MMA News

Tag: Max Holloway

  • Justin Gaethje Makes Strong Pick For Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway At UFC 308: ‘In My Mind, I Can’t See Him Losing’

    Justin Gaethje Makes Strong Pick For Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway At UFC 308: ‘In My Mind, I Can’t See Him Losing’

    At UFC 300, Justin Gaethje was on the receiving end of Max Holloway’s iconic last-second KO. The former UFC featherweight champion broke Gaethje’s nose towards the end of the first and was winning comfortably on the scorecards, making the moment all the more special.

    The loss to Holloway might be a tough pill to swallow for “The Highlight”. After losing to Charles Oliveira in a title fight, he bounced back by beating Rafael Fiziev via decision and then knocking out Dustin Poirier with a head kick. A win over Holloway could’ve set him up for a title shot against Islam Makhachev.

    Holloway will soon be back in action, while Gaethje has yet to spar again. Here’s how the former interim UFC lightweight champion thinks the UFC 308 main event would go…

    Justin Gaethje Honestly Admits Why He’s Backing Max Holloway To Beat Ilia Topuria At UFC 308

    Gaethje talked about his UFC return with some reporters from outlets like MMA Junkie at Top Golf in Las Vegas recently. After mentioning the four ideal opponents, he discussed the UFC 308 main event between Ilia Topuria and Holloway.

    “The Highlight” expects the challenger to emerge victorious but was heavily impressed by Topuria’s performance against Volkanovski. He appreciated the current UFC featherweight kingpin for being patient and executing his game plan perfectly at UFC 298.

    Gaethje admitted that he would like Holloway to win also because the latter knocked him out cold at UFC 300. “Blessed” overwhelmed his opponent with patient yet clear striking and a similar strategy might help him reclaim gold at UFC 308.

    Here’s what the former UFC BMF title holder said when asked to pick between Topuria and Holloway:

    “I mean, I really hope that Max wins. I mean, Ilia was so impressive with Volkanovski, his patience. He fought an amazing fight. Um, I don’t know. I expected something different than I saw from Max, I was very impressed. And so, in my mind, I can’t see him losing but that’s cause I just got put to sleep by him.”

    Read More: Merab Dvalishvili Wants To Avenge Aljamain Sterling Loss, Prove O’Malley Got ‘Lucky’

  • Sean O’Malley: Ilia Topuria ‘Needs Me’ To Move Up After Max Holloway Fight

    Sean O’Malley: Ilia Topuria ‘Needs Me’ To Move Up After Max Holloway Fight

    Sean O’Malley recently asserted that after Ilia Topuria’s upcoming clash with Max Holloway, the only clear course for “El Matador” is a showdown with him.

    Topuria is gearing up to defend his featherweight crown for the first time in a highly anticipated clash against Holloway, headlining UFC 308 on October 26 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

    “Suga” has been zeroing in on Topuria ever since retaining his bantamweight title against former foe Marlon Vera at UFC 299 this past March. Following his victory, O’Malley wasted no time in calling out the Georgian-Spanish fighter, even trading jabs with him on social media and igniting talk of a potential champ vs. champ super fight.

    However, before O’Malley can lock horns with Topuria, he must first overcome another Georgian obstacle — Merab Dvalishvili.

    The 29-year-old Montana native is set to put his title on the line against “The Machine’ in the headlining bout of Noche UFC 306, taking place this Saturday inside the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    “Suga” is convinced that once Topuria finishes business with Holloway, he’ll need to face a high-profile opponent like him…

    O’Malley Shares Mixed Feelings On Possible Topuria Match

    During a recent interview with Bleacher Report, O’Malley weighed in on a potential super fight with Topuria.

    The reigning UFC bantamweight champ expressed that, after Noche UFC 306, he has no shortage of challengers waiting in the wings. However, he believes “El Matador” will be left without a worthy opponent after defending his title against Holloway.

    “The more I think about the Ilia fight, I’m like, you know what, Ilia needs me,” O’Malley said. “Who’s he going to fight next? [If] he goes out there and beats Max [Holloway at UFC 308], who is he going to fight next? I have guys lined up. I have big fights. Ilia needs me more than I need Ilia.”

    However, “Suga” voiced some hesitation, suggesting that he doubts Topuria will even make it past “Blessed” at UFC 308.

    Instead, he floated the idea of facing rising star Umar Nurmagomedov, a fight “The Young Eagle” has previously likened to the magnitude of the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor showdown.

    “To be honest, I don’t think he’s gonna get past Max anyway, so I’m kind of switching gears from that. We got guys like Umar that I think are going to be massive fights,” O’Malley added.”

    Although Topuria, who knocked out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 to capture the 145-pound title, has never openly entertained the idea of facing O’Malley, he didn’t entirely dismiss it.

    After O’Malley called him out following UFC 299, “El Matador” left the door open for a potential showdown, fueling further speculation about a future clash.

    • Read More: Coach Claims Ilia Topuria Is A More Favorable Matchup For Sean O’Malley Than Max Holloway: ‘He’s Pretty Flat-Footed’
  • Brian Ortega Refuses To Predict Topuria vs. Holloway Title Fight: ‘Lesson Learned’

    Brian Ortega Refuses To Predict Topuria vs. Holloway Title Fight: ‘Lesson Learned’

    Despite falling short on two attempts at claiming the UFC featherweight title, Brian Ortega is still very much in the mix at the top of the division.

    “T-City” currently occupies the #3-ranking spot at 145 pounds following his win over Yair Rodríguez last time out in Mexico City.

    He’s now set to return at UFC 306 where a win over rising star Diego Lopes could set him up for a third chance at winning the gold.

    The featherweight belt is set to be defended next month at UFC 308 in one of the most anticipated fights of the year between the champion Ilia Topuria and the former titleholder, Max Holloway.

    Though Ortega is excited to watch that one play out, he doesn’t have a prediction for who takes the victory in Abu Dhabi.

    Brian Ortega Says He Doesn’t Take Either Topuria Or Holloway For Granted After Being Proven Wrong

    The way that Ortega sees it, giving a prediction for the main event of UFC 308 would be counting out one man and that’s not something he is prepared to do.

    He was asked if he had a pick for the fight during a recent interview with Submission Radio where he responded by saying that he isn’t sure who will claim the victory.

    Having faced Holloway back in 2018 and been very impressed with Topuria’s title-winning performance against Alexander Volkanovski, he’s remaining on the fence for this one.

    “I don’t know man… and I’m not even trying to be political, I have no idea. Topuria is someone who surprised me obviously last time so I learned very quickly not to say or go against him, lesson learned. Max is another guy that you don’t want to go against, lesson learned. Then when you look at the styles, you have Topuria who has more of a traditional boxer style, you have Max with his just a machine of punches and then unorthodox boxing style but it’s very effective.”

    Read also: Dana White Responds To ‘Experts’ Criticizing Noche UFC: ‘Talked About That UFC 300 Wasn’t A Good Card!’

  • Noche UFC 306’s Diego Lopes Chooses Between Volkanovski, Holloway, & Topuria: ‘My Dream Fight…’

    Noche UFC 306’s Diego Lopes Chooses Between Volkanovski, Holloway, & Topuria: ‘My Dream Fight…’

    For a long time now, the faces at the top of the UFC’s featherweight division have remained the same cast of elite level competitors.

    Ilia Topuria breathed a lot of new life into the 145-pound title mix after he took the title off of the long-time champion, Alexander Volkanovski, earlier this year.

    At UFC 306 this weekend, Diego Lopes will look to enter that conversation by taking out another of the division’s stalwart contenders in Brian Ortega.

    With Volkanovski watching closely as Topuria defends the belt for the first time against Max Holloway at UFC 308, there are some very exciting potential fights on the horizon for Lopes if he’s able to get past “T-City” on September 14.

    Diego Lopes Says Max Holloway Is His Dream Fight Whether It’s For A Title Or Not

    In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Lopes gave his thoughts on who he would rather face out of that trio of world class fighters.

    With four consecutive wins under his belt since a defeat on his late notice debut, the Brazilian finds himself in a big opportunity to leap up the top 15 rankings if he can take out Ortega, who holds the #3 position right now.

    None of these fights are that far away for him if he puts on a big performance at the Sphere on Saturday night and though he rates all three men highly, his preference is to fight Holloway.

    Lopes sees a clash with “Blessed” as his ideal scenario because of the respect that he has for the BMF champion.

    That being said, he did also mention inevitably facing the current champion Topuria down the line as two of the division’s most exciting additions in recent years are sure to meet at some stage.

    “Bro, I’m big fans for the Max and the Volk but my dream fight is Max. My dream fight is Max, a lot of respect for Max. The guy stay in the UFC for so long time, the guy fight everybody, everybody in the rankings, everybody in the UFC. Max is my dream fight, title or no title. Max is my dream fight for so much respect for your career but for who you want to fight for the title, I don’t know bro. I think the division needs the new face you know, I think it’s me and Ilia is the big fight for everybody, for the new face.”

    Read also: Alexander Volkanovski Shocked By Brian Ortega’s Underdog Status At Noche UFC: ‘Lopes Is Very Good, But…’

  • Former Champ Analyzes Topuria vs. Holloway Title Fight At UFC 308: ‘What Happens If You Could Set A Little Fatigue In Him?’

    Former Champ Analyzes Topuria vs. Holloway Title Fight At UFC 308: ‘What Happens If You Could Set A Little Fatigue In Him?’

    Aljamain Sterling recently offered his insights on the upcoming featherweight title clash between reigning champion Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway at UFC 308.

    “El Matador” is gearing up to put his title on the line for the first time against Holloway in the headlining bout of an eagerly awaited pay-per-view event set to take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on October 26.

    Topuria claimed the 145-pound championship with a stunning knockout of former titleholder Alexander Volkanovski in the second round at UFC 298 in February. He has secured five victories in under two rounds, dismantling formidable foes such as Bryce Mitchell, Jai Herbert, and Josh Emmett.

    On the other hand, “Blessed” is preparing for his third bid to recapture the featherweight crown, which slipped from his grasp against Volkanovski back in December 2019. Despite two valiant rematch efforts that fell short, Holloway has roared back with a trio of victories. He is coming off a last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje in a lightweight showdown at UFC 300 in April, a victory that also crowned him the BMF champion.

    Topuria has built his reputation on a combination of aggressive striking and powerful grappling. Meanwhile, Holloway’s extensive experience and resilience make him a daunting challenge for any opponent.

    “Funk Master” suggests that if Holloway can expertly control the distance and fully capitalize on his reach advantage, he has a real shot at toppling Topuria.

    Sterling Predicts Holloway Might Push Topuria To His Limits In Championship Rounds

    During a recent appearance on Verse Us with Eric Nicksick, Sterling weighed in on the Topuria vs. Holloway clash at UFC 308. The former UFC bantamweight champion acknowledged “El Matador’s” knockout power, yet he pointed out several potential vulnerabilities.

    Sterling believes that if Holloway can maintain the fight on the feet and execute his striking game with precision, it could spell trouble for the defending champion.

    “Topuria is a savage; that guy can crack, but he struggled with Volkanovski in the first round,” Sterling said. “Enter Max Holloway: great footwork, high guard, long punches. He has shorter reach than Volkanovski, but his footwork is what helps him so much in his fights, and he’s great durability. So if he gets back to his kicking game and stays in his range—Topuria, I think, is 5’6″, maybe 5’7″. Max has a shorter reach for a guy at 145 pounds; I think it’s like 67″. So you look at that, you look at Topuria’s great grappling, but Max has great takedown defense. If Max could stay on his bike and touch him from the outside, it would be very interesting to see what happens in the later rounds.”

    “Funk Master” went on to highlight that Topuria’s cardio remains relatively untested, and he suggested that if “Blessed” can extend the fight into the fourth and fifth rounds while maintaining a measured striking approach, it could pose yet another challenge for the undefeated Georgian-Spaniard.

    “We haven’t seen Topuria [get] exhausted or tired yet. In round five with Josh Emmett, he was in the driver’s seat the whole time, but what happens if you could set a little fatigue in him—him having some failed takedown attempts, or even if he gets the takedowns and Max can get back up—it makes the fight very interesting. He’s always in your face with those spinning back kicks. If Max gets back to the old-school Max, it’s a very intriguing fight.”

  • Ilia Topuria Reacts To Max Holloway’s BMF Title Not Being On The Line At UFC 308: ‘When I Beat Him, He Can’t Say He’s A BMF’

    Ilia Topuria Reacts To Max Holloway’s BMF Title Not Being On The Line At UFC 308: ‘When I Beat Him, He Can’t Say He’s A BMF’

    While not officially up for grabs in the UFC 308 main event, Ilia Topuria still believes Max Holloway’s BMF status is at risk of disappearing.

    As has been the case for the past two calendar years, lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev was being lined up to headline the promotion’s annual pay-per-view event in Abu Dhabi in October.

    But with an injury set to keep the Dagestani sidelined until the end of the year or early 2025, the main event spotlight in the Middle East this time around will go to Topuria, the reigning featherweight champion, and all-time great Holloway.

    The pair will do battle for the Georgian-Spaniard’s gold, which he won at the expense of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 this past February. “Blessed,” meanwhile, garnered support for his latest chance to regain the belt by capturing the symbolic BMF strap with an emphatic last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300.

    Putting this matchup together hasn’t appeared to be easy, with both men accusing the other of delaying a booking. On Topuria’s part, he originally suggested that he’d only share the cage with Holloway if the Hawaiian’s BMF belt was also put on the line.

    That wish hasn’t been granted, but “El Matador” claims not to be bothered…

    Topuria On lack Of BMF Stakes At UFC 308: ‘I’m Just Concentrating On My Title Defense’

    During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Topuria looked ahead to his first defense of the featherweight gold this fall.

    The champ confirmed that just his title will be up for grabs come fight night on Oct. 26. But according to Topuria, Holloway will still lose BMF status should “El Matador” deliver the kind of performance he’s expecting in the UFC 308 main event.

    “The BMF title is not going to be on the line,” Topuria said. “To be honest, I don’t care. They took that decision and, at the end of the day, it’s like, when I’m going to beat him, he can’t say he’s a BMF or however they want to call him. I’m just concentrating on my title defense and that’s it. I don’t care about anything else.”

    Topuria will have the chance to make good on his confident pre-fight predictions in close to two months’ time, when his newly started divisional rule meets about as tough a test possible from its first challenger.

  • Ilia Topuria Confident About Knocking Max Holloway Out In The First: ‘Much Easier Than With Volkanovski’

    Ilia Topuria Confident About Knocking Max Holloway Out In The First: ‘Much Easier Than With Volkanovski’

    Ilia Topuria grabbed the UFC featherweight title from Alexander Volkanovski in just his seventh fight for the promotion. He now boasts a perfect 15-0 record and will defend the belt for the first time against Max Holloway at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi on October 26, 2024.

    Many looked past Topuria as an overconfident prospect ahead of the Volkanovski fight because he updated his record and status as the UFC featherweight kingpin on social media beforehand. However, he knocked out the champion in the second and silenced all the doubters.

    “El Matador” is similarly sure about being the first fighter to knock out Holloway, that too in the first. He also claims “Blessed” to be an easier matchup for him than Volkanovski…

    Ilia Topuria Predicts ‘Completely Masterpiece’ Performance Against Max Holloway At UFC 308

    Topuria discussed his first title defense in an interview on the official MMA Junkie YouTube channel recently. He outright rejected fans who rank Holloway’s striking highly and proclaimed himself to be better in all areas.

    “I feel like I’m way better than him everywhere. Simple like that. It’s like, it’s going to be a completely masterpiece, you will see, you will see. I will knock him out in the first round, there’s no doubts about that. It’s going to be even much easier than with Volkanovski because I consider that Volkanovski was like, a way difficult matchup for me and he proved it right? He beat the guy three times.”

    “El Matador” also considers Volkanovski to be a much harder matchup for him than Holloway. “The Great” beat Holloway thrice, and a victory over him could be the source of Topuria’s high confidence.

    Topuria added that Holloway’s been more vocal than usual with him due to fear. He also advised the challenger to avoid the wild swinging exchanges toward the end of rounds as it would make it easier for the champ to get a KO victory.

    The UFC featherweight champion highlighted that he knocked out Volkanovski in seven minutes, unlike Holloway who’s had 75 minutes to do so.

  • Max Holloway Touted To Dispatch Ilia Topuria At UFC 308: ‘That’s Gonna Be His Downfall…’

    Max Holloway Touted To Dispatch Ilia Topuria At UFC 308: ‘That’s Gonna Be His Downfall…’

    Josh Thomson and “Big” John McCarthy recently predicted that Max Holloway could defeat Ilia Topuria at UFC 308, provided “Blessed” keeps the fight focused solely on striking.

    Topuria is poised to defend his featherweight title for the first time against Holloway in the main event of a highly anticipated pay-per-view showdown scheduled for October 26 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

    “El Matador” captured the 145-pound championship this past February, becoming the first UFC champion from Spain by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. Undefeated in the Octagon with a 7-0 record, he boasts five finishes, including impressive victories over Bryce Mitchell and Josh Emmett.

    Meanwhile, Holloway is set for his third attempt to reclaim the featherweight title, which he lost to Volkanovski in December 2019, followed by two unsuccessful rematches. “Blessed” has since bounced back with three consecutive impressive victories, the latest being a dramatic last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje in a lightweight bout, earning him the BMF title at the landmark UFC 300 in April.

    Thomson and McCarthy contend that despite Topuria’s formidable prowess, he will encounter significant difficulty in connecting his strikes against Holloway…

    Thomson Sees Holloway As ‘Stylistically’ Challenging Opponent For Topuria

    During a recent episode of the WEIGHING IN podcast, Thomson previewed the highly anticipated matchup between Topuria and Holloway. The former UFC lightweight fighter lauded “El Matador” for his exceptional striking abilities but pointed out that he will face significant challenges in chasing down the BMF titleholder and finding the right angles to land his shots.

    “Max on the feet, what we saw with him against Justin Gaethje, he can handle the power, he can handle the movement, he can handle the aggressiveness,” Thomson said. “Topuria is going to stalk after him, he’s just going, and Max Holloway is going to be on his bike, sticking and moving, using that long-range jab right in his face… My point is that when Topuria is gonna start stalking after him, he’s gonna start taking those jabs in the opening rounds.”

    “The Punk” added that although Topuria might be relentlessly pursuing the Hawaiian, he is likely to absorb some significant punishment in the process, which could prove decisive.

    “He’s going to be reaching and lunging to get in on Max Holloway, and that’s going to be his downfall. He’s got fight IQ and knows how to use his movement, how to put his combinations together, and how to threaten the body as well as the head. He throws everything at you, including the kitchen sink, and it lands. He’s accurate with his strikes, with no wasted movements. He knows what he’s doing. Topuria, right now, I think is a fantastic fighter; I just think stylistically this is a bad matchup for him.”

  • Sean O’Malley Puts Umar Nurmagomedov Among ‘Lot Of Options’ For Future Opponent: ‘Max, Ilia, Figgy…’

    Sean O’Malley Puts Umar Nurmagomedov Among ‘Lot Of Options’ For Future Opponent: ‘Max, Ilia, Figgy…’

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley doesn’t believe Umar Nurmagomedov is set in stone as his next opponent should he get the better of Merab Dvalishvili this fall.

    Nurmagomedov kept his undefeated record intact at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi by recording the biggest win of his career to date. The Dagestani got the better of Cory Sandhagen in what marked his maiden main event on the sport’s biggest stage.

    Against the former interim title challenger and longtime top-five contender, Nurmagomedov secured a convincing victory on the judges’ scorecards, showcasing his striking and a relentless grappling pursuit in spite of Sandhagen’s strong defense.

    Having added “The Sandman” to his ever-growing résumé, the 28-year-old staked his claim for a first title shot and is widely expected to challenge whoever emerges from O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili’s championship clash at the Sphere this September with the gold in their possession.

    The current champ, however, doesn’t think that is a certainty…

    O’Malley: Nurmagomedov Not Definitely Next After Dvalishvili Defense

    During the latest episode of his TimboSugarShow, O’Malley reflected on Nurmagomedov’s statement-making performance in the Middle East and assessed whether a clash with the Russian lies in his future.

    While many have concluded that Nurmagomedov is next in line after Dvalishvili, “Sugar” dismissed that as a cemented plan, instead pointing to Deiveson Figueiredo — who got the better of Marlon Vera this past weekend — as a possible challenger and reiterating his featherweight ambitions.

    “It’s an interesting matchup, O’Malley vs. Nurmagomedov,” O’Malley said. “Figgy beat ‘Chito’ on the same card. Figgy called me out. That could be next. I don’t know. Max (Holloway) vs. Ilia (Topuria) is coming up; I would love an opportunity to go up to ’45.

    “Max, Ilia, Nurmagomedov, Figgy; I’ve got a lot of options,” O’Malley continued. “I feel like I’ll be able to make a callout. Obviously, last fight I beat ‘Chito,’ called out Ilia, didn’t get that fight. So just because you win, doesn’t mean you’re gonna be able to pick. But if I got out there and flatline Merab, I feel like that callout would mean something. It depends what happens. … Maybe Umar and Figgy fight.”

    Nurmagomedov has previously accused the champ of looking to avoid him, branding his prediction of another withdrawal from the Sandhagen matchup as wishful thinking from an O’Malley who doesn’t like his chances against him.

    “Sugar’s” latest remarks will likely only increase those claims from Nurmagomedov, who now sits behind only Dvalishvili in the UFC bantamweight rankings following his exploits inside the Octagon this past weekend.

  • Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway Headlines UFC 308 In Abu Dhabi On October 26

    Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway Headlines UFC 308 In Abu Dhabi On October 26

    The highly anticipated showdown between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway is set to headline UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi, following Islam Makhachev’s recent revelation that he is dealing with an injury.

    The reigning UFC lightweight champion recently disclosed in an interview with a Russian media outlet that his persistent hand injury, incurred during his fifth-round submission victory over Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 in June, is still causing him problems. This ongoing issue has raised concerns about his ability to defend his title against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 308 on October 26 in Abu Dhabi.

    Makhachev mentioned that the UFC has not yet officially discussed the fight date with his team, but he had anticipated returning to the Octagon this year. However, MRI results have cast serious doubts on his ability to compete as planned.

    With Makhachev leaving a gap at the top of the Middle Eastern card, the UFC has turned to the featherweight title clash between Topuria and Holloway as a replacement to headline UFC 308.

    That was recently confirmed by UFC CEO Dana White in a video uploaded to social media.

    Previously, it was speculated that “El Matador” would make his first title defense against the BMF titleholder at UFC 307, scheduled to take place at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 5.

  • Charles Oliveira Lists 8 Opponent Options For Fans To Choose From For His UFC Return: ‘Who Would You Like To See?’

    Charles Oliveira Lists 8 Opponent Options For Fans To Choose From For His UFC Return: ‘Who Would You Like To See?’

    Charles Oliveira lost a razor-close decision to Arman Tsarukyan last time out at UFC 300, and he’s now looking for a new opponent.

    With 19 post-fight bonuses, the Brazilian’s easily one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC and there are several intriguing matchups for him.

    Oliveira bagged the UFC lightweight championship by beating Michael Chandler in May 2021. He defended it against Dustin Poirier before being stripped after missing weight prior to his victory over Justin Gaethje.

    Since failing to regain the title in his clash with Islam Makhachev, he’s defeated Beneil Dariush and is looking for another high-profile win to get a another shot at the gold.

    From Makhachev to Colby Covington, here are all the fighters that Oliveira is open to facing in his UFC return…

    Oliveira Eyes Rematch Against Makhachev, Also Open To Money Fights With McGregor, Covington, Poirier

    Oliveira recently posted training footage on Instagram and asked his fans to choose his next opponent. He’s willing to fight the following names on the UFC roster:

    • Islam Makhachev
    • Arman Tsarukyan
    • Dustin Poirier
    • Conor McGregor
    • Max Holloway
    • Justin Gaethje
    • Alexander Volkanovski
    • Colby Covington

    Alongside the list, Oliveira declared his intention to fight shortly.

    “Who would you like to see me fight next? The Lion is ready!!”

    “Do Bronx” has already fought Tsarukyan, Makhachev, Poirier, Gaethje, and Holloway. While Makhachev submitted him in the second, he fought through adversity to beat “The Diamond” and “The Highlight.” The fight with Holloway ended due to the Brazilian sustaining a shoulder injury, and fans could look forward to seeing the rematch more than ever now.

    The other matchups on the list won’t necessarily move the needle in the UFC lightweight division. McGregor has lost three out of his last four fights and will most likely return to face Michael Chandler. Volkanovski, meanwhile, is 0-2 in the lightweight division and has yet to rematch Ilia Topuria for the UFC featherweight title.

    Covington is another opponent that “Do Bronx” would fight to entertain the fans. The former interim UFC welterweight champion decisively lost to Leon Edwards in his last fight and appears unlikely to fight for the title again.

    Regardless of the opponent, it is safe to assume that Oliveira will bring the fight to the Octagon and give fans another gritty performance.

  • Max Holloway Gives His Reaction To Not Headlining UFC 306 At The Sphere: ‘I Feel Damaged, Bro…’

    Max Holloway Gives His Reaction To Not Headlining UFC 306 At The Sphere: ‘I Feel Damaged, Bro…’

    The huge event that is planned for UFC 306 at the Sphere in Las Vegas has got its main event, with UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley taking on Merab Dvalishvili.

    Another contender to headline this card was the planned featherweight title fight.

    Ilia Topuria making his first title defense against Max Holloway may just be the best fight of the year but it appears that the two 145-pounders will be meeting at a later date.

    Despite being in the UFC’s good books following his emphatic performance at UFC 300, Holloway is disappointed to have missed out at The Sphere event.

    Max Holloway Reacts To Missing Out On Headlining The Sphere

    During a recent stream, Holloway reacted to the news of the official card announcement for UFC 306, which is set to celebrate Mexican Independence Day.

    “Blessed” was hoping to be a part of the first combat sports event to be hosted at the groundbreaking venue – and for good reason.

    Dana White has promised an event unlike any other, and whilst O’Malley vs Dvalishvili is a fitting main event, Topuria and Holloway might have been even better if online fan reaction is to be gauged.

    The BMF champ gave his thoughts on having to wait a little longer to get his shot at the title that formerly belonged to him.

    “This is how I feel though the about the Sphere card, this is how I feel right here, s*** sucks bro. I feel damaged bro, it should have been us brother. It’s Mexican Independence Day guys, you guys cannot have a Spaniard, who Mexicans got their independence back from, to headline the card on Mexican Independence Day bro. Come on. I was trying to tell you guys but everybody knew that I was fighting in the Sphere, except for me.”

    Read also: UFC 304: Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad 2 Live Results & Highlights

  • MMA News Today: Tom Aspinall Comes Clean On Fake Pre-Fight Routine, Aljamain Sterling Wins Karate Combat Debut In The Final Seconds, & More

    MMA News Today: Tom Aspinall Comes Clean On Fake Pre-Fight Routine, Aljamain Sterling Wins Karate Combat Debut In The Final Seconds, & More

    Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 26, 2024, we’re taking a look at:

    • Aspinall finally puts the petrol rumors to rest
    • Sterling got his hand raised after clutching the match in the final seconds
    • Holloway gives massive praise to UFC 304 fighter

    Tom Aspinall Finally Admits That Strange Pre-Fight Preparations Was A Joke

    Ahead of his interim heavyweight title defense at UFC 304, Tom Aspinall revealed a unique pre-fight process that he was putting himself through in preparation.

    The Brit told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour that he was following the methods of classic bare knuckle boxers by shadow boxing around haybales and dipping his hands in petrol each night.

    Some instantly called it out that Aspinall was in fact trying to trick Helwani but after he didn’t crack a smile at any point, others thought the champion might be telling the truth.

    A video posted on fight week shows one half of this weekend’s co-main event calling Helwani in the middle of the night to provide evidence of his preparations.

    After leading him on for a bit longer, Aspinall confessed that it was all a joke and that he’s having to tell the truth after people thought he was being serious about it.

    Aljamain Sterling Pulls Off A Clutch Win In Karate Combat Grappling Debut

    Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling made his Karate Combat debut on July 25, where he got his hand raised in the final seconds of the contest.

    Competing in the Pit Submission Series, he secured the win over Jay Jay Wilson at Karate Combat 48 in Nashville.

    The contest was nearly about to end in a points draw but with the clock ticking down to the final seconds, Sterling was able to pass guard and take his opponent’s back to score the winning point in the dying moments.

    After the match, a fired-up Sterling said that his full focus is now on handing Movsar Evloev his first loss in a crucial featherweight match-up at UFC 307 in October.

    Also of note for this grappling match is that Sterling weighed in at a staggering 171-pounds.

    Sterling even received praise from his former opponent and the current UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley who phoned in during the match.

    Max Holloway Praises The Fight IQ Of UFC 304 Fighter: ‘Super High, Super Smart’

    Max Holloway believes that the main event of UFC 304 will be a battle between two tacticians that rarely stray from their gameplans.

    Both the welterweight champion Leon Edwards and his challenger Belal Muhammad aren’t known for going out there and being involved in wars.

    With a fight like this, it will come down to which man is able to implement their approach the best and with that in mind, Holloway is backing the champ to retain in Manchester.

    He broke down the card during a recent YouTube video where “Blessed” spoke extremely high of Edwards’s ability to read and control a fight.

    “Belal is a tactician. he’s a gameplanner. He does not stray away from his gameplan,” Holloway said. “But so does Leon, bro. Leon is a tactician. He’s a gameplanner. He sticks to his gameplan no matter what. … A lot of people were counting Leon out (ahead of the Covington fight) like he was gonna get grappled.

    “Leon is one of the very few IQs in this game that I respect, man,” Holloway continued. “His fight IQ is super high, super smart. It’s just hard to go against the champ here, bro. I think Belal puts on a fight. Early in the fight, I think it’s a tough fight. But then when we get to the third and then the championship rounds, I think Leon is gonna take over.”

    Read more on the story here.

    For more MMA news, check out:

  • Max Holloway Lays Heavy Praise On UFC 304 Fighter: ‘One Of The Very Few IQ’s In This Game That I Respect…’ 

    Max Holloway Lays Heavy Praise On UFC 304 Fighter: ‘One Of The Very Few IQ’s In This Game That I Respect…’ 

    It takes a mighty fight IQ to impress Max Holloway, but the UFC’s BMF champion thinks one athlete set to make the walk this weekend has exactly that.

    Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is back across the pond this week, staging an event in a UK city other than London for the first time since pre-pandemic. The host venue falls in Manchester, with two titles fights and a host of intriguing bouts set to go down inside the Co-op Live arena.

    Topping the lineup will be a pair of English titleholders in welterweight kingpin Leon Edwards and interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. While the former targets his third successful defense at the expense of Belal Muhammad, the latter will be putting his strap on the line for the first time opposite Curtis Blaydes.

    Like most, Holloway has his eyes firmly locked on those two championship collisions. And one of them will see a fighter who boasts a particular talent lauded by “Blessed” enter the Octagon…

    Holloway Commends Edwards’ Fight IQ Ahead Of UFC 304

    During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Holloway provided his breakdowns and predictions for the major matchups set to play out in Manchester on Saturday night.

    In terms of the main event, “Blessed” acknowledged that both Edwards and his challenger are “tacticians.” But when it comes to overall fight IQ, the BMF champ suggested that very few can match what “Rocky” brings to the table.

    “Belal is a tactician. he’s a gameplanner. He does not stray away from his gameplan,” Holloway said. “But so does Leon, bro. Leon is a tactician. He’s a gameplanner. He sticks to his gameplan no matter what. … A lot of people were counting Leon out (ahead of the Covington fight) like he was gonna get grappled.

    “Leon is one of the very few IQs in this game that I respect, man,” Holloway continued. “His fight IQ is super high, super smart. It’s just hard to go against the champ here, bro. I think Belal puts on a fight. Early in the fight, I think it’s a tough fight. But then when we get to the third and then the championship rounds, I think Leon is gonna take over.”

    Interestingly, Muhammad has branded his fight IQ as one of the aspects of his game that is being most underrated in the lead-up to UFC 304.

    He’ll look to prove that’s the case by using his intelligence and strategical approach to upset the odds and get the better of Edwards on fight night, achieving his long-held goal of UFC title glory in the process.

  • Alexander Volkanovski Angling To Be Short-Notice Replacement For Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway: ‘I’ll Actually Be Ready This Time…’

    Alexander Volkanovski Angling To Be Short-Notice Replacement For Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway: ‘I’ll Actually Be Ready This Time…’

    Alexander Volkanovski was one of the most active champions on the roster during his UFC featherweight title reign but after losing the belt earlier this year, he’s finally taken some long overdue time off.

    Rather than jumping right back into a rematch with Ilia Topuria following their first encounter at UFC 298, he made the decision to wait and see how things play out.

    In his absence, Topuria is expected to face BMF titleholder Max Holloway in the coming months with a recent social media post from the champion suggesting that an announcement isn’t far away.

    Though Volkanovski is going to be ready and waiting for the winner, he may also be keeping his phone by his side during fight week for the featherweight title bout.

    Alexander Volkanovski Says He Will Be Fight-Ready Just In Case He’s Needed

    It has become a regular joke amongst MMA fans that Volkanovski will answer the call to step in for absolutely anybody after what went down at UFC 294 last year.

    The 145-pound champion, at the time, stepped in on two weeks notice to face lightweight king Islam Makhachev in a rematch and ultimately regretted his decision after the fight didn’t go his way.

    Despite his coaches believing that this was the wrong decision to make at the time, it doesn’t appear to have deterred Volkanovski.

    He openly admitted that he wasn’t in fighting shape when agreeing to face Makhachev but he’s now ready to ensure that if the UFC come calling, he’s good to go.

    During UFC 304 fight week, he told The Mac Life in an interview that though he’s happy to wait to face Topuria or Holloway, he will be just one call away if either man is unfit to compete.

    “It’s a situation obviously, again, I’m going to be getting antsy but you know, we’ve got plenty of good content coming. I’m going to, you know, I will stay ready and Ash [manager] ain’t going to like this one. I’ll be training really hard and fight fit cuz if there is a late notice, cuz that s*** excites me man, it gets me going but I’ll actually be ready for it this time. I’ll make sure I’m in good nick all year round because I want, so even me having that in my head that if you have to save the day here or there, it’s going to help in training, keep things exciting.”

    Read also: Beneil Dariush Brands Teammate Giga Chikadze The ‘Best In The World When He’s On’ Ahead Of UFC 304

  • Renato Moicano & Gilbert Burns Break Down Ilia Topuria’s Next Title Defense: ‘What’s He Gonna Do To Max Holloway? Let’s Be Honest!’

    Renato Moicano & Gilbert Burns Break Down Ilia Topuria’s Next Title Defense: ‘What’s He Gonna Do To Max Holloway? Let’s Be Honest!’

    Ilia Topuria shocked the world by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski for the UFC featherweight title at UFC 298. Rumors suggest that his first title defense will be against Max Holloway.

    Although Holloway has lost thrice to Volkanovski, his brand is at an all-time high after his last-second KO win over lightweight Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. He looked flawless in the Octagon that night, and even called out Topuria following the victory.

    Here’s how a fight between Topuria and Holloway could go down according to other UFC fighters like Renato Moicano and Gilbert Burns…

    Renato Moicano & Gilbert Burns Discuss Whether Ilia Topuria Has The Tools To Beat Max Holloway

    Moicano and Burns discussed Topuria vs. Holloway on the Show Me The Money podcast on YouTube recently. The former UFC welterweight title challenger looked back at the events he’s shared with “Blessed” and appreciated the latter’s hard work and skillset.

    Burns remembered watching Holloway grapple against elite wrestlers ahead of his fight against “The Korean Zombie” at UFC Singapore. He was amazed by the featherweight’s well-roundedness, strength, and physique.

    “He was there, for like a month. oh guys, a high super strong dude. He looks like a 55er, he’s small, but he’s big, he’s very strong dude. I saw him wrestle the good wrestlers, he grappling. Both guys got cardio, both guys got good grappling, they super high level so I gotta, gotta kind of study that fight before.”

    “Durinho” isn’t overlooking Topuria though. He acknowledged that the UFC featherweight kingpin is technically gifted too and has the cardio to match Holloway’s pace.

    “What’s he gonna do to Max Holloway, let’s be honest. Max Holloway, he’s this crazy, he’s just a little bit old.”

    Moicano, on the other hand, isn’t riding on the Topuria hype train. He thinks that “El Matador” cannot harm the former champ on the feet or the ground. The lightweight contender admitted that he picked Volkanovski to beat Topuria too, but he is still not confident about the champ’s ability to get past “Blessed”.

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

  • UFC Featherweight Brands Ilia Topuria ‘Better’ Than Max Holloway, Touts Spaniard As Closest To Jon Jones In P4P Debate

    UFC Featherweight Brands Ilia Topuria ‘Better’ Than Max Holloway, Touts Spaniard As Closest To Jon Jones In P4P Debate

    One of the most anticipated fights of the year is sure to be what many expect as the next UFC featherweight title fixture.

    For many years, Max Holloway has been considered to be the second-best 145-pound fighter on the planet as he wasn’t able to solve the problem that is Alexander Volkanovski.

    With new champion Ilia Topuria steamrolling his way up the featherweight ladder and taking Volkanovski out in February, his first title defense against “Blessed” is one of the best match-ups in MMA today.

    A current featherweight contender believes that in giving Topuria the edge in this fight, he isn’t just better than Holloway, he’s one of the top two in the world today.

    Nathaniel Wood Says Ilia Topuria Is In The Pound-For-Pound Conversation On Skill Alone

    In a recent interview with InsideFighting, London’s Nathaniel Wood spoke about the title fight that is set to go down in his division.

    “The Prospect” is set to return at UFC 304 where he takes on Daniel Pineda after going 3-1 since making the move up from bantamweight.

    He believes that whilst Holloway may have the best chance of anyone else in the mix, “El Matador” is the more skilled fighter overall.

    “See, I see Ilia Topuria as one of the pound-for-pound best at the moment. I think he’s better than Max but I feel like Max could cause him problems with his style and Max is obviously as tough as they come. I do think out of that top 10, if anyone was to beat Topuria, I’d put it on Max Holloway.”

    Elaborating on his high praise for Topuria, Wood put this in context regarding the debate at the top of the pound-for-pound ladder.

    He believes that whilst the current featherweight champion doesn’t have the accolades just yet, his talent and performances prove that he belongs just below the greatest of all time, Jon Jones.

    “Gotta be Jon Jones, I don’t see how anyone can ever go against him, obviously if you’re going off of the CV. Now, Ilia Topuria, I think pound-for-pound one of the best just the way he moves. I think if you look at him on the CV, okay he’s obviously just become the champion. Okay, how can you say he’s the pound-for-pound but you just know when someone’s special and me personally, I think he is.

    “I’ve said before I think he’d be the hardest fight for me in the division when he wasn’t even ranked I think in the top 10, because you can just see when someone’s got that something. Obviously, Alex Pereira, he’s just that knockout machine, you know what I mean but skill set wise, I think Topuria’s a better fighter, better athlete all round.”

    Read also: Paddy Pimblett: ‘Fickle’ MMA Fans Will Be Back On My Side After I Knock Bobby Green Out At UFC 304

  • Report: UFC Expected To Choose O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili For Sphere Main Event Over Topuria vs. Holloway

    Report: UFC Expected To Choose O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili For Sphere Main Event Over Topuria vs. Holloway

    Should current plans come to fruition, the bantamweight gold will be on the line at the Sphere-held Noche UFC event this fall.

    The promotion will stage its sophomore celebration of Mexican Independance Day on September 14. While Las Vegas is once again the host destination, the Octagon will be in much different surroundings this time around.

    Instead of the T-Mobile Arena for the second straight year, the 2024 edition of Noche UFC is set to go down inside the unique Sphere venue. In the lead-up, UFC CEO Dana White has promised a spectacle like nothing seen before.

    That hype initially left many predicting a stacked lineup to mark the occasion, but it seems those wishing for two blockbuster championship fights at the top of the lineup won’t be getting their wish granted…

    Helwani Dismisses Talk Of Both O’Malley & Topuria Defending Titles At The Sphere

    While Alexa Grasso’s second defense of the flyweight title has long been expected high up the card, there’s been considerable uncertainty when it comes to the other major matchups.

    Most notably, champions Sean O’Malley and Ilia Topuria have gone back and forth with their respective expected next challengers, Merab Dvalishvili and Max Holloway, over potential Sphere battles.

    Talk of both bouts taking place on September 14 picked up following comments on the official French-Canadian broadcast of this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Denver.

    Unfortunately, it appears that one of those pairings won’t feature at the Sphere.

    During a recent episode of his show, The MMA Hour, host Helwani provided an update on the UFC’s fall plans and addressed the rumors floating around regarding the Sphere-held pay-per-view.

    “The plan was always the Grasso title defense…and then the plan has for some time been ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley vs. Merab,” Helwani said. “Now, both fights aren’t official just yet. They haven’t been signed. But that has been the plan.

    “If they did go with that fight, then the other plan would be Ilia vs. Max most likely on the October 5 Utah card (UFC 307), which hasn’t been officially announced yet. Also on that card, we suspect, Julianna Peña vs. Raquel Pennington,” Helwani continued. “Can’t imagine they would put a Spaniard on a Noche UFC card.”

    This week also saw White provide additional details on the event, revealing that the plan is for just 10 fights to take place during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

    He also claimed the cost has already exceeded $17 million, supporting Helwani’s mention of finances as the reason why neither the possibility of Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler nor a three title fight card were entertained.

  • Chael Sonnen Urges Max Holloway, Charles Oliveira, & Others To ‘Speak Up’ Amid Islam Makhachev vs. Michael Chandler Rumors

    Chael Sonnen Urges Max Holloway, Charles Oliveira, & Others To ‘Speak Up’ Amid Islam Makhachev vs. Michael Chandler Rumors

    The UFC matchmakers have been on a run since Conor McGregor pulled out of his fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 303. After successfully securing new main and co-main events, their next challenge is to either reschedule the original headliner or get Chandler to return against someone else.

    “Iron” last fought in November 2022, and after waiting for McGregor for almost two years, he might be looking at alternatives. With that, he recently teased that a fight with Islam Makhachev is in the works, but there’s not a lot of optimism around it due to the challenger’s inactivity and record.

    Chael Sonnen, though, would be glad to see Chandler fight for the UFC lightweight championship. However, he also expects other stars in the promotion to build a case for themselves…

    Sonnen Lists Exciting Matchups For Islam Makhachev, Including Max Holloway & Charles Oliveira

    “The American Gangster” discussed the possibility of Makhachev vs. Chandler happening in a video on his official YouTube channel.

    He advised “Iron” to accept the fight without second thoughts but also urged other fighters to make the most of the current lack of contenders at 155 pounds.

    Arman Tsarukyan is out untlil October due to a suspension for punching a fan while walking out at UFC 300. Thanks to a win over Oliveira on the same night, he would appear to be the only obvious contender in the division.

    “This perfect storm, if you will, it has created an opportunity, not to be unmatched by the fact that no other 155-pounder seems to have a problem with it,” Sonnen said. “Like, I read something like Ilia Topuria says that Max Holloway won’t be available so they’re looking for another opponent. Let that go and move down a different road.

    “That would be a fine example. Like, Max, as the BMF champ, challenge Islam or to speak up, or to get in the way of Chandler, would just be one of the many potential examples,” Sonnen added.

    The BMF champ looked at his best against Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 as he scored an iconic last-second KO. “Do Bronx,” meanwhile isn’t out of the title picture as well, according to Sonnen, due to the close nature of his split decision defeat to Tsarukyan.

    “Charles Oliveira, coming off of a loss, same as Chandler, who was in an elimination match with Tsarukyan, which was razor thin,” Sonnen stated. “And somebody somewhere in the world wants to see Charles Oliveira take on Islam. Like, it’d be a really good time for Charles to speak up. And I don’t have to go through each and every 155-pounder.”

    Makhachev has also repeatedly shown interest in fighting Leon Edwards for the UFC welterweight championship.

  • Max Holloway Hits Back At Ilia Topuria Blaming Him For Fight Delay: ‘Guy Is Just Making Things Up At This Stage’

    Max Holloway Hits Back At Ilia Topuria Blaming Him For Fight Delay: ‘Guy Is Just Making Things Up At This Stage’

    If someone is to blame for the lack of a date for their fight, Max Holloway has told UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria that it does not lie at his door.

    Holloway, a former titleholder at 145 pounds, appeared to secure his position as number one contender in the division with his exploits up at lightweight this year.

    Following back-to-back wins over Arnold Allen and “The Korean Zombie” in 2023, “Blessed” returned to 155 pounds to challenge for Justin Gaethje’s symbolic BMF strap at the milestone UFC 300 pay-per-view event this past April.

    After delivering a highlight that is being discussed among the most memorable in UFC history, Holloway outlined his intention to regain the featherweight gold. While Topuria appeared to favor other options, even naming Brian Ortega as a more logical opponent, he’s since vowed to be the first to knock the Hawaiian out.

    That bout is still awaiting official confirmation, however, and “El Matador” claims that personal matters and weight difficulties on the side of Holloway are the cause.

    “It’s not because of me,” Topuria said when asked why the UFC hasn’t announced his first title defense yet. “They called me to say Max Holloway was having family issues, that he was having trouble cutting weight, and that he wanted to fight at a higher weight class. Honestly, I don’t know. I have no idea.”

    It didn’t take long for Holloway to call those remarks out as false…

    Holloway Drops Sphere Event As Preferred Date After Rejecting Topuria Claims

    Following Topuria’s comments while attending the El Matador film presentation in Madrid, “Blessed” quickly took to social media to accuse the champ of “making thing up” regarding why their fight is yet to come to fruition.

    “Guy is just making things up at this stage,” Holloway wrote. “I been ready.”

    When Topuria responded by inviting Holloway to drop a desired date, the former champ pointed to the upcoming pay-per-view at Las Vegas’ Sphere on September 14.

    “Been talking to them brother. You need to check your numbers. Since you said it the Sphere by toe hold. See you soon.”

  • MMA News Today: Insider Reveals Issue That Prevented Dustin Poirier Training Wrestling Pre-UFC 302, Alexa Grasso & Valentina Shevchenko Disagree On Planned Sphere Theme For UFC 306, & More

    MMA News Today: Insider Reveals Issue That Prevented Dustin Poirier Training Wrestling Pre-UFC 302, Alexa Grasso & Valentina Shevchenko Disagree On Planned Sphere Theme For UFC 306, & More

    Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For June 4, 2024, we’re taking a look at:

    • Poirier and Makhachev both had struggles in camp
    • Grasso and Shevchenko have mixed opinions on Noche UFC
    • Sonnen suggests replacement opponent if McGregor pulls out

    Yves Edwards Says Dustin Poirier Couldn’t Grapple Due To Training Injury Two Weeks Before UFC 302

    A lot of fight fans assumed that similar to his fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov, Dustin Poirier would struggle to stop the grappling game of Islam Makhachev at UFC 302.

    Though he was submitted in the final round, the takedown and submission defense of the challenger was at least enough to make the fight competitive.

    This is only more impressive following some recent comments from a former fighter that had insight into his preparations for Newark.

    On SiriuxXM’s MMA Today, Yves Edwards said that Poirier was unable to grapple toward the end of his training camp due to a rib injury.

    “The way he performed on Saturday night, that was super impressive to me, and nobody knows this, and he’s probably gonna be like, ‘Man, why’d you put that out there?’ I know [Makhachev] was also not 100 percent. Nobody goes into a fight a 100 percent. But [Poirier] hurt his ribs like two weeks before the fight and hadn’t wrestled or grappled for like two and a half weeks.” 

    As Edwards stated, the champion wasn’t in his best shape either having confirmed that he suffered a staph infection during his camp that forced him to take a week off.

    Alexa Grasso & Valentina Shevchenko Express Different Impressions On Whether UFC 306 Will Be Noche UFC At The Sphere

    The trilogy fight between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko was seemingly targeted for UFC 306, which would have been a huge occasion.

    After their last fight took place at the very first Noche UFC event, running it back at the first event inside the Sphere made a lot of sense.

    However, former champion Valentina Shevchenko made it perfectly clear that after the scorecard controversy last time out, she wasn’t keen on the idea of running it back on this particular showcase.

    She expressed in a recent interview ahead of the premiere of their time coaching across from each other on The Ultimate Fighter that the card was no longer being planned around the celebration of Mexican Independence Day.

    This was seemingly news to the champion Grasso who said the opposite after being played a clip of Shevchenko’s comments during an interview with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn.

    “Well as I know, it’s gonna be Noche UFC again. I mean, I’ve seen a few interviews from Dana White and he’s saying that it’s a love letter for the Mexican Independence Day, for the Mexican fighters that he has.”

    Chael Sonnen Pitches Title Fight For Michael Chandler If Conor McGregor Withdraws From UFC 303

    The late-notice cancellation of the UFC 303 press conference has got fight fans worried about whether the main event will go ahead.

    For seemingly months on end, there were questions of whether Conor McGregor would ever return to face Michael Chandler or whether that ship was sailing. Everything appeared to be heading in the right direction once the fight was made official for June 29. Now, back-up plans are starting to be questioned.

    Chael Sonnen expressed on a recent episode of the Good Guy/Bad Guy show on ESPN MMA that he can’t see McGregor pulling out of the fight no matter what.

    He did also add that if “The Notorious” can’t fight, the UFC should have the BMF champion on speed dial ready to save the show.

    “One of Conor’s codes is the show must go on… I just don’t believe, a month in advance — whether it’s illness, injury, or any other excuse — that Conor’s gonna be the one that pulls,” Sonnen said. “But I will tell you this, there will be no postponement of this fight. They either fight on the 29th or we move on.

    “I believe Conor’s gonna be opposite Michael Chandler. I’m very confident in telling you that,” Sonnen continued. “However, if he’s not, Michael Chandler versus Max Holloway for the BMF is the fight to book.”

    Read more on the story here.

    For more MMA news, check out:

  • VIDEO: Justin Gaethje Shares First Training Footage Since Brutal KO Loss To Max Holloway At UFC 300

    Former interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje is back in light training a month and a half on from a devastating defeat in Las Vegas.

    While it appeared last year that a memorable victory over Dustin Poirier had netted Gaethje a third shot at undisputed title glory, his subsequent assignment was instead a defense of the symbolic BMF belt.

    On the main card of last month’s milestone UFC 300 pay-per-view, “The Highlight” put the strap on the line in a highly anticipated clash with Max Holloway. While the featherweight legend’s previous venture to 155 pounds left many favoring Gaethje pre-fight, “Blessed” put on a masterclass.

    And after moving ahead on the scorecards, Holloway ultimately closed the show in emphatic fashion with a buzzer-beating knockout that left Gaethje face down on the Octagon canvas.

    Gaethje Back In Training 6 Weeks On From UFC 300 Defeat

    Given the brutal nature of the finish, fans aren’t expecting to see Gaethje back inside the cage anytime soon. The ex-interim champ has admitted that it would be ill-advised for him to return to sparring within six months of the UFC 300 loss.

    “The Highlight” has, however, been letting his fists fly again. In a recent video on social media, Gaethje shared footage of his return to light training. He donned the boxing gloves to hit the heavy bag, which you can watch here.

    “Trying to get back in the routine,” he wrote in the caption.

    The 35-year-old Arizona native has appeared to remain positive despite the setback, which stalled his plans to finally reach the lightweight throne at the expense of current kingpin Islam Makhachev.

    In the immediate aftermath, Gaethje reassured his fans that he was still in “great spirits” and offered his congratulations to Holloway, who became the third BMF champ on April 13.

    With his defeat, former two-time opponent Poirier will mark the next challenge for Makhachev to overcome. The pair will collide in the main event of this weekend’s UFC 302 event in Newark, New Jersey.

    Holloway, meanwhile, is in hot pursuit of Ilia Topuria’s featherweight gold.

  • Volkanovski Admits Regret Over “Silly” Tweet About Holloway’s Injury

    UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski has looked back on his response to Max Holloway’s injury and subsequent recovery, describing his remarks as “silly.”

    After securing a decision victory over Yair Rodriguez in a FOTY contender last November, a win that secured his second headlining triumph of 2021, Holloway appeared set for a third crack at adding the opening blemish to Volkanovski’s UFC record, a feat he’d failed to manage in 2019 and 2020.

    In January, it was announced the pair would headline UFC 272 this month. But after agitating a previous injury, “Blessed” was forced to withdraw, paving the way for “The Korean Zombie” to step in for the Australian’s next defense, which was moved to UFC 273 in April.

    But after making a fast recovery, Holloway was reportedly keen to serve as backup for the April 9 pay-per-view main event, something that clearly agitated the 145-pound champ, who took to Twitter to accuse his rival of faking the injury.

    After many came out in support of Holloway, suggesting the former titleholder would never create an excuse to pull out, Volkanovski has now admitted his tweet was out of line.

    Volkanovski Walks Back Holloway Accusations

    During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Volkanovski was asked whether he’d received any more information about Holloway’s apparent willingness to be the backup fighter for UFC 273.

    In his response, “The Great” took the opportunity to address his previous remark. Volkanovski admitted he let his frustration and confusion get the better of him, something he says he’s been working to avoid moving forward.

    “I didn’t get clarification (on Holloway’s willingness to be backup for UFC 273). Obviously, I heard about it, and obviously, it was frustrating,” said Volkanovski. “At the time, you know, I really wanted that fight. So once he got injured after they’d already announced it early, it was all a little bit confusing and frustrating. So you’ve seen my frustration. I wanted to tweet and get that—have a little shot at Max and his fans. But that was the only reason, which was pretty silly on my behalf, to be honest. That just shows you where my head was at back then. That’s something that I’ve really been working on lately.

    Alexander Volkanovski Max Holloway
    Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway (Image Credit: Louis Grasse/PxImages & Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

    “I bring that up just purely because, as you could see, it obviously, things that I’d say—I don’t know if he (Holloway) even asked for that (backup slot), let’s be real,” added Volkanovski. “That could’ve just been, I think it was Brett Okamoto who put it out there? I was like, ‘What, how is this gonna work? As if we’re gonna have out trilogy on a late-replacement.’ So I was a little frustrated. But for me to even let it get to me, and we don’t even know the real story behind it, it just shows me how much I was diving into the wrong sh*t, if that makes sense? I felt like I had to say something about it when I didn’t even know if it was true.”

    With Holloway seemingly ready to go in April and beyond, it stands to reason the victor of next month’s PPV main event will be standing opposite the Hawaiian in the Octagon soon after.

    If Volkanovski manages to secure his third title defense and 21st consecutive MMA victory in Jacksonville next month, the much-awaited trilogy should be a go.

    Do you agree with Alexander Volkanovski? Were his comments directed to Max Holloway unnecessary?

  • Korean Zombie: Max Holloway’s Recovery “Doesn’t Make Sense”

    UFC featherweight contender “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung has questioned Max Holloway’s fast recovery from injury, which has seen the former champion pursue backup status for UFC 273.

    In the pay-per-view’s main event, reigning 145-pound king Alexander Volkanovski will hope to successfully defend his gold for the third time. In his way of doing so will be a UFC veteran renowned for his exciting style and thrilling performances throughout over a decade in the promotion.

    Volkanovski was initially slated to share the Octagon with Holloway, who’d earned another shot at reclaiming the belt with 2021 victories over Calvin Kattar and Yair Rodriguez, for a third time at next month’s UFC 272 event.

    When “Blessed” withdrew after aggravating a previous injury, the hunt for a replacement was on. Despite the pitches from Giga Chikadze, Henry Cejudo, Josh Emmett, and Rodriguez, it was “The Korean Zombie” who was granted the chance to dethrone “The Great” Volkanovski at the April 9 event.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZnhjU5tQNd/

    Despite withdrawing from his scheduled trilogy bout with Volkanovski, it was recently revealed that Holloway has returned to training and is even open to serving as a backup fighter for the UFC 273 headliner.

    Korean Zombie Joins The Sceptical Side

    While Volkanovski made his feelings about the fast recovery crystal clear in a post on Twitter, accusing his rival of faking an injury in order to avoid a potential third defeat to the Aussie, others, including former opponent Kattar, have suggested it’s wrong to question Holloway’s withdrawal.

    Now, with opinion largely split, the new next challenger for the featherweight strap has given his take on the latest revelations. During an interview with The Schmo, “The Korean Zombie” suggested Holloway’s ability to make the UFC 273 event “doesn’t make sense.”

    Nevertheless, Jung claimed that while he won’t be pulling out himself, he’s open to an interim title clash with “Blessed” should Volkanovski be forced out of the PPV for whatever reason.

    “It doesn’t make sense that he’s gonna be ready to go in a month,” Jung said via Coach Eddie Cha. “It’s pretty crazy. (I) won’t be getting injured. (I’ll) be making April 9th. So, if Volkanovski gets injured, (I’m) down to fight Holloway.”

    If Holloway is not required on April 9, it’s likely the UFC 273 main event victor will be standing opposite him in the cage later this year for what will either be Volkanovski’s third clash with “Blessed” and fourth title defense, or Zombie’s first defense and first meeting with Holloway.

    What do you make of Alexander Volkanovski and “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung’s comments about Max Holloway’s fast recovery?

  • Calvin Kattar: It’s Crazy To Question Holloway For Volk Trilogy Withdrawal

    UFC featherweight contender Calvin Kattar has given his take on champion Alexander Volkanovski accusing Max Holloway of faking an injury to avoid their trilogy fight.

    Last month it was announced that Holloway, coming off a pair of memorable victories over Kattar and Yair Rodriguez in 2021, would be the next challenger to Volkanovski’s 145-pound reign. Since the Australian dethroned “Blessed” in December 2020 and subsequently defended the belt against him six months later, he’s retained the belt with a five-round win against Brian Ortega.

    But just days after the trilogy was announced, it was off. Holloway withdrew after aggravating a previous injury. In his place, “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung stepped up, and Volkanovski’s first appearance of 2022 got pushed back a month to UFC 273.

    But in a surprising turn of events, ESPN recently reported that Holloway was back in training and eager to serve as a backup option for the April pay-per-view main event.

    After hearing the news, the champion took to Twitter to accuse his rival of faking an injury in order to avoid another loss to him. Prior to the booking and recent revelations, “The Great” had already suggested Holloway may look to avoid a third clash with him because another defeat would be damaging to the former titleholder’s legacy.

    Kattar: Holloway Doesn’t Dodge Anybody

    While others have also questioned the quick development from withdrawal to full training, #5-ranked featherweight contender Kattar believes it is “crazy” to suggest Holloway would dodge an opponent.

    During a media scrum at UFC 271 this past weekend, “The Boston Finisher” was asked for his take on the matter. Having felt Holloway’s toughness first hand last January, Kattar doesn’t believe Holloway would fake an injury or avoid a fight, especially considering his willingness to face the returning Rodriguez last November.

    “I’m not reading too much into it. I mean, as a fight fan, that would’ve been a good matchup, watching him and the champ go back at it, third time running it, especially after the last two,” Kattar said. “As far as what got him ready (to be backup) and whatnot, I’m not reading too far into that.

    “I feel like to question Max, man, it’s kind of crazy. He took the Yair fight when he didn’t really need to,” Kattar continued. “He was next in line for the champ anyway, but he took it. The champ and Max, I think, are two guys that don’t really dodge anybody and wanna fight the best guys in the world, so I got a lot of respect for them.”

    With Holloway’s recovery and availability for April, it stands to reason “Blessed” will get another chance to reclaim the 145-pound gold later this year. But for now, it’s the turn of UFC veteran “The Korean Zombie.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZnhjU5tQNd/

    Do you agree with Calvin Kattar’s take on Max Holloway’s withdrawal and recovery?