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  • Dana White Calls For Three Retirements After UFC 310 Results

    Dana White Calls For Three Retirements After UFC 310 Results

    Dana White has made it clear he believes Chris Weidman, Anthony Smith, and Clay Guida should consider hanging up their gloves following their losses at UFC 310.

    During Saturday’s preliminary card, Weidman suffered a TKO defeat at the hands of Eryk Anders, Guida was submitted by Chase Hooper, and Smith fell via TKO to Dominick Reyes.

    Among the three, “Lionheart” hinted at retirement, stating it was “probably” his final fight. However, neither the former middleweight champion nor inaugural Strikeforce lightweight titleholder addressed the possibility during the event.

    At the UFC 310 post-fight press conference, the UFC CEO didn’t mince words, expressing his hope that all three fighters would call it a career.

    “They should all retire tonight,” White said.

    This isn’t the first time White has encouraged Weidman to consider retirement. His loss to Anders marks a 1-3 record in his last four fights.

    Meanwhile, Smith removed his gloves in the octagon but stopped short of making an official announcement.

    For Guida, the defeat extends a challenging stretch, leaving him 1-4 record in his last five bouts.

  • ‘Ok, Demetrious Johnson Next Challenger’ – Fans React As Alexandre Pantoja Sleeps Kai Asakura At UFC 310 With Rear-Naked Choke

    ‘Ok, Demetrious Johnson Next Challenger’ – Fans React As Alexandre Pantoja Sleeps Kai Asakura At UFC 310 With Rear-Naked Choke

    Despite the hype Kai Asakura came into the UFC from RIZIN with, Alexandre Pantoja was able to pull off a flawless victory in the main event of UFC 310, winning by submission.

    The action started hot and heavy, with the reigning flyweight champion absorbing a knee from Asakura and landing a hard right hand on the former RIZIN bantamweight titleholder. “The Cannibal” was able to score the takedown and got the better of the striking exchanges during the round, and he was on the front foot for most of that duration.

    Pantoja got back to work in the second, managing to scramble and pin his Japanese opponent against the fence. He then scored a takedown and got a body lock in before looking for the rear-naked choke. The Brazilian locked it in and Asakura passed out trying to break out of the choke, giving the win and another successful defense to Pantoja.

    Alexandre Pantoja Puts On Masterclass Performance In Successful Defense vs. UFC Debutant Kai Asakura

    https://twitter.com/LoswitheMos/status/1865641386546278575

    Pantoja captured the UFC flyweight championship with a decision win over Brandon Moreno at UFC 290 last year. He retained the title with decision wins over Brandon Royval and Steve Erceg at UFC 296 and UFC 301, respectively.

    Asakura, meanwhile, originally won the RIZIN bantamweight championship with a knockout of Hiromasa Ougikubo at RIZIN 23 in August 2020. He dropped the title to Kyoji Horiguchi that December but regained it with a win over Juan Archuleta at RIZIN 45 last New Year’s Eve. That win marked Asakura’s final fight in RIZIN before jumping over to the UFC.

    Though Asakura was more known as a bantamweight during his time in Japan, he did compete as a flyweight between 2015 and 2017.

  • UFC 310 Results & Highlights: Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Asakura

    UFC 310 Results & Highlights: Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Asakura

    UFC 310 took place tonight from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights! 

    In the main event, Alexandre Pantoja put his flyweight title on the line against Kai Asakura. While in the co-main event, Shavkat Rakhmonov faced Ian Machado Garry in a welterweight matchup. 

    Make sure to catch all the UFC 310 results and highlights as they happen below! 

    UFC 310 Results: Main Card

    • Flyweight Championship Main Event: Alexandre Pantoja def. Kai Asakura via submission: R2, 2.05  
    • Welterweight Co-Main Event: Shavkat Rakhmonov def. Ian Garry via unanimous decision (48-47×3)
    • Heavyweight: Ciryl Gane def. Alexander Volkov via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29) 
    • Featherweight: Bryce Mitchell def. Kron Gracie via KO: R3, 0.39  
    • Featherweight: Dooho Choi def. Nate Landwehr via TKO: R3, 3.21

     
    Preliminary Card

    • Light Heavyweight: Dominick Reyes def. Anthony Smith via TKO: R2, 4.46
    • Welterweight: Vicente Luque def. Themba Gorimbo via submission: R1, 0.52
    • Featherweight: Movsar Evloev def. Aljamain Sterling via unanimous decision (29-28×3) 
    • Welterweight: Bryan Battle def. Randy Brown via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29) 

     
    Early Preliminary Card

    • Catchweight (195lbs): Eryk Anders def. Chris Weidman via TKO: R2, 4.51
    • Flyweight: Joshua Van def. Cody Durden via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-26, 30-27) 
    • Welterweight: Michael Chiesa def. Max Griffin via submission: R3, 1:53
    • Lightweight: Chase Hooper def. Clay Guida via submission: R1, 3.41
    • Heavyweight: Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Lukasz Brzeski via TKO: R1, 4.51

    Preliminary Card Highlights

    Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Lukasz Brzeski

    Kennedy Nzechukwu got the first finish of UFC 310 with a first-round TKO of Lukasz Brzeski in their heavyweight fight.

    Chase Hooper def. Clay Guida

    In this lightweight bout, Chase Hooper got it done with a first-round submission of Clay Guida.

    Michael Chiesa def. Max Griffin

    In this welterweight bout, Michael Chiesa submitted Max Griffin with a rear-naked choke in the third round.

    Eryk Anders def. Chris Weidman

    Eryk Anders got the win with a TKO of Chris Weidman in the second round of their catchweight bout.

    Vicente Luque def. Themba Gorimbo

    Vicente Luque locked in an anaconda choke to get the win against Themba Gorimbo.

    Dominick Reyes def. Anthony Smith

    Dominick Reyes earned his second win in a row with a TKO of Anthony Smith in the second round.

    Main Card Highlights

    Dooho Choi def. Nate Landwehr

    Dooho Choi put on a stellar performance to kick off the main card, finishing Nate Landwehr by TKO in the third.

    Bryce Mitchell def. Kron Gracie

    In this featherweight bout, Bryce Mitchell knocked out Kron Gracie with a vicious elbow in the third round.

    Ciryl Gane def. Alexander Volkov

    In this heavyweight bout, Ciryl Gane earned a split decision win against Alexander Volkov.

    Shavkat Rakhmonov def. Ian Garry

    In the co-main event, Shavkat Rakhmonov kept his unbeaten record intact with a decision win over Ian Garry

    Alexandre Pantoja def. Kai Asakura

    In the main event, Alexandre Pantoja retained his flyweight strap by submitting Kai Asakura in the second round.

  • VIDEO: UFC 310 Post-Fight Press Conference After Pantoja, Rakhmonov’s Headline Wins

    VIDEO: UFC 310 Post-Fight Press Conference After Pantoja, Rakhmonov’s Headline Wins

    The UFC 310 pay-per-view recently concluded, and MMA News has you covered with the post-fight press conference in Las Vegas.

    T-Mobile Arena played host to Octagon action on Dec. 7, as the mixed martial arts leader closed out its PPV schedule for 2024 with a stacked lineup that featured a championship, top contenders, experienced veterans, and some promising prospects.

    Of note were victories for reigning UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja, top welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov, ranked featherweight Bryce Mitchell, “Korean Superboy” Dooho Choi and the undefeated Movsar Evloev.

    And before attention turns to next weekend’s year-ending UFC Fight Night in Tampa, Florida, there remains some business to attend to backstage at UFC 310.

    Shortly after the main event’s ending, Dana White will appear in front of the media to reveal the recipients of the Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses before answering questions. The victorious fighters from UFC 310 will also take queries from the press in reaction to their performances.

    With that said, see below for a live stream of the UFC 310 post-fight press conference via the UFC’s official YouTube channel, commencing at 1:15 AM ET.

  • McGregor, Muhammad, & Others React As Shavkat Rakhmonov Defends Top Contender Status With Win Over Ian Garry At UFC 310

    McGregor, Muhammad, & Others React As Shavkat Rakhmonov Defends Top Contender Status With Win Over Ian Garry At UFC 310

    In the co-main event of UFC 310, Shavkat Rakhmonov defeated Ian Garry to earn his biggest win to date via unanimous decision.

    The two undefeated contenders fought an incredibly tactical contest. In multiple rounds, there was very little to separate them.

    Throughout the early frames, in particular, the number one contender was able to stay just in front of the Irishman by being more active and landing the more impactful strikes. Though he wasn’t able to threaten with his grappling, “Nomad” did use it effectively to take away the movement and speed of his opponent.

    Garry was able to pick things up at points, especially in the fifth round, which was his best of the fight. After taking Rakhmonov’s back, “The Future” searched for the rear-naked choke but, despite several attempts, he wasn’t able to get fully under the neck.

    In his post-fight interview, Rakhmonov was joined in the cage by welterweight champ Belal Muhammad, whom he was set to fight at this event until the titleholder withdrew due to an injury. They shared a respectful exchange, during which “Remember the Name” congratulated Rakhmonov.

    Fans and fighters reacted on social media as the Kazakh star moved to 19-0 and, for the first time in his career, got his hand raised via the scorecards.

    https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1865632236453724293
    https://twitter.com/aydubya5/status/1865634205008318595

  • ‘Fire These Judges’ – Fans React To Ciryl Gane’s Controversial Win Over Alexander Volkov At UFC 310

    ‘Fire These Judges’ – Fans React To Ciryl Gane’s Controversial Win Over Alexander Volkov At UFC 310

    Ciryl Gane made it 2-0 against Alexander Volkov, but not without plenty of controversy coming out of the split decision ruling at UFC 310.

    Gane was tested early, as Volkov scored a takedown within the opening minute. Though it took a little bit of time, the Frenchman was able to work his way back up to his feet and even managed to score his own takedown during the frame. “Drago” looked to isolate an arm while on the ground, and the former interim champion tried to respond with a leg lock attempt. The Russian spun out of it and the fight returned to the feet.

    In the closing seconds of the round, Gane seemed to trouble Volkov with a tight guillotine attempt, but time expired.

    Volkov rocked Gane with a spinning backfist and followed it up with a knee to the body and a series of shots. The MMA Factory standout recovered and battled back, stumbling his opponent at one point, but the Russian troubled him late in the round with a choke.

    As the fight returned to the ground in the third, Gane looked to lock up a kimura for a few minutes but couldn’t get it. Volkov, who threw punches to the body the whole time, worked his way out and looked to flatten out the Frenchman. “Drago” cradled “Bon Gamin” and rode the closing seconds of the fight on top.

    Two judges gave the fight to Gane 29-28, with round one ultimately being where the split occurred. The Paris native and his team, weirdly enough, were leaving the Octagon and had to be pulled back into it for the post-fight interview.

    Ciryl Gane Wins Controversial Decision In Rematch With Alexander Volkov At UFC 310

    https://twitter.com/ElonovMMA/status/1865620465806651645

    Gane was 3-2 since the first fight with Volkov, including an interim title win over Derrick Lewis and losses in title shots against Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones.

    Meanwhile, Saturday’s result snapped a four-fight win streak Volkov entered UFC 310 bout with. His sole defeat in the time since the initial Gane fight came against current interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall.

  • VIDEO: Kron Gracie Pulls Guard, Gets Elbow’d Out Cold By Bryce Mitchell At UFC 310

    VIDEO: Kron Gracie Pulls Guard, Gets Elbow’d Out Cold By Bryce Mitchell At UFC 310

    Bryce Mitchell returned to the win column at UFC 310 by becoming the first man to finish Kron Gracie in MMA.

    There was a fair amount of criticism for this fight and its main card placement. For the most part, it was as strange as expected.

    Similar to his last Octagon appearance in 2023, in which he was convincingly beaten by Charles Jourdain, Gracie’s strategy appeared to be pulling guard in order to work off of his back. Aside from one submission attempt, he wasn’t able to offer any offense. And without a backup plan, the fight was one-way traffic with Mitchell remaining in control throughout.

    In the third round, “Thug Nasty” put a stamp on his performance by capitalizing on his opponent’s gameplan. As Gracie looked to pull guard, Mitchell went with him and slammed him into the canvas, landing multiple devastating elbows to get the stoppage and handing his opponent a third consecutive loss inside the Octagon.

    In his post-fight interview, Mitchell showed respect to Gracie for the impact that his family had on the sport in the early days, as well as apologizing to Joe Rogan for calling him stupid in the past.

    Watch the highlight reel finish that closed the show below:

    https://twitter.com/Haduuuucken/status/1865609606271250555
  • ‘Put On A Massacre’ – Fans React As ‘Korean Superboy’ Dooho Choi Finishes Nate Landwehr With Crucifix TKO At UFC 310

    ‘Put On A Massacre’ – Fans React As ‘Korean Superboy’ Dooho Choi Finishes Nate Landwehr With Crucifix TKO At UFC 310

    What many expected to be a competitive battle proved to be a one-sided affair, as Dooho Choi put on a dominant showing against Nate Landwehr to open up the UFC 310 pay-per-view card.

    “The Train” tried to get aggressive early, but Choi made him feel his power, including a hook that briefly stumbled Landwehr. “Korean Superboy” continued to land at will on the feet and scored a takedown after getting to the back of the American, who made it back to his feet with a little less than two minutes to go in the round. Choi’s shots were clearly more effective.

    The UFC Hall of Fame Fight Wing inductee continued to be crisper and cleaner with his shots as the fight entered the second round, even after Landwehr landed a spinning elbow. Choi managed to score another pair of takedowns, demonstrating complete control over Landwehr.

    “The Train” looked to get to swinging away in the third round, but his opponent managed to return the fight to the mat. There, the “Korean Superboy” was able to put Landwehr away with elbow strikes in the crucifix position.

    Doohoi Choi Dominates, Finishes Nate Landwehr At UFC 310

    https://twitter.com/RAVISWrld/status/1865601857197900006

    The “Korean Superboy” is now unbeaten in his last three fights and may have earned a spot in the UFC featherweight rankings.

    Landwehr, meanwhile, has now dropped two of his last three, but still holds post-fight bonuses in his last four victories.

  • Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland 2, Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez Announced For UFC 312 In Sydney

    Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland 2, Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez Announced For UFC 312 In Sydney

    MMA’s leading promotion is set for an electric start to the new year, with a blockbuster lineup for Los Angeles in January being followed by two more championship fights at UFC 312 in Australia.

    After opening its pay-per-view account for 2025 with Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan 2 and Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov at LA’s Intuit Dome, the UFC will be back in Sydney for its latest show at the Qudos Bank Arena.

    And returning to the site where he was shockingly crowned middleweight champion in 2023 will be Sean Strickland (29-6). Despite Khamzat Chimaev gaining support for his claim to a title shot, “Tarzan” will indeed get his chance for redemption at UFC 312 opposite the man who dethroned him this past January, Dricus Du Plessis (22-2).

    That news was announced by the broadcast team during Saturday’s UFC 310 PPV, alongside news of the Feb. 8 co-headliner between strawweight queen Zhang Weili (25-3) and undefeated contender Tatiana Suarez (10-0).

    Du Plessis has recorded one title defense since dethroning Strickland, submitting former two-time champ Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in Perth this past August. The American challenger, meanwhile, successfully staked his claim for a rematch opposite the South African by outpointing Paulo Costa in a lackluster five-round affair in Newark.

    For Zhang, UFC 312 will mark her second challenge since returning to the throne at the expense of Carla Esparza in late 2023. She most recently defeated fellow Chinese standout Yan Xiaonan at UFC 300 this past April. In Suarez, “Magnum” faces a highly regarded wrestler who has long been touted for success on MMA’s biggest stage. She’ll look to ensure her injuries are a thing of the past and open a new era at 115 pounds.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 312 in Sydney on Feb. 8 are as follows:

    • Dricus Du Plessis (C) vs. Sean Strickland (middleweight championship)
    • Zhang Weili (C) vs. Tatiana Suarez (women’s strawweight championship)
    • Jimmy Crute vs. Marcin Prachnio (light heavyweight)
    • Rei Tsuruya vs. Stewart Nicoll (flyweight)
    • Quillan Salkilld vs. Anshul Jubli (lightweight)
  • ‘Should’ve Pulled Him Out’ – Fans React To Anthony Smith’s One-Sided Loss To Dominick Reyes, Retirement Admission At UFC 310

    ‘Should’ve Pulled Him Out’ – Fans React To Anthony Smith’s One-Sided Loss To Dominick Reyes, Retirement Admission At UFC 310

    UFC 310 was always going to be a difficult moment for Anthony Smith, but it now looks like it might have been the last time fans see him compete inside the Octagon.

    In the featured prelim at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, former light heavyweight title challengers met for the first time as “Lionheart” took on Dominick Reyes.

    The entire fight week has been a particularly emotional one for Smith following the loss of his best friend and longtime cornerman, Scott Morton, last month. He chose to compete in order to channel his energy into something positive, but it was clear as he made his walkout that the moment was affecting him.

    Daniel Cormier and Joe Rogan questioned on commentary whether Smith should have been stepping inside the Octagon in that state, and that conversation only continued after he appeared to fight recklessly at points in the opening round. In the second, Reyes took full control of the contest, and after landing lots of ground-and-pound with his opponent seemingly reluctant to change the position, “The Devastator” secured back-to-back wins.

    In his post-fight interview, Smith admitted that he was wrong about believing he could suppress his emotions in order to make the walk, telling Rogan that it will probably mark the last bout of his 58-fight career — though he will take some time before making the final decision.

    Fans reacted to Smith’s emotional loss and interview via social media.

    https://twitter.com/deadeditors_/status/1865591945315119434
  • Khabib Nurmagomedov Calls For Movsar Evloev Title Shot After UFC 310

    Khabib Nurmagomedov Calls For Movsar Evloev Title Shot After UFC 310

    Legendary former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov wants to see his fellow countryman, top-five featherweight Movsar Evloev, as the next challenger for Ilia Topuria.

    Evloev made his latest appearance on the preliminary card of Saturday’s UFC 310 pay-per-view in Las Vegas, where his second outing of the year came against an ex-bantamweight titleholder in Aljamain Sterling.

    After his decision victory over Arnold Allen this past January wasn’t enough to impress the promotional higher-ups, the Russian had more work to do to place himself in a strong position heading into 2025.

    And although “Funk Master” gave him a run for his money, Evloev ultimately did just that by earning the nod on all three scorecards following three rounds of entertaining grappling action at T-Mobile Arena.

    Evloev had a ‘what will be, will be’ attitude when asked about whether he’s done enough for a title shot by Joe Rogan post-fight. But there’s little doubt about the merit of the #5-ranked contender’s claim in the eyes of another undefeated Russian…

    “19:0 in MMA and 9:0 in UFC,” Khabib wrote. “I think @MovsarUFC deserves title shot.”

    Evloev’s performance on Saturday night maintained his undefeated record in the Octagon, but he is still searching for his first finish under the UFC banner.

    Whether or not that fact will dent his push for the gold remains to be seen, but Evloev appears to have gained considerable support for his hopes to battle Topuria in 2025 after a hard-fought triumph over Sterling in “Sin City.”

  • VIDEO: Vicente Luque Chokes Themba Gorimbo Unconscious In Under A Minute At UFC 310

    VIDEO: Vicente Luque Chokes Themba Gorimbo Unconscious In Under A Minute At UFC 310

    Those who were counting Vicente Luque out were sorely mistaken.

    The longtime welterweight contender returned to the win column in impactful fashion with a quick victory over Themba Gorimbo as part of the UFC 310 preliminary card Saturday night.

    “The Silent Assassin” dropped Gorimbo with a short right hand just seconds into the fight. The Brazilian then jumped immediately for the Zimbabwean’s neck, looking for the submission.

    And after he managed to lock in a D’arce choke, Gorimbo went unconscious seconds later, giving the Kill Cliff FC standout a memorable submission.

    Vicente Luque Scores Sub-Minute Submission Of Themba Gorimbo At UFC 310

    After a pair of losses in 2022, including one to current welterweight champion Belal Muhammad, Luque has now won two of his last three fights.

    Gorimbo, meanwhile, sees a four-fight win streak snapped with this loss tonight.

  • ‘Food For Ilia Topuria’ – Fans React As Movsar Evloev Stays Undefeated With Win Over Aljamain Sterling At UFC 310

    ‘Food For Ilia Topuria’ – Fans React As Movsar Evloev Stays Undefeated With Win Over Aljamain Sterling At UFC 310

    Movsar Evloev remained undefeated at UFC 310 by defeating former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling via unanimous decision. All three judges gave him the second and third rounds to bounce back from a strong start to the fight for “Funk Master.”

    Both men have not always been known for putting on the most exciting fights, but with the high stakes attached to this one, a lot of fans campaigned for it to receive a higher spot on the card. In the end, this crucial preliminary clash at featherweight ended up being an entertaining watch from start to finish, with a lot of incredibly high-level grappling exchanges between Evloev and Sterling.

    At 19-0 with the #5 ranking next to his name, this could finally be the win that secures Evloev a title shot at 145 pounds. In his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, the Russian joked that he gets asked this same question after all of his wins, so who knows what will be next for him at this point.

    Fight fans reacted on social media to a great fight and another victory for one of the UFC’s undefeated contenders.

    https://twitter.com/Yo71676416/status/1865578936991973813
  • ‘Time To Hang Them Up’ – Fans React As Eryk Anders Overcomes Knockdown To Stop Chris Weidman At UFC 310

    ‘Time To Hang Them Up’ – Fans React As Eryk Anders Overcomes Knockdown To Stop Chris Weidman At UFC 310

    After the matchup was postponed on fight day at UFC 309 last month, Eryk Anders was able to score a win over former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman to close out the early preliminary portion of UFC 310.

    Anders got off to a strong start with his striking to start the opening round. After a brief timeout due to an illegal knee from “Ya Boi,” however, Weidman managed to score a knockdown and took control of the rest of the frame.

    But in the second stanza, Anders managed to outwork the former champ in his specialty area — grappling. The 37-year-old controlled the pace on top and delivered ground-and-pound that, while not powerful and ruthless, slowly drowned and overwhelmed Weidman over the course of the round before the fight was stopped in the closing seconds.

    MMA Fans React As Eryk Anders Finishes Chris Weidman With Ground-And-Pound

    The ex-middleweight kingpin has now lost two of three fights since returning last year from the devastating leg injury he suffered at UFC 261 in 2021.

    Anders, meanwhile, has now won three of his last four fights.

  • Clay Guida Breaks Unwanted UFC Record After Tapping To Chase Hooper Armbar At UFC 310

    Clay Guida Breaks Unwanted UFC Record After Tapping To Chase Hooper Armbar At UFC 310

    Clay Guida broke an unfortunate UFC record in his first and final Octagon outing of 2024.

    The 43-year-old made his debut with the promotion all the way back in 2006 and has gone on to rack up 37 appearances, the most recent of which came against Chase Hooper on Saturday night at UFC 310.

    The last pay-per-view card of the year got off to a strong start with back-to-back first round finishes to kick off what should be a great night of action at the T-Mobile Arena.

    In Guida’s first-round loss to Chase Hooper in the second fight of the night at UFC 310, there were several excellent grappling exchanges between them in the opening few minutes. But after the younger lightweight was able to take his opponent’s back, he switched to a gruesome armbar and quickly secured the tap.

    Hooper previously submitted Guida with a calf slicer two years ago in a Fury Pro Grappling contest.

    In his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, “The Dream” gave credit to Mikey Musumeci, who recently made his UFC Fight Pass Invitational debut.

    As pointed out by MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn on X, this third consecutive loss in his career sees Guida record one more defeat than former featherweight powerhouse Jeremy Stephens and heavyweight staple Andrei Arlovski, leaving him top of the pile for most losses.

    “The Carpenter” has already got his name listed in the UFC’s history books, but he probably won’t be too pleased about this particular statistic…

  • VIDEO: Kennedy Nzechukwu Kicks Off UFC 310 With Quick Right Hook Knockout

    VIDEO: Kennedy Nzechukwu Kicks Off UFC 310 With Quick Right Hook Knockout

    Some say Kennedy Nzechukwu has looked like a new man up at heavyweight, and that may have been evident with his victory over Łukasz Brzeski that kicked off UFC 310.

    Nzechukwu’s striking was on display at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, where he landed speedy, crisp, and powerful strikes over the course of the first round.

    Then, the Nigerian fighter put his opponent away in sudden fashion with a right hook with mere seconds left to go in the opening frame.

    Nzechuwku Moves To 2-0 At Heavyweight With Another First-Round Finish At UFC 310

    https://twitter.com/Haduuuucken/status/1865534681749299532

    After a mixed bag of results at light heavyweight, Nzechukwu made his heavyweight debut less than two months ago at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi, needing just one round to put away Chris Barnett.

    “African Savage” was a short-notice fill-in for this fight following an injury to Tallison Teixeira.

    Brzeski, meanwhile, is 1-5 since entering the UFC off a 2021 appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series.

  • Merab Dvalishvili To ‘Piece Of Sh*t’ Umar Nurmagomedov: ‘You’re A Good Fighter, But Not A Good Man’

    Merab Dvalishvili To ‘Piece Of Sh*t’ Umar Nurmagomedov: ‘You’re A Good Fighter, But Not A Good Man’

    The tension was palpable at the UFC 311 on-sale press conference on Friday, as UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili and challenger Umar Nurmagomedov exchanged fiery words ahead of their upcoming title clash.

    Dvalishvili, who captured the 135-pound title with a unanimous decision victory over Sean O’Malley at UFC 306, is set to defend his belt against Nurmagomedov, who earned the shot with a dominant win over Cory Sandhagen at UFC Abu Dhabi. However, the Georgian has made it clear that he doesn’t believe his opponent truly deserves the opportunity.

    “You’re a good fighter, but not a good man,” Dvalishvili said, calling out Nurmagomedov for comments he made online. “You lost respect as a man for me. Real men don’t talk trash online. Be a man first. You’re a piece of sh*t.”

    Nurmagomedov, unfazed by the champion’s remarks, pushed back, claiming he has only spoken the truth and accusing Dvalishvili of avoiding the fight.

    “I’ve only stated facts,” Nurmagomedov countered, standing his ground during the heated exchange.

    The growing animosity between the two fighters sets the stage for what promises to be an electrifying title bout at UFC 311.

  • VIDEO: Nate Diaz Throws Water Bottle At Islam Makhachev Backstage At UFC 311 Press Conference

    VIDEO: Nate Diaz Throws Water Bottle At Islam Makhachev Backstage At UFC 311 Press Conference

    Nate Diaz, known for his fiery temperament and no-nonsense attitude, found himself at the center of yet another altercation — this time after the UFC 311 press conference in Las Vegas.

    The incident occurred backstage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, where Diaz hurled a water bottle in the direction of UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev and his team.

    Diaz’s reputation for such antics is well-documented. He caused chaos by throwing a water bottle at Chase DeMoor during the MF & DAZN X Series 6 event in New Orleans. Perhaps his most infamous bottle-throwing incident came at the UFC 202 press conference in 2016, when he and Conor McGregor exchanged cans and bottles, creating pandemonium.

    This time, tensions escalated as Diaz shouted, “Pull up, b*tch,” before launching the bottle. Members of Makhachev’s entourage, including Tagir Ulanbekov and Magomed Zaynukov, were nearby. Zaynukov retaliated by tossing an object back at Diaz. Security intervened quickly, corralling Diaz as he continued to yell at Makhachev.

    The Russian, who was present for the UFC 311 on-sale press conference, appeared unfazed by the commotion. Despite the outburst, the focus of the evening eventually shifted back to the UFC 310 ceremonial weigh-ins, where Diaz accompanied main card fighter Kron Gracie.

    This latest altercation underscores Diaz’s penchant for stirring up drama, ensuring his presence is always felt — whether inside or outside the octagon.

  • UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura, Rakhmonov vs. Garry Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream

    UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura, Rakhmonov vs. Garry Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream

    UFC 310 takes place on Saturday night, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!

    The upcoming pay-per-view event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada provides a chance for UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja to record his third successful title defense.

    After capturing the gold in July 2023 in a barnburner with Brandon Moreno, “The Cannibal” is next tasked with stalling promotional newcomer Kai Asakura’s ambitions of an immediate ascent to the 125-pound mountaintop.

    The stakes will also be high in the co-main event, which will see top welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov look to defend his status as next in line for a shot at Belal Muhammad’s gold by blemishing the perfect record of fellow undefeated rising star Ian Garry.

    Elsewhere on the UFC 310 card, ex-interim heavyweight champ Ciryl Gane runs it back with in-form Russian Alexander Volkov, light heavyweight veterans Dominick Reyes and Anthony Smith collide, and an important clash at 145 pounds goes down between Movsar Evloev and Aljamain Sterling.

    Ahead of the event, 27 of the 28 fighters successfully made weight, with Bryan Battle’s four-pound miss of the welterweight limit marking the sole indiscretion on the scale. Nevertheless, every fight is intact, and all that remains on Friday is for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC 310 ceremonial weigh-ins!

    Check out a live stream via the official UFC YouTube channel below, commencing at 7 PM ET.

    UFC 310 Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream

  • UFC 310’s Ciryl Gane Reveals Heavyweight Boxing Star As Inspiration For His Combat Sports Career 

    Ciryl Gane has emerged as a leading figure in French MMA, a significant achievement given that the sport was previously banned in his home country.

    Gane is set to face Alexander Volkov in a rematch this Saturday at UFC 310, held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. This bout represents a pivotal moment for Gane as he looks to solidify his standing in the heavyweight division.

    “Bon Gamin” began his MMA career with a stellar 10-1 record, becoming interim UFC heavyweight champion before challenging Francis Ngannou for undisputed status at UFC 270, where he suffered a decision loss. His second title shot came at UFC 285, where he was submitted by Jon Jones in the opening round. Despite these setbacks, Gane remains a top contender in the division.

    In a recent vlog by Red Corner MMA ahead of his return, Gane revealed that his journey into combat sports was inspired by boxing superstar Anthony Joshua.

    “When I started doing Muay Thai, I remember I did exactly the same [as] Anthony Joshua,” he shared. “Like, ‘Damn, this guy is so f***ing good! I want to be like him!’ I remember saying… ‘Okay, let me do some push-ups like this! I want to be like him!’ It was a motivation, and everybody needs that, to have a target.”

    Interestingly, Joshua recently suffered a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois, and his next fight remains unconfirmed. As Gane prepares for his next challenge, his story highlights how inspiration from sports icons can fuel the rise of new stars in other disciplines.

  • UFC 311 Press Conference Stream: Featuring Makhachev, Tsarukyan, Dvalishvili & Nurmagomedov

    UFC 311 Press Conference Stream: Featuring Makhachev, Tsarukyan, Dvalishvili & Nurmagomedov

    UFC 311 will kick off the promotion’s pay-per-view schedule for 2025, and MMA News has you covered with this week’s press conference.

    The MMA leader has business to attend to in Las Vegas on Saturday night before focus turns to next year’s opening numbered event, but Friday will see attention briefly on the Jan. 18 card in Los Angeles before the UFC 310 ceremonial weigh-ins.

    Appearing on stage with mic in hand will be the four UFC 311 headliners — Islam Makhachev, Arman Tsarukyan, Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov.

    See below for a live stream of the UFC 311 presser via the UFC’s official YouTube channel, commencing at 6 PM ET.

    UFC 311, set to play out inside the Intuit Dome, will be headlined by Makhachev’s (26-1) fourth defense of the lightweight title. Since capturing it at the expense of Charles Oliveira in 2022, the Dagestani has turned away two challenges from featherweight legend Alexander Volkanovski and one from Dustin Poirier.

    Makhachev could now be set for his toughest test to date as he runs it back with the charging Tsarukyan (22-3). The Russian-Armenian secured his first shot at gold with a victory over Oliveira at UFC 300 this past April. And given how competitive his 2019 fight with the champ was, he’s confident of being the one to start a new chapter at 155 pounds.

    There will also be title stakes in the co-main event, meanwhile, as Dvalishvili (18-4) puts his newly won bantamweight belt on the line for the first time. Four months on from unseating Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 inside the Sphere, the Georgian is tasked with blemishing the perfect record of Nurmagomedov (18-0) if he’s to add a successful retention to his résumé.

    A number of other intriguing matchups are scheduled for the stacked card. The current fights expected to take place at UFC 311 in Los Angeles on Jan. 18 are as follows:

    • Islam Makhachev (C) vs. Arman Tsarukyan (lightweight championship)
    • Merab Dvalishvili (C) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (bantamweight championship)
    • Jiří Procházka vs. Jamahal Hill (light heavyweight)
    • Reinier de Ridder vs. Kevin Holland (middleweight)
    • Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano (lightweight)
    • Jailton Almeida vs. Serghei Spivac (heavyweight)
    • Rinya Nakamura vs. Muin Gafarov (bantamweight)
    • Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Clay Carpenter (flyweight)
    • Johnny Walker vs. Bogdan Guskov (light heavyweight)
    • Karol Rosa vs. Ailín Pérez (women’s bantamweight)
    • Zachary Reese vs. Sedriques Dumas (middleweight)
    • Payton Talbott vs. Raoni Barcelos (bantamweight)
    • Grant Dawson vs. Diego Ferreira (lightweight)
    • Ricky Turcios vs. Benardo Sopaj (bantamweight)
  • UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura, Rakhmonov vs. Garry Weigh-In Results: One Fighter Misses Big

    UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura, Rakhmonov vs. Garry Weigh-In Results: One Fighter Misses Big

    UFC 310 takes place tomorrow night, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    After staging fights in New York City and Macau to close out last month, the mixed martial arts leader’s brief December schedule kicks off with the final numbered event of the year in Las Vegas.

    One title will be on the line at the top of the card, with Alexandre Pantoja defending his flyweight belt against debuting former Rizin champion Kai Asakura in the main event. Co-headlining, meanwhile, will be a crucial clash of undefeated welterweights between Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Garry.

    Also on the main card will be returns for ex-interim heavyweight titleholder Ciryl Gane, ranked featherweight Bryce Mitchell, and the always entertaining Nate Landwehr.

    UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura Weigh-In Results

    UFC 310 takes place Saturday, Dec. 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.

    See above for a replay of the UFC 310 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below.

    Main Card:

    • Flyweight Championship Main Event: Alexandre Pantoja (124.5lbs) vs. Kai Asakura (124.5lbs)
    • Welterweight Co-Main Event: Shavkat Rakhmonov (171lbs) vs. Ian Garry (171lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Ciryl Gane (245.5lbs) vs. Alexander Volkov (254.5lbs)
    • Featherweight: Bryce Mitchell (146lbs) vs. Kron Gracie (144.5lbs)
    • Featherweight: Nate Landwehr (145.5lbs) vs. Dooho Choi (146lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Light Heavyweight: Anthony Smith (205.5lbs) vs. Dominick Reyes (205lbs)
    • Welterweight: Vicente Luque (170.5lbs) vs. Themba Gorimbo (171lbs)
    • Featherweight: Movsar Evloev (145.5lbs) vs. Aljamain Sterling (145.5lbs)
    • Welterweight: Randy Brown (171lbs) vs. Bryan Battle (175lbs)*

    Early Preliminary Card:

    • Catchweight (195lbs): Chris Weidman (194.5lbs) vs. Eryk Anders (193lbs)
    • Flyweight: Cody Durden (126lbs) vs. Joshua Van (126lbs)
    • Welterweight: Michael Chiesa (170.5lbs) vs. Max Griffin (170lbs)
    • Lightweight: Clay Guida (155lbs) vs. Chase Hooper (155.5lbs)
    • Heavyweight: Kennedy Nzechukwu (236.5lbs) vs. Łukasz Brzeski (234lbs)

    *Bryan Battle missed the welterweight limit by four pounds, fight status TBC

  • Alexandre Pantoja Reveals The Moment He Took Notice Of Kai Asakura’s Career: ‘Who Is This Guy?!’ 

    Alexandre Pantoja Reveals The Moment He Took Notice Of Kai Asakura’s Career: ‘Who Is This Guy?!’ 

    UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja is set to defend his title against former two-time Rizin bantamweight kingpin and Octagon newcomer Kai Asakura this weekend at UFC 310. This highly anticipated bout will headline the pay-per-view at T-Mobile Arena.

    Asakura enters the fight with an impressive 21-4 record, including a two-fight winning streak that secured his shot at fighting in the UFC. Pantoja’s interest in the Japanese star dates back to 2019, sparked by a stunning moment in his career — his knockout victory over Kyoji Horiguchi, a fighter and teammate whom Pantoja deeply respects.

    “I got more attention about him, ‘Who is this guy, who can beat Kyoji because Kyoji is so good?’” Pantoja said at UFC 310 media day this week. “I realized I have a very good fighter to fight.”

    Pantoja delved deeper into Asakura’s career, analyzing his performances against notable opponents.

    “I’ve started to study him more, and I see he fought Manel Kape. He won one time and lost one time. He fought Ulka Sasaki. I fought with the same guy before. Good coincidence, and I’m so happy for that fight,” Pantoja said.

    For the reigning flyweight king, this matchup represents more than just another title defense. It symbolizes the growing interconnectedness of MMA on a global scale.

    “It makes that like a crossover. It’s opened doors for a lot of good fighters all across the world. You have so many good promotions, but of course, everyone wants the belt in the UFC,” he explained.

    Pantoja is excited for this fresh challenge, viewing it as a test for himself and an opportunity to showcase the depth of talent in MMA.

  • Chael Sonnen ‘Nominates’ Opponent For Jorge Masvidal’s UFC Return

    Chael Sonnen ‘Nominates’ Opponent For Jorge Masvidal’s UFC Return

    One of the more unexpected MMA beefs in recent times has taken place between Chael Sonnen and Jorge Masvidal after both men criticized and called each out during appearances on The MMA Hour. At one stage, “Gamebred” was defending Ariel Helwani who had a heated exchange with Sonnen live on air and unsurprisingly, “The Bad Guy” has continued to get the last word in.

    There was even talk of them fighting although there was never anything set in stone even if they could have come face-to-face during a UFC event at one stage. In a recent post on X, Sonnen reignited the feud by coming up with a new idea.

    At 47-years old, the former UFC title challenger doesn’t intend on making any kind of serious combat sports return though he did box Anderson Silva in an exhibition bout this past June. Masvidal, on the other hand, has recently stated that he will return to the UFC in April next year for a Miami event after initially retiring in 2023.

    Sonnen suggested that rather than him stepping inside the Octagon with the former BMF champion, he would nominate a champion to be his tribute. That man who could welcome Masvidal back to the UFC would be none other than “The Welsh Gangster” Oban Elliott who has a great relationship with Sonnen.

    Elliott has gone 3-0 inside the Octagon this year after earning his spot on the rankings via 2023’s season of the Contender Series. Wins at UFC 298, UFC 304 and UFC 309 have proved that the 26-year old doesn’t just walk the walk and talk the talk like his greatest inspiration, he can perform inside the Octagon as well.

    After earning his first stoppage win in the promotion last time out, the welterweight contender answered Sonnen’s request.

  • Tatsuro Taira Tops ESPN’s ’25 Under 25′ MMA list, Muhammad Mokaev Takes Tenth

    Tatsuro Taira Tops ESPN’s ’25 Under 25′ MMA list, Muhammad Mokaev Takes Tenth

    ESPN has published it’s MMA 25 under 25 list for 2024 which highlights the top young and rising talent in the sport today. As the list itself states, it isn’t always a perfect predictor of who will go on to achieve success at the highest level but it does group together the young competitors that are showing the most promise right now.

    For example, in 2019, the top two picks in A.J. McKee and Sean O’Malley have certainly gone on to deliver on their potential whilst the following three names in Edmen Shahbazyan, Nasrat Haqparast and Aspen Ladd have all had varying degrees of success.

    Topping the list this time around is Japan’s Tatsuro Taira who is the #5-ranked contender in the UFC’s flyweight division. Even in his last fight where he suffered the first loss of his 17-fight pro career against Brandon Royval, it was clear that Taira belongs at the top of the 125-pound division following six wins inside the Octagon.

    His fellow countryman Rei Tsuruya has also scored high (#4) and at 22-years old, he will look to earn his second consecutive win in the UFC when he returns against Stewart Nicoll at UFC 312 in February. The second spot belongs to Raul Rosas Jr. who is likely to be a fixture of these lists for a few more years given that he’s still only 20-years old despite having five UFC appearances already under his belt.

    Coming in at number three is the highest ranked woman on the list with Iasmin Lucindo currently occupying the #7-ranking in the UFC’s strawweight division. One of this year’s winners of The Ultimate Fighter, Mairon Santos, rounds out the top five.

    Across the top 10, there are two names that don’t currently compete in the UFC and they land at #9 and #10. The younger brother of Zabit Magomedsharipov, Khasan Magomedsharipov, is undefeated at 10-0 with his latest Bellator win coming in June.

    Former UFC flyweight contender Muhammad Mokaev is set to make his BRAVE CF return on December 13 after he parted ways with the UFC following his seventh consecutive win in the promotion over Manel Kape. The #10-pick was placed at #2 in 2023’s list and though he might not be in the UFC right now, he’s clearly still one of the best flyweights in the world at 24-years old. Interestingly, five of the top 10 are men’s flyweights.

    Check out the full list below:

    1. Tatsuro Taira
    2. Raul Rosas Jr.
    3. Iasmin Lucindo
    4. Rei Tsuruya
    5. Mairon Santos
    6. Denise Gomes
    7. Felipe dos Santos
    8. Joshua Van
    9. Khasan Magomedsharipov
    10. Muhammad Mokaev
    11. Stephanie Luciano
    12. Tom Nolan
    13. Luana Santos
    14. Cameron Saaiman
    15. Austin Bashi
    16. Lucas Brennan
    17. Kevin Vallejos
    18. Francisco Prado
    19. Fatima Kline
    20. Shanelle Dyer
    21. Nurullo Aliev
    22. Rongzhu
    23. Tereza Bleda
    24. Makoto Takahashi
    25. Kade Ruotolo