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  • 2024 PFL MENA 2 Results & Highlights

    2024 PFL MENA 2 Results & Highlights

    The inaugural PFL MENA season continued on Friday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action!

    Having broken onto the scene with its unique regular season and playoff format in North America, the Professional Fighters League (PFL) has begun its pursuit of further prominence around the globe.

    In 2023, that took sizable step forward with the maiden PFL Europe season. And this year, the promotion continues to grow with its latest regional expansion, PFL MENA (Middle East and North Africa).

    Like the inaugural card on May 10, the sophomore event went down from from The Green Halls in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In the main event, the host nation’s own Mostafa Rashed Neda built on his showcase performance on the PFL 9: 2023 Playoffs card last August.

    To extend his winning run to four, the MMA Jeddah Club standout got the better of former OKTAGON athlete Abdel Rahmane Driai. Algeria’s “Silverback” had won two straight since falling short against current UFC fighter Robert Bryczek, but his run was brought to an end by way of knockout in the very first round.

    Elsewhere, PFL veteran Jarrah Al-Silawi returned to the SmartCage successfully after snapping his losing skid with a victory under the Brave CF banner last December, while highly touted women’s amateur Hattan Alsaif followed her memorable head kick KO from PFL MENA 1 this past May with another impressive showing front of her home fans.

    While the event was broadcast on DAZN for select countries, it was unfortunately not available to audiences in the United States. However, MMA News has you covered below with the full results and all the highlights.

    2024 PFL MENA 2 Results & Highlights

    • Middleweight Showcase Main Event: Mostafa Rashed Nada def. Abdel Rahmane Driai via KO (right hand): R1
    • Welterweight Co-Main Event: Mohammad Alaqraa def. Youcef Ouabbas via TKO (punches); R2
    • Welterweight: Jarrah Al-Silawi def. Rayan Atmani via submission (rear-naked choke): R1
    • Welterweight: Badreddine Diani def. Amir Fazli via unanimous decision
    • Lightweight: Mohsen Mohammadseifi def. Josh Togo via TKO (punches): R1
    • Lightweight: Souhil Tairi  def. Ahmed Amir via unanimous decision
    • Welterweight: Omar El Dafrawy def. Anthony Zeidan via unanimous decision
    • Amateur Women’s Atomweight: Hattan Alsaif def. Eman Baraka via TKO (corner stoppage): R2, 5:00
    • Lightweight: Abdullah Saleem def. Omar Reguigui via submission (triangle choke)
    • Lightweight: Georges Eid def. Abbas Khan via unanimous decision
    • Flyweight Showcase: Ziad Ayman Mokhtar def. Hadi Omar Al Hussaini via submission (rear-naked choke): R3

    Ziad Ayman Mokhtar Def. Hadi Omar Al Hussaini

    Georges Eid Def. Abbas Khan

    Abdullah Saleem Def. Omar Reguigui

    Hattan Alsaif Def. Eman Baraka

    Omar El Dafrawy Def. Anthony Zeidan

    Souhil Tairi  Def. Ahmed Amir

    Mohsen Mohammadseifi Def. Josh Togo

    Badreddine Diani Def. Amir Fazli

    Jarrah Al-Silawi Def. Rayan Atmani

    Mohammad Alaqraa Def. Youcef Ouabbas

    Mostafa Rashed Nada def. Abdel Rahmane Driai

  • Michael Chandler Told He Has Become A Top Five Draw In The UFC Despite Long Layoff: ‘He Got What He Wanted Without Having To Throw A Punch…’

    Michael Chandler Told He Has Become A Top Five Draw In The UFC Despite Long Layoff: ‘He Got What He Wanted Without Having To Throw A Punch…’

    Michael Chandler has not fought since his loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 281 in November of 2022.

    He has spent the best part of a year and a half at this stage trying to answer questions of when he will be fighting Conor McGregor and whether this wait has been worth it.

    Everything finally looked to be heading his way until McGregor withdrew from UFC 303 due to a broken toe with the plan to push the fight back a few months so that he can return at 100%.

    Of course, fighting McGregor is an opportunity that simply doesn’t get any bigger in this sport but if the fight never happens, Chandler could have missed out on some incredibly significant time in his career now that he is 38 years old.

    Chael Sonnen does not see it this way because of the goal that “Iron” Mike approached this fight with.

    Chael Sonnen Argues That Michael Chandler Has Still Got What He Wanted Out Of Conor McGregor Without Fighting Him

    During a recent episode of the Good Guy / Bad Guy show on ESPN MMA, Daniel Cormier made the prediction that Chandler will fight again this year but it may not be McGregor.

    Though some would consider this a big setback for the former Bellator fight because of how long he has waited, Sonnen believes that he has still gained massively from this period of his career.

    “The Bad Guy” argues that by being spoken about in connection with the biggest fight that is possible means that he has been able to increase his own stock and name value without ever stepping inside the Octagon.

    Sonnen argues that Chandler has been given the McGregor exposure without actually needing to fight him first.

    “Michael Chandler, behind the scenes, his number one motivation to fight Conor McGregor, it was not some big huge lucrative payday like so many people think. Michael Chandler was playing a long game, he thought, ‘I match-up very well, Conor’s got the fans, I go in there, I beat him, I leave with all the fans’. Well, he’s kind of there. I mean, in all fairness, we’re all chomping at the bit to see Michael Chandler.

    “What I’m trying to suggest for you is it doesn’t really matter. Michael Chandler, I believe, is a top five draw right now and I don’t believe after his last fight that he was. I think all this media, all this attention, the things that are dangling, you and I discussing him, I think he’s actually gone up. I think he got what he wanted without having to throw a punch.”

    Read also: Chael Sonnen Sends Advice To Former Alex Pereira Kickboxing Opponent Artem Vakhitov On MMA Transition: ‘Might Be A Better Approach…’ 

  • Classy Alex Pereira Refuses To Pick Against ‘Good Heart’ Israel Adesanya Despite Heated Rivalry: ‘I’m Here, Cheering For Him’

    Classy Alex Pereira Refuses To Pick Against ‘Good Heart’ Israel Adesanya Despite Heated Rivalry: ‘I’m Here, Cheering For Him’

    It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya have one of the most iconic and popular rivalries in mixed martial arts history. They first crossed paths in GLORY as kickboxers and then fought twice in the UFC.

    Although “Poatan” has three wins over “Izzy” including MMA and kickboxing, the latter often brags about getting the last laugh. In April 2023, Adesanya knocked out Pereira at UFC 287 to reclaim his UFC middleweight championship.

    Since then, the Brazilian has become the light heavyweight champion with two title defenses to his name. He is also expected to move up to heavyweight in the near future. Adesanya, on the other end, lost the middleweight title to Sean Strickland via decision and is gearing up for his return against current champ Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305.

    Alex Pereira Sends His Support To Misunderstood Israel Adesanya

    Pereira was recently asked about Adesanya picking him to lose against Jamahal Hill and Jiří Procházka in an interview uploaded on his official YouTube channel. The UFC light heavyweight champion claimed to be unbothered and reiterated that he’s still backing his rival to win against DDP.

    “They asked me about Adesanya and Du Plessis, I said I don’t see Adesanya losing. Just because he said that about me doesn’t mean I’ll say it back.”

    “Poatan” went on to appreciate Adesanya as a person and vowed to keep cheering for “The Last Stylebender” even if he doesn’t reciprocate in kind.

    Pereira also suggested the former UFC middleweight champion should continue fighting, referring to Adesanya’s vague claim that he would fight again in 2027 after the Strickland loss.

    “i’m here, supporting him, I already fought him, not going to say he should lose. I’m not mad at him, no grudges. Like I said if one day it’s possible to train with him.”

    At 34, Izzy can certainly bounce back from losses like before and go on a new title run at middleweight. From the looks of it, his long-time opponent will be happy to see such a scenario.

    “[People Claim] He’s this, he’s bad” and what not. The people who truly know him that I had contact with, talk good about him. [Adesanya] Has a good heart, a lot of the times it’s just marketing. I believe that, I can see he is a good person.

    “so that’s why I’m here, cheering for him. If he doesn’t cheer for me, that’s not my problem. But I’m here, cheering for him.”

    Despite the animosity in the past, it won’t be a surprise if the two kickboxing greats end up training together soon.

    Read More: Conor McGregor Gives ‘Ecstatic’ Reaction To Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Alleged Tax Debt In Russia: ‘Typical Rat Behavior!’

  • Daniel Cormier Makes Bold Second-Half Of 2024 Prediction For Conor McGregor: ‘Will Get Increasingly Annoyed With The UFC…’

    Daniel Cormier Makes Bold Second-Half Of 2024 Prediction For Conor McGregor: ‘Will Get Increasingly Annoyed With The UFC…’

    Despite coming so close to finally getting Conor McGregor back inside the Octagon, it still remains unclear what will happen from this point on.

    “The Notorious” stated once the news was official that he had withdrawn from the main event of UFC 303, that he wouldn’t need much time to recover.

    His broken toe would mean taking a few weeks away to heal up before getting back into his training camp, so a September or October date would make a lot of sense.

    There is yet to be an update on this and Daniel Cormier wonders whether the UFC could be left in a position where they don’t have a good time for him to come back because of the plans that they already have in place for each month.

    Daniel Cormier Predicts That Conor McGregor Is Going To Find The Remainder Of 2024 Frustrating

    During a recent episode of the Good Guy / Bad Guy show on ESPN MMA, Cormier and Chael Sonnen gave their predictions for the remainder of 2024.

    The first topic tasked both men with completing the sentence, “Conor McGregor will…”, which Sonnen chose to end with ‘return’.

    Cormier, on the other hand, took a different route as he spoke about whether there will be space in the schedule for McGregor’s return now that it has been pushed back.

    When his injury was confirmed, there was talk of whether an additional numbered event would need to take place in order to allow for McGregor to fight without changing any of the other plans that are already in place.

    With the PPV cards already starting to come together for the remaining months of the year, “DC” isn’t sure that booking the Irishman’s comeback against Michael Chandler is going to be a simple process.

    “For me, Conor McGregor will get increasingly annoyed with the UFC because they will not have anywhere to put him, that’s my prediction. He will want to fight, Chael, like you said, because he will want to get back to that guy but as you know, fight cards fill up and Conor McGregor can’t just be dropped onto any fight card.

    Whereas New York may be a great place to put McGregor, you can’t put him on the same card as Jones and Stipe so he will have to find a place to fight.”

    Read also: ‘He’s Touching Billionaire Status…’ – PFL Star & Conor McGregor’s Sparring Partner Feels UFC 303 Withdrawal Showed ‘Maturity’

  • Alex Pereira Not Willing To Take On Tom Aspinall Due To Interim Title Status: ‘It Doesn’t Interest Me In This Moment’

    Alex Pereira Not Willing To Take On Tom Aspinall Due To Interim Title Status: ‘It Doesn’t Interest Me In This Moment’

    Alex Pereira defended his UFC light heavyweight championship against Jiří Procházka at UFC 303. He now holds three title wins in the division and tons of fans, including MMA fighters, are excited to see him at heavyweight.

    In the biggest weight division, Pereira can take on the likes of Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall. While Jones is adamant about fighting Stipe Miocic next, Aspinall is scheduled to defend his interim UFC heavyweight championship against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.

    With uncertainty surrounding Pereira’s heavyweight debut, here’s what he thinks of a fight with Aspinall…

    Alex Pereira Dismisses Tom Aspinall As An Opponent Due To His Interim UFC Heavyweight Belt

    Pereira discussed his heavyweight debut in the UFC on his official YouTube channel recently. He instantly clarified that heavyweight isn’t his priority at the moment, teasing that he aims to defend his light heavyweight belt again.

    “What I got to say is, it doesn’t interest me in this moment to fight him. To be honest, heavyweight isn’t my objective, it isn’t my main focus. Tom Aspinall, not talking about fighter, I’m talking positions. I think I’m in another position now, sincerely for me it doesn’t make sense to dispute the interim belt.

    “Poatan” then cited that Aspinall’s interim UFC heavyweight belt as the reason why he isn’t interested in the fight. He prefers waiting to fight for the real belt over disputing the interim one.

    The Brazilian didn’t discredit Aspinall’s Octagon skills, though. He appreciated the interim champ’s technical prowess and athleticism. So, their highly-anticipated matchup could become a reality if Jones is stripped or the Britisher unifies the title anytime soon.

    “I am not belittling him, I respect him a lot. I think he is an incredible athlete, a guy that is very dangerous technical. I’m just talking about the interim belt, there is no point for me. So, I discard, there is no possibility to fight him now. If he was champion and said that, of course we would be promotion the fight. “

    Read More: Former Glory Champion & Last Man To Defeat Alex Pereira In Kickboxing Training With Henry Cejudo: ‘Chama, We Comin’!’

  • UFC Fight Night: Rose Namajunas vs. Tracy Cortez Weigh-In Results: Cortez Makes Weight With Haircut

    UFC Fight Night: Rose Namajunas vs. Tracy Cortez Weigh-In Results: Cortez Makes Weight With Haircut

    UFC Fight Night: Rose Namajunas vs. Tracy Cortez takes place on Saturday, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    After taking a weekend off post-UFC 303, the promotion is kicking off its July schedule with a return to Denver. The main event comes in the women’s flyweight division, with surging prospect Tracy Cortez receiving a major opportunity to climb the ranks against Rose Namajunas.

    “Thug Rose,” a former two-time strawweight champion, was originally set to do battle with top five contender Maycee Barber. But with “The Future” out injured, the #11-ranked Cortez has filled in on short notice, looking to extend her undefeated UFC record by adding the biggest scalp to her résumé thus far.

    Elsewhere, the likes of welterweight veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio, lightweight fan favorite Drew Dober, and middleweight knockout artist Abdul Razak Alhassan will be among those in action.

    UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs. Cortez Weigh-In Results

    UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs. Cortez takes place on Saturday, July 13, at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. The main card begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, with the preliminary card starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

    Check out the full weigh-in results below!

    Main Card:

    • Women’s flyweight Main Event: Rose Namajunas (124.75lbs) vs. Tracy Cortez (126lbs)
    • Welterweight Co-Main Event: Santiago Ponzinibbio (171lbs) vs. Muslim Salikhov (171lbs)
    • Lightweight: Drew Dober (155lbs) vs. Jean Silva (155lbs)
    • Welterweight: Gabriel Bonfim (171lbs) vs. Ange Loosa (170lbs)
    • Featherweight: Julian Erosa (145.5lbs) vs. Christian Rodriguez (145.5lbs)
    • Middleweight: Abdul Razak Alhassan (185lbs) vs. Cody Brundage (185.5lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Flyweight: Joshua Van (125lbs) vs. Charles Johnson (125.5lbs)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Jasmine Jasudavicius (125lbs) vs. Fatima Kline (125lbs)
    • Bantamweight: Montel Jackson (135lbs) vs. Da’Mon Blackshear (135.5lbs)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Luana Santos (125lbs) vs. Mariya Agapova (125lbs)
    • Middleweight: Josh Fremd (186lbs) vs. Andre Petroski (185.5lbs)
    • Welterweight: Evan Elder (170lbs) vs. Darrius Flowers (170lbs)
  • Jon Anik: Celebrated Former UFC Champion ‘First Guy That Comes To Mind’ When Discussing Fighters Who Will Never Be Replicated

    Jon Anik: Celebrated Former UFC Champion ‘First Guy That Comes To Mind’ When Discussing Fighters Who Will Never Be Replicated

    Jon Anik recently remarked that Khabib Nurmagomedov reigns supreme in the world of combat sports as a truly irreplaceable fighter, citing the former UFC lightweight champion’s unparalleled fighting style and unyielding mindset.

    “The Eagle” soared through the annals of UFC history with a career that was nothing short of extraordinary. Widely regarded as arguably the greatest MMA grappler ever, his legacy is cemented by an impeccable fight record that speaks volumes to his unmatched Octagon prowess.

    In the MMA world, few fighters epitomize universal admiration quite like Nurmagomedov. The 35-year-old Dagestani announced his retirement from active competition after a decisive second-round submission victory over Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in October 2020.

    Despite stepping away from the Octagon, Nurmagomedov continues to captivate a legion of die-hard fans and remains a constant presence on every list of GOAT MMA fighters. UFC play-by-play commentator Anik firmly believes that “The Eagle” is truly one of a kind…

    Anik Confident No One Can Rival Nurmagomedov’s Mentality

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Anik was posed the question of which fighter’s greatness is irreplaceable. The 46-year-old UFC broadcaster responded by highlighting Nurmagomedov, praising his unparalleled combat technique and indomitable spirit as qualities no other fighter could ever match.

    “I think Khabib Nurmagomedov had a uniqueness to him,” Anik said. “And I think a lot of that is rooted in his mentality, but even just in terms of not wanting to maybe hurt Justin Gaethje or the way he would talk to his opponents in a different way than Kevin Holland would.”

    Anik further noted that while many former UFC champions, such as Daniel Cormier, Demetrious Johnson, and Dominick Cruz, possessed their own distinctive and superior fighting attributes, none could compare to the exceptional prowess of “The Eagle”.

    “My guy Daniel Cormier, I think, is supremely underrated in terms of his ability to inflict and impose his wrestling and his rear naked choke on really world-class fighters. But I guess Khabib’s that comes to mind… All roads eventually for me lead to Khabib.”

    Nurmagomedov now devotes his time to mentoring the next generation of fighters and is frequently seen training with his close friend and reigning UFC lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev.

    However, the UFC Hall of Famer is reportedly under scrutiny by the Russian Federal Tax Services for allegations of over $3 million in tax fraud.

  • Dan Hooker Gets His UFC 305 Perth Date Against Mateusz Gamrot

    Dan Hooker Gets His UFC 305 Perth Date Against Mateusz Gamrot

    Dan Hooker has finally locked in a fight with Mateusz Gamrot for UFC 305 after a determined search for an opponent. The update of the bout first broke out when Hooker recently announced it on his Instagram story.

    The lightweight banger is set to take place at the upcoming UFC pay-per-view event scheduled for August 17 at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.

    “The Hangman” has been particularly enthusiastic about competing on the Australasia card due to the opportunity to fight alongside his City Kickboxing teammates, Israel Adesanya and Kai Kara-France. He has also previously hinted at the prospect of facing a high-profile opponent.

    Hooker last fought against Jalin Turner at UFC 290 in July 2023, where he endured a broken arm yet persevered through the entire match to secure a split-decision victory. The 34-year-old New Zealander was previously set to fight Bobby Green at UFC Fight Night Austin in December, but a reinjury to his arm forced him to withdraw from the bout.

    “The Hangman” is currently riding a two-fight win streak after an unsuccessful attempt in the featherweight division, where he suffered a first-round knockout against Arnold Allen in March 2022.

    Meanwhile, Gamrot is on a three-fight win streak. “Gamer” is set to make his return to the Octagon following a dominant unanimous decision victory over Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC 299 this past March.

    The 33-year-old Pole had been aiming for a bout with former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira. However, his aspirations were temporarily halted as “Do Bronx” seemingly declined the proposal.

  • UFC Lightweight Drew Dober On Sharing Knockout Record With Dustin Poirier: ‘The Moment I Start Thinking About It…’

    UFC Lightweight Drew Dober On Sharing Knockout Record With Dustin Poirier: ‘The Moment I Start Thinking About It…’

    UFC lightweight Drew Dober is back in action this weekend and is sure to get a hero’s welcome from the Denver crowd due to him being based out of Colorado.

    He will take on Jean Silva who will be making a quick turnaround for this fight after stopping Charles Jourdain just two weeks prior at UFC 303.

    Given both men’s track records for putting opponents away with their heavy hands, the judges aren’t likely to be called into action in this fight.

    If Dober is able to secure a knockout or TKO victory in this fight, he will overtake Dustin Poirier for the most finishes of this kind in lightweight history.

    The two contenders have constantly added tallies to their records and you’d need to go all the way back to his 2018 fight with Jon Tuck to find the last time that Dober won a UFC fight via the scorecards.

    Drew Dober Says He Purposefully Tries To Ignore Knockout Stats Because It Has Impacted Him In The Past

    Currently tied with Poirier at 9 each, Dober has the opportunity this weekend at the Ball Arena to become the first 155-pound fighter to hit double figures in the UFC.

    He recently revealed in an interview with Mike Bohn for MMA Junkie that this isn’t just something that he doesn’t spend much time thinking about – he actively chooses to ignore it.

    Dober stated that he believes keeping these achievements in mind has negatively affected him in the past. Nowadays, he mentioned he rather wait for the knockouts to come than trying to look for them.

    “The thing is, I received that record not even thinking about it and I think the moment I started thinking about it, my performances kind of dipped. So no, I stopped thinking about it, knockout record is great, we’re also tied for guillotine record so these are the things that you guys tell me after the fact, I get in there and I just do me.”

    Read also: UFC Fight Night Denver Headliner Tracy Cortez Envisions ‘Surpassing’ Ronda Rousey: ‘I Say This Humbly…’

  • Christian Lee Set To Defend Lightweight Title At ONE 169: Atlanta After Two-Year Hiatus

    Christian Lee Set To Defend Lightweight Title At ONE 169: Atlanta After Two-Year Hiatus

    ONE lightweight and welterweight world champion Christian Lee is set to make his long-awaited return at ONE 169 on November 8 in Atlanta.

    He will be defending his lightweight title against the undefeated Alibeg Rasulov at the State Farm Arena in ONE Championship’s second US event of the year.

    Lee has been out of action since winning the welterweight title at ONE on Prime Video 4 in November of 2022.

    At the end of that year, tragedy struck the Lee family as Christian’s younger sister and former ONE Championship athlete, Victoria, took her own life. This led to her siblings, Christian and Angela, to take a break from the spotlight.

    Christian’s elder sister Angela has since vacated her atomweight title and retired from MMA whilst his younger brother Adrian became the first of the Lee family to compete after Victoria’s passing, when he made his pro debut at ONE 167 in June.

    Christian’s upcoming opponent, Turkey’s Rasulov, made his debut in ONE this past weekend at ONE Fight Night 23 where he won a unanimous decision after going five rounds with former champion Ok Rae Yoon.

    Despite the interim lightweight title being on the line in this fight, Rasulov was unable to win the belt after he made weight but failed his hydration test.

    The lightweight title fight joins two other previously announced world championship clashes on the card for November 8 in Atlanta.

    In the main event, ONE three-weight world champion Anatoly Malykhin will defend his heavyweight title against Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane.

    ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion Tawanchai will also be in action when he faces Jo Nattawut in a trilogy fight following their closely contested clash at ONE 167.

    Read also: ONE Championship Three-Division Champion Anatoly Malykhin Reacts To Being Called ‘Most Dangerous’ By Islam Makhachev, Says No ‘Escape’ For Francis Ngannou

  • MMA News Today: Fans Left Bewildered After Sean O’Malley Voted ‘Best UFC Fighter’ In 2024, David Goggins Reveals DM Exchange With Strickland, & More

    MMA News Today: Fans Left Bewildered After Sean O’Malley Voted ‘Best UFC Fighter’ In 2024, David Goggins Reveals DM Exchange With Strickland, & More

    Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 12, 2024, we’re taking a look at:

    • Fans believe Pereira was snubbed over O’Malley
    • Goggins says Strickland has not replied to his challenge
    • Gane and Volkov set to meet again at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi

    Fans Give Confused Reaction To Sean O’Malley Winning ‘Best UFC Fighter’ At The ESPYs

    ESPN’s annual awards, The ESPYs, took place last night where Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley was named the best UFC fighter.

    He came out on top in a category that featured three other world champions in Alex Pereira, Islam Makhachev and Weili Zhang.

    The instant reaction from fans online was to question how “Suga” could have possibly won the category, considering what “Poatan” has done in recent times.

    Whilst some fans questioned whether the period of time that is judged meant that the award was voted this way, many were simply baffled at the idea of Pereira not winning this award regardless of which time frame you want to look at.

    “Bro sean has fought 3 ( 4 if you county the Pedro fight) times since 2022. Alex has fought 8 smh they did bad on this”

    “Alright the UFC pushing Sean as the next superstar allegations are undeniable now”

    “what exactly is the criteria lmao”

    David Goggins Challenges Sean Strickland To Three Days Of Training For Three Rounds Of Boxing

    David Goggins vs. Sean Strickland has turned into a surprising social media beef as of late, with both men speaking about one another in videos.

    Following the former UFC middleweight champion’s comments about Navy SEALs and Goggins’ military career, the athlete and public speaker issued a challenge to him to test what Strickland is truly made of.

    “Sean Strickland, I know you’re doing all this for clickbait. We had a DM the other day, me and you, back and forth. I was pretty much DMing you because you called me a b**** and talked about my military career and going out here once again and trying to, like you said in your DM, trying to be a clown. You’re an MMA fighter and you’re also a comedian so, you know, I’m not much of a comedian at all.”

    As seen below, Goggins recently shared a look at the message that he sent to Strickland which has not received a reply as of yet, calling to train and spar with him.

    He continued to say that he is done with exchanging videos and that this is his final offer- and whether the former champion takes it or not is up to him.

    “You say you can f*** me up in training, I responded to that video to you and this is what I said. You have yet to respond to this and so anytime you want to train with me, I am ready to train with you. I am done with the videos.”

    Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov 2 Reportedly Set For UFC 308 In Abu Dhabi

    The UFC is heading back to Abu Dhabi in October for UFC 308, as has become a tradition for the MMA leader’s calendar.

    A first match-up has been reported for this card with Ag. Fight claiming that former interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane will be facing Alexander Volkov in a rematch on October 26.

    Many were expecting to see Gane return on the Paris card in September, after he reportedly turned down the option to fight Tom Aspinall at UFC 304 later this month.

    Volkov will be looking to avenge his loss to “Bon Gamin” in 2021 off the back of a big victory over Sergei Pavlovich in Saudi Arabia last month.

    Read more on the story here.

    For more MMA news, check out:

  • Chael Sonnen Sends Advice To Former Alex Pereira Kickboxing Opponent Artem Vakhitov On MMA Transition: ‘Might Be A Better Approach…’ 

    Chael Sonnen Sends Advice To Former Alex Pereira Kickboxing Opponent Artem Vakhitov On MMA Transition: ‘Might Be A Better Approach…’ 

    UFC legend Chael Sonnen has urged former two-time Glory Kickboxing champion Artem Vakhitov to rethink the way he’s currently approaching his pursuit of Alex Pereira in mixed martial arts.

    Pereira, the reigning light heavyweight champion in MMA’s leading promotion, is beginning to find himself on the opposite end of a narrative he rode all the way to the top in the UFC following his promotional debut in 2021.

    “Poatan” arrived with hype already around his name owing to his history with then-middleweight titleholder Israel Adesanya, whom he got the better of twice in the kickboxing ring.

    The Brazilian capitalized on that story to secure a faster-than-usual rise to the belt, ultimately capturing it from “The Last Stylebender” before immediately dropping it back and moving onto other things a division up.

    Now, having cemented his grip on the 205-pound crown and enhanced his legacy in MMA, a figure from Pereira’s striking past has emerged.

    In his final kickboxing bout, the former two-weight Glory champion was outpointed by Vakhitov months on from his own narrow decision victory over the Russian. Vakhitov has also since transitioned to the cage, and he recently began his pursuit of a combat sports trilogy with Pereira by taking aim at his skillset.

    But one man who certainly boasts experience in the realm of MMA storylines believes the MMA newcomer is going about things in the wrong way…

    Sonnen Tells Vakhitov To ‘Join’ Pereira, Not Target Him

    During a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen reacted to the recent war of words between Vakhitov and Pereira, who reacted to his former rival’s remarks with a warning and some advice regarding the need for management.

    Sonnen made the obvious comparison between “Poatan’s” transition to MMA and subsequent pursuit of Adesanya. But in contrast to that, “The Bad Guy” believes it would be wise for Vakhitov to align himself with the light heavyweight champ.

    “Artem did an interview, and I can’t tell you that he did anything wrong,” Sonnen said. “He’s coming over the MMA and he’s got a win over Pereira. I can’t deny that that story works. … We know that it works, that’s the exact formula Pereira did when he came over; ‘I beat Izzy, I beat your champion. I’m now coming to your sport. I beat him over here, why would I not beat him in this one as well?’ You don’t want to have the secret sauce to beat a guy, and that’s all that you’ve got, ‘I can take out your champion.’ It can’t be, because even if it’s true, you can’t get to him.

    “I feel that the best way to do it is to join him. I feel that instead of Artem coming in and doing what makes the most sense to him, which is create heat, create a story, ‘I want to get to Pereira, I’m gonna start calling Pereira out straight away.’ Believe me, I understand it…(but) kickboxing does not come over with enough of an audience,” Sonnen continued. “I’m only suggesting for you that Artem come in different and he come in with Pereira. ‘We are taking over,’ and he associates himself with Pereira. ‘We kickboxers, we’ve always been the hardest sport.’ … I think if he just associates himself with Alex Pereira, it might be a better approach.’”

    It remains to be seen whether Vakhitov will heed Sonnen’s advice following his recent back and forth with Pereira. For the time being, though, the Russian will be focused on securing his path to the Octagon to ensure he’s competing under the same banner as “Poatan.”

  • Henry Cejudo Doubles Down On ‘Poatan’ Criticism Despite Dominant UFC 303 Win: ‘Even If Pereira Does Get A Bit Butthurt…’

    Henry Cejudo Doubles Down On ‘Poatan’ Criticism Despite Dominant UFC 303 Win: ‘Even If Pereira Does Get A Bit Butthurt…’

    Henry Cejudo is still not sold on Alex Pereira’s prowess, even after the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion showcased an exceptional performance at UFC 303.

    “Poatan” retained his title, most recently securing an impressive second-round head kick knockout of his former foe, Jiri Prochazka, during the main event of the UFC’s last pay-per-view on June 29.

    Pereira, in just nine Octagon appearances, has established an unparalleled legacy. He has become only the ninth fighter in UFC history to hold championships in two divisions. Even more impressive, he is the first to capture titles in both the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions, accomplishing this remarkable feat in just two years.

    The 37-year-old Brazilian has made an indelible mark on the MMA community, with many considering him among the greatest fighters in UFC history. However, former two-division champion Cejudo remains skeptical of Pereira’s accomplishments…

    Cejudo Argues Pereira Needs To Do More To Be Deemed The Best

    During a recent episode of Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru Usman, the two former UFC champions explored Pereira’s meteoric rise in the MMA world. “Triple C” emphatically insisted that the Brazilian striking phenom still has more to prove against more well-rounded opponents before he can be crowned among the greatest.

    “We have to see him go up against are a little more well-rounded, Cejudo said. “I don’t take things personal. I think, to me, it’s even more cool to create a character because whether you’re right or wrong, people are going to talk sh*t, or people are going to do X, Y, and Z, but these are keyboard wars. Even if Pereira does get a bit butthurt, man, take it to heart.”

    “Does he have beautiful striking? 100%. I want to see more. I wanna see him to see him against guys against a real mixed martial artists, and then we can gauge it whether he is maybe even so pound-for-pound.”

    This isn’t the first time Cejudo has voiced doubts about Pereira’s skills. In a previous episode of his podcast earlier this month, the former Olympic gold medalist criticized “Poatan” for his perceived lack of completeness as a fighter, arguing that he wouldn’t fare well against formidable wrestlers like Magomed Ankalaev.

  • Ronda Rousey On Not Getting Closure With MMA Fans: ‘I Don’t Think I Would Be Serving The Sport Or Division In The Right Way…’

    It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that Ronda Rousey is one of the most popular mixed martial artists ever. After defending her Strikeforce women’s bantamweight title, she bagged the title in the UFC as well and racked up five consecutive defenses.

    However, it all came crashing down when Rousey lost her title to Holly Holm via a crushing first round KO. She then returned to the Octagon after almost a year, and lost to Amanda Nunes via KO in the first again.

    “Rowdy” hasn’t fought in the UFC since then and eventually signed up with the WWE which has been a bone of contention among fans to date. The former champion has opened up on situations that led to her retirement and why she avoided coming back after just two losses…

    Ronda Rousey Opens Up On Struggles With Concussions That Led To UFC Retirement

    Rousey recently appeared on the SHAK MMA YouTube channel and addressed her rather unexpected retirement from MMA. Tons of fans discredited her entire legacy due to this while others accused her of running away from top talents.

    “Started doing, you know, Judo, at a young age, and kept getting concussions, regularly. And, you know, multiple times a year, and not being allowed to speak up or say anything about it, and um, as a fighter, you’re just not supposed to show any weakness or talk about things like that.”

    “Rowdy” highlighted the ignorance towards cumulative neurological injury in sports, especially mixed martial arts. She claimed that all fighters deal with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) as they take shots to the head, but the pace varies.

    Rousey revealed her that she dealt with her first concussion at six. This naturally worsened as she fought in Strikeforce, UFC, and other MMA promotions. So, she hung up the gloves when she could no longer fight without risking long-term neurological injuries.

    “You’ll never know when you take one hit too many until many decades later, but I also, I don’t think that I would be serving the sport or the division in the right way if I stuck around too long and I got to a point where I knew that I literally could not be taking those head in the packs and continue to compete at that same level.”

    The former Olympic Judo medalist clarified that she didn’t want to represent women MMA when not at her best. She was silent about her concussions to not affect her transition to WWE and other projects, but has no reason to hold back any more.

  • Michael ‘Venom’ Page Squashes Rumors Of Trying To Have Mole In Ian Garry’s Camp Pre-UFC 303: ‘I Don’t Need It, Especially For Him!’

    Michael ‘Venom’ Page Squashes Rumors Of Trying To Have Mole In Ian Garry’s Camp Pre-UFC 303: ‘I Don’t Need It, Especially For Him!’

    Ahead of their bout at UFC 303, Ian Garry made an accusation regarding Michael “Venom” Page and his team.

    The Irishman claimed at the press conference on fight week that someone from Page’s circle had tried to gain information about Garry from someone in Brazil, where he spent his training camp.

    “MVP” didn’t react to these comments at the time but Garry once again made reference to this after the fight where he picked up a unanimous decision win in the main card opener.

    Page recently spoke about his side of this story where he made it clear that he knows nothing about Garry’s claims and wouldn’t want information anyways.

    Michael ‘Venom’ Page Says He Doesn’t Know Of & Wouldn’t Want Someone Trying To Get Information For Him

    Page appeared on The MMA Hour where he was asked for his interpretation of Garry’s accusations and what his reaction to them was at the time.

    He says that whilst things like that do happen in MMA and has happened to him in the past, it’s not something that he was aware of in this training camp.

    “When he was saying it I was like I don’t even know, I’m not entertaining it just because it sounded like he was just shouting a lot of stuff with an Irish accent so I was just like I don’t care. When I listened to it after, I was like I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s not me anyway. There’s always gonna be guys in people’s camps should I say that are gonna be reporting back. We’ve had that in our camp before and we find out who it is and kick them out, same stuff, but I don’t know what he’s talking about.”

    Page also said that if Garry is correct in what he is saying, he would be incredibly frustrated that someone would try to go behind his back to get information without him wanting it.

    He stated that due to the match-up that he was preparing for on June 29, he doesn’t believe that something like that would even give him an advantage – so the only effect it would have is downplaying his reputation.

    “Yeah, 100% because I don’t need it. I don’t feel like I need it, especially for him and again, I try not to be disrespectful to him because it’s not personal at all but I don’t feel like I needed to get any extra information to do what I need to do, what I know I can do, or should have done should I say, in that last fight.”

  • ‘He’s Touching Billionaire Status…’ – PFL Star & Conor McGregor’s Sparring Partner Feels UFC 303 Withdrawal Showed ‘Maturity’

    ‘He’s Touching Billionaire Status…’ – PFL Star & Conor McGregor’s Sparring Partner Feels UFC 303 Withdrawal Showed ‘Maturity’

    MMA fans had to wait a long time before there was concrete news about the return of Conor McGregor.

    There was plenty of questions during this time about whether he would ever comeback, how much he still has left to give to the sport and so on.

    When McGregor announced his withdrawal from the UFC 303 main event against Michael Chandler, some took this in combination with the long wait and posed another theory regarding whether “The Notorious” was ever going to actually fight on June 29.

    Having trained with the Irishman throughout his comeback process, PFL’s Brendan Loughnane strongly disagrees with any sentiment that McGregor doesn’t have that same passion for competition anymore.

    Brendan Loughnane Says Conor McGregor Still Has The Same Fire & Was Correct To Pull Out Of UFC 303

    Loughnane, who is set to return at PFL 9 on August 23, has spent a lot of solid time around McGregor in the past year specifically.

    Having trained alongside “The Mac” as he was looking to make a return to the Octagon, he believes that McGregor is still just as motivated to compete as ever before but pulling out of UFC 303 due to his broken toe was the right call.

    Loughnane drew attention to the fact that the former UFC champ-champ never needs to fight again so putting himself through a training camp in the first place should tell you all you need to know about where he’s at regarding the current status of his career.

    “This guy is hungry for it, he doesn’t have to do this now, he’s touching billionaire status. He’s doing this out of the love of the sport, guy loves it through and through, he’s a martial artist. He wakes up every day, this is what lights the fire inside people like him and me.

    and the fact that he got the injury and he pulled out shows me that he’s in a good place because it’s like going through these fights injured for what? He’s done it before, it’s well documented that he’s done it many times before. Do it when you’re healthy, there’s so much on the line now.”

    Loughnane, like many others have, made reference to how McGregor’s injury that led to such a long time away from the Octagon was caused by him going into the third fight with Dustin Poirier with an existing injury that cost him the fight.

    He believes that with this in mind, it was the correct decision to make on this occasion.

    “I’m glad that he did it, it’s showing maturity and I can’t wait for his comeback.”

  • UFC Middleweight Abdul Razak Alhassan Blows Lid On Dricus Du Plessis’ ‘Real’ African Comments: ‘If He Is A True African, He Would Have Understood That…’

    UFC Middleweight Abdul Razak Alhassan Blows Lid On Dricus Du Plessis’ ‘Real’ African Comments: ‘If He Is A True African, He Would Have Understood That…’

    The build-up to UFC 305 on August 17 is sure to have some tense moments due to the grudge match that will take place in the main event.

    Dricus Du Plessis knew that he was going to be stirring the pot when he said that by becoming the middleweight champion, he would be the first true African to hold gold.

    What he meant was that unlike the likes of Kamaru Usman, Francis Ngannou and Israel Adesanya, who he faces in Perth, he has become champion whilst still living and training out of South Africa.

    Adesanya took major issue with these comments but they will finally get the chance to settle the score in their upcoming clash.

    Unsurprisingly, “The Last Stylebender” wasn’t the only fighter on the roster with African roots that feels offended by what Du Plessis had to say.

    Abdul Razak Hassan Launches Into Fired-Up Rant About Dricus Du Plessis’ Comments

    Abdul Razak Alhassan is set to make his return this weekend in Denver when he takes on Cody Brundage and looks to bounce back from a defeat last time out.

    During his media day interviews, the middleweight livewire was asked for his opinion on the conversation based on the fact that he represents Ghana.

    What followed was an incredibly passionate and heated speech from Alhassan about Du Plessis’s words.

    He believes that the middleweight champion would not have said these things if he knew what it meant to truly be African and battle through tough living situations early on in life.

    “I respect the things he’s done in MMA but he’s a f****** b****, he’s a f****** a****** for that word that he used right. If he’s a f****** real African and he lived in Africa, he would have never used that f****** word, he’s a f****** b**** a** to use that word because an African, if he was raised with the poor people in Africa, the way I was raised, the way I grew up with how I go days without food. I have to go see my friends eating and I be like, ‘Hey bro can you give me one teaspoon of your food so I can put it in my mouth?’ That’s how I’ll survive for a few days until I can get money.

    “So if we get opportunity to leave that s***hole, of course I’m sorry, I’m not trying to call my country a s***hole but I’m poor. If I can go to America or I can go to a different country to make a better life for myself, I’ll f****** cut off my leg to f****** go. If he is a true African, he would have understood that. That means he was living the comfortable life, his family had the money to feed him everyday so he didn’t have to worry about leaving to go and make it so for him to say he’s the true African champion that lived there and he made it, he’s a f****** b**** for saying that. I respect what he’s done but he’s a b**** for that.”

  • ‘Rose Is Not That Fighter’ – Tracy Cortez Warned That Short-Notice Scrap Against Namajunas Is Bad Decision

    Tracy Cortez is set for a significant step up in competition this weekend when she takes on Rose Namajunas in the main event when the UFC rolls into Denver, Colorado, on Saturday night.

    Cortez, who is riding an e11-fight winning streak into this bout, was initially scheduled to face Miranda Maverick a week later in Las Vegas. When Namajunas lost her original opponent Maycee Barber to injury, the opportunity of a headline slot opposite a former champion was one that Cortez couldn’t turn down.

    30-year-old Cortez has won all five of her fights inside the Octagon since signing with the UFC back in 2019 off the back of a win over Mariya Agapova on Dana White’s Contender Series. While she is on an impressive winning streak, this will be the first time she faces an opponent ranked inside the top 10 in the UFC’s flyweight division.

    Speaking on his podcast Weighing In this week, Josh Thomson was asked by his co-host on “Big” John McCarthy if he thinks taking this fight was a good decision by Tracy Cortez.

    “I don’t think it’s a good fight for her,” said the former UFC welterweight. “No disrespect to her, I don’t think that…after her last fight against (Jasmine) Jasudavicius or whatever her name is…I think what I saw in that fight was in the later rounds like two-and-a-half/three rounds she started to slow down to the point where…Rose is not that fighter.”

    ‘She Will Not Slow Down’ – Josh Thomson On Namajunas

    “Thug” Rose won the UFC strawweight championship in 2017 by knocking out longtime champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk. During her UFC career, she has won four five-round main events by unanimous decision.

    Thomson believes that experience of the championship rounds should make the difference come Saturday night.

    “Rose has been in plenty of five-round fights, she’s trained for five-round fights,” Thomson continued. “She will not slow down in rounds three and four.”

    Thomson also believes that Cortez may be a little out of her depth when she tries to strike with the former UFC strawweight champion.  

    “She’s got the power to make Rose respect her, I just don’t know if she knows how to get in on the reach. Like she slid in on the Jasudavicius girl with those straight rights then follow up with the left hook, but Rose is a different level of striking”.

  • Paul Craig Reacts To Reasoning Behind Joe Pyfer’s Fiery Post-UFC 303 Callout: ‘This Guy’s F*cked In The Head!’

    Paul Craig Reacts To Reasoning Behind Joe Pyfer’s Fiery Post-UFC 303 Callout: ‘This Guy’s F*cked In The Head!’

    UFC middleweight veteran Paul Craig was left confused by Joe Pyfer’s agitated callout following his UFC 303 victory.

    Pyfer made a statement in his return to the win column late last month at the International Fight Week pay-per-view, bouncing back from his first UFC setback in emphatic and violent fashion.

    Months on from a decision defeat to Jack Hermansson in their UFC Fight Night main event at the Apex, “Bodybagz” was back putting his finishing ability on full display at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, where he stopped Canada’s Marc-André Barriault in less than 90 seconds.

    In the aftermath, a fired up Pyfer set his sights back on securing a place in the middleweight top 15, this time by targeting the formerly ranked Paul Craig.

    More than just a random callout, the New Jersey native revealed a grudge he’s held for months as the motive behind his desire to share the cage with the Scottish vet.

    “He just looked at me weird one time and I don’t even think he remembers, but I hold grudges, so f*ck him,” Pyfer said at the UFC 303 post-fight press conference. “I don’t like the dude. That’s the only thing I can say is I don’t really like the guy. There’s something about his f*cking face. It’s also his antics. He gets in your face and be all theatrical, but then he gets touched, and he falls on to the ground like a back princess.

    “I think it makes sense, too. Logistically, I think it makes sense. He was number 14, and then he fought Caio (Borralho) and lost. I don’t know where he’s at, if 15 or just outside the rankings, and I’m number 19, so let’s line it up,” Pyfer continued. “That’s what I’m interested in, so why not?”

    Craig Bemused By Pyfer’s Reasoning For ‘Disliking’ Him

    During a recent episode of his Leather’d Podcast, Craig was shown Pyfer clarifying his reasoning behind calling him out during an appearance on The MMA Hour.

    The clip showed “Bodybagz” recalling crossing paths with Craig while in attendance at Boston’s TD Garden for UFC 292 last August. Pyfer appeared offended not to have been given some sort of nod of respect from “Bearjew.”

    Suffice to say, Craig was baffled by that justification.

    “I don’t (know who he is). A guy nods at me, ‘What the f*ck, who is this guy?’” Craig said. “So what was it, in Boston I didn’t give him a nod? That’s f*cking — this guy’s f*cked in the head (laughs). Man, if that’s what gets you hard.

    “So he’s been since Boston thinking about this, ‘This guy never gave me a nod. How could he do that?!’ Like, who the f*ck are you?” Craig continued. “It was a good knockout (at UFC 303). Gotta give him props for that.”

    It remains to be seen whether Pyfer will get the opportunity to settle what appears to be a firmly one-sided feud, and one which Craig didn’t even know existed until a couple of weeks ago.

  • Chael Sonnen Laughs Off Daniel Cormier’s Claim About Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall: ‘Is He Drunk?!’

    Chael Sonnen Laughs Off Daniel Cormier’s Claim About Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall: ‘Is He Drunk?!’

    UFC legend Chael Sonnen could not disagree more with a recent opinion Daniel Cormier shared about the heavyweight title picture.

    The main throne is currently occupied by Jon Jones, who collected the then-vacant belt with a submission of Ciryl Gane in his divisional debut last March. Next to him, however, sits an interim champ in the form of Tom Aspinall.

    The Manchester, England, native captured that gold after Jones’ scheduled defense against Stipe Miocic last November was canceled due to an injury. With Aspinall capitalizing by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich, many initially expected Jones to meet the Brit in a unification showdown upon his return from the sidelines.

    But both the Rochester native and the UFC have other plans. While Aspinall gears up to defend his interim strap against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 on July 27, Jones is expected to welcome Miocic back to the cage in November.

    That situation has left many in the community — fighters, fans, and pundits — less than pleased, with plenty expressing a lack of interest in the Miocic fight and disdain at the champ’s dismissal of his interim counterpart.

    According to Cormier, a former heavyweight titleholder himself, those voices will only get louder should Aspinall run through Blaydes in Manchester, so much so that the UFC could be forced into a change.

    Sonnen To Cormier: ‘Did You Hurt Your Head? Fall Off A Ladder?’

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen reacted to Cormier’s take with utter bemusement.

    “The Bad Guy” insisted that no manner of victory for Aspinall could outdo his title-winning performance against Pavlovich last November. And seeing that such a display on that occasion did little to budge Jones and the UFC from their plans, Sonnen laughed off the suggestion a win over Blaydes could.

    “Is he (Cormier) drunk? Did he hurt his head? Did he fall off a ladder or something like this? Is he working on a comedy routine? I ask because he thinks that Tom Aspinall, with a proper victory, could take Stipe’s fight against Jon Jones away,” Sonnen said. “He can’t be serious, right?! He said with a proper performance, gotta be an absolute drubbing…Aspinall’s gotta go out there in front of his people and whip Curtis Blaydes, and there could be such an uprising by you, the crowd, that UFC would have no choice but to give Tom the fight.

    “There’s no way he believes that, right? Sometimes you say things and it’s on accident. In a normal situation you’d cut, edit that out, give me another shot. But, you’re live. And you look back and go, ‘That’s not at all what I meant.’ I’m assuming that’s what happened here,” Sonnen continued. “There’s nothing that can be done to Curtis Blaydes that would be worse than what happened to Sergei. And there is no amount of eyes on this match that is going to have the focus and the interest, thus making a victory potentially by Tom more incredible. To act as though that could interfere with a contractual agreement on a fight…what in the blue hell are you talking about?!”

    Nevertheless, Aspinall will hope to give Cormier’s theory the chance to play out by delivering a devastatingly dominant performance in his rematch against Blaydes later this month on home soil.

    The interim heavyweight title will be contested in the first of two championship fights at UFC 304, with Leon Edwards subsequently defending his welterweight belt against Belal Muhammad in the main event.

  • Dustin Poirier Backs Teammate Renato Moicano To Defeat Ex-Opponent Benoît Saint Denis In Paris: ‘Honestly, I Think He Submits BSD’

    Dustin Poirier Backs Teammate Renato Moicano To Defeat Ex-Opponent Benoît Saint Denis In Paris: ‘Honestly, I Think He Submits BSD’

    UFC lightweight star Dustin Poirier expects Benoît Saint Denis to lose a second straight fight to an American Top Team standout this fall.

    Poirier and Saint Denis shared the Octagon in the co-main event of March’s UFC 299 pay-per-view event in Miami. Supporters of the Frenchman tipped him to continue his rise at the expense of the veteran contender.

    But although he looked to be on track to doing so through one round, “God of War” faded in the second and ultimately fell to his first UFC defeat at 155 pounds by way of a brutal knockout.

    “The Diamond” went on to ride that result into a title shot against Islam Makhachev at UFC 302 last month. Saint Denis, meanwhile, recently had his chance to rebound confirmed, and it’ll see him up against ATT once again.

    At the UFC Fight Night set for Paris, France, on September 28, Saint Denis is expected to headline in front of his home fans opposite the #10-ranked Renato Moicano.

    Poirier and the ATT gym’s experience going up against Saint Denis could come in handy on fight night, and the Louisianan himself is expecting his team to go two up on the Frenchman…

    Poirier Offers Moicano Helping Hand For Paris Prep

    During a recent in-studio appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Poirier addressed the confirmed matchup between his stablemate and recent opponent.

    Having gotten the better of Saint Denis mere months ago, “The Diamond” revealed he’s offered to aid in the latter part of Moicano’s training camp.

    And in terms of how he thinks the bout will play out at Accor Arena, Poirier noted his experience seeing the Brazilian’s jiu-jitsu talents in the gym to back a submission victory for him and ATT on September 28.

    “I actually saw Moicano during International Fight Week. … I went and talked to him and I told him, if he needs help, I’ll fly back to Florida,” Poirier said. “I’ve been nursing a few injuries from this last one (against Makhachev), but I think they’re fighting in September. … So probably like, August or something like that, maybe end of August I can go help him out a few weeks.

    “Honestly, I think he submits BSD,” Poirier continued. “His (Moicano’s) jiu-jitsu is really good. And he’s strong for that weight, and big.”

    Moicano has shared similar confidence when it comes to his chances of departing France with a major victory added to his record.

    While Saint Denis’ form pre-UFC 299 and early success against Poirier has left many backing him to bounce back at the Brazilian’s expense come fight night on September 28, Moicano is promising to upset the odds and spoil the night for the Paris locals.

  • Former UFC Champ Warns Sean Strickland Against Avoiding Robert Whittaker Fight: ‘You Can’t Feel So Entitled’

    Former UFC Champ Warns Sean Strickland Against Avoiding Robert Whittaker Fight: ‘You Can’t Feel So Entitled’

    After losing the UFC middleweight title to Dricus Du Plessis, Sean Strickland bounced back by defeating Paulo Costa at UFC 302 this past June. Since then, he’s been adamant about sitting out and fighting the winner of Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, Perth.

    However, Costa fought Strickland following a loss to Robert Whittaker. “The Reaper” has since beaten Khamzat Chimaev’s short-notice replacement Ikram Aliskerov easily to build his own case for another title shot.

    Many believe that Strickland vs. Whittaker is the perfect title eliminator fight in the UFC middleweight division. Michael Bisping agrees and recently advised “Tarzan” to change his stance on turning down such a matchup…

    Michael Bisping Reminds Sean Strickland About Downsides Of Waiting On The Sidelines

    Bisping recently discussed Strickland’s latest motorcycle accident and next fight on his YouTube channel. He laid down situations in which waiting for a title shot instead of fighting Whittaker could affect the former champ’s ability to reclaim gold.

    In the eyes of “The Count,” Strickland wouldn’t want a world where Du Plessis vs. Adesanya is razor close and results in a rematch. If, in the meantime, “The Reaper” racks up another dominant win, he’ll be more likely to get a title shot.

    “You can’t sit around. You can’t feel so entitled. You have to go out there, stake your case, continue to apply your craft, get better with every single training camp. Make the statement that you are the uncrowned champion.”

    Bisping looked at Whittaker’s impressive record as a middleweight, which contains three losses to only current or then-future champions. Because he walked out of the Aliskerov fight without damage, the Australian could feasibly return to the Octagon quickly and be the undisputed title challenger.

    It is worth noting that the former British UFC middleweight champion isn’t critical of Strickland’s principles. After the razor-close decision loss to the current titleholder and a win since, he can rightly claim a second shot.

    Nevertheless, Bisping maintained that it is still risky due to factors outside of his control.

    “You do not want to wait on the sidelines. I mean, for example, let’s say Dricus beats Izzy. That’s a big if, but let’s just say he does. What if Dricus gets injured? What if that fight is so grueling, he tears a knee, he busts his eye up, he’s got a broken jaw. He’s coming back, but it’s going to be six to nine months. Is he still going to continue to wait on the sidelines?”

    Overall, “The Count” only demands Strickland to not sit on the sidelines and do what he does best. Get inside the Octagon consistently, improve with every fight, and not let anyone else steal his claim at the title.

  • MMA News Today: Former UFC Middleweight On How He Defeated Opponent Using Technique Learned From Hollywood Star Michael Jai White, Tom Aspinall’s Training Partner Outlines Potential Issue For Alex Pereira If He Moves To Heavyweight, & More

    MMA News Today: Former UFC Middleweight On How He Defeated Opponent Using Technique Learned From Hollywood Star Michael Jai White, Tom Aspinall’s Training Partner Outlines Potential Issue For Alex Pereira If He Moves To Heavyweight, & More

    Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 11, 2024, we’re taking a look at:

    • Hall tells interesting story behind highlight reel finish
    • Parkin says Pereira may struggle with bigger grapplers
    • Anik suggests Poirier vs Diaz

    Uriah Hall Says Michael Jai White Deserves Credit For His Finish Over Gegard Mousasi

    Back in 2015, UFC middleweight Uriah Hall secured one of his greatest ever wins when he stopped Gegard Mousasi in Japan.

    Hall spoke about the way he was able to secure this second-round finish during a recent episode of the Jaxxon Podcast, where he revealed an interesting story behind this win.

    He stated that when watching Mousasi’s previous fight with Lyoto Machida, he noticed a tell where the Dutchman dipped his head whenever Machida feinted with his hips.

    Hall then combined this with a technique that he learned during his final preparations that came courtesy of Hollywood star Michael Jai White.

    “Two weeks before that fight, I was hanging out with Michael Jai White, that m*********** is legit by the way, and he was showing me how to throw techniques without no fat, no tell, no telegraph. It was the hardest s*** ever, I’m still working on some of it. He was showing me the spinning back kick and I think I was this close to him and he was like, ‘You can do it from here’ and I was like what?! He showed me how to move my body that way so when I did that jump spinning back kick, I took away the fat a little bit because I expected him to move a certain way and it just lined up perfectly.”

    UFC Heavyweight Mick Parkin Says Alex Pereira May Struggle At Heavyweights With Keeping Opponents Off Him

    Following another defense of his UFC light heavyweight title, fans want to see whether Alex Pereira can move up another weight class to try and win a third title.

    “Poatan” went from middleweight up to 205-pounds seamlessly and with his ferocious power, he clearly has the ability to put anyone out cold.

    Heavyweight contender Mick Parkin believes that Pereira may encounter one issue if he does decide to compete with the big boys on the roster.

    Parkin, who regularly trains alongside the interim champion Tom Aspinall, is looking to match the longest active win streak in the division when he returns at UFC 304.

    He spoke in a recent interview with Violent Money TV about how despite Pereira’s improving grappling defense, this could become an issue for him against larger opponents.

    “It’s a lot different, the size. I think he’s amazing, he just keeps taking these fights and knocking everybody out. He hits so hard that he could definitely hit as hard at heavyweight and knock any heavyweight out in the world. His defensive wrestling is actually looking good but with a bigger guy it’s a lot harder so it might be a bit harder for him to get a bigger guy off on top of him. He might come up and get huge, he’s still got a big frame for it.

    “But yeah, the bigger guys, I don’t know if he’s that confident as well that he would just walk the big guys down and think I’m knocking you out or if he’d be a bit more, ‘oh I don’t want to get taken down by these guys’. I don’t know how his mindset is but I definitely feel he could do good.”    

    Jon Anik Believes That Nate Diaz Makes A Lot Of Sense For Dustin Poirier’s Farewell Fight

    There aren’t too many options out there right now that make sense for Dustin Poirier following his lightweight title fight loss at UFC 302.

    “The Diamond” recently said that he was leaning towards this being his last outing because at this stage, what is he fighting for if he isn’t trying to become the champion.

    One match-up that UFC commentator Jon Anik believes would be a great way to close out his career is one of the few big names in and around his weight class that Poirier is yet to face.

    He was booked to fight Nate Diaz in what would have been a massive fight at Madison Square Garden back in 2018 but it never took place due to Poirier withdrawing due to an injury.

    Anik spoke in an interview with MMA Junkie about how following Diaz’s win over Jorge Masvidal in boxing, now could be the perfect time to put them back together.

    “Nate Diaz is a massive superstar and that is among a myriad of reasons why Dustin Poirier is of an appetitive nature for that particular fight and match-up and part of the reason we talked about this in context was not just Nate Diaz suggesting that he wants to come back to the UFC and pursue a championship but also because I was with Dustin Poirier recently and there aren’t that many fights that make sense for him and even some of the match-ups that have been suggested have some relative downside.”

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  • Michael Page Reveals How Close Ian Garry Was To Getting First-Round Choke At UFC 303: ‘Their Arms Burn Out Before I Tap’ 

    Michael Page Reveals How Close Ian Garry Was To Getting First-Round Choke At UFC 303: ‘Their Arms Burn Out Before I Tap’ 

    While he admits the submission hold was deep, Michael “Venom” Page says he was never concerned about getting choked out by Ian Garry at UFC 303.

    Page made the walk inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena at last month’s International Fight Week pay-per-view event, making his sophomore appearance inside the Octagon after swapping Bellator for the UFC in late 2023.

    While “MVP” immediately burst into the rankings on debut by getting the better of Kevin Holland in Miami this past March, he was unable to climb further toward his targeted all-English title fight with Leon Edwards on June 29.

    Instead, Garry cemented his top 10 spot by narrowly getting the better of the Londoner on the scorecards in the UFC 303 main card opener. The Irishman utilized his grappling to enjoy large periods of control in rounds one and three.

    For the most part, Page didn’t appear in danger of getting finished throughout the close fight. He did, however, find himself in a worrying spot during the first grappling exchange, as “The Future” attempted a rear-naked choke.

    But although many were surprised to see “MVP” escape the hold, the man himself was less shocked…

    Page: Not Getting Choked Out Is One Of My Jiu-Jitsu ‘Superpowers’

    During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Page looked back on his first UFC setback and failed attempt to blemish the perfect professional record of Garry, a former Cage Warriors champion.

    The Brit was specifically asked about the compromising position he found himself in on the ground shortly into the opening round, having no doubt drew out cries of ‘he’s going to tap’ from some fans watching at home.

    Page is yet to be submitted in 25 pro fights, and he says that’s for good reason.

    “I’m very difficult to choke. In jiu-jitsu, that seems to be one of my superpowers. It’s always hard for people to finish chokes on me,” Page said. “When I got into that position…that was way closer than (against Holland). When I say closer, yeah, it was deep, but there was no way I was tapping and I wasn’t going to sleep either.

    “Not to give away anything, but like I said, I am very difficult to choke,” Page continued. “Even in the gym, there’s guys that get me really deep and they’re like, ‘What the f…?!’ Their arms burn out before I tap. So luckily, I’m stubborn in that area. But it was a deep choke (at UFC 303).”

    Whether Page will need to prove that once again opposite one of the welterweight division’s top grapplers next time out or will instead be matched against a fellow striker remains to be seen.

    But either way, “MVP” has touted his extra motivation since the defeat in Las Vegas and vowed to bounce back as his pursuit of gold continues.

  • Jon Anik Maintains Conor McGregor Has ‘An Itch That Can Only Be Scratched In The Octagon’ Amid UFC Return Uncertainty

    UFC play-by-play commentator Jon Anik has reiterated his belief that Conor McGregor’s time competing in mixed martial arts is not yet up.

    As has been the case for the best part of a year and a half since his comeback was first announced, considerable uncertainty surrounds the career status of McGregor, the promotion’s first-ever simultaneous two-division champion.

    The Irishman has struggled for both activity and positive results since he achieved that feat in 2016, going 1-3 across four fights in over seven years. The manner of his most recent setback — a gruesome broken leg suffered in the first round of his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier in 2021 — left many suggesting the Irishman had entered the cage for the last time.

    Those theories continued throughout 2023 when no news came on his planned fight against Michael Chandler following their stint as opposition coaches on The Ultimate Fighter. And while the bout was eventually set for UFC 303 last month, a toe injury led to McGregor’s withdrawal on late notice.

    That’s once again brought about claims that McGregor is unlikely to make the walk again. Anik, however, has remained firm on his belief that the Irishman has an itch that must be scratched inside the cage…

    Anik Doubles Down On McGregor Return Prediction

    During a recent appearance on MMA Junkie Radio, Anik gave his thoughts on the uncertainty around McGregor’s long-awaited comeback, having previously predicted the Dubliner to rattle of consecutive fights in short time upon his return.

    The UFC’s lead play-by-play commentator reiterated that stance, explaining that factors outside of the cage such as wealth and material goods that some use to dismiss his motivation to compete would be more enjoyable for McGregor after additional Octagon assignments.

    “I guess I’m frustrated. That’s probably the right verb when it comes to some of Conor McGregor’s inactivity. But largely, I think a lot of this has been out of his control,” Anik said. “It’s not always easy being the biggest superstar in mixed martial arts. It certainly isn’t easy when you snap your leg in half, you know? And then obviously he had a setback in this most recent training camp.

    “I’ve gotta stay consistent in terms of my thesis statement on Conor. It’s that he’s going to enjoy the yacht life a whole lot more with a couple more MMA scalps, or at the very least fights, high-profile fights,” Anik continued. “He came back and fought Dustin back-to-back, right, and then snapped his leg in two. I still believe that there’s an itch that can only be scratched in the Octagon for Conor McGregor.”

    It remains to be seen whether or not McGregor will prove Anik’s remarks true later this year. But his recent return to “yacht life” on social media following the UFC 303 cancellation has seemingly left some fans fearing the worst…