MMA News

Category: UFC

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

  • Conor McGregor Takes Issue With ESPN’s List Of Top 10 Women’s MMA Fighters: ‘Cyborg Is A Convicted Steroid Cheat!’

    Conor McGregor Takes Issue With ESPN’s List Of Top 10 Women’s MMA Fighters: ‘Cyborg Is A Convicted Steroid Cheat!’

    Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor was seemingly not pleased to see one name high up a recent list of top women’s MMA fighters.

    This week, ESPN has released two lists ranking the top 10 male and female mixed martial artists of the 21st century. UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones took top spot above runner-up Georges St-Pierre for the men.

    The women’s list, meanwhile, was topped by former two-division titleholder Amanda Nunes, who brought her career to an end following a successful defense of the bantamweight belt last June.

    The “Lioness” pipped Cris Cyborg and Ronda Rousey to the post, with the pair of ex-champs coming in at second and third, respectively.

    The entries included a description of each woman’s accomplishments in the game. For Cyborg, that’s currently occupying the Bellator featherweight throne and formerly holding UFC, Strikeforce, and Invicta FC gold, making her the only fighter to win championships in four major MMA promotions.

    McGregor, however, thinks ESPN missed out a key piece of information.

    McGregor Sends Cyborg Reminder After Seeing ESPN List

    The former featherweight and lightweight UFC champ was a point of discussion following the release of the men’s top 10, having missed out on a spot among the likes of Chuck Liddell and Kamaru Usman.

    Perhaps agitated by his omission or simply keeping up with his habit of targeting fellow fighters on social media, McGregor looked to take away from Cyborg’s accomplishments and high placement on ESPN’s list with a reminder about her past drug failure.

    Conor McGregor
    Image: @TheNotoriousMMA on X

    “Cyborg is a convicted steroid cheat let’s not forget,” McGregor wrote in a now-deleted post on X.

    Cyborg tested positive for stanozolol, an anabolic steroid commonly used as a performance-enhancing drug, in December 2011. The California Athletic State Commission suspended Cyborg’s license for one year and fined her $2,500 for the indiscretion.

    The Brazilian’s drug test failure remained a topic of conversation in the years that followed, with UFC CEO Dana White making reference to it prior to Cyborg’s bitter split from the promotion in 2019.

    “We brought in her after she tested positive for steroids and we made her a clean athlete with the best drug testing policy in all of sports the entire time she was here,” White said during a media scrum. “When she talks about her legacy and her brand, her legacy and her brand, nothing’s better than knowing she’s a clean athlete after testing positive for steroids and all the negativity that surrounded her about being a dirty athlete. We bring her in here, we do all this stuff, and she was just never happy.”

    Cyborg hasn’t tested positive for banned substances aside from the 2011 case.

    When it comes to her legacy and spot in women’s MMA greatness, Cyborg appears far from done. While Nunes remains on the sidelines pondering a return from retirement, Cyborg has been pushing for her PFL debut since the promotion acquired Bellator.

    By all accounts, the Bellator featherweight champ is being lined up to face her PFL counterpart, Larissa Pacheco, at a pay-per-view event in Saudi Arabia this fall.

  • Former Opponent Of Jon Jones’ Believes Tom Aspinall Would Be ‘Too Much’ For Him: ‘He Has All The Weapons To Beat Jon’

    Former Opponent Of Jon Jones’ Believes Tom Aspinall Would Be ‘Too Much’ For Him: ‘He Has All The Weapons To Beat Jon’

    A notable ex-rival of Jon Jones’ believes the UFC heavyweight champion’s interim counterpart “has all the weapons” to get the job done.

    Tom Aspinall was crowned interim champ at UFC 295 last November after being placed in a short-notice matchup with Sergei Pavlovich. That bout came together after an injury to Jon Jones forced his planned defense opposite Stipe Miocic off the card.

    With the presence of another titleholder, many suggested the promotion would look to book a logical unification showdown upon Jones’ return. But both the Rochester native and the UFC have remained firm on plans to reschedule the Miocic fight.

    After months of backlash from both Aspinall and the fanbase, the Brit will instead defend his interim strap at this weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view, where a rematch with Curtis Blaydes awaits him in the co-main event.

    Should he put in an emphatic performance on Saturday night, the likes of Daniel Cormier have theorized that pressure on the UFC to abandon plans for Jones vs. Miocic will only increase.

    And if that potential “fan uprising” results in Jones vs. Aspinall for undisputed status, one fighter familiar to the former two-time light heavyweight kingpin thinks a loss could be on the cards for him…

    Gustafsson Backs Aspinall To Get The Better Of Jones

    During an interview with Top Offshore Casinos, Alexander Gustafsson spoke on Aspinall’s rise toward the top at heavyweight and assessed how he would fare against the throne’s current occupier.

    The Swedish standout is well-versed in the game of Jones, having shared the cage with him twice, narrowly losing out to him in their Fight of the Year clash 11 years ago.

    While he was ultimately unable to have his hand raised at the expense of “Bones” at 205 pounds, “The Mauler” believes Aspinall would have a great shot of doing so up in Jones’ new weight class.

    “Aspinall is on fire right now and he is a very, very good heavyweight. I don’t see anyone beating Aspinall right now,” Gustafsson said. “I understand why Tom wants to fight Jon, it’s because Jon is the GOAT, he is the biggest UFC star right now. If Tom was to beat Jon, it would be bigger than winning any UFC belt. The biggest achievement in the UFC right now is to beat Jon Jones. I understand why Aspinall is chasing the fight. I think he is ready for Jon. He’s on fire right now. If he fights Jon Jones, it should be now. 

    “Yes, I think Tom will be too much for Jon. He has all the weapons to beat Jon. Jon hasn’t been that active, but he’s still the GOAT. You can never count this guy out, he’s so freaking good at what he does. He’s handled every opponent and everybody knows how good he is, but Aspinall right now, I see him as very dangerous for Jon,” Gustafsson continued. “He’s dangerous on his feet, he’s fast, he has great footwork, and he’s a smart fighter. He has the tools to do good against Jon and even beat him. If they will fight, now is the time for Aspinall. He could go down as one of the best heavyweights ever.”

    Jones claims to see things very differently, however.

    While some have suggested that his avoidance of Aspinall serves as an acknowledgement of the Brit’s threat, the UFC heavyweight champ has instead claimed that the decision comes down to drawing power and relevancy, something he states the interim titleholder lacks outside of the UK.

    And in terms of Aspinall’s claim to being heavyweight’s best right now, Jones suggested in the lead-up to UFC 304 that he wouldn’t be surprised to see Blaydes finish him in Saturday’s co-headliner.

  • Israel Adesanya Gives One-Sided Prediction For Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad At UFC 304: ‘He’s On A Massacre Right Now…’

    Israel Adesanya Gives One-Sided Prediction For Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad At UFC 304: ‘He’s On A Massacre Right Now…’

    Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has a strong idea of how Saturday’s main event title fight in Manchester will play out.

    Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is back across the pond this week to stage its first card in the English city of Manchester in close to a decade. And among the home fighters looking to thrill the UK crowd is reigning welterweight kingpin Leon Edwards.

    Following successful defenses of his gold opposite Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington in 2023, “Rocky” is next tasked with getting the better of Belal Muhammad at the second time of trying.

    While their first fight back in 2021 ended in a no contest due to an accidental eye poke, the champ believes he was firmly en route to a knockout at the Apex. And with that in mind, the Jamaica-born Brit expects to finish the job inside the Co-op Live this weekend.

    In that regard, he has the support of one notable former two-time UFC champ…

    Adesanya ‘Not Hating On Belal’, But Sees A Finish For Edwards At UFC 304

    During a video recently uploaded to his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Adesanya provided his breakdowns and predictions for the major title fights set to play out in Manchester on July 27.

    When it comes to the main event, Adesanya had little doubt backing his fellow Chosen Advisory-managed fighter to emerge with the gold still in his possession at UFC 304, even predicting that he’ll get the job done before the championship rounds.

    “Belal’s got pressure, man. It just seems like he’s able to get to people and put his will on them,” Adesanya said. “But I’ll tell you one thing, this is a different version — Leon just seems like he’s on a massacre right now; he’s on a run. Leon might finish him. I think Leon finishes this fight.

    “I’m trying to see how Belal can win this fight. This seems like a bad match for Belal. I’m not hating on Belal or anything, I’m just trying to see what’s his path to victory in this,” Adesanya continued. “Striking, Leon’s got it. Grappling, you wanna lean towards Belal but Leon is right up there. It’s Leon’s fight to win, Leon’s fight to lose. … Leon’s too crisp compared to Belal. He’s just too sharp. … Leon by knockout in the third round, second or third round.”

    Edwards will look to make Adesanya’s prediction a reality come fight night, when he’s vowed to end Muhammad’s championship ambitions inside the distance with an emphatic performance and stoppage on home soil.

  • Manel Kape, Eric Nicksick Suggest Hotel Fight Was Planned Attack From Muhammad Mokaev’s Team Ahead Of UFC 304

    Manel Kape, Eric Nicksick Suggest Hotel Fight Was Planned Attack From Muhammad Mokaev’s Team Ahead Of UFC 304

    UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape and his coach believe it was Muhammad Mokaev and his team’s intention to start a brawl days out from their showdown in Manchester, England.

    The pair of top 125lbers are set to do battle at UFC 304 this weekend, with their matchup marking one of the most important when it comes to direct implications to a divisional title picture.

    And more than just their career ambitions, it would appear that both are being driven by some bad blood in this one.

    That boiled over on Wednesday night at the fighter hotel, where the two fighters and their teams got into a brawl. Footage was posted by the @Home_of_Fight page on X and showed security personnel frantically attempting to pull the two sides apart.

    Spur-of-the-moment brawls are nothing new in the UFC, but that’s not what one side of the scrap believes happened…

    Kape & Nicksick Claim Hotel Fight Was A Set-Up

    Following the incident, Kape took to social media to give his side of the story.

    The former Rizin champion claimed Mokaev had respectfully asked to take a picture with him before attempting to sucker-punch him. “Starboy” berated his UFC 304 opponent for the “betrayal,” insisting his actions weren’t befitting of their shared religion and promising “carnage” from here on out.

    Interestingly, Kape also made note of an altercation in Las Vegas, admitting to hitting Mokaev but doing so in a fairer way. The Angola-born Portuguese flyweight had previously denied rumors of a physical clash with “The Punisher” at the UFC’s Performance Institute.

    “What kind of Muslim are you? You gave me Salam asked to take a picture and then tried to punch me in the betrayal, i can see now you are not a child of the (Dagestan), because there are created men you are just a poor bastard raised on a low income in Manchester without honor and principles,” Kape wrote. “When I hit you in Vegas I went alone and I told you to be ready, I don’t hit men with their guard down or distracted or on the back. I thought everything was solved, but now the carnage will continue… Shaytan!”

    Kape’s claim was quickly corroborated by his coach, Xtreme Couture’s Eric Nicksick. The renowned trained told MMA Junkie that Mokaev had approached Kape under the guise of taking a photo with a “Muslim brother.” Nicksick stated that Kape was then attacked by the opposition team.

    The image posted by Kape showing a cut to Mokaev’s head would appear to be from the aftermath of their Vegas clash, with the Dagestan-born Brit posting a clean-faced picture to refute suggestions he emerged damaged from their hotel fight.

  • Belal Muhammad Suggests UK Fans Only Support Leon Edwards Because He’s A British Champion: ‘How Can You Be A Fan Of The Guy?’

    Belal Muhammad Suggests UK Fans Only Support Leon Edwards Because He’s A British Champion: ‘How Can You Be A Fan Of The Guy?’

    Since winning the UFC welterweight title in stunning fashion at UFC 278, Leon Edwards has become the face of UK MMA.

    “Rocky” has become a star in this past of the world but his next title challenger doesn’t believe that his supporters are really fans of him.

    Belal Muhammad will look to spoil the night at UFC 304 in Manchester by dethroning Edwards in the main event which will take place in the early hours of Sunday morning.

    Whilst the fans in attendance are sure to leave the Co-op Live Arena disappointed if the final bout of the evening doesn’t go the way of the Brit, Muhammad believes that they were only backing Edwards in the first place because he holds the gold.

    Belal Muhammad Doesn’t Think UK Fans Actually Care About Leon Edwards

    In a fight week interview with Kaz Crossley for Title Sports Network, Muhammad doubled down on his theory that Edwards doesn’t have real ride or die fans.

    He questioned why people back “Rocky” when he doesn’t go out of his way to build his profile and brand by putting himself out there more.

    “Yeah I don’t think Leon has any fans if I’m being honest. Like how can you be a fan of the guy? He’s not loud, he doesn’t talk, he doesn’t tweet, he doesn’t promote himself, he just has the belt.”

    Muhammad then spoke about why he believes Edwards only gets support from the UK fans because he is the welterweight champion.

    The #2-ranked contender at 170-pounds made reference to Edwards’ fight with Gunnar Nelson in 2019 where he was booed in London due to his beef with one half of the main event on that night, Liverpool’s Darren Till.

    “100%. Yeah, I don’t think they’re, you weren’t even riding for Leon before he got the belt. They were booing him. Like before that, they didn’t care about him, they wanted Darren Till to win the belt before him so I don’t think they really care about Leon Edwards. They’re just like, ‘Ah man, Leon got it, all right well let’s go cheer for him right now since it’s going to be at our house anyway, we’ll go watch him.’”

    Read also: Daniel Cormier Believes Leon Edwards & Belal Muhammad Are Underestimating Each Other Ahead Of UFC 304: ‘Both Of These Guys Are Much Better…’

  • Muhammad Mokaev Predicts ‘Easy’ Win For Tom Aspinall Against Curtis Blaydes: ‘There’s Jon Jones & There’s Tom Aspinall, That’s It!’

    Muhammad Mokaev Predicts ‘Easy’ Win For Tom Aspinall Against Curtis Blaydes: ‘There’s Jon Jones & There’s Tom Aspinall, That’s It!’

    Muhammad Mokaev recently said that Curtis Blaydes will be no match for Tom Aspinall in their upcoming rematch, predicting an easy victory for his compatriot due to his versatile skill set.

    Both Mokaev and Aspinall are set to share the spotlight this Saturday at UFC 304 in their hometown of Manchester, England. The pay-per-view event marks the MMA promotion’s return to the “Rainy City” for the first time since UFC 204 in October 2016.

    As “The Punisher” is poised to face off against Manel Kape in a flyweight grudge match, Aspinall will make the first defense of his interim heavyweight title against Blaydes in the co-main event.

    Hailing from the same locale, Mokaev and Aspinall have a deep-rooted connection and share a storied history. Naturally, the undefeated 125-pounder is backing his fellow townsman and believes Aspinall’s prowess will overwhelm Blaydes…

    Mokaev Confident Aspinall’s All-Around Game Will Outclass Blaydes

    During a recent interview with Title Sports Network, Mokaev shared his insights on the Aspinall vs. Blaydes showdown. “The Punisher” boldly predicted that the interim champion’s diverse skill set would give him a decisive edge, emphasizing that Aspinall’s grappling abilities make him equally dangerous on the ground.

    “I think Tom Aspinall is like… there’s Jon Jones, and there’s Tom Aspinall, that’s it,” Mokaev said. “I think I want to see Jon Jones against Tom Aspinall because he’s so high level. I think he’ll go past Curtis Blaydes easily. You know, Tom Aspinall showed all his striking, but he’s actually a grappler; imagine if the fight goes to the ground. He’s an all-rounded fighter. I think he will win.”

    Aspinall faced his first loss in the Octagon against Blaydes two years ago during the main event of UFC Fight Night London in July 2022. The Brit suffered an unfortunate knee injury just 15 seconds into the bout, bringing the fight to an abrupt halt before any real action could unfold.

    Apart from that blemish, the 31-year-old Salford native boasts an impressive UFC record, with seven victories to his name. Notably, six of these wins came via first-round finishes against formidable opponents such as Sergei Pavlovich, Marcin Tybura, and Alexander Volkov.

  • Former UFC Fighter Jokes About King Green vs. Paddy Pimblett At UFC 304: ‘Biggest Thing He Needs To Worry About Is The Name Change…’

    Former UFC Fighter Jokes About King Green vs. Paddy Pimblett At UFC 304: ‘Biggest Thing He Needs To Worry About Is The Name Change…’

    Two of the boldest characters on the UFC roster will clash at UFC 304 when Paddy Pimblett takes on King Green in Manchester this weekend.

    Both men are true one of a kind personalities that don’t allow what others think of them to affect who they are.

    “The Baddy” has proven to be a love or hate fighter ever since he first stepped foot inside the Octagon.

    He now looks to remain undefeated since signing with the UFC by beating his first ranked opponent, who recently legally changed his first name from Bobby to King.

    A former member of the roster recently jokingly remarked that this name change could be the secret weapon for Green as he looks to pull off the win in enemy territory.

    Tyson Pedro Jokes That King Green’s Name Change Will Give Him Even More Confidence Than Before

    Fox Sports previewed all the action that is set to take place on July 27 via mainevent where they were joined by several of the stars of UFC 304.

    Before Pimblett joined the show, the panel gave their thoughts on the fight with featherweight contender Josh Culibao and former UFC light heavyweight Tyson Pedro breaking down the match-up.

    Pedro, who fought 11 times in the UFC before retiring in March, believes that Pimblett’s ground game will be crucial to him winning this fight.

    During his analysis on where “The Baddy” poses the biggest challenge to his opponent, Pedro mixed up Green’s names for a split second before correcting himself.

    He joked how the #15-ranked lightweight is going to come into this fight with even more confidence than normal after changing his name to King.

    “I would say that’s where he would be leaning towards beating Bobby, King I should say. King Green. That’s probably the biggest thing that he needs to worry about, the name change. The confidence that he’s going to have from the name change is going to be big. But yeah, I would say that that’s where he’s going to try and beat him right, on the ground, but it’s a hard fight.”

    Read also: Fans React As Belal Muhammad Says UFC 304 Win Puts Him Right Below GSP: ‘People Who Believe The Moon Is Made Of Cheese Are Less Wrong’

  • Robert Whittaker Feels Belal Muhammad’s Record Not Comparable To Leon Edwards’ Despite Similar Streaks: ‘There Wasn’t Any Holes Or Glaring Weaknesses…’

    Robert Whittaker Feels Belal Muhammad’s Record Not Comparable To Leon Edwards’ Despite Similar Streaks: ‘There Wasn’t Any Holes Or Glaring Weaknesses…’

    Robert Whittaker recently commented that, despite their remarkably parallel win streaks, Belal Muhammad’s résumé doesn’t quite measure up to that of Leon Edwards.

    “Rocky” is scheduled to defend his welterweight title against Muhammad in a rematch set as the main event of UFC 304. The upcoming showdown will take place this weekend at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England.

    Edwards and Muhammad initially crossed paths in the main event of a UFC Fight Night in March 2021. Unfortunately, an eye poke early in the second round rendered “Remember the Name” unable to continue, resulting in the bout being declared a no-contest.

    After their first encounter, “Rocky” secured a title shot by defeating Nate Diaz at UFC 263 and went on to knock out Kamaru Usman to claim the welterweight championship at UFC 278 in August 2022. Currently, Edwards is riding high on a 13-fight unbeaten streak, marked by victories over notable names such as Donald Cerrone, Rafael dos Anjos, and Colby Covington.

    Meanwhile, Muhammad had to work his way up the rankings, putting together a five-fight win streak (part of a broader 10-fight unbeaten streak) to finally earn a title opportunity. During his journey, the 36-year-old has triumphed over formidable opponents like Gilbert Burns, Sean Brady, and Stephen Thompson.

    However, the former UFC middleweight champion contends that it is the echelon of opponents that “Rocky” has defeated that truly sets him apart from Muhammad…

    Whittaker Sees Edwards As More Improved Than Muhammad

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWsg0vfJscw&t=217s

    During his recent appearance on the MMArcade Podcast, Whittaker weighed in on the clash between Edwards and Muhammad. “The Reaper” noted that the Jamaican-born Englishman has exhibited remarkable evolution in his fighting style compared to his opponent since their no-contest meeting.

    “I can see like two possibilities,” Whittaker said. “The first one, Leon Edwards, just being too good. I think the caliber of fights Leon Edwards has had is different from Belal Muhammad’s. Fighting Usman twice is huge, especially when he fought him the first time; that was good. Fighting Colby, like Colby, is a nightmare for everyone, and he was just able to shut him down so well with spectacular spacing. It’s very hard to find a hole, especially, you know, if we compare it to when he fought Nate Diaz, right? And we saw that hole get exposed in the later round or fights before that.”

    “I feel like he’s tightened up to a whole new degree, further than he was then, and especially in that last fight, I was so super impressed with just how clean he was. There wasn’t really anything to pick apart; there weren’t any holes or glaring weaknesses to exploit for Colby.”

    Whittaker further acknowledged “Remember the Name’s” impressive credentials but remarked that Muhammad would struggle to match Edwards’ relentless pace.

    “I find that sort of fight going to be hard for Belal Muhammad, who, you know, is not spectacular in any one field. He’s kind of just really high level at all of them, in my opinion. He’s amazing at everything, but I feel like his greatest strength is that he’s well-rounded. He can take the fight in any direction to get the win. But I think he’s going to have trouble trying to push that sort of game plan on Leon Edwards.”

  • Tom Aspinall Invites Grappling-Heavy Approach From Curtis Blaydes At UFC 304: ‘Not A Very Comfortable Guy To Train For…’

    Tom Aspinall Invites Grappling-Heavy Approach From Curtis Blaydes At UFC 304: ‘Not A Very Comfortable Guy To Train For…’

    Despite wanting to get his own back after the way their first fight ended, Tom Aspinall has not had an enjoyable training camp to prepare for his rematch with Curtis Blaydes.

    The interim UFC heavyweight champion has called this contest his dream fight because he gets the opportunity to get revenge in front of his home fans in Manchester at UFC 304.

    But, with the wrestling heavy style that Blaydes brings to the table, this has been a training camp which Aspinall won’t be wanting to relive quite so soon.

    The champion came into martial arts through jiu-jitsu with his father being a coach and whilst we’ve seen glimpses of his grappling inside the Octagon, we are still yet to see how he fares against a top wrestler.

    Aspinall has been leaving no stone unturned and that means putting himself through the ringer each day in training, to make sure that he is ready for what could be a very physically exhausting and draining fight.

    Tom Aspinall Has Put In The Tough Grappling Rounds To Prepare For Curtis Blaydes Rematch

    Aspinall reflected on his training camp just a few days out from fight night during a recent interview with New York Post Sports.

    Training in the north of England, the Brit has surrounded himself with other big fighters and athletes to ensure that they all get the best and most suitable training possible.

    That being said, whilst he’s excited to step back inside the Octagon on July 27, this camp has been gruelling to say the least.

    He spoke about how in preparing for Blaydes’ wrestling, he has been constantly putting himself in bad positions against big bodies which will be incredibly valuable for him once the cage door closes but it hasn’t been a fun cycle at the same time.

    “That’s probably where I spent the most of this camp is on my back with guys on top of me. It’s not been a very, Curtis Blaydes is not a very comfortable guy to train for. Do you know what I mean, you’re getting up off your back. See the way I work it is I work it with multiple training partners so I’ll be starting on bottom, I get them off, the energy that it takes to get a big guy off is, you know, you expend a lot of energy. Then I restart on my back with a fresh partner, like it’s exhausting man, it’s just exhausting training for this guy and I’ve done everything I can so we’ll see on Saturday how it goes.”

    Read also: Curtis Blaydes Dismisses Notion He’s Planning To Target Knee Tom Aspinall Injured: ‘I Can’t Even Tell You Which One It Is’

  • Conor McGregor Is Enjoying Every Second As Authorities Seize Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Luxury Car Collection

    Conor McGregor Is Enjoying Every Second As Authorities Seize Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Luxury Car Collection

    The feud between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov will never come to an end, especially as far as the Irishman is concerned.

    You never have to wait too long for “The Notorious” to make more comments about “The Eagle” retiring or being scared of having a real fight.

    However, in recent times, McGregor hasn’t needed much additional ammunition because of the news regarding Nurmagomedov’s on-going issues with the Federal Tax Service.

    Mash.ru initially reported that the former UFC lightweight champion owed roughly $3.5 million in unpaid taxes to the Russian government.

    The issues seem to stem from what was described as “uncovered irregularities in documents” regarding businesses that Nurmagomedov is invested in.

    In the latest update as this case still unfolds, Mash.ru have now stated that he has had his car collection seized to a total of around $900,000, after his bank accounts were already frozen.

    Conor McGregor Reposts Explains His Thoughts On Latest Khabib Nurmagomedov Update

    McGregor has already commented on Nurmagomedov’s financial issues several times but he’s never going to miss an opportunity to take a free shot at his former foe.

    Whilst he didn’t respond directly on this occasion, “The Mac” let his presence be known via reposting a video that was targeted at him.

    Underneath the above post which details what vehicles have been seized, a fan responded with a video of McGregor driving his own boat to the soundtrack of “Still D.R.E”.

    McGregor reposted the video without adding any additional context, not that it was necessary to get his point across successfully.

    https://twitter.com/Lizard69Talking/status/1815860630986821933

    Read also: Former UFC Champion Feels Alex Pereira vs. Jake Paul Not A Foregone Conclusion: ‘I Don’t Think It’s An Unwinnable Fight For Jake’

  • Manel Kape Claims Muhammad Mokaev Stopped Training At ATT After Being Constantly Submitted By Alexandre Pantoja

    Manel Kape Claims Muhammad Mokaev Stopped Training At ATT After Being Constantly Submitted By Alexandre Pantoja

    UFC flyweight contender Manel Kape has heard some things regarding past training sessions between his upcoming opponent Muhammad Mokaev and champion Alexandre Pantoja.

    Having had a weight miss and an injury keep him out for the entirety of 2024 thus far, Kape is set to finally make his return to action at this weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England.

    To stake his claim for a first title shot on MMA’s biggest stage and rematch with Pantoja, “Starboy” is tasked with blemishing the perfect UFC and professional record of Britain’s Mokaev.

    Given what he’s seen from “The Punisher’s” recent fights, Kape has appeared extremely confident about his chances of doing so.

    While yet to taste defeat in the cage, Mokaev’s latest victories have seemingly left plenty to be desired in the eyes of some fans and peers. That includes in the mind of Pantoja, who has requested to see more from the former IMMAF champion if he’s to challenge for the belt.

    And when it comes to Mokaev’s chances against “The Cannibal,” Kape recently explained why he expects “The Punisher” to be exposed against the division’s elite…

    Kape: Mokaev ‘Tapped A Lot’ To Pantoja At ATT

    During his appearance at UFC 304 media day on Wednesday, Kape looked ahead to his battle with Mokaev on Saturday night.

    When discussing the champ’s comments about his opponent, “Starboy” referenced their history training together at American Top Team. Kape claimed that Mokaev no longer heads to the Coconut Creek-based facility to train due to the struggles he had on the ground against Pantoja.

    “Pantoja can say a lot of things of him because they trained before together, and I know Pantoja had been submitting him a lot, a lot,” Kape said. “He (Mokaev) tapped a lot. It’s the reason that Mokaev don’t go train more at ATT.”

    If that’s true, it seemingly wouldn’t be a surprise for Kape, whose analysis of Mokaev’s game has led to him identifying plenty of mistakes for high-level flyweights to exploit inside the Octagon.

    “There is a lot of mistakes. He’s been struggling a lot. A lot, a lot of mistakes. If he faces somebody in the top three of the UFC (flyweight) rankings, he’s gonna get finished. So it’s gonna be fun.”

    Kape will hope that also applies to some further down the pecking order, with the Angola-born Portuguese flyweight currently occupying the #8 position on the 125-pound ladder.

    He’ll be looking to climb further toward contention and perhaps secure a top five spot by putting on a standout performance on UK soil this weekend.

  • Belal Muhammad Outlines Where He’s Being ‘Underrated’ Ahead Of UFC 304 Title Fight

    UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad believes the masses aren’t giving some aspects of his game the attention they deserve.

    Muhammad is in Manchester, England, this week in pursuit of the 170-pound title, which he’ll have his first career shot at in the main event of the UFC 304 pay-per-view on Saturday night.

    To return back across the Atlantic with a sizable piece of gold added to his luggage, “Remember the Name” must bring the reign of Leon Edwards to an end in enemy territory.

    Muhammad has long awaited his opening opportunity to win the belt, having won five straight since a no contest against Edwards in their 2021 fight and remained on the sidelines for the 14 months since his most recent triumph over Gilbert Burns.

    During that time and in the lead-up to UFC 304, the Chicago standout hasn’t been short of detractors when it comes to his chances of reaching the welterweight mountaintop.

    But having seen the waves of criticism that arrive at his feet, Muhammad is confident that his doubters — including the champion and his team — aren’t aware of just how good he really is in certain areas…

    Muhammad Claims To Be ‘One Of The Most Complete Fighters’ In The UFC

    During a recent interview with Zac Pacleb for UFC.com, Muhammad looked ahead to his title opportunity across the pond this weekend.

    “Remember the Name” has frequently acknowledged the dismissive attitude toward his chances held by some fans and those in Edwards’ camp, outlining the areas they are all underestimating him in.

    “I think that my IQ is underrated,” Muhammad said. “My style is underrated. The way that I go into fights, people don’t understand the strategy. I beat these guys where they’re weakest. I take them to the weakest point. That’s where I beat them at. I could do it all.

    “I think that people are starting to realize I am truly one of the best complete fighters in the UFC,” Muhammad added.

    Muhammad will look to prove as much come fight night in Manchester by achieving what both Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington failed to in 2023.

    And more than just having his hand raised and the belt wrapped around his waist on Saturday night, “Remember the Name” has vowed to dominate the welterweight kingpin and finish him before the championship rounds.

  • Beneil Dariush Brands Teammate Giga Chikadze The ‘Best In The World When He’s On’ Ahead Of UFC 304

    Beneil Dariush Brands Teammate Giga Chikadze The ‘Best In The World When He’s On’ Ahead Of UFC 304

    UFC featherweight contender Giga Chikadze has received a glowing endorsement from his teammate Beneil Dariush ahead of his return this weekend.

    Chikaze will head to enemy territory for his first assignment of 2024, clashing with England’s own Arnold Allen in the opening fight on the UFC 304 pay-per-view main card at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena on Saturday.

    The Georgian previously had his fast charge toward a title shot violently stalled by Calvin Kattar at the start of 2022, with the brutal nature of that setback keeping him out for 19 months.

    But having returned successfully in Singapore last August and defended his spot in the top 10 at 145 pounds against Alex Caceres, “Ninja” has his sights back on those above him in the pecking order in pursuit of a title clash with Ilia Topuria.

    And when it comes to the July 27 matchup and any other bout for him in the division, Dariush sees Chikadze at his best as a step above the competition…

    Dariush Speaks Highly Of Fellow Kings MMA Standout Chikadze, Including His Grappling

    During episode two of the UFC 304 Embedded: Vlog Series, Chikadze can be seen putting in the work alongside lightweight contender Beneil Dariush over at Kings MMA in Huntington Beach, California.

    Speaking to the camera, Dariush praised not just Chikadze’s well-known striking, but also his ever-improving grappling game. And with those developments in mind, the veteran 155lber sees the Georgian as featherweight’s top fighter when he’s firing on all cylinders.

    “It’s obvious to see how great his striking is, right? But I think the place he’s improved the most is his grappling. I think there’s been a shift in Giga’s mindset,” Dariush said. “His game is just, it’s changed so much since his days in kickboxing. When Giga’s on, he’s the best in the world. We’re gonna show up (at UFC 304) and we’re make sure he’s on.”

    With that in mind, perhaps Allen — who is coming off a wrestling-heavy defeat to Movsar Evloev — isn’t in for the preferred striking battle he’s after and has preached about in the lead-up to UFC 304.

    “Almighty” got exactly that the last time he competed on home soil, with lightweight contender Dan Hooker falling to a flurry of strikes early into their clash at a London-held UFC Fight Night in 2022.

    Having slipped from title contention with consecutive losses, Allen will no doubt be hoping to deliver a similar statement display on home soil this weekend.

  • UFC Full Fight: Relive Curtis Blaydes Smashing Jailton Almeida With Hammerfists To Secure Interim Title Shot At UFC 304 

    UFC Full Fight: Relive Curtis Blaydes Smashing Jailton Almeida With Hammerfists To Secure Interim Title Shot At UFC 304 

    UFC 304 co-headliner Curtis Blaydes’ latest triumph inside the Octagon came in memorable fashion four months ago.

    The #4-ranked heavyweight contender is set to feature in the co-main event of this weekend’s pay-per-view at the Co-op Live in Manchester, England, where he’ll challenge for the division’s interim title against Tom Aspinall.

    To earn that opportunity, which marks his first shot at UFC gold, “Razor” stalled the charge of the highly touted Jailton Almeida in violent fashion at UFC 299 in Miami this past April.

    Off the back of a grappling-heavy decision win over Derrick Lewis in Brazil last November, “Malhadinho” picked up where he left off by attempting early takedowns on Blaydes. But after a round of control, Almeida’s grappling entry seconds into the second round was met with hammerfist after hammerfist from the American for the TKO stoppage.

    Ahead of Saturday’s event, the promotion has released the full Blaydes vs. Almeida fight from UFC 299 on its official YouTube channel.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xdh-kxt5N8

    Blaydes will hope to deliver a similarly emphatic finish at the expense of Aspinall this weekend.

    Should he accomplish that feat, “Razor” will not only head back to the United States with gold in his possession for the very first time, but he will also add a more definitive victory over the Brit to his record following the unfortunate ending to their 2022 bout.

  • Chael Sonnen Feels Conor McGregor Could Have Come Up With Better Excuse Than ‘Discolored Pinky Toe’ To Pull Out Of UFC 303

    Chael Sonnen Feels Conor McGregor Could Have Come Up With Better Excuse Than ‘Discolored Pinky Toe’ To Pull Out Of UFC 303

    Chael Sonnen is stirring the pot once again, aiming his barbs at Conor McGregor and accusing the former two-division champion of fabricating his injury to dodge a fight at UFC 303.

    “The Notorious” was set to make his eagerly awaited return to the Octagon against Michael Chandler in a welterweight bout, headlining UFC’s International Fight Week last month. However, just weeks before the fight, that anticipation was dashed when McGregor announced he had suffered a toe injury, rendering him unable to compete.

    When the fight was canceled, Sonnen speculated that McGregor withdrew due to being in rehab for substance abuse. This theory provoked a heated rebuttal from the Irishman, who shared numerous photos of his bruised toe to refute the claim.

    However, this didn’t deter the former UFC middleweight title challenger from questioning the authenticity of McGregor’s claims. Last month, he boldly asserted that the injury was a ruse, devised solely to avoid the bout with Chandler.

    Sonnen once again targeted McGregor, casting doubt on the legitimacy of his injury claim with unrelenting skepticism…

    Sonnen Amplifies Scrutiny Over McGregor’s Toe Injury

    During a recent video on his YouTube channel, “The Bad Guy” once again aired his doubts about McGregor’s alleged broken toe.

    Sonnen scrutinized the timeline of events following his supposed injury and questioned why McGregor missed the Dublin press conference.

    “I’m looking out for his version of a discolored pinky toe that may or may not be broken,” Sonnen said. “It wouldn’t explain the absence of a press conference, and that’s where you get jammed up. Where was it? Where could you have been that precluded you from coming to a press conference? You don’t have to drive yourself.”

    Sonnen further speculated whether the photos of bruised toes McGregor shared on social media were genuinely his or possibly someone else’s.

    “You start running out of options, and so when you go with a discolored pinky toe that may or may not belong to you and may or may not be broken, I’m just wondering, in hindsight, do you look back on that and think it was a little bit of a miss because we’re not owed an explanation?”

    McGregor has been sidelined from active competition since fracturing his leg in the first round of his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.

    Although his return has yet to be rescheduled, UFC CEO Dana White has hinted that McGregor won’t re-enter the Octagon before November. However, it remains uncertain whether he will face Chandler for his comeback.

  • Paddy Pimblett Praises ‘Big Sister’ Molly McCann’s Training Ahead Of UFC 304: ‘She’s Coming To Take Bruna’s Soul!’

    Paddy Pimblett Praises ‘Big Sister’ Molly McCann’s Training Ahead Of UFC 304: ‘She’s Coming To Take Bruna’s Soul!’

    UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett is confident of Molly McCann starting the night off in strong fashion for their team this weekend.

    Both Pimblett and McCann will be in action at UFC 304, set for the Co-op Live in Manchester, England, on July 27. The pair will look to recreate their double does of success at two London-held UFC Fight Nights back in 2022.

    First to the cage will be “Meatball,” who is slated to throw down with Bruna Brasil on the preliminary portion of the event. The bout marks her sophomore strawweight outing, having moved down following consecutive defeats at 125 pounds.

    In her divisional debut, McCann impressed by showing new wrinkles to her game in a gruesome armbar submission victory over Diana Belbiţă this past February.

    And having seen her preparation pre-UFC 304, Pimblett is expecting a similarly emphatic performance in a few days’ time…

    Pimblett: McCann In ‘Best Shape Of Her Life’ Ahead Of UFC 304

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Pimblett broke down and predicted the matchups set to play out in Manchester this weekend.

    When it came to his teammate and friend’s second fight since dropping to strawweight, the Liverpudlian unsurprisingly backed McCann to get the job done in convincing fashion.

    More than just a Next Generation MMA bias, “The Baddy” touted McCann’s work behind closed doors as justification for his one-sided pick.

    “Next fight, my big sister, Molly the ‘Meatball’ McCann. … Yous know I don’t need to give a prediction for this,” Pimblett said. “Molly is in the best shape of her life. I’ve never seen her look so good in sparring and in strength and conditioning and everything.

    “She’s coming to take Bruna’s soul. I’m predicting a TKO for Molly in this fight,” Pimblett continued. “You never know though. Just like last time, she could get a submission. People are sleeping on her jiu-jitsu game.”

    McCann will look to prove Pimblett’s prediction correct when she makes the walk on Saturday’s preliminary card and in doing so set the stage for “The Baddy” to record a crucial victory of his own over Bobby “King” Green on PPV.

  • Fans React As Belal Muhammad Says UFC 304 Win Puts Him Right Below GSP: ‘People Who Believe The Moon Is Made Of Cheese Are Less Wrong’

    Fans React As Belal Muhammad Says UFC 304 Win Puts Him Right Below GSP: ‘People Who Believe The Moon Is Made Of Cheese Are Less Wrong’

    UFC welterweight challenger Belal Muhammad’s bold claim regarding his division’s GOAT contention drew out plenty of reactions on social media.

    Muhammad is currently across the pond ahead of his first opportunity at winning gold on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage. He’ll headline Saturday’s UFC 304 pay-per-view in competition for Leon Edwards’ title inside the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England.

    Riding a 10-fight unbeaten streak, “Remember the Name” has been firm in stating that a crowning is inevitable. He’s made claims of superiority over Edwards, whose skillset he’s frequently downplayed. He even recently placed the champ down at fourth in his welterweight rankings.

    Despite that, though, Muhammad stated during a fight week interview with MMA Fighting that a victory over “Rocky” at UFC 304 will put him directly below the great Georges St-Pierre in the division’s GOAT discussion.

    “That belt doesn’t belong on his shoulder, it belongs on my shoulder,” Muhammad said. “My goal isn’t just to be the champion; my goal is to be the best welterweight to ever do it. For me to go out there and beat Leon, who beat Usman twice who everybody thought was the best welterweight to do it, then I’m ahead of him and right underneath GSP.

    “When you look at both of our lineups, it’s like, I beat ‘Wonderboy,’ I beat this guy, I beat that guy, then I get these next young killers,” Muhammad continued. “You give me the Shavkats, you give me the JDMs, the Ian Garrys, and (if) I walk through all of them, there’s nothing else, right? I’m just going to be cemented as the best to ever do it.”

    Fans React To Muhammad’s Claim To Second In Welterweight GOAT Debate: ‘Complete Insanity’

    Unsurprisingly, those remarks from a polarizing figure in Muhammad led to plenty of pushback from his detractors on social media, with many branding the top welterweight contender “delusional.”

    https://twitter.com/Glade2meetU/status/1815790603076043124
    https://twitter.com/Paulthefig/status/1815761913642639540
    https://twitter.com/CovertBetsMMA/status/1815758612758667394
  • Curtis Blaydes Dismisses Notion He’s Planning To Target Knee Tom Aspinall Injured: ‘I Can’t Even Tell You Which One It Is’

    Curtis Blaydes Dismisses Notion He’s Planning To Target Knee Tom Aspinall Injured: ‘I Can’t Even Tell You Which One It Is’

    UFC heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes plans to defeat Tom Aspinall without the aid of a severe injury second time around.

    Blaydes is back in enemy territory this week to run it back with Aspinall in competition for his interim title in the co-main event of UFC 304, set for the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, on Saturday night.

    The pair previously shared the cage in the country’s capital two years ago, headlining a UFC Fight Night at The O2. On that night, Aspinall had his previously perfect UFC record blemished courtesy of a freak injury just 15 seconds into the very first round.

    In that regard, Blaydes is hoping that lightening doesn’t strike twice…

    Blaydes Doesn’t Want Help From An Injury At UFC 304: ‘That Stains The Win’

    During a recent interview with CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri, Blaydes looked ahead to his second dance with Aspinall and first chance to capture gold on MMA’s biggest stage.

    While many would perhaps be inclined to put additional focus on the limb that gave way 15 seconds into their first fight, Blaydes dismissed any suggestion that he’ll employ such a strategy in Manchester.

    “I mean, not unless it’s something I can immediate target or there’s a read, I see him with a limp,” Blaydes said. “But that’s not like, the gameplan, ‘Oh, attack his lead leg.’ I’ll be honest, I can’t even tell you which one (leg) it is, off the dome. No, that’s not part of the gameplan.

    “I don’t want to win by an injury. That stains the win. You can’t really brag about a win when the guy got injured,” Blaydes continued. “if it happens, it happens. I’ll take the belt. But it’s not the plan.”

    With that said, Blaydes will be looking to have his hand raised at the expense of Aspinall thanks to his arsenal of weapons inside of the Octagon.

    While that’s conventionally been his smothering wrestling game, the likes of Chris Daukaus and most recently Jailton Almeida have felt the full force of “Razor’s” striking power.

  • Belal Muhammad Ranks Leon Edwards As Fourth-Best Welterweight In The UFC Right Now

    Belal Muhammad Ranks Leon Edwards As Fourth-Best Welterweight In The UFC Right Now

    UFC welterweight contender Belal Muhammad doesn’t believe he’s fighting for the title against the division’s best this weekend.

    Muhammad’s long-awaited chance to reach the mountaintop on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage is now just days away, with the 36-year-old set to challenge for Leon Edwards’ gold in the main event of UFC 304.

    The pay-per-view card will be staged inside the Co-op Live in Manchester, England, this Saturday night, with Edwards and Muhammad’s second dance set to follow another title rematch between interim heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall and Curtis Blaydes.

    “Remember the Name” will make the walk through a hostile crowd as the underdog on July 27, tasked with achieving a feat that both Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington have failed to since “Rocky’s” 2022 crowning.

    But Muhammad has unwavering confidence when it comes to upsetting the odds. And to do so, the challenger doesn’t think he even needs to beat a top-three welterweight in the UFC…

    Muhammad Puts Himself, Usman, Rakhmonov Above UFC 304 Opponent Edwards

    During a recent interview with Kaz Crossley for Title Sports Network, Muhammad looked ahead to his first title opportunity in enemy territory this weekend and assessed the man looking to stall his championship ambitions.

    When asked to rank his current top five in the welterweight division, Muhammad put Edwards all the way down at fourth, below a man the champ has beaten consecutively in recent years, ex-titleholder Usman.

    “I would be one. Then I would put Kamaru two, Shavkat (Rakhmonov) three. I would put Leon four. And then number five, I would put Jack Della (Maddalena),” Muhammad said. “Man, you’re gonna lose the last couple fans you have left once I take the belt away from you. sorry bro. … I don’t like Leon. My other opponents, I didn’t wanna fake it (trash talk) with like, a ‘Wonderboy’ or a Maia. … It’s easier to bully him (Edwards).”

    Muhammad will look to prove his claim to superiority over Edwards come fight night in Manchester this weekend and secure the division’s top spot in the process.

    Should he accomplish that feat, all signs point toward a first defense against the undefeated Rakhmonov. And given Muhammad’s rankings, he’d no doubt be confident of a successful title retention.

  • Jon Jones Reacts After ABC Officially Approves Removal Of Ban On 12-6 Elbows

    Jon Jones Reacts After ABC Officially Approves Removal Of Ban On 12-6 Elbows

    Some big changes are coming to the Unified Rules of MMA later this year.

    The Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (ABC) is holding its annual conference in Louisville, Kentucky, this week. The latest rule vote took place on Tuesday, and it saw a couple of long-awaited changes approved.

    The first surrounds the ban on fighters throwing “12-6” elbows. The linear downward elbow is notably responsible for the sole defeat on the record of light heavyweight legend and reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones.

    Debate has long raged on over the prohibition on the move, with the direction of the elbows perceived to be more dangerous than a conventional, angled strike by some. But after many in the community argued against that claim, committee members unanimously voted on the ban’s removal this week.

    Jones, who was handed a disqualification defeated against Matt Hamill back in 2009, reacted to the news on Instagram. Alongside an image of his bout with Hamill, “Bones” tagged Dana White and reiterated his desire to get the blemish scrubbed from his record.

    “Undefeated then, undefeated now,” Jones wrote. “@danawhite we gotta get that loss out of the history books.”

    While Ariel Helwani has reported that Jones will be able to retroactively appeal the defeat, it would appear unlikely for the result to be overturned given that the ban was in place at the time.

    Changes To Definition Of A Grounded Fighter Also Approved By ABC

    Removing the ban on “12-6” elbows wasn’t the only successful rule change at this year’s ABC conference. The committee also looked to rectify the confusion and disagreement regarding what constitutes a grounded fighter.

    The topic notable reared its head this year when Arnold Allen fired off knees to the head of Movsar Evloev at UFC 297 this past January. The blows were deemed illegal owing to the Russian placing one hand on the ground.

    Many suggested that the Englishman was unfairly robbed of a potential finish, and from November 1 onwards, he’ll now be able to utilize that offense.

    Previously, the language in the rulebook stated that any part of the body other than the sole of the feet touching the floor would make a fighter grounded. The new language approved this week is as follows:

    “A fighter shall be considered grounded and may not be legally kneed or kicked to the head when any part of their body other than their hands or feet is in contact with the canvas (ground).”

    Both the new definition for a grounded fighter and the removal of the ban on “12’6” elbows officially come into place on November 1, 2024.

  • Kamaru Usman Honest About Brother Mohammed’s Latest UFC Loss: ‘Is This What You Want To Do Or Is It Not…’

    Kamaru Usman Honest About Brother Mohammed’s Latest UFC Loss: ‘Is This What You Want To Do Or Is It Not…’

    Kamaru Usman candidly shared his thoughts on his brother Mohammed’s recent UFC defeat, expressing that he could have performed significantly better.

    “The Motor” suffered his second consecutive defeat in the Octagon this past Saturday, falling to Thomas Petersen during the preliminary portion of the UFC Fight Night event at the Apex in Las Vegas.

    The fight began with both men cautiously gauging distance. Midway through the round, Petersen connected with a solid left hand, pressed forward, landed a knee, and finished the round strong with a front headlock and more strikes.

    In the second round, Usman resumed jabbing but was quickly countered by his opponent, who landed a potent left hand and secured a takedown. Usman managed a technical standup but looked fatigued.

    In the third and final round, “The Train” landed another heavy strike and consistently countered his opponent’s single shots. With a minute left, Petersen dominated, finishing with a crucial takedown and ground-and-pound. Petersen defeated Usman by unanimous decision, with all judges scoring the contest 30-27.

    Mohammed’s elder brother appears disheartened by the setback, but “The Nigerian Nightmare” believes there’s ample scope for refinement and an opportunity for a powerful comeback…

    Kamaru Sees Growth Potential In Mohammed’s Game Plan Misstep

    During a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast with Henry Cejudo, Usman weighed in on his younger brother’s loss to Petersen. “The Nigerian Nightmare” critiqued Mohammed’s performance, pointing out that he deviated from his game plan and made several tactical errors, ultimately costing him the bout.

    “You know, disappointing loss for him,” Usman said. “But I think this was one of those crossroads fights that lets you know, is this what you want to do or is this not what you want to do? I think he’s right now, sitting at home, reflecting on all the work that he put in. Did you go out there and fight to your abilities? You did not. You didn’t go out there, you didn’t execute the game plan, you didn’t execute what you’re capable of doing.”

    The former UFC welterweight champion added that “The Motor” must reevaluate his mistakes and work on them to improve himself for a stronger return.

    “I know that’s something that’s very, very tough for him to deal with, but he’s sitting in it. He has to deal with it, he has to understand it, and it’s something that’s potentially going to make him much, much stronger. Like I say, it’s tough to enjoy the great times and winning when you don’t know what losing feels like. So, I think he’s feeling it right now, and I think he’s going to go back, reassess, recompose himself, and go back to it.”

    The younger Usman currently boasts an Octagon record of 3-2, having made a striking entrance into the UFC with a second-round knockout victory over Zac Pauga in The Ultimate Fighter 30 Finale in August 2022.

    While Mohammed shows promise as a fighter, he has yet to reach the same level of success that his brother achieved in his storied career.

  • Daniel Cormier Believes Leon Edwards & Belal Muhammad Are Underestimating Each Other Ahead Of UFC 304: ‘Both Of These Guys Are Much Better…’

    Daniel Cormier Believes Leon Edwards & Belal Muhammad Are Underestimating Each Other Ahead Of UFC 304: ‘Both Of These Guys Are Much Better…’

    Daniel Cormier recently remarked that Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad’s assertions of downplaying each other’s abilities ahead of their rematch at UFC 304 are far more than mere wordplay.

    Edwards is set to put his title on the line against Muhammad in the main event of the upcoming UFC pay-per-view this Saturday in front of his hometown crowd at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England.

    The two fighters first collided in a short-notice bout during the main event of UFC Fight Night in March 2021. Regrettably, an accidental eye poke in the second round compelled “Remember the Name” to bow out, resulting in the bout being ruled a no-contest.

    Since their rematch was announced this past May, both rivals have been relentlessly downplaying each other’s abilities through trash talk in interviews and social media posts. Muhammad, in particular, has gone so far as to label Edwards as the “easiest” opponent he could face in the division.

    While the animosity between Edwards and Muhammad is palpable, the former UFC two-division champion believes their trash talk is merely a tactic to rile each other up and hype the fight…

    Cormier Dismisses Edwards and Muhammad’s Verbal Jabs As ‘Gamesmanship’

    During a recent appearance on the Anik & Florian Podcast, “DC” observed that both Edwards and Muhammad seem to be underestimating each other, each believing that their opponent hasn’t improved since their first fight three years ago.

    “I think we’re in a situation where both of these guys are looking at the other, going, ‘Well, he ain’t what he’s supposed to be,’” Cormier said. “When I hear Leon Edwards talk about the competition, it feels like ‘Rocky’ expects the Belal that he kicked in the head in round one of the first fight, and then he was kind of beating, but it’s not the same Belal Muhammad.

    “But I know Belal Muhammad needs to recognize that it’s not the same Leon Edwards. We saw Leon Edwards change from fight one to fight two against Kamaru Usman.”

    The UFC Hall of Famer noted that both fighters are deliberately making provocative remarks to get under each other’s skin and boost their own confidence ahead of their upcoming clash.

    “I truly believe that it is all gamesmanship. We’re getting to the point where the gamesmanship starts to show, where you insult the guy to make yourself feel more confident going into the competition.”

    Following their initial bout, “Rocky” earned a title shot by defeating Nate Diaz at UFC 263 and ultimately dethroned Kamaru Usman to claim the welterweight gold at UFC 278 in August 2022.

    Meanwhile, Muhammad had to embark on a five-fight winning streak to finally secure his first UFC title opportunity. Only time will reveal how much both fighters have evolved to counter each other’s game plans.

  • ‘Hunter Campbell Himself Called Netflix’ – Ciryl Gane’s Coach Dismisses Ducking Tom Aspinall Narrative

    ‘Hunter Campbell Himself Called Netflix’ – Ciryl Gane’s Coach Dismisses Ducking Tom Aspinall Narrative

    Despite the history between Curtis Blaydes and Tom Aspinall with the way their first fight ended, having this match-up for the interim heavyweight title was not the first choice for the co-main event of UFC 304.

    If the UFC was able to make it happen, Ciryl Gane was reportedly the frontrunner to face Aspinall in Manchester this Saturday.

    It was later revealed that Gane was unable to fight on July 27 due to previous commitments that he had made to working on a movie.

    The French fighter received criticism for this as a result but as his coach recently explained, the decision wasn’t made as choosing one or the other.

    Fernand Lopez Explains Why Ciryl Gane Couldn’t Fight At UFC 304 After Scheduling Issues

    In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Gane’s coach Fernand Lopez explained how this whole process came together and why they were unable to take the interim title fight.

    This movie project has been something that “Bon Gamin” was set to work on since much earlier in the year but the plans were changed once the UFC came to him and his team with the idea of fighting Sergei Pavlovich.

    Lopez states that Pavlovich was unable to take the fight in March so they made an arrangement to push back the filming so that Gane could fight the Russian powerhouse at UFC 300 in April.

    This meant that when the fight didn’t happen, they were unable to change the plans, hence why Gane is now reported to return in October to face Alexander Volkov after almost a full year of inactivity.

    Lopez referenced how in trying to make the dates work for all parties, the UFC was in communication with Netflix to try and reschedule the movie’s filming schedule to allow for Gane to compete at UFC 304.

    Unfortunately, they were unable to push the dates back even further which led to Aspinall defending the interim title in a rematch with Blaydes instead.

    “When we went back with Netflix, signed the deal with Netflix, we couldn’t stop it. The UFC couldn’t stop it. Matter of fact, I give the contact of Netflix and I give the contact of the producer of the movie that was very kind, I give that contact to the UFC and try to talk with them. UFC have very good relationship with Netflix, with the global Netflix, and they was trying to reschedule thing and change thing I say okay, if you can make it to move things, to remove the movie and push it a little bit back, then we are good to go.

    “We will do that, we will wait and we will do the fight and then wait for the movie and they tried with the UFC. Hunter Campbell himself call Netflix to try to push back the filming but that was too much money to spend. That was too much thing to move around and again, this is something that is not a problem. We don’t have any beef with the UFC talking about this movie.”

  • Coach: Israel Adesanya Won’t Be Champion When Leon Edwards Moves Up In Weight

    Coach: Israel Adesanya Won’t Be Champion When Leon Edwards Moves Up In Weight

    A win in the main event of UFC 304 will earn Leon Edwards the third ruby on his welterweight title.

    Since stunning the MMA world with his head kick knockout of Kamaru Usman, the Brit has defended his title on two occasions heading into this rematch with Belal Muhammad on July 27 in Manchester.

    Edwards has made it clear that he has big goals in mind for his title reign at 170-pounds where he hopes to break the great Georges St-Pierre’s records.

    Though he has no plans to permanently leave welterweight at any point soon, “Rocky” also hopes to challenge himself at middleweight at some stage.

    With several top names sitting at the top of the division, it could be a very different landscape at 185-pounds by the time Edwards makes his move.

    Dave Lovell Picks Out Sean Strickland & Dricus Du Plessis As Potential Middleweight Fights For Leon Edwards

    In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Edwards’ head coach Dave Lovell was asked to give his opinion on who the middleweight champion will be when his fighter attempts to become a two-weight world champion.

    Israel Adesanya is set to challenge for the title that he has held twice before when he faces Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305 next month but Lovell doesn’t believe that “The Last Stylebender” will be around for much longer.

    Edwards’ friendship with Adesanya makes a fight between them incredibly unlikely anyway but the Team Renegade captain doesn’t see this coming to pass.

    He believes that either the current holder or the man he won the title from, could be Edwards’ middleweight opponent.

    “I don’t think Israel [Adesanya] because in all fairness, I love him and Israel is my brother but I think he’s coming to the twilight of his career now. and if I was him, if he fights Dricus, maybe win the title, defend it once or even just win that title and retire because he’s earned enough, he’s got nothing more to prove. I wouldn’t like to see Leon fight Israel because we’re all close that way, we’re all friends so I wouldn’t like to see that.

    “Dricus maybe if Dricus is still hanging around. I think the easiest, well I take that back, one of the fights that I think would be a good fight for Leon to showcase his skills against a man, Mr Strickland, who’s a kind of come forward kind of style fighter which would suit Leon.

  • VIDEO: UFC 304 Co-Headliner Tom Aspinall’s Brutal Finishes Inside The Octagon

    VIDEO: UFC 304 Co-Headliner Tom Aspinall’s Brutal Finishes Inside The Octagon

    In four years competing on the sports’ biggest stage, UFC 304 co-headliner Tom Aspinall has added to his mixed martial arts highlight reel in a big way.

    The interim heavyweight champion will return in the co-main event of this weekend’s pay-per-view card at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, where he’s tasked with defending his belt in a rematch against Curtis Blaydes.

    Aspinall captured the title with a thunderous knockout of Sergei Pavlovich in their short-notice championship bout on the Madison Square Garden-held UFC 295 card last November.

    While perhaps the most destructive of his UFC finishes, it was just the latest in a string of stoppage victories for the Mancunian behemoth, who is yet to require the scorecards inside the Octagon.

    To put himself in position to receive the late-notice call eight months ago, Aspinall returned from injury with a bang by knocking out Marcin Tybura just 73 seconds into their London headliner last July.

    That marked Aspinall’s second finish in a main event staged in England’s capital. His headline debut came the previous year opposite veteran contender Alexander Volkov, whom the Brit put away with a gruesome Americana lock.

    And prior to entering title contention, Jake Collier, Alan Baudot, Andrei Arlovski, and Serghei Spivac all fell to either Aspinall’s strikes or submission prowess.

    Ahead of Saturday’s event, the promotion has uploaded a video showcasing Aspinall’s brutal finishes inside the Octagon to its official YouTube channel.

    Aspinall will hope to further add to his highlight reel this weekend at UFC 304, where he’ll no doubt get a raucous reception as he walks out in front of fans in his home city for the first time since his professional debut back in 2014.

    • Read More: Curtis Blaydes Defends UFC 304 Opponent Tom Aspinall Against Overconfident Claims: ‘Can You Really Blame Him?’