MMA News

Category: UFC

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

  • Director Tells Viewers At Home What To Expect From Noche UFC 306

    Director Tells Viewers At Home What To Expect From Noche UFC 306

    Hosting the first ever sporting event at the Sphere this weekend has brought a lot of opportunity to the UFC, but also a lot of hurdles to overcome.

    Whilst the venue that will play host to UFC 306 on September 14 is state of the art for those in attendance, it comes with a lot of unanswered questions.

    A lot has been made about the tribute to the Mexican people that the event is themed around but for the fans at home that won’t be sat in front of the enormous screen, would it feel any different to a regular PPV card in a standard arena?

    UFC director Craig Borsari and his team have put extensive work into this specific area to make sure that even the fans that aren’t in the building get to witness something unique and special.

    UFC Director On Improving Viewing Experience For Fans At Home

    In a recent interview with Shakiel Mahjouri, Borsari detailed the steps that they had to take when considering how they could make the viewing experience for fans watching around the world feel as close to the live event as possible.

    It would have been easy for the promotion to put on a spectacle inside the Sphere and try to adapt this venue for their regular style of PPV broadcasts, but that wasn’t going to cut it.

    Borsari spoke about how, in order to make this event feel special and really get across the feeling of being inside the Sphere from the opposite side of a screen, they brought in new staff and equipment to facilitate the best possible broadcast.

    “One of those principles you just touched on which is we wanted the viewer at home to have an experience as close to being inside the Sphere as possible which required us to bring in two separate TV trucks in addition to our normal A and B unit fight trucks, a separate director so Glenn Weiss is the director who will sit in one of those trucks, a whole separate set of cameras that will be designed to capture all of the content on the media plane in a way where we’re not going full frame in the broadcast but it feels as if you’re seated in the 300 or 400 level inside the Sphere watching the show.

    “We could have gone about this and not put those TV trucks in place and not put those separate cameras in place and really brought you a visual experience that’s vert similar to any pay-per-view we would go on any given Saturday night, but this is a unique event and we took a very unique approach and felt that it was important for viewers at home to get the sense of the volume of the space that they’re in and try to experience that. I mean there’s nothing like being there but we wanted to come as close as we possibly could.”

    Read also: UFC CEO Dana White Takes Credit For WWE’s Production Improvements: ‘A Lot Of Influence…’

  • Alexa Grasso Explains ‘Pausing’ Double-Champ Ambitions Ahead Of Noche UFC Title Defense

    Alexa Grasso Explains ‘Pausing’ Double-Champ Ambitions Ahead Of Noche UFC Title Defense

    UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion Alexa Grasso wants to become a member of the two-division titleholders’ club, but not at the expense of her teammates and fellow countrywomen.

    Grasso’s next fight is one of the main attractions on offer at this weekend’s Noche UFC (UFC 306) pay-per-view event, set to go down inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere in Las Vegas.

    The Mexican champ will appear in the co-main event on Sept. 14, once again sharing the cage with Valentina Shevchenko. After dethroning “Bullet” before retaining possession of the belt with a split draw in her first defense, Grasso is looking to close the book on their rivalry by securing a two-win lead.

    Should that come to fruition on Saturday night, Grasso will turn her attention to other contenders at 125 pounds. And that’s despite harboring aspirations elsewhere…

    Grasso Favors Team’s Supremacy In UFC Over Second Title For Herself

    During a recent interview for Stake, Grasso assessed the remaining goals she has in the UFC, including the pursuit of gold in a second weight class.

    Unfortunately for those ambitions, the flyweight queen has teammates and compatriots pursuing glory of their own both above and below. And with her preference being total domination for her team from strawweight to bantamweight, she’s happy to put talk of a divisional switch on ice for the time being.

    “I would love to be a two-weight world champion. It is such a big question and goal for me,” Grasso said. “However, I have friends in the (other) weight classes such as Loopy Godinez in the strawweight division and Irene Aldana in the Bantamweight division, and our team’s goal is to all be champions in each of our weight classes. So I would have to pause that dream for now.”

    While Godinez will be absent, Aldana will join Grasso as one of many Mexican standouts set to compete on the promotion’s celebratory Mexican Independence Day card this weekend, which has been branded a “love letter” to the nation by UFC CEO Dana White.

    Both women will look to bring victories back to Mexico. Such a feat would also see the country maintain its sole reigning UFC champion, with Grasso emerging from her trilogy opposite Shevchenko still on the flyweight throne.

  • Jon Jones Reacts To Inclusion On Dana White’s MMA Mount Rushmore

    Jon Jones Reacts To Inclusion On Dana White’s MMA Mount Rushmore

    There is always going to be debate amongst the fans about who would make it onto an MMA version of Mount Rushmore.

    Even when looking exclusively at the UFC, that can be difficult to narrow it down to just four spots considering how many fighters have made huge impacts and left behind incredible legacies.

    The recent retirement of Demetrious Johnson at ONE 168 appeared to circulate this topic once again, alongside a lot of the recent conversation surrounding Jon Jones.

    On a recent episode of First Take, Dana White named his top four in UFC history, which was always going to provoke further conversation from the fans.

    He listed arguably the greatest to ever do it in Jon Jones, the biggest star the sport has ever seen in Conor McGregor, the leading pioneer in women’s MMA, Ronda Rousey, and one of the best representatives for the sport, Georges St-Pierre, as his picks.

    Jon Jones Reacts To Being Named In Dana White’s UFC Mount Rushmore

    Despite not fighting since March of last year, Jon Jones has been heavily talked about by both the fans and the UFC President in recent times.

    White has come out in defence of “Bones” several times due to questions regarding his upcoming fight with Stipe Miocic, not fighting interim champion Tom Aspinall and the debate of whether he deserves to be listed as the pound-for-pound best fighter in the sport.

    After being named in White’s Mount Rushmore list, Jones showed his appreciation via an Instagram story that he posted with the following caption next to the video.

    “Big compliment from the boss, he’s not talking about the best fighters. He’s talking about fighters who changed the game.”

    Regardless of whether he belongs at the top of the P4P list right now, it’s undeniable that Jones has had a massive impact on the sport during his long and successful career.

    Read also: UFC CEO Dana White Takes Credit For WWE’s Production Improvements: ‘A Lot Of Influence…’

  • Daniel Cormier Describes High Stakes For Brian Ortega At Noche UFC: ‘If You Can’t Beat These Young Up & Comers…’ 

    Daniel Cormier Describes High Stakes For Brian Ortega At Noche UFC: ‘If You Can’t Beat These Young Up & Comers…’ 

    Daniel Cormier says the UFC’s upcoming Sphere show marks a crucial moment for Brian Ortega’s continued stay toward the top of the promotion.

    Plenty of storylines are set to play out at this weekend’s Noche UFC pay-per-view, with the most intriguing of which below the two championship headliners being a highly anticipated featherweight clash on the main card.

    A few months on from the same-day cancellation at UFC 303, Ortega and the surging Diego Lopes will give their matchup a second go at reaching the steel surroundings of the Octagon.

    For “T-City,” he’ll be fighting 10 places down the rankings against one of the most in-form contenders in the division. With the hype surrounding Lopes in mind, Cormier thinks a victory could net Ortega another shot at title glory.

    But a defeat? For “DC,” that could be all she wrote for Ortega’s appearances at the top of UFC cards…

    Cormier: Lopes Fight ‘Telling’ On Where Ortega’s Career Is At

    During the latest episode of his Good Guy / Bad Guy show alongside Chael Sonnen on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Cormier looked ahead to Saturday’s event and assessed what’s at stake for one of the highest-ranked names on the lineup.

    While Ortega cemented his spot high up the pecking order by submitting Yair Rodríguez in his comeback fight this past February, “DC” believes a setback against the #13-ranked Lopes could be fatal for his continued stay at the top.

    “I think this fight is going to be very telling as to where Brian Ortega is in his career,” Cormier said. “If you can’t beat these young up-and-comers, it becomes difficult to stay where you’ve lived your entire career. Ortega has lived at the top of the card for as long as we can remember.

    “f he loses to a guy like Lopes — a guy who’s on a run, a guy who’s making his way to the top of the division — it becomes a bit of a changing of the guard,” Cormier continued. “But I think that happened in Mexico City. Brian Ortega was supposed to go lose to Yair Rodríguez. He got the job done and he looked very impressive in doing so. So this is a massive opportunity. … Ortega wins this fight, he’s gonna be right on the shortlist of guys that can compete for the belt.”

    Ortega will look to avoid the first of those fates mentioned by Cormier by stalling Lopes’ charge up the featherweight ladder come fight night at the Sphere on Sept. 14.

    Should the two-time title challenger accomplish that feat, he’ll no doubt place a close eye on the upcoming 145-pound championship clash between kingpin Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway in Abu Dhabi.

  • Dana White Reveals If Interim Lightweight Title Fight For Arman Tsarukyan Is Possible With Islam Makhachev Injured

    Dana White Reveals If Interim Lightweight Title Fight For Arman Tsarukyan Is Possible With Islam Makhachev Injured

    Dana White has shut down Arman Tsarukyan’s calls for an interim UFC lightweight title to be created while champion Islam Makhachev recovers from a hand injury.

    Makhachev and Tsarukyan were originally expected to run it back for the former’s gold at the upcoming UFC 308 pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi next month. But a physical issue for the Dagestani forced him out.

    Soon after, the Russian-Armenian contender expressed a willingness to wait until December should their title fight be rearranged. But if a return isn’t possible for the champ until 2025, he’d like to instead compete for an interim belt.

    And in his latest comments to Red Corner MMA, Tsarukyan suggested that a 2024 comeback is indeed off the table for Makhachev, once again sparking talk of a second title in the lightweight division.

    “I was informed that this fight will not happen this year, it will take place early next year. … It’s from the UFC, but this is the nature of our sport: everything can change in a moment. That’s why I am keeping myself in shape. I am in camp now.

    “It’s not about fighting Islam for me, it’s about becoming the champion,” Tsarukyan continued. “Any of the top five could fight for the interim title – (Dan) Hooker, (Michael) Chandler, (Charles) Oliveira, (Justin) Gaethje or (Dustin) Poirier…although they don’t deserve it because all four of them are coming from a loss, at least three of them.”

    But that sentiment doesn’t appear to be shared by the promotion’s higher-ups…

    White On Interim Title Talk: ‘Islam’s Fought So Many Times…’

    During a recent interview with Manouk Akopyan, White provided an update on the lightweight title picture and addressed recent talk of a matchup for an interim belt.

    The UFC CEO suggested plans are coming together for Makhachev’s next defense. And despite Tsarukyan suggesting it won’t be until early 2025, White dismissed any notion that an interim title could be created in the Dagestani’s absence.

    “Islam’s fought so many times and is always willing to jump up and take a fight. So no, there won’t be an interim title,” White said. “When he’s ready to go, we’ll go. We have plans. We’re looking at it right now, when he would fight. … Yes, (Tsarukyan’s) the number one contender.”

    Tsarukyan previously name-dropped options like Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje when discussing a possible interim title fight. Evidently, though, that is not a possibility while he awaits a likely rematch with Makhachev in 2025.

    Interestingly, the UFC has been less firm on its avoidance of interim title fights in the past.

    The promotion previously created a second heavyweight belt to be contested by Derrick Lewis and Ciryl Gane in August of 2021. That was despite then-champ Francis Ngannou’s team claiming “The Predator” was ready to accept his first defense for the very next month.

    Ngannou ultimately unified the title against Gane in January 2022. While Makhachev is expected to make his return in January 2025 at the earliest, no such interim title has been created for the summer/early fall this time around.

  • Teddy Atlas Says Sean O’Malley Could Cross Over To Boxing Successfully: ‘He Has The Instinct, The Talent…’

    Teddy Atlas Says Sean O’Malley Could Cross Over To Boxing Successfully: ‘He Has The Instinct, The Talent…’

    According to legendary boxing trainer Teddy Atlas, UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley could compete with the best in boxing.

    O’Malley’s hands were on full display during his rise to prominence on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage. After a memorable knockout on Dana White’s Contender Series to earn a contract, a further five foes were stopped with strikes before “Sugar” found himself challenging for gold last year.

    And the Montana native took full advantage of the opportunity, using his slick counterstriking to finish Aljamain Sterling in the second round of their pay-per-view main event in Boston.

    As he continues to stake his claim for the ‘best boxer in MMA’ crown, O’Malley has frequently touched on the possibility of a venture to the ring down the line, notably targeting WBA lightweight titleholder Gervonta Davis.

    While he thinks that might mark the UFC star biting off more than he can chew, Atlas does agree that success awaits O’Malley in the punching-only realm…

    Atlas: O’Malley Has The Abilities Of ‘A Pure Boxer’

    During a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Atlas acknowledged O’Malley’s boxing ambitions ahead of the bantamweight kingpin’s second title defense this weekend in Las Vegas.

    The renowned boxing coach and analyst highlighted the skills that would make “Sugar” a formidable foe inside the ring, even going as far as to compare his striking talent to that of a “pure boxer.”

    “He can cross over because he has the instinct, the talent, the abilities of a boxer, a pure boxer,” Atlas said. “He’s got the legs. He’s got the eyes. He sees things real good. He’s got long arms. He’s got quick hands. He’s versatile, and he can use the ring and move around and get angles. He can set traps. He’s a great, great natural counterpuncher. If you wait in front of him, he gets out first and puts punches together – smart and educated punches. Smart combinations, up and down. Tricking combinations. They’re advanced combinations, they’re not primitive combinations. They’re not just basic combinations, they’re combinations of a top fighter.

    “If you walked into a room, and he was on TV and you wouldn’t see that he’s not wearing shoes, and you saw him strike, you might think you’re watching a boxing match,” Atlas continued. “He’s that smooth. He’s that natural with it, that comfortable with it. He controls range and distance beautifully, and he can punch. He gets good power. Wiry guys usually can’t get good power.”

    And while he’s not sure O’Malley could get the better of a well-rounded boxer like Davis, he wouldn’t rule the UFC champ out if he were to turn his sights to other names like Ryan Garcia.

    “I’m not knocking him, but I wouldn’t take ‘Tank’ Davis. I’m not saying the other guy is a walk in the park at all. Obviously, not at all. But I’d take Garcia because ‘Tank’ Davis, to me, is the more well-rounded fighter,” Atlas stated. “There are more things to worry about. He can punch. He can counterpunch. He can get you. There are so many facets to his game, and he’s so consistent. Garcia hasn’t shown us that can be consistent.”

    For now, O’Malley’s focus remains on the cage, inside of which he’ll look to make another emphatic statement with his fists on Saturday night when he faces the threat posed by Merab Dvalishvili.

    The pair are set to headline Noche UFC, the promotion’s second annual celebration of Mexican Independence Day, inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere in Las Vegas.

  • UFC Rankings Report: Aljamain Sterling Replaces Israel Adesanya On P4P List, Diego Lopes Falls Ahead Of Noche UFC

    UFC Rankings Report: Aljamain Sterling Replaces Israel Adesanya On P4P List, Diego Lopes Falls Ahead Of Noche UFC

    As always, the latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the ladder toward contention and others fall away.

    And in the aftermath of UFC Fight Night: Gilbert Burns vs. Sean Brady, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.

    Men’s Pound-For-Pound:  Israel Adesanya has found himself off the P4P list for the first time in years. Weeks on from his failed bid to achieve three-time champ status against middleweight kinpgin Dricus Du Plessis, “The Last Stylebender” has lost his #15 spot to former bantamweight titleholder Aljamain Sterling.

    Women’s Pound-for-Pound: Natália Silva’s triumph over Jéssica Andrade on Saturday was enough to elevate her into the female P4P discussion. She’s debuted in the rankings at #14, leading to Ketlen Vieira falling out entirely. Above her, Andrade has slipped by two positions to #13, providing small boosts for Kayla Harrison (#11) and Virna Jandiroba (#12).

    Women’s Strawweight: No changes.

    Women’s Flyweight: As expected, Silva has slotted in one place outside the top five at 125 pounds, occupying Andrade’s previous position. That’s left the former strawweight queen two spots worse off at #8.

    Women’s Bantamweight: After Pannie Kianzad parted ways with the UFC, she’s been removed from the 135-pound rankings. Her vacant spot has been filled by Ailín Pérez (#15). Further up, Norma Dumont (#8) has moved above her fellow countrywoman Karol Rosa (#9).

    Flyweight: While he hung up his gloves this past weekend, Matt Schnell has remained ranked for the time being. His loss to Cody Durden has seen him fall three places to #13, with his victorious opponent up two spots to #12.

    Bantamweight: No changes.

    Featherweight: Bizarrely, the surging Diego Lopes has fallen at 145 pounds just days out from his showdown with Brian Ortega at Noche UFC. Previously ranked #12, the Mexico-based Brazilian has dropped one place behind Bryce Mitchell. That’s despite the Arkansas native not being in action since a brutal knockout loss to Josh Emmett last December.

    Lightweight: No changes.

    Welterweight: Sean Brady is within touching distance of the top five at 170 pounds following his main event win over Gilbert Burns. While he’s risen to #6, “Durinho” has fallen to #8. Lower down, Kevin Holland has returned to the rankings at #15, a spot he shares with Neil Magny. That’s despite “Trailblazer” being scheduled to stay at middleweight for the time being.

    Middleweight: No changes.

    Light Heavyweight: No changes.

    Heavyweight: No changes.

    You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

  • Belal Muhammad Shares Heartwarming Story Of His Parents Getting ‘Superstar Treatment’ Now That He’s UFC Champ

    Belal Muhammad Shares Heartwarming Story Of His Parents Getting ‘Superstar Treatment’ Now That He’s UFC Champ

    Belal Muhammad ran through the UFC welterweight division to finally face Leon Edwards at UFC 304. Before becoming the champ, he already boasted nine consecutive impressive wins over Gilbert Burns, Sean Brady, Vicente Luque, Stephen Thompson, and many top contenders.

    Edwards dominated the striking exchanges in his first fight with Muhammad, but it was ruled No Contest because of an eye poke in the second. Many assumed that “Remember the Name” was no match for “Rocky” and the challenger even had to wait over a year to get the title shot.

    Now that the dust has settled around Muhammad being the UFC welterweight kingpin, he’s revealed how life has changed in the past few weeks…

    Belal Muhammad Reveals How Life Has Changed Since Becoming UFC Welterweight Champion

    Muhammad was recently asked about his experience as a UFC champion on the Believe You Me podcast, hosted by Michael Bisping. He outright mentioned that people have been trying to associate with him a lot more, and there’s been a huge influx of supporters as well.

    Because he’s now stacked with media-related commitments as a champ, Muhammad misses his regular training days. He also had to change his phone number for the first time since high school, as he’s repeatedly getting calls.

    Amidst the obvious downsides of stardom, Muhammad shared that his parents have reaped the benefits of him winning the UFC championship as well. His father has been showing the belt to his peers while his mother is being asked for pictures at grocery stores.

    “I’m getting random calls. So, I had to change the number that I had since high school. But, more you know, for the most part, it’s just seeing my dad be able to celebrate it, right? He’s showing his friends the belt, my mom’s, people are asking my mom for pictures at, you know, the grocery store. So, seeing them get that superstar treatment, is a sweet part for me.”

    Making his parents proud by becoming a UFC champion is a delight for Muhammad. He looked back at the 2020 riots in Chicago during which his father’s cell phone store was looted and destroyed. With his hard work, he’s been able to help his family recover from the financial and emotional losses.

  • ‘Matchmaker’ Belal Muhammad Suggests Fights For Top UFC Welterweights Kamaru Usman, Leon Edwards, Sean Brady &, MVP

    ‘Matchmaker’ Belal Muhammad Suggests Fights For Top UFC Welterweights Kamaru Usman, Leon Edwards, Sean Brady &, MVP

    Belal Muhammad has been as vocal as he can be since winning the UFC welterweight championship against Leon Edwards at UFC 304. His ten-fight unbeaten streak in the division finally led to him winning gold, and he’s now firing back at all his doubters.

    As impressive as Muhammad was in his last fight, fans are now eager to see him defend his belt. From Sean Brady to Kamaru Usman to Shavkat Rakhmonov, the division is stacked with contenders as well.

    While admitting to Rakhmonov most likely being his next opponent, Muhammad has laid down the perfect plan for the rest of the top UFC welterweights….

    Belal Muhammad Reveals How Kamaru Usman, Leon Edwards, Ian Garry, and Jack Dalla Maddalena Can Enter The UFC Welterweight Title Picture

    Muhammad discussed the current state of the UFC welterweight division in the Believe You Me podcast by Michael Bisping on YouTube. Although he thinks that Rakhmonov’s win over Stephen Thompson doesn’t make him a clear contender, he suggested the UFC wouldn’t want to lose on a potential star by testing him once again before the title shot.

    So, with Rakhmonov bagging the next title shot in the division, Muhammad suggested these fights for other top contenders:

    “If I’m matchmaker, I’m looking at Sean Brady versus Usman. And I’m looking at Ian Garry against Leon. And you know, Jack Della, I think he’s out, he’s injured, but even him against, because he’s not even proven himself. He was getting beat by Gilbert Burns until he caught Gilbert Burns at the last minute, so I would give him another test. Maybe, like an MVP.”

    Brady is coming off a dominant win over Gilbert Burns and beating a former champion like Usman would legitimize his title shot. Ian Garry could build a similar claim to the title by beating Edwards, considering not many were convinced by his win over Michael ‘Venom’ Page.

    Last, but not least, Jack Della Maddalena took out Burns after being dominated for two rounds. He can have an illustrious striking matchup with MVP, who would want to bounce back from his loss as well.

    It’s hard to assume whether the UFC will finalize any of these matchups, but the kingpin has his eyes set on all the potential threats to his title.

  • ‘Am I A Snitch?’ – Henry Cejudo Drops Inside Information On Sean O’Malley’s Camp For Merab Dvalishvili Fight

    ‘Am I A Snitch?’ – Henry Cejudo Drops Inside Information On Sean O’Malley’s Camp For Merab Dvalishvili Fight

    At this point, it’s common knowledge in MMA circles that Henry Cejudo and Sean O’Malley aren’t good friends. Both fighters have discredited each other’s fighting styles and skills frequently; from the looks of it, things haven’t improved yet.

    In the latest Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru & Henry podcast episode, O’Malley trolled the hosts by leaving in just 30 seconds. In his brief time, he appreciated Kamaru Usman, asked Cejudo how he let Aljamain Sterling take him down so easily, and left.

    As the UFC bantamweight champion left, Cejudo explained how the former’s camp hasn’t been ideal at all…

    Henry Cejudo Fires Back At Sean O’Malley For Exposing His Injuries Ahead Of Merab Dvalishvili Fight

    Cejudo and O’Malley are from the same city and unsurprisingly, they share training partners. “Triple C” remembered his loss to Dvalishvili and how O’Malley tweeted the injuries Cejudo was struggling with during his camp.

    Following a similar route, the former UFC double champ mentioned that three of his training partners have attended O’Malley’s camp for the Dvalishvili fight. While avoiding specific details, Cejudo hinted that “Suga” cannot get up from bottom positions which is naturally a huge problem against a relentless grappler like Dvalishvili.

    “He doesn’t know how to get off of bottom, he’s having trouble. I’ve had training partners, I have three training partners that gone out there that’s all told me the same s**t. Just like when I’m injured, he always knows, he’s tweeted out like hey, when I lost to Merab Dvalishvili, he knew that I was injured. You know, that’s what happens when you live in the same city. People know other people that will say s**t.”

    This potential training issue, combined with their long history of trolling each other, explains why Cejudo is so confident about Dvalishvili walking out as the new UFC bantamweight champion at UFC 306.

    “It’s a match made in heaven for a guy like Merab. He just needs to be here, he just needs to be careful in those two rounds and as the fight goes on, I can see Merab Dvalishvili f****g taking him out. Am I a snitch? Am I a snitch, Kamaru?”

    The former champ also discussed how O’Malley might be compelled to fight him after losing to “The Machine”. Although he’s planning to move down to flyweight, he could halt those plans based on the outcome of Riyadh Season Noche UFC’s main event.

  • UFC CEO Dana White Takes Credit For WWE’s Production Improvements: ‘A Lot Of Influence…’

    UFC CEO Dana White Takes Credit For WWE’s Production Improvements: ‘A Lot Of Influence…’

    Dana White recently claimed responsibility for the noticeable enhancements in WWE’s production quality.

    Last September, the UFC and WWE united to form a formidable force in the world of combat sports: TKO Group Holdings. Since their merger, the company has thrived, reaching new levels of success and redefining industry standards.

    WWE fans have experienced a wave of changes recently, with a dramatic shift in production quality. The exit of WWE co-founder Vince McMahon ushered in a major transformation in the company’s operations.

    Following the creation of TKO Group under the Endeavor banner, WWE continued its forward momentum. However, the departure of longtime executive Kevin Dunn marked a significant milestone for the production team.

    Taking over from Dunn, former ESPN executive Lee Fitting stepped into the role of head of media and production this past January. Under his leadership, WWE fans have witnessed a wave of fresh, dynamic camera work, with new angles and walking shots that were previously unseen in WWE broadcasts. The UFC CEO proudly attributes these changes to his own impact…

    White On WWE’s Production Changes: ‘Our Team Has A Lot Of Influence Over What’s Going On’

    During a recent interview with Johnny Resendiz, White was questioned about the possibility of the UFC adopting innovative camera angles and production techniques, similar to the ongoing changes WWE has been implementing.

    The UFC head honcho asserted that many of the recent changes WWE has undergone are largely the result of his MMA promotion’s production team playing a key role behind the scenes.

    “Don’t you find it weird that we got involved in WWE not too long ago, and now they’re experimenting with that?” White said. “Our production team has a lot of influence over what’s going on.”

    Although both combat sports powerhouses now operate under the same umbrella, White has repeatedly dismissed the idea of a competitive crossover between WWE and UFC. He emphasized that any transition between pro wrestling and MMA is handled individually, with no formal plans for cross-promotion between the two worlds.

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Coach: ‘King’ Belal Muhammad Turned The Tables On UFC

    Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Coach: ‘King’ Belal Muhammad Turned The Tables On UFC

    Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coach, Javier Mendez, recently expressed that Belal Muhammad has earned the right to dictate his own terms now that he has claimed the UFC welterweight championship.

    “Remember the Name” made waves by toppling 170-pound champion Leon Edwards with a commanding unanimous decision victory at UFC 304 this past July in Manchester. The highly anticipated rematch followed their initial clash in March 2021, which ended in controversy when an accidental eye poke in the second round forced Muhammad out, resulting in a no contest.

    Muhammad has invariably demonstrated his dominance in the Octagon, as highlighted by his remarkable 11-fight unbeaten streak. But he has struggled to earn the respect he deserves.

    However, now that the 36-year-old Chicago native has claimed the title, he’s elevated his trash-talking game and flipped the script on his critics. Mendez fully supports the shift, believing Muhammad has earned the right to bask in the spotlight…

    Mendez On Muhammad’s New Attitude: ‘They Belittled Him, Now Belal Is The Man’

    During a recent episode of the Javier Mendez Podcast, the esteemed MMA coach shared his thoughts on Muhammad’s shift in approach after capturing the UFC welterweight title. Mendez remarked that despite being overlooked for years, even with an impressive win streak, Muhammad has now rightfully earned the power to dictate his own path.

    “Look at Belal Muhammad, look at what he had to do,” Mendez said. “That poor guy had to do everything, waiting; he was undefeated for how many fights, and he’s knocking on the door, and everybody was like, ‘Oh, he didn’t deserve it,’ and he kept pushing. He finally got his shot, and he did what he needed to do—he won a decisive victory over Leon Edwards. And now, it’s like, who’s doing all the talking? Now Belal is doing all the chirping because they belittled him, and now Belal is the man. Now he’s in charge, and I kind of love what he’s doing because it was done to him.”

    Mendez further added that now, as a champion, “Remember the Name” has the power to pick his next opponent.

    “He bided his time, and now he’s the king. I don’t care what you say—he can do whatever he wants, chirp as much as he wants. He can chirp all he wants because he’s the champ, and that was done to him. He got his opportunity, and he rose to the occasion, coming out with the victory. So now he’s the champ, and now he’s calling the shots like he wants to. Obviously, at the end of the day, the UFC decides who they’re going to give him, but he can decide the date. If he turns down an opponent, then obviously he doesn’t have to fight that opponent, but I don’t think Belal is going to do that. Right now, why not have fun with it like he’s doing?”

    Muhammad has embraced the idea of defending his title against Shavkat Rakhmonov, all while engaging in a fiery social media exchange with Kamaru Usman. The question of who will stand across from Muhammad for his first title defense remains up in the air, and only time will reveal his next challenger.

  • Alexa Grasso Targets Champ vs. Champ Super Fight After Valentina Shevchenko

    Alexa Grasso Targets Champ vs. Champ Super Fight After Valentina Shevchenko

    UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso returns at UFC 306 where she hopes to put this chapter of her career behind her.

    Over the past two years, the Mexican star has only had one opponent in mind, former champion Valentina Shevchenko.

    After shockingly submitting her to win the title back at UFC 285, the two women met in a rematch at the first ever Noche UFC this time last year where the fight was controversially scored as a draw.

    This Saturday, Grasso will look to end the trilogy by beating Shevchenko once again so that she can move on to new and exciting challenges that await her at flyweight.

    Alexa Grasso Tees Up Future Plans For Upcoming Title Defenses, Dream Fight & Two-Weight Goals

    Grasso knows that beating the “Bullet” for a second time will require her to be at her absolute best but that doesn’t mean she isn’t excited for what could be in store for her down the line.

    In a recent interview with Stake.com, she spoke about how a champion vs champion clash with strawweight queen Weili Zhang is something that really piques her interest.

    ”Weili Zhang is my dream fight. It will be one of my biggest fights to date. She is strong, powerful and well rounded. She is a great fighter and I even heard she would love to test herself at 125, so I would love to welcome her.”

    At the same time, Grasso knows that the flyweight division has several contenders who have emerged during the time that she has been locked into the Shevchenko trilogy.

    The champion is happy to defend the belt against the next worthy challenger which, in her opinion, is Manon Fiorot at this time.

    “I’m not the one who chooses these things, I think Manon Fiorot is more deserving of the title shot than Rose. She has been in the division longer and she has a bigger win streak. She was also next in line before she got injured, so I would like to fight Fiorot.”

    Grasso also added that if she is able to keep hold of the flyweight title, she would like the opportunity to make history.

    After becoming the first female Mexican UFC champion, she wants to hold two gold belts in the air, but is also conscious of doing what is best for her teammates.

    “I would love to be a two weight World Champion, it is such a big question and goal for me. However, I have friends in the upper weight classes such as Loopy Godinez in the Strawweight division and Irene Aldana in the Bantamweight division and our team’s goal is to all be champions in each of our weight classes so I would have to pause that dream for now.”

    Read also: Coach Vows: ‘No Way’ Merab Dvalishvili Suffers Ben Askren-Like Knockout At UFC 306

  • Usman Nurmagomedov Sets Undefeated 100-0 Combined Record Target For Family: ‘I Have Goal For This’

    Usman Nurmagomedov Sets Undefeated 100-0 Combined Record Target For Family: ‘I Have Goal For This’

    Usman Nurmagomedov recently announced an ambitious goal for the Nurmagomedov family: to achieve an undefeated combined record of 100-0 collectively.

    Nurmagomedov successfully defended his lightweight title with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Alexander Shabliy in the main event of Bellator Championship Series 4, held at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego last weekend.

    Usman hails from the legendary Dagestani fighting team, carrying on the family legacy as the younger brother of UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov and the cousin of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

    “The Eagle” is widely regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. Although he may have retired from active competition in October 2020, the Nurmagomedov legacy lives on. Usman, following in his cousin’s legendary footsteps, is determined to etch the family name deeper into MMA history…

    100-0 Dream for Nurmagomedov Family Requires Usman and Umar to Win 35 More Bouts

    During the post-event press conference following his victory over Shabliy last weekend, Usman shared his ambitious vision of reaching an almost unblemished 100-0 collective record for the Nurmagomedov family by the time he hangs up his gloves.

    “We want to make like 100-0,” Nurmagomedov said. “Inshallah, one day it’s going to be 100-0, almost 100, not exactly 100. I have [goal] for this, like I have realized, and we’ll see what’s going to happen. You know, the world is changing every second—you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow.”

    Both Usman and Umar currently boast flawless professional records of 18-0, while “The Eagle” retired with an undefeated 29-0. Together, this puts the Nurmagomedov family’s collective record at 65-0.

    To achieve their bold vision of a 100-0 record, Usman and Umar—both still early in their careers—must secure 35 more victories combined, all while maintaining their undefeated streak.

    Usman secured his second successful defense of the lightweight title, a belt he originally claimed in November 2022. His unanimous decision victory over Brent Primus at Bellator 300 in October 2023 was overturned to a no contest after Nurmagomedov tested positive for a banned substance.

  • Movsar Evloev On Aljamain Sterling’s PED Accusations: ‘Where I’m From, Girls Talk Like That’

    Movsar Evloev On Aljamain Sterling’s PED Accusations: ‘Where I’m From, Girls Talk Like That’

    Movsar Evloev recently clapped back at Aljamain Sterling after being accused of using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).

    Evloev is gearing up to put his undefeated record on the line against Sterling in a high-stakes featherweight clash on the main card of UFC 307, set for October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

    As their fight draws near, “Funk Master” took to social media, hurling serious accusations at Evloev. He boldly suggested that his upcoming opponent is among those slipping under the radar while using PEDs.

    Evloev promptly dismissed the allegations, firing back with a series of posts on X. He even shared a photo of what appeared to be urine samples, subtly suggesting a recent visit from the UFC’s anti-doping partner, Drug Free Sport International.

    However, Sterling escalated his accusations, asserting that the rumors surrounding Evloev closely mirror the speculation that once swirled around his former opponent, T.J. Dillashaw, before he eventually tested positive for PED use.

    Evloev on Sterling’s Cheating Allegations: ‘Everybody Thinks I’m Using Something Because I’m Strong’

    During a recent interview with MMAFightingonSBN, Evloev fiercely rebutted Sterling’s PED allegations. The undefeated Russian dismissed “Funk Master” for speaking without solid evidence, stating that he prefers to let his actions speak for themselves when the two are locked inside the Octagon next month.

    “I don’t know what the point of this is, but I don’t care,” Evloev said. “We have doping control here, and I’m always clean. I’m happy being in the UFC because I know there is good doping control, and I can be confident knowing that my opponent also takes a doping test. So if you talk without proof, you know where I’m from—girls talk like that, and men don’t talk like that. And yeah, I can’t wait to beat his a**, and in four weeks, we’ll see.”

    Evloev went on to say that many accuse him of cheating simply because he outmatches his opponents in strength and possesses exceptional cardio. However, he emphasized that, in reality, he’s a clean fighter who trains hard to achieve his physical advantages.

    “Everybody thinks that I’m using something because, like, I’m strong, I breathe well, and I’m never tired. I’m clean, 100%. I eat well, I sleep well, I train hard—everything to be as strong as I am. And if you’re lazy, you can talk like that.”

    Evloev currently boasts an impressive undefeated professional record of 18-0, with eight of those victories coming in the UFC. He most recently secured a unanimous decision win over Arnold Allen at UFC 297 in January. The 30-year-old native of Sunzha has also claimed notable victories against elite fighters such as Dan Ige, Diego Lopes, and Hakeem Dawodu.

    • Read More: Aljamain Sterling Accuses Sean O’Malley Of Being Given The ‘Jake Paul Route’ By The UFC: ‘Stacking The Deck Against His Opponent’
  • Merab Dvalishvili Rejects Notion Sean O’Malley Will Be His Toughest Opponent To Date

    Merab Dvalishvili Rejects Notion Sean O’Malley Will Be His Toughest Opponent To Date

    Top UFC bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili knows he’s in for a challenge this weekend, but he doesn’t see it as the greatest he’s faced to date.

    Dvalishvili will make the walk on Saturday night to headline Noche UFC (UFC 306), the promotion’s second annual celebration of Mexican Independence Day, at the Sphere in Las Vegas.

    The Georgian is set to challenge for the gold at 135 pounds opposite reigning kingpin Sean O’Malley, having earned his first title shot off the back of 10 straight wins on MMA’s biggest stage.

    In “Sugar,” Dvalishvili is challenging a champ whose sole career loss came soon after a freak injury opposite Marlon Vera, a setback he avenged emphatically across five rounds against “Chito” this past March.

    With that defense coming months on from a memorable crowning against grappling specialist Aljamain Sterling, plenty are backing the Montana native to withstand the threat brought by “Funk Master’s” teammate on Sept. 14.

    But Dvalishvili has vowed to wrest the strap away from O’Malley, and he doesn’t even think doing so would represent him overcoming his biggest hurdle thus far…

    Dvalishvili Picks Aldo Over O’Malley For Toughest UFC Opponent

    During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Dvalishvili looked ahead to the challenge awaiting him inside the Sphere on Saturday night.

    When asked whether he’s expecting the toughest test of his career, the Georgian instead pointed to legendary former featherweight champion and one-time bantamweight title challenger José Aldo.

    “I don’t think he’s the toughest opponent because I fought José Aldo, and I think he was the toughest opponent for me,” Dvalishvili said. “(O’Malley) is a new challenge, and I have all the respect for him as a fighter. I know he is good. He is dangerous. He knocks people out. He has the skill, the power, and everything else. But so do I.”

    O’Malley will no doubt expect to prove those comments wrong by delivering another emphatic title defense come fight night in Las Vegas this weekend, where both the UFC and boxing great Canelo Álvarez look to celebrate Mexican Independence Day with standout events in the “Fight Capital of the World.”

  • Israel Adesanya’s Coach Sets Championship Aim: ‘Don’t Be Surprised If We’re Back In Gold’

    Israel Adesanya’s Coach Sets Championship Aim: ‘Don’t Be Surprised If We’re Back In Gold’

    Following his fighter’s loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305, Israel Adesanya’s head coach Eugene Bareman spoke about the differences in this defeat compared to what happened at UFC 293.

    The City Kickboxing boss said that there was a lot of positives and some lessons that they could take away from Perth.

    Unlike their shock upset loss at the hands of Sean Strickland the previous year, the camp came away with a lot more positivity, despite the fact that Adesanya has now come up short in back-to-back Octagon appearances.

    Another one of Adesanya’s coaches is also confident that they will be able to rebuild from this point, after seeing what they did well and what needs work.

    Mike Angove Says Israel Adesanya Will Be Back In The Title Mix

    Some had questioned, including Du Plessis himself, whether Adesanya would retire from MMA if he was unable to reclaim the middleweight title this past month.

    “The Last Stylebender” made it clear in his ‘Wolf Of Wall Street’ style post-fight interview that suggested that he will be re-joining the ranks of the contenders for the first time in a long time.

    In a recent interview with Combat TV, City Kickboxing’s Mike Angove gave his thoughts on the main event of UFC 305 and the conclusions they were able to draw from it.

    He believes that whilst Du Plessis deserves a lot of credit for his performance on the night, it was their fight to lose before Adesanya made a mistake which led to him being submitted in the fourth round.

    Angove believes that the former champ is far from done and could be right back in title contention in the near future.

    “He [Adesanya] was clipped and he was off balance and he made a mistake I think from fatigue but you’ve got to credit Dricus for his ability to stay in the fight to sustain punishment and he did sustain punishment and take his opportunity when it presented itself. I mean he’s stepped up at every level, he’s found ways to win so he’s a champ but that’s a fight I think we can come back to. I think we have to make a couple of adjustments and win a couple of fights and don’t be surprised if we’re back in gold.”

    Read also: UFC’s Mario Bautista Predicts Fantasy Jon Jones, Alex Pereira, & Tom Aspinall Tournament (Exclusive)

  • Bryan Battle Assesses Skills Of Fellow UFC Welterweight Ian Garry: ‘I Think I’d Whoop His Ass’ (Exclusive)

    Bryan Battle Assesses Skills Of Fellow UFC Welterweight Ian Garry: ‘I Think I’d Whoop His Ass’ (Exclusive)

    UFC welterweight prospect Bryan Battle doesn’t see anything special in the arsenal of ranked contender Ian Garry.

    Garry, a former Cage Warriors champion, has extended his perfect professional record to 15-0 with eight victories since signing with mixed martial arts’ leading promotion in 2021.

    The latter half of the Irishman’s UFC career thus far has seen him rise the ranks against stiffer competition, defeating notable names in Daniel Rodriguez, Neil Magny, Geoff Neal, and Michael “Venom” Page en route to #7 in the pecking order at 170 pounds.

    Despite that run and his firm prediction of title success soon enough, not everyone has been impressed by “The Future” and the manner with which he’s emerged victorious in two fights this year.

    That evidently includes a welterweight peer in Battle…

    Battle Likes His Chances Against Garry

    During a recent interview with MMA News’ Ryan Jarrell, Battle assessed the skillset of Garry, who sits among the top contenders that the TUF 29 winner has his sights on for the future.

    “He’s not — I mean, you’ve gotta give a motherf*cker credit where credit’s due. He’s undefeated. He’s been undefeated in the UFC,” Battle said. “One thing I’ve come to appreciate in the UFC is no matter how someone looks to an extent, if they’re being successful in the UFC, then that means they’re good.

    “Eye test and like, my opinion, is that he’s not that good,” Battle continued. “But you have to give credit where credit’s due. He’s out there, he’s doing his thing. He’s fast. He’s sharp. I think I would whoop his ass, but you know, whatever. Hopefully he stays undefeated until we fight each other. Hey, I’d be interested to see how he does against an elite grappler, you know what I’m saying?”

    Perhaps Battle will get the chance to prove his remarks correct inside the Octagon down the line.

    The first step in his pursuit of closing the gap on Garry in the welterweight division comes later this month in the French capital, where “The Butcher” is tasked with stalling the rise of another highly touted up-and-comer in City Kickboxing’s Kevin Jousset.

  • UFC’s Mario Bautista Predicts Fantasy Jon Jones, Alex Pereira, & Tom Aspinall Tournament (Exclusive)

    UFC’s Mario Bautista Predicts Fantasy Jon Jones, Alex Pereira, & Tom Aspinall Tournament (Exclusive)

    The next UFC heavyweight title fight would appear to be pitting arguably the greatest of all time against the best fighter we have seen in this weight class inside the Octagon.

    Despite the pedigree that both Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic bring to the table, there are two other names that the majority of fans would rather see face off with “Bones”.

    Interim champion Tom Aspinall is seen by many as the future of the division and with his speed and ability to finish fights, he’s a test that many want to see Jones face.

    Though he may have never competed at this weight, the idea of seeing light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira move up is another incredibly enticing prospect following the run that he has been on, which has turned him into one of the biggest names in the sport.

    Mario Bautista Gives His Take On How Alex Pereira, Tom Aspinall & Jon Jones Match Up

    At UFC 307, Mario Bautista is set to share the card with “Poatan” who will be defending his light heavyweight title in the main event against Khalil Rountree.

    Elsewhere on the main card, Bautista is set to take on his biggest challenge to date when he faces off with a legend of the game in Brazil’s José Aldo.

    The bantamweight contender spoke in a recent interview with MMA News about whether he thinks Pereira would be able to mix it up with the heavyweight division’s two current champions.

    He explained why, in his opinion, Aspinall would be the tougher match-up for the elite striker at 205-pounds.

    “It’s hard to say, it’s very interesting you know. He has that power and I think Jon Jones did fight at 205 too so I’d give him a shot at Jon Jones. Tom Aspinall, he can move pretty fast for how big he is so that’s the iffy one for me.”

    In a follow-up question, Bautista was asked whether this means that based on MMA math, he would also pick Aspinall to beat Jones, therefore seeing him come out on top in this little fantasy round-robin tournament.

    “I think he could. Tom Aspinall, for how big he is and how fast he moves, I don’t think Jon Jones has kind of seen anything like that so I would go with Tom on that one.”

    Read also: Gilbert Burns Addresses Future After Third Straight UFC Loss: ‘Nothing Was Good…I’ve Got To Rethink’

  • Coach Vows: ‘No Way’ Merab Dvalishvili Suffers Ben Askren-Like Knockout At UFC 306

    Coach Vows: ‘No Way’ Merab Dvalishvili Suffers Ben Askren-Like Knockout At UFC 306

    Heading into the biggest fight of his career, Merab Dvalishvili is preparing for a high-stakes chess match in the main event of UFC 306.

    Many will point to the grappling skills as the clear advantage that Dvalishvili has over the bantamweight champion, Sean O’Malley.

    The issue is getting to “Suga” without taking significant damage requires a lot of patience and timing which means he can’t afford to rush things.

    This was stressed by both his long-time training partner and former O’Malley opponent Aljamain Sterling as well as his coach, John Wood, who is making sure that they’re ready to fight across all ranges in case they need to.

    John Wood Says That Merab Dvalishvili Won’t Be Overzealous In Shooting For A Takedown

    In a recent interview with The Scrap, Wood spoke about how he always prepares his fighters in this way even if they have a specialist skillset.

    Being confident in all aspects of the fight means that Dvalishvili isn’t going to solely rely on his grappling, which could lead to him rushing and making mistakes which O’Malley will be looking to punish him for with his counter-striking game.

    “There are things that we can see that we can capitalize on and obviously, it’d be a fool to think that they don’t think or his coach Tim Welch wouldn’t think, ‘Oh hey, we’re going out there to just dive in on his legs.’ Of course they know that so we’re not going to do that. We’re not going to make it, ‘Oh hey, here I am,’ boom, run into something. That’s just stupid.”

    The interviewer, Marcos Antelo, then made reference to Jorge Masvidal’s record-breaking knockout of Ben Askren at UFC 239.

    “Gamebred” secured the fastest finish in UFC history back in 2019 after he correctly predicted that Askren would dip his head for a takedown if Masvidal ran at him, lining him up perfectly for a flying knee.

    Wood doubled down on the idea that they won’t be rushing anything on Saturday night at the Sphere, and are preparing for a complete mixed martial arts contest.

    “Yeah that’s just ridiculous, there’s no way that’s happening. There’s no way we’re getting KO’d in that kind of situation. There’s no way like, are we gonna get hit? Sure. Is Sean gonna get taken down? Yes. It it gonna be a fight? Absolutely.”

    Read also: UFC Analyst Predicts Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili To Be One-Sided: ‘Can’t See A Back & Forth Fight’

  • Aljamain Sterling: UFC’s Focus On Jones vs. Miocic Could Involve Overseas Sheikh Influence

    Aljamain Sterling: UFC’s Focus On Jones vs. Miocic Could Involve Overseas Sheikh Influence

    Rarely has a fight been spoken about and debated as much before it has even happened, as the overdue meeting between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic.

    The current and former UFC heavyweight champions were set to meet at UFC 295 in what many believed would be the final fight of both men’s careers.

    Jones’ injury pushed the fight back and in that time, there has been a lot of talk about whether interim champion Tom Aspinall should be next for “Bones” instead.

    Despite the clear case to be made for why Aspinall should get the chance to unify the belts, Dana White and the UFC haven’t even considered the possibility of Jones vs Miocic being removed from the schedule.

    White has questioned whether the fans and media expect him to tell Miocic, who is arguably the best UFC heavyweight of all time, to stand aside rather than rescheduling his long-awaited meeting with Jones.

    Aljamain Sterling Theorizes Why The UFC Are Sticking To Their Guns On Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic

    In a recent YouTube video, former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling gave his thoughts on this heavily debated topic.

    ‘Funkmaster’ took the stance that if Jones is on his way out, surely you would want him to face a young fighter like Aspinall who could become a big star if he’s able to be the first man to defeat “Bones”, rather than the potential of seeing both Jones and Miocic walk away after their fight.

    Sterling then came to the conclusion that there could be another factor in play that has not been publicly announced.

    He questioned whether there could be a party outside of the UFC who are keeping the Jones vs Miocic fight together because as Sterling stated, the promotion always wants to put on the biggest possible fights, which at this time, would be the heavyweight title unification clash with Aspinall.

    The former champion theorized that a wealthy outside influence may be the one that is pushing for the original fight to be rebooked, rather than scrapping it in favor of a more exciting option.

    “They always go with the fight that makes the most money so there has to be something there with the UFC being adamant and sticking to the guns of Jon Jones fighting Stipe Miocic. There just has to be something there. Maybe it’s contractual, maybe it’s contractual with another organization, maybe it’s one of the Sheikhs overseas or something that they promised this fight. There has to be something that’s making the UFC reluctant to unify the belts and that’s the only thing that I could think of that makes sense.”

    Read also: Sean O’Malley Questions Who Aljamain Sterling Will Be Supporting At Noche UFC: ‘Probably Hopes I Beat Merab…’

  • Sean O’Malley’s Coach Reveals He Uses Memes To Craft Game Plan Against Merab Dvalishvili

    Sean O’Malley’s Coach Reveals He Uses Memes To Craft Game Plan Against Merab Dvalishvili

    UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley and his long-time coach, Tim Welch, have come through their careers alongside one another.

    Due to the fact that they have worked as a team for such a long time, they have a great working relationship that allows both of them to excel in their roles.

    Welch has spent the past few months helping to prepare his fighter for UFC 306 this Saturday night, where “Suga” takes on Merab Dvalishvili.

    On a recent podcast appearance, Welch spoke about a technique they use when helping the 135-pound champ to become familiar with how their opponents react to different scenarios.

    Tim Welch Reveals Scouting Technique For Sean O’Malley’s Opponents

    On The BrendenSchmitty Show, Welch explained how a fighter in their gym named TJ is crucial to helping break down O’Malley’s opponents.

    He explained how TJ helps to produce detailed reports of what and how Dvalishvili acts in instances where he’s shooting for takedowns, responding to strikes from different stances and recovering from being hurt.

    The added trick that helps to translate this information to O’Malley in his training is by breaking these reactions into short clips – and memes – so that they can be constantly replayed, meaning that “Suga” can pick them up even faster.

    Taking these patterns and making them into a part of their training and drills allows O’Malley to know what his opponent will do before they even do it.

    “What does he do after he gets rocked and hurt like when Marlon hurt him or Henry hurt him? What does he do? Where’s his head at? What does he do? And he breaks down all these things and turns them into little GIFs or like memes so he can watch that and then it can structure the pads and the knockout shots around that… and then just having Sean rep it and rep it and rep it and then try to hit it in sparring.”

    Read also: Sean O’Malley Questions Who Aljamain Sterling Will Be Supporting At Noche UFC: ‘Probably Hopes I Beat Merab…’

  • VIDEO: UFC 306 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili & Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko 3

    VIDEO: UFC 306 Countdown Episode Ahead Of Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili & Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko 3

    Fight week for the UFC 306 (Noche UFC) pay-per-view this Saturday night has kicked off with the release of the promotion’s latest Countdown episode.

    Under the spotlight in this edition is the headliner between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili and the co-main event between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko.

    Saturday’s lineup is topped by an intriguing championship clash, with bantamweight kingpin O’Malley (18-1, 1 NC) looking to add a second successful defense to his reign, which got underway with a victory over Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292 in August 2023. He’s since retained possession of the belt by getting the better of Marlon Vera in their Miami rematch this past March.

    If “Sugar” is to continue his rule atop the 135-pound mountain, he must record a victory over Dvalishvili (17-4). “The Machine” will ride a 10-fight win streak into his first title shot on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage, most notably getting the better of prominent names like Marlon Moraes, José Aldo, Petr Yan, and Henry Cejudo in recent years.

    Before those two run it back in the main event at Las Vegas’ Sphere, the Mexican Independence Day celebration will see one of the country’s own defending their championship.

    For the third straight fight, the UFC women’s flyweight gold will be contested by Grasso (16-3-1) and Shevchenko (23-4-1), as they complete their trilogy 18 months on from the Mexican’s memorable upset submission at T-Mobile Arena. Since that result, the pair have fought to a draw at last year’s Noche UFC event and coached opposite one another on the 2024 edition of The Ultimate Fighter.

    Ahead of those two contests in Las Vegas, fans can catch previews in the full episode of UFC 306 Countdown on the promotion’s YouTube channel.

    UFC 306 Countdown: Full Episode

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDwQL_Dyonk
  • Gilbert Burns Addresses Future After Third Straight UFC Loss: ‘Nothing Was Good…I’ve Got To Rethink’

    Gilbert Burns Addresses Future After Third Straight UFC Loss: ‘Nothing Was Good…I’ve Got To Rethink’

    UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns knows he’s reached a point of uncertainty after falling to a three-fight losing skid.

    Burns, a former title challenger on MMA’s biggest stage, suffered his latest defeat inside the Octagon this past weekend while headlining Saturday’s UFC Fight Night at the Apex.

    Following consecutive defeats at the hands of then-future champion Belal Muhammad in May 2023 and the rising Jack Della Maddalena this past March, “Durinho” was hoping for a crucial rebound performance at the expense of Sean Brady.

    But the Brazilian was unable to find that across five rounds in Las Vegas, instead falling to a convincing unanimous decision loss in what marked his third main event in the UFC.

    With another slip down the pecking order set to arrive at his doorstep in Tuesday’s rankings update, Burns’ career appears to be in limbo.

    ‘Disappointed’ Burns Ready For ‘Rethink’ After Another Defeat

    During a backstage interview with Charly Arnolt for ESPN, Burns gave an honest and critical reflection on his performance opposite Burns.

    The former title challenger admitted that nothing felt right when the cage door closed behind him on Saturday night. And with that in mind, “Durinho” isn’t sure what lies ahead for him in MMA.

    “I’m a little bit disappointed. I know I have the grit, I know I can fight hard, but I didn’t let go,” Burns said. “I felt great this whole freaking week. I felt good in training camp. This morning was great. But when I got (to the Octagon), it didn’t flow. It just didn’t flow. Nothing was good.

    “I didn’t let it go. Props to Sean. Sean is a tough one. I hit him with some good shots, I tried to finish. I think I forced the finish too much,” Burns continued. “I don’t know (what’s next). … I’ve got to rethink. I’ve got to go back, talk to my coaches, see what’s next. At the same time, give a little time to my family. They give up so much when I’m in a camp for a fight. I’m gonna go back, spend time with the family, go back to train. I don’t have any injuries, thank God. I lost, but at least the body is feeling good.”

    At 38 years old and riding a three-fight skid, returning to the title conversation would look to be an uphill task for Burns, who once appeared close to a title crowning after dropping Kamaru Usman early into their UFC 258 showdown over three years ago.

    Brady, meanwhile, firmly has his eyes on the prize. And having likely secured a rise to within touching distance of the welterweight top five, the Philadelphian has his sights on either Ian Garry or Colby Covington next.

  • Sean O’Malley Questions Who Aljamain Sterling Will Be Supporting At Noche UFC: ‘Probably Hopes I Beat Merab…’

    Sean O’Malley Questions Who Aljamain Sterling Will Be Supporting At Noche UFC: ‘Probably Hopes I Beat Merab…’

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley sees a reason for upcoming opponent Merab Dvalishvili’s most notable teammate actually rooting against the challenger this weekend.

    O’Malley is set for his second assignment of 2024 on Saturday night. After headlining UFC 299 in Miami this past March, the 135-pound kingpin will put his gold on the line in the main event of Noche UFC.

    “Sugar” has been tasked with topping the lineup for the promotion’s celebration of Mexican Independence Day this year, which comes at a notably different venue in the form of Las Vegas’ Sphere.

    The Montana native is looking to close out a memorable night by stalling the title charge of Dvalishvili, who has won 10 straight to finally earn his first opportunity at reaching the bantamweight mountaintop.

    O’Malley and his supporters will be expecting “The Machine” to fall short. And, according to the champ, Dvalishvili’s own teammate may be hoping for the same fate…

    O’Malley Has A Theory On Dvalishvili, Sterling Friendship

    During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, O’Malley looked ahead to his second defense of the bantamweight title, which has seen his eyes remain on a member of the Serra-Longo Fight Team.

    Talk of Sterling providing Dvalishvili with valuable insight into sharing the cage with “Sugar” has been a prominent topic in the lead-up to the Sept. 14 event.

    However, given the manner of his defeat in Boston last year, O’Malley wouldn’t be surprised if “Funk Master” is secretly rooting for the Georgian’s failure in order to make his efforts against “Sugar” look better.

    “I mean, I don’t know what Aljo’s gonna tell Merab. Like, ‘F*ck, he’s fast, he’s sharp, he’s accurate, he’s hard to take down. Good luck!’ Like, there wasn’t a lot of success Aljo had in that fight,” O’Malley said. “If anything, Aljo probably shouldn’t tell him anything because it’s probably just gonna make him a little bit nervous.

    “Who knows, Aljo probably hopes I beat Merab. It makes Aljo look better,” O’Malley continued. “I’m just curious if Merab was happy that I knocked out Aljo. If I didn’t knock out Aljo, Merab still would be waiting around. So I have a little theory that maybe they’re not as good buddies as we all thought.”

    Sterling is expected to be alongside the likes of Ray Longo with team Dvalishvili this weekend, hoping to get a cageside view of his friend and training partner’s long-awaited crowning moment on MMA’s biggest stage.

    And when it comes to the venue for his first attempt at securing that, the Georgian likely couldn’t have wished for a grander setting than the unique surroundings of the Sphere.