MMA News

Category: News

Stay up-to-date with the latest MMA news from around the globe. Our comprehensive feed covers all major promotions.

  • 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
  • Tommy Fury Cancels Darren Till Boxing Match After Former UFC Fighter’s ‘Kicking’ Threats

    Tommy Fury Cancels Darren Till Boxing Match After Former UFC Fighter’s ‘Kicking’ Threats

    Tommy Fury has withdrawn from his upcoming boxing match with former UFC title challenger Darren Till due to his concerns about the fight. The two men were set to meet in a main event bout at Manchester’s Co-Op Live Arena on a Misfits and DAZN card.

    During their recent press conference to promote the fight, Till made remarks that if he was losing the contest, he would get himself disqualified by choosing to kick Fury instead. In a post on social media, Fury claimed that for this reason, he isn’t going ahead with the fight.

    “I can’t believe I’m writing this but I am now not fighting Darren Till on January 18th 2025. For the one simple reason being that Darren has stated over and over that he does not want to abide by professional boxing rules and that if he is loosing the fight he will resort to kicking and other stupid MMA tactics. I am a professional boxer, I have been out of the ring for over a year and I wanted to be a great BOXING fight for the fans. I have wasted weeks in training camp. We are working hard to get a new opponent and date. I promise to get a better opponent and fight for you guys. Good news around the corner.”

    Till has since responded via several social media posts and videos where he heavily criticized Fury for withdrawing from the fight for this reason when he was simply trying to sell the fight and hasn’t said anything similar since. He also called out Jake Paul, claimed that Fury was never going to fight on that date in the first place and said that he will be staying on the January 18 card in Manchester with a new opponent currently being searched for.

  • Alex Pereira Gives 4-Word Reaction To Jamahal Hill Altercation

    Alex Pereira Gives 4-Word Reaction To Jamahal Hill Altercation

    December 5 was a busy day for the UFC’s light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira in the fight capital of the world. “Poatan” was in attendance for the 16th annual World MMA Awards where he picked up the Fighter of the Year Award for the four wins that he achieved in the space of one calendar year.

    Before the ceremony got underway, a training session of his at the UFC Performance Institute nearly ended in him and his former opponent, Jamahal Hill, coming to blows. A video of the interaction was posted by Full Send MMA, showing Hill walking over to Pereira and his coach, Plinio Cruz.

    After the two men start talking, the Brazilian throws a pair of gloves towards Hill, seemingly beckoning him to engage in a rematch of their meeting at UFC 300 in April which Pereira won via a knockout in the first round. With Cruz doing his best to diffuse the situation, the two men never actually touch each other but it was clear from the video that the 205-pound champion wasn’t going to back down.

    “Poatan” and “Sweet Dreams” have had a rocky relationship both before and after their main event clash in Las Vegas. The way that Hill acted on fight week clearly bothered the current titleholder as after stopping the former champion, he taunted him with an instantly iconic post-fight celebration.

    Hill’s complaints about referee Herb Dean’s calls in that fight have only prolonged the feud between them and with him returning at UFC 311 to face Jiří Procházka in Los Angeles, we may see the two men meet again inside the Octagon in the near future.

    Pereira himself posted the video of their exchange on X, adding a four-word caption which when translated from Portuguese to English, comes out as “the atmosphere became tense”.

  • Israel Adesanya Makes Surprising Pick For ‘Sleeper Fight’ At UFC 310

    Israel Adesanya Makes Surprising Pick For ‘Sleeper Fight’ At UFC 310

    Israel Adesanya will be tuning in to UFC 310, the final pay-per-view event of 2024, this Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena with the rest of the fight world.

    The event is headlined by a UFC flyweight championship bout between reigning titleholder Alexandre Pantoja and former two-time Rizin bantamweight kingpin Kai Asakura.

    In the co-main event, Shavkat Rakhmonov will face Ian Garry in a five-round welterweight title eliminator. This match comes after the Kazakh star’s original title fight against current champ Belal Muhammad was canceled.

    Adesanya, a former two-time UFC middleweight champion, shared his thoughts on the card via his YouTube channel, where he always selects one matchup as the “sleeper fight” on each PPV card.

    Interestingly, this occasion saw Adesanya choose the main event, which sees a somewhat unknown commodity to UFC fans in Japanese star Asakura challenge for gold in his debut.

    “Pantoja knows how to scramble, but he also knows how to scrap. … A guy like this, Kai, you just have to make him pay,” Adesanya said. “Who has made him pay yet for being reckless? You have to have someone who is confident in their skills enough to not fear (Asakura’s) barrage.

    “Pantoja can grapple. I’m sure (Asakura) is very well-versed. But this is going to be a crazy fight. This might be the sleeper fight for f**k sake! And it’s the main event,” Adesanya added. “All I know is this card is f**king stacked.”

    Adesanya is also expected to return to the Octagon soon, with reports placing him on the UFC Saudi Arabia lineup for Feb. 1, 2025, against Nassourdine Imavov.

  • Conor McGregor Threatened With ‘Contempt Of Court’ Ruling For Post-Civil Court Case Social Media Activity

    Conor McGregor Threatened With ‘Contempt Of Court’ Ruling For Post-Civil Court Case Social Media Activity

    Though Nikita Hand has already won her sexual assault civil court case against Conor McGregor, the process still has several steps left to complete. In the latest update, it was ruled that the UFC star would have to pay some of Hand’s legal costs which are expected to be around €1.5 million.

    On Thursday afternoon, High Court judge Mr Justice Alexander Owens ruled that McGregor will have to pay the full cost of his side of the case though Ms Hand will have to pay for her costs for the civil case against James Lawrence who was not found guilty of assaulting her in December 2018. The judge also threatened that there could be a ruling of contempt of court filed against “The Notorious” due to some of the comments he has made on social media.

    McGregor posted once the verdict was made official where he threw several accusations towards the court and ruling which have since been deleted. He also claimed that he would be appealing the decision. “The social media post was constructed to be an attack on the jury and cannot be tolerated,” said Mr Justice Owens.

    “I haven’t decided on that, but I can if I want to instigate a proceeding against Mr McGregor for contempt of court which could result in a fine. He is a very rich man who could well afford to pay a fine.”

    John Gordon SC argued on behalf of Ms Hand that due to McGregor’s conduct throughout the case, the Irishman would have to pay costs at the highest level though he did not make the same statement regarding Mr Lawrence.

    “This is precisely what it intended to do. Mr McGregor said he didn’t believe Ms Hand and described the court as a ‘kangaroo court’ and it is a direct insult to the jury and I believe the court should not let this go.”

    He believes that Ms Hand should get the full extent of her costs paid for by McGregor with no order for costs on the Lawrence side of the case.

  • UFC 310 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Pantoja vs. Asakura, Rakhmonov vs. Garry, & More

    UFC 310 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Pantoja vs. Asakura, Rakhmonov vs. Garry, & More

    UFC 310 is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this weekend’s lineup.

    The upcoming pay-per-view 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.

    Topping the lineup will be reigning UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja, who is tasked with getting the better of Octagon debutant and former Rizin kingpin Kai Asakura if he’s to record a third successful title defense.

    Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see the return of highly regarded welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov. After having his title shot fall through due to the withdrawal of Belal Muhammad, the Kazakh star must defend his top contender status against a fellow undefeated up-and-comer in Ian Garry.

    Also set to make the walk on Saturday will be the likes of former two-time light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes, ex-bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling, middleweight great Chris Weidman, and the always entertaining Nate Landwehr.

    Ahead of the event, you can get some help from the group of experts at MMA News by checking out their predictions for the top UFC 310 fights here.

    UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 310 (as of 12/6), courtesy of DraftKings.

    Main Card:

    • Alexandre Pantoja (-265) vs. Kai Asakura (+215)
    • Shavkat Rakhmonov (-375) vs. Ian Garry (+295)
    • Ciryl Gane (-360) vs. Alexander Volkov (+285)
    • Bryce Mitchell (-850) vs. Kron Gracie (+575)
    • Nate Landwehr (-130) vs. Dooho Choi (+110)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Anthony Smith (+280) vs. Dominick Reyes (-355)
    • Vicente Luque (+130) vs. Themba Gorimbo (-155)
    • Movsar Evloev (-238) vs. Aljamain Sterling (+195)
    • Randy Brown (+130) vs. Bryan Battle (-218)

    Early Preliminary Card:

    • Chris Weidman (-115) vs. Eryk Anders (-105)
    • Cody Durden (+130) vs. Joshua Van (-155)
    • Michael Chiesa (-112) vs. Max Griffin (-108)
    • Clay Guida (+700) vs. Chase Hooper (-1100)
    • Kennedy Nzechukwu (-550) vs. Łukasz Brzeski (+410)
  • UFC 310: Alexander Volkov Explains How One-Sided Ciryl Gane, Tom Aspinall Losses Benefitted Him

    UFC 310: Alexander Volkov Explains How One-Sided Ciryl Gane, Tom Aspinall Losses Benefitted Him

    UFC heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov saw his defeats to former interim champion Ciryl Gane and current titleholder Tom Aspinall as a key turning point in his career.

    The former Bellator and M-1 Global champion is a day away from his shot at redemption opposite Gane, with the pair among the main card bouts set for the UFC 310 pay-per-view in Las Vegas this weekend.

    The Russian and French fighters are running it back three years on from their first clash — a UFC Fight Night headliner at the Apex that ended in a convincing five-round unanimous decision victory for Gane.

    After a bounce-back performance against Marcin Tybura, Volkov tasted defeat again soon after, this time by way of submission at the hands of a charging Aspinall. Since then, however, “Drago” has been unstoppable.

    Knockouts of Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Alexandr Romanov, a submission versus Tai Tuivasa, and an underdog triumph against fellow countryman Sergei Pavlovich have seen Volkov leap up the ladder to #3 in the rankings, leaving him firmly in the championship conversation.

    During an interview with Zac Pacleb for UFC.com ahead of his return this weekend, the 36-year-old assessed the key components to his current winning run and the impact that past defeats to “Bon Gamin” and the reigning interim champ had.

    “I learned to be confident in myself,” Volkov said. “It’s one of the biggest problems for many fighters, and at the time, you feel a little bit kind of bored in the fight. It’s hard to push yourself, to motivate yourself. I got some motivation after this loss (to Gane) and the fight with Tom Aspinall. It made me more risky, more dangerous, and more well-rounded because I started to work on skills I didn’t work before.”

    Volkov will look to utilize those new skills en route to avenging his 2021 setback opposite Gane in their rematch this Saturday night.

    Should the Russian do so successfully, a potential first shot at gold on MMA’s biggest stage and a chance to avenge the Aspinall defeat could await him in 2025.

  • Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano Joins Stacked Lineup For UFC 311 In Los Angeles

    Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano Joins Stacked Lineup For UFC 311 In Los Angeles

    The lineup for the promotion’s first pay-per-view of 2025, UFC 311 in Los Angeles, continues to get stronger.

    The mixed martial arts will kick off its schedule of numbered events for the new year at the Intuit Dome, where two highly anticipated championship fights and a host of intriguing matchups will go down.

    And not long after Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan and Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov were announced as the two headliners, the card has deepened even further.

    Joining the undercard bouts set to play out at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 is a ranked lightweight clash between veteran Beneil Dariush (22-6-1) and the charging Renato Moicano (20-5-1). The fight was announced by the UFC on social media.

    For Dariush, UFC 311 will mark his return after sitting out the entirety of 2024 following consecutive knockout losses to Charles Oliveira and Tsarukyan in the year prior. Before those setbacks, the 35-year-old had won eight straight to move to within touching distance of a first title shot.

    Moicano, meanwhile, is on the opposite trajectory having won four on the bounce since a decision loss to Rafael dos Anjos in March 2022. After an injury kept him out for over a year post-submission victory over Brad Riddell, the Brazilian has reeled off three triumphs in 2024, most recently battering Benoît Saint Denis in the UFC Paris main event this past September.

    With this addition, 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)
  • Vicente Luque Doesn’t Expect To Revisit Nick Diaz Fight Post-UFC 310

    Vicente Luque Doesn’t Expect To Revisit Nick Diaz Fight Post-UFC 310

    UFC welterweight contender Vicente Luque is turning the page on his attempts to do battle with Nick Diaz.

    Diaz was initially scheduled to face Vicente Luque at the UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi this August, but the bout was scrapped due to travel issues on the Stockton native’s end. The matchup was later rebooked for UFC 310 on Dec. 7, marking what would have been Diaz’s first fight in over three years.

    However, the fight was canceled as Diaz withdrew once again after a concerning video emerged that appeared to show him attempting to light grass on fire in the street. In his place, Luque is now set to face Themba Gorimbo at UFC 310.

    The last time Diaz competed was at UFC 266 in September 2021, where he suffered a TKO loss to Robbie Lawler. Luque, meanwhile, has been struggling to regain his momentum in the Octagon. He holds a 1-3 record in his last four fights and is coming off a TKO loss to Joaquin Buckley in March.

    Reflecting on the scrapped matchup during media day on Wednesday, Luque expressed doubts about ever facing Diaz in the future.

    “At this point, I don’t think it will happen again,” Luque said. “Maybe – who knows. But I’m up the division. I’m looking to get past Themba. That’s the first mission to be accomplished, and after that, I’m looking up. I think that the Nick fight is past.”

  • Anthony Smith: Jiří Procházka In For ‘A Bad Night’ vs. Jamahal Hill At UFC 311

    Anthony Smith: Jiří Procházka In For ‘A Bad Night’ vs. Jamahal Hill At UFC 311

    Anthony Smith has developed a close friendship with Jamahal Hill and is openly rooting for him as Hill prepares to take on another former UFC light heavyweight champion in Jiří Procházka at UFC 311 on Jan. 18.

    Meanwhile, Smith has his own battle to focus on this Saturday at UFC 310, where he faces Dominick Reyes. Assessing the upcoming Procházka-Hill clash during media day, Smith acknowledged the challenges posed by the Czech star’s unorthodox fighting style but remains confident that Hill will secure a knockout victory.

    Hill is coming off a strong run in the division, having put together a four-fight winning streak with three TKOs against Jimmy Crute, Johnny Walker, and Thiago Santos, followed by a decision victory over Glover Teixeira at UFC 283 to claim the title. However, he lost the belt to Alex Pereira via KO at UFC 300 this past April.

    Procházka, heading into this fight, holds a 1-2 record in his last three bouts. Both losses came against Pereira via TKO — first for the vacant title at UFC 295 and again for the belt at UFC 303. His lone win during this stretch was a TKO victory over Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 300.

    Smith shared his thoughts on the matchup during UFC 310 media day.

    “Jiří is such a pain in the ass. He’s just got such a unique style and fights so free,” Smith said. “But anybody that’s as hittable as Jiří standing in front of Jamahal is going to have a bad night. That’s not just because Jamahal’s my friend — the power that guy carries is different. His ability to find shots is different, and you’re not going to have to work too hard to find Jiří’s head.”

  • Belal Muhammad Considered Amputating Infected Toe To Save UFC 310 Main Event

    Belal Muhammad Considered Amputating Infected Toe To Save UFC 310 Main Event

    UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad pondered drastic measures in a bid to keep his scheduled title defense at the final pay-per-view of 2024 intact.

    Saturday will see Muhammad’s next opponent in 2025 decided, as undefeated contenders Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Garry do battle in the co-main event of UFC 310 at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

    For Rakhmonov, the bout will see him attempt to regain his status as number one contender. The Kazakh star had already earned his shot at UFC gold and was set to challenge Muhammad in the Dec. 7 headliner.

    Last month, however, disaster struck when a bone infection to the champ’s toe hospitalized him and forced a change of plans.

    If Muhammad’s frustration at the cancellation wasn’t clear enough, a recent revelation surrounding the lengths he was willing to go to make the walk at UFC 310 should do the trick…

    During an interview with MMA Junkie on the red carpet for the annual World MMA Awards, Muhammad revealed that he enquired about having the infected toe removed to speed up the recovery process.

    “It got to the point where I was like, ‘Bro, what if you got rid of the toe? What do I need to do to get back in there as quickly as possible?’” Muhammad said. “But the way the doctor was saying it, it was like a bone infection. So it wasn’t like people were saying, ‘Oh, you got a broken toe.’ I’m like, bro, if it was a toe? I had a broken toe for over a year.

    “And then that toe got infected because of that, so that went directly into the bone and it was climbing up the foot. So he was like, ‘Bro, you’ll get your foot amputated.’ It ain’t that. So for me it’s like, it was heartbreaking obviously, but just trusting God, trusting God has a plan for me, knowing that everything happens for a reason. And now that I look at it from a bigger picture side, I’m hoping that there’s a reason for it.”

    That ultimately wasn’t a possibility, forcing Muhammad to bite the bullet and put a delay to his first defense of the 170-pound title.

    “Remember the Name” captured champ status with a dominant display against the odds this past July in Manchester, where he comfortably outpointed Leon Edwards across five rounds.

    With many backing Rakhmonov to get past Garry this weekend before unseating Muhammad, the reigning kingpin will look to once again prove his doubters wrong when he returns to full fitness.

  • UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura, Rakhmonov vs. Garry Press Conference Highlights & Faceoffs

    UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura, Rakhmonov vs. Garry Press Conference Highlights & Faceoffs

    We’re deep into UFC 310 fight week, meaning it was recently time for the fighters set to be in action on Dec. 7 to take to the stage and answer some questions.

    The MMA leader’s latest numbered event takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the main attraction will see UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja put his belt on the line against promotional newcomer Kai Asakura.

    Setting the stage for the UFC 310 headliners will be a crucial five-round contest at 170 pounds, with Shavkat Rakhmonov looking to defend his top contender status opposite a fellow undefeated rising star in Ian Garry.

    Also on pay-per-view will be former interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane, who makes the walk for the first time in over 14 months to run it back with in-form Russian veteran Alexander Volkov. That’s in addition to featherweight grappling specialist Bryce Mitchell, who looks to bounce back from his brutal knockout loss to Josh Emmett last December by defeating the returning Kron Gracie.

    The UFC 310 main card will open with the always entertaining Nate Landwehr, who will be back in the cage nine months on from a KO triumph over Jamall Emmers. To return to a win streak, “The Train” must prevent “Korean Superboy” Dooho Choi from accomplishing the same feat after the UFC Hall of Fame Fight Wing member recorded a first victory in eight years this past July.

    As is customary during major fight weeks, the athletes took to the stage on Thursday for the UFC 310 pre-fight press conference. The latest edition saw Pantoja, Asakura, Rakhmonov, Garry, Gane and Volkov with mic in hand.

    Check out a replay of the presser below via the UFC’s official YouTube channel, followed by the highlights and faceoffs.

    UFC 310 Press Conference Highlights

    UFC 310 Press Conference Faceoffs

  • VIDEO: Alex Pereira & Jamahal Hill Get Into Heated Confrontation At UFC PI

    VIDEO: Alex Pereira & Jamahal Hill Get Into Heated Confrontation At UFC PI

    The animosity between former UFC opponents Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill threatened to boil over this week.

    Pereira, the reigning light heavyweight champion, and former titleholder Hill met inside the cage at UFC 300 this past April, headlining the pay-per-view with “Poatan’s” gold on the line. The American’s plan to regain the belt was quickly foiled when he fell victim to the Brazilian’s renowned left hook inside the very first round.

    Since then, “Sweet Dreams” has attracted plenty of criticism from the MMA community for his reaction to defeat. Hill has continuously blamed Herb Dean’s brief intervention after Pereira was struck low, despite subsequently touching gloves with the champ to resume the fight and throwing a strike at the same time as the shot that floored him.

    Those remarks have been joined by claims that Pereira ‘fears’ running it back with the #3-ranked contender. Unsurprisingly, “Poatan” didn’t look scared when Hill confronted him at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas on Thursday.

    A video released by Full Send MMA shows Hill approaching his ex-opponent before stating, “Not on Twitter now,” as Pereira went for a respectful fist bump.

    At that point, “Poatan” switched his attitude toward “Sweet Dreams,” throwing a pair of gloves and inviting him to spar. Hill did not take up the offer.

    Before the possibility of the pair sharing the Octagon once again becomes a reality, they’ll both seemingly have other work to do in the new year.

    For Hill, a fight date is officially in the calendar. He’ll meet a fellow former champ in Jiří Procházka at the first PPV of 2025, UFC 311 at Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome on Jan. 19.

    Pereira, meanwhile, is without a date for his fourth title defense. He is, however, expected to next face the challenge of Magomed Ankalaev.

  • UFC 310 Debutant Kai Asakura Promises Fans: You’ve ‘Never Seen Anybody Like Me Fight’

    UFC 310 Debutant Kai Asakura Promises Fans: You’ve ‘Never Seen Anybody Like Me Fight’

    While he may be somewhat of an unknown quantity to the UFC community, Kai Asakura insists that won’t be the case following his debut performance this weekend.

    Saturday sees the mixed martial arts leader close out its pay-per-view schedule for 2024 with UFC 310. The event, slated for the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, was originally set for two title fights, with Belal Muhammad and Alexandre Pantoja defending their gold.

    After the welterweight kingpin’s withdrawal due to injury, Pantoja is the last champ standing this week. And his elevation to main event status will see a promotional newcomer enter the headline spotlight in his very first Octagon outing.

    Asakura, a former Rizin bantamweight titleholder, will join the limited group of fighters to debut in competition for a UFC belt on Dec. 7, when he looks to bring “The Cannibal’s” 125-pound reign to an end in its third defense.

    While the Japanese star has made a splash in his native Asia, much of the UFC fanbase appear unfamiliar with his game. That, Asakura says, will change soon enough.

    During his appearance at UFC 310 media day on Wednesday, Asakura spoke about what the MMA masses can expect once the Octagon door closes behind him and Pantoja in a couple of days’ time.

    “The UFC fans have never seen anybody like me fight before,” Asakura said. “I always aim to go for the KO finish, and I’m here to bring excitement back to the flyweight division.”

    Asakura will look to prove those remarks correct come fight night at UFC 310. In the process, the Japanese debutant will hope to open a new chapter in the flyweight division.

  • Shavkat Rakhmonov Reacts To Ian Garry’s ‘Delusional’ UFC 310 Fight Prediction

    Shavkat Rakhmonov Reacts To Ian Garry’s ‘Delusional’ UFC 310 Fight Prediction

    Shavkat Rakhmonov enters UFC 310 brimming with confidence as he prepares for a five-round welterweight clash against Ian Garry.

    The bout, now serving as the co-main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, was a shift from the original plan. Rakhmonov was initially slated to face UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad but he withdrew from the fight due to injury, opening the door for Garry to step in.

    The Kazakh star, boasting an undefeated 18-0 record with all his wins coming via finish, remains confident that his streak will continue on Saturday night. With that in mind, he was surprised by Garry’s bold prediction of securing a stoppage victory in “Sin City.”

    “I don’t think that’s how it’s going to happen; I think he’s delusional,” Rakhmonov said at UFC 310 media day. “I think I’m going to beat him and get to my goal.”

    While Rakhmonov respects Garry as a worthy opponent, he is hesitant to label him the toughest test of his career.

    “We’ll see whether that’s true come fight night,” Rakhmonov added.

    With the spotlight firmly on this co-main event, Rakhmonov looks to not only extend his perfect record but also solidify his place as the top contender in the welterweight division.

  • Aljamain Sterling: Exciting Movsar Evloev Fight At UFC 310 Will Be A ‘Win-Win’ For Both Of Us

    Aljamain Sterling: Exciting Movsar Evloev Fight At UFC 310 Will Be A ‘Win-Win’ For Both Of Us

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling is just days away from his return to the Octagon, where he will face Movsar Evloev at UFC 310. The fight is set to take place this Saturday as part of a stacked pay-per-view card.

    Sterling heads into this fight riding momentum from a significant victory over Calvin Kattar at UFC 300 this past April. That win helped him bounce back after losing his bantamweight title to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292.

    For “Funk Master,” the matchup with Evloev represents an opportunity to position himself back in title contention. Speaking at UFC 310 media day, Sterling shared his mindset.

    “The path [to the title] is dominate Movsar. I dominate Movsar, and I think I take care of a lot of issues outside of things I can’t really control. I can only control my performance. The UFC is going to say who they want to fight for the belt next, and hopefully, it gives me a shot if I go out there and do a great job and win.”

    Sterling is confident the fight will deliver an exciting contest for fans, predicting a showcase of high-level grappling. At the same time, he’s open to the possibility of striking exchanges, which could lead to thrilling moments inside the Octagon.

    “It’s a win-win for both of our careers,” Sterling noted.

    As Sterling looks to prove his case for another title shot, the clash with Evloev has the potential to be a pivotal moment in his career and the UFC featherweight division.

  • MMA-Trained Pastor Fights Off Axe-Wielding Burglar In California Church

    MMA-Trained Pastor Fights Off Axe-Wielding Burglar In California Church

    An axe-wielding burglar picked the wrong church to mess with on Thanksgiving after he attempted to break in by smashing a window. After hearing the security alarm go off, Pastor Nick Neves went to investigate and the two men got into a confrontation in Antioch.

    Though Neves would’ve preferred to have helped the man rather than having to confront him, he did just that and with a background of training in martial arts, he was able to deal with the burglar without needing to injure him.

    “I shouted at him to stop, and that the police were on their way, and he ran and I grabbed a hold of him and we ended up wrestling in the parking lot of the church,” Neves told NBC News. “I was able to pin him to the ground and he got up and try to get away several times, but basically just trying to wear him out because I knew I could outlast him.”

    It reportedly look between 12-15 minutes of wrestling before the burglar exhausted himself and the police arrived. Neves told NBC that he likes to keep fit and has previously trained in multiple martial arts like kickboxing and jiu-jitsu. He described his experience as being “very helpful” so that he could “grapple with this gentleman without having to do much harm to him.”

    The thief has not yet been publicly identified despite the images that have been released on social media.

    Antioch Police Department on Facebook

    (Antioch Police Department on Facebook)

    Neves is proud of the service that his church is able to provide for those in need having recently provided groceries for 130 families. He described the confrontation as “ironic”.

    “If he had come a couple of days earlier, he would have been blessed and get some food and be cared for but he decided instead to smash windows and desecrate property and do something that’s going to hurt the ministries.”

    A long-time member of Neves’ Family First Church remarked that he was incredibly happy to find out that their “very tough” pastor wasn’t injured in the incident and that “we’re very grateful to God that he’s our pastor and not our enemy.”

  • UFC 310: Vicente Luque Explains How Joaquin Buckley ‘Woke’ Him Up With Knockout

    UFC 310: Vicente Luque Explains How Joaquin Buckley ‘Woke’ Him Up With Knockout

    At UFC 310 this weekend, welterweight staple Vicente Luque will look to return to the win column by halting the winning streak of Themba Gorimbo. For the 33-fight veteran, defending his position in the rankings isn’t something that he’s used to but he was forced into this role in his last fight.

    In Atlantic City this past March, Luque came up against Joaquin Buckley who was looking to build on his back-to-back wins by earning his biggest victory to date. “New Mansa” did exactly that by stopping the Brazilian in the second round for the first of three breakout wins for him in 2024.

    During a recent interview with UFC.com ahead of his return in Las Vegas, Luque spoke about what he was able to learn and take from this fight and how that will benefit him against Gorimbo who has won his last four since losing his UFC debut.

    “Against Buckley, that was the first time I was in that position, and it was a fight for me to understand that it’s different. It was good for me to face Buckley and live that before I fight Themba because now I know what kind of energy I have to have in there.”

    He believes that unlike some of his recent matchups against the likes of Rafael dos Anjos, Geoff Neal and Belal Muhammad, he needed to bring a different mentality with him into the Buckley fight. In his opinion, in order to beat the rising and hungry contenders in his division, he needs to match the fire that they bring into the Octagon.

    “Now when we’re fighting up-and-comers, I remember all the tenacity I brought into fights, and I’ve got to bring that back. Buckley woke me up to that.

    “I’ve got to go in there and really want it more than them; not just come in here and think my technique and my experience is gonna be enough.”

  • Jiří Procházka Gives Latest Update On Postponed Middleweight Plans

    Jiří Procházka Gives Latest Update On Postponed Middleweight Plans

    Jiří Procházka has recently spoken about a potential move to middleweight in the future which caught a lot of fans by surprise given his size. The former light heavyweight champion is still one of the top contenders at 205-pounds with his only losses in the UFC coming to Alex Pereira.

    With his next outing being confirmed for UFC 311 in January where he will face Jamahal Hill in a clash of former titleholders that has been a long time coming, it looks like 185-pounds is on the backburner for now. Given the amount of contenders that are currently at middleweight, it only makes sense for him to continue campaigning in his natural weight class.

    In a recent interview with James Lynch for Sportskeeda, Procházka spoke about his future at the weight class below and why he has chosen to stay at light heavyweight for the time being. He says that he wanted to make a significant change following his loss to “Poatan” at UFC 303 but he has found ways to do that which don’t mean that he has to leave the division entirely.

    Ahead of his return to take on “Sweet Dreams”, he believes that he still has unfinished business to attend to at 205 before he thinks about cutting a bit more weight.

    “I thought about that a lot but it was like decision to change something, to make a big change because I know my body is working really, really well when I don’t eat a lot so I’m keeping that but still. I’ve got the power, I got the strength and I have the endurance and all the abilities and everything to beat the guys in the light heavyweight so for me, this is the best. Maybe I will jump to the middleweight, maybe or I will jump to middleweight, but first, I said to myself I want to win the light heavyweight title. That’s all what’s on my mind right now and win the next fight especially.”

  • Bellator Champs Patrício Pitbull, Patchy Mix Request PFL Release: ‘They Don’t Know How To Act’

    Bellator Champs Patrício Pitbull, Patchy Mix Request PFL Release: ‘They Don’t Know How To Act’

    Two of the biggest names that the PFL acquired in the Bellator deal have recently voiced their frustrations with not being offered fights. Both Patrício Pitbull and Patchy Mix are reigning Bellator champions who have recently had upcoming bouts cancelled and they don’t seem happy with the communication that has taken place.

    Pitbull hasn’t fought since March where after finishing Jeremy Kennedy, he says he was told that he would be able to return to RIZIN for a rematch with Chihiro Suzuki to try and get his revenge. He also claims that he was then told he would be fighting Aaron Pico instead but this has also not materialized for him.

    As for the bantamweight champion Mix, he defended his title in May and was recently preparing for another title defence against Leandro Higo in November but since that event was postponed, he says that he hasn’t received word on when he will receive his next outing. Posting on X, Mix vented his frustrations and said that similarly to what has happened with other big names like Gegard Mousasi, he would like to be released if they don’t have any plans for him in the near future.

    “My manager told me to hold off but haven’t heard anything from PFLMMA DonnDavisPFL If you are not gonna have me fight then just please release me from contract. This is not what I want but if I’m not important to the company being a multi time champ. Then let me go respectfully”

    Pitbull made similar statements in a recent interview with MMA Fighting where he criticized the way that the promotion has handled the Bellator fighters since the acquisition last year.

    “PFL guys seem a bit lost there. Looks like Bellator is a bit too big for them, and they don’t know how to act properly.”

    Pitbull, like Mix, just wants to be active and he believes that leaving the PFL is the best way for him to do that at this stage in his career.

    “We were left with only promises. We lost rhythm, we lost part of our careers waiting for something that never came. It’s bad for me as a champion. I need to stay active. We know I’m not getting any younger, too. So I spoke with my managers and since my contract is not that long, it’s close to the end, we’ll ask to leave. I need to work.

    “Basically, Douglas Lima and my brother [Patricky Pitbull], the high-caliber guys of the organization, they either re-signed with their purse cut in half or they would be cut. That was basically forced, you know? Donn Davis said early in the merge that that would not happen, but it happened. We know the organization has valued semi-retired fighters and internet celebrities more than actual fighters that put on a show.”

  • Ian Garry On Tapping To Shavkat Rakhmonov In Training: ‘Let’s See If He Can Do It When It Matters’ 

    Ian Garry On Tapping To Shavkat Rakhmonov In Training: ‘Let’s See If He Can Do It When It Matters’ 

    UFC welterweight contender Ian Garry isn’t paying attention to what happened when he met upcoming opponent Shavkat Rakhmonov on the Kill Cliff FC mats.

    The pair of undefeated rising stars are set to do battle in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC 310 pay-per-view at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, where a shot at Belal Muhammad’s gold is expected to await the victor in 2025.

    While it will mark the Rakhmonov and Garry’s first time colliding inside the Octagon, they are familiar with one another owing to their brief time training under the same roof in Florida.

    And as they prepare to reacquaint one another with their respective arsenals, much has been made of the Kazakh revealing he forced his Irish counterpart to tap to a choke in the gym.

    During an interview with talkSPORT, Garry reacted to that remark, admitting it was true but dismissing any suggestion that it could matter leading up to their clash on Dec. 7.

    “Look, if he’s hanging on to something like that from training two or three years ago, then guess what? Do it on Saturday night,” Garry said. “Do it underneath the bright lights. Do it when it matters most. Let’s see if he can do it.

    “I promise you now, he is not ready for the speed and the beauty. He’s going to look at me and go, ‘Oh my god, this guy’s beautiful. What do I do?’ He’s going to be left speechless,” Garry continued. “He’s going to see how fast I move and go, ‘Wow, this kid’s special,’ and that’s all he’s going to think. … It’s training. If I told you about all the people I absolutely burned and choked in training, you would sit here and say I’m the best fighter in the world already.”

    Garry will look to prove those comments correct come fight night in “Sin City.”

    His third outing of this year, following triumphs over Geoff Neal and Michael “Venom” Page goes down in the UFC 310 co-main event, with Alexandre Pantoja headlining in defense of his flyweight title opposite newcomer Kai Asakura.

  • Dana White Cancels Trip To Watch Fighter From UFC 308 Presser After Martial Law Declared In South Korea

    Dana White Cancels Trip To Watch Fighter From UFC 308 Presser After Martial Law Declared In South Korea

    At the UFC 308 press conference in October, undefeated fighter Dorobshokh Nabotov stole headlines when he made the most of his time on the mic. Speaking directly to UFC President Dana White, he called for an opportunity to prove himself inside the Octagon and after listing his accomplishments, he was called down from the crowd and onto the stage where he shook hands with the boss.

    It was later announced that Nabotov would be offered the chance to fight on Z-Fight Night, the South Korean MMA promotion which is owned by MMA legend, Chan Sung Jung, AKA “The Korean Zombie”. The promotion is set to host it’s second event on December 14 in Goyang on the same night as the UFC’s final event of 2024 in Tampa.

    White said that they would be attending the card in order to record a new episode of “Looking For A Fight”, a UFC series where White often travels alongside Matt Serra and Din Thomas to visit some tourist attractions, dine on some local delicacies and most importantly, head to a fight card that features a few interesting fighters. If Nabotov had looked impressive in his fight against Brazil’s Matheus Camilo, it’s likely that he would have been offered another big opportunity right there on the night.

    However, travel plans have been changed as a result of what is happening in South Korea right now. On Tuesday, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, sending heavily armed forces into the streets which has led to significant protesting and unrest. Though opposing parties were able to cancel Yoon’s declaration just six hours after it began by voting against it, this difficult situation is still far from over.

    In a post put up on the promotion’s Instagram, Z-Fight Night announced that White will no longer be attending their event as a result.

    “Due to the declaration of martial law in South Korea on December 3, Dana White, who was scheduled to attend ZFN 02 on December 14, will unfortunately no longer be able to attend the event. We sincerely apologize to everyone who was looking forward to his visit. ZFN will do its best to invite Dana White to a future event. Thank you for your understanding.”

    It appears that the event will be streamed live on UFC Fight Pass so Nabotov will still have a big opportunity to impress people from the UFC that will be tuning in to see how he performs.

  • Anik Says Jon Jones Has Surpassed Other Undefeated Greats: ‘With Respect To Calzaghe & Mayweather…’

    Anik Says Jon Jones Has Surpassed Other Undefeated Greats: ‘With Respect To Calzaghe & Mayweather…’

    UFC broadcaster Jon Anik has declared Jon Jones as not just the greatest fighter in MMA history but arguably in all combat sports.

    Jones boasts a 28-1 professional record, with his sole loss being a disqualification for an illegal 12-6 elbow against Matt Hamill. Interestingly, the 12-6 elbow is now legal under the new MMA Unified Rules adopted in New York. His résumé includes victories over some of the most elite fighters to ever step inside the Octagon, solidifying his status as a legend in the sport.

    “I think, with respect to Joe Calzaghe and Floyd Mayweather, that Jon Jones has already pushed himself beyond those guys,” Anik told MMA Junkie. “Even if people want to denigrate the Stipe win because it happened at 42 years of age, I don’t think there really is anything left for Jon Jones to accomplish. But there is financial gain to be had.”

    Though the reigning heavyweight champion has dismissed the idea of facing interim titleholder Tom Aspinall, Jones has expressed interest in a blockbuster matchup with current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.

    As speculation swirls, Jones is reportedly in discussions with the UFC for a potential return in 2025, keeping fans eager for what’s next in his legendary career.

  • Movsar Evloev Differs From Aljamain Sterling On View Of UFC 310 Card Placement

    Movsar Evloev Differs From Aljamain Sterling On View Of UFC 310 Card Placement

    Undefeated UFC featherweight contender Movsar Evloev couldn’t care less whether he makes the walk at the start or end of a fight card.

    Evloev is set for a crucial outing this weekend at UFC 310, where he looks to stake his claim for a first shot at gold on MMA’s biggest stage at the expense of former bantamweight kingpin Aljamain Sterling.

    The Russian opened his account for 2024 by getting the better of Arnold Allen in Canada this past January. The result pushed him into the top five at 145 pounds and left him 8-0 since joining the UFC from M-1 Global in 2019.

    But he’s come under fire for failing to find a finish in his UFC tenure to date, and Dana White’s reaction to his latest win would suggest Evloev isn’t Mr. Popular among the promotional higher-ups.

    That’s perhaps contributed to the controversial decision to place Evloev’s clash with Sterling — another whose entertainment value has been called into question by some — on Saturday’s preliminary card.

    The move hasn’t pleased “Funk Master,” who has vowed to prove that the UFC made a mistake. Evloev, however, is seemingly unbothered.

    “Guys my fight will be broadcasted on ESPN, way more people will watch my fight than on the PPV, I don’t even care if I’m the first fight of the night, I get paid the same,” Evloev wrote on X. “All my life I worked hard to earn thing nothing was ever given to me”

    Regardless of their position on the lineup, both Evloev and Sterling will be looking to put themselves among the night’s biggest winners by extending their respective unbeaten featherweight records. “Funk Master” is 1-0 in the division, having gotten the better of Calvin Kattar on debut this past April.