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  • Jack Della Maddalena’s Coach: Islam Makhachev doesn’t have a chin as tough as Belal Muhammad’s

    Jack Della Maddalena’s Coach: Islam Makhachev doesn’t have a chin as tough as Belal Muhammad’s

    Jack Della Maddalena‘s coach Ben Vickers doesn’t believe that Islam Makhachev’s chin is as good as Belal Muhammad’s.

    As we know, Jack Della Maddalena is set to defend his UFC welterweight championship at UFC 322 against Islam Makhachev. It’ll serve as the first time he has put the belt on the line in the wake of his stunning title victory over Belal Muhammad. Of course, a lot of people are backing Islam to get the job done, but getting through JDM is going to be no easy task.

    Against Belal Muhammad, Jack Della Maddalena managed to put it all together pretty seamlessly. Sure, he had to deal with some adversity, but he came through that test with flying colours. Now, he’ll have to do it all over again, against arguably a harder opponent.

    In the eyes of Ben Vickers, though, one thing Jack Della Maddalena doesn’t have to worry about is Makhachev’s chin.

    Jack Della Maddalena’s coach on Islam Makhachev’s chin

    “Yeah, I do. I just don’t think Islam has the chin that Belal has. We know for a fact if Jack clips someone clean on the chin they can go over. So it could happen in the first minute, it could happen in the 24th minute, it could happen in the 24 minute 59 seconds, it could happen three rounds in. Jack likes long fights, he likes to be in there. But obviously we’re not getting paid for overtime. So, if the opportunity arises, we’re happy to take it.”

  • Jake Paul vs. Tank Davis: “It’s a Joke” Says Conor McGregor’s Training Partner

    Jake Paul vs. Tank Davis: “It’s a Joke” Says Conor McGregor’s Training Partner

    Dillon Danis has given his thoughts on the planned bout between Jake Paul and Gervonta Davis.

    As we know, Jake Paul is a pretty controversial figure within the world of professional boxing – and that’s us putting it lightly. He’s been able to do some great things in terms of promoting women’s boxing, but when it comes to his own career inside the ring, there are more than a few critics out there.

    As we look ahead to the future, Jake Paul seems to have some pretty interesting things lined up, including a blockbuster exhibition fight against Gervonta Davis. Once again, this has been ridiculed and slammed by many as being a farce, but that doesn’t appear to be stopping it from going ahead.

    In a recent interview, Dillon Danis, who fought Jake Paul’s brother Logan, weighed in on the whole situation.

    Dillon Danis rips into Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis

    “I think it’s a joke. I mean, he says he wants to be world champion. He’s fighting a 125 pounder. I called it like the Tyson fight. They’re going to have a little sparring match. It’s basically selling wolf tickets and just stealing people’s money. You know, Jake is a good salesman, but you know, this started with me and Jake. There’s no Jake Paul without me. So, I think he’ll finish with us one day.”

    ‘Tank’ has a whole host of potential opponents that he could battle but instead, this is the direction he’s opted to go down.

  • KSI and Logan Paul Called Out For Avoiding Real Fights “Boxing is not a real fight”

    KSI and Logan Paul Called Out For Avoiding Real Fights “Boxing is not a real fight”

    KSI and Logan Paul are big figures on the influencer boxing circuit but someone who has history with both men does not highly tout the sweet science overall. That combatant in question is Dillon Danis who prepares for the first ever MMA fight in the history of Misfits Boxing. Danis will take on Warren Spencer for the inaugural MF MMA light heavyweight championship at Misfits Boxing 22 on August 30th from Manchester, England.

    This will transpire this Saturday on this ‘Ring of Thrones’ card that features Luke Rockhold vs. Darren Till for the MFB bridgerweight title and Tony Ferguson vs. Salt Papi for the MFB interim middleweight belt.

    Speaking to Ringside with Abbas, Danis covered several subjects ahead of his return to mixed martial arts after several years away where he pursued gloved boxing in the mean time. Herein lies his ties to Paul and KSI, with Danis fighting the former to an inauspicious disqualification in a bad blood fuelled pre-fight build. For KSI, Danis has been booked to box him on a pair of occasions with Danis withdrawing the first time and KSI pulling out from the sophomore bout booking.

    KSI and Dillon Danis’ attempt to make a deal with him

    Putting Logan Paul and KSI in his proverbial crosshairs before he returns to competing in the four ounce gloves this weekend on DAZN pay-per-view, Danis said,

    “KSI… I made him a deal. He said if I knock him out, so it should be; KSI is the type of guy that if he picks up… Here we go again.”

    “So if I knock him out, he has to fight me in MMA. Well, you don’t get any extra money if you don’t. I went to boxing. And I fought Logan. How come Logan can’t fight MMA? How come you always got to go to their field? It’s not a real fight. Boxing is not a real fight. He thinks it’s a real fight. All this [expletive] is fake. ‘Cause in a real fight; yeah, sweet science of getting taken down and choked out. Ain’t no sweet silence in that.”

  • Carlos Prates vs. Leon Edwards booked for Major UFC 322 bout

    Carlos Prates vs. Leon Edwards booked for Major UFC 322 bout

    Carlos Prates is still at the nucleus of a lot of discourse from his previous UFC fight earlier this month but the exciting mixed martial artist already has his next octagon assignment locked in. The surging welterweight contender will take on a former kingpin of 170 pounds in Leon Edwards when the two clash in New York at UFC 322. Madison Square Garden on November 15th is when this high stakes contest will take place.

    Prates is on the heels of a highlight reel bolstering, spinning back elbow KO of Geoff Neal at UFC 319 on August 16th. The finish picked up a lot of attention online with Prates now having five wins in his last six fights with four knockout victories through that stretch.

    Conversely for Edwards, he is on a two fight skid and is aiming to preserve his placement in the rankings against the hungry combatant, Prates. ‘Rocky’ dropped his 170 pound crown to Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 in July 2024 and Edwards also lost via fourth round guillotine choke to Sean Brady in March.

    UFC 322 will be a consequential card for the ranked welterweights in the promotion even beyond Prates vs. Edwards. The event will be headlined by Jack Della Maddalena aiming to defend his belt against former UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev who vacated his belt to move up in the pursuit of becoming a two division UFC champion.

    Carlos Prates had called out Michael ‘Venom’ Page for UFC Rio

    Carlos Prates had called for a quick turnaround showdown with MVP when the dust settled on his finish of Geoff Neal in Chicago with Prates wanting a clash with Michael ‘Venom’ Page on that UFC Rio card. Page, who also earned a victory at UFC 319 when he bested former UFC middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier, seemed intrigued by the idea of a Prates fight on his rival’s home soil, October 11th in Brazil.

    It would have also presumably had a lot of intrigue for Page who has complained about matchmaking politics at welterweight and how hard it is to get fights there. Alas, the matchmakers had a different vision for what’s next for both fighters with question marks now popping up about what could be next for MVP.

  • “Just Fought Possibly The Worst Boxer To Ever Exist” – Fans React To Bryan Battle’s Bizarre, Quick Victory In Dirty Boxing Debut At DBX 3

    “Just Fought Possibly The Worst Boxer To Ever Exist” – Fans React To Bryan Battle’s Bizarre, Quick Victory In Dirty Boxing Debut At DBX 3

    Less than 10 days following his release from the UFC, Bryan Battle made his Dirty Boxing Championship debut at DBX 3, pulling off a win over Derik de Freitas in a fight that was short, but also weird, if not downright atrocious.

    After a pair of combinations, Freitas threw wildly before clinching with Battle and having to be separated. Battle and Freitas would then swing away before a left hand dropped Freitas, with Battle following up with some ground strikes. After another referee stand up, Battle knocked Freitas down again with another series of shots.

    Freitas grabbed Battle’s leg to reset but did not answer the referee’s order to get up, prompting him to stop the match and awarded the fight to Battle.

    Bryan Battle Quickly Stops Derik de Freitas At Dirty Boxing 3

    Battle was released by the UFC following the weekend of UFC 319. Battle was scheduled to compete on the card against Nursulton Ruziboev but came in four pounds over the middleweight non-title limit, and the fight was canceled. This was Battle’s second straight scheduled fight where he missed weight, as he came in four pounds over the welterweight non-title limit for his UFC 310 win over Randy Brown.

    Freitas has a 3-9 professional MMA record. Prior to tonight, his most recent fight came in November, losing in 20 seconds to Angelo Rivera Jr. due to ankle injury.

  • Youssef Zalal: UFC Followers Are “The worst fans I’ve ever seen in my life”

    Youssef Zalal: UFC Followers Are “The worst fans I’ve ever seen in my life”

    Youssef Zalal is not particularly fond of the mixed martial arts fanbase and recently expressed why ahead of a high stakes featherweight fight. During an interview with Farah Hannoun of MMA Junkie, Zalal touched on multiple topics ahead of his consequential contest with Josh Emmett at UFC 320 on October 4th.

    When touching on the MMA fanbase’s style of interfacing with the sport from a fighter’s perspective, Zalal said,

    “The fans are spoiled. All they care about is what you did the last fight. That’s all they care about. They don’t care about your whole story. They don’t care about nothing. Some guys didn’t even, like, I saw some comments, I think they were saying like, ‘Oh, he’s on a like three and three or something like that.’”

    “I’m like, you guys obviously are the worst fans I ever seen in my life. I fought four fights in 11 months. I was one of the most active guys in the featherweight. And to go have three finishes and two bonuses, and then they still; it’s not enough. We’re spoiled human beings. It’s crazy.”

    Youssef Zalal: Josh Emmett “had no choice” in accepting UFC 320 bout

    Youssef Zalal and Josh Emmett have quasi history with one another with the two set to settle their score in the cage in the coming weeks. Zalal previously called out the former UFC interim title challenger but Emmett at the time of the callout, circa February, indicated he was looking for something a bit bigger in the division. Touching on their prior interactions and how we got to this bout booking becoming locked in, Zalal stated [via MMA Junkie],

    “He’s at a point where he had no choice. He either had to wait a year or so to fight, or fight right now. Obviously, we’ve got a bunch of young guys coming in and a bunch of prospects coming in, and they need to fight, and that’s why I feel he had no choice in a way. It is what it is.”

    Zalal vs. Emmett pits the number nine and number eight ranked contenders, respectively, at 145 pounds against one another in Las Vegas at UFC 320.

  • “This Is Going To Be Awesome” – Dana White Says UFC White House Event Is A Done Deal

    “This Is Going To Be Awesome” – Dana White Says UFC White House Event Is A Done Deal

    Ever since it was first brought into the wild, the idea of a UFC White House event has been debated, discussed, derided, and defended. Now, approximately 10 months before the 250th anniversary of the United States, UFC CEO and President Dana White claims plans for an event are now official.

    White made the announcement during an Instagram Live stream on the evening of August 28, stating he had spent the day in Washington, D.C. trying to figure out details in regard to the event

    “We had the meeting at the White House; could not have gone better,” White said. “This is going to be awesome. The White House fight is on. I will have more details on that in the next couple of weeks. But we got it done today.”

    Dana White Says UFC White House Event Is A Go Following Meeting In Washington, D.C.

    U.S. President Donald Trump first teased the idea about a card at the White House during Fourth of July festivities last month. He stated such an event as part of a big series of events to celebrate the Semiquincentennial of the U.S.

    The UFC and White, in a series of interviews, would later indicate the plans were one of serious nature, with full intentions of a card to take place on the lawn of the White House on July 4, 2026.

    White has previously claimed he intends to make the one of the “baddest” cards in UFC history at such an event, though he wouldn’t name any potential names or matchups due to the distance of time between now and the White House card.

    Many fighters have expressed their desire to be selected for such an event, including Conor McGregor and Jon Jones. McGregor hasn’t fought in the UFC since 2021 but has since returned to the UFC’s testing pool. Jones’ retirement lasted only two weeks due to the announcement; however, White has expressed trepidation and a lack of desire in placing Jones on the card.

    It is believed many or all of the tickets for the White House card will be complimentary, and it is unclear if this event would be broadcast on Paramount+ exclusively or on linear CBS networks as well with the UFC’s new U.S. broadcasting deal with Paramount that begins in 2026.

  • Virna Jandiroba vs. Mackenzie Dern For Vacant Strawweight Title To Co-Headline UFC 321, Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Mario Bautista Added To Card

    Virna Jandiroba vs. Mackenzie Dern For Vacant Strawweight Title To Co-Headline UFC 321, Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Mario Bautista Added To Card

    Following the confirmation that Weili Zhang will be moving up to flyweight to challenge Valentina Shevchenko, a new UFC women’s strawweight champion will be crowned at UFC 321, as Virna Jandiroba faces off with Mackenzie Dern.

    UFC CEO and President Dana White confirmed the news on Instagram Live before a confirmation graphic posted to the UFC on social media.

    White confirmed in the same announcement stream the end of Zhang’s second reign as champion, finalizing the long-awaited showdown between she and Valentina Shevchenko for the latter’s 125-pound title in the co-main event of UFC 322, three weeks after UFC 321.

    Zhang defended the strawweight title three times in her second reign as champion, defeating Amanda Lemos, Yan Xiaonan, and Tatiana Suarez.

    Virna Jandiroba And Mackenzie Dern To Fight At UFC 321 To Determine New Strawweight Champion

    Jandiroba has won five straight and six of her last seven fights. Her two most recent victories are two of the names Zhang defeated in her second title run; Jandiroba defeated Lemos in the main event of UFC Vegas 94 in July 2024 and Xiaonan at UFC 314 in April.

    Dern, the former grappling and jiu-jitsu world champion, has won two straight and three of her last five. Dern comes into this fight off a bonus-earning, buzzer-beater submission of Amanda Ribas in the main event of UFC Vegas 101 this past January.

    White also announced Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Mario Bautista will be added to the main card of UFC 321. Nurmagomedov’s previous-unbeaten record came to an end at UFC 311 in January, falling just short of claiming the bantamweight title from Merab Dvalishvili. Bautista has won eight straight, most recently defeating Patchy Mix at UFC 316.

    UFC 321 takes place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on October 25. The main event will see Tom Aspinall defend the UFC heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane.

  • Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev Announced For UFC 322 Main Event, Weili Zhang To Vacate Title And Challenge Valentina Shevchenko In Co-Main Event

    Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev Announced For UFC 322 Main Event, Weili Zhang To Vacate Title And Challenge Valentina Shevchenko In Co-Main Event

    The UFC will be returning to New York’s Madison Square Garden for UFC 322 on November 15, featuring a pair of what could be considered championship superfights to headline the night.

    The main event will see Jack Della Maddalena make his first defense of the UFC welterweight championship, as he faces the challenge of former UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.

    JDM, an alumnus of Dana White’s Contender Series, has gone unbeaten in professional MMA since dropping his first two fights. His rise up the welterweight ranks ended in successful fashion with a win over Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 in May to claim the UFC’s 170-pound title.

    Makhachev became UFC lightweight champion with a submission of Charles Oliveira at UFC 280. He defended the title four times, defeating Alexander Volkanovski twice, as well as defeating Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano, before vacating the belt — now held by Ilia Topuria — earlier this year.

    Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev, Valentina Shevchenko vs. Weili Zhang Official For UFC 322

    Like the stories of Makhachev and Topuria, Weili Zhang will be vacating her strawweight championship and challenging Valentina Shevchenko for the women’s flyweight title in the UFC 323 co-main event — a battle of the top two-ranked pound-for-pound women’s fighters in the UFC today.

    Shevchenko initially won the women’s flyweight championship at UFC 231, defending the belt seven times before her trilogy with Alexa Grasso that saw her lose and regain the title. Shevchenko defended the belt earlier this year at UFC 315, defeating Manon Fiorot.

    Zhang, a two-time UFC women’s strawweight champion, began her second run with the gold by submitting Carla Esparza at UFC 281, which was also held at Madison Square Garden. She has since successfully defended the title against Amanda Lemos, Yan Xiaonan, and Tatiana Suarez.

    UFC 322 will also feature former welterweight champion Leon Edwards in action against Carlos Prates. Edwards lost to Sean Brady earlier this year in his first fight since dropping the belt to Belal Muhammad. Prates, meanwhile, scored a highlight knockout of Geoff Neal just a couple of weeks ago at UFC 319.

  • VIDEO: Darren Till And Luke Rockhold Had To Be Separated During Heated Faceoff Ahead Of Misfits Boxing 22 Clash

    VIDEO: Darren Till And Luke Rockhold Had To Be Separated During Heated Faceoff Ahead Of Misfits Boxing 22 Clash

    Tensions are heating up between Darren Till and Luke Rockhold ahead of their weekend clash.

    Both former UFC stars are set to face each other in the main event of Misfits Boxing 22: ‘Ring of Thrones’, where they will battle for the inaugural MFB bridgerweight title in a six-round showdown this Saturday at the AO Arena in Manchester, England.

    Till is poised to make his third appearance for the Misfits Boxing banner. Earlier this year, “The Gorilla” secured back-to-back victories over Anthony Taylor and Darren Stewart. Since leaving the UFC in February 2023, where he compiled a 6-5-1 record, the former welterweight title challenger has found a new home in boxing.

    Meanwhile, Rockhold is set to make his gloved boxing debut after dabbling in bare-knuckle competition with BKFC in April 2023. He was last seen in action at Karate Combat 45 in April 2024, where he secured a TKO win over Joe Schilling. The former UFC middleweight champion left the organization after a unanimous decision defeat to Paulo Costa at UFC 278 in August 2022.

    Image: @lukerockhold/Instagram

    Darren Till And Luke Rockhold Agree To Sudden Rule Change Amid Heated Faceoff

    On Thursday, Darren Till and Luke Rockhold attended the pre-fight press conference, radiating the same fiery tension that marked their initial faceoff last month. The presser quickly escalated, with both fighters exchanging heated words on the mic. Things predictably spiraled out of control, forcing security to step in and separate them before it turned into a full-blown melee.

    Amid the volley of profanities, “The Gorilla” confronted Rockhold over his alleged refusal to agree to an eight-round bout.

    “Let’s make it eight rounds,” Darren Till said. “You said to Mams [Taylor] you would pull out of the fight if it was eight. I’m ready for eight. So who’s the coke head?”

    Rockhold quickly countered and took the challenge, but even a handshake attempt on stage nearly sparked a full-on fight. The fighters ultimately appeared to settle on an eight-round main event, with Till threatening to pull out if the condition wasn’t met.

    The face-off quickly mirrored the intensity from earlier, with Till continuing to demand an eight-round bout while security held both opponents back. At that moment, the Scouser shoved Rockhold, nearly igniting chaos.

  • Chael Sonnen Steps In On Short Notice To Face Craig Jones At CJI 2 After Gable Steveson’s Withdrawal

    Chael Sonnen Steps In On Short Notice To Face Craig Jones At CJI 2 After Gable Steveson’s Withdrawal

    Chael Sonnen is reportedly making his return to the canvas.

    Earlier this week, Gable Steveson withdrew from his scheduled grappling showdown against Craig Jones in the main event of CJI 2 this Sunday at the Thomas & Mack Center, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, due to a turf toe injury.

    However, on Tuesday, Sonnen claimed on his YouTube channel that he had spoken with Jones and agreed to step in on short notice to face him this weekend, replacing the Olympic gold medalist.


    On Thursday, combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani verified the former UFC light heavyweight challenger’s claims, reporting that Sonnen will indeed face the Australian grappling star. Helwani noted that “The Bad Guy” will be undertaking a whirlwind schedule, calling the first Real American Freestyle Wrestling event in Cleveland on Saturday before hopping on an early Sunday flight to Las Vegas to compete at CJI 2 that same evening.

    Have Chael Sonnen And Craig Jones Competed Against Each Other Before?

    Chael Sonnen and Craig Jones have a history on the mats, dating back to September 2017 when the BJJ champion secured a heel hook submission over Sonnen at the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) Openweight tournament.

    Jones was last seen in action at CJI 1 in August 2024, submitting Gabi Garcia with a first-round rear-naked choke. His most recent defeat came in September 2022, when he narrowly lost on points to Kaynan Duarte at ADCC.

    Meanwhile, Sonnen last competed in an exhibition boxing match against longtime UFC rival Anderson Silva in June 2024, which ended in a draw. “The Bad Guy” retired from MMA with a professional record of 30-18-1, concluding his career with a knockout loss to Lyoto Machida at Bellator 222 in June 2019.

    OAKLAND, CA – AUGUST 07: Chael Sonnen punches Anderson Silva during the UFC Middleweight Championship bout at Oracle Arena on August 7, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

  • Conor McGregor’s training partner explains why he should stay in the UFC

    Conor McGregor’s training partner explains why he should stay in the UFC

    Dillon Danis has given his thoughts on whether or not Conor McGregor should remain in the Ultimate Fighting Championship or pursue ventures elsewhere.

    As we know, the future of Conor McGregor in the world of mixed martial arts – and combat sports as a whole – is uncertain. While his primary focus seems to be on becoming Ireland’s new president, he’s also been training pretty heavily, giving the impression that he’s gearing up for a return to the UFC. If he does, you’d have to imagine he will have his eyes firmly set on a spot on the UFC White House card.

    Regardless of whether or not that comes to fruition, Conor McGregor returning to the cage is something that a lot of fans want to see. Sure, he has plenty of critics out there, but nobody can deny the star power that he still possesses, even if he isn’t at the same level that he once was back in his prime.

    In a recent interview, Dillon Danis gave his thoughts on the future of Conor McGregor, the man who first introduced him to the limelight.

    Dillon Danis’ view on Conor McGregor’s future

    “I want Conor to stay in the UFC. I want to see him make another run at the title. I know him very well. When he trains right and trains the way he’s supposed to, no one’s beating him. From a friend standpoint, I want to see him be the best mixed martial artist. He is the best mixed martial artist, but I want him to show and prove it again cuz some people talk [__] on his name.”

  • Why Arman Tsarukyan is in UFC ‘Purgatory’, according to MMA Analyst

    Why Arman Tsarukyan is in UFC ‘Purgatory’, according to MMA Analyst

    MMA analyst Chael Sonnen has given his thoughts on the future of Arman Tsarukyan and the UFC lightweight championship picture.

    As we know, Arman Tsarukyan is one of the top lightweight contenders at 155 pounds and that much is obvious. He even had a title shot on his plate against Islam Makhachev at the start of the year, only for an injury to rule him out of the fight.

    In a recent video, Chael Sonnen gave his thoughts on Arman Tsarukyan and where he’s currently at.

    Chael Sonnen’s view on Arman Tsarukyan

    “And we’ll stick him in this purgatory, if you will, of MMA where we don’t quite know what we’re going to do with you now. So, we’re going to do nothing. And it might end up being great; you might end up getting to come to heaven. It might not, though, and you’re gonna have to go to hell. But either way, being in a spot where you don’t know is basically punishment enough.”

    “‘Yes, I believe I should have Ilia Topuria. Yes, I want Ilia Topuria. No, I’m not willing to wait to get Ilia Topuria because of my own personal situation, because of four training camps with no fight. I am not willing to wait. So, I guess I don’t get Ilia next.’ And it was a very interesting negotiating tool, I must tell you. 

    “I mean, regardless of what he said, he still wants Ilia. He did the interview to get himself closer to Ilia. And when I read it, he pulled this whole, you know, not only do I not care—I’m not going to get it—not only am I not going to get it, I’m looking for something else. He pulled this whole blew it off his shoulder, right?”

  • Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis: Former UFC champion hits out at exhibition match

    Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis: Former UFC champion hits out at exhibition match

    UFC legend Michael Bisping has given his thoughts on the upcoming Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis exhibition boxing match.

    As we know, Paul and Gervonta Davis are set to square off in an exhibition boxing match later this year. While some are intrigued to see how it all plays out, most boxing fans are furious – mainly because they want to see ‘Tank’ take on bigger challenges than this one.

    Of course, boxing has changed a lot since the introduction of Jake Paul to the party, but we all knew that. As we look ahead to this fight, it’s hard to know how both men are even going to approach it.

    In a recent video, Michael Bisping made it crystal clear that he doesn’t want to see Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis whatsoever.

    Michael Bisping’s view on Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis

    “This fight, in my opinion, was a bit of a mockery of boxing because it doesn’t have the legitimacy or fairness that you’d expect in a high-level contest. It’s more of a spectacle than a sporting event, and it leaves a lot of questions about what Jake Paul’s real ambitions are in boxing.”

    “You’re talking about a massive size difference between Jake Paul and Gervonta Davis. This isn’t a professional fight, it’s an exhibition. But man, you can’t help but notice the mockery element to it. It’s like watching David fighting Goliath in the boxing ring, but with a huge weight disadvantage for Paul.”

    Do you agree with Bisping?

  • Chael Sonnen Drops Striking Theory On What Drove Jon Jones To PEDs – ‘That’s The Life He Chose’

    Chael Sonnen Drops Striking Theory On What Drove Jon Jones To PEDs – ‘That’s The Life He Chose’

    Chael Sonnen believes he knows why Jon Jones chose a tainted path in his career.

    Jones is often hailed as the greatest MMA fighter of all time, and his resume more than justifies that. At 23, “Bones” made history as the UFC’s youngest champion by winning the light heavyweight title. He holds a 28-1 record and has remained unbeaten in 17 world title fights.

    However, Jones’ longtime rival Daniel Cormier holds a starkly different perspective. The UFC Hall of Famer recently stirred headlines by leaving Jones off his Mount Rushmore of MMA greats, pointing to the shadow of failed drug tests and controversies that cloud his otherwise legendary career.

    The former two-division UFC champion’s illustrious career has been marred by multiple failed drug tests, most notably a positive result for a turinabol metabolite following his knockout win over “DC” in their UFC 214 rematch in July 2017, which was later overturned to a no contest.

    “Bones” also failed a drug test for the estrogen blockers clomiphene and letrozole following his victory over Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 197 in April 2016, costing him the UFC 205-pound title.

    Jon Jones
    Image: @espnmma/X

    Chael Sonnen Claims Jon Jones Used PEDs Out Of Insecurity, Not Necessity

    During a recent episode of Good Guy/Bad Guy with Daniel Cormier, Chael Sonnen, who has openly acknowledged using performance-enhancing drugs during his fighting days, offered his theory on what may have pushed Jon Jones to resort to banned substances despite his repeated denials.

    The UFC veteran-turned-analyst suggested that “Bones” resorted to PEDs out of insecurity, arguing that even with his extraordinary talent, there came a point where self-doubt crept in.

    “Everybody goes down that road where they cheat the rules because they somewhere had an insecurity,” Chael Sonnen said. “They somewhere wanted an edge and then they come back, go, ‘But I could have done it anyway.’ Well, maybe you didn’t think you could. If you thought you could, you would have not put a synthetic chemical substance into your as*.

    “It’s just one of those things, and Jon really gets upset about that. He doesn’t deny the hit-and-runs. He doesn’t deny the cocaine allegations. That’s the one that bothers him, the picogram and the couple of failed tests. That’s a very common thing with athletes. I do believe Jon could have been champ of the world without steroids, but somewhere within him, at some point, he doubted that, and that’s the life he chose.”

  • Luke Rockhold’s old rival believes Darren Till will knock him out in boxing match

    Luke Rockhold‘s old rival Michael Bisping has given his thoughts on Luke’s upcoming boxing showdown against Darren Till.

    As we know, Luke Rockhold has had a rollercoaster ride of a career. While he was UFC middleweight champion, he’s also had a number of high profile defeats both in and outside of the promotion. Now, on Saturday night, he is preparing for his next challenge as he looks set to collide with Darren Till in the main event of Misfits Boxing 22.

    For some, this is a silly fight that shouldn’t be happening. For others, though, it’s the kind of contest that brings in a lot of intrigue, if only because it’s a fight we never got to see in the cage.

    In a recent video, Michael Bisping predicted that Darren Till will be the one to get his hand raised in his collision with Luke Rockhold.

    Michael Bisping’s view on Darren Till vs Luke Rockhold

    “So yeah, I think Darren Till goes out there and probably gets the knockout. Might even be in the first round. But I tell you what, may the best man win. I wish Luke Rockhold nothing but the best. I got nothing against this man. I actually think he’s a solid human being. I got to hang out with him a bit down at the gym last time after the training session. He’s a good dude. 

    “We were just competing at the same time and yeah, I was talking a bit of [expletive] back in the day. He was talking a bit of [expletive]. That’s what we do. We’re trying to sell fights. But when that’s all out the window, the man’s a good human being and he’s just trying to live his life the best way he can by using these things to make a living. And so is Darren Till.”

    “My official prediction: Luke Rockhold gets knocked out by Darren Till probably rounds two or three.”

  • Tony Ferguson Questions Strength of Salt Papi’s Character Ahead of MFB 22 Boxing Showdown

    Tony Ferguson Questions Strength of Salt Papi’s Character Ahead of MFB 22 Boxing Showdown

    Tony Ferguson is prepared to make his Queensberry Rules debut this weekend but wonders where his opponent’s mindset is at ahead of their Misfits Boxing 22 clash. Ferguson will do battle with Salt Papi for the interim MFB middleweight title on a card headlined by Luke Rockhold taking on Darren Till for the MFB bridgerweight title.

    During an interview with Seconds Out, the former UFC interim lightweight champion covered multiple topics including where he thinks the headspace is at for his influencer boxer adversary Saturday in Manchester, England. Touching on some of the deeper machinations of this matchup set for August 30th, Ferguson said,

    “When it goes into the fight, I don’t think that he’s changed too much in his game. He’s going to use what works for him, which is going to be that southpaw stance in his lead hand and his backhand. So he’s going to be looking to do what he’s going to do, but he’s not going to have his hands full.”

    “It was just him being a [expletive] and not being able to admit it in front of my face. So I talk about character and I’m just a man. When I shook his hand, he kind of shook it like this and I had to show him how to shake it the real way. I’m not an influencer at all, but I go in there and make sure I handle my business. So Saturday night, he’s going to have his hands full.”

    “When you put cameras on somebody, you see the real person come out. This is me. That’s him. So, I’m not him, so I’m going to go in there and do what I got to do.”

    Tony Ferguson and the redemptive path to potentially more interim gold

    Tony Ferguson aims to snap an eight fight losing skid that he has been on from his UFC tenure. After his planned GFL bout with Dillon Danis, who is also on this MFB 22 card, fell through in May, Ferguson is presumably chomping at the bit to just get out there and compete in 2025.

    Salt Papi, government name Nathaniel Bustamante, has put together a 6-1 record on the influencer boxing circuit and has more localized experience fighting in the big gloves than ‘El Cucuy’ does.

  • Why Tony Ferguson Is Calling Himself The Mad Scientist of the Sweet Science

    Why Tony Ferguson Is Calling Himself The Mad Scientist of the Sweet Science

    Former UFC fighter Tony Ferguson has called himself a “mad scientist” ahead of his battle with Salt Papi at Misfits Boxing 22 this weekend.

    In the co-main event of Misfits Boxing 22 on Saturday night, Tony Ferguson will collide with Salt Papi in a boxing match. It serves as the latest in a long line of steps down the ladder for ‘El Cucuy’ who, once upon a time, was widely considered to be the best lightweight in all of mixed martial arts.

    A lot of people genuinely believe that Salt Papi could give Tony Ferguson some real problems given how he’s performed in some of his recent boxing outings. Others, meanwhile, feel as if this is the moment for Tony to prove that he’s still got something left in the tank.

    In a recent interview, Tony Ferguson gave his thoughts on this bout and how he’s approaching it.

    Tony Ferguson looks ahead to Salt Papi battle

    “I’m not worried about anybody else besides that dude. I’m not looking past him, but looking through him. I’m going to go out there and hit him hard. He’s going to try to hit me, I’m not going to be there. This is boxing. It’s a science, and I’m going to be a mad scientist in this one.”

    Ferguson has a loyal fanbase and they’d love nothing more than to see him pick up a victory here. In equal measure, all we can really hope for is that he doesn’t get hurt, and that he comes out of it relatively healthy.

  • Daniel Cormier Strongly Refutes Khabib Nurmagomedov Giving Arman Tsarukyan ’80-20′ Chance To Beat Ilia Topuria – ‘I Don’t Believe That for One Second’

    Daniel Cormier Strongly Refutes Khabib Nurmagomedov Giving Arman Tsarukyan ’80-20′ Chance To Beat Ilia Topuria – ‘I Don’t Believe That for One Second’

    Daniel Cormier holds a contrasting view to Khabib Nurmagomedov when it comes to Ilia Topuria vs. Arman Tsarukyan.

    Topuria is widely regarded as one of the most well-rounded fighters in modern MMA, holding a flawless 17-0 record with 15 finishes, including victories over former UFC champions Charles Oliveira, Max Holloway, and Alexander Volkanovski.

    Adding to his legacy, “El Matador” etched his name in history by becoming a two-division UFC champion, securing the lightweight crown with a knockout win over Oliveira at UFC 317.

    However, “The Eagle” believes Topuria’s reign could be in serious jeopardy if he ever defends his title against Tsarukyan. Nurmagomedov recently claimed that “Ahalkalakets” is far more skilled than the Spaniard and would surely defeat him should they cross paths inside the Octagon.

    Images: @iliatopuria/@arm_011/Instagram

    Daniel Cormier Disputes Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Assessment Of Ilia Topuria Potentially Struggling Against Arman Tsarukyan

    During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Daniel Cormier shared his thoughts on Khabib Nurmagomedov heavily favoring Arman Tsarukyan to defeat reigning UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria in a potential showdown.

    “80-20 [%] is crazy, though. 80-20 is hard when anyone’s fighting,” Cormier said. “The only time 80-20 could be thought of in fights has been in the case of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Jon Jones. They’re the only people that have gone through this whole thing without losing. They are the only two. So you could have possibly said, ‘Well, yeah, it’s probably about 80% that guy’s way, because they never lose.”

    The UFC Hall of Famer firmly pushed back against his former training partner Nurmagomedov’s assertion, arguing that a fighter of Topuria’s caliber is not someone who can be dismissed so easily.

    “Guess who else hasn’t lost? Ilia Topuria. To put him on the opposite side of that 80%-20% is crazy. I don’t believe that for one second. I really do disagree with Khabib on that one. There is not a guy in the world that I believe is gonna beat Ilia Topuria 8 out of 10 times. That’s the truth.”

  • Chael Sonnen responds to Backlash from MMA Community over Raja Jackson

    Chael Sonnen responds to Backlash from MMA Community over Raja Jackson

    Chael Sonnen normally receives almost unilateral praise from his core fans online, but this was not the case after recent takes that he dropped on the Raja Jackson situation. For those not up to speed, the son of Rampage Jackson, Raja Jackson has been grabbing headlines for the wrong reasons as of late following his unhinged, legitimate attack of pro wrestler Syko Stu which has ignited a lot of online discourse.

    Taking to his personal YouTube channel to address some of the vitriol he has been receiving from fans on social media who vehemently disagreed with their interpretation of what the former two-division UFC title challenger was saying about the Raja Jackson situation, Sonnen said,

    “I have the greatest social media following, but it’s known for that. Other people will tell me like how envious they are, how you guys always back me, how you realize I’m the linear champion, how you realize I’m the one that retired Jon Jones, that I’m the one that ripped his toe off. And I got to tell you, I got lit up.”

    Chael Sonnen continues to expand upon the Raja Jackson reactions

    As Chael Sonnen kept expounding upon the reaction to his video on the visceral in-ring beating delivered by Raja Jackson, Sonnen continued,

    “I got lit up last night. I got challenged. I got called the, the, the f-word. Not the one that ends in an R. I got called the other F-word multiple times. And what do you call that on Twitter where you DM somebody and it goes to a box and you have to accept? Well, DM right?”

    “This all has to do with a piece that I made and put out yesterday about Raja Jackson… of which is a word that he actually used. I’m disgusted. And he goes, ‘I know why you did that. You try to be controversial and get clicks, but yeah, you’re on the wrong side of this. It was an attempted murder.’ And he’s going on and on. But much like the people in the DMs and much like the people that I heard from on social media, you didn’t see the piece. It’s about an eight or nine 10-minute piece and what you’re describing is about 8 and 10 seconds.”

  • Bryan Battle On MMA Fans: “Difference between being held accountable and people just being mean”

    Bryan Battle On MMA Fans: “Difference between being held accountable and people just being mean”

    Bryan Battle has been feeling the heat from MMA fans a bit as of late following his UFC release after his second weight miss across two weight divisions.

    Speaking with Mike Heck of MMA Fighting, Battle discussed how mixed martial arts fans have been interacting with him online as of late after receiving his walking papers from the MMA powerhouse with a signed bout agreement with Dirty Boxing Championship for later this week.

    While he is not obtuse to his own wrongdoings that got him booted from the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the entertaining combatant feels like some mixed martial arts fans have crossed a bit of a line here as Battle said,

    “There’s a big difference between being held accountable and people just being mean. You know what I’m saying? A lot of people being nasty. I’m seeing a lot of people’s true colors, but then there’s also people who got my best interest at heart. A lot of people, especially since I took this fight, been on my ass: How’s your weight? How you doing?”

    “What are you gonna do today? What’d you eat? And those are the people who want what’s best for you. They’re not just gonna write this off like, ‘Oh yeah, you’ll get ’em next time.’ No, no, you need to be better. I still love you, but you need to be better. And it’s stuff like that I appreciate as a superstar.”

    Bryan Battle set for DBX 3 clash after UFC departure

    Bryan Battle will attempt his second cut to 185 pounds this month but is preparing for a different combative ruleset altogether.

    ‘The Butcher’ is set to battle Derik de Freitas in a hybrid rules bout as part of DBX 3 which is set for August 29th in Florida. For de Freitas, he has previously had twelve professional mixed martial arts bout and the Brazilian competitor looks for his biggest win ever against a former UFC veteran in Battle.

    DBX 3 also features like notable names such as Jairzinho Rozenstruik who competes for heavyweight gold in the headliner, former Bellator MMA and BKFC champ as well as former UFC veteran Hector Lombard, as well as former UFC vets like Jessica-Rose Clark and Alex Caceres to reference but a few.

  • Magomed Ankalaev Confidently Eyes Heavyweight Future Following UFC 320 Title Defense

    Magomed Ankalaev Confidently Eyes Heavyweight Future Following UFC 320 Title Defense

    Magomed Ankalaev is targeting UFC two-division champion status in the near future.

    Ankalaev captured the light heavyweight crown earlier this year at UFC 313, narrowly defeating former champion Alex Pereira via a hard-fought unanimous decision in March.

    Now, “Big Ank” is setting his sights on moving up a weight class to assert his dominance on an even bigger stage. But before he can chase those ambitions, the Russian champion must first settle the score with Pereira in their highly anticipated rematch, headlining UFC 320 on October 4 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Magomed Ankalaev Maps Out Path For Moving Up To UFC Heavyweight Division

    Since joining the UFC light heavyweight division in March 2018, Magomed Ankalaev has faced nearly every top contender and compiled an impressive 14-fight unbeaten streak, including notable wins over Aleksandar Rakic, Johnny Walker, and Thiago Santos.

    If “Big Ank” overcomes Alex Pereira once more at UFC 320, he will have little left to prove in the 205-pound division and would instantly be a contender among the heavyweights. During a recent interview with Ushatayka, the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion revealed his plans to fight at least two more times before stepping up to the heavyweight division to test his skills against the biggest names in the sport.

    “A heavy weight? These thoughts keep coming to me,” Ankalaev said. “I think a couple or three more fights. I think, two fights, and then I will think of moving to the heavy division.”

    Ankalaev’s sole professional loss came at UFC London in March 2018, where he fell to Paul Craig via a last-minute submission. Since then, the only mark on his UFC record was a draw against former champion Jan Blachowicz for the 205-pound title at UFC 282 in December 2022.

    Magomed Ankalaev
    Images: @ufc/Instagram

  • Quinton Jackson Speaks On Raja Jackson’s Assault On Wrestler Syko Stu – ‘I Don’t Condone What My Son Did’

    Quinton Jackson Speaks On Raja Jackson’s Assault On Wrestler Syko Stu – ‘I Don’t Condone What My Son Did’

    Quinton Jackson is seeking forgiveness in wake of his son’s shocking actions.

    Last weekend, the former UFC champion’s son, Raja Jackson, attended a KnokX Pro Wrestling event in Los Angeles, streaming the night live on his KICK channel. During the event, he clashed with wrestler Stuart Smith, aka Syko Stu, in a heated altercation that was briefly defused. Still unsettled, Raja was later cleared by the promotion to deliver a scripted payback, staging a dramatic in-ring clash as a continuation of the earlier dispute.

    However, what was meant to be harmless scripted banter quickly descended into chaos once Raja received the green light from a production staffer. Still fueled by his backstage tensions and egged on by his livestream audience, Jackson Jr. dragged the animosity into the ring, slamming Stu hard onto the canvas before unleashing a relentless barrage of unanswered punches that left him unconscious until other wrestlers intervened.

    While “Rampage” initially offered a measured response to the incident, he now had more to share publicly.

    Quinton Jackson Breaks Silence After Son Raja’s Assault in Wrestling Ring

    During a recent live stream on his KICK channel, Quinton Jackson addressed Raja’s attack on Syko Stu, grappling with his roles as both a father and a public figure. While he strongly condemned his son’s violent actions, he expressed a desire for reconciliation with the U.S. Army veteran turned pro wrestler.

    “I feel bad about what happened to Syko Stu,” Quinton Jackson said. “I don’t condone what my son did at all… I’m a father, so you know I gotta have my son’s back. But I’m gonna let justice play out. Being a father in hard moments like this, sometimes you’re proud of your kid and sometimes you’re not. At the end of the day you’re still a father… Hopefully one day I can meet SykoStu and shake his hand. I hope Syko Stu can forgive me as a dad for not understanding everything. Let’s see what happens”.

    Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Police Department continues its investigation into Raja’s conduct, while it was confirmed on Wednesday that Stu has regained consciousness and is now able to communicate with his loved ones at the hospital.

  • Andrew Tate Reportedly In Deep Negotiations For Misfits Boxing Heavyweight Debut In Late 2025

    Andrew Tate Reportedly In Deep Negotiations For Misfits Boxing Heavyweight Debut In Late 2025

    Andrew Tate could be returning to combat sports before year’s end.

    Tate is one of the most polarizing social media figures, drawing widespread criticism for his misogynistic views while still maintaining a strong following among young men worldwide.

    Before rising to infamy for his controversial rhetoric, the 38-year-old American-born Brit made his name as a professional kickboxer, amassing a reported record of 76-9-1 with 32 victories coming by way of stoppage.

    “Cobra” last competed in December 2020, earning a second-round TKO win under a regional promotion in Bucharest, Romania. Though absent from official competition since, he frequently showcases sparring footage on social media to remind fans of his fighting pedigree.

    Image: @Cobratate/X

    Andrew Tate Reportedly Closing In On Misfits Boxing Deal

    On Tuesday, combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani reported that Andrew Tate is in advanced discussions to make his Misfits Boxing debut in a heavyweight clash slated for later this year.

    Reports also suggest that a formal confirmation of Tate’s involvement could arrive as early as this Saturday during the Misfits Boxing 22 event in Manchester, England.

    “Cobra” and his younger brother, Tristan Tate are entangled in a web of legal battles, facing a slew of grave allegations ranging from sexual assault and human trafficking to money laundering and leading an organized crime ring accused of exploiting women.

    The Tate brothers were arrested in Romania in 2022 on these charges and remain under scrutiny, with an additional criminal investigation currently underway in Florida.

    Image: @Cobratate/X
  • Paulo Costa Calls Out Dricus du Plessis For UFC Showdown “He’s so unpredictable”

    Paulo Costa Calls Out Dricus du Plessis For UFC Showdown “He’s so unpredictable”

    Paulo Costa returned to the win column at UFC 318 but is envisioning another opportunity to secure a big win before the year is out. On the heels of his victory over Roman Kopylov, the Brazilian combatant seemingly has a few options in front of him but if Costa gets his ideal bout booking, he’ll next be testing skills with former titleholder Dricus du Plessis.

    In a recent interview with Submission Radio, the former UFC middleweight title challenger put DDP in his crosshairs on the heels of the latter losing his belt to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in Chicago earlier this month. When discussing why a clash with the South African mixed martial artist would be such a compelling next step, Costa said,

    “Oh my God. Unpredictable. He’s so unpredictable. Yeah, he’s a tough guy. Tough guy to fight, to be honest. Very tough, you know. And Khamzat knew that. That’s why he held him for so long.”

    Paulo Costa wants Dricus du Plessis fight over Israel Adesanya rematch

    Paulo Costa is more keen to clash with Dricus du Plessis and test himself in that fight than he is to rematch one of his longer standing rivals in the promotion, Israel Adesanya. During the aforementioned Submission Radio interview, Costa admitted that a rematch with the former two time UFC middleweight champion would be good in it’s own way, the desire to fight DDP is more pronounced at this point in time. Costa mentioned that Dricus du Plessis is the better option, if only because he just got off of holding the 185 pound crown.

    With Costa proclaiming that he feels like he’s the man to beat newly minted UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev, beating the last man to hold the title would certainly pay dividends for the number thirteen ranked middleweight contender’s goal of securing another title shot someday.