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Category: UFC

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

  • Chael Sonnen Sees Big UFC Future For Shara Magomedov Despite Grappling Concerns: ‘Adesanya’s A Complete Fighter…He Wasn’t On Day One!’

    Chael Sonnen Sees Big UFC Future For Shara Magomedov Despite Grappling Concerns: ‘Adesanya’s A Complete Fighter…He Wasn’t On Day One!’

    Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen isn’t worried about some of the holes in middleweight prospect Shara Magomedov’s game just yet.

    Magomedov has enjoyed a strong summer inside the cage, building on his successful UFC debut last October with a further two victories in the Middle East, both of which netted him an additional $50,000.

    After stopping replacement opponent Antonio Trócoli in Saudi Arabia this past June, the undefeated “Bullet” returned for a short-notice co-headliner against Michał Oleksiejczuk at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi.

    The 30-year-old Dagestani’s usual array of striking weapons were on display across three rounds, as he outpointed his Polish opponent on all three scorecards in the event’s Fight of the Night.

    But while Magomedov extended his undefeated record to 14-0, the up-and-comer isn’t short on doubters, many of whom have suggested he will fall to defeat when faced with one of the division’s talented grapplers.

    Although that might be the case currently, Sonnen isn’t counting out Magomedov when it comes to rounding out his skillset in the coming months and years.

    Sonnen: Magomedov Belongs ‘In Big Fights’ & ‘On Posters’

    During the latest episode of his Good Guy / Bad Guy show alongside Daniel Cormier on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Sonnen gave his assessment of Magomedov’s latest performance on MMA’s biggest stage.

    “The American Gangster” had plenty of praise for Magomedov’s aura and watchability but admitted he doesn’t see a prospect with the kind of skillset boasted by some others.

    That, however, is something he is confident can be rectified moving forward, pointing to the evolution of previously one-dimensional athletes such as Israel Adesanya as evidence that a well-rounded arsenal could be to come for Magomedov.

    “When he comes on TV, there’s something happening. … He captivates me,” Sonnen said. “This guy is already a co-main event. That is an incredible career. He’s amassing a great record — because I’m not seeing all the skills there. In all fairness, I don’t watch him and go, ‘Wow, where has this guy been?’ I think that Bo Nickal would be the counterpart to that, where you watch him and go, ‘Wow, this guy sure looks well rounded. He sure appears to have a little bit of everything for being a new guy on the scene.’ I’m not seeing it with (Magomedov).

    “When I look at ‘Bullet,’ he belongs in big fights. There’s something special. He belongs on posters. I’m interested. I want to see this guy, I want to hear from this guy, and I want to learn from this guy,” Sonnen continued. “As far as the skills, I think he’s learning on the job, and he’s not the first guy that’s had to. Israel Adesanya’s about a complete fighter as you’re gonna find; he wasn’t on day one. … So if ‘Bullet’ is open to learning, if he can absorb and if he can take the criticism that we’re giving him right now, he’s gonna have a fun future.”

    In addition to some doubting his overall skillset, Magomedov also came under criticism for his post-fight callout in Abu Dhabi this weekend. The undefeated Russian had the name of Nick Diaz on his lips, who hasn’t recorded a win since 2011 and was most recently defeated by Robbie Lawler in 2021.

    Regardless, “Bullet” has done what is required of him inside the Octagon to date, and he’ll hope to continue that trend against whomever the promotion places opposite him next time out.

  • Julianna Peña Criticizes Amanda Nunes For ‘Attention Seeking’ With Retirement Announcement Amid Return Rumors

    Julianna Peña Criticizes Amanda Nunes For ‘Attention Seeking’ With Retirement Announcement Amid Return Rumors

    Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña remains critical of Amanda Nunes’ decision to retire in mid-2023.

    Nunes laid down her two titles and gloves in the Octagon following a successful 135-pound defense against irena Aldana. Their showdown at UFC 289 in Canada came about on short-notice following the withdrawal of Peña through injury.

    Close by cageside on the night was “The Venezuelan Vixen,” who expected to set up a rearranged trilogy fight with the “Lioness.” Instead, the Brazilian announced a surprise retirement.

    Peña’s boos and heckling during it made clear what she thought of the decision, and as talk of a comeback continues to float at the surface this year, the Spokane native remains frustrated by last year’s announcement…

    Peña Slams ‘Drama Show’ From Nunes: ‘I Can’t Stand When People Retire & Then Come Back!’

    During an interview with CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri, Peña looked back on Nunes’ retirement, the continuation of which got thrown into doubt after she questioned Kayla Harrison’s decision not to call her out following a successful Octagon debut at UFC 300.

    Having suggested her antics during Nunes’ retirement speech have now been vindicated, Peña has an even more critical view of her longtime rival’s decision in Vancouver, seeing it as nothing but an “attention seeking move.”

    “I knew that she was prematurely retiring,” Peña said. “I can’t stand when people retire and then come back. It’s like, why retire in the first place? It’s just attention seeking. I think she should have just said, ‘I want a break and I’m gonna lay the belt down and let it be vacant. When I’m ready to fight for it again, I’ll fight for it again,’ instead of just building this drama show about how she’s ready to retire.

    “I don’t think she’s ready to retire, I know that she wants to come back, and my objective is to get her to come back after I beat Raquel (Pennington),” Peña added.

    Before looking to put her sights firmly back on the “Lioness,” Peña must make good on her promise to comfortably unseat Pennington in her very first defense. While unconfirmed, the pair are expected to collide at the Salt Lake City-held UFC 307 pay-per-view on October 5.

    Should she achieve two-time champ status in 2024, perhaps Nunes will be tempted back to the cage. If not, a showdown with UFC newcomer Kayla Harrison would appear to be on the cards.

  • Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho Announced As Late-Notice UFC Fight Night Main Event On August 24

    Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho Announced As Late-Notice UFC Fight Night Main Event On August 24

    The Apex-held UFC Fight Night on August 24 finally has its headliner, and it’ll see a pair of top middleweights throw down.

    With less than three weeks remaining until the Las Vegas card, the UFC revealed the main event for Aug. 24 on Tuesday, announcing that Jared Cannonier (17-7) will defend his top-five ranking against the fast-rising Caio Borralho (16-1, 1 NC).

    The late-notice bout marks relatively quick turnarounds for both men, with the American controversially defeated by Nassourdine Imavov this past June and the Brazilian up-and-comer getting the better of Paul Craig the previous month.

    Cannonier Looks To Rebound From Debated TKO Loss, Blemish Borralho’s Perfect UFC Record

    When he makes his return for a second headliner of the summer, the #5-ranked Cannonier will look to quickly erase the memory of his difficult setback two months ago.

    The former title challenger, who is one of just two fighters in UFC history to record knockouts in three different weight classes, has been pursuing a second shot at the 185-pound gold since falling short against Israel Adesanya in 2022. While that journey got underway well with wins over then-future champ Sean Strickland and Marvin Vettori, his progress was stalled in controversial fashion when referee Jason Herzog deemed him unable to continue following an onslaught from Imavov in their Louisville headliner.

    A couple of months on from that widely questioned setback, Cannonier will return for redemption at the expense of Borralho, a Dana White’s Contender Series alum who has risen to #12 in the division’s top 15 courtesy of a perfect 6-0 record inside the Octagon. “The Natural” most recently secured his second performance bonus by knocking out Craig at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro this past May.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at the UFC Fight Night event on Aug. 24 are as follows:

    • Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho (middleweight main event)
    • Neil Magny vs. Michael Morales (welterweight)
    • Angela Hill vs. Tabatha Ricci (women’s strawweight)
    • Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Gerald Meerschaert (middleweight)
    • Josiane Nunes vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti (women’s bantamweight)
    • Dennis Buzukja vs. Danny Silva (featherweight)
    • José Medina vs. Zachary Reese (middleweight)
    • Viacheslav Borshchev vs. James Llontop (lightweight)
    • Wang Cong vs. Victoria Leonardo (women’s flyweight)
  • Sean O’Malley Puts Umar Nurmagomedov Among ‘Lot Of Options’ For Future Opponent: ‘Max, Ilia, Figgy…’

    Sean O’Malley Puts Umar Nurmagomedov Among ‘Lot Of Options’ For Future Opponent: ‘Max, Ilia, Figgy…’

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley doesn’t believe Umar Nurmagomedov is set in stone as his next opponent should he get the better of Merab Dvalishvili this fall.

    Nurmagomedov kept his undefeated record intact at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi by recording the biggest win of his career to date. The Dagestani got the better of Cory Sandhagen in what marked his maiden main event on the sport’s biggest stage.

    Against the former interim title challenger and longtime top-five contender, Nurmagomedov secured a convincing victory on the judges’ scorecards, showcasing his striking and a relentless grappling pursuit in spite of Sandhagen’s strong defense.

    Having added “The Sandman” to his ever-growing résumé, the 28-year-old staked his claim for a first title shot and is widely expected to challenge whoever emerges from O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili’s championship clash at the Sphere this September with the gold in their possession.

    The current champ, however, doesn’t think that is a certainty…

    O’Malley: Nurmagomedov Not Definitely Next After Dvalishvili Defense

    During the latest episode of his TimboSugarShow, O’Malley reflected on Nurmagomedov’s statement-making performance in the Middle East and assessed whether a clash with the Russian lies in his future.

    While many have concluded that Nurmagomedov is next in line after Dvalishvili, “Sugar” dismissed that as a cemented plan, instead pointing to Deiveson Figueiredo — who got the better of Marlon Vera this past weekend — as a possible challenger and reiterating his featherweight ambitions.

    “It’s an interesting matchup, O’Malley vs. Nurmagomedov,” O’Malley said. “Figgy beat ‘Chito’ on the same card. Figgy called me out. That could be next. I don’t know. Max (Holloway) vs. Ilia (Topuria) is coming up; I would love an opportunity to go up to ’45.

    “Max, Ilia, Nurmagomedov, Figgy; I’ve got a lot of options,” O’Malley continued. “I feel like I’ll be able to make a callout. Obviously, last fight I beat ‘Chito,’ called out Ilia, didn’t get that fight. So just because you win, doesn’t mean you’re gonna be able to pick. But if I got out there and flatline Merab, I feel like that callout would mean something. It depends what happens. … Maybe Umar and Figgy fight.”

    Nurmagomedov has previously accused the champ of looking to avoid him, branding his prediction of another withdrawal from the Sandhagen matchup as wishful thinking from an O’Malley who doesn’t like his chances against him.

    “Sugar’s” latest remarks will likely only increase those claims from Nurmagomedov, who now sits behind only Dvalishvili in the UFC bantamweight rankings following his exploits inside the Octagon this past weekend.

  • UFC Veteran Neil Magny Signs New 4-Fight Contract Ahead Of August 24 Return (Exclusive)

    UFC Veteran Neil Magny Signs New 4-Fight Contract Ahead Of August 24 Return (Exclusive)

    Neil Magny will have plenty of chances to extend his lead for multiple UFC records after extending his stint on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

    Magny — a welterweight veteran who boasts the most wins, most fights, and most Octagon time in the division’s history — has exchanged wins and losses since 2022. But he’s coming off a major result from UFC 297 this past January, where he stalled the surge of the highly touted Mike Malott.

    And following that major comeback in Canada, “The Haitian Sensation” has been rewarded with a fresh UFC contract.

    The 37-year-old, who has competed inside the Octagon ever since a successful debut at UFC 157 in 2013, revealed to MMA News that he’s put pen to paper on a new four-fight deal with the promotion.

    “I just signed a new four-fight contract,” Magny said. “We have four more to go out there and get the job done; continue to climb the ranks, continue getting things done, and keep moving forward.

    “I’m happy (with the money), definitely thrilled,” Magny continued. “We invested a lot of real estate for my family and I after this fight, so I’m definitely thrilled about it.”

    Magny To Kickstart New UFC Deal Against Another Rising Name On Aug. 24

    It won’t be long until the first fight on Magny’s new deal, with the welterweight mainstay once again tasked with turning away the rise of a promising prospect at 170 pounds later this month.

    After putting a stop to Malott’s charge for the time being, the #12-ranked contender must once again defend his position on the ladder from a man outside the top 15, the undefeated Michael Morales.

    The Ecuadorian will have the biggest assignment of his young career to date when the pair collide at the upcoming Apex-held UFC Fight Night on August 24.

    At 16-0 as a professional, the 25-year-old has shown significant promise to date, most recently by recording his fourth UFC victory at the expense of Australia’s Jake Matthews last November.

    While Morales will have ambitions of a rise into contention by the end of this month, Magny has proved time and again that he is no easy path into the welterweight rankings, and “The Haitian Sensation” will look to show that once more by blemishing the prospect’s record.

  • Chael Sonnen Doesn’t Hold Back With ‘Tough Love’ For Tony Ferguson: ‘This Needs To Stop!’

    Chael Sonnen Doesn’t Hold Back With ‘Tough Love’ For Tony Ferguson: ‘This Needs To Stop!’

    Chael Sonnen is evidently among those who think the decision surrounding Tony Ferguson’s UFC career should be taken out of his hands.

    Ferguson’s woes inside the Octagon continued at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi, where he fell to a record eight-fight losing skid at the hands of fellow veteran Michael Chiesa.

    While he made it to the scorecards against Paddy Pimblett last December, “El Cucuy’s” latest outing saw him finished before the first horn. Following a takedown, the ex-interim lightweight champion was submitted by way of a rear-naked choke.

    After Chiesa surrendered his microphone time in the aftermath, it appeared a retirement announcement long branded overdue by many would finally arrive. But the best that those hopeful of the end got was a half-retirement, and even that appeared to be walked back moments later.

    The continued rejection of clear retirement talk has left plenty of fans, fighters, and analysts concerned, and Sonnen had a problem with more than one aspect of Ferguson’s display in the Middle East…

    Sonnen Critical Of Ferguson”s Performance, ‘Double Cross’ On The Mic

    During the latest episode of his Good Guy / Bad Guy show alongside Daniel Cormier on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Sonnen gave his assessment of Ferguson’s latest setback inside the Octagon and refusal to confirm his retirement inside the cage.

    “The American Gangster” expressed surprise at the 40-year-old’s inability to carry out basic grappling defense on the ground. And beyond just the fight, Sonnen accused Ferguson of double-crossing Chiesa by removing his gloves as if he was set to retire and not giving a “shine” to his opponent.

    “At some point,. we’re gonna have to have some real tough love for Tony here. He just set a record, a record for the most (straight) losses in UFC history,” Sonnen said. “I don’t have a problem with a guy slowing down…I got a big problem with him getting taken down, getting his back taken — which is what you learn the very first day of jiu-jitsu — and not hand-fighting. … The fact that Tony’s in there almost like he’s working with him, like he’s making a technique video or something for the rear-naked choke, that’s a problem for me.

    “Taking one glove of was kind of cool, until I heard why he’s doing it; because he wants another fight and isn’t sure the UFC’s gonna give it to him. Well, let me help you out there, I’m real sure the UFC’s not gonna give it to you,” Sonnen continued. “I’m a little bit surprised with the disconnect of mental awareness for what was going on, or even being handed a microphone that you don’t deserve and only got because you’re gonna retire, then you pull the retirement back and don’t shine up Chiesa, who gave you the microphone in the first place. It was a real bit of a double cross, frankly.”

    Sonnen continued, insisting that witnessing Ferguson’s career continue is “not fun anymore” and “needs to stop.”

    “I am completely confident in telling you there’s not going to be a return,” Sonnen stated. “Grappling is what Tony does so well…he’s just a fantastic guy on the ground. … I have a problem with the fact he didn’t hand-fight. … It seemed like there was some very basic awareness of very basic steps that weren’t being done, in conjunction with an interview that I could give a pass to had a guy just got knocked out. It wasn’t like that. This needs to stop! It’s not fun anymore.”

    Since once again vowing to improve and insisting that he remains a threat during a post-fight press conference that gave little indication that a retirement could be on the way, Ferguson is yet to further address his future.

  • Conor McGregor Brands Donald Trump’s Pick For His Favorite UFC Fighter A ‘Campaign-Ending Decision’

    Conor McGregor Brands Donald Trump’s Pick For His Favorite UFC Fighter A ‘Campaign-Ending Decision’

    Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor was not pleased to see the name Donald Trump produced when asked for his favorite fighter.

    The former United States president recently appeared for an interview with Internet personality Adin Ross, during which he named legendary former UFC lightweight kingpin Khabib Nurmagomedov as top of his fighter list.

    Among those snubbed were Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal, both of whom have pledged heavy public support for Trump across recent years.

    Also not getting a mention was McGregor, who unsurprisingly had something to say after hearing the name of his biggest rival on the ex-president’s lips…

    McGregor Has Expected Response After Trump Picks Khabib

    McGregor and Khabib had one of the most heated UFC feuds of all time, with public altercations and controversial remarks from the Irishman fueling an immense amount of bad blood in the lead-up to their UFC 229 main event in 2018.

    And that boiled over following the Russian’s submission win, with Nurmagomedov vaulting the Octagon fence and attacking McGregor’s corner, sparking a brawl inside T-Mobile Arena.

    In the years since, McGregor has kept his sights on “The Eagle,” frequently targeting him, his teammates, his religion, his late father, and his country on social media.

    That trend continued in response to Khabib’s selection as Trump’s favorite fighter, with the Irishman jokingly branding it a “campaign-ending decision” from the Republican presidential nominee.

    Conor McGregor

    “Campaign ending decision, McGregor wrote. “A smelly fat mountain monkey from the inbred mountains of Dagestan is your favorite UFC (AMERICAN COMPANY) fighter? Wow. Abysmal.”

    McGregor previously expressed support for Trump after he was the target of an assassination attempt while speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania last month.

    Evidently, the Irishman’s hatred for Khabib is enough to put anyone in the firing line should they express admiration or appreciation for the Russian’s career.

  • Javier Mendez Chooses Between Khabib & Umar Nurmagomedov In Striking, Grappling, Mental Toughness, & Chin

    Javier Mendez Chooses Between Khabib & Umar Nurmagomedov In Striking, Grappling, Mental Toughness, & Chin

    Islam Makhachev may have picked up where the great Khabib Nurmagomedov left off with dominating the lightweight division, but his legacy has also been continued by his own family.

    There are a lot of parallels in the careers of Khabib and his younger cousin Umar Nurmagomedov.

    Both have been incredibly dominant inside the Octagon but during their climbs, were held back by injuries and issues with finding opponents.

    Eventually, “The Eagle” was undeniable and proved himself to be a top-tier lightweight and that’s what happened in the bantamweight division with Umar this past weekend.

    His win over Cory Sandhagen means that just like Islam and his cousin before him, he’s arrived at the top at long last.

    Javier Mendez Says Khabib Was A Better Grappler But Umar Nurmagomedov Is Already A Better Striker

    In a recent interview with The Schmo, AKA head coach Javier Mendez was asked to compare Umar and Khabib as fighters, given where the undefeated 135-pound contender is at right now.

    Mendez is very high on Umar’s potential and went on to say that with Islam being four years older than him, Khabib’s cousin could go on to claim the position of being the number 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world at some stage.

    He spoke about what separates the two cousins, by running down which one has the edge in terms of their skill set and toughness.

    “Well as far as skills at this juncture of their careers, that’s a tough one you hit me with. I would say that Khabib’s ground is still top notch. Umar’s ground is great but Khabib was just another level but again, Khabib’s stand up wasn’t up to where Umar’s is on par. But, as far as their mental, their mental is fairly comparable. Khabib’s chin’s granite, I’ve never seen anybody have a chin like Khabib. Umar has got a great chin as he proved from the last fight when he got dropped and he was able to go for the takedown as he was being dropped but I guess the chin level would have to go with Khabib but the mental toughness, I think they’re pretty equal, mental toughness. I mean Umar is a tough customer man.”

    Read also: Umar Nurmagomedov ‘Not Happy’ With Performance Against Cory Sandhagen At UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi: ‘I Thought I Would Maul Him’

  • Jon Anik Talks Difficulty Of Avoiding Bias While Commentating On ‘Family’ Belal Muhammad: ‘People Just Fixate Upon This…’

    Jon Anik Talks Difficulty Of Avoiding Bias While Commentating On ‘Family’ Belal Muhammad: ‘People Just Fixate Upon This…’

    Jon Anik recently opened up about the challenge of maintaining impartiality while commentating on the fights of his close friend, Belal Muhammad.

    Muhammad clinched a resounding unanimous decision victory over reigning UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards in their highly anticipated rematch last month at UFC 304 in Manchester, United Kingdom.

    Ever since “Remember the Name” ascended to the UFC 170-pound championship, Anik, who typically upholds a veneer of neutrality regarding UFC fighters, has been fervently expressive on social media.

    In a recent post on Instagram, Anik professed that his favorite aspect of the job is witnessing a title challenger triumph and rise to championship glory. When Muhammad achieved this milestone at UFC 304, the play-by-play commentator confessed that his bond with the Palestinian-American fighter, coupled with Muhammad’s grueling path to the title, made the victory exceptionally poignant for him.

    However, calling a fight involving a dear confidant presents Anik with a distinct array of professional difficulties in the commentary booth…

    Anik Explains He Separates Personal Bonds When Fighters Enter The Octagon

    During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Anik delved into the complexities of sustaining emotional equanimity and navigating personal affiliations when commentating on fights involving athletes he knows well, particularly Muhammad.

    The UFC broadcaster explained that once a fighter steps into the Octagon, he sets aside any personal relationships and strives to limit his commentary to what is necessary.

    “Well, they’re all different. I mean, certainly, when the athlete hits the tunnel, I try to remove a lot of that from the equation,” Anik said. “If you look at the way I was, ‘sucking Jan Blachowicz’s d*ck’ when he won the title, it’s not dissimilar to the way I’m celebrating Belal Muhammad now. I think people just fixate upon this because of his relationship with my twin brother. Yes, there’s a lot of personal connection there.

    Yes, Belal is like family, but once he hits that tunnel, that relationship is thrown out the window. This one just had a lot of interpersonal connections because of my twin brother, but I do believe I’m able to compartmentalize and throw those things out and objectively call these fights.”

    Anik went on to mention that if he ever makes any biased or unnecessary comments during fights, UFC executives on the production team promptly remind him of the impropriety.

    “You can be sure the day that I’m not able to do so, I’ll get a call from Craig Borsari, my boss, or Zach Candito, one of my other bosses, or Dana White will get word to me in an indirect way. So, word hasn’t come in yet. I stand by the call, as I do most of these, and I love both the athletes. Oftentimes, there’s a relationship on both sides of the fight, and that was certainly the case at UFC 304.”

    Anik and Muhammad developed a close rapport when he signed “Remember the Name” to his podcast network in 2020. Since then, Muhammad has co-hosted Remember the Show on YouTube alongside Jason Anik, the identical twin brother of the UFC commentator.

  • Sean O’Malley’s Coach Talks Souring Of Relationship With Conor McGregor: ‘Before Going To The Arena, We’d Put On Conor Highlights…’

    Sean O’Malley’s Coach Talks Souring Of Relationship With Conor McGregor: ‘Before Going To The Arena, We’d Put On Conor Highlights…’

    Sean O’Malley’s coach, Tim Welch, recently affirmed that despite their fallout, they still hold Conor McGregor in high regard.

    For years, McGregor and O’Malley have shared a good rappot with one another. However, recent months have seen this camaraderie deteriorate as the two UFC stars find themselves entangled in a growing feud on social media.

    It all began in May, when “The Notorious” erupted on social media, launching a tirade against boxer Ryan Garcia after he tested positive for the banned substance ostarine following his victory over Devin Haney.

    In the midst of his outburst, McGregor took a swipe at O’Malley, lumping him together with Garcia due to the reigning UFC bantamweight champion’s own positive test for ostarine back in 2019.

    There was a time when “Suga” revered and emulated McGregor, even seemingly adopting his flashy persona from the iconic Irishman. However, after “The Notorious” took jabs at him, that admiration seems to have faded. Last month, O’Malley unleashed a scathing critique of his former idol’s fighting skills in a series of blistering social media posts.

    However, Welch maintains that regardless of the current discord, he and O’Malley still deeply respect McGregor, recognizing the significant legacy he has left in the realm of MMA…

    Welch Finds Friction With McGregor ‘A Little Weird’

    During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Welch shared his perspective on the ongoing social media rift between O’Malley and McGregor. The MMA coach revealed that “Suga” used to be McGregor’s biggest admirer, and now witnessing their camaraderie diminish feels surreal to him.

    “I mean, we still respect him. Literally, Sean was his number one fan,” Welch said. “Before going to the arena, we’d put on Conor highlights because he’s been in so many high-pressure moments. He’s good at staying calm, he’s good at staying present, and he’s a good finisher. So yeah, we have respect for him, but it’s definitely a little weird.”

    Welch further commented on the hypothetical matchup with “The Notorious” that O’Malley had previously mentioned, stating that it would be a formidable challenge for his protégé.

    “The only way it’d be possible is if they fought at 155 pounds, and I mean, that’s a scary fight. Conor is huge, he’s explosive, he’s quick, and he’s got good reaction time. But right now, Sean is in his prime. His confidence is so high, he switches stances, and his fight IQ is so high. So to say there’s no way we’d win that fight is stupid. There are definitely ways we could win it, but obviously, it’s a dangerous fight. He’s huge for Sean.”

  • UFC Commentator Heaps Praise On Umar Nurmagomedov: ‘He’ll Be Favorite Against Sean Or Merab’

    UFC Commentator Heaps Praise On Umar Nurmagomedov: ‘He’ll Be Favorite Against Sean Or Merab’

    The biggest fight of Umar Nurmagomedov’s career led to his most impressive performance to date in the main event this past weekend.

    There’s been hype surrounding him for a long time now but in an opponent like Cory Sandhagen, he was facing his most skilled, dangerous, and experienced opponent.

    Nurmagomedov got his hand raised at the end of five rounds in Abu Dhabi and could have leapfrogged the rest of the division with this win.

    He may have been holding the #11-ranking in the division but the writing has been on the wall for some time now in terms of his ranking not reflecting his ability.

    UFC commentator Jon Anik believes that even with Sandhagen being his first big win, he would expect Nurmagomedov to be a betting favorite over the two men that are set to fight over the bantamweight title next month.

    Jon Anik Believes That Umar Nurmagomedov Will Be A Betting Favorite When He Fights For The Title

    In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Anik was asked about Nurmagomedov’s win and who he thinks he will end up fighting for the bantamweight title which is set to be contested between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306, in September.

    The UFC commentator didn’t pick a winner in that fight for obvious reasons, but he did say that Nurmagomedov could be the oddsmakers pick in either match-up.

    He started by complimenting the undefeated contender both for his skills inside the Octagon and his conduct outside of it.

    “Umar is like one of the most impressive human beings, fighters, that I’ve met in any walk of life. His ability to connect with people in English already is insane relative to what it was like 24 months ago and he’s always banging on himself in terms of his ability to speak English. He’s fantastic. He’ll be favored against Sean or Merab, I feel pretty convicted in saying that. I just don’t think a lot of guys would be able to dominate Cory Sandhagen in that way. With respect to Cory, and my kids distracting me, I gave Umar all five rounds so impressed doesn’t even begin to describe it.”

    Judge Mike Bell agreed with Anik’s viewpoint, awarding all five rounds to Nurmagomedov on the scorecards whilst Ben Cartlidge and David Lethaby both gave Sandhagen one of the five.

    Read also: VIDEO: UFC Champ Sean O’Malley Reacts To ‘Close Fight’ Between Umar Nurmagomedov & Cory Sandhagen

  • Co-Main Event Canceled Days Out From UFC Fight Night: Tybura vs. Spivac 2

    Co-Main Event Canceled Days Out From UFC Fight Night: Tybura vs. Spivac 2

    Following this past weekend’s event in Abu Dhabi, the Octagon is set to return to the UFC Apex this Saturday for another Fight Night event.

    Top ten heavyweights are set to meet in the main event as Serghei Spivac and Marcin Tybura run it back, following their first encounter over four years ago.

    However, it was another fight on the card that many were singling out as the one to watch on August 10 in Las Vegas.

    Co-main event billing was set to go to a bantamweight clash between Chris Gutierrez and Javid Basharat, a match-up that certainly stuck out on paper.

    Both were looking to bounce back from losses in their last outings to try and push themselves towards the top 15 at 135 pounds.

    Unfortunately, as reported by Alex Behunin, the fight is now off and the reaction from the fans on social media certainly points towards this being the bout that people were tuning in for.

    “Well that’s decided then, I shall not be watching the fights”

    “Well there goes that card”

    “Bro come on that was the only good fight on the card”

    At this current time, it hasn’t been reported why the fight has been cancelled and what amendments will be made to the card as a result.

    Read also: VIDEO: UFC Champ Sean O’Malley Reacts To ‘Close Fight’ Between Umar Nurmagomedov & Cory Sandhagen

  • Alexander Volkanovski Predicts ‘Paulo Costa’ Performance For Israel Adesanya In UFC 305 Return: ‘Dricus Is A Tough Guy, But…’ 

    Alexander Volkanovski Predicts ‘Paulo Costa’ Performance For Israel Adesanya In UFC 305 Return: ‘Dricus Is A Tough Guy, But…’ 

    Former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is envisioning a strong return to competition for his teammate and friend Israel Adesanya later this month.

    Adesanya hasn’t competed since losing the middleweight title in surprising fashion against Sean Strickland last September at UFC 293 in Sydney. He subsequently pointed to a high level of activity when announcing plans for an extended layoff.

    That break comes to an end in less than two weeks’ time, with “The Last Stylebender” set for the chance to achieve three-time champ status when he returns to action back on Australian soil.

    At UFC 305 on August 17, Perth’s RAC Arena will play host to Adesanya’s comeback fight opposite reigning 185-pound kingpin Dricus Du Plessis.

    The South African has continued to prove his detractors wrong on MMA’s biggest stage, first by earning top contender status with a win over Robert Whittaker last year and then by dethroning Strickland this past January in Canada.

    In Adesanya, though, Volkanovski thinks “Stillknocks” will arrive at a hurdle too tall…

    Volkanovski Predicts ‘Incredible’ Comeback Performance For Adesanya

    During an interview with talkSPORT MMA while in Manchester for UFC 304 late last month, Volkanovski looked ahead to the promotion’s next numbered event, which takes place in his home country Down Under.

    “Alexander the Great,” an occasional teammate of Adesanya’s at City Kickboxing in New Zealand, is expecting the former two-time champ to have gold wrapped around his waist to close out the card on August 17.

    And to do so, Volkanovski is predicting the kind of performance that Adesanya put in to claim the title for the first time in 2019 and record his second defense a year later.

    “We’re gonna see him coming back; I think he’s gonna look incredible,” Volkanovski said. “Dricus is a tough guy, great fighter. But I think this Israel that’s gonna turn up is gonna be one of those — you know, when he comes back and you see a Paulo Costa performance, or even the first Robert Whittaker performance.”

    With talk of a bulked-up physique and improvements behind closed doors since returning to training earlier this year, Adesanya will look to show that he’s got plenty left in the tank by returning to the middleweight throne in emphatic fashion.

  • Jon Anik Names Perfect Final Opponent For Tony Ferguson After He Half-Retires At UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi: ‘That Fight Makes Some Sense’

    Jon Anik Names Perfect Final Opponent For Tony Ferguson After He Half-Retires At UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi: ‘That Fight Makes Some Sense’

    It’s a hard pill to swallow, but Tony Ferguson has now lost eight fights in a row. Justin Gaethje broke his iconic 12-fight win streak in the UFC lightweight division and most recently, he lost to Michael Chiesa via submission at UFC Abu Dhabi.

    Ferguson was naturally overwhelmed by the loss but he didn’t lay down both his gloves in the Octagon. He was unsure about retirement and kept a glove just in case an exciting fight opportunity emerges.

    If he returns to the Octagon for one last ride, Jon Anik has the perfect opponent for Ferguson…

    Jon Anik Expects Tony Ferguson To Find Success Against Fellow UFC Lightweight Veteran Joe Lauzon

    Anik recently appeared on Submission Radio on YouTube and talked about Ferguson’s career as of late. He credited “El Cucuy” for making a double-digit win streak in a competitive division like lightweight, and admitted how the eight losses on this record baffle him.

    “The rainbow-colored nature of Tony Ferguson’s Wikipedia page, bro. I mean, it is indeed crazy to see 12 green stripes followed by eight red stripes.”

    Anik wants to see Ferguson in the UFC Hall of Fame as soon as possible. He isn’t keen on seeing the veteran fight again but suggested that Joe Lauzon could be a viable option for his upcoming and most likely, final, bout.

    “I was googling Joe Lauzon to make sure that he never fought Tony Ferguson because as I sit here and think about opponents that might make sense for Tony to try to realize some sort of success. Joe Lauzon still has fights left on his contract and for whatever reason, hasn’t competed, but I think that fight makes some sense”

    Lauzon made his debut in the UFC in 2006 and is a veteran with over 25 fights under his belt. He holds wins over Jens Pulver, Jeremy Stephens, Chiesa, and Diego Sanchez, among other notable lightweight fighters.

    The UFC commentator highlighted that Lauzon still has fights on his UFC contract. However, he hasn’t fought for the promotion since October 2019 so it’s hard to anticipate whether he would return for a bout with Ferguson.

    READ MORE: Tom Aspinall Questions UFC’s ‘Unfair’ Decision Not To Renew Muhammad Mokaev’s Contract

  • Belal Muhammad On If Kamaru Usman Or Shavkat Rakhmonov Gets Next UFC Welterweight Title Shot: ‘I Think He’s Still Got Tread In The Tyres…’ 

    Belal Muhammad On If Kamaru Usman Or Shavkat Rakhmonov Gets Next UFC Welterweight Title Shot: ‘I Think He’s Still Got Tread In The Tyres…’ 

    Newly crowned UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad sees the merits of facing both Kamaru Usman and Shavkat Rakhmonov for his first title defense.

    Muhammad finds himself on the throne after making the most of his first shot at glory on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage late last month. “Remember the Name” crossed the pond to challenge Leon Edwards at the UFC 304 pay-per-view event in Manchester, England.

    Amid a hostile reception, Muhammad delivered on his promise to emphatically unseat “Rocky” in the main event, utilizing his grappling and ever-improving striking to control large parts of the five-round contest en route to a comfortable decision win.

    As is always the case following a title win, talk has quickly turned to the welterweight division’s next championship matchup and who could be the first to test Muhammad’s reign.

    The champ has a ‘bring one, bring them all’ mindset…

    Muhammad Asked To Choose Between Usman, Rakhmonov

    During a recent interview for ESPN MMA while in Abu Dhabi for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night, Muhammad reflected on his championship triumph in Manchester and looked ahead to what could be next for him inside the Octagon.

    “Remember the Name” acknowledged the benefits that would come with fighting one of the division’s all-time greats in Usman for his first defense, but he also reiterated his desire to take Rakhmonov’s 0.

    “Anyone of them, right? Usman, obviously I think for legacy,” Muhammad said. “He’s one of the biggest names in the division, he’s under GSP, and I think he’s still got tread in the tyres, even though he lost the close fight to Leon and then the really close fight to Khamzat.

    “I think name value, he has the bigger name. But also, I want to fight the boogeyman,” Muhammad continued. “The boogeyman that everybody says can beat anybody, is gonna walk through anybody. … I knew after beating Leon, they would say, ‘Well, Shavkat will walk through him! He can’t do that to Shavkat!’ I’m just gonna keep doing it. … Dana White, you just got to give me the time and date and I’m ready to go.”

    Both “The Nigerian Nightmare” and “Nomad” have been staking their claims for the first shot at Muhammad, with the former most recently having a somewhat heated back and forth with the champ on social media.

    While Usman hasn’t competed at welterweight since falling short against Edwards in their trilogy fight last year, the most recent victory in Rakhmonov’s undefeated run in the weight class came over Stephen Thompson last December.

  • Mackenzie Dern Hopes For Tatiana Suarez Matchup After UFC Fight Night Abi Dhabi Win

    Mackenzie Dern Hopes For Tatiana Suarez Matchup After UFC Fight Night Abi Dhabi Win

    Should one top contender not get their expected shot at Zhang Weili’s UFC strawweight gold, Mackenzie Dern is open to facing her in the meantime instead.

    Dern was among the big victors to emerge from this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night event at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, where she got back in the winner’s circle at the expense of Loopy Godinez.

    The Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist entered the contest riding a two-fight losing skid, having been knocked out by former champion Jéssica Andrade last November and outpointed by Amanda Lemos this past February.

    After falling out of contention at 115 pounds, a bounce-back result was crucial for the grappling ace on August 3, and she achieved that on the scorecards after going the distance in a close contest with Godinez.

    Having defended her spot in the strawweight pecking order, Dern has her sights set back on those above her and, specifically, an undefeated name…

    Dern Likes Matchup Against Wrestling-Heavy Suarez

    During a backstage interview for ESPN MMA, Dern reflected on her successful performance in Abu Dhabi and assessed what could lie next for her inside the Octagon.

    While she acknowledged that the #1-ranked Tatiana Suarez is likely next in line for a shot at the belt, Dern put her name in the hat to face the undefeated American if that’s not the case.

    “I’d like to fight November, hopefully,” Dern said. “I don’t really know too many people that are open. I would like to fight Tatiana Suarez if she doesn’t go for the belt. I think that would be a great matchup, a wrestler. So, I would like that fight.”

    Suarez has won both of her fights since returning from an injury layoff that spanned close to four years. After defeating Montana De La Rosa up at flyweight, the Californian re-entered title contention at 115 pounds by submitting Andrade last August in Nashville.

    Dern, meanwhile, replaced Suarez on late notice to face Lemos earlier this year. While that decision wasn’t rewarded with a triumph, the BJJ specialist has now got back to winning form and has her eyes on the ultimate UFC prize once again.

  • VIDEO: UFC Champ Sean O’Malley Reacts To ‘Close Fight’ Between Umar Nurmagomedov & Cory Sandhagen

    VIDEO: UFC Champ Sean O’Malley Reacts To ‘Close Fight’ Between Umar Nurmagomedov & Cory Sandhagen

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley paid close attention as a key matchup in his division went down in Abu Dhabi this past weekend.

    In what was widely branded a title eliminator, top-five contender Cory Sandhagen and undefeated up-and-comer Umar Nurmagomedov collided in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event.

    While “The Sandman” was looking to record his fourth straight headline win en route to a second shot at gold, his Dagestani counterpart was hoping to secure his first championship opportunity with his record’s 0 in tact.

    It was ultimately the latter who succeeded, securing three convincing scorecards in his favor after five competitive rounds of action in the Middle East.

    O’Malley Praises Nurmagomedov For Beating ‘One Of The Pound-For-Pound Best’ In Sandhagen

    In a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, O’Malley reacted live to the five-round headliner between Sandhagen and Nurmagomedov.

    “Cory’s a f*cking serial killer. … Here we go,” O’Malley said. “Great job by Cory defensively. … I forget Umar is a striker. … Another close round. I’m almost giving these to Umar just ’cause of the takedowns. It’s hard when they’re both so f*cking high level for someone to take control of the fight. … Every time Cory comes forward, Umar’s countering hard.”

    While summarizing the “close” fight, O’Malley praised both men for their efforts and branded their contest “as high level” as possible.

    “Alright, boys, Umar got the job done. Pretty close fight, in my opinion,” O’Malley said. “Cory is, in my opinion, one of the pound-for-pound best guys in the world. For Umar to be ranked #10, a lot of guys didn’t want to fight him…no one in the UFC wanted to fight this guy.

    “Incredible performance, by both guys really,” O’Malley continued. “Cory did a really good job shutting down Umar’s offensive takedowns and wrestling. Striking was pretty close; Umar looked like he landed harder shots. Overall, that’s as high level of a fight as it gets.”

    Following the decision going in favor of Nurmagomedov, O’Malley reacted as the Dagestani called to fight the winner of his upcoming Sphere showdown with Merab Dvalishvili.

    “Me versus Umar next? … Undefeated Umar, 18-0, versus undefeated ‘Sugar Show,’ 19-0. Beat a Dagestani, I wouldn’t mind that. That would be a real good way to get at Conor (McGregor). Imagine how jealous he would be. I might go whoop Umar just for that reason alone.”

    Nurmagomedov wasn’t the only victorious fighter with O’Malley’s name on his lips post-fight in Abu Dhabi. Former two-time flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo also called for a shot at “Sugar” following his win over Marlon Vera.

    The champ had an expected reaction to that callout…

  • Tony Ferguson Still Confident In Striking Ability After 8th UFC Loss In A Row: ‘Not A Lot Of People Want To Stand & Bang With Me’

    Tony Ferguson Still Confident In Striking Ability After 8th UFC Loss In A Row: ‘Not A Lot Of People Want To Stand & Bang With Me’

    When it comes to his skillset, former interim UFC lightweight champion Tony Ferguson hasn’t let his losing skid affect his confidence.

    Ferguson achieved an unwanted record in his return to action at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night, falling to the longest run of defeats in the promotion’s history. After closing out his 2023 with a decision loss to Paddy Pimblett, his latest setback came against Michael Chiesa up at welterweight.

    The bout didn’t reach the first horn, with “El Cucuy” being taken down and submitted by way of rear-naked choke in just under four minutes by Chiesa, who entered the contest on a losing skid of his own.

    In the immediate aftermath, it appeared a retirement announcement branded long overdue by many in the community was on the way. But while Ferguson did lay down one glove, it didn’t take long for him to seemingly commit to the continuation of his career.

    That’s seemingly down to a belief that he can still compete inside the Octagon, in spite of what his record since 2020 would suggest. And among other things, “El Cucuy” hasn’t lost confidence in his standup game…

    Ferguson: Chiesa Didn’t Want Any Of My Striking

    During his post-fight press conference on Saturday, Ferguson reflected on his outing in the Middle East and record eighth consecutive defeat inside the Octagon.

    While he admitted to feeling “slow and sluggish” in the grappling realm, where his demise ultimately came against Chiesa, Ferguson insisted he remains a major threat on the feet, having returned to sparring and pad work in training.

    “There’s a lot of things I need to work on,” Ferguson said. “We did a lot of sparring. You could see that out there; I felt pretty good on my feet. … I felt normal in there for a second. … There’s a lot of things that I can and can’t do. … This whole entire camp, I had just got back into sparring. … We just started throwing pads again.

    “When I went out there and I hit Chiesa, he didn’t want to stand and bang. Not a lot of people want to stand and bang with me,” Ferguson added.

    It would appear likely that Ferguson plans on further proving that in another fight down the line. While he noted discussions will take place with his family, “El Cucuy” was quick to walk back his initial half-retirement inside the Octagon.

  • Tom Aspinall Questions UFC’s ‘Unfair’ Decision Not To Renew Muhammad Mokaev’s Contract

    Tom Aspinall Questions UFC’s ‘Unfair’ Decision Not To Renew Muhammad Mokaev’s Contract

    Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall says “it’s a shame” that flyweight contender Muhammad Mokaev was recently let go.

    Mokaev made the walk late last month at the UFC 304 pay-per-view with his sights set on securing a first shot at gold on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage. Instead, he departed the cage without a spot on the roster anymore.

    While the exact reason for the promotion not re-signing him remains undisclosed, UFC CEO Dana White insisted it had nothing to do with his fighting style, which came into question again following a lackluster decision win over Manel Kape in Manchester.

    With that, most have concluded that antics away from the cage were responsible for his release, and UFC 304 fight week certainly wasn’t short on them. “The Punisher” most notably admitted to sucker-punching his opponent at the fighter hotel.

    If that was among the major reasons for the UFC not re-signing Mokaev, another victor from the July 27 PPV doesn’t think his fellow Brit has been treated fairly…

    Aspinall On Mokaev’s UFC Exit: ‘It’s A Shame’

    During a recent interview with former boxing champion Carl Froch, Aspinall was asked for his take on the situation surrounding Mokaev, whom he’s known since the flyweight was a youngster.

    Like some in the MMA space, the interim heavyweight champ pointed to numerous big-name fighters who have had altercations and incidents outside the Octagon, suggesting it’s “unfair” for Mokaev to be punished while others got away scot-free.

    “Muhammad Mokaev’s a lad I’ve known since he was 12 years old. … Him and his opponent (Kape) had a lot of beef beforehand; they were scrapping in the hotel before…and I heard some stories about kicking each other’s hotel rooms when they’re trying to sleep,” Aspinall said. “The UFC kicked him out. They don’t wanna re-sign him because of what’s gone on.

    “I think it’s unfair. … This has happened before, all this beef in the hotel and at the weigh-ins, and all the rest of it,” Aspinall continued. “It’s not the first time, so I think it’s a bit unfair on him to kick him out indefinitely. But at the end of the day, I’m not the boss of the UFC, so it’s got nothing to do with me. … I think it’s a shame, but it’s not really my call.”

    According to others, however, there’s likely more to the story. One of Muhammad’s flyweight peers, ex-title challenger Steve Erceg, also recently suggested that disrespectful behavior toward UFC staff likely played a part in the promotion’s decision.

    The saga looks far from over, with Mokaev repeatedly pleading his case on social media and vowing to return to the Octagon. “The Punisher’s” most recent post regarding his status came while he attended this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi.

  • Umar Nurmagomedov ‘Not Happy’ With Performance Against Cory Sandhagen At UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi: ‘I Thought I Would Maul Him’

    Umar Nurmagomedov ‘Not Happy’ With Performance Against Cory Sandhagen At UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi: ‘I Thought I Would Maul Him’

    UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov seemingly wasn’t expecting so much resistance from Cory Sandhagen in their clash this past weekend.

    The pair of elite 135lbers headlined Saturday’s UFC Fight Night event in Abu Dhabi, with both looking to stake their claim for the next spot in line for a title shot after Merab Dvalishvili cashes in on his earned opportunity against Sean O’Malley this September.

    It was ultimately the undefeated Dagestani who achieved that goal, emerging victorious and keeping his 0 after five rounds of action inside the Etihad Arena.

    But while it was a convincing win on the scorecards, Nurmagomedov didn’t depart the Octagon fully satisfied…

    Nurmagomedov Critical Of His Win Over Sandhagen

    During his post-fight press conference, Nurmagomedov reflected on his performance in Saturday’s main event.

    Despite securing three lopsided scorecards and even pitching a shutout on one, the Dagestani was self-critical. Nurmagomedov admitted that he had expected to have his way with Sandhagen in the grappling department.

    “I’m not happy,” Nurmagomedov said. “It was a good performance on the striking, but if we’re talking about grappling and how I control him, it was not good.

    “I thought I would maul him on the ground, but he’s tough, he’s good,” Nurmagomedov continued. “Cody is too good and has hard kicks, and he’s a tough man. I think he has more experience than me in the UFC cage, but I win, and I’m happy today I win.”

    Nevertheless, Nurmagomedov still exited the cage with the biggest win of his career to date, as well as a first championship opportunity likely in the bag.

    He’ll now have a close eye on the Sphere showdown between O’Malley and Dvalishvili this fall ahead of his potential chance at dethroning the winner down the line.

  • UFC Matchmaking Bulletin (7/29-8/4): Geoff Neal, Rob Font, Robelis Despaigne, & More Get Next Fights

    UFC Matchmaking Bulletin (7/29-8/4): Geoff Neal, Rob Font, Robelis Despaigne, & More Get Next Fights

    MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to the upcoming cards.

    With UFC events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.

    In recent days, a few notable fights were made official by the UFC or reported by reputable sources. For more information on those matchups, check out the links below:

    A number of lower-profile matchups also came together. For those, check out this week’s quick hits:

    But it wasn’t all positive, with two fights falling through or being adjusted. For those, see below:

  • Marlon Vera Releases First Statement On UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi Loss: ‘Today I Failed Myself’

    Marlon Vera Releases First Statement On UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi Loss: ‘Today I Failed Myself’

    Marlon Vera has now found himself on a rough patch as of late, and it continued at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi, where he dropped a decision to former two-time flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo.

    Figueiredo was able to outwork “Chito” with a solid pacing and using his strength. While Vera had stronger strikes during the second round, “Deus Da Guerra” fought fire with fire and knocked the Ecuadorian down in the third.

    The former bantamweight title challenger took to social media after the fight, thanking his supporters and stating that he let himself down inside the Octagon.

    Marlon Vera Admits to Failing Himself After Dropping Third In Last Four At UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi

    “Today I failed myself,” Vera wrote (translated). “Thanks to my family, my team and my people who push me to continue, maybe I will come back very quickly this time, but that’s life, sometimes you have to take some time for the mind and body to recover! Once again thanks for those who are there.”

    Vera has now lost three of his last four outings, with his sole win in this stretch coming against Pedro Munhoz at UFC 292 in Boston last August.

    “Chito” challenged Sean O’Malley for the bantamweight title at UFC 299 in Miami this past March, serving as a rematch after Vera handed O’Malley his sole loss back in 2020. The Ecuadorian lost the title fight in convincing fashion.

  • Khabib Names Who He’d Rather Umar Nurmagomedov Fight For The UFC Bantamweight Title Out Of Sean O’Malley & Merab Dvalishvili

    Khabib Names Who He’d Rather Umar Nurmagomedov Fight For The UFC Bantamweight Title Out Of Sean O’Malley & Merab Dvalishvili

    After having his own run in the UFC as a dominant undefeated champion years ago, Khabib Nurmagomedov is now helping to mentor others toward their own reigns. Islam Makhachev already has secured the lightweight title, and now cousin Umar Nurmagomedov may be next.

    Umar secured a clear decision win over Cory Sandhagen in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi. The bout seemingly served as a bantamweight title eliminator, and “The Young Eagle” is most likely next in line to challenge the winner of the Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili title fight that takes place at The Sphere on September 14.

    Following Umar’s win, Khabib Nurmagomedov was asked about his thoughts on who his cousin might have a better matchup with when it comes to claiming the gold. The former lightweight champion says the undefeated up-and-comer will be prepared regardless of who is holding the title.

    That’s not to say he doesn’t have a preference, though…

    Khabib Nurmagomedov Says Cousin Umar Nurmagomedov Is Ready To Be UFC Champion

    “I want Merab to be honest, because he’s from Georgia. [Dagestan and Georgia are] neighbors. I want Merab to win because it’s going to be a very interesting fight. White papakha vs. black papakha. But if O’Malley wins, it’s going to be white papakha vs. pink papakha.

    “He’s going to be good competition for O’Malley. A very good fight, high-level fight for all of the fans all over the world. It’s not easy to beat Umar. And it’s not easy to beat Merab or Sean O’Malley. This is high level. Anything can happen, but in my opinion, Umar is ready.”

    Umar Nurmagomedov is now 6-0 in the UFC (and 18-0 overall) since entering the promotion in 2021.

    O’Malley, meanwhile, won the bantamweight championship by defeating Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292. He retained the title against Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 299 in Miami this past March.

    For his part, Dvalishvili has won 10 straight fights, clinching himself a title shot after defeating former champion Henry Cejudo at UFC 298 in February.

  • ‘Khabib With Striking Skills’ – Fans React As Umar Nurmagomedov Wins ‘Chess Match’ Against Cory Sandhagen In UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi Main Event

    ‘Khabib With Striking Skills’ – Fans React As Umar Nurmagomedov Wins ‘Chess Match’ Against Cory Sandhagen In UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi Main Event

    Umar Nurmagomedov’s work in his UFC journey over the last few years may now be finally paying off, as he scored a win over Cory Sandhagen in a bantamweight title eliminator that headlined Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi.

    It was a battle of two highly talented contenders, and that was on display in the opening round. Both men had their moments in their striking, and Sandhagen even put takedown defense on display. Nurmagomedov, however, was able to get the former interim title challenger down before the round concluded.

    “The Sandman” continued to land strong strikes in the second round, but Nurmagomedov got him to the ground again and appeared to get him in some trouble, attempting a twister before the round’s conclusion. The Dagestani then picked up his aggression and striking pace in the third round, appearing to land the better shots.

    Nurmagomedov continued to piece things together, and while he wasn’t doing much with his takedowns, he seemed like the more active fighter in the fourth. He continued to get more confident with his striking, and he put on a similar performance in the fifth.

    Nurmagomedov easily won on the scorecards, with a 50-45 total from one judge and 49-46 from the other two.

    Umar Nurmagomedov Stakes Claim For Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili Winner After UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi Win

    https://twitter.com/HomelanderMMA/status/1819860458607648816

    Nurmagomedov now improves to 18-0, including a 6-0 record in the UFC since debuting in the promotion in 2021.

    Sandhagen, meanwhile, sees a three-fight win streak snapped with this defeat.

  • UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Umar Nurmagomedov Outlasts Cory Sandhagen

    UFC Fight Night Results & Highlights: Umar Nurmagomedov Outlasts Cory Sandhagen

    The MMA leader staged its latest UFC Fight Night event on Saturday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action.

    After taking the Octagon back to Manchester in England for a pay-per-view card last weekend, the promotion’s return to the United Arab Emirates saw the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi play host to a 13-fight lineup.

    In the main attraction, undefeated bantamweight up-and-comer Umar Nurmagomedov extended his perfect record en route to a potential first shot at UFC gold. Unsuccessful in his attempt to stall the Russian’s rise was Cory Sandhagen, who fell on the wrong side of three lopsided scorecards.

    All eyes were also on the co-headliner, which saw another unbeaten Russian in Sharabutdin Magomedov in action as he faced Michał Oleksiejczuk on short notice, as well as a second crucial contest at 135 pounds between recent title challenger Marlon Vera and former flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo.

    Before those matchups, the likes of ex-lightweight interim title contender Tony Ferguson, strawweight submission specialist Mackenzie Dern, and light heavyweight powerhouse Alonzo Menifield all had their next assignments inside the Octagon.

    With the event concluded, see below for the full results, followed by all the highlights!

    UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov Results & Highlights

    Main Card:

    • Bantamweight Main Event: Umar Nurmagomedov def. Cory Sandhagen via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
    • Middleweight Co-Main Event: Sharabutdin Magomedov def. Michał Oleksiejczuk via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
    • Bantamweight: Deiveson Figueiredo def. Marlon Vera via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
    • Welterweight: Michael Chiesa def. Tony Ferguson via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 3:44
    • Women’s Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern def. Loopy Godinez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
    • Lightweight: Joel Álvarez def. Elves Brener via TKO (knees): R3, 3:36

    Preliminary Card:

    • Light Heavyweight: Azamat Murzakanov def. Alonzo Menifield via KO (punches): R2, 3:18
    • Lightweight: Kaue Fernandes def. Mohammad Yahya via TKO (punches): R1, 4:45
    • Heavyweight: Shamil Gaziev def. Don’Tale Mayes via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
    • Lightweight: Guram Kutateladze def. Jordan Vucenic via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Sam Hughes def. Victoria Dudakova via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)
    • Lightweight: Jai Herbert def. Rolando Berdoya via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
    • Middleweight: Sedriques Dumas def. Denis Tiuliulin via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

    Sedriques Dumas Def. Denis Tiuliulin

    Jai Herbert Def. Rolando Berdoya

    https://twitter.com/MMAUnderrated/status/1819777685331022106
    https://twitter.com/MMAUnderrated/status/1819778539337535890

    Sam Hughes Def. Victoria Dudakova

    Guram Kutateladze Def. Jordan Vucenic

    Shamil Gaziev Def. Don’Tale Mayes

    Kaue Fernandes Def. Mohammad Yahya

    https://twitter.com/Le5Round_MMA/status/1819802852019036417

    Azamat Murzakanov Def. Alonzo Menifield

    https://twitter.com/MMAUnderrated/status/1819808214298341383

    Joel Álvarez Def. Elves Brener

    Mackenzie Dern Def. Loopy Godinez

    Michael Chiesa Def. Tony Ferguson

    https://twitter.com/TakeruCigarra/status/1819829370824904720

    Deiveson Figueiredo Def. Marlon Vera

    Sharabutdin Magomedov Def. Michał Oleksiejczuk

    https://twitter.com/stonedagainbros/status/1819847624129966441

    Umar Nurmagomedov Def. Cory Sandhagen

    https://twitter.com/MMASharke1/status/1819856713995915267