MMA News

Category: UFC

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

  • Tyson Fury Plans 2022 Retirement, Still Eyes Ngannou Fight

    Heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury plans to hang up the gloves after his upcoming fight against Dillian Whyte in London.

    Fury is coming off of back-to-back wins over Deontay Wilder and won the rubber match of their trilogy last October. Despite some rumblings regarding a potential crossover fight against UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, the WBC required that he negotiate a fight with Whyte.

    Fury’s tenure in the boxing ring is well documented. After battling issues with his mental health, he returned to defeat Sefer Seferi before eventually earning the WBO inter-continental heavyweight belt against Tom Schwarz.

    During a recent interview with MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, he stated that he plans to call it quits following the Whyte fight.

    “This is the final countdown of ‘The Gypsy King.’ Hollywood awaits,” Fury said. “This is my retirement fight. 100,000 people at Wembley, all British world title fight. Return of the Mack after four years to the U.K. This is it, going out on a high. Retiring on top. Two-time world heavyweight champion and I’ll have made eight defenses of the lineal championship. Never to lose a fight. To go down as only the second heavyweight in history to retire unbeaten. Me and Rocky Marciano.” (h/t MMA Fighting)

    Fury went on to clarify that while he plans on retiring from professional boxing, a crossover fight with Ngannou is still in the cards.

    “I don’t count that as a real boxing fight. That’s not a boxing fight. That’s gonna be a ‘special’ fight. That will be in a cage in four-ounce gloves, in Las Vegas, at the Raiders Stadium….

    “I will have retired from competitive, championship boxing and I’ll be ready to do the crossover fights completely. He won’t be the UFC heavyweight champion anymore, I won’t be the WBC heavyweight champion anymore, but I will still be the lineal heavyweight champion because they can’t take that from me!”

    Fury and Ngannou have gone back-and-forth on social media for months, and a matchup between them seems imminent. Ngannou will miss a chunk of 2022 after undergoing knee surgery.

    If Fury is planning on retiring following the fight with Whyte, he’ll go down as arguably one of the best heavyweights in boxing history.

    Do you think Tyson Fury will retire after fighting Dillian Whyte?

  • Cain Velasquez Faces 20 Years To Life In Prison For DA Charges

    If found guilty, Cain Velasquez will serve 20 years to life in prison on charges the District Attorney is filing against him.

    On Monday, Velasquez was arrested by Morgan Hill Police in San Jose, California for the alleged shooting of a 63-year-old male.

    Reportedly, Velasquez intended to shoot 43-year-old Harry Eugene Goularte, who is accused of molesting an underage relative of Velasquez.

    Mugshot of Harry Eugene Goularte

    It is also reported that Goularte was arrested for lewd acts against a 4-year-old child, but was released from police custody after his arraignment on February 25.

    Prosecutors say Velasquez participated in a high-speed chase that went on for 11 miles. It resulted in a non-fatal shooting, where a single shot caught one person in the car.

    The alleged victim, a relative of Goularte, is currently in the hospital expected to make a recovery.

    The Charges Against Velasquez

    The DA has filed multiple charges against Velazquez including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a firearm, shooting at a motor vehicle, willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle.

    Regarding the charges against Velasquez, District Attorney Jeff Rosa made this statement at a press release:

    “The sad tragedy is that Mr. Velasquez chose to take the law into his own hands, endangering the public and everyone in the truck,” district attorney Jeff Rosen said in a press release announcing the charges. “This act of violence also causes more pain and suffering to his family.” (h/t MMA Fighting)

    Cain Velasquez is currently awaiting arraignment, which was originally scheduled for today but pushed back to next week.

    Cain Velasquez and His Family
    Cain Velasquez and His Family

    The UFC witnessed a lot of greatness from Cain Velasquez. He was a two-time heavyweight champion and suffered only three losses in his 17 fights with the promotion.

    He parted ways with the UFC after a loss to the current Heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou back in 2019. Now, he is a professional wrestler in Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide after a brief stint in the WWE.

    Stay tuned with MMA News for more updates on the Cain Velasquez story.

  • Joe Rogan Will Return To Fight Commentary At UFC 272

    UFC President Dana White has confirmed that Joe Rogan will return to commentate on the upcoming pay-per-view at UFC 272.

    Rogan was absent from the UFC 271 commentary team for reasons that are still unclear. After it was originally reported by some outlets as a scheduling conflict, White later shut down those rumors and said that Rogan chose not to work.

    White announced Rogan’s return to the desk during a recent sitdown with Barstool Sports.

    “Yeah, he’ll be here,” White said. “[Rogan is] on this week, [Daniel] Cormier’s off.” (h/t MMA Fighting)

    Rogan will make his return to the broadcast alongside play-by-play broadcaster Jon Anik and former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping.

    Rogan has been under fire over the past few months for allegedly spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines and also after a racial-slur-filled compilation went viral. In the compilation of a series of past podcast episodes, Rogan can be heard using the ‘n-word’ without context.

    Despite being absent from UFC 271, Rogan’s presence was still felt by the fans. Chants of “Free Joe Rogan” were prevalent throughout the fight card.

    Cormier will miss this weekend’s pay-per-view due to the recent death of his mother, as he announced earlier this week.

    UFC 272 will be headlined by a welterweight grudge match between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington, two fighters who Rogan has praised many times in the past.

    What is your reaction to Joe Rogan returning for UFC 272?

  • Dana White Reveals What Covington Must Do To Earn Shot At Adesanya

    UFC President Dana White has shut down the idea of welterweight contender Colby Covington moving up and immediately challenging for Israel Adesanya’s middleweight title.

    With two valiant performances against reigning 170-pound king Kamaru Usman, Covington has cemented his place as the second-best welterweight in the UFC in the eyes of many.

    But having fallen short against the titleholder twice since 2019, the former interim champion’s path to the top looks to be blocked by a large Nigerian hurdle for as long as the divisional status quo remains.

    With that in mind, “Chaos” has hinted towards a potential pursuit of gold in a different weight class. Having announced his intention to chase champ-champ status following his UFC 268 clash with Usman last November, Covington continued his callouts of “The Last Stylebender” following his defeat.

    Now, as he approaches a long-awaited grudge match against bitter rival Jorge Masvidal, Covington has once again had the middleweight kingpin’s name on his lips. And with the controversial welterweight’s feud and remarks towards Adesanya’s compatriot Usman during their saga, the backstory would certainly write itself.

    But while Covington is hoping to put an emphatic end to his rivalry with former teammate and friend Masvidal and advance towards a meeting in the Octagon with Adesanya, the UFC president isn’t so keen.

    During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, White revealed what “Chaos” would have to do to enter the title conversation at 185 pounds, and it’s likely more than Covington would have been hoping for…

    “I mean, Colby would have to go up and beat [Jared] Cannonier or [Robert] Whittaker or somebody like that to even be in the discussion with a fight with Adesanya.” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    Covington Has To Get Past Masvidal First

    Before setting his sights on Adesanya, another middleweight contender, or anyone else at 170 pounds for that matter, Covington has a stiff test in front of him this weekend in the form of “Gamebred.”

    In the UFC 272 main event, scheduled for this Saturday, March 5, in Las Vegas, two former friends, roommates, and teammates at ATT will collide, and will certainly bring an intense level of animosity into the cage with them.

    While their non-title fight headlines the UFC’s third pay-per-view of 2022, the likes of Edson Barboza, Bryce Mitchell, Kevin Holland, and Marina Rodriguez will also be in action.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CahnVsRrfXi/?utm_source=ig_embed

    While Masvidal will be hoping to rebound from consecutive losses to Usman and potentially return to contention, Covington will put his place as the #1 welterweight on the line and look to keep his hopes of a middleweight title shot alive.

    Would you like to see Colby Covington challenge for Israel Adesanya’s middleweight title down the line?

  • ATT Founder Backs Covington Over Masvidal In Origin Of Bad Guy Story

    American Top Team (ATT) founder Dan Lambert has recalled the moment that led to welterweight star Colby Covington chasing his persona, seemingly confirming a story that Jorge Masvidal recently disputed.

    This weekend, Covington will lock horns with former friend and teammate Masvidal. In the lead-up to the fight, insults have been thrown and animosity has been high, something that will likely become more and more prominent as fight week rolls on.

    But this hasn’t always been Covington.

    One night changed it all—that night being UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Machida in October 2017. The event, held in São Paulo, Brazil, saw Covington make his ninth walk to the Octagon. But despite boasting a 7-1 promotional record and being on a four-fight win streak, “Chaos” was apparently facing the chopping block.

    He altered his future with a collection of words that included: Brazil, dump, filthy, and animals.

    Whether it was confirmed by Covington’s respectful interaction with Kamaru Usman following UFC 268 or long before, most in the MMA community acknowledge that Covington has developed a character that has brought him attention and headlines.

    According to the founder of his former gym, ATT, which Covington was a part of until his first loss to Usman, it was either the character or free agency.

    Lambert Says He Was Warned About Covington’s Likely Cut

    During a recent interview with ESPN MMA’s Marc Raimondi, Lambert, who established ATT in 2001, harked back to the moment that forced Covington to change. According to him, that moment came in Singapore on June 17, 2017. On that night, “Chaos” comfortably defeated Dong Hyun Kim on the scorecards.

    But while he left Asia with a victory over “Stun Gun” on his record, Covington also apparently left with a word of warning from matchmaker Sean Shelby, who’d alerted Lambert that the promotion wouldn’t look to re-sign the stylistically unappealing Covington following his next fight.

    “Colby was a little bit of a problem for the UFC. Kinda like that Jon Fitch issue. He’s a guy who is going to beat just about everybody that he fights, but his style was not very exciting at the time,” said Lambert. “Case in point, he was fighting ‘Stun Gun’ in Singapore, who was obviously the favorite of the crowd, and he (Covington) went out and basically 30-26’d him. The crowd’s booing the whole time, which, for a crowd over there, is fairly rare; they’re a pretty respectful crowd. But it was not a very eventful fight.

    “After the fight, Sean (Shelby) came up to me and basically said, ‘Hey man, he’s got one fight left on his contract. He’s beating guys we want to promote. Fans aren’t getting into him. If you wanna start looking for something else for him to do after his next fight, go ahead, cause we’re not gonna re-sign him,’” Lambert recalled.

    Following that conversation, Lambert says he was quick to relay the message to his man, who began developing ideas on how to rescue his spot on the UFC roster.

    “I went right to him in the locker room that night, right after I talked to Sean. I said, ‘Hey man, here’s what Sean told me. Obviously, we’re not gonna be able to change things overnight with the way you fight; your style is your style. But there’s other things you might be able to change.’ And I asked Sean if he could fight Demian Maia next in Brazil and he said yes,” continued Lambert. “That was a wake-up call. That was a slap to the face from Sean. Pretty Much that night he started thinking, ‘What can I do to set myself apart?”

    Jorge Masvidal
    Jorge Masvidal (Photo: Simon Cooper/PA Images)

    Interestingly, Lambert’s narration supports Covington’s claim and directly goes against Masvidal. “Gamebred” recently accused his upcoming opponent of lying about the UFC’s threats to cut him.

    Given that Masvidal was in Singapore to corner Covington for his fight against Kim, it is strange that Lambert and Masvidal have different versions of the same story. Either way, this is a contradiction between the two ATT allies that not many would have expected.

    What do you make of the alterations Colby Covington has made to his persona since his 2017 victory over Dong Hyun Kim? Has he gone too far?

  • Masvidal Recounts The Time Covington Snitched On Him To Dana White

    The grudge between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington gets deeper as Masvidal recalls the night his opponent allegedly snitched on him at a UFC event.

    Ahead of UFC 272, Masvidal and Covington continue to bring up old memories to fuel their rivalry. Masvidal denies their former friendship and has revealed alleged details of their past that place Covington under a negative spotlight.

    The BMF champion highly anticipates putting an end to Covington’s confidence this Saturday, March 5. Every week, he reminds UFC fans that he will destroy Covington, and there has been a huge lead-up as to why.

    Recently, in an interview with ESPN, Masvidal went into detail about a confrontation that took place on the night of UFC 241.

    “I was at (UFC 241), and guess who I see there? Colby. And I haven’t seen him in months because he’s been traveling, I’ve been at the gym, I’ve been in and out of the gym, so we weren’t really clicking. So I finally see him and he just dropped (an) interview. And I just tapped him on the shoulder and he’s immediately nervous. Actually, this is on video. They have this on video. And I asked him, ‘Oh, what’s all that [MUTED] you’ve been talking? But we’re both men, man. You got my phone number. Why don’t we go outside and just talk like men? And he freaked out. He was like, “No, bro, you’re trying to fight, bro?! You’re so unprofessional, bro! We’re grown-ass men! What are you doing?! What’s wrong with you?!’”

    Masvidal/Covington Face-Off Takes A Sudden Turn

    Dana White
    Dana White, Image Credit: MMA Fighting

    That night, Masvidal says his intentions were to speak to Covington about certain posts on social media that pertained to him. Before long, the UFC boss got involved.

    “I’m like, ‘Let’s go outside and just talk, leave everybody here. Just go outside and talk.’ He’s like, ‘No, we’ll talk another day,’ freakin’ out like his usual self. I go back to my seat. I see him waving down Dana White. And I go, “Nah, there’s no way.’

    “You can ask Dana White this…waves down Dana White and tells Dana White that I’m trying to fight him right there on sight. But this guy’s talking all this [MUTED] on the internet, that he’s a thug. Dana White’ll come out and tell you. Like, ‘Man, Masvidal was ready to go. This guy wanted no part of it,’” Masvidal continued.

    “Dana White calls me over, he’s like, ‘Man, you trying to hand out three-pieces and a soda, Masvidal?! <Dana White laugh> No, but seriously, don’t [MUTED] fight here at the event.’ I’m like, ‘Bro, all I wanted to do was talk to the guy outside, bro. Now, he’s made it a problem by [MUTED] going to you…(he’s) snitching on me, you know?”

    It goes without saying, but Masvidal is not amused by fighters disrespecting him. For instance, Nate Diaz is also on his list of future beatdowns for talking trash about him on the internet.

    Whether snitching is worse than trash talk or not, Masvidal was not pleased by Covington’s actions.

    UFC 272 is just a few days away, and the potential for this to be the most hate-fueled match of the year keeps growing.

    Masvidal appears to have a plethora of reasons for his dislike toward Covington and will use every bit of it to motivate his punches in the cage.

    What are your thoughts on Colby Covington allegedly snitching on Jorge Masvidal to Dana White?

  • Usman: Covington Doesn’t Have Big Grappling Advantage Over Masvidal

    UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman doesn’t believe Colby Covington will have an overwhelming grappling advantage against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272 this weekend.

    Ahead of Saturday’s main event, not many are better placed to provide a prediction and breakdown of the contest than Usman, a fighter who’s spent nearly 50 minutes in the Octagon with Covington and over half an hour in the cage with Masvidal.

    Leading into the clash between “Chaos” and “Gamebred,” many are expecting the former to boast a considerable edge in the grappling and wrestling department. But despite securing five takedowns and managing over 10 minutes of control time in his first meeting with Masvidal, Usman believes the Miami native can hold his own.

    Usman: Masvidal’s Grappling Shocked Me

    During a recent interview with Megan Olivi for ESPN MMA, Usman was asked whether he expects Covington to utilize an “overwhelming” grappling advantage inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night.

    “The Nigerian Nightmare” responded by suggesting Masvidal’s ability to return to his feet was surprising to him and leads him to believe any advantage in that realm for Covington won’t be substantial.

    “No, I don’t think so. I think the thing that Jorge does very well is his ability to get back up,” said Usman. “And I was actually shocked in my fight with him because I am more of a control guy, and so his ability to get back up a few times let me know that this is something that he’s done for a long, long time. I think Covington understands that as well.”

    With that in mind, the reigning welterweight titleholder expects Covington to plan accordingly. Rather than push for top control on the ground, Usman expects the former interim champion to employ a grueling approach that will have the aim of fatiguing Masvidal.

    “I don’t think that’s Covington’s plan. I don’t think his plan is to hold him down. I think his plan is to drag him down, make him get back up, and drag him back down; make him get up and drag him back down. Eventually, wear him out,” Usman concluded.

    With high praise from the 170-pound king, Masvidal will likely have the chance to prove Usman right and display his grappling this weekend when he goes face-to-face with his former friend, roommate, and teammate.

    While some have branded it a classic striker vs. grappler contest, Covington’s displays on the feet against Usman and Masvidal’s ability to avoid ground control means the clash has many more dimensions to it.

    Do you agree with Kamaru Usman’s take on Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal’s grappling?

  • Bryce Mitchell: I Don’t Try To Out-Smart People, I Out-Stupid Them

    UFC featherweight contender Bryce Mitchell has revealed how he attempts to get the better of other individuals during interactions and altercations.

    Mitchell is certainly an interesting character. While the likes of Colby Covington and Sean Strickland have become known for making headlines with their controversial statements, it was “Thug Nasty” who stole the limelight with his recent remarks on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani.

    https://twitter.com/AceBoxingMMA/status/1495850564466454531

    Among other things, Mitchell claimed the 2020 Presidential Election was rigged, said the 2017 Las Vegas shooting was an inside job, accused the government of attempting control through inflation, and suggested health care is not a “right.”

    Given the controversial nature of the opinions he gave, it was unsurprising to see a portion of the MMA fanbase speak out against the rising featherweight. However, Mitchell won’t be concerned about any altercations or challenges, because he believes he has the perfect way to emerge victorious in every exchange: act stupid.

    During an interview with UFC play-by-play commentator Brendan Fitzgerald, which took place a few weeks prior to his appearance on The MMA Hour, Mitchell discussed the perception that people have towards the intelligence of “Thug Nasty” and his fellow Arkansas natives.

    “People look at that stat (Arkansas poverty) and look at that stuff, and they think because of the poverty they’re gonna be stupid,” said Mitchell. “Now, I would have to beg to differ. Because of the poverty, you’re gonna be really smart. You’re gonna learn to be efficient. I tell you what, you can look at it as an advantage… People look at a statistic about where I’m from and will naturally assume, ‘Oh, poverty—they’re stupid.’ That’s a great advantage for you.”

    Harnessing that advantage, Mitchell believes the best tactic is to play along with what he perceives to be a misconception. Revealing his “secrets,” the #11-ranked UFC 145lber claimed the best way to handle altercations is to out-stupid the other side, rather than out-smart them.

    “I’m giving away all my secrets, brother. Let me tell you this. Real easy trick for you, and I’ll just let you know this and you can use this anytime, and I guarantee you it’ll work. If you’re in any type of negotiation or something, some type of altercation, act stupid,” suggested Mitchell. “Don’t be the guy that acts smart; be the guy that acts stupid, like you kinda don’t know what’s going on and you’re kinda just—act slow, act stupid, even talk slow.

    “You wanna see, ‘How does this guy treat a dumb man?’ A dude who he can completely take advantage of. You wanna see if they completely take advantage. You wanna see how this person really is,” continued Mitchell. “So don’t try to out-smart somebody, out-stupid them… If you’re gonna out-stupid somebody in a conversation, which I’ve done, you take them in circles and boy you keep that conversation so damn stupid they don’t even know what’s going on.”

    Mitchell Targets Rise Up FW Ladder At UFC 272

    While his beliefs and recent comments have no doubt divided opinion, Mitchell has certainly drawn more attention to himself ahead of his return to action.

    Having not entered the cage since a 2020 decision win against Andre Fili, Mitchell will hope to pick up where he left off when he shares the cage with top-10 featherweight Edson Barboza. The pair are set to collide on the main card of this weekend’s UFC 272 pay-per-view.

    While the Brazilian will be looking to rebound from his loss to Giga Chiakdze last year and prove he still has what it takes to compete towards the top of the ladder, Mitchell will hope to add an established name to his record and move closer towards title contention.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZHwUXALaMl/

    What do you make of Bryce Mitchell’s “act stupid” advice?

  • McGregor Takes On Poirier & Diaz In 3-Way Twitter Exchange

    UFC stars Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier, and Nate Diaz have come together in a three-way Twitter exchange.

    McGregor has never shied away from insulting and interacting with other fighters on social media. That’s been the case even as his form in the Octagon has dipped. Today, the Irishman found himself battling two former opponents.

    The back and forth began when Diaz, who defeated McGregor at UFC 196 and fell on the wrong side of a decision to the former two-division champion at UFC 202, reacted to a recent Dana White interview. In it, the UFC President suggested a third battle between the two superstars is inevitable.

    Sharing the video on Twitter, the Stockton native claimed McGregor has to “prove” himself again before earning a trilogy fight.

    “Conor’s gonna have to get him some wins and prove he’s not so fragile first ..”

    As expected, the former lightweight and featherweight kingpin responded. McGregor once again mocked Diaz for a knockdown that occurred in the pair’s rematch, linking back to a clip of it he posted last month.

    Also, as expected, the Dubliner’s posts were quickly deleted.

    Conor McGregor tweet
    Conor McGregor tweet (Image Credit: @1_mma_w on Twitter)

    “Bounce them titties for the dollar”

    Given the number of enemies he’s made across his career, it’s perhaps never surprising to see McGregor up against more than one individual. That was no different today.

    Poirier Comes To Diaz’s Aid Against McGregor

    Waiting in the wings to provide support for Diaz, not that he can’t hold his own in online spats, was Poirier, another of McGregor’s rivals. While the Irishman’s feud with Diaz sits at one win apiece, he’s behind against “The Diamond” after back-to-back defeats in 2021.

    Responding to McGregor’s clip, Poirier reminded his foe that Diaz isn’t the only man in the conversation who’s been sent to the canvas. The former interim lightweight titleholder posted a zoomed in video of his memorable knockout of McGregor at UFC 257 last January.

    https://twitter.com/DustinPoirier/status/1499048260392173573

    Turning the attention away from his defeats to Poirier, McGregor hit back by mentioning the Louisianan’s own setback in 2021.

    Following consecutive victories over McGregor, Poirier hoped to end his year with a title crowning. Instead, he was submitted by Charles Oliveira in the main event of UFC 269, marking his second failed attempt at capturing undisputed gold.

    With his response, McGregor appeared to remind Poirier of the result, whilst also utilizing Tyson Fury’s trademark “bum” insult.

    Conor McGregor tweet
    Conor McGregor tweet (Image Credit: @UFCFanBoy50 on Twitter)

    “You blew it you bum.”

    Diverting the focus back to his own victories over McGregor, Poirier suggested the “it” in the Irishman’s response referred to his own in-cage career following two setbacks in just six months to “The Diamond.”

    “‘It’ meaning your fighting career”

    While Poirier and Diaz have been going back and forth themselves about a potential meeting in the cage, they’ll undoubtedly always have time to interact with their former rival when the opportunity arises.

    Diaz or Poirier are possible opponents for the Conor McGregor next fight.

    Which side got the better of this exchange, Conor McGregor or Dustin Poirier and Nate Diaz?

  • Dana White On Makhachev’s Claim To Title Shot: Let’s Not Forget Dariush

    While Islam Makhachev is expecting to fight for gold when he next enters the Octagon, UFC President Dana White has reminded the Dagestani that he’s not without competition.

    Since the retirement of Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev has quickly risen to fill the Russian void left at the top of the division. With dominant victories over Drew Dober, Thiago Moisés, and Dan Hooker in 2021, the 30-year-old extended his win streak to nine and entered 2022 inside the top five.

    In his first appearance of this year, a main event triumph over Bobby Green last weekend, Makhachev made it 10 straight wins and rose to #3 at 155 pounds.

    Makhachev’s first-round victory at UFC Vegas 49 saw him rise above Beneil Dariush on the lightweight ladder. The AKA product was initially scheduled to face the Iranian-American in the February 26 headliner, but a broken fibula forced the 32-year-old to withdraw.

    While Makhachev has added another name to his record’s win column and now has his sights set on the belt, the UFC president doesn’t believe the title picture is as clear-cut as the Dagestani and his camp believe.

    Following Makhachev’s victory, his compatriot and mentor Khabib gave some insight into the UFC’s future plans. According to “The Eagle,” White revealed the promotion is targeting a Makhachev title shot in Abu Dhabi later this year.

    Now, in an interview with TMZ Sports, White has suggested nothing is set in stone and reminded Makhachev of the presence of Dariush, who is on an impressive win streak of his own.

    “He’s (Makhachev) obviously in the discussion but let’s not forget Beneil,” reminded White. “Beneil is still around too, you know. He’s ranked number three [now four] in the world right now, so we’ll see what happens.” (h/t Sportskeeda)

    White Still Wants To See Makhachev vs. Dariush

    While there’s no timeframe known for Dariush’s injury, it was recently revealed that the #4-ranked contender will likely be able to avoid surgery on his damaged leg.

    With a fight between Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje set to represent the next championship fight in the division at UFC 274 in May, it appears there’s plenty of time for the 32-year-old to recover before the titleholder would be ready to defend his belt later in the year. That’s led many to suggest Dariush and Makhachev could have their title eliminator re-arranged.

    During an interview with Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole, White admitted he still wants to see the pair of elite 155lbers share the Octagon. If that doesn’t come to fruition and Makhachev does get the next shot, he expects Dariush to be close behind in the queue.

    “I would still like to see Islam vs. Beneil. I’d still like to see that fight. Or, he fights the winner of Justin (Gaethje) and Charles (Oliveira), and Beneil is the first challenger to the title (after),” suggested White.

    How do you think the lightweight title picture should play out for the rest of 2022?

  • Jorge Masvidal Shares Video Of Friendship Timeline With Covington

    UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal has shared a video compilation of his past friendship with Colby Covington ahead of their grudge match.

    Masvidal and Covington will cap off the rise and fall of their friendship in the UFC 272 main event. The two top welterweight contenders are vying for another potential title shot with a victory.

    Bad blood has boiled over during fight week, even before their highly-anticipated pre-fight press conference. The two welterweights also verbally sparred in a recent joint interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.

    Masvidal and Covington used to be great friends and loyal teammates during their time together at American Top Team in Florida. However, things fell off in recent years after Covington allegedly failed to pay one of Masvidal’s coaches after a fight.

    The past friendship between Masvidal and Covington is arguably the biggest storyline of UFC 272 fight week. Amidst the massive interest ahead of the pay-per-view, Masvidal posted a video compilation on his YouTube channel describing the highs and lows of their previous friendship.

    The video shows the two former ATT teammates and roommates playing video games, training together, sprinting down a hallway, and doing other activities. Masvidal and Covington also are seen praising one another for their successes in the Octagon.

    The second half of the video shows where things went wrong between Masvidal and Covington. It demonstrates Covington’s shift as a heel in and out of the cage along with a past interview that Masvidal conducts with MMA journalist Ariel Helwani.

    Masvidal and Covington will now slug it out this weekend at UFC 272. In what is expected to be one of the biggest fights of 2022, no love remains between these two brawlers.

    What is your prediction for Jorge Masvidal vs. Colby Covington?

  • Covington Claims Jędrzejczyk’s Beef With Him Stems From DM Rejection

    Colby Covington says he knows why Joanna Jędrzejczyk does not take kindly to him, and it is because he rejected her advances years ago.

    Colby Covington and Joanna Jędrzejczyk are two individuals who have very strong, alpha personalities. They aren’t afraid to say what is on their minds, even if it isn’t necessarily the popular thing to say at a given moment.

    At one point, another thing they had in common is that they shared the same gym of American Top Team (ATT). Today, Jędrzejczyk continues to train out of ATT, but Covington parted ways with the gym when his feud with Masvidal became unmanageable.

    While Covington was still at ATT, he and Jędrzejczyk butted heads, and the two have exchanged some shots since his exit as well.

    Covington Claims He Rejected Jędrzejczyk’s Advances

    In a recent interview with ESPN, Jorge Masvidal wondered why Covington would be talking trash about a woman at all, especially since there is no chance of the two ever fighting and generating money inside the Octagon.

    Now, in his own sit-down interview with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Covington is addressing why he’s been critical of Jędrzejczyk while attributing her animosity towards him as being rooted in a woman scorned.

    “No journalist out there can go look at the timeline of events of who started running their mouth first,” Covington began. “I never said nothing to Joanna. I never said nothing to Dustin [Poirier]. They started getting jealous of my success and that I was rising up.

    “And they’re such egomaniacs, they didn’t like that someone was next to them in the gym that was on that same level in the UFC. So they started trashing me in the media. ‘Oh, [BLEEP] Colby and his antics! Oh, he’s a piece of [BLEEP] person! Dirtbag, blah, blah!’ OK, yeah, you wanna say things about me? Don’t think I’m not gonna say the truth right back to you.

    ATT Welcomes Joanna Jedrzejczyk! - American Top Team
    Joanna Jędrzejczyk

    “So of course, I’m gonna come back at “The Boobie Woman” Joanna. You’re talking [BLEEP] about me before I’m getting ready for a title fight. I’ve never said one thing about you. I don’t care about you. You used to send me DMs after training, wanting to flirt with me and go out on dates. Just because I didn’t give you attention, Joanna, don’t get mad at me and talk [BLEEP].”

    This is not the first time Covington has made claims about his dating life intertwining with his professional life. Last year, he said that he had sexual relations with UFC strawweight Polyana Viana, a claim the Brazilian described as “revolting.”

    Regarding Jędrzejczyk, if Covington is to be believed, then it was him who found the thought of extracurricular activities with a colleague to be “revolting.” Should Covington’s remarks reach “The Boogeywoman,” a response could soon follow.

    One thing for certain is that Jędrzejczyk will be cheering on Jorge Masvidal this Saturday when he takes to the Octagon with “ATT on his back” into his grudge match against the man who many team members consider persona non grata around the reputable gym.

    What are your thoughts on Colby Covington’s comments about Joanna Jędrzejczyk?

  • Dana White On McGregor/Diaz 3: “I’d Be Shocked If It Didn’t Happen”

    UFC President Dana White feels as optimistic as ever about a Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz trilogy happening down the line.

    McGregor is expected to return in 2022 following his nasty leg break against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. There are a few potential opponents for his return, including Michael Chandler and even lightweight champ Charles Oliveira.

    Diaz appears set to face Poirier in a grudge match later this year, although negotiations are still ongoing. He hasn’t fought since his loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 263.

    Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz
    Credit: Getty Images

    McGregor and Diaz last competed against one another at UFC 202, with McGregor earning a majority decision win. Diaz won their first matchup on short notice at UFC 196.

    McGregor and Diaz voiced their interest in a trilogy directly following their last matchup. But, Diaz has hinted that McGregor will need to be triumphant in his return to deserve a third fight with him.

    During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, White spoke about whether or not talks of the McGregor/Diaz trilogy are dead.

    “We’re still working on that fight, that fight’s not done yet,” White said of Diaz vs. Poirier. “But yeah, I wouldn’t count out Conor-Nate 3. Listen, I’d be shocked if that fight didn’t happen again. [Conor’s] chomping at the bit to come back. Realistically, when you look at everything [Conor] has going on right now with coming back and other things he needs to do to prepare again, it’s looking like early fall [for his return].”

    White has also teased a potential title fight for McGregor upon his return, although he alluded to a few different things happening before that becomes a possibility. McGregor has claimed that he’ll get the title shot in his first fight back from his injury.

    McGregor and Diaz are two of the biggest stars in UFC history, and the third fight between them figures to be arguably the biggest event to make going forward.

    We recently wrote about possible opponents for the Conor McGregor’s next fight.

    Do you think Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz 3 will happen?

  • Usman: Masvidal Has The Tools To Steal Covington Fight

    UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman has given his take on the upcoming UFC 272 main event between his former opponents Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington.

    Following blockbuster 2022 headliners at UFC 270 and 271, which saw a heavyweight unification showdown in California and a long-awaited middleweight rematch in Houston, Las Vegas is set to play host to the year’s first non-title pay-per-view main event.

    At the top of the UFC 272 card, set for this Saturday, March 5, will be two former friends and teammates-turned-bitter rivals who appear to boast as much bad blood between them as any feud in the UFC right now.

    Heading into this weekend’s welterweight collision, many have understandably branded the headliner a classic grappler vs. striker contest. One man who’s faced the different attacks of both Masvidal and Covington is Usman.

    Having defeated both men twice, “The Nigerian Nightmare” is in a unique position to provide analysis and a breakdown of the third PPV main event of the year. He did just that while on desk duty at UFC Vegas 49 this past weekend.

    Discussing Masvidal’s skills, Usman suggested “Gamebred” has all the tools to battle Covington’s imposing wrestling game and land damaging shots on the feet.

    “I think he (Masvidal) can potentially win this fight because one thing about Masvidal is he’s one of the only guys who is, in his stance, he’s so tall in his stance,” said Usman. “But he’s able to defend takedowns from some of the best wrestlers. He’s very, very good; his striking is so relaxed and so fast, and if he’s able to touch you, it might not feel as hard, but he can touch that button and shut the lights out.

    “Being able to run across the Octagon in five seconds and land a knee like that (against Ben Askren) just shows the different level of athleticism,” Usman continued. “He’s an athlete, he’s a skilled striker, he’s a skilled fighter, and he definitely has the tools to be able to land that shot to steal this fight away from Covington.”

    Usman: Masvidal Won’t Be As Easy To Take Down As Covington Thinks

    The leading narrative heading into UFC 272 fight week is the history between the two headliners. Having trained together, cornered each other, and lived with one another, Masvidal and Covington head into their grudge match with perhaps more information than they’ve ever had on an opponent.

    But despite that, Usman believes both may be underestimating each other’s growth since their unceremonious split.

    The reigning welterweight king suggested Masvidal will be a lot harder to take down than Covington will be anticipating, a sentiment he believes also applies across the cage to Masvidal’s standup expectations.

    “One thing I will say is I think in this fight, Colby’s going to realize that it’s harder to take Masvidal down in an actual fight than when they were in practice,” Usman suggested. “I know in his mind, he’s gonna expect it to be like it was when they practiced. But they spent some time apart now, and I think he’s gonna realize it’s a lot harder to take him down in a fight than it is in practice.

    “And Masvidal, on the flip side, he’s gonna realize that it’s a lot harder to strike with this guy now than back when I was beating him up when he first came into the sport,” concluded Usman.

    Jorge Masvidal Colby Covington
    Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington

    While predictions may be split and the result up in the air, one thing is certain as we enter fight week: We’re set for an animosity-fueled and hostile pre-fight build. For those set to attend the press conference on Thursday, that’s undoubtedly a mouth-watering prospect.

    Who do you think will have their hand raised in the UFC 272 main event, Colby Covington or Jorge Masvidal?

  • Valentina Shevchenko Vs. Taila Santos In The Works For UFC 275

    UFC Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko will make her next title defense against Taila Santos at UFC 275 on June 11.

    The news of the booking was first reported by MMA Fighting.

    Shevchenko is coming off another dominant win over Lauren Murphy at UFC 266. She has won eight straight fights and earned six straight successful title defenses.

    Shevchenko earned the title by defeating Joanna Jędrzejczyk for the vacant title at UFC 231. She earned a unanimous decision victory and followed it up with wins over Jessica Eye, Liz Carmouche, and Katlyn Chookagian.

    One of Shevchenko’s few tests as the flyweight champion came against Jennifer Maia at UFC 255. It was a back-and-forth battle with Shevchenko winning the fight based on activity.

    It was also announced today that Maia is scheduled to face Manon Fiorot at a UFC Fight Night event on March 26 on the promotion’s Columbus, OH card.

    TAILA SANTOS SET FOR UFC RETURN - MTK Global
    Taila Santos

    Santos will look to provide the toughest test of Shevchenko’s flyweight reign. A winner of four-straight bouts, she most recently earned a nasty first-round submission victory over Joanne Wood last November.

    Santos has also earned lopsided victories over the likes of Molly McCann and Gillian Robertson.

    Shevchenko had previously been interested in a trilogy bout with Amanda Nunes before Nunes lost in shocking fashion to Julianna Pena at UFC 269. Nunes will face Peña in a bantamweight title rematch later this year after coaching The Ultimate Fighter together.

    UFC 275 is scheduled to be headlined by a UFC light heavyweight title bout between Glover Teixeira and Jiří Procházk.

    Shevchenko has a win over the current bantamweight champion Peña and could face her in a rematch down the line. But Shevchenko will have to get past another tough test at flyweight before any talk of fighting at different weight classes resumes.

    Do you think Taila Santos could give Valentina Shevchenko a challenge?

  • Darren Till Inks New Deal With The UFC Ahead Of 2022 Return

    UFC middleweight contender Darren Till has signed a new contract with the UFC in anticipation of his 2022 return to the Octagon.

    News of the agreement was first reported by ESPN’s Brett Okamoto.

    Till has lost four of his last five with just one lone victory since moving from welterweight to middleweight. He most recently fell to Derek Brunson via third-round submission last September and allegedly entered the fight with a knee injury.

    Till’s last win in the Octagon came against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 244. He earned a split decision victory in his middleweight debut before back-to-back losses.

    Till has recently trained with rising UFC star Khamzat Chimaev ahead of his 2022 debut. The two of them have been seen going through rigorous workouts together at the Allstars Training Center in Stockholm, SE.

    Darren Till Khamzat Chimaev
    Darren Till Khamzat Chimaev

    Till and Chimaev have also spent their time doing philanthropy work in Sweden, feeding local homeless people and assisting the community around the gym.

    In terms of a timeline for his return to the cage, Till is unsure exactly when he’ll have his next fight booked. He’s gone back-and-forth on social media with the likes of Uriah Hall and others as he works his way back to potential middleweight title contention.

    Till made his FUC Debut back in 2015 against Wendell de Oliveira Marques, earning a second-round knockout. He would go on to earn four straight wins before falling short against Tyron Woodley for the welterweight belt at UFC 228.

    Till would then follow it up with a stunning knockout loss to Jorge Masvidal in early 2019 in London, before making the move up to 185 pounds.

    At 29 years old, Till still has plenty of time to turn things around in his UFC career and pursue another title shot at middleweight. UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya has previously conveyed interest in a fight with Till if he can get on another winning streak.

    Who do you want to see Darren Till fight next?

  • Molly McCann Documentary Set To Debut On BT Sport

    Molly McCann is to be the subject of her own documentary film.

    One of the brightest rising stars in the UFC at this time is Molly McCann. “Meatball” as she is nicknamed has made her rise up the UFC flyweight in the last few years. Today, she is one of the most popular English fighters on the roster and just possibly a few fights away from breaking the top ten. McCann’s life outside of fighting has been a bit more private than some other fighters but now she will be letting fans in to see her struggles and successes in a whole new way.

    BT Sport will be putting out a feature documentary film on McCann’s rise to the UFC. It will show her life inside the cage and out, from her childhood in Liverpool to her most recent fight endeavors. The film was able to capture private moments with McCann as well as interviews with her closest family and friends.

    McCann has had highs and lows in her UFC career so far. She lost her debut in her hometown of Liverpool but came back to win three in a row. She won her last outing against Ji Yeon Kim and has her next fight set against Luana Carolina at UFC on ESPN+ 62 in London. McCann has also been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights as this cause is very close to her.

    “Meatball Molly takes the viewer on an evocative journey of an incredibly strong and inspirational sportswoman, highlighting the passion, dedication, and commitment it requires to make it in professional sport,” BT Sport Films Executive Producer and Commissioning Editor, Sally Brown told Givemesports.com.

    ‘Meatball Molly’ will premiere exclusively on BT Sport on March 15th at 22.30 GMT.

    Will you be tuning in to watch this Molly McCann film?

  • Watch: Covington & Masvidal Have Heated Face-To-Face Interview

    Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal had a heated face-to-face interview leading up to their highly-anticipated UFC 272 grudge match.

    Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal have been trash-talking one another for two years now ever since their falling out as former teammates and close friends. Finally, the two had an opportunity to address one another on camera in a virtual face-to-face interview hosted by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on the Stephen A’s World show on ESPN+.

    Earlier this week, there was a sneak peek of the interview began circulating. Tuesday, an extended clip became available.

    Below, you can find the major talking points from the contentious segment:

    • The matter of Colby Covington opting to wear sunglasses
    • What happened to their friendship?
    • Masvidal predicts Covington will be without his “fake teeth” on Monday.
    • Covington calls Masvidal a deadbeat dad and a criminal
    • Covington is confident heading into the fight because Masvidal is a “bum” who’s been beat up by everybody
    • Interview then reaches a boiling point, both parties talking over one another for extended stretch
    • Masvidal not considering losing an option, promises to return to Stephen A’s World after the fight to dish more dirt on Covington

    We will all find out who will get the last word when Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal meet this Saturday inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada during the UFC 272 main event.

    You can catch the full clip from the face-to-face interview between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal below.

  • dos Anjos Accuses Makhachev Of “Folding” After UFC 272 “Bluff”

    Rafael dos Anjos believes Islam Makhachev got caught in a bluff when dos Anjos accepted his offer to fight on short notice at UFC 272.

    dos Anjos was supposed to face Rafael Fiziev in the co-main event of UFC 272 before Fiziev recently pulled out due to COVID-19. We now know that dos Anjos will be facing Renato Moicano at the event, but just yesterday, Makhachev volunteered to step up.

    Makhachev and dos Anjos were supposed to fight on multiple occasions in the past, with both fighters pulling out.

    In a Monday tweet, Makhachev called out Dos Anjos for the new UFC 272 co-headliner.

    “170 ??? Let’s do it,” Makhachev said. “We have unfinished business RDA.”

    After getting word of Makhachev’s callout, Dos Anjos sounded game for a short-notice bout against him in the UFC 272 co-main event.

    “170Ibs I’m in!!” Dos Anjos said. “Let’s go!!! Don’t run!!”

    Following the announcement of the UFC selecting Moicano as the replacement, dos Anjos took a parting shot at Makhachev.

    “I called his bluff and he folded. Let’s move on…” dos Anjos wrote.

    Makhachev was supposed to face Beneil Dariush last weekend before Dariush pulled out with an injury. Instead, he defeated Bobby Green via first-round TKO in the UFC Vegas 49 main event.

    There is no word on why Makhachev will not be facing dos Anjos at UFC 272, but it may have something to do with Makhachev already being widely considered to be the #1 contender for the winner of the upcoming Charles Oliveira/Justin Gaethje title fight.

    Do you think we will ever see Islam Makhachev vs. Rafael dos Anjos?

  • Renato Moicano Replaces Fiziev, Faces dos Anjos At UFC 272

    UFC 272 has itself a new co-main event, with Renato Moicano being selected as the replacement for Rafael Fiziev in a fight against Rafael dos Anjos in a catchweight bout.

    After Rafael Fiziev contracted COVID-19, the UFC was tasked with finding a replacement opponent for former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos on less than one week’s notice.

    Tony Ferguson claims he was offered to be a replacement but did not provide any additional details on why he was not selected to face dos Anjos.

    Also, Islam Makhachev made headlines when he offered to settle unfinished business with dos Anjos by replacing Fiziev in the co-main. dos Anjos welcomed the idea, but ultimately it was Moicano who was selected, as first reported by MMA Fighting on Tuesday.

    Renato Moicano has competed in the UFC’s lightweight division since 2020. He is 3-1 in the division, most recently submitting Alexander Hernandez at UFC 271 last month. Coincidentally, Moicano’s only loss at lightweight was to the aforementioned Rafael Fiziev. Moicano is currently unranked but was once ranked within the top 5 of the featherweight division.

    Rafael dos Anjos is a former UFC lightweight champion who last competed in November 2020 in a split-decision victory over Paul Felder. This was dos Anjos’ first fight down at 155 since his 2016 loss to Tony Ferguson. And for his efforts, he and Felder took home Fight of the Night. Will dos Anjos steal the show again with Moicano as his dancing partner?

    Though both fighters are active in the lightweight division, the fight will be contested at 160 lbs in a catchweight bout.

    With the new UFC 272 co-main event, the updated lineup is as follows:

    Main Card (Pay-Per-View, 8:00 PM ET)

    Jorge Masvidal vs. Colby Covington

    Rafael dos Anjos vs. Renato Moicano

    Edson Barboza vs. Bryce Mitchell

    Kevin Holland vs. Alex Oliveira

    Sergey Spivak vs. Greg Hardy

    Preliminary Card (ESPN/ESPN+, 6:00 PM ET)

    Jamie Mullarkey vs. Jalin Turner

    Yan Xiaonan vs. Marina Rodriguez

    Nicolae Negumereanu vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu

    Mariya Agapova vs. Maryna Moroz

    Early Preliminary Card (ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass, 4:00 PM ET)

    Brian Kelleher vs. Umar Nurmagomedov

    Tim Elliott vs. Tagir Ulanbekov

    Erick Gonzalez vs. Devonte Smith

    Dustin Jacoby vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk

    Who do you think will win at UFC 272: Rafael dos Anjos or Renato Moicano?

  • Hooker: Covington Must Be Held Accountable Regardless Of Character

    While he acknowledges that Colby Covington has developed a character in front of the camera, UFC fan favorite Dan Hooker believes the welterweight contender should still be held accountable for his words.

    Barring perhaps controversial middleweight Sean Strickland, there aren’t fighters who split opinion among the MMA fanbase quite like Covington. The former interim champion and two-time undisputed welterweight title challenger flipped a personality switch in 2017, a move that has developed him into one of the most prominent and discussed athletes on the UFC roster today.

    From comments on rival Kamaru Usman’s father and heritage to constant onslaughts on former teammate Dustin Poirier and his family, not to mention the rant in Brazil that started it all, Covington has made his name by talking trash and creating headlines.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CWeDDg_vqa5/

    At this point you’d be hard-pressed to find a fighter who hasn’t, in one way or another, been at the end of a Covington insult. If you are on the search for one, you can move past Hooker.

    “The Hangman” found his name in Covington’s mouth following his 2020 main event defeat to Poirier. While attempting to discredit his former ATT peer’s victory, “Chaos” questioned how it took “The Diamond” 25 minutes to defeat Hooker, even describing the New Zealander as “not really that good of a fighter.”

    While Hooker is certainly not one to be bothered by another fighter’s words, especially when they come from someone he perceives to be playing a character, he still believes Covington should be held accountable for his insults and attacks.

    “Do I like him personally? I can’t say that I do. Do I understand and appreciate his skill set in the sport? Yes, I do. Do I understand exactly what he’s doing with his character? I understand that too,” said Hooker during an interaction with John Hyon Ko for The AllStar. “I hear from people that know him and went to college with him that he’s a cool guy, he’s a really chilled guy, a nice guy, helpful guy. But that character is not.

    “You still have to be, as a man, you still have to be accountable for the things you say, even if you put a Trump hat on, even if you put a suit on and you get girls to stand next to you, you mouth off to me, you’re gonna have to (own it),” Hooker continued. “The things he says, even though I know (it’s a character), he’s talked shit about me—I know what he’s doing, he’s just kicking up shit on Twitter and social media. But as a man, if I see you, we’ll still have a problem, whether you said it or your character said it. Me and you, man to man, we still have a problem.”

    Hooker On Masvidal/Covington: The More Emotional Fighter Will Lose

    Given how Covington has approached his recent fights, which saw an animosity-fueled build-up to UFC 268 last November, it’s safe to say the #1-ranked welterweight’s next outing will follow suit.

    “Chaos” is set to headline this weekend’s UFC 272 pay-per-view alongside bitter rival and former teammate Jorge Masvidal. Given the pair’s history, which included a period living together and training with one another, fight week is set to deliver on the bad blood the pair share.

    With that in mind, Hooker believes the result will come down to which fighter is able to suppress their emotions most effectively when they’re standing opposite each other inside the cage on Saturday night.

    “You’d say at this level, and with this much experience, that these guys would have that (sorted). I’d say it’s by choice. You’re gonna want to take all of that emotion out,” suggested Hooker. “The fighter that goes in that Octagon out of Jorge and Colby with emotion, is gonna lose. Without a doubt. Whoever carries emotion into that cage—anger, resentment, jealousy—whoever carries that in is gonna lose. I’d say it would serve them well to take that emotion out of it.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CafVdDShuAv/

    While Hooker is getting set for a fight of his own, a return to featherweight against Arnold Allen at UFC London later this month, he’ll no doubt be firmly invested in the action at UFC 272, like the majority of fans around the world.

    Do you agree with Dan Hooker? Will this weekend’s UFC 272 main event come down to which fighter can suppress their emotions the most effectively?

  • Masvidal Accuses Covington Of Cowardice In Altercation With Russians

    UFC welterweight star Jorge Masvidal has accused bitter rival Colby Covington of being a “coward” when confronted by Russians during the pair’s time as teammates.

    This weekend, one of the most heated rivalries on MMA’s biggest stage will boil over into the Octagon. With bragging rights and a place in title contention at stake, the UFC 272 headliner promises to be an apt third PPV main event act for the UFC in 2022, despite the absence of a championship on the line.

    While the pair’s name value alone would have made this contest must-see, their history as former friends, roommates, and teammates makes it one of the most anticipated matchups of the year to date and one that promises to produce fireworks inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

    Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington
    Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington

    Given the time they spent together early in their careers, it’s unsurprising Covington and Masvidal have an abundance of information, personal insults, and negative stories to tell about each other.

    That’s included accusations of adultery, gambling debts, and conflicting takes on Covington’s ATT departure. Thanks to a recent interview, we can add an interesting altercation with a group of Russians to that list…

    Masvidal: Covington Was Such A Coward

    While in conversation with ESPN MMA’s Marc Raimondi prior to UFC 272 fight week, Masvidal narrated an instance when Covington’s trash talk and attacks on other fighters appeared to come back to haunt him.

    The incident, which Masvidal says took place after their falling out, apparently saw “Chaos” approached and confronted by a group of Russian individuals, who, while not specified, were seemingly part of the ATT roster at the time. “Gamebred” said the exchange came over remarks Covington made about Khabib Nurmagomedov, the legendary former UFC lightweight champion who hails from Dagestan.

    According to Masvidal, Covington responded like a “coward.”

    “We got a bunch of Russians here. Guess what? Those Russians got him in the bathroom because he was in the sauna, four/five of them. And they told him, ‘You cannot talk like this,’” claimed Masvidal. “He’s like, “No, I’m sorry.’ Apologetic as hell. At the time, we weren’t cool at all. Because he had already ripped off my coach.

    “So I was like, ‘I hope they [MUTED] him up. And if he thinks I’m gonna jump in for anything, the only thing I’m gonna jump in is to kick his [MUTED] teeth in,’” added Masvidal. “So I was hoping these Russians were gonna take him out. But he was such a coward. And he’s all like, ‘No, no, no, never again, bro! I’m trying to make my mark. I’m trying to make my brand and my name.’ And they’re like, ‘Don’t disrespect Khabib.’”

    Unsurprisingly, UFC 272 fight week is already delivering the level of animosity and bad blood we’ve come to expect from these two. As we move closer to fight night, it’s safe to say the heated back and forth will only intensify.

    Who do you think will win this grudge match, Jorge Masvidal or Colby Covington?

  • Tony Ferguson Denies Rejecting Short-Notice Makhachev Bout

    UFC lightweight Tony Ferguson has denied the claim he turned down a short-notice fight against top-five contender Islam Makhachev.

    In the main event of UFC Vegas 49 this past weekend, fans were set to witness a clash between Makhachev and fellow elite 155lber Beneil Dariush, with a shot at gold expected to be at stake.

    Unfortunately, the Iranian-American was forced out less than 10 days before the February 26 showdown after suffering a broken fibula in training. In his place stepped up the always-game veteran, Bobby Green.

    During fight week ahead of the card, which took palace at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Makhachev implied Ferguson turned down an offer to step in and replace Dariush, who Ferguson had fallen to a defeat against in his last outing at UFC 262 in May 2021.

    Now, in a post on Twitter, “El Cucuy” has provided a different take, claiming he was more than willing to enter the cage at UFC Vegas 49, but never received a call to do so from the UFC.

    “We Were Offered To Fight @RdosAnjosMMA On Short Notice For #ufc272 We We’re Moar Than Ready To Step In And Save The Fight & Perform ? We Were Also Ready To Beat Fatheads Primo @MAKHACHEVMMA This Past Weekend But No Call Was Received, TUF?Times ?? -CSO- ????? # ?”

    Interestingly, Ferguson also revealed he’d been offered a short-notice clash with Rafael dos Anjos at this weekend’s UFC 272 pay-per-view. The Brazilian former champion was set to face Rafael Fiziev in the co-main event, but the Kyrgyzstani was forced out after testing positive for COVID-19 at the start of fight week.

    With the search underway for a replacement, it appears Ferguson is an option. However, he’ll seemingly be battling Makhachev for a place on the card.

    Fresh off a first-round TKO victory over Green, a triumph that marked his 10th straight success, the Dagestani threw his name into the hat for a 170-pound contest against long-time rival dos Anjos. It remains to be seen which direction the promotion will choose to go in.

    Who would you rather see step in to face Rafael dos Anjos, Tony Ferguson or Islam Makhachev?

  • Dana White Leaves Door Open For McGregor Title Shot Upon Return

    UFC President Dana White has revealed he’s open to having Conor McGregor challenge for gold upon his return to action later this year.

    McGregor, a former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion, fought twice in 2021. After being knocked out for the first time at UFC 257 in his rematch with Dustin Poirier, the Irishman fell to a second consecutive loss to “The Diamond” six months later.

    While his January defeat left the door open for a quick turnaround, his trilogy setback at UFC 264 in July did the opposite. Towards the end of the opening round, McGregor suffered a gruesome broken leg, an injury that’s kept him on the sidelines ever since.

    Now nearly eight months on from his third loss in four fights, McGregor is gearing up for a comeback. And judging by Dana White’s latest comments, it appears we could see the “Notorious” megastar walk right back into the title picture.

    “We will see what’s what with the lightweight division,” said White to The Underground. “It’s going to depend on who the champion is when Conor McGregor comes back, they have a say in it. What do they want to do? If it’s Oliveira who is still champion when Conor comes back, maybe Oliveira wants Conor we will see then.

    “There are many variables for his return, number one: his health and how his leg is,” White added. “Once that is 100 per cent, we will start to figure out where he goes because we have fights up to June 18 already.” (h/t The Mac life)

    Oliveira is currently set to defend his title against top contender Justin Gaethje at UFC 274 in May. Beyond that, Islam Makhachev is expected to be next in line, something White seemingly confirmed following the Dagestani’s triumph over Bobby Green last weekend.

    Nevertheless, as brought up by the #4-ranked Beneil Dariush in recent months, the looming return of McGregor was always going to be a threat to the title aspirations of others in the 155-pound division.

    While some would expect McGregor’s star power and previous accomplishments in the sport to grant him the kind of privilege that could see him walk straight back to the championship, others will no doubt criticize the decision to overlook other contenders.

    Do you think Conor McGregor should immediately fight for gold when he returns to the Octagon?

  • Ukrainian UFC Fighter Maryna Moroz Curses Out ‘B**ch’ Vladimir Putin

    Maryna Moroz will fight at UFC 272 despite Vladimir Putin’s advances on the country’s land and independence.

    Born in Vilnohirsk, Ukraine, Moroz has family members to worry about during her grudge match with Kazakhstan’s Mariya Agapova on March 5.

    The entire world is shaken up by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attacks against Ukraine. The act of war has and continues to take innocent Ukrainian lives.

    But “The Iron Lady’s” spirit remains strong during the tragedy. And in an interview with TMZ Sports, she had a few choice words for the Russian President:

    “F**k you, bitch! I love my country. Don’t touch Ukraine!”

    A multitude of Russian and Ukrainian athletes have openly stated they disagree with Putin’s actions and are against war. It is a scary thought that while fighting for their country’s respect and honor, many athletes are without their families during this catastrophic time.

    “It’s hard time for Ukraine. I want to support my country, my president, whole army in Ukraine, and I want to say we don’t want war. I worry about my family right now,” Moroz continued to say.

    Of course, the pressure of the fight exists but it is much bigger than that now. Moroz carries Ukrainian pride and will do her best to prove the strength and resilience of her people.

    “I will be fighting and I show that Ukraine people are strong, and my flag will be in the Octagon.”

    Moroz joins a long list of European athletes, from soccer to MMA, competing in championships while reading the horrific news of the war on Ukraine. The UFC fighter is currently on a two-fight win streak and will look to stay in the winner’s circle despite the absence of peace in her home country.