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  • Sean Strickland & Dricus Du Plessis Team Up To Blast ‘Clown’ Jake Paul Over Mike Tyson Clash

    Sean Strickland & Dricus Du Plessis Team Up To Blast ‘Clown’ Jake Paul Over Mike Tyson Clash

    UFC rivals Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis unexpectedly united to slam Jake Paul for fighting Mike Tyson.

    Paul is primed to collide with Tyson in an eight-round heavyweight bout scheduled for Friday at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

    The highly debated boxing showdown has dominated headlines since its announcement, though not for the most favorable of reasons. The focal point has been the jaw-dropping 31-year age gap between the YouTuber-turned-boxer and the former undisputed heavyweight champion, a record-breaking divide that has sparked widespread skepticism about the competitiveness of the matchup.

    Among the many critics of the Paul vs. Tyson bout, Strickland, who is no stranger to bashing “The Problem Child,” has joined the chorus. The former UFC middleweight champion recently took to X and lashed out at Paul over his matchup with the boxing legend in a series of tweets.

    “@jakepaul [Jake Paul] is a clown,” Strickland tweeted. “Your ability to make money off stupid people is impressive, but being rich won’t buy you dignity. You’re fighting a 60-year-old man who is just trying to make a dollar by risking his life.. scum bag.”

    Strickland then reacted to the Netflix promotional video for the fight, taking issue with the “All it takes is one punch” tagline.

    “You’re fighting a 60-year-old… are you a f**king idiot?? This should be illegal… The man had a medical emergency a month before this because he’s too f**king old. F**king clown.”

    Surprisingly, reigning UFC 185-pound champion Du Plessis chimed into the conversation, backing Stricklandā€™s criticism of “The Problem Child”.

    “I donā€™t always agree with you, but I second that,” Du Plessis wrote. “Still, believe Iron Mike KOā€™s him.”

    “Iron Mike” hung up his gloves after a loss to Kevin McBride in June 2005. However, Tyson made a comeback to the ring for an exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020, a bout that ultimately ended in a draw.

    The Paul vs. Tyson fight was originally scheduled for July 20 but was delayed to November after Tyson experienced an ulcer flare-up during a flight from Miami to Los Angeles in May.

  • UFC 309: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream

    UFC 309: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream

    UFC 309 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 iconic Madison Square Garden in New York CityĀ provides a chance for UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones to record his first successful title defense.

    After capturing the gold in March 2023 by quickly submitting Ciryl Gane, ā€œBonesā€ is next tasked with stalling Stipe Miocic’s ambitions of a return to the 265-pound mountaintop in what will mark the Ohio native’s first outing in three and a half years.

    The stakes will also be high in the co-main event, which will see former lightweight champ Charles Oliveira look to secure another shot at regaining the crown by once again getting the better of Michael Chandler.

    Elsewhere on the UFC 309 card, middleweight prospect Bo Nickal, rising flyweight Karine Silva, the always entertaining Mauricio Ruffy and former champion Chris Weidman have their next assignments inside the Octagon.

    Ahead of the event,Ā 25 of the 26 fighters successfully made weight, with James Llontop’s 1.2-pound miss of the 165-pound catchweight 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 309 ceremonial weigh-ins!

    Check out a live stream viaĀ the official UFC YouTube channelĀ below, commencing at 5 PM ET.

    UFC 309 Ceremonial Weigh-In Live Stream

  • UFC 309: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic Weigh-In Results

    UFC 309: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic Weigh-In Results

    UFC 309 takes place tomorrow night, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    After staging fights in Edmonton and Las Vegas to kick off the month, the mixed martial arts leader will host its annual November numbered event from Madison Square Garden in New York City.

    One title will be on the line at the top of the card, with Jon Jones defending his heavyweight belt against returning former champion Stipe Miocic n the main event. Co-headlining, meanwhile, will be a crucial lightweight rematch between ex-titleholder Charles Oliveira and the always entertaining Michael Chandler

    Also on the main card will be returns for highly touted middleweight prospect Bo Nickal, surging flyweight contender Karine Silva, and electric lightweight newcomer Mauricio Ruffy.

    UFC 309: Jones vs. Miocic Weigh-In Results

    UFC 309 takes place Saturday, November 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. 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 309 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below.

    Main Card:

    • Heavyweight Championship Main Event: Jon Jones (237.6lbs) vs. Stipe Miocic (248.6lbs)
    • Lightweight Co-Main Event: Charles Oliveira (155.6lbs) vs. Michael Chandler (155.6lbs)
    • Womenā€™s Flyweight: Viviane AraĆŗjo (125.6lbs) vs. Karine Silva (125.8lbs)
    • Middleweight: Bo Nickal (185.4lbs) vs. Paul Craig (186lbs)
    • Catchweight (165lbs): Mauricio Ruffy (164.4lbs) vs. James Llontop (166.2lbs)*

    Preliminary Card:

    • Bantamweight: Jonathan Martinez (135.8lbs) vs. Marcus McGhee (135.6lbs)
    • Middleweight: Eryk Anders (185.6lbs) vs. Chris Weidman (186lbs)
    • Lightweight: Jim Miller (155.6lbs) vs. Damon Jackson (155.2lbs)
    • Featherweight: David Onama (155.6lbs) vs. Roberto Romero (155lbs)

    Early Preliminary Card: 

    • Heavyweight: Marcin Tybura (251lbs) vs. Jhonata Diniz (253.2lbs)
    • Welterweight: Mickey Gall (170.8lbs) vs. Ramiz Brahimaj (170.2lbs)
    • Welterweight: Bassil Hafez (171lbs) vs. Oban Elliott (170lbs)
    • Womenā€™s Flyweight: Veronica Hardy (125.8lbs) vs. Eduarda Moura (125.2lbs)

    *James Llontop missed the catchweight limit by 1.2 pounds

  • UFC 309 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Jones vs. Miocic, Oliveira vs. Chandler 2, & More

    UFC 309 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Jones vs. Miocic, Oliveira vs. Chandler 2, & More

    UFC 309 is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this weekendā€™s lineup.

    The upcoming pay-per-view takes place Saturday, November 16, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. 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 Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, who is tasked with getting the better of former kingpin Stipe Miocic if heā€™s to record a first successful title defense.

    Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see ex-lightweight titleholder Charles Oliveira in action for the second time this year. After failing to get past Arman Tsarukyan, ā€œDo Bronxā€ must add a second win over Michael Chandler to his record if he’s to keep his name in the title conversation.

    Also set to make the walk on Saturday will be the likes of elite wrestling specialist Bo Nickal, rising women’s flyweight contender Karine Silva, the entertaining Mauricio Ruffy and former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman.

    Ahead of the event, you can get some help from the group of experts at MMA News by checking out their predictions for the UFC 309 main card here.

    UFC 309: Jones vs. Miocic Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 309 (as of 11/15), courtesy of DraftKings.

    Main Card:

    • Jon Jones (-625) vs. Stipe Miocic (+455)
    • Charles Oliveira (-245) vs. Michael Chandler (+200)
    • Viviane AraĆŗjo (+240) vs. Karine Silva (-298)
    • Bo Nickal (-1350) vs. Paul Craig (+800)
    • Mauricio Ruffy (-900) vs. James Llontop (+600)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Jonathan Martinez (+120) vs. Marcus McGhee (-142)
    • Eryk Anders (-115) vs. Chris Weidman (-105)
    • Jim Miller (+150)vvs. Damon Jackson (-180)
    • David Onama (-850) vs. Roberto Romero (+575)

    Early Preliminary Card: 

    • Marcin Tybura (-148) vs. Jhonata Diniz (+124)
    • Mickey Gall (-142) vs. Ramiz Brahimaj (+120)
    • Bassil Hafez (+230) vs. Oban Elliott (-285)
    • Veronica Hardy (-135) vs. Eduarda Moura (+114)
  • UFC 309 Fighter Recalls ā€˜Traumatizingā€™ Weight Cut In Her Last Fight That Wonā€™t Prevent Her From Trying Again

    UFC 309 Fighter Recalls ā€˜Traumatizingā€™ Weight Cut In Her Last Fight That Wonā€™t Prevent Her From Trying Again

    Brazil’s Eduarda Moura returns for her third outing inside the Octagon this weekend at UFC 309 where unlike in her previous UFC bouts, she isn’t expecting to battle with the scales before fight night comes around. Having signed to the promotion last year via the Contender Series, the 30-year old failed to hit the strawweight limit in both of her previous fights.

    Her return at Madison Square Garden on November 16 sees her move up a weight class to flyweight where she will open the card in a bout with Veronica Hardy. Though she has gone 1-1 thus far in the UFC, her attempt to make strawweight last June was a clear indicaton that something needed to change.

    In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, she spoke in detail about the brutal 17-pound weight cut that she went through in order to face Denise Gomes in Louisville, Kentucky. Despite everything that she went through only to lose a split decision, Moura says competing at 115-pounds isn’t out of the question if she can do it right but for the time being, her focus is on staying active and that makes flyweight a better fit.

    “My body rejected it and I felt so many cramps I basically didnā€™t sleep during fight week. Iā€™m traumatized, but Iā€™ll go back to 115ā€”but not right now [laughs]. I think we can change a few things and study more. Truth is, I just want to fight. I think Iā€™ll have more fights at 125 and I need to work.ā€

    Moura believes that along with it negatively impacting her performance against Gomes physically, she thinks her struggles gave her opponent a mental advantage after she handed Moura a bucket to throw up in before they stood face-to-face after the weigh-ins.

    “I kept remembering that scene, her getting me a bucket. That was the first time I felt like crying before a fight. I was so frustrated I couldnā€™t make weight. I was so nervous, and I kept trying to disguise. I was singing as I walked out to play cool, and I never do that. I was completely lost. I felt in my heart something was wrong.”

    Like many fighters, Moura believes that she has more advantages at strawweight because of the size difference between her and her opponents. She’s not ready to fully commit to flyweight but that could all change with a big win on Saturday.

    ā€œI want to be champion and I believe I have great advantage at strawweight. Iā€™m tall and have good reach, and the power, too, but Iā€™m still traumatized [laughs]. We will think about it. It depends on the opportunity.”

  • Ngannou’s Coach Highlights Jon Jones & Stipe Miocic’s Best Attributes Ahead Of UFC 309

    Ngannou’s Coach Highlights Jon Jones & Stipe Miocic’s Best Attributes Ahead Of UFC 309

    Both Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic are not the kind of fighters that have too many questions surrounding their fighting styles and key attributes. There may be questions ahead of UFC 309 this weekend regarding how Jones looks at heavyweight and whether Miocic will be able to roll back the years but we know a lot of the other variables.

    In a recent piece for UFC.com, E. Spencer Kyte sat down with Eric Nicksick, who knows a thing about heavyweight title fights as the coach of Francis Ngannou, to break down this Saturday’s headline bout at Madison Square Garden. Starting with “Bones”, the Xtreme Couture head coach gave his opinion on what the consensus greatest of all time does better than the rest.

    “For Jon, obviously, I think itā€™s his Fight IQ ā€”Ā thatā€™s definitely gonna be No. 1, but the way that heā€™s able to apply different arts to the game plan; I think thatā€™s what makes him the most intriguing fighter ever. He can beat you in any facet of the game and do it very, very well. He has an ego about him too, where if you watch the Cormier fight, ā€˜Oh, youā€™re the best wrestler? Okay, Iā€™ll take your a** down. Gustafsson, youā€™re the best striker? Iā€™m gonna out-strike you.’ There is an edge and an aura to him where he likes to beat his opponent at their best attribute, and thatā€™s what makes him freakinā€™ amazing.”

    Nicksick continued, adding what side of Jones’ game he believes will be the most important for this fight in particular.

    “I think the attribute for him is his length ā€” keeping this fight long and at a pace that favors him. I think heā€™s the ultimate puppet master in the way that he fights ā€”Ā he gets you into his style of fight, he controls that pace, and thatā€™s where I think a lot of guys have problems with him because they get snake-charmed.”

    Ngannou’s coach also highlighted Jones’ offense which has seen him showcase a wide array of weapons, many of which have become adopted by other fighters.

    “Itā€™s in his creativity too that you see how good he is because you donā€™t get to train a lot of that. You donā€™t get to prepare for a spinning back elbow off a right cross. Thatā€™s natural instinct like Saquon Barkley jumping over a guy; you look at it and go, ā€˜Thatā€™s the level of creativity in his mind that heā€™s doing that,ā€™ and you canā€™t train for that, you canā€™t prepare for that.”

    Nicksick then turned his attention to the challenger in this Saturday’s main event. Having trained Ngannou to fight the former two-time heavyweight champion twice before, analyzing Miocic’s game is something that he has plenty of experience doing already.

    “His best traits are his boxing, his toughness, his durability and his heart, all those things, but as someone that had to game-plan for the guy ā€” when you and I were talking about this fight last week, I was looking at some stuff, and it brought back an anxiety like I was going back and preparing for Stipe again. If you look at the trilogy with Cormier, Stipe looked better in every fight and got better in every fight. He was winning the first fight until he wasnā€™t, he was losing the second fight until he wasnā€™t, and then the third fight was a complete wash, but in that third fight, I saw so many different technical evolutions from him in that time.”

    Nicksick believes that based on Miocic’s ability to adapt in the past, we could see even more developments in his game after he’s spent over three years outside of the Octagon.

    “A lot of switch stances, a lot of lateral movement, a lot of shake steps ā€”Ā things that I think are more predicated to lighter weight fighters, and he was implementing these things and very much confused Cormier. So I also think itā€™s his evolution, and thatā€™s a big question: how has he evolved these last three years? What has he been doing? I have to assume that heā€™s only gotten better. With the type of personality and champion that he is, (I have to assume) that heā€™s been working, doing new things.”

  • Cub Swanson Reveals Motivation After Signing New UFC Deal At 41

    Cub Swanson Reveals Motivation After Signing New UFC Deal At 41

    On December 14 in Tampa, Cub Swanson will look to make his 25th appearance inside the Octagon after debuting with the promotion all the way back in 2011. Having alternated wins and losses for the past few years, he’s looking to bounce back against Billy Quarantillo in a very fan-friendly match-up.

    Swanson spoke in a recent interview with MMA Junkie about how he’s taking each fight one at a time at 41-years old. He announced that this bout will be the first of a newly-signed four-fight deal that he believes will take him up to the end of his career.

    ā€œItā€™s fight by fight but this would have been my last one so I told them I didnā€™t intend on fighting out of my contract and going to other places, I want to stay here. I think itā€™s fitting and so yeah, we did a new deal.ā€

    When asked about his motivation to continue competing at this stage, Swanson said that though he now has to balance being a fighter with his other work commitments and family life, it’s his kids that inspire him to keep going. “Killer” Cub is focused on supporting his family but he also wants them to have memories that wouldn’t exist if he’d already hung up his gloves.

    This motivation comes from a deep and emotional place for Swanson based on the experiences he had in regards to his late father. He opened up about this during the interview and explained how this has shaped the later stages of his UFC run.

    ā€œMy father passed away when I was a baby so I grew up people telling me stories about my dad and I was always like, ā€˜Okay, thank you,ā€™ but itā€™s like somebody I never met so it was a little strange. So I did all these cool things and then towards the end of my career I had kids and then they were babies and Iā€™m like man, I donā€™t want them to hear stories about me and not remember it so then it became a motivation for me to want to do it long enough so they would remember and say, ā€˜Yeah, I remember my dad doing that, thatā€™s pretty cool.ā€™ So that became my motivation so it was really important for me.ā€Ā Ā Ā 

  • Former ONE World Champion Signs Exclusive Deal With The UFC

    Former ONE World Champion Signs Exclusive Deal With The UFC

    UFC president Dana White took to social media last night to announce some ground-breaking news for the promotion. In recent years, the UFC Fight Pass Invitational has started to become a major fixture in the submission grappling world and it appears that the UFC is going to double down on this in the next few months.

    White broke the news that former ONE Championship star Mikey Musumeci has signed to become the UFC’s first-ever exclusive grappling competitor. He is set to make his FPI debut on December 5 at the Apex in Las Vegas where he faces Felipe Machado in the main event.

    White’s social media video hyped up Musumeci’s arrival along with the statement that this big signing is set to be the first of many that are coming in the near future.

    “Over the course of the last year, I’ve been working on developing the best Brazilian jiu-jitsu program in the world. I am excited to announce that we’ve signed Mikey Musumeci to the first-ever exclusive BJJ promotional agreement in the company’s history. If you don’t know, Mikey is considered by many to be the best BJJ player in the world and he is a multiple-time world champion and unbeaten over the past eight years at 135-pounds. This will be the first of many we will sign over the coming months.”

    ONE Championship has also looked to capitalize on the growing interest in submission grappling over the past few years by signing some of the top athletes in the sport like Musumeci and the Ruotolo brothers. Musumeci became the promotion’s inaugural flyweight submission grappling world champion and defended the belt several times before announcing his departure from the promotion last week.

    He was recently stripped of the flyweight title after failing to make weight and pass his hydration test after agreeing to a late notice title defense at ONE 168 this past September. A video of Musumeci being sat at the Apex alongside the UFC boss prompted some speculation that this could be his next destination.

  • Cory Sandhagen Believes Overestimating Umar Nurmagomedovā€™s Wrestling Cost Him

    Cory Sandhagen Believes Overestimating Umar Nurmagomedovā€™s Wrestling Cost Him

    In his return to action in Abu Dhabi this past August, Cory Sandhagen’s three-fight winning streak came to an end. “The Sandman” has been one of the top contenders at bantamweight for a long time but in his latest outing, a new major threat emerged with his biggest win to date.

    The undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov was able to skyrocket up the 135-pound rankings by decisively beating Sandhagen in the main event on August 3. The cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov showed that he isn’t just a threat on the ground by standing and striking with his opponent for long stretches in the fight.

    During a recent appearance on the JAXXON Podcast, he recapped the fight and where he believes he went wrong in his preparations. Sandhagen was able to compete with Nurmagomedov in the grappling exchanges after putting a lot of time into his wrestling throughout his training camp.

    However, as a result, he encountered a problem that many fighters have when going up against a wrestling specialist. In his opinion, he became so focused on this aspect of the fight that it negatively impacted his striking which is where you’d imagine him to hold an advantage in this match-up.

    He found that grappling with his opponent wasn’t the issue that he had, taking advantage of the time they spent standing was. Sandhagen was happy to learn from this fight but admitted that the narrative surrounding his opponent’s dominant grappling played a major factor inside the Octagon.

    ā€œI grappled a ton, I was wrestling a lot. Just the normal s*** man like I really thought that I would have a little bit more of a edge in the striking but should have done a little bit more striking and a little bit less wrestling because the wrestling, I kind of overestimated him big time on that. Everyone talks about how strong the Dagestani guys are and stuff and I had a little bit of that swirling around in my head so I overdid that I think a little bit.ā€Ā 

  • Former UFC Title Challenger ‘Doesn’t See’ Jon Jones Destroying Miocic: ‘Going To Be Really Close’

    Former UFC Title Challenger ‘Doesn’t See’ Jon Jones Destroying Miocic: ‘Going To Be Really Close’

    When the fight was scheduled to take place last year at UFC 295, a lot of people were quick to write off Stipe Miocic’s chances of dethroning the heavyweight champion, Jon Jones. Miocic has accomplished a lot a former two-time champion but his years away from the Octagon and last fight meant that a lot of people didn’t think that he would be at his best.

    This same narrative has only increased since that fight was postponed due to Jones’ injury and rescheduled for UFC 309 this weekend, over one year on from their previously scheduled encounter. However, there are some fellow fighters that believe that this fight will end up being far more competitive than many are expecting.

    Miocic was knocked out by Francis Ngannou the last time that we saw him in action but “The Predator” might be the most devastating puncher in the sport and Jones is not known for his heavy hands. In his trilogy with Daniel Cormier, Miocic was able to showcase his wrestling, boxing and fight IQ in order to win their second and third clashes.

    Former UFC title challenger Steve Erceg is one member of the roster who believes that Miocic will prove to be a tough test for “Bones”. The Aussie flyweight recently gave his thoughts on the fight in an interview with Fox Sports Australia.

    ā€œIā€™ve been thinking about this fight and believe itā€™s going to be a really close. Even though everyone is saying Jon Jones will destroy Stipe, I donā€™t see it because I just canā€™t see Jon taking Miocic down consistently. I think people are overlooking that.

    ā€œJon Jones also isnā€™t known for his ridiculous knockout power, so to win heā€™ll have to beat Stipe through five rounds and I canā€™t see him (Miocic) being picked apart for five rounds, either. When it comes to Stipe Miocic, I think most people know ā€“ or should know ā€“ that he isnā€™t someone to be trifled with. Thatā€™s why I think itā€™s going to be a barn burner. So while Iā€™m probably still leaning towards Jon, if I was having a punt Iā€™d go Stipe because in what I believe will be a close fight, heā€™s great value.ā€

  • Jon Jones: My Fight Against Stipe Miocic Has Become ā€˜Very Personalā€™

    Jon Jones: My Fight Against Stipe Miocic Has Become ā€˜Very Personalā€™

    Jon Jones is approaching his first UFC heavyweight title defense with a different mindset as he prepares to face Stipe Miocic in the main event of Saturdayā€™s UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden.

    Although the two fighters had mutual respect for much of the lead-up to the fight, tensions have escalated. Jones has taken a more personal approach to the matchup due to Miocic’s alleged comments.

    The shift began when Miocic called Jones a “bitch,” a remark Jones did not take lightly. Matters escalated further when Miocic allegedly mentioned Jones’ children, which Jones interpreted as a direct attack on his family. However, Micoic has denied those remarks.

    ā€œEveryone likes first responders, and I actually respect men and women in the armed forces and law enforcement, things like that,ā€ Jones said during the UFC 309 press conference. ā€œSo I made it a point to try to be very respectful to him. But thereā€™ve been two scenarios now. First, he said, ā€˜My kids will never look at me like Iā€™m an asshole.ā€™ That was a direct attack at me, my family, and my relationship with my kids. The second was him calling me a bitch. So, the respect is a little bit out the window, and weā€™ll see that on Saturday. Itā€™s very personal to me, yes.ā€ Donā€™t ever mention my kids again.

    Miocic replied, ā€œI never mentioned your kids.ā€ With these personal stakes adding fuel to the fire, fans can expect a charged performance from Jones as he looks to defend his title against the former UFC heavyweight champion.

  • Dana White: I Think Jon Will Eventually Come Back & Fight Tom Aspinall

    Dana White: I Think Jon Will Eventually Come Back & Fight Tom Aspinall

    Jon Jones is set to defend his UFC heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic in the main event of Saturdayā€™s UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. However, discussions about Jonesā€™ future fights have taken center stage. There is speculation about potential matchups against UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira for a BMF title or against Tom Aspinall.

    Ahead of UFC 309, Jones stirred controversy by calling the interim heavyweight champion an “a**hole” and expressing disinterest in working with someone who engages in social media banter.

    In a recent interview on The Jim Rome Show, UFC CEO Dana White addressed Jones’ comments and his future in the sport.

    ā€œI think Jon will eventually come back and fight Tom Aspinall. But, if he decides Saturday night, ā€˜Thatā€™s it, itā€™s over,ā€™ itā€™s his right to make that decision. For anybody to say heā€™s ducking anybody… Jon Jones is 37, 38 years old, fought everybody, all the best in the world in their prime, and has been doing it since he was 23 years old. He doesnā€™t duck.ā€

    White added, ā€œIf he wins, heā€™ll disappear for a while, and that competitive spirit will start bubbling up again. If he doesnā€™t decide to retire, he will absolutely, positively fight Tom Aspinall. Heā€™s not fighting [Alex] Pereira. If Jon Jones wants to fight again after Saturday night, he will fight Tom Aspinall.ā€

  • UFC 309: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic Press Conference Highlights & Faceoffs

    UFC 309: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic Press Conference Highlights & Faceoffs

    Weā€™re deep into UFC 309 fight week, meaning it was recently time for the fighters set to be in action on November 16 to take to the stage and answer some questions.

    The MMA leaderā€™s latest numbered event takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where the main attraction will see UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones put his belt on the line against Stipe Miocic.

    Setting the stage for the UFC 309 headliners will be a crucial five-round contest at 155 pounds, with former kingpin Charles Oliveira looking to repeat his 2021 victory over Michael Chandler in their highly anticipated rematch.

    Also on pay-per-view will be rising middleweight prospect Bo Nickal, who gets his toughest test to date in formerly ranked submission specialist Paul Craig. Thatā€™s in addition to surging flyweight Karine Silva, who looks to keep climbing the ladder toward Valentina Shevchenko’s gold at the expense of her fellow countrywoman Viviane Araujo.

    The UFC 309 main card will open with the always entertaining Mauricio Ruffy making his second walk to the Octagon. The Fighting Nerds standout will look to continue his winning start to life in the UFC against late-notice replacement James Llontop.

    As is customary during major fight weeks, the athletes took to the stage on Thursday for the pre-fight press conference.

    Check out a replay of the presser below viaĀ the UFCā€™s official YouTube channel, followed by all the highlights and faceoffs.

    UFC 309 Press Conference Highlights

    UFC 309 Press Conference Faceoffs

  • VIDEO: Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Weigh-In Results & Live Stream

    VIDEO: Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Weigh-In Results & Live Stream

    Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson takes place on Friday night, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    Four months on from their original fight date falling through, YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul and heavyweight legend Tyson will give their matchup a second go at reaching the ring inside Arlington’s AT&T Stadium.

    The pair’s eight-round professional heavyweight contest is tasked with headlining the very first combat sports event to be streamed live on the Netflix platform, which will also stage the championship rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.

    Ahead of the event, the fighters will hit the scale on Thursday to make their matchups official.

    The Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson event takes place on Friday, November 15, at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The main card begins at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT on Netflix, with the preliminary card starting at 5:30 PM ET/2:30 PM PT on YouTube.

    See above for a replay of the weigh-ins via Most Valuable Promotions, and check out the full results below.

    Main Card (Netflix, 8 PM ET):

    • Heavyweight: Jake Paul (227.2lbs) vs. Mike Tyson (228.4lbs)
    • Lightweight: Katie Taylor (137.4lbs) vs. Amanda Serrano (137.4lbs)
    • Welterweight: Mario Barrios (146.8lbs) vs. Abel Ramos (146.4lbs)
    • Super Middleweight: Neeraj Goyat (162lbs) vs. Whindersson Nunes (164lbs)

    Preliminary Card (YouTube, 5:30 PM ET):

    • Super Middleweight: Shadasia Green (167.8lbs) vs. Melinda Watpool (166.8lbs)
    • Lightweight: Lucas Bahdi (135.6lbs) vs. Armando Casamonica (138.6lbs*)
    • Featherweight: Shu Shu Carrington Jr. (125.8lbs) vs. Dana Coolwell (125.2lbs)

    *Armando Casamonica miss the lightweight limit

  • ‘This Is The Biggest Duck Of All Time’ – Fans React As Jon Jones Adds Size To List Of Excuses For Not Fighting Tom AspinallĀ 

    ‘This Is The Biggest Duck Of All Time’ – Fans React As Jon Jones Adds Size To List Of Excuses For Not Fighting Tom AspinallĀ 

    UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones is continuing to come under fire for attempting to justify avoiding a title unification fight with Tom Aspinall.

    Jones is fast approaching his first defense of the heavyweight crown, which he captured in his divisional debut last year by submitting Ciryl Gane in one round. He was quickly penciled in to next face Stipe Miocic.

    Their planned showdown at Madison Square Garden last November fell through, however, due to an injury on the side of “Bones,” and Tom Aspinall subsequently became interim champ as a result.

    Despite the presence of another titleholder, though, Jones has remained steadfast in his desire to face Miocic next instead of unifying the belt. With that, he’ll give making the walk inside MSG to square off with the returning legend a second chance this weekend at UFC 309.

    Even beyond that, Aspinall remains an opponent whom the Rochester native is looking to avoid. The champ has expressed a number of reasons for not fighting the Brit this year, from a potential retirement and lack of enthusiasm about the interim king’s record to his desire to face Alex Pereira instead.

    And Jones’ list of excuses has expanded in fight week. After suggesting he could vacate the title post-UFC 309 to fight the likes of Jamahal Hill, the former light heavyweight champ said he’s looking to fight athletes close to his size.

    It’s worth noting that Jones spent three years on the sidelines to bulk up and prepare for his stint at heavyweight, weighing in at 248 pounds for his divisional debut. That’s just three pounds lighter than Aspinall hit the scales at before knocking out Curtis Blaydes this past July.

    Jones’ latest remarks drew plenty of backlash on social media, not least due to the fact his remark on size came during the same media scrum in which he pointed to Derrick Lewis as a “super fight” he could pursue.

    The common theme among commenters was the “ducking” accusation that has followed Jones throughout UFC 309 fight week.

  • CĆ©dric DoumbĆ© Gets Dana White-esque Role For PFL Europe Championship Event

    CƩdric DoumbƩ Gets Dana White-esque Role For PFL Europe Championship Event

    PFL superstar CĆ©dric DoumbĆ© is set to be in attendance for the PFL Europe’s final show of the year that is coming up in Lyon, France on December 14. The promotion will crown it’s second set of champions at the LDLC arena with four final-round match-ups set for the card.

    DoumbĆ© isn’t set to be in action on the card despite not fighting since May and you’d imagine, he will be saved for a big PPV card from the PFL early next year now that the full card for the World Championships has been announced.

    Instead, the French striker will take on a different role later this year as he looks to give some emerging French talent his seal of approval. Fight fans are used to tuning into Dana White’s Contender Series each year where UFC hopefuls fight it out to try and impress the promotion’s bosses in order to secure a contract.

    Eight French fighters will now get the opportunity to do something similar but rather than fighting at the Apex in front of White and the matchmakers, they will need to impress one of the biggest names in Europe. “DoumbĆ© decides” will feature four fights on the PFL Europe 4 card where at the end, the striking specialist will have the final say on who did enough to earn themselves a spot on the PFL roster.

    ā€œThe Lazy Kingā€ Abdoul Abdouraguimov is set to return in the main event of the evening where he takes on Argentinaā€™s Laureano Staropoli with more fights set to be announced.

  • Kamaru Usman Eliminates Himself As An Option For Shavkat Rakhmonov At UFC 310

    Kamaru Usman Eliminates Himself As An Option For Shavkat Rakhmonov At UFC 310

    When Belal Muhammed announced that he had withdrawn from the first defense of his welterweight title at UFC 310, a lot of fight fans quickly came to the same conclusion. In the hopes of keeping Shavkat Rakhmonov on the card, a replacement opponent would need to be found for what would likely be an interim title fight.

    Rakhmonov pushed for this and like many people online, he wanted to face the former champion of the division in Kamaru Usman. “The Nigerian Nightmare” may be winless in his last three but his reign as the welterweight champion still gives him lots of pedigree at 170-pounds.

    The fight got everyone excited for December 7 but it unfortunately doesn’t look like we will get to see this match-up take place in Las Vegas. Usman spoke about the fight during a recent episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast alongside Henry Cejudo.

    He said that fighting the undefeated Rakhmonov is something that greatly interests him but without giving away any clear reason why, he said that stepping inside the Octagon in just a few weeks doesn’t look like it’ll be an option for him. This leaves very few options for potential replacements meaning that the UFC’s final PPV card of 2024 could be down to one title fight as Alexandre Pantoja defends his flyweight belt against the debuting Kai Asakura.

    “To be honest, it’s a fight that I’ve looked at and it’s definitely a very, very winnable fight and I know that I can, of all people, go out there and expose what hasn’t been exposed in a young, hungry, streaky guy in Shavkat Rakhmonov. He’s very talented, he’s very good but I do see the holes and I think that I can exploit that when that time is right but December 7 might be a little too early for that time.”

  • VIDEO: Jon Jones Walks Out Of UFC 309 Interview With UK Broadcaster To Avoid ‘Aspinall Fest’

    VIDEO: Jon Jones Walks Out Of UFC 309 Interview With UK Broadcaster To Avoid ‘Aspinall Fest’

    The main event of UFC 309 features the consensus greatest of all time facing the best heavyweight we have seen inside the Octagon for the title in a bout that is over a year in the making. Yet, a lot of the talk during fight week has been about a third man in the picture.

    Though the challenger, Stipe Miocic, has been his usual self all throughout the build up and is only focused on his upcoming clash with Jon Jones after their fight was rescheduled from UFC 295 last year, the narrative surrounding Jones and interim champion Tom Aspinall has dominated the headlines and key talking points.

    Jones has faced some criticism over claims he is ducking Aspinall, whom many believe to be the toughest test out there right now and the rightful next opponent for “Bones.” The Rochester native has responded with some criticism of his own that has only led to more drama and discussion.

    A video that was posted on social media by TNT Sports, which is the UK broadcaster of the UFC, showed how the Jones and Aspinall tension seemingly isn’t just for the cameras. Jones was carrying out his usual run of media duties as he walked into a room ready to be interviewed by the broadcaster’s team.

    With the fight being shown on TNT Sports PPV and the return of the GOAT being the key draw, it’s not surprising that they would want to get some time with the champion ahead of Saturday night.

    The clip shows that before Jones sat down, he declined to take part in the interview, telling his team that he didn’t want to do it because of the potential questions that he would be asked.

    “Hey, I’m not going to do this interview, you know, because it’s going to be an Aspinall fest. I’m not doing it.”

    The video also shows a quick interaction between Jones and the interviewer, TNT Sports’ Adam Catterall. Jones explained that his connection to Aspinall is why he refused to sit down and chat.

    “Hey bro, nothing personal. I see how close you guys are, common sense tells me what type of questions I’m going to get asked.”

    Catterall responded before the short clip cuts off with Jones walking down the hallway.

    “You’re entitled to speak to speak to who you want to speak to.”

    Where things get slightly more confusing is that TNT Sports did in fact put up an interview with Jones. At the start of the video, this footage is shown, and after his brief interaction with Catterall, he walks right into another interview with the broadcaster’s other presenter, Nick Peet.

    Peet is also close with Aspinall but the two sit down for a full interview, which has led to some pondering if this was a social media bit rather than a legitimate interaction. That isn’t 100 percent clear at this time.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHcYwuBTKqk

  • Israel Adesanya Makes His Pick For Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic At UFC 309

    Israel Adesanya Makes His Pick For Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic At UFC 309

    Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya believes this weekend’s curtain-closer between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic will reach a conclusion well inside the five-round distance.

    Jones and Miocic have renewed hostilities a year on from their first failed attempt at sharing the cage. That bout set for Madison Square Garden fell through owing to an injury on the side of the heavyweight kingpin.

    And despite that setting the stage for Tom Aspinall to achieve interim champ status, the title won’t be unified next, as “Bones” has instead kept his sights on welcoming Miocic back to the Octagon after a near-four-year layoff.

    Given the veteran’s age and lengthy stint on the sidelines, which followed a brutal knockout loss to Francis Ngannou, not many are giving the Ohio native a chance of ripping the gold from Jones’ grasp at UFC 309.

    And that includes a man who hasn’t always seen eye-to-eye with the Rochester native…

    During a video recently uploaded to his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Adesanya provided a brief breakdown of both UFC 309 headliners before making his prediction.

    While “The Last Stylebender” praised Miocic’s toughness and past stints with the heavyweight crown in his possession, he went as far as to suggest that a victory for the challenger would mark the “biggest upset” the Octagon has seen.

    “Jones lately looks better at heavyweight already. He’s been taking it seriously,” Adesanya said. “The Ciryl Gane fight was the one that made me go, ‘Yeah, he’s the best.’ I thought Ciryl Gane was going to give him some trouble, and Ciryl was the new-age heavyweight. Jones was like, ‘Hold on there.’ … The guy’s just crafty, creative with what he does.

    “But with Stipe, Stipe is tough. He can outwork a lot of heavyweights. You’ve seen what he’s done in the past, you’ve seen his reign as a heavyweight. … But in this fight, man, I think he’s up against it,” Adesanya continued. “I’m going to pick Jon Jones….first two rounds, he’s going to finish him. … If Stipe gets it done, it will be the biggest upset in UFC history.”

    Miocic will look to prove Adesanya wrong and deliver a major shock in “The Big Apple.”

    In doing so, he’d likely return to the heavyweight throne in an even more shocking fashion than his redemption against Daniel Cormier back in 2019.

  • Bo Nickal On Khamzat Chimaev: I Have A Lot Of Catching Up To Do

    Bo Nickalā€™s next challenge inside the Octagon is set for November 16th at UFC 309, where heā€™ll face Paul Craig on the main card at Madison Square Garden.

    Nickal has already secured impressive victories and continues to look better in every fight inside the Octagon. As the middleweight prospect continues to garner attention among fight fans, heā€™s now looking for his biggest win to date against the experienced Craig.

    While Khamzat Chimaev is often mentioned as a potential future opponent, Nickal believes that matchup is getting closer to becoming a reality. Still, he is focused on improving before taking on such a challenge.

    ā€œItā€™s definitely getting closer,ā€ Nickal told reporters on Wednesday. ā€œKhamzatā€™s last performance was incredible ā€” probably his best yet. Submitting a former champion is an incredible feat. Heā€™s definitely in line for a title shot. I have a lot of catching up to do, and Iā€™m still fighting unranked guys. Those are the kinds of fights I want in the future, but my main focus right now is to improve, develop, and get better at fighting. Weā€™ll make that fight happen in time,ā€ Nickal concluded.

  • Jon Jones Recalls ‘Humbling’ Experience Training With Top Heavyweight Boxer In His UFC 309 Camp

    Jon Jones Recalls ‘Humbling’ Experience Training With Top Heavyweight Boxer In His UFC 309 Camp

    It has been a reoccurring theme throughout Jon Jones’ career that he always looks to bring in some of the best specialists in their fields to train with him. This has been no different ahead of his long awaited return at UFC 309 this Saturday night.

    Fans have already seen how “Bones” has been working alongside one of the best jiu-jitsu competitors and wrestlers around right now by added Gable Steveson and Gordon Ryan to his close knit team. Over a month out from his first heavyweight title defense, Jones was also seen getting some training in one of the top heavyweight boxers around right now.

    New Zealand’s Joseph Parker is coming off of his two most impressive wins to date with victories over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. Jones was incredibly impressed by the in-form competitor, as he spoke about during a recent interview with Fox Sports New Zealand.

    “He’s so disciplined and so dedicated. Literally every day he was here, he was just trying to figure out ways to get better, his diet, his worth ethic. He’s just so humble like he was willing to learn from anyone around and you would imagine a person that’s fought at the level he’s fought would have a little bit of pride and a little bit of ego and man, he was just abnormally kind and I’m really grateful to call him a friend.”

    Given that his upcoming opponent, Stipe Miocic, is known for his boxing skills, working alongside someone as high level as Parker is sure to have been a great experience for Jones heading into Madison Square Garden on November 16. He reflected on what he was able to gain from the time they spent together.

    “Well it was very humbling to try to box with him. He’s just so powerful and so tight in his position and his technique. He gave me some great pointers. I don’t want to get into it in depth because a lot that he taught me, I’ll be trying to implement in my next fight but we both have many years of training experience and to collaborate and to learn different training methods from him was really nice, him and his coach [George] Lockhart.”

  • Michael Chandler Reiterates Expectation For Title Shot With UFC 309 Victory

    Michael Chandler is not only looking to get his hand raised this Saturday but also aiming for a title shot.

    Chandler, who has gone 1-3 in his last four fights, will step back into the cage at UFC 309, a pay-per-view event held at Madison Square Garden, where he faces Charles Oliveira.

    Currently, UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is expected to defend his title against Arman Tsarukyan in early 2025, although the UFC has yet to officially confirm the matchup.

    Chandler believes heā€™s proven himself within the UFC, taking on some of the toughest fighters the promotion has to offer. Heā€™s confident that come Sunday morning, he will be seen as the third-highest-ranked fighter in the lightweight division.

    ā€œI obviously knocked out Dan Hooker, but now heā€™s ranked ahead of me because of his recent resurgence,” Chandler said at UFC 309 media day. “This is the most violent and exciting division in the UFC, and Iā€™m so blessed to be a part of it. On Saturday night, Iā€™ll be very blessed to be the highest-ranked guy in it ā€” not named Arman Tsarukyan or Islam Makhachev ā€” and solidify myself as the No. 1 contender.ā€

    Chandler and Oliveira first fought in May 2021 for the vacant UFC lightweight title. This is where Oliveira stopped Chandler in the second round.

  • Charles Oliveira Doubts Michael Chandler Has Changed Since First Fight: ‘He Can’t Help But Be Himself’

    Charles Oliveira Doubts Michael Chandler Has Changed Since First Fight: ‘He Can’t Help But Be Himself’

    Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira expects to come up against the same Michael Chandler that he did back in 2021 this weekend.

    Oliveira is gearing up for his second assignment of the year, as he looks to immediately bounce back from his narrow split decision setback opposite Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 300 this past April.

    To do so, “Do Bronx” is tasked with repeating a feat he achieved back in May 2021 ā€” beat Chandler.

    The former Bellator champion hasn’t competed in the two years since his loss to Dustin Poirier at Madison Square Garden. And following a failed wait to fight Conor McGregor, “Iron” gets his chance for redemption against Oliveira back at MSG.

    Ahead of the pair’s second clash at UFC 309, Chandler has waxed lyrical about his evolution as a fighter since being the victim of a come-from-behind knockout against the Brazilian.

    Oliveira, though, isn’t convinced.

    During a recent fight week interview with ESPN MMA, Oliveira reacted to Chandler’s claims regarding his improvements as a competitor since their first showdown three and a half years ago.

    “Do Bronx” was firm in stating that Chandler doesn’t have it in him to change his aggressive, forward-pressing style. With that in mind, he’s anticipating a similar opening frame burst from the 38-year-old.

    “All you have to do is watch his fights, that’s who he is. He’s always aggressive, he’s always going to go forward. He can’t help but be himself,” Oliveira said. “It’s like saying, ‘Charles is going to back down, or walk backwards.’ I am never, I am going to always push forward. That’s who (Chandler) is always going to be. Always very explosive, always very aggressive, a guy who’s got a very strong first round.”

    At UFC 262, Chandler’s fast start almost paid off. He had Oliveira badly hurt and appeared just seconds away from closing the show on more than one occasion.

    But after “Do Bronx” survived to hear the first horn, a perfectly timed left hook early in the second round caught Chandler and set up the shock finish ā€” something the former champ will now hope to repeat in New York City this Saturday night.

  • Jon Jones Says He’ll Only Entertain ‘Super Fights’ Like Derrick Lewis & Jamahal Hill After UFC 309

    Jon Jones Says He’ll Only Entertain ‘Super Fights’ Like Derrick Lewis & Jamahal Hill After UFC 309

    Jon Jones won’t extend his fighting career beyond UFC 309 to unify the heavyweight title, but he will if it means fighting the likes of Derrick Lewis and Jamahal Hill.

    Jones is set to headline this weekend’s pay-per-view at Madison Square Garden, returning 20 months on from his crowning to defend the heavyweight gold for the very first time opposite Stipe Miocic.

    Rather than the matchup itself, the main talking point in recent months and days has been the former light heavyweight kingpin’s decision to avoid facing interim titleholder Tom Aspinall, who earned his belt last November as a result of an injury to “Bones.”

    And more than just not facing that challenge next, Jones has recently rejected the possibility of fighting Aspinall post-UFC 309 entirely, instead pointing to Alex Pereira as an opponent he’d be willing to share the cage with.

    In a media scrum during UFC 309 fight week, Jones continued to dismiss fighting his interim counterpart. This time, though, he added more names to the list of potential opponents he’d favor over the Brit.

    But it perhaps came as a surprise when the names Lewis and Hill followed the term “super fights.”

    “I could see myself after this entertaining super fights only,” Jones said. “If we get a dominant performance, I’m prepared to vacate the heavyweight championship and fight for fun. I want to fight for fun. … I don’t necessarily want it to be over, but I just want to fight for fun.

    “I think about one of my teammates, Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, he just fights. Win, lose, or draw, he just fights. I would love to kind of experience that for the first time in my career, just not having this belt to protect. Just fighting guys that I’d stylistically want to fight against,” Jones continued. “Random fights like Jamahal Hill. … I’m at an interesting weight where I can fight light heavyweights or heavyweights. Derrick Lewis, Biggest knockout puncher in history.”

    Aspinall’s stoppage wins against Alexander Volkov, Sergei Pavlovich, and Curtis Blaydes haven’t stopped Jones branding the Brit’s rĆ©sumĆ© unworthy of his time, but “Bones” clearly holds Hill’s victories over Jimmy Crute, Johnny Walker, Thiago Santos, and a retiring Glover Teixeira en route to the then-vacant title in high regard.

    Lewis, meanwhile, is without a win streak since 2021 and has lost five of his last eight fights.

    Suffice to say, it would appear unlikely that the ‘ducking’ accusations being leveled against Jones would dissipate should he vacate the heavyweight title in order to fight the likes of “Sweet Dreams” and “The Black Beast.”

  • UFC Vet Questions Jon Jones’ Handling Of Aspinall Avoidance: ‘Should Have Sent A PR Trainer To Him’

    UFC Vet Questions Jon Jones’ Handling Of Aspinall Avoidance: ‘Should Have Sent A PR Trainer To Him’

    Former longtime UFC welterweight Matt Brown believes heavyweight champion Jon Jones should have approached his refusal to fight Tom Aspinall differently.

    Jones is currently days away from his first defense of the 265-pound crown, which he captured at the expense of Ciryl Gane in March 2023. Having been sidelined through injury since, “Bones” will meet returning former champ Stipe Miocic in the UFC 309 main event.

    The pair were originally set to collide last November prior to Jones’ injury. An interim champ subsequently joined the fray when Aspinall knocked out Sergei Pavlovich, but that fact hasn’t stopped “Bones” from pursuing Miocic.

    His decision to avoid unifying the title has proved to be a controversial one. And UFC 309 fight week has even seen Jones suggest that the continuation of his fighting career beyond this weekend would only be to face light heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira.

    During a recent episode of MMA Fighting’s The Fighter vs. The Writer show, Brown pointed to that statement as a big mistake on Jones’ part.

    “The fact that he brought up that he is going to fight again, and itā€™s not going to be the current interim champion, thatā€™s a mistake on his part,” Brown said. “UFC should have sent a PR trainer out there to him or something. ‘How about we donā€™t talk about the future and focus on what weā€™re doing now. Weā€™ll cross that bridge when we get there.’

    “But he crossed the bridge and opened up the door. He has to know when he says that, thereā€™s going to be criticism that heā€™s ducking,” Brown continued. “Itā€™s not a good look. Jon donā€™t give a f*ck. He just says it.”

    Should Jones be set to stick to his stance post-his planned victory this weekend, it would appear that Aspinall will be relying on a late-notice withdrawal from Miocic to make his dream of fighting the all-time great a reality.

    The Brit is currently in New York City to weigh in as backup fighter for the UFC 309 main event. Beyond his assignment on the scale this Friday, the interim champ’s next step is unclear.