Tom Aspinall successfully defended his UFC interim heavyweight title in the co-main event of UFC 304 by stopping Curtis Blaydes in the first round.
As fans have come to expect from the Brit, he closed the show early on after dropping Blaydes and getting the TKO finish in the opening minute.
The challenger was able to have some success early on with his strikes but Aspinall only needed to pull off one well-timed entry to find the shot he was looking for.
Aspinall, and the UFC commentary team, called for the title unification fight with Jon Jones who is expected to return later this year against Stipe Miocic.
MMA World Reacts To Tom Aspinall’s Successful Homecoming In Manchester
MMA fighters and fans reacted on social media as Aspinall finished yet another opponent without needing to go to a second round.
Many, as expected, want to see him stand across the cage from “Bones” as was the case before this fight.
There's no reason why anyone should consider Jones the champ. One fight in the division, fighting an inactive contender, prepping for retirement. Aspinall is the UFC HW champion.
How can you argue Aspinal isn’t the best heavyweight walking the planet today. It’s not close. Jon Jones argument doesn’t work the sample size is one fight that was against a dude who can’t grapple. #ufc304
"Hello, Jon. I have nothing against you personally. I just think I'm better than you. I just know I can beat you in a fight, so I'm coming for you."#UFC304
There can be no question that Paddy Pimblett is legit now, as he will have a ranking next to his name after his win over King Green (formerly Bobby Green) at UFC 304.
Green looked to use the leg kicks and set things up early, but he found himself unable to establish the jab.
In a move that baffled people late in the first round, Green shot in for a takedown. Pimblett easily countered it and looked for a guillotine before transitioning into a triangle choke. Pimblett sunk in the triangle in tight, and as he looked to turn it into a triangle armbar, it could be seen that Green was out cold, forcing the referee to stop the fight.
Following the fight, Pimblett used the opportunity to call out Renato Moicano.
Paddy Pimblett Makes Emphatic Statement With Easy First-Round Submission Of King Green At UFC 304
Damn. That was impressive! One mistake is all it takes. #UFC304
Pimblett has now won eight straight and is a perfect 6-0 in the UFC. His win streak also includes names such as Tony Ferguson, Jared Gordon and Jordan Leavitt.
Green has now lost two of his last three, though he has still won three of his last six.
Molly McCann suffered the first defeat of any of the home fighters at UFC 304 as she lost a one-sided decision to Bruna Brasil.
McCann’s signature toughness was on full display once again as she battled through a tough opening round to make it the distance.
Brasil had a lot of success with her striking after hurting her opponent with a body kick in the opening round, that appeared to be the beginning of the end.
Despite McCann’s best efforts to turn the tide late on, it wasn’t enough to get the nod on the scorecards in this prelim bout.
MMA Fans React As Molly McCann Suffers A Defeat On Home Soil
MMA fans reacted on social media as McCann battled against a strong showing from Brasil through all three rounds.
The crowd was on her side but it wasn’t the Liverpool fighter’s night on this occasion.
Molly McCann has heart and gives her all. But is fast becoming the Chisora of the MMA.
Embarrassing from meatball. Going to struggle to get a new contract after that. Maybe she will do the Scouse thing and blame it on someone else ?! Very impressive from Brasil.#UFC304#UFC304Live#UFC
Awful Prelims. Molly weird performance and walk out. Didn’t look interested. If the main card plays out the same then you know it’s the time factor. #UFC304
Bruna could've easily won that fight in the 2nd round…(i guess she thought herself is Aldo)…but gotta admit the fighting spirit in Molly was awesome to witness #UFC304
McCann should go back up to 125. I don't think taking off those extra ten pounds is doing any good for her durability. The UFC should just match her up with people who want to brawl. #UFC304
Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape had so much bad blood and fighting outside the cage going into their collision at UFC 304 that many expected a brawl when they faced off, especially with a potential title shot on the line.
What we got, however, was something completely different – a fight panned by many that saw Mokaev ultimately come up with a decision win.
The first round ultimately featured a lot of feinting, with neither man scoring a clear edge. Arguably the biggest action in the fight came from a moment in the second where Mokaev grabbed Kape’s shorts in an exchange on the ground. Mokaev appeared to show disrespect to referee Mike Beltran, who yelled at Mokaev during the time-out but elected not to take a point.
Mokaev scored a takedown in the third round and had position advantage, though Kape locked in a guillotine choke attempt.
Mokaev won on all three scorecards, with two 29-28 scores and a 30-27.
Muhammad Mokaev Scores Controversial Decision Over Manel Kape In Fight That Proves Lackluster
Mokaev v Kape pre-fight brovado and shenanigan score 10. In-fight killer instinct score 2.5. These guys man…point fighting after acting all “tough” #ufc304
Another contender to headline this card was the planned featherweight title fight.
Ilia Topuria making his first title defense against Max Holloway may just be the best fight of the year but it appears that the two 145-pounders will be meeting at a later date.
Despite being in the UFC’s good books following his emphatic performance at UFC 300, Holloway is disappointed to have missed out at The Sphere event.
Max Holloway Reacts To Missing Out On Headlining The Sphere
“Blessed” was hoping to be a part of the first combat sports event to be hosted at the groundbreaking venue – and for good reason.
Dana White has promised an event unlike any other, and whilst O’Malley vs Dvalishvili is a fitting main event, Topuria and Holloway might have been even better if online fan reaction is to be gauged.
The BMF champ gave his thoughts on having to wait a little longer to get his shot at the title that formerly belonged to him.
“This is how I feel though the about the Sphere card, this is how I feel right here, s*** sucks bro. I feel damaged bro, it should have been us brother. It’s Mexican Independence Day guys, you guys cannot have a Spaniard, who Mexicans got their independence back from, to headline the card on Mexican Independence Day bro. Come on. I was trying to tell you guys but everybody knew that I was fighting in the Sphere, except for me.”
Max Holloway reacts to the Sphere card announcement:
"This is how I feel I about not being on the Sphere card… should've been us brother.
It's Mexican Independence Day. You guys cannot have a Spaniard, who Mexicans got their independence back from, to headline the card."
UFC 304 is almost upon us, and many in the mixed martial arts community have been posting some late takes on the event.
The promotion hosts its latest pay-per-view card from the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, tonight, where a fiery fight week across the pond will culminate in championship stakes inside the Octagon.
Headlining UFC 304, welterweight kingpin Leon Edwards will attempt to get the better of challenger Belal Muhammad at the second time of trying. After having his early success rendered null when an eye poke left “Remember the Name” unable to continue back in 2021, “Rocky” will look to pick up where he left off and make Muhammad the third victim of his title reign.
The co-main event, meanwhile, will see another home champ in action as Tom Aspinall puts his interim heavyweight gold on the line. Like Edwards in the headliner, Aspinall will be facing a familiar foe in the form of Curtis Blaydes. The Manchester native has redemption on his mind after a knee injury sent him to defeat opposite “Razor” after just 15 seconds two years ago.
Also on the lineup, Paddy Pimblett makes his return to the cage on home soil to compete for a spot in the lightweight rankings against King Green, Arnold Allen looks to bounce back from his first career losing skid opposite Giga Chikadze, and flyweight standouts Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape vie for a potential shot at Alexandre Pantoja’s belt.
To prepare yourself for tonight’s event, catch up on the latest betting odds here, look back on the faceoffs from Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins here, and follow along with the results and highlights here, live from 6 PM ET.
MMA Community Gives Final Thoughts On UFC 304: ‘There Is Something About English Fight Cards…’
UFC 304 will get underway shortly, meaning the buildup and time for talking is almost over.
The MMA community is sure to be locked in and engaged in hot discussion over the events that unfold in the coming hours, but throughout today, plenty have been getting in their late predictions and final thoughts on the momentous occasion.
Muhammad beating Edwards tonight in an all-time snooze fest decision.
— Silva and Gold Sports Talk (@silvagoldsports) July 27, 2024
Notice how Dana White hasn't been asked any questions about him fucking over UFC fans in the UK by putting on a UK card and having the main event at 5 am. He has the media on strings. #UFC304
For Blaydes and Tom, I like Tom but I like Blaydes more. I think he’s been overlooked & disrespected in general in his career, & being the older man I want him to capitalize on this chance. Tom WILL have his spotlight. Rooting for the veteran fighter/American, slightly.#UFC304
Topping the lineup will be reigning UFC Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards, who is tasked with getting the better of Belal Muhammad at the second time of trying if he’s to successfully defend his title on home soil once again.
Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see another English champ in action as interim heavyweight kingpin Tom Aspinall runs it back with Curtis Blaydes. Their second clash comes two years on from an injury rendering the Brit unable to continue after just 15 seconds at the London-held UFC Fight Night in July 2022.
Also set to make the walk on Saturday night will be the likes of lightweight prospect Paddy Pimblett and his teammate Molly McCann, another home favorite in Arnold Allen, and the undefeated Muhammad Mokaev.
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 304 main card here.
UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2 Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 304 (as of 7/27), courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Leon Edwards (-265) vs. Belal Muhammad (+215)
Tom Aspinall (-395) vs. Curtis Blaydes (+310)
King Green (-115) vs. Paddy Pimblett (-105)
Christian Leroy Duncan (-135) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (+114)
Arnold Allen (-238) vs. Giga Chikadze (+195)
Preliminary Card:
Nathaniel Wood (-380) vs. Daniel Pineda (+300)
Molly McCann (-345) vs. Bruna Brasil (+275)
Caolán Loughran (-225) vs. Jake Hadley (+185)
Modestas Bukauskas (-155) vs. Marcin Prachnio (+130)
“Remember the Name” has continued to speak about how winning the title is one thing but beating Edwards for it in particular makes this fight even more meaningful to him.
John Gooden Believes Leon Edwards Isn’t Bothered By Belal Muhammad’s Words Pre-UFC 304
Muhammad’s trash talk at the press conference on fight week didn’t appear to bother Edwards, and UFC commentator John Gooden believes that this comes from experience.
He spoke in an interview with InsideFighting about how he doesn’t think the champion is going to be bothered by anything that his next opponent can say about him.
Having already gone through the experience of facing Colby Covington in his last outing, Edwards has been through the ringer when it comes to pre-fight comments.
“Leon, I think, used to suffer from some of that and biting back and not really finding the right sort of quips and banter to answer back. I’m going back to like, Darren Till times, because before that, it didn’t really happen. But I feel like when he walked out and then he got the boos in London, I think he was a little bit p***** off.
“But, he’s now gone through issues with Kamaru, Kamaru was still digging at home and it wasn’t egregious and really horrible and toxic like Colby was. But I think when you go through a little bit more and a little bit more, your skin gets thicker, and then you realize like, ‘What’s the use in me taking this on board?’ And I have to say, I’ve had a few interactions with Leon now and his team and I think he’s just laughing a lot of it off. Belal is really going in on Leon, really going in.”
Daniel Cormier and Anthony Smith recently shared their belief that the victor of the Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 is destined to dominate the heavyweight division for years to come.
Aspinall is set to run it back with Blaydes to defend his UFC interim heavyweight championship in the co-headliner of the upcoming pay-per-view event, scheduled for this Saturday at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, United Kingdom.
The two fighters previously crossed paths two years ago in the main event of UFC Fight Night London in July 2022. In that bout, “Razor” emerged victorious with a 15-second TKO after the Brit sustained an unfortunate knee injury.
Aspinall had hoped to unify his belt after knocking out Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 with heavyweight champion Jon Jones. However, realizing that a bout with “Bones” is unlikely due to Jones’s determination to face Stipe Miocic next, potentially the last fight of both their careers, Aspinall chose to pivot. Embracing the situation, he decided to defend his interim title instead.
According to Cormier and Smith, the upcoming rematch between Aspinall and Blaydes is set to determine the future kingpin of the heavyweight division…
Cormier Declares Aspinall vs Blaydes Interim Title Fight As True Championship Bout
During a recent video on the ESPN MMA YouTube channel, Cormier and Smith delved into the upcoming rematch between Aspinall and Blaydes. “DC” emphasized that the exceptional skill levels and challenging styles of both fighters make this bout the one that will ultimately reveal the true heavyweight champion.
“There’s a lot of confidence in Tom Aspinall as he holds the interim championship, which I believe is the actual heavyweight championship of the world,” Cormier said. “Because I think he’ll be more active than Jon Jones or Stipe Miocic.”
“Lionheart” echoed Cormier’s sentiment, suggesting that with Jones and Miocic nearing the end of their careers, Aspinall and Blaydes are poised to take over and dominate the heavyweight division for the foreseeable future.
“I totally agree, and I think that the fact that these guys are fighting now almost solidifies a long title run in my mind,” Smith said. “I think these two guys are the hardest matchups for each other. They’re both big, they’re both physical, both crazy athletic for their size, and both of them can wrestle… I think Curtis beats Aspinall, he kind of cruises for a little bit, and if Aspinall beats Curtis, he absolutely cruises for a little bit.”
During the pre-fight press conference on Thursday, UFC CEO Dana White said that the winner of the Aspinall vs. Blaydes bout will go on to challenge the winner of the Jones vs. Miocic showdown, which is rumored to take place in November.
Molly McCann is certain that her teammate and compatriot, Paddy Pimblett, will clinch a decisive first-round victory against King Green at UFC 304.
Both McCann and Pimblett are primed to be in action on their home turf this Saturday at UFC’s upcoming event at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England. UFC 304 signifies the MMA promotion’s return to the “Rainy City” for the first time since UFC 204 in October 2016.
“Meatball” is set to clash with Bruna Brasil in a strawweight bout during the preliminary card of the event. This fight marks her second appearance in the division, following a triumphant return with a first-round submission victory over Diana Belbiță in February. She made the move down to 115 pounds after enduring back-to-back losses at 125 pounds.
Meanwhile, “The Baddy” is set to square off against Green on the main card of UFC 304. Pimblett is riding high after a commanding unanimous decision victory over lightweight veteran Tony Ferguson at UFC 296 last December, extending his impressive win streak in the Octagon to five consecutive fights.
Coming from the same hometown of Liverpool, McCann and Pimblett have not only forged a strong bond but also train together at the Next Generation MMA Gym. Naturally, McCann is fully backing her fellow Liverpudlian, confident that Pimblett will overpower Green in their upcoming clash…
McCann Foresees Pimblett Silencing Critics At UFC 304
During a recent interview with Kaz Crossley for Title Sports Network, McCann shared her thoughts on Pimblett’s upcoming clash with Green. She confidently predicted that “The Baddy” will secure a first-round finish, propelling him closer to a coveted title shot.
“I think he gets to silence the critics again,” McCann said. “I think he’s going to finish Bobby in the first round. I think he’s a bit like [Conor] McGregor in terms of not being scared to speak his truth and manifest.”
McCann and Pimblett have shared the Octagon on the same night twice before, both going undefeated with remarkable performances at The O2 arena in London during UFC Fight Night events in 2022.
While the champion has dismissed talk of bad blood between the pair, “Remember the Name” has been open in expressing his disdain for his rival ahead of his opportunity to dethrone him in enemy territory.
More than just a personal hatred for “Rocky,” Muhammad has frequently attempted to take away from his achievements on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.
During UFC 304 fight week, that’s included branding both of Edwards’ wins over the great Usman as unimpressive…
Muhammad Insists His Strength Of Schedule Trumps Edwards’
During a fight week interview for UFC.com, Muhammad looked ahead to his long-awaited first title shot and assessed the man at the expense of whom he’s tasked with winning the belt.
The challenger has long questioned Edwards’ own path to the championship en route to facing Usman in 2022. But in his latest remarks, Muhammad even downplayed his last-gasp knockout of “The Nigerian Nightmare” to capture gold and subsequent five-round win over the ex-champ to defend it in their trilogy fight.
“I’ve had the harder journey,” Muhammad said. “He’s fought Nate Diaz, who is a lightweight. Then he got the Usman fighter, getting beat up and threw a Hail Mary, caught him with it. And then the third fight with Usman wasn’t the same Usman. I think people give Leon a little bit too much credit. I don’t think Usman was the same person. And then the Colby (Covington) fight, I don’t even consider that a fight. Both guys suck.
“Not impressed at all. It’s impressive that he found that needle in a haystack to catch Usman with that kick. But other than that, I think I’ve fought and had to go through tougher tests than him,” Muhammad continued. “I’ve showed more in my fights than he’s showed in his.”
Muhammad will look to prove that he’s a bigger threat to Edwards than both Covington and Usman when the cage door closes behind him and the champ at UFC 304 on Saturday night.
Mexican fan favorites Alexa Grasso and Diego Lopes will get their expected appearances at the high-profile Noche UFC event at the Sphere this Fall.
After its successful inaugural celebration of Mexican Independence Day last September, Las Vegas will once again play host to the UFC’s festivities for the occasion in 2024, this time at a grander venue.
Instead of the T-Mobile Arena, this year’s iteration of Noche UFC will play out inside the Sphere in the form of UFC 306. Ever since vowing to stage the first live sporting event there, UFC CEO Dana White has promised a first-of-a-kind event that will leave the fanbase in awe.
And as the September 14 date fast approaches, the UFC 306 lineup has taken shape.
There will also be championship stakes in the co-headliner, as Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko complete their trilogy a year on from their Noche UFC main event concluding in a controversial draw.
Lopes, Grasso’s teammate and jiu-jitsu coach, also has a major assignment set for the Sphere. The rising featherweight was expected to feature on the card following his latest triumph at UFC 303 last month.
The Mexico-residing Brazilian got the better of Dan Ige in a same-day booking that came about following the late withdrawal of Brian Ortega due to illness.
For Noche UFC on Sept. 14, those two will attempt for their matchup to make it to the Octagon at the second time of trying, with the promotion opting to rebook Lopes against “T-City” despite talk of the former featherweight title challenger moving up in weight.
Joining those three fights on the main card will be two more Mexicans in Daniel Zellhuber and Ronaldo Rodriguez, who will share the cage with Esteban Ribovics and Ode’ Osbourne, respectively.
Meanwhile, you can check out the current fights expected to take place on the preliminary card below:
Sean O’Malley’s bantamweight championship will be on the line when mixed martial arts’ leading promotion arrives at the Sphere for UFC 306 on September 14.
The promotion will stage its sophomore celebration of Mexican Independence Day on September 14. While Las Vegas is once again the host destination, the Octagon will be in a much different environment this time around.
And he confirmed this week that O’Malley will be tasked with closing it out in defense of his belt opposite Merab Dvalishvili. White announced the expected news in a video uploaded to the UFC’s social media accounts on Friday night.
O’Malley Targets Second Successful Defense At The Expense Of Dvalishvili
When the pair share the Octagon inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere, O’Malley will be looking to make Dvalishvili the second victim of his title reign.
O’Malley (18-1, 1 NC) captured the 135-pound gold in memorable fashion last August, concluding the Boston-held UFC 292 pay-per-view event with a shocking second-round knockout of longtime champ Aljamain Sterling. The result brought “Funk Master’s” record-breaking rule to an end and set up the chance for his teammate to avenge the setback.
While he’s had to wait for “Sugar” to settle unfinished business with Marlon Vera at UFC 299 in Miami this past March, Dvalishvili (17-4) finally has his first shot at title glory in mixed martial arts booked in.
The Georgian has had to win 10 straight fights and go unbeaten since 2018 to make it happen. He’s most recently defeated three former champs, getting the better of José Aldo, Petr Yan, and Henry Cejudo on the scorecards to leave no doubt about his status as the unrivaled number one bantamweight contender.
Muhammad has beaten several top contenders since his first encounter with Edwards but the Brit’s recent wins over Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington stand out.
Not only did he get his hand raised against both men, he was successful at fending off their heavy grappling approaches, which Muhammad is sure to use as his game plan in Manchester.
Smith spoke during an event preview for ESPN MMA about how he gives the champion the edge because of what we’ve seen him do against two of the best wrestlers to ever grace the 170-pound division.
“I would believe it’s probably Leon. I think that he’s been in harder fights versus better guys, that’s no disrespect to the guys that Belal has beaten but they’re not at the level of a Kamaru Usman. I think the Colby fight was a big deal for Leon, not because of the way that he won or what he was trying to prove, I think that style is impossible for people to deal with including Kamaru Usman, who a lot of people think is the welterweight greatest of all time.
“I think the way that he made Colby look where he was so uncomfortable on his feet he couldn’t even shoot, we’ve never even heard of that. He didn’t even have to defend takedowns because he was so good on his feet that Colby didn’t want to shoot. I thought that was a big deal.”
— MVP – Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) July 21, 2024
To compound Perry’s misfortune, BKFC part-owner “The Notorious” swiftly took to X to declare, “You’re fired,” seemingly ousting Perry from the bare-knuckle promotion. He didn’t stop there, going on to mock Perry’s newly launched hybrid boxing venture, Dirty Boxing Championship, with biting remarks.
Perry Insists McGregor’s Statements Are Just For Attention
During a recent appearance on BS w/ Jake Paul, “Platinum” addressed McGregor’s apparent attempt to fire him from BKFC. Perry dismissed the notion, suggesting that the Irishman is just stirring the pot for attention. He emphasized that the fans want to see him fight in BKFC.
“I think it’s just, you know, he does that. He tweets and he gets people to attach to something, whatever he says,” Perry said. “He knows that we had that moment that night in history and it was what people were talking about, so he’s like, let me say something about it and talk sh*t about it and be his normal witty self. He said something that got people to tune into it because he’s like, oh, now Mike’s released from bare-knuckle. But let’s be honest, everybody wants to see me fight bare-knuckle again.”
“The Problem Child” agreed with Perry’s assertions and vehemently criticized McGregor for swiftly turning his back on BKFC’s undefeated star.
“I saw everyone being like ‘Yeah, Mike Perry is the BKFC,’ which is true,” Paul said. “I think it’s f*ked up of him to be like dck riding you all week, like ‘Look what the BKFC has done for Mike and he’s our biggest star,’ and then all of a sudden he throws you under the bus like that.”
Perry has experienced tremendous success since departing from the UFC in April 2021 and has risen to become the biggest star in BKFC. He boasts an undefeated 5-0 record, with victories over high-profile fighters such as Luke Rockhold, Eddie Alvarez, and Michael “Venom” Page.
The UFC heavyweight champion has been teasing that he will make his return from injury later this year, where he will defend his title against Stipe Miocic.
When the fight was removed from UFC 295 last year due to Jones’ injury, Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich stepped into the co-main event on short notice where the Brit became the interim champion.
Aspinall believes that even if both he and Jones are victorious in their next fights, there’s more chance of “Bones” taking another route instead.
Tom Aspinall Says Alex Pereira Has A Better Chance Of Fighting Jon Jones Than He Does
Jones has made it perfectly clear during his absence that fighting Aspinall isn’t something that he sees as adding anything to his legacy, which is already assured in the sport.
“Bones” has however, floated the idea of a potential fight against the light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, which would be a massive contest.
During UFC 304 fight week, Aspinall spoke in an interview with Michael Bisping where he said that in his opinion, there’s more chance of that fight happening than him unifying the titles against Jones.
“Yeah, he might do. That’s way more likely than Jon Jones fighting me. Way more likely.”
Aspinall added that he doesn’t believe it’s an issue of Jones not wanting to fight him specifically, as he can understand why that fight isn’t the best option for the champion right now.
“Well, he’s going to get more money fighting Alex Pereira than he is me first of all and it’s an easier match-up. I’m not saying he doesn’t want to fight me, I’m saying that there’s more favorable match-ups. If the shoe was on the other foot, I would do the same.”
Every episode of the UFC Countdown series before a big PPV card tends to follow a similar format of following the headlining fighters during their fight camps.
In the case of UFC 304’s video, Belal Muhammad’s segment has the usual clips of him training, with parts about his team and journey to getting a shot at the welterweight title.
One aspect gave fans a bit more of a glimpse into Muhammad as a person and how he tries to use what he has earned to benefit those that are less fortunate.
The #2-ranked welterweight has made his feelings very clear about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine but he isn’t just trying to spread a message.
Muhammad took actions into his own hands to try and help where possible when he flew a young boy out of Gaza to come and stay with him after his house was destroyed in the war.
Two-year-old Jood Ahmad Damo has been living out in Chicago for around six months now, and walks with a limp after his knee cap was broken and he needed surgery.
The boy is shown in the Countdown episode living a happy life away from conflict as Muhammad gets emotional speaking about how there are so many others that aren’t receiving this same kind of help and support.
MMA Fans React To Belal Muhammad Getting Emotional In UFC 304 Countdown Episode
This revelation didn’t sit well with many fans, as Pimblett is a shining star in the European MMA scene and his popularity makes him a prized gem in the UFC’s crown.
To their relief, Pimblett’s manager and Cage Warriors promoter Graham Boylan recently confirmed on X that his client has re-signed with the MMA promotion.
“The Baddy has signed a new deal with @ufc. He’s very happy to see his value has been acknowledged & handsomely rewarded. Congrats to all involved,” Boylan tweeted
The Baddy has signed a new deal with @ufc he’s very happy to see his value has been acknowledged & handsomely rewarded. Congrats to all involved. 👊🏼
In episode five of the UFC 304: Embedded Vlog Series, Pimblett personally confirmed that he has signed a fresh contract.
Although the specifics of the Brit’s agreement remain undisclosed, he appeared enthusiastic while discussing the news.
“New contract signed,” Pimblett said. “For all them ***** saying that I’m going anywhere, I’m not going nowhere, b*tch.”
Pimblett continued his impressive run in the Octagon eight months ago, securing his fifth straight win with a dominant unanimous decision over Tony Ferguson at UFC 296 in December 2023.
Jon Jones grabbed the UFC heavyweight title by beating Ciryl Gane in March 2023. His first defense will be against Stipe Miocic and then, the winner will fight the winner of Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes.
The fight with Miocic was originally scheduled for November 11, 2023. However, a shoulder injury forced the champ to pull out and stay out of action for over six months. He’s fit and back at the gym now but a new date for the bout is yet to be announced.
Here’s when fans can expect Jones to finally fight Miocic and proceed to unify the UFC heavyweight championship…
When Will Jon Jones Fight Stipe Miocic?
Although official confirmation from the UFC is pending, Jones will most likely fight Miocic on November 9, 2024, at UFC 309 in Madison Square Garden, New York. The date has been teased by the champion himself through a post on Instagram with this caption:
The official UFC schedule is only updated till UFC 308 which takes place on October 26. So, it won’t be a stretch to assume that November 9 is the planned date for UFC 309 and the main event will feature “Bones” and the former UFC heavyweight kingpin.
Will Jon Jones Retire From The UFC After Fighting Stipe Miocic?
Jones has repeatedly discussed retiring from the UFC. He initially seemed certain about hanging up the gloves after the Miocic fight. However, in recent tweets, he’s claimed to make the decision based on his performance and the available options at the time.
Honestly, it’s hard to say right now, I’m gonna base a lot of that on my next performance. The options are looking crazy right now. https://t.co/3skkYSY7Aj
Dana White has confirmed that the winner of Aspinall vs. Blaydes will fight the winner of Jones vs. Miiocic. These plans could undeniably change if Alex Pereira moves up for a super fight in the UFC heavyweight division.
After recording a successful defenses at the expense of Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington in 2023, “Rocky” will look to settle unfinished business with Belal Muhammad after their 2021 UFC Fight Night headliner ended in a no contest.
Title stakes also come in the co-main event, which will see Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall back in action. He defends the strap he captured with a brutal knockout of Sergei Pavlovich last November in a rematch against Curtis Blaydes.
Elsewhere on the UFC 304 card, Paddy Pimblett gets his first shot at the lightweight rankings opposite King Green, flyweight standouts Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape attempt to stake their claim for a shot at Alexandre Pantoja’s gold, and Arnold Allen plans to get back on track in the featherweight division at the expense of Giga Chikadze.
Ahead of the event, 27 out of the 28 fighters successfully made weight, with Jake Hadley’s one-pound miss of the bantamweight limit marking the sole indiscretion on the scale.
Nevertheless, every fight has remained intact, and all that remained on Friday was for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC 304 ceremonial weigh-ins!
Check out a stream via the official UFC YouTube channel below, followed by all the faceoffs!
Conor McGregor was on top of the MMA world by becoming the first UFC double champion in 2016. Instead of defending his titles, he boxed Floyd Mayweather in August 2017 and his returns to the Octagon since then haven’t been too pleasing for the fans.
“The Notorious” lost decisively to Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2018. After a long break, he knocked out Donald Cerrone in 40 seconds to register KO wins in three UFC weight classes.
McGregor hasn’t entered the Octagon since losing to Dustin Poirier twice in 2021. With no confirmation regarding the rescheduling of the Michael Chandler fight, here’s whether McGregor has retired…
Has Conor McGregor Retired From The UFC?
No, McGregor hasn’t retired from the UFC. He’s repeatedly reacted positively to his return to the Octagon and reports suggest he’ll fight Chandler towards the end of 2024. The matchup will most likely be a part of UFC 310.
Having said that, “Mystic Mac” has a long history of shocking fans with retirement posts on his socials. Such announcements are believable because the Irishman has made a fortune over the years. Even Dana White claims that the former UFC double champ has no compulsion to risk his health fighting again.
For now, though, McGregor is adamant about fighting Chandler before the end of 2024.
Does Conor McGregor Still Have A UFC Contract?
Yes, McGregor still has a UFC contract. In a BKFC event held on July 18, 2024, he claimed to have two fights remaining on his contract.
The Dubliner’s current contract was signed ahead of his fight with Nurmagomedov with a five-year expiration date. Things have been rather complicated as he dropped out of the USADA testing pool temporarily during this period.
Regardless, fans can look forward to seeing him fight in the Octagon at least twice.
Conor McGregor Sheds Light On His Plans Post UFC Retirement
McGregor is now a part-owner of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, and he’s eager to fight for the promotion after completing the last two fights in his UFC contract.
“It’s money in the bank. So, you know, for me, I have a bit of business left with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, two fights left in my contract. But, for sure, we got three lightweights up here. And yeah, I have my eyes on all of this. I’m not up here just as an owner, I’ll play a manager, you know.”
UFC heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes’ path to a first title shot this weekend has certainly had its ups and downs.
Blaydes will finally compete with gold on the line in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC 304 pay-per-view, where he’s tasked with unseating Tom Aspinall in the interim heavyweight champion’s home city of Manchester, England.
The bout marks a rematch, with the pair previously colliding in London two years ago. While “Razor” had his hand raised on that occasion, the manner of victory — a knee injury to Aspinall after just 15 seconds — did little to advance his championship ambitions.
But Blaydes was able to bounce back from that defeat and earn his shot at the interim belt on July 27. That’s seemingly in part down to his history of bouncing back from tough moments inside the cage…
Blaydes Looks Back On Difficult Ngannou Loss, Explains Attitude Toward Setbacks
When asked at which point he felt the lowest regarding his title prospects, “Razor” pointed to his 45-second defeat to Francis Ngannou when they ran it back in the main event of a UFC Fight Night in China six years ago.
“Probably after my rematch with Ngannou in 2018,” Blaydes said. “He was off of a loss against Derrick Lewis. I’m off a win against Alistair (Overeem) and Mark Hunt. I felt like I was like, heading in the right direction. Go off to Beijing, fight lasts like 15 seconds. I didn’t really get to perform any of the new skills and techniques that I had been developing over the years.
“That was a long flight home. That was like an 18-hour flight home and just a lot of reflecting,” Blaydes continued. “When I lose, I’ve always viewed it as, as long as you’re able to take something from a loss, it’s not a total loss. I’ve been using that. When I have a loss, I take it, reflect, grow, and I do my best to not repeat the same mistakes.”
Having bounced back from setbacks such as those opposite Ngannou, Blaydes will look to finally complete his ascent to the heavyweight mountaintop by upsetting the odds and the Manchester crowd come fight night at UFC 304.
Saturday’s contest marks Edwards’ second time competing in the United Kingdom since capturing the divisional crown in 2022. After unseating Kamaru Usman with a last-gasp head kick in Salt Lake City — leveling their score at one win apiece — the pair ran it back in England’s capital.
Headlining UFC 286 in London, “Rocky” and “The Nigerian Nightmare” completed their trilogy fight, going the full five-round distance inside The O2. It was ultimately Edwards who had his hand raised on the scorecards, completing his second straight win over the welterweight legend in the process.
Ahead of Saturday’s event, the promotion has released the full Edwards vs. Usman fight from UFC 286 on its official YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IESed0ndjn8
After a successful stop-off to comfortably beat Colby Covington in Las Vegas last December, Edwards will be targeting an even more definitive result on home turf this weekend.
He’s vowed to violently stall the championship ambitions of Muhammad in Manchester and move closer to Georges St-Pierre’s title defense record.
Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 26, 2024, we’re taking a look at:
Aspinall finally puts the petrol rumors to rest
Sterling got his hand raised after clutching the match in the final seconds
Holloway gives massive praise to UFC 304 fighter
Tom Aspinall Finally Admits That Strange Pre-Fight Preparations Was A Joke
The Brit told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour that he was following the methods of classic bare knuckle boxers by shadow boxing around haybales and dipping his hands in petrol each night.
Some instantly called it out that Aspinall was in fact trying to trick Helwani but after he didn’t crack a smile at any point, others thought the champion might be telling the truth.
A video posted on fight week shows one half of this weekend’s co-main event calling Helwani in the middle of the night to provide evidence of his preparations.
After leading him on for a bit longer, Aspinall confessed that it was all a joke and that he’s having to tell the truth after people thought he was being serious about it.
Aljamain Sterling Pulls Off A Clutch Win In Karate Combat Grappling Debut
Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling made his Karate Combat debut on July 25, where he got his hand raised in the final seconds of the contest.
Competing in the Pit Submission Series, he secured the win over Jay Jay Wilson at Karate Combat 48 in Nashville.
The contest was nearly about to end in a points draw but with the clock ticking down to the final seconds, Sterling was able to pass guard and take his opponent’s back to score the winning point in the dying moments.
With a fight like this, it will come down to which man is able to implement their approach the best and with that in mind, Holloway is backing the champ to retain in Manchester.
He broke down the card during a recent YouTube video where “Blessed” spoke extremely high of Edwards’s ability to read and control a fight.
“Belal is a tactician. he’s a gameplanner. He does not stray away from his gameplan,” Holloway said. “But so does Leon, bro. Leon is a tactician. He’s a gameplanner. He sticks to his gameplan no matter what. … A lot of people were counting Leon out (ahead of the Covington fight) like he was gonna get grappled.
“Leon is one of the very few IQs in this game that I respect, man,” Holloway continued. “His fight IQ is super high, super smart. It’s just hard to go against the champ here, bro. I think Belal puts on a fight. Early in the fight, I think it’s a tough fight. But then when we get to the third and then the championship rounds, I think Leon is gonna take over.”
And the mixed martial arts leader has brought a lineup worthy of the occasion with it across the pond, with two title fights and a host of major undercard bouts set to go down.
Elsewhere on the card, Liverpool native Paddy Pimblett gets his first crack at the rankings opposite King Green, Arnold Allen looks to snap his losing skid at the expense of Giga Chikadze, and top flyweights Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape settle their bad blood in a potential title eliminator at 125 pounds.
UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad 2 Weigh-In Results
UFC 304 takes place Saturday, July 27, at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England. 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 live stream of the UFC 304 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below!
Main Card:
Welterweight Championship Main Event: Leon Edwards (170lbs) vs. Belal Muhammad (169lbs)
Interim Heavyweight Championship Co-Main Event: Tom Aspinall (251lbs) vs. Curtis Blaydes (256lbs)
Lightweight: King Green (154.5lbs) vs. Paddy Pimblett (156lbs)
Middleweight: Christian Leroy Duncan (185lbs) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (185lbs)
Featherweight: Arnold Allen (145lbs) vs. Giga Chikadze (146lbs)
Preliminary Card:
Featherweight: Nathaniel Wood (145lbs) vs. Daniel Pineda (146lbs)
Women’s Strawweight: Molly McCann (116lbs) vs. Bruna Brasil (116lbs)
Bantamweight: Caolán Loughran (136lbs) vs. Jake Hadley (137lbs)*
Light Heavyweight: Modestas Bukauskas (204lbs) vs. Marcin Prachnio (205lbs)
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Oban Elliott (170lbs) vs. Preston Parsons (169lbs)
Flyweight: Muhammad Mokaev (126lbs) vs. Manel Kape (125.5lbs)
Welterweight: Sam Patterson (170lbs) vs. Kiefer Crosbie (171lbs)
Heavyweight: Mick Parkin (264lbs) vs. Łukasz Brzeski (235lbs)
Women’s Strawweight: Shauna Bannon (115lbs) vs. Alice Ardelean (116lbs)
*Jake Hadley missed the bantamweight limit by one pound, fined 20 percent of his purse
