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Tag: UFC 311

  • Report: No Backups Set For UFC 312 Title Fights Despite Late Scramble To Save UFC 311 Main Event

    Report: No Backups Set For UFC 312 Title Fights Despite Late Scramble To Save UFC 311 Main Event

    Dana White and co. will have their fingers crossed that there isn’t a repeat of the late withdrawal in Los Angeles earlier this month when the promotion heads Down Under for UFC 312.

    After opening its pay-per-view schedule for 2025 with UFC 311 from Inglewood’s Intuit Dome, the mixed martial arts leader is taking the Octagon abroad for a return to Australia in February.

    Two names familiar to the attending Aussie fanbase will compete inside Qudos Bank Arena, with last year’s Sydney headliner, Dricus Du Plessis, meeting 2023’s main event victor in the city, Sean Strickland.

    Their middleweight championship rematch won’t be the only title fight on the UFC 312 card, with strawweight queen Zhang Weili also set to defend her throne opposite undefeated challenger Tatiana Suarez.

    While anticipation is building for those contests, fans will be well aware that no matchup is certain to go down until the cage door closes behind the athletes.

    That much was evident a few weeks back when Arman Tsarukyan pulled out of the UFC 311 main event, forcing the promotion to find a new foe for Islam Makhachev on just 24 hours’ notice. The Dagestani ultimately faced Renato Moicano, whom he steamrolled in minutes.

    Disappointment was evident when the highly awaited second clash between Makhachev and Tsarukyan fell through, but that scenario hasn’t convinced the UFC to make additional arrangements for the second PPV of the year.

    Per MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin, no fighters are currently expected to make the long-haul flight to Australia to serve as backup for the UFC 312 main or co-main events.

    The organization has often paid contenders to hit the scale as alternative options should injury or illness strike late in the day. But that hasn’t been the case since Tom Aspinall did so back at UFC 309 in November.

    Backups were neither present for Alexandre Pantoja’s title defense at UFC 310 against Kai Asakura nor the pair of championship clashes on Jan. 18. UFC 312 will now make it three PPVs on the bounce in that regard.

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov Has ‘Got To Improve’ As A Coach After Umar’s UFC 311 Loss, Says Ex-Title Challenger

    Khabib Nurmagomedov Has ‘Got To Improve’ As A Coach After Umar’s UFC 311 Loss, Says Ex-Title Challenger

    UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns doesn’t think Khabib Nurmagomedov handled things perfectly in the corner of his cousin, Umar, earlier this month.

    The previously undefeated bantamweight challenged for Merab Dvalishvili’s title in the co-main event of UFC 311, staged inside the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

    After a strong start, Nurmagomedov was unable to continue his momentum into the latter rounds, with the Georgian champion’s renowned pace and cardio once again proving to be the difference and setting up a decision victory.

    During an episode of his and Renato Moicano’s Show Me The Money podcast, Burns gave his assessment of the contest and outlined where the challenger’s team might have gone wrong.

    Though he noted his immense respect for Khabib, “Durinho” saw some holes in the coaching game of the former UFC lightweight champion.

    “I have so much respect for the Dagestani guys and Khabib, but I just gotta say this ā€” Khabib Nurmagomedov as a main coach, people gonna hate on this, still got to improve a lot,” Burns said. “When Umar started getting tired, he came to the corner with those question eyes, like, he didnā€™t know what to do. And when I looked at Khabib and his corner, they had the same eyes ā€” like, ‘Oh my God.’

    “Guys like ‘Parrumpa’ and Henry (Hooft), they calm you down and tell you exactly what to do ā€” ‘You lost that round, now do this and this.’ Theyā€™ve been in so many corners, you canā€™t even count,” Burns continued. “I have a lot of respect for him (Khabib), but coaching takes time and repetition.”

    Khabib seemingly won’t be sticking around as long as the trainers named by Burns, however, having outlined his plans to hang up his coaching gloves when his current crop of fighters depart the sport.

    For now, though, the Dagestani remains focused on developing his team. He was most recently in Dubai for a successful PFL main event for another of his cousins, Bellator Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov.

  • Usman Nurmagomedov Believes Brother Umar ‘Won The First Three Rounds’ vs. Merab DvalishviliĀ 

    Usman Nurmagomedov Believes Brother Umar ‘Won The First Three Rounds’ vs. Merab DvalishviliĀ 

    Umar Nurmagomedov was pretty clear that he thought he did enough to win the bantamweight title at UFC 311. All three judges had the fight scored in favor of the defending champion, Merab Dvalishvili, but Umar’s own brother disputes this.

    A lot of fight fans, and two of the three judges, had the challenger winning the first two rounds of the fight where he was able to successfully implement his striking whilst defending takedowns from the champion. The most significant round of the fight ended up being the third where all of a sudden, the tide appeared to be turning.

    Whilst the round was competitive, the consensus opinion was that Dvalishvili was able to change the momentum of the contest in this period by starting to have more success with his constant pressure and output which started to wear on his opponent. Usman Nurmagomedov believes that the Georgian’s success in this round was not enough for him to get a 10 next to his name on the scorecards.

    The undefeated Bellator lightweight champion returns this weekend to face Paul Hughes in Dubai following an incredibly busy few weeks for his team and family. Nurmagomedov spoke in a recent interview with MMA Junkie about how from his point of view, “The Machine” needed a finish in the championship rounds to keep hold of the title.

    ā€œHonestly, I was a little surprised because I thought Umar won the first three rounds,ā€ Usman said. ā€œWhen they said ā€˜and still,ā€™ I thought they were going to say ā€˜and still undefeated.ā€™ But anyway, Alhamdulillah. Of course, this has some effect on me, but I try to keep it inside of me. I donā€™t want to talk about that with people.ā€

    Despite this, Nurmagomedov is confident that his older brother will bounce back and that this just another chapter in his journey.

    ā€œItā€™s just one step back for the streak, you know, Inshallah. All good Alhamdulillah for everything, weā€™re always thankful for God, and this time the same thing. Nothing changes.

  • Umar Nurmagomedov Shows X-Ray Of Surgically Repaired Hand After UFC 311 Injury

    Umar Nurmagomedov Shows X-Ray Of Surgically Repaired Hand After UFC 311 Injury

    UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov has posted an X-ray image of his hand following a surgical procedure in the aftermath of his defeat this past weekend.

    Nurmagomedov is days on from his first title shot on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage, which came in the co-main event of the UFC 311 pay-per-view at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

    As an undefeated challenger competing out of the renowned team of Dagestanis led by Khabib Nurmagomedov, Umar entered the Jan. 18 card as a betting favorite over defending champion Merab Dvalishvili.

    But “The Machine” upset the odds in style, utilizing his renowned pace and cardio to secure the final three rounds on every scorecard for the decision win.

    In the aftermath, Nurmagomedov revealed that he had broken his hand in the very first round, displaying severe swelling. And the damage was so severe that the Russian has already undergone surgery.

    He posted an X-ray of the repaired hand on Instagram, showing the insertion of a metal rod.

    Nurmagomedov’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, has pointed to the summer as a likely return timeframe for his man, when the Dagestani will need to bounce back to keep his name in the championship conversation.

  • Payton Talbott Issues Statement On First Career Loss At UFC 311

    Payton Talbott Issues Statement On First Career Loss At UFC 311

    UFC bantamweight prospect Payton Talbott has broken his silence after having the undefeated start to his professional career brought to a close this past weekend.

    Talbott was among the heavy favorites to emerge victorious from the first pay-per-view event of 2025, UFC 311 from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on Jan. 18.

    But in the featured preliminary contest, the charismatic 135lber had his charge up the ladder stalled by a veteran of the sport in Raoni Barcelos, who utilized his grappling prowess to outpoint his much younger opponent across three rounds.

    While three straight UFC wins and an unblemished 9-0 record brought plenty of hype to Talbott’s name, cries of “fraud checked” were quick to fly around some MMA circles ā€” as is often the case when a promising prospect endures a setback.

    But after taking some days to digest the result before releasing a statement, it doesn’t appear as though the defeat in Los Angeles has dented the up-and-comer’s motivation.

    “The vet gave me my first scar,” he wrote on Instagram. “May the skin heal itself to be strong and never split again. lucky to have such people in my life. fortunate to be able to learn valuable lessons. still had fun.”

    Having opened his Octagon account for the year with a first career loss, Talbott will be looking to reverse his 2025 fortunes when he makes the walk once again.

    And at the age of just 26, it’s safe to say that there’s plenty of time for the talented striker to round out his game in the months and years to come.

  • Timeline Revealed For Umar Nurmagomedov’s Return Following UFC 311 Loss

    Timeline Revealed For Umar Nurmagomedov’s Return Following UFC 311 Loss

    It will be at least a good few months until we see Umar Nurmagomedov step back inside the Octagon following UFC 311 this past weekend. The bantamweight title challenger may have suffered the first loss of his career in the co-main event but there were a lot of positives for him take from this fight.

    For a start, his highly anticipated clash with Merab Dvalishvili ended up producing one of the best title fights in some time, earning both men a fight of the night bonus at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Nurmagomedov also won the first two rounds on two of the scorecards with the relentless cardio of the defending champion seeing him take over from this point on as the tide began to turn in his favor.

    What makes the challenger’s display even more impressive is that immediately after the bout in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, the 29-year old said that he believed he had broken his hand in the first round. Dvalishvili also came into the fight in less than ideal condition but you wouldn’t have been able to tell from either of their performances and that’s a huge credit to both of them.

    Following the confirmation of Nurmagomedov’s hand injury, his manager has since posted a timeframe for his return as the cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov looks to get back in the mix. Ali Abdelaziz posted the following message on X to state that after taking some time off to recover, his fighter will be ready to go again in several months time.

    Given that Nurmagomedov is yet to face many of the top contenders at 135-pounds, as Dvalishvili remarked throughout the build up to January 18, there are a lot of exciting options for him even after suffering a defeat.

    “@UNmgdv getting a surgery tomorrow on his hand, he will be back in the cage mid or late summer”

  • Beating Umar Nurmagomedov ‘Easier Than Expected’ At UFC 311, Says Merab Dvalishvili’s Coach

    Beating Umar Nurmagomedov ‘Easier Than Expected’ At UFC 311, Says Merab Dvalishvili’s Coach

    The coach of Merab Dvalishvili expected the UFC bantamweight champion to face more adversity when sharing the Octagon with Umar Nurmagomedov.

    The pair collided in the co-main event of this past weekend’s UFC 311 pay-per-view, which marked the MMA leader’s very first numbered event of 2025.

    Their co-headliner went the distance and collected Fight of the Night honors, with defending champ Dvalishvili ultimately emerging with his hand raised and the 135-pound gold still in his possession.

    While the Dagestani challenger enjoyed a strong start inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome, the Georgian’s renowned pace and cardio ultimately proved to be the difference across the final three rounds.

    Though he’d have no doubt expected that to be the case, one of the champ’s coaches admitted the victory over Nurmagomedov on Jan. 18 came more comfortably than he had foreseen during a recent appearance on Submission Radio.

    “No, (nothing surprised us), not at all,” Syndicate MMA’s John Wood said. “He did what I thought he would do, and maybe he broke his hand in the first round, maybe he didnā€™t, who knows. I donā€™t think a broken hand affects your cardio from the last I checked. I donā€™t think your hand and your lungs are connected, so I donā€™t think that played into anything. And who cares? Itā€™s a fight, thatā€™s what happens.

    “If anything, the only thing Iā€™d say is it was maybe easier than expected,” Wood continued. “Thatā€™s not being disrespectful (to Nurmagomedov), itā€™s how good Merab is, and I really want people to start noticing that.”

    Nurmagomedov evidently sees things differently.

    After initially questioning the judges’ scorecards during his Octagon interview, the previously undefeated Russian doubled down on that take in his latest remarks.

    He’ll now look to work his way back to a second championship opportunity and the chance to achieve redemption against “The Machine.”

  • JiÅ™Ć­ ProchĆ”zka Reveals Post-Fight Message To ‘Really Good Guy’ Jamahal Hill After UFC 311

    JiÅ™Ć­ ProchĆ”zka Reveals Post-Fight Message To ‘Really Good Guy’ Jamahal Hill After UFC 311

    Former UFC light heavyweight champion JiÅ™Ć­ ProchĆ”zka disregarded any and all trash talk that Jamahal Hill had thrown his way when they shared a drink this past weekend.

    The two ex-titleholders collided in one of the most important and highly anticipated matchups on the opening pay-per-view card of the year, UFC 311 inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome.

    “BJP” was largely on top throughout an entertaining scrap, dropping “Sweet Dreams” more than once before a final flurry in round three forced the referee’s intervention to award the Czech star victory by way of TKO.

    Though Hill gained a reputation as somewhat of a ‘sore loser’ in some circles of the MMA community owing to his reaction post-KO defeat to Alex Pereira, he was gracious and classy in reacting to the Jan. 18 setback.

    That was most visible when the two combatants shared a drink following their battle. And during an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, ProchĆ”zka detailed what was said.

    “We saw each other after the fight and in the bar when we were back in the hotel,” ProchĆ”zka said. “I bought him a glass of vodka. So, we took a shot and I just told him like, ‘We fight together, we drink together…all good between us,’ and he is the same.

    “He’s a good guy, man. He’s a really, really good guy,” ProchĆ”zka continued. “In some situations, I don’t know why he was (talking trash) before the fight. We spoke about his speeches and all these things, but I don’t care right now. It is behind us.”

    It remains to be seen what will come next for either man, but judging by his Octagon interview with Joe Rogan, it’s clear that “BJP” has his sights set on a third opportunity to defeat Pereira.

    For now, “Poatan” will be planning on how to stall the title ambitions of Magomed Ankalaev, who will have his long-awaited crack at the Brazilian in the main event spot of UFC 313 on March 8 in Las Vegas.

  • Anthony Smith Maintains Jon Jones Is P4P Best Because Islam Makhachev ‘Has Taken A Legitimate Loss’

    Anthony Smith Maintains Jon Jones Is P4P Best Because Islam Makhachev ‘Has Taken A Legitimate Loss’

    When it comes to the ever-polarizing pound-for-pound debate between Jon Jones and Islam Makhachev, UFC light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith is in the corner of his former opponent.

    This past weekend, Makhachev did no harm to his claim to top spot, where he already currently sits in the official UFC rankings. The Dagestani secured a record-breaking fourth successful defense of his lightweight belt and fifth UFC title win at the expense of Renato Moicano.

    One man who has long been against that has been UFC CEO Dana White, instead putting forth heavyweight kingpin Jones as the clear and obvious P4P number one.

    Interestingly, despite Moicano being a lower-ranked and late-notice replacement opponent for Makhachev after the withdrawal of Arman Tsarukyan, White finally acknowledged Makhachev as the P4P best while interacting with the media in Los Angeles.

    During an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, though, Smith dismissed that take owing to one discrepancy when it comes to Jones and Makhachev’s record ā€” one “legitimate” defeat.

    “I still think it’s Jon Jones,” Smith said. “He’s gone through three different generations of fighters and has continued to win. And again, Islam has taken a legitimate loss and Jon Jones hasn’t.

    “I think you take them all and put them in a room, Jon Jones walks out,” Smith concluded.

    Makhachev’s sole career loss came a decade ago at UFC 192, where he was knocked out cold by Adriano Martins.

    On paper, Jones boasts the same number of setbacks. But the importance of that has long been dismissed in MMA circles due to it coming via disqualification for a now-legal 12-6 elbow against Matt Hamill in 2009.

  • CSAC Releases Fight-Day Weights For UFC 311; Dvalishvili, Moicano, Talbott Among Biggest Changes

    CSAC Releases Fight-Day Weights For UFC 311; Dvalishvili, Moicano, Talbott Among Biggest Changes

    Some fighters piled on plenty of pounds between hitting the scale last Friday and making the walk for the UFC 311 pay-per-view on Saturday.

    The mixed martial arts leader opened its PPV account for 2025 this past weekend in Los Angeles, where Inglewood’s Intuit Dome played host to two championship contests and a host of intriguing matchups.

    While facts such as fight-day weights and base purses are rarely seen officially, the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) provides more disclosure for events under its jurisdiction.

    And amid conversations in the MMA community after the release of payouts for those who competed at UFC 311, there’s a new topic of discussion regarding weight discrepancy.

    Renowned MMA reporter Aaron Bronsteter shared the figures via CSAC this week, with the most notable increases from weigh-in day to fight night coming from Tagir Ulanbekov, Payton Talbott, Merab Dvalishvili, Raoni Barcelos and Renato Moicano ā€” all of whom weighed 17 percent more a day on from weighing in.

    With his 26.8-pound change, Moicano was 3.8 pounds heavier for his unsuccessful title challenger opposite Islam Makhachev in the UFC 311 main event.

    The biggest discrepancy, meanwhile, came in the main card middleweight contest between Reinier de Ridder and Kevin Holland. With a 15 percent increase, the Dutchman boasted a 21.6-pound advantage over “Trailblazer,” who gained just 4 percent post-weigh-in.

    Second in that regard was the gap between Jamahal Hill and JiÅ™Ć­ ProchĆ”zka. “Sweet Dreams” took to the cage 13.6 pounds heavier than his fellow former champ, who ultimately emerged victorious after knocking the American out in round three.

  • Jamahal Hill Posts Video Drinking With JiÅ™Ć­ ProchĆ”zka Alongside First Statement On UFC 311 Loss

    Jamahal Hill Posts Video Drinking With JiÅ™Ć­ ProchĆ”zka Alongside First Statement On UFC 311 Loss

    Jamahal Hill appears to be in good spirits following UFC 311 this past weekend where he was defeated by JiÅ™Ć­ ProchĆ”zka in a fantastic light heavyweight contest. The former champion is currently coming off of back-to-back defeats for the first time in his career after facing two of the most dangerous knockout artists in the sport in consecutive outings.

    “Sweet Dreams” certainly had his moments in the fight, specifically in the second round where he appeared to swing the momentum back in his favor by starting to land more effective strikes on his opponent. After seemingly being hurt to the body in that round, ProchĆ”zka bounced back in the third and was able to finish Hill to get himself back in the win column.

    Whilst there are certainly positives for Hill to take from this fight, this was a big moment for him in his career but he isn’t letting that keep him down for too long. There was tension between the two men in the build-up to the fight following some comments that Hill made but this has since been put to rest in the aftermath of their long-awaited fight.

    The Chicago native posted a video on his Instagram which shows the two men sharing a drink with one another in Los Angeles after putting on a great back-and-forth battle for the fans inside the Intuit Dome. The mutual respect shown in this video was also echoed by Hill in the caption as he reflected on the fight for the first time.

    He gave props to his opponent whilst being grateful for the position he’s in right now with plenty of hunger to get back to winning ways in the near future.

    “First of congratulations to @jirkaprochazka you made great adjustments and gave me a hell of a fight!!! I want to thank everybody that reached out with love and support I truly appreciate you all!!! My fire has never burned hotter or brighter for my future and growth!! Fighting against the elite of the elite is an honor and blessing that I donā€™t take for granted and yes it comes with some hard lessons but this is my journey and Iā€™m going to set the course back right!!! Negative and hate are from those that know where they stand beneath you and want to bring you down to their level!! My head is high my heart is full and I canā€™t wait for my time to shine again Sweet Dreams Nation we move forward and onward!!!”

  • Merab Dvalishvili Sparks ‘Shark Attack’ Comparisons With Gruesome Images Of Pre-UFC 311 Injury

    Merab Dvalishvili Sparks ‘Shark Attack’ Comparisons With Gruesome Images Of Pre-UFC 311 Injury

    Merab Dvalishvili produced a remarkable performance in the co-main event of UFC 311 to remain the bantamweight champion. Heading into his first title defense, there were some questions surrounding his decision to take this fight against the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov for multiple reasons.

    Not only did the champion appear to be emotional after admitting to taking the fight on six weeks notice because he felt disrespected by his challenger, there was talk ahead of Saturday night about both men coming in at less than 100%. This only makes Dvalishvili’s latest win even more impressive after he detailed some of the struggles he was battling to even make it to the Octagon, let alone the incredible tenacity that he showed inside the Octagon.

    A leg injury in particular seriously threated the fight which considering what happened with Arman Tsarukyan having to withdraw from his rematch with Islam Makhachev due to a back injury, would have been a disaster for the UFC. The Georgian was at serious risk of being pulled from the fight but somehow, it healed enough for him to get the all clear and “The Machine” was never going to let some cuts and bruises stop him from doing what he does best, no matter how bad they were, especially after Nurmagomedov mentioned the champion pulling out to avoid fighting him.

    Dvalishvili did detail these injuries in his post-fight press conference having been cut off by Joe Rogan in his post-fight interview but videos that he has since posted on social media show the true extent of the damage that was done to his leg. The following videos are certainly not for the squeamish but to an iron-willed champion like Dvalishvili, they are but a flesh wound.

    Whilst Dvalishvili seems relatively unfazed by the injury in the video where he gives his initial reaction, he is certainly in the minority in that regard.

    “It looks like he fought after a shark attack.”

    “Sheesh. Merab truly is a machine.”

    “Someone help the shark”

  • UFC Rankings Report: Merab Dvalishvili Jumps Dricus Du Plessis & Belal Muhammad On The P4P List

    UFC Rankings Report: Merab Dvalishvili Jumps Dricus Du Plessis & Belal Muhammad On The P4P List

    The latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the UFC rankings toward contention and others fall away.

    And in the aftermath of UFC 311, MMA News has you covered with this weekā€™s complete updates.

    Menā€™s Pound-For-Pound:Ā Bantamweight kingpin Merab Dvalishvili is on the up. After successfully defending his title at the expense of Umar Nurmagomedov, the Georgian has climbed two positions on the P4P ladder to #5, surpassing two fellow champs in Belal Muhammad (#6) and Dricus Du Plessis (#7).

    Womenā€™s Pound-for-Pound: No changes.

    Womenā€™s Strawweight:Ā No changes.

    Womenā€™s Flyweight: No changes.

    Womenā€™s Bantamweight: 

    Flyweight: No changes.

    Bantamweight: After Holly Holm’s departure from the promotion, the former champ has been removed from the UFC rankings. With a spot free, France’s Nora Cornolle has arrived at #15 despite losing her last outing to Jacqueline Cavalcanti.

    Further up, AilĆ­n PĆ©rez has reaped some reward from her decision victory over Karol Rosa at UFC 311. The Argentine has risen by two spots to #11. That does, however, still leave her three places below the woman she defeated days ago in Los Angeles.

    Featherweight:Ā No changes.

    Lightweight:Ā Grant Dawson outpointed Diego Ferreira on Jan. 18 to make it three wins on the bounce since his knockout loss to King Green. With that, “KGD” has returned to the UFC rankings at #15, replacing Joel Alvarez.

    Also, BenoĆ®t Saint Denis has found himself down the pecking order. He’s slipped two positions to #14, now leaving him below Paddy Pimblett (#12) and Jalin Turner (#13).

    Welterweight:Ā No changes.

    Middleweight: No changes.

    Light Heavyweight: Jamahal Hill slipped to the first losing skid of his career this past weekend, falling via knockout to fellow ex-champ JiÅ™Ć­ ProchĆ”zka. As a result, “Sweet Dreams” has dropped one spot to #4, boosting Jan Błachowicz up to #3.

    Heavyweight:Ā No changes.

    You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

  • Renato Moicano Urges Dana White To Book His Next Fight Just Days On From UFC 311 Setback

    Renato Moicano Urges Dana White To Book His Next Fight Just Days On From UFC 311 Setback

    UFC lightweight contender Renato Moicano is already looking ahead to his next assignment ā€” and a grudge that he wants to settle in 2025.

    Moicano was the recipient of a surprise title shot this past weekend in Los Angeles, where MMA’s leading promotion opened its pay-per-view account for 2025 with UFC 311 from the Intuit Dome.

    Originally scheduled to do battle with Beneil Dariush on the main card, Moicano found himself making the walk for the headliner and sharing the Octagon with champion Islam Makhachev.

    His sudden title shot came about after the late withdrawal of Arman Tsarukyan. Unfortunately for the Brazilian, he was unable to shock the world on 24 hours’ notice, instead falling to a submission in the first round.

    While some may say it’s difficult to criticize the fan favorite’s efforts given the manner in which his first championship opportunity arrived, longtime rival Paddy Pimblett found a way.

    “The Baddy” berated the Brazilian in a reaction video, questioning why he tapped so quickly instead of ‘going out on his shield’. Those remarks sparked a tense back and forth between the pair on social media, reigniting talk of a clash inside the Octagon from 2024.

    Moicano, for one, is keen for it to come to fruition as soon as possible.

    “@danawhite just book this fight already,” he wrote on X.

    While Moicano is licking his wounds following an unsuccessful opening outing in 2025 and title shot, Pimblett remains without a date in the calendar for his next bout.

    With that in mind, perhaps the #13-ranked lightweight will find himself with the chance to back up his promise to replicate Makhachev’s performance against the Brazilian later this year.

  • Coach Insists ‘Healthy’ Sean O’Malley Can Be The One To Beat Merab Dvalishvili After Watching UFC 311 PerformanceĀ 

    Coach Insists ‘Healthy’ Sean O’Malley Can Be The One To Beat Merab Dvalishvili After Watching UFC 311 PerformanceĀ 

    The coach of Sean O’Malley believes the former UFC bantamweight champion can be the “kryptonite” to Merab Dvalishvili.

    Dvalishvili returned four months on from his victory over O’Malley to be crowned champ this past weekend, defending the title for the first time opposite undefeated challenger Umar Nurmagomedov.

    The Georgian enhanced his legacy on MMA’s biggest stage with a massive victory in the UFC 311 co-headliner, utilizing his renowned cardio and pace to outpoint his Dagestani rival across five rounds.

    With the result, “The Machine” is now being firmly discussed in the division’s GOAT conversation, and many have questioned who has what it takes to unseat him at 135 pounds.

    According to coach Tim Welch, the one hope is O’Malley.

    “(Dvalishvili) is on a streak, Iā€™ll tell you what,” Welch said in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel. “You could tell after that fourth round that Umar was seriously gassed; he was really tired. He did a good job wrestling. Merab was shooting a ton and Umar was doing a great job at stuffing all of his shots. If he did hit his butt, he hit his butt just for a second and popped right up. But Merab just kept that pace and cardio on him. Heā€™s got some cardio, Iā€™ll tell you that.

    “That last 30 seconds of the fight I think really made Merab win the fight. Heā€™s a problem, heā€™s a big problem,” Welch continued. “But I do believe that we can be the kryptonite to Merab with the right game plan and a good fight camp. With ā€˜Sugeā€™ healthy, I think we take him out. And weā€™ll find out, now wonā€™t we?”

    Soon after his decision defeat to the current champ inside the Sphere last September, O’Malley headed to the surgery room for a procedure to repair a torn labrum.

    Targeting a return in the second quarter of 2025, “Suga” will hope to do so in the form of an opportunity at redemption opposite Dvalishvili.

  • ‘F*ck them!’ – JiÅ™Ć­ ProchĆ”zka Reacts To UFC 311 Commentary Team Mentioning His Hands-Down Style

    ‘F*ck them!’ – JiÅ™Ć­ ProchĆ”zka Reacts To UFC 311 Commentary Team Mentioning His Hands-Down Style

    Former UFC light heavyweight champion JiÅ™Ć­ ProchĆ”zka wasn’t pleased to be told of one topic that came up during the broadcast of his recent victory.

    ProchĆ”zka was among the biggest winners to emerge from Saturday’s UFC 311 pay-per-view in Inglewood, California, where he got the better of a fellow ex-titleholder in Jamahal Hill to reignite his hopes of a second title reign.

    The Czech fan favorite had his hand raised in an entertaining affair, following up multiple knockdowns with a fight-ending flurry toward the end of the third and final round.

    During and after the bout, “BJP” was widely praised for seemingly displaying an improved defensive game, especially in regards to his head movement.

    But during his post-fight press conference, ProchĆ”zka was still unhappy to hear of the same concerns being raised by the broadcast team when it comes to one element of his approach ā€” keeping his hands down.

    “F*ck them. I worked on that so much,” ProchĆ”zka said. “(People) messaged me every day, ‘You have toĀ keep your hands up.’ So OK, I will do that for this fight. I will keep the handsĀ up, especially for this night.

    “(I keep my hand down because) I believe in my senses. I believe in my feeling in a fightĀ ā€“ in my head movement. Thatā€™s why I can keep the hands down,” ProchĆ”zka continued. “To be honest, in the last fight with Alex (Pereira), I was a little bit too hands down. So this is something Iā€™ve worked on. I want to see the video from the fight (against Hill), because I believe that I (kept my hands up).”

    With such a style being widely branded counter-productive in his two efforts opposite Alex Pereira, perhaps ProchĆ”zka will plan on putting even more emphasis on staying defensively responsible should his wish to meet “Poatan” for a third time come to fruition down the line.

  • Arman Tsarukyan ‘Couldn’t Move’ After Suffering Back Injury During UFC 311 Weight Cut

    Arman Tsarukyan ‘Couldn’t Move’ After Suffering Back Injury During UFC 311 Weight Cut

    UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan has described the moment his ambitions of a title crowning in Los Angeles this past weekend came to a crashing halt.

    Tsarukyan completed his media obligations and took to the stage for a press conference appearance last week ahead of the UFC 311 pay-per-view on Saturday night. Unfortunately for the Armenian, however, he didn’t make it to fight night.

    It was announced Friday that Renato Moicano was stepping in on 24 hours’ notice to challenge Islam Makhachev after Tsarukyan suffered a back injury during his weight cut.

    Many were quick to question how the original challenger had gotten hurt while using a stationary bike to cut the pounds. And during an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Tsarukyan revealed that he had actually felt some discomfort the night before.

    “Everything was good, but on the last day, Wednesday after training, I went to sleep and I started to feel my lower back. And I couldn’t sleep all night,” Tsarukyan said. “The next day, I thought it’s going to be good and after press conference I’m going to start my weight cut. And when I started my weight cut. I was (using the) bike and like, that moment my back was stuck and I couldn’t move.”

    That physical issue not only prevented him from running it back with Makhachev inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome on Jan. 18 but also seems to have forced him to relinquish number one contender status.

    After UFC CEO Dana White announced as much during the post-fight press conference, Tsarukyan himself publicly supported the decision and outlined his intentions to re-earn a title shot later this year.

  • Merab Dvalishvili Reveals How He Got Severe Shin Cut Past The Commission To Avoid UFC 311 Cancellation

    Merab Dvalishvili Reveals How He Got Severe Shin Cut Past The Commission To Avoid UFC 311 Cancellation

    Merab Dvalishvili utilized some trickery to ensure an injury went unnoticed during medical checks ahead of UFC 311 ā€” and it’s not a particularly strong advertisement for the California State Athletic Commission’s due diligence…

    Dvalishvili ā€” the reigning bantamweight champion on MMA’s biggest stage ā€” returned for his first title defense this past weekend, co-headlining the opening pay-per-view event of 2025 opposite undefeated challenger Umar Nurmagomedov.

    “The Machine” once again lived up to his moniker, putting on a relentless pace inside the cage that ultimately proved to be the difference, as he outpointed his Dagestani rival across five rounds at Inglewood’s Intuit Dome.

    To make the result even more impressive, the Georgian was seemingly far from 100 percent in the lead-up. He notably sustained a deep cut to his shin just weeks before fight night that even became infected.

    While that left the status of his clash against Nurmagomedov up in the air, nothing was going to stop Dvalishvili from making the walk in Los Angeles ā€” pre-fight medical checks includes.

    During an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, “The Machine” explained how he was able to make the wound on his shin go undetected.

    “I was worried the commission was not going to let me fight. … California has a very strict commission,” Dvalishvili said. “The commission guy asked me to show me him my shin, so I lifted my left leg pant to show him my shin. He kept talking and then asked to show my other leg, so I showed him my left leg again and then he never knew about the cut.”

    Suffice it to say that one CSAC member isn’t too hard to dupe.

    Dvalishvili will have been ecstatic that his deception paid off, as he put on a clinic in the final three frames of the UFC 311 co-headliner to keep hold of the bantamweight championship and extend his reign beyond its first hurdle.

  • Umar Nurmagomedov Doubles Down On Belief He Beat Merab Dvalishvili At UFC 311

    Umar Nurmagomedov Doubles Down On Belief He Beat Merab Dvalishvili At UFC 311

    In the co-main event of UFC 311, Umar Nurmagomedov suffered the very first defeat of his career. For the first time in 19 fights, his opponent was the better man on the night following an instant classic title bout against Merab Dvalishvili at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

    Nurmagomedov may have failed to capture the bantamweight belt at the first time of asking but he still gave a good account of himself when facing the current best in the world. He won the first two rounds on two of the scorecards and it was only until the pace and output of Dvalishvili started to really become a factor that the fight started to slip away from his control.

    There’s no doubt that he will come back better from this and whilst he has repeatedly said that he isn’t making excuses for the defeat, the 29-year old did reveal in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan that he thought he won the fight despite seemingly breaking his hand in the first round which limited him over the five rounds.

    Nurmagomedov has since doubled down on both of these points via his own social media platforms by putting out a short statement to reflect on the fight. Whilst he is now focused on recovering from his injuries and getting back to it, he believes that we should have heard “And New” leave Bruce Buffer’s mouth on Saturday night.

    “No excuses. InshaAllah I will become a champion. Nothing else matters. Praise be to Allah in any situation. And I don’t think I lost this fight. Even if the whole world convinces me otherwise. I’ll deal with my injuries and get back into action. InshaAllah.”

  • Islam Makhachev Gets Sent A Reminder: ‘The Lightweight Champion Is Called Charles Oliveira!’

    Islam Makhachev Gets Sent A Reminder: ‘The Lightweight Champion Is Called Charles Oliveira!’

    Islam Makhachev broke the record for consecutive title defenses in the lightweight division this past weekend at UFC 311. The pound-for-pound best fighter in the sport continued living up to his approach of not caring who is put in front of him by accepting to fight Renato Moicano on just one days notice before submitting him in the first round.

    Makhachev’s dominant streak has many believing that the biggest test for him will be when he moves up a weight class, rather than anyone that currently competes at 155-pounds. There has already been talk of what could possibly be next for the champion and the options at lightweight are fairly limited right now.

    Alongside rebooking the rematch with Arman Tsarukyan or potentially facing the winner of Justin Gaethje and Dan Hooker, there is one name that appears to have been excluded from conversations despite him being one of the most popular fighters on the roster. Charles Oliveira may have been beaten by Makhachev once in the past but the two men were scheduled to meet in a rematch that never happened.

    After bouncing back from his loss at UFC 280, he was set to challenge the champion at UFC 294 but “Do Bronx” withdrew from the fight due to a cut that he suffered in his final training session. The former champ recently put on a dominant performance against Michael Chandler in November to return to the win column following a defeat to Tsarukyan at UFC 300.

    Oliveira was in attendance at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on Saturday night where in a video posted on social media by the UFC, he called for his long awaited rematch with Makhachev.

    “It was a great fight, he’s the champion. He did what he had to do but I’m next and he knows that. The lightweight champion is called Charles Oliveira, I’m ready for that.”

  • Renato Moicano Reveals Plan For Octagon Interview With Joe Rogan Had He Won At UFC 311

    Renato Moicano Reveals Plan For Octagon Interview With Joe Rogan Had He Won At UFC 311

    Renato Moicano faced a huge uphill battle in the main event of UFC 311. Facing the pound-for-pound number one fighter in the sport today with a full camp would’ve been the toughest test of his career to date, let alone doing it with just one day to prepare.

    “Money” was unable to pull off one of the biggest upsets of all time after replacing Arman Tsarukyan to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title this past Saturday night. The Brazilian has become a fan favorite in recent times, partly down to his winning streak and partly because of his entertaining and unpredictable personality.

    Moicano’s post-fight interviews have become must-watch as he always has a lot to say and you never know where it’s going to go. Following his submission loss at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, a dejected contender spoke about what this setback means to him during his time on the mic.

    “That wasn’t one day notice, that was a life’s notice. I’m very sad, I spent my whole life for this moment and I tap in the first round. Islam was much better than I today and I had so much to say but that’s not the right time. I’m not done and I don’t know if I will ever get a chance like that again but I will try my best to do.”

    As Moicano told Joe Rogan inside the Octagon, a post-fight speech in victory would’ve been vastly different and he’d already given some thought into how he would use his time on the mic. He posted on X after the fight to state his plans for what his first interview as a UFC champion would’ve looked like.

    Rather than basking in the moment of an incredibly emotional win, in true Moicano fashion, he had a book recommendation and a point to get across.

    “I wish I had won yesterday, grabbed the microphone, and told you to read Murray Rothbardā€™s What Has Government Done to Our Money! Why money should be a commodity with a floating price dictated by the free market! Why central banks are institutions that, instead of helping the economy, enslave new generations through debt! The control of interest rates and quantitative easing are driving global economies toward collapse!

    “This book explains how government took over gold and turned it into this cursed fiat currency! And how governments have been doing this long before they were democraticā€”scraping gold coins, counterfeiting! The first step was to seize real money and then control interest rates! We all know how the story ends: the U.S. government with an almost unpayable debt! History is written by the winners! Yesterday I lost and stayed silent. But I will return to say what needs to be said! Last year, I fought for money; from now on, I fight for freedom! Study Bitcoin!”

  • Khabib Posts Supportive Message To Umar Nurmagomedov After UFC 311 Defeat

    Khabib Posts Supportive Message To Umar Nurmagomedov After UFC 311 Defeat

    Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has encouraged cousin Umar Nurmagomedov to keep his head held high following a first career setback in Los Angeles this past Saturday night.

    The 29-year-old made the walk inside Inglewood’s Intuit Dome for his opening title opportunity on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage, looking to become the latest undefeated Nurmagomedov to hold gold in a leading promotion.

    Unfortunately for the Dagestani, he failed in that quest at UFC 311. Instead, Merab Dvalishvili successfully maintained his position on the bantamweight throne, emerging victorious from a memorable five-round battle to record his first defense.

    Having suffered his first defeat as a professional and exited California without the belt in his possession, Nurmagomedov will understandably be disappointed.

    His coach, mentor, and cousin, however, is confident of making the necessary fixes to ensure a successful title challenge down the line.

    “Head up Junior, yesterday you showed that you are one of the best in the world,” Khabib wrote in an Instagram post. “At the moment we have something to work on, we will work on the mistakes and return to the title race”

    “The Eagle” had a busy night in LA, cornering two other fighters at UFC 311.

    Tagir Ulanbekov opened the night in strong fashion for the team, taking Clayton Carpenter’s 0 by way of a convincing decision. And another member of the Dagestani contingent closed out proceedings, with Islam Makhachev retaining his lightweight title via submission at the expense of Renato Moicano.

    Alongside his supportive words toward Umar, Khabib also praised the work of both Makhachev and Ulanbekov.

  • Paddy Pimblett Reacts To Islam Makhachev’s Submission Of Renato Moicano: ‘You Tap That Quick? Go Asleep!’

    Paddy Pimblett Reacts To Islam Makhachev’s Submission Of Renato Moicano: ‘You Tap That Quick? Go Asleep!’

    UFC lightweight contender Paddy Pimblett wasn’t impressed with the quick nature of Renato Moicano’s decision to tap to an Islam Makhachev choke on Saturday night.

    Moicano found himself competing with gold on the line for the first time this weekend, replacing the injured Arman Tsarukyan to challenge Makhachev on just 24 hours’ notice.

    Unfortunately for the Brazilian, it wasn’t to be a fairytale moment in Los Angeles. He was submitted inside the first round of the UFC 311 main event, marking the champ’s fourth consecutive title defense.

    Among those tuning in for Makhachev’s latest defense was another 155lber frequently linked to a showdown with Moicano, the #13-ranked Pimblett.

    “The Baddy” posted his reaction to the fight-ending sequence from the first PPV headliner of 2025. While he gave props to Moicano for stepping up on late notice, he berated the challenger for not ‘going out on his shield’.

    “You f*cking tap that quick, Renato? Go asleep, lad. Go out on your shield,” Pimblett said following Makhachev’s submission. “I f*cking hate that. You’re in a f*cking choke. You’re not going to snap your neck. Go asleep.

    “Second straight win by D’Arce choke. That was too easy. “It was like, ‘Yeah, give him the sub, lad.’ I thought that would put more of a fight than that,” Pimblett continued. “Credit to Renato for stepping up on 24 hours’ notice, but come on brother, you’re never going to get that opportunity again, at least go out on your shield and go to sleep.”

    Before being initially booked to compete against Beneil Dariush at UFC 311, Moicano had been linked to a clash with the rising Pimblett in 2025.

    With the Liverpool native yet to have his next assignment added to the calendar, perhaps talk will turn back toward that matchup following the setback to Moicano’s title hopes in California.

  • Arman Tsarukyan Has Surprising Reaction To Dana White Taking Away Title Shot After UFC 311 Withdrawal

    Arman Tsarukyan Has Surprising Reaction To Dana White Taking Away Title Shot After UFC 311 Withdrawal

    It would seem that Arman Tsarukyan is no longer the number one contender at 155 pounds.

    Tsarukyan was gearing up last week for his first shot at championship glory on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage. Instead of that, however, he watched on as Islam Makhachev shared the cage with Renato Moicano at UFC 311.

    That came about after the Armenian withdrew on weigh-in day after sustaining a back injury. Moicano was subsequently pulled from his main card clash with Beneil Dariush and handed a sudden title opportunity, which he was unable to capitalize on.

    After quickly submitting the Brazilian by way of a D’Arce choke, Makhachev’s reign has reached a record-breaking four successful defenses. And when it comes to his attempt at a fifth, there’s some uncertainty over opposition.

    During his press conference inside the Intuit Dome, UFC CEO Dana White announced that Tsarukyan would not be keeping his title shot following his injury dropout.

    Interestingly, that decision has been supported by the man himself.

    “I agree with @danawhite. Once my back heals, Iā€™ll be ready to prove Iā€™m the true #1 contender by taking on anyone they put in front of me!” Tsarukyan wrote on X.

    Tsarukyan also identified a potential opponent, green-lighting a rematch with Charles Oliveira in a subsequent post.

    After recording a second win over Michael Chandler last November, “Do Bronx” was expecting to face the winner of the original UFC 311 main event later this year.

    But with the division appearing to be without a definitive next in line ā€” assuming White’s remarks on Tsarukyan’s status prove true ā€” perhaps the Brazilian will have the chance to avenge his UFC 300 setback to the Armenian.

  • UFC 311 Payouts Revealed: Islam Makhachev Gets Less Than Moicano, Holland, & 5 Others

    UFC 311 Payouts Revealed: Islam Makhachev Gets Less Than Moicano, Holland, & 5 Others

    The base payouts for Saturday’s UFC 311 pay-per-view have been disclosed, and it’s safe to say that some of the figures have raised eyebrows in the mixed martial arts community.

    MMA’s leading promotion opened its PPV schedule for the new year this weekend in Los Angeles, where Inglewood’s Intuit Dome played host to a number of intriguing contests, including two championship battles and the latest outings for a number of promising prospects.

    Closing the show was lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev, who submitted Renato Moicano on just 24 hours’ notice following the sudden withdrawal of original challenger Arman Tsarukyan. Despite his main event spot, though, the Dagestani wasn’t the highest paid champ on the card when it comes to base pay.

    The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) revealed the payouts to MMA Fighting following the conclusion of UFC 311, with bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili’s $500K marking the highest figure. Makhachev’s number, meanwhile, emerged as $200K.

    Interestingly, that also puts the lightweight titleholder behind six others in addition to “The Machine,” including defeated opponent Moicano ($200K), JiÅ™Ć­ ProchĆ”zka ($250K), Kevin Holland ($250K), Reinier de Ridder ($210K), Jailton Almeida ($220K) and Grant Dawson ($212K).

    It’s worth noting that these figures are only the contracted amounts and don’t factor in the kind of PPV bonus Makhachev is likely to be the recipient of behind the scenes.

    See below for the full list of disclosed pay sums for UFC 311.

    UFC 311 Disclosed Payouts

    Islam Makhachev: $200,000 (no win bonus)

    Renato Moicano: $250,000 (no win bonus)

    Merab Dvalishvili: $500,000 (no win bonus)

    Umar Nurmagomedov: $100,000 (no win bonus)

    JiÅ™Ć­ ProchĆ”zka: $250,000 ($200,000 purse, $50,000 win bonus)

    Jamahal Hill: $200,000

    Kevin Holland: $250,000

    Reinier de Ridder: $210,000 ($105,000 purse, $105,000 win bonus)

    Jailton Almeida: $220,000 ($110,000 purse, $110,000 win bonus)

    Serghei Spivac: $100,000

    Payton Talbott: $43,000

    Raoni Barcelos: $96,000 ($48,000 purse, $48,000 win bonus)

    Bogdan Guskov: $86,000 ($43,000 purse, $43,000 win bonus)

    Billy Elekana: $12,000

    Grant Dawson: $212,000 ($106,000 purse, $106,000 win bonus)

    Diego Ferreira: $100,000

    Zachary Reese: $30,000

    Azamat Bekoev: $24,000 ($12,000 purse, $12,000 win bonus)

    Karol Rosa: $75,000

    AilĆ­n PĆ©rez: $72,000 ($36,000 purse, $36,000 win bonus)

    Rinya Nakamura: $26,000

    Muin Gafurov: $28,000 ($14,000 purse, $14,000 win bonus)

    Ricky Turcios: $28,000

    Bernardo Sopai: $24,000 ($12,000 purse, $12,000 win bonus)

    Tagir Ulanbekov: $72,000 ($36,000 purse, $36,000 win bonus)

    Clayton Carpenter: $28,000