a**hole” and expressing disinterest in working with someone who engages in social media banter.

    In a recent interview on The Jim Rome Show, UFC CEO Dana White addressed Jones’ comments and his future in the sport.

    “I think Jon will eventually come back and fight Tom Aspinall. But, if he decides Saturday night, ‘That’s it, it’s over,’ it’s his right to make that decision. For anybody to say he’s ducking anybody… Jon Jones is 37, 38 years old, fought everybody, all the best in the world in their prime, and has been doing it since he was 23 years old. He doesn’t duck.”

    White added, “If he wins, he’ll disappear for a while, and that competitive spirit will start bubbling up again. If he doesn’t decide to retire, he will absolutely, positively fight Tom Aspinall. He’s not fighting [Alex] Pereira. If Jon Jones wants to fight again after Saturday night, he will fight Tom Aspinall.”

  • UFC 309: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic Press Conference Highlights & Faceoffs

    UFC 309: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic Press Conference Highlights & Faceoffs

    We’re deep into UFC 309 fight week, meaning it was recently time for the fighters set to be in action on November 16 to take to the stage and answer some questions.

    The MMA leader’s latest numbered event takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where the main attraction will see UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones put his belt on the line against Stipe Miocic.

    Setting the stage for the UFC 309 headliners will be a crucial five-round contest at 155 pounds, with former kingpin Charles Oliveira looking to repeat his 2021 victory over Michael Chandler in their highly anticipated rematch.

    Also on pay-per-view will be rising middleweight prospect Bo Nickal, who gets his toughest test to date in formerly ranked submission specialist Paul Craig. That’s in addition to surging flyweight Karine Silva, who looks to keep climbing the ladder toward Valentina Shevchenko’s gold at the expense of her fellow countrywoman Viviane Araujo.

    The UFC 309 main card will open with the always entertaining Mauricio Ruffy making his second walk to the Octagon. The Fighting Nerds standout will look to continue his winning start to life in the UFC against late-notice replacement James Llontop.

    As is customary during major fight weeks, the athletes took to the stage on Thursday for the pre-fight press conference.

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

    UFC 309 Press Conference Highlights

    UFC 309 Press Conference Faceoffs

  • ‘This Is The Biggest Duck Of All Time’ – Fans React As Jon Jones Adds Size To List Of Excuses For Not Fighting Tom Aspinall 

    ‘This Is The Biggest Duck Of All Time’ – Fans React As Jon Jones Adds Size To List Of Excuses For Not Fighting Tom Aspinall 

    UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones is continuing to come under fire for attempting to justify avoiding a title unification fight with Tom Aspinall.

    Jones is fast approaching his first defense of the heavyweight crown, which he captured in his divisional debut last year by submitting Ciryl Gane in one round. He was quickly penciled in to next face Stipe Miocic.

    Their planned showdown at Madison Square Garden last November fell through, however, due to an injury on the side of “Bones,” and Tom Aspinall subsequently became interim champ as a result.

    Despite the presence of another titleholder, though, Jones has remained steadfast in his desire to face Miocic next instead of unifying the belt. With that, he’ll give making the walk inside MSG to square off with the returning legend a second chance this weekend at UFC 309.

    Even beyond that, Aspinall remains an opponent whom the Rochester native is looking to avoid. The champ has expressed a number of reasons for not fighting the Brit this year, from a potential retirement and lack of enthusiasm about the interim king’s record to his desire to face Alex Pereira instead.

    And Jones’ list of excuses has expanded in fight week. After suggesting he could vacate the title post-UFC 309 to fight the likes of Jamahal Hill, the former light heavyweight champ said he’s looking to fight athletes close to his size.

    It’s worth noting that Jones spent three years on the sidelines to bulk up and prepare for his stint at heavyweight, weighing in at 248 pounds for his divisional debut. That’s just three pounds lighter than Aspinall hit the scales at before knocking out Curtis Blaydes this past July.

    Jones’ latest remarks drew plenty of backlash on social media, not least due to the fact his remark on size came during the same media scrum in which he pointed to Derrick Lewis as a “super fight” he could pursue.

    The common theme among commenters was the “ducking” accusation that has followed Jones throughout UFC 309 fight week.

  • Kamaru Usman Eliminates Himself As An Option For Shavkat Rakhmonov At UFC 310

    Kamaru Usman Eliminates Himself As An Option For Shavkat Rakhmonov At UFC 310

    When Belal Muhammed announced that he had withdrawn from the first defense of his welterweight title at UFC 310, a lot of fight fans quickly came to the same conclusion. In the hopes of keeping Shavkat Rakhmonov on the card, a replacement opponent would need to be found for what would likely be an interim title fight.

    Rakhmonov pushed for this and like many people online, he wanted to face the former champion of the division in Kamaru Usman. “The Nigerian Nightmare” may be winless in his last three but his reign as the welterweight champion still gives him lots of pedigree at 170-pounds.

    The fight got everyone excited for December 7 but it unfortunately doesn’t look like we will get to see this match-up take place in Las Vegas. Usman spoke about the fight during a recent episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast alongside Henry Cejudo.

    He said that fighting the undefeated Rakhmonov is something that greatly interests him but without giving away any clear reason why, he said that stepping inside the Octagon in just a few weeks doesn’t look like it’ll be an option for him. This leaves very few options for potential replacements meaning that the UFC’s final PPV card of 2024 could be down to one title fight as Alexandre Pantoja defends his flyweight belt against the debuting Kai Asakura.

    “To be honest, it’s a fight that I’ve looked at and it’s definitely a very, very winnable fight and I know that I can, of all people, go out there and expose what hasn’t been exposed in a young, hungry, streaky guy in Shavkat Rakhmonov. He’s very talented, he’s very good but I do see the holes and I think that I can exploit that when that time is right but December 7 might be a little too early for that time.”

  • VIDEO: Jon Jones Walks Out Of UFC 309 Interview With UK Broadcaster To Avoid ‘Aspinall Fest’

    VIDEO: Jon Jones Walks Out Of UFC 309 Interview With UK Broadcaster To Avoid ‘Aspinall Fest’

    The main event of UFC 309 features the consensus greatest of all time facing the best heavyweight we have seen inside the Octagon for the title in a bout that is over a year in the making. Yet, a lot of the talk during fight week has been about a third man in the picture.

    Though the challenger, Stipe Miocic, has been his usual self all throughout the build up and is only focused on his upcoming clash with Jon Jones after their fight was rescheduled from UFC 295 last year, the narrative surrounding Jones and interim champion Tom Aspinall has dominated the headlines and key talking points.

    Jones has faced some criticism over claims he is ducking Aspinall, whom many believe to be the toughest test out there right now and the rightful next opponent for “Bones.” The Rochester native has responded with some criticism of his own that has only led to more drama and discussion.

    A video that was posted on social media by TNT Sports, which is the UK broadcaster of the UFC, showed how the Jones and Aspinall tension seemingly isn’t just for the cameras. Jones was carrying out his usual run of media duties as he walked into a room ready to be interviewed by the broadcaster’s team.

    With the fight being shown on TNT Sports PPV and the return of the GOAT being the key draw, it’s not surprising that they would want to get some time with the champion ahead of Saturday night.

    The clip shows that before Jones sat down, he declined to take part in the interview, telling his team that he didn’t want to do it because of the potential questions that he would be asked.

    “Hey, I’m not going to do this interview, you know, because it’s going to be an Aspinall fest. I’m not doing it.”

    The video also shows a quick interaction between Jones and the interviewer, TNT Sports’ Adam Catterall. Jones explained that his connection to Aspinall is why he refused to sit down and chat.

    “Hey bro, nothing personal. I see how close you guys are, common sense tells me what type of questions I’m going to get asked.”

    Catterall responded before the short clip cuts off with Jones walking down the hallway.

    “You’re entitled to speak to speak to who you want to speak to.”

    Where things get slightly more confusing is that TNT Sports did in fact put up an interview with Jones. At the start of the video, this footage is shown, and after his brief interaction with Catterall, he walks right into another interview with the broadcaster’s other presenter, Nick Peet.

    Peet is also close with Aspinall but the two sit down for a full interview, which has led to some pondering if this was a social media bit rather than a legitimate interaction. That isn’t 100 percent clear at this time.

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

  • Israel Adesanya Makes His Pick For Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic At UFC 309

    Israel Adesanya Makes His Pick For Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic At UFC 309

    Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya believes this weekend’s curtain-closer between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic will reach a conclusion well inside the five-round distance.

    Jones and Miocic have renewed hostilities a year on from their first failed attempt at sharing the cage. That bout set for Madison Square Garden fell through owing to an injury on the side of the heavyweight kingpin.

    And despite that setting the stage for Tom Aspinall to achieve interim champ status, the title won’t be unified next, as “Bones” has instead kept his sights on welcoming Miocic back to the Octagon after a near-four-year layoff.

    Given the veteran’s age and lengthy stint on the sidelines, which followed a brutal knockout loss to Francis Ngannou, not many are giving the Ohio native a chance of ripping the gold from Jones’ grasp at UFC 309.

    And that includes a man who hasn’t always seen eye-to-eye with the Rochester native…

    During a video recently uploaded to his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Adesanya provided a brief breakdown of both UFC 309 headliners before making his prediction.

    While “The Last Stylebender” praised Miocic’s toughness and past stints with the heavyweight crown in his possession, he went as far as to suggest that a victory for the challenger would mark the “biggest upset” the Octagon has seen.

    “Jones lately looks better at heavyweight already. He’s been taking it seriously,” Adesanya said. “The Ciryl Gane fight was the one that made me go, ‘Yeah, he’s the best.’ I thought Ciryl Gane was going to give him some trouble, and Ciryl was the new-age heavyweight. Jones was like, ‘Hold on there.’ … The guy’s just crafty, creative with what he does.

    “But with Stipe, Stipe is tough. He can outwork a lot of heavyweights. You’ve seen what he’s done in the past, you’ve seen his reign as a heavyweight. … But in this fight, man, I think he’s up against it,” Adesanya continued. “I’m going to pick Jon Jones….first two rounds, he’s going to finish him. … If Stipe gets it done, it will be the biggest upset in UFC history.”

    Miocic will look to prove Adesanya wrong and deliver a major shock in “The Big Apple.”

    In doing so, he’d likely return to the heavyweight throne in an even more shocking fashion than his redemption against Daniel Cormier back in 2019.

  • Bo Nickal On Khamzat Chimaev: I Have A Lot Of Catching Up To Do

    Bo Nickal’s next challenge inside the Octagon is set for November 16th at UFC 309, where he’ll face Paul Craig on the main card at Madison Square Garden.

    Nickal has already secured impressive victories and continues to look better in every fight inside the Octagon. As the middleweight prospect continues to garner attention among fight fans, he’s now looking for his biggest win to date against the experienced Craig.

    While Khamzat Chimaev is often mentioned as a potential future opponent, Nickal believes that matchup is getting closer to becoming a reality. Still, he is focused on improving before taking on such a challenge.

    “It’s definitely getting closer,” Nickal told reporters on Wednesday. “Khamzat’s last performance was incredible — probably his best yet. Submitting a former champion is an incredible feat. He’s definitely in line for a title shot. I have a lot of catching up to do, and I’m still fighting unranked guys. Those are the kinds of fights I want in the future, but my main focus right now is to improve, develop, and get better at fighting. We’ll make that fight happen in time,” Nickal concluded.

  • Jon Jones Recalls ‘Humbling’ Experience Training With Top Heavyweight Boxer In His UFC 309 Camp

    Jon Jones Recalls ‘Humbling’ Experience Training With Top Heavyweight Boxer In His UFC 309 Camp

    It has been a reoccurring theme throughout Jon Jones’ career that he always looks to bring in some of the best specialists in their fields to train with him. This has been no different ahead of his long awaited return at UFC 309 this Saturday night.

    Fans have already seen how “Bones” has been working alongside one of the best jiu-jitsu competitors and wrestlers around right now by added Gable Steveson and Gordon Ryan to his close knit team. Over a month out from his first heavyweight title defense, Jones was also seen getting some training in one of the top heavyweight boxers around right now.

    New Zealand’s Joseph Parker is coming off of his two most impressive wins to date with victories over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. Jones was incredibly impressed by the in-form competitor, as he spoke about during a recent interview with Fox Sports New Zealand.

    “He’s so disciplined and so dedicated. Literally every day he was here, he was just trying to figure out ways to get better, his diet, his worth ethic. He’s just so humble like he was willing to learn from anyone around and you would imagine a person that’s fought at the level he’s fought would have a little bit of pride and a little bit of ego and man, he was just abnormally kind and I’m really grateful to call him a friend.”

    Given that his upcoming opponent, Stipe Miocic, is known for his boxing skills, working alongside someone as high level as Parker is sure to have been a great experience for Jones heading into Madison Square Garden on November 16. He reflected on what he was able to gain from the time they spent together.

    “Well it was very humbling to try to box with him. He’s just so powerful and so tight in his position and his technique. He gave me some great pointers. I don’t want to get into it in depth because a lot that he taught me, I’ll be trying to implement in my next fight but we both have many years of training experience and to collaborate and to learn different training methods from him was really nice, him and his coach [George] Lockhart.”

  • Michael Chandler Reiterates Expectation For Title Shot With UFC 309 Victory

    Michael Chandler is not only looking to get his hand raised this Saturday but also aiming for a title shot.

    Chandler, who has gone 1-3 in his last four fights, will step back into the cage at UFC 309, a pay-per-view event held at Madison Square Garden, where he faces Charles Oliveira.

    Currently, UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is expected to defend his title against Arman Tsarukyan in early 2025, although the UFC has yet to officially confirm the matchup.

    Chandler believes he’s proven himself within the UFC, taking on some of the toughest fighters the promotion has to offer. He’s confident that come Sunday morning, he will be seen as the third-highest-ranked fighter in the lightweight division.

    “I obviously knocked out Dan Hooker, but now he’s ranked ahead of me because of his recent resurgence,” Chandler said at UFC 309 media day. “This is the most violent and exciting division in the UFC, and I’m so blessed to be a part of it. On Saturday night, I’ll be very blessed to be the highest-ranked guy in it — not named Arman Tsarukyan or Islam Makhachev — and solidify myself as the No. 1 contender.”

    Chandler and Oliveira first fought in May 2021 for the vacant UFC lightweight title. This is where Oliveira stopped Chandler in the second round.

  • Charles Oliveira Doubts Michael Chandler Has Changed Since First Fight: ‘He Can’t Help But Be Himself’

    Charles Oliveira Doubts Michael Chandler Has Changed Since First Fight: ‘He Can’t Help But Be Himself’

    Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira expects to come up against the same Michael Chandler that he did back in 2021 this weekend.

    Oliveira is gearing up for his second assignment of the year, as he looks to immediately bounce back from his narrow split decision setback opposite Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300 this past April.

    To do so, “Do Bronx” is tasked with repeating a feat he achieved back in May 2021 — beat Chandler.

    The former Bellator champion hasn’t competed in the two years since his loss to Dustin Poirier at Madison Square Garden. And following a failed wait to fight Conor McGregor, “Iron” gets his chance for redemption against Oliveira back at MSG.

    Ahead of the pair’s second clash at UFC 309, Chandler has waxed lyrical about his evolution as a fighter since being the victim of a come-from-behind knockout against the Brazilian.

    Oliveira, though, isn’t convinced.

    During a recent fight week interview with ESPN MMA, Oliveira reacted to Chandler’s claims regarding his improvements as a competitor since their first showdown three and a half years ago.

    “Do Bronx” was firm in stating that Chandler doesn’t have it in him to change his aggressive, forward-pressing style. With that in mind, he’s anticipating a similar opening frame burst from the 38-year-old.

    “All you have to do is watch his fights, that’s who he is. He’s always aggressive, he’s always going to go forward. He can’t help but be himself,” Oliveira said. “It’s like saying, ‘Charles is going to back down, or walk backwards.’ I am never, I am going to always push forward. That’s who (Chandler) is always going to be. Always very explosive, always very aggressive, a guy who’s got a very strong first round.”

    At UFC 262, Chandler’s fast start almost paid off. He had Oliveira badly hurt and appeared just seconds away from closing the show on more than one occasion.

    But after “Do Bronx” survived to hear the first horn, a perfectly timed left hook early in the second round caught Chandler and set up the shock finish — something the former champ will now hope to repeat in New York City this Saturday night.

  • Jon Jones Says He’ll Only Entertain ‘Super Fights’ Like Derrick Lewis & Jamahal Hill After UFC 309

    Jon Jones Says He’ll Only Entertain ‘Super Fights’ Like Derrick Lewis & Jamahal Hill After UFC 309

    Jon Jones won’t extend his fighting career beyond UFC 309 to unify the heavyweight title, but he will if it means fighting the likes of Derrick Lewis and Jamahal Hill.

    Jones is set to headline this weekend’s pay-per-view at Madison Square Garden, returning 20 months on from his crowning to defend the heavyweight gold for the very first time opposite Stipe Miocic.

    Rather than the matchup itself, the main talking point in recent months and days has been the former light heavyweight kingpin’s decision to avoid facing interim titleholder Tom Aspinall, who earned his belt last November as a result of an injury to “Bones.”

    And more than just not facing that challenge next, Jones has recently rejected the possibility of fighting Aspinall post-UFC 309 entirely, instead pointing to Alex Pereira as an opponent he’d be willing to share the cage with.

    In a media scrum during UFC 309 fight week, Jones continued to dismiss fighting his interim counterpart. This time, though, he added more names to the list of potential opponents he’d favor over the Brit.

    But it perhaps came as a surprise when the names Lewis and Hill followed the term “super fights.”

    “I could see myself after this entertaining super fights only,” Jones said. “If we get a dominant performance, I’m prepared to vacate the heavyweight championship and fight for fun. I want to fight for fun. … I don’t necessarily want it to be over, but I just want to fight for fun.

    “I think about one of my teammates, Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, he just fights. Win, lose, or draw, he just fights. I would love to kind of experience that for the first time in my career, just not having this belt to protect. Just fighting guys that I’d stylistically want to fight against,” Jones continued. “Random fights like Jamahal Hill. … I’m at an interesting weight where I can fight light heavyweights or heavyweights. Derrick Lewis, Biggest knockout puncher in history.”

    Aspinall’s stoppage wins against Alexander Volkov, Sergei Pavlovich, and Curtis Blaydes haven’t stopped Jones branding the Brit’s résumé unworthy of his time, but “Bones” clearly holds Hill’s victories over Jimmy Crute, Johnny Walker, Thiago Santos, and a retiring Glover Teixeira en route to the then-vacant title in high regard.

    Lewis, meanwhile, is without a win streak since 2021 and has lost five of his last eight fights.

    Suffice to say, it would appear unlikely that the ‘ducking’ accusations being leveled against Jones would dissipate should he vacate the heavyweight title in order to fight the likes of “Sweet Dreams” and “The Black Beast.”

  • UFC Vet Questions Jon Jones’ Handling Of Aspinall Avoidance: ‘Should Have Sent A PR Trainer To Him’

    UFC Vet Questions Jon Jones’ Handling Of Aspinall Avoidance: ‘Should Have Sent A PR Trainer To Him’

    Former longtime UFC welterweight Matt Brown believes heavyweight champion Jon Jones should have approached his refusal to fight Tom Aspinall differently.

    Jones is currently days away from his first defense of the 265-pound crown, which he captured at the expense of Ciryl Gane in March 2023. Having been sidelined through injury since, “Bones” will meet returning former champ Stipe Miocic in the UFC 309 main event.

    The pair were originally set to collide last November prior to Jones’ injury. An interim champ subsequently joined the fray when Aspinall knocked out Sergei Pavlovich, but that fact hasn’t stopped “Bones” from pursuing Miocic.

    His decision to avoid unifying the title has proved to be a controversial one. And UFC 309 fight week has even seen Jones suggest that the continuation of his fighting career beyond this weekend would only be to face light heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira.

    During a recent episode of MMA Fighting’s The Fighter vs. The Writer show, Brown pointed to that statement as a big mistake on Jones’ part.

    “The fact that he brought up that he is going to fight again, and it’s not going to be the current interim champion, that’s a mistake on his part,” Brown said. “UFC should have sent a PR trainer out there to him or something. ‘How about we don’t talk about the future and focus on what we’re doing now. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.’

    “But he crossed the bridge and opened up the door. He has to know when he says that, there’s going to be criticism that he’s ducking,” Brown continued. “It’s not a good look. Jon don’t give a f*ck. He just says it.”

    Should Jones be set to stick to his stance post-his planned victory this weekend, it would appear that Aspinall will be relying on a late-notice withdrawal from Miocic to make his dream of fighting the all-time great a reality.

    The Brit is currently in New York City to weigh in as backup fighter for the UFC 309 main event. Beyond his assignment on the scale this Friday, the interim champ’s next step is unclear.

  • UFC 309: Volkanovski Jokes That He Nearly Offered To Fight Amid Injury Rumor

    UFC 309: Volkanovski Jokes That He Nearly Offered To Fight Amid Injury Rumor

    About a week ago, some fake rumors started to circulate online that one of the big match-ups at UFC 309 could be at risk. Any claims that Charles Oliveira had suffered an injury ahead of his co-main event clash with Michael Chandler on November 16 were cleared up before fight week had begun for the promotion’s return to Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

    Chandler was even asked about this during his recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show where he stated that he wasn’t sure where the rumor started. For some fans, they may have assumed this to be true after seeing fighters like Renato Moicano posting on social media to say that they would be willing to step in on short notice.

    “Do Bronx” has had two notable fights either cancelled or postponed in recent times with the most significant one being his rematch with Islam Makhachev at UFC 294 last year. The former lightweight champion suffered a cut above his eye less than two weeks out from the fight and the match-up wasn’t booked again once Oliveira was back in fighting shape.

    Instead, the featherweight champion at the time, Alexander Volkanovski, stepped in to his place for a rematch with Makhachev that didn’t go his way. It’s become a consistent joke on social media ever since last October that whenever a fighter pulls out, Volkanovski is waiting by the phone with his gloves and luggage already in hand.

    In his recent breakdown of the fights on his YouTube channel, “The Great” joked that after he heard the rumors that Oliveira was injured, he would offer to replace him once again.

    “I did see things popping up where Charles was out maybe they needed a replacement, it must have just been okay that’s why you can never believe what you see on the internet. I almost put my hand up, almost, but I didn’t but yeah. Probably because we knew that wasn’t the case. If the UFC called, you never know right.”    


  • Stipe Miocic Insists He Would Have Returned With Or Without Jon Jones

    Stipe Miocic Insists He Would Have Returned With Or Without Jon Jones

    For many fight fans, a defining trait of the main event of UFC 309 this Saturday night is activity. Whilst the defending heavyweight champion Jon Jones has only has one fight in well over four years, Stipe Miocic hasn’t fought since March of 2021.

    Not to mention the fact that in that fight, following his testing trilogy with Daniel Cormier that took three years to complete, Miocic was knocked out in devastating fashion by Francis Ngannou in their rematch at UFC 260.

    The former two-time heavyweight champion is ready to return after his match-up with Jones was pushed back a year from UFC 295 due to Jones’ injury which only added to the talk about whether this will be a major factor at Madison Square Garden. For Miocic, he’s confident that the time away hasn’t had a negative impact on his ability.

    He believes that he’s been able to let his body heal during this period and though he wasn’t dead-set on stepping back inside the Octagon, it was always an option for him after the Ngannou defeat. Miocic has said before that he pushed for a trilogy with his last opponent but when that didn’t happen, things went quiet on his end for quite some time.

    In a recent interview with Brett Okamoto for ESPN MMA, the returning challenger said that making a return after his most recent fight was always an option on the table even if it wasn’t an absolute must for him.

    “No I was always gonna fight man, I love fighting. I love what I do but I mean, I’m also okay with if it didn’t happen, I was okay with walking away.”

    Later on in the interview, Miocic was asked whether he would have made his way back to the Octagon eventually if it wasn’t for this fight. If there was ever a reason to come back after a tough loss followed by a long break, a legacy defining fight against Jones where Miocic could recapture the heavyweight belt and become the first man to beat “Bones” at the same time would surely be the one.

    He cut straight to the point, simply stating that he would have come back regardless of whether it was for this fight with Jones or something else.

  • UFC Invites Key Personnel To First ‘Brain Health Education Summit’ Amid Growing CTE Concerns

    UFC Invites Key Personnel To First ‘Brain Health Education Summit’ Amid Growing CTE Concerns

    Mixed martial arts is a combat sport and when you’re training and competing in it, it’s impossible to avoid withstanding a degree of physical damage by it’s very nature. That being said, with more knowledge and technology at our disposal, there are a lot of ways that the sport can be made safer than ever before.

    One of the biggest health developments across sports as a whole is the greater understanding of CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy. CTE is one of the biggest concerns for combat sports athletes because of the constant risk of head injuries and concussions which can have a negative affect on the brain.

    The awareness of this has grown massively in recent years which is especially important in a time where the health and future of former fighters has been a big talking point this year amidst the ongoing Le v. Zuffa lawsuit. In a recent development, the UFC are also taking matters into their own hands in order to provide greater education on how to prevent damage being done to the brain.

    In a recent message that was sent out to key personnel in the MMA world, the UFC’s Performance Institute invited people to attend the MMA leader’s first “Brain Health Education Summit”, as seen below.

    The invite was posted on social media by combat sports lawyer Eric Magraken.

    “Hello UFC athletes, managers, and coaches, UFCPI is thrilled to announce it’s first-ever Brain Health Education Summit! Don’t miss this incredibly opportunity to hear directly from top researchers and the UFCPI team on the latest insights and practices to boost brain health, manage concussions and elevate performance.”

  • Replacement Fighter Confirmed For UFC 309 After Late Withdrawal

    Replacement Fighter Confirmed For UFC 309 After Late Withdrawal

    It was reported last week that UFC 309 this Saturday would be down a fight unless a replacement opponent could be found on short notice. David Onama was set to face Lucas Almeida on the prelims at Madison Square Garden.

    This would have been Almeida’s fifth appearance in the Octagon following a win last time out in June over Timmy Cuamba via a unanimous decision. Unfortunately, Almeida withdrew from the fight and the UFC started looking for someone else to face Onama.

    Fans were getting concerned after not hearing anything for close to a week until it was announced, just days out from fight night, that Mexico’s Roberto Romero will be stepping in to make his UFC debut. Romero’s management Iridium Sports Agency made the new official via their social media channels.

    At 24-years old, Romero has built a pro record of 8-3-1. His last eight fights all came under the Combate Global banner where he won six fights in a row, with one draw in between, before suffering a decision loss to Ireland’s Patrick Lehane last December. He went on to rebound with a first round submission win over Takahiro Ashida this past July.

    He will now face Uganda’s Onama on November 16 as the 30-year old looks to build on his back-to-back wins inside the Octagon, including a bonus-winning knockout over Gabriel Santos last year. This now puts the card at a total of 13 fights for the promotion’s return to the world’s most famous arena following a few changes in opponents and a cancelled fight.

  • Only UFC Fighter to Beat Magomed Ankalaev on What Could Cost Him in a Fight With Alex Pereira

    Only UFC Fighter to Beat Magomed Ankalaev on What Could Cost Him in a Fight With Alex Pereira

    At UFC 308, Magomed Ankalaev seemingly cemented his status as the next man to challenge Alex Pereira for the light heavyweight title. Aside from one draw and a no contest, the Russian contender has won eleven fights in a row inside the Octagon and has waited a long time for his opportunity.

    In his latest win in Abu Dhabi last month, he stuck to his word by standing and striking with Aleksandar Rakić for three rounds in order to prove a point about his well-rounded skill set. Ankalaev’s striking has certainly improved during his time in the UFC but there’s no denying that his grappling is still his strongest attribute, even if he doesn’t use it much.

    Ankalaev’s one and only loss in the UFC came on his debut with the promotion where he faced Scotland’s Paul Craig in London. “Bearjew” was coming off of consecutive knockout losses at the time so needed a win in order to keep his UFC dream alive.

    Despite being moments away from losing the fight, he incredibly pulled off a buzzer beater submission with just one second left on the clock, catching Ankalaev in a triangle choke. Ahead of his return at UFC 309 this weekend where he faces Bo Nickal at middleweight, Craig gave his thoughts on Ankalaev’s chances of becoming the champion in a recent interview with talkSPORT MMA.

    Craig believes that his former foe is in a good position to dethrone “Poatan” but he cannot afford to go into this fight with the same stubbornness that will see him strike with the champion rather than utilizing his grappling.

    “When you bring in someone like the Dagestanis who have incredible wrestling pressure and work ethic, it’s tough. Do I think Ankalaev can beat Pereira? I do believe he can. I believe he’s got all the credentials as long as he doesn’t go into this thing where he believes he’s a striker. You stand in front of someone with a kickboxing pedigree that Pereira has and I believe it can be a 50:50 lottery sometimes. Ankalaev, if he plays his skill set well and uses his wrestling and uses his striking to get in deep and out wrestle, I believe that’s how he can get that victory.”   

  • ‘Eye Poke Bones Will Be Back’ – Fans React As UFC 309 Fighters Revealed To Be Using Old Gloves

    ‘Eye Poke Bones Will Be Back’ – Fans React As UFC 309 Fighters Revealed To Be Using Old Gloves

    Eyebrows have been raised after the promotion announced that those competing at this weekend’s UFC 309 pay-per-view won’t be using the new gloves.

    The mixed martial arts leader has touched back down in New York City this week for its annual numbered event at the iconic Madison Square Garden, where UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones will mark the main attraction.

    While he defends his belt against the returning Stipe Miocic in the UFC 309 headliner, co-main eventing will be former lightweight titleholder Charles Oliveira and Michael Chandler, who run it back three and a half years on from their first battle.

    During fight week, those names and the rest of the lineup on Nov. 16 were told they wouldn’t be entering the Octagon sporting the new glove design that was introduced this past June.

    The promotion announced the change back in April prior to UFC 300, outlining benefits such as additional padding to protect bone structure, a wristband locking system to prevent glove grabs, lighter weight and more flexibility.

    A decrease in knockout percentages have kept the new gloves as a prominent talking point since, and the decision to revert back to the old gloves for UFC 309 got the MMA community talking online.

    Many pointed to Jones’ history of eye pokes with the old design to share their conspiracy theories on the decision not to use the new gloves for his return fight.

    It’s worth noting that the new design didn’t explicitly address the eye-poke issue, and that form of foul has far from been eradicated in the months since it was introduced.

    Regardless, that didn’t stop fans from poking fun (pun intended) at Jones’ expense ahead of UFC 309.

  • Renato Moicano Reacts To UFC London Announcement With Fresh Paddy Pimblett Callout

    Renato Moicano Reacts To UFC London Announcement With Fresh Paddy Pimblett Callout

    Renato Moicano has built an impressive record inside the Octagon, winning six of his last seven fights and currently riding a four-fight winning streak.

    Aside from a decision loss at catchweight in March 2022, he has been undefeated in his last four appearances. His recent victories include a submission win over Brad Riddell at UFC 281, a decision over Drew Dober at a Fight Night event in February, a TKO of Jalin Turner at UFC 300, and a dominant finish over Benoit Saint Denis in September.

    The UFC recently announced its return to London for a Fight Night at the O2 Arena on Saturday, March 22, which immediately caught Moicano’s attention. He quickly took to social media, calling out popular British fighter Paddy Pimblett for a potential main event showdown.

    “UFC London Main event!? Moicano vs. Pimblett!? What do you guys think!? #mma #ufc #ufclondon,” Moicano posted on Twitter.

    Pimblett has won his last eight fights, with his most recent outing being against King Green at UFC 304 in July. Both fighters have previously expressed interest in facing each other, sparking excitement among fans.

    Now, the decision rests with the UFC to see if they’ll make the matchup official.

  • Volkanovski: Jon Jones Not A ‘Proper Double Champ’ Until He Fights Tom Aspinall

    Volkanovski: Jon Jones Not A ‘Proper Double Champ’ Until He Fights Tom Aspinall

    Former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski doesn’t believe Jon Jones’ stint on the heavyweight throne will mean much if he continues to avoid facing Tom Aspinall.

    Jones secured the heavyweight crown in his divisional debut last year, running through Ciryl Gane in quick time to achieve glory in a second weight class. But his detractors haven’t been short on ammunition when it comes to dismissing his status as kingpin.

    While that started with claims he avoided a showdown with Francis Ngannou following “The Predator’s” rise to the top in 2021, the Rochester native is now being accused of ‘ducking’ Aspinall.

    The Brit earned the interim title last November after Jones’ planned first defense against Stipe Miocic fell through on late notice due to an injury to the champ. A year later, “Bones” is choosing to keep his sights on the returning veteran instead of his interim counterpart.

    That decision has been a prominent topic in the lead-up to Jones vs. Miocic this weekend at UFC 309, and among the latest to fall on the side of Aspinall in the debate is “Alexander the Great.”

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Volkanovski gave his assessment of the heavyweight title picture, commenting on Jones’ recent claim that he’ll likely only fight beyond Saturday’s event if it was against light heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira.

    The Australian was firm in analyzing the damage that continuing to avoid Aspinall will do for Jones, insisting that he can’t be seen as the best heavyweight or a two-division champ unless he unifies the title.

    “I’m sure Jon Jones is sick of hearing this, but the Tom Aspinall fight is the fight everyone wants to see,” Volkanovski said. “You want to be heavyweight champion? You want to claim that crown? It’s going to be hard to convince me you’re a defending champ if you don’t fight Tom Aspinall while he’s interim champ.

    “He’s already got an incredible legacy. But if you want to claim the heavyweight division, say you’re a proper double champ…you’ve got to fight Tom Aspinall,” Volkanovski continued. “If you really want that on your résumé, ‘I was the best heavyweight while I was there,’ you have to fight Tom Aspinall. He is definitely the biggest threat. … I can see why he’s pointing to that (Pereira), but give away the heavyweight belt then.”

    Aspinall himself has taken issue with some of Jones’ comments during UFC 309 fight week, posting his highlight reel inside the Octagon on social media in response to the all-time great questioning what he’s done on MMA’s biggest stage.

    There’s also a chance of the pair running into each other in the coming days, with Aspinall currently in New York City to weigh in as backup fighter for the Nov. 16 main event.

  • Michael Chandler Looking To Break ‘MSG Curse’ With UFC 309 Win

    Michael Chandler hasn’t fought in two years, but he’s just days away from making his long-awaited return to the Octagon. After going 1-3 in his last four fights and missing out on a high-profile bout with Conor McGregor, Chandler will step back into the cage this Saturday at the UFC 309 pay-per-view event at Madison Square Garden.

    Unfortunately, Chandler faces more than just the top champion this weekend; he’ll also need to break his losing streak at the world’s most famous arena. Chandler has fought—and lost—twice at Madison Square Garden. The first loss came at UFC 268 in November 2021, where he earned Fight of the Night honors despite a decision loss to Justin Gaethje. In his most recent bout there, he was submitted by Dustin Poirier at UFC 281 in November 2022.

    Before joining the UFC, Chandler also lost at Madison Square Garden to Brent Primus during his Bellator career. In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Chandler reflected on his winless record at the storied venue.

    “I’m 0-3 at MSG,” Chandler said. “I actually just ran into a guy who’s been to all three of my fights there, and he was like, ‘Hey dude, we gotta break the MSG curse.’ But I also look at this as another layer where I’m like, of course, this is how it’s supposed to be: I’m fighting the guy who already beat me, who shattered my dreams, at the arena that’s done the same every single time. I’ve never won there, and now it’s time to right that wrong.”

    When asked if he had any regrets about fighting at MSG, Chandler replied, “No, not even a little bit. I asked for this card. We wanted to fight in October, but I needed to do a serious, legit weight cut. I’d been preparing my mind and body for 170 lbs for the last year and a half, and I only had 10 weeks to get down to 155 for October. It wasn’t going to happen; it was too soon, so I wanted MSG, and we got it.”

  • ‘Brutal Matchup’ Edson Barboza vs. Steve Garcia Set For UFC Event On February 22

    ‘Brutal Matchup’ Edson Barboza vs. Steve Garcia Set For UFC Event On February 22

    Fireworks appear guaranteed when UFC featherweight veteran Edson Barboza collides with the always exciting Steve Garcia in 2025.

    Barboza (24-12) reached 30 fights in the UFC this year, but he didn’t mark the occasion in the fashion he had hoped. After consecutive wins over Billy Quarantillo and Sodiq Yusuff, the Brazilian had his winning form snapped by the undefeated Lerone Murphy this past May.

    While he fell short in that main event, Barboza did exit with Fight of the Night honors, marking his third straight bonus. And given who will be awaiting him inside the Octagon early next year, a fourth on the bounce could be on the way.

    Per MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin, Barboza will begin his 2025 campaign with a showdown opposite Garcia (17-5) at the UFC Fight Night scheduled for February 22. A location and venue is yet to be announced.

    Garcia has been on a violent run as of late, racking up five straight knockouts since being slept himself down at bantamweight by Hayisaer Maheshate back in 2022. This year has seen “Mean Machine” move toward the rankings by dispatching both SeungWoo Choi and Kyle Nelson in one round.

    Having earned his shot at a prominent name inside the top 15, the New Mexico native will hope to establish himself as a contender in the 145-pound division at the expense of Barboza.

    And Garcia seemingly has the backing of plenty in the community, who reacted to the fight announcement with their support for the up-and-comer. Beyond predictions, though, the common theme on social media was one of excitement to see these two vicious strikers throwing down next year.

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