UFC superstar Conor McGregor is interested in pitching an offer to buy Chelsea Football Club after the club’s owner put it up for sale this week.
McGregor is expected to return to the Octagon later this year after suffering a nasty leg break at UFC 264. He’s been focusing on his recovery while enjoying his usual lavish lifestyle leading up to his eventual return to the cage.
McGregor topped the Forbes’ Top 100 highest-earning athletes in 2021, over top athletes such as footballers Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. His earnings skyrocketed following his rise to UFC supremacy along with his ‘money fight’ with Floyd Mayweather in the boxing ring.
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich announced this week that he intends to put Chelsea FC up for sale amidst Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It appears that McGregor is one of the top names who has teased interest in pitching an offer to Abramovich.
In a recent tweet, McGregor screenshotted a text conversation with an unknown colleague expressing his interest in buying Chelsea FC.
Just last year, McGregor teased a potential investment in other Football clubs such as Celtic and Manchester United. McGregor was also present for the 2018 FIFA World Cup when it was held in Russia.
McGregor intends to keep building his financial portfolio and continue to separate himself amongst the highest-earning athletes in the world. We should know sooner rather than later whether or not McGregor will purchase a stake of Chelsea FC.
For the latest on what’s next for the flamboyant Irishman, check out our latest feature looking at possible opponents for Conor McGregor’s next Fight.
Do you think Conor McGregor will purchase Chelsea FC?
Canelo Álvarez seems open to the possibility of one day fighting UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman.
Both fighters are arguably the #1 pound-for-pound best in their respective sports and a potential crossover between the two could see them bring in colossal pay-per-view figures. Usman previously proposed the idea when discussing his boxing ability and wanting to showcase why he’s the best in the world.
Now, it appears Canelo’s certainly interested in what the fight would look like one day, as he was asked on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani whether he would entertain the fight.
“Payday,” joked Canelo. “That’s the payday I know. Maybe, why not, you never say no, right?”
However, it appears for now at least that Canelo remains tunnel-visioned on cementing his legacy amongst the greatest to grace the sport of boxing ahead of his fight against Dmitry Bivol.
“It’s not really on my mind. I want a really good legacy for my career then we can talk about other things right later.”
The 31-year-old’s aiming to retire by 37, meaning there’s still plenty of time for a crossover to occur. It still remains possible that we may see him take on Usman before then should the proposal for the super fight come his way.
With both fighters in the primes of their career, now would be the time to make it happen. Usman appears to be becoming less interested in defending his UFC welterweight title with every fight having previously spoken about his interest in fighting for the light heavyweight title.
One roadblock in the way of making the super fight happen would be Dana White’s stance on his #1 pound-for-pound fighting Canelo. Back in November, Usman again spoke of his interest in the fight. In response, White said “He doesn’t want to fight Canelo,” with the UFC president indirectly hinting at the boxing ability of Canelo being superior.
Would you be interested in seeing Usman taking on Canelo in a boxing match?
UFC President Dana White says lightweight contender Islam Makhachev will have to face Beneil Dariush before a title shot.
Makhachev most recently defeated Bobby Green in the main event of UFC Vegas 49 last weekend. Shortly after the fight, it was revealed that Rafael Fiziev had to pull out of his UFC 272 matchup with Rafael dos Anjos after testing positive for COVID-19.
The UFC scrambled to find a short-notice replacement to face Dos Anjos, with Makhachev raising his hand immediately on social media. However, he allegedly turned down the fight and the promotion ended up booking dos Anjos vs. Renato Moicano in the UFC 272 co-headliner.
Makhachev was originally supposed to face Dariush in the UFC Vegas 49 main event before Dariush suffered an injury in camp. During a recent interview with Barstool Sports, White appeared to shut down Makhachev getting a title shot next.
“Pretty close. I thought we had it done,” White said about Makhachev vs. Dos Anjos. “When I went to bed one of the nights, I thought it was done. Woke up the next morning and found out they turned it down. Islam [turned it down]. No clue [why].
Islam Makhachev, Credit: USA TODAY Sports
“He’s obviously doing very well. I love the Dariush fight. Since he turned down this fight, we’re going to remake the Dariush fight. We’ll get that fight going. Dying to see that fight. He gets through Dariush, very interesting.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
White previously said in a separate interview with TMZ that Dariush remains a factor in the lightweight division. After Makhachev called for the next title shot, it appears that the UFC plans to go in a different direction for his next Octagon appearance.
What is your reaction to Dana White’s plan for Islam Makhachev?
Heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury plans to hang up the gloves after his upcoming fight against Dillian Whyte in London.
Fury is coming off of back-to-back wins over Deontay Wilder and won the rubber match of their trilogy last October. Despite some rumblings regarding a potential crossover fight against UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, the WBC required that he negotiate a fight with Whyte.
Fury’s tenure in the boxing ring is well documented. After battling issues with his mental health, he returned to defeat Sefer Seferi before eventually earning the WBO inter-continental heavyweight belt against Tom Schwarz.
“This is the final countdown of ‘The Gypsy King.’ Hollywood awaits,” Fury said. “This is my retirement fight. 100,000 people at Wembley, all British world title fight. Return of the Mack after four years to the U.K. This is it, going out on a high. Retiring on top. Two-time world heavyweight champion and I’ll have made eight defenses of the lineal championship. Never to lose a fight. To go down as only the second heavyweight in history to retire unbeaten. Me and Rocky Marciano.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
Fury went on to clarify that while he plans on retiring from professional boxing, a crossover fight with Ngannou is still in the cards.
“I don’t count that as a real boxing fight. That’s not a boxing fight. That’s gonna be a ‘special’ fight. That will be in a cage in four-ounce gloves, in Las Vegas, at the Raiders Stadium….
“I will have retired from competitive, championship boxing and I’ll be ready to do the crossover fights completely. He won’t be the UFC heavyweight champion anymore, I won’t be the WBC heavyweight champion anymore, but I will still be the lineal heavyweight champion because they can’t take that from me!”
Fury and Ngannou have gone back-and-forth on social media for months, and a matchup between them seems imminent. Ngannou will miss a chunk of 2022 after undergoing knee surgery.
If Fury is planning on retiring following the fight with Whyte, he’ll go down as arguably one of the best heavyweights in boxing history.
Do you think Tyson Fury will retire after fighting Dillian Whyte?
It is also reported that Goularte was arrested for lewd acts against a 4-year-old child, but was released from police custody after his arraignment on February 25.
Prosecutors say Velasquez participated in a high-speed chase that went on for 11 miles. It resulted in a non-fatal shooting, where a single shot caught one person in the car.
The alleged victim, a relative of Goularte, is currently in the hospital expected to make a recovery.
The Charges Against Velasquez
The DA has filed multiple charges against Velazquez including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a firearm, shooting at a motor vehicle, willfully discharging a firearm from a vehicle.
Regarding the charges against Velasquez, District Attorney Jeff Rosa made this statement at a press release:
“The sad tragedy is that Mr. Velasquez chose to take the law into his own hands, endangering the public and everyone in the truck,” district attorney Jeff Rosen said in a press release announcing the charges. “This act of violence also causes more pain and suffering to his family.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
Cain Velasquez is currently awaiting arraignment, which was originally scheduled for today but pushed back to next week.
Cain Velasquez and His Family
The UFC witnessed a lot of greatness from Cain Velasquez. He was a two-time heavyweight champion and suffered only three losses in his 17 fights with the promotion.
He parted ways with the UFC after a loss to the current Heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou back in 2019. Now, he is a professional wrestler in Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide after a brief stint in the WWE.
Stay tuned with MMA News for more updates on the Cain Velasquez story.
UFC President Dana White has confirmed that Joe Rogan will return to commentate on the upcoming pay-per-view at UFC 272.
Rogan was absent from the UFC 271 commentary team for reasons that are still unclear. After it was originally reported by some outlets as a scheduling conflict, White later shut down those rumors and said that Rogan chose not to work.
“Yeah, he’ll be here,” White said. “[Rogan is] on this week, [Daniel] Cormier’s off.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
Rogan will make his return to the broadcast alongside play-by-play broadcaster Jon Anik and former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping.
Rogan has been under fire over the past few months for allegedly spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines and also after a racial-slur-filled compilation went viral. In the compilation of a series of past podcast episodes, Rogan can be heard using the ‘n-word’ without context.
Despite being absent from UFC 271, Rogan’s presence was still felt by the fans. Chants of “Free Joe Rogan” were prevalent throughout the fight card.
Cormier will miss this weekend’s pay-per-view due to the recent death of his mother, as he announced earlier this week.
UFC 272 will be headlined by a welterweight grudge match between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington, two fighters who Rogan has praised many times in the past.
What is your reaction to Joe Rogan returning for UFC 272?
UFC President Dana White has shut down the idea of welterweight contender Colby Covington moving up and immediately challenging for Israel Adesanya’s middleweight title.
With two valiant performances against reigning 170-pound king Kamaru Usman, Covington has cemented his place as the second-best welterweight in the UFC in the eyes of many.
Now, as he approaches a long-awaited grudge match against bitter rival Jorge Masvidal, Covington has once again had the middleweight kingpin’s name on his lips. And with the controversial welterweight’s feud and remarks towards Adesanya’s compatriot Usman during their saga, the backstory would certainly write itself.
Israel Adesanya responds to controversial comments made by Colby Covington after UFC Vegas 11 insulting fellow Nigerian Kamaru Usman's heritage. #UFC253pic.twitter.com/dZA3tFZj0c
But while Covington is hoping to put an emphatic end to his rivalry with former teammate and friend Masvidal and advance towards a meeting in the Octagon with Adesanya, the UFC president isn’t so keen.
During a recent interview with TMZ Sports, White revealed what “Chaos” would have to do to enter the title conversation at 185 pounds, and it’s likely more than Covington would have been hoping for…
“I mean, Colby would have to go up and beat [Jared] Cannonier or [Robert] Whittaker or somebody like that to even be in the discussion with a fight with Adesanya.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
Covington Has To Get Past Masvidal First
Before setting his sights on Adesanya, another middleweight contender, or anyone else at 170 pounds for that matter, Covington has a stiff test in front of him this weekend in the form of “Gamebred.”
While their non-title fight headlines the UFC’s third pay-per-view of 2022, the likes of Edson Barboza, Bryce Mitchell, Kevin Holland, and Marina Rodriguez will also be in action.
While Masvidal will be hoping to rebound from consecutive losses to Usman and potentially return to contention, Covington will put his place as the #1 welterweight on the line and look to keep his hopes of a middleweight title shot alive.
Would you like to see Colby Covington challenge for Israel Adesanya’s middleweight title down the line?
American Top Team (ATT) founder Dan Lambert has recalled the moment that led to welterweight star Colby Covington chasing his persona, seemingly confirming a story that Jorge Masvidal recently disputed.
One night changed it all—that night being UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Machida in October 2017. The event, held in São Paulo, Brazil, saw Covington make his ninth walk to the Octagon. But despite boasting a 7-1 promotional record and being on a four-fight win streak, “Chaos” was apparently facing the chopping block.
Whether it was confirmed by Covington’s respectful interaction with Kamaru Usman following UFC 268 or long before, most in the MMA community acknowledge that Covington has developed a character that has brought him attention and headlines.
Lambert Says He Was Warned About Covington’s Likely Cut
During a recent interview with ESPN MMA’s Marc Raimondi, Lambert, who established ATT in 2001, harked back to the moment that forced Covington to change. According to him, that moment came in Singapore on June 17, 2017. On that night, “Chaos” comfortably defeated Dong Hyun Kim on the scorecards.
But while he left Asia with a victory over “Stun Gun” on his record, Covington also apparently left with a word of warning from matchmaker Sean Shelby, who’d alerted Lambert that the promotion wouldn’t look to re-sign the stylistically unappealing Covington following his next fight.
“Colby was a little bit of a problem for the UFC. Kinda like that Jon Fitch issue. He’s a guy who is going to beat just about everybody that he fights, but his style was not very exciting at the time,” said Lambert. “Case in point, he was fighting ‘Stun Gun’ in Singapore, who was obviously the favorite of the crowd, and he (Covington) went out and basically 30-26’d him. The crowd’s booing the whole time, which, for a crowd over there, is fairly rare; they’re a pretty respectful crowd. But it was not a very eventful fight.
“After the fight, Sean (Shelby) came up to me and basically said, ‘Hey man, he’s got one fight left on his contract. He’s beating guys we want to promote. Fans aren’t getting into him. If you wanna start looking for something else for him to do after his next fight, go ahead, cause we’re not gonna re-sign him,’” Lambert recalled.
Following that conversation, Lambert says he was quick to relay the message to his man, who began developing ideas on how to rescue his spot on the UFC roster.
“I went right to him in the locker room that night, right after I talked to Sean. I said, ‘Hey man, here’s what Sean told me. Obviously, we’re not gonna be able to change things overnight with the way you fight; your style is your style. But there’s other things you might be able to change.’ And I asked Sean if he could fight Demian Maia next in Brazil and he said yes,” continued Lambert. “That was a wake-up call. That was a slap to the face from Sean. Pretty Much that night he started thinking, ‘What can I do to set myself apart?”
Given that Masvidal was in Singapore to corner Covington for his fight against Kim, it is strange that Lambert and Masvidal have different versions of the same story. Either way, this is a contradiction between the two ATT allies that not many would have expected.
Jun17.2017
Colby Covington earns his 12th career win when he defeats Dong Hyun Kim.
As per Covington, the UFC wanted to cut him after this fight. This sparked the beginning of "Chaos"character. pic.twitter.com/1Nc7s3lVZm
— MMA History Today (@MMAHistoryToday) June 17, 2021
What do you make of the alterations Colby Covington has made to his persona since his 2017 victory over Dong Hyun Kim? Has he gone too far?
The BMF champion highly anticipates putting an end to Covington’s confidence this Saturday, March 5. Every week, he reminds UFC fans that he will destroy Covington, and there has been a huge lead-up as to why.
Recently, in an interview with ESPN, Masvidal went into detail about a confrontation that took place on the night of UFC 241.
“I was at (UFC 241), and guess who I see there? Colby. And I haven’t seen him in months because he’s been traveling, I’ve been at the gym, I’ve been in and out of the gym, so we weren’t really clicking. So I finally see him and he just dropped (an) interview. And I just tapped him on the shoulder and he’s immediately nervous. Actually, this is on video. They have this on video. And I asked him, ‘Oh, what’s all that [MUTED] you’ve been talking? But we’re both men, man. You got my phone number. Why don’t we go outside and just talk like men? And he freaked out. He was like, “No, bro, you’re trying to fight, bro?! You’re so unprofessional, bro! We’re grown-ass men! What are you doing?! What’s wrong with you?!’”
Masvidal/Covington Face-Off Takes A Sudden Turn
Dana White, Image Credit: MMA Fighting
That night, Masvidal says his intentions were to speak to Covington about certain posts on social media that pertained to him. Before long, the UFC boss got involved.
“I’m like, ‘Let’s go outside and just talk, leave everybody here. Just go outside and talk.’ He’s like, ‘No, we’ll talk another day,’ freakin’ out like his usual self. I go back to my seat. I see him waving down Dana White. And I go, “Nah, there’s no way.’
“You can ask Dana White this…waves down Dana White and tells Dana White that I’m trying to fight him right there on sight. But this guy’s talking all this [MUTED] on the internet, that he’s a thug. Dana White’ll come out and tell you. Like, ‘Man, Masvidal was ready to go. This guy wanted no part of it,’” Masvidal continued.
“Dana White calls me over, he’s like, ‘Man, you trying to hand out three-pieces and a soda, Masvidal?! <Dana White laugh> No, but seriously, don’t [MUTED] fight here at the event.’ I’m like, ‘Bro, all I wanted to do was talk to the guy outside, bro. Now, he’s made it a problem by [MUTED] going to you…(he’s) snitching on me, you know?”
UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman doesn’t believe Colby Covington will have an overwhelming grappling advantage against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272 this weekend.
Ahead of Saturday’s main event, not many are better placed to provide a prediction and breakdown of the contest than Usman, a fighter who’s spent nearly 50 minutes in the Octagon with Covington and over half an hour in the cage with Masvidal.
Leading into the clash between “Chaos” and “Gamebred,” many are expecting the former to boast a considerable edge in the grappling and wrestling department. But despite securing five takedowns and managing over 10 minutes of control time in his first meeting with Masvidal, Usman believes the Miami native can hold his own.
During a recent interview with Megan Olivi for ESPN MMA, Usman was asked whether he expects Covington to utilize an “overwhelming” grappling advantage inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night.
“The Nigerian Nightmare” responded by suggesting Masvidal’s ability to return to his feet was surprising to him and leads him to believe any advantage in that realm for Covington won’t be substantial.
“No, I don’t think so. I think the thing that Jorge does very well is his ability to get back up,” said Usman. “And I was actually shocked in my fight with him because I am more of a control guy, and so his ability to get back up a few times let me know that this is something that he’s done for a long, long time. I think Covington understands that as well.”
With that in mind, the reigning welterweight titleholder expects Covington to plan accordingly. Rather than push for top control on the ground, Usman expects the former interim champion to employ a grueling approach that will have the aim of fatiguing Masvidal.
“I don’t think that’s Covington’s plan. I don’t think his plan is to hold him down. I think his plan is to drag him down, make him get back up, and drag him back down; make him get up and drag him back down. Eventually, wear him out,” Usman concluded.
While some have branded it a classic striker vs. grappler contest, Covington’s displays on the feet against Usman and Masvidal’s ability to avoid ground control means the clash has many more dimensions to it.
Do you agree with Kamaru Usman’s take on Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal’s grappling?
UFC featherweight contender Bryce Mitchell has revealed how he attempts to get the better of other individuals during interactions and altercations.
Mitchell is certainly an interesting character. While the likes of Colby Covington and Sean Strickland have become known for making headlines with their controversial statements, it was “Thug Nasty” who stole the limelight with his recent remarks on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani.
Among other things, Mitchell claimed the 2020 Presidential Election was rigged, said the 2017 Las Vegas shooting was an inside job, accused the government of attempting control through inflation, and suggested health care is not a “right.”
Given the controversial nature of the opinions he gave, it was unsurprising to see a portion of the MMA fanbase speak out against the rising featherweight. However, Mitchell won’t be concerned about any altercations or challenges, because he believes he has the perfect way to emerge victorious in every exchange: act stupid.
During an interview with UFC play-by-play commentator Brendan Fitzgerald, which took place a few weeks prior to his appearance on The MMA Hour, Mitchell discussed the perception that people have towards the intelligence of “Thug Nasty” and his fellow Arkansas natives.
“People look at that stat (Arkansas poverty) and look at that stuff, and they think because of the poverty they’re gonna be stupid,” said Mitchell. “Now, I would have to beg to differ. Because of the poverty, you’re gonna be really smart. You’re gonna learn to be efficient. I tell you what, you can look at it as an advantage… People look at a statistic about where I’m from and will naturally assume, ‘Oh, poverty—they’re stupid.’ That’s a great advantage for you.”
Harnessing that advantage, Mitchell believes the best tactic is to play along with what he perceives to be a misconception. Revealing his “secrets,” the #11-ranked UFC 145lber claimed the best way to handle altercations is to out-stupid the other side, rather than out-smart them.
“I’m giving away all my secrets, brother. Let me tell you this. Real easy trick for you, and I’ll just let you know this and you can use this anytime, and I guarantee you it’ll work. If you’re in any type of negotiation or something, some type of altercation, act stupid,” suggested Mitchell. “Don’t be the guy that acts smart; be the guy that acts stupid, like you kinda don’t know what’s going on and you’re kinda just—act slow, act stupid, even talk slow.
“You wanna see, ‘How does this guy treat a dumb man?’ A dude who he can completely take advantage of. You wanna see if they completely take advantage. You wanna see how this person really is,” continued Mitchell. “So don’t try to out-smart somebody, out-stupid them… If you’re gonna out-stupid somebody in a conversation, which I’ve done, you take them in circles and boy you keep that conversation so damn stupid they don’t even know what’s going on.”
Mitchell Targets Rise Up FW Ladder At UFC 272
While his beliefs and recent comments have no doubt divided opinion, Mitchell has certainly drawn more attention to himself ahead of his return to action.
Having not entered the cage since a 2020 decision win against Andre Fili, Mitchell will hope to pick up where he left off when he shares the cage with top-10 featherweight Edson Barboza. The pair are set to collide on the main card of this weekend’s UFC 272 pay-per-view.
While the Brazilian will be looking to rebound from his loss to Giga Chiakdze last year and prove he still has what it takes to compete towards the top of the ladder, Mitchell will hope to add an established name to his record and move closer towards title contention.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZHwUXALaMl/
What do you make of Bryce Mitchell’s “act stupid” advice?
American Top Team coach Mike Brown wants Kayla Harrison to take the next steps in her professional MMA career.
Harrison is still contemplating her next career move in her first experience in MMA free agency. She is coming off of back-to-back lightweight title-winning seasons in the PFL and has hinted at moving up to promotions such as Bellator and the UFC.
Harrison has attended Bellator and UFC events over the past few months as she decides on her next move in MMA. She won the 2021 PFL lightweight title over Taylor Guardado after a dominant regular season.
“I think it’s time,” Brown said. “I mean, I’m happy wherever she goes. I think they’ll bring talent to her in the PFL…I know she wants big challenges. She wants big fights, she’s ready to challenge herself, she really wants that. I thought we’ve been in a great spot. She was learning MMA in a major promotion, having zero fights and you’re already fighting in a major promotion like PFL. It’s good money, you’re getting decent competition.
Brown went on to point out that Harrison’s journey to MMA stardom has been faster and more unique than most professional athletes.
“It’s not always the norm for most pro fighters. Maybe they fight some amateur fights, then go on to a little bit tougher competition. From her first fight that she’s ever had, she’s in the PFL. Obviously, she’s a special athlete, but it’s not easy to do. She’s been learning, developing, and honing her skills and trying new skills, experimenting and seeing what works and doesn’t work in combat.
Photo by Dave Mandel/Invicta FC
“Now she’s over 10 fights experience and three or four years in, and I think she’s ready to make big challenges now. She wants to fight everybody and honestly, we’ve been holding her back. She’s been saying for about a year and a half or so, ‘ I want ’em all, I want to fight the best. I don’t want to do this, I want to show that I’m the best.’ We’ve told her to take her time, but it’s not what she necessarily wants. I think we’re coming to that point now that it’s going to happen.”
Harrison was in attendance to watch Bellator featherweight champion Cris “Cyborg” Justino earn a first-round knockout in her latest defense at Bellator 271. Harrison was also linked to a matchup with Amanda Nunes before Nunes lost to Julianna Peña at UFC 269.
Harrison’s free agency could be coming to a close as soon as this week, much to her preference. She’ll remain one of the biggest names in women’s MMA in 2022 regardless of what she chooses to do.
Where do you think Kayla Harrison will sign in free agency?
“Conor’s gonna have to get him some wins and prove he’s not so fragile first ..”
As expected, the former lightweight and featherweight kingpin responded. McGregor once again mocked Diaz for a knockdown that occurred in the pair’s rematch, linking back to a clip of it he posted last month.
Also, as expected, the Dubliner’s posts were quickly deleted.
Conor McGregor tweet (Image Credit: @1_mma_w on Twitter)
“Bounce them titties for the dollar”
Given the number of enemies he’s made across his career, it’s perhaps never surprising to see McGregor up against more than one individual. That was no different today.
Poirier Comes To Diaz’s Aid Against McGregor
Waiting in the wings to provide support for Diaz, not that he can’t hold his own in online spats, was Poirier, another of McGregor’s rivals. While the Irishman’s feud with Diaz sits at one win apiece, he’s behind against “The Diamond” after back-to-back defeats in 2021.
Responding to McGregor’s clip, Poirier reminded his foe that Diaz isn’t the only man in the conversation who’s been sent to the canvas. The former interim lightweight titleholder posted a zoomed in video of his memorable knockout of McGregor at UFC 257 last January.
With his response, McGregor appeared to remind Poirier of the result, whilst also utilizing Tyson Fury’s trademark “bum” insult.
Conor McGregor tweet (Image Credit: @UFCFanBoy50 on Twitter)
“You blew it you bum.”
Diverting the focus back to his own victories over McGregor, Poirier suggested the “it” in the Irishman’s response referred to his own in-cage career following two setbacks in just six months to “The Diamond.”
While Islam Makhachev is expecting to fight for gold when he next enters the Octagon, UFC President Dana White has reminded the Dagestani that he’s not without competition.
Since the retirement of Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev has quickly risen to fill the Russian void left at the top of the division. With dominant victories over Drew Dober, Thiago Moisés, and Dan Hooker in 2021, the 30-year-old extended his win streak to nine and entered 2022 inside the top five.
Makhachev’s first-round victory at UFC Vegas 49 saw him rise above Beneil Dariush on the lightweight ladder. The AKA product was initially scheduled to face the Iranian-American in the February 26 headliner, but a broken fibula forced the 32-year-old to withdraw.
While Makhachev has added another name to his record’s win column and now has his sights set on the belt, the UFC president doesn’t believe the title picture is as clear-cut as the Dagestani and his camp believe.
Now, in an interview with TMZ Sports, White has suggested nothing is set in stone and reminded Makhachev of the presence of Dariush, who is on an impressive win streak of his own.
“He’s (Makhachev) obviously in the discussion but let’s not forget Beneil,” reminded White. “Beneil is still around too, you know. He’s ranked number three [now four] in the world right now, so we’ll see what happens.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
White Still Wants To See Makhachev vs. Dariush
While there’s no timeframe known for Dariush’s injury, it was recently revealed that the #4-ranked contender will likely be able to avoid surgery on his damaged leg.
During an interview with Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole, White admitted he still wants to see the pair of elite 155lbers share the Octagon. If that doesn’t come to fruition and Makhachev does get the next shot, he expects Dariush to be close behind in the queue.
“I would still like to see Islam vs. Beneil. I’d still like to see that fight. Or, he fights the winner of Justin (Gaethje) and Charles (Oliveira), and Beneil is the first challenger to the title (after),” suggested White.
Per Beneil Dariush (@beneildariush), he has visited four physicians regarding his broken fibula. Three suggested physical therapy, one advised surgery. As of now, he is going with PT and trying to avoid surgery. Still no firm timeframe on his return, but no surgery is good news.
UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal has shared a video compilation of his past friendship with Colby Covington ahead of their grudge match.
Masvidal and Covington will cap off the rise and fall of their friendship in the UFC 272 main event. The two top welterweight contenders are vying for another potential title shot with a victory.
Bad blood has boiled over during fight week, even before their highly-anticipated pre-fight press conference. The two welterweights also verbally sparred in a recent joint interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.
Masvidal and Covington used to be great friends and loyal teammates during their time together at American Top Team in Florida. However, things fell off in recent years after Covington allegedly failed to pay one of Masvidal’s coaches after a fight.
The past friendship between Masvidal and Covington is arguably the biggest storyline of UFC 272 fight week. Amidst the massive interest ahead of the pay-per-view, Masvidal posted a video compilation on his YouTube channel describing the highs and lows of their previous friendship.
The video shows the two former ATT teammates and roommates playing video games, training together, sprinting down a hallway, and doing other activities. Masvidal and Covington also are seen praising one another for their successes in the Octagon.
The second half of the video shows where things went wrong between Masvidal and Covington. It demonstrates Covington’s shift as a heel in and out of the cage along with a past interview that Masvidal conducts with MMA journalist Ariel Helwani.
Masvidal and Covington will now slug it out this weekend at UFC 272. In what is expected to be one of the biggest fights of 2022, no love remains between these two brawlers.
What is your prediction for Jorge Masvidal vs. Colby Covington?
Colby Covington says he knows why Joanna Jędrzejczyk does not take kindly to him, and it is because he rejected her advances years ago.
Colby Covington and Joanna Jędrzejczyk are two individuals who have very strong, alpha personalities. They aren’t afraid to say what is on their minds, even if it isn’t necessarily the popular thing to say at a given moment.
At one point, another thing they had in common is that they shared the same gym of American Top Team (ATT). Today, Jędrzejczyk continues to train out of ATT, but Covington parted ways with the gym when his feud with Masvidal became unmanageable.
While Covington was still at ATT, he and Jędrzejczyk butted heads, and the two have exchanged some shots since his exit as well.
Covington Claims He Rejected Jędrzejczyk’s Advances
In a recent interview with ESPN, Jorge Masvidal wondered why Covington would be talking trash about a woman at all, especially since there is no chance of the two ever fighting and generating money inside the Octagon.
“No journalist out there can go look at the timeline of events of who started running their mouth first,” Covington began. “I never said nothing to Joanna. I never said nothing to Dustin [Poirier]. They started getting jealous of my success and that I was rising up.
“And they’re such egomaniacs, they didn’t like that someone was next to them in the gym that was on that same level in the UFC. So they started trashing me in the media. ‘Oh, [BLEEP] Colby and his antics! Oh, he’s a piece of [BLEEP] person! Dirtbag, blah, blah!’ OK, yeah, you wanna say things about me? Don’t think I’m not gonna say the truth right back to you.
Joanna Jędrzejczyk
“So of course, I’m gonna come back at “The Boobie Woman” Joanna. You’re talking [BLEEP] about me before I’m getting ready for a title fight. I’ve never said one thing about you. I don’t care about you. You used to send me DMs after training, wanting to flirt with me and go out on dates. Just because I didn’t give you attention, Joanna, don’t get mad at me and talk [BLEEP].”
This is not the first time Covington has made claims about his dating life intertwining with his professional life. Last year, he said that he had sexual relations with UFC strawweight Polyana Viana, a claim the Brazilian described as “revolting.”
Regarding Jędrzejczyk, if Covington is to be believed, then it was him who found the thought of extracurricular activities with a colleague to be “revolting.” Should Covington’s remarks reach “The Boogeywoman,” a response could soon follow.
One thing for certain is that Jędrzejczyk will be cheering on Jorge Masvidal this Saturday when he takes to the Octagon with “ATT on his back” into his grudge match against the man who many team members consider persona non grata around the reputable gym.
What are your thoughts on Colby Covington’s comments about Joanna Jędrzejczyk?
UFC President Dana White feels as optimistic as ever about a Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz trilogy happening down the line.
McGregor is expected to return in 2022 following his nasty leg break against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. There are a few potential opponents for his return, including Michael Chandler and even lightweight champ Charles Oliveira.
Diaz appears set to face Poirier in a grudge match later this year, although negotiations are still ongoing. He hasn’t fought since his loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 263.
Credit: Getty Images
McGregor and Diaz last competed against one another at UFC 202, with McGregor earning a majority decision win. Diaz won their first matchup on short notice at UFC 196.
McGregor and Diaz voiced their interest in a trilogy directly following their last matchup. But, Diaz has hinted that McGregor will need to be triumphant in his return to deserve a third fight with him.
“We’re still working on that fight, that fight’s not done yet,” White said of Diaz vs. Poirier. “But yeah, I wouldn’t count out Conor-Nate 3. Listen, I’d be shocked if that fight didn’t happen again. [Conor’s] chomping at the bit to come back. Realistically, when you look at everything [Conor] has going on right now with coming back and other things he needs to do to prepare again, it’s looking like early fall [for his return].”
White has also teased a potential title fight for McGregor upon his return, although he alluded to a few different things happening before that becomes a possibility. McGregor has claimed that he’ll get the title shot in his first fight back from his injury.
McGregor and Diaz are two of the biggest stars in UFC history, and the third fight between them figures to be arguably the biggest event to make going forward.
According to Marple Police in Pennsylvania, James O’Brien is charged with calling in terrorist threats during a tournament held by his former employer Grappling Industries.
The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission wrestling organization Grappling Industries held an event on January 19 at Marple Sports Arena.
At the tournament, an employee received a call in which a man warned him to evacuate everyone from the building and call the authorities.
Later in the investigation, police would also learn that a similar call was reported at another tournament run by Grappling Industries in Illinois.
Thankfully, no one was harmed and the public was safe from any threats.
On February 18, police arrested their suspect. James O’Brien, who is a former employee of Grappling Industries was taken into custody for making the terrorist threats, among other charges.
Currently, O’Brien awaits his arraignment in Delaware County.
Following blockbuster 2022 headliners at UFC 270 and 271, which saw a heavyweight unification showdown in California and a long-awaited middleweight rematch in Houston, Las Vegas is set to play host to the year’s first non-title pay-per-view main event.
Heading into this weekend’s welterweight collision, many have understandably branded the headliner a classic grappler vs. striker contest. One man who’s faced the different attacks of both Masvidal and Covington is Usman.
Discussing Masvidal’s skills, Usman suggested “Gamebred” has all the tools to battle Covington’s imposing wrestling game and land damaging shots on the feet.
“I think he (Masvidal) can potentially win this fight because one thing about Masvidal is he’s one of the only guys who is, in his stance, he’s so tall in his stance,” said Usman. “But he’s able to defend takedowns from some of the best wrestlers. He’s very, very good; his striking is so relaxed and so fast, and if he’s able to touch you, it might not feel as hard, but he can touch that button and shut the lights out.
“Being able to run across the Octagon in five seconds and land a knee like that (against Ben Askren) just shows the different level of athleticism,” Usman continued. “He’s an athlete, he’s a skilled striker, he’s a skilled fighter, and he definitely has the tools to be able to land that shot to steal this fight away from Covington.”
Usman: Masvidal Won’t Be As Easy To Take Down As Covington Thinks
The leading narrative heading into UFC 272 fight week is the history between the two headliners. Having trained together, cornered each other, and lived with one another, Masvidal and Covington head into their grudge match with perhaps more information than they’ve ever had on an opponent.
But despite that, Usman believes both may be underestimating each other’s growth since their unceremonious split.
The reigning welterweight king suggested Masvidal will be a lot harder to take down than Covington will be anticipating, a sentiment he believes also applies across the cage to Masvidal’s standup expectations.
“One thing I will say is I think in this fight, Colby’s going to realize that it’s harder to take Masvidal down in an actual fight than when they were in practice,” Usman suggested. “I know in his mind, he’s gonna expect it to be like it was when they practiced. But they spent some time apart now, and I think he’s gonna realize it’s a lot harder to take him down in a fight than it is in practice.
“And Masvidal, on the flip side, he’s gonna realize that it’s a lot harder to strike with this guy now than back when I was beating him up when he first came into the sport,” concluded Usman.
Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington
While predictions may be split and the result up in the air, one thing is certain as we enter fight week: We’re set for an animosity-fueled and hostile pre-fight build. For those set to attend the press conference on Thursday, that’s undoubtedly a mouth-watering prospect.
Who do you think will have their hand raised in the UFC 272 main event, Colby Covington or Jorge Masvidal?
Shevchenko is coming off another dominant win over Lauren Murphy at UFC 266. She has won eight straight fights and earned six straight successful title defenses.
Shevchenko earned the title by defeating Joanna Jędrzejczyk for the vacant title at UFC 231. She earned a unanimous decision victory and followed it up with wins over Jessica Eye, Liz Carmouche, and Katlyn Chookagian.
One of Shevchenko’s few tests as the flyweight champion came against Jennifer Maia at UFC 255. It was a back-and-forth battle with Shevchenko winning the fight based on activity.
It was also announced today that Maia is scheduled to face Manon Fiorot at a UFC Fight Night event on March 26 on the promotion’s Columbus, OH card.
Taila Santos
Santos will look to provide the toughest test of Shevchenko’s flyweight reign. A winner of four-straight bouts, she most recently earned a nasty first-round submission victory over Joanne Wood last November.
Santos has also earned lopsided victories over the likes of Molly McCann and Gillian Robertson.
Shevchenko had previously been interested in a trilogy bout with Amanda Nunes before Nunes lost in shocking fashion to Julianna Pena at UFC 269. Nunes will face Peña in a bantamweight title rematch later this year after coaching The Ultimate Fighter together.
UFC 275 is scheduled to be headlined by a UFC light heavyweight title bout between Glover Teixeira and Jiří Procházk.
Shevchenko has a win over the current bantamweight champion Peña and could face her in a rematch down the line. But Shevchenko will have to get past another tough test at flyweight before any talk of fighting at different weight classes resumes.
Do you think Taila Santos could give Valentina Shevchenko a challenge?
Till has lost four of his last five with just one lone victory since moving from welterweight to middleweight. He most recently fell to Derek Brunson via third-round submission last September and allegedly entered the fight with a knee injury.
Till’s last win in the Octagon came against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 244. He earned a split decision victory in his middleweight debut before back-to-back losses.
Till has recently trained with rising UFC star Khamzat Chimaev ahead of his 2022 debut. The two of them have been seen going through rigorous workouts together at the Allstars Training Center in Stockholm, SE.
Darren Till Khamzat Chimaev
Till and Chimaev have also spent their time doing philanthropy work in Sweden, feeding local homeless people and assisting the community around the gym.
In terms of a timeline for his return to the cage, Till is unsure exactly when he’ll have his next fight booked. He’s gone back-and-forth on social media with the likes of Uriah Hall and others as he works his way back to potential middleweight title contention.
Till made his FUC Debut back in 2015 against Wendell de Oliveira Marques, earning a second-round knockout. He would go on to earn four straight wins before falling short against Tyron Woodley for the welterweight belt at UFC 228.
Till would then follow it up with a stunning knockout loss to Jorge Masvidal in early 2019 in London, before making the move up to 185 pounds.
At 29 years old, Till still has plenty of time to turn things around in his UFC career and pursue another title shot at middleweight. UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya has previously conveyed interest in a fight with Till if he can get on another winning streak.
Molly McCann is to be the subject of her own documentary film.
One of the brightest rising stars in the UFC at this time is Molly McCann. “Meatball” as she is nicknamed has made her rise up the UFC flyweight in the last few years. Today, she is one of the most popular English fighters on the roster and just possibly a few fights away from breaking the top ten. McCann’s life outside of fighting has been a bit more private than some other fighters but now she will be letting fans in to see her struggles and successes in a whole new way.
BT Sport will be putting out a feature documentary film on McCann’s rise to the UFC. It will show her life inside the cage and out, from her childhood in Liverpool to her most recent fight endeavors. The film was able to capture private moments with McCann as well as interviews with her closest family and friends.
“Meatball Molly takes the viewer on an evocative journey of an incredibly strong and inspirational sportswoman, highlighting the passion, dedication, and commitment it requires to make it in professional sport,” BT Sport Films Executive Producer and Commissioning Editor, Sally Brown told Givemesports.com.
‘Meatball Molly’ will premiere exclusively on BT Sport on March 15th at 22.30 GMT.
Will you be tuning in to watch this Molly McCann film?
Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal had a heated face-to-face interview leading up to their highly-anticipated UFC 272 grudge match.
Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal have been trash-talking one another for two years now ever since their falling out as former teammates and close friends. Finally, the two had an opportunity to address one another on camera in a virtual face-to-face interview hosted by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on the Stephen A’s World show on ESPN+.
Below, you can find the major talking points from the contentious segment:
The matter of Colby Covington opting to wear sunglasses
What happened to their friendship?
Masvidal predicts Covington will be without his “fake teeth” on Monday.
Covington calls Masvidal a deadbeat dad and a criminal
Covington is confident heading into the fight because Masvidal is a “bum” who’s been beat up by everybody
Interview then reaches a boiling point, both parties talking over one another for extended stretch
Masvidal not considering losing an option, promises to return to Stephen A’s World after the fight to dish more dirt on Covington
We will all find out who will get the last word when Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal meet this Saturday inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada during the UFC 272 main event.
You can catch the full clip from the face-to-face interview between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal below.
Boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya may not attempt a comeback to the ‘sweet science’ after all, following a recent interview.
De La Hoya was supposed to face Vitor Belfort last year in an event held by Triller Fight Club but pulled out of the event after testing positive for COVID-19. He ended up getting a brief hospital stay to help treat his symptoms.
Belfort’s trainer, Derik Santos, questioned the validity of De La Hoya’s COVID-19 diagnosis.
“I can’t imagine myself in the ring anymore. I’m hanging up the gloves for sure and calling it a day,” De La Hoya said in an interview with BoxingScene. “It’s not likely [I will fight again]. I’m not feeling it. I went through so much in training. I was on it. When I trained, I left everything and my focus was 100%. It just drained me. I couldn’t handle it. Once I got COVID, I still have problems breathing when I’m running.
(via AP)
“I feel complete now. I have six projects aside from boxing that I’m working on right now that are huge – mega. I’ve refocused. I have the energy. I have a woman by my side who makes me feel like King Kong. It’s motivating. It really is. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen with Golden Boy and my personal brand. Things are moving in the right direction. I’m really excited about it.”
De La Hoya last fought in the ring against Manny Pacquiao in 2008. He would lose the fight after his corner stopped the action in the later rounds.
De La Hoya earned multiple boxing world titles and fought some of the greatest in the sport’s history, including Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather Jr. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014.
“I called his bluff and he folded. Let’s move on…” dos Anjos wrote.
Makhachev was supposed to face Beneil Dariush last weekend before Dariush pulled out with an injury. Instead, he defeated Bobby Green via first-round TKO in the UFC Vegas 49 main event.
There is no word on why Makhachev will not be facing dos Anjos at UFC 272, but it may have something to do with Makhachev already being widely considered to be the #1 contender for the winner of the upcoming Charles Oliveira/Justin Gaethje title fight.
Do you think we will ever see Islam Makhachev vs. Rafael dos Anjos?
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