MMA News

Tag: UFC 307

  • Former Champ Cautions Alex Pereira: Don’t Overlook ‘Kickboxer Killer’ Khalil Rountree

    Former Champ Cautions Alex Pereira: Don’t Overlook ‘Kickboxer Killer’ Khalil Rountree

    Michael Bisping recently warned Alex Pereira, urging him not to underestimate the formidable threat that Khalil Rountree brings to their upcoming clash.

    “Poatan” is preparing for his third light heavyweight title defense in 2024, as he is set to square off against Rountree in the main event of UFC 307, scheduled for October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

    Pereira has been an indomitable force since storming into the 205-pound division, kicking things off with a decisive win over Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291. His meteoric rise continued as he claimed the vacant light heavyweight title with a dominant victory over Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295.

    From there, the Brazilian striking phenom wasted no time solidifying his reign, successfully defending his belt twice in just two months. His most recent triumph came with a second-round knockout of Prochazka in their rematch at UFC 303.

    As for Rountree, many have raised concerns about the fight, citing “The War Horse’s” suspension for the consumption of the banned substance Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which is set to end on September 18. Meanwhile, others contend that Magomed Ankalaev would have been a more deserving challenger for Pereira’s title.

    However, “The Count” believes that Rountree possesses the complete arsenal needed to threaten Pereira’s striking-centric style…

    Bisping Uncertain About Pereira’s Chances Facing Rountree

    In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Bisping weighed in on ‘Poatan’s’ callout of UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis. The UFC Hall of Famer was quick to point out that Pereira has a more immediate challenge looming in the form of Rountree, one he can’t afford to overlook.

    “He’s the light heavyweight champion of the world,” Bisping said. “Being the light heavyweight champion comes with some responsibility. Now, as I said, first and foremost, number one, he’s got people to fight already—he’s fighting Khalil Rountree. You cannot look past killer Khalil. He’s the kickboxer killer, he really is. Think about this: he beat Gokhan Saki, a very good kickboxer who transitioned to MMA, and Dustin Jacoby, another excellent Glory kickboxer who moved to MMA. Could he do the same to Alex Pereira? I don’t know—it’s a tough ask.

    Widely regarded as one of the most dangerous strikers in MMA, Pereira’s legacy as a two-division Glory Kickboxing champion strikes fear into opponents. While conventional wisdom suggests that wrestling is the blueprint to topple him, Rountree sees things differently.

    Though Rountree doesn’t dispute the wrestling strategy, he’s made it clear that he wants to keep the fight standing and deliver a striking masterclass.

  • Aljamain Sterling Calls Movsar Evloev A Drug Cheat: ‘Same Thing People Were Saying About TJ Dillashaw…’

    Aljamain Sterling Calls Movsar Evloev A Drug Cheat: ‘Same Thing People Were Saying About TJ Dillashaw…’

    Aljamain Sterling may not hold any ill-will against his next opponent but he does have some serious accusations about him.

    At UFC 307, the former bantamweight champion will look to produce back-to-back wins since moving up to featherweight.

    In order to build on his UFC 300 victory over Calvin Kattar, he will need to hand Movsar Evloev the first loss of his career.

    The 18-0 Russian has clearly been one of the best in the division since his arrival in the UFC but in “Funkmaster”, faces a very tough test.

    Sterling recently made some comments to suggest that all of Evloev’s accomplishments have been unfairly assisted during his career.

    Aljamain Sterling Says He’s Heard Stories Of Movsar Evloev Being A Drug Cheat, Teaching Others His Methods

    In a recent interview with Jake Noecker for Home of Fight, Sterling said that he believes that Evloev has been cheating at some stage in his career by using performance-enhancing drugs.

    He said that he has his suspicions as to whether his upcoming opponent in Salt Lake City on October 5 is a clean athlete because of things that he has been told in the past.

    Though he did make it very clear that he has no firm evidence of this, Sterling says that they have mutual friends that he used to train with, who are now a part of Evloev’s camp or were, at one point in time.

    The former 135-pound king compared what he has heard to when Cody Garbrandt acted as a whistle-blower against his former teammate TJ Dillashaw and wasn’t taken seriously, only for the former champion to later test positive for EPO.

    “I just think, from what I’ve heard through the grapevine, he’s not a clean athlete and I think that’s just what it comes down to and people can say whatever, ‘You have no proof.’ I’m like dude, the same thing people were saying about TJ Dillashaw from years ago, him teaching people how to do it, Cody Garbrandt calling him out at the press conference and everyone sweeping it under the rug, telling TJ to his face that you taught everyone how to do it. Those conversations are not very different from what I’ve had about Movsar and I think where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

    “Do I have any hard evidence like did I see the guy stick a needle up his a**? No. Did he pop for anything yet? No, maybe he never will but at the day, only him and his consciousness will know if he’s truly a clean athlete or not and I really so believe, I truly do believe he knows he’s cheating. It is what it is, I’m gonna fight him, I’ve fought multiple guys who’ve done stuff, whether or not they got caught.”

    Read also: Alex Pereira Reiterates Plan For Middleweight Return Post-UFC 307, Magomed Ankalaev Reacts With Anger

  • Former Khalil Rountree Training Partner Predicts First-Round Knockout For ‘Guy Of The Moment’ Alex Pereira

    Former Khalil Rountree Training Partner Predicts First-Round Knockout For ‘Guy Of The Moment’ Alex Pereira

    The main event of UFC 307 is sure to be an exciting contest while it lasts as knockout artists compete for the light heavyweight title in Salt Lake City.

    Many were surprised to see Khalil Rountree get the next shot at Alex Pereira’s title but in some ways, the match-up speaks for itself.

    A lot is going to be made from now up to October 5 about Rountree’s comments regarding his willingness to stand and strike with the former GLORY kickboxer.

    Despite rating his skills as a fighter and his conduct as a person, a former training partner of his isn’t sure that he can hang in there against “Poatan”.

    Carlos Prates Can’t See How Khalil Rountree Will Compete With Alex Pereira On The Feet

    In a recent interview with Sherdog.com, breakout welterweight Carlos Prates gave his thoughts on the main event clash at 205 pounds.

    As someone who has spent some time in the company of Rountree, he was able to give an educated prediction for this fight.

    Prates, like many, simply doesn’t believe that Rountree will be able to have success when striking with Pereira, even if he has been very effective on the feet.

    The 170-pounder picked out Magomed Ankalaev, who many expected would be next for the title shot, as the only fighter that might be able to cause Pereira some problems, likely due to his grappling game.

    “To be honest, I train before with Khalil Rountree. He’s a nice guy, he’s a good fighter but I don’t think he can fight with ‘Poatan’. ‘Poatan’ is a different level of striking. I also see an interview of Khalil, he saying he have no plans to try take down so I think he, the first round, ‘Poatan’ gonna knock him out and that’s it. In light heavyweight, maybe Ankalaev can fight good against him but that’s it. Other guys, I don’t think they win the fight against ‘Poatan’. now ‘Poatan’ is the guy of the moment, the guy of the UFC right now.”

    Read also: Khalil Rountree Receives Lighter Sentence After Self-Reporting PED Usage

  • Shavkat Rakhmonov Trusts UFC’s Meritocracy To Prevent Conor McGregor Title Shot Hijack, Reveals Belal Muhammad Turned Down UFC 307 Date

    Shavkat Rakhmonov Trusts UFC’s Meritocracy To Prevent Conor McGregor Title Shot Hijack, Reveals Belal Muhammad Turned Down UFC 307 Date

    Shavkat Rakhmonov hasn’t put a foot wrong during his ascent up the welterweight ladder towards a title shot.

    With a undefeated record and all of his wins coming via finish, the 170-pound contender appears to be set up to challenge Belal Muhammad for the belt next time out. unless something unexpected occurs.

    The UFC has been known to temporarily swerve the rankings if it means putting something big together and when you’re talking big in MMA, there’s no one larger than Conor McGregor.

    Despite there being no rescheduled date for his welterweight return against Michael Chandler, “The Notorious” returning with a win could completely change the top of the weight class.

    Rakhmonov spoke in a recent interview with MMA Fighting about how he believes the promotion will do right by him even in the instance that “The Mac” is back in the mix.

    “He’s been getting ready to fight a long time but wasn’t able to do that yet so in my head, I don’t even think about him winning this one fight in three years is going to do something. I understand he’s a big star but in my head, I don’t see it being possible. I believe UFC is the best and the most fair organization so I believe they’re gonna do everything right.”

    Shavkat Rakhmonov Reveals That Belal Muhammad Turned Down UFC 307 Title Fight

    Though there has been some debate over whether Rakhmonov will definitely be the next title challenger for Muhammad, the contender answered this question all by himself.

    He revealed during the same interview that he has already been offered the title shot but it didn’t come to fruition due to the champion not being able to make a 70-day turnaround to fight at elevation in Salt Lake City, Utah.

    Alex Pereira will be headlining UFC 307 instead, which always seemed to be an optimistic target for Muhammad after he won the belt at the end of July.

    “Yeah, actually I had already been offered to fight Belal and I accepted the fight against Belal but unfortunately, he declined to fight me due to the timing issues, he wasn’t ready to defend his belt on that time. So, we’ll see what’s gonna happen and when he’s gonna be ready so I will be able to fight him. Before he became a champion and after he won the belt, he said he’s gonna be an active champion and he will defend his belt more often but at the moment, he isn’t backing up what he said so let’s see what’s going to happen, when he’s going to be ready to fight me.”

    Read also: Khalil Rountree Says He Would Fire His Coaches If They Insisted He Grapple Alex Pereira

  • Khalil Rountree Says He Would Fire His Coaches If They Insisted He Grapple Alex Pereira

    Khalil Rountree Says He Would Fire His Coaches If They Insisted He Grapple Alex Pereira

    Khalil Rountree has made it pretty clear that if he’s going to leave UFC 307 on October 5 with the light heavyweight title, and he’s going to do it with his striking skills.

    The title challenger is a very skilled and dangerous stand-up fighter who has finished four of the five wins on his current streak.

    However, standing with most opponents and standing with Alex Pereira are two extremely different prospects.

    The current 205-pound champion and former GLORY kickboxing legend is one of the best strikers that we have seen inside the Octagon, meaning that if there’s a best path to victory against him, it’s to avoid the striking range altogether.

    Rountree wouldn’t even consider this as a potential backup plan because it’s not who he is as a fighter.

    Khalil Rountree Says Coaches Asking Him To Grapple Would Show Lack Of Confidence

    In a recent interview with former middleweight champion Michael Bisping on his YouTube channel, “The Count” posed a question to Rountree about his strategy for this fight.

    Bisping asked what his thoughts would be if his coach were to come to the title challenger and suggest that for this fight, they implement a grappling-focused game plan because it’s the weaker part of Pereira’s game.

    Rountree responded by saying that even just this idea would make him have serious doubts in his coaches because of how much time they have spent working on his striking.

    Whilst he may be able to grapple when he needs to, this would mean completely going against what it is that he does best. which would show a lack of faith in his ability to get the job done.

    “If it were my coach, I’d say maybe I need to look for another coach man. Yeah I mean, it doesn’t make sense, I’m not a wrestler. Yes, I’m a mixed martial artist, I’m able to do a lot of different things.

    “My grappling’s good, my wrestling’s decent but that’s just not me, that’s not my instinct and so like why would I put myself in harm’s way to try to secure this victory when that’s just not me, that’s just not my style.

    “So it would just show me that if my coach were telling me, ‘Hey this is the way’, I’d be like man, who are you coaching because this has never been the game plan so why at the height of my career would we switch everything that we’ve ever done to secure some victory? Like where is your belief in what I do? So it would make me question my coaches if anything.”

    Read also: Khalil Rountree Receives Lighter Sentence After Self-Reporting PED Usage

  • Khalil Rountree Receives Lighter Sentence After Self-Reporting PED Usage

    Khalil Rountree Receives Lighter Sentence After Self-Reporting PED Usage

    Khalil Rountree can now breathe a sigh of relief, having recently received a reduced penalty for self-reporting his use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).

    “The War Horse” withdrew from his scheduled bout against Jamahal Hill in the co-main event of UFC 303 on June 29, after disclosing that he had tested positive for a banned substance known as Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a type of steroid hormone.

    Rountree explained that he had been using a customized supplement and that the provider had mistakenly delivered a tainted product containing the prohibited substance.

    However, according to a recent report by MMA journalist John Morgan, the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) announced on Thursday that Rountree’s ongoing sanction, which began on May 4, has been reduced to four and a half months.

    Alongside the suspension, which wraps up on September 18, “The War Horse” has been ordered to pay prosecution fees amounting to $157. The NAC highlighted that Rountree’s proactive self-reporting played a crucial role in mitigating his penalty.

    With the reduced suspension, Rountree is now cleared to participate in his eagerly awaited title bout against reigning light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, slated to headline UFC 307 on October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

    Rountree is coming off a third-round knockout victory over former title challenger Anthony Smith at a Fight Night event in December 2023. He is currently riding a five-fight win streak, including finishes over Chris Daukaus, Karl Roberson, and Modestas Bukauskas.

  • Alex Pereira Defends UFC Against Backlash To Khalil Rountree Title Shot: ‘The Way Ankalaev Has Been Acting…’

    Alex Pereira Defends UFC Against Backlash To Khalil Rountree Title Shot: ‘The Way Ankalaev Has Been Acting…’

    Alex Pereira has taken to playing defense on behalf of the UFC following the announcement of his next title defense.

    In the days prior to UFC 305, UFC CEO Dana White officially announced UFC 307 on Oct. 5 in Salt Lake City, with Alex Pereira defending his UFC light heavyweight championship in the main event against Khalil Rountree.

    The UFC was met with backlash over the selection of Rountree as the title challenger. “The War Horse” has won five straight and has Performance of the Night bonuses in three of his last four wins. Rountree, however, is only ranked #8, coming off back-to-back finishes of Chris Daukaus and Anthony Smith.

    Many were instead clamoring and believing that the next challenger would be Magomed Ankalaev, who will instead face Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 308 later that month. The Russian, ranked #2 at light heavyweight, is coming off a huge knockout of Johnny Walker from the start of 2024.

    The decision to pick Rountree over Ankalaev has left many feeling that the UFC and CEO Dana White still hold a grudge against him for the UFC 282 light heavyweight title fight with Jan Błachowicz that ended in a draw. That was despite many feeling Ankalaev deserved the nod that night.

    In a new YouTube video, however, Pereira claimed that while he also hoped for a fight with Ankalaev, the Dagestani does not want to fight him.

    “I always wanted to fight against Ankalaev,” Pereira said via translation. “I threw that to the organization, left it very clear, but Ankalaev didn’t want to fight against me. I don’t know the reason — if it was the location, if he just didn’t want to.

    “He isn’t the champion; he can’t pick anything. I think it’s the opportunity that shows up; he didn’t want it. He has his reasoning. I don’t know what it is,” Pereira continued. “Came to tell you guys, I’m not scared of anyone, and everyone knows my history.

    Alex Pereira Claims Magomed Ankalaev Refused To Fight Him, Promises Striking War With Khalil Rountree

    Pereira added that the way Ankalaev is acting, in his mind, could result in him not taking the fight with Rakić seriously and costing himself an eventual title shot.

    “Ankalaev is talking about Jiří (Procházka), saying he is a false fighter, that he isn’t good since he lost two times to me. Everyone knows my story, seen my fights, not just UFC but also in (GLORY) Kickboxing, what I did to my opponents. He is taking these two fights to talk bad about the guy. I think Ankalaev has to be very careful with Rakić. The way Ankalaev has been acting his last fights, no one likes it. Fight was a tie, everyone saw it.

    “I think he should watch out for Rakić. He is talking a lot about me, he is going to knock me out and all that. It’s what he says, but at the time, we’ll see if that’s what it is. But I think he should watch out with this fight. (It’s a) very dangerous fight for him; maintain focus on this fight because he is getting a tough opponent.”

    Pereira added that despite Rountree’s ranking, the UFC thinks it’s the best matchup stylistically and that he is confident they will put on an entertaining performance.

    Pereira, furthermore, pointed out his own meteoric rise to the top of the UFC as reason people should not count Rountree out.

    “I think he is a guy showing work,” Pereira said. “It is going to be a good fight for us both. We both like to strike. Not just good for us, but for who is watching. Like I said, I thought it was going to be Ankalaev, but I think the organization sees it as a guy who will give a good fight. They are doing all this for you guys, to please you guys. Same way how I wasn’t ranked. Things happen very fast; look at what you guys get whenever I fight.

    “So I think they are thinking the same thing for Khalil, giving him this opportunity. Ranking doesn’t matter. What matters is the work he has been doing, giving a show. I think it will be a good fight.”

  • Chael Sonnen Feels Khalil Rountree Fight Will Fast Track Alex Pereira’s Heavyweight Move: ‘The Best Way, Get Him Beat!’

    Chael Sonnen Feels Khalil Rountree Fight Will Fast Track Alex Pereira’s Heavyweight Move: ‘The Best Way, Get Him Beat!’

    Chael Sonnen recently suggested that Alex Pereira’s upcoming clash with Khalil Rountree could be the ideal launchpad for the Brazilian’s much-anticipated leap into the UFC heavyweight division.

    “Poatan” is gearing up to defend his light heavyweight crown for the third time as he faces Rountree in the headline bout at UFC 307, slated for October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

    However, numerous fans have voiced their apprehensions about the matchup, pointing to Rountree’s ongoing suspension for the unintentional intake of the banned substance Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Meanwhile, others argue that Magomed Ankalaev, currently on a 12-fight unbeaten streak, would have been a more fitting contender for the 205-pound title.

    As for Pereira, anticipation is swirling around his future, with many wondering what’s next for the striking phenom who has already claimed titles in two weight classes. He has hinted at the possibility of moving up to the heavyweight division, where he could potentially become the UFC’s first-ever three-division champion.

    However, before he can chase that historic milestone, “Poatan” must first conquer the formidable challenge posed by the heavy-hitting Rountree. Sonnen believes that the fight with “The War Horse” could be pivotal in shaping Pereira’s path forward…

    Sonnen Thinks Pereira Will Jump To Heavyweight If Rountree Hands Him A Loss

    During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Sonnen delved into the upcoming title clash between Pereira and Rountree. The former UFC middleweight title contender remarked that “The War Horse” might be the most stylistically challenging opponent Pereira has faced to date.

    “Khalil Rountree is going to roll over Alex Pereira,” Sonnen said. “So all of this talk about Khalil not deserving a [title shot], Khalil should not be in those positions—there’s only one person that needs to believe that, and that is Alex Pereira. It’s a very, very dangerous fight, and why on Earth take the risk? We think that we know, whether we do or not, but we have a consensus as to why not Ankalaev?”

    Sonnen went on to suggest that the quickest and most efficient path for “Poatan” to transition to the heavyweight division would be if he suffers a defeat at the hands of Rountree at UFC 307. Such a loss would relieve him of the obligation to defend his 205-pound title.

    “The best way to get Alex to heavyweight—because we can’t make him a heavyweight tomorrow if he’s got the 205-pound belt—is to remove the 205-pound belt from the equation. We could all agree with that, right? Anyone not fighting for a title can move weight classes right now. So, the best way to get him to heavyweight is not to clean out the division and keep doing more work and saying all the right things on social media. That is a way, but it takes a lot of time and some luck. The best way? Get him beat, get the belt off him, and he’s free to become a heavyweight.”

    Pereira has been an unstoppable force since his commanding entrance into the 205-pound division, starting with a decision victory over Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291. He went on to capture the vacant light heavyweight title in a showdown with Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295 and has since successfully defended his crown, notching two defenses within just two months. Most recently, he delivered a stunning second-round knockout against Prochazka in a rematch at UFC 303.

  • Khalil Rountree Responds To Critics Of Title Fight Against Alex Pereira: ‘Couldn’t Even Call Them True Fans If You’re Not Happy’

    Khalil Rountree Responds To Critics Of Title Fight Against Alex Pereira: ‘Couldn’t Even Call Them True Fans If You’re Not Happy’

    Khalil Rountree recently clapped back at critics who questioned his title shot against reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.

    Last week, UFC CEO Dana White made waves by announcing that Rountree will challenge Pereira in the headline bout of UFC 307, set for October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

    The fight announcement raised eyebrows, as “The War Horse” is still serving a suspension for the inadvertent use of the banned substance Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which was found in one of the supplements he was using while preparing for his scheduled bout against Jamahal Hill at UFC 303 this past June.

    Rountree is still under suspension from the Nevada Athletic Commission, which extended his two-month temporary ban during a hearing last month. With the 34-year-old Californian now slated to fight in October, it’s likely he has already reached a settlement with the commission, though the official announcement is expected at a later date.

    However, many from the MMA community, including fellow fighters, have voiced disapproval of the upcoming fight, citing Rountree’s suspension and questioning his place in the UFC light heavyweight rankings. Yet, “The War Horse” remains undeterred by the critics…

    Rountree Admits Title Fight Opportunity Was Unexpected

    During a recent interview with MMAFightingonSBN, Rountree opened up about the announcement of his title fight against Pereira. The seasoned light heavyweight contender revealed that he received an unexpected call from UFC CBO Hunter Campbell, who offered him the chance to face “Poatan” in October.

    “I got a call from Hunter,” Rountree said. “I was having a bad day that day, dealing with some other stuff, and he was like, ‘Hey, I’ll make your day better; we’ve got this opportunity for you to fight Alex in October.’ It kind of came by surprise, but of course, I’m going to accept.”

    “The War Horse” also responded to the naysayers who have been downplaying his title shot, acknowledging that it’s out of his hands but making it clear that he’s not letting the negativity distract him from his goal.

    “I understand that people are upset. Whatever. It’s not my problem, for one. It’s not my problem. It’s out of my control. They give me the call, I take it. Let them deal with their own problems. Let them talk to the UFC. Whatever fans are not happy about this, I don’t know why. I couldn’t even call them true fans if you’re not happy about this matchup. But for everybody else, they’re absolutely right. It’s going to be exciting from start to finish, and I’m hyped.”

    Rountree is currently on a five-fight win streak, with four of those victories coming by knockout. His most recent triumph was a decisive win over former title challenger Anthony Smith in December 2023. He boasts a UFC record of 9-5 with one no-contest.

  • Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña, ‘Wonderboy’ vs. Joaquin Buckley, & Other Fights Announced For UFC 307

    Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña, ‘Wonderboy’ vs. Joaquin Buckley, & Other Fights Announced For UFC 307

    UFC 307 heralds the MMA promotion’s return to Salt Lake City, Utah, with a stacked fight card lined up for October 5 at the Delta Center.

    On Friday UFC CEO Dana White revealed that the 11th numbered event will be headlined by light heavyweight kingpin Alex Pereira, who will defend his title for the third time in 2024, this time against Khalil Rountree.

    In the co-main event of UFC 307, reigning women’s bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington puts her title on the line against former 135-pound queen Julianna Peña.

    Pennington is set to make her first title defense since capturing the belt by unanimous decision against Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 297 in January. The title was vacant at the time, following Amanda Nunes’ retirement.

    Meanwhile, Peña is making her long-awaited return to the Octagon after an extended hiatus of over two years. She famously pulled off a major upset with a second-round submission victory over “The Lioness” at UFC 269, only to fall short in their rematch seven months later at UFC 277, losing by unanimous decision.

    The undercard of this pay-per-view spectacle will feature an intriguing welterweight showdown between the seasoned Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and the surging Joaquin Buckley. Thompson last competed at UFC 296, where he suffered a second-round submission loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov. On the other hand, “New Mansa” is riding a wave of momentum with a four-fight win streak since dropping down to 170 pounds. His most recent victory came by decision against Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Fight Night St. Louis this past May.

    What Other Fights Are On The UFC 307 Card?

    The UFC 307 fight card is packed with exciting matchups, including the return of former featherweight champion José Aldo, who is set to take on the rapidly rising Mario Bautista in a bantamweight showdown. Another highlight of the night will be the clash between two-time Olympic gold medalist judoka Kayla Harrison and Ketlen Vieira in a pivotal 135-pound bout.

    Elsewhere on the card, Kevin Holland is slated to face Roman Dolidze in an intense middleweight showdown. Announced earlier this year, meanwhile, was a clash between undefeated featherweight Movsar Evloev and former bantamweight titleholder Aljamain Sterling.

    With these additions to the card, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City on Oct. 5 are as follows:

    • Alex Pereira (C) vs. Khalil Rountree (light heavyweight championship main event)
    • Raquel Pennington (C) vs. Julianna Peña (women’s bantamweight championship co-main event)
    • Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling (bantamweight)
    • Stephen Thompson vs. Joaquin Buckley (welterweight)
    • Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison (women’s bantamweight)
    • José Aldo vs. Mario Bautista (bantamweight)
    • Carla Esparza vs. Tecia Pennington (women’s strawweight)
    • Roman Dolidze vs. Kevin Holland (middleweight)
    • Marina Rodriguez vs. Iasmin Lucindo (women’s strawweight)
    • Ihor Potieria vs. Cesar Almeida (middleweight)
  • Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree Announced As UFC 307 Main Event On October 5

    Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree Announced As UFC 307 Main Event On October 5

    UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira’s next title defense has come out of nowhere.

    Pereira, who is also a former middleweight kingpin on MMA’s biggest stage, has had a standout year thus far, defending the 205-pound gold he won last November twice at the expense of former champs Jamahal Hill and Jiří Procházka.

    Both victories saw “Poatan” save the day in late-notice headliners, first at the milestone UFC 300 event and then by replacing Conor McGregor’s planned return as the main attraction for International Fight Week this past June.

    With two outings in close proximity, many were expecting Pereira to take a decent chunk of time to rest and recuperate. That, however, is not the case.

    The Brazilian already has his next assignment in the calendar, with UFC CEO Dana White announcing on Friday that “Poatan” will put his strap on the line against the #8-ranked Khalil Rountree at UFC 307.

    The event is set for the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 5.

    Pereira Targets 3 From 3 For Title Defenses In 2024

    When he competes for the third time in six months, Pereira will be looking to likely cement Fighter of the Year status for 2024 by recording a third straight successful defense.

    Pereira (11-2), a former two-weight Glory Kickboxing champion, only debuted at 205 pounds in the UFC just over a year ago following the end of his middleweight rule. A narrow victory over Jan Błachowicz was enough to book “Poatan” a spot opposite Procházka in a bout for the vacant belt.

    And when they shared the cage inside Madison Square Garden, Pereira achieved two-division glory at record speed, adding a second piece of gold to his MMA trophy cabinet just two years on from his opening Octagon appearance. Having further cemented his legacy against Hill and in a rematch with “BJP,” the Brazilian now has yet another fellow power-puncher to contend with.

    The choice of Rountree (13-5, 1 NC) as the next challenger has come as somewhat of a surprise, especially given Magomed Ankalaev’s position in the top five. “The War Horse,” in contrast, is down at #8 in the pecking order and recently had a likely title eliminator against Hill scrapped after a failed drugs test. Before that, Rountree knocked out Anthony Smith to make it five wins on the bounce.

    The 34-year-old is still facing potential action from the Nevada State Athletic Commission following his recent Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) suspension, with a hearing scheduled for August 29 in Las Vegas.

    With this and other additions to the card announced by White, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City on Oct. 5 are as follows:

    • Alex Pereira (C) vs. Khalil Rountree (light heavyweight championship main event)
    • Raquel Pennington (C) vs. Julianna Peña (women’s bantamweight championship co-main event)
    • Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling (bantamweight)
    • Stephen Thompson vs. Joaquin Buckley (welterweight)
    • Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison (women’s bantamweight)
    • José Aldo vs. Mario Bautista (bantamweight)
    • Carla Esparza vs. Tecia Pennington (women’s strawweight)
    • Roman Dolidze vs. Kevin Holland (middleweight)
    • Marina Rodriguez vs. Iasmin Lucindo (women’s strawweight)
    • Ihor Potieria vs. Cesar Almeida (middleweight)
    Khalil Rountree
    Image: UFC.com
  • UFC Matchmaking Bulletin (7/29-8/4): Geoff Neal, Rob Font, Robelis Despaigne, & More Get Next Fights

    UFC Matchmaking Bulletin (7/29-8/4): Geoff Neal, Rob Font, Robelis Despaigne, & More Get Next Fights

    MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to the upcoming cards.

    With UFC events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.

    In recent days, a few notable fights were made official by the UFC or reported by reputable sources. For more information on those matchups, check out the links below:

    A number of lower-profile matchups also came together. For those, check out this week’s quick hits:

    But it wasn’t all positive, with two fights falling through or being adjusted. For those, see below:

  • 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.

  • UFC Featherweight Youssef Zalal Feels Aljamain Sterling’s Jiu-Jitsu Edge Decisive In Movsar Evloev Fight: ‘When The Russian Fought Diego Lopes…’ (Exclusive)

    UFC Featherweight Youssef Zalal Feels Aljamain Sterling’s Jiu-Jitsu Edge Decisive In Movsar Evloev Fight: ‘When The Russian Fought Diego Lopes…’ (Exclusive)

    A huge featherweight clash is set for UFC 307 on October 5, as former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling looks to hand Movsar Evloev his first loss.

    Evloev has been a force of nature since arriving in the Octagon and whilst he hasn’t had the finishes to really gather hype around his winning streak, his record speaks for itself.

    Sterling has also not always received tons of praise for his fighting style but his high-level grappling combined with awkward striking, makes him a very tough test for his Russian opponent.

    A fellow 145-pound contender on the UFC roster is excited to see how the two men match up with one another once the Octagon door closes.

    Youssef Zalal Breaks Down Aljamain Sterling Vs Movsar Evloev At UFC 307

    Youssef Zalal will look to secure back-to-back victories during his second stint in the UFC when he returns to face Jarno Errens on August 10.

    In a recent interview with MMA News, the Moroccan fighter broke down how he sees the match-up of top contenders and grapplers going down in Salt Lake City.

    Zalal made reference to how a clash of two grappling specialists often turns into a striking match between them as they cancel one another out on the floor.

    He also provided the theory that based on what he has seen from both, this could be a wrestling versus jiu-jitsu affair.

    “Those guys, I think it’s either gonna see a striking match the whole time and I think you’re gonna see one either wrestling and the other one jiu-jitsu. I feel like when the Russian fought Diego Lopes, you could see the jiu-jitsu kind of felt a little bit [off] right. I mean Diego Lopes’ jiu-jitsu is pretty good too so that’s why that, and I think Aljamain is a really good grappler obviously.

    “so I think you’re going to see a little battle on that part or it’s going to be a full-on striking match whenever you put two grapplers together so I’m pretty interested to see how the match-ups and the styles go on that part.”

    Read also: Dan Ige Has Return After Same-Day Notice Diego Lopes Scrap In The Works For Abu Dhabi-Held UFC 308

  • MMA News Today: Sean O’Malley Criticizes Conor McGregor’s ‘Slow & Sloppy’ Pad Work, Amped Up Belal Muhammad & Alexander Volkanovski Trade Barbs After UFC 304, & More

    MMA News Today: Sean O’Malley Criticizes Conor McGregor’s ‘Slow & Sloppy’ Pad Work, Amped Up Belal Muhammad & Alexander Volkanovski Trade Barbs After UFC 304, & More

    Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For August 2, 2024, we’re taking a look at:

    • O’Malley reviews latest McGregor footage
    • Muhammad and Volkanovski trade words after UFC 304 comments
    • Former strawweight champion set to return at UFC 307

    Sean O’Malley Critiques Conor McGregor’s Latest Pad Work Video On Social Media

    After taking some time to recover from his injury that led to the cancellation of his return at UFC 303, Conor McGregor appears to be getting back to work.

    “The Notorious” is hopeful of returning later this year but he appeared to have taken his foot off the gas once June 29 was ruled out.

    His latest training footage came courtesy of his own social media accounts, with the Irishman seen working on his boxing and hitting pads.

    UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley, who has engaged in some interactions with McGregor as of late, gave his review via a reply to the post.

    McGregor also commented in response, calling for O’Malley to try and do better whilst telling him to “cheer up”.

    Belal Muhammad & Alexander Volkanovski Beef After Pre-Fight Comments

    During a recent episode of Remember The Show, Belal Muhammad hit back at all his fellow fighters that doubted him ahead of UFC 304.

    The new welterweight champion specifically referenced Alexander Volkanovski, who was in attendance this past weekend in Manchester, and suggested that Muhammad would be a good style clash for him.

    “You guys were hating, all these guys wanted to come out. Volkanovski, ‘Man I think Belal’s a good match-up for me if I fight him.’ Shut up bro, I’ll smack the hell out of you. All these guys right, there’s nobody in the UFC that will beat me.”

    Volkanovski responded on social media where he doubled down on his previous statement and told Muhammad to say that to him the next time they cross paths.

    “@bullyb170 you have every reason to hate on what I said about you being a good stylistic match up for me but I truly believe that, even after your last fight, you didn’t show me anything different. You still mad because I accidentally missed your call…pathetic! Say ‘shut up, I’ll smack the shit out of you’ to my face and see what happens.”

    “Remember The Name” had the final word on the matter in a follow-up post with a short and to the point message.

    Carla Esparza Set To Return At UFC 307 In Utah Against Former Foe

    Former UFC strawweight champion Carla Esparza is expected to return for the first time since losing her title to Weili Zhang in November of 2022.

    She took the majority of 2023 and 2024 off after giving birth to her son and is now targeted to compete in a rematch at UFC 307 on October 5.

    Esparza and Tecia Pennington first met back on The Ultimate Fighter a decade ago with “Cookie Monster” getting the nod in that quarterfinal clash before going on to win the series.

    MMA Junkie’s Nolan King reported the fight which will see both women look to return to the win column for the first time in several years.

    Read more on the story here.

    For more MMA news, check out:

  • Carla Esparza Announces UFC 307 Return Will Be Her Retirement Fight: ‘I Feel It’s Time’

    Carla Esparza Announces UFC 307 Return Will Be Her Retirement Fight: ‘I Feel It’s Time’

    Former UFC strawweight champion Carla Esparza has announced that her next outing inside the Octagon will be her last.

    News recently broke, via MMA Junkie’s Nolan King, that she is set to return from a near two-year lay off to face Tecia Pennington at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 5.

    Esparza has been inactive since losing her title to Weili Zhang at UFC 281 in November of 2022.

    In the following months, the 36-year old announced that she was pregnant with a son and therefore, has been taking some time off before working towards one last dance.

    Carla Esparza Says ‘It’s Time’ To End Her Near 15-Year Career

    Esparza announced on social media that her recently reported fight will be the final outing of her 27-fight pro career.

    Having made her pro back in 2010, “Cookie Monster” would go on to win season 20 of The Ultimate Fighter which saw her be crowned as the inaugural UFC women’s strawweight champion by defeating Rose Namajunas in the final.

    Having already become the inaugural Invicta strawweight champion before signing to the UFC, she remained in this weight class her entire career and put together her best-ever streak before the loss to Zhang in November of 2022.

    Winning six-straight, including victories over the likes of Alexa Grasso and Yan Xiaonan, Esparza would defeat Namajunas once again at UFC 274 to become a two-time UFC champion at 115-pounds.

    Now she feels, as she said herself on social media, it’s the right time for her to ride off into the sunset following a rematch with Pennington who she defeated a decade ago on route to winning The Ultimate Fighter.

    “*RETIREMENT FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENT*
    I will be stepping into The UFC Octagon on Saturday, October 5th for the final time. After almost 15 years as a professional, fighting the best of the best, I feel it’s time to hang up my gloves. This choice is made for my body and my family; 20+ years doing combat sports takes its toll.

    I wanted to give my ‘Cookie Monster’ fans, who have never been there to watch me live, one final opportunity. It feels bittersweet to leave this sport that I love so much, but I’m happy to be doing it on my own terms.”
    #UFC307

    Read also: José Aldo, Kayla Harrison Have Returns In The Works For UFC 307 On October 5

  • Carla Esparza’s First Fight Since Zhang Weili Title Loss In 2022 Targeted For UFC 307

    Carla Esparza’s First Fight Since Zhang Weili Title Loss In 2022 Targeted For UFC 307

    The comeback of former two-time UFC women’s strawweight champion Carla Esparza is in the works for this fall.

    Esparza hasn’t entered the Octagon since losing the 115-pound gold to Zhang Weili by way of submission at UFC 281 in November 2022. The 36-year-old announced that she was pregnant four months later and gave birth to her son in September 2023.

    “Cookie Monster” is now ready to resume her fighting career, and per MMA Junkie’s Nolan King, that’s expected to begin with a rematch of sorts against fellow veteran contender Tecia Pennington.

    The pair previously collided on The Ultimate Fighter back in 2014, with Esparza emerging victories over Pennington in a quarterfinal contest en route to winning the entire strawweight tournament.

    King’s report revealed that their second dance is targeted for the UFC 307 pay-per-view on October 5, expected to take place in Salt Lake City, Utah.

    Esparza vs. Pennington In The Works For UFC 307

    Should this matchup be made official, both Esparza and Pennington will be searching for their first wins in years.

    Esparza (19-7) dropped from contention back in 2018 after falling to consecutive losses against Cláudia Gadelha and Tatiana Suarez. But she followed that skid with a five-fight winning run comprised of triumphs over Virna Jandiroba, Alexa Grasso, Michelle Waterson-Gomez, Marina Rodriguez, and Yan Xiaonan to earn a shot at two-time champ status.

    “Cookie Monster” achieved that feat at UFC 274 in May 2022, getting the judges’ nod in a lackluster rematch with Namajunas to capture the strawweight belt once again. But having relinquished her grip on it months later against Zhang, Esparza will return in pursuit of becoming the woman to regain a title twice in the UFC.

    Out to ensure that run doesn’t get out the starting blocks looks set to be Pennington (13-7). Like Esparza, “The Tiny Tornado” took a break in her career to give birth. That came after a narrow split decision loss to Mackenzie Dern in April 2022, a result that snapped her three-fight winning run.

    Pennington made her return this past May at the UFC Fight Night in St. Louis, once again falling on the wrong side of a split verdict, this time against Tabatha Ricci. After celebrating her wife Raquel Pennington’s bantamweight title crowning earlier this year, “The Tiny Tornado” will look to enjoy her own success inside the Octagon again on October 5.

    With this addition, the fights currently expected to take place at UFC 307 are as follows:

    • Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling (featherweight)
    • José Aldo vs. Mario Bautista (bantamweight)
    • Carla Esparza vs. Tecia Pennington (women’s strawweight)
    • Chris Curtis vs. Kevin Holland (middleweight)
    • Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison (women’s bantamweight)
    • Marina Rodriguez vs. Iasmin Lucindo (women’s strawweight)
    • Ihor Potieria vs. César Almeida (middleweight)
    Carla Esparza & Tecia Pennington
    Carla Esparza & Tecia Pennington (Image: UFC.com)
  • José Aldo, Kayla Harrison Have Returns In The Works For UFC 307 On October 5

    José Aldo, Kayla Harrison Have Returns In The Works For UFC 307 On October 5

    Two major names are reportedly set to be in action at the UFC 307 pay-per-view, targeted for Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 5.

    Legendary former featherweight champion José Aldo and two-time PFL title winner Kayla Harrison have their returns in the works for the numbered event, with the former being lined up to face Mario Bautista and the latter expected to share the Octagon with Ketlen Vieira.

    Aldo returned from a short-lived retirement on home soil this past May, outpointing Jonathan Martinez at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro. Having fought out his contract, uncertainty surrounded “Junior’s” status and future plans.

    But in spite of boxing talk, Ag. Fight reported this week that the Brazilian has committed to another outing inside the Octagon.

    The outlet also corroborated a previous report from Super Lutas’ Léo Guimaraes, who was the first to reveal plans for Harrison and Vieira to collide at UFC 307.

    Aldo Targets Second Win Since Return, Harrison Looks For Second UFC Win Since PFL Switch

    Should these two matchups be confirmed, both Aldo and Harrison will be looking to build on strong outings in the first half of this year.

    Aldo (32-8) originally brought his MMA career to an end after his pursuit of a second bantamweight title shot was stalled by Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278 in August 2022. Prior to that, he’d reeled off three straight wins over Marlon Vera, Pedro Munhoz, and Rob Font.

    The ex-featherweight kingpin, who fell short of two-division glory opposite Petr Yan in the summer of 2020, went on to compete in three boxing matches, winning two and fighting to a majority draw against fellow UFC vet Jeremy Stephens.

    He subsequently made his successful comeback to the cage in Rio this year, returning to the rankings at #8 as a result. He’s next tasked with defending his position on the ladder against the #12-ranked Bautista (14-2), a teammate of champion Sean O’Malley’s who has had his hand raised in six consecutive bouts. His most recent triumph came at the expense of Ricky Simón this past January.

    Jose Aldo
    Image: Alexandre Loureiro/Zuffa LLC

    Harrison (17-1) transitioned from judo, a sport in which she collected back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 2012 and 2016, to mixed martial arts and joined the PFL. After winning two lightweight seasons, her bid for a third title came to a halt in the final opposite Larissa Pacheco.

    After returning with a victory over Aspen Ladd last November, the Ohio native committed to a UFC switch and a venture down at bantamweight. That foray got underway in strong style this past April, where she thrilled the UFC 300 crowd by submitting a former champion in Holly Holm.

    Having entered the title picture at #3, Harrison will need to get through the #2-ranked Vieira (14-3) if she’s to book her first championship opportunity in the UFC. The Brazilian is coming off a decision victory over Pannie Kianzad in July 2023, a result that saw her bounce back from a narrow defeat at the hands of now-champ Raquel Pennington.

    With these additions, the fights currently expected to take place at UFC 307 on October 5 are as follows:

    • Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling (featherweight)
    • José Aldo vs. Mario Bautista (bantamweight)
    • Chris Curtis vs. Kevin Holland (middleweight)
    • Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison (women’s bantamweight)
    • Marina Rodriguez vs. Iasmin Lucindo (women’s strawweight)
    • Ihor Potieria vs. César Almeida (middleweight)
    Kayla Harrison & Holly Holm
    Image: Cooper Neill/UFC/Zuffa LLC
  • Chris Curtis vs. Kevin Holland Set For UFC 307 On October 5

    Chris Curtis vs. Kevin Holland Set For UFC 307 On October 5

    The UFC 307 pay-per-view this fall has its latest confirmed fight, and it’ll see Chris Curtis defend his middleweight ranking against the always entertaining Kevin Holland.

    While not confirmed, the promotion is expected to stage its October 5 numbered event in Salt Lake City, Utah. Should that come to fruition, Curtis and Holland will be among those taking to the cage in high altitude.

    The middleweight bout was confirmed by Curtis’ management team, Iridium Sports Agency, on Monday. The announcement marks the second addition to the lineup, joining a crucial featherweight scrap between Movsar Evloev and Aljamain Sterling.

    Holland Targets Second Straight Middleweight Win Against Ranked Curtis

    When they throw down in a few months’ time, Curtis and Holland will be doing so off the back of different fortunes last time out.

    The matchup marks a comeback from injury for Curtis (31-11, 1 NC), who played his part in a Fight of the Year contender opposite Brendan Allen earlier this year before tearing his hamstring in the closing moments of the five-round main event. While confident he deserved the nod and his second straight triumph months on from a win over Marc-André Barriault in Canada, two of the judges ultimately ruled the way of “All In.”

    Having had his calls for a showdown with former title challenger Paulo Costa evidently fall on deaf ears, the #15-ranked middleweight contender will instead face Holland (26-11, 1 NC) at UFC 307.

    “Trailblazer’s” year didn’t begin on the right foot as he fell out of the welterweight rankings owing to a setback against the debuting Michael “Venom” Page at UFC 299 in Miami. With that following a defeat to Jack Della Maddalena, Holland left his losing skid at 170 pounds and returned to the middleweight division on short notice at UFC 302 last month.

    And “Big Mouth” bounced back emphatically in Newark, submitting the experienced Michał Oleksiejczuk with a gruesome armbar just over 90 seconds into their contest.

    Kevin Holland & Michał Oleksiejczuk
    Image: Chris Unger/UFC/Zuffa LLC
  • Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling Set For UFC 307 On October 5

    Movsar Evloev vs. Aljamain Sterling Set For UFC 307 On October 5

    Top UFC featherweights Movsar Evloev and Aljamain Sterling will look to stake their claim for a first title shot in the division when they share the cage later this year.

    The undefeated Russian and the former UFC bantamweight champion have been going back and forth on social media about doing battle ever since the latter successfully debuted in the weight class this past April.

    A victory over Calvin Kattar at UFC 300 saw Sterling enter the rankings at #8, and “Funk Master” will now have the chance to crack the featherweight top five at the expense of Evloev.

    As first reported by MMA Propagande and subsequently confirmed by both men on social media, Evloev and Sterling are slated to collide on the UFC 307 pay-per-view card on October 5.

    A location and venue is yet to be officially announced by the promotion, but the expectation is for UFC 307 to take place at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

    Evloev, Sterling To Vie For Shot At Topuria’s Gold At UFC 307

    When they finally meet in the Octagon after months of online discussion regarding a date and ducking allegations, both Evloev and Sterling will hope to continue their winning form all the way to the top.

    Evloev (18-0) further climbed the 145-pound pecking order this year by narrowly getting the better of Arnold Allen on the scorecards at UFC 297 in Canada this past January. The result marked the former M-1 Global bantamweight champ’s eighth straight victory on MMA’s biggest stage, following triumphs over Dan Ige and Diego Lopes.

    The Russian, however, has come under fire for his tendency to go the distance inside the Octagon, having yet to find a finish in the UFC since his debut back in 2019. He’ll look to rectify that unwanted statistic at the expense of the division’s newest contender.

    Sterling (24-4) brought his time making a difficult weight cut down to 135 pounds to an end following his title loss to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292 in Boston last August. With his calls for an immediate rematch falling on deaf ears, “Funk Master” committed to the pursuit of gold in a second weight class, which he began successfully by outgrappling Kattar at April’s milestone PPV.

    The 34-year-old must now get past Evloev if he’s to put himself in position for a future shot at Topuria’s featherweight title.

    Aljamain Sterling
    Image: UFC.com

  • Teammate & Friend Gives Update On Khamzat Chimaev’s Future Plans, Says He Is Training With ‘Boxing National Team’ For Comeback

    The last few years have been anything but plain sailing for Khamzat Chimaev in the UFC.

    Issues with fighting in the United States have made it harder for the UFC to book him fights but the much bigger problem has been his own health.

    “Borz” has been kept relatively inactive for a long time largely due to his current condition which seems to have significantly impacted his progress in MMA.

    All of this could have been put behind him in June when he was set to return against former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker.

    A win over a top contender in Whittaker in Saudi Arabia will have finally put Chimaev back on track and where he should be – but this wasn’t to be as he was forced to withdraw from the fight a week out due to illness.

    With the hopes of returning later this year at what will likely be UFC 307, there is still hope that he can return to form inside the Octagon.

    Guram Kutateladze Says Khamzat Chimaev Is Back Training With October Return In Mind

    Georgian lightweight contender Guram Kutateladze is a close friend and training partner of Chimaev’s at Allstars Training Center in Sweden.

    During a recent interview with James Lynch for Sportskeeda MMA, he spoke about how Chimaev is progressing after overcoming the illness which led to Ikram Aliskerov taking his place last month.

    Kutateladze had some promising and hopeful things to say about the middleweight contender’s current situation.

    He believes that we will see him in Abu Dhabi in Octoberm which will be roughly one year on from his last appearance where he defeated Kamaru Usman via majority decision at UFC 294.

    “It was unfortunate but again, we have to keep positive thoughts, positive mentality. He’s feeling better now. He’s been for a few weeks in Caucasian Mountains, breathing fresh air, mountain air and training there with his team. With his brothers and team and I think boxing national team too so hopefully, as he said himself, we gonna see him in Abu Dhabi in October and I’m sure 100% that he will be ready and as always, energized.”

    Read also: Daniel Cormier Questions Why People ‘Discredit’ Sean Strickland As Number One Contender: ‘He Beat Costa Better Than Whittaker Did!’