Dan Hooker has finally locked in a fight with Mateusz Gamrot for UFC 305 after a determined search for an opponent. The update of the bout first broke out when Hooker recently announced it on his Instagram story.
The lightweight banger is set to take place at the upcoming UFC pay-per-view event scheduled for August 17 at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.
Dan Hooker's long search for a #UFC305 foe ends with Mateusz Gamrot in Perth.
Hooker last fought against Jalin Turner at UFC 290 in July 2023, where he endured a broken arm yet persevered through the entire match to secure a split-decision victory. The 34-year-old New Zealander was previously set to fight Bobby Green at UFC Fight Night Austin in December, but a reinjury to his arm forced him to withdraw from the bout.
“The Hangman” is currently riding a two-fight win streak after an unsuccessful attempt in the featherweight division, where he suffered a first-round knockout against Arnold Allen in March 2022.
Meanwhile, Gamrot is on a three-fight win streak. “Gamer” is set to make his return to the Octagon following a dominant unanimous decision victory over Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC 299 this past March.
He will take on Jean Silva who will be making a quick turnaround for this fight after stopping Charles Jourdain just two weeks prior at UFC 303.
Given both men’s track records for putting opponents away with their heavy hands, the judges aren’t likely to be called into action in this fight.
If Dober is able to secure a knockout or TKO victory in this fight, he will overtake Dustin Poirier for the most finishes of this kind in lightweight history.
The two contenders have constantly added tallies to their records and you’d need to go all the way back to his 2018 fight with Jon Tuck to find the last time that Dober won a UFC fight via the scorecards.
Drew Dober Says He Purposefully Tries To Ignore Knockout Stats Because It Has Impacted Him In The Past
Currently tied with Poirier at 9 each, Dober has the opportunity this weekend at the Ball Arena to become the first 155-pound fighter to hit double figures in the UFC.
He recently revealed in an interview with Mike Bohn for MMA Junkie that this isn’t just something that he doesn’t spend much time thinking about – he actively chooses to ignore it.
Dober stated that he believes keeping these achievements in mind has negatively affected him in the past. Nowadays, he mentioned he rather wait for the knockouts to come than trying to look for them.
“The thing is, I received that record not even thinking about it and I think the moment I started thinking about it, my performances kind of dipped. So no, I stopped thinking about it, knockout record is great, we’re also tied for guillotine record so these are the things that you guys tell me after the fact, I get in there and I just do me.”
UFC legend Chael Sonnen has urged former two-time Glory Kickboxing champion Artem Vakhitov to rethink the way he’s currently approaching his pursuit of Alex Pereira in mixed martial arts.
“Poatan” arrived with hype already around his name owing to his history with then-middleweight titleholder Israel Adesanya, whom he got the better of twice in the kickboxing ring.
The Brazilian capitalized on that story to secure a faster-than-usual rise to the belt, ultimately capturing it from “The Last Stylebender” before immediately dropping it back and moving onto other things a division up.
Now, having cemented his grip on the 205-pound crown and enhanced his legacy in MMA, a figure from Pereira’s striking past has emerged.
But one man who certainly boasts experience in the realm of MMA storylines believes the MMA newcomer is going about things in the wrong way…
Sonnen Tells Vakhitov To ‘Join’ Pereira, Not Target Him
During a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen reacted to the recent war of words between Vakhitov and Pereira, who reacted to his former rival’s remarks with a warning and some advice regarding the need for management.
Sonnen made the obvious comparison between “Poatan’s” transition to MMA and subsequent pursuit of Adesanya. But in contrast to that, “The Bad Guy” believes it would be wise for Vakhitov to align himself with the light heavyweight champ.
“Artem did an interview, and I can’t tell you that he did anything wrong,” Sonnen said. “He’s coming over the MMA and he’s got a win over Pereira. I can’t deny that that story works. … We know that it works, that’s the exact formula Pereira did when he came over; ‘I beat Izzy, I beat your champion. I’m now coming to your sport. I beat him over here, why would I not beat him in this one as well?’ You don’t want to have the secret sauce to beat a guy, and that’s all that you’ve got, ‘I can take out your champion.’ It can’t be, because even if it’s true, you can’t get to him.
“I feel that the best way to do it is to join him. I feel that instead of Artem coming in and doing what makes the most sense to him, which is create heat, create a story, ‘I want to get to Pereira, I’m gonna start calling Pereira out straight away.’ Believe me, I understand it…(but) kickboxing does not come over with enough of an audience,” Sonnen continued. “I’m only suggesting for you that Artem come in different and he come in with Pereira. ‘We are taking over,’ and he associates himself with Pereira. ‘We kickboxers, we’ve always been the hardest sport.’ … I think if he just associates himself with Alex Pereira, it might be a better approach.’”
It remains to be seen whether Vakhitov will heed Sonnen’s advice following his recent back and forth with Pereira. For the time being, though, the Russian will be focused on securing his path to the Octagon to ensure he’s competing under the same banner as “Poatan.”
This rivalry is back in the news 👀
Check out the best moments from Alex Pereria and Artem Vakhitov’s two battles inside the GLORY ring pic.twitter.com/Kd09gzh78h
Henry Cejudo is still not sold on Alex Pereira’s prowess, even after the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion showcased an exceptional performance at UFC 303.
“Poatan” retained his title, most recently securing an impressive second-round head kick knockout of his former foe, Jiri Prochazka, during the main event of the UFC’s last pay-per-view on June 29.
Pereira, in just nine Octagon appearances, has established an unparalleled legacy. He has become only the ninth fighter in UFC history to hold championships in two divisions. Even more impressive, he is the first to capture titles in both the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions, accomplishing this remarkable feat in just two years.
The 37-year-old Brazilian has made an indelible mark on the MMA community, with many considering him among the greatest fighters in UFC history. However, former two-division champion Cejudo remains skeptical of Pereira’s accomplishments…
Cejudo Argues Pereira Needs To Do More To Be Deemed The Best
During a recent episode of Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru Usman, the two former UFC champions explored Pereira’s meteoric rise in the MMA world. “Triple C” emphatically insisted that the Brazilian striking phenom still has more to prove against more well-rounded opponents before he can be crowned among the greatest.
“We have to see him go up against are a little more well-rounded, Cejudo said. “I don’t take things personal. I think, to me, it’s even more cool to create a character because whether you’re right or wrong, people are going to talk sh*t, or people are going to do X, Y, and Z, but these are keyboard wars. Even if Pereira does get a bit butthurt, man, take it to heart.”
“Does he have beautiful striking? 100%. I want to see more. I wanna see him to see him against guys against a real mixed martial artists, and then we can gauge it whether he is maybe even so pound-for-pound.”
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that Ronda Rousey is one of the most popular mixed martial artists ever. After defending her Strikeforce women’s bantamweight title, she bagged the title in the UFC as well and racked up five consecutive defenses.
However, it all came crashing down when Rousey lost her title to Holly Holm via a crushing first round KO. She then returned to the Octagon after almost a year, and lost to Amanda Nunes via KO in the first again.
“Rowdy” hasn’t fought in the UFC since then and eventually signed up with the WWE which has been a bone of contention among fans to date. The former champion has opened up on situations that led to her retirement and why she avoided coming back after just two losses…
Ronda Rousey Opens Up On Struggles With Concussions That Led To UFC Retirement
Rousey recently appeared on the SHAK MMA YouTube channel and addressed her rather unexpected retirement from MMA. Tons of fans discredited her entire legacy due to this while others accused her of running away from top talents.
“Started doing, you know, Judo, at a young age, and kept getting concussions, regularly. And, you know, multiple times a year, and not being allowed to speak up or say anything about it, and um, as a fighter, you’re just not supposed to show any weakness or talk about things like that.”
“Rowdy” highlighted the ignorance towards cumulative neurological injury in sports, especially mixed martial arts. She claimed that all fighters deal with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) as they take shots to the head, but the pace varies.
Rousey revealed her that she dealt with her first concussion at six. This naturally worsened as she fought in Strikeforce, UFC, and other MMA promotions. So, she hung up the gloves when she could no longer fight without risking long-term neurological injuries.
“You’ll never know when you take one hit too many until many decades later, but I also, I don’t think that I would be serving the sport or the division in the right way if I stuck around too long and I got to a point where I knew that I literally could not be taking those head in the packs and continue to compete at that same level.”
The former Olympic Judo medalist clarified that she didn’t want to represent women MMA when not at her best. She was silent about her concussions to not affect her transition to WWE and other projects, but has no reason to hold back any more.
Ahead of their bout at UFC 303, Ian Garry made an accusation regarding Michael “Venom” Page and his team.
The Irishman claimed at the press conference on fight week that someone from Page’s circle had tried to gain information about Garry from someone in Brazil, where he spent his training camp.
Page recently spoke about his side of this story where he made it clear that he knows nothing about Garry’s claims and wouldn’t want information anyways.
Michael ‘Venom’ Page Says He Doesn’t Know Of & Wouldn’t Want Someone Trying To Get Information For Him
Page appeared on The MMA Hour where he was asked for his interpretation of Garry’s accusations and what his reaction to them was at the time.
He says that whilst things like that do happen in MMA and has happened to him in the past, it’s not something that he was aware of in this training camp.
“When he was saying it I was like I don’t even know, I’m not entertaining it just because it sounded like he was just shouting a lot of stuff with an Irish accent so I was just like I don’t care. When I listened to it after, I was like I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s not me anyway. There’s always gonna be guys in people’s camps should I say that are gonna be reporting back. We’ve had that in our camp before and we find out who it is and kick them out, same stuff, but I don’t know what he’s talking about.”
Page also said that if Garry is correct in what he is saying, he would be incredibly frustrated that someone would try to go behind his back to get information without him wanting it.
“Yeah, 100% because I don’t need it. I don’t feel like I need it, especially for him and again, I try not to be disrespectful to him because it’s not personal at all but I don’t feel like I needed to get any extra information to do what I need to do, what I know I can do, or should have done should I say, in that last fight.”
Having trained with the Irishman throughout his comeback process, PFL’s Brendan Loughnane strongly disagrees with any sentiment that McGregor doesn’t have that same passion for competition anymore.
Brendan Loughnane Says Conor McGregor Still Has The Same Fire & Was Correct To Pull Out Of UFC 303
Loughnane, who is set to return at PFL 9 on August 23, has spent a lot of solid time around McGregor in the past year specifically.
Having trained alongside “The Mac” as he was looking to make a return to the Octagon, he believes that McGregor is still just as motivated to compete as ever before but pulling out of UFC 303 due to his broken toe was the right call.
Loughnane drew attention to the fact that the former UFC champ-champ never needs to fight again so putting himself through a training camp in the first place should tell you all you need to know about where he’s at regarding the current status of his career.
“This guy is hungry for it, he doesn’t have to do this now, he’s touching billionaire status. He’s doing this out of the love of the sport, guy loves it through and through, he’s a martial artist. He wakes up every day, this is what lights the fire inside people like him and me.
and the fact that he got the injury and he pulled out shows me that he’s in a good place because it’s like going through these fights injured for what? He’s done it before, it’s well documented that he’s done it many times before. Do it when you’re healthy, there’s so much on the line now.”
Dricus Du Plessis knew that he was going to be stirring the pot when he said that by becoming the middleweight champion, he would be the first true African to hold gold.
What he meant was that unlike the likes of Kamaru Usman, Francis Ngannou and Israel Adesanya, who he faces in Perth, he has become champion whilst still living and training out of South Africa.
Adesanya took major issue with these comments but they will finally get the chance to settle the score in their upcoming clash.
Unsurprisingly, “The Last Stylebender” wasn’t the only fighter on the roster with African roots that feels offended by what Du Plessis had to say.
Abdul Razak Hassan Launches Into Fired-Up Rant About Dricus Du Plessis’ Comments
Abdul Razak Alhassan is set to make his return this weekend in Denver when he takes on Cody Brundage and looks to bounce back from a defeat last time out.
During his media day interviews, the middleweight livewire was asked for his opinion on the conversation based on the fact that he represents Ghana.
What followed was an incredibly passionate and heated speech from Alhassan about Du Plessis’s words.
He believes that the middleweight champion would not have said these things if he knew what it meant to truly be African and battle through tough living situations early on in life.
“I respect the things he’s done in MMA but he’s a f****** b****, he’s a f****** a****** for that word that he used right. If he’s a f****** real African and he lived in Africa, he would have never used that f****** word, he’s a f****** b**** a** to use that word because an African, if he was raised with the poor people in Africa, the way I was raised, the way I grew up with how I go days without food. I have to go see my friends eating and I be like, ‘Hey bro can you give me one teaspoon of your food so I can put it in my mouth?’ That’s how I’ll survive for a few days until I can get money.
“So if we get opportunity to leave that s***hole, of course I’m sorry, I’m not trying to call my country a s***hole but I’m poor. If I can go to America or I can go to a different country to make a better life for myself, I’ll f****** cut off my leg to f****** go. If he is a true African, he would have understood that. That means he was living the comfortable life, his family had the money to feed him everyday so he didn’t have to worry about leaving to go and make it so for him to say he’s the true African champion that lived there and he made it, he’s a f****** b**** for saying that. I respect what he’s done but he’s a b**** for that.”
Tracy Cortez is set for a significant step up in competition this weekend when she takes on Rose Namajunas in the main event when the UFC rolls into Denver, Colorado, on Saturday night.
Cortez, who is riding an e11-fight winning streak into this bout, was initially scheduled to face Miranda Maverick a week later in Las Vegas. When Namajunas lost her original opponent Maycee Barber to injury, the opportunity of a headline slot opposite a former champion was one that Cortez couldn’t turn down.
30-year-old Cortez has won all five of her fights inside the Octagon since signing with the UFC back in 2019 off the back of a win over Mariya Agapova on Dana White’s Contender Series. While she is on an impressive winning streak, this will be the first time she faces an opponent ranked inside the top 10 in the UFC’s flyweight division.
Speaking on his podcast Weighing In this week, Josh Thomson was asked by his co-host on “Big” John McCarthy if he thinks taking this fight was a good decision by Tracy Cortez.
“I don’t think it’s a good fight for her,” said the former UFC welterweight. “No disrespect to her, I don’t think that…after her last fight against (Jasmine) Jasudavicius or whatever her name is…I think what I saw in that fight was in the later rounds like two-and-a-half/three rounds she started to slow down to the point where…Rose is not that fighter.”
‘She Will Not Slow Down’ – Josh Thomson On Namajunas
“Thug” Rose won the UFC strawweight championship in 2017 by knocking out longtime champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk. During her UFC career, she has won four five-round main events by unanimous decision.
Thomson believes that experience of the championship rounds should make the difference come Saturday night.
“Rose has been in plenty of five-round fights, she’s trained for five-round fights,” Thomson continued. “She will not slow down in rounds three and four.”
Thomson also believes that Cortez may be a little out of her depth when she tries to strike with the former UFC strawweight champion.
“She’s got the power to make Rose respect her, I just don’t know if she knows how to get in on the reach. Like she slid in on the Jasudavicius girl with those straight rights then follow up with the left hook, but Rose is a different level of striking”.
Months on from a decision defeat to Jack Hermansson in their UFC Fight Night main event at the Apex, “Bodybagz” was back putting his finishing ability on full display at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, where he stopped Canada’s Marc-André Barriault in less than 90 seconds.
In the aftermath, a fired up Pyfer set his sights back on securing a place in the middleweight top 15, this time by targeting the formerly ranked Paul Craig.
More than just a random callout, the New Jersey native revealed a grudge he’s held for months as the motive behind his desire to share the cage with the Scottish vet.
“He just looked at me weird one time and I don’t even think he remembers, but I hold grudges, so f*ck him,” Pyfer said at the UFC 303 post-fight press conference. “I don’t like the dude. That’s the only thing I can say is I don’t really like the guy. There’s something about his f*cking face. It’s also his antics. He gets in your face and be all theatrical, but then he gets touched, and he falls on to the ground like a back princess.
“I think it makes sense, too. Logistically, I think it makes sense. He was number 14, and then he fought Caio (Borralho) and lost. I don’t know where he’s at, if 15 or just outside the rankings, and I’m number 19, so let’s line it up,” Pyfer continued. “That’s what I’m interested in, so why not?”
Craig Bemused By Pyfer’s Reasoning For ‘Disliking’ Him
During a recent episode of his Leather’d Podcast, Craig was shown Pyfer clarifying his reasoning behind calling him out during an appearance on The MMA Hour.
The clip showed “Bodybagz” recalling crossing paths with Craig while in attendance at Boston’s TD Garden for UFC 292 last August. Pyfer appeared offended not to have been given some sort of nod of respect from “Bearjew.”
Suffice to say, Craig was baffled by that justification.
“I don’t (know who he is). A guy nods at me, ‘What the f*ck, who is this guy?’” Craig said. “So what was it, in Boston I didn’t give him a nod? That’s f*cking — this guy’s f*cked in the head (laughs). Man, if that’s what gets you hard.
“So he’s been since Boston thinking about this, ‘This guy never gave me a nod. How could he do that?!’ Like, who the f*ck are you?” Craig continued. “It was a good knockout (at UFC 303). Gotta give him props for that.”
It remains to be seen whether Pyfer will get the opportunity to settle what appears to be a firmly one-sided feud, and one which Craig didn’t even know existed until a couple of weeks ago.
UFC legend Chael Sonnen could not disagree more with a recent opinion Daniel Cormier shared about the heavyweight title picture.
The main throne is currently occupied by Jon Jones, who collected the then-vacant belt with a submission of Ciryl Gane in his divisional debut last March. Next to him, however, sits an interim champ in the form of Tom Aspinall.
The Manchester, England, native captured that gold after Jones’ scheduled defense against Stipe Miocic last November was canceled due to an injury. With Aspinall capitalizing by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich, many initially expected Jones to meet the Brit in a unification showdown upon his return from the sidelines.
That situation has left many in the community — fighters, fans, and pundits — less than pleased, with plenty expressing a lack of interest in the Miocic fight and disdain at the champ’s dismissal of his interim counterpart.
Sonnen To Cormier: ‘Did You Hurt Your Head? Fall Off A Ladder?’
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen reacted to Cormier’s take with utter bemusement.
“The Bad Guy” insisted that no manner of victory for Aspinall could outdo his title-winning performance against Pavlovich last November. And seeing that such a display on that occasion did little to budge Jones and the UFC from their plans, Sonnen laughed off the suggestion a win over Blaydes could.
“Is he (Cormier) drunk? Did he hurt his head? Did he fall off a ladder or something like this? Is he working on a comedy routine? I ask because he thinks that Tom Aspinall, with a proper victory, could take Stipe’s fight against Jon Jones away,” Sonnen said. “He can’t be serious, right?! He said with a proper performance, gotta be an absolute drubbing…Aspinall’s gotta go out there in front of his people and whip Curtis Blaydes, and there could be such an uprising by you, the crowd, that UFC would have no choice but to give Tom the fight.
“There’s no way he believes that, right? Sometimes you say things and it’s on accident. In a normal situation you’d cut, edit that out, give me another shot. But, you’re live. And you look back and go, ‘That’s not at all what I meant.’ I’m assuming that’s what happened here,” Sonnen continued. “There’s nothing that can be done to Curtis Blaydes that would be worse than what happened to Sergei. And there is no amount of eyes on this match that is going to have the focus and the interest, thus making a victory potentially by Tom more incredible. To act as though that could interfere with a contractual agreement on a fight…what in the blue hell are you talking about?!”
Nevertheless, Aspinall will hope to give Cormier’s theory the chance to play out by delivering a devastatingly dominant performance in his rematch against Blaydes later this month on home soil.
UFC lightweight star Dustin Poirier expects Benoît Saint Denis to lose a second straight fight to an American Top Team standout this fall.
Poirier and Saint Denis shared the Octagon in the co-main event of March’s UFC 299 pay-per-view event in Miami. Supporters of the Frenchman tipped him to continue his rise at the expense of the veteran contender.
But although he looked to be on track to doing so through one round, “God of War” faded in the second and ultimately fell to his first UFC defeat at 155 pounds by way of a brutal knockout.
“The Diamond” went on to ride that result into a title shot against Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 last month. Saint Denis, meanwhile, recently had his chance to rebound confirmed, and it’ll see him up against ATT once again.
Poirier and the ATT gym’s experience going up against Saint Denis could come in handy on fight night, and the Louisianan himself is expecting his team to go two up on the Frenchman…
Poirier Offers Moicano Helping Hand For Paris Prep
During a recent in-studio appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Poirier addressed the confirmed matchup between his stablemate and recent opponent.
Having gotten the better of Saint Denis mere months ago, “The Diamond” revealed he’s offered to aid in the latter part of Moicano’s training camp.
And in terms of how he thinks the bout will play out at Accor Arena, Poirier noted his experience seeing the Brazilian’s jiu-jitsu talents in the gym to back a submission victory for him and ATT on September 28.
“I actually saw Moicano during International Fight Week. … I went and talked to him and I told him, if he needs help, I’ll fly back to Florida,” Poirier said. “I’ve been nursing a few injuries from this last one (against Makhachev), but I think they’re fighting in September. … So probably like, August or something like that, maybe end of August I can go help him out a few weeks.
“Honestly, I think he submits BSD,” Poirier continued. “His (Moicano’s) jiu-jitsu is really good. And he’s strong for that weight, and big.”
Moicano has shared similar confidence when it comes to his chances of departing France with a major victory added to his record.
While Saint Denis’ form pre-UFC 299 and early success against Poirier has left many backing him to bounce back at the Brazilian’s expense come fight night on September 28, Moicano is promising to upset the odds and spoil the night for the Paris locals.
🤬😂 Renato Moicano reacts to all the doubters who said yesterday that Benoit Saint-Denis is a too hard matchup for him.
After losing the UFC middleweight title to Dricus Du Plessis, Sean Strickland bounced back by defeating Paulo Costa at UFC 302 this past June. Since then, he’s been adamant about sitting out and fighting the winner of Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, Perth.
However, Costa fought Strickland following a loss to Robert Whittaker. “The Reaper” has since beaten Khamzat Chimaev’s short-notice replacement Ikram Aliskerov easily to build his own case for another title shot.
Many believe that Strickland vs. Whittaker is the perfect title eliminator fight in the UFC middleweight division. Michael Bisping agrees and recently advised “Tarzan” to change his stance on turning down such a matchup…
Michael Bisping Reminds Sean Strickland About Downsides Of Waiting On The Sidelines
Bisping recently discussed Strickland’s latest motorcycle accident and next fight on his YouTube channel. He laid down situations in which waiting for a title shot instead of fighting Whittaker could affect the former champ’s ability to reclaim gold.
In the eyes of “The Count,” Strickland wouldn’t want a world where Du Plessis vs. Adesanya is razor close and results in a rematch. If, in the meantime, “The Reaper” racks up another dominant win, he’ll be more likely to get a title shot.
“You can’t sit around. You can’t feel so entitled. You have to go out there, stake your case, continue to apply your craft, get better with every single training camp. Make the statement that you are the uncrowned champion.”
Bisping looked at Whittaker’s impressive record as a middleweight, which contains three losses to only current or then-future champions. Because he walked out of the Aliskerov fight without damage, the Australian could feasibly return to the Octagon quickly and be the undisputed title challenger.
It is worth noting that the former British UFC middleweight champion isn’t critical of Strickland’s principles. After the razor-close decision loss to the current titleholder and a win since, he can rightly claim a second shot.
Nevertheless, Bisping maintained that it is still risky due to factors outside of his control.
“You do not want to wait on the sidelines. I mean, for example, let’s say Dricus beats Izzy. That’s a big if, but let’s just say he does. What if Dricus gets injured? What if that fight is so grueling, he tears a knee, he busts his eye up, he’s got a broken jaw. He’s coming back, but it’s going to be six to nine months. Is he still going to continue to wait on the sidelines?”
Overall, “The Count” only demands Strickland to not sit on the sidelines and do what he does best. Get inside the Octagon consistently, improve with every fight, and not let anyone else steal his claim at the title.
While “MVP” immediately burst into the rankings on debut by getting the better of Kevin Holland in Miami this past March, he was unable to climb further toward his targeted all-English title fight with Leon Edwards on June 29.
Instead, Garry cemented his top 10 spot by narrowly getting the better of the Londoner on the scorecards in the UFC 303 main card opener. The Irishman utilized his grappling to enjoy large periods of control in rounds one and three.
For the most part, Page didn’t appear in danger of getting finished throughout the close fight. He did, however, find himself in a worrying spot during the first grappling exchange, as “The Future” attempted a rear-naked choke.
But although many were surprised to see “MVP” escape the hold, the man himself was less shocked…
Page: Not Getting Choked Out Is One Of My Jiu-Jitsu ‘Superpowers’
The Brit was specifically asked about the compromising position he found himself in on the ground shortly into the opening round, having no doubt drew out cries of ‘he’s going to tap’ from some fans watching at home.
Page is yet to be submitted in 25 pro fights, and he says that’s for good reason.
“I’m very difficult to choke. In jiu-jitsu, that seems to be one of my superpowers. It’s always hard for people to finish chokes on me,” Page said. “When I got into that position…that was way closer than (against Holland). When I say closer, yeah, it was deep, but there was no way I was tapping and I wasn’t going to sleep either.
“Not to give away anything, but like I said, I am very difficult to choke,” Page continued. “Even in the gym, there’s guys that get me really deep and they’re like, ‘What the f…?!’ Their arms burn out before I tap. So luckily, I’m stubborn in that area. But it was a deep choke (at UFC 303).”
Whether Page will need to prove that once again opposite one of the welterweight division’s top grapplers next time out or will instead be matched against a fellow striker remains to be seen.
But either way, “MVP” has touted his extra motivation since the defeat in Las Vegas and vowed to bounce back as his pursuit of gold continues.
The Irishman has struggled for both activity and positive results since he achieved that feat in 2016, going 1-3 across four fights in over seven years. The manner of his most recent setback — a gruesome broken leg suffered in the first round of his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier in 2021 — left many suggesting the Irishman had entered the cage for the last time.
Those theories continued throughout 2023 when no news came on his planned fight against Michael Chandler following their stint as opposition coaches on The Ultimate Fighter. And while the bout was eventually set for UFC 303 last month, a toe injury led to McGregor’s withdrawal on late notice.
That’s once again brought about claims that McGregor is unlikely to make the walk again. Anik, however, has remained firm on his belief that the Irishman has an itch that must be scratched inside the cage…
The UFC’s lead play-by-play commentator reiterated that stance, explaining that factors outside of the cage such as wealth and material goods that some use to dismiss his motivation to compete would be more enjoyable for McGregor after additional Octagon assignments.
“I guess I’m frustrated. That’s probably the right verb when it comes to some of Conor McGregor’s inactivity. But largely, I think a lot of this has been out of his control,” Anik said. “It’s not always easy being the biggest superstar in mixed martial arts. It certainly isn’t easy when you snap your leg in half, you know? And then obviously he had a setback in this most recent training camp.
“I’ve gotta stay consistent in terms of my thesis statement on Conor. It’s that he’s going to enjoy the yacht life a whole lot more with a couple more MMA scalps, or at the very least fights, high-profile fights,” Anik continued. “He came back and fought Dustin back-to-back, right, and then snapped his leg in two. I still believe that there’s an itch that can only be scratched in the Octagon for Conor McGregor.”
It remains to be seen whether or not McGregor will prove Anik’s remarks true later this year. But his recent return to “yacht life” on social media following the UFC 303 cancellation has seemingly left some fans fearing the worst…
Should Diego Lopes not get the names he’s after at UFC 306, Dan Ige has called for the chance to face him again on the back of a full camp.
Had plans not changed in a dramatic way late last month, Ige would currently being gearing up for a collision at the Apex with Chepe Mariscal on July 20. Instead, “50K” is drinking in widespread acclaim for his efforts on the grand stage of UFC 303.
Ige awoke on June 29 with no expectation to fight at the International Fight Week pay-per-view in Las Vegas. But when illness forced Brian Ortega out of his co-main event against Lopes, the always game featherweight veteran answered the call.
And the Hawaiian fought competitively across three rounds against Lopes in their 165-pound catchweight contest, which marked the third different weight for the Mexico-based Brazilian during fight week.
The 32-year-old ultimately fell short on the scorecards, but you’d do well to find someone seeing him as a loser on the night. Ige’s decision to save the day at T-Mobile Arena also no doubt banked him some good faith with the UFC, and he’s hoping to cash that in on September 14…
Ige Suggests Fans Would Love Second Lopes Fight On Full Camps
In the aftermath of his extremely late-notice battle with Lopes, Ige dismissed talk of staying on the July 20 lineup and instead requested a spot on the Noche UFC card, set for the Sphere in Las Vegas this fall.
In a recent post on social media, Ige acknowledged that Lopes deserves a top five name like “T-City” or “Alexander the Great.” But should that not come to fruition, he’d love nothing more than the chance to face the rising star with a full preparation in tow.
“I heard Yair is still climbing Mt. Everest and won’t be ready for the sphere,” Ige wrote. “Diego you deserve a higher rank for sure but if you don’t get what you want then I’m sure the fans would love to see us run it back with full camps and equal opportunity to prepare. What better place then make history again at the sphere 🫡 🇲🇽 #NocheUFC#fightersfight#stayready“
Prior to his loss at the hands of Lopes, Ige opened his account for 2024 in brutal fashion, stopping Andre Fili in the first round at UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Pyfer this past February.
Lopes, meanwhile, has now won all four of his fights since an impressive showing in defeat on debut against Movsar Evloev last May.
We can add former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier to the list of those who disagree with Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic being the next title fight at heavyweight.
Not many topics have been debated in 2024 quite like the championship conversation in the UFC’s heavyweight division, which currently boasts two champions, only one of which is keen on fighting the other.
After an injury forced Jones out of his planned defense against Miocic at Madison Square Garden last November, Tom Aspinall stepped up on short notice to capture the interim gold at the expense of Sergei Pavlovich.
While that would usually lead to a unification showdown, Jones has remained firm on Miocic being his next fight despite pushback from Aspinall, as well as many fighters, fans, and pundits.
According to one UFC star, however, a third option should be the leading candidate upon Jones’ comeback form injury…
Poirier: It’s The ‘Perfect Time’ For Jones vs. Pereira
During a recent in-studio appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Poirier gave his take on the current state of the heavyweight division and the ongoing debate surrounding who should be Jones’ next challenger.
While most of the opposition to Miocic receiving a shot over three years on from his knockout loss to Francis Ngannou has placed Aspinall in the position instead, “The Diamond” wants to see Alex Pereira shoot for two-division glory.
“Stipe’s been out a good bit. Stipe could come back and be a completely different person,” Poirier said. “Aspinall’s obviously legit; he’s the interim world champion, he’s beat some good guys. But he doesn’t have the aura that Alex and Jones have. … (Pereira’s) starting to get that aura, like a Fedor (Emelianenko) had or an Anderson (Silva) had.
“It’s the perfect time for it. I would (do it now). Yeah, (bypass the Miocic fight),” Poirier continued. “It’s bigger! It’s a blockbuster, bro. … And in the light heavyweight division, who’s he gonna fight? Ankalaev? Nothing against Ankalaev, but I’m not excited (by that). At the point he’s at in his career, he’s a superstar. I want to see him vs. Jones at heavyweight.”
Jones himself has noted Pereira as a future option and suggested it sits above interim champ Aspinall in terms of intrigue.
But just like his division’s other titleholder, “Bones” has refused to budge from Miocic in order to accommodate a super fight with Pereira toward the end of 2024.
Honestly, it’s hard to say right now, I’m gonna base a lot of that on my next performance. The options are looking crazy right now. https://t.co/3skkYSY7Aj
Having shared the cage with him at UFC 303, Michael “Venom” Page doesn’t see Ian Garry reaching the top of the welterweight division.
The pair collided in the main card opener of the International Fight Week pay-per-view on June 29 in Las Vegas. The three-round affair was widely branded somewhat lackluster, with the Irishman utilizing his grappling to edge frames one and three on the scorecards.
The result marked the latest addition to Garry’s undefeated professional record and moved his UFC slate to 8-0, cementing his top 10 spot in the process.
Page Didn’t Feel A Future Champion Against Garry At UFC 303
During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Page looked back on the defeat he suffered in what marked just his second fight competing on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage following a decade in Bellator.
With that in mind, Page didn’t feel like he was squaring off against a sure-fire future champion. Far from it, in fact. “Venom” recalled facing someone who would get “killed” by UFC Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards and top contender Shavkat Rakhmonov.
“Not all. No,” Page said when asked if he sees Garry as a future champion. “Because if that’s the game you’re going to (use) when you get a decent striker, then Leon is going to kill you anyway, then Shavkat is going to kill you anyway. There’s a few guys in there that I just don’t see him surpassing. … Even in some of the areas, he didn’t feel massively strong. I’m not even trying to be disrespectful to him, because again, he’s done his job, he was smart about how he kind of went by it. But for me, regardless, this game for me is about combat. It’s about fighting. Not about stealing wins.
“Even like I said, that last round, I didn’t necessarily need to stand up or need to let him stand up. I could’ve stayed there and just dragged it out and potentially got a better score in the third round and maybe that would’ve swayed it, but that’s not the game I’m in. I’m in a combat game. Like, I want to cause damage, I want to hurt people,” Page continued. “So yeah, I don’t see him progressing to the top. I think he’s talented. I think he’ll always be around there, top 10, top five, and then he’ll keep losing out to certain people. But he is still talented, and obviously he’s got a loads of time to progress and get better anyway.”
Garry no doubt feels differently, having frequently insisted that a title crowning on MMA’s biggest stage is inevitable. He’ll look to prove that when he returns to action, potentially against one of the names mentioned by Page.
Post-UFC 303, the Irishman had the name of Rakhmonov on his lips. While he got a positive response from “Nomad,” it remains to be seen if the UFC will share the same outlook and pair them together next.
Manel Kape recently downplayed Muhammad Mokaev’s undefeated streak in the Octagon, expressing that he remains unfazed by his opponent’s record ahead of their highly anticipated showdown at UFC 304.
“Starboy” enters the fight, riding a four-fight win streak. However, his momentum has been hampered in recent years due to a series of injuries, fight cancellations, and a weight miss. In his last outing, Kape secured a unanimous decision victory over Felipe dos Santos after an intense, back-and-forth battle at UFC 293 in September 2023.
In contrast, Mokaev has faced no issues with staying active since his promotional debut in 2022. He is currently on a six-fight win streak in the Octagon and remains unbeaten throughout his amateur and professional career.
Despite being overlooked for a title shot at UFC 301 in favor of Steve Erceg, who fought reigning champion Alexandre Pantoja, “The Punisher” has a chance to cement his title aspirations with another victory. He is coming off a dominant unanimous decision win against Alex Perez at the UFC Apex this past March.
Mokaev has long been calling out Kape on social media, stoking the fires of their rivalry to a fever pitch. Ahead of their fight, the verbal jabs are already flying, with the 30-year-old Portuguese fighter believing his opponent still lacks the qualities needed to impress him…
Kape Brands Himself ‘Biggest Test,’ Insists Mokaev’s Game Has Weaknesses
During a recent interview with InsideFighting, “Starboy” was questioned about his preference for matchups that come with a built-in grudge.
“There always has to be a bad blood,” Kape replied. “Because he is coming to take what is mine, you know, I’m coming to take what is yours, so there is no peace by the way between me and my opponents. Only after the fight, there is peace, but before that, there is no peace; we all want to win.”
Kape proclaimed himself as the toughest challenge “The Punisher” will ever encounter in the Octagon. The Portuguese fighter acknowledged Mokaev’s solid technique yet remained unimpressed by his undefeated streak, suggesting that the Russian-born Enlishman’s skills lack the necessary depth to truly challenge him.
“He wanted a bigger test; I’m the biggest test of this division, so there you go, you ask for something they deliver… I can’t say he impressed me because it’s difficult very for someone to impress me, but he’s doing well. I’m not impressed because I see a lot of mistakes that show the difference between an excellent fighter and a championship-material.”
Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal exceeded the expectations of many when they headlined a boxing event at Honda Center, Anaheim, this weekend. The constant back and forth between the MMA veterans made for an entertaining fight, and rumors around their return to the UFC have already caught fire.
Diaz last fought in the UFC in September 2022, defeating Tony Ferguson via submission. He then fought Jake Paul in August 2023 but lost via decision. After beating Masvidal on the scorecards, he called out Paul and the top UFC welterweights, teasing a return to the promotion.
Tons of fans believed the Ferguson fight was a send-off for Diaz by the UFC. However, Chael Sonnen thinks that returning for another run is feasible for the Stockton native because, well, he’s not Ronda Rousey…
Chael Sonnen Lays Down The Plan For Nate Diaz To Fight Dustin Poirier In UFC Return
Sonnen discussed Diaz’s return to the UFC on his official YouTube channel recently. He started by giving context about UFC contracts and why a star like Rousey could never return properly after losing the belt.
“I maintain for you, one of the things that cost Ronda Rousey her career was not that she was falling down in the first round over and over, it was that her contract was so big, she had to be a main event and it had to be of a pay-per-view just to justify the numbers. And main events of pay-per-views were world title fights, which means as good as Ronda was, and she was very good. She was very good, we just found out how exceptional Amanda Nunes was.”
As per “The American Gangster”, athletes like Rousey get massive contracts that can only be justified with main-event or title fights. So, Rousey struggled to find a place in the UFC when she could no longer fare well against the top women fighters.
The former UFC title challenger then explained how things are different for Diaz. He usually fights in co-main or main events but has the star power to draw viewers without a belt. A great example is his latest boxing bout with Masvidal.
“Nate’s position is going to be different and it’s got to be done. In fact, Jon Anik, one of the Diaz boys’ biggest supporters, knows the same thing to be true that I just said, and has made his suggestion, which is Dustin Poirier. Bring Nate in, get him in there with Dustin, solves every possible problem.”
Sonnen claimed that Dana White intends to organize multiple fights whenever he gives fighters a contract. Diaz seems open to fighting several times upon his UFC return which could make negotiations easier.
“The American Gangster” believes Dustin Poirier, who is potentially looking for an intriguing retirement bout, to be Diaz’s best option upon returning to the Octagon. Amidst the optimism, he also cited that renegotiating a new UFC contract and then choosing your opponent can naturally get complicated.
Hence, Diaz, who’s already 39, might want to hit while the iron is still hot.
From being the youngest UFC champion in history to defending the belt 11 times consecutively and then going up to heavyweight and becoming champion in that division also, “Bones” has done it all.
The one issue that comes with arguing his case is whether or not you have to add a footnote to some of his wins because of several failed drug tests throughout his career.
There is some form of explanation for some of these, but not everyone is willing to accept these reasonings because of how often they’ve become talking points.
Joe Rogan References Lance Armstrong When Debating Whether Or Not Jon Jones Was Guilty Of Cheating
During a recent podcast episode, a former opponent of Jones’, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson appeared on the JRE MMA Show alongside UFC commentator Joe Rogan.
Jackson, like many fans, assumed that some of Jones’ career was up for debate because of the positive tests that he hadn’t looked into in lots of detail.
Rogan then explained what the issue is with some of these findings and why some still believe that the current heavyweight champion is in the clear.
“He did but the problem that he got popped with, there were so miniscule levels that it didn’t make sense.”
Jackson responded, stating that given the fact that the conversation began by talking about Alistair Overeem, his former opponent never appeared to give off signs of performance enhancing drugs from his appearance alone.
“He don’t look like somebody that does steroids.”
Rogan made the point of how some of the most famous examples of athletes using steroids or other drugs to cheat didn’t necessarily give it away just by looking at them, referencing Lance Armstrong who was stripped of his record-setting seven consecutive Tour de France victories.
“No he doesn’t… but neither did Lance Armstrong… he was doing testosterone, he was definitely doing that too. Those guys were doing a lot of s***.”
Leon Edwards isn’t short on challengers that are hoping to earn a shot at his UFC welterweight title.
The champion has already defended the belt twice, against Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, and now looks to add a third ruby to his 170-pound title when facing Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 later this month.
Despite having other potential candidates waiting in the wings, it also appears to be a matter of time before the champion in the weight class below looks to conquer a second division.
Edwards believes that with both he and Makhachev on similar paths, the fight is likely to take place.
Leon Edwards Says Islam Makhachev Just Beat His First Lightweight Contender At UFC 302
During a recent interview with talkSPORT MMA, Edwards made reference to the fact that Makhachev’s first two title defenses didn’t come against a lightweight contender.
Some may argue that his wins over the featherweight champion at the time, Alexander Volkanovski (who was also at the top of the pound-for-pound list), make his case for moving up and trying for a second belt even stronger.
Having given Volkanovski this opportunity on two occasions, Makhachev believes that he is due his chance to do the same.
However, despite believing that his submission win against Poirier was Makhachev’s first title defense against a contender in his division, Edwards did acknowledge that they will both be on the same amount of total defenses if he is able to get past Muhammad on July 27.
He believes that this will likely line them up for a champion versus champion clash at some point although he does also have his own intentions to move up a weight class during his championship reign.
“For sure, I feel like we’ve got work to do within the division. I feel like Islam just fought the first actual lightweight, he beat Volk, but this is the first actual lightweight he’s fought within the division. He’s on a three-defense streak, after I beat Belal, that’ll be my third as well so we’re both on similar paths. I can see that happening in the future. Also, I’d like to move up as well and challenge for the middleweight belt hopefully so whoever comes first.”
When Jon Jones made the decision to vacate the UFC light heavyweight title in order to take some time off before coming back at heavyweight, his former division was left in a strange place.
The title seemed to change hands constantly without a real dominant presence at the top, until Alex Pereira made the move up from middleweight.
Having conquered the 185-pound division before losing the title in a rematch with Israel Adesanya, he went on to do the same at 205.
Modestas Bukauskas Says Jon Jones Is Undeniable Despite Alex Pereira’s Achievements
In a recent interview with InsideFighting, UFC light heavyweight Modestas Bukauskas gave his thoughts on whether Pereira has done enough to overshadow Jones on the pound-for-pound list.
There has been a debate over the past several months about whether Jones or the lightweight champion Islam Makhachev should be considered the best on the planet, but after Pereira put on another dominant display at UFC 303, he has entered the conversation.
Bukauskas, who returns at UFC 304 against Marcin Prachnio, cites Pereira as a big inspiration and has briefly trained with Jones much earlier in his career.
He believes that despite his admiration for the impact that “Poatan” has had, the record books alone show why “Bones” is considered by many to be the greatest to ever do it.
“I mean if you’re talking about who’s probably the greatest of all time and what they’ve done in the sport, how could Jon Jones not be at the top of that list? Alex Pereira has obviously done a hell of a lot considering like in a short space of time but you know, Jon Jones has literally had about like 10 or 11 title defenses or something like that. When you’re defending the belt like that many times and now moved up to heavyweight and stuff like this, I mean you can’t really deny that. Although, what Alex has done has been amazing but I’d still put Jon Jones at the top of that list.”
Dricus Du Plessis recently said that he sensed Israel Adesanya was ready to hang up his gloves after avenging his loss to Alex Pereira, feeling as though he had accomplished everything he set out to achieve in the sport.
“Stillknocks” is set to defend his middleweight title for the first time against the former longtime champion, Adesanya, in the main event of UFC 305. The eagerly awaited clash is scheduled for August 17 at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.
“The Last Stylebender” is set to make his return to the Octagon after an 11-month hiatus, the longest of his UFC career. Following his title loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 last September, Adesanya took a self-imposed break to focus on his mental health.
The Nigerian-born Kiwi is currently enduring the toughest period of his career since his failed bid for the light heavyweight title against then-champion Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259. Three fights later, Adesanya suffered his first middleweight loss, a fifth-round TKO at the hands of longtime rival Alex Pereira at UFC 281.
However, he made a triumphant comeback by reclaiming the middleweight title from “Poatan” in a rematch at UFC 287, and Du Plessis believes this victory marks the peak of Adesanya’s career.
In a recent interview with Hello Sport, the reigning UFC middleweight champion reflected on his faceoff with Adesanya at the UFC 305 on-sale press conference. The South African expressed respect for “The Last Stylebender’s” achievements but sensed that Adesanya is pushing himself too hard for the upcoming fight.
“When it comes to the title defenses, the winning streaks will never come because he doesn’t have the time, Du Plessis said. “I think his biggest achievement for him personally was beating Alex Pereira. He had this nemesis who had beaten him multiple times, and after that fight, he [Adesanya] was ready to call it quits.
“That’s what I saw in his eyes as well. [He was] trying to convince me but more so trying to convince himself that he still wants to do this and that he still has what it takes to be the best fighter in the world and as soon as you ask yourself that question – you’re in a dark place.”
Adesanya and Pereira’s rivalry stands as one of the most intense and storied in combat sports history, with “Poatan” seemingly having shattered his opponent both physically and mentally – only to suffer a brutal knockout in their latest scrap.
The Brazilian defeated Adesanya twice in kickboxing, and the two have each claimed a victory each in their UFC showdowns.
Dricus Du Plessis Says Being At Peace Heading Into UFC 305 ‘Dangerous’ For Israel Adesanya
Adesanya previously stated that the layoff allowed him to regroup and alleviate the pressure of constantly fighting and enduring the demands of fight camps.
“The time off is not necessarily the problem; it can be good, but it can be bad… When you get to the position where you are so comfortable, where he said he’s at peace, he’s happy with what he has, and it’s a dangerous place to be at because this sport is chaos and chaos is the exact opposite of peace.
“If you’re at peace and you’re getting in the Octagon with me, it’s going to be a problem because I bring chaos.”
Du Plessis and Adesanya have a tumultuous history, with their fates intertwined long before their dramatic altercation at UFC 290 last July. Their rivalry dates back to when “The Last Stylebender” reigned as middleweight champion, and Du Plessis called him out, vowing to become a true African champion and bring the belt back to the continent.
During a recent podcast, former UFC champions Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman disagreed on whether this rematch taking place is a possibility.
Henry Cejudo & Kamaru Usman Debate Nate Diaz Walking Straight Into A UFC Title Shot
Cejudo believes that given the name value and attention that Diaz brings to the table, he could potentially step back into a title shot. He said on the Pound 4 Pound podcast that a rematch with Edwards could potentially happen if both sides wanted it.
“He called out Leon Edwards for the strap at 170-pounds, you don’t think Dana would give it to him? You don’t think Dana would give him that fight? Remember dude, the UFC is an entertainment company and if he’s able to bring those pay-per-view numbers and especially if a guy like Leon Edwards calls for the fight, he could potentially get it.”
Usman, interrupted his podcast co-host, passionately disagreeing with Cejudo on the options that are currently available to Diaz.
He used Cejudo’s own career as an example of why the Stockton fighter wouldn’t be able to jump right back in at the top in the UFC, despite his profile.
“Let’s get serious here Henry, what?! You think, ‘Oh yes I want to fight Leon Edwards’ and he just jumps in and he gets a title shot? Are you serious? Come on Henry. Henry you were two-division champion and you came back and you fought Merab so basically, you had to earn the shot at Sean O’Malley. So you’re saying that he should just definitely come in and get it just because he has numbers?”
Usman also countered the point made by Cejudo regarding the narrative of the fight between Edwards and Diaz that went down in 2021.
Despite dominating the fight, the Brit had to face some adversity in the final moments of the contest after being caught clean by his opponent.
Usman does not believe that this one aspect is enough for a rematch to make sense between them at this stage in both men’s careers.
“He landed it, it was an incredible punch but that does not warrant him all because of that. He had one moment in the fight, we’re going to give him a title shot just because… get serious bro!”
