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  • Bellator Champions Series London Loses Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards On Late Notice, New Main Event Confirmed

    Bellator Champions Series London Loses Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards On Late Notice, New Main Event Confirmed

    The return of the Bellator brand to England’s capital has taken a major blow less than two weeks out.

    After the Professional Fighters League (PFL) acquired Bellator MMA and announced the Bellator Champions Series, founder Donn Davis outlined plans for two titles to be on the line at each of the eight events.

    While that promise came through for event one in Belfast, the subsequent cards in Paris and Dublin saw just one piece of gold at stake. And although that trend continues in San Diego this week, London has now lost its one and only championship clash.

    Following a lightweight title showdown between Usman Nurmagomedov and Alexandr Shabliy on US soil this coming Saturday, the Bellator Champions Series will cross the pond to stage its fifth event of the year inside London’s OVO Arena Wembley.

    But just days out, fans planning to attend have received some disastrous news…

    Eblen vs. Edwards Postponed, McCourt Headlines Championshipless Champions Series Card

    Topping the lineup on Sept. 14 was scheduled to be middleweight kingpin Johnny Eblen and England’s own Fabian Edwards, with the latter slated to challenge for “The Human Cheat Code’s” title for the second time in as many years.

    On Tuesday, however, a post on the Bellator MMA social media accounts announced that the pair’s main event has been scrapped from the card and will be rescheduled for a later date. The reason for the cancellation is unclear as of this writing.

    With insufficient time to book a replacement bout with similar stakes and name value, the original women’s featherweight co-main event between Leah McCourt and Sara Collins has been elevated to the headline spotlight.

    That news was met with frustration from plenty of UK fans, some of whom took to the comment sections on X and Instagram to enquire about possible refunds.

    Below the promoted main event matchup, notable UK names like former PFL Europe standout Simeon Powell, ex-UFC contender Marc Diakiese, and highly touted American Archie Colgan are all set to be in action.

  • Brandon Moreno Set To Return In UFC Fight Night Edmonton Main Event On Nov. 2

    Former two-time UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno will bring his brief layoff to an end in the “Great White North” later this year.

    The changes keep on coming for the promotion’s return to Edmonton in Canada on November 2. When the card was originally announced, a flyweight showdown between Rose Namajunas and Erin Blanchfield was set as the main event, with heavyweights Derrick Lewis and Alexandr Romanov co-headlining.

    But after the latter of those bouts was split in two to create fresh matchups, the UFC Fight Night in Alberta now has a new headline pairing.

    UFC CEO Dana White revealed in a social media video this week that Mexico’s Moreno (21-8-2) will make his return in the main event for a rearranged clash against rising contender Amir Albazi (17-1).

    Moreno Looks To End Losing Skid, Albazi’s Perfect UFC Record

    When he makes the walk this November, Moreno will be looking to break his first losing skid since 2018.

    “The Assassin Baby” enjoyed a strong start to 2023, regaining the flyweight gold from longtime rival Deiveson Figueiredo six months on from an interim title win over Kai Kara-France. But as was the case with his first reign, Moreno fell short in his attempt at recording a successful defense, with Alexandre Pantoja emerging victorious from their Fight of the Year war at UFC 290.

    The Mexican return this past February for an appearance on home soil, where he was scheduled to do battle with Albazi. But after an injury forced the Iraqi out, Moreno fell on the wrong side of a narrow split decision against replacement opponent Brandon Royval.

    While he announced plans to take an extended period away from the cage to recharge, Moreno will be back in action just nine months later, looking for his matchup with Albazi to make it to the cage at the second time of trying.

    For “The Prince,” the Nov. 2 headliner marks the opportunity for him to stake his claim for a first shot at title glory on MMA’s biggest stage. The former Brave CF standout has gone 5-0 in the Octagon thus far, most recently outpointing Kara-France in a tight five-round main event at the Apex in June 2023.

    With this addition, the fights currently expected to take place at UFC Fight Night Edmonton on Nov. 2 are as follows:

    • Brandon Moreno vs. Amir Albazi (flyweight main event)
    • Erin Blanchfield vs. Rose Namajunas (women’s flyweight co-main event)
    • Derrick Lewis vs. Jhonata Diniz (heavyweight)
    • Pedro Munhoz vs. Aiemann Zahabi (bantamweight)
    • Ariane da Silva vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius (women’s flyweight)
    • Mike Malott vs. Trevin Giles (welterweight)
    • Marc-André Barriault vs. Dustin Stoltzfus (middleweight)
    • Serhiy Sidey vs. Garrett Armfield (bantamweight)
    • Alexandr Romanov vs. Rodrigo Nascimento (heavyweight)
    • Chad Anheliger vs. Cody Gibson (bantamweight)
    • Jamey-Lyn Horth vs. Ivana Petrović (women’s flyweight)
    • Caio Machado vs. Brendson Ribeiro (light heavyweight)
    Amir Albazi
    Image: UFC/Zuffa LLC
  • Dana White’s Contender Series Season 8, Week 4 Highlights As 5 Prospects Secure Contracts

    Dana White’s Contender Series Season 8, Week 4 Highlights As 5 Prospects Secure Contracts

    The latest season of Dana White’s Contender Series continued with some memorable highlights on Tuesday night in Las Vegas.

    DWCS, the inaugural season of which took place back in 2017, sees some of the top prospects in mixed martial arts enter the cage in front of White and the matchmakers, looking to put in a performance worthy of a place on the UFC roster.

    Last year’s edition saw 46 fighters bag a deal with the sport’s premier promotion across 10 events, up on the 43 from 2022. Through three episodes of season eight, 12 prospects moved a step closer to their title dreams on MMA’s biggest stage.

    And the fourth added another five talents to the UFC roster. That included Venezuela’s Yuneisy Duben, who delivered the highlight of the night in fight two by brutally knocking heavy favorite Shannon Clark out cold inside the very first round.

    There was just one other finish on the lineup, with Austin Bashi locking in a tight rear-naked choke for the submission win over Dorian Ramos. While unable to stop their opponents inside the distance, Quilan Salkilld, Djorden Santos, and Seok Hyun Ko were also granted contracts to mark a perfect night for the victors.

    With that in mind, see below for the moments that landed five athletes contracts with the UFC.

    Quillan Salkilld Def. Gauge Young Via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

    Yuneisy Duben Def. Shannon Clark Via KO (punch): R1, 1:13

    Austin Bashi Def. Dorian Ramos Via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) – R2, 3:15

    Djorden Santos Def. Will Currie Via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

    Seok Hyun Ko Def. Igor Cavalcanti Via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Coach Doesn’t Consider Sean O’Malley ‘A Huge Star Yet’ To Sell More PPVs Than Canelo

    Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Coach Doesn’t Consider Sean O’Malley ‘A Huge Star Yet’ To Sell More PPVs Than Canelo

    Sean O’Malley will defend his UFC bantamweight championship against Merab Dvalishvili on September 14, 2024. Riyadh Season Noche UFC is the most expensive UFC event ever and it’ll go toe-to-toe with a boxing event featuring Canelo Álvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga.

    While UFC 306 is booked for the Las Vegas Sphere, Álvarez will defend one of his super middleweight titles against Berlanga at the T-Mobile Arena. The date and timings of the boxing and MMA bouts will clash, and fans can’t help but anticipate which event will be a bigger commercial success.

    According to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coach, O’Malley won’t be able to outsell Álvarez in PPV terms despite the UFC calling its event a celebration of Mexican heritage…

    Javier Mendez Blames Prices And Sean O’Malley Not Being As Popular As Conor McGregor For Underwhelming Noche UFC Sales

    Nurmagomedov’s coach discussed whether O’Malley is a big enough draw to compete with Álvarez directly on the Javier Mendez Podcast recently. He outright highlighted the boxer’s massive following in Mexico and how “Suga” is yet to achieve Conor McGregor’s levels of stardom.

    “That’s mexican’s day for pay-per-view, it’s always been that way for as long as I remember. And Canelo being the biggest superstar in Mexico fighting on that night, I think on a pay-per-view level, it’s going to be difficult to compete. On top of that, if you look at the prices.”

    The Mexican Independence Day is September 16, and unsurprisingly, sporting events around the date have usually been headlined by the most popular Mexican athletes. Mendez called Álvarez the biggest star in Mexico and predicted that his fight could generate more revenue than Riyadh Season Noche UFC.

    Mendez didn’t put all the blame on O’Malley, though. Despite the recent price drop, the cheapest tickets for Riyadh Season Noche UFC cost over $700. In contrast, the cheapest tickets to Canelo vs. Berlanga are $400 at the time of writing.

    According to Nurmagomedov’s coach, unless someone’s a huge MMA fan, they would consider watching one of the biggest names in boxing history for a lesser price.

    “I don’t think that O’Malley’s a huge star yet. I think he can be, and I, but I don’t think he’s Conor-ish. I don’t think he’s, honestly speaking, where he needs to be yet. I mean, he’s got all the charismatic personality. He’s got the fighting style. But I just don’t think he has that he has that, the people that can propel him into that next level.”

    Mendez admitted that “Suga” has the personality and fighting style to be a much bigger star in the future. However, he’s more interested in the winner of the UFC 306 main event defending their belt against Umar Nurmagomedov, who potentially secured a title shot by defeating Cory Sandhagen recently.

    As of now, around 1,700 Riyadh Season Noche UFC tickets remain to be sold and Dana White expects a sell-out and a record $21 million gate.

  • ‘I’m Team Belal Muhammad’ – Gilbert Burns Extends Support For UFC Welterweight Champ Against Shavkat Rakhmonov

    ‘I’m Team Belal Muhammad’ – Gilbert Burns Extends Support For UFC Welterweight Champ Against Shavkat Rakhmonov

    For the first time in his pro MMA career, Gilbert Burns has two consecutive losses on his record. He lost a decision to Belal Muhammad after getting injured early in the fight, followed by a late TKO loss to Jack Della Maddalena.

    Despite the losses, fans aren’t overlooking Burns as he takes on Sean Brady this weekend. Brady’s last loss came against Muhammad as well, but he bounced back by submitting Kelvin Gastelum in December 2023.

    Burns is hopeful about beginning another title run at welterweight by beating Brady, and he wants Muhammad to be the champion until he reaches the belt again…

    Gilbert Burns Praises Belal Muhammad’s Approach As Champion While Hoping To Get His Rematch

    Burns talked about his ambition to get another chance at becoming the UFC welterweight kingpin in an interview with MMA Junkie recently. He naturally needs to get past Brady first and hopes that Muhammad beats Shavkat Rakhmonov to remain champion.

    “Durinho” not only wants to get his rematch but also likes how Muhammad has carried himself since becoming champ. For instance, “Remember the Name” aims to move up a weight class only after fighting all top contenders at welterweight.

    Burns acknowledged that he’s trained with Rakhmonov quite a few times when they share camps. However, he’ll still be backing Muhammad to win as it’s the most ideal scenario for his rematch.

    “I want Belal to stay champion when I fight for the title, you know, that’s my goal and then get the rematch for the title. That would be great so I’m team Belal Muhammad, you know, I want this guy to keep winning and then whenever I’m there, that’s the guy that I’m facing.”

    The former title challenger also talked about how things have changed in the UFC welterweight division after Kamaru Usman’s dominant reign ended. He praised Muhammad for wanting to fight Rakhmonov over Usman as the former kingpin has now lost three UFC fights in a row.

    “I like that Belal is being a good champion, you know, he said he wants to fight, face the number one contender guys, before thinking on moving up or moving, you know, fighting another champion. I like that, that’s my, that was my go-to you know. Go over there, beat the number one fighters, keep beating these guys and especially he, you know, he need to make that fan base, you know. He needs to make the fans excited. He’s doing a great job right now the way he talks and I think he’s gonna be a great champion.

    Because he’s been saying the right things and wants to give his division’s contenders opportunities, Burns totally supports Muhammad to remain the champ for at least a year or two. Unsurprisingly, he would want to fight Muhammad again at his best and grab a UFC belt for the first time in his career.

  • ‘He Only Beat Cory Sandhagen’ – Merab Dvalishvili Doubles Down On Deiveson Figueiredo Deserving Next Bantamweight Title Shot Over Umar Nurmagomedov

    ‘He Only Beat Cory Sandhagen’ – Merab Dvalishvili Doubles Down On Deiveson Figueiredo Deserving Next Bantamweight Title Shot Over Umar Nurmagomedov

    After winning ten UFC fights in a row, Merab Dvalishvili will rightly challenge Sean O’Malley for the promotion’s bantamweight championship at The Sphere in Las Vegas on September 14, 2024.

    The classic striker vs. grappler matchup already has fans on the edge of their seats. On top of that, Dvalishvili posting his cut and then taking his stitches out with the biggest scissors possible in viral clips further added to the hype.

    Interestingly, regardless of the outcome of the Riyadh Season Noche UFC main event, Dvalishvili doesn’t want Umar Nurmagomedov to be the next bantamweight title challenger…

    Merab Dvalishvili Opposes Umar Nurmagomedov Getting A UFC Title Shot With Just One Win Over A Ranked Opponent

    Dvalishvili discussed who he thinks should get the next title shot in the UFC bantamweight division during an interview with MMA Junkie recently. Although the consensus is that Nurmagomedov’s win over Cory Sandhagen makes him the next contender, “The Machine” disagrees.

    As someone who had to fight several top-ranked opponents to secure a title shot, Dvalishvili wants other fighters in his division to follow a similar route. He thinks that former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo should fight for the belt next because of his wins over Rob Font, Chito Vera, and Cody Garbrandt.

    Nurmagomedov, on the other hand, needs to fight more contenders according to Dvalishvili. He pointed out that the undefeated prospect was fighting non-ranked opponents before Sandhagen, so his resume is not worthy of a title shot yet.

    “He beat one former champion in this weight class and one title challenger. And he beat Rob Font. And Figueiredo is former champion, and he has big name and he deserves. Umar, he only beat Cory Sandhagen from top 15, only one guy he beat from top 15. And why he deserve fight for the belt? I’m not saying, you know, even if I would be champion, he has to fight Sean O’Malley. He don’t have to, I don’t think he deserves to fight for the belt, you know, that’s my opinion.”

    Dvalishvili’s focus is to naturally win the UFC bantamweight title first. He seems to have healed up perfectly from the infamous cut and is ready to show the world his well-rounded game on September 14, 2024.

  • Michael ‘Venom’ Page Wants MMA Judging To Stop Fighters From ‘Sneaking’ Wins

    Michael ‘Venom’ Page Wants MMA Judging To Stop Fighters From ‘Sneaking’ Wins

    Michael Page recently voiced his opinion that MMA judges should deliver verdicts in a manner that discourages fighters from narrowly securing victories by relying on a single fighting style.

    MMA judging has been a hotly debated topic within the sport for years. Many argue that certain cage-side judges occasionally stray from the sport’s established guidelines, possess limited expertise, and sometimes deliver decisions that raise eyebrows or award points that are hard to justify.

    Accusations of an inconsistent scoring system and insufficient quality control in the training and selection of judges fuel the ongoing controversy, making it a persistent source of contention at numerous events. And “Venom” is pushing for a reform in how judges evaluate and score fights…

    Page on MMA judging: ‘There’s So Many Wayward Decisions’

    During a recent Q&A video on his YouTube channel, Page delved into the changes he believes are necessary in the MMA world, touching on topics like judging, weight cuts, and more. The 37-year-old striking sensation highlighted the recent incident involving judge Howie Booth, who was removed from his position following a controversial scorecard in the heavyweight clash between Tai Tuivasa and Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC 305.

    “The game is slowly changing, and there have been some adjustments,” Page said. “So with the judges, I feel like we’ve had so many just random scores to the point where, even the other day, a judge got told to bounce. Yeah, so it means that there are these guys—I don’t know what’s going on—are they getting tired, or do they need to change judges like every other fight or something? But there are so many wayward decisions sometimes, so something is going wrong.”

    “Venom” also stressed the importance of revamping the scoring system, calling for judges to favor fighters who actively seek to finish their opponents and take risks, rather than those who attempt to secure a victory by relying solely on one fighting style.

    “I think the rule set is changing a bit to accommodate more people who want to finish a fight. I’ve always said, if it’s wrestler versus striker, I don’t mind the wrestling if you wrestle with the intention of trying to finish the fight—whether it be from a submission or, you know, ground and pound, trying to take someone’s head off. But if you’re wrestling just to survive and sneak a win, I don’t believe you should be allowed to win a fight. There should be a lot more intention in what you’re doing.”

    Page had a turbulent introduction to the Octagon, earning a win against Kevin Holland in his UFC 299 debut, but later suffering a tightly contested decision loss to Ian Garry at UFC 303. As of now, there’s no official word on when “Venom” will make his return to the cage.

  • DC’s Coach Disputes Jon Jones GOAT Talk With One Name: Lance Armstrong

    DC’s Coach Disputes Jon Jones GOAT Talk With One Name: Lance Armstrong

    Daniel Cormier’s coach, Javier Mendez, recently stirred the debate around Jon Jones’ GOAT status by invoking a comparison to Lance Armstrong.

    In recent months, the conversation surrounding the pound-for-pound greatest MMA fighter of all time has intensified, with Jones’ name consistently leading the discussion. UFC CEO Dana White has been especially vocal, passionately championing the reigning heavyweight kingpin’s place at the top of the all-time rankings.

    Jones etched his name in the history books as the youngest champion in UFC history, seizing the light heavyweight title at just 23 years old with a commanding victory over Mauricio Rua at UFC 128 in March 2011. Since that momentous win, “Bones” has stepped into the octagon for 15 title fights, emerging victorious in every single one, save for the no-contest in his rematch against Cormier at UFC 214 in July 2017.

    Jones’ resume is arguably unmatched in the sport, but his illustrious career has been marred by a series of high-profile scandals, most notably his positive test for the banned substance turinabol. This tainted legacy is precisely why Mendez believes that, despite his achievements, Jones is unworthy of the GOAT status…

    Mendez Asserts Jones’ Doping Test ‘Disqualifies’ Him From GOAT Status

    During a recent episode of the Javier Mendez Podcast, the renowned MMA coach weighed in on White’s persistent endorsement of Jones as the GOAT. Mendez drew a striking comparison between “Bones” and legendary cyclist Armstrong, who famously won the Tour de France a record seven times, only to have all his titles and accolades stripped away following his admission to using performance-enhancing drugs.

    “Dana is still insisting that Jon Jones is pound-for-pound #1,” Mendez said. “He has his valid points, but my valid point is I just want to say one thing: Lance Armstrong. Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France how many times, and basically, he got all those titles taken away from him because of one thing—doping. And even though it was many years later that they caught him, he lost all the Tour de France titles. Well, it’s been a fact, it’s been proven, Jon Jones has been caught doping. So, I’m sorry, I think that disqualifies him just based on that alone.”

    “Bones” has been inactive since his move to the heavyweight division in March 2023, where he made a triumphant debut by securing a first-round submission victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 to clinch the vacant title.

    Jones was initially set to make his first title defense against former champion Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 in November 2023. However, just days before the fight, the heavyweight champ had to pull out due to a shoulder injury. Now, the highly anticipated clash between the two is rumored to headline UFC 309, scheduled for November.

  • Tyron Woodley Reveals How Nate Diaz Backtrack Led To Dana White Feud

    Tyron Woodley Reveals How Nate Diaz Backtrack Led To Dana White Feud

    Tyron Woodley recently opened up about how the fallout over a proposed fight with Nate Diaz sparked tension between him and Dana White.

    “The Chosen One” has always had a rocky relationship with the UFC CEO, with both men frequently exchanging sharp words about one another. Following Woodley’s one-sided defeat to Kamaru Usman at UFC 235, White didn’t hold back, openly criticizing the 42-year-old former welterweight champion for his fighting style.

    White was one of Woodley’s harshest critics, even after his victory over Demian Maia at UFC 214. The UFC head honcho chastised the Missouri native for what he perceived as a lackluster striking performance, ultimately costing Woodley the chance to fight Georges St-Pierre. In response, Woodley publicly fired back at White, demanding a public apology for the harsh treatment.

    The tension between the two became even more evident when White publicly dismissed any rumors that a Woodley vs. Nate Diaz fight was ever planned for UFC 219 in December 2017—a matchup that “The Chosen One” had previously claimed was on the table…

    Woodley Opens Up About Diss Track On White After Diaz Fight Fallout: ‘That Was My Way Of Expressing Myself’

    During a recent appearance on the Overdogs Podcast, Woodley shared the backstory of his frustration. After his victory over Maia, White and Hunter Campbell approached him with the idea of defending his title against Diaz, who was then competing in the lightweight division. Despite suffering a torn labrum in the previous bout, Woodley agreed to the challenge.

    However, when Woodley publicly announced the fight in an interview, he was met with a fiery denial from White, who swiftly dismissed the matchup. The UFC CEO’s abrupt U-turn left “The Chosen One” so infuriated that he chaneled his anger into creating a diss track aimed at White.

    “Why the f**k would you make me look stupid on air when you just asked me to fight this dude?” Woodley said. “Then I was so mad, but I recognized I don’t own the UFC—this is their promotion, they do what the f**k they want to do. I’m thankful and I’m blessed that I can go out there and show I’m the best. So, I couldn’t beat his a, but I surely went into the studio and made a song called ‘I Beat Your A**.’ When I made that song ‘I Beat Your A**,’ the story behind that song—it was really for Dana because I wanted to beat his a**.”

    “I wrote that song because that was my way of expressing myself. At that time, when I tried to speak on it, Fox would cut me off—they cut my microphone. They told me, ‘You can’t speak on this.’ Because after he made that statement, I was prepared to go back to work and defend my motherf**kin’ self.”

    Woodley parted ways with the UFC in March 2021 after enduring a tough stretch of four consecutive losses from 2019 to 2021. Before this challenging period, he was riding high on a seven-fight unbeaten streak, during which he successfully defended the welterweight title four times.

  • Torrez Finney Shares How Third Contender Series Call-Up Stopped Him From Signing Elsewhere

    Torrez Finney Shares How Third Contender Series Call-Up Stopped Him From Signing Elsewhere

    Torrez Finney recently disclosed that his third opportunity to join the UFC via Dana White’s Contender Series ultimately stopped him from committing to another promotion.

    Despite securing a unanimous decision victory over Cam Rowston at DWCS 68 on August 20, Finney found himself overlooked for a UFC contract by Dana White for the second time. The UFC CEO harshly criticized “The Punisher” in a segment that swiftly made headlines for its blunt severity.

    Additionally, White expressed disappointment that Finney had only taken one fight since his initial DWCS appearance last October, where he secured a second-round submission against Yuri Panferov. However, the door hasn’t closed on Finney just yet. He’s set to make his comeback on October 1, facing Abdellah Er-Remy in episode eight.

    Finney will have a rare third chance to clinch a UFC contract—an opportunity granted to only a select few fighters. However, this chance comes at a cost, as he had to forgo a more lucrative deal to chase his UFC dreams…

    Finney On His Third DWCS Spot: ‘I Didn’t Think Twice About It Too Much’

    During a recent interview with Inside Fighting, Finney revealed that just before receiving a call from his manager for the DWCS fight, he was on the verge of finalizing a deal with another promotion. However, he decided to walk away from it, choosing instead to chase his ultimate dream of fighting in the UFC.

    “Not going to point them out, but I was actually almost in the process of signing with another promotion,” Finney said. “Big deal, great pay. I was actually getting close to making that announcement, and then I get a phone call from Malki [Kawa] from First Round Management, and he’s like, ‘Have you signed that contract yet?’ I said, ‘No, not yet.’ He’s like, ‘Well, hold on,’ and I was like, ‘All right, what is it?’ ‘Cause there’s only one thing, there could only be one possible promotion that could hold me off from that. And I said, ‘What?’ And there was the opportunity. He told me all the details behind it, and I talked with my team. You know, I’m gonna be honest, I was happy.”

    “The Punisher” went on to express his excitement for the upcoming fight but admitted that his family is no longer supporting his pursuit of the UFC dream, especially after White’s harsh criticism.

    “My team was behind me, but my family—they are not the biggest Dana White fans—and they were no longer on the side of me ever pursuing the UFC. Necessarily, like, obviously, they would support wherever I fight, but with the UFC, it was like, ‘Man, forget that,’ based off his comments. But I didn’t feel that way; I never have any personal issues with Dana… If you look at the opportunity, based off of what you see—an opportunity to be the first guy ever to go 3-0 in the Contender Series—the story, it hit so big. Right now, I’m 25, so let’s go for it. I didn’t think twice about it.”

    Finney boasts an undefeated 9-0 record in his MMA career, with seven of those victories coming by way of stoppage. He made his professional debut in February 2022, taking on Wesley McCracken under the Conflict MMA banner.

  • Michael Bisping Argues For Conor McGregor’s Spot On MMA Mount Rushmore: A Name For The Ages

    Michael Bisping Argues For Conor McGregor’s Spot On MMA Mount Rushmore: A Name For The Ages

    One of the most common debates that MMA fans are sure to have with one another is who are the greatest and most significant fighters of all time.

    Mixed martial arts is still a very young sport but even with that in mind, picking just four names and faces to fill up a Mount Rushmore of MMA is no easy task.

    This is what former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping attempted to get to the bottom of, on a recent episode of his Believe You Me podcast.

    Of course, all the usual names were thrown into the mix like Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre and Royce Gracie but one big omission throws a major additional factor into the debate.

    Whilst he may not have the same strength of resume or longevity as some of the other names in consideration, MMA would not be what it is today without “The Notorious”.

    Michael Bisping Says Conor McGregor Will Have Long Lasting Legacy On His Side In Mount Rushmore Debate

    After he was left out of the bulk of the discussion, Bisping made the case for why Conor McGregor has to be spoken about as someone that has earned his spot on the sport’s four figureheads.

    The impact that the first-ever UFC champ-champ has had is simply unmatched when you look at the money and attention that he has brought in.

    Bisping made his case by posing the question of what the debate will look like in the distant future and when looking at the list of fighters from that angle, there’s no chance that McGregor isn’t a first-round draft pick.

    “What about this point of view, let’s remember the sport’s only thirty years old. Let’s look at this in a hundred years time from now. Who will be the name that’s really stood out? You cannot deny the impact that McGregor had on this sport and bringing it to the next level and you know, I’m the last person to sit here and fluff him up but you can’t deny that, you just can’t.”

    Read also: Kayla Harrison On How Julianna Peña Reached The Top In UFC: ‘Pretty, Tough As Nails, & Got A Big Mouth’

  • Chael Sonnen Outlines What He Wants To See Next For Alexander Volkanovski: ‘Unless You Want To Be A Gatekeeper…’ 

    Chael Sonnen Outlines What He Wants To See Next For Alexander Volkanovski: ‘Unless You Want To Be A Gatekeeper…’ 

    Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes lightweight is a must if Alexander Volkanovski wants to continue fighting at the highest level.

    It’s uncertain what the future holds for Volkanovski, who has lost three of four fights since the start of 2023. While the first came in narrow fashion against Islam Makhachev, he’s since suffered brutal knockouts at the hands of the Dagestani lightweight king and Ilia Topuria.

    The Australian hasn’t been in action since being unseated from the featherweight throne by Topuria this past February, but it appears “Alexander the Great” is ready to bring his layoff to a close.

    The questions is: featherweight or lightweight?

    While Volkanovski has set his sights on regaining the strap at 145 pounds, he’s also pondered taking a fun matchup at 155 pounds while “El Matador” and Max Holloway handle business at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi next month.

    The Aussie’s most recent comments saw him express a willingness to wait for a showdown with the winner of the October 26 main event. Sonnen, however, thinks remaining at featherweight and insisting on a title bout could prove unwise…

    Sonnen Advises Volkanovski To Fight Oliveira, Avoid Another Title Fight Next

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen pondered the position that Volkanovski currently finds himself in.

    “The American Gangster” acknowledged talk of the Aussie having a third attempt at entering the 155-pound winner’s circle against Charles Oliveira, advising him to push for that over potential “gatekeeper” status in the featherweight division should he lose another title fight.

    “Volk still wants to come back. Where do we want to put him?” Sonnen asked. “If he came in and said, ‘I’m a title shot guy, that’s it,’ I believe they would say, ‘Okay.’ … But he doesn’t want to fight anyone specific…he just wants the title back. That is a different motivation. I won’t question it. I’m speaking for me, as a fan; I would rather a match, a specific match.

    “You wanna know what I want for Volk? … I want him at ’55. And I don’t want to talk about titles right now. I want to see an awesome match. I want to see Volk and Charles Oliveira at 155 pounds,” Sonnen continued. “I also think outcome-wise, I think you land in a higher spot whether you beat Charles or you don’t beat Charles. You go into a championship (fight) and you get beat, that will never return. That hope and dream is gone forever, forever. … It’s to the point where unless you want to be a gatekeeper of some regard, here are your walking papers. It would be that severe in a title fight. That would not be the case at 155 versus Charles.”

    Whether or not Volkanovski heeds Sonnen’s advice remains to be seen.

    But regardless, it’s clear that the Australian standout hasn’t lost his fire and motivation to have his hand raised inside the Octagon once again.

  • Merab Dvalishvili Told To Borrow From Pedro Munhoz’s Approach Against ‘Suga’: ‘Let O’Malley Make The Mistakes…’

    Merab Dvalishvili Told To Borrow From Pedro Munhoz’s Approach Against ‘Suga’: ‘Let O’Malley Make The Mistakes…’

    A lot of fans are going to be tuning into the main event of UFC 306 expecting Merab Dvalishvili to come out and fight with a very high work rate.

    The bantamweight contender is one of the best fighters in the sport when it comes to weaponizing his conditioning, especially over five rounds.

    His grappling and relentless output is sure to be a difficult problem for the sniper-like striking of Sean O’Malley but Dvalishvili’s teammate has a different option in mind.

    The former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling pointed to one of O’Malley’s past fights as a good example of how the opposite strategy can be effective against “Suga”.

    Aljamain Sterling Points Out How Pedro Munhoz Had Success Against Sean O’Malley By Letting Him Go First

    O’Malley’s best skillset is far and above his counter-striking, as we saw in his title defense against Marlon Vera and his bantamweight title win over Sterling.

    On that night at UFC 292, “Funkmaster” made a mistake in trying to press the action and was caught during his takedown entry.

    In a recent interview with Jake Noecker for Home of Fight, Sterling spoke out about how being reserved so that you aren’t giving the counter-striker many opportunities to land shots or make reads, could be an option for his long-time friend and training partner.

    He pointed to O’Malley’s fight against Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276 as a good example of this.

    Though the fight was declared a no-contest in the second round after Munhoz couldn’t continue from an eye poke, he won the opening stanza on two of the three scorecards by fighting with a much more calculated and controlled approach.

    “I think it’s gonna come down to a patience game. I think if Merab implements the same game plan that I used in the first round, just make it a slow fight, let O’Malley be the one to make mistakes. He’s used to people chasing him and he’s a very good counter fighter so don’t give him what he needs which is what the game plan was in our fight.

    “So just speaking to Merab, letting him know those are his keys to victory. You watch his fight with Pedro Munhoz, it’s a very slow paced fight, not much happens if you don’t give him what he wants and I think anyone who’s an analyst in the sport knows what he’s good at, knows what he needs to have to have success. You take those tools away from him then he doesn’t really, I don’t want to say he doesn’t really have much but we haven’t seen that side of him. Having to be the aggressor when his opponent is not hurt.”

    Read also: Sean O’Malley’s Coach On Henry Cejudo: ‘Thinks He’s God’s Gift…’ 

  • UFC Champion Feels Kamaru Usman’s Legacy Doesn’t Compare With Israel Adesanya Or Alexander Volkanovski

    UFC Champion Feels Kamaru Usman’s Legacy Doesn’t Compare With Israel Adesanya Or Alexander Volkanovski

    Welterweight champion Belal Muhammad has been trading some comments with the title’s former holder, Kamaru Usman.

    Despite being without a win since his second victory over Colby Covington, “The Nigerian Nightmare” is still very much in the title mix at 170-pounds.

    He may have lost back-to-back fights against Leon Edwards and came up short when attempting to beat Khamzat Chimaev up a weight class on late notice, but his prior winning streak in the division speaks for itself.

    Muhammad, however, doesn’t have the same kind of respect for the run that Usman went on, mostly because of his conduct when he was the champion.

    Belal Muhammad Says Kamaru Usman Picked Opponents During His Welterweight Title Reign

    Muhammad always felt that during his own welterweight winning streak, he was being overlooked by the guys at the top who didn’t want to fight him.

    He had this issue with Edwards before they met in a rematch at UFC 304 and he has the same problem with Usman.

    In an interview with Submission Radio, he spoke about why he doesn’t believe that the former champion deserves another shot at the title without returning to the win column first.

    The current titleholder, who appears to be facing Shavkat Rakhmonov next, says that Usman chose to ignore him and other viable contenders like Vicente Luque in order to take bigger money fights against the likes of Jorge Masvidal.

    Comparing Usman to other long-reigning champions of this era in Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski, Muhammad believes that he isn’t in the same conversation because he picked opponents instead of fighting the next best guy at all times.

    “If you wanted to cement yourself as the best welterweight, you do what Adesanya did or Volkanovski, who’s the next best guy. Who’s the guy that’s right there and he didn’t do that. So for him to say like now he’s calling my name, like oh now you noticed me because I have the target on my back but before you act like you didn’t know who I was. I’ve been chasing you, I’ve been here, I’ve been talking.”

    Read also: ‘Mates With Jorge Masvidal’ – MMA Analyst Explains Why Rumored Dustin Poirier vs. Colby Covington Fight Makes Perfect Sense

  • Aljamain Sterling Calls Movsar Evloev A Drug Cheat: ‘Same Thing People Were Saying About TJ Dillashaw…’

    Aljamain Sterling Calls Movsar Evloev A Drug Cheat: ‘Same Thing People Were Saying About TJ Dillashaw…’

    Aljamain Sterling may not hold any ill-will against his next opponent but he does have some serious accusations about him.

    At UFC 307, the former bantamweight champion will look to produce back-to-back wins since moving up to featherweight.

    In order to build on his UFC 300 victory over Calvin Kattar, he will need to hand Movsar Evloev the first loss of his career.

    The 18-0 Russian has clearly been one of the best in the division since his arrival in the UFC but in “Funkmaster”, faces a very tough test.

    Sterling recently made some comments to suggest that all of Evloev’s accomplishments have been unfairly assisted during his career.

    Aljamain Sterling Says He’s Heard Stories Of Movsar Evloev Being A Drug Cheat, Teaching Others His Methods

    In a recent interview with Jake Noecker for Home of Fight, Sterling said that he believes that Evloev has been cheating at some stage in his career by using performance-enhancing drugs.

    He said that he has his suspicions as to whether his upcoming opponent in Salt Lake City on October 5 is a clean athlete because of things that he has been told in the past.

    Though he did make it very clear that he has no firm evidence of this, Sterling says that they have mutual friends that he used to train with, who are now a part of Evloev’s camp or were, at one point in time.

    The former 135-pound king compared what he has heard to when Cody Garbrandt acted as a whistle-blower against his former teammate TJ Dillashaw and wasn’t taken seriously, only for the former champion to later test positive for EPO.

    “I just think, from what I’ve heard through the grapevine, he’s not a clean athlete and I think that’s just what it comes down to and people can say whatever, ‘You have no proof.’ I’m like dude, the same thing people were saying about TJ Dillashaw from years ago, him teaching people how to do it, Cody Garbrandt calling him out at the press conference and everyone sweeping it under the rug, telling TJ to his face that you taught everyone how to do it. Those conversations are not very different from what I’ve had about Movsar and I think where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

    “Do I have any hard evidence like did I see the guy stick a needle up his a**? No. Did he pop for anything yet? No, maybe he never will but at the day, only him and his consciousness will know if he’s truly a clean athlete or not and I really so believe, I truly do believe he knows he’s cheating. It is what it is, I’m gonna fight him, I’ve fought multiple guys who’ve done stuff, whether or not they got caught.”

    Read also: Alex Pereira Reiterates Plan For Middleweight Return Post-UFC 307, Magomed Ankalaev Reacts With Anger

  • Belal Muhammad Chooses Shavkat Rakhmonov Over Kamaru Usman For Title Defense: ‘Looks Exactly Like The Leon Fight…’

    Belal Muhammad Chooses Shavkat Rakhmonov Over Kamaru Usman For Title Defense: ‘Looks Exactly Like The Leon Fight…’

    There has been a lot of conversation over the past week about whether there will be a surprise next contender for the welterweight title.

    Shavkat Rakhmonov is the clear top pick to challenge Belal Muhammad next and according to him, he was already offered the fight but it didn’t come together.

    Some have debated whether Kamaru Usman’s pedigree in the sport and strong relationship with the UFC could be enough for him to get the next shot despite the fact he is winless in his last three Octagon appearances.

    The champion himself gave his thoughts on this where he clarified why in his opinion, Rakhmonov is next in line.

    Belal Muhammad Says Kamaru Usman Misses Out Because Of Taking UFC 294 Opportunity

    In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Muhammad gave his thoughts on who he believes he will be fighting next.

    Along with one option being more credible because of their current form, the champion also believes that fans would look to detract from his achievements if he were to defeat Usman, which means he finds himself more motivated to go the opposite way.

    “Remember The Name” went with the consensus opinion that Rakhmonov deserves the opportunity but rather than totally disregarding Usman, he explained why in his opinion, “The Nigerian Nightmare” isn’t the front-runner at this time.

    “I think it would just be, for me, if Usman didn’t lose to Khamzat and take that fight, but people forget it was a short notice fight, that would be the fight because he only lost to Leon. But, now he lost three in a row, I think he would need another win. So for me now, it’s all right, Shavkat is the boogeyman that they all think is unbeatable and now I’m getting freaking a thousand comments on my Instagram page anytime I post anything, from the ‘Shavkatians’, so yeah I think for me, it would be another one of those tests to prove people wrong, to shut them up right.

    “My last five or six fights, everybody thought I was gonna get killed, they thought I was gonna lose so he’s another guy that I go out there and I smash him, what’s your excuse gonna be? If I go out there and I beat Usman, it’s like, ‘Well he’s on a three-fight losing streak, he’s done, he has no knees, you just beat a bum.’ But if I go out there and I beat Shavkat, they’re gonna be like what? Nothing. He was undefeated, he has all finishes so now that’s the guy that I’m putting my sights on.”

    Muhammad also broke down how he sees the fight against Rakhmonov playing out when they do eventually meet inside the Octagon.

    He said that this fight will look similar to his title-winning display at UFC 304 and referenced his win over Sean Brady to explain why he believes he will be the one to hand the unbeaten contender his first loss.

    “Honestly I think it looks exactly like the Leon fight. I think I dominate him everywhere. For me, I have a different style every single fight.

    “Shavkat looks like he’s not uncomfortable now because he’s undefeated but these undefeated guys, like I dealt with with Sean Brady, I know how to make them uncomfortable and once I make them uncomfortable, I know how to break them.”

    Read also: Belal Muhammad Claims Kamaru Usman Is A Harder Fight Than Shavkat Rakhmonov: ‘One Of The Best IQs In The Game’

  • ‘Rampage’ Jackson On How He Smoked Out Jon Jones’ Alleged Spy In His Camp With Injury Lie

    ‘Rampage’ Jackson On How He Smoked Out Jon Jones’ Alleged Spy In His Camp With Injury Lie

    Quinton Jackson recently shared how he cleverly exposed a spy allegedly sent by Jon Jones to his fight camp by faking an injury to flush them out.

    Jackson took on Jones for the light heavyweight title at UFC 135 in September 2011, but his efforts fell short as he was submitted in the fourth round. Despite being thoroughly outmatched in the bout, “Rampage” later criticized Jones for his fighting style and his tendency to extend his fingers during exchanges, a habit that has unintentionally resulted in eye pokes for several of his opponents.

    However, in the lead-up to their fight, Jackson stirred the MMA world by claiming that “Bones” had planted a spy in his camp to gather intel on him. To test his suspicions, Jackson fabricated a story and let the word out that he had a hand injury…

    Jackson on Jones Reportedly Planting A Spy: ‘It was Somebody That Worked For MusclePharm’

    During a recent episode of his JAXXON Podcast, “Rampage” revealed that Jones was allegedly in contact with someone from his supplement sponsor, MusclePharm, to spy on his fight camp. The former UFC light heavyweight champion recounted how he began to suspect that his every move was being monitored, so he devised a plan.

    He faked an injury and shared the news only with his Team Wolfslair, yet somehow, the information still leaked to the public.

    “He had a spy in my camp; it was somebody that worked for MusclePharm that was cool with him,” Jackson said. “He would come there and watch me train and stuff, and I don’t know—I can’t remember how I found out that somebody was watching me. Maybe some sh*t he was saying online, so I faked the injury, and I didn’t tell anybody. I told my tight team, ‘I think Jon Jones has a spy in my camp,’ so I faked the injury and didn’t say anything, and then it got out in the press.”

    In an interview with Yahoo! Sports in August 2011, Jackson revealed that just hours after planting the fake news, his manager received a call from then-UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, who was eager to find out what had happened.

    As Jackson anticipated, the response was swift and telling: Silva mentioned that Jones’ manager, Malki Kawa, had reached out. Although Jackson has never produced any concrete evidence to support his claims, “Bones” once playfully admitted to planting a spy in his opponent’s camp.

  • Kayla Harrison On How Julianna Peña Reached The Top In UFC: ‘Pretty, Tough As Nails, & Got A Big Mouth’

    Kayla Harrison On How Julianna Peña Reached The Top In UFC: ‘Pretty, Tough As Nails, & Got A Big Mouth’

    UFC women’s bantamweight contender Kayla Harrison doesn’t believe Julianna Peña’s rise has been down to fighting ability.

    Both women are in pursuit of the 135-pound belt, and it’ll be Peña who first gets a crack at two-time status before the ex-PFL champion gets the chance to realize her title ambitions on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.

    “The Venezuelan Vixen,” who hasn’t competed since losing the gold to Amanda Nunes in their immediate 2022 rematch, is set to challenge newly crowned bantamweight queen Raquel Pennington in the co-main event of UFC 307 early next month.

    Also in action on the pay-per-view lineup in Salt Lake City will be Harrison, who is tasked with following her successful UFC debut opposite Holly Holm with a triumph over the #2-ranked Ketlen Vieira.

    The decision to grant the ex-titleholder a shot in her comeback fight over Harrison caused debate in the MMA community. And when it comes to the position Peña finds herself in, Harrison thinks the reasons are unrelated to talent.

    Harrison Theorizes On ‘Annoying’ Peña’s Position

    During a recent interview with InsideFighting, Harrison touched on her growing and evidently bitter feud with Peña, which peaked when the former UFC champ accused the two-time Olympic gold medalist of PED use.

    “She’s annoying,” Harrison said. “I mean, she’s just low class. To me — I don’t know. I think it’s pathetic and it’s low class. She’s just looking for a built-in excuse for when I whoop her ass.”

    Harrison then addressed to what extent she believes Peña’s often brash and vocal nature has paved the way for her success on MMA’s biggest stage, her tenure on which began with victory on The Ultimate Fighter way back in 2013.

    “No,” Harrison responded when asked if Peña would be in her current position without utilizing trash talk. “I think Juliana’s pretty, I think she’s tough as nails, and I think she’s got a big mouth. Sometimes that’s all you need to get to a certain point.

    “But eventually, you run into a bigger, badder dog than you who might have a bigger mouth than you,” Harrison warned. “So keep f*cking running it.”

    Before the pair get the chance to settle their beef inside the Octagon, both will have to emerge victorious from UFC 307 on October 5. In doing so, Peña will look to answer Harrison’s claim by letting her fighting do the talking once the cage door closes behind her and Pennington.

  • Alex Pereira Reiterates Plan For Middleweight Return Post-UFC 307, Magomed Ankalaev Reacts With Anger

    Alex Pereira Reiterates Plan For Middleweight Return Post-UFC 307, Magomed Ankalaev Reacts With Anger

    It would appear that UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira’s middleweight tease last month was not a spur-of-the-moment decision.

    Pereira’s first taste of title success on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage came at 185 pounds, where he unseated Israel Adesanya in late 2022. Having fallen short in his first defense, “Poatan” bid farewell to the division and ventured up to 205 pounds.

    Since then, the Brazilian has tasted nothing but success, capturing the light heavyweight gold in his sophomore outing in the division last year and recording two successful defenses at the expense of Jamahal Hill and Jiří Procházka this year.

    Pereira’s next task will be dispatching the third challenger to his current reign, with the former Glory Kickboxing champion set to headline UFC 307 in Salt Lake City against Khalil Rountree early next month.

    But defeating “The War Horse” isn’t the only thing on Pereira’s mind.

    Prior to his next matchup being announced, “Poatan” teased a surprise return to middleweight, calling out champ Dricus Du Plessis in the immediate aftermath of his victory over Adesanya at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia in August.

    Despite having business to attend to at light heavyweight for the time being, Pereira recently took to social media to reiterate that he has one eye on the South African, whom he plans on pursuing regardless of the result inside Delta Center on October 5.

    “I’m focused on my next fight and I’m going prepared but you never know what can happen, so regardless of the result I want to go down one more time to the middleweight and go for the belt,” Pereira wrote. “Hey Dricus, bring your will to fight me so you can prove that you are better than me, with your public statement it is easy to make this happen, Chama 🔥”

    Ankalaev Slams Pereira In Response To Fresh MW Ambitions: ‘You Are Weak!’

    One man who was quick to take aim at Pereira for his callout of Du Plessis last month was Magomed Ankalaev, the current #2-ranked light heavyweight contender.

    The Dagestani has been calling for his shot ever since the champ’s quick knockout of Hill at UFC 300. But after being passed up in favor of “BJP” this past July and the lower-ranked Rountree this fall, many have questioned the promotion’s apparent reluctance to grant Ankalaev a shot.

    And although it appears that a victory over Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi late next month would make his claim undeniable, Pereira’s newfound ambitions of a second middleweight reign could present yet another hurdle.

    That fact has unsurprisingly frustrated Ankalaev, who took to X shortly after Pereira’s post to brand him “weak” for continuing to avoid him.

    “You are so weak @AlexPereiraUFC you only pick on the guys who are in lower division than you and you think you can beat them people are not stupid there is a reason why you are fighting Khalil and not me,” Ankalaev wrote.

    For now, both Pereira and Ankalaev have opponents to deal with in October. Should the latter emerge victorious, calls for him to be placed opposite “Poatan” next time out will no doubt only increase.

  • Ranked Bantamweight Jonathan Martinez Set To Return At MSG-Held UFC 309

    The lineup for the UFC’s return to Madison Square Garden is beginning to come together, and it now includes a top 15 bantamweight in Jonathan Martinez.

    Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion will soon be back in New York City for its usual November event at MSG. As was the plan for last year’s card, a heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and returning legend Stipe Miocic is expected to serve as the UFC 309 main event.

    Below the headliners, fans will no doubt be expecting a number of exciting matchups for the high-profile event. And when it comes to the chances of delivering fireworks, they would appear to be high for the recently confirmed bantamweight bout between Martinez (19-5) and Marcus McGhee (9-1).

    The fight was announced this week by the pair’s management team, Iridium Sports Agency.

    Martinez Targets Bounce-Back Win After Disappointing Defeat To Aldo

    When he returns on November 16, Martinez will be searching for a quick rebound performance following a setback on Brazilian soil this past May.

    Martinez, who currently occupies the #13 spot at 135 pounds, was chosen to welcome the legendary José Aldo back from retirement at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro. Having risen the ladder with six straight wins and recently defeated the highly touted Adrian Yañez, “The Dragon” was targeting the biggest victory of his career to date at the expense of the former featherweight kingpin.

    But the 30-year-old ultimately fell short, putting on a gun-shy display that paved the way for Aldo to secure a comfortable unanimous decision victory in his comeback fight and a return to the bantamweight division’s top 10.

    If he’s to avoid the first losing skid of his professional career, Martinez must now defend his ranking opposite McGhee. “The Maniac” has made a splash in his short Octagon career thus far, going 3-0 since his signing in 2023. The former LFA standout is yet to reach the scorecards in the UFC, finishing Journey Newson and Gaston Bolaños by way of knockout and JP Buys via submission.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 309 on Nov. 16 are as follows:

    • Nikita Krylov vs. Azamat Murzakanov (light heavyweight)
    • Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders (middleweight)
    • Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee (bantamweight)
    • Karine Silva vs. Viviane Araújo (women’s flyweight)
    • Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura (women’s flyweight)
    Araújo
    Image: UFC/Zuffa LLC
  • Jéssica Andrade Files Lawsuit Accusing Former Coach Of Embezzlement: ‘He Said I Was Shopping Too Much On Amazon…’

    Jéssica Andrade Files Lawsuit Accusing Former Coach Of Embezzlement: ‘He Said I Was Shopping Too Much On Amazon…’

    Former UFC women’s strawweight champion Jéssica Andrade has sued her ex-coach and manager Gilliard Parana for allegedly embezzling $2 million.

    Andrade is set for her next assignment inside the Octagon at this weekend’s UFC Fight Night, where she will feature in a flyweight co-headliner opposite her fellow countrywoman Natália Silva.

    But while she gears up for her pursuit of a third straight win off the back of triumphs over Mackenzie Dern and Marina Rodriguez, it appears that Andrade also has a battle brewing away from the steel surroundings of the cage.

    “Bate Estaca” currently trains alongside the likes of Karol Rosa and Denise Gomes under the guidance of Matheus Naccache, who has been at the helm for the Brazilian veteran’s last two fights.

    Beforehand, Andrade had a longtime coach in Parana of Parana Vale Tudo. The pair’s split hasn’t come on good terms, with some serious accusations being leveled his way…

    Andrade Sues Former Coach, Parana Responds

    Speaking to MMA Fighting, Andrade detailed her allegations against Parana, who became the Brazilian fighter’s coach and manager when she was 21 years old.

    “Bate Estaca” was coached by Parana for 12 years, during which enough trust accumulated for her to agree for him to handle her finances. Andrade claims she had no access to her accounts, and when she began to be short on money, she was told by Parana that excessive shopping was to blame.

    Having since taken a closer look and identified suspicious money transfers, Andrade has accused the former trainer of embezzlement.

    “We have a lawsuit going about TransferWise and the money that was transferred to other people I’ve never seen in my life,” Andrade said. “That happened when he was taking care of my finances, and I had no access to anything. At one point he said, ‘Jessica, look, let me handle this for you, you don’t have to worry about any of this.’ And as always, I trusted him. He removed my access to the account. He said, ‘You don’t need to look at your accounts, you’ll have a monthly salary.’ I was making good money in the beginning, but in the end I don’t know how [that money ran out].

    “He said I was shopping too much on Amazon, but with the investigation and all that, [we saw that] I made $2 million and spent $10,000 on Amazon. Where did the rest of the money go? It makes no sense, and it’s being investigated now, and we’ll find out where every penny went,” Andrade continued. “I’ll just wait for now. I’m preparing for this fight [on Saturday], and as soon as it’s over, I’ll look at this lawsuit again and keep it moving. The lawsuit is moving in the United States and he’s in Brazil, so I don’t know how it’s going to work. He was quite smart, he left before things happened.”

    Following his split with Andrade, Parana announced his retirement from MMA coaching and management and returned to Brazil.

    Parana denied any wrongdoing in a statement to MMA Fighting, insisting that Andrade’s financial situation is entirely down to her expenses. He also dismissed any notion that he hid the true nature of the fighter’s accounts from her.

    “Anyone who has a brain and knows how to do math will see that she really doesn’t spend her money on just a few purchases on Amazon,” Parana said. “She has a lot of expenses, and there are so many that she even gets lost in the calculations. Jéssica is not incapable. Jéssica is not a 15-year-old girl. And Jéssica is not illiterate. Jéssica was never forbidden from going to the bank, from calling the bank and from finding out how her accounts were.

    “Jéssica always had full access to her things and was always intelligent enough to know everything that happened in her financial life. And I was never the guy who took care of her financial life. I was just her advisor when she needed it and asked for it. But all of this will be proven if there is a coherent investigation. May justice be served and may the wrongdoer pay, because lying to the authorities and lying to have a trial go your favor is also a crime. Let’s wait and see what happens.”

    It would appear that this story is far from its conclusion.

    For now, however, Andrade will need to have her focus elsewhere if she’s to keep her winning form inside the Octagon alive at the expense of the fast-charging Silva.

  • Cutman Tate Reveals Former UFC Middleweight Champion Was The Worst Fighter To Deal With: ‘Pain In A**’

    Cutman Tate Reveals Former UFC Middleweight Champion Was The Worst Fighter To Deal With: ‘Pain In A**’

    Brad Tate has been working as a cutman in the UFC for as long as fans can remember. He can be spotted in most events inspecting fighters before they enter the Octagon and working on cuts and other injuries between rounds.

    Despite not being a fighter, Tate has gradually become popular in MMA circles as one of the most consistent members of the UFC team like Bruce Buffer. He’s unsurprisingly developed great relationships with several UFC fighters, including Charles Oliveira, Daniel Cormier, Gilbert Burns, Jamahal Hill, and many more.

    Tate has been dealing with mixed martial artists for almost a decade, and he’s now revealed a former UFC middleweight champion to be the toughest fighter to work with…

    Cutman Tate Jokingly Claims No One Likes Luke Rockhold Except Daniel Cormier

    Tate appeared on the Believe You Me podcast hosted by Michael Bisping recently. Right away, “The Count” asked the cutman for some gossip as he’s had countless interactions with the UFC roster.

    To Bisping’s happiness, Tate called Luke Rockhold one of the worst fighters he’s had to work with in the UFC. In 2016 at UFC 199, Bisping knocked out Rockhold to win the UFC middleweight championship in what remains one of the biggest upsets in the sport to date.

    Without going into much detail, Tate stated that Rockhold caused problems consistently. The cutman appreciated that Bisping took away the UFC middleweight championship from him which is enough to determine how much he dislikes Rockhold.

    “I will give you the one person because he’s not in the UFC anymore and you fought him. F*****g Luke Rockhold was a pain in a**. Like, bro, listen to me, I know he was a good fighter. I don’t think anybody except DC like Luke Rockhold.”

    Tate isn’t a fan of Rockhold calling out UFC fighters like Sean Strickland either, now that he’s left the promotion. He also added that criticism regarding his demeanor fueled the former UFC middleweight champion to act in the same manner instead of mending his ways.

    “I see him now, and like, he was talking sh*t about Sean Strickland. And I’m like, nobody cares bro. Like this whole, Dana call me I’ll go in there and handle this for you. It’s like, dude, he was a problem like and he was just, dude, him losing the belt was like the best thing for him but like I said. I mean he’s not in the UFC anymore but he was the one guy that just, oh my god, even to just be around him, you would just be like, bro, why are you such a d**k? And honestly, you could tell him that he was a d**k and it just, I think that fueled him even more and made him even more like, yeah, let me be that way.”

    The UFC cutman claims to have rarely had bad experiences with fighters which is why it is surprising how much he despises the time spent with Rockhold. Luckily, for him, it’s unlikely that the middleweight will ever return to the promotion following his loss to Paulo Costa at UFC 278.

  • Belal Muhammad Claims Kamaru Usman Is A Harder Fight Than Shavkat Rakhmonov: ‘One Of The Best IQs In The Game’

    Belal Muhammad Claims Kamaru Usman Is A Harder Fight Than Shavkat Rakhmonov: ‘One Of The Best IQs In The Game’

    Belal Muhammad defeated Leon Edwards via unanimous decision at UFC 304 to win the UFC welterweight championship. Many expected Edwards to defend the title comfortably, but Muhammad out-struck the champ and secured over 12 minutes of control time with nine takedowns.

    There’s no shortage of contenders for the new champion at welterweight. While Gilbert Burns, Ian Garry, and Jack Della Maddalena are potentially one good win away from a title shot, Shavkat Rakhmonov is seen as the clear contender since his submission of Stephen Thompson.

    Rakhmonov, with his 100% finish rate, is one of the most intimidating prospects in the UFC, but Muhammad thinks that Kamaru Usman will be a tougher fight for him…

    Belal Muhammad Calls Kamaru Usman The Toughest Fight In UFC Welterweight Division Over Shavkat Rakhmonov, Jack Della Maddalena, And Others

    Muhammad recently discussed his first title defense on the Submission Radio YouTube channel. Despite constantly trolling Usman since winning the title, he admitted that Rakhmonov deserves a title shot most. The former UFC welterweight kingpin, in his opinion, needs to get back into the win column after losing three fights in a row.

    Muhammad doesn’t underestimate Usman as an opponent, though. He acknowledges that the “Nigerian Nightmare” has a ton of experience fighting top-level competition and is one of the smartest fighters inside the Octagon.

    Here’s how the champ responded when asked about the tougher opponent between Rakhmonov and Usman:

    “Honestly, I would say Kamaru. Just because he’s fought the highest level for so long. And, stylistically, he has one of the best IQs in the game. So, I think, for me, fighting somebody with the close to an IQ of myself would be a harder fight.”

    “Remember the Name” also looked back at Usman’s short-notice bout against Khamzat Chimaev. Like many, he was impressed by the former UFC welterweight kingpin’s performance against “Borz” and believes the fight could’ve gone the other way if there were two more rounds.

    Like Usman, Muhammad claimed that MMA fans usually forget how good fighters are as soon as they lose a fight.

    “He still has tread on his tires. People will sit there and say, like, you said, people must have forgot, right? And its, people are quick to forget about you but he fought that fight with Khamzat on eight days’ notice and it was a game of inches in that fight, right? It could, if it was two more rounds in there, I would’ve been very interested to see how it would have went.”

  • ‘Mates With Jorge Masvidal’ – MMA Analyst Explains Why Rumored Dustin Poirier vs. Colby Covington Fight Makes Perfect Sense

    ‘Mates With Jorge Masvidal’ – MMA Analyst Explains Why Rumored Dustin Poirier vs. Colby Covington Fight Makes Perfect Sense

    Dustin Poirier has had an illustrious UFC career despite never winning an undisputed championship. He’s fought for the title three times, but came up short against Khabib Nurmagomedov, Charles Oliveira, and Islam Makhachev. He did become the interim UFC lightweight kingpin by beating Max Holloway, though.

    Colby Covington has had a similar run in the UFC welterweight division. He won the interim title by beating Rafael dos Anjos but is 0-3 in undisputed title fights against the likes of Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards.

    Although both Covington and Poirier have still been adamant about fighting for titles, rumors suggest that they might meet in the Octagon soon. Here’s why Michael Bisping and award-winning broadcaster Adam Catterall are big fans of the matchup…

    Michael Bisping Excited To See Dustin Poirier vs. Colby Covington As The UFC 309 Co-Main Event Under Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic

    Bisping and Catterall discussed the potential matchup between Poirier and Covington on the Michael Bisping Podcast YouTube channel recently. As soon as ‘The Count’ brought up the rumors, Catterall couldn’t hide his excitement.

    “He’s [Colby Covington] got his opportunities. He’s not getting that opportunity again, anytime soon. He needs something big. He needs something juicy. He needs something to get himself up for it. Dustin Poirier is that name. A legend of the game. A guy that has been there, done it, got the T-shirt. You’ve just mentioned beef. Bit of bad blood. Dustin Poirier’s mates with Jorge Masvidal, he needs to get that one back for his pal, don’t he?”

    The radio and TV presenter also highlighted that “The Diamond” is friends with Jorge Masvidal. The latter fought Covington in March 2022 after their long-time friendship turned bitter. Masvidal and “Chaos” have even had physical altercations outside the UFC, and their rivalry is as personal as it gets.

    So, fighting Covington is a great way for Poirier to avenge Masvidal’s loss. He’s admitted to not liking the former interim UFC welterweight champion as well, and Bisping is very excited to see this beef getting settled inside the Octagon.

    It’s unlikely for both Poirier and Covington to get title shots in their divisions now. However, as two of the biggest stars in the UFC, their fight can easily generate all the hype in the world. Bisping credited Covington for being an excellent promoter who can easily capitalize on the real resentment with his opponent this time around.

    “Listen, Colby, say what you want about him. The man’s a promotion machine. With all like the personal stuff that they can go to, They would blow that fight up, like crazy. I’d want to see it.”

    If the rumors are true, Poirier vs. Covington will be scheduled for UFC 309, the card expected to feature Jones vs. Miocic as the main event. It is safe to assume that tons of fans will tune in to watch the fight regardless of when it happens, though.

  • Rising UK Contender Lerone Murphy Feels Jon Jones ‘Deserves’ Special Treatment To Avoid Tom Aspinall Fight

    Rising UK Contender Lerone Murphy Feels Jon Jones ‘Deserves’ Special Treatment To Avoid Tom Aspinall Fight

    Lerone Murphy recently suggested that Jon Jones warrants special deference to avoid a potential showdown with Tom Aspinall.

    Aspinall’s patience appears to be wearing thin as he persistently calls out Jones for a UFC heavyweight title unification bout. The interim heavyweight champion has been unreservedly articulate about his eagerness to challenge “Bones” ever since he claimed the title at UFC 295 last November.

    However, “Bones” has shown little interest in the much-anticipated matchup with Aspinall. Instead of considering a showdown, the reigning heavyweight champion has made it clear that his focus is firmly on fighting Stipe Miocic, a bout expected to headline UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden this November.

    Jones has often teased the possibility of retiring after conquering an esteemed former heavyweight champion like Miocic, which would further solidify his status as the GOAT. Meanwhile, “The Miracle” believes that with everything Jones has already accomplished in the sport, there’s no need for him to prove himself against Aspinall…

    Murphy Thinks Jones Enjoys Perks Uncommon To Other Fighters

    During a recent interview with Title Sports Network, Murphy weighed in on the escalating tension between Jones and Aspinall, noting that things have taken a turn for the worse. The undefeated featherweight contender remarked that Aspinall should have taken a tougher stance from the start. However, he doubts his fellow countryman will secure the fight he’s after, as Jones enjoys certain well-earned privileges from the UFC.

    “I think he should have been doing that from the get-go,” Murphy said. “Obviously, he’s being respectful of the greatest of all time, and I feel like he should be doing that, and it’s good, but I don’t think he’s going to get the fight. But yeah, it’s good for him to do. I feel like Jon’s getting the treatment he deserves, though, but he’s getting a different treatment than everybody else because usually if there’s an interim champion, you have to come back and fight the champion.”

    Jones last graced the Octagon in March 2023, where he claimed the heavyweight title with a decisive submission victory over Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. He was set to defend his title for the first time against Miocic at UFC 295, but “Bones” was compelled to withdraw just two weeks before the fight due to a severe pectoral injury.