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Tag: UFC 309

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UFC 309: Jones vs. Miocic – Sat, Nov 16, 2024 from New York, NY, USA at Madison Square Garden

  • Tom Aspinall Reveals What Surprised Him Most About Watching Jon Jones Up Close

    Tom Aspinall Reveals What Surprised Him Most About Watching Jon Jones Up Close

    Tom Aspinall claims that it wasn’t his intention to make the UFC 309 fight week about him even if he was weighing in as the back-up fighter. The main event at Madison Square Garden featured two of the greatest champions in the history of the promotion colliding for the very first time and yet, a lot of the talk was about the Brit.

    From Jones walking out of interviews to Aspinall chants at the press conference, the presence of the interim champion was clearly felt in New York. After successfully weighing in as the back-up, once it was clear that he wouldn’t be needed, he changed his focus.

    His new goal was to enjoy the fights and watch the man that could be his next opponent if he gets the fight that he wants. Everyone who has been an MMA fan for some time will have seen Jones fight before because he’s been at the top for so long.

    However, Aspinall was able to leave the world’s most famous arena with some new observations after watching the GOAT live and in the flesh. In a recent episode of Tom Aspinall’s Fight Lab on TNT Sports, he broke down his main takeaways from the fight.

    The interim champ highlighted one aspect of the fight that he didn’t see coming, crediting Jones’ aura in the cage and Miocic’s age as the reason why “Bones” was able to dictate the action.

    “Something that surprised me sitting up close was the footwork. Maybe not the footwork as such but just the constant forward motion of Jon Jones and Stipe was just kind of left to go side-to-side with his feet constantly. He was never really on the front foot which is surprising because Stipe is a natural heavyweight, Jon Jones obviously coming up from light heavy. I wouldn’t think that Jon would have the prowess in the Octagon to push him back constantly which I was pretty surprised by.”   

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3gGqrhbfng
  • Michael Chandler Unhappy With ‘Narrative’ Painted By UFC 309 Commentary Team: ‘I’m An Honest Guy’ 

    Michael Chandler Unhappy With ‘Narrative’ Painted By UFC 309 Commentary Team: ‘I’m An Honest Guy’ 

    UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler believes his “integrity” was wrongly called into question in the aftermath of his defeat earlier this month.

    Two years on from a submission loss to Dustin Poirier at Madison Square Garden, Chandler made his long-awaited return inside the same venue on Nov. 16, running it back with Charles Oliveira in the co-main event of UFC 309.

    Having previously been on the wrong end of a memorable comeback form “do Bronx” in their 2021 title showdown, the former Bellator champion had his sights set on redemption in New York City.

    But “Iron” fell convincingly short of that on fight night, with Oliveira securing a convincing decision victory following a dominant five rounds from the Brazilian.

    As was the case after his setback against “The Diamond,” Chandler has been accused of seeking advantages outside the boundaries of the ruleset, with cries of fence grabs, eye pokes, and egregious back of the head strikes filling social media.

    According to Chandler, however, the claim he consistently fouled at UFC 309 was a lie created by those sat cageside with mic in hand.

    During an appearance on Wednesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Chandler commented on how his actions were commentated over by Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Daniel Cormier after rewatching the broadcast.

    “Watching it on TV wasn’t as appealing to me,” Chandler said. “A little bit of the commentary (bothered me) when it comes to some of the stuff they were saying — the misinterpretation of what the back of the head is by the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial arts, the misinterpretation of what cage-grabbing is, and a couple of different things.

    “I’m an honest guy. I try to live pretty full of integrity and full of honest, and a narrative that has been painted is not very interesting to me. I’m not very happy about it,” Chandler continued. “I’m not going to say I didn’t do anything wrong. … (But) 90 percent of the shots at least, most of them…all of them, my hand, my fist was catching the ear. If you’re catching the ear, that is not the back of the head. … A referee who was within two feet away never said one thing about it. Then you’ve got commentators 35 feet away saying it’s the back of the head.”

    Those controversial strikes came in the final round when Chandler enjoyed his only success of the fight. With that in mind, he gave his performance a “2 out of 10” rating during the same interview with Helwani.

    And although he maintained his reputation as an entertainer in the dying moments at UFC 309, the result has left “Iron” with a losing 2-4 record in the Octagon — something he’ll look to rectify in 2025.

  • Bo Nickal On Abandoning Wrestling At UFC 309: ‘A Great Step In The Right Direction’

    Bo Nickal On Abandoning Wrestling At UFC 309: ‘A Great Step In The Right Direction’

    Bo Nickal secured another impressive victory earlier this month at UFC 309, defeating Paul Craig on the main card at Madison Square Garden.

    This win added to Nickal’s growing undefeated record, which now includes four victories under the UFC banner. His previous finishes came against Jamie Pickett, Val Woodburn, and Cody Brundage.

    While many expected Nickal to lean on his world-class wrestling skills in the Craig fight, he surprised fans by focusing on his striking. This decision drew mixed reactions from fight fans, some of whom questioned his strategy.

    However, Nickal defended his approach during an appearance on the Pound 4 Pound podcast, expressing joy about his performance.

    “I think that this last fight, even though people didn’t love the performance, was a great step in the right direction,” Nickal said. “I dominated a veteran — a guy who has 26 fights — for three straight rounds just using striking. I didn’t even use my biggest asset. I think people now are saying, ‘Oh, Bo, he can’t wrestle,’ this or that. Bro, trust me, I can wrestle.”

    Nickal reassured fans that his wrestling remains a key weapon in his arsenal and promised to continue dominating opponents in future fights.

  • Chris Weidman Discusses Not Getting Full Pay After Opponent’s UFC 309 Fight-Day Withdrawal

    Chris Weidman Discusses Not Getting Full Pay After Opponent’s UFC 309 Fight-Day Withdrawal

    Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman was left devastated and a sizable chunk of cash down when an illness to Eryk Anders scuppered his plans of competing at Madison Square Garden earlier this month.

    At UFC 309, Weidman was set for his second assignment of 2024 and third since returning from a gruesome broken leg that had kept him out for two years. But his pursuit of a first win streak since 2015 will have to wait.

    After completing his training camp, fight-week obligations, and successfully making weight, Weidman awoke on Saturday, Nov. 16, expecting to make the walk on MMA’s biggest stage for the 20th time.

    But disaster struck just hours before his scheduled preliminary clash with Anders when a bout of food poisoning became too serious for the ex-American football linebacker to fight through.

    That left a devastated Weidman off the card on late notice, with the New York State Athletic Commission rejecting the UFC’s attempts to book a same-day replacement opponent.

    And worse still, it wasn’t just the chance to make it two wins on the bounce that the 40-year-old missed out on…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRQokTnU9YU

    During a recent appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Weidman explained that while he is expecting to be ‘taken care of’ in some way financially, he won’t be getting his full purse.

    The American admitted the situation is difficult to take, especially given his compensation would have already been set aside and is ultimately now being kept by the UFC.

    “My show money is my win money, I have guaranteed money,” Weidman said. “So that was my point, ‘I showed up, you guys had that on the budget sheet to begin with, you guys made a great night, why do you guys keep that money and I don’t?’ That was my thought.

    “Their thoughts were, ‘Listen, this happens on like 40 percent of the cards. If we pay people to not fight…’ They just want to be consistent on what they do in those situations,” Weidman continued. “That’s what I think they’ve decided to do consistently for their business.”

    The situation is similar to that of Stephen Thompson last year. He made public his disappointment at not being paid for his canceled fight with Michel Pereira at UFC 291, which fell through when the Brazilian missed weight after “Wonderboy” had already successfully got under the welterweight limit.

    Fortunately for Weidman, he won’t have to wait long to pick up a full check for sharing the cage with Anders. The pair’s clash has been rescheduled for UFC 310 in Las Vegas on Dec. 7, this time at a catchweight of 195 pounds.

  • Former Rival: Michael Chandler ‘Looked Like Crap’ In ‘Embarrassing’ UFC 309 Loss

    Former Rival: Michael Chandler ‘Looked Like Crap’ In ‘Embarrassing’ UFC 309 Loss

    Michael Chandler’s recent struggles in the octagon have provided an opportunity for his former rival, Brent Primus, to weigh in on his performance.

    Chandler’s latest fight occurred at UFC 309, where he was defeated by former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira. Over his last six fights, the former Bellator star has a 2-4 record, with his most recent victory being a knockout of Tony Ferguson at UFC 274 in May 2022.

    Primus and Chandler share a contentious history. Their first bout in June 2017 ended with the latter suffering a TKO loss. However, Chandler evened the score in their rematch at Bellator 212 a year later, earning a decision win.

    Speaking to MMA Fighting in a recent interview, Primus didn’t hold back in his criticism of Chandler’s recent performance.

    “Man, he looked like crap in his last fight,” Primus remarked. “His footwork, he was falling everywhere. He was throwing his right hand like he was throwing a baseball. I was not impressed with his performance.

    “His callout was kind of cringey. I don’t like that guy. I think Chandler, he’s a cheater. I feel like he’s a dirty fighter. I just don’t like that guy at all,” Primus continued. “Watching Oliveira pick him apart like that, it was kind of fun to see for sure.”

    Primus went on to describe his ex-opponent’s loss as “embarrassing,” particularly in light of his two-year hiatus while waiting for a fight with Conor McGregor.

    “You sit out for two years and wait for somebody, that’s what happens,” he said.

  • UFC Veteran: Stipe Miocic ‘Didn’t Really Want To Be There’ Against Jon Jones

    UFC Veteran: Stipe Miocic ‘Didn’t Really Want To Be There’ Against Jon Jones

    Matt Brown believes Stipe Miocic seemed devoid of drive during his clash with Jon Jones.

    Miocic challenged reigning heavyweight champion Jones in the main event of UFC 309 last Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The former longtime titleholder endured a dominant opening round, finding himself on his back as “Bones” rained down heavy shots from the top position.

    Unfortunately for Miocic, the subsequent rounds provided no relief. He failed to mount any offense and ultimately fell victim to a devastating spinning back kick to the body in the third frame, marking the fight’s decisive conclusion.

    Miocic appeared to grapple with significant Octagon rust, returning to competition after a prolonged hiatus following his knockout loss to Francis Ngannou at UFC 260 in March 2021. At 42 years old, the Ohio native’s age also seemed to play a role, with his movements noticeably lacking the sharpness and agility he once showcased.

    During a recent episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer on MMA Fighting, “The Immortal” weighed in on Miocic’s performance against Jones, remarking that the former champion appeared far beyond his years and looked athletically diminished at UFC 309.

    “As bad as he looked athletically — he looked his age, also — I say he looked past his age, to be honest,” Brown said. “Straight legs, no hate on Stipe. It just looked like he didn’t have it at this point, and why should he? He came to challenge himself at the highest level with the greatest ever and didn’t pass the challenge.”

    Brown further expressed that Miocic, in his eyes, seemed visibly disinterested and was lacking urgency.

    “Stipe, to me, looked like he didn’t really want to be there. He’s there for the challenge and maybe the money. I don’t know what his motivations were exactly. But it didn’t look to me like he really wanted to be there.”

    After his defeat, Miocic officially announced his retirement from active competition, bringing an end to a storied career. He concluded his tenure in the cage with a 20-5 record, with 14 of those victories coming by way of knockout.

  • Michael Chandler Describes Charles Oliveira Rematch As His ‘Most Painful’ Fight Yet

    Michael Chandler Describes Charles Oliveira Rematch As His ‘Most Painful’ Fight Yet

    Michael Chandler’s latest appearance in the Octagon turned out to be one of the most punishing of his career.

    Chandler ran it back with his former foe Charles Oliveira in the co-main event of UFC 309 last Saturday, only to fall short in a brutal five-round battle. “Do Bronx” surged out of the gates, dominating the first four rounds with his striking and then smothering Chandler on the ground.

    It seemed like Oliveira was on cruise control toward victory but “Iron” found a second wind in the final round, landing heavy shots that stunned the Brazilian. However, Chandler’s late rally wasn’t enough.

    During a recent appearance on Bussin’ With The Boys, “Iron” revealed that his rematch with Oliveira left him with the most severe damage he’s ever experienced in a fight.

    The injuries sustained were the worst of his career, bringing with them intense pain, swelling, and a host of other physical setbacks.

    “My body, the most pain I’ve ever been in my entire life,” Chandler said. “The most injuries I’ve had in a fight, for sure. Peed blood, inflammation all over, my whole body is swollen… The first [blood in my urine] was very light, which was in my drug test… It had a light tint, and the second one was beet-looking juice. It was dark.”

    “Iron” and Oliveira first collided at UFC 262 in May 2021, where the vacant 155-pound title was on the line. On that night, “Do Bronx” proved to be too much for Chandler and secured a stunning second-round knockout to claim the belt.

    At UFC 309, Chandler made his long-awaited return to the Octagon after a two-year hiatus, during which he patiently waited for a high-profile matchup against Conor McGregor.

    The former Bellator champion was initially booked to face “The Notorious” at UFC 303 in June, but the fight was ultimately called off after McGregor suffered an injury less than a month before the scheduled bout.

  • Gordon Ryan Describes ‘Inspiring’ Experience In Jon Jones’ UFC 309 Camp & Corner

    Gordon Ryan Describes ‘Inspiring’ Experience In Jon Jones’ UFC 309 Camp & Corner

    Alongside the former Olympic gold medallist wrestler Gable Steveson, another elite grappler joined Jon Jones’ team for his return to the Octagon at UFC 309. When it comes to heavyweight MMA, there is still some debate over who the very best is even after Jones defended the title in dominant fashion this past weekend.

    The same cannot be said in no-gi grappling where Gordon Ryan is considered by many to be the greatest of all time, like Jones is in mixed martial arts. “The King” will have been an invaluable training partner for the heavyweight champion and the short footage of them training together during the UFC’s Countdown episode for the card was interesting enough let alone getting to watch full sessions.

    After Jones retained the gold at Madison Square Garden, Ryan posted on his Instagram to reflect on the time that he was able to spend alongside Jones and his closely knit team.

    “It is very inspiring to be around greatness. As a fan, I want to see him continue because he’s as exciting as they come and never loses. As a coach, I want to see him continue because despite being better than everyone else, there is so much more for him to learn. As a friend, I want to see him to whatever his heart desires. I want him to press forward if he wants or to leave the sport on top after being on top since the very beginning. I want to see him happy regardless of what he decides to do next.

    “I can’t take credit for any part of Jon’s career, but I am very thankful to be a small part of such an amazing legacy. Thank you for choosing me to help you, and thank you for your friendship. Enjoy this time off that you deserve, and don’t let anyone tell you what to do. Not the fans, not the fighters, only you. You’re the one and only.”

    Last but not least, Ryan gave thanks to several other parties that played a role in this invaluable experience for him including the UFC staff, the rest of Jones’ team and the man that “Bones” stood across from in the Octagon, the great Stipe Miocic who retired after the fight.

    “Also, big thanks to the @ufc for making my experience at the event smooth as ever, as always. Thank you to the rest of the coaches in the camp, all the drilling partners, and all of the pieces that completed the puzzle that is Jon Jones. Being a legend and first responder, I think we were all a little sad to see @stipemiocic lose and retire, but that’s the game. Thank you, legend, for an amazing career. I’ve always been a fan, and I can’t wait to see you at your HOF induction.”

  • Bo Nickal Reveals ‘Only Regret’ From UFC 309 Win Over Paul Craig

    Bo Nickal Reveals ‘Only Regret’ From UFC 309 Win Over Paul Craig

    Despite being pleased with his performance this past weekend, UFC middleweight prospect Bo Nickal does wish he did one thing differently against Paul Craig.

    Nickal extended his undefeated record in the UFC and professional mixed martial arts as a whole at Saturday’s UFC 309 pay-per-view, where he got the better of experienced veteran Paul Craig on the main card.

    The formerly ranked light heavyweight and middleweight was expected to mark the toughest test of Nickal’s career to date owing to his renowned jiu-jitsu ability, but that ultimately didn’t rear its head on fight night.

    Instead, the submission specialist and the decorated wrestler fought out three lackluster rounds on the feet, much to the dismay of the New York crowd in attendance.

    But despite boos raining down on the Octagon following his unanimous decision win, Nickal has been firmly defending his display and expressing his joy at how he was able to emerge victorious from a striking battle.

    However, the three-time NCAA Division I national champion and three-time Big Ten Conference champion out of Pennsylvania State University does have one regret, albeit a small one…

    “I was winning the striking and I was happy to get experience in the cage doing something I’ve never done before,” Nickal wrote on X. “My only (small) regret is not being more aggressive in the 3rd round after I hurt him. I need to build a better system to attack when my opponent is hurt.”

    Having added Craig’s name to a list of defeated UFC opponents that also includes Cody Brundage, Val Woodburn, and Jamie Pickett, Nickal has moved closer to breaking through into contention at 185 pounds.

    But with his latest win leaving a lot to be desired in the eyes of some fans and pundits, it would appear that the 28-year-old still has some work to do before mixing it up with the division’s best.

  • Michael Chandler Says First-Round Injury Affected Performance Against Charles Oliveira At UFC 309

    Michael Chandler Says First-Round Injury Affected Performance Against Charles Oliveira At UFC 309

    UFC lightweight contender Michael Chandler believes he fought “23 minutes” of his rematch against Charles Oliveira with a severely compromised leg.

    Chandler’s negative Octagon record took further damage at this past weekend’s UFC 309 pay-per-view, where he fell to 2-4 since making the switch from Bellator to the sport’s leading promotion a number of years ago.

    In the co-main event at Madison Square Garden, Oliveira added his name to the American’s losing column once again, this time in much more convincing fashion.

    While the Brazilian had to mount a memorable comeback to get the better of “Iron” back in 2022, he was on top from the word go when the pair ran it back. And after weathering a late burst from Chandler in round five, “Do Bronx” had his hand raised by way of a lopsided decision.

    Given the success and near-title win he had against Oliveira previously, many were expecting more from the ex-Bellator champ. And that was evidently the case for the man himself, who believes he was prevented from competing at his best by a physical issue.

    During a recent appearance on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast, Chandler suggested that an early grappling exchange with Oliveira in the first round injured his knee, thus preventing him from employing his usual forward-pressure style.

    “I think something happened to the knee in that first exchange when he had the leg and I did that full 360, he did a kneebar thing, because I walked back to the stool and I looked down at my left leg and it was not working right,” Chandler said. “It wasn’t stepping, it wasn’t catching, it was unstable, it was weird. … You know what it feels like to be on a solid foundation, to walk forward, move forward, attack, and I just wasn’t. 

    “Moving backwards was no problem, so my body and my brain was telling me moving backwards was cool but moving forward, planting and being in his face, pressure — even if you go back and watch the fifth [round] … whenever I was pursuing him, my leg was almost flopping rather than stalking and moving forward,” Chandler continued. “We’ll see what happened, but essentially for 23 minutes of that fight I don’t know if the leg was really working that well.”

    Regardless, that won’t affect Oliveira’s celebrations as he looks ahead to an expected showdown opposite whoever emerges from Islam Makhachev’s defense against Arman Tsarukyan with the lightweight gold in their possession.

    Chandler, meanwhile, made his intentions for 2025 clear inside the Octagon, once again calling for MMA superstar Conor McGregor to face him for his comeback fight — should that ever happen.

  • Paul Craig Saw ‘Progress’ In UFC 309 Loss To Bo Nickal: ‘Every Setback Is Just Setup For A Comeback’

    Paul Craig Saw ‘Progress’ In UFC 309 Loss To Bo Nickal: ‘Every Setback Is Just Setup For A Comeback’

    UFC middleweight Paul Craig hasn’t lost confidence despite falling to another defeat this past weekend.

    Craig marked the latest challenge for undefeated prospect Bo Nickal at Saturday’s UFC 309 pay-per-view. The Scotsman joined the likes of Cody Brundage and Val Woodburn on the list of those unable to blemish the decorated wrestler’s MMA record.

    The two grappling specialists remained standing throughout their three-round affair, with Nickal edging a striking-only contest that frustrated the crowd in attendance at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

    For Craig, the result marked his third straight loss, leaves him 1-5 across his last six, and has pushed his middleweight record to a negative 1-4.

    But although things may not have gone his way on fight night, “Bearjew” remains in good spirits and happy with the “progress” he felt was in display.

    “Saturday night didn’t go as I envisioned, but every setback is just a setup for a comeback,” Craig wrote. “Progress is happening, and my resilience is my fuel. Here’s to the relentless pursuit of greatness! #bearjew #bearjewjitsu#setbacks #comebacks”

    Craig, a formerly ranked light heavyweight contender, initially made a strong start at 185 pounds when he knocked out Andre Muniz. But a main event loss to Brendan Allen and brutal knockout setback at the hands of Caio Borralho left him out of the top 15.

    Having fallen short of having his hand raised again, “Bearjew” is in desperate need of a rebound result next time out. And judging by his post-fight statement, he’s evidently confident that he’s moved in a good direction toward achieving that.

  • Mauricio Ruffy Names Another Desired Opponent After Saint Denis Callout At UFC 309

    Mauricio Ruffy Names Another Desired Opponent After Saint Denis Callout At UFC 309

    UFC lightweight prospect Mauricio Ruffy has names on his mind as he looks toward his third outing inside the Octagon.

    Ruffy made it two wins from two appearances on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage at this past weekend’s UFC 309 pay-per-view, where he got the better of late-notice replacement opponent James Llontop.

    As he did on debut against James Llontop, the Fighting Nerds standout once again put his powerful and innovative striking on full display, most memorably flooring his opponent with a no-look uppercut in round two.

    Having ultimately gone the distance and collected a comfortable decision victory, Ruffy is now on the radar of most as one to watch at 155 pounds moving forward.

    The Brazilian, however, isn’t looking to remain a prospect rising the ranks for much longer.

    During his Octagon interview, Ruffy called out a ranked contender in Benoît Saint Denis, who likely has to fight down the ladder next time out after losing consecutive bouts to Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano.

    During an interview with MMA Fighting, Ruffy added another name to his list of post-fight callouts, highlighting the formerly ranked King Green as an alternative option should a clash with “God of War” not come together.

    “I’m very excited for a fight with Saint Denis,” Ruffy said. “I think that would be such a cool fight. Some people are advising me to go slow and whatnot, but everything I’ve been through in my life and career earns me that opportunity. The hype is nice, people are talking, and Saint Denis is coming off two losses, so it’s an interesting fight.

    “Another fight that would also be very interesting is Bobby Green,” Ruffy continued. “I’d love to fight any of those two names. I’m hoping the UFC will send me a good name and we’ll fight soon. I’m taking a break now, but already thinking about fights.”

    Green has long shown a willingness to face any and everyone, including young up-and-comers looking to earn a number next to their name at his expense.

    That was the case just this past July when the veteran headed across the pond to face the challenge of Paddy Pimblett in Manchester, England. Green was unable to stall “The Baddy’s” rise, instead finding himself choked unconscious in one round.

  • Demetrious Johnson Breaks Down How Charles Oliveira Dominated Michael Chandler: ‘Almost A Checkmate’

    Demetrious Johnson Breaks Down How Charles Oliveira Dominated Michael Chandler: ‘Almost A Checkmate’

    After Michael Chandler’s attempt to pull a win out of the bag in the fifth round fell short, Charles Oliveira got his hand raised following a dominant performance in the co-main event at UFC 309. Prior to a chaotic end to the fight that had “Do Bronx” trying to survive, he won every round on all three scorecards.

    Just like in their first fight three years ago, the striking of Oliveira was very effective and at several points, it looked like he might finish Chandler for the second time. The difference this time around was that when the former lightweight champion had his opponent hurt or backed up to the fence, he implemented his grappling in order to avoid getting into a battle of wills with “Iron” Mike.

    According to UFC Stats, Oliveira was successful with 5 of 12 takedown attempts, accumulating a total of 14 minutes and 52 seconds of control time which tells the story of this fight. A lot of that time was spent in a position that the Brazilian is a true master of as he consistently was able to take and control Chandler’s back.

    In his post-fight breakdown on his YouTube channel, former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson gave his analysis of the lightweight contest that earned fight of the night honors. He specifically drew attention to the way that Oliveira was able to lock in a body triangle in order to dominate in these positions even if he was unable to find the submission.

    “This is pretty much like almost a checkmate but it’s like a check because checkmate means end the game but it’s a check because one wrong move from here, Chandler getting choked out… Just a bad position for Michael Chandler to be in, very, very bad. It’s very, very f****** hard to get out of it especially your legs aren’t longer than your opponents. Trust me, I’ve been there before boys with somebody who’s way longer than me and I hate it.”

  • Conor McGregor Gives First Reaction To Michael Chandler’s UFC 309 Loss: ‘Mad Little Fellow’

    Conor McGregor Gives First Reaction To Michael Chandler’s UFC 309 Loss: ‘Mad Little Fellow’

    Former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor gave some surprising props to Michael Chandler a couple of days on from his defeat this past weekend.

    Chandler made the walk for the first time in two years at Saturday’s UFC 309 pay-per-view, bringing an end to his long wait to share the cage with McGregor by running it back with ex-lightweight kingpin Charles Oliveira instead.

    “Iron” had previously come inches away from defeating “Do Bronx” and becoming a UFC titleholder in just his second Octagon outing. A miraculous comeback from the Brazilian on that occasion, however, spoiled Chandler’s plans.

    And in the co-main event at Madison Square Garden, Oliveira did so once again by establishing himself as the likely next in line for either Islam Makhachev or Arman Tsarukyan.

    Oliveira’s second victory over Chandler came in much more convincing fashion, with “Do Bronx” dominating the American en route to a lopsided unanimous decision. The former Bellator champ did have his moments late in the day, and they were seemingly enough to get some respect from “The Notorious.”

    After remaining silent on fight night, McGregor finally gave his reaction to Chandler’s display in a now-deleted X post Monday night.

    Conor McGregor on Michael Chandle

    “Cut Michael Chandler! Just kidding, good fight,” McGregor wrote. “Mad little fellow is Michael. I like em’!”

    McGregor’s comment was without a response to Chandler’s post-fight callout. Despite his previously failed wait, “Iron” once again had the Dubliner’s name on his lips as he pursues the lucrative showdown opposite his fellow TUF 31 coach in 2025.

    For now, the Irishman has matters to attend to in the court room. He’s currently embroiled in a civil action trial at Dublin’s Irish High Court after being accused of sexual assault.

  • Chael Sonnen Says UFC Won’t Struggle To Find Willing Opponents For Bo Nickal After Latest Performance

    Chael Sonnen Says UFC Won’t Struggle To Find Willing Opponents For Bo Nickal After Latest Performance

    With his fourth win inside the Octagon, Bo Nickal continued to climb up the middleweight ladder on Saturday night at UFC 309 whilst remaining undefeated. Despite this, his latest outing was the first to raise some concerns regarding his current level.

    The 28-year old rising star went the distance with Scotland’s Paul Craig in the first decision win of his career. Though he won all three rounds against his toughest opponent to date, it was the manner of the performance that many took issue with as the two grappling specialists engaged in a lacklustre striking bout for the entire duration.

    It’s not necessarily a bad thing that Nickal showed that he could win the fight without using his wrestling but with Craig not being known for his striking skills either, it wasn’t a particularly impressive display. Chael Sonnen believes that this performance will remove the fear factor and mystique surrounding Nickal during his time in the promotion.

    We see it happen time and time again where an exciting prospect comes up against their toughest test and is shown to not be an unbeatable phenom just quite yet. Though Sonnen admitted that Nickal needs time before making the next step up, he believes that the UFC will no longer have any problems matching him after he looked far more beatable than we’ve seen in the past.

    “Those days are done, for now, they’re put on hold. The conversation that nobody has called out Bo Nickal, that will change. Come Monday, people will be calling for him. The idea that Bo is the boogeyman in the closet that Dana and Hunter just cannot find opponents for because there is so much respect put on Bo’s name mixed with fear… that is gone. They will find opponents for Bo very quickly now and it doesn’t need to be that way.” 

  • ‘Based UFC Europe’ Account Plays Matchmaker For Jon Jones — Aspinall, Aspinall, Or Aspinall

    ‘Based UFC Europe’ Account Plays Matchmaker For Jon Jones — Aspinall, Aspinall, Or Aspinall

    The conversation surrounding Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall hasn’t disappeared in the aftermath of UFC 309 this past weekend. A lot of fans, media and fellow fighters were very vocal in the lead up to the event about the potential of seeing the heavyweight title unification fight.

    Whether it was people talking about Jones’ comments regarding not wanting to fight the interim heavyweight champion or fans arguing that it should have been Aspinall in the main event instead of a returning Stipe Miocic, the controversy regarding this huge match-up has dominated discussions both before and after the UFC’s return to Madison Square Garden.

    In his post-fight interview after stopping Miocic in the third round in what was a one-sided heavyweight title fight, Jones suggested that he will stick around for one more fight if he can come to terms with the UFC. Despite saying “maybe we’ll give you guys what you want to see”, “Bones” stated in his press conference that he isn’t interested in fighting Aspinall and only has eyes for the light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira.

    The UFC Europe account on social media weighed in on the topic via a fairly standard post that offered three options for a champion’s next challenge. However, columns A, B and C all featured one name and one name only.

    Like-minded fight fans gave their reactions to the post from the official account on X.

    “What the UFC Europe social media guy remembered before posting this”

    “Based UFC Europe”

    “UFC Europe banger”

    “I’m all for any of the three options. They all seem like perfect fights to make next for Jon Jones”

  • Bo Nickal Unhappy With Commentary Of UFC 309 Win: To Hear DC Say, ‘He’s Not Ready For Khamzat…’

    Bo Nickal Unhappy With Commentary Of UFC 309 Win: To Hear DC Say, ‘He’s Not Ready For Khamzat…’

    UFC middleweight prospect Bo Nickal has continued to defend his performance on Saturday night — this time against what he’s branded “disappointing” commentary.

    Nickal extended his perfect professional MMA and UFC records on the main card of this past weekend’s UFC 309 pay-per-view, getting past his toughest test to date in the form of Paul Craig.

    But the American wrestling specialist wasn’t tested in the Scotsman’s domain, with the three-round affair playing out entirely on the feet. That led to a less than exciting contest, which the crowd inside Madison Square Garden let the two fighters know.

    Boos rained down following the fight and throughout Nickal’s Octagon interview, and they were only amplified when the undefeated 185lber dismissed the fans’ complaints and expressed joy at how he performed.

    As it turns out, the paying audience weren’t the only ones with an opinion that Nickal thoroughly disagreed with…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWBveUtLBMo

    During an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Nickal took issue with the cageside commentators after watching back his victory over “Bearjew” in New York City.

    Nickal appeared particularly frustrated by Daniel Cormier apparently writing off his chances against Khamzat Chimaev based off that performance.

    “The commentary and just hearing the way that they were looking at the fight, it made me feel like they didn’t know what was going on as much,” Nickal said. “Because anybody that I’ve talked to that are people that I trust and shoot straight with me were like, ‘Dude, you shut that guy out. Domination. It was a flawless fight.’ Then to hear ‘DC’ say things like, ‘Oh, he’s not ready for Khamzat [Chimaev]’ — I think he was trying to be respectful but also maybe set me down a peg. It was just weird to hear.

    “It was a little disappointing to hear those comments from people that I respect a lot. What was going on in these guys’ heads? It just makes me feel like they don’t know what was happening,” Nickal continued. “It’s confusing because I’m like, ‘Wait, what? How do you get that from that?’ I didn’t even really get touched. It’s so crazy.”

    Cormier wasn’t the only one sharing that sentiment — and getting pushback from Nickal soon after.

    Former welterweight title challenger and middleweight contender Darren Till suggested the same in a more colorful fashion on social media. The decorated wrestler gave a short and sweet reply, attaching a GIF of “The Gorilla’s” knockout loss to Jorge Masvidal in 2019.

  • UFC Rankings Report: Jon Jones Denied Pound-For-Pound Top Spot

    UFC Rankings Report: Jon Jones Denied Pound-For-Pound Top Spot

    As always, the latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the ladder toward contention and others fall away.

    And in the aftermath of UFC 309, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.

    Men’s Pound-For-Pound: Dana White won’t be pleased looking at the updated P4P pecking order. Jon Jones’ successful heavyweight title defense at Madison Square Garden wasn’t enough to convince the panel that he should have the crown, with that remaining in Islam Makhachev’s possession. “Bones” has, however, climbed above Alex Pereira (#3) into the #2 position.

    Further down, former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira (#15) has returned to the list as a result of his triumph over Michael Chandler on Saturday night. That’s left ex-middleweight kingpin Israel Adesanya without a number entirely.

    Women’s Pound-for-Pound: No changes.

    Women’s Strawweight: No changes.

    Women’s Flyweight: There was just one change at 125 pounds, with Karine Silva’s defeat to Viviane Araújo at UFC 309 pushing her back one place to #12. That’s provided a boost for Tracy Cortez, who is up one spot to #11 months on from her main event loss to Rose Namajunas.

    Women’s Bantamweight: No changes.

    Flyweight: No changes.

    Bantamweight: Marcus McGhee has debuted in the UFC rankings following his victory over Jonathan Martinez. “The Maniac” has entered at #14, while his defeated opponent is no longer ranked. Aiemann Zahabi has been a beneficiary of those changes, seeing his number improved by one to #13.

    Featherweight: No changes.

    Lightweight: A few changes unrelated to Saturday’s pay-per-view have taken place at 155 pounds. That includes a switch of positions for Mateusz Gamrot and Beneil Dariush, with the former up to #8 and the latter down to #9. It’s a similar situation further down the ladder, with Paddy Pimblett climbing above Jalin Turner (#14) to #13.

    Welterweight: No changes.

    Middleweight: No changes.

    Light Heavyweight: No changes.

    Heavyweight: Following his defeat to Jones, Stipe Miocic announced his retirement from active competition inside the cage. With that, he’s swiftly been removed from the UFC rankings and replaced by Shamil Gaziev, who’s slot in at #15.

    You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

  • Jon Jones Touts ‘Scary’ Training Partner From UFC 309 Camp As A Future Champion

    Jon Jones Touts ‘Scary’ Training Partner From UFC 309 Camp As A Future Champion

    Jon Jones has always surrounded himself with some of the best of the best in their chosen fields to help him in his career. During the time that he has spent at heavyweight, this means bringing in big bodies that can really push him physically day-in and day-out.

    The heavyweight champion’s preparations in Albuquerque clearly paid off for him in his second fight in the weight class this past weekend. In the main event of UFC 309, he stopped the returning Stipe Miocic in the third round to defend his heavyweight title for the first time.

    As seen in social media videos or the fight week build-up, two elite grapplers joined Jones for this camp, along with some of the boxers that he trained with. Standing side-by-side on the mats with Jones and elite grappler Gordon Ryan was the former Olympic gold medallist wrestler, Gable Steveson.

    After becoming the youngest freestyle wrestler in his weight class to ever win Olympic gold having only recently turned 21-years old at the time, Steveson left Tokyo in 2021 with the world at his feet. There was a lot of talk as to whether he would move into MMA or professional wrestling and after brief stints in WWE and the NFL that didn’t work out, it looks like the Octagon could be in his future.

    Jones spoke in his post-fight press conference about how Steveson showed that he had the passion and mentality to learn after offering to step-in for one of Jones’ injured sparring partners during a training session. He also referenced a video that caught the attention of fans on social media where Steveson shot in for a takedown and was hit by a knee from “Bones”.

    “I kneed him in the face at one of his very first practices. He ate it, and he looked like a little kid who had just found a new toy.”

    Jones believes that his teammate for this recent fight camp has all the tools he needs to succeed in MMA if he chooses to stay the course and develop his overall game. At just 24-years old, Steveson still has a lot of time to develop into a serious threat in MMA.

    “He’s gonna be scary, he’s gonna be very scary when he decides to do MMA. He knows how to make men appear very weak, me being one of them. When he learns how to box and learns a little about jiu-jitsu, it’s a matter of if he’ll become a UFC champion, it’s when he’ll be a UFC champion. Whether he trains in Albuquerque with our family or finds a different team, whoever has him are going to be really blessed to have him.”

  • Chael Sonnen Blames Bo Nickal’s Team For Frustrating UFC 309 Performance: ‘Somebody Got A Hold Of Him!’

    Chael Sonnen Blames Bo Nickal’s Team For Frustrating UFC 309 Performance: ‘Somebody Got A Hold Of Him!’

    Bo Nickal remained undefeated at UFC 309 and earned his biggest win to date but these stats alone do not tell the full story of his performance at Madison Square Garden. The undefeated 185-pounder faced off with Scotland’s Paul Craig in a fight that many believed would be Nickal’s toughest test to date.

    The biggest talking point heading into this match-up was whether the wrestling specialist would attempt to play to his strengths against Scotland’s Craig who is an incredibly dangerous submission artist. In the end, we didn’t get to find out how they would have matched up in this area because fight fans instead got a fairly uneventful striking match over three rounds which Nickal won without landing too many significant shots.

    In a recent video on his YouTube channel in the aftermath of the UFC’s return to New York, Chael Sonnen voiced his frustrations about the fight and Nickal’s approach in particular. He believes that someone must have told the 28-year old to stay clear of Craig’s grappling and though he ended up winning the striking battle and therefore the fight, Sonnen took a lot of issue with this considering his wrestling credentials.

    “My problem with it and my gripe is that you have a four-time world champion… doesn’t do one damn bit of wrestling because somebody got a hold of him. One of his trainers or his training partners sat him down and said, ‘You’re not ready to go to the ground with the guy.’ Well how the F would we know? How in the F we would know that now?”

    Sonnen went on to reference Georges St-Pierre and how he would game plan for opponents in comparison. He said that the former welterweight and middleweight champion would look at his three best skill sets and rank them in order to strategize how he would approach the fight and what his back-up plans would be.

    “The Bad Guy” believes that Nickal gave Craig too much respect by not sticking to what he does best, stating that this isn’t something that the middleweight prospect did when he faced elite wrestlers so would he start doing it now.

    “That is nothing that Bo has ever done. He didn’t show Gabe Dean that respect, he didn’t show Miles Martin that respect, he did not show David Taylor that respect and he refuses to take down, a four-time world champion refuses to use one bit of wrestling against a guy that’s never had a wrestling match. That is because of somebody in his trusted inner circle.”

  • Eryk Anders Reveals Reason For Fight-Day Cancellation Of UFC 309 Matchup With Chris Weidman

    Eryk Anders Reveals Reason For Fight-Day Cancellation Of UFC 309 Matchup With Chris Weidman

    Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman looked to finally break his run of bad luck in New York in his scheduled bout against Eryk Anders on the UFC 309 prelims this past weekend. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be following an announcement that happened during the broadcast of the early prelims at Madison Square Garden.

    Jon Anik stated once the card went live that Anders had been forced out of the fight due to a medical issue. As a result, the card continued with 12-bouts with Weidman releasing a video on social media to give his reaction to the news shortly after the fans found out.

    The day after the promotion’s return to Madison Square Garden, Anders also posted a video on social media where he explained why he was forced to withdraw on such short notice. Anders states that he was suffering from food poisoning throughout Saturday so couldn’t make the walk on fight night.

    Weidman was obviously looking forward to fighting in New York for what could have been the last time in his career but Anders was also incredibly disappointed to miss out on a huge opportunity for his career also. He secured a decision win over Jamie Pickett in March to return to the win column but beating Weidman would have been a big scalp for him.

    “Status update- got food poisoning Friday night and there was no way I would have been able to go out there and compete,” Anders wrote. “Super upset I didn’t get to compete at MSG against a former champ. I seriously doubt that opportunity will come around again, but it is what it is. Hopefully we can get that matchup rebooked ASAP. Thank you all for the messages of concern.”

  • Former Fighter Blasts ‘Cheating Rat’ Jon Jones In UFC 309 Reaction: ‘Lance Armstrong Of MMA’

    Former Fighter Blasts ‘Cheating Rat’ Jon Jones In UFC 309 Reaction: ‘Lance Armstrong Of MMA’

    Jon Jones may be considered to be the greatest of all time in mixed martial arts but his incredible accomplishments inside the Octagon don’t come without come controversy along the way. For everything that “Bones” has done during his UFC tenure which is worth highlighting, there are plenty of other talking points that don’t color the heavyweight champion in the best light.

    Some of these examples from the past are unavoidable when reflecting on Jones’ career like his previous suspensions from the UFC whilst others, like his run-ins with the law, are more of a reflection of his public image rather than his professional achievements. Despite all of this, UFC 309 was built up as the return of the GOAT who would be defending his belt for the first and possibly last time.

    Jones was able to dominate Stipe Miocic in the main event at Madison Square Garden before going on to suggest that he will be sticking around for one more fight before calling time on one of the sport’s greatest careers. One former member of the roster that didn’t take the moment to celebrate another win on Jones’ record was Mark Hunt.

    Since departing the UFC, “The Super Samoan” has been incredibly critical of his former home, particularly when talking about athletes that have either been accused or found guilty of taking performance enhancing drugs. This stems from Hunt’s fight against the returning Brock Lesnar at UFC 200 where he later attempted to sue the promotion, claiming that they knew Lesnar had failed a pre-fight test but withheld the information until after the bout.

    He posted on social media and referenced Jones’ somewhat murky past with the UFC’s drug-testing procedures.

    “The ufc heavyweight champion of the world ladies and gentlemen there u have it a cheating steroid rat who runs into pregnant women and runs off a rat that hides under the octagon for 10 hours hiding from being tested for drugs this is your ufc heavyweight champion this is the rat u need to look upto this is the rat we promote please be upstanding and raise your glass to a company that has zero credibility worthless belt worthless champion and even more worthless rip off company any other sport this loser wouldn’t be here that’s why ufc have no credibility because they promote this garbage.”

  • Dan Hooker Criticizes Michael Chandler Calling For BMF Fight: ‘It’s Not Our Title’

    Dan Hooker Criticizes Michael Chandler Calling For BMF Fight: ‘It’s Not Our Title’

    Following his loss to Charles Oliveira in the co-main event of UFC 309, Michael Chandler called for two potential fights in the near future. “Iron” Mike admitted that he planned to push for the winner of the upcoming lightweight title fight between Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan which is expected to take place early next year.

    After losing the first four rounds in his rematch with “Do Bronx”, which he nearly produced an all-time great comeback in during the fifth round, Chandler pivoted towards two huge match-ups that are still out there for him in the lightweight division. The most obvious of those two options is his long-awaited fight with Conor McGregor that somehow seems less likely than his other call out.

    Chandler said that with Max Holloway committing to lightweight following his UFC 308 loss, he’d love the opportunity to fight for the BMF title that currently belongs to “Blessed”. Another name that is also in the mix for huge bouts at 155-pounds is Dan Hooker who commented on his former opponent’s BMF desires during a recent interview with Submission Radio.

    “The Hangman” believes that contenders need to stop trying to decide who should fight for the BMF title because it’s a belt that is purely for the fans. He’s likely to be in that conversation as someone who always puts on great fights but Hooker isn’t going to start saying that this is what he wants next.

    “I don’t see like Chandler calling for the BMF like why does everyone keep throwing their hands up for the BMF, it’s not up to us. It’s not our title, the BMF title is for the fans. It’s for the fans to kind of get the steam and get it together. People need to stop calling out for the BMF title brother. That’s the fans’ title, it’s their fun.”

  • Charles Oliveira Addresses Myriad Of Fouls From Michael Chandler At UFC 309

    Charles Oliveira Addresses Myriad Of Fouls From Michael Chandler At UFC 309

    Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira was left frustrated by referee Keith Peterson’s officiating of this past weekend’s co-main event.

    Oliveira delivered one of the performances of the night at Saturday’s UFC 309 pay-per-view, where he added a second victory over former three-time Bellator champion Michael Chandler to his record.

    First time around, “Do Bronx” was swarmed early and had to mount an incredible comeback to finish “Iron” in round two and have the 155-pound gold wrapped around his waist.

    In the rematch three and a half years later at Madison Square Garden, things were simpler for the Brazilian for the most part and it was instead Chandler tasked with coming from behind.

    The fifth and final frame saw the American come close to doing so after he rocked Oliveira on the feet and established a dominant position on the ground. The onslaught of strikes that followed, however, caused controversy as they largely appeared to cannon into the back of the eventual victor’s head.

    And that was just the latest instance of apparent fouling, with fans highlighting fence grabs during the fight and “Do Bronx” complaining of eye pokes and glove grabbing.

    During his post-fight press conference at MSG, Oliveira shed light on the multitude of fouls dealt his way at UFC 309, questioning why referee Peterson didn’t intervene a single time.

    “I’m not here to criticize,” Oliveira said. “But I wanna tell you something: there were a lot of blows to the back of the head, a lot of fence grabbing. There was also some eye pokes. And I was telling the ref what was going on, I was calling for his attention and nothing would happen. I hoped that he would intervene, but nothing happened.”

    This is far from the first time Chandler has been accused of deliberate fouling. He notably caught the wrath of Dustin Poirier in the aftermath of their fight after appearing to fishhook “The Diamond” during a grappling exchange.

    Oliveira thankfully didn’t have to deal with that kind of foul, and he ultimately recovered from some egregious back-of-the-head blows to have his hand raised by way of a convincing unanimous decision.

    He’ll now turn his attention to the expected lightweight title clash between champ Islam Makhachev and challenger Arman Tsarukyan next month in Los Angeles, as he gears up to potentially battle the winner later in the year.

  • VIDEO: Israel Adesanya Applauds Jon Jones Performance During UFC 309 Live Reaction

    VIDEO: Israel Adesanya Applauds Jon Jones Performance During UFC 309 Live Reaction

    Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya appeared impressed while watching Jon Jones send Stipe Miocic into retirement with a brutal kick this past weekend.

    Jones and Miocic headlined Saturday’s UFC 309 pay-per-view inside Madison Square Garden in New York City, completing their long-awaited matchup over a year on from an injury shelving it first time around.

    Returning from a spell on the sidelines that spanned over three and a half years, many dismissed Miocic’s chances of unseating Jones and adding a third heavyweight reign to his illustrious record.

    And the veteran ultimately failed in his pursuit of proving them wrong, with “Bones” following a dominant opening round by eventually finding the finish in the third frame with a vicious spinning side kick to the body.

    In spite of many focusing on his avoidance of Tom Aspinall, Jones’ latest triumph on MMA’s biggest stage drew widespread plaudits, including from some UFC peers whom he’s not always seen eye to eye with…

    During a video recently uploaded to his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Adesanya reacted live to the events that unfolded on the UFC 309 main card at MSG.

    The Nigerian-New Zealander didn’t have much to say during the finishing sequence in the headliner, instead simply applauding Jones’ work.

    “He did it, as he does,” Adesanya said. “Great main event. … Good to see Stipe hang them up. I still think he went out on top.”

    He was subsequently asked the question on everyone’s lips — will a unification fight with Aspinall happen?

    “I think it’ll happen. If Jones is not retiring, I think they’ll figure it out,” Adesanya said. “Talk to Hunter (Campbell), talk to Dana (White)…sit down in the War Room, they’ll hash it out, they’ll figure it out.”

    While Jones initially appeared to tease a stance switch inside the Octagon when he suggested he could give the masses what they want, he quickly reverted back to dismissing Aspinall and expressing a desire to face Alex Pereira when he arrived backstage.